PMID- 28614884
TI  - ?

PMID- 28614885
TI  - ?

PMID- 28614886
TI  - Submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection of a gastric gastrointestinal stromal
      tumor.

PMID- 28614887
TI  - Successful closure of anastomotic dehiscence after colon-rectal cancer resection
      using the Apollo overstitch suturing system.

PMID- 28614888
TI  - Pull method percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy using transnasal ultrathin
      endoscopy in head and neck cancer.

PMID- 28614889
TI  - Dysphagia from esophageal tuberculosis in a patient with undiagnosed HIV
      infection.

PMID- 28614890
TI  - A new technique for difficult biliary cannulation using endobiliary forceps in a
      patient with a periampullary diverticulum.

PMID- 28614891
TI  - Advanced technique for the treatment of chronic calculous pancreatitis using
      endoscopic ultrasound-guided pancreatic duct drainage.

PMID- 28614892
TI  - Technical aspects of placing a second lumen-apposing metal stent at a separate
      session for a persistent walled-off pancreatic necrosis.

PMID- 28614893
TI  - Traction strategy with clips and rubber band allows complete en bloc endoscopic
      submucosal dissection of laterally spreading tumors invading the appendix.

PMID- 28614894
TI  - Endoscopic extraction of a chopstick impacted in the gastric antrum.

PMID- 28614895
TI  - Endocuff-assisted vs. standard colonoscopy in the fecal occult blood test-based
      UK Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (E-cap study): a randomized trial.
AB  - Background and study aims Up to 25 % colorectal adenomas are missed during
      colonoscopy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the endocuff could
      improve polyp detection in an organized bowel cancer screening program (BCSP).
      Patients and methods This parallel group, single-blinded, randomized controlled
      trial included patients with positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) who were
      attending for BCSP colonoscopy. The primary outcome was the number of polyps per
      patient. Secondary outcomes included the number of adenomas per patient, adenoma
      and polyp detection rates, and withdrawal times. Results A total of 534 BCSP
      patients were randomized to endocuff-assisted or standard colonoscopy. The mean
      age was 67 years and the male to female ratio was 1.8:1. We detected no
      significant difference in the number of polyps per patient (standard 1.8,
      endocuff 1.6; P = 0.44), adenomas per patient (standard 1.4, endocuff 1.3; P =
      0.54), polyp detection rate (standard 69.8 %, endocuff 70.3 %; P = 0.93), adenoma
      detection rate (standard 63.0 %, endocuff 60.9 %; P = 0.85), advanced adenoma
      detection rate (standard 18.5 %, endocuff 16.9 %; P = 0.81), and cancer detection
      rate (standard 5.7 %, endocuff 5.3 %; P = 0.85). The mean withdrawal time was
      significantly shorter among patients in the endocuff group compared with the
      standard colonoscopy group (16.9 vs. 19.5 minutes; P < 0.005). The endocuff had
      to be removed in 17/266 patients (6.4 %) because of inability to pass through the
      sigmoid colon. Conclusions This study did not find improved polyp or adenoma
      detection with endocuff-assisted colonoscopy in the FOBT-positive BCSP
      population. A shorter withdrawal time with endocuff may reflect improved views
      and stability provided by the endocuff.Trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov
      (NCT02529007).

PMID- 28614896
TI  - [Quality of life and Potential Incriminating Factors Among Palliative Care
      Givers: A German Survey of the KOMPACT Working Group].
AB  - Aim of the study Due to the aging population in Germany, the need for palliative
      care institutions will increase. Considering the lack of resources, work stress
      of palliative care nurses could increase significantly. It was the aim of this
      study to identify risk factors for job overload and work stress of palliative
      care nurses in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Methods In cooperation with
      the KOMPACT Working Group, we conducted an anonymous survey of palliative care
      givers in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. We used a paper questionnaire to inquire
      about job stress and workload, self-assessment of health condition and aspects
      about mental and emotional well-being. 167 palliative care nurses from 34
      different institutions participated in the survey. Results The results showed a
      significant difference between inpatient and outpatient palliative care workers
      regarding the type and intensity of work stress. The overall stress level was
      significantly higher for the nurses in inpatient palliative care units (p<0.001).
      A high weekly working time combined with missing work experience in the field of
      palliative care led to a poorer compatibility of job and family. Higher stress
      levels resulted in a lower satisfaction with the work. Dissatisfaction with the
      working conditions was associated with a worse health status defined by self
      assessment. Mental and emotional condition of palliative care nurses was
      significantly worse in comparison with the norm sample, many nurses showed
      "strikingly" or even "seriously" high values. The survey also showed that the
      structural conditions in inpatient palliative care units were not optimal.
      Conclusion Compared to outpatient palliative care services, working conditions
      seem to be worse in inpatient palliative care setting, which could result in
      higher stress for the nurses. Interventions to reduce work-related stress appear
      not to be well implemented in the daily work of palliative care nurses. Standards
      for care as well as advanced training programs for palliative care nurses should
      be reevaluated.

PMID- 28614897
TI  - [Health Care for Refugees: Challenges and Opportunities in Hamburg].
AB  - The massive increase in the number of refugees represents a great challenge to
      German cities. In Hamburg, 40 868 asylum seekers were registered in 2015, of
      which 22 315 remained in the city. The goal of the health administration is to
      provide primary medical care in response to specific health risks and needs of
      refugees while allowing them to be swiftly integrated into the standard health
      care system. Public authorities, charities and civil society are working hand in
      hand. In all reception centres in Hamburg, medical consultations with translation
      services are offered in fully equipped medical container practices. For every 1
      000 refugees, a full-time doctor and a medical assistant are available. In
      addition to contractual staff, employees of contractually integrated hospitals
      are participating in the provision of medical care. Systematic collection of data
      on the health condition of the refugees as well as strengthening public health
      services are key factors in the planning and improvement of services in the
      future. Healthier living conditions and access to the standard health care system
      provide an opportunity to facilitate successful integration of refugees into
      society.

PMID- 28614898
TI  - Deformability of transfused red blood cells is a potent effector of transfusion
      induced hemoglobin increment: A study with beta-thalassemia major patients.

PMID- 28614899
TI  - Determination of Plasma Concentration Reference Ranges for Risperidone and
      Paliperidone.
AB  - Schizophrenia is a common disease managed by a range of interventions, with the
      primary treatment being antipsychotic medications (APS). Inadequate response,
      lack of adherence, and/or adverse events often prevent optimal therapeutic
      effects or therapeutic efficiency. Monitoring APS plasma concentrations can be
      used together with a full clinical evaluation to help improve patient care or
      offer better treatment options for the patient. To enable interpretation of
      individual risperidone and paliperidone plasma concentrations, we developed
      "reference ranges," which consider the expected variability in plasma
      concentrations between subjects across the population, rather than representing a
      "therapeutic range" that relates to efficacy and/or safety outcomes. The
      reference ranges were derived from population pharmacokinetic models, which
      varied based upon administration route, dose, and time after dose. Good agreement
      between the proposed reference ranges and external data was obtained through
      graphical and numerical evaluations, indicating they could be reliably used in
      clinical practice.

PMID- 28614900
TI  - Computational method for estimating boundary of abdominal subcutaneous fat for
      absolute electrical impedance tomography.
AB  - Abdominal fat accumulation is considered an essential indicator of human health.
      Electrical impedance tomography has considerable potential for abdominal fat
      imaging because of the low specific conductivity of human body fat. In this
      paper, we propose a robust reconstruction method for high-fidelity conductivity
      imaging by abstraction of the abdominal cross section using a relatively small
      number of parameters. Toward this end, we assume homogeneous conductivity in the
      abdominal subcutaneous fat area and characterize its geometrical shape by
      parameters defined as the ratio of the distance from the center to boundary of
      subcutaneous fat to the distance from the center to outer boundary in 64
      equiangular directions. To estimate the shape parameters, the sensitivity of the
      noninvasively measured voltages with respect to the shape parameters is
      formulated for numerical optimization. Numerical simulations are conducted to
      demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. A 3-dimensional finite element
      method is used to construct a computer model of the human abdomen. The inverse
      problems of shape parameters and conductivities are solved concurrently by
      iterative forward and inverse calculations. As a result, conductivity images are
      reconstructed with a small systemic error of less than 1% for the estimation of
      the subcutaneous fat area. A novel method is devised for estimating the boundary
      of the abdominal subcutaneous fat. The fidelity of the overall reconstructed
      image to the reference image is significantly improved. The results demonstrate
      the possibility of realization of an abdominal fat scanner as a low-cost,
      radiation-free medical device.

PMID- 28614901
TI  - X-ray crystal structures of the pheromone-binding domains of two quorum-hindered
      transcription factors, YenR of Yersinia enterocolitica and CepR2 of Burkholderia
      cenocepacia.
AB  - The ability of LuxR-type proteins to regulate transcription is controlled by
      bacterial pheromones, N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). Most LuxR-family proteins
      require their cognate AHLs for activity, and some of them require AHLs for
      folding and stability, and for protease-resistance. However, a few members of
      this family are able to fold, dimerize, bind DNA, and regulate transcription in
      the absence of AHLs; moreover, these proteins are antagonized by their cognate
      AHLs. One such protein is YenR of Yersinia enterocolitica, which is antagonized
      by N-3-oxohexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (OHHL). This pheromone is produced by the
      OHHL synthase, a product of the adjacent yenI gene. Another example is CepR2 of
      Burkholderia cenocepacia, which is antagonized by N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone
      (OHL), whose synthesis is directed by the cepI gene of the same bacterium. Here,
      we describe the high-resolution crystal structures of the AHL binding domains of
      YenR and CepR2. YenR was crystallized in the presence and absence of OHHL. While
      this ligand does not cause large scale changes in the YenR structure, it does
      alter the orientation of several highly conserved YenR residues within and near
      the pheromone-binding pocket, which in turn caused a significant movement of a
      surface-exposed loop.

PMID- 28614902
TI  - Parental response to severe or lethal prenatal diagnosis: a systematic review of
      qualitative studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A severe or lethal prenatal diagnosis places great demands on
      prospective parents, who face choices of far-reaching consequences, such as
      continuing or terminating the pregnancy. How best to support these parents is a
      clinical challenge. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize the
      qualitative evidence regarding prospective parents' responses to such prenatal
      diagnoses. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, four databases were
      systematically searched and 28 studies met the inclusion criteria. Thematic
      analysis guided data extraction and synthesis of findings. The Confidence in the
      Evidence for Reviews of Qualitative research assessment tool was utilized to
      assess confidence in the findings. RESULTS: Prospective parents experienced
      multiple losses, for example, of the healthy child, normal pregnancy and
      envisioned future. After diagnosis, they requested timely and reliable
      information and empathetic continued interaction with clinicians. Prospective
      parents who continued the pregnancy wished to be acknowledged as parents and
      engaged in planning to obtain a sense of meaning and control. Selective
      disclosure and concerns about negative responses were issues both for the parents
      who terminated and those who continued a pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Clinicians can
      support parental coping following a severe prenatal diagnosis through continued
      dialogue and collaboration. Further research is needed on the experiences of
      parents who choose to terminate a pregnancy following prenatal diagnosis. (c)
      2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28614903
TI  - Thiotepa-based conditioning versus total body irradiation as myeloablative
      conditioning prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia: A matched-pair analysis from the Acute Leukemia Working
      Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.
AB  - The optimal conditioning regimen to employ before hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is still undecided, and
      while cyclophosphamide/total body irradiation (Cy/TBI) is the most commonly used
      myeloablative regimen, there are concerns regarding long-term toxicity for
      patients conditioned with this regimen. Thiotepa-based conditioning is an
      emerging radiation-free regimen with recent publications indicative of comparable
      clinical outcomes to TBI-based conditioning. In this analysis of the acute
      leukemia working party of the EBMT, we performed a retrospective matched-pair
      analysis, evaluating the outcome of adult patients with ALL who received thiotepa
      based conditioning (n = 180) with those receiving Cy/TBI conditioning (n = 540).
      The 2-year leukemia-free survival and overall survival (OS) rates of both
      conditioning regimens were comparable, 33% for thiotepa [95% confidence interval
      (CI): 26.4-42.8] versus 39% for Cy/TBI (95% CI: 34.8-44.5] (P = .33) and 46.5%
      [95% CI: 38.6-56.1] versus 48.8% [95% CI: 44.2-54] (P = .9), respectively. There
      was no significant difference between the two regimens in the incidence of either
      acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) or chronic GVHD. Multivariate analysis
      demonstrated increased relapse incidence for thiotepa conditioning compared to
      Cy/TBI (HR = 1.78, 95% CI, 1.07-2.95; P = .03) which did not affect OS. Our
      results indicate that thiotepa-based conditioning may not be inferior to Cy/TBI
      for adult patients with ALL.

PMID- 28614904
TI  - The AJCC/UICC eighth edition for staging head and neck cancers: Is it wise to de
      escalate treatment regimens in p16-positive oropharyngeal cancer patients?

PMID- 28614905
TI  - Long-term follow-up of chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab, oxaliplatin, cytosine
      arabinoside, dexamethasone (ROAD) in patients with relapsed CD20+ B-cell non
      Hodgkin lymphoma: Results of a study of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Research
      Consortium (MCCRC) MC0485 now known as academic and community cancer research
      united (ACCRU).
AB  - Patients with relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are often treated
      with platinum-based chemoimmunotherapy regimens in preparation for autologous
      stem cell transplant. We sought to reduce toxicity and maintain efficacy by using
      oxaliplatin with rituximab, cytarabine and dexamethasone (ROAD) in a phase II
      clinical trial in patients who had relapsed after one prior regimen. ROAD was
      delivered q21 days and consisted of rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV weekly x 4 doses
      (cycle 1 only); dexamethasone 40 mg PO/IV d2 - 5; oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 IV day 2;
      cytarabine 2000 mg/m2 IV * two doses on days 2 to 3; and pegfilgrastim 6 mg SC on
      day 4. Forty-five eligible patients were accrued between 2006 and 2008. Patient
      characteristics were a median age of 69 years; 96% had received prior rituximab;
      53% were within one year of diagnosis. The median number of cycles received was 2
      (range, 1-6). Forty-four % received ROAD as an outpatient. The overall response
      rate was 71% with 27% (12/45) CR and 44% (20/45) PR. Forty-four % (20/45) of all
      patients and 69% (18/26) of patients whom responded after 2 cycles proceeded to
      transplant. Median overall survival was 26 mos (95% CI: 7.3 mos-not reached) and
      median progression-free survival was 11 mos (95% CI: 6-104 mos). There was no
      grade 3/4 nephrotoxicity; the rate of grade 3/4 neuropathy was 4%. Forty-two
      percent of all patients and 69% of patients transplanted remain alive at 5 years.
      ROAD represents an acceptable salvage therapeutic option for patients with
      relapsed aggressive NHL.

PMID- 28614907
TI  - Relative size predicts competitive outcome through 2 million years.
AB  - Competition is an important biotic interaction that influences survival and
      reproduction. While competition on ecological timescales has received great
      attention, little is known about competition on evolutionary timescales. Do
      competitive abilities change over hundreds of thousands to millions of years? Can
      we predict competitive outcomes using phenotypic traits? How much do traits that
      confer competitive advantage and competitive outcomes change? Here we show, using
      communities of encrusting marine bryozoans spanning more than 2 million years,
      that size is a significant determinant of overgrowth outcomes: colonies with
      larger zooids tend to overgrow colonies with smaller zooids. We also detected
      temporally coordinated changes in average zooid sizes, suggesting that different
      species responded to a common external driver. Although species-specific average
      zooid sizes change over evolutionary timescales, species-specific competitive
      abilities seem relatively stable, suggesting that traits other than zooid size
      also control overgrowth outcomes and/or that evolutionary constraints are
      involved.

PMID- 28614906
TI  - Heterogeneous organization and connectivity of the chicken auditory thalamus
      (Gallus gallus).
AB  - The auditory ascending system contains parallel pathways in vertebrate brains. In
      chickens (Gallus gallus), three pathways arise from nucleus laminaris (NL),
      nucleus angularis (NA), and regio intermedius (RI) in the brainstem, innervating
      three subdivisions of the nucleus mesencephalicus lateralis pars dorsalis (MLd)
      in the midbrain. The current study reveals the segregation of these pathways in
      their subsequent projections to the nucleus ovoidalis (Ov) in the thalamus. Based
      on cytoarchitecture and myelin distribution, we identified seven Ov subregions,
      including five neuronal clusters within the Ov proper, the nucleus semilunaris
      parovoidalis (SPO), and the circum-ovoidalis (cOv). Immunocytochemistry further
      revealed that a ventromedial cluster of the Ov proper (Ovvm) contains unique cell
      types expressing alpha8 subunit nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, while SPO and
      cOv are characterized with expression of calcitonin-gene-related peptide and
      cholecystokinin. Tract tracing studies demonstrated that Ovvm is a major target
      of the NL-recipient zone of MLd, while the RI-recipient zone of MLd predominantly
      projects to a ventrolateral cluster of the Ov proper. Afferent inputs to the
      remaining regions of the Ov proper mostly arise from the NA-recipient zone of
      MLd. SPO and cOv receive a projection from the surrounding areas of MLd, named
      the nucleus intercollicularis. Importantly, the Ov proper, SPO and cOv all
      project to the Field L2 in the forebrain, the avian auditory cortex. Taken
      together, these results demonstrate that the avian auditory thalamus is a
      structurally and functionally heterogeneous structure, implicating an important
      role in generating novel representations for specific acoustic features.

PMID- 28614908
TI  - Adenoviral production of interleukin-2 at the tumor site removes the need for
      systemic postconditioning in adoptive cell therapy.
AB  - Systemic high dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) postconditioning has long been utilized
      in boosting the efficacy of T cells in adoptive cell therapy (ACT) of solid
      tumors. The resulting severe off-target toxicity of these regimens renders local
      production at the tumor an attractive concept with possible safety gains. We
      evaluated the efficacy and safety of intratumorally administered IL-2-coding
      adenoviruses in combination with tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy in
      syngeneic Syrian hamsters bearing HapT1 pancreatic tumors and with T cell
      receptor transgenic ACT in B16.OVA melanoma bearing C57BL/6 mice. The models are
      complementary: hamsters are semi-permissive for human oncolytic adenovirus,
      whereas detailed immunological analyses are possible in mice. In both models,
      local production of IL-2 successfully replaced the need for systemic recombinant
      IL-2 (rIL-2) administration and increased the efficacy of the cell therapy.
      Furthermore, vectored delivery of IL-2 significantly enhanced the infiltration of
      CD8+ T cells, M1-like macrophages, and B-cells while systemic rIL-2 increased
      CD25 + FoxP3+ T cells at the tumor. In contrast with vectored delivery,
      histopathological analysis of systemic rIL-2-treated animals revealed significant
      changes in lungs, livers, hearts, spleens, and kidneys. In summary, local IL-2
      production results in efficacy and safety gains in the context of ACT. These
      preclinical assessments provide the rationale for ongoing clinical translation.

PMID- 28614909
TI  - Global patterns and trends in stomach cancer incidence: Age, period and birth
      cohort analysis.
AB  - The cases of stomach cancer (SC) incidence are increasing per year and the SC
      burden has remained very high in some countries. We aimed to evaluate the global
      geographical variation in SC incidence and temporal trends from 1978 to 2007,
      with an emphasis on the effect of birth cohort. Joinpoint regression and age
      period-cohort model were applied. From 2003 to 2007, male rate were 1.5- to 3
      fold higher than female in all countries. Rates were highest in Eastern Asian and
      South American countries. Except for Uganda, all countries showed favorable
      trends. Pronounced cohort-specific increases in risk for recent birth cohorts
      were seen in Brazil, Colombia, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Uganda and US white
      people for males and in Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic,
      Ecuador, Iceland, India, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom,
      Uganda, US black and white people for females. The cohort-specific ratio for male
      significantly decreased in Japan, Malta and Spain for cohorts born since 1950 and
      in Austria, China, Croatia, Ecuador, Russia, Switzerland and Thailand for cohorts
      born since 1960 and for female in Japan for cohorts born since 1950 and in
      Canada, China, Croatia, Latvia, Russia and Thailand for cohorts born since 1960.
      Disparities in incidence and carcinogenic risk persist worldwide. The favorable
      trends may be due to changes in environmental exposure and lifestyle, including
      decreased Helicobacter pylori prevalence, increased intake of fresh fruits and
      vegetables, the availability of refrigeration and decreased intake of salted and
      preserved food and smoking prevalence.

PMID- 28614910
TI  - TP53 mutation and survival in aggressive B cell lymphoma.
AB  - TP53 is mutated in 20-25% of aggressive B-cell lymphoma (B-NHL). To date, no
      studies have addressed the impact of TP53 mutations in prospective clinical trial
      cohorts. To evaluate the impact of TP53 mutation to current risk models in
      aggressive B-NHL, we investigated TP53 gene mutations within the RICOVER-60
      trial. Of 1,222 elderly patients (aged 61-80 years) enrolled in the study and
      randomized to six or eight cycles of CHOP-14 with or without Rituximab
      (NCT00052936), 265 patients were analyzed for TP53 mutations. TP53 mutations were
      demonstrated in 63 of 265 patients (23.8%). TP53 mutation was associated with
      higher LDH (65% vs. 37%; p < 0.001), higher international prognostic index-Scores
      (IPI 4/5 27% vs. 12%; p = 0.025) and B-symptoms (41% vs. 24%; p = 0.011).
      Patients with TP53 mutation were less likely to obtain a complete remission
      CR/CRu (CR unconfirmed) 61.9% (mut) vs. 79.7% (wt) (p = 0.007). TP53 mutations
      were associated with decreased event-free (EFS), progression-free (PFS) and
      overall survival (OS) (median observation time of 40.2 months): the 3 year EFS,
      PFS and OS were 42% (vs. 60%; p = 0.012), 42% (vs. 67.5%; p < 0.001) and 50% (vs.
      76%; p < 0.001) for the TP53 mutation group. In a Cox proportional hazard
      analysis adjusting for IPI-factors and treatment arms, TP53 mutation was shown to
      be an independent predictor of EFS (HR 1.5), PFS (HR 2.0) and OS (HR 2.3; p <
      0.001). TP53 mutations are independent predictors of survival in untreated
      patients with aggressive CD20+ lymphoma. TP53 mutations should be considered for
      risk models in DLBCL and strategies to improve outcome for patients with mutant
      TP53 must be developed.

PMID- 28614911
TI  - PD-L1 promotes OCT4 and Nanog expression in breast cancer stem cells by
      sustaining PI3K/AKT pathway activation.
AB  - The expression of PD-L1 in breast cancer is associated with estrogen receptor
      negativity, chemoresistance and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), all
      of which are common features of a highly tumorigenic subpopulation of cancer
      cells termed cancer stem cells (CSCs). Hitherto, the expression and intrinsic
      role of PD-L1 in the dynamics of breast CSCs has not been investigated. To
      address this issue, we used transcriptomic datasets, proteomics and several in
      vitro and in vivo assays. Expression profiling of a large breast cancer dataset
      (530 patients) showed statistically significant correlation (p < 0.0001, r =
      0.36) between PD-L1 expression and stemness score of breast cancer. Specific
      knockdown of PD-L1 using ShRNA revealed its critical role in the expression of
      the embryonic stem cell transcriptional factors: OCT-4A, Nanog and the stemness
      factor, BMI1. Conversely, these factors could be induced upon PD-L1 ectopic
      expression in cells that are normally PD-L1 negative. Global proteomic analysis
      hinted for the central role of AKT in the biology of PD-L1 expressing cells.
      Indeed, PD-L1 positive effect on OCT-4A and Nanog was dependent on AKT
      activation. Most importantly, downregulation of PD-L1 compromised the self
      renewal capability of breast CSCs in vitro and in vivo as shown by tumorsphere
      formation assay and extreme limiting dilution assay, respectively. This study
      demonstrates a novel role for PD-L1 in sustaining stemness of breast cancer cells
      and identifies the subpopulation and its associated molecular pathways that would
      be targeted upon anti-PD-L1 therapy.

PMID- 28614912
TI  - Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor alpha Facilitates Osteogenic
      Differentiation in MC3T3-E1 Cells via the Sirtuin 1-Dependent Signaling Pathway.
AB  - Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by
      lack of insulin and high glucose levels. T2DM can cause bone loss and fracture,
      thus leading to diabetic osteoporosis. Promoting osteogenic differentiation of
      osteoblasts may effectively treat diabetic osteoporosis. We previously reported
      that Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), a NAD+-dependent deacetylase, promotes osteogenic
      differentiation through downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated
      receptor (PPAR) gamma. We also found that miR-132 regulates osteogenic
      differentiation by downregulating Sirt1 in a PPARbeta/delta-dependent manner. The
      ligand-activated transcription factor, PPARalpha, is another isotype of the
      peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor family that helps maintain bone
      homeostasis and promot bone formation. Whether the regulatory role of PPARalpha
      in osteogenic differentiation is mediated via Sirt1 remains unclear. In the
      present study, we aimed to determine this role and the underlying mechanism by
      using high glucose (HG) and free fatty acids (FFA) to mimic T2DM in MC3T3-E1
      cells. The results showed that HG-FFA significantly inhibited expression of
      PPARalpha, Sirt1 and osteogenic differentiation, but these effects were markedly
      reversed by PPARalpha overexpression. Moreover, siSirt1 attenuated the positive
      effects of PPARalpha on osteogenic differentiation, suggesting that PPARalpha
      promotes osteogenic differentiation in a Sirt1-dependent manner. Luciferase
      activity assay confirmed interactions between PPARalpha and Sirt1. These findings
      indicate that PPARalpha promotes osteogenic differentiation via the Sirt1
      dependent signaling pathway.

PMID- 28614913
TI  - The Fungal Metabolite Brefeldin A Inhibits Dvl2-Plk1-Dependent Primary Cilium
      Disassembly.
AB  - The primary cilium is a non-motile microtubule-based organelle that protrudes
      from the surface of most human cells and works as a cellular antenna to accept
      extracellular signals. Primary cilia assemble from the basal body during the
      resting stage (G0 phase) and simultaneously disassemble with cell cycle re-entry.
      Defective control of assembly or disassembly causes diverse human diseases
      including ciliopathy and cancer. To identify the effective compounds for studying
      primary cilium disassembly, we have screened 297 natural compounds and identified
      18 and 17 primary cilium assembly and disassembly inhibitors, respectively. Among
      them, the application of KY-0120, identified as Brefeldin A, disturbed Dvl2-Plk1
      mediated cilium disassembly via repression of the interaction of CK1E-Dvl2 and
      the expression of Plk1 mRNA. Therefore, our study may suggest useful compounds
      for studying the cellular mechanism of primary cilium disassembly to prevent
      ciliopathy and cancer.

PMID- 28614914
TI  - IP-10 Expression in Patients with Chronic HBV Infection and Its Ability to
      Predict the Decrease in HBsAg Levels after Treatment with Entecavir.
AB  - Interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), also known as chemokine C-X-C
      motif ligand (CXCL) 10, is closely associated with antiviral immunity and the
      progression of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the value of baseline
      serological and histological IP-10 expression levels in predicting the efficacy
      of the antiviral response to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) is still
      unknown. In our research, intrahepatic and peripheral IP-10 expression levels
      were systemically examined before and after treatment with entecavir (ETV).
      Baseline serological and histological IP-10 expression levels were significantly
      increased in patients with CHB, particularly in patients with higher degrees of
      liver inflammation and liver fibrosis. Moreover, higher baseline intrahepatic IP
      10 levels indicated better prognoses in patients with CHB after entecavir
      therapy. The baseline IP-10 level was also positively associated with several
      clinical parameters, including baseline levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT),
      aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and hepatitis B
      surface antigen (HBsAg), and with the decrease in HBsAg levels after treatment.
      In addition, monocyte-derived IP-10 was expressed at higher levels in patients
      with CHB than in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and healthy controls (HC).
      According to the results of our in vitro experiments, IP-10 directly promoted
      hepatocyte apoptosis. Based on these findings, baseline serological and
      histological IP-10 levels might predict CHB severity and the decrease in HBsAg
      levels after entecavir therapy.

PMID- 28614915
TI  - Identification of an Enhancer Critical for the ephirn-A5 Gene Expression in the
      Posterior Region of the Mesencephalon.
AB  - Ephrin-A5 has been implicated in the regulation of brain morphogenesis and axon
      pathfinding. In this study, we used bacterial homologous recombination to express
      a LacZ reporter in various ephrin-A5 BAC clones to identify elements that
      regulate ephrin-A5 gene expression during mesencephalon development. We found
      that there is mesencephalon-specific enhancer activity localized to a specific
      +25.0 kb to +30.5 kb genomic region in the first intron of ephrin-A5. Further
      comparative genomic analysis indicated that two evolutionary conserved regions,
      ECR1 and ECR2, were present within this 5.5 kb region. Deletion of ECR1 from the
      enhancer resulted in disrupted mesencephalon-specific enhancer activity in
      transgenic embryos. We also found a consensus binding site for basic helix-loop
      helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) in a highly conserved region at the 3'
      end of ECR1. We further demonstrated that specific deletion of the bHLH TF
      binding site abrogated the mesencephalon-specific enhancer activity in transgenic
      embryos. Finally, both electrophoretic mobility shift assay and luciferase-based
      transactivation assay revealed that the transcription factor Ascl1 bound the bHLH
      consensus binding site in the mesencephalon-specific ephrin-A5 enhancer in vitro.
      Together, these results suggest that the bHLH TF binding site in ECR1 is involved
      in the positive regulation of ephrin-A5 gene expression during the development of
      the mesencephalon.

PMID- 28614916
TI  - Gestational Diabetes Affects the Growth and Functions of Perivascular Stem Cells.
AB  - Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), one of the common metabolic disorders of
      pregnancy, leads to functional alterations in various cells including stem cells
      as well as some abnormalities in fetal development. Perivascular stem cells
      (PVCs) have gained more attention in recent years, for the treatment of various
      diseases. However, the effect of GDM on PVC function has not been investigated.
      In our study, we isolated PVCs from umbilical cord of normal pregnant women and
      GDM patients and compared their phenotypes and function. There is no significant
      difference in phenotypic expression, response to bFGF exposure and adipogenic
      differentiation capacity between normal (N)-PVCs and GDM-PVCs. However, when
      compared with N-PVCs, early passage GDM-PVCs displayed decreased initial rates of
      cell yield and proliferation as well as a reduced ability to promote wound
      closure. These results suggest that maternal metabolic dysregulation during
      gestation can alter the function of endogenous multipotent stem cells, which may
      impact their therapeutic effectiveness.

PMID- 28614917
TI  - Cell Death-Associated Ribosomal RNA Cleavage in Postmortem Tissues and Its
      Forensic Applications.
AB  - Estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) is a key issue in the field of forensic
      pathology. With the availability of quantitative analysis of RNA levels in
      postmortem tissues, several studies have assessed the postmortem degradation of
      constitutively expressed RNA species to estimate PMI. However, conventional RNA
      quantification as well as biochemical and physiological changes employed thus far
      have limitations related to standardization or normalization. The present study
      focuses on an interesting feature of the subdomains of certain RNA species, in
      which they are site-specifically cleaved during apoptotic cell death. We found
      that the D8 divergent domain of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) bearing cell death-related
      cleavage sites was rapidly removed during postmortem RNA degradation. In contrast
      to the fragile domain, the 5' terminal region of 28S rRNA was remarkably stable
      during the postmortem period. Importantly, the differences in the degradation
      rates between the two domains in mammalian 28S rRNA were highly proportional to
      increasing PMI with a significant linear correlation observed in mice as well as
      human autopsy tissues. In conclusion, we demonstrate that comparison of the
      degradation rates between domains of a single RNA species provides quantitative
      information on postmortem degradation states, which can be applied for the
      estimation of PMI.

PMID- 28614919
TI  - [Effects of developmental exposure to DEHP on learning and memory of mice].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the effects of developmental exposure to DEHP on
      learning and memory of mice. Methods: Male littermates of ICR mice randomly
      assigned to five experimental groups (n=14 for each condition) on PND4 to receive
      distilled water, vehicle and 10, 50 and 200 mg/ (kg.d) DEHP from PND5 to PND38 by
      gavage, weighing and recording body weight of mice. Open field task were
      conducted on PND 26 and Morris water maze task were begun from PND30 to PND 37 to
      evaluate spontaneous exploration activity and emotion, spatial learning and
      memory performance of pubertal mice, respectively. On PND39, all animals were
      killed and hippocampi were isolated on ice, then total proteins of hippocampus
      were extracted, followed by determining the expression of PSD95 and synapsin I by
      western blotting. Results: 200 mg/ (kg.d) DEHP significantly reduced the growth
      of body weight of mice and the time staying in the central area in open field,
      prolonged the time searching the hidden platform in Morris water maze (P<0.05) .
      50 mg/ (kg.d) DEHP didn't change the growth of body weight and the emotion
      (P>0.05) , but reduced the percent of time and distance in the target quadrant
      during the probe trial of mice in Morris water maze (P<0.05) . The results of
      western blotting showed that DEHP significantly reduced the expression of PSD95
      in hippocampus of mice with all dose groups (P<0.01) , but only 200 mg/ (kg.d)
      DEHP reduced the expression of synapsin I (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Developmental
      exposure to DEHP can damage the development of synapse in hippocampus, adversely
      impacting spatial memory performance of mice at a dose that are insufficient to
      significantly influence the general development and result in anxiety.

PMID- 28614918
TI  - The Significance of SDF-1alpha-CXCR4 Axis in in vivo Angiogenic Ability of Human
      Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells.
AB  - Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) are multipotent stem cells derived from
      periodontium and have mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like characteristics. Recently,
      the perivascular region was recognized as the developmental origin of MSCs, which
      suggests the in vivo angiogenic potential of PDLSCs. In this study, we
      investigated whether PDLSCs could be a potential source of perivascular cells,
      which could contribute to in vivo angiogenesis. PDLSCs exhibited typical MSC-like
      characteristics such as the expression pattern of surface markers (CD29, CD44,
      CD73, and CD105) and differentiation potentials (osteogenic and adipogenic
      differentiation). Moreover, PDLSCs expressed perivascular cell markers such as
      NG2, alphasmooth muscle actin, platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta, and
      CD146. We conducted an in vivo Matrigel plug assay to confirm the in vivo
      angiogenic potential of PDLSCs. We could not observe significant vessel-like
      structures with PDLSCs alone or human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HU-VECs)
      alone at day 7 after injection. However, when PDLSCs and HUVECs were co-injected,
      there were vessel-like structures containing red blood cells in the lumens, which
      suggested that anastomosis occurred between newly formed vessels and host
      circulatory system. To block the SDF-1alpha and CXCR4 axis between PDLSCs and
      HUVECs, AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, was added into the Matrigel plug. After day
      3 and day 7 after injection, there were no significant vessel-like structures. In
      conclusion, we demonstrated the peri-vascular characteristics of PDLSCs and their
      contribution to in vivo angiogenesis, which might imply potential application of
      PDLSCs into the neovascularization of tissue engineering and vascular diseases.

PMID- 28614920
TI  - [Role of complement regulatory protein CD55 in the liver immune injury of
      trichloroethylene-sensitized mice].
AB  - Objective: To explore the expression of CD55 in liver tissue of trichloroethylene
      sensitized mice and discuss the role of CD55 in the liver immune injury of
      trichloroethylene-sensitized mice. Methods: 6-8 weeks specific pathogen free
      female BALB/c were randomly divided into blank control group, solvent control
      group and TCE treatment group to establish BALB/c mice sensitized model.
      According to mouse skin sensitization reaction score, TCE treatment mice were
      divided into sensitized and non-sensitized group at 24 h after the last
      challenge. At 48 h after the last challenge, the blood and aseptic livers were
      collected. The level of serum ALT was tested by automatic biochemical analyzer
      and pathology of the liver was observed. C5b-9 deposition was studied by
      immunohistochemistry (IHC) . CD55 protein expression level in liver tissue was
      studied by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The expression of CD55 mRNA
      in liver tissue was detected by qRT-PCR. Results: Liver function test result
      showed level of serum ALT in TCE sensitized group was significantly higher than
      solvent control group and TCE non-sensitized group (P<0.05) . There was
      ballooning degeneration and necrosis of liver cells in TCE sensitized group. IHC
      demonstrated that TCE sensitized group had obviously increased content of C5b-9
      but had reduced content of CD55 compared with solvent control group and TCE non
      sensitized group (P<0.05) . Western blotting also showed that TCE sensitized
      group had lower expression of CD55 than solvent control group and TCE non
      sensitized group (P<0.05) . qRT-PCR showed that CD55 mRNA expression level in
      liver tissue of TCE sensitized group was apparently lower than solvent control
      group and TCE non-sensitized group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: Complement activation
      may be involved in TCE-induced liver injury, and the expression change of
      complement regulatory protein CD55 may play essential role in the process.

PMID- 28614921
TI  - [The study of using cordyceps-astragalus-salvia miltiorrhiza to treat acute lung
      injury induced by paraquat poisoning in rats].
AB  - Objective: To study the therapy of cordyceps-astragalus-salvia miltiorrhiza in
      treating acute lung injury and pulmonary interstitial fibrosis induced by
      paraquat poisoning. Methods: All 120 adult Wister male rats were randomly
      assigned to three groups, the paraquat poisoning group (rats were intragastric
      administration paraquat 50 mg/kg body weight once at the beginning) , the
      cordyceps-astragalus-salvia miltiorrhiza therapy group (rats were given cordyceps
      astragalus-salvia miltiorrhiza 90 mg/kg body weight intragastric administration
      half an hour after paraquat was given, then the same dose was given once a day) ;
      control group (rats were intragastric administration with physiological saline) .
      At 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day rats were sacrificed postanesthetic respectively
      after paraquat exposure, sample of lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) ,
      and venous blood were collected. GSH, SOD, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, and HYP in
      plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) , and the lung homogenates were determined.
      Optical microscope was performed to examine pathological changes in lung.
      Results: Each experimental time point paraquat group and the treatment group rats
      serum SOD content significantly lower than the control group (P<0.05) . Each
      experimental time point the treatment group rats serum SOD levels increased
      significantly than that of paraquat group (P<0.05) . Each experimental time point
      paraquat group rats serum GSH content significantly lower than that of the
      control group (P<0.05) . Treatment group rats 7 days time GSH content
      significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05) . Treatment group 21
      days, 28 days GSH content was increased significantly than that of the paraquat
      group (P<0.05) . Each experimental time point paraquat group rats alveolar lavage
      SOD content was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05) .
      Treatment group 7 days, 14 days time SOD content was significantly lower than
      that of the control group (P<0.05) , Treatment group 21 days, 28 days SOD content
      was increased significantly than that of the paraquat group (P<0.05) . Each
      experimental time point paraquat group and the treatment group rats alveolar
      lavage GSH content significantly were lower than that of the control group
      (P<0.05) . Treatment group days 14 and 21 days, 28 days GSH content was increased
      significantly than that of the paraquat group (P<0.05) . Each experimental time
      point paraquat group rats alveolar lavage TNF alpha levels was higher than that
      of the control group (P<0.05) . Treatment group 7 days, 14 days the rat alveolar
      lavage TNF alpha levels was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05) .
      Treatment group 21 days, 28 days TNF alpha content significantly was decreased
      than that of paraquat group (P<0.05) . Paraquat group days 14 and 21 days, 28
      days HYP content was significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.05) .
      Treatment group 21 days HYP content was significantly higher than that of control
      group (P<0.05) . Treatment group 28 days time HYP content in lung tissue of rats
      was significantly decreased than that of the paraquat group (P<0.05) . Each
      experimental time point paraquat group rat lung tissue (tissue homogenate) TGF
      beta1 content was higher than that of the control group, the difference was
      statistically significant (P<0.05) . Under optical microscope, the tissue damage
      of lung was aggravated, and reduced after cordyceps-astragalus-salvia
      miltiorrhiza was administrated. Conclusion: Cordyceps-astragalus-salvia
      miltiorrhiza can reduce inflammation factor releasing, and relieve lung injury.
      It has therapeutic effect on lung injury induced by paraquat poisoning.

PMID- 28614922
TI  - [Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor type II-IgG Fc fusion protein
      for treatment of occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis induced by
      trichloroethylene].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of the recombinant human tumor
      necrosis factor receptor II-IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR: Fc, etanercept) for
      the treatment of occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis induced by
      trichloroethylene (OMLDT) . Methods: In September 2011 to February 2016, 12
      patients with OMLDT were treated with etanercept 25 mg, subcutaneous injection,
      twice per week, doubling of first dose. The course of treatment was 6 weeks. The
      drug eruption area and severity index (DASI) score, the proportion of patients
      achieving a 50%, 75% and 90% reduction in DASI (DASI50, DASI75, DASI90) and the
      serum level of TNF-alpha were used to assess the efficacy at different times.
      Adverse reactions were also recorded and evaluated. The results were
      statistically analyzed by nonparametric Friedman test and repetitive measurement
      ANOVA using the software SPSS19.0. Results: After 4 weeks treatment, the DASI
      score decreased form 56.33+/-7.02 to 0.50+/-0.91 (P<0.01) . The DASI50, DASI75
      and DASI90 were all increased to 12 (100%) . The serum level of TNF-alpha
      decreased form (43.74+/-41.62) pg/ml to (3.03+/-0.47) pg/ml (P<0.01) .
      Statistically significant difference was observed from the above indexes. There
      were no adverse reactions in clinical application. Conclusion: Recombinant human
      tumor necrosis factor receptor II-IgG Fc fusion protein may be a safe and
      effective drug in the treatment of OMLDT.

PMID- 28614923
TI  - [Serum levels of periostin and their influencing factors in the beta-lactam
      antibiotic enterprise workers].
AB  - Objective: To observe serum levels of periostin, ECP, IgE in the antibiotic
      enterprise workers, and study the role of periostin, ECP, IgE in the development
      of allergic inflammation. Methods: 90 cases with asthma or rhinitis were enrolled
      as disease group, another 117 workers exposed to 7-ACA,6-APA dust without
      suffering from allergic illness, are chosen as group of dust exposed, and 192
      healthy workers who didn't contact dust were chosen as control group.
      Questionnaires were used to learn their basic information.Lung function was
      determined with a portable spirometer.The expression levels of periostin,ECP and
      IgE in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay. Results: The
      exposure group and disease group had significantly lower forced vital capacity
      (FVC) , forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(l.0)) , and FEV(l.0)/FVC ratio
      than the control group (P<0.05) . The disease group had significantly higher
      eosinophil than the control group (P<0.05) . Compared with the control group, the
      exposure group, the disease group, asthma subgroup, rhinitis subgroup of serum
      periostin and IgE increased, the differences are statistically significant
      (P<0.05) . Serum levels of ECP in the workers of asthma subgroup were
      significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05) . Serum expression
      levels of periostin were positively correlated with IgE, ECP in workers (P<0.001)
      , serum levels of periostin were negatively correlated with FEV(1.0) in workers
      (P<0.05) . Multiple logistics regression analysis found that exposure to 7-ACA or
      6-APA (OR=3.09, 95%CI: 1.83-5.21) , age>47years (OR=2.53, 95%CI: 1.22-5.26) ,
      higher ECP (OR=1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.06) were risk factors for increased serum
      periostin level. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to 7-ACA or 6-APA can result
      in higher serum periostin level, exposure to 7-ACA or 6-APA, age>47 years, higher
      ECP are risk factors for increased serum periostin level.

PMID- 28614924
TI  - [Effects of smoking on concentration of urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in coke
      oven workers].
AB  - Objective: To explore the influence of smoking and polycyclic aromatic
      hydrocarbons (PAHs) on urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in coke oven
      workers and investigate their dose-dependent relationships. Methods: A total of
      436 workers exposed to coke oven emissions (COEs) and 132 controls were recruited
      in this study. Questionnaires were completed in a personal interview. Then their
      urine samples were also collected and the concentrations of urinary four OH-PAHs
      and 8-OHdG were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) which
      was used to evaluate the levels of occupational PAHs internal exposure among
      workers and the DNA damage. Results: The differences of concentrations of urinary
      2-NAP (2-hydroxynathalene) , 2-FLU (2-hydroxyfluorene) , 9-PHE (9
      hydroxyphenanthrene) , 1-OHP (1-hydroxypyrene) between exposure group and control
      group were statistically significant (P<0.05) . In exposure group and control
      group, the level of 8-OHdG in heavy smoking workers were significantly higher
      than that in other groups (P<0.05) . Multivariate logistic regression analysis
      revealed high levels of urinary 8-OHdG were associated with a significantly
      increased risk of having higher urinary1-hydroxypyrene levels[OR=1.43 (95%CI:
      1.06-1.94) , P<0.01] and heavy smoking [OR=1.44 (95%CI: 1.08-1.91) , P<0.01],
      respectively. Trend test showed that linear dose response relationship between
      smoking, 1-OHP in urine and higher concentrations of 8-OHdG (P<0.05) . Smoking
      could significant modify the effects of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, while co
      exposure to both heavy smoking and high urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels[OR=5.64
      (95%CI: 2.15-14.80) , P<0.05]. Conclusion: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene is a useful
      biomarker for evaluating total PAHs exposure, coke oven workers with heavy
      smoking present more serious DNA oxditive damage.

PMID- 28614925
TI  - [Investigation on standard application of industrial dust hazard classification].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the application and effectiveness evaluation of the
      standard of GBZ/T 229.1-2010 in practice, and to explore the applicability,
      aiming to provide technical evidence for the revision of GBZ/T 229.1-2010.
      Methods: There were 2 questionnaire surveys carried out in the study, including
      general survey and specific survey. Databases were established and data were
      input with Excel 2010 and Epidata version 3.1 software. SPSS version 19.0
      software was used for data cleaning and statistical analysis. Results: The
      general survey received 100 questionnaires, with 43 from facilities and 57 from
      professional expertise. There were 59 questionnaires from occupational health
      technical service organizations held by government, and 11 from colleges and
      universities. The leading three jobs using GBZ/T 229.1-2010 were the occupational
      hazards evaluation for constructive project (69.0%) , lecturing/training (55.0%)
      , occupational hazards monitoring (50.0%) , respectively. The high frequency used
      contents of GBZ/T 229.1-2010 were the fourth part "classification" (67.0%) , the
      fifth part "the principles of classification management" (59.0%) , annex A "the
      correct use instructions" (52.0%) , respectively. In the results of feasibility,
      scores of the fourth part "classification" , the fifth part "the principles of
      classification management" , annex A "the correct use instructions" were 3.07,
      3.03, 3.23, respectively. The parts needed to be modified as priories were the
      fourth part "classification" (22.0%) , the fifth part "the principles of
      classification management" (13.0%) , annex A "the correct use instructions"
      (12.0%) . The specific survey received 15 questionnaires, with 12 from the
      employers and 3 from occupational health technical service organizations. The
      awareness rate of GBZ/T 229.1-2010 among occupational health professionals was
      83.3%. Classification results in the employers were used for guidance on
      improvement measures (66.7%) , health surveillance and monitoring (58.3%) ,
      certification for occupational health and safety management system (33.3%) ,
      occupational disease diagnosis (33.3%) , and personal protective equipment issued
      (33.3%) , etc. In the results of feasibility, scores of the content of free
      SiO(2), occupational exposure ratio, physical labor intensity level,
      classification of industrial dust, principles of classification management, annex
      A "the correct use instructions" were 5.00, 4.33, 5.00, 5.00, 3.67, 3.67,
      respectively. Conclusion: GBZ/T 229.1-2010 indicates that the standard is
      feasible and practical. But there are still some problems, such as classification
      of different kinds of industrial dusts at workplace, and the interaction of
      occupational exposure to industrial dusts and other hazards at workplace, etc.

PMID- 28614926
TI  - [Investigation and analysis on occupational hazards in a carbon enterprise].
AB  - Objective: To explore occupational-disease-inductive in a carbon enterprise
      workplace and personnel occupational health examination, providing the basis for
      occupational disease prevention and control of the industry. Methods: Field
      occupational health survey and inspection law were used to study the the
      situation and degree of occupational disease hazards in carbon enterprise from
      2013 to 2015.Occupational health monitoring was used for workers, physical
      examination, detection of occupational hazard factors and physical examination
      results were analyzed comprehensive. Results: Dust, coal tar pitch volatiles, and
      noise in carbon enterprise were more serious than others. Among them, the over
      standard rate of coal tar pitch volatiles was 76.67%, the maximum point detection
      was 1.06 mg/m(3), and the maximum of the individual detection was 0.67 mg/m(3).
      There was no statistical difference among the 3 years (P>0.05) . There were no
      significant differences in the incidence of occupation health examination, chest
      X-ray, skin audiometry, blood routine, blood pressure, electrocardiogram between
      3 years (P>0.05) , in which the skin and audiometry abnormal rate was higher than
      10% per year. Conclusion: Dust, coal tar, and noise are the main occupational
      hazard factors of carbon enterprise, should strengthen the corresponding
      protection.

PMID- 28614927
TI  - [Study on application of two risk assessment methods in coal dust occupational
      health risk assessment].
AB  - Objective: To evaluate the applicability of quantitative grading method (GBZ/T
      229.1-2010) and occupational hazard risk index method in coal dust occupational
      health risk assessment. Methods: Taking 4 coal mines as the research object of
      risk assessment and making occupational health field testing and investigation.
      Based on two risk assessment methods, we analysed the health risk levels of 20
      occupations which were exposed to coal dust in workplaces. Results: Coal dust
      working post had different risk levels in 4 coal mines, the post of higher risk
      level were mainly concentrated in the underground workplace of coal mine,
      especially the post of coal mining and tunneling system. The two risk assessment
      results showed that the risk levels of coal-mining machine drivers and tunneling
      machine drivers were the highest. The risk levels of coal dust working post used
      by two risk assessment methods had no significant difference (P>0.05) and were
      highly correlated (r=0.821, P<0.001) . Evaluation results of two risk assessment
      methods were supported by the field investigation and literatures. Conclusion:
      The two risk assessment methods can be used in coal dust occupational health risk
      assessment.

PMID- 28614928
TI  - [Analysis of inner or extra-exposure for worker in carbon and coal tar process
      industries].
AB  - Objective: To evaluate the inner or extra-exposure of workers in carbon and coal
      tar process industries. Methods: In May 2015, 271 exposure and 75 non-exposure
      workers in two of carbon and coal tar process industries in Shandong province
      were selected. Coal tar pitch (CTP) was detected according to the methods of
      GB17054-1997. The 1-OH-Nap,2-OH-Nap,1-OH-Pyr in urine were detected by high
      performance liquid Chromatography (HPLC) . Results: The concentration of 1-OH
      Nap,2-OH-Nap,1-OH-Pyr in urine of exposure group were significant higher than
      that of control group (P<0.05) , respectively. The urine concentration of 1-OH
      Nap,2-OH-Nap,1-OH-Py in contact group tar and asphalt were 12.20, 12.55, 7.08 and
      10.62, 8.73, 3.07 MUg/gCr, and the concentration of them were 7.25, 8.54, 3.00
      MUg/gCr in container handle workers. Significant positive correlations were found
      between high or median CTP exposure and the urine concentration of 1-OH-Nap,2-OH
      Nap,1-OH-Pyr in exposure groups (P<0.05) . Conclusions: The inner or extra
      exposure level is relative and different for different type of work in these
      carbon and coal tar process industries.

PMID- 28614929
TI  - [Research of relationship between occupational exposure to coal tar pitch workers
      and cytogenetic damage].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the effect of coal tar pitch occupational exposure on
      the cytogenetic damage. Methods: In July 2015, 691 workers exposed to coal tar
      pitch were selected as contact group. The administrative and the support crew 201
      cases were selected as control group. Detect the tail DNA% and tail moment in
      peripheral blood lymphocyte as DNA damage degree by single cell gel
      electrophoresis (SCGE) . Detect the concentration of the metabolic product in
      urine by HPLC/MC as exposure levels. Results: The contact group were
      significantly higher than the control group in tail DNA% (contact group14.44%,
      control group 11.17%) and olive tail moment (contact group 2.85 MUm, control
      group 1.95 MUm) . The smoking one (contact group18.51%, control group13.43%) were
      significantly higher than the group not smoking (contact group12.69%, control
      group 11.71%) in tail DNA%. The coal tar pitch content in the air of workplace
      have correlation with worker, stail DNA% (r(s)=0.10) and olive tail moment
      (r(s)=0.11) . Conclusion: Occupational exposure to coal tar pitch and smoking can
      cause cytogenetic damage to workers.

PMID- 28614930
TI  - [Relationship between noise exposure and high frequency hearing loss in bottled
      beverage].

PMID- 28614931
TI  - [Evaluation of "diagnostic criteria for occupational asthma" (GBZ 57?2008)].

PMID- 28614932
TI  - [A group of occupational acute methyl bromide poisoning incident].
AB  - Objective: To investigate a mass of occupational acute methyl bromide poisoning
      incident and analyzed their clinical data. Methods: To investigate an incident a
      mass of occupational acute methyl bromide poisoning in occurred in Shandong
      province in November 2016, and the clinical datas of 3 cases of severe patients
      with methyl bromide poisoning were analysed. Results: This event was a sudden
      occupational poisoning incident. Lack of vocational training and irregularities
      is the main reason for the accident 3 patients with nervous system, respiratory
      system, circulatory system, urinary system damage is given priority to, after
      comprehensive rescue treatment, 2 cases died and 1 case survived. Conclusions:
      Methyl bromide can cause severe poisoning, has high mortality in patients with
      acute severe poisoning.

PMID- 28614933
TI  - [Study on the establishment of HMLD model and the expression of KL-6/TGF-beta in
      rat].
AB  - Objective: To establish an animal model of hard metal lung disease (HMLD) in
      rats, and to screen the indications for diagnosis of HMLD. Methods: The rats were
      randomly divided into 5 groups, each group included 8 rats: saline group, pure
      cobalt group, pure tungsten carbide group, silica group and hard metal (HM)
      group. 10 mg subjects were administered in each group by using the pulmonary
      endotracheal tube. After 8 week, the lung CT scan and lung tissue pathology were
      observed, the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected for KL
      6, TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2. Results: The lung tissue structure of HM group was
      destroyed, a large number of nuclear giant cells and epithelial like cells
      appeared in the stroma, and uncommon CT scan images appeared in the lung. KL-6,
      TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2 expression in each group was not the same, the difference
      was statistically significant (P<0.05) . The expression of KL-6 and TGF-beta1 in
      serum was not identical in all the groups, the difference was statistically
      significant (P<0.05) . The expression of TGF-beta2 had no significant difference
      between the groups (P>0.05) . Conclusion: Rats can be successfully established
      HMLD model, rats in vivo lung CT scan images appear abnormal, which are provided
      with assistant diagnostic value for HMLD. The expression of KL-6 and TGF-beta2 in
      serum and BALF on HMLD rats are not highly specific, and TGF-beta1 has reference
      value in the rat HMLD auxiliary diagnosis.

PMID- 28614934
TI  - [Evaluation of clinical efficacy of tretrandrine combined with acetylcysteine
      effervescent tablets in the treatment of silicosis].

PMID- 28614935
TI  - [Clinical observation of external diaphragm pacing in patients with
      pneumoconiosis complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in stable
      stage].

PMID- 28614936
TI  - [The clinical application of SIMV+PSV during the period of extubation in
      whole?lung lavage].

PMID- 28614937
TI  - [A case of severe allergic reaction induced by NA?DMPS].

PMID- 28614938
TI  - [Investigation on the cause of death of honey poisoning].

PMID- 28614939
TI  - [2 cases of acute imidacloprid poisoning clinical analysis].

PMID- 28614940
TI  - [Clinical analysis of 16 occupationally server heat stroke cases].

PMID- 28614941
TI  - [One case of acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by chlorine inhalation
      treated by combining extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and blood purification].

PMID- 28614942
TI  - [Analysis of clinical data of 18 cases of carbon black pneumoconisosis in rubber
      industry].

PMID- 28614943
TI  - [Determination of benzoquinone in occupational atmospheres by high?performance
      liquid chromatography].

PMID- 28614944
TI  - [Quality control methods of gas chromatography?ion trap mass determine for the 2,
      5?hexanedione in normal population urinary].

PMID- 28614945
TI  - Selective and Fast Adsorption of Perfluorooctanesulfonate from Wastewater by
      Magnetic Fluorinated Vermiculite.
AB  - A novel magnetic fluorinated adsorbent with selective and fast adsorption of
      perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) was synthesized via a simple ball milling of
      Fe3O4 and vermiculite loaded with a cationic fluorinated surfactant. The loaded
      Fe3O4 nanoparticles increased the dispersibility of fluorinated vermiculite (F
      VT) in water and allowed the magnetic separability. The nanosized Fe3O4 was
      homogeneously embedded into the adsorbent surfaces, improving the hydrophilicity
      of F-VT external surface, and this hybrid adsorbent still kept the hydrophobic
      fluorinated interlayer structure. With this unique property, Fe3O4-loaded F-VT
      has very fast and selective adsorption for PFOS in the presence of other
      compounds, due to the fluorophilicity of C-F chains intercalated in the adsorbent
      interlayers. This novel adsorbent has a high sorption capacity for PFOS,
      exhibiting PFOS removal from fire-fighting foam wastewater that is much higher
      than that of powdered activated carbon and resin due to its high selectivity for
      PFOS. The used Fe3O4-loaded F-VT was successfully regenerated by methanol and
      reused five times without reduction in PFOS removal and magnetic performance. The
      Fe3O4-loaded F-VT demonstrates promising application for PFOS removal from real
      wastewater.

PMID- 28614946
TI  - Tuning Band Structure of Cadmium Chalcogenide Nanoflake Arrays via Alloying for
      Efficient Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution.
AB  - Owing to their high extinction coefficient and moderate band gap, cadmium
      chalcogenides are known as common semiconductors for photoelectric conversion.
      Nevertheless, no ideal cadmium chalcogenide with proper band structure is
      available yet for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution. In this work, we
      modified the band structure of CdTe via alloying with Se to achieve a ternary
      compound (CdSe0.8Te0.2) with n-type conduction, a narrower band gap, and a more
      negative band position compared to those of CdSe and CdTe. This novel material
      exhibits strong light absorption over a wider spectrum range and generates more
      vigorous electrons for hydrogen reduction. As a result, a photoelectrode based on
      nanoflake arrays of the new material could achieve a photocurrent density 2 times
      that of its CdSe counterpart, outperforming similar materials previously reported
      in the literature. Moreover, the quick transfer of holes achieved in the novel
      material was found to depress photocorrosion processes, which led to improved
      long-term working stability.

PMID- 28614948
TI  - Spotlights: Volume 8, Issue 12.

PMID- 28614947
TI  - Catalytic Oxidation of Chlorobenzene over MnxCe1-xO2/HZSM-5 Catalysts: A Study
      with Practical Implications.
AB  - Industrial-use catalysts usually encounter severe deactivation after long-term
      operation for catalytic oxidation of chlorinate volatile organic compounds
      (CVOCs), which becomes a "bottleneck" for large-scale application of catalytic
      combustion technology. In this work, typical acidic solid-supported catalysts of
      MnxCe1-xO2/HZSM-5 were investigated for the catalytic oxidation of chlorobenzene
      (CB). The activation energy (Ea), Bronsted and Lewis acidities, CB adsorption and
      activation behaviors, long-term stabilities, and surficial accumulation compounds
      (after aging) were studied using a range of analytical techniques, including XPS,
      H2-TPR, pyridine-IR, DRIFT, and O2-TP-Ms. Experimental results revealed that the
      Bronsted/Lewis (B/L) ratio of MnxCe1-xO2/HZSM-5 catalysts could be adjusted by
      ion exchange of H* (in HZSM-5) with Mnn+ (where the exchange with Ce4+ did not
      distinctly affect the acidity); the long-term aged catalysts could accumulate ca.
      14 organic compounds at surface, including highly toxic tetrachloromethane,
      trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, o-dichlorobenzene, etc.; high humid
      operational environment could ensure a stable performance for MnxCe1-xO2/HZSM-5
      catalysts; this was due to the effective removal of Cl* and coke accumulations by
      H2O washing, and the distinct increase of Lewis acidity by the interaction of H2O
      with HZSM-5. This work gives an in-depth view into the CB oxidation over acidic
      solid-supported catalysts and could provide practical guidelines for the rational
      design of reliable catalysts for industrial applications.

PMID- 28614949
TI  - Comparison of metrological techniques for evaluation of the impact of a cosmetic
      product containing hyaluronic acid on the properties of skin surface.
AB  - The aim of this research was to evaluate mutual interchangeability of four
      principally different biometric instrumental techniques designed for objective
      measurement of changes in the physical, mechanical, and topographical properties
      of the skin surface treated with commercial antiaging cosmetic products with
      hyaluronic acid. The following instrumental devices were used: Visioscope PC 35,
      Corneometer Multiprobe Adapter MPA 6, Reviscometer RVM 600, and 3D scanner
      Talysurf CLI 500. The comparison of the individual methods was performed using
      cluster analysis. The study involved 25 female volunteers aged 40-65.
      Measurements were taken before and after 30 daily in vivo applications of an
      antiaging preparation to the skin surface in the periorbital area. A slight
      reduction in skin surface roughness was recorded in 55% of the volunteers. On the
      contrary, a worsening from their initial states was detected in 25% of the
      subjects, while for 20%, no significant change was reported. Cluster analysis
      confirmed that the mentioned methodologies can be divided into two basic
      clusters, namely, a cluster of methods recording the changes in skin relief by
      means of optical techniques, and a cluster of methods investigating changes in
      hydration and anisotropy. In practice, the techniques in different clusters are
      not interchangeable and should be assessed separately.

PMID- 28614950
TI  - Grafting of architecture controlled poly(styrene sodium sulfonate) onto titanium
      surfaces using bio-adhesive molecules: Surface characterization and biological
      properties.
AB  - This contribution reports on grafting of bioactive polymers such as poly(sodium
      styrene sulfonate) (polyNaSS) onto titanium (Ti) surfaces. This grafting process
      uses a modified dopamine as an anchor molecule to link polyNaSS to the Ti
      surface. The grafting process combines reversible addition-fragmentation chain
      transfer polymerization, postpolymerization modification, and thiol-ene
      chemistry. The first step in the process is to synthetize architecture controlled
      polyNaSS with a thiol end group. The second step is the adhesion of the dopamine
      acrylamide (DA) anchor onto the Ti surfaces. The last step is grafting polyNaSS
      to the DA-modified Ti surfaces. The modified dopamine anchor group with its
      bioadhesive properties is essential to link bioactive polymers to the Ti surface.
      The polymers are characterized by conventional methods (nuclear magnetic
      resonance, size exclusion chromatography, and attenuated total reflection-Fourier
      transformed infrared), and the grafting is characterized by x-ray photoelectron
      spectroscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and quartz crystal
      microbalance with dissipation monitoring. To illustrate the biocompatibility of
      the grafted Ti-DA-polyNaSS surfaces, their interactions with proteins (albumin
      and fibronectin) and cells are investigated. Both albumin and fibronectin are
      readily adsorbed onto Ti-DA-polyNaSS surfaces. The biocompatibility of modified
      Ti-DA-polyNaSS and control ungrafted Ti surfaces is tested using human bone cells
      (Saos-2) in cell culture for cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and
      mineralization. This study presents a new, simple way to graft bioactive polymers
      onto Ti surfaces using a catechol intermediary with the aim of demonstrating the
      biocompatibility of these size controlled polyNaSS grafted surfaces.

PMID- 28614951
TI  - The diagnostic value of multimodality MRI in endometrial carcinoma staging:
      methodological issues to avoid misinterpretation.

PMID- 28614952
TI  - PHIRST Trial - pharmacist consults: prioritization of HIV-patients with a
      referral screening tool.
AB  - The role of pharmacists in HIV outpatient clinics has greatly increased in the
      past decades. Given the limited resources of the health system, the
      prioritization of pharmacist consults is now a main concern. This study aimed to
      create a scoring system allowing for standardized prioritization of pharmacist
      consults for patients living with HIV. Data was retrospectively collected from
      200 HIV patients attending the Chronic Viral Illness Service at the McGill
      University Health Center. An expert panel consisting of four pharmacists working
      in the field of HIV prioritized each patient individually, after which a
      consensus was established and was considered as the gold standard. In order to
      create a scoring system, two different methods (Delphi, statistical) were used to
      assign a weight to each characteristic considered to be important in patient
      prioritization. A third method (equal weight to each characteristic) was also
      evaluated. The total score per patient for each method was then compared to the
      expert consensus in order to establish the score cut-offs to indicate the
      appropriate categories of delay in which to see the patient. All three systems
      failed to accurately prioritize patients into urgency categories ("less than 48
      h", "less than 1 month", "less than 3 months", "no consult required") according
      to expert pharmacist consensus. The presence of high level interactions between
      patient characteristics, the limited number of patients and the low prevalence of
      some characteristics were hypothesized as the main causes for the results.
      Creating a prioritization tool for pharmacy consults in HIV outpatient clinics is
      a complex task and developing a decision tree algorithm may be a more appropriate
      approach in the future to take into account the importance of combinations of
      patient characteristic.

PMID- 28614953
TI  - Forced-Air Warming for Rewarming and Comfort Following Laparoscopy: A Randomized
      Controlled Trail.
AB  - We investigated the efficacy of a forced-air warming (FAW) system on
      postoperative rewarming and comfort in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery.
      In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 127 participants were randomly
      divided into the FAW group ( n = 64) and control group ( n = 63). The esophageal
      temperature was measured every 30 min during surgery, and the tympanic
      temperature and comfort levels were measured preoperatively and in the
      postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Data analysis used the generalized estimating
      equation. We found that there was a lower incidence of postoperative hypothermia
      in the FAW group compared with the control group, as well as a higher body
      temperature between 30 and 180 min in the PACU, a shorter time for rewarming, and
      a higher comfort level. Taken together, these results suggest that FAW is an
      effective rewarming technique for laparoscopic patients during surgery and in the
      PACU that improves comfort levels.

PMID- 28614954
TI  - Using Visual Aids to Enhance Physician-Patient Discussions and Increase Health
      Literacy.
AB  - Health literacy refers to the comprehension required to make well-informed
      decisions regarding one's health. It is a critical component in helping patients
      to understand how to take their medications appropriately. However, many patients
      do not possess the comprehension necessary for medication adherence. The result
      of poor literacy is a higher incidence of misunderstanding medication
      instructions. Visual aids have the ability to transcend language and numeracy
      barriers and can therefore improve the effectiveness of communication and broaden
      target audiences. To enhance communication that is language independent, a
      template was created to provide instructions for proper use and explanation of
      risks for adverse events. This template is designed to fit on a single double
      sided page. This template can be adapted for use in explaining any medication
      using universal pictograms available from online resources. This would enable any
      practitioner to design information sheets for their unique use.

PMID- 28614955
TI  - Systemic effects after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in new born rabbit
      eyes.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the systemic impact of intravitreal injection of
      bevacizumab (IVB), an anti-vascular endothelium growth factor antibody, in
      newborn rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used four groups of rabbits. Group 1
      rabbits received a single injection of IVB starting from the age of 6 weeks.
      Group 2 rabbits received a single injection of balanced salt solution (BSS, 0.025
      ml) and served as controls for group 1. Group 3 rabbits received two consecutive
      injections of IVB at the ages of 6 and 10 weeks. Group 4 rabbits received two
      consecutive injections of BSS at the ages of 6 and 10 weeks and served as
      controls for group 3. During the experiment, a complete blood count (CBC),
      clinical biochemistry, weight gain, food intake, body temperature, blood
      pressure, pulse, and mortality were measured in the animals. Two months after IVB
      injection, the animals were sacrificed, and histology of the major organs was
      checked. Immunohistochemistry was assessed to explore the neurons in the central
      nervous system (CNS). RESULTS: We found there were no morphological or functional
      changes in the eyes following IVB injection. Furthermore, there were no
      differences in CBC, biochemistry, or other measured parameters among the four
      groups of animals. We checked the histology of the major organs and neurons in
      the CNS and they did not reveal significant differences among the four groups of
      animals. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusively, IVB of either one or two injections (0.625
      mg) in newborn rabbit eyes is well tolerated and does not cause noticeable
      systemic organ pathology.

PMID- 28614956
TI  - Interventions for treating hyperemesis gravidarum: a Cochrane systematic review
      and meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: While nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy are very common,
      affecting approximately 80% of the pregnancies, hyperemesis gravidarum is a
      severe form affecting 0.3-1.0% of the pregnancies. Although hyperemesis
      gravidarum is rarely a source of mortality, it is a significant source of
      morbidity. It is one of the most common indications for hospitalization in
      pregnancy. Beyond the maternal and fetal consequences of malnutrition, the
      severity of hyperemesis symptoms causes a major psychosocial burden leading to
      depression, anxiety, and even pregnancy termination. The aim of this meta
      analysis was to examine all randomized controlled trials of interventions
      specifically for hyperemesis gravidarum and evaluate them based on both
      subjective and objective measures of efficacy, maternal and fetal/neonatal
      safety, and economic costs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Randomized controlled trials
      were identified by searching electronic databases. We included all randomized
      controlled trials for the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. The primary
      outcome was intervention efficacy as defined by severity, reduction, or cessation
      in nausea/vomiting; number of episodes of emesis; and days of hospital admission.
      Secondary outcomes included other measures of intervention efficacy, adverse
      maternal/fetal/neonatal outcomes, quality of life measures, and economic costs.
      RESULTS: Twenty-five trials (2052 women) met the inclusion criteria but the
      majority of 18 different comparisons described in the review include data from
      single studies with small numbers of participants. Selected comparisons reported
      below: No primary outcome data were available when acupuncture was compared with
      placebo. There was insufficient evidence to identify clear differences between
      acupuncture and metoclopramide in a study with 81 participants regarding
      reduction/cessation in nausea or vomiting (risk ratio (RR) 1.40, 95% CI 0.79-2.49
      and RR 1.51, 95% CI 0.92-2.48, respectively). Midwife-led outpatient care was
      associated with fewer hours of hospital admission than routine inpatient
      admission (mean difference (MD) - 33.20, 95% CI -46.91 to -19.49) with no
      difference in pregnancy-unique quantification of emesis and nausea (PUQE) score,
      decision to terminate the pregnancy, miscarriage, small-for-gestational age
      infants, or time off work when compared with routine care. Women taking vitamin
      B6 had a slightly longer hospital stay compared with placebo (MD 0.80 days, 95%
      CI 0.08-1.52). There was insufficient evidence to demonstrate a difference in
      other outcomes including mean number of episodes of emesis (MD 0.50, 95% CI -0.40
      1.40) or side effects. A comparison between metoclopramide and ondansetron
      identified no clear difference in the severity of nausea or vomiting (MD 1.70,
      95% CI -0.15-3.55, and MD -0.10, 95% CI -1.63-1.43; one study, 83 women,
      respectively). However, more women taking metoclopramide complained of drowsiness
      and dry mouth (RR 2.40, 95% CI 1.23-4.69, and RR 2.38, 95% CI 1.10-5.11,
      respectively). There were no clear differences between groups for other side
      effects. In a single study with 146 participants comparing metoclopramide with
      promethazine, more women taking promethazine reported drowsiness, dizziness, and
      dystonia (risk ratio (RR) 0.70, 95% CI 0.56-0.87, RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.34-0.69, and
      RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.90, respectively). There were no clear differences between
      groups for other important outcomes including quality of life and other side
      effects. In a single trial with 30 women, those receiving ondansetron had no
      difference in duration of hospital admission compared to those receiving
      promethazine (mean difference (MD) 0.00, 95% CI -1.39-1.39), although there was
      increased sedation with promethazine (RR 0.06, 95% CI 0.00-0.94). Regarding
      corticosteroids, in a study with 110 participants there was no difference in days
      of hospital admission compared to placebo (MD -0.30, 95% CI -0.70-0.10), but
      there was a decreased readmission rate (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.50-0.94; 4 studies, 269
      women). For hydrocortisone compared with metoclopramide, no data were available
      for primary outcomes and there was no difference in the readmission rate (RR
      0.08, 95% CI 0.00-1.28; one study, 40 women). In a study with 80 women, compared
      to promethazine, those receiving prednisolone had increased nausea at 48 h (RR
      2.00, 95% CI 1.08-3.72), but not at 17 days (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.58-1.15). There
      was no clear difference in the number of episodes of emesis or subjective
      improvement in nausea/vomiting. CONCLUSIONS: While there were a wide range of
      interventions studied, both pharmaceutical and otherwise, there were a limited
      number of placebo controlled trials. In comparing the efficacy of the commonly
      used antiemetics, metoclopramide, ondansetron, and promethazine, the results of
      this review do not support the clear superiority of one over the other in
      symptomatic relief. Other factors such as side effect profile medication safety
      and healthcare costs should also be considered when selecting an intervention.

PMID- 28614958
TI  - Skeletons: Our Buried Bones at the Bristol M Shed (7 April to 3 Sept 2017).

PMID- 28614957
TI  - Associated Hematolymphoid Malignancies in Patients With Lymphomatoid Papulosis: A
      Canadian Retrospective Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lymphomatoid papulosis is one of the primary cutaneous CD30+ T-cell
      lymphoproliferative disorders. Although considered a benign disease, lymphomatoid
      papulosis has been associated potentially with an increased risk of secondary
      hematolymphoid malignancies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the
      clinical characteristics and histologic subtypes of lymphomatoid papulosis,
      identify the prevalence and types of secondary hematolymphoid malignancies, and
      determine the potential risk factors for development of these hematolymphoid
      malignancies. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A retrospective chart review was performed
      for all histologically confirmed cases of lymphomatoid papulosis between 1991 and
      2016. RESULTS: Seventy patients with lymphomatoid papulosis were identified.
      Thirty patients (43%) experienced a secondary hematolymphoid malignancy. Twenty
      four (80%) of the hematolymphoid malignancies occurred after the onset of
      lymphomatoid papulosis. Older age at diagnosis of lymphomatoid papulosis, male
      sex, histology type B, and the presence of T-cell receptor gene rearrangement are
      associated with higher risk of developing hematolymphoid malignancy. CONCLUSION:
      Lymphomatoid papulosis is associated with increased risk of developing secondary
      hematolymphoid malignancies, particularly mycosis fungoides and cutaneous
      anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

PMID- 28614959
TI  - The effects of triptolide on the pharmacokinetics of sorafenib in rats and its
      potential mechanism.
AB  - CONTEXT: Combining sorafenib with triptolide could inhibit tumour growth with
      greater efficacy than single-agent treatment. However, their herb-drug
      interaction remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the herb-drug
      interaction between triptolide and sorafenib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects
      of triptolide (10 mg/kg) on the pharmacokinetics of different doses of sorafenib
      (20, 50 and 100 mg/kg) in rats, and blood samples were collected within 48 h and
      evaluated using LC-MS/MS. The effects of triptolide on the absorption and
      metabolism of sorafenib were also investigated using Caco-2 cell monolayer model
      and rat liver microsome incubation systems. RESULTS: The results showed that the
      Cmax (low dose: 72.38 +/- 8.76 versus 49.15 +/- 5.46 ng/mL; medium dose: 178.65
      +/- 21.05 versus 109.31 +/- 14.17 ng/mL; high dose: 332.81 +/- 29.38 versus
      230.86 +/- 9.68 ng/mL) of sorafenib at different doses increased significantly
      with the pretreatment of triptolide, and while the oral clearance rate of
      sorafenib decreased. The t1/2 of sorafenib increased significant (p < 0.05) from
      9.02 +/- 1.16 to 12.17 +/- 2.95 h at low dose with the pretreatment of
      triptolide. Triptolide has little effect on the absorption of sorafenib in Caco-2
      cell transwell model. However, triptolide could significantly decrease the
      intrinsic clearance rate of sorafenib from 51.7 +/- 6.37 to 32.4 +/- 4.43
      MUL/min/mg protein in rat liver microsomes. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: These
      results indicated that triptolide could change the pharmacokinetic profiles of
      sorafenib in rats; these effects might be exerted via decreasing the intrinsic
      clearance rate of sorafenib in rat liver.

PMID- 28614960
TI  - Requirements on a community-based intervention for stimulating physical activity
      in physically disabled people: a focus group study amongst experts.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore ideas experts, working in the field of physical activity for
      people with a disability, pose on a stimulating movement intervention for
      physically disabled people longer than one year post rehabilitation or not
      familiar with rehabilitation. METHODS: Four semi-structured focus groups were
      conducted with experts (n = 28). Transcripts were analysed following thematic
      analysis, using the integrated physical activity for people with a disability and
      intervention mapping model. RESULTS: Experts expressed no need for a new
      intervention, but, instead, a need for adapting an existing intervention, and
      increased collaboration between organisations. Such an adapted intervention
      should aim to change participants and environmental attitude towards physical
      activity, and to increase visibility of potential activities. Several methods
      were mentioned, for instance individual coaching. Potential participants should
      be personally approached via various intermediates. The intervention owner and
      government are responsible for stimulating physical activity and should finance
      an intervention together with health insurances and the user. CONCLUSIONS:
      According to experts adapting an existing intervention, together with increased
      collaboration between organisations, will be effective in stimulating physical
      activity in the target population. This study provides requirements on an
      intervention to stimulate physical activity, and suggestions for the approach of
      the target population, finance, and responsibility. Implications for
      Rehabilitation There is no need for designing a new intervention, but need for
      adaptation of an existing intervention for stimulating physical activity in
      physically disabled people. An intervention to stimulate physical activity in
      physically disabled people should aim to change participants and environmental
      attitude towards physical activity, and to increase the visibility of potential
      activities. Methods for stimulating physical activity in physically disabled
      people could be the use of individual coaching, feedback, a trial period, and
      role models. Potential participants should be personally approached via a network
      of intermediate organisations and via marketing, and the social environment.

PMID- 28614961
TI  - Greek economic crisis and impaired perinatal parameters: experience from a public
      maternity hospital.
AB  - Since 2008, Greece suffers a severe economic crisis. Adverse health outcomes have
      been reported, but studies on perinatal health are sparse. We aimed to examine
      the impact of economic crisis on perinatal parameters during early and
      established crisis periods. Birth records of 14 923 neonates, born in a public
      maternity hospital from 2005-2014, were reviewed for maternal (age, delivery
      mode) and neonatal (gender, birthweight, gestational age) variables. Univariable
      analysis tested the association of study variables with time-periods 2005-2007,
      2009-2011 and 2012-2014. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified
      factors independently associated with low birthweight (LBW) (<2500 g),
      prematurity (<37 weeks) and caesarean section (CS). During 2012-2014, compared to
      2005-2007, LBW rate increased from 8.4 to 10.5% (RR 1.16; 95%CI 1.01-1.33);
      prematurity from 9.7 to 11.2% (RR 1.09; 95%CI 0.96-1.24), comprising mainly late
      preterm neonates; CS from 43.2 to 54.8% (RR 1.21; 95%CI 1.16-1.26). Maternal age
      >=30 years was risk factor for LBW, prematurity and CS; LBW was additional risk
      factor for CS. However, LBW and CSs increased during the study period,
      independently of maternal age. In conclusion, impaired perinatal parameters,
      manifested by increasing maternal age, LBW, prematurity and CS rate, were
      observed during the years of economic decline, with possible adverse consequences
      for later health.

PMID- 28614962
TI  - An Unusual Normal Finding in Coccygectomy Specimens.
AB  - Glomus coccygeum is a prominent or hyperplastic glomus structure that is located
      at the ventral tip of the coccyx, which frequently causes concern to pathologists
      that are unfamiliar with this entity.

PMID- 28614963
TI  - Watermelon juice concentration using ultrafiltration: Analysis of sugar and
      ascorbic acid.
AB  - Raw watermelon juice was concentrated in a laboratory-scale flat-plate
      ultrafiltration system incorporating polyethersulfone membranes with a molecular
      weight cutoff of 5 kDa. The experiments have been carried out over a wide range
      of transmembrane pressures (100-300 kPa). The effect of ultrafiltration with
      molecular weight cutoff of 5 kDa polyethersulfone membrane on concentrate
      properties is reported. The total soluble solid content of the permeate was found
      to be very good, while the ascorbic acid content was on the lower side as
      compared to feed. The analyses of flux decay according to fouling models reported
      in the literature revealed that the formation of a cake layer covering the entire
      surface of the membrane is the main cause of the membrane fouling.

PMID- 28614964
TI  - Thermosonication and optimization of stingless bee honey processing.
AB  - The effects of thermosonication on the quality of a stingless bee honey, the
      Kelulut, were studied using processing temperature from 45 to 90 C and processing
      time from 30 to 120 minutes. Physicochemical properties including water activity,
      moisture content, color intensity, viscosity, hydroxymethylfurfural content,
      total phenolic content, and radical scavenging activity were determined.
      Thermosonication reduced the water activity and moisture content by 7.9% and
      16.6%, respectively, compared to 3.5% and 6.9% for conventional heating. For
      thermosonicated honey, color intensity increased by 68.2%, viscosity increased by
      275.0%, total phenolic content increased by 58.1%, and radical scavenging
      activity increased by 63.0% when compared to its raw form. The increase of
      hydroxymethylfurfural to 62.46 mg/kg was still within the limits of international
      standards. Optimized thermosonication conditions using response surface
      methodology were predicted at 90 C for 111 minutes. Thermosonication was revealed
      as an effective alternative technique for honey processing.

PMID- 28614965
TI  - The Co-Occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children With ADHD.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Children with ADHD frequently present with autism spectrum disorder
      (ASD) symptomatology, yet there is a notable gap in the treatment needs of this
      subpopulation, including whether the presence of ASD may be associated with more
      severe ADHD symptoms. METHOD: Data from the 2014 National Survey of the Diagnosis
      and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome ( n = 2,464) were used to compare
      children diagnosed with ADHD and ASD with children with ADHD, but not ASD.
      Children were classified as needing treatment if it was received or their parents
      reported it was needed, but not received. RESULTS: Approximately one in eight
      children currently diagnosed with ADHD was also diagnosed with ASD. Children
      diagnosed with both disorders had greater treatment needs, more co-occurring
      conditions, and were more likely to have a combined hyperactive/impulsive and
      inattentive ADHD subtype. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the complexity of
      children diagnosed with both ADHD and ASD.

PMID- 28614966
TI  - Persistently elevated nuchal translucency and the fetal heart.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the outcome of fifteen cases with an elevated nuchal
      translucency (NT) which persisted into the second trimester as nuchal edema (NE)
      >6 mm whom underwent fetal echocardiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases were
      identified following retrospective review of cardiac and genetic findings in
      fetuses with NE. RESULTS: Minor congenital heart disease was identified in 3/15
      by the second trimester. Agenesis of the ductus venosus was evident in four.
      Pulmonary valve stenosis was diagnosed in one fetus at the 20-week scan and
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in one. However, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or
      pulmonary valve stenosis was present after birth in all surviving cases by 3
      months of age. On the basis of intention to treat, 11/12 survived to delivery and
      9/12 survived to 28 days. There were 6 deaths before 14 months of age as a result
      of severe hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Noonan syndrome was confirmed with genetic
      testing in 11/15 cases. CONCLUSIONS: All fetuses with NT and NE had evidence of
      congenital heart disease at birth, and therefore, late gestation and postnatal
      review is recommended even when second trimester echocardiogram is considered
      normal. There is a high prevalence of Noonan syndrome and targeted genetic
      analysis should be considered. The outcome in these cases is poor.

PMID- 28614967
TI  - Bovine aortic arch: clinical significance and hemodynamic evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The most common aortic arch branching variation described in
      literature is the common origin of the brachiocephalic trunk and left common
      carotid artery ("bovine arch" / type II aortic arch), with an incidence of 7.2
      21.1%. The first aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bovine
      arch in the fetuses. The second aim was the hemodynamic evaluation of the
      epiaortic vessels. METHODS: In two years we examined 742 pregnant women and it
      was possible to obtain a good hemodynamic evaluation in 39 patients. Among the 39
      fetuses, we found 6 with bovine arch. The blood flow of all epiaortic vessels and
      of MCA was evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 742 fetuses examined, the bovine aortic
      arch was identified in 45 patients (6.06%). The hemodynamic evaluation of the
      epiaortic vessels showed statistically significant differences between the bovine
      arch and normal aortic arch. CONCLUSION: The presence of bovine aortic arch in
      the fetus is characterized by some hemodynamical differences. They could have a
      possible relationship with the incidence of some pathologies in adult life.
      Prenatal knowledge of anatomic variants of the aortic arch can bring benefits to
      the individual's health for future possible cardiovascular investigations.

PMID- 28614968
TI  - Putty-like bone fillers based on CaP ceramics or Biosilicate(r) combined with
      carboxymethylcellulose: Characterization, optimization, and evaluation.
AB  - Calcium phosphates and bioactive glass ceramics have been considered promising
      biomaterials for use in surgeries. However, their moldability should be further
      enhanced. We here thereby report the handling, physicochemical features, and
      morphological characteristics of formulations consisting of
      carboxymethylcellulose-glycerol and hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate or
      Biosilicate(r) particles. We hypothesized that combining either material with
      carboxymethylcellulose-glycerol would improve handling properties, retaining
      their bioactivity. In addition to scanning electron microscopy, cohesion,
      mineralization, pH, and viscoelastic properties of the novel formulations, cell
      culture experiments were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity and cell
      proliferation. Putty-like formulations were obtained with improved cohesion and
      moldability. Remarkably, mineralization in simulated body fluid of hydroxyapatite
      tricalcium phosphate/carboxymethylcellulose-glycerol formulations was enhanced
      compared to pure hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate. Cell experiments showed
      that all formulations were noncytotoxic and that HA-TCP60 and BGC50 extracts led
      to an increased cell proliferation. We conclude that combining
      carboxymethylcellulose-glycerol with either hydroxyapatite-tricalcium phosphate
      or Biosilicate(r) allows for the generation of moldable putties, improves
      handling properties, and retains the ceramic bioactivity.

PMID- 28614969
TI  - Short hospitalization after caesarean delivery: effects on maternal pain and
      stress at discharge.
AB  - PURPOSE: To characterize predischarge maternal pain and stress after caesarean
      delivery and short hospitalization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive
      study with 60 women in the postoperative period of caesarean section and 60
      control women after vaginal delivery. Pain and stress were measured by McGill
      Pain Questionnaire (MGPQ) and by the Stress Measure (Psychological Stress Measure
      (PSM)), respectively, at mother-infant dyad discharge, scheduled at 36 hours
      after delivery. RESULTS: Caesarean section was the delivery modality with the
      highest MGPQ pain and sensorial, evaluative and mixed pain descriptive categories
      scores. The pain location involved lower abdomen, with associated localizations
      at back, breast and shoulders. Conversely, vaginal delivery was the delivery
      modality with the highest stress scores. CONCLUSION: This study provides
      important information on the quality of care implications of early discharge
      practices in puerperae after caesarean delivery, a critical time characterized by
      qualitatively and quantitatively high pain and stress.

PMID- 28614970
TI  - Effect of Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage on Brain Tissue Oxygenation in Traumatic
      Brain Injury.
AB  - The effectiveness of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage in lowering high
      intracranial pressure (ICP) is well established in severe traumatic brain injury
      (TBI). Recently, however, the use of external ventricular drains (EVDs) and ICP
      monitors in TBI has come under question. The aim of this retrospective study was
      to investigate the effect of CSF drainage on brain tissue oxygenation (PbtO2).
      Using a multi-modality monitoring system, we continuously monitored PbtO2 and
      parenchymal ICP during CSF drainage events via a ventriculostomy in 40 patients
      with severe TBI. Measurements were time-locked continuous recordings on a
      Component Neuromonitoring System in a neuroscience intensive care unit. We
      further selected for therapeutic CSF drainage events initiated at ICP values
      above 25 mm Hg and analyzed the 4-min periods before and after drainage for the
      physiologic variables ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and PbtO2. We
      retrospectively identified 204 CSF drainage events for ICP EVD-opening values
      greater than 25 mm Hg in 23 patients. During the 4 min of opened EVD, ICP
      decreased by 5.7 +/- 0.6 mm Hg, CPP increased by 4.1 +/- 1.2 mm Hg, and PbtO2
      increased by 1.15 +/- 0.26 mm Hg. ICP, CPP, and PbtO2 all improved with CSF
      drainage at ICP EVD-opening values above 25 mm Hg. Although the average PbtO2
      changes were small, a clinically significant change in PbtO2 of 5 mm Hg or
      greater occurred in 12% of CSF drainage events, which was correlated with larger
      decreases in ICP, displaying a complex relationship between ICP and PbtO2 that
      warrants further studies.

PMID- 28614971
TI  - Pilot Study of Therapy Dog Visits for Inpatient Youth With Cancer.
AB  - This study assessed the feasibility of studying animal-assisted activities (AAA)
      in inpatient pediatric oncology and collected preliminary data on potential
      benefits of AAA for this population. Patients at a large pediatric hospital were
      identified using electronic medical records and approached with physician
      approval. Patients completed surveys before and after a therapy dog visit in
      their private hospital room. Data on infections were ascertained by electronic
      medical record review. Provider surveys were placed in provider common areas and
      distributed through a link in an e-mail. We summarized resultsusing descriptive
      statistics and estimated mean changes in pre- and postintervention distress and
      conducted hypothesis tests using the paired t test. The study population (mean
      age = 12.9 years) consisted of 9 females and 10 males. Following the therapy dog
      visit, patients had lower distress and significant decreases in worry, tiredness,
      fear, sadness, and pain. Providers were generally supportive of the intervention.
      Eight patients developed infections during the 14 days after the dog visit but
      none could be clearly attributed to the therapy dog visit. The study's primary
      limitation was that there was no control group. However, results support the
      feasibility of and need for future studies on AAA in pediatric oncology.

PMID- 28614973
TI  - Comparison of an alcohol-based hand sanitation product with a traditional
      chlorhexidine hand scrub technique for hand hygiene preparation in an equine
      hospital.
AB  - AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of an alcohol gel-based hand antisepsis
      protocol compared with a traditional chlorhexidine-based protocol under
      conditions of routine clinical contamination, and following heavy faecal
      contamination. METHODS: Twelve adult participants were recruited and on four
      separate days completed a hand sanitation protocol using a chlorhexidine scrub or
      an alcohol-based gel, with hands that were grossly clean but contaminated or with
      faecal contamination. Bacterial samples were obtained from participants' hands
      before sanitation, immediately after and then 2 hours later. All samples were
      cultured on blood and MacConkey agar and bacterial colonies counted after 48
      hours. RESULTS: for clean contaminated hands, the percentage reduction in
      bacterial colonies on blood agar immediately after hand sanitation was similar
      for both protocols (p=0.3), but was greater for the alcohol gel than
      chlorhexidine after 2 hours (p=0.005). For hands with faecal contamination, the
      percentage reduction in bacterial colonies on blood agar was similar for both
      protocols immediately and 2 hours after sanitation (p>0.2), but positive cultures
      were obtained on blood agar from samples collected after both protocols, for
      almost all participants. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate equivalent efficacy of
      the alcohol-based gel and the pre-surgical chlorhexidine protocol. CLINICAL
      RELEVANCE: The alcohol-based gel protocol is an effective hand asepsis technique
      for grossly clean contaminated hands and those following faecal contamination,
      with comparable efficacy to chlorhexidine based scrub.

PMID- 28614972
TI  - Anti-inflammatory effects of a traditional Korean medicine: Ojayeonjonghwan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the anti-inflammatory properties of OJ. CONTEXT:
      Ojayeonjonghwan (OJ) is a traditional Korean prescription, which has been widely
      used for the treatment of prostatitis. However, no scientific study has been
      performed of the anti-inflammatory effects of OJ. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Peritoneal macrophages were isolated 3-4 days after injecting a C57BL/6J mouse
      with thioglycollate. They were then treated with OJ water extract (0.01, 0.1, and
      1 mg/mL) for 1 h and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for different
      times. Nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and
      cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and proinflammatory cytokine levels were determined by NO
      assay, Western blotting, RT-PCR and ELISA. RESULTS: NO generation and iNOS
      induction were increased in the LPS-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages.
      However, NO generation and iNOS induction by LPS were suppressed by treatment
      with OJ for the first time. The IC50 value of OJ with respect to NO production
      was 0.09 mg/mL. OJ did not influence LPS-stimulated COX-2 induction, but did
      significantly decrease LPS-stimulated secretions and mRNA expressions of tumour
      necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1beta. Inhibition rates
      of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1beta at an OJ concentration of 1 mg/mL were 77%, 88%,
      and 50%, respectively. OJ also suppressed the LPS-induced nuclear translocation
      of NF-kappaB. High-performance liquid chromatography showed schizandrin and
      gomisin A are major components of OJ. CONCLUSIONS: OJ reduces inflammatory
      response, and this probably explains its positive impact on the prostatitis
      associated inflammation.

PMID- 28614974
TI  - Electronic consultation system demonstrates educational benefit for primary care
      providers.
AB  - Background Electronic consultation systems allow primary care providers to
      receive timely speciality expertise via iterative electronic communication. The
      use of such systems is expanding across the USA with well-documented high levels
      of user satisfaction. We characterise the educational impact for primary care
      providers of a long-standing integrated electronic consultation and referral
      system. Methods Primary care providers' perceptions of the educational value
      inherent to electronic consultation system communication and the impact on their
      ability to manage common speciality clinical conditions and questions were
      examined by electronic survey using five-point Likert scales. Differences in
      primary care providers' perceptions were examined overall and by primary care
      providers' speciality, provider type and years of experience. Results Among 221
      primary care provider participants (35% response rate), 83.9% agreed or strongly
      agreed that the integrated electronic consultation and referral system provided
      educational value. There were no significant differences in educational value
      reported by provider type (attending physician, mid-level provider, or trainee
      physician), primary care providers' speciality, or years of experience. Perceived
      benefit of the electronic consultation and referral system in clinical management
      appeared stronger for laboratory-based conditions (i.e. subclinical
      hypothyroidism) than more diffuse conditions (i.e. abdominal pain). Nurse
      practitioners/physician assistants and trainee physicians were more likely to
      report improved abilities to manage specific clinical conditions when using the
      electronic consultation and/or referral system than were attending physicians, as
      were primary care providers with <=10 years experience, versus those with >20
      years of experience. Conclusions Primary care providers report overwhelmingly
      positive perceptions of the educational value of an integrated electronic
      consultation and referral system. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants,
      trainee physicians and less-experienced primary care providers report the
      greatest clinical educational benefit, particularly for conditions involving lab
      based diagnosis and management.

PMID- 28614975
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis of fetal right and left congenital ventricular aneurysms.
AB  - AIM: To describe the ultrasonographic appearance of fetal ventricular aneurysm.
      METHODS: Ultrasound characteristics of two cases of prenatally diagnosed fetal
      ventricular aneurysm were reviewed. RESULTS: There was one case of left
      ventricular aneurysm diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound at 38 weeks of gestation.
      Another case of fetal right ventricular aneurysm was diagnosed prenatally at 36
      weeks of gestation. Both the babies expired in the immediate post-natal period.
      CONCLUSION: Congenital ventricular aneurysm is a rare cardiac malformation
      characterized by protrusion or out pouching of a portion of the ventricular wall.
      It is important to differentiate an aneurysm from diverticulum, as the latter has
      favorable prognosis. The aneurysms are usually large and have broad-based
      communication with the ventricular cavity in contrast to diverticuli, which are
      small and connected by a narrow base.

PMID- 28614976
TI  - Perception of Symmetry in Aesthetic Rhinoplasty Patients: Anthropometric,
      Demographic, and Psychological Analysis.
AB  - : Visual perception of symmetry is a major determinant of satisfaction after
      aesthetic rhinoplasty. In this study, we sought to investigate the existence of
      any relationship between anthropometric characteristics of the face and visual
      perceptions of asymmetry among rhinoplasty patients and to evaluate tools that
      can shed light on patients who appear at high risk for exaggerating potential
      asymmetries. In the first part, 168 rhinoplasty patients were asked to fill out
      the demographic questionnaire, nasal shape evaluation scale, and the
      somatosensory amplification scale. In the second part, we examined the
      relationship between anthropometric characteristics of the face and visual
      perceptions of asymmetry using standardized photographs of 100 medical students.
      In the third part, patients answered the rhinoplasty outcome evaluation
      questionnaire 6 months after the surgery. Objectively, no symmetrical face was
      observed in the anthropometric evaluation. Subjectively, only 73% and 54% of the
      faces were considered asymmetrical by the rhinoplasty and the control groups,
      respectively. The rate of asymmetry perception was significantly greater in
      revision patients when compared with primary rhinoplasty patients. The
      relationship between the rate of subjective perception of asymmetry and the
      somatosensory amplification scale scores was statistically significant. We found
      a significant inverse relationship between the rate of asymmetry perception and
      the rhinoplasty outcome evaluation scores. Plastic surgeons should be aware of
      this high selectivity in asymmetry perception, which is associated with poor
      postoperative satisfaction. Somatosensory amplification scale may help identify
      rhinoplasty patients at a high risk for exaggerating potential asymmetries. LEVEL
      OF EVIDENCE: III.

PMID- 28614979
TI  - Docetaxel-induced cardiac-respiratory arrest in a patient with chronic atrial
      fibrillation.
AB  - Docetaxel has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment
      of many cancer types, including breast cancer, head and neck cancer, lung cancer,
      and prostate cancer. Many severe to life-threatening side effects (Grades 3-5) of
      docetaxel have been reported in clinical trials, case reports, and Food and Drug
      Administration Adverse Events Reporting System. These include anaphylactic
      reactions, febrile neutropenia, fluid retention, acute respiratory distress,
      pleural effusion, pneumonia, and peripheral neuropathy. There were fewer cardiac
      toxicities reported for docetaxel as compared to paclitaxel, which were less
      severe. In this report, we present a clinical case of docetaxel-induced cardiac
      respiratory arrest in a 62-year-old Hispanic male patient with stable chronic
      atrial fibrillation, who has been recently diagnosed with metastatic prostate
      cancer. The cardiac event developed within 15 min of docetaxel infusion during
      the second cycle of chemotherapy despite using recommended premedication with
      corticosteroids.

PMID- 28614981
TI  - Nuclear-Encoded Mitochondrial mRNAs: A Powerful Force in Axonal Growth and
      Development.
AB  - Axons, their growth cones, and synaptic nerve terminals are neuronal
      subcompartments that have high energetic needs. As such, they are enriched in
      mitochondria, which supply the ATP necessary to meet these demands. To date, a
      heterogeneous population of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial mRNAs has been
      identified in distal axons and growth cones. Accumulating evidence suggests that
      the local translation of these mRNAs is required for mitochondrial maintenance
      and axonal viability. Here, we review evidence that suggests a critical role for
      axonal translation of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial mRNAs in axonal growth and
      development. Additionally, we explore the role that site-specific translation at
      the mitochondria itself may play in this process. Finally, we briefly review the
      clinical implications of dysregulation of local translation of mitochondrial
      related mRNAs in neurodevelopmental disorders.

PMID- 28614980
TI  - Meta-analysis and indirect treatment comparison of lipegfilgrastim with
      pegfilgrastim and filgrastim for the reduction of chemotherapy-induced
      neutropenia-related events.
AB  - Background Granulocyte colony-stimulating factors are effective at reducing the
      risk and duration of neutropenia. The current meta-analysis compared the
      neutropenia-related efficacy and safety of lipegfilgrastim to those of
      pegfilgrastim and filgrastim. Methods Embase was searched for trials examining
      the efficacy/safety of lipegfilgrastim, pegfilgrastim, or filgrastim. Outcomes
      included febrile neutropenia, severe neutropenia, duration of severe neutropenia,
      time to recovery of absolute neutrophil count, and incidence of bone pain. Direct
      comparisons were made using random-effects models. No trials directly compared
      lipegfilgrastim and filgrastim. Indirect comparisons were made between
      lipegfilgrastim and filgrastim with pegfilgrastim as the common comparator.
      Results This meta-analysis included a total of 5769 patients from 24 studies.
      Over all cycles, lipegfilgrastim showed a lower, nonsignificant risk of febrile
      neutropenia compared with pegfilgrastim. Lipegfilgrastim has a lower risk of
      febrile neutropenia versus filgrastim but was also not statistically significant.
      The risk ratio for severe neutropenia in cycle 1 was 0.80, a 20% reduction in
      favor of lipegfilgrastim. For cycles 2-4, the risk ratio was 0.53 (0.35, 0.79)
      for lipegfilgrastim versus pegfilgrastim. The risk of severe neutropenia in
      cycles 2-4 was also significantly lower for lipegfilgrastim (risk ratio 0.45,
      0.27, 0.75, respectively). No significant differences were found for febrile
      neutropenia and severe neutropenia in cycle 1. However, in cycles 2-4,
      lipegfilgrastim was associated with significant and clinically meaningful
      reductions in risk of severe neutropenia versus either pegfilgrastim or
      filgrastim. Conclusions Compared with pegfilgrastim or filgrastim,
      lipegfilgrastim has a statistically significantly lower absolute neutrophil count
      recovery time; however, differences in duration of severe neutropenia and bone
      pain were nonsignificant.

PMID- 28614982
TI  - Intraventricular administration of tigecycline for the treatment of multidrug
      resistant bacterial meningitis after craniotomy: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracranial infections, especially multidrug-resistant (MDR)
      bacterial meningitis, are one of the most severe complications after craniotomy
      and may greatly impact patient outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of
      severe MDR Klebsiella pneumonia meningitis after craniotomy that was treated with
      three different dosages of tigecycline (Pfizer, New York, NY, U.S.A.)via a
      combined intravenous (IV) and intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration. Here,
      we discuss the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a combined IV and ICV tigecycline
      administration for a patient with an intracranial infection after craniotomy.
      CONCLUSION: In the present case, three different dosages of tigecycline were
      administered: 49 mg IV plus 1 mg ICV q12 h, 45 mg IV plus 5 mg ICV q12 h, 40 mg
      IV plus 10 mg ICV q12 h. The combined IV and ICV administration might improve CSF
      tigecycline concentrations, and in this case, the methods of administration were
      safe and effective.

PMID- 28614983
TI  - Second Primary Cancer in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Does
      Radioiodine Play a Role?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) is the most common
      endocrine neoplasia, and its incidence is rising. Studies have reported an
      increased risk of second primary cancer (SPC) in WDTC survivors, but its
      relationship with radioiodine treatment (RAIT) and other risk factors remains
      controversial. This study evaluated whether RAIT is an independent risk factor
      for SPC in WDTC patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center study.
      A total of 2031 patients with WDTC diagnosed between 1998 and 2009, treated and
      followed at the authors' tertiary cancer center, were included. RESULTS: The
      median age of patients was 48 years (range 5-90 years); 83% were women and 77%
      underwent RAIT. The median follow-up was 8.8 years (range 5.0-17.0 years). A
      total of 130 SPC were diagnosed: 108/1570 (6.9%) received RAIT (RAIT+) and 22/461
      (4.8%) did not (RAIT-). The most common SPC was breast cancer (31%), followed by
      genitourinary and gastrointestinal cancer (18% each). The 10-year cumulative
      incidence of SPC was 8.2% in RAIT+ and 4.5% in RAIT-. The absolute risk increase
      in the RAIT+ group versus the RAIT- group at 10 years of follow-up was 0.039
      [confidence interval (CI) 0.011-0.067] per patient-year. The number needed to
      harm (NNH) was 25.6 [CI 15.0-87.2], indicating that on average during a 10-year
      follow-up period, there is one additional case of SPC for every 26 patients
      receiving RAIT. When controlling for age, sex, and familial and personal
      histories of cancer, there was an 84% increase in the risk of SPC in the RAIT+
      group compared to the RAIT- group (p = 0.026; relative risk = 1.84 [CI 1.02
      3.31]). There was an association between SPC incidence and total cumulative
      activity administered, which was statistically significant >200 mCi. The
      incidence of SPC was higher in both the WDCT and the RAIT+ cohorts compared to
      the general population (standardized incidence ratios = 1.32 and 1.40,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that in spite of the low
      incidence of SPC in WDTC patients, the risk is increased after RAIT, particularly
      for activities >200 mCi. Thus, considering the excellent survival of patients
      with WDTC, clinicians need to weigh the risks and benefits of RAIT, especially in
      patients with low-risk thyroid cancer.

PMID- 28614984
TI  - TERT Promoter Mutations Were Not Found in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinomas That
      Showed Disease Progression on Active Surveillance.

PMID- 28614985
TI  - Stimulation of abdominal and upper thoracic muscles with surface electrodes for
      respiration and cough: Acute studies in adult canines.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To optimize maximal respiratory responses with surface stimulation
      over abdominal and upper thorax muscles and using a 12-Channel Neuroprosthetic
      Platform. METHODS: Following instrumentation, six anesthetized adult canines were
      hyperventilated sufficiently to produce respiratory apnea. Six abdominal tests
      optimized electrode arrangements and stimulation parameters using bipolar sets of
      4.5 cm square electrodes. Tests in the upper thorax optimized electrode
      locations, and forelimb moment was limited to slight-to-moderate. During combined
      muscle stimulation tests, the upper thoracic was followed immediately by
      abdominal stimulation. Finally, a model of glottal closure for cough was
      conducted with the goal of increased peak expiratory flow. RESULTS: Optimized
      stimulation of abdominal muscles included three sets of bilateral surface
      electrodes located 4.5 cm dorsal to the lateral line and from the 8th intercostal
      space to caudal to the 13th rib, 80 or 100 mA current, and 50 Hz stimulation
      frequency. The maximal expired volume was 343 +/- 23 ml (n=3). Optimized upper
      thorax stimulation included a single bilateral set of electrodes located over the
      2nd interspace, 60 to 80 mA, and 50 Hz. The maximal inspired volume was 304 +/-
      54 ml (n=4). Sequential stimulation of the two muscles increased the volume to
      600 +/- 152 ml (n=2), and the glottal closure maneuver increased the flow.
      CONCLUSIONS: Studies in an adult canine model identified optimal surface
      stimulation methods for upper thorax and abdominal muscles to induce sufficient
      volumes for ventilation and cough. Further study with this neuroprosthetic
      platform is warranted.

PMID- 28614986
TI  - Higher adherence to Mediterranean diet prior to pregnancy is associated with
      decreased risk for deviation from the maternal recommended gestational weight
      gain.
AB  - The present retrospective study was conducted on 1482 women in order to evaluate
      whether their pre-pregnancy adherence to the Mediterranean diet may affect
      maternal gestational weight gain (GWG). For this purpose, the study population
      was classified according to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations
      concerning GWG. Pre-pregnancy adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed
      with 11 food patterns groups based on their contribution in the Mediterranean
      diet pyramid. Women with high adherence to the Mediterranean diet were more
      frequently characterised by GWG inside the IOM recommendations. In multivariate
      analysis, women with low Mediterranean diet adherence were almost twice at risk
      in presenting deflection from recommended GWG regardless of various confounding
      factors. These findings suggested that high pre-pregnancy adherence to the
      Mediterranean diet may be associated with reduced risk for GWG outside the IOM
      recommendations. However, larger prospective studies are strongly recommended in
      order for more precise conclusions to be drawn.

PMID- 28614987
TI  - Role of amino acid supplementation in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis
      in preterm neonates - a review of current evidences.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common acute and
      fatal gastrointestinal emergency in very low birth weight (VLBW) preterm neonates
      with mortality range from 15 to 30%. NEC is likely due to multifactorial process
      such as oxidative injury, ischemic necrosis, and over-reactive inflammatory
      response to intestinal microbes. AIMS: To evaluate the role of amino acid
      supplementation for reduction of neonatal NEC in preterm neonates. METHOD: The
      literature search was done for various randomized control trial (RCT) by
      searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed,
      EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Index Copernicus, African Index Medicus (AIM),
      Thomson Reuters (ESCI), Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) and other database.
      RESULTS: This review included 15 RCTs that fulfilled inclusion criteria. The
      total neonates enrolled in these different RCT are 3424 (amino acid group 1711
      and control 1713). Almost all participating neonates were of VLBW or extremely
      low birth weight (ELBW). In two trials, birth weight was between 1500-2000 grams.
      The intervention was started within first few days after birth and continued up
      to 30th day of postnatal age in most of the trials. In two trials, intervention
      was continued up to 120th day of postnatal age. Arginine, glutamine and N-acetyl
      cysteine (NAC) were used at the dose of 1.5 mol/kg/day (261 mg/kg/day), 0.3
      grams/kg/day and 16-32 mg/kg/day, respectively. CONCLUSION: Role of amino acid in
      the prevention of neonatal NEC is not exclusively supported by the current
      evidence. Only three studies were able to show reduction in the incidence of NEC
      with amino acid supplementation (arginine, glutamine), and the remaining studies
      did not report any positive effect. Amino acid supplementation was not associated
      with significant reduction in mortality due to any causes. However, arginine
      supplementation was associated with significant reduction in mortality due to
      NEC. Two studies on glutamine were reported significant reduction in the
      incidence of invasive infection. Only one study reported significant positive
      effects on growth parameters and less time to reach full enteral feeds. None of
      the studies showed any effect on the duration of hospital stay.

PMID- 28614988
TI  - In vitro inhibitory effects of dihydromyricetin on human liver cytochrome P450
      enzymes.
AB  - CONTEXT: Dihydromyricetin (DHM) is the most abundant and active flavonoid
      component isolated from Ampelopsis grossedentata (Hand-Mazz) W.T. Wang (Vitaceae)
      and it possesses numerous pharmacological activities. However, whether DHM
      affects the activity of human liver cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes remains
      unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The inhibitory effects of DHM on eight human
      liver CYP isoforms (i.e., 1A2, 3A4, 2A6, 2E1, 2D6, 2C9, 2C19 and 2C8) were
      investigated in vitro using human liver microsomes (HLMs). RESULTS: The results
      showed that DHM could inhibit the activity of CYP3A4, CYP2E1 and CYP2D6, with
      IC50 values of 14.75, 25.74 and 22.69 MUM, respectively, but that other CYP
      isoforms were not affected. Enzyme kinetic studies showed that DHM was not only a
      non-competitive inhibitor of CYP3A4 but also a competitive inhibitor of CYP2E1
      and CYP2D6, with Ki values of 6.06, 9.24 and 10.52 MUM, respectively. In
      addition, DHM is a time-dependent inhibitor for CYP3A4 with KI/Kinact value of
      12.17/0.057 min-1 MUM-1. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The in vitro studies of DHM
      with CYP isoforms indicate that DHM has the potential to cause pharmacokinetic
      drug interactions with other co-administered drugs metabolized by CYP3A4, CYP2E1
      and CYP2D6. Further clinical studies are needed to evaluate the significance of
      this interaction.

PMID- 28614989
TI  - A challenging entity of endovascular embolization with ONYX for brainstem
      arteriovenous malformation: Experience from 13 cases.
AB  - Objective Brainstem arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare lesions with a
      high risk of intracranial hemorrhage and are challenging to treat. We present our
      experience of endovascular embolization with Onyx in these aggressive lesions.
      Materials and methods Between 2007 and 2016, 13 patients with brainstem AVMs were
      embolized with Onyx at our center. Twelve patients presented with intracranial
      hemorrhage and one with headache. Retrospective examinations of patient
      demographics, clinical presentation, angiographic features, treatment modalities,
      postoperative complications and outcomes were carried out. Results The AVMs were
      in the midbrain in 10 patients (one anterior and nine posterior or dorsal), in
      the posterior pons in two and pontomedullary in one. Complete occlusion was
      achieved in three patients. Gamma knife radiosurgery was performed in six
      patients who were near-completely or partially embolized. Postoperative
      complications, including five cases of ischemia and one case of hemorrhage,
      resulted in four cases of neurological deterioration and two deaths. Clinical
      follow-up was obtained in 10 patients at a mean period of 45.2 months (range 3 to
      93 months). During the follow-up, good clinical outcomes were observed in seven
      patients with posterior or dorsal midbrain AVMs, and one patient with a posterior
      pons AVM that was partially occluded died of intracranial hemorrhage. Conclusion
      Endovascular embolization for brainstem AVM with Onyx is a technical challenge
      and the reflux of Onyx may cause severe complications. Individualized treatment
      is needed based on the specific subtype of brainstem AVM.

PMID- 28614990
TI  - Screening organization and recall rate in a regional breast screening programme.
AB  - Objective To use results on recall rates from a regional non-population-based
      breast screening programme to inform practice in a planned national population
      based programme. Methods We analysed data on rates of recall for further
      assessment in 27,327 mammographic screening episodes in 2015-2016 in the breast
      screening programme in the city of Tbilisi, Georgia. Screening was done by two
      view digital mammography with double reading in women aged 40-70, and further
      assessment took place at the same clinic and during the same visit as the initial
      screening mammogram. Results The recall rates were 46% (3573/7824) in 2015 and
      27% (5276/19,503) in 2016. Cancer detection rates were 8 per 1000 in 2015 and 3
      per 1000 in 2016. Rates of recall were higher in younger women than in older,
      whereas the rates of cancer detection were higher in older women. Conclusions The
      recall rates, while lower in 2016 than in 2015, are still too high to manage in a
      nationwide population programme. The use of same-visit assessment is likely to be
      contributing to this. The national programme should consider separate assessment
      clinics and carry out audit of recalls to date.

PMID- 28614991
TI  - Invitation coverage and participation in Italian cervical, breast and colorectal
      cancer screening programmes.
AB  - Objectives In Italy, regional governments organize cervical, breast and
      colorectal cancer screening programmes, but there are difficulties in regularly
      inviting all the target populations and participation remains low. We analysed
      the determinants associated with invitation coverage of and participation in
      these programmes. Methods We used data on screening programmes from annual
      Ministry of Health surveys, 1999-2012 for cervical, 1999-2011 for breast and 2005
      2011 for colorectal cancer. For recent years, we linked these data to the results
      of the national routine survey on preventive behaviours to evaluate the effect of
      spontaneous screening at Province level. Invitation and participation relative
      risk were calculated using Generalized Linear Models. Results There is a strong
      decreasing trend in invitation coverage and participation in screening programmes
      from North to South Italy. In metropolitan areas, both invitation coverage (rate
      ratio 0.35-0.96) and participation (rate ratio 0.63-0.88) are lower. An inverse
      association exists between spontaneous screening and both screening invitation
      coverage (1-3% decrease in invitation coverage per 1% spontaneous coverage
      increase) and participation (2% decrease in participation per 1% spontaneous
      coverage increase) for the three programmes. High recall rate has a negative
      effect on invitation coverage in the next round for breast cancer (1% decrease in
      invitation per 1% recall increase). Conclusions Organizational and cultural
      changes are needed to better implement cancer screening in southern Italy.

PMID- 28614992
TI  - Preimplantation genetic screening.
AB  - Preimplantation genetic diagnosis was first successfully performed in 1989 as an
      alternative to prenatal diagnosis for couples at risk of transmitting a genetic
      or chromosomal abnormality, such as cystic fibrosis, to their child. From embryos
      generated in vitro, biopsied cells are genetically tested. From the mid-1990s,
      this technology has been employed as an embryo selection tool for patients
      undergoing in vitro fertilisation, screening as many chromosomes as possible, in
      the hope that selecting chromosomally normal embryos will lead to higher
      implantation and decreased miscarriage rates. This procedure, preimplantation
      genetic screening, was initially performed using fluorescent in situ
      hybridisation, but 11 randomised controlled trials of screening using this
      technique showed no improvement in in vitro fertilisation delivery rates.
      Progress in genetic testing has led to the introduction of array comparative
      genomic hybridisation, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and next
      generation sequencing for preimplantation genetic screening, and three small
      randomised controlled trials of preimplantation genetic screening using these new
      techniques indicate a modest benefit. Other trials are still in progress but,
      regardless of their results, preimplantation genetic screening is now being
      offered globally. In the near future, it is likely that sequencing will be used
      to screen the full genetic code of the embryo.

PMID- 28614993
TI  - A Single 10 mg Oral Dose of Biotin Interferes with Thyroid Function Tests.

PMID- 28614994
TI  - Are preterm-born survivors at risk of long-term respiratory disease?
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate the long-term impact of preterm birth on respiratory
      function in female patients born preterm, we undertook spirometric examinations
      twice, as they reached the age of puberty, then follow-up examinations of part of
      the same cohort in adulthood. We sought evidence that preterm birth is correlated
      with poorer spirometric results into adulthood. METHODS: A total of 70 girls
      (aged 12.2 +/- 1.5 years in 1997) who had been born preterm (at 34.7 +/- 1.86
      weeks, none having experienced bronchopulmonary dysplasia) took part in
      spriometric examinations in 1997 and again in 1998. Of those, after a gap of 17
      years, a group of 12 were successfully recontacted and participated in the 2015
      examination as adults (then aged 27.6 +/- 2.6 years, born at 34.5 +/- 1.92
      weeks). We compared spirometric results across the adolescent and adult
      examinations, and compared the adult results with an adult reference group.
      RESULTS: The percentage values of FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 s), FVC
      (forced vital capacity) and MVV (maximal voluntary ventilation) showed
      significant improvement between the two examinations in the early adolescent
      period. In adulthood, FEV1%pred (percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in
      1 s) showed no statistically significant difference. The mean values of both FVC
      and FVC%pred (percentage predicted forced vital capacity) for the preterm-born
      group were lower than for the reference group, but this was not statistically
      significant. The preterm-born group showed lower values of such parameters as
      forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of FVC, MEF25 (maximal expiratory flow at 25% of
      forced vital capacity) and FEV1/FVC as compared with the reference group, but
      again without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: (1) A somewhat below-norm
      level of respiratory parameters among preterm-born girls entering pubescence may
      attest to continued negative impact on their respiratory system. (2) A
      significant improvement in their spirometric results 1 year later may indicate
      that pubescence helps compensate for the earlier negative effect of preterm
      birth. (3) No significant differences were seen in lung function in preterm-born
      adults as compared with a reference group of adults, although the preterm-born
      group did exhibit lower values of all parameters studied and more frequent
      obstructive disorders.

PMID- 28614996
TI  - Myeloma patients: genes increase risk for osteonecrosis of the jaw.

PMID- 28614995
TI  - Ease of use of tobramycin inhalation powder compared with nebulized tobramycin
      and colistimethate sodium: a crossover study in cystic fibrosis patients with
      pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study assessed the ease of use of tobramycin inhalation powder
      (TIP) administered via T-326 inhaler versus tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS)
      and colistimethate sodium (COLI), both administered via nebulizers, for the
      treatment of chronic pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with
      cystic fibrosis (CF). METHODS: A real-world, open-label, crossover,
      interventional phase IV study was conducted in CF patients aged ?6 years with
      forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) ?25% to ?90% predicted. Patients were
      assigned to one of the three treatment arms in Cycle 1; all patients received TIP
      in Cycle 2. Each cycle consisted of 28 days on and 28 days off the treatment.
      RESULTS: A total of 60 patients [mean (standard deviation) age, 27.6 (8.4) years]
      were allocated to three treatment arms [TIS/TIP ( n = 14); COLI/TIP ( n = 28);
      TIP/TIP ( n = 18)] in Cycle 1. The mean total administration time, which included
      device setup and cleaning, in Cycle 1 versus Cycle 2 for TIS/TIP, COLI/TIP, and
      TIP/TIP arms were 37.0 versus 5.0 min, 16.4 versus 3.8 min, and 4.2 versus 3.4
      min, respectively. The difference in mean total administration time was
      significantly shorter in Cycle 2 than in Cycle 1 for TIS/TIP ( p = 0.0112) and
      COLI/TIP ( p = 0.0016) arms. Overall, 12 patients were found to have contaminated
      devices across the two treatment cycles. In the TIP/TIP arm, no contamination of
      the T-326 inhaler was observed in either cycle. Treatment satisfaction, assessed
      by the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication and ACCEPT(r)
      questionnaire, was better overall for TIP compared with TIS and COLI. There were
      no unexpected adverse events and most were mild or moderate in intensity.
      CONCLUSION: The T-326 inhaler used to deliver TIP was easy to use, required
      shorter total administration time, and was much less frequently contaminated than
      the nebulizers. The safety findings observed for TIP were generally consistent
      with its established safety profile.

PMID- 28614997
TI  - Resilience-based Diabetes Self-management Education: Perspectives From African
      American Participants, Community Leaders, and Healthcare Providers.
AB  - Purpose The purpose of this qualitative, focus group study was to further refine
      the Resilience-based Diabetes Self-management Education (RB-DSME) recruitment
      process and intervention, build greater trust in the community, and identify
      strategies to enhance its sustainability as a community-based intervention in
      African American church settings. Methods Six 2-hour focus groups (N = 55; 10 men
      and 45 women) were led by a trained moderator with a written guide to facilitate
      discussion. Two sessions were conducted with individuals diagnosed with type 2
      diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who participated in previous RB-DSME pilot interventions
      and their family members, two sessions with local church leaders, and two
      sessions with community healthcare providers who care for patients with T2DM. Two
      independent reviewers performed content analysis to identify major themes using a
      grounded theory approach. The validity of core themes was enhanced by external
      review and subsequent discussions with two qualitative methods consultants.
      Results There was expressed interest and acceptability of the RB-DSME program.
      Church connection and pastor support were noted as key factors in building trust
      and enhancing recruitment, retention, and sustainability of the program. Core
      themes across all groups included the value of incentives, the need for
      foundational knowledge shared with genuine concern, teaching with visuals,
      dealing with denial, balancing the reality of adverse consequences with hope, the
      importance of social support, and addressing healthcare delivery barriers.
      Conclusion Focus groups documented the feasibility and potential effectiveness of
      RB-DSME interventions to enhance diabetes care in the African American community.
      In clinical practice, inclusion of these core themes may enhance T2DM self-care
      and treatment outcomes.

PMID- 28614998
TI  - A Season of American Football Is Not Associated with Changes in Plasma Tau.
AB  - American football athletes are routinely exposed to sub-concussive impacts over
      the course of the season. This study sought to examine the effect of a season of
      American football on plasma tau, a potential marker of axonal damage. Nineteen
      National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football athletes underwent
      serial blood sampling over the course of the 2014-2015 season at those times in
      which the number and magnitude of head impacts likely changed. Non-contact sport
      controls (NCAA men's swim athletes; n = 19) provided a single plasma sample for
      comparison. No significant differences were observed between control swim
      athletes and football athletes following a period of non-contact (p = 0.569) or a
      period of contact (p = 0.076). Football athletes categorized as starters (n = 11)
      had higher tau concentrations than non-starters (n = 8) following a period of non
      contact (p = 0.039) and contact (p = 0.036), but not higher than swimmers (p =
      1.000 and p = 1.000, respectively). No difference was noted over the course of
      the season in football athletes, irrespective of starter status. Despite routine
      head impacts common to the sport of American football, no changes were observed
      over the course of the season in football athletes, irrespective of starter
      status. Further, no difference was observed between football athletes and non
      contact control swim athletes following a period of non-contact or contact. These
      data suggest that plasma tau is not sensitive enough to detect damage associated
      with repetitive sub-concussive impacts sustained by collegiate-level football
      athletes.

PMID- 28614999
TI  - Stories That Heal: Understanding the Effects of Creating Digital Stories With
      Pediatric and Adolescent/Young Adult Oncology Patients.
AB  - The purpose of this philosophical hermeneutic study was to determine if, and
      understand how, digital stories might be effective therapeutic tools to use with
      children and adolescents/young adults (AYA) with cancer, thus helping mitigate
      suffering. Sixteen participants made digital stories with the help of a research
      assistant trained in digital storytelling and were interviewed following the
      completion of their stories. Findings from this research revealed that digital
      stories were a way to have others understand their experiences of cancer, allowed
      for further healing from their sometimes traumatic experiences, had unexpected
      therapeutic effects, and were a way to reconcile past experiences with current
      life. Digital stories, we conclude, show great promise with the pediatric and AYA
      oncology community and we believe are a way in which the psychosocial effects of
      cancer treatment may be addressed. Recommendations for incorporating digital
      stories into clinical practice and follow-up programs are offered.

PMID- 28615000
TI  - "A Tribe Apart": Sexuality and Cancer in Adolescence.
AB  - This qualitative study employed hermeneutic phenomenology and narrative inquiry
      to examine the topic of sexuality and adolescents with cancer from the
      perspectives of survivors who had experienced cancer as adolescents. This
      investigation examined the potentially sensitive, disquieting, and often taboo
      issue of sexuality in the interest of optimizing wellness in young people, and,
      ultimately, in the health of adults. Understanding the adolescent body as a
      sensitive, sexual, and developing self can enrich our understanding of adolescent
      cancer and promote best health care and practices, examining ways that we might
      mitigate the long-term effects of arrested or delayed development of sexual
      identity. In this article, we discuss phase 1 of the study, which used
      hermeneutics as the method of inquiry. Findings included a general experience of
      adolescents having a sense of "losing themselves" while at the same time finding
      themselves in a new light. Other findings include the connection between
      sexuality, self, and identity; the unique "tribe" of adolescents with cancer; the
      necessity for sexuality to take a backseat to cancer; the changing mirror images
      from self and others; sexuality and fertility; and, ultimately, that sexuality is
      a relational experience.

PMID- 28615001
TI  - "She Was a Little Social Butterfly": A Qualitative Analysis of Parent Perception
      of Social Functioning in Adolescent and Young Adult Brain Tumor Survivors.
AB  - Psychosocial sequelae of diagnosis and treatment for childhood brain tumor
      survivors are significant, yet little is known about their impact on adolescent
      and young adult (AYA) brain tumor survivors. Interviews were conducted with
      parents of AYA brain tumor survivors with a focus on social functioning.
      Semistructured interviews were conducted with English- and Spanish-speaking
      parents of AYA brain tumor survivors >=10 years of age who were >2 years
      postdiagnosis, and analyzed using emergent themes theoretically integrated with a
      social neuroscience model of social competence. Twenty parents representing 19
      survivors with a survivor mean age 15.7 +/- 3.3 years and 10.1 +/- 4.8 years
      postdiagnosis were interviewed. Several themes relevant to the social
      neuroscience social competence model emerged. First, parents' perceptions of
      their children's impaired social functioning corroborated the model, particularly
      with regard to poor social adjustment, social withdrawal, impaired social
      information processing, and developmentally inappropriate peer communication.
      Second, ongoing physical and emotional sequelae of central nervous system insults
      were seen by parents as adversely affecting social functioning among survivors.
      Third, a disrupted family environment and ongoing parent psychosocial distress
      were experienced as salient features of daily life. We document that the
      aforementioned framework is useful for understanding the social impact of
      diagnosis and treatment on AYA brain tumor survivorship. Moreover, the framework
      highlights areas of intervention that may enhance social functioning for AYA
      brain tumor survivors.

PMID- 28615002
TI  - Effect of a simulation-based workshop on breaking bad news for anesthesiology
      residents: an intervention study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breaking bad news (BBN) to patients and their relatives is a complex
      and stressful task. The ideal structure, training methods and assessment
      instruments best used to teach and assess BBN for anesthesiology residents remain
      unclear. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an
      education intervention for BBN based on immersive experiences with a high
      fidelity simulator and role-play with standardized patients (SPs). A secondary
      purpose is to gather validity evidence to support the use of a GRIEV_ING
      instrument to assess BBN skills. METHODS: The communication skills for BBN of 16
      residents were assessed via videotaped SP encounters at baseline and immediately
      post-intervention. Residents' perceptions about their ability and comfort for BBN
      were collected using pre and post workshop surveys. RESULTS: Posttest scores were
      significantly higher than the pretest scores for the GRIEV_ING checklist, as well
      as on the communication global rating. The GRIEV_ING checklist had acceptable
      inter-rater and internal-consistency reliabilities. Performance was not related
      to years of training, or previous BBN experience. CONCLUSION: Anesthesiology
      residents' communication skills when BBN in relation to a critical incident may
      be improved with educational interventions based on immersive experiences with a
      high fidelity simulator and role-play with SPs.

PMID- 28615003
TI  - 3D deep convolutional neural networks for amino acid environment similarity
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central to protein biology is the understanding of how structural
      elements give rise to observed function. The surfeit of protein structural data
      enables development of computational methods to systematically derive rules
      governing structural-functional relationships. However, performance of these
      methods depends critically on the choice of protein structural representation.
      Most current methods rely on features that are manually selected based on
      knowledge about protein structures. These are often general-purpose but not
      optimized for the specific application of interest. In this paper, we present a
      general framework that applies 3D convolutional neural network (3DCNN) technology
      to structure-based protein analysis. The framework automatically extracts task
      specific features from the raw atom distribution, driven by supervised labels. As
      a pilot study, we use our network to analyze local protein microenvironments
      surrounding the 20 amino acids, and predict the amino acids most compatible with
      environments within a protein structure. To further validate the power of our
      method, we construct two amino acid substitution matrices from the prediction
      statistics and use them to predict effects of mutations in T4 lysozyme
      structures. RESULTS: Our deep 3DCNN achieves a two-fold increase in prediction
      accuracy compared to models that employ conventional hand-engineered features and
      successfully recapitulates known information about similar and different
      microenvironments. Models built from our predictions and substitution matrices
      achieve an 85% accuracy predicting outcomes of the T4 lysozyme mutation variants.
      Our substitution matrices contain rich information relevant to mutation analysis
      compared to well-established substitution matrices. Finally, we present a
      visualization method to inspect the individual contributions of each atom to the
      classification decisions. CONCLUSIONS: End-to-end trained deep learning networks
      consistently outperform methods using hand-engineered features, suggesting that
      the 3DCNN framework is well suited for analysis of protein microenvironments and
      may be useful for other protein structural analyses.

PMID- 28615004
TI  - Understanding heart failure; explaining telehealth - a hermeneutic systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Enthusiasts for telehealth extol its potential for supporting heart
      failure management. But randomised trials have been slow to recruit and produced
      conflicting findings; real-world roll-out has been slow. We sought to inform
      policy by making sense of a complex literature on heart failure and its remote
      management. METHODS: Through database searching and citation tracking, we
      identified 7 systematic reviews of systematic reviews, 32 systematic reviews
      (including 17 meta-analyses and 8 qualitative reviews); six mega-trials and over
      60 additional relevant empirical studies and commentaries. We synthesised these
      using Boell's hermeneutic methodology for systematic review, which emphasises the
      quest for understanding. RESULTS: Heart failure is a complex and serious
      condition with frequent co-morbidity and diverse manifestations including severe
      tiredness. Patients are often frightened, bewildered, socially isolated and
      variably able to self-manage. Remote monitoring technologies are many and varied;
      they create new forms of knowledge and new possibilities for care but require
      fundamental changes to clinical roles and service models and place substantial
      burdens on patients, carers and staff. The policy innovation of remote biomarker
      monitoring enabling timely adjustment of medication, mediated by "activated"
      patients, is based on a modernist vision of efficient, rational, technology
      mediated and guideline-driven ("cold") care. It contrasts with relationship-based
      ("warm") care valued by some clinicians and by patients who are older, sicker and
      less technically savvy. Limited uptake of telehealth can be analysed in terms of
      key tensions: between tidy, "textbook" heart failure and the reality of multiple
      comorbidities; between basic and intensive telehealth; between activated, well
      supported patients and vulnerable, unsupported ones; between "cold" and "warm"
      telehealth; and between fixed and agile care programmes. CONCLUSION: The limited
      adoption of telehealth for heart failure has complex clinical, professional and
      institutional causes, which are unlikely to be elucidated by adding more
      randomised trials of technology-on versus technology-off to an already-crowded
      literature. An alternative approach is proposed, based on naturalistic study
      designs, application of social and organisational theory, and co-design of new
      service models based on socio-technical principles. Conventional systematic
      reviews (whose goal is synthesising data) can be usefully supplemented by
      hermeneutic reviews (whose goal is deepening understanding).

PMID- 28615005
TI  - Development and validation of a risk score to assist screening for acute HIV-1
      infection among men who have sex with men.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early treatment of acute HIV-1 infection (AHI) is beneficial for
      patients and could reduce onward transmission. However, guidelines on whom to
      test for AHI with HIV-1 RNA testing are lacking. METHODS: A risk score for
      possible AHI based on literature and expert opinion - including symptoms
      associated with AHI and early HIV-1 - was evaluated using data from the Amsterdam
      Cohort Studies among men who have sex with men (MSM). Subsequently, we optimized
      the risk score by constructing two multivariable logistic regression models: one
      including only symptoms and one combining symptoms with known risk factors for
      HIV-1 seroconversion, using generalized estimating equations. Several risk scores
      were generated from these models and the optimal risk score was validated using
      data from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. RESULTS: Using data from 1562 MSM
      with 175 HIV-1 seroconversion visits and 17,271 seronegative visits in the
      Amsterdam Cohort Studies, the optimal risk score included four symptoms (oral
      thrush, fever, lymphadenopathy, weight loss) and three risk factors (self
      reported gonorrhea, receptive condomless anal intercourse, more than five sexual
      partners, all in the preceding six months) and yielded an AUC of 0.82.
      Sensitivity was 76.3% and specificity 76.3%. Validation in the Multicenter AIDS
      Cohort Study resulted in an AUC of 0.78, sensitivity of 56.2% and specificity of
      88.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal risk score had good overall performance in the
      Amsterdam Cohort Studies and performed comparable (but showed lower sensitivity)
      in the validation study. Screening for AHI with four symptoms and three risk
      factors would increase the efficiency of AHI testing and potentially enhance
      early diagnosis and immediate treatment.

PMID- 28615006
TI  - Brief temperature stress during reproductive stages alters meiotic recombination
      and somatic mutation rates in the progeny of Arabidopsis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plants exposed to environmental stresses draw upon many genetic and
      epigenetic strategies, with the former sometimes modulated by the latter. This
      can help the plant, and its immediate progeny, at least, to better endure the
      stress. Some evidence has led to proposals that (epi) genetic changes can be both
      selective and sustainably heritable, while other evidence suggests that changes
      are effectively stochastic, and important only because they induce genetic
      variation. One type of stress with an arguably high level of stochasticity in its
      effects is temperature stress. Studies of how heat and cold affect the rates of
      meiotic recombination (MR) and somatic mutations (SMs, which are potentially
      heritable in plants) report increases, decreases, or no effect. Collectively,
      they do not point to any consistent patterns. Some of this variability, however,
      might arise from the stress being applied for such an extended time, typically
      days or weeks. Here, we adopted a targeted approach by (1) limiting exposure to
      one hour; and (2) timing it to coincide with (a) gamete, and early gametophyte,
      development, a period of high stress sensitivity; and (b) a late stage of
      vegetative development. RESULTS: For plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) otherwise
      grown at 22  degrees C, we measured the effects of a 1 h exposure to cold (12 
      degrees C) or heat (32  degrees C) on the rates of MR, and four types of SMs
      (frameshift mutations; intrachromosomal recombination; base substitutions;
      transpositions) in the F1 progeny. One parent (wild type) was stressed, the other
      (unstressed) carried a genetic event detector. When rates were compared to those
      in progeny of control (both parents unstressed) two patterns emerged. In the
      progeny of younger plants (stressed at 36 days; pollinated at 40 days) heat and
      cold either had no effect (on MR) or (for SMs) had effects that were rare and
      stochastic. In the progeny of older plants (stressed at 41 days; pollinated at 45
      days), while effects were also infrequent, those that were seen followed a
      consistent pattern: rates of all five genetic events were lowest at 12  degrees C
      and highest at 32  degrees C, i.e. they varied in a "dose-response" manner. This
      pattern was strongest (or, in the case of MR, only apparent) in progeny whose
      stressed parent was female. CONCLUSION: While the infrequency of effects suggests
      the need for cautious inference, the consistency of responses in the progeny of
      older plants, indicate that in some circumstances the level of stochasticity in
      inherited genetic responses to heat or cold stress can be context-dependent,
      possibly reflecting life-cycle stages in the parental generation that are
      variably stress sensitive.

PMID- 28615007
TI  - Rhythm-centred music making in community living elderly: a randomized pilot
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Quality of life has become an important aspect in the measurement of
      the health of an individual as the population ages. Rhythm-centred music making
      (RMM) has been shown to improve physical, psychological and social health. The
      purpose of this study was to explore the effects of RMM on quality of life,
      depressive mood, sleep quality and social isolation in the elderly. METHODS: A
      randomised controlled trial with cross over was conducted. 54 participants were
      recruited with 27 participants in each arm. In phase 1, group A underwent the
      intervention with group B as the control. In phase 2, group B underwent the
      intervention with group A as the control. The intervention involved 10 weekly RMM
      sessions. Patient related outcome data which included European Quality of Life-5
      Dimensions (EQ5D), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Pittsburg Sleep Quality
      Index (PSQI) and Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) scores were collected before
      the intervention, at 11th and at the 22nd week. RESULTS: A total of 31
      participants were analyzed at the end of the study. The mean age was 74.65 +/-
      6.40 years. In analysing the change in patient related outcome variables as a
      continuous measure, participation in RMM resulted in a non-significant reduction
      in EQ5D by 0.004 (95% CI: -0.097,0.105), GDS score by 0.479 (95% CI:
      0.329,1.287), PSQI score by 0.929 (95% CI:- 0.523,2.381) and an improvement in
      LSNS by 1.125 (95% CI:-2.381,0.523). In binary analysis, participation in RMM
      resulted in a 37% (OR = 1.370, 95% CI: 0.355,5.290), 55.3% (OR = 1.553, 95% CI:
      0.438,5.501), 124.1% (OR = 2.241, 95% CI = 0.677,7.419) and 14.5% (OR = 1.145,
      95% CI = 0.331,3.963) non-significant increase in odds of improvement in EQ5D,
      GDS, PSQI and LSNS scores respectively. CONCLUSION: Participation in RMM did not
      show any statistically significant difference in the quality of life of the
      participants. It is however, an interesting alternative tool to use in the field
      of integrative medicine. Moving forward, a larger study could be performed to
      investigate the effects of RMM on the elderly with an inclusion of a qualitative
      component to evaluate effects of RMM that were not captured by quantitative
      indicators. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was retrospectively registered. This
      trial was registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry under
      trial number ACTRN12616001281482 on 12 September 2016.

PMID- 28615008
TI  - Isolated transient vertigo: posterior circulation ischemia or benign origin?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Isolated transient vertigo can be the only symptom of posterior
      circulation ischemia. Thus, it is important to differentiate isolated vertigo of
      a cerebrovascular origin from that of more benign origins, as patients with
      cerebral ischemia have a much higher risk for future stroke than do those with
      'peripheral' vertigo. The current study aims to identify risk factors for
      cerebrovascular origin of isolated transient vertigo, and for future
      cerebrovascular events. METHODS: From the files of 339 outpatients with isolated
      transient vertigo we extracted history, clinical and technical findings,
      diagnosis, and follow-up information on subsequent stroke or transient ischemic
      attack (TIA). Risk factors were analyzed using multivariate regression models
      (logistic or Cox) and reconfirmed in univariate analyses. RESULTS: On first
      presentation, 48 (14.2%) patients received the diagnosis 'probable or definite
      cerebrovascular vertigo'. During follow-up, 41 patients suffered stroke or TIA
      (event rate 7.9 per 100 person years, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.5-10.4), 26
      in the posterior circulation (event rate 4.8 per 100 person years, 95% CI 3.0
      6.7). The diagnosis was not associated with follow-up cerebrovascular events. In
      multivariate models testing multiple potential determinants, only the
      presentation mode was consistently associated with the diagnosis and stroke risk:
      patients who presented because of vertigo (rather than reporting vertigo when
      they presented for other reasons) had a significantly higher risk for future
      stroke or TIA (p = 0.028, event rate 13.4 vs. 5.4 per 100 person years) and for
      future posterior circulation stroke or TIA (p = 0.044, event rate 7.8 vs. 3.5 per
      100 person years). CONCLUSIONS: We here report for the first time follow-up
      stroke rates in patients with transient isolated vertigo. In such patients, the
      identification of those with cerebrovascular origin remains difficult, and
      presentation mode was found to be the only consistent risk factor. Confirmation
      in an independent prospective sample is needed.

PMID- 28615009
TI  - Incidence of acute pulmonary embolism, related comorbidities and survival;
      analysis of a Swedish national cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of acute
      pulmonary embolism (PE) in Sweden and any regional differences. To assess short-
      and long-term survival analysis after an episode of PE, before and after
      excluding patients with known malignancies, and to determine the most common
      comorbidities prior to the PE event. METHODS: All in-hospital patients, including
      children, diagnosed with acute PE in 2005 were retrieved from the Swedish
      National Patient Registry (NPR) and incidence rates were calculated. All
      registered comorbidities from 1998 until the index events were collected and
      survival up to 4 years after the event were calculated and compared to matched
      controls. RESULTS: There were 5793 patients of all ages diagnosed with acute PE
      in 2005 resulting in a national incidence of 0.6/1000/year. The mean age was 70
      years and 52% were women. The most frequent comorbidities were cardiac-, vascular
      , infectious- and gastrointestinal diseases, injuries and malignancies. The
      mortality rates were more than doubled in patients with recent PE compared to
      that in a matched control group (49.1% vs 21.9%), and the excess mortality
      remained after exclusion of deaths occurring within one year and after exclusion
      of patients with any malignancy prior to the event. CONCLUSIONS: PE is associated
      with high age as well as with multiple comorbidities, and with an increased short
      and long-term mortality. This study highlights the importance of a proper follow
      up after an acute PE.

PMID- 28615010
TI  - Internet-based perioperative exercise program in patients with Barrett's
      carcinoma scheduled for esophagectomy [iPEP - study] a prospective randomized
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing surgery for esophageal cancer have a high risk
      for postoperative deterioration of lung function and pulmonary complications.
      This is partly due to one-lung ventilation during thoracotomy. This often
      accounts for prolonged stay on intensive care units, delayed postoperative
      reconvalescence and reduced quality of life. Socioeconomic disadvantages can
      result from these problems. Physical preconditioning has become a crucial
      leverage to optimize fitness and lung function in patients scheduled for
      esophagectomy, in particular during the time period of neoadjuvant therapy.
      METHODS/STUDY DESIGN: We designed a prospective multicenter randomized-controlled
      trial. The objective is to evaluate the impact of an internet-based exercise
      program on postoperative respiratory parameters and pneumonia rates in patients
      with Barrett's carcinoma scheduled for esophagectomy. Patients are randomly
      assigned to either execute internet-based perioperative exercise program (iPEP),
      including daily endurance, resistance and ventilation training or treatment as
      usual (TAU). During neoadjuvant therapy and recovery, patients in the
      intervention group receive an individually designed intensive exercise program
      based on functional measurements at baseline. Personal feedback of the supervisor
      with customized training programs is provided in weekly intervals. DISCUSSION:
      This study will evaluate if an intensive individually adapted training program
      via online supervision during neoadjuvant therapy will improve cardiorespiratory
      fitness and reduce pulmonary complications following esophagectomy for Barrett's
      cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02478996 , registered 26 May 2015.

PMID- 28615011
TI  - Lessons from implementing mass drug administration for soil transmitted helminths
      among pre-school aged children during school based deworming program at the
      Kenyan coast.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The 2012 London declaration which committed to "sustaining, expanding
      and extending drug access programmes to ensure the necessary supply of drugs and
      other interventions to help control soil-transmitted helminths (STH) by 2020" has
      seen many countries in Africa roll out mass drug administration (MDA) especially
      among school age children. In Kenya, however, during the National school-based
      deworming exercise, pre-school aged children (PSAC) have to access treatment at
      primary schools as the pre-school teachers are not trained to carry out
      deworming. With studies being conducted on the effectiveness of MDAs, the
      experiences of key education stakeholders which could improve the programme by
      giving best practices, and challenges experienced have not been documented.
      METHODS: This was a cross-sectional qualitative study using Focus group
      discussions (FGDs) and Key informant interviews (KIIs). It was conducted in 4 sub
      counties with high STH prevalence at the Kenyan coast (Matuga, Malindi, Lunga
      Lunga and Msambweni) to understand best practices for implementing MDA among
      PSAC.FGDs categorized by gender were conducted among local community members,
      whereas KIIs involved pre-school teachers, primary school teachers, community
      health extension workers (CHEWs) and opinion leaders. Participants were
      purposefully selected with the saturation model determining the number of
      interviews and focus groups. Voice data collected was transcribed verbatim then
      coded and analyzed using ATLAS.Ti version 6. RESULTS: Majority of the primary
      school teachers and CHEWs reported that they were satisfied with the method of
      mobilization used and the training tools. This was however not echoed by the pre
      school teachers, parents and chiefs who complained of being left out of the
      process. Best practices mentioned included timely drug delivery, support from pre
      school teachers, and management of side effects. Overcrowding during the drug
      administration day, complexity of the forms (for instance the 'S form') and long
      distance between schools were mentioned as challenges. CONCLUSION: There is need
      to utilize better sensitization methods to include the local administration as
      well as the parents for better uptake of the drugs. Extending deworming training
      to pre-school teachers will enhance the national deworming programme.

PMID- 28615012
TI  - Moxifloxacin monotherapy versus combination therapy in patients with severe
      community-acquired pneumonia evoked ARDS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that moxifloxacin monotherapy is equally
      effective and safe as a betalactam antibiotic based combination therapy in
      patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) evoked by severe
      community acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS: In a retrospective chart review
      study of 229 patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) admitted to
      our intensive care unit between 2001 and 2011, 169 well-characterized patients
      were identified to suffer from severe CAP. Patients were treated with
      moxifloxacin alone, moxifloxacin in combination with beta-lactam antibiotics, or
      with another antibiotic regimen based on beta-lactam antibiotics, at the
      discretion of the admitting attending physician. The primary endpoint was 30-day
      survival. To assess potential drug-induced liver injury, we also analyzed
      biomarkers of liver cell integrity. RESULTS: 30-day survival (69% overall) did
      not differ (p = 0.89) between moxifloxacin monotherapy (n = 42), moxifloxacin
      combination therapy (n = 44), and other antibiotic treatments (n = 83). We found
      significantly greater maximum activity of aspartate transaminase (p = 0.048),
      alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.003), and direct bilirubin concentration (p =
      0.01) in the moxifloxacin treated groups over the first 10-20 days. However,
      these in-between group differences faded over time, and no differences remained
      during the last 10 days of observation. CONCLUSIONS: In CAP evoked ARDS,
      moxifloxacin monotherapy and moxifloxacin combination therapy was not different
      to a betalactam based antibiotic regimen with respect to 30-day mortality, and
      temporarily increased markers of liver cell integrity had no apparent clinical
      impact. Thus, in contrast to the current S3 guidelines, moxifloxacin may also be
      safe and effective even in patients with severe CAP evoked ARDS while providing
      coverage of an extended spectrum of severe CAP evoking bacteria. However, further
      prospective studies are needed for definite recommendations.

PMID- 28615013
TI  - Short-term poor glycemic control and retinal microvascular changes in pediatric
      Type 1 Diabetes patients in Singapore: a pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor glycemic control in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) patients is strongly
      associated with an increased risk of diabetes-related microvascular complications
      later in life, but it is unclear whether short period of poor glycemic control in
      children with T1D can cause evident microvascular morphological changes long
      before any pathological manifestation. Our study aimed to investigate the
      longitudinal association between poor glycemic control and subsequent changes in
      retinal microvasculature, in a pilot study of 55 pediatric T1D patients from
      Singapore after a one-year follow-up. METHODS: This is a hospital-based, exposure
      matched and retrospective longitudinal study. A total of 55 T1D patients were
      included from Singapore KK Women's and Children Hospital, 28 of whom had poor
      glycemic control (average glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c] >=8% during the year) while
      the other 27 age- and gender-matched subjects had good glycemic control (HbA1c
      <8%). Retinal photography was taken at diabetes annual screening and images were
      graded by trained graders using a semi-automated computer-based program
      (Singapore I Vessel Assessment [SIVA], version 4.0, Singapore Eye Research
      Institute, Singapore) and a spectrum of retinal vascular parameters (e.g.
      caliber, tortuosity, branching angle and fractal dimension) were measured
      quantitatively from 0.5 to 2.0 disc diameters. RESULTS: There was no significant
      difference in ethnicity, duration of T1D, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI)
      and low-density cholesterol lipoprotein (LDL) between the two groups. Retinal
      imaging was obtained at the end of 1 year of glycemic control assessment. In
      multiple linear regression adjusting for ethnicity, BMI, LDL and duration of T1D,
      patients with poor glycemic control tended to have marginally wider retinal
      arteriolar caliber (6.0 MUm, 95% CI: -0.9, 12.8) and had significantly larger
      retinal arteriolar branching angle (10.1 degrees, 95% CI: 1.4, 18.9) compared
      with their age- and gender- matched counterparts with good glycemic control.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that abnormal retinal microvascular morphology
      was evident in pediatric patients with T1D after one-year's poor glycemic
      control. Such morphological abnormalities may lead to future development of
      microvascular complications among T1D pediatric patients with poor glycemic
      control.

PMID- 28615014
TI  - Are physicians aware enough of patient radiation protection? Results from a
      survey among physicians of Pavia District- Italy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Radiological practices are the first anthropic sources of ionizing
      radiation exposure of the population. However, a review of recent publications
      underlines inadequate doctors' knowledge about doses imparted in medical
      practices and about patient protection that might explain unnecessary
      radiological prescriptions. We investigated the knowledge of the physicians of
      Pavia District (Italy) on the risk of radiation exposure. METHODS: A cross
      sectional study was performed involving the Medical Association of Pavia
      District. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire, available
      on-line with private login and password. RESULTS: Four hundred nineteen
      physicians fulfilled the questionnaire; 48% of participants reported training
      about radiation protection. The average percentage of correct answers on the
      knowledge on ionizing radiation was 62.29%, with a significantly higher result
      between radiologist. Around 5 and 13% of the responders do not know that,
      respectively, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance do not expose patients to
      ionizing radiations. Only 5% of the physicians properly identified the cancer
      risk rate associated to abdomen computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: The findings
      show a quite good level of the general knowledge about ionizing radiations,
      higher that reported in literature. Nevertheless, we believe the usefulness of
      training on the risk linked to radiation exposure in medicine for physicians
      employed in every area.

PMID- 28615015
TI  - The gastroprotective effect of ethyl acetate fraction of hot water extract of
      Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn and its underlying mechanisms.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antacids, anticholinergic drugs, histamine H2- receptor antagonists
      and irreversible proton pump inhibitors have been used for the treatment of
      gastric ulcers. However, prolonged use of these drugs may lead to series of
      adverse effects such as diarrhea, headache, rash, hypertension, muscular and
      joint pain. Therefore, there is an urgent need of more effective and safer
      treatments with fewer side effects. The aim of the present study was to
      scientifically evaluate the gastroprotective activity of fractions of the hot
      water extract of Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn (Family: Cucurbitaceae) aerial
      parts with a view to identifying the fraction with the best gastroprotective
      activity and the possible mechanism/s by which this fraction exert
      gastroprotection. METHODS: Gastroprotective activity of hexane fraction (HF),
      ethyl acetate fraction (EF), butanol fraction (BF) and aqueous fraction (AF) were
      evaluated by the assessment of ability to reduce the ulcer index in ethanol
      induced rat model and the mode of action by which the most active fraction
      mediating gastroprotection. RESULTS: EF showed the maximum gastroprotection
      effect followed by BF and AF. EF (75 mg/kg) exhibited significantly higher
      gastroprotection compared to the reference drugs. Further investigations with two
      lower doses of EF confirmed that EF can mediated a significant and dose dependent
      gastroprotection. The rats treated with the EF showed significant reduction in
      free acidity (45%), total acidity (by 48%) in the gastric juice, increased the
      amount of mucus produced by the rat gastro mucosa and potent antihistamine
      activity (by 25.6%). EF was also rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids.
      CONCLUSION: Gastroprotective mechanism of EF is possibly involves inhibition of
      acidity, elevation in mucus content, inhibition of histamine and antioxidant
      mechanisms.

PMID- 28615016
TI  - Ex vivo susceptibility and genotyping of Plasmodium falciparum isolates from
      Pikine, Senegal.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The monitoring of Plasmodium falciparum sensitivity to anti-malarial
      drugs is a necessity for effective case management of malaria. This species is
      characterized by a strong resistance to anti-malarial drugs. In Senegal, the
      first cases of chloroquine resistance were reported in the Dakar region in 1988
      with nearly 7% population prevalence, reaching 47% by 1990. It is in this context
      that sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine temporarily replaced chloroquine as first line
      treatment in 2003, pending the introduction of artemisinin-based combination
      therapy in 2006. The purpose of this study is to assess the ex vivo sensitivity
      to different anti-malarial drugs of the P. falciparum population from Pikine.
      METHODS: Fifty-four samples were collected from patients with non-complicated
      malaria and aged between 2 and 20 years in the Deggo health centre in Pikine in
      2014. An assay in which parasites are stained with 4', 6-di-amidino-2
      phenylindole (DAPI), was used to study the ex vivo sensitivity of isolates to
      chloroquine, amodiaquine, piperaquine, pyrimethamine, and dihydroartemisinin.
      High resolution melting was used for genotyping of pfdhps, pfdhfr, pfmdr1, and
      pfcrt genes. RESULTS: The mean IC50s of chloroquine, amodiaquine, piperaquine,
      dihydroartemisinin, and pyrimethamine were, respectively, 39.44, 54.02, 15.28,
      2.23, and 64.70 nM. Resistance mutations in pfdhfr gene, in codon 437 of pfdhps
      gene, and an absence of mutation at position 540 of pfdhps were observed.
      Mutations in codons K76T of pfcrt and N86Y of pfmdr1 were observed at 51 and 11%
      population prevalence, respectively. A relationship was found between the K76T
      and N86Y mutations and ex vivo resistance to chloroquine. CONCLUSION: An increase
      in sensitivity of isolates to chloroquine was observed. A high sensitivity to
      dihydroartemisinin was observed; whereas, a decrease in sensitivity to
      pyrimethamine was observed in the parasite population from Pikine.

PMID- 28615017
TI  - Protocol for the effect evaluation of independent medical evaluation after six
      months sick leave: a randomized controlled trial of independent medical
      evaluation versus treatment as usual in Norway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has been discussed whether the relationship between a patient on
      sick leave and his/her general practitioner (GP) is too close, as this may hinder
      the GP's objective evaluation of need for sick leave. Independent medical
      evaluation involves an independent physician consulting the patient. This could
      lead to new perspectives on sick leave and how to follow-up the patient.
      METHODS/DESIGN: The current study is a randomized controlled trial in a Norwegian
      primary care context, involving an effect evaluation, a cost/benefit analysis,
      and a qualitative evaluation. Independent medical evaluation will be compared to
      treatment as usual, i.e., the physicians' and social insurance agencies' current
      management of long-term sick-listed patients. Individuals aged 18-65 years, sick
      listed by their GP and on full or partial sick leave for the past 6 months in
      Hordaland county will be included. Exclusion criteria are pregnancy, cancer,
      dementia or an ICD-10 diagnosis. A total sample of 3800 will be randomly assigned
      to either independent medical evaluation or treatment as usual. Official register
      data will be used to measure the primary outcome; change in sickness benefits at
      7, 9 and 12 months. Sick listed in other counties will serve as a second control
      group, if appropriate under the "common trend" assumption. DISCUSSION: The
      Norwegian effect evaluation of independent medical evaluation after 6 months sick
      leave is a large randomized controlled trial, and the first of its kind, to
      evaluate this type of intervention as a means of getting people back to work
      after long-term sickness absence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov
      NCT02524392 . Registered June 23, 2015.

PMID- 28615018
TI  - The aquaglyceroporin AQP9 contributes to the sex-specific effects of in utero
      arsenic exposure on placental gene expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sex-specific factors play a major role in human health and disease,
      including responses to environmental stresses such as toxicant exposure.
      Increasing evidence suggests that such sex differences also exist during fetal
      development. In a previous report using the resources of the New Hampshire Birth
      Cohort Study (NHBCS), we found that low-to-moderate in utero exposure to arsenic,
      a highly toxic and widespread pollutant, was associated with altered expression
      of several key developmental genes in the fetal portion of the placenta. These
      associations were sex-dependent, suggesting that in utero arsenic exposure
      differentially impacts male and female fetuses. In the present study, we
      investigated the molecular basis for these sex-specific responses to arsenic.
      METHODS: Using NanoString technology, we further analyzed the fetal placenta
      samples from the NHBCS for the expression of genes encoding arsenic transporters
      and metabolic enzymes. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to
      examine their relationship with arsenic exposure and with key developmental
      genes, after stratification by fetal sex. RESULTS: We found that maternal arsenic
      exposure was strongly associated with expression of the AQP9 gene, encoding an
      aquaglyceroporin transporter, in female but not male fetal placenta. Moreover,
      AQP9 expression associated with that of a subset of female-specific arsenic
      responsive genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that AQP9 is upregulated in
      response to arsenic exposure in female, but not male, fetal placenta. Based on
      these results and prior studies, increased AQP9 expression may lead to increased
      arsenic transport in the female fetal placenta, which in turn may alter the
      expression patterns of key developmental genes that we have previously shown to
      be associated with arsenic exposure. Thus, this study suggests that AQP9 may play
      a role in the sex-specific effects of in utero arsenic exposure.

PMID- 28615019
TI  - Evaluation of community provision of a preventive cardiovascular programme - the
      National Health Service Health Check in reaching the under-served groups by
      primary care in England: cross sectional observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of premature
      mortality and a major contributor of health inequalities in England. Compared to
      more affluent and white counterparts, deprived people and ethnic minorities tend
      to die younger due to preventable CVD associated with lifestyle. In addition,
      deprived, ethnic minorities and younger people are less likely to be served by
      CVD prevention services. This study assessed the effectiveness of community-based
      outreach providers in delivering England's National Health Services (NHS) Health
      Check programme, a CVD preventive programme to under-served groups. METHODS:
      Between January 2008 and October 2013, community outreach providers delivered a
      preventive CVD programme to 50,573 individuals, in their local communities, in a
      single consultation without prescheduled appointments. Community outreach
      providers operated on evenings and weekends as well as during regular business
      hours in venues accessible to the general public. After exclusion criteria, we
      analysed and compared socio-demographic data of 43,177 Health Check attendees
      with the general population across 38 local authorities (LAs). We assessed
      variation between local authorities in terms of age, sex, deprivation and
      ethnicity structures using two sample t-tests and within local authority
      variation in terms of ethnicity and deprivation using Chi squared tests and two
      sample t-tests respectively. RESULTS: Using Index of Multiple Deprivation, the
      mean deprivation score of the population reached by community outreach providers
      was 6.01 higher (p < 0.05) than the general population. Screened populations in
      29 of 38 LAs were significantly more deprived (p < 0.05). No statistically
      significant difference among ethnic minority groups was observed between LAs.
      Nonetheless some LAs - namely Leicester, Thurrock, Sutton, South Tyneside,
      Portsmouth and Gateshead were very successful in recruiting ethnic minority
      groups. The mean proportion of men screened was 11.39% lower (p < 0.001) and mean
      proportion of 40-49 and 50-59 year olds was 9.98% and 3.58% higher (p < 0.0001
      and p < 0.01 respectively) than the general population across 38 LAs.
      CONCLUSIONS: Community-based outreach providers effectively reach under-served
      groups by delivering preventive CVD services to younger, more deprived
      populations, and a representative proportion of ethnic minority groups. If the
      programme is successful in motivating the under-served groups to improve
      lifestyle, it may reduce health inequalities therein.

PMID- 28615020
TI  - Short-term air pollution exposure decreases lung function: a repeated measures
      study in healthy adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Daily changes in ambient concentrations of particulate matter,
      nitrogen oxides and ozone are associated with increased cardiopulmonary morbidity
      and mortality, with the lungs and their function being a vulnerable target.
      METHODS: To evaluate the association between daily changes in air pollution and
      lung function in healthy adults we obtained annual lung function measurements
      from a routine worker health surveillance program not designed for research
      purposes. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first
      second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC and Peak Expiratory flow (PEF) from a cohort of 2449
      employees were associated with daily measurements of PM10, NO2 and ozone at a
      nearby monitoring station in the North of Belgium. Repeated measures were
      available for the period 2011-2015. RESULTS: The mean (SD) PM10 concentration on
      the day of the lung function test was 24.9 (15.5) MUg/m3. A 10 MUg PM10/m3
      increase on the day of the clinical examination was associated with a 18.9 ml
      lower FVC (95% CI: -27.5 to -10.3, p < 0.0001), 12.8 ml lower FEV1 (-19.1 to 
      6.5; p < 0.0001), and a 51.4 ml/s lower PEF (-75.0 to -27.0; p < 0.0001). The
      FEV1/FVC-ratio showed no associations. An increase of 10 MUgNO2/m3 was associated
      with a reduction in PEF (-66.1 ml/s (-106.6 to -25.6; p < 0.001)) on the day of
      the examination. CONCLUSIONS: We found negative associations between daily
      variations in ambient air pollution and FVC, FEV1 and PEF in healthy adults.

PMID- 28615021
TI  - General perception and self-practice of complementary and alternative medicine
      (CAM) among undergraduate pharmacy students of Bangladesh.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a combination of
      herbal medicine, traditional therapies, and mind-body intervention. This
      descriptive study was designed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, perception and
      self-use of CAM among Bangladeshi undergraduate pharmacy students. The study also
      evaluated their opinions about its integration into the pharmacy course
      curriculum. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study
      conducted on 250 pharmacy students of five reputed public universities of
      Bangladesh. RESULTS: This study revealed that majority of the pharmacy students
      were using or had previously used at least one type of CAM. Among the students,
      59% had used homeopathy followed by Ayurveda (30%), meditation (29%), massage
      (13%), Unani (9%), yoga (6%) and acupuncture (2%). Students' attitudes towards
      CAM were influenced by family and friends, books and journals, the internet and
      to a lesser degree by health practitioners. A significant (p < 0.05) number of
      students had knowledge about CAM. A majority of the students (90%) had positive,
      while 10% had negative attitudes towards CAM. Lack of knowledge and trained
      professionals were found to be the major interruptions to CAM use. 84.45%
      acknowledged the importance of knowledge about CAM for them as future healthcare
      practitioners. Furthermore, the majority of the students also believed that ideas
      and methods of CAM would be beneficial for conventional medicine. CONCLUSIONS:
      From the findings of the study, it can be recommended that an approach should be
      taken to educate the students about the fundamentals of CAM use so that it may
      fulfill the professional needs of our future pharmacists.

PMID- 28615022
TI  - Correlation of retinal nerve fibre layer and macular thickness with serum uric
      acid among type 2 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Uric acid is a final breakdown product of purine catabolism in
      humans. It's a potent antioxidant and can also act as a pro-oxidant that induces
      oxidative stress on the vascular endothelial cells, thus mediating progression of
      diabetic related diseases. Various epidemiological and experimental evidence
      suggest that uric acid has a role in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. We
      conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the correlation of retinal nerve
      fibre layer (RNFL) and macular thickness with serum uric acid in type 2 diabetic
      patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Eye Clinic,
      Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan between the period of August 2013
      till July 2015 involving type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with no diabetic
      retinopathy and with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). An evaluation
      for RNFL and macular thickness was measured using Spectralis Heidelberg optical
      coherence tomography. Six ml of venous blood was taken for the measurement of
      serum uric acid and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C). RESULTS: A total of 180
      diabetic patients were recruited (90 patients with no diabetic retinopathy and 90
      patients with NPDR) into the study. The mean level of serum uric acid for both
      the groups was within normal range and there was no significance difference
      between the two groups. Based on gender, both male and female gender showed
      significantly higher level of mean serum uric acid in no diabetic retinopathy
      group (p = 0.004 respectively). The mean serum uric acid was significantly higher
      in patient with HbA1C < 6.5% (p < 0.031). Patients with NPDR have thicker RNFL
      and macular thickness compared to patients with no diabetic retinopathy. However,
      only the RNFL thickness of the temporal quadrant and the macular thickness of the
      superior outer, inferior outer and temporal outer subfields were statistically
      significant (p = 0.038, p = 0.004, 0.033 and <0.001 respectively). There was poor
      correlation between RNFL and macular thickness with serum uric acid in both the
      groups. CONCLUSION: Serum uric acid showed a poor correlation with RNFL and
      macular thickness among type 2 diabetic patients.

PMID- 28615023
TI  - Access to treatment for Hepatitis C among injection drug users: results from the
      cross-sectional HOPE IV study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that Greece is among the European countries with
      increased trend in HCV prevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs) from 2008 to
      2014. Nonetheless, the access of IDUs to treatment for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is
      very limited while the risk of co-infection and transmission remains high. In an
      effort to better understand the inhibitors to HCV treatment, the present study
      aimed to investigate the main barriers to access in a sample of IDUs. METHODS:
      The cross-sectional study was carried out between July and September 2015 using a
      23-items questionnaire. Participants were recruited from urban primary services,
      mobile health vans, community health services, day-care centers as well as during
      street work, located in Athens, Greece. Inclusion criteria were age above 18
      years, understanding and speaking Greek sufficiently, HCV diagnosis, intravenous
      drug use. Data collection was carried out by health professionals of Praksis, a
      non-governmental organization. For the comparisons of proportions chi-square and
      Fisher's exact tests were used. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 101 HCV
      patients, 68% male. More than 80% of study participants experienced barriers in
      accessing their doctor and medication during the past 12 months. The most common
      obstacles in accessing a doctor were "delay in making the appointment and
      "difficulties in going to the doctor due to health condition or lack of means of
      transport". Access to physician or medication was not differed according to
      gender, but significant differences were found according to economic status and
      health insurance coverage. 56.1% of participants reported loss or treatment delay
      due to barriers to treatment. The majority of participants had deteriorated
      financial status, health status, access to health services and medication, higher
      financial burden for health services, worse mental health and lower adherence to
      medical instructions in 2015 compared to 2009. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from the
      present study revealed that the vast majority of IDUs experience significant
      barriers in seeking HCV care in Greece, thus highlighting the need for immediate
      action in this particular area due to the high risk of co-infection and
      transmission.

PMID- 28615024
TI  - Mixed methods analysis of eighteen worksite policies, programs, and environments
      for physical activity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined whether specific worksite supports for physical
      activity (PA) were associated with total and domain-specific PA. METHODS: A cross
      sectional, telephone-based study was conducted in four Missouri, USA,
      metropolitan areas in 2012 and 2013. Outcome variables included total PA and sub
      domains (leisure, work, travel) measured using the International Physical
      Activity Questionnaire. Logistic regression determined odds of meeting PA
      recommendations, given access to and use of 18 unique PA worksite supports. A
      subsample of 119 participants also wore hip accelerometry for seven consecutive
      days and maintained a wear-time diary. Access to worksite supports were
      associated with odds of meeting objective moderate and vigorous (MV) PA above 150
      min per week. RESULTS: Among 2013 survey participants, meeting PA recommendations
      while performing work-related tasks was significantly associated with several
      supports (e.g., walking maps, stair prompts), as was meeting recommendations
      during travel (e.g., flextime for PA, incentives for public transportation,
      walking/bicycling to work). Access to 11 worksite supports increased odds of
      meeting PA recommendations through leisure-time PA; five supports were associated
      with total PA. There were significant differences between access to and use of
      supports. Using objective MVPA, access to worksite challenges and bike storage
      were significantly associated with five and three times greater odds of meeting
      150 min of MVPA per week, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Worksite wellness plans are
      increasing across the US and employers are eager for evidence-based supports for
      increasing PA. This study provides insights into the utility of multiple worksite
      supports for PA to increase odds that employees meet PA recommendations.

PMID- 28615025
TI  - Copaiba oil-resin (Copaifera reticulata Ducke) modulates the inflammation in a
      model of injury to rats' tongues.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The regeneration of integrity and tissue homeostasis after injury is
      a fundamental property and involves complex biological processes fully dynamic
      and interconnected. Although there are medications prescribed to accelerate the
      process of wound healing by reducing the exaggerated inflammatory response, comes
      the need to search for different compounds of Amazonian biodiversity that can
      contribute to the acceleration of the healing process. Among these products, the
      copaiba oil-resin is one of the most prominent feature in this scenario, as they
      have been reported its medicinal properties. METHODS: Aiming to evaluate the anti
      inflammatory and healing effect of copaiba oil-resin (Copaifera reticulata Ducke)
      in transfixing injury of rats' tongues first proceeded up the copaiba oil-resin
      oral toxicity test in 5 male mice to stipulate the therapeutic dose which was
      established at 200 mg/kg/day. Then it was induced transfixing injury in a total
      of 15 Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into three groups based on
      the treatment: control group, dexamethasone group and copaiba oil-resin group.
      After 7 days of treatment, histological slides stained with hematoxylin and eosin
      was prepared. Immunohistochemistry for CD68 (macrophage marker) was performed and
      analyzed by the cell counter Image J. RESULTS: The acute toxicity test showed
      that the oil-resin copal has low toxicity. Furthermore, copaiba oil-resin therapy
      modulates the inflammatory response by decreasing the chronic inflammatory
      infiltrate, edema and specifically the number of macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results indicate the potential of the Amazon region and showed up relevant
      because therapy with this extract modulates the inflammatory process.

PMID- 28615027
TI  - Influence of interradicular and palatal placement of orthodontic mini-implants on
      the success (survival) rate.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the
      success rates of orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs) placed in different insertion
      sites and to analyse patient and site- related factors that influence mini
      implant survival. METHODS: Three hundred eighty-seven OMIs were inserted in 239
      patients for orthodontic anchorage and were loaded with a force greater than 2 N.
      Two different insertion sites were compared: 1. buccal inter-radicular and 2.
      palatal, at the level of the third palatal ruga. Survival was analysed for
      location and select patient parameters (age, gender and oral hygiene). The level
      of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The overall success
      rate was 89.1%. There were statistically significant differences between
      insertion sites; success rate was 98.4% for OMIs placed in the anterior palate
      and 71% for OMIs inserted buccal between roots (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Success
      rate of OMIs was primarily affected by the insertion site. The anterior palate
      was a more successful location compared to buccal alveolar bone.

PMID- 28615026
TI  - Engaging the private sector in malaria surveillance: a review of strategies and
      recommendations for elimination settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In malaria elimination settings, all malaria cases must be
      identified, documented and investigated. To facilitate complete and timely
      reporting of all malaria cases and effective case management and follow-up,
      engagement with private providers is essential, particularly in settings where
      the private sector is a major source of healthcare. However, research on the role
      and performance of the private sector in malaria diagnosis, case management and
      reporting in malaria elimination settings is limited. Moreover, the most
      effective strategies for private sector engagement in malaria elimination
      settings remain unclear. METHODS: Twenty-five experts in malaria elimination,
      disease surveillance and private sector engagement were purposively sampled and
      interviewed. An extensive review of grey and peer-reviewed literature on private
      sector testing, treatment, and reporting for malaria was performed. Additional in
      depth literature review was conducted for six case studies on eliminating and
      neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia and Southern Africa. RESULTS: The
      private health sector can be categorized based on their commercial orientation or
      business model (for-profit versus nonprofit) and their regulation status within a
      country (formal vs informal). A number of potentially effective strategies exist
      for engaging the private sector. Conducting a baseline assessment of the private
      sector is critical to understanding its composition, size, geographical
      distribution and quality of services provided. Facilitating reporting, referral
      and training linkages between the public and private sectors and making malaria a
      notifiable disease are important strategies to improve private sector involvement
      in malaria surveillance. Financial incentives for uptake of rapid diagnostic
      tests and artemisinin-based combination therapy should be combined with training
      and community awareness campaigns for improving uptake. Private sector providers
      can also be organized and better engaged through social franchising, effective
      regulation, professional organizations and government outreach. CONCLUSION: This
      review highlights the importance of engaging private sector stakeholders early
      and often in the development of malaria elimination strategies.

PMID- 28615028
TI  - Experimentally induced subclinical mastitis: are lipopolysaccharide and
      lipoteichoic acid eliciting similar pain responses?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pain accompanying mastitis has gained attention recently as a
      relevant welfare compromising aspect of disease. Adequate pain recognition and
      therapy are necessary in the context of a modern and ethically acceptable dairy
      care. For research purposes mastitis is often induced by intramammary infusion of
      immunogenic bacterial cell wall components. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from
      Escherichia coli and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Staphylococcus aureus are
      commonly administered to this end. While the immune response to specific
      immunogenic components has been well characterized, not much is known about their
      role on the expression of pain indicators. The aim of this study was to trial the
      effects of an intramammary challenge of LTA or LPS on the degree of pain and
      discomfort as indicated by both physiological and behavioral variables in cows.
      The hypothesis was that a similar degree of pain can be identified in LTA as well
      as in LPS induced mastitis. RESULTS: On the challenge day, compared to pre
      challenge, total pain index increased for all treatment groups (LPS; LTA and
      control), the LPS group having significantly higher values than the control group
      (P = 0.01). Similarly, pain visual analogue scale (VAS) increased significantly
      in all cows following treatment on the challenge day. Furthermore, compared to
      baseline, higher VAS were found 3, 4 and 5 h after the challenge in cows of the
      LPS group (P3h, 4h < 0.001 and P5h = 0.001) and 7 h after the challenge in cows
      of the LTA group (P7h = 0.002). In the control group, VAS was higher 5 h after
      the challenge (P5h = 0.001). On the challenge day, udder edema was higher in the
      LPS than in the control group (P = 0.007). Furthermore, 4 h after the challenge,
      milk cortisol was significantly higher than at baseline in the LPS group (P <
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: When administered at equipotent doses targeting a standard
      somatic cell count increase, intramammary LPS seems to be accompanied by a higher
      degree of pain and discomfort than LTA, as suggested by the modifications of the
      outcome variables total pain index, VAS, udder edema and milk cortisol.

PMID- 28615030
TI  - The autoimmune burden in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic inflammatory
      arthritis of unknown origin which can be considered an autoimmune disease (AD).
      The aim of this study is to analyse the presence of two or more autoimmune
      diseases (polyautoimmunity) in patients suffering from JIA and to evaluate the
      occurrence of ADs in their families. METHODS: Seventy-nine patients diagnosed
      with JIA aged 0-21 years, admitted to the Paediatric Rheumatology Unit,
      Sant'Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna were screened for ADs. Parents were asked
      about the presence of ADs in the living relatives of first and second degree.
      RESULTS: Twelve of 79 patients (15.2%) had at least 1 AD associated with JIA.
      Eight patients (10.1%) suffered from autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), three
      patients had celiac disease, three patients suffered from psoriasis, one from
      alopecia and 1 from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The average age at
      diagnosis was 13.2 years and the cumulative incidence of AITD was 36%. Seventy
      six families were studied for a total of 438 relatives. The prevalence of ADs was
      13%, greater in first-degree relatives (16.7%) than in second-degree ones
      (11.1%). The most common AD was AITD; there was no difference in JIA's age of
      presentation between patients with positive and negative familiarity with ADs (p
      > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Children and adolescents with JIA present a high
      autoimmunity burden, most commonly represented by AITD. Familial autoimmunity is
      not negligible in patients suffering from JIA (almost 50% of patients have at
      least one relative with an AD) and it should always be carefully examined.

PMID- 28615029
TI  - MicroRNAs control mRNA fate by compartmentalization based on 3' UTR length in
      male germ cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression can be achieved
      through the control of mRNA stability, cytoplasmic compartmentalization, 3' UTR
      length and translational efficacy. Spermiogenesis, a process through which
      haploid male germ cells differentiate into spermatozoa, represents an ideal model
      for studying post-transcriptional regulation in vivo because it involves a large
      number of transcripts that are physically sequestered in ribonucleoprotein
      particles (RNPs) and thus subjected to delayed translation. To explore how small
      RNAs regulate mRNA fate, we conducted RNA-Seq analyses to determine not only the
      levels of both mRNAs and small noncoding RNAs, but also their cytoplasmic
      compartmentalization during spermiogenesis. RESULT: Among all small noncoding
      RNAs studied, miRNAs displayed the most dynamic changes in both abundance and
      subcytoplasmic localization. mRNAs with shorter 3' UTRs became increasingly
      enriched in RNPs from pachytene spermatocytes to round spermatids, and the
      enrichment of shorter 3' UTR mRNAs in RNPs coincided with newly synthesized
      miRNAs that target these mRNAs at sites closer to the stop codon. In contrast,
      the translocation of longer 3' UTR mRNAs from RNPs to polysomes correlated with
      the production of new miRNAs that target these mRNAs at sites distal to the stop
      codon. CONCLUSIONS: miRNAs appear to control cytoplasmic compartmentalization of
      mRNAs based on 3' UTR length. Our data suggest that transcripts with longer 3'
      UTRs tend to contain distal miRNA binding sites and are thus targeted to
      polysomes for translation followed by degradation. In contrast, those with
      shorter 3' UTRs only possess proximal miRNA binding sites, which, therefore, are
      targeted into RNPs for enrichment and delayed translation.

PMID- 28615031
TI  - Leucine-rich alpha 2 glycoprotein promotes Th17 differentiation and collagen
      induced arthritis in mice through enhancement of TGF-beta-Smad2 signaling in
      naive helper T cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Leucine-rich alpha 2 glycoprotein (LRG) has been identified as a
      serum protein elevated in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
      Although the function of LRG is ill-defined, LRG binds with transforming growth
      factor (TGF)-beta and enhances Smad2 phosphorylation. Considering that the
      imbalance between T helper 17 (Th17) cells and regulatory T cells (Treg) plays
      important roles in the pathogenesis of RA, LRG may affect arthritic pathology by
      enhancing the TGF-beta-Smad2 pathway that is pivotal for both Treg and Th17
      differentiation. The purpose of this study was to explore the contribution of LRG
      to the pathogenesis of arthritis, with a focus on the role of LRG in T cell
      differentiation. METHODS: The differentiation of CD4 T cells and the development
      of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were examined in wild-type mice and LRG
      knockout (KO) mice. To examine the influence of LRG on T cell differentiation,
      naive CD4 T cells were isolated from LRG KO mice and cultured under Treg- or Th17
      polarization condition in the absence or presence of recombinant LRG. RESULTS: In
      the CIA model, LRG deficiency led to ameliorated arthritis and reduced Th17
      differentiation with no influence on Treg differentiation. By addition of
      recombinant LRG, the expression of IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) was enhanced through TGF
      beta-Smad2 signaling. In LRG KO mice, the IL-6R expression and IL-6-STAT3
      signaling was attenuated in naive CD4 T cells, compared to wild-type mice.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that LRG upregulates IL-6R expression in naive
      CD4 T cells by the enhancement of TGF-beta-smad2 pathway and promote Th17
      differentiation and arthritis development.

PMID- 28615032
TI  - Evaluation of computed tomography post-processing images in postoperative
      assessment of Lisfranc injuries compared with plain radiographs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the value of computed
      tomography (CT) post-processing images in postoperative assessment of Lisfranc
      injuries compared with plain radiographs. METHODS: A total of 79 cases with
      closed Lisfranc injuries that were treated with conventional open reduction and
      internal fixation from January 2010 to June 2016 were analyzed. Postoperative
      assessment was performed by two independent orthopedic surgeons with both plain
      radiographs and CT post-processing images. Inter- and intra-observer agreement
      were analyzed by kappa statistics while the differences between the two
      postoperative imaging assessments were assessed using the chi 2 test (McNemar's
      test). Significance was assumed when p < 0.05. RESULTS: Inter- and intra-observer
      agreement of CT post-processing images was much higher than that of plain
      radiographs. Non-anatomic reduction was more easily identified in patients with
      injuries of Myerson classifications A, B1, B2, and C1 using CT post-processing
      images with overall groups (p < 0.05), and poor internal fixation was also more
      easily detected in patients with injuries of Myerson classifications A, B1, B2,
      and C2 using CT post-processing images with overall groups (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: CT post-processing images can be more reliable than plain
      radiographs in the postoperative assessment of reduction and implant placement
      for Lisfranc injuries.

PMID- 28615033
TI  - A novel frameshift mutation in the XPC gene in a Moroccan patient: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Xeroderma pigmentosum is an autosomal recessive inherited disease.
      The diagnosis is essentially based on clinical findings and the family history.
      This genodermatosis is genetically heterogeneous; to date, nine genes have been
      associated to this disorder. Based on the result of many studies, xeroderma
      pigmentosum complementation group C is the most common form of xeroderma
      pigmentosum. A founder mutation in the XPC gene was reported in the Maghreb
      region of northern Africa. According to these findings, the Department of Medical
      Genetics in Rabat offers molecular diagnosis by screening for the recurrent
      mutation c.1643_1644delTG which represents 74% of all the probands with xeroderma
      pigmentosum. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 21-year-old Moroccan
      son of consanguineous parents diagnosed with xeroderma pigmentosum on the basis
      of sun-exposed skin abnormalities and bilateral ocular involvement. A molecular
      study led to the identification of a new frameshift insertion of four nucleotides
      in exon 9. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this mutation has not been
      described. The sequencing of the ninth exon should be proposed as first line
      molecular analysis for all Moroccan patients with xeroderma pigmentosum.

PMID- 28615034
TI  - Novel methodologies and technologies to assess mid-palatal suture maturation: a
      systematic review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A reliable method to assess midpalatal suture maturation to drive
      clinical decision-making, towards non-surgical or surgical expansion, in
      adolescent and young adult patients is needed. The objectives were to
      systematically review and evaluate what is known regarding contemporary
      methodologies capable of assessing midpalatal suture maturation in humans.
      METHODS: A computerized database search was conducted using Medline, PubMed,
      Embase and Scopus to search the literature up until October 5, 2016. A
      supplemental hand search was completed of references from retrieved articles that
      met the final inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-nine abstracts met the initial
      inclusion criteria. Following assessment of full articles, only five met the
      final inclusion criteria. The number of subjects involved and quality of studies
      varied, ranging from an in-vitro study using autopsy material to prospective
      studies with in vivo human patients. Three types of evaluations were identified:
      quantitative, semi-quantitative and qualitative evaluations. Four of the five
      studies utilized computed tomography (CT), while the remaining study utilized non
      invasive ultrasonography (US). No methodology was validated against a
      histological-based reference standard. CONCLUSIONS: Weak limited evidence exists
      to support the newest technologies and proposed methodologies to assess
      midpalatal suture maturation. Due to the lack of reference standard validation,
      it is advised that clinicians still use a multitude of diagnostic criteria to
      subjectively assess palatal suture maturation and drive clinical decision-making.

PMID- 28615035
TI  - Unexpected consequences: exon skipping caused by CRISPR-generated mutations.
AB  - A new study finds that splicing disruption is a frequent consequence of mutations
      generated by CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, and alleles designed to be null
      can express aberrant proteins. This new information allows enhanced quality
      control procedures to select the best mutant alleles generated by
      CRISPR/Cas9.Please see related Method article: https://www.doi.org/10.1186/s13059
      017-1237-8.

PMID- 28615036
TI  - Predictors of the response to etanercept in patients with juvenile idiopathic
      arthritis without systemic manifestations within 12 months: results of an open
      label, prospective study conducted at the National Scientific and Practical
      Center of Children's Health, Russia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of etanercept
      treatment and to identify predictors of response to therapy within 12 months in
      patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) without systemic
      manifestations. METHODS: A total of 197 juvenile patients were enrolled in this
      study. Response to therapy was assessed using the ACRPedi 30/50/70/90 criteria,
      the Wallace criteria, and the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score 71 (JADAS
      71). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to
      identify potential baseline factors associated with treatment response in
      different JIA categories. RESULTS: One year after treatment initiation, 179
      (90.9%) patients achieved ACRPedi30; 177 (89.8%) patients achieved ACRPedi50; 168
      (85.3%) patients achieved ACRPedi70; and 135 (68.5%) patients achieved ACRPedi90
      response. A total of 132 (67.0%) and 92 (46.7%) patients achieved inactive
      disease according to the Wallace criteria and the JADAS-71 cut-off point,
      respectively. Excellent response (achieving ACRPedi90 and clinically inactive
      disease according both to the Wallace criteria and the JADAS71 cut-off point) was
      associated with persistent oligoarticular JIA category, shorter disease duration
      before the start of etanercept, a lower number of DMARDs used before the
      introduction of etanercept, a lower number of joints with limited motion, and
      lower C-reactive protein at baseline. Poor response (failure to achieve ACR 70 or
      active disease according to both the Wallace criteria and JADAS71 even when ACR
      70 was achieved) was associated with the polyarticular or enthesitis-related JIA
      categories, higher disease duration before the start of etanercept, and older age
      at disease onset. CONCLUSION: Almost half (45.7%) of the patients who initiated
      etanercept treatment achieved an excellent response (inactive disease and
      ACRPedi90) after 1 year. What may be novel is our finding that the response to
      etanercept therapy was strongly associated with the JIA category. The response to
      etanercept therapy was also associated with the disease duration before the start
      of etanercept treatment.

PMID- 28615037
TI  - High sensitivity and negative predictive value of the DETECT algorithm for an
      early diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis:
      application in a single center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is one of the most relevant
      causes of death in systemic sclerosis. The aims of this study were to analyse the
      recently published DETECT algorithm comparing it with European Society of
      Cardiology/European Respiratory Society (ESC/ERS) 2009 guidelines: as screening
      of PAH; (2) identifying median pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) >=21 mmHg; and
      (3) determining any group of pulmonary hypertension (PH). METHODS: Eighty-three
      patients fulfilling LeRoy's systemic sclerosis diagnostic criteria with at least
      right heart catheterization were studied retrospectively. Clinical data,
      serological biomarkers, echocardiographic and hemodynamic features were
      collected. SPSS 20.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: According to
      right heart catheterization findings, 35 patients with PAH and 28 with no PH met
      the standards for DETECT algorithm analysis: 27.0% of patients presented with
      functional class III/IV. Applying DETECT, the sensitivity was 100%, specificity
      42.9%, the positive predictive value 68.6% and the negative predictive value
      100%, whereas employing the ESC/ERS guidelines these were 91.4%, 85.7%, 88.9% and
      89.3%, respectively. There were no missed diagnoses of PAH using DETECT compared
      with three patients missed (8.5%) using ESC/ERS guidelines. The DETECT algorithm
      also showed greater sensitivity and negative predictive value to identify
      patients with mPAP >=21 mmHg or with any type of PH. CONCLUSIONS: The DETECT
      algorithm is confirmed as an excellent screening method due to its high
      sensitivity and negative predictive value, minimizing missed diagnosis of PAH.
      DETECT would be accurate either for early diagnosis of borderline mPAP or any
      group of PH.

PMID- 28615038
TI  - Prevalence and genetic variability of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in wild rodents
      from the Italian alps.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease with
      increasing relevance for public health in Europe. The understanding of its
      sylvatic cycle and identification of competent reservoir hosts are essential for
      improving disease risk models and planning preventative measures. RESULTS: In
      2012 we collected single ear biopsy punches from 964 live-trapped rodents in the
      Province of Trento, Italy. Genetic screening for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP)
      was carried out by PCR amplification of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Fifty
      two (5.4%) samples tested positive: 49/245 (20%) from the bank vole (Myodes
      glareolus) and 3/685 (0.4%) samples collected from the yellow-necked mouse
      (Apodemus flavicollis). From these 52 positive samples, we generated 38 groEL and
      39 msp4 sequences. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of a distinct
      rodent strain of AP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the circulation of a
      specific strain of AP in rodents in our study area; moreover, they provide
      further evidence of the marginal role of A. flavicollis compared to M. glareolus
      as a reservoir host for this pathogen.

PMID- 28615040
TI  - Immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical study of mechanoreceptors in anterior
      cruciate ligament reconstruction with the remnant-preserving technique using
      Achilles tendon allografts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Attempts have been made to validate the significance of remnant
      preservation with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using
      immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. The purpose of this study
      was to examine the expression of mechanoreceptors in the remnant tissue of ACL
      reconstruction performed with the remnant-preserving technique. METHODS: Tissue
      samples were obtained from 10 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction with the
      remnant-preserving technique. The specimens were obtained from remnant ACL tissue
      and Achilles allografts superficially and at the tibial attachment. The control
      group consisted of three normal ACLs procured from young males who underwent
      partial meniscectomy. Tissues and cells from the ACL remnants and Achilles
      allografts were characterized using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and
      immunohistochemical, immunocytochemical, and immunoblotting assays. In
      particular, the sensitivity of neural cell validation was improved using nerve
      growth factor (NGF) to stimulate the expression of neural cells. RESULTS: The
      results are summarized as follows. (1) In H&E staining and immunohistochemical
      assays, no neural cells were detected in remnant or allograft tissue. (2) In the
      immunocytochemical study, neural cells were detected in remnant tissue. (3) The
      increased proliferation of remnant ACL cells with NGF treatment suggested their
      identity as neural cells. (4) NGF treatment also stimulated protein and RNA
      expression of Nestin (a specific marker for neural cells) in remnant ACL cells.
      CONCLUSIONS: The improved immunocytochemical methodology proved useful. Although
      mechanoreceptors were detected relatively less frequently than expected, the
      authors consider that this finding does not negate the necessity of remnant
      preserving ACL reconstruction.

PMID- 28615039
TI  - Interleukin-21 promotes thymopoiesis recovery following hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Impaired T cell reconstitution remains a major deterrent in the field
      of bone marrow (BM) transplantation (BMT) due to pre-conditioning-induced damages
      inflicted to the thymi of recipient hosts. Given the previously reported thymo
      stimulatory property of interleukin (IL)-21, we reasoned that its use post-BMT
      could have a profound effect on de novo T cell development. METHODS: To evaluate
      the effect of IL-21 on de novo T cell development in vivo, BM derived from RAG2p
      GFP mice was transplanted into LP/J mice. Lymphocyte reconstitution was first
      assessed using a hematological analyzer and a flow cytometer on collected blood
      samples. Detailed flow cytometry analysis was then performed on the BM, thymus,
      and spleen of transplanted animals. Finally, the effect of human IL-21 on
      thymopoiesis was validated in humanized mice. RESULTS: Using a major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC)-matched allogeneic BMT model, we found that IL
      21 administration improves immune reconstitution by triggering the proliferation
      of BM Lin-Sca1+c-kit+ (LSK) subsets. The pharmacological effect of IL-21 also
      culminates in the recovery of both hematopoietic (thymocytes) and non
      hematopoietic (stromal) cells within the thymi of IL-21-treated recipient
      animals. Although T cells derived from all transplanted groups proliferate,
      secrete various cytokines, and express granzyme B similarly in response to T cell
      receptor (TCR) stimulation, full regeneration of peripheral naive CD4+ and CD8+ T
      cells and normal TCRvbeta distribution could only be detected in IL-21-treated
      recipient mice. Astonishingly, none of the recipient mice who underwent IL-21
      treatment developed graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in the MHC-matched
      allogeneic setting while the graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect was strongly
      retained. Inhibition of GVHD onset could also be attributed to the enhanced
      generation of regulatory B cells (B10) observed in the IL-21, but not PBS,
      recipient mice. We also tested the thymopoiesis-stimulating property of human IL
      21 in NSG mice transplanted with cord blood (CB) and found significant
      improvement in de novo human CD3+ T cell development. CONCLUSIONS: In sum, our
      study indicates that IL-21 represents a new class of unforeseen thymopoietin
      capable of restoring thymic function following BMT.

PMID- 28615041
TI  - Epigenetic aging clocks in mice and men.
AB  - Epigenetic clocks provide powerful tools to evaluate nutritional, hormonal, and
      genetic effects on aging. What can we learn from differences between species in
      how these clocks tick?Please see related Research articles:
      http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-017-1203-5 ,
      http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-017-1186-2 ,
      http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-017-1187-1 and
      http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-017-1185-3.

PMID- 28615042
TI  - Locomotor circumvention strategies are altered by stroke: I. Obstacle clearance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Functional locomotion requires the ability to adapt to environmental
      challenges such as the presence of stationary or moving obstacles. Difficulties
      in obstacle circumvention often lead to restricted community ambulation in
      individuals with stroke. The objective of this study was to contrast obstacle
      circumvention strategies between post-stroke (n = 12) and healthy individuals (n
      = 12) performing locomotor and perceptuomotor (joystick navigation) tasks with
      different obstacle approaches. METHODS: Participants walked and navigated with a
      joystick towards a central target, in a virtual environment simulating a large
      room, while avoiding an obstacle that either remained stationary at the pre
      determined point of intersection or moved from head-on or diagonally 30 degrees 
      left/right. The outcome measures included dynamic clearance (DC), instantaneous
      distance from obstacle at crossing (IDC), number of collisions and preferred side
      of circumvention. These measures were compared between groups (stroke vs.
      healthy), obstacle parameter (stationary vs. moving head-on) and direction of
      approach (left/paretic vs. right/non-paretic). RESULTS: DC was significantly
      larger when circumventing a moving obstacle that approached head-on as compared
      to a stationary obstacle for both groups during both tasks, while not
      significantly different in either diagonal approach in either group. IDC was
      smaller in the stroke group while walking and larger in both groups during
      joystick navigation when avoiding moving as compared to stationary obstacle. IDC
      was significantly larger in the stroke group compared to controls for diagonal
      approaches during walking, wherein two different strategies emerged amongst
      individuals with stroke: circumventing to the same (Vsame n = 6) or opposite
      (Vopp n = 4) side of obstacle approach. This behavior was not seen in the
      perceptuomotor task, wherein post-stroke participants circumvented to opposite
      side of the obstacle approach as seen in healthy participants. In the locomotor
      task, the Vsame subgroup that had greater functional limitations used larger DC
      as compared to the Vopp subgroup and healthy individuals. The remaining two
      individuals with stroke collided with obstacles in >50% trials of either obstacle
      approach. The underlying mechanisms for collision were however different for both
      individuals. CONCLUSION: Avoidance strategies in individuals with stroke can vary
      depending on the individual locomotor capabilities and obstacle characteristics.

PMID- 28615043
TI  - "Like sugar in milk": reconstructing the genetic history of the Parsi population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Parsis are one of the smallest religious communities in the
      world. To understand the population structure and demographic history of this
      group in detail, we analyzed Indian and Pakistani Parsi populations using high
      resolution genetic variation data on autosomal and uniparental loci (Y
      chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA). Additionally, we also assayed mitochondrial
      DNA polymorphisms among ancient Parsi DNA samples excavated from Sanjan, in
      present day Gujarat, the place of their original settlement in India. RESULTS:
      Among present-day populations, the Parsis are genetically closest to Iranian and
      the Caucasus populations rather than their South Asian neighbors. They also share
      the highest number of haplotypes with present-day Iranians and we estimate that
      the admixture of the Parsis with Indian populations occurred ~1,200 years ago.
      Enriched homozygosity in the Parsi reflects their recent isolation and
      inbreeding. We also observed 48% South-Asian-specific mitochondrial lineages
      among the ancient samples, which might have resulted from the assimilation of
      local females during the initial settlement. Finally, we show that Parsis are
      genetically closer to Neolithic Iranians than to modern Iranians, who have
      witnessed a more recent wave of admixture from the Near East. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results are consistent with the historically-recorded migration of the Parsi
      populations to South Asia in the 7th century and in agreement with their
      assimilation into the Indian sub-continent's population and cultural milieu "like
      sugar in milk". Moreover, in a wider context our results support a major
      demographic transition in West Asia due to the Islamic conquest.

PMID- 28615044
TI  - Comparison of transportation related injury mechanisms and outcome of young road
      users and adult road users, a retrospective analysis on 24,373 patients derived
      from the TraumaRegister DGU(r).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most young people killed in road crashes are known as vulnerable road
      users. A combination of physical and developmental immaturity as well as
      inexperience increases the risk of road traffic accidents with a high injury
      severity rate. Understanding injury mechanism and pattern in a group of young
      road users may reduce morbidity and mortality. This study analyzes injury
      patterns and outcomes of young road users compared to adult road users. The
      comparison takes into account different transportation related injury mechanisms.
      METHODS: A retrospective analysis using data collected between 2002 and 2012 from
      the TraumaRegister DGU(r) was performed. Only patients with a transportation
      related injury mechanism (motor vehicle collision (MVC), motorbike, cyclist, and
      pedestrian) and an ISS >= 9 were included in our analysis. Four different groups
      of young road users were compared to adult trauma data depending on the
      transportation related injury mechanism. RESULTS: Twenty four thousand three
      hundred seventy three, datasets were retrieved to compare all subgroups. The mean
      ISS was 23.3 +/- 13.1. The overall mortality rate was 8.61%. In the MVC, the
      motorbike and the cyclist group, we found young road users having more complex
      injury patterns with a higher AIS pelvis, AIS head, AIS abdomen and AIS of the
      extremities and also a lower GCS. Whereas in these three sub-groups the adult
      trauma group only had a higher AIS thorax. Only in the group of the adult
      pedestrians we found a higher AIS pelvis, AIS abdomen, AIS thorax, a higher AIS
      of the extremities and a lower GCS. DISCUSSION: This study reports on the most
      common injuries and injury patterns in young trauma patients in comparison to an
      adult trauma sample. Our analysis show that in contrast to more experienced road
      users our young collective refers to be a vulnerable trauma group with an
      increased risk of a high injury severity and high mortality rate. We indicate a
      striking difference in terms of the region of injury and the mechanism of injury
      when comparing the young versus the adult trauma collectives. CONCLUSIONS: Young
      drivers of cars, motorbikes and bikes were shown to be on high risk to sustain a
      specific severe injury pattern and a high mortality rate compared to adult road
      users. Our data emphasize a characteristic injury pattern of young trauma
      patients and may be used to improve trauma care and to guide prevention
      strategies to decrease injury severity and mortality due to road traffic
      injuries.

PMID- 28615045
TI  - Vigorous physical activity predicts higher heart rate variability among younger
      adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Baseline heart rate variability (HRV) is linked to prospective
      cardiovascular health. We tested intensity and duration of weekly physical
      activity as predictors of heart rate variability in young adults. Time and
      frequency domain indices of HRV were calculated based on 5-min resting
      electrocardiograms collected from 82 undergraduate students. Hours per week of
      both moderate and vigorous activity were estimated using the International
      Physical Activity Questionnaire. In regression analyses, hours of vigorous
      physical activity, but not moderate activity, significantly predicted greater
      time domain and frequency domain indices of heart rate variability. Adjusted for
      weekly frequency, greater daily duration of vigorous activity failed to predict
      HRV indices. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies should test direct measurements of
      vigorous activity patterns as predictors of autonomic function in young
      adulthood.

PMID- 28615047
TI  - Sensitivity to Sevoflurane anesthesia is decreased in mice with a congenital
      deletion of Guanylyl Cyclase-1 alpha.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Volatile anesthetics increase levels of the neurotransmitter nitric
      oxide (NO) and the secondary messenger molecule cyclic guanosine monophosphate
      (cGMP) in the brain. NO activates the enzyme guanylyl cyclase (GC) to produce
      cGMP. We hypothesized that the NO-GC-cGMP pathway contributes to anesthesia
      induced unconsciousness. METHODS: Sevoflurane-induced loss and return of righting
      reflex (LORR and RORR, respectively) were studied in wild-type mice (WT) and in
      mice congenitally deficient in the GC-1alpha subunit (GC-1-/- mice). Spatial
      distributions of GC-1alpha and the GC-2alpha subunit in the brain were visualized
      by in situ hybridization. Brain cGMP levels were measured in WT and GC-1-/- mice
      after inhaling oxygen with or without 1.2% sevoflurane for 20 min. RESULTS:
      Higher concentrations of sevoflurane were required to induce LORR in GC-1-/- mice
      than in WT mice (1.5 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.2%, respectively, n = 14 and 14, P <
      0.0001). Similarly, RORR occurred at higher concentrations of sevoflurane in GC-1
      /- mice than in WT mice (1.0 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.1%, respectively, n = 14 and
      14, P < 0.0001). Abundant GC-1alpha and GC-2alpha mRNA expression was detected in
      the cerebral cortex, medial habenula, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Inhaling 1.2%
      sevoflurane for 20 min increased cGMP levels in the brains of WT mice from 2.6 +/
      2.0 to 5.5 +/- 3.7 pmol/mg protein (n = 13 and 10, respectively, P = 0.0355) but
      not in GC-1-/- mice. CONCLUSION: Congenital deficiency of GC-1alpha abolished the
      ability of sevoflurane anesthesia to increase cGMP levels in the whole brain, and
      increased the concentration of sevoflurane required to induce LORR. Impaired NO
      cGMP signaling raises the threshold for producing sevoflurane-induced
      unconsciousness in mice.

PMID- 28615048
TI  - Integrated metabolome and transcriptome analysis of Magnolia champaca identifies
      biosynthetic pathways for floral volatile organic compounds.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Magnolia champaca, commonly known as champak is a well-known tree due
      to its highly fragrant flowers. Champak floral scent is attributed to a complex
      mix of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These aromatic flowers are widely used
      in flavors and fragrances industry. Despite its commercial importance, the VOC
      biosynthesis pathways in these flowers are largely unknown. Here, we combine
      metabolite and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of fully opened champak flowers
      to discover the active VOC biosynthesis pathways as well as floral scent-related
      genes. RESULTS: Volatile collection by headspace method and analysis by gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified a total of 43 VOCs from fully
      opened champak flowers, of which 46.9% were terpenoids, 38.9% were volatile
      esters and 5.2% belonged to phenylpropanoids/benzenoids. Sequencing and de novo
      assembly of champak flower transcriptome yielded 47,688 non-redundant unigenes.
      Transcriptome assembly was validated using standard polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) based approach for randomly selected unigenes. The detailed profiles of
      VOCs led to the discovery of pathways and genes involved in floral scent
      biosynthesis from RNA-seq data. Analysis of expression levels of many floral
      scent biosynthesis-related unigenes in flowers and leaves showed that most of
      them were expressed higher in flowers than in leaf tissues. Moreover, our
      metabolite-guided transcriptomics, in vitro and in vivo enzyme assays and
      transgenic studies identified (R)-linalool synthase that is essential for the
      production of major VOCs of champak flowers, (R)-linalool and linalool oxides.
      CONCLUSION: As our study is the first report on transcriptome analysis of
      Magnolia champaca, this transcriptome dataset that serves as an important public
      information for functional genomics will not only facilitate better understanding
      of ecological functions of champak floral VOCs, but also provide biotechnological
      targets for sustainable production of champak floral scent.

PMID- 28615049
TI  - A case of acute Sheehan's syndrome and literature review: a rare but life
      threatening complication of postpartum hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sheehan's syndrome occurs because of severe postpartum hemorrhage
      causing ischemic pituitary necrosis. Sheehan's syndrome is a well-known condition
      that is generally diagnosed several years postpartum. However, acute Sheehan's
      syndrome is rare, and clinicians have little exposure to it. It can be life
      threatening. There have been no reviews of acute Sheehan's syndrome and no
      reports of successful pregnancies after acute Sheehan's syndrome. We present such
      a case, and to understand this rare condition, we have reviewed and discussed the
      literature pertaining to it. An electronic search for acute Sheehan's syndrome in
      the literature from January 1990 and May 2014 was performed. CASE PRESENTATION: A
      27-year-old woman had massive postpartum hemorrhage (approximately 5000 mL) at
      her first delivery due to atonic bleeding. She was transfused and treated with
      uterine embolization, which successfully stopped the bleeding. The postpartum
      period was uncomplicated through day 7 following the hemorrhage. However, on day
      8, the patient had sudden onset of seizures and subsequently became comatose.
      Laboratory results revealed hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia, hypoprolactinemia, and
      adrenal insufficiency. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with acute Sheehan's
      syndrome. Following treatment with thyroxine and hydrocortisone, her condition
      improved, and she was discharged on day 24. Her next pregnancy was established 2
      years after her first delivery. She required induction of ovulation for the next
      conception. The pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum period were uneventful. An
      electronic search of the literature yielded 21 cases of acute Sheehan's syndrome.
      Presenting signs varied, including adrenal insufficiency (12 cases), diabetes
      insipidus (4 cases), hypothyroidism (2 cases), and panhypopituitarism (3 cases),
      with a median time of presentation after delivery for each of those conditions
      being 7.9, 4, 18, and 9 days, respectively. Serial changes in magnetic resonance
      imaging were reported in some cases of acute Sheehan's syndrome. CONCLUSION:
      Clinicians should be aware of the risk of acute Sheehan's syndrome after a
      massive postpartum hemorrhage in order to diagnose it accurately and treat it
      promptly.

PMID- 28615046
TI  - The association of insertions/deletions (INDELs) and variable number tandem
      repeats (VNTRs) with obesity and its related traits and complications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that insertions/deletions (INDELs) are the second
      most common type of genetic variations and variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs)
      represent a large portion of the human genome, they have received far less
      attention than single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and larger forms of
      structural variation like copy number variations (CNVs), especially in genome
      wide association studies (GWAS) of complex diseases like polygenic obesity. This
      is exemplified by the vast amount of review papers on the role of SNPs and CNVs
      in obesity, its related traits (like anthropometric measurements, biochemical
      variables, and eating behavior), and its related complications (like
      hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and insulin resistance
      collectively known as metabolic syndrome). Hence, this paper reviews the types of
      INDELs and VNTRs that have been studied for association with obesity and its
      related traits and complications. These INDELs and VNTRs could be found in the
      obesity loci or genes from the earliest GWAS and candidate gene association
      studies, like FTO, genes in the leptin-proopiomelanocortin pathway, and UCP2/3.
      Given the important role of the brain serotonergic and dopaminergic reward system
      in obesity susceptibility, the association of INDELs and VNTRs in these
      neurotransmitters' metabolism and transport genes with obesity is also reviewed.
      Next, the role of INS VNTR in obesity and its related traits is questionable,
      since recent large-scale studies failed to replicate the earlier positive
      associations. As obesity results in chronic low-grade inflammation of the adipose
      tissue, the proinflammatory cytokine gene IL1RA and anti-inflammatory cytokine
      gene IL4 have VNTRs that are implicated in obesity. A systemic proinflammatory
      state in combination with activation of the renin-angiotensin system and
      decreased nitric oxide bioavailability as found in obesity leads to endothelial
      dysfunction. This explains why VNTR and INDEL in eNOS and ACE, respectively,
      could be predisposing factors of obesity. Finally, two novel genes, DOCK5 and
      PER3, which are involved in the regulation of the Akt/MAPK pathway and circadian
      rhythm, respectively, have VNTRs and INDEL that might be associated with obesity.
      SHORT CONCLUSION: In conclusion, INDELs and VNTRs could have important functional
      consequences in the pathophysiology of obesity, and research on them should be
      continued to facilitate obesity prediction, prevention, and treatment.

PMID- 28615050
TI  - Conceptualizing physical activity parenting practices using expert informed
      concept mapping analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parents are widely recognized as playing a central role in the
      development of child behaviors such as physical activity. As there is little
      agreement as to the dimensions of physical activity-related parenting practices
      that should be measured or how they should be operationalized, this study engaged
      experts to develop an integrated conceptual framework for assessing parenting
      practices that influence multiple aspects of 5 to 12 year old children's
      participation in physical activity. The ultimate goal of this study is to inform
      the development of an item bank (repository of calibrated items) aimed at
      measuring physical activity parenting practices. METHODS: Twenty four experts
      from 6 countries (Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, & United
      States (US)) sorted 77 physical activity parenting practice concepts identified
      from our previously published synthesis of the literature (74 measures) and
      survey of Canadian and US parents. Concept Mapping software was used to conduct
      the multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis and a cluster analysis of the MDS
      solution of the Expert's sorting which was qualitatively reviewed and commented
      on by the Experts. RESULTS: The conceptual framework includes 12 constructs which
      are presented using three main domains of parenting practices (neglect/control,
      autonomy support, and structure). The neglect/control domain includes two
      constructs: permissive and pressuring parenting practices. The autonomy
      supportive domain includes four constructs: encouragement, guided choice,
      involvement in child physical activities, and praises/rewards for their child's
      physical activity. Finally, the structure domain includes six constructs: co
      participation, expectations, facilitation, modeling, monitoring, and restricting
      physical activity for safety or academic concerns. CONCLUSION: The concept
      mapping analysis provided a useful process to engage experts in re
      conceptualizing physical activity parenting practices and identified key
      constructs to include in measures of physical activity parenting. While the
      constructs identified ought to be included in measures of physical activity
      parenting practices, it will be important to collect data among parents to
      further validate the content of these constructs. In conclusion, the method
      provided a roadmap for developing an item bank that captures key facets of
      physical activity parenting and ultimately serves to standardize how we
      operationalize measures of physical activity parenting.

PMID- 28615051
TI  - The pathway to consultation for rheumatoid arthritis: exploring anticipated
      actions between the onset of symptoms and face-to-face encounter with a
      healthcare professional.
AB  - BACKGROUND: When people first experience symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
      they often delay seeking medical attention resulting in delayed diagnosis and
      treatment. This research assesses behaviours people might engage in prior to, or
      instead of, seeking medical attention and compares these with behaviours related
      to illnesses which are better publicised. METHODS: Thirty-one qualitative
      interviews with members of the general public explored intended actions in
      relation to two hypothetical RA vignettes (with and without joint swelling) and
      two non-RA vignettes (bowel cancer and angina). The interviews were audio
      recorded and transcribed. Analysis focused on intended information gathering and
      other self-management behaviours in the interval between symptom onset and help
      seeking. RESULTS: Participants were more likely to envision self-managing
      symptoms when confronted with the symptoms of RA compared to the other vignettes.
      Participants would look for information to share responsibility for decision
      making and get advice and reassurance. Others saw no need for information
      seeking, perceived the information available as untrustworthy or, particularly in
      the case of bowel cancer and angina, would not want to delay seeking medical
      attention. Participants further anticipated choosing not to self-manage the
      symptoms; actively monitoring the symptoms (angina/ bowel cancer) or engaging in
      self-treatment of symptom(s). DISCUSSION: These results help define targets for
      interventions to increase appropriate help-seeking behaviour for people
      experiencing the initial symptoms of RA, such as educational interventions
      directed at allied healthcare professionals from whom new patients may seek
      information on self-management techniques, or the development of authoritative
      and accessible informational resources for the general public.

PMID- 28615052
TI  - Intravenous misplacement of the nephrostomy catheter following percutaneous
      nephrostolithotomy: two case reports and literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intravenous misplacement of a nephrostomy tube after percutaneous
      nephrostolithotomy (PCNL) is very rare in clinical experiences. This report
      summarizes the characteristics and management of intravenous misplacement. CASE
      PRESENTATION: We present two uncommon cases of intravenous nephrostomy catheter
      misplacement after PCNL from among 4220 patients who underwent PCNL between
      January 2009 and December 2015. The tip of the tube was located in the inferior
      vena cava in one case and in the renal vein in the other. We preferably performed
      open surgery to treat the two patients, mainly to remove the residual calculi and
      to prepare for any possible adverse event. All patients were successfully managed
      and discharged uneventfully. CONCLUSION: Intravenous nephrostomy tube
      misplacement is an uncommon PCNL complication. Furthermore, the study illustrates
      the importance of prompt diagnosis of renal vein perforation and its prompt
      management using open surgery, similar to conservative therapies.

PMID- 28615053
TI  - Loci and candidate genes conferring resistance to soybean cyst nematode HG type
      2.5.7.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera
      glycines I,) is a major pest of soybean worldwide. The most effective strategy to
      control this pest involves the use of resistant cultivars. The aim of the present
      study was to investigate the genome-wide genetic architecture of resistance to
      SCN HG Type 2.5.7 (race 1) in landrace and elite cultivated soybeans. RESULTS: A
      total of 200 diverse soybean accessions were screened for resistance to SCN HG
      Type 2.5.7 and genotyped through sequencing using the Specific Locus Amplified
      Fragment Sequencing (SLAF-seq) approach with a 6.14-fold average sequencing
      depth. A total of 33,194 SNPs were identified with minor allele frequencies (MAF)
      over 4%, covering 97% of all the genotypes. Genome-wide association mapping
      (GWAS) revealed thirteen SNPs associated with resistance to SCN HG Type 2.5.7.
      These SNPs were distributed on five chromosomes (Chr), including Chr7, 8, 14, 15
      and 18. Four SNPs were novel resistance loci and nine SNPs were located near
      known QTL. A total of 30 genes were identified as candidate genes underlying SCN
      resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A total of sixteen novel soybean accessions were
      identified with significant resistance to HG Type 2.5.7. The beneficial alleles
      and candidate genes identified by GWAS might be valuable for improving marker
      assisted breeding efficiency and exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying
      SCN resistance.

PMID- 28615054
TI  - End-stage kidney disease in patient with epidermolysis bullosa - what are the
      treatment options? - case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of diseases caused by mutations in
      genes for proteins responsible for cells' anchorage at the dermo-epidermal
      junction. Their common feature are dysfunctional or even absent connections
      between cells. The typical clinical sign is the formation of blisters, with
      possible excessive scarring, in response to minimal skin irritation. End stage
      renal disease may be one of the comorbidities in patients with epidermolysis
      bullosa. The implementation of renal replacement therapy may be very difficult in
      this population. This is mainly due to problems in obtaining the proper dialysis
      access. The choice of appropriate method may be crucial for patient's survival.
      CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of 29-year-old woman with Epidermolysis
      bullosa caused by laminin 5 gene mutation. The patient suffered from additional
      conditions: blindness, complete bilateral sensorineural deafness and oesophageal
      stenosis. When end stage renal disease was diagnosed, the problem of renal
      replacement therapy had to be faced. There have been few reports concerning ESRD
      in this specific group of patients in the available literature. In most of them
      the prognosis was very poor. Nevertheless, we were very determined to overcome
      all the difficulties. Special procedures and cooperation with the patient's
      family allowed us to consider kidney transplantation as a treatment option.
      CONCLUSION: There should be no limitations in renal replacement therapy in
      patients with epidermolysis bullosa. Haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and
      kidney transplantation are all possible treatment options. Nevertheless, either
      method requires special procedures.

PMID- 28615055
TI  - Small-sized newborn dogs skeletal development: radiologic, morphometric, and
      histological findings obtained from spontaneously dead animals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Very little is known about neonatal skeletal development in small
      sized purebred dogs. In order to improve this knowledge, 27 spontaneously dead
      puppies belonging to small-sized breeds were enrolled in this study for
      radiologic, histological and morphometric investigations. RESULTS: The appearance
      of the limb secondary ossification centers and the onset of their formation were
      clearly observed by x rays and confirmed by histological evidences. Radiographic
      and anatomic measurements of limb bones length and skull length and width were
      positively correlated with body weight and age of the subjects and the body
      weight was positively correlated with radius bone mineral density, as
      demonstrated by dual-energy x-rays absorptiometry. CONCLUSIONS: These data
      provided original information on the growth of newborn small-sized breed dogs,
      and suggest that cadavers may be useful to study skeletal development.

PMID- 28615056
TI  - Oct4 transcriptionally regulates the expression of long non-coding RNAs NEAT1 and
      MALAT1 to promote lung cancer progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oct4, a key stemness transcription factor, is overexpressed in lung
      cancer. Here, we reveal a novel transcription regulation of long non-coding RNAs
      (lncRNAs) by Oct4. LncRNAs have emerged as important players in cancer
      progression. METHODS: Oct4 chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing and
      several lncRNA databases with literature annotation were integrated to identify
      Oct4-regulated lncRNAs. Luciferase activity, qRT-PCR and ChIP-PCR assays were
      conducted to examine transcription regulation of lncRNAs by Oct4. Reconstitution
      experiments of Oct4 and downstream lncRNAs in cell proliferation, migration and
      invasion assays were performed to confirm the Oct4-lncRNAs signaling axes in
      promoting lung cancer cell growth and motility. The expression correlations
      between Oct4 and lncRNAs were investigated in 124 lung cancer patients using qRT
      PCR analysis. The clinical significance of Oct4/lncRNAs signaling axes were
      further evaluated using multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses.
      RESULTS: We confirmed that seven lncRNAs were upregulated by direct binding of
      Oct4. Among them, nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), metastasis
      associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) and urothelial carcinoma
      associated 1 (UCA1) were validated as Oct4 transcriptional targets through
      promoter or enhancer activation. We showed that lung cancer cells overexpressing
      NEAT1 or MALAT1 and the Oct4-silenced cells reconstituted with NEAT1 or MALAT1
      promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, knockdown of
      NEAT1 or MALAT1 abolished Oct4-mediated lung cancer cell growth and motility.
      These cell-based results suggested that Oct4/NEAT1 or Oct4/MALAT1 axis promoted
      oncogenesis. Clinically, Oct4/NEAT1/MALAT1 co-overexpression was an independent
      factor for prediction of poor outcome in 124 lung cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our study reveals a novel mechanism by which Oct4 transcriptionally activates
      NEAT1 via promoter and MALAT1 via enhancer binding to promote cell proliferation
      and motility, and led to lung tumorigenesis and poor prognosis.

PMID- 28615057
TI  - Erratum to: Engineering an efficient and tight D-amino acid-inducible gene
      expression system in Rhodosporidium/Rhodotorula species.

PMID- 28615058
TI  - Long-term prognostic significance of rising PSA levels following radiotherapy for
      localized prostate cancer - focus on overall survival.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term prognostic
      significance of rising PSA levels, particularly focussing on overall survival.
      METHODS: Two hundred ninety-five patients with localized prostate cancer were
      either treated with low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy with I-125 seeds as
      monotherapy (n = 94; 145Gy), high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy with Ir-192 as a
      boost to external beam RT (n = 66; 50.4Gy in 1.8Gy fractions EBRT + 18Gy in 9Gy
      fractions HDR) or EBRT alone (70.2Gy in 1.8Gy fractions; n = 135). "PSA bounce"
      was defined as an increase of at least 0.2 ng/ml followed by spontaneous return
      to pre-bounce level or lower, biochemical failure was defined according to the
      Phoenix definition. RESULTS: Median follow-up after the end of radiotherapy was
      108 months. A PSA bounce showed to be a significant factor for biochemical
      control (BC) and overall survival (OS) after ten years (BC10 of 83% with bounce
      vs. 34% without, p < 0.01; OS10 of 82% with bounce vs. 59% without bounce, p <
      0.01). The occurrence of a bounce, a high nadir and the therapy modality (LDR-BT
      vs. EBRT and HDR-BT + EBRT vs. EBRT) proved to be independent factors for PSA
      recurrence in multivariate Cox regression analysis. A bounce was detected
      significantly earlier than a PSA recurrence (median 20 months vs. 32 months after
      RT; p < 0.01; median PSA doubling time 5.5 vs. 5.0 months, not significant). PSA
      doubling time was prognostically significant in case of PSA recurrence (OS10 of
      72% vs. 36% with PSA doubling time ? 5 months vs. <= 5 months; p < 0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Rising PSA levels within the first two years can usually be
      classified as a benign PSA bounce, with favourable recurrence-free and overall
      survival rates. PSA doubling time is an important predictor for overall survival
      following the diagnosis of a recurrence.

PMID- 28615059
TI  - Analysis of factors that affect the precision of the radiographic lateral femoral
      bowing angle using a three-dimensional computed tomography-based modelling
      technique.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Precise measurement of lateral femoral bowing is important to achieve
      postoperative lower limb alignment. We aimed to investigate factors that affect
      the precision of the radiographic lateral femoral bowing (RLFB) angle using three
      dimensional (3D) models and whether the angle affects surgery design. METHODS:
      Forty femurs in total were divided into two groups based on their preoperative
      RLFB angle. The flexion contracture angle, preoperative and postoperative RLFB
      angles, and intersection angle between the mechanical and anatomical axes were
      compared. The angle between the arc and sagittal planes, varus and valgus angles,
      and intersection angle between the mechanical and anatomical axes were measured
      on a 3D model. RESULTS: There was no significant between-group difference in 3D
      model measurements of the angle between the arc and sagittal planes (p = 0.327).
      There was no significant difference between the mechanical and anatomical axes
      measured by both imaging modalities (p > 0.258). When the RLFB was >5 degrees ,
      the flexion contracture angle and radiographic femoral bowing angle were
      positively correlated (r = 0.535, p < 0.05). Distal femur varus and valgus angles
      significantly differed between the two groups (p = 0.01). After total knee
      arthroplasty, the radiographic femoral bowing angle decreased significantly. When
      the cases' radiographic femoral bowing angle is larger and the angle between the
      arc and sagittal planes is smaller as measured in 3D models, the angle between
      the arc and coronal planes is larger. CONCLUSION: The radiographic femoral bowing
      angle does not reflect the actual size of lateral femoral bowing, does not
      greatly affect surgery design, and is greatly affected by flexion contracture
      deformity. A RLFB angle larger than 15 degrees  indicates real lateral femoral
      bowing.

PMID- 28615060
TI  - Outcome of proximal esophageal cancer after definitive combined chemo-radiation:
      a Swiss multicenter retrospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report oncological outcomes and toxicity rates, of definitive
      platin-based chemoradiadiationtherapy (CRT) in the management of proximal
      esophageal cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of
      patients with cT1-4 cN0-3 cM0 cervical esophageal cancer (CEC) (defined as tumors
      located below the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage, down to 22 cm from
      the incisors) treated between 2004 and 2013 with platin-based definitive CRT in
      four Swiss institutions. Acute and chronic toxicities were retrospectively scored
      using the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse
      Events, version 4.0 (CTCAE-NCI v.4.0). Primary endpoint was loco-regional control
      (LRC). We also evaluated overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)
      rates. The influence of patient- and treatment related features have been
      calculated using the Log-rank test and multivariate Cox proportional hazards
      model. RESULTS: We enrolled a total of 55 patients. Median time interval from
      diagnosis to CRT was 78 days (6-178 days). Median radiation dose was 56Gy (28
      72Gy). Induction chemotherapy (ICHT) was delivered in 58% of patients. With a
      median follow up of 34 months (6-110months), actuarial 3-year LRC, DFS and OS
      were 52% (95% CI: 37-67%), 35% (95% CI: 22-50%) and 52% (95% CI: 37-67%),
      respectively. Acute toxicities (dysphagia, pain, skin-toxicity) ranged from grade
      0 - 4 without significant dose-dependent differences. On univariable analyses,
      the only significant prognostic factor for LRC was the time interval > 78 days
      from diagnosis to CRT. On multivariable analysis, total radiation dose >56Gy (p
      <0.006) and ICHT (p < 0.004) were statistically significant positive predictive
      factors influencing DFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Definitive CRT is a reliable
      therapeutic option for proximal esophageal cancer, with acceptable treatment
      related toxicities. Higher doses and ICHT may improve OS and DFS and. These
      findings need to be confirmed in further prospective studies.

PMID- 28615061
TI  - Synergistic effect of IL-12 and IL-18 induces TIM3 regulation of gammadelta T
      cell function and decreases the risk of clinical malaria in children living in
      Papua New Guinea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: gammadelta T cells are important for both protective immunity and
      immunopathogenesis during malaria infection. However, the immunological processes
      determining beneficial or detrimental effects on disease outcome remain elusive.
      The aim of this study was to examine expression and regulatory effect of the
      inhibitory receptor T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) on
      gammadelta T cells. While TIM3 expression and function on conventional alphabeta
      T cells have been clearly defined, the equivalent characterization on gammadelta
      T cells and associations with disease outcomes is limited. This study
      investigated the functional capacity of TIM3+ gammadelta T cells and the
      underlying mechanisms contributing to TIM3 upregulation and established an
      association with malaria disease outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed TIM3 expression
      on gammadelta T cells in 132 children aged 5-10 years living in malaria endemic
      areas of Papua New Guinea. TIM3 upregulation and effector functions of TIM3+
      gammadelta T cells were assessed following in vitro stimulation with parasite
      infected erythrocytes, phosphoantigen and/or cytokines. Associations between the
      proportion of TIM3-expressing cells and the molecular force of infection were
      tested using negative binomial regression and in a Cox proportional hazards model
      for time to first clinical episode. Multivariable analyses to determine the
      association of TIM3 and IL-18 levels were conducted using general linear models.
      Malaria infection mouse models were utilized to experimentally investigate the
      relationship between repeated exposure and TIM3 upregulation. RESULTS: This study
      demonstrates that even in the absence of an active malaria infection, children of
      malaria endemic areas have an atypical population of TIM3-expressing gammadelta T
      cells (mean frequency TIM3+ of total gammadelta T cells 15.2% +/- 12). Crucial
      factors required for gammadelta T cell TIM3 upregulation include IL-12/IL-18, and
      plasma IL-18 was associated with TIM3 expression (P = 0.002). Additionally, we
      show a relationship between TIM3 expression and infection with distinct parasite
      clones during repeated exposure. TIM3+ gammadelta T cells were functionally
      impaired and were associated with asymptomatic malaria infection (hazard ratio
      0.54, P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Collectively our data demonstrate a novel role for
      IL-12/IL-18 in shaping the innate immune response and provide fundamental insight
      into aspects of gammadelta T cell immunoregulation. Furthermore, we show that
      TIM3 represents an important gammadelta T cell regulatory component involved in
      minimizing malaria symptoms.

PMID- 28615062
TI  - Metabolic and transcriptional elucidation of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway
      in peel and flesh tissue of loquat fruit during on-tree development.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Carotenoids are the main colouring substances found in orange-fleshed
      loquat fruits. The aim of this study was to unravel the carotenoid biosynthetic
      pathway of loquat fruit (cv. 'Obusa') in peel and flesh tissue during distinct on
      tree developmental stages through a targeted analytical and molecular approach.
      RESULTS: Substantial changes regarding colour parameters, both between peel and
      flesh and among the different developmental stages, were monitored, concomitant
      with a significant increment in carotenoid content. Key genes and individual
      compounds that are implicated in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway were further
      dissected with the employment of molecular (RT-qPCR) and advanced analytical
      techniques (LC-MS). Results revealed significant differences in carotenoid
      composition between peel and flesh. Thirty-two carotenoids were found in the
      peel, while only eighteen carotenoids were identified in the flesh. Trans-lutein
      and trans-beta-carotene were the major carotenoids in the peel; the content of
      the former decreased with the progress of ripening, while the latter registered a
      7.2-fold increase. However, carotenoid profiling of loquat flesh indicated trans
      beta-cryptoxanthin, followed by trans-beta-carotene and 5,8-epoxy-beta-carotene
      to be the most predominant carotenoids. High amounts of trans-beta-carotene in
      both tissues were supported by significant induction in a chromoplast-specific
      lycopene beta-cyclase (CYCB) transcript levels. PSY1, ZDS, CYCB and BCH were up
      regulated and CRTISO, LCYE, ECH and VDE were down-regulated in most of the
      developmental stages compared with the immature stage in both peel and flesh
      tissue. Overall, differential regulation of expression levels with the progress
      of on-tree fruit development was more evident in the middle and downstream genes
      of carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Carotenoid composition is
      greatly affected during on-tree loquat development with striking differences
      between peel and flesh tissue. A link between gene up- or down-regulation during
      the developmental stages of the loquat fruit, and how their expression affects
      carotenoid content per tissue (peel or flesh) was established.

PMID- 28615063
TI  - Lineage-specific rediploidization is a mechanism to explain time-lags between
      genome duplication and evolutionary diversification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The functional divergence of duplicate genes (ohnologues) retained
      from whole genome duplication (WGD) is thought to promote evolutionary
      diversification. However, species radiation and phenotypic diversification are
      often temporally separated from WGD. Salmonid fish, whose ancestor underwent WGD
      by autotetraploidization ~95 million years ago, fit such a 'time-lag' model of
      post-WGD radiation, which occurred alongside a major delay in the
      rediploidization process. Here we propose a model, 'lineage-specific ohnologue
      resolution' (LORe), to address the consequences of delayed rediploidization.
      Under LORe, speciation precedes rediploidization, allowing independent ohnologue
      divergence in sister lineages sharing an ancestral WGD event. RESULTS: Using
      cross-species sequence capture, phylogenomics and genome-wide analyses of
      ohnologue expression divergence, we demonstrate the major impact of LORe on
      salmonid evolution. One-quarter of each salmonid genome, harbouring at least 4550
      ohnologues, has evolved under LORe, with rediploidization and functional
      divergence occurring on multiple independent occasions >50 million years post
      WGD. We demonstrate the existence and regulatory divergence of many LORe
      ohnologues with functions in lineage-specific physiological adaptations that
      potentially facilitated salmonid species radiation. We show that LORe ohnologues
      are enriched for different functions than 'older' ohnologues that began diverging
      in the salmonid ancestor. CONCLUSIONS: LORe has unappreciated significance as a
      nested component of post-WGD divergence that impacts the functional properties of
      genes, whilst providing ohnologues available solely for lineage-specific
      adaptation. Under LORe, which is predicted following many WGD events, the
      functional outcomes of WGD need not appear 'explosively', but can arise gradually
      over tens of millions of years, promoting lineage-specific diversification
      regimes under prevailing ecological pressures.

PMID- 28615064
TI  - Anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in patients with beta-hemoglobinopathies: the
      first report in the Americas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Brazil, there have been no previous studies of Toxoplasma gondii
      infection in sickle cell anemia patients and carriers of severe forms of beta
      thalassemia. This study evaluated T. gondii infection in patients with beta
      hemoglobinopathies. METHODS: A total of 158 samples, 77 (48.7%) men and 81
      (51.3%) women, were evaluated. Three groups were formed: G1 (85 patients with
      sickle cell disease); G2 (11 patients with homozygous beta-thalassemia; G3 (62
      patients with heterozygous beta-thalassemia). ELISA was employed to identify anti
      T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies, and molecular analysis was performed to
      determine beta-hemoglobin mutations. Fisher's exact test was used to compare
      frequencies of anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies in respect to gender and
      age. RESULTS: Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 43.5% of individuals in
      G1, 18.1% in G2 and 50% in G3. All samples from G1 and G2 were seronegative for
      anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies, but 3.2% from G3 were seropositive. Considering
      anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies, no statistical significant differences were found
      between these groups nor in seroprevalence between genders within each group.
      Despite this, comparisons of the mean ages between G1, G2 and G3 were
      statistically significant (G2 vs. G1: p value = 0.0001; G3 vs. G1: p-value
      <0.0001; G3 vs. G2: p-value = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: A comparison by age of
      patients with sickle cell anemia showed a trend of lower risk of infection among
      younger individuals. Therefore, this study demonstrates that T. gondii infection
      occurs in patients with beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia in Brazil as seen
      by the presence of anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies.

PMID- 28615065
TI  - Genome wide association study and genomic prediction for fatty acid composition
      in Chinese Simmental beef cattle using high density SNP array.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fatty acid composition of muscle is an important trait contributing
      to meat quality. Recently, genome-wide association study (GWAS) has been
      extensively used to explore the molecular mechanism underlying important traits
      in cattle. In this study, we performed GWAS using high density SNP array to
      analyze the association between SNPs and fatty acids and evaluated the accuracy
      of genomic prediction for fatty acids in Chinese Simmental cattle. RESULTS: Using
      the BayesB method, we identified 35 and 7 regions in Chinese Simmental cattle
      that displayed significant associations with individual fatty acids and fatty
      acid groups, respectively. We further obtained several candidate genes which may
      be involved in fatty acid biosynthesis including elongation of very long chain
      fatty acids protein 5 (ELOVL5), fatty acid synthase (FASN), caspase 2 (CASP2) and
      thyroglobulin (TG). Specifically, we obtained strong evidence of association
      signals for one SNP located at 51.3 Mb for FASN using Genome-wide Rapid
      Association Mixed Model and Regression-Genomic Control (GRAMMAR-GC) approaches.
      Also, region-based association test identified multiple SNPs within FASN and
      ELOVL5 for C14:0. In addition, our result revealed that the effectiveness of
      genomic prediction for fatty acid composition using BayesB was slightly superior
      over GBLUP in Chinese Simmental cattle. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several
      significantly associated regions and loci which can be considered as potential
      candidate markers for genomics-assisted breeding programs. Using multiple
      methods, our results revealed that FASN and ELOVL5 are associated with fatty
      acids with strong evidence. Our finding also suggested that it is feasible to
      perform genomic selection for fatty acids in Chinese Simmental cattle.

PMID- 28615066
TI  - Air pollution, cardiovascular endpoints and susceptibility by stress and material
      resources: a systematic review of the evidence.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Evidence shows that both the physical and social
      environments play a role in the development of cardiovascular disease. The
      purpose of this systematic review is two-fold: First, we summarize research from
      the past 12 years from the growing number of studies focused on effect
      modification of the relationships between air pollution and cardiovascular
      disease (CVD) outcomes by socioeconomic position (SEP) and; second, we identify
      research gaps throughout the published literature on this topic and opportunities
      for addressing these gaps in future study designs. RESULTS: We identified 30
      articles that examined the modifying effects of either material resources or
      psychosocial stress (both related to SEP) on associations between short and long
      term air pollution exposure and CVD endpoints. Although 18 articles identified at
      least one interaction between an air pollutant and material resource indicator,
      11 others did not. Support for susceptibility to air pollution by psychosocial
      stress was weaker; however, only three articles tested this hypothesis. Further
      studies are warranted to investigate how air pollution and SEP together may
      influence CVD. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that such research include thorough
      assessment of air pollution and SEP correlations, including spatial correlation;
      investigate air pollution indices or multi-pollutant models; use standardized
      metrics of SEP to enhance comparability across studies; and evaluate potentially
      susceptible populations.

PMID- 28615067
TI  - Correspondence on Lovell et al.: identification of chicken genes previously
      assumed to be evolutionarily lost.
AB  - Through RNA-Seq analyses, we identified 137 genes that are missing in chicken,
      including the long-sought-after nephrin and tumor necrosis factor genes. These
      genes tended to cluster in GC-rich regions that have poor coverage in genome
      sequence databases. Hence, the occurrence of syntenic groups of vertebrate genes
      that have not been observed in Aves does not prove the evolutionary loss of such
      genes.Please see related Research article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13059-014
      0565-1 and Please see response from Lovell et al:
      https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13059-017-1234-y.

PMID- 28615068
TI  - Quantitative proteomics in lung cancer.
AB  - Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide, less than
      7% of patients survive 10 years following diagnosis across all stages of lung
      cancer. Late stage of diagnosis and lack of effective and personalized medicine
      reflect the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie lung
      cancer progression. Quantitative proteomics provides the relative different
      protein abundance in normal and cancer patients which offers the information for
      molecular interactions, signaling pathways, and biomarker identification. Here we
      introduce both theoretical and practical applications in the use of quantitative
      proteomics approaches, with principles of current technologies and methodologies
      including gel-based, label free, stable isotope labeling as well as targeted
      proteomics. Predictive markers of drug resistance, candidate biomarkers for
      diagnosis, and prognostic markers in lung cancer have also been discovered and
      analyzed by quantitative proteomic analysis. Moreover, construction of protein
      networks enables to provide an opportunity to interpret disease pathway and
      improve our understanding in cancer therapeutic strategies, allowing the
      discovery of molecular markers and new therapeutic targets for lung cancer.

PMID- 28615069
TI  - Regulatory landscape fusion in rhabdomyosarcoma through interactions between the
      PAX3 promoter and FOXO1 regulatory elements.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The organisation of vertebrate genomes into topologically associating
      domains (TADs) is believed to facilitate the regulation of the genes located
      within them. A remaining question is whether TAD organisation is achieved through
      the interactions of the regulatory elements within them or if these interactions
      are favoured by the pre-existence of TADs. If the latter is true, the fusion of
      two independent TADs should result in the rewiring of the transcriptional
      landscape and the generation of ectopic contacts. RESULTS: We show that
      interactions within the PAX3 and FOXO1 domains are restricted to their respective
      TADs in normal conditions, while in a patient-derived alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma
      cell line, harbouring the diagnostic t(2;13)(q35;q14) translocation that brings
      together the PAX3 and FOXO1 genes, the PAX3 promoter interacts ectopically with
      FOXO1 sequences. Using a combination of 4C-seq datasets, we have modelled the
      three-dimensional organisation of the fused landscape in alveolar
      rhabdomyosarcoma. CONCLUSIONS: The chromosomal translocation that leads to
      alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma development generates a novel TAD that is likely to
      favour ectopic PAX3:FOXO1 oncogene activation in non-PAX3 territories.
      Rhabdomyosarcomas may therefore arise from cells which do not normally express
      PAX3. The borders of this novel TAD correspond to the original 5'- and 3'-
      borders of the PAX3 and FOXO1 TADs, respectively, suggesting that TAD
      organisation precedes the formation of regulatory long-range interactions. Our
      results demonstrate that, upon translocation, novel regulatory landscapes are
      formed allowing new intra-TAD interactions between the original loci involved.

PMID- 28615070
TI  - A randomised clinical trial of a metaphylactic treatment with tildipirosin for
      bovine respiratory disease in veal calves.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a major problem in veal calf
      rearing units. The objective of this randomised clinical trial was to assess the
      effectiveness of tildipirosin as a metaphylactic treatment in veal calves on the
      number of BRD treatments, lung consolidation on thoracic ultrasonography (TUS)
      and average daily gain (ADG). A total of 209 veal calves from a pre-weaning
      fattening unit were randomly allocated to receive one of two treatments
      (tildipirosin 4 mg/kg, subcutaneously, n = 109; placebo 0.9% saline,
      subcutaneously, n = 100) at day 12 after entry in the pre-weaned unit. The calves
      were followed for a 70-day period. Occurrence of mortality and BRD treatments
      were recorded during the pre-weaning period. At days 1, 12 and 30, TUS and
      clinical scores were performed and ADG was measured during the first and second
      months of feeding. RESULTS: The use of a metaphylactic treatment of tildipirosin
      12 days after arrival of the veal calves was not associated with the number of
      BRD treatments performed by the producer, ultrasonographic lung consolidation or
      weight gain (P < 0,05). In this cohort of calves, the proportion of calves
      treated for BRD by the producer was low at 14% (29/209). However, 13% (26/209) of
      calves included in the study already had ultrasonographic lung consolidation
      lesions 12 days after their arrival, which was before treatment time, and 27%
      (56/209) had lung consolidation at day 30. CONCLUSION: In this study population
      with a low BRD prevalence, we were not able to detect any benefit of tildipirosin
      as a metaphylactic treatment of BRD at day 12 after arrival based on BRD
      treatments, TUS, and ADG.

PMID- 28615071
TI  - Survivin expression pattern in the intestine of normoxic and ischemic rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)
      family, regulates mitosis and chromosome segregation. The expression of survivin
      proceeds during embryonic development and in addition has already been
      demonstrated in cancer cells. However, there is also evidence of survivin
      expression in differentiated tissues, including the gastro-intestinal tract of
      adult rats. A study with human colon specimens exhibited survivin in most basal
      crypt epithelial cells of normal mucosa. There is rather limited information on
      survivin expression in the small intestine. In order to paint a more detailed and
      thus complete picture of survivin expression patterns in the gastrointestinal
      tract, we used an immunohistochemical approach in normal adult rat small
      intestinal and ascending colonic tissue. Moreover, to get deeper insights in the
      regulation of survivin expression after tissue damage, we also studied its
      expression in mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: Mesenteric
      ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced in male Wistar rats (six animals/group)
      by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery for 90 min and subsequent
      reperfusion for 120 min. Paraffin sections of untreated or ischemically treated
      tissue were assessed immunohistochemically by survivin and Ki-67 staining.
      RESULTS: Survivin could be detected in the small intestine and ascending colon of
      the normoxia group. It was expressed mainly in the epithelial cells of the crypts
      and only marginally in the villi. The individual small intestinal segments
      studied revealed comparable staining intensities. Likewise, expression of
      survivin was detected in the ischemically damaged small intestine and ascending
      colon. The expression pattern corresponded to the normoxic animals, as far as
      verifiable due to the existing tissue damage. Comparison of the expression
      pattern of Ki-67, a protein that acts as a cellular marker for proliferation, and
      survivin demonstrated a coincidental localization of the two proteins in the
      small intestinal and ascending colonic tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Survivin was
      expressed strongly in epithelial cells of small intestinal as well as ascending
      colonic tissue. Its expression was located in cells with a high proliferation
      rate and regenerative capacity. This further supports the decisive role of
      survivin in cell division. Surprisingly, the ischemically damaged small
      intestinal and ascending colonic tissue showed a comparably high expression
      level. These results suggest that there is already a maximal survivin expression
      under normal conditions. However, the intestine is able to maintain the
      regenerative capacity even in spite of an ischemic injury. These findings reflect
      the important relevance of an intact intestinal barrier.

PMID- 28615072
TI  - Chemokine receptor co-expression reveals aberrantly distributed TH effector
      memory cells in GPA patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Persistent expansion of circulating CD4+ effector memory T cells
      (TEM) in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) suggests their
      fundamental role in disease pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that distinct
      functional CD4+ TEM cell subsets can be identified based on expression patterns
      of chemokine receptors. The current study aimed to determine different CD4+ TEM
      cell subsets based on chemokine receptor expression in peripheral blood of GPA
      patients. Identification of particular circulating CD4+ TEM cells subsets may
      reveal distinct contributions of specific CD4+ TEM subsets to the disease
      pathogenesis in GPA. METHOD: Peripheral blood of 63 GPA patients in remission and
      42 age- and sex-matched healthy controls was stained immediately after blood
      withdrawal with fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies for cell surface markers (CD3,
      CD4, CD45RO) and chemokine receptors (CCR4, CCR6, CCR7, CRTh2, CXCR3) followed by
      flow cytometry analysis. CD4+ TEM memory cells (CD3+CD4+CD45RO+CCR7-) were gated,
      and the expression patterns of chemokine receptors CXCR3+CCR4-CCR6-CRTh2-, CXCR3
      CCR4+CCR6-CRTh2+, CXCR3-CCR4+CCR6+CRTh2-, and CXCR3+CCR4-CCR6+CRTh2- were used to
      distinguish TEM1, TEM2, TEM17, and TEM17.1 cells, respectively. RESULTS: The
      percentage of CD4+ TEM cells was significantly increased in GPA patients in
      remission compared to HCs. Chemokine receptor co-expression analysis within the
      CD4+ TEM cell population demonstrated a significant increase in the proportion of
      TEM17 cells with a concomitant significant decrease in the TEM1 cells in GPA
      patients compared to HC. The percentage of TEM17 cells correlated negatively with
      TEM1 cells in GPA patients. Moreover, the circulating proportion of TEM17 cells
      showed a positive correlation with the number of organs involved and an
      association with the tendency to relapse in GPA patients. Interestingly, the
      aberrant distribution of TEM1 and TEM17 cells is modulated in CMV- seropositive
      GPA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrates the identification of different
      CD4+ TEM cell subsets in peripheral blood of GPA patients based on chemokine
      receptor co-expression analysis. The aberrant balance between TEM1 and TEM17
      cells in remission GPA patients, showed to be associated with disease
      pathogenesis in relation to organ involvement, and tendency to relapse.

PMID- 28615074
TI  - Correspondence on Lovell et al.: response to Bornelov et al.
AB  - While the analysis of Bornelov et al. is informative, they provide evidence for
      the existence of only 3% of the reported avian missing genes set, and thus do not
      significantly challenge our main findings that specific groups of syntenic
      protein-coding genes are missing in birds.This is a response to the
      Correspondence article: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13059-017-1231-1.

PMID- 28615073
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing induces exon skipping by alternative splicing
      or exon deletion.
AB  - CRISPR is widely used to disrupt gene function by inducing small insertions and
      deletions. Here, we show that some single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) can induce exon
      skipping or large genomic deletions that delete exons. For example, CRISPR
      mediated editing of beta-catenin exon 3, which encodes an autoinhibitory domain,
      induces partial skipping of the in-frame exon and nuclear accumulation of beta
      catenin. A single sgRNA can induce small insertions or deletions that partially
      alter splicing or unexpected larger deletions that remove exons. Exon skipping
      adds to the unexpected outcomes that must be accounted for, and perhaps taken
      advantage of, in CRISPR experiments.

PMID- 28615075
TI  - Reduced RCE1 expression predicts poor prognosis of colorectal carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As an end-proteolytic enzyme that cleaves the last three residues of
      proteins with a terminal CAAX, Ras-converting enzyme 1 (RCE1) has an essential
      role in multiple signaling pathways and take part in the process of
      differentiation, proliferation and carcinogenesis. The aim of the study is to
      investigate expression pattern of RCE1 and its prognosis in colorectal carcinoma
      (CRC). METHODS: The expression of RCE1 and phospho-MAPK family members was
      confirmed by immunohistochemical staining of CRC tissues. miR-RCE1 lentiviral
      vectors were transduced into HCT116 and SW489 cells. Reverse transcription PCR
      (RT-PCR) and western blot were conducted to measure the transfection efficiency.
      Transwell assays were used to detect the invasiveness of CRC cells. RESULTS: In
      the present study, we assessed RCE1 expression in 244 CRC specimens and matching
      adjacent, non-tumorous tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Compared with the
      matched adjacent non-tumor tissue samples, the RCE1 reduced in the tumor tissue
      samples (p < 0.001). RCE1 expression was significantly decreased in 106 of 244
      (43.4%) CRC cases. In univariate and multivariate analyses, Decreasing expression
      of RCE1 independently predicts poor prognosis for patients in both overall
      survival and disease-free survival. Further study indicated that RCE1 influenced
      tumor invasion through the p38 pathway. Knockdown of RCE1 reduced phosphorylation
      and significantly increased the invasive capacity of CRC cells. CONCLUSION: Taken
      together, the outcomes of this study indicate that RCE1 acts as a tumor
      suppressor in CRC, as its reduced expression may increase CRC cell invasion and
      independently predict an unsatisfactory prognosis in CRC patients.

PMID- 28615076
TI  - Dissecting the human microbiome with single-cell genomics.
AB  - Recent advances in genome sequencing of single microbial cells enable the
      assignment of functional roles to members of the human microbiome that cannot
      currently be cultured. This approach can reveal the genomic basis of phenotypic
      variation between closely related strains and can be applied to the targeted
      study of immunogenic bacteria in disease.

PMID- 28615077
TI  - Service utilization and cost of implementing a comprehensive HIV prevention and
      care program among people who inject drugs in Delhi, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: WHO, UNODC, and UNAIDS recommend a comprehensive package for
      prevention, treatment, and care of HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID). We
      describe the uptake of services and the cost of implementing a comprehensive
      package for HIV prevention, treatment, and care services in Delhi, India.
      METHODS: A cohort of 3774 PWID were enrolled for a prospective HIV incidence
      study and provided the comprehensive package: HIV and hepatitis testing and
      counseling, hepatitis B (HB) vaccination, syndromic management of sexually
      transmitted infections, clean needles-syringes, condoms, abscess care, and
      education. Supplementary services comprising tea and snacks, bathing facilities,
      and medical consultations were also provided. PWID were referred to government
      services for antiretroviral therapy (ART), TB care, opioid substitution therapy,
      and drug dependence treatment/rehabilitation. RESULTS: The project spent USD
      1,067,629.88 over 36 months of project implementation: 1.7% on capital costs,
      3.9% on participant recruitment, 26.7% for project management, 49.9% on provision
      of services, and 17.8% on supplementary services. Provision of HIV prevention and
      care services cost the project USD 140.41/PWID/year. 95.3% PWID were tested for
      HIV. Of the HIV-positive clients, only 17.8% registered for ART services after
      repeated follow-up. Reasons for not seeking ART services included not feeling
      sick, need for multiple visits to the clinic, and long waiting times. 61.8% of
      the PWID underwent HB testing. Of the 2106 PWID eligible for HB vaccination, 81%
      initiated the vaccination schedule, but only 29% completed all three doses,
      despite intensive follow-up by outreach workers. PWID took an average of 8 clean
      needles-syringes/PWID/year over the project duration, with a mid-project high of
      16 needles-syringes/PWID/year. PWID continued to also procure needles from other
      sources, such as chemists. One hundred five PWID were referred to OST services
      and 267 for rehabilitation services. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive HIV prevention,
      treatment, and care package is challenging to implement. Extensive efforts are
      needed to ensure the uptake of and retention in services for PWID; peer educators
      and outreach workers are required on a continuous basis. Services need to be
      tailored to client needs, considering clinic timing and distance from hotspots.
      Programs may consider provision of ART services at selected drop-in centers to
      increase uptake.

PMID- 28615078
TI  - Characterisation of Roseomonas mucosa isolated from the root canal of an infected
      tooth.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The genus Roseomonas comprises a group of pink-pigmented, slow
      growing, aerobic, non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria, which have been
      isolated from environmental sources such as water and soil, but are also
      associated with human infections. In the study presented here, Roseomonas mucosa
      was identified for the first time as part of the endodontic microbiota of an
      infected root canal and characterised in respect to growth, antibiotic
      susceptibility and biofilm formation. RESULTS: The isolated R. mucosa strain
      showed strong slime formation and was resistant to most beta-lactam antibiotics,
      while it was susceptible to aminoglycosides, carbapenemes, fluorochinolones,
      polymyxines, sulfonamides and tetracyclines. Biofilm formation on artificial
      surfaces (glass, polystyrene, gutta-percha) and on teeth was tested using
      colorimetric and fluorescence microscopic assays. While solid biofilms were
      formed on glass surfaces, on the hydrophobic surface of gutta-percha points, no
      confluent but localised, spotty biofilms were observed. Furthermore, R. mucosa
      was able form biofilms on dentin. The data obtained indicate that R. mucosa can
      support establishment of endodontic biofilms and furthermore, infected root
      canals might serve as an entrance pathway for blood stream infections by this
      emerging pathogen.

PMID- 28615079
TI  - Patterns of objectively measured sedentary time in 10- to 12-year-old Belgian
      children: an observational study within the ENERGY-project.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined the frequency of and differences in sedentary
      bouts of different durations and the total time spent in sedentary bouts on a
      weekday, a weekend day, during school hours, during after-school hours and in the
      evening period in a sample of 10- to 12-year-old Belgian children. METHODS:
      Accelerometer data were collected as part of the ENERGY-project in Belgium (n =
      577, 10.9 +/- 0.7 years, 53% girls) in 2011. Differences in total sedentary time,
      sedentary bouts of 2-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and >=30 min and total time
      accumulated in those bouts were examined on a weekday, a weekend day, during
      school hours, during after-school hours and in the evening period, using
      multilevel analyses in MLwiN 2.22. RESULTS: More than 60% of the participants'
      waking time was spent sedentary. Children typically engaged in short sedentary
      bouts of 2-5 and 5-10 min, which contributed almost 50% towards their total daily
      sedentary time. Although the differences were very small, children engaged in
      significantly fewer sedentary bouts of nearly all durations during after-school
      hours compared to during school hours and in the evening period. Children also
      engaged in significantly fewer sedentary bouts of 5-10, 10-20, and 20-30 min per
      hour on a weekend day than on a weekday. CONCLUSIONS: Although primary school
      children spend more than 60% of their waking time sedentary, they generally
      engaged in short sedentary bouts. Children's sedentary bouts were slightly longer
      on weekdays, particularly during school hours and in the evening period, although
      the differences were very small. These results suggest that in this age group,
      interventions focusing on reducing total sedentary time rather than interrupting
      prolonged sedentary time are needed.

PMID- 28615080
TI  - Locomotor circumvention strategies are altered by stroke: II. Postural
      Coordination.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Locomotor strategies for obstacle circumvention require appropriate
      postural coordination that depends on sensorimotor integration within the central
      nervous system. It is not known how these strategies are affected by a stroke.
      The objective of this study was to contrast postural coordination strategies used
      for obstacle circumvention between post-stroke participants (n = 12) and healthy
      controls (n = 12). METHODS: Participants walked towards a target in a virtual
      environment (11 * 8 m room) with cylindrical obstacles that were stationary or
      approaching from head-on, or diagonally 30 degrees  left/right. RESULTS: Two
      stepping strategies for obstacle circumvention were identified: 1) side step:
      increase in step width by the foot ipsilateral to the side of circumvention; 2)
      cross step: decrease in step width by the foot contralateral to the side of
      circumvention. The side step strategy was favoured by post-stroke individuals in
      circumventing stationary and head-on approaching obstacles. In circumventing
      diagonally approaching obstacles, healthy controls generally veered opposite to
      obstacle approach (>60% trials), whereas the majority of post-stroke participants
      (7/12) veered to the same side of obstacle approach (Vsame). Post-stroke
      participants who veered to the opposite side (Vopp, 5/12) were more independent
      and faster ambulators who favoured the side step strategy in circumventing
      obstacles approaching from the paretic side and cross step strategy for obstacles
      approaching from the non-paretic side. Vsame participants generally favoured the
      side step strategy for both diagonal approaches. Segmental rotation amplitudes
      and latencies were largest in the Vsame group, and significantly greater in post
      stroke participants than controls for all obstacle conditions. All participants
      initiated circumvention with the feet followed by the pelvis and thorax,
      demonstrating a caudal-rostral sequence of reorientation. CONCLUSION: Postural
      coordination strategies for obstacle circumvention were altered post stroke,
      depending on the residual or restored functional abilities. Segmental re
      orientations are also affected by the motion and direction of obstacle.

PMID- 28615081
TI  - Clinical variables related to the diagnostic stability of demential syndromes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Assigning a diagnosis to a patient with dementia is important for the
      present treatment of the patient and caregivers, and scientific research.
      Nowadays, the dementia diagnostic criteria are based on clinical information
      regarding medical, history, physical examination, neuropsychological tests, and
      supplementary exams and, therefore, subject to variability through time. METHODS:
      A retrospective observational study to evaluate variables related to clinical
      diagnostic stability in dementia syndromes in at least one year follow up. From a
      sample of 432 patients, from a single university center, data were collected
      regarding sociodemographic aspects, Clinical Dementia Rating, physical
      examination, neuropsychological tests, and supplementary exams including a
      depression triage scale. RESULTS: From this sample, 113 (26.6%) patients have
      their diagnosis changed, most of them adding a vascular component to initial
      diagnosis or depression as comorbidity or main disease. Our findings show that
      many factors influence the diagnostic stability including the presence of
      symmetric Parkinsonism, initial diagnosis of vascular dementia, presence of
      diabetes and hypertension, the presence of long term memory deficit in the
      neuropsychological evaluation, and normal neuroimaging. We discuss our findings
      with previous findings in the literature. CONCLUSION: Every step of the clinical
      diagnosis including history, vascular comorbidities and depression, physical
      examination, neuropsychological battery, and neuroimaging were relevant to
      diagnosis accuracy.

PMID- 28615082
TI  - DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSES IN FIRST BIRTH BEHAVIOUR TO ECONOMIC RECESSION IN THE
      UNITED KINGDOM.
AB  - Economic conditions have dramatic influences on fertility. This paper evaluates
      the effect of the 2008 'Great Recession' in the UK on first birth rate, which is
      the fertility behaviour most susceptible to external economic conditions. The key
      aim of the study was to assess the effect of the recession on fertility by
      individual-level characteristics, enabling variation in responses to economic
      hardship to be observed. Data were from the nationally representative UK
      Household Longitudinal Study (UK-HLS). Cumulative transition models were used to
      model the probability of first birth for women between the ages of 17 and 30 in
      three UK birth cohorts. The effect of the recession was captured using direct
      measures (local unemployment rates and individual unemployment status) and a pre
      /post-comparison, capturing indirect effects. In general, higher birth rates were
      observed among more disadvantaged women compared with advantaged groups. The
      effect of the recession was disaggregated by social strata; the overall effect
      was counter-cyclical although at a slower rate among disadvantaged women.

PMID- 28615083
TI  - Importance of social relationships in the association between sleep duration and
      cognitive function: data from community-dwelling older Singaporeans.
AB  - : ABSTRACTBackground:Aging is accompanied by cognitive decline that is escalated
      in older adults reporting extreme sleep duration. Social relationships can
      influence health outcomes and thus may qualify the association between sleep
      duration and cognitive function. The present study examines the moderating
      effects of marital status, household size, and social network with friends and
      relatives on the sleep-cognition association among older adults. METHODS: Data (N
      = 4,169) came from the Social Isolation, Health, and Lifestyles Survey, a
      nationally representative survey of community-dwelling older Singaporeans (>= 60
      years). Sleep duration and social relationships were self-reported. Cognitive
      function was assessed with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire.
      RESULTS: Regression analysis revealed that the inverted U-shaped association
      between sleep duration and cognitive function was less profound among older
      adults who were married (vs. unmarried) and those who had stronger (vs. weaker)
      social networks. In contrast, it was more prominent among individuals who had
      more (vs. fewer) household members. CONCLUSIONS: Being married and having
      stronger social networks may buffer against the negative cognitive impact of
      extreme sleep duration. But larger household size might imply more stress for
      older persons, and therefore strengthen the sleep duration-cognitive function
      association. We discuss the potential biological underpinnings and the policy
      implications of the findings. Although our findings are based on a large sample,
      replication studies using objective measures of sleep duration and other
      cognitive measures are needed.

PMID- 28615084
TI  - Community-wide stable isotope analysis reveals two distinct trophic groups in a
      service-providing carabid community.
AB  - Disentangling trophic interactions among species is important for elucidating
      mechanisms underlying ecosystem functioning and services. Carabid beetles are an
      important guild of predators that may regulate pest populations in arable
      landscapes, but their generalist feeding behavior hinders predictions about their
      actual contribution to pest control. In order to assess carabids' potential for
      pest control, we simultaneously analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope
      ratios of a community of 45 co-occurring species in wheat and oilseed rape
      fields. With the expectation to identify distinct trophic groups based on the
      mean and the variance of carabid isotopic signatures, we observed a high degree
      of overlap in trophic positions between species. However, we also observed that
      species could be successfully categorized into two groups according to whether or
      not their carbon signatures varied independently from variations in the crop
      baseline. We interpret these results as differential primary resource uptake or
      by differential mobility aptitude in foraging. Accordingly, we propose that the
      isotopic signal can inform us on the presence/absence of links between generalist
      predators and cultivated plants through the trophic networks they belong to, and
      consequently on their potential role as pest natural enemies. We therefore
      suggest the complementarity of stable isotope analysis for obtaining a time
      integrated assessment of carabid trophic behavior that may be combined with more
      direct molecular diet analysis allowing the simultaneous quantification of
      specific trophic links within agricultural landscapes.

PMID- 28615085
TI  - Contact and perspective taking improve humanness standards and perceptions of
      humanness of older adults and people with dementia: a cross-sectional survey
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No empirical work has systematically explored perceptions of
      humanness of people with dementia and of older adults and the variables that
      could improve these perceptions. We thus investigated the role of contact and
      perspective taking in improving perceptions of humanness of these social groups.
      To do so, we developed a new concept, humanness standards, defined as the amount
      of evidence of ability impairment needed to conclude that elderly people and
      those with dementia have lost personhood. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional
      survey design (n = 619) to assess participants' humanness standards and
      perceptions of uniquely human characteristics and human nature characteristics of
      two social groups (people with dementia and older adults). Half the participants
      (n = 311) completed a survey about people with dementia and half (n = 308)
      assessed older adults. RESULTS: People with dementia were perceived as possessing
      humanness characteristics to a lesser extent than were older adults. For both
      groups, contact predicted enhanced perceptions of humanness characteristics.
      Participants' degree of contact with individuals with dementia also predicted
      humanness standards, but only under low perspective-taking conditions. As
      predicted, for older adults, participants set the highest humanness impairment
      thresholds in the high contact/high perspective-taking condition. CONCLUSIONS: We
      conclude that while social programs that bring persons with dementia and other
      individuals in contact could change humanness standards and perceptions of
      humanness characteristics of people with dementia, in the case of elderly adults,
      the contact must be supplemented by variables that facilitate taking the
      perspective of the person.

PMID- 28615086
TI  - The automated analysis of clustering behaviour of piglets from thermal images in
      response to immune challenge by vaccination.
AB  - An automated method of estimating the spatial distribution of piglets within a
      pen was used to assess huddling behaviour under normal conditions and during a
      febrile response to vaccination. The automated method was compared with a manual
      assessment of clustering activity. Huddling behaviour was partly related to
      environmental conditions and clock time such that more huddling occurred during
      the night and at lower ambient air temperatures. There were no positive
      relationships between maximum pig temperatures and environmental conditions,
      suggesting that the narrow range of air temperatures in this study was not a
      significant factor for pig temperature. Spatial distribution affected radiated
      pig temperature measurements by IR thermography. Higher temperatures were
      recorded in groups of animals displaying huddling behaviour. Huddling behaviour
      was affected by febrile responses to vaccination with increased huddling
      occurring 3 to 8 h post-vaccination. The automated method of assessing spatial
      distribution from an IR image successfully identified periods of huddling
      associated with a febrile response, and to changing environmental temperatures.
      Infrared imaging could be used to quantify temperature and behaviour from the
      same images.

PMID- 28615087
TI  - Association between intestinal helminth infections and mid-upper-arm
      circumference among children in Sri Lanka: A cross-sectional study.
AB  - Intestinal helminth infections constitute a major health problem in low socio
      economic communities worldwide. A cross-sectional study was conducted in children
      aged between 12 and 60 months. A structured questionnaire was used to collect
      socio-demographic data and stool samples were subjected to direct smear, stained
      with Lugol's iodine, and formaldehyde-ether concentration techniques to determine
      the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections. The circumference of each
      child's left mid upper arm (MUAC) was measured using standard procedures. Two
      hundred and six children with a mean MUAC of 14.7 cm (SD +/- 1.1) were assessed
      from September to December 2014. The prevalence of acute energy undernutrition
      was 6.3% (13/206). All of them had moderate acute undernutrition and no cases of
      severe acute undernutrition. Paternal occupation was significantly associated
      with MUAC. Intestinal helminth infections were detected in 12.6% of children.
      Four species of parasites were identified; Ascaris lumbricoides (9.7%) followed
      by Enterobius vermicularis (1.5%), Trichuris trichiura (1.0%) and hookworms
      (1.0%). Uninfected children aged between 1 and 2 years showed significantly
      higher MUAC than infected children. No statistically significant association was
      detected between the severity of intestinal helminth infections and MUAC.
      Although intestinal helminth infections are a major public health problem in this
      community, they are not related to MUAC. Future research, providing more insight
      into the nutritional impact of intestinal helminth infections, is required to
      determine the association between parasitic infections and physical growth in
      this community.

PMID- 28615088
TI  - Healthcare Antibiotic Resistance Prevalence - DC (HARP-DC): A Regional Prevalence
      Assessment of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Healthcare
      Facilities in Washington, District of Columbia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a significant
      clinical and public health concern. Understanding the distribution of CRE
      colonization and developing a coordinated approach are key components of control
      efforts. The prevalence of CRE in the District of Columbia is unknown. We sought
      to determine the CRE colonization prevalence within healthcare facilities (HCFs)
      in the District of Columbia using a collaborative, regional approach. DESIGN
      Point-prevalence study. SETTING This study included 16 HCFs in the District of
      Columbia: all 8 acute-care hospitals (ACHs), 5 of 19 skilled nursing facilities,
      2 (both) long-term acute-care facilities, and 1 (the sole) inpatient
      rehabilitation facility. PATIENTS Inpatients on all units excluding psychiatry
      and obstetrics-gynecology. METHODS CRE identification was performed on perianal
      swab samples using real-time polymerase chain reaction, culture, and
      antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Prevalence was calculated by facility
      and unit type as the number of patients with a positive result divided by the
      total number tested. Prevalence ratios were compared using the Poisson
      distribution. RESULTS Of 1,022 completed tests, 53 samples tested positive for
      CRE, yielding a prevalence of 5.2% (95% CI, 3.9%-6.8%). Of 726 tests from ACHs,
      36 (5.0%; 95% CI, 3.5%-6.9%) were positive. Of 244 tests from long-term-care
      facilities, 17 (7.0%; 95% CI, 4.1%-11.2%) were positive. The relative prevalence
      ratios by facility type were 0.9 (95% CI, 0.5-1.5) and 1.5 (95% CI, 0.9-2.6),
      respectively. No CRE were identified from the inpatient rehabilitation facility.
      CONCLUSION A baseline CRE prevalence was established, revealing endemicity across
      healthcare settings in the District of Columbia. Our study establishes a
      framework for interfacility collaboration to reduce CRE transmission and
      infection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:921-929.

PMID- 28615089
TI  - No perceptual reorganization for Limburgian tones? A cross-linguistic
      investigation with 6- to 12-month-old infants.
AB  - Despite the fact that many of the world's languages use lexical tone, the
      majority of language acquisition studies has focused on non-tone languages.
      Research on tone languages has typically investigated well-known tone languages
      such as Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese. The current study looked at a Limburgian
      dialect of Dutch that uses lexical pitch differences, albeit in a rather
      restricted way. Using a visual habituation paradigm, 6- to 12-month-old
      Limburgian and Dutch infants were tested for their ability to discriminate
      Limburgian tones. The results showed that both Limburgian and Dutch infants
      discriminate the Limburgian tones throughout their first year of life. The role
      of linguistic experience, acoustic salience, and the degree of similarity to the
      native prosodic system are discussed.

PMID- 28615090
TI  - Prior exercise alters the difference between arterialised and venous glycaemia:
      implications for blood sampling procedures.
AB  - Oral glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity are common measures, but are
      determined using various blood sampling methods, employed under many different
      experimental conditions. This study established whether measures of oral glucose
      tolerance and oral glucose-derived insulin sensitivity (insulin sensitivity
      indices; ISI) differ when calculated from venous v. arterialised blood.
      Critically, we also established whether any differences between sampling methods
      are consistent across distinct metabolic conditions (after rest v. after
      exercise). A total of ten healthy men completed two trials in a randomised order,
      each consisting of a 120-min oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), either at rest
      or post-exercise. Blood was sampled simultaneously from a heated hand
      (arterialised) and an antecubital vein of the contralateral arm (venous). Under
      both conditions, glucose time-averaged AUC was greater from arterialised compared
      with venous plasma but importantly, this difference was larger after rest
      relative to after exercise (0.99 (sd 0.46) v. 0.56 (sd 0.24) mmol/l,
      respectively; P<0.01). OGTT-derived ISIMatsuda and ISICederholm were lower when
      calculated from arterialised relative to venous plasma and the arterialised
      venous difference was greater after rest v. after exercise (ISIMatsuda: 1.97 (sd
      0.81) v. 1.35 (sd 0.57) arbitrary units (au), respectively; ISICederholm : 14.76
      (sd 7.83) v. 8.70 (sd 3.95) au, respectively; both P<0.01). Venous blood provides
      lower postprandial glucose concentrations and higher estimates of insulin
      sensitivity, compared with arterialised blood. Most importantly, these
      differences between blood sampling methods are not consistent after rest v. post
      exercise, preventing standardised venous-to-arterialised corrections from being
      readily applied.

PMID- 28615091
TI  - [Detection and analysis of phenotypes of tumor-associated macrophages in mouse
      model of spontaneous breast cancer].
AB  - Objective To detect the phenotypic conversion of tumor-associated macrophages
      (TAMs) through analyzing the expression levels of the polarization-related genes.
      Methods We identified the spontaneous breast cancer mice by genotyping and
      characterized them into the early stage and the advanced stage groups according
      to their tumor size. Single cell suspension of the tumor tissues were obtained by
      mechanical methods and TAMs of different stages were sorted by flow cytometry. We
      measured the mRNA levels of M1 macrophages-related genes IL-1beta, IL-27, IL-6,
      CD80, CD86 and M2 macrophages-related genes arginase 1 (Arg1), IL-10, interleukin
      4 receptor alpha (IL-4Ralpha), macrophage mannose receptor 1 (Mrc1), chitinase
      like 3 (Chil3/Ym1) by real-time quantitative PCR in order to analyze the
      phenotypic conversion of TAMs during the tumor progression. Results In the early
      stage, TAMs expressed high levels of M1-related genes, such as IL-1beta, CD80,
      CD86. On the contrary, TAMs of advanced stage expressed high levels of M2-related
      genes, including Arg1, IL-10, IL-4Ralpha as well as IL-6. Conclusion Phenotypic
      conversion of TAMs is present in tumor progression, and targeting the phenotypes
      of TAMs may provide potential therapies for breast cancer.

PMID- 28615092
TI  - [Purification of the recombinant Com1 and adaA of Coxiella burnetii and
      identification of the antigenicity].
AB  - Objective To express and purify two kinds of antigens of Coxiella burnetii (C.
      burnetii), the main outer membrane protein Com1 and the acute disease antigen A
      (adaA), in prokaryotic expression system and to validate the two recombinant
      antigens by mass spectrometry and identify their antigenicity. Methods The gene
      sequences encoding Com1 and adaA were separately synthesized and constructed into
      the prokaryotic expression vector pET-20b(+). The constructed vectors were
      transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3), and the recombinant proteins were induced by
      IPTG. The recombinant Com1 and adaA were purified by His affinity chromatography
      and identified by mass spectrometry. The immunoreactivity of the two antigens was
      identified by Western blot analysis using Q fever positive bovine serum. Results
      The expression vectors pET-20b(+)-Com1 and pET-20b(+)-adaA were constructed and
      the recombinant Com1 and adaA were expressed and purified in a soluble form. High
      purity recombinant Com1 and adaA were obtained after purification, and the SDS
      PAGE showed that their relative molecular masses were Mr 27 000 and 25 000,
      respectively. The mass spectrometry confirmed the recombinant proteins were Com1
      and adaA of C. burnetii. Both of the recombinant Com1 and adaA were able to react
      with the Q fever positive bovine serum in Western blotting, and the corresponding
      bands were in accordance with the SDS-PAGE. Conclusion We obtained high-purity
      Com1 and adaA in a soluble form and confirmed their immunoreactivity.

PMID- 28615093
TI  - [Overexpression of Klotho inhibits differentiation of RAW264.7 cells into
      osteoclasts].
AB  - Objective To explore the effect of overexpression of Klotho (KL) on the
      differentiation of RAW264.7 cells intoosteoclasts induced by soluble receptor
      activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand ( sRANKL). Methods The RAW264.7 cells
      were divided into Ad-KL group, Ad-GFP group and control group. Inverted
      microscope was used to observe KL transfected cells. Quantitative real-time PCR
      (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to detect mRNA and protein expression
      level of KL, respectively. Tartrate-resistant acidphosphatase (TRAP) staining was
      applied to observe the osteoclast differentiation and maturation. The qRT-PCR and
      Western blotting were performed to assess mRNA or protein expression levels of
      TRAP and cathepsin K (CTSK). Results Klotho gene was transfected into RAW264.7
      cells successfully. Compared with Ad-GFP group and control group, KL mRNA and
      protein expression levels of Ad-KL group increased significantly. TRAP staining
      showed that the number and volume of TRAP-positive cells in Ad-KL group were less
      than those in Ad-GFP group and control group. Compared with Ad-GFP group and
      control group, TRAP and CTSK mRNA and protein expression levels were reduced
      remarkably in Ad-KL group. Conclusion Overexpression of Klotho inhibits the
      differentiation of RAW264.7 cells into osteoclasts.

PMID- 28615094
TI  - [Modified Cheng's Juanbi Decoction downregulates expression of prostaglandin E
      receptor 4 in synovial tissue in rats with adjuvant arthritis].
AB  - Objective To investigate the effect of modified Cheng's Juanbi Decoction on the
      expression of prostaglandin E receptor 4 (PTGER4), the T cell receptor in the
      synovial tissues, in rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA). Methods A rat model of AA
      was established by subcutaneous injection of Freund's complete adjuvant at the
      vola pedis combined with ice-water bath and blowing. The degree of joint swelling
      and arthritis index were determined in each group. The quantitative real-time PCR
      was performed to assess the effect of modified Cheng's Juanbi Decoction on the
      mRNA expression of PTGER4in the synovial tissue. Results Cheng's Juanbi Decoction
      significantly alleviated the damage in the joints and synovial tissues in the AA
      rats. High-dose (the content of crude drug: 4 g/mL) Cheng's Juanbi Decoction
      significantly reduced the mRNA expression of PTGER4 in the synovial tissues.
      Conclusion Cheng's Juanbi Decoction can reduce the level of PTGER4 mRNA in the
      synovial tissue in AA rats.

PMID- 28615095
TI  - [Staphylococcus aureus promotes NOD2 expression in bovine mammary epithelial
      cells].
AB  - Objective To investigate the role of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain
      containing protein 2 (NOD2) in the mediate recognition of Staphylococcus aureus
      (S. aureus) in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). Methods We infected BMECs
      with living S. aureus and heat-inactivated S. aureus, respectively. When the
      multiplicity of infection (MOI) of living S. aureus was set for 100:1, the
      infection time were 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 hours; when the MOI of living
      S. aureus was set for 10:1, 20:1, 40:1, 100:1, the infection time was 2 hours; on
      the other hand, 0, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL of heat
      inactivated S. aureus were used to infect the cells for 2 hours separately. The
      expression of NOD2 was detected using real-time PCR and Western blotting. Results
      Levels of NOD2 mRNA and protein expression significantly increased after 0.5-4
      hours of infection with living S. aureus. When the cells were infected with S.
      aureus at different MOI, dose-dependent accumulation of NOD2 mRNA and protein
      could be detected in BMECs. Levels of NOD2 mRNA and protein expression were not
      significantly upregulated by the stimulation with heat-inactivated S. aureus.
      Conclusion S. aureus infection could induce the up-regulation of NOD2 expression
      in BMECs.

PMID- 28615096
TI  - [FcgammaRIis involved in lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis of PC12 cells].
AB  - Objective To investigate the role of IgG Fc receptorI (FcgammaRI) in
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apoptosis of the rat PC12 cells. Methods PC12
      cells were treated with different concentrations of LPS (50, 125, 250, 500, 1000
      MUg/mL) for 24 hours and cell viability was analyzed by MTT assay. The
      appropriate concentration of LPS (500 MUg/mL) was chosen for the following
      experiments. PC12 cells in the logarithmic growth phase were divided randomly
      into three groups: the control group without LPS, the 500 MUg/mL LPS treated
      group and the 500 MUg/mL LPS plus 0.2 MUg/mL FcgammaRI neutralizer group. After24
      hour different treatments, the mRNA and protein levels of FcgammaRIwere detected
      by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The apoptosis
      rate of PC12 cells was determined by flow cytometry combined with annexinV
      FITC/PI double staining. The protein expression levels of caspase-3, Bcl-2 and
      BAX were measured by immunohistochemistry. Results PC12 cell viability decreased
      in a LPS dose-dependent manner. Compared to the control group, the protein and
      mRNA expression of FcgammaRI were upregulated, the expression levels of caspase
      3, Bcl-2 and BAX proteins were elevated, and the apoptosis rate of PC12 cells was
      raised as well in the LPS treated group. Compared to the LPS treated group, the
      protein and mRNA levels of FcgammaRI were significantly lower along with
      significantly reduced expressions of Caspase-3 and BAX and inhibited cell
      apoptosis in the FcgammaRIneutralizer treated group, while Bcl-2 protein
      expression was upregulated. Conclusion FcgammaRIis involved in the LPS-induced
      apoptosis in PC12 cells.

PMID- 28615097
TI  - [Protective effect of quercetin against seawater instillation-induced acute lung
      injury through preventing M1 polarization of macrophages in mice].
AB  - Objective To study the protective effect of quercetin against seawater
      instillation-induced acute lung injury (SW-ALI) and explore the roles of
      M1polarization of macrophages and M1 macrophage-mediated inflammation in the
      protective effect. Methods Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four
      groups, normal control group, quercetin-treated group, SW-ALI group, SW-ALI and
      quercetin-treated group, with 15 mice in each group. The mice were
      intraperitoneally injected with 1 g/L pentobarbital sodium, and then seawater was
      injected into the lungs through oropharyngeal intubation at the concentration of
      4 mL/kg. Quercetin (200 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected 0.5 hour before
      seawater injection. The same amount of PBS and quercetin was intraperitoneally
      injected in normal control group and quercetin control group, respectively. Blood
      gas analysis of 1 mL blood taken from abdominal aorta was performed at 0.5, 1, 2,
      3, 4 hours after different treatment. Lungs were obtained at 3 days after
      different treatment for frozen section preparation, HE staining, dry/wet ratio
      (D/W) analysis and the detection of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS),
      interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-10, IL-1beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)
      expressions by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Results
      Quercetin significantly reduced the pathological changes of lung tissues, lowered
      PaCO2 while increased PaO2 and D/W ratio, down-regulated the expressions of iNOS,
      TNF-alpha, IL-1beta while up-regulated the expressions of IL-4 and IL-10 in SW
      ALI mice. Conclusion Quercetin can significantly improve the function of gas
      exchange and reduce the degree of lung injury in SW-ALI mice by inhibiting M1
      polarization of macrophages and the expressions of pro-inflammatory factors.

PMID- 28615098
TI  - [Human EV71 invades human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells by clathrin-mediated
      endocytosis].
AB  - Objective To study the mechanism ofhuman enterovirus 71 (EV71) entering human
      neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. Methods After the SK-N-SH cells were pretreated with
      chlorpromazine (CPZ) or nystatin (NT), real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) was
      employed to measure EV71 mRNA level, and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy
      was used to detect the expression level of viral protein 1 (VP1) in the target
      cells. In order to reveal the colocalization of EV71 with clathrin, laser
      confocal microscopy was performed on the infected cells. Results CPZ could
      significantly inhibit EV71 mRNA level and the expression of VP1 in the target
      cells, while NT had no effect on EV71 infection. Confocal microscopy showed that
      EV71 was colocalize with clathrin. Conclusion EV71 infects human neuroblastoma SK
      N-SH cells by the clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

PMID- 28615099
TI  - [Hyperoxia modulates the expressions of C/EBPalpha and pulmonary surfactant
      proteins in AECII of premature rats].
AB  - Objective To explore the effect of hyperoxia on the expressions of CCAAT enhancer
      binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) and pulmonary surfactant proteins (SP-A, SP-B,
      SP-C, SP-D) and their correlations in primary type II alveolar epithelial cells
      (AECIIs) from premature rats. Methods AECIIs were divided into an air control
      group and a hyperoxia model group. The cells of the two groups were respectively
      exposed toair and 950 mL/L O2. The cells were harvested at 24, 48, and 72 hours
      after exposure. Inverted phase-contrast microscope was used to observe
      morphological changes of the cells. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western
      blotting were performed to measure the mRNA and protein expressions of
      C/EBPalpha, SP-A, SP-B, SP-C and SP-D. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was applied to
      detect the proliferation of AECIIs. Results With the prolonging incubation time,
      the air group showed a significantly decreasing mRNA and protein expressions of
      C/EBPalpha, and significantly ascending mRNAand protein expressions of SP-A, SP
      B, SP-C, SP-D and increasing proliferation of AECIIs. The mRNA and protein
      expressions of SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, SP-D and the proliferation of AECIIs in the
      hyperoxia group showed a trend of increasing at first and then decreasing as the
      culture time went on. Compared with the air group, the hyperoxia group showed
      significantly increased mRNA and protein expressions of C/EBPalpha and SP-A, SP
      B, SP-C, SP-D and enhanced proliferation of AECIIs at 48 hours. In the hyperoxia
      group, the protein expression of C/EBPalpha was positively correlated with the
      protein expressions of SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, SP-D as well as the proliferation of
      AECIIs(r=0.96, 0.98, 0.92, 0.97, 0.90). Conclusion In the early stage of
      hyperoxia exposure, C/EBPalpha can promote the secretion of pulmonary surfactant
      protein to participate in the body's protective regulation. However, over the
      time of hyperoxia exposure, C/EBPalpha loses compensatory protective effect.

PMID- 28615100
TI  - [The mechanism underlying the effects of tea polyphenol on epirubicin-induced
      autophagy and apoptosis in T24 bladder cancer cells].
AB  - Objective To investigate the mechanism by which epirubicin (EPI) induces
      autophagy and the mechanism by which tea polyphenol (TP) regulates EPI-induced
      autophagy and apoptosis in T24 bladder cancer cells. Methods T24 cells
      weredivided into control group, EPI group, TP group and TP plus EPI group. Eight
      hours after corresponding treatments in different groups, transmission electron
      microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the image of autophagosomes. The expressions
      of autophagy-related protein LC3II and p62 in the cells were detected by Western
      blotting. Apoptotic cells were evaluated after EPI-treatment for 24 hours by flow
      cytometry combined with annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Western blotting was
      performed to determine the levels of cleaved-caspase-3 (c-caspase-3) and cleaved
      PARP (c-PARP). LC3II was again tested by Western blotting 8 hours after T24 cells
      were treated with EPI added with autophagy pathway inhibitor chloroquine and 3
      methyladenine, and moreover, the levels of LC3II and p-JNK were detected by
      Western blotting after T24 cells were treated with EPI combined with TP or the
      JNK inhibitor SP for 8 hours. Results The amount of autophagosomes and the level
      of LC3IIin TP plus EPI group were much lower than those in EPI group. SP reduced
      the level of LC3II induced by EPI. EPI increased p-JNK in a time-dependent
      manner. TP combined with EPI reduced the activity of JNK pathway. The apoptosis
      rate and the levels of c-caspase-3 and c-PARP in TP plus EPI group were much
      higher than those in EPI group. Conclusion TP inhibits autophagy through JNK
      pathway to enhance EPI-induced apoptosis in T24 bladder cancer cell line.

PMID- 28615101
TI  - [Eukaryotic expression and localization of human MTERF2 in cervical cancer Caski
      cells].
AB  - Objective To construct the recombinant eukaryotic expression vector of human
      mitochondrial transcription termination factor 2 (MTERF2) gene and determine the
      cellular localization by overexpressing MTERF2 in human Caski cervical cancer
      cells. Methods The coding sequence of MTERF2 was amplified by reverse
      transcription-PCR using the total RNA extracted from human cervical cancer Caski
      cells, and then was inserted into p3*FLAG-CMV-14 vector. After being verified by
      PCR and DNA sequencing, the positive recombinant plasmid was transiently
      transfected into Caski cells. Western blotting and immunofluorescence technique
      were performed to analyze the expression and distribution of human MTERF2
      proteinat 24, 32 and 48 hours after transfection. Results Sequence analysis
      showed that the correct target gene (1158 bp) was inserted into the vector at the
      expected position. The target protein band was detected at Mr 44 000 as we had
      predicted in the transfected cells while not in the negative control group, which
      indicated MTERF2 expression vector could be successfully transfected and
      expressed in Caski cells. The p3*FLAG-MTERF2 protein was highly expressed and
      displayed a mitochondrial distribution at 24 hours post-transfection in Caski
      cells. Conclusion We successfully constructed the eukaryotic expression plasmid
      p3*FLAG-CMV-MTERF2 and expressed p3*FLAG tagged MTERF2 effectively in the
      mitochondria of Caski cells.

PMID- 28615102
TI  - [Effect of Golgi alpha-mannosidase 2 (GM2) gene knockdown on adhesion abilities
      of human gastric carcinoma cell line BGC-823 and its mechanism].
AB  - Objective To investigate the effect of Golgi alpha-mannosidase II (GM2) gene
      knockdown on adhesion abilities of BGC-823 human gastric carcinoma cells. Methods
      Three plasmid vectors expressing GM2 shRNAs and a negative control plasmid vector
      were designed, constructed and then transfected into BGC-823 cells by
      LipofectamineTM 2000. After transfection, the mRNA and protein levels of GM2 in
      BGC-823 cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western
      blotting to evaluate the transfection efficacy. The best plasmid for GM2 gene
      knockdown was selected and stably transfected into BGC-823 cells. Adhesion
      abilities of BGC-823 cells after GM2 gene silencing were observed by cell-cell,
      cell-matrix and cell-endothelial cell adhesion assays. At the same time, the
      expressions of E-cadherin, P-selectin, CD44v6 and intercellular adhesion molecule
      1 (ICAM-1) proteins were detected by Western blotting after GM2 gene knockdown.
      Results The expression of GM2 was effectively knockdown in GM2-shRNA-2
      transfected BGC-823 cells. Compared with the blank control group and the negative
      control group, the intercellular adhesion ability of the GM2-shRNA-2-transfected
      cells increased significantly, while their cell-matrix and cell-endothelium
      adhesion abilities markedly decreased. In GM2-shRNA-2 transfection group, E
      cadherin expression was significantly elevated and the P-selectin expression was
      significantly reduced, while the expression levels of CD44v6 and ICAM-1 were not
      obviously changed. Conclusion After GM2 gene knockdown, the intercellular
      adhesion ability of gastric carcinoma BGC-823 cells is enhanced, while the
      adhesion abilities with the extracellular matrix and endothelial cells are
      weakened. The changes might be related to the up-regulated expression of E
      cadherin and the down-regulation of P-selectin.

PMID- 28615103
TI  - [HER2 promotes cell migration via inhibiting the expression of E-cadherin in
      human mammary epithelial cells].
AB  - Objective To study the effect of HER2 on morphology and migration of MCF10A human
      mammary epithelial cells and its mechanism. Methods The stable HER2
      overexpressing MCF10A cells were established by lentivirus infection. Then, cell
      migration was analyzed by TranswellTM assay; E-cadherin expression was detected
      by Western blotting, real-time quantitative PCR and immunofluorescent staining.
      Results HER2-overexpressing MCF10A cells showed scattering growth pattern and
      increased migration ability. Overexpression of HER2 decreased the expression of E
      cadherin protein in MCF10A cells, and also reduced the membrance-associated E
      cadherin. In addition, HER2-induced cell scattering and migration could be
      significantly suppressed by re-expression of E-cadherin. Conclusion HER2 promotes
      the migration of human mammary epithelial cells by inhibiting the expression of E
      cadherin.

PMID- 28615104
TI  - [Mechanism of heart and lung injury induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in
      both young and old mice].
AB  - Objective To study the mechanism of heart and lung injury after cerebral
      ischemia/reperfusion in mice. Methods C57BL/6J mice were divided into young and
      old groups according to their ages, the former being 5-6 months old and the
      latter being 20-21 months old. Each group was divided into five subgroups
      subjected to sham operation, middle cerebral artery occlusion for 1-hour ischemia
      followed by 1-, 12-, 24-, 48-hour reperfusion. At different reperfusion time, HE
      and TUNEL staining were used to observe the morphological changes of heart and
      lung tissues; meanwhile, chemical colorimetry was performed to determine the
      changes of cardiac Na+-K+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase; the lung indexes were
      evaluated; the levels of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaBp65, p-NF-kappaBp65,
      IkappaBalpha, p-IkappaBalpha were detected by Western blotting; the levels of
      interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were
      determined by ELISA; and the release of NO was examined by colorimetry. Results
      We observed inflammatory responses in the lung tissues of young and old mice at
      24-hour reperfusion and 1-hour reperfusion, respectively, and hemorrhage in the
      heart tissues of young and old mice at 24-hour reperfusion and 12-hour
      reperfusion, respectively.Lung tissues showed earlier response to the stimulation
      of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion than heart tissues did. Meanwhile, the results
      of Na+-K+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, lung index, NF-kappaB signaling pathway and
      inflammatory cytokines in young and old mice were consistent with histological
      changes of heart and lung tissues. Conclusion Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion can
      cause heart and lung tissue injury in the old mice, and energy metabolism and
      inflammation cascade are the main mechanisms of the injury.

PMID- 28615105
TI  - [Over-expression of mdr1/P-gp is associated with methotrexate resistance in
      patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
AB  - Objective To investigate the relationship between the gene expression of
      multidrug resisitance 1 (mdr1)/P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and methotrexate (MTX) resistance in patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods According to the grades of disease activity
      score 28 (DAS28) after taking MTX, RA patients were divided into sensitive group
      and resistant group. In addition, the healthy volunteers were enrolled as a
      control group. Real-time PCR was adopted to detect the expression of mdrl mRNA,
      and flow cytometry was used to detect the level and function of P-gp in PBMCs.
      Using the information obtained from these detections, we compared the expression
      of mdr1/P-gp between the three groups. Results Compared with the healthy group,
      the expression of P-gp was higher in the sensitive group and resistant group.
      Compared with the sensitive group, both mdr1 mRNA and P-gp expressions increased
      in the resistant group. Conclusion The over-expression of mdr1/P-gp in RA
      patients is related to the MTX resistance.

PMID- 28615106
TI  - [Enhanced ILC2 activity contributes to metabolic syndrome multicomponent
      aggregation state in patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy].
AB  - Objective To study the relationship between the activity of group II innate
      lymphoid cells (ILC2) in maintenance hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetic
      nephropathy (DN) and metabolic syndrome (MS) multicomponent aggregation state.
      Methods The study enrolled 30 DN patients of stable condition treated with
      maintenance hemodialysis over 3 months, 30 newly diagnosed untreated type 2
      diabetes patients and 30 healthy volunteers as controls. Real-time quantitative
      PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of retinoic acid
      receptor-related orphan receptor alpha (RORalpha), interleukin 17 receptor B (IL
      17RB), IL-33 receptor T1/ST2, IL-5 and IL-13 in peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells (PBMCs). The percentage of ILC2 cells in PBMCs was determined by flow
      cytometry. Levels of plasma IL-5 and IL-13 were tested by ELISA. The prevalence
      rate and number of MS in the three groups were examined and the relationship
      between the components and the ILC2-related factors was analyzed. Results
      Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or DN had higher waist circumference
      (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood
      pressure (DBP), triglyceride (TG) and the number of MS components as compared
      with healthy controls. The prevalence rates of MS in type 2 diabetes group andDN
      group were 46.67% and 86.67%, respectively. The proportion of ILC2 increased and
      both ILC2-related transcription factor RORalpha and T1/ST2 mRNA expression levels
      ascended in DN patients as compared with type 2 diabetes patients and healthy
      controls. The correlation analysis showed that ILC2 receptor T1/ST2, IL-5, IL-13
      mRNA levels were positively related to ILC2 transcription factor RORalpha mRNA
      levels in the DN group. IL-13 mRNA level in PBMCs was positively related to the
      levels of SBP, plasma total cholesterol (TC)and low density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDL-C) , and membrane receptor T1/ST2 mRNA level was positively
      related to the level of LDL-C. Conclusion MS multicomponent aggregation in
      maintenance hemodialysis patients with type 2 DN group was more obvious than that
      in type 2 diabetes mellitus group and healthy control group, and strengthened
      ILC2 activity might contribute to the formation of the state by influencing blood
      pressure and lipid metabolism.

PMID- 28615107
TI  - [Preparation and characterization of mouse polyclonal antibody against conserved
      region of human FOXO3].
AB  - Objective To purify the recombinant protein specific to conserved region of
      forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) and prepare mouse anti-human FOXO3 polyclonal antibody.
      Methods The DNA fragment (aa290-472) encoding conserved domain of FOXO3 was
      amplified by PCR, and subsequently cloned into pET28a vector. Following
      transformation into E.coli BL21, the soluble fusion protein His-FOXO3 was induced
      by IPTG and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The purified protein was
      used to immunize BALB/c mice to generate polyclonal antibody. The characteristics
      of the polyclonal antibody were assessed by ELISA, Western blotting and
      immunoprecipitation assays. Results We successfully prepared the expression
      vector pET28a-FOXO3 (aa290-472) and expressed the purified fusion protein in a
      soluble form. By immunizing mice with the fusion protein, we obtained anti-human
      FOXO3 polyclonal antibody. ELISA and Western blotting showed that the mouse
      antibody could recognize specifically the endogenous FOXO3 protein. Conclusion
      The polyclonal antibody against conserved domain of FOXO3 can identify the
      endogenous FOXO3 protein. It can be used to analyze the endogenous FOXO3
      expression level.

PMID- 28615108
TI  - Kinematics of Different Components of the Posterolateral Corner of the Knee in
      the Lateral Collateral Ligament-intact State: A Human Cadaveric Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the static stabilizing effects of different anatomical
      structures of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee in the lateral
      collateral ligament (LCL)-intact state. METHODS: Thirteen fresh-frozen human
      cadaveric knees were dissected and tested using an industrial robot with an
      optical tracking system. Kinematics were determined for 134 N anterior/posterior
      loads, 10 N m valgus/varus loads, and 5 N m internal/external rotatory loads in 0
      degrees , 20 degrees , 30 degrees , 60 degrees , and 90 degrees  of knee flexion.
      The PLC structures were dissected and consecutively released: (I) intact knee
      joint, (II) with released posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), (III)
      popliteomeniscal fibers, (IV) popliteofibular ligament, (V) arcuat and
      popliteotibial fibers, (VI) popliteus tendon (PLT), and (VII) LCL. Repeated
      measures analysis of variance was performed with significance set at P < .05.
      RESULTS: After releasing the PCL, posterior tibial translation increased by 5.2
      mm at 20 degrees  to 9.4 mm at 90 degrees  of joint flexion (P < .0001). A mild
      1.8 degrees  varus instability was measured in 0 degrees  of flexion (P = .0017).
      After releasing the PLC structures, posterior tibial translation further
      increased by 2.9 mm at 20 degrees  to 5.9 mm at 90 degrees  of flexion (P < .05)
      and external rotation angle increased by 2.6 degrees  at 0 degrees  to 7.9
      degrees  at 90 degrees  of flexion (P < .05, vs II). Varus stability did not
      decrease. Mild differences between states V and VI were found in 60 degrees  and
      90 degrees  external rotation tests (2.1 degrees  and 3.1 degrees ; P < .05).
      CONCLUSIONS: The connecting ligaments/fibers to the PLT act as a primary static
      stabilizer against external rotatory loads and a secondary stabilizer against
      posterior tibial loads (when PCL is injured). After releasing these structures,
      most static stabilizing function of the intact PLT is lost. The PLC has no varus
      stabilizing function in the LCL-intact knee. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Anatomy and
      function of these structures for primary and secondary joint stability should be
      considered for clinical diagnostics and when performing surgery in the PLC.

PMID- 28615109
TI  - Study of guided wave propagation on a plate between two solid bodies with
      imperfect contact conditions.
AB  - In this work, fundamental symmetric Lamb wave S0 mode is characterized in terms
      of its velocity variation as function of the interfacial conditions between solid
      bodies in contact. Imperfect contact conditions are numerically and
      experimentally determined by using ultrasonic Lamb wave propagation parameters.
      For the study, an experimental system was used, formed by two solid aluminum rods
      (25.4mm in diameter) axially loading a thin aluminum plate to control contact
      interfacial stiffness. The axially applied load on the aluminum plate was varied
      from 0MPa to 10MPa. Experimental Lamb wave signals were excited on the plate
      through two longitudinal contact transducers (1MHz of central frequency) using a
      pitch-catch configuration. Numerical simulations of contact conditions and Lamb
      wave propagation were performed through Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in
      commercial software, ANSYS 15(r). Simulated Lamb wave signals were generated by
      means of a 5 cycles tone burst signals with different frequency values. Results
      indicate a velocity change in both, experimental and simulated Lamb wave signals
      as function of the applied load. Finally, a comparison between numerical results
      and experimental measurements was performed obtaining a good agreement.

PMID- 28615110
TI  - An accident at work? Traumatic lesions in the skeleton of a 4th millennium BCE
      "wagon driver" from Sharakhalsun, Russia.
AB  - The study of ante-mortem trauma is a popular and important aspect of
      palaeopathological analysis. The majority of publications focus on a particular
      assemblage, skeletal element or type of fracture, with case studies of single
      individuals with multiple/unusual traumata being much rarer in the literature.
      This paper presents the case of an adult male from the Bronze Age site of
      Sharakhalsun, Russia, buried, uniquely, in a sitting position on a fully
      assembled wagon, who displayed evidence for multiple healed ante-mortem fractures
      of the cranium, axial and appendicular skeleton. The mechanisms and likely
      etiologies of the fractures are presented, with reference to modern and 19th
      century clinical literature, and possible interpretations suggested: that the
      individual was involved in a severe accident involving a wagon or draft animals,
      or both, a number of years before his death. The suggestion is also made that the
      unique burial position of the individual was a form of commemoration by the
      community of the survival and recovery of the individual from such a serious
      incident.

PMID- 28615111
TI  - Synthesis and antitumor activities of 1,2,3-triazines and their benzo- and
      heterofused derivatives.
AB  - 1,2,3-Triazines are a class of biologically active compounds that exhibit a broad
      spectrum of activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral,
      antiproliferative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. This review, which
      covers the literature from the end of last century to 2016, treats, through a
      comprehensive, systematic approach, the 1,2,3-triazine and related benzo- and
      hetero-fused derivatives possessing antitumor activity. Their efficacy, combined
      with a simple synthesis confers to these molecules a great potential as scaffold
      for the development of antitumor compounds.

PMID- 28615112
TI  - The evaluation of behavioural problems in the first three years of life:
      Comparing parents and early childhood educators.
AB  - The study investigates the degree of agreement between mothers, fathers and
      educators in the evaluation of early childhood behavioural problems, through the
      CBCL 11/2-5. Data analysis indicates a good level of agreement between mothers
      and fathers, along with a significant divergence between parents and educators.

PMID- 28615113
TI  - Risk Factors and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Low Intraocular Pressure
      after Trabeculectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To examine risk factors for low intraocular pressure (IOP) after
      trabeculectomy and to describe long-term outcomes in these eyes. DESIGN:
      Retrospective case-control study. PARTICIPANTS: Cases with low IOP included all
      patients with IOP <=5 mmHg on 3 or more consecutive visits 3 months or later
      after trabeculectomy. Control patients without low IOP after trabeculectomy were
      randomly selected at a 1:2 case-to-control ratio. METHODS: A case-control study
      was performed of patients undergoing trabeculectomy at the Stein Eye Institute.
      Covariates included demographics, history of cataract surgery, refractive error,
      number of glaucoma medications, family history of glaucoma, diabetes,
      hypertension, visual acuity (VA), IOP, number of sutures in the scleral flap,
      laser suture lysis, surgeon, and laterality of surgery. Logistic regression
      modeling was used to examine associations between each covariate and low IOP.
      Postoperative outcomes that were examined included reoperation, vision loss, and
      surgical failure. The time between trabeculectomy and each outcome was compared
      between cases and controls with Cox proportional hazards regression modeling.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Low IOP after trabeculectomy, reoperation, vision loss,
      and surgical failure. RESULTS: Of 3659 total trabeculectomies performed by 5
      surgeons between 1990 and 2013, 64 eyes had low IOP (1.7%), which were compared
      with 130 control eyes. Fifteen of the 64 eyes with low IOP had hypotony
      maculopathy (23.4%). After accounting for differences in baseline IOP, laser
      suture lysis was negatively correlated with low IOP after trabeculectomy (odds
      ratio [OR], 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.87); surgeon was
      correlated with high vs. low IOP after trabeculectomy (OR, 5.32; 95% CI, 1.53
      18.52). There were no statistically significant associations between low IOP and
      time to reoperation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.32-1.68), vision loss
      (HR, 1.77; 95% CI, 0.81-3.88) or surgical failure (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.62-2.11).
      In patients with low IOP, there was a higher unadjusted incidence of bleb
      revision in patients who had maculopathy (7.6 vs. 1.9 revisions/100 person-years;
      for maculopathy versus no maculopathy P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The absence of
      laser suture lysis and surgeon are factors potentially associated with low IOP
      after trabeculectomy. Numeric hypotony does not necessarily represent clinical
      failure after trabeculectomy.

PMID- 28615114
TI  - Experimental Assessment of Physician Modified Proximal Scalloped Stent Graft to
      Extend Proximal Landing Zone in the Aortic Arch.
AB  - OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess a model of physician
      modified scalloped stent graft (PMSG) on currently available thoracic aortic
      devices to extend the proximal landing zone in either zone 2, 1 or 0 of the
      aortic arch while preserving flow in the supra-aortic vessels on human cadaveric
      aorta. METHODS: Fresh human aortas were harvested at autopsy from adult subjects.
      A proximal scallop was made on the stent grafts based on direct measurements on
      the aortas to extend the proximal landing zone in zone 0 (n = 5), zone 1 (n = 5),
      and zone 2 (n = 5). A previously described benchtop closed system pulsatile flow
      model was used to mimic flow and pressure conditions in the aorta to deploy the
      stent graft as close to physiological conditions as possible. Deployment accuracy
      of the scallop opposite the aortic arch branch ostia was assessed by completion
      angiography and post-procedural analysis of the aortas. RESULTS: Fifteen proximal
      scalloped stent grafts were deployed in the aortic arch of 15 human cadaveric
      aortas under fluoroscopy. The expected proximal landing zone was achieved in all
      cases (zone 2 = 5; zone 1 = 5; zone 0 = 5). Post-procedural angiography and
      direct visual analysis showed supra-aortic vessel patency and deployment of the
      scallop opposite the aortic arch branch ostia in all cases. CONCLUSION: PMSG to
      extend the proximal landing zone in zone 2, 1, or 0 in order to treat urgent
      diseases of the proximal descending aorta or the inner circumference of the
      aortic arch by a totally endovascular approach while preserving flow in the supra
      aortic trunks is experimentally feasible.

PMID- 28615115
TI  - Circulatory collapse in a parturient undergoing cesarean delivery: a diagnostic
      dilemma.
AB  - Embolic events including thromboembolism, air embolism, and amniotic fluid
      embolism can cause cardiovascular collapse during cesarean delivery.
      Differentiation between the three conditions is challenging because they share
      many of the initial clinical and echocardiographic findings, but an accurate,
      definitive diagnosis allows the administration of specific therapy that may help
      in saving the life of the mother and/or the fetus. We report a case of
      cardiovascular collapse during cesarean delivery under general anesthesia;
      massive pulmonary thromboembolism was suspected and unfractionated heparin was
      administered. Cardiac arrest followed and was managed with standard
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation, resulting in return of spontaneous circulation.
      Postoperatively, the patient remained hemodynamically unstable in spite of
      heparin, norepinephrine infusions and intravenous fluids. A transthoracic
      echocardiogram revealed right-sided pressure overload. Thrombolysis was
      initiated. Streptokinase (1,500,000IU over 2hours) was administered with no
      clinical response, followed by infusion (100,000IU/h) for 12hours. The patient's
      hemodynamics improved gradually and she was successfully weaned from
      norepinephrine and mechanical ventilation. Significant bleeding ensued,
      necessitating discontinuation of anticoagulation and transfusion of red blood
      cells. Eventually, the patient was discharged home, in good condition, and on
      oral warfarin therapy.

PMID- 28615116
TI  - An unusual presentation of synovial chondromatosis of the knee in a 10-year-old
      girl.
AB  - Synovial chondromatosis commonly occurs in the anterior compartment of the knee
      joint, predominantly in middle-aged men. It is relatively unusual in female
      children and is rarely encountered in the synovium beneath the meniscus. The
      present report describes a rare case of synovial chondromatosis that developed in
      the synovium just inferior to both menisci of the right knee in a 10-year-old
      girl. At this unusual age and location, there is a greater probability of missed
      diagnosis, due to the lack of definite informative incidence, and difficulty in
      finding the lesions during arthroscopic examinations. In the present case,
      multiple loose bodies were hidden by the meniscus, and thus, there were no
      structural abnormalities in the initial arthroscopic views before probing the
      meniscus. After careful inspection, we found numerous cartilaginous loose bodies
      and removed them as much as possible with arthroscopy.

PMID- 28615117
TI  - Impact of COPD on outcomes in hospitalized patients with community-acquired
      pneumonia: Analysis of the Spanish national hospital discharge database (2004
      2013).
AB  - AIM: To examine trends in incidence and outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia
      (CAP) hospitalizations among patients with or without COPD in Spain (2004-2013).
      METHODS: We used national hospital discharge data to select all hospital
      admissions for CAP. Incidence was calculated overall and according to the
      presence or absence of COPD. RESULTS: We identified 901,136 hospital admissions
      for CAP (32.25% with COPD). Incidence of hospitalizations of CAP increased
      significantly over time among patients with and without COPD, but it was higher
      among people with COPD for all years analyzed. S. pneumoniae decreased over time
      for both groups. Time trend analyses showed significant decreases in mortality
      during admission for CAP for patients with and without COPD. Factor independently
      associated with higher mortality in both groups included: male sex, older age,
      higher comorbidity, isolation of S. aureus or P. aeruginosa, use of mechanical
      ventilation, and readmission. The presence of COPD was associated with a lower in
      hospital mortality (IHM) (OR: 0.58, 95%CI 0.57-0.59). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence
      of hospitalizations for CAP increased over time in patients with and without
      COPD, being higher in the COPD population for all years analyzed. IHM decreased
      over time in both groups. There were no differences in mortality between COPD and
      non-COPD patients.

PMID- 28615118
TI  - Functional and biological studies of alpha-galactosidase A variants with
      uncertain significance from newborn screening in Taiwan.
AB  - Fabry disease is an X-linked disorder resulted from deficiency of alpha
      galactosidase A (GLA) activity. In Taiwan, a total of 792,247 newborns were
      screened from 2008 to 2014 in two newborn screening centers, and 13 variants of
      uncertain significance (VOUS) in the GLA gene were identified. To determine
      whether these variants were pathogenic or not, functional, biochemical, clinical
      and pedigree analyses were performed. In vitro functional assay was established
      through site-directed mutagenesis, and four in silico tools were used to predict
      pathogenesis. The enzyme activity of dried blood spots and plasma metabolite lyso
      Gb3 level from subjects with the variants were measured. Additionally, clinical
      manifestations were evaluated extensively from the subjects and their relatives.
      Our results revealed that p.G104V, p.I232T, p.D322H, and p.G360C all exhibited
      relatively low residual enzyme activities and elevated plasma lyso-Gb3 level.
      These data strongly suggest that these Fabry mutations may cause classical or
      later-onset phenotypes. In contrast, neither significantly clinical symptoms nor
      elevated lyso-Gb3 level was found in cases with p.P60S, p.A108T, p.S304T,
      p.R356Q, and p.P362T variants, which may be non-pathogenic or milder forms of
      Fabry variants. More data need to be included for the patients with p.N53D,
      p.P210S, p.M296L, and p.K391T variants. The established system provides us more
      information to classify these GLA variants.

PMID- 28615119
TI  - Schizophrenia and induced abortions: A national register-based follow-up study
      among Finnish women born between 1965-1980 with schizophrenia or schizoaffective
      disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to investigate, in women with
      schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, the number and incidence of induced
      abortions (= pregnancy terminations performed by a physician), their demographic
      characteristics, use of contraceptives, plus indications of and complications
      related to pregnancy termination. METHODS: Using the Care Register for Health
      Care, we identified Finnish women born between the years 1965-1980 who were
      diagnosed with either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder during the follow
      up period ending 31.12.2013. For each case, five age- and place-of-birth- matched
      controls were obtained from the Population Register of Finland. Information about
      births and induced abortions were obtained from the Medical Birth Register and
      the Induced Abortion Register. RESULTS: The number and incidence of induced
      abortions per 1000 follow-up years did not differ between cases and their
      controls. However, due to fewer pregnancies, cases exhibited an over 2-fold
      increased risk of pregnancy termination (RR 2.28; 95% CI 2.20-2.36). Cases were
      younger, were more often without a partner at the time of induced abortion, and
      their pregnancies resulted more often from a lack of contraception. Among cases,
      the indication for pregnancy termination was more often mother-to-be's medical
      condition. Induced abortions after 12weeks gestation were more common among
      cases. However, cases had no more complications related to termination.
      CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of induced abortions among Finnish women with
      schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder is similar to the general population,
      but their risk per pregnancy over two-fold. They need effective, affordable
      family planning services and long-term premeditated contraception.

PMID- 28615120
TI  - Corrigendum to "asynchrony of senescence among phenotypic traits in a wild mammal
      population" [Exp. Gerontol. 71 (2015) 56-68].

PMID- 28615121
TI  - Implications of the getting it right first time initiative for regional knee
      arthroplasty services.
AB  - STUDY AIM: The aim of this case study of regional orthopaedic practice was to
      estimate the potential impact of the GIRFT recommendations (iGIRFT) of minimum
      unit and surgeon specific volumes to orthopaedic units within the Severn Region,
      UK. METHOD: Practice profiles for surgeons and units were generated using the UK
      National Joint Registry Surgeon and Hospital Profile Database. Minimum volume
      thresholds were set at 13 procedures/year for surgeons and 30 procedures/year for
      units. RESULTS: Five thousand five hundred seventeen knee arthroplasty procedures
      were recorded within the Severn Region between 1st of January and 31st December
      2012 and these were performed by 94 surgeons in 18units. During this time, 4232
      (76.7%) primary TKR, 751 (13.6%) primary UKR, 97 (1.7%) primary PFJR and 437
      (7.9%) revision TKR were performed. Median surgeon volumes were 33 (range two to
      180) for primary TKR, ten (range 2 to 64) for UKR, two (range two to 41) for PFJR
      and five (range two to 57) for Revision TKR. Amongst 48 surgeons performing UKR,
      26 (54%) performed less than 13 procedures per year accounting for 108 (14%)
      procedures. Amongst 20 surgeons performing PFJR, 19 (95%) performed <13/year,
      accounting for 56 (58%) of cases. Fifty surgeons performed revision TKR with 37
      (74%) performing <13 revisions per annum, accounting for 151 (35%) procedures.
      Amongst 16units performing UKR, eight (50%) performed <30/year, accounting for
      16% overall. Revision TKR was performed in 15units whilst eight (53%) performed
      <30/year, accounting for 62 (15%) cases. CONCLUSION: We have hypothesised the
      impact of implementing minimum unit and surgeon volume thresholds for the
      organisation of regional arthroplasty services. Our analysis suggests that whilst
      these effects may be considerable, they may be mitigated by local rationalisation
      to achieve an appropriate caseload mix.

PMID- 28615122
TI  - In vitro and in vivo generation of heterophil extracellular traps after
      Salmonella exposure.
AB  - The release of extracellular traps (ETs) by granulocytes is a unique strategy to
      stop the dissemination of microbial pathogens. This study was undertaken to
      elucidate the potential of avian granulocytes (heterophils) to form ETs that can
      arrest and kill Salmonella organisms. After in vitro exposure of isolated
      heterophils and in vivo infection of day-old chicks with Salmonella enterica
      subsp. enterica serovars Infantis (SI) or Enteritidis (SE), the generation of ETs
      as well as the trapping and survivability of Salmonella organisms in the ET
      meshwork were determined by means of microscopy and spectrophotometry. In vitro,
      heterophils were able to form ETs within 15min after SE and SI inoculation. At
      120min and with a multiplicity of infection of 1 and 5, SI induced significantly
      more ETs and DNA release than SE. Both SE and SI were found to be associated with
      the ET structures. Live-dead staining showed most of the microorganisms within
      the extracellular scaffold alive. In vivo, heterophils were detected in cecal
      lumen of SE-, but not SI-infected chicks. In cecum of the SE-exposed chicks, ET
      formations were scarcely detected whereas intact heterophils with phagocytosed
      bacteria were frequently found. The results evidence the capability of
      heterophils to generate ETs after SE and SI exposure in vitro. However, an
      infection of chicks with Salmonella did not significantly induce the formation of
      ET structures in cecum. Thus, the process to form ETs (ETosis) seems not to be of
      special relevance for Salmonella defense within the cecal lumen of young chicks.

PMID- 28615123
TI  - Quantification of equine immunoglobulin A in serum and secretions by a
      fluorescent bead-based assay.
AB  - Only few quantitative reports exist about the concentrations and induction of
      immunoglobulin A (IgA) in mucosal secretions of horses. Despite this, it is
      widely assumed that IgA is the predominant immunoglobulin on mucosal surfaces in
      the horse. Here, two new monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against equine IgA, clones
      84-1 and 161-1, were developed and characterized in detail. Both IgA mAbs
      specifically bound monomeric and dimeric equine IgA in different applications,
      such as Western blots and fluorescent bead-based assays. Cross-reactivity with
      other equine immunoglobulin isotypes was not observed. The new IgA mAb 84-1 was
      used in combination with the previously characterized anti-equine IgA mAb BVS2
      for the development and validation of a fluorescent bead-based assay to quantify
      total IgA in equine serum and various secretions. The IgA assay's linear
      detection ranged from 64pg/ml to 1000ng/ml. For the quantification of IgA in
      serum or in secretions an IgA standard was purified from serum or nasal wash
      fluid (secretory IgA), respectively. The different standards were needed for
      accurate IgA quantification in the respective samples taking the different signal
      intensities of monomeric and dimeric IgA on the florescent bead-based assay into
      account. IgA was quantified by the bead-based assay established here in different
      equine samples of healthy adult individuals. In serum the median total IgA was
      0.45mg/ml for Thoroughbred horses (TB, n=10) and 1.16mg/ml in Icelandic horses
      (ICH, n=12). In nasopharyngeal secretions of TB (n=7) 0.13mg/ml median total IgA
      was measured, and 0.25mg/ml for ICH (n=12). Saliva of ICH (n=6) contained a
      median of 0.15mg/ml, colostrum of Warmbloods (n=8) a median of 1.89mg/ml IgA.
      Compared to IgG1 and IgG4/7 quantified in the same samples, IgA appeared as the
      major immunoglobulin isotype in nasopharyngeal secretions and saliva while it is
      a minor isotype in serum and colostrum. The newly developed monoclonal antibodies
      against equine IgA and the resulting bead-based assay for quantification of total
      IgA can notably improve the evaluation of mucosal immunity in horses.

PMID- 28615124
TI  - Blood and milk polymorphonuclear leukocyte and monocyte/macrophage functions in
      naturally caprine arthritis encephalitis virus infection in dairy goats.
AB  - The exact influence of caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) infection on
      blood and milk polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) and monocyte/macrophages of
      goats remains unclear. Thus, the present study sought to explore the blood and
      milk PMNL and monocyte/macrophage functions in naturally CAEV-infected goats. The
      present study used 18 healthy Saanen goats that were segregated according to sera
      test outcomes into serologically CAEV negative (n=8; 14 halves) and positive
      (n=10; 14 halves) groups. All milk samples from mammary halves with milk
      bacteriologically positive outcomes, somatic cell count >=2*106cellsmL-1, and
      abnormal secretions in the strip cup test were excluded. We evaluated the
      percentage of blood and milk PMNLs and monocyte/macrophages, the viability of
      PMNLs and monocyte/macrophages, the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) and the nonopsonized phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus and
      Escherichia coli by flow cytometry. In the present study, a higher percentage of
      milk macrophages (CD14+) and milk polymorphonuclear leukocytes undergoing late
      apoptosis or necrosis (Annexin-V+/Propidium iodide+) was observed in CAEV
      infected goats; we did not find any further alterations in blood and milk PMNL
      and monocyte/macrophage functions. Thus, regarding our results, the goats
      naturally infected with CAEV did not reveal pronounced dysfunctions in blood and
      milk polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes/macrophages.

PMID- 28615125
TI  - Effect of Mycoplasma bovis on bovine neutrophils.
AB  - Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) is a small bacterium that lacks a cell wall. M. bovis
      infection results in chronic pneumonia and polyarthritis syndrome (CPPS), otitis
      media, conjunctivitis, and meningitis in feedlot cattle and mastitis in dairy
      cattle. Numerous studies of peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) indicate that M.
      bovis evades host immunity through targeted effects on immune cell activity,
      including inhibition of effector function and simultaneous aberrant activation of
      immune cell activity that has no effect on protection against the bacterium. Few
      studies have addressed the interaction between M. bovis and neutrophils, one of
      the most important cell subsets of innate immunity. We hypothesized that M. bovis
      modifies specific neutrophil activities to support its persistence and systemic
      dissemination. In this study, we demonstrate that M. bovis enhances neutrophil
      apoptosis, stimulates production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-12 and TNF
      alpha, inhibits production of nitric oxide (NO) but augments elastase release. We
      also show that IL-17 an inflammatory cytokine produced by Th-17 cells does not
      enhance the capacity of neutrophils to destroy M. bovis. These findings present
      novel mechanisms of mycoplasma evasion of host innate immunity and provide
      potential opportunities for immuno-therapeutic interventions.

PMID- 28615126
TI  - Unveiling the participation of avian kinin ornithokinin and its receptors in the
      chicken inflammatory response.
AB  - Vasoactive peptides are key early mediators of inflammation released through
      activation of different enzymatic systems. The mammalian kinin-kallikrein (K-KLK)
      system produces bradykinin (BK) through proteolytic cleavage of a kininogen
      precursor by enzymes named kallikreins. BK acts through specific ubiquitous G
      protein coupled receptors (B1R and B2R) to participate in physiological processes
      and inflammatory responses, such as activation of mononuclear phagocytes. In
      chickens, the BK-like nonapeptide ornithokinin (OK) has been shown to promote
      intracellular calcium increase in embryonic fibroblasts and to be vasodilatory in
      vivo. Also, one of its receptors (B2R) was already cloned. However, the
      participation of chicken K-KLK system components in the inflammatory response
      remains unknown and was therefore investigated. We first showed that B1R, B2R and
      kininogen 1 (KNG1) are expressed in unstimulated chicken tissues and macrophages.
      We next showed that chicken B1R and B2R are expressed at transcript and protein
      levels in chicken macrophages and are upregulated by E. coli LPS or avian
      pathogenic E. coli (APEC) infection. Interestingly, exogenous OK induced
      internalization and degradation of OK receptors protein, notably B2R. Also, OK
      induced intracellular calcium increase and potentiated zymosan-induced ROS
      production and Dextran-FITC endocytosis by chicken macrophages. Exogenous OK
      itself did not promote APEC killing and had no pro-inflammatory effect. However,
      when combined with LPS or APEC, OK upregulated cytokine/chemokine gene expression
      and NO production by chicken macrophages. This effect was not blocked by
      canonical non-peptide B1R or B2R receptor antagonists but was GPCR- and PI3K/Akt
      dependent. In vivo, pulmonary colibacillosis led to upregulation of OK receptors
      expression in chicken lungs and liver. Also, colibacillosis led to significant
      upregulation of OK precursor KNG1 expression in liver and in cultured hepatocytes
      (LMH). We therefore provide hitherto unknown information on how OK and its
      receptors are involved in inflammation and infection in chickens.

PMID- 28615127
TI  - Effect of feeding Lipopolysaccharide as an immunostimulant on immune response and
      immune gene expression of Labeo bata.
AB  - This study investigates the effects of dietary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as an
      immunostimulant on hematology, innate immunity, immune gene expression and
      protection against Edwardsiella tarda on Labeo bata. A basal diet supplemented
      with 0, 50, 100 and 150mg LPS kg-1diet was fed to the four different groups for
      30days. The haematological (total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, total
      serum protein, albumin and globulin), innate immune parameters (respiratory
      burst, serum lysozyme, myeloperoxidase and serum bactericidal activity), immune
      gene expression (C3, beta-2 microglobulin, lysozyme g, transferrin, IFN-1, IFN
      gamma) were monitored at 7th, 15th, 30th day and one day post challenge (DPC)
      with E. tarda. All the studied haematological, innate immune parameters and
      expression of immune gene increased significantly (p<=0.05) in LPS fed group in
      comparison with control. However the group fed 100mgkg-1 LPS in feed showed
      highest activity on 7th day and 1DPC. The group fed 100mgkg-1 LPS also recorded
      highest relative percent survivability after challenge with E. tarda. Therefore
      this study suggests that LPS at 100mgkg-1 could be used as an immunostimulant in
      feed to enhance the protection of bata during periods of increased disease risk.

PMID- 28615128
TI  - 17beta-Estradiol and progesterone decrease MDP induced NOD2 expression in bovine
      mammary epithelial cells.
AB  - During the periparturient period, many neuroendocrine changes develop in cows.
      Periparturient hormone fluxes may adversely affect mammary gland immunity and
      mastitis susceptibility. 17beta-Estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) have been
      reported to function on immune regulation, and their concentration fluctuates
      dramatically during the perinatal period. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization
      domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) mediate numerous aspects of innate immunity in
      humans and experimental animals. This study aimed to explore the effects of E2
      and P4 on NOD2 expression in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). BMECs were
      isolated and purified from bovine mammary tissue and treated with E2/P4 and
      muramyl dipeptide (MDP). After these treatments, the mRNA levels of NOD2,
      receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIP) 2, interleukin (IL) 1beta, IL-6, IL-8
      and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha were assessed by quantitative real-time
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) respectively, and the protein levels of NOD2
      were analyzed by western blotting. The results showed that E2 and P4 decreased
      MDP-induced transcriptional expression of NOD2 and the downstream molecules.
      Moreover, E2 reduced MDP-induced NOD2 protein expression levels. Our study
      suggests that down-regulation of NOD2 by E2 and P4 may be one of the reasons for
      mastitis susceptibility in periparturient dairy cows.

PMID- 28615129
TI  - The domestic cat antibody response to feline herpesvirus-1 increases with age.
AB  - Herpesviruses establish lifelong infections, normally characterized by prolonged
      periods of latency with intermittent episodes of viral reactivation. Feline
      herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) infects domestic cats, and epidemiological studies indicate
      that many or most domestic cats are exposed to FHV-1, but the strength and
      longevity of the antibody response to FHV-1 is not fully characterized. Here we
      describe development of an ELISA, using lysates of cat cells infected with FHV-1,
      that measure feline antibodies against FHV-1. The assay is sensitive,
      quantitative and has a large dynamic range. We found that serum anti-FHV-1
      antibodies primarily recognize FHV-1 proteins of the Late (L) class and are
      primarily of the IgG isotype. We then analyzed serum from a cross-sectional
      cohort of 100 client-owned cats that differed in age, sex and vaccination
      history. While there was no difference in FHV-1 antibody responses between
      females and males, antibody levels were significantly increased in older cats in
      comparison with younger animals (p=0.01). Surprisingly, as the length of time
      since the most recent vaccination increased, there was no corresponding drop in
      serum anti-FHV-1 antibody. These data suggest that FHV-1 immunity is very long
      lived and support the current recommendation that many cats do not require
      revaccination against FHV-1 annually.

PMID- 28615130
TI  - Different breeds, different blood: Cytometric analysis of whole blood cellular
      composition in chicken breeds.
AB  - While haematological variation is well known in birds, variation in avian breeds
      (distinct morphotypes of the same species) remains unexplored. Poultry breeds, in
      particular, may show interesting evolutionary patterns and economically-relevant
      physiological differences. We performed a comparative examination of blood
      cellular composition in five chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) breeds: Araucana,
      Booted bantam, Czech, Minorca and Rosecomb bantam. In standard-environment-reared
      hens whole-blood flow cytometry revealed remarkable differences in most
      erythrocyte- and leukocyte-related parameters. We identified two extremes: Czech,
      a European breed, with a low heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and high CD4+
      levels, and Araucana, a South-American breed, with a high H/L ratio and high
      relative monocyte count. Such variation may reflect a combination of artificial
      and natural selection acting on health- and stress-related traits in domestic
      populations. Different breeds have evolved different immunological adaptations
      reflecting their original need to fight pathogens and physiological constraint
      resulting from dissimilar physiological trade-offs.

PMID- 28615131
TI  - Stimulation of colorectal biopsies from miniature dachshunds with inflammatory
      colorectal polyps with toll-like receptor ligands: A pilot study.
AB  - Inflammatory colorectal polyps (ICRPs) in miniature dachshunds (MDs) are a
      possible novel form of breed-specific canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In
      this pilot study, we investigated the effects of different Toll like receptor
      (TLR2, TLR4, TLR5 and TLR9) ligands on pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL
      6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha) gene expression in ex vivo-cultured colorectal samples
      from four MDs with ICRPs and four healthy MDs. At baseline, no significant
      difference in the mRNA expression levels of TLRs and pro-inflammatory cytokines
      was observed between cases and control MDs. After 4-h incubation, the relative
      ratios of TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the TLR2- or TLR4-stimulated colorectal
      samples, and IL-1beta mRNA expression in the TLR9-stimulated colorectal samples
      form cases showed higher tendency compared with healthy MDs (P<0.05), although
      statistically not significant. The results of this pilot study using small number
      of cases indicated that reactivity against TLR2, TLR4 or TLR9 ligand in the
      production of pro-inflammatory cytokines might be enhanced in the colorectal
      mucosa of ICRPs. Further research is needed to perform the functional analysis of
      TLRs in the sole cell population using intestinal epithelial primary culture and
      the mononuclear cells isolated from colonic mucosa.

PMID- 28615132
TI  - Identification of a secondary mutation in the KIT kinase domain correlated with
      imatinib-resistance in a canine mast cell tumor.
AB  - Imatinib-resistance is a major therapeutic problem in human chronic myeloid
      leukemia, human gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and canine mast cell tumors. In
      the present study, we identified the secondary mutation c.2006C>T in c-KIT exon
      14 in a mast cell tumor obtained from a dog carrying c.1663-1671del in exon 11
      and showing resistance to imatinib. The mutation in exon 14 resulted in
      substitution of threonine with isoleucine at position 669, which was located at
      the center of the ATP binding site as a gatekeeper and played an important role
      in binding to imatinib. Transfectants were constructed to survey the functions of
      these mutations in exons 11 and 14. The transfectant with mutant KIT encoded by c
      KIT carrying c.1663-1671del showed constitutive ligand-independent
      phosphorylation that was suppressed by imatinib, indicating a gain-of-function
      mutation. Furthermore, the transfectant with mutant KIT encoded by c-KIT carrying
      both c.1663-1671del and c.2006C>T caused ligand-independent phosphorylation,
      which was not suppressed by imatinib. From these results, we concluded that the
      mutation c.2006C>T in c-KIT exon 14 was an imatinib-resistance mutation in a
      canine mast cell tumor. These findings revealed, for the first time, a mechanism
      of imatinib resistance in a clinical case of canine mast cell tumor.

PMID- 28615133
TI  - Platelet-rich plasma with keratinocytes and fibroblasts enhance healing of full
      thickness wounds.
AB  - Advances in tissue engineering led to the development of various tissue
      engineered skin substitutes (TESS) for the treatment of skin injuries. The
      majority of the autologous TESS required lengthy and costly cell expansion
      process to fabricate. In this study, we determine the possibility of using a low
      density of human skin cells suspended in platelet-rich plasma (PRP)-enriched
      medium to promote the healing of full-thickness skin wounds. To achieve this,
      full-thickness wounds of size 1.767 cm2 were created at the dorsum part of nude
      mice and treated with keratinocytes (2 * 104 cells/cm2) and fibroblasts (3 * 104
      cells/cm2) suspended in 10% PRP-enriched medium. Wound examination was conducted
      weekly and the animals were euthanized after 2 weeks. Gross examination showed
      that re-epithelialization was fastest in the PRP+cells group at both day 7 and
      14, followed by the PRP group and NT group receiving no treatment. Only the
      PRP+cells group achieved complete wound closure by 2 weeks. Epidermal layer was
      presence in the central region of the wound of the PRP+cells and PRP groups but
      absence in the NT group. Comparison between the PRP+cells and PRP groups showed
      that the PRP+cells-treated wound was more mature as indicated by the presence of
      thinner epidermis with single cell layer thick basal keratinocytes and less
      cellular dermis. In summary, the combination of low cell density and diluted PRP
      creates a synergistic effect which expedites the healing of full-thickness
      wounds. This combination has the potential to be developed as a rapid wound
      therapy via the direct application of freshly harvested skin cells in diluted
      PRP.

PMID- 28615134
TI  - Synthesis and biological evaluation of 5-fatty-acylamido-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole-2
      thioglycosides.
AB  - In the present study, the synthesis of 1, 3, 4-thiadiazole-based thioglycosides
      were accomplished in good yields with employing a convergent synthetic route. The
      starting material 5-amino-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole-2-thiol and followed by a series of
      5-fatty-acylamido-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole-2-thiols (4a-4j) were synthesized with
      different fatty acid chlorides. The glycosylation of compounds 4a-4j were
      achieved with trichloroacetimidate methodology. Antimicrobial and cytotoxicity
      activities of title compounds were evaluated. Among the entire compounds lauric
      acid and myristic acid derivatives showed good and moderate antimicrobial
      activity. In case of cytotoxicity results of compounds 8a-8j and 9a-9j, the
      acetate protected short chain (C6:0, C8:0, C10:0) compounds and the free hydroxyl
      long chain saturated (C16:0, C18:0) and unsaturated (C18:1, C22:1) compounds
      exhibited good activity against different cancer cell lines. Further, the free
      hydroxyl compounds 9a, 9c-9j did not show any toxicity towards normal CHO-K1 cell
      line whereas acylated compounds 8a-8j exhibited toxicity.

PMID- 28615135
TI  - Combined therapy for epistaxis by hereditary hemorrhagic teleangiectasia: A 3
      year follow up study on 45 patients.
AB  - Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a mutilating disease associated
      with the majority of patients with recurrent epistaxis episodes. The aim of this
      study was to present a single institution experience with patients treated for
      nasal epistaxis using a combination of Nd:YAG laser and argon plasma coagulation
      (APC) vs Nd:YAG laser alone, with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. 45 patients (21
      men, 24 women) aged from 15 to 84 years with the diagnosis of HHT were treated in
      the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery in Homburg/Saar between
      10/2002 and 10/2012 because of epistaxis, using a combination of Nd:YAG laser and
      APC or Nd:YAG laser alone. The observation period ranged from 36 to 120 months.
      15 patients were treated with Nd:YAG laser alone and 30 patients with combined
      Nd:YAG laser and APC. A revision was necessary in three patients (20%) in the
      Nd:YAG laser group and in nine (33.3%) patients in the combined group. The
      difference between revision rates after the two therapy forms was not
      statistically significant (p = 0.492). Bipolar coagulation was additionally
      applied in 33 patients. There was no statistically significant difference (p =
      1.00) in revision rates between patients who were additionally treated with
      bipolar coagulation and those who did not receive bipolar coagulation as part of
      their treatment. No case of postoperative septal perforation was observed. Nd:YAG
      laser therapy remains an established option for treating treat epistaxis in HHT
      patients.

PMID- 28615136
TI  - Accuracy of measurements used to quantify cranial asymmetry in deformational
      plagiocephaly.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Various measurements are used to quantify cranial asymmetry in
      deformational plagiocephaly (DP), but studies validating cut-off values and
      comparing the accuracy of such measurements are lacking. In this study, we
      compared the accuracy of four different measurements in classifying children with
      and without DP diagnosed by visual assessment, and sought to determine their
      optimal cut-off values. STUDY DESIGN: Two experts rated 407 3D craniofacial
      images of children aged between 3 and 36 months old using the Argenta
      classification. We then measured the following asymmetry-related variables from
      the images: Oblique Cranial Length Ratio (OCLR), Diagonal Difference (DD),
      Posterior Cranial Asymmetry Index (PCAI), and weighted Asymmetry Score (wAS). We
      created receiver operating characteristic curves to evaluate the accuracy of
      these variables. RESULTS: All variables performed well, but OCLR consistently
      provided the best discrimination in terms of area under the curve values.
      Subject's age had no clear effect on the cut-off values for OCLR, PCAI, and wAS;
      however, the cut-off for DD increased monotonically with age. When subjects with
      discrepant expert ratings were excluded, the optimal cut-off values for DP
      (Argenta class >= 1) across all age-groups were 104.0% for OCLR (83% sensitivity,
      97% specificity), 10.5% for PCAI (90% sensitivity, 90% specificity), and 24.5 for
      wAS (88% sensitivity, 90% specificity). CONCLUSION: We recommend using OCLR as
      the primary measurement, although PCAI and wAS may also be useful in monitoring
      cranial asymmetry. The threshold of relative asymmetry required for a deformation
      to appear clinically significant is not affected by the child's age, and DD has
      no additional utility in monitoring DP compared to using only OCLR.

PMID- 28615137
TI  - Stress measurement in surgeons and residents using a smart patch.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stress may negatively affect surgeons' performance during surgical
      procedures, jeopardizing patient safety. For measuring stress, complex methods
      are used that cannot record stress real time. This study reports stress
      measurements in surgeons and residents using a novel patch sensor to identify
      activities and risk factors of stress. METHODS: In this explorative study,
      surgeons and residents wore the HealthPatchTM during all daily activities for 2-3
      days. The patch recorded heart rate variability (HRV), and real time stress
      percentage using a validated algorithm of heart rate (HR) and HRV. The patch was
      compared with self perceived stress reporting using STAI. RESULTS: A significant
      increase in HRV and stress percentage was shown in twenty surgeons and residents
      during surgery in comparison with other activities. Consultants showed lower
      stress levels while operating compared to fellows and residents. Stress according
      to the patch did not correlate with STAI outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous stress
      monitoring using a wearable sensor patch reveals relevant data on actual stress
      of surgeons and residents. Stress was highest performing an operation,
      particularly in fellows and residents.

PMID- 28615138
TI  - Wide versus narrow margins after partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular
      carcinoma: Balancing recurrence risk and liver function.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to compare the outcome after partial
      hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in which a margin less than or
      equal to 5 mm or greater than 5 mm was achieved. METHODS: A review of our 3300
      patient prospective HPB database was performed from 12/2002 to 4/2015. Patients
      were stratified into two groups: resection margins <=5 ("narrow") and >5 mm
      ("wide") as measured on final pathologic assessment. RESULTS: One-hundred thirty
      patients were included in the analysis (margin <=5 mm, n = 41 and margin >5 mm, n
      = 89). At the time of analysis 54 patients had developed 56 recurrences, 15 (37%)
      in the narrow margin group and 41 (46%) in the wide margin group, p = 0.45. The
      pattern of recurrence was similar in the two groups: intrahepatic 11 (79%) versus
      30 (75%), p = 1, and extra-hepatic 6 (43%) versus 17 (43%), p = 1. Median disease
      free survival was similar in both groups, 18.1 versus 19.5 months (p = 0.85).
      CONCLUSIONS: A narrow resection margin (5 mm or less) does not detract from
      oncologic outcomes after partial hepatectomy for HCC. Tailoring resection margins
      may lead to greater preservation of hepatic parenchyma. Factors other than margin
      status represent the driving forces for local and systemic recurrence.

PMID- 28615139
TI  - The impact of marriage and parenthood on male body mass index: Static and dynamic
      effects.
AB  - RATIONALE: Numerous cross-sectional studies investigated the link between marital
      status and BMI in the context of competing social science theories (marriage
      market, marriage selection, marriage protection and social obligation),
      frequently offering conflicting theoretical predictions and conflicting empirical
      findings. OBJECTIVE: This study analysed the effects of marriage, divorce,
      pregnancy, and parenthood on male BMI in a longitudinal setting, avoiding the
      estimation bias of cross-sectional studies and allowing for an analysis of BMI
      fluctuation over time and the dynamic effects of these events. METHOD: Using the
      Panel Study of Income Dynamics 1999-2013 dataset (N = 8729), this study was the
      first to employ a dynamic panel-data estimation to examine the static and dynamic
      effects of marriage, divorce, and fatherhood on male BMI. RESULTS: The study
      showed that married men have higher BMI, but marital status changes largely drove
      this static effect, namely, an increase in BMI in the period following marriage,
      and a decrease in BMI preceding and following divorce. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, this
      study found marked evidence in support of the marriage market and social
      obligation theories' predictions about male BMI, and supports neither marriage
      protection theory nor marriage selection theory. Wives' pregnancies had no
      significant effect on BMI; instead, men tend to have higher BMI in the periods
      following childbirth. Finally, analyses showed marked contemporaneous
      correlations between husband and wife BMI over the course of marriage.

PMID- 28615140
TI  - Imaging features of myeloproliferative neoplasms.
AB  - Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a heterogeneous group of haematological
      disorders including polycythaemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythaemia (ET),
      primary myelofibrosis (PMF), and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). These disorders
      show large overlap in genetic and clinical presentations, and can have many
      different imaging manifestations. Unusual thromboses, embolic events throughout
      the systemic or pulmonary vasculature, or osseous findings can often be clues to
      the underlying disease. There is limited literature about the imaging features of
      these disorders, and this may result in under-diagnosis. Multiple treatments are
      available for symptom control, and the development of multiple new
      pharmacological inhibitors has significantly improved morbidity and prognosis.
      Knowledge of these conditions may enable the radiologist to suggest an MPN as a
      possible underlying cause for certain imaging findings, particularly unexplained
      splanchnic venous thrombosis, i.e. in the absence of chronic liver disease or
      pancreatitis. The aim of the present review is to outline using examples the
      different categories of MPN and illustrate the variety of radiological findings
      associated with these diseases.

PMID- 28615141
TI  - Diagnostic capability of feature-tracking cardiovascular magnetic resonance to
      detect infarcted segments: a comparison with tagged magnetic resonance and wall
      thickening analysis.
AB  - AIM: To examine the diagnostic capabilities of feature-tracking cardiovascular
      magnetic resonance (FT-CMR), tagged cine magnetic resonance (MR), and wall
      thickening (WT) analyses to detect infarcted segments in patients with
      established myocardial infarction (MI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients
      with established MI were selected retrospectively and the peak endocardial
      circumferential strain (CS) was quantified based on the 16-segment model.
      According to CMR with late gadolinium enhancement, segments were categorised as
      transmural MI, subendocardial MI, and no MI. RESULTS: A total of 320 segments (62
      transmural MI, 50 subendocardial MI, and 208 no MI) were analysed. Peak
      endocardial CS was significantly lower for transmural MI compared with
      subendocardial MI (p<0.05) and no MI (p<0.001). Cut-off values of -11.2% for CS
      by FTCMR, -10.9% for CS by tagged MR, and 23.8% for %WT, differentiated between
      infarcted and non-infarcted segments with a sensitivity of 72%, 71%, and 56%;
      specificity of 71%, 75%, and 67%; accuracy of 72%, 73%, and 63%; positive
      predictive value of 57%, 60%, and 48%; negative predictive value of 83%, 83%, and
      74%; and an area-under-the-curve of 0.77, 0.79, and 0.64, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: FT-CMR was diagnostically superior to %WT, and could differentiate
      between subendocardial and transmural MI. Unlike tagged MR, FT-CMR did not
      require the acquisition of additional sequences.

PMID- 28615143
TI  - Monocyte/macrophage and T cell activation markers are not independently
      associated with MI risk in healthy individuals - results from the HUNT Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that circulating markers reflecting
      monocyte/macrophage and T cell activation are associated with increased risk of
      myocardial infarction (MI) in apparently healthy individuals. METHODS: Serum
      monocyte/macrophage and T cell activation markers soluble (s) CD163, sCD14,
      Gal3BP, sCD25 and sCD166 were analyzed by enzyme-immunoassay in a case-control
      study nested within the population-based HUNT2 cohort in Norway. Among 58,761
      apparently healthy men and women followed a median 11.3years, 1587 incident MI
      cases were registered, and compared to 3959 age- and sex-matched controls.
      RESULTS: Higher serum sCD163 (Q4 vs. Q1 OR: 1.27, P-trend 0.002), sCD14 (Q4 vs.
      Q1 OR: 1.38, P-trend<0.001), and especially sCD25 (Q4 vs. Q1 OR: 1.45, P
      trend<0.001), were associated with increased MI risk in the age-and sex adjusted
      models. However, after additional adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors
      these associations were strongly attenuated (Q4 vs Q1 ORs between 1.02 and 1.12,
      P-trends between 0.30 and 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: sCD163, sCD14 and sCD25 may reflect
      leukocyte activation and inflammatory mechanisms related to atherogenesis, but do
      not predict MI risk above and beyond conventional cardiovascular risk factors.

PMID- 28615142
TI  - Overexpression of KCNJ2 in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes
      for the assessment of QT-prolonging drugs.
AB  - Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes hold great
      potentials to predict pro-arrhythmic risks in preclinical cardiac safety
      screening, although the hiPSC cardiomyocytes exhibit rather immature functional
      and structural characteristics, including spontaneous activity. Our physiological
      characterization and mathematical simulation showed that low expression of the
      inward-rectifier potassium (IK1) channel is a determinant of spontaneous
      activity. To understand impact of the low IK1 expression on the pharmacological
      properties, we tested if transduction of hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with KCNJ2,
      which encodes the IK1 channel, alters pharmacological response to cardiac
      repolarization processes. The transduction of KCNJ2 resulted in quiescent hiPSC
      derived cardiomyocytes, which need pacing to elicit action potentials.
      Significant prolongation of paced action potential duration in KCNJ2-transduced
      hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes was stably measured at 0.1 MUM E-4031, although the
      same concentration of E-4031 ablated firing of non-treated hiPSC-derived
      cardiomyocytes. These results in single cells were confirmed by mathematical
      simulations. Using the hiPSC-derived cardiac sheets with KCNJ2-transduction, we
      also investigated effects of a range of drugs on field potential duration
      recorded at 1 Hz. The KCNJ2 overexpression in hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes may
      contribute to evaluate a part of QT-prolonging drugs at toxicological
      concentrations with high accuracy.

PMID- 28615144
TI  - Obstructive acute renal failure by severe gastric distension after binge.
AB  - Binge eating occurs in patients with eating disorders and can result in metabolic
      complications, leading to gastric rupture or necrosis. However, organ failure as
      acute renal failure is rarely observed. We report the case of an overeating
      episode resulting in massive gastric dilatation and acute renal failure with
      abdominal pressure and bilateral ureteral obstruction. The outcome was favorable
      with gastric aspiration and fasting.

PMID- 28615145
TI  - Early initiation of low-dose hydrocortisone treatment for septic shock in adults:
      A randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physiologic dose hydrocortisone is part of the suggested adjuvant
      therapies for patients with septic shock. However, the association between the
      corticosteroid therapy and mortality in patients with septic shock is still not
      clear. Some authors considered that the mortality is related to the time frame
      between development of septic shock and start of low dose hydrocortisone. Thus we
      designed a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to assess the importance
      of early initiation of low dose hydrocortisone for the final outcome. METHODS: A
      total of 118 patients with septic shock were recruited in the study. All eligible
      patients were randomized to receive hydrocortisone (n=58) or normal saline
      (n=60). The study medication (hydrocortisone and normal saline) was initiated
      simultaneously with vasopressors. The primary end-point was 28-day mortality. The
      secondary end-points were the reversal of shock, in-hospital mortality and the
      duration of ICU and hospital stay. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with
      reversal of shock was similar in the two groups (P=0.602); There were no
      significant differences in 28-day or hospital all-cause mortality; length of stay
      in the ICU or hospital between patients treated with hydrocortisone or normal
      saline. CONCLUSION: The early initiation of low-dose of hydrocortisone did not
      decrease the risk of mortality, and the length of stay in the ICU or hospital in
      adults with septic shock. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.govNCT02580240.

PMID- 28615146
TI  - Novel insights into acute kidney injury-chronic kidney disease continuum and the
      role of renin-angiotensin system.
AB  - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an independent risk factor for chronic kidney
      disease (CKD). If injury is mild, a repair process can be adaptive and lead to
      complete renal recovery. However, severe injury will be accompanied by a
      maladaptive repair which usually leads to nephron loss, fibrosis, vascular
      rarefaction, and chronic inflammation. Although various mechanisms underlying AKI
      CKD transition have been explored, no intervention has been proved effective to
      block the transition until very recently. A lack of consensus for monitoring
      renal function and defining renal recovery after AKI should be the reasons for
      the slow advance in the discovery of a timely pharmacologic treatment to block
      AKI-CKD transition. Recently, animal studies have shown the activation of renin
      angiotensin system (RAS) after AKI. In patients with complete renal recovery
      after AKI defined as the decrease of serum creatinine level to within 0.3 mg/dL
      above the baseline, administration of RAS inhibitor can prevent the ensuing CKD.
      In this review, we will discuss the renal recovery after AKI and the mechanisms
      underlying AKI-CKD transition. We will then highlight the promising effect of RAS
      inhibitor on CKD prevention in patients with complete renal recovery from AKI
      based on the recent clinical evidence.

PMID- 28615148
TI  - Echocardiographic assessments of longitudinal left ventricular function in
      healthy English Springer spaniels.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To establish reference intervals for echocardiographic measures of
      longitudinal left ventricular function in adult English Springer spaniel (ESS)
      dogs. ANIMALS: This study involved 42 healthy adult ESS. METHODS: Animals were
      prospectively recruited from a general practice population in the United Kingdom.
      Dogs were examined twice, at least 12 months apart, to exclude dogs with
      progressive cardiac disease. Mitral annular plane systolic excursion, tissue
      Doppler imaging mitral annular velocities and two-dimensional speckle-tracking
      echocardiographic left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate were
      measured. Intraoperator and intraobserver variability were examined and reference
      intervals were calculated. The potential effects of body weight, age and heart
      rate on these variables were examined. RESULTS: Intraoperator and intraobserver
      variability was <10% for all parameters except tissue Doppler imaging E' (the
      peak velocity of early diastolic mitral annular motion as determined by pulsed
      wave Doppler) and two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiographic variables,
      which were all <20%. Thirty-nine dogs were used to create reference intervals.
      Significant (but mostly weak) effects of age, heart rate and body weight on were
      detected. Reference intervals were similar to previously published values in
      different breeds. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Breed specific reference intervals for
      measures of longitudinal left ventricular function in the ESS are presented.

PMID- 28615147
TI  - HIV-Specific B Cell Frequency Correlates with Neutralization Breadth in Patients
      Naturally Controlling HIV-Infection.
AB  - HIV-specific broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) have been isolated from
      patients with high viremia but also from HIV controllers that repress HIV-1
      replication. In these elite controllers (ECs), multiple parameters contribute to
      viral suppression, including genetic factors and immune responses. Defining the
      immune correlates associated with the generation of bnAbs may help in designing
      efficient immunotherapies. In this study, in ECs either positive or negative for
      the HLA-B*57 protective allele, in treated HIV-infected and HIV-negative
      individuals, we characterized memory B cell compartments and HIV-specific memory
      B cells responses using flow cytometry and ELISPOT. ECs preserved their memory B
      cell compartments and in contrast to treated patients, maintained detectable HIV
      specific memory B cell responses. All ECs presented IgG1+ HIV-specific memory B
      cells but some individuals also preserved IgG2+ or IgG3+ responses. Importantly,
      we also analyzed the capacity of sera from ECs to neutralize a panel of HIV
      strains including transmitted/founder virus. 29% and 21% of HLA-B*57+ and HLA
      B*57- ECs, respectively, neutralized at least 40% of the viral strains tested.
      Remarkably, in HLA-B*57+ ECs the frequency of HIV-Env-specific memory B cells
      correlated positively with the neutralization breadth suggesting that
      preservation of HIV-specific memory B cells might contribute to the neutralizing
      responses in these patients.

PMID- 28615150
TI  - Metformin in type 1 diabetes.

PMID- 28615151
TI  - Parkinson's disease patient preference and experience with various methods of DBS
      lead placement.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Physiology-guided deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery requires
      patients to be awake during a portion of the procedure, which may be poorly
      tolerated. Interventional MRI-guided (iMRI) DBS surgery was developed to use real
      time image guidance, obviating the need for patients to be awake during lead
      placement. METHODS: All English-speaking adults with PD who underwent iMRI DBS
      between 2010 and 2014 at our Center were invited to participate. Subjects
      completed a structured interview that explored perioperative preferences and
      experiences. We compared these responses to patients who underwent the physiology
      guided method, matched for age and gender. RESULTS: Eighty-nine people with PD
      completed the study. Of those, 40 underwent iMRI, 44 underwent physiology-guided
      implantation, and five underwent both methods. There were no significant
      differences in baseline characteristics between groups. The primary reason for
      choosing iMRI DBS was a preference to be asleep during implantation due to: 1) a
      history of claustrophobia; 2) concerns about the potential for discomfort during
      the awake physiology-guided procedure in those with an underlying pain syndrome
      or severe off-medication symptoms; or 3) non-specific fear about being awake
      during neurosurgery. CONCLUSION: Participants were satisfied with both DBS
      surgery methods. However, identification of the factors associated with a
      preference for iMRI DBS may allow for optimization of patient experience and
      satisfaction when choices of surgical methods for DBS implantation are available.

PMID- 28615152
TI  - A Qualitative Analysis of How Online Access to Mental Health Notes Is Changing
      Clinician Perceptions of Power and the Therapeutic Relationship.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As part of the national OpenNotes initiative, the Veterans Health
      Administration (VHA) provides veterans online access to their clinical progress
      notes, raising concern in mental health settings. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this
      study was to examine the perspectives and experiences of mental health clinicians
      with OpenNotes to better understand how OpenNotes may be affecting mental health
      care. METHODS: We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 28 VHA
      mental health clinicians and nurses. Transcripts were analyzed using a thematic
      analysis approach, which allows for both inductive and deductive themes to be
      explored using an iterative, constant comparative coding process. RESULTS:
      OpenNotes is changing VHA mental health care in ways that mental health
      clinicians perceive as both challenging and beneficial. At the heart of these
      changes is a shifting power distribution within the patient-clinician
      relationship. Some clinicians view OpenNotes as an opportunity to better partner
      with patients, whereas others feel that it has the potential to undo the
      therapeutic relationship. Many clinicians are uncomfortable with OpenNotes, but
      acknowledge that this discomfort could both improve and diminish care and
      documentation practices. Specifically, we found that (1) OpenNotes is empowering
      patients, (2) OpenNotes is affecting how clinicians build and maintain the
      therapeutic relationship, and (3) mental health clinicians are adjusting their
      practices to protect patients and themselves from adverse consequences of
      OpenNotes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that future research should monitor
      whether OpenNotes notes facilitates stronger patient-clinician relationships,
      enhancing patient-centered mental health care, or diminishes the quality of
      mental health care through disruptions in the therapeutic relationship and
      reduced documentation.

PMID- 28615149
TI  - Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of metformin in patients with type 1
      diabetes (REMOVAL): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metformin might reduce insulin requirement and improve glycaemia in
      patients with type 1 diabetes, but whether it has cardiovascular benefits is
      unknown. We aimed to investigate whether metformin treatment (added to titrated
      insulin therapy) reduced atherosclerosis, as measured by progression of common
      carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), in adults with type 1 diabetes at
      increased risk for cardiovascular disease. METHODS: REMOVAL was a double-blind,
      placebo-controlled trial undertaken at 23 hospital diabetes clinics in five
      countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the UK). Adults aged
      40 years and older with type 1 diabetes of at least 5 years' duration and at
      least three of ten specific cardiovascular risk factors were randomly assigned
      (via an interactive voice response system) to oral metformin 1000 mg twice daily
      or placebo. Participants and site staff were masked to treatment allocation. The
      primary outcome was averaged mean far-wall cIMT, quantified annually for 3 years,
      analysed in a modified intention-to-treat population (all randomly assigned
      participants with post-randomisation data available for the outcome of interest
      at any given timepoint, irrespective of subsequent adherence or study
      participation), using repeated measures regression. Secondary outcomes were
      HbA1c, LDL cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), incident
      microalbuminuria (not reported), incident retinopathy, bodyweight, insulin dose,
      and endothelial function, also analysed in all participants with post
      randomisation data available for the outcome of interest at any given timepoint.
      This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01483560. FINDINGS:
      Between Dec 14, 2011, and June 24, 2014, 493 participants entered a 3 month run
      in to optimise risk factor and glycaemic control (single-blind placebo in the
      final month). Of 428 randomly assigned patients, 219 were allocated to metformin
      and 209 to placebo. Progression of mean cIMT was not significantly reduced with
      metformin (-0.005 mm per year, 95% CI -0.012 to 0.002; p=0.1664), although
      maximal cIMT (a prespecified tertiary outcome) was significantly reduced (-0.013
      mm per year, -0.024 to -0.003; p=0.0093). HbA1c (mean 8.1% [SD 0.9] for metformin
      and 8.0% [0.8] for placebo at baseline) was reduced on average over 3 years by
      metformin (-0.13%, 95% CI -0.22 to -0.037; p=0.0060), but this was accounted for
      by a reduction at the 3-month timepoint (-0.24%, -0.34 to -0.13; p<0.0001) that
      was not sustained thereafter (p=0.0163 for visit-by-treatment interaction).
      Bodyweight (-1.17 kg, 95% CI -1.66 to -0.69; p<0.0001) and LDL cholesterol (-0.13
      mmol/L, -0.24 to -0.03; p=0.0117) were reduced with metformin over 3 years of
      treatment, and eGFR was increased (4.0 mL/min per 1.73m2, 2.19 to 5.82;
      p<0.0001). Insulin requirement was not reduced on average over 3 years (-0.005
      units per kg, 95% CI -0.022 to 0.012; p=0.545), but there was a significant visit
      by-treatment interaction (p=0.0018). There was no effect on endothelial function
      as measured by reactive hyperaemia index, or on retinopathy. Discontinuation of
      treatment in 59 (27%) participants on metformin versus 26 (12%) on placebo
      (p=0.0002) was mainly due to an excess of gastrointestinal adverse effects, and
      there was no increase in hypoglycaemia with metformin. Five deaths occurred among
      patients allocated to metformin and two occurred among those allocated to
      placebo; none were judged by site principal investigators to be related to study
      medication. INTERPRETATION: These data do not support use of metformin to improve
      glycaemic control in adults with long-standing type 1 diabetes as suggested by
      current guidelines, but suggest that it might have a wider role in cardiovascular
      risk management. FUNDING: JDRF.

PMID- 28615153
TI  - "Click for Closer Care": A Content Analysis of Community Pharmacy Websites in
      Four Countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Combinations of professional and commercial communication are
      typically very controversial, particularly in health care communication on the
      Internet. Websites of licensed community pharmacies on the other hand tend to
      raise remarkably little controversy, although they typically contain
      controversial combinations of clinical and commercial services previously
      unprecedented in professional health care communication. OBJECTIVE: The aim of
      this study was to fill the void of knowledge about the combination of clinical
      and commercial services presented on the websites of licensed community
      pharmacies. METHODS: A content analysis of clinical and commercial services
      presented in a random sample of 200 licensed community pharmacy websites from
      Great Britain, the Netherlands, the Canadian provinces British Columbia and
      Manitoba, and the Australian states New South Wales and Western Australia was
      conducted. RESULTS: The top five specific services mentioned on the community
      pharmacy websites were cosmetic products (126/200, 63.0%), medication refill
      request options (124/200, 62.0%), over-the-counter medicine (115/200, 57.5%),
      complementary and alternative medicine (107/200, 53.5%), and home medical aids
      (98/200, 49.0%). On average, 72.5% (145/200) of the community pharmacy websites
      across the 4 countries included a combination of clinical and commercial
      services. A combination of clinical and commercial services was more often
      present on chain pharmacy websites (120/147, 82.8%) than single pharmacy websites
      (25/53, 47%; P<.001), and most often on the Canadian community pharmacy websites,
      followed by the Australian, British, and Dutch pharmacy websites, respectively
      (P<.02). Furthermore, more than half of the pharmacies' homepages contained a
      combination of clinical and commercial images (107/200, 53.5%), and almost half
      of the homepage menus contained a combination of clinical and commercial items
      (99/200, 49.5%). The latter were, again, more common on chain pharmacy than
      single pharmacy websites (P<.001), with significant differences between countries
      (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: A considerable share of websites of licensed community
      pharmacies in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, and Australia combine
      clinical services with commercial services. Previous research into the presence
      of a combination of commercial and professional services suggests that such a
      combination may lead to increased interest in commercial services that may be
      unnecessary or inappropriate to patients' health.

PMID- 28615154
TI  - Mobile Apps for Eye Care in Canada: An Analysis of the iTunes Store.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mobile phone screens can facilitate stimulation to various components
      of the visual system and many mobile apps are accepted as a means of providing
      clinical assessments for the oculo-visual system. Although many of these apps are
      intended for use in clinical settings, there is a growing number of apps in eye
      care developed for self-tests and eye exercises for lay people. These and other
      features, however, have not yet been well described. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was
      to identify, describe, and categorize mobile apps related to eye care that are
      available to users in the Canadian iTunes market. METHODS: We conducted an
      extensive search of the Apple iTunes Store for apps related to eye care. We used
      the terms "eye," "eye care," "vision," and "eye test" and included apps that are
      targeted at both lay people and medical professionals. We excluded apps whose
      primary function is not related to eye care. Eligible apps were categorized by
      primary purpose, based on how they were described by their developers in the
      iTunes Store. RESULTS: Our search yielded 10,657 apps, of which 427 met our
      inclusion criteria. After removing duplicates, 355 unique apps were subject to
      further review. We assigned the eligible apps to three distinct categories:
      39/355 apps (11.0%) were intended for use by medical professionals, 236 apps
      (66.5%, 236/355) were intended for use by lay people, and 80 apps (22.5%, 80/355)
      were intended for marketing eye care and eye-care products. We identified 9
      subcategories of apps based on the descriptions of their primary functions. Apps
      for medical professionals fell into three subcategories: clinical calculators
      (n=6), clinical diagnostic tools (n=18), and education and networking apps for
      professionals (n=15). Apps for lay people fell into four subcategories: self
      testing (n=153), eye exercises (n=30), patient tools and low vision aids (n=35),
      and apps for patient education (n=18). Mixed-use apps (n=80) were placed into two
      subcategories: marketing of individual practitioners or eye-care products (n=72)
      and marketing of multiple eye-care products or professional services.
      CONCLUSIONS: The most extensive subcategory pertaining to eye care consisted of
      apps for use by lay people, especially for conducting self-tests (n=236). This
      study revealed a previously uncharacterized category of apps intended for use by
      doctors and patients, of which the primary goal is marketing of eye-care services
      and products (n=80).

PMID- 28615155
TI  - Experiences From Developing and Upgrading a Web-Based Surveillance System for
      Malaria Elimination in Cambodia.
AB  - Strengthening the surveillance component is key toward achieving country-wide
      malaria elimination in Cambodia. A Web-based upgraded malaria information system
      (MIS) was deemed to essentially act as the central component for surveillance
      strengthening. New functionality (eg, data visualization) and operational (eg,
      data quality) attributes of the system received particular attention. However,
      building from the lessons learned in previous systems' developments, other
      aspects unique to Cambodia were considered to be equally important; for instance,
      feasibility issues, particularly at the field level (eg, user acceptability at
      various health levels), and sustainability needs (eg, long-term system
      flexibility). The Cambodian process of identifying the essential changes and
      critical attributes for this new information system can provide a model for other
      countries at various stages of the disease control and elimination continuum.
      Sharing these experiences not only facilitates the establishment of "best
      practices" but also accelerates global and regional malaria elimination efforts.
      In this article, Cambodia's experience in developing and upgrading its MIS to
      remain responsive to country-specific needs demonstrates the necessity for
      considering functionality, operationalization, feasibility, and sustainability of
      an information system in the context of malaria elimination.

PMID- 28615156
TI  - Dr Google Is Here to Stay but Health Care Professionals Are Still Valued: An
      Analysis of Health Care Consumers' Internet Navigation Support Preferences.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Internet offers great opportunities for consumers to be informed
      about their health. However, concerns have been raised regarding its impact on
      the traditional health consumer-health professional relationship. Our recent
      survey of 400 Australian adults identified that over half of consumers required
      some form of navigational support in locating appropriate Web-based health
      information. We propose that support provided by health professionals would be
      preferred by consumers; this preference is regardless of whether consumers have a
      need for navigational support. Secondary analysis of the survey dataset is
      presented here to quantify consumer-reported support preferences and barriers
      when navigating Web-based health information. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to
      quantitatively identify consumers' support preferences for locating Web-based
      health information and their barriers when navigating Web-based health
      information. We also aimed to compare such preferences and barriers between
      consumers identified as needing and not needing support when locating Web-based
      health information. METHODS: Chi-square (chi2) tests identified whether each
      listed support preference differed between subgroups of consumers classified as
      needing (n=205, 51.3%) or not needing (n=195, 48.8%) navigational support; degree
      of association, via phi coefficient (phi) tests, were also considered to
      ascertain the likely practical significance of any differences. This was repeated
      for each listed barrier. Free-text responses regarding additional support
      preferences were descriptively analyzed and compared with the quantitative
      findings to provide a richer understanding of desired support for health
      information searches. RESULTS: Of the 400 respondents, the most preferred mode of
      navigational support was involvement of health professionals; this was reported
      by participants identified as needing and not needing navigational support. While
      there was a significant difference between groups, the degree of association was
      small (chi21 [N=400]=13.2; P<.001; phi=.18). Qualitative data from the free-text
      responses supported consumers' desire for health professional involvement. The
      two most commonly reported barriers when navigating desired Web-based health
      information were (1) volume of available information and (2) inconsistency of
      information between sources; these were reported by participants with and without
      a need for navigational support. While participants identified with a need for
      navigational support were more likely to report volume (chi21 [N=387]= 4.40;
      P=.04; phi=.11) and inconsistency of information (chi21 [N=387]= 16.10, P<.001,
      phi=.20) as barriers, the degrees of association were small to moderate.
      CONCLUSIONS: Despite concerns in the literature that the popularity of the
      Internet could compromise the health consumer-health professional relationship,
      our findings suggest the contrary. Our findings showed that health professionals
      were found to be the most commonly preferred mode of navigational support, even
      among consumers classified as not needing navigational support. Further research
      into how health professionals could assist consumers with Web-based health
      information seeking could strengthen the health consumer-health professional
      relationship amidst the growing use of "Dr Google."

PMID- 28615157
TI  - Designing, Prototyping and Evaluating Digital Mindfulness Applications: A Case
      Study of Mindful Breathing for Stress Reduction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: During the past decade, there has been a rapid increase of
      interactive apps designed for health and well-being. Yet, little research has
      been published on developing frameworks for design and evaluation of digital
      mindfulness facilitating technologies. Moreover, many existing digital
      mindfulness applications are purely software based. There is room for further
      exploration and assessment of designs that make more use of physical qualities of
      artifacts. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to develop and test a new physical digital
      mindfulness prototype designed for stress reduction. METHODS: In this case study,
      we designed, developed, and evaluated HU, a physical digital mindfulness
      prototype designed for stress reduction. In the first phase, we used vapor and
      light to support mindful breathing and invited 25 participants through snowball
      sampling to test HU. In the second phase, we added sonification. We deployed a
      package of probes such as photos, diaries, and cards to collect data from users
      who explored HU in their homes. Thereafter, we evaluated our installation using
      both self-assessed stress levels and heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability
      (HRV) measures in a pilot study, in order to measure stress resilience effects.
      After the experiment, we performed a semistructured interview to reflect on HU
      and investigate the design of digital mindfulness apps for stress reduction.
      RESULTS: The results of the first phase showed that 22 of 25 participants (88%)
      claimed vapor and light could be effective ways of promoting mindful breathing.
      Vapor could potentially support mindful breathing better than light (especially
      for mindfulness beginners). In addition, a majority of the participants mentioned
      sound as an alternative medium. In the second phase, we found that participants
      thought that HU could work well for stress reduction. We compared the effect of
      silent HU (using light and vapor without sound) and sonified HU on 5
      participants. Subjective stress levels were statistically improved with both
      silent and sonified HU. The mean value of HR using silent HU was significantly
      lower than resting baseline and sonified HU. The mean value of root mean square
      of differences (RMSSD) using silent HU was significantly higher than resting
      baseline. We found that the differences between our objective and subjective
      assessments were intriguing and prompted us to investigate them further.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our evaluation of HU indicated that HU could facilitate relaxed
      breathing and stress reduction. There was a difference in outcome between the
      physiological measures of stress and the subjective reports of stress, as well as
      a large intervariability among study participants. Our conclusion is that the use
      of stress reduction tools should be customized and that the design work of
      mindfulness technology for stress reduction is a complex process, which requires
      cooperation of designers, HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) experts and
      clinicians.

PMID- 28615158
TI  - Somatosensory Modulation of Salivary Gene Expression and Oral Feeding in Preterm
      Infants: Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite numerous medical advances in the care of at-risk preterm
      neonates, oral feeding still represents one of the first and most advanced
      neurological challenges facing this delicate population. Objective, quantitative,
      and noninvasive assessment tools, as well as neurotherapeutic strategies, are
      greatly needed in order to improve feeding and developmental outcomes. Pulsed
      pneumatic orocutaneous stimulation has been shown to improve nonnutritive sucking
      (NNS) skills in preterm infants who exhibit delayed or disordered nipple feeding
      behaviors. Separately, the study of the salivary transcriptome in neonates has
      helped identify biomarkers directly linked to successful neonatal oral feeding
      behavior. The combination of noninvasive treatment strategies and transcriptomic
      analysis represents an integrative approach to oral feeding in which rapid
      technological advances and personalized transcriptomics can safely and
      noninvasively be brought to the bedside to inform medical care decisions and
      improve care and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to conduct a multicenter
      randomized control trial (RCT) to combine molecular and behavioral methods in an
      experimental conceptualization approach to map the effects of PULSED
      somatosensory stimulation on salivary gene expression in the context of the
      acquisition of oral feeding habits in high-risk human neonates. The aims of this
      study represent the first attempt to combine noninvasive treatment strategies and
      transcriptomic assessments of high-risk extremely preterm infants (EPI) to (1)
      improve oral feeding behavior and skills, (2) further our understanding of the
      gene ontology of biologically diverse pathways related to oral feeding, (3) use
      gene expression data to personalize neonatal care and individualize treatment
      strategies and timing interventions, and (4) improve long-term developmental
      outcomes. METHODS: A total of 180 extremely preterm infants from three neonatal
      intensive care units (NICUs) will be randomized to receive either PULSED or SHAM
      (non-pulsing) orocutaneous intervention simultaneous with tube feedings 3 times
      per day for 4 weeks, beginning at 30 weeks postconceptional age. Infants will
      also be assessed 3 times per week for NNS performance, and multiple saliva
      samples will be obtained each week for transcriptomic analysis, until infants
      have achieved full oral feeding status. At 18 months corrected age (CA), infants
      will undergo neurodevelopmental follow-up testing, the results of which will be
      correlated with feeding outcomes in the neo-and post-natal period and with gene
      expression data and intervention status. RESULTS: The ongoing National Institutes
      of Health funded randomized controlled trial R01HD086088 is actively recruiting
      participants. The expected completion date of the study is 2021. CONCLUSIONS:
      Differential salivary gene expression profiles in response to orosensory
      entrainment intervention are expected to lead to the development of
      individualized interventions for the diagnosis and management of oral feeding in
      preterm infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02696343;
      https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02696343 (Archived by WebCite at
      http://www.webcitation.org/6r5NbJ9Ym).

PMID- 28615159
TI  - Mobile Health in Oncology: A Patient Survey About App-Assisted Cancer Care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the last decade, the health care sector has been enriched by
      numerous innovations such as apps and connected devices that assist users in
      weight reduction and diabetes management. However, only a few native apps in the
      oncological context exist, which support patients during treatment and aftercare.
      OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze patients' acceptance
      regarding app use and to investigate the functions of an oncological app that are
      most required, and the primary reasons for patients to refuse app-assisted cancer
      care. METHODS: We designed and conducted a survey with 23 questions, inquiring
      patients about their technical knowledge and equipment, as well as the possible
      advantages and disadvantages, data transfer, and general functionality of an app.
      RESULTS: A total of 375 patients participated; the participation rate was 60.7%
      (375/618). Gender distribution was about 3:4 (female:male) with a median age of
      59 years (range 18-92 years). Whereas 69.6% (261/375) of patients used mobile
      devices, 16.3% (61/375) did not own one, and 9.1% (34/375) only used a personal
      computer (PC). About half of the patients rated their usability skills as very
      good and good (18.9% 71/375; 35.2% 132/375), 23.5% (88/375) described their
      skills as intermediate, and 14.4% (54/375) as bad. Of all patients, 182 (48.5%,
      182/375) were willing to send data to their treating clinic via an app, that is,
      to a server (61.0% 111/182) or as email (33.5%, 61/182). About two-thirds (68.7%,
      125/182) believed that additional and regularly sent data would be an ideal
      complement to the standard follow-up procedure. Additionally, 86.8% (158/182)
      wished to be contacted by a physician when entered data showed irregularities.
      Because of lack of skills (34.4%, 56/163), concerns about the use of data (35.0%,
      57/163), lack of capable devices (25.8%, 42/163), and the wish for personal
      contact with the treating physician (47.2%, 77/163), a total of 163 (43.5%,
      163/375) patients refused to use an app. Pearson correlation showed a significant
      but mild relationship between age and app use (P=.03, r=-.12), favoring younger
      age; male gender correlated as well (P=.04; r=-.11). CONCLUSIONS: The results
      show that the introduction of mobile apps needs to follow different strategies
      depending on the patients' attitude. Age and gender seem to be the strongest
      predictive factors. For oncology patients, our survey showed that about half of
      the patients were willing to send data via an app supporting their treatment. In
      the future, clinical data such as quality of life and treatment satisfaction
      recorded by mobile health (mHealth) devices could be used to evaluate and improve
      therapy workflow. Furthermore, apps could support classical visits, document
      adverse effects, and remind patients of treatment dates or drug intake.

PMID- 28615160
TI  - Nkx2.5 is essential to establish normal heart rate variability in the zebrafish
      embryo.
AB  - Heart rate variability (HRV) has become an important clinical marker of
      cardiovascular health and a research measure for the study of the cardiac
      conduction system and its autonomic controls. While the zebrafish (Danio rerio)
      is an ideal vertebrate model for understanding heart development, HRV has only
      recently been investigated in this system. We have previously demonstrated that
      nkx2.5 and nkx2.7, two homologues of Nkx2-5 expressed in zebrafish
      cardiomyocytes, play vital roles in maintaining cardiac chamber-specific
      characteristics. Given observed defects in ventricular and atrial chamber
      identities in nkx2.5-/- embryos coupled with conduction system abnormalities in
      murine models of Nkx2.5 insufficiency, we postulated that reduced HRV would serve
      as a marker of poor cardiac health in nkx2.5 mutants and in other zebrafish
      models of human congenital heart disease. Using live video image acquisition, we
      derived beat-to-beat intervals to compare HRV in wild-type and nkx2.5-/- embryos.
      Our data illustrate that the nkx2.5 loss-of-function model exhibits increased
      heart rate and decreased HRV when compared with wild type during embryogenesis.
      These findings validate HRV analysis as a useful quantitative tool for assessment
      of cardiac health in zebrafish and underscore the importance of nkx2.5 in
      maintaining normal heart rate and HRV during early conduction system development.

PMID- 28615161
TI  - High glucose increases action potential firing of catecholamine neurons in the
      nucleus of the solitary tract by increasing spontaneous glutamate inputs.
AB  - Glucose is a crucial substrate essential for cell survival and function. Changes
      in glucose levels impact neuronal activity and glucose deprivation increases
      feeding. Several brain regions have been shown to respond to glucoprivation,
      including the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in the brain stem. The NTS is
      the primary site in the brain that receives visceral afferent information from
      the gastrointestinal tract. The catecholaminergic (CA) subpopulation within the
      NTS modulates many homeostatic functions including cardiovascular reflexes,
      respiration, food intake, arousal, and stress. However, it is not known if they
      respond to changes in glucose. Here we determined whether NTS-CA neurons respond
      to changes in glucose concentration and the mechanism involved. We found that
      decreasing glucose concentrations from 5 mM to 2 mM to 1 mM, significantly
      decreased action potential firing in a cell-attached preparation, whereas
      increasing it back to 5 mM increased the firing rate. This effect was dependent
      on glutamate release from afferent terminals and required presynaptic 5-HT3Rs.
      Decreasing the glucose concentration also decreased both basal and 5-HT3R agonist
      induced increase in the frequency of spontaneous glutamate inputs onto NTS-CA
      neurons. Low glucose also blunted 5-HT-induced inward currents in nodose ganglia
      neurons, which are the cell bodies of vagal afferents. The effect of low glucose
      in both nodose ganglia cells and in NTS slices was mimicked by the glucokinase
      inhibitor glucosamine. This study suggests that NTS-CA neurons are glucosensing
      through a presynaptic mechanism that is dependent on vagal glutamate release, 5
      HT3R activity, and glucokinase.

PMID- 28615162
TI  - Characterization of muscle ankyrin repeat proteins in human skeletal muscle.
AB  - Muscle ankyrin repeat proteins (MARPs) are a family of titin-associated, stress
      response molecules and putative transducers of stretch-induced signaling in
      skeletal muscle. In cardiac muscle, cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP) and
      diabetes-related ankyrin repeat protein (DARP) reportedly redistribute from
      binding sites on titin to the nucleus following a prolonged stretch. However, it
      is unclear whether ankyrin repeat domain protein 2 (Ankrd 2) shows comparable
      stretch-induced redistribution to the nucleus. We measured the following in
      rested human skeletal muscle: 1) the absolute amount of MARPs and 2) the
      distribution of Ankrd 2 and DARP in both single fibers and whole muscle
      preparations. In absolute amounts, Ankrd 2 is the most abundant MARP in human
      skeletal muscle, there being ~3.1 umol/kg, much greater than DARP and CARP (~0.11
      and ~0.02 umol/kg, respectively). All DARP was found to be tightly bound at
      cytoskeletal (or possibly nuclear) sites. In contrast, ~70% of the total Ankrd 2
      is freely diffusible in the cytosol [including virtually all of the
      phosphorylated (p)Ankrd 2-Ser99 form], ~15% is bound to non-nuclear membranes,
      and ~15% is bound at cytoskeletal sites, likely at the N2A region of titin. These
      data are not consistent with the proposal that Ankrd 2, per se, or pAnkrd 2-Ser99
      mediates stretch-induced signaling in skeletal muscle, dissociating from titin
      and translocating to the nucleus, because the majority of these forms of Ankrd 2
      are already free in the cytosol. It will be necessary to show that the titin
      associated Ankrd 2 is modified by stretch in some as-yet-unidentified way,
      distinct from the diffusible pool, if it is to act as a stretch-sensitive
      signaling molecule.

PMID- 28615163
TI  - Understanding mechanisms and seeking cures for Alzheimer's disease: why we must
      be "extraordinarily diverse".
AB  - After more than a century since Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described the
      pathological hallmarks accompanying the defining clinical features of the
      disease, we have yet to deliver any meaningful disease-modifying treatments to
      our patients. In this article, I present a rationale for the need to be
      "extraordinarily diverse" in seeking effective ways to treat or prevent this
      devastating disease. This approach is based on applying a systems-biology
      perspective at the population level, using a diverse array of "OMICS"
      methodologies to identify molecular mechanisms associated with well-established
      AD risk factors including systemic inflammation, obesity, and insulin resistance.
      We believe that applying this strategy to understand longitudinal changes in
      human physiology during aging is of paramount importance in identifying
      meaningful opportunities to intervene effectively in AD.

PMID- 28615164
TI  - London mayor, Sadiq Khan: how cities can act on air pollution.

PMID- 28615165
TI  - Most London hospitals and clinics exceed air pollution limits.

PMID- 28615166
TI  - Ayman Jundi: Syria never leaves you.

PMID- 28615167
TI  - Drugs with FDA accelerated approval often have weak evidence, study finds.

PMID- 28615168
TI  - Medicine is still a victim of war: we desperately need new ideas.

PMID- 28615170
TI  - Air pollution in the UK: better ways to solve the problem.

PMID- 28615172
TI  - Every breath we take.

PMID- 28615173
TI  - Risk of major congenital malformations in relation to maternal overweight and
      obesity severity: cohort study of 1.2 million singletons.
AB  - Objective To estimate the risks of major congenital malformations in the
      offspring of mothers who are underweight (body mass index (BMI) <18.5),
      overweight (BMI 25 to <30), or in obesity classes I (BMI 30 to <35), II (35 to
      <40), or III (>=40) compared with offspring of normal weight mothers (BMI 18.5 to
      <25) in early pregnancy.Design Population based cohort study.Setting Nationwide
      Swedish registries.Participants 1 243 957 liveborn singleton infants from 2001 to
      2014 in Sweden. Data on maternal and pregnancy characteristics were obtained by
      individual record linkages.Exposure Maternal BMI at the first prenatal visit.Main
      outcome measures Offspring with any major congenital malformation, and subgroups
      of organ specific malformations diagnosed during the first year of life. Risk
      ratios were estimated using generalised linear models adjusted for maternal
      factors, sex of offspring, and birth year.Results A total of 43 550 (3.5%)
      offspring had any major congenital malformation, and the most common subgroup was
      for congenital heart defects (n=20 074; 1.6%). Compared with offspring of normal
      weight mothers (risk of malformations 3.4%), the proportions and adjusted risk
      ratios of any major congenital malformation among the offspring of mothers with
      higher BMI were: overweight, 3.5% and 1.05 (95% confidence interval 1.02 to
      1.07); obesity class I, 3.8% and 1.12 (1.08 to 1.15), obesity class II, 4.2% and
      1.23 (1.17 to 1.30), and obesity class III, 4.7% and 1.37 (1.26 to 1.49). The
      risks of congenital heart defects, malformations of the nervous system, and limb
      defects also progressively increased with BMI from overweight to obesity class
      III. The largest organ specific relative risks related to maternal overweight and
      increasing obesity were observed for malformations of the nervous system.
      Malformations of the genital and digestive systems were also increased in
      offspring of obese mothers.Conclusions Risks of any major congenital malformation
      and several subgroups of organ specific malformations progressively increased
      with maternal overweight and increasing severity of obesity. For women who are
      planning pregnancy, efforts should be encouraged to reduce adiposity in those
      with a BMI above the normal range.

PMID- 28615174
TI  - Supreme Court rejects Northern Irish woman's appeal for NHS abortion in England.

PMID- 28615175
TI  - Air pollution--a wicked problem.

PMID- 28615176
TI  - A Novel, 5-Minute, Multisensory Training Session to Teach High-Quality
      Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation to the Public: Alive in Five.

PMID- 28615177
TI  - Direct Transport to a Percutaneous Cardiac Intervention Center and Outcomes in
      Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Practice guidelines recommend regional systems of care for out-of
      hospital cardiac arrest. However, whether emergency medical services should
      bypass nonpercutaneous cardiac intervention (non-PCI) facilities and transport
      out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients directly to PCI centers despite longer
      transport time remains unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the Cardiac Arrest
      Registry to Enhance Survival with geocoding of arrest location, we identified out
      of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with prehospital return of spontaneous
      circulation and evaluated the association between direct transport to a PCI
      center and outcomes in North Carolina during 2012 to 2014. Destination hospital
      was classified according to PCI center status (catheterization laboratory
      immediately accessible 24/7). Inverse probability-weighted logistic regression
      accounting for age, sex, emergency medical services response time, clustering of
      county, transport time to nearest PCI center, initial heart rhythm, and
      prehospital ECG information was performed. Of 1507 patients with prehospital
      return of spontaneous circulation, 1359 (90.2%) were transported to PCI centers,
      of whom 873 (57.9%) bypassed the nearest non-PCI hospital and 148 (9.8%) were
      transported to non-PCI hospitals. Discharge survival was higher among those
      transported to PCI centers (33.5% versus 14.6%; adjusted odds ratio, 2.47; 95%
      confidence interval, 2.08-2.92). Compared with patients taken to non-PCI
      hospitals, odds of survival were higher for patients taken to the nearest
      hospital with PCI center status (odds ratio, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.90
      4.97) and for patients bypassing closer hospitals to PCI centers (odds ratio,
      3.02; 95% confidence interval, 2.01-4.53). Adjusted survival remained
      significantly better across transport times of 1 to 5, 6 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to
      30, and >30 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Direct transport to a PCI center is associated
      with better outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, even when
      bypassing nearest hospital and regardless of transport time.

PMID- 28615178
TI  - Author's reply to Singh and Devi.

PMID- 28615179
TI  - Do doctors have a duty to take part in pragmatic randomised trials?

PMID- 28615180
TI  - David Burns Moffat.

PMID- 28615181
TI  - Fifteen-minute consultation: Communicating with young people-how to use HEEADSSS,
      a psychosocial interview for adolescents.
AB  - Adolescents undergo a period of biological, social and psychosocial development,
      and each of these domains impacts each other. Psychosocial areas of concern often
      emerge over the adolescent period (such as mental health conditions, drug use and
      risky sexual behaviour); those with chronic illness being at higher risk. The
      paper aims to guide health practitioners on when and how to approach the
      psychosocial interview with young people and assess areas of risk or concern.
      This will include putting them at ease, developing rapport, seeing them alone and
      explaining confidentiality before commencing the assessment. Home,
      Education/Employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicidal ideation and
      Safety (HEEADSSS) is a recognised psychosocial interview framework that allows a
      better understanding of the young person's situation and what their specific
      needs may be. By exploring each section in turn briefly or more fully, it gives
      the professional an overall impression of the young person's life and any risky
      behaviours or concerns. This systematic structure should develop an easily
      accessible approach to adolescents as a group of patients whatever their
      developmental stage.

PMID- 28615182
TI  - Fifteen-minute consultation: Pain relief for children made simple-a pragmatic
      approach to prescribing oral analgesia in the postcodeine era.
AB  - What are the most effective doses of simple oral analgesics such as paracetamol
      and ibuprofen for pain relief in children? Why can't I prescribe codeine
      phosphate for children anymore? Is oral morphine really a safe alternative to
      codeine phosphate, and if so what dose should I prescribe? These questions are
      frequently asked by clinicians who wish to give analgesics to children for pain
      relief. In this article I will address these questions and describe a pragmatic
      approach for pain relief using oral analgesics based on the best evidence
      available and my experience as a consultant paediatric anaesthetist.

PMID- 28615183
TI  - Public health for paediatricians: promoting good health for children in the early
      years.

PMID- 28615184
TI  - Mixed methods research: expanding the evidence base.

PMID- 28615185
TI  - Hormone replacement treatment choices in complete androgen insensitivity
      syndrome: an audit of an adult clinic.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the treatment choices of women with complete androgen
      insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) at a single tertiary centre. DESIGN: Retrospective
      review. PATIENTS: Women with CAIS identified from our database. RESULTS: The
      study group comprised 141 women with CAIS. Eleven percent (16/141) of women had
      gonads in situ, 3 of whom were under workup for gonadectomy. The age of
      gonadectomy in the remainder 125 women was 17 (0.1-53) years. The most common
      form of HRT was oral oestrogen or transdermal oestrogen in 80% (113/141). 13/141
      (9%) women used vaginal oestrogens alone or together with other forms of HRT.
      Testosterone preparations had been used by 17% (24/141) of women and were
      currently used in 10% (14/141). Of those who had used testosterone, 42% (10/24)
      had chosen not to continue after a therapeutic trial. CONCLUSIONS: In a clinic
      offering individualised multidisciplinary care for women with CAIS, we found that
      the majority of women chose oestrogen-based treatment while a significant
      minority used testosterone.

PMID- 28615186
TI  - Subclinical hypothyroidism in paediatric population treated with levothyroxine: a
      real-world study on 2001-2014 Italian administrative data.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) among
      children, by using levothyroxine low dosage as disease proxy, and to describe
      prescription pattern. DESIGN: An historical cohort study was performed through
      administrative databases of 12 Italian Local Health Units covering 3,079,141
      inhabitants. A cohort of children (aged 0-13 years) was selected in the period
      2001-2014. A subgroup of new users (aged 0-9 years) was identified and followed
      up for 5 years. METHODS: The prevalence was provided as mean value of the whole
      period, as annual trend, by patient gender and age. Demographic details,
      information on levothyroxine dosage, comorbidities and co-medications were
      provided. Therapy duration and medication persistence were evaluated among new
      users. RESULTS: 644 children treated with levothyroxine low dosage was selected,
      with a mean annual prevalence of 0.20 per 1000 children. The temporal trend of
      prevalence was stable, with a slight reduction in the 2005-2008. Prevalence by
      age showed an increase after 10 years. Patients were treated with an average
      annual dose of 4290 ug/year and 66.9% of children were affected by comorbidities.
      Among 197 new users, 62.9% received therapy only for one year, whereas out of
      those treated two or more years, 89.0% resulted persistent to the therapy.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study provides real-world epidemiology of SH among children,
      and it depicts the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of these subjects.
      Its findings showed that the SH treatment of this disorder was widely variable,
      also due to lack of evidence concerning paediatric population.

PMID- 28615187
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28615188
TI  - Using Patient-Reported Measures in Dialysis Clinics.

PMID- 28615190
TI  - Sixty seconds on . . . natural caesarean.

PMID- 28615191
TI  - Bryan Furnass.

PMID- 28615189
TI  - Bar-coding neurodegeneration: identifying subcellular effects of human
      neurodegenerative disease proteins using Drosophila leg neurons.
AB  - Genetic, biochemical and histological studies have identified a number of
      different proteins as key drivers of human neurodegenerative diseases. Although
      different proteins are typically involved in different diseases, there is also
      considerable overlap. Addressing disease protein dysfunction in an in vivo
      neuronal context is often time consuming and requires labor-intensive analysis of
      transgenic models. To facilitate the rapid, cellular analysis of disease protein
      dysfunction, we have developed a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) adult leg
      neuron assay. We tested the robustness of 41 transgenic fluorescent reporters and
      identified a number that were readily detected in the legs and could report on
      different cellular events. To test these reporters, we expressed a number of
      human proteins involved in neurodegenerative disease, in both their mutated and
      wild-type versions, to address the effects on reporter expression and
      localization. We observed strikingly different effects of the different disease
      proteins upon the various reporters with, for example, Abeta1-42 being highly
      neurotoxic, tau, parkin and HTT128Q affecting mitochondrial distribution,
      integrity or both, and Abeta1-42, tau, HTT128Q and ATX182Q affecting the F-actin
      network. This study provides proof of concept for using the Drosophila adult leg
      for inexpensive and rapid analysis of cellular effects of neurodegenerative
      disease proteins in mature neurons.

PMID- 28615192
TI  - Access to hyperacute stroke services across Canadian provinces: a geospatial
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Canada's vast geography creates challenges for ensuring prompt
      transport to hospital of patients who have had a stroke. We sought to determine
      the proportion of people across various Canadian provinces for whom hyperacute
      stroke services are accessible within evidence-based time targets. METHODS: We
      calculated, for the 8 provinces with available data, drive-time polygons on a map
      of Canada that delineated the area around stroke centres and emergency medical
      services (EMS) base centres to which one can drive in 3.5-6 hours. We calculated
      the proportional area of each forward sortation area (first 3 digits of the
      postal code) contained within a drive-time polygon. We applied this ratio to the
      2011 Canadian census population of the forward sortation area to estimate the
      population that can reach a stroke centre in a designated time. RESULTS: A total
      of 47.1%-96.4% of Canadians live within a 4.5-hour drive to a stroke centre via
      road EMS, and 53.3%-96.8% live within a 6-hour drive. Assuming a total travel
      time of 5 hours by EMS from base centre to patient and patient to hospital, 84.7%
      99.8% of the population has access to a current or proposed endovascular
      thrombectomy site. INTERPRETATION: Most Canadians live within 6 hours' road
      access to a stroke centre. Geospatial mapping could be used to inform decisions
      for additional sites and identify gaps in service accessibility. Coordinated
      systems of care and ambulance bypass agreements must continue to evolve to ensure
      maximal access to time-sensitive emergency stroke services.

PMID- 28615193
TI  - Health Spending By State 1991-2014: Measuring Per Capita Spending By Payers And
      Programs.
AB  - As the US health sector evolves and changes, it is informative to estimate and
      analyze health spending trends at the state level. These estimates, which provide
      information about consumption of health care by residents of a state, serve as a
      baseline for state and national-level policy discussions. This study examines per
      capita health spending by state of residence and per enrollee spending for the
      three largest payers (Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance) through
      2014. Moreover, it discusses in detail the impacts of the Affordable Care Act
      implementation and the most recent economic recession and recovery on health
      spending at the state level. According to this analysis, these factors affected
      overall annual growth in state health spending and the payers and programs that
      paid for that care. They did not, however, substantially change state rankings
      based on per capita spending levels over the period.

PMID- 28615195
TI  - A stitch in time: Replicate early and escape dosage compensation to express more.
AB  - The biological significance of conserved replication timing patterns in
      eukaryotic genomes remains a mystery. In this issue, Muller and Nieduszynski
      (2017. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201701061) find that early
      replication is a requirement for the highest expression levels of certain genes.

PMID- 28615194
TI  - Fusion, fission, and transport control asymmetric inheritance of mitochondria and
      protein aggregates.
AB  - Partitioning of cell organelles and cytoplasmic components determines the fate of
      daughter cells upon asymmetric division. We studied the role of mitochondria in
      this process using budding yeast as a model. Anterograde mitochondrial transport
      is mediated by the myosin motor, Myo2. A genetic screen revealed an unexpected
      interaction of MYO2 and genes required for mitochondrial fusion. Genetic
      analyses, live-cell microscopy, and simulations in silico showed that fused
      mitochondria become critical for inheritance and transport across the bud neck in
      myo2 mutants. Similarly, fused mitochondria are essential for retention in the
      mother when bud-directed transport is enforced. Inheritance of a less than
      critical mitochondrial quantity causes a severe decline of replicative life span
      of daughter cells. Myo2-dependent mitochondrial distribution also is critical for
      the capture of heat stress-induced cytosolic protein aggregates and their
      retention in the mother cell. Together, these data suggest that coordination of
      mitochondrial transport, fusion, and fission is critical for asymmetric division
      and rejuvenation of daughter cells.

PMID- 28615196
TI  - Withdrawing clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) in patients with
      prolonged disorders of consciousness: is there still a role for the courts?
AB  - Currently, in England and Wales, Court of Protection's Practice Directive 9E
      (PD9E) requires all cases of proposed withdrawal or withholding of life
      sustaining treatment in relation to adults in a permanent vegetative state (PVS)
      or minimally conscious state be referred to the Court. This paper looks at the
      origins of PD9E and contrasts the routine requirement to refer cases to court
      with the complex clinical terrain that comprises those suffering from prolonged
      disorders of consciousness. We look at the role of the court in decision making
      in these contexts and we ask what role the courts are called on to play in these
      decisions. We argue that PD9E, as currently drafted, is too imprecise to achieve
      its purpose. With our focus always on the best interests of patients, we argue
      that most decisions of this nature should be made according to a strict protocol
      but without the need for court approval. Court overview should be reserved for
      cases of disagreement between those involved in the decision that cannot be
      resolved by other methods, where there are serious doubts about the individual's
      best interests or where there are legally untested aspects to the decision.

PMID- 28615197
TI  - Microtubule Regulation and Function during Virus Infection.
AB  - Microtubules (MTs) form a rapidly adaptable network of filaments that radiate
      throughout the cell. These dynamic arrays facilitate a wide range of cellular
      processes, including the capture, transport, and spatial organization of cargos
      and organelles, as well as changes in cell shape, polarity, and motility.
      Nucleating from MT-organizing centers, including but by no means limited to the
      centrosome, MTs undergo rapid transitions through phases of growth, pause, and
      catastrophe, continuously exploring and adapting to the intracellular
      environment. Subsets of MTs can become stabilized in response to environmental
      cues, acquiring distinguishing posttranslational modifications and performing
      discrete functions as specialized tracks for cargo trafficking. The dynamic
      behavior and organization of the MT array is regulated by MT-associated proteins
      (MAPs), which include a subset of highly specialized plus-end-tracking proteins
      (+TIPs) that respond to signaling cues to alter MT behavior. As pathogenic
      cargos, viruses require MTs to transport to and from their intracellular sites of
      replication. While interactions with and functions for MT motor proteins are well
      characterized and extensively reviewed for many viruses, this review focuses on
      MT filaments themselves. Changes in the spatial organization and dynamics of the
      MT array, mediated by virus- or host-induced changes to MT regulatory proteins,
      not only play a central role in the intracellular transport of virus particles
      but also regulate a wider range of processes critical to the outcome of
      infection.

PMID- 28615198
TI  - Polymorphic Nature of Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Particle Cores as
      Revealed through Characterization of a Chronically Infected Cell Line.
AB  - Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T
      cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis
      (HAM/TSP). HTLV-1 cell-to-cell transmission is dependent on the release of
      infectious virus particles into the virological synapse. The HTLV-1 particle
      structure is still poorly understood, and previous studies analyzed viruses
      produced by transformed lymphocytic cell lines chronically infected with HTLV-1,
      particularly the MT-2 cell line, which harbors truncated proviruses and expresses
      aberrant forms of the Gag protein. In this study, we demonstrate that the
      chronically infected SP cell line harbors a relatively low number of proviruses,
      making it a more promising experimental system for the study of the HTLV-1
      particle structure. We first identified the genomic sites of integration and
      characterized the genetic structure of the gag region in each provirus. We also
      determined that despite encoding a truncated Gag protein, only the full-length
      Gag protein was incorporated into virus particles. Cryo-transmission electron
      microscopy analyses of the purified virus particles revealed three classes of
      particles based upon capsid core morphology: complete cores, incomplete cores,
      and particles without distinct electron densities that would correlate with the
      capsid region of a core structure. Observed cores were generally polygonal, and
      virus particles were on average 115 nm in diameter. These data corroborate
      particle morphologies previously observed for MT-2 cells and provide evidence
      that the known poor infectivity of HTLV-1 particles may correlate with HTLV-1
      particle populations containing few virus particles possessing a complete capsid
      core structure.IMPORTANCE Studies of retroviral particle core morphology have
      demonstrated a correlation between capsid core stability and the relative
      infectivity of the virus. In this study, we used cryo-transmission electron
      microscopy to demonstrate that HTLV-1 particles produced from a distinct
      chronically infected cell line are polymorphic in nature, with many particles
      lacking organized electron densities that would correlate with a complete core
      structure. These findings have important implications for infectious HTLV-1
      spread, particularly in the context of cell-to-cell transmission, a critical step
      in HTLV-1 transmission and pathogenesis.

PMID- 28615199
TI  - Impaired Downregulation of NKG2D Ligands by Nef Proteins from Elite Controllers
      Sensitizes HIV-1-Infected Cells to Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity.
AB  - HIV-1 Nef clones isolated from a rare subset of HIV-1-infected elite controllers
      (EC), with the ability to suppress viral load to undetectable levels in the
      absence of antiretroviral therapy, are unable to fully downregulate CD4 from the
      plasma membrane of CD4+ T cells. Residual CD4 left at the plasma membrane allows
      Env-CD4 interaction, which leads to increased exposure of Env CD4-induced
      epitopes and increases susceptibility of infected cells to antibody-dependent
      cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). ADCC is mediated largely by natural killer (NK)
      cells, which control their activation status through the cumulative signals
      received through activating and inhibitory receptors. Recently, the activating
      NKG2D receptor was demonstrated to positively influence ADCC responses. Since HIV
      1 Nef has been reported to reduce the expression of NKG2D ligands, we evaluated
      the relative abilities of Nef from EC and progressors to downmodulate NKG2D
      ligands. Furthermore, we assessed the impact of EC and progressor Nef on the ADCC
      susceptibility of HIV-1-infected cells. We observed a significantly increased
      expression of NKG2D ligands on cells infected with viruses coding for Nef from
      EC. Importantly, NKG2D ligand expression levels correlated with enhanced
      susceptibility of HIV-1-infected cells to ADCC. The biological significance of
      this correlation was corroborated by the demonstration that antibody-mediated
      blockade of NKG2D significantly reduced ADCC of cells infected with viruses
      carrying Nef from EC. These results suggest the involvement of NKG2D-NKG2D ligand
      interactions in the enhanced susceptibility of EC HIV-1-infected cells to ADCC
      responses.IMPORTANCE Attenuated Nef functions have been reported in HIV-1
      isolated from EC. The inability of elite controller Nef to fully remove CD4 from
      the surface of infected cells enhanced their susceptibility to elimination by
      ADCC. We now show that downregulation of NKG2D ligands by HIV-1 Nef from EC is
      inefficient and leaves infected cells susceptible to ADCC. These data suggest a
      critical role for NKG2D ligands in anti-HIV-1 ADCC responses.

PMID- 28615200
TI  - Kallikrein-Related Peptidase 5 Contributes to H3N2 Influenza Virus Infection in
      Human Lungs.
AB  - Hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus must be activated by proteolysis before the
      virus can become infectious. Previous studies indicated that HA cleavage is
      driven by membrane-bound or extracellular serine proteases in the respiratory
      tract. However, there is still uncertainty as to which proteases are critical for
      activating HAs of seasonal influenza A viruses (IAVs) in humans. This study
      focuses on human KLK1 and KLK5, 2 of the 15 serine proteases known as the
      kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs). We find that their mRNA expression in
      primary human bronchial cells is stimulated by IAV infection. Both enzymes
      cleaved recombinant HA from several strains of the H1 and/or H3 virus subtype in
      vitro, but only KLK5 promoted the infectivity of A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) and
      A/Scotland/20/74 (H3N2) virions in MDCK cells. We assessed the ability of treated
      viruses to initiate influenza in mice. The nasal instillation of only the KLK5
      treated virus resulted in weight loss and lethal outcomes. The secretion of this
      protease in the human lower respiratory tract is enhanced during influenza.
      Moreover, we show that pretreatment of airway secretions with a KLK5-selective
      inhibitor significantly reduced the activation of influenza A/Scotland/20/74
      virions, providing further evidence of its importance. Differently, increased
      KLK1 secretion appeared to be associated with the recruitment of inflammatory
      cells in human airways regardless of the origin of inflammation. Thus, our
      findings point to the involvement of KLK5 in the proteolytic activation and
      spread of seasonal influenza viruses in humans.IMPORTANCE Influenza A viruses
      (IAVs) cause acute infection of the respiratory tract that affects millions of
      people during seasonal outbreaks every year. Cleavage of the hemagglutinin
      precursor by host proteases is a critical step in the life cycle of these
      viruses. Consequently, host proteases that activate HA can be considered
      promising targets for the development of new antivirals. However, the specific
      proteases that activate seasonal influenza viruses, especially H3N2 viruses, in
      the human respiratory tract have remain undefined despite many years of work.
      Here we demonstrate that the secreted, extracellular protease KLK5 (kallikrein
      related peptidase 5) is efficient in promoting the infectivity of H3N2 IAV in
      vitro and in vivo Furthermore, we found that its secretion was selectively
      enhanced in the human lower respiratory tract during a seasonal outbreak
      dominated by an H3N2 virus. Collectively, our data support the clinical relevance
      of this protease in human influenza pathogenesis.

PMID- 28615201
TI  - The Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus
      Inhibits Expression of SUMO/Sentrin-Specific Peptidase 6 To Facilitate
      Establishment of Latency.
AB  - Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), which belongs to the
      Gammaherpesviridae, typically displays two different phases in its life cycle,
      the latent phase and the lytic phase. Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA),
      the primary viral product during latency, has been reported to bind to a series
      of cellular gene promoters to modulate gene transcription. To systemically
      elucidate the cellular genes regulated by LANA, we identified genome-wide LANA
      binding sites by chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with sequencing (ChIP
      seq). We stratified ChIP-seq data and found that LANA might be involved in the
      macromolecule catabolic process. Specifically, we found and verified that LANA
      could directly bind to the promoter of the SUMO/sentrin-specific peptidase 6
      (SENP6) gene in vivo and in vitro LANA could repress SENP6 promoter activity in a
      dose-dependent manner in a reporter gene assay. LANA expression was sufficient to
      inhibit endogenous SENP6 expression at both the RNA and protein levels. Moreover,
      SENP6 overexpression in KSHV-infected cells reduced LANA at the protein level.
      Mechanistically, we found that SENP6 could interact with LANA and reduce the
      formation of sumoylated LANA, which relies on the desumoylation ability of SENP6.
      During de novo infection, SENP6 overexpression would decrease the abundance of
      LANA and enhance viral gene expression, which would hamper the establishment of
      latency. Taken together, these data suggest that KSHV-encoded LANA could inhibit
      SENP6 expression to regulate the abundance of itself, which may play an important
      role in controlling the establishment of latency.IMPORTANCE LANA, as a key latent
      protein produced by KSHV, is responsible for episome persistence and regulates
      viral reactivation. In the present study, our results demonstrated that LANA
      could bind to the promoter region of the SENP6 gene and inhibit SENP6 expression
      while the regulated SENP6 could in turn modulate the abundance of LANA through
      desumoylation. This delicate regulation may provide important insights to explain
      the abundance of LANA during KSHV latency.

PMID- 28615202
TI  - Follicular Regulatory T Cells Are Highly Permissive to R5-Tropic HIV-1.
AB  - Follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells are a subset of CD4+ T cells in secondary
      lymphoid follicles. TFR cells were previously included in the follicular helper T
      (TFH) cell subset, which consists of cells that are highly permissive to HIV-1.
      The permissivity of TFR cells to HIV-1 is unknown. We find that TFR cells are
      more permissive than TFH cells to R5-tropic HIV-1 ex vivo TFR cells expressed
      more CCR5 and CD4 and supported higher frequencies of viral fusion. Differences
      in Ki67 expression correlated with HIV-1 replication. Inhibiting cellular
      proliferation reduced Ki67 expression and HIV-1 replication. Lymph node cells
      from untreated HIV-infected individuals revealed that TFR cells harbored the
      highest concentrations of HIV-1 RNA and highest levels of Ki67 expression. These
      data demonstrate that TFR cells are highly permissive to R5-tropic HIV-1 both ex
      vivo and in vivo This is likely related to elevated CCR5 levels combined with a
      heightened proliferative state and suggests that TFR cells contribute to
      persistent R5-tropic HIV-1 replication in vivoIMPORTANCE In chronic, untreated
      HIV-1 infection, viral replication is concentrated in secondary lymphoid
      follicles. Within secondary lymphoid follicles, follicular helper T (TFH) cells
      have previously been shown to be highly permissive to HIV-1. Recently, another
      subset of T cells in secondary lymphoid follicles was described, follicular
      regulatory T (TFR) cells. These cells share some phenotypic characteristics with
      TFH cells, and studies that showed that TFH cells are highly permissive to HIV-1
      included TFR cells in their definition of TFH cells. The permissivity of TFR
      cells to HIV-1 has not previously been described. Here, we show that TFR cells
      are highly permissive to HIV-1 both ex vivo and in vivo The expression of Ki67, a
      marker of proliferative capacity, is predictive of expression of viral proteins,
      and downregulating Ki67 leads to concurrent decreases in expression of viral
      proteins. Our study provides new insight into HIV-1 replication and a potential
      new cell type to target for future treatment.

PMID- 28615203
TI  - Phosphorylation of Serine 225 in Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Regulates Protein-Protein
      Interactions.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) is a phosphoprotein that
      plays key, yet poorly defined, roles in both virus genome replication and virion
      assembly/release. It has been proposed that differential phosphorylation could
      act as a switch to regulate the various functions of NS5A; however, the
      mechanistic details of the role of this posttranslational modification in the
      virus life cycle remain obscure. We previously reported (D. Ross-Thriepland, J.
      Mankouri, and M. Harris, J Virol 89:3123-3135, 2015, doi:10.1128/JVI.02995-14) a
      role for phosphorylation at serine 225 (S225) of NS5A in the regulation of JFH-1
      (genotype 2a) genome replication. A phosphoablatant (S225A) mutation resulted in
      a 10-fold reduction in replication and a perinuclear restricted distribution of
      NS5A, whereas the corresponding phosphomimetic mutation (S225D) had no phenotype.
      To determine the molecular mechanisms underpinning this phenotype we conducted a
      label-free proteomics approach to identify cellular NS5A interaction partners.
      This analysis revealed that the S225A mutation disrupted the interactions of NS5A
      with a number of cellular proteins, in particular the nucleosome assembly protein
      1-like protein 1 (NAP1L1), bridging integrator 1 (Bin1, also known as amphiphysin
      II), and vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein A (VAP-A). These
      interactions were validated by immunoprecipitation/Western blotting,
      immunofluorescence, and proximity ligation assay. Importantly, small interfering
      RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of NAP1L1, Bin1 or VAP-A impaired viral genome
      replication and recapitulated the perinuclear redistribution of NS5A seen in the
      S225A mutant. These results demonstrate that S225 phosphorylation regulates the
      interactions of NS5A with a defined subset of cellular proteins. Furthermore,
      these interactions regulate both HCV genome replication and the subcellular
      localization of replication complexes.IMPORTANCE Hepatitis C virus is an
      important human pathogen. The viral nonstructural 5A protein (NS5A) is the target
      for new antiviral drugs. NS5A has multiple functions during the virus life cycle,
      but the biochemical details of these roles remain obscure. NS5A is known to be
      phosphorylated by cellular protein kinases, and in this study, we set out to
      determine whether this modification is required for the binding of NS5A to other
      cellular proteins. We identified 3 such proteins and show that they interacted
      only with NS5A that was phosphorylated on a specific residue. Furthermore, these
      proteins were required for efficient virus replication and the ability of NS5A to
      spread throughout the cytoplasm of the cell. Our results help to define the
      function of NS5A and may contribute to an understanding of the mode of action of
      the highly potent antiviral drugs that are targeted to NS5A.

PMID- 28615204
TI  - Human Cytomegalovirus IE2 Protein Disturbs Brain Development by the Dysregulation
      of Neural Stem Cell Maintenance and the Polarization of Migrating Neurons.
AB  - Despite the high incidence of severe defects in the central nervous system caused
      by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) congenital infection, the mechanism of HCMV
      neuropathogenesis and the roles of individual viral genes have not yet been fully
      determined. In this study, we show that the immediate-early 2 (IE2) protein may
      play a key role in HCMV-caused neurodevelopmental disorders. IE2-transduced
      neural progenitor cells gave rise to neurospheres with a lower frequency and
      produced smaller neurospheres than control cells in vitro, indicating reduction
      of self-renewal and expansion of neural progenitors by IE2. At 2 days after in
      utero electroporation into the ventricle of the developing brain, a dramatically
      lower percentage of IE2-expressing cells was detected in the ventricular zone
      (VZ) and cortical plate (CP) compared to control cells, suggesting that IE2
      concurrently dysregulates neural stem cell maintenance in the VZ and neuronal
      migration to the CP. In addition, most IE2+ cells in the lower intermediate zone
      either showed multipolar morphology with short neurites or possessed nonradially
      oriented processes, whereas control cells had long, radially oriented monopolar
      or bipolar neurites. IE2+ callosal axons also failed to cross the midline to form
      the corpus callosum. Furthermore, we provide molecular evidence that the cell
      cycle arrest and DNA binding activities of IE2 appear to be responsible for the
      increased neural stem cell exit from the VZ and cortical migrational defects,
      respectively. Collectively, our results demonstrate that IE2 disrupts the orderly
      process of brain development in a stepwise manner to further our understanding of
      neurodevelopmental HCMV pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE HCMV brain pathogenesis has been
      studied in limited experimental settings, such as in vitro HCMV infection of
      neural progenitor cells or in vivo murine CMV infection of the mouse brain. Here,
      we show that IE2 is a pivotal factor that contributes to HCMV-induced
      abnormalities in the context of the embryonic brain using an in utero gene
      transfer tool. Surprisingly, IE2, but not HCMV IE1 or murine CMV ie3, interferes
      pleiotropically with key neurodevelopmental processes, including neural stem cell
      regulation, proper positioning of migrating neurons, and the callosal axon
      projections important for communication between the hemispheres. Our data suggest
      that the wide spectrum of clinical outcomes, ranging from mental retardation to
      microcephaly, caused by congenital HCMV infection can be sufficiently explained
      in terms of IE2 action alone.

PMID- 28615205
TI  - Intrasubtype B HIV-1 Superinfection Correlates with Delayed Neutralizing Antibody
      Response.
AB  - Understanding whether the neutralizing antibody (NAb) response impacts HIV-1
      superinfection and how superinfection subsequently modulates the NAb response can
      help clarify correlates of protection from HIV exposures and better delineate
      pathways of NAb development. We examined associations between the development of
      NAb and the occurrence of superinfection in a well-characterized, antiretroviral
      therapy (ART)-naive, primary infection cohort of men who have sex with men. Deep
      sequencing was applied to blood plasma samples from the cohort to detect cases of
      superinfection. We compared the NAb activity against autologous and heterologous
      viruses between 10 participants with intrasubtype B superinfection and 19
      monoinfected controls, matched to duration of infection and risk behavior. Three
      to 6 months after primary infection, individuals who would later become
      superinfected had significantly weaker NAb activity against tier 1 subtype B
      viruses (P = 0.003 for SF-162 and P = 0.017 for NL4-3) and marginally against
      autologous virus (P = 0.054). Lower presuperinfection NAb responses correlated
      with weaker gp120 binding and lower plasma total IgG titers. Soon after
      superinfection, the NAb response remained lower, but between 2 and 3 years after
      primary infection, NAb levels strengthened and reached those of controls.
      Superinfecting viruses were typically not susceptible to neutralization by
      presuperinfection plasma. These observations suggest that recently infected
      individuals with a delayed NAb response against primary infecting and tier 1
      subtype B viruses are more susceptible to superinfection.IMPORTANCE Our findings
      suggest that within the first year after HIV infection, a relatively weak
      neutralizing antibody response against primary and subtype-specific
      neutralization-sensitive viruses increases susceptibility to superinfection in
      the face of repeated exposures. As natural infection progresses, the immune
      response strengthens significantly in some superinfected individuals. These
      findings will inform HIV vaccine design by providing testable correlates of
      protection from initial HIV infection.

PMID- 28615206
TI  - Plasticity and Epitope Exposure of the HIV-1 Envelope Trimer.
AB  - We recently showed that mutations in the HIV-1 envelope (Env) destabilize the V3
      loop, rendering neutralization-resistant viruses sensitive to V3-directed
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Here, we investigated the propagation of this
      effect on other Env epitopes, with special emphasis on V2 loop exposure. Wild
      type JR-FL and 19 mutant JR-FL pseudoviruses were tested for neutralization
      sensitivity to 21 MAbs specific for epitopes in V2, the CD4 binding site (CD4bs),
      and the CD4-induced (CD4i) region. Certain glycan mutants, mutations in the gp120
      hydrophobic core, and mutations in residues involved in intraprotomer
      interactions exposed epitopes in the V2i region (which overlies the alpha4beta7
      integrin binding site) and the V3 crown, suggesting general destabilization of
      the distal region of the trimer apex. In contrast, other glycan mutants,
      mutations affecting interprotomer interactions, and mutations affecting the CD4bs
      exposed V3 but not V2i epitopes. These data indicate for the first time that V3
      can move independently of V2, with V3 pivoting out from its "tucked" position in
      the trimer while apparently leaving the V2 apex intact. Notably, none of the
      mutations exposed V2 epitopes without also exposing V3, suggesting that movement
      of V2 releases V3. Most mutations increased sensitivity to CD4bs-directed MAbs
      without exposure of the CD4i epitope, implying these mutations facilitate the
      trimers' maintenance of an intermediate energy state between open and closed
      conformations. Taken together, these data indicate that several transient Env
      epitopes can be rendered more accessible to antibodies (Abs) via specific
      mutations, and this may facilitate the design of V1V2-targeting
      immunogens.IMPORTANCE Many epitopes of the HIV envelope (Env) spike are
      relatively inaccessible to antibodies (Abs) compared to their exposure in the
      open Env conformation induced by receptor binding. However, the reduced infection
      rate that resulted from the vaccine used in the RV144 HIV-1 vaccine trial was
      correlated with the elicitation of V2- and V3-directed antibodies. Previously, we
      identified various mechanisms responsible for destabilizing the V3 loop; here, we
      determined, via mutation of numerous Env residues, which of these elements
      maintain the V1V2 loop in an inaccessible state and which expose V1V2 and/or V3
      epitopes. Notably, our data indicate that V3 can move independently of V2, but
      none of the mutations studied expose V2 epitopes without also exposing V3.
      Additionally, V1V2 can be rendered more accessible to Abs via specific mutations,
      facilitating the development of engineered V2 immunogens.

PMID- 28615207
TI  - Allosteric HIV-1 Integrase Inhibitors Lead to Premature Degradation of the Viral
      RNA Genome and Integrase in Target Cells.
AB  - Recent evidence indicates that inhibition of HIV-1 integrase (IN) binding to the
      viral RNA genome by allosteric integrase inhibitors (ALLINIs) or through
      mutations within IN yields aberrant particles in which the viral
      ribonucleoprotein complexes (vRNPs) are eccentrically localized outside the
      capsid lattice. These particles are noninfectious and are blocked at an early
      reverse transcription stage in target cells. However, the basis of this reverse
      transcription defect is unknown. Here, we show that the viral RNA genome and IN
      from ALLINI-treated virions are prematurely degraded in target cells, whereas
      reverse transcriptase remains active and stably associated with the capsid
      lattice. The aberrantly shaped cores in ALLINI-treated particles can efficiently
      saturate and be degraded by a restricting TRIM5 protein, indicating that they are
      still composed of capsid proteins arranged in a hexagonal lattice. Notably, the
      fates of viral core components follow a similar pattern in cells infected with
      eccentric particles generated by mutations within IN that inhibit its binding to
      the viral RNA genome. We propose that IN-RNA interactions allow packaging of both
      the viral RNA genome and IN within the protective capsid lattice to ensure
      subsequent reverse transcription and productive infection in target cells.
      Conversely, disruption of these interactions by ALLINIs or mutations in IN leads
      to premature degradation of both the viral RNA genome and IN, as well as the
      spatial separation of reverse transcriptase from the viral genome during early
      steps of infection.IMPORTANCE Recent evidence indicates that HIV-1 integrase (IN)
      plays a key role during particle maturation by binding to the viral RNA genome.
      Inhibition of IN-RNA interactions yields aberrant particles with the viral
      ribonucleoprotein complexes (vRNPs) eccentrically localized outside the conical
      capsid lattice. Although these particles contain all of the components necessary
      for reverse transcription, they are blocked at an early reverse transcription
      stage in target cells. To explain the basis of this defect, we tracked the fates
      of multiple viral components in infected cells. Here, we show that the viral RNA
      genome and IN in eccentric particles are prematurely degraded, whereas reverse
      transcriptase remains active and stably associated within the capsid lattice. We
      propose that IN-RNA interactions ensure the packaging of both vRNPs and IN within
      the protective capsid cores to facilitate subsequent reverse transcription and
      productive infection in target cells.

PMID- 28615208
TI  - Deficiency of the NOD-Like Receptor NLRC5 Results in Decreased CD8+ T Cell
      Function and Impaired Viral Clearance.
AB  - Pathogen recognition receptors are vital components of the immune system.
      Engagement of these receptors is important not only for instigation of innate
      immune responses to invading pathogens but also for initiating the adaptive
      immune response. Members of the NOD-like receptor (NLR) family of pathogen
      recognition receptors have important roles in orchestrating this response. The
      NLR family member NLRC5 regulates major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC
      I) expression during various types of infections, but its role in immunity to
      influenza A virus (IAV) is not well studied. Here we show that Nlrc5-/- mice
      exhibit an altered CD8+ T cell response during IAV infection compared to that of
      wild-type (WT) mice. Nlrc5-/- mice have decreased MHC-I expression on
      hematopoietic cells and fewer CD8+ T cells prior to infection. NLRC5 deficiency
      does not affect the generation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells following IAV
      infection; however, a change in epitope dominance is observed in Nlrc5-/- mice.
      Moreover, IAV-specific CD8+ T cells from Nlrc5-/- mice have impaired effector
      functions. This change in the adaptive immune response is associated with
      impaired viral clearance in Nlrc5-/- mice. Collectively, our results demonstrate
      an important role for NLRC5 in regulation of antiviral immune responses and viral
      clearance during IAV infection.IMPORTANCE The NOD-like receptor family member
      NLRC5 is known to regulate expression of MHC-I as well as other genes required
      for antigen processing. In addition, NLRC5 also regulates various immune
      signaling pathways. In this study, we investigated the role of NLRC5 during
      influenza virus infection and found a major role for NLRC5 in restricting virus
      replication and promoting viral clearance. The observed increases in viral titers
      in NLRC5-deficient mice correlated with impaired effector CD8+ T cell responses.
      Although NLRC5-deficient mice were defective at clearing the virus, they did not
      show an increase in morbidity or mortality following influenza virus infection
      because of other compensatory immune mechanisms. Therefore, our study highlights
      how NLRC5 regulates multiple immune effector mechanisms to promote the host
      defense during influenza virus infection.

PMID- 28615209
TI  - In Vitro Replication of Chelonid Herpesvirus 5 in Organotypic Skin Cultures from
      Hawaiian Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas).
AB  - Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor disease of marine turtles associated with
      chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), which has historically been refractory to growth
      in tissue culture. Here we show, for the first time, de novo formation of ChHV5
      positive intranuclear inclusions in cultured green turtle cells, which is
      indicative of active lytic replication of the virus. The minimal requirements to
      achieve lytic replication in cultured cells included (i) either in vitro cultures
      of ChHV5-positive tumor biopsy specimens (plugs) or organotypic cultures (rafts)
      consisting of ChHV5-positive turtle fibroblasts in collagen rafts seeded with
      turtle keratinocytes and (ii) keratinocyte maturation induced by raising raft or
      biopsy cultures to the air-liquid interface. Virus growth was confirmed by
      detailed electron microscopic studies that revealed intranuclear sun-shaped
      capsid factories, tubules, various stages of capsid formation, nuclear export by
      budding into the perinuclear space, tegument formation, and envelopment to
      complete de novo virus production. Membrane synthesis was also observed as a sign
      of active viral replication. Interestingly, cytoplasmic particles became
      associated with keratin filaments, a feature not seen in conventional monolayer
      cell cultures, in which most studies of herpesvirus replication have been
      performed. Our findings draw a rich and realistic picture of ChHV5 replication in
      cells derived from its natural host and may be crucial not only to better
      understand ChHV5 circulation but also to eventually complete Koch's postulates
      for FP. Moreover, the principles described here may serve as a model for culture
      of other viruses that are resistant to replication in conventional cell
      culture.IMPORTANCE A major challenge in virology is the study of viruses that
      cannot be grown in the laboratory. One example is chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5),
      which is associated with fibropapillomatosis, a globally distributed,
      debilitating, and fatal tumor disease of endangered marine turtles. Pathological
      examination shows that ChHV5 is shed in skin. Here we show that ChHV5 will grow
      in vitro if we replicate the complex three-dimensional structure of turtle skin.
      Moreover, lytic virus growth requires a close interplay between fibroblasts and
      keratinocytes. Finally, the morphogenesis of herpesviral growth in three
      dimensional cultures reveals a far richer, and likely more realistic, array of
      capsid morphologies than that encountered in traditional monolayer cell cultures.
      Our findings have applications to other viruses, including those of humans.

PMID- 28615210
TI  - A Conserved Leucine Zipper Motif in Gammaherpesvirus ORF52 Is Critical for
      Distinct Microtubule Rearrangements.
AB  - Productive viral infection often depends on the manipulation of the cytoskeleton.
      Herpesviruses, including rhesus monkey rhadinovirus (RRV) and its close homolog,
      the oncogenic human gammaherpesvirus Kaposi's sarcoma-associated
      herpesvirus/human herpesvirus 8 (KSHV/HHV8), exploit microtubule (MT)-based
      retrograde transport to deliver their genomes to the nucleus. Subsequently,
      during the lytic phase of the life cycle, the maturing viral particles undergo
      orchestrated translocation to specialized regions within the cytoplasm, leading
      to tegumentation, secondary envelopment, and then egress. As a result, we
      hypothesized that RRV might induce changes in the cytoskeleton at both early and
      late stages of infection. Using confocal imaging, we found that RRV infection led
      to the thickening and acetylation of MTs emanating from the MT-organizing center
      (MTOC) shortly after viral entry and more pronounced and diffuse MT
      reorganization during peak stages of lytic gene expression and virion production.
      We subsequently identified open reading frame 52 (ORF52), a multifunctional and
      abundant tegument protein, as being the only virally encoded component
      responsible for these cytoskeletal changes. Mutational and modeling analyses
      indicated that an evolutionarily conserved, truncated leucine zipper motif near
      the N terminus as well as a strictly conserved arginine residue toward the C
      terminus of ORF52 play critical roles in its ability to rearrange the
      architecture of the MT cytoskeleton. Taken together, our findings combined with
      data from previous studies describing diverse roles for ORF52 suggest that it
      likely binds to different cellular components, thereby allowing context-dependent
      modulation of function.IMPORTANCE A thorough understanding of the processes
      governing viral infection includes knowledge of how viruses manipulate their
      intracellular milieu, including the cytoskeleton. Altering the dynamics of actin
      or MT polymerization, for example, is a common strategy employed by viruses to
      ensure efficient entry, maturation, and egress as well as the avoidance of
      antiviral defenses through the sequestration of key cellular factors. We found
      that infection with RRV, a homolog of the human pathogen KSHV, led to perinuclear
      wrapping by acetylated MT bundles and identified ORF52 as the viral protein
      underlying these changes. Remarkably, incoming virions were able to supply
      sufficient ORF52 to induce MT thickening and acetylation near the MTOC,
      potentially aiding in the delivery viral genomes to the nucleus. Although the
      function of MT alterations during late stages of infection requires further
      study, ORF52 shares functional and structural similarities with alphaherpesvirus
      VP22, underscoring the evolutionary importance of MT cytoskeletal manipulations
      for this virus family.

PMID- 28615211
TI  - Vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotyped with Ebola virus glycoprotein serves as a
      protective, non-infectious vaccine against Ebola virus challenge in mice.
AB  - The recent Ebola virus (EBOV) epidemic in West Africa demonstrates the potential
      for a significant public health burden caused by filoviral infections. No vaccine
      or antiviral is currently FDA-approved. To expand the vaccine options potentially
      available, we assessed protection conferred by an EBOV vaccine composed of
      vesicular stomatitis virus pseudovirions that lack native G glycoprotein
      (VSVDeltaG) and bear EBOV glycoprotein (GP). These pseudovirions mediate a single
      round of infection. Both single dose and prime/boost vaccination regimens
      protected mice against lethal challenge with mouse-adapted Ebola virus (ma-EBOV)
      in a dose-dependent manner. The prime/boost regimen provided significantly better
      protection than a single dose. As N-linked glycans are thought to shield
      conserved regions of the EBOV GP receptor binding domain (RBD) thereby blocking
      epitopes within the RBD, we also tested if VSVDeltaG bearing EBOV GPs that lack
      GP1 N-linked glycans provided effective immunity against challenge with ma-EBOV
      or a more distantly related virus, Sudan virus. Using a prime/boost strategy,
      high doses of GP/VSVDeltaG partially or fully denuded of N-linked glycans on GP1
      protected mice against ma-EBOV challenge, but these mutants were no more
      effective than WT GP/VSVDeltaG and did not provide cross protection against Sudan
      virus. As reported for other EBOV vaccine platforms, protection conferred
      correlated with the quantity of EBOV GP-specific Ig produced, but not the
      production of neutralizing antibodies. Our results show that EBOV GP/VSVDeltaG
      pseudovirions serve as a successful vaccination platform in a rodent model of
      Ebola virus disease and GP1 N-glycan loss does not influence immunogenicity or
      vaccination success.IMPORTANCE The West African Ebola virus epidemic was the
      largest to date with more than 28,000 people infected. No FDA-approved vaccines
      are yet available, but in a trial vaccination strategy in West Africa,
      recombinant, infectious VSV encoding the Ebola virus glycoprotein effectively
      prevented virus-associated disease. VSVDeltaG pseudovirion vaccines may prove as
      efficacious and have better safety, but have not been tested to date. Thus, we
      test the efficacy of VSVDeltaG pseudovirions bearing Ebola virus glycoprotein as
      a vaccine platform. We found that wild-type Ebola virus glycoprotein, in the
      context of this platform, provides robust protection of EBOV challenged mice.
      Further, we found removal of the heavy glycan shield surrounding conserved
      regions of the glycoprotein does not enhance vaccine efficacy.

PMID- 28615212
TI  - Conserved Vdelta1 binding geometry in a setting of locus-disparate pHLA
      recognition by delta/alphabetaTCRs: insight into recognition of HIV peptides by
      TCR.
AB  - Given a limited set of TCR V genes which are used to create TCRs that are
      reactive to different ligands, such as MHC class I, MHC class II and MHC-like
      proteins (for example, MIC molecules and CD1 molecules), the Vdelta1 segment can
      be rearranged with Ddelta-Jdelta-Cdelta or Jalpha-Calpha segments, to form
      classical gammadeltaTCR or uncommon alphabetaTCR using a Vdelta1 segment
      (delta/alphabetaTCR). Here we have determined two complex structures of the
      delta/alphabetaTCRs (S19-2 and TU55) bound to different locus-disparate MHCIs
      with HIV peptides (HLA-A*2402-Nef138-10 and HLA-B*3501-Pol448-9). The overall
      binding modes resemble classical alphabetaTCRs, but display a strong tilt binding
      geometry of Vdelta1 domain towards the HLA alpha1 helix, due to a conserved
      extensive interaction between the CDR1delta loop and N-terminal region of alpha1
      helix (mainly in position 62). The aromatic amino acids of the CDR1delta loop
      exploit different conformations ("aromatic-ladder" or "aromatic-hairpin") to
      accommodate distinct MHC helical scaffolds. This tolerance helps to explain how a
      particular TCR V region can similarly dock onto multiple MHC molecules, and thus,
      may potentially explain the nature of TCR cross-reactivity. In addition, the
      length of CDR3delta loop could affect the extent of tilt binding of Vdelta1
      domain, and adaptively, the pairing Vbeta domains adjust their mass centers to
      generate differential MHC contacts, hence probably ensuring the TCR specificity
      to a certain peptide-MHC. Our data have provided further structural insights into
      the TCR recognition of classical pMHCI molecules, unifying the cross-reactivity
      and specificity together.IMPORTANCE The specificity of alphabeta T cell
      recognition is determined by the CDR loops of the alphabetaTCR and the general
      binding mode of alphabetaTCRs to pMHC has been established over the last decade.
      Due to the intrinsic genomic structure of the TCR alpha/delta chain locus, some
      Vdelta segments can rearrange with Calpha segment, forming a hybrid
      VdeltaCalphaVbetaCbeta TCR, delta/alphabetaTCR. However, the basis for the
      molecular recognition of such TCRs to their ligands is elusive. Here, an
      alphabetaTCR using Vdelta1 segment, S19-2, is isolated from a HIV-infected
      patient, in an HLA-A*24:02 restricted manner. Then we solved the crystal
      structures of S19-2 TCR and another delta/alphabetaTCR TU55 binding to their
      ligands respectively, revealing a conserved Vdelta1 binding feature. Further
      binding kinetics analysis reveals that the S19-2 and TU55 TCRs bind pHLA very
      tightly and long-lastingly. Our results illustrate the binding mode of a TCR
      using Vdelta1 segment to its ligand, virus-derived pHLA.

PMID- 28615215
TI  - Deconstructing a popular myth: why knee arthroscopy is no better than placebo
      surgery for degenerative meniscal tears.

PMID- 28615213
TI  - Experimental and Human Evidence for Lipocalin-2 (Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated
      Lipocalin [NGAL]) in the Development of Cardiac Hypertrophy and heart failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiac hypertrophy increases the risk of developing heart failure
      and cardiovascular death. The neutrophil inflammatory protein, lipocalin-2
      (LCN2/NGAL), is elevated in certain forms of cardiac hypertrophy and acute heart
      failure. However, a specific role for LCN2 in predisposition and etiology of
      hypertrophy and the relevant genetic determinants are unclear. Here, we defined
      the role of LCN2 in concentric cardiac hypertrophy in terms of pathophysiology,
      inflammatory expression networks, and genomic determinants. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      We used 3 experimental models: a polygenic model of cardiac hypertrophy and heart
      failure, a model of intrauterine growth restriction and Lcn2-knockout mouse;
      cultured cardiomyocytes; and 2 human cohorts: 114 type 2 diabetes mellitus
      patients and 2064 healthy subjects of the YFS (Young Finns Study). In
      hypertrophic heart rats, cardiac and circulating Lcn2 was significantly
      overexpressed before, during, and after development of cardiac hypertrophy and
      heart failure. Lcn2 expression was increased in hypertrophic hearts in a model of
      intrauterine growth restriction, whereas Lcn2-knockout mice had smaller hearts.
      In cultured cardiomyocytes, Lcn2 activated molecular hypertrophic pathways and
      increased cell size, but reduced proliferation and cell numbers. Increased LCN2
      was associated with cardiac hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in diabetes
      mellitus. In the YFS, LCN2 expression was associated with body mass index and
      cardiac mass and with levels of inflammatory markers. The single-nucleotide
      polymorphism, rs13297295, located near LCN2 defined a significant cis-eQTL for
      LCN2 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Direct effects of LCN2 on cardiomyocyte size and
      number and the consistent associations in experimental and human analyses reveal
      a central role for LCN2 in the ontogeny of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

PMID- 28615214
TI  - Safety and Efficacy of Rivaroxaban in Patients With Cardiac Implantable
      Electronic Devices: Observations From the ROCKET AF Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices
      (CIEDs) in patients receiving warfarin is well studied, limited data are
      available on the use of oral factor Xa inhibitors in this setting. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Using data from Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition
      Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in
      Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) (n=14 264), we compared baseline characteristics
      and clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation randomized to
      rivaroxaban versus warfarin who did and did not undergo CIED implantation or
      revision. In this post-hoc, postrandomization, on-treatment analysis, only the
      first intervention per patient was analyzed. During a median follow-up of 2.2
      years, 453 patients (242 rivaroxaban group; 211 warfarin group) underwent de novo
      CIED implantation (64.2%) or revision procedures (35.8%). Patients who received
      CIEDs were older, more likely to be male, and more likely to have past myocardial
      infarction, but had similar stroke risk compared to patients who did not receive
      CIEDs. Most patients who received a device had study drug interrupted for the
      procedure and did not receive bridging anticoagulation. During the 30-day
      postprocedural period, 11 patients (4.55%) in the rivaroxaban group experienced
      bleeding complications compared with 15 (7.13%) in the warfarin group.
      Thromboembolic complications occurred in 3 patients (1.26%) in the rivaroxaban
      group and 1 (0.48%) in the warfarin group. Event rates were too low for formal
      hypothesis testing. CONCLUSIONS: Bleeding and thromboembolic events were low in
      both rivaroxaban- and warfarin-treated patients. Periprocedural use of oral
      factor Xa inhibitors in CIED implantation requires further study in prospective,
      randomized trials. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL:
      http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00403767.

PMID- 28615216
TI  - Emergency response facilities including primary and secondary prevention
      strategies across 79 professional football clubs in England.
AB  - AIM: To assess the emergency response planning and prevention strategies for
      sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) across a wide range of professional football clubs in
      England. METHODS: A written survey was sent to all professional clubs in the
      English football league, namely the Premiership, Championship, League 1 and
      League 2. Outcomes included: (1) number of clubs performing cardiac screening and
      frequency of screening; (2) emergency planning and documentation; (3) automated
      external defibrillator (AED) training and availability; and (4) provision of
      emergency services at sporting venues. RESULTS: 79 clubs (86%) responded to the
      survey. 100% clubs participated in cardiac screening. All clubs had AEDs
      available on match days and during training sessions. 100% Premiership clubs
      provided AED training to designated staff. In contrast, 30% of lower division
      clubs with AEDs available did not provide formal training. Most clubs (n=66; 83%)
      reported the existence of an emergency action plan for SCA but formal
      documentation was variable. All clubs in the Premiership and League 1 provided an
      ambulance equipped for medical emergencies on match days compared with 75% of
      clubs in the Championship and 66% in League 2. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of
      football clubs in England have satisfactory prevention strategies and emergency
      response planning in line with European recommendations. Additional improvements
      such as increasing awareness of European guidelines for emergency planning, AED
      training and mentorship with financial support to lower division clubs are
      necessary to further enhance cardiovascular safety of athletes and spectators and
      close the gap between the highest and lower divisions.

PMID- 28615217
TI  - Reconsidering current objectives for physical activity within physical education.

PMID- 28615218
TI  - Does leisure time physical activity protect against low back pain? Systematic
      review and meta-analysis of 36 prospective cohort studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are plausible mechanisms whereby leisure time physical activity
      may protect against low back pain (LBP) but there have been no quality systematic
      reviews and meta-analyses of the subject. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to assess
      the effect of leisure time physical activity on non-specific LBP. METHODS:
      Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and
      Google Scholar databases from their inception through July 2016. Methodological
      quality of included studies was evaluated. A random-effects meta-analysis was
      performed, and heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. RESULTS: Thirty
      six prospective cohort studies (n=158 475 participants) qualified for meta
      analyses. Participation in sport or other leisure physical activity reduced the
      risk of frequent or chronic LBP, but not LBP for > 1 day in the past month or
      past 6-12 months. Risk of frequent/chronic LBP was 11% lower (adjusted risk ratio
      (RR)=0.89, CI 0.82 to 0.97, I2=31%, n=48 520) in moderately/highly active
      individuals, 14% lower (RR=0.86, CI 0.79 to 0.94, I2=0%, n=33 032) in moderately
      active individuals and 16% lower (RR=0.84, CI 0.75 to 0.93, I2=0%, n=33 032) in
      highly active individuals in comparison with individuals without regular physical
      activity. For LBP in the past 1-12 months, adjusted RR was 0.98 (CI 0.93 to 1.03,
      I2=50%, n=32 654) for moderate/high level of activity, 0.94 (CI 0.84 to 1.05,
      I2=3%, n=8549) for moderate level of activity and 1.06 (CI 0.89 to 1.25, I2=53%,
      n=8554) for high level of activity. CONCLUSIONS: Leisure time physical activity
      may reduce the risk of chronic LBP by 11%-16%. The finding, however, should be
      interpreted cautiously due to limitations of the original studies. If this effect
      size is proven in future research, the public health implications would be
      substantial.

PMID- 28615220
TI  - Confounding in ex vivo models of Diamond-Blackfan anemia.

PMID- 28615219
TI  - ZFP521 regulates murine hematopoietic stem cell function and facilitates MLL-AF9
      leukemogenesis in mouse and human cells.
AB  - The concept that tumor-initiating cells can co-opt the self-renewal program of
      endogenous stem cells as a means of enforcing their unlimited proliferative
      potential is widely accepted, yet identification of specific factors that
      regulate self-renewal of normal and cancer stem cells remains limited. Using a
      comparative transcriptomic approach, we identify ZNF521/Zfp521 as a conserved
      hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-enriched transcription factor in human and murine
      hematopoiesis whose function in HSC biology remains elusive. Competitive serial
      transplantation assays using Zfp521-deficient mice revealed that ZFP521 regulates
      HSC self-renewal and differentiation. In contrast, ectopic expression of ZFP521
      in HSCs led to a robust maintenance of progenitor activity in vitro.
      Transcriptional analysis of human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient samples
      revealed that ZNF521 is highly and specifically upregulated in AMLs with MLL
      translocations. Using an MLL-AF9 murine leukemia model and serial transplantation
      studies, we show that ZFP521 is not required for leukemogenesis, although its
      absence leads to a significant delay in leukemia onset. Furthermore, knockdown of
      ZNF521 reduced proliferation in human leukemia cell lines possessing MLL-AF9
      translocations. Taken together, these results identify ZNF521/ZFP521 as a
      critical regulator of HSC function, which facilitates MLL-AF9-mediated leukemic
      disease in mice.

PMID- 28615221
TI  - Coronin 1A, a novel player in integrin biology, controls neutrophil trafficking
      in innate immunity.
AB  - Trafficking of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) during inflammation
      critically depends on the beta2 integrins lymphocyte function-associated antigen
      1 (LFA-1) (CD11a/CD18) and macrophage-1 antigen (CD11b/CD18). Here, we identify
      coronin 1A (Coro1A) as a novel regulator of beta2 integrins that interacts with
      the cytoplasmic tail of CD18 and is crucial for induction of PMN adhesion and
      postadhesion events, including adhesion strengthening, spreading, and migration
      under flow conditions. Transition of PMN rolling to firm adhesion critically
      depends on Coro1A by regulating the accumulation of high-affinity LFA-1 in focal
      zones of adherent cells. Defective integrin affinity regulation in the genetic
      absence of Coro1A impairs leukocyte adhesion and extravasation in inflamed
      cremaster muscle venules in comparison with control animals. In a Helicobacter
      pylori mouse infection model, PMN infiltration into the gastric mucosa is
      dramatically reduced in Coro1A-/- mice, resulting in an attenuated gastric
      inflammation. Thus, Coro1A represents an important novel player in integrin
      biology, with key functions in PMN trafficking during innate immunity.

PMID- 28615222
TI  - Exploring the global landscape of genetic variation in coagulation factor XI
      deficiency.
AB  - Factor XI (FXI) deficiency is an autosomal bleeding disorder, usually posttrauma
      or postsurgery, characterized by reduced levels of coagulation FXI in plasma. The
      disease is highly prevalent in Ashkenazi Jews (heterozygote frequency, ~9%),
      whereas it is considered a rare condition in most populations (prevalence of the
      severe deficiency, 1 in 106 in the white population). So far, >190 causative
      mutations have been identified throughout the F11 gene. To have a global
      landscape of genetic variation of F11, we explored publicly available exome-based
      data obtained from >60 000 individuals belonging to different ethnicities (Exome
      Aggregation Consortium resource). This analysis revealed profound differences in
      heterozygote frequencies among populations (allele frequencies: African = 0.0016;
      East Asian = 0.0045; European = 0.0036; Finnish = 0.00030; Latino = 0.0021; South
      Asian = 0.0015), and a prevalence significantly higher than that reported so far
      (eg, the calculated prevalence of the severe deficiency in Europeans would be:
      12.9 in 106). In addition, this analysis allowed us to evidence recurrent and
      ethnic-specific mutations: p.Phe223Leu in Africans (23.5% of all mutated
      alleles), p.Gln263X and p.Leu424CysfsX in East Asians (28.2% and 20.5%,
      respectively), and p.Ala412Thr in Latinos (25%).

PMID- 28615223
TI  - Daratumumab yields rapid and deep hematologic responses in patients with heavily
      pretreated AL amyloidosis.
AB  - The majority of patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) fail to
      achieve a complete response (CR) to standard light chain suppressive
      chemotherapy, and almost all patients eventually experience hematologic relapse
      and progression of organ involvement. Additional well-tolerated treatment options
      are needed. We present our retrospective experience of 25 consecutive previously
      treated AL patients who received daratumumab, a CD38-directed monoclonal antibody
      approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Daratumumab was administered at
      16 mg/kg weekly for 8 weeks, then every 2 weeks for 8 doses, and then every 4
      weeks. Patients had received a median of 3 prior lines of therapy, with a
      previous hematologic CR in only 5 patients. The overall hematologic response rate
      to daratumumab was 76%, including CR in 36% and very good partial response in
      24%. Median time to response was 1 month. Therapy was well tolerated, even among
      the 72% of patients with cardiac AL involvement. Grade 1-2 infusion reactions
      occurred in 15 patients, but no grade 3 or 4 reactions were observed. Daratumumab
      is a highly effective agent that produced rapid and deep hematologic responses
      without unexpected toxicity in our cohort of heavily pretreated AL patients.

PMID- 28615225
TI  - Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy and Memory of Tumor-Specific CD8 T Cells by Ex Vivo
      PI3K-delta Inhibition.
AB  - Inhibition of specific Akt isoforms in CD8+ T cells promotes favored
      differentiation into memory versus effector cells, the former of which are
      superior in mediating antitumor immunity. In this study, we investigated the role
      of upstream PI3K isoforms in CD8+ T-cell differentiation and assessed the
      potential use of PI3K isoform-specific inhibitors to favorably condition CD8+ T
      cells for adoptive cell therapy. The phenotype and proliferative ability of tumor
      antigen-specific CD8+ T cells was assessed in the presence of PI3K-alpha, -beta,
      or -delta inhibitors. Inhibition of PI3K-delta, but not PI3K-alpha or PI3K-beta,
      delayed terminal differentiation of CD8+ T cells and maintained the memory
      phenotype, thus enhancing their proliferative ability and survival while
      maintaining their cytokine and granzyme B production ability. This effect was
      preserved in vivo after ex vivo PI3K-delta inhibition in CD8+ T cells destined
      for adoptive transfer, enhancing their survival and also the antitumor
      therapeutic activity of a tumor-specific peptide vaccine. Our results outline a
      mechanism by which inhibitions of a single PI3K isoform can enhance the
      proliferative potential, function, and survival of CD8+ T cells, with potential
      clinical implications for adoptive cell transfer and vaccine-based
      immunotherapies. Cancer Res; 77(15); 4135-45. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615224
TI  - Risk of Second Malignancies in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients Who Develop
      Keratinocyte Cancers.
AB  - Solid organ transplant recipients have increased risk for developing keratinocyte
      cancers, including cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell
      carcinoma (BCC), in part as a result of immunosuppressive medications
      administered to prevent graft rejection. In the general population, keratinocyte
      cancers are associated with increased risks of subsequent malignancy, however,
      the risk in organ transplant populations has not been evaluated. We addressed
      this question by linking the U.S. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients,
      which includes data on keratinocyte cancer occurrence, with 15 state cancer
      registries. Risk of developing malignancies after keratinocyte cancer was
      assessed among 118,440 Caucasian solid organ transplant recipients using
      multivariate Cox regression models. Cutaneous SCC occurrence (n = 6,169) was
      associated with 1.44-fold increased risk [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.31
      1.59] for developing later malignancies. Risks were particularly elevated for non
      cutaneous SCC, including those of the oral cavity/pharynx (HR, 5.60; 95% CI, 4.18
      7.50) and lung (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.16-2.31). Cutaneous SCC was also associated
      with increased risk of human papillomavirus-related cancers, including anal
      cancer (HR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.29-5.96) and female genital cancers (HR, 3.43; 95%
      CI, 1.44-8.19). In contrast, BCC (n = 3,669) was not associated with overall risk
      of later malignancy (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.87-1.12), including any SCC. Our results
      suggest that transplant recipients with cutaneous SCC, but not BCC, have an
      increased risk of developing other SCC. These findings somewhat differ from those
      for the general population and suggest a shared etiology for cutaneous SCC and
      other SCC in the setting of immunosuppression. Cutaneous SCC occurrence after
      transplantation could serve as a marker for elevated malignancy risk. Cancer Res;
      77(15); 4196-203. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615226
TI  - Raman-Encoded Molecular Imaging with Topically Applied SERS Nanoparticles for
      Intraoperative Guidance of Lumpectomy.
AB  - Intraoperative identification of carcinoma at lumpectomy margins would enable
      reduced re-excision rates, which are currently as high as 20% to 50%. Although
      imaging of disease-associated biomarkers can identify malignancies with high
      specificity, multiplexed imaging of such biomarkers is necessary to detect
      molecularly heterogeneous carcinomas with high sensitivity. We have developed a
      Raman-encoded molecular imaging (REMI) technique in which targeted nanoparticles
      are topically applied on excised tissues to enable rapid visualization of a
      multiplexed panel of cell surface biomarkers at surgical margin surfaces. A first
      ever clinical study was performed in which 57 fresh specimens were imaged with
      REMI to simultaneously quantify the expression of four biomarkers HER2, ER, EGFR,
      and CD44. Combined detection of these biomarkers enabled REMI to achieve 89.3%
      sensitivity and 92.1% specificity for the detection of breast carcinoma. These
      results highlight the sensitivity and specificity of REMI to detect biomarkers in
      freshly resected tissue, which has the potential to reduce the rate of re
      excision procedures in cancer patients. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4506-16. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28615227
TI  - Five minutes with . . . Phil Richardson.

PMID- 28615228
TI  - Stronger Together: Aggregated Z-values of Traditional Quality Control
      Measurements and Patient Medians Improve Detection of Biases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In clinical chemistry, quality control (QC) often relies on
      measurements of control samples, but limitations, such as a lack of
      commutability, compromise the ability of such measurements to detect out-of
      control situations. Medians of patient results have also been used for QC
      purposes, but it may be difficult to distinguish changes observed in the patient
      population from analytical errors. This study aims to combine traditional control
      measurements and patient medians for facilitating detection of biases. METHODS:
      The software package "rSimLab" was developed to simulate measurements of 5
      analytes. Internal QC measurements and patient medians were assessed for
      detecting impermissible biases. Various control rules combined these parameters.
      A Westgard-like algorithm was evaluated and new rules that aggregate Z-values of
      QC parameters were proposed. RESULTS: Mathematical approximations estimated the
      required sample size for calculating meaningful patient medians. The appropriate
      number was highly dependent on the ratio of the spread of sample values to their
      center. Instead of applying a threshold to each QC parameter separately like the
      Westgard algorithm, the proposed aggregation of Z-values averaged these
      parameters. This behavior was found beneficial, as a bias could affect QC
      parameters unequally, resulting in differences between their Z-transformed
      values. In our simulations, control rules tended to outperform the simple QC
      parameters they combined. The inclusion of patient medians substantially improved
      bias detection for some analytes. CONCLUSIONS: Patient result medians can
      supplement traditional QC, and aggregations of Z-values are novel and beneficial
      tools for QC strategies to detect biases.

PMID- 28615229
TI  - Cardiac Troponins and Their Prognostic Importance in Patients with Suspected
      Acute Coronary Syndrome and Renal Dysfunction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiac troponin (cTn) is important for risk assessment in patients
      with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). cTn concentrations may, however, be
      affected by renal dysfunction, and the clinical importance of this interrelation
      is not well established. We investigated the association between cTnT and cTnI
      (measured with conventional assays and a more sensitive assay) with the estimated
      glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and also assessed the ability of cTn to predict
      the 1-year all-cause mortality. METHODS: This retrospective registry-based study
      used data from 309454 admissions to Swedish coronary care units. cTn associations
      with eGFR and mortality were assessed using different regression models and by
      calculating multivariable-adjusted c-statistics. RESULTS: cTnT concentrations
      exhibited stronger associations with eGFR than cTnI concentrations (conventional
      cTnT assay: beta = -0.113; more sensitive cTnT assay: beta= -0.186; pooled
      conventional cTnI assays: beta = -0.098). Overall, cTnT provided greater
      prognostic accuracy than cTnI. This was most evident in non-ACS patients with
      normal or mildly reduced eGFR when using the more sensitive assay. Despite higher
      mortality rates, no consistent increases in the c-statistics of cTn were seen
      with severely reduced eGFR irrespective of the presence of ACS or non-ACS.
      CONCLUSIONS: cTnT concentrations exhibited stronger associations with reduced
      eGFR than cTnI concentrations in patients admitted because of suspected ACS.
      cTnT, particularly when measured using the more sensitive assay, also tended to
      be a stronger prognosticator. However, the relative significance of the obtained
      results must be considered in the context of the severity of renal dysfunction
      and whether ACS is present.

PMID- 28615230
TI  - Rapid RHD Zygosity Determination Using Digital PCR.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paternal zygosity testing is used for determining homo- or
      hemizygosity of RHD in pregnancies that are at a risk of hemolytic disease of the
      fetus and newborn. At present, this is achieved by using real-time PCR or the
      Rhesus box PCR, which can be difficult to interpret and unreliable, particularly
      for black African populations. METHODS: DNA samples extracted from 53 blood
      donors were analyzed using 2 multiplex reactions for RHD-specific targets against
      a reference (AGO1)2 to determine gene dosage by digital PCR. Results were
      compared with serological data, and the correct genotype for 2 discordant results
      was determined by long-range PCR (LR-PCR), next-generation sequencing, and
      conventional Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The results showed clear and reliable
      determination of RHD zygosity using digital PCR and revealed that 4 samples did
      not match the serologically predicted genotype. Sanger sequencing and long-range
      PCR followed by next-generation sequencing revealed that the correct genotypes
      for samples 729M and 351D, which were serologically typed as R1R2 (DCe/DcE), were
      R2r' (DcE/dCe) for 729M and R1r" (DCe/dcE), R0ry (Dce/dCE), or RZr (DCE/dce) for
      351D, in concordance with the digital PCR data. CONCLUSIONS: Digital PCR provides
      a highly accurate method to rapidly define blood group zygosity and has clinical
      application in the analysis of Rh phenotyped or genotyped samples. The vast
      majority of current blood group genotyping platforms are not designed to define
      zygosity, and thus, this technique may be used to define paternal RH zygosity in
      pregnancies that are at a risk of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn and
      can distinguish between homo- and hemizygous RHD-positive individuals.

PMID- 28615231
TI  - Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism Leading to False Allelic Fraction by Droplet
      Digital PCR.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Molecular-based diagnostics have great utility for cancer detection.
      We have used droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) as a platform for identifying mutations
      in circulating plasma tumor DNA (ptDNA). We present the unexpected finding of a
      spurious mutant allele fraction that was discovered to be artifactual because of
      the presence of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a patient sample.
      DESIGN AND METHODS: Probe and primer combinations for the K700 and V701 loci of
      the SF3B1 spliceosome gene were designed for ddPCR to identify the percentage of
      mutant and wild-type alleles. Clinical samples from patients with cancer with
      known SF3B1 mutations were collected and tested to evaluate the assays' ability
      to detect SF3B1 mutations in ptDNA. RESULTS: Patient samples showed SF3B1 K700E
      mutations within the ptDNA of 4 patients with acute leukemia and 3 with
      myelodysplastic syndrome who were known to harbor this mutation. A blood sample
      from a patient with lung cancer with a known SF3B1 V701F mutation was also
      analyzed and this mutation was successfully identified in ptDNA. However, 1 of
      the patients with a K700E mutation was found to have a mutational burden of 98%.
      After careful analysis of this locus by Sanger sequencing and ddPCR, this patient
      was found to have an SNP (R702R), which prevented binding of the ddPCR wild-type
      probe to its cognate allele. CONCLUSIONS: These results further support that
      ddPCR-based assays may be valuable companion diagnostics for the identification
      and monitoring of patients with cancer, but the results also emphasize the need
      to identify SNPs at loci that are being analyzed.

PMID- 28615232
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28615233
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28615234
TI  - Impact of Routine Fractional Flow Reserve on Management Decision and 1-Year
      Clinical Outcome of Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes: PRIME-FFR (Insights
      From the POST-IT [Portuguese Study on the Evaluation of FFR-Guided Treatment of
      Coronary Disease] and R3F [French FFR Registry] Integrated Multicenter Registries
      - Implementation of FFR [Fractional Flow Reserve] in Routine Practice).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is not firmly established as a guide to
      treatment in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Primary goals were to
      evaluate the impact of integrating FFR on management decisions and on clinical
      outcome of patients with ACS undergoing coronary angiography, as compared with
      patients with stable coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: R3F (French
      FFR Registry) and POST-IT (Portuguese Study on the Evaluation of FFR-Guided
      Treatment of Coronary Disease), sharing a common design, were pooled as PRIME-FFR
      (Insights From the POST-IT and R3F Integrated Multicenter Registries -
      Implementation of FFR in Routine Practice). Investigators prospectively defined
      management strategy based on angiography before performing FFR. Final decision
      after FFR and 1-year clinical outcome were recorded. From 1983 patients, in whom
      FFR was prospectively used to guide treatment, 533 sustained ACS (excluding acute
      ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction). In ACS, FFR was performed in 1.4
      lesions per patient, mostly in left anterior descending (58%), with a mean
      percent stenosis of 58+/-12% and a mean FFR of 0.82+/-0.09. In patients with ACS,
      reclassification by FFR was high and similar to those with non-ACS (38% versus
      39%; P=NS). The pattern of reclassification was different, however, with less
      patients with ACS reclassified from revascularization to medical treatment
      compared with those with non-ACS (P=0.01). In ACS, 1-year outcome of patients
      reclassified based on FFR (FFR against angiography) was as good as that of
      nonreclassified patients (FFR concordant with angiography), with no difference in
      major cardiovascular event (8.0% versus 11.6%; P=0.20) or symptoms (92.3% versus
      94.8% angina free; P=0.25). Moreover, FFR-based deferral to medical treatment was
      as safe in patients with ACS as in patients with non-ACS (major cardiovascular
      event, 8.0% versus 8.5%; P=0.83; revascularization, 3.8% versus 5.9%; P=0.24; and
      freedom from angina, 93.6% versus 90.2%; P=0.35). These findings were confirmed
      in ACS explored at the culprit lesion. In patients (6%) in whom the information
      derived from FFR was disregarded, a dire outcome was observed. CONCLUSIONS:
      Routine integration of FFR into the decision-making process of ACS patients with
      obstructive coronary artery disease is associated with a high reclassification
      rate of treatment (38%). A management strategy guided by FFR, divergent from that
      suggested by angiography, including revascularization deferral, is safe in ACS.

PMID- 28615235
TI  - Percutaneous Revascularization of Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion: For Whom?

PMID- 28615237
TI  - Erratum. Combination Therapy With Exenatide Plus Pioglitazone Versus Basal/Bolus
      Insulin in Patients With Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes on Sulfonylurea Plus
      Metformin: The Qatar Study. Diabetes Care 2017;40:325-331.

PMID- 28615236
TI  - Targeting mitotic pathways for endocrine-related cancer therapeutics.
AB  - A colossal amount of basic research over the past few decades has provided
      unprecedented insights into the highly complex process of cell division. There is
      an ever-expanding catalog of proteins that orchestrate, participate and
      coordinate in the exquisite processes of spindle formation, chromosome dynamics
      and the formation and regulation of kinetochore microtubule attachments. Use of
      classical microtubule poisons has still been widely and often successfully used
      to combat a variety of cancers, but their non-selective interference in other
      crucial physiologic processes necessitate the identification of novel druggable
      components specific to the cell cycle/division pathway. Considering cell cycle
      deregulation, unscheduled proliferation, genomic instability and chromosomal
      instability as a hallmark of tumor cells, there lies an enormous untapped terrain
      that needs to be unearthed before a drug can pave its way from bench to bedside.
      This review attempts to systematically summarize the advances made in this
      context so far with an emphasis on endocrine-related cancers and the avenues for
      future progress to target mitotic mechanisms in an effort to combat these
      dreadful cancers.

PMID- 28615238
TI  - Erratum. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Can Be Prevented by Lifestyle
      Intervention: The Finnish Gestational Diabetes Prevention Study (RADIEL). A
      Randomized Controlled Trial. Diabetes Care 2016;39:24-30.

PMID- 28615239
TI  - Erratum. Basal Glucose Can Be Controlled, but the Prandial Problem Persists-It's
      the Next Target! Diabetes Care 2017;40:291-300.

PMID- 28615240
TI  - Erratum. Increased Risk of Fracture and Postfracture Adverse Events in Patients
      With Diabetes: Two Nationwide Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Studies.
      Diabetes Care 2014;37:2246-2252.

PMID- 28615241
TI  - Erratum. Association Between Serum IGF-1 and Diabetes Among U.S. Adults. Diabetes
      Care 2010;33:2257-2259.

PMID- 28615242
TI  - Impact of Changes Over Time in Adipokines and Inflammatory Proteins on Changes in
      Insulin Sensitivity, beta-Cell Function, and Glycemia in Women With Previous
      Gestational Dysglycemia.

PMID- 28615243
TI  - Association Between Glycemic Variability, HbA1c, and Large-for-Gestational-Age
      Neonates in Women With Type 1 Diabetes.

PMID- 28615244
TI  - Stimulation of the pelvic nerve increases bladder capacity in the prostaglandin
      E2 rat model of overactive bladder.
AB  - Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome is a highly prevalent condition that may lead
      to medical complications and decreased quality of life. Emerging therapies
      focusing on selective electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves associated with
      lower urinary tract function may provide improved efficacy and reduced side
      effects compared with sacral neuromodulation for the treatment of OAB symptoms.
      Prior studies investigating the effects of pelvic nerve (PelN) stimulation on
      lower urinary tract function were focused on promoting bladder contractions, and
      it is unclear whether selective stimulation of the PelN would be beneficial for
      the treatment of OAB. Therefore our motivation was to test the hypothesis that
      PelN stimulation would increase bladder capacity in the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)
      rat model of OAB. Cystometry experiments were conducted in 17 urethane
      anesthetized female Sprague-Dawley rats. The effects of intravesical PGE2 vs.
      vehicle and PelN stimulation after intravesical PGE2 on cystometric parameters
      were quantified. Intravesical infusion of PGE2 resulted in decreased bladder
      capacity and increased voiding efficiency without a change in bladder contraction
      area under the curve, maximum contraction pressure, or contraction duration.
      Bladder capacity was also significantly decreased compared with vehicle (1%
      ethanol in saline) confirming that the change in bladder capacity was mediated by
      PGE2 PelN stimulation reversed the PGE2-induced change in bladder capacity and
      increased the external urethral sphincter electromyogram activity at a specific
      stimulation condition (amplitude of 1.0 times threshold at 10 Hz). These results
      confirm that the urodynamic changes reported in conscious rats are also observed
      under urethane anesthesia and that PelN stimulation is a novel and promising
      approach for the treatment of the symptoms of OAB.

PMID- 28615245
TI  - The regulatory 1alpha subunit of protein kinase A modulates renal cystogenesis.
AB  - The failure of the polycystins (PCs) to function in primary cilia is thought to
      be responsible for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Primary
      cilia integrate multiple cellular signaling pathways, including calcium, cAMP,
      Wnt, and Hedgehog, which control cell proliferation and differentiation. It has
      been proposed that mutated PCs result in reduced intracellular calcium, which in
      turn upregulates cAMP, protein kinase A (PKA) signaling, and subsequently other
      proliferative signaling pathways. However, the role of PKA in ADPKD has not been
      directly ascertained in vivo, although the expression of the main regulatory
      subunit of PKA in cilia and other compartments (PKA-RIalpha, encoded by PRKAR1A)
      is increased in a mouse model orthologous to ADPKD. Therefore, we generated a
      kidney-specific knockout of Prkar1a to examine the consequences of constitutive
      upregulation of PKA on wild-type and Pkd1 hypomorphic (Pkd1RC) backgrounds.
      Kidney-specific loss of Prkar1a induced renal cystic disease and markedly
      aggravated cystogenesis in the Pkd1RC models. In both settings, it was
      accompanied by upregulation of Src, Ras, MAPK/ERK, mTOR, CREB, STAT3, Pax2 and
      Wnt signaling. On the other hand, Gli3 repressor activity was enhanced, possibly
      contributing to hydronephrosis and impaired glomerulogenesis in some animals. To
      assess the relevance of these observations in humans we looked for and found
      evidence for kidney and liver cystic phenotypes in the Carney complex, a tumoral
      syndrome caused by mutations in PRKAR1A These observations expand our
      understanding of the pathogenesis of ADPKD and demonstrate the importance of
      PRKAR1A highlighting PKA as a therapeutic target in ADPKD.

PMID- 28615247
TI  - Lithium-induced NDI: acetazolamide reduces polyuria but does not improve urine
      concentrating ability.
AB  - Lithium is the mainstay treatment for patients with bipolar disorder, but it
      generally causes nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), a disorder in which the
      renal urine concentrating ability has become vasopressin insensitive. Li-NDI is
      caused by lithium uptake by collecting duct principal cells and downregulation of
      aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channels, which are essential for water uptake from
      tubular urine. Recently, we found that the prophylactic administration of
      acetazolamide to mice effectively attenuated Li-NDI. To evaluate whether
      acetazolamide might benefit lithium-treated patients, we administered
      acetazolamide to mice with established Li-NDI and six patients with a lithium
      induced urinary concentrating defect. In mice, acetazolamide partially reversed
      lithium-induced polyuria and increased urine osmolality, which, however, did not
      coincide with increased AQP2 abundances. In patients, acetazolamide led to the
      withdrawal of two patients from the study due to side effects. In the four
      remaining patients acetazolamide did not lead to clinically relevant changes in
      maximal urine osmolality. Urine output was also not affected, although none of
      these patients demonstrated overt lithium-induced polyuria. In three out of four
      patients, acetazolamide treatment increased serum creatinine levels, indicating a
      decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Strikingly, these three patients also
      showed a decrease in systemic blood pressure. All together, our data reveal that
      acetazolamide does not improve the urinary concentrating defect caused by
      lithium, but it lowers the GFR, likely explaining the reduced urine output in our
      mice and in a recently reported patient with lithium-induced polyuria. The
      reduced GFR in patients prone to chronic kidney disease development, however,
      warrants against application of acetazolamide in Li-NDI patients without long
      term (pre)clinical studies.

PMID- 28615246
TI  - Src family kinases in chronic kidney disease.
AB  - Src family kinases (SFKs) belong to nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases and have
      been implicated in the regulation of numerous cellular processes, including cell
      proliferation, differentiation, migration and invasion, and angiogenesis. The
      role and mechanisms of SFKs in tumorgenesis have been extensively investigated,
      and some SFK inhibitors are currently under clinical trials for tumor treatment.
      Recent studies have also demonstrated the importance of SFKs in regulating the
      development of various fibrosis-related chronic diseases (e.g., idiopathic
      pulmonary fibrosis, liver fibrosis, renal fibrosis, and systemic sclerosis). In
      this article, we summarize the roles of SFKs in various chronic kidney diseases,
      including glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, human immunodeficiency virus
      associated nephropathy, autosomal dominant form of polycystic kidney disease, and
      obesity-associated kidney disease, and discuss the mechanisms involved.

PMID- 28615248
TI  - The transcriptome of the Didelphis virginiana opossum kidney OK proximal tubule
      cell line.
AB  - The OK cell line derived from the kidney of a female opossum Didelphis virginiana
      has proven to be a useful model in which to investigate the unique regulation of
      ion transport and membrane trafficking mechanisms in the proximal tubule (PT).
      Sequence data and comparison of the transcriptome of this cell line to eutherian
      mammal PTs would further broaden the utility of this culture model. However, the
      genomic sequence for D. virginiana is not available and although a draft genome
      sequence for the opossum Monodelphis domestica (sequenced in 2012 by the Broad
      Institute) exists, transcripts sequenced from both species show significant
      divergence. The M. domestica sequence is not highly annotated, and the majority
      of transcripts are predicted rather than experimentally validated. Using deep RNA
      sequencing of the D. virginiana OK cell line, we characterized its transcriptome
      via de novo transcriptome assembly and alignment to the M. domestica genome. The
      quality of the de novo assembled transcriptome was assessed by the extent of
      homology to sequences in nucleotide and protein databases. Gene expression levels
      in the OK cell line, from both the de novo transcriptome and genes aligned to the
      M. domestica genome, were compared with publicly available rat kidney nephron
      segment expression data. Our studies demonstrate the expression in OK cells of
      numerous PT-specific ion transporters and other key proteins relevant for rodent
      and human PT function. Additionally, the sequence and expression data reported
      here provide an important resource for genetic manipulation and other studies on
      PT cell function using these cells.

PMID- 28615250
TI  - An essential MIF-CD74 signaling axis in kidney tubular regeneration, with
      prospects for precision medicine and pharmacological augmentation.

PMID- 28615249
TI  - Reduction in podocyte SIRT1 accelerates kidney injury in aging mice.
AB  - Both the incidence and prevalence of chronic kidney disease are increasing in the
      elderly population. Although aging is known to induce kidney injury, the
      underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), a longevity
      gene, is known to protect kidney cell injury from various cellular stresses. In
      previous studies, we showed that the podocyte-specific loss of Sirt1 aggravates
      diabetic kidney injury. However, the role of Sirt1 in aging-induced podocyte
      injury is not known. Therefore, in this study we sought to determine the effects
      of podocyte-specific reduction of Sirt1 in age-induced kidney injury. We employed
      the inducible podocyte-specific Sirt1 knockdown mice that express shRNA against
      Sirt1 (Pod-Sirt1RNAi) and control mice that express shRNA for luciferase (Pod
      LuciRNAi). We found that reduction of podocyte Sirt1 led to aggravated aging
      induced glomerulosclerosis and albuminuria. In addition, urinary level of 8
      hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative stress, was markedly
      increased in aged Pod-Sirt1RNAi mice compared with aged Pod-LuciRNAi mice.
      Although podocyte-specific markers decreased in aged mice compared with the young
      controls, the decrease was further exacerbated in aged Pod-Sirt1RNAi compared
      with Pod-LuciRNAi mice. Interestingly, expression of cellular senescence markers
      was significantly higher in the glomeruli of Pod-Sirt1RNAi mice than Pod-LuciRNAi
      mice, suggesting that cellular senescence may contribute to podocyte loss in
      aging kidneys. Finally, we confirmed that Pod-Sirt1RNAi glomeruli were associated
      with reduced activation of the transcription factors peroxisome proliferator
      activated receptor (PPAR)-alpha coactivador-1 (PGC1alpha)/PPARgamma, forkhead box
      O (FOXO)3, FOXO4, and p65 NF-kappaB, through SIRT1-mediated deacetylation.
      Together, our data suggest that SIRT1 may be a potential therapeutic target to
      treat patients with aging-related kidney disease.

PMID- 28615251
TI  - Adjusting retinol-binding protein concentrations for inflammation: Biomarkers
      Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: The accurate estimation of the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency
      (VAD) is important in planning and implementing interventions. Retinol-binding
      protein (RBP) is often used in population surveys to measure vitamin A status,
      but its interpretation is challenging in settings where inflammation is common
      because RBP concentrations decrease during the acute-phase response.Objectives:
      We aimed to assess the relation between RBP concentrations and inflammation and
      malaria in preschool children (PSC) (age range: 6-59 mo) and women of
      reproductive age (WRA) (age range: 15-49 y) and to investigate adjustment
      algorithms to account for these effects.Design: Cross-sectional data from 8
      surveys for PSC (n = 8803) and 4 surveys for WRA (n = 4191) from the Biomarkers
      Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project
      were analyzed individually and combined with the use of a meta-analysis. Several
      approaches were explored to adjust RBP concentrations in PSC in inflammation and
      malaria settings as follows: 1) the exclusion of subjects with C-reactive protein
      (CRP) concentrations >5 mg/L or alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentrations >1
      g/L, 2) the application of arithmetic correction factors, and 3) the use of a
      regression correction approach. The impact of adjustment on the estimated
      prevalence of VAD (defined as <0.7 MUmol/L) was examined in PSC.Results: The
      relation between estimated VAD and CRP and AGP deciles followed a linear pattern
      in PSC. In women, the correlations between RBP and CRP and AGP were too weak to
      justify adjustments for inflammation. Depending on the approach used to adjust
      for inflammation (CRP+AGP), the estimated prevalence of VAD decreased by a median
      of 11-18 percentage points in PSC compared with unadjusted values. There was no
      added effect of adjusting for malaria on the estimated VAD after adjusting for
      CRP and AGP.Conclusions: The use of regression correction (derived from internal
      data), which accounts for the severity of inflammation, to estimate the
      prevalence of VAD in PSC in regions with inflammation and malaria is supported by
      the analysis of the BRINDA data. These findings contribute to the evidence on
      adjusting for inflammation when estimating VAD with the use of RBP.

PMID- 28615252
TI  - Research, policy, and programmatic considerations from the Biomarkers Reflecting
      Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - The Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia
      (BRINDA) project sought to inform the interpretation of iron and vitamin A
      biomarkers (ferritin, serum transferrin receptor, and retinol binding protein) in
      settings of prevalent inflammation as well as the prevention of and control
      strategies to address anemia. Our purpose is to comment on the contributions of
      the BRINDA to advance global knowledge with regard to iron and vitamin A status
      assessment in women and preschool children and to analyze the findings in terms
      of their rigor and usefulness for global nutrition research and programs. BRINDA
      investigators found that the acute-phase response is so prevalent that it must be
      assessed in surveys of iron and vitamin A status for valid interpretation of
      micronutrient biomarkers. Furthermore, they found that C-reactive protein and
      alpha-1-acid glycoprotein provide important and different information about these
      responses and that common survey variables cannot replace the information they
      provide. Developing a method for adjusting micronutrient biomarkers for the
      independent influence of inflammation is challenging and complex, and BRINDA has
      brought greater clarity to this challenge through the use of large and diverse
      data sets. When comparing approaches, the regression methods appear to perform
      best when sample sizes are sufficient and adequate statistical capacity is
      available. Further correction for malaria does not appear to materially alter
      regression-adjusted prevalence estimates. We suggest that researchers present
      both adjusted and unadjusted values for the micronutrient biomarkers. BRINDA
      findings confirm that iron deficiency is a common and consistent risk factor for
      anemia globally and that anemia control must combine iron interventions with
      control of infection and inflammation. Anemia control strategies must be informed
      by local data. By applying the knowledge in these studies, researchers, program
      planners, and evaluators working in populations with prevalent inflammation can
      use and interpret biomarkers with more confidence, tempered with necessary
      caution.

PMID- 28615253
TI  - Dietary calcium intake and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and fracture
      in a population with low calcium intake.
AB  - Background: The role of dietary calcium intake in cardiovascular disease (CVD),
      stroke, and fracture is controversial. Most previous reports have evaluated
      populations with high calcium intake.Objective: We aimed to evaluate whether high
      dietary calcium intake was associated with the risk of CVD, stroke, and fracture
      in a population with low calcium intake.Design: In a prospective cohort study
      beginning in 2001 in Ansung-Ansan, Korea, 2158 men and 2153 women aged >50 y were
      evaluated for all-cause mortality, CVD, stroke, and fractures over a median 9-y
      follow-up.Results: During follow-up, 242 and 100 deaths, 149 and 150 CVD events,
      58 and 82 stroke events, and 211 and 292 incident fractures occurred in men and
      women, respectively. The first quartiles of energy-adjusted dietary calcium
      intake were 249 mg/d (IQR: 169 mg/d) in men and 209 mg/d (IQR: 161 mg/d) in
      women. Both men and women with higher dietary calcium intake tended to have
      higher fat, protein, sodium, phosphorus, fruit, and vegetable intakes. In men,
      outcomes were not significantly associated with dietary calcium intake with or
      without adjustments, and CVD risk tended to increase with increasing energy
      adjusted dietary calcium intake, but this was not statistically significant (P =
      0.078 and P = 0.093 with and without adjustment, respectively). In women, CVD
      risk and dietary calcium intake showed a U-shaped association; the HRs (95% CIs)
      without adjustment relative to the first quartile were 0.71 (0.47, 1.07), 0.57
      (0.36, 0.88), and 0.52 (0.33, 0.83) for quartiles 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and
      the values after adjustment were 0.70 (0.45, 1.07), 0.51 (0.31, 0.81), and 0.49
      (0.29, 0.83) for quartiles 2, 3, and 4, respectively.Conclusion: In Korean women,
      increased dietary calcium intake was associated with a decreased CVD risk, but it
      did not influence the risk of stroke or fracture.

PMID- 28615254
TI  - Methodologic approach for the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional
      Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: The Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants
      of Anemia (BRINDA) project is a multiagency and multicountry collaboration that
      was formed to improve micronutrient assessment and to better characterize
      anemia.Objectives: The aims of the project were to 1) identify factors associated
      with inflammation, 2) assess the relations between inflammation, malaria
      infection, and biomarkers of iron and vitamin A status and compare adjustment
      approaches, and 3) assess risk factors for anemia in preschool children (PSC) and
      women of reproductive age (WRA).Design: The BRINDA database inclusion criteria
      included surveys that 1) were conducted after 2004, 2) had target groups of PSC,
      WRA, or both, and 3) used a similar laboratory methodology for the measurement of
      >=1 biomarker of iron [ferritin or soluble transferrin receptor or vitamin A
      status (retinol-binding protein or retinol)] and >=1 biomarker of inflammation
      (alpha-1-acid glycoprotein or C-reactive protein). Individual data sets were
      standardized and merged into a BRINDA database comprising 16 nationally and
      regionally representative surveys from 14 countries. Collectively, the database
      covered all 6 WHO geographic regions and contained ~30,000 PSC and 27,000 WRA.
      Data were analyzed individually and combined with the use of a meta
      analysis.Results: The methods that were used to standardize the BRINDA database
      and the analytic approaches used to address the project's research questions are
      presented in this article. Three approaches to adjust micronutrient biomarker
      concentrations in the presence of inflammation and malaria infection are
      presented, along with an anemia conceptual framework that guided the BRINDA
      project's anemia analyses.Conclusions: The BRINDA project refines approaches to
      interpret iron and vitamin A biomarker values in settings of inflammation and
      malaria infection and suggests the use of a new regression approach as well as
      proposes an anemia framework to which real-world data can be applied. Findings
      can inform guidelines and strategies to prevent and control micronutrient
      deficiencies and anemia globally.

PMID- 28615255
TI  - Adjusting total body iron for inflammation: Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation
      and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: Total body iron (TBI) that is calculated from ferritin and soluble
      transferrin receptor (sTfR) allows for the evaluation of the full range of iron
      status from deficiency to excess. However, both ferritin and sTfR are affected by
      inflammation and malaria, which may require a statistical adjustment. TBI has
      been used to assess iron status in the United States, but its use worldwide and
      in settings with inflammation has been limited.Objective: We examine whether
      inflammation-adjusted ferritin and sTfR concentrations affect TBI values and the
      prevalence of low TBI (<0 mg/kg) in preschool children (PSC) (age range: 6-59 mo)
      and women of reproductive age (WRA) (age range: 15-49 y).Design: Cross-sectional
      data for PSC (8 surveys; n = 8413) and WRA (4 surveys; n = 4258) from the
      Biomarkers Reflecting the Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia
      (BRINDA) project were analyzed individually and combined. TBI and the prevalence
      of low TBI were compared following 3 adjustment approaches for ferritin and sTfR:
      1) the exclusion of individuals with inflammation (C-reactive protein
      concentration >5 mg/L or alpha-1-acid glycoprotein concentration >1 g/L), 2) the
      application of arithmetic correction factors, and 3) the use of regression
      correction.Results: Regardless of the method that was used to adjust ferritin and
      sTfR for inflammation, the adjusted mean TBI decreased in both PSC and WRA
      compared with unadjusted values. Subsequently, inflammation-adjusted TBI
      increased the prevalence of low TBI by a median of 4-14 percentage points (pps)
      in PSC and 1-3 pps in WRA compared with unadjusted TBI. The regression approach
      resulted in a greater median increase than was achieved with the exclusion or
      correction-factor approaches, and accounting for malaria in addition to
      inflammation did not have an added effect on the prevalence estimates.Conclusion:
      The prevalence of low TBI is underestimated if it is not adjusted by
      inflammation, particularly in children living in areas with a high prevalence of
      inflammation.

PMID- 28615256
TI  - Adjusting soluble transferrin receptor concentrations for inflammation:
      Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia
      (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: Iron deficiency is thought to be one of the most prevalent
      micronutrient deficiencies globally, but an accurate assessment in populations
      who are frequently exposed to infections is impeded by the inflammatory response,
      which causes iron-biomarker alterations.Objectives: We assessed the relation
      between soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentrations and inflammation and
      malaria in preschool children (PSC) (age range: 6-59 mo) and women of
      reproductive age (WRA) (age range: 15-49 y) and investigated adjustment
      algorithms to account for these effects.Design: Cross-sectional data from the
      Biomarkers Reflecting the Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia
      (BRINDA) project from 11,913 PSC in 11 surveys and from 11,173 WRA in 7 surveys
      were analyzed individually and combined with the use of a meta-analysis. The
      following 3 adjustment approaches were compared with estimated iron-deficient
      erythropoiesis (sTfR concentration >8.3 mg/L): 1) the exclusion of individuals
      with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations >5 mg/L or alpha-1-acid glycoprotein
      (AGP) concentrations >1 g/L, 2) the application of arithmetic correction factors,
      and 3) the use of regression approaches.Results: The prevalence of elevated sTfR
      concentrations incrementally decreased as CRP and AGP deciles decreased for PSC
      and WRA, but the effect was more pronounced for AGP than for CRP. Depending on
      the approach used to adjust for inflammation, the estimated prevalence of iron
      deficient erythropoiesis decreased by 4.4-14.6 and 0.3-9.5 percentage points in
      PSC and WRA, respectively, compared with unadjusted values. The correction-factor
      approach yielded a more modest reduction in the estimated prevalence of iron
      deficient erythropoiesis than did the regression approach. Mostly, adjustment for
      malaria in addition to AGP did not significantly change the estimated prevalence
      of iron-deficient erythropoiesis.Conclusions: sTfR may be useful to assess iron
      deficient erythropoiesis, but inflammation influences its interpretation, and
      adjustment of sTfR for inflammation and malaria should be considered. More
      research is warranted to evaluate the proposed approaches in different settings,
      but this study contributes to the evidence on how and when to adjust sTfR for
      inflammation and malaria.

PMID- 28615257
TI  - Randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of a reusable fish-shaped iron
      ingot to increase hemoglobin concentration in anemic, rural Cambodian women.
AB  - Background: Anemia affects 45% of women of childbearing age in Cambodia. Iron
      supplementation is recommended in populations in which anemia prevalence is high.
      However, there are issues of cost, distribution, and adherence. A potential
      alternative is a reusable fish-shaped iron ingot, which, when added to the
      cooking pot, leaches iron into the fluid in which it is prepared.Objective: We
      sought to determine whether there was a difference in hemoglobin concentrations
      in rural Cambodian anemic women (aged 18-49 y) who cooked with the iron ingot or
      consumed a daily iron supplement compared with a control after 1 y.Design: In
      Preah Vihear, 340 women with mild or moderate anemia were randomly assigned to 1)
      an iron-ingot group, 2) an iron-supplement (18 mg/d) group, or 3) a nonplacebo
      control group. A venous blood sample was taken at baseline and at 6 and 12 mo.
      Blood was analyzed for hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and serum transferrin
      receptor. Hemoglobin electrophoresis was used to detect structural hemoglobin
      variants.Results: Anemia prevalence was 44% with the use of a portable
      hemoglobinometer during screening. At baseline, prevalence of iron deficiency was
      9% on the basis of a low serum ferritin concentration. There was no significant
      difference in mean hemoglobin concentrations between the iron-ingot group (115
      g/L; 95% CI: 113, 118 g/L; P = 0.850) or iron-supplement group (115 g/L; 95% CI:
      113, 117 g/L; P = 0.998) compared with the control group (115 g/L; 95% CI: 113,
      117 g/L) at 12 mo. Serum ferritin was significantly higher in the iron-supplement
      group (73 MUg/L; 95% CI: 64, 82 MUg/L; P = 0.002) than in the control group at 6
      mo; however, this significance was not maintained at 12 mo (73 MUg/L; 95% CI: 58,
      91 MUg/L; P = 0.176).Conclusions: Neither the iron ingot nor iron supplements
      increased hemoglobin concentrations in this population at 6 or 12 mo. We do not
      recommend the use of the fish-shaped iron ingot in Cambodia or in countries where
      the prevalence of iron deficiency is low and genetic hemoglobin disorders are
      high. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02341586.

PMID- 28615258
TI  - Effect of a package of health and nutrition services on sustained recovery in
      children after moderate acute malnutrition and factors related to sustaining
      recovery: a cluster-randomized trial.
AB  - Background: Children who recover from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) have high
      rates of relapse in the year after nutritional recovery. Interventions to
      decrease these adverse outcomes are needed to maximize the overall effectiveness
      of supplemental feeding programs (SFPs).Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness
      of a package of health and nutrition interventions on improving the proportion of
      children who sustained recovery for 1 y after MAM treatment. We further explored
      factors related to sustained recovery.Design: We conducted a cluster-randomized
      clinical effectiveness trial involving rural Malawian children aged 6-62 mo who
      were enrolled on discharge from an SFP for MAM. We enrolled 718 children at 10
      control sites and 769 children at 11 intervention sites. In addition to routine
      health and nutrition counseling, the intervention group received a package of
      health and nutrition interventions that consisted of a lipid nutrient supplement,
      deworming medication, zinc supplementation, a bed net, and malaria
      chemoprophylaxis. A survival analysis was used to determine the effectiveness of
      the intervention as well as to identify factors associated with sustained
      recovery.Results: Of 1383 children who returned for the full 12-mo follow-up
      period, 407 children (56%) and 347 children (53%) sustained recovery in the
      intervention and control groups, respectively. There was no significant
      difference in relapse-free survival curves between the treatment and control
      groups (P = 0.380; log-rank test). The risk factors for relapse or death after
      initial recovery were a smaller midupper arm circumference on SFP admission (P =
      0.01) and discharge (P < 0.001), a lower weight-for-height z score on discharge
      (P < 0.01), and the receipt of ready-to-use supplementary food as opposed to
      ready-to-use therapeutic food during treatment (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The
      provision of a package of health and nutrition services in addition to
      traditional SFP treatment has no significant effect on improving sustained
      recovery in children after treatment of MAM. This trial was registered at
      clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02351687.

PMID- 28615260
TI  - Predictors of anemia in preschool children: Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation
      and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: A lack of information on the etiology of anemia has hampered the
      design and monitoring of anemia-control efforts.Objective: We aimed to evaluate
      predictors of anemia in preschool children (PSC) (age range: 6-59 mo) by country
      and infection-burden category.Design: Cross-sectional data from 16 surveys (n =
      29,293) from the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants
      of Anemia (BRINDA) project were analyzed separately and pooled by category of
      infection burden. We assessed relations between anemia (hemoglobin concentration
      <110 g/L) and severe anemia (hemoglobin concentration <70 g/L) and individual
      level (age, anthropometric measures, micronutrient deficiencies, malaria, and
      inflammation) and household-level predictors; we also examined the proportion of
      anemia with concomitant iron deficiency (defined as an inflammation-adjusted
      ferritin concentration <12 MUg/L). Countries were grouped into 4 categories on
      the basis of risk and burden of infectious disease, and a pooled multivariable
      logistic regression analysis was conducted for each group.Results: Iron
      deficiency, malaria, breastfeeding, stunting, underweight, inflammation, low
      socioeconomic status, and poor sanitation were each associated with anemia in
      >50% of surveys. Associations between breastfeeding and anemia were attenuated by
      controlling for child age, which was negatively associated with anemia. The most
      consistent predictors of severe anemia were malaria, poor sanitation, and
      underweight. In multivariable pooled models, child age, iron deficiency, and
      stunting independently predicted anemia and severe anemia. Inflammation was
      generally associated with anemia in the high- and very high-infection groups but
      not in the low- and medium-infection groups. In PSC with anemia, 50%, 30%, 55%,
      and 58% of children had concomitant iron deficiency in low-, medium-, high-, and
      very high-infection categories, respectively.Conclusions: Although causal
      inference is limited by cross-sectional survey data, results suggest anemia
      control programs should address both iron deficiency and infections. The relative
      importance of factors that are associated with anemia varies by setting, and
      thus, country-specific data are needed to guide programs.

PMID- 28615259
TI  - Adjusting ferritin concentrations for inflammation: Biomarkers Reflecting
      Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: The accurate estimation of iron deficiency is important in planning
      and implementing interventions. Ferritin is recommended as the primary measure of
      iron status, but interpretability is challenging in settings with infection and
      inflammation.Objective: We assessed the relation between ferritin concentrations
      and inflammation and malaria in preschool children (PSC) (age range: 6-59 mo) and
      women of reproductive age (WRA) (age range: 15-49 y) and investigated adjustment
      algorithms to account for these effects.Design: Cross-sectional data from 15
      surveys for PSC (n = 27,865) and 8 surveys for WRA (24,844), from the Biomarkers
      Reflecting the Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA)
      project were analyzed individually and combined with the use of a meta-analysis.
      Several approaches were explored to estimate depleted iron stores (ferritin
      concentration <12 MUg/L in PSC and <15 MUg/L in WRA) in inflammation and malaria
      settings as follows: 1) increase ferritin-concentration cutoff to <30 MUg/L; 2)
      exclude individuals with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations >5 mg/L or alpha
      1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentrations >1 g/L; 3) apply arithmetic correction
      factors; and 4) use a regression correction approach.Results: Depleted iron-store
      estimates incrementally increased as CRP and AGP deciles decreased (4% compared
      with 30%, and 6% compared with 29% from highest compared with lowest CRP deciles
      for pooled PSC and WRA, respectively, with similar results for AGP). Depending on
      the approach used to adjust for inflammation (CRP plus AGP), the estimated
      prevalence of depleted iron stores increased by 7-25 and 2-8 absolute median
      percentage points for PSC and WRA, respectively, compared with unadjusted values.
      Adjustment for malaria in addition to CRP and AGP did not substantially change
      the estimated prevalence of depleted iron stores.Conclusions: Our results lend
      support for the use of internal regression correction to estimate the prevalence
      of depleted iron stores in regions with inflammation. This approach appears to
      mathematically reflect the linear relation of ferritin concentrations with acute
      phase proteins. More research is warranted to validate the proposed approaches,
      but this study contributes to the evidence base to guide decisions about how and
      when to adjust ferritin for inflammation.

PMID- 28615261
TI  - Increased vitamin D intake differentiated according to skin color is needed to
      meet requirements in young Swedish children during winter: a double-blind
      randomized clinical trial.
AB  - Background: Dark skin and low exposure to sunlight increase the risk of vitamin D
      insufficiency in children.Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the
      amount of vitamin D needed to ascertain that most children >4 y of age attain
      sufficient serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [S-25(OH)D; i.e., >=50 nmol/L] during winter
      regardless of latitude and skin color.Design: In a longitudinal, double-blind,
      randomized, food-based intervention study, 5- to 7-y-old children from northern
      (63 degrees N) and southern (55 degrees N) Sweden with fair (n = 108) and dark (n
      = 98) skin were included. Children, stratified by skin color by using
      Fitzpatrick's definition, were randomly assigned to receive milk-based vitamin D3
      supplements that provided 2 (placebo), 10, or 25 MUg/d during 3 winter
      months.Results: Mean daily vitamin D intake increased from 6 to 17 MUg and 26 MUg
      in the intervention groups supplemented with 10 and 25 MUg, respectively. In the
      intention-to-treat analysis, 90.2% (95% CI: 81.1%, 99.3%) of fair-skinned
      children randomly assigned to supplementation of 10 MUg/d attained sufficient
      concentrations, whereas 25 MUg/d was needed in dark-skinned children to reach
      sufficiency in 95.1% (95% CI: 88.5%, 100%). In children adherent to the study
      product, 97% (95% CI: 91.3%, 100%) and 87.9% (95% CI: 76.8%, 99%) of fair- and
      dark-skinned children, respectively, achieved sufficient concentrations if
      supplemented with 10 MUg/d. By using 95% prediction intervals for 30 and 50 nmol
      S-25(OH)D/L, intakes of 6 and 20 MUg/d are required in fair-skinned children,
      whereas 14 and 28 MUg/d are required in children with dark skin.Conclusion:
      Children with fair and dark skin require vitamin D intakes of 20 and 28 MUg/d,
      respectively, to maintain S-25(OH)D >=50 nmol/L, whereas intakes of 6 and 14
      MUg/d, respectively, are required to maintain concentrations >=30 nmol/L during
      winter. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01741324.

PMID- 28615262
TI  - Predictors of anemia in women of reproductive age: Biomarkers Reflecting
      Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: Anemia in women of reproductive age (WRA) (age range: 15-49 y)
      remains a public health problem globally, and reducing anemia in women by 50% by
      2025 is a goal of the World Health Assembly.Objective: We assessed the
      associations between anemia and multiple proximal risk factors (e.g., iron and
      vitamin A deficiencies, inflammation, malaria, and body mass index) and distal
      risk factors (e.g., education status, household sanitation and hygiene, and urban
      or rural residence) in nonpregnant WRA.Design: Cross-sectional, nationally
      representative data from 10 surveys (n = 27,018) from the Biomarkers Reflecting
      Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project were
      analyzed individually and pooled by the infection burden and risk in the country.
      We examined the severity of anemia and measured the bivariate associations
      between anemia and factors at the country level and by infection burden, which we
      classified with the use of the national prevalences of malaria, HIV,
      schistosomiasis, sanitation, and water-quality indicators. Pooled multivariate
      logistic regression models were constructed for each infection-burden category to
      identify independent determinants of anemia (hemoglobin concertation <120
      g/L).Results: Anemia prevalence was ~40% in countries with a high infection
      burden and 12% and 7% in countries with moderate and low infection burdens,
      respectively. Iron deficiency was consistently associated with anemia in
      multivariate models, but the proportion of anemic women who were iron deficient
      was considerably lower in the high-infection group (35%) than in the moderate-
      and low-infection groups (65% and 71%, respectively). In the multivariate
      analysis, inflammation, vitamin A insufficiency, socioeconomic status, and age
      were also significantly associated with anemia, but malaria and vitamin B-12 and
      folate deficiencies were not.Conclusions: The contribution of iron deficiency to
      anemia varies according to a country's infection burden. Anemia-reduction
      programs for WRA can be improved by considering the underlying infection burden
      of the population and by assessing the overlap of micronutrient deficiencies and
      anemia.

PMID- 28615264
TI  - Is the whole not greater than the sum of its parts? The case of sarcopenic
      obesity.

PMID- 28615263
TI  - Factors associated with inflammation in preschool children and women of
      reproductive age: Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants
      of Anemia (BRINDA) project.
AB  - Background: In many settings, populations experience recurrent exposure to
      inflammatory agents that catalyze fluctuations in the concentrations of acute
      phase proteins and certain micronutrient biomarkers such as C-reactive protein
      (CRP), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), ferritin, and retinol. Few data are
      available on the prevalence and predictors of inflammation in diverse
      settings.Objective: We aimed to assess the relation between inflammation (CRP
      concentration >5 mg/L or AGP concentration >1 g/L) and covariates, such as
      demographics, reported illness, and anthropometric status, in preschool children
      (PSC) (age range: 6-59 mo) and women of reproductive age (WRA) (age range: 15-49
      y).Design: Cross-sectional data from the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and
      Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) project from 29,765 PSC in 16 surveys
      and 25,731 WRA in 10 surveys were used to model bivariable and multivariable
      relations.Results: The inflammation prevalence was 6.0-40.2% in PSC and 7.9-29.5%
      in WRA (elevated CRP) and 21.2-64.3% in PSC and 7.1-26.7% in WRA (elevated AGP).
      In PSC, inflammation was consistently positively associated with recent fever and
      malaria but not with other recent illnesses. In multivariable models that were
      adjusted for age, sex, urban or rural residence, and socioeconomic status,
      elevated AGP was positively associated with stunting (height-for-age z score <-2)
      in 7 of 10 surveys. In WRA, elevated CRP was positively associated with obesity
      [body mass index (in kg/m2) >=30] in 7 of 9 surveys. Other covariates showed
      inconsistent patterns of association with inflammation. In a pooled analysis of
      surveys that measured malaria, stunting was associated with elevated AGP but not
      CRP in PSC, and obesity was associated with both elevated CRP and AGP in
      WRA.Conclusions: Recent morbidity and abnormal anthropometric status are
      consistently associated with inflammation across a range of environments, whereas
      more commonly collected demographic covariates were not. Because of the challenge
      of defining a general demographic population or environmental profile that is
      more likely to experience inflammation, inflammatory markers should be measured
      in surveys to account for their effects.

PMID- 28615265
TI  - Adequacy of nutritional intake from food and supplements in a cohort of pregnant
      women in Quebec, Canada: the 3D Cohort Study (Design, Develop, Discover).
AB  - Background: Assessments of the dietary intakes in various populations suggest
      that pregnant women have difficulty meeting all their nutritional requirements
      through diet alone. Few large-scale studies have considered both food sources and
      supplements in assessing the adequacy of nutritional intakes during
      pregnancy.Objective: Our study aimed to assess nutritional intakes during
      pregnancy by examining dietary sources and supplements. It then compared these
      findings with Dietary Reference Intakes.Design: We conducted a nutrition study in
      a large pregnancy cohort using a 3-d food record during the second trimester of
      pregnancy. Detailed information about supplement consumption was obtained by
      interview at each prenatal visit. We estimated the distribution of total usual
      intakes for energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients for 1533 pregnant
      women.Results: A third of the participants had total fat intakes that exceeded
      the Acceptable Micronutrient Distribution Range. A majority of women (85%) had
      sodium intakes above the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). Median intakes for
      fiber and potassium were lower than Adequate Intakes. Dietary intakes of vitamin
      B-6, magnesium, and zinc were below the Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) for
      10-15% of the women. A majority of the women had dietary intakes below the EARs
      for iron (97%), vitamin D (96%), and folate (70%). When we considered
      micronutrient intakes from both food and supplements, we found that the
      prevalence of inadequate intake was <10% for all nutrients except vitamin D (18%)
      and iron (15%), whereas 32% and 87% of the women had total intakes above the ULs
      for iron and folic acid, respectively.Conclusions: The level of intake of some
      nutrients from food alone remains low in the diets of pregnant women. Supplement
      use reduces the risk of inadequate intake for many micronutrients, but diet
      related issues during pregnancy remain and deserve to be addressed in public
      health interventions. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as
      NCT03113331.

PMID- 28615266
TI  - Antitumor Effects of Epidrug/IFNalpha Combination Driven by Modulated Gene
      Signatures in Both Colorectal Cancer and Dendritic Cells.
AB  - Colorectal cancer results from the progressive accumulation of genetic and
      epigenetic alterations. IFN signaling defects play an important role in the
      carcinogenesis process, in which the inability of IFN transcription regulatory
      factors (IRF) to access regulatory sequences in IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) in
      tumors and in immune cells may be pivotal. We reported that low-dose combination
      of two FDA-approved epidrugs, azacytidine (A) and romidepsin (R), with IFNalpha2
      (ARI) hampers the aggressiveness of both colorectal cancer metastatic and stem
      cells in vivo and triggers immunogenic cell death signals that stimulate
      dendritic cell (DC) function. Here, we investigated the molecular signals induced
      by ARI treatment and found that this drug combination increased the accessibility
      to regulatory sequences of ISGs and IRFs that were epigenetically silenced in
      both colorectal cancer cells and DCs. Likewise, specific ARI-induced histone
      methylation and acetylation changes marked epigenetically affected ISG promoters
      in both metastatic cancer cells and DCs. Analysis by ChIP-seq confirmed such ARI
      induced epigenetically regulated IFN signature. The activation of this signal
      endowed DCs with a marked migratory capability. Our results establish a direct
      correlation between reexpression of silenced ISGs by epigenetic control and ARI
      anticancer activity and provide new knowledge for the development of innovative
      combined therapeutic strategies for colorectal cancer. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(7);
      604-16. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615267
TI  - The Novel Association of Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Megakaryocytes
      with Prostate Cancer Prognosis.
AB  - Purpose: To develop an approach for the investigation of different subtypes of
      circulating tumor cells (CTC) and other cells to evaluate their potential
      prognostic value of prostate cancer.Experimental Design: Malignancy of CTCs
      undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was confirmed by repeated
      FISH. Subgroups of CTCs in 81 patients with prostate cancer (43 castration
      resistant and 38 untreated localized) were correlated to disease aggressiveness
      parameters. AUC analysis was applied to compare the performance for metastasis
      prediction between serum PSA level alone and a combined risk score using both PSA
      and EMTing CTC count. Circulating megakaryocytes and cancer patient survival
      association was performed using Cox model.Results: The majority of vimentin
      (VIM)+/CD45- cells were malignant, with genomic alterations in several genomic
      regions. The number of cytokeratin (CK)-/VIM+/CD45- CTCs correlated with disease
      burden, tumor aggressiveness, and poorer survival. Meanwhile, CK+/VIM+/CD45- CTCs
      were associated with metastases better than other subtypes of CTCs in these
      limited samples. Combination of PSA level and the number of CK+/VIM+/CD45- CTCs
      enhanced the prediction of cancer metastases [AUC, 0.921; 95% confidence interval
      (CI), 0.858-0.985]. The number of circulating megakaryocytes was potentially
      associated with good patient survival in advanced prostate cancer (HR, 0.849; 95%
      CI, 0.628-1.146, per cell increase), and the difference between the number of
      mesenchymal CTCs and megakaryocytes strongly correlated to poor survival (HR,
      10.17; 95% CI, 2.164-47.789, if score >=2.0).Conclusions: This CTC analysis
      approach and the potential association of megakaryocytes with cancer prognosis
      may greatly enhance our ability to investigate the cancer metastasis process and
      to predict/monitor cancer progression. Clin Cancer Res; 23(17); 5112-22. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28615268
TI  - Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for major depressive disorder:
      review of systematic reviews.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aims to summarise the evidence on more than 140
      pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for major depressive
      disorder (MDD) and to evaluate the confidence that patients and clinicians can
      have in the underlying science about their effects. DESIGN: This is a review of
      systematic reviews. DATA SOURCES: This study used MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane
      Library, PsycINFO and Epistemonikos from 2011 up to February 2017 for systematic
      reviews of randomised controlled trials in adult patients with acute-phase MDD.
      METHODS: We dually reviewed abstracts and full-text articles, rated the risk of
      bias of eligible systematic reviews and graded the strength of evidence. RESULTS:
      Nineteen systematic reviews provided data on 28 comparisons of interest. For
      general efficacy, only second-generation antidepressants were supported with high
      strength evidence, presenting small beneficial treatment effects (standardised
      mean difference: -0.35; 95% CI -0.31 to -0.38), and a statistically significantly
      higher rate of discontinuation because of adverse events than patients on placebo
      (relative risk (RR) 1.88; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.28).Only cognitive behavioural therapy
      is supported by reliable evidence (moderate strength of evidence) to produce
      responses to treatment similar to those of second-generation antidepressants
      (45.5% vs 44.2%; RR 1.10; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.30). All remaining comparisons of non
      pharmacological treatments with second-generation antidepressants either led to
      inconclusive results or had substantial methodological shortcomings (low or
      insufficient strength of evidence). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to pharmacological
      treatments, the majority of non-pharmacological interventions for treating
      patients with MDD are not evidence based. For patients with strong preferences
      against pharmacological treatments, clinicians should focus on therapies that
      have been compared directly with antidepressants. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:
      International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration
      number: 42016035580.

PMID- 28615269
TI  - How sustainable household environment and knowledge of healthy practices relate
      to childhood morbidity in South Asia: analysis of survey data from Bangladesh,
      Nepal and Pakistan.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Prevalence of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection (ARI) is
      considerably high among South Asian children. The objective of this study is to
      compare the associations of sustainable household environment and knowledge of
      healthy practices with episodes of these diseases among the children in the
      region. DESIGN: The study analysed the latest, nationally representative and
      cross-sectional Demographic and Health Survey data. SETTING: Data from three
      countries were analysed: Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged
      between 12 and 49 years living in selected households provided information on 23
      940 of their children under the age of 5 years. PRIMARY OUTCOMES MEASURES: The
      morbidity status of the children was recorded with respect to episodes of
      diarrhoea and/or ARI in the 2 weeks preceding data collection. RESULTS: Consuming
      unhygienic drinking water increased the risks of childhood diarrhoea, and use of
      solid fuel for indoor cooking increased the risk of ARI, across all three
      countries investigated. However, far more significant were the effects of
      mother's education, with incomplete primary education leading to an odds of
      diarrhoea approaching twice that of a mother with secondary education or higher
      (OR 1.70 in Bangladesh, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.49). CONCLUSIONS: Results from the
      current research underline the importance of developing and implementing
      integrated strategic plans for mothers and children in the countries
      investigated. Promoting hygienic water and sanitation facilities can help reduce
      the prevalence of childhood diarrhoea. Replacing indoor solid fuel cooking
      arrangements with cleaner fuel or more airy conditions can help reduce the
      prevalence of ARI. However, these strategies need to be integrated with education
      for women to raise the likelihood that reduced risks are actually realised.

PMID- 28615270
TI  - Understanding how and why audits work: protocol for a realist review of audit
      programmes to improve hospital care.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Many types of audits are commonly used in hospital care to promote
      quality improvements. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of audits is
      mixed. The objectives of this proposed realist review are (1) to understand how
      and why audits might, or might not, work in terms of delivering the intended
      outcome of improved quality of hospital care and (2) to examine under what
      circumstances audits could potentially be effective. This protocol will provide
      the rationale for using a realist review approach and outline the method. METHODS
      AND ANALYSIS: This review will be conducted using an iterative four-stage
      approach. The first and second steps have already been executed. The first step
      was to develop an initial programme theory based on the literature that explains
      how audits are supposed to work. Second, a systematic literature search was
      conducted using relevant databases. Third, data will be extracted and coded for
      concepts relating to context, outcomes and their interrelatedness. Finally, the
      data will be synthesised in a five-step process: (1) organising the extracted
      data into evidence tables, (2) theming, (3) formulating chains of inference from
      the identified themes, (4) linking the chains of inference and formulating CMO
      configurations and (5) refining the initial programme theory. The reporting of
      the review will follow the 'Realist and Meta-Review Evidence Synthesis: Evolving
      Standards' (RAMESES) publication standards. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This review
      does not require formal ethical approval. A better understanding of how and why
      these audits work, and how context impacts their effectiveness, will inform
      stakeholders in deciding how to tailor and implement audits within their local
      context. We will use a range of dissemination strategies to ensure that findings
      from this realist review are broadly disseminated to academic and non-academic
      audiences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016039882.

PMID- 28615271
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of a randomised trial of physical activity in Alzheimer's
      disease: a secondary analysis exploring patient and proxy-reported health-related
      quality of life measures in Denmark.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the cost-effectiveness of a supervised moderate-to-high
      intensity aerobic exercise programme in people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
      (AD) and estimate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) using participant
      reported and proxy-reported measures of health-related quality of life (HRQoL)
      DESIGN: A cost-effectiveness analysis of economic and HRQoL data from a
      randomised trial delivered over 16 weeks. SETTING: Memory clinics in Denmark.
      PARTICIPANTS: 200 individuals with mild AD aged 50-90 years gave informed consent
      to participate in the study. Participants were randomised to control or
      intervention group. INTERVENTIONS: Control group received treatment as usual. The
      intervention group performed 1 hour of supervised moderate-to-high intensity
      aerobic exercise three times weekly for 16 weeks. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES
      MEASURES: Different physical, functional and health measures were obtained at
      inclusion (baseline) and 4 and 16 weeks after. HRQoL (EuroQol-5 Dimensions-5
      Levels/EQ-Visual Analogue Scale) was reported by the participants and the primary
      caregivers as proxy respondents. Differences in HRQOL as reported by the
      participant and caregiver were explored as were different values of caregiver
      time with respite from care tasks. RESULTS: The intervention cost was estimated
      at ?608 and ?496 per participant, with and without transport cost, respectively.
      Participants and caregivers in the intervention group reported a small, positive
      non-significant improvement in EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS after 16 weeks. The ICER was
      estimated at ?72 000/quality-adjusted life year using participant-reported
      outcomes and ?87000 using caregiver-reported outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings
      suggest that the exercise intervention is unlikely to be cost-effective within
      the commonly applied threshold values. The cost of the intervention might be
      offset by potential savings from reduction in use of health and social care.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01681602.

PMID- 28615272
TI  - What do adolescents with asthma really think about adherence to inhalers?
      Insights from a qualitative analysis of a UK online forum.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the barriers and facilitators to inhaled asthma treatment
      in adolescents with asthma. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis of posts about inhaler
      treatment in adolescents from an online forum for people with asthma. Analysis
      informed by the Perceptions and Practicalities Approach. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-four
      forum participants (39 adolescents >=16 years, 5 parents of adolescents, 10
      adults with asthma) identified using search terms 'teenager inhaler' and
      'adolescent inhaler'. SETTING: Posts from adolescents, parents and adults with
      asthma taking part in the Asthma UK online forum between 2006 and 2016, UK.
      RESULTS: Practical barriers reducing the ability to adhere included forgetfulness
      and poor routines, inadequate inhaler technique, organisational difficulties
      (such as repeat prescriptions), and families not understanding or accepting their
      child had asthma. Prompting and monitoring inhaler treatment by parents were
      described as helpful, with adolescents benefiting from self-monitoring, for
      example, by using charts logging adherence. Perceptions reducing the motivation
      to adhere included asthma representation as episodic rather than chronic
      condition with intermittent need of inhaler treatment. Adolescents and adults
      with asthma (but not parents) described concerns related to attributed side
      effects (eg, weight gain) and social stigma, resulting in 'embarrassment of
      taking inhalers'. Facilitators to adherence included actively seeking general
      practitioners'/consultants' adjustments if problems arose and learning to deal
      with the side effects and stigma. Parents were instrumental in creating a sense
      of responsibility for adherence. CONCLUSIONS: This online forum reveals a rich
      and novel insight into adherence to asthma inhalers by adolescents. Interventions
      that prompt and monitor preventer inhaler use would be welcomed and hold
      potential. In clinical consultations, exploring parents' beliefs about asthma
      diagnosis and their role in dealing with barriers to treatment might be
      beneficial. The social stigma of asthma and its role in adherence were prominent
      and continue to be underestimated, warranting further research and action to
      improve public awareness of asthma.

PMID- 28615273
TI  - Analysis of the potential for point-of-care test to enable individualised
      treatment of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant and susceptible strains
      of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a modelling study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To create a mathematical model to investigate the treatment impact and
      economic implications of introducing an antimicrobial resistance point-of-care
      test (AMR POCT) for gonorrhoea as a way of extending the life of current last
      line treatments. DESIGN: Modelling study. SETTING: England. POPULATION: Patients
      accessing sexual health services. INTERVENTIONS: Incremental impact of
      introducing a hypothetical AMR POCT that could detect susceptibility to previous
      first-line antibiotics, for example, ciprofloxacin or penicillin, so that
      patients are given more tailored treatment, compared with the current situation
      where all patients are given therapy with ceftriaxone and azithromycin. The
      hypothetical intervention was assessed using a mathematical model developed in
      Excel. The model included initial and follow-up attendances, loss to follow-up,
      use of standard or tailored treatment, time taken to treatment and the costs of
      testing and treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of doses of ceftriaxone
      saved, mean time to most appropriate treatment, mean number of visits per
      (infected) patient, number of patients lost to follow-up and total cost of
      testing. RESULTS: In the current situation, an estimated 33 431 ceftriaxone
      treatments are administered annually and 792 gonococcal infections remain
      untreated due to loss to follow-up. The use of an AMR POCT for ciprofloxacin
      could reduce these ceftriaxone treatments by 66%, and for an AMR POCT for
      penicillin by 79%. The mean time for patients receiving an antibiotic treatment
      is reduced by 2 days in scenarios including POCT and no positive patients remain
      untreated through eliminating loss to follow-up. Such POCTs are estimated to add
      L34 million to testing costs, but this does not take into account reductions in
      costs of repeat attendances and the reuse of older, cheaper antimicrobials.
      CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of AMR POCT could allow clinicians to discern
      between the majority of gonorrhoea-positive patients with strains that could be
      treated with older, previously abandoned first-line treatments, and those
      requiring our current last-line dual therapy. Such tests could extend the useful
      life of dual ceftriaxone and azithromycin therapy, thus pushing back the time
      when gonorrhoea may become untreatable.

PMID- 28615274
TI  - Detecting organisational innovations leading to improved ICU outcomes: a protocol
      for a double-blinded national positive deviance study of critical care delivery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There is substantial variability in intensive care unit (ICU)
      utilisation and quality of care. However, the factors that drive this variation
      are poorly understood. This study uses a novel adaptation of positive deviance
      approach-a methodology used in public health that assumes solutions to challenges
      already exist within the system to detect innovations that are likely to improve
      intensive care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We used the Philips eICU Research Institute
      database, containing 3.3 million patient records from over 50 health systems
      across the USA. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation IVa scores were
      used to identify the study cohort, which included ICU patients whose outcomes
      were felt to be most sensitive to organisational innovations. The primary
      outcomes included mortality and length of stay. Outcome measurements were
      directly standardised, and bootstrapped CIs were calculated with adjustment for
      false discovery rate. Using purposive sampling, we then generated a blinded list
      of five positive outliers and five negative comparators.Using rapid qualitative
      inquiry (RQI), blinded interdisciplinary site visit teams will conduct interviews
      and observations using a team ethnography approach. After data collection is
      completed, the data will be unblinded and analysed using a cross-case method to
      identify themes, patterns and innovations using a constant comparative grounded
      theory approach. This process detects the innovations in intensive care and
      supports an evaluation of how positive deviance and RQI methods can be adapted to
      healthcare. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was approved by the
      Stanford University Institutional Review Board (reference: 39509). We plan on
      publishing study findings and methodological guidance in peer-reviewed academic
      journals, white papers and presentations at conferences.

PMID- 28615275
TI  - The burden of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors: the Australian
      cancer-PAF cohort consortium.
AB  - PURPOSE: To estimate the Australian cancer burden attributable to lifestyle
      related risk factors and their combinations using a novel population attributable
      fraction (PAF) method that accounts for competing risk of death, risk factor
      interdependence and statistical uncertainty. PARTICIPANTS: 365 173 adults from
      seven Australian cohort studies. We linked pooled harmonised individual
      participant cohort data with population-based cancer and death registries to
      estimate exposure-cancer and exposure-death associations. Current Australian
      exposure prevalence was estimated from representative external sources. To
      illustrate the utility of the new PAF method, we calculated fractions of cancers
      causally related to body fatness or both tobacco and alcohol consumption
      avoidable in the next 10 years by risk factor modifications, comparing them with
      fractions produced by traditional PAF methods. FINDINGS TO DATE: Over 10 years of
      follow-up, we observed 27 483 incident cancers and 22 078 deaths. Of cancers
      related to body fatness (n=9258), 13% (95% CI 11% to 16%) could be avoided if
      those currently overweight or obese had body mass index of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2. Of
      cancers causally related to both tobacco and alcohol (n=4283), current or former
      smoking explains 13% (11% to 16%) and consuming more than two alcoholic drinks
      per day explains 6% (5% to 8%). The two factors combined explain 16% (13% to
      19%): 26% (21% to 30%) in men and 8% (4% to 11%) in women. Corresponding
      estimates using the traditional PAF method were 20%, 31% and 10%. Our PAF
      estimates translate to 74 000 avoidable body fatness-related cancers and 40 000
      avoidable tobacco- and alcohol-related cancers in Australia over the next 10
      years (2017-2026). Traditional PAF methods not accounting for competing risk of
      death and interdependence of risk factors may overestimate PAFs and avoidable
      cancers. FUTURE PLANS: We will rank the most important causal factors and their
      combinations for a spectrum of cancers and inform cancer control activities.

PMID- 28615276
TI  - BlueHealth: a study programme protocol for mapping and quantifying the potential
      benefits to public health and well-being from Europe's blue spaces.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Proximity and access to water have long been central to human
      culture and accordingly deliver countless societal benefits. Over 200 million
      people live on Europe's coastline, and aquatic environments are the top
      recreational destination in the region. In terms of public health, interactions
      with 'blue space' (eg, coasts, rivers, lakes) are often considered solely in
      terms of risk (eg, drowning, microbial pollution). Exposure to blue space can,
      however, promote health and well-being and prevent disease, although underlying
      mechanisms are poorly understood. AIMS AND METHODS: The BlueHealth project aims
      to understand the relationships between exposure to blue space and health and
      well-being, to map and quantify the public health impacts of changes to both
      natural blue spaces and associated urban infrastructure in Europe, and to provide
      evidence-based information to policymakers on how to maximise health benefits
      associated with interventions in and around aquatic environments. To achieve
      these aims, an evidence base will be created through systematic reviews, analyses
      of secondary data sets and analyses of new data collected through a bespoke
      international survey and a wide range of community-level interventions. We will
      also explore how to deliver the benefits associated with blue spaces to those
      without direct access through the use of virtual reality. Scenarios will be
      developed that allow the evaluation of health impacts in plausible future
      societal contexts and changing environments. BlueHealth will develop key inputs
      into policymaking and land/water-use planning towards more salutogenic and
      sustainable uses of blue space, particularly in urban areas. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: Throughout the BlueHealth project, ethics review and approval are
      obtained for all relevant aspects of the study by the local ethics committees
      prior to any work being initiated and an ethics expert has been appointed to the
      project advisory board. So far, ethical approval has been obtained for the
      BlueHealth International Survey and for community-level interventions taking
      place in Spain, Italy and the UK. Engagement of stakeholders, including the
      public, involves citizens in many aspects of the project. Results of all
      individual studies within the BlueHealth project will be published with open
      access. After full anonymisation and application of any measures necessary to
      prevent disclosure, data generated in the project will be deposited into open
      data repositories of the partner institutions, in line with a formal data
      management plan. Other knowledge and tools developed in the project will be made
      available via the project website (www.bluehealth2020.eu). Project results will
      ultimately provide key inputs to planning and policy relating to blue space,
      further stimulating the integration of environmental and health considerations
      into decision-making, such that blue infrastructure is developed across Europe
      with both public health and the environment in mind.

PMID- 28615277
TI  - Alterations in the brain's connectome during recovery from severe traumatic brain
      injury: protocol for a longitudinal prospective study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered one of the most
      pervasive causes of disability in people under the age of 45. TBI often results
      in disorders of consciousness, and clinical assessment of the state of
      consciousness in these patients is challenging due to the lack of behavioural
      responsiveness. Functional neuroimaging offers a means to assess these patients
      without the need for behavioural signs, indicating that brain connectivity plays
      a major role in consciousness emergence and maintenance. However, little is known
      regarding how changes in connectivity during recovery from TBI accompany changes
      in the level of consciousness. Here, we aim to combine cutting-edge neuroimaging
      techniques to follow changes in brain connectivity in patients recovering from
      severe TBI. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A multimodal, longitudinal assessment of 30
      patients in the subacute stage after severe TBI will be made comprising an MRI
      session combined with electroencephalography (EEG), a positron emission
      tomography session and a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) combined with
      EEG (TMS/EEG) session. A group of 20 healthy participants will be included for
      comparison. Four sessions for patients and two sessions for healthy participants
      will be planned. Data analysis techniques will focus on whole-brain, both data
      driven and hypothesis-driven, connectivity measures that will be specific to the
      imaging modality. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The project has received ethical
      approval by the local ethics committee of the Capital Region of Denmark and by
      the Danish Data Protection. Results will be published as original research
      articles in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated in international conferences.
      None of the measurements will have any direct clinical impact on the patients
      included in the study but may benefit future patients through a better
      understanding of the mechanisms underlying the recovery process after TBI. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02424656; PRE-RESULTS.

PMID- 28615278
TI  - Individual, social and environmental determinants of sleep among women: protocol
      for a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sleep is important to promote optimal health and avoid negative
      health outcomes. Short-duration and low-quality sleep may be more common and more
      detrimental among women compared with men. Identifying the determinants of
      behaviour is one of the first steps in designing effective interventions. To our
      knowledge, no systematic review has identified the individual, social and
      environmental determinants of sleep among adult women. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:
      Studies reporting data on adult women from 18 to 64 years of age will be
      included. On the basis of ecological models of health behaviour and sleep, the
      types of determinants that will be included in the review are individual (eg,
      demographic, psychological and behavioural), social (eg, family) and
      environmental (eg, physical environment and policies) determinants. Observational
      (cross-sectional and longitudinal) and experimental studies will be included.
      MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and Proquest Dissertations and Theses
      will be investigated. Data will be extracted independently by two reviewers using
      a standardised data extraction form. The quality of observational studies will be
      assessed using the National Institute of Health Quality Assessment Tool for
      Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies and the quality of experimental
      studies will be assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project
      Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Study. If there is a sufficient number
      of studies reporting data on a similar determinant among a similar population
      (k>5), a meta-analysis of the results will be performed with a random-effects
      model. If between-study heterogeneity is high (I2 >=75%), it will be investigated
      through sensitivity analyses and meta-regression. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:
      Formal ethical approval is not required as no primary data will be collected. The
      results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. This review will provide
      valuable information to those interested in developing empirically based sleep
      interventions among women. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42017056894.

PMID- 28615279
TI  - Medicines Optimisation Assessment Tool (MOAT): a prognostic model to target
      hospital pharmacists' input to improve patient outcomes. Protocol for an
      observational study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Medicines optimisation is a key role for hospital pharmacists, but
      with ever-increasing demands on services there is a need to increase efficiency
      while maintaining patient safety. The aim of this study is to develop a
      prognostic model, the Medicines Optimisation Assessment Tool (MOAT), which can be
      used to target patients most in need of pharmacists' input while in hospital.
      METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The MOAT will be developed following recommendations of the
      Prognosis Research Strategy partnership. Using a cohort study we will
      prospectively include 1500 adult patients from the medical wards of two UK
      hospitals. Data on medication-related problems (MRPs) experienced by study
      patients will be collected by pharmacists at the study sites as part of their
      routine daily clinical assessment of patients. Data on potential risk factors
      such as polypharmacy, renal impairment and the use of 'high risk' medicines will
      be collected retrospectively from the information departments at the study sites,
      laboratory reporting systems and patient medical records. Multivariable logistic
      regression models will then be used to determine the relationship between
      potential risk factors and the study outcome of preventable MRPs that are at
      least moderate in severity. Bootstrapping will be used to adjust the MOAT for
      optimism, and predictive performance will be assessed using calibration and
      discrimination. A simplified scoring system will also be developed, which will be
      assessed for sensitivity and specificity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study
      has been approved by the Proportionate Review Service Sub-Committee of the
      National Health Service Research Ethics Committee Wales REC 7 (16/WA/0016) and
      the Health Research Authority (project ID 197298). We plan to disseminate the
      results via presentations at relevant patient/public, professional, academic and
      scientific meetings and conferences, and will submit findings for publication in
      peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02582463.

PMID- 28615280
TI  - Age-associated gene expression changes in the arcuate nucleus of male rhesus
      macaques.
AB  - The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) represents a major component of the
      neuroendocrine reproductive axis and plays an important role in controlling the
      onset of puberty as well as age-associated reproductive senescence. Although
      significant gene expression changes have been observed in the ARC during sexual
      maturation, it is unclear what changes occur during aging, especially in males.
      Therefore, in the present study, we profiled the expression of reproduction
      related genes in the ARC of young and old male rhesus macaques, as well as old
      males that had received 6 months of hormone supplementation (HS) in the form of
      daily testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone; we also compared morning vs night
      ARC gene expression in the old males. Using Affymetrix gene microarrays, we found
      little evidence for age-associated expression changes for genes associated with
      the neuroendocrine reproductive axis, whereas using qRT-PCR, we detected a
      similar age-associated decrease in PGR (progesterone receptor) that we previously
      observed in postmenopausal females. We also detected a sex-steroid-dependent and
      age-associated decrease in androgen receptor (AR) expression, with highest AR
      levels being expressed at night (i.e., coinciding with the natural peak in daily
      testosterone secretion). Finally, unlike previous observations made in females,
      we did not find a significant age-associated increase in KISS1 (Kisspeptin) or
      TAC3 (Neurokinin B) expression in the ARC of males, most likely because the
      attenuation of circulating sex-steroid levels in the males was much less than
      that in postmenopausal females. Taken together, the data highlight some
      similarities and differences in ARC gene expression between aged male and female
      nonhuman primates.

PMID- 28615281
TI  - Macrophages Promote Resistance to Checkpoint Inhibitors.
AB  - A study in mice suggests that macrophages produce resistance to checkpoint
      inhibitors by removing anti-PD-1 antibodies from T cells. Fcgamma receptors on
      macrophages bind to the Fc domain on the antibodies. Blocking this interaction
      with other antibodies produced dramatic tumor shrinkage in mice.

PMID- 28615282
TI  - Maternal Haploid, a Metalloprotease Enriched at the Largest Satellite Repeat and
      Essential for Genome Integrity in Drosophila Embryos.
AB  - The incorporation of the paternal genome into the zygote during fertilization
      requires chromatin remodeling. The maternal haploid (mh) mutation in Drosophila
      affects this process and leads to the formation of haploid embryos without the
      paternal genome. mh encodes the Drosophila homolog of SPRTN, a conserved protease
      essential for resolving DNA-protein cross-linked products. Here we characterize
      the role of MH in genome maintenance. It is not understood how MH protects the
      paternal genome during fertilization, particularly in light of our finding that
      MH is present in both parental pronuclei during zygote formation. We showed that
      maternal chromosomes in mh mutant embryos experience instabilities in the absence
      of the paternal genome, which suggests that MH is generally required for
      chromosome stability during embryogenesis. This is consistent with our finding
      that MH is abundantly present on chromatin throughout the cell cycle. Remarkably,
      MH is prominently enriched at the 359-bp satellite repeats during interphase,
      which becomes unstable without MH. This dynamic localization and specific
      enrichment of MH at the 359 repeats resemble that of Topoisomerase 2 (Top2),
      suggesting that MH regulates Top2, possibly as a protease for the resolution of
      Top2-DNA intermediates. We propose that maternal MH removes proteins specifically
      enriched on sperm chromatin. In the absence of that function, paternal
      chromosomes are precipitously lost. This mode of paternal chromatin remodeling is
      likely conserved and the unique phenotype of the Drosophila mh mutants represents
      a rare opportunity to gain insights into the process that has been difficult to
      study.

PMID- 28615283
TI  - Cis- and Trans-regulatory Effects on Gene Expression in a Natural Population of
      Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Cis- and trans-regulatory mutations are important contributors to transcriptome
      evolution. Quantifying their relative contributions to intraspecific variation in
      gene expression is essential for understanding the population genetic processes
      that underlie evolutionary changes in gene expression. Here, we have examined
      this issue by quantifying genome-wide, allele-specific expression (ASE) variation
      using a crossing scheme that produces F1 hybrids between 18 different Drosophila
      melanogaster strains sampled from the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel and a
      reference strain from another population. Head and body samples from F1 adult
      females were subjected to RNA sequencing and the subsequent ASE quantification.
      Cis- and trans-regulatory effects on expression variation were estimated from
      these data. A higher proportion of genes showed significant cis-regulatory
      variation (~28%) than those that showed significant trans-regulatory variation
      (~9%). The sizes of cis-regulatory effects on expression variation were 1.98 and
      1.88 times larger than trans-regulatory effects in heads and bodies,
      respectively. A generalized linear model analysis revealed that both cis- and
      trans-regulated expression variation was strongly associated with nonsynonymous
      nucleotide diversity and tissue specificity. Interestingly, trans-regulated
      variation showed a negative correlation with local recombination rate. Also, our
      analysis on proximal transposable element (TE) insertions suggested that they
      affect transcription levels of ovary-expressed genes more pronouncedly than genes
      not expressed in the ovary, possibly due to defense mechanisms against TE
      mobility in the germline. Collectively, our detailed quantification of ASE
      variations from a natural population has revealed a number of new relationships
      between genomic factors and the effects of cis- and trans-regulatory factors on
      expression variation.

PMID- 28615284
TI  - TCL1A Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Estrogen-Mediated Toll-Like Receptor
      MYD88-Dependent Nuclear Factor-kappaB Activation: Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism-
      and Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator-Dependent Modification of Inflammation
      and Immune Response.
AB  - In a previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) for musculoskeletal adverse
      events during aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer, we reported that
      single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the TCL1A gene were associated with
      this adverse drug reaction. Functional genomic studies showed that TCL1A
      expression was induced by estradiol, but only in cells with the variant sequence
      for the top GWAS SNP (rs11849538), a SNP that created a functional estrogen
      response element. In addition, TCL1A genotype influenced the downstream
      expression of a series of cytokines and chemokines and had a striking effect on
      nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) transcriptional activity. Furthermore, this SNP
      dependent regulation could be reversed by selective ER modulators (SERMs). The
      present study was designed to pursue mechanisms underlying TCL1A SNP-mediated,
      estrogen-dependent NF-kappaB activation. Functional genomic studies were
      performed using a panel of 300 lymphoblastoid cell lines for which we had
      generated genome-wide SNP and gene expression data. It is known that toll-like
      receptors (TLRs) can regulate NF-kappaB signaling by a process that requires the
      adaptor protein MYD88. We found that TLR2, TLR7, TLR9, and TLR10 expression, as
      well as that of MYD88, could be modulated by TCL1A in a SNP and estrogen
      dependent fashion and that these effects were reversed in the presence of SERMs.
      Furthermore, MYD88 inhibition blocked the TCL1A SNP and estrogen-dependent NF
      kappaB activation, as well as protein-protein interaction between TCL1A and
      MYD88. These observations greatly expand the range of pathways influenced by
      TCL1A genotype and raise the possibility that this estrogen- and SNP-dependent
      regulation might be altered pharmacologically by SERMs.

PMID- 28615287
TI  - Commentary: View from the frontline of pragmatic trials.

PMID- 28615285
TI  - Vaccination against Salmonella Infection: the Mucosal Way.
AB  - Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica includes several serovars infecting both
      humans and other animals and leading to typhoid fever or gastroenteritis. The
      high prevalence of associated morbidity and mortality, together with an increased
      emergence of multidrug-resistant strains, is a current global health issue that
      has prompted the development of vaccination strategies that confer protection
      against most serovars. Currently available systemic vaccine approaches have major
      limitations, including a reduced effectiveness in young children and a lack of
      cross-protection among different strains. Having studied host-pathogen
      interactions, microbiologists and immunologists argue in favor of topical
      gastrointestinal administration for improvement in vaccine efficacy. Here, recent
      advances in this field are summarized, including mechanisms of bacterial uptake
      at the intestinal epithelium, the assessment of protective host immunity, and
      improved animal models that closely mimic infection in humans. The pros and cons
      of existing vaccines are presented, along with recent progress made with novel
      formulations. Finally, new candidate antigens and their relevance in the refined
      design of anti-Salmonella vaccines are discussed, along with antigen
      vectorization strategies such as nanoparticles or secretory immunoglobulins, with
      a focus on potentiating mucosal vaccine efficacy.

PMID- 28615288
TI  - Correlation between Apparent Substrate Affinity and OCT2 Transport Turnover.
AB  - Organic cation (OC) transporter 2 (OCT2) mediates the first step in the renal
      secretion of many cationic drugs: basolateral uptake from blood into proximal
      tubule cells. The impact of this process on the pharmacokinetics of drug
      clearance as estimated using a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic approach
      relies on an accurate understanding of the kinetics of transport because the
      ratio of the maximal rate of transport to the Michaelis constant (i.e., Jmax/ Kt)
      provides an estimate of the intrinsic clearance (Clint) used in in vitro-in vivo
      extrapolation of experimentally determined transport data. Although the
      multispecificity of renal OC secretion, including that of the OCT2 transporter,
      is widely acknowledged, the possible relationship between relative affinity of
      the transporter for its diverse substrates and the maximal rates of their
      transport has received little attention. In this study, we determined the Jmax
      and apparent Michaelis constant (Ktapp) values for six structurally distinct OCT2
      substrates and found a strong correlation between Jmax and Ktapp; high-affinity
      substrates [Ktapp values <50 uM, including 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, or 1
      methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP), and cimetidine] displayed systematically lower
      Jmax values (<50 pmol cm-2 min-1) than did low-affinity substrates (Ktapp >200
      uM, including choline and metformin). Similarly, preloading OCT2-expressing cells
      with low-affinity substrates resulted in systematically larger trans-stimulated
      rates of MPP uptake than did preloading with high-affinity substrates. The data
      are quantitatively consistent with the hypothesis that dissociation of bound
      substrate from the transporter is rate limiting in establishing maximal rates of
      OCT2-mediated transport. This systematic relationship may provide a means to
      estimate Clint for drugs for which transport data are lacking.

PMID- 28615289
TI  - Enzyme sub-functionalization driven by regulation.

PMID- 28615286
TI  - The Physiology of Phagocytosis in the Context of Mitochondrial Origin.
AB  - How mitochondria came to reside within the cytosol of their host has been debated
      for 50 years. Though current data indicate that the last eukaryote common
      ancestor possessed mitochondria and was a complex cell, whether mitochondria or
      complexity came first in eukaryotic evolution is still discussed. In autogenous
      models (complexity first), the origin of phagocytosis poses the limiting step at
      eukaryote origin, with mitochondria coming late as an undigested growth
      substrate. In symbiosis-based models (mitochondria first), the host was an
      archaeon, and the origin of mitochondria was the limiting step at eukaryote
      origin, with mitochondria providing bacterial genes, ATP synthesis on
      internalized bioenergetic membranes, and mitochondrion-derived vesicles as the
      seed of the eukaryote endomembrane system. Metagenomic studies are uncovering new
      host-related archaeal lineages that are reported as complex or phagocytosing,
      although images of such cells are lacking. Here we review the physiology and
      components of phagocytosis in eukaryotes, critically inspecting the concept of a
      phagotrophic host. From ATP supply and demand, a mitochondrion-lacking
      phagotrophic archaeal fermenter would have to ingest about 34 times its body
      weight in prokaryotic prey to obtain enough ATP to support one cell division. It
      would lack chemiosmotic ATP synthesis at the plasma membrane, because
      phagocytosis and chemiosmosis in the same membrane are incompatible. It would
      have lived from amino acid fermentations, because prokaryotes are mainly protein.
      Its ATP yield would have been impaired relative to typical archaeal amino acid
      fermentations, which involve chemiosmosis. In contrast, phagocytosis would have
      had great physiological benefit for a mitochondrion-bearing cell.

PMID- 28615290
TI  - A post-translational modification switch controls coactivator function of histone
      methyltransferases G9a and GLP.
AB  - Like many transcription regulators, histone methyltransferases G9a and G9a-like
      protein (GLP) can act gene-specifically as coregulators, but mechanisms
      controlling this specificity are mostly unknown. We show that adjacent post
      translational methylation and phosphorylation regulate binding of G9a and GLP to
      heterochromatin protein 1 gamma (HP1gamma), formation of a ternary complex with
      the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) on chromatin, and function of G9a and GLP as
      coactivators for a subset of GR target genes. HP1gamma is recruited by G9a and
      GLP to GR binding sites associated with genes that require G9a, GLP, and HP1gamma
      for glucocorticoid-stimulated transcription. At the physiological level, G9a and
      GLP coactivator function is required for glucocorticoid activation of genes that
      repress cell migration in A549 lung cancer cells. Thus, regulated methylation and
      phosphorylation serve as a switch controlling G9a and GLP coactivator function,
      suggesting that this mechanism may be a general paradigm for directing specific
      transcription factor and coregulator actions on different genes.

PMID- 28615291
TI  - High-affinity cooperative Ca2+ binding by MICU1-MICU2 serves as an on-off switch
      for the uniporter.
AB  - The mitochondrial calcium uniporter is a Ca2+-activated Ca2+ channel that is
      essential for dynamic modulation of mitochondrial function in response to
      cellular Ca2+ signals. It is regulated by two paralogous EF-hand proteins-MICU1
      and MICU2, but the mechanism is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that both MICU1 and
      MICU2 are stabilized by Ca2+ We reconstitute the MICU1-MICU2 heterodimer and
      demonstrate that it binds Ca2+ cooperatively with high affinity. We discover that
      both MICU1 and MICU2 exhibit affinity for the mitochondria-specific lipid
      cardiolipin. We determine the minimum Ca2+ concentration required for
      disinhibition of the uniporter in permeabilized cells and report a close match
      with the Ca2+-binding affinity of MICU1-MICU2. We conclude that cooperative, high
      affinity interaction of the MICU1-MICU2 complex with Ca2+ serves as an on-off
      switch, leading to a tightly controlled channel, capable of responding directly
      to cytosolic Ca2+ signals.

PMID- 28615292
TI  - Rtt101-Mms1-Mms22 coordinates replication-coupled sister chromatid cohesion and
      nucleosome assembly.
AB  - Two sister chromatids must be held together by a cohesion process from their
      synthesis during S phase to segregation in anaphase. Despite its pivotal role in
      accurate chromosome segregation, how cohesion is established remains elusive.
      Here, we demonstrate that yeast Rtt101-Mms1, Cul4 family E3 ubiquitin ligases are
      stronger dosage suppressors of loss-of-function eco1 mutants than PCNA The
      essential cohesion reaction, Eco1-catalyzed Smc3 acetylation is reduced in the
      absence of Rtt101-Mms1. One of the adaptor subunits, Mms22, associates directly
      with Eco1. Point mutations (L61D/G63D) in Eco1 that abolish the interaction with
      Mms22 impair Smc3 acetylation. Importantly, an eco1LGpol30A251V double mutant
      displays additive Smc3ac reduction. Moreover, Smc3 acetylation and cohesion
      defects also occur in the mutants of other replication-coupled nucleosome
      assembly (RCNA) factors upstream or downstream of Rtt101-Mms1, indicating
      unanticipated cross talk between histone modifications and cohesin acetylation.
      These data suggest that fork-associated Cul4-Ddb1 E3s, together with PCNA,
      coordinate chromatin reassembly and cohesion establishment on the newly
      replicated sister chromatids, which are crucial for maintaining genome and
      chromosome stability.

PMID- 28615294
TI  - Pituitary stem cell regulation: who is pulling the strings?
AB  - The pituitary gland plays a pivotal role in the endocrine system, steering
      fundamental processes of growth, metabolism, reproduction and coping with stress.
      The adult pituitary contains resident stem cells, which are highly quiescent in
      homeostatic conditions. However, the cells show marked signs of activation during
      processes of increased cell remodeling in the gland, including maturation at
      neonatal age, adaptation to physiological demands, regeneration upon injury and
      growth of local tumors. Although functions of pituitary stem cells are slowly but
      gradually uncovered, their regulation largely remains virgin territory. Since
      postnatal stem cells in general reiterate embryonic developmental pathways,
      attention is first being given to regulatory networks involved in pituitary
      embryogenesis. Here, we give an overview of the current knowledge on the NOTCH,
      WNT, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, SHH and Hippo pathways in the pituitary
      stem/progenitor cell compartment during various (activation) conditions from
      embryonic over neonatal to adult age. Most information comes from expression
      analyses of molecular components belonging to these networks, whereas functional
      extrapolation is still very limited. From this overview, it emerges that the 'big
      five' embryonic pathways are indeed reiterated in the stem cells of the 'lazy'
      homeostatic postnatal pituitary, further magnified en route to activation in more
      energetic, physiological and pathological remodeling conditions. Increasing the
      knowledge on the molecular players that pull the regulatory strings of the
      pituitary stem cells will not only provide further fundamental insight in
      postnatal pituitary homeostasis and activation, but also clues toward the
      development of regenerative ideas for improving treatment of pituitary deficiency
      and tumors.

PMID- 28615293
TI  - Looping-out mechanism for resolution of replicative stress at telomeres.
AB  - Repetitive DNA is prone to replication fork stalling, which can lead to genome
      instability. Here, we find that replication fork stalling at telomeres leads to
      the formation of t-circle-tails, a new extrachromosomal structure that consists
      of circular telomeric DNA with a single-stranded tail. Structurally, the t-circle
      tail resembles cyclized leading or lagging replication intermediates that are
      excised from the genome by topoisomerase II-mediated cleavage. We also show that
      the DNA damage repair machinery NHEJ is required for the formation of t-circle
      tails and for the resolution of stalled replication forks, suggesting that NHEJ,
      which is normally constitutively suppressed at telomeres, is activated in the
      context of replication stress. Inhibition of NHEJ or knockout of DNA-PKcs impairs
      telomere replication, leading to multiple-telomere sites (MTS) and telomere
      shortening. Collectively, our results support a "looping-out" mechanism, in which
      the stalled replication fork is cut out and cyclized to form t-circle-tails, and
      broken DNA is religated. The telomere loss induced by replication stress may
      serve as a new factor that drives replicative senescence and cell aging.

PMID- 28615295
TI  - Burden of Recurrent and Ancestral Mutations in Families With Hypertrophic
      Cardiomyopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetically heterogeneous myocardial
      disease with >1000 causal variants identified. Nonunique variants account for
      disease in many families. We sought to characterize nonunique variants in
      Australian families and determine whether they arise from common ancestral
      mutations or recurrent mutation events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Genetic test results
      of 467 index patients from apparently unrelated families with hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy were evaluated. Causal variants were found in 185 of 467 (40%)
      families. Nonunique variants accounted for 122 of 185 (66%) families. The most
      common single genetic cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the recurrent
      MYBPC3 (myosin-binding protein-C) variant c.1504C>T, p.Arg502Trp, which was found
      in 13 of 185 (7%) families with a causal variant identified. Thirteen variants in
      MYBPC3 and MYH7 (myosin heavy chain 7) were each identified >3 times and
      accounted for 78 of 185 (42%) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy families with a causal
      variant. Haplotype analysis of these 13 variants was performed on 126 individuals
      from 70 Australian families, and 11 variants arose through recurrent mutation
      events. Two variants, MYBPC3 c.1928-2A>G and MYH7 c.2681A>G, p.Glu894Gly, were
      found on 1 haplotype in 6 families each, supportive of a single mutation event
      inherited from a common ancestor. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of families with a
      causal variant identified have a nonunique variant. Discovery of the genetic
      origins of human disease forms a fundamental basis for improved understanding of
      disease pathogenesis and phenotype development.

PMID- 28615296
TI  - Ancestry, Telomere Length, and Atherosclerosis Risk.

PMID- 28615297
TI  - Disruption of Aneuploidy and Senescence Induced by Aurora Inhibition Promotes
      Intrinsic Apoptosis in Double Hit or Double Expressor Diffuse Large B-cell
      Lymphomas.
AB  - Double hit (DH) or double expressor (DE) diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL)
      are aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) with translocations and/or
      overexpressions of MYC and BCL-2, which are difficult to treat. Aurora kinase
      (AK) inhibition with alisertib in DH/DE-DLBCL induces cell death in ~30%, while
      ~70% are aneuploid and senescent cells (AASC), a mitotic escape mechanism
      contributing to drug resistance. These AASCs elaborated a high metabolic rate by
      increased AKT/mTOR and ERK/MAPK activity via BTK signaling through the chronic
      active B-cell receptor (BCR) pathway. Combinations of alisertib + ibrutinib or
      alisertib + ibrutinib + rituximab significantly reduced AASCs with enhanced
      intrinsic cell death. Inhibition of AK + BTK reduced phosphorylation of AKT/mTOR
      and ERK-1/2, upregulated phospho-H2A-X and Chk-2 (DNA damage), reduced Bcl-6, and
      decreased Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL and induced apoptosis by PARP cleavage. In a DE-DLBCL
      SCID mouse xenograft model, ibrutinib alone was inactive, while alisertib +
      ibrutinib was additive with a tumor growth inhibition (TGI) rate of ~25%.
      However, TGI for ibrutinib + rituximab was ~50% to 60%. In contrast, triple
      therapy showed a TGI rate of >90%. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that 67%
      of mice were alive at day 89 with triple therapy versus 20% with ibrutinib +
      rituximab. All treatments were well tolerated with no changes in body weights. A
      novel triple therapy consisting of alisertib + ibrutinib + rituximab inhibits
      AASCs induced by AK inhibition in DH/DE-DLBCL leading to a significant
      antiproliferative signal, enhanced intrinsic apoptosis and may be of therapeutic
      potential in these lymphomas. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2083-93. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615298
TI  - Combination Treatment with Orlistat-Containing Nanoparticles and Taxanes Is
      Synergistic and Enhances Microtubule Stability in Taxane-Resistant Prostate
      Cancer Cells.
AB  - Taxane-based therapy provides a survival benefit in patients with metastatic
      prostate cancer, yet the median survival is less than 20 months in this setting
      due in part to taxane-associated resistance. Innovative strategies are required
      to overcome chemoresistance for improved patient survival. Here, NanoOrl, a new
      experimental nanoparticle formulation of the FDA-approved drug, orlistat, was
      investigated for its cytotoxicity in taxane-resistant prostate cancer utilizing
      two established taxane-resistant (TxR) cell lines. Orlistat is a weight loss drug
      that inhibits gastric lipases, but is also a potent inhibitor of fatty acid
      synthase (FASN), which is overexpressed in many types of cancer. NanoOrl was also
      investigated for its potential to synergize with taxanes in TxR cell lines. Both
      orlistat and NanoOrl synergistically inhibited cell viability when combined with
      paclitaxel, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel in PC3-TxR and DU145-TxR cells, yet these
      combinations were also additive in parental lines. We observed synergistic levels
      of apoptosis in TxR cells treated with NanoOrl and docetaxel in combination.
      Mechanistically, the synergy between orlistat and taxanes was independent of
      effects on the P-glycoprotein multidrug resistance protein, as determined by an
      efflux activity assay. On the other hand, immunoblot and immunofluorescence
      staining with an anti-detyrosinated tubulin antibody demonstrated that enhanced
      microtubule stability was induced by combined NanoOrl and docetaxel treatment in
      TxR cells. Furthermore, TxR cells exhibited higher lipid synthesis, as
      demonstrated by 14C-choline incorporation that was abrogated by NanoOrl. These
      results provide a strong rationale to assess the translational potential of
      NanoOrl to overcome taxane resistance. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1819-30. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28615300
TI  - Janus-like monocytes regulate postoperative ileus.

PMID- 28615299
TI  - Ormeloxifene Suppresses Prostate Tumor Growth and Metastatic Phenotypes via
      Inhibition of Oncogenic beta-catenin Signaling and EMT Progression.
AB  - Ormeloxifene is a clinically approved selective estrogen receptor modulator,
      which has also shown excellent anticancer activity, thus it can be an ideal
      repurposing pharmacophore. Herein, we report therapeutic effects of ormeloxifene
      on prostate cancer and elucidate a novel molecular mechanism of its anticancer
      activity. Ormeloxifene treatment inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition
      (EMT) process as evident by repression of N-cadherin, Slug, Snail, vimentin, MMPs
      (MMP2 and MMP3), beta-catenin/TCF-4 transcriptional activity, and induced the
      expression of pGSK3beta. In molecular docking analysis, ormeloxifene showed
      proficient docking with beta-catenin and GSK3beta. In addition, ormeloxifene
      induced apoptosis, inhibited growth and metastatic potential of prostate cancer
      cells and arrested cell cycle in G0-G1 phase via modulation of cell-cycle
      regulatory proteins (inhibition of Mcl-1, cyclin D1, and CDK4 and induction of
      p21 and p27). In functional assays, ormeloxifene remarkably reduced tumorigenic,
      migratory, and invasive potential of prostate cancer cells. In addition,
      ormeloxifene treatment significantly (P < 0.01) regressed the prostate tumor
      growth in the xenograft mouse model while administered through intraperitoneal
      route (250 MUg/mouse, three times a week). These molecular effects of
      ormeloxifene were also observed in excised tumor tissues as shown by
      immunohistochemistry analysis. Our results, for the first time, demonstrate
      repurposing potential of ormeloxifene as an anticancer drug for the treatment of
      advanced stage metastatic prostate cancer through a novel molecular mechanism
      involving beta-catenin and EMT pathway. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2267-80. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28615301
TI  - Irf4-dependent CD103+CD11b+ dendritic cells and the intestinal microbiome
      regulate monocyte and macrophage activation and intestinal peristalsis in
      postoperative ileus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Postoperative ileus (POI), the most frequent complication after
      intestinal surgery, depends on dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages. Here, we
      have investigated the mechanism that activates these cells and the contribution
      of the intestinal microbiota for POI induction. DESIGN: POI was induced by
      manipulating the intestine of mice, which selectively lack DCs, monocytes or
      macrophages. The disease severity in the small and large intestine was analysed
      by determining the distribution of orally applied fluorescein isothiocyanate
      dextran and by measuring the excretion time of a retrogradely inserted glass
      ball. The impact of the microbiota on intestinal peristalsis was evaluated after
      oral antibiotic treatment. RESULTS: We found that Cd11c-Cre+ Irf4flox/flox mice
      lack CD103+CD11b+ DCs, a DC subset unique to the intestine whose function is
      poorly understood. Their absence in the intestinal muscularis reduced pathogenic
      inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) production by monocytes and macrophages
      and ameliorated POI. Pathogenic iNOS was produced in the jejunum by resident Ly6C
      macrophages and infiltrating chemokine receptor 2-dependent Ly6C+ monocytes, but
      in the colon only by the latter demonstrating differential tolerance mechanisms
      along the intestinal tract. Consistently, depletion of both cell subsets reduced
      small intestinal POI, whereas the depletion of Ly6C+ monocytes alone was
      sufficient to prevent large intestinal POI. The differential role of monocytes
      and macrophages in small and large intestinal POI suggested a potential role of
      the intestinal microbiota. Indeed, antibiotic treatment reduced iNOS levels and
      ameliorated POI. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal that CD103+CD11b+ DCs and the
      intestinal microbiome are a prerequisite for the activation of intestinal
      monocytes and macrophages and for dysregulating intestinal motility in POI.

PMID- 28615302
TI  - CCR2-dependent monocyte-derived macrophages resolve inflammation and restore gut
      motility in postoperative ileus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Postoperative ileus (POI) is assumed to result from myeloid cells
      infiltrating the intestinal muscularis externa (ME) in patients undergoing
      abdominal surgery. In the current study, we investigated the role of infiltrating
      monocytes in a murine model of intestinal manipulation (IM)-induced POI in order
      to clarify whether monocytes mediate tissue damage and intestinal dysfunction or
      they are rather involved in the recovery of gastrointestinal (GI) motility.
      DESIGN: IM was performed in mice with defective monocyte migration to tissues (C
      C motif chemokine receptor 2, Ccr2-/ - mice) and wild-type (WT) mice to study the
      role of monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MPhis) during onset and
      resolution of ME inflammation. RESULTS: At early time points, IM-induced GI
      transit delay and inflammation were equal in WT and Ccr2 -/- mice. However, GI
      transit recovery after IM was significantly delayed in Ccr2 -/- mice compared
      with WT mice, associated with increased neutrophil-mediated immunopathology and
      persistent impaired neuromuscular function. During recovery, monocyte-derived
      MPhis acquire pro-resolving features that aided in the resolution of
      inflammation. In line, bone marrow reconstitution and treatment with MPhi colony
      stimulating factor 1 enhanced monocyte recruitment and MPhi differentiation and
      ameliorated GI transit in Ccr2 -/- mice. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals a critical
      role for monocyte-derived MPhis in restoring intestinal homeostasis after
      surgical trauma. From a therapeutic point of view, our data indicate that
      inappropriate targeting of monocytes may increase neutrophil-mediated
      immunopathology and prolong the clinical outcome of POI, while future therapies
      should be aimed at enhancing MPhi physiological repair functions.

PMID- 28615303
TI  - Favouring modulation of circulating lipoproteins and lipid loading capacity by
      direct antiviral agents grazoprevir/elbasvir or ledipasvir/sofosbuvir treatment
      against chronic HCV infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Lipid homoeostasis is disturbed in patients with HCV infection. Direct
      acting antiviral agent (DAA) treatment eradicates chronic HCV viraemia, but the
      dynamics of lipid components remain elusive. This study investigates the clinical
      manifestation and mechanistic relevance of plasma triglyceride (TG), cholesterol
      (Chol), lipoproteins and apolipoproteins (apos) after DAA treatment. DESIGN:
      Twenty-four patients with chronic genotype 1 (GT1) HCV treated with
      elbasvir/grazoprevir or ledipasvir/sofosbuvir for 12 weeks, and followed-up
      thereafter, were recruited. Their TG, Chol, apoAI and apoB levels were quantified
      in plasma samples and individually fractionated lipoprotein of various classes.
      Liver fibrosis was evaluated using the FIB-4 Score. The TG and Chol loading
      capacities were calculated with normalisation to apoB, which represents per very
      low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and LDL particle unit RESULTS: DAA treatment
      achieved a sustained virological response rate of 91.7% and reduced the FIB-4
      Score. Relative to the baseline, the plasma TG level was reduced but the Chol
      level increased gradually. Plasma apoB levels and apoB/apoAI ratio were
      transiently downregulated as early as the first 4 weeks of treatment. The TG and
      Chol loading capacities in VLDL were elevated by ~20% during the period of DAA
      treatment and had steadily increased by 100% at follow-up. Furthermore, the TG-to
      Chol ratio in VLDL was increased, while the ratio in LDL was reduced, indicating
      an efficient catabolism. CONCLUSION: The DAA treatment of patients with chronic
      hepatitis C might lead to efficient HCV eradication and hepatic improvement
      concomitantly evolving with favouring lipoprotein/apo metabolisms.

PMID- 28615304
TI  - Ibuprofen exposure in early neonatal life does not affect renal function in young
      adolescence.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Ibuprofen exposure results in acute transient renal dysfunction in
      preterm neonates, but we are unaware of data on long-term renal safety. METHODS:
      In a previously studied cohort of extreme low birth weight (ELBW, <1000 g) cases,
      the PREMATurity as predictor of children's Cardiovascular-renal Health study
      generated data on renal function (renal length, estimated glomerular filtration
      rate based on cystatin C (eGFRcysC) at the age of 11 years. This data set in 93
      ELBW cases may also generate data on long-term drug safety on ibuprofen. In this
      post hoc analysis, we linked markers of renal function in young adolescence in
      ELBW cases with their perinatal (prenatal maternal, setting at birth, treatment
      modalities including drug prescription during neonatal stay, neonatal creatinine
      values, postdischarge growth) characteristics, including but not limited to
      ibuprofen exposure during neonatal stay. RESULTS: Ibuprofen exposure was not
      associated with significant differences in renal length or eGFRcysC. Moreover, we
      were unable to identify any other risk factor (perinatal characteristics,
      postnatal creatinine trends, postdischarge growth) on renal outcome in this
      cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal exposure to ibuprofen did not affect renal
      function. Larger studies are needed to explore the confounders of variability in
      renal function in former ELBW cases. This matters since ELBW relates to risk for
      hypertension, cardiovascular events and renal disease in later life and
      identification of risk factors holds the promise of secondary prevention. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02147457.

PMID- 28615305
TI  - Prenatal markers and longitudinal follow-up in simple and complex gastroschisis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify gestational-age corrected prenatal ultrasound
      markers of complex gastroschisis, and to compare physical growth and
      neurodevelopment between children with simple and complex gastroschisis. DESIGN:
      We included prenatally diagnosed gastroschisis patients from 2000 to 2012 who
      joined our longitudinal follow-up programme. Associations between complex
      gastroschisis and prenatal ultrasound markers collected at 30 weeks' gestation
      and prior to delivery were tested using logistic regression. Physical growth (SD
      scores (SDS)), mental and psychomotor developmental index (MDI, PDI; Bayley
      Scales of Infant Development) were recorded at 12 and 24 months. Data were
      analysed using general linear models and compared with population norms. RESULTS:
      Data of 61 children were analysed (82% of eligible cases). Extra-abdominal bowel
      dilatation at 30 weeks' gestation was significantly associated with complex
      gastroschisis (OR (95% CI): 5.00 (1.09 to 22.98)), with a high negative (88%) but
      low positive (40%) predictive value. The mean (95% CI) height SDS at 12 months (
      0.46 (-0.82 to -0.11)), and weight SDS at 12 and 24 months (-0.45 (-0.85 to 
      0.05), and -0.44 (-0.87 to -0.01), respectively) fell significantly below 0 SDS.
      MDI and PDI were significantly below 100 at 24 months; 93 (88 to 99) and 83 (78
      to 87), respectively). Children with complex gastroschisis had a significantly
      lower PDI (76 (68 to 84)) than those with simple gastroschisis (94 (90 to 97),
      p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal ultrasound markers could not reliably distinguish
      between simple and complex gastroschisis. Children with complex gastroschisis may
      be at increased risk for delayed psychomotor development; they should be
      monitored more closely, and offered timely intervention.

PMID- 28615306
TI  - "Balloon pulmonary angioplasty in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension."
      Irene Lang, Bernhard C. Meyer, Takeshi Ogo, Hiromi Matsubara, Marcin Kurzyna,
      Hossein-Ardeschir Ghofrani, Eckhard Mayer and Philippe Brenot. Eur Respir Rev
      2017; 26: 160119.

PMID- 28615307
TI  - The role of high-resolution computed tomography in the follow-up of diffuse lung
      disease: Number 2 in the Series "Radiology" Edited by Nicola Sverzellati and
      Sujal Desai.
AB  - High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lung is a key component of the
      multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis in diffuse lung disease (DLD). HRCT also
      plays an important role in the follow-up of patients with established DLD. In
      this respect, serial HRCT examinations may provide valuable information that
      cannot be determined from clinical history and other diagnostic tests, such as
      pulmonary function tests. Important roles of HRCT in this context include
      assisting in determining prognosis, monitoring for the efficacy of treatment,
      detecting progression of disease or complications, and evaluating patients with
      worsening or acute symptoms. Both clinicians and radiologists should be aware of
      the expected evolution of HRCT changes in a variety of DLDs. The goals of this
      paper are to discuss: 1) the expected evolution of HRCT findings over time in
      common DLDs; 2) the role of serial HRCT examinations in formulating an initial
      diagnosis; and 3) the role of HRCT in the follow-up of patients with known DLD.

PMID- 28615308
TI  - Mechanisms, measurement and management of exertional dyspnoea in asthma: Number 5
      in the Series "Exertional dyspnoea" Edited by Pierantonio Laveneziana and
      Piergiuseppe Agostoni.
AB  - Asthma is a heterogeneous condition, with dyspnoea during exercise affecting
      individuals to a variable degree. This narrative review explores the mechanisms
      and measurement of exertional dyspnoea in asthma and summarises the available
      evidence for the efficacy of various interventions on exertional dyspnoea.
      Studies on the mechanisms of dyspnoea in asthma have largely utilised direct
      bronchoprovocation challenges, rather than exercise, which may invoke different
      physiological mechanisms. Thus, the description of dyspnoea during methacholine
      challenge can differ from what is experienced during daily activities, including
      exercise. Dyspnoea perception during exercise is influenced by many interacting
      variables, such as asthma severity and phenotype, bronchoconstriction, dynamic
      hyperinflation, respiratory drive and psychological factors. In addition to the
      intensity of dyspnoea, the qualitative description of dyspnoea may give important
      clues as to the underlying mechanism and may be an important endpoint for future
      interventional studies. There is currently little evidence demonstrating whether
      pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions specifically improve
      exertional dyspnoea, which is an important area for future research.

PMID- 28615309
TI  - The frequent and underrecognised co-occurrence of acute exacerbated COPD and
      depression warrants screening: a systematic review.
AB  - Patients with acute exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD)
      and concurrent depression suffer significant psychological stress and decreased
      quality of life. The aim of this study was to collate data, guidelines and
      recommendations from publications on the screening and management of depressive
      mood disorders in patients hospitalised with AECOPD.We systematically searched
      four databases for publications reporting screening or management of depression
      in patients hospitalised for AECOPD. The identification of articles was based on
      the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)
      statement.Out of 1494 original articles screened, 35 met all inclusion criteria.
      These report a prevalence of depression in AECOPD ranging between 9.5% and 85.6%.
      Some studies report high postadmission mortality rates for depressive AECOPD
      patients, and higher readmission rates in depressive versus nondepressive AECOPD
      patients. Importantly, none of the 35 publications included suggestions on the
      screening and management of depression in AECOPD.Depression and AECOPD frequently
      co-occur, and this worsens outcomes. Yet we did not find recommendations on
      management, and few interventional studies. Patients hospitalised with AECOPD
      should be systematically screened for depression and treatment recommendations
      should be developed for these patients. Randomised studies on how to screen and
      treat depression in hospitalised AECOPD are necessary.

PMID- 28615310
TI  - Physiology in Perspective: Structure and Function-Anatomy and Physiology Are
      Integral.

PMID- 28615311
TI  - Modeling Physiological Events in 2D vs. 3D Cell Culture.
AB  - Cell culture has become an indispensable tool to help uncover fundamental
      biophysical and biomolecular mechanisms by which cells assemble into tissues and
      organs, how these tissues function, and how that function becomes disrupted in
      disease. Cell culture is now widely used in biomedical research, tissue
      engineering, regenerative medicine, and industrial practices. Although flat, two
      dimensional (2D) cell culture has predominated, recent research has shifted
      toward culture using three-dimensional (3D) structures, and more realistic
      biochemical and biomechanical microenvironments. Nevertheless, in 3D cell
      culture, many challenges remain, including the tissue-tissue interface, the
      mechanical microenvironment, and the spatiotemporal distributions of oxygen,
      nutrients, and metabolic wastes. Here, we review 2D and 3D cell culture methods,
      discuss advantages and limitations of these techniques in modeling
      physiologically and pathologically relevant processes, and suggest directions for
      future research.

PMID- 28615312
TI  - Stem Cells in Repair of Gastrointestinal Epithelia.
AB  - Among the endodermal tissues of adult mammals, the gastrointestinal (GI)
      epithelium exhibits the highest turnover rate. As the ingested food moves along
      the GI tract, gastric acid, digestive enzymes, and gut resident microbes aid
      digestion as well as nutrient and mineral absorption. Due to the harsh luminal
      environment, replenishment of new epithelial cells is essential to maintain organ
      structure and function during routine turnover and injury repair. Tissue-specific
      adult stem cells in the GI tract serve as a continuous source for this immense
      regenerative activity. Tissue homeostasis is achieved by a delicate balance
      between gain and loss of cells. In homeostasis, temporal tissue damage is rapidly
      restored by well-balanced tissue regeneration, whereas prolonged imbalance may
      result in diverse pathologies of homeostasis and injury repair. Starting with a
      summary of the current knowledge of GI tract homeostasis, we continue with
      providing models of acute injury and chronic diseases. Finally, we will discuss
      how primary organoid cultures allow new insights into the mechanisms of
      homeostasis, injury repair, and disease, and how this novel 3D culture system has
      the potential to translate into the clinic.

PMID- 28615314
TI  - Mitochondria and Reactive Oxygen Species Contribute to Neurogenic Hypertension.
AB  - Beyond its primary role as fuel generators, mitochondria are engaged in a variety
      of cellular processes, including redox homeostasis. Mitochondrial dysfunction,
      therefore, may have a profound impact on high-energy-demanding organs such as the
      brain. Here, we review the roles of mitochondrial biogenesis and bioenergetics,
      and their associated signaling in cellular redox homeostasis, and illustrate
      their contributions to the oxidative stress-related neural mechanism of
      hypertension, focusing on specific brain areas that are involved in the
      generation or modulation of sympathetic outflows to the cardiovascular system. We
      also highlight future challenges of research on mitochondrial physiology and
      pathophysiology.

PMID- 28615315
TI  - Hyperresponsiveness: Relating the Intact Airway to the Whole Lung.
AB  - We relate changes of the airway wall to the response of the intact airway and the
      whole lung. We address how mechanical conditions and specific structural changes
      for an airway contribute to hyperresponsiveness resistant to deep inspiration.
      This review conveys that the origins of hyperresponsiveness do not devolve into
      an abnormality at single structural level but require examination of the complex
      interplay of all the parts.

PMID- 28615313
TI  - Metabolic Regulation of Angiogenesis in Diabetes and Aging.
AB  - Impaired angiogenesis and endothelial dysfunction are hallmarks of diabetes and
      aging. Clinical efforts at promoting angiogenesis have largely focused on growth
      factor pathways, with mixed results. Recently, a new repertoire of endothelial
      intracellular molecules critical to endothelial metabolism has emerged as playing
      an important role in regulating angiogenesis. This review thus focuses on the
      emerging importance and therapeutic potential of these proteins and of
      endothelial bioenergetics in diabetes and aging.

PMID- 28615317
TI  - Orientation and repositioning of chromosomes correlate with cell geometry
      dependent gene expression.
AB  - Extracellular matrix signals from the microenvironment regulate gene expression
      patterns and cell behavior. Using a combination of experiments and geometric
      models, we demonstrate correlations between cell geometry, three-dimensional (3D)
      organization of chromosome territories, and gene expression. Fluorescence in situ
      hybridization experiments showed that micropatterned fibroblasts cultured on
      anisotropic versus isotropic substrates resulted in repositioning of specific
      chromosomes, which contained genes that were differentially regulated by cell
      geometries. Experiments combined with ellipsoid packing models revealed that the
      mechanosensitivity of chromosomes was correlated with their orientation in the
      nucleus. Transcription inhibition experiments suggested that the intermingling
      degree was more sensitive to global changes in transcription than to chromosome
      radial positioning and its orientations. These results suggested that cell
      geometry modulated 3D chromosome arrangement, and their neighborhoods correlated
      with gene expression patterns in a predictable manner. This is central to
      understanding geometric control of genetic programs involved in cellular
      homeostasis and the associated diseases.

PMID- 28615316
TI  - ORAI Calcium Channels.
AB  - In this review article, we discuss the different gene products and translational
      variants of ORAI proteins and their contribution to the makeup of different
      native calcium-conducting channels with distinct compositions and modes of
      activation. We also review the different modes of regulation of these distinct
      calcium channels and their impact on downstream cellular signaling controlling
      important physiological functions.

PMID- 28615318
TI  - Miro1-mediated mitochondrial positioning shapes intracellular energy gradients
      required for cell migration.
AB  - It has long been postulated, although never directly demonstrated, that
      mitochondria are strategically positioned in the cytoplasm to meet local
      requirements for energy production. Here we show that positioning of mitochondria
      in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) determines the shape of intracellular
      energy gradients in living cells. Specifically, the ratio of ATP to ADP was
      highest at perinuclear areas of dense mitochondria and gradually decreased as
      more-peripheral sites were approached. Furthermore, the majority of mitochondria
      were positioned at the ventral surface of the cell, correlating with high ATP:ADP
      ratios close to the ventral membrane, which rapidly decreased toward the dorsal
      surface. We used cells deficient for the mitochondrial Rho-GTPase 1 (Miro1), an
      essential mediator of microtubule-based mitochondrial motility, to study how
      changes in mitochondrial positioning affect cytoplasmic energy distribution and
      cell migration, an energy-expensive process. The mitochondrial network in Miro1-/
      MEFs was restricted to the perinuclear area, with few mitochondria present at
      the cell periphery. This change in mitochondrial distribution dramatically
      reduced the ratio of ATP to ADP at the cell cortex and disrupted events essential
      for cell movement, including actin dynamics, lamellipodia protrusion, and
      membrane ruffling. Cell adhesion status was also affected by changes in
      mitochondrial positioning; focal adhesion assembly and stability was decreased in
      Miro1-/- MEFs compared with Miro1+/+  MEFs. Consequently Miro1-/- MEFs migrated
      slower than control cells during both collective and single-cell migration. These
      data establish that Miro1-mediated mitochondrial positioning at the leading edge
      provides localized energy production that promotes cell migration by supporting
      membrane protrusion and focal adhesion stability.

PMID- 28615319
TI  - Retinoschisin is linked to retinal Na/K-ATPase signaling and localization.
AB  - Mutations in the RS1 gene cause X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS), a
      hereditary retinal dystrophy. We recently showed that retinoschisin, the protein
      encoded by RS1, regulates ERK signaling and apoptosis in retinal cells. In this
      study, we explored an influence of retinoschisin on the functionality of the Na/K
      ATPase, its interaction partner at retinal plasma membranes. We show that
      retinoschisin binding requires the beta2-subunit of the Na/K-ATPase, whereas the
      alpha-subunit is exchangeable. Our investigations revealed no effect of
      retinoschisin on Na/K-ATPase-mediated ATP hydrolysis and ion transport. However,
      we identified an influence of retinoschisin on Na/K-ATPase-regulated signaling
      cascades and Na/K-ATPase localization. In addition to the known ERK deactivation,
      retinoschisin treatment of retinoschisin-deficient (Rs1h-/Y ) murine retinal
      explants decreased activation of Src, an initial transmitter in Na/K-ATPase
      signal transduction, and of Ca2+ signaling marker Camk2. Immunohistochemistry on
      murine retinae revealed an overlap of the retinoschisin-Na/K-ATPase complex with
      proteins involved in Na/K-ATPase signaling, such as caveolin, phospholipase C,
      Src, and the IP3 receptor. Finally, retinoschisin treatment altered Na/K-ATPase
      localization in photoreceptors of Rs1h-/Y retinae. Taken together, our results
      suggest a regulatory effect of retinoschisin on Na/K-ATPase signaling and
      localization, whereas Na/K-ATPase-dysregulation caused by retinoschisin
      deficiency could represent an initial step in XLRS pathogenesis.

PMID- 28615320
TI  - Differential phosphorylation signals control endocytosis of GPR15.
AB  - GPR15 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that serves for an HIV
      coreceptor and was also recently found as a novel homing receptor for T-cells
      implicated in colitis. We show that GPR15 undergoes a constitutive endocytosis in
      the absence of ligand. The endocytosis was clathrin dependent and partially
      dependent on beta-arrestin in HEK293 cells, and nearly half of the internalized
      GPR15 receptors were recycled to the plasma membrane. An Ala mutation of the
      distal C-terminal Arg-354 or Ser-357, which forms a consensus phosphorylation
      site for basophilic kinases, markedly reduced the endocytosis, whereas
      phosphomimetic mutation of Ser-357 to Asp did not. Ser-357 was phosphorylated in
      vitro by multiple kinases, including PKA and PKC, and pharmacological activation
      of these kinases enhanced both phosphorylation of Ser-357 and endocytosis of
      GPR15. These results suggested that Ser-357 phosphorylation critically controls
      the ligand-independent endocytosis of GPR15. The functional role of Ser-357 in
      endocytosis was distinct from that of a conserved Ser/Thr cluster in the more
      proximal C-terminus, which was responsible for the beta-arrestin- and GPCR kinase
      dependent endocytosis of GPR15. Thus phosphorylation signals may differentially
      control cell surface density of GPR15 through endocytosis.

PMID- 28615321
TI  - PAR proteins regulate maintenance-phase myosin dynamics during Caenorhabditis
      elegans zygote polarization.
AB  - Establishment of anterior-posterior polarity in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote
      requires two different processes: mechanical activity of the actin-myosin cortex
      and biochemical activity of partitioning-defective (PAR) proteins. Here we
      analyze how PARs regulate the behavior of the cortical motor protein nonmuscle
      myosin (NMY-2) to complement recent efforts that investigate how PARs regulate
      the Rho GTPase CDC-42, which in turn regulates the actin-myosin cortex. We find
      that PAR-3 and PAR-6 concentrate CDC-42-dependent NMY-2 in the anterior cortex,
      whereas PAR-2 inhibits CDC-42-dependent NMY-2 in the posterior domain by
      inhibiting PAR-3 and PAR-6. In addition, we find that PAR-1 and PAR-3 are
      necessary for inhibiting movement of NMY-2 across the cortex. PAR-1 protects NMY
      2 from being moved across the cortex by forces likely originating in the
      cytoplasm. Meanwhile, PAR-3 stabilizes NMY-2 against PAR-2 and PAR-6 dynamics on
      the cortex. We find that PAR signaling fulfills two roles: localizing NMY-2 to
      the anterior cortex and preventing displacement of the polarized cortical actin
      myosin network.

PMID- 28615322
TI  - In vivo manipulation of the extracellular matrix induces vascular regression in a
      basal chordate.
AB  - We investigated the physical role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vascular
      homeostasis in the basal chordate Botryllus schlosseri, which has a large,
      transparent, extracorporeal vascular network encompassing an area >100 cm2 We
      found that the collagen cross-linking enzyme lysyl oxidase is expressed in all
      vascular cells and that in vivo inhibition using beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)
      caused a rapid, global regression of the entire network, with some vessels
      regressing >10 mm within 16 h. BAPN treatment changed the ultrastructure of
      collagen fibers in the vessel basement membrane, and the kinetics of regression
      were dose dependent. Pharmacological inhibition of both focal adhesion kinase
      (FAK) and Raf also induced regression, and levels of phosphorylated FAK in
      vascular cells decreased during BAPN treatment and FAK inhibition but not Raf
      inhibition, suggesting that physical changes in the vessel ECM are detected via
      canonical integrin signaling pathways. Regression is driven by apoptosis and
      extrusion of cells through the basal lamina, which are then engulfed by blood
      borne phagocytes. Extrusion and regression occurred in a coordinated manner that
      maintained vessel integrity, with no loss of barrier function. This suggests the
      presence of regulatory mechanisms linking physical changes to a homeostatic,
      tissue-level response.

PMID- 28615323
TI  - Generic membrane-spanning features endow IRE1alpha with responsiveness to
      membrane aberrancy.
AB  - Altered cellular lipid composition activates the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded
      protein response (UPR), and UPR signaling effects important changes in lipid
      metabolism. Secondary effects on protein folding homeostasis likely contribute to
      UPR activation, but deletion of the unfolded protein stress-sensing luminal
      domain of the UPR transducers PERK and IRE1alpha does not abolish their
      responsiveness to lipid perturbation. This finding suggests that PERK and
      IRE1alpha also directly recognize the membrane aberrancy wrought by lipid
      perturbation. However, beyond the need for a transmembrane domain (TMD), little
      is known about the features involved. Regulation of the UPR transducers entails
      changes in their oligomeric state and is easily corrupted by overexpression. We
      used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of the Ern1 locus to study the role of the
      TMD in the ability of the endogenous IRE1alpha protein to recognize membrane
      aberrancy in mammalian cells. Conducted in the background of a point mutation
      that isolated the response to membrane aberrancy induced by palmitate from
      unfolded protein stress, our analysis shows that generic membrane-spanning
      features of the TMD are sufficient for IRE1alpha's responsiveness to membrane
      aberrancy. Our data suggest that IRE1alpha's conserved TMD may have been selected
      for features imparting a relatively muted response to acyl-chain saturation.

PMID- 28615324
TI  - HiHiMap: single-cell quantitation of histones and histone posttranslational
      modifications across the cell cycle by high-throughput imaging.
AB  - We describe High-throughput Histone Mapping (HiHiMap), a high-throughput imaging
      method to measure histones and histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in
      single cells. HiHiMap uses imaging-based quantification of DNA and cyclin A to
      stage individual cells in the cell cycle to determine the levels of histones or
      histone PTMs in each stage of the cell cycle. As proof of principle, we apply
      HiHiMap to measure the level of 21 core histones, histone variants, and PTMs in
      primary, immortalized, and transformed cells. We identify several histone
      modifications associated with oncogenic transformation. HiHiMap allows the rapid,
      high-throughput study of histones and histone PTMs across the cell cycle and the
      study of subpopulations of cells.

PMID- 28615325
TI  - Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase regulates the PINK1/Parkin and DJ-1
      pathways of mitophagy during sepsis.
AB  - During sepsis and shock states, mitochondrial dysfunction occurs. Consequently,
      adaptive mechanisms, such as fission, fusion, and mitophagy, are induced to
      eliminate damaged portions or entire dysfunctional mitochondria. The regulatory
      PINK1/Parkin and DJ-1 pathways are strongly induced by mitochondrial
      depolarization, although a direct link between loss of mitochondrial membrane
      potential (DeltaPsi) and mitophagy has not been identified. Mitochondria also
      buffer Ca2+, and their buffering capacity is dependent on DeltaPsi Here, we
      characterize a role for calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) I in
      the regulation of these mechanisms. Loss of DeltaPsi with either pharmacologic
      depolarization or LPS leads to Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial recruitment and
      activation of CaMKI that precedes the colocalization of PINK1/Parkin and DJ-1.
      CaMKI is required and serves as both a PINK1 and Parkin kinase. The mechanisms
      operate in both immune and nonimmune cells and are induced in in vivo models of
      endotoxemia, sepsis, and hemorrhagic shock. These data support the idea that
      CaMKI links mitochondrial stress with the PINK1/Parkin and DJ-1 mechanisms of
      mitophagy.-Zhang, X., Yuan, D., Sun, Q., Xu, L., Lee, E., Lewis, A. J.,
      Zuckerbraun, B. S., Rosengart, M. R. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase
      regulates the PINK1/Parkin and DJ-1 pathways of mitophagy during sepsis.

PMID- 28615326
TI  - Prenatal nicotinic exposure prolongs superior laryngeal C-fiber-mediated apnea
      and bradycardia through enhancing neuronal TRPV1 expression and excitation.
AB  - Maternal cigarette smoke, including prenatal nicotinic exposure (PNE), is
      responsible for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The fatal events of SIDS are
      characterized by severe bradycardia and life-threatening apneas. Although
      activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) of superior
      laryngeal C fibers (SLCFs) could induce bradycardia and apnea and has been
      implicated in SIDS pathogenesis, how PNE affects the SLCF-mediated
      cardiorespiratory responses remains unexplored. Here, we tested the hypothesis
      that PNE would aggravate the SLCF-mediated apnea and bradycardia via up
      regulating TRPV1 expression and excitation of laryngeal C neurons in the
      nodose/jugular (N/J) ganglia. To this end, we compared the following outcomes
      between control and PNE rat pups at postnatal days 11-14: 1) the
      cardiorespiratory responses to intralaryngeal application of capsaicin (10 ug/ml,
      50 ul), a selective stimulant for TRPV1 receptors, in anesthetized preparation;
      2) immunoreactivity and mRNA of TRPV1 receptors of laryngeal sensory C neurons in
      the N/J ganglia retrogradely traced by 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'
      tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate; and 3) TRPV1 currents and
      electrophysiological characteristics of these neurons by using whole-cell patch
      clamp technique in vitro Our results showed that PNE markedly prolonged the
      apneic response and exacerbated the bradycardic response to intralaryngeal
      perfusion of capsaicin, which was associated with up-regulation of TRPV1
      expression in laryngeal C neurons. In addition, PNE increased the TRPV1 currents,
      depressed the slow delayed rectifier potassium currents, and increased the
      resting membrane potential of these neurons. Our results suggest that PNE is
      capable of aggravating the SLCF-mediated apnea and bradycardia through TRPV1
      sensitization and neuronal excitation, which may contribute to the pathogenesis
      of SIDS.-Gao, X., Zhao, L., Zhuang, J., Zang, N., Xu, F. Prenatal nicotinic
      exposure prolongs superior laryngeal C-fiber-mediated apnea and bradycardia
      through enhancing neuronal TRPV1 expression and excitation.

PMID- 28615327
TI  - Where are we now? A multicountry qualitative study to explore access to pre
      antiretroviral care services: a precursor to antiretroviral therapy initiation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore barriers and facilitators to accessing postdiagnosis HIV
      care in five sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: In-depth interviews were
      conducted with 77 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in pre-antiretroviral therapy
      care or not-yet-in care and 46 healthcare workers. Participants were purposely
      selected from health and demographic surveillance sites in Karonga (Malawi),
      Manicaland (Zimbabwe), uMkhanyakude (South Africa), Kisesa (Tanzania) and Rakai
      and Kyamulibwa (Uganda). Thematic content analysis was conducted, guided by the
      constructs of affordability, availability and acceptability of care.- RESULTS:
      Affordability: Transport and treatment costs were a barrier to HIV care, although
      some participants travelled to distant clinics to avoid being seen by people who
      knew them or for specific services. Broken equipment and drug stock-outs in local
      clinics could also necessitate travel to other facilities. Availability: Some
      facilities did not offer full HIV care, or only offered all services
      intermittently. PLHIV who frequently travelled complained that care was seldom
      available to them in places they visited. Acceptability: Severe pain or sickness
      was a key driver for accessing postdiagnosis care, whereas asymptomatic PLHIV
      often delayed care-seeking. A belief in witchcraft was a deterrent to accessing
      clinical care following diagnosis. Changing antiretroviral therapy guidelines
      generated uncertainty among PLHIV about when to start treatment and delayed
      postdiagnosis care. PLHIV reported that healthcare workers' knowledge, attitudes
      and behaviours, and their ability to impart health education, also influenced
      whether they accessed HIV care. CONCLUSION: Despite efforts to decentralise
      services over the past decade, many barriers to accessing HIV care persist. There
      is a need to increase sustained access to care for PLHIV not yet on treatment,
      with initiatives that encompass biomedical aspects of care alongside
      considerations for individual and collective challenges they faced. A failure to
      do so may undermine efforts to achieve universal access to antiretroviral
      therapy.

PMID- 28615328
TI  - Effect of eye position during human visual-vestibular integration of heading
      perception.
AB  - Visual and inertial stimuli provide heading discrimination cues. Integration of
      these multisensory stimuli has been demonstrated to depend on their relative
      reliability. However, the reference frame of visual stimuli is eye centered while
      inertia is head centered, and it remains unclear how these are reconciled with
      combined stimuli. Seven human subjects completed a heading discrimination task
      consisting of a 2-s translation with a peak velocity of 16 cm/s. Eye position was
      varied between 0 degrees  and +/-25 degrees  left/right. Experiments were done
      with inertial motion, visual motion, or a combined visual-inertial motion. Visual
      motion coherence varied between 35% and 100%. Subjects reported whether their
      perceived heading was left or right of the midline in a forced-choice task. With
      the inertial stimulus the eye position had an effect such that the point of
      subjective equality (PSE) shifted 4.6 +/- 2.4 degrees  in the gaze direction.
      With the visual stimulus the PSE shift was 10.2 +/- 2.2 degrees  opposite the
      gaze direction, consistent with retinotopic coordinates. Thus with eccentric eye
      positions the perceived inertial and visual headings were offset ~15 degrees .
      During the visual-inertial conditions the PSE varied consistently with the
      relative reliability of these stimuli such that at low visual coherence the PSE
      was similar to that of the inertial stimulus and at high coherence it was closer
      to the visual stimulus. On average, the inertial stimulus was weighted near
      Bayesian ideal predictions, but there was significant deviation from ideal in
      individual subjects. These findings support visual and inertial cue integration
      occurring in independent coordinate systems.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In multiple cortical
      areas visual heading is represented in retinotopic coordinates while inertial
      heading is in body coordinates. It remains unclear whether multisensory
      integration occurs in a common coordinate system. The experiments address this
      using a multisensory integration task with eccentric gaze positions making the
      effect of coordinate systems clear. The results indicate that the coordinate
      systems remain separate to the perceptual level and that during the multisensory
      task the perception depends on relative stimulus reliability.

PMID- 28615330
TI  - The visual encoding of purely proprioceptive intermanual tasks is due to the need
      of transforming joint signals, not to their interhemispheric transfer.
AB  - To perform goal-oriented hand movement, humans combine multiple sensory signals
      (e.g., vision and proprioception) that can be encoded in various reference frames
      (body centered and/or exo-centered). In a previous study (Tagliabue M, McIntyre
      J. PLoS One 8: e68438, 2013), we showed that, when aligning a hand to a
      remembered target orientation, the brain encodes both target and response in
      visual space when the target is sensed by one hand and the response is performed
      by the other, even though both are sensed only through proprioception. Here we
      ask whether such visual encoding is due 1) to the necessity of transferring
      sensory information across the brain hemispheres, or 2) to the necessity, due to
      the arms' anatomical mirror symmetry, of transforming the joint signals of one
      limb into the reference frame of the other. To answer this question, we asked
      subjects to perform purely proprioceptive tasks in different conditions: Intra,
      the same arm sensing the target and performing the movement; Inter/Parallel, one
      arm sensing the target and the other reproducing its orientation; and
      Inter/Mirror, one arm sensing the target and the other mirroring its orientation.
      Performance was very similar between Intra and Inter/Mirror (conditions not
      requiring joint-signal transformations), while both differed from Inter/Parallel.
      Manipulation of the visual scene in a virtual reality paradigm showed visual
      encoding of proprioceptive information only in the latter condition. These
      results suggest that the visual encoding of purely proprioceptive tasks is not
      due to interhemispheric transfer of the proprioceptive information per se, but to
      the necessity of transforming joint signals between mirror-symmetric limbs.NEW &
      NOTEWORTHY Why does the brain encode goal-oriented, intermanual tasks in a visual
      space, even in the absence of visual feedback about the target and the hand? We
      show that the visual encoding is not due to the transfer of proprioceptive
      signals between brain hemispheres per se, but to the need, due to the mirror
      symmetry of the two limbs, of transforming joint angle signals of one arm in
      different joint signals of the other.

PMID- 28615331
TI  - Comparison of the VTA and LC response to methylphenidate: a concomitant
      behavioral and neuronal study of adolescent male rats.
AB  - Methylphenidate (MPD), also known as Ritalin, is a psychostimulant used to treat
      attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. However, it is increasingly being
      misused by normal adolescents for recreation and academic advantage. Therefore,
      it is important to elucidate the behavioral and neurophysiological effects of MPD
      in normal subjects. MPD inhibits the reuptake of catecholamines, mainly found in
      the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus coeruleus (LC). The VTA and LC
      normally mediate attention, motivation, and drug reward behaviors. Selective
      neuronal connections between the VTA and LC have been identified implicating
      regular interaction between the structures. The objective of this study was to
      compare the neuronal responses of the VTA and LC to MPD in normal adolescent
      rats. Animals were implanted with permanent electrodes in the VTA and LC, and
      neuronal units were recorded following acute and repetitive (chronic) saline or
      0.6, 2.5, or 10.0 mg/kg MPD exposure. Animals displayed either behavioral
      sensitization or tolerance to all three doses of MPD. Acute MPD exposure elicited
      excitation in the majority of all VTA and LC units. Chronic MPD exposure elicited
      a further increase in VTA and LC neuronal activity in animals exhibiting
      behavioral sensitization and an attenuation in VTA and LC neuronal activity in
      animals exhibiting behavioral tolerance, demonstrating neurophysiological
      sensitization and tolerance, respectively. The similar pattern in VTA and LC unit
      activity suggests that the two structures are linked in their response to MPD.
      These results may help determine the exact mechanism of action of MPD, resulting
      in optimized treatment of patients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The same dose of 0.6, 2.5,
      and 10 mg/kg methylphenidate (MPD) elicits either behavioral sensitization or
      tolerance in adolescent rats. There is a direct correlation between the ventral
      tegmental area (VTA) and locus coeruleus (LC) neuronal response to chronic MPD
      exposure. Both the VTA and LC are involved in the behavioral and
      neurophysiological effects of chronic MPD.

PMID- 28615329
TI  - Physiological properties of brain-machine interface input signals.
AB  - Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs), also called brain-computer interfaces (BCIs),
      decode neural signals and use them to control some type of external device.
      Despite many experimental successes and terrific demonstrations in animals and
      humans, a high-performance, clinically viable device has not yet been developed
      for widespread usage. There are many factors that impact clinical viability and
      BMI performance. Arguably, the first of these is the selection of brain signals
      used to control BMIs. In this review, we summarize the physiological
      characteristics and performance-including movement-related information,
      longevity, and stability-of multiple types of input signals that have been used
      in invasive BMIs to date. These include intracortical spikes as well as field
      potentials obtained inside the cortex, at the surface of the cortex
      (electrocorticography), and at the surface of the dura mater (epidural signals).
      We also discuss the potential for future enhancements in input signal
      performance, both by improving hardware and by leveraging the knowledge of the
      physiological characteristics of these signals to improve decoding and stability.

PMID- 28615333
TI  - Excitability and firing behavior of single slow motor axons transmitting natural
      repetitive firing of human motoneurons.
AB  - Excitability of motor axons is critically important for realizing their main
      function, i.e., transmitting motoneuron firing to muscle fibers. The present
      study was designed to explore excitability recovery and firing behavior in single
      slow axons transmitting human motoneuron firing during voluntary muscle
      contractions. The abductor digiti minimi, flexor carpi ulnaris, and tibialis
      anterior were investigated during threshold stimulation of corresponding motor
      nerves. Motor unit (MU) firing index in response to testing volleys evoking M
      responses was used as a physiological measure of axonal excitability and its
      changes throughout a target interspike interval (ISI) were explored. It was shown
      that axons displayed an early irresponsive period (within the first ~2-5 ms of a
      target ISI) that was followed by a responsive period (for the next 5-17 ms of the
      ISI), in which MUs fired axonal doublets, and a later irresponsive period. At the
      beginning of the responsive period, M-responses showed small latency delays.
      However, since at that ISI moment, MUs displayed excitability recovery with high
      firing index, slight latency changes may be considered as a functionally
      insignificant phenomenon. The duration of axonal doublet ISIs did not depend on
      motoneuron firing frequencies (range 4.3-14.6 imp/s). The question of whether or
      not traditionally described axonal recovery excitability cycle is realistic in
      natural motor control is discussed. In conclusion, the present approach,
      exploring, for the first time, excitability recovery in single slow axons during
      motoneuron natural activation, can provide further insight into axonal firing
      behavior in normal states and diseases.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Excitability of single
      slow axons was estimated by motor unit firing index in response to motor nerve
      stimulation, and its changes throughout a target interspike interval were
      explored during transmitting human motoneuron natural firing. It was found that
      axons exhibited early irresponsive, responsive, and later irresponsive periods.
      Findings question whether the traditionally described axonal excitability
      recovery cycle is realistic in natural motor control.

PMID- 28615332
TI  - Different roles for inhibition in the rhythm-generating respiratory network.
AB  - Unraveling the interplay of excitation and inhibition within rhythm-generating
      networks remains a fundamental issue in neuroscience. We use a biophysical model
      to investigate the different roles of local and long-range inhibition in the
      respiratory network, a key component of which is the pre-Botzinger complex
      inspiratory microcircuit. Increasing inhibition within the microcircuit results
      in a limited number of out-of-phase neurons before rhythmicity and synchrony
      degenerate. Thus unstructured local inhibition is destabilizing and cannot
      support the generation of more than one rhythm. A two-phase rhythm requires
      restructuring the network into two microcircuits coupled by long-range inhibition
      in the manner of a half-center. In this context, inhibition leads to greater
      stability of the two out-of-phase rhythms. We support our computational results
      with in vitro recordings from mouse pre-Botzinger complex. Partial excitation
      block leads to increased rhythmic variability, but this recovers after blockade
      of inhibition. Our results support the idea that local inhibition in the pre
      Botzinger complex is present to allow for descending control of synchrony or
      robustness to adverse conditions like hypoxia. We conclude that the balance of
      inhibition and excitation determines the stability of rhythmogenesis, but with
      opposite roles within and between areas. These different inhibitory roles may
      apply to a variety of rhythmic behaviors that emerge in widespread pattern
      generating circuits of the nervous system.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The roles of
      inhibition within the pre-Botzinger complex (preBotC) are a matter of debate.
      Using a combination of modeling and experiment, we demonstrate that inhibition
      affects synchrony, period variability, and overall frequency of the preBotC and
      coupled rhythmogenic networks. This work expands our understanding of ubiquitous
      motor and cognitive oscillatory networks.

PMID- 28615334
TI  - Diffusion-weighted tractography in the common marmoset monkey at 9.4T.
AB  - The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small New World primate that is
      becoming increasingly popular in the neurosciences as an animal model of
      preclinical human disease. With several major disorders characterized by
      alterations in neural white matter (e.g., multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's
      disease, schizophrenia), proposed to be transgenically modeled using marmosets,
      the ability to isolate and characterize reliably major white matter fiber tracts
      with MRI will be of use for evaluating structural brain changes related to
      disease processes and symptomatology. Here, we propose protocols for isolating
      major white matter fiber tracts in the common marmoset using in vivo ultrahigh
      field MRI (9.4T) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data. With the use of a high
      angular-resolution DWI (256 diffusion-encoding directions) sequence, collected on
      four anesthetized marmosets, we provide guidelines for manually drawing fiber
      tracking regions of interest, based on easily identified anatomical landmarks in
      DWI native space. These fiber-tract isolation protocols are expected to be
      experimentally useful for visualization and quantification of individual white
      matter fiber tracts in both control and experimental groups of marmosets (e.g.,
      transgenic models). As disease models in the marmoset advance, the determination
      of how macroscopic white matter anatomy is altered as a function of disease state
      will be relevant in bridging the existing translational gap between preclinical
      rodent models and human patients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although significant progress
      has been made in mapping white matter connections in the marmoset brain using ex
      vivo tracing techniques, the application of in vivo virtual dissection of major
      white matter fiber tracts has been established by few studies in the marmoset
      literature. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of whole-brain diffusion
      weighted tractography in anesthetized marmosets at ultrahigh-field MRI (9.4T) and
      propose protocols for isolating nine major white matter fiber tracts in the
      marmoset brain.

PMID- 28615335
TI  - Wakefulness suppresses retinal wave-related neural activity in visual cortex.
AB  - In the developing visual system before eye opening, spontaneous retinal waves
      trigger bursts of neural activity in downstream structures, including visual
      cortex. At the same ages when retinal waves provide the predominant input to the
      visual system, sleep is the predominant behavioral state. However, the
      interactions between behavioral state and retinal wave-driven activity have never
      been explicitly examined. Here we characterized unit activity in visual cortex
      during spontaneous sleep-wake cycles in 9- and 12-day-old rats. At both ages,
      cortical activity occurred in discrete rhythmic bursts, ~30-60 s apart, mirroring
      the timing of retinal waves. Interestingly, when pups spontaneously woke up and
      moved their limbs in the midst of a cortical burst, the activity was suppressed.
      Finally, experimentally evoked arousals also suppressed intraburst cortical
      activity. All together, these results indicate that active wake interferes with
      the activation of the developing visual cortex by retinal waves. They also
      suggest that sleep-wake processes can modulate visual cortical plasticity at
      earlier ages than has been previously considered.NEW & NOTEWORTHY By recording in
      visual cortex in unanesthetized infant rats, we show that neural activity
      attributable to retinal waves is specifically suppressed when pups spontaneously
      awaken or are experimentally aroused. These findings suggest that the relatively
      abundant sleep of early development plays a permissive functional role for the
      visual system. It follows, then, that biological or environmental factors that
      disrupt sleep may interfere with the development of these neural networks.

PMID- 28615336
TI  - Prevention and reversal of latent sensitization of dorsal horn neurons by glial
      blockers in a model of low back pain in male rats.
AB  - In an animal model of nonspecific low back pain, recordings from dorsal horn
      neurons were made to investigate the influence of glial cells in the central
      sensitization process. To induce a latent sensitization of the neurons, nerve
      growth factor (NGF) was injected into the multifidus muscle; the manifest
      sensitization to a second NGF injection 5 days later was used as a read-out. The
      sensitization manifested in increased resting activity and in an increased
      proportion of neurons responding to stimulation of deep somatic tissues. To block
      microglial activation, minocycline was continuously administered intrathecally
      starting 1 day before or 2 days after the first NGF injection. The glia inhibitor
      fluorocitrate that also blocks astrocyte activation was administrated 2 days
      after the first injection. Minocycline applied before the first NGF injection
      reduced the manifest sensitization after the second NGF injection to control
      values. The proportion of neurons responsive to stimulation of deep tissues was
      reduced from 50% to 17.7% (P < 0.01). No significant changes occurred when
      minocycline was applied after the first injection. In contrast, fluorocitrate
      administrated after the first NGF injection reduced significantly the proportion
      of neurons with deep input (15.8%, P < 0.01). A block of glia activation had no
      significant effect on the increased resting activity. The data suggest that
      blocking microglial activation prevented the NGF-induced latent spinal
      sensitization, whereas blocking astrocyte activation reversed it. The induction
      of spinal neuronal sensitization in this pain model appears to depend on
      microglia activation, whereas its maintenance is regulated by activated
      astrocytes.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Activated microglia and astrocytes mediate the latent
      sensitization induced by nerve growth factor in dorsal horn neurons that receive
      input from deep tissues of the low back. These processes may contribute to
      nonspecific low back pain.

PMID- 28615337
TI  - Accumulation of methylglyoxal increases the advanced glycation end-product levels
      in DRG and contributes to lumbar disk herniation-induced persistent pain.
AB  - Lumbar disk herniation (LDH) with discogenic low back pain and sciatica is a
      common and complicated musculoskeletal disorder. The underlying mechanisms are
      poorly understood, and there are no effective therapies for LDH-induced pain. In
      the present study, we found that the patients who suffered from LDH-induced pain
      had elevated plasma methylglyoxal (MG) levels. In rats, implantation of
      autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) to the left lumbar 5 spinal nerve root, which
      mimicked LDH, induced mechanical allodynia, increased MG level in plasma and
      dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and enhanced the excitability of small DRG neurons
      (<30 MUm in diameter). Intrathecal injection of MG also induced mechanical
      allodynia, and its application to DRG neurons ex vivo increased the number of
      action potentials evoked by depolarizing current pulses. Furthermore, inhibition
      of MG accumulation by aminoguanidine attenuated the enhanced excitability of
      small DRG neurons and the mechanical allodynia induced by NP implantation. In
      addition, NP implantation increased levels of advanced glycation end products
      (AGEs) in DRG, and intrathecal injection of MG-derived AGEs induced the
      mechanical allodynia and DRG neuronal hyperactivity. Intrathecal injection of MG
      also significantly increased the expression of AGEs in DRG. Importantly,
      scavenging of MG by aminoguanidine also attenuated the increase in AGEs induced
      by NP implantation. These results suggested that LDH-induced MG accumulation
      contributed to persistent pain by increasing AGE levels. Thus generation of AGEs
      from MG may represent a target for treatment of LDH-induced pain.NEW & NOTEWORTHY
      Our study demonstrates that methylglyoxal accumulation via increasing advanced
      glycation end-product levels in dorsal root ganglion contributes to the
      persistent pain induced by lumbar disk herniation, which proposed potential
      targets for the treatment of lumbar disk herniation-induced persistent pain.

PMID- 28615338
TI  - Activity of primate V1 neurons during the gap saccade task.
AB  - When a saccadic eye movement is made toward a visual stimulus, the variability in
      accompanying primary visual cortex (V1) activity is related to saccade latency in
      both humans and simians. To understand the nature of this relationship, we
      examined the functional link between V1 activity and the initiation of visually
      guided saccades during the gap saccade task, in which a brief temporal gap is
      inserted between the turning off of a fixation stimulus and the appearance of a
      saccadic target. The insertion of such a gap robustly reduces saccade latency and
      facilitates the occurrence of extremely short-latency (express) saccades. Here we
      recorded single-cell activity from macaque V1 while monkeys performed the gap
      saccade task. In parallel with the gap effect on saccade latency the neural
      latency (time of first spike) of V1 response elicited by the saccade target
      became shorter, and the firing rate increased as the gap duration increased.
      Similarly, neural latency was shorter and firing rate was higher before express
      saccades relative to regular-latency saccades. In addition to these posttarget
      changes, the level of spontaneous spike activity during the pretarget period was
      negatively correlated with both neural and saccade latencies. These results
      demonstrate that V1 activity correlates with the gap effect and indicate that
      trial-to-trial variability in the state of V1 accompanies the variability of
      neural and behavioral latencies.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The link between neural activity
      in monkey primary visual cortex (V1) and visually guided behavioral response is
      confirmed with the gap saccade paradigm. Results indicated that the variability
      in neural latency of V1 spike activity correlates with the gap effect on saccade
      latency and that the trial-to-trial variability in the state of V1 before the
      onset of saccade target correlates with the variability in neural and behavioral
      latencies.

PMID- 28615339
TI  - Interhemispheric interactions between trunk muscle representations of the primary
      motor cortex.
AB  - Unilateral arm movements require trunk stabilization through bilateral
      contraction of axial muscles. Interhemispheric interactions between primary motor
      cortices (M1) could enable such coordinated contractions, but these mechanisms
      are largely unknown. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we
      characterized interhemispheric interactions between M1 representations of the
      trunk-stabilizing muscles erector spinae at the first lumbar vertebra (ES L1)
      during a right isometric shoulder flexion. These interactions were compared with
      those of the anterior deltoid (AD), the main agonist in this task, and the first
      dorsal interosseous (FDI). TMS over the right M1 elicited ipsilateral silent
      periods (iSP) in all three muscles on the right side. In ES L1, but not in AD or
      FDI, ipsilateral motor evoked potential (iMEP) could precede the iSP or replace
      it. iMEP amplitude was not significantly different whether ES L1 was used to
      stabilize the trunk or was voluntarily contracted. TMS at the cervicomedullary
      junction showed that the size of cervicomedullary evoked potential was unchanged
      during the iSP but increased during iMEP, suggesting that the iSP, but not the
      iMEP, is due to intracortical mechanisms. Using a dual-coil paradigm with two
      coils over the left and right M1, interhemispheric inhibition could be evoked at
      interstimulus intervals of 6 ms in ES L1 and 8 ms in AD and FDI. Together, these
      results suggest that interhemispheric inhibition is dominant when axial muscles
      are involved in a stabilizing task. The ipsilateral facilitation could be evoked
      by ipsilateral or subcortical pathways and could be used depending on the role
      axial muscles play in the task.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The mechanisms involved in the
      bilateral coordination of axial muscles during unilateral arm movement are poorly
      understood. We thus investigated the nature of interhemispheric interactions in
      axial muscles during arm motor tasks in healthy subjects. By combining different
      methodologies, we showed that trunk muscles receive both inhibitory and
      facilitatory cortical outputs during activation of arm muscles. We propose that
      inhibition may be conveyed mainly through interhemispheric mechanisms and
      facilitation by subcortical mechanisms or ipsilateral pathways.

PMID- 28615342
TI  - Supramodal representation of temporal priors calibrates interval timing.
AB  - Human timing behaviors are consistent with Bayesian inference, according to which
      both previous knowledge (prior) and current sensory information determine final
      responses. However, it is unclear whether the brain represents temporal priors
      exclusively for individual modalities or in a supramodal manner when temporal
      information comes from different modalities at different times. Here we asked
      participants to reproduce time intervals in either a unisensory or a multisensory
      context. In unisensory tasks, sample intervals drawn from a uniform distribution
      were presented in a single visual or auditory modality. In multisensory tasks,
      sample intervals from the two modalities were randomly mixed; visual and auditory
      intervals were drawn from two adjacent uniform distributions, with the
      conjunction of the two being equal to the distribution in the unisensory tasks.
      In the unisensory tasks, participants' reproduced times exhibited classic central
      tendency biases: shorter intervals were overestimated and longer intervals were
      underestimated. In the multisensory tasks, reproduced times were biased toward
      the mean of the whole distribution rather than the means of intervals in
      individual modalities. The Bayesian model with a supramodal prior (distribution
      of time intervals from both modalities) outperformed the model with modality
      specific priors in describing participants' performance. With a generalized model
      assuming the weighted combination of unimodal priors, we further obtained the
      relative contribution of visual intervals and auditory intervals in forming the
      prior for each participant. These findings suggest a supramodal mechanism for
      encoding priors in temporal processing, although the extent of influence of one
      modality on another differs individually.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Visual timing and
      auditory timing influence each other when time intervals in the two modalities
      are drawn from two adjacent distributions and are randomly intermixed. A Bayesian
      model with a supramodal prior (distribution of intervals from both modalities)
      outperforms the model using sensory-specific priors in describing participants'
      performance. A generalized model further reveals that the prior is represented as
      a weighted average of the distribution of time intervals from the two modalities,
      which differ individually.

PMID- 28615341
TI  - High-frequency epidural stimulation across the respiratory cycle evokes phrenic
      short-term potentiation after incomplete cervical spinal cord injury.
AB  - C2 spinal hemilesion (C2Hx) paralyzes the ipsilateral diaphragm, but recovery is
      possible through activation of "crossed spinal" synaptic inputs to ipsilateral
      phrenic motoneurons. We tested the hypothesis that high-frequency epidural
      stimulation (HF-ES) would potentiate ipsilateral phrenic output after subacute
      and chronic C2Hx. HF-ES (300 Hz) was applied to the ventrolateral C4 or T2 spinal
      cord ipsilateral to C2Hx in anesthetized and mechanically ventilated adult rats.
      Stimulus duration was 60 s, and currents ranged from 100 to 1,000 uA. Bilateral
      phrenic nerve activity and ipsilateral hypoglossal (XII) nerve activity were
      recorded before and after HF-ES. Higher T2 stimulus currents potentiated
      ipsilateral phasic inspiratory activity at both 2 and 12 wk post-C2Hx, whereas
      higher stimulus currents delivered at C4 potentiated ipsilateral phasic phrenic
      activity only at 12 wk (P = 0.028). Meanwhile, tonic output in the ipsilateral
      phrenic nerve reached 500% of baseline values at the high currents with no
      difference between 2 and 12 wk. HF-ES did not trigger inspiratory burst-frequency
      changes. Similar responses occurred following T2 HF-ES. Increases in
      contralateral phrenic and XII nerve output were induced by C4 and T2 HF-ES at
      higher currents, but the relative magnitude of these changes was small compared
      with the ipsilateral phrenic response. We conclude that following incomplete
      cervical spinal cord injury, HF-ES of the ventrolateral midcervical or thoracic
      spinal cord can potentiate efferent phrenic motor output with little impact on
      inspiratory burst frequency. However, the substantial increases in tonic output
      indicate that the uninterrupted 60-s stimulation paradigm used is unlikely to be
      useful for respiratory muscle activation after spinal injury.NEW & NOTEWORTHY
      Previous studies reported that high-frequency epidural stimulation (HF-ES)
      activates the diaphragm following acute spinal transection. This study examined
      HF-ES and phrenic motor output following subacute and chronic incomplete cervical
      spinal cord injury. Short-term potentiation of phrenic bursting following HF-ES
      illustrates the potential for spinal stimulation to induce respiratory
      neuroplasticity. Increased tonic phrenic output indicates that alternatives to
      the continuous stimulation paradigm used in this study will be required for
      respiratory muscle activation after spinal cord injury.

PMID- 28615343
TI  - Preventing hospital readmissions: the importance of considering 'impactibility,'
      not just predicted risk.

PMID- 28615340
TI  - Perspectives on classical controversies about the motor cortex.
AB  - Primary motor cortex has been studied for more than a century, yet a consensus on
      its functional contribution to movement control is still out of reach. In
      particular, there remains controversy as to the level of control produced by
      motor cortex ("low-level" movement dynamics vs. "high-level" movement kinematics)
      and the role of sensory feedback. In this review, we present different
      perspectives on the two following questions: What does activity in motor cortex
      reflect? and How do planned motor commands interact with incoming sensory
      feedback during movement? The four authors each present their independent views
      on how they think the primary motor cortex (M1) controls movement. At the end, we
      present a dialogue in which the authors synthesize their views and suggest
      possibilities for moving the field forward. While there is not yet a consensus on
      the role of M1 or sensory feedback in the control of upper limb movements, such
      dialogues are essential to take us closer to one.

PMID- 28615344
TI  - Advancing infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship through improvement
      science.

PMID- 28615345
TI  - Variation in Leaf Respiration Rates at Night Correlates with Carbohydrate and
      Amino Acid Supply.
AB  - Plant respiration can theoretically be fueled by and dependent upon an array of
      central metabolism components; however, which ones are responsible for the
      quantitative variation found in respiratory rates is unknown. Here, large-scale
      screens revealed 2-fold variation in nighttime leaf respiration rate (RN) among
      mature leaves from an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) natural accession
      collection grown under common favorable conditions. RN variation was mostly
      maintained in the absence of genetic variation, which emphasized the low
      heritability of RN and its plasticity toward relatively small environmental
      differences within the sampling regime. To pursue metabolic explanations for leaf
      RN variation, parallel metabolite level profiling and assays of total protein and
      starch were performed. Within an accession, RN correlated strongly with stored
      carbon substrates, including starch and dicarboxylic acids, as well as sucrose,
      major amino acids, shikimate, and salicylic acid. Among different accessions,
      metabolite-RN correlations were maintained with protein, sucrose, and major amino
      acids but not stored carbon substrates. A complementary screen of the effect of
      exogenous metabolites and effectors on leaf RN revealed that (1) RN is stimulated
      by the uncoupler FCCP and high levels of substrates, demonstrating that both
      adenylate turnover and substrate supply can limit leaf RN, and (2) inorganic
      nitrogen did not stimulate RN, consistent with limited nighttime nitrogen
      assimilation. Simultaneous measurements of RN and protein synthesis revealed that
      these processes were largely uncorrelated in mature leaves. These results
      indicate that differences in preceding daytime metabolic activities are the major
      source of variation in mature leaf RN under favorable controlled conditions.

PMID- 28615346
TI  - Leaf Hydraulic Architecture and Stomatal Conductance: A Functional Perspective.

PMID- 28615347
TI  - Thymic stromal lymphopoietin-induced HOTAIR activation promotes endothelial cell
      proliferation and migration in atherosclerosis.
AB  - Endothelial cells' (EC) injury is a major step for the pathological progression
      of atherosclerosis. Recent study demonstrated that thymic stromal lymphopoietin
      (TSLP) exerts a protective role in atherosclerosis. However, the effect of TSLP
      and the exact molecular mechanism involved in EC remains unknown. In the present
      study, we found that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR was much lower in EC from
      atherosclerotic plaque. Functional assays showed that HOTAIR facilitated cell
      proliferation and migration, and suppressed apoptosis in EC. Moreover, we
      demonstrated that TSLP functions upstream of HOTAIR. We found that serum level of
      TSLP was decreased in atherosclerosis patients and serum TSLP level positively
      correlated with HOTAIR expression in EC. Further investigation demonstrated that
      TSLP activated HOTAIR transcription through PI3K/AKT-IRF1 pathway and then
      regulates the EC proliferation and migration. TSLP-HOTAIR axis also plays a
      protective role in low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced EC injury. Taken
      together, TSLP-HOTAIR may be a potential therapy for EC dysfunction in
      atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28615348
TI  - JAK2 inhibitor CEP-33779 prevents mouse oocyte maturation in vitro.
AB  - The inhibitor CEP-33779 is a specific selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 2
      (JAK2). In most somatic cells, JAK2 plays essential roles in cellular signal
      transduction and in the regulation of cell cycle. Little is known regarding the
      effects of JAK2 on mammalian oocyte maturation. In the present study, we
      investigated the effects of CEP-33779 on mouse oocytes' meiosis and the possible
      mechanisms of JAK2 during mouse oocyte maturation. We detected the distribution
      of JAK2 during the mouse oocyte maturation. The results showed that JAK2 was
      mainly distributed in the cytoplasm during maturation. We cultured mouse oocytes
      with CEP-33779, examined the maturation rate, spindle morphology, and
      organization of microfilaments during the mouse oocyte maturation. While the rate
      of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) did not differ between the treated and
      control groups, the rate of oocyte maturation decreased significantly when
      treated with CEP-33779. The rate of maturation was 21.14% in treated group and
      was 81.44% in control group. The results show that CEP-33779 inhibits the
      maturation of mouse oocytes. There was no obvious difference in the meiotic
      spindle morphology between the treated and control groups. The results show that
      CEP-33779 treatment did not disrupt the reorganization of microtubules. The
      microfilament observation shows that the microfilament did not form actin cap and
      the spindle stayed at the center of the oocyte in the treated group. CEP-33779
      treatment inhibited the maturation of mouse oocytes which might be because of the
      disruption of formation of the actin cap. These results suggest that JAK2
      regulated the microfilaments aggregation during the mouse oocyte maturation.

PMID- 28615349
TI  - CFTR protects against vascular inflammation and atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E
      deficient mice.
AB  - Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the vascular wall.
      Dysfunction of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) has
      been shown to result in inflammatory responses in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.
      However, little is known about the role of CFTR in vascular inflammation and
      atherogenesis. Our results showed that CFTR was dominantly expressed in
      macrophages of atherosclerotic plaque and reduced in aorta and aortic sinus from
      atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice. In vivo administration
      of adenovirus encoding CFTR (Ad-CFTR) with apoE-/- mice fed on high-fat diet
      (HFD) improved plaque stability by decreasing lipid accumulation and necrotic
      area and increasing smooth muscle cell content and collagen. The Ad-CFTR-treated
      mice also displayed reduced proinflammatory cytokines levels in aorta and
      peritoneal macrophages, whereas the anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage markers were
      increased. Confocal microscopy revealed that the infiltration of T lymphocytes,
      neutrophils, and macrophages in aortic sinus was markedly attenuated in Ad-CFTR
      treated apoE-/- mice. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that overexpression
      of CFTR inhibited ox-LDL-induced the migration of peritoneal macrophages.
      Finally, it was observed that CFTR up-regulation suppressed NFkappaB and MAPKs
      activity induced by ox-LDL. Inhibition of JNK or ERK abrogated CFTR down
      regulation induced NFkappaB activation, whereas NFkappaB inhibitor had no effect
      on JNK or ERK activation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CFTR
      prevents inflammation and atherogenesis via inhibition of NFkappaB and MAPKs
      activation. Our data suggest that CFTR may present a potential therapeutic target
      for the treatment of vascular inflammation and development of atherosclerotic
      disease.

PMID- 28615350
TI  - A circannual perspective on daily and total flight distances in a long-distance
      migratory raptor, the Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus.
AB  - Long-distance migrants are particularly recognized for the distances covered on
      migration, yet little is known about the distances they cover during the rest of
      the year. GPS-tracks of 29 Montagu's harriers from breeding areas in France, The
      Netherlands and Denmark showed that harriers fly between 35 653 and 88 049 km yr
      1, of which on average only 28.5% is on migration. Mean daily distances during
      migration were 296 km d-1 in autumn and 252 km d-1 in spring. Surprisingly,
      males' daily distances during breeding (217 km d-1) were close to those during
      migration, whereas breeding females moved significantly less (101 km d-1) than
      males. In terms of flight distance, the breeding season seemed nearly as
      demanding as migration periods for males. During the six winter months, both
      sexes moved less (114 and 128 km d-1 for females and males, respectively) than
      during migration. Harriers therefore covered shorter daily distances during
      winter which might allow birds to compensate for the more demanding phases of
      migration and breeding.

PMID- 28615351
TI  - Body shape convergence driven by small size optimum in marine angelfishes.
AB  - Convergent evolution of small body size occurs across many vertebrate clades and
      may reflect an evolutionary response to shared selective pressures. However it
      remains unclear if other aspects of phenotype undergo convergent evolution in
      miniaturized lineages. Here we present a comparative analysis of body size and
      shape evolution in marine angelfishes (Pomacanthidae), a reef fish family
      characterized by repeated transitions to small body size. We ask if lineages that
      evolve small sizes show convergent evolution in body shape. Our results reveal
      that angelfish lineages evolved three different stable size optima with one
      corresponding to the group of pygmy angelfishes (Centropyge). Then, we test if
      the observed shifts in body size are associated with changes to new adaptive
      peaks in shape. Our data suggest that independent evolution to small size optima
      have induced repeated convergence upon deeper body and steeper head profile in
      Centropyge These traits may favour manoeuvrability and visual awareness in these
      cryptic species living among corals, illustrating that functional demands on
      small size may be related to habitat specialization and predator avoidance. The
      absence of shape convergence in large marine angelfishes also suggests that more
      severe requirements exist for small than for large size optima.

PMID- 28615352
TI  - Preparatory responses to socially determined, mutually exclusive possibilities in
      chimpanzees and children.
AB  - The capacity to imagine and prepare for alternative future possibilities is
      central to human cognition. Recent research suggests that between age 2 and 4
      children gradually begin to demonstrate a capacity to prepare for two simple,
      mutually exclusive alternatives of an immediate future event. When children were
      given the opportunity to catch a target an experimenter dropped into an inverted
      Y-shaped tube, 2-year olds-as well as great apes-tended to cover only one of the
      exits, whereas 4-year-olds spontaneously and consistently prepared for both
      possible outcomes. Here we gave children, age 2 to 4 years, and chimpanzees a
      different opportunity to demonstrate potential competence. Given that social
      behaviour is particularly full of uncertainty, we developed a version of the task
      where the outcome was still unpredictable yet obviously controlled by an
      experimenter. Participants could ensure they would catch the target by simply
      covering two tube exits. While 4-year-olds demonstrated competence, chimpanzees
      and the younger children instead tended to cover only one exit. These results
      substantiate the conclusion that the capacity for simultaneous preparation for
      mutually exclusive event outcomes develops relatively late in children and they
      are also in line with the possibility that our close animal relatives lack this
      capacity.

PMID- 28615353
TI  - Discovery of the fossil otter Enhydritherium terraenovae (Carnivora, Mammalia) in
      Mexico reconciles a palaeozoogeographic mystery.
AB  - The North American fossil otter Enhydritherium terraenovae is thought to be
      partially convergent in ecological niche with the living sea otter Enhydra
      lutris, both having low-crowned crushing teeth and a close association with
      marine environments. Fossil records of Enhydritherium are found in mostly
      marginal marine deposits in California and Florida; despite presence of very rich
      records of fossil terrestrial mammals in contemporaneous localities inland, no
      Enhydritherium fossils are hitherto known in interior North America. Here we
      report the first occurrence of Enhydritherium outside of Florida and California,
      in a land-locked terrestrial mammal fauna of the upper Miocene deposits of
      Juchipila Basin, Zacatecas State, Mexico. This new occurrence of Enhydritherium
      is at least 200 km from the modern Pacific coastline, and nearly 600 km from the
      Gulf of Mexico. Besides providing further evidence that Enhydritherium was not
      dependent on coastal marine environments as originally interpreted, this
      discovery leads us to propose a new east-to-west dispersal route between the
      Florida and California Enhydritherium populations through central Mexico. The
      proximity of the fossil locality to nearby populations of modern neotropical
      otters Lontra longicaudis suggests that trans-Mexican freshwater corridors for
      vertebrate species in riparian habitats may have persisted for a prolonged period
      of time, pre-dating the Great American Biotic Interchange.

PMID- 28615355
TI  - Reducing Unnecessary Imaging for Patients With Constipation in the Pediatric
      Emergency Department.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Constipation is a common diagnosis in the pediatric emergency
      department (ED). Children diagnosed with constipation may undergo an abdominal
      radiograph (AXR) as part of their diagnostic workup despite studies that suggest
      that an AXR in a patient suspected of being constipated is unnecessary and
      potentially misleading. We aimed to decrease the percentage of low-acuity
      patients aged between 6 months and 18 years diagnosed with constipation who
      undergo an AXR in our pediatric ED from 60% to 20% over 12 months. METHODS: We
      conducted an interventional improvement project at a large, urban pediatric ED by
      using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Model for Improvement. The
      primary outcome was the proportion of patients ultimately diagnosed with
      constipation who had an AXR during their ED visit. Analysis was performed by
      using rational subgrouping and stratification on statistical process control
      (SPC) charts. RESULTS: Process analysis was performed by using a cause-and-effect
      diagram. Four plan-do-study-act cycles were completed over 9 months.
      Interventions included holding Grand Rounds on constipation, sharing best
      practices, metrics reporting, and academic detailing. Rational subgrouping and
      stratification on SPC charts were used to target the interventions to different
      ED provider groups. Over 12 months, we observed a significant and sustained
      decrease from a mean rate of 62% to a mean rate of 24% in the utilization of AXRs
      in the ED for patients with constipation. CONCLUSIONS: The use of rational
      subgrouping and stratification on SPC charts to study different ED provider
      groups resulted in a substantial and sustained reduction in the rate of AXRs for
      constipation.

PMID- 28615354
TI  - Parenting Intervention at Age 11 and Cotinine Levels at Age 20 Among African
      American Youth.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that African American
      preadolescents who participated in a family-centered parenting intervention at
      age 11 would show lower levels of cotinine, a biomarker for recent smoking, at
      age 20 than would similar participants in the control condition. The study was
      also designed to test the hypothesis that prevention-induced increases in
      supportive parenting would account for any prevention effects that emerged.
      METHODS: African American parents and their 11-year-old children in the rural
      southern United States were assigned randomly to the Strong African American
      Families program or to a control condition. Parents provided self-reported data
      on supportive parenting when the youth were 11 and 16 years of age. When the
      youth were 20 years of age, blood was drawn from which cotinine was assayed.
      RESULTS: Intervention program participants (M = 0.672, SD = 0.048) displayed
      significantly lower cotinine levels at age 20 years than did control participants
      (M = 0.824, SD = 0.059), P = .046. Mediation analyses confirmed that increases in
      supportive parenting accounted for intervention effects on smoking. CONCLUSIONS:
      We have demonstrated in this study that a randomized trial of a prevention
      program designed to enhance supportive parenting reduced cotinine levels among
      young African American adults. The developmentally appropriate family-centered
      intervention buffered the risk of smoking 9 years after program participation.

PMID- 28615356
TI  - Sulforaphane reduces hepatic glucose production and improves glucose control in
      patients with type 2 diabetes.
AB  - A potentially useful approach for drug discovery is to connect gene expression
      profiles of disease-affected tissues ("disease signatures") to drug signatures,
      but it remains to be shown whether it can be used to identify clinically relevant
      treatment options. We analyzed coexpression networks and genetic data to identify
      a disease signature for type 2 diabetes in liver tissue. By interrogating a
      library of 3800 drug signatures, we identified sulforaphane as a compound that
      may reverse the disease signature. Sulforaphane suppressed glucose production
      from hepatic cells by nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related
      factor 2 (NRF2) and decreased expression of key enzymes in gluconeogenesis.
      Moreover, sulforaphane reversed the disease signature in the livers from diabetic
      animals and attenuated exaggerated glucose production and glucose intolerance by
      a magnitude similar to that of metformin. Finally, sulforaphane, provided as
      concentrated broccoli sprout extract, reduced fasting blood glucose and glycated
      hemoglobin (HbA1c) in obese patients with dysregulated type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28615358
TI  - It's reticulated: Diabetes, atherosclerosis, and reticulated platelets.
AB  - New research describes regulatory pathways for reticulated thrombocytosis in a
      mouse model of diabetes.

PMID- 28615357
TI  - Donor pulmonary intravascular nonclassical monocytes recruit recipient
      neutrophils and mediate primary lung allograft dysfunction.
AB  - Primary graft dysfunction is the predominant driver of mortality and graft loss
      after lung transplantation. Recruitment of neutrophils as a result of ischemia
      reperfusion injury is thought to cause primary graft dysfunction; however, the
      mechanisms that regulate neutrophil influx into the injured lung are incompletely
      understood. We found that donor-derived intravascular nonclassical monocytes
      (NCMs) are retained in human and murine donor lungs used in transplantation and
      can be visualized at sites of endothelial injury after reperfusion. When NCMs in
      the donor lungs were depleted, either pharmacologically or genetically,
      neutrophil influx and lung graft injury were attenuated in both allogeneic and
      syngeneic models. Similar protection was observed when the patrolling function of
      donor NCMs was impaired by deletion of the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1. Unbiased
      transcriptomic profiling revealed up-regulation of MyD88 pathway genes and a key
      neutrophil chemoattractant, CXCL2, in donor-derived NCMs after reperfusion.
      Reconstitution of NCM-depleted donor lungs with wild-type but not MyD88-deficient
      NCMs rescued neutrophil migration. Donor NCMs, through MyD88 signaling, were
      responsible for CXCL2 production in the allograft and neutralization of CXCL2
      attenuated neutrophil influx. These findings suggest that therapies to deplete or
      inhibit NCMs in donor lung might ameliorate primary graft dysfunction with
      minimal toxicity to the recipient.

PMID- 28615359
TI  - Immunity at the forefront of the brain: A new genetic model of FTD.
AB  - Functional characterization of a genetic variant linked to frontotemporal
      dementia in a murine model reveals deficits in cerebral immune response and
      metabolism.

PMID- 28615360
TI  - A vitamin to D-crease sunburn.
AB  - High doses of oral vitamin D3 attenuate skin inflammation following
      experimentally induced sun damage.

PMID- 28615361
TI  - Targeting KRAS-dependent tumors with AZD4785, a high-affinity therapeutic
      antisense oligonucleotide inhibitor of KRAS.
AB  - Activating mutations in KRAS underlie the pathogenesis of up to 20% of human
      tumors, and KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated genes in cancer.
      Developing therapeutics to block KRAS activity has proven difficult, and no
      direct inhibitor of KRAS function has entered clinical trials. We describe the
      preclinical evaluation of AZD4785, a high-affinity constrained ethyl-containing
      therapeutic antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting KRAS mRNA. AZD4785 potently
      and selectively depleted cellular KRAS mRNA and protein, resulting in inhibition
      of downstream effector pathways and antiproliferative effects selectively in KRAS
      mutant cells. AZD4785-mediated depletion of KRAS was not associated with feedback
      activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which is seen
      with RAS-MAPK pathway inhibitors. Systemic delivery of AZD4785 to mice bearing
      KRAS mutant non-small cell lung cancer cell line xenografts or patient-derived
      xenografts resulted in inhibition of KRAS expression in tumors and antitumor
      activity. The safety of this approach was demonstrated in mice and monkeys with
      KRAS ASOs that produced robust target knockdown in a broad set of tissues without
      any adverse effects. Together, these data suggest that AZD4785 is an attractive
      therapeutic for the treatment of KRAS-driven human cancers and warrants further
      development.

PMID- 28615363
TI  - Neutrophils: Double agents for TB.
AB  - Nitric oxide restricts growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by repressing
      neutrophilic inflammation.

PMID- 28615362
TI  - Drugging the catalytically inactive state of RET kinase in RET-rearranged tumors.
AB  - Oncogenic fusion events have been identified in a broad range of tumors. Among
      them, RET rearrangements represent distinct and potentially druggable targets
      that are recurrently found in lung adenocarcinomas. We provide further evidence
      that current anti-RET drugs may not be potent enough to induce durable responses
      in such tumors. We report that potent inhibitors, such as AD80 or ponatinib, that
      stably bind in the DFG-out conformation of RET may overcome these limitations and
      selectively kill RET-rearranged tumors. Using chemical genomics in conjunction
      with phosphoproteomic analyses in RET-rearranged cells, we identify the CCDC6
      RETI788N mutation and drug-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway
      reactivation as possible mechanisms by which tumors may escape the activity of
      RET inhibitors. Our data provide mechanistic insight into the druggability of RET
      kinase fusions that may be of help for the development of effective therapies
      targeting such tumors.

PMID- 28615364
TI  - Common Genetic Variation and Susceptibility to Ovarian Cancer: Current Insights
      and Future Directions.
AB  - In this review, we summarize current progress in the genetic epidemiology of
      epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), focusing exclusively on elucidating the role of
      common germline genetic variation in conferring susceptibility to EOC. We provide
      an overview of the more than 30 EOC risk loci identified to date by genome-wide
      association studies (GWAS) and describe the contribution of large-scale, cross
      cancer type, custom genotyping projects, such as the OncoArray and the
      Collaborative Oncological Gene-Environment Study, to locus discovery and
      replication. We discuss the histotype-specific nature of these EOC risk loci,
      pleiotropy, or overlapping genetic effects between EOC and other hormone-related
      cancer types, and the application of findings to polygenic risk prediction for
      EOC. The second part of the article offers a concise review of primarily
      laboratory-based studies that have led to the identification of several putative
      EOC susceptibility genes using common variants at the known EOC risk loci as
      starting points. More global biological insights emerging from network- and
      pathway-based analyses of GWAS for EOC susceptibility are also highlighted.
      Finally, we delve into potential future directions, including the need to
      identify EOC risk loci in non-European populations and the next generation of
      GWAS functional studies that are likely to involve genome editing to establish
      the cell type-specific carcinogenic effects of EOC risk variants Cancer Epidemiol
      Biomarkers Prev; 27(4); 395-404. (c)2018 AACRSee all articles in this CEBP Focus
      section, "Genome-Wide Association Studies in Cancer."

PMID- 28615365
TI  - A Decade of GWAS Results in Lung Cancer.
AB  - Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were successful to identify genetic
      factors robustly associated with lung cancer. This review aims to synthesize the
      literature in this field and accelerate the translation of GWAS discoveries into
      results that are closer to clinical applications. A chronologic presentation of
      published GWAS on lung cancer susceptibility, survival, and response to treatment
      is presented. The most important results are tabulated to provide a concise
      overview in one read. GWAS have reported 45 lung cancer susceptibility loci with
      varying strength of evidence and highlighted suspected causal genes at each
      locus. Some genetic risk loci have been refined to more homogeneous subgroups of
      lung cancer patients in terms of histologic subtypes, smoking status, gender, and
      ethnicity. Overall, these discoveries are an important step for future
      development of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers to personalize and improve
      the quality of care for patients. GWAS results are on the edge of offering new
      tools for targeted screening in high-risk individuals, but more research is
      needed if GWAS are to pay off the investment. Complementary genomic datasets and
      functional studies are needed to refine the underlying molecular mechanisms of
      lung cancer preliminarily revealed by GWAS and reach results that are medically
      actionable. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(4); 363-79. (c)2018 AACRSee all
      articles in this CEBP Focus section, "Genome-Wide Association Studies in Cancer."

PMID- 28615366
TI  - Significance of Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients With Heart Failure and
      Preserved, Midrange, and Reduced Ejection Fraction: A Nationwide Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The pathogenic role of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in heart failure
      (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF; EF <40%) is well established, but its
      pathogenic and prognostic significance in HF with midrange (HFmrEF; EF 40%-50%)
      and preserved EF (HFpEF; EF >=50%) has been much less explored. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We evaluated 42 987 patients from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry
      with respect to baseline IHD, outcomes (IHD, HF, cardiovascular events, and all
      cause death), and EF change during a median follow-up of 2.2 years. Overall, 23%
      had HFpEF (52% IHD), 21% had HFmrEF (61% IHD), and 55% had HFrEF (60% IHD). After
      multivariable adjustment, associations with baseline IHD were similar for HFmrEF
      and HFrEF and lower in HFpEF (risk ratio, 0.91 [0.89-0.93] versus HFmrEF and risk
      ratio, 0.90 [0.88-0.92] versus HFrEF). The adjusted risk of IHD events was
      similar for HFmrEF versus HFrEF and lower in HFpEF (hazard ratio, 0.89 [0.84
      0.95] versus HFmrEF and hazard ratio, 0.84 [0.80-0.90] versus HFrEF). After
      adjustment, prevalent IHD was associated with increased risk of IHD events and
      all other outcomes in all EF categories except all-cause mortality in HFpEF.
      Those with IHD, particularly new IHD events, were also more likely to change to a
      lower EF category and less likely to change to a higher EF category over time.
      CONCLUSIONS: HFmrEF resembled HFrEF rather than HFpEF with regard to both a
      higher prevalence of IHD and a greater risk of new IHD events. Established IHD
      was an important prognostic factor across all HF types.

PMID- 28615368
TI  - Editor's Note.

PMID- 28615367
TI  - Patient Perceptions on Facilitating Follow-Up After Heart Failure
      Hospitalization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Timely follow-up after hospitalization for heart failure (HF) is
      recommended. However, follow-up is suboptimal, especially in lower socioeconomic
      groups. Patient-centered solutions for facilitating follow-up post-HF
      hospitalization have not been extensively evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Face-to
      face surveys were conducted between 2015 and 2016 among 83 racially diverse adult
      patients (61% African American, 34% Caucasian, and 5% Other) hospitalized for HF
      at a university hospital centered in a low-income area of Columbus, Ohio. Patient
      perceptions of methods to facilitate follow-up post-HF hospitalization and
      likelihood of using interventions were investigated using a Likert scale: 1=very
      much to 5=not at all. Results were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test with
      Bonferroni correction. The response rate was 82%. The annual household income was
      <$35 000 for 49% of patients. An appointment near the patient's home was the most
      desired intervention (77%), followed by reminder message (73%), transportation to
      appointment (63%), and elimination of copayment (59%). Interventions most likely
      to be used if provided were similarly ranked: reminder message (48%), appointment
      near home (46%), elimination of copay (46%), and transportation to appointment
      (39%). There were significant differences (P=0.001) in high-ranking interventions
      related to location (appointment near home, transportation, home appointment) and
      reminder for visit compared with low-ranking interventions related to time
      (weekend appointment, appointment after 5 pm) and telemedicine. CONCLUSIONS:
      Among this cohort of racially diverse low-income patients hospitalized with HF,
      an appointment near the patient's home and a reminder message were the most
      desired interventions to facilitate follow-up. Further study of similar
      populations nationwide is warranted.

PMID- 28615369
TI  - Clinical Development of PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy for Gastrointestinal Cancers:
      Facts and Hopes.
AB  - Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most deadly malignancies. Although
      serial incremental survival benefits have been made with cytotoxic chemotherapy
      with metastatic disease, a plateau of achievement has been reached. Applying
      modern integrative genomic technology, distinct molecular subgroups have been
      identified in GI cancers. This not only highlighted the heterogeneity in tumors
      of each primary anatomical site but also identified novel therapeutic targets in
      distinct molecular subgroups and might improve the yield of clinical success.
      Molecular characteristics of tumors and their interaction with the tumor
      microenvironment would further affect development of combination therapy,
      including immunotherapy. Currently, immune checkpoint blockade attracts the most
      intense research, and the successful integration of these novel agents in GI
      cancers in the treatment paradigm requires an in-depth understanding of the
      diverse immune environment of these cancers. Clin Cancer Res; 23(20); 6002-11.
      (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615371
TI  - A Phase Ib Open-Label Multicenter Study of AZD4547 in Patients with Advanced
      Squamous Cell Lung Cancers.
AB  - Purpose: Squamous cell lung cancers (SQCLC) account for 25% of all NSCLCs, yet
      the prognosis of these patients is poor and treatment options are limited.
      Amplified FGFR1 is one of the most common oncogenic events in SQCLCs, occurring
      in approximately 20% of cases. AZD4547 is a potent and selective FGFR1-3
      inhibitor with antitumor activity in FGFR1-amplified SQCLC cell lines and patient
      derived xenografts.Experimental Design: On the basis of these data, we performed
      a phase I study of AZD4547 in patients with previously treated stage IV FGFR1
      amplified SQCLCs (NCT00979134). FGFR1 amplification (FGFR1:CEP8 >= 2) was
      determined by FISH. The primary endpoint was safety/tolerability. Secondary
      endpoints included antitumor activity, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and
      molecular analyses.Results: Fifteen FGFR1-amplified patients were treated. The
      most common related adverse events (AE) were gastrointestinal and dermatologic.
      Grade >=3-related AEs occurred in 3 patients (23%). Thirteen patients were
      evaluable for radiographic response assessment. The overall response rate was 8%
      (1 PR). Two of 15 patients (13.3%) were progression-free at 12 weeks, and the
      median overall survival was 4.9 months. Molecular tests, including next
      generation sequencing, gene expression analysis, and FGFR1 immunohistochemistry,
      showed poor correlation between gene amplification and expression, potential
      genomic modifiers of efficacy, and heterogeneity in 8p11 amplicon.Conclusions:
      AZD4547 was tolerable at a dosage of 80 mg oral twice a day, with modest
      antitumor activity. Detailed molecular studies show that these tumors are
      heterogeneous, with a range of mutational covariates and stark differences in
      gene expression of the 8p11 amplicon that likely explain the modest efficacy of
      FGFR inhibition in this disease. Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5366-73. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615370
TI  - Molecular Pathways: Targeting the Microenvironment of Liver Metastases.
AB  - Curative treatment for metastatic solid cancers remains elusive. The liver, which
      is nourished by a rich blood supply from both the arterial and portal venous
      systems, is the most common site of visceral metastases, particularly from
      cancers arising in the gastrointestinal tract, with colorectal cancer being the
      predominant primary site in Western countries. A mounting body of evidence
      suggests that the liver microenvironment (LME) provides autocrine and paracrine
      signals originating from both parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells that
      collectively create both pre- and prometastatic niches for the development of
      hepatic metastases. These resident cells and their molecular mediators represent
      potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and/or treatment of liver
      metastases (LM). This review summarizes: (i) the current therapeutic options for
      treating LM, with a particular focus on colorectal cancer LM; (ii) the role of
      the LME in LM at each of its phases; (iii) potential targets in the LME
      identified through preclinical and clinical investigations; and (iv) potential
      therapeutic approaches for targeting elements of the LME before and/or after the
      onset of LM as the basis for future clinical trials. Clin Cancer Res; 23(21);
      6390-9. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28615372
TI  - Preconception Micronutrient Supplementation with Iron and Folic Acid Compared
      with Folic Acid Alone Affects Linear Growth and Fine Motor Development at 2 Years
      of Age: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Vietnam.
AB  - Background: Maternal health and nutrition play a crucial role in early child
      growth and development. However, little is known about the benefits of
      preconception micronutrient interventions beyond the role of folic acid (FA) and
      neural tube defects.Objective: We evaluated the impact of weekly preconception
      multiple micronutrient (MM) or iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation on child
      growth and development through the age of 2 y compared with FA alone.Methods: We
      followed 1599 offspring born to women who participated in a randomized controlled
      trial of preconception supplementation in Vietnam. Women received weekly
      supplements that contained either 2800 MUg FA, 60 mg Fe and 2800 MUg FA, or 15
      MMs including IFA, from baseline until conception followed by daily prenatal IFA
      supplements until delivery. Child anthropometry was measured at birth and at 3,
      6, 12, 18, and 24 mo. Child development was measured with the use of the Bayley
      Scales for Infant Development III at 24 mo.Results: The groups were similar for
      baseline maternal and offspring birth characteristics. At 24 mo of age, the
      offspring in the IFA group had significantly higher length-for-age z scores
      (LAZs) (0.14; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.26), reduced risk of being stunted (0.87; 95% CI:
      0.76, 0.99), and smaller yearly decline in LAZs (0.10; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.15) than
      the offspring in the FA group. Similar trends were found for the offspring in the
      MM group compared with the FA group for LAZs (0.10; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.22) and the
      risk of being stunted (0.88; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.01). Offspring in the IFA group had
      improved motor development (P = 0.03), especially fine motor development (0.41;
      95% CI: 0.05, 0.77), at the age of 24 mo, but there were no differences for
      measures of cognition or language.Conclusions: Preconception supplementation with
      IFA improved linear growth and fine motor development at 2 y of age compared with
      FA. Future studies should examine whether these effects persist and improve child
      health and schooling. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as
      NCT01665378.

PMID- 28615373
TI  - Yogurt Consumption as a Signature of a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle.
AB  - Yogurt is considered to be a nutrient-dense food that significantly contributes
      to the intake of several nutrients, including calcium and protein. As described
      in this paper, yogurt consumers have a higher nutrient intake than do
      nonconsumers. Yogurt consumers are also characterized by healthier dietary habits
      than nonconsumers, which partly explains their reduced incidence of overweight
      and obesity. Recent studies also suggest that yogurt consumers exhibit healthier
      nonnutritional behaviors, such as reduced smoking and greater participation in
      physical activity, than do nonconsumers. Furthermore, when greenhouse gas
      emissions are used as an additional criterion to categorize foods, yogurt appears
      to be an eco-friendly food. Compared with that of other foods, the carbon
      footprint of yogurt production is low to moderate and may be included as part of
      a healthy and sustainable diet. Based on these factors, yogurt consumption may be
      the signature of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

PMID- 28615374
TI  - A Cross-Sectional Survey in Rural Bihar, India, Indicates That Nutritional
      Status, Diet, and Stimulation Are Associated with Motor and Mental Development in
      Young Children.
AB  - Background: Many malnourished children in resource-poor settings fail to fulfill
      their developmental potential.Objective: The objectives of this analysis were to
      examine the nutritional, psychosocial, environmental, and household correlates of
      child development in Bihar, India, and identify mediators between dietary
      diversity and mental development.Methods: Using 2-stage cluster randomized
      sampling, we surveyed 4360 households with children 6-18 mo of age in the West
      Champaran district of Bihar. We measured motor and mental development with the
      use of the Developmental Milestones Checklist II. In a random subsample (n =
      2838), we measured anthropometric characteristics and hemoglobin. Cluster
      adjusted multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations
      between nutrition indicators and development scores. Sobel's test was used to
      assess significant mediators in the association between diet diversity and
      development scores. Analyses were stratified by children 6-11 and 12-18 mo of
      age.Results: In all children, length-for-age z score (LAZ), dietary diversity,
      and psychosocial stimulation were significant (P < 0.05) correlates of motor
      development scores [(beta coefficient +/- SE) in children 6-11 mo: LAZ = 0.46 +/-
      0.08, dietary diversity = 0.43 +/- 0.09, and stimulation = 0.15 +/- 0.04; in
      children 12-18 mo: LAZ = 0.73 +/- 0.07, dietary diversity = 0.30 +/- 0.09, and
      stimulation = 0.31 +/- 0.05] and mental development scores [(beta coefficient +/-
      SE) in children 6-11 mo: LAZ = 0.57 +/- 0.10, dietary diversity = 0.84 +/- 0.13,
      and stimulation = 0.54 +/- 0.07; in children 12-18 mo: LAZ = 0.54 +/- 0.11,
      dietary diversity = 0.40 +/- 0.16, and stimulation = 0.62 +/- 0.09]. Stimulation,
      gross motor development, and fine motor development were significant mediators in
      the relation between dietary diversity and mental development.Conclusion:
      Strategies to improve dietary diversity and psychosocial stimulation could have
      important implications for child development of young North Indian children. This
      trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02593136.

PMID- 28615375
TI  - Inclusion of Almonds in a Cholesterol-Lowering Diet Improves Plasma HDL
      Subspecies and Cholesterol Efflux to Serum in Normal-Weight Individuals with
      Elevated LDL Cholesterol.
AB  - Background: Almonds may increase circulating HDL cholesterol when substituted for
      a high-carbohydrate snack in an isocaloric diet, yet little is known about the
      effects on HDL biology and function.Objective: The objective was to determine
      whether incorporating 43 g almonds/d in a cholesterol-lowering diet would improve
      HDL subspecies and function, which were secondary study outcomes.Methods: In a
      randomized, 2-period, crossover, controlled-feeding study, a diet with 43 g
      almonds/d (percentage of total energy: 51% carbohydrate, 16% protein, and 32%
      total and 8% saturated fat) was compared with a similar diet with an isocaloric
      muffin substitution (58% carbohydrate, 15% protein, and 26% total and 8%
      saturated fat) in men and women with elevated LDL cholesterol. Plasma HDL
      subspecies and cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages to human serum were
      measured at baseline and after each diet period. Diet effects were examined in
      all participants (n = 48) and in normal-weight (body mass index: <25; n = 14) and
      overweight or obese (>=25; n = 34) participants by using linear mixed
      models.Results: The almond diet, compared with the control diet, increased alpha
      1 HDL [mean +/- SEM: 26.7 +/- 1.5 compared with 24.3 +/- 1.3 mg apolipoprotein A
      I (apoA-I)/dL; P = 0.001]. In normal-weight participants, the almond diet,
      relative to the control diet, increased alpha-1 HDL (33.7 +/- 3.2 compared with
      28.4 +/- 2.6 mg apoA-I/dL), the alpha-1 to pre-beta-1 ratio [geometric mean (95%
      CI): 4.3 (3.3, 5.7) compared with 3.1 (2.4, 4.0)], and non-ATP-binding cassette
      transporter A1 cholesterol efflux (8.3% +/- 0.4% compared with 7.8% +/- 0.3%) and
      decreased pre-beta-2 (3.8 +/- 0.4 compared with 4.6 +/- 0.4 mg apoA-I/dL) and
      alpha-3 (23.5 +/- 0.9 compared with 26.9 +/- 1.1 mg apoA-I/dL) HDL (P < 0.05). No
      diet effects were observed in the overweight or obese group.Conclusions:
      Substituting almonds for a carbohydrate-rich snack within a lower-saturated-fat
      diet may be a simple strategy to maintain a favorable circulating HDL
      subpopulation distribution and improve cholesterol efflux in normal-weight
      individuals with elevated LDL cholesterol. This trial was registered at
      clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01101230.

PMID- 28615376
TI  - Smell and Taste Dysfunction Is Associated with Higher Serum Total Cholesterol
      Concentrations in Chinese Adults.
AB  - Background: Several lipid-related hormones and peptides, such as glucagon-like
      peptide-1 and leptin, are involved in the regulation of taste and smell function.
      However, to our knowledge, it remains unknown whether these chemosensory
      functions are associated with lipid profiles.Objective: We examined the cross
      sectional association between taste and smell dysfunction and blood cholesterol
      concentrations.Methods: With the use of a questionnaire, we assessed chronic
      smell and taste dysfunction in 12,627 Chinese participants (10,418 men and 2209
      women; mean age: 54.4 y) who did not take hypolipidemic agents. Participants were
      categorized into 3 groups based on the number of smell and taste dysfunctions,
      ranging from 0 (best) to 2 (worst). A general linear model was used to test
      differences in serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL
      cholesterol, and triglycerides (TGs) across groups with different smell and taste
      status after adjusting for age, sex, education, occupation, smoking, drinking,
      obesity, and history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and head injury.Results:
      The prevalence of smell and taste dysfunction was 2.4% and 1.2%, respectively.
      Worse smell and taste dysfunction was associated with higher total cholesterol
      concentrations (P-trend = 0.005). No significant differences were observed in LDL
      cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and TG concentrations across groups with different
      numbers of chemosensory dysfunctions (P-trend > 0.1 for all). The associations
      between chemosensory dysfunction and total cholesterol concentrations were more
      pronounced in participants aged <=60 y and in those who were nonsmokers relative
      to their counterparts (P-interaction < 0.05 for all).Conclusions: In this large
      cross-sectional study, chemosensory dysfunction was associated with higher serum
      total cholesterol concentrations among Chinese adults. Prospective studies are
      needed to investigate the temporal relation between these chemosensory
      dysfunctions and hypercholesterolemia.

PMID- 28615377
TI  - After Mexico Implemented a Tax, Purchases of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Decreased
      and Water Increased: Difference by Place of Residence, Household Composition, and
      Income Level.
AB  - Background: In January 2014, Mexico implemented a tax on sugar-sweetened beverage
      (SSB) purchases of 1 peso/L.Objective: We examined the heterogeneity of changes
      in nonalcoholic beverage (SSB and bottled water) purchases after the tax was
      implemented by household income, urban and rural strata, and household
      composition.Methods: We used 4 rounds of the National Income and Expenditure
      Surveys: 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. Changes in purchases in per capita liters
      per week were estimated with the use of 2-part models to adjust for nonpurchases.
      We compared absolute and relative differences between adjusted changes in
      observed purchases in 2014 with expected purchases in 2014 based on prior trends
      (2008-2012). The models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics of the
      households, place of residence, and lagged gross domestic product per
      capita.Results: We found a 6.3% reduction in the observed purchases of SSBs in
      2014 compared with the expected purchases in that same year based on trends from
      2008 to 2012. These reductions were higher among lower-income households,
      residents living in urban areas, and households with children. We also found a
      16.2% increase in water purchases that was higher in low- and middle-income
      households, in urban areas, and among households with adults only.Conclusions:
      SSB purchases decreased and water purchases increased after an SSB tax was
      imposed in Mexico. The magnitude of these changes was greater in lower-income and
      urban households.

PMID- 28615378
TI  - Amino Acid Absorption in the Large Intestine of Humans and Porcine Models.
AB  - Dietary protein quality has been recognized as a critical issue by international
      authorities because it can affect important functions of the body. To predict
      protein quality, the FAO introduced the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid
      Score. This score depends on ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility; therefore, the
      assumption is made that AAs are not absorbed in nutritionally relevant amounts
      from the large intestine. This article reviews the evidence for this assumption
      by considering the role of the mammalian large intestine in dietary protein and
      AA digestion and absorption, with particular reference to adult humans. Although
      most dietary AAs and peptides are absorbed in the small intestine, substantial
      amounts can enter the large intestine. Nitrogen is absorbed in the large
      intestine, and a series of animal experiments indicate a potential small degree
      of AA absorption. In humans, colonocytes have the capacity for AA absorption
      because AA transporters are present in the large intestine. The absorption of
      nutritionally relevant amounts of dietary indispensable AAs and peptides in the
      human large intestine has not been convincingly demonstrated, however.

PMID- 28615379
TI  - Daily Consumption of Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Containing 250 MUg Iodine
      Does Not Increase Urinary Iodine Concentrations in Pregnant and Postpartum Women
      in Bangladesh.
AB  - Background: Maternal iodine deficiency during pregnancy and lactation is common
      in Bangladesh.Objective: We evaluated the effect of lipid-based nutrient
      supplements for pregnant and lactating women (LNS-PL) on urinary iodine
      concentration (UIC).Methods: We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled
      effectiveness trial in which we enrolled 4011 pregnant women at <=20 gestational
      weeks. Women in 48 clusters received iron and folic acid (IFA; 60 mg Fe/d + 400
      MUg folic acid/d) and women in 16 clusters received LNS-PL (20 g/d, 118 kcal)
      containing 22 vitamins and minerals (including 250 MUg I). We randomly selected a
      subsample of 1159 women for repeated urine sample collection, i.e., at
      enrollment, at 36 wk of gestation, and at 6 mo postpartum, for UIC analysis, a
      secondary outcome of the trial.Results: The geometric mean UIC at 36 wk of
      gestation and at 6 mo postpartum did not differ significantly between the IFA and
      LNS-PL groups. The median (quartile 1, quartile 3) UIC at 36 wk was 27.4 MUg/L
      (16.9, 52.7 MUg/L) in the IFA group and 30.2 MUg/L (17.7, 56.6 MUg/L) in the LNS
      PL group; at 6 mo, these were 23.0 MUg/L (10.0, 45.9 MUg/L) in the IFA group and
      22.2 MUg/L (9.1, 50.4 MUg/L) in the LNS-PL group.Conclusion: Daily consumption of
      LNS-PL containing 250 MUg I did not increase the UICs of pregnant and lactating
      women in Bangladesh. Iodine from lipid-based nutrient supplements may have been
      stored in the thyroid gland or secreted in breast milk instead of being excreted
      in urine. Additional research that uses other biomarkers of iodine status is
      needed to determine how to meet the iodine requirements of pregnant and lactating
      women in Bangladesh and similar settings. This trial was registered at
      clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01715038.

PMID- 28615380
TI  - Leucine Differentially Regulates Gene-Specific Translation in Mouse Skeletal
      Muscle.
AB  - Background: Amino acids, especially leucine, are particularly effective in
      promoting protein synthesis. Leucine is known to increase the rate of protein
      synthesis in skeletal muscle through the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex
      1-dependent, as well as -independent, signaling pathways. However, the overall
      translation program is poorly defined, and it is unknown how the activation of
      these pathways differentially controls the translation of specific
      mRNAs.Objective: Ribosome profiling and RNA sequencing were used to precisely
      define the translational program activated by an acute oral dose of
      leucine.Methods: Adult male C57BL/6 mice were deprived of food overnight before
      the delivery of an acute dose of l-leucine (9.4 mg) (n = 6) or vehicle (n = 5)
      and tissues collected 30 min later. Ribosome footprints and total RNA were
      isolated and subjected to deep sequencing. Changes in gene-specific mRNA
      abundance and ribosome occupancy were determined between the leucine-treated and
      control groups by aligning sequence reads to Reference Sequence database mRNAs
      and applying statistical features of the Bioconductor package edgeR.Results: Our
      data revealed mRNA features that confer translational control of skeletal muscle
      mRNAs in response to an acute dose of leucine. The subset of skeletal muscle
      mRNAs that are activated consists largely of terminal oligopyrimidine mRNAs
      (false discovery rate: <0.05), whereas those with reduced translation had 5'
      untranslated regions with increased length. Only the small nuclear RNAs, which
      are required for ribosome biogenesis, were significantly altered in RNA
      abundance. The inferred functional translational program activated by dietary
      leucine includes increased protein synthesis capacity and energy metabolism,
      upregulation of sarcomere-binding proteins, modulation of circadian rhythm, and
      suppression of select immune components.Conclusions: These results clarify the
      translation program acutely stimulated by leucine in mouse skeletal muscle and
      establish new methodologies for use in future studies of skeletal muscle disease
      or aging and further examination of downstream effects of leucine on gene
      expression.

PMID- 28615381
TI  - Yogurt Is a Low-Glycemic Index Food.
AB  - High yogurt intake is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM).
      Although several mechanisms could explain this association, this paper addresses
      the glycemic and insulinemic impact of yogurt. There is evidence that low
      glycemic index (GI) and low-glycemic load (GL) diets are associated with a
      reduced risk of T2DM. The 93 GI values for yogurt in the University of Sydney's
      GI database have a mean +/- SD of 34 +/- 13, and 92% of the yogurts are low-GI
      (<=55). The 43 plain yogurts in the database have a lower GI than the 50
      sweetened yogurts, 27 +/- 11 compared with 41 +/- 11 (P < 0.0001). This
      difference is not explained by sugar, per se, but rather by the higher protein-to
      carbohydrate ratio in plain yogurt. Although yogurt has a low GI, its insulinemic
      index (II) is higher than its GI. High insulin responses may be deleterious
      because hyperinsulinemia is associated with an increased risk of T2DM.
      Nevertheless, this may not be a concern for yogurt because, although its II is
      higher than its GI, the II of yogurt is within the range of II values for
      nondairy low-GI foods. In addition, mixed meals containing dairy protein elicit
      insulin responses similar to those elicited by mixed meals of similar composition
      containing nondairy protein. Because the GI of yogurt is lower than that of most
      other carbohydrate foods, exchanging yogurt for other protein and carbohydrate
      sources can reduce the GI and GL of the diet, and is in line with recommended
      dietary patterns, which include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes,
      fish, vegetable oils, and yogurt.

PMID- 28615383
TI  - Introduction to the Fourth Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt.

PMID- 28615382
TI  - Factors Influencing the Gut Microbiota, Inflammation, and Type 2 Diabetes.
AB  - The gut microbiota is a complex community of bacteria residing in the intestine.
      Animal models have demonstrated that several factors contribute to and can
      significantly alter the composition of the gut microbiota, including genetics;
      the mode of delivery at birth; the method of infant feeding; the use of
      medications, especially antibiotics; and the diet. There may exist a gut
      microbiota signature that promotes intestinal inflammation and subsequent
      systemic low-grade inflammation, which in turn promotes the development of type 2
      diabetes. There are preliminary studies that suggest that the consumption of
      probiotic bacteria such as those found in yogurt and other fermented milk
      products can beneficially alter the composition of the gut microbiome, which in
      turn changes the host metabolism. Obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver
      disease, and low-grade peripheral inflammation are more prevalent in patients
      with low alpha diversity in the gut microbiome than they are in patients with
      high alpha diversity. Fermented milk products, such as yogurt, deliver a large
      number of lactic acid bacteria to the gastrointestinal tract. They may modify the
      intestinal environment, including inhibiting lipopolysaccharide production and
      increasing the tight junctions of gut epithelia cells.

PMID- 28615384
TI  - Yogurt and Diabetes: Overview of Recent Observational Studies.
AB  - The effects of dairy consumption on the prevention of type 2 diabetes remain
      controversial and depend on the dairy subtype. Yogurt intake has received special
      attention because its association with health benefits is more consistent than
      that of other types of dairy products. In the present article, we review those
      observational studies that evaluated the association between yogurt consumption
      and type 2 diabetes. We also discuss the possible mechanisms involved in these
      associations. We found that 13 prospective studies evaluated the association
      between yogurt intake and type 2 diabetes, most of which showed an inverse
      association between the frequency of yogurt consumption and the risk of diabetes.
      In addition to the scientific evidence accumulated from individual prospective
      studies, several meta-analyses have shown that yogurt consumption has a potential
      role in diabetes prevention. The most recent analysis shows a 14% lower risk of
      type 2 diabetes when yogurt consumption was 80-125 g/d compared with no yogurt
      consumption. The intake of fermented dairy products, especially yogurt, has been
      inversely associated with variables of glucose metabolism. Yogurt may have
      probiotic effects that could modulate glucose metabolism. We conclude that yogurt
      consumption, in the context of a healthy dietary pattern, may reduce the risk of
      type 2 diabetes in healthy and older adults at high cardiovascular risk. Large
      scale intervention studies and randomized clinical trials are warranted to
      determine if yogurt consumption has beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and
      reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28615385
TI  - Fake medical news: Is it better to be treated by a male physician or a female
      physician?

PMID- 28615387
TI  - Screening for biliary atresia: it's in the cards.

PMID- 28615389
TI  - Hospitalists and family physicians.

PMID- 28615390
TI  - Long-term benefits of weight loss?

PMID- 28615391
TI  - Practical approach to evaluating testicular status in infants and children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the differences between normal, retractile, ectopic,
      ascended, and undescended testes and to describe the optimal way to perform a
      testicular examination to distinguish one from the other, as well as to
      demonstrate that ultrasound imaging is not necessary and to clarify when to
      consider specialist referral. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: This paper is based on
      selected findings from a MEDLINE search on undescended testes and orchiopexy
      referrals, and on our experience at the Urology Clinic at the Children's Hospital
      of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, including review of referrals to our clinic for
      undescended testes and the resultant findings of normal variants versus surgical
      cases. The MeSH headings used in our MEDLINE search included undescended
      testicle, retractile testicle, ectopic testicle, ascended testicle, referral and
      consultation, and orchiopexy. MAIN MESSAGE: An undescended testis is defined as
      the true absence of one testis (or both testes) from normal scrotal position.
      Ectopic and ascended testes will likewise be absent from the scrotum, the latter
      having been present at one point in development. Differentiating among testicular
      examination findings is important, as descended and retractile testes are managed
      conservatively, while prompt surgical intervention should be offered for
      ascended, ectopic, and undescended testes. Uncertainty surrounding the diagnosis
      of an undescended testis causes anxiety, might lead to unwarranted imaging, and
      might increase the wait list for specialty assessment. For this reason, avoidance
      of ultrasound in the evaluation of undescended testes was included in the recent
      Choosing Wisely Canada campaign. We seek to clarify the physical examination
      findings in the evaluation of possible undescended testes, the suggested referral
      parameters, and the subsequent management. CONCLUSION: Undescended testes and
      their variants are common. As decision for referral is based on the primary care
      physician's physical examination findings, we clarify distinguishing between
      normal and abnormal findings on testicular examination to aid in appropriate
      referral for subspecialist evaluation. Consultation, if needed, should be sought
      at 6 months' corrected gestational age, or at detection if later than 6 months,
      without delay for ultrasound imaging, as surgical management is recommended for
      those patients with undescended, ectopic, or ascended testes.

PMID- 28615392
TI  - Family medicine around the world: overview by region: The Besrour Papers: a
      series on the state of family medicine in the world.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate how family medicine has been recognized and integrated
      into primary health care systems in contrasting contexts around the world and to
      provide an overview of how family physicians are trained and certified.
      COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE: Since 2012, the College of Family Physicians of
      Canada has hosted the Besrour Conferences to reflect on its role in advancing the
      discipline of family medicine globally. The Besrour Papers Working Group, which
      was struck at the 2013 conference, was tasked with developing a series of papers
      to highlight the key issues, lessons learned, and outcomes emerging from the
      various activities of the Besrour collaboration. The working group comprised
      members of various academic departments of family medicine in Canada and abroad
      who attended the conferences. METHODS: An initial search was conducted in PubMed
      using a family medicine hedge of MeSH terms, text words, and family medicine
      journals, combined with text words and terms representing low- and middle-income
      countries and the concept of family medicine training programs. A second search
      was completed using only family medicine terms in the CAB Direct and World Bank
      databases. Subsequent PubMed searches were conducted to identify articles about
      specific conditions or services based on suggestions from the authors of the
      articles selected from the second search. Additional articles were identified
      through reference lists of key articles and through Google searches. We then
      attempted to verify and augment the information through colleagues and partners.
      REPORT: The scope of family medicine and the nature of family medicine training
      vary considerably worldwide. Challenges include limited capacity, incomplete
      understanding of roles, and variability of standards and recognition.
      Opportunities for advancement might include technology, collaboration, changes in
      pedagogy, flexible training methods, and system-wide support.

PMID- 28615394
TI  - Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder.
AB  - Question As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial condition, with
      genetic and environmental risk factors contributing to children's unique
      presentation and symptom severity, a range of treatments have been suggested.
      Parents of children with ASD in my clinic are asking me about alternative
      therapies to improve their children's condition. One of those therapies is
      hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT); commercial advertisement in the past has
      suggested good results with this approach. Should I recommend the use of HBOT for
      children with ASD? Answer Hyperbaric oxygen therapy provides a higher
      concentration of oxygen delivered in a chamber or tube containing higher than sea
      level atmospheric pressure. Case series and randomized controlled trials show no
      evidence to support the benefit of HBOT for children with ASD. Only 1 randomized
      controlled trial reported effectiveness of this treatment, and those results have
      yet to be repeated.

PMID- 28615396
TI  - Primary lung cancer presenting as foot pain: Cautionary case report.

PMID- 28615397
TI  - Recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis.

PMID- 28615398
TI  - Porcine procedure pads: How to build a teaching tool that's a cut above.

PMID- 28615399
TI  - Concussion diagnosis and management: Knowledge and attitudes of family medicine
      residents.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of, attitudes toward, and learning needs for
      concussion diagnosis and management among family medicine residents. DESIGN: E
      mail survey. SETTING: University of Toronto in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Family
      medicine residents (N = 348). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To describe relationships
      between awareness of concussion management and lifestyle, education background,
      and residency placement, t tests and 2 tests were used as appropriate. Linear
      regression was used to compare self-reported concussion knowledge with knowledge
      scores. Thematic analysis was used to interpret answers to the qualitative
      question asking residents to describe challenges they foresee physicians facing
      when diagnosing and managing concussion. RESULTS: The residents who responded (n
      = 73, response rate 21%) correctly answered an average of 5.2 questions out of 9
      (58%) regarding the diagnosis and management of concussion. Postgraduate year,
      sex, personal history of concussion, and clinical exposure to concussion were not
      significant factors in predicting the number of correct answers. Several
      misconceptions and knowledge gaps were revealed. Of residents who responded, 71%
      did not recognize chronic traumatic encephalopathy and only 63% recognized second
      impact syndrome as consequences of repetitive concussions. Moreover, 32% of
      residents did not think that every individual with a concussion should see a
      physician as part of management. Knowledge scores did not predict self-reported
      concussion knowledge. Thematic analysis revealed 4 themes related to the
      challenges of concussion diagnosis and management: the nonspecificity and
      vagueness of symptoms, lack of formal diagnostic criteria, patient compliance
      with management, and counseling patients with respect to return to play, work, or
      learning. CONCLUSION: We found substantial gaps in knowledge surrounding
      concussion diagnosis and management among family medicine residents. This lack of
      knowledge should be addressed at both the undergraduate medical education level
      and the residency training level to improve concussion-related care and patient
      outcomes.

PMID- 28615400
TI  - Seeing things.

PMID- 28615401
TI  - Indigenous medicine: Approaching the challenges with courage and humility.

PMID- 28615402
TI  - Evidence-based medicine resources tool kit revisited.

PMID- 28615403
TI  - Guidelines in family practice-help wanted.

PMID- 28615406
TI  - Mainpro+: One year later.

PMID- 28615408
TI  - Examining screening mammography participation among women aged 40 to 74.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine participation in screening mammography among women aged 40
      to 74 and identify which factors are associated with those women who participate
      in screening. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the cross-sectional 2012 Canadian
      Community Health Survey. SETTING: Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A population-based
      national sample of 18 312 women aged 40 to 74. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women's
      participation in screening mammography in the 2 years preceding the 2012 Canadian
      Community Health Survey; women's preventive health activities (ie, having a
      regular doctor, a recent physical checkup, and a Papanicolaou test), which were
      adjusted for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Participation in recent screening
      mammography was highest among women aged 60 to 69 (70.3%), followed by those aged
      50 to 59 (63.4%) and those aged 70 to 74 (58.4%). Almost one-third (31.4%) of
      women aged 40 to 49 had had a screening mammogram in the past 2 years. Having a
      regular doctor (odds ratio [OR] = 3.30, 95% CI 2.90 to 3.73), a physical checkup
      in the past year (OR = 3.06, 95% CI 2.30 to 4.08), or a Pap test in the past 3
      years (OR = 3.47, 95% CI 3.18 to 3.79) more than tripled the odds that women had
      had a recent screening mammogram. CONCLUSION: Aside from age being a factor
      associated with women's participation in screening mammography, factors related
      to women's health care use (having a regular doctor, a recent physical checkup,
      and a recent Pap test) demonstrated a stronger association with women aged 40 to
      74 having had recent mammograms. The association between women's participation in
      screening and their preventive health activities implies that the doctor's office
      is an appropriate venue for conversations regarding the potential benefits and
      harms of screening mammography.

PMID- 28615409
TI  - Outcome tools for diabetes-specific quality of life: Study performed in a private
      family practice clinic.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To critically review and evaluate the psychometric properties and
      practical considerations of administering generic and diabetes-specific quality
      of-life (QoL) tools in the clinical environment and provide recommendations. DATA
      SOURCES AND TOOL SELECTION: A MEDLINE search was carried out from January 1950 to
      August 2015 using the MeSH terms diabetes, quality of life, and questionnaires.
      Four generic and 4 diabetes-specific tools were selected based on the frequency
      of their use and the existence of published evidence of strong psychometric
      properties in patients with diabetes (either type 1 or 2). The generic tools
      included the Short Form-36 (SF-36), Short Form-12 (SF-12), Sickness Impact
      Profile, and EuroQol EQ-5D instruments. Diabetes-specific tools included the
      Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life, Diabetes Quality of Life, Appraisal
      of Diabetes Scale (ADS), and Diabetes Health Profile instruments. SYNTHESIS: The
      SF-36 is one of the most widely used general health measures in QoL research and
      it has proven reliability and validity. However, the SF-12 is a better option for
      a family practice owing to its shorter length. The SF-12 has been shown to be
      closely correlated with the SF-36. Of the diabetes-specific measures, the ADS is
      known be valid, short, and relatively straightforward in terms of scoring,
      thereby increasing its usefulness in routine clinical practice. The Audit of
      Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life and Diabetes Quality of Life tools have been
      widely tested and have generally been found to be more valid and reliable than
      the ADS, but specific issues with feasibility make them unappealing for the
      clinical setting. The rationale was to find the most rigorously tested instrument
      within the scientific literature in terms of validity, reliability, and
      responsiveness. However, this was not done, as judging the quality of a measure
      is not simply a matter of determining its psychometric properties but rather
      requires qualitative judgment about the entirety of the evidence. CONCLUSION:
      Finding ideal tools and procedures for routine data collection in the clinic
      setting requires organization and groundwork that will eventually assist both
      clinicians and researchers by providing reliable information on QoL for patients
      with diabetes. Further research is necessary to assess the validity and
      responsiveness of these tools specifically relating to evaluation of QoL for
      those with diabetes.

PMID- 28615410
TI  - Causes and outcomes of markedly elevated C-reactive protein levels.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To characterize the causes of marked elevation of C-reactive protein
      (CRP) levels, investigate patient outcomes, and examine factors that might
      influence the CRP response. DESIGN: Health records were used to retrospectively
      determine patient characteristics, diagnoses, and outcomes over a 2-year period
      (2012 to 2013). SETTING: A large referral centre in Moncton, NB. PARTICIPANTS:
      Adult inpatients and outpatients with a CRP level above 100 mg/L. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Differences among the CRP distributions of various diagnosis categories
      were examined using Kruskal-Wallis tests, and factors affecting outcomes were
      examined using Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: Over the 2-year period, 1260 CRP
      levels (839 patients; 3.1% of all tests) were above 100 mg/L (range 100.1 to
      576.0 mg/L). The mean age was 63 years (range 18 to 101) and 50.2% of patients
      were men. Infection was the most prevalent cause (55.1%), followed by
      rheumatologic diseases (7.5%), multiple causes (5.6%), other inflammatory
      conditions (5.4%), malignancy (5.1%), drug reactions (1.7%), and other conditions
      (2.0%). A diagnosis could not be established in 17.6% of cases. On average,
      infections caused higher peak CRP levels (W = 34 519, P < .001) and infection was
      present in 88.9% of cases with CRP levels greater than 350 mg/L. Rheumatologic
      causes were associated with only 5.6% of CRP levels above 250 mg/L. The overall
      mortality was 8.6% and was higher in patients with malignancy (37.0%), multiple
      diagnoses (21.0%), and leukopenia (20.7%, P = .002). CONCLUSION: Most patients
      had infections and the proportion of patients with infections increased with the
      level of CRP, although many diagnoses were associated with markedly elevated CRP
      levels. These data could help guide health care professionals in the evaluation
      and management of these patients.

PMID- 28615412
TI  - Insights into cortical microtubule nucleation and dynamics in Arabidopsis leaf
      cells.
AB  - Plant microtubules (MTs) are nucleated from the gamma-tubulin-containing ring
      complex (gammaTuRC). In cortical MT arrays of interphase plant cells, gammaTuRC
      is preferentially recruited to the lattice of preexisting MTs, where it initiates
      MT nucleation in either a branch- or bundle-forming manner, or dissociates
      without mediating nucleation. In this study, we analyzed how gammaTuRCs influence
      MT nucleation and dynamics in cotyledon pavement cells of Arabidopsis thaliana We
      found that gammaTuRC nucleated MTs at angles of ~40 degrees  toward the plus-ends
      of existing MTs, or in predominantly antiparallel bundles. A small fraction of
      gammaTuRCs was motile and tracked MT ends. When gammaTuRCs decorated the
      depolymerizing MT end, they reduced the depolymerization rate. Non-nucleating
      gammaTuRCs associated with the MT lattice promoted MT regrowth after a
      depolymerization phase. These results suggest that gammaTuRCs not only nucleate
      MT growth but also regulate MT dynamics by stabilizing MT ends. On rare
      occasions, a non-MT-associated gammaTuRC was pushed in the direction of the MT
      minus-end, while nucleating a new MT, suggesting that the polymerizing plus-end
      is anchored to the plasma membrane.

PMID- 28615413
TI  - Breaking the color barrier - a multi-selective antibody reporter offers
      innovative strategies of fluorescence detection.
AB  - A novel bi-partite fluorescence platform exploits the high affinity and
      selectivity of antibody scaffolds to capture and activate small-molecule
      fluorogens. In this report, we investigated the property of multi-selectivity
      activation by a single antibody against diverse cyanine family fluorogens. Our
      fluorescence screen identified three cell-impermeant fluorogens, each with unique
      emission spectra (blue, green and red) and nanomolar affinities. Most
      importantly, as a protein fusion tag to G-protein-coupled receptors, the antibody
      biosensor retained full activity - displaying bright fluorogen signals with
      minimal background on live cells. Because fluorogen-activating antibodies
      interact with their target ligands via non-covalent interactions, we were able to
      perform advanced multi-color detection strategies on live cells, previously
      difficult or impossible with conventional reporters. We found that by fine-tuning
      the concentrations of the different color fluorogen molecules in solution, a user
      may interchange the fluorescence signal (onset versus offset), execute real-time
      signal exchange via fluorogen competition, measure multi-channel fluorescence via
      co-labeling, and assess real-time cell surface receptor traffic via pulse-chase
      experiments. Thus, here we inform of an innovative reporter technology based on
      tri-color signal that allows user-defined fluorescence tuning in live-cell
      applications.

PMID- 28615414
TI  - Loss of IP3 Receptor-Mediated Ca2+ Release in Mouse B Cells Results in Abnormal B
      Cell Development and Function.
AB  - Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) mobilization after engagement of the BCR has been
      proposed to play an important role in B cell development and function. BCR
      activation causes an initial Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum that is
      mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) and then triggers store
      operated Ca2+ entry once endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store is depleted. Store
      operated Ca2+ entry has been shown to regulate B cell function but is dispensable
      for B cell development. By contrast, the function of IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release
      in B cells remains to be determined. In this study, we generated a B cell
      specific IP3R triple-knockout (IP3R-TKO) mouse model and revealed that loss of
      IP3Rs increased transitional B cell numbers and reduced recirculating mature B
      cell numbers in bone marrow. In the peripheral tissues, the numbers of
      conventional B2 B cells and B1 B cells were both significantly decreased in IP3R
      TKO mice. Ablation of IP3Rs also dramatically reduced BCR-mediated B cell
      proliferation and survival. Furthermore, T cell-dependent and T cell-independent
      Ab responses were altered in IP3R-TKO mice. In addition, deletion of IP3Rs
      reduced IL-10-producing regulatory B cell numbers and led to defects in NFAT
      activation, which together resulted in decreased IL-10 secretion. Taken together,
      our study demonstrated for the first time, to our knowledge, that IP3R-mediated
      Ca2+ release plays an essential role in regulating B cell development,
      proliferation, Ab production, and B cell regulatory function in vivo.

PMID- 28615415
TI  - Cutting Edge: The Aging Immune System Reveals the Biological Impact of Direct
      Antigen Presentation on CD8 T Cell Responses.
AB  - The vertebrate immune system uses multiple, sometimes redundant, mechanisms to
      contain pathogenic microorganisms that are always evolving to evade host
      defenses. Thus, the cowpox virus (CPXV) uses genes encoding CPXV12 and CPXV203 to
      prevent direct MHC class I presentation of viral peptides by infected cells.
      However, CD8 T cells are effectively primed against CPXV by cross-presentation of
      viral Ags in young mice. Old mice accumulate defects in both CD8 T cell
      activation and cross-presentation. Using a double-deletion mutant (?12?203) of
      CPXV, we show that direct priming of CD8 T cells in old mice yields superior
      recall responses, establishing a key contribution of this mechanism to host
      antipoxvirus responses and enhancing our fundamental understanding of how viral
      manipulation of direct presentation impacts pathogenesis. This also provides a
      proof of principle that suboptimal CD8 T cell in old organisms can be optimized
      by manipulating Ag presentation, with implications for vaccine design.

PMID- 28615416
TI  - IL-17 Receptor A Maintains and Protects the Skin Barrier To Prevent Allergic Skin
      Inflammation.
AB  - Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease affecting up to 20%
      of children and 3% of adults worldwide and is associated with dysregulation of
      the skin barrier. Although type 2 responses are implicated in AD, emerging
      evidence indicates a potential role for the IL-17A signaling axis in AD
      pathogenesis. In this study we show that in the filaggrin mutant mouse model of
      spontaneous AD, IL-17RA deficiency (Il17ra-/- ) resulted in severe exacerbation
      of skin inflammation. Interestingly, Il17ra-/- mice without the filaggrin
      mutation also developed spontaneous progressive skin inflammation with
      eosinophilia, as well as increased levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP)
      and IL-5 in the skin. Il17ra-/- mice have a defective skin barrier with altered
      filaggrin expression. The barrier dysregulation and spontaneous skin inflammation
      in Il17ra-/- mice was dependent on TSLP, but not the other alarmins IL-25 and IL
      33. The associated skin inflammation was mediated by IL-5-expressing pathogenic
      effector Th2 cells and was independent of TCRgammadelta T cells and IL-22. An
      absence of IL-17RA in nonhematopoietic cells, but not in the hematopoietic cells,
      was required for the development of spontaneous skin inflammation. Skin
      microbiome dysbiosis developed in the absence of IL-17RA, with antibiotic
      intervention resulting in significant amelioration of skin inflammation and
      reductions in skin-infiltrating pathogenic effector Th2 cells and TSLP. This
      study describes a previously unappreciated protective role for IL-17RA signaling
      in regulation of the skin barrier and maintenance of skin immune homeostasis.

PMID- 28615417
TI  - T Cell-Restricted Notch Signaling Contributes to Pulmonary Th1 and Th2 Immunity
      during Cryptococcus neoformans Infection.
AB  - Cryptococcus neoformans is a ubiquitous, opportunistic fungal pathogen but the
      cell signaling pathways that drive T cell responses regulating antifungal
      immunity are incompletely understood. Notch is a key signaling pathway regulating
      T cell development, and differentiation and functional responses of mature T
      cells in the periphery. The targeting of Notch signaling within T cells has been
      proposed as a potential treatment for alloimmune and autoimmune disorders, but it
      is unknown whether disturbances to T cell immunity may render these patients
      vulnerable to fungal infections. To elucidate the role of Notch signaling during
      fungal infections, we infected mice expressing the pan-Notch inhibitor dominant
      negative mastermind-like within mature T cells with C. neoformans Inhibition of T
      cell-restricted Notch signaling increased fungal burdens in the lungs and CNS,
      diminished pulmonary leukocyte recruitment, and simultaneously impaired Th1 and
      Th2 responses. Pulmonary leukocyte cultures from T cell Notch-deprived mice
      produced less IFN-gamma, IL-5, and IL-13 than wild-type cells. This correlated
      with lower frequencies of IFN-gamma-, IL-5-, and IL-13-producing CD4+ T cells,
      reduced expression of Th1 and Th2 associated transcription factors, Tbet and
      GATA3, and reduced production of IFN-gamma by CD8+ T cells. In contrast, Th17
      responses were largely unaffected by Notch signaling. The changes in T cell
      responses corresponded with impaired macrophage activation and reduced leukocyte
      accumulation, leading to diminished fungal control. These results identify Notch
      signaling as a previously unappreciated regulator of Th1 and Th2 immunity and an
      important element of antifungal defenses against cryptococcal infection and CNS
      dissemination.

PMID- 28615419
TI  - Dimeric Fcgamma Receptor Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay To Study HIV-Specific
      Antibodies: A New Look into Breadth of Fcgamma Receptor Antibodies Induced by the
      RV144 Vaccine Trial.
AB  - Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) responses are of growing interest in
      the HIV vaccine field but current cell-based assays are usually difficult to
      reproduce across laboratories. We developed an ELISA and multiplex assay to model
      the cross-linking of Fcgamma receptors (FcgammaR) by Abs, which is required to
      initiate an ADCC response. Our FcgammaR dimer ELISA readily detected Abs in
      samples from two separate cohorts of the partially efficacious Thai RV144 HIV
      vaccine efficacy trial. The FcgammaR dimer-binding Abs induced by the RV144
      regimen correlated well with a functional measure of ADCC as well as IgG
      subclasses. The high-throughput multiplex assay allowed us to simultaneously
      measure FcgammaR dimer-binding Abs to 32 different HIV Ags, providing a measure
      of the breadth of FcgammaR-binding Abs induced by the RV144 trial. FcgammaR
      binding Abs specific to V regions 1 and 2 were strongly associated with increased
      breadth of recognition of different Env proteins, suggesting anti-V regions 1 and
      2 Abs may be a marker of ADCC breadth. This FcgammaR dimer provides an important
      tool for the further analysis and refinement of ADCC-inducing HIV and other
      antiviral vaccine regimens.

PMID- 28615418
TI  - Cutting Edge: Activation of STING in T Cells Induces Type I IFN Responses and
      Cell Death.
AB  - Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) was initially described as a sensor of
      intracellular bacterial and viral DNA and a promising adjuvant target in innate
      immune cells; more recently STING has also been shown to detect endogenous DNA
      and play a role in tumor immunity and autoimmune disease development. Thus far
      STING has been studied in macrophages and dendritic cells. In this study, to our
      knowledge we provide the first evidence of STING activation in T cells, in which
      STING agonists not only provoke type I IFN production and IFN-stimulated gene
      expression, mirroring the response of innate cells, but are also capable of
      activating cell stress and death pathways. Our results suggest a re-evaluation of
      STING agonist-based therapies may be necessary to identify the possible effects
      on the T cell compartment. Conversely, the effects of STING on T cells could
      potentially be harnessed for therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28615420
TI  - Insulin resistance among obese middle-aged is associated with decreased
      cerebrovascular reactivity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences in cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to mild
      hypercapnia in obese/overweight individuals with and without insulin resistance
      (IR) compared to comparable lean controls. METHODS: A total of 60 cognitively
      normal participants (20 lean controls and 24 obese/overweight individuals with
      and 16 without IR) were evaluated using a high spatial resolution arterial spin
      labeling MRI technique at rest and during mild hypercapnia. We analyzed group
      differences in CVR in cerebral cortex and ascertained the relationships between
      CVR, IR, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Obese/overweight participants with
      and without IR had significantly lower CVR to hypercapnia than lean controls
      after controlling for age, sex, and the presence of hypertension (F2,53 = 5.578,
      p = 0.006 [Formula: see text] = 0.174). In the obese/overweight participants with
      IR, there was a significant correlation between higher CVR and a measure of
      insulin sensitivity, even after accounting for BMI (rp = 0.575, p = 0.004). In
      contrast, there was no relationship between CVR and BMI when controlling for IR.
      No such relationships existed for the other 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: IR is
      associated with impaired CVR; the relationship appears to be driven by the degree
      of IR and not by obesity. These rarely reported results suggest that early forms
      of cerebrovascular dysfunction exist among obese middle-aged individuals with
      significant IR but without type 2 diabetes mellitus. These functional vascular
      abnormalities may help explain the associations among IR, diabetes, and dementia,
      and suggest that interventions aiming to improve IR or CVR may help prevent
      cognitive decline later in life.

PMID- 28615421
TI  - Outcomes of Colorado children with acute flaccid myelitis at 1 year.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We describe long-term functional, neurodiagnostic, and psychosocial
      outcomes of a cohort of 12 children from Colorado diagnosed with acute flaccid
      myelitis (AFM) in 2014. METHODS: Children were assessed every 3 months for 1 year
      or until clinical resolution. Assessments included neurologic examination, MRI,
      EMG/nerve conduction studies (NCS), functional measures (Assisting Hand
      Assessment, Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale), and Patient-Reported Outcomes
      Measurement Information System questionnaires. RESULTS: Eight of 12 children
      completed the study. Six of 8 had persistent motor deficits at 1 year; 2
      demonstrated full recovery. Four were not enrolled, 2 of whom reported full
      recovery. The 6 affected were weakest in proximal muscles, showing minimal to no
      improvement and significant atrophy at 1 year. All patients improved in distal
      muscle groups. Cranial nerve dysfunction resolved in 2 of 5 and improved in all.
      Four of 5 showed progressive functional improvement at 6 and 12 months. Two of 8
      reported pain at 1 year. Three of 8 reported depressive symptoms. Repeat MRI was
      performed in 7 of 8 children a median of 7 months after onset and showed
      significant improvement or normalization in all but one child. Repeat EMG/NCS was
      performed on 4 children a median of 8 months after onset and showed ongoing
      denervation and chronic reinnervation in 3 children with persistent deficits.
      CONCLUSIONS: At 1 year, children with AFM demonstrated functional gains but
      weakness persisted. EMG changes correlated with persistent deficits better than
      imaging. Despite improvements, AFM had substantial long-term functional effects
      on affected children.

PMID- 28615422
TI  - Prognostic factors for chronic headache: A systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of prognosis and trial outcomes in prospective
      studies of people with chronic headache. METHODS: This was a systematic review of
      published literature in peer-reviewed journals. We included (1) randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions for chronic headache that reported
      subgroup analyses and (2) prospective cohort studies, published in English, since
      1980. Participants included adults with chronic headache (including chronic
      headache, chronic migraine, and chronic tension-type headache with or without
      medication overuse headache). We searched key databases using free text and MeSH
      terms. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the methodologic
      quality of studies and overall quality of evidence identified using appropriate
      published checklists. RESULTS: We identified 16,556 titles, removed 663
      duplicates, and reviewed 199 articles, of which 27 were included in the review-17
      prospective cohorts and 10 RCTs with subgroup analyses reported. There was
      moderate-quality evidence indicating that depression, anxiety, poor sleep and
      stress, medication overuse, and poor self-efficacy for managing headaches are
      potential prognostic factors for poor prognosis and unfavorable outcomes from
      preventive treatment in chronic headache. There was inconclusive evidence about
      treatment expectations, age, age at onset, body mass index, employment, and
      several headache features. CONCLUSIONS: This review identified several potential
      predictors of poor prognosis and worse outcome postinterventions in people with
      chronic headache. The majority of these are modifiable. The findings also
      highlight the need for more longitudinal high-quality research of prognostic
      factors in chronic headache.

PMID- 28615424
TI  - Epilepsy and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

PMID- 28615423
TI  - Diagnosis of DWI-negative acute ischemic stroke: A meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)
      negative acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and to identify clinical characteristics of
      patients with DWI-negative AIS. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed and
      Ovid/MEDLINE for relevant studies between 1992, the year that the DWI sequence
      entered clinical practice, and 2016. Studies were included based upon enrollment
      of consecutive patients presenting with a clinical diagnosis of AIS prior to
      imaging. Meta-analysis was performed to synthesize study-level data, estimate DWI
      negative stroke prevalence, and estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for clinical
      characteristics associated with DWI-negative stroke. RESULTS: Twelve articles
      including 3,236 AIS patients were included. The meta-analytic synthesis yielded a
      pooled prevalence of DWI-negative AIS of 6.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.9
      9.3. In the 5 studies that reported proportion data for DWI-negative and DWI
      positive AIS based on the ischemic vascular territory (n = 1,023 AIS patients),
      DWI-negative stroke was strongly associated with posterior circulation ischemia,
      as determined by clinical diagnosis at hospital discharge or repeat imaging (OR
      5.1, 95% CI 2.3-11.6, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A small but significant percentage
      of patients with AIS have a negative DWI scan. Patients with neurologic deficits
      consistent with posterior circulation ischemia have 5 times the odds of having a
      negative DWI scan compared to patients with anterior circulation ischemia. AIS
      remains a clinical diagnosis and urgent reperfusion therapy should be considered
      even when an initial DWI scan is negative.

PMID- 28615427
TI  - Acute flaccid myelitis and enterovirus D68: Deja vu all over again.

PMID- 28615425
TI  - Epilepsy-associated long-term mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the epilepsy-associated causes of death and subsequent
      excess long-term mortality among 12-month survivors of subarachnoid hemorrhage
      from saccular intracranial aneurysm (SIA-SAH). METHODS: The Kuopio SIA Database
      (kuopioneurosurgery.fi) includes all SIA-SAH patients admitted to the Kuopio
      University Hospital from its defined catchment population in Eastern Finland. The
      study cohort consists of 779 patients, admitted from 1995 to 2007, who were alive
      at 12 months after SIA-SAH. Their use of reimbursable antiepileptic drugs and the
      causes of death (ICD-10) were fused from the Finnish national registries from
      1994 to 2014. RESULTS: The 779 12-month survivors were followed up until death (n
      = 197) or December 31, 2014, a median of 12.0 years after SIA-SAH. Epilepsy had
      been diagnosed in 121 (15%) patients after SIA-SAH, and 34/121 (28%) had died at
      the end of follow-up, with epilepsy as the immediate cause of death in 7/34
      (21%). In the 779 patients alive at 12 months after SIA-SAH, epilepsy was an
      independent risk factor for mortality (hazard ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval
      1.1-3.0). CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid epilepsy in 12-month survivors of SIA-SAH is
      associated with increased risk of death in long-term follow-up. Survivors of SIA
      SAH require long-term dedicated follow-up, including identification and effective
      treatment of comorbid epilepsy to prevent avoidable deaths.

PMID- 28615426
TI  - Modulation of intrinsic resting-state fMRI networks in women with chronic
      migraine.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intrinsic resting functional connectivity of the
      default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network
      (CEN) network in women with chronic migraine (CM), and whether clinical features
      are associated with such abnormalities. METHODS: We analyzed resting-state
      connectivity in 29 women with CM as compared to age- and sex-matched controls.
      Relationships between clinical characteristics and changes in targeted networks
      connectivity were evaluated using a multivariate linear regression model.
      RESULTS: All 3 major intrinsic brain networks were less coherent in CM (DMN: p =
      0.030, SN: p = 0.007, CEN: p = 0.002) as compared to controls. When stratified
      based on medication overuse headache (MOH) status, CM without MOH (DMN: p =
      0.029, SN: p = 0.023, CEN: p = 0.003) and CM with MOH (DMN: p = 0.016, SN: p =
      0.016, CEN: p = 0.015) were also less coherent as compared to controls. There was
      no difference in CM with MOH as compared to CM without MOH (DMN: p = 0.382, SN: p
      = 0.408, CEN: p = 0.419). The frequency of moderate and severe headache days was
      associated with decreased connectivity in SN (p = 0.003) and CEN (p = 0.015),
      while cutaneous allodynia was associated with increased connectivity in SN (p =
      0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated decreased overall resting-state
      functional connectivity of the 3 major intrinsic brain networks in women with CM,
      and these patterns were associated with frequency of moderate to severe headache
      and cutaneous allodynia.

PMID- 28615428
TI  - Increased rate of venous thrombosis may be associated with inpatient
      dihydroergotamine treatment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review whether the incidence of catheter-associated venous
      thromboses was higher in patients receiving IV dihydroergotamine compared to
      lidocaine. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all admissions at the University
      of California, San Francisco Headache Center from February 25, 2008, through
      October 31, 2014, for age, sex, diagnosis, aura, treatment dose, type of IV line
      used, days with line, superficial (SVT) or deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and
      pulmonary embolism (PE). RESULTS: A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)
      or midline catheter was placed in 315 of 589 (53%) admissions. Mean age was 38
      years with a range of 6 to 79 years; 121 patients (21%) were <=18 years old.
      Seventy-four percent (433 of 589) of patients were female. Of 263
      dihydroergotamine admissions using a PICC or midline catheter, 19 (7.2%) had
      either an SVT or DVT or a PE; 2 patients were diagnosed with both DVT and PE. Of
      52 lidocaine admissions using a PICC or midline catheter, none had a thrombotic
      event (p = 0.05, Fisher exact test). Age, sex, aura, total dihydroergotamine
      dose, and number of days with line were not significant predictors of venous
      thrombosis. CONCLUSIONS: IV dihydroergotamine treatment may be associated with an
      increased risk of catheter-associated venous thrombosis. A low threshold for
      diagnostic ultrasound investigation is appropriate because anticoagulation
      therapy was frequently required.

PMID- 28615429
TI  - Diagnostic algorithm for relapsing acquired demyelinating syndromes in children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To establish whether children with relapsing acquired demyelinating
      syndromes (RDS) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies (MOG-Ab) show
      distinctive clinical and radiologic features and to generate a diagnostic
      algorithm for the main RDS for clinical use. METHODS: A panel reviewed the
      clinical characteristics, MOG-Ab and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) Ab, intrathecal
      oligoclonal bands, and Epstein-Barr virus serology results of 110 children with
      RDS. A neuroradiologist blinded to the diagnosis scored the MRI scans. Clinical,
      radiologic, and serologic tests results were compared. RESULTS: The findings
      showed that 56.4% of children were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), 25.4%
      with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), 12.7% with multiphasic
      disseminated encephalomyelitis (MDEM), and 5.5% with relapsing optic neuritis
      (RON). Blinded analysis defined baseline MRI as typical of MS in 93.5% of
      children with MS. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis presentation was seen only
      in the non-MS group. Of NMOSD cases, 30.7% were AQP4-Ab positive. MOG-Ab were
      found in 83.3% of AQP4-Ab-negative NMOSD, 100% of MDEM, and 33.3% of RON.
      Children with MOG-Ab were younger, were less likely to present with area postrema
      syndrome, and had lower disability, longer time to relapse, and more cerebellar
      peduncle lesions than children with AQP4-Ab NMOSD. A diagnostic algorithm
      applicable to any episode of CNS demyelination leads to 4 main phenotypes: MS,
      AQP4-Ab NMOSD, MOG-Ab-associated disease, and antibody-negative RDS. CONCLUSIONS:
      Children with MS and AQP4-Ab NMOSD showed features typical of adult cases.
      Because MOG-Ab-positive children showed notable and distinctive clinical and MRI
      features, they were grouped into a unified phenotype (MOG-Ab-associated disease),
      included in a new diagnostic algorithm.

PMID- 28615431
TI  - Chronic headache: What's in a name?

PMID- 28615430
TI  - Characterization of patients with longstanding idiopathic REM sleep behavior
      disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the presence of prodromal markers of Parkinson disease
      (PD) in patients with longstanding idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (IRBD),
      a small subgroup of individuals with IRBD with long-term follow-up thought not to
      be at risk of developing PD. METHODS: Demographic, clinical, and neuroimaging
      markers of PD were evaluated in 20 patients with polysomnographic-confirmed
      longstanding IRBD and in 32 matched controls. RESULTS: Patients were 16 men and 4
      women with mean age of 72.9 +/- 8.6 years and mean follow-up from IRBD diagnosis
      of 12.1 +/- 2.6 years. Patients more often had objective smell loss (35% vs 3.4%,
      p = 0.003), constipation (50% vs 15.6%, p = 0.008), and mild parkinsonian signs
      (45% vs 18.8%, p = 0.042) than controls. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale
      motor score was higher in patients than in controls (5.6 +/- 3.5 vs 2.0 +/- 2.1,
      p < 0.0001). Dopamine transporter imaging showed decreased striatal uptake in
      82.4% of the patients and transcranial sonography found substantia nigra
      hyperechogenicity in 35.3%. alpha-Synuclein aggregates were found in 3 of 6
      patients who underwent colon or submandibular gland biopsies. All 20 patients
      showed clinical, neuroimaging, or histologic markers of PD. Probability of
      prodromal PD (according to recent Movement Disorders Society research criteria)
      was higher in patients than in controls (<0.0001), and 45% of patients surpassed
      80% probability. CONCLUSIONS: Prodromal PD markers are common in individuals with
      longstanding IRBD, suggesting that they are affected by an underlying
      neurodegenerative process. This observation may be useful for the design of
      disease-modifying trials to prevent PD onset in IRBD.

PMID- 28615432
TI  - Dento-corneal aberrant regeneration as evidence of V2 innervation of the inferior
      human cornea.

PMID- 28615433
TI  - Disease progression in C9orf72 mutation carriers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in 3 clinical measures, the Revised ALS Functional
      Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R), letter fluency, and Frontal Behavioral Inventory (FBI),
      over time in C9orf72 mutation carriers (C9+) with varied clinical phenotypes.
      METHODS: Thirty-four unrelated participants with mutations in C9orf72 were
      enrolled in a prospective natural history study. Participants were classified as
      asymptomatic, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ALS-familial frontotemporal
      dementia (FTD), or behavioral-variant FTD by clinical diagnostic criteria.
      Diagnostic cognitive and motor tests were repeated at 6 and 18 months. The ALSFRS
      R, letter fluency, and FBI were administered at baseline and follow-up visits at
      6, 12, and 18 months. RESULTS: The clinical diagnosis of most patients did not
      change over the follow-up. ALSFRS-R scores correlated with measures of motor
      function. Letter fluency correlated with FBI and cognitive tests. ALSFRS-R,
      letter fluency, and FBI differed among the C9+ diagnostic subgroups at enrollment
      and worsened over follow-up in symptomatic patients, with different slopes among
      the subgroups. Most patients survived to the 6-month time point after enrollment.
      Survival of C9+ patients with ALS and C9+ patients with ALS-FTD declined over the
      12- and 18-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of scores of the ALSFRS-R,
      letter fluency, and FBI distinguished between ALS, ALS-FTD, and FTD presentations
      of C9orf72 mutation carriers and asymptomatic carriers. Longitudinal changes in
      these measures occurred with disease progression in a manner consistent with
      presenting phenotype.

PMID- 28615435
TI  - Comment: The virtual neurologist.

PMID- 28615434
TI  - A randomized trial of telemedicine efficacy and safety for nonacute headaches.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term treatment efficacy and safety of one-time
      telemedicine consultations for nonacute headaches. METHODS: We randomized,
      allocated, and consulted nonacute headache patients via telemedicine (n = 200) or
      in a traditional manner (n = 202) in a noninferiority trial. Efficacy endpoints,
      assessed by questionnaires at 3 and 12 months, included change from baseline in
      Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) (primary endpoint) and pain intensity (visual
      analogue scale [VAS]) (secondary endpoint). The primary safety endpoint, assessed
      via patient records, was presence of secondary headache within 12 months after
      consultation. RESULTS: We found no differences between telemedicine and
      traditional consultations in HIT-6 (p = 0.84) or VAS (p = 0.64) over 3 periods.
      The absolute difference in HIT-6 from baseline was 0.3 (95% confidence interval
      [CI] -1.26 to 1.82, p = 0.72) at 3 months and 0.2 (95% CI -1.98 to 1.58, p =
      0.83) at 12 months. The absolute change in VAS was 0.4 (95% CI -0.93 to 0.22, p =
      0.23) after 3 months and 0.3 (95% CI -0.94 to 0.29, p = 0.30) at 12 months. We
      found one secondary headache in each group at 12 months. The estimated number of
      consultations needed to miss one secondary headache with the use of telemedicine
      was 20,200. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine consultation for nonacute headache is as
      efficient and safe as a traditional consultation. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER:
      NCT02270177. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III evidence
      that a one-time telemedicine consultation for nonacute headache is noninferior to
      a one-time traditional consultation regarding long-term treatment outcome and
      safety.

PMID- 28615437
TI  - Chance juxtapositions and (un)biased methods in science: More efficient at
      inefficiency.

PMID- 28615436
TI  - Hospital safety among neurologic patients: A population-based cohort study of
      adverse events.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the frequency and type of adverse events (AEs) experienced
      by neurologic patients in hospital. METHODS: This population-based, retrospective
      cohort study used hospital discharge abstract data for children and adults
      admitted to hospital from 2009 to 2015 with 1 of 9 neurologic conditions
      (Alzheimer disease and related dementia, brain tumor, epilepsy, motor neuron
      disease, multiple sclerosis, parkinsonism/Parkinson disease, spinal cord injury,
      traumatic brain injury, and stroke). Neurologic conditions were identified with
      ICD-10-CA codes. Eighteen AEs were examined with ICD-10-CA codes. The proportion
      of AEs was calculated, and regression analysis was used to examine factors and
      outcomes associated with AEs (age, sex, comorbidity, length of stay, and
      mortality). RESULTS: The overall proportion of admissions associated with an AE
      among those with a neurologic condition was 11 per 100 admissions. Those with a
      spinal cord injury had the highest proportion of AEs (39.4 per 100 admissions).
      The most common AEs were infections and respiratory complications (32.0% and
      16.7%, respectively). Age and the presence of comorbidities were associated with
      higher odds of an AE, while readmission was associated with lower odds of an AE.
      Having an AE was associated with increased length of stay and higher odds of
      mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that neurologic patients have a
      high proportion of AEs in hospital. The findings provide information on the
      quality and safety of care for people with neurologic conditions in hospital,
      which can help inform future quality improvement initiatives.

PMID- 28615438
TI  - Cupriphication of gold to sensitize d10-d10 metal-metal bonds and near-unity
      phosphorescence quantum yields.
AB  - Outer-shell s0/p0 orbital mixing with d10 orbitals and symmetry reduction upon
      cupriphication of cyclic trinuclear trigonal-planar gold(I) complexes are found
      to sensitize ground-state Cu(I)-Au(I) covalent bonds and near-unity
      phosphorescence quantum yields. Heterobimetallic Au4Cu2 {[Au4(MU-C2,N3
      EtIm)4Cu2(u-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)2], (4a)}, Au2Cu {[Au2(MU-C2,N3-BzIm)2Cu(u-3,5
      (CF3)2Pz)], (1) and [Au2(MU-C2,N3-MeIm)2Cu(u-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)], (3a)}, AuCu2 {[Au(MU
      C2,N3-MeIm)Cu2(u-3,5-(CF3)2Pz)2], (3b) and [Au(MU-C2,N3-EtIm)Cu2(u-3,5
      (CF3)2Pz)2], (4b)} and stacked Au3/Cu3 {[Au(MU-C2,N3-BzIm)]3[Cu(u-3,5
      (CF3)2Pz)]3, (2)} form upon reacting Au3 {[Au(MU-C2,N3-(N-R)Im)]3 ((N-R)Im =
      imidazolate; R = benzyl/methyl/ethyl = BzIm/MeIm/EtIm)} with Cu3 {[Cu(MU-3,5
      (CF3)2Pz)]3 (3,5-(CF3)2Pz = 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolate)}. The crystal
      structures of 1 and 3a reveal stair-step infinite chains whereby adjacent dimer
      of-trimer units are noncovalently packed via two Au(I)?Cu(I) metallophilic
      interactions, whereas 4a exhibits a hexanuclear cluster structure wherein two
      monomer-of-trimer units are linked by a genuine d10-d10 polar-covalent bond with
      ligand-unassisted Cu(I)-Au(I) distances of 2.8750(8) A each-the shortest such an
      intermolecular distance ever reported between any two d10 centers so as to deem
      it a "metal-metal bond" vis-a-vis "metallophilic interaction." Density-functional
      calculations estimate 35-43 kcal/mol binding energy, akin to typical M-M single
      bond energies. Congruently, FTIR spectra of 4a show multiple far-IR bands within
      65-200 cm-1, assignable to vCu-Au as validated by both the Harvey-Gray method of
      crystallographic-distance-to-force-constant correlation and dispersive density
      functional theory computations. Notably, the heterobimetallic complexes herein
      exhibit photophysical properties that are favorable to those for their
      homometallic congeners, due to threefold-to-twofold symmetry reduction, resulting
      in cuprophilic sensitization in extinction coefficient and solid-state
      photoluminescence quantum yields approaching unity (PhiPL = 0.90-0.97 vs. 0-0.83
      for Au3 and Cu3 precursors), which bodes well for potential future utilization in
      inorganic and/or organic LED applications.

PMID- 28615440
TI  - Thematic Minireview Series: Inflammatory transcription confronts homeostatic
      disruptions.
AB  - In this Thematic Minireview Series, three stimulating articles are presented: one
      on long non-coding RNAs, another on the ligand-activated transcription factor
      aryl hydrocarbon receptor, and the third on how docosanoids modulate
      transcriptionally modulated homeostasis and ultimately cell survival in the
      retina and brain.

PMID- 28615439
TI  - Biogenesis and functions of mammalian iron-sulfur proteins in the regulation of
      iron homeostasis and pivotal metabolic pathways.
AB  - Fe-S cofactors are composed of iron and inorganic sulfur in various
      stoichiometries. A complex assembly pathway conducts their initial synthesis and
      subsequent binding to recipient proteins. In this minireview, we discuss how
      discovery of the role of the mammalian cytosolic aconitase, known as iron
      regulatory protein 1 (IRP1), led to the characterization of the function of its
      Fe-S cluster in sensing and regulating cellular iron homeostasis. Moreover, we
      present an overview of recent studies that have provided insights into the
      mechanism of Fe-S cluster transfer to recipient Fe-S proteins.

PMID- 28615441
TI  - Iron transport proteins: Gateways of cellular and systemic iron homeostasis.
AB  - Cellular iron homeostasis is maintained by iron and heme transport proteins that
      work in concert with ferrireductases, ferroxidases, and chaperones to direct the
      movement of iron into, within, and out of cells. Systemic iron homeostasis is
      regulated by the liver-derived peptide hormone, hepcidin. The interface between
      cellular and systemic iron homeostasis is readily observed in the highly dynamic
      iron handling of four main cell types: duodenal enterocytes, erythrocyte
      precursors, macrophages, and hepatocytes. This review provides an overview of how
      these cell types handle iron, highlighting how iron and heme transporters mediate
      the exchange and distribution of body iron in health and disease.

PMID- 28615442
TI  - The heterotrimeric G protein Gbeta1 interacts with the catalytic subunit of
      protein phosphatase 1 and modulates G protein-coupled receptor signaling in
      platelets.
AB  - Thrombosis is caused by the activation of platelets at the site of ruptured
      atherosclerotic plaques. This activation involves engagement of G protein-coupled
      receptors (GPCR) on platelets that promote their aggregation. Although it is
      known that protein kinases and phosphatases modulate GPCR signaling, how
      serine/threonine phosphatases integrate with G protein signaling pathways is less
      understood. Because the subcellular localization and substrate specificity of the
      catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1c) is dictated by PP1c-interacting
      proteins, here we sought to identify new PP1c interactors. GPCRs signal via the
      canonical heterotrimeric Galpha and Gbetagamma subunits. Using a yeast two-hybrid
      screen, we discovered an interaction between PP1calpha and the heterotrimeric G
      protein Gbeta1 subunit. Co-immunoprecipitation studies with epitope-tagged PP1c
      and Gbeta1 revealed that Gbeta1 interacts with the PP1c alpha, beta, and gamma1
      isoforms. Purified PP1c bound to recombinant Gbeta1-GST protein, and PP1c co
      immunoprecipitated with Gbeta1 in unstimulated platelets. Thrombin stimulation of
      platelets induced the dissociation of the PP1c-Gbeta1 complex, which correlated
      with an association of PP1c with phospholipase C beta3 (PLCbeta3), along with a
      concomitant dephosphorylation of the inhibitory Ser1105 residue in PLCbeta3.
      siRNA-mediated depletion of GNB1 (encoding Gbeta1) in murine megakaryocytes
      reduced protease-activated receptor 4, activating peptide-induced soluble
      fibrinogen binding. Thrombin-induced aggregation was decreased in PP1calpha-/-
      murine platelets and in human platelets treated with a small-molecule inhibitor
      of Gbetagamma. Finally, disruption of PP1c-Gbeta1 complexes with myristoylated
      Gbeta1 peptides containing the PP1c binding site moderately decreased thrombin
      induced human platelet aggregation. These findings suggest that Gbeta1 protein
      enlists PP1c to modulate GPCR signaling in platelets.

PMID- 28615443
TI  - Control of immune-mediated pathology via the aryl hydrocarbon receptor.
AB  - Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of immune
      mediated diseases. Although numerous genetic factors contributing to autoimmunity
      have been identified in recent years, our knowledge on environmental factors
      contributing to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and the mechanisms
      involved is still limited. In this context, the diet, microbiome, geographical
      location, as well as environmental pollutants have been shown to modulate
      autoimmune disease development. These environmental factors interact with
      cellular components of the immune system in distinct and defined ways and can
      influence immune responses at the transcriptional and protein level. Moreover,
      endogenous metabolites generated from basic cellular processes such as glycolysis
      and oxidative phosphorylation also contribute to the shaping of the immune
      response. In this minireview, we highlight recent progress in our understanding
      of the modulation of the immune response by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR),
      a ligand-activated transcription factor whose activity is regulated by small
      molecules provided by diet, commensal flora, environmental pollutants, and
      metabolism. We focus on the role of AhR in integrating signals from the diet and
      the intestinal flora to modulate ongoing inflammation in the central nervous
      system, and we also discuss the potential therapeutic value of AhR agonists for
      multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 28615444
TI  - The human mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein displays distinct
      kinetics and thermodynamics of DNA binding and exchange.
AB  - The human mitochondrial ssDNA-binding protein (mtSSB) is a homotetrameric
      protein, involved in mtDNA replication and maintenance. Although mtSSB is
      structurally similar to SSB from Escherichia coli (EcoSSB), it lacks the C
      terminal disordered domain, and little is known about the biophysics of mtSSB
      ssDNA interactions. Here, we characterized the kinetics and thermodynamics of
      mtSSB binding to ssDNA by equilibrium titrations and stopped-flow kinetic
      measurements. We show that the mtSSB tetramer can bind to ssDNA in two distinct
      binding modes: (SSB)30 and (SSB)60, defined by DNA binding site sizes of 30 and
      60 nucleotides, respectively. We found that the binding mode is modulated by
      magnesium ion and NaCl concentration, but unlike EcoSSB, the mtSSB does not show
      negative intersubunit cooperativity. Global fitting of both the equilibrium and
      kinetic data afforded estimates for the rate and equilibrium constants governing
      the formation of (SSB)60 and (SSB)30 complexes and for the transitions between
      the two binding modes. We found that the mtSSB tetramer binds to ssDNA with a
      rate constant near the diffusion limit (2 * 109 m-1 s-1) and that longer DNA
      (>=60 nucleotides) rapidly wraps around all four monomers, as revealed by FRET
      assays. We also show that the mtSSB tetramer can directly transfer from one ssDNA
      molecule to another via an intermediate with two DNA molecules bound to the
      mtSSB. In conclusion, our results indicate that human mtSSB shares many
      physicochemical properties with EcoSSB and that the differences may be explained
      by the lack of an acidic, disordered C-terminal tail in human mtSSB protein.

PMID- 28615446
TI  - Lysosome-mediated degradation of a distinct pool of lipid droplets during hepatic
      stellate cell activation.
AB  - Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a critical step in the development
      of liver fibrosis. During activation, HSCs lose their lipid droplets (LDs)
      containing triacylglycerols (TAGs), cholesteryl esters, and retinyl esters (REs).
      We previously provided evidence for the presence of two distinct LD pools, a
      preexisting and a dynamic LD pool. Here we investigate the mechanisms of neutral
      lipid metabolism in the preexisting LD pool. To investigate the involvement of
      lysosomal degradation of neutral lipids, we studied the effect of lalistat, a
      specific lysosomal acid lipase (LAL/Lipa) inhibitor on LD degradation in HSCs
      during activation in vitro The LAL inhibitor increased the levels of TAG,
      cholesteryl ester, and RE in both rat and mouse HSCs. Lalistat was less potent in
      inhibiting the degradation of newly synthesized TAG species as compared with a
      more general lipase inhibitor orlistat. Lalistat also induced the presence of RE
      containing LDs in an acidic compartment. However, targeted deletion of the Lipa
      gene in mice decreased the liver levels of RE, most likely as the result of a
      gradual disappearance of HSCs in livers of Lipa-/- mice. Lalistat partially
      inhibited the induction of activation marker alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha
      SMA) in rat and mouse HSCs. Our data suggest that LAL/Lipa is involved in the
      degradation of a specific preexisting pool of LDs and that inhibition of this
      pathway attenuates HSC activation.

PMID- 28615445
TI  - Iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and trafficking in mitochondria.
AB  - The biogenesis of iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins in eukaryotes is a multistage,
      multicompartment process that is essential for a broad range of cellular
      functions, including genome maintenance, protein translation, energy conversion,
      and the antiviral response. Genetic and cell biological studies over almost 2
      decades have revealed some 30 proteins involved in the synthesis of cellular [2Fe
      2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters and their incorporation into numerous apoproteins.
      Mechanistic aspects of Fe/S protein biogenesis continue to be elucidated by
      biochemical and ultrastructural investigations. Here, we review recent
      developments in the pursuit of constructing a comprehensive model of Fe/S protein
      assembly in the mitochondrion.

PMID- 28615447
TI  - Human retinal pigment epithelial cells prefer proline as a nutrient and transport
      metabolic intermediates to the retinal side.
AB  - Metabolite transport is a major function of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)
      to support the neural retina. RPE dysfunction plays a significant role in retinal
      degenerative diseases. We have used mass spectrometry with 13C tracers to
      systematically study nutrient consumption and metabolite transport in cultured
      human fetal RPE. LC/MS-MS detected 120 metabolites in the medium from either the
      apical or basal side. Surprisingly, more proline is consumed than any other
      nutrient, including glucose, taurine, lipids, vitamins, or other amino acids.
      Besides being oxidized through the Krebs cycle, proline is used to make citrate
      via reductive carboxylation. Citrate, made either from 13C proline or from 13C
      glucose, is preferentially exported to the apical side and is taken up by the
      retina. In conclusion, RPE cells consume multiple nutrients, including glucose
      and taurine, but prefer proline, and they actively synthesize and export
      metabolic intermediates to the apical side to nourish the outer retina.

PMID- 28615448
TI  - Structural and biochemical analyses reveal insights into covalent flavinylation
      of the Escherichia coli Complex II homolog quinol:fumarate reductase.
AB  - The Escherichia coli Complex II homolog quinol:fumarate reductase (QFR, FrdABCD)
      catalyzes the interconversion of fumarate and succinate at a covalently attached
      FAD within the FrdA subunit. The SdhE assembly factor enhances covalent
      flavinylation of Complex II homologs, but the mechanisms underlying the covalent
      attachment of FAD remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we explored the mechanisms
      of covalent flavinylation of the E. coli QFR FrdA subunit. Using a DeltasdhE E.
      coli strain, we show that the requirement for the assembly factor depends on the
      cellular redox environment. We next identified residues important for the
      covalent attachment and selected the FrdAE245 residue, which contributes to
      proton shuttling during fumarate reduction, for detailed biophysical and
      structural characterization. We found that QFR complexes containing FrdAE245Q
      have a structure similar to that of the WT flavoprotein, but lack detectable
      substrate binding and turnover. In the context of the isolated FrdA subunit, the
      anticipated assembly intermediate during covalent flavinylation, FrdAE245
      variants had stability similar to that of WT FrdA, contained noncovalent FAD, and
      displayed a reduced capacity to interact with SdhE. However, small-angle X-ray
      scattering (SAXS) analysis of WT FrdA cross-linked to SdhE suggested that the
      FrdAE245 residue is unlikely to contribute directly to the FrdA-SdhE protein
      protein interface. We also found that no auxiliary factor is absolutely required
      for flavinylation, indicating that the covalent flavinylation is autocatalytic.
      We propose that multiple factors, including the SdhE assembly factor and bound
      dicarboxylates, stimulate covalent flavinylation by preorganizing the active site
      to stabilize the quinone-methide intermediate.

PMID- 28615449
TI  - Equilibrium and ultrafast kinetic studies manipulating electron transfer: A short
      lived flavin semiquinone is not sufficient for electron bifurcation.
AB  - Flavin-based electron transfer bifurcation is emerging as a fundamental and
      powerful mechanism for conservation and deployment of electrochemical energy in
      enzymatic systems. In this process, a pair of electrons is acquired at
      intermediate reduction potential (i.e. intermediate reducing power), and each
      electron is passed to a different acceptor, one with lower and the other with
      higher reducing power, leading to "bifurcation." It is believed that a strongly
      reducing semiquinone species is essential for this process, and it is expected
      that this species should be kinetically short-lived. We now demonstrate that the
      presence of a short-lived anionic flavin semiquinone (ASQ) is not sufficient to
      infer the existence of bifurcating activity, although such a species may be
      necessary for the process. We have used transient absorption spectroscopy to
      compare the rates and mechanisms of decay of ASQ generated photochemically in
      bifurcating NADH-dependent ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase and the non
      bifurcating flavoproteins nitroreductase, NADH oxidase, and flavodoxin. We found
      that different mechanisms dominate ASQ decay in the different protein
      environments, producing lifetimes ranging over 2 orders of magnitude. Capacity
      for electron transfer among redox cofactors versus charge recombination with
      nearby donors can explain the range of ASQ lifetimes that we observe. Our results
      support a model wherein efficient electron propagation can explain the short
      lifetime of the ASQ of bifurcating NADH-dependent ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase
      I and can be an indication of capacity for electron bifurcation.

PMID- 28615450
TI  - Cellular requirements for iron-sulfur cluster insertion into the antiviral
      radical SAM protein viperin.
AB  - Viperin (RSAD2) is an interferon-stimulated antiviral protein that belongs to the
      radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme family. Viperin's iron-sulfur (Fe/S)
      cluster is critical for its antiviral activity against many different viruses.
      CIA1 (CIAO1), an essential component of the cytosolic iron-sulfur protein
      assembly (CIA) machinery, is crucial for Fe/S cluster insertion into viperin and
      hence for viperin's antiviral activity. In the CIA pathway, CIA1 cooperates with
      CIA2A, CIA2B, and MMS19 targeting factors to form various complexes that mediate
      the dedicated maturation of specific Fe/S recipient proteins. To date, however,
      the mechanisms of how viperin acquires its radical SAM Fe/S cluster to gain
      antiviral activity are poorly understood. Using co-immunoprecipitation and 55Fe
      radiolabeling experiments, we therefore studied the roles of CIA2A, CIA2B, and
      MMS19 for Fe/S cluster insertion. CIA2B and MMS19 physically interacted with the
      C terminus of viperin and used CIA1 as the primary viperin-interacting protein.
      In contrast, CIA2A bound to viperin's N terminus in a CIA1-, CIA2B-, and MMS19
      independent fashion. Of note, the observed interaction of both CIA2 isoforms with
      a single Fe/S target protein is unprecedented in the CIA pathway. 55Fe
      radiolabeling experiments with human cells depleted of CIA1, CIA2A, CIA2B, or
      MMS19 revealed that CIA1, but none of the other CIA factors, is predominantly
      required for 55Fe/S cluster incorporation into viperin. Collectively, viperin
      maturation represents a novel CIA pathway with a minimal requirement of the CIA
      targeting factors and represents a new paradigm for the insertion of the Fe/S
      cofactor into a radical SAM protein.

PMID- 28615451
TI  - Molecular mechanisms of signaling via the docosanoid neuroprotectin D1 for
      cellular homeostasis and neuroprotection.
AB  - Docosahexaenoic acid, enriched in the brain and retina, generates docosanoids in
      response to disruptions of cellular homeostasis. Docosanoids include
      neuroprotectin D1 (NPD1), which is decreased in the CA1 hippocampal area of
      patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). We summarize here how NPD1
      elicits neuroprotection by up-regulating c-REL, a nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB
      subtype that, in turn, enhances expression of BIRC3 (baculoviral inhibitor of
      apoptosis repeat-containing protein 3) in the retina and in experimental stroke,
      leading to neuroprotection. Elucidating the mechanisms of action of docosanoids
      will contribute to managing diseases, including stroke, AD, age-related macular
      degeneration, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, and other
      neurodegenerations.

PMID- 28615452
TI  - Interplay of the iron-regulated metastasis suppressor NDRG1 with epidermal growth
      factor receptor (EGFR) and oncogenic signaling.
AB  - The iron-regulated metastasis suppressor N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1
      (NDRG1) has been shown to inhibit numerous oncogenic signaling pathways in cancer
      cells. Recent findings have demonstrated that NDRG1 inhibits the ErbB family of
      receptors, which function as key inducers of carcinogenesis. NDRG1 attenuates
      ErbB signaling by inhibiting formation of epidermal growth factor receptor
      (EGFR)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and HER2/HER3 heterodimers
      and by down-regulating EGFR via a mechanism involving its degradation.
      Understanding the complex interplay between NDRG1, iron, and ErbB signaling is
      vital for identifying novel, more effective targets for cancer therapy.

PMID- 28615453
TI  - Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their transcriptional control of inflammatory
      responses.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as potential key regulators of the
      inflammatory response, particularly by modulating the transcriptional control of
      inflammatory genes. lncRNAs may act as an enhancer or suppressor to inflammatory
      transcription, function as scaffold molecules through interactions with RNA
      binding proteins in chromatin remodeling complexes, and modulate dynamic and
      epigenetic control of inflammatory transcription in a gene-specific and time
      dependent fashion. Here, we will review recent literature regarding the role of
      lncRNAs in transcriptional control of inflammatory responses. Better
      understanding of lncRNA regulation of inflammation will provide novel targets for
      the development of new therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28615455
TI  - Introduction to Metals in Biology 2017: Iron transport, storage, and the
      ramifications.
AB  - In this tenth Thematic Series in Metals in Biology, six Minireviews deal with
      aspects of iron metabolism. A number of important proteins control iron
      homeostasis, including hepcidin and ferroportin, in various cells. Other aspects
      of iron dealt with here include biogenesis of iron-sulfur proteins and chaperones
      that deliver iron cofactors in cells. Additionally, an iron-regulated metastasis
      suppressor interacts with the epidermal growth factor receptor and mediates its
      downstream signaling activity.

PMID- 28615454
TI  - Cytosolic iron chaperones: Proteins delivering iron cofactors in the cytosol of
      mammalian cells.
AB  - Eukaryotic cells contain hundreds of metalloproteins that are supported by
      intracellular systems coordinating the uptake and distribution of metal
      cofactors. Iron cofactors include heme, iron-sulfur clusters, and simple iron
      ions. Poly(rC)-binding proteins are multifunctional adaptors that serve as iron
      ion chaperones in the cytosolic/nuclear compartment, binding iron at import and
      delivering it to enzymes, for storage (ferritin) and export (ferroportin).
      Ferritin iron is mobilized by autophagy through the cargo receptor, nuclear co
      activator 4. The monothiol glutaredoxin Glrx3 and BolA2 function as a [2Fe-2S]
      chaperone complex. These proteins form a core system of cytosolic iron cofactor
      chaperones in mammalian cells.

PMID- 28615456
TI  - Iron homeostasis: An anthropocentric perspective.
AB  - The regulation of iron metabolism in biological systems centers on providing
      adequate iron for cellular function while limiting iron toxicity. Because mammals
      cannot excrete iron, mechanisms have evolved to control iron acquisition,
      storage, and distribution at both systemic and cellular levels. Hepcidin, the
      master regulator of iron homeostasis, controls iron flows into plasma through
      inhibition of the only known mammalian cellular iron exporter ferroportin.
      Hepcidin is feedback-regulated by iron status and strongly modulated by
      inflammation and erythropoietic demand. This review highlights recent advances
      that have changed our understanding of iron metabolism and its regulation.

PMID- 28615458
TI  - Heartbeat: Anatomy versus physiology for diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

PMID- 28615457
TI  - Deconvoluting AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) adenine nucleotide binding and
      sensing.
AB  - AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a central cellular energy sensor that
      adapts metabolism and growth to the energy state of the cell. AMPK senses the
      ratio of adenine nucleotides (adenylate energy charge) by competitive binding of
      AMP, ADP, and ATP to three sites (CBS1, CBS3, and CBS4) in its gamma-subunit.
      Because these three binding sites are functionally interconnected, it remains
      unclear how nucleotides bind to individual sites, which nucleotides occupy each
      site under physiological conditions, and how binding to one site affects binding
      to the other sites. Here, we comprehensively analyze nucleotide binding to wild
      type and mutant AMPK protein complexes by quantitative competition assays and by
      hydrogen-deuterium exchange MS. We also demonstrate that NADPH, in addition to
      the known AMPK ligand NADH, directly and competitively binds AMPK at the AMP
      sensing CBS3 site. Our findings reveal how AMP binding to one site affects the
      conformation and adenine nucleotide binding at the other two sites and establish
      CBS3, and not CBS1, as the high affinity exchangeable AMP/ADP/ATP-binding site.
      We further show that AMP binding at CBS4 increases AMP binding at CBS3 by 2
      orders of magnitude and reverses the AMP/ATP preference of CBS3. Together, these
      results illustrate how the three CBS sites collaborate to enable highly sensitive
      detection of cellular energy states to maintain the tight ATP homeostastis
      required for cellular metabolism.

PMID- 28615459
TI  - Cardiovascular highlights from non-cardiology journals.

PMID- 28615460
TI  - Re: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence update for stable chest
      pain: poorly reasoned and risky for patients.

PMID- 28615461
TI  - The true value of The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance.

PMID- 28615462
TI  - Posttranslational Modification as a Critical Determinant of Cytoplasmic Innate
      Immune Recognition.
AB  - Cell surface innate immune receptors can directly detect a variety of
      extracellular pathogens to which cytoplasmic innate immune sensors are rarely
      exposed. Instead, within the cytoplasm, the environment is rife with cellular
      machinery and signaling pathways that are indirectly perturbed by pathogenic
      microbes to activate intracellular sensors, such as pyrin, NLRP1, NLRP3, or
      NLRC4. Therefore, subtle changes in key intracellular processes such as
      phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and other pathways leading to posttranslational
      protein modification are key determinants of innate immune recognition in the
      cytoplasm. This concept is critical to establish the "guard hypothesis" whereby
      otherwise homeostatic pathways that keep innate immune sensors at bay are
      released in response to alterations in their posttranslational modification
      status. Originally identified in plants, evidence that a similar guardlike
      mechanism exists in humans has recently been identified, whereby a mutation that
      prevents phosphorylation of the innate immune sensor pyrin triggers a dominantly
      inherited autoinflammatory disease. It is also noteworthy that even when a
      cytoplasmic innate immune sensor has a direct ligand, such as bacterial
      peptidoglycan (NOD1 or NOD2), RNA (RIG-I or MDA5), or DNA (cGAS or IFI16), it can
      still be influenced by posttranslational modification to dramatically alter its
      response. Therefore, due to their existence in the cytoplasmic milieu,
      posttranslational modification is a key determinant of intracellular innate
      immune receptor functionality.

PMID- 28615463
TI  - Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Proteins in Skeletal Development and
      Disease.
AB  - The identification of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) provided a
      foundation for subsequent studies in lipoprotein metabolism, receptor-mediated
      endocytosis, and many other fundamental biological functions. The importance of
      the LDLR led to numerous studies that identified homologous molecules and
      ultimately resulted in the description of the LDL-receptor superfamily, a group
      of proteins that contain domains also found in the LDLR. Subsequent studies have
      revealed that members of the LDLR-related protein family play roles in regulating
      many aspects of signal transduction. This review is focused on the roles of
      selected members of this protein family in skeletal development and disease. We
      present background on the identification of this subgroup of receptors, discuss
      the phenotypes associated with alterations in their function in human patients
      and mouse models, and describe the current efforts to therapeutically target
      these proteins to treat human skeletal disease.

PMID- 28615464
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28615465
TI  - Emergency Department Urinary Antibiograms Differ by Specific Patient Group.
AB  - Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) represent a heterogeneous
      population comprised of all ages, various backgrounds, such as from the community
      and skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs), and at various risks for resistant
      pathogens. The aim of this study was to compare patient group-specific urinary
      antibiograms in the ED. Adults presented to the ED with an ICD 9/10 code urinary
      tract infection (UTI) diagnosis during July 2015 to June 2016 were randomly
      selected (n = 500) to extract relevant demographic, laboratory, and clinical data
      from the medical record. Urinary Escherichia coli antibiograms were compared
      between institutional versus ED and among ED patients (male versus female; age of
      18 to 64 years versus >=65 years; female aged 18 to 50 years versus >50 years;
      home versus SNF; and admitted versus discharged). E. coli grew from 56% (145/259)
      of the positive urine cultures. Overall ciprofloxacin (CIP), trimethoprim
      sulfamethoxazole (SXT), and cefazolin (CFZ) susceptibilities were <71%.
      Differences in antibiograms were the following: lower CFZ and SXT
      susceptibilities in ED versus institutional (CFZ, 67% versus 86% [P = 0.001];
      SXT, 66% versus 74% [P = 0.02]), lower ampicillin and gentamicin susceptibilities
      in females aged 18 to 50 years versus >50 years (32% versus 52% [P = 0.04]; 78%
      versus 93% [P = 0.02]), lower CIP susceptibilities in the elderly (64% versus
      81%; P = 0.03), SNF versus home (35% versus 77%; P < 0.001), admitted versus
      discharged (63% versus 78%; P = 0.04), and lower SXT susceptibilities in patients
      aged <65 years versus the elderly (58% versus 71%; P = 0.01). Nitrofurantoin
      showed >80% susceptibility in all groups. Patient group-specific urinary
      antibiograms revealed distinct differences in E. coli susceptibility and should
      be developed to better inform empirical UTI therapy selection in the ED.

PMID- 28615467
TI  - Evaluation of the BD Max StaphSR Assay for Detecting Methicillin-Resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Methicillin-Susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) in
      ESwab-Collected Wound Samples.

PMID- 28615468
TI  - Biographical Feature: Paul C. Schreckenberger, Ph.D.

PMID- 28615466
TI  - "Pathotyping" Multiplex PCR Assay for Haemophilus parasuis: a Tool for Prediction
      of Virulence.
AB  - Haemophilus parasuis is a diverse bacterial species that is found in the upper
      respiratory tracts of pigs and can also cause Glasser's disease and pneumonia. A
      previous pangenome study of H. parasuis identified 48 genes that were associated
      with clinical disease. Here, we describe the development of a generalized linear
      model (termed a pathotyping model) to predict the potential virulence of isolates
      of H. parasuis based on a subset of 10 genes from the pangenome. A multiplex PCR
      (mPCR) was constructed based on these genes, the results of which were entered
      into the pathotyping model to yield a prediction of virulence. This new
      diagnostic mPCR was tested on 143 field isolates of H. parasuis that had
      previously been whole-genome sequenced and a further 84 isolates from the United
      Kingdom from cases of H. parasuis-related disease in pigs collected between 2013
      and 2014. The combination of the mPCR and the pathotyping model predicted the
      virulence of an isolate with 78% accuracy for the original isolate collection and
      90% for the additional isolate collection, providing an overall accuracy of 83%
      (81% sensitivity and 93% specificity) compared with that of the "current
      standard" of detailed clinical metadata. This new pathotyping assay has the
      potential to aid surveillance and disease control in addition to serotyping data.

PMID- 28615469
TI  - Is This the Carbapenemase Test We've Been Waiting for? A Multicenter Evaluation
      of the Modified Carbapenem Inactivation Method.
AB  - A plethora of phenotypic methods exist for the detection of carbapenemases;
      however, clinical laboratories have struggled for years with accurate, objective
      phenotypic detection of carbapenemase activity in Enterobacteriaceae In this
      issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, V. M. Pierce et al. (J Clin
      Microbiol 55:2321-2333, 2017, https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00193-17) report on a
      multicenter evaluation of the modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM). The
      high sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and ease of interpretation
      associated with the mCIM for Enterobacteriaceae will likely lead to its adoption
      by clinical laboratories.

PMID- 28615470
TI  - Identification of Group B Streptococcus Capsule Type by Use of a Dual
      Phenotypic/Genotypic Assay.
AB  - The group B streptococcus (GBS) capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is an important
      virulence factor which is also used for GBS typing. There are 10 CPS types (Ia,
      Ib, and II to IX). GBS that do not phenotypically type are considered
      nontypeable. All genes required for CPS synthesis are found on the GBS cps
      operon, which contains a highly variable CPS-determining region (cpsG-cpsK). The
      objective of this study was development of an assay to detect sialic acid on the
      GBS cell surface, followed by a genotypic PCR CPS typing assay. Sialic acid is
      located at the terminal end of the side chain of all known GBS CPS types. Sialic
      acid can be bound to commercially available lectins such as slug Limax flavus
      lectin. Biotinylated L. flavus-streptavidin-peroxidase complex was used in an
      enzyme immunoassay and dot blot assay to detect sialic acid. This was followed by
      a PCR typing scheme that was developed to target the serotype-determining region
      of the cps locus for Ia, Ib, and II to IX. Sialic acid from the CPS types Ia, Ib,
      and II to IX was detectable on the GBS cell surfaces of all previously identified
      CPS-typed GBS strains assayed. This was followed by the real-time PCR typing
      assay which successfully identified CPS Ia, Ib, and II to IX types. The
      combination of phenotypic and genotypic assays provides an accurate tool for
      detection of CPS expression and assignment of CPS typing. These assays have the
      potential to be used for CPS typing in large-scale epidemiological studies.

PMID- 28615471
TI  - Clostridium difficile PCR Cycle Threshold Predicts Free Toxin.
AB  - There is no stand-alone Clostridium difficile diagnostic that can sensitively and
      rapidly detect fecal free toxins. We investigated the performance of the C.
      difficile PCR cycle threshold (CT ) for predicting free toxin status. Consecutive
      stool samples (n = 312) positive for toxigenic C. difficile by the GeneXpert C.
      difficile/Epi tcdB PCR assay were tested with the rapid membrane C. Diff Quik
      Chek Complete immunoassay (RMEIA). RMEIA toxin-negative samples were tested with
      the cell cytotoxicity neutralization assay (CCNA) and tgcBIOMICS enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Using RMEIA alone or in combination with CCNA and/or
      ELISA as the reference method, the accuracy of CT was measured at different CT
      cutoffs. Using RMEIA as the reference method, a CT cutoff of 26.35 detected toxin
      positive samples with a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and
      negative predictive value of 96.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 90.2% to
      98.9%), 65.9% (95% CI, 59.0% to 72.2%), 57.4% (95% CI, 52.7% to 62%), and 97.1%
      (95% CI, 92.8% to 98.9), respectively. Inclusion of CCNA in the reference method
      improved CT specificity to 78.0% (95% CI, 70.7% to 84.2%). Intercartridge lot CT
      variability measured as the average coefficient of variation was 2.8% (95% CI,
      1.2% to 3.2%). Standardizing the input stool volume did not improve CT toxin
      specificity. The median CT values were not significantly different between stool
      samples with Bristol scores of 5, 6, and 7, between pediatric and adult samples,
      or between presumptive 027 and non-027 strains. In addition to sensitively
      detecting toxigenic C. difficile in stool, on-demand PCR may also be used to
      accurately predict toxin-negative stool samples, thus providing additional
      results in PCR-positive stool samples to guide therapy.

PMID- 28615472
TI  - Neuronal circadian clock protein oscillations are similar in behaviourally
      rhythmic forager honeybees and in arrhythmic nurses.
AB  - Internal clocks driving rhythms of about a day (circadian) are ubiquitous in
      animals, allowing them to anticipate environmental changes. Genetic or
      environmental disturbances to circadian clocks or the rhythms they produce are
      commonly associated with illness, compromised performance or reduced survival.
      Nevertheless, some animals including Arctic mammals, open sea fish and social
      insects such as honeybees are active around-the-clock with no apparent ill
      effects. The mechanisms allowing this remarkable natural plasticity are unknown.
      We generated and validated a new and specific antibody against the clock protein
      PERIOD of the honeybee Apis mellifera (amPER) and used it to characterize the
      circadian network in the honeybee brain. We found many similarities to Drosophila
      melanogaster and other insects, suggesting common anatomical organization
      principles in the insect clock that have not been appreciated before. Time course
      analyses revealed strong daily oscillations in amPER levels in foragers, which
      show circadian rhythms, and also in nurses that do not, although the latter have
      attenuated oscillations in brain mRNA clock gene levels. The oscillations in
      nurses show that activity can be uncoupled from the circadian network and support
      the hypothesis that a ticking circadian clock is essential even in around-the
      clock active animals in a constant physical environment.

PMID- 28615473
TI  - Forkhead box transcription factor L2 activates Fcp3C to regulate insect chorion
      formation.
AB  - Most animals are oviparous. However, the genes regulating egg shell formation
      remain not very clear. In this study, we found that Nilaparvata lugens Forkhead
      box transcription factor L2 (NlFoxL2) directly activated follicle cell protein 3C
      (NlFcp3C) to regulate chorion formation. NlFoxL2 and NlFcp3C had a similar
      expression pattern, both highly expressed in the follicular cells of female
      adults. Knockdown of NlFoxL2 or NlFcp3C also resulted in the same phenotypes:
      obesity and female infertility. RNA interference (RNAi) results suggested that
      NlFcp3C is a downstream gene of NlFoxL2 Furthermore, transient expression showed
      that NlFoxL2 could directly activate the NlFcp3C promoter. These results suggest
      that NlFcp3C is a direct target gene of NlFoxL2. Depletion of NlFoxL2 or NlFcp3C
      prevented normal chorion formation. Our results first revealed the functions of
      Fcp3C and FoxL2 in regulation of oocyte maturation in an oviparous animal.

PMID- 28615474
TI  - Regulation of expression of human RNA polymerase II-transcribed snRNA genes.
AB  - In addition to protein-coding genes, RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcribes
      numerous genes for non-coding RNAs, including the small-nuclear (sn)RNA genes.
      snRNAs are an important class of non-coding RNAs, several of which are involved
      in pre-mRNA splicing. The molecular mechanisms underlying expression of human pol
      II-transcribed snRNA genes are less well characterized than for protein-coding
      genes and there are important differences in expression of these two gene types.
      Here, we review the DNA features and proteins required for efficient
      transcription of snRNA genes and co-transcriptional 3' end formation of the
      transcripts.

PMID- 28615477
TI  - Correction: Joiner and Green et al., "Primary Cilia on Horizontal Basal Cells
      Regulate Regeneration of the Olfactory Epithelium".

PMID- 28615476
TI  - A Role for AnkyrinG in Maturation and Maintenance of the Nodes of Ranvier.

PMID- 28615475
TI  - Infantile Amnesia: A Critical Period of Learning to Learn and Remember.
AB  - Infantile amnesia, the inability of adults to recollect early episodic memories,
      is associated with the rapid forgetting that occurs in childhood. It has been
      suggested that infantile amnesia is due to the underdevelopment of the infant
      brain, which would preclude memory consolidation, or to deficits in memory
      retrieval. Although early memories are inaccessible to adults, early-life events,
      such as neglect or aversive experiences, can greatly impact adult behavior and
      may predispose individuals to various psychopathologies. It remains unclear how a
      brain that rapidly forgets, or is not yet able to form long-term memories, can
      exert such a long-lasting and important influence. Here, with a particular focus
      on the hippocampal memory system, we review the literature and discuss new
      evidence obtained in rats that illuminates the paradox of infantile amnesia. We
      propose that infantile amnesia reflects a developmental critical period during
      which the learning system is learning how to learn and remember.

PMID- 28615478
TI  - Correction: Joo et al., "Separate Perceptual and Neural Processing of Velocity-
      and Disparity-Based 3D Motion Signals".

PMID- 28615484
TI  - Join the Conversation: focus on early career researchers.

PMID- 28615485
TI  - Early career researchers: an interview with Caroline Williams.
AB  - Caroline Williams is an Assistant Professor at the University of California,
      Berkeley, USA, where she studies evolution of metabolic physiology in ectotherms.
      She grew up in New Zealand, where she received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in
      Zoology from the University of Otago in Dunedin. After travelling and working in
      Asia, she moved to Western University, Canada, for her PhD in the laboratory of
      Brent Sinclair, before joining Dan Hahn at the University of Florida as a
      postdoctoral research fellow. In 2010 she received the Scholander Award from the
      American Physiological Society.

PMID- 28615486
TI  - Acid-base physiology, neurobiology and behaviour in relation to CO2-induced ocean
      acidification.
AB  - Experimental exposure to ocean and freshwater acidification affects the behaviour
      of multiple aquatic organisms in laboratory tests. One proposed cause involves an
      imbalance in plasma chloride and bicarbonate ion concentrations as a result of
      acid-base regulation, causing the reversal of ionic fluxes through GABAA
      receptors, which leads to altered neuronal function. This model is exclusively
      based on differential effects of the GABAA receptor antagonist gabazine on
      control animals and those exposed to elevated CO2 However, direct measurements of
      actual chloride and bicarbonate concentrations in neurons and their extracellular
      fluids and of GABAA receptor properties in aquatic organisms are largely lacking.
      Similarly, very little is known about potential compensatory mechanisms, and
      about alternative mechanisms that might lead to ocean acidification-induced
      behavioural changes. This article reviews the current knowledge on acid-base
      physiology, neurobiology, pharmacology and behaviour in relation to marine CO2
      induced acidification, and identifies important topics for future research that
      will help us to understand the potential effects of predicted levels of aquatic
      acidification on organisms.

PMID- 28615487
TI  - Cognitive specialization for learning faces is associated with shifts in the
      brain transcriptome of a social wasp.
AB  - The specialized ability to learn and recall individuals based on distinct facial
      features is known in only a few, large-brained social taxa. Social paper wasps in
      the genus Polistes are the only insects known to possess this form of cognitive
      specialization. We analyzed genome-wide brain gene expression during facial and
      pattern training for two species of paper wasps (P. fuscatus, which has face
      recognition, and P. metricus, which does not) using RNA sequencing. We identified
      237 transcripts associated with face specialization in P. fuscatus, including
      some transcripts involved in neuronal signaling (serotonin receptor and
      tachykinin). Polistes metricus that learned faces (without specialized learning)
      and P. fuscatus in social interactions with familiar partners (from a previous
      study) showed distinct sets of brain differentially expressed transcripts. These
      data suggest face specialization in P. fuscatus is related to shifts in the brain
      transcriptome associated with genes distinct from those related to general visual
      learning and social interactions.

PMID- 28615488
TI  - Hotter nests produce hatchling lizards with lower thermal tolerance.
AB  - In many regions, the frequency and duration of summer heatwaves is predicted to
      increase in future. Hotter summers could result in higher temperatures inside
      lizard nests, potentially exposing embryos to thermally stressful conditions
      during development. Potentially, developmentally plastic shifts in thermal
      tolerance could allow lizards to adapt to climate warming. To determine how
      higher nest temperatures affect the thermal tolerance of hatchling geckos, we
      incubated eggs of the rock-dwelling velvet gecko, Amalosia lesueurii, at two
      fluctuating temperature regimes to mimic current nest temperatures (mean 23.2
      degrees C, range 10-33 degrees C, 'cold') and future nest temperatures (mean 27.0
      degrees C, range 14-37 degrees C, 'hot'). Hatchlings from the hot incubation
      group hatched 27 days earlier and had a lower critical thermal maximum (CTmax
      38.7 degrees C) and a higher critical thermal minimum (CTmin 6.2 degrees C) than
      hatchlings from cold incubation group (40.2 and 5.7 degrees C, respectively). In
      the field, hatchlings typically settle under rocks near communal nests. During
      the hatching period, rock temperatures ranged from 13 to 59 degrees C, and
      regularly exceeded the CTmax of both hot- and cold-incubated hatchlings. Because
      rock temperatures were so high, the heat tolerance of lizards had little effect
      on their ability to exploit rocks as retreat sites. Instead, the timing of
      hatching dictated whether lizards could exploit rocks as retreat sites; that is,
      cold-incubated lizards that hatched later encountered less thermally stressful
      environments than earlier hatching hot-incubated lizards. In conclusion, we found
      no evidence that CTmax can shift upwards in response to higher incubation
      temperatures, suggesting that hotter summers may increase the vulnerability of
      lizards to climate warming.

PMID- 28615489
TI  - Ovarian fluid impacts flagellar beating and biomechanical metrics of sperm
      between alternative reproductive tactics.
AB  - Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) are prevalent in nature, where smaller
      parasitic males typically have better sperm quality than larger territorial guard
      males. At present, it is unclear what is causing this phenomenon. Our objective
      was to gain insights into sperm form and function by examining flagellar beating
      patterns (beat frequency, wave amplitude, bend length, bend angle, wave velocity)
      and biomechanical sperm metrics (velocity, hydrodynamic power output, propulsive
      efficiency) of wild spawning Chinook salmon ARTs. Ovarian fluid and milt were
      collected to form a series of eight experimental blocks, each composed of ovarian
      fluid from a unique female and sperm from a unique pair of parasitic jack and
      guard hooknose males. Sperm from each ART were activated in river water and
      ovarian fluid. Flagellar parameters were evaluated from recordings using high
      speed video microscopy and biomechanical metrics were quantified. We show that
      ART has an impact on flagellar beating, where jacks had a higher bend length and
      bend angle than hooknoses. Activation media also impacted the pattern of
      flagellar parameters, such that beat frequency, wave velocity and bend angle
      declined, while wave amplitude of flagella increased when ovarian fluid was
      incorporated into activation media. Furthermore, we found that sperm from jacks
      swam faster than those from hooknoses and required less hydrodynamic power output
      to propel themselves in river water and ovarian fluid. Jack sperm were also more
      efficient at swimming than hooknose sperm, and propulsive efficiency increased
      when cells were activated in ovarian fluid. The results demonstrate that sperm
      biomechanics may be driving divergence in competitive reproductive success
      between ARTs.

PMID- 28615490
TI  - Hunting with sticky tape: functional shift in silk glands of araneophagous ground
      spiders (Gnaphosidae).
AB  - Foraging is one of the main evolutionary driving forces shaping the phenotype of
      organisms. In predators, a significant, though understudied, cost of foraging is
      the risk of being injured by struggling prey. Hunting spiders that feed on
      dangerous prey like ants or other spiders are an extreme example of dangerous
      feeding, risking their own life over a meal. Here, we describe an intriguing
      example of the use of attachment silk (piriform silk) for prey immobilization
      that comes with the costs of reduced silk anchorage function, increased piriform
      silk production and additional modifications of the extrusion structures
      (spigots) to prevent their clogging. We show that the piriform silk of gnaphosids
      is very stretchy and tough, which is an outstanding feat for a functional glue.
      This is gained by the combination of an elastic central fibre and a bi-layered
      glue coat consisting of aligned nanofibrils. This represents the first tensile
      test data on the ubiquitous piriform gland silk, adding an important puzzle piece
      to the mechanical catalogue of silken products in spiders.

PMID- 28615491
TI  - Enhanced osteointegration of poly(methylmethacrylate) bone cements by
      incorporating strontium-containing borate bioactive glass.
AB  - Although poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) cements are widely used in orthopaedics,
      they have numerous drawbacks. This study aimed to improve their bioactivity and
      osseointegration by incorporating strontium-containing borate bioactive glass
      (SrBG) as the reinforcement phase and bioactive filler of PMMA cement. The
      prepared SrBG/PMMA composite cements showed significantly decreased
      polymerization temperature when compared with PMMA and retained properties of
      appropriate setting time and high mechanical strength. The bioactivity of
      SrBG/PMMA composite cements was confirmed in vitro, evidenced by ion release (Ca,
      P, B and Sr) from SrBG particles. The cellular responses of MC3T3-E1 cells in
      vitro demonstrated that SrBG incorporation could promote adhesion, migration,
      proliferation and collagen secretion of cells. Furthermore, our in vivo
      investigation revealed that SrBG/PMMA composite cements presented better
      osseointegration than PMMA bone cement. SrBG in the composite cement could
      stimulate new-bone formation around the interface between the composite cement
      and host bone at eight and 12 weeks post-implantation, whereas PMMA bone cement
      only stimulated development of an intervening connective tissue layer.
      Consequently, the SrBG/PMMA composite cement may be a better alternative to PMMA
      cement in clinical applications and has promising orthopaedic applications by
      minimal invasive surgery.

PMID- 28615492
TI  - Macromolecular crowding directs the motion of small molecules inside cells.
AB  - It is now well established that cell interiors are significantly crowded by
      macromolecules, which impede diffusion and enhance binding rates. However, it is
      not fully appreciated that levels of crowding are heterogeneous, and can vary
      substantially between subcellular regions. In this article, starting from a
      microscopic model, we derive coupled nonlinear partial differential equations for
      the concentrations of two populations of large and small spherical particles with
      steric volume exclusion. By performing an expansion in the ratio of the particle
      sizes, we find that the diffusion of a small particle in the presence of large
      particles obeys an advection-diffusion equation, with a reduced diffusion
      coefficient and a velocity directed towards less crowded regions. The interplay
      between advection and diffusion leads to behaviour that differs significantly
      from Brownian diffusion. We show that biologically plausible distributions of
      macromolecules can lead to highly non-Gaussian probability densities for the
      small particle position, including asymmetrical and multimodal densities. We
      confirm all our results using hard-sphere Brownian dynamics simulations.

PMID- 28615494
TI  - Correction: Analysis of unstable modes distinguishes mathematical models of
      flagellar motion.

PMID- 28615493
TI  - Optically ambidextrous circularly polarized reflection from the chiral cuticle of
      the scarab beetle Chrysina resplendens.
AB  - The evolution of structural colour mechanisms in biological systems has given
      rise to many interesting optical effects in animals and plants. The instance of
      the scarab beetle Chrysina resplendens is particularly distinctive. Its
      exoskeleton has a bright, golden appearance and reflects both right-handed and
      left-handed circularly polarized light concurrently. The chiral nanostructure
      responsible for these properties is a helicoid, in which birefringent dielectric
      planes are assembled with an incremental rotation. This study correlates details
      of the beetle's circularly polarized reflectance spectra directly with physical
      aspects of its structural morphology. Electron micrography is used to identify
      and measure the physical dimensions of the key constituent components. These
      include a chiral multilayer configuration comprising two chirped, left-handed
      helicoids that are separated by a birefringent retarder. A scattering matrix
      technique is used to simulate the system's optical behaviour in which the roles
      of each component of the morphological substructure are elucidated by calculation
      of the fields throughout its depth.

PMID- 28615495
TI  - A Bayesian approach to estimating hidden variables as well as missing and wrong
      molecular interactions in ordinary differential equation-based mathematical
      models.
AB  - Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are a popular approach to quantitatively
      model molecular networks based on biological knowledge. However, such knowledge
      is typically restricted. Wrongly modelled biological mechanisms as well as
      relevant external influence factors that are not included into the model are
      likely to manifest in major discrepancies between model predictions and
      experimental data. Finding the exact reasons for such observed discrepancies can
      be quite challenging in practice. In order to address this issue, we suggest a
      Bayesian approach to estimate hidden influences in ODE-based models. The method
      can distinguish between exogenous and endogenous hidden influences. Thus, we can
      detect wrongly specified as well as missed molecular interactions in the model.
      We demonstrate the performance of our Bayesian dynamic elastic-net with several
      ordinary differential equation models from the literature, such as human JAK-STAT
      signalling, information processing at the erythropoietin receptor, isomerization
      of liquid alpha-Pinene, G protein cycling in yeast and UV-B triggered signalling
      in plants. Moreover, we investigate a set of commonly known network motifs and a
      gene-regulatory network. Altogether our method supports the modeller in an
      algorithmic manner to identify possible sources of errors in ODE-based models on
      the basis of experimental data.

PMID- 28615497
TI  - Excavation and aggregation as organizing factors in de novo construction by mound
      building termites.
AB  - Termites construct complex mounds that are orders of magnitude larger than any
      individual and fulfil a variety of functional roles. Yet the processes through
      which these mounds are built, and by which the insects organize their efforts,
      remain poorly understood. The traditional understanding focuses on stigmergy, a
      form of indirect communication in which actions that change the environment
      provide cues that influence future work. Termite construction has long been
      thought to be organized via a putative 'cement pheromone': a chemical added to
      deposited soil that stimulates further deposition in the same area, thus creating
      a positive feedback loop whereby coherent structures are built up. To investigate
      the detailed mechanisms and behaviours through which termites self-organize the
      early stages of mound construction, we tracked the motion and behaviour of major
      workers from two Macrotermes species in experimental arenas. Rather than a
      construction process focused on accumulation of depositions, as models based on
      cement pheromone would suggest, our results indicated that the primary organizing
      mechanisms were based on excavation. Digging activity was focused on a small
      number of excavation sites, which in turn provided templates for soil deposition.
      This behaviour was mediated by a mechanism of aggregation, with termites being
      more likely to join in the work at an excavation site as the number of termites
      presently working at that site increased. Statistical analyses showed that this
      aggregation mechanism was a response to active digging, distinct from and
      unrelated to putative chemical cues that stimulate deposition. Agent-based
      simulations quantitatively supported the interpretation that the early stage of
      de novo construction is primarily organized by excavation and aggregation
      activity rather than by stigmergic deposition.

PMID- 28615496
TI  - Experimental evidence that primate trichromacy is well suited for detecting
      primate social colour signals.
AB  - Primate trichromatic colour vision has been hypothesized to be well tuned for
      detecting variation in facial coloration, which could be due to selection on
      either signal wavelengths or the sensitivities of the photoreceptors themselves.
      We provide one of the first empirical tests of this idea by asking whether, when
      compared with other visual systems, the information obtained through primate
      trichromatic vision confers an improved ability to detect the changes in facial
      colour that female macaque monkeys exhibit when they are proceptive. We presented
      pairs of digital images of faces of the same monkey to human observers and asked
      them to select the proceptive face. We tested images that simulated what would be
      seen by common catarrhine trichromatic vision, two additional trichromatic
      conditions and three dichromatic conditions. Performance under conditions of
      common catarrhine trichromacy, and trichromacy with narrowly separated LM cone
      pigments (common in female platyrrhines), was better than for evenly spaced
      trichromacy or for any of the dichromatic conditions. These results suggest that
      primate trichromatic colour vision confers excellent ability to detect meaningful
      variation in primate face colour. This is consistent with the hypothesis that
      social information detection has acted on either primate signal spectral
      reflectance or photoreceptor spectral tuning, or both.

PMID- 28615498
TI  - Antagonistically pleiotropic allele increases lifespan and late-life reproduction
      at the cost of early-life reproduction and individual fitness.
AB  - Evolutionary theory of ageing maintains that increased allocation to early-life
      reproduction results in reduced somatic maintenance, which is predicted to
      compromise longevity and late-life reproduction. This prediction has been
      challenged by the discovery of long-lived mutants with no loss of fecundity. The
      first such long-lived mutant was found in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis
      elegans Specifically, partial loss-of-function mutation in the age-1 gene,
      involved in the nutrient-sensing insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling
      pathway, confers longevity, as well as increased resistance to pathogens and to
      temperature stress without appreciable fitness detriment. Here, we show that the
      long-lived age-1(hx546) mutant has reduced fecundity and offspring production in
      early-life, but increased fecundity, hatching success, and offspring production
      in late-life compared with wild-type worms under standard conditions. However,
      reduced early-life performance of long-lived mutant animals was not fully
      compensated by improved performance in late-life and resulted in reduced
      individual fitness. These results suggest that the age-1(hx546) allele has
      opposing effects on early-life versus late-life fitness in accordance with
      antagonistic pleiotropy (AP) and disposable soma theories of ageing. These
      findings support the theoretical conjecture that experimental studies based on
      standing genetic variation underestimate the importance of AP in the evolution of
      ageing.

PMID- 28615499
TI  - The importance of individual and species-level traits for trophic niches among
      herbivorous coral reef fishes.
AB  - Resolving how species compete and coexist within ecological communities
      represents a long-standing challenge in ecology. Research efforts have focused on
      two predominant mechanisms of species coexistence: complementarity and
      redundancy. But findings also support an alternative hypothesis that within
      species variation may be critical for coexistence. Our study focuses on nine
      closely related and ecologically similar coral reef fish species to test the
      importance of individual- versus species-level traits in determining the size of
      dietary, foraging substrate, and behavioural interaction niches. Specifically, we
      asked: (i) what level of biological organization best describes individual-level
      niches? and (ii) how are herbivore community niches partitioned among species,
      and are niche widths driven by species- or individual-level traits? Dietary and
      foraging substrate niche widths were best described by species identity, but no
      level of taxonomy explained behavioural interactions. All three niches were
      dominated by only a few species, contrasting expectations of niche
      complementarity. Species- and individual-level traits strongly drove foraging
      substrate and behavioural niches, respectively, whereas the dietary niche was
      described by both. Our findings underscored the importance of species-level
      traits for community-level niches, but highlight that individual-level trait
      variation within a select few species may be a key driver of the overall size of
      niches.

PMID- 28615500
TI  - Evolvability meets biogeography: evolutionary potential decreases at high and low
      environmental favourability.
AB  - Understanding and forecasting the effects of environmental change on wild
      populations requires knowledge on a critical question: do populations have the
      ability to evolve in response to that change? However, our knowledge on how
      evolution works in wild conditions under different environmental circumstances is
      extremely limited. We investigated how environmental variation influences the
      evolutionary potential of phenotypic traits. We used published data to collect or
      calculate 135 estimates of evolvability of morphological traits of European wild
      bird populations. We characterized the environmental favourability of each
      population throughout the species' breeding distribution. Our results suggest
      that the evolutionary potential of morphological traits decreases as
      environmental favourability becomes high or low. Strong environmental selection
      pressures and high intra-specific competition may reduce species' evolutionary
      potential in low- and high- favourability areas, respectively. This suggests that
      species may be least able to adapt to new climate conditions at their range
      margins and at the centre. Our results underscore the need to consider the
      evolutionary potential of populations when studying the drivers of species
      distributions, particularly when predicting the effects of environmental change.
      We discuss the utility of integrating evolutionary dynamics into a
      biogeographical perspective to understand how environmental variation shapes
      evolutionary patterns. This approach would also produce more reliable predictions
      about the effect of environmental change on population persistence and therefore
      on biodiversity.

PMID- 28615501
TI  - X-ray micro-CT scanning reveals temporal separation of male harm and female
      kicking during traumatic mating in seed beetles.
AB  - In the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, the male intromittent organ is
      covered in sharp spines that pierce the female copulatory tract wall during
      mating. Although the fitness consequences of traumatic mating are well studied in
      this species, we know much less about how the male and female genitalia interact
      during mating. This is partly due to the fact that genital interactions occur
      primarily inside the female, and so are difficult to observe. In this study, we
      use X-ray micro-CT scanning to examine the proximate mechanisms of traumatic
      mating in C. maculatus in unprecedented detail. We show that this technique can
      be used to identify female tissue damage before the melanization of wound sites.
      We visualize the positioning of the male intromittent organ inside the female
      copulatory tract during mating, and show how this relates to tract wounding in
      three dimensions. By scanning pairs flash-frozen at different times during
      mating, we show that significant tract wounding occurs before the onset of female
      kicking. There is thus some degree of temporal separation between the onset of
      wounding and the onset of kicking, which supports recent suggestions that kicking
      is not an effective female counter-adaptation to reduce copulatory wounding in
      this species. We also present evidence that the sharp teeth protruding from the
      female tract wall are able to pierce the spermatophore as it is deposited, and
      may thus function to aid sperm release.

PMID- 28615502
TI  - Empirical links between natural mortality and recovery in marine fishes.
AB  - Probability of species recovery is thought to be correlated with specific aspects
      of organismal life history, such as age at maturity and longevity, and how these
      affect rates of natural mortality (M) and maximum per capita population growth
      (rmax). Despite strong theoretical underpinnings, these correlates have been
      based on predicted rather than realized population trajectories following threat
      mitigation. Here, we examine the level of empirical support for postulated links
      between a suite of life-history traits (related to maturity, age, size and
      growth) and recovery in marine fishes. Following threat mitigation (medium time
      since cessation of overfishing = 20 years), 71% of 55 temperate populations had
      fully recovered, the remainder exhibiting, on average, negligible change
      (impaired recovery). Singly, life-history traits did not influence recovery
      status. In combination, however, those that jointly reflect length-based
      mortality at maturity, Malpha , revealed that recovered populations have higher
      Malpha , which we hypothesize to reflect local adaptations associated with
      greater rmax But, within populations, the smaller sizes at maturity generated by
      overfishing are predicted to increase Malpha , slowing recovery and increasing
      its uncertainty. We conclude that recovery potential is greater for populations
      adapted to high M but that temporal increases in M concomitant with smaller size
      at maturity will have the opposite effect. The recovery metric documented here
      (Malpha ) has a sound theoretical basis, is significantly correlated with direct
      estimates of M that directly reflect rmax, is not reliant on data-intensive time
      series, can be readily estimated, and offers an empirically defensible correlate
      of recovery, given its clear links to the positive and impaired responses to
      threat mitigation that have been observed in fish populations over the past three
      decades.

PMID- 28615503
TI  - The scaling of population persistence with carrying capacity does not asymptote
      in populations of a fish experiencing extreme climate variability.
AB  - Despite growing concerns regarding increasing frequency of extreme climate events
      and declining population sizes, the influence of environmental stochasticity on
      the relationship between population carrying capacity and time-to-extinction has
      received little empirical attention. While time-to-extinction increases
      exponentially with carrying capacity in constant environments, theoretical models
      suggest increasing environmental stochasticity causes asymptotic scaling, thus
      making minimum viable carrying capacity vastly uncertain in variable
      environments. Using empirical estimates of environmental stochasticity in fish
      metapopulations, we showed that increasing environmental stochasticity resulting
      from extreme droughts was insufficient to create asymptotic scaling of time-to
      extinction with carrying capacity in local populations as predicted by theory.
      Local time-to-extinction increased with carrying capacity due to declining
      sensitivity to demographic stochasticity, and the slope of this relationship
      declined significantly as environmental stochasticity increased. However, recent
      1 in 25 yr extreme droughts were insufficient to extirpate populations with large
      carrying capacity. Consequently, large populations may be more resilient to
      environmental stochasticity than previously thought. The lack of carrying
      capacity-related asymptotes in persistence under extreme climate variability
      reveals how small populations affected by habitat loss or overharvesting, may be
      disproportionately threatened by increases in extreme climate events with global
      warming.

PMID- 28615504
TI  - Biological markets in cooperative breeders: quantifying outside options.
AB  - A major aim in evolutionary biology is to understand altruistic help and
      reproductive partitioning in cooperative societies, where subordinate helpers
      forego reproduction to rear dominant breeders' offspring. Traditional models of
      cooperation in these societies typically make a key assumption: that the only
      alternative to staying and helping is solitary breeding, an often unfeasible
      task. Using large-scale field experiments on paper wasps (Polistes dominula), we
      show that individuals have high-quality alternative nesting options available
      that offer fitness payoffs just as high as their actual chosen options, far
      exceeding payoffs from solitary breeding. Furthermore, joiners could not easily
      be replaced if they were removed experimentally, suggesting that it may be costly
      for dominants to reject them. Our results have implications for expected payoff
      distributions for cooperating individuals, and suggest that biological market
      theory, which incorporates partner choice and competition for partners, is
      necessary to understand helping behaviour in societies like that of P. dominula
      Traditional models are likely to overestimate the incentive to stay and help, and
      therefore the amount of help provided, and may underestimate the size of
      reproductive concession required to retain subordinates. These findings are
      relevant for a wide range of cooperative breeders where there is dispersal
      between social groups.

PMID- 28615505
TI  - Topological features of a gene co-expression network predict patterns of natural
      diversity in environmental response.
AB  - Molecular interactions affect the evolution of complex traits. For instance,
      adaptation may be constrained by pleiotropic or epistatic effects, both of which
      can be reflected in the structure of molecular interaction networks. To date,
      empirical studies investigating the role of molecular interactions in phenotypic
      evolution have been idiosyncratic, offering no clear patterns. Here, we
      investigated the network topology of genes putatively involved in local
      adaptation to two abiotic stressors-drought and cold-in Arabidopsis thaliana Our
      findings suggest that the gene-interaction topologies for both cold and drought
      stress response are non-random, with genes that show genetic variation in drought
      expression response (eGxE) being significantly more peripheral and cold response
      genes being significantly more central than genes which do not show GxE. We
      suggest that the observed topologies reflect different constraints on the genetic
      pathways involved in environmental response. The approach presented here may
      inform predictive models linking genetic variation in molecular signalling
      networks with phenotypic variation, specifically traits involved in environmental
      response.

PMID- 28615506
TI  - Modified protocol for enhanced recovery after surgery is beneficial for Chinese
      cancer patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.
AB  - Radical surgical resection remains the only effective treatment for advanced
      pancreatic cancer. Effective protocols for recovery from post-operative
      complications that result in high rates of morbidity and mortality are therefore
      essential. The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol is an
      interdisciplinary multimodal concept based on modern anesthesia and analgesia
      combined with other fast rehabilitation parameters. It was first applied in the
      field of elective colorectal surgery, and eventually extended to several surgical
      diseases. In this study, we investigated the feasibility and safety of
      implementing the ERAS protocol in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy
      (PD). We randomly divided 159 patients who underwent PD into two groups who were
      managed using either ERAS or the conventional protocol. We observed that in those
      treated with the ERAS protocol several post-operative recovery factors were
      greatly improved, and there were no complications requiring readmission. We
      therefore propose that ERAS can improve post-operative recovery of PD patients
      and shorten the waiting time to chemotherapy, which may improve the overall
      survival of surgically treated pancreatic cancer patients.

PMID- 28615517
TI  - mTOR signaling mediates resistance to tankyrase inhibitors in Wnt-driven
      colorectal cancer.
AB  - Activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is essential for colorectal
      carcinogenesis. Tankyrase, a member of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)
      family, is a positive regulator of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Accordingly,
      tankyrase inhibitors are under preclinical development for colorectal cancer
      (CRC) therapy. However, Wnt-driven colorectal cancer cells are not equally
      sensitive to tankyrase inhibitors, and cellular factors that affect tankyrase
      inhibitor sensitivity remain elusive. Here, we established a tankyrase inhibitor
      resistant cell line, 320-IWR, from Wnt/beta-catenin-dependent CRC COLO-320DM
      cells. 320-IWR cells exhibited resistance to tankyrase inhibitors, IWR-1 and G007
      LK, but remained sensitive to a PARP-1/2 inhibitor, olaparib, and several anti
      CRC agents. In 320-IWR cells, nuclear localization of active beta-catenin was
      decreased and expression of beta-catenin target genes was constitutively
      repressed, suggesting that these cells repressed the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling
      and were dependent on alternative proliferation pathways. 320-IWR cells exhibited
      upregulated mTOR signaling and were more sensitive to mTOR inhibition than the
      parental cells. Importantly, mTOR inhibition reversed resistance to tankyrase
      inhibitors and potentiated their anti-proliferative effects in 320-IWR cells as
      well as in CRC cell lines in which the mTOR pathway was intrinsically activated.
      These results indicate that mTOR signaling confers resistance to tankyrase
      inhibitors in CRC cells and suggest that the combination of tankyrase and mTOR
      inhibitors would be a useful therapeutic approach for a subset of CRCs.

PMID- 28615518
TI  - Estrogen-activated MDM2 disrupts mammary tissue architecture through a p53
      independent pathway.
AB  - The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data indicate that high MDM2 expression correlates
      with all subtypes of breast cancer. Overexpression of MDM2 drives breast
      oncogenesis in the presence of wild-type or mutant p53 (mtp53). Importantly,
      estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancers overexpress MDM2 and estrogen
      mediates this expression. We previously demonstrated that this estrogen-MDM2 axis
      activates the proliferation of breast cancer cell lines T47D (mtp53 L194F) and
      MCF7 (wild-type p53) in a manner independent of increased degradation of wild
      type p53 (ie, p53-independently). Herein we present data supporting the role of
      the estrogen-MDM2 axis in regulating cell proliferation and mammary tissue
      architecture of MCF7 and T47D cells in a p53-independent manner. Inducible shRNA
      mediated MDM2 knockdown inhibited colony formation in soft agar, decreased mass
      size and induced lumen formation in matrigel and also significantly reduced
      mitosis as seen by decreased phospho-histone H3 positive cells. The knockdown of
      MDM2 in both cell lines decreased Rb phosphorylation and the level of E2F1
      protein. This signaling was through the estrogen receptor because fulvestrant (a
      selective estrogen receptor degrader) decreased MDM2 protein levels and decreased
      phosphorylation of Rb. Taken together these data indicate that in some ER+ breast
      cancers the estrogen-MDM2-Rb-E2F1 axis is a central hub for estrogen-mediated p53
      independent signal transduction. This is the first indication that estrogen
      signaling utilizes the estrogen-MDM2 axis to provoke phosphorylation of Rb and
      increase E2F1 while promoting abnormal mammary architecture.

PMID- 28615526
TI  - Identifying prognostic signature in ovarian cancer using DirGenerank.
AB  - Identifying the prognostic genes in cancer is essential not only for the
      treatment of cancer patients, but also for drug discovery. However, it's still a
      big challenge to select the prognostic genes that can distinguish the risk of
      cancer patients across various data sets because of tumor heterogeneity. In this
      situation, the selected genes whose expression levels are statistically related
      to prognostic risks may be passengers. In this paper, based on gene expression
      data and prognostic data of ovarian cancer patients, we used conditional mutual
      information to construct gene dependency network in which the nodes (genes) with
      more out-degrees have more chances to be the modulators of cancer prognosis.
      After that, we proposed DirGenerank (Generank in direct netowrk) algorithm, which
      concerns both the gene dependency network and genes' correlations to prognostic
      risks, to identify the gene signature that can predict the prognostic risks of
      ovarian cancer patients. Using ovarian cancer data set from TCGA (The Cancer
      Genome Atlas) as training data set, 40 genes with the highest importance were
      selected as prognostic signature. Survival analysis of these patients divided by
      the prognostic signature in testing data set and four independent data sets
      showed the signature can distinguish the prognostic risks of cancer patients
      significantly. Enrichment analysis of the signature with curated cancer genes and
      the drugs selected by CMAP showed the genes in the signature may be drug targets
      for therapy. In summary, we have proposed a useful pipeline to identify
      prognostic genes of cancer patients.

PMID- 28615536
TI  - Antagonistic effects of lycopene on cadmium-induced hippocampal dysfunctions in
      autophagy, calcium homeostatis and redox.
AB  - Cadmium (Cd), a widely existed environmental contaminant, was shown to trigger
      neurotoxicity by regulating autophagy, ion homeostasis and redox. Lycopene (LYC)
      is a natural substance with potent antioxidant capacity. Nevertheless, little is
      known about i) the relationship of Cd-induced neurotoxicity and autophagy, ion
      homeostasis as well as redox in the hippocampus; ii) the role of LYC in the
      regulation of hippocampal autophagy, ionic balance and antioxidant capacity
      during Cd exposure. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the Cd exposure
      induced hippocampal dysfunctions for neurotoxicity, and the preventive potential
      of LYC on the hippocampus impairment by reversing the dysfunctions during the
      exposure. In vivo study with mice model demonstrated that Cd exposure increased
      gene expression of a wide spectrum of autophagy-related gene (ATG) and gene
      regulating autophagy in hippocampus. This suggests the activation of hippocampal
      autophagy mediated by Cd. Cd exposure also decreased Ca2+-ATPase activity, thus
      increasing intracellular Ca2+ concentration in hippocampus, indicating the
      possibility that Cd-induced autophagy requires the Ca2+ signaling. Moreover, Cd
      exposure triggered redox stress in hippocampus cells, as antioxidant enzyme
      activities were decreased while oxidative productions were promoted. Cd exposure
      led to severe cytotoxicity in hippocampus cells. Of important note, all the
      hippocampal dysfunctions upon Cd exposure were reversed by LYC treatment to
      normal situations, and exposure-induced neurotoxicity was abrogated. The in vivo
      findings were recapitulated relevantly in the mouse hippocampal neuronal cell
      line, TH22. In all, the above data imply that LYC could be a potent therapeutic
      agent in treating Cd-triggered hippocampal dysfunctions and subsequent cell
      damage.

PMID- 28615542
TI  - Headphone listening habits and hearing thresholds in swedish adolescents.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported hearing and
      portable music listening habits, measured hearing function and music exposure
      levels in Swedish adolescents. The study was divided into two parts. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: The first part included 280 adolescents, who were 17 years of age
      and focused on self-reported data on subjective hearing problems and listening
      habits regarding portable music players. From this group, 50 adolescents
      volunteered to participate in Part II of the study, which focused on audiological
      measurements and measured listening volume. RESULTS: The results indicated that
      longer lifetime exposure in years and increased listening frequency were
      associated with poorer hearing thresholds and more self-reported hearing
      problems. A tendency was found for listening to louder volumes and poorer hearing
      thresholds. Women reported more subjective hearing problems compared with men but
      exhibited better hearing thresholds. In contrast, men reported more use of
      personal music devices, and they listen at higher volumes. DISCUSSION:
      Additionally, the study shows that adolescents listening for >=3 h at every
      occasion more likely had tinnitus. Those listening at >=85 dB LAeq, FF and
      listening every day exhibited poorer mean hearing thresholds, reported more
      subjective hearing problems and listened more frequently in school and while
      sleeping. CONCLUSION: Although the vast majority listened at moderate sound
      levels and for shorter periods of time, the study also indicates that there is a
      subgroup (10%) that listens between 90 and 100 dB for longer periods of time,
      even during sleep. This group might be at risk for developing future noise
      induced hearing impairments.

PMID- 28615541
TI  - Self-reported occupational noise may be associated with prevalent chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease in the us general population.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Occupational noise exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (COPD) are common in the United States, but so far their association has
      not been explored. Given the neuroimmunological effects of noise, such an
      association seems plausible. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the
      association of occupational noise exposure with prevalent COPD in the US general
      population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the population-based
      National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2014. The cross-sectional association of
      self-reported duration of exposure to very loud noise during participants'
      occupational lifetime with self-reported COPD and emphysema was explored using
      weighted logistic regression. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The fully adjusted model
      yielded odds ratio (OR)>=15 years = 1.68 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28,
      2.21] for COPD and OR>=15 years = 1.61 (95% CI: 1.13, 2.30) for emphysema.
      Race/ethnicity was a significant effect modifier. In sensitivity analysis with
      cumulative noise exposure based on a job exposure matrix, we found no effect.
      CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we found a relationship between self-reported
      occupational noise exposure and the risk of prevalent COPD in the US general
      population, but none with objective noise levels. Being the first study on the
      subject matter, and given the design limitations, these findings are tentative
      and should be treated with caution.

PMID- 28615543
TI  - Time course of cell death due to acoustic overstimulation in the mouse medial
      geniculate body and primary auditory cortex.
AB  - It has previously been shown that acoustic overstimulation induces cell death and
      extensive cell loss in key structures of the central auditory pathway. A
      correlation between noise-induced apoptosis and cell loss was hypothesized for
      the cochlear nucleus and colliculus inferior. To determine the role of cell death
      in noise-induced cell loss in thalamic and cortical structures, the present mouse
      study (NMRI strain) describes the time course following noise exposure of cell
      death mechanisms for the ventral medial geniculate body (vMGB), medial MGB
      (mMGB), and dorsal MGB (dMGB) and the six histological layers of the primary
      auditory cortex (AI 1-6). Therefore, a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
      dioxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling assay (TUNEL) was performed in these
      structures 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days after noise exposure (3 h, 115 dB sound
      pressure level, 5-20 kHz), as well as in unexposed controls. In the dMGB, TUNEL
      was statistically significant elevated 24 h postexposure. AI-1 showed a decrease
      in TUNEL after 14 days. There was no statistically significant difference between
      groups for the other brain areas investigated. dMGB's widespread connection
      within the central auditory pathway and its nontonotopical organization might
      explain its prominent increase in TUNEL compared to the other MGB subdivisions
      and the AI. It is assumed that the onset and peak of noise-induced cell death is
      delayed in higher areas of the central auditory pathway and takes place between
      24 h and 7 days postexposure in thalamic and cortical structures.

PMID- 28615545
TI  - Inhibitory effects of low decibel infrasound on the cardiac fibroblasts and the
      involved mechanism.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Infrasound is a mechanical vibration wave with frequency between
      0.0001 and 20 Hz. It has been established that infrasound of 120 dB or stronger
      is dangerous to humans. However, the biological effects of low decibel infrasound
      are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of
      low decibel infrasound on the cardiac fibroblasts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      cardiac fibroblasts were isolated and cultured from Sprague-Dawley rats. The
      cultured cells were assigned into the following four groups: control group,
      angiotensin II (Ang II) group, infrasound group, and Ang II+infrasound group. The
      cell proliferation and collagen synthesis rates were evaluated by means of [3H]
      thymidine and [3H]-proline incorporation, respectively. The levels of TGF-beta
      were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Moreover, RNAi approaches
      were used for the analysis of the biological functions of miR-29a, and the
      phosphorylation status of Smad3 was detected using western blotting analysis.
      RESULTS: The results showed that low decibel infrasound significantly alleviated
      Ang II-induced enhancement of cell proliferation and collagen synthesis.
      DISCUSSION: Compared with the control, Ang II markedly decreased the expression
      of miR-29a levels and increased the secretion of TGF-beta and phosphorylation of
      Smad3, which was partly reversed by the treatment with low decibel infrasound.
      Importantly, knockdown of miR-29a diminished the effects of infrasound on the
      cardiac fibroblasts. In conclusion, low decibel infrasound inhibits Ang II
      stimulated cardiac fibroblasts via miR-29a targeting TGF-beta/Smad3 signaling.

PMID- 28615544
TI  - Evidence of associations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum
      levels and gene polymorphisms with tinnitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene polymorphisms are
      associated with abnormalities in regulation of BDNF secretion. Studies also
      linked BDNF polymorphisms with changes in brainstem auditory-evoked response test
      results. Furthermore, BDNF levels are reduced in tinnitus, psychiatric disorders,
      depression, dysthymic disorder that may be associated with stress, conversion
      disorder, and suicide attempts due to crises of life. For this purpose, we
      investigated whether there is any role of BDNF changes in the pathophysiology of
      tinnitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we examined the possible effects
      of BDNF variants in individuals diagnosed with tinnitus for more than 3 months.
      Fifty-two tinnitus subjects between the ages of 18 and 55, and 42 years healthy
      control subjects in the same age group, who were free of any otorhinolaryngology
      and systemic disease, were selected for examination. The intensity of tinnitus
      and depression was measured using the tinnitus handicap inventory, and the
      differential diagnosis of psychiatric diagnoses made using the Structured
      Clinical Interview for Fourth Edition of Mental Disorders. BDNF gene polymorphism
      was analyzed in the genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples extracted from
      the venous blood, and the serum levels of BDNF were measured. One-way analysis of
      variance and Chi-squared tests were applied. RESULTS: Serum BDNF level was found
      lower in the tinnitus patients than controls, and it appeared that there is no
      correlation between BDNF gene polymorphism and tinnitus. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      suggests neurotrophic factors such as BDNF may have a role in tinnitus etiology.
      Future studies with larger sample size may be required to further confirm our
      results.

PMID- 28615547
TI  - Newborn survival - the forgotten milestone for achieving MDG 4.

PMID- 28615548
TI  - Dengue fever: Pakistan's worst nightmare.

PMID- 28615546
TI  - Assessment of spatial and physical neighborhood characteristics that influence
      sound quality and herewith well-being and health.
AB  - Environmental noise and health studies seldom address the positive effect of
      environments with high acoustic quality. Sound quality, in turn, is influenced by
      a large number of factors, including the spatial-physical characteristics of a
      neighborhood. In general, these characteristics cannot be retrieved from existing
      databases. In this article, we describe the design of an audit instrument and
      demonstrate its value for gathering information about these characteristics of
      neighborhoods. The audit instrument used was derived from research in other
      fields than environmental health. The instrument was tested in 33 neighborhoods
      in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Arnhem. In these neighborhoods,
      more or less homogeneous subareas were identified that were subject of the audit.
      The results show that the audit approach is suitable to gather neighborhood data
      that are relevant for the sound quality of neighborhoods. Together with survey
      data, they provide information that could further the field of soundscape and
      health. Several suggestions for improvement of the audit instrument were made.

PMID- 28615549
TI  - Pesticide exposure during pregnancy and low birth weight.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited epidemiologic studies have investigated the effects of
      pesticide exposure during pregnancy on low birth weight in offspring in rural
      China. METHODS: A survey of a total of 503 women was conducted in Ling county of
      Shandong Province of China following delivery from 1 November 2009 to 8 February
      2010. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounding and compared with no pesticide
      exposure, multiple logistic regression showed a non-significant increased
      likelihood of low birth weight for both children of mothers exposed to pesticides
      when not pregnant (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 0.62, 5.22) and mothers exposed to
      pesticides during pregnancy (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 0.73, 8.08); multiple linear
      regression showed a non-significant reduced birth weight for both children of
      mothers exposed to pesticides when not pregnant (beta=-0.59, p=0.28) and mothers
      exposed to pesticides during pregnancy (beta=-0.89, p=0.15). CONCLUSIONS:
      Exposure to pesticides during pregnancy was associated with a non-significant
      increase in low birth weight in this rural Chinese population. Future studies
      using larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted.

PMID- 28615550
TI  - A systematic review of the burden of neonatal mortality and morbidity in the
      ASEAN Region.
AB  - Neonatal morbidity and mortality are major global public health challenges
      representing an increasing proportion of overall under-5 child mortality, with
      the vast majority of neonatal deaths occurring in resource-limited settings. In
      the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, it is estimated that
      approximately 200 000 neonatal deaths occur annually with reported estimates of
      the neonatal mortality rate ranging from 1 to over 30 per 1000 live-births,
      depending on the setting. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review
      of published data on neonatal morbidity and mortality from the ASEAN region over
      the last 10 years. Very few published studies reporting neonatal morbidity and
      mortality in this region were found. Importantly, data are available from just a
      few countries, with an underrepresentation of the most resource-limited settings.
      The majority of the studies describing mortality and morbidity were retrospective
      surveys or focussed on a specific cause of neonatal morbidity. Studies included
      findings from a range of settings, from neonatal intensive care to community
      settings utilizing verbal autopsy. Therefore, comprehensive and prospective data
      are needed to inform priorities and potential interventions to improve neonatal
      care and reduce neonatal mortality in this region.

PMID- 28615551
TI  - Factors associated with knowledge about breastfeeding among female garment
      workers in Dhaka city.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Knowledge about breastfeeding among women is very important for
      healthy children. The present study aims to determine the level of knowledge and
      factors associated with knowledge on breastfeeding among female garment workers
      in a selected garment factory in Dhaka city. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted among 200 female garment workers in the reproductive age group (15-49
      years). Data were collected through a pre-tested questionnaire using the face-to
      face interview method. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was done to determine
      the association between sociodemographic variables and knowledge on
      breastfeeding. RESULTS: The study showed that, overall the level of knowledge
      regarding breastfeeding is very poor (88%) among the study subjects. Most of the
      respondents have very poor knowledge regarding advantages of exclusive
      breastfeeding (89%) and breastfeeding (100%). In contrast, a majority have good
      knowledge on duration of exclusive breastfeeding (74%) and breastfeeding (66%).
      No significant association was found between the knowledge score of breastfeeding
      with remaining socio-demographic variables like age, marital status, family
      income and expenditure. Education is significantly (p<0.001) associated with a
      higher total knowledge score of breastfeeding. Women with secondary level of
      education had a significantly higher (p<0.001) level of total knowledge score
      than other categories (illiterate, primary and higher secondary) of education.
      CONCLUSION: A large proportion of female garment workers had inadequate knowledge
      regarding breastfeeding. It is also important that health education on
      breastfeeding is urgently provided to the female garments workers of Bangladesh.

PMID- 28615552
TI  - Challenges faced by visually disabled people in use of medicines, self-adopted
      coping strategies and medicine-related mishaps.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Difficulties faced by visually disabled people when using medicines,
      self-adopted coping strategies, and medicine-related mishaps have been under
      explored locally and internationally. The objective of this study was to gain
      insight regarding this long-neglected issue. METHODS: A descriptive cross
      sectional study, using an interviewer administered questionnaire on 63 visually
      disabled adults was carried out at a vocational training centre and a school for
      visually disabled students in Sri Lanka. RESULTS: Among 63 participants, 71%
      wanted to be independent in medicine use and 79% in spite of difficulties had
      self-administered medicines. They had difficulty in locating medicines (25.39%),
      identifying medicines and medicine containers (17.46%), and administering liquid
      medications (25.39%). These difficulties led to inaccurate dosing (14.28%),
      missed doses (39.68%), and discontinuation of treatment prematurely (28.57%).
      Self-adopted coping strategies to overcome these difficulties included using
      different sized and shaped containers, tying medicines to the attire, and dipping
      their finger into a measuring cup while measuring liquid medicines. Mishaps
      related to medicines such as taking vinegar instead of gripe mixture and, putting
      ear drops into eyes were disclosed. CONCLUSIONS: There were many challenges for
      visually disabled people in taking medicines and some self-adopted coping
      strategies were inadequate to overcome these.

PMID- 28615553
TI  - Knowledge of antiretrovirals in preventing parentto-child-transmission of HIV: a
      cross-sectional study among women living with HIV in Tamil Nadu, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: India is amongst the top 10 countries in the world currently with the
      highest burden of pregnant women living with HIV and nearly 80% of these women do
      not receive antiretroviral (ARV) drugs to prevent parent-to-child transmission
      (PTCT) of HIV. The aim of this study was to estimate HIV-infected women's
      awareness on PTCT and knowledge of ARVs as a measure to prevent PTCT. METHODS:
      This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study in which a total of 986 women with
      HIV aged 18 years and above were interviewed in 13 high HIV prevalence districts
      of Tamil Nadu, South India. Data were analysed using descriptive, bivariate and
      multivariate methods. RESULTS: Nearly one fifth (18.8%) of the women with HIV had
      not heard of PTCT and 40% did not know that ARVs could prevent PTCT. In addition,
      39.3% were not aware of the timing of PTCT; 50.4% reported intrauterine and
      intrapartum and 13.7% mentioned breastfeeding period as the possible timings of
      PTCT of HIV. Multivariate analysis showed that single/never married women had
      lower knowledge of PTCT. Also, those who had undergone a prior training on
      reproductive and child health (RCH) and those who discussed RCH issues with their
      partners were more likely to have higher knowledge. CONCLUSION: Considering the
      risk of HIV transmission from HIV-infected women to their children, the knowledge
      level of PTCT among them is low. Appropriate strategies to generate awareness
      among women with HIV need be introduced to help them make informed decisions.

PMID- 28615554
TI  - India's progress towards the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on infant and
      maternal mortality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: India is in a race against time to achieve the Millennium Development
      Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to '28' and Maternal
      Mortality Ratio (MMR) to '109', by 2015. This study estimates the percent net
      contribution of the states and the periods in shaping India's IMR/MMR, and
      predicts future levels. METHODS: A standardized decomposition technique was used
      to estimate each state's and period's percent share in shaping India's decline in
      IMR/MMR between two time points. Linear and exponential regression curves were
      fitted for IMR/MMR values of the past two decades to predict IMR/MMR levels for
      2015 for India and for the 15 most populous states. RESULTS: Due to favourable
      maternal mortality reduction efforts in Bihar/Jharkhand (19%) and Madhya
      Pradesh/Chhattisgarh (11%), Uttar Pradesh (33%) - India is predicted to attain
      the MDG-5 target by 2016, assuming the pace of decline observed in MMR during
      1997-2009 continues to follow a linear-trend, while the wait may continue until
      2023-2024 if the decline follows an exponential- trend. Attaining MDG-4 may take
      until 2023-2024, due to low acceleration in IMR drop in Bihar/ Jharkhand, Uttar
      Pradesh/Uttarakhand and Rajasthan. The maximum decline in MMR during 2004-2009
      coincided with the launch and uptake of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
      CONCLUSIONS: Even though India as a nation is not predicted to attain all the MDG
      4 and 5 targets, at least four of its 15 most populous states are predicted to do
      so. In the past two decades, MMR reduction efforts were more effective than IMR
      reduction efforts.

PMID- 28615555
TI  - Promoting antenatal care services for early detection of pre-eclampsia.
AB  - A prospective, quasi-experimental study was carried out in 2009 at urban health
      centres (UHCs) of five townships of Mandalay, Myanmar, to improve the skill of
      midwives (MWs) in diagnosis and referral of pre-eclampsia (PE) from UHC to the
      Central Women's Hospital (CWH) and to enhance the supervision of midwives by lady
      health visitors (LHVs). The intervention was training on quality antenatal care
      focusing on PE using an updated training manual. Altogether, 75 health care
      providers (MWs & LHVs) participated. In this study, data were extracted from
      patient registers and monthly reports of UHCs and CWH. Interviewers were trained
      regarding the conduct of semi-structured questionnaires to elicit knowledge and
      to use checklists in observation of skills in screening of PE, measuring blood
      pressure and urine protein (dipstick test). A guide for LHVs was also used to
      obtain data, and data was collected six months prior to and after the
      intervention. Significant improvements from baseline to endline survey occurred
      in the knowledge (p<0.001) and skill levels (p<0.001) including skills for
      screening, measuring blood pressure and urine protein. At CWH, there was an
      increase in referred cases of PE after the intervention, from 1.25% to 2.56%
      (p<0.001). In conclusion, this study highlights the early detection of pre
      eclampsia by widespread use of quality antenatal care, education and training of
      health-care providers to improve their performance and increase human resources
      for health care, in order to enable women in our society to have healthy
      pregnancies and healthy babies.

PMID- 28615556
TI  - Haemoglobinopathies - major associating determinants in prevalence of anaemia
      among adolescent girl students of Assam, India.
AB  - Prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girl students of Assam, a north-eastern
      state of India, was evaluated along with its associating determinants. The
      present study revealed that anaemia is a major public health problem among
      adolescent girl students of Assam. The overall prevalence of anaemia among
      adolescent girl students of Assam is as high as 71.5%. Non-nutritional factors
      such as infection due to helminths was substantially low (24.71%). Ascaris
      lumbricoides was the most frequent infection (10.6%), followed by Trichuris
      trichiura (6.2%), and hookworm infestations (3.9%). Polyparasitic infection (A.
      lumbricoides, T. trichiura and hookworm) was observed in 0.5% of the study
      subjects. While coinfection due to A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura was 2.3%, A.
      lumbricoides and hookworm was 1.1% and T. trichiura and hookworm was 0.9%. Serum
      ferritin level in a subgroup of samples was in the lower normal range. Malaria
      parasite was not detected in any of the slides. We have observed a gene frequency
      of 0.188 for betaE-globin gene among the adolescent girl students of Assam. The
      gene frequency for betaE-globin gene ranged from 0.071 to 0.266. Statistically
      significant difference (F=3.471; P=0.001) of mean haemoglobin level was observed
      in different types of haemoglobin variants. Multiple regression analysis, in a
      sub-set of samples having information on Hb levels (g/dl), helminthic infestation
      (A. lumbricoides, T. trichuria and hookworm), haemoglobin type, revealed
      haemoglobin type (Hb E) was the important determinant of anaemia among adolescent
      girl students in the present study.

PMID- 28615557
TI  - Early discontinuation of intrauterine device in Nepal - a retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Intrauterine Device (IUD) is the least popular method of
      contraception for family planning in Nepal. In addition, discontinuation in the
      early days after insertion is very high and information related to factors
      affecting early discontinuation is very limited. METHODS: A retrospective study
      was carried out over a 5-year period to determine the associated factors for
      early discontinuation of the IUD. Insertion, consultation and removal records of
      IUD users of Kshetrapati Family Welfare Centre, Kathmandu, were reviewed. Removal
      within 12 months of insertion is defined as early discontinuation. The study
      participants were selected randomly. Uni-variate and logistic regression analysis
      were used to analyse predictors of early discontinuation of IUD. RESULTS: The
      results showed that one fifth of the 230 women using IUD discontinued within the
      first year of insertion. Side-effects were the main reason for early
      discontinuation followed by expulsion. Woman's occupational status, husband's
      occupational status, husband's educational status, experience of side-effects and
      follow-up practice were associated with early discontinuation of IUD. Menstrual
      disorder and abnormal vaginal discharge were also associated with early
      discontinuation. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Risks of IUD discontinuation were
      found to be very high during the early days of insertion and side-effects were
      identified as the major cause. So, proper management of side-effects would be
      very important to reduce early discontinuation of IUD.

PMID- 28615558
TI  - Screening high-risk population for hypertension and type 2 diabetes among Thais.
AB  - BACKGROUND: waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) are simple
      screening tools for hypertension (HT) and type 2 diabetes (DM). Cutoffs of WC for
      BMI for Asians have been discussed. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of
      screening tools and associations of WC, BMI with HT and DM. METHODS: Data from
      the national screening programme for metabolic syndrome conducted in 2010 in 21
      provinces in the central region of Thailand were analysed. A total of 10 748
      participants aged >35 years were included in the analysis with cutoffs of WC set
      at 90 cm for men, 80 cm for women, and BMI at 23 kg/m2 for both sexes. RESULTS:
      WC produced low sensitivity and high specificity among male participants, and
      moderate sensitivity and specificity among female participants, while BMI
      produced moderate sensitivity and specificity in both sexes. Significant
      associations were found among those who had high WC only, high BMI only, and both
      high WC and BMI with HT and DM in both sexes. (males for HT, OR=1.63, 95%CI: 1.15
      2.33, OR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.03-1.44 and OR=2.03, 95%CI: 1.07-2.42; males for DM,
      OR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.05-1.83), OR=1.77, 95%CI: 1.07-2.94 and OR= 2.05, 95%CI: 1.57
      2.69, females for HT, OR=1.69: 95%CI 1.38-2.07, OR=1.32; 95%CI: 1.09-1.60 and
      OR=2.54, 95%CI: 2.11-2.91; females for DM, OR=1.45, 95%CI: 1.08-1.94, OR=1.45,
      95%CI: 1.09-1.91 and OR=1.70, 95%CI: 1.39-2.09). When the cutoff WC was lowered
      among male participants to 85 cm, sensitivity increased, and significant
      strengths of associations with HT and DM were nearly the same. CONCLUSION: For
      Thailand, WC and BMI with appropriate cutoffs can be effective screening tools to
      recruit high-risk populations into health promotion programmes. However, WC and
      BMI should be implemented with other screening tools for other risk factors
      because of their moderate accuracy.

PMID- 28615559
TI  - Oral health status of 12-year-old children with disabilities and controls in
      Southern India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study explores the association of disabilities and oral health.
      The aim of the study was to compare and assess oral health status of 12-year-old
      children with disabilities with healthy controls in Karnataka, Southern India.
      METHODS: A total of 191 schoolchildren with disabilities were examined from 12
      year age group. For comparison, 203 healthy children were randomly selected from
      other government schools. Clinical data were collected on periodontal status,
      dental caries, treatment needs and dental malocclusion using WHO criteria. A chi
      squared test was used to compare between categorical variables. Linear and
      logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the importance of the
      factors associated with caries status. RESULTS: Significant differences were
      noted in the frequency of sugar consumption between subjects with disabilities
      and their healthy controls. Subjects with disabilities had significantly higher
      CPI (community periodontal index) scores than their healthy counterparts
      (p<0.001). Dental caries was present in 89.8% children from special schools as
      compared with 58.6% from the control group. Mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled
      teeth) values for special school children and healthy controls were 2.52 +/- 2.61
      and 0.61 +/- 1.12, respectively. Higher prevalence of malocclusion was seen in
      subjects with special healthcare needs, with 66.4% having definite malocclusion
      and 17.4% of controls having malocclusion (p<0.001). The mean values for
      treatment needs were higher in subjects with disabilities. Regression analysis
      showed that, type of school, male gender, low frequency of brushing, increased
      frequency of sugar consumption between meals and dental malocclusion were
      significantly related to dental caries. CONCLUSION: Poor oral health of children
      with disabilities as compared with their healthy controls in terms of periodontal
      status, dentition status, treatment needs, and dentofacial anomalies was found in
      our study, which confirms a need for preventive treatment for these children.

PMID- 28615560
TI  - Mental health care in Bhutan: policy and issues.
AB  - The Royal Government of Bhutan pursues and promotes a policy of providing well
      integrated, equitable, cost-effective and balanced health services consisting of
      preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative programmes through its primary
      health care system. The government has accorded high priority to social sectors
      like health and education. However, there are serious concerns regarding the
      quality of care provided to persons with mental disorder, who on this account are
      subjected to stigma, discrimination and human rights abuses. This article aims to
      analyse, examine and highlight the policy and issues of the mental healthcare
      system in Bhutan. It focuses on the mental healthcare system with reference to
      services, policies and issues and to advocate for better policy development for
      mental health.

PMID- 28615561
TI  - A decade of health-care decentralization in Thailand: what lessons can be drawn?
AB  - This paper reviews the progress of implementation of health-care decentralization
      in Thailand since the promulgation of the Decentralization Act 1999, draws
      lessons learnt and provides recommendations. This review was carried out because
      of the delay in health-care decentralization, as compared with what was indicated
      in the Decentralization Action Plan, and to identify the possible causes of
      delay. The review also analyses other issues that affected implementation of this
      policy such as consensus on models of health-care decentralization, and other
      government policies being implemented during the same period. It is recommended
      that decentralization is not a panacea for health system development and its
      concept should be applied carefully, based on the country context.

PMID- 28615562
TI  - Laboratory diagnosis of epidermolysis bullosa.

PMID- 28615563
TI  - Role of oral vitamin D3 analogues in the treatment of psoriasis.
AB  - Oral vitamin D3 analogues 1 alpha hydroxy cholecalciferol and 1,25 dihydroxy
      cholecalciferol were compared with placebo in the treatment of psoriasis. Three
      groups of 15 patients each were given 1 alpha hydroxy cholecalciferol at 1 ug/
      day 1,25 dihydroxy cholecalciferol at 0.5 ug/d and multi vitamins other than Vit
      A and Vit D, respectively. Patients were followed up for 3-6 months. Assessment
      of severity and response was done by Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). Both
      Vit D, analogues 1 alpha hydroxy vitamins D3 and 1,25 (OH)2 D3 were found to be
      effective. Serum and urinary calcium remained within normal limits.

PMID- 28615564
TI  - Treatment of benign vascular skin lesions with carbon dioxide laser.
AB  - Fifteen patients, 10 males and 5 females, between 10-27 years age with different
      benign vascular skin lesions i.e.haemangioma (3) and lymphangioma circumscriptum
      (2) were taken up for this study. The lesions in all the patients were
      vaporized/excised with the indigeneously developed carbon dioxide laser. The
      patients were evaluated at 1,2,4,8 and 12 weekly visits to assess the overall
      response to the treatment and the side effects. All the patients responded to the
      treatment. The patients with granuloma pyogenicum showed excellent response with
      complete disappearance of the lesions while the patients with haemangiomas,
      lymphangio-haemangiomas and lymphangioma circumscriptum improved by 70-90%.
      Transient hypopigmentation and mild scarring were seen in all the patients except
      in patienls with granuloma pyogenieum. There were no other significant side
      effects in any of the patients.

PMID- 28615565
TI  - Peripheral T-lymphocyte counts in seborrhoeic keratosis.
AB  - One hundred and forty-eight cases of clinically diagnosed seborrhoeic keratoses
      and 12 of stuccokeratoses were selected from Dermato Venereology department of
      Rajendra Hospital, Patiala, during a period of 15 months. Histopathology
      confirmed that 123 out of 148 cases were of seborrhoeic keratosis and 8 out of 12
      were of stuccokeratosis. T-lymphocyte counts in histopathologically confirmed
      cases were done by Thomson's E-rosette method (1977). Peripheral T-lymphocyte
      counts were statistically significantly increased in both seborrhoeic keratosis
      and stucco keratosis, thus revealing important role of cell mediated immunity in
      seborrhoeic keralosis.

PMID- 28615566
TI  - Vegetable and fruit contact dermatitis among housewives-study of 25 cases.
AB  - Almost all women have to handle vegetables and fruits, so vegetable and fruit
      contact dermatitis in females has surfaced as a dermatological problem. This
      study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the contact sensitization pattern of
      various vegetables and fruits in housewives in north-west Rajasthan. Thirty-eight
      commonly used vegetables and fruits extracted/crushed allergen's patch tests were
      applied as such over back of 25 women having eczema of thumhs, index and middle
      fingers, 1st and 2nd web spaces, palmar and dorsal aspect of hands. Patch tests
      were read after 48 and 72 hours and graded as ICDRG. Out of them we obtained
      positive results in 20(80%), with single allergen positivity in 6 (24%) an11
      multiple allergen positivity in 14 (56%).

PMID- 28615567
TI  - Bacteriology of primary pyodermas and comparative efficacy of topical application
      of mupirocin and sodium fusidate ointments in their treatment.
AB  - A study to compare the efficacy of topical 2% mupirocin ointment and 2% topical
      sodium fusidate ointment in the treatment of primary pyodermas was done. Out of
      one hundred cases of primary pyodermas, fifty were randomly treated with 2%
      topical mupirocin ointment and fifty were given 2% topical sodium fusidate
      ointment. Patients were evaluated after four days and seven days of treatment. At
      the end of seven days. both the agents were found to be equally effective and
      side effects were insignificant in both the groups.

PMID- 28615569
TI  - Chancroid.

PMID- 28615568
TI  - A double - blind randomised multicentre controlled study of topical 0.05%
      clobetasol propionate with 2.5% zinc sulphate preparation.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compre the efficacy and safety of topical clobetasol
      propionate and clobetasol propionate with zinc sulphate cream preparation.
      Steroid responsive dermatoses were primarily considered in both the treatment
      groups. From thc analysis of 291 patients, from five different centres, it
      wasnoted that though the out come was Positive in both the trial groups
      significant differences existed in the treatment group which received clobetasol
      propionate with zinc sulphate preparation. During evaluation the outcome was even
      between both treatment groups on the day 7. However towards the end of the study
      significant differences existed. Interestingly both the treatment groups did not
      have any adverse effects.

PMID- 28615570
TI  - Periumbilical pseudoxanthoma elasticum.
AB  - Pseudoxanthoma elasticum is an inherited connective tissue disorder affecting
      skin, ocular and vascular systems. We report an unusual case with cutaneous
      lesions simulating PXE localized to the periumbilical region with no systemic
      involvement. Two entities having localized PXE-like skin changes namely
      perforating calcific elastosis and papillary dermal elastolysis are discussed.

PMID- 28615571
TI  - AIDS related kaposi's sarcoma.
AB  - A case report of a 22-year-old HIV-infected heterosexual man with Kaposi's
      sarcoma is described. The need for high index of suspicion and new mode of
      therapy are discussed.

PMID- 28615572
TI  - Tuberculous panniculitis.
AB  - A rare case of tuberculous panniculitis in a 2-year-old girl who presented with a
      progressively increasing large nodular plaque over the back of 2 months duration
      is being reported. Diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically and on the basis
      of a positive accelerated BCG test.

PMID- 28615573
TI  - Pityriasis rotunda - report of three cases.
AB  - Pityriasis rounda is a very rare disorder of keratinization. Here is a report of
      three such cases.

PMID- 28615574
TI  - Angina bullosa hemorrhagica (recurrent oral haemophlyctenosis).
AB  - A case of recurrent oral haemophlyctenosis, characterized by sudden onset of
      tense blisters on the tongue is being reported. The blisters were fillcd with
      haemorrhagic fluid and healed within a week.

PMID- 28615575
TI  - Oral condylomata acuminata.
AB  - A case of oral condylomata acuminata in a boy aged 14 years is reported for its
      uncommon presentation, which warrants a high index of suspicion for diagnosis.

PMID- 28615576
TI  - Primary cutaneous mucin producing squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - Variants of squamous cell carcinoma are often rare but they an aggressive tumours
      with a potential for local recurrence and metastasis. A deeply invasive primary
      mucin producing squamous cell carcinoma of skin is one such rare variant.

PMID- 28615577
TI  - Facial pseudochromhidrosis induced by lead.
AB  - A young girl presented with dark blue black smoky pigmentation on her face which
      she presumed started after chloroquine therapy for malaria. Histology revealed a
      normal picture except some yellow brown granules in the superficial part of the
      stratum corneum. A strict vigilance on the patient after admission revealed that
      she had been applying lead pencil powder on her face to gain sympathy from her
      parents. An unusual presentation of pseudochromhidrosis is reported with relevant
      review of literature.

PMID- 28615578
TI  - Sebaceous hyperplasia resembling lymphangioma circumscriptum.
AB  - A young boy presented with multiple soft linear papules on left ear of short
      duration with associated psoriasiform dermatitis of scalp. The lesions clinically
      resembled lymphangioma circumscriptum. Histology revealed multiple hyperplastic
      sebaceous glands branching from a single duct and dilated hair follieles
      suggesting sebaceous hyperplasia. The case is presented with review of the
      relevant literaturs.

PMID- 28615579
TI  - Porokeratosis of mibelli: Disseminated non actinic form.
AB  - Two cases of nonactinic - disseminated porokeratosis of Mibelli are reported.
      Autosomal dominant mode of inheritance was observed in one case.

PMID- 28615580
TI  - Papuloerythroderma of ofuji.
AB  - A 60-year old male with papulo erythroderma of Ofuji is presented here for its
      rarity. The characteristic 'deck chair' sign was present. Response to PUVA
      therapy was noted.

PMID- 28615581
TI  - Herpes labials and genitalis in a hiv positive patient.
AB  - A 22-year-old man who was HIV positive, presented with recurrent oral and genital
      losions simultaneously.

PMID- 28615582
TI  - Contact depigmentation caused by henna.

PMID- 28615583
TI  - Toxic epidermal necrolysis.

PMID- 28615584
TI  - Trichomonas vaglnalls.

PMID- 28615585
TI  - Sildenafil nitrate : Its prescription.

PMID- 28615586
TI  - Why do women deliver in facilities, or not?

PMID- 28615587
TI  - Unintended consequences of regulating traditional medicine.
AB  - The World Health Organization (WHO) has the noble goals of advancing traditional
      medicine and simultaneously promoting the regulation and professionalization of
      traditional healers. However, such regulation has the unintended consequence of
      withholding power from traditional practitioners. This review explores this
      concept through a historical analysis of traditional medicine in both India and
      Zimbabwe. During the post-colonial period in both countries, traditional medicine
      contributed to the creation of national identity. In the process of nationalizing
      traditional medicine, regulations were set in place that led to a rise in the
      university-style teaching of traditional healing. This period of
      professionalization of traditional healers resulted in certain types of
      traditional medicine being marginalized, as they were neither included in
      regulation nor taught at university. Since then, the current era of globalization
      has commoditizedtraditional healing. Private industries like ZEPL and Dabur have
      rapidly and vastly altered the role of traditional healers. Consumers can now buy
      traditional medication directly from companies without visiting a healer.
      Additionally, disputes over patents and other intellectual property rights have
      led to important questions regarding ownership of certain plants traditionally
      known for healing properties. Through regulation and commercialization of
      traditional medicine, healers have lost some of their independence to practise.

PMID- 28615588
TI  - Why women do not utilize maternity services in Nepal: a literature review.
AB  - The structure and provision mechanism of maternity services in Nepal appears to
      be good, with adequate coverage and availability. Utilization of maternity
      services has also improved in the past decade. However, this progress may not be
      adequate to achieve the Millennium Development Goal to improve maternal health
      (MDG 5) in Nepal. This paper reviews the factors that impede women from utilizing
      maternity services and those that encourage such use. Twenty-one articles were
      examined in-depth with results presented under four headings: (i) sociocultural
      factors; (ii) perceived need/benefit of skilled attendance; (iii) physical
      accessibility; and (iv) economic accessibility. The majority of the studies on
      determinants of service use were cross-sectional focusing on sociocultural,
      economic and physical accessibility factors. In general, the education of
      couples, their economic status and antenatal check-ups appeared to have positive
      influences. On the other hand, traditional beliefs and customs, low status of
      women, long distance to facilities, low level of health awareness and women's
      occupation tended to impact negatively on service uptake. More analytical studies
      are needed to assess the effectiveness of the Safer Mother Programme, expansion
      of rural birth centres and birth-preparedness packages on delivery-service use.
      Moreover, it is important to investigate women's awareness of the need of
      facility delivery and their perception of the quality of health facilities in
      relation to actual usage.

PMID- 28615589
TI  - Appropriate anthropometric indices to identify cardiometabolic risk in South
      Asians.
AB  - BACKGROUND: South Asians show an elevated cardiometabolic risk compared to
      Caucasians. They are clinically metabolically obese but are considered normal
      weight based on current international cut-off levels of several anthropometric
      indices. This study has two main objectives: (i) to predict the most sensitive
      anthropometric measures for commonly studied cardiometabolic risk factors, and
      (ii) to determine optimal cut-off levels of each of the anthropometric indices in
      relation to these cardiometabolic risk factors in South Asians. METHODS: The
      study was conducted on a random sample of 1178 adults of 20-80 years of age from
      an urban population of eastern India. Obesity, as evaluated by standard
      anthropometric indices of BMI (body mass index), WC (waist circumference), WHpR
      (waist-to-hip ratio) and WHtR (waist-to-height ratio), was individually
      correlated with cardiometabolic risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic
      (ROC) curve analyses were performed which includes: (i) the area under the
      receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis to assess the predictive
      validity of each cardiometabolic risk factor; and (ii) Youden index to determine
      optimal cut-off levels of each of the anthropometric indices. RESULTS: Overall,
      AUROC values for WHtR were the highest, but showed variations within the sexes
      for each of the cardiometabolic risk factors studied. Further, WHpR cut-offs were
      higher for men (0.93-0.95) than women (0.85-0.88). WC cut-offs were 84.5-89.5 cm
      in men and 77.5-82.0 cm in women. For both sexes the optimal WHtR cut-off value
      was 0.51-0.55. The optimal BMI cut-offs were 23.4-24.2 kg/m2 in men and 23.6-25.3
      kg/m2 in women. CONCLUSION: WHtR may be a better anthropometric marker of
      cardiometabolic risks in South Asian adults than BMI, WC or WHpR.

PMID- 28615590
TI  - Diabetes in rural Pondicherry, India: a population-based studyof the incidence
      and risk factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For India, the 'diabetes capital' of the world, it is essential to
      know the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its key determinants.
      As two thirds of Indians live in rural areas, a study was undertaken to assess
      the incidence and risk factors of T2DM in rural Pondicherry, India. METHODS: In a
      population-based cohort study initiated in 2007, a sample of 1223 adults > 25
      years ofage from two villages of Pondicherry were selected using cluster random
      sampling. Data on risk factor exposure were collected using a structured
      questionnaire, anthropometric tests and fasting blood glucose assessment. During
      house visits, 1223 of 1403 invited subjects participated. Of these, 71 (5.8%)
      were found to have diabetes. In 2010-2011, 85% of the non-diabetics (979/1152)
      were followed up using the same protocol. We calculated the risk of T2DM per
      annum standardized by age and sex. Population estimates of the risk factors
      associated with T2DM were analysed using the Generalized Estimating Equation
      model and the Population Attributable Risk (PAR) for T2DM calculated. RESULTS:
      During 2937 person-years (PY) of follow-up, 63 new cases of T2DM occurred, giving
      an incidence rate of 21.5/1000 PY. Almost one third (31.7%) of cases occurred in
      people aged below 40 years. The incidence was double among males (28.7/1000 PY;
      95% confidence interval (CI): 21.0-38.7) compared with females (14.6/1000 PY; 95%
      CI: 9.4-21.7). Applying these rates to rural populations, it is estimated that
      each year 8.7 million people develop T2DM in rural India. Nearly half of the T2DM
      incidence was attributed to overweight/obesity and alcohol usage. CONCLUSION:
      T2DM incidence was 2% per year in adults in rural Pondicherry, India, with the
      rate increasing twice as fast in men. Increasing age, obesity, alcohol use and a
      family history of T2DM independently predicted the development of diabetes. As
      half of T2DM incidence was attributed to overweight/obesity and alcohol use,
      health promotion interventions focusing on maintaining an optimal weight and
      decreasing alcohol consumption may be effective in reducing the rise in T2DM
      cases.

PMID- 28615591
TI  - Effects of education and income on cognitive functioning among Indians aged 50
      years and older: evidence from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE)
      Wave 1 (2007-2010).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Relatively little is known about socioeconomic predictors of
      cognitive health among middle-aged and elderly Indians. The primary objective of
      this study was to examine the extent to which education and income influence
      cognitive functioning after adjusting for demographic characteristics, health
      risk factors and transgenerational factors such as parental education. The study
      also examined gender disparities in cognitive functioning across geographic
      regions in India. METHODS: Using cross-sectional data from the World Health
      Organization Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) Wave 1 (2007-2010) in
      a national sample of adults aged 50 years or older, a generalized linear model
      was used to examine the impacts of education and per-capita income on overall
      cognitive functioning. The generalized estimating equation approach was utilized
      to quantify these impacts on respondents' overall cognitive performance score.
      This technique accounted for any correlation of responses of individuals within
      the same household. RESULTS: Respondents with primary or secondary education and
      those with education above secondary level scored 3.8 and 6 points (P < 0.001)
      respectively more than respondents who had no formal education. In a similar
      vein, individuals in higher per-capita income quartiles scored 0.4,1.0 and 1.8 (P
      < 0.001) more than respondents in the lowest income quartile. Although
      respondents in northern states scored 1.8 points higher than those from other
      geographic locations (P < 0.001), females in northern states had the worst
      cognitive performance (1.9 points lower) compared with females in other Indian
      states. In addition, early and adult life characteristics such as parental
      education, physical activity and a history of depression were found to be
      significant predictors of overall cognitive functioning. CONCLUSION: Education
      and income play important roles in influencing overall cognitive performance
      among middle-aged and elderly Indians. In addition, cognitive performance scores
      varied across geographic regions, and female disadvantage was observed in
      northern Indian states. Policies directed towards greater educational
      opportunities, particularly for women in northern Indian states, or promotion of
      physical activity programmes, have potential to improve cognitive performance and
      enhance cognitive health among middle-aged and older adults in India.

PMID- 28615592
TI  - Integrating adolescent-friendly health services into the public health system: an
      experience from rural India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although India's health policy is directed toward improving
      adolescent reproductive health, adolescent-friendly health services are scarce.
      The intervention for "integrating adolescent-friendly health services into the
      public health system" is an effort to improve the health status of adolescents in
      rural areas of the Varanasi (Arajiline) and Bangalore (Hosakote) districts in
      India. The purpose of this article is to describe the features of the
      intervention and investigate the impact on improving awareness and utilization of
      services by adolescent as well as quality of ARSH services in the intervention
      districts. METHODS: Data from project monitoring, community survey (737
      adolescents), exit interviews (120 adolescents), assessment of adolescent sexual
      and reproductive health clinics (n = 4), and health service statistics were used.
      Descriptive analyses and paired t-tests were used to compare the two intervention
      districts. RESULTS: Overall, the percentage of adolescents who were aware of the
      services being offered at a health-care facility was higher in Hosakote (range:
      56.2% to 74.7%) as compared to Arajiline (range: 67.3% to 96.9); 23.3% and 42.6%
      of adolescents in Arajiline and Hosakote typically sought multiple services at
      any one visit. A large percentage of clients (Arajiline: 81.7%; Hosakote: 95.0%)
      were satisfied with the services they received from the facility. The relative
      change in uptake of services from the first quarter (January to March 2009) to
      the last quarter (October to December 2010) was significantly higher in Arajiline
      (7.93, P = 0.020) than in Hosakote (0.78, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The
      intervention had positive results for the public health system and the services
      are being scaled up to different blocks of the districts, under a public-private
      partnership.

PMID- 28615594
TI  - Oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus: first reported case from
      India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies on antiviral susceptibiliy from South-East Asia,
      Europe and the United States have shown sporadic neuraminidase inhibitor (NAI)
      resistance in A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. We undertook a study to evaluate NAI
      resistance in these viruses isolated in India. METHODS: Pandemic influenza
      viruses, isolated from 2009 to 2013, along with clincal samples were genetically
      analysed for known resistance markers in the neuraminidase (NA) gene. Clinical
      samples (n=1524) were tested for H275Y (N1 numbering; H274Y in N2 numbering)
      mutation by real time reverse transcriptase PCR (rRT-PCR). One hundred and ten
      randomly selected resistant and sensitive viruses were analysed by phenotypic
      assay. RESULTS: All but one of the 2013 A(H1N1)pdm09 isolates were sensitive to
      oseltamivir. Genetic analysis of this isolate as well as the original clinical
      material showed that the presence of H275Y mutation was responsible for reduced
      susceptibility to oseltamivir in the patient. This was confirmed by phenotypic
      assay. CONCLUSION: The emergence of a pandemic influenza strain resistant to
      oseltamivir emphasizes the need for monitoring antiviral resistance as part of
      the National Influenza Programme in India.

PMID- 28615593
TI  - Knowledge and opinion about smoke-free laws and second-hand smoke among
      hospitality venue managers in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: India's Smoke-Free Law (SFL) was implemented in 2004 and reinforced
      on 2nd October 2008. This research attempts to understand the knowledge and
      opinion of hospitality venue (HV) managers about second-hand smoke (SHS) and SFL
      as well as self-reported compliance with SFL in two Indian states. METHODS: A
      survey was conducted among 804 randomly sampled HVs from project STEPS
      (Strengthening of tobacco control efforts through innovative partnerships and
      strategies) in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, India. Four hundred and three HVs from
      two districts in Gujarat and 401 HVs from six districts in Andhra Pradesh were
      selected. The owner, manager or supervisor of each HV was interviewed using a pre
      tested structured interview schedule. Association of opinion scales with
      respondents' background characteristics was assessed through the analysis of
      variance (ANOVA) method. RESULTS: Out of the 403 respondents in Gujarat and 401
      in Andhra Pradesh, 56.1% and 84.3% had knowledge about SFL respectively.
      Compliance of HVs with SFL was 21.8% in Gujarat and 31.2% in Andhra Pradesh as
      reported by the managers. Knowledge about SHS was noted among 39.7% of
      respondents in Gujarat and 25.4% in Andhra Pradesh. Bivariate results indicated
      that more educated HV managers showed higher support for smoke-free public places
      (P < 0.001) and were more concerned about the health effects of SHS exposure (P =
      0.002). CONCLUSION: Complete self-reported compliance with, and knowledge of SFL
      as well as SHS was not found in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. The education level
      of HV managers is an important determinant to ensure compliance with SFL in
      public places.

PMID- 28615595
TI  - Tetanus: still a public health problem in India - observations in an infectious
      diseases hospital in Kolkata.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tetanus is a major health problem in many developing countries,
      including India, with significant morbidity and mortality due to lack of
      environmental hygiene and health education, incomplete vaccination, high case
      prevalence and inadequate intensive care facilities. OBJECTIVES: To observe the
      demography, clinical profile and outcomes of tetanus patients. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A total of 282 tetanus patients were screened and closely observed
      prospectively from January 2010 to December 2011. RESULTS: The mean age of the
      study patients was 31.15 years (+/- 14.26) and the majority were unvaccinated or
      incompletely vaccinated against tetanus. Patients were mainly farmers (140,
      49.64%) and children (102, 36.17%). The sources of infection identified were
      mainly thorn/pin prick in 129 cases (45.7%), cut/lacerated injury in 83 cases
      (29.4%) and ear infection in 47 cases (16.7%), while definite injurywas not
      detected/remembered in 42 cases (14.8%). The average duration of hospital stay
      was 17.2 +/- (4.7) days and autonomic nervous system dysfunction was the most
      common complication observed in this study. Death was the outcome in a total of
      58 patients (20.6%) mostly due to aspiration pneumonia-induced sepsis,
      respiratory failure or cardiac complications. CONCLUSION: Environmental hygiene,
      basic health education, increased in immunization coverage, proper wound care -
      even following minor injuries - and more facilities for intensive care units, may
      reduce the overall incidence of tetanus and mortality following onset of the
      disease.

PMID- 28615596
TI  - Veterinary public health capacity-building in India: a grim reflection of the
      developing world's underpreparedness to address zoonotic risks.
AB  - Veterinary public health (VPH) is ideally suited to promote convergence between
      human, animal and environmental sectors. Recent zoonotic and emerging infectious
      disease events have given rise to increasing calls for efforts to build global
      VPH capacities. However, even with their greater vulnerability to such events,
      including their economic and livelihood impacts, the response from low-and middle
      income countries such as India has been suboptimal, thereby elevating global
      health risks. Addressing risks effectively at the human-animal interface in these
      countries will require a clear vision, consistent policies, strategic approach
      and sustained political commitment to reform and refine the current VPH capacity
      building efforts. Only then can the discipline serve its goal of disease
      prevention, poverty alleviation and support for sustainable livelihoods through
      improvements in human and animal health.

PMID- 28615597
TI  - Knowledge brokering for evidence-based urban health policy: a proposed framework.
AB  - This paper presents a multidimensional approach to examining the urban evidence
      policy interface in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and applies this
      approach to a case study from Pakistan. Key features of urban health policy and
      the significance of the evidence-policy interface in rapidly changing LMICs are
      articulated; characteristics of evidence that has been successfully incorporated
      into health policy are also defined. An urban health evidence-to-policy
      exploratory framework for LMICs based on innovative multidisciplinary thinking
      and pivotal knowledge brokering is presented. Application of the framework to a
      case study on road transport and health in urban Pakistan underscores the
      opportunities and utility of knowledge brokering. Public health practitioners can
      become knowledge brokers at the evidence-policy interface to develop a concerted,
      coordinated and informed response to urban health challenges in LMICs.

PMID- 28615598
TI  - Fiscal competition in health spending among local governments in the Philippines.
AB  - The Philippines is one of several Asian countries that has decentralized the
      provision of health care to its local governments in recent decades. In the
      context of decentralization, a few studies have previously examined the issue of
      fiscal competition among local governments in the developing world. This report
      presents a summary of a published study that examined the existence of inter
      jurisdictional competition in health-care spending in the Philippines. The
      results indicate the presence of positive fiscal "spillovers" in health spending,
      consistent with municipalities/cities competing to outspend their neighbours.
      Several potential explanations forthis finding are discussed.

PMID- 28615599
TI  - Trends in tobacco use in Nepal.

PMID- 28615600
TI  - Success of tuberculosis and HIV collaboration.

PMID- 28615601
TI  - Janani Suraksha Yojana: the conditional cash transfer scheme to reduce maternal
      mortality in India - a need for reassessment.
AB  - Alongside endorsing Millennium Development Goal 5 in 2000, India launched its
      National Population Policy in 2000 and the National Health Policy in 2002.
      However, these have failed thus far to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR)
      by the targeted 5.5% per annum. Under the banner of the National Rural Health
      Mission, the Government of India launched a national conditional cash transfer
      (CCT) scheme in 2005 called Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), aimed to encourage
      women to give birth in health facilities which, in turn, should reduce maternal
      deaths. Poor prenatal care in general, and postnatal care in particular, could be
      considered the causes of the high number of maternal deaths in India (the highest
      in the world). Undoubtedly, institutional delivery in India has increased and MMR
      has reduced over time as a result of socioeconomic development coupled with
      advancement in health care including improved women's education, awareness and
      availability of health services. However, in the light of its performance, we
      argue that the JSY scheme was not well enough designed to be considered as an
      effective pathway to reduce MMR. We propose that the service-based CCT is not the
      solution to avoid/reduce maternal deaths and that policy-makers and programme
      managers should reconsider the 'package' of continuum of care and maternal health
      services to ensure that they start from adolescence and the pre-pregnancy period,
      and extend to delivery, postnatal and continued maternal health care.

PMID- 28615602
TI  - Pandemic influenza preparedness planning: lessons from Cambodia.

PMID- 28615603
TI  - A review of Japanese encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a major public health problem in India.
      When the first case was reported in 1955, the disease was restricted to south
      India. The disease spread to north India in 1978 from where extensive and
      recurrent outbreaks of JE have been reported ever since. An attempt has been made
      to review the epidemiology of JE over the past 30 years and suggestions made for
      its prevention and control. METHODS: An epidemiological profile of JE (1978-2009)
      has been compiled and analysed to understand the trend and status of the disease.
      RESULTS: In India, while 24 states are endemic for JE, Uttar Pradesh contributed
      more than 75% of cases during the recent past. Over the years, the seasonal trend
      has changed and the epidemic peak of the disease has advanced by one month.
      CONCLUSION: JE is closely associated with the pattern of precipitation, flooding
      and rice production systems. Analysis of trends and influencing factors will help
      in designing suitable strategies for the prevention and control of JE in the
      country. Continuous monitoring of vector populations and JE virus infection rates
      in vector mosquitoes will help in predicting an outbreak and in taking effective
      intervention measures.

PMID- 28615604
TI  - A study on delay in treatment of kala-azar patients in Bangladesh.
AB  - Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) continues to be a major rural public health
      problem in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was carried out in two
      subdistricts of Mymensingh district from January 2006 to June 2007 to evaluate
      the delay kala-azar treatment. Suspected patients who attended to out patient
      department (OPD) were subjected to a dipstick test (RK39) for kala-azar. Sixty
      five from Bhaluka and 60 positive patients from Gafargaon subdistrict were
      enrolled. Most of the patients (80%) first visited nonqualified private
      practitioners, while only 15.2% consulted registered doctors. Fifty per cent were
      referred to the Upazilla health complex (UZHC) by the family members or
      relatives. About 49% and 43% patients required third and second health-care
      providers for kala-azar treatment, respectively. Patient delay ranged from 2 to
      30 days; median 4 (IQR 3 to 7 days), the system delay ranged from 0 days to 225
      days; median 54 (IQR 40-66 days). Residential status (p value <0.05) had impact
      on patient delay. Educational status and number of treatment providers had impact
      on system delay (p<0.05). System delay rather than patient delay is the important
      weakness of the kala-azar control programme in Bangladesh. Residence in rural
      areas, low educational background and treatment providers are associated with
      these delays. A proper educational programme may reduce the delay.

PMID- 28615605
TI  - Factors associated with high prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected
      people visiting for assessment of eligibility for highly active antiretroviral
      therapy in Kathmandu, Nepal.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is the leading cause of deaths among HIV patients. In
      this study, we estimated the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and
      identified the factors/co-morbidities associated with active PTB in HIV-infected
      people visiting the national public health laboratory to assess their eligibility
      to receive highly active antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: A cross-sectional study
      was conducted to measure the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Data on
      probable risk factors in patients with and without PTB were compared, calculating
      the odds ratio as a measure of association. Factors showing significant
      association in univariate analyses were included in a stepwise backward logistic
      regression model to adjust for confounding. RESULTS: The prevalence of pulmonary
      tuberculosis was 32.4 % (95% confidence interval (CI) 30.25-34.56). In the
      univariate analysis, patients with PTB were more likely to be older, married, and
      have a longer duration since the diagnosis of HIV, diarrhoea, parasitic
      infection, lower CD4 T-cell counts, and lower CD4/CD8 ratio. However, the
      backward stepwise logistic regression revealed that only the CD4 T-cell count <
      200/MUL (AOR 11.69, 95% CI 6.23-21.94), CD4 T-cell count 200-350/MUL (AOR 2.52,
      95% CI 1.30-4.89), diarrhoea (AOR 2.77, 95% CI 1.78-4.31), parasitic infection
      (AOR 3.34, 95% CI 2.02-5.50) and 'sex with partner' as probable modes of
      transmission (AOR 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.93) were independently associated with
      pulmonary tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis
      was observed. Participants with tuberculosis were significantly more likely to
      have lower CD4 counts, diarrhoea, and parasitic infections. HIV treatment
      programmes should consider these factors for better outcomes.

PMID- 28615606
TI  - Compliance of off-premise alcohol retailers with the minimum purchase age law.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Thailand, the 2008 Alcoholic Beverages Control Act set the minimum
      purchase age (MPA) at 20 years old in order to limit new drinkers as part of the
      overall alcohol control effort. This study aims to assess the compliance of off
      premise alcohol retailers with MPA restrictions and to identify factors affecting
      sales to adolescents. METHODS: A decoy protocol was used to quantify compliance
      of 417 alcohol retailers from three categories, namely grocers, modern minimarts
      and department stores. Multi-stage sampling was applied to obtain the samples in
      four provinces: Bangkok, Nakorn Sawan, Songkhla and Surin. Each alcohol retailer
      was visited twice by 17-19 year-old male and female adolescents who tried to buy
      alcohol. Information collected from focus groups and in-depth interviews with
      vendors and management officers were analysed for the qualitative methodology.
      RESULTS: Of all 834 buying attempts undertaken by the underage adolescent, 98.7%
      were successful in buying alcohol. Only 0.9% were asked for age and 0.1% were
      requested to show an ID card. Age and ID verifications were statistically
      significant to buying success as well as province, while number of vendors,
      gender and age of vendors and buyers, type of outlet, law cautions and
      advertisement signs in the outlet demonstrated no significant association.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that vendors fail to comply with the law despite
      the fact that they know the law. Enforcement needs to be strengthened to
      effectively limit new drinkers.

PMID- 28615607
TI  - External quality assessment in blood group serology in the World Health
      Organization South-East Asia Region.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The quality of blood transfusion services (BTS) is essential for the
      treatment of patients who need blood or blood products. BTS involve several
      steps, including the acquisition of the donor's blood, blood grouping, unexpected
      antibody screening, blood storage, transfusion, etc. There is a need to check the
      effectiveness of all elements in the BTS can be assessed and monitored by an
      external quality assessment. AIM: To assess and evaluate the performance of ABO
      and Rh(D) blood grouping and unexpected antibody screening of the selected World
      Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region Member country laboratories.
      METHODS: WHO Collaborating Centre on Strengthening Quality of Health Laboratories
      (Thailand) organized a regional external quality assessment scheme for blood
      group serology (REQAS-BGS) between 2002 and 2008 for laboratories in countries of
      the WHO South-East Asia Region. Test items for ABO and Rh(D) blood groupings and
      unexpected antibody screening and identification were distributed three cycles
      per year to BTS laboratories in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Maldives,
      Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. By the end of the project, a total of 20
      BTS laboratories had participated for differing lengths of time. RESULTS: It was
      found that 87.5%, 93.3%, 81.3%, 92.3%, 100% and 87.5% of laboratories returned
      the test results in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively.
      Laboratories with excellent quality or a trend of quality improvement for ABO and
      Rh(D) blood grouping, unexpected antibody screening and identification during the
      six years were 60% (12/20), 50% (10/20), 52.9% (9/17) and 81.8% (9/11),
      respectively. At the initiation of the scheme, most laboratories were using
      substandard methods for ABO and Rh blood groupings, i.e. performing only direct
      blood grouping alone but subsequently adopted the standard methods, i.e.
      performing both direct and reverse blood groupings. CONCLUSION: REQAS-BGS in
      South-East Asia countries has been useful for assessing, monitoring and improving
      the quality of testing. Challenges such as high costs and regulatory requirements
      for international shipment of blood samples could be solved by amending the
      regulation(s) for shipment, or establishing a national EQAS.

PMID- 28615608
TI  - Prevalence of group A genotype human rotavirus among children with diarrhoea in
      Nepal, 2009-2011.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rotavirus as a causative agent of childhood diarrhea is known to
      cause serious illness among children less than 5 years of age. This study
      examined the epidemiology of rotavirus disease burden and diversity of G and P
      genotypes of rotavirus in Nepal. METHODS: Stool samples were tested for rotavirus
      by Enzyme Immuno Assay and Group A rotaviruses were detected by using both ELISA
      and RT-PCR in 2718 samples between 2009 and 2011. RESULTS: Rotavirus was more
      frequently detected among inpatients (28.5%) than outpatients (15.2%). Over the
      three-year study period, 653 (24.4%) cases were positive for rotavirus by ELISA.
      Genotyping by RT-PCR was done on 638 samples. The most prevalent genotype was
      G12P [6] (60.4%). Mixed infections were not uncommon (14% in 2009, 29% in 2010 an
      7% in 2011). However, 41 were partially typed and 23 were completely untyped over
      the study period. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the rotavirus disease burden
      and diversity of rotavirus strains circulating in Nepal. Continued sentinel
      surveillance will provide useful information to policy makers with regard to
      rotavirus vaccine introduction.

PMID- 28615609
TI  - Evidence of HPV subtypes linked with cervical cancer in Nepal.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cervical cancer is the commonest malignancy among women in Nepal but
      data are limited on which subtypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) are associated
      with cancer in this population. Now that vaccines against HPV types 16 and 18 are
      available, this evidence is of vital importance in obtaining further support for
      a vaccination programme. METHODS: Cervical swabs from 44 histologically confirmed
      invasive cervical cancer cases were obtained from two tertiary referral hospitals
      in Nepal. Evidence of HPV subtypes was identified using an HPV multiplex
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and confirmed at the Scottish HPV Virus
      Reference Laboratory. RESULTS: HPV types 16 and 18 were present in 70% of
      samples, along with other high-risk subtypes. HPV 6 and 11 were not observed.
      Epidemiological data assessment appeared to indicate that patient age, age of
      marriage and age of first pregnancy were associated with increased HPV infection
      in patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides further evidence of the importance
      of HPV types 16 and 18 in cervical cancer in Nepal and adds support to a
      nationwide vaccination programme and the use of HPV detection in screening
      programmes.

PMID- 28615610
TI  - Institutionalizing district level infant death review: an experience from
      southern India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An Infant Death Review (IDR) programme was developed and implemented
      in two districts of Karnataka. OBJECTIVE: We explored the processes that led to
      the development of the IDR programme with a view to improving the existing pilot
      programme and to ensuring its sustainability. METHODS: A sequential mixed-methods
      design was followed in which quantitative data collection (secondary data) was
      followed by qualitative data collection (in-depth interviews). Quantitative data
      were entered using EpiInfo (version 3.5.1) software and qualitative data were
      analysed manually. RESULTS: Apart from ascertaining the cause of infant deaths,
      the IDR Committee discusses social, economic, behavioural and health system
      issues that potentially contribute to the deaths. As a result of the IDR
      programme, key actors perceived an improvement in infant death reporting at
      district level, the development of a rapport with the local community, and
      elaboration of a feedback system for corrective actions. This has led to improved
      health care during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: We found that involvement of the
      different stakeholders in planning and implementing the IDR programme offered a
      platform for collective learning and action. Impediments to the success of the
      programme need to be addressed by corrective actions at all levels for its future
      sustainability.

PMID- 28615611
TI  - Health systems responsiveness and its correlates: evidence from family planning
      service provision in Sri Lanka.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization has described health systems
      responsiveness (HSR) as a multi-domain concept encompassing eight non-medical
      expectations of health-care service seekers. HSR is a valuable measure of health
      systems performance, providing policy-makers and service providers much
      information to improve services. This paper presents findings of a cross
      sectional survey conducted to assess HSR and its correlates through family
      planning (FP) services in Colombo district, Sri Lanka. METHODS: A Health Systems
      Responsiveness Assessment Questionnaire, developed and validated in Sri Lanka,
      was used. Trained interviewers administered the questionnaire in 38 FP clinics
      randomly selected to sample 1520 clients. RESULTS: The rating of responsiveness
      as 'good' for six domains ranged from 88% (n=1338) to 72% (n=1094). The overall
      HSR was rated to be 'good' by 83.4% (1268). Ethnicity being majority Sinhalese,
      persons who were currently employed and those using oral contraceptive pills
      (OCP) or condoms were negatively associated with rating of HSR. Positive
      associations with the HSR assessment were a family income of less than Rs 40 000
      (US$ 303) per month, satisfaction with current FP method, use of only one method
      within the past year, use of only one FP clinic within the past year, health
      service provider being a medical officer, intention to use the FP clinic services
      in future, and satisfaction with overall services of the clinic. CONCLUSIONS:
      Though overall HSR was rated by the majority as 'good', some aspects need more
      attention in delivering FP services.

PMID- 28615612
TI  - Challenges faced by skilled birth attendants in providing antenatal and
      intrapartum care in selected rural areas of Myanmar.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Myanmar a large proportion of antenatal and intrapartum care in
      rural areas is provided by skilled birth attendants (SBAs), this study assessed
      the coverage by these health workers of all births, their adherence to service
      guidelines, and community opinion on the antenatal and delivery care they give in
      two rural health centres in Pathein Township, Ayeyarwaddy Region to identify the
      challenges and improve antenatal and intrapartum service delivery provided by the
      SBAs. METHOD: A structured questionnaire was used to interview 304 women who had
      infants under one year of age, and in-depth interviews were held with 12 SBAs and
      10 community members. RESULTS: Of the 304 pregnancies, 93% had received antenatal
      care (ANC); 97% of these were covered by SBAs at an average 15 weeks' gestation.
      The average frequency of ANC visits was 9. Rates of home and hospital deliveries
      were 84.5% and 13.8% respectively. Among home deliveries, use rate of SBA was
      51.4%, while for postnatal care, 31.3% was given by unskilled providers
      (traditional birth attendants (TBAs) 17.5%, auxiliary midwives (AMWs),13.8%).
      Multivariate analysis showed that interviewees aged 30 years and below (OR=0.468,
      P=0.046), with an education at primary level and below that of husband (OR=0.391,
      P=0.007) or not residing in the village of the rural/station health centre
      (OR=0.457, P=0.011) were significantly less likely to use SBAs. The categories of
      supervision, referral, and health education activities of SBAs were not in line
      with service guidelines. The main reasons were lack of access and community
      acceptance of TBAs. CONCLUSION: Heavy workload, geographical location,
      transportation and financial concerns were major challenges for SBAs, along with
      community compliance and mutual coordination. Good communication and service
      management skills were important to overcome these challenges.

PMID- 28615613
TI  - Epidemiologic investigation of excess maternal and neonatal deaths and evidence
      based low-cost public health interventions - Ignaz Semmelweis: the etiology,
      concept and prophylaxis of child bed fever[1].

PMID- 28615614
TI  - Effects of Connexin43 Overexpression on U251 Cell Growth, Migration, and
      Apoptosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive malignant brain
      tumor with a high incidence in adults. Connexin43 (Cx43) has general roles in
      tumorigenesis and is expressed in U251 glioma cells. Accordingly, the effects of
      Cx43 on the growth, migration, and apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms
      mediating Cx43-dependent migration and apoptosis were examined in U251 cells.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS A Cx43-overexpressing U251 cell line was generated to
      analyze the effects of Cx43 overexpression on cell growth, wound healing, and
      apoptosis-related protein expression after treatment with temozolomide. RESULTS
      The growth rate of U251 cells overexpressing Cx43 was significantly lower than
      that of parental wild-type cells, and cell morphology was considerably altered.
      The expression level of Bcl-2 was higher and the expression levels of Bax and
      caspase-3 were lower in cells overexpressing Cx43 than in wild-type cells.
      Additionally, the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decreased. CONCLUSIONS Cx43 inhibited the
      growth of U251 cells, promoted morphological changes and migration, and inhibited
      apoptosis via a mitochondria-associated pathway.

PMID- 28615615
TI  - STAT6 Upregulation Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization to Suppress
      Atherosclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND Macrophages are highly heterogeneous and plastic cells that are
      involved in all stages of atherogenesis. They can undergo polarization by
      shifting between M1 and M2 functional phenotypes. However, the role of macrophage
      polarization and the molecular mechanism in modulating atherosclerotic plaque
      stability remain incompletely understood. Our study investigated the role of
      STAT6 in regulating macrophage phenotypes to affect atherosclerotic plaque
      stability. MATERIAL AND METHODS A murine atherosclerosis model with vulnerable
      plaques was induced with high-cholesterol diet and PCCP surgeries in ApoE-/-
      mice. Murine macrophages RAW264.7 treated with ox-LDL or IL-4 were used to
      simulate the in vitro process. pcDNA3.1(-)/STAT6-expressing vectors were
      transfected into RAW264.7 to evaluate its effect on cell polarization and the
      involved molecules. RESULTS Unstable plaques presented significantly increased M1
      markers (CD86 and iNOS) and less M2 markers (Arg-1 and TGF-beta) than the stable
      plaques. Moreover, we found that STAT6 and p-STAT6 were greatly decreased in the
      vulnerable plaques and ox-LDL-induced macrophages, while their expression was
      elevated after IL-4 stimulation. The overexpression of STAT6 substantially
      reversed the ox-LDL-stimulated macrophage apoptosis and lipid accumulation. STAT6
      upregulation promoted the differentiation of macrophage to M2 subtype as
      reflected by the increased expression of Arg-1 and TGF-beta. Furthermore, we
      found that STAT6 overexpression activated the Wnt-beta-catenin signaling by
      enhancing the translocation of beta-catenin, while beta-catenin suppression
      inhibited STAT6 overexpression-induced M2 polarization. CONCLUSIONS STAT6
      facilitated atherosclerotic plaque stabilization by promoting the polarization of
      macrophages to M2 subtype and antagonizing ox-LDL-induced cell apoptosis and
      lipid deposition in a Wnt-beta-catenin-dependent manner.

PMID- 28615616
TI  - Early-Stage Mucinous Ovarian Adenocarcinoma with Extensive Clotting in a
      Previously Healthy Young Female Patient: An Uncommon Presentation of a Relatively
      Uncommon Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND Mucinous ovarian adenocarcinoma is one of the less common epithelial
      cancers of the ovaries, and typically does not occur in younger women. Nearly all
      mucinous ovarian adenocarcinomas present with early-stage disease without
      significant sequelae of cancer, such as clotting. Anchoring bias is a common
      problem in medicine that has been shown to significantly affect physician
      decision-making. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 24-year-old healthy female
      Chinese immigrant with no significant past medical history, who presented with a
      subacute history of nonproductive cough and shortness of breath with exertion.
      Initial workup was directed towards diagnosis of tuberculosis and other
      infectious etiologies due to anchoring to patient's nationality and her positive
      family history for tuberculosis. She was eventually diagnosed with extensive
      bilateral pulmonary emboli and bilateral deep vein thromboses as well as a right
      ventricular thrombus. This extensive clot burden helped lead to the diagnosis of
      mucinous ovarian adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS This case is significant not only
      because the diagnosis of mucinous ovarian adenocarcinoma is uncommon in healthy
      young females under the age of 25, but, more importantly, because such extensive
      pulmonary emboli and deep vein thromboses in a young female with local/early
      stage ovarian cancer is very rare. This case is also significant because it
      serves as an important reminder of the risks of anchoring bias in skewing
      perceptions and delaying the correct diagnosis by physicians.

PMID- 28615617
TI  - Flexible integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics.
AB  - Silicon photonics has been developed successfully with a top-down fabrication
      technique to enable large-scale photonic integrated circuits with high
      reproducibility, but is limited intrinsically by the material capability for
      active or nonlinear applications. On the other hand, free-standing nanowires
      synthesized via a bottom-up growth present great material diversity and
      structural uniformity, but precisely assembling free-standing nanowires for on
      demand photonic functionality remains a great challenge. Here we report hybrid
      integration of free-standing nanowires into silicon photonics with high
      flexibility by coupling free-standing nanowires onto target silicon waveguides
      that are simultaneously used for precise positioning. Coupling efficiency between
      a free-standing nanowire and a silicon waveguide is up to ~97% in the
      telecommunication band. A hybrid nonlinear-free-standing nanowires-silicon
      waveguides Mach-Zehnder interferometer and a racetrack resonator for
      significantly enhanced optical modulation are experimentally demonstrated, as
      well as hybrid active-free-standing nanowires-silicon waveguides circuits for
      light generation. These results suggest an alternative approach to flexible
      multifunctional on-chip nanophotonic devices.Precisely assembling free-standing
      nanowires for on-demand photonic functionality remains a challenge. Here, Chen et
      al. integrate free-standing nanowires into silicon waveguides and show all
      optical modulation and light generation on silicon photonic chips.

PMID- 28615619
TI  - Excess reciprocity distorts reputation in online social networks.
AB  - The peer-to-peer (P2P) economy relies on establishing trust in distributed
      networked systems, where the reliability of a user is assessed through digital
      peer-review processes that aggregate ratings into reputation scores. Here we
      present evidence of a network effect which biases digital reputation, revealing
      that P2P networks display exceedingly high levels of reciprocity. In fact, these
      are much higher than those compatible with a null assumption that preserves the
      empirically observed level of agreement between all pairs of nodes, and rather
      close to the highest levels structurally compatible with the networks' reputation
      landscape. This indicates that the crowdsourcing process underpinning digital
      reputation can be significantly distorted by the attempt of users to mutually
      boost reputation, or to retaliate, through the exchange of ratings. We uncover
      that the least active users are predominantly responsible for such reciprocity
      induced bias, and that this fact can be exploited to obtain more reliable
      reputation estimates. Our findings are robust across different P2P platforms,
      including both cases where ratings are used to vote on the content produced by
      users and to vote on user profiles.

PMID- 28615618
TI  - Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of Escherichia coli isolates carrying
      virulence factors of both enteropathogenic and enterotoxigenic E. coli.
AB  - Escherichia coli that are capable of causing human disease are often classified
      into pathogenic variants (pathovars) based on their virulence gene content.
      However, disease-associated hybrid E. coli, containing unique combinations of
      multiple canonical virulence factors have also been described. Such was the case
      of the E. coli O104:H4 outbreak in 2011, which caused significant morbidity and
      mortality. Among the pathovars of diarrheagenic E. coli that cause significant
      human disease  are the enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and enterotoxigenic E.
      coli (ETEC). In the current study we use comparative genomics, transcriptomics,
      and functional studies to characterize isolates that contain virulence factors of
      both EPEC and ETEC. Based on phylogenomic analysis, these hybrid isolates are
      more genomically-related to EPEC, but appear to have acquired ETEC virulence
      genes. Global transcriptional analysis using RNA sequencing, demonstrated that
      the EPEC and ETEC virulence genes of these hybrid isolates were differentially
      expressed under virulence-inducing laboratory conditions, similar to reference
      isolates. Immunoblot assays further verified that the virulence gene products
      were produced and that the T3SS effector EspB of EPEC, and heat-labile toxin of
      ETEC were secreted. These findings document the existence and virulence potential
      of an E. coli pathovar hybrid that blurs the distinction between E. coli
      pathovars.

PMID- 28615620
TI  - Understanding 'saturation' of radar signals over forests.
AB  - There is an urgent need to quantify anthropogenic influence on forest carbon
      stocks. Using satellite-based radar imagery for such purposes has been challenged
      by the apparent loss of signal sensitivity to changes in forest aboveground
      volume (AGV) above a certain 'saturation' point. The causes of saturation are
      debated and often inadequately addressed, posing a major limitation to mapping
      AGV with the latest radar satellites. Using ground- and lidar-measurements across
      La Rioja province (Spain) and Denmark, we investigate how various properties of
      forest structure (average stem height, size and number density; proportion of
      canopy and understory cover) simultaneously influence radar backscatter. It is
      found that increases in backscatter due to changes in some properties (e.g.
      increasing stem sizes) are often compensated by equal magnitude decreases caused
      by other properties (e.g. decreasing stem numbers and increasing heights),
      contributing to the apparent saturation of the AGV-backscatter trend. Thus,
      knowledge of the impact of management practices and disturbances on forest
      structure may allow the use of radar imagery for forest biomass estimates beyond
      commonly reported saturation points.

PMID- 28615621
TI  - Combination of scanning probe technology with photonic nanojets.
AB  - Light focusing through a microbead leads to the formation of a photonic nanojet
      functional for enhancing the spatial resolution of traditional optical systems.
      Despite numerous works that prove this phenomenon, a method to appropriately
      translate the nanojet on top of a region of interest is still missing. Here, by
      using advanced 3D fabrication techniques we integrated a microbead on an AFM
      cantilever thus realizing a system to efficiently position nanojets. This
      fabrication approach is robust and can be exploited in a myriad of applications,
      ranging from microscopy to Raman spectroscopy. We demonstrate the potential of
      portable nanojets by imaging different sub-wavelength structures. Thanks to the
      achieved portability, we were able to perform a detailed optical characterization
      of the resolution enhancement induced by the microbead, which sheds light into
      the many contradictory resolution claims present in literature. Our conclusions
      are strongly supported by rigorous data analysis and by numerical simulations,
      all in perfect agreement with experimental results.

PMID- 28615622
TI  - A Russian Dolls ordering of the Hadamard basis for compressive single-pixel
      imaging.
AB  - Single-pixel imaging is an alternate imaging technique particularly well-suited
      to imaging modalities such as hyper-spectral imaging, depth mapping, 3D
      profiling. However, the single-pixel technique requires sequential measurements
      resulting in a trade-off between spatial resolution and acquisition time,
      limiting real-time video applications to relatively low resolutions. Compressed
      sensing techniques can be used to improve this trade-off. However, in this low
      resolution regime, conventional compressed sensing techniques have limited impact
      due to lack of sparsity in the datasets. Here we present an alternative
      compressed sensing method in which we optimize the measurement order of the
      Hadamard basis, such that at discretized increments we obtain complete sampling
      for different spatial resolutions. In addition, this method uses deterministic
      acquisition, rather than the randomized sampling used in conventional compressed
      sensing. This so-called 'Russian Dolls' ordering also benefits from minimal
      computational overhead for image reconstruction. We find that this compressive
      approach performs as well as other compressive sensing techniques with greatly
      simplified post processing, resulting in significantly faster image
      reconstruction. Therefore, the proposed method may be useful for single-pixel
      imaging in the low resolution, high-frame rate regime, or video-rate acquisition.

PMID- 28615623
TI  - Proboscis infection route of Beauveria bassiana triggers early death of Anopheles
      mosquito.
AB  - Entomopathogenic fungi are known to control vector mosquito populations. Thus,
      understanding the infection dynamics of entomopathogenic fungi is crucial for the
      effective control of insect pests such as mosquitoes. We investigated the
      dynamics of Beauveria bassiana s.l. 60-2 infection of Anopheles stephensi by
      exposing the mosquito to fungus-impregnated filter paper through two infection
      routes and then comparing the mortality and extent of infection. Fungal
      development was observed after using this inoculation method with both the tarsus
      route and the proboscis route, but early mosquito death occurred only after
      infection through the proboscis route. Fungal hyphae invaded almost all the
      tissues and organs before or after the death of the host, and fungal invasion of
      the brain was highly correlated with mortality. Moreover, although all mosquitoes
      that were alive at various time points after inoculation showed no fungal
      infection in the brain, fungal infection was detected in the brain in all dead
      mosquitoes. Our results suggest that fungal invasion of the brain represents one
      of the factors affecting mortality, and that the proboscis route of infection is
      critical for the early death of vector mosquitoes.

PMID- 28615624
TI  - Circulation of HAdV-41 with diverse genome types and recombination in acute
      gastroenteritis among children in Shanghai.
AB  - Human adenovirus F (HAdV-F) is one of the major causative species detected in
      acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide. HAdV-F is composed of serotypes 40
      and 41. Most studies have reported the prevalence of HAdV-41 and focused on its
      epidemiologic characteristics. In this study, seventeen samples were identified
      as HAdV-41 out of 273 fecal specimens from children with acute diarrhea in
      Shanghai. Five isolates were isolated and subjected to whole genome sequencing
      and analysis to characterize the genetic variation and evolution. Full genome
      analysis revealed low genetic variation (99.07-99.92% identity) among the
      isolates, and InDels are observed in the E2A gene and the hexon gene compared to
      the reference strain NIVD103. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all isolates
      mainly formed two genome-type clusters but with incongruence in the trees of
      whole genomes and individual genes. The recombination breakpoints of the five
      isolates were inferred by the Recombination Detection Program (RDP) and varied in
      the number and location of the recombination events, indicating different
      evolution origins. Overall, our study highlights the genetic diversity of HAdV-41
      isolates circulating in Shanghai, which may have evolved from inter-strain
      recombination.

PMID- 28615625
TI  - Anti-leukemia activity of a Hsp70 inhibitor and its hybrid molecules.
AB  - In this study we examined the anti-leukemia activity of a small molecule
      inhibitor of Hsp70 proteins, apoptozole (Az), and hybrids in which it is linked
      to an inhibitor of either Hsp90 (geldanamycin) or Abl kinase (imatinib). The
      results of NMR studies revealed that Az associates with an ATPase domain of Hsc70
      and thus blocks ATP binding to the protein. Observations made in the cell study
      indicated that Az treatment promotes leukemia cell death by activating caspase
      dependent apoptosis without affecting the caspase-independent apoptotic pathway.
      Importantly, the hybrids composed of Az and geldanamycin, which have high
      inhibitory activities towards both Hsp70 and Hsp90, exhibit enhanced anti
      leukemia activity relative to the individual inhibitors. However, the Az and
      imatinib hybrids have weak inhibitory activities towards Hsp70 and Abl, and
      display lower cytotoxicity against leukemia cells compared to those of the
      individual constituents. The results of a mechanistic study showed that the
      active hybrid molecules promote leukemia cell death through a caspase-dependent
      apoptotic pathway. Taken together, the findings suggest that Hsp70 inhibitors as
      well as their hybrids can serve as potential anti-leukemia agents.

PMID- 28615626
TI  - Neuronal P2X7 receptor-induced reactive oxygen species production contributes to
      nociceptive behavior in mice.
AB  - ATP can activate a variety of pathways through P2 purinoreceptors, leading to
      neuroprotection and pathology in the CNS. Among all P2X receptors, the P2X7
      receptor (P2X7R) is a well-defined therapeutic target for inflammatory and
      neuropathic pain. Activation of P2X7R can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      in macrophages and microglia. However, the role of ROS in P2X7R-induced pain
      remains un explored. Here, we investigated the downstream effects of neuronal
      P2X7R activation in the spinal cord. We found that ATP induces ROS production in
      spinal cord dorsal horn neurons, an effect eliminated by ROS scavenger N-tert
      butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) and P2X7R antagonist A438079. A similar effect
      was observed with a P2X7R agonist, BzATP, and was attenuated by a NADPH oxidase
      inhibitor apocynin. Intrathecal administration of BzATP resulted in ROS
      production in the spinal cord and oxidative DNA damage in dorsal horn neurons.
      BzATP also induced robust biphasic spontaneous nociceptive behavior. Pre
      treatment with A438079 abolished all BzATP-induced nociceptive behaviors, while
      ROS scavengers dose-dependently attenuated the secondary response. Here, we
      provide evidence that neuronal P2X7R activation leads to ROS production and
      subsequent nociceptive pain in mice. Together, the data indicate that P2X7R
      induced ROS play a critical role in the P2X7R signaling pathway of the CNS.

PMID- 28615627
TI  - Reduction in Migratory Phenotype in a Metastasized Breast Cancer Cell Line via
      Downregulation of S100A4 and GRM3.
AB  - To investigate phenotypic and genotypic alterations before and after bone
      metastasis, we conducted genome-wide mRNA profiling and DNA exon sequencing of
      two cell lines (TMD and BMD) derived from a mouse xenograft model. TMD cells were
      harvested from the mammary fat pad after transfecting MDA-MB-231 breast cancer
      cells, while BMD cells were isolated from the metastasized bone. Compared to BMD
      cells, TMD cells exhibited higher cellular motility. In contrast, BMD cells
      formed a spheroid with a smoother and more circular surface when co-cultured with
      osteoblasts. In characterizing mRNA expression using principal component
      analysis, S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) was aligned to a principal
      axis associated with metastasis. Partial silencing of S100A4 suppressed migratory
      capabilities of TMD cells, while Paclitaxel decreased the S100A4 level and
      reduced TMD's cellular motility. DNA mutation analysis revealed that the
      glutamate metabotropic receptor 3 (GRM3) gene gained a premature stop codon in
      BMD cells, and silencing GRM3 in TMD cells altered their spheroid shape closer to
      that of BMD cells. Collectively, this study demonstrates that metastasized cells
      are less migratory due in part to the post-metastatic downregulation of S100A4
      and GRM3. Targeting S100A4 and GRM3 may help prevent bone metastasis.

PMID- 28615628
TI  - Glucocorticoids ameliorate TGF-beta1-mediated epithelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition of airway epithelium through MAPK and Snail/Slug signaling pathways.
AB  - Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is closely associated with
      tissue remodeling. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process of
      tissue remodeling, can be a therapeutic target of CRSwNP. Glucocorticoids are a
      type of steroid hormone that is used primarily in medical therapy for patients
      with CRSwNP; however, their effects on EMT in the airway epithelium remain
      unknown. To investigate the effects of dexamethasone and fluticasone propionate,
      a class of glucocorticoids, on transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) 
      induced EMT, we used A549 cells, human primary nasal epithelial cells (hPNECs)
      and ex vivo organ culture of the inferior turbinate. TGF-beta1 induced changes in
      cell morphology, suppressed the expression of E-cadherin and enhanced the
      expression of a-smooth muscle actin, vimentin and fibronectin in A549 cells.
      However, glucocorticoids inhibited EMT, migration and invasion enhancement by TGF
      beta1. We found that the induction of phosphorylated ERK, p38 and the activity of
      Snail and Slug transcription factors by TGF-beta1 were suppressed by
      glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids also had a similar effect in hPNECs and ex vivo
      organ cultures of the inferior turbinate. These findings suggest that
      glucocorticoids might be a useful therapy for preventing tissue remodeling by
      blocking the EMT initiated by TGF-beta1-induced MAPK and Snail/Slug signaling
      pathways in CRSwNP.

PMID- 28615629
TI  - Effect Of Microgravity On Aromatase Expression In Sertoli Cells.
AB  - Cytochrome P450-aromatase catalyzes estrogen biosynthesis from C19 steroids. In
      the testis, Sertoli cells express P450-aromatase and represent the primary source
      of estrogen during prepuberal age. This study focused on the effect of simulated
      microgravity (SM) on aromatase expression in primary mouse Sertoli cells. When
      cultured in Rotary Cell Culture System (RCCS), Sertoli cells, formed
      multicellular three dimensional spheroids (3D). Biological properties were first
      analyzed in terms of viability, cell cycle, expression of cytoskeletal components
      and growth factors in comparison to Sertoli cells cultured in spheroids at unit
      gravity (G). SM did not affect cell viability and proliferation, nor expression
      of the main cytoskeleton proteins and of growth factors like Kit Ligand (KL) and
      glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). On the other hand, SM caused a strong
      increase in P450 aromatase mRNA and protein expression. Interestingly, P450
      aromatase was no more inducible by 8-Br-cAMP. The presence of a functional
      aromatase was confirmed by enrichment of 17beta-estradiol released in the medium
      by androgen precursors. We concluded that SM causes a significant upregulation of
      aromatase gene expression in Sertoli cells, leading to a consequent increase in
      17beta-estradiol secretion. High level of 17beta-estradiol in the testis could
      have potentially adverse effects on male fertility and testicular cancer.

PMID- 28615630
TI  - Non-muscle myosin II is required for correct fate specification in the
      Caenorhabditis elegans seam cell divisions.
AB  - During development, cell division often generates two daughters with different
      developmental fates. Distinct daughter identities can result from the physical
      polarity and size asymmetry itself, as well as the subsequent activation of
      distinct fate programmes in each daughter. Asymmetric divisions are a feature of
      the C. elegans seam lineage, in which a series of post-embryonic, stem-like
      asymmetric divisions give rise to an anterior daughter that differentiates and a
      posterior daughter that continues to divide. Here we have investigated the role
      of non-muscle myosin II (nmy-2) in these asymmetric divisions. We show that nmy-2
      does not appear to be involved in generating physical division asymmetry, but
      nonetheless is important for specifying differential cell fate. While cell
      polarity appears normal, and chromosome and furrow positioning remains unchanged
      when nmy-2 is inactivated, seam cell loss occurs through inappropriate terminal
      differentiation of posterior daughters. This reveals a role for nmy-2 in cell
      fate determination not obviously linked to the primary polarity determination
      mechanisms it has been previously associated with.

PMID- 28615631
TI  - Inverse problem for multi-body interaction of nonlinear waves.
AB  - The inverse problem is studied in multi-body systems with nonlinear dynamics
      representing, e.g., phase-locked wave systems, standard multimode and random
      lasers. Using a general model for four-body interacting complex-valued variables
      we test two methods based on pseudolikelihood, respectively with regularization
      and with decimation, to determine the coupling constants from sets of measured
      configurations. We test statistical inference predictions for increasing number
      of sampled configurations and for an externally tunable temperature-like
      parameter mimicing real data noise and helping minimization procedures. Analyzed
      models with phasors and rotors are generalizations of problems of real-valued
      spherical problems (e.g., density fluctuations), discrete spins (Ising and
      vectorial Potts) or finite number of states (standard Potts): inference methods
      presented here can, then, be straightforward applied to a large class of inverse
      problems. The high versatility of the exposed techniques also concerns the number
      of expected interactions: results are presented for different graph topologies,
      ranging from sparse to dense graphs.

PMID- 28615633
TI  - Local particle-hole pair excitations by SU(2) symmetry fluctuations.
AB  - Understanding the pseudo-gap phase which opens in the under-doped regime of
      cuprate superconductors is one of the most enduring challenges of the physics of
      these compounds. A depletion in the electronic density of states is observed,
      which is gapping out part of the Fermi surface, leading to the formation of
      mysterious lines of massless excitations- the Fermi arcs. Here we give a new
      theoretical account of the physics of the pseudo-gap phase in terms of the
      emergence of local patches of particle-hole pairs generated by SU(2) symmetry
      fluctuations. The proliferation of these local patches accounts naturally for the
      robustness of the pseudo-gap phase to disturbances like disorder or magnetic
      field and is shown to gap out part of the Fermi surface, leading to the formation
      of the Fermi arcs. Most noticeably, we show that these patches induce a modulated
      charge distribution on the Oxygen atoms, in remarkable agreement with recent X
      ray and STM observations.

PMID- 28615632
TI  - Genome-wide analysis suggests a differential microRNA signature associated with
      normal and diabetic human corneal limbus.
AB  - Small non-coding RNAs, in particular microRNAs (miRNAs), regulate fine-tuning of
      gene expression and can impact a wide range of biological processes. However,
      their roles in normal and diseased limbal epithelial stem cells (LESC) remain
      unknown. Using deep sequencing analysis, we investigated miRNA expression
      profiles in central and limbal regions of normal and diabetic human corneas. We
      identified differentially expressed miRNAs in limbus vs. central cornea in normal
      and diabetic (DM) corneas including both type 1 (T1DM/IDDM) and type 2
      (T2DM/NIDDM) diabetes. Some miRNAs such as miR-10b that was upregulated in limbus
      vs. central cornea and in diabetic vs. normal limbus also showed significant
      increase in T1DM vs. T2DM limbus. Overexpression of miR-10b increased Ki-67
      staining in human organ-cultured corneas and proliferation rate in cultured
      corneal epithelial cells. MiR-10b transfected human organ-cultured corneas showed
      downregulation of PAX6 and DKK1 and upregulation of keratin 17 protein expression
      levels. In summary, we report for the first time differential miRNA signatures of
      T1DM and T2DM corneal limbus harboring LESC and show that miR-10b could be
      involved in the LESC maintenance and/or their early differentiation. Furthermore,
      miR-10b upregulation may be an important mechanism of corneal diabetic
      alterations especially in the T1DM patients.

PMID- 28615634
TI  - Transcriptome profiling of Cucumis metuliferus infected by Meloidogyne incognita
      provides new insights into putative defense regulatory network in Cucurbitaceae.
AB  - Root-knot nematodes (RKN) represent extensive challenges to Cucurbitaceae crops.
      However, Cucumis metuliferus (Cm) is known to be resistant to Meloidogyne
      incognita (Mi) infections. Thus, analysis of differentially expressed genes may
      lead to a comprehensive gene expression profiling of the incompatible Cm-Mi
      interaction. In this study, the time-course transcriptome of Cm against Mi
      infection was monitored using RNA-Seq. More than 170000 transcripts were examined
      in Cm roots, and 2430 genes were subsequently identified as differentially
      expressed in response to Mi infection. Based on function annotation and orthologs
      finding, the potential mechanism of transcriptional factor, cytoskeleton,
      pathogen-related genes and plant hormone were assessed at the transcription
      level. A comparison of gene expression levels between Mi-infected Cm and cucumber
      plants revealed that cytoskeleton-related genes are key regulators of Cm
      resistance to Mi. We herein discuss the dual nature of cytoskeleton-related genes
      in the susceptibility and resistance of plant hosts to Mi. Our observations
      provide novel insights into the responses of Cm to Mi at the transcriptome level.
      The data generated in this study may be useful for elucidating the mechanism
      underlying resistance to RKNs in cucurbitaceous crops.

PMID- 28615635
TI  - DNA Backbone Sulfur-Modification Expands Microbial Growth Range under Multiple
      Stresses by its anti-oxidation function.
AB  - DNA phosphorothioate (PT) modification is a sulfur modification on the backbone
      of DNA introduced by the proteins DndA-E. It has been detected within many
      bacteria isolates and metagenomic datasets, including human pathogens, and is
      considered to be widely distributed in nature. However, little is known about the
      physiological function of this modification, and thus its evolutionary
      significance and application potential remains largely a mystery. In this study,
      we focused on the advantages of DNA PT modification to bacterial cells coping
      with environmental stresses. We show that the mesophile Escherichia coli and the
      extremophile Shewanella piezotolerans both expanded their growth ranges following
      exposure to extreme temperature, salinity, pH, pressure, UV, X-ray and heavy
      metals as a result of DNA phophorothioation. The phophorothioated DNA reacted to
      both H2O2 and hydroxyl radicals in vivo, and protected genomic DNA as well as
      sensitive enzymes from intracellular oxidative damage. We further demonstrate
      that this process has evolved separate from its associated role in DNA
      restriction and modification. These findings provide a physiological role for a
      covalent modification widespread in nature and suggest possible applications in
      biotechnology and biomedicine.

PMID- 28615636
TI  - Autotransporter domain-dependent enzymatic analysis of a novel extremely
      thermostable carboxylesterase with high biodegradability towards pyrethroid
      pesticides.
AB  - The EstPS1 gene, which encodes a novel carboxylesterase of Pseudomonas synxantha
      PS1 isolated from oil well-produced water, was cloned and sequenced. EstPS1 has
      an open reading frame of 1923 bp and encodes the 640-amino acid carboxylesterase
      (EstPS1), which contains an autotransporter (AT) domain (357-640 amino acids).
      Homology analysis revealed that EstPS1 shared the highest identity (88%) with
      EstA from Pseudomonas fluorescens A506 (NCBI database) and belonged to the
      carboxylesterase family (EC 3.1.1.1). The optimum pH and temperature of
      recombinant EstPS1 were found to be 8.0 and 60  degrees C, respectively. EstPS1
      showed high thermostability, and the half-lives (T1/2 thermal inactivation) at
      60, 70, 80, 90, and 100  degrees C were 14 h, 2 h, 31 min, 10 min, and 1 min,
      respectively. To understand the role of the AT domain in carboxylesterase, AT
      domain-truncated carboxylesterase (EstPS1DeltaAT) was generated. EstPS1DeltaAT
      showed a clearly decreased secretion rate, owing to the AT domain strongly
      improved secretory expression in the heterogeneous system. EstPS1 degraded
      various pyrethroid pesticides, and hydrolysis efficiencies were dependent on the
      pyrethroid molecular structure. EstPS1 degraded all the tested pyrethroid
      pesticides and hydrolysed the p-nitrophenyl esters of medium-short-chain fatty
      acids, indicating that EstPS1 is an esterase with broad specificity.

PMID- 28615637
TI  - Defects in autophagosome-lysosome fusion underlie Vici syndrome, a
      neurodevelopmental disorder with multisystem involvement.
AB  - Vici syndrome (VICIS) is a rare, autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder
      with multisystem involvement characterized by agenesis of the corpus callosum,
      cataracts, cardiomyopathy, combined immunodeficiency, developmental delay, and
      hypopigmentation. Mutations in EPG5, a gene that encodes a key autophagy
      regulator, have been shown to cause VICIS, however, the precise pathomechanism
      underlying VICIS is yet to be clarified. Here, we describe detailed clinical
      (including brain MRI and muscle biopsy) and genetic features of nine Japanese
      patients with VICIS. Genetic dissection of these nine patients from seven
      families identified 14 causative mutations in EPG5. These included five nonsense,
      two frameshift, three splicing, one missense, and one multi-exon deletion
      mutations, and two initiation codon variants. Furthermore, cultured skin
      fibroblasts (SFs) from two affected patients demonstrated partial autophagic
      dysfunction. To investigate the function of EPG5, siRNA based EPG5 knock-down,
      and CRISPR/Cas9 mediated EPG5 knock-out HeLa cells were generated. EPG5-depleted
      cells exhibited a complete block of autophagic flux caused by defective
      autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Unexpectedly, endocytic degradation was normal in
      both VICIS SFs and EPG5 depleted cells, suggesting that EPG5 function is limited
      to the regulation of autophagosome-lysosome fusion.

PMID- 28615638
TI  - Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic assessment of pulmonary rehabilitation
      mixture for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.
AB  - Pulmonary rehabilitation mixture (PRM), a Chinese herbal medicine formula, has
      been used to treat pulmonary fibrosis for decades. In this study, we
      systematically evaluated the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic performance of
      PRM. The pharmacodynamic results showed that PRM could improve the condition of
      CoCl2-stimulated human type II alveolar epithelial cells, human pulmonary
      microvascular endothelial cells, human lung fibroblasts and pulmonary fibrosis
      rats induced by bleomycin, PRM treatment reduced the expression of platelet
      derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, toll-like receptor 4, high
      mobility group box protein 1 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha. In the
      pharmacokinetic study, an accurate and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid
      chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for
      the simultaneous determination of calycosin, calycosin-7-O-glucoside,
      formononetin, ononin and mangiferin of PRM in the rat plasma for the first time.
      The method was then successfully applied to the comparative pharmacokinetic study
      of PRM in normal and pulmonary fibrosis rats. The five constituents could be
      absorbed in the blood after the oral administration of PRM and exhibited
      different pharmacokinetic behaviors in normal and pulmonary fibrosis rats. In
      summary, PRM exhibited a satisfactory pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic
      performance, which highlights PRM as a potential multi-target oral drug for the
      treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

PMID- 28615639
TI  - Population-based study of effectiveness of neoadjuvant radiotherapy on survival
      in US rectal cancer patients according to age.
AB  - Recent cancer researches pay more attention to younger patients due to the
      variable treatment response among different age groups. Here we investigated the
      effectiveness of neoadjuvant radiation on the survival of younger and older
      patients in stage II/III rectal cancer. Data was obtained from Surveillance,
      Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (n = 12801). Propensity score
      matching was used to balance baseline covariates according to the status of
      neoadjuvant radiation. Our results showed that neoadjuvant radiation had better
      survival benefit (Log-rank P = 3.25e-06) and improved cancer-specific 3-year
      (87.6%; 95% CI: 86.4-88.7% vs. 84.1%; 95% CI: 82.8-85.3%) and 5-year survival
      rates (78.1%; 95% CI: 76.2-80.1% vs. 77%; 95% CI: 75.3-78.8%). In older groups
      (>50), neoadjuvant radiation was associated with survival benefits in stage II
      (HR: 0.741; 95% CI: 0.599-0.916; P = 5.80e-3) and stage III (HR: 0.656; 95% CI
      0.564-0.764; P = 5.26e-08). Interestingly, neoadjuvant radiation did not increase
      survival rate in younger patients (< = 50) both in stage II (HR: 2.014; 95% CI:
      0.9032-4.490; P = 0.087) and stage III (HR: 1.168; 95% CI: 0.829-1.646; P =
      0.372). Additionally, neoadjuvant radiation significantly decreased the cancer
      specific mortality in older patients, but increased mortality in younger
      patients. Our results provided new insights on the neoadjuvant radiation in
      rectal cancer, especially for the younger patients.

PMID- 28615640
TI  - Differential depression of neuronal network activity by midazolam and its main
      metabolite 1-hydroxymidazolam in cultured neocortical slices.
AB  - The benzodiazepine midazolam is widely used in critical care medicine. Midazolam
      has a clinically active metabolite, 1-hydroxymidazolam. The contribution of 1
      hydroxymidazolam to the effects of midazolam is controversial. The aim of the
      current study was to compare the actions of midazolam and 1-hydroxymidazolam on
      network activity of cortical neurons. Midazolam depressed neuronal activity at a
      low concentration of 5 nM. When midazolam concentration was increased, it
      depressed neuronal discharge rates in a biphasic manner. In comparison, 1
      hydroxymidazolam did not depress the cortical network activity at low nanomolar
      concentrations. Higher concentrations of 1-hydroxymidazolam consistently
      inhibited neuronal activity. Moreover, midazolam shortened cortical up states at
      low, but not at high concentrations, while the opposite effect was observed with
      1-hydroxymidazolam. The network depressant action of midazolam at low
      concentrations was absent in slices from GABAA receptor alpha1(H101R)mutant mice.
      The alpha1(H101R)mutation renders alpha1-subunit containing GABAA receptors
      insensitive towards benzodiazepines. This GABAA receptor subtype is thought to
      mediate sedation. As midazolam is more potent than its metabolite 1
      hydroxymidazolam, the major clinical effects are thus likely caused by midazolam
      itself. However, 1-hydroxymidazolam could add to the effects of midazolam,
      especially after the application of high doses of midazolam, and in case of
      impaired drug metabolism.

PMID- 28615641
TI  - An earlier revolution: genetic and genomic analyses reveal pre-existing cultural
      differences leading to Neolithization.
AB  - Archaeological evidence shows that, in the long run, Neolitization (the
      transition from foraging to food production) was associated with demographic
      growth. We used two methods (patterns of linkage disequilibrium from whole-genome
      SNPs and MSMC estimates on genomes) to reconstruct the demographic profiles for
      respectively 64 and 24 modern-day populations with contrasting lifestyles across
      the Old World (sub-Saharan Africa, south-eastern Asia, Siberia). Surprisingly, in
      all regions, food producers had larger effective population sizes (N e) than
      foragers already 20 k years ago, well before the Neolithic revolution. As
      expected, this difference further increased ~12-10 k years ago, around or just
      before the onset of food production. Using paleoclimate reconstructions, we show
      that the early difference in N e cannot be explained by food producers inhabiting
      more favorable regions. A number of mechanisms, including ancestral differences
      in census size, sedentism, exploitation of the natural resources, social
      stratification or connectivity between groups, might have led to the early
      differences in Ne detected in our analyses. Irrespective of the specific
      mechanisms involved, our results provide further evidence that long term cultural
      differences among populations of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers are likely to have
      played an important role in the later Neolithization process.

PMID- 28615642
TI  - Skin sloughing in susceptible and resistant amphibians regulates infection with a
      fungal pathogen.
AB  - The fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been implicated in
      amphibian population declines globally. Given that Bd infection is limited to the
      skin in post-metamorphic amphibians, routine skin sloughing may regulate
      infection. Skin sloughing has been shown to reduce the number of cultivatable
      microbes on amphibian skin, and Bd infection increases skin sloughing rates at
      high loads. However, it is unclear whether species specific differences in skin
      sloughing patterns could regulate Bd population growth on the skin, and influence
      subsequent infection dynamics. We exposed five Australian frog species to Bd, and
      monitored sloughing rates and infection loads over time. Sloughing reduced Bd
      load on the ventral skin surface, in all five species, despite wide variation in
      susceptibility to disease. In the least susceptible species, an increase in
      sloughing rate occurred at lower infection loads, and sloughing reduced Bd load
      up to 100%, leading to infection clearance. Conversely, the drop in Bd load with
      sloughing was only temporary in the more susceptible species. These findings
      indicate that the ability of sloughing to act as an effective immune defence is
      species specific, and they have implications for understanding the pattern of Bd
      population growth on individual hosts, as well as population-level effects.

PMID- 28615643
TI  - Family aggression in a social lizard.
AB  - The evolution of family living is underpinned by conflict and cooperation between
      family members. While family groups can be maintained by reducing conflict
      between parents and offspring, interactions between siblings may play an equally
      important role. Here, we compared the level of aggressive interactions between
      siblings to that between parents and their offspring in the family living skink
      Liopholis whitii. Aggressive interactions occurred much more frequently between
      siblings and between fathers and offspring than between mothers and their
      offspring. These results suggest that ecological and social conditions that
      reduce conflict between siblings and between males and offspring will be
      fundamental in the evolutionary maintenance and diversification of family living
      in these lizards.

PMID- 28615644
TI  - miRNA profiling during antigen-dependent T cell activation: A role for miR-132
      3p.
AB  - microRNAs (miRNAs) are tightly regulated during T lymphocyte activation to enable
      the establishment of precise immune responses. Here, we analyzed the changes of
      the miRNA profiles of T cells in response to activation by cognate interaction
      with dendritic cells. We also studied mRNA targets common to miRNAs regulated in
      T cell activation. pik3r1 gene, which encodes the regulatory subunits of PI3K
      p50, p55 and p85, was identified as target of miRNAs upregulated after T cell
      activation. Using 3'UTR luciferase reporter-based and biochemical assays, we
      showed the inhibitory relationship between miR-132-3p upregulation and expression
      of the pik3r1 gene. Our results indicate that specific miRNAs whose expression is
      modulated during T cell activation might regulate PI3K signaling in T cells.

PMID- 28615645
TI  - Intravascular forward-looking ultrasound transducers for microbubble-mediated
      sonothrombolysis.
AB  - Effective removal or dissolution of large blood clots remains a challenge in
      clinical treatment of acute thrombo-occlusive diseases. Here we report the
      development of an intravascular microbubble-mediated sonothrombolysis device for
      improving thrombolytic rate and thus minimizing the required dose of thrombolytic
      drugs. We hypothesize that a sub-megahertz, forward-looking ultrasound transducer
      with an integrated microbubble injection tube is more advantageous for efficient
      thrombolysis by enhancing cavitation-induced microstreaming than the conventional
      high-frequency, side-looking, catheter-mounted transducers. We developed custom
      miniaturized transducers and demonstrated that these transducers are able to
      generate sufficient pressure to induce cavitation of lipid-shelled microbubble
      contrast agents. Our technology demonstrates a thrombolysis rate of 0.7 +/- 0.15
      percent mass loss/min in vitro without any use of thrombolytic drugs.

PMID- 28615646
TI  - Hydrogen sulfide stimulates CFTR in Xenopus oocytes by activation of the cAMP/PKA
      signalling axis.
AB  - Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recognized as a signalling molecule which affects
      the activity of ion channels and transporters in epithelial cells. The cystic
      fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is an epithelial anion
      channel and a key regulator of electrolyte and fluid homeostasis. In this study,
      we investigated the regulation of CFTR by H2S. Human CFTR was heterologously
      expressed in Xenopus oocytes and its activity was electrophysiologically measured
      by microelectrode recordings. The H2S-forming sulphur salt Na2S as well as the
      slow-releasing H2S-liberating compound GYY4137 increased transmembrane currents
      of CFTR-expressing oocytes. Na2S had no effect on native, non-injected oocytes.
      The effect of Na2S was blocked by the CFTR inhibitor CFTR_inh172, the adenylyl
      cyclase inhibitor MDL 12330A, and the protein kinase A antagonist cAMPS-Rp. Na2S
      potentiated CFTR stimulation by forskolin, but not that by IBMX. Na2S enhanced
      CFTR stimulation by membrane-permeable 8Br-cAMP under inhibition of adenylyl
      cyclase-mediated cAMP production by MDL 12330A. These data indicate that H2S
      activates CFTR in Xenopus oocytes by inhibiting phosphodiesterase activity and
      subsequent stimulation of CFTR by cAMP-dependent protein kinase A. In epithelia,
      an increased CFTR activity may correspond to a pro-secretory response to H2S
      which may be endogenously produced by the epithelium or H2S-generating
      microflora.

PMID- 28615647
TI  - Differential synchrotron X-ray imaging markers based on the renal
      microvasculature for tubulointerstitial lesions and glomerulopathy.
AB  - High resolution synchrotron microtomography capable of revealing microvessels in
      three dimensional (3D) establishes distinct imaging markers of mouse kidney
      disease strongly associated to renal tubulointerstitial (TI) lesions and
      glomerulopathy. Two complementary mouse models of chronic kidney disease (CKD),
      unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
      (FSGS), were used and five candidates of unique 3D imaging markers were
      identified. Our characterization to differentially reflect the altered
      microvasculature of renal TI lesions and/or glomerulopathy demonstrated these
      image features can be used to differentiate the disease status and the possible
      cause therefore qualified as image markers. These 3D imaging markers were further
      correlated with the histopathology and renal microvessel-based molecular study
      using antibodies against vascular endothelial cells (CD31), the connective tissue
      growth factor or the vascular endothelial growth factor. We also found that these
      3D imaging markers individually characterize the development of renal TI lesions
      or glomerulopathy, quantitative and integrated use of all of them provide more
      information for differentiating the two renal conditions. Our findings thus
      establish a practical strategy to characterize the CKD-associated renal injuries
      by the microangiography-based 3D imaging and highlight the impact of
      dysfunctional microvasculature as a whole on the pathogenesis of the renal
      lesions.

PMID- 28615649
TI  - Andrographolide Ameliorates Inflammation and Fibrogenesis and Attenuates
      Inflammasome Activation in Experimental Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.
AB  - Therapy for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is limited. Andrographolide
      (ANDRO), a botanical compound, has a potent anti-inflammatory activity due to its
      ability to inhibit NF-kappaB. ANDRO has been also shown to inhibit the NLRP3
      inflammasome, a relevant pathway in NASH. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of
      ANDRO in NASH and its influence on inflammasome activation in this setting. Thus,
      mice were fed a choline-deficient-amino-acid-defined (CDAA) diet with/without
      concomitant ANDRO administration (1 mg/kg, 3-times/week). Also, we assessed serum
      levels of alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), liver histology, hepatic triglyceride
      content (HTC) and hepatic expression of pro-inflammatory, pro-fibrotic and
      inflammasome genes. Inflammasome activation was also evaluated in fat-laden HepG2
      cells. Our results showed that ANDRO administration decreased HTC and attenuated
      hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in CDAA-fed mice. ANDRO treatment determined a
      strong reduction in hepatic macrophage infiltration and reduced hepatic mRNA
      levels of both pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic genes. In addition, mice treated
      with ANDRO showed reduced expression of inflammasome genes. Finally, ANDRO
      inhibited LPS-induced interleukin-1beta expression through NF-kappaB inhibition
      in fat-laden HepG2 cells and inflammasome disassembly. In conclusion, ANDRO
      administration reduces inflammation and fibrosis in experimental NASH.
      Inflammasome modulation by a NF-kappaB-dependent mechanism may be involved in the
      therapeutic effects of ANDRO.

PMID- 28615650
TI  - Experimental design approach for deposition optimization of RF sputtered
      chalcogenide thin films devoted to environmental optical sensors.
AB  - The development of the optical bio-chemical sensing technology is an extremely
      important scientific and technological issue for diagnosis and monitoring of
      diseases, control of industrial processes, environmental detection of air and
      water pollutants. Owing to their distinctive features, chalcogenide amorphous
      thin films represent a keystone in the manufacture of middle infrared integrated
      optical devices for a sensitive detection of biological or environmental
      variations. Since the chalcogenide thin films characteristics, i.e.
      stoichiometric conformity, structure, roughness or optical properties can be
      affected by the growth process, the choice and control of the deposition method
      is crucial. An approach based on the experimental design is undoubtedly a way to
      be explored allowing fast optimization of chalcogenide film deposition by means
      of radio frequency sputtering process. Argon (Ar) pressure, working power and
      deposition time were selected as potentially the most influential factors among
      all possible. The experimental design analysis confirms the great influence of
      the Ar pressure on studied responses: chemical composition, refractive index in
      near-IR (1.55 um) and middle infrared (6.3 and 7.7 um), band-gap energy,
      deposition rate and surface roughness. Depending on the intended application and
      therefore desired thin film characteristics, mappings of the experimental design
      meaningfully help to select suitable deposition parameters.

PMID- 28615648
TI  - Embryonic exposure to the widely-used herbicide atrazine disrupts meiosis and
      normal follicle formation in female mice.
AB  - The widely-used herbicide atrazine (ATZ) is detected in ground and surface water
      in many countries. Several studies in animals have demonstrated that ATZ has
      endocrine-disrupting effects on male and female reproduction in many vertebrate
      species. In this study, we investigated the effects of ATZ exposure on meiosis, a
      key step in gametogenesis in mammals. The treatment was initiated before oocyte
      entry into meiosis, which occurs during the embryonic period in females. We found
      that embryonic exposure to ATZ increases the level of 8-oxo-guanine in the
      nucleus of meiotic cells, reflecting oxidative stress and affecting meiotic
      double-strand break repair, chromosome synapsis and crossover numbers. Finally,
      embryonic exposure to ATZ reduces the number of primordial follicles and
      increases the incidence of multi-oocyte follicles in adult mice. Our data
      demonstrate that embryonic exposure to ATZ disrupts prophase I of meiosis and
      affects normal follicle formation in female mice.

PMID- 28615651
TI  - Cognitive and Metacognitive Mechanisms of Change in Metacognitive Training for
      Depression.
AB  - Metacognitive Training for Depression (D-MCT), a low-threshold group
      intervention, has been shown to improve depressive symptoms. It aims at the
      reduction of depression by changing dysfunctional cognitive as well as
      metacognitive beliefs. The purpose of the present study was to investigate
      whether the mechanisms of change in D-MCT are cognitive (and thus primarily
      concern the content of cognition) or metacognitive in nature. Eighty-four
      outpatients with depression were included in a randomized controlled trial
      comparing D-MCT to an active control intervention. Level of depression,
      dysfunctional cognitive beliefs (DAS), and metacognitive beliefs (MCQ subscales:
      Positive Beliefs, Negative Beliefs, Need for Control) were assessed before (t0)
      and after treatment (t1). Severity of depression was also assessed 6 months later
      (t2). Linear regression analyses were used to determine whether change in
      depression from t0 to t2 was mediated by change in cognitive vs. metacognitive
      beliefs from t0 to t1. D-MCT's effect on change in depression was mediated by a
      decrease in dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs, particularly 'need for control'.
      Our findings underline that one of the key mechanisms of improvement in D-MCT is
      the change in metacognitive beliefs. The current study provides further support
      for the importance of metacognition in the treatment of depression.

PMID- 28615652
TI  - Development of a computer-aided design and finite-element analysis combined
      method for customized Nuss bar in pectus excavatum surgery.
AB  - Pectus excavatum (PEX) is the most common chest deformity in children, which is
      usually corrected by using the minimally invasive Nuss method. The orthopedic
      effect of the Nuss operation is mainly evaluated by both the Haller index and the
      appearance of the chest wall configuration, which is dependent on the operator's
      clinical experience to a great extent. To improve the orthopedic effect, we
      proposed a novel method to individually design and optimize the shape of the Nuss
      bar and to advise its location as well as the incisions. By using the CT imaging
      data, the three-dimensional model of the PEX thoracic structure is reconstructed,
      which is further employed in finite element analysis to determine the operation
      plan. By referring to a healthy person who has similar chest dimensions to the
      PEX patient, the Nuss bar shape is designed, and according to the finding that
      the healthy chest wall boundary is almost convex with positive curvature, the
      Nuss bar shape is tuned to be a convex curve to ensure the orthopedic effect.
      Finite element analysis is employed to analyze the orthopedic effect and to
      determine the incision position of the Nuss bar. Experiments were carried out to
      verify the orthopedic effect of the customized Nuss bar, which showed that this
      method is more accurate and individualized, compared to conventional methods.

PMID- 28615653
TI  - Electrophoresis assisted time-of-flow mass spectrometry using hollow
      nanomechanical resonators.
AB  - This report discusses the first demonstration of electrophoresis assisted time-of
      flow mass spectrometry using 'U' shaped hollow nanomechanical resonators (HNR).
      Capillary electrophoresis was coupled with the HNR based mass detection to
      overcome low ionic conductivity of channels embedded in the HNR preventing direct
      in-situ electrophoretic separation. The flow of analytes through the HNR was
      achieved by balancing the hydrodynamic pressure to override the electromotive
      force and inhibit the motion of analytes towards the anode for capillary
      electrophoresis. The resonance frequency shifts of the HNR vibrating around 1.5
      MHz were correlated with the time of the passage of the protein bands to
      construct the mass spectrum. The proposed concept was demonstrated by
      constructing a mass spectrum of egg white proteins in the molecular weight range
      of 14-250 kDa. When compared to regular polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, our
      method not only provides a precise and fast readout but also avoids the use of
      chemical staining. This study paves a new route for low-cost and on-chip mass
      spectrometers with ultra-miniaturized dimensions.

PMID- 28615654
TI  - 6.2-GHz modulated terahertz light detection using fast terahertz quantum well
      photodetectors.
AB  - The fast detection of terahertz radiation is of great importance for various
      applications such as fast imaging, high speed communications, and spectroscopy.
      Most commercial products capable of sensitively responding the terahertz
      radiation are thermal detectors, i.e., pyroelectric sensors and bolometers. This
      class of terahertz detectors is normally characterized by low modulation
      frequency (dozens or hundreds of Hz). Here we demonstrate the first fast
      semiconductor-based terahertz quantum well photodetectors by carefully designing
      the device structure and microwave transmission line for high frequency signal
      extraction. Modulation response bandwidth of gigahertz level is obtained. As an
      example, the 6.2-GHz modulated terahertz light emitted from a Fabry-Perot
      terahertz quantum cascade laser is successfully detected using the fast terahertz
      quantum well photodetector. In addition to the fast terahertz detection, the
      technique presented in this work can also be used for optically characterizing
      the frequency stability of terahertz quantum cascade lasers, heterodyne
      detections and photomixing applications.

PMID- 28615655
TI  - Secreted IgM deficiency leads to increased BCR signaling that results in abnormal
      splenic B cell development.
AB  - Mice lacking secreted IgM (sIgM -/-) antibodies display abnormal splenic B cell
      development, which results in increased marginal zone and decreased follicular B
      cell numbers. However, the mechanism by which sIgM exhibit this effect is
      unknown. Here, we demonstrate that B cells in sIgM -/- mice display increased B
      cell receptor (BCR) signaling as judged by increased levels of phosphorylated
      Bruton's tyrosine kinase (pBtk), phosphorylated Spleen tyrosine kinase (pSyk),
      and nuclear receptor Nur77. Low dosage treatment with the pBtk inhibitor
      Ibrutinib reversed the altered B cell development in the spleen of sIgM -/- mice,
      suggesting that sIgM regulate splenic B cell differentiation by decreasing BCR
      signaling. Mechanistically, we show that B cells, which express BCRs specific to
      hen egg lysozyme (HEL) display diminished responsiveness to HEL stimulation in
      presence of soluble anti-HEL IgM antibodies. Our data identify sIgM as negative
      regulators of BCR signaling and suggest that they can act as decoy receptors for
      self-antigens that are recognized by membrane bound BCRs.

PMID- 28615656
TI  - The CCAAT-Binding Complex Controls Respiratory Gene Expression and Iron
      Homeostasis in Candida Glabrata.
AB  - The CCAAT-binding complex (CBC) is a heterotrimeric transcription factor which is
      widely conserved in eukaryotes. In the model yeast S. cerevisiae, CBC positively
      controls the expression of respiratory pathway genes. This role involves
      interactions with the regulatory subunit Hap4. In many pathogenic fungi, CBC
      interacts with the HapX regulatory subunit to control iron homeostasis. HapX is a
      bZIP protein which only shares with Hap4 the Hap4Like domain (Hap4L) required for
      its interaction with CBC. Here, we show that CBC has a dual role in the
      pathogenic yeast C. glabrata. It is required, along with Hap4, for the
      constitutive expression of respiratory genes and it is also essential for the
      iron stress response, which is mediated by the Yap5 bZIP transcription factor.
      Interestingly, Yap5 contains a vestigial Hap4L domain. The mutagenesis of this
      domain severely reduced Yap5 binding to its targets and compromised its
      interaction with Hap5. Hence, Yap5, like HapX in other species, acts as a CBC
      regulatory subunit in the regulation of iron stress response. This work reveals
      new aspects of iron homeostasis in C. glabrata and of the evolution of the role
      of CBC and Hap4L-bZIP proteins in this process.

PMID- 28615657
TI  - Bone morphogenetic protein 4 promotes the survival and preserves the structure of
      flow-sorted Bhlhb5+ cochlear spiral ganglion neurons in vitro.
AB  - SGNs are the primary auditory neurons, and damage or loss of SGNs leads to
      sensorineural hearing loss. BMP4 is a growth factor that belongs to the TGF-beta
      superfamily and has been shown to play a key role during development, but little
      is known about its effect on postnatal cochlear SGNs in mice. In this study, we
      used the P3 Bhlhb5-cre/tdTomato transgenic mouse model and FACS to isolate a pure
      population of Bhlhb5+ SGNs. We found that BMP4 significantly promoted SGN
      survival after 7 days of culture. We observed fewer apoptotic cells and decreased
      expression of pro-apoptotic marker genes after BMP4 treatment. We also found that
      BMP4 promoted monopolar neurite outgrowth of isolated SGNs, and high
      concentrations of BMP4 preserved the number and the length of neurites in the
      explant culture of the modiolus harboring the SGNs. We showed that high
      concentration of BMP4 enhanced neurite growth as determined by the higher average
      number of filopodia and the larger area of the growth cone. Finally, we found
      that high concentrations of BMP4 significantly elevated the synapse density of
      SGNs in explant culture. Thus, our findings suggest that BMP4 has the potential
      to promote the survival and preserve the structure of SGNs.

PMID- 28615658
TI  - Serotyping dengue virus with isothermal amplification and a portable sequencer.
AB  - The recent development of a nanopore-type portable DNA sequencer has changed the
      way we think about DNA sequencing. We can perform sequencing directly in the
      field, where we collect the samples. Here, we report the development of a novel
      method to detect and genotype tropical disease pathogens, using dengue fever as a
      model. By combining the sequencer with isothermal amplification that only
      requires a water bath, we were able to amplify and sequence target viral genomes
      with ease. Starting from a serum sample, the entire procedure could be finished
      in a single day. The analysis of blood samples collected from 141 Indonesian
      patients demonstrated that this method enables the clinical identification and
      serotyping of the dengue virus with high sensitivity and specificity. The overall
      successful detection rate was 79%, and a total of 58 SNVs were detected. Similar
      analyses were conducted on 80 Vietnamese and 12 Thai samples with similar
      performance. Based on the obtained sequence information, we demonstrated that
      this approach is able to produce indispensable information for etiologically
      analyzing annual or regional diversifications of the pathogens.

PMID- 28615659
TI  - Invisible noise obscures visible signal in insect motion detection.
AB  - The motion energy model is the standard account of motion detection in animals
      from beetles to humans. Despite this common basis, we show here that a difference
      in the early stages of visual processing between mammals and insects leads this
      model to make radically different behavioural predictions. In insects, early
      filtering is spatially lowpass, which makes the surprising prediction that motion
      detection can be impaired by "invisible" noise, i.e. noise at a spatial frequency
      that elicits no response when presented on its own as a signal. We confirm this
      prediction using the optomotor response of praying mantis Sphodromantis lineola.
      This does not occur in mammals, where spatially bandpass early filtering means
      that linear systems techniques, such as deriving channel sensitivity from masking
      functions, remain approximately valid. Counter-intuitive effects such as masking
      by invisible noise may occur in neural circuits wherever a nonlinearity is
      followed by a difference operation.

PMID- 28615660
TI  - Scanning tunnelling microscope light emission: Finite temperature current noise
      and over cut-off emission.
AB  - The spectral distribution of light emitted from a scanning tunnelling microscope
      junction not only bears its intrinsic plasmonic signature but is also imprinted
      with the characteristics of optical frequency fluc- tuations of the tunnel
      current. Experimental spectra from gold-gold tunnel junctions are presented that
      show a strong bias (V b ) dependence, curiously with emission at energies higher
      than the quantum cut-off (eV b ); a component that decays monotonically with
      increasing bias. The spectral evolution is explained by developing a theoretical
      model for the power spectral density of tunnel current fluctuations,
      incorporating finite temperature contribution through consideration of the
      quantum transport in the system. Notably, the observed decay of the over cut-off
      emission is found to be critically associated with, and well explained in terms
      of the variation in junction conductance with V b . The investigation highlights
      the scope of plasmon-mediated light emission as a unique probe of high frequency
      fluctuations in electronic systems that are fundamental to the electrical
      generation and control of plasmons.

PMID- 28615661
TI  - Increased levels of ascorbic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid of cognitively
      intact elderly patients with major depression: a preliminary study.
AB  - Major depressive disorder (MDD) in the elderly is a risk factor for dementia, but
      the precise biological basis remains unknown, hampering the search for novel
      biomarkers and treatments. In this study, we performed metabolomics analysis of
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from cognitively intact elderly patients (N = 28) with
      MDD and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (N = 18). The CSF levels of 177
      substances were measured, while 288 substances were below the detection limit.
      Only ascorbic acid was significantly different, with higher levels in the MDD
      group at baseline. There were no correlations between CSF ascorbic acid levels
      and clinical variables in MDD patients at baseline. At the 3-year follow-up,
      there was no difference of CSF ascorbic acid levels between the two groups. There
      was a negative correlation between CSF ascorbic acid and CSF amyloid-beta42
      levels in all subjects. However, there were no correlations between ascorbic acid
      and other biomarkers (e.g., amyloid-beta40, total and phosphorylated tau
      protein). This preliminary study suggests that abnormalities in the transport
      and/or release of ascorbic acid might play a role in the pathogenesis of late
      life depression.

PMID- 28615662
TI  - Engineering of many-body Majorana states in a topological insulator/s-wave
      superconductor heterostructure.
AB  - We study a vortex chain in a thin film of a topological insulator with proximity
      induced superconductivity-a promising platform to realize Majorana zero modes
      (MZMs)-by modeling it as a two-leg Majorana ladder. While each pair of MZMs
      hybridizes through vortex tunneling, we hereby show that MZMs can be stabilized
      on the ends of the ladder with the presence of tilted external magnetic field and
      four-Majorana interaction. Furthermore, a fruitful phase diagram is obtained by
      controlling the direction of magnetic field and the thickness of the sample. We
      reveal many-body Majorana states and interaction-induced topological phase
      transitions and also identify trivial-superconducting and
      commensurate/incommensurate charge-density-wave states in the phase diagram.

PMID- 28615664
TI  - Investigation of material removal in inner-jet electrochemical grinding of GH4169
      alloy.
AB  - Electrochemical grinding (ECG) is a low-cost and highly efficient process for
      application to difficult-to-machine materials. In this process, the electrolyte
      supply mode directly affects machining stability and efficiency. This paper
      proposes a flow channel structure for an abrasive tool to be used for inner-jet
      ECG of GH4169 alloy. The tool is based on a dead-end tube with electrolyte outlet
      holes located in the sidewall. The diameter and number of outlet holes are
      determined through numerical simulation with the aim of achieving uniform
      electrolyte flow in the inter-electrode gap. Experiments show that the maximum
      feed rate and material removal rate are both improved by increasing the diamond
      grain size, applied voltage, electrolyte temperature and pressure. For a
      machining depth of 3 mm in a single pass, a feed rate of 2.4 mm min-1 is achieved
      experimentally. At this feed rate and machining depth, a sample is produced along
      a feed path under computer numerical control, with the feed direction changing
      four times. Inner-jet ECG with the proposed abrasive tool shows good efficiency
      and flexibility for processing hard-to-cut metals with a large removal depth.

PMID- 28615663
TI  - Hydrostatic pressure effects on the static magnetism in Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2.
AB  - EuFe2As2-based iron pnictides are quite interesting compounds, due to the two
      magnetic sublattices in them and the tunability to superconductors by chemical
      doping or application of external pressure. The effects of hydrostatic pressure
      on the static magnetism in Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2 are investigated by
      complementary electrical resistivity, ac magnetic susceptibility and single
      crystal neutron diffraction measurements. A specific pressure-temperature (P-T)
      phase diagram of Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2 is established. The structural phase
      transition, as well as the spin-density-wave order of Fe sublattice, is
      suppressed gradually with increasing pressure and disappears completely above 2.0
      GPa. In contrast, the magnetic order of Eu sublattice persists over the whole
      investigated pressure range up to 14 GPa, yet displaying a non-monotonic
      variation with pressure. With the increase of the hydrostatic pressure, the
      magnetic state of Eu evolves from the canted antiferromagnetic structure in the
      ground state, via a pure ferromagnetic structure under the intermediate pressure,
      finally to an "unconfirmed" antiferromagnetic structure under the high pressure.
      The strong ferromagnetism of Eu coexists with the pressure-induced
      superconductivity around 2 GPa. Comparisons between the P-T phase diagrams of
      Eu(Fe0.925Co0.075)2As2 and the parent compound EuFe2As2 were also made.

PMID- 28615665
TI  - Trilocular phenotype in Brassica juncea L. resulted from interruption of CLAVATA1
      gene homologue (BjMc1) transcription.
AB  - As a desirable agricultural trait, multilocular trait of rapeseed (Brassica rapa;
      Brassica napus; Brassica juncea), always represents higher yield per plant
      compared with bilocular plants. We previously isolated a trilocular gene locus,
      Bjmc1, and identified a set of molecular markers linked to the trilocular gene.
      With a map-based cloning, we identified that the BjMc1 was located in B genome of
      Brassica juncea, and it was a CLAVATA1 (CLV1) gene homologue. The insertion of a
      copia-LTR retrotransposable element 1 (RTE1) into the coding region of BjMc1
      interrupted its transcription in rapeseed, leading to the trilocular phenotype.
      Phylogenetic analysis showed that Mc1 genes were conserved and widespread in land
      plants. Two amino acid sites had undergone positive selection in the ancestor of
      Mc1 genes, and then purifying selection was the dominant force after the
      divergence of dicots and monocots from their common ancestor in the evolutionary
      process, indicating that Mc1 genes are conserved in modern land plants. Our
      results provided new insights in molecular regulatory mechanism of
      multilocularity in rapeseed, and better understanding of molecular mechanism in
      crop yield improvement.

PMID- 28615666
TI  - A sex-specific reconstitution bias in the competitive CD45.1/CD45.2 congenic bone
      marrow transplant model.
AB  - Allelic variants of the pan-haematopoietic cell marker CD45, identified as CD45.1
      and CD45.2, have been established as a marker system to track haematopoietic
      cells following congenic mouse bone marrow transplants. Despite the frequent use
      of this model for studying the impact of genetic modifications on relative
      differentiation potential, it is now evident that a bias exists in CD45.1 versus
      CD45.2 cell reconstitution. While this bias has been demonstrated by reduced
      reconstitution potential in B cells of CD45.1 origin, differences in the
      development of other lymphocytes, as well as the impact of sex on this bias,
      remain uncertain. We performed bone marrow transplants with wild-type CD45.1 and
      CD45.2 donor cells, and characterised haematopoietic cell reconstitution in dual
      expressing CD45.1/2 host mice. We report an increase in CD45.2 reconstitution in
      the bone marrow that persists in the spleen, thymus and blood. Through the use of
      CD45.1/2 hosts, we demonstrate the intrinsic bias towards CD45.2 reconstitution
      is independent of an immunogenic response to the CD45.1 epitope. Furthermore, we
      identify a sex-specific difference in reconstitution efficiencies, with female
      mice exhibiting a greater bias towards CD45.2 reconstitution than males. This
      work sheds new light on the limitations of the CD45.1/CD45.2 congenic system for
      tracking lymphocyte development.

PMID- 28615667
TI  - IL-6 secretion in osteoarthritis patients is mediated by chondrocyte-synovial
      fibroblast cross-talk and is enhanced by obesity.
AB  - Increasing evidence suggests that inflammation plays a central role in driving
      joint pathology in certain patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Since many patients
      with OA are obese and increased adiposity is associated with chronic
      inflammation, we investigated whether obese patients with hip OA exhibited
      differential pro-inflammatory cytokine signalling and peripheral and local
      lymphocyte populations, compared to normal weight hip OA patients. No differences
      in either peripheral blood or local lymphocyte populations were found between
      obese and normal-weight hip OA patients. However, synovial fibroblasts from obese
      OA patients were found to secrete greater amounts of the pro-inflammatory
      cytokine IL-6, compared to those from normal-weight patients (p < 0.05), which
      reflected the greater levels of IL-6 detected in the synovial fluid of the obese
      OA patients. Investigation into the inflammatory mechanism demonstrated that IL-6
      secretion from synovial fibroblasts was induced by chondrocyte-derived IL-6.
      Furthermore, this IL-6 inflammatory response, mediated by chondrocyte-synovial
      fibroblast cross-talk, was enhanced by the obesity-related adipokine leptin. This
      study suggests that obesity enhances the cross-talk between chondrocytes and
      synovial fibroblasts via raised levels of the pro-inflammatory adipokine leptin,
      leading to greater production of IL-6 in OA patients.

PMID- 28615668
TI  - Improving the detection of pathways in genome-wide association studies by
      combined effects of SNPs from Linkage Disequilibrium blocks.
AB  - Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified single
      variants associated with diseases. To increase the power of GWAS, gene-based and
      pathway-based tests are commonly employed to detect more risk factors. However,
      the gene- and pathway-based association tests may be biased towards genes or
      pathways containing a large number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with
      small P-values caused by high linkage disequilibrium (LD) correlations. To
      address such bias, numerous pathway-based methods have been developed. Here we
      propose a novel method, DGAT-path, to divide all SNPs assigned to genes in each
      pathway into LD blocks, and to sum the chi-square statistics of LD blocks for
      assessing the significance of the pathway by permutation tests. The method was
      proven robust with the type I error rate >1.6 times lower than other methods.
      Meanwhile, the method displays a higher power and is not biased by the pathway
      size. The applications to the GWAS summary statistics for schizophrenia and
      breast cancer indicate that the detected top pathways contain more genes close to
      associated SNPs than other methods. As a result, the method identified 17 and 12
      significant pathways containing 20 and 21 novel associated genes, respectively
      for two diseases. The method is available online by http://sparks
      lab.org/server/DGAT-path .

PMID- 28615669
TI  - Differential effects of a post-anthesis heat stress on wheat (Triticum aestivum
      L.) grain proteome determined by iTRAQ.
AB  - Heat stress, a major abiotic stressor of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), often
      results in reduced yield and decreased quality. In this study, a proteomic
      method, Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation Isobaric (iTRAQ), was adopted
      to analyze the protein expression profile changes among wheat cultivar Jing411
      under heat stress. Results indicated that there were 256 different proteins
      expressed in Jing411 under heat stress. According to the result of gene
      annotation and functional classification, 239 proteins were annotated by 856 GO
      function entries, including growth and metabolism proteins, energy metabolism
      proteins, processing and storage proteins, defense-related proteins, signal
      transduction, unknown function proteins and hypothetical proteins. GO enrichment
      analysis suggested that the differentially expressed proteins in Jing411 under
      heat stress were mainly involved in stimulus response (67), abiotic stress
      response (26) and stress response (58), kinase activity (12), and transferase
      activity (12). Among the differentially expressed proteins in Jing411, 115 were
      attributed to 119 KEGG signaling/metabolic pathways. KEGG pathway enrichment
      analysis in Jing411 showed that heat stress mainly affected the starch and
      sucrose metabolism as well as protein synthesis pathway in the endoplasmic
      reticulum. The protein interaction network indicated that there were 8
      differentially expressed proteins that could form an interaction network in
      Jing411.

PMID- 28615670
TI  - Optic Disc Hemorrhage and Lamina Cribrosa Defects in Glaucoma Progression.
AB  - Both disc hemorrhages (DH) and focal lamina cribrosa (LC) defects are recently
      considered as a progression factor in glaucoma. However, the clinical relevance
      of the presence of LC findings at the site of the DH has not yet been determined.
      We conducted a prospective study enrolling a total of 98 glaucoma eyes with DH
      and 37 OAG eyes with focal LC defect without DH to determine whether visual field
      (VF) progression differs according to the findings of the LC that had been
      evaluated by enhanced depth imaging (EDI) of optical coherence tomography (OCT)
      and its relationship with DH. Only the presence of focal LC defects was
      significantly different between the progressing and stable patients (P < 0.001).
      Baseline intraocular pressure (hazard ratio [HR], 1.076; P = 0.098) and the
      presence of focal LC defects at the DH site (HR, 2.620; P = 0.002) were found to
      be associated with VF progression. Glaucoma eyes with DH at the site of focal LC
      defects showed frequent and faster VF progression compared with DH not
      accompanied by LC alterations or LC alterations not accompanied by DH. Evaluating
      LC alterations in glaucoma eyes with DH may be important in predicting the
      progression of glaucoma.

PMID- 28615671
TI  - Universal fractality of morphological transitions in stochastic growth processes.
AB  - Stochastic growth processes give rise to diverse and intricate structures
      everywhere in nature, often referred to as fractals. In general, these complex
      structures reflect the non-trivial competition among the interactions that
      generate them. In particular, the paradigmatic Laplacian-growth model exhibits a
      characteristic fractal to non-fractal morphological transition as the non-linear
      effects of its growth dynamics increase. So far, a complete scaling theory for
      this type of transitions, as well as a general analytical description for their
      fractal dimensions have been lacking. In this work, we show that despite the
      enormous variety of shapes, these morphological transitions have clear universal
      scaling characteristics. Using a statistical approach to fundamental particle
      cluster aggregation, we introduce two non-trivial fractal to non-fractal
      transitions that capture all the main features of fractal growth. By analyzing
      the respective clusters, in addition to constructing a dynamical model for their
      fractal dimension, we show that they are well described by a general
      dimensionality function regardless of their space symmetry-breaking mechanism,
      including the Laplacian case itself. Moreover, under the appropriate variable
      transformation this description is universal, i.e., independent of the transition
      dynamics, the initial cluster configuration, and the embedding Euclidean space.

PMID- 28615672
TI  - Reconstruction of pathway modification induced by nicotinamide using multi-omic
      network analyses in triple negative breast cancer.
AB  - Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by an aggressive biological
      behavior in the absence of a specific target agent. Nicotinamide has recently
      been proven to be a novel therapeutic agent for skin tumors in an ONTRAC trial.
      We performed combinatory transcriptomic and in-depth proteomic analyses to
      characterize the network of molecular interactions in TNBC cells treated with
      nicotinamide. The multi-omic profiles revealed that nicotinamide drives
      significant functional alterations related to major cellular pathways, including
      the cell cycle, DNA replication, apoptosis and DNA damage repair. We further
      elaborated the global interaction networks of molecular events via nicotinamide
      inducible expression changes at the mRNA and functional protein levels. This
      approach indicated that nicotinamide treatment rewires interaction networks
      toward dysfunction in DNA damage repair and away from a pro-growth state in TNBC.
      To our knowledge, the high-resolution network interactions identified in the
      present study provide the first evidence to comprehensively support the
      hypothesis of nicotinamide as a novel therapeutic agent in TNBC.

PMID- 28615673
TI  - Phototaxis beyond turning: persistent accumulation and response acclimation of
      the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
AB  - Phototaxis is an important reaction to light displayed by a wide range of motile
      microorganisms. Flagellated eukaryotic microalgae in particular, like the model
      organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, steer either towards or away from light by a
      rapid and precisely timed modulation of their flagellar activity. Cell steering,
      however, is only the beginning of a much longer process which ultimately allows
      cells to determine their light exposure history. This process is not well
      understood. Here we present a first quantitative study of the long timescale
      phototactic motility of Chlamydomonas at both single cell and population levels.
      Our results reveal that the phototactic strategy adopted by these microorganisms
      leads to an efficient exposure to light, and that the phototactic response is
      modulated over typical timescales of tens of seconds. The adaptation dynamics for
      phototaxis and chlorophyll fluorescence show a striking quantitative agreement,
      suggesting that photosynthesis controls quantitatively how cells navigate a light
      field.

PMID- 28615675
TI  - A commentary on homozygous p.(Glu87Lys) variant in ISCA1 is associated with a
      multiple mitochondrial dysfunctions syndrome.

PMID- 28615676
TI  - A reply to a commentary on homozygous p.(Glu87Lys) variant in ISCA1 is associated
      with a multiple mitochondrial dysfunctions syndrome.

PMID- 28615674
TI  - Meta-analysis of genome-wide SNP- and pathway-based associations for facets of
      neuroticism.
AB  - Neuroticism is a heritable personality trait that is comprised of distinct sub
      factors, or facets. Sub-factors of neuroticism are linked to different emotional
      states or psychiatric symptoms and studying the genetic variants associated with
      these facets may help reveal the biological mechanisms underlying psychiatric
      disorders. In the present study, a meta-analysis of genome-wide association
      studies for six facets of neuroticism was performed in 5584 participants from
      three cohorts. Additionally, a Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was conducted to find
      biological pathways associated with each facet. Six neuroticism facets (N1:
      anxiety, N2: angry hostility, N3: depression, N4: self-consciousness, N5:
      impulsivity and N6: vulnerability) were assessed using the Korean version of the
      Revised NEO Personality Inventory. In the single-nucleotide polymorphism-based
      analysis, results showed genome-wide significance for N2 within the MIR548H3 gene
      (rs1360001, P=4.14 * 10-9). Notable genes with suggestive associations (P<1.0 *
      10-6) were ITPR1 for N1, WNT7A for N2, FGF10 and FHIT for N3, DDR1 for N4, VGLL4
      for N5 and PTPRD for N6. In the pathway-based analysis, the axon guidance pathway
      was identified to be associated with multiple facets of neuroticism (N2, N4 and
      N6). The focal adhesion and extracellular matrix receptor interaction pathways
      were significantly associated with N2 and N3. Our findings revealed genetic
      influences and biological pathways that are associated with facets of
      neuroticism.

PMID- 28615678
TI  - Small head size and delayed body weight growth in wild Japanese monkey fetuses
      after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
AB  - To evaluate the biological effect of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster,
      relative differences in the growth of wild Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) were
      measured before and after the disaster of 2011 in Fukushima City, which is
      approximately 70 km from the nuclear power plant, by performing external
      measurements on fetuses collected from 2008 to 2016. Comparing the relative
      growth of 31 fetuses conceived prior to the disaster and 31 fetuses conceived
      after the disaster in terms of body weight and head size (product of the
      occipital frontal diameter and biparietal diameter) to crown-rump length ratio
      revealed that body weight growth rate and proportional head size were
      significantly lower in fetuses conceived after the disaster. No significant
      difference was observed in nutritional indicators for the fetuses' mothers.
      Accordingly, radiation exposure could be one factor contributed to the observed
      growth delay in this study.

PMID- 28615677
TI  - Associations between radiologist-defined semantic and automatically computed
      radiomic features in non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - Tumor phenotypes captured in computed tomography (CT) images can be described
      qualitatively and quantitatively using radiologist-defined "semantic" and
      computer-derived "radiomic" features, respectively. While both types of features
      have shown to be promising predictors of prognosis, the association between these
      groups of features remains unclear. We investigated the associations between
      semantic and radiomic features in CT images of 258 non-small cell lung
      adenocarcinomas. The tumor imaging phenotypes were described using 9 qualitative
      semantic features that were scored by radiologists, and 57 quantitative radiomic
      features that were automatically calculated using mathematical algorithms. Of the
      9 semantic features, 3 were rated on a binary scale (cavitation, air bronchogram,
      and calcification) and 6 were rated on a categorical scale (texture, border
      definition, contour, lobulation, spiculation, and concavity). 32-41 radiomic
      features were associated with the binary semantic features (AUC = 0.56-0.76). The
      relationship between all radiomic features and the categorical semantic features
      ranged from weak to moderate (|Spearmen's correlation| = 0.002-0.65). There are
      associations between semantic and radiomic features, however the associations
      were not strong despite being significant. Our results indicate that radiomic
      features may capture distinct tumor phenotypes that fail to be perceived by naked
      eye that semantic features do not describe and vice versa.

PMID- 28615679
TI  - Combination of RAD001 (everolimus) and docetaxel reduces prostate and breast
      cancer cell VEGF production and tumour vascularisation independently of
      sphingosine-kinase-1.
AB  - Resistance to docetaxel is a key problem in current prostate and breast cancer
      management. We have recently discovered a new molecular mechanism of prostate
      cancer docetaxel chemoresistance mediated by the mammalian target of rapamycin
      (mTOR)/sphingosine-kinase-1 (SK1) pathway. Here we investigated the influence of
      this pathway on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and tumour
      vascularisation in hormone resistant prostate and breast cancer models.
      Immunofluorescent staining of tumour sections from human oestrogen receptor (ER)
      negative breast cancer patients showed a strong correlation between
      phosphorylated P70S6 kinase (mTOR downstream target), VEGF and SK1 protein
      expression. In hormone-insensitive prostate (PC3) and breast (MDA-MB-231 and BT
      549) cancer cell lines the mTOR inhibitor RAD001 (everolimus) has significantly
      inhibited SK1 and VEGF expression, while low dose (5 nM) docetaxel had no
      significant effect. In these cell lines, SK1 overexpression slightly increased
      the basal levels of VEGF, but did not block the inhibitory effect of RAD001 on
      VEGF. In a human prostate xenograft model established in nude mice, RAD001 alone
      or in combination with docetaxel has suppressed tumour growth, VEGF expression
      and decreased tumour vasculature. Overall, our data demonstrate a new mechanism
      of an independent regulation of SK1 and VEGF by mTOR in hormone-insensitive
      prostate and breast cancers.

PMID- 28615680
TI  - Interval Optimization Model Considering Terrestrial Ecological Impacts for Water
      Rights Transfer from Agriculture to Industry in Ningxia, China.
AB  - In this study, an interval optimization model is developed to maximize the
      benefits of a water rights transfer system that comprises industry and
      agriculture sectors in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China. The model is
      subjected to a number of constraints including water saving potential from
      agriculture and ecological groundwater levels. Ecological groundwater levels
      serve as performance indicators of terrestrial ecology. The interval method is
      applied to present the uncertainty of parameters in the model. Two scenarios
      regarding dual industrial development targets (planned and unplanned ones) are
      used to investigate the difference in potential benefits of water rights
      transfer. Runoff of the Yellow River as the source of water rights fluctuates
      significantly in different years. Thus, compensation fees for agriculture are
      calculated to reflect the influence of differences in the runoff. Results show
      that there are more available water rights to transfer for industrial
      development. The benefits are considerable but unbalanced between buyers and
      sellers. The government should establish a water market that is freer and promote
      the interest of agriculture and farmers. Though there has been some success of
      water rights transfer, the ecological impacts and the relationship between
      sellers and buyers require additional studies.

PMID- 28615681
TI  - Genome-wide analysis of banana MADS-box family closely related to fruit
      development and ripening.
AB  - Proteins encoded by MADS-box genes are important transcription factors involved
      in the regulation of flowering plant growth and development. Currently, no
      systematic information exists regarding the MADS-box family in the important
      tropical fruit banana. Ninety-six MADS-box genes were identified from the banana
      (Pahang) A genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Musa acuminata MCM1
      AGAMOUS- DEFICIENS-SRF (MaMADS) could be divided into MIKCc, MIKC*, Malpha/beta
      and Mgamma groups. MIKCc could be further divided into 11 subfamilies, which was
      further supported by conserved motif and gene structure analyses. Transcriptome
      analysis on the Feng Jiao (FJ) and BaXi Jiao (BX) banana cultivars revealed that
      MaMADS genes are differentially expressed in various organs, at different fruit
      development and ripening stages, indicating the involvement of these genes in
      fruit development and ripening processes. Interactive network analysis indicated
      that MaMADS24 and 49 not only interacted with MaMADS proteins themselves, but
      also interacted with hormone-response proteins, ethylene signal transduction and
      biosynthesis-related proteins, starch biosynthesis proteins and metabolism
      related proteins. This systematic analysis identified candidate MaMADS genes
      related to fruit development and ripening for further functional characterization
      in plants, and also provided new insights into the transcriptional regulation of
      MaMADS genes, facilitating the future genetic manipulation of MADS-mediated fruit
      development and ripening.

PMID- 28615682
TI  - Improved retinal function in RCS rats after suppressing the over-activation of
      mGluR5.
AB  - Muller cells maintain retinal synaptic homeostasis by taking up glutamate from
      the synaptic cleft and transporting glutamine back to the neurons. To study the
      interaction between Muller cells and photoreceptors, we injected either DL-alpha
      aminoadipate or L-methionine sulfoximine-both inhibitors of glutamine synthetase
      subretinally in rats. Following injection, the a-wave of the electroretinogram
      (ERG) was attenuated, and metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) was
      activated. Selective antagonism of mGluR5 by 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine
      increased the ERG a-wave amplitude and also increased rhodopsin expression.
      Conversely, activation of mGluR5 by the agonist, (R,S)-2-chloro-5
      hydroxyphenylglycine, decreased both the a-wave amplitude and rhodopsin
      expression, but upregulated expression of Gq alpha subunit and phospholipase C
      betaIII. Overexpression of mGluR5 reduced the inward-rectifying potassium ion
      channel (Kir) current and decreased the expression of Kir4.1 and aquaporin-4
      (AQP4). Further experiments indicated that mGluR5 formed a macromolecular complex
      with these two membrane channels. Lastly, increased expression of mGluR5 was
      found in Royal College of Surgeons rats-a model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
      Inhibition of mGluR5 in this model restored the amplitude of ERG features, and
      reduced the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. These results suggest
      that mGluR5 may be worth considering as a potential therapeutic target in RP.

PMID- 28615684
TI  - Flat Terahertz Reflective Focusing Metasurface with Scanning Ability.
AB  - The ability to manipulate the propagation properties of electromagnetic waves,
      e.g., divergence, focusing, holography or deflection, is very significant in
      terahertz applications. Metasurfaces with flat structures are attractive for
      achieving such manipulations in terahertz band, as they feature low profile,
      lightweight, and ease of design and installation. Several types of terahertz
      reflective or transmitting metasurfaces with focusing function have been
      implemented recently, but none of them can provide scanning ability with
      controllable focus. Here, a flat reflective metasurface featuring controllable
      focal shift is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Furthermore, the
      principle of designing a focus scanning reflective metasurface is presented and
      the focusing characteristics are discussed, including focus scanning along a line
      parallel or orthogonal to the metasurface with a large bandwidth. These
      interesting properties indicate that this flat reflective metasurface could play
      a key role in many terahertz imaging and detection systems.

PMID- 28615683
TI  - Bacteriocin Gene-Trait matching across the complete Lactobacillus Pan-genome.
AB  - Lactobacilli constitute a large genus of Gram-positive lactic acid bacteria which
      have widespread roles ranging from gut commensals to starters in fermented foods.
      A combination of in silico and laboratory-based screening allowed us to determine
      the overall bacteriocin producing potential of representative strains of each
      species of the genus. The genomes of 175 lactobacilli and 38 associated species
      were screened for the presence of antimicrobial producing genes and combined with
      screening for antimicrobial activity against a range of indicators. There also
      appears to be a link between the strains' environment and bacteriocin production,
      with those from the animal and human microbiota encoding over twice as many
      bacteriocins as those from other sources. Five novel bacteriocins were identified
      belonging to differing bacteriocin classes, including two-peptide bacteriocins
      (muricidin and acidocin X) and circular bacteriocins (paracyclicin). In addition,
      there was a clear clustering of helveticin type bacteriolysins in the
      Lactobacillus acidophilus group of species. This combined in silico and in vitro
      approach to screening has demonstrated the true diversity and complexity of
      bacteriocins across the genus. It also highlights their biological importance in
      terms of communication and competition between closely related strains in diverse
      complex microbial environments.

PMID- 28615685
TI  - Repeated evolution of camouflage in speciose desert rodents.
AB  - There are two main factors explaining variation among species and the evolution
      of characters along phylogeny: adaptive change, including phenotypic and genetic
      responses to selective pressures, and phylogenetic inertia, or the resemblance
      between species due to shared phylogenetic history. Phenotype-habitat colour
      match, a classic Darwinian example of the evolution of camouflage (crypsis),
      offers the opportunity to test the importance of historical versus ecological
      mechanisms in shaping phenotypes among phylogenetically closely related taxa. To
      assess it, we investigated fur (phenotypic data) and habitat (remote sensing
      data) colourations, along with phylogenetic information, in the species-rich
      Gerbillus genus. Overall, we found a strong phenotype-habitat match, once the
      phylogenetic signal is taken into account. We found that camouflage has been
      acquired and lost repeatedly in the course of the evolutionary history of
      Gerbillus. Our results suggest that fur colouration and its covariation with
      habitat is a relatively labile character in mammals, potentially responding
      quickly to selection. Relatively unconstrained and substantial genetic basis, as
      well as structural and functional independence from other fitness traits of
      mammalian colouration might be responsible for that observation.

PMID- 28615686
TI  - Formation and electronic properties of palladium hydrides and palladium-rhodium
      dihydride alloys under pressure.
AB  - We present the formation possibility for Pd-hydrides and Pd-Rh hydrides system by
      density functional theory (DFT) in high pressure upto 50 GPa. Calculation
      confirmed that PdH2 in face-centered cubic (fcc) structure is not stable under
      compression that will decomposition to fcc-PdH and H2. But it can be formed under
      high pressure while the palladium is involved in the reaction. We also indicate a
      probably reason why PdH2 can not be synthesised in experiment due to PdH is most
      favourite to be formed in Pd and H2 environment from ambient to higher pressure.
      With Rh doped, the Pd-Rh dihydrides are stabilized in fcc structure for 25% and
      75% doping and in tetragonal structure for 50% doping, and can be formed from Pd,
      Rh and H2 at high pressure. The electronic structural study on fcc type Pd x Rh1
      xH2 indicates the electronic and structural transition from metallic to semi
      metallic as Pd increased from x = 0 to 1.

PMID- 28615688
TI  - Interaction-induced edge states in anisotropic non-Fermi liquids.
AB  - We devise an approach to calculation of scaling dimensions of generic operators
      describing scattering within multi-channel Luttinger liquid. The local impurity
      scattering in arbitrary configuration of conducting and insulating channels is
      investigated and the problem is reduced to a single algebraic matrix equation.
      The application to a semi-infinite array of chains described by Luttinger liquid
      models demonstrates that for a weak inter-chain hybridisation and intra-channel
      electron-electron attraction the edge wire is robust against disorder whereas
      bulk wires, on contrary, become insulating in some region of inter-chain
      interaction parameters. This result proves that the edge states may exist in
      disordered anisotropic strongly correlated systems without time-reversal symmetry
      breaking or spin-orbit interaction and provide quantized low-temperature
      transport.

PMID- 28615687
TI  - Multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains circulating in hospital
      setting: whole-genome sequencing and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis for outbreak
      investigations.
AB  - Carbapenems resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections are increasing worldwide
      representing an emerging public health problem. The application of phylogenetic
      and phylodynamic analyses to bacterial whole genome sequencing (WGS) data have
      become essential in the epidemiological surveillance of multi-drug resistant
      nosocomial pathogens. Between January 2012 and February 2013, twenty-one multi
      drug resistant K. pneumoniae strains, were collected from patients hospitalized
      among different wards of the University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico.
      Epidemiological contact tracing of patients and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of
      bacterial WGS data were used to investigate the evolution and spatial dispersion
      of K. pneumoniae in support of hospital infection control. The epidemic curve of
      incident K. pneumoniae cases showed a bimodal distribution of cases with two
      peaks separated by 46 days between November 2012 and January 2013. The time
      scaled phylogeny suggested that K. pneumoniae strains isolated during the study
      period may have been introduced into the hospital setting as early as 2007.
      Moreover, the phylogeny showed two different epidemic introductions in 2008 and
      2009. Bayesian genomic epidemiology is a powerful tool that promises to improve
      the surveillance and control of multi-drug resistant pathogens in an effort to
      develop effective infection prevention in healthcare settings or constant strains
      reintroduction.

PMID- 28615689
TI  - Nomogram model to predict postoperative infection after mandibular
      osteoradionecrosis surgery.
AB  - Osteoradionecrosis of the mandible (ORNM) is one of the most dreaded
      complications of radiotherapy. The poor healing capacity of soft tissue after
      radiation may lead to surgical failure. The current study was designed to
      identify prognostic factors for postoperative infection (PPI) and propose
      corresponding prophylaxis and intervention protocols. A retrospective study was
      conducted concerning ORNM patients from 2000 to 2015. A risk-stratification score
      and nomogram model were established to predict the risk of PPI. A total of 257
      patients were analyzed, and the total incidence of PPI was 23.3% (60/257). In
      multiple logistic regression analysis, radiation dose [Formula: see text]80 Gy
      (versus <80 Gy, OR = 2.044, P = 0.035, 95% CI: 1.05-3.979), bilateral ORNM
      (versus unilateral, OR = 4.120, P = 0.006, 95% CI: 1.501-11.307), skin fistula
      (versus none, OR = 3.078, P = 0.040, 95% CI: 1.05-9.023), and implant utilization
      (versus none, OR = 2.115, P = 0.020, 95% CI: 1.125-3.976) were significantly
      associated with PPI. The susceptibility to PPI in patients with risk
      stratification scores of 14-22 was 2.833 times that of patients with scores of 7
      13, and 7.585 times that of cases defined as scores of 0-6. The discrimination
      capability of the nomogram model was estimated using a ROC curve with an AUC of
      0.708, revealing potentially useful predictive abilities. In conclusion, current
      risk-stratification scores and nomogram models effectively predicted the risk of
      PPI in ORNM patients.

PMID- 28615690
TI  - Cathepsin D regulates lipid metabolism in murine steatohepatitis.
AB  - : Due to the obesity epidemic, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a
      prevalent liver disease, characterized by fat accumulation and inflammation of
      the liver. However, due to a lack of mechanistic insight, diagnostic and
      therapeutic options for NASH are poor. Recent evidence has indicated cathepsin D
      (CTSD), a lysosomal enzyme, as a marker for NASH. Here, we investigated the
      function of CTSD in NASH by using an in vivo and in vitro model. In addition to
      diminished hepatic inflammation, inhibition of CTSD activity dramatically
      improved lipid metabolism, as demonstrated by decreased plasma and liver levels
      of both cholesterol and triglycerides. Mechanistically, CTSD inhibition resulted
      in an increased conversion of cholesterol into bile acids and an elevated
      excretion of bile acids via the feces, indicating that CTSD influences lipid
      metabolism. Consistent with these findings, treating Wt BMDMs with PepA in vitro
      showed a similar decrease in inflammation and an analogous effect on cholesterol
      metabolism. CONCLUSION: CTSD is a key player in the development of hepatic
      inflammation and dyslipidemia. Therefore, aiming at the inhibition of the
      activity of CTSD may lead to novel treatments to combat NASH.

PMID- 28615691
TI  - Human myogenic reserve cells are quiescent stem cells that contribute to muscle
      regeneration after intramuscular transplantation in immunodeficient mice.
AB  - Satellite cells, localized within muscles in vivo, are Pax7+ muscle stem cells
      supporting skeletal muscle growth and regeneration. Unfortunately, their
      amplification in vitro, required for their therapeutic use, is associated with
      reduced regenerative potential. In the present study, we investigated if human
      myogenic reserve cells (MRC) obtained in vitro, represented a reliable cell
      source for muscle repair. For this purpose, primary human myoblasts were freshly
      isolated and expanded. After 2 days of differentiation, 62 +/- 2.9% of the nuclei
      were localized in myotubes and 38 +/- 2.9% in the mononucleated non-fusing MRC.
      Eighty percent of freshly isolated human MRC expressed a phenotype similar to
      human quiescent satellite cells (CD56+/Pax7+/MyoD-/Ki67- cells). Fourteen days
      and 21 days after cell transplantation in immunodeficient mice, live human cells
      were significantly more numerous and the percentage of Pax7+/human lamin A/C+
      cells was 2 fold higher in muscles of animals injected with MRC compared to those
      injected with human myoblasts, despite that percentage of spectrin+ and lamin
      A/C+ human fibers in both groups MRC were similar. Taken together, these data
      provide evidence that MRC generated in vitro represent a promising source of
      cells for improving regeneration of injured skeletal muscles.

PMID- 28615692
TI  - Wnt5a is associated with right ventricular dysfunction and adverse outcome in
      dilated cardiomyopathy.
AB  - The Wingless (Wnt) pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of dilated
      cardiomyopathy (DCM). To explore the role of Wnt modulators Wnt5a and sFRP3 in
      DCM patients we analyzed the expression of Wnt5a and sFRP3 in plasma and
      myocardium of DCM patients and evaluated their effects on NFAT luciferase
      activity in neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes. Elevated circulating Wnt5a (n = 102)
      was associated with increased pulmonary artery pressures, decreased right
      ventricular function and adverse outcome, with a stronger association in more
      severely affected patients. A higher Wnt5a/sFRP3 ratio (n = 25) was found in the
      right ventricle vs. the left ventricle and was correlated with NFAT activation as
      well as pulmonary artery pressures. Wnt5a induced NFAT activation and sFRP3
      release in cardiomyocytes in vitro, while sFRP3 antagonized Wnt5a. Wnt5a is
      associated with right ventricular dysfunction and adverse outcome in DCM patients
      and may promote the progression of DCM through NFAT signaling.

PMID- 28615693
TI  - The CCR4-NOT complex contributes to repression of Major Histocompatibility
      Complex class II transcription.
AB  - The multi-subunit CCR4 (carbon catabolite repressor 4)-NOT (Negative on TATA)
      complex serves as a central coordinator of all different steps of eukaryotic gene
      expression. Here we performed a systematic and comparative analysis of cells
      where the CCR4-NOT subunits CNOT1, CNOT2 or CNOT3 were individually downregulated
      using doxycycline-inducible shRNAs. Microarray experiments showed that
      downregulation of either CNOT subunit resulted in elevated expression of major
      histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) genes which are found in a gene
      cluster on chromosome 6. Increased expression of MHC II genes after knock-down or
      knock-out of either CNOT subunit was seen in a variety of cell systems and also
      in naive macrophages from CNOT3 conditional knock-out mice. CNOT2-mediated
      repression of MHC II genes occurred also in the absence of the master regulator
      class II transactivator (CIITA) and did not cause detectable changes of the
      chromatin structure at the chromosomal MHC II locus. CNOT2 downregulation
      resulted in an increased de novo transcription of mRNAs whereas tethering of
      CNOT2 to a regulatory region governing MHC II expression resulted in diminished
      transcription. These results expand the known repertoire of CCR4-NOT members for
      immune regulation and identify CNOT proteins as a novel group of corepressors
      restricting class II expression.

PMID- 28615694
TI  - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, impairs E-cadherin-mediated
      cell adhesion and alters calcium homeostasis in pancreatic beta cells.
AB  - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed
      drugs for mood disorders. Long term use of SSRIs is associated with an increased
      risk of diabetes, but the underlying mechanism(s) remains elusive. E-cadherin
      mediated cell-cell adhesion and elevated [Ca2+]i are important for insulin
      release and pancreatic beta cell functions. This study aims to investigate
      whether a SSRI, fluoxetine (Prozac), induces pancreatic beta cell dysfunction
      through affecting E-cadherin and/or [Ca2+]i. Here we show that fluoxetine
      significantly reduces glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). MIN6 cells, an
      established murine immortalized beta cell line, form smaller colonies of loosely
      packed cells with reduced cell-cell contact after fluoxetine treatment.
      Immunofluorescence staining reveals that fluoxetine increases cytoplasmic
      accumulation of E-cadherin and reduces the membrane-localized E-cadherin probably
      due to increase of its endocytosis. Fluoxetine inhibits spreading of beta cells
      on E-cad/Fc coated slides and also disrupts E-cadherin-mediated actin filaments.
      Additionally, fluoxetine significantly suppresses endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
      calcium release and store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) activation, probably
      through reduction of ER calcium storage and inhibition of stromal interaction
      molecule 1 (STIM1) trafficking. These data suggest that exposure to fluoxetine
      results in impaired beta cell functions, occurring in concert with reduction of E
      cadherin-dependent cell adhesion and alterations of calcium homeostasis.

PMID- 28615695
TI  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is regulated via MyD88/NF-kappaB signaling in
      experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis.
AB  - Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis is an intractable disease of the central
      nervous system (CNS). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the
      neurotrophic family and found to participate in the immune inflammatory response.
      In this study, we investigated if activation of the classical inflammatory
      signaling pathway, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)/nuclear factor-kappa
      B (NF-kappaB), regulates BDNF expression in experimental S. pneumoniae
      meningitis. MyD88 knockout (myd88-/-) mice and wild-type littermates were
      infected intracisternally with S. pneumoniae suspension. Twenty-four hours after
      inoculation, histopathology of brains was evaluated. Cytokine and chemokine in
      brains and spleens was analyzed using ELISA. NF-kappaB activation was evaluated
      using EMSA. Cortical and hippocampal BDNF was assessed using RT-PCR and ELISA,
      respectively. BDNF promoter activity was evaluated using ChIP-PCR. myd88-/- mice
      showed an obviously weakened inflammatory host response. This diminished
      inflammation was consistent with worse clinical parameters, neuron injury, and
      apoptosis. Deficiency in MyD88 was associated with decreased BDNF expression.
      Furthermore, we identified a valid kappaB-binding site in the BDNF promoter,
      consistent with activation of NF-kappaB induced by inflammation. To sum up,
      MyD88/NF-kappaB signaling has a crucial role in up-regulating BDNF, which might
      provide potential therapeutic targets for S. pneumoniae meningitis.

PMID- 28615696
TI  - Intraoperative imaging of hepatic cancers using gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase
      specific fluorophore enabling real-time identification and estimation of
      recurrence.
AB  - gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) is upregulated in a variety of human cancers
      including primary and secondary hepatic tumors. This motivated us to use gamma
      glutamyl hydroxymethyl rhodamine green (gGlu-HMRG), a novel fluorophore emitting
      light at around 520 nm following enzymatic reaction with GGT, as a tool for the
      intraoperative identification of hepatic tumors. gGlu-HMRG was topically applied
      to 103 freshly resected hepatic specimens. Fluorescence imaging using gGlu-HMRG
      identified hepatic tumors with the sensitivity/specificity of 48%/96% for
      hepatocellular carcinoma, 100%/100% for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and
      87%/100% for colorectal liver metastasis. High gGlu-HMRG fluorescence intensity
      was positively associated with the incidence of microscopic vascular invasion in
      HCC and the risk of early postoperative recurrence in CRLM. These results suggest
      that gGlu-HMRG imaging could not only be a useful intraoperative navigation tool
      but also provide information related to postoperative disease recurrence.

PMID- 28615697
TI  - Remodeling of the cycling transcriptome of the oyster Crassostrea gigas by the
      harmful algae Alexandrium minutum.
AB  - As a marine organism, the oyster Crassostrea gigas inhabits a complex biotope
      governed by interactions between the moon and the sun cycles. We used next
      generation sequencing to investigate temporal regulation of oysters under
      light/dark entrainment and the impact of harmful algal exposure. We found that
      ~6% of the gills' transcriptome exhibits circadian expression, characterized by a
      nocturnal and bimodal pattern. Surprisingly, a higher number of ultradian
      transcripts were also detected under solely circadian entrainment. The results
      showed that a bloom of Alexandrium minutum generated a remodeling of the
      bivalve's temporal structure, characterized by a loss of oscillations, a genesis
      of de novo oscillating transcripts, and a switch in the period of oscillations.
      These findings provide unprecedented insights into the diurnal landscape of the
      oyster's transcriptome and pleiotropic remodeling due to toxic algae exposure,
      revealing the intrinsic plasticity of the cycling transcriptome in oysters.

PMID- 28615698
TI  - Divergent Anabolic Signalling responses of Murine Soleus and Tibialis Anterior
      Muscles to Chronic 2G Hypergravity.
AB  - The purpose of the study was to assess the rate of protein synthesis (PS) and
      elucidate signalling pathways regulating PS in mouse soleus (Sol) and tibialis
      anterior (TA) muscles following chronic hypergravity (30-day centrifugation at
      2G). The content of the key signalling proteins of the various anabolic
      signalling pathways was determined by Western-blotting. The rate of PS was
      assessed using in-vivo SUnSET technique. An exposure to 2G centrifugation did not
      induce any significant changes in the rate of PS as well as phosphorylation
      status of the key anabolic markers (AKT, p70s6k, 4E-BP1, GSK-3beta, eEF2) in Sol.
      On the contrary, a significant 55% increase in PS (p < 0.05) was found in TA. The
      cause of such a rise in PS could be associated with an increase in AKT (+72%, p <
      0.05), GSK-3beta (+60%, p < 0.05) and p70s6k (+40%, p < 0.05) phosphorylation, as
      well as a decrease in eEF2 phosphorylation (-46%, p < 0.05) as compared to
      control values. Thus, the results of our study indicate that 30-day 2G
      centrifugation induces a distinct anabolic response in mouse Sol and TA muscles.
      The activation of the PS rate in TA could be linked to an up-regulation of both
      mTORC1-dependent and mTORC1-independent signalling pathways.

PMID- 28615700
TI  - Urban conservation hotspots: predation release allows the grassland-specialist
      burrowing owl to perform better in the city.
AB  - Although habitat transformation is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss,
      there are many examples of species successfully occupying and even proliferating
      in highly human-modified habitats such are the cities. Thus, there is an
      increasing interest in understanding the drivers favoring urban life for some
      species. Here, we show how the low richness and abundance of predators in urban
      areas may explain changes in the habitat selection pattern of a grassland
      specialist species, the burrowing owl Athene cunicularia, toward urban habitats.
      Predation release improves the demographic parameters of urban individuals, thus
      favoring an increment in the breeding density of the species in urban areas that
      accounts for the apparent positive selection of this habitat in detriment of the
      more natural ones that are avoided. These results suggest that traditional
      habitat selection analyses do not necessarily describe habitat choice decisions
      actively taken by individuals but differences in their demographic prospects.
      Moreover, they also highlight that cites, as predator-free refuges, can become
      key conservation hotspots for some species dependent on threatened habitats such
      as the temperate grasslands of South America.

PMID- 28615699
TI  - Novel regulatory mechanism of serine biosynthesis associated with 3
      phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase in Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - The proteinogenic amino acid L-serine is a precursor for various essential
      biomolecules in all organisms. 3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PGDH) is the
      first committed enzyme of the phosphorylated pathway of L-serine biosynthesis,
      and is regulated by negative feedback from L-serine in bacteria and plants. In
      the present study, two Arabidopsis PGDH isoforms were inhibited by L-serine but
      were activated by L-amino acids such as L-homocysteine in vitro. Activation and
      inhibition by these amino acids was cooperative, suggesting an allosteric
      mechanism. Moreover, the half maximal effective concentration of L-homocysteine
      was 2 orders of magnitude lower than that of L-serine, suggesting greater
      regulatory potency. These are the first data to show that PGDH is activated by
      various biomolecules and indicate that serine biosynthesis is regulated by
      multiple pathways.

PMID- 28615701
TI  - Revisiting Zika (and Rubella).
AB  - Three months after the World Health Organization declared the epidemic of Zika
      virus infections to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, we can
      look back at what we have learned and prospects for controlling the disease.
      Although Zika virus infections may explain many cases of brain damage in
      newborns, it may not be the only cause. We need a clear association between
      confirmed cases of Zika infections in pregnant women and microcephaly in
      newborns. Until we reach a firm conclusion, past experience with another virus
      that causes damage to newborns offers some hope. The development and almost
      universal use of rubella vaccine has all but eliminated the congenital rubella
      syndrome in the world. Rapid development of Zika virus vaccine might well do the
      same for this epidemic.

PMID- 28615702
TI  - Violence, health, and the 2030 agenda: merging evidence and implementation : A
      Sponsored Special Issue.

PMID- 28615703
TI  - Building codes and public health on both sides of the Atlantic.

PMID- 28615704
TI  - The early metabolomic response of adipose tissue during acute cold exposure in
      mice.
AB  - To maintain core body temperature in cold conditions, mammals activate a complex
      multi-organ metabolic response for heat production. White adipose tissue (WAT)
      primarily functions as an energy reservoir, while brown adipose tissue (BAT) is
      activated during cold exposure to generate heat from nutrients. Both BAT and WAT
      undergo specific metabolic changes during acute cold exposure. Here, we use an
      untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize the initial metabolic response
      to cold exposure in multiple adipose tissue depots in mice. Results demonstrate
      dramatically distinct metabolic responses during cold exposure in BAT and WAT.
      Amino acids, nucleotide pathways, and metabolites involved in redox regulation
      were greatly affected 4 hours post-exposure in BAT, while no polar metabolites
      were observed to significantly change in WAT depots up to 6 hours post exposure.
      Lipid metabolism was activated early (2 hours) in both BAT and the subcutaneous
      WAT depots, with the most striking change being observed in the modulation of
      diglyceride and monoglyceride levels in BAT. Overall, these data provide a
      timeline of global thermogenic metabolism in adipose depots during acute cold
      exposure. We have highlighted differences in visceral and subcutaneous WAT
      thermogenic metabolism and demonstrate the distinct metabolism of BAT during cold
      exposure.

PMID- 28615705
TI  - A Long-Term and Slow-Releasing Hydrogen Sulfide Donor Protects against Myocardial
      Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.
AB  - Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recognized as an important gasotransmitter
      exerting various physiological effects, especially in the cardiovascular system.
      Herein we investigated the cardioprotective effects of a novel long-term and slow
      releasing H2S donor, DATS-MSN, using in vivo myocardial ischemia/reperfusion
      (I/R) models and in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation cardiomyocyte models. Unlike the
      instant-releasing pattern of sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS), the release of H2S from
      DATS-MSN was quite slow and continuous both in the cell culture medium and in rat
      plasma (elevated H2S concentrations during 24 h and 72 h reperfusion).
      Correspondingly, DATS-MSN demonstrated superior cardioprotective effects over
      NaHS in I/R models, which were associated with greater survival rates, reduced CK
      MB and troponin I levels, decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis index, increased
      antioxidant enzyme activities, inhibited myocardial inflammation, greater
      reduction in the infarct area and preserved cardiac ejection fraction. Some of
      these effects of DATS-MSN were also found to be superior to classic slow
      releasing H2S donor, GYY4137. In in vitro experiments, cardiomyocytes injury was
      also found to be relived with the use of DATS-MSN compared to NaHS after the
      hypoxia/reoxygenation processes. The present work provides a novel long-term and
      slow-releasing H2S donor and an insight into how the release patterns of H2S
      donors affect its physiological functionality.

PMID- 28615706
TI  - Channel branching and zigzagging in negative cloud-to-ground lightning.
AB  - A fundamental question in lightning flash concerns why the discharge channel
      propagates in a zig-zag manner and produces extensive branches. Here we report
      the optical observation of two negative cloud-to-ground lightning discharges with
      very high temporal resolution of 180,000 frames per second, which shows in detail
      the dependence of channel branching and tortuous behavior on the stepping process
      of the leader development. It is found that the clustered space leaders formed in
      parallel ahead of the channel tip during an individual step process. The leader
      branching is due to the multiple connection of the clustered space leaders with
      the same root channel tip, which occur almost simultaneously, or successively as
      some space leaders/stems resurrect after interruption. Meanwhile, the
      irregularity of angles between the clustered space leaders and the advancing
      direction of leader tip is the origin of channel tortuosity. The statistical
      analysis on 96 steps shows a geometric-mean value of 4.4 m for the step length,
      ranging between 1.3 and 8.6 m, while the distance from the center of space leader
      to the channel is 3.6 m, ranging between 2.1 and 6.9 m. More than 50% steps
      occurred within an angle range of +/-30 degrees  from the advancing direction of
      the leader.

PMID- 28615707
TI  - 99mTc-labeled bevacizumab for detecting atherosclerotic plaque linked to plaque
      neovascularization and monitoring antiangiogenic effects of atorvastatin
      treatment in ApoE-/- mice.
AB  - Atherosclerotic neovascularization plays a significant role in plaque instability
      as it provides additional lipids and inflammatory mediators to lesions, and
      resulting in intraplaque hemorrhage. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF
      A) is considered the predominant proangiogenic factor in angiogenesis.
      Bevacizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody, specifically binds to all VEGF-A
      isoforms with high affinity. Therefore, in this study, we designed 99mTc-MAG3
      bevacizumab as a probe, and then investigated its usefulness as a new imaging
      agent for the detection of plaque neovessels, while also assessing the
      therapeutic effect of atorvastatin treatment. The ApoE-/- mice treated with
      atorvastatin were used as the treatment group, and C57BL/6 J mice were selected
      as the control group. 99mTc-MAG3-bevacizumab uptake was visualized on
      atherosclerotic lesions by non-invasive in-vivo micro-SPECT/CT and ex-vivo BSGI
      planar imaging. The value of P/B in each part of the aorta of ApoE-/- mice was
      higher than in the treatment group and the C57BL/6 J mice, which was confirmed by
      Oil Red O staining, CD31 staining and VEGF immunohistochemistry staining. 99mTc
      MAG3-bevacizumab imaging allowed for the non-invasive diagnosis and assessment of
      plaque neovascularization. Furthermore, this probe may be used as a new molecular
      imaging agent to assess the antiangiogenic effect of atorvastatin.

PMID- 28615709
TI  - Programmable Deployment of Tensegrity Structures by Stimulus-Responsive Polymers.
AB  - Tensegrity structures with detached struts are naturally suitable for deployable
      applications, both in terrestrial and outer-space structures, as well as morphing
      devices. Composed of discontinuous struts and continuous cables, such systems are
      only structurally stable when self-stress is induced; otherwise, they lose the
      original geometrical configuration (while keeping the topology) and thus can be
      tightly packed. We exploit this feature by using stimulus responsive polymers to
      introduce a paradigm for creating actively deployable 3D structures with complex
      shapes. The shape-change of 3D printed smart materials adds an active dimension
      to the configurational space of some structural components. Then we achieve
      dramatic global volume expansion by amplifying component-wise deformations to
      global configurational change via the inherent deployability of tensegrity.
      Through modular design, we can generate active tensegrities that are relatively
      stiff yet resilient with various complexities. Such unique properties enable
      structural systems that can achieve gigantic shape change, making them ideal as a
      platform for super light-weight structures, shape-changing soft robots, morphing
      antenna and RF devices, and biomedical devices.

PMID- 28615708
TI  - Epitope mapping and kinetics of CD4 T cell immunity to pneumonia virus of mice in
      the C57BL/6 strain.
AB  - Pneumonia virus of mice (PVM) infection has been widely used as a rodent model to
      study the closely related human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV). While T cells
      are indispensable for viral clearance, they also contribute to immunopathology.
      To gain more insight into mechanistic details, novel tools are needed that allow
      to study virus-specific T cells in C57BL/6 mice as the majority of transgenic
      mice are only available on this background. While PVM-specific CD8 T cell
      epitopes were recently described, so far no PVM-specific CD4 T cell epitopes have
      been identified within the C57BL/6 strain. Therefore, we set out to map H2-IAb
      restricted epitopes along the PVM proteome. By means of in silico prediction and
      subsequent functional validation, we were able to identify a MHCII-restricted CD4
      T cell epitope, corresponding to amino acids 37-47 in the PVM matrix protein (M37
      47). Using this newly identified MHCII-restricted M37-47 epitope and a previously
      described MHCI-restricted N339-347 epitope, we generated peptide-loaded MHCII and
      MHCI tetramers and characterized the dynamics of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T
      cell responses in vivo. The findings of this study can provide a basis for
      detailed investigation of T cell-mediated immune responses to PVM in a variety of
      genetically modified C57BL/6 mice.

PMID- 28615710
TI  - An alternative conformation of ERbeta bound to estradiol reveals H12 in a stable
      antagonist position.
AB  - The natural ligand 17beta-estradiol (E2) is so far believed to induce a unique
      agonist-bound active conformation in the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the
      estrogen receptors (ERs). Both subtypes, ERalpha and ERbeta, are
      transcriptionally activated in the presence of E2 with ERbeta being somewhat less
      active than ERalpha under similar conditions. The molecular bases for this
      intriguing behavior are mainly attributed to subtype differences in the amino
      terminal domain of these receptors. However, structural details that confer
      differences in the molecular response of ER LBDs to E2 still remain elusive. In
      this study, we present a new crystallographic structure of the ERbeta LBD bound
      to E2 in which H12 assumes an alternative conformation that resembles antagonist
      ERs structures. Structural observations and molecular dynamics simulations
      jointly provide evidence that alternative ERbeta H12 position could correspond to
      a stable conformation of the receptor under physiological pH conditions. Our
      findings shed light on the unexpected role of LBD in the lower functional
      response of ERbeta subtype.

PMID- 28615711
TI  - Identification and characterization of a rich population of CD34+ mesenchymal
      stem/stromal cells in human parotid, sublingual and submandibular glands.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) play crucial roles in maintaining tissue
      homeostasis during physiological turnovers and injuries. Very little is known
      about the phenotype, distribution and molecular nature of MSCs in freshly
      isolated human salivary glands (SGs) as most reports have focused on the analysis
      of cultured MSCs. Our results demonstrate that the cell adhesion molecule CD34
      was widely expressed by the MSCs of human major SGs, namely parotid (PAG),
      sublingual (SLG) and submandibular (SMG) glands. Further, gene expression
      analysis of CD34+ cells derived from fetal SMGs showed significant upregulation
      of genes involved in cellular adhesion, proliferation, branching, extracellular
      matrix remodeling and organ development. Moreover, CD34+ SMG cells exhibited
      elevated expression of genes encoding extracellular matrix, basement membrane
      proteins, and members of ERK, FGF and PDGF signaling pathways, which play key
      roles in glandular development, branching and homeostasis. In vitro CD34+ cell
      derived SG-MSCs revealed multilineage differentiation potential. Intraglandular
      transplantation of cultured MSCs in immunodeficient mice led to their engraftment
      in the injected and uninjected contralateral and ipsilateral glands. Engrafted
      cells could be localized to the stroma surrounding acini and ducts. In summary,
      our data show that CD34+ derived SG-MSCs could be a promising cell source for
      adoptive cell-based SG therapies, and bioengineering of artificial SGs.

PMID- 28615712
TI  - Cell-specific expression of aquaporin-5 (Aqp5) in alveolar epithelium is directed
      by GATA6/Sp1 via histone acetylation.
AB  - Epigenetic regulation of differentiation-related genes is poorly understood. We
      previously reported that transcription factors GATA6 and Sp1 interact with and
      activate the rat proximal 358-bp promoter/enhancer (p358P/E) of lung alveolar
      epithelial type I (AT1) cell-specific gene aquaporin-5 (Aqp5). In this study, we
      found that histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid
      (SAHA) increased AQP5 expression and Sp1-mediated transcription of p358P/E. HDAC3
      overexpression inhibited Sp1-mediated Aqp5 activation, while HDAC3 knockdown
      augmented AQP5 protein expression. Knockdown of GATA6 or transcriptional co
      activator/histone acetyltransferase p300 decreased AQP5 expression, while p300
      overexpression enhanced p358P/E activation by GATA6 and Sp1. GATA6
      overexpression, SAHA treatment or HDAC3 knockdown increased histone H3 (H3) but
      not histone H4 (H4) acetylation within the homologous p358P/E region of mouse
      Aqp5. HDAC3 binds to Sp1 and HDAC3 knockdown increased interaction of GATA6/Sp1,
      GATA6/p300 and Sp1/p300. These results indicate that GATA6 and HDAC3 control Aqp5
      transcription via modulation of H3 acetylation/deacetylation, respectively,
      through competition for binding to Sp1, and suggest that p300 modulates
      acetylation and/or interacts with GATA6/Sp1 to regulate Aqp5 transcription.
      Cooperative interactions among transcription factors and histone modifications
      regulate Aqp5 expression during alveolar epithelial cell transdifferentiation,
      suggesting that HDAC inhibitors may enhance repair by promoting acquisition of
      AT1 cell phenotype.

PMID- 28615713
TI  - Exosomal microRNAs in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) breast milk: potential
      maternal regulators for the development of newborn cubs.
AB  - The physiological role of miRNAs is widely understood to include fine-tuning the
      post-transcriptional regulation of a wide array of biological processes.
      Extensive studies have indicated that exosomal miRNAs in the bodily fluids of
      various organisms can be transferred between living cells for the delivery of
      gene silencing signals. Here, we illustrated the expression characteristics of
      exosomal miRNAs in giant panda breast milk during distinct lactation periods and
      highlighted the enrichment of immune- and development-related endogenous miRNAs
      in colostral and mature giant panda milk. These miRNAs are stable, even under
      certain harsh conditions, via the protection of extracellular vesicles. These
      findings indicate that breast milk may facilitate the dietary intake of maternal
      miRNAs by infants for the regulation of postnatal development. We also detected
      exogenous plant miRNAs from the primary food source of the giant panda (bamboo)
      in the exosomes of giant panda breast milk that were associated with regulatory
      roles in basic metabolism and neuron development. This result suggested that
      dietary plant miRNAs are absorbed by host cells and subsequently secreted into
      bodily fluids as potential cross-kingdom regulators. In conclusion, exosomal
      miRNAs in giant panda breast milk may be crucial maternal regulators for the
      development of intrinsic 'slink' newborn cubs.

PMID- 28615714
TI  - Platelet distribution width correlates with prognosis of non-small cell lung
      cancer.
AB  - Platelets play a multifaceted role in cancer progression and metastasis. Mean
      platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are commonly used
      platelet parameters from routine blood test. The aim of the present study was to
      investigate the correlation between platelet indices and prognosis in patients
      with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 270 patients who were
      diagnosed with NSCLC between January 2009 and December 2009 were retrospectively
      analyzed. Patients' characteristics and hematologic tests data at initial
      diagnosis were collected. The overall survival rate was estimated using Kaplan
      Meier method. The prognostic analysis was carried out with univariate and
      multivariate Cox regressions model. Reduced PDW was significantly correlated with
      T stage, N stage, TNM stage, and histological type of the disease. Moreover,
      survival analysis showed that the overall survival of patients with PDW >= 16.3%
      was significantly longer than that of those with PDW < 16.3% (P < 0.001). In
      multivariate Cox regression model, age, sex, TNM stage, and PDW were identified
      as independent prognostic factors for overall survival (for PDW, P < 0.001). In
      conclusion, reduced PDW is an unfavorable predictive factor of NSCLC patient
      survival. Further studies are warranted.

PMID- 28615715
TI  - RNAseq based transcriptomics study of SMCs from carotid atherosclerotic plaque:
      BMP2 and IDs proteins are crucial regulators of plaque stability.
AB  - Carotid artery atherosclerosis is a risk factor to develop cerebrovascular
      disease. Atheroma plaque can become instable and provoke a cerebrovascular event
      or else remain stable as asymptomatic type. The exact mechanism involved in
      plaque destabilization is not known but includes among other events smooth muscle
      cell (SMC) differentiation. The goal of this study was to perform thorough
      analysis of gene expression differences in SMCs isolated from carotid symptomatic
      versus asymptomatic plaques. Comparative transcriptomics analysis of SMCs based
      on RNAseq technology identified 67 significant differentially expressed genes and
      143 significant differentially expressed isoforms in symptomatic SMCs compared
      with asymptomatic. 37 of top-scoring genes were further validated by digital PCR.
      Enrichment and network analysis shows that the gene expression pattern of SMCs
      from stable asymptomatic plaques is suggestive for an osteogenic phenotype, while
      that of SMCs from unstable symptomatic plaque correlates with a senescence-like
      phenotype. Osteogenic-like phenotype SMCs may positively affect carotid atheroma
      plaque through participation in plaque stabilization via bone formation
      processes. On the other hand, plaques containing senescence-like phenotype SMCs
      may be more prone to rupture. Our results substantiate an important role of SMCs
      in carotid atheroma plaque disruption.

PMID- 28615716
TI  - Lipid vesicles containing transferrin receptor binding peptide TfR-T12 and octa
      arginine conjugate stearyl-R8 efficiently treat brain glioma along with glioma
      stem cells.
AB  - Surgery and radiotherapy cannot fully remove brain glioma; thus, chemotherapy
      continues to play an important role in treatment of this illness. However,
      because of the restriction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the regeneration
      of glioma stem cells, post-chemotherapy relapse usually occurs. Here, we report a
      potential solution to these issues that involves a type of novel multifunctional
      vinblastine liposomes equipped with transferrin receptor binding peptide TfR-T12
      and octa-arginine conjugate stearyl-R8. Studies were performed on brain glioma
      and glioma stem cells in vitro and were verified in brain glioma-bearing mice.
      The liposomes were transported across the BBB, killing brain glioma and glioma
      stem cells via the induction of necrosis, apoptosis and autophagy. Furthermore,
      we reveal the molecular mechanisms for treating brain glioma and glioma stem
      cells via functionalized drug lipid vesicles.

PMID- 28615717
TI  - Image based Machine Learning for identification of macrophage subsets.
AB  - Macrophages play a crucial rule in orchestrating immune responses against
      pathogens and foreign materials. Macrophages have remarkable plasticity in
      response to environmental cues and are able to acquire a spectrum of activation
      status, best exemplified by pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2)
      phenotypes at the two ends of the spectrum. Characterisation of M1 and M2 subsets
      is usually carried out by quantification of multiple cell surface markers,
      transcription factors and cytokine profiles. These approaches are time-consuming,
      require large numbers of cells and are resource intensive. In this study, we used
      machine learning algorithms to develop a simple and fast imaging-based approach
      that enables automated identification of different macrophage functional
      phenotypes using their cell size and morphology. Fluorescent microscopy was used
      to assess cell morphology of different cell types which were stained for nucleus
      and actin distribution using DAPI and phalloidin respectively. By only analysing
      their morphology we were able to identify M1 and M2 phenotypes effectively and
      could distinguish them from naive macrophages and monocytes with an average
      accuracy of 90%. Thus we suggest high-content and automated image analysis can be
      used for fast phenotyping of functionally diverse cell populations with
      reasonable accuracy and without the need for using multiple markers.

PMID- 28615718
TI  - Genome-wide analyses of SWEET family proteins reveal involvement in fruit
      development and abiotic/biotic stress responses in banana.
AB  - Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEET) are a novel type of sugar
      transporter that plays crucial roles in multiple biological processes. From
      banana, for the first time, 25 SWEET genes which could be classified into four
      subfamilies were identified. Majority of MaSWEETs in each subfamily shared
      similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Comprehensive transcriptomic
      analysis of two banana genotypes revealed differential expression patterns of
      MaSWEETs in different tissues, at various stages of fruit development and
      ripening, and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. More than 80% MaSWEETs
      were highly expressed in BaXi Jiao (BX, Musa acuminata AAA group, cv. Cavendish),
      in sharp contrast to Fen Jiao (FJ, M. acuminata AAB group) when pseudostem was
      first emerged. However, MaSWEETs in FJ showed elevated expression under cold,
      drought, salt, and fungal disease stresses, but not in BX. Interaction networks
      and co-expression assays further revealed that MaSWEET-mediated networks
      participate in fruit development signaling and abiotic/biotic stresses, which was
      strongly activated during early stage of fruit development in BX. This study
      provides new insights into the complex transcriptional regulation of SWEETs, as
      well as numerous candidate genes that promote early sugar transport to improve
      fruit quality and enhance stress resistance in banana.

PMID- 28615719
TI  - Thermal and structural studies of carbon coated Mo2C synthesized via in-situ
      single step reduction-carburization.
AB  - Carbon coated nano molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) has been synthesized at 800  degrees
      C through single step reduction route using molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) as a
      precursor, polypropylene (P.P) as a carbon source and magnesium (Mg) as a
      catalyst in an autoclave. The synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray
      diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis techniques (TG/DTA/DTG), field emission
      scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
      Williamson- Hall (W-H) analysis has been done to estimate various parameters like
      strain, stress and strain energy density. Multi-stage kinetic analysis of the
      product phase has been studied to establish the nature of the thermal
      decomposition. Coats-Redfern method applied to determine the mechanism involved
      in the decomposition of the product phase shows that initial and final stage
      follow F1 mechanism whereas middle stage follow F3 mechanism. The activation
      energy (E a) and pre-exponential factor (A) has also been determined. The
      morphological studies shows that the particles have partially spherical/faceted
      shape, with carbon coated having wide particle size distribution. The surface
      chemistry and surface area analysis were studied by X-ray photoelectron
      spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), respectively. The formation
      mechanism of carbon coated Mo2C nano particles has been predicted based on the
      XRD, TG/DTA & DTG and microstructural results.

PMID- 28615721
TI  - Spatio-temporal variability of trace elements fingerprints in cockle
      (Cerastoderma edule) shells and its relevance for tracing geographic origin.
AB  - Understanding spatio-temporal variability of trace elements fingerprints (TEF) in
      bivalve shells is paramount to determine the discrimination power of this
      analytical approach and secure traceability along supply chains. Spatio-temporal
      variability of TEF was assessed in cockle (Cerastoderma edule) shells using
      inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Four elemental ratios
      (Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca) were measured from the shells of specimens
      originating from eight different ecosystems along the Portuguese coast, as well
      as from four different areas, within one of them, over two consecutive years
      (2013 and 2014). TEF varied significantly in the shells of bivalves originating
      from the eight ecosystems surveyed in the present study. Linear discriminant
      function analyses assigned sampled cockles to each of the eight ecosystems with
      an average accuracy of 90%. Elemental ratios also displayed significant
      differences between the two consecutive years in the four areas monitored in the
      same ecosystem. Overall, while TEF displayed by cockle shells can be successfully
      used to trace their geographic origin, a periodical verification of TEF (>6
      months and <1 year) is required to control for temporal variability whenever
      comparing specimens originating from the same area collected more than six months
      apart.

PMID- 28615720
TI  - ARC6-mediated Z ring-like structure formation of prokaryote-descended chloroplast
      FtsZ in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Plant chloroplasts proliferate through binary fission, and the stromal-side
      molecules that are involved in chloroplast division are bacterial derivatives. As
      in bacteria, the prokaryotic tubulin homolog FtsZ assembles into a ring-like
      structure (Z ring) at mid-chloroplast, and this process is followed by
      constriction. However, the properties of chloroplast FtsZs remain unclarified.
      Here, we employed Escherichia coli as a novel heterologous system for expressing
      chloroplast FtsZs and their regulatory components. Fluorescently labelled
      Arabidopsis FtsZ2 efficiently assembled into long filaments in E. coli cells, and
      artificial membrane tethering conferred FtsZ2 filaments with the ability to form
      Z ring-like structures resembling the bacterial Z ring. A negative regulator of
      chloroplast FtsZ assembly, ARC3, retained its inhibitory effects on FtsZ2
      filamentation and Z ring-like structure formation in E. coli cells. Thus, we
      provide a novel heterologous system by using bacterial cells to study the
      regulation of the chloroplast divisome. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the
      FtsZ2-interacting protein ARC6, which is a potential candidate for Z ring
      tethering to the chloroplast inner envelope membrane, genuinely targeted FtsZ2 to
      the membrane components and supported its morphological shift from linear
      filaments to Z ring-like structures in a manner dependent on the C-terminal ARC6
      interacting domain of FtsZ2.

PMID- 28615722
TI  - A novel, simple and rapid route to the synthesis of boron cabonitride nanosheets:
      combustive gaseous unfolding.
AB  - The ternary compound boron carbonitride (BCN) was synthesized in the form of few
      layer nanosheets through a mechanically induced self-sustaining reaction (MSR).
      Magnesium was used to reduce boron trioxide in the presence of melamine in a
      combustive manner. The process to form the nanostructured material was very rapid
      (less than 40 min). The prepared powder was investigated by various techniques
      such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR), Micro-Raman
      spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution
      transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and electron energy loss spectroscopy
      (EELS). The thermal stability and the optical behavior of the BCN nanosheets were
      also studied by thermal analysis and UV-vis spectroscopy, respectively. The
      formation mechanism of the nanosheet morphology was described in detail.

PMID- 28615723
TI  - Core-multishell globular oxidation in a new TiAlNbCr alloy at high temperatures.
AB  - Oxidation resistance is one of key properties of titanium aluminide (TiAl) based
      alloys for high-temperature applications such as in advanced aero-engines and gas
      turbines. A new TiAlNbCr alloy with micro-addition of yttrium has been developed,
      but its oxidation behavior is unknown. To provide some fundamental insights, high
      temperature oxidation characteristics of this alloy are examined via scanning
      electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron probe
      microanalysis, and X-ray diffraction. We show that distinctive core-multishell
      globular oxidation and "daisy" flower-like oxidation occur exclusively around
      Y2O3 particles. Globular oxides exhibit multi-layered Y2O3/TiO2/Al2O3-rich/TiO2
      rich shell structures from the inside to outside. Flower-like inner oxides
      consist of core Y2O3 particles surrounded by divergent Al2O3 and oxygen-rich
      alpha2-Ti3Al in the near-scale substrate. As the scale-substrate interface moves
      inward, the inner oxide structures suffer deeper oxidation and transform into the
      globular oxide structures. Our results demonstrate that the unique oxidation
      characteristics and the understanding of formation mechanisms pave the way for
      the exploration and development of advanced oxidation-resistant TiAl-based
      materials.

PMID- 28615724
TI  - Tunable transport property of oxygen ion in metal oxide thin film: Impact of
      electrolyte orientation on conductivity.
AB  - Quest for efficient ion conducting electrolyte thin film operating at
      intermediate temperature (~600  degrees C) holds promise for the real-world
      utilization of solid oxide fuel cells. Here, we report the correlation between
      mixed as well as preferentially oriented samarium doped cerium oxide electrolyte
      films fabricated by varying the substrate temperatures (100, 300 and 500  degrees
      C) over anode/ quartz by electron beam physical vapor deposition. Pole figure
      analysis of films deposited at 300  degrees C demonstrated a preferential (111)
      orientation in out-off plane direction, while a mixed orientation was observed at
      100 and 500  degrees C. As per extended structural zone model, the growth
      mechanism of film differs with surface mobility of adatom. Preferential
      orientation resulted in higher ionic conductivity than the films with mixed
      orientation, demonstrating the role of growth on electrochemical properties. The
      superior ionic conductivity upon preferential orientation arises from the
      effective reduction of anisotropic nature and grain boundary density in highly
      oriented thin films in out-of-plane direction, which facilitates the hopping of
      oxygen ion at a lower activation energy. This unique feature of growing an
      oriented electrolyte over the anode material opens a new approach to solving the
      grain boundary limitation and makes it as a promising solution for efficient
      power generation.

PMID- 28615726
TI  - Microfluidic co-cultures of retinal pigment epithelial cells and vascular
      endothelial cells to investigate choroidal angiogenesis.
AB  - Angiogenesis plays a critical role in many diseases, including macular
      degeneration. At present, the pathological mechanisms remain unclear while
      appropriate models dissecting regulation of angiogenic processes are lacking. We
      propose an in vitro angiogenesis process and test it by examining the co-culture
      of human retinal pigmental epithelial cells (ARPE-19) and human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVEC) inside a microfluidic device. From characterisation of
      the APRE-19 monoculture, the tight junction protein (ZO-1) was found on the cells
      cultured in the microfluidic device but changes in the medium conditions did not
      affect the integrity of monolayers found in the permeability tests. Vascular
      endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion was elevated under low glucose and
      hypoxia conditions compared to the control. After confirming the angiogenic
      ability of HUVEC, the cell-cell interactions were analyzed under lowered glucose
      medium and chemical hypoxia by exposing ARPE-19 cells to cobalt (II) chloride
      (CoCl2). Heterotypic interactions between ARPE-19 and HUVEC were observed, but
      proliferation of HUVEC was hindered once the monolayer of ARPE-19 started
      breaking down. The above characterisations showed that alterations in glucose
      concentration and/or oxygen level as induced by chemical hypoxia causes
      elevations in VEGF produced in ARPE-19 which in turn affected directional growth
      of HUVEC.

PMID- 28615725
TI  - Transcriptome analysis reveals similarities between human blood CD3- CD56bright
      cells and mouse CD127+ innate lymphoid cells.
AB  - For many years, human peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells have been
      divided into functionally distinct CD3- CD56bright CD16- and CD3- CD56dim CD16+
      subsets. Recently, several groups of innate lymphoid cells (ILC), distinct from
      NK cells in development and function, have been defined in mouse. A signature of
      genes present in mouse ILC except NK cells, defined by Immunological Genome
      Project studies, is significantly over-represented in human CD56bright cells, by
      gene set enrichment analysis. Conversely, the signature genes of mouse NK cells
      are enriched in human CD56dim cells. Correlations are based upon large
      differences in expression of a few key genes. CD56bright cells show preferential
      expression of ILC-associated IL7R (CD127), TNFSF10 (TRAIL), KIT (CD117), IL2RA
      (CD25), CD27, CXCR3, DPP4 (CD26), GPR183, and MHC class II transcripts and
      proteins. This could indicate an ontological relationship between human
      CD56bright cells and mouse CD127+ ILC, or conserved networks of transcriptional
      regulation. In line with the latter hypothesis, among transcription factors known
      to impact ILC or NK cell development, GATA3, TCF7 (TCF-1), AHR, SOX4, RUNX2, and
      ZEB1 transcript levels are higher in CD56bright cells, while IKZF3 (AIOLOS),
      TBX21 (T-bet), NFIL3 (E4BP4), ZEB2, PRDM1 (BLIMP1), and RORA mRNA levels are
      higher in CD56dim cells.

PMID- 28615727
TI  - Oestrogen Inhibits Arterial Calcification by Promoting Autophagy.
AB  - Arterial calcification is a major complication of cardiovascular disease.
      Oestrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women is associated with lower
      levels of coronary artery calcification, but its mechanism of action remains
      unclear. Here, we show that oestrogen inhibits the osteoblastic differentiation
      of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in vitro and arterial calcification in
      vivo by promoting autophagy. Through electron microscopy, GFP-LC3 redistribution,
      and immunofluorescence analyses as well as measurement of the expression of the
      autophagosome marker light-chain I/II (LC3I/II) and autophagy protein 5 (Atg5),
      we show that autophagy is increased in VSMCs by oestrogen in vitro and in vivo.
      The inhibitory effect of oestrogen on arterial calcification was counteracted by
      3-methyladenine (3MA) or knockdown of Atg5 and was increased by rapamycin.
      Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of oestrogen on arterial calcification and the
      degree of autophagy induced by oestrogen were blocked by a nonselective oestrogen
      receptor (ER) antagonist (ICI 182780), a selective oestrogen receptor alpha
      (ERalpha) antagonist (MPP), and ERalpha-specific siRNA. Our data indicate that
      oestrogen inhibits the osteoblastic differentiation of VSMCs by promoting
      autophagy through the ERalpha signalling pathway in vitro and arterial
      calcification in vivo by increasing autophagy. Our findings provide new insights
      into the mechanism by which oestrogen contributes to vascular calcification in
      vitro and in vivo.

PMID- 28615728
TI  - Violation of the virial theorem and generalized equipartition theorem for
      logarithmic oscillators serving as a thermostat.
AB  - A logarithmic oscillator has been proposed to serve as a thermostat recently
      since it has a peculiar property of infinite heat capacity according to the
      virial theorem. In order to examine its feasibility in numerical simulations, a
      modified logarithmic potential has been applied in previous studies to eliminate
      the singularity at the origin. The role played by the modification has been
      elucidated in the present study. We argue that the virial theorem is practically
      violated in finite-time simulations of the modified log-oscillator illustrated by
      a linear dependence of kinetic temperature on energy. Furthermore, as far as a
      thermalized log-oscillator is concerned, our calculation based on the canonical
      ensemble average shows that the generalized equipartition theorem is broken if
      the temperature is higher than a critical temperature. Finally, we show that log
      oscillators fail to serve as thermostats for their incapability of maintaining a
      nonequilibrium steady state even though their energy is appropriately assigned.

PMID- 28615729
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus: BAFF emerges from the genetic shadows.

PMID- 28615731
TI  - The role of IL-6 in host defence against infections: immunobiology and clinical
      implications.
AB  - IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with broad-ranging effects within the integrated
      immune response. One of the roles of IL-6 is to support immunocompetence, defined
      as the ability of a host to respond to infections. Understanding the precise role
      of this cytokine in immunocompetence requires a critical appraisal of data
      derived from both preclinical and clinical studies. Primary immunodeficiency
      diseases involving IL-6 or its signalling pathways reveal that IL-6 is critical
      in the defence against numerous types of pathogens. Studies of IL-6 signalling in
      preclinical models reveal that selective inhibition of either classic IL-6
      signalling or IL-6 trans-signalling has differential effects on the host response
      to different types of infections. Knowledge of such variation might inform
      bioengineering of new IL-6-targeting molecules and potentially enable modulation
      of their toxicity. Clinical studies of IL-6 inhibitors, mainly tocilizumab,
      reveal that their use is associated with an increased rate of both serious and
      opportunistic infections generally in the range observed with other non-IL-6
      directed biologic therapies. Targeting IL-6 has several other important clinical
      implications related to diagnosis, management and prevention of infectious
      diseases.

PMID- 28615732
TI  - Managing rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases - past, present and future.
AB  - Progress in rheumatology has been remarkable in the past 70 years, favourably
      affecting quality of life for people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
      Therapeutics have advanced considerably in this period, from early developments
      such as the introduction of glucocorticoid therapy to the general use of
      methotrexate and other disease-modifying agents, followed by the advent of
      biologic DMARDs and, most recently, small-molecule signalling inhibitors. Novel
      strategies for the use of such agents have also transformed outcomes, as have
      multidisciplinary nonpharmacological approaches to the management of rheumatic
      musculoskeletal disease including surgery, physical therapy and occupational
      therapy. Breakthroughs in our understanding of disease pathogenesis, diagnostics
      and the use of 'big data' continue to drive the field forward. Critically, the
      patient is now at the centre of management strategies as well as the future
      research agenda.

PMID- 28615730
TI  - Pain in ankylosing spondylitis: a neuro-immune collaboration.
AB  - Clinicians have commonly differentiated chronic back pain into two broad subsets:
      namely, non-inflammatory (or mechanical) back pain and inflammatory back pain. As
      the terminology suggests, the latter category, in which ankylosing spondylitis
      (AS) is prominent, presupposes a close link between pain and inflammation.
      Advances in research into the genetics and immunology of AS have improved our
      understanding of the inflammatory processes involved in this disease, and have
      led to the development of potent anti-inflammatory biologic therapeutic agents.
      However, evidence from clinical trials and from biomarker and imaging studies in
      patients with AS indicate that pain and inflammation are not always correlated.
      Thus, the assumption that pain in AS is a reliable surrogate marker for
      inflammation might be an over-simplification. This Review provides an overview of
      current concepts relating to neuro-immune interactions in AS and summarizes
      research that reveals an increasingly complex interplay between the activation of
      the immune system and pain pathways in the nervous system. The different types of
      pain experienced by patients with AS, insights from brain imaging studies,
      neurological mechanisms of pain, sex bias in pain and how the immune system can
      modify pain in patients with AS are also discussed.

PMID- 28615735
TI  - Mediational Analysis in a Planned Missingness Data Design: Alternative Model
      Specifications and Power of the Mediated Effect.

PMID- 28615733
TI  - Why location matters - site-specific factors in rheumatic diseases.
AB  - Rheumatic diseases follow a characteristic anatomical pattern of joint and organ
      involvement. This Review explores three interconnected mechanisms that might be
      involved in the predilection of specific joints for developing specific forms of
      arthritis: site-specific local cell types that drive disease; systemic triggers
      that affect local cell types; and site-specific exogenous factors, such as focal
      mechanical stress, that activate cells locally. The embryonic development of
      limbs and joints is also relevant to the propensity of certain joints to develop
      arthritis. Additionally, location-specific homeostasis and disease occurs in skin
      and blood vessels, thereby extending the concept of site-specificity in human
      diseases beyond rheumatology. Acknowledging the importance of site-specific
      parameters increases the complexity of current disease paradigms and brings us
      closer to understanding why particular disease processes manifest at a particular
      location.

PMID- 28615734
TI  - The role of organic acids on microbial deterioration in the Radix
      pseudostellariae rhizosphere under continuous monoculture regimes.
AB  - A three-year field monoculture trial of Radix pseudostellariae and complementary
      laboratory studies were conducted to further elucidate the underlying mechanism
      responsible for significant decreases in the biomass yield and quality of R.
      pseudostellariae under continuous monoculture regimes. HPLC analysis indicated
      that continuous monoculture soil was rich in organic acids, which had cumulative
      effects over time. Further analysis suggested that the application of a mixture
      of organic acids significantly promoted growth of pathogenic fungi, and increased
      the expression of chemotaxis-related gene (cheA) and biofilm formation of the
      specific pathogenic Kosakonia sacchari. However, opposite reactions were observed
      in the case of Bacillus megaterium and Bacillus pumilus. Concurrently, the
      present results revealed that the mixed organic acids stimulated the production
      of toxins, as well as H2O2 in the pathogenic fungi. Furthermore, the presence of
      organic acids reflecting environmental conditions under monocropping had negative
      effects on the expression of the biocontrol-related genes, which resulted in
      attenuated antagonistic activities of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)
      to suppress mycelial growth of the pathogenic fungi. These results help to unveil
      the mechanisms associated with how accumulated organic acids differentially
      mediate deterioration of soil microbial composition and structure in monocropping
      system.

PMID- 28615736
TI  - An analysis of the Rayleigh-Stokes problem for a generalized second-grade fluid.
AB  - We study the Rayleigh-Stokes problem for a generalized second-grade fluid which
      involves a Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative in time, and present an
      analysis of the problem in the continuous, space semidiscrete and fully discrete
      formulations. We establish the Sobolev regularity of the homogeneous problem for
      both smooth and nonsmooth initial data [Formula: see text], including [Formula:
      see text]. A space semidiscrete Galerkin scheme using continuous piecewise linear
      finite elements is developed, and optimal with respect to initial data regularity
      error estimates for the finite element approximations are derived. Further, two
      fully discrete schemes based on the backward Euler method and second-order
      backward difference method and the related convolution quadrature are developed,
      and optimal error estimates are derived for the fully discrete approximations for
      both smooth and nonsmooth initial data. Numerical results for one- and two
      dimensional examples with smooth and nonsmooth initial data are presented to
      illustrate the efficiency of the method, and to verify the convergence theory.

PMID- 28615737
TI  - Automatic integration using asymptotically optimal adaptive Simpson quadrature.
AB  - We present a novel theoretical approach to the analysis of adaptive quadratures
      and adaptive Simpson quadratures in particular which leads to the construction of
      a new algorithm for automatic integration. For a given function [Formula: see
      text] with [Formula: see text] and possible endpoint singularities the algorithm
      produces an approximation to [Formula: see text] within a given [Formula: see
      text] asymptotically as [Formula: see text]. Moreover, it is optimal among all
      adaptive Simpson quadratures, i.e., needs the minimal number [Formula: see text]
      of function evaluations to obtain an [Formula: see text]-approximation and runs
      in time proportional to [Formula: see text].

PMID- 28615738
TI  - A massively parallel nonoverlapping additive Schwarz method for discontinuous
      Galerkin discretization of elliptic problems.
AB  - A second order elliptic problem with discontinuous coefficient in 2-D or 3-D is
      considered. The problem is discretized by a symmetric weighted interior penalty
      discontinuous Galerkin finite element method with nonmatching simplicial elements
      and piecewise linear functions. The resulting discrete problem is solved by a two
      level additive Schwarz method with a relatively coarse grid and with local solves
      restricted to subdomains which can be as small as single element. In this way the
      method has a potential for a very high level of fine grained parallelism.
      Condition number estimate depending on the relative sizes of the underlying grids
      is provided. The rate of convergence of the method is independent of the jumps of
      the coefficient if its variation is moderate inside coarse grid substructures or
      on local solvers' subdomain boundaries. Numerical experiments are reported which
      confirm theoretical results.

PMID- 28615739
TI  - Mixed finite elements for global tide models.
AB  - We study mixed finite element methods for the linearized rotating shallow water
      equations with linear drag and forcing terms. By means of a strong energy
      estimate for an equivalent second-order formulation for the linearized momentum,
      we prove long-time stability of the system without energy accumulation-the
      geotryptic state. A priori error estimates for the linearized momentum and free
      surface elevation are given in [Formula: see text] as well as for the time
      derivative and divergence of the linearized momentum. Numerical results confirm
      the theoretical results regarding both energy damping and convergence rates.

PMID- 28615740
TI  - Backward error analysis of the shift-and-invert Arnoldi algorithm.
AB  - We perform a backward error analysis of the inexact shift-and-invert Arnoldi
      algorithm. We consider inexactness in the solution of the arising linear systems,
      as well as in the orthonormalization steps, and take the non-orthonormality of
      the computed Krylov basis into account. We show that the computed basis and
      Hessenberg matrix satisfy an exact shift-and-invert Krylov relation for a
      perturbed matrix, and we give bounds for the perturbation. We show that the shift
      and-invert Arnoldi algorithm is backward stable if the condition number of the
      small Hessenberg matrix is not too large. This condition is then relaxed using
      implicit restarts. Moreover, we give notes on the Hermitian case, considering
      Hermitian backward errors, and finally, we use our analysis to derive a sensible
      breakdown condition.

PMID- 28615741
TI  - Runge-Kutta time semidiscretizations of semilinear PDEs with non-smooth data.
AB  - We study semilinear evolution equations [Formula: see text] posed on a Hilbert
      space [Formula: see text], where A is normal and generates a strongly continuous
      semigroup, B is a smooth nonlinearity from [Formula: see text] to itself, and
      [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. In particular the
      one-dimensional semilinear wave equation and nonlinear Schrodinger equation with
      periodic, Neumann and Dirichlet boundary conditions fit into this framework. We
      discretize the evolution equation with an A-stable Runge-Kutta method in time,
      retaining continuous space, and prove convergence of order [Formula: see text]
      for non-smooth initial data [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text], for a
      method of classical order p, extending a result by Brenner and Thomee for linear
      systems. Our approach is to project the semiflow and numerical method to spectral
      Galerkin approximations, and to balance the projection error with the error of
      the time discretization of the projected system. Numerical experiments suggest
      that our estimates are sharp.

PMID- 28615742
TI  - Restarting iterative projection methods for Hermitian nonlinear eigenvalue
      problems with minmax property.
AB  - In this work we present a new restart technique for iterative projection methods
      for nonlinear eigenvalue problems admitting minmax characterization of their
      eigenvalues. Our technique makes use of the minmax induced local enumeration of
      the eigenvalues in the inner iteration. In contrast to global numbering which
      requires including all the previously computed eigenvectors in the search
      subspace, the proposed local numbering only requires a presence of one
      eigenvector in the search subspace. This effectively eliminates the search
      subspace growth and therewith the super-linear increase of the computational
      costs if a large number of eigenvalues or eigenvalues in the interior of the
      spectrum are to be computed. The new restart technique is integrated into
      nonlinear iterative projection methods like the Nonlinear Arnoldi and Jacobi
      Davidson methods. The efficiency of our new restart framework is demonstrated on
      a range of nonlinear eigenvalue problems: quadratic, rational and exponential
      including an industrial real-life conservative gyroscopic eigenvalue problem
      modeling free vibrations of a rolling tire. We also present an extension of the
      method to problems without minmax property but with eigenvalues which have a
      dominant either real or imaginary part and test it on two quadratic eigenvalue
      problems.

PMID- 28615743
TI  - Edge-based nonlinear diffusion for finite element approximations of convection
      diffusion equations and its relation to algebraic flux-correction schemes.
AB  - For the case of approximation of convection-diffusion equations using piecewise
      affine continuous finite elements a new edge-based nonlinear diffusion operator
      is proposed that makes the scheme satisfy a discrete maximum principle. The
      diffusion operator is shown to be Lipschitz continuous and linearity preserving.
      Using these properties we provide a full stability and error analysis, which, in
      the diffusion dominated regime, shows existence, uniqueness and optimal
      convergence. Then the algebraic flux correction method is recalled and we show
      that the present method can be interpreted as an algebraic flux correction method
      for a particular definition of the flux limiters. The performance of the method
      is illustrated on some numerical test cases in two space dimensions.

PMID- 28615744
TI  - Regularity of non-stationary subdivision: a matrix approach.
AB  - In this paper, we study scalar multivariate non-stationary subdivision schemes
      with integer dilation matrix M and present a unifying, general approach for
      checking their convergence and for determining their Holder regularity (latter in
      the case [Formula: see text]). The combination of the concepts of asymptotic
      similarity and approximate sum rules allows us to link stationary and non
      stationary settings and to employ recent advances in methods for exact
      computation of the joint spectral radius. As an application, we prove a recent
      conjecture by Dyn et al. on the Holder regularity of the generalized Daubechies
      wavelets. We illustrate our results with several examples.

PMID- 28615745
TI  - On the interconnection between the higher-order singular values of real tensors.
AB  - A higher-order tensor allows several possible matricizations (reshapes into
      matrices). The simultaneous decay of singular values of such matricizations has
      crucial implications on the low-rank approximability of the tensor via higher
      order singular value decomposition. It is therefore an interesting question which
      simultaneous properties the singular values of different tensor matricizations
      actually can have, but it has not received the deserved attention so far. In this
      paper, preliminary investigations in this direction are conducted. While it is
      clear that the singular values in different matricizations cannot be prescribed
      completely independent from each other, numerical experiments suggest that
      sufficiently small, but otherwise arbitrary perturbations preserve feasibility.
      An alternating projection heuristic is proposed for constructing tensors with
      prescribed singular values (assuming their feasibility). Regarding the related
      problem of characterising sets of tensors having the same singular values in
      specified matricizations, it is noted that orthogonal equivalence under
      multilinear matrix multiplication is a sufficient condition for two tensors to
      have the same singular values in all principal, Tucker-type matricizations, but,
      in contrast to the matrix case, not necessary. An explicit example of this
      phenomenon is given.

PMID- 28615746
TI  - Local two-sided bounds for eigenvalues of self-adjoint operators.
AB  - We examine the equivalence between an extension of the Lehmann-Maehly-Goerisch
      method developed a few years ago by Zimmermann and Mertins, and a geometrically
      motivated method developed more recently by Davies and Plum. We establish a
      general framework which allows sharpening various previously known results in
      these two settings and determine explicit convergence estimates for both methods.
      We demonstrate the applicability of the method of Zimmermann and Mertins by means
      of numerical tests on the resonant cavity problem.

PMID- 28615747
TI  - Scattered manifold-valued data approximation.
AB  - We consider the problem of approximating a function f from an Euclidean domain to
      a manifold M by scattered samples [Formula: see text], where the data sites
      [Formula: see text] are assumed to be locally close but can otherwise be far
      apart points scattered throughout the domain. We introduce a natural approximant
      based on combining the moving least square method and the Karcher mean. We prove
      that the proposed approximant inherits the accuracy order and the smoothness from
      its linear counterpart. The analysis also tells us that the use of Karcher's mean
      (dependent on a Riemannian metric and the associated exponential map) is
      inessential and one can replace it by a more general notion of 'center of mass'
      based on a general retraction on the manifold. Consequently, we can substitute
      the Karcher mean by a more computationally efficient mean. We illustrate our work
      with numerical results which confirm our theoretical findings.

PMID- 28615748
TI  - Discontinuous Galerkin methods for nonlinear scalar hyperbolic conservation laws:
      divided difference estimates and accuracy enhancement.
AB  - In this paper, an analysis of the accuracy-enhancement for the discontinuous
      Galerkin (DG) method applied to one-dimensional scalar nonlinear hyperbolic
      conservation laws is carried out. This requires analyzing the divided difference
      of the errors for the DG solution. We therefore first prove that the [Formula:
      see text]-th order [Formula: see text] divided difference of the DG error in the
      [Formula: see text] norm is of order [Formula: see text] when upwind fluxes are
      used, under the condition that [Formula: see text] possesses a uniform positive
      lower bound. By the duality argument, we then derive superconvergence results of
      order [Formula: see text] in the negative-order norm, demonstrating that it is
      possible to extend the Smoothness-Increasing Accuracy-Conserving filter to
      nonlinear conservation laws to obtain at least [Formula: see text]th order
      superconvergence for post-processed solutions. As a by-product, for variable
      coefficient hyperbolic equations, we provide an explicit proof for optimal
      convergence results of order [Formula: see text] in the [Formula: see text] norm
      for the divided differences of DG errors and thus [Formula: see text]th order
      superconvergence in negative-order norm holds. Numerical experiments are given
      that confirm the theoretical results.

PMID- 28615749
TI  - Optimal convergence for adaptive IGA boundary element methods for weakly-singular
      integral equations.
AB  - In a recent work (Feischl et al. in Eng Anal Bound Elem 62:141-153, 2016), we
      analyzed a weighted-residual error estimator for isogeometric boundary element
      methods in 2D and proposed an adaptive algorithm which steers the local mesh
      refinement of the underlying partition as well as the multiplicity of the knots.
      In the present work, we give a mathematical proof that this algorithm leads to
      convergence even with optimal algebraic rates. Technical contributions include a
      novel mesh-size function which also monitors the knot multiplicity as well as
      inverse estimates for NURBS in fractional-order Sobolev norms.

PMID- 28615750
TI  - The first description of a microtrombidiid mite (Actinotrichida: Prostigmata,
      Microtrombidiidae) from Baltic amber, with notes on related extant genera and
      species.
AB  - Discovery of parasitengone mites (Acari) in the Gulf of Gdansk deposits of Baltic
      amber ("Blue Earth" sediment) resulted in the first description of a fossil
      representative of Microtrombidiidae. The new species, based on larvae, displays
      affinity to recent members of Montenegtrombium Saboori and Pesic, 2006,
      Persianthrombium Sedghi, Saboori and Hakimitabar (in Sedghi et al. 2010) and
      Porttrombidium Haitlinger, 2000, known from the southwestern Palaearctic. A
      comparison with related genera and species places the newly described taxon in
      Porttrombidium (as Porttrombidium gedanense sp. nov.). Montenegtrombium is
      regarded as a junior synonym of Porttrombidium.

PMID- 28615751
TI  - The sponge genus Ephydatia from the high-latitude middle Eocene: environmental
      and evolutionary significance.
AB  - The freshwater sponge species Ephydatia cf. facunda Weltner, 1895 (Spongillida,
      Spongillidae) is reported for the first time as a fossil from middle Eocene lake
      sediments of the Giraffe kimberlite maar in northern Canada. The sponge is
      represented by birotule gemmuloscleres as well as oxea megascleres. Today, E.
      facunda inhabits warm-water bodies, so its presence in the Giraffe locality
      provides evidence of a warm climate at high latitudes during the middle Eocene.
      The morphological similarity of the birotules to modern conspecific forms
      suggests protracted morphological stasis, comparable to that reported for other
      siliceous microfossils from the same locality.

PMID- 28615752
TI  - Icriodus marieae, a new icriodontid conodont species from the Middle Devonian.
AB  - A new conodont species, Icriodus marieae, is described from pelagic limestone
      beds of the Carnic Alps (Austria). Specimens are obtained from the upper part of
      the Valentin Formation (Central Carnic Alps) and range from the latest Eifelian
      to middle Givetian. Significantly differing from other icriodontid conodonts is
      that the icriodontan element of the new species develops only three denticles on
      either lateral denticle row, which are constricted to the central part of the
      element. The anterior part of the element is free of lateral row denticles and
      consists of two to four denticles, which have a fan-shaped outline in lateral
      view. The anterior part as well as the posterior part (consisting of cusp and two
      to three pre-cusp denticles) is higher than the denticles of the central part of
      the element. Shape analysis confirms that the parameters chosen for landmarks
      (element size relation and denticle setting) show little variation between
      different specimens.

PMID- 28615753
TI  - Pharmacological Advances in the Management of Sexual Dysfunction.

PMID- 28615755
TI  - Role of Electroencephalography in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric
      Border Zone Syndromes.
AB  - Border zone disorders involve neurological disorders with psychiatric symptoms
      and signs as well as psychiatric disorders with soft neurological features. This
      becomes a cause for great diagnostic and therapeutic concerns. We, in this paper,
      analyzed some of the imitators such as epilepsy, dementia, some forms of
      encephalitis, and pure psychiatric diseases which produce problems in decision
      making due to soft neurological features and the utility of
      electroencephalography (EEG) as a simple diagnostic tool in differentiating some
      of these conditions from each other as well as the therapeutic role of EEG in
      some of these disorders. We retrospectively took index cases which produced
      problems for us in decision making in the last 5 years and correlated with the
      final diagnosis, EEG parameters as well as literature available by PubMed search
      using specific key words based on the conditions identified. EEG can be normal in
      organic diseases and abnormal in psychiatric diseases. Typical EEG findings in
      neuropsychiatric syndromes point to specific diagnosis. Soft EEG changes are
      common in psychiatric disorders and do not indicate organicity. EEG can be used
      to assess efficacy and toxicity of therapeutic agents in psychiatry. Biofeedback
      based training to keep the brain in particular rhythm is of use in psychiatric
      disorders as a pharmaco-sparing agent.

PMID- 28615754
TI  - Telepsychiatry in India - Where Do We Stand? A Comparative Review between Global
      and Indian Telepsychiatry Programs.
AB  - A wide discrepancy exists in India between the existing mental healthcare
      repertoire and the alarmingly high burden of individuals requiring immediate
      attention from requisite mental healthcare services. Providing equitable mental
      healthcare across a vast country characterized by profound cultural variations
      and territorial caveats has remained a major public health concern. Against this
      gloomy backdrop, the emergence of distant communications technology offers solace
      and optimism as an ingenious approach to bridge the existing gap between clients
      and mental health professionals. Using inexpensive equipment and basic technical
      knowhow, telepsychiatry expands the scope of the discipline to distant and hazy
      suburbs and villages from its urban centers of excellence. The current academic
      endeavor intends to perform a systematic review of relevant literature from India
      as well as from other countries. The various models of telepsychiatry-both
      asynchronous and synchronous models-in practice have been elaborated on with a
      focus on effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of this latest modality. A
      sincere attempt to chronicle the remarkable journey of telepsychiatry in India,
      beginning in the dawn of the 21st century to the current Indian scenario, has
      been made. The legal and ethical issues, along with a few words of caution and
      contemplation, have been briefly touched on. A set of recommendations has been
      provided with the hope that policy makers and administrators in the domain of
      mental health may benefit from them. It is anticipated that telepsychiatry will
      be adequately utilized in India to tackle the raging menace of inadequate mental
      healthcare services.

PMID- 28615757
TI  - An Audit of Indian Health Insurance Claims for Mental Illness from Pooled
      Insurance Information Bureau's Macroindicator Data.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Information on the social and voluntary insurance coverage of
      mental illness in India is scarce. We attempted to address this lacuna, utilizing
      a secondary macrodata approach for 3 years. Mental illness per se is not covered
      by most of existing Indian health insurance policies. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Publicly available de-identified claim macrodata for all health (nonlife)
      insurance for Indian financial year from 2011-2012 to 2013-2014 were collected.
      The age group, gender, amount of claims, proportion of claims, and details of
      number of days of hospitalization were collected and analyzed. Descriptive
      statistics, Chi-square test, and Wilcoxon tests were used appropriately. P <=
      0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In 2011-2012, there were
      2864 claims from the registered 2,591,781 members citing mental illness (0.11%)
      which decreased to 0.03% in 2012-2013 and marginally rose to 0.07% of all claims.
      The total amount of claims paid for mental illness was Rs. 51.7 millions in 2011
      2012, Rs. 97.2 million in 2012-2013, and Rs. 150 million in 2013-2014.
      Statistically significant difference emerged in terms of age group, gender,
      amount and proportion of claim, and number of days of hospitalization.
      CONCLUSION: The penetration of health insurance is low and claim for mental
      illness remains low. The difference in patterns of age, gender, amount of claims,
      and number of days for mental illness provides detailed relevant information to
      formulate future policies.

PMID- 28615756
TI  - Neurocognitive Impairments in Unaffected First-degree Relatives of Schizophrenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive impairments of attention and executive functioning are
      trait abnormalities in schizophrenia, and these are considered to be
      endophenotypes. These deficits have been convincingly linked to prefrontal
      cortical functioning. In this study, we examined the cognitive performance in the
      domains of attention and executive functioning among first-degree relatives of
      Indian people with schizophrenia (high-risk [HR] patients) compared to healthy
      controls (HC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Siblings of patients with DSM-IV
      schizophrenia, HR patients (n = 17), were compared with HC (n = 30) (matched as a
      group for age, sex, years of education, and handedness) using the following
      neurocognitive tests for attention and executive function - digit span test
      (DST), trail making test, letter-number sequencing (LNS), and spatial span test.
      RESULTS: HR patients had significantly deficient performance in attention and
      executive function tasks (DST-forward [P < 0.001], DST-backward [P < 0.001],
      spatial span-forward [P < 0.001], spatial span-backward [P < 0.001], and LNS [P <
      0.001]). CONCLUSIONS: This study replicates the findings that neurocognitive
      deficits involving executive function task performance, attention, and working
      memory, which are considered as principal features in patients with
      schizophrenia, are also significantly present in the first-degree relatives of
      patients. Thus, these neurocognitive parameters can be considered as potential
      endophenotypes in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28615758
TI  - Regional Cerebral Glucose Metabolism and its Association with Phenotype and
      Cognitive Functioning in Patients with Autism.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In spite of three decades of neuroimaging, we are unable to find
      consistent and coherent anatomical or pathophysiological basis for autism as
      changes are subtle and there are no studies from India. AIM: To study the
      regional cerebral glucose metabolism in children with autism using positron
      emission tomography (PET) scan and to study the behavior and cognitive
      functioning among them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten subjects (8-19 years) meeting
      Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria
      for autism were evaluated on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), trail making
      test (TMT) A and B, Wisconsin card sorting test, Raven's progressive matrices,
      and PET scan. A control group of 15 matched subjects without any brain pathology
      or neurological disorder was similarly studied. RESULTS: Four out of the ten
      patients with autism had abnormal PET scan findings, and in contrast, none of the
      patients in the control group had abnormal PET scan. Of the four patients with
      abnormality in the PET scan, two patients had findings suggestive of
      hypometabolism in cerebellum bilaterally; one patient showed bilateral
      hypometabolism in anterior temporal cortices and cerebellum, and the fourth
      patient had hypermetabolism in the bilateral frontal cortices and medial
      occipital cortices. Subjects with autism performed poorly on neuropsychological
      testing. Patients with abnormal PET scan findings had significantly higher scores
      on the "body use" domain of CARS indicating more stereotypy. CONCLUSION: Findings
      of this study support the view of altered brain functioning in subjects with
      autism.

PMID- 28615759
TI  - Telepsychiatry as an Economically Better Model for Reaching the Unreached: A
      Retrospective Report from South India.
AB  - AIM: In a resource-poor country such as India, telepsychiatry could be an
      economical method to expand health-care services. This study was planned to
      compare the costing and feasibility of three different service delivery models.
      The end user was a state-funded long-stay Rehabilitation Center (RC) for the
      homeless. METHODOLOGY: Model A comprised patients going to a tertiary care center
      for clinical care, Model B was community outreach service, and Model C comprised
      telepsychiatry services. The costing included expenses incurred by the health
      system to complete a single consultation for a patient on an outpatient basis. It
      specifically excluded the cost borne by the care-receiver. No patients were
      interviewed for the study. RESULTS: The RC had 736 inmates, of which 341 had
      mental illness of very long duration. On comparing the costing, Model A costed
      6047.5 INR (100$), Model B costed 577.1 INR (9.1$), and Model C costed 137.2 INR
      (2.2$). Model C was found fifty times more economical when compared to Model A
      and four times more economical when compared to Model B. CONCLUSION:
      Telepsychiatry services connecting tertiary center and a primary health-care
      center have potential to be an economical model of service delivery compared to
      other traditional ones. This resource needs to be tapped in a better fashion to
      reach the unreached.

PMID- 28615760
TI  - Use of Mobile Phone Technology to Improve follow-up at a Community Mental Health
      Clinic: A Randomized Control Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mobile phone technology is being used worldwide to improve follow-ups
      in health care. AIM: Aim of the study is to evaluate whether the use of mobile
      technology will improve or not the follow-up of Indian patients from a community
      mental health center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients or caregivers having mobile
      phones and consenting for study were enrolled, and sociodemographic and clinical
      details of patients were taken. Participants were randomized into two groups
      (short message service [SMS] vs. non-SMS group). At first intervention level, a
      SMS was sent to SMS group (not in non-SMS group) 1 day before their appointment.
      At second-level intervention (voice call level), patients from both groups who
      missed their first appointment were given a voice call requesting them to come
      for follow-up, and the reasons for first missed appointments (MA) were also
      elicited. The effect of these two intervention levels (first SMS for SMS group
      and next voice calls for both groups) on follow-up was evaluated. RESULTS: A
      total of 214 patients were enrolled in the study. At first SMS intervention level
      of SMS group (n = 106), 62.26% of participants reached appointment-on-time (RA),
      while in the non-SMS/as usual group (n = 108), 45.37% of patients RA. The
      difference of these groups is statistically significant. At second-level
      intervention (voice call), 66 of 88 (another 15 were unable to contact) were came
      for follow-up consultation within 2 days of MA. Distance and diagnosis of alcohol
      dependence were significantly associated with MA. Social reasons were most common
      reasons for first MA. CONCLUSION: The use of mobile phone technology in an
      outpatient community psychiatric clinic improved follow-up significantly.

PMID- 28615761
TI  - Prediction of Risk for Boys' Involvement in Drug Use Based on Levels of Self
      evaluations in Russia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adolescents often experiment with drug use, which can impact on their
      health and well-being and increase the probability of problem drug use. Yet, not
      enough is known about which psychological indicators is related with the
      initiation of drug use among young adults and have predictive power. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Participants in this study were 311 boys (school and college
      students) aged 15-17. Data were collected in the towns of Moscow region. A
      modified version of Dembo-Rubinstein test was used to assess the self-evaluation
      (SE). A questionnaire and detection of drugs in urine were used to identify drug
      users. Binary logistic regression analysis based on SE with the inclusion of
      interactive effects between predictors was used for prediction of drug use.
      RESULTS: Drug users, compared to nondrug users, are characterized by lower actual
      SE of health, happiness, success in learning, mind and desired SE of appearance,
      and higher desired SE of relationships with friends. The developed nonlinear
      regression model for prediction of boys' involvement in drug use among young boys
      in the towns of Moscow region has a sensitivity of 82.7% at a specificity of
      79.0%. CONCLUSIONS: Dembo-Rubinstein test of SE is a sensitive measure to
      identify boys at risk of involvement in drug use. Application of the regression
      model based on SE may contribute to the useful solution in preventing any onset
      of early drug use.

PMID- 28615762
TI  - Prevalence of Depression among School-going Adolescents in an Urban Area of
      Bihar, India.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Depression is one of the under-recognized health problems in
      adolescents. Emotional instability resulted from childhood to adulthood
      transition makes adolescents vulnerable to depression. AIMS: The aim of the study
      was to explore the prevalence of depression and its associated sociodemographic
      factors among school-going adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross
      sectional study was undertaken from January 2016 to June 2016 in adolescents
      studying in 9-12th standard from forty schools located in an urban area of Patna,
      Bihar. The self-administered questionnaire of Beck's Depression Inventory II was
      utilized to assess the prevalence of depression. Statistical analysis was done
      with Pearson's Chi-square test using SPSS software version 21.0. RESULTS: Among
      the 1412 selected students, the prevalence of depression was found to be 49.2%,
      wherein the prevalence of severe depression was 7.7%. The overall prevalence of
      depression was significantly (P < 0.001) higher among girls (55.1%) than boys
      (45.8%). The prevalence of depression was found to be higher among students
      belonging to minorities (Buddhism, Jainism, etc.) (63.3%, P < 0.001). Elder
      students were found to be more depressed than younger students. Depression was
      found to be statistically significantly associated with gender and religion (P <
      0.005). Guilty feeling (69.48%) was one of the most prominent clinical factors
      associated with depression followed by pessimism (58.14%), sadness (56.52%), and
      past failure (55.81%). CONCLUSIONS: Mental health is one of the most neglected
      aspects of our society. There is a need to increase awareness about depression
      among teachers and parents to identify and help depressed adolescents in the
      school.

PMID- 28615763
TI  - Adverse Drug Reactions and their Impact on Quality of Life in Patients on
      Antipsychotic Therapy at a Tertiary Care Center in Delhi.
AB  - CONTEXT: Adverse drug reactions (ADR) due to antipsychotic therapy have
      significant impact on a psychiatric patient's quality of life. Few studies have
      been conducted in India to monitor adverse drug reactions due to antispsychotics
      and none has been done to determine their impact on quality of life. AIMS: The
      present study was conducted to monitor ADRs due to antipsychotics and ascertain
      the impact of ADRs on quality of life. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This prospective
      observational study was conducted in the psychiatry outpatients department in New
      Delhi for 1 year. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 224 patients enrolled were
      followed up for a period of 3 months. ADRs were monitored using the standard form
      of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization and causality was determined
      using the Naranjo algorithm. The WHO Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) scale was
      used to study the effect of ADR on the quality of life. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
      USED: The data were entered and analyzed using the statistical software SPSS
      17.0. Unpaired t-test was used to compare the quality of life of patients who
      encountered ADRs and those who did not. P < 0.05 was considered statistically
      significant. RESULTS: Of the total 224 patients, 38 adverse drug events occurred.
      Adverse drug events were mostly with risperidone (10), followed by olanzapine (8)
      owing to high usage. Majority of the events were classified as probable (34). The
      occurrence of adverse drug events decreased the scores on physical and
      psychological domain scores of WHO-QOL BREF at 3 months compared to baseline.
      CONCLUSIONS: The study provides information on the existing incidence of ADRs in
      the setup with an established pharmacovigilance center. The nature of ADRs
      correlates with the prevalence pattern of usage of atypical antipsychotics.
      Clinicians need to weigh benefit versus the impact on quality of life while
      prescribing antipsychotics.

PMID- 28615764
TI  - Evaluation of Antioxidant Status, High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein, and
      Insulin Resistance in Male Chronic Opiate Users Without Comorbidities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data on frequency of metabolic syndrome (MS),
      insulin resistance (IR), and oxidative stress in Indian opiate users without
      comorbidities. OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of opiate use on frequency
      of MS, homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR), high-sensitivity C-reactive
      protein (hs-CRP), and oxidative stress in opiate-dependent male patients without
      comorbidities. METHODS: Participants (n = 120) were grouped as controls (Group
      I), pure opiate dependents (Group II), opiate + tobacco dependents (Group III),
      and tobacco dependents (Group IV) with a minimum of 1-year dependence
      participated in the study. Participants were evaluated for anthropometric
      parameters, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood sugar, insulin, HOMA-IR, lipid
      profile, hs-CRP, and total antioxidant status (TAS). Frequency of MS was
      determined based on modified Adult Treatment Panel-III. The data were analyzed
      using one-way ANOVA, multiple regression by SPSS 21. RESULTS: Frequency of MS in
      opiate dependents was higher than control. There was a significant difference in
      serum insulin, HOMA-IR, and TAS levels of the study groups. Multiple regression
      analysis showed dependence years, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, systolic
      blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), HOMA-IR, and hs-CRP to be
      significant independent predictors of TAS in Group II and III patients with MS
      after adjusting for age and education years. TAS and DBP significantly predicted
      hs-CRP after adjusting for age and education years in Group II and III patients
      with MS. No such relation was seen in Group I and IV. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic opiate
      dependent males without comorbidity are a unique group that shows low-grade
      inflammation, oxidative stress, and prevalence of MS predisposing them to future
      risk of cardiovascular diseases.

PMID- 28615766
TI  - Psychosocial Factors Associated with Relapse in Patients with Alcohol Dependence.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Despite the recent developments in the biology of addiction, a
      significant part of relapse and its management is still influenced by
      psychosocial factors and the interplay between them. This study aims at finding
      the extent of association of various psychosocial factors with relapse in
      patients of alcohol dependence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a cross-sectional
      study of two groups of alcohol dependence patients: abstinence (n = 31) and
      relapse (n = 35). Demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables were compared
      between the two groups. Statistical analyses were aimed at finding the extent of
      association between various factors and relapse. RESULTS: Demographic variables
      such as family history of substance dependence (odds ratio [OR] =2.09; confidence
      interval [CI] =0.74-5.90) and past history of >=2 relapses (OR = 2.71; CI = 0.83
      8.87) were associated with relapse in alcohol dependence. Clinical variables such
      as younger age of onset of dependence (Mean difference = -3.93; 95% CI = -7.66 - 
      0.21; P = 0.038) and shorter time to develop dependence (Mean difference = -3.08;
      95% CI = -5.53 --0.63; P = 0.014) were significantly associated with relapse. Of
      the psychosocial variables, coping behavior (OR = 6.54; CI = 1.17-36.74) had the
      highest association with relapse followed by relapse precipitants (OR = 1.42; CI
      = 1.16-1.74). CONCLUSION: Coping behaviors to adverse situations have greater
      association with relapse among psychosocial variables than the number of high
      risk situations a patient experiences. Interventions targeted at improving coping
      skills can help patients stay abstinent.

PMID- 28615765
TI  - Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring in a Tertiary Care Psychiatry Setting: A
      Comparative Study between Inpatients and Outpatients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psychotropic medications are the mainstay of treatment in psychiatric
      disorders and are associated with ADRs which affect the compliance and treatment
      course. Previous studies have looked at the frequency, profile of ADRs and their
      management aspects. However, the systematic comparison between IP and OP was
      lacking even though there is a prescription pattern difference. Hence this study
      was aimed to compare the proportion, pattern, severity and resolution of ADRs
      once detected. METHODS: This is a hospital based, prospective follow up study
      done in the psychiatry ward and outpatient setting for a period of 6 months. A
      total of 491 patients (200 IP, 291 OP) who received psychotropics were monitored
      in the study. UKU side effect rating scale was used to detect ADRs, WHO - UMC
      scale for causality, Modified Hartwig and Siegel Scale to assess severity of ADR
      and CDSCO suspected ADR form for reporting it. RESULTS: Out of 491 patients who
      were recruited for the study, 83 patients developed ADRs (34 IP, 49 OP, P =
      0.963). The mean number of ADRs per patient was found to be higher in IP (IP
      2.17+/-1.14, OP-1.65+/-1.12, P-0.01). Severe ADRs were observed to be higher IP
      (IP-67.64%, OP-38.7%, P-0.014) which was statistically significant. There is no
      statistically significant difference in distribution of ADRs across all age
      groups (P-0.475). CONCLUSION: The study results emphasises the need for active
      pharmacovigilance so that ADRs are detected and managed at the earliest, hence
      reducing the morbidity and improving compliance. There is also need for
      systematic long term, multicentric study to further examine and correlatethe
      observations of our study.

PMID- 28615767
TI  - Do Life Events and Social Support Vary across Depressive Disorders?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Social support and life events moderate the expression of depression
      though studies have shown contradictory results. The objective was to study the
      stressful life events and perceived social support in patients with adjustment
      disorder, first-episode depression, and recurrent depressive disorder (RDD).
      SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-six patients aged 18-60 years with
      adjustment disorder, first-episode depression, or RDD according to Diagnostic and
      Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision were
      evaluated using the presumptive stressful life events scale and Multidimensional
      Scale of Perceived Social Support. RESULTS: There was no difference in mean
      number of total life events and subgroups as well as perceived stress score in
      the past 1 year between the groups. There was no difference in the perceived
      social support scale total score, as well as from family and friends, across the
      three groups. However, the mean perceived social support from significant others
      in those with RDD was lower as compared to those with adjustment disorder.
      CONCLUSION: Stressful life events do not differ in adjustment disorder, first
      episode depression, and RDD. Furthermore, the perceived social support was
      similar across the three groups, except for perceived social support from
      significant others, which was less in those with RDD.

PMID- 28615768
TI  - The Phenomenology and Treatment Response in Catatonia: A Hospital Based
      Descriptive Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Literatures regarding clinical symptomatology and treatment response
      of catatonia are very few. OBJECTIVE: To assess onset, clinical profile,
      diagnostic break up, treatment response and outcome in patients diagnosed as
      Catatonia, reported to a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: The present study was a
      cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in indoor of Mental Health Institute
      (Centre of Excellence), S.C.B. Medical College, between March 2015 to March 2016.
      A total of 34 patients were included in the study who reported at outdoor
      department of Mental Health Institute with catatonic symptoms. All patients
      admitted in inpatient department were routinely assessed through a detailed semi
      structured interview. The diagnosis of catatonia was made if the patients present
      with three or more symptoms out of twelve symptoms fulfilling the criteria of DSM
      5. All the patients were assessed through Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale.
      They were initially given parental lorazepam at the doses ranging from 4-12 mg
      per day as per requirement. Patients who did not respond to lorazepam trial were
      given ECT. RESULTS: The patients were predominantly presented with retarded
      symptoms of catatonia such as staring, mutism, withdrawal, posturing and
      negativism. Schizophrenia and other psychotic spectrum disorders were more
      commonly presented as catatonia as compared to mood disorders. Younger age group
      patients were mainly responded to lorazepam only, whereas older age group
      patients responded to both ECT and lorazepam. CONCLUSION: This study has came out
      with very important insights in the age of incidence, phenomenology, clinical
      profile, source of referral, diagnostic break up and treatment response with
      lorazepam and ECT in catatonic patients following mental disorder.

PMID- 28615770
TI  - The Mood Spectrum and Temperamental Instability in Unipolar and Bipolar Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The current categorical split of mood disorders in bipolar (BP)
      disorders and depressive disorders has recently been questioned. The presence of
      a significant number of manic/hypomanic symptoms in patients with recurrent
      unipolar depression seems to challenge the traditional dichotomy of unipolar-BP
      disorder. Two highly unstable personality features, i.e., the cyclothymic
      temperament (CT) and borderline personality disorder, have been found to be more
      common in BP disorder than in major depressive disorder. AIM: The aim was to
      assess the distributions of the number of mood spectrum, CT, and borderline
      personality items between two groups. Finding no bimodal distribution (a "zone of
      rarity") of these items would support a continuity between the two disorders.
      METHODS: Forty euthymic BP disorder patients and forty unipolar depression
      patients were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for the Mood
      Spectrum, which assesses lifetime symptoms, traits, and lifestyles that
      characterize threshold and subthreshold mood episodes. CT was assessed using
      Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-A relative to CT and
      borderline personality trait (BPT) was assessed using Structured Clinical
      Interview for DSM Disorders II personality questionnaire relative to BPT. The
      distribution of the number of CT and BPT items was studied by Kernel density
      estimate. RESULT: Patient with recurrent depression endorsed manic/hypomanic
      items though less than BP group. However, the Kernel density estimates
      distributions of the number of hypomanic/manic items, CT and BPT items in the
      entire sample had a normal-like shape (i.e. no bimodality). CONCLUSION: Normal
      like curves in the distributions of mood symptoms, number of CT and BPT items in
      the entire sample, suggest significant amount of overlap of these characteristic
      in both the groups. Using the bimodality approach, continuity between BP and
      major depressive disorder (MDD) seems to be supported, questioning the current
      categorical splitting of BP and MDD based on classic diagnostic validators.

PMID- 28615769
TI  - Gender, Life Events, and Depression: An Exploratory Study.
AB  - CONTEXT: Literature is inconsistent about the role of gender in mediating the
      relationship between life events and depression. AIM: Our objective was to
      explore gender differences in patterns and frequencies of stressful life events
      before onset of a depressive episode. SETTING AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional study
      at a tertiary care center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred patients fulfilling
      Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition criteria for
      current major depression (50 males and 50 females) were recruited for the study.
      Structured instruments were used to assess psychiatric comorbidity, episode
      severity, and stressful life events. We compared the number and frequency of
      stressful life events between genders and their relationship with demographic and
      clinical variables. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Mann-Whitney U-test and Chi-square
      test. RESULTS: Women with depression were older, more likely to be married (P <
      0.01), had lower rates of comorbid panic disorder (P < 0.01) and nicotine
      dependence (P = 0.016) compared to men. Total stress scores and median number of
      stressful events in the year before onset of depression were significantly lower
      in women (P < 0.01). Getting married, job or property-related stressors, and
      breakup of friendship were more commonly reported stressors among males while
      more females reported dowry-related issues before symptom onset. In stratified
      analysis, these gender differences continued to hold good only in those with
      comorbid dysthymia. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a sex-specific effect of
      certain life events on depression. Comorbid dysthymia may play an important role
      in mediating this differential stress sensitivity across genders.

PMID- 28615771
TI  - Comparative Study of Psychiatric Manifestations among Type I and Type II Diabetic
      Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depressive disorders belong to the most common
      psychiatric disorders worldwide. They are generally seen in individuals who
      suffer from chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus (DM). The prevalence of
      depression among diabetics ranges from 8.5% to 32.5%, while that for anxiety it
      is up to 30%. In this study, we try to compare the mental health problems faced
      by those with Type I and Type II DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients
      diagnosed with Type I diabetes (T1D) and Type II diabetes each presenting to
      Medicine and Endocrinology Department were assessed with Hamilton Depression
      Rating Scale (HAM-D) for depression and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) for
      anxiety. Patients were assessed on sociodemographic profile, duration of illness,
      type of treatment and then the data were analyzed on different domains. RESULTS:
      On the assessment of patients with HAM-D a total of 38% with T1D were found to be
      depressed, and 42% patients with Type II diabetes had depression. Similarly, on
      assessment of anxiety with HAM-A, a total of 44% with T1D had anxiety. In
      patients with Type II diabetes, a total of 34% patients suffer from anxiety.
      CONCLUSION: The study concludes that Type I and Type II are slightly different in
      terms of associated psychiatric illnesses. In those with psychiatric illness,
      they do less well in terms of improving their overall diabetes control. The wider
      implication is that all the patients with diabetes should be regularly assessed
      for psychological problems. There needs to be greater psychological/psychiatric
      support available to intensive diabetes clinics.

PMID- 28615772
TI  - Postherpetic Neuralgia Presenting as Delusional Parasitosis: A Case Series.
AB  - Delusional parasitosis (DP) or Ekbom's disease is a rare psychiatric condition
      where the sufferers have a firm-fixed belief of insects crawling over their skin.
      The condition may be primary monosymptomatic hypochrondrical delusion or
      secondary to an underlying psychiatric or organic condition. We present two cases
      of elderly men presenting with classical symptomatology of DP, which is found to
      be secondary to postherpetic neuralgia following an acute episode of shingles or
      herpes zoster infection. One patient responded to a combination of antipsychotic,
      olanzapine, and pregabalin, used for neuropathic pain, and the other patient
      responded completely with medications used for neuropathic pain only without any
      antipsychotic use.

PMID- 28615773
TI  - Cabergoline-induced Mania in a Patient of Pituitary Microadenoma.
AB  - Cabergoline, a dopamine agonist agent, is commonly used in the treatment of
      hyperprolactinemia, Parkinson's disease, restless leg syndrome, and antipsychotic
      induced prolactin elevation. It is generally well tolerated as compared to other
      dopamine agonist agents due to its more selective D2 receptor agonistic effect.
      We present a case of a 25-year-old female who developed manic episode, following
      the use of cabergoline for treatment of pituitary microadenoma. We suggest that
      physicians should carefully screen patients before initiating cabergoline therapy
      and at-risk patients may benefit from more frequent monitoring and cessation of
      therapy at the earliest safe juncture.

PMID- 28615774
TI  - Hypokalemia with Trifluoperazine at Therapeutic Dose.
AB  - This case report outlines a rare presentation of hypokalemia with therapeutic
      doses of trifluoperazine in a patient with schizophrenia. Although there was
      comorbid diabetes mellitus in the patient, its effect was ruled out subsequently.
      On recovery, rechallenge with trifluoperazine resulted in the same effect at a
      milder level. No cardiac abnormalities were detected with the presentation.
      Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale reported definite relation with
      the drug.

PMID- 28615775
TI  - Online Methods of Managing Auditory Hallucinations: A New Trend to Understand
      Psychopathology.
AB  - Treatment seekers use various coping methods to reduce the distress associated
      with auditory hallucinations. With the increase use of technology, the technology
      means are also in use to manage the auditory hallucination. The current report
      documents the implications of technology means for the management of auditory
      hallucinations. The user was assessed using clinical interview, internet
      addiction test, problematic online gaming questionnaire, and screening questions
      for technology addiction. It showed the use of technology to manage the auditory
      hallucinations. Psychotherapy work revealed a reduction in their use of
      technology means at follow-up. It implies to evolve the therapeutic use of
      technology means and development of alternative therapeutic means to manage the
      auditory hallucinations.

PMID- 28615776
TI  - Sleeping Beauty Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of Female Cases Reported from
      India.
AB  - Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS), also called "Sleeping beauty syndrome" is a rare,
      disorder predominantly reported in adolescent males, characterized by recurrent
      episodes of hypersomnia and to various degrees, hyperphagia, cognitive
      disturbances, and hypersexuality. Here, we are reporting a case of a middle-aged
      female, with 16 years delay in diagnosing KLS, poor response to most of the
      psychotropics, except good response to a combination of lithium, sertraline, and
      modafinil for last 12 months and also reviewing other female cases with KLS
      reported from India.

PMID- 28615777
TI  - Rumination Disorder: An Unexplained Case of Recurrent Vomiting.
AB  - Rumination disorder or rumination syndrome is an infrequent clinical presentation
      reported in infants and young children as well as adults worldwide. Studies
      calculating prevalence and etiological considerations are very few, and the
      scientific literature mostly consists of anecdotal case reports and series.
      Awareness of this clinical entity is obscured by presentations mimicking upper
      gastrointestinal disorders, mostly recurrent vomiting. The repetitive, voluntary,
      habitual nature of this disorder is vulnerable to be missed out if not looked for
      specifically in the history. Here lies the importance of increasing the awareness
      about diagnosis of this disorder and the need to operationalize treatment
      guidelines for this disorder which has long-term physical, psychological, and
      economic consequences if not treated early in its course.

PMID- 28615778
TI  - Olanzapine-induced Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome.
AB  - Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening adverse effect usually
      seen with typical antipsychotic drugs. Rarely, NMS can occur with atypical
      antipsychotics also. A 19-year-old male diagnosed as a case of acute and
      transient psychotic disorder developed NMS, following the treatment with an
      atypical antipsychotic, olanzapine 20 mg/day. The patient was diagnosed NMS, an
      offending agent olanzapine was immediately withdrawn, and prompt treatment by
      maintaining hydration and giving bromocriptine produced recovery.

PMID- 28615779
TI  - Multimodal Hallucinations in a Visually Impaired Elderly Female: Is it a Variant
      of Charles Bonnet Syndrome?
AB  - Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is a common cause of visual hallucinations seen in
      elderly people with visual impairment. Well-formed visual hallucinations in clear
      consciousness with preserved insight are commonly reported in literature. We
      report a case of CBS having multisensory hallucinations. An elderly patient with
      visual impairment fulfilling the criteria of CBS presents with various modalities
      of hallucinations viz. visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations improved
      completely with low dose of antipsychotics. Atypical features are common in CBS
      and thus often make it difficult to diagnose this condition.

PMID- 28615780
TI  - Converging Neurobiological Evidence In Primary Polydipsia Resembling Obsessive
      Compulsive Disorder.
AB  - Compulsive water drinking can have phenomenological and pharmacotherapeutic
      similarities with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Substantiating
      neurobiological evidence is lacking for such an association. We report a patient
      who was referred with a diagnosis of primary polydipsia with no signs of organic
      pathology in structural neuroimaging. However, positron emission tomography
      revealed basal ganglia hypometabolism indicating that primary polydipsia with
      compulsive water drinking is neurobiologically related to OCD. The diagnostic
      complexities displayed by primary polydipsia and the use of systematic evaluation
      with supporting neuroimaging evidence in reaching a reliable diagnosis are
      discussed. The neurobiological evidence will foster the treatment decisions for
      starting anti-OCD measures when clinicians encounter patients with primary
      polydipsia exhibiting compulsive patterns of drinking. Nevertheless, such
      findings need to be replicated in future studies with a larger sample size.

PMID- 28615781
TI  - "Radio Inside My Head": A Curious Case of Early Onset "Stuck Song Syndrome" or
      Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with Predominant Musical Obsession.
AB  - Musical obsessions also called "stuck song syndrome" is a topic of limited
      research. It is among the most poorly understood and rare phenomenology. There
      are only a few cases reported across the world which describes it. Subjects
      usually present with complaints of continuous play of a musical tune in the head
      which the subject is unable to remove. Because of its similarity in presentation
      with auditory musical hallucination, it presents a diagnostic dilemma to the
      clinician. Here, we present the case of a 25-year-old man who presented with this
      particular phenomenon, and the approach we took to manage it.

PMID- 28615782
TI  - Comment On: Dance-like Movements in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

PMID- 28615783
TI  - Premature Ejaculation: A Redundant Entity in the Era of Somatic Symptom Disorder?

PMID- 28615784
TI  - Reasons of Disciplinary Discharges from a Tertiary Care De-addiction Setting in
      India.

PMID- 28615785
TI  - Is Low Body Mass Index a Risk Factor for Postinjection Delirium/Sedation
      Syndrome?

PMID- 28615786
TI  - Bipolar in Women: Any Gender-based Difference?

PMID- 28615787
TI  - Pimozide: An Old Wine in a New Bottle!

PMID- 28615788
TI  - Shared or Induced Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: A Case Report with Critical
      Review.

PMID- 28615789
TI  - Smartphone App for Management of Mental Disorder: Comment on Usefulness in
      Specific Case of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

PMID- 28615790
TI  - Baclofen and Back Pain: A Paradoxical Phenomena.

PMID- 28615791
TI  - Monte Carlo investigation of backscatter point spread function for X-ray imaging
      examinations.
AB  - X-ray imaging examinations, especially complex interventions, may result in
      relatively high doses to the patient's skin inducing skin injuries. A method was
      developed to determine the skin-dose distribution for non-uniform x-ray beams by
      convolving the backscatter point-spread-function (PSF) with the primary-dose
      distribution to generate the backscatter distribution that, when added to the
      primary dose, gives the total-dose distribution. This technique was incorporated
      in the dose-tracking system (DTS), which provides a real-time color-coded 3D
      mapping of skin dose during fluoroscopic procedures. The aim of this work is to
      investigate the variation of the backscatter PSF with different parameters. A
      backscatter PSF of a 1-mm x-ray beam was generated by EGSnrc Monte-Carlo code for
      different x-ray beam energies, different soft-tissue thickness above bone,
      different bone thickness and different entrance-beam angles, as well as for
      different locations on the SK-150 anthropomorphic head phantom. The results show
      a reduction of the peak scatter to primary dose ratio of 48% when X-ray beam
      voltage is increased from 40 keV to 120 keV. The backscatter dose was reduced
      when bone was beneath the soft tissue layer and this reduction increased with
      thinner soft tissue and thicker bone layers. The backscatter factor increased
      about 21% as the angle of incidence of the beam with the entrance surface
      decreased from 90 degrees  (perpendicular) to 30 degrees . The backscatter PSF
      differed for different locations on the SK-150 phantom by up to 15%. The results
      of this study can be used to improve the accuracy of dose calculation when using
      PSF convolution in the DTS.

PMID- 28615792
TI  - A CMOS-based high resolution fluoroscope (HRF) detector prototype with 49.5 MUm
      pixels for use in endovascular image guided interventions (EIGI).
AB  - X-ray detectors to meet the high-resolution requirements for endovascular image
      guided interventions (EIGIs) are being developed and evaluated. A new 49.5-micron
      pixel prototype detector is being investigated and compared to the current suite
      of high-resolution fluoroscopic (HRF) detectors. This detector featuring a 300
      micron thick CsI(Tl) scintillator, and low electronic noise CMOS readout is
      designated the HRF-CMOS50. To compare the abilities of this detector with other
      existing high resolution detectors, a standard performance metric analysis was
      applied, including the determination of the modulation transfer function (MTF),
      noise power spectra (NPS), noise equivalent quanta (NEQ), and detective quantum
      efficiency (DQE) for a range of energies and exposure levels. The advantage of
      the smaller pixel size and reduced blurring due to the thin phosphor was
      exemplified when the MTF of the HRF-CMOS50 was compared to the other high
      resolution detectors, which utilize larger pixels, other optical designs or
      thicker scintillators. However, the thinner scintillator has the disadvantage of
      a lower quantum detective efficiency (QDE) for higher diagnostic x-ray energies.
      The performance of the detector as part of an imaging chain was examined by
      employing the generalized metrics GMTF, GNEQ, and GDQE, taking standard focal
      spot size and clinical imaging parameters into consideration. As expected, the
      disparaging effects of focal spot unsharpness, exacerbated by increasing
      magnification, degraded the higher-frequency performance of the HRF-CMOS50, while
      increasing scatter fraction diminished low-frequency performance. Nevertheless,
      the HRF-CMOS50 brings improved resolution capabilities for EIGIs, but would
      require increased sensitivity and dynamic range for future clinical application.

PMID- 28615793
TI  - Classification of Clinical Significance of MRI Prostate Findings Using 3D
      Convolutional Neural Networks.
AB  - Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a leading cause of cancer mortality among American
      men. Multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is widely used to assist
      with detection of PCa and characterization of its aggressiveness. Computer-aided
      diagnosis (CADx) of PCa in MRI can be used as clinical decision support system to
      aid radiologists in interpretation and reporting of mpMRI. We report on the
      development of a convolution neural network (CNN) model to support CADx in PCa
      based on the appearance of prostate tissue in mpMRI, conducted as part of the
      SPIE-AAPM-NCI PROSTATEx challenge. The performance of different combinations of
      mpMRI inputs to CNN was assessed and the best result was achieved using DWI and
      DCE-MRI modalities together with the zonal information of the finding. On the
      test set, the model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic
      curve of 0.80.

PMID- 28615794
TI  - DeepInfer: Open-Source Deep Learning Deployment Toolkit for Image-Guided Therapy.
AB  - Deep learning models have outperformed some of the previous state-of-the-art
      approaches in medical image analysis. Instead of using hand-engineered features,
      deep models attempt to automatically extract hierarchical representations at
      multiple levels of abstraction from the data. Therefore, deep models are usually
      considered to be more flexible and robust solutions for image analysis problems
      compared to conventional computer vision models. They have demonstrated
      significant improvements in computer-aided diagnosis and automatic medical image
      analysis applied to such tasks as image segmentation, classification and
      registration. However, deploying deep learning models often has a steep learning
      curve and requires detailed knowledge of various software packages. Thus, many
      deep models have not been integrated into the clinical research workflows causing
      a gap between the state-of-the-art machine learning in medical applications and
      evaluation in clinical research procedures. In this paper, we propose "DeepInfer"
      - an open-source toolkit for developing and deploying deep learning models within
      the 3D Slicer medical image analysis platform. Utilizing a repository of task
      specific models, DeepInfer allows clinical researchers and biomedical engineers
      to deploy a trained model selected from the public registry, and apply it to new
      data without the need for software development or configuration. As two practical
      use cases, we demonstrate the application of DeepInfer in prostate segmentation
      for targeted MRI-guided biopsy and identification of the target plane in 3D
      ultrasound for spinal injections.

PMID- 28615795
TI  - Quantitative comparison using Generalized Relative Object Detectability (G-ROD)
      metrics of an amorphous selenium detector with high resolution Microangiographic
      Fluoroscopes (MAF) and standard flat panel detectors (FPD).
AB  - A novel amorphous selenium (a-Se) direct detector with CMOS readout has been
      designed, and relative detector performance investigated. The detector features
      include a 25MUm pixel pitch, and 1000MUm thick a-Se layer operating at 10V/MUm
      bias field. A simulated detector DQE was determined, and used in comparative
      calculations of the Relative Object Detectability (ROD) family of prewhitening
      matched-filter (PWMF) observer and non-prewhitening matched filter (NPWMF)
      observer model metrics to gauge a-Se detector performance against existing high
      resolution micro-angiographic fluoroscopic (MAF) detectors and a standard flat
      panel detector (FPD). The PWMF-ROD or ROD metric compares two x-ray imaging
      detectors in their relative abilities in imaging a given object by taking the
      integral over spatial frequencies of the Fourier transform of the detector DQE
      weighted by an object function, divided by the comparable integral for a
      different detector. The generalized-ROD (G-ROD) metric incorporates clinically
      relevant parameters (focal-spot size, magnification, and scatter) to show the
      degradation in imaging performance for detectors that are part of an imaging
      chain. Preliminary ROD calculations using simulated spheres as the object
      predicted superior imaging performance by the a-Se detector as compared to
      existing detectors. New PWMF-G-ROD and NPWMF-G-ROD results still indicate better
      performance by the a-Se detector in an imaging chain over all sphere sizes for
      various focal spot sizes and magnifications, although a-Se performance advantages
      were degraded by focal spot blurring. Nevertheless, the a-Se technology has great
      potential to provide breakthrough abilities such as visualization of fine details
      including of neuro-vascular perforator vessels and of small vascular devices.

PMID- 28615796
TI  - Focal Spot Deblurring for High Resolution Direct Conversion X-ray Detectors.
AB  - Small pixel high resolution direct x-ray detectors have the advantage of higher
      spatial sampling and decreased blurring characteristic. The limiting factors for
      such systems becomes the degradation due to the focal spot size. One solution is
      a smaller focal spot; however, this can limit the output of the x-ray tube. Here
      a software solution of deconvolving with an estimated focal spot blur is
      presented. To simulate images from a direct detector affected with focal-spot
      blur, first a set of high-resolution stent images (FRED from Microvention, Inc.,
      Tustin, CA) were acquired using a 75MUm pixel size Dexela-Perkin-Elmer detector
      and frame averaged to reduce quantum noise. Then the averaged image was blurred
      with a known Gaussian blur. To add noise to the blurred image a flat-field image
      was multiplied with the blurred image. Both the ideal and the noisy-blurred
      images were then deconvolved with the known Gaussian function using either
      threshold-based inverse filtering or Weiner deconvolution. The blur in the ideal
      image was removed and the details were recovered successfully. However, the
      inverse filtering deconvolution process is extremely susceptible to noise. The
      Weiner deconvolution process was able to recover more of the details of the stent
      from the noisy-blurred image, but for noisier images, stent details are still
      lost in the recovery process.

PMID- 28615797
TI  - 3D Printed Cardiac Phantom for Procedural Planning of a Transcatheter Native
      Mitral Valve Replacement.
AB  - : 3D printing an anatomically accurate, functional flow loop phantom of a
      patient's cardiac vasculature was used to assist in the surgical planning of one
      of the first native transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) procedures. CTA
      scans were acquired from a patient about to undergo the first minimally-invasive
      native TMVR procedure at the Gates Vascular Institute in Buffalo, NY. A python
      scripting library, the Vascular Modeling Toolkit (VMTK), was used to segment the
      3D geometry of the patient's cardiac chambers and mitral valve with severe
      stenosis, calcific in nature. A stereolithographic (STL) mesh was generated and
      AutoDesk Meshmixer was used to transform the vascular surface into a functioning
      closed flow loop. A Stratasys Objet 500 Connex3 multi-material printer was used
      to fabricate the phantom with distinguishable material features of the
      vasculature and calcified valve. The interventional team performed a mock
      procedure on the phantom, embedding valve cages in the model and imaging the
      phantom with a Toshiba Infinix INFX-8000V 5-axis C-arm bi-Plane angiography
      system. RESULTS: After performing the mock-procedure on the cardiac phantom, the
      cardiologists optimized their transapical surgical approach. The mitral valve
      stenosis and calcification were clearly visible. The phantom was used to inform
      the sizing of the valve to be implanted. CONCLUSION: With advances in image
      processing and 3D printing technology, it is possible to create realistic patient
      specific phantoms which can act as a guide for the interventional team. Using 3D
      printed phantoms as a valve sizing method shows potential as a more informative
      technique than typical CTA reconstruction alone.

PMID- 28615798
TI  - Are civil-law notaries rent-seeking monopolists or essential market
      intermediaries? Endogenous development of a property rights institution in
      Mexico.
AB  - As the fourth contribution in the 'Land' section, this paper forms a research
      'diptych' with the next paper by Levy. Whereas she focuses on the notarial
      institution in mid-nineteenth century Mexico, this contribution examines it in a
      contemporary context. The notary is one of the chief components of property
      rights protection in civil-law systems, performing various public functions such
      as writing deeds for real estate property. Yet notaries are considered an
      'inefficient' institution by many, due to the perception of rent-seeking behavior
      enabled by their near-monopoly over validating property rights claims. This study
      examines notaries in Mexico to unpack the apparent contradiction in the role of
      notaries in economic development. I use a combination of interviews with notaries
      and clients, and data on notarial practice and bureaucratic outcomes across the
      country, to examine notaries' social function. The theoretical lens of endogenous
      development and institutional functionalism reveals an alternate explanation for
      their seemingly high-cost services, as well as their role in economic
      development. Mexican notaries have a dual social function: public representative
      and private service provider. They perform diverse and essential activities,
      which in other countries are performed by multiple actors such as real estate
      agents, escrow offices and title insurance companies. Thus, what is perceived as
      inefficiency by some can be interpreted as an efficient response to the context
      in which they operate, and their semi-privatized nature can overcome problems
      found in other bureaucratic arrangements.

PMID- 28615799
TI  - Monochromatic Clique Decompositions of Graphs.
AB  - Let G be a graph whose edges are colored with k colors, and H=(H1,?,Hk) be a k
      tuple of graphs. A monochromatic H-decomposition of G is a partition of the edge
      set of G such that each part is either a single edge or forms a monochromatic
      copy of Hi in color i, for some 1<=i<=k. Let phik(n,H) be the smallest number
      phi, such that, for every order-n graph and every k-edge-coloring, there is a
      monochromatic H-decomposition with at most phi elements. Extending the previous
      results of Liu and Sousa [Monochromatic Kr-decompositions of graphs, J Graph
      Theory 76 (2014), 89-100], we solve this problem when each graph in H is a clique
      and n>=n0(H) is sufficiently large.

PMID- 28615800
TI  - Question mark ear deformity-revisited.
AB  - : We report on two unusual cases of Cosman (question mark) ear; both required
      modifications of the standard techniques for surgical correction. The first
      patient presented with a unilateral question mark ear and concurrent ear
      prominence and bulging of the cartilage of the anti-helix. Simultaneous
      correction was done using a combination of cartilage suturing/scoring (for the
      prominence and the cartilage bulge) as well as Al-Qattan's "v-y skin flap
      cartilage graft-z-plasty" technique (for the correction of the ear cleft
      deformity). The second patient had aurico-condylar syndrome with bilateral ear
      deformity and complete separation of ear lobes from the external ear. Staged
      transposition followed by Al-Qattan's technique resulted in a satisfactory
      outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, therapeutic study.

PMID- 28615801
TI  - A New Impulse for Neuropsychology in Europe: The Federation of the European
      Societies of Neuropsychology.

PMID- 28615802
TI  - Publish or perish?

PMID- 28615803
TI  - Dr. Behman Minoo Daver (1939-2015).

PMID- 28615804
TI  - The neurochemistry of peripheral nerve regeneration.
AB  - Peripheral nerve injuries (PNIs) can be most disabling, resulting in the loss of
      sensitivity, motor function and autonomic control in the involved anatomical
      segment. Although injured peripheral nerves are capable of regeneration, sub
      optimal recovery of function is seen even with the best reconstruction. Distal
      axonal degeneration is an unavoidable consequence of PNI. There are currently few
      strategies aimed to maintain the distal pathway and/or target fidelity during
      regeneration across the zone of injury. The current state of the art approaches
      have been focussed on the site of nerve injury and not on their distal muscular
      targets or representative proximal cell bodies or central cortical regions. This
      is a comprehensive literature review of the neurochemistry of peripheral nerve
      regeneration and a state of the art analysis of experimental compounds (inorganic
      and organic agents) with demonstrated neurotherapeutic efficacy in improving cell
      body and neuron survival, reducing scar formation and maximising overall nerve
      regeneration.

PMID- 28615805
TI  - Free anteromedial thigh perforator flap: Complementing and completing the
      anterolateral thigh flap.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Theobjective of this study was to determine the indications, utility,
      advantages and surgical approach for the anteromedial thigh (AMT) flap. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of the patients in whom the AMT flap was
      used for head and neck reconstruction. We use an anterior approach to harvest the
      anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap with a non-committal straight line incision. This
      preserves both ALT and AMT flap territories intact, and further decision is based
      on the intraoperative anatomy of perforator and pedicle. The ALT flap was usually
      used as the first choice when available and suitable. RESULTS: Free AMT skin
      flaps were harvested in 24 patients. All flaps were used for the head and neck
      reconstruction. Two flaps had marginal flap necrosis. One flap was lost due to
      venous thrombosis. DISCUSSION: The thigh is an excellent donor site as it has
      large available skin territory, expendable lateral circumflex femoral artery
      system and low donorsite morbidity. The ALT flap is the most commonly used flap
      for reconstruction of soft-tissue defects. However, it is characterised by
      variable vascular pedicle and perforator anatomy. The AMT flap is an excellent
      alternative when the ALT flap is not available due to variable perforator
      anatomy, injury to perforator, when an intermediate thickness is needed between
      distal and proximal thigh or a chimeric flap is needed. CONCLUSION: The AMT flap
      offers all the advantages of the ALT flap without increasing donor-site
      morbidity. The anterior non-committal approach keeps both the ALT and the AMT
      flap options viable.

PMID- 28615806
TI  - Proposal of a new classification scheme for periocular injuries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Eyelids are important structures and play a role in protecting the
      globe from trauma, brightness, in maintaining the integrity of tear films and
      moving the tears towards the lacrimal drainage system and contribute to aesthetic
      appearance of the face. Ophthalmic trauma is an important cause of morbidity
      among individuals and has also been responsible for additional cost of
      healthcare. Periocular trauma involving eyelids and adjacent structures has been
      found to have increased recently probably due to increased pace of life and
      increased dependence on machinery. A comprehensive classification of periocular
      trauma would help in stratifying these injuries as well as study outcomes.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was carried out at our institute from June 2015
      to Dec 2015. We searched multiple English language databases for existing
      classification systems for periocular trauma. We designed a system of
      classification of periocular soft tissue injuries based on clinico-anatomical
      presentations. This classification was applied prospectively to patients
      presenting with periocular soft tissue injuries to our department. RESULTS: A
      comprehensive classification scheme was designed consisting of five types of
      periocular injuries. A total of 38 eyelid injuries in 34 patients were evaluated
      in this study. According to the System for Peri-Ocular Trauma (SPOT)
      classification, Type V injuries were most common. SPOT Type II injuries were more
      common isolated injuries among all zones. DISCUSSION: Classification systems are
      necessary in order to provide a framework in which to scientifically study the
      etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of diseases in an orderly fashion. The SPOT
      classification has taken into account the periocular soft tissue injuries i.e.,
      upper eyelid, lower eyelid, medial and lateral canthus injuries., based on
      observed clinico-anatomical patterns of eyelid injuries. CONCLUSION: The SPOT
      classification seems to be a reliable system to address eyelid injuries. This
      classification scheme would guide the ophthalmic and facial reconstructive
      surgeons to provide optimal outcomes in eyelid injuries. Based on the
      classification scheme and review of existing literature, an algorithm is
      presented to facilitate repair and reconstruction.

PMID- 28615807
TI  - Soft embalming of cadavers for training purposes: Optimising for long-term use in
      tropical weather.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical and anatomical training has been found to be most optimally
      simulated in a cadaver than any other available methods. Soft embalming methods
      have made the bodies more 'lifelike' and better suited for training. The widely
      accepted soft embalming techniques, including Thiel embalming, are designed for
      temperate climates. Their use in tropical locations has been found to be
      associated with poor short-term and long-term preservation of the bodies. In
      fact, adequate reports from tropical countries on effective methods for soft
      embalming are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This article details the
      modifications made in the Thiel embalming technique over a period of 2 years
      which has enabled us to preserve the anatomical features of bodies in an optimal
      way for longer periods in tropical conditions. This study was carried out in a
      tertiary care referral centre located in a tropical climate zone. A total of 13
      frozen and thawed cadavers were used over a period of 2 years for developing such
      soft embalming technique. The efficacy of the technique was tested using these
      cadavers for varying types of surgical exercises on multiple occasions. RESULTS:
      The conventionally described technique of Thiel embalming did not provide desired
      results. Hence, various modifications to this technique were instituted which
      helped us to get superior quality of soft-embalmed cadavers. In the final year,
      these cadavers were used successfully for workshops in flap dissection. Head and
      neck access surgery, arthroscopic and laparoscopic procedures as well as mock
      face and hand transplant dissections. CONCLUSIONS: The Theil embalming technique
      for obtaining soft embalmed cadavers, even though found to be best in many
      centres in the world, has not been found to be suitable to tropical weather. By
      modifying it, we have succeeded in developing a technique suitable to the
      tropical weather. This technique yields cadavers suitable for various surgical
      simulation exercises. This technique also allows the body to be optimally used
      over several months in multiple occasions. These modifications are very simple
      and have been described in detail enabling it to be adopted by any surgical skill
      laboratory in the tropical countries.

PMID- 28615808
TI  - Triceps to biceps transfer for restoration of elbow flexion following upper
      brachial plexus injury.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Upper brachial plexus injury in adults causes loss of elbow fl
      exion; when the primary nerve surgery has failed or the patient seeks treatment
      after 12 months of injury and pedicled muscle transfers are required. Most
      commonly, the latissimus dorsi or the Steindler flexorplasty is used. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: We have transferred one of the heads of triceps muscle to restore
      the elbow flexion in such cases. In addition to return of elbow flexion,
      extension of elbow following surgery is retained. Ten patients suffering from
      upper brachial plexus injuries underwent transfer of one head of triceps to
      biceps tendon between December 2011 and August 2015. RESULTS: The recovery of
      elbow flexion was Grade 5 in 1, Grade 4 in 4 and Grade 3 in 2; only three of the
      ten patients had no functionally useful elbow flexion. Seven of the ten patients
      had an adequate elbow extension following the procedure.

PMID- 28615809
TI  - Role of customised negative-pressure wound therapy in the integration of split
      thickness skin grafts: A randomised control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Split-thickness skin grafting (STSG) is a time-tested technique in
      wound cover, but many factors lead to suboptimal graft take. Role of custom-made
      negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is compared with conventional dress in the
      integration of STSG and its cost is compared with widely used commercially
      available NPWT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a parallel group randomised
      control study. Block randomisation of 100 patients into one of the two groups
      (NPWT vs. non-NPWT; 50 patients each) was done. Graft take/loss, length of
      hospital stay post-grafting, need for regrafting and cost of custom-made negative
      pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressings as compared to widely used commercially
      available NPWT were assessed. RESULTS: Mean graft take in the NPWT group was
      99.74% +/- 0.73% compared to 88.52% +/- 9.47% in the non-NPWT group (P = 0.004).
      None of the patients in the NPWT group required second coverage procedure as
      opposed to six cases in the non-NPWT group (P = 0.035). All the patients in the
      NPWT group were discharged within 4-9 days from the day of grafting. No major
      complication was encountered with the use of custom-made NPWT. Custom-made NPWT
      dressings were found to be 22 times cheaper than the widely used commercially
      available NPWT. CONCLUSIONS: Custom-made NPWT is a safe, simple and effective
      technique in the integration of STSG as compared to the conventional dressings.
      We have been able to reduce the financial burden on the patients as well as the
      hospital significantly while achieving results at par with other studies which
      have used commercially available NPWT.

PMID- 28615810
TI  - Computed tomography angiographic study of internal mammary perforators and their
      use as recipient vessels for free tissue transfer in breast reconstruction.
AB  - CONTEXT: The internal mammary artery perforator vessels (IMPV) as a recipient in
      free flap breast reconstruction offer advantages over the more commonly used
      thoracodorsal vessels and the internal mammary vessels (IMV). AIMS: This study
      was designed to assess the anatomical consistency of the IMPV and the suitability
      of these vessels for use as recipients in free flap breast reconstruction.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from ten randomly selected female patients who did not
      have any chest wall or breast pathology but had undergone a computed tomography
      angiography (CTA) for unrelated diagnostic reasons from April 2013 to October
      2013 were analysed. Retrospective data of seven patients who had undergone
      mastectomy for breast cancer and had been primarily reconstructed with a deep
      inferior epigastric artery perforator free flap transfer using the IMPV as
      recipient vessels were studied. RESULTS: The CTA findings showed that the
      internal mammary perforator was consistently present in all cases bilaterally. In
      all cases, the dominant perforator arose from the upper four intercostal spaces
      (ICS) with the majority (55%) arising from the 2nd ICS. The mean distance of the
      perforators from the sternal border at the level of pectoralis muscle surface on
      the right side was 1.86 cm (range: 0.9-2.5 cm) with a mode value of 1.9 cm. On
      the left side, a mean of 1.77 cm (range: 1.5-2.1 cm) and a mode value of 1.7 cm
      were observed. Mean perforator artery diameters on the right and left sides were
      2.2 mm and 2.4 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Though the internal mammary
      perforators are anatomically consistent, their use as recipients in free tissue
      transfer for breast reconstruction eventually rests on multiple variables.

PMID- 28615811
TI  - Adipokine concentrations in lipoaspirates may have a role in wound healing.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In addition to its use as a volume filler, fat grafting may have a
      potential role in wound healing based on the concentration of growth factors in
      the lipoaspirate. In this study, we compare the quantitative and qualitative
      concentration of the various growth factors and adipokines using the Shippert or
      the Coleman techniques to prepare the lipoaspirate. METHODS: We measured leptin,
      adiponectin and the growth factors, i.e., acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF),
      basic FGF (bFGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), bone morphogenetic protein-2
      (BMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by ELISA in solid and
      liquid fractions obtained with both techniques in human fat obtained with Coleman
      technique and Shippert technique. RESULTS: All of these peptides, except BMP-2,
      were detected in relevant quantities in the solid fraction. The Coleman but not
      the Shippert technique resulted in statistically higher adiponectin
      concentrations in the solid tissue fraction. The other four growth factors
      occurred in significantly higher concentrations in the solid fractions compared
      to the liquid fractions, independent of the processing technique. CONCLUSION: In
      summary, we demonstrated that KGF, aFGF, bFGF and VEGF, as well as leptin and
      adiponectin, are contained in fat suspensions obtained by liposuction and in the
      supernatant. Only the concentration of adiponectin was in the range reported to
      contribute to wound healing.

PMID- 28615812
TI  - Optimising aesthetic outcome after nipple-areola complex-sparing mastectomy and
      immediate one-stage prosthetic reconstruction: A simple surgical trick to fix
      nipple-areola complex position.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nipple-areola complex (NAC) sparing mastectomy (NSM) is mostly
      indicated in patients with small-/medium-sized and non-ptotic breasts, while skin
      reducing mastectomy is used in patients with medium or large breasts with severe
      ptosis. NAC location on the reconstructed breast is one of the major factors in
      determining the final aesthetic result and patients' satisfaction. An optimum
      result obtained at the end of surgical procedure may be altered and compromised
      by skin redistribution and consequently NAC depositioning during the post
      operative period in patients with medium-sized breasts and a moderate degree of
      ptosis. AIMS: In the present study, we propose a simple surgical trick to fix the
      NAC in the desired position with a long-lasting result. METHODS: We selected 35
      patients undergoing NAC sparing mastectomy for breast cancer and immediate one
      stage prosthetic reconstruction and we performed a single suture to fix NAC in
      the desired position before closing the skin envelope. We evaluated NAC complex
      position stability overtime comparing pre-operative standard photographs with
      early (3 weeks after surgery) and late (1 year after surgery). RESULTS: In all
      patients, we were able to place the NAC complex on the desired position, and the
      result was stable at 1 year follow-up. The aesthetic outcome was satisfactory in
      all patients with no change in the complication rate. CONCLUSIONS: This simple
      surgical trick has been shown to be safe and effective in optimising the
      aesthetic outcome in a patient undergoing NAC sparing mastectomy and immediate
      one-stage prosthetic reconstruction. Level IV: evidence obtained from multiple
      time series with or without the intervention, such as case studies. Dramatic
      results in uncontrolled trials might also be regarded as this type of evidence.

PMID- 28615813
TI  - Modified Cantwell-Ransley repair for isolated continent epispadias in adult: Our
      experience.
AB  - PURPOSE: We evaluate here our experience with modified Cantwell-Ransley technique
      described by Gearhart for correction of isolated continent epispadias in adults
      with respect to its long-term functional outcome and complications. INTRODUCTION:
      Isolated male epispadias is a rare anomaly with a reported incidence of 1 in
      11,700 males. Many surgical techniques with various modifications described to
      correct epispadias as treatment are debatable and challenging. The majority of
      the cases are treated at childhood as clinical presentation is striking at birth;
      hence, presentation in adulthood is extremely rare. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During
      the past 5 years, modified Cantwell-Ransley technique described by Gearhart was
      performed in five cases of isolated continent epispadias which includes two cases
      of proximal penile, two distal penile and one penopubic. All cases were fresh
      except one had prior failed repair. Corporal rotation was done by delayed
      absorbable sutures without incision and anastomosis and suprapubic diversions
      placed in all the cases. RESULTS: All cases followed up ranging from 6 months to
      5 years and were having horizontal and downwards angled penis. No case had
      urethrocutaneous fistula or stricture. One case had superficial skin infection
      which healed by secondary intention did not require any secondary procedure. All
      cases maintained erection post-operatively too. Catheterisation with soft tube
      revealed easily negotiable channel in all cases on follow-up. CONCLUSION:
      Modified Cantwell-Ransley repair described by Gearhart has excellent cosmetic,
      functional and anatomical results in isolated continent epispadias in the adult.

PMID- 28615814
TI  - An Anatomical study for localisation of Zygomatic branch of Facial nerve and
      Masseteric nerve - An aid to nerve coaptation for facial reanimation surgery: A
      cadaver based study in Eastern India.
AB  - CONTEXT: In cases of chronic facial palsy, where direct neurotisation is
      possible, ipsilateral masseteric nerve is a very suitable motor donor. We have
      tried to specifically locate the masseteric nerve for this purpose. AIMS:
      Describing an approach of localisation and exposure of both the zygomatic branch
      of Facial nerve and the nerve to masseter, with respect to a soft tissue
      reference point over face. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Observational cross sectional
      study, conducted on 12 fresh cadavers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A curved incision
      was given, passing about 0.5cms in front of the tragal cartilage. A reference
      point "R" was pointed out. The zygomatic branch of facial nerve and masseteric
      nerve were dissected out and their specific locations were recorded from fixed
      reference points with help of copper wire and slide callipers. STATISTICAL
      ANALYSIS USED: Central Tendency measurements and Unpaired "t" test. RESULTS:
      Zygomatic branch of the Facial nerve was located within a small circular area of
      radius 1 cm, the centre of which lies at a distance of 1.1 cms (+/-0.4cm) in
      males and 0.2cm (+/-0.1cm) in females from the point, 'R', in a vertical
      (coronal) plane. The nerve to masseter was noted to lie within a circular area of
      1 cm radius, the centre of which was at a distance of 2.5cms (+/-0.4cm) and
      1.7cms (+/-0.2cm) from R, in male and female cadavers, respectively. Finally,
      Masseteric nerve's depth, from the masseteric surface was found to be 1cm (+/
      0.1cm; male) and 0.8cm (+/-0.1cm; female). CONCLUSIONS: This novel approach can
      reduce the post operative cosmetic morbidity and per-operative complications of
      facial reanimation surgery.

PMID- 28615815
TI  - Harvesting split thickness costal cartilage graft.
AB  - AIM: There are few complications associated with harvesting of full thickness
      coastal cartilage grafts i.e., pneumothorax (0.9%), contour deformities and
      prolonged post-operative pain. To address these issues, authors devised special
      scalpel to harvest split-thickness costal cartilage grafts. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Standard inframammary incision was used for harvesting rib. Incision was
      made directly over the desired rib. Specially designed scalpel was used to cut
      through the rib cartilage to the half of the thickness. The study was conducted
      in two parts - cadaveric and clinical. RESULTS: There was significantly less pain
      and no pneumothorax in the patients in whom the split thickness graft was
      harvested. Wounds healed without any complication. DISCUSSION: Thus, newly
      devised angulated scalpel used in the current study, showed the potential to
      supply the reconstructive surgeon with split thickness rib graft without risk of
      complications such as pneumothorax or warping contour deformities and post
      operative pain.

PMID- 28615816
TI  - Use of selfie sticks and iPhones to record operative photos and videos in plastic
      surgery.
AB  - Use of smartphone has become ubiquitous. With smartphone cameras becoming
      powerful, they are replacing digital cameras and digital SLRs as primary
      instruments to take photos and record videos. It is natural even for plastic
      surgeons that smartphones are handy to take still photographs and even record
      high-definition or 4K videos. Another invention which has become popular with
      smartphone photography is a selfie stick. We explain the possibility and
      methodology of using an iPhone and selfie stick to take operative photographs and
      high-quality videos.

PMID- 28615817
TI  - Advocacy and mass education in plastic surgery: Efforts and outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Awareness of plastic surgery is lacking. Be it reconstructive
      surgery, or aesthetic surgery, public education and awareness regarding the
      spectrum is the need of the hour. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We undertook a string of
      activities for patient awareness and education for burn prevention, occupational
      hand injuries prevention, skin banking awareness and various other conditions
      relevant to us as plastic surgeons. Use of social media helped us for increasing
      the reach of our projects. OBSERVATION AND RESULTS: Some of the projects we
      started, we are still pursuing with sincerity, and some never really picked up. A
      wide range and spectrum of activities were undertaken, and we would like to think
      that we have made some impact towards advocacy of plastic surgery; however, the
      measurable impact of these initiatives is questionable. CONCLUSION: Collective
      efforts for promotion of the speciality using innovative methods, use of
      celebrities for awareness and social media amongst other things must be
      undertaken to make a sustained and demonstrable impact towards advocacy of
      plastic surgery.

PMID- 28615818
TI  - Minimising the donor area morbidity of radial forearm phalloplasty using
      prefabricated thigh flap: A new technique.
AB  - Phalloplasty is indicated in various conditions of penile loss or absence. There
      are numerous techniques for phalloplasty including the pedicle and free flaps
      with the ultimate goal of micturition in standing position, attaining adequate
      size, aesthesis and sensations for sexual intercourse. Radial forearm
      phalloplasty is the gold standard flap to achieve above results but gives a very
      bad scar on the forearm. We present a technique of using prefabricated thigh flap
      to reduce the morbidity of donor area. The descending branch of lateral
      circumflex femoral pedicle was placed in a subcutaneous plane over tissue
      expander. After attaining an adequate size of flap with tissue expansion, it was
      delayed 3 weeks before phalloplasty. Prefabricated flap was thin and of large
      size replicating the radial forearm flap used for phalloplasty. Whole forearm
      defect was covered with the thigh flap, and the thigh could be closed primarily.
      This new technique of using prefabricated thigh flap has significantly reduced
      the donor site morbidity both aesthetically and functionally without the use of
      skin grafting in the whole procedure.

PMID- 28615819
TI  - Columella reconstruction with an inferiorly-based philtral advancement flap in a
      cocaine abuser.
AB  - Nasal columella defects can significantly impair aesthetic appearance. Columella
      reconstruction can be very challenging for surgeons, especially if due to cocaine
      abuse. The case of a 32-year-old male patient with subtotal columellar necrosis
      secondary to cocaine abuse is presented. An inferiorly based philtral advancement
      flap was performed to cover the defect. Aesthetic outcome was the primary goal of
      surgery. Reconstruction led to good aesthetic and functional results.

PMID- 28615820
TI  - From wheelchair to walking: First case report of post-electrical burn destruction
      of patellar ligament with its one-stage reconstruction and restoration of
      function.
AB  - Electrical burn injury causing bilateral patellar ligament destruction leading to
      complete loss of knee extension is a very rare injury. In such situation,
      surgical repair or reconstruction of the patellar ligament becomes necessary to
      restore knee functions. Here, we present such a case of an 8-year-old boy, whose
      both patellar ligaments were destroyed throughout its length due to high-voltage
      electrical injury. His left knee joint cavity was exposed and grossly infected,
      but the right knee joint cavity was apparently intact. The right-sided patellar
      ligament was reconstructed with an ipsilateral and looped semitendinosus tendon
      graft and covered with a medial gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flap. The patient
      had an uneventful recovery, and full range of motion in the right knee joint
      along with good bipedal locomotion was achieved successfully.

PMID- 28615821
TI  - Pyogenic granuloma-like lesion in children: Should we wait?
AB  - Malignant melanoma is a potentially lethal cutaneous malignancy. Melanoma in
      paediatrics is rare as compared to adult melanoma. The clinicopathological
      characteristics of paediatric melanoma are different from adult melanoma, and the
      presence of melanoma mimics which occurs frequently in children (Spitz naevi)
      resulted in diagnosis uncertainty. We reported a 9-year-old girl who presented
      with a slow-growing, pyogenic granuloma-like lesion which was diagnosed with
      melanoma. It is important to have a high index of suspicion in paediatric skin
      lesion that would usually be deemed benign. Early tissue biopsy in a suspicious
      lesion prevents delayed diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28615822
TI  - A new method of salvaging nipple projection after secondary nipple reconstruction
      using locoregional flap.

PMID- 28615823
TI  - Bilateral superficial brachioulnar artery in a cadaver along with bilateral
      absence of palmaris longus.

PMID- 28615824
TI  - Absence of flexor carpi radialis: A rare anatomical variation with clinical
      significance.

PMID- 28615825
TI  - Novel use of preputial flap.

PMID- 28615826
TI  - Mnemonics for gillies principles of plastic surgery and it importance in
      residency training programme.

PMID- 28615827
TI  - Selfie stick: An extension of the photographer's hand in operation room
      conditions.

PMID- 28615828
TI  - Simple way of splinting the arm following vascular anastomosis in the axilla.

PMID- 28615829
TI  - Primary management of post-burn contracture neck with tracheostomy: A surgeon and
      an anaesthetist's perspective.

PMID- 28615830
TI  - Pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap: A method for tunnelling
      with Dilson Luz vascular dilation wands for breast reconstruction.

PMID- 28615831
TI  - Species diversity of the genus Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 (Myxozoa: Bivalvulida)
      parasitizing fishes in Indian subcontinent.
AB  - A synopsis of 52 nominal species of the genus Thelohanellus Kudo, 1933 reported
      to infect freshwater fishes in India is presented. These species infect various
      organs such as gills, fins, scales, skin, muscles, gall bladder, kidney etc. The
      diagnostic features of the genus include tear-shaped myxospores with smooth shell
      valves and single polar capsule. The members are histozoic in their nature of
      parasitism infecting fresh water fishes. The present manuscript is aimed to
      compile the list of reported species in India along with essential information on
      morphometrics of vegetative stage, host, organ preference and pathogenic effects
      if any. Maximum number of species are recorded from state of West Bengal (25)
      followed by 23 in Punjab (out of which 8 were already reported from other states
      of India), Andhra Pradesh (7), Orissa (3), Manipur (1) and Haryana (1). Majority
      of the species have been recorded to infect major and minor carps (43 species)
      and 9 species in cat fishes. Out of 43 species infecting Indian major carps, T.
      batae infected the epithelial lining of gill filament of Labeo bata and also the
      wall of the duodenum and pectoral fin of Wallago attu in Harike Wetland (Punjab).
      Organ distribution of the species belonging to the genus Thelohanellus indicated
      that the plasmodia of 27 species were located in the gills, 14 species in the
      fins, 7 species in the gall bladder, 4 species in muscles and 3 species in
      kidney, 2 each in scale and skin on the head region and 1 species each in brain,
      eye, spleen, liver and wall of the duodenum. Recent studies conducted by the
      authors and also by few earlier studies in West Bengal have documented many
      species of Thelohanellus to cause serious gill haemorrhagic disease and dermal
      lesions. Histological studies on the gills of cultured carps in Punjab infected
      with members of Thelohanellus have indicated that these parasites cause 15-20 %
      damage to respiratory surface leading to localized loss of function.

PMID- 28615832
TI  - A new species of Quadruspinospora Sarkar and Chakravarty, 1969
      (Apicomplexa:Conoidasida) from Orthopteran Insects of Manipur, India.
AB  - The description of a new species of cephaline gregarine Quadruspinosporaoxyae
      sp.nov from a grasshopper (Orthoptera:Acrididae) is presented. Trophozoite has an
      elongated body measuring 120-163.6 (146 +/- 14.1) um with digitiform epimerite
      that is in the form of a question mark, measuring 6.5-23.6 (13.8 +/- 5.3) um in
      average. The mature sporadins associate sidewise in pairs and move together.
      Spherical Gametocyst measuring 90-129.7 (116 +/- 11.1) um * 59.7-97.4 (74.4 +/-
      13.4) um in dimensions are present. Oocysts are oval, measuring 7.2 * 11.5 um in
      length. Length of spores 19.5-21.5 um, provided with four long spines, two at
      each pole, which is a characteristic of the genus Quadruspinospora Sarkar et
      Chakravarty, 1969.

PMID- 28615834
TI  - Aphelenchoides meghalayensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from
      Meghalaya, India.
AB  - During a survey for the aphelenchid nematodes of North Eastern States of India, a
      new species of Aphelenchoides nematode was found from Cherrapunji, Meghalaya. The
      morphological and morphometric characteristics of the species were studied using
      light and SEM microscopy. Aphelenchoides meghalayensis sp. nov. is characterized
      by having 493.03-681.62 (604.0 +/- 80.52) um long body, strong stylet of 8.65
      10.38 (9.8 +/- 0.81) um long with small basal swellings, six lateral lines,
      elongated uterine sac and tail which is slightly arcuate, gradually become
      cylindroids and bluntly pointed, 28.24-44.96 (37.09 +/- 6.86) um long with a
      strong and elongated curved mucro situated ventrally.

PMID- 28615833
TI  - Prevalence and organwise distribution of sarcocystiosis in buffaloes of Mohali,
      Punjab.
AB  - The study was carried at Mirha Exports private limited at Mohali, Punjab, from
      December 2012 to May 2013 during which 1000 buffaloes of 2-3 years of age
      slaughtered for meat purposes were screened for the Sarcocystis species. Most of
      the animals examined at anti-mortem appeared normal and clinically healthy.
      However, at slaughtering, the gross and microscopic examination of representative
      samples of striated muscles collected from slaughtered buffaloes revealed 95.50 %
      prevalence of Sarcocystis species. Out of 1000 samples examined, 955 samples
      (95.55 %) were infected with microscopic cysts with size ranging from 19.1 to
      95.9 * 10.2 to 68.9 MUm cyst, while 6 samples (0.60 %) had mixed infection with
      macroscopic cyst with size ranging from 1270 to 19,000 * 700 to 7000 MUm cyst of
      white or creamy colour and microscopic cysts. Among the muscles infected with
      cysts, highest number of cysts were recorded in tongue muscles (87.40 %) followed
      by oesophageal muscles (83.60 %), cardiac muscles (53 %) and diaphragmatic
      muscles (31.30 %).

PMID- 28615835
TI  - Haematological changes in South Indian fresh water murrel, Channa punctatus have
      both EUS and A. hydrophila infection.
AB  - The mixed infection in fishes is a common feature and in this Pathogens like
      Bacteria, Fungi and Protozoan's are found together to cause ill health to the
      fishes known as Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome (EUS). In this syndrome the low
      temperature and aquatic pollution aggravates the infection in fishes. In the
      present study the fresh water edible fish, Channa punctatus (Murrel) was found
      infected with the bacteria namely, Aeromonas hydrophila, Staphylococcus aureus,
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella salmonicida. The fungi, Aphanomyces
      invadans was also found. The major objective of this study is to understand the
      microbial intensity in various organs of fish and hematological variations in
      both control and EUS infected fish. The highest microbial load of 8.2 +/- 0.12 *
      107 cfu g-1was observed in the skin where as the lowest load of 3.2 +/- 0.8 * 103
      cfu g-1 was found in the pancreas. From the microbial diagnosis, A. hydrophila
      has been isolated from different organs indicating its predominant presence. In
      comparison with the control the haemotological indices like WBC, MCV,
      Lymophocytes, Eosinophils and Basophils were found increased in the infected by
      (17 %), (16 %), (5 %), (58 %) and (27 %) respectively. The variations in
      microbial load found in fish in the study can be attributed to feeding habits,
      behavior, fish adaptations among the different fish species. These conditions are
      being caused by the presence of environmental pollution and are high in heavy
      native fishes. Thus the results showed that low of Haemoglobin value Packed Cell
      Volume and Red Blood Corpuscles indicated the presence of anemic conditions in
      the EUS infected fish found in Warangal.

PMID- 28615836
TI  - Molecular identification of an old clinical isolate of Indian Kala-azar.
AB  - Molecular characterization is an important task for species identification of the
      isolates belonging to different Leishmania species. Clinical symptoms, tissue
      tropism, vector preference, reservoir and geographical distribution may act as
      distinguishing parameters but not always decisive. On the other hand, modern
      taxonomic tools employed to divulge characteristics of the genome or protein
      molecules of the parasite would be convincing and for Leishmania sp., they
      include nuclear and kDNA buoyant density, multi locus enzyme electrophoresis
      (MLEE), RAPD, RFLP or use of monoclonal antibodies etc. In the present study, we
      intend to establish the identification of an old clinical isolate of Indian Kala
      azar, familiarly known as 'UR6' by MLEE, RAPD, RFLP and species specific
      monoclonal antibodies. UR6 has been isolated from a confirmed Kala-azar patient
      admitted in Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata in 1978. From then it
      is being regularly used for various scientific studies by the Leishmania Research
      Group of India and abroad. The isozyme profile of UR6 showed similar
      electrophoretic mobility that of WHO reference strain for Leishmania tropica,
      K27. Similar findings were obtained in the RAPD and RFLP assays. Screening with
      species specific monoclonal antibodies showed its strong reactivity towards L.
      tropica. The Jaccard's Similarity Indices were calculated.

PMID- 28615837
TI  - Trypanocidal action of Lippia alba and Lippia origanoides essential oils against
      Trypanosoma evansi in vitro and in vivo used mice as experimental model.
AB  - Parasitic diseases have an enormous health and economic impact and are a
      particular problem in tropical regions of the world. Disease caused by protozoa,
      such as trypanosomiasis, are the cause of most parasite related morbidity and
      mortality. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify the trypanocidal
      effectiveness of Lippia alba and Lippia origanoides against Trypanosoma evansi in
      vitro and in vivo. L. alba and L. origanoides were used in vitro on
      trypomastigotes at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 %) and exposure
      times (0, 1, 3, 6 and 9 h). The three concentrations tested showed trypanocidal
      activity in vitro, completely eliminating the parasites in small concentration
      after 6 h of assay. In vivo tests were performed using mice as the experimental
      model. T. evansi infected mice were treated with L. alba and L. origanoides with
      dose of 1.5 mL kg-1 during 5 days. These protocols did not provide curative
      efficacy, however the mice treated with L. origanoides showed a significant
      increase in the longevity when compared to control group. Active compounds
      present in essential oils, such as L. origanoides, may potentiate the treatment
      of trypanosomosis when associated with other trypanocidal drugs.

PMID- 28615838
TI  - Immunodiagnosis of Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep by counter immuno
      electrophoresis using somatic antigen.
AB  - The present study was undertaken for the immuno-diagnosis of Haemonchus contortus
      infection in sheep by counter immuno-electrophoresis (CIEP) using crude somatic
      antigen. Adult worms of H. contortus were found in 57 out of 100 abomasums
      screened. A total of 250 serum samples which includes, 100 serum from local
      abattoir in and around Shimoga region from the sheep from which the abomasums
      were collected for H. contortus worms and 150 serum from the migratory sheep were
      collected to detect the circulating antibody of H. contortus by CIEP using crude
      whole worm somatic antigen. Out of 100 abomasums screened, 18 were heavily
      infected with adult worms of H. contortus and their serum samples showed positive
      reaction with clear thick precipitin line with crude somatic antigen of H.
      contortus by CIEP and 39 samples showed light precipitin line, which were
      moderately infected with adult worms of H. contortus during necropsy. However,
      the 12 serum samples showed positive reaction with clear precipitin line, but
      their abomasums did not show H. contortus and the remaining 31 were not
      harbouring any adult worms of H. contortus and no precipitin line observed by
      CIEP. The sensitivity and specificity of CIEP was found 100 and 72.09 %,
      respectively. In the present study, 62 % sero-prevalence was observed with CIEP
      among 150 serum samples from migratory sheep screened for antibodies of H.
      contortus using crude whole worm somatic antigen of H. contortus.

PMID- 28615839
TI  - Epidemiological and clinical aspects of patients with hydatid cyst in Iran.
AB  - Hydatid cyst is one of the most common Zoonotic diseases occurs due to infection
      with larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus parasite. Based on epidemiological
      reasons, World Health Organization has introduced Iran as a hyperendemic region.
      This study aims to investigate the clinico-epidemiological characteristics of
      patients with hydatid cyst in Iran. We used information registered in the
      surveillance system of the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education
      attributed to Mazandaran province. Data were entered into SPSS software V.20
      after refinement and analyzed using percent frequency, mean, standard deviation
      and statistical tests such as Chi-square and Exact Fisher tests. Mean (SD),
      minimum and maximum ages of the participants were 42.2 (17.2), 6 and 72 years
      respectively. Most of them were female (63.4 %) and mean (SD) number of cysts was
      1.6 +/- 0.8. Of them, 51.2 % living in rural areas and 58.5 % of them were
      housewives. Liver was the most common organ involved. The main diagnostic
      procedures were radiography and CT scanning. The majority of participants (73.2
      %) consumed unsterilized vegetables. This study showed women more susceptible
      compared to men probably because of more exposure to parasites through
      vegetables. We also found the liver as the most affected organ in hydatid cyst
      patients.

PMID- 28615840
TI  - Observation on Monocystis kuidongae sp. nov. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) from an
      Indian earthworm Perionyx excavatus Perrier (Annelida: Oligochaeta).
AB  - A survey to know the diversity of endoparasitic protozoan parasites of the
      earthworms of West Bengal, revealed a new species of the genus Monocystis Stein,
      1848, that resides in the seminal vesicle of the earthworm Perionyx excavatus
      Perrier. Monocystis kuidongae sp. nov. is characterized by ovoidal gamonts
      (trophozoites) with inconspicuous mucron and measure 69.53-102.25 (86.29 +/-
      11.48) MUm * 24.54-61.35 (35.17 +/- 12.82) MUm. Shape of the gametocysts are
      almost rounded and measure 81.80-110.43 (96.11 +/- 8.85) MUm in diameter. Oocysts
      are navicular with pointed ends and measure 11.55-12.32 (11.78 +/- 0.36) um *
      5.00-5.77 (5.39 +/- 0.25) um.

PMID- 28615841
TI  - Cobboldia elephantis (Cobbold, 1866) larval infestation in an Indian elephant
      (Elephas maximus).
AB  - In the present study, post-mortem was conducted on a female elephant aged about
      37 years died at Rajeev Gandhi National Park, Hunsur, Mathigoodu Elephant Camp,
      Karnataka state. The animal suffered with diarrhoea, anorexia, dehydration and
      was unable to walk for about one week before death and was treated with
      antibiotics and fluid therapy for three days. The post-mortem examination
      revealed that, the gastric mucosa was severely congested, hyperaemic and numerous
      stomach bots attached to the mucosa. The bots were recovered from the gastric
      mucosa and processed for species identification. The posterior spiracles of the
      bots showed three longitudinal parallel slits in each spiracle, the abdominal
      segments had a row of belt like triangular shaped spines and the anterior end had
      two powerful oral hooks with cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton. Based on the above said
      morphological characters, the bots were identified as Cobboldia elephantis. This
      seems to be the first report of C. elephantis in free range wild elephant from
      Karnataka state.

PMID- 28615842
TI  - Retro-bulbar cyst of Coenurus gaigeri in Barbari goats.
AB  - Two adult Barbari goats were presented to the Division of Animal Health of the
      Institute with the history of unilateral protrusion of the left eye ball,
      blepharitis and congestion of the conjunctival membrane. Physical and
      ultrasonographical examination revealed large fluctuating fluid filled bladder
      with distinct dimensions. The cysts were successfully removed along with its
      membrane and parasitological examination revealed it as a Coenurus gaigeri, the
      intermediate stage of T. multiceps gaigeri. The present report describes the
      retro-bulbar cyst of Coenurus gaigeri in two Barbari goats. This is the first
      report of retro-bulbar cyst of Coenurus gaigeri in goats.

PMID- 28615843
TI  - In vitro adaptability of Plasmodium falciparum to different fresh serum
      alternatives.
AB  - To reduce the dependency on fresh AB+ serum in continuous culture of Plasmodium
      falciparum, a comparative study was undertaken to assess the in vitro
      adaptability of P. falciparum to media supplemented with fresh AB+ serum from
      whole blood, AB+ plasma, serum derived from AB+ plasma, AB+ human serum from
      Sigma, Albumax II, fetal bovine serum and new born calf serum, independently and
      in different combinations. Combinations were used to analyze whether two
      different substitutes demonstrate any synergistic effect on the growth of the
      parasites. Our findings exhibited that the combination of fresh human serum and
      Albumax II showed good growth pattern in comparison to that of fresh serum and
      can thereby be instrumental in reducing the role of fresh human serum in
      continuous parasite maintenance. Culture maintained with Albumax II with or
      without hypoxanthine showed average growth.

PMID- 28615844
TI  - The antileishmanial effects of Lowsonia inermis and Cedrus libani on Leishmania
      major promastigotes: an in vitro study.
AB  - Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by different species of protozoan
      parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. In this study, Leishmania major
      (MRHO/IR/75/ER) promastigotes were cultured at 23-25  degrees C in brain heart
      infusion (BHI) medium supplemented with 10 % heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum
      (FBS) and penicillin and streptomycin. Antileishmanial effects of Lowsonia
      inermis and Cedrus libani methanolic extracts (0.07, 0.15, 0.31, 0.62, 1.25, 2.5,
      5, 10 mg/mL) on Leishmania major promastigotes were evaluated using the MTT (3
      (4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. All
      experiments were repeated at least three times. Cedrus libani methanolic extract
      did not show any activity while Lowsonia inermis methanolic extract inhibited the
      growth of promastigote forms of L. major in vitro after 72 h of incubation and
      had a 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.25 mg/mL. The methanolic extract
      of Lawsonia inermis (henna) can be a promising antileishmanial agent in the
      future. Further experiments are needed for isolation of active fractions and
      identification of the active components of methanolic extract.

PMID- 28615845
TI  - Efficacy of ivermectin, closantel and fenbendazole against gastrointestinal
      nematodes of sheep in Kashmir valley.
AB  - The present work was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of
      ivermectin, closantel and fenbendazole under field conditions against
      Gastrointestinal Nematodes (GIN) of cross bred merino sheep in Budgam area of
      Kashmir Valley. A total of 115 sheep having Egg per gram of faeces (EPG) greater
      than or equal to 150 (mean EPG 258.89) were selected. The animals were randomly
      divided into four groups comprising of 30 animals each in three treatment groups
      (ivermectin, closantel and fenbendazole) and twenty-five in fourth untreated
      infected control group. Faecal samples from the selected animals were collected
      on day '0' pre treatment and on days 8th and 14th post treatment. Based on Faecal
      Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT), ivermectin was found to be 98.80 % effective
      against strongyles on 8th day post treatment, however an efficacy of 100 % was
      seen against strongyle worms on 14th day post treatment. 98.80 and 100 % efficacy
      was observed on day 8th post treatment against strongyles in case of closantel
      and fenbendazole respectively, however efficacy decreased to 97.60 and 98.8 %
      respectively on 14th day post treatment. There was no evidence of development of
      resistance by GIN of cross bred merino sheep in District Budgam of Kashmir Valley
      to ivermectin, closantel and fenbendazole.

PMID- 28615846
TI  - Incidence of fur mite infestation in laboratory rodents.
AB  - Incidence of fur mites in laboratory rodents is reported. Among mice, infestation
      was found to be highest in male Swiss Albino mice followed by female Swiss Albino
      mice, male Balb C mice and female Balb C mice. Infestation in Guinea pigs was 50
      %. None of the rats screened were found to be positive for fur mites. Species of
      fur mites identified were Myocoptesmusculinus in mice and Chirodiscoidescaviae in
      Guinea pigs. Clinical signs in affected animals are also reported.

PMID- 28615847
TI  - Larvicidal potency of marine actinobacteria isolated from mangrove environment
      against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi.
AB  - The marine soil samples were collected from different locations of Parangipettai
      mangrove ecosystem, Vellar estuary, southeast coast of India. Totally 30
      different marine actinobacteria were isolated by serial dilution plate technique
      on starch casein agar medium. The isolated actinobacteria were investigated for
      their larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi
      mosquitoes. Streptomyces fungicidicus, S. griseus, S. albus, S. alboflavus and S.
      rochei were identified as potential biocide producers. Based on the antimicrobial
      activity, five strains were chosen for larvicidal and pupicidal activity. Among
      the crude extracts tested, the S. alboflavus extract showed significant activity
      against Ae. aegypti (LC50 1.48 +/- 0.09 and LC90 3.33 +/- 0.22) and An. stephensi
      (LC50 1.30 +/- 0.09 and LC90 3.13 +/- 0.21). Five isolates have shown a most
      significant mortality rate of the Ae. aegypti and An. stephensi mosquito larvae.
      This is an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of Japanese encephalitis
      vectors, Ae. aegypti and malarial vector An. stephensi.

PMID- 28615848
TI  - Therapeutic management of canine ehrlichiosis with aid of blood transfusion: a
      case report.
AB  - An adult female Labrador Retriever dog was presented at referral veterinary
      polyclinic, IVRI in lateral recumbency with history of anorexia, high fever,
      severe panting, heavy tick infestation, and not responding to cephalosporins and
      fluoroquinolones since last 1 week. Clinical examination showed pale conjunctiva,
      enlarged popliteal lymph node however, electrocardiogram (ECG) report found to be
      normal. Haematological finding showed marked anaemia and thrombocytopenia.
      Parasitological examination found it to be positive for Ehrlichia canis and
      confirmed ticks to be Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Dog was treated with doxycycline
      @ 10 mg/kg for 28 days in divided dose with supportive therapy. Blood transfusion
      was done on second day to avoid complication. Dog showed marked recovery after 15
      days and re-examination of blood revealed no parasitemia.

PMID- 28615849
TI  - In-vivo antimalarial activity of aqueous leaf and bark extracts of Trema
      orientalis against Plasmodium berghei in mice.
AB  - The control of malaria relies on the use of chemical antimalarial, but the
      development of resistance necessitates research into alternatives. Trema
      orientalis (L.) Blume is used in Nigerian folklore medicine for the treatment of
      malaria. This study investigates the in vivo antiplasmodial activity of aqueous
      leaf and bark extracts of T. orientalis in rodent model. Swiss Albino mice
      weighing 23-27 g were intraperitoneally infected with Plasmodium berghei. The
      lethal dose in mice was estimated to be greater than 5000 mg/kg based on toxicity
      signs and death. Aqueous crude leaf and bark extracts were administered at 400,
      800 and 1600 mg/kg. Chloroquine was used as positive control while the negative
      control was treated with distilled water. Parasitemia, parasite inhibition, body
      weight and packed cell volume (PCV) were determined. The parasite inhibition of
      the leaf extracts at 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg was 51.55, 62.78 and 76.08 % while
      that of the bark extract was 44.3, 65.82 and 74.23 % respectively. The percentage
      parasitemia of the leaf extract at 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg decreased by 45.0,
      70.3 and 74.7 % while that of the bark decreased by 37.4, 53.0 and 52.0 %
      respectively. The PCV of mice treated with 400, 800 and 1600 mg/kg leaf extract
      were 48.85, 49.88 and 50.99 % while that of the bark extract was 49.38, 48.88 and
      51.94 % respectively. The results indicate that the plant has a promising
      antiplasmodial activity against P. berghei, which validates its folkloric use.

PMID- 28615851
TI  - Gastrointestinal helminthosis: prevalence and associated determinants in goats of
      Jabalpur, India.
AB  - A total of 632 faecal samples of goats of Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh
      state were examined during three years of the study period (November 2012-October
      2015), out of which 82.75 % samples were positive for helminthic infections.
      Among various helminths, maximum prevalence was of strongyles (32.59 %) followed
      by amphistomes (14.40 %), Moniezia spp. (12.50 %), Strongyloides spp. (0.79 %),
      Trichuris spp. (0.47 %) and Fasciolagigantica (0.32 %). Year wise prevalence
      revealed a highly significant (p < 0.01) decrease in prevalence of helminths.
      Except Trichuris and Moniezia spp., the effect of year was significant for
      prevalence of all other gastro-intestinal helminths observed during the study.
      Significantly higher (p < 0.05) helminth infections were observed in monsoon
      (87.97 %) as compared to that of winter (81.48 %) or summer (79.03 %) season. The
      seasonal difference in prevalence was found significant for strongyles,
      Strongyloides spp., amphistomes and Moniezia spp. There was no significant
      variation in Trichuris spp. and Fasciola gigantica infections in relation to
      season. Age wise prevalence of helminths was non-significantly higher in kids
      (83.13 %) than in adults (82.62 %). Except Moniezia spp., age wise observations
      did not reveal any significant difference (p > 0.05) in prevalence of other
      gastrointestinal helminths.

PMID- 28615850
TI  - Prevalence of Giardiaduodenalis among children from a central region of Cuba:
      molecular characterization and associated risk factors.
AB  - Giardia duodenalis is one of the most frequent intestinal parasitic infections in
      children worldwide. To date, eight main assemblages of G. duodenalis have been
      described, but only A and B genetic groups are known to infect humans. A cross
      sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of
      Giardia duodenalis infection in 417 preschool children from the Fomento
      municipality in the central region of Cuba between January and June 2013. The
      overall prevalence of Giardia infection was 10.79 %. Assemblage identification
      was carried out by the amplification of a fragment of the triose phosphate
      isomerase (tpi) gene. DNA from 36 of 45 (80 %) samples was successfully amplified
      by PCR-tpi. Assemblage B and mixed assemblages A + B represented 52.78 and 36.11
      % respectively, of genotyped samples. Assemblage A accounts for only 11.11 %.
      Children who were cared for at home were associated with diarrhea caused by
      assemblage B. No associations were found between other clinical variables with
      infecting assemblage of Giardia. Univariate analysis identified the use of unsafe
      water resources (OR 2.9; CI 1.2-6.8) and-even more interestingly-keeping dogs
      indoor (OR 2.5; CI 1.2-5.4) were significant risk factors associated with Giardia
      infection among children. Multivariate analysis using introduction test logistic
      regression ratified the association of these two risk factors: kept dogs indoor
      (OR 2.8, CI 1.1-5.3), and untreated water (OR 1.4, CI 1.4-4.9) with Giardia
      infection. This information may be useful for an effective prevention and control
      programme of giardiasis in this population.

PMID- 28615852
TI  - Therapecutic efficacy of the leaf extract of Croton joufra Roxb. against
      experimental cestodiasis in rats.
AB  - The leaves of Croton joufra have been used as a traditional medicine in Assam
      (Northeast India) to treat the intestinal helminthic infections. The aim of this
      study was to establish the in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of the leaf
      extract of this plant on Hymenolepis diminuta, a zoonotic tapeworm. The plant
      extract was also screened for its chemical constituents. The in vitro
      anthelmintic efficacy of the plant was evaluated by physical motility test on
      adult cestodes, following their exposure to 10, 20, 30 mg/ml concentrations of
      the crude leaf extract, while the in vivo effect was determined based on the eggs
      per gram (EPG) counts and worm recovery rates, using an experimentally induced
      model of H. diminuta infections in Wistar rats. The in vitro study results showed
      a dose-dependent effect on the parasite and the highest concentration of the
      extract (30 mg/ml) caused mortality of the worms in 1.53 +/- 0.12 h as compared
      to 3.46 +/- 0.10 h shown by 1 mg/ml concentration of the reference drug,
      praziquantel (PZQ). The in vivo results showed that a single 800 mg/kg dose of
      the extract, given for 3 days, was highly efficacious against adult parasites as
      it reduced the EPG count and worm burdens of rats by 94.74 and 75 %,
      respectively. The extract also showed almost similar degree of effects against
      the larval stage of the parasite. As ascertained by the qualitative screening
      tests, the leaf extract of C. joufra contains terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids,
      flavonoids, glycosides and reducing sugar. The overall findings of this study
      suggest that C. joufra leaf extract possesses significant anthelmintic efficacy
      and support its traditional anthelmintic claims.

PMID- 28615853
TI  - Genotoxic potential of Fasciolagigantica infection in experimentally infected
      rabbits.
AB  - A number of parasitic platyhelminthes are known to cause genotoxicity in humans
      and animals. However no such information is available on tropical liver fluke,
      Fasciola gigantica, which incurs huge economic losses worldwide. In the present
      study the genotoxic potential of F. gigantica infection in rabbits,
      experimentally infected with the metacercarial cysts of this parasite, has been
      investigated using the standard comet assay and micronucleus (MNi) test on the
      isolated hepatocytes and the whole blood from the infected rabbits. The tail
      length of the comet in both hepatocytes and reticulocytes from the infected
      animals was significantly prominent (p < 0.05) as compared to the controls. About
      61.17 % of the hepatocytes from the infected rabbits were positive for MNi
      formation. A number of blood cells also showed cellular deformities, which were
      recognised as spicule type, schistocytes, tear drop type, acanthocytes and
      dumbbell type. It is possible that during the establishment of host-parasite
      relationship the worms might have released some products which could have
      contributed to the induction of cellular and DNA damage. However, long term
      studies are required to understand the serious implications of such an effect
      caused by F. gigantica, though hepatic carcinoma has not been reported so far due
      to fasciolosis, however, considering the present results the possibility may not
      be rule out for the disease progression in this direction.

PMID- 28615854
TI  - Sarcoptic mange infestation in rabbits in an organized farm at Tamil Nadu.
AB  - Sarcoptes scabiei are burrowing mites which causes major constraints in rabbit
      production. Eighty-eight rabbits were examined for mange infestation at
      University Research Farm, Tamil Nadu. Overall incidence of mange infestation in
      rabbit was 23.6 %. On microscopical examination, the mite was identified as
      Sacoptes scabiei var cuniculi. Among the breeds, Soviet Chinchilla were found to
      be infested more (57.14 %) followed by New Zealand White (28.57 %) and White
      Giant (28.57 %). Among the age groups, adults (33.33 %) were heavily infested
      than the grower (21.88 %) whereas, suckling had no infestation of mange. Among
      the sex, males (21.95 %) were heavily infested than the females (14.89 %).
      Lesions were mostly found on the edges of ear, nose, face and legs and
      characterized by loss of hair, thickening of the skin, irregular dried dirty
      encrusted scabs with erythema and disfigurement of face and ear.

PMID- 28615855
TI  - Genetic diversity among Trypanosoma vivax strains detected in naturally infected
      cattle in Nigeria based on ITS1 of rDNA and diagnostic antigen gene sequences.
AB  - Trypanosoma vivax (sub-genus Duttonella) is largely responsible for non
      profitable livestock production in sub-Sahara Africa. In Nigeria, no study has
      addressed the molecular characteristic of T. vivax except Y486. Hence, we
      characterized and assessed the genetic diversity among T. vivax detected in
      naturally infected cattle in Nigeria using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1)
      of ribosoma DNA (rDNA) and diagnostic antigen gene (DAG) sequences. The length of
      ITS1 and DAG sequences range from 215-220 to 257-338 bp, respectively and the
      mean G-C contents were 60 and 61.5 %. Homology search revealed 93-99 and 95-100 %
      homologies to T. vivax DAG and ITS1 sequences from GenBank. Aligned sequences
      revealed both ITS1 rDNA and DAG to be less polymorphic but DAG sequences of the
      Y486 strain and its clone showed marked variation from autochthonous strains.
      Phylogenetic analysis yielded tree that grouped T. vivax ITS1rDNA gene and DAG
      sequences into two main clades each. Considering the ITI1 rDNA sequences, clade A
      contained autochthonous T. vivax within which the South American sequences
      clustered, clade B contained the sequences of T. vivax from East Africa. Analysis
      of DAG revealed that the clade A contains autochthonous T. vivax sequences but
      clade B contained the Y486 and its clones. In conclusion, the diagnostic antigen
      gene sequences of the T. vivax detected in this study may have undergone
      considerable gene recombination through time and suggests that more than one
      strain of T. vivax exist among cattle population in Nigeria.

PMID- 28615856
TI  - A rare case of Theileria annulata induced corneal opacity in a calf.
AB  - A 10 months old male cross-bred calf was presented in OPD Medicine, Referral
      Veterinary Polyclinic, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar with
      the history of anorexia, impaired vision, heavy tick infestation and diarrhoea
      for the last 1 week. The clinical examination revealed enlarged pre-scapular
      lymph nodes, prominent cloudiness in eyes and exophthalmos. The presence of Koch
      blue bodies in biopsied lymph nodes and a PCR assay confirmed it to be bovine
      tropical theileriosis associated with unique corneal opacity. Treatment with
      buparvaquone at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg i.m. two doses 48 h apart was successful and
      typical ocular manifestations completely subsided after 2 weeks of therapy.

PMID- 28615857
TI  - Alteration of Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) results in Iranian Kala-Azar
      patients: a case series.
AB  - The early diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) using Direct Agglutination
      Tests (DAT) and its treatment and control are essential actions taken in rural
      health centers in endemic foci of the infection based on the national protocols
      set by the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Eleven clinically
      confirmed VL patients with typical VL symptoms and negative results of DAT,
      admitted to the pediatrics department of Valiasr Hospital in Meshkinshahr
      underwent parasitological tests. 7 of the total of 11 patients had positive
      result of bone marrow puncture smears and all of them had negative results of
      DAT. Thus factors that had led to false negative DAT results were examined. The
      patients' blood samples were collected in microhematocrit tubes using the finger
      prick technique, centrifuged and their plasma then separated. The complete
      medical history of the patients was taken using a questionnaire. The laboratory
      staff therefore checked the quality of anti-leishmania antigen, materials and
      equipment used. The patients' medical history showed that they had all been
      administered corticosteroid medications such as dexamethasone or hydrocortisone
      prior to visiting the laboratory. The DAT was repeated in these patients 2-3
      weeks after their last administration of corticosteroids. The antibody titers
      were positive this time. A total of 3 of the collected specimens (27.3 %) showed
      a titer of 1.3200, 5 (46 %) showed a titer of 1.1600 and 3 (27.3 %) a titer of
      1.800. Due to the effects of some medications, particularly corticosteroids, on
      serological tests, the patients' full medical history should be taken prior to
      performing this test and physicians working at endemic regions of this infection
      should be notified about these drug interactions.

PMID- 28615858
TI  - Molecular diagnosis of cattle trypanosomes in Venezuela: evidences of Trypanosoma
      evansi and Trypanosoma vivax infections.
AB  - In South America Trypanosoma evansi has been determined by molecular methods in
      cattle from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Peru, reason for which the presence of
      this parasite is not excluded in Venezuelan livestock. Therefore, the aim of this
      study was to perform parasitological and molecular diagnosis of cattle
      trypanosomosis in small livestock units from two regions in this country. The
      parasitological diagnosis was carried out by MHCT and the molecular by PCR using
      genus-specific ITS1 primers that differentiate T. vivax and T. evansi infections.
      47 cattle were evaluated in the "Laguneta de la Montana" sector, Miranda State,
      where 3 animals were diagnosed as positive (6.4 %) by MHCT and 14 (30 %) by PCR
      as Trypanosoma spp., out of which 9 animals resulted positive for T. vivax, 3 for
      T. evansi and 2 with double infections. Whilst in the "San Casimiro" sector,
      State of Aragua, out of the 38 cattle evaluated 7 animals were diagnosed as
      positive (18.4 %) by MHCT and 19 (50 %) by PCR, determining only the presence of
      T. evansi in this locality. The molecular diagnosis by PCR using ITS1 primers
      allowed T. evansi detection in cattle field populations, which suggests the
      possible role of these animals as reservoirs in the epidemiology of the disease
      caused by T. evansi in Venezuela.

PMID- 28615859
TI  - Molecular identification of Babesia spp. in naturally infected dogs of Kerala,
      South India.
AB  - Canine babesiosis is a tick borne haemoprotozoan disease caused by large and
      small intraerythrocytic apicomplexan piroplasms of the genus Babesia spp. The
      clinical manifestations of the disease vary from inapparent subclinical form to
      hyperacute shock related haemolytic crisis. Microscopic examination of blood
      smears from suspected dogs revealed Babesia canis and B. gibsoni in 3.45 and
      25.86 % of samples respectively. A seminested PCR based on previously published
      species specific primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene was utilized to identify the
      Babesia species infecting dogs of Kerala at the sub species level. The study
      revealed 57.5 % prevalence of Babesia spp. among dogs. This report also presents
      the first molecular evidence of Babesia canis vogeli and B. gibsoni among
      naturally infected dogs in Kerala, South India. Molecular survey revealed a high
      prevalence of B. gibsoni infections when compared with B. canis vogeli infections
      among canines of the state. Preliminary survey of the tick population revealed
      the presence of Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. haemaphysaloides and Haemaphysalis
      bispinosa in infected animals. Further studies need be directed towards utilizing
      the PCR protocol for confirming the vectors of these species in the region.

PMID- 28615860
TI  - Detection of anthelmintic resistance in sheep and goat against fenbendazole by
      faecal egg count reduction test.
AB  - Anthelmintic resistance against commonly used anthelmintic fenbendazole was
      evaluated by employing faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) in naturally
      occurring gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes in the semi organized sheep and goat
      farms of Ludhiana and Amritsar districts. A total of 80 animals (20 each for
      sheep and goat in both districts) were randomly selected and their faecal samples
      were examined by qualitative and quantitative parasitological techniques. Results
      indicate presence of high level of resistance against fenbendazole in both sheep
      and goat population of Ludhiana and Amritsar districts. More resistance was
      observed in the GI nematodes from animals reared in Amritsar district as compared
      to Ludhiana district. The level of anthelmintic resistance observed was
      apparently more in sheep than goats.

PMID- 28615861
TI  - In vitro ovicidal activity of Peganum harmala seeds extract on the eggs of
      Fasciola hepatica.
AB  - Peganum harmala seeds extract has been previously reported to have antimicrobial
      and other medicinal properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      ovicidal activity of the methanolic extract of P. harmala seeds against the eggs
      of F. hepatica. The phenolic compounds of the methanolic extract of P. harmala
      seeds were identified by HPLC analysis. Catechin, rutin, p-Coumaric acid,
      chloregenic acid and hesperetin were found to be the major phenolic compounds. F.
      hepatica eggs were collected from the gall bladder of naturally infected sheep.
      The eggs were exposed to two concentrations of P. harmala seeds extract (1 and 3
      mg/mL) for 24 and 48 h. To investigate the effect of the P. harmala seeds extract
      on the miracidial formation, the treated eggs were incubated at 28  degrees C for
      14 days. The results indicated that F. hepatica eggs were susceptible to the
      methanolic extract of P. harmala seeds. Following 24 h exposure of the eggs to P.
      harmala seeds extract with concentrations of 1 and 3 mg/mL, the miracidial
      formation reduced to 5 and 2.2 % respectively (compared with 60 % for the control
      group). Following 48 h of exposure of the eggs to P. harmala seeds extract with 1
      mg/mL concentration, the miracidial formation reduced to 0.5 %. In this exposure
      time, no miracidial formation was observed in the eggs exposed to P. harmala
      seeds extract with concentration of 3 mg/mL. Therefore, the results of this study
      indicated that P. harmala seeds extract has high ovicidal activity against the
      eggs of F. hepatica. Accordingly, this extract may have the potential flukicidal
      activity against the immature and mature F. hepatica.

PMID- 28615862
TI  - Incidence of Onchocerca gibsoni in subcutaneous nodules of cross bred Jersey
      cows: case report.
AB  - Onchocerca gibsoni subcutaneous nodules in four cross bred Jersey cows aged 5-6
      years brought for post mortem with calcified and caseated skin nodules in the
      lateral flank region is reported. Examination and dissection of these nodules
      revealed that they were "worm nests" of Onchocerca sp. of filarid nematodes. The
      worm nests were carefully dissected and filarid worms were extracted out.
      Multiple numbers of worms were recovered from each nodule ranging from 15 to 20.
      Female worms were found inside the worm nests and were found to be filled with
      microfilariae. The nodules weighed 2-3 g. Based on the morphological features the
      worms were identified as O. gibsoni.

PMID- 28615863
TI  - Prevalence and microscopic studies of Sarcocystis infection in naturally infected
      water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) of Andhra Pradesh.
AB  - Sarcocystis species are the obligate tissue protozoan parasites of livestock
      causing clinical and subclinical disease resulting in downgrading of the meat and
      their products thereby leading to economic losses. The present study reveals the
      prevalence and distribution of sarcocystosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)
      slaughtered at local abattoirs in A.P for a period of 1 year from June 2014 to
      May 2015. A total of 137 buffalo carcasses were screened grossly and
      microscopically organ wise viz., esophagus, tongue, heart, diaphragm and
      intercostal muscles. Out of 137 screened, 91 were infected with an overall
      prevalence of 66.42 %. Age wise analysis of 89 young male calves aged about 18-36
      months old revealed 65.16 % (58/89) and 48 old she buffaloes (5-8 years) showed
      68.75 % (33/48). The organ wise prevalence was highest in esophagus (51.82 %)
      followed by tongue (47.44 %), heart (29.92 %), diaphragmatic muscles (28.46 %)
      and intercostal muscles (18.24 %), respectively. Morphometric studies revealed
      the presence of two Sarcocystis species, i.e., S.levinei and S.fusiformis
      infection with a prevalence of 43.79 and 22.62 %, respectively, along with mixed
      infection rate of 43.06 %. Microscopic studies of S.levinei showed sarcocyst
      length/width/cyst wall thickness ranged between 0.31-0.69/0.09-0.12 mm/<1 um,
      respectively, and bradyzoites with an average of 6.25 um length/2.5 um width.
      Similarly, S.fusiformis cyst ranged between 2 and 8.5 mm/1-3 mm/2-5 um and
      bradyzoites with an average of 10 um length/2.5 um width. The histopathological
      studies revealed congestion and degenerative changes of myocytes along with
      infiltration of mononuclear cells.

PMID- 28615864
TI  - Prevalence of gastro intestinal parasites in pigs in Punjab, India.
AB  - Gastrointestinal parasites are a common problem in pigs in India. The important
      risk factors include coprophagic behaviour of pigs and their free access to
      garbage. To investigate the gastrohelmenthic spectrum in pigs of Punjab, we
      examined 265 faecal samples from farm (n = 47) and scavenging pigs (n = 218)
      using faecal floatation method. Ascaris suum, unsporulated oocysts, Trichuris
      spp. and Strongyloides were recorded in 27.5, 15.4, 1.8 and 4.5 % of the pig
      faecal samples, respectively. Overall prevalence was significantly higher in pigs
      >1 year (56.5 %) than pigs <=1 year (39.6; p = 0.01) Parasite positivity was
      neither significantly related with location (p = 0.309) nor with management
      practices (p = 0.69). High prevalence of gastro intestinal parasites in pigs in
      Punjab warrants intervention policies to control this problem.

PMID- 28615865
TI  - Epidemiological studies on trichinellosis in pigs (Sus scofa) in India.
AB  - The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of trichinellosis in
      domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) in India. A total of 319 tissue and 279 serum samples
      were collected from 279 slaughter pigs. The samples were collected from small
      slaughter shops located in Assam, Chandigarh (Union territory), Punjab and
      Uttarakhand states of the country. The presence of Trichinella spp. antibodies in
      serum was determined using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) kit and tissue samples were digested using the OIE recommended
      pepsin-HCl digestion method. The overall seroprevalence of trichinellosis was
      found to be 2.87 %. The age wise seroprevalence was found to be 2.83 % in pigs
      aged more than 6 months and 3.12 % in pigs <6 months of age. The seroprevalence
      was more in male (3.38 %) than female (1.96 %) pigs. None of the samples were
      found positive using pepsin-HCl digestion method. Since none of the samples was
      found positive for Trichinella, PCR assay could not be employed in the current
      study. The age, sex and management practices of the animals were not
      significantly (p > 0.05) associated with seroprevalence. The current research
      confirms that trichinellosis remains a rare zoonosis in India. However, extensive
      studies must be carried out in wildlife to identify reservoir hosts in the
      country.

PMID- 28615866
TI  - Virulence assay and role of Bacillus thuringiensis TS110 as biocontrol agent
      against the larval stages of rice leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis.
AB  - The bacterial isolate Bacillus thuringiensis TS110 was isolated from the rice
      field soil of Burdwan district, West Bengal, India. Bioassay test of the bacteria
      TS110 against 3rd, 4th and 5th instar larvae of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis was
      carried out. Cut leaf assay, potted plant assay and field assay were done. During
      filed assay, it has been observed that the LC50 (*107) values of TS110 against
      3rd, 4th and 5th instar larvae of C. medinalis were 3.77, 5.29, 4.83 and 4.93,
      4.42, 4.72 in dry and wet season, respectively. The morphological, biochemical
      and phylogenetic analysis of the isolate TS110 were done. TS110 was positive for
      catalase, nitrate reductase, methyl red, voges-proskauer, oxidase, urease,
      indole, citrate utilization, arginine dihydrolase test, starch, lipid, gelatin,
      casein, and lecithin hydrolysis test. TS110 showed fermentation test positive for
      glucose, fructose, mannose, arabinose and trehalose in nutrient broth medium. The
      antibiotic sensitivity test showed that the bacterial isolate was sensitive to
      kanamycin (30 ug/disc), nalidixic acid (30 ug/disc), rifampicin (5 MUg/disc),
      doxycycline (30 ug/disc), gatifloxacin (10 ug/disc), vancomycin (30 ug/disc),
      gentamycin (10 ug/disc), ampicillin (10 ug/disc), ofloxacin (5 MUg/disc),
      levofloxacin (5 MUg/disc), streptomycin (10 ug/disc), gentamycin (10 ug/disc).
      The phylogenetic analysis revealed that TS110 was closely related to different
      species of B. thuringiensis submitted to the GenBank. On the basis of morpho
      physiological and molecular characterization, the bacterial isolate was
      identified as B. thuringiensis.

PMID- 28615867
TI  - First record of a rare transversotrematid cercaria larva (Trematoda: Digenea)
      from Rajasthan, India: focus on seasonal occurrence and host-specificity of
      diverse cercariae.
AB  - During the survey of freshwater snail hosts and their digenean larval trematode
      parasites, a rare cercaria larva belonging to family Transversotrematidae and
      subclass Digenea (Trematoda) was recovered from the snail species Melanoides
      striatella tuberculata inhabiting perennial Som river of Udaipur district,
      Rajasthan, India. More than 28 % mature specimens of these snails were found to
      be infected with transversotrematid cercaria larvae in the spring season. Body of
      this cercaria is large, bowl-shaped, biocellate, spinose, transparent and
      laterally extended having two pigmented eye spots, two hold fast organs extended
      from the junction of body and tail, large tail with two foliated furcal rami, and
      cyclocoel intestinal caeca. As far as the authors are aware, this is the first
      record of a transversotrematid larva from Rajasthan, India. Simultaneously, other
      forms of cercariae viz., amphistome, echinostome, monostome, gymnocephalous,
      furcocercous and xiphidiocercous cercariae were also recovered from fifteen
      species of pulmonate and operculate snails including Lymnaea acuminata f. patula,
      L. acuminata f. chlamys, L. acuminata f. typica, L. acuminata f. rufescens, L.
      luteola f. australis, L. luteola f. typica, L. luteola f. impura, Planorbis
      (Indoplanorbis) exustus, and Anisus (Gyraulus) convexiusculus, Faunus ater,
      Melania (Plotia) scabra, Thiara (Tarebia) lineata, Melanoides striatella
      tuberculata, Vivipara bengalensis race gigantica and V. bengalensis race
      mandiensis. The seasonal occurrence and host-specificity of diverse trematode
      cercaria larvae are also discussed besides the first record of a rare
      transversotrematid cercaria larva from Rajasthan, India.

PMID- 28615868
TI  - Some probable factors affecting the malaria situation before and at the beginning
      of a pre-elimination program in southeastern Iran.
AB  - The area southeast of Iran still copes with malaria as an unstable infectious
      disease and includes the most autochthonous malaria reports in the country. This
      comprehensive study was carried out for the evaluation of environmental factors,
      welfare indicators and health facilities on the malaria situation before and at
      the beginning of a pre-elimination programme in this area. The probable factors
      affecting the malaria situation, including the water-pipe network, electricity,
      rainfall, long-lasting integrated nets (LLINs), indoor residual spraying and
      malaria diagnosis-treatment centres were analysed using SPSS software. The
      Pearson correlation test showed no significant correlation between some factors
      such as piped water networks, annual precipitation, number of sprayed villages
      and autochthonous cases as well as autochthonous foci. But a significant
      correlation between electricity coverage, number of diagnoses of malaria
      treatment centres and autochthonous cases?foci was observed. Also, the number of
      distributed LLINs didn't have any correlation with the number of total malaria
      cases, but a significant correlation between LLINs and autochthonous foci was
      seen. Detailed studies on the correlation of various variables, such as piped
      water, spraying coverage and number of malaria diagnosis centres, with the
      malaria situation is limited in Asia and other parts of the world. This study and
      others like it can help malaria managers and directors in the more accurate
      allocation of financial resources.

PMID- 28615869
TI  - Coenurus cerebralis and its pathology in an organized farm of Tamil Nadu.
AB  - Coenurosis is a disease of the central nervous system in sheep. A survey was
      carried out to assess the occurrence of Coenurus cerebralis in Madras red sheep.
      A prevalence rate of 12.30 % observed when 122 slaughtered Madras red sheep were
      examined in an organized farm during 2002 to 2007 at Livestock Research Station,
      Kattupakkam, Tamil Nadu, India. The skulls of the animals were opened to know the
      prevalence of Coenurus cyst in the brain. Out of 12.30 %, only 3.28 % sheep
      showed clinical signs while the remaining were apparently healthy (9.02 %). C.
      cerebralis cysts were observed in cerebrum, cerebellum and on spinal cord,
      averaging 66.67, 26.67 and 6.66 %, respectively. Among different age groups of
      sheep, highest infection rate was observed in rams (20.69 %) followed by ewes
      (10.00 %), young males (9.09 %) and young females (8.33 %). Males (17.50 %, 7/40)
      were more infected compared to the female sheep (9.76 %, 8/82). Grossly, ventral
      cerebrum was congested and depression in sulci was noticed. Posterior portion of
      the skull showed severe congestion and haemorrhage. Severe congestion was also
      noticed on the gyri of right cerebral hemisphere.

PMID- 28615870
TI  - Buparvaquone therapy in a rock pigeon infected with Haemoproteus columbae showing
      torticollis.
AB  - A clinical Haemoproteus columbae infection in a two months rock pigeon was
      diagnosed on the basis of outward signs and blood smear examination. The clinical
      signs suggestive of pigeon malaria were anorexia, depression, inability to fly,
      circling movements and episodes of torticollis. The characteristic halter shaped
      gametocytes were seen, in thin blood smear, encircling the nucleus of
      erythrocytes. Buparvaquone therapy, two intramuscular injections at the rate of 5
      mg/kg at 72 h interval, was successful. Supplementation of multivitamin helped in
      speedy recovery and clinical signs along with uncommon torticollis, completely
      disappeared in one week.

PMID- 28615871
TI  - Morphometric and scanning electron microscopy based identification of Ancylostoma
      caninum parasites in dog.
AB  - Ancylostoma caninum, a blood feeding nematode parasite (Family: Ancylostomatidae,
      Superfamily: Ancylostomatoidea) can cause anaemia, dark reddish-brown to black
      haemorrhagic diarrhoea, dehydration, wasting and deaths due to heavy blood loss.
      Adult hook worm parasites recovered from the intestine of a stray dog at the time
      of necropsy were identified as A. caninum based on morphological characters and
      morphometric observations involving scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Different
      developmental stages of hookworm eggs viz. 8 cell stage, morula, gastrula and
      vermiform were observed during the culture process of faecal sample. High quality
      SEM photographs showed teeth of dimensions 52.5, 42.3 and 23.5 MUm on one side
      and 55.4, 43.8 and 21.0 MUm on the other side along with the presence of
      characteristic transverse cuticular striations on body surface of A. caninum
      parasites.

PMID- 28615872
TI  - Seasonal incidence of protozoan parasitic infestation in ornamental fishes of
      West Bengal, India.
AB  - The communication, dealing with the prevalence of protozoan parasites of the
      ornamental fish of West Bengal. During the study more than five hundred fish have
      been examined from five districts namely, Nadia, Hooghly, Howrah, North 24
      pargana and South 24-pargana of West Bengal during pre-monsoon, monsoon and post
      monsoon season. The study reveals that the intensity of infection is more in case
      of ciliate parasites. The highest ectoparasitic infection has been recorded
      during post-monsoon season, i.e. from November to February, followed by the pre
      monsoon period while the lowest infection was recorded during monsoon i.e. from
      July to October which may lead to the conclusion that environmental factors are
      responsible for spreading infection.

PMID- 28615873
TI  - Molecular characterization of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS 1) region of
      different Trypanosoma evansi isolates of India.
AB  - Six Trypanosoma evansi isolates collected from ponies (PH1 and PK6), camel (CB2),
      donkeys (DJ3 and DH4) and cattle (CK5) from Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and
      Gujarat states of India were used for molecular characterization of internal
      transcribed spacer 1 (ITS 1). The DNA was isolated from purified trypanosomes of
      these six isolates after propagation in mice model. ITS1-PCR of purified parasite
      DNA yielded an amplification product approximately 540 bp in size. Nucleotide
      sequence of ITS1 gene of CB2 isolate had 530 bp while CK5, DH4, DJ3, and PH1
      isolates had 532 bp, whereas, PK6 isolates had 533 bp size. Blast data of the
      Indian isolates revealed 99 % homology with other available sequences of T.
      evansi. Multiple alignment of nucleotide sequence of ITS1 gene variants from
      Indian T. evansi isolates with selected homologous sequences from GenBank
      revealed that nucleotide substitution mostly occurred at the position of 101-103,
      218-223, 243-244, 301-396 and 470-480. The isolates PH1, CK5, DH4 and DJ3 were
      found more associated with T. evansi isolates from the Philippines, Thailand,
      Iran, Egypt and China, whereas, PK6 and CB2 isolates were related to each other
      and were phylogenetically distant from rest of the Indian isolates used in this
      study. Based on the ITS1 rDNA sequence, the Neighbour-Joining consensus tree
      indicated clear evidence of existence of genetic diversity among T. evansi
      isolates from India.

PMID- 28615874
TI  - Cyathostomum catinatum infection in a mule of Palam Valley, India: a case report.
AB  - The small strongyles also called as cyathostomes, cyathostomins or trichonemes,
      affect the health status of equines, leading to morbidity and mortality in
      heavily infested individuals. The present study was carried out with the aim to
      identify the cause of colic in a mule of Palam valley, Himachal Pradesh, India.
      The detailed faecal sample examination revealed heavy intensity of strongyle eggs
      with an egg per gram value of 2300. The collected faecal sample also exhibited
      presence of adult worms. The morphological observations after clearing the
      retrieved parasites revealed the presence of adults of Cyathostomum catinatum
      species. The haematological and serum biochemical studies revealed alterations
      related to parasitic invasion. Fenbendazole used for the treatment proved
      completely effective. To the best of our knowledge and thorough literature search
      this is the first report of C. catinatum infestation in equines of India.

PMID- 28615875
TI  - Haematological and biochemical indicators of tropical theileriosis diseased
      cattle in wilaya of Setif (North East Algeria).
AB  - The authors investigated biochemical and haematological parameters in 40 healthy
      and 40 tropical theileriosis (Theileria annulata) clinically infected cattle in
      El Eulma region (North East Algeria). The mean haematological and biochemical
      parameters including the number of erythrocytes, haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean
      corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean
      corpuscular haemoglobin were estimated. The mean hematological and biochemical
      parameters including the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes, hemoglobin,
      hematocrit, glucose, albumin, total proteins decreased significantly (p = 0.005;
      0.008; 0.03 0.048; 0.002; 0.027 and 0.018; respectively) in Montbeliard breed
      clinically infected with T. annulata. In all diseased animals, the concentration
      of total and direct bilirubin increased significantly (p < 0.001). In cross breed
      cattle, the erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit means decreased significantly (p
      = 0.027; 0.003 and <0.001, respectively). Two types of anemia were detected: a
      microcytic hypochromic anemia in Montbeliard breed clinically infected cattle and
      normocytic normochromic anemia in local and cross breed cattle. Tropical
      theileriosis induces severe biochemical and haematological alterations that
      should be taken into consideration by field veterinarians for both the diagnosis
      of the disease and its treatment.

PMID- 28615876
TI  - Microscopic investigation to determine the effect of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.)
      Vuill. and Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf. treatment on different life stages of
      Musca domestica (L.).
AB  - Microscopic investigation was done to determine the effect of entomopathogenic
      fungi, Beauveria bassiana and essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus on different
      life stages of Musca domestica. Scanning electron microscopy investigation of
      fungal infected larvae showed sluggish movement, rigor, and failure of body to
      balance in water. Treated larvae also revealed varied level of cuticle shrinkage
      and extreme dehydration. Surface of B. bassiana infected pupae showed varied
      stage of mycelial growth, while the cadaver of adult fly was observed to have
      extensive fungal growth covering their entire body surface. The application of C.
      citratus oils on M. domestica larvae resulted in skin shrinkage, spinous cells
      proliferation and bleb formation, while the treated pupae showed high incidence
      of incomplete emergence and malformation in emerged adult flies. The current
      study establishes effect of C. citratus essential oil and B. bassiana infection
      on different life stages of M. domestica.

PMID- 28615877
TI  - PCR-RFLP based genotyping of Indian isolates of Toxoplasma gondii.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite capable of infecting a wide variety
      of warm-blooded animals, including birds and humans and is zoonotically important
      too. Felidae serve its definitive hosts and most infections are inoccous while in
      various intermediate hosts (e.g. sheep), it is responsible for abortion, still
      births. Humans which are immune compromised are also susceptible to
      toxoplasmosis. Most of the epidemiological studies have revealed it to be
      belonging to three clonal types with exceptions in South Africa having atypical
      isolates. Current genotyping was carried out at 11 genetic loci (SAG1, 5'-SAG2,
      3'-SAG2, alt. SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358 and PK1) using multiplex
      nested polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (Mn-PCR
      RFLP). SAG1, alt SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, C22-8, C29-2, L358 and PK1 could
      differentiate our strain/isolates as type I (T. gondii RH) and type III (T.
      gondii isolates from Chennai and Izatnagar). 5'SAG2 and 3'SAG2 in combination
      confirmed these as above mentioned genotypes. Further, the T. gondii RH was
      assigned Toxo DB#10 and local isolates of T. gondii were assigned Toxo DB#2. The
      present study is the first report on existence of Type III T. gondii lineage from
      animal population of Indian subcontinent based on PCR-RFLP.

PMID- 28615878
TI  - Prevalence and risk assessment of gastrointestinal helminthoses in dairy animals
      of Bikaner, Rajasthan.
AB  - A total of 715 faecal sampleswere collected fromdairy animals ofeight tehsils
      ofBikaner district, Rajasthan during March 2015 to January 2016. An overall
      prevalence rate of 54.12 % was recorded for gastrointestinal helminthoses with
      highly statistical difference among dairy animals (p < 0.01). Quantitative
      analysis revealed mild to high severity of strongyle and Strongyloides sp.
      infections in cattle population, respectively whereas, mild severities of same
      infections were reported from the buffalo population of the region. Seasonal
      analysis revealed a non-significant difference with highest prevalence in rainy
      season (59.18 %). The tehsil wise analysis revealed a significant difference (p <
      0.05) among tehsils with highest prevalence in Chhatargarh (69.70 %).
      Multivariate binary regression model revealed rainy season as the most favorable
      season and Chattargarh as the tehsil with maximum risk for GI helminth
      infections.On coproculture of positive samples, the nematode infections in
      decreasing order of prevalence were Haemonchus sp. (36.33 %); Oesophagostomum sp.
      (26.33 %); Strongyloides sp. (13.67 %); Trichostrongylus sp. (11.67 %);
      Bunostomum sp. (7.33 %) and Cooperia sp. (4.67 %). Thebaseline data on the
      prevalence of various GI Helminths of dairy animals generated in the current
      study would be of immense help in formulating control strategies against
      infections inBikaner district.

PMID- 28615879
TI  - The eggshell morphology of Rallicola unguiculatus Piaget, 1880 (Ischnocera:
      Phthiraptera).
AB  - The egg chorion of the greater coucal louse, Rallicola unguiculatus bears
      hexagonal ridges. The hat shaped opercular disc also shows hexagonal marks.
      Twenty to twenty-three button shaped micropyles occur along the opercular rim.
      The stigma remained obscured under the cementing material.

PMID- 28615880
TI  - Records of new localities and hosts for crustacean parasites in fish from the
      eastern Amazon in northern Brazil.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate parasites crustacean fauna in Arapaima
      gigas, Cichla monoculus, Cichla ocellaris, Cichla jariina, Satanoperca jurupari,
      Leporinus friderici, Leporinus fasciatus, Hoplias malabaricus, Phractocephalus
      hemioliopterus, Serrasalmus altispinis, Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum and
      Potamotrygon motoro of the State Amapa and Para, in northern Brazil. A total of
      242 parasites, including Argulus elongatus, Argulus multicolor,Argulus
      juparanaensis, Argulus nattereri, Dolops discoidalis, Dolops longicauda, Braga
      patagonica, Braga fluviatilis, Livoneca guianensis and undetermined Lernaeidae,
      were collected from these hosts. The Argulus species had the greatest richness
      among the community of parasitic crustaceans. There was a low abundance of
      parasites among the hosts, other than D. discoidalis, was most abundant in the
      integument of A. gigas and P. tigrinum. Finally, the present study reported nine
      new hosts for the crustacean parasite species and expanded knowledge of the
      occurrence of some parasite species in the Jari River basin, in eastern Amazon.

PMID- 28615881
TI  - Aphelenchus assamensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Aphelenchida: Aphelenchoidea:
      Aphelenchidae) from Assam, North East India.
AB  - During a survey for the aphelenchid nematodes of North Eastern States of India, a
      new species of Aphelenchus nematode was found from Kahilipara, Assam associating
      with the decaying plant materials of Areca catechu. The morphological and
      morphometric characteristics of the species were studied using light and Scanning
      Electron microscopy. Aphelenchus assamenensis sp. nov. is characterized by having
      700.65-776.77 (733.30 +/- 28.85) um long body, stylet 12.11 um long without basal
      swellings, two lateral lines, elongated narrow uterine sac and a cylindrical
      20.76-36.33 (27.03 +/- 5.03) um long tail or about 1.36-2.37 (1.94 +/- 0.43)
      times anal body widths long.

PMID- 28615882
TI  - Isolated cysticercosis involving the anterior abdominal wall: a rare case report.
AB  - Isolated cysticercosis of anterior abdominal wall without parasitosis of central
      nervous system is very rare and may mimic a tumor leading to diagnostic and
      therapeutic dilemma. Histopathological examination plays an important role in
      making a definitive diagnosis. Here we report a case of a 13-year old Muslim girl
      presenting with swelling and pain in left lower abdomen which was clinically
      diagnosed as lipoma. On histopathological examination cysticercus with
      surrounding inflammation was seen. Since cysticercosis is a preventable disease,
      early and accurate diagnosis is necessary for the reduction of disease burden in
      the endemic areas.

PMID- 28615883
TI  - Clinicobiochemical changes in ivermectin toxicity in Doberman pinscher pups.
AB  - This study is based on naturally intoxicated Doberman pinscher pups. Six Doberman
      pinscher pups were overdosed 50 times of recommended ivermectin dose by the pet
      owner and presented to Referral Veterinary Polyclinic section of this institute
      in a state of coma. The pups were unable to hold their head up and had no
      pupillary reflex. The pups were examined clinically and samples of blood were
      taken for haemato-biochemical studies, before and after treatment. During
      intoxication there was marked haemoconcentration, increase in values of serum
      creatinine phosphokinase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase but decrease in serum
      glucose levels. These pups were treated with isotonic dextrose normal saline, 1.0
      mg/kg physostigmine and 3 mg/kg dexamethasone. Clinical improvement occurred in
      remaining 2 pups after 12 h of treatment. These pups were able to take a liquid
      diet after 3 day and became clinically normal after 2 week. The serum biochemical
      values gradually reached to normal in recovered pups after 2 weeks of treatment.
      It took a month for complete recovery from depression and blindness.

PMID- 28615884
TI  - Intestinal parasitic infestation among paediatric diarrhoea patients attending
      hospitals in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
AB  - Acute childhood diarrhoea remains one of the leading causes of childhood
      morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The present study was conducted
      to estimate the prevalence of various intestinal parasitic infestation among
      children aged 5 years and less suffering from acute diarrhoea disease attending
      hospitals in Andaman Islands. During the period from January 2012 to December
      2013, a total of 675 acute diarrhoea patients were included in the study. Among
      these samples, 476 (70.5, 95 % CI 66.9, 73.9) harboured ova/cyst of one or more
      intestinal parasites. Ova/cyst and trophozite of intestinal protozoan parasite
      was present in the stool samples of 390 (57.8, 95 % CI 54.0, 61.5) children
      whereas ova of helminth parasite was observed in the stool samples of 105 (15.6,
      95 % CI 12.9, 18.5) children. Among all the parasites, Giardia lamblia trophozite
      had the highest prevalence of 30.5 % followed by Entamoeba histolitica cyst (21.0
      %). The high prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasites is an indicator of a
      probably high carrier rate of these parasites in the community. The study is two
      issues that are important from public health points of view. Protozoan
      infestations could be the cause of diarrhoea, particularly watery diarrhoea, in a
      substantial proportion of the childhood diarrhoea patients attending the
      hospitals and anti-protozoan therapy needs to be part of the treatment regimen
      for watery diarrhoea among childhood diarrhoea patients. The second is the need
      for instituting a community based programme for controlling intestinal protozoan
      carriage in children as well as in adults as a step towards diarrhoea control.

PMID- 28615885
TI  - Nyctotherus sp. infection in pet turtle: a case report.
AB  - The present clinical case represents the successful therapeutic management of
      Nyctotherus sp. protozoan infection in turtles. Two pet turtles were presented
      with history of diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss and passage of undigested food
      in the faeces. Direct faecal examination and Giemsa staining revealed the
      presence of cysts of Nyctotherus sp. Treatment was initiated with antiprotozoal
      drug, Metronidazole at the rate of 25 mg/kg body weight per-oral consecutively
      for 5 days, and Vimeral suspension at rate of 10-20 mg/kg per-oral for 8 days.
      After 10 days of intensive care and management with antiprotozoal drug,
      multivitamin under proper sanitary measures, the case showed gradual improvement
      in condition. During medication, the fecal samples were checked on every
      alternative day for the presence of ciliated trophozoites of Nyctotherus sp.
      After 4th day, there was no trophozoites observed by both the techniques examined
      and the animal was quite healthy and active and started taking food. Improvement
      was noticed with resumption of normal appetite. Incessant patient monitoring and
      initiation of suitable need based therapeutic strategy is most important in
      management and control of Nyctotherus sp. infection.

PMID- 28615886
TI  - First record on the occurrence of Ryukyua circularis (Pillai, 1954), a parasitic
      cymothoid (Crustacean: Isopoda) infesting the clupeid fish Amblygaster sirm
      (Walbaum) from Andaman Islands, India.
AB  - In the present study, occurrence of branchial parasitic cymothoid, Ryukyua
      circularis from the marine finfish, Amblygaster sirm is reported for the first
      time from Andaman Islands. Morphological characterization was carried out which
      confirmed the parasite as R. circularis. Molecular characterization using 28S
      rDNA revealed 443 bp sequence which has been submitted to NCBI GenBank under the
      accession no. KX090447. Ten female and one male parasite (R. circularis) were
      collected from the branchial cavity of the individual host fishes (A. sirm). The
      displacement of gill filament and cavity formation in the gill chamber of the
      host fish was observed. The report of this species from Andaman Islands gives
      further information on its geographic range extension, since they are currently
      known from West coast of India and Thailand.

PMID- 28615887
TI  - An unusual cause of chest discomfort: case report of oesophageal hirudiniasis.
AB  - Hirudiniasis is caused by sanguivorous leeches feeding on mucous membranes with
      possible severe obstructive or haemorrhagic manifestations. Few cases have been
      reported in humans, and most occur in tropical countries. A seventy-year-old
      female patient presented to our Emergency Department (ED) with retrosternal
      discomfort. She was taking warfarin for a mechanical prosthetic heart valve.
      While in the ED, a leech was spontaneously extruded from her mouth, with
      symptomatic resolution. Endoscopy revealed an area of previous leech attachment
      in the distal oesophageal, without severe bleeding. Albeit uneventful, this case
      could have had a devastating outcome.

PMID- 28615888
TI  - Helminth infections of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769) in the
      biocenoses of South-West Belarus.
AB  - The result of helminthological examination of 20 brown rats from various
      biocenoses of South-West Belarus during 1996-2011 is presented. Twelve animals
      were infected. Six species of helminths were found: 1 trematode species, 3
      cestode species and 2 nematode species. The most often, the brown rat infected
      with mesocercariae of trematode Alaria alata (Goeze, 1782). The helminth fauna of
      brown rats living in the biocenoses are specified for the first time in Belarus.

PMID- 28615889
TI  - Helminth parasites of the Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens pennant, 1771) in
      South-West Belarus.
AB  - The result of helminthological investigation of 25 Eurasian water shrews during
      1996-2011 in South-West Belarus is presented. Sixteen species of helminths (8
      species of trematodes, 3 species of cestodes and 5 species of nematodes) were
      discovered in 92.0 % of animals (23 infected individuals). The most common
      species is the trematode Neoglyphe locellus (Kossack, 1910). The cestode
      Triodontolepis sumavensis (Prokopic, 1957), nematodes Capillaria konstantini
      Romashov, 1999 and Longistriata neomi Lubarskaja, 1962 is specified in Belarus
      for the first time. Twenty-one species of helminths in total were found by
      helminthologists in this mammal in South-West Belarus in the period 1960-2011.

PMID- 28615890
TI  - Helminth fauna of the northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) in
      Serbia.
AB  - The result of helminthological examination of 28 hedgehogs died at traffic
      accident and 12 samples of feces collected from pets hedgehogs during 2013-2015
      were presented. Three species of helminths were found: Crenosoma striatum,
      Hymenolepis erinacei and Aonchotheca erinacei. This is the first research of
      parasitic fauna of hedgehogs in Serbia.

PMID- 28615891
TI  - Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophies in India: A Review.
AB  - Limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs) are common in India. Information on
      LGMDs has been gradually evolving in the recent years. This information is
      scattered in case series and case studies. The aim of this study is to collate
      available Indian information on LGMDs and put it in perspective. PubMed search
      using keywords such as limb-girdle muscular dystrophies in India,
      sarcoglycanopathies, dysferlinopathy, calpainopathy, and GNE myopathy was carried
      out. The published information on LGMDs in Indian context suggests that
      dysferlinopathy, calpainopathy, sarcoglycanopathies, and other myopathies such as
      GNE myopathy are frequently seen in India. Besides these, anecdotal reports of
      many other forms are available, some with genetic support and others showing
      immunocytochemical defects. The genotypic information on LGMDs is gradually
      evolving and founder mutations have been detected in selected populations.
      Further multicenter studies are necessary to document the incidence and
      prevalence of these common conditions in India.

PMID- 28615893
TI  - Frederic Andrews Gibbs and the Assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
AB  - Frederic Gibbs, the peerless expert on electroencephalogrphy was summoned to
      provide opinion on the EEG tracing of Jack Ruby, who murdered Lee Harvey Oswald,
      the assassin of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the American President, in 1963. Gibbs
      pleaded that the tracing suggested features indicative of psychomotor epilepsy
      and Ruby killed Oswald in a state of fugue. His view was not agreed upon but
      Gibbs stood his ground unflinchingly. Subsequent appeals to the higher court
      spared Ruby from imminent execution and finally he died a natural death from
      metastatic complications of carcinoma of the lung in 1967.

PMID- 28615892
TI  - Molecular Genetics of Epilepsy: A Clinician's Perspective.
AB  - Epilepsy is a common neurological problem, and there is a genetic basis in almost
      50% of people with epilepsy. The diagnosis of genetic epilepsies makes the
      patient assured of the reasons of his/her seizures and avoids unnecessary,
      expensive, and invasive investigations. Last decade has shown tremendous growth
      in gene sequencing technologies, which have made genetic tests available at the
      bedside. Whole exome sequencing is now being routinely used in the clinical
      setting for making a genetic diagnosis. Genetic testing not only makes the
      diagnosis but also has an effect on the management of the patients, for example,
      the role of sodium channels blockers in SCN1A+ Dravet syndrome patients and
      usefulness of ketogenic diet therapy in SLC2A1+ generalized epilepsy patients.
      Many clinicians in our country have no or limited knowledge about the molecular
      genetics of epilepsies, types of genetic tests available, how to access them and
      how to interpret the results. The purpose of this review is to give an overview
      in this direction and encourage the clinicians to start considering genetic
      testing as an important investigation along with electroencephalogram and
      magnetic resonance imaging for better understanding and management of epilepsy in
      their patients.

PMID- 28615894
TI  - Unknown Patients and Neurology Casualty Services in an Indian Metropolitan City:
      A Decades Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A large number of unknown patients without any personal, family, or
      other identification details represent a unique problem in the neurological
      emergency services of developing countries like India in a context of legal,
      humanitarian, and treatment issues. These patients pose a diagnostic and
      management challenge to treating physicians and staff. There are sparse data on
      these patients. The objective of this study was to know the clinical, socio
      demographic, and investigational profile of "unknown" patients. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: We did retrospective chart review of all "Unknown" patients from January
      2002 to December 2011, who was admitted under Neurology Emergency Service at a
      Tertiary Care Neuropsychiatry Center in South Indian Metropolitan City. Clinical
      and sociodemographic characteristics and clinical outcome of the sample were
      analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 151 unknown patients were admitted during the 10
      years. Out of these, 134 (88.7%) were males with the mean age of 43.8 +/- 14.8
      years and 95 (63%) were aged >40 years. Among them, 147 (97.4%) were from the
      urban vicinity, 126 (83.6%) were brought by police and 75 (49.7%) were registered
      as medico-legal cases. Out of these, only 3 (2%) patients had normal sensorium,
      whereas 101 (66.9%) presented with loss of consciousness. Forty-one (27.2%)
      unknown patients had a seizure disorder, 37 (24.5%) had metabolic encephalopathy,
      26 (17.2%) had a stroke, 9 (6%) had neuro-infection, and 17 (11.3%) had a head
      injury. Deranged liver functions were seen in 65 (43%), renal derangement in 37
      (24.5%), dyselectrolytemia in 42 (27.8%), and abnormal brain imaging finding in
      95 (62.9%) patients. Furthermore, there were 14 (9.3%) deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      findings demonstrate seizures, metabolic causes, and neuro-infections were the
      primary reasons for admission of unknown patients to neuro-emergency service.
      This novel Indian study data show the common causes of admission of unknown
      patients in neurology. This pattern can be useful to guide the approach of
      healthcare providers in India.

PMID- 28615896
TI  - Maintenance of Normoglycemia May Improve Outcome in Acute Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Several studies have shown that high admission glucose is
      associated with poor outcomes after stroke, but the impact of maintenance of
      normoglycemia on functional outcome during hospitalization for acute ischemic
      stroke is less well established. AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the
      independent association of postadmission glycemic status in the 1st week with 3
      month functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS:
      Patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted within 48 h of symptom onset with
      National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) of >=4 were selected from a
      prospectively maintained database by chart review. Demographic data, risk
      factors, NIHSS, and blood glucose values in the 1st week were collected. The
      primary outcome was Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months (good outcome
      mRS <=2). RESULTS: Over 3 years, 342 patients were enrolled with 220 (64.32%)
      males. Mean age was 60.5 +/- 13.4 years, and median admission score on NIHSS was
      10 (interquartile range: 6-16). Blood glucose values persistently <140 mg/dl in
      the 1st week were associated with a good 3-month functional outcome in univariate
      analysis (P = 0.036). Hypoglycemic episodes occurred only in 11 (3.22%) patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Blood glucose values persistently below 140 mg/dl in the 1st week
      after acute ischemic stroke were associated with a favorable outcome in our
      study. Future clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.

PMID- 28615895
TI  - Study of Refractory Status Epilepticus from a Tertiary Care Center.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of refractory status epilepticus (RSE)
      and super-RSE (SRSE) among patients with status epilepticus (SE) and to analyze
      RSE and non-RSE (NRSE) in terms of etiology and predictors for RSE. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Patients were identified from discharge summaries database with keywords
      of SE and records of the portable electroencephalogram (EEG) machine from January
      2011 to March 2016. RESULTS: Two hundred and eighteen events were included in the
      study with 114 (52.3%) males, bimodal age preponderance age <5 years 30%, and
      second peak in age 15-65 years 52.8%, preexisting seizures were present in 34.4%
      (n = 75). Nearly 77.1% had NRSE (n = 168) and 22.9% had RSE (n = 50). This
      included 17 patients with SRSE (n = 17, 7.8% of all SE). Central nervous system
      (CNS) infection was a single largest etiological group in SE (69/218, 31.7%). In
      RSE, autoimmune encephalitis (17/50) and CNS infection (13/50) were the largest
      groups. De novo seizures (P = 0.007), low sensorium at admission (P = 0.001), low
      albumin at admission (P = 0.002), and first EEG being abnormal (P = 0.001) were
      risk factors on bivariate analysis. An unfavorable status epilepticus severity
      score (STESS) was predictive for RSE (P = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, de
      novo seizures (P = 0.009) and abnormal EEG at admission (P = 0.03) were
      predictive for RSE. CONCLUSIONS: Fifty patients had RSE (22.9%), of which 17 went
      on to become SRSE (7.8%). Unfavorable STESS score was predictive for RSE on
      bivariate analysis. On multivariate analysis, de novo seizures and abnormal
      initial EEG were predictors of RSE.

PMID- 28615897
TI  - Dorsal Sural Sensory Nerve Action Potential: A Study for Reference Values.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dorsal sural sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) could help
      diagnose early or subclinical peripheral neuropathy. OBJECTIVES: To establish
      reference data for dorsal sural SNAP amplitude, latency, and velocity in healthy
      participants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 45
      nerves from healthy participants between 18 and 90 years and stratified into
      three age groups (a = 18-40 years, b = 41-60 years, and c>60 years). StataCorp
      12.2 statistical program was used for all statistical analyses. Mean-2 standard
      deviation was used to generate reference values for the lower limit of amplitude
      and velocity in each age group. ANOVA with Bonferroni correction was used for
      intergroup comparisons of amplitude and velocity. Regression analysis was used to
      compute an equation for the predicted amplitude with age, height, and weight as
      the covariates. RESULTS: The lower limit for amplitude (uv) in Groups a, b, and c
      was 2.57, 1.97, and 1.01, respectively. The lower limit for velocity (m/s) was
      33.6, 32, and 22.8, respectively. Statistical significance was noted between the
      amplitudes of participants in Groups b and c (P = 0.039) and a and c (P = 0.001).
      Similarly, velocity was significantly different between Groups b and c (P = 0.04)
      and a and c (P = 0.008). Age was the covariate with maximum effect on the dorsal
      sural amplitude. Gender and side-to-side comparison did not show statistical
      significance for amplitude and velocity measurements. Linear regression analysis
      of the transformed amplitude gave the predictive equation as (y) =3.338 + age (
      0.0167) + height in meters (-0.209) + weight (0.001). CONCLUSION: This study
      provides reference data for dorsal sural SNAP in Indian population stratified by
      age.

PMID- 28615899
TI  - Clinical and Imaging Study of Isolated and Mixed Rest and Action Tremor-Essential
      Tremor versus Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some patients present an unusual association of both action tremor
      (AT) and rest tremor (RT) making the differential diagnosis between essential
      tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD) difficult. AIM: To investigate this
      particular clinical picture trying to focus on possible peculiar clinical
      inferences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients with atypical tremor
      syndrome were selected for the study. They underwent neurological examination,
      neuroimaging study, and brain DaTSCAN single-photon emission computed tomography.
      RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were evaluated; 17 presented mixed-tremor
      syndrome, while six patients showed only isolated AT or RT. DaTSCAN was
      pathological in 19 patients and normal in 3 patients. The emerging statistical
      data highlighted a positive correlation between disease duration and DaTSCAN
      abnormalities; Fisher's exact test showed a marked difference in evolution toward
      a dysfunction of dopaminergic pathways in patients with both AT and RT phenotype.
      CONCLUSION: The possible correlation between PD and ET has often been discussed
      without any clear findings. Are these patients suffering from ET prone to develop
      PD? Or are they the expression of a specific clinical phenotype? Our clinical
      survey has not led to absolute considerations; however, it seeks to highlight the
      clinical markers that might arouse the suspicion of extrapyramidal disease in
      patients with atypical tremor syndrome.

PMID- 28615898
TI  - Teratogenic Effects of Carbamazepine in Mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the teratogenic effects of
      carbamazepine (CBZ) in BALB/c mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mature female and male
      BALB/c mice (25-30 g) were used for all experiments. After standardization of
      administration and dose of CBZ, animals in the CBZ-treated groups (CBZ 450 mg/kg
      and 600 mg/kg) were fed on medicinal diet. The dams in the control group were
      mated on the same day as that of the CBZ-treated dams. After cesarean section
      (CS), fetal viability status and weights were recorded. Gross histopathological
      examination of fetuses was conducted to identify alterations in morphology and
      external or internal organs due to in utero exposure of CBZ. RESULTS: Out of the
      nine female animals (three treated on CBZ 450 mg/kg, three treated on CBZ 600
      mg/kg and three controls), seven were pregnant, and two (one each from the two
      CBZ-treated groups) were nonpregnant. All fetuses of the control group (n = 31)
      and CBZ 450 mg/kg treated group (n = 24) were live, but eight out of the twenty
      fetuses (40%) of CBZ 600 mg/kg treated group were dead at CS. The birth weight of
      the fetuses antenatally exposed to CBZ was drastically reduced (0.71 +/- 0.06)
      when compared to control fetuses (1.67 +/- 0.12) (P < 0.0001). All the fetuses of
      the CBZ-treated groups showed stunted physical development. CONCLUSION: Although
      oral administration of CBZ to mice is a convenient model to study the effect of
      CBZ to pregnancy, higher oral dose was associated with increased fetal loss. Some
      of the fetuses exposed to CBZ demonstrated structural abnormalities and low body
      weight.

PMID- 28615900
TI  - Predictors of Outcome in Children with Status Epilepticus during Resuscitation in
      Pediatric Emergency Department: A Retrospective Observational Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical profile and predictors of outcome in children
      with status epilepticus (SE) during resuscitation in pediatric emergency
      department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out in a
      tertiary care teaching hospital. Admission and resuscitation data of children,
      aged between 1 month and 12 years, treated for SE, between September 2013 and
      August 2014, were extracted using a standard data collection form. Our SE
      management protocol had employed a modified pediatric assessment triangle to
      recognize and treat acute respiratory failure, cardiovascular dysfunction (CD),
      and subtle SE until all parameters resolved. Continuous positive airway pressure,
      fluid boluses based on shock etiology, inotropes, and cardiac safe
      anticonvulsants were the other modifications. Risk factors predicting mortality
      during resuscitation were analyzed using univariate and penalized logistic
      regression. RESULTS: Among 610 who were enrolled, 582 (95.4%) survived and 28
      (4.6%) succumbed. Grunt odds ratio (OR): 3.747 (95% confidence interval [CI]:
      1.035-13.560), retractions OR: 2.429 (95% CI: 1.036-5.698), rales OR: 10.145 (95%
      CI: 4.027-25.560), prolonged capillary refill time OR: 3.352 (95% CI: 1.339
      8.388), and shock requiring >60 mL/kg fluids OR: 2.439 (95% CI 1.040-5.721) were
      associated with 2-3 times rise in mortality. Inappropriate prehospital treatment
      and CD were the significant predictors of mortality OR: 7.82 (95% CI 2.10-29.06)
      and 738.71 (95% CI: 97.11-999), respectively. Resolution of CD was associated
      with improved survival OR: 0.02 (95% CI: 0.003-0.17). CONCLUSION: Appropriate
      prehospital management and treatment protocol targeting resolution of CD during
      resuscitation could reduce mortality in children with SE.

PMID- 28615901
TI  - Varicella Zoster Virus Infection of the Central Nervous System - 10 Year
      Experience from a Tertiary Hospital in South India.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Varicella zoster virus is an exclusively human neurotrophic virus.
      The primary infection with the virus causes varicella. The virus remains latent
      in nervous tissue and upon secondary activation causes a variety of syndromes
      involving the central nervous system (CNS) including meningoencephalitis and
      cerebellitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we looked at the
      epidemiology, clinical and laboratory features, and outcomes of patients who were
      admitted with varicella zoster of the CNS from 2005 to 2014. RESULTS: There were
      17 patients. Fever was present in 13 patients, seizures in 9 patients and
      headache and vomiting in 4 patients each. A generalized varicella rash was
      present in 8 out of 17 patients. A single dermatomal herpes zoster was present in
      seven patients. Two patients had no rash. Varicella zoster polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was done in 5 patients of which 4
      were positive and 1 was negative. Nine patients had diabetes with an average
      glycated hemoglobin of 8.6%. Total number of deaths was five. CONCLUSIONS:
      Patients with diabetes who develop varicella or herpes zoster may be at risk for
      CNS complications. The diagnosis of varicella encephalitis has to rest on a
      combination of clinical findings and CSF PCR, as neither the rash nor the PCR is
      sensitive enough to diagnose all the cases with varicella encephalitis.

PMID- 28615902
TI  - Translation and Adaptation of Stroke Aphasia Depression Questionnaire-10 to
      Hindi.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression is one of the most researched emotional responses after
      stroke and shows that the emotional impact of aphasia can have a marked negative
      impact on recovery, response to rehabilitation, and psychosocial adjustment.
      There is an evident dearth of validated instruments to assess depression in
      people with aphasia including Hindi, the national language of the country. AIMS:
      The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the original English version of
      widely used hospital version of Stroke Aphasia Depression Questionnaire (SADQ-10)
      to Hindi. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: English version of SADQ-10 was translated and
      adapted for the use in Hindi-speaking population in concordance to the WHO
      guidelines. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The intraclass correlation coefficient
      (ICC) analysis of the data was performed using SPSS, version 16, to compute the
      test-retest reliability. RESULTS: The Hindi version of SADQ-10 yielded an overall
      high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.91) as well as internal consistency (alpha
      = 0.98), which in turn were comparable to the original instrument in English.
      CONCLUSIONS: SADQ10-Hindi may assist the identification of depressed mood in
      patients with speech and language impairment in an Indian population as well. It
      is an easy to administer and quick test which can be used by health-care
      professionals in a hospital- or community-based settings.

PMID- 28615903
TI  - Turf Wars in Stroke Medicine: Why Should Patients Suffer.

PMID- 28615904
TI  - Endovascular Stroke Treatment: Is it "Everybody's Cup of Tea?"

PMID- 28615905
TI  - Paradigm Shift in Stroke Prevention: Need of the Hour.

PMID- 28615906
TI  - Direct Mechanical Thrombectomy with Thromboaspiration in Cerebral Venous Sinus
      Thrombosis.

PMID- 28615907
TI  - Successful Revascularization of Acute Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion by
      Intravenous Thrombolysis While on Apixaban.

PMID- 28615908
TI  - Right- versus Left-onset Parkinson's Disease: Other Psychometric Parameters.

PMID- 28615909
TI  - A Case of Kennedy's Disease from India.

PMID- 28615910
TI  - Molecular Diagnosis of Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 2A by Next-generation
      Sequencing.

PMID- 28615911
TI  - Bupropion and Iron for Restless Leg Syndrome: Do They Have Efficacy Similar to
      Ropinirole?

PMID- 28615912
TI  - Carbamazepine: A Symptomatic Treatment of the Paresthesiae Associated with
      Lhermitte's Sign.

PMID- 28615913
TI  - Response to Reader's Queries.

PMID- 28615914
TI  - Piloerection: A Rare Ictal Phenomenon - Case Report and Review of Literature.

PMID- 28615915
TI  - An Eminently Treatable Dropped Head Syndrome.

PMID- 28615916
TI  - Weak convergence theorem for a class of split variational inequality problems and
      applications in a Hilbert space.
AB  - In this paper, we consider the algorithm proposed in recent years by Censor,
      Gibali and Reich, which solves split variational inequality problem, and
      Korpelevich's extragradient method, which solves variational inequality problems.
      As our main result, we propose an iterative method for finding an element to
      solve a class of split variational inequality problems under weaker conditions
      and get a weak convergence theorem. As applications, we obtain some new weak
      convergence theorems by using our weak convergence result to solve related
      problems in nonlinear analysis and optimization.

PMID- 28615917
TI  - High Dimensional EM Algorithm: Statistical Optimization and Asymptotic Normality.
AB  - We provide a general theory of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for
      inferring high dimensional latent variable models. In particular, we make two
      contributions: (i) For parameter estimation, we propose a novel high dimensional
      EM algorithm which naturally incorporates sparsity structure into parameter
      estimation. With an appropriate initialization, this algorithm converges at a
      geometric rate and attains an estimator with the (near-)optimal statistical rate
      of convergence. (ii) Based on the obtained estimator, we propose new inferential
      procedures for testing hypotheses and constructing confidence intervals for low
      dimensional components of high dimensional parameters. For a broad family of
      statistical models, our framework establishes the first computationally feasible
      approach for optimal estimation and asymptotic inference in high dimensions. Our
      theory is supported by thorough numerical results.

PMID- 28615918
TI  - Lung Cancer Pathological Image Analysis Using a Hidden Potts Model.
AB  - Nowadays, many biological data are acquired via images. In this article, we study
      the pathological images scanned from 205 patients with lung cancer with the goal
      to find out the relationship between the survival time and the spatial
      distribution of different types of cells, including lymphocyte, stroma, and tumor
      cells. Toward this goal, we model the spatial distribution of different types of
      cells using a modified Potts model for which the parameters represent
      interactions between different types of cells and estimate the parameters of the
      Potts model using the double Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. The double Metropolis
      Hastings algorithm allows us to simulate samples approximately from a
      distribution with an intractable normalizing constant. Our numerical results
      indicate that the spatial interaction between the lymphocyte and tumor cells is
      significantly associated with the patient's survival time, and it can be used
      together with the cell count information to predict the survival of the patients.

PMID- 28615919
TI  - Sequence Analysis and Phylogenetic Studies of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1alpha.
AB  - Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) belong to the basic helix loop helix-PER ARNT SIM
      (bHLH-PAS) family of transcription factors that induce metabolic reprogramming
      under hypoxic condition. The phylogenetic studies of hypoxia-inducible factor
      1alpha (HIF-1alpha) sequences across different organisms/species may leave a clue
      on the evolutionary relationships and its probable correlation to tumorigenesis
      and adaptation to low oxygen environments. In this study, we have aimed at the
      evolutionary investigation of the protein HIF-1alpha across different species to
      decipher their sequence variations/mutations and look into the probable causes
      and abnormal behaviour of this molecule under exotic conditions. In total, 16
      homologous sequences for HIF-1alpha were retrieved from the National Center for
      Biotechnology Information. Sequence identity was performed using the Needle
      program. Multiple aligned sequences were used to construct the phylogeny using
      the neighbour-joining method. Most of the changes were observed in oxygen
      dependent degradation domain and inhibitory domain. Sixteen sequences were
      clustered into 5 groups. The phylogenetic analysis clearly highlighted the
      variations that were observed at the sequence level. Comparisons of the HIF
      1alpha sequence among cancer-prone and cancer-resistant animals enable us to find
      out the probable clues towards potential risk factors in the development of
      cancer.

PMID- 28615920
TI  - Immune Checkpoint Inhibition and the Prevalence of Autoimmune Disorders Among
      Patients With Lung and Renal Cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Immune checkpoint inhibition reactivates the immune response against
      cancer cells in multiple tissue types and has been shown to induce durable
      responses. However, for patients with autoimmune disorders, their conditions can
      worsen with this reactivation. We sought to identify, among patients with lung
      and renal cancer, how many harbor a comorbid autoimmune condition and may be at
      risk of worsening their condition while on immune checkpoint inhibitors such as
      nivolumab and pembrolizumab. METHODS: An administrative health care claims
      database, Truven MarketScan, was used to identify patients diagnosed with lung
      and renal cancer from 2010 to 2013. We assessed patients for diagnosis of
      autoimmune diseases 1 year prior to or after diagnosis of cancer using
      International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for 41 autoimmune
      diseases. Baseline characteristics and other comorbid conditions were recorded.
      RESULTS: More than 25% of patients with both lung and renal cancer had a comorbid
      autoimmune condition between 2010 and 2013 and were more likely to be women,
      older, and have more baseline comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: This population
      presents a dilemma to physicians when deciding to treat with immune checkpoint
      inhibitors and risk immune-related adverse events. Future evaluation of real
      world use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cancer with autoimmune
      diseases will be needed.

PMID- 28615921
TI  - Data-Independent Acquisition and Parallel Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry
      Identification of Serum Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer.
AB  - A data-independent acquisition (DIA)/parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) workflow
      was implemented to identify improved ovarian cancer biomarkers. Data-independent
      acquisition on ovarian cancer versus control sera and literature searches
      identified 50 biomarkers and indicated that apolipoprotein A-IV (ApoA-IV) is the
      most significantly differentially regulated protein. Parallel reaction monitoring
      with Targeted Ovarian Cancer Proteome Assay validated differential ApoA-IV
      expression and quantified 9 other biomarkers. Random Forest (RF) analyses
      achieved 92.3% classification accuracy and confirmed ApoA-IV as the leading
      biomarker. Indeed, all samples were classified correctly with an [ApoA-IV]
      breakpoint. The next best biomarkers were C-reactive protein, transferrin, and
      transthyretin. The Targeted Ovarian Cancer Proteome Assay suggests that ApoA-IV
      is a more reliable biomarker than had been determined by immunological assays and
      it is a better biomarker than ApoA-I, which is in the OVA1 test for ovarian
      cancer. This research provides a PRM/RF approach together with 4 promising
      biomarkers to speed the development of a clinical assay for ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28615922
TI  - Influence of Circulating Endothelin-1 and Asymmetric Dimethylarginine on Whole
      Brain Circulation Time in Multiple Sclerosis.
AB  - Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, inflammatory and immune cell activation, and
      chronic cerebral hypoperfusion are features of multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim
      is to determine the influence of endothelin-1 (ET1) and asymmetric
      dimethylarginine (ADMA) on cerebral circulation time (CCT) in patients with MS.
      In all, 64 patients with MS (39 relapsing-remitting [RR]-MS; 25 secondary
      progressive [SP]-MS subtype) and 37 controls (C) were studied. Cerebral
      circulation time was obtained by angiography. Plasmatic ET1 and ADMA were
      measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lesion load (LL) and brain volume
      (BV) were obtained by magnetic resonance imaging. Cerebral circulation time was
      correlated to ET1, ADMA, LL, BV, disease duration (DD), and Expanded Disability
      Status Scale (EDSS). In MS, both ET1 and ADMA were significantly higher than C (P
      < .0001); CCT was approximately 2 times lower than C (P < .0001) and
      significantly slower in SP than in RR-MS (P = .0215). Cerebral circulation time
      significantly correlated with ET1 in SP-MS (r = 0.38), whereas in RR-MS CCT
      significantly correlated with DD (r = 0.75). The LL, BV, and EDSS did not
      correlate with CCT. Endothelin-1 significantly influences CCT delay in SP-MS.
      Diversely, CCT in RR-MS is independent of ET1 and correlates significantly with
      DD. We conclude that in RR-MS, DD responds to neurovascular damage accumulation.
      It is supposed that high ET1 and ADMA levels stem from a protective response to
      early insults, aimed at opposing nitric oxide overproduction, whereas persistent
      pathological ET1 and ADMA levels translate into detrimental long-term effects,
      due to increased brain micro-vessel resistance.

PMID- 28615923
TI  - Changes in meibomian gland morphology and ocular higher-order aberrations in eyes
      with chalazion.
AB  - PURPOSE: To examine the changes in meibomian gland morphology and ocular higher
      order aberrations (HOAs) in eyes with chalazion and its excision. METHODS: Seven
      male patients with previous history of chalazion excision and seven control male
      subjects were enrolled. Changes in meibomian gland morphology (meiboscores, gland
      dropout, and shortening) were evaluated by using meibography equipped in a
      wavefront analyzer KR-1W and in a slit-lamp device BG-4M. Ocular HOAs were
      measured sequentially with KR-1W. The tear film breakup time (BUT) was measured.
      RESULTS: Both KR-1W and BG-4M visualized meibomian gland as clear similar images.
      The tear film BUT (mean +/- SD, 5.6+/-3.0 vs 9.4+/-2.3 seconds, P=0.025), the
      total meiboscore (median [interquartile range], 2 (2-3) vs 0 (0-1), P=0.007) as
      well as the meibomian gland dropout rate (86% vs 14%, P=0.008) and shortening
      rate (100% vs 29%, P=0.031) differed significantly between the patient and
      control groups. The first total ocular HOAs (0.142+/-0.063 vs 0.130+/-0.015,
      P=0.80) were similar in both groups, whereas the stability index of the total
      HOAs over time (0.0041+/-0.0048 vs -0.0012+/-0.0020, P=0.030) differed
      significantly between the patient and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Chalazion and
      its excision were associated with dropout and shortening rate of meibomian
      glands. The morphological changes of meibomian glands in chalazion may be
      associated to instability of the tear film, which was suggested by the tear film
      BUT and the stability of ocular HOAs.

PMID- 28615924
TI  - Comparison of the frequency of use of a pupil expansion device with and without
      an intracameral phenylephrine and ketorolac injection 1%/0.3% at the time of
      routine cataract surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to evaluate whether a phenylephrine and
      ketorolac injection 1%/0.3% (phenyl/keto injection) (Omidria(r)) prior to
      capsulotomy decreases the need for the Malyugin Ring(r) to manage small pupils.
      SETTING: Bucci Laser Vision Institute, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA. DESIGN:
      Retrospective analysis of cataract surgeries performed by a single surgeon at a
      single center. METHODS: A historical control group of 1,004 consecutive cases
      (December 2013 to February 2015) did not receive a phenyl/keto intracameral
      injection prior to capsulotomy and were compared with 915 consecutive cases in
      the treatment group (June 2015 to April 2016) for the rate of use of the Malyugin
      Ring. Epinephrine injections were selectively used in the control group as per
      surgeon judgment. Use of the femtosecond laser was recorded for both groups. The
      incidence of alpha-1 blocker patients and the use of the femtosecond laser were
      recorded for both groups. RESULTS: In the 1,004 cases performed in the historical
      control group without a phenyl/keto injection, the surgeon chose to use the
      Malyugin Ring 79 times (7.87%). In the 915 cases performed in the treatment
      group, the surgeon chose to use the Malyugin Ring 27 times (2.95%). The surgeon
      selectively used intracameral injections of epinephrine in the control group 64
      times (6.47%). There was no significant difference in the use of the femtosecond
      laser in the control group (15.04%) versus the treatment group (16.28%); however,
      4 (2.65%) femtosecond patients in the control group required a Malyugin Ring,
      while zero patients needed the ring in the femtosecond treatment group. The
      incidence of Malyugin Ring use in alpha-1 blocker patients was 12/49 (24.49%) in
      the control group and 6/49 (12.74%) in the treatment group (P=0.05). CONCLUSION:
      The frequency of use of the Malyugin Ring was significantly reduced (P<0.001)
      from 7.87% to 2.95% with this treatment. These results strongly suggest that the
      antimiotic/anti-inflammatory effects of this phenyl/keto injection reduced
      facility costs, surgical time, and other complexities related to the use of the
      Malyugin Ring during phacoemulsification.

PMID- 28615925
TI  - Anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth in healthy Saudi females.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine normative profile of anterior
      lamina cribrosa surface depth (ALCSD) in healthy Saudi females using Topcon Three
      Dimensional (3D) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) 2000 - Spectral Domain (SD
      OCT). In addition, the correlation between ALCSD and other clinical factors such
      as age, refractive error, intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness,
      anterior chamber depth, axial length, retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and
      disk area was also assessed. DESIGN: This study was a prospective, nonrandomized,
      cross-sectional, observational, and quantitative study. METHODS: This study
      included 191 eyes of 191 healthy Saudi females from the College of Applied
      Medical Sciences of King Saud University. Stereoscopic disk photographs were
      reconstructed using Topcon 3D OCT-2000 for all subjects. ALCSD was measured at
      three planes (superior, middle, and inferior) and defined as the distance from
      Bruch's membrane opening level (reference line) to anterior lamina cribrosa
      surface. Average of ALCSD at all planes was defined as mean ALCSD of the eye.
      Correlation between ALCSD and all the clinical factors was performed by linear
      regression analysis. Paired t-test was performed in order to compare ALCSD at all
      planes. RESULTS: In this study, the average ALCSD was 371.88+/-114.62 MUm (range,
      155-647.6 MUm). Paired t-test showed a significant difference between superior
      and middle planes (P=0.004) and middle and inferior planes (P=0.013). Using the
      same test, no significant difference between superior and inferior planes
      (P=0.820) was observed. Generally, the largest ALCSD was in the middle plane. In
      addition, linear regression analysis showed no significant correlation between
      ALCSD and associated clinical factors. CONCLUSION: This work is the first to
      provide the normative profile of ALCSD in Saudi females using Topcon 3D OCT-2000.
      Further studies are recommended for males, different ethnic populations, high
      myopic eyes, and different age groups using advanced imaging techniques such as
      enhanced depth imaging OCT.

PMID- 28615927
TI  - p-TSA-promoted syntheses of 5H-benzo[h] thiazolo[2,3-b]quinazoline and indeno[1,2
      d] thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine analogs: molecular modeling and in vitro antitumor
      activity against hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - In our efforts to address the rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),
      we have made a commitment to the synthesis of novel molecules to combat Hep-G2
      cells. A facile and highly efficient one-pot, multicomponent reaction has been
      successfully devised utilizing a p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA)-catalyzed domino
      Knoevenagel/Michael/intramolecular cyclization approach for the synthesis of
      novel 5H-benzo[h]thiazolo[2,3-b]quinazoline and indeno[1,2-d] thiazolo[3,2
      a]pyrimidine analogs bearing a bridgehead nitrogen atom. This domino protocol
      constructed one new ring by the concomitant formation of multiple bonds (C-C, C
      N, and C=N) involving multiple steps without the use of any metal catalysts in
      one-pot, with all reactants effi-ciently exploited. All the newly synthesized
      compounds were authenticated by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,
      liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, proton nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy, and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, together
      with elemental analysis, and their antitumor activity was evaluated in vitro on a
      Hep-G2 human cancer cell line by sulforhodamine B assay. Computational molecular
      modeling studies were carried out on cancer-related targets, including
      interleukin-2, interleukin-6, Caspase-3, and Caspase-8. Two compounds (4A and 6A)
      showed growth inhibitory activity comparable to the positive control Adriamycin,
      with growth inhibition of 50% <10 MUg/mL. The results of the comprehensive
      structure-activity relationship study confirmed the assumption that two or more
      electronegative groups on the phenyl ring attached to the thiazolo[2,3
      b]quinazoline system showed the optimum effect. The in silico simulations
      suggested crucial hydrogen bond and pi-pi stacking interactions, with a good
      ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) profile and
      molecular dynamics, in order to explore the molecular targets of HCC which were
      in complete agreement with the in vitro findings. Considering their significant
      anticancer activity, 4A and 6A are potential drug candidates for the management
      of HCC.

PMID- 28615928
TI  - Using a multidimensional unfolding approach to assess multiple sclerosis patient
      preferences for disease-modifying therapy: a pilot study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Multidimensional unfolding is a multivariate method to assess
      preferences using a small sample size, a geometric model locating individuals and
      alternatives as points in a joint space. The objective was to evaluate relapsing
      remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patient preferences toward key disease
      modifying therapy (DMT) attributes using multidimensional unfolding. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: A cross-sectional pilot study in RRMS patients was conducted. Drug
      attributes included relapse prevention, disease progression prevention, side
      effect risk and route and schedule of administration. Assessment of preferences
      was performed through a five-card game. Patients were asked to value attributes
      from 1 (most preferred) to 5 (least preferred). RESULTS: A total of 37 patients
      were included; the mean age was 38.6 years, and 78.4% were female. Disease
      progression prevention was the most important factor (51.4%), followed by relapse
      prevention (40.5%). The frequency of administration had the lowest preference
      rating for 56.8% of patients. Finally, 19.6% valued the side-effect risk
      attribute as having low/very low importance. CONCLUSION: Patients' perspective
      for DMT attributes may provide valuable information to facilitate shared decision
      making. Efficacy attributes were the most important drug characteristics for RRMS
      patients. Multidimensional unfolding seems to be a feasible approach to assess
      preferences in multiple sclerosis patients. Further elicitation studies using
      multidimensional unfolding with other stated choice methods are necessary to
      confirm these findings.

PMID- 28615926
TI  - Mechanistic Modelling of Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Investigating the Role of
      Innate Immune Responses.
AB  - Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remains an adverse event of significant concern
      for drug development and marketed drugs, and the field would benefit from better
      tools to identify liver liabilities early in development and/or to mitigate
      potential DILI risk in otherwise promising drugs. DILIsym software takes a
      quantitative systems toxicology approach to represent DILI in pre-clinical
      species and in humans for the mechanistic investigation of liver toxicity. In
      addition to multiple intrinsic mechanisms of hepatocyte toxicity (ie, oxidative
      stress, bile acid accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction), DILIsym includes the
      interaction between hepatocytes and cells of the innate immune response in the
      amplification of liver injury and in liver regeneration. The representation of
      innate immune responses, detailed here, consolidates much of the available data
      on the innate immune response in DILI within a single framework and affords the
      opportunity to systematically investigate the contribution of the innate response
      to DILI.

PMID- 28615929
TI  - Impact of serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate therapy on
      irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease: a survey of patient
      perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel
      disease (IBD) commonly experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, and
      urgency. These symptoms significantly compromise the patient's quality of life
      (QoL) by limiting participation in normal daily activities and adversely affect
      work productivity and performance. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to
      understand from the patient's perspective how oral serum-derived bovine
      immunoglobulin/protein isolate (SBI) impacts bowel habits, management of
      condition, and basic QoL. METHODS: A 1-page questionnaire was distributed
      randomly to >14,000 patients who were prescribed SBI (EnteraGam(r)) for relevant
      intended uses. The survey was designed to collect data related to the influence
      of IBS or IBD on daily life activities and the impact of SBI usage on daily stool
      frequency, management of their condition, and QoL. Patient-reported responses
      were analyzed using a paired t-test to compare mean change in daily stool output
      and descriptive statistics for continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 1,377
      patients returned the surveys. Results from 595 surveys were analyzed with a
      focus on patients with IBS or IBD who had provided numeric responses regarding
      daily stool frequency. Respondents with IBS who reported having a normal stool
      frequency (<=4 stools per day) increased from 35% prior to using SBI to 91% while
      using SBI. A similar change toward normal stool frequency was reported by IBD
      respondents. Mean daily stool numbers decreased for respondents in the combined
      IBS and IBD groups (P=0.0001) from 6.5+/-4.3 before SBI to 2.6+/-1.9 following
      SBI use. The majority of respondents agreed strongly or very strongly that SBI
      helped them manage their condition (66.9%) and helped them return to the
      activities they enjoyed (59.1%). CONCLUSION: Results from this patient survey
      suggest that SBI use can lead to clinically relevant decreases in daily stool
      frequency in patients with IBS or IBD along with improvements in the overall
      management of their condition and aspects of QoL.

PMID- 28615930
TI  - Prevention of Influenza A(H7N9) and Bacterial Infections in Mice Using Intranasal
      Immunization With Live Influenza Vaccine and the Group B Streptococcus
      Recombinant Polypeptides.
AB  - We investigate the protective effect of combined vaccination based on live
      attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) and group B streptococcus (GBS) recombinant
      polypeptides against potential pandemic H7N9 influenza infection followed by GBS
      burden. Mice were intranasally immunized using 107 50% egg infectious dose
      (EID50) of H7N3 LAIV, the mix of the 4 GBS peptides (group B streptococcus
      vaccine [GBSV]), or combined LAIV + GBSV vaccine. The LAIV raised serum
      hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies against H7N9 in higher titers than against
      H7N3. Combined vaccination provided advantageous protection against infections
      with A/Shanghai/2/2013(H7N9)CDC-RG influenza and serotype II GBS. Combined
      vaccine significantly improved bacterial clearance from the lungs after infection
      compared with other vaccine groups. The smallest lung lesions due to combined
      LAIV + GBSV vaccination were associated with a prevalence of lung interferon
      gamma messenger RNA expression. Thus, combined viral and bacterial intranasal
      immunization using H7N3 LAIV and recombinant bacterial polypeptides induced
      balanced adaptive immune response, providing protection against potential
      pandemic influenza H7N9 and bacterial complications.

PMID- 28615932
TI  - Expanding The INSPIRED COPD Outreach ProgramTM to the emergency department: a
      feasibility assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Halifax-based INSPIRED COPD Outreach ProgramTM is a facility-to
      community home-based novel clinical initiative that through improved care
      transitions, self-management, and engagement in advance care planning has
      demonstrated a significant (60%-80%) reduction in health care utilization with
      substantial cost aversion. By assessing the feasibility of expanding INSPIRED
      into the emergency department (ED) we anticipated extending reach and potential
      for positive impact of INSPIRED to those with acute exacerbation of chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) who avoid hospital admission. METHODS:
      Patients were eligible for the INSPIRED-ED study if >40 years of age, diagnosed
      with AECOPD and discharged from the ED, willing to be referred, community
      dwelling with at least one of: previous use of the ED services, admission to
      Intermediate Care Unit/Intensive Care Unit, or admission to hospital with AECOPD
      in the past year. We set feasibility objectives for referral rates, completion of
      action plans, advance care planning participation, and reduction in ED visit
      frequency. RESULTS: Referral rates were 0.5/week. Among eligible patients (n=174)
      33 (19%) were referred of whom 15 (M=4, F=11) enrolled in INSPIRED-ED. Mean (SD)
      age was 68 (7) years, post-bronchdilator FEV1 44.2 (15.5) % predicted, and
      Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea score 3.8 (0.41). We met feasibility
      objectives for action plan and advance care planning completion. Frequency of
      subsequent ED visits fell by 54%. Mean (SD) Care Transition Measure (CTM-3)
      improved from 8.6 (2.0) to 11.3 (1.3), P=0.0004, and of 14 patients responding 12
      (86%) found the program very helpful. An additional 34 patients were enrolled to
      our regular program from those referred but ineligible for INSPIRED-ED (n=27) or
      unwilling to participate (n=7). CONCLUSIONS: INSPIRED-ED outcomes were generally
      positive, however referral and enrollment rates were lower than anticipated.
      Despite the potential of early self-management education, the ED may not be the
      ideal recruitment setting for home-based programs. Our findings underline the
      importance of conducting preliminary work to ascertain best settings for
      implementing new self-management education initiatives.

PMID- 28615931
TI  - Inhaled indacaterol for the treatment of COPD patients with destroyed lung by
      tuberculosis and moderate-to-severe airflow limitation: results from the
      randomized INFINITY study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a risk factor for
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, few clinical studies have
      investigated treatment effectiveness in COPD patients with destroyed lung by TB.
      The Indacaterol effectiveness in COPD patients with Tuberculosis history
      (INFINITY) study assessed the efficacy and safety of once-daily inhaled
      indacaterol 150 ug for the treatment of Korean COPD patients with destroyed lung
      by TB and moderate-to-severe airflow limitation. METHODS: This was a multicenter,
      double-blind, parallel-group study, in which eligible patients were randomized
      (1:1) to receive either once-daily indacaterol 150 ug or placebo for 8 weeks. The
      primary efficacy endpoint was change from baseline in trough forced expiratory
      volume in 1 s at Week 8; the secondary endpoints included changes in transition
      dyspnea index score and St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD score at
      Week 8. Safety was evaluated over 8 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 136 patients
      randomized, 119 (87.5%) completed the study treatment. At Week 8, indacaterol
      significantly improved trough forced expiratory volume in 1 s versus placebo
      (treatment difference [TD] 140 mL, P<0.001). Statistically significant
      improvement in transition dyspnea index score (TD =0.78, P<0.05) and numerical
      improvement in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD score (TD =-2.36,
      P=0.3563) were observed with indacaterol versus placebo at Week 8. Incidence of
      adverse events was comparable between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION:
      Indacaterol provided significantly superior bronchodilation, significant
      improvement in breathlessness and improved health status with comparable safety
      versus placebo in Korean COPD patients with destroyed lung by TB and moderate-to
      severe airflow limitation.

PMID- 28615933
TI  - Development of a nomogram for predicting in-hospital mortality of patients with
      exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) often experience exacerbations of their disease, sometimes requiring
      hospital admission and being associated with increased mortality. Although
      previous studies have reported mortality from exacerbations of COPD, there is
      limited information about prediction of individual in-hospital mortality. We
      therefore aimed to use data from a nationwide inpatient database in Japan to
      generate a nomogram for predicting in-hospital mortality from patients'
      characteristics on admission. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on
      patients with COPD who had been admitted for exacerbations and been discharged
      between July 1, 2010 and March 31, 2013. We performed multivariable logistic
      regression analysis to examine factors associated with in-hospital mortality and
      thereafter used these factors to develop a nomogram for predicting in-hospital
      prognosis. RESULTS: The study comprised 3,064 eligible patients. In-hospital
      death occurred in 209 patients (6.8%). Higher mortality was associated with older
      age, being male, lower body mass index, disturbance of consciousness, severe
      dyspnea, history of mechanical ventilation, pneumonia, and having no asthma on
      admission. We developed a nomogram based on these variables to predict in
      hospital mortality. The concordance index of the nomogram was 0.775. Internal
      validation was performed by a bootstrap method with 50 resamples, and calibration
      plots were found to be well fitted to predict in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION:
      We developed a nomogram for predicting in-hospital mortality of exacerbations of
      COPD. This nomogram could help clinicians to predict risk of in-hospital
      mortality in individual patients with COPD exacerbation.

PMID- 28615934
TI  - Radiologic features of precancerous areas of the lungs in chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Only a few studies have evaluated the radiologic features of pre
      existing structural abnormalities where lung cancer may develop. This study aimed
      to analyze the computed tomography (CT) images of lung areas where new cancer
      developed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study, called the Keio
      COPD Comorbidity Research, to assess the incidence of lung cancer. Emphysema and
      interstitial abnormalities were evaluated in 240 COPD patients who had baseline
      CT scans applicable for further digital analyses. For patients who developed lung
      cancer during the 3-year follow-up period, the local spherical lung density of
      the precancerous area was individually quantified. RESULTS: Lung cancer was newly
      diagnosed in 21 participants (2.3% per year). The percent-age of low attenuation
      area in patients who developed lung cancer was higher than that of the other
      patients (20.0% vs 10.4%, P=0.014). The presence of emphysema (odds ratio [OR]
      4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-29.0, P=0.049) or interstitial lung
      abnormalities (OR 15.6, 95% CI 4.4-65.4, P<0.0001) independently increased the
      risk for lung cancer. Compared with the density of the entire lung, the local
      density of the precancerous area was almost the same in patients with
      heterogeneous emphysema, but it was higher in most patients with interstitial
      abnormalities. CONCLUSION: The presence of emphysema or interstitial
      abnormalities or a combination of both were independent predictors of lung cancer
      development in COPD patients. Furthermore, lung cancer most often developed in
      non-emphysematous areas or in interstitial abnormalities.

PMID- 28615935
TI  - Serum inflammatory biomarkers and clinical outcomes of COPD exacerbation caused
      by different pathogens.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: COPD exacerbation is characterized by worsening of
      symptoms, warranting change in treatment. Systemic and airway inflammation play
      roles in the pathogenesis of COPD exacerbation. We hypothesized whether increased
      serum inflammatory biomarkers are associated with the clinical outcomes of COPD
      exacerbation caused by different infectious pathogens. METHODS: COPD patients
      with exacerbation were recruited from a hospital emergency department during 2014
      2015. Serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured.
      Dyspnea, eosinopenia, consolidation, acidemia, and atrial fibrillation (DECAF)
      score was calculated for predicting mortality. Multiplex polymerase chain
      reaction was carried out for respiratory viral assay from nasopharyngeal swabs,
      and sputum bacterial culture was also performed. Hospital mortality, invasive
      mechanical ventilation requirement, and length of hospital stay (LOS) were
      evaluated, and their associations with clinical characteristics, DECAF score, and
      serum biomarkers were examined. RESULTS: A total of 62 COPD patients were
      enrolled. These patients were classified as Global Initiative for Obstructive
      Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 2, 3, and 4 in 12.9%, 6.4%, and 80.7% of cases,
      respectively. Isolated bacterial exacerbation was recovered in 30.6% of
      exacerbation episodes: Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most commonly identified
      bacteria. Viral pathogens and coinfections were noted in 9.6% and 16.1% of
      exacerbated patients, respectively. Influenza was the most commonly detected
      viral pathogen. Serum biomarkers and DECAF score for viruses, bacteria,
      coinfection, and noninfectious causes of exacerbations were similar. Neither
      DECAF score nor serum biomarkers were able to differentiate patients with and
      without mortality or requiring mechanical ventilation. Increased serum PCT was
      noted in patients with LOS >=7 days when compared with those with LOS <7 days
      (0.38 ng/mL vs 0.1 ng/mL; P=0.035). CONCLUSION: Increased serum PCT is associated
      with longer LOS in COPD exacerbation. However, CRP and DECAF score play limited
      roles in predicting clinical outcome and lack an association with causes of
      exacerbation.

PMID- 28615936
TI  - Comparison of distinctive models for calculating an interlobar emphysema
      heterogeneity index in patients prior to endoscopic lung volume reduction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The degree of interlobar emphysema heterogeneity is thought to play
      an important role in the outcome of endoscopic lung volume reduction (ELVR)
      therapy of patients with advanced COPD. There are multiple ways one could
      possibly define interlobar emphysema heterogeneity, and there is no standardized
      definition. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to derive a formula for
      calculating an interlobar emphysema heterogeneity index (HI) when evaluating a
      patient for ELVR. Furthermore, an attempt was made to identify a threshold for
      relevant interlobar emphysema heterogeneity with regard to ELVR. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 50 patients who had undergone technically
      successful ELVR with placement of one-way valves at our institution and had
      received lung function tests and computed tomography scans before and after
      treatment. Predictive accuracy of the different methods for HI calculation was
      assessed with receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, assuming a
      minimum difference in forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 100 mL to indicate
      a clinically important change. RESULTS: The HI defined as emphysema score of the
      targeted lobe (TL) minus emphysema score of the ipsilateral nontargeted lobe
      disregarding the middle lobe yielded the best predicative accuracy (AUC =0.73,
      P=0.008). The HI defined as emphysema score of the TL minus emphysema score of
      the lung without the TL showed a similarly good predictive accuracy (AUC =0.72,
      P=0.009). Subgroup analysis suggests that the impact of interlobar emphysema
      heterogeneity is of greater importance in patients with upper lobe predominant
      emphysema than in patients with lower lobe predominant emphysema. CONCLUSION:
      This study reveals the most appropriate ways of calculating an interlobar
      emphysema heterogeneity with regard to ELVR.

PMID- 28615937
TI  - Patient-perceived treatment burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While chronic morbidity and mortality from COPD is well documented,
      little is known about the treatment burden faced by patients with COPD. SUBJECTS
      AND METHODS: Patients with severe airflow obstruction (forced expiratory volume
      in 1 second [FEV1] <50% predicted) representing different age-groups, sex, and
      number of comorbidities participated in a semistructured interview. Interviews
      were conducted until thematic saturation was reached. Interviews were recorded,
      transcribed, and analyzed thematically using an established treatment-burden
      framework. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients (42% male, mean age 66.7+/-9.8 years)
      with severe (n=15) or very severe (n=11) airflow limitation (mean FEV1 32.1%+/
      9.65% predicted) were interviewed. Participants struggled with various treatment
      burden domains, predominantly with changing health behaviors, such as smoking
      cessation and exercise. Interviewees often only ceased smoking after a major
      health event, despite being advised to do so earlier by a doctor. Recommended
      exercise regimens, such as pulmonary rehabilitation classes, were curtailed,
      although some patients replaced them with light home-based exercise. Interviewees
      had difficulty attending medical appointments, often relying on others to
      transport them. Overall, COPD patients indicated they were not willing to accept
      the burden of treatments where they perceived minimal benefit. CONCLUSION: This
      study describes the substantial treatment burden experienced by patients with
      COPD. Medical advice may be rejected by patients if the benefit of following the
      advice is perceived as insufficient. Health professionals need to recognize
      treatment burden as a source of nonadherence, and should tailor treatment
      discussions to fit patients' values and capacity to achieve optimal patient
      outcomes.

PMID- 28615939
TI  - Effect of carbon ion implantation on the tribology of metal-on-metal bearings for
      artificial joints.
AB  - Metal-on-metal (MoM) bearings have become popular due to a major advantage over
      metal-on-polymer bearings for total hip arthroplasty in that the larger femoral
      head and hydrodynamic lubrication of the former reduce the rate of wear. However,
      concerns remain regarding adverse reactions to metal debris including metallosis
      caused by metal wear generated at the taper-head interface and another modular
      junction. Our group has hypothesized that carbon ion implantation (CII) may
      improve metal wear properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
      wear properties and friction coefficients of CII surfaces with an aim to
      ultimately apply these surfaces to MoM bearings in artificial joints. CII was
      applied to cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) alloy substrates by plasma
      source ion implantation. The substrates were characterized using scanning
      electron microscopy and a 3D measuring laser microscope. Sliding contact tests
      were performed with a simple geometry pin-on-plate wear tester at a load of 2.5
      N, a calculated contact pressure of 38.5 MPa (max: 57.8 MPa), a reciprocating
      velocity of 30 mm/s, a stroke length of 60 mm, and a reciprocating cycle count of
      172,800 cycles. The surfaces of the CII substrates were generally featureless
      with a smooth surface topography at the same level as untreated Co-Cr-Mo alloy.
      Compared to the untreated Co-Cr-Mo alloy, the CII-treated bearings had lower
      friction coefficients, higher resistance to catastrophic damage, and prevented
      the adhesion of wear debris. The results of this study suggest that the CII
      surface stabilizes the wear status due to the low friction coefficient and low
      infiltration of partner materials, and these properties also prevent the adhesion
      of wear debris and inhibit excessive wear. Carbon is considered to be
      biologically inert; therefore, CII is anticipated to be applicable to the bearing
      surfaces of MoM prostheses.

PMID- 28615940
TI  - Killing malignant melanoma cells with protoporphyrin IX-loaded polymersome
      mediated photodynamic therapy and cold atmospheric plasma.
AB  - Traditional cancer treatments contain several limitations such as incomplete
      ablation and multidrug resistance. It is known that photodynamic therapy (PDT) is
      an effective treatment for several tumor types especially melanoma cells. During
      the PDT process, protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), an effective photosensitizer, can
      selectively kill cancer cells by activating a special light source. When tumor
      cells encapsulate a photosensitizer, they can be easily excited into an excited
      state by a light source. In this study, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) was used as
      a novel light source. Results of some studies have showed that cancer cells can
      be effectively killed by using either a light source or an individual treatment
      due to the generation of reactive oxygen species and electrons from a wide range
      of wavelengths, which suggest that CAP can act as a potential light source for
      anticancer applications compared with UV light sources. Results of the present in
      vitro study indicated for the first time that PpIX can be successfully loaded
      into polymersomes. Most importantly, cell viability studies revealed that PpIX
      loaded polymersomes had a low toxicity to healthy fibroblasts (20% were killed)
      at a concentration of 400 ug/mL, but they showed a great potential to selectively
      kill melanoma cells (almost 50% were killed). With the application of CAP
      posttreatment, melanoma cell viability significantly decreased (80% were killed)
      compared to not using a light source (45% were killed) or using a UV light source
      (65% were killed). In summary, these results indicated for the first time that
      PpIX-loaded polymersomes together with CAP posttreatment could be a promising
      tool for skin cancer drug delivery with selective toxicity toward melanoma cells
      sparing healthy fibroblasts.

PMID- 28615938
TI  - High drug-loading nanomedicines: progress, current status, and prospects.
AB  - Drug molecules transformed into nanoparticles or endowed with nanostructures with
      or without the aid of carrier materials are referred to as "nanomedicines" and
      can overcome some inherent drawbacks of free drugs, such as poor water
      solubility, high drug dosage, and short drug half-life in vivo. However, most of
      the existing nanomedicines possess the drawback of low drug-loading (generally
      less than 10%) associated with more carrier materials. For intravenous
      administration, the extensive use of carrier materials might cause systemic
      toxicity and impose an extra burden of degradation, metabolism, and excretion of
      the materials for patients. Therefore, on the premise of guaranteeing therapeutic
      effect and function, reducing or avoiding the use of carrier materials is a
      promising alternative approach to solve these problems. Recently, high drug
      loading nanomedicines, which have a drug-loading content higher than 10%, are
      attracting increasing interest. According to the fabrication strategies of
      nanomedicines, high drug-loading nanomedicines are divided into four main
      classes: nanomedicines with inert porous material as carrier, nanomedicines with
      drug as part of carrier, carrier-free nanomedicines, and nanomedicines following
      niche and complex strategies. To date, most of the existing high drug-loading
      nanomedicines belong to the first class, and few research studies have focused on
      other classes. In this review, we investigate the research status of high drug
      loading nanomedicines and discuss the features of their fabrication strategies
      and optimum proposal in detail. We also point out deficiencies and developing
      direction of high drug-loading nanomedicines. We envision that high drug-loading
      nanomedicines will occupy an important position in the field of drug-delivery
      systems, and hope that novel perspectives will be proposed for the development of
      high drug-loading nanomedicines.

PMID- 28615941
TI  - Development and optimization of an injectable formulation of copper
      diethyldithiocarbamate, an active anticancer agent.
AB  - Copper diethyldithiocarbamate (Cu(DDC)2) is the active anticancer agent generated
      when disulfiram (DSF) is provided in the presence of copper. To date, research
      directed toward repurposing DSF as an anticancer drug has focused on
      administration of DSF and copper in combination, efforts that have proven
      unsuccessful in clinical trials. This is likely due to the inability to form
      Cu(DDC)2 at relevant concentrations in regions of tumor growth. Little effort has
      been directed toward the development of Cu(DDC)2 because of the inherent aqueous
      insolubility of the complex. Here, we describe an injectable Cu(DDC)2 formulation
      prepared through a method that involves synthesis of Cu(DDC)2 inside the aqueous
      core of liposomes. Convection-enhanced delivery of a Cu(DDC)2 formulation
      prepared using 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC)/cholesterol
      liposomes into a rat model of F98 glioma engendered a 25% increase in median
      survival time relative to vehicle-treated animals. In a murine subcutaneous MV-4
      11 model, treatment resulted in a 45% reduction in tumor burden when compared to
      controls. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the Cu(DDC)2 was rapidly
      eliminated after intravenous administration while the liposomes remained in
      circulation. To test whether liposomal lipid composition could increase Cu(DDC)2
      circulation lifetime, a number of different formulations were evaluated. Studies
      demonstrated that liposomes composed of DSPC and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3
      phosphoethanolamine-n-(carboxy[polyethylene glycol]-2000) (95:5) enhanced
      Cu(DDC)2 concentrations in the circulation as reflected by a 4.2-fold increase in
      plasma AUC(0-infinity) relative to the DSPC/cholesterol formulation. The
      anticancer activity of this Cu(DDC)2 formulation was subsequently evaluated in
      the MV-4-11 model. At its maximum tolerated dose, this formulation exhibited
      comparable activity to the DSPC/cholesterol formulation. This is the first report
      demonstrating the therapeutic effects of an injectable Cu(DDC)2 formulation in
      vivo.

PMID- 28615942
TI  - iRGD-modified lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles loaded with isoliquiritigenin to
      enhance anti-breast cancer effect and tumor-targeting ability.
AB  - Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a natural anti-breast cancer dietary compound, has poor
      delivery characteristics and low bioavailability. In order to promote the
      therapeutic outcome of ISL, a tumor-targeting lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle
      (NP) system modified by tumor-homing iRGD peptides has been developed. The hybrid
      NPs were prepared by a modified single-step nanoprecipitation method to
      encapsulate ISL. iRGD peptides were anchored on the surface by a postinsertion
      method (ISL-iRGD NPs). The stable lipid-polymer structure of ISL-iRGD NPs, with
      high encapsulation and loading efficiency, was confirmed. Compared to free ISL
      and non-iRGD-modified counterparts, ISL-iRGD NPs showed higher cytotoxicity and
      cell apoptosis against the different type of breast cancer cells. This was
      attributable to higher cellular accumulation mediated by the iRGD-integrin
      recognition and the nanoscale effect. More importantly, based on the active tumor
      tissue accumulation by iRGD peptides and the prolonged in vivo circulation by the
      stealth nanostructure, ISL-iRGD NPs displayed higher tumor-growth inhibition
      efficiency in 4T1-bearing breast-tumor mouse models. Therefore, the constructed
      iRGD modified lipid-polymer hybrid NPs would provide a promising drug-delivery
      strategy to improve ISL in anti-breast cancer efficacy.

PMID- 28615943
TI  - The use of functional epirubicin liposomes to induce programmed death in
      refractory breast cancer.
AB  - Currently, chemotherapy is less efficient in controlling the continued
      development of breast cancer because it cannot eliminate extrinsic and intrinsic
      refractory cancers. In this study, mitochondria were modified by functional
      epirubicin liposomes to eliminate refractory cancers through initiation of an
      apoptosis cascade. The efficacy and mechanism of epirubicin liposomes were
      investigated on human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo using flow
      cytometry, confocal microscopy, high-content screening system, in vivo imaging
      system, and tumor inhibition in mice. Mechanistic studies revealed that the
      liposomes could target the mitochondria, activate the apoptotic enzymes caspase
      8, 9, and 3, upregulate the proapoptotic protein Bax while downregulating the
      antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1, and induce the generation of reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) through an apoptosis cascade. In xenografted mice bearing breast cancer,
      the epirubicin liposomes demonstrated prolonged blood circulation, significantly
      increased accumulation in tumor tissue, and robust anticancer efficacy. This
      study demonstrated that functional epirubicin liposomes could significantly
      induce programmed death of refractory breast cancer by activating caspases and
      ROS-related apoptotic signaling pathways, in addition to the direct killing
      effect of the anticancer drug itself. Thus, we present a simple nanomedicine
      strategy to treat refractory breast cancer.

PMID- 28615945
TI  - Ictal blinking, an under-recognized phenomenon: our experience and literature
      review.
AB  - Ictal blinking (IB) is a very rare disease manifesting as an epileptic motor
      event in children and adults. Until now it has not been included in any
      classification of focal seizures of the International League Against Epilepsy
      Commission. It could be unilateral or bilateral, isolated or in association with
      other motor manifestations such as limbs' clonus and spasms. Its pathogenesis has
      not been clearly established: paroxysmal discharges from different areas of the
      brain could cause IB by activation of trigeminal fibers. Herein authors report
      three infants and a child with IB, observed in three pediatric centers in two
      different countries. We also performed a review of literature data, suggesting IB
      as a seizure type to be included in international classifications, and describing
      the specific electroencephalographic pattern of this condition.

PMID- 28615944
TI  - The interactions of single-wall carbon nanohorns with polar epithelium.
AB  - Single-wall carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs), which have multitudes of horn interstices,
      an extensive surface area, and a spherical aggregate structure, offer many
      advantages over other carbon nanomaterials being used as a drug nanovector. The
      previous studies on the interaction between SWCNHs and cells have mostly
      emphasized on cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking, but seldom on
      epithelial cells. Polar epithelium as a typical biological barrier constitutes
      the prime obstacle for the transport of therapeutic agents to target site. This
      work tried to explore the permeability of SWCNHs through polar epithelium and
      their abilities to modulate transcellular transport, and evaluate the potential
      of SWCNHs in drug delivery. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell monolayer was
      used as a polar epithelial cell model, and as-grown SWCNHs, together with
      oxidized and fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated bovine serum albumin-labeled
      forms, were constructed and comprehensively investigated in vitro and in vivo.
      Various methods such as transmission electron microscopy and confocal imaging
      were used to visualize their intracellular uptake and localization, as well as to
      investigate the potential transcytotic process. The related mechanism was
      explored by specific inhibitors. Additionally, fast multispectral optoacoustic
      tomography imaging was used for monitoring the distribution and transport process
      of SWCNHs in vivo after oral administration in nude mice, as an evidence for
      their interaction with the intestinal epithelium. The results showed that SWCNHs
      had a strong bioadhesion property, and parts of them could be uptaken and
      transcytosed across the MDCK monolayer. Multiple mechanisms were involved in the
      uptake and transcytosis of SWCNHs with varying degrees. After oral
      administration, oxidized SWCNHs were distributed in the gastrointestinal tract
      and retained in the intestine for up to 36 h probably due to their surface
      adhesion and endocytosis into the intestinal epithelium. Overall, this
      comprehensive investigation demonstrated that SWCNHs can serve as a promising
      nanovector that can cross the barrier of polar epithelial cells and deliver drugs
      effectively.

PMID- 28615946
TI  - Treatment and outcome of intestinal perforation after liver transplant surgery in
      adults: a single-center experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Intestinal perforation is a rare complication after liver
      transplantation. This study was designed to calculate the incidence and
      investigate the outcomes of intestinal perforation in adult liver transplant
      patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical records of liver transplant
      recipients between January 2014 and June 2016 were obtained. The incidence of
      intestinal perforation was calculated, and high risk factors were analyzed.
      RESULTS: The mean operative time was 8.5 h (range: 6-11 h). The mean portal vein
      occlusion time was 66.5 min (range: 58-72 min), and the mean cold ischemia time
      was 7.9 h (range: 6.5-9.5 h). Four (2.7%) patients developed intestinal
      perforation from 9 to 14 days postliver transplant. All perforations were single
      and repaired by interrupted silk sutures. Two patients uneventfully recovered,
      but intestinal perforation recurred in two other patients. Simple repair was
      undertaken in one patient, and terminal ileum resection and ileostomy were
      performed in the other patient. There were no perioperative deaths. CONCLUSION:
      The incidence of intestinal perforation after liver transplantation is low.
      Prompt diagnosis and treatment should be carried out to reduce comorbidities and
      mortality.

PMID- 28615947
TI  - Treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism: the clinical utility of
      etelcalcetide.
AB  - Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), a very frequent, severe, and worsening
      complication of chronic kidney disease, is characterized by high serum
      parathyroid hormone (PTH), parathyroid gland hyperplasia, and disturbances in
      mineral metabolism. Clinically, SHPT shows renal osteodystrophy, vascular
      calcification, cardiovascular damage, and fatal outcome. Calcium-sensing receptor
      (CaSR) is the main physiological regulator of PTH secretion; its activation by
      calcium rapidly inhibits PTH. Another important player in regulating mineral
      metabolism is vitamin D receptor (VDR), which is under the influence of vitamin D
      and influences the intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate, PTH gene
      expression, and bone calcium mobilization. Serum phosphate levels influence
      fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) production, a phosphatonin that modulates
      serum phosphate reabsorption, PTH synthesis, and vitamin D production. Current
      therapeutic approaches consist of 1) phosphate intake control by diet or
      phosphate binders, 2) vitamin D by VDR activation, and 3) calcimimetic agents
      that activate CaSR. Recently, a new long-acting peptide (etelcalcetide) belonging
      to the calcimimetics class was approved for intravenous use in hemodialysis
      patients with SHPT. Etelcalcetide binds directly to CaSR, by a sulfide bond,
      inhibiting the production and secretion of PTH by parathyroid glands. After
      intravenous administration in rats, etelcalcetide is quickly distributed to the
      tissues and eliminated by kidneys, while in uremic animals the nonrenal excretion
      is only 1.2%. In hemodialysis patients, the treatment itself is the main route of
      elimination. Etelcalcetide in hemodialysis patients with SHPT was more effective
      than placebo and cinacalcet, with a PTH reduction of >30% in 76% of patients with
      etelcalcetide versus 10% with placebo. Particular attention was paid to the
      safety of the drug; the most common adverse event was asymptomatic blood calcium
      reduction, similar to cinacalcet, while gastrointestinal symptoms were less
      frequent. This promising new drug available for better control of SHPT will,
      together with drugs already in use, optimize the treatment to normalize the
      biochemical parameters.

PMID- 28615948
TI  - Marijuana Use, Recent Marijuana Initiation, and Progression to Marijuana Use
      Disorder Among Young Male and Female Adolescents Aged 12-14 Living in US
      Households.
AB  - Marijuana initiation during adolescence, and early adolescence in particular, is
      associated with adverse health consequences. Our study used 2005-2014 data from
      the annual, cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health to study the
      prevalence and correlates of marijuana initiation, use, and marijuana use
      disorder (MUD; abuse or dependence) among 12- to 14-year olds living in civilian
      US households (n = 84 954). Examined correlates included age, sex,
      race/ethnicity, poverty status, metropolitan status, year of survey, depression,
      tobacco use, alcohol use, and fighting at school. Sex differences in the
      correlates of lifetime use and past year marijuana initiation were tested via
      interaction. Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use was 5.5%; 3.2% reported past
      year initiation. About 1 in 6 (16.8%) past year initiates progressed to MUD
      within 12 months of first use. Although men had higher prevalence of lifetime use
      than women, past year initiation did not differ by sex. On examining the
      sex*race/ethnicity interaction effects, findings determined that non-Hispanic
      black and Hispanic men had higher prevalence estimates of ever using marijuana
      and incidence of past year initiation as compared with non-Hispanic white men;
      these race/ethnicity differences were not found among women. Identifying
      correlates of initiation and progression to MUD among young adolescents is
      critical to improve prevention and treatment program targets.

PMID- 28615949
TI  - Contextual Effects of Neighborhoods and Schools on Adolescent and Young Adult
      Marijuana Use in the United States.
AB  - Little is known about the unique contribution of schools vs neighborhoods in
      driving adolescent marijuana use. This study examined the relative contribution
      of each setting and the influence of school and neighborhood socioeconomic status
      on use. We performed a series of cross-classified multilevel logistic models
      predicting past 30-day adolescent (N = 18 329) and young adult (N = 13 908)
      marijuana use using data from Add Health. Marijuana use differed by age, sex,
      race/ethnicity, and public assistance in adjusted models. Variance parameters
      indicated a high degree of clustering by school (sigma2 = 0.30) and less
      pronounced clustering by neighborhood (sigma2 = 0.06) in adolescence when
      accounting for both levels simultaneously in a cross-classified multilevel model.
      Clustering by school persisted into young adulthood (sigma2 = 0.08). Parental
      receipt of public assistance increased the likelihood of use during adolescence
      (odds ratio = 1.39; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-1.59), and higher parental
      education was associated with increased likelihood of use in young adulthood.
      These findings indicate that both contexts may be promising locations for
      intervention.

PMID- 28615950
TI  - Utilizing Big Data and Twitter to Discover Emergent Online Communities of
      Cannabis Users.
AB  - Large shifts in medical, recreational, and illicit cannabis consumption in the
      United States have implications for personalizing treatment and prevention
      programs to a wide variety of populations. As such, considerable research has
      investigated clinical presentations of cannabis users in clinical and population
      based samples. Studies leveraging big data, social media, and social network
      analysis have emerged as a promising mechanism to generate timely insights that
      can inform treatment and prevention research. This study extends a novel method
      called stochastic block modeling to derive communities of cannabis consumers as
      part of a complex social network on Twitter. A set of examples illustrate how
      this method can ascertain candidate samples of medical, recreational, and illicit
      cannabis users. Implications for research planning, intervention design, and
      public health surveillance are discussed.

PMID- 28615951
TI  - Long-Term Cause-Specific Mortality After Surgery for Women With Breast Cancer: A
      20-Year Follow-Up Study From Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Cancer
      Registries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Research into long-term cause-specific mortality of women diagnosed
      with breast cancer is important because it allows for the splitting of the
      population into patients who eventually die from breast cancer and from other
      causes. The adoption of this approach helps to identify patients with an elevated
      risk of eventual death from breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this
      study was to examine the associations between both sociodemographic and
      clinicopathologic characteristics and the underlying risks of death from breast
      cancer and from other causes for women diagnosed with breast cancer. A second aim
      was to propose a predictive biomarker of cause-specific mortality in terms of
      treatment and several important characteristics of a patient. METHODS: A cohort
      of 16 511 female patients diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990 was obtained from
      the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registries and followed
      for 20 years. A mixture model for the regression analysis of competing risks was
      used to identify factors and confounders that affected either the eventual cause
      specific mortality or conditional cause-specific hazard rates, or both. Missing
      data were handled with multiple imputation. RESULTS: Curvilinear relationships of
      age at diagnosis along with race, marital status, breast cancer type, tumor size,
      estrogen receptor status, extension, lymph node status, type of surgery, and
      radiotherapy status were significant risk factors for the cause-specific
      mortality, with extension and lymph node status appearing to be confounded with
      the effects of both type of surgery and radiotherapy status. The score obtained
      from combining a set of predictors showed to be an accurate predictive biomarker.
      CONCLUSIONS: In cause-specific mortality of women diagnosed breast cancer,
      prognosis appears to depend on both sociodemographic and clinicopathologic
      factors. The predictive biomarker proposed in this study may help identifying the
      level of seriousness of the disease earlier than traditional methods, potentially
      guiding future allocation of resources for better patient care and management
      strategies.

PMID- 28615952
TI  - Assessment of Dithiocarbamate Residues on Tomatoes Conventionally Grown in Uganda
      and the Effect of Simple Washing to Reduce Exposure Risk to Consumers.
AB  - Pesticide misuse by farmers poses health risks to consumers. This study assessed
      the level of dithiocarbamate residues in tomatoes acquired from 20 farmers and 25
      market vendors in Wakiso District, how simple washing affects these residues, and
      the potential chronic health risk for Ugandans eating such tomatoes. Results
      revealed that mancozeb was the only reported dithiocarbamate, and 47.4% and 14%
      of farm and market samples, respectively, had dithiocarbamate residues exceeding
      the Codex alimentarius maximum residue limit of 2 mgCS2/kg. Mixing concentration
      had a positive significant effect on dithiocarbamate residue levels (P = 0.004).
      Washing reduced dithiocarbamate residues by a factor of 0.3. Dietary risk
      assessment revealed no chronic health risk to both children and general
      population when a national daily per capita consumption of 1.0 g is considered.
      This study recommends comprehensive research into Uganda's food production and
      consumption patterns and establishment of a national pesticide residue
      surveillance program.

PMID- 28615953
TI  - Characteristics of Pesticide Poisoning in Rural and Urban Settings in Uganda.
AB  - Pesticide poisoning is a significant burden on health care systems in many low
      income countries. This study evaluates cases of registered pesticide poisonings
      treated in selected rural (N = 101) and urban (N = 212) health facilities in
      Uganda from January 2010 to August 2016. In the urban setting, pesticides were
      the most prevalent single poison responsible for intoxications (N = 212 [28.8%]).
      Self-harm constituted a significantly higher proportion of the total number of
      poisonings in urban (63.3%) compared with rural areas (25.6%) where unintentional
      poisonings prevailed. Men were older than women and represented a majority of
      around 60% of the cases in both the urban and rural settings. Unintentional cases
      were almost the only ones seen below the age of 10, whereas self-harm dominated
      among adolescents and young persons from 10 to 29 years of age. Organophosphorus
      insecticides accounted for 73.0% of the poisonings. Urban hospitals provided a
      more intensive treatment and had registered fever complications than rural health
      care settings. To minimize self-harm with pesticides, a restriction of pesticide
      availability as shown to be effective in other low-income countries is
      recommended. Training of health care workers in proper diagnosis and treatment of
      poisonings and improved equipment in the health care settings should be
      strengthened.

PMID- 28615954
TI  - Response to LiPuma and DeMarco's Article on "Hastening Death".
AB  - The paper "Palliative care and patient autonomy: moving beyond prohibitions
      against hastening death" by LiPuma and DeMarco deals with an aspect of end of
      life care which is the source of considerable disagreement. It is important to
      emphasize that autonomy is not the unique feature for end of life care. There is
      always a medical and ethical commitment to care, i.e. beneficence and
      nonmaleficence. All of these aspects have to be taken into account when treating
      patients at the very end of life. There is considerable scientific proof
      indicating that most patients and families can experience a death in dignity when
      being cared for in palliative care or hospice units.

PMID- 28615955
TI  - Reply to Commentary on Our Paper "Palliative Care and Patient Autonomy."

PMID- 28615956
TI  - The role of long noncoding RNA-LET in cell proliferation and invasion of
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma and its mechanism.
AB  - LncRNA-LET, a recently identified long noncoding RNA, has been shown to act as a
      tumor suppressor; however, its biological function and mechanism have not been
      fully investigated. Our research found that there was less expression of LET in
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues than normal tissues and that LET might
      inhibit proliferation, adhesion and invasion of NPC in vitro by enhancing its
      expression. By contrast, decreased LET expression could promote the
      proliferation, adhesion and invasion of NPC. In addition, the expression profiles
      of related genes and MAPK/ERK pathway were also regulated effectively via
      overexpression or silencing of LET. This result provides comprehensive evidence
      of LET's antitumor effect on NPC in vitro, which might provide a new approach for
      clinical treatment.

PMID- 28615957
TI  - Erratum: Isoorientin induces apoptosis, decreases invasiveness, and downregulates
      VEGF secretion by activating AMPK signaling in pancreatic cancer cells
      [Corrigendum].
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 7481 in vol. 9, PMID: 28003763.].

PMID- 28615958
TI  - The critical role of EGF-beta-catenin signaling in the epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition in human glioblastoma.
AB  - To date, beta-catenin has been reported to be implicated in mediating the
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a variety of human cancers, which can
      be triggered by EGF. However, the mechanisms underlying EGF-beta-catenin pathway
      induced EMT of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) have not been reported previously.
      In the present study, immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription polymerase
      chain reaction, and Western blot were applied to investigate the effect of EGF
      beta-catenin pathway on EMT of GBM. Here, we identified that beta-catenin mRNA
      and protein levels were up-regulated in GBM tissues and four kinds of
      glioblastoma cell lines, including T98G, A172, U87, and U251 cells, compared with
      normal brain tissue and astrocytes. In U87 cell line, inhibition of beta-catenin
      by siRNA suppressed EGF-induced proliferation, migration, invasiveness, and the
      expression of EMT activators (Snail and Slug). In addition, the expression of
      epithelial markers (E-cadherin) was up-regulated and the expression of
      mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin and MMP9) was down-regulated. Finally, inhibitor
      of PI3K/Akt signaling pathways inactivated the EGF-beta-catenin-induced EMT. In
      conclusion, beta-catenin-EMT pathway induced by EGF is important for GBM
      progression by the PI3K/Akt pathways. Inhibition of beta-catenin leads to
      suppression of EGF pathway-induced EMT, which provides a new way to treat GBM
      patients.

PMID- 28615959
TI  - Severe forms of fibromyalgia with acute exacerbation of pain: costs,
      comorbidities, and length of stay in inpatient care.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: As a disease of the musculoskeletal system, fibromyalgia
      is becoming increasingly important, because of the direct and indirect costs to
      health systems. The purpose of this study of health economics was to obtain
      information about staff costs differentiated by service provider, and staff and
      material costs of the nonmedical infrastructure in inpatient care. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: This study looked at 263 patients who received interdisciplinary
      inpatient treatment for severe forms of fibromyalgia with acute exacerbation of
      pain between 2011 and 2014. Standardized cost accounting and an analysis of
      additional diagnoses were performed. RESULTS: The average cost per patient was
      ?3,725.84, with staff and material costs of the nonmedical infrastructure and
      staff costs of doctors and nurses accounting for the highest proportions of the
      costs. Each fibromyalgia patient had an average of 6.1 additional diagnoses.
      CONCLUSION: Severe forms of fibromyalgia are accompanied by many concomitant
      diseases and associated with both high clinical staff costs and high medical and
      nonmedical infrastructure costs. Indication-based cost calculations provide
      important information for health policy and hospital managers if they include all
      elements that incur costs in both a differentiated and standardized way.

PMID- 28615960
TI  - Personalized multistep cognitive behavioral therapy for obesity.
AB  - Multistep cognitive behavioral therapy for obesity (CBT-OB) is a treatment that
      may be delivered at three levels of care (outpatient, day hospital, and
      residential). In a stepped-care approach, CBT-OB associates the traditional
      procedures of weight-loss lifestyle modification, ie, physical activity and
      dietary recommendations, with specific cognitive behavioral strategies that have
      been indicated by recent research to influence weight loss and maintenance by
      addressing specific cognitive processes. The treatment program as a whole is
      delivered in six modules. These are introduced according to the individual
      patient's needs in a flexible and personalized fashion. A recent randomized
      controlled trial has found that 88 patients suffering from morbid obesity treated
      with multistep residential CBT-OB achieved a mean weight loss of 15% after 12
      months, with no tendency to regain weight between months 6 and 12. The treatment
      has also shown promising long-term results in the management of obesity
      associated with binge-eating disorder. If these encouraging findings are
      confirmed by the two ongoing outpatient studies (one delivered individually and
      one in a group setting), this will provide evidence-based support for the
      potential of multistep CBT-OB to provide a more effective alternative to standard
      weight-loss lifestyle-modification programs.

PMID- 28615961
TI  - The role of novel biomarkers in childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome: a
      narrative review of published evidence.
AB  - Two histological subtypes of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome are commonly
      recognized in children, namely minimal change nephropathy and focal segmental
      glomerulosclerosis. Children with minimal change nephropathy (the majority of
      whom are steroid-sensitive) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (the majority
      of whom are steroid-resistant) require early identification in order to ensure
      appropriate therapeutic intervention and better outcome. Although renal biopsy
      and histology remain the ideal diagnostic steps to identify these histological
      subtypes, reports indicate that serum and urinary biomarkers are now being
      utilized in the investigation of childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. This
      paper aims to review the diagnostic and prognostic utility of novel biomarkers in
      childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and to highlight their role in
      differentiating steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) from steroid
      resistant nephrotic syndrome (SSNS). Using the terms "idiopathic nephrotic
      syndrome," "children," and "biomarkers" the PubMed database was searched for
      relevant studies related to the topic. Biomarkers such as adiponectin, neopterin,
      beta2-microglobulin, and N-acetyl-beta-D glucosaminidase were reported as
      diagnostic markers. In addition to neopterin and N-acetyl-beta-D glucosaminidase,
      urine vitamin D-binding protein and alpha1beta-glycoprotein were shown to
      differentiate SRNS from SSNS while N-acetyl-beta-D glucosaminidase and beta2
      microglobulin could predict steroid responsiveness and renal outcome in SRNS.
      Although progress has been made in demonstrating the diagnostic and prognostic
      utility of these biomarkers, their limited availability in most laboratories has
      precluded a complete paradigm shift from the conventional renal biopsy.
      Nevertheless, further longitudinal studies are required to establish their
      usefulness as noninvasive predictors of disease response to immunosuppressive
      therapy.

PMID- 28615962
TI  - Sensitivity to Pain Traumatization Scale: development, validation, and
      preliminary findings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This article reports three studies describing the development and
      validation of the 12-item Sensitivity to Pain Traumatization Scale (SPTS-12). SPT
      refers to the anxiety-related cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to
      pain that resemble the features of a traumatic stress reaction. METHODS: In Study
      1, a preliminary set of 79 items was administered to 116 participants. The data
      were analyzed by using combined nonparametric and parametric item response theory
      resulting in a 12-item scale with a one-factor structure and good preliminary
      psychometric properties. Studies 2 and 3 assessed the factor structure and
      psychometric properties of the SPTS-12 in a community sample of 823 participants
      (268 with chronic pain and 555 pain-free) and a clinical sample of 345 patients
      (126 with chronic post-surgical pain, 92 with other nonsurgical chronic pain, and
      127 with no chronic pain) at least 6 months after undergoing coronary artery
      bypass graft surgery, respectively. RESULTS: The final SPTS-12 derived from Study
      1 comprised 12 items that discriminated between individuals with different levels
      of SPT, with the overall scale showing good to very good reliability and
      validity. The results from Studies 2 and 3 revealed a one-factor structure for
      chronic pain and pain-free samples, excellent reliability and concurrent
      validity, and moderate convergent and discriminant validity. CONCLUSION: The
      results of the three studies provide preliminary evidence for the validity and
      reliability of the SPTS-12.

PMID- 28615963
TI  - Frequency-dependent changes in sensorimotor and pain affective systems induced by
      empathy for pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Empathy for pain helps us to understand the pain of others
      indirectly. To better comprehend the processing of empathic pain, we report the
      frequency-dependent modulation of cortical oscillations induced by watching
      movies depicting pain using high-density electroencephalography (EEG),
      magnetoencephalography (MEG), and motor evoked potentials (MEP). METHODS: Event
      related desynchronization of EEG and MEG was assessed while participants viewed
      videos of painful (needle) or neutral (cotton swab) situations. The amplitudes of
      MEPs were also compared between the needle and cotton swab conditions. RESULTS:
      The degree of suppression in alpha/beta band power was significantly increased,
      whereas that of gamma band power was significantly decreased, in the needle
      condition compared with the cotton swab condition. EEG revealed that significant
      differences in alpha/beta band were distributed in the right frontocentral and
      left parietooccipital regions, whereas significant gamma band differences were
      distributed predominantly over the right hemisphere, which were confirmed by
      source estimation using MEG. There was a significant positive correlation between
      the difference in gamma power of the two conditions and the visual analog scale
      subjective rating of aversion, but not in the alpha/beta band. The amplitude of
      MEPs decreased in the needle condition, which confirmed the inhibition of the
      primary motor cortex. CONCLUSION: MEP suppression supports that modulation of
      cortical oscillations by viewing movies depicting pain involves sensorimotor
      processing. Our results suggest that alpha/beta oscillations underlie the sensory
      qualities of others' pain, whereas the gamma band reflects the cognitive aspect.
      Therefore, alpha/beta and gamma band oscillations are differentially involved in
      empathic pain processing under the condition of motor cortical suppression.

PMID- 28615964
TI  - Development and performance of a diagnostic/prognostic scoring system for
      breakthrough pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Variable prevalence and treatment of breakthrough pain (BTP) in
      different clinical contexts are partially due to the lack of reliable/validated
      diagnostic tools with prognostic capability. We report the statistical basis and
      performance analysis of a novel BTP scoring system based on the naive Bayes
      classifier (NBC) approach and an 11-item IQ-BTP validated questionnaire. This
      system aims at classifying potential BTP presence in three likelihood classes:
      "High," "Intermediate," and "Low." METHODS: Out of a training set of n=120 mixed
      chronic pain patients, predictors associated with the BTP likelihood variables
      (Pearson's chi2 and/or Fisher's exact test) were employed for the NBC planning.
      Adjusting the binary classification to a three-likelihood classes case enabled
      the building of a scoring algorithm and to retrieve the score of each predictor's
      answer options and the Patient's Global Score (PGS). The latter medians were used
      to establish the NBC thresholds, needed to evaluate the scoring system
      performance (leave-one-out cross-validation). RESULTS: Medians of PGS in the
      "High," "Intermediate," and "Low" likelihood classes were 3.44, 1.53, and -2.84,
      respectively. Leading predictors for the model (based on score differences) were
      flair frequency (DeltaS=1.31), duration (DeltaS=5.25), and predictability
      (DeltaS=1.17). Percentages of correct classification were 63.6% for the "High"
      and of 100.0% for either the "Intermediate" and "Low" likelihood classes; overall
      accuracy of the scoring system was 90.9%. CONCLUSION: The NBC-based BTP scoring
      system showed satisfactory performance in classifying potential BTP in three
      likelihood classes. The reliability, flexibility, and simplicity of this
      statistical approach may have significant relevance for BTP epidemiology and
      management. These results need further impact studies to generalize our findings.

PMID- 28615965
TI  - Impact of a value-based insurance design for physical therapy to treat back pain
      on care utilization and cost.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a value-based insurance design providing
      enhanced access to physical therapy (PT) for treatment of back pain on treatment
      patterns and cost of care. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of claims data
      obtained from Geisinger Health Plan (GHP). In April 2013, GHP began offering "PT
      bundle" - i.e., a bundle of up to five PT visits for a single one-time copay that
      can be renewed for another bundle of five PT visits - for its employer-based plan
      members with back pain. METHODS: A cohort of GHP members who were preauthorized
      for the PT bundle were compared against a contemporaneous cohort of GHP members
      who were preauthorized for PT under the standard per-visit copay arrangement
      between January 2013 and October 2014. RESULTS: Among the PT bundle cohort, the
      PT visit rate during the first 9 months since the PT preauthorization date had
      dramatically increased and then gradually decreased in subsequent months. The PT
      bundle was also associated with 29%-35% short-term reductions in emergency
      department visits and with 12%-20% reductions in primary care visits after 6
      months. No significant impact on hospitalization or cost was observed.
      CONCLUSION: Implementation of the PT bundle appears to have led to a change in
      the treatment pattern of back pain that is more consistent with the recommended
      guidelines to use more conservative management such as PT as the first-line
      treatment for back pain.

PMID- 28615966
TI  - Acute physiological and electrical accentuation of vagal tone has no effect on
      pain or gastrointestinal motility in chronic pancreatitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The effective management of pain in chronic pancreatitis (CP) remains
      a therapeutic challenge. Analgesic drugs, such as opioids, and the underlying
      pathology can impair gut function. The autonomic nervous system influences
      hormone secretion and gut motility. In healthy volunteers, electrical (using
      noninvasive transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation [t-VNS]) and physiological
      (using deep slow breathing [DSB]) modulation of parasympathetic tone results in
      pain attenuation and enhanced gut motility. Thus, the aims were to investigate
      whether t-VNS and DSB could enhance the parasympathetic tone, decrease pain
      sensitivity and improve gut motility in CP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 20
      patients (12 males, mean age=61 years, range: 50-78 years) with CP were
      randomized to short-term (60 minutes) t-VNS and DSB, or their placebo equivalent,
      in a crossover design. Cardiometrically derived parameters of autonomic tone,
      quantitative sensory testing of bone and muscle pain pressure, conditioned pain
      modulation (CPM) and assessments of gastroduodenal motility with ultrasound were
      performed. RESULTS: In comparison to sham, t-VNS and DSB increased cardiac vagal
      tone (CVT) (P<0.001). However, no changes in pain pressure thresholds for bone
      (P=0.95) or muscle (P=0.45) were seen. There was diminished CPM (P=0.04), and no
      changes in gastroduodenal motility were observed (P=0.3). CONCLUSION: This
      explorative study demonstrated that t-VNS and DSB increased CVT in patients with
      CP. However, this short-lasting increase did not affect pain sensitivity to
      musculoskeletal pain or gastroduodenal motility. The chronic pain in CP patients
      is complex, and future trials optimizing neuromodulation for pain relief and
      improved motility are needed.

PMID- 28615967
TI  - Assessment of direct analgesic effect of duloxetine for chronic low back pain:
      post hoc path analysis of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Comorbid depression and depressive symptoms are common in patients
      with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Duloxetine is clinically effective in major
      depressive disorder and several chronic pain states, including CLBP. The
      objective of this post hoc meta-analysis was to assess direct and indirect
      analgesic efficacy of duloxetine for patients with CLBP in previous clinical
      trials. METHODS: Post hoc path analyses were conducted of 3 randomized, double
      blind, clinical studies of patients receiving duloxetine or placebo for CLBP. The
      primary outcome measure for pain was the Brief Pain Inventory, average pain
      score. A secondary outcome measure, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, was used
      for depressive symptoms. The changes in score from baseline to endpoint were
      determined for each index. Path analyses were employed to calculate the
      proportion of analgesia that may be attributed to a direct effect of duloxetine
      on pain. RESULTS: A total of 851 patients (400 duloxetine and 451 placebo) were
      included in this analysis. Duloxetine significantly improved pain scores compared
      with placebo (p<0.001). It also significantly improved depressive scores compared
      with placebo (p=0.015). Path analyses showed that 91.1% of the analgesic effect
      of duloxetine could be attributed to a direct analgesic effect, and 8.9% to its
      antidepressant effect. Similar results were obtained when data were evaluated at
      weeks 4 and 7, and when patients were randomized to subgroups based on baseline
      pain scores, baseline depressive symptoms scores, and gender. CONCLUSION:
      Duloxetine significantly improved pain in patients with CLBP. Path analyses
      results suggest that duloxetine produced analgesia mainly through mechanisms
      directly impacting pain modulation rather than lifting depressive symptoms. This
      effect was consistent across all subgroups tested.

PMID- 28615968
TI  - Effects of dezocine on prevention of propofol injection pain: a meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dezocine on
      the prevention of propofol injection pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched for
      randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of dezocine in preventing propofol injection
      pain, from inception to April 2016, in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and
      CNKI. Next, two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and
      assessed quality in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
      Finally, RevMan 5.2 software was used to conduct a meta-analysis. RESULTS: Seven
      RCTs totaling 630 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis
      study showed: 1) compared with the control group (relative risk [RR] =0.32, 95%
      CI [0.26, 0.39], P<0.00001), the dezocine group showed a decreasing incidence of
      propofol injection pain; 2) for severity of propofol injection pain, incidences
      of mild pain (RR =0.55, 95% CI [0.40, 0.75], P=0.0001), moderate pain (RR =0.28,
      95% CI [0.18, 0.43], P<0.00001), and severe pain (RR =0.11, 95% CI [0.06, 0.23],
      P<0.00001) were considerably lower in the dezocine group than in the control
      group; 3) when comparing the incidence of propofol injection pain in the dezocine
      group with that of the lidocaine group, no statistically significant differences
      were found (RR =0.86, 95% CI [0.66, 1.13], P=0.29); and 4) subgroup analysis
      indicated a significant reduction in the incidence of propofol injection.
      CONCLUSION: Dezocine can both prevent propofol injection pain and mitigate its
      severity, and its efficacy shows no significant difference from that of
      lidocaine.

PMID- 28615969
TI  - A Behavioral Survey of the Effects of Kavalactones on Caenorhabditis elegans
      Neuromuscular Transmission.
AB  - Kava is a plant root extract that is widely consumed by Pacific Islanders. Kava
      contains a class of lactone compounds called kavalactones. The sedative and
      anxiolytic effects of kava are likely attributed to the efficacies of
      kavalactones on the nervous system. Although some studies have implicated the
      potencies of certain kavalactone species on gamma-aminobutyric acid transmission,
      evidence supporting the action of kavalactones on the eukaryotic neuromuscular
      junction (NMJ) and acetylcholine (ACh) transmission is scant. Here, we used
      behavioral assays to demonstrate the effects of kavalactones at the
      Caenorhabditis elegans NMJ. Our results suggest that kavalactones disrupt the
      inhibitory-excitatory balance at the NMJ. Such perturbation of NMJ activity is
      likely due to excess or prolonged ACh transmission. In addition, we found that
      kavain, a major constituent of kava, induced worm paralysis but not convulsions.
      Hence, the modulatory action of kavain could be distinct from the other
      kavalactone species.

PMID- 28615970
TI  - Changes in pulmonary function tests in breast carcinoma patients treated with
      locoregional post-mastectomy radiotherapy: results of a pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of present pilot study was to evaluate the changes in
      pulmonary function tests (PFTs) after locoregional post-mastectomy radiotherapy
      (PMRT) in breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty consecutive
      patients with histopathologically confirmed breast carcinoma stages T1-T4, N1-N2,
      who were treated with modified radical mastectomy with neoadjuvant or adjuvant
      chemotherapy underwent PFTs, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced
      expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced expiratory flow at 50%, and peak
      expiratory flow rate, maximum mid expiratory flow (MMEF25-75), maximal oxygen
      consumption (VO2max), and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) before, at 30
      days, and at 90 days after locoregional PMRT. A two-tailed paired Student's t
      test was used to compare mean values among the variables between the groups.
      RESULTS: A significant drop in FVC, FEV1, and DLCO was noticed at day 90 after
      the completion of locoregional PMRT with P-values 0.033, 0.042, and 0.031,
      respectively, while MMEF25-75 and VO2max were not significantly affected (P
      values 0.075 and 0.062, respectively) favoring a restrictive lung injury pattern.
      However, no patient was found to be symptomatic. CONCLUSION: A significant drop
      in reduction in PFTs occurred at day 90 after the completion of locoregional
      PMRT. PFTs shall be performed in all breast cancer patients receiving
      locoregional PMRT for early detection of radiation-induced lung toxicity as all
      patients in our cohort were found asymptomatic.

PMID- 28615971
TI  - Clinical use of the Oncotype DX genomic test to guide treatment decisions for
      patients with invasive breast cancer.
AB  - Implementation of the Oncotype DX assay has led to a change in the manner in
      which chemotherapy is utilized in patients with early stage, estrogen receptor
      (ER)-positive, node-negative breast cancer; ensuring that patients at highest
      risk of recurrence are prescribed systemic treatment, while at the same time
      sparing low-risk patients potential adverse events from therapy unlikely to
      influence their survival. This test generates a recurrence score between 0 and
      100, which correlates with probability of distant disease recurrence. Patients
      with low-risk recurrence scores (0-17) are unlikely to derive significant
      survival benefit with adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonal agents derived from
      using adjuvant hormonal therapy only. Conversely, adjuvant chemotherapy has been
      shown to significantly improve survival in patients with high-risk recurrence
      scores (>=31). Trials are ongoing to determine how best to manage patients with
      recurrence scores in the intermediate range. This review outlines the
      introduction and impact of Oncotype DX testing on practice; ongoing clinical
      trials investigating its utility; and challenging clinical scenarios where the
      absolute recurrence score may require careful interpretation. We also performed a
      bibliometric analysis of publications on the topics of breast cancer and Oncotype
      DX as a surrogate marker of acceptability and incorporation of the assay into the
      management of patients with breast cancer.

PMID- 28615972
TI  - Single nucleotide polymorphisms and unacceptable late toxicity in breast cancer
      adjuvant radiotherapy: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has recently been a strong interest in the inter-individual
      variation in normal tissue and tumor response to radiotherapy (RT), because
      tissue radiosensitivity seems to be under genetic control. Evidence is
      accumulating on the role of polymorphic genetic variants, such as single
      nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that could influence normal tissue response after
      radiation. The most studied SNPs include those in genes involved in DNA repair
      (single- and double-strand breaks, and base excision) and those active in the
      response to oxidative stress. CASE REPORT: We present the case report of a 60
      year-old woman with early breast cancer who underwent adjuvant hormone therapy
      and conventional radiotherapy, and subsequently developed unacceptable cosmetic
      toxicities of the irradiated breast requiring a genetic test of genes involved in
      DNA repair mechanisms. The patient was found to be heterozygous for G28152A (T/C)
      and C18067T (A/G) mutations in X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1)
      and 3 (XRCC3), respectively, homozygous for A313G (G/G) mutation in glutathione S
      transferase Pi 1 (GSTP1), and wild-type for A4541G (A/A) in XRCC3 and G135C (G/G)
      in RAD51 recombinase. CONCLUSION: The role of SNPs should be taken into account
      when a severe phenomenon appears in normal tissues after radiation treatment,
      because understanding the molecular basis of individual radiosensitivity may be
      useful for identifying moderately or extremely radiosensitive patients who may
      need tailored therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28615973
TI  - Can biosimilars help achieve the goals of US health care reform?
AB  - The US Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) aims to expand health
      care coverage, contain costs, and improve health care quality. Accessibility and
      affordability of innovative biopharmaceuticals are important to the success of
      the ACA. As it is substantially more difficult to manufacture them compared with
      small-molecule drugs, many of which have generic alternatives, biologics may
      increase drug costs. However, biologics offer demonstrated improvements in
      patient care that can reduce expensive interventions, thus lowering net health
      care costs. Biosimilars, which are highly similar to their reference biologics,
      cost less than the originators, potentially increasing access through reduced
      prescription drug costs while providing equivalent therapeutic results. This
      review evaluates 1) the progress made toward enacting health care reform since
      the passage of the ACA and 2) the role of biosimilars, including the potential
      impact of expanded biosimilar use on access, health care costs, patient
      management, and outcomes. Barriers to biosimilar adoption in the USA are noted,
      including low awareness and financial disincentives relating to reimbursement.
      The evaluated evidence suggests that the ACA has partly achieved some of its
      aims; however, the opportunity remains to transform health care to fully achieve
      reform. Although the future is uncertain, increased use of biosimilars in the US
      health care system could help achieve expanded access, control costs, and improve
      the quality of care.

PMID- 28615974
TI  - Presurgical cleft lip and palate orthopedics: an overview.
AB  - Patients with cleft lip and/or palate go through a lifelong journey of
      multidisciplinary care, starting from before birth and extending until adulthood.
      Presurgical orthopedic (PSO) treatment is one of the earliest stages of this care
      plan. In this paper we provide a review of the PSO treatment. This review should
      help general and specialist dentists to better understand the cleft patient care
      path and to be able to answer patient queries more efficiently. The objectives of
      this paper were to review the basic principles of PSO treatment, the various
      types of techniques used in this therapy, and the protocol followed, and to
      critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of some of these techniques.
      In conclusion, we believe that PSO treatment, specifically nasoalveolar molding,
      does help to approximate the segments of the cleft maxilla and does reduce the
      intersegment space in readiness for the surgical closure of cleft sites. However,
      what we remain unable to prove equivocally at this point is whether the reduction
      in the dimensions of the cleft presurgically and the manipulation of the nasal
      complex benefit our patients in the long term.

PMID- 28615975
TI  - Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention in women: current perspectives.
AB  - There are ~900,000 new HIV infections among women every year, representing nearly
      half of all new HIV infections globally. In the US, nearly one-fifth of all new
      HIV infections occur among women, and women from racial and ethnic minority
      communities experience disproportionately high rates of new HIV infections. Thus,
      there is a need to develop and implement effective HIV prevention strategies for
      women in the US and internationally, with a specific need to advance strategies
      in minority communities. Previous studies have demonstrated that oral HIV pre
      exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the use of antiretroviral medications by HIV
      uninfected persons to prevent HIV acquisition, can reduce HIV incidence among
      women who are adherent to PrEP. However, to date, awareness and uptake of PrEP
      among women have been very limited, suggesting a need for innovative strategies
      to increase the knowledge of and access to PrEP among women in diverse settings.
      This narrative review summarizes the efficacy and safety data of PrEP in women,
      discusses considerations related to medication adherence for women who use PrEP,
      and highlights behavioral, social, and structural barriers to maximize the
      effectiveness of PrEP in women. It also reviews novel modalities for PrEP in
      women which are being developed and tested, including topical formulations and
      long-acting injectable agents that may offer advantages as compared to oral PrEP
      and proposes a community-oriented, social networking framework to increase
      awareness of PrEP among women. If women are provided with access to PrEP and
      support to overcome social and structural barriers to adhere to PrEP, this
      prevention strategy holds great promise to impact the HIV epidemic among women in
      the US and globally.

PMID- 28615976
TI  - Clinical utility of neurostimulation devices in the treatment of overactive
      bladder: current perspectives.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This review describes the evidence from established and experimental
      therapies that use electrical nerve stimulation to treat lower urinary tract
      dysfunction. METHODS: Clinical studies on established treatments such as
      percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (P-PTNS), transcutaneous
      electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) and sacral
      anterior root stimulation (SARS) are evaluated. In addition, clinical evidence
      from experimental therapies such as dorsal genital nerve (DGN) stimulation,
      pudendal nerve stimulation, magnetic nerve stimulation and ankle implants for
      tibial nerve stimulation are evaluated. RESULTS: SNS and P-PTNS have been
      investigated with high-quality studies that have shown proven efficacy for the
      treatment for overactive bladder (OAB). SARS has proven evidence-based efficacy
      in spinal cord patients and increases the quality of life. TENS seems inferior to
      other OAB treatments such as SNS and P-PTNS but is noninvasive and applicable for
      ambulant therapy. Results from studies on experimental therapies such as pudendal
      nerve stimulation seem promising but need larger study cohorts to prove efficacy.
      CONCLUSION: Neurostimulation therapies have proven efficacy for bladder
      dysfunction in patients who are refractory to other therapies. SIGNIFICANCE:
      Refinement of neurostimulation therapies is possible. The aim should be to make
      the treatments less invasive, more durable and more effective for the treatment
      of lower urinary tract dysfunction.

PMID- 28615977
TI  - High lateral plantar pressure is related to an increased tibialis
      anterior/fibularis longus activity ratio in patients with recurrent lateral ankle
      sprain.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Center of pressure (COP) is a sudden displacement at the time of a
      lateral ankle sprain (LAS). It has been suggested that the distribution of
      plantar pressure and the quantity of COP displacement are important for assessing
      the risk of LAS. Therefore, we evaluated the plantar pressure during a single-leg
      balance test with eyes closed (SLB-C) to identify the factors and characteristics
      of plantar pressure in people with repeated cases of LAS. METHODS: We recruited
      22 collegiate athletes and divided them into an instability group (IG; n=11) and
      a control group (CG; n=11). We measured the distribution of plantar pressure and
      lower extremity muscle activity during a SLB-C along with static alignment and
      isometric ankle strength. RESULTS: The fibularis longus (FL) activity was
      significantly lower in the IG than in the CG. The lateral plantar pressure
      (LPP)/medial plantar pressure (MPP) ratio was also higher in the IG than in the
      CG. In addition, the LPP/MPP ratio was correlated with the tibialis anterior
      (TA)/FL ratio. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that increased lateral plantar
      pressure is related to decreased FL activity and increased TA/FL ratio.

PMID- 28615978
TI  - Clinical characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with post-chemotherapy
      arthritis: a retrospective case series report.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report was to describe the demographics,
      clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with cancer presenting with
      arthritis following chemotherapy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      This is a retrospective case series report. We included any patient >=18 years of
      age with an established diagnosis of cancer who had received standard therapeutic
      intervention and was subsequently diagnosed with arthritis after developing
      rheumatic symptoms either during or after treatment. Patients with clinical
      evidence of arthritis at the time of their cancer diagnosis were excluded.
      RESULTS: Seven cases from different centers were identified. Breast cancer was
      the most common type of cancer reported. The diagnosis of arthritis was
      established by a rheumatologist. Bilateral involvement of the metacarpophalangeal
      and proximal interphalangeal joints was the most common presentation. The knee,
      back, shoulder and wrist joints were less affected. Following treatment, one
      patient experienced complete resolution of symptoms, four patients
      symptomatically improved and one patient had no improvement. CONCLUSION:
      Arthritis can develop both during and after treatment of a malignancy. Solid
      tumors seem to be more commonly associated with this phenomenon. In this case
      series, the prognosis was poor as the majority of patients developed persistent
      arthritis.

PMID- 28615979
TI  - Erratum: Gender stereotypes in occupational choice: a cross-sectional study on a
      group of Italian adolescents [Erratum].
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 109 in vol. 10, PMID: 28458587.].

PMID- 28615980
TI  - Household flood preparedness and associated factors in the flood-prone community
      of Dembia district, Amhara National Regional State, northwest Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Flood preparedness empowers the community to respond effectively to
      related hazards. However, there was no research done in the country concerning
      household flood preparedness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess
      household flood preparedness and associated factors in the flood-prone community
      of Dembia district, northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross
      sectional study was conducted from March to April 2014 in the Dembia district. A
      two-stage sampling technique was used. The study was conducted using 806 flood
      prone participants. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect
      data. The collected data were entered using Epi info version 3.5.1 and
      transported into SPSS version 16 for further analysis. Descriptive and analytic
      statistics were computed. Variables having association with the outcome variable
      were reported using odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI). Model fitness
      was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshew chi-square test. RESULTS: Household flood
      preparedness was found to be 24.4%. The age group of >= 46 years (adjusted odds
      ratio [AOR]=2.62; 95% CI: 1.12, 6.00) above, monthly household income >893
      Ethiopian Birr, (AOR=6.72; 95% CI: 2.2 7, 19.88) attending primary level
      education (AOR=22.08; 95% CI: 8.16, 59.74), warning system in household
      (AOR=5.41; 95% CI: 2.38, 12.32), knowledge of flood prevention, (AOR=2.52; 95%
      CI: 1.43, 5.57) were positively associated with household flood preparedness.
      CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: This study has demonstrated that household flood
      preparedness was found to be low in the study area. Household flood preparedness
      was significantly associated with the older age group, attending primary level
      education, having a higher monthly income, receive household level warning
      messages, having knowledge on preparedness, prior exposure to a flood, and length
      of flood >6 days. Strengthening household flood preparedness in advance is
      important in order to prevent flood and its related consequences.

PMID- 28615981
TI  - Human taeniasis: current insights into prevention and management strategies in
      endemic countries.
AB  - Human taeniasis is a zoonotic condition resulting from infection with the adult
      stages of Taenia saginata ("beef tapeworm"), Taenia solium ("pork tapeworm") or
      Taenia asiatica ("Asian tapeworm"). Although these parasites have a worldwide
      distribution, the overwhelming burden is felt by communities in low- and middle
      income countries. This is particularly true for T. solium, whereby infection of
      the central nervous system with the larval stage of the parasite
      (neurocysticercosis) is a major cause of acquired epilepsy in low-resource
      settings. With a focus on endemic countries, this review provides an insight into
      the prevention and management of human taeniasis, concluding with some recent
      case studies describing their implementation. Discussion of the opportunities and
      challenges regarding current fecal and serological diagnostic assays for
      detecting Taenia spp. highlights the importance of accurate and accessible
      diagnostic options for the field situation. The lack of long-term impact on the
      parasites' lifecycle from human anthelmintic treatment, coupled with the
      propensity for adverse reactions, highlights the importance of a "two-pronged"
      approach that considers the relevant animal hosts, particularly in the case of T.
      solium. Aside from the therapeutic options, this review reiterates the importance
      of adequate assessment and consideration of the associated behavioral and policy
      aspects around sanitation, hygiene and meat inspection that have been shown to
      support parasite control, and potential elimination, in endemic regions.

PMID- 28615983
TI  - Legionnaires' Disease: Clinicoradiological Comparison of Sporadic Versus Outbreak
      Cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2015, New York City experienced the worst outbreak of
      Legionnaires' disease in the history of the city. We compare patients seen during
      the 2015 outbreak with sporadic cases of Legionella during the past 5 years.
      METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 90 patients with
      Legionnaires' disease, including sporadic cases of Legionella infection admitted
      from 2010 to 2015 (n = 55) and cases admitted during the 2015 outbreak (n = 35).
      RESULTS: We saw no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding
      demographics, smoking habits, alcohol intake, underlying medical disease, or
      residence type. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that patients with
      sporadic case of Legionella had a longer stay in the hospital and intensive care
      unit as well as an increased stay in mechanical ventilation. Short-term
      mortality, discharge disposition, and most clinical parameters did not differ
      significantly between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: We found no specific
      clinicoradiological characteristics that could differentiate sporadic from
      epidemic cases of Legionella. Early recognition and high suspicion for
      Legionnaires' disease are critical to provide appropriate treatment. Cluster of
      cases should increase suspicion for an outbreak.

PMID- 28615982
TI  - Family-based treatment of eating disorders in adolescents: current insights.
AB  - Eating disorders are serious illnesses associated with significant morbidity and
      mortality. Family-based treatment (FBT) has emerged as an effective intervention
      for adolescents with anorexia nervosa, and preliminary evidence suggests that it
      may be efficacious in the treatment of adolescents with bulimia nervosa.
      Multifamily therapy for anorexia nervosa provides a more intensive experience for
      families needing additional support. This review outlines the three phases of
      treatment, key tenets of family-based treatment, and empirical support for FBT.
      In addition, FBT in higher levels of care is described, as well as challenges in
      the implementation of FBT and recent adaptations to FBT, including offering
      additional support to eating-disorder caregivers. Future research is needed to
      identify families for whom FBT does not work, determine adaptations to FBT that
      may increase its efficacy, develop ways to improve treatment adherence among
      clinicians, and find ways to support caregivers better during treatment.

PMID- 28615984
TI  - Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma Arising Within a Mature Ovarian Teratoma: Case
      Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - Mature cystic teratoma is the most common kind of ovarian germ cell tumor.
      Malignant transformation is uncommon, with thyroid cancer rarely found. Papillary
      thyroid microcarcinoma has rarely been described as associated with ovarian
      teratomas. We report a case of a 34-year-old woman who presented with abdominal
      pain and an ovarian mass. After surgery, the patient was diagnosed with a
      follicular variant papillary thyroid microcarcinoma that arose within a mature
      cystic ovarian teratoma. Based on the small size of the primary lesion and
      patient preferences, no further treatment was performed. To our knowledge, this
      is the third reported case of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma arising within a
      mature ovarian teratoma without struma ovarii. There is no consensus on the
      surgical approach and postoperative management of this condition. Whether further
      therapy with total thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation may be beneficial is
      unknown. In conclusion, papillary thyroid microcarcinoma can also arise within
      mature ovarian teratomas. Although a favorable prognosis is anticipated, there is
      limited information about its history or prognosis.

PMID- 28615985
TI  - Treatment of Movement Disorders With Focused Ultrasound.
AB  - Although the use of ultrasound as a potential therapeutic modality in the brain
      has been under study for several decades, relatively few neuroscientists or
      neurologists are familiar with this technology. Stereotactic brain lesioning had
      been widely used as a treatment for medically refractory patients with essential
      tremor (ET), Parkinson disease (PD), and dystonia but has been largely replaced
      by deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, with advantages both in safety and
      efficacy. However, DBS is associated with complications including intracerebral
      hemorrhage, infection, and hardware malfunction. The occurrence of these
      complications has spurred interest in less invasive stereotactic brain lesioning
      methods including magnetic resonance imaging-guided high intensity-focused
      ultrasound (FUS) surgery. Engineering advances now allow sound waves to be
      targeted noninvasively through the skull to a brain target. High intensities of
      sonic energy can create a coagulation lesion similar to that of older
      radiofrequency stereotactic methods, but without opening the skull, recent Food
      and Drug Administration approval of unilateral thalamotomy for treatment of ET.
      Clinical studies of stereotactic FUS for aspects of PD are underway. Moderate
      intensity, pulsed FUS has also demonstrated the potential to safely open the
      blood-brain barrier for localized delivery of therapeutics including proteins,
      genes, and cell-based therapy for PD and related disorders. The goal of this
      review is to provide basic and clinical neuroscientists with a level of
      understanding to interact with medical physicists, biomedical engineers, and
      radiologists to accelerate the application of this powerful technology to brain
      disease.

PMID- 28615986
TI  - Mortality, stroke, and heart failure in atrial fibrillation cohorts after
      ablation versus propensity-matched cohorts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We sought to determine from key clinical outcomes whether catheter
      ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased survival.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Using routinely collected hospital data, ablation patients
      were matched to two control cohorts using direct and propensity score
      methodology. Four thousand nine hundred ninety-one ablation patients were matched
      1:1 with general AF controls without ablation. Five thousand four hundred seven
      ablation patients were similarly matched to controls who underwent cardioversion.
      We examined the rates of ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack
      (stroke/TIA), heart failure hospitalization, and death. Matched populations had
      very similar comorbidity profiles, including nearly identical CHA2DS2-VASc risk
      distribution (p=0.6948 and p=0.8152 vs general AF and cardioversion cohorts).
      Kaplan-Meier models showed increased survival after ablation for all outcomes
      compared with both control cohorts (p<0.0001 for all outcomes vs general AF,
      p=0.0087 for stroke/TIA, p<0.0001 for heart failure, and p<0.0001 for death vs
      cardioversion). Cox regression models also showed improved survival after
      ablation for all outcomes compared with the general AF cohort (hazard ratio
      [HR]=0.4, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.3-0.6, p<0.0001 for stroke/TIA;
      HR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.6, p<0.0001 for heart failure; HR=0.1, 95% CI: 0.1-0.1,
      p<0.0001 for death) and the cardioversion cohort (HR=0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-0.9,
      p=0.0111 for stroke/TIA; HR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.3-0.6, p<0.0001 for heart failure;
      HR=0.3, 95% CI:0.2-0.5, p<0.0001 for death). CONCLUSIONS: Catheter ablation of AF
      was associated with very significant reductions in mortality, stroke/TIA, and
      heart failure compared with a matched general AF population and a matched
      population who underwent cardioversion. Potential confounding of outcomes was
      minimized by very tight cohort matching.

PMID- 28615987
TI  - Stroke rates before and after ablation of atrial fibrillation and in propensity
      matched controls in the UK.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether catheter ablation of atrial
      fibrillation (AF) is associated with reduced occurrence of ischemic
      cerebrovascular events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using routinely collected hospital
      data, ablation patients were matched to two control cohorts via direct and
      propensity score matching. A total of 4,991 ablation patients were matched 1:1 to
      general AF controls with no ablation, and 5,407 ablation patients were similarly
      matched to controls who underwent cardioversion. Yearly rates of ischemic stroke
      or transient ischemic attack (stroke/TIA) before and after an index date were
      compared between cohorts. Index date was defined as the first ablation, the first
      cardioversion, or the second AF event in the general AF cohort. Matched
      populations had very similar demographic and comorbidity profiles, including
      nearly identical CHA2DS2-VASc risk distribution (p-values 0.6948 and 0.8152 vs
      general AF and cardioversion cohorts). Statistical models of stroke/TIA risk in
      the preindex period showed no difference in annual event rates between cohorts
      (mean+/-standard error 0.30% +/- 0.08% ablation vs 0.28% +/- 0.07% general AF,
      p=0.8292; 0.37% +/- 0.09% ablation vs 0.42% +/- 0.08% cardioversion, p=0.5198).
      Postindex models showed significantly lower annual rates of stroke/TIA in
      ablation patients compared with each control group over 5 years (0.64% +/- 0.11%
      ablation vs 1.84% +/- 0.23% general AF, p<0.0001; 0.82% +/- 0.15% ablation vs
      1.37% +/- 0.18% cardioversion, p=0.0222). CONCLUSION: Matching resulted in
      cohorts having the same baseline risks and rates of ischemic cerebrovascular
      events. After the index date, there were significantly lower yearly event rates
      in the ablation cohort. These results suggest the divergence in outcome rates
      stems from variance in the treatment pathways beginning at the index date.

PMID- 28615988
TI  - Identification and control of an isolated, but intense focus of lymphatic
      filariasis on Satawal Island, Federated States of Micronesia, in 2003.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is very limited data available on the prevalence of Bancroftian
      filariasis in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Considerable attempts to
      eliminate the disease had occurred in the Pacific region by the year 2003, and
      the prevalence in FSM was thought to be sufficiently low that the region was
      considered non-endemic. However, a survey conducted in 2003 on an isolated atoll
      of FSM, Satawal Island, challenged that assumption. METHODS: Participants on
      Satawal Island were recruited and their blood tested for Wuchereria bancrofti
      antigen by the filariasis immunochromatographic test (ICT) card and circulating
      microfilaria by Knott's concentration technique. A survey for active cases of
      lymphoedema, elephantiasis and hydrocoele was performed and mosquitoes were
      trapped and dissected to detect larvae of W. bancrofti. RESULTS: A total of 104
      males and 149 females from early teens to mid-80s were tested. Men had a
      significantly higher prevalence of infection than women in both the ICT test (53
      vs 28%; p < 0.001) and by Knott's concentration results (37 vs 11%; p < 0.001).
      Microfilaria prevalence was higher in subjects <=25 than in those >25 years of
      age. All persons sampled were treated for LF. No cases of elephantiasis or
      hydrocoele were detected. No Aedes dissected were positive but three of nine
      culicine mosquitoes were positive for L1-3 larval stages of W. bancrofti by
      microscopy. In depth interviews were conducted with residents and chiefs.
      CONCLUSIONS: This survey showed that even in regions thought to be close to
      elimination, isolated high intensity foci of lymphatic filariasis may occur.
      These need to be recognized and control measures instituted such as local MDA as
      in the current study.

PMID- 28615989
TI  - Factors that influence the clinical utilization of the nursing process at a
      hospital in Accra, Ghana.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The nursing process is a tool that is recommended for use by all
      professional nurses working in Ghana, in order to provide nursing care. However,
      there is currently a limited use of this tool by nurses in Ghana. The purpose of
      this research study was to explore the various factors that influence the
      utilization of this nursing process. METHOD: An exploratory descriptive
      qualitative-research design was employed. Ten participants were involved by using
      the purposive sampling method. A semi-structured interview guide was used to
      collect the data from the research participants; and the data were analysed by
      using content analysis. One main theme, with five subthemes, emerged from the
      analysis. RESULTS: It was found that there are factors, such as nurses not having
      a better understanding of the nursing process, whilst in school; the absence of
      the care plan in the ward, as well as the lack of adequate staff, with limited
      time being available for coping with contributed to the non-usage of the nursing
      process. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the clinical utilization of the Nursing
      process at the clinical setting is influenced by lack of understanding of Nurses
      on the Nursing process and care plan as well as lack of adequate nurses and time.
      We recommend that the care-plan form be made officially a part of the admission
      documents. Furthermore, the nursing administration should put measures in place
      to provide nurses with the needed resources to implement the nursing process.
      Additionally, they should ensure that the care-plan forms and other resources
      needed by the nurses are regularly and adequately provided. Nurses should further
      see the nursing process as a means of providing comprehensive care to their
      patients and addressing their specific problems. They should therefore make time
      despite their busy schedules to use it in order to improve quality of care and
      the image of nursing in Ghana.

PMID- 28615990
TI  - The challenges and opportunities of translating best practice immunisation
      strategies among low performing general practices to reduce equity gaps in
      childhood immunisation coverage in New Zealand.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Immunisation coverage rates vary considerably at the local level
      across New Zealand and challenges remain with effectively translating best
      available research evidence into public health practice. This study aimed to
      translate best practices from high performing general practices into strategies
      to improve childhood immunisation coverage among low performing practices.
      METHODS: An intervention study was undertaken of general practices with low
      immunisation coverage rates and a high percentage of the enrolled population
      being of Maori ethnicity. Intervention groups received customised action plans
      and support for a 12 month period while control groups received 'business as
      usual' support. Structured interviews were conducted with key informants from all
      participating practices to understand current aspects related to childhood
      immunisation delivery and surveys were conducted to understand how the
      intervention worked. Collected data were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Ten
      sites were randomised to either intervention (n = 6) or control group (n = 4).
      Positive aspects of childhood immunisation delivery included high prioritisation
      at the practice and staff being pro-immunisation and knowledgeable. Key
      challenges experienced included inaccurate family contact information and
      discrepancies with referral processes to other providers. Other challenges noted
      were building rapport with families and vaccine hesitancy. The action plans
      included various strategies aimed to improve processes at the practice, contact
      and engagement with parents, and partnership development with local service
      providers. CONCLUSIONS: Creating customised action plans and providing support to
      providers were considered as helpful approaches when attempting to improve
      childhood immunisation coverage rates. Our study supports the notion that one
      strategy will not solely by itself improve childhood immunisation rates and
      highlights the importance of having a toolkit of strategies from which to draw
      from.

PMID- 28615991
TI  - MiR-34a and miR-206 act as novel prognostic and therapy biomarkers in cervical
      cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicated that the aberrant expression of microRNA
      plays a crucial role in the development of cervical cancer. The overall shorter
      survival was strongly related to the abnormal expression of microRNA-34a (miR
      34a) and microRNA-206 (miR-206), which target B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl2) and c-Met.
      Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met pathway is related to the occurrence,
      development and prognosis of cervical cancer, and c-Met is significantly
      overexpressed in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. Bcl2 is also considered to be
      a promising target for developing novel anticancer treatments. METHODS: In this
      study, we detect the expression of miR-34a and miR-206 in the cervical cancer
      tissue through quantificational real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)
      assay, and the expression of Bcl2 and c-Met from cervical cancer tissue were
      detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The expression of miR-34a and miR-206
      were down-regulated in the cervical cancer tissue through qRT-PCR assay. As
      target genes of miR-34a and miR-206, Bcl2 and c-Met were up-regulated in cervical
      cancer tissues through qRT-PCR assay and immunohistochemistry. Kaplan-Meier and
      log-rank analysis revealed that down-regulated expression of miR-34a and miR-206
      were strongly related to shorter overall survival. Multivariate Cox proportional
      hazards model for all variables that were statistically significant in the
      univariate analysis demonstrated that miR-34a (P = 0.038) and miR-206 (P = 0.008)
      might be independent prognostic factors for overall survival of patients
      suffering from cervical cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The up-regulation of Bcl2 and c-Met
      promotes the cervical cancer's progress, and the expression of miR-34a and miR
      206 significantly correlated with the progression and prognosis in cervical
      cancer. All of these suggested that miR-34a and miR-206 might be the novel
      prognostic and therapy tools in cervical cancer.

PMID- 28615992
TI  - Overexpression of lncRNA HOXA11-AS promotes cell epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition by repressing miR-200b in non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies have verified that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)
      involved in many biological functions and play crucial roles in human cancers
      progression, the study aimed to detect the association between long non-coding
      RNA HOXA11-AS and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in non-small
      cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The lncRNA HOXA11-AS expression levels were
      determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays
      in 78 paired of tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue samples in NSCLC
      patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test was used to examine the
      association between lncRNA HOXA11-AS expression and the over survival time in
      NSCLC patients. Transwell invasion assay was performed to detect the cell
      invasion ability. QRT-PCR and western-blot analysis detected the mRNA and protein
      expression of EMT related transcription factors ZEB1/ZEB2, Snail1/2 and EMT
      marker E-cadherin and N-cadherin in NSCLC cells. RIP and Chromatin
      immunoprecipitation assays were performed to analyze the association between
      lncRNA HOXA11-AS and miR-200b expression in NSCLC cells. RESULTS: The lncRNA
      HOXA11-AS expression levels were significantly higher in NSCLC tissues compared
      with adjacent normal tissues and higher HOXA11-AS expression levels had a poor
      prognosis in NSCLC patients. Furthermore, knockdown of lncRNA HOXA11-AS in A549
      and H1299 cells dramatically inhibited cell invasive abilities. Besides, the
      transcription levels and protein levels of EMT related transcription factors
      ZEB1/ZEB2, Snail1/2, and EMT maker N-cadherin were down-regulated after lncRNA
      HOXA11-AS was knocked down, but the mRNA and protein expression levels of EMT
      maker E-cadherin was increasing in A549 and H1299 cells. The mechanistic findings
      showed demonstrated that HOXA11-AS interacted with EZH2 and DNMT1 and recruited
      them to the miR-200b promoter regions to repress miR-200b expression in NSCLC
      cells, which promoted cell EMT in NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that up
      regulation of lncRNA HOXA11-AS predicted a poor prognosis and lncRNA HOXA11-AS
      promoted cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by inhibiting miR-200b
      expression in NSCLC.

PMID- 28615993
TI  - Resveratrol protects against ICV collagenase-induced neurobehavioral and
      biochemical deficits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Indeed, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) account for only 15% of all
      strokes but it is one of the most devastating subtype of stroke associated with
      behavioral, cognitive and neurological deficits. The primary cause of
      neurological deficits in ICH is the hematoma growth, generation of free radicals,
      inflammatory cytokines and exhausting endogenous anti-oxidant machinery. It has
      been found that neuroinflammation following ICH leads to exaggeration of
      hallmarks of ICH. With this background, the study was aimed to evaluate the
      protective effect of resveratrol (RSV) in intracerebroventricular (ICV)
      collagenase (COL) induced neurological deficits in rats. METHODS: The present
      study was designed to explore the protective effects of resveratrol (5, 10, 20
      mg/kg) against ICV-COL induced ICH. Animals were subjected to a battery of
      behavioral tests to access behavioral changes, including neurological scoring
      tests (cylinder test, spontaneous motility, righting reflex, horizontal bar test,
      forelimb flexion), actophotometer, rotarod, Randall Sellito and von Frey. Post
      stroke depression was estimated using forced swim test (FST). Memory deficit was
      monitored using Morris water maze (MWM). RESULTS: Chronic treatment with RSV (20
      mg/kg) for 21 days restored various behavioral changes, including neurological
      scoring tests (cylinder test, spontaneous motility, righting reflex, horizontal
      bar test, forelimb flexion), actophotometer, rotarod, Randall Sellito and Von
      Frey. RSV also restores increase in immobility time forced swim test used to
      evaluate post stroke depression and impaired memory deficit in Morris water maze.
      RSV administration also attenuated increased nitro-oxidative stress and TNF-alpha
      level. RSV being a potent antioxidant also restores changes in endogenous anti
      oxidant levels. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our research demonstrates that RSV has
      a protective effect against ICH by virtue of its anti-inflammatory property and
      antioxidant and nitrosative stress restoring property.

PMID- 28615995
TI  - Additive Enhanced Creeping of Sodium Chloride Crystals.
AB  - This article investigates the mechanism behind the creeping of sodium chloride
      induced by additives. Here, an experimental approach is complemented with
      theoretical considerations to describe how creeping patterns of brine evolve and
      how the introduction of additives into the solution affects the morphology of the
      resultant crystals. We have found that these additives cause kinetic roughening
      and morphological instability mainly due to the reduction of surface free energy.
      There was also a marked increase in three-dimensional nucleation of the NaCl
      crystals and thus branching.

PMID- 28615994
TI  - Characterisation of the circulating acellular proteome of healthy sheep using LC
      MS/MS-based proteomics analysis of serum.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unlike humans, there is currently no publicly available reference
      mass spectrometry-based circulating acellular proteome data for sheep, limiting
      the analysis and interpretation of a range of physiological changes and disease
      states. The objective of this study was to develop a robust and comprehensive
      method to characterise the circulating acellular proteome in ovine serum.
      METHODS: Serum samples from healthy sheep were subjected to shotgun proteomic
      analysis using nano liquid chromatography nano electrospray ionisation tandem
      mass spectrometry (nanoLC-nanoESI-MS/MS) on a quadrupole time-of-flight
      instrument (TripleTOF(r) 5600+, SCIEX). Proteins were identified using
      ProteinPilotTM (SCIEX) and Mascot (Matrix Science) software based on a minimum of
      two unmodified highly scoring unique peptides per protein at a false discovery
      rate (FDR) of 1% software by searching a subset of the Universal Protein Resource
      Knowledgebase (UniProtKB) database (http://www.uniprot.org). PeptideShaker
      (CompOmics, VIB-UGent) searches were used to validate protein identifications
      from ProteinPilotTM and Mascot. RESULTS: ProteinPilotTM and Mascot identified 245
      and 379 protein groups (IDs), respectively, and PeptideShaker validated 133
      protein IDs from the entire dataset. Since Mascot software is considered the
      industry standard and identified the most proteins, these were analysed using the
      Protein ANalysis THrough Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) classification tool
      revealing the association of 349 genes with 127 protein pathway hits. These data
      are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD004989. CONCLUSIONS: These
      results demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of characterising the
      ovine circulating acellular proteome using nanoLC-nanoESI-MS/MS. This peptide
      spectral data contributes to a protein library that can be used to identify a
      wide range of proteins in ovine serum.

PMID- 28615998
TI  - In anesthesia and pain medicine, do we need Arabic version of the English
      language questionnaires?

PMID- 28615997
TI  - Serum concentration of several trace metals and physical training.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to observe the concentrations of trace
      metals boron, lithium, rubidium, antimony, tin and strontium in the serum of
      athletes from different modalities and sedentary subjects and the possible
      influence that different energy sports training modalities can have on their
      concentration. METHODS: Eighty professional athletes and 31 sedentary males
      participated in the present survey. All of them were living in Caceres (Spain).
      Serum boron, lithium, rubidium, antimony, tin and strontium analysis was
      performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). RESULTS: The
      results show higher concentrations in athletes on tin (p < 0.01), rubidium and
      antimony (p < 0.001) than the control group. In the case of tin, this item had
      the highest concentrations only in aerobic sports modalities. Regarding rubidium
      and antimony, the highest concentrations are found in athletes with lower oxygen
      consumption (aerobic-anaerobic) (p < 0.001), followed by anaerobic group (p <
      0.001). CONCLUSION: Our research shows that, probably due to increased water and
      air intake, especially, trace elements rubidium, antimony and tin reveal major
      differences in serum concentration of athletes in relation to sedentary subjects.
      On the other hand, physical training does not change the serum concentration of
      Boron, Lithium and strontium.

PMID- 28615999
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the Short-Form McGill Pain
      Questionnaire.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) is a widely used
      tool for qualitative and quantitative pain assessment. Our aim was to translate,
      culturally adapt, and validate the SF-MPQ in Arabic. METHODS: A systematic
      translation process was used to translate the original English SF-MPQ into
      Arabic. After the pilot study, we validated our version in patients with chronic
      pain at two tertiary care centers. We tested the reliability of our version using
      internal consistency and test-retest reliability. We examined the validity by
      assessing construct validity, concurrent validity (by investigating the
      associations between SF-MPQ, Brief Pain Inventory [BPI], and Self-completed Leeds
      Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs [S-LANSS]), and face validity. The
      questionnaire was administered twice to examine responsiveness. RESULTS: A total
      of 142 participants (68 men and 74 women) were included in this study. Cronbach's
      alpha was 0.85 (95% confidence interval: 0.81 - 0.89), and interclass correlation
      coefficients were 0.71 (0.62-0.79) for the whole scale. SF-MPQ was moderately
      associated with patients' present pain (r = 0.55, P < 0.001) and the numerical
      rating scale (r = 0.42, P < 0.001). The total pain score was moderately
      correlated with pain severity and interference assessed with the BPI (rs = 0.39
      to 0.49, all Ps < 0.001). SF-MPQ total pain score was weakly associated with
      neuropathic pain assessed with S-LANSS (r = 0.26, P < 0.01). Most patients found
      the SF-MPQ questions to be clear and easy to understand and thought the
      questionnaire items covered all their problem areas regarding their pain.
      CONCLUSION: Our translated version of SF-MPQ was reliable and valid for use among
      Arabic-speaking patients. The SF-MPQ is a good qualitative and quantitative
      assessment tool for pain but is only weakly associated with neuropathic pain.

PMID- 28616000
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and
      Depression Scale.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is widely used to
      predict and diagnose hospital anxiety and depression. It has been translated and
      validated in many languages, but the existing Arabic version was not validated in
      hospitalized patients. The aim was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate
      the HADS Questionnaire into Arabic language for in-patient use, especially for
      surgical wards. METHODS: A systematic translation process was used to translate
      the original English HADS into Arabic. After the pilot study, we validated our
      version in surgical patients at two tertiary care centers. We tested the
      reliability of our version using internal consistency. We examined the validity
      by assessing construct validity, concurrent validity (by testing the associations
      between HADS, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale [GAD-7], and Major
      Depression Inventory [MDI]), and face validity. The questionnaire was
      administered before and after surgery to examine responsiveness. RESULTS: A total
      of 110 patients (22 men, 88 women) were included in the study. Cronbach's alphas
      for the HADS anxiety subscale were 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.79- 0.88) and
      for the HADS depression subscale were 0.77 (0.7-0.83). Nearly 36% of the patients
      reported symptoms indicative of borderline or case anxiety before surgery, which
      decreased to 25% 1 week after surgery. HADS anxiety score was strongly correlated
      with GAD-7, and HADS depression score was strongly associated with MDI. Patients
      with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status and those who
      remained hospitalized for more than 5 days were more likely to report depression
      symptoms. Most patients found the HADS questions to be clear and easy to
      understand, and thought the questionnaire items covered all their problem areas
      regarding their hospital anxiety and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our Arabic version
      of HADS is a reliable and valid tool to assess the mood states in hospitalized
      patients.

PMID- 28616001
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the postoperative quality of
      recovery scale.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The postoperative quality of recovery scale (PostopQRS) is a widely
      used tool to assess the postoperative quality of recovery. Our aim was to
      translate, culturally adapt, and validate the PostopQRS questionnaire in Arabic.
      METHODOLOGY: A systematic translation process was used to translate the original
      English PostopQRS into Arabic. After the pilot study, the translated version was
      validated among patients who underwent different types of surgeries. We examined
      the reliability (using internal consistency) and validity of the translated
      version. To examine the responsiveness of the translated PostopQRS, the
      questionnaire was administered 6 times among the same group of patients (once
      before surgery as baseline measure, and 5 times after surgery, up to 1 week after
      surgery). RESULTS: A total of 190 patients (10 men, 180 women) were included.
      Internal consistencies vary across each domain and overtime, with mostly good to
      excellent reliability. Most patients found the PostopQRS questions to be clear
      and easy to understand and thought the questionnaire items covered all their
      problem areas regarding their quality of recovery. In general, patients showed
      recovery across all five domains starting from postoperative day 1 (POD1).
      Patients showed the fastest recovery in the emotional domain, and the proportion
      of recovered patients remained stable over time. Most patients were recovered in
      the cognitive domain by POD1. Although only a small proportion of patients were
      recovered in the physiological and activities of daily living domains in POD1,
      most patients were recovered by POD3. The proportion of patients recovered in the
      nociceptive domain declined initially, but more patients showed recovery by POD3
      and most were recovered by POD7. Furthermore, quality of recovery was related to
      the extent of surgery (major vs. minor). CONCLUSION: Our translated version of
      PostopQRS was reliable and valid for use among Arabic-speaking patients. In
      addition, we showed that the PostopQRS was able to track the changes in recovery
      among patients in our study.

PMID- 28615996
TI  - International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of
      creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine.
AB  - Creatine is one of the most popular nutritional ergogenic aids for athletes.
      Studies have consistently shown that creatine supplementation increases
      intramuscular creatine concentrations which may help explain the observed
      improvements in high intensity exercise performance leading to greater training
      adaptations. In addition to athletic and exercise improvement, research has shown
      that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury
      prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and concussion and/or spinal cord
      neuroprotection. Additionally, a number of clinical applications of creatine
      supplementation have been studied involving neurodegenerative diseases (e.g.,
      muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease), diabetes, osteoarthritis,
      fibromyalgia, aging, brain and heart ischemia, adolescent depression, and
      pregnancy. These studies provide a large body of evidence that creatine can not
      only improve exercise performance, but can play a role in preventing and/or
      reducing the severity of injury, enhancing rehabilitation from injuries, and
      helping athletes tolerate heavy training loads. Additionally, researchers have
      identified a number of potentially beneficial clinical uses of creatine
      supplementation. These studies show that short and long-term supplementation (up
      to 30 g/day for 5 years) is safe and well-tolerated in healthy individuals and in
      a number of patient populations ranging from infants to the elderly. Moreover,
      significant health benefits may be provided by ensuring habitual low dietary
      creatine ingestion (e.g., 3 g/day) throughout the lifespan. The purpose of this
      review is to provide an update to the current literature regarding the role and
      safety of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine and to update
      the position stand of International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).

PMID- 28616002
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the douleur neuropathique 4
      questionnaire.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The douleur neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire is a widely used
      tool for diagnosis of neuropathic pain (NP). The aim was to translate, culturally
      adapt, and validate the DN4 questionnaire in Arabic. METHODS: A systematic
      translation process was used to translate the original English DN4 into Arabic.
      After the pilot study, the Arabic version was validated among patients with
      chronic pain in two tertiary care centers. The reliability of the translated
      version was examined using internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and
      intraclass correlation coefficients. We examined the validity of the Arabic DN4
      via construct validity, concurrent validity (associations with the numeric rating
      scale, brief pain inventory, and Self-Completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic
      Symptoms and Signs [S-LANSS]), face validity, and diagnostic validity. To
      investigate the responsiveness, the translated DN4 was administered twice among
      the same group of patients. RESULTS: A total of 142 subjects (68 men, 74 women)
      were included in the study. Cronbach's alpha was 0.67 (95% confidence interval
      [CI]: 0.59-0.75), and interclass correlation coefficients was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.76
      0.87). The DN4 was moderately associated with the S-LANSS questionnaire. Results
      showed our Arabic DN4 to have good diagnostic accuracy, with area under the curve
      of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82-0.94). As with the original version, a score of >=4 was
      found to be the best cut-off for the diagnosis of NP, with a sensitivity of
      88.31%, specificity of 74.47%, a positive predictive value of 85%, and a negative
      predictive value of 80%. Most patients found the DN4 questionnaire to be clear
      and easy to understand, and thought the questionnaire items covered all their
      problem areas regarding their pain. CONCLUSION: Our Arabic version of the DN4 is
      a reliable and valid screening tool that can be easily administered among
      patients to differentiate between NP and non-NP.

PMID- 28616003
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the postoperative quality of
      recovery-40 questionnaire.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The postoperative quality of recovery-40 (QoR-40) is one of the
      most frequently used tools to assess the quality of recovery after surgery. The
      aim of the current study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the QoR
      40 questionnaire in Arabic. METHODS: A systematic translation process was used to
      translate the original English QoR-40 into Arabic. After the pilot study, the
      translated version was validated among patients who underwent different types of
      surgeries. The reliability (using internal consistency) and validity of our
      translated Arabic version was examined. To investigate the responsiveness of the
      translated QoR-40, the questionnaire was administered five times among the same
      group of patients (once before surgery as baseline measure, and four times after
      surgery, up to 1 week after surgery). RESULTS: A total of 182 participants (7
      men, 175 women) were included in the study. The QoR-40 total scale and all
      subscales showed excellent internal consistencies over time, with the exception
      of the QoR-40 pain subscale at postoperative day 1. The QoR-40 total and subscale
      scores were inversely associated with patients' self-report pain scores but
      positively correlated with patients' self-report recovery scores. Patients' QoR
      40 total, comfort, emotions, and physical subscale scores increased over time
      after surgery, indicating a general trend of recovery over time. Patients' scores
      in the QoR-40 pain and support subscales remained stable over time, suggesting no
      substantial changes were reported in these two domains. Quality of recovery was
      also found to be related to patients' ages, American Society of Anesthesiologists
      Physical Status, and the extent of surgery (major vs. minor). Most patients found
      the Arabic QoR-40 questions to be clear and easy to understand and thought the
      questionnaire items covered all their problem areas regarding their quality of
      recovery. CONCLUSION: Our translated version of QoR-40 was reliable and valid for
      use among Arabic-speaking patients. In addition, the QoR-40 was able to assess
      the quality of recovery in several domains among patients who underwent surgical
      procedures.

PMID- 28616004
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the Neuropathic Pain
      Questionnaire-Short Form.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire-Short Form (NPQ-SF) is the
      shortest diagnostic tool for the assessment of neuropathic pain, designed with
      the goal to differentiate between neuropathic and nonneuropathic pain. The aim of
      this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the NPQ-SF
      questionnaire in Arabic. METHODS: A systematic translation process was used to
      translate the original English NPQ-SF into Arabic. After the pilot study, the
      Arabic version was validated among patients with chronic pain in two tertiary
      care centers. Reliability of the translated version was examined using internal
      consistency, test-retest reliability, and intraclass correlation coefficient
      (ICC). We examined the validity of the Arabic NPQ-SF via construct validity,
      concurrent validity (associations with the numeric pain scale, Brief Pain
      Inventory, and Self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs
      [S-LANSS]), face validity, and diagnostic validity. To investigate the
      responsiveness, the translated NPQ-SF questionnaire was administered twice among
      the same group of patients. RESULTS: A total of 142 subjects (68 men, 74 women)
      were included in the study. Cronbach's alpha were 0.45 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.61) and
      0.48 (95% CI: 0.33, 0.63), and the ICC was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.85). The NPQ-SF
      was moderately to strongly associated with the S-LANSS questionnaire. Results
      showed our Arabic NPQ-SF to have good diagnostic accuracy, with area under the
      curve of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.84). Results from the receiver operating
      characteristic analysis identified a cut-off score of >=0.52 as the best score to
      distinguish between patients with or without neuropathic pain, which was higher
      than the recommended cut-off score (>=0) in the original study. With both
      sensitivity and specificity of 71%. Most patients found the NPQ-SF questionnaire
      to be clear and easy to understand. CONCLUSION: Our translated version of NPQ-SF
      is reliable and valid for use, thus providing physicians a new tool with which to
      evaluate and diagnose neuropathic pain among Arabic-speaking patients.

PMID- 28616005
TI  - Development and validation of Arabic version of the pain catastrophizing scale.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) is the most widely used tool
      to assess pain catastrophizing. The aim of this study was to translate,
      culturally adapt, and validate the PCS questionnaire in Arabic. METHODS: A
      systematic translation process was used to translate the original English PCS
      into Arabic. After the pilot study, we validated our version among patients with
      chronic pain at two tertiary care centers. We tested the reliability of our
      version using internal consistency and test-retest reliability. We examined the
      validity by assessing construct validity, concurrent validity (by investigating
      the associations with Brief Pain Inventory [BPI]), and face validity. RESULTS: A
      total of 113 subjects (50 men, 63 women) were included in the study. Cronbach's
      alpha was 0.94 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92-0.96), and interclass
      correlation coefficients was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.77-0.89) for the total scale. There
      was no statistically significant difference in the total PCS scores between
      patients who reported experiencing current pain and those who did not. Among
      patients who reported having current pain, pain severity was weakly associated
      with the total PCS scores (r = 0.22, P = 0.03). PCS and its subscales were not
      statistically significantly associated with any of the BPI items. Nonetheless,
      patients who were diagnosed with neuropathic pain had statistically significantly
      higher scores on the total PCS, rumination, and helplessness subscales. Most
      patients found the PCS questions to be clear and easy to understand, and thought
      the questionnaire items covered all their problem areas regarding their pain
      catastrophizing. CONCLUSION: Our translated version of PCS is reliable and valid
      for use among Arabic-speaking patients.

PMID- 28616006
TI  - The burden of chronic pain after major head and neck tumor therapy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the burden of chronic pain after major head
      and neck tumors' therapy. In this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of
      chronic pain, explore the factors associated with the presence of chronic pain,
      and assess the consequences of chronic pain on the patients' quality of life.
      METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional survey among patients who had completed
      their therapy (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) for major head and
      neck (larynx, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, oral cavity, tongue, and
      sinuses) tumors after at least 3 months. We collected relevant demographic and
      clinical data and administered the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, Neuropathic
      Pain Questionnaire-Short Form, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale questionnaires.
      Possible risk factors were explored using a classification tree model. RESULTS: A
      total of 102 patients (59 men, 42 women) were enrolled in this study between 3
      and 72 months after tumor treatment. 30% of the patients reported having chronic
      pain after their major head and neck tumors' therapy. The average pain score in
      the last 24-hr was 3.4 (standard deviation = 2.7). The prevalence of patients
      with chronic pain was higher (42%) among those who had surgery. Factors
      associated with chronic pain were female sex, older age, surgery, advanced cancer
      stage, and radiotherapy. Patients who reported having chronic pain also reported
      having a lower quality of life manifested by impairments in general activity,
      mood, walking ability, normal work, and sleeping. Patients who reported having
      chronic pain had higher Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores. CONCLUSION: Our study
      highlighted the high burden of chronic pain after therapy for major head and neck
      tumors. We identified demographic and clinical factors that are associated with
      the presence of chronic pain. Further studies are required to better understand
      the risk factors to implement strategies to prevent, alleviate, and treat chronic
      pain associated with major head and neck tumor therapies.

PMID- 28616007
TI  - Guidelines for developing, translating, and validating a questionnaire in
      perioperative and pain medicine.
AB  - The task of developing a new questionnaire or translating an existing
      questionnaire into a different language might be overwhelming. The greatest
      challenge perhaps is to come up with a questionnaire that is psychometrically
      sound, and is efficient and effective for use in research and clinical settings.
      This article provides guidelines for the development and translation of
      questionnaires for application in medical fields, with a special emphasis on
      perioperative and pain medicine. We provide a framework to guide researchers
      through the various stages of questionnaire development and translation. To
      ensure that the questionnaires are psychometrically sound, we present a number of
      statistical methods to assess the reliability and validity of the questionnaires.

PMID- 28616008
TI  - Corrigendum: ToolConnect: A Functional Connectivity Toolbox for In vitro
      Networks.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 13 in vol. 10, PMID: 27065841.].

PMID- 28616009
TI  - Corrigendum: Shape Perception and Navigation in Blind Adults.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 10 in vol. 8, PMID: 28144226.].

PMID- 28616010
TI  - Corrigendum: The N400 Effect during Speaker-Switch-Towards a Conversational
      Approach of Measuring Neural Correlates of Language.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 1854 in vol. 7, PMID: 27965604.].

PMID- 28616011
TI  - Corrigendum: Picture-induced semantic interference reflects lexical competition
      during object naming.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 28 in vol. 3, PMID: 22363304.].

PMID- 28616012
TI  - Corrigendum: From Vineyard Soil to Wine Fermentation: Microbiome Approximations
      to Explain the "terroir" Concept.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 821 in vol. 8, PMID: 28533770.].

PMID- 28616013
TI  - Corrigendum: Zebra Fish Lacking Adaptive Immunity Acquire an Antiviral Alert
      State Characterized by Upregulated Gene Expression of Apoptosis, Multigene
      Families, and Interferon-Related Genes.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 121 in vol. 8, PMID: 28243233.].

PMID- 28616014
TI  - Corrigendum: Seed Embryo Development Is Regulated via an AN3-MINI3 Gene Cascade.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 1645 in vol. 7, PMID: 27857719.].

PMID- 28616015
TI  - Correction: The translational importance of establishing biomarkers of human
      spinal cord injury.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 385 in vol. 12, PMID: 28469645.].

PMID- 28616017
TI  - Inhibition and enhancement of neural regeneration by chondroitin sulfate
      proteoglycans.
AB  - The current dogma in neural regeneration research implies that chondroitin
      sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) inhibit plasticity and regeneration in the adult
      central nervous system (CNS). We argue that the role of the CSPGs can be reversed
      from inhibition to activation by developmentally expressed CSPG-binding factors.
      Heparin-binding growth-associated molecule (HB-GAM; also designated as
      pleiotrophin) has been studied as a candidate molecule that might modulate the
      role of CSPG matrices in plasticity and regeneration. Studies in vitro show that
      in the presence of soluble HB-GAM chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains of CSPGs
      display an enhancing effect on neurite outgrowth. Based on the in vitro studies,
      we suggest a model according to which the HB-GAM/CS complex binds to the neuron
      surface receptor glypican-2, which induces neurite growth. Furthermore, HB-GAM
      masks the CS binding sites of the neurite outgrowth inhibiting receptor protein
      tyrosine phosphatase sigma (PTPsigma), which may contribute to the HB-GAM-induced
      regenerative effect. In vivo studies using two-photon imaging after local HB-GAM
      injection into prick-injury of the cerebral cortex reveal regeneration of
      dendrites that has not been previously demonstrated after injuries of the
      mammalian nervous system. In the spinal cord, two-photon imaging displays HB-GAM
      induced axonal regeneration. Studies on the HB-GAM/CS mechanism in vitro and in
      vivo are expected to pave the way for drug development for injuries of brain and
      spinal cord.

PMID- 28616018
TI  - Collapsin response mediator protein-2 plays a major protective role in acute
      axonal degeneration.
AB  - Axonal degeneration is a key pathological feature in many neurological diseases.
      It often leads to persistent deficits due to the inability of axons to regenerate
      in the central nervous system. Therefore therapeutic approaches should optimally
      both attenuate axonal degeneration and foster axonal regeneration. Compelling
      evidence suggests that collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP2) might be a
      molecular target fulfilling these requirements. In this mini-review, we give a
      compact overview of the known functions of CRMP2 and its molecular interactors in
      neurite outgrowth and in neurodegenerative conditions. Moreover, we discuss in
      detail our recent findings on the role of CRMP2 in acute axonal degeneration in
      the optic nerve. We found that the calcium influx induced by the lesion activates
      the protease calpain which cleaves CRMP2, leading to impairment of axonal
      transport. Both calpain inhibition and CRMP2 overexpression effectively protected
      the proximal axons against acute axonal degeneration. Taken together, CRMP2 is
      further characterized as a central molecular player in acute axonal degeneration
      and thus evolves as a promising therapeutic target to both counteract axonal
      degeneration and foster axonal regeneration in neurodegenerative and
      neurotraumatic diseases.

PMID- 28616016
TI  - Neurological and neuropsychological consequences of electrical and lightning
      shock: review and theories of causation.
AB  - Injuries from lightning and electrical injuries involve multiple systems of the
      body, however neurological symptoms are very widely reported. A disabling
      neuropsychological syndrome is also noted. This paper presents a comprehensive
      review of neurological and neuropsychological symptoms. Partial theories of
      causation for these injuries have been advanced, however, there is no convincing
      explanation for both delay in onset of symptoms and also the genesis of the
      neuropsychological syndrome. A theory of causation is proposed which satisfies
      both these constraints. This theory suggests circulating hormones such as
      cortisol, together with nitric oxide and oxidant free radicals from glutamatergic
      hyper-stimulation, act on tissues remote from the injury path including the
      hippocampus. This theory opens a research path to explore treatment options.

PMID- 28616019
TI  - Hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha stabilization for regenerative therapy in
      traumatic brain injury.
AB  - Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), also called concussion, initiates sequelae
      leading to motor deficits, cognitive impairments and subtly compromised
      neurobehaviors. While the acute phase of TBI is associated with neuroinflammation
      and nitroxidative burst, the chronic phase shows a lack of stimulation of the
      neurorepair process and regeneration. The deficiency of nitric oxide (NO), the
      consequent disturbed NO metabolome, and imbalanced mechanisms of S-nitrosylation
      are implicated in blocking the mechanisms of neurorepair processes and functional
      recovery in the both phases. Hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1alpha), a
      master regulator of hypoxia/ischemia, stimulates the process of neurorepair and
      thus aids in functional recovery after brain trauma. The activity of HIF-1alpha
      is regulated by NO via the mechanism of S-nitrosylation of HIF-1alpha. S
      nitrosylation is dynamically regulated by NO metabolites such as S
      nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and peroxynitrite. GSNO stabilizes, and peroxynitrite
      destabilizes HIF-1alpha. Exogenously administered GSNO was found not only to
      stabilize HIF-1alpha and to induce HIF-1alpha-dependent genes but also to
      stimulate the regeneration process and to aid in functional recovery in TBI
      animals.

PMID- 28616021
TI  - MRI analysis and clinical significance of lower extremity muscle cross-sectional
      area after spinal cord injury.
AB  - Shortly after spinal cord injury (SCI), the musculoskeletal system undergoes
      detrimental changes in size and composition, predominantly below the level of
      injury. The loss of muscle size and strength, along with increased immobility,
      predisposes persons with SCI to rapid and severe loss in bone mineral density and
      other health related consequences. Previous studies have highlighted the
      significance of measuring thigh muscle cross-sectional area, however, measuring
      the size and composition of muscles of the lower leg may provide insights on how
      to decrease the risk of various comorbidities. The purpose of the current review
      was to summarize the methodological approach to manually trace and measure the
      muscles of the lower leg in individuals with SCI, using magnetic resonance
      imaging. We also intend to highlight the significance of analyzing lower leg
      muscle cross-sectional area and its relationship to musculoskeletal and vascular
      systems in persons with SCI.

PMID- 28616020
TI  - Minocycline targets multiple secondary injury mechanisms in traumatic spinal cord
      injury.
AB  - Minocycline hydrochloride (MH), a semi-synthetic tetracycline derivative, is a
      clinically available antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug that also exhibits
      potent neuroprotective activities. It has been shown to target multiple secondary
      injury mechanisms in spinal cord injury, via its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant,
      and anti-apoptotic properties. The secondary injury mechanisms that MH can
      potentially target include inflammation, free radicals and oxidative stress,
      glutamate excitotoxicity, calcium influx, mitochondrial dysfunction, ischemia,
      hemorrhage, and edema. This review discusses the potential mechanisms of the
      multifaceted actions of MH. Its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects are
      partially achieved through conserved mechanisms such as modulation of p38 mitogen
      activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt
      signaling pathways as well as inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
      Additionally, MH can directly inhibit calcium influx through the N-methyl-D
      aspartate (NMDA) receptors, mitochondrial calcium uptake, poly(ADP-ribose)
      polymerase-1 (PARP-1) enzymatic activity, and iron toxicity. It can also directly
      scavenge free radicals. Because it can target many secondary injury mechanisms,
      MH treatment holds great promise for reducing tissue damage and promoting
      functional recovery following spinal cord injury.

PMID- 28616023
TI  - Genetically modifying transcription factors to promote CNS axon regeneration.

PMID- 28616024
TI  - Chronically denervated distal nerve stump inhibits peripheral nerve regeneration.

PMID- 28616022
TI  - Therapeutic opportunities and challenges of induced pluripotent stem cells
      derived motor neurons for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and motor
      neuron disease.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and motor neuron diseases (MNDs) are
      progressive neurodegenerative diseases that affect nerve cells in the brain
      affecting upper and lower motor neurons (UMNs/LMNs), brain stem and spinal cord.
      The clinical phenotype is characterized by loss of motor neurons (MNs), muscular
      weakness and atrophy eventually leading to paralysis and death due to respiratory
      failure within 3-5 years after disease onset. No effective treatment or cure is
      currently available that halts or reverses ALS and MND except FDA approved drug
      riluzole that only modestly slows the progression of ALS in some patients. Recent
      advances in human derived induced pluripotent stem cells have made it possible
      for the first time to obtain substantial amounts of human cells to recapitulate
      in vitro "disease in dish" and test some of the underlying pathogenetic
      mechanisms involved in ALS and MNDs. In this review, I discussed the
      opportunities and challenges of induced pluropotent stem cells-derived motor
      neurons for treatment of ALS and MND patients with special emphasis on their
      implications in finding a cure for ALS and MNDs.

PMID- 28616025
TI  - Age-at-injury effects of microglial activation following traumatic brain injury:
      implications for treatment strategies.

PMID- 28616026
TI  - Antioxidant-induced reductive stress has untoward consequences on the brain
      microvasculature.

PMID- 28616027
TI  - The role of motor network reorganization during rehabilitation.

PMID- 28616028
TI  - Need for multiple biomarkers to adjust parameters of closed-loop deep brain
      stimulation for Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 28616029
TI  - P2X7 receptor antagonism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PMID- 28616031
TI  - Polyethylene glycol restores axonal conduction after corpus callosum transection.
AB  - Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been shown to restore axonal continuity after
      peripheral nerve transection in animal models. We hypothesized that PEG can also
      restore axonal continuity in the central nervous system. In this current
      experiment, coronal sectioning of the brains of Sprague-Dawley rats was performed
      after animal sacrifice. 3Brain high-resolution microelectrode arrays (MEA) were
      used to measure mean firing rate (MFR) and peak amplitude across the corpus
      callosum of the ex-vivo brain slices. The corpus callosum was subsequently
      transected and repeated measurements were performed. The cut ends of the corpus
      callosum were still apposite at this time. A PEG solution was applied to the
      injury site and repeated measurements were performed. MEA measurements showed
      that PEG was capable of restoring electrophysiology signaling after transection
      of central nerves. Before injury, the average MFRs at the ipsilateral, midline,
      and contralateral corpus callosum were 0.76, 0.66, and 0.65 spikes/second,
      respectively, and the average peak amplitudes were 69.79, 58.68, and 49.60 MUV,
      respectively. After injury, the average MFRs were 0.71, 0.14, and 0.25
      spikes/second, respectively and peak amplitudes were 52.11, 8.98, and 16.09 MUV,
      respectively. After application of PEG, there were spikes in MFR and peak
      amplitude at the injury site and contralaterally. The average MFRs were 0.75,
      0.55, and 0.47 spikes/second at the ipsilateral, midline, and contralateral
      corpus callosum, respectively and peak amplitudes were 59.44, 45.33, 40.02 MUV,
      respectively. There were statistically differences in the average MFRs and peak
      amplitudes between the midline and non-midline corpus callosum groups (P < 0.01,
      P < 0.05). These findings suggest that PEG restores axonal conduction between
      severed central nerves, potentially representing axonal fusion.

PMID- 28616030
TI  - Time-lapse changes of in vivo injured neuronal substructures in the central
      nervous system after low energy two-photon nanosurgery.
AB  - There is currently very little research regarding the dynamics of the subcellular
      degenerative events that occur in the central nervous system in response to
      injury. To date, multi-photon excitation has been primarily used for imaging
      applications; however, it has been recently used to selectively disrupt neural
      structures in living animals. However, understanding the complicated processes
      and the essential underlying molecular pathways involved in these dynamic events
      is necessary for studying the underlying process that promotes neuronal
      regeneration. In this study, we introduced a novel method allowing in vivo use of
      low energy (less than 30 mW) two-photon nanosurgery to selectively disrupt
      individual dendrites, axons, and dendritic spines in the murine brain and spinal
      cord to accurately monitor the time-lapse changes in the injured neuronal
      structures. Individual axons, dendrites, and dendritic spines in the brain and
      spinal cord were successfully ablated and in vivo imaging revealed the time-lapse
      alterations in these structures in response to the two-photon nanosurgery induced
      lesion. The energy (less than 30 mW) used in this study was very low and caused
      no observable additional damage in the neuronal sub-structures that occur
      frequently, especially in dendritic spines, with current commonly used methods
      using high energy levels. In addition, our approach includes the option of
      monitoring the time-varying dynamics to control the degree of lesion. The method
      presented here may be used to provide new insight into the growth of axons and
      dendrites in response to acute injury.

PMID- 28616032
TI  - Dose-dependent neuroprotective effect of enoxaparin on cold-induced traumatic
      brain injury.
AB  - Recent evidence exists that enoxaparin can reduce brain injury because of its
      anticoagulant activity. To investigate the potential therapeutic effect of
      enoxaparin on cold-induced traumatic brain injury, at 20 minutes after modeling,
      male BALB/c mouse models of cold-induced traumatic brain injury were
      intraperitoneally administered 3 and 10 mg/kg enoxaparin or isotonic saline
      solution. Twenty-four hours later, enoxaparin at 10 mg/kg greatly reduced infarct
      volume, decreased cell apoptosis in the cortex and obviously increased serum
      level of total antioxidant status. By contrast, administration of enoxaparin at 3
      mg/kg did not lead to these changes. These findings suggest that enoxaparin
      exhibits neuroprotective effect on cold-induced traumatic brain injury in a dose
      dependent manner.

PMID- 28616033
TI  - Exercise-induced muscle fatigue in the unaffected knee joint and its influence on
      postural control and lower limb kinematics in stroke patients.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the effects of exercise-induced muscle fatigue in
      the unaffected knee joint on postural control and kinematic changes in stroke
      patients. Forty participants (20 stroke patients, 20 age-matched healthy
      participants) were recruited. To induce fatigue, maximum voluntary isometric
      contractions were performed in the unaffected knee joint in a Leg Extension Rehab
      exercise machine using the pneumatic resistance. We measured static and dynamic
      balance and lower-limb kinematics during gait. Changes in postural control
      parameters anteroposterior sway speed and total center of pressure distance
      differed significantly between the stroke and control groups. In addition,
      changes in gait kinematic parameters knee and ankle angles of initial contact
      differed significantly between stroke (paretic and non-paretic) and control
      groups. Muscle fatigue in the unaffected knee and ankle impaired postural control
      and debilitates kinematic movement of ipsilateral and contralateral lower limbs,
      and may place the fatigued stroke patients at greater risk for falls.

PMID- 28616034
TI  - Acupuncture with reinforcing and reducing twirling manipulation inhibits
      hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - To observe the effects of different acupuncture manipulations on blood pressure
      and target organ damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), this study
      used the reinforcing twirling method (1.5-2-mm depth; rotating needle clockwise
      for 360 degrees  and then counter clockwise for 360 degrees , with the thumb
      moving heavily forward and gently backward, 60 times per minute for 1 minute, and
      retaining needle for 9 minutes), the reducing twirling method (1.5-2-mm depth;
      rotating needle counter clockwise for 360 degrees  and then clockwise for 360
      degrees , with the thumb moving heavily backward and gently forward, 60 times per
      minute for 1 minute, and retaining needle for 9 minutes), and the needle
      retaining method (1.5-2-mm depth and retaining the needle for 10 minutes).
      Bilateral Taichong (LR3) was treated by acupuncture using different manipulations
      and manual stimulation. Reinforcing twirling, reducing twirling, and needle
      retaining resulted in a decreased number of apoptotic cells, reduced Bax mRNA and
      protein expression, and an increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the hippocampus compared
      with the SHR group. Among these groups, the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio was highest
      in the reducing twirling group, and the Bcl-2/Bax mRNA ratio was highest in the
      needle retaining group. These results suggest that reinforcing twirling, reducing
      twirling, and needle retaining methods all improve blood pressure and prevent
      target organ damage by increasing the hippocampal Bcl-2/Bax ratio and inhibiting
      cell apoptosis in the hippocampus in SHR.

PMID- 28616035
TI  - Neuroprotective effects of Activin A on endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated
      apoptotic and autophagic PC12 cell death.
AB  - Activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, plays a
      neuroprotective role in multiple neurological diseases. Endoplasmic reticulum
      (ER) stress-mediated apoptotic and autophagic cell death is implicated in a wide
      range of diseases, including cerebral ischemia and neurodegenerative diseases.
      Thapsigargin was used to induce PC12 cell death, and Activin A was used for
      intervention. Our results showed that Activin A significantly inhibited
      morphological changes in thapsigargin-induced apoptotic cells, and the expression
      of apoptosis-associated proteins [cleaved-caspase-12, C/EBP homologous protein
      (CHOP) and cleaved-caspase-3] and biomarkers of autophagy (Beclin-1 and light
      chain 3), and downregulated the expression of thapsigargin-induced ER stress
      associated proteins [inositol requiring enzyme-1 (IRE1), tumor necrosis factor
      receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2), apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1
      (ASK1), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38]. The inhibition of thapsigargin
      induced cell death was concentration-dependent. These findings suggest that
      administration of Activin A protects PC12 cells against ER stress-mediated
      apoptotic and autophagic cell death by inhibiting the activation of the IRE1
      TRAF2-ASK1-JNK/p38 cascade.

PMID- 28616036
TI  - Correlation between white matter damage and gray matter lesions in multiple
      sclerosis patients.
AB  - We observed the characteristics of white matter fibers and gray matter in
      multiple sclerosis patients, to identify changes in diffusion tensor imaging
      fractional anisotropy values following white matter fiber injury. We analyzed the
      correlation between fractional anisotropy values and changes in whole-brain gray
      matter volume. The participants included 20 patients with relapsing-remitting
      multiple sclerosis and 20 healthy volunteers as controls. All subjects underwent
      head magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Our results
      revealed that fractional anisotropy values decreased and gray matter volumes were
      reduced in the genu and splenium of corpus callosum, left anterior thalamic
      radiation, hippocampus, uncinate fasciculus, right corticospinal tract, bilateral
      cingulate gyri, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus in multiple sclerosis
      patients. Gray matter volumes were significantly different between the two groups
      in the right frontal lobe (superior frontal, middle frontal, precentral, and
      orbital gyri), right parietal lobe (postcentral and inferior parietal gyri),
      right temporal lobe (caudate nucleus), right occipital lobe (middle occipital
      gyrus), right insula, right parahippocampal gyrus, and left cingulate gyrus. The
      voxel sizes of atrophic gray matter positively correlated with fractional
      anisotropy values in white matter association fibers in the patient group. These
      findings suggest that white matter fiber bundles are extensively injured in
      multiple sclerosis patients. The main areas of gray matter atrophy in multiple
      sclerosis are the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, caudate nucleus, parahippocampal
      gyrus, and cingulate gyrus. Gray matter atrophy is strongly associated with white
      matter injury in multiple sclerosis patients, particularly with injury to
      association fibers.

PMID- 28616037
TI  - Correlation between photoreceptor injury-regeneration and behavior in a zebrafish
      model.
AB  - Direct exposure to intensive visible light can lead to solar retinopathy,
      including macular injury. The signs and symptoms include central scotoma,
      metamorphopsia, and decreased vision. However, there have been few studies
      examining retinal injury due to intensive light stimulation at the cellular
      level. Neural network arrangements and gene expression patterns in zebrafish
      photoreceptors are similar to those observed in humans, and photoreceptor injury
      in zebrafish can induce stem cell-based cellular regeneration. Therefore, the
      zebrafish retina is considered a useful model for studying photoreceptor injury
      in humans. In the current study, the central retinal photoreceptors of zebrafish
      were selectively ablated by stimulation with high-intensity light. Retinal
      injury, cell proliferation and regeneration of cones and rods were assessed at 1,
      3 and 7 days post lesion with immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.
      Additionally, a light/dark box test was used to assess zebrafish behavior. The
      results revealed that photoreceptors were regenerated by 7 days after the light
      induced injury. However, the regenerated cells showed a disrupted arrangement at
      the lesion site. During the injury-regeneration process, the zebrafish exhibited
      reduced locomotor capacity, weakened phototaxis and increased movement angular
      velocity. These behaviors matched the morphological changes of retinal injury and
      regeneration in a number of ways. This study demonstrates that the zebrafish
      retina has a robust capacity for regeneration. Visual impairment and stress
      responses following high-intensity light stimulation appear to contribute to the
      alteration of behaviors.

PMID- 28616038
TI  - Electroacupuncture at Fengchi (GB20) inhibits calcitonin gene-related peptide
      expression in the trigeminovascular system of a rat model of migraine.
AB  - Most migraine patients suffer from cutaneous allodynia; however, the underlying
      mechanisms are unclear. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays an important
      role in the pathophysiology of migraine, and it is therefore, a potential
      therapeutic target for treating the pain. In the present study, a rat model of
      conscious migraine, induced by repeated electrical stimulation of the superior
      sagittal sinus, was established and treated with electroacupuncture at Fengchi
      (GB20) (depth of 2-3 mm, frequency of 2/15 Hz, intensity of 0.5-1.0 mA, 15
      minutes/day, for 7 consecutive days). Electroacupuncture at GB20 significantly
      alleviated the decrease in hind paw and facial withdrawal thresholds and
      significantly lessened the increase in the levels of CGRP in the trigeminal
      ganglion, trigeminal nucleus caudalis and ventroposterior medial thalamic nucleus
      in rats with migraine. No CGRP-positive cells were detected in the trigeminal
      nucleus caudalis or ventroposterior medial thalamic nucleus by
      immunofluorescence. Our findings suggest that electroacupuncture treatment
      ameliorates migraine pain and associated cutaneous allodynia by modulating the
      trigeminovascular system ascending pathway, at least in part by inhibiting CGRP
      expression in the trigeminal ganglion.

PMID- 28616039
TI  - The brain activation pattern of the medial temporal lobe during chewing gum: a
      functional MRI study.

PMID- 28616040
TI  - Stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury: a meta-analysis of treatment
      effectiveness and safety.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of
      stem cell transplantation for spinal cord injury (SCI). DATA SOURCES: PubMed,
      EMBASE, Cochrane, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and
      Technology Journal, Wanfang, and SinoMed databases were systematically searched
      by computer to select clinical randomized controlled trials using stem cell
      transplantation to treat SCI, published between each database initiation and July
      2016. DATA SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials comparing stem cell
      transplantation with rehabilitation treatment for patients with SCI. Inclusion
      criteria: (1) Patients with SCI diagnosed according to the American Spinal Injury
      Association (ASIA) International standards for neurological classification of
      SCI; (2) patients with SCI who received only stem cell transplantation therapy or
      stem cell transplantation combined with rehabilitation therapy; (3) one or more
      of the following outcomes reported: outcomes concerning neurological function
      including sensory function and locomotor function, activities of daily living,
      urination functions, and severity of SCI or adverse effects. Studies comprising
      patients with complications, without full-text, and preclinical animal models
      were excluded. Quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane
      risk of bias assessment tool and RevMan V5.3 software, provided by the Cochrane
      Collaboration, was used to perform statistical analysis. OUTCOME MEASURES: ASIA
      motor score, ASIA light touch score, ASIA pinprick score, ASIA impairment scale
      grading improvement rate, activities of daily living score, residual urine
      volume, and adverse events. RESULTS: Ten studies comprising 377 patients were
      included in the analysis and the overall risk of bias was relatively low level.
      Four studies did not detail how random sequences were generated, two studies did
      not clearly state the blinding outcome assessment, two studies lacked blinding
      outcome assessment, one study lacked follow-up information, and four studies
      carried out selective reporting. Compared with rehabilitation therapy, stem cell
      transplantation significantly increased the lower limb light touch score (odds
      ratio (OR) = 3.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01 - 6.86, P = 0.05), lower
      limb pinprick score (OR = 3.93, 95%CI: 0.74 - 7.12, P = 0.02), ASI grading rate
      (relative risk (RR) = 2.95, 95%CI: 1.64 - 5.29, P = 0.0003), and notably reduced
      residual urine volume (OR = -8.10, 95%CI: -15.09 to -1.10, P = 0.02). However,
      stem cell transplantation did not significantly improve motor score (OR = 1.89,
      95%CI: -0.25 to 4.03, P = 0.08) or activities of daily living score (OR = 1.12,
      95%CI: -1.17 to 4.04, P = 0.45). Furthermore, stem cell transplantation caused a
      high rate of mild adverse effects (RR = 14.49, 95%CI: 5.34 - 34.08, P < 0.00001);
      however, these were alleviated in a short time. CONCLUSION: Stem cell
      transplantation was determined to be an efficient and safe treatment for SCI and
      simultaneously improved sensory and bladder functions. Although associated minor
      and temporary adverse effects were observed with transplanted stem cells, spinal
      cord repair and axon remyelination were apparent. More randomized controlled
      trials with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up times are needed to further
      validate the effectiveness of stem cell transplantation in the treatment of SCI.

PMID- 28616041
TI  - Efficacy of intraorbital electroacupuncture for diabetic abducens nerve palsy:
      study protocol for a prospective single-center randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Abducens nerve palsy (ANP) is commonly seen in patients with diabetes mellitus.
      The validity of acupuncture as a traditional Chinese medicine method in
      peripheral nerve repair is well established. However, its efficacy in randomized
      controlled trials remains unclear. Herein, we designed a protocol for a
      prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect
      of intraorbital electroacupuncture on diabetic ANP. We plan to recruit 60
      patients with diabetic ANP, and randomly divide them into treatment and control
      groups. Patients in both groups will continue their glucose-lowering therapy. A
      neural nutrition drug will be given to both groups for six weeks. The treatment
      group will also receive intraorbital electroacupuncture therapy. We will assess
      efficacy of treatment, eyeball movement, diplopia deviation and the levels of
      fasting blood-glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin before treatment at 2, 4, and 6
      weeks after treatment. The efficacy and recurrence will be investigated during
      follow-up (1 month after intervention). This protocol was registered at Chinese
      Clinical Trial Registry on 16 January 2015 (ChiCTR-IPR-15005836). This study was
      approved by the Ethics Committee of First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical
      University of China (approval number: 201452). All protocols will be in
      accordance with Declaration of Helsinki, formulated by the World Medical
      Association. Written informed consent will be provided by participants. We
      envisage that the results of this clinical trial will provide evidence for
      promoting clinical use of this new therapy for management of ANP.

PMID- 28616042
TI  - Cerebral mechanism of puncturing at He-Mu point combination for functional
      dyspepsia: study protocol for a randomized controlled parallel trial.
AB  - Acupuncture is widely used to treat functional dyspepsia with satisfactory
      outcomes. Combination of the He and Mu acupoints is commonly used and has a
      synergistic effect on functional dyspepsia; however, its underlying mechanisms
      remain unclear. Therefore, a randomized controlled parallel clinical trial is
      currently underway at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
      This trial is designed to explore the efficacy of and central responses to the He
      Mu point combination in patients with functional dyspepsia using functional
      magnetic resonance imaging. A total of 105 patients with functional dyspepsia
      will be allocated into 3 groups: the low-He point group (puncturing at Zusanli
      (ST36)), Mu point group (puncturing at Zhongwan (CV12)), and He-Mu point
      combination group (puncturing at ST36 and CV12). Every participant will receive
      20 sessions of manual acupuncture for 4 weeks. The needles will be inserted
      perpendicularly to a depth of 1 to 2 cun. The angle of rotation and twisting will
      range from 90 to 180 degrees, while lifting and thrusting will range from 0.3 to
      0.5 cm. The various manipulations will be performed 60 to 90 times per minute.
      The needles will remain in place for 30 minutes, during which manipulation will
      be applied every 10 minutes. Magnetic resonance imaging will be performed before
      and after 20 sessions of acupuncture. The primary outcome is symptom improvement
      according to the Chinese version of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index. Secondary
      outcomes include the Leeds dyspepsia questionnaire, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale,
      Self-Rating Depression Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory,
      and visual analogue scale scores before and after 10 and 20 sessions of
      acupuncture. Needle sensation and adverse events will be used to assess the
      therapeutic effects. This study will promote more widespread awareness of the
      benefits of acupoint combination in the clinical setting and provide a further
      explanation of the neuromechanism by which acupuncture at the He-Mu point
      combination for functional dyspepsia. Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial
      Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-15006402.

PMID- 28616043
TI  - Angioedema suppressed by a combination of anti-histamine and leukotriene
      modifier.
AB  - RATIONALE: Angioedema without co-existent urticaria is due to a limited number of
      causes, including hereditary and acquired C1 esterase inhibitor deficiency, drug
      induced angioedema or idiopathic histaminergic or non-histaminergic angioedema.
      We describe a cohort of patients with recurrent angioedema whose clinical
      features and response to medications are distinct from the causes above. METHODS:
      Patients were accrued retrospectively from an academic allergy practice between
      2007 and 2014. After institutional research ethics board approval, patients'
      charts were reviewed and demographic, clinical and laboratory data were
      extracted. RESULTS: A total of 11 patients were recruited. The mean age at
      presentation was 54.9 years (range 19-70 years) and 6 of 11 were male. The mean
      number of episodes per year was 18.7 (range 2-60) and mean duration of episodes
      was 22.4 h (range 4-96). About half of episodes (52%) began overnight. Areas of
      involvement were lips (73%), tongue (64%), eyelids (18%), feet (36%) and hands
      (27%). None of the patients had low C3, C4, or CH50; none had significantly
      positive ANA; C1 esterase inhibitor level and function and C1q were normal in all
      patients tested. In these 11 patients, complete suppression of recurrences by the
      combination of cetirizine 20 mg daily and montelukast 10 mg daily was reported by
      9 (82%) of patients; whereas 2 (18%) of patients had a partial response to this
      combination of medications. CONCLUSIONS: Herein, we report a form of angioedema
      without urticaria, mediated by a combination of histamine and leukotrienes.
      Clinical, demographic and therapeutic characteristics differentiate this from
      other recognized causes of angioedema.

PMID- 28616044
TI  - Decreased fibrinolytic activity is associated with carotid artery stiffening in
      arterial hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A prothrombotic state is associated with the presence and severity of
      organ damage in hypertensive patients. In these patients, evidence of subclinical
      carotid functional changes anticipates major cardiovascular events. The aim of
      this study was to investigate the association of hemostatic markers with carotid
      artery stiffness in hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 116 untreated
      essential hypertensive patients recruited at a referral center in the University
      of Udine, we assessed common carotid artery stiffness by B-mode ultrasonography
      and measured plasma fibrinogen, D-dimer, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI
      1), and homocysteine by the currently available methods. For statistical reasons,
      the patients were divided according to the median value of each index of carotid
      stiffness, and continuous variables were further analyzed by univariate
      correlation and stepwise multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: PAI-1 levels
      were significantly higher in patients with low coefficient of distensibility (P =
      0.018) and high Young's elastic modulus (P = 0.012), whereas no association of
      fibrinogen, D-dimer, and homocysteine levels was observed with carotid
      coefficient of distensibility, Young's elastic modulus, and beta-stiffness. On
      univariate analysis, Young's elastic modulus was significantly and positively
      correlated with PAI-1 levels (r = 0.286, P = 0.002), a correlation that on
      multivariate regression resulted to be independent of other confounders (beta =
      0.289, P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: An independent association of plasma PAI-1 levels
      with carotid artery stiffness suggests a possible contribution of decreased
      fibrinolytic activity to the early functional abnormalities of arterial vessels
      in hypertensive patients. This contribution might be relevant for subsequent
      development of hypertension-related cardiovascular complications.

PMID- 28616045
TI  - Development of the Persian version of the Vertigo Symptom Scale: Validity and
      reliability.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS) is a proper instrument for assessing the
      patient status, clarifying the symptoms, and examining the relative impact of the
      vertigo and anxiety on reported handicap. Our aim is the translation and cross
      cultural adaptation of the VSS into Persian language (VSS-P) and investigating
      its validity and reliability in patients with peripheral vestibular disorders.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: VSS was translated into Persian. Cross-cultural adaptation
      was carried out on 101 patients with peripheral vestibular disorders and 34
      participants with no history of vertigo. They completed the Persian versions of
      VSS, dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI).
      Internal, discriminant, and convergent validities, internal consistency, and test
      retest reliability were determined. RESULTS: The VSS-P showed good face validity.
      Internal validity was confirmed and demonstrated the presence of two vertigo (VSS
      VER) and autonomic-anxiety (VSS-AA) subscales. Significant difference between the
      median scores for patient and healthy groups was reported in discriminate
      validity (P <0.001). Convergent validity revealed high correlation between both
      BAI and DHI with VSS-P. There was a high test-retest reliability; with intraclass
      correlation coefficient of 0.89, 0.86, and 0.91 for VSS-AA, VER, and VSS-P,
      respectively. The internal consistency was good with Cronbach's alpha 0.90 for
      VER subscale, 0.86 for VSS-AA subscale, and 0.92 for the overall VSS-P.
      CONCLUSION: The Persian version of the VSS could be used clinically as a valid
      and reliable tool. Thus, it is a key instrument to focus on the symptoms
      associated with dizziness.

PMID- 28616046
TI  - Encouraging collaborative efforts between environment and health sector to arrest
      climate deterioration.

PMID- 28616047
TI  - Modeling birth weight neonates and associated factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neonate with abnormal weight is at risk of increased mortality and
      morbidity. Many factors affect pregnancy outcome. Because of the importance and
      vital role in birth weight, in this study, some of the factors associated with
      birth weight in a sample of Iranians neonates were investigated. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 245 newborns in a sample of Iranians
      neonates in the year 2013 were selected, and characteristics of neonate and their
      mothers were derived. Birth weights were registered by the neonatal scale. To
      identify the direct and indirect factors affecting birth weight, we used path
      analysis (PA) and IBM AMOS and SPSS software. RESULTS: The mean +/- standard
      deviation of weight in girls (3200 +/- 421) g less than boys (3310 +/- 444) g
      significantly (P = 0.04). Gestational age (P < 0.001), birth rank (P = 0.012),
      distance from a previous pregnancy (P = 0.028), and mother weight (P = 0.04) had
      a statistical significant relationship with birth weight. In the final PA model,
      gestational age has a highest total effect, type of delivery with gestational age
      mediated had the highest indirect effect and type of delivery, and gestational
      age had the greatest total impact on the birth weight. CONCLUSION: Gestational
      age, sex, distance from a previous pregnancy, maternal weight, type of delivery,
      number of abortion, and birth rank were related with birth weight. Due to the
      termination of pregnancy and avoid unnecessary deliveries through cesarean
      section and other related factors should be further consideration by childbirth
      experts. In addition, factors affecting these variables are carefully identified
      and prevented as much as possible.

PMID- 28616048
TI  - Molecular biology of frozen shoulder-induced limitation of shoulder joint
      movements.
AB  - Frozen shoulder is a chronic condition characterized by pain in the shoulder and
      restriction of movements in all directions. Some patients are left with long-term
      limitation of shoulder joint activity with various severities, which results in
      reduced quality of life. Currently, there is a paucity of literature on the
      molecular biology of frozen shoulder, and the molecular biological mechanism for
      periarthritis-induced limitation of shoulder joint movements remains unclear.
      Research in this field is focused on inflammation and cytokines associated with
      fibrosis. Repeated investigations confirmed alterations of specified inflammatory
      mediators and fibrosis-associated cytokines, which might be involved in the
      pathogenesis of frozen shoulder by causing structural changes of the shoulder
      joint and eventually the limitation of shoulder movements. The aim of this
      article is to review studies on molecular biology of frozen shoulder and provide
      a reference for subsequent research, treatment, and development of new drugs.

PMID- 28616050
TI  - Occult cancer in patients with deep-vein thrombosis in a general hospital at
      Mexico City: A pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the frequency of occult cancer in patients with
      deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) at a general hospital in Mexico City. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: From March 2012 to February 2015, all patients with primary DVT of lower
      extremities attended in the emergency department of our hospital were studied.
      Initially, all patients were evaluated with clinical history, physical
      examination, basic laboratories, abdominal ultrasound, chest X-ray, and duplex
      venous ultrasonography. In a case-by-case approach, if necessary, computed
      tomography, endoscopy, colonoscopy, and tumor markers were done. RESULTS: From
      182 patients with primary DVT, 30 (16.5%) presented occult cancer: Thirteen males
      and 17 females, with an average age of 61 years. In males, prostate cancer
      prevailed (6/13, 46%); meanwhile, in females, pelvic gynecologic cancers
      predominated (7/17, 41%). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that in Mexican
      patients with primary DVT, occult cancer is frequent.

PMID- 28616049
TI  - Cytokine profiles at birth and the risk of developing severe respiratory distress
      and chronic lung disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neonates with the diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
      were studied to investigate possible associations between cytokine levels at
      birth and developing severe RDS or chronic lung disease (CLD). MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study on serum and bronchoalveolar lavage
      (BAL) samples collected within hours of birth from infants with moderate and
      severe RDS. Twenty infants with moderate RDS and 20 infants with severe RDS were
      studied. RDS was diagnosed on the basis of radiographic findings, respiratory
      distress, and an increasing oxygen requirement. RDS severity was graded based on
      the radiological findings and Downe's Score. CLD was diagnosed when infants were
      still on supplemented O2 by at least 28 days of age. Levels of the cytokines
      interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were
      measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. "Statistical analysis was
      performed using the SPSS for Windows, (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA)." RESULTS:
      Levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-1beta were significantly
      higher in BAL of infants with severe RDS than those with moderate RDS (P = 0.007
      and P = 0.02, respectively). IL-8 levels were also significantly higher in BAL
      and serum of infants who later progressed to CLD than in those who did not (P =
      0.03 for both). The IL-8/IL-10 cytokine ratio was significantly higher in the BAL
      of severe RDS infants than in moderate RDS (P = 0.01) and in the serum of infants
      who progressed to CLD than in those who did not (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Levels of
      IL-8 and the IL-8/IL-10 ratio measured soon after birth were associated with
      severity of RDS as well as progression to CLD. Early measurement of cytokines
      levels and ratios may contribute to the prognosis and management of RDS and CLD.

PMID- 28616051
TI  - Omega-3 supplementation effects on polycystic ovary syndrome symptoms and
      metabolic syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common female endocrine
      disorder with unknown etiology and with different complications. The aim of this
      study was to evaluate the effect of omega-3 supplementation on PCOS symptoms and
      metabolic syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This double-blind clinical trial was
      performed in 2015 in Alzahra and Shahid Beheshti Hospitals, Isfahan, Iran, on 88
      patients with PCOS. Intervention group took omega-3 supplements with dose of 2
      g/day for 6 months (two capsules), but control group received two olive oil
      capsules. Finally, ultrasound and laboratory findings and the recovery rate of
      menstrual disorders in both groups were compared. RESULTS: After 6 months'
      intervention, waist circumference (WC) was significantly lower in omega-3 as
      compared to control (81.18 +/- 2.87 vs. 84.22 +/- 2.61 cm, respectively, P <
      0.0001). High-density lipoprotein was increased (47.2 +/- 1.37 vs. 41.56 +/- 1.34
      mg/dl, respectively, P < 0.0001) while low-density lipoprotein (107.79 +/- 1.68
      vs. 117.4 +/- 1.57 mg/dl, respectively), triglyceride (116.02 +/- 3.13 vs. 125.06
      +/- 2.91 mg/dl, respectively), and cholesterol (180.34 +/- 6.34 vs. 189.56 +/-
      5.93 mg/dl, respectively) in omega-3 were significantly lower than control (P <
      0.0001). The interval between periods in omega-3 was significantly shorter than
      control (29.83 +/- 4.68 vs. 47.11 +/- 8.72 days, respectively, P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSION: Omega-3 decrease lipid profiles, WC, and interval between periods
      while weight, hip circumference, fasting blood sugar, number of ovarian follicle,
      size of ovary, bleeding volume, menstrual bleeding, and hirsutism score did not
      change by administration of omega-3.

PMID- 28616052
TI  - New emerging biological markers of neonatal sepsis.

PMID- 28616053
TI  - What we should know about health problems in people with intellectual disability:
      Implications for health policy.

PMID- 28616054
TI  - An investigation on non-invasive fungal sinusitis; Molecular identification of
      etiologic agents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fungal sinusitis is increasing worldwide in the past two decades. It
      is divided into two types including invasive and noninvasive. Noninvasive types
      contain allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) and fungus ball. AFS is a
      hypersensitivity reaction to fungal allergens in the mucosa of the sinonasal
      tract in atopic individuals. The fungus ball is a different type of noninvasive
      fungal rhinosinusitis which is delineated as an accumulation of debris and fungal
      elements inside a paranasal sinus. Fungal sinusitis caused by various fungi such
      as Aspergillus species, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, and phaeohyphomycetes. The
      aim of the present study is to identify fungal species isolated from noninvasive
      fungal sinusitis by molecular methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During 2015-2016, a
      total of 100 suspected patients were examined for fungal sinusitis. Functional
      endoscopic sinus surgery was performed using the Messerklinger technique.
      Clinical samples were identified by phenotypic and molecular methods. Polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) sequencing of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and PCR-restriction
      fragment length polymorphism with MspI restriction enzyme was performed for
      molecular identification of molds and yeasts, respectively. RESULTS: Twenty-seven
      out of 100 suspected cases (27%) had fungal sinusitis. Nasal congestion (59%) and
      headache (19%) were the most common clinical signs among patients. Fifteen
      patients (55.5%) were male and 12 patients (44.5%) were female. Aspergillus
      flavus was the most prevalent fungal species (26%), followed by Penicillium
      chrysogenum (18.5%) and Candida glabrata species complex (15%). CONCLUSION: Since
      clinical manifestations, computed tomography scan, endoscopy, and
      histopathological findings are very nonspecific in AFS and fungus ball;
      therefore, molecular investigations are compulsory for precise identification of
      etiologic agents and appropriate management of these fungal infections.

PMID- 28616055
TI  - Evaluation of ovarian function after hysterectomy with or without salpingectomy:
      A feasible study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prophylactic salpingectomy for the prevention of ovarian cancer has
      been recommended strongly. The aim of this study was to compare ovarian function
      in patients who undergo hysterectomy for benign reasons with or without bilateral
      salpingectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a clinical-trial study on patients
      undergone hysterectomy with/without bilateral salpingectomy in Al-Zahra Hospital,
      in 2015-2016. Demographic information (age, height, and weight) were recorded.
      Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in
      2-5 days of menstrual cycle before operation. Patients were asked to refer in 6
      months for follow-up, including FSH and LH re-measurement and also menopausal
      status examination. Patients were divided into age groups of 39-45, 46-50, and
      >=51 and also groups of body mass index including 18.5-24.9, 25-29.9, and 30
      34.9. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients divided into two groups, including 22
      patients undergone hysterectomy without salpingectomy (H) and 15 undergone
      hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy (H-bS). The mean age (standard
      deviation) of Group H was 47.77 (3.03) and Group H-bS was 48.47 (2.03) (P >
      0.05). Furthermore, the mean level of FSH and LH before surgery was not
      significantly different (P > 0.05). The mean level of FSH and LH changes was not
      significant between H and H-bS groups (P = 0.17), (P = 0.16). CONCLUSION:
      Bilateral salpingectomy during hysterectomy did not increase the risk of ovarian
      dysfunction after 6 months follow-up.

PMID- 28616056
TI  - Ertapenem for multiple beta-lactamases producing Gram-negative bacteria causing
      urinary tract infections in HIV patients.

PMID- 28616057
TI  - Serum omentin-1, vaspin, and apelin levels and central obesity in patients with
      nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Omentin-1, vaspin, and apelin are novel adipokines which closely
      associate with obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and
      inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the circulating levels of
      omentin-1, vaspin, and apelin in NAFLD patients and to clarify their relationship
      with biochemical parameters, abdominal obesity, and high sensitive C-reactive
      protein. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a case-control study, serum levels of omentin
      1, vaspin, and apelin were measured in 41 NAFLD patients and 41 healthy
      volunteers. The study was performed in the outpatients' clinic of Imam-Ali
      Hospital in Zahedan, Iran, during February to July 2015. Fatty liver was
      confirmed by ultrasonography. The association of the adipokines with lipid
      profile and anthropometric parameters was assessed using multivariable linear
      regression models. In this model, those variables that showed P < 0.05 were
      included in the study. RESULTS: NAFLD patients presented a significantly higher
      apelin levels compared to the controls (P < 0.01), whereas serum omentin-1 and
      vaspin levels did not differ between two groups (both P > 0.05). Multiple
      regression analysis showed that the serum levels of apelin and vaspin correlated
      positively with waist circumference (WC) (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively)
      and low-density lipoprotein (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) while serum
      omentin-1 was inversely correlated with WC (P < 0.01) and positively corrected
      with high-density lipoprotein (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings showed that
      among the analyzed adipokines only apelin was different in patients with NAFLD
      when compared to controls. Considering the multivariate regression analysis,
      apelin seems be more suitable diagnostic marker in predicting of NAFLD and
      omentin might be considered as a protective factor in occurrence of NAFLD,
      particularly in those with central obesity.

PMID- 28616058
TI  - Getting fat or getting help? How female mammals cope with energetic constraints
      on reproduction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fat deposits enable a female mammal to bear the energy costs of
      offspring production and thus greatly influence her reproductive success.
      However, increasing locomotor costs and reduced agility counterbalance the
      fitness benefits of storing body fat. In species where costs of reproduction are
      distributed over other individuals such as fathers or non-breeding group members,
      reproductive females might therefore benefit from storing less energy in the form
      of body fat. RESULTS: Using a phylogenetic comparative approach on a sample of 87
      mammalian species, and controlling for possible confounding variables, we found
      that reproductive females of species with allomaternal care exhibit reduced
      annual variation in body mass (estimated as CV body mass), which is a good proxy
      for the tendency to store body fat. Differential analyses of care behaviours such
      as allonursing or provisioning corroborated an energetic interpretation of this
      finding. The presumably most energy-intensive form of allomaternal care,
      provisioning of the young, had the strongest effect on CV body mass. In contrast,
      allonursing, which involves no additional influx of energy but distributes
      maternal help across different mothers, was not correlated with CV body mass.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that reproducing females in species with
      allomaternal care can afford to reduce reliance on fat reserves because of the
      helpers' energetic contribution towards offspring rearing.

PMID- 28616059
TI  - Supramolecular structure of dietary fat in early life modulates expression of
      markers for mitochondrial content and capacity in adipose tissue of adult mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that early life nutrition can modulate
      the development of white adipose tissue and thereby affect the risk on obesity
      and metabolic disease later in life. For instance, postnatal feeding with a
      concept infant milk formula with large, phospholipid coated lipid droplets
      (Concept, Nuturis(r)), resulted in reduced adiposity in adult mice. The present
      study investigated whether differences in cell energy metabolism, using markers
      of mitochondrial content and capacity, may contribute to the observed effects.
      METHODS: C57Bl/6j male mice were exposed to a rodent diet containing the Concept
      (Concept) or standard (CTRL) infant milk formula from postnatal day 16 until
      postnatal day 42, followed by a western style diet challenge until postnatal day
      98. Markers for mitochondrial content and capacity were analyzed in
      retroperitoneal white adipose tissue and gene expression of metabolic markers was
      measured in both retroperitoneal white adipose tissue and muscle tibialis (M.
      tibialis) at postnatal day 98. RESULTS: In retroperitoneal white adipose tissue,
      the Concept group showed higher citrate synthase activity and mitochondrial DNA
      expression compared to the CTRL group (p < 0.05). In addition, protein expression
      of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I of the oxidative phosphorylation
      pathway/cascade was increased in the Concept group compared to CTRL (p < 0.05).
      In the M. tibialis, gene expression of uncoupling protein 3 was higher in the
      Concept compared to the CTRL group. Other gene and protein expression markers for
      mitochondrial oxidative capacity were not different between groups. CONCLUSION:
      Postnatal feeding with large, phospholipid coated lipid droplets generating a
      different supramolecular structure of dietary lipids enhances adult gene and
      protein expression of specific mitochondrial oxidative capacity markers,
      indicative of increased substrate oxidation in white adipose tissue and skeletal
      muscle. Although functional mitochondrial capacity was not measured, these
      results may suggest that adaptations in mitochondrial function via early feeding
      with a more physiological structure of dietary lipids, could underlie the
      observed beneficial effects on later life adiposity.

PMID- 28616060
TI  - Early recognition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus surgical site
      infections using risk and protective factors identified by a group of Italian
      surgeons through Delphi method.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) constitute a major clinical problem
      in terms of morbidity, mortality, duration of hospital stay, and overall costs.
      The bacterial pathogens implicated most frequently are Streptococcus pyogenes (S.
      pyogenes) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The incidence of methicillin
      resistant S. aureus (MRSA) SSIs is increasing significantly. Since these
      infections have a significant impact on hospital budgets and patients' health,
      their diagnosis must be anticipated and therapy improved. The first step should
      be to evaluate risk factors for MRSA SSIs. METHODS: Through a literature review,
      we identified possible major and minor risk factors for, and protective factors
      against MRSA SSIs. We then submitted statements on these factors to 228 Italian
      surgeons to determine, using the Delphi method, the degree of consensus regarding
      their importance. The consensus was rated as positive if >80% of the voters
      agreed with a statement and as negative if >80% of the voters disagreed. In other
      cases, no consensus was reached. RESULTS: There was positive consensus that
      sepsis, >2 weeks of hospitalization, age >75 years, colonization by MRSA, and
      diabetes were major risk factors for MRSA SSIs. Other possible major risk
      factors, on which a consensus was not reached, e.g., prior antibiotic use, were
      considered minor risk factors. Other minor risk factors were identified. An
      adequate antibiotic prophylaxis, laparoscopic technique, and infection committee
      surveillance were considered protective factors against MRSA SSIs. All these
      factors might be used to build predictive criteria for identifying SSI due to
      MRSA. CONCLUSIONS: In order to help to recognize and thus promptly initiate an
      adequate antibiotic therapy for MRSA SSIs, we designed a gradation of risk and
      protective factors. Validation, ideally prospective, of this score is now
      required. In the case of a SSI, if the risk that the infection is caused by MRSA
      is high, empiric antibiotic therapy should be started after debriding the wound
      and collecting material for culture.

PMID- 28616061
TI  - Penetrating cardiac trauma: analysis of 240 cases from a hospital in Bogota,
      Colombia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Trauma characteristics and its management is influenced by
      socioeconomic context. Cardiac trauma constitutes a challenge for surgeons, and
      outcomes depend on multiple factors including initial care, characteristics of
      the wounds, and surgical management. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross
      sectional case series of patients with penetrating cardiac injuries (PCI) from
      January 1999 to October 2009 who underwent surgery in a trauma referral center in
      Bogota, Colombia. Demographic variables, trauma characteristics, treatment, and
      outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 240 cases: 96.2% males, mean
      age of 27.8 years. Overall mortality was 14.6%: 11.7% from stab wounds and 41.2%
      from gunshot wounds. Upon admission, 44% had a normal hemodynamic status and 67%
      had cardiac tamponade. About 32% had Grade II injuries and 29% Grade IV injuries.
      In 85% of the cases, there were ventricular compromise and 55% of patients had
      associated lesions. In 150 cases, a pericardial window was performed. Highest
      mortality occurred in wounds to the right atrium. In tamponade patients,
      mortality was 20% being higher for gunshot wounds (54.5%) than for stab wounds
      (18%) (p = 0.0120). CONCLUSIONS: The study evidenced predominance of stab wounds.
      Based on characteristics of the trauma, patients, and survival rate, there is
      most likely a high pre-hospitalization mortality rate. The difference in
      mortality due to stab wounds and those produced by gunshots was more related to
      technical difficulties of the surgical repair than with the type of injury
      established by the Injury Grading Scale. Mortality was higher in patients with
      cardiac tamponade. Surgical management was satisfactory using pericardial window
      as the diagnostic method and sternotomy as the surgical approach.

PMID- 28616062
TI  - Severe consequences of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity of an
      endangered Australian freshwater fish: A call for assisted gene flow.
AB  - Genetic diversity underpins the ability of populations to persist and adapt to
      environmental changes. Substantial empirical data show that genetic diversity
      rapidly deteriorates in small and isolated populations due to genetic drift,
      leading to reduction in adaptive potential and fitness and increase in
      inbreeding. Assisted gene flow (e.g. via translocations) can reverse these
      trends, but lack of data on fitness loss and fear of impairing population
      "uniqueness" often prevents managers from acting. Here, we use population genetic
      and riverscape genetic analyses and simulations to explore the consequences of
      extensive habitat loss and fragmentation on population genetic diversity and
      future population trajectories of an endangered Australian freshwater fish,
      Macquarie perch Macquaria australasica. Using guidelines to assess the risk of
      outbreeding depression under admixture, we develop recommendations for population
      management, identify populations requiring genetic rescue and/or genetic
      restoration and potential donor sources. We found that most remaining populations
      of Macquarie perch have low genetic diversity, and effective population sizes
      below the threshold required to retain adaptive potential. Our simulations showed
      that under management inaction, smaller populations of Macquarie perch will face
      inbreeding depression within a few decades, but regular small-scale
      translocations will rapidly rescue populations from inbreeding depression and
      increase adaptive potential through genetic restoration. Despite the lack of data
      on fitness loss, based on our genetic data for Macquarie perch populations,
      simulations and empirical results from other systems, we recommend regular and
      frequent translocations among remnant populations within catchments. These
      translocations will emulate the effect of historical gene flow and improve
      population persistence through decrease in demographic and genetic stochasticity.
      Increasing population genetic connectivity within each catchment will help to
      maintain large effective population sizes and maximize species adaptive
      potential. The approach proposed here could be readily applicable to genetic
      management of other threatened species to improve their adaptive potential.

PMID- 28616063
TI  - Benefits of gene flow are mediated by individual variability in self
      compatibility in small isolated populations of an endemic plant species.
AB  - Many rare and endemic species experience increased rates of self-fertilization
      and mating among close relatives as a consequence of existing in small
      populations within isolated habitat patches. Variability in self-compatibility
      among individuals within populations may reflect adaptation to local demography
      and genetic architecture, inbreeding, or drift. We use experimental hand
      pollinations under natural field conditions to assess the effects of gene flow in
      21 populations of the central Appalachian endemic Trifolium virginicum that
      varied in population size and degree of isolation. We quantified the effects of
      distance from pollen source on pollination success and fruit set. Rates of self
      compatibility varied dramatically among maternal plants, ranging from 0% to 100%.
      This variation was unrelated to population size or degree of isolation. Nearly
      continuous variation in the success of selfing and near-cross-matings via hand
      pollination suggests that T. virginicum expresses pseudo-self-fertility, whereby
      plants carrying the same S-allele mate successfully by altering the self
      incompatibility reaction. However, outcrossing among populations produced
      significantly higher fruit set than within populations, an indication of drift
      load. These results are consistent with strong selection acting to break down
      self-incompatibility in these small populations and/or early-acting inbreeding
      depression expressed upon selfing.

PMID- 28616064
TI  - Plasticity in gene transcription explains the differential performance of two
      invasive fish species.
AB  - Phenotypic plasticity buffers organisms from environmental change and is
      hypothesized to aid the initial establishment of nonindigenous species in novel
      environments and postestablishment range expansion. The genetic mechanisms that
      underpin phenotypically plastic traits are generally poorly characterized;
      however, there is strong evidence that modulation of gene transcription is an
      important component of these responses. Here, we use RNA sequencing to examine
      the transcriptional basis of temperature tolerance for round and tubenose goby,
      two nonindigenous fish species that differ dramatically in the extent of their
      Great Lakes invasions despite similar invasion dates. We used generalized linear
      models of read count data to compare gene transcription responses of organisms
      exposed to increased and decreased water temperature from those at ambient
      conditions. We identify greater response in the magnitude of transcriptional
      changes for the more successful round goby compared with the less successful
      tubenose goby. Round goby transcriptional responses reflect alteration of
      biological function consistent with adaptive responses to maintain or regain
      homeostatic function in other species. In contrast, tubenose goby transcription
      patterns indicate a response to stressful conditions, but the pattern of change
      in biological functions does not match those expected for a return to homeostatic
      status. Transcriptional plasticity plays an important role in the acute thermal
      tolerance for these species; however, the impaired response to stress we
      demonstrate in the tubenose goby may contribute to their limited invasion success
      relative to the round goby. Transcriptional profiling allows the simultaneous
      assessment of the magnitude of transcriptional response as well as the biological
      functions involved in the response to environmental stress and is thus a valuable
      approach for evaluating invasion potential.

PMID- 28616065
TI  - Human management and hybridization shape treegourd fruits in the Brazilian Amazon
      Basin.
AB  - Local people's perceptions of cultivated and wild agrobiodiversity, as well as
      their management of hybridization are still understudied in Amazonia. Here we
      analyze domesticated treegourd (Crescentia cujete), whose versatile fruits have
      technological, symbolic, and medicinal uses. A wild relative (C. amazonica) of
      the cultivated species grows spontaneously in Amazonian flooded forests. We
      demonstrated, using whole chloroplast sequences and nuclear microsatellites, that
      the two species are strongly differentiated. Nonetheless, they hybridize readily
      throughout Amazonia and the proportions of admixture correlate with fruit size
      variation of cultivated trees. New morphotypes arise from hybridization, which
      are recognized by people and named as local varieties. Small hybrid fruits are
      used to make the important symbolic rattle (maraca), suggesting that management
      of hybrid trees is an ancient human practice in Amazonia. Effective conservation
      of Amazonian agrobiodiversity needs to incorporate this interaction between wild
      and cultivated populations that is managed by smallholder families. Beyond
      treegourd, our study clearly shows that hybridization plays an important role in
      tree crop phenotypic diversification and that the integration of molecular
      analyses and farmers' perceptions of diversity help disentangle crop
      domestication history.

PMID- 28616066
TI  - The evolutionary trade-off between stem cell niche size, aging, and
      tumorigenesis.
AB  - Many epithelial tissues within multicellular organisms are continually
      replenished by small independent populations of stem cells largely responsible
      for maintaining tissue homeostasis. These continually dividing populations are
      subject to mutations that can lead to tumorigenesis but also contribute to aging.
      Mutations accumulate in stem cell niches and change the rate of cell division and
      differentiation; the pace of this process and the fate of specific mutations
      depend strongly on niche population size. Here, we create a mathematical model of
      the intestinal stem cell niche, crypt system, and epithelium. We calculate the
      expected effect of fixed mutations in stem cell niches and their effect on tissue
      homeostasis throughout the intestinal epithelium over organismal lifetime. We
      find that, due to the small population size of stem cell niches, mutations
      predominantly fix via genetic drift and decrease stem cell fitness, leading to
      niche and tissue attrition, and contributing to organismal aging. We also explore
      mutation accumulation at various stem cell niche sizes and demonstrate that an
      evolutionary trade-off exists between niche size, tissue aging, and the risk of
      tumorigenesis. Further, mouse and human niches exist at a size that minimizes the
      probability of tumorigenesis, at the expense of accumulating deleterious
      mutations due to genetic drift. Finally, we show that the trade-off between the
      probability of tumorigenesis and the extent of aging depends on whether or not
      mutational effects confer a selective advantage in the stem cell niche.

PMID- 28616067
TI  - Selection by higher-order effects of salinity and bacteria on early life-stages
      of Western Baltic spring-spawning herring.
AB  - Habitat stratification by abiotic and biotic factors initiates divergence of
      populations and leads to ecological speciation. In contrast to fully marine
      waters, the Baltic Sea is stratified by a salinity gradient that strongly affects
      fish physiology, distribution, diversity and virulence of important marine
      pathogens. Animals thus face the challenge to simultaneously adapt to the
      concurrent salinity and cope with the selection imposed by the changing
      pathogenic virulence. Western Baltic spring-spawning herring (Clupea harengus)
      migrate to spawning grounds characterized by different salinities to which
      herring are supposedly adapted. We hypothesized that herring populations do not
      only have to cope with different salinity levels but that they are simultaneously
      exposed to higher-order effects that accompany the shifts in salinity, that is
      induced pathogenicity of Vibrio bacteria in lower saline waters. To
      experimentally evaluate this, adults of two populations were caught in their
      spawning grounds and fully reciprocally crossed within and between populations.
      Larvae were reared at three salinity levels, representing the spawning ground
      salinity of each of the two populations, or Atlantic salinity conditions
      resembling the phylogenetic origin of Clupea harengus. In addition, larvae were
      exposed to a Vibrio spp. infection. Life-history traits and gene expression
      analysis served as response variables. Herring seem adapted to Baltic Sea
      conditions and cope better with low saline waters. However, upon a bacterial
      infection, herring larvae suffer more when kept at lower salinities implying
      reduced resistance against Vibrio or higher Vibrio virulence. In the context of
      recent climate change with less saline marine waters in the Baltic Sea, such
      interactions may constitute key future stressors.

PMID- 28616068
TI  - Genetic diversity and structure of Lolium perenne ssp. multiflorum in California
      vineyards and orchards indicate potential for spread of herbicide resistance via
      gene flow.
AB  - Management of agroecosystems with herbicides imposes strong selection pressures
      on weedy plants leading to the evolution of resistance against those herbicides.
      Resistance to glyphosate in populations of Lolium perenne L. ssp. multiflorum is
      increasingly common in California, USA, causing economic losses and the loss of
      effective management tools. To gain insights into the recent evolution of
      glyphosate resistance in L. perenne in perennial cropping systems of northwest
      California and to inform management, we investigated the frequency of glyphosate
      resistance and the genetic diversity and structure of 14 populations. The sampled
      populations contained frequencies of resistant plants ranging from 10% to 89%.
      Analyses of neutral genetic variation using microsatellite markers indicated very
      high genetic diversity within all populations regardless of resistance frequency.
      Genetic variation was distributed predominantly among individuals within
      populations rather than among populations or sampled counties, as would be
      expected for a wide-ranging outcrossing weed species. Bayesian clustering
      analysis provided evidence of population structuring with extensive admixture
      between two genetic clusters or gene pools. High genetic diversity and admixture,
      and low differentiation between populations, strongly suggest the potential for
      spread of resistance through gene flow and the need for management that limits
      seed and pollen dispersal in L. perenne.

PMID- 28616069
TI  - Population genetic and field-ecological analyses return similar estimates of
      dispersal over space and time in an endangered amphibian.
AB  - The explosive growth of empirical population genetics has seen a proliferation of
      analytical methods leading to a steady increase in our ability to accurately
      measure key population parameters, including genetic isolation, effective
      population size, and gene flow, in natural systems. Assuming they yield similar
      results, population genetic methods offer an attractive complement to, or
      replacement of, traditional field-ecological studies. However, empirical
      assessments of the concordance between direct field-ecological and indirect
      population genetic studies of the same populations are uncommon in the
      literature. In this study, we investigate genetic isolation, rates of dispersal,
      and population sizes for the endangered California tiger salamander, Ambystoma
      californiense, across multiple breeding seasons in an intact vernal pool network.
      We then compare our molecular results to a previously published study based on
      multiyear, mark-recapture data from the same breeding sites. We found that field
      and genetic estimates of population size were only weakly correlated, but
      dispersal rates were remarkably congruent across studies and methods. In fact,
      dispersal probability functions derived from genetic data and traditional field
      ecological data were a significant match, suggesting that either method can be
      used effectively to assess population connectivity. These results provide one of
      the first explicit tests of the correspondence between landscape genetic and
      field-ecological approaches to measuring functional population connectivity and
      suggest that even single-year genetic samples can return biologically meaningful
      estimates of natural dispersal and gene flow.

PMID- 28616070
TI  - Persistence of antibiotic resistance plasmids in bacterial biofilms.
AB  - The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance is a crisis in health care
      today. Antibiotic resistance is often horizontally transferred to susceptible
      bacteria by means of multidrug resistance plasmids that may or may not persist in
      the absence of antibiotics. Because bacterial pathogens often grow as biofilms,
      there is a need to better understand the evolution of plasmid persistence in
      these environments. Here we compared the evolution of plasmid persistence in the
      pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii when grown under antibiotic selection in
      biofilms versus well-mixed liquid cultures. After 4 weeks, clones in which the
      plasmid was more stably maintained in the absence of antibiotic selection were
      present in both populations. On average plasmid persistence increased more in
      liquid batch cultures, but variation in the degree of persistence was greater
      among biofilm-derived clones. The results of this study show for the first time
      that the persistence of MDR plasmids improves in biofilms.

PMID- 28616071
TI  - Combined "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid fermentation in a mix-medium of corncob
      acid hydrolysate and soybean oil by Trichosporon dermatis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Microbial oil is one important bio-product for its important function
      in energy, chemical, and food industry. Finding suitable substrates is one key
      issue for its industrial application. Both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates
      can be utilized by oleaginous microorganisms with two different bio-pathways ("de
      novo" lipid fermentation and "ex novo" lipid fermentation). To date, most of the
      research on lipid fermentation has focused mainly on only one fermentation
      pathway and little work was carried out on both "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid
      fermentation simultaneously; thus, the advantages of both lipid fermentation
      cannot be fulfilled comprehensively. RESULTS: In this study, corncob acid
      hydrolysate with soybean oil was used as a mix-medium for combined "de novo" and
      "ex novo" lipid fermentation by oleaginous yeast Trichosporon dermatis. Both
      hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates (sugars and soybean oil) in the medium can
      be utilized simultaneously and efficiently by T. dermatis. Different fermentation
      modes were compared and the batch mode was the most suitable for the combined
      fermentation. The influence of soybean oil concentration, inoculum size, and
      initial pH on the lipid fermentation was evaluated and 20 g/L soybean oil, 5%
      inoculum size, and initial pH 6.0 were suitable for this bioprocess. By this
      technology, the lipid composition of extracellular hydrophobic substrate (soybean
      oil) can be modified. Although adding emulsifier showed little beneficial effect
      on lipid production, it can modify the intracellular lipid composition of T.
      dermatis. CONCLUSIONS: The present study proves the potential and possibility of
      combined "de novo" and "ex novo" lipid fermentation. This technology can use
      hydrophilic and hydrophobic sustainable bio-resources to generate lipid feedstock
      for the production of biodiesel or other lipid-based chemical compounds and to
      treat some special wastes such as oil-containing wastewater.

PMID- 28616072
TI  - The advanced strategy for enhancing biobutanol production and high-efficient
      product recovery with reduced wastewater generation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Butanol as an important chemical and potential fuel could be produced
      via ABE fermentation from lignocellulosic biomass. The use of food-related
      feedstocks such as maize and sugar cane may not be a sustainable solution to
      world's energy needs. Recently, Jerusalem artichoke tubers containing inulin have
      been used as feedstock for butanol production, but this bioprocess is not
      commercially feasible due to the great value of inulin as functional food. Till
      now, there is a gap on the utilization of Jerusalem artichoke stalk (JAS) as
      feedstock for microbial butanol production. RESULTS: Biobutanol production from
      JAS was investigated in order to improve cellulose digestibility and efficient
      biobutanol fermentation. Compared with 9.0 g/L butanol (14.7 g/L ABE) production
      by 2% NaOH pretreatment of JAS, 11.8 g/L butanol (17.6 g/L ABE) was produced in
      the best scenario conditions of NaOH-H2O2 pretreatment, washing times and citrate
      buffer strengths etc. Furthermore, more than >64% water in washing pretreated JAS
      process could be saved, with improving butanol production by >25.0%. To mimic in
      situ product recovery for ABE fermentation, the vapor stripping-vapor permeation
      (VSVP) process steadily produced 323.4-348.7 g/L butanol (542.7-594.0 g/L ABE) in
      condensate, which showed more potentials than pervaporation for butanol recovery.
      CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the present study demonstrated an effective strategy on
      efficient biobutanol production using lignocellulosic biomass. The process
      optimization could contribute to significant reduction of wastewater emission and
      the improvement of lignocellulosic biomass digestibility and biobutanol
      production, which makes biobutanol production more efficient using JAS.

PMID- 28616073
TI  - The transcription factor PDR-1 is a multi-functional regulator and key component
      of pectin deconstruction and catabolism in Neurospora crassa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pectin is an abundant component in many fruit and vegetable wastes
      and could therefore be an excellent resource for biorefinery, but is currently
      underutilized. Fungal pectinases already play a crucial role for industrial
      purposes, such as for foodstuff processing. However, the regulation of pectinase
      gene expression is still poorly understood. For an optimal utilization of plant
      biomass for biorefinery and biofuel production, a detailed analysis of the
      underlying regulatory mechanisms is warranted. In this study, we applied the
      genetic resources of the filamentous ascomycete species Neurospora crassa to
      screen for transcription factors that play a major role in pectinase induction.
      RESULTS: The pectin degradation regulator-1 (PDR-1) was identified through a
      transcription factor mutant screen in N. crassa. The Deltapdr-1 mutant exhibited
      a severe growth defect on pectin and all tested pectin-related poly- and
      monosaccharides. Biochemical as well as transcriptional analyses of WT and the
      Deltapdr-1 mutant revealed that while PDR-1-mediated gene induction was dependent
      on the presence of l-rhamnose, it also strongly affected the degradation of the
      homogalacturonan backbone. The expression of the endo-polygalacturonase gh28-1
      was greatly reduced in the Deltapdr-1 mutant, while the expression levels of all
      pectate lyase genes increased. Moreover, a pdr-1 overexpression strain displayed
      substantially increased pectinase production. Promoter analysis of the PDR-1
      regulon allowed refinement of the putative PDR-1 DNA-binding motif. CONCLUSIONS:
      PDR-1 is highly conserved in filamentous ascomycete fungi and is present in many
      pathogenic and industrially important fungi. Our data demonstrate that the
      function of PDR-1 in N. crassa combines features of two recently described
      transcription factors in Aspergillus niger (RhaR) and Botrytis cinerea (GaaR).
      The results presented in this study contribute to a broader understanding of how
      pectin degradation is orchestrated in filamentous fungi and how it could be
      manipulated for optimized pectinase production.

PMID- 28616074
TI  - Thermodynamics and economic feasibility of acetone production from syngas using
      the thermophilic production host Moorella thermoacetica.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Syngas fermentation is a promising option for the production of
      biocommodities due to its abundance and compatibility with anaerobic
      fermentation. Using thermophilic production strains in a syngas fermentation
      process allows recovery of products with low boiling point from the off-gas via
      condensation. RESULTS: In this study we analyzed the production of acetone from
      syngas with the hypothetical production host derived from Moorella thermoacetica
      in a bubble column reactor at 60  degrees C with respect to thermodynamic and
      economic feasibility. We determined the cost of syngas production from basic
      oxygen furnace (BOF) process gas, from natural gas, and from corn stover and
      identified BOF gas as an economically interesting source for syngas. Taking gas
      liquid mass transfer limitations into account, we applied a thermodynamics
      approach to derive the CO to acetone conversion rate under the process
      conditions. We estimated variable costs of production of 389 $/t acetone for a
      representative production scenario from BOF gas with costs for syngas as the main
      contributor. In comparison, the variable costs of production from natural gas-
      and corn stover-derived syngas were determined to be higher due to the higher
      feedstock costs (1724 and 2878 $/t acetone, respectively). CONCLUSION: We applied
      an approach of combining thermodynamic and economic assessment to analyze a
      hypothetical bioprocess in which the volatile product acetone is produced from
      syngas with a thermophilic microorganism. Our model allowed us to identify
      process metrics and quantify the variable production costs for different
      scenarios. Economical production of bulk chemicals is challenging, making
      rigorous thermodynamic/economic modeling critical before undertaking an
      experimental program and as an ongoing guide during the program. We intend this
      study to give an incentive to apply the demonstrated approach to other
      bioproduction processes.

PMID- 28616075
TI  - Proximity ligation scaffolding and comparison of two Trichoderma reesei strains
      genomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presence of low complexity and repeated regions in genomes often
      results in difficulties to assemble sequencing data into full chromosomes.
      However, the availability of full genome scaffolds is essential to several
      investigations, regarding for instance the evolution of entire clades, the
      analysis of chromosome rearrangements, and is pivotal to sexual crossing studies.
      In non-conventional but industrially relevant model organisms, such as the
      ascomycete Trichoderma reesei, a complete genome assembly is seldom available.
      RESULTS: The chromosome scaffolds of T. reesei QM6a and Rut-C30 strains have been
      generated using a contact genomic/proximity ligation genomic approach. The
      original reference assembly, encompassing dozens of scaffolds, was reorganized
      into two sets of seven chromosomes. Chromosomal contact data also allowed to
      characterize 10-40 kb, gene-free, AT-rich (76%) regions corresponding to the T.
      reesei centromeres. Large chromosomal rearrangements (LCR) in Rut-C30 were then
      characterized, in agreement with former studies, and the position of LCR
      breakpoints used to assess the likely chromosome structure of other T. reesei
      strains [QM9414, CBS999.97 (1-1, re), and QM9978]. In agreement with published
      results, we predict that the numerous chromosome rearrangements found in highly
      mutated industrial strains may limit the efficiency of sexual reproduction for
      their improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The GRAAL program allowed us to generate the
      karyotype of the Rut-C30 strain, and from there to predict chromosome structure
      for most T. reesei strains for which sequence is available. This method that
      exploits proximity ligation sequencing approach is a fast, cheap, and
      straightforward way to characterize both chromosome structure and centromere
      sequences and is likely to represent a popular convenient alternative to
      expensive and work-intensive resequencing projects.

PMID- 28616077
TI  - Hydrocarbon bio-jet fuel from bioconversion of poplar biomass: techno-economic
      assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infrastructure compatible hydrocarbon biofuel proposed to qualify as
      renewable transportation fuel under the U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act
      of 2007 and Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) is evaluated. The process uses a
      hybrid poplar feedstock, which undergoes dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic
      hydrolysis. Sugars are fermented to acetic acid, which undergoes conversion to
      ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethylene, and finally a saturated hydrocarbon end
      product. An unfermentable lignin stream may be burned for steam and electricity
      production, or gasified to produce hydrogen. During biofuel production, hydrogen
      gas is required and may be obtained by various methods including lignin
      gasification. RESULTS: Both technical and economic aspects of the biorefinery are
      analyzed, with different hydrogen sources considered including steam reforming of
      natural gas and gasification of lignin. Cash operating costs for jet fuel
      production are estimated to range from 0.67 to 0.86 USD L-1 depending on facility
      capacity. Minimum fuel selling prices with a 15 % discount rate are estimated to
      range from 1.14 to 1.79 USD L-1. Capacities of 76, 190, and 380 million liters of
      jet fuel per year are investigated. Capital investments range from 356 to 1026
      million USD. CONCLUSIONS: A unique biorefinery is explored to produce a
      hydrocarbon biofuel with a high yield from bone dry wood of 330 L t-1. This yield
      is achieved chiefly due to the use of acetogenic bacteria that do not produce
      carbon dioxide as a co-product during fermentation. Capital investment is
      significant in the biorefinery in part because hydrogen is required to produce a
      fully de-oxygenated fuel. Minimum selling price to achieve reasonable returns on
      investment is sensitive to capital financing options because of high capital
      costs. Various strategies, such as producing alternative, intermediate products,
      are investigated with the intent to reduce risk in building the proposed
      facility. It appears that producing and selling these intermediates may be more
      profitable than converting all the biomass into aviation fuel. With variability
      in historical petroleum prices and environmental subsidies, a high internal rate
      of return would be required to attract investors.

PMID- 28616078
TI  - Role of surface tryptophan for peroxidase oxidation of nonphenolic lignin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite claims as key enzymes in enzymatic delignification, very
      scarce information on the reaction rates between the ligninolytic versatile
      peroxidase (VP) and lignin peroxidase (LiP) and the lignin polymer is available,
      due to methodological difficulties related to lignin heterogeneity and low
      solubility. RESULTS: Two water-soluble sulfonated lignins (from Picea abies and
      Eucalyptus grandis) were chemically characterized and used to estimate single
      electron-transfer rates to the H2O2-activated Pleurotus eryngii VP (native enzyme
      and mutated variant) transient states (compounds I and II bearing two- and one
      electron deficiencies, respectively). When the rate-limiting reduction of
      compound II was quantified by stopped-flow rapid spectrophotometry, from fourfold
      (softwood lignin) to over 100-fold (hardwood lignin) lower electron-transfer
      efficiencies (k3app values) were observed for the W164S variant at surface
      Trp164, compared with the native VP. These lignosulfonates have ~20-30 % phenolic
      units, which could be responsible for the observed residual activity. Therefore,
      methylated (and acetylated) samples were used in new stopped-flow experiments,
      where negligible electron transfer to the W164S compound II was found. This
      revealed that the residual reduction of W164S compound II by native lignin was
      due to its phenolic moiety. Since both native lignins have a relatively similar
      phenolic moiety, the higher W164S activity on the softwood lignin could be due to
      easier access of its mono-methoxylated units for direct oxidation at the heme
      channel in the absence of the catalytic tryptophan. Moreover, the lower electron
      transfer rates from the derivatized lignosulfonates to native VP suggest that
      peroxidase attack starts at the phenolic lignin moiety. In agreement with the
      transient-state kinetic data, very low structural modification of lignin, as
      revealed by size-exclusion chromatography and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic
      resonance, was obtained during steady-state treatment (up to 24 h) of native
      lignosulfonates with the W164S variant compared with native VP and, more
      importantly, this activity disappeared when nonphenolic lignosulfonates were
      used. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time that the surface tryptophan
      conserved in most LiPs and VPs (Trp164 of P. eryngii VPL) is strictly required
      for oxidation of the nonphenolic moiety, which represents the major and more
      recalcitrant part of the lignin polymer.

PMID- 28616079
TI  - Surgical site infection and its associated factors following cesarean section: a
      cross sectional study from a public hospital in Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A cesarean section is a surgical procedure in which incisions are
      made through a woman's abdomen and uterus to deliver her baby. Surgical site
      infections are a common surgical complication among patients delivered with
      cesarean section. Further it caused to increase maternal morbidity, stay of
      hospital and the cost of treatment. METHODS: Hospital based cross-sectional study
      was conducted to assess the magnitude of surgical site infection following
      cesarean Site Infections and its associated factors at Lemlem Karl hospital July
      1, 2013 to June 30, 2016. Retrospective card review was done on 384 women who
      gave birth via cesarean section at Lemlem Karl hospital from July 1, 2013 to June
      30, 2016. Systematic sampling technique was used to select patient medical cards.
      The data were entered by Epi info version 7.2 then analyzed using Statistical
      Package for Social Sciences windows version 20. Both bivariate and multivariate
      logistic regression was done to test association between predictors and dependent
      variables. P value of < 0.05 was considered to declare the presence of
      statistically significantly association. RESULTS: Among 384 women who performed
      cesarean section, the magnitude of surgical site infection following cesarean
      section Infection was 6.8%. The identified independent risk factors for surgical
      site infections were the duration of labor AOR=3.48; 95%CI (1.25, 9.68), rupture
      of membrane prior to cesarean section AOR=3.678; 95%CI (1.13, 11.96) and the
      abdominal midline incision (AOR=5.733; 95%CI (2.05, 16.00). CONCLUSIONS: The
      magnitude of surgical site infection following cesarean section is low compare to
      other previous studies. The independent associated factors for surgical site
      infection after cesarean section in this study: Membranes rupture prior to
      cesarean section, duration of labor and sub umbilical abdominal incision. In
      addition to ensuring sterile environment and aseptic surgeries, use of WHO
      surgical safety checklist would appear to be a very important intervention to
      reduce surgical site infections.

PMID- 28616080
TI  - Pedobarography as a clinical tool in the management of diabetic feet in New
      Zealand: a feasibility study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The peripheral complications of diabetes mellitus remain a
      significant risk to lower-limb morbidity. In New Zealand, risk of diabetes,
      comorbidity and lower-limb amputation are highly-differential between demographic
      groups, particularly ethnicity. There is growing and convincing evidence that the
      use of pedobarography - or plantar pressure measurement - can usefully inform
      diabetic foot care, particularly with respect to the prevention of re-ulceration
      among high-risk patients. METHODS: For the current feasibility study, we embedded
      pedobarographic measurements into three unique diabetic foot clinic settings in
      the New Zealand context, and collected pedobarographic data from n = 38 patients
      with diabetes using a platform-based (Novel Emed) and/or in-shoe-based system
      (Novel Pedar). Our aim was to assess the feasibility of incorporating
      pedobarographic testing into the clinical care of diabetic feet in New Zealand.
      RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high response rate and positive self
      reported experience from participants. As part of our engagement with
      participants, we observed a high degree of lower-limb morbidity, including
      current ulceration and chronic foot deformities. The median time for
      pedobarographic testing (including study introduction and consenting) was 25 min.
      Despite working with a high-risk population, there were no adverse events in this
      study. In terms of application of pedobarography as a clinical tool in the New
      Zealand context, the current feasibility study leads us to believe that there are
      two avenues that deserve further investigation: a) the use of pedobarography to
      inform the design and effectiveness of offloading devices among high-risk
      diabetic patients; and b) the use of pedobarography as a means to increase
      offloading footwear and/or orthoses compliance among high-risk diabetic patients.
      Both of these objectives deserve further examination in New Zealand via clinical
      trial.

PMID- 28616076
TI  - Regulators of plant biomass degradation in ascomycetous fungi.
AB  - Fungi play a major role in the global carbon cycle because of their ability to
      utilize plant biomass (polysaccharides, proteins, and lignin) as carbon source.
      Due to the complexity and heterogenic composition of plant biomass, fungi need to
      produce a broad range of degrading enzymes, matching the composition of (part of)
      the prevalent substrate. This process is dependent on a network of regulators
      that not only control the extracellular enzymes that degrade the biomass, but
      also the metabolic pathways needed to metabolize the resulting monomers. This
      review will summarize the current knowledge on regulation of plant biomass
      utilization in fungi and compare the differences between fungal species, focusing
      in particular on the presence or absence of the regulators involved in this
      process.

PMID- 28616081
TI  - Anaerobic adaptation of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in vitro:
      similarities to M. tuberculosis and differential susceptibility to antibiotics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the
      causative agent of Johne's disease in ruminants and is associated with Crohn's
      disease (CD) in humans, although the latter remains controversial. In this study,
      we investigated the ability of MAP to adapt to anaerobic growth using the "Wayne"
      model of non-replicating persistence (NRP) developed for M. tuberculosis.
      RESULTS: All strains adapted to anaerobiosis over time in a manner similar to
      that seen with MTB. Susceptibility to 12 antibiotics varied widely between
      strains under aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, no drugs caused
      significant growth inhibition (>0.5 log) except metronidazole, resulting in an
      average decrease of ~2 logs. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that MAP is
      capable of adaptation to NRP similar to that observed for MTB with differential
      susceptibility to antibiotics under aerobic versus anaerobic conditions. Such
      findings have significant implications for our understanding of the pathogenesis
      of MAP in vivo and the treatment of CD should this organism be established as the
      causative agent.

PMID- 28616082
TI  - Prevalence of pks-positive Escherichia coli in Japanese patients with or without
      colorectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies show that some Escherichia coli strains possessing a
      gene cluster named the pks island might have a causative role in the development
      of human colorectal cancer (CRC). In several reports from Europe, they are found
      more prevalently in colon tissue specimens derived from CRC patients compared to
      those from controls. In this study we sought to clarify the difference in pks
      prevalence between CRC patients and non-CRC controls in the Japanese population,
      by using non-invasive sample collection technique during colonoscopy. METHODS:
      Colonic lavage samples were collected during diagnostic colonoscopy, and
      bacterial DNA within each sample was extracted. Fecal DNA samples were then
      examined for pks island genes using conventional qualitative PCR and real-time
      quantitative PCR. In some patients biopsy samples were also collected in the same
      session of colonoscopy, and the correlation between the pks status of the colonic
      lavage sample and the biopsy sample of the same patients was evaluated. RESULTS:
      Twelve out of thirteen patients (92%) showed the same pks status by colonic
      lavage sample and biopsy sample, suggesting the usefulness of colonic lavage
      samples as a surrogate for biopsy samples. A total of 98 colonic lavage samples
      were collected, which included 35 from CRC patients, 37 from adenoma patients,
      and 26 from controls. The pks-positive bacterial DNA was detected in 43, 51, and
      46% of colonic lavage samples from CRC, adenoma, and control patients,
      respectively, and there was no significant difference among diseases. Real-time
      quantitative PCR showed no significant difference in the relative concentrations
      of pks-positive bacterial DNA among diseases. Age, gender, location of CRC, CRC
      staging, or k-ras gene status was not associated with pks prevalence.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although the method of collecting fecal DNA from colonic lavage
      samples was safe and technically feasible, factors other than pks-positive
      bacteria appear to play more important roles in CRC development in this cohort.

PMID- 28616084
TI  - Interdisciplinary perspectives.

PMID- 28616085
TI  - Helicobacter pylori infection: old and new.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori is a spiral-shaped bacterium that grows in the digestive
      tract and may be present in more than half of the world's population. The
      clinical features of Helicobacter pylori range from asymptomatic gastritis to
      gastrointestinal malignancy. Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is
      a low-grade B-cell marginal zone lymphoma and Helicobacter pylori has been
      detected in more than 75% of the patients with MALT lymphoma. Many tests for the
      detection of Helicobacter pylori are available, including antibody tests, urea
      breath tests, stool antigen tests and endoscopic biopsies. The eradication of
      Helicobacter pylori usually prevents the return of ulcers and ulcer complications
      even after appropriate medications such as PPIs are stopped. The eradication of
      Helicobacter pylori is important in the treatment of the rare condition of the
      stomach known as MALT lymphoma. The treatment of Helicobacter pylori to prevent
      stomach cancer is controversial. Confirmation of eradication is recommended in
      associated ulcers, persistent dyspepsia despite a test-and-treat approach, MALT
      lymphoma, and previous treatment for early-stage gastric cancer. The urea breath
      test and stool antigen test can be used to confirm the eradication and should be
      performed at least 4 weeks after the completion of therapy. Several diseases have
      been reported to be associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, including
      hematologic diseases, such as ITP, idiopathic iron deficiency anemia and vitamin
      B12 deficiency. There is a positive trend in the association between Helicobacter
      pylori infection and neurodegenerative disorders and new data showed a reduced
      risk of death due to stroke and lung cancer but an increased risk of preeclampsia
      in infected women, which requires further investigations.

PMID- 28616083
TI  - Outer membrane phospholipase A's roles in Helicobacter pylori acid adaptation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The pH of the human gastric mucosa varies around 2.5 so that only
      bacteria with strong acidic stress tolerance can colonize it. The ulcer causing
      Helicobacter pylori thrives in the gastric mucosa. We analyse the roles of the
      key outer membrane protein OMPLA in its roles in acid tolerance. RESULTS: The
      homology model of Helicobacter pylori outer membrane phospholipase A (OMPLA)
      reveals a twelve stranded beta-barrel with a pore that allows molecules to pass
      with a diameter up to 4 A. Structure based multiple sequence alignments revealed
      the functional roles of many amino acids, and led to the suggestion that OMPLA
      has multiple functions. Besides its role as phospholipase it lets urea enter and
      ammonium exit the periplasm. Combined with an extensive literature study, our
      work leads to a comprehensive model for H. pylori's acid tolerance. This model is
      based on the conversion of urea into ammonium, and it includes multiple roles for
      OMPLA and involves two hitherto little studied membrane channels in the OMPLA
      operon. CONCLUSION: The three-dimensional model of OMPLA predicts a transmembrane
      pore that can aid H. pylori's acid tolerance through urea influx and ammonium
      efflux. After urea passes through OMPLA into the periplasm, it passes through the
      pH-gated inner membrane channel UreI into the cytoplasm where urease hydrolyses
      it into NH3 and CO2. Most of the NH3 becomes NH4+ that is likely to need an inner
      membrane channel to reach the periplasm. Two genes that are co-regulated with
      OMPLA in gastric Helicobacter operons could aid this transport. The NH4+ that
      might leave the cell through the OMPLA pore has been implicated in H. pylor's
      pathogenesis.

PMID- 28616086
TI  - Homeopathic treatment for prolonged postoperative coma: a case report.
AB  - Coma is the state of unrousable unconsciousness. There are variations in the
      degree of coma and the findings and signs found on the patient's clinical
      examination depend on the underlying cause of the disorder. The Glasgow Coma
      scale evaluates the best motor, verbal and eye answers of the patient. A patient
      is considered to be in a coma if his Glasgow Coma Scale is below 8 points. The
      progress that we have made throughout the years has also led to complications
      that can culminate in a major catastrophe like death, permanent brain damage,
      coma. A study performed reached the conclusion that prior comorbidity, older age,
      intraoperative hypotension, and cardiovascular surgery may predispose patients to
      postoperative coma. The article presents a case of postoperative coma treated
      successfully with homeopathy. Although a rare complication, postoperative coma is
      a severe, death-leading condition, causing immense suffering on both the patient
      and the patient's family. A multidisciplinary and thorough approach is necessary
      for these patients, but even after a well-conducted therapy, this condition leads
      to the death of the patient.

PMID- 28616087
TI  - Acute rheumatic fever: clinical profile in children in western Ukraine.
AB  - : Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) may have different clinical manifestations in
      different countries according to the genetic predisposition, prevalence of
      rheumatogenic strains, social and economic conditions. The purpose of this study
      was to determine the clinical characteristics of ARF in Western Ukraine and to
      improve the detection of the cases. A retrospective analysis of 85 medical
      clinical cases of in-hospital patients aged from 4 to 17 years old was performed.
      The cases covered patients who underwent treatment in the City Children's
      Hospital of Ternopil during 2000 and 2013 with the ARF diagnosis, which was
      established according to Jones criteria. 65.9% of the ARF patients were admitted
      to the hospital from October to March. Fever (65.9%) and joint syndrome (78.8%)
      were the most common causes for admission to the medical care. The admission
      diagnosis was wrong in 34 (40.0%) children who underwent the treatment. The most
      frequent major Jones criteria of ARF were carditis (84.7%) and polyarthritis
      (54.1%). Chorea was significantly less common than carditis (r < 0,001). The
      adequate treatment of the preceding streptococcal infection was administered in
      25 children (53.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The significant incidence of misdiagnoses in
      the ARF children during admission to the hospital, especially the interpretation
      of joint syndrome, indicates that physicians need an extra awareness. The lack of
      specific clinical signs of rheumatic carditis makes it a diagnostic challenge.
      The revised Jones criteria (2015) for the diagnosis of ARF can improve carditis
      detection. The adequate treatment of the preceding streptococcal infection may
      prevent ARF. Abbreviations: ARF = acute rheumatic fever.

PMID- 28616088
TI  - Effect of prophylactic administration of Novafen for periodontal surgery on
      postoperative pain relief.
AB  - Pain is a subjective feeling and one of the defense and alerting mechanisms of
      the body, which is distinguished from the body senses, including touch sensation
      and perception of heat, cold, pressure, etc. Pain, discomfort, and edema are very
      common after dental procedures, especially after periodontal surgeries, usually
      occurring during the first 24 hours after surgery; such pains are classified as
      medium to severe pains. Generally, medications are used to manage patients' pain
      and discomfort. One of the most commonly used medications for pain control is
      Ibuprofen, which is one of the NSAIDs and is a simple derivative of
      phenylpropionic acid. There is evidence that caffeine alone or in association
      with Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, or Aspirin can increase their analgesic effects.
      Novafen is a new drug which consists of Acetaminophens, Ibuprofen and caffeine
      and has been marketed in Iran in recent years. 70 subjects referring to the
      Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tabriz Faculty of Dentistry, who
      were candidates for crown lengthening procedure, were randomly selected and
      included in the present study, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. No
      significant differences were detected in pain severity between the two groups
      either clinically or statistically at 30-minutes postoperative interval. Pain,
      discomfort, and edema are very common after dental procedures, especially after
      periodontal surgeries. Such conditions usually occur during the first 24-hours
      postoperative interval and are considered moderate to severe pains. Although in
      the present study, the administration of Novafen before periodontal surgery
      resulted in the relief of postoperative pain, further studies are recommended on
      the subject, The administration of Novafen before periodontal surgeries resulted
      in pain relief after surgery.

PMID- 28616089
TI  - Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital cardiac shunts:
      evolution under specific treatment.
AB  - Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Sildenafil,
      Bosentan and combined therapy in patients with congenital cardiac shunts
      associated pulmonary artery hypertension (CCS-PAH). Design: Prospective
      observational study (February 2011 - January 2014) with a historical control
      group (January 2009 - January 2011). Setting: "CC Iliescu" Institute for
      Emergency Cardiovascular Diseases of Bucharest, a tertiary university-affiliated
      center. Patients: All cases with CCS-PAH. Interventions: Specific vasodilatory
      therapy: Sildenafil, Bosentan or combined therapy. Outcome Measures: The primary
      outcome was the overall survival at 24 months. Results: Out of 108 patients with
      pulmonary arterial hypertension, there were 79 patients with CCS-PAH, 55
      presenting a severe form of the disease. The mean age of the patients was 34.42+/
      21.15 years, with 37 (67,3%) female patients. 23 patients received specific
      vasodilatory treatment (thirteen Sildenafil, seven Bosentan, three combined
      treatment), with 32 patients in the control group, without specific vasodilatory
      therapy. The specific vasodilatory therapy was associated with improved WHO/ NYHA
      functional class (p=0.025), oxygen saturation at the end of the six-minute walk
      test (p=0.011), decreased pulmonary artery systolic (p=0.002) and diastolic
      (p=0.004) pressures, and an increased S' wave in Tissue Doppler Imaging
      (p=0.008). Conclusions: Despite the complexity of CCS-PAH, with a complex
      constellation of underlying congenital heart defects, there are short-term
      benefits of a specific vasodilatory therapy.

PMID- 28616090
TI  - Histochemical and immunohistochemical study of mucinous rectal carcinoma.
AB  - Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health problem worldwide. The objective of our
      study was to assess the histopathological (HP) and immunohistochemical (IHC)
      profile of mucins from signet ring (SR) and mucinous rectal carcinoma, while
      evaluating their value as a prognostic factor and muco-secretive ability. The HP
      study (76 cases) included 4 categories of patients: pure mucinous (PM), mixed
      mucinous components (MM) (50-80% of the tumor cells), mixed mucinous components
      (Mm) (< 50% of the tumor cells) and signet ring (SR). The IHC study consisted of
      a total of 30 cases of MRC and was processed by the ABC/ HRP technique. The
      antibodies used have addressed their muco-secretive capacity: MUC1, 2 and MUC5AC.
      MRC cases were more frequent in the sixth decade, with a median age of 57.3
      years. It could be noted that MRC tended to develop at younger ages. For the MP
      variant, the gender ratio was 1.37 in favor of men, while for the MM variant it
      was 1.16, 1.31 for the Mm and 1.6 in the case of signet ring type. Most of the
      MRC were moderately differentiated forms, except for the SR form, poorly
      differentiated forms predominating. Well-differentiated forms were the most
      underrepresented, being more common in the Mm version. Regarding the biochemical
      type of mucin, MP and SR were characterized by acid mucins and sialomucin, while
      in the Mm type, there was a balance of acidic and neutral mucins. The prevalence
      of mucin acids, respectively sulfomucin, was characteristic to younger ages and
      poor prognosis.

PMID- 28616091
TI  - Price and distribution policies in healthcare marketing in Romania.
AB  - There is a principle similar to the theory of exchange in the marketing of health
      services, meaning that what is delivered to the target market (i.e. the
      beneficiaries) must be equal to or greater than what is to be received (i.e. the
      price). The price level in the marketing mix is influenced by how the consumer
      perceives the respective medical service and is quantified in the profit and the
      turnover of the organization respectively. The cost of the medical act as a whole
      is the value of all the tangible and intangible variables associated with it, and
      the planning, distribution and promotion of the product must be taken into
      account in the price setting.

PMID- 28616092
TI  - Vascularization from Flexible Imaging Color Enhancement (FICE) for polyp
      localization.
AB  - Background. Virtual chromoendoscopy is an imaging technology that helps in better
      visualizing the gastrointestinal tract effectively. Recently, the flexible
      imaging color enhancement (FICE) technique developed by Fijifilm has been
      considered an alternative to traditional dye spraying. This results in a clearer
      visualization of the vascular patterns than through the traditional white light
      endoscopy imaging methods. The performance of vasculature based polyp
      localization in both traditional and corresponding virtual coloration by FICE was
      analyzed. Conclusion. Our analysis showed that FICE based images vascularization
      features provides a better discrimination of polyps than the traditional white
      light endoscopy images.

PMID- 28616093
TI  - Hepatitis E immunosuppressed patients and assisted pregnancy: Is it time to
      discuss neglected issues?

PMID- 28616094
TI  - Arbaclofen in fragile X syndrome: results of phase 3 trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Arbaclofen improved multiple abnormal phenotypes in animal models of
      fragile X syndrome (FXS) and showed promising results in a phase 2 clinical
      study. The objective of the study is to determine safety and efficacy of
      arbaclofen for social avoidance in FXS. METHODS: Two phase 3 placebo-controlled
      trials were conducted, a flexible dose trial in subjects age 12-50 (209FX301,
      adolescent/adult study) and a fixed dose trial in subjects age 5-11 (209FX302,
      child study). The primary endpoint for both trials was the Social Avoidance
      subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community Edition, FXS-specific (ABC
      CFX). Secondary outcomes included other ABC-CFX subscale scores, Clinical Global
      Impression-Improvement (CGI-I), Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), and
      Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (Vineland-II) Socialization
      domain score. RESULTS: A total 119 of 125 randomized subjects completed the
      adolescent/adult study (n = 57 arbaclofen, 62 placebo) and 159/172 completed the
      child study (arbaclofen 5 BID n = 38; 10 BID n = 39; 10 TID n = 38; placebo n =
      44). There were no serious adverse events (AEs); the most common AEs included
      somatic (headache, vomiting, nausea), neurobehavioral (irritability/agitation,
      anxiety, hyperactivity), decreased appetite, and infectious conditions, many of
      which were also common on placebo. In the combined studies, there were 13
      discontinuations (n = 12 arbaclofen, 1 placebo) due to AEs (all neurobehavioral).
      The adolescent/adult study did not show benefit for arbaclofen over placebo for
      any measure. In the child study, the highest dose group showed benefit over
      placebo on the ABC-CFX Irritability subscale (p = 0.03) and Parenting Stress
      Index (PSI, p = 0.03) and trends toward benefit on the ABC-CFX Social Avoidance
      and Hyperactivity subscales (both p < 0.1) and CGI-I (p = 0.119). Effect size in
      the highest dose group was similar to effect sizes for FDA-approved serotonin
      reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). CONCLUSIONS: Arbaclofen did not meet the primary
      outcome of improved social avoidance in FXS in either study. Data from secondary
      measures in the child study suggests younger patients may derive benefit, but
      additional studies with a larger cohort on higher doses would be required to
      confirm this finding. The reported studies illustrate the challenges but
      represent a significant step forward in translating targeted treatments from
      preclinical models to clinical trials in humans with FXS.

PMID- 28616095
TI  - Acamprosate in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome: modulation of spontaneous
      cortical activity, ERK1/2 activation, locomotor behavior, and anxiety.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) occurs as a result of a silenced fragile X
      mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1) and subsequent loss of fragile X mental
      retardation protein (FMRP) expression. Loss of FMRP alters excitatory/inhibitory
      signaling balance, leading to increased neuronal hyperexcitability and altered
      behavior. Acamprosate (the calcium salt of N-acetylhomotaurinate), a drug FDA
      approved for relapse prevention in the treatment of alcohol dependence in adults,
      is a novel agent with multiple mechanisms that may be beneficial for people with
      FXS. There are questions regarding the neuroactive effects of acamprosate and the
      significance of the molecule's calcium moiety. Therefore, the
      electrophysiological, cellular, molecular, and behavioral effects of acamprosate
      were assessed in the Fmr1-/y (knock out; KO) mouse model of FXS controlling for
      the calcium salt in several experiments. METHODS: Fmr1 KO mice and their wild
      type (WT) littermates were utilized to assess acamprosate treatment on cortical
      UP state parameters, dendritic spine density, and seizure susceptibility. Brain
      extracellular-signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activation was used to
      investigate this signaling molecule as a potential biomarker for treatment
      response. Additional adult mice were used to assess chronic acamprosate treatment
      and any potential effects of the calcium moiety using CaCl2 treatment on behavior
      and nuclear ERK1/2 activation. RESULTS: Acamprosate attenuated prolonged cortical
      UP state duration, decreased elevated ERK1/2 activation in brain tissue, and
      reduced nuclear ERK1/2 activation in the dentate gyrus in KO mice. Acamprosate
      treatment modified behavior in anxiety and locomotor tests in Fmr1 KO mice in
      which control-treated KO mice were shown to deviate from control-treated WT mice.
      Mice treated with CaCl2 were not different from saline-treated mice in the adult
      behavior battery or nuclear ERK1/2 activation. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate
      that acamprosate, and not calcium, improves function reminiscent of reduced
      anxiety-like behavior and hyperactivity in Fmr1 KO mice and that acamprosate
      attenuates select electrophysiological and molecular dysregulation that may play
      a role in the pathophysiology of FXS. Differences between control-treated KO and
      WT mice were not evident in a recognition memory test or in examination of
      acoustic startle response/prepulse inhibition which impeded conclusions from
      being made about the treatment effects of acamprosate in these instances.

PMID- 28616098
TI  - Translation in fragile X: no home runs in the first at-bat.

PMID- 28616096
TI  - Fragile X targeted pharmacotherapy: lessons learned and future directions.
AB  - Our understanding of fragile X syndrome (FXS) pathophysiology continues to
      improve and numerous potential drug targets have been identified. Yet, current
      prescribing practices are only symptom-based in order to manage difficult
      behaviors, as no drug to date is approved for the treatment of FXS. Drugs
      impacting a diversity of targets in the brain have been studied in recent FXS
      specific clinical trials. While many drugs have focused on regulation of enhanced
      glutamatergic or deficient GABAergic neurotransmission, compounds studied have
      not been limited to these mechanisms. As a single-gene disorder, it was thought
      that FXS would have consistent drug targets that could be modulated with
      pharmacotherapy and lead to significant improvement. Unfortunately, despite
      promising results in FXS animal models, translational drug treatment development
      in FXS has largely failed. Future success in this field will depend on learning
      from past challenges to improve clinical trial design, choose appropriate outcome
      measures and age range choices, and find readily modulated drug targets. Even
      with many negative placebo-controlled study results, the field continues to move
      forward exploring both the new mechanistic drug approaches combined with ways to
      improve trial execution. This review summarizes the known phenotype and
      pathophysiology of FXS and past clinical trial rationale and results, and
      discusses current challenges facing the field and lessons from which to learn for
      future treatment development efforts.

PMID- 28616100
TI  - An ultrasonic caliper device for measuring acoustic nonlinearity.
AB  - In medical and industrial ultrasound, it is often necessary to measure the
      acoustic properties of a material. A specific medical application requires
      measurements of sound speed, attenuation, and nonlinearity to characterize livers
      being evaluated for transplantation. For this application, a transmission-mode
      caliper device is proposed in which both transmit and receive transducers are
      directly coupled to a test sample, the propagation distance is measured with an
      indicator gage, and receive waveforms are recorded for analysis. In this
      configuration, accurate measurements of nonlinearity present particular
      challenges: diffraction effects can be considerable while nonlinear distortions
      over short distances typically remain small. To enable simple estimates of the
      nonlinearity coefficient from a quasi-linear approximation to the lossless
      Burgers' equation, the calipers utilize a large transmitter and plane waves are
      measured at distances of 15-50 mm. Waves at 667 kHz and pressures between 0.1 and
      1 MPa were generated and measured in water at different distances; the
      nonlinearity coefficient of water was estimated from these measurements with a
      variability of approximately 10%. Ongoing efforts seek to test caliper
      performance in other media and improve accuracy via additional transducer
      calibrations.

PMID- 28616099
TI  - Epigenetic silencing of SALL3 is an independent predictor of poor survival in
      head and neck cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined Sal-like protein (SALL)3 methylation profiles of
      head and neck cancer (HNSCC) patients at diagnosis and follow-up and evaluated
      their prognostic significance and value as a biomarker. SALL3 expression was
      examined in a panel of cell lines by quantitative reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The methylation status of the SALL3 promoter
      was examined by quantitative methylation-specific PCR. RESULTS: SALL3 promoter
      methylation was associated with transcriptional inhibition and was correlated
      with disease recurrence in 64.8% of cases, with an odds ratio of 1.914 (95%
      confidence interval: 1.157-3.164; P = 0.011) by multivariate Cox proportional
      hazard regression analysis. SALL3 promoter hypermethylation showed highly
      discriminatory receiver operator characteristic curve profiles that clearly
      distinguished HNSCC from adjacent normal mucosal tissue, and was correlated with
      reduced disease-free survival (DFS) (log-rank test, P = 0.01). Hypermethylation
      of tumor-related genes was higher among patients with SALL3 methylation than
      among those without methylation (P < 0.001). Furthermore, SALL3 hypermethylation
      was associated with expression of TET1, TET2, and DNMT3A genes. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study suggests that CpG hypermethylation is a likely mechanism of SALL3 gene
      inactivation, supporting the hypothesis that the SALL3 gene may play a role in
      the tumorigenesis of HNSCC and may serve as an important biomarker.

PMID- 28616102
TI  - Female stress urinary incontinence: What's old is new again?

PMID- 28616101
TI  - The influence of gastric digestion on the development of food allergy.
AB  - Food allergy represents an increasing health concern worldwide. To identify
      mechanisms and risk factors associated with food allergy development major
      research efforts are ongoing. For a long time only food allergens that are
      resistant to gastric enzymes were accepted to harbor sensitizing capacity via the
      oral route. However, over the past years several studies reported that even
      important food allergens can be readily degraded by digestive enzymes.
      Interestingly, a number of in vitro experiments confirmed that impairment of
      physiological gastric digestion by elevating gastric pH levels was associated
      with protein resistance. Additionally, pharmacological gastric acid suppression
      was found to be a risk factor for food allergy induction. In contrast, protein
      modifications resulting in increased susceptibility to digestive enzymes were
      reported to decrease the sensitization capacity via the oral route. The here
      reviewed data highlight the important gate keeping function of physiological
      gastric digestion in food allergy.

PMID- 28616097
TI  - Updated report on tools to measure outcomes of clinical trials in fragile X
      syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) has been the neurodevelopmental disorder with
      the most active translation of preclinical breakthroughs into clinical trials.
      This process has led to a critical assessment of outcome measures, which resulted
      in a comprehensive review published in 2013. Nevertheless, the disappointing
      outcome of several recent phase III drug trials in FXS, and parallel efforts at
      evaluating behavioral endpoints for trials in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has
      emphasized the need for re-assessing outcome measures and revising
      recommendations for FXS. METHODS: After performing an extensive database search
      (PubMed, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)/National Institutes of Health (NIH)'s
      www.ClinicalTrials.gov, etc.) to determine progress since 2013, members of the
      Working Groups who published the 2013 Report evaluated the available outcome
      measures for FXS and related neurodevelopmental disorders using the COSMIN
      grading system of levels of evidence. The latter has also been applied to a
      British survey of endpoints for ASD. In addition, we also generated an informal
      classification of outcome measures for use in FXS intervention studies as
      instruments appropriate to detect shorter- or longer-term changes. RESULTS: To
      date, a total of 22 double-blind controlled clinical trials in FXS have been
      identified through www.ClinicalTrials.gov and an extensive literature search. The
      vast majority of these FDA/NIH-registered clinical trials has been completed
      between 2008 and 2015 and has targeted the core excitatory/inhibitory imbalance
      present in FXS and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Limited data exist on
      reliability and validity for most tools used to measure cognitive, behavioral,
      and other problems in FXS in these trials and other studies. Overall, evidence
      for most tools supports a moderate tool quality grading. Data on sensitivity to
      treatment, currently under evaluation, could improve ratings for some cognitive
      and behavioral tools. Some progress has also been made at identifying promising
      biomarkers, mainly on blood-based and neurophysiological measures. CONCLUSION:
      Despite the tangible progress in implementing clinical trials in FXS, the
      increasing data on measurement properties of endpoints, and the ongoing process
      of new tool development, the vast majority of outcome measures are at the
      moderate quality level with limited information on reliability, validity, and
      sensitivity to treatment. This situation is not unique to FXS, since reviews of
      endpoints for ASD have arrived at similar conclusions. These findings, in
      conjunction with the predominance of parent-based measures particularly in the
      behavioral domain, indicate that endpoint development in FXS needs to continue
      with an emphasis on more objective measures (observational, direct testing,
      biomarkers) that reflect meaningful improvements in quality of life. A major
      continuous challenge is the development of measurement tools concurrently with
      testing drug safety and efficacy in clinical trials.

PMID- 28616103
TI  - Canadian Urological Association position statement on the use of transvaginal
      mesh.
AB  - Stress incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) are common conditions.
      There is high-level evidence that midurethral mesh slings for stress incontinence
      are effective and safe; however, the rare but serious potential risks of this
      surgery must be discussed with the patient. The use of transvaginal mesh for
      prolapse repair does not appear to be supported by the current evidence, and its
      use should be restricted to specialized pelvic floor surgeons and specific
      clinical situations.

PMID- 28616104
TI  - Medicolegal basics and update on transvaginal mesh in Canada.
AB  - In recent years, midurethral slings (MUS) and transvaginal mesh procedures have
      experienced blazing growth and popularity. However, the US Food and Drug
      Administration (FDA) and Health Canada regulatory advisories threw water on that
      fire and created a confusing environment surrounding their continued usage. MUS
      usage has continued in Canada and transvaginal mesh kits for pelvic organ
      prolapse have become a rarity. Several large organizations (the Society of
      Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction [SUFU], the
      American Urogynecologic Society [AUGS], and the Canadian Urological Association
      [CUA]) have developed "mesh statements" to clarify the issues surrounding mesh
      for patients and medical professionals; however, often the legal system sees
      things differently in either individual cases or class action lawsuits. In this
      update, some medicolegal basics are outlined and Canadian context on legal
      proceedings are highlighted. This summary does not constitute legal advice and
      physicians should contact experts in legal matters for help with consents,
      complaints, litigation, or questions.

PMID- 28616105
TI  - "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" (St. Bernard of Clairvaux, c.
      1150).

PMID- 28616106
TI  - The role of preoperative urodynamics in stress urinary incontinence surgery.
AB  - The routine use of urodynamics prior to incontinence surgery continues to be
      debated. The evidence available from randomized, control trials suggests that
      preoperative urodynamics do not improve surgical outcomes and are not cost
      effective.

PMID- 28616107
TI  - Decisions regarding use of urodynamic studies in stress urinary incontinence must
      be made on a case-by-case basis.

PMID- 28616108
TI  - Advances in basic science methodologies for clinical diagnosis in female stress
      urinary incontinence.
AB  - We provide an overview of advanced imaging techniques currently being explored to
      gain greater understanding of the complexity of stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
      through better definition of structural anatomic data. Two methods of imaging and
      analysis are detailed for SUI with or without prolapse: 1) open magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) with or without the use of reference lines; and 2) 3D
      reconstruction of the pelvis using MRI. An additional innovative method of
      assessment includes the use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which uses non
      invasive photonics in a vaginal speculum to objectively evaluate pelvic floor
      muscle (PFM) function as it relates to SUI pathology. Advantages and
      disadvantages of these techniques are described. The recent innovation of open
      configuration magnetic resonance imaging (MRO) allows images to be captured in
      sitting and standing positions, which better simulates states that correlate with
      urinary leakage and can be further enhanced with 3D reconstruction. By detecting
      direct changes in oxygenated muscle tissue, the NIRS vaginal speculum is able to
      provide insight into how the oxidative capacity of the PFM influences SUI. The
      small number of units able to provide patient evaluation using these techniques
      and their cost and relative complexity are major considerations, but if such
      imaging can optimize diagnosis, treatment allocation, and selection for surgery
      enhanced imaging techniques may prove to be a worthwhile and cost-effective
      strategy for assessing and treating SUI.

PMID- 28616109
TI  - The management of mixed urinary incontinence in women.
AB  - Mixed urinary incontinence is a common diagnosis among women with urinary leakage
      and is often present in women who are unable to characterize their incontinence.
      Research and optimized clinical treatment of these patients is limited by the
      challenges in objectively defining and stratifying this population. The
      evaluation of these patients should follow the same general principles as any
      assessment of any women with incontinence; however, it is essential to define
      whether urge or stress incontinence is the predominant symptom. Urodynamics (UDS)
      may be helpful in this regard and may help predict surgical outcomes. Behavioural
      therapy, weight loss, and pelvic floor muscle therapy are usually appropriate
      initial management strategies. In postmenopausal women, vaginal estrogen can be
      considered, and in women with equal parts stress and urge incontinence or urge
      predominant mixed incontinence, a trial of anticholinergics or beta-3 agonists is
      appropriate. In women with stress-predominant or equal parts stress and urge
      incontinence, stress incontinence surgery can be considered, with the caveat that
      outcomes are generally worse among women with more severe levels of urgency,
      success rates may not be as durable, and a significant proportion of women may
      need additional medical therapy.

PMID- 28616110
TI  - Pelvic organ prolapse: A primer for urologists.
AB  - Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) results from weakness or injury of the pelvic floor
      supports with resulting descent of one or more vaginal compartments (anterior,
      apical and/or posterior). Women typically become symptomatic from the bulging
      vaginal wall or related organ dysfunction once this descent reaches the
      introitus. POP is a common condition, affecting more than half of adult women.
      Many women presenting to an urologist for stress urinary incontinence or
      overactive bladder will have associated POP; therefore, it is important for
      urologists who treat these conditions to be familiar with its diagnosis and
      management. While POP is part of the core urology training curriculum in some
      jurisdictions, it is not in Canada.1 This article reviews the diagnosis of POP,
      including pertinent symptoms to query in the history, important facets of a
      systematic pelvic examination, and the appropriate use of ancillary tests.
      Treatment options are also discussed, including conservative measures, pessaries,
      and various reconstructive and obliterative techniques.

PMID- 28616111
TI  - Urologists should have a working knowledge of the evaluation and management of
      POP.

PMID- 28616112
TI  - Choosing the right sling for your patient.
AB  - Recent data has demonstrated a one in five lifetime risk of a woman requiring
      stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery. Currently, most women opt for a
      synthetic midurethral sling (MUS), with over 3.6 million placed worldwide. This
      article attempts to identify whether a gold standard exists with regards to
      surgical correction of female SUI. When considering which sling type to use for
      which incontinent woman, the published data demonstrates excellent results for
      both synthetic mesh (retropubic or transobturator routes) and fascial pubovaginal
      slings for most patients. Intrinsic sphincter deficiency does appear to be better
      treated with the use of a retropubic approach, although still with less than
      stellar results. With little to differentiate, the treatment of most female SUI
      may be solely based on which sling the surgeon feels most comfortable performing.
      Currently, most urologists and gynecologists favour synthetic MUS over fascial
      slings in surgical-naive patients; however, recent U.S Food and Drug
      Administration (FDA) warnings concerning the use of mesh in transvaginal surgery
      have patients questioning the safety of synthetic MUS for the treatment of SUI.

PMID- 28616113
TI  - Prevention, diagnosis, and management of midurethral mesh sling complications.
AB  - Midurethral slings (MUS) are a proven effective treatment option for stress
      urinary incontinence (SUI) and have become the gold standard in most centres in
      North America. MUS implantation can be associated with risks that are common to
      all anti-incontinence surgeries, and others which are unique. This article
      reviews the intraoperative and the early and late postoperative risks associated
      with these procedures, with insights into their prevention, diagnosis, and
      management drawn from the literature and expert opinion. In most cases, careful
      patient counselling before and after surgery, along with meticulous surgical
      technique, can mitigate risk and patient concern. Even in the best of hands,
      however, complications will occur, so surgeons must have a high index of
      suspicion and a low threshold to investigate.

PMID- 28616114
TI  - Midurethral sling complications.

PMID- 28616115
TI  - Management of patients with stress urinary incontinence after failed midurethral
      sling.
AB  - Surgical failure rates after midurethral sling (MUS) procedures are variable and
      range from approximately 8-57% at five years of followup. The disparity in long
      term failure rates is explained by a lack of long-term followup and lack of a
      clear definition of what constitutes failure. A recent Cochrane review
      illustrates that no high-quality data exists to recommend or refute any of the
      different management strategies for recurrent or persistent stress urinary
      incontinence (SUI) after failed MUS surgery. Clinical evaluation requires a
      complete history, physical examination, and establishment of patient goals.
      Conservative treatment measures include pelvic floor physiotherapy, incontinence
      pessary dish, commercially available devices (Uresta(r), Impressa(r)), or medical
      therapy. Minimally invasive therapies include periurethral bulking agents
      (bladder neck injections) and sling plication. Surgical options include repeat
      MUS with or without mesh removal, salvage autologous fascial sling or Burch
      colposuspension, or salvage artificial urinary sphincter insertion. In this
      paper, we present the available evidence to support each of these approaches and
      include the management strategy used by our review panel for patients that
      present with SUI after failed midurethral sling.

PMID- 28616116
TI  - The pubovaginal sling: Reintroducing an old friend.
AB  - The surgical management of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) has evolved
      over the past century, using various techniques of retropubic colposuspensions
      and sling procedures. In the past two decades, the sling has become the mainstay
      of surgical treatment of SUI, with the synthetic midurethral sling (MUS) leading
      the way. With the recent concerns raised by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
      (FDA) and Health Canada about the safety of vaginal surgery using mesh implants,
      including the MUS, urologists and gynecologists should be familiar with suitable
      alternatives, including the pubovaginal sling (PVS), which often incorporates
      autologous fascia. Surgeons should be expected to discuss the surgical options to
      patients in more detail so that an informed decision can be made by both parties
      on which surgery to choose. Despite the MUS still being considered the "gold
      standard" by many, both the urologist and gynecologist who manage SUI should
      understand the indications for a PVS with autologous fascia, as well as its
      surgical technique and outcomes. This knowledge is required to aid in the
      decision-making of both the patient and her surgeon. In this article, the role of
      the PVS and the description of its surgical technique are presented.

PMID- 28616117
TI  - Periurethral bulking agents for female stress urinary incontinence in Canada.
AB  - Urethral bulking aims to improve urethral mucosal coaptation, and thus outlet
      resistance, in an effort to limit stress-induced leakage. While efforts have been
      made to employ bulking agents to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) for more
      than 100 years, we remain wanting for the perfect injectable. Regardless of the
      agent studied, efficacy is modest at best, repeat injections are the norm, and
      long-term followup is conspicuously lacking. This treatment, however, fills an
      important need in our armamentarium against SUI, serving those patients who are
      not candidates for more invasive interventions and those with multiple prior
      failed surgeries. This review offers a contemporary discussion on the role of
      periurethral bulking therapy in Canada, along with practical aspects of its
      application.

PMID- 28616118
TI  - Stress urinary incontinence in women: Current and emerging therapeutic options.
AB  - Surgical management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is most commonly
      achieved by midurethral synthetic sling (MUS) insertion as a first-line surgical
      option. A great deal of research continues to evolve new management strategies to
      reach an optimal balance of high efficacy and minimal adverse events. This expert
      opinion review provides a brief and comprehensive discussion of recent advances
      and ongoing research in the management of SUI, with an emphasis on single
      incision mini-slings, vaginal laser treatment, and cell-based therapy. It is
      based on data obtained from numerous published meta-analyses and original studies
      identified through literature search. Single-incision mini-slings appear equally
      effective initially compared with standard MUS (retropubic or transobturator) for
      the treatment of female SUI; however, this efficacy lacks durability evidence
      beyond one-year followup. There is a lack of sufficient clinical evidence to
      currently confirm long-term safety and effectiveness of cell-therapy and non
      ablative vaginal laser therapy, besides suggestion of apparent initial safety.
      There are still significant challenges to overcome before widespread clinical
      practice of the latter two modalities. Future research should be aimed at
      identifying groups of patients who might benefit from these minimally invasive
      therapeutic options.

PMID- 28616119
TI  - New research in bladder cancer, ASCO-GU 2017.

PMID- 28616120
TI  - New research in kidney cancer, ASCO-GU 2017.

PMID- 28616121
TI  - New research in prostate cancer, ASCO-GU 2017.

PMID- 28616122
TI  - New research in testicular cancer, ASCO-GU 2017.

PMID- 28616123
TI  - The Unexpected Hand Patient: Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28616124
TI  - Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology: clinical implications.
AB  - Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology, which was first described in 1936, is the study
      of the interactions between the psyche, neural and endocrine functions and immune
      responses. The aim of psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology is to apply medical
      knowledge to the treatment of different allergic, immune, autoimmune, rheumatic,
      neoplastic, endocrine, cardiovascular and dental pathologies, among other
      disorders. Epigenetic factors and major stresses from different types of stimuli
      acting through distinct pathways and neurotransmitters are highly involved in
      altering the psychoneuroimmunoendocrine axis, resulting in the emergence of
      disease. The main purpose of this report is to expand the understanding of
      psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology and to demonstrate the importance of the above
      mentioned interactions in the etiology of multiple pathologies. In this review, a
      search of the medical literature using PubMed (free access search engine for the
      Medline database of the National Library of Medicine of the United States) over
      the years 1936 to 2016 was conducted, and descriptive and experimental studies
      and reviews of the scientific literature were included.

PMID- 28616125
TI  - Mechanisms of Neurotoxic Symptoms as a Result of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment:
      Considerations on the Contribution of Stress, Inflammation, and Cellular
      Bioenergetics.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Breast cancer and its treatment are associated with a range of
      neurotoxic symptoms, such as fatigue, cognitive impairment, and pain. Although
      these symptoms generally subside after treatment completion, they become chronic
      in a significant subset of patients. We here summarize recent findings on
      neuroinflammation, stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction as mechanistic pathways
      leading to neurotoxic symptom experience in breast cancer patients and survivors.
      RECENT FINDINGS: Neuroinflammation related to stress or cancer treatment and
      stress resulting from diagnosis, treatment, or (cancer-related) worrying are
      important predictors of a neurotoxic symptom experience, both during and after
      treatment for breast cancer. Both inflammation and stress hormones, as well as
      cancer treatment, can induce mitochondrial dysfunction resulting in reduced
      cellular energy. SUMMARY: We propose reduced cellular energy (mitochondrial
      dysfunction) induced by inflammation, oxygen radical production, and stress as a
      result of cancer and/or cancer treatment as a final mechanism underlying
      neurotoxic symptoms.

PMID- 28616126
TI  - Autistic traits affect interpersonal motor coordination by modulating strategic
      use of role-based behavior.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that deficits in social communication and
      interaction are at the core of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), no study has yet
      tested individuals on a continuum from neurotypical development to autism in an
      on-line, cooperative, joint action task. In our study, we aimed to assess whether
      the degree of autistic traits affects participants' ability to modulate their
      motor behavior while interacting in a Joint Grasping task and according to their
      given role. METHODS: Sixteen pairs of adult participants played a cooperative
      social interactive game in which they had to synchronize their reach-to-grasp
      movements. Pairs were comprised of one ASC and one neurotypical with no cognitive
      disability. In alternate experimental blocks, one participant knew what action to
      perform (instructed role) while the other had to infer it from his/her partner's
      action (adaptive role). When in the adaptive condition, participants were told to
      respond with an action that was either opposite or similar to their partner.
      Participants also played a non-social control game in which they had to
      synchronize with a non-biological stimulus. RESULTS: In the social interactive
      task, higher degree of autistic traits predicted less ability to modulate joint
      action according to one's interactive role. In the non-social task, autistic
      traits did not predict differences in movement preparation and planning, thus
      ruling out the possibility that social interactive task results were due to basic
      motor or executive function difficulties. Furthermore, when participants played
      the non-social game, the higher their autistic traits, the more they were
      interfered by the non-biological stimulus. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows for the
      first time that high autistic traits predict a stereotypical interaction style
      when individuals are required to modulate their movements in order to coordinate
      with their partner according to their role in a joint action task. Specifically,
      the infrequent emergence of role-based motor behavior modulation during on-line
      motor cooperation in participants with high autistic traits sheds light on the
      numerous difficulties ASC have in nonverbal social interactions.

PMID- 28616127
TI  - New coordination features; a bridging pyridine and the forced shortest non
      covalent distance between two CO32- species.
AB  - The aerobic reaction of the multidentate ligand 2,6-bis-(3-oxo-3-(2
      hydroxyphenyl)-propionyl)-pyridine, H4L, with Co(ii) salts in strong basic
      conditions produces the clusters [Co4(L)2(OH)(py)7]NO3 (1) and
      [Co8Na4(L)4(OH)2(CO3)2(py)10](BF4)2 (2). Analysis of their structure unveils
      unusual coordination features including a very rare bridging pyridine ligand or
      two trapped carbonate anions within one coordination cage, forced to stay at an
      extremely close distance (dO...O = 1.946 A). This unprecedented non-bonding
      proximity represents a meeting point between long covalent interactions and
      "intermolecular" contacts. These original motifs have been analysed here through
      DFT calculations, which have yielded interaction energies and the reduced
      repulsion energy experimented by both CO32- anions when located in close
      proximity inside the coordination cage.

PMID- 28616128
TI  - Establishing hierarchy: the chain of events leading to the formation of
      silicalite-1 nanosheets.
AB  - In applying a multi-scale spectroscopic and computational approach, we
      demonstrate that the synthesis of stacked zeolite silicalite-1 nanosheets, in the
      presence of a long-tail diquaternary ammonium salt surfactant, proceeds through a
      pre-organised phase in the condensed state. In situ small-angle X-ray scattering,
      coupled to paracrystalline theory, and backed by electron microscopy, shows that
      this phase establishes its meso-scale order within the first five hours of
      hydrothermal synthesis. Quasi in situ vibrational and solid-state NMR
      spectroscopy reveal that this meso-shaped architecture already contains some
      elementary zeolitic features. The key to this coupled organisation at both micro-
      and meso-scale, is a structure-directing agent that is ambifunctional in shaping
      silica at the meso-scale whilst involved in molecular recognition at the micro
      scale. The latter feature is particularly important and requires the structure
      directing agent to reside within the silica matrix already at early stages of the
      synthesis. From here, molecular recognition directs stabilization of precursor
      species and their specific embedding into a lattice, as shown by force-field
      molecular dynamics calculations. These calculations, in line with experiment,
      further show how it is possible to subtly tune both the zeolite topology and
      aspect ratio of the condensating crystals, by modifying the headgroup of the
      structure-directing agent.

PMID- 28616129
TI  - Non-local real-space analysis of chiral optical signals.
AB  - A spatially non-local response tensor description of linear chiral signals such
      as circular dichroism is developed. By working directly with the vector potential
      rather that the electric and magnetic fields, we recast the signals in terms of
      correlation functions of charge and current densities and avoid the tedious
      expansion in multipoles.

PMID- 28616130
TI  - Quantitative investigation of human cell surface N-glycoprotein dynamics.
AB  - Surface glycoproteins regulate nearly every extracellular event and they are
      dynamic for cells to adapt to the ever-changing extracellular environment. These
      glycoproteins contain a wealth of information on cellular development and disease
      states, and have significant biomedical implications. Systematic investigation of
      surface glycoproteins will result in a better understanding of surface protein
      functions, cellular activities and the molecular mechanisms of disease. However,
      it is extraordinarily challenging to specifically and globally analyze surface
      glycoproteins. Here we designed the first method to systematically analyze
      surface glycoprotein dynamics and measure their half-lives by integrating pulse
      chase labeling, selective enrichment of surface glycoproteins, and multiplexed
      proteomics. The current results clearly demonstrated that surface glycoproteins
      with catalytic activities were more stable than those with binding and receptor
      activities. Glycosylation sites located outside of any domain had a notably
      longer median half-life than those within domains, which strongly suggests that
      glycans within domains regulate protein interactions with other molecules while
      those outside of domains mainly play a role in protecting the protein from
      degradation. This method can be extensively applied to biological and biomedical
      research.

PMID- 28616131
TI  - Size-dependence of carbon nanotube confinement in catalysis.
AB  - An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that confinement within carbon
      nanotubes (CNTs) provides an effective approach for the modulation of catalysis.
      It was generally predicted that confinement became stronger with a decreasing
      diameter of CNTs. However, our present study here overturns the previous
      expectation: the influence on catalysis is not monotonic. Instead, it exhibits a
      volcano relationship with CNT diameter. Taking Pt catalyzing O2 conversion and Re
      catalyzing N2 conversion as probes using density functional theory, we show that
      only within tubes with an i.d. of ~1 nm can the activity of metal clusters be
      enhanced to its maximum. Furthermore, confinement only enhances the catalytic
      activity of metals with strong intrinsic binding with reactants, whereas it is
      suppressed for those with weak binding. These findings shed further light on the
      fundamental effects of confinement on catalysis, and could guide more rational
      design of confined catalysts.

PMID- 28616132
TI  - Pressure induced polymerization of acetylide anions in CaC2 and 107 fold
      enhancement of electrical conductivity.
AB  - Transformation between different types of carbon-carbon bonding in carbides often
      results in a dramatic change of physical and chemical properties. Under external
      pressure, unsaturated carbon atoms form new covalent bonds regardless of the
      electrostatic repulsion. It was predicted that calcium acetylide (also known as
      calcium carbide, CaC2) polymerizes to form calcium polyacetylide, calcium
      polyacenide and calcium graphenide under high pressure. In this work, the phase
      transitions of CaC2 under external pressure were systematically investigated, and
      the amorphous phase was studied in detail for the first time. Polycarbide anions
      like C66- are identified with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and several
      other techniques, which evidences the pressure induced polymerization of the
      acetylide anions and suggests the existence of the polyacenide fragment.
      Additionally, the process of polymerization is accompanied with a 107 fold
      enhancement of the electrical conductivity. The polymerization of acetylide
      anions demonstrates that high pressure compression is a viable route to
      synthesize novel metal polycarbides and materials with extended carbon networks,
      while shedding light on the synthesis of more complicated metal organics.

PMID- 28616133
TI  - Naked eye detection of multiple tumor-related mRNAs from patients with photonic
      crystal micropattern supported dual-modal upconversion bioprobes.
AB  - Development of a portable device for the detection of multiple mRNAs is a
      significant need in the early diagnosis of cancer. We have designed a biochip
      based mRNA detection device by combining a hydrophilic-hydrophobic micropattern
      with upconversion luminescence (UCL) probes. The device achieves highly sensitive
      detection, using the naked eye, of multiple mRNAs among patient samples. The high
      sensitivity is attributed to enrichment of the target concentration and a
      fluorescence enhancement effect. In addition, since the photonic crystal (PC) dot
      biochip is functionalized with dual-wavelength excitation UCL probes, two kinds
      of mRNAs in the heterogeneous biological samples are detected simultaneously, and
      the corresponding luminescence signals are captured using an unmodified camera
      phone. The biochip-based mRNA detection device reported here demonstrates that
      multiple mRNAs extracted from patient samples can be simultaneously and
      sensitively detected in a visual way without sophisticated instrumentation.
      Therefore, this device is promising for real-time detection of multiple
      biomarkers in patient samples, and it is anticipated that it will provide a
      powerful tool for convenient early diagnosis of cancer.

PMID- 28616134
TI  - Photodriven hydrogen evolution by molecular catalysts using Al2O3-protected
      perylene-3,4-dicarboximide on NiO electrodes.
AB  - The design of efficient hydrogen-evolving photocathodes for dye-sensitized
      photoelectrochemical cells (DSPECs) requires the incorporation of molecular light
      absorbing chromophores that are capable of delivering reducing equivalents to
      molecular proton reduction catalysts at rates exceeding those of charge
      recombination events. Here, we report the functionalization and kinetic analysis
      of a nanostructured NiO electrode with a modified perylene-3,4-dicarboximide
      chromophore (PMI) that is stabilized against degradation by atomic layer
      deposition (ALD) of thick insulating Al2O3 layers. Following photoinduced charge
      injection into NiO in high yield, films with Al2O3 layers demonstrate longer
      charge separated lifetimes as characterized via femtosecond transient absorption
      spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical techniques. The photoelectrochemical
      behavior of the electrodes in the presence of Co(ii) and Ni(ii) molecular proton
      reduction catalysts is examined, revealing reduction of both catalysts. Under
      prolonged irradiation, evolved H2 is directly observed by gas chromatography
      supporting the applicability of PMI embedded in Al2O3 as a photocathode
      architecture in DSPECs.

PMID- 28616135
TI  - Carbon dioxide binding at a Ni/Fe center: synthesis and characterization of
      Ni(eta1-CO2-kappaC) and Ni-MU-CO2-kappaC:kappa2O,O'-Fe.
AB  - The degree of CO2 activation can be tuned by incorporating a distinct electronic
      coordination environment at the nickel center. A mononuclear nickel carboxylate
      species (Ni-CO2, 3) and a dinuclear nickel-iron carboxylate species (Ni-CO2-Fe,
      5) were prepared. The structure of 3 reveals a rare eta1-kappaC binding mode of
      CO2, while that of 5 shows bridging CO2 binding (MU2-kappaC:kappa2O,O') between
      the nickel and iron, presented as the first example of a nickel-MU-CO2-iron
      species. The structural analyses of 3 and 5 based on XRD and DFT data reveal a
      higher degree of CO2 activation in 5, imparted by the additional interaction with
      an iron ion.

PMID- 28616136
TI  - Highly selective olefin-assisted palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbocyclization
      via remote olefin insertion.
AB  - A highly selective olefin-assisted palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbocyclization
      via remote olefin insertion to afford cyclohexenes has been developed. It was
      shown that the assisting olefin moiety was indispensable for the formation of the
      cyclohexene product. Furthermore, preliminary studies on chiral anion-induced
      asymmetrical carbocyclization-borylation of enallenes have been carried out.

PMID- 28616137
TI  - Multi-stimuli responsive and multi-functional oligoaniline-modified vitrimers.
AB  - Smart polymers have been playing indispensable roles in our lives. However, it is
      challenging to combine more than three stimuli-responses or functionalities into
      one polymer, not to mention integrating multi-stimuli responsivity and multi
      functionality at the same time. Vitrimers, an emerging type of materials, are
      covalently crosslinked networks that can be reprocessed but are still infusible
      and insoluble. Herein, we show that simply introducing oligoaniline into a
      vitrimer results in a covalently crosslinked material that can respond to six
      different stimuli (heat, light, pH, voltage, metal ions and redox chemicals) and
      perform six functions (shape memory, welding, healing, recycling, electro
      chromism and adsorption of metal ions). New properties, which cannot be found in
      either neat vitrimers or oligoanilines, are generated, including photo-heal
      ability, photo-weldability, pH-induced shape memory, enhancement of the photo
      thermal effect due to metal ions absorption and simultaneous multi-tasking
      operations. Furthermore, the material is low-cost and suitable for large-scale
      mass production.

PMID- 28616138
TI  - The HOF structures of nitrotetraphenylethene derivatives provide new insights
      into the nature of AIE and a way to design mechanoluminescent materials.
AB  - This study probes the effect of intramolecular rotations on aggregation-induced
      emission (AIE) and leads to a kind of supramolecular mechanoluminescent material.
      Two hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), namely HOFTPE3N and HOFTPE4N, have
      been constructed from nitro-substituted tetraphenylethene (TPE) building blocks,
      namely tris(4-nitrophenyl)phenylethene (TPE3N) and tetrakis(4-nitrophenyl)ethene
      (TPE4N). Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, two types of pores are
      observed in the HOFTPE4N supramolecular structure. The pore sizes are 5.855 A *
      5.855 A (alpha pores) and 7.218 A * 7.218 A (beta pores). Powder X-ray
      diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry studies further reveal that the
      alpha pores, which contain nitrophenyl rings, quench the emission of HOFTPE4N.
      This emission can be turned on by breaking the alpha pores in the HOFs by
      grinding the sample. Temperature-dependent emission studies demonstrate that the
      emission quenching of HOFTPE4N is attributed to the intramolecular rotations of
      nitro-substituted phenyl units within the space of the alpha pores. These results
      clearly reveal AIE by controlling the intramolecular rotations, which can serve
      as a basis for developing mechanoluminescent materials.

PMID- 28616139
TI  - Rh(iii)-catalyzed double C-H activation of aldehyde hydrazones: a route for
      functionalized 1H-indazole synthesis.
AB  - A novel and straightforward strategy for functionalized 1H-indazoles is realized
      by the Rh(iii)-catalyzed double C-H activation and C-H/C-H cross coupling of
      readily available aldehyde phenylhydrazones. The reaction is scalable and various
      1H-indazoles could be afforded in moderate to high yields with good functional
      group compatibility. Mechanism experiments and DFT calculations suggest the
      distinctive Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H/C-H cross coupling reaction underwent a cascade
      C(aryl)-H bond metalation, C(aldhyde)-H bond insertion and reductive elimination
      process.

PMID- 28616140
TI  - Photochromic benzo[b]phosphole oxide with excellent thermal irreversibility and
      fatigue resistance in the thin film solid state via direct attachment of
      dithienyl units to the weakly aromatic heterocycle.
AB  - A novel photochromic benzo[b]phosphole oxide has been demonstrated to display
      photochromic properties with excellent fatigue resistance and thermal
      irreversibility in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin film under ambient
      conditions. The remarkable photochromic behaviour can be achieved by rational
      molecular design, in which the weakly aromatic phosphole oxide is directly
      incorporated into the photo-responsive dithienylethene units. Photopatterning via
      photoinduced colouration and decolouration has been performed to demonstrate the
      repeatable and distinct transformation between the bistable states, making it a
      promising candidate with photoswitching properties for optoelectronic
      applications.

PMID- 28616141
TI  - A general strategy for colloidal stable ultrasmall amorphous mineral clusters in
      organic solvents.
AB  - While nature exerts precise control over the size and chemical composition of
      minerals, this is still a challenging task for artificial syntheses. Despite its
      significance, until now, there are still no reports on colloidal mineral
      nanoparticles in the subnanometer range. Here we developed a general gas
      diffusion strategy using 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid as a ligand and ethanol as a
      solvent to fabricate stable amorphous mineral clusters with a core size of less
      than 2 nm. First discovered for CaCO3, the method was successfully extended to
      produce monolayer protected clusters of MgCO3, SrCO3, Eu2(CO3)3, Tb2(CO3)3,
      Ce2(CO3)3, Ca x (PO4) y , CaC2O4 and their hybrid minerals, Ca x Mg y (CO3) z and
      Ca x (CO3) y (PO4) z . All the mineral clusters can be well dispersed in organic
      solvents like toluene, and are stable for a long period without further
      crystallization. Our work paves a way for the artificial synthesis of colloidal
      mineral clusters, which may have various uses in both fundamental research and
      industry.

PMID- 28616142
TI  - Alkene hydrogenation activity of enoate reductases for an environmentally benign
      biosynthesis of adipic acid.
AB  - Adipic acid, a precursor for Nylon-6,6 polymer, is one of the most important
      commodity chemicals, which is currently produced from petroleum. The biosynthesis
      of adipic acid from glucose still remains challenging due to the absence of
      biocatalysts required for the hydrogenation of unsaturated six-carbon
      dicarboxylic acids to adipic acid. Here, we demonstrate the first enzymatic
      hydrogenation of 2-hexenedioic acid and muconic acid to adipic acid using enoate
      reductases (ERs). ERs can hydrogenate 2-hexenedioic acid and muconic acid
      producing adipic acid with a high conversion rate and yield in vivo and in vitro.
      Purified ERs exhibit a broad substrate spectrum including aromatic and aliphatic
      2-enoates and a significant oxygen tolerance. The discovery of the hydrogenation
      activity of ERs contributes to an understanding of the catalytic mechanism of
      these poorly characterized enzymes and enables the environmentally benign
      biosynthesis of adipic acid and other chemicals from renewable resources.

PMID- 28616143
TI  - Highly enantioselective metallation-substitution alpha to a chiral nitrile.
AB  - We report the deprotonation of a chiral nitrile and reaction of the resulting
      chiral organometallic species with a variety of electrophiles to give highly
      enantiomerically enriched 2-substituted nitrile products. The nitrile was treated
      with TMPMgCl and the resulting anion, an asymmetric alpha cyano Grignard species,
      was found to be configurationally stable at low temperature for a short time
      (half-life several minutes at -104  degrees C).

PMID- 28616144
TI  - Mechanistic study of the rhodium-catalyzed carboxylation of simple aromatic
      compounds with carbon dioxide.
AB  - A detailed mechanism of the Rh(i)-catalyzed carboxylation of simple aromatic
      compounds via C-H bond activation was investigated. Kinetic studies with model
      compounds of the postulated key intermediates revealed that 14-electron
      complexes, RhMe(dcype) and RhPh(dcype), participated in the C-H bond activation
      step and the carboxylation step, respectively. Interestingly, the undesired
      carboxylation of RhMe(dcype) to give acetic acid was found to be much faster than
      the desired C-H bond activation reaction under stoichiometric conditions,
      however, the C-H bond activation reaction could occur under catalytic conditions.
      Careful controlled experiments revealed that C-H bond activation using
      RhMe(dcype) became competitive with its direct carboxylation under the condition
      that the concentration of CO2 in the liquid phase was rather low. This factor
      could be controlled to some extent by mechanical factors such as the stirring
      rate and the shape of the reaction vessel. The resting state of the rhodium
      species under catalytic conditions was found to be [RhCl(dcype)]2, and the
      proposed intermediates such as RhMe(dcype) and Rh(OBz)(dcype) were readily
      converted to the most stable state, [RhCl(dcype)]2, via transmetallation with
      [Al]-Cl species, thus preventing the decomposition of the active catalytic
      species.

PMID- 28616145
TI  - A family of cis-macrocyclic diphosphines: modular, stereoselective synthesis and
      application in catalytic CO2/ethylene coupling.
AB  - A family of cis-macrocyclic diphosphines was prepared in just three steps from
      white phosphorus and commercial materials using a modular synthetic approach.
      Alkylation of bicyclic diphosphane 3,4,8,9-tetramethyl-1,6
      diphosphabicyclo(4.4.0)deca-3,8-diene, or P2(dmb)2, produced phosphino
      phosphonium salts [R-P2(dmb)2]X, where R is methyl, benzyl and isobutyl, in
      yields of 90-96%. Treatment of these salts with organolithium or Grignard
      reagents yielded symmetric and unsymmetric macrocyclic diphosphines of the form
      cis-1-R-6-R'-3,4,8,9-tetramethyl-2,5,7,10-tetrahydro-1,6-DiPhospheCine, or R,R'
      DPC, in which R' is methyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or mesityl, in yields of 46-94%.
      Alternatively, symmetric diphosphine Cy2-DPC was synthesized in 74% yield from
      the dichlorodiphosphine Cl2P2(dmb)2. As a first application, these cis
      macrocyclic diphosphines were used as ligands in the nickel-catalyzed synthesis
      of acrylate from CO2 and ethylene, for which they showed promising catalytic
      activity.

PMID- 28616146
TI  - Infrared spectroscopy of the nitrogenase MoFe protein under electrochemical
      control: potential-triggered CO binding.
AB  - We demonstrate electrochemical control of the nitrogenase MoFe protein, in the
      absence of Fe protein or ATP, using europium(iii/ii) polyaminocarboxylate
      complexes as electron transfer mediators. This allows the potential dependence of
      proton reduction and inhibitor (CO) binding to the active site FeMo-cofactor to
      be established. Reduction of protons to H2 is catalyzed by the wild type MoFe
      protein and beta-98Tyr->His and beta-99Phe->His variants of the MoFe protein at
      potentials more negative than -800 mV (vs. SHE), with greater electrocatalytic
      proton reduction rates observed for the variants compared to the wild type
      protein. Electrocatalytic proton reduction is strongly attenuated by carbon
      monoxide (CO), and the potential-dependence of CO binding to the FeMo-cofactor is
      determined by in situ infrared (IR) spectroelectrochemistry. The vibrational
      wavenumbers for CO coordinated to the FeMo-cofactor are consistent with earlier
      IR studies on the MoFe protein with Fe protein/ATP as reductant showing that
      electrochemically generated states of the protein are closely related to states
      generated with the native Fe protein as electron donor.

PMID- 28616147
TI  - Stereodivergent, Diels-Alder-initiated organocascades employing alpha,beta
      unsaturated acylammonium salts: scope, mechanism, and application.
AB  - Chiral alpha,beta-unsaturated acylammonium salts are novel dienophiles enabling
      enantioselective Diels-Alder-lactonization (DAL) organocascades leading to cis-
      and trans-fused, bicyclic gamma- and delta-lactones from readily prepared dienes,
      commodity acid chlorides, and a chiral isothiourea organocatalyst under mild
      conditions. We describe extensions of stereodivergent DAL organocascades to other
      racemic dienes bearing pendant secondary and tertiary alcohols, and application
      to a formal synthesis of (+)-dihydrocompactin is described. A combined
      experimental and computational investigation of unsaturated acylammonium salt
      formation and the entire DAL organocascade pathway provide a rationalization of
      the effect of Bronsted base additives and enabled a controllable,
      diastereodivergent DAL process leading to a full complement of possible
      stereoisomeric products. Evaluation of free energy and enthalpy barriers in
      conjunction with experimentally observed temperature effects revealed that the
      DAL is a rare case of an entropy-controlled diastereoselective process. NMR
      analysis of diene alcohol-Bronsted base interactions and computational studies
      provide a plausible explanation of observed stabilization of exo transition-state
      structures through hydrogen-bonding effects.

PMID- 28616148
TI  - The structural assembly switch of cell division protein FtsZ probed with
      fluorescent allosteric inhibitors.
AB  - FtsZ is a widely conserved tubulin-like GTPase that directs bacterial cell
      division and a new target for antibiotic discovery. This protein assembly machine
      cooperatively polymerizes forming single-stranded filaments, by means of self
      switching between inactive and actively associating monomer conformations. The
      structural switch mechanism was proposed to involve a movement of the C-terminal
      and N-terminal FtsZ domains, opening a cleft between them, allosterically coupled
      to the formation of a tight association interface between consecutive subunits
      along the filament. The effective antibacterial benzamide PC190723 binds into the
      open interdomain cleft and stabilizes FtsZ filaments, thus impairing correct
      formation of the FtsZ ring for cell division. We have designed fluorescent
      analogs of PC190723 to probe the FtsZ structural assembly switch. Among them,
      nitrobenzoxadiazole probes specifically bind to assembled FtsZ rather than to
      monomers. Probes with several spacer lengths between the fluorophore and
      benzamide moieties suggest a binding site extension along the interdomain cleft.
      These probes label FtsZ rings of live Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus
      aureus, without apparently modifying normal cell morphology and growth, but at
      high concentrations they induce impaired bacterial division phenotypes typical of
      benzamide antibacterials. During the FtsZ assembly-disassembly process, the
      fluorescence anisotropy of the probes changes upon binding and dissociating from
      FtsZ, thus reporting open and closed FtsZ interdomain clefts. Our results
      demonstrate the structural mechanism of the FtsZ assembly switch, and suggest
      that the probes bind into the open clefts in cellular FtsZ polymers preferably to
      unassembled FtsZ in the bacterial cytosol.

PMID- 28616149
TI  - Is iron unique in promoting electrical conductivity in MOFs?
AB  - Identifying the metal ions that optimize charge transport and charge density in
      metal-organic frameworks is critical for systematic improvements in the
      electrical conductivity in these materials. In this work, we measure the
      electrical conductivity and activation energy for twenty different MOFs
      pertaining to four distinct structural families: M2(DOBDC)(DMF)2 (M = Mg2+, Mn2+,
      Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+); H4DOBDC = 2,5-dihydroxybenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic
      acid; DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), M2(DSBDC)(DMF)2 (M = Mn2+, Fe2+; H4DSBDC =
      2,5-disulfhydrylbenzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid), M2Cl2(BTDD)(DMF)2 (M = Mn2+,
      Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+; H2BTDD = bis(1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b],[4',5'
      i]dibenzo[1,4]dioxin), and M(1,2,3-triazolate)2 (M = Mg2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+,
      Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+). This comprehensive study allows us to single-out iron as the
      metal ion that leads to the best electrical properties. The iron-based MOFs
      exhibit at least five orders of magnitude higher electrical conductivity and
      significantly smaller charge activation energies across all different MOF
      families studied here and stand out materials made from all other metal ions
      considered here. We attribute the unique electrical properties of iron-based MOFs
      to the high-energy valence electrons of Fe2+ and the Fe3+/2+ mixed valency. These
      results reveal that incorporating Fe2+ in the charge transport pathways of MOFs
      and introducing mixed valency are valuable strategies for improving electrical
      conductivity in this important class of porous materials.

PMID- 28616150
TI  - Pitch Perception in Tone Language-Speaking Adults With and Without Autism
      Spectrum Disorders.
AB  - Enhanced low-level pitch perception has been universally reported in autism
      spectrum disorders (ASD). This study examined whether tone language speakers with
      ASD exhibit this advantage. The pitch perception skill of 20 Cantonese-speaking
      adults with ASD was compared with that of 20 neurotypical individuals.
      Participants discriminated pairs of real syllable, pseudo-syllable (syllables
      that do not conform the phonotactic rules or are accidental gaps), and non-speech
      (syllables with attenuated high-frequency segmental content) stimuli contrasting
      pitch levels. The results revealed significantly higher discrimination ability in
      both groups for the non-speech stimuli than for the pseudo-syllables with one
      semitone difference. No significant group differences were noted. Different from
      previous findings, post hoc analysis found that enhanced pitch perception was
      observed in a subgroup of participants with ASD showing no history of delayed
      speech onset. The tone language experience may have modulated the pitch
      processing mechanism in the speakers in both ASD and non-ASD groups.

PMID- 28616152
TI  - Magnetically levitated mesenchymal stem cell spheroids cultured with a collagen
      gel maintain phenotype and quiescence.
AB  - Multicellular spheroids are an established system for three-dimensional cell
      culture. Spheroids are typically generated using hanging drop or non-adherent
      culture; however, an emerging technique is to use magnetic levitation. Herein,
      mesenchymal stem cell spheroids were generated using magnetic nanoparticles and
      subsequently cultured within a type I collagen gel, with a view towards
      developing a bone marrow niche environment. Cells were loaded with magnetic
      nanoparticles, and suspended beneath an external magnet, inducing self-assembly
      of multicellular spheroids. Cells in spheroids were viable and compared to
      corresponding monolayer controls, maintained stem cell phenotype and were
      quiescent. Interestingly, core spheroid necrosis was not observed, even with
      increasing spheroid size, in contrast to other commonly used spheroid systems.
      This mesenchymal stem cell spheroid culture presents a potential platform for
      modelling in vitro bone marrow stem cell niches, elucidating interactions between
      cells, as well as a useful model for drug delivery studies.

PMID- 28616153
TI  - A multidisciplinary approach to the successful management of Gorlin syndrome.
AB  - Gorlin-Goltz syndrome (GGS) is a rare genetic syndrome with variable expressivity
      and autosomal dominant inheritance. The major features of GGS include numerous
      basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), keratocysts of the jaw, palmar/plantar pits and
      calcification of the falx cerebri. Authors report the case of a 51-year-old male
      with a 19-year history of GGS and multiple BCCs of the head and neck. He
      presented with a large ulcerating lesion on the right side of his face involving
      cutaneous, subcutaneous and muscular tissues of the temporal and orbital region.
      Additionally, magnetic resonance imaging revealed involvement of the right
      zygomatic bone, infratemporal fossa and mandible. This case is notable in that
      BCC invasion of the facial bones is rare. Extensive resection and reconstruction
      with a latissimus dorsi microvascular free muscle flap was performed. The success
      of this challenging case exemplifies the need for a multidisciplinary team that
      included dermatology, plastic surgery, oculoplastics and otolaryngology.

PMID- 28616151
TI  - Therapeutic potential of dental stem cells.
AB  - Stem cell biology has become an important field in regenerative medicine and
      tissue engineering therapy since the discovery and characterization of
      mesenchymal stem cells. Stem cell populations have also been isolated from human
      dental tissues, including dental pulp stem cells, stem cells from human
      exfoliated deciduous teeth, stem cells from apical papilla, dental follicle
      progenitor cells, and periodontal ligament stem cells. Dental stem cells are
      relatively easily obtainable and exhibit high plasticity and multipotential
      capabilities. The dental stem cells represent a gold standard for neural-crest
      derived bone reconstruction in humans and can be used for the repair of body
      defects in low-risk autologous therapeutic strategies. The bioengineering
      technologies developed for tooth regeneration will make substantial contributions
      to understand the developmental process and will encourage future organ
      replacement by regenerative therapies in a wide variety of organs such as the
      liver, kidney, and heart. The concept of developing tooth banking and
      preservation of dental stem cells is promising. Further research in the area has
      the potential to herald a new dawn in effective treatment of notoriously
      difficult diseases which could prove highly beneficial to mankind in the long
      run.

PMID- 28616154
TI  - Cutaneous presentation of gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Seeding of a central nervous system malignancy to the abdominal cavity is an
      uncommon but well documented complication of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt.
      However, the metastasis of a primary gastrointestinal cancer to the skin via a VP
      shunt is extremely rare. We report the clinical case of an 85-year-old male who
      presented with a right upper quadrant nodule over his shunt, which on
      histopathology and tumour marker profile was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma of
      likely upper gastrointestinal origin. This case illustrates the importance of
      proceeding to biopsy to inform prognosis and management, despite the risks of
      shunt infection.

PMID- 28616155
TI  - Severe pelvic fracture with profound hypotension: a case report and treatment
      algorithm.
AB  - Approximately 9% of all blunt trauma patients suffer pelvic fractures. These
      fractures can range from insignificant and requiring almost no therapy to massive
      destruction of the pelvic ring with associated with multisystem injury and life
      threatening hypotension which mandates the attention of the trauma surgeon, the
      orthopedic surgeon, the interventional radiologists and possibly other
      subspecialists. We present a case of a patient who presented to the emergency
      room in extremis from massive bleeding from a complex pelvic fracture. The
      patient developed abdominal compartment syndrome. The patient was emergently
      taken to the operating room but we were unable to control his pelvic bleeding. We
      propose an algorithm which might be helpful in these critically ill patients.

PMID- 28616156
TI  - Primary solitary peritoneal tumor of the abdominal wall-report of a rare case and
      review of the literature.
AB  - Abdominal wall tumors are sometimes diagnosed as metastases of ovarian cancer,
      however, primary peritoneal tumors should be taken into consideration in the
      final diagnosis. A 49-year-old female patient was admitted in our Department for
      the excision of a pulpable abdominal wall lump, with no other abnormalities shown
      on imaging investigation. On histology examination, the excised specimen revealed
      characteristics of metastatic high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Total
      hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, omentectomy and appendectomy were
      performed. No signs of malignancy were proved on histology, leading to the final
      diagnosis of a primary serous peritoneal tumor. This is the third described case
      of solitary primary serous peritoneal tumor located in the abdominal wall. This
      condition should be included in the differential diagnosis of a probable
      metastatic ovarian carcinoma, as both present similar histologic characteristics.

PMID- 28616157
TI  - Constant maintenance of an alternative route of coronary flow in radical surgery
      for gastric cancer following coronary artery bypass grafting involving the right
      gastroepiploic artery: a case report.
AB  - We describe a 64-year-old man diagnosed as having gastric cancer with a patent
      right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) used for coronary artery bypass grafting
      (CABG). Before gastrectomy, the native coronary artery was revascularized to
      safely dissect the infrapyloric lymphatic tissue along the layer recently
      identified as an appropriate layer for radical lymphadenectomy, in anticipation
      of preserving the radically skeletonized RGEA. The perioperative strategy was
      feasible. Postoperatively, hemorrhage extended the stopping period of
      antiplatelet therapy. However, since the RGEA was preserved, an alternative route
      was available for coronary flow. After a 41-month postoperative follow-up, the
      patient remained in good health, with no recurrence or cardiac ischemia. In this
      case, the alternative route of coronary flow could be constantly maintained,
      although radical infrapyloric lymphadenectomy had been performed. Preoperative
      revascularization and preserving the RGEA with radical skeletonization can be a
      safe yet permissibly radical strategy for gastric cancer treatment following CABG
      involving the RGEA.

PMID- 28616158
TI  - Synchronous contralateral adrenal metastasis of colorectal cancer: case report.
AB  - The most frequent sites of distant metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) are
      primarily liver and lung, followed by brain and bone metastases. Infrequently,
      metastases are found in the adrenal glands. They usually have a metachronous and
      homolateral character. We present a case of contralateral synchronic adrenal
      metastasis of CRC and its surgical resolution.

PMID- 28616159
TI  - Thoracic outlet syndrome as a consequence of isolated atraumatic first rib
      fracture.
AB  - Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (nTOS) resulting from an isolated first rib
      fracture is extremely infrequent. We report a case of performance limiting nTOS
      in a college athlete who was initially evaluated and treated for upper extremity
      ligamentous injury with only transient improvement. Subsequent noninvasive
      studies were consistent with TOS physiology and MRA showed a large hypertrophic
      callus on the first rib adjacent to the brachial plexus. With continued athletic
      limitations and radiographic findings consistent with TOS, surgical decompression
      was performed resulting in resolution of symptoms. Although apparent atraumatic
      isolated first rib fractures are infrequently reported etiologies for TOS in
      athletes, they are a reasonable consideration in this population with
      corresponding presentations.

PMID- 28616160
TI  - Cardiopulmonary arrest in primary care clinics: more holes than cheese: a survey
      of the knowledge and attitudes of primary care physicians regarding
      resuscitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients experiencing pre-arrest symptoms may first refer to their
      primary care physician. The study's aim was to determine the likelihood that a
      patient undergoing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest will receive appropriate
      resuscitation efforts in a primary care clinic in a country with a directive that
      clinics maintain resuscitation equipment and physicians undergo periodic
      resuscitation training. METHODS: An anonymous, 23-question online cross-sectional
      survey was created and administered to primary care physicians working in
      community clinics (10/1/2015-5/3/2015). Recruitment was accomplished by posting a
      link to the survey to all physicians listed as registered Society of Family
      Medicine members and in other online forums dedicated to residents and board
      certified specialists in family medicine in Israel. The primary outcome measure
      was the proportion of respondents whose responses indicate that they fulfill all
      conditions for performing resuscitation. RESULTS: Of approximately 2400 potential
      respondents, 185 replied to the survey; the study's findings should be viewed as
      preliminary. Respondents' characteristics were generally similar to those of the
      study population, but respondents had a higher rate of family medicine
      specialists. Respondents were mostly female (n = 108, 58%) Israeli graduates who
      have practiced medicine for > 10 years (72%, n = 134). 55% (n = 101) had
      undergone basic life support (BLS) training within < 2 years. Although just 5% (n
      = 10) estimated call-to-Emergency Medical Service (EMS) arrival time to their
      clinic to be <5 min, only 64% (n = 119) knew the telephone number for summoning
      EMS. Most confirmed the existence of a resuscitation cart in their clinic (85%, n
      = 157); 68% confirmed the presence of a defibrillator (n = 126). Most respondents
      were aware of the location of the defibrillator in their clinic (67%, n = 123),
      stated its accessibility during working hours (63%, n = 116), and 56% (n = 103)
      knew how to use it. Only 28% of the questionnaires indicated that all
      requirements for mounting an effective BLS response had been fulfilled.
      CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that many primary care clinics are under-equipped
      and their physicians are under-prepared to initiate life-saving services. Steps
      must be taken to rectify this situation. In addition, to develop more reliable
      estimates of the phenomena reported in this preliminary study, these issues
      should be re-examined in the context of a high response rate physician survey.

PMID- 28616161
TI  - Geographical and climatic gradients of evergreen versus deciduous broad-leaved
      tree species in subtropical China: Implications for the definition of the mixed
      forest.
AB  - Understanding climatic influences on the proportion of evergreen versus deciduous
      broad-leaved tree species in forests is of crucial importance when predicting the
      impact of climate change on broad-leaved forests. Here, we quantified the
      geographical distribution of evergreen versus deciduous broad-leaved tree species
      in subtropical China. The Relative Importance Value index (RIV) was used to
      examine regional patterns in tree species dominance and was related to three key
      climatic variables: mean annual temperature (MAT), minimum temperature of the
      coldest month (MinT), and mean annual precipitation (MAP). We found the RIV of
      evergreen species to decrease with latitude at a lapse rate of 10% per degree
      between 23.5 and 25 degrees N, 1% per degree at 25-29.1 degrees N, and 15% per
      degree at 29.1-34 degrees N. The RIV of evergreen species increased with: MinT at
      a lapse rate of 10% per  degrees C between -4.5 and 2.5 degrees C and 2% per 
      degrees C at 2.5-10.5 degrees C; MAP at a lapse rate of 10% per 100 mm between
      900 and 1,600 mm and 4% per 100 mm between 1,600 and 2,250 mm. All selected
      climatic variables cumulatively explained 71% of the geographical variation in
      dominance of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved tree species and the climatic
      variables, ranked in order of decreasing effects were as follows: MinT > MAP >
      MAT. We further proposed that the latitudinal limit of evergreen and deciduous
      broad-leaved mixed forests was 29.1-32 degrees N, corresponding with MAT of 11
      18.1 degrees C, MinT of -2.5 to 2.51 degrees C, and MAP of 1,000-1,630 mm. This
      study is the first quantitative assessment of climatic correlates with the
      evergreenness and deciduousness of broad-leaved forests in subtropical China and
      underscores that extreme cold temperature is the most important climatic
      determinant of evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved tree species' distributions,
      a finding that confirms earlier qualitative studies. Our findings also offer new
      insight into the definition and distribution of the mixed forest and an accurate
      assessment of vulnerability of mixed forests to future climate change.

PMID- 28616162
TI  - Insularity effects on bird immune parameters: A comparison between island and
      mainland populations in West Africa.
AB  - Oceanic islands share several environmental characteristics that have been shown
      to drive convergent evolutionary changes in island organisms. One change that is
      often assumed but has seldom been examined is the evolution of weaker immune
      systems in island species. The reduction in species richness on islands is
      expected to lead to a reduced parasite pressure and, given that immune function
      is costly, island animals should show a reduced immune response. However,
      alternative hypotheses exist; for example, the slower pace of life on islands
      could favor the reorganization of the immune system components (innate vs.
      acquired immunity) on islands. Thus far, few island species have been studied and
      no general patterns have emerged. Here, we compared two immune parameters of
      birds from Sao Tome and Principe islands to those of their close relatives at
      similar latitudes on the mainland (Gabon, West Africa). On islands, the acquired
      humoral component (total immunoglobulins) was lower for most species, whereas no
      clear pattern was detected for the innate component (haptoglobin levels). These
      different responses did not seem to arise from a reorganization of the two immune
      components, as both total immunoglobulins and haptoglobin levels were positively
      associated. This work adds to the few empirical studies conducted so far which
      suggest that changes in immune parameters in response to insularity are not as
      straightforward as initially thought.

PMID- 28616164
TI  - Elevational gradient and human effects on butterfly species richness in the
      French Alps.
AB  - We examined how butterfly species richness is affected by human impact and
      elevation, and how species ranges are distributed along the elevational gradient
      (200-2700 m) in the Isere Department (French Alps). A total of 35,724 butterfly
      observations gathered in summer (May-September) between 1995 and 2015 were
      analyzed. The number of estimated species per 100-m elevational band was fitted
      to the elevational gradient using a generalized additive model. Estimations were
      also performed on a 500 m * 500 m grid at low altitude (200-500 m) to test for
      the human impact on species richness using generalized least squares regression
      models. Each species elevational range was plotted against the elevational
      gradient. Butterfly richness along the elevational gradient first increased (200
      500 m) to reach a maximum of 150 species at 700 m and then remained nearly
      constant till a sharp decrease after 1900 m, suggesting that after some
      temperature threshold, only few specialized species can survive. At low
      elevation, urbanization and arable lands had a strongly negative impact on
      butterfly diversity, which was buffered by a positive effect of permanent crops.
      Butterfly diversity is exceptionally high (185 species) in this alpine department
      that represents less than 5% of the French territory and yet holds more than 70%
      of all the Rhopalocera species recorded in France. Both climate and habitat shape
      the distribution of species, with a negative effect of anthropization at low
      altitude and strong climatic constraints at high altitude.

PMID- 28616163
TI  - A genomic assessment of species boundaries and hybridization in a group of highly
      polymorphic anoles (distichus species complex).
AB  - Delimiting young species is one of the great challenges of systematic biology,
      particularly when the species in question exhibit little morphological
      divergence. Anolis distichus, a trunk anole with more than a dozen subspecies
      that are defined primarily by dewlap color, may actually represent several
      independent evolutionary lineages. To test this, we utilized amplified fragment
      length polymorphisms (AFLP) genome scans and genetic clustering analyses in
      conjunction with a coalescent-based species delimitation method. We examined a
      geographically widespread set of samples and two heavily sampled hybrid zones. We
      find that genetic divergence is associated with a major biogeographic barrier,
      the Hispaniolan paleo-island boundary, but not with dewlap color. Additionally,
      we find support for hypotheses regarding colonization of two Hispaniolan
      satellite islands and the Bahamas from mainland Hispaniola. Our results show that
      A. distichus is composed of seven distinct evolutionary lineages still
      experiencing a limited degree of gene flow. We suggest that A. distichus merits
      taxonomic revision, but that dewlap color cannot be relied upon as the primary
      diagnostic character.

PMID- 28616165
TI  - Natural expansion versus translocation in a previously human-persecuted bird of
      prey.
AB  - Many threatened species in Europe have been expanding their distributions during
      recent decades owing to protection measures that overcome historical human
      activity that has limited their distributions. Range expansion has come about via
      two processes, natural expansion from existing range and reintroductions to new
      ranges. Reintroductions may prove to be a better way to establish populations
      because individuals are less subject to competitive relationships lowering
      breeding success than individuals expanding from existing populations. Whether
      this is true, however, remains uncertain. We compared success of breeding pairs
      of an expanding and a reintroduced population of spanish imperial eagles
      monitored for over 15 years in the south of Spain. We found significant
      differences in productivity between breeding pairs of each population. Newly
      established territories in reintroduction areas were almost three times more
      productive than new territories established as individuals expanded out from an
      existing population. We conclude that among these eagle populations reintroduced
      to new areas may fare as well or better than individuals expanding out form
      existing populations.

PMID- 28616166
TI  - Gregariousness does not vary with geography, developmental stage, or group
      relatedness in feeding redheaded pine sawfly larvae.
AB  - Aggregations are widespread across the animal kingdom, yet the underlying
      proximate and ultimate causes are still largely unknown. An ideal system to
      investigate this simple, social behavior is the pine sawfly genus Neodiprion,
      which is experimentally tractable and exhibits interspecific variation in larval
      gregariousness. To assess intraspecific variation in this trait, we characterized
      aggregative tendency within a single widespread species, the redheaded pine
      sawfly (N. lecontei). To do so, we developed a quantitative assay in which we
      measured interindividual distances over a 90-min video. This assay revealed
      minimal behavioral differences: (1) between early-feeding and late-feeding larval
      instars, (2) among larvae derived from different latitudes, and (3) between
      groups composed of kin and those composed of nonkin. Together, these results
      suggest that, during the larval feeding period, the benefits individuals derive
      from aggregating outweigh the costs and that this cost-to-benefit ratio does not
      vary dramatically across space (geography) or ontogeny (developmental stage). In
      contrast to the feeding larvae, our assay revealed a striking reduction in
      gregariousness following the final larval molt in N. lecontei. We also found some
      intriguing interspecific variation: While N. lecontei and N. maurus feeding
      larvae exhibit significant aggregative tendencies, feeding N. compar larvae do
      not aggregate at all. These results set the stage for future work investigating
      the proximate and ultimate mechanisms underlying developmental and interspecific
      variation in larval gregariousness across Neodiprion.

PMID- 28616167
TI  - Species-specific regulation of herbivory-induced defoliation tolerance is
      associated with jasmonate inducibility.
AB  - Induced changes in root carbohydrate pools are commonly assumed to determine
      plant defoliation tolerance to herbivores. However, the regulation and species
      specificity of these two traits are not well understood. We determined herbivory
      induced changes in root carbohydrates and defoliation tolerance in seven
      different solanaceous plant species and correlated the induced changes in root
      carbohydrates and defoliation tolerance with jasmonate inducibility. Across
      species, we observed strong species-specific variation for all measured traits.
      Closer inspection revealed that the different species fell into two distinct
      groups: Species with a strong induced jasmonic acid (JA) burst suffered from a
      reduction in root carbohydrate pools and reduced defoliation tolerance, while
      species with a weak induced JA burst maintained root carbohydrate pools and
      tolerated defoliation. Induced JA levels predicted carbohydrate and regrowth
      responses better than jasmonoyl-L-isoleucine (JA-Ile) levels. Our study shows
      that induced JA signaling, root carbohydrate responses, and defoliation tolerance
      are closely linked, but highly species specific, even among closely related
      species. We propose that defoliation tolerance may evolve rapidly via changes in
      the plant's defense signaling network.

PMID- 28616168
TI  - Does selection on horn length of males and females differ in protected and hunted
      populations of a weakly dimorphic ungulate?
AB  - Weaponry in ungulates may be costly to grow and maintain, and different selective
      pressures in males and females may lead to sex-biased natural survival. Sexual
      differences in the relationship between weapon growth and survival may increase
      under anthropogenic selection through culling, for example because of trophy
      hunting. Selection on weaponry growth under different scenarios has been largely
      investigated in males of highly dimorphic ungulates, for which survival costs
      (either natural or hunting related) are thought to be greatest. Little is known,
      however, about the survival costs of weaponry in males and females of weakly
      dimorphic species. We collected information on horn length and age at
      death/shooting of 407 chamois Rupicapra rupicapra in a protected population and
      in two hunted populations with different hunting regimes, to explore sexual
      differences in the selection on early horn growth under contrasting selective
      pressures. We also investigated the variation of horn growth and body mass in
      yearling males (n = 688) and females (n = 539) culled in one of the hunted
      populations over 14 years. The relationship between horn growth and survival
      showed remarkable sexual differences under different evolutionary scenarios.
      Within the protected population, under natural selection, we found no significant
      trade-off in either males or females. Under anthropogenic pressure, selection on
      early horn growth of culled individuals showed diametrically opposed sex-biased
      patterns, depending on the culling regime and hunters' preferences. Despite the
      selective bias between males and females in one of the hunted populations, we did
      not detect significant sex-specific differences in the long-term pattern of early
      growth. The relationship between early horn growth and natural survival in either
      sex might suggest stabilizing selection on horn size in chamois. Selection
      through culling can be strongly sex-biased also in weakly dimorphic species,
      depending on hunters' preferences and hunting regulations, and long-term data are
      needed to reveal potential undesirable evolutionary consequences.

PMID- 28616169
TI  - Host sympatry and body size influence parasite straggling rate in a highly
      connected multihost, multiparasite system.
AB  - Parasite lineages commonly diverge when host lineages diverge. However, when
      large clades of hosts and parasites are analyzed, some cases suggest host
      switching as another major diversification mechanism. The first step in host
      switching is the appearance of a parasite on an atypical host, or "straggling."
      We analyze the conditions associated with straggling events. We use five species
      of colonially nesting seabirds from the Galapagos Archipelago and two genera of
      highly specific ectoparasitic lice to examine host switching. We use both genetic
      and morphological identification of lice, together with measurements of spatial
      distribution of hosts in mixed breeding colonies, to test: (1) effects of local
      host community composition on straggling parasite identity; (2) effects of
      relative host density within a mixed colony on straggling frequency and parasite
      species identity; and (3) how straggling rates are influenced by the specifics of
      louse attachment. Finally, we determine whether there is evidence of breeding in
      cases where straggling adult lice were found, which may indicate a shift from
      straggling to the initial stages of host switching. We analyzed more than 5,000
      parasite individuals and found that only ~1% of lice could be considered
      stragglers, with ~5% of 436 host individuals having straggling parasites. We
      found that the presence of the typical host and recipient host in the same
      locality influenced straggling. Additionally, parasites most likely to be found
      on alternate hosts are those that are smaller than the typical parasite of that
      host, implying that the ability of lice to attach to the host might limit host
      switching. Given that lice generally follow Harrison's rule, with larger
      parasites on larger hosts, parasites infecting the larger host species are less
      likely to successfully colonize smaller host species. Moreover, our study
      supports the general perception that successful colonization of a novel host is
      extremely rare, as we found only one nymph of a straggling species, which may
      indicate successful reproduction.

PMID- 28616170
TI  - Variation in species-level plant functional traits over wetland indicator status
      categories.
AB  - Wetland indicator status (WIS) describes the habitat affinity of plant species
      and is used in wetland delineations and resource inventories. Understanding how
      species-level functional traits vary across WIS categories may improve
      designations, elucidate mechanisms of adaptation, and explain habitat optima and
      niche. We investigated differences in species-level traits of riparian flora
      across WIS categories, extending their application to indicate hydrologic
      habitat. We measured or compiled data on specific leaf area (SLA), stem specific
      gravity (SSG), seed mass, and mature height of 110 plant species that occur along
      the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona. Additionally, we measured leaf
      delta13C, delta15N, % carbon, % nitrogen, and C/N ratio of 56 species with C3
      photosynthesis. We asked the following: (i) How do species-level traits vary over
      WIS categories? (ii) Does the pattern differ between herbaceous and woody
      species? (iii) How well do multivariate traits define WIS categories? (iv) Which
      traits are correlated? The largest trait differences among WIS categories for
      herbaceous species occurred for SSG, seed mass, % leaf carbon and height, and for
      woody species occurred for height, SSG, and delta13C. SSG increased and height
      decreased with habitat aridity for both woody and herbaceous species. The
      delta13C and hence water use efficiency of woody species increased with habitat
      aridity. Water use efficiency of herbaceous species increased with habitat
      aridity via greater occurrence of C4 grasses. Multivariate trait assemblages
      differed among WIS categories. Over all species, SLA was correlated with height,
      delta13C, % leaf N, and C/N; height was correlated with SSG and % leaf C; SSG was
      correlated with % leaf C. Adaptations of both herbaceous and woody riparian
      species to wet, frequently inundated habitats include low-density stem tissue.
      Adaptations to drier habitats in the riparian zone include short, high-density
      cavitation-resistant stem tissue, and high water use efficiency. The results
      enhance understanding about using traits to describe plant habitat in riparian
      systems.

PMID- 28616171
TI  - Is bigger really better? Relative and absolute body size influence individual
      growth rate under competition.
AB  - Models suggest that the mechanism of competition can influence the growth
      advantage associated with being large (in absolute body size or relative to other
      individuals in the population). Large size is advantageous under interference,
      but disadvantageous under exploitative competition. We addressed this prediction
      in a laboratory experiment on Rana temporaria tadpoles competing for limited
      food. There were 166 target individuals spanning a 10-fold range in body mass
      reared for 3 days with three other individuals that were either the same size,
      half as large, or twice as large as the target. Relative growth rate (proportion
      per day) declined with size, and absolute growth rate (mass per day) reached a
      peak at intermediate size and declined thereafter. Tadpoles grew slowly if they
      were large relative to their competitors, although relative body size was less
      important than absolute size. As a result, size variation declined in groups that
      were initially composed of individuals of variable size. Thus, bigger was not
      better under exploitative competition. Our results help connect individual-level
      behavior with individual growth and the size distribution of the population.

PMID- 28616172
TI  - Developing approaches for linear mixed modeling in landscape genetics through
      landscape-directed dispersal simulations.
AB  - Dispersal can impact population dynamics and geographic variation, and thus,
      genetic approaches that can establish which landscape factors influence
      population connectivity have ecological and evolutionary importance. Mixed models
      that account for the error structure of pairwise datasets are increasingly used
      to compare models relating genetic differentiation to pairwise measures of
      landscape resistance. A model selection framework based on information criteria
      metrics or explained variance may help disentangle the ecological and landscape
      factors influencing genetic structure, yet there are currently no consensus for
      the best protocols. Here, we develop landscape-directed simulations and test a
      series of replicates that emulate independent empirical datasets of two species
      with different life history characteristics (greater sage-grouse; eastern
      foxsnake). We determined that in our simulated scenarios, AIC and BIC were the
      best model selection indices and that marginal R2 values were biased toward more
      complex models. The model coefficients for landscape variables generally
      reflected the underlying dispersal model with confidence intervals that did not
      overlap with zero across the entire model set. When we controlled for geographic
      distance, variables not in the underlying dispersal models (i.e., nontrue)
      typically overlapped zero. Our study helps establish methods for using linear
      mixed models to identify the features underlying patterns of dispersal across a
      variety of landscapes.

PMID- 28616173
TI  - Modeling connectivity to identify current and future anthropogenic barriers to
      movement of large carnivores: A case study in the American Southwest.
AB  - This study sought to identify critical areas for puma (Puma concolor) movement
      across the state of Arizona in the American Southwest and to identify those most
      likely to be impacted by current and future human land uses, particularly
      expanding urban development and associated increases in traffic volume. Human
      populations in this region are expanding rapidly, with the potential for urban
      centers and busy roads to increasingly act as barriers to demographic and genetic
      connectivity of large-bodied, wide-ranging carnivores such as pumas, whose long
      distance movements are likely to bring them into contact with human land uses and
      whose low tolerance both for and from humans may put them at risk unless
      opportunities for safe passage through or around human-modified landscapes are
      present. Brownian bridge movement models based on global positioning system
      collar data collected during bouts of active movement and linear mixed models
      were used to model habitat quality for puma movement; then, a wall-to-wall
      application of circuit theory models was used to produce a continuous statewide
      estimate of connectivity for puma movement and to identify pinch points, or
      bottlenecks, that may be most at risk of impacts from current and future traffic
      volume and expanding development. Rugged, shrub- and scrub-dominated regions were
      highlighted as those offering high quality movement habitat for pumas, and pinch
      points with the greatest potential impacts from expanding development and
      traffic, although widely distributed, were particularly prominent to the north
      and east of the city of Phoenix and along interstate highways in the western
      portion of the state. These pinch points likely constitute important conservation
      opportunities, where barriers to movement may cause disproportionate loss of
      connectivity, but also where actions such as placement of wildlife crossing
      structures or conservation easements could enhance connectivity and prevent
      detrimental impacts before they occur.

PMID- 28616174
TI  - Spatial overlap of shark nursery areas and the salmon farming industry influences
      the trophic ecology of Squalus acanthias on the southern coast of Chile.
AB  - Potential interactions between marine predators and humans arise in the southern
      coast of Chile where predator feeding and reproduction sites overlap with
      fisheries and aquaculture. Here, we assess the potential effects of intensive
      salmon aquaculture on food habits, growth, and reproduction of a common predator,
      the spiny dogfish-identified as Squalus acanthias via genetic barcoding. A total
      of 102 (89 females and 13 males) individuals were collected during winter and
      summer of 2013-2014 from the Chiloe Sea where salmon aquaculture activities are
      concentrated. The low frequency of males in our study suggests spatial
      segregation of sex, while immature and mature females spatially overlapped in
      both seasons. Female spiny dogfish showed a functional specialist behavior as
      indicated by the small number of prey items and the relative high importance of
      the austral hake and salmon pellets in the diet. Immature sharks fed more on
      pellets and anchovies than the larger hake-preferring mature females. Our results
      also indicate that spiny dogfish switch prey (anchovy to hake) to take advantage
      of seasonal changes in prey availability. Despite differences in the trophic
      patterns of S. acanthias due to the spatial association with intensive salmon
      farming, in this region, there appears to be no difference in fecundity or size
      at maturity compared to other populations. Although no demographic effects were
      detected, we suggest that a range of additional factors should be considered
      before concluding that intensive aquaculture does not have any impact on these
      marine predators.

PMID- 28616175
TI  - Seasonal habitat use by Elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the Mole National Park
      of Ghana.
AB  - To avoid unnecessary waste of limited resources and to help prioritize areas for
      conservation efforts, this study aimed to provide information on habitat use by
      elephants between the wet and dry seasons in the Mole National Park (MNP) of
      Ghana. We compiled coordinates of 516 locations of elephants' encounters, 256 for
      dry season and 260 for wet season. Using nine predictor variables, we modeled the
      probability of elephant's distribution in MNP. We threshold the models to
      "suitable" and "nonsuitable" regions of habitat use using the equal training
      sensitivity and specificity values of 0.177 and 0.181 for the dry and wet
      seasons, respectively. Accuracy assessment of our models revealed a sensitivity
      score of 0.909 and 0.974, and a specificity of 0.579 and 0.753 for the dry and
      wet seasons, respectively. A TSS of 0.488 was also recorded for the dry season
      and 0.727 for the wet season indicating a good model agreement. Our model
      predicts habitat use to be confined to the southern portion of MNP due to
      elevation difference and a relatively steep slope that separates the northern
      regions of the park from the south. Regions of habitat use for the wet season
      were 856 km2 and reduced significantly to 547.68 km2 in the dry season. We
      observed significant overlap (327.24 km2) in habitat use regions between the wet
      and dry seasons (Schoener's D = 0.922 and Hellinger's-based I = 0.991). DEM,
      proximity to waterholes, and saltlicks were identified as the key variables that
      contributed to the prediction. We recommend construction of temporal camps in
      regions of habitat use that are far from the headquarters area for effective
      management of elephants. Also, an increase in water point's density around the
      headquarters areas and selected dry areas of the park will further decrease
      elephant's range and hence a relatively less resource use in monitoring and
      patrols.

PMID- 28616176
TI  - Adaptation to fluctuating environments in a selection experiment with Drosophila
      melanogaster.
AB  - A fundamental question in life-history evolution is how organisms cope with
      fluctuating environments, including variation between stressful and benign
      conditions. For short-lived organisms, environments commonly vary between
      generations. Using a novel experimental design, we exposed wild-derived
      Drosophila melanogaster to three different selection regimes: one where
      generations alternated between starvation and benign conditions, and starvation
      was always preceded by early exposure to cold; another where starvation and
      benign conditions alternated in the same way, but cold shock sometimes preceded
      starvation and sometimes benign conditions; and a third where conditions were
      always benign. Using six replicate populations per selection regime, we found
      that selected flies increased their starvation resistance, most strongly for the
      regime where cold and starvation were reliably combined, and this occurred
      without decreased fecundity or extended developmental time. The selected flies
      became stress resistant, displayed a pronounced increase in early life food
      intake and resource storage. In contrast to previous experiments selecting for
      increased starvation resistance in D. melanogaster, we did not find increased
      storage of lipids as the main response, but instead that, in particular for
      females, storage of carbohydrates was more pronounced. We argue that faster
      mobilization of carbohydrates is advantageous in fluctuating environments and
      conclude that the phenotype that evolved in our experiment corresponds to a
      compromise between the requirements of stressful and benign environments.

PMID- 28616177
TI  - The effects of elevated temperature and dissolved rhoCO2 on a marine foundation
      species.
AB  - Understanding how climate change and other environmental stressors will affect
      species is a fundamental concern of modern ecology. Indeed, numerous studies have
      documented how climate stressors affect species distributions and population
      persistence. However, relatively few studies have investigated how multiple
      climate stressors might affect species. In this study, we investigate the impacts
      of how two climate change factors affect an important foundation species.
      Specifically, we tested how ocean acidification from dissolution of CO 2 and
      increased sea surface temperatures affect multiple characteristics of juvenile
      eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica). We found strong impacts of each
      stressor, but no interaction between the two. Simulated warming to mimic heat
      stressed summers reduced oyster growth, survival, and filtration rates.
      Additionally, we found that CO 2-induced acidification reduced strength of oyster
      shells, which could potentially facilitate crab predation. As past studies have
      detected few impacts of these stressors on adult oysters, these results indicate
      that early life stages of calcareous marine organisms may be more susceptible to
      effects of ocean acidification and global warming. Overall, these data show that
      predicted changes in temperature and CO 2 can differentially influence direct
      effects on individual species, which could have important implications for the
      nature of their trophic interactions.

PMID- 28616178
TI  - Population differences in host plant preference and the importance of yeast and
      plant substrate to volatile composition.
AB  - Divergent selection between environments can result in changes to the behavior of
      an organism. In many insects, volatile compounds are a primary means by which
      host plants are recognized and shifts in plant availability can result in changes
      to host preference. Both the plant substrate and microorganisms can influence
      this behavior, and host plant choice can have an impact on the performance of the
      organism. In Drosophila mojavensis, four geographically isolated populations each
      use different cacti as feeding and oviposition substrates and identify those
      cacti by the composition of the volatile odorants emitted. Behavioral tests
      revealed D. mojavensis populations vary in their degree of preference for their
      natural host plant. Females from the Mojave population show a marked preference
      for their host plant, barrel cactus, relative to other cactus choices. When flies
      were given a choice between cacti that were not their host plant, the preference
      for barrel and organ pipe cactus relative to agria and prickly pear cactus was
      overall lower for all populations. Volatile headspace composition is influenced
      by the cactus substrate, microbial community, and substrate-by-microorganism
      interactions. Differences in viability, developmental time, thorax length, and
      dry body weight exist among populations and depend on cactus substrate and
      population-by-cactus interactions. However, no clear association between
      behavioral preference and performance was observed. This study highlights a
      complex interplay between the insect, host plant, and microbial community and the
      factors mediating insect host plant preference behavior.

PMID- 28616179
TI  - Prediction of harmful variants on mitochondrial genes: Test of habitat-dependent
      and demographic effects in a euryhaline fish.
AB  - Both effective population size and life history may influence the efficacy of
      purifying selection, but it remains unclear if the environment affects the
      accumulation of weakly deleterious nonsynonymous polymorphisms. We hypothesize
      that the reduced energetic cost of osmoregulation in brackish water habitat may
      cause relaxation of selective constraints at mitochondrial oxidative
      phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed 57 complete
      mitochondrial genomes of Pungitius pungitius collected from brackish and
      freshwater habitats. Based on inter- and intraspecific comparisons, we estimated
      that 84% and 68% of the nonsynonymous polymorphisms in the freshwater and
      brackish water populations, respectively, are weakly or moderately deleterious.
      Using in silico prediction tools (MutPred, SNAP2), we subsequently identified
      nonsynonymous polymorphisms with potentially harmful effect. Both prediction
      methods indicated that the functional effects of the fixed nonsynonymous
      substitutions between nine- and three-spined stickleback were weaker than for
      polymorphisms within species, indicating that harmful nonsynonymous polymorphisms
      within populations rarely become fixed between species. No significant
      differences in mean estimated functional effects were identified between
      freshwater and brackish water nine-spined stickleback to support the hypothesis
      that reduced osmoregulatory energy demand in the brackish water environment
      reduces the strength of purifying selection at OXPHOS genes. Instead, elevated
      frequency of nonsynonymous polymorphisms in the freshwater environment (Pn/Ps =
      0.549 vs. 0.283; Fisher's exact test p = .032) suggested that purifying selection
      is less efficient in small freshwater populations. This study shows the utility
      of in silico functional prediction tools in population genetic and evolutionary
      research in a nonmammalian vertebrate and demonstrates that mitochondrial energy
      production genes represent a promising system to characterize the demographic,
      life history and potential habitat-dependent effects of segregating amino acid
      variants.

PMID- 28616180
TI  - Sustained functional composition of pollinators in restored pastures despite slow
      functional restoration of plants.
AB  - Habitat restoration is a key measure to counteract negative impacts on
      biodiversity from habitat loss and fragmentation. To assess success in restoring
      not only biodiversity, but also functionality of communities, we should take into
      account the re-assembly of species trait composition across taxa. Attaining such
      functional restoration would depend on the landscape context, vegetation
      structure, and time since restoration. We assessed how trait composition of plant
      and pollinator (bee and hoverfly) communities differ between abandoned, restored
      (formerly abandoned) or continuously grazed (intact) semi-natural pastures. In
      restored pastures, we also explored trait composition in relation to landscape
      context, vegetation structure, and pasture management history. Abandoned pastures
      differed from intact and restored pastures in trait composition of plant
      communities, and as expected, had lower abundances of species with traits
      associated with grazing adaptations. Further, plant trait composition in restored
      pastures became increasingly similar to that in intact pastures with increasing
      time since restoration. On the contrary, the trait composition of pollinator
      communities in both abandoned and restored pastures remained similar to intact
      pastures. The trait composition for both bees and hoverflies was influenced by
      flower abundance and, for bees, by connectivity to other intact grasslands in the
      landscape. The divergent responses across organism groups appeared to be mainly
      related to the limited dispersal ability and long individual life span in plants,
      the high mobility of pollinators, and the dependency of semi-natural habitat for
      bees. Our results, encompassing restoration effects on trait composition for
      multiple taxa along a gradient in both time (time since restoration) and space
      (connectivity), reveal how interacting communities of plants and pollinators are
      shaped by different trait-environmental relationships. Complete functional
      restoration of pastures needs for more detailed assessments of both plants
      dispersal in time and of resources available within pollinator dispersal range.

PMID- 28616181
TI  - Incorporating breeding abundance into spatial assignments on continuous surfaces.
AB  - Determining the geographic connections between breeding and nonbreeding
      populations, termed migratory connectivity, is critical to advancing our
      understanding of the ecology and conservation of migratory species. Assignment
      models based on stable isotopes historically have been an important tool for
      studying migratory connectivity of small-bodied species, but the low resolution
      of these assignments has generated interest into combining isotopes with other
      sources in information. Abundance is one of the most appealing data sources to
      include in isotope-based assignments, but there are currently no statistical
      methods or guidelines for optimizing the contribution of stable isotopes and
      abundance for inferring migratory connectivity. Using known-origin stable
      hydrogen isotope samples of six Neotropical migratory bird species, we rigorously
      assessed the performance of assignment models that differentially weight the
      contribution of the isotope and abundance data. For two species with adequate
      sample sizes, we used Pareto optimality to determine the set of models that
      simultaneously minimized both assignment error rate and assignment area. We then
      assessed the ability of the top models from these two species to improve
      assignments of the remaining four species compared to assignments based on
      isotopes alone. We show that the increased precision of models that include
      abundance is often offset by a large increase in assignment error. However,
      models that optimally weigh the abundance data relative to the isotope data can
      result in higher precision and, in some cases, lower error than models based on
      isotopes alone. The top models, however, depended on the distribution of relative
      breeding abundance, with patchier distributions requiring stronger downweighting
      of abundance, and we present general guidelines for future studies. These results
      confirm that breeding abundance can be an important source of information for
      studies investigating broad-scale movements of migratory birds and potentially
      other taxa.

PMID- 28616182
TI  - Terrestrial capture of prey by the reedfish, a model species for stem tetrapods.
AB  - Due to morphological resemblance, polypterid fishes are used as extant analogues
      of Late Devonian lobe-finned sarcopterygians to identify the features that
      allowed the evolution of a terrestrial lifestyle in early tetrapods. Previous
      studies using polypterids showed how terrestrial locomotion capacity can develop,
      and how air ventilation for breathing was possible in extinct tetrapodomorphs.
      Interestingly, one polypterid species, the reedfish Erpetoichthys calabaricus,
      has been noted being capable of capturing prey on land. We now identified the
      mechanism of terrestrial prey-capture in reedfish. We showed that this species
      uses a lifted trunk and downward inclined head to capture ground-based prey,
      remarkably similar to the mechanism described earlier for eel-catfish. Reedfish
      similarly use the ground support and flexibility of their elongated body to
      realize the trunk elevation and dorsoventral flexion of the anterior trunk
      region, without a role for the pectoral fins. However, curving of the body to
      lift the trunk may not have been an option for the Devonian tetrapodomorphs as
      they are significantly less elongated than reedfish and eel-catfish. This would
      imply that, in contrast to the eel-like extant species, evolution of the capacity
      to capture prey on land in early tetrapods may be linked to the evolution of the
      pectoral system to lift the anterior part of the body.

PMID- 28616183
TI  - Dissecting spatiotemporal patterns of functional diversity through the lens of
      Darwin's naturalization conundrum.
AB  - Darwin's naturalization conundrum describes the paradigm that community assembly
      is regulated by two opposing processes, environmental filtering and competitive
      interactions, which predict both similarity and distinctiveness of species to be
      important for establishment. Our goal is to use long-term, large-scale, and high
      resolution temporal data to examine diversity patterns over time and assess
      whether environmental filtering or competition plays a larger role in regulating
      community assembly processes. We evaluated Darwin's naturalization conundrum and
      how functional diversity has changed in the Laurentian Great Lakes fish community
      from 1870 to 2010, which has experienced frequent introductions of non-native
      species and extirpations of native species. We analyzed how functional diversity
      has changed over time by decade from 1870 to 2010 at three spatial scales
      (regional, lake, and habitat) to account for potential noninteractions between
      species at the regional and lake level. We also determined which process,
      environmental filtering or competitive interactions, is more important in
      regulating community assembly and maintenance by comparing observed patterns to
      what we would expect in the absence of an ecological mechanism. With the
      exception of one community, all analyses show that functional diversity and
      species richness has increased over time and that environmental filtering
      regulates community assembly at the regional level. When examining functional
      diversity at the lake and habitat level, the regulating processes become more
      context dependent. This study is the first to examine diversity patterns and
      Darwin's conundrum by integrating long-term, large-scale, and high-resolution
      temporal data at multiple spatial scales. Our results confirm that Darwin's
      conundrum is highly context dependent.

PMID- 28616184
TI  - Reindeer habitat use in relation to two small wind farms, during preconstruction,
      construction, and operation.
AB  - Worldwide there is a rush toward wind power development and its associated
      infrastructure. In Fennoscandia, large-scale wind farms comprising several
      hundred windmills are currently built in important grazing ranges used for Sami
      reindeer husbandry. In this study, reindeer habitat use was assessed using
      reindeer fecal pellet group counts in relation to two relatively small wind
      farms, with 8 and 10 turbines, respectively. In 2009, 1,315 15-m2 plots were
      established and pellet groups were counted and cleaned from the plots. This was
      repeated once a year in May, during preconstruction, construction, and operation
      of the wind farms, covering 6 years (2009-2014) of reindeer habitat use in the
      area. We modeled the presence/absence of any pellets in a plot at both the local
      (wind farm site) and regional (reindeer calving to autumn range) scale with a
      hierarchical logistic regression, where spatial correlation was accounted for via
      random effects, using vegetation type, and the interaction between distance to
      wind turbine and time period as predictor variables. Our results revealed an
      absolute reduction in pellet groups by 66% and 86% around each wind farm,
      respectively, at local scale and by 61% at regional scale during the operation
      phase compared to the preconstruction phase. At the regional, scale habitat use
      declined close to the turbines in the same comparison. However, at the local
      scale, we observed increased habitat use close to the wind turbines at one of the
      wind farms during the operation phase. This may be explained by continued use of
      an important migration route close to the wind farm. The reduced use at the
      regional scale nevertheless suggests that there may be an overall avoidance of
      both wind farms during operation, but further studies of reindeer movement and
      behavior are needed to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms behind this
      suggested avoidance.

PMID- 28616185
TI  - Asymmetry matters: A genomic assessment of directional biases in gene flow
      between hybridizing spruces.
AB  - Assessing directional bias in interspecific gene flow might be important in
      determining the evolutionary trajectory of closely related species pairs. Using a
      set of 300 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) having variable propensity to
      cross species boundary, we evaluated the genomic extent and direction of
      interspecific gene flow in a progenitor-derivative spruce species pair (black
      spruce and red spruce). A higher rate of gene flow was found from black spruce
      toward red spruce purebreds than vice versa. This asymmetry could reflect the
      historical gene flow between the two taxa at the time of species inception and
      during postglacial colonization. A clear asymmetry in introgression was depicted
      by a greater gene flow between red spruce and hybrids than between black spruce
      and hybrids. While backcrossing toward red spruce was invariably high across the
      genome, the actual species boundary is between hybrids and black spruce where
      gene flow is impeded at those genomic regions impermeable to introgression.
      Associations between hybrid index and climatic variables (total annual
      precipitation and mean annual temperature) were tested, as these might indicate a
      role for exogenous selection in maintaining the species boundary. While an
      apparent association was found between the hybrid index and precipitation, it
      collapsed when considered in light of the directional bias in interspecific gene
      flow. Hence, considering asymmetrical patterns of introgression allowed us to
      falsify an apparent role for exogenous selection. Although this was not formerly
      tested here, we suggest that this pattern could result from asymmetrical
      endogenous selection, a contention that deserves further investigations.

PMID- 28616186
TI  - At-sea distribution and habitat use in king penguins at sub-Antarctic Marion
      Island.
AB  - King penguins make up the bulk of avian biomass on a number of sub-Antarctic
      islands where they have a large functional effect on terrestrial and marine
      ecosystems. The same applies at Marion Island where a substantial proportion of
      the world population breeds. In spite of their obvious ecological importance, the
      at-sea distribution and behavior of this population has until recently remained
      entirely unknown. In addressing this information deficiency, we deployed
      satellite-linked tracking instruments on 15 adult king penguins over 2 years,
      April 2008 and 2013, to study their post-guard foraging distribution and habitat
      preferences. Uniquely among adult king penguins, individuals by and large headed
      out against the prevailing Antarctic Circumpolar Current, foraging to the west
      and southwest of the island. On average, individuals ventured a maximum distance
      of 1,600 km from the colony, with three individuals foraging close to, or beyond,
      3,500 km west of the colony. Birds were mostly foraging south of the Antarctic
      Polar Front and north of the southern boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar
      Current. Habitat preferences were assessed using boosted regression tree models
      which indicated sea surface temperate, depth, and chorophyll a concentration to
      be the most important predictors of habitat selection. Interestingly, king
      penguins rapidly transited the eddy-rich area to the west of Marion Island,
      associated with the Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, which has been shown to be
      important for foraging in other marine top predators. In accordance with this,
      the king penguins generally avoided areas with high eddy kinetic energy. The
      results from this first study into the behavioral ecology and at-sea distribution
      of king penguins at Marion Island contribute to our broader understanding of this
      species.

PMID- 28616187
TI  - Ecological effects of dams, alien fish, and physiochemical environmental factors
      on homogeneity/heterogeneity of fish community in four tributaries of the Pearl
      River in China.
AB  - In this study, we aimed to characterize the fish community structure and identify
      the drivers contributing to homogenization/differentiation processes in four
      tributaries to the Pearl River, Guangxi Province, China, over the past few
      decades. We sampled 22 sites seasonally from 2013 through 2015, and these sites
      were selected based on archived records of previous sampling conducted in the
      1980s. Jaccard's faunal similarity index, cluster analysis, and canonical
      correspondence analysis (CCA) were applied to describe the
      homogenization/differentiation of fish community and illustrate the potential
      effectors. The number of fish species present in three of the four sampled
      tributaries declined dramatically over the past 30 years, leading toward a trend
      of increased fish community homogeneity throughout the watershed. Results from
      multidimensional scaling and cluster analyses allowed us to divide the study area
      into two distinct ecoregions. Four species (yellow catfish Pelteobagrus
      fulvidraco, pond loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, Nile tilapia Oreochromis
      niloticus, and sharpbelly Hemiculter leucisculus) were considered to be
      indicative fish species contributing more than 5% of the dissimilarity between
      the two eco-regions according to the results of similarity percentage procedure.
      Results from CCA revealed that pH and latitude corresponded with the dominant
      fish species of each respective tributary. More specifically, CCA results allowed
      us to classify dominant fish species into three distinct groups. The first group
      was mainly located in Guijiang characterized by higher latitudes and lower pH
      values, the second group was widespread in the four tributaries, and the last
      group was primarily distributed in Yujiang, Youjiang, and Zuojiang characterized
      by lower latitudes and higher pH values. Spatial differentiation of fish
      community structure and temporal homogeneity of species composition were
      attributed to the joint actions of human interventions including construction of
      dams and introductions of exotic fish species that led to habitat degeneration
      and fragmentation, and unequal interspecies competitions.

PMID- 28616189
TI  - The combined effects of reactant kinetics and enzyme stability explain the
      temperature dependence of metabolic rates.
AB  - A mechanistic understanding of the response of metabolic rate to temperature is
      essential for understanding thermal ecology and metabolic adaptation. Although
      the Arrhenius equation has been used to describe the effects of temperature on
      reaction rates and metabolic traits, it does not adequately describe two aspects
      of the thermal performance curve (TPC) for metabolic rate-that metabolic rate is
      a unimodal function of temperature often with maximal values in the biologically
      relevant temperature range and that activation energies are temperature
      dependent. We show that the temperature dependence of metabolic rate in
      ectotherms is well described by an enzyme-assisted Arrhenius (EAAR) model that
      accounts for the temperature-dependent contribution of enzymes to decreasing the
      activation energy required for reactions to occur. The model is mechanistically
      derived using the thermodynamic rules that govern protein stability. We contrast
      our model with other unimodal functions that also can be used to describe the
      temperature dependence of metabolic rate to show how the EAAR model provides an
      important advance over previous work. We fit the EAAR model to metabolic rate
      data for a variety of taxa to demonstrate the model's utility in describing
      metabolic rate TPCs while revealing significant differences in thermodynamic
      properties across species and acclimation temperatures. Our model advances our
      ability to understand the metabolic and ecological consequences of increases in
      the mean and variance of temperature associated with global climate change. In
      addition, the model suggests avenues by which organisms can acclimate and adapt
      to changing thermal environments. Furthermore, the parameters in the EAAR model
      generate links between organismal level performance and underlying molecular
      processes that can be tested for in future work.

PMID- 28616188
TI  - Life-history predicts past and present population connectivity in two sympatric
      sea stars.
AB  - Life-history traits, especially the mode and duration of larval development, are
      expected to strongly influence the population connectivity and phylogeography of
      marine species. Comparative analysis of sympatric, closely related species with
      differing life histories provides the opportunity to specifically investigate
      these mechanisms of evolution but have been equivocal in this regard. Here, we
      sample two sympatric sea stars across the same geographic range in temperate
      waters of Australia. Using a combination of mitochondrial DNA sequences, nuclear
      DNA sequences, and microsatellite genotypes, we show that the benthic-developing
      sea star, Parvulastra exigua, has lower levels of within- and among-population
      genetic diversity, more inferred genetic clusters, and higher levels of
      hierarchical and pairwise population structure than Meridiastra calcar, a species
      with planktonic development. While both species have populations that have
      diverged since the middle of the second glacial period of the Pleistocene, most
      P. exigua populations have origins after the last glacial maxima (LGM), whereas
      most M. calcar populations diverged long before the LGM. Our results indicate
      that phylogenetic patterns of these two species are consistent with predicted
      dispersal abilities; the benthic-developing P. exigua shows a pattern of
      extirpation during the LGM with subsequent recolonization, whereas the planktonic
      developing M. calcar shows a pattern of persistence and isolation during the LGM
      with subsequent post-Pleistocene introgression.

PMID- 28616190
TI  - Insight into the roles of selection in speciation from genomic patterns of
      divergence and introgression in secondary contact in venomous rattlesnakes.
AB  - Investigating secondary contact of historically isolated lineages can provide
      insight into how selection and drift influence genomic divergence and admixture.
      Here, we studied the genomic landscape of divergence and introgression following
      secondary contact between lineages of the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
      (Crotalus atrox) to determine whether genomic regions under selection in
      allopatry also contribute to reproductive isolation during introgression. We used
      thousands of nuclear loci to study genomic differentiation between two lineages
      that have experienced recent secondary contact following isolation, and
      incorporated sampling from a zone of secondary contact to identify loci that are
      resistant to gene flow in hybrids. Comparisons of patterns of divergence and
      introgression revealed a positive relationship between allelic differentiation
      and resistance to introgression across the genome, and greater-than-expected
      overlap between genes linked to lineage-specific divergence and loci that resist
      introgression. Genes linked to putatively selected markers were related to
      prominent aspects of rattlesnake biology that differ between populations of
      Western Diamondback rattlesnakes (i.e., venom and reproductive phenotypes). We
      also found evidence for selection against introgression of genes that may
      contribute to cytonuclear incompatibility, consistent with previously observed
      biased patterns of nuclear and mitochondrial alleles suggestive of partial
      reproductive isolation due to cytonuclear incompatibilities. Our results provide
      a genome-scale perspective on the relationships between divergence and
      introgression in secondary contact that is relevant for understanding the roles
      of selection in maintaining partial isolation of lineages, causing admixing
      lineages to not completely homogenize.

PMID- 28616191
TI  - Towards the co-ordination of terrestrial ecosystem protocols across European
      research infrastructures.
AB  - The study of ecosystem processes over multiple scales of space and time is often
      best achieved using comparable data from multiple sites. Yet, long-term
      ecological observatories have often developed their own data collection
      protocols. Here, we address this problem by proposing a set of ecological
      protocols suitable for widespread adoption by the ecological community.
      Scientists from the European ecological research community prioritized
      terrestrial ecosystem parameters that could benefit from a more consistent
      approach to data collection within the resources available at most long-term
      ecological observatories. Parameters for which standard methods are in widespread
      use, or for which methods are evolving rapidly, were not selected. Protocols were
      developed by domain experts, building on existing methods where possible, and
      refined through a process of field testing and training. They address above
      ground plant biomass; decomposition; land use and management; leaf area index;
      soil mesofaunal diversity; soil C and N stocks, and greenhouse gas emissions from
      soils. These complement existing methods to provide a complete assessment of
      ecological integrity. These protocols offer integrated approaches to ecological
      data collection that are low cost and are starting to be used across the European
      Long Term Ecological Research community.

PMID- 28616192
TI  - Sex-specific floral morphology, biomass, and phytohormones associated with
      altitude in dioecious Populus cathayana populations.
AB  - Relationships between sex-specific floral traits and endogenous phytohormones
      associated with altitude are unknown particularly in dioecious trees. We thus
      examined the relationships between floral morphology or biomass and phytohormones
      in male and female flowers of dioecious Populus cathayana populations along an
      altitudinal gradient (1,500, 1,600, and 1,700 m above sea level) in the Xiaowutai
      Nature Reserve in northern China. The female and male flowers had the most stigma
      and pollen at 1,700 m, the largest ovaries and least pollen at 1,500 m, and the
      smallest ovaries and greater numbers of anthers at 1,600 m altitude. The single
      flower biomass was significantly greater in males than in females at 1,600 or
      1,700 m, but the opposite was true at 1,500 m altitude. The biomass percentages
      were significantly higher in anthers than in stigmas at each altitude, while
      significantly greater gibberellin A3 (GA 3), zeatin riboside (ZR), indoleacetic
      acid (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations were found in female than in
      male flowers. Moreover, most flower morphological traits positively correlated
      with IAA in females but not in males. The biomass of a single flower was
      significantly positively correlated with ABA or IAA in males but negatively with
      ZR in females and was not correlated with GA 3 in both females and males. Our
      results demonstrate a distinct sexual adaptation between male and female flowers
      and that phytohormones are closely related to the size, shape, and biomass
      allocation in the pollination or fertilization organs of dioecious plants,
      although with variations in altitude.

PMID- 28616193
TI  - Concentration and retention of chlorophyll around the extrafloral nectary of
      Mallotus japonicus.
AB  - Plants need to allocate some of their limited resources for defense against
      herbivores as well as for growth and reproduction. However, the priority of
      resource allocation within plants has not been investigated. We hypothesized that
      plants with extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) invest more chlorophyll around their
      EFNs-to support a high rate of carbon fixation there-than in other leaf parts of
      young leaves. Additionally, this chlorophyll may remain around EFNs rather than
      in the other leaf parts. We used Mallotus japonicus plants to investigate the
      chlorophyll content at leaf centers and edges and around EFNs at four stages of
      leaf development: middle-expanded young leaves, fully expanded mature leaves,
      senior leaves, and leaves prior to abscission. These four stages of development
      were located at the third, fifth, eighth, and eleventh leaf positions from the
      apex, respectively. The results revealed that the chlorophyll content around the
      EFN side of the third-position leaves was higher than that at the leaf center or
      edge. Although the chlorophyll content in the fifth-position leaves did not
      differ between those at the leaf edge and around EFNs, the chlorophyll content
      around EFNs in the eighth-position leaves was higher than that at the leaf centre
      and edge. The volume of EF nectar was positively correlated with the chlorophyll
      content around EFN during the leaf stage, but it was not correlated with the
      chlorophyll content in the leaf center and edge, except in fifth-position leaves.
      These findings suggest that M. japonicus plants facilitate and maintain secretion
      of EF nectar in their young and old leaves, respectively, through the
      concentration and retention of chlorophyll around EFNs.

PMID- 28616194
TI  - Habitat use and spatial fidelity of male South American sea lions during the
      nonbreeding period.
AB  - Conditions experienced during the nonbreeding period have profound long-term
      effects on individual fitness and survival. Therefore, knowledge of habitat use
      during the nonbreeding period can provide insights into processes that regulate
      populations. At the Falkland Islands, the habitat use of South American sea lions
      (Otaria flavescens) during the nonbreeding period is of particular interest
      because the population is yet to recover from a catastrophic decline between the
      mid-1930s and 1965, and nonbreeding movements are poorly understood. Here, we
      assessed the habitat use of adult male (n = 13) and juvenile male (n = 6) South
      American sea lions at the Falkland Islands using satellite tags and stable
      isotope analysis of vibrissae. Male South American sea lions behaved like central
      place foragers. Foraging trips were restricted to the Patagonian Shelf and were
      typically short in distance and duration (127 +/- 66 km and 4.1 +/- 2.0 days,
      respectively). Individual male foraging trips were also typically characterized
      by a high degree of foraging site fidelity. However, the isotopic niche of adult
      males was smaller than juvenile males, which suggested that adult males were more
      consistent in their use of foraging habitats and prey over time. Our findings
      differ from male South American sea lions in Chile and Argentina, which undertake
      extended movements during the nonbreeding period. Hence, throughout their
      breeding range, male South American sea lions have diverse movement patterns
      during the nonbreeding period that intuitively reflects differences in the
      predictability or accessibility of preferred prey. Our findings challenge the
      long-standing notion that South American sea lions undertake a winter migration
      away from the Falkland Islands. Therefore, impediments to South American sea lion
      population recovery likely originate locally and conservation measures at a
      national level are likely to be effective in addressing the decline and the
      failure of the population to recover.

PMID- 28616195
TI  - Assessing vulnerability of giant pandas to climate change in the Qinling
      Mountains of China.
AB  - Climate change might pose an additional threat to the already vulnerable giant
      panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Effective conservation efforts require
      projections of vulnerability of the giant panda in facing climate change and
      proactive strategies to reduce emerging climate-related threats. We used the
      maximum entropy model to assess the vulnerability of giant panda to climate
      change in the Qinling Mountains of China. The results of modeling included the
      following findings: (1) the area of suitable habitat for giant pandas was
      projected to decrease by 281 km2 from climate change by the 2050s; (2) the mean
      elevation of suitable habitat of giant panda was predicted to shift 30 m higher
      due to climate change over this period; (3) the network of nature reserves
      protect 61.73% of current suitable habitat for the species, and 59.23% of future
      suitable habitat; (4) current suitable habitat mainly located in Chenggu, Taibai,
      and Yangxian counties (with a total area of 987 km2) was predicted to be
      vulnerable. Assessing the vulnerability of giant panda provided adaptive
      strategies for conservation programs and national park construction. We proposed
      adaptation strategies to ameliorate the predicted impacts of climate change on
      giant panda, including establishing and adjusting reserves, establishing habitat
      corridors, improving adaptive capacity to climate change, and strengthening
      monitoring of giant panda.

PMID- 28616196
TI  - Geographic characteristics of sable (Martes zibellina) distribution over time in
      Northeast China.
AB  - Understanding historical context can help clarify the ecological and
      biogeographic characteristics of species population changes. The sable (Martes
      zibellina) population has decreased dramatically in Northeast China since the
      l950s, and understanding the changes in its distribution over time is necessary
      to support conservation efforts. To achieve this goal, we integrated ecological
      niche modeling and historical records of sables to estimate the magnitude of
      change in their distribution over time. Our results revealed a 51.71% reduction
      in their distribution in 2000-2016 compared with the potential distribution in
      the 1950s. This reduction was related to climate change (Pearson's correlation:
      Bio1, -.962, p < .01; Bio2, -.962, p < .01; Bio5, .817, p < .05; Bio6, .847, p <
      .05) and human population size (-.956, p < .01). The sable population tended to
      migrate in different directions and elevations over time in different areas due
      to climate change: In the Greater Khingan Mountains, they moved northward and to
      lower elevations; in the Lesser Khingan Mountains, they moved northward; and in
      the Changbai Mountains, they move southward and to higher elevations. Active
      conservation strategies should be considered in locations where sable populations
      have migrated or may migrate to.

PMID- 28616197
TI  - Production of plumage ornaments among males and females of two closely related
      tropical passerine bird species.
AB  - The evolution of elaborate secondary sexual traits (i.e., ornaments) is well
      studied in males but less so in females. Similarity in the appearance of
      ornaments between males and females supports the view that female ornaments arise
      as a neutral byproduct of selection on male traits due to genetic correlation
      between sexes, but recent research suggests an adaptive function of female
      ornaments in at least some contexts. Information on the degree to which
      production of ornaments differs between the sexes can shed light on these
      alternative perspectives. We therefore characterized the structural underpinnings
      of melanin-based plumage production in males and females of two closely related
      passerine bird species (genus Malurus). Importantly, both ornamented and
      unornamented phenotypes in each sex are present between these two species,
      providing an opportunity to test the null expectation of equivalent modes of
      production in male and female ornamented phenotypes. In Malurus alboscapulatus,
      ornamented females are qualitatively similar to males, but we describe a
      distinctive ornamented female phenotype that differs from that of males in
      lacking a blue sheen and in lower feather barbule density. In M. melanocephalus,
      unornamented males and females are also similar in appearance, and we describe a
      similarity between unornamented phenotypes of males and females in both color and
      underlying feather barbule structure and pigment composition. Unornamented male
      M. melanocephalus can flexibly transition to the ornamented phenotype in weeks,
      and we found extreme differences in color and feather structure between these two
      alternative male phenotypes. These results contradict the idea that female
      ornaments have evolved in this system following a simple switch to male-like
      plumage by demonstrating greater complexity in the production of the ornamented
      phenotype in males than in females.

PMID- 28616198
TI  - Seed dispersal of Diospyros virginiana in the past and the present: Evidence for
      a generalist evolutionary strategy.
AB  - Several North American trees are hypothesized to have lost their co-evolved seed
      disperser during the late-Pleistocene extinction and are therefore considered
      anachronistic. We tested this hypothesis for the American persimmon (Diospyros
      virginiana) by studying the effects of gut passage of proposed seed dispersers on
      seedling survival and growth, natural fruiting characteristics, and modern animal
      consumption patterns. We tested gut passage effects on persimmon seeds using
      three native living species, the raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossum
      (Didelphis virginiana), and coyote (Canis latrans), and two Pleistocene analogs;
      the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and alpaca (Vicugna pacos). Persimmon seeds
      excreted by raccoons, coyotes, and elephants survived gut transit. Gut passage
      did not affect sprouting success, but did tend to decrease time to sprout and
      increase seedling quality. Under field conditions, persimmon fruits were
      palatable on the parent tree and on the ground for an equal duration, but most
      fruits were consumed on the ground. Seven vertebrate species fed upon persimmon
      fruits, with the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)-a species not capable
      of dispersing persimmon seeds-comprising over 90% of detections. Conversely,
      potential living seed dispersers were rarely detected. Our results suggest the
      American persimmon evolved to attract a variety of seed dispersers and thus is
      not anachronistic. However, human-induced changes in mammal communities could be
      affecting successful seed dispersal. We argue that changes in the relative
      abundance of mammals during the Anthropocene may be modifying seed dispersal
      patterns, leading to potential changes in forest community composition.

PMID- 28616199
TI  - Global realized niche divergence in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis.
AB  - Although of crucial importance for invasion biology and impact assessments of
      climate change, it remains widely unknown how species cope with and adapt to
      environmental conditions beyond their currently realized climatic niches (i.e.,
      those climatic conditions existing populations are exposed to). The African
      clawed frog Xenopus laevis, native to southern Africa, has established numerous
      invasive populations on multiple continents making it a pertinent model organism
      to study environmental niche dynamics. In this study, we assess whether the
      realized niches of the invasive populations in Europe, South, and North America
      represent subsets of the species' realized niche in its native distributional
      range or if niche shifts are traceable. If shifts are traceable, we ask whether
      the realized niches of invasive populations still contain signatures of the niche
      of source populations what could indicate local adaptations. Univariate
      comparisons among bioclimatic conditions at native and invaded ranges revealed
      the invasive populations to be nested within the variable range of the native
      population. However, at the same time, invasive populations are well
      differentiated in multidimensional niche space as quantified via n-dimensional
      hypervolumes. The most deviant invasive population are those from Europe. Our
      results suggest varying degrees of realized niche shifts, which are mainly driven
      by temperature related variables. The crosswise projection of the hypervolumes
      that were trained in invaded ranges revealed the south-western Cape region as
      likely area of origin for all invasive populations, which is largely congruent
      with DNA sequence data and suggests a gradual exploration of novel climate space
      in invasive populations.

PMID- 28616201
TI  - Corrigendum.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2863.].

PMID- 28616200
TI  - Season-modulated responses of Neotropical bats to forest fragmentation.
AB  - Seasonality causes fluctuations in resource availability, affecting the presence
      and abundance of animal species. The impacts of these oscillations on wildlife
      populations can be exacerbated by habitat fragmentation. We assessed differences
      in bat species abundance between the wet and dry season in a fragmented landscape
      in the Central Amazon characterized by primary forest fragments embedded in a
      secondary forest matrix. We also evaluated whether the relative importance of
      local vegetation structure versus landscape characteristics (composition and
      configuration) in shaping bat abundance patterns varied between seasons. Our
      working hypotheses were that abundance responses are species as well as season
      specific, and that in the wet season, local vegetation structure is a stronger
      determinant of bat abundance than landscape-scale attributes. Generalized linear
      mixed-effects models in combination with hierarchical partitioning revealed that
      relationships between species abundances and local vegetation structure and
      landscape characteristics were both season specific and scale dependent. Overall,
      landscape characteristics were more important than local vegetation
      characteristics, suggesting that landscape structure is likely to play an even
      more important role in landscapes with higher fragment-matrix contrast. Responses
      varied between frugivores and animalivores. In the dry season, frugivores
      responded more to compositional metrics, whereas during the wet season, local and
      configurational metrics were more important. Animalivores showed similar patterns
      in both seasons, responding to the same group of metrics in both seasons.
      Differences in responses likely reflect seasonal differences in the phenology of
      flowering and fruiting between primary and secondary forests, which affected the
      foraging behavior and habitat use of bats. Management actions should encompass
      multiscale approaches to account for the idiosyncratic responses of species to
      seasonal variation in resource abundance and consequently to local and landscape
      scale attributes.

PMID- 27335636
TI  - Referencing cross-reactivity of detection antibodies for protein array
      experiments.
AB  - Protein arrays are frequently used to profile antibody repertoires in humans and
      animals. High-throughput protein array characterisation of complex antibody
      repertoires necessitates the use of extensively validated secondary detection
      antibodies. This article details the validation of an affinity-isolated anti
      chicken IgY antibody produced in rabbit and a goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody
      conjugated with alkaline phosphatase using protein arrays consisting of 7,390
      distinct human proteins. Probing protein arrays with secondary antibodies in
      absence of chicken serum revealed non-specific binding to 61 distinct human
      proteins. Despite the identified non-specific binding, the tested antibodies are
      well suited for use in protein array experiments as the cross-reactive binding
      partners can be readily excluded from further analysis. The evident cross
      reactivity of the tested secondary detection antibodies points towards the
      necessity of platform-specific antibody characterisation studies for all
      secondary immunoreagents. Furthermore, secondary antibody characterisation using
      protein arrays enables the generation of reference lists of cross-reactive
      proteins, which can be then marked as potential false positives in follow-up
      experiments. Providing such cross-reactivity reference lists accessible to the
      wider research community may help to interpret data generated with the same
      antibodies in applications not only related to protein arrays such as
      immunoprecipitation, Western blots or other immunoassays.

PMID- 28616203
TI  - Reduced rate of intensive care unit acquired gram-negative bacilli after removal
      of sinks and introduction of 'water-free' patient care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sinks in patient rooms are associated with hospital-acquired
      infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of removal of sinks
      from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patient rooms and the introduction of 'water
      free' patient care on gram-negative bacilli colonization rates. METHODS: We
      conducted a 2-year pre/post quasi-experimental study that compared monthly gram
      negative bacilli colonization rates pre- and post-intervention using segmented
      regression analysis of interrupted time series data. Five ICUs of a tertiary care
      medical center were included. Participants were all patients of 18 years and
      older admitted to our ICUs for at least 48 h who also received selective
      digestive tract decontamination during the twelve month pre-intervention or the
      twelve month post-intervention period. The effect of sink removal and the
      introduction of 'water-free' patient care on colonization rates with gram
      negative bacilli was evaluated. The main outcome of this study was the monthly
      colonization rate with gram-negative bacilli (GNB). Yeast colonization rates were
      used as a 'negative control'. In addition, colonization rates were calculated for
      first positive culture results from cultures taken >=3, >=5, >=7, >=10 and >=14
      days after ICU-admission, rate ratios (RR) were calculated and differences tested
      with chi-squared tests. RESULTS: In the pre-intervention period, 1496 patients
      (9153 admission days) and in the post-intervention period 1444 patients (9044
      admission days) were included. Segmented regression analysis showed that the
      intervention was followed by a statistically significant immediate reduction in
      GNB colonization in absence of a pre or post intervention trend in GNB
      colonization. The overall GNB colonization rate dropped from 26.3 to 21.6
      GNB/1000 ICU admission days (colonization rate ratio 0.82; 95%CI 0.67-0.99; P =
      0.02). The reduction in GNB colonization rate became more pronounced in patients
      with a longer ICU-Length of Stay (LOS): from a 1.22-fold reduction (>=2 days), to
      a 1.6-fold (>=5 days; P = 0.002), 2.5-fold (for >=10 days; P < 0.001) to a 3.6
      fold (>=14 days; P < 0.001) reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of sinks from patient
      rooms and introduction of a method of 'water-free' patient care is associated
      with a significant reduction of patient colonization with GNB, especially in
      patients with a longer ICU length of stay.

PMID- 28616204
TI  - Comparison of subsequent infection in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      nasal carriers between ST72 community-genotype and hospital genotypes: a
      retrospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an
      important risk factor of subsequent infection. The purpose of our study was to
      compare the rates of subsequent infection among newly-admitted patients carrying
      MRSA between community-genotype and hospital-genotypes. METHODS: In this
      retrospective cohort study, we compared the rates of subsequent MRSA infection,
      time to subsequent infection and mortality in the following 6 months between the
      community-genotype ST72 MRSA cohort and the hospital-genotypes ST5 / ST239 MRSA
      cohort. RESULTS: We identified 198 patients carrying ST72 and 156 patients
      carrying ST5 or ST239. There was no difference in the rates of subsequent
      infection between ST72 cohort and ST5 / ST239 cohort (13.1% vs. 12.8%; P =
      0.931). The median time to development of subsequent infection was not
      significantly different (27 days vs. 88 days; P = 0.0877). The Kaplan-Meier
      method showed no difference in the cumulative rate of being free of subsequent
      infection between the cohorts (P = 0.9209). Overall mortality rates at 6 months
      did not differ (1.5% vs. 1.9%; P = 1.000). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that
      rates of subsequent MRSA infection were different between newly-admitted patients
      carrying community-genotype ST72 MRSA and those whom carrying hospital-genotypes
      ST5 or ST239 MRSA.

PMID- 28616205
TI  - Appearance and rapid evolution of thoraco-abdominal intramural hematoma after
      TEVAR.
AB  - Some studies consider the different physical properties of the stent graft when
      compared with the blood vessel on the basis of vascular lesions that may require
      further intervention. We present a case in which a patient developed an
      intramural hematoma at the distal landing of previous thoracic endovascular
      aortic repair (TEVAR) that required the relining with a flared prosthesis. During
      follow-up, we observed the appearance of more caudal hematoma. We decided to
      observe this lesion with close radiological controls. In order to prevent serious
      complication after the induction of TEVAR, accurate planning of the procedure is
      very important to study the impact of the prosthesis implanted in the
      cardiovascular system. In particular, oversize, radial forces and length of
      coverage have been taken into account. The adherence to follow-up is very
      important to precociously detect the lesions to avoid the onset of complication.

PMID- 28616206
TI  - A systematic review and meta-analysis of genetic association studies for the role
      of inflammation and the immune system in diabetic nephropathy.
AB  - Background: Despite the certain contribution of metabolic and haemodynamic
      factors in diabetic nephropathy (DN), many lines of evidence highlight the role
      of immunologic and inflammatory mechanisms. To elucidate the contribution of the
      immune system in the development of DN, we explored the contribution of gene
      variants (polymorphisms) in relevant pathophysiologic pathways. Methods: We
      selected six major pathways related to immune response from the Kyoto
      Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes database and thereafter we traced all
      available genetic association studies (GASs) involving gene variants in these
      pathways from PubMed and HuGE Navigator. Finally, we used meta-analytic methods
      for synthesizing the results of the GASs. Results: One hundred three GASs were
      retrieved that included 443 variants from 75 genes. Of those variants, 138 were
      meta-analysed and 61 produced significant results; seven variants were
      investigated in single GASs and showed significant association. Variants in CCL2,
      CCR5, IL6, IL8, EPO, IL1A, IL1B, IL100, IL1RN, GHRL, MMP9, TGFB1, VEGFA, MMP3,
      MMP12, IL12RB1, PRKCE, TNF and TNFRSF19 genes were associated with an increased
      risk of DN. Conclusions: There is evidence that variants related with immunologic
      response affect the course of DN. However, the present results should be
      interpreted with caution since the current number of available GASs is limited.

PMID- 28616207
TI  - Changes in metformin use in chronic kidney disease.
AB  - Metformin is one of the oldest and most widely prescribed antidiabetic medicines
      worldwide. It is the only such medicine that has shown a reduction of
      cardiovascular mortality in diabetes mellitus type 2. Since many diabetic
      patients have chronic kidney disease, its use is often curtailed by practitioners
      due to fear of lactic acidosis and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
      warnings that, until recently, had been in place for decades. Current guidelines,
      though somewhat vague regarding dosages, clearly pave the way for spreading the
      use of metformin in patients with lower glomerular filtration rates. These
      guidelines also suggest moving away from just looking at serum creatinine to
      create a cut-off. Metformin's costs are lower, and in many underdeveloped
      countries this is the only medicine available for poor patients. More widespread
      use of metformin will further help with health care costs, as well as obesity. It
      will simplify the use of diabetes mellitus type 2 management with lower
      incidences of hypoglycemia. With all the mounting evidence, the FDA is finally
      requiring labeling changes regarding recommendations, to allow the use of
      metformin in patients with much reduced kidney function.

PMID- 28616208
TI  - Patient Survey of current water Intake practices in autosomal dominant Polycystic
      kidney disease: the SIPs survey.
AB  - Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) affects 12.5
      million worldwide. Vasopressin drives cysts growth and in animal models can be
      suppressed through high water intake. A randomized controlled trial of 'high'
      versus 'standard' water intake in ADPKD is essential to determine if this
      intervention is beneficial. We conducted an ADPKD patient survey to gain an
      understanding of current fluid intake practices and the design challenges of a
      randomized water intake trial. Methods: In collaboration with the PKD Charity, we
      developed and distributed an online survey to ADPKD patients over age 16 years
      and not on renal replacement therapy. Results: Of the 2377 invited, 89 ADPKD
      patients completed the Survey of current water Intake practices in autosomal
      dominant Polycystic kidney disease (SIPs) online questionnaire. Most were female
      (65, 73%) and white (84, 94%), with a median age group of 45-49 years. The risk
      of contamination between treatment arms was highlighted by the survey as the
      majority (70, 79%) routinely discussed ADPKD management with family despite only
      17% sharing the same household. More participants reported drinking beyond thirst
      (65, 73%) than those actually indicating a daily fluid intake of >2 L (54, 61%).
      This discrepancy emphasizes inaccuracies of fluid intake estimates and the
      requirement for objective methods of measuring water intake. Overall, only 51%
      believed high water intake was beneficial, while 91% were willing to participate
      in research evaluating this. Conclusion: ADPKD poses unique design challenges to
      a randomized water intake trial. However, the trial is likely to be supported by
      the ADPKD community and could impact significantly on PKD management and
      associated healthcare costs.

PMID- 28616209
TI  - Should eculizumab be discontinued in patients with atypical hemolytic uremic
      syndrome?
AB  - Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a life-threatening disorder for
      which prompt diagnosis and eculizumab treatment is indicated. The time for
      relapse and patients at risk for relapse after eculizumab discontinuation are
      unknown. While some authors believe there is no clinical evidence supporting
      eculizumab discontinuation, which may be associated with high collateral risks
      such as loss of renal function, other authors believe that the drug can be safely
      discontinued with close patient monitoring. In this editorial, we update the pros
      and cons for eculizumab discontinuation in aHUS.

PMID- 28616210
TI  - Acute kidney injury-an overview of diagnostic methods and clinical management.
AB  - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common condition in multiple clinical settings.
      Patients with AKI are at an increased risk of death, over both the short and long
      term, and of accelerated renal impairment. As the condition has become more
      recognized and definitions more unified, there has been a rapid increase in
      studies examining AKI across many different clinical settings. This review
      focuses on the classification, diagnostic methods and clinical management that
      are available, or promising, for patients with AKI. Furthermore, preventive
      measures with fluids, acetylcysteine, statins and remote ischemic
      preconditioning, as well as when dialysis should be initiated in AKI patients are
      discussed. The classification of AKI includes both changes in serum creatinine
      concentrations and urine output. Currently, no kidney injury biomarkers are
      included in the classification of AKI, but proposals have been made to include
      them as independent diagnostic markers. Treatment of AKI is aimed at addressing
      the underlying causes of AKI, and at limiting damage and preventing progression.
      The key principles are: to treat the underlying disease, to optimize fluid
      balance and optimize hemodynamics, to treat electrolyte disturbances, to
      discontinue or dose-adjust nephrotoxic drugs and to dose-adjust drugs with renal
      elimination.

PMID- 28616211
TI  - Acute kidney injury in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock: a comparison
      between the 'Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, End-stage kidney
      disease' (RIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and Kidney Disease:
      Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classifications.
AB  - PURPOSE: Using the Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, End-stage
      kidney disease (RIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and Kidney Disease:
      Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) systems, the incidence of acute kidney injury
      (AKI) and their ability to predict in-hospital mortality in severe sepsis or
      septic shock was compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective
      analysis of 457 critically ill patients with severe sepsis or septic shock
      hospitalized between January 2008 and December 2014. Multivariate logistic
      regression was employed to evaluate the association between the RIFLE, AKIN and
      KDIGO systems with in-hospital mortality. Model fit was assessed by the goodness
      of-fit test and discrimination by the area under the receiver operating
      characteristic (AUROC) curve. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05.
      RESULTS: RIFLE (84.2%) and KDIGO (87.5%) identified more patients with AKI than
      AKIN (72.8%) (P < 0.001). AKI defined by AKIN and KDIGO was associated with in
      hospital mortality {AKIN: adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.3[95% confidence interval
      (CI) 1.3-4], P = 0.006; KDIGO: adjusted OR 2.7[95% CI 1.2-6.2], P = 0.021} while
      AKI defined by RIFLE was not [adjusted OR 2.0 (95% CI 1-4), P = 0.063]. The AUROC
      curve for in-hospital mortality was similar between the three classifications
      (RIFLE 0.652, P < 0.001; AKIN 0.686, P < 0.001; KDIGO 0.658, P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: RIFLE and KDIGO diagnosed more patients with AKI than AKIN, but the
      prediction ability for in-hospital mortality was similar between the three
      systems.

PMID- 28616212
TI  - Hypophosphatemia in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury treated with
      hemodialysis is associated with adverse events.
AB  - Background. Hypophosphatemia in critically ill patients may be exacerbated by
      renal replacement therapy (RRT). We aimed to identify risk factors and adverse
      outcomes associated with hypophosphatemia in intensive care patients treated with
      RRT for acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods. This was a secondary analysis of data
      from a single-center prospective cohort study of medical and surgical intensive
      care patients with RRT for AKI between 18 December 2010 and 3 April 2013.
      Demographic, comorbidity, laboratory and RRT data were retrieved from patient
      case notes and electronic medical records. Outcomes assessed were
      hypophosphatemia (serum phosphate <0.94 mmol/L) during RRT, intensive care unit
      (ICU) mortality, and duration of mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support.
      Results. Among 96 patients who received acute RRT, 25 (26.0%) developed
      hypophosphatemia. On multivariate logistic regression, serum phosphate at RRT
      initiation [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.09,
      0.91), P = 0.03] was independently associated with hypophosphatemia during acute
      RRT. Patients with hypophosphatemia during RRT required longer ventilatory
      support [median 12 (interquartile range: 8, 17) days versus 5 (3, 9) days, P <
      0.001] and vasopressor support [5 (4, 15) days versus 2 (2, 6) days, P = 0.003]
      compared with those without hypophosphatemia but there was no significant
      difference in ICU mortality [5 patients (20.0%) versus 24 patients (33.8%), P =
      0.20]. Hypophosphatemia during RRT was independently associated with prolonged
      mechanical ventilation (>=7 days) [adjusted OR 14.0, 95% CI (1.37, 143.90), P =
      0.03]. Conclusion. Hypophosphatemia is common during acute RRT for critically ill
      patients and was associated with adverse clinical outcomes.

PMID- 28616213
TI  - Postoperative goal-directed therapy and development of acute kidney injury
      following major elective noncardiac surgery: post-hoc analysis of POM-O
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Background: The role of goal-directed therapy (GDT) in preventing creatinine rise
      following noncardiac surgery is unclear. We performed a post-hoc analysis of a
      randomized controlled trial to assess the relationship between postoperative
      optimization of oxygen delivery and development of acute kidney injury
      (AKI)/creatinine rise following noncardiac surgery. Methods: Patients were
      randomly assigned immediately postoperatively to receive either fluid and/or
      dobutamine therapy to maintain/restore their preoperative oxygen delivery, or
      protocolized standard care (oxygen delivery only recorded). Primary end point was
      serial changes in postoperative creatinine within 48 h postoperatively. Secondary
      outcomes were development of AKI (KDIGO criteria) and minimal creatinine rise
      (MCR; no decline from preoperative creatinine), related to all-cause morbidity
      and length of stay. Results: Postoperative reductions in serum creatinine were
      similar (P = 0.76) in patients randomized to GDT [10 umol/L (95% confidence
      interval, CI: 17 to -1); n = 95] or protocolized care [8 umol/L (95% CI: 17 to 
      6); n = 92]. Postoperative haemodynamic management was not associated with the
      development of MCR [78/187 (41.7%)] or AKI [13/187; (7.0%)]. Intraoperative
      requirement for norepinephrine was more likely in patients who developed
      postoperative rises in creatinine [relative risk (RR): 1.66 (95% CI: 1.04-2.67);
      P = 0.04], despite similar volumes of intraoperative fluid being administered.
      Persistently higher lactate during the intervention period was associated with
      AKI (mean difference: 1.15 mmol/L (95% CI: 0.48-1.81); P = 0.01]. Prolonged
      hospital stay was associated with AKI but not MCR [RR: 2.71 (95% CI: 1.51-4.87);
      P = 0.0008]. Conclusion: These data provide further insights into how
      perioperative haemodynamic alterations relate to postoperative increases in
      creatinine once systemic inflammation is established.

PMID- 28616214
TI  - High-dose hydroxocobalamin for vasoplegic syndrome causing false blood leak
      alarm.
AB  - Blood leak alarms are important safety features in a hemodialysis machine to
      protect patients from loss of blood through a rupture in the dialyzer membrane
      (true alarms). A false blood leak alarm can be triggered by air bubbles or
      detector malfunction (such as deposits of grease or scale). Hydroxocobalamin is
      an injectable form of vitamin B12 approved by the US Food and Drug Administration
      for the treatment of confirmed or suspected cyanide toxicity. Due to observations
      of an increase in arterial pressure after high-dose hydroxocobalamin infusion for
      the treatment of acute cyanide poisoning, it has recently been reported as an off
      label rescue treatment for post-cardiopulmonary bypass vasoplegic syndrome. We
      report an 83-year-old man who received hydroxocobalamin following cardiac surgery
      for treatment of vasoplegic syndrome. The patient developed severe acute kidney
      injury with volume overload. Hydroxocobalamin interference with the blood leak
      detector compromised his dialysis treatment. We describe the use of continuous
      renal replacement therapy to overcome the hydroxocobalamin-related interference
      with hemodialysis. As the utility of hydroxocobalamin potentially expands,
      physicians must be aware of its inadvertent effect on renal replacement therapy.

PMID- 28616215
TI  - The impact of renal protection clinics on prescription of and adherence to
      cardioprotective drug therapy in chronic kidney disease patients.
AB  - Background: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of follow-up in renal
      protection clinics on the prescription of and adherence to cardioprotective drugs
      in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: We studied stage 4 and 5
      CKD patients who initiated follow-up in three renal protection clinics. The
      prescription pattern of antihypertensive agents (AHA) and lipid-lowering agents
      (LLAs) was measured as the percentage of patients who are prescribed the agents
      of interest at a given time. Adherence to drug therapy was defined as the
      percentage of days, during a pre-defined observation period, in which patients
      have an on-hand supply of their prescribed medications. Results: A total of 259
      CKD patients were enrolled and followed for up to 1 year after referral to renal
      protection clinics. There was a significant increase in the prescription of
      angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (34-39%), angiotensin II receptor
      blockers (11-14%), beta-blockers (40-51%), calcium channel blockers (62-74%),
      diuretics (66-78%) and LLAs (39-47%) during follow-up in the renal protection
      clinic compared with baseline (P-values <0.01 for all comparisons). The
      proportions of patients with good (>= 80%) and poor (< 80%) adherence to AHA (P =
      0.41) and LLAs (P = 0.11) were similar in the year preceding and the year
      following the first visit to the renal protection clinics. Conclusion: Our
      results suggest that referral and follow-up in a renal protection clinic may
      increase the prescription of cardioprotective agents in CKD patients, but does
      not appear to improve adherence to these medications.

PMID- 28616216
TI  - Warfarin-related nephropathy induced by three different vitamin K antagonists:
      analysis of 13 biopsy-proven cases.
AB  - Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) with renal tubular obstruction by red blood
      cell casts (RBCC) has been described in patients treated with warfarin and is
      known as warfarin-related nephropathy (WRN). Methods: To determine whether other
      vitamin K antagonists (VKA) cause WRN, we retrospectively collected and analyzed
      the clinical and histological data of 13 patients treated with different VKA
      (seven with fluindione, four with warfarin and two with acenocoumarol) in seven
      French hospitals. Results: They all developed gross hematuria following
      overanticoagulation complicated by severe AKI (median serum creatinine
      concentration = 693 MUmol/L). Histological analysis of the kidney biopsies
      highlighted the presence of intratubular RBCC and acute tubular necrosis in all
      patients and of an underlying kidney disease in 12 patients. WRN was suspected in
      patients treated with warfarin; however, the initial diagnosis was incorrect in
      six of the nine patients treated with other VKA. Nine patients progressed to
      chronic kidney disease, one fully recovered renal function, two died and one
      still needs dialysis. Conclusions: This is the first report of AKI caused by
      fluindione. In agreement with the recent publication on AKI in two patients
      treated with dabigatran, we suggest that the term 'anticoagulant-related
      nephropathy' is more appropriate than WRN. Gross hematuria in patients with an
      underlying kidney disease and treated with VKA requires rapid control of the
      international normalized ratio and renal function monitoring.

PMID- 28616217
TI  - Is chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder associated with the presence
      of endothelial progenitor cells with a calcifying phenotype?
AB  - Background: Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) has been
      implicated in vascular calcification pathogenesis. CKD-MBD results in alterations
      in the number and function of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs),
      physiological regulators of angiogenesis and vessel repair, commonly defined as
      proangiogenic progenitor cells (PACs) by the antigen pattern CD34+CD133+KDR+CD45-
      and putative EPCs by the pattern CD34+CD133-KDR+CD45-. These cells might acquire
      a calcifying phenotype in CKD-MBD, expressing mineralization biomarkers. We
      investigated the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and osteocalcin (OC) on
      EPCs of healthy individuals and haemodialysis patients, and their possible
      associations with circulating biomarkers of inflammation and vascular
      calcification. Methods: We compared EPC counts, expressing VDR or OC, in 23
      healthy subjects versus 53 haemodialysis patients, 17 of them without vitamin D
      receptor agonist (VDRA) therapy and 35 treated with calcitriol (n  =  17) or
      paricalcitol (n  =  18). The correlations with serum levels of inflammatory and
      calcification indexes were also analysed. Results: All subsets expressing VDR or
      OC were significantly higher in haemodialysis patients compared with healthy
      controls, but PACs were increased only in VDRA treatment subgroup, while putative
      EPCs showed a similar rise also in untreated patients. In VDRA-untreated
      patients, OC+  PACs correlated positively with calcium levels, while in VDRA
      treated patients, VDR+ PACs correlated positively with interleukin 6 levels, and
      OC+  PACs correlated positively 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Conclusions: Our data
      suggest that in CKD-MBD, EPCs undergo an endothelial-to-procalcific shift,
      representing a risk factor for vascular calcification. A link between mineral
      disorders and vitamin D replacement therapy emerged, with potential adverse
      effects for CKD patients.

PMID- 28616218
TI  - Soluble klotho may be a marker of phosphate reabsorption.
AB  - Background: Membrane-bound alpha-klotho functions as a co-receptor with
      fibroblast growth factor receptor at the renal tubule conferring specificity to
      fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), allowing it to inhibit tubular phosphate
      reabsorption at physiological concentrations. alpha-klotho also exists as a
      soluble protein. However, the complex interrelationships between soluble alpha
      klotho (sKl), FGF-23 and phosphate reabsorption are poorly understood, with
      little known about the links between sKl, FGF-23 and phosphate reabsorption in
      chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study addresses this issue in a cohort of
      patients with and without CKD. Methods: We conducted a single-centre, cross
      sectional study of contemporaneously obtained samples of blood and 24-h urine
      biochemistry along with sKl and intact FGF-23 (iFGF-23) from non-dialysis
      dependent CKD patients and healthy volunteers. Pearson's correlation coefficients
      were used to determine correlations between natural log-transformed (Ln) sKl and
      iFGF-23 with other parameters of interest. Backward multivariate analysis was
      undertaken to evaluate the relationship between mineral parameters. Results: One
      hundred and sixteen participants (77 with CKD and 39 healthy volunteers) were
      studied, of which 74 (63.8%) were male. The median age was 61 (interquartile
      range 49-71) years. Those with CKD had lower sKl (408 versus 542 pg/mL), higher
      iFGF-23 (94 versus 41 pg/mL), higher fractional excretion of phosphate (25.05
      versus 10.98%) and lower daily urinary phosphate excretion (UPE) (24.8 versus
      32.3 mmol/L) compared with healthy volunteers (all P  <= 0.002). Age correlated
      inversely and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) correlated positively
      with phosphate reabsorption and Ln(sKl), while the opposite was seen with
      Ln(iFGF23). Upon multivariate analysis, eGFR, Ln(sKl) and parathyroid hormone
      were independently associated with phosphate reabsorption, whereas Ln(iFGF-23)
      was not, after adjustment for age. Conclusions: Abnormalities in phosphate
      regulatory pathways are disturbed early in CKD. While iFGF-23 is associated with
      phosphate excretion on univariate analyses, sKl demonstrates a significant
      association with phosphate reabsorption independent of iFGF-23, and this
      relationship deserves further exploration.

PMID- 28616219
TI  - Proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal IgG deposits in two kidney
      allografts successfully treated with rituximab.
AB  - Proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal immunoglobulin G deposit
      (PGNMID), a recently described pathologic entity in native kidneys, has been
      recognized in kidney transplant patients, where it can present as either
      recurrent or de novo disease. There is no definitive treatment to date, in either
      population. Here, we present two cases of PGNMID in kidney allografts that
      illustrate the challenges of diagnostic approach and highlight the allograft
      outcome after treatment with rituximab as a potential treatment of this
      condition.

PMID- 28616220
TI  - Impact of seasonality on the dynamics of native Vitamin D repletion in long-term
      renal transplant patients.
AB  - Background: Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) are often Vitamin D (VitD)
      depleted as a result of both chronic kidney disease and mandated sun avoidance
      behaviours. Repleting VitD may be warranted, but how, and for how long, is
      unknown, as is the impact of seasonality on the success of repletion. We
      investigated the impact of seasonality on VitD status following VitD repletion in
      a large cohort of stable, long-term RTRs. Methods: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D
      [25(OH)D] concentrations and bone biochemistry parameters were analysed from 102
      VitD repletion courses in 98 RTRs that had undergone VitD repletion. Repletion
      was delivered over 6 months with either 240 000 IU colecalciferol if pre
      repletion serum VitD was between 20 and 50 nmol/L, or with 360 000 IU if VitD was
      <20 nmol/L. Twelve months post-repletion 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone (PTH)
      were available for 75 patients. Results: At baseline, 25(OH)D was 20.1 +/- 1.0
      nmol/L, increasing to 65.4 +/- 1.8 nmol/L following repletion (+7.55
      nmol/L/month, P < 0.0001). Twelve months post-repletion and after no further VitD
      administration, 25(OH)D fell to 35.4 +/- 1.8 nmol/L (14.2 +/- 0.7 ng/mL; -2.50
      nmol/L/month, P < 0.0001). PTH followed the opposite trend with baseline,
      repletion-end and post-repletion values being 144.2 +/- 12.0, 109.6 +/- 7.5 and
      129.2 +/- 11.4 ng/L, respectively. VitD repletion during the summer was
      associated with significantly higher at repletion-end 25(OH)D compared with any
      other time of year [summer 80.9 +/- 4.0, autumn 64.1 +/- 3.0 (P = 0.002), winter
      48.9 +/- 3.0 (P <0.001), spring 63.8 +/- 2.5 nmol/L (P <0.001)]. There was no
      hypercalcaemia during repletion and renal transplant function remained stable
      without any evidence of allograft rejection. Conclusions: VitD repletion can
      safely and effectively be achieved in the majority of chronic stable RTRs using a
      6-month bolus intermediate-dose schedule. Winter repletion is associated with an
      inadequate response in 25(OH)D; however, all patients experience a post-repletion
      fall towards deficiency in the absence of maintenance supplementation,
      irrespective of the season of repletion.

PMID- 28616221
TI  - Time, timing, talking and training: findings from an exploratory action research
      study to improve quality of end of life care for minority ethnic kidney patients.
AB  - Background. With an ageing and increasingly diverse population at risk from
      rising levels of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including kidney
      complications, there is a need to provide quality care at all stages in the care
      pathway including at the end of life and to all patients. Aim. This study
      purposively explored South Asian patients' experiences of kidney end of life care
      to understand how services can be delivered in a way that meets diverse patient
      needs. Methods. Within an action research design 14 focus groups (45 care
      providers) of kidney care providers discussed the recruitment and analysis of
      individual interviews with 16 South Asian kidney patients (eight men, eight
      women). Emergent themes from the focus groups were analysed thematically. The
      research took place at four UK centres providing kidney care to diverse
      populations: West London, Luton, Leicester and Bradford. Results. Key themes
      related to time and the timing of discussions about end of life care and the
      factors that place limitations on patients and providers in talking about end of
      life care. Lack of time and confidence of nurses in areas of kidney care,
      individual attitudes and workforce composition influence whether and how patients
      have access to end of life care through kidney services. Conclusion. Training,
      team work and time to discuss overarching issues (including timing and
      communication about end of life) with colleagues could support service providers
      to facilitate access and delivery of end of life care to this group of patients.

PMID- 28616222
TI  - A case report of an unusual cause of postoperative leg pain after posterior
      lumbar fusion.
AB  - We report the case of a 36-year old man who underwent elective posterior lumbar
      spinal fusion after presenting with bilateral leg pain with associated back pain.
      He had undergone a L5/S1 discectomy in 2001, which provided good symptomatic
      relief. On this admission, he underwent elective L4-S1 posterolateral fusion and
      bilateral L4/5 and L5/S1 decompression. Intra-operatively a pedicle screw had to
      be re-inserted after fluoroscopy confirmed a lateral breech. The patient had no
      major postoperative complications until the sixth day when the patient re
      presented with acute leg pain and weakness. Following a local multidisciplinary
      meeting (MDT) an MRI showed a large haematoma at the right psoas muscle. CT
      angiogram confirmed a bleeding lumbar segmental vessel at the site of the
      previous misplaced screw and an emergency fluoroscopic guided embolisation of the
      vessel was performed. The patient recovered well post operatively and was
      discharged back to the community 12 days later. Haemorrhage, as in this case a
      psoas haematoma should be considered as one of the differentials in patients with
      recurrent post-operative radiculopathy following posterior lumbar spine fusion.
      This should be suspected particularly if there has been a misplacement of one or
      more screws as this can cause injury to blood vessels and be fatal for the
      patient.

PMID- 28616223
TI  - Clinical outcomes of self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement as palliative
      treatment for malignant colorectal obstruction: A single-center study from Japan.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the efficacy of self-expanding metal stent (SEMS)
      implantation as palliative treatment for malignant colorectal obstruction.
      METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with malignant
      colorectal obstruction who underwent SEMS insertion as palliative treatment in
      our hospital between March 2013 and December 2016. We analyzed demographic,
      clinical, and operative characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients (8
      males, 5 females; median age, 80.1 years) were reviewed. Tumor location included
      the left colon, rectum, and right colon in 38.5%, 38.5%, and 23% of the patients,
      respectively. Advanced and early colorectal cancer were noted in 7 (63.6%) and 4
      (36.4%) cases, respectively. The mean ColoRectal Obstruction Scoring System score
      was 0.92 before stenting and 3.92 after stenting. Oral intake was resumed at a
      median of 2.1 days after SEMS placement. Median stent patency was 7.6 months, and
      69.2% of patients maintained stent patency until death or the end of follow-up.
      Stent-related adverse effects included: re-occlusion (4 cases, 30.8%); stent
      migration (1 case, 7.7%), and pain with tenesmus (2 cases, 15.4%). In patients
      with re-occlusion (median follow-up interval, 1.3 months), stent patency was
      maintained for a median of 10.3 months (early failure, within 3 months; late
      failure, >11 months). CONCLUSION: SEMS placement as a palliative treatment is
      likely to fail within a year, leading to re-occlusion. It is very important to
      maintain vigilant monitoring using X-ray, CT, and colonoscopy after SEMS
      placement, with close cooperation between the endoscopist and surgeon. A logistic
      framework involving careful follow-up, even in the absence of symptoms, and a
      combined team involving endoscopists and surgeons should be established to
      support re-intervention and surgery. We recommend vigilant monitoring of patients
      who received SEMS placement for palliation of malignant colorectal obstruction.

PMID- 28616224
TI  - Semiparametric Bayes conditional graphical models for imaging genetics
      applications.
AB  - Motivated by the need for understanding neurological disorders, large-scale
      imaging genetic studies are being increasingly conducted. A salient objective in
      such studies is to identify important neuroimaging biomarkers such as the brain
      functional connectivity, as well as genetic biomarkers, which are predictive of
      disorders. However, typical approaches for estimating the group level brain
      functional connectivity do not account for potential variation, resulting from
      demographic and genetic factors, while usual methods for discovering genetic
      biomarkers do not factor in the influence of the brain network on the imaging
      phenotype. We propose a novel semiparametric Bayesian conditional graphical model
      for joint variable selection and graph estimation, which simultaneously estimates
      the brain network after accounting for heterogeneity, and infers significant
      genetic biomarkers. The proposed approach specifies priors on the regression
      coefficients, which clusters brain regions having similar activation patterns
      depending on covariates, leading to dimension reduction. A novel graphical prior
      is proposed, which encourages modularity in brain organization by specifying
      denser and sparse connections within and across clusters, respectively. The
      posterior computation proceeds via a Markov chain Monte Carlo. We apply the
      approach to data obtained from the Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative
      and demonstrate numerical advantages via simulation studies.

PMID- 28616225
TI  - Effect of three lactobacilli with strain-specific activities on the growth
      performance, faecal microbiota and ileum mucosa proteomics of piglets.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The beneficial effects of Lactobacillus probiotics in animal
      production are often strain-related. Different strains from the same species may
      exert different weight-gain effect on hosts in vivo. Most lactobacilli are
      selected based on their in vitro activities, and their metabolism and regulation
      on the intestine based on strain-related characters are largely unexplored. The
      objective of the present study was to study the in vivo effects of the three
      lactobacilli on growth performance and to compare the differential effects of the
      strains on the faecal microbiota and ileum mucosa proteomics of piglets. METHODS:
      Three hundred and sixty piglets were assigned to one of four treatments, which
      included an antibiotics-treated control and three experimental groups
      supplemented with the three lactobacilli, L. salivarius G1-1, L. reuteri G8-5 and
      L. reuteri G22-2, respectively. Piglets were weighed and the feed intake was
      recorded to compare the growth performance. The faecal lactobacilli and coliform
      was quantified using quantitative PCR and the faecal microbiota was profiled by
      denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The proteomic approach was
      applied to compare the differential expression of proteins in the ileum mucosa.
      RESULTS: No statistical difference was found among the three Lactobacillus
      treated groups in animal growth performance compared with the antibiotics-treated
      group (P > 0.05). Supplementation of lactobacilli in diets significantly
      increased the relative 16S rRNA gene copies of Lactobacillus genus on both d 14
      and d 28 (P < 0.05)., and the bacterial community profiles based on DGGE from the
      lactobacilli-treated groups were distinctly different from the antibiotics
      treated group (P < 0.05). The ileum mucosa of piglets responded to all
      Lactobacillus supplementation by producing more newly expressed proteins and the
      identified proteins were all associated with the functions beneficial for
      stabilization of cell structure. Besides, some other up-regulated and down
      regulated proteins in different Lactobacillus-treated groups showed the
      expression of proteins were partly strain-related. CONCLUSIONS: All the three
      lactobacilli in this study show comparable effects to antibiotics on piglets
      growth performance. The three lactobacilli were found able to modify intestinal
      microbiota and mucosa proteomics. The regulation of protein expression in the
      intestinal mucosa are partly associated with the strains administrated in feed.

PMID- 28616226
TI  - Child wasting is a severe public health problem in the predominantly rural
      population of Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Ethiopia, child wasting has remained a public health problem for a
      decade's, suggesting the need to further monitoring of the problem. Hence, this
      study aimed at assessing the prevalence of wasting and associated factors among
      children aged 6-59 months at Dabat District, northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A
      Community based cross-sectional study was undertaken from May to June, 2015, in
      Dabat District, northwest Ethiopia. A total of 1184 children aged under five
      years and their mothers/caretakers were included in the study. An interviewer
      administered, pre-tested, and structured questionnaire was used to collect data.
      Standardized anthropometric body measurements were employed to assess the height
      and weight of the participants. Anthropometric body measurements were analyzed by
      the WHO Anthro Plus software version 1.0.4. Wasting was defined as having a
      weight-for-height of Z-score lower than two standard deviations (WHZ < -2 SD)
      compared to the WHO reference population of the same age and sex group. In the
      binary logistic regression, both bivariate and multivariate analyses were done to
      list out factors associated with wasting. All variables with P-values of < 0.2 in
      the bivariate analysis were earmarked for the multivariate analysis. Both Crude
      Odds Ratio (COR) and Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) at 95% Confidence Interval (CI)
      were computed to determine the strength of association. In the multivariate
      analysis, variables at P-values of < 0.05 were identified as determinants of
      wasting. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of wasting was 18.2%; 10.3% and 7.9% of
      the children were moderately and severely wasted, respectively. Poor dietary
      diversity [AOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.46], late initiation of breastfeeding [AOR
      = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.95], no postnatal vitamin-A supplementation [AOR = 1.55,
      95% CI: 1.04, 2.30], and maternal occupational status [AOR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.56,
      3.42] were independently associated with wasting in the study area. CONCLUSION:
      Wasting is a severe public health problem in Dabat District. Therefore, there is
      a need to strengthen the implementation of optimal breastfeeding practice and
      dietary diversity. In addition, improving the coverage of mothers' postnatal
      vitamin-A supplementation is essential to address the burden of child wasting.

PMID- 28616227
TI  - Bridging the gap between climate models and impact studies: the FORESEE Database.
AB  - Studies on climate change impacts are essential for identifying vulnerabilities
      and developing adaptation options. However, such studies depend crucially on the
      availability of reliable climate data. In this study, we introduce the
      climatological database called FORESEE (Open Database for Climate Change Related
      Impact Studies in Central Europe), which was developed to support the research of
      and adaptation to climate change in Central and Eastern Europe: the region where
      knowledge of possible climate change effects is inadequate. A questionnaire-based
      survey was used to specify database structure and content. FORESEE contains the
      seamless combination of gridded daily observation-based data (1951-2013) built on
      the E-OBS and CRU TS datasets, and a collection of climate projections (2014
      2100). The future climate is represented by bias-corrected meteorological data
      from 10 regional climate models (RCMs), driven by the A1B emission scenario.
      These latter data were developed within the frame of the ENSEMBLES FP6 project.
      Although FORESEE only covers a limited area of Central and Eastern Europe, the
      methodology of database development, the applied bias correction techniques, and
      the data dissemination method, can serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives.

PMID- 28616228
TI  - A daily Azores-Iceland North Atlantic Oscillation index back to 1850.
AB  - We present the construction of a continuous, daily (09:00 UTC), station-based
      (Azores-Iceland) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) Index back to 1871 which is
      extended back to 1850 with additional daily mean data. The constructed index more
      than doubles the length of previously existing, widely available, daily NAO time
      series. The index is created using entirely observational sea-level pressure
      (SLP) data from Iceland and 73.5% of observational SLP data from the Azores - the
      remainder being filled in via reanalysis (Twentieth Century Reanalysis Project
      and European Mean Sea Level Pressure) SLP data. Icelandic data are taken from the
      Southwest Iceland pressure series. We construct and document a new Ponta Delgada
      SLP time series based on recently digitized and newly available data that extend
      back to 1872. The Ponta Delgada time series is created by splicing together
      several fractured records (from Ponta Delgada, Lajes, and Santa Maria) and
      filling in the major gaps (pre-1872, 1888-1905, and 1940-1941) and occasional
      days (145) with reanalysis data. Further homogeneity corrections are applied to
      the Azores record, and the daily (09:00 UTC) NAO index is then calculated. The
      resulting index, with its extended temporal length and daily resolution, is the
      first reconstruction of daily NAO back into the 19th Century and therefore is
      useful for researchers across multiple disciplines.

PMID- 28616229
TI  - Datasets related to in-land water for limnology and remote sensing applications:
      distance-to-land, distance-to-water, water-body identifier and lake-centre co
      ordinates.
AB  - Datasets containing information to locate and identify water bodies have been
      generated from data locating static-water-bodies with resolution of about 300 m
      (1/360?) recently released by the Land Cover Climate Change Initiative (LC CCI)
      of the European Space Agency. The LC CCI water-bodies dataset has been obtained
      from multi-temporal metrics based on time series of the backscattered intensity
      recorded by ASAR on Envisat between 2005 and 2010. The new derived datasets
      provide coherently: distance to land, distance to water, water-body identifiers
      and lake-centre locations. The water-body identifier dataset locates the water
      bodies assigning the identifiers of the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database
      (GLWD), and lake centres are defined for in-land waters for which GLWD IDs were
      determined. The new datasets therefore link recent lake/reservoir/wetlands extent
      to the GLWD, together with a set of coordinates which locates unambiguously the
      water bodies in the database. Information on distance-to-land for each water cell
      and the distance-to-water for each land cell has many potential applications in
      remote sensing, where the applicability of geophysical retrieval algorithms may
      be affected by the presence of water or land within a satellite field of view
      (image pixel). During the generation and validation of the datasets some
      limitations of the GLWD database and of the LC CCI water-bodies mask have been
      found. Some examples of the inaccuracies/limitations are presented and discussed.
      Temporal change in water-body extent is common. Future versions of the LC CCI
      dataset are planned to represent temporal variation, and this will permit these
      derived datasets to be updated.

PMID- 28616230
TI  - Predictors of Adamkiewicz artery and anterior spinal artery detection through
      computerized tomographic angiography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The detection of the Adamkiewicz artery and the anterior spinal
      artery has been associated with the ability to prevent adverse spinal cord
      outcomes after aortic surgical procedures. Yet, to our knowledge, no previous
      studies have attempted to use modern predictive models to identify the most
      important variables in determining artery detectability. AIMS: To develop a model
      to predict the odds of visualizing the Adamkiewicz artery or anterior spinal
      artery in patients undergoing computerized tomographic angiography. METHODS: We
      conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study. Outcomes of interest were the non
      detection of the Adamkiewicz artery and anterior spinal artery, and their
      corresponding level of origin. Axial images were inspected in high definition in
      search of two dense spots characterizing the Adamkiewicz artery and anterior
      spinal artery. A multiplanar three-dimensional reconstruction was then performed
      using the OsiriX(r) software. RESULTS: A total of 110 participants were part of
      this analysis. When evaluating risks for the Adamkiewicz artery being
      undetectable, significant factors could be classified into three broad
      categories: risk factors for arterial disease, established arterial disease, and
      obesity. Factors in the former category included metabolic syndrome,
      hypertension, and smoking status, while factors in the arterial disease included
      descending aortic aneurysm, mural thrombi, aortic aneurysm without a dissection,
      and aortic disease in general. In relation to anterior spinal artery not being
      detectable, significant risk factors included hypertension, smoking status, and
      metabolic syndrome, while those associated with arterial disease involved aortic
      disease and arterial thrombi. When evaluating the importance of individual
      clinical factors, the presence of higher body mass index was the single most
      important risk factor. CONCLUSION: Arterial disease, established arterial
      disease, and increased body mass index are risk factors in the detection of
      Adamkiewicz artery and anterior spinal artery. Specific diagnostic protocols
      should be in place for patients with these underlying conditions, thus enhancing
      the likelihood of detection when the Adamkiewicz artery is indeed present.

PMID- 28616231
TI  - Lymph node transfer for refractory infectious sites caused by trauma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this report, we placed focus on the immunological function of lymph
      nodes and performed lymph node transfer via a free flap to a site of refractory
      infection. CASE AND RESULTS: Case 1 describes a 34-year-old male suffering from
      compound fractures with severe crush injuries and burns in the right ankle joint.
      A 20 * 15 cm skin defect was observed around the right malleolus medialis, along
      with denuded tendons with bacterial infection. After conservative treatment, we
      transferred a lymph-node-containing free superficial circumflex iliac artery
      perforator flap to the region, with minimum debridement. No recurrence of wound
      infection appeared. Case 2 describes a 73-year-old male patient suffering from
      extensive contused wound in the right crus. Despite conservative treatment, the
      tibia gradually became denuded with computed tomography and magnetic resonance
      imaging revealing degeneration of the tibial cortex. We performed a free
      superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap containing lymph nodes to the
      chronic infection area. The wound area healed successfully. CONCLUSION: In
      conclusion, lymph node transfer has a potential of treatment infection sites.

PMID- 28616232
TI  - Treatment of sudden hearing loss using electro-acupuncture.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Sudden neurosensory deafness is the second debilitating disease in
      China. In fact, the current treatment is limited to hearing aids, assistive
      devices and cochlear implants. However, some patients might not be suitable for
      surgery or even hearing aids. METHODS: Hereby, we report a pediatric case of
      sudden sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by otalgia and blocked ear
      sensation. RESULTS: He firstly failed with conventional treatment but later his
      hearing symptoms were improved with our electro-acupuncture therapy according to
      pure tone audiometry findings and clinical responses. CONCLUSIONS: It may be
      worth trying in patients with sudden neurosensory deafness, who do not respond to
      routine medical treatment. In line with previous studies, the current report
      indicates that future observational studies or even clinical trials are needed to
      prove the efficacy of acupuncture on hearing loss and the accompanying symptoms.

PMID- 28616233
TI  - Long-standing aggressive angiomyxoma as a paratesticular mass: A case report and
      review of literature.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Aggressive angiomyxoma is known as a mesenchymal tumor of
      premenopausal women and it is extremely rare in men. METHODS: Herein, we report a
      66-year-old male with a firm scrotal mass that had gradually enlarged over 20
      years. RESULTS: Radiological studies revealed 10 x 15 cm mass lesion confined to
      right scrotum with neither local invasion nor distant metastasis. Inguinal
      orchiectomy was performed and histopathology showed characteristic features of an
      aggressive angiomyxoma occupying paratesticular region, which was a challenging
      diagnosis due to its unexpected occurrence in the male gender. CONCLUSION:
      Aggressive angiomyxoma is mostly considered as a benign tumor in females despite
      its propensity for local recurrence. Whether it may show a divergent biological
      behavior in men is unknown as the reported cases are too few.

PMID- 28616234
TI  - All that glitters is not gold: A case of lanthanum carbonate aspiration.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Foreign body aspiration is a significant cause of morbidity and
      mortality in elderly hospitalized patients. These are typically small items that
      patients have access to, including small coins. CASE PRESENTATION: This is a case
      report of a 75-year-old man recently bedridden from a large hemispheric stroke
      with sudden onset of hoarseness, cough and dysphagia. A chest X-ray was obtained
      which showed a radiopaque coin-shaped foreign body, presumably a coin in his
      aerodigestive tract. He was promptly taken to the endoscopy suite for upper
      endoscopy. During endoscopy, it was determined that the foreign body was a
      radiopaque medication that he had been given. It was easily and safely able to be
      crushed and lavaged down into his stomach and later determined to be lanthanum
      carbonate, a commonly used phosphate binder. Following endoscopy, the patient's
      cough, hoarseness and dysphagia resolved with no long-term complications.
      DISCUSSION: Lanthanum carbonate is a phosphate-binding medication used in the
      management and treatment of hyperphosphatemia commonly seen in patients with end
      stage renal disease, which is radiopaque. There are few published reports and
      images of radiopaque fragments of medication in the gastrointestinal tract but
      none causing aspiration by masquerading as a coin-like density in the
      aerodigestive tract as we present here.

PMID- 28616235
TI  - Exacerbation of alopecia areata: A possible complication of sodium tetradecyl
      sulphate foam sclerotherapy treatment for varicose veins.
AB  - A 40-year-old woman with a history of alopecia areata related to stress or
      hormonal changes was treated for bilateral primary symptomatic varicose veins
      (CEAP clinical score C2S) of pelvic origin, using a staged procedure. Her first
      procedure entailed pelvic vein embolisation of three pelvic veins using 14 coils
      and including foam sclerotherapy of the tributaries, using 3% sodium tetradecyl
      sulphate. Following this procedure, she had an exacerbation of alopecia areata
      with some moderate shedding of hair. Subsequently, she underwent endovenous laser
      ablation under local anaesthetic without incident. Seven months after the pelvic
      vein embolisation, she underwent foam sclerotherapy of leg and labial varicose
      veins using sodium tetradecyl sulphate. Two days following this procedure, she
      had a severe exacerbation of alopecia areata with gross shedding of hair. These
      two episodes of exacerbation of alopecia areata appear to be associated with
      sodium tetradecyl sulphate foam sclerotherapy of veins.

PMID- 28616236
TI  - Effect of applied energy in renal sympathetic denervation with magnetic resonance
      guided focused ultrasound in a porcine model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Past catheter-based and focused ultrasound renal denervation studies
      have indicated that procedure efficacy is related to the number of ablations
      performed or the amount of energy used for the ablation. This study extends those
      prior results and investigates energy level effects on the efficacy of MR guided
      focused ultrasound renal denervation performed in a porcine model. METHODS:
      Twenty-four normotensive pigs underwent unilateral denervation at three intensity
      levels. The applied intensity level was retrospectively de-rated to account for
      variability in animal size. Efficacy was assessed through evaluating the
      norepinephrine present in the kidney medulla and through histological analysis.
      The treatment was performed under MRI guidance including pre- and post-procedure
      T1-weighted and quantitative T1 and T2 imaging. During treatment, the temperature
      in the near field of the ultrasound beam was monitored in real time with MR
      temperature imaging. Energy delivery in the regions surrounding the renal artery
      was independently confirmed through an invasive fiberoptic temperature probe
      placed in the right renal artery. RESULTS: Animals that underwent denervation at
      a de-rated acoustic intensity of greater than 1.2 kW/cm2 had a significantly
      lower norepinephrine concentration in the kidney indicating successful
      denervation. Images obtained during the treatment indicated no tissue changes in
      the kidneys as a function of the procedure but there were significant T1 changes
      present in the right lumbar muscles, although only one animal had indication of
      muscle damage at the time of necropsy. CONCLUSIONS: While MR guided focused
      ultrasound renal denervation was found to be safe and effective in this
      normotensive animal model, the results indicated the need to incorporate patient
      specific details in the treatment planning of MRgFUS renal denervation procedure.

PMID- 28616237
TI  - Higher serum concentrations of vimentin and DAKP1 are associated with aggressive
      breast tumour phenotypes in Ghanaian women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and
      leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, exhibits aggressive behavior in
      indigenous African women evidenced by high histologic grade tumours with low
      hormone receptor positivity. Aggressive breast cancers grow quickly, easily
      metastasize and recur and often have unfavourable outcomes. The current study
      investigated candidate genes that may regulate tumour aggression in Ghanaian
      women. We hypothesize that increased expression and function of certain genes
      other than the widely-held view attributing breast cancer aggression in African
      populations to their younger population age may be responsible for the aggressive
      nature of tumours. METHODS: Employing ELISA, we assayed for vimentin and death
      associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) from thawed archived (stored at -80  degrees
      C) serum samples obtained from 40 clinically confirmed Ghanaian breast cancer
      patients and 40 apparently healthy controls. Patients' clinical records and
      tumour parameters matching the samples were retrieved from the database of the
      hospital. ANOVA was used to compare means of serum protein concentration among
      groups while Chi-square analysis was used for the categorical data sets with p
      value <=0.05 considered significant. Multiple logistic regression analysis was
      conducted to determine the association between protein concentration and tumour
      parameters. RESULTS: Of the 80 samples, 27 (33.8%) and 53 (66.2%) were from young
      (<35 years) and old (>=35 years), respectively. Vimentin and DAPK1 concentration
      were higher in patients than controls with higher levels in "young" age group
      than "old" age group. Vimentin concentration was highest in grade 3 tumours
      followed by grade 2 and 1 but that for DAPK1 was not significant. For vimentin,
      tumour area strongly correlated with tumour grade (r = 0.696, p < 0.05) but
      weakly correlated with tumour stage (r = 0.420, p < 0.05). Patient's age
      correlated with DAPK1 concentration (r = 0.393, p < 0.05). DAPK1 serum levels
      weakly correlated with cancer duration (r = 0.098, p = 0.27) and tumour size (r =
      0.40, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum concentration of Vimentin and DAPK1 are
      elevated in Ghanaian breast cancer patients. This may be partly responsible for
      aggressive nature of the disease among the population. Vimentin and DAPK1 should
      be explored further as potential breast cancer biomarkers in Africans.

PMID- 28616238
TI  - Validation of a portable, waterproof blood pH analyser for elasmobranchs.
AB  - Quantifying changes in blood chemistry in elasmobranchs can provide insights into
      the physiological insults caused by anthropogenic stress, and can ultimately
      inform conservation and management strategies. Current methods for analysing
      elasmobranch blood chemistry in the field are often costly and logistically
      challenging. We compared blood pH values measured using a portable, waterproof pH
      meter (Hanna Instruments HI 99161) with blood pH values measured by an i-STAT
      system (CG4+ cartridges), which was previously validated for teleost and
      elasmobranch fishes, to gauge the accuracy of the pH meter in determining whole
      blood pH for the Cuban dogfish (Squalus cubensis) and lemon shark (Negaprion
      brevirostris). There was a significant linear relationship between values derived
      via the pH meter and the i-STAT for both species across a wide range of pH values
      and temperatures (Cuban dogfish: 6.8-7.1 pH 24-30 degrees C; lemon sharks: 7.0
      7.45 pH 25-31 degrees C). The relative error in the pH meter's measurements was
      ~+/-2.7%. Using this device with appropriate correction factors and consideration
      of calibration temperatures can result in both a rapid and accurate assessment of
      whole blood pH, at least for the two elasmobranch species examined here.
      Additional species should be examined in the future across a wide range of
      temperatures to determine whether correction factors are universal.

PMID- 28616239
TI  - Reflex impairment and physiology as predictors of delayed mortality in
      recreationally caught yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus).
AB  - Yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) is an important part of the reef fish
      assemblage in the western, tropical Atlantic and is caught by both recreational
      and commercial fisheries in south Florida and the Bahamas. It is estimated that
      80% of snapper caught within southeastern Florida waters are discarded due to
      minimum size restrictions. Neglecting to include information on delayed mortality
      of undersized fish has the potential for fishery managers to overestimate the
      abundance of smaller size classes and introduce bias into stock assessments. This
      study examines associations between reflex impairment, traditional physiological
      parameters and post-release mortality of undersized yellowtail snapper.
      Laboratory experiments exposed yellowtail snapper to a gradient, simulating
      capture conditions. Blood draws were obtained from a sub-sample of fish. There
      was a significant relationship between delayed mortality and the proportion of
      reflex impairment for both individual fish and groups of fish (P < 0.001 and P =
      0.03). Within the sub-sample of blood-sampled fish, base excess and pH were
      significantly correlated to reflex impairment. Delayed mortality was
      significantly correlated to pH, base excess and lactate concentration. Results
      suggest that discarded, undersized yellowtail with more than 29% of their
      reflexes impaired will not survive.

PMID- 28616240
TI  - Metastatic pancreatic carcinoma masquerading as cystic lung disease: a rare
      presentation.
AB  - This 52-year-old male ex-smoker presented with a six-month history of progressive
      breathlessness and weight loss. He deteriorated acutely, and was admitted with
      severe type 1 respiratory failure. Apart from diffuse coarse crackles on chest
      auscultation, physical examination was unremarkable. High-resolution computed
      tomography (HRCT) showed diffuse cystic changes throughout the lungs. A diagnosis
      of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) was considered. Further workup
      identified a coincidental pancreatic lesion of uncertain significance, which
      remained indeterminate on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and on positron
      emission tomography (PET). Transbronchial biopsy revealed enteric differentiated
      adenocarcinoma exhibiting lepidic spread, and autopsy later confirmed primary
      pancreatic malignancy. This case demonstrates that metastatic pancreatic
      malignancy can present with severe respiratory failure and masquerade as cystic
      lung disease.

PMID- 28616241
TI  - Passive leg raising test with minimally invasive monitoring: the way forward for
      guiding septic shock resuscitation?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Swift and adequate fluid loading is a cornerstone of septic shock
      therapy. Yet, careful assessment of volume responsiveness and volume amount
      during the resuscitation process is a prerequisite. Both overzealous initial
      fluid administration and late fluid overload are harmful and may be associated
      with increased mortality. MAIN BODY: Static (i.e., central venous or pulmonary
      artery occlusion) pressure readings are erroneous for monitoring fluid
      resuscitation and should be abandoned. Dynamic measurements (i.e., stroke volume
      and pulse pressure variation) better predict fluid responsiveness than static
      filling pressures but the conditions necessary for these parameters to correctly
      evaluate preload dependency are frequently not met. The passive leg raising
      maneuver as a means to alter biventricular preload in combination with real-time
      measurement of cardiac output changes is an easy-to-use, fast, relatively
      unbiased, and accurate bedside test to guide fluid management and to avoid fluid
      overload during early septic shock treatment. Moreover, PLR may also be
      particularly useful to assist various treatments that trigger fluid removal
      during the "de-resuscitation" phase of septic shock. CONCLUSIONS: The passive leg
      raising maneuver in combination with real-time measurement of cardiac output
      changes is an easy-to-use, fast, relatively unbiased, and accurate bedside test
      to guide fluid management during septic shock.

PMID- 28616242
TI  - First complete genome sequence of canine bocavirus 2 in mainland China.
AB  - We obtained the first full-length genome sequence of canine bocavirus 2 (CBoV2)
      from the faeces of a healthy dog in Guangzhou city, Guangdong province, mainland
      China. The genome of GZHD15 consisted of 5059 nucleotides. Sequence analysis
      suggested that GZHD15 was close to a previously circulated Hong Kong isolate.

PMID- 28616243
TI  - A global, cross cultural study examining the relationship between employee health
      risk status and work performance metrics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Health risk assessments (HRA) are used by many organisations as a
      basis for developing relevant and targeted employee health and well-being
      interventions. However, many HRA's have a western-centric focus and therefore it
      is unclear whether the results can be directly extrapolated to those from non
      western countries. More information regarding the differences in the associations
      between country status and health risks is needed along with a more global
      perspective of employee health risk factors and well-being overall. Therefore we
      aimed to i) quantify and compare associations for a number of health risk factors
      based on country status, and then ii) explore which characteristics can aid
      better prediction of well-being levels and in turn workplace productivity
      globally. METHODS: Online employee HRA data collected from 254 multi-national
      companies, for the years 2013 through 2016 was analysed (n = 117,274). Multiple
      linear regression models were fitted, adjusting for age and gender, to quantify
      associations between country status and health risk factors. Separate regression
      models were used to assess the prediction of well-being measures related to
      productivity. RESULTS: On average, the developing countries were comprised of
      younger individuals with lower obesity rates and markedly higher job satisfaction
      compared to their developed country counterparts. However, they also reported
      higher levels of anxiety and depression, a greater number of health risks and
      lower job effectiveness. Assessment of key factors related to productivity found
      that region of residency was the biggest predictor of presenteeism and poor pain
      management was the biggest predictor of absenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: Clear
      differences in health risks exist between employees from developed and developing
      countries and these should be considered when addressing well-being and
      productivity in the global workforce.

PMID- 28616244
TI  - Macrophages and fibroblasts during inflammation and tissue repair in models of
      organ regeneration.
AB  - This review provides a concise summary of the changing phenotypes of macrophages
      and fibroblastic cells during the local inflammatory response, the onset of
      tissue repair, and the resolution of inflammation which follow injury to an
      organ. Both cell populations respond directly to damage and present coordinated
      sequences of activation states which determine the reparative outcome, ranging
      from true regeneration of the organ to fibrosis and variable functional deficits.
      Recent work with mammalian models of organ regeneration, including regeneration
      of full-thickness skin, hair follicles, ear punch tissues, and digit tips, is
      summarized and the roles of local immune cells in these systems are discussed.
      New investigations of the early phase of amphibian limb and tail regeneration,
      including the effects of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory agents, are then
      briefly discussed, focusing on the transition from the normally covert
      inflammatory response to the initiation of the regeneration blastema by migrating
      fibroblasts and the expression of genes for limb patterning.

PMID- 28616245
TI  - Regulation of dorso-ventral polarity by the nerve cord during annelid
      regeneration: A review of experimental evidence.
AB  - An important goal for understanding regeneration is determining how polarity is
      conferred to the regenerate. Here we review findings in two groups of polychaete
      annelids that implicate the ventral nerve cord in assigning dorso-ventral
      polarity, and specifically ventral identity, to the regenerate. In nereids,
      surgical manipulations indicate that parapodia develop where dorsal and ventral
      body wall territories contact. Without a nerve cord at the wound site, the
      regenerate differentiates no evident polarity (with no parapodia) and only dorsal
      identity, while with two nerve cords the regenerate develops a twinned dorso
      ventral axis (with four parapodia per segment instead of the normal two). In
      sabellids, a striking natural dorso-ventral inversion in parapodial morphology
      occurs along the body axis and this inversion is morphologically correlated with
      the position of the nerve cord. Parapodial inversion also occurs in segments in
      which the nerve cord has been removed, even without any segment amputation.
      Together, these data strongly support a role for the nerve cord in annelid dorso
      ventral pattern regulation, with the nerve cord conferring ventral identity.

PMID- 28616246
TI  - Fibroblast reticular cells engineer a blastema extracellular network during digit
      tip regeneration in mice.
AB  - The regeneration blastema which forms following amputation of the mouse digit tip
      is composed of undifferentiated cells bound together by an organized network of
      fibers. A monoclonal antibody (ER-TR7) that identifies extracellular matrix (ECM)
      fibers produced by fibroblast reticular cells during lymphoid organogenesis was
      used to characterize the ECM of the digit, the blastema, and the regenerate.
      Digit fibroblast reticular cells produce an ER-TR7+ ECM network associated with
      different tissues and represent a subset of loose connective tissue fibroblasts.
      During blastema formation there is an upregulation of matrix production that
      returns to its pre-existing level and anatomical pattern in the endpoint
      regenerate. Co-localization studies demonstrate a strong spatial correlation
      between the ER-TR7 antigen and collagen type III (COL3) in histological sections.
      ER-TR7 and COL3 are co-induced in cultured digit fibroblasts following treatment
      with tumor necrosis factor alpha and a lymphotoxin beta receptor agonist. These
      results provide an initial characterization of the ECM during digit regeneration
      and identify a subpopulation of fibroblasts involved in producing the blastema
      provisional matrix that is remodeled during the regeneration response.

PMID- 28616248
TI  - Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: an explosive presentation of a rare disease.
AB  - Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare cystic lung disease, commonly affecting
      women in the reproductive age group. Exacerbation of pre-existing disease is
      common during pregnancy likely due to the up-regulation of estrogen and
      progesterone receptors present within the proliferating smooth muscle cells. This
      case highlights a dramatic presentation of LAM for the first time in pregnancy,
      its rapid progression during gestation, and a partial resolution with delivery.
      The unusual radiographic imaging in this patient, lacked the characteristic
      cystic lesions commonly associated with LAM, but instead demonstrated a dense
      interstitial pattern with micronodular expansion of the interlobular septa
      suggesting severe lymphatic obstruction.

PMID- 28616247
TI  - Planarian regeneration in space: Persistent anatomical, behavioral, and
      bacteriological changes induced by space travel.
AB  - Regeneration is regulated not only by chemical signals but also by physical
      processes, such as bioelectric gradients. How these may change in the absence of
      the normal gravitational and geomagnetic fields is largely unknown. Planarian
      flatworms were moved to the International Space Station for 5 weeks, immediately
      after removing their heads and tails. A control group in spring water remained on
      Earth. No manipulation of the planaria occurred while they were in orbit, and
      space-exposed worms were returned to our laboratory for analysis. One animal out
      of 15 regenerated into a double-headed phenotype-normally an extremely rare
      event. Remarkably, amputating this double-headed worm again, in plain water,
      resulted again in the double-headed phenotype. Moreover, even when tested 20
      months after return to Earth, the space-exposed worms displayed significant
      quantitative differences in behavior and microbiome composition. These
      observations may have implications for human and animal space travelers, but
      could also elucidate how microgravity and hypomagnetic environments could be used
      to trigger desired morphological, neurological, physiological, and bacteriomic
      changes for various regenerative and bioengineering applications.

PMID- 28616249
TI  - Quality of Care for Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease in the Primary Care
      Setting: A Retrospective Cohort Study From Ontario, Canada.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease may not be receiving recommended
      primary renal care. OBJECTIVE: To use recently established primary care quality
      indicators for chronic kidney disease to determine the proportion of patients
      receiving recommended renal care. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using
      administrative data with linked laboratory information. SETTING: The study was
      conducted in Ontario, Canada, from 2006 to 2012. PATIENTS: Patients over 40 years
      with chronic kidney disease or abnormal kidney function in primary care were
      included. MEASUREMENTS: In total, 11 quality indicators were assessed for chronic
      kidney disease identified through a Delphi panel in areas of screening,
      monitoring, drug prescribing, and laboratory monitoring after initiating an
      angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker
      (ARB). METHODS: We calculated the proportion and cumulative incidence at the end
      of follow-up of patients meeting each indicator and stratified results by age,
      sex, cohort entry, and chronic kidney disease stage. RESULTS: Less than half of
      patients received follow-up tests after an initial abnormal kidney function
      result. Most patients with chronic kidney disease received regular monitoring of
      serum creatinine (91%), but urine albumin-to-creatinine monitoring was lower
      (70%). A total of 84% of patients age 66 and older did not receive a non
      steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescription of at least 2-week duration. Three
      quarters of patients age 66 and older were on an ACE inhibitor or ARB, and 96%
      did not receive an ACE inhibitor and ARB concurrently. Among patients 66 to 80
      years of age with chronic kidney disease, 65% were on a statin. One quarter of
      patients age 66 and older who initiated an ACE inhibitor or ARB had their serum
      creatinine and potassium monitored within 7 to 30 days. LIMITATIONS: This study
      was limited to people in Ontario with linked laboratory information. CONCLUSIONS:
      There was generally strong performance across many of the quality of care
      indicators. Areas where more attention may be needed are laboratory testing to
      confirm initial abnormal kidney function test results and monitoring serum
      creatinine and potassium after initiating a new ACE inhibitor or ARB.

PMID- 28616251
TI  - Physical micro-environment interventions for healthier eating in the workplace:
      protocol for a stepped wedge randomised controlled pilot trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An estimated one third of energy is consumed in the workplace. The
      workplace is therefore an important context in which to reduce energy consumption
      to tackle the high rates of overweight and obesity in the general population.
      Altering environmental cues for food selection and consumption-physical micro
      environment or 'choice architecture' interventions-has the potential to reduce
      energy intake. The first aim of this pilot trial is to estimate the potential
      impact upon energy purchased of three such environmental cues (size of portions,
      packages and tableware; availability of healthier vs. less healthy options; and
      energy labelling) in workplace cafeterias. A second aim of this pilot trial is to
      examine the feasibility of recruiting eligible worksites, and identify barriers
      to the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the interventions in
      preparation for a larger trial. METHODS: Eighteen worksite cafeterias in England
      will be assigned to one of three intervention groups to assess the impact on
      energy purchased of altering (a) portion, package and tableware size (n = 6); (b)
      availability of healthier options (n = 6); and (c) energy (calorie) labelling (n
      = 6). Using a stepped wedge design, sites will implement allocated interventions
      at different time periods, as randomised. DISCUSSION: This pilot trial will
      examine the feasibility of recruiting eligible worksites, and the feasibility and
      acceptability of implementing the interventions in preparation for a larger
      trial. In addition, a series of linear mixed models will be used to estimate the
      impact of each intervention on total energy (calories) purchased per time frame
      of analysis (daily or weekly) controlling for the total sales/transactions
      adjusted for calendar time and with random effects for worksite. These analyses
      will allow an estimate of an effect size of each of the three proposed
      interventions, which will form the basis of the sample size calculations
      necessary for a larger trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN52923504.

PMID- 28616252
TI  - Important considerations for feasibility studies in physical activity research
      involving persons with multiple sclerosis: a scoping systematic review and case
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Much research has been undertaken to establish the important benefits
      of physical activity in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). There is
      disagreement regarding the strength of this research, perhaps because the
      majority of studies on physical activity and its benefits have not undergone
      initial and systematic feasibility testing. We aim to address the feasibility
      processes that have been examined within the context of physical activity
      interventions in MS. METHOD: A systematic scoping review was conducted based on a
      literature search of five databases to identify feasibility processes described
      in preliminary studies of physical activity in MS. We read and extracted
      methodology from each study based on the following feasibility metrics: process
      (e.g. recruitment), resource (e.g. monetary costs), management (e.g. personnel
      time requirements) and scientific outcomes (e.g. clinical/participant reported
      outcome measures). We illustrate the use of the four feasibility metrics within a
      randomised controlled trial of a home-based exercise intervention in persons with
      MS. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies were identified. Resource feasibility (e.g. time
      and resources) and scientific outcomes feasibility (e.g. clinical outcomes)
      methodologies were applied and described in many studies; however, these metrics
      have not been systematically addressed. Metrics related to process feasibility
      (e.g. recruitment) and management feasibility (e.g. human and data management)
      are not well described within the literature. Our case study successfully enabled
      us to address the four feasibility metrics, and we provide new information on
      management feasibility (i.e. estimate data completeness and estimate data entry)
      and scientific outcomes feasibility (i.e. determining data collection materials
      appropriateness). CONCLUSION: Our review highlights the existing research and
      provides a case study which assesses important metrics of study feasibility. This
      review serves as a clarion call for feasibility trials that will substantially
      strengthen the foundation of research on exercise in MS.

PMID- 28616253
TI  - Necessary but not sufficient: unique author identifiers.

PMID- 28616250
TI  - Potential Role of Serum and Urinary Biomarkers in Diagnosis and Prognosis of
      Diabetic Nephropathy.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a progressive kidney disease
      caused by alterations in kidney architecture and function, and constitutes one of
      the leading causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The purpose of this review
      is to summarize the state of the art of the DN-biomarker field with a focus on
      the new strategies that enhance the sensitivity of biomarkers to predict patients
      who will develop DN or are at risk of progressing to ESRD. OBJECTIVE: In this
      review, we provide a description of the pathophysiology of DN and propose a panel
      of novel putative biomarkers associated with DN pathophysiology that have been
      increasingly investigated for diagnosis, to predict disease progression or to
      provide efficient personal treatment. METHODS: We performed a review of the
      literature with PubMed and Google Scholar to collect baseline data about the
      pathophysiology of DN and biomarkers associated. We focused our research on new
      and emerging biomarkers of DN. KEY FINDINGS: In this review, we summarized the
      critical signaling pathways and biological processes involved in DN and
      highlighted the pathogenic mediators of this disease. We next proposed a large
      review of the major advances that have been made in identifying new biomarkers
      which are more sensitive and reliable compared with currently used biomarkers.
      This includes information about emergent biomarkers such as functional noncoding
      RNAs, microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, exosomes, and microparticles. LIMITATIONS:
      Despite intensive strategies and constant investigation, no current single
      treatment has been able to reverse or at least mitigate the progression of DN, or
      reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. Major
      difficulties probably come from the renal disease being heterogeneous among the
      patients. IMPLICATIONS: Expanding the proteomics screening, including oxidative
      stress and inflammatory markers, along with metabolomics approaches may further
      improve the prognostic value and help in identifying the patients with diabetes
      who are at high risk of developing kidney diseases.

PMID- 28616254
TI  - In vitro ion adsorption and cytocompatibility of dicalcium phosphate ceramics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In vitro cell testing of degradable bioceramics such as brushite or
      monetite is often challenging due to the ion release into or adsorption from the
      culture medium. These ionic changes are then mostly responsible for cell
      proliferation and activity, which prohibits the investigation of effects
      originating from surface topography or further material modifications. METHODS:
      Here, we aimed to solve this problem by developing a pre-conditioning regime
      following the repeated immersion of brushite and monetite samples in various
      Ca2+, Mg2+ and PO43- containing electrolytes, followed by studying ion adsorption
      / release as well as changes in phase composition and in vitro cytocompatibility
      with MG63 cells. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that by using DMEM cell
      culture medium in a ratio of 10 ml/sample was sufficient to minimize changes of
      ionic composition after 7 d with a daily change of the medium. This leads to
      changes of the surface composition with dissolution of the brushite phase. In
      turn, this also positively influences the in vitro cytocompatibility with a 2-3
      fold higher cell number and cell activity on the DMEM pretreated surfaces.
      CONCLUSIONS: Controlled sample washing prior to cell testing using DMEM medium
      seems to be a valuable procedure not only to stabilize the pH during cell culture
      but also to maintain ion concentrations within a cell friendly range.

PMID- 28616255
TI  - Global health governance in the sustainable development goals: Is it grounded in
      the right to health?
AB  - This paper explores the extent to which global health governance - in the context
      of the early implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals is grounded in
      the right to health. The essential components of the right to health in relation
      to global health are unpacked. Four essential functions of the global health
      system are assessed from a normative, rights-based, analysis on how each of these
      governance functions should operate. These essential functions are: the
      production of global public goods, the management of externalities across
      countries, the mobilization of global solidarity, and stewardship. The paper maps
      the current reality of global health governance now that the post-2015
      Sustainable Development Goals are beginning to be implemented. In theory, the
      existing human rights legislation would enable the principles and basis for the
      global governance of health beyond the premise of the state. In practice, there
      is a governance gap between the human rights framework and practices in global
      health and development policies. This gap can be explained by the political
      determinants of health that shape the governance of these global policies.
      Current representations of the right to health in the Sustainable Development
      Goals are insufficient and superficial, because they do not explicitly link
      commitments or right to health discourse to binding treaty obligations for duty
      bearing nation states or entitlements by people. If global health policy is to
      meaningfully contribute to the realization of the right to health and to rights
      based global health governance then future iterations of global health policy
      must bridge this gap. This includes scholarship and policy debate on the
      structure, politics, and agency to overcome existing global health injustices.

PMID- 28616256
TI  - Extremely Cost-Effective and Efficient Solar Vapor Generation under
      Nonconcentrated Illumination Using Thermally Isolated Black Paper.
AB  - Passive solar vapor generation represents a promising and environmentally benign
      method of water purification/desalination. However, conventional solar steam
      generation techniques usually rely on costly and cumbersome optical concentration
      systems and have relatively low efficiency due to bulk heating of the entire
      liquid volume. Here, an efficient strategy using extremely low-cost materials,
      i.e., carbon black (powder), hydrophilic porous paper, and expanded polystyrene
      foam is reported. Due to the excellent thermal insulation between the surface
      liquid and the bulk volume of the water and the suppressed radiative and
      convective losses from the absorber surface to the adjacent heated vapor, a
      record thermal efficiency of ~88% is obtained under 1 sun without concentration,
      corresponding to the evaporation rate of 1.28 kg (m2 h)-1. When scaled up to a
      100 cm2 array in a portable solar water still system and placed in an outdoor
      environment, the freshwater generation rate is 2.4 times of that of a leading
      commercial product. By simultaneously addressing both the need for high
      efficiency operation as well as production cost limitations, this system can
      provide an approach for individuals to purify water for personal needs, which is
      particularly suitable for undeveloped regions with limited/no access to
      electricity.

PMID- 28616258
TI  - The comparison of multimodal imaging findings of central serous chorioretinopathy
      patients in regard to the early anatomically treatment response to half-fluence
      photodynamic therapy: a retrospective case-control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To compare the multimodal imaging findings of chronic central serous
      chorioretinopathy (CSC) patients who are good or poor responders to low-fluence
      photodynamic therapy (PDT). METHODS: Retrospective, interventional comparative
      study. The CSC patients who were admitted to our clinic for the first time
      between January 2013 and December 2015 were included in the study. Patients were
      treated with PDT only if they did not show any sign of resolution after at least
      6 months from the initial signs of the disease. The patients who showed full or
      partial response to PDT after 3 months of treatment were accepted as good
      responders, those who did not show any sign of resolution were accepted as poor
      responders. The optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography (FA),
      and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) findings were compared between the two
      groups. RESULTS: A total of 101 eyes of 101 patients were included: 76 eyes
      (75.2%) were considered as good responders and 25 eyes (24.8%) as poor
      responders. In regards to OCT and FA findings there was not a significant
      difference between the two groups for all of the evaluated findings (p > 0.05 for
      all). In regards to ICGA findings, there was a statistically difference in the
      percentage of intense midphase hypercyanescence (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The
      multimodal imaging findings of CSC patients were compared in regard to their PDT
      response. The presence of midphase hypercyanescence in ICGA seemed to be positive
      predictive factor for the PDT response in CSC patients.

PMID- 28616259
TI  - Hyperphosphatemia in a patient with spinal cord injury who received etidronate
      for the treatment of heterotopic ossification.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is defined as ectopic bone formation
      around peripheral joints and in soft tissues. HO is a common complication of
      diseases of the central nervous system, such as spinal cord injury (SCI) and
      traumatic brain injury. HO is seen in up to 50% of patients with SCI and
      typically occurs in the first 12 weeks after onset of injury. Although no
      treatment method is proven to be curative, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
      irradiation of the involved body part and bisphosphonates are commonly used in
      the management of HO. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we present a 27-year-old male
      patient with a T10 ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) A SCI, who developed
      hyperphosphatemia as a complication of bisphosphonate therapy initiated for the
      treatment of HO during the 6th post-operative week. After cessation of etidronate
      use, phosphate levels gradually returned to normal over 2 weeks. DISCUSSION:
      Hyperphosphatemia is a rare complication of etidronate use. It is speculated to
      result from increased renal tubular phosphate reabsorption and is usually
      asymptomatic. Although mostly asymptomatic, this complication must be kept in
      mind while administering etidronate to SCI patients and blood phosphate levels
      should be monitored in the early weeks of treatment.

PMID- 28616260
TI  - The therapeutic effects of ablative neurosurgical procedures on the spinal cord
      for intractable spinal spasticity.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: This research is a retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: To study the
      therapeutic effects of operative procedures, including dorsal longitudinal
      myelotomy (DLM) and dorsal root entry zone lesion (DREZL) on spasticity and
      associated aspects. SETTING: Tertiary university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand.
      METHODS: Eighteen patients with refractory spasticity of spinal origin who
      underwent the operations were recruited. Clinical parameters for evaluating
      severity of spasticity and ambulatory status were compared between before and
      after surgery, and between surgeries. RESULTS: A statistically significant
      reduction of spasticity as measured by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS),
      Adductor Tone Rating Scale (ATRS) and Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS) was found
      after surgeries and in the overall analysis (p < 0.05). Chronic pressure ulcers
      disappeared postoperatively in 11 cases. All of 7 bed-ridden subjects experienced
      improvement in their ambulatory status postoperatively. DLM was found to be more
      effective than DREZL in reduction of spasticity. CONCLUSION: Ablative
      neurosurgery on the spinal cord is still valuable in situations when intrathecal
      baclofen is unavailable. These operations are potentially effective in the
      treatment of intractable spasticity of spinal origin.

PMID- 28616261
TI  - Nerve entrapment as a cause of shoulder pain in the spinal cord injured patient.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Many people with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) develop shoulder
      pain, which can adversely impact transfers and independence. Yet effective
      treatments remain elusive. CASE PRESENTATION: This report presents two patients
      with tetraplegia who had long-standing shoulder pain. Our exam showed muscle
      weakness and point tenderness, suggestive of nerve entrapments of the radial and
      axillary nerves in the posterior shoulder. These nerves were surgically
      decompressed and post-operatively the patients' pain resolved. DISCUSSION:
      Shoulder nerve entrapments are uncommon but SCI patients may be at more risk due
      to their unique upper extremity demands. SCI providers should consider proximal
      nerve entrapments as a possible cause of shoulder pain.

PMID- 28616262
TI  - RASSF1A methylation, YAP1 activation and metastasis: a new role for an old foe in
      lung cancer.

PMID- 28616263
TI  - Balancing the paradox of medical-surgical advances: a historical perspective on
      the current situation in thoracic surgery.

PMID- 28616264
TI  - Optimal revascularization for left main coronary artery disease-coronary artery
      bypass grafting versus percutaneous coronary intervention.

PMID- 28616265
TI  - The use of transcatheter mitral valve system: can we make mitral regurgitation
      better again?

PMID- 28616266
TI  - From biological mechanisms to clinical implications: the role of mineral dust
      induced gene in lung cancers.

PMID- 28616267
TI  - Log odds of positive lymph nodes is a novel prognostic indicator for advanced
      ESCC after surgical resection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the prognostic value of the log odds of positive lymph
      nodes (LODDS) in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)
      after surgical resection. METHODS: Clinical data of 260 patients with advanced
      ESCC undergoing surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and
      multivariate analysis were done using the chi-square test and Cox regression
      model. Receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the
      association of pathologic nodal (pN) and LODDS with 3- or 5-year overall survival
      (OS). The cut-point analyses were performed to determine whether there was a
      cutoff LODDS related to the greatest OS difference. RESULTS: The mean follow-up
      duration was 30 months (range, 3 to 106 months). The 1-, 3-, 5-year OS rates were
      70.0%, 41.9% and 30.3%, respectively. Univariate analyses indicated that the 5
      year OS rates were 51.2%, 30.5%, 24.6%, and 14.2% in LODDS1, LODDS2, LODDS3, and
      LODDS4, respectively, and the median survival times were 68.7, 34.6, 24.0, and
      14.6 months, respectively (P=0.000) for all patients, and subgroup analysis
      showed the effect did not change in 155 patients without lymph node (LN)
      metastasis (P=0.024). Multivariate analysis showed that LODDS [hazard ratio (HR)
      =1.309, P=0.003] to be independent and significant prognostic factors for all
      patients, so as in node-negative patients LODDS (HR =1.610, P=0.038). The AUC of
      LODDS stage (AUC =0.630) was larger than that of pN stage (AUC =0.621) in
      prediction of 3-year OS, however LODDS were smaller in prediction of 5-year OS
      (AUC =0.620, 0.631, respectively), and the differences were not statistically
      significant (P>0.05 all). Lastly, the step analysis identified the best cut-off
      point for LODDS as -1.2 that is significantly associated with the prognosis of
      the node-negative patients (P=0.024), and the ROC analysis also indicated that a
      cut-off value of -1.2 for LODDS provided the highest sensitivity and specificity
      interestingly. CONCLUSIONS: LODDS may be suitable for evaluation of OS in
      advanced ESCC patients without LN metastasis.

PMID- 28616268
TI  - Tumor invasiveness defined by IASLC/ATS/ERS classification of ground-glass
      nodules can be predicted by quantitative CT parameters.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the potential value of CT parameters to differentiate
      ground-glass nodules between noninvasive adenocarcinoma and invasive pulmonary
      adenocarcinoma (IPA) as defined by IASLC/ATS/ERS classification. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed 211 patients with pathologically proved stage 0-IA lung
      adenocarcinoma which appeared as subsolid nodules, from January 2012 to January
      2013 including 137 pure ground glass nodules (pGGNs) and 74 part-solid nodules
      (PSNs). Pathological data was classified under the 2011 IASLC/ATS/ERS
      classification. Both quantitative and qualitative CT parameters were used to
      determine the tumor invasiveness between noninvasive adenocarcinomas and IPAs.
      RESULTS: There were 154 noninvasive adenocarcinomas and 57 IPAs. In pGGNs, CT
      size and area, one-dimensional mean CT value and bubble lucency were
      significantly different between noninvasive adenocarcinomas and IPAs on
      univariate analysis. Multivariate regression and ROC analysis revealed that CT
      size and one-dimensional mean CT value were predictive of noninvasive
      adenocarcinomas compared to IPAs. Optimal cutoff value was 13.60 mm (sensitivity,
      75.0%; specificity, 99.6%), and -583.60 HU (sensitivity, 68.8%; specificity,
      66.9%). In PSNs, there were significant differences in CT size and area, solid
      component area, solid proportion, one-dimensional mean and maximum CT value,
      three-dimensional (3D) mean CT value between noninvasive adenocarcinomas and IPAs
      on univariate analysis. Multivariate and ROC analysis showed that CT size and 3D
      mean CT value were significantly differentiators. Optimal cutoff value was 19.64
      mm (sensitivity, 53.7%; specificity, 93.9%), -571.63 HU (sensitivity, 85.4%;
      specificity, 75.8%). CONCLUSIONS: For pGGNs, CT size and one-dimensional mean CT
      value are determinants for tumor invasiveness. For PSNs, tumor invasiveness can
      be predicted by CT size and 3D mean CT value.

PMID- 28616269
TI  - Elevated serum levels of immunoglobulin A correlate with the possibility of
      readmission in patients with microscopic polyangiitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The evidence for the short-term prognosis of patients with
      microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is weak, and the objective of this study was to
      analyze the clinical features of the disease and evaluate the risk factors for
      readmission in patients with MPA. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with MPA were
      recruited into this study. The clinical data of these MPA patients were
      collected. Clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and imaging results were
      analyzed. Patients who were readmitted to our hospital within 6 months after
      their first diagnosis and treatment of MPA were defined as the readmission group;
      the remaining patients were defined as the control group. RESULTS: Respiratory
      symptoms, including cough, dyspnea (87.72%), and hemoptysis (3.51%), seemed to be
      the initial symptoms in many patients with MPA. Systemic symptoms included fever
      (71.93%), hearing loss (12.28%), vision loss (3.51%), and joint involvement
      (5.27%). The D-dimer levels of 43 patients (75.44%) were >500 ng/dL, and only
      three of these patients had venous thrombosis. Age and immunoglobulin A (IgA)
      were the risk factors for readmission in patients with MPA, with odds ratios
      (ORs) of 1.162 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.025-1.317, P=0.019] and 1.010
      (95% CI: 1.001-1.018, P=0.028). The days of hospitalization and the a2-globulin
      level were protective factors with ORs of 0.849 (95% CI: 0.725-0.993 P=0.041) and
      0.789 (95% CI: 0.64-0.971, P=0.025), respectively. IgA levels were positively
      correlated with the number of hospitalizations, with a correlation coefficient of
      0.428 (P=0.002). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the
      possibility of readmission increases when the serum levels of IgA were >217.5
      mg/dL. CONCLUSION: The level of serum IgA is a risk factor for the readmission of
      patients with MPA, and correlated with the number of hospitalizations in these
      patients.

PMID- 28616270
TI  - Urinothorax: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The characteristics of patients with urinothorax (UT) are poorly
      defined. METHODS: A systematic review was performed searching for studies
      reporting clinical findings, pleural fluid (PF) characteristics, and the most
      effective treatment of UT. Case descriptions and retrospective studies were
      included. RESULTS: The review included 78 studies with a total of 88 patients.
      Median age was 45 years, male/female ratio was 1.6:1 and in 76% of cases the
      etiology was trauma. Pleural effusion (PE) was predominantly unilateral (87%) and
      occupied over 2/3 of the hemithorax in most cases (64.4%). PF was straw-colored
      (72.7%) or hematic (27.3%) with urine-like odor in all cases. PF was transudate
      in 56.2% of cases (18/32) and among 14 exudates (43.8%), 3 were concordant
      exudates, 1 protein-discordant and 10 LDH-discordant, with lymphocyte (44.4%) and
      neutrophil (38.5%) predominance. The PF/serum (PF/S) creatinine ratio was >1 in
      all cases except one (97.9%). The diagnosis was established on the basis of PF/S
      creatinine ratio >1 (56.6%), urinary tract contrast extravasation (12%), abnormal
      computed tomography (8.4%), laparotomy findings (6%), and association of
      obstructive uropathy with PE (6%). The outcome was favorable (74/77; 96.1%) when
      treatment was direct towards the uropathy (alone or associated with
      thoracentesis/thoracic drainage). Outcome was unfavorable in the 15 patients who
      were only treated with thoracentesis/thoracic drainage. CONCLUSIONS: UT is
      usually traumatic, unilateral, and PF does not have a specific pattern or
      cellularity predominance, with a PF/S creatinine ratio almost always >1.
      Treatment should include the uropathy, with or without PF evacuation.

PMID- 28616271
TI  - Prolonged air leak after video-assisted thoracic surgery lung cancer resection:
      risk factors and its effect on postoperative clinical recovery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prolonged air leak (PAL) is one of the most common postoperative
      complications after pulmonary resection. The aim of this study was to reveal the
      incidence and risk factors of PAL in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lung
      cancer resection, and to evaluate the effect of PAL on postoperative
      complications, postoperative length of stay (PLOS), and medical costs. METHODS:
      Continuous patients who underwent VATS major pulmonary resection for lung cancer
      between January 2014 and December 2015 were studied. Clinical data of these
      patients were obtained from the Western China Lung Cancer Database. PAL was
      defined as air leak more than 5 days after surgery. The risk factors for PAL were
      analyzed, as well as the effect of PAL on postoperative clinical recovery.
      RESULTS: A total of 1,051 patients were enrolled in this study. The incidence of
      PAL was 10.6% (111/1,051). Pleural adhesion [odds ratio (OR), 2.38 for extensive
      vs. none, P=0.001] was identified as the only independent risk factors for PAL
      through multivariate analysis. The incidence of overall complications and
      pneumonia were significantly higher in patients with PAL (PAL group) than those
      without PAL (non-PAL group) (OR, 6.77, P=0.000; OR, 2.41, P=0.010, respectively).
      PAL was found to be associated with longer PLOS (11.7+/-6.6 vs. 6.5+/-3.6 days;
      P=0.000) and higher medical costs (Y62,042.5+/-18,072.0 vs. Y52,291.3+/-13,845.5,
      P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Pleural adhesion was associated with increased risk of PAL
      after VATS lung cancer resection. Those patients with PAL had more postoperative
      complications, stayed longer in the hospital after surgery, and paid higher
      medical costs.

PMID- 28616272
TI  - The effects of additional ezetimibe treatment to baseline rosuvastatin on
      circulating PCSK9 among patients with stable angina.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Blood lipid management is one of the effective strategies for
      coronary heart disease, and statins are the first-line lipid-lowering drugs. Low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) drop brings about cardioprotective
      effects. Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is known to
      increase LDL-C, thus hazarding LDL-C reduction-induced benefits. To date, how
      PCSK9 responds to various lipid-lowering strategies has not been fully clarified.
      METHODS: This study involves patients with stable angina and aims to explore and
      clarify the short-term impacts of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe, alone or in
      combination, on circulating PCSK9. A total of 68 patients with stable angina were
      enrolled and 60 eligible patients were randomly assigned into 3 groups (20
      subjects in each). Patients in different groups were treated for a period of 14
      days with rosuvastatin 10 mg/d, ezetimibe 10 mg/d, and rosuvastatin 10 mg/d plus
      ezetimibe 10 mg/d, respectively. Concentrations of blood LDL-C and PCSK9 levels
      were measured at baseline and at the 14th day after treatment. RESULTS: Both
      rosuvastatin and ezetimibe could reduce the LDL-C levels, and rosuvastatin
      displayed a stronger cholesterol-lowering effect than ezetimibe. Moreover, when
      combined, they yielded even greater efficacy in lowering LDL-C, as compared with
      either rosuvastatin or ezetimibe mono-treatment (P<0.05). Rosuvastatin therapy
      (alone or combined with ezetimibe) caused significant rise in circulating PCSK9.
      Nevertheless, no significant growth of PCSK9 levels (P=0.558) was observed during
      ezetimibe treatment. At the 14th day, no difference in PCKS9 levels was observed
      between the rosuvastatin group and the combination-therapy group (P=0.906).
      CONCLUSIONS: Rosuvastatin plus ezetimibe therapy is more effective in reducing
      LDL-C levels as compared with either rosuvastatin or ezetimibe mono-medication.
      Meanwhile, such combination strategy does not further increase the levels of
      circulating PCSK9 compared to rosuvastatin mono-intervention, thus maintaining
      maximal clinical benefits from lipid-lowering.

PMID- 28616273
TI  - Mid- to long-term outcomes of bovine jugular vein conduit implantation in Chinese
      children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bovine jugular vein (BJV) conduits are widely applied for surgical
      reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). However, relevant
      studies of valve failure rates and the related risk factors are limited in China.
      The aim of this study was to assess the BJV prognosis after medium- to long-term
      follow-up. METHODS: Fifty-three hospital patients implanted with BJV conduits
      from January 2002 to December 2013 were recruited. Patient information and follow
      up prognosis were reviewed retrospectively. Conduit stenosis and failure as well
      as endocarditis were diagnosed. RESULTS: The total person years was 345.5, and
      the median follow-up time was 6.3 years. Early mortality occurred in two
      patients, and there was no late mortality. BJV conduit failure occurred in 15
      patients (29.4%) due to severe stenosis (n=10), stenosis plus regurgitation
      (n=3), and regurgitation alone (n=2). The proportion of patients who were free of
      BJV conduit failure at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years was 98.0%, 85.8%, 76.8%, and 62.1%,
      respectively. There were nine cases of endocarditis (17.0%). Multivariate
      logistic regression analysis showed that endocarditis was a significant risk
      factor associated with BJV conduit failure (OR: 6.735; 95% CI: 1.348-33.647).
      CONCLUSIONS: The durability of BJV conduits was suboptimal after a mid-term
      follow-up period. Endocarditis was found to be a significant risk factor that
      accelerates BJV conduit deterioration.

PMID- 28616274
TI  - Remedial localization after dislodgement of primary mechanical localization in
      lung surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unhooking or displacement of hookwire or microcoil due to technical
      failures is rather common. We aim to establish a new technique for remedial
      localization in the case of displacement or unhooking of primary mechanical
      localization during lung surgery. METHODS: From February 2014 to September 2015,
      18 consecutive cases of intraoperative dislodgement during video-assisted
      thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) were enrolled. Nodule's projection on body surface
      was located by analyzing computed tomography (CT) images, and a needle was
      inserted into thoracic cavity through this point. The lung was then inflated, and
      a small burn was made where the needle tip touched the visceral plural. Wedge
      resections were subsequently performed for these impalpable small lesions.
      RESULTS: Eighteen solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) from 18 patients were
      scheduled for VATS wedge resections in this series, including 6 (33.3%) hookwire
      localization and 12 (66.7%) microcoil localization. Fifteen (83.3%) of 18 nodules
      were pure ground glass opacity (pGGO) and 3 (16.7%) mixed ground glass opacity
      (mGGO). The mean diameter of SPNs was 7.7+/-3.6 mm. The mean distance from SPN to
      pleura was 12.2+/-10.9 mm. During remedial localization, 17 (94.4%) nodules were
      removed successfully by wedge resection, and segmentectomy was performed only in
      one case with failed outcome. Paraffin pathology showed 2 (11.1%) atypical
      adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH), 11 (61.1%) adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), 4 (22.2%)
      minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), and 1 (5.6%) inflammatory disease.
      CONCLUSIONS: This remedial localization technique is practical and reliable. It
      is a good backup plan in the case of dislodgement, and it can help prevent
      extended lung resection.

PMID- 28616275
TI  - Transthoracic echocardiography is a safe alternative for assessment and guidance
      of transcatheter closure of secundum atrial septal defect in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: 2D-transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is routinely performed to
      guide percutaneous ASD closure in children. We aimed to assess whether two
      dimensional (2D)-transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is a safe alternative for
      assessment and guidance of atrial septal defect (ASD) closure in unselected
      children. METHODS: We performed a retrospective single-center study including 389
      consecutive children aged less than 15-year-old who underwent percutaneous ASD
      closure under 2D-TEE (1998-2005, n=133) or 2D-TTE (2005-2014, n=256). A balloon
      calibration was performed in all cases for the Amplatz Septal Occluder choice.
      RESULTS: ASDs were larger and rims deficiencies were more frequent in the TTE
      guided group. The procedure was successful in 376 patients [96.7%; 95% confidence
      interval (CI), 94.4-98.2%]. The success rate tended to be higher in the TTE-
      versus TEE-guided group (98.0% versus 94.0%, P=0.069). Device migration occurred
      in 4 patients (1.0%; 95% CI: 0.3-1.6%), all after TEE-guided procedure (P=0.013).
      Early major adverse events were observed in 5 patients (1.3%; 95% CI: 0.4-3.0%),
      all in the TEE group (P=0.004). Fluroroscopic time and irradiation dose were not
      different among the 2 groups (P=0.450 and P=0.130 respectively). After a median
      follow-up of 7 years (range, 1-16 years), no adverse events was reported. One
      (0.3%, 95% CI: 0-1.4%) 12-year-old patient developed atrial fibrillation 5 years
      after the procedure. Pregnancies were uneventful in 72 cases. CONCLUSIONS: When a
      balloon sizing is performed, 2D-TTE imaging is as efficient as 2D-TEE to guide
      percutaneous ASD closure in children. The procedure can safely be done in
      spontaneously breathing children under TTE guidance alone in experienced centers.

PMID- 28616276
TI  - Benefits of postoperative thoracic radiotherapy for small cell lung cancer
      subdivided by lymph node stage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whether postoperative thoracic radiotherapy (PORT) is beneficial for
      small cell lung cancer (SCLC) of different lymph node stages remains uncertain;
      therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to explore the clinical
      significance of PORT for SCLC patients subdivided by lymph node status. METHODS:
      The PubMed, OVID, Web of SCI, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Chinese
      National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases were systematically
      searched to identify eligible studies where SCLC patients received PORT based on
      lymph node stage. The main outcome measures were 1-, 3- and 5-year overall
      survival (OS) rates, as well as 1-, 2- and 3-year local regional recurrence (LRR)
      rates. All data were analyzed using STATA 12.0 and expressed as risk ratios (RR)
      with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: Five cohort
      studies, including 3,497 SCLC patients (578 receiving PORT and 2,919 not) were
      included in this study. PORT significantly decreased the 1-, 2- and 3-year LRR
      rates (RR =0.14, 0.28 and 0.27, respectively; Pall<0.05), but did not improve the
      1-, 3- or 5-year OS rates when all patients were analyzed together. However,
      subgroup analysis showed that in the pN0 group PORT did not improve the 1-, 3- or
      5-year OS rates or decrease the 1-, 2- or 3-year LRR rates; in the pN1 group PORT
      reduced the 1-, 2- and 3-year LRR rates (RR =0.11, 0.16 and 0.17, respectively;
      Pall<0.05) and improved the 1-year OS rate (RR =0.40; P<0.001), but not the 3- or
      5-year OS rates; in the pN2 group PORT significantly reduced the 1-, 2- and 3
      year LRR rates (RR =0.14, 0.15 and 0.15 respectively; Pall<0.05) and improved the
      1-, 3- and 5-year OS rates (RR =0.46, 0.72 and 0.85, respectively; Pall<0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: This is the first meta-analysis of the benefits of PORT for SCLC
      patients. Although derived from retrospective cohort studies, the data showed
      that PORT significantly reduced the risk of recurrence and improved survival for
      patients with pN2-SCLC; however, patients with pN0-SCLC did not benefit from
      PORT, whereas for patients with pN1-SCLC, PORT reduced the LRR rates and improved
      the 1-year survival rate. The long-term survival benefits of PORT remain unclear
      and will require further prospective studies.

PMID- 28616277
TI  - Barbed suture material technique for wound closure and concomitant tube placement
      in uniportal VATS for pneumothorax.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is an
      alternative modality for treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) with
      its less invasiveness and acceptable surgical outcomes. However, a few reports
      have been introduced for wound management to achieve better cosmetic wound
      healing and for placement of the chest tube in uniportal VATS. Thus, we aimed to
      evaluate the feasibility of our novel method for wound closure and concomitant
      tube placement using continuous barbed suture material in uniportal VATS for PSP.
      METHODS: Between July 2012 and December 2015, consecutive 31 patients (22 males)
      underwent uniportal VATS to treat PSP. Bilateral approaches were performed in
      four patients, thus total 35 cases were enrolled. We divided them into two groups
      with one group of 17 (48.5%) cases (group A), using barbed absorbable wound
      closure device for knotless continuous wound closure and subsequent chest tube
      anchoring, and the other group of 18 (51.4%) cases (group B), using conventional
      suture anchoring after skin closure using absorbable suture device. Postoperative
      surgical outcomes were compared to assess the feasibility of this technique.
      RESULTS: Demographic data demonstrate no significant difference in both groups.
      There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay (3.7+/-1.2 vs.
      4.1+/-1.2 days, P=0.267) and in median chest tube indwelling time (2.4+/-0.9 vs.
      3.1+/-1.2 days, P=0.066), respectively. Operation time in group A was shorter
      than in group B but there was no significant difference (41.7+/-11.8 vs. 45.6+/
      16.0 minutes, P=0.415). There was neither conversion to two or three port VATS in
      all cases. In group A, all chest tubes were removed with concomitant sealing the
      tube removal site by pulling the thread. Residual knots do not exist that stitch
      out procedure is not required. There was no wound complication in both groups
      during the median follow-up period of 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Knotless, barbed
      suture material technique for continuous wound closure with concomitant chest
      tube placement achieved equivocal outcomes in comparison to the conventional
      suture anchoring method. We suggest this simple technique for wound closure and
      easy tube removal with cosmetic wound healing in uniportal VATS for PSP.

PMID- 28616278
TI  - Management of the vertebral artery during thoracic endovascular aortic repair
      with coverage of the left subclavian artery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The application of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), a
      minimally invasive operation, in the aortic arch has been a challenge of
      cardiovascular surgery in recent years. This study aimed to investigate
      management of the vertebral artery with coverage of the left subclavian artery
      (LSA) during TEVAR. METHODS: From January 2007 to September 2014 in the
      Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou
      Military Region, 160 patients underwent LSA closure or partial coverage during
      TEVAR of an aortic lesion near the LSA. The vertebral artery treatment, the
      reason for the surgical approach selection, and the prognosis were analyzed.
      RESULTS: In 94 patients with partial LSA coverage during TEVAR, no treatment was
      provided for the vertebral arteries, revealing blood flow of the left vertebral
      artery forward into the skull after surgery. For 66 patients with full LSA
      coverage (closure) during TEVAR, right carotid artery-left common carotid artery
      bypass surgery was performed before TEVAR in ten patients, without any treatment
      for the vertebral artery, showing reverse blood flow of the left vertebral artery
      after surgery. Left common carotid artery-LSA bypass surgery was performed before
      TEVAR in four patients; right common carotid artery-left common carotid artery
      LSA bypass surgery was performed before TEVAR in three cases, and 6 out of these
      7 patients underwent proximal LSA ligation, showing no obvious blood flow in the
      left vertebral artery. The closure of the LSA aortic arch opening using an
      occluder was performed in one patient, preserving the forward blood flow in the
      left vertebral artery. Among the 160 patients in this study, postoperative
      recurrent laryngeal nerve injury occurred in one patient after right common
      carotid artery-left common carotid artery-LSA bypass surgery, and the remaining
      159 patients had no significant severe complications or death within 1
      postoperative month. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate management of the aortic arch
      branch vessels may expand the application of TEVAR to the aortic arch and reduce
      complications, especially for high-risk patients who have a difficult time
      tolerating thoracotomy.

PMID- 28616279
TI  - Benefits of a right anterolateral minithoracotomy rather than a median sternotomy
      in isolated tricuspid redo procedures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To compare results of tricuspid valve (TV) reoperation between
      incision via a right anterolateral minithoracotomy (RAMT) and median sternotomy
      (MS). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 49 patients who underwent
      isolated TV surgery as a reoperation at our institution between 2006 and 2015.
      Previous cardiac operations included mitral, aortic, and TV surgeries, atrial
      septal defect repair, and pericardiectomy. The mean age of the patients was
      51.9+/-12.8 years, 14 (28%) were male and 35 (72%) were female. Follow-up was 95%
      (38/40) complete, with a mean duration of 41.3+/-19.5 months. RESULTS:
      Perioperative demographic and laboratory tests did not show any significant
      differences between the RAMT and MS groups. The drainage volume, total red cell
      unit, total serum volume and platelet were significantly different 1150+/
      803.5/2,270+/-1,920, 4.8+/-4.1/8.7+/-8.9, 478.2+/-488.9/950.0+/-857.6, 0.04+/
      0.21/0.38+/-0.64 (P<0.05), while other perioperative data were similar. There
      were no significant differences in early postoperative death and complications
      between the RAMT and MS groups. A multivariate linear regression analysis
      predicted that serum creatinine (Scr), age, and MS group were independent risk
      factors for bleeding. The Cox regression demonstrated that the MS group had a
      longer drainage duration (P<0.05) and had a relative hazardous risk (HR) of 2.691
      (1.328, 5.450 CI) compared with the RAMT group. CONCLUSIONS: The RAMT approach is
      an alternative, safe, and feasible procedure for isolated TV reoperation. It has
      the advantages of less drainage and reduced requirement for blood products.

PMID- 28616280
TI  - Identifying patients at higher risk of pneumonia after lung resection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is considered as one of the most common and serious
      complications after lung resection. The purpose of this study was to identify the
      risk factors associated with postoperative pneumonia (POP) after lung resection
      and to develop a scoring system to stratify patients with increased risk of POP.
      METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospective database of patients between
      September 2014 and June 2016 was carried out. Logistic regression analysis was
      used to examine the risk factors for POP. Bootstrap resampling analysis was used
      for internal validation. Regression coefficients were used to develop weighted
      risk scores for POP. RESULTS: Results revealed that age >=64 years, smoking
      (current or previous), high pathological stage, and extent of excision of more
      than one lobe as risk factors. Logistic regression analysis showed that the
      predictors of POP were as follows: age >=64 years, smoking, extent of excision of
      more than one lobe. A weighted score based on these factors was developed which
      was follows: smoking (three points), age >=64 years (four points), and extent of
      excision of more than one lobe (five points). POP score >5 points offered the
      best combination of sensitivity (64.7%) and specificity (83.3%), and an area
      under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.830 [95%
      confidence interval (CI): 0.746-0.914]. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with older age,
      smoking and extent of excision of more than one lobe have a higher risk for
      pneumonia after lung cancer surgery. Also, the scoring system helps to guide
      decision making of POP risk reduction.

PMID- 28616281
TI  - Clinicopathological factors influenced the prognosis of surgically resected
      pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma has made an unfavorable prognosis
      because of its properties of resisting radiation and chemotherapy, and its
      aggressive growth. The correlation between clinicopathological factors and
      prognosis about pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma patients who received its
      surgical resection has not been clearly identified. METHODS: We retrospectively
      investigated the clinical records of 24 pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma patients
      who had a surgical resection from January 2004 to December 2013 at our institute.
      We examined the correlation between their clinicopathological factors and
      therapeutic effects including their prognosis. RESULTS: The median follow up time
      was 2.3 years. The 5-year survival was 54.7% and the 5-year progression free
      survival was 52.4%. In comparison with other tissue types of lung cancer, the
      prognosis was not so poor even taking into consideration the survival curve
      including several progression stages. We analyzed the 21 clinicopathological
      factors in order to clarify the factors connected with the prognosis and disease
      progression. As a result, we found that both vascular invasion evaluated by
      immunohistochemistry and lymph node metastasis were connected closely with the
      overall survival. We found another strong link between the tissue type of
      epithelial components, vascular invasion evaluated by immunohistochemistry and
      lymph nodal metastasis with the progression free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary
      pleomorphic carcinoma patients with lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion
      had worse prognosis after their surgical resections. We have to find an effective
      chemotherapeutic drug or molecular targeted drug.

PMID- 28616282
TI  - Pressure-controlled versus volume-controlled ventilation during one-lung
      ventilation for video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is controversial as to which ventilation mode is better during one
      lung ventilation (OLV). This study was designed to figure out whether there was
      any difference between volume controlled ventilation (VCV) and pressure
      controlled ventilation (PCV) on oxygenation and postoperative complications under
      the condition of protective ventilation (PV). METHODS: Sixty-five patients
      undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomized into two
      groups. Patients in group V received VCV mode during OLV while patients in group
      P received PCV. The tidal volume (VT) in both groups was 6 mL per predicted body
      weight (PBW). Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) was set at the level of 5
      cmH2O in both groups. Arterial gas analysis were performed preoperatively with
      room air (T0), at 15 mins (T1) and 1 h (T2) after OLV, at the end of OLV (T3), 30
      min after PACU admission (T4), 24 h after surgery (post-operative day 1, POD1)
      and 48 h after surgery (post-operative day 2, POD2). Peak inspiratory airway
      pressure (Ppeak) and plateau airway pressure (Pplat) were recorded at T1, T2 and
      T3. The perioperative complications were also recorded. RESULT: Sixty-four
      patients completed this study. Ppeak in group V was significantly higher than
      that in group P (T1 22.3+/-2.9 vs. 18.7+/-2.1 cmH2O; T2 22.2+/-2.8 vs. 18.7+/-2.6
      cmH2O). There were no differences with Pplat and intraoperative oxygenation index
      (T1 203.3+/-109.7 vs. 198.1+/-93.4; T2 216.8+/-79.1 vs. 232.1+/-101.4). The
      postoperative oxygenation index (T4 525.0+/-160.9 vs. 520.7+/-127.1, post
      operative day 1 (POD1) 452.1+/-161.3 vs. 446.1+/-109.1; post-operative day 2
      (POD2) 403.8+/-93.4 vs. 396.7+/-92.8) and postoperative complications were also
      comparable between these two groups. CONCLUSIONS: When they were utilized during
      OLV, PCV and VCV had the same performance on the intraoperative oxygenation and
      postoperative complications under the condition of PV.

PMID- 28616283
TI  - The use of thrombolytics in the management of complex pleural fluid collections.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the efficacy of thrombolytics for the management of
      complex pleural fluid collections. METHODS: We reviewed patients that received
      alteplase for persistent loculated pleural fluid collections after simple tube
      drainage between July 01, 2007 and November 01, 2012. Our alteplase protocol is 6
      mg of alteplase in 50 mL of normal saline injected into the pleural chest tube.
      The chest tube is clamped for four hours and then opened. Normally this is
      repeated daily for 2 to 3 days (d). RESULTS: One hundred and three [103] patients
      were identified with 110 interventions. Sixty-eight (66%) of the patients were
      male, with ages ranging from 20-91 years (y), mean 57.2 y. Twenty (18.2%)
      patients were trauma patients, 60 (55%) had hypertension and 32 (35%) were
      smokers. Most patients had one of the following diagnoses: 79.6% (82/110)
      loculated pleural fluid collection as a result of an empyema or 20.4% (21/110)
      retained hemothorax. The mean time from diagnosis to alteplase treatment for a
      hemothorax was 12.8 days (range, 1-32 days) and 16.2 days (range, 4-48 days) for
      an empyema. The mean duration of therapy was 2.2+/-1.4 days (1-11 days). The time
      from alteplase to chest tube removal was 4.5 days (1-21 days). Eleven of 103
      (10.7%) patients required surgery including 3 video assisted decortications. The
      others had adequate radiographic resolution. Seventeen patients (16.5%) died, in
      the hospital of: sepsis, respiratory failure, aortic injury, and cardiac arrest.
      CONCLUSIONS: Alteplase therapy is an effective alternative to surgery in most
      complex pleural fluid collections.

PMID- 28616284
TI  - Intrapleural perfusion thermo-chemotherapy for pleural effusion caused by lung
      carcinoma under VATS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of intrapleural
      perfusion thermo-chemotherapy (IPTC) under video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery
      (VATS) for malignant pleural effusion (MPE) caused by lung carcinoma. METHODS: In
      this retrospective study, fifty-four patients with moderate or large amounts of
      ipsilateral MPE secondary to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent pleural
      biopsy and IPTC under VATS. IPTC was performed by perfusing the pleural cavity
      with 43.0  degrees C saline solution containing cisplatin (200 mg/m2) using a
      devised circuit through mechanical circulation for 60 minutes. Blood pressure,
      heart rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), and esophageal and rectal temperatures were
      monitored throughout the surgery. At the end of the perfusion, pleural biopsy was
      performed again for histological analysis. RESULTS: The temperature at the
      pleural surface was stabilized at 43  degrees C, and pleural effusion was
      controlled in all patients. KPS scores increased in 89.3% of patients. No patient
      developed bone marrow suppression reactions with noticeable bleeding after
      treatment, and no liver and kidney malfunctions were observed. Apoptosis was
      detected by light and electron microscopy after IPTC. CEA markedly decreased in
      all patients 1 month after IPTC. The median survival time was 21.7 months, with a
      one-year survival rate of 74.1%. CONCLUSIONS: IPTC under VATS is a new, safe,
      less invasive and more effective approach for MPE caused by lung carcinoma.

PMID- 28616285
TI  - Long-term statin therapy could be efficacious in reducing the lipoprotein (a)
      levels in patients with coronary artery disease modified by some traditional risk
      factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)] is a well-established risk factor for
      coronary artery disease (CAD). However, up till now, treatment of patients with
      higher Lp (a) levels is challenging. This current study aimed to investigate the
      therapeutic effects of short-, medium and long-term statin use on the Lp (a)
      reduction and its modifying factors. METHODS: The therapeutic duration was
      categorized into short-term (median, 39 days), medium term (median, 219 days) and
      long-term (median, 677 days). The lipid profiles before therapy served as
      baselines. Patients at short-, medium or long-term exactly matched with those at
      baseline. Every patient's lipid profiles during the follow-ups were compared to
      his own ones at baselines. RESULTS: The current study demonstrated that long-term
      statin therapy significantly decreased the Lp (a) levels in CAD patients while
      short-term or medium term statin therapy didn't. When grouped by statin use, only
      long-term simvastatin use significantly decreased the Lp (a) levels while long
      term atorvastatin use insignificantly decreased the Lp (a) levels. Primary
      hypertension (PH), DM, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) could modify the therapeutic effects of
      statin use on the Lp (a) levels in CAD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The long-term
      statin therapy could be efficacious in reducing the Lp (a) levels in CAD
      patients, which has been modified by some traditional risk factors. In the era of
      commercial unavailability of more reliable Lp (a) lowering drugs, our findings
      will bolster confidence in fighting higher Lp (a) abnormalities both for patients
      and for doctors.

PMID- 28616286
TI  - Severe and uncontrolled asthma in China: a cross-sectional survey from the
      Australasian Severe Asthma Network.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe asthma is largely unexplored in the Chinese population.
      Patients with asthma underwent systematic evaluation, by investigating the
      characteristics of uncontrolled asthma and of asthma treated with three different
      controller therapies. METHODS: This multi-centre, real-world study was conducted
      from March 2014 to September 2015. Adults with stable asthma underwent assessment
      of medication use, asthma control, quality of life, psychological symptoms, work
      productivity and activity impairment, bronchodilator response and sputum
      induction. RESULTS: Participants (n=379) had a mean (SD) age of 47.4 (14.0)
      years, and 57.0% were female. There were 14.8% (n=56) of patients receiving
      treatment with Step 4/5 as severe asthma, but only 13 (3.4%) met ERS/ATS severe
      refractory asthma criteria. The patients with severe asthma usually used triple
      controller therapy: ICS/LABA, additional leukotriene modifier or theophylline,
      and reported better asthma control. Two fifths of patients (n=147) had
      uncontrolled asthma, with worse symptoms, psychological symptoms (both P<0.001),
      health-related work productivity and activity impairment, increased eosinophilic
      inflammation in sputum [1.68% (0.0, 17.1%) vs. 0.2% (0.0, 1.3%), P<0.0001] and
      more exacerbations (P<0.05). Multiple regression analysis indicated that triple
      controller therapy significantly reduced the risk of uncontrolled asthma [OR
      =0.32, 95% CI =(0.14, 0.75)]. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is a relatively low
      proportion of severe refractory asthma based on ERS/ATS criteria, two of five
      patients with asthma in China are uncontrolled, displaying more psychological
      symptoms and reduced work productivity. Substantial gain in asthma control is
      obtained by triple controller therapy and this may be a promising therapeutic
      option for persistent asthma.

PMID- 28616287
TI  - Statin-ezetimibe versus statin lipid-lowering therapy in patients with acute
      coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies comparing the clinical efficacy and safety of intensive
      statin therapy with ezetimibe-statin combination therapy are still rare at
      present, especially in Asian population. METHODS: We enrolled 202 patients who
      suffered acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and underwent percutaneous coronary
      intervention (PCI) between May and July in 2016. Patients were allocated into
      three groups based on the lipid lowering strategy: moderate-intensity statin
      group (n=118), ezetimibe combined with moderate-intensity statin group (ezetimibe
      statin combination, n=55) and intensive statin group (n=29). The lipid profiles
      and side effects were analyzed and compared among the patients in three groups at
      admission, 1 month and 3 months after PCI. The clinical outcomes of the patients
      were observed through 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: One month after PCI, the level
      of non-high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C) was decreased by 41.9%,
      21.6% and 29.8% by ezetimibe-statin combination therapy, moderate-intensity
      statin therapy and intensive statin therapy, respectively (P<0.05). The reduction
      percentages of TC and LDL-C were significantly higher in ezetimibe-statin
      combination group than in moderate-intensity statin group (P<0.001). The
      proportion of patients reaching LDL-C goal was higher in ezetimibe-statin
      combination group (69.1%, P=0.007) and intensive statin group (67.9%, P=0.047)
      compared with moderate-intensity statin group (46.9%) at 1 month after PCI. There
      was no significant difference among the three groups with respect to hepatic
      enzymes level, creatine kinase (CK) level and incidence of muscle symptoms.
      CONCLUSIONS: The reduction percentage of non-HDL-C was larger in ezetimibe-statin
      combination group than intensive statin group. This finding suggested that
      statin/ezetimibe combination therapy could be an alternative to intensive statin
      therapy in Chinese patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28616288
TI  - Decreased expression of perforin in CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and its potential value as a marker for
      efficacy of treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cytolytic activity against mycobacteria tuberculosis (MTB) within the
      infected macrophage is a crucial step in the immunity against TB infection, as
      MTB is an intracellular bacterium. Cytotoxic molecules such as perforin and
      granzymes produced by cytolytic T cells directly participate in this process. In
      this study, we evaluated the cytotoxicity function employing flow cytometry
      analysis of the level of expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), perforin and
      granzyme B in CD8+ T cells from patients with active pulmonary TB (PTB), stable
      PTB and healthy controls, and explored whether MTB antigen (MTB Ag)-stimulated
      cytotoxic molecules would be useful for monitoring responses to anti-TB
      treatment. METHODS: Intracellular IFN-gamma, perforin, and granzyme B were
      measured by flow cytometry in CD8+ T lymphocyte populations from peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells before and after stimulation with ESAT-6 and CFP-10 peptides
      for 72 hours. A total of 38 healthy controls, 52 PTB patients after treatment for
      2 months and 58 patients with active PTB were enrolled. RESULTS: The positive
      rate of IFN-gamma+ CD8+ T cells was expressed higher in active PTB patients and
      stable PTB compared to healthy controls. Expression of perforin in CD8+ T
      lymphocytes was lower in the active PTB than the stable PTB. Positive
      downregulation of perforin and granzyme B after stimulation with ESAT-6 and CFP
      10 peptides in active PTB and stable PTB was seen. IFN-gamma was upregulated
      after stimulation. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC)
      of perforin and perforin + IFN-gamma after stimulation were 0.766 (P=0.000),
      0.802 (P=0.000), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that expression of
      perforin in CD8+ T lymphocytes is downregulated in PTB infection and ESAT-6 and
      CFP-10 peptides might participate in the downregulation process. This finding
      cautiously suggests that MTB Ag-stimulated perforin downregulation and IFN-gamma
      upregulation might be a potential index for monitoring therapy response in active
      PTB patients.

PMID- 28616289
TI  - The bronchoscopic interventions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      according to different phenotypes.
AB  - Bronchoscopic interventions are valuable adjuncts to the pharmacologic therapy
      for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But different phenotypes of
      COPD patients showed different clinical responses to the same or similar therapy.
      The optimal selection of bronchoscopic interventions for COPD patients also needs
      to be based on the phenotypes. According to the different phenotypes, novel
      interventional pulmonology techniques which were used for COPD treatments in
      daily clinical practice or clinical trials have been described extensively
      throughout our current review.

PMID- 28616290
TI  - Quick spontaneous remodelling of thrombosed false lumen in acute type-A aortic
      dissection.
AB  - Natural history of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (AAAD) implies the
      need of emergent surgical treatment in the vast majority of cases. Nevertheless,
      conservative treatment has been described to yield acceptable outcomes, when
      compared to surgery, in selected high risk cases of thrombosed false lumen. We
      report a significant quick remodelling of the false lumen occurred in an 85-year
      old female 6 days after conservative treatment.

PMID- 28616291
TI  - Intensive blood pressure control in patients with acute type B aortic dissection
      (RAID): study protocol for randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Blood pressure control is an essential therapy for patients with
      acute type B aortic dissection (ABAD) and should be maintained throughout the
      entire treatment. Thus, vast majority current guidelines recommend control the
      blood pressure to lower than 140/90 mmHg. Theoretically, a much lower target may
      further decrease the risk of propagation of dissection. However, some argued that
      too lower blood pressure would compromise the organ perfusion. Thus, there is no
      unanimous optimal target for blood pressure in patients with ABAD so far. The
      present study aimed to investigate the optimal blood pressure target for patients
      with ABAD, in the hope that the result would optimize the treatment of aortic
      dissection (AD). METHODS: The study is a multi-center randomized controlled
      clinical trial. Study population will include patients with new diagnosed ABAD
      and hypertension. Blocked randomization was performed where intensive blood
      pressure control (<120 mmHg) with conventional blood pressure control (<140 mmHg)
      were allocated at random in a ratio of 1:1 in blocks of sizes 4, 6, 8, and 10 to
      360 subjects. Interim analysis will be performed. The primary outcome is a
      composite in-hospital adverse outcome, including death, permanent paraplegia or
      semi- paralysis during the hospitalization, and renal failure requiring
      hemodialysis at discharge. While the secondary outcomes include the aortic size,
      lower extremity or visceral ischemia, retrograde propagation into aortic arch or
      ascending aorta, mortality in 6 months and 1 year, intensive care unit (ICU)
      length of stay, total length of hospital stay, creatinine level, and surgical or
      endovascular intervention. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by
      the institutional review board of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital (approval number:
      20160920-9). Informed consent will be obtained from participants or their next-of
      kin. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and shared with the
      worldwide medical community. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03001739
      (https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/).

PMID- 28616292
TI  - Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery left upper lobectomy and
      systematic lymph node dissection with fused fissure.
AB  - As surgical proficiency and the development of medical techniques have improved,
      uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has emerged as a minimally
      invasive alternative in the surgical management of lung cancer. The spectrum of
      uniportal VATS indications is now almost equal to that of conventional VATS.
      Recent decades have witnessed the emergence of numerous uniportal VATS
      techniques. A significant proportion of these have to be converted into a
      multiport approach and even open thoracotomy due to the difficulty of managing
      the upper lobe vein and bronchus, particularly for the technically challenging
      left upper lobectomy. Although many successfully uniportal VATS left upper
      lobectomies have been reported, their procedures were modularized without
      describing refined techniques or operative improvements. This report describes a
      patient who was clinically diagnosed with stage IB (T2aN0M0) primary lung cancer
      of the left upper lobe (LUL), and who underwent left upper lobectomy and
      systematic lymph node dissection. During the operation, the placement of a single
      incision was readjusted to obtain optimal angulation; the versatile
      electrocautery hook and curved suction tube were used in conjunction with each
      other; accessible, cost-effective modified instruments were used; and new
      operative tricks were created; in addition, the operative sequence was alternated
      and the nerves were preserved to ensure a smooth procedure, improve efficiency,
      embody tumor-free operation and ensure safety. These are all good ideas that are
      worth disseminating.

PMID- 28616293
TI  - Video-assisted thoracoscopic completion thymectomy based on mediastinal pleura
      guidance.
AB  - We describe a practical video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) technique for
      the en bloc resection of the thymoma, thymus, and bilateral mediastinum lipid
      based on mediastinal pleura guidance. By taking advantage of single-lumen
      endotracheal tube (SLET) anesthesia and artificial pneumothorax, we acquired
      excellent exposure of the anterior mediastinum operative field. In addition, our
      limited data showed that this surgical approach might have a potential tendency
      on reducing the blood loss and the operative times. Moreover, no complication of
      phrenic nerve paralysis or signs of myasthenia gravis were observed at the 6
      month follow-up.

PMID- 28616294
TI  - Optical imaging of tissue obtained by transbronchial biopsies of peripheral lung
      lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bronchoscopic procedures have been increasingly used for the
      diagnosis of peripheral lung cancers, but the yield remains moderately low. The
      aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and ability of a custom-built
      bimodal optical spectroscopy system to enhance the on-site discrimination between
      malignant and benign specimens obtained from the transbronchial lung biopsies
      (TBLB) of peripheral lung lesions. METHODS: We conducted a prospective and single
      center pilot study to examine the TBLB specimens obtained from peripheral lung
      lesions. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and diffuse fluorescence
      spectroscopy (DFS) parameters were used to analyze the optical characteristics of
      these specimens. RESULTS: One hundred and sixteen biopsy specimens from 15
      patients were analyzed using optical imaging. All specimens had a confirmed
      pathologic diagnosis. Notably, 22 of the 116 specimens were malignant, and 10 of
      the 94 non-malignant specimens were necrotic biopsies. Individual parameters
      showed significant difference between the three groups (malignant, non-malignant
      and necrosis). Multivariate analysis of the blood, scattering and fluorescence
      parameters demonstrated a sensitivity of 77.3% and specificity of 73.1% in
      differentiating between malignant and benign specimens and a sensitivity of 90.9%
      and specificity of 100% in differentiating malignant from necrotic specimens.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that optical spectroscopy is a feasible modality for on
      site discrimination between malignant and benign as well as malignant and
      necrotic TBLB specimens of peripheral lung lesions.

PMID- 28616295
TI  - Malignant tracheal necrosis and fistula formation following palliative
      chemoradiotherapy: a case report.
AB  - Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is an essential treatment strategy for inoperable
      locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although supportive care has
      improved, unexpected complications due to the disease or treatment can occur.
      Tracheomediastinal fistulas are very rare but can be a serious problem. Herein,
      we report a case of severe chondronecrosis of the distal trachea with formation
      of a fistula into a metastatic lymphadenopathy in a patient with stage IIIB
      NSCLC. The patient received external beam radiotherapy with a total dose of 35 Gy
      in 14 fractions, which was approximately half of the conventional therapeutic
      radiotherapy dose, along with concurrent cisplatin based chemotherapy. Careful
      evaluation, early detection, and timely intervention are essential to prevent and
      appropriately treat chondronecrosis, even in cases of low-dose radiotherapy
      application to central tumors.

PMID- 28616296
TI  - Traumatic esophageal perforation by a self bougienage.
AB  - The case report describes a 75-year-old female with esophageal perforation by a
      self bougienage. From a decade ago, she had performed an esophageal bougienage by
      herself with a 70 cm long self-made bougie whenever she suffered from food
      impaction. On the day of the accident, she went on an outing without carrying the
      bougie, she pushed a broken bough into her esophagus, eventually the bough
      perforated her thoracic esophagus. We found some food particles in a large
      mediastinal abscess cavity, and the perforated esophagus was repaired by
      interrupted sutures and reinforced with a pedicled intercostal musculopleural
      flap. We report an extremely rare case of esophageal perforation by a self
      bougienage.

PMID- 28616297
TI  - Mediastinal hemangioma presenting with a characteristic feature on dynamic
      computed tomography images.
AB  - Hemangiomas are uncommon benign tumors of the mediastinum. The definite diagnosis
      is sometimes difficult to make because of usually nonspecific features on single
      phase contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images. We described a 60-year
      old woman suffering from a neck mass with progressive enlargement. On the dynamic
      CT study, the tumor showed peripheral nodular enhancement on early phase images
      and progressive centripetal fill-in on delayed phase images. Hemangioma was
      preoperatively diagnosed on the basis of this characteristic CT appearance.

PMID- 28616299
TI  - Rupture of right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm protruding into the pulmonary artery
      with aortic and pulmonary valve endocarditis.
AB  - Rupture of right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) protruding into the pulmonary
      artery with aortic and pulmonary valve endocarditis is rare. A 42-year-old man
      was admitted with fever and dyspnea. He was diagnosed with right sinus of
      Valsalva rupture with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and vegetation on both
      aortic and pulmonary valves. Dual exposure technique was performed. The base of
      the aneurysm sac was closed off, and, together with the VSD, was covered by a
      Gore-Tex patch. Aortic and pulmonary valves were replaced with mechanical valves.
      After surgery, antibiotics were administered for 5 weeks, and patient was
      discharged without complications.

PMID- 28616298
TI  - Imaging-guided thoracoscopic resection of a ground-glass opacity lesion in a
      hybrid operating room equipped with a robotic C-arm CT system.
AB  - The intraoperative identification of small pulmonary nodules through video
      assisted thoracoscopic surgery remains challenging. Although preoperative CT
      guided nodule localization is commonly used to detect tumors during video
      assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), this approach carries inherent risks. We
      report the case of a patient with stage I lung cancer presenting as an area of
      ground-glass opacity (GGO) in the right upper pulmonary lobe. He successfully
      underwent a single-stage, CT-guided localization and removal of the pulmonary
      nodule within a hybrid operating room (OR) equipped with a robotic C-arm.

PMID- 28616300
TI  - Late cardiac tamponade following Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum.
AB  - The Nuss procedure is a recently developed technique for correction of pectus
      excavatum. A 23-year-old female patient presented at our emergency department
      with clinical signs of cardiac tamponade, which required an emergency procedure.
      Sixteen months ago, she underwent the Nuss procedure with a single bar. Her
      preoperative Haller index was 5. We report on a case of delayed recurrent cardiac
      tamponade that occurred 16 and 18 months after the patient underwent the Nuss
      procedure; in this case, we treated the patient with pericardiocentesis the first
      time and performed pericardial window creation with bar removal the second time.
      She was discharged on day 10 in good condition and follow-up chest radiographs
      showed no fluid collection.

PMID- 28616301
TI  - Successful thoracoscopic resection of a large mediastinal angiomyolipoma.
AB  - An angiomyolipoma (AML) is a benign mesenchymal tumor characterized by
      proliferation of mature vessels, smooth muscle, and adipose tissue. AMLs most
      commonly occur in the kidney but have been reported in a variety of extrarenal
      sites. Mediastinal AMLs are extremely rare. We herein present a case of a large
      AML of the mediastinum that was successfully treated by thoracoscopic resection.

PMID- 28616302
TI  - Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction-related functional chest pain
      treated using robotic-assisted thoracoscopic esophageal myotomy.
AB  - Elevated relaxation pressure in combination with intact or weak peristalsis
      characterizes esophagogastric junction (EGJ) outflow obstruction. Symptoms of EGJ
      outflow obstruction include dysphagia and atypical chest pain. EGJ outflow
      obstruction can be diagnosed using high-resolution manometry (HRM), but there is
      a lack of consensus regarding treatment. We present a case report of a 43-year
      old man with a history of headache and mitral valve disorder who suffered from
      intermittent atypical chest pain for 20 years. A diagnosis of EGJ outflow
      obstruction was made using esophageal HRM. Due to medication intolerance, robotic
      assisted esophageal myotomy and Belsey-Mark IV fundoplication were performed. The
      symptoms went into complete remission and no motility disorders were detected on
      postoperative HRM. HRM is a useful diagnostic examination for EGJ outflow
      obstruction. The robotic systems-assisted long segment myotomy may potentially
      play an important role in the treatment of EGJ outflow obstruction-related
      functional chest pain.

PMID- 28616303
TI  - Stop the LVAD bleeding.

PMID- 28616304
TI  - Tailored antiplatelet therapy in high-risk ACS patients treated with PCI
      stenting: lessons from the ANTARCTIC trial.

PMID- 28616305
TI  - Paradigm shift in anticoagulation therapy, fueling the pump and preventing rhythm
      crisis.

PMID- 28616306
TI  - What is the optimal first-line treatment for advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase
      rearranged non-small cell lung cancer?

PMID- 28616307
TI  - PCI or CABG for severe unprotected left main coronary artery disease: making
      sense of the NOBLE and EXCEL trials.

PMID- 28616308
TI  - HeartMate 3-a "Step" in the right direction.

PMID- 28616309
TI  - Non-cardiac surgery following drug-eluting coronary stent implantation-a question
      of timing?

PMID- 28616310
TI  - Intratumoral heterogeneity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28616311
TI  - Neutrophils dominate the immune landscape of non-small cell lung cancer.

PMID- 28616312
TI  - PD-L1 protein expression in non-small cell lung cancer based on different
      immunohistochemical antibodies.

PMID- 28616313
TI  - MYCing and YAPing the escape of tumor cell growth arrest after chronic PI3K/mTOR
      inhibition.

PMID- 28616314
TI  - Echocardiography is a feasible tool for assessing volume responsiveness.

PMID- 28616315
TI  - Examined lymph node count in non-small-cell lung cancer: will it be a decision
      making approach in treatment of NSCLC?

PMID- 28616316
TI  - What is the role of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy in the management of
      surgically resectable and operable stage I non-small cell lung cancer?

PMID- 28616317
TI  - Modifiable risk factors and the role of driving pressure in acute respiratory
      distress syndrome.

PMID- 28616318
TI  - Is tumor location an independent prognostic factor in locally advanced non-small
      cell lung cancer treated with trimodality therapy?

PMID- 28616319
TI  - The evolution of left ventricular assist devices-a moment to reflect.

PMID- 28616320
TI  - Imaging homeostatic sleep pressure and circadian rhythm in the human brain.

PMID- 28616321
TI  - Comment on prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation subtypes
      in surgically resected non-small cell lung cancer.

PMID- 28616322
TI  - Gender differences in cardiovascular risk factors in patients with coronary
      artery disease and those with type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28616323
TI  - The emerging role of YAP/TAZ in mechanotransduction.

PMID- 28616324
TI  - Congenital heart disease in a dish: progress toward understanding patient
      specific mutations.

PMID- 28616325
TI  - Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement-where are we?

PMID- 28616326
TI  - Immunotherapy supplanting chemotherapy for upfront treatment of advanced non
      small cell lung cancer: what's next?

PMID- 28616327
TI  - Intra-aortic balloon pump during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation: still a matter of debate? Contemporary multi-device approach to
      cardiogenic shock.

PMID- 28616328
TI  - Tuberculosis control programs and challenges in developed cities with
      intermediate disease burden: China experience.

PMID- 28616329
TI  - Reintervention after thoracic endovascular aortic repair deserves more attention.

PMID- 28616330
TI  - The 2017 Annual Meeting of the Thoracic Surgery Branch of Guangdong Medical
      Doctor Association and the 5th Summit Forum on Diagnosis and Treatment of
      Thoracic Surgery ended successfully on 25th March 2017.

PMID- 28616331
TI  - Professor Gang Chen: enhance the development of thoracic surgery techniques and
      serve for people's healthcare.

PMID- 28616332
TI  - Erratum to totally thoracoscopic pulmonary anatomic segmentectomies: technical
      considerations.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. S200 in vol. 5, PMID: 24040524.].

PMID- 28616333
TI  - Aortic diseases.

PMID- 28616334
TI  - Surgeons, high risk interventions and the birth of the Star Chamber.

PMID- 28616335
TI  - Cannulation strategies for aortic surgery: which is the best one?

PMID- 28616336
TI  - The great challenge of the public health system in Spain.

PMID- 28616337
TI  - Strategies to prevent aortic complications in Marfan syndrome.

PMID- 28616338
TI  - Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with high aortic anguation.

PMID- 28616339
TI  - Routinary use of preoperative transthoracic echocardiography in abdominal aortic
      aneurysm, does it solve problems?

PMID- 28616340
TI  - Measuring the aorta in the era of multimodality imaging: still to be agreed.

PMID- 28616341
TI  - Ascending aorta reinterventions.
AB  - Ascending aorta reinterventions present a challenge for surgeons as the technical
      difficulties of the procedure and the complex strategic approach can complicate
      successful treatment. These patients should be treated by surgical teams with
      ample experience in aortic diseases as they can be at high risk of mortality. The
      number of interventions on the ascending aorta and aortic arch and the use of
      biological conducts (lung autograft, homograft, etc.) have increased in recent
      years; therefore, the number of reinterventions can also be expected to increase,
      representing 10% of aortic surgical procedures. This article reviews the current
      status of ascending aorta reinterventions, analyzing the principal aspects of
      indication and surgical strategy, as well as the results published in the largest
      studies.

PMID- 28616342
TI  - Bicuspid aortic valve syndrome: a multidisciplinary approach for a complex
      entity.
AB  - Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) or bicuspid aortopathy is the most common congenital
      heart disease. It can be clinically silent and it is often identified as an
      incidental finding in otherwise healthy, asymptomatic patients. However, it can
      be dysfunctioning at birth, even requiring neonatal intervention, or, in time,
      lead to aortic stenosis, aortic insufficiency, and endocarditis, and also be
      associated with aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection. Given its prevalence and
      significant complications, it is estimated that BAV is responsible for more
      deaths and morbidity than the combined effects of all the other congenital heart
      defects. Pathology of BAV is still not well known and many questions are
      unresolved. In this manuscript we review some aspects on bicuspid aortopathy, a
      heterogeneous and frequent disease in which like some authors have previously
      described, complex gene environment are present. Further investigations and, what
      is more, multidisciplinary teams are needed to improve our knowledge on this
      really fascinating disease.

PMID- 28616343
TI  - Debranching aortic surgery.
AB  - Conventional open surgery still remains as the gold standard of care for aortic
      arch and thoracoabdominal pathology. In centers of excellence, open repair of the
      arch has been performed with 5% immediate mortality and a low rate of
      complications; however overall mortality rates are around 15%, being up to 40% of
      all patients rejected for treatment due to their age or comorbidities. For
      thoracoabdominal aortic pathology, data reported from centers of excellence show
      immediate mortality rates from 5% to 19%, spinal cord ischemia from 2.7% to
      13.2%, and renal failure needing dialysis from 4.6% to 5.6%. For these reasons,
      different alternatives that use endovascular techniques, including debranching
      procedures, have been developed. The reported results for hybrid debranching
      procedures are controversial and difficult to interpret because series are
      retrospective, heterogenic and including a small number of patients. Clearly, an
      important selection bias exists: debranching procedures are performed in elderly
      patients with more comorbidities and with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms that
      have more complex and extensive disease. Considering this fact, debranching
      procedures still remain a useful alternative: for aortic arch pathology
      debranching techniques can avoid or reduce the time of extracorporeal circulation
      (ECC) or cardiac arrest which may be beneficial in high-risk patients that
      otherwise would be rejected for treatment. And compared to pure endovascular
      techniques, they can be used in emergency cases with applicability in a wide
      range of anatomies. For thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms, they are mainly useful
      when other lesser invasive endovascular options are not feasible due to
      anatomical limitations or when they are not available in cases where delaying the
      intervention is not an option.

PMID- 28616344
TI  - Vascular approaches for transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
AB  - Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a rapidly evolving therapeutic
      modality currently available for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) that
      are unsuitable for surgery because of technical/anatomical issues or high
      estimated surgical risk. Transfemoral approach is the preferred TAVI delivery
      route when possible. Alternative non-transfemoral access options include
      transaortic, trans-subclavian and transapical access. Other approaches are also
      feasible (transcarotid, transcaval, and antegrade aortic) but are restricted to
      operators and hospitals with experience. The peculiarities of each of the
      vascular approaches designed for TAVI delivery make it necessary to carefully
      assess patient's atherosclerotic load and location, arterial size and tortuosity,
      and presence of mural thrombus. Several clinical trials are currently ongoing and
      in the near future the indications for these approaches will likely be better
      defined and extended to a broader spectrum of TAVI candidates.

PMID- 28616345
TI  - Wrapping of the ascending aorta revisited-is there any role left for conservative
      treatment of ascending aortic aneurysm?
AB  - Dilatation of the ascending aorta (AA) is a common finding in patients with
      aortic valve disease. The clinical practice guidelines recommend replacing the AA
      whenever the diameter exceeds 45 mm. However, no consensus has been reached
      regarding the approach when the aorta is only moderately dilated. Although the
      risk in aorta replacement is generally low, it may be higher when associated with
      other complex surgical procedures or it is carried out in elderly patients or
      patients with significant comorbidity. This would justify the use of alternative
      surgical techniques, which reduce surgical risk and guarantee a durable
      correction of the aortic pathology. Conservative treatment of aneurysms of the AA
      via wrapping with different synthetic materials has been implemented for many
      years. The most commonly used technical variant is wrapping the dilated aorta
      with a vascular prosthesis with a predetermined diameter. When this technique is
      adequately applied, it immediately reduces the diameter of the AA and, to a
      lesser degree, the diameter of the aortic root and arch, while at the same time
      it reinforces the weak aortic wall. These effects lead to a drop-in wall shear
      stress and in the risk of aortic dissection and rupture, and persist over time.
      Although the low elasticity of the external support causes significant changes in
      the histologic structure of the aortic wall, mainly atrophy and alterations
      typical of a foreign body-induced reaction, this does not seem to involve a
      higher risk of complications. In some selected patients, this technique may be
      used in cases other than post-stenotic aortopathy, and also in aortas with a
      larger diameter.

PMID- 28616346
TI  - Emergent aortic surgery in octogenarians: is the advanced age a contraindication?
AB  - Surgery of both the ascending and descending aortic segments in the context of an
      acute aortic syndrome is one of the greatest challenges for the cardiac surgeon.
      In the case of surgery of the descending aorta, surgical risk increases due to
      the technical complexity, the required aggressive approach and because surgical
      indication is usually established as a result of complications and therefore
      involves, almost always, critically ill patients. The aging of the population is
      causing such surgery to be considered in an increasing number of octogenarians.
      The present review analyzes the available scientific evidence on the surgical
      indications and outcomes of these complex procedures in this population,
      particularly in the emergent scenario. Ascending and descending thoracic aortic
      diseases are reviewed separately, and the role of both the current risk scores
      and frailty assessments are comprehensively discussed.

PMID- 28616348
TI  - Predictive risk models for proximal aortic surgery.
AB  - Predictive risk models help improve decision making, information to our patients
      and quality control comparing results between surgeons and between institutions.
      The use of these models promotes competitiveness and led to increasingly better
      results. All these virtues are of utmost importance when the surgical operation
      entails high-risk. Although proximal aortic surgery is less frequent than other
      cardiac surgery operations, this procedure itself is more challenging and
      technically demanding than other common cardiac surgery techniques. The aim of
      this study is to review the current status of predictive risk models for patients
      who undergo proximal aortic surgery, which means aortic root replacement,
      supracoronary ascending aortic replacement or aortic arch surgery.

PMID- 28616347
TI  - Intraoperative care for aortic surgery using circulatory arrest.
AB  - The total circulatory arrest (CA) is necessary to achieve optimal surgical
      conditions in certain aortic pathologies, especially in those affecting the
      ascending aorta and aortic arch. During this procedure it is necessary to protect
      all the organs of ischemia, especially those of the central nervous system and
      for this purpose several strategies have been developed. The first and most
      important protective method is systemic hypothermia. The degree of hypothermia
      and the route of application have been evolving and currently tend to use
      moderate hypothermia (MH) (20.1-28  degrees C) associated with unilateral or
      bilateral selective cerebral perfusion methods. In this way the neurological
      results are better, the interval of security is greater and the times of
      extracorporeal circulation are smaller. Even so, it is necessary to take into
      account that there is the possibility of ischemia in the lower part of the body,
      especially of the abdominal viscera and the spinal cord, therefore the time of
      circulatory stop should be limited and not to exceed 80 minutes. Evidence of
      possible neurological drug protection is very weak and only mannitol, magnesium,
      and statins can produce some benefit. Inhalational anesthetics and some
      intravenous seem to have advantages, but more studies would be needed to test
      their long-term benefit. Other important parameters to be monitored during these
      procedures are blood glucose, anemia and coagulation disorders and acid-base
      balance. The recommended monitoring is common in complex cardiovascular
      procedures and it is of special importance the neurological monitoring that can
      be performed with several techniques, although currently the most used are
      Bispectral Index (BIS) and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS). It is also
      essential to monitor the temperature routinely at the nasopharyngeal and bladder
      level and it is important to control coagulation with rotational
      thromboelastometry (ROTEM).

PMID- 28616349
TI  - Sparing aortic valve techniques.
AB  - Prosthetic valve implantation is the most widely used therapeutic option for
      aortic regurgitation (AR), but complications associated with prosthetic valves,
      with an incidence of 3-5% patient/year, and the need for anticoagulation in
      mechanical valves, force us to consider aortic valve repair as an alternative to
      the prosthetic implant, especially in young people with many potential years of
      life for these complications. Aortic valve repair techniques are not excessively
      complicated, but there is no standardization, so they are not reproducible in all
      medical centers. There are multiple repair procedures, but to study them we can
      divide, arbitrarily, into two large groups, techniques for treatment of aortic
      root dilatation (reimplantation and remodeling); and repair techniques without
      treatment of the aortic root, that act on annulus and on aortic leaflets. The two
      sets of techniques are often used together, but it is easier to understand them
      if this arbitrary division is made. Our goal is to publish our experience and
      knowledge of repair techniques to facilitate their learning by other
      professionals. In this article, we will focus on the procedures on the aortic
      annulus and leaflets, because they can be applied in patients without aortic root
      dilatation, but they are also complementary to the reimplantation and remodeling
      techniques. We will present the procedures describing them individually, with an
      explanation in text accompanied by three videos in which the application of each
      technique is visualized in several cases. The standardization of sparing aortic
      valve techniques is difficult, because each patient requires its individualized
      application, yet we have tried to illustrate reproducible procedures so that
      professionals have more tools to deal with aortic valve-preserving surgery.

PMID- 28616350
TI  - Anomalous right coronary artery origin with interarterial pathway-importance of
      morphological origin assessment and the role of percutaneous interventionism.
AB  - Anomalies in coronary arteries (CA) are an important issue in cardiology and
      cardiovascular surgery. Specifically the anomalous origin of the right coronary
      artery (RCA) is of special importance because it is the most frequent anomaly.
      Clinical practice guidelines recommend the revascularization treatment in cases
      of interarterial pathway and documented myocardial ischemia and when hypoplasia,
      compression or obstruction is evident. We report two different cases of patients
      with anomalous origin of RCA and associated interarterial pathway. With them we
      want to highlight the different presentation forms of these patients and the
      different diagnostic alternatives available in each of the steps. In the patient
      with anomalous origin of the RCA and associated interarterial pathway, the first
      step after establishing the diagnosis is to rule out the presence of inducible
      ischemia. In those patients in whom ischemia induction tests are negative, the
      second step is to adequately assess the interarterial pathway, in order to rule
      out obstructions or compressions that also justify revascularization. In those
      cases in which all the tests are negative, the current evidence does not
      recommend revascularization, but adequate periodic follow-up is recommended. For
      this reason, we believe that the stress echocardiogram and exercise perfusion
      scintigraphy (based on availability and experience in each center) are
      fundamental because of their high sensitivity and specificity. We would also like
      to highlight the role that percutaneous interventionism can play in this type of
      clinical cases. Especially with patients of high surgical risk and in whom the
      percutaneous approach is feasible.

PMID- 28616351
TI  - Hybrid aortic repair with antegrade supra-aortic and renovisceral debranching
      from ascending aorta.
AB  - Aortic dissection is a life threatening condition. Hybrid repair has been
      described for the treatment of complex aortic pathology such as thoracoabdominal
      aortic aneurysms (TAAA) and type A and B dissections, although open and total
      endovascular repair are also possible. Open surgery is still associated with
      substantial perioperative morbi-mortality rates, thus less invasive techniques
      such as endovascular repair and hybrid procedures can achieve good results in
      centers with experience. We present the case of a patient with a chronic type B
      dissection and TAAA degeneration that was treated in a single stage hybrid
      procedure with antegrade supra-aortic and renovisceral debranching from the
      ascending aorta and TEVAR. At three-year follow up, the patient is free of
      intervention-related complications.

PMID- 28616352
TI  - Aortic polyaneurysmal disease: case report.
AB  - We report a 78-year-old man who presents progression of his aneurysmatic
      pathology with previous abdominal infrarenal aortic surgery 20 years later. The
      computed tomography (CT) scan showed proximal degeneration of the infrarenal
      aorta, left iliac aneurysm and a new descending thoracic aneurysm close to the
      aortic arch. The surgical treatment was staged in two times due to the evolution
      of the aneurysm measures. First, the thoracic and the infrarenal aneurysms were
      covered each one with endoprosthesis. Four years later the iliac disease was
      solved with a branched specific iliac endograft.

PMID- 28616353
TI  - Double pseudoaneurysm, recurrent subvalvular aortic membrane and small left
      ventricular outflow tract in the same patient: who dares?
AB  - Patients with pseudoaneurysm in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT)
      commonly present vague and nonspecific symptoms making the diagnosis difficult.
      We present the case of a 37-year-old patient with two subvalvular pseudoaneurysms
      in whom a combined resection surgery, enlargement of the LVOT, aortic valve
      replacement (AVR) and aortic root replacement were performed using the technique
      of Cabrol.

PMID- 28616354
TI  - Comparing American, European and Asian practice guidelines for aortic diseases.
AB  - The aortic disease comprises a group of different pathologies of high prevalence,
      seriousness and ever changing by the medical and surgical investigations.
      Therefore cardiovascular scientific societies in USA, Europe and Asia have
      created Task Force on practice guidelines (PG) to develop, update and revise PG
      for aortic diseases. These documents issue recommendations on the diagnosis and
      management of different aortic diseases. The three societies agree on the
      recommendations about diagnostic tests and on the value of computed tomography
      and magnetic resonance as the main tools for the diagnosis and follow-up of
      aortic disease. Concerning to acute aortic syndromes (AAS), American and European
      GPs recognize intramural hematoma (IMH) as a type of AAS with surgery indication;
      however Asian guidelines consider IMH a pathological process different from AAS
      and indicate medical treatment. In thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA), all express
      the need for an adequate control of cardiovascular risk factors, emphasizing
      strict control of blood pressure, smoking cessation and recommend the use of beta
      blockers and statins. The threshold for asymptomatic repair is 5.5 cm in European
      and American and 6 cm for Asian PG, with lower thresholds in Marfan and bicuspid
      aortic valve (BAV). As regards the abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), the PGs
      recognize the adequate control of cardiovascular risk factors, but there are
      differences in class of recommendation on statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme
      inhibitors or beta-blockers to prevent progression of AAA. For intervention, the
      threshold diameter in asymptomatic is 5.5 cm but can be reduced to 5 cm in women
      as recommended by Asian PG. Moreover the specific diseases such as Marfan, BAV,
      pregnancy or atherosclerosis aortic present specific recommendations with small
      differences between PGs. In conclusion, PGs are interesting and appropriate
      documents at present. They issue recommendations based on evidence that help the
      clinician and surgeon in their daily approach to aortic pathology.

PMID- 28616355
TI  - Activation of Natural Killer Cells by Probiotics.
AB  - During the last decade, probiotics have been established to be important
      mediators of host immunity. Their effects on both innate and adaptive immunity
      have been documented in the literature. Although several reports have correlated
      different strains of bacteria as probiotics, their effects on immunity vary.
      Clearly, there is a complex interplay between various constituents of probiotics
      and the immune response in humans. The role of probiotics on natural killer (NK)
      cells in the gut has been the subject of a few reports. In this review, we
      summarize the reported findings on the role of probiotics in the activation of
      gut-associated NK cells and the response of NK cells to stimuli elicited by
      probiotics and their microenvironment. The effects of probiotics on the
      activation of NK cells and their secretion of immune factors (e.g., interferon
      gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-2, etc.) are discussed in regard
      to their clinical significance in various diseases. Current investigations are
      being pursued, in particular, on the role of probiotics-activated NK cells in
      promoting the adaptive immune response against pathogens.

PMID- 28616356
TI  - Challenges and Innovations in Phase I Dose-Finding Designs for Molecularly
      Targeted Agents and Cancer Immunotherapies.
AB  - Phase I oncology trials are designed to identify a safe dose with an acceptable
      toxicity profile. In traditional phase I dose-finding design, the dose is
      typically determined based on the probability of severe toxicity observed during
      the first treatment cycle. The recent development of molecularly targeted agents
      and cancer immunotherapies call for new innovations in phase I designs, because
      of prolonged treatment cycles often involved. Various phase I designs using
      toxicity and efficacy endpoints from multiple treatment cycles have been
      developed for these new treatment agents. Here, we will review the novel
      endpoints and designs for the phase I oncology clinical trials.

PMID- 28616357
TI  - Improvement of Post-hypoxic Myoclonus with Bilateral Pallidal Deep Brain
      Stimulation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Post-hypoxic myoclonus (PHM) is a syndrome that occurs when a patient
      has suffered hypoxic brain injury. The myoclonus is usually multifocal and
      generalized, often stemming from both cortical and subcortical origins. In severe
      cases, pharmacological treatments with antiepileptic medications may not
      satisfactorily control the myoclonus. METHODS: We present a case of a 23-year-old
      male with chronic medication refractory PHM following a cardiopulmonary arrest
      related to an asthmatic attack who improved with bilateral globus pallidus
      internus (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS). We review the clinical features of
      PHM, as well as the preoperative and postoperative Unified Myoclonus Rating Scale
      scores and DBS programming parameters in this patient and compare them with the
      three other published PHM-DBS cases in the literature. RESULTS: This patient
      experienced an alleviation of myoclonic jerks at rest and a 39% reduction in
      action myoclonus with improvement in both positive and negative myoclonus with
      bilateral GPi-DBS. High frequency stimulation (130 Hz) with amplitudes >2.5 V
      were needed for the therapeutic response. DISCUSSION: We demonstrate a robust
      improvement in a medication refractory PHM patient with bilateral GPi-DBS, and
      suggest that it is a viable therapeutic option for debilitating post-hypoxic
      myoclonus.

PMID- 28616358
TI  - Parkinsonism and Tremor in a Patient with Plasmodium vivax Malaria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A 57-year-old male diagnosed with Plasmodium vivax malaria presented
      with a subacute onset of hand tremor, slowness, and gait difficulty.
      PHENOMENOLOGY: A bilateral upper extremity kinetic tremor was seen, as well as a
      right upper extremity rigidity and body bradykinesia. EDUCATIONAL VALUE:
      Parkinsonism and tremor are neurological manifestations that may occur in malaria
      as a result of globus pallidi and dentate nuclei involvement.

PMID- 28616359
TI  - Bioactive Antimicrobial Peptides as Therapeutics for Corneal Wounds and
      Infections.
AB  - Significance: More than 2 million eye injuries and infections occur each year in
      the United States that leave civilians and military members with reduced or
      complete vision loss due to the lack of effective therapeutics. Severe ocular
      injuries and infections occur in varied settings including the home, workplace,
      and battlefields. In this review, we discuss the potential of developing
      antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as therapeutics for the treatment of corneal wounds
      and infections for which the current treatment options are inadequate. Recent
      Advances: Standard-of-care employs the use of fluorescein dye for the diagnosis
      of ocular defects and is followed by the use of antibiotics and/or steroids to
      treat the infection and reduce inflammation. Recent advances for treating corneal
      wounds include the development of amniotic membrane therapies, wound chambers,
      and drug-loaded hydrogels. In this review, we will discuss an innovative approach
      using AMPs with the dual effect of promoting corneal wound healing and clearing
      infections. Critical Issues: An important aspect of treating ocular injuries is
      that treatments need to be effective and administered expeditiously. This is
      especially important for injuries that occur during combat and in individuals who
      demonstrate delayed wound healing. To overcome gaps in current treatment
      modalities, bioactive peptides based on naturally occurring cationic
      antimicrobial proteins are being investigated as new therapeutics. Future
      Directions: The development of new therapeutics that can treat ocular infections
      and promote corneal wound healing, including the healing of persistent corneal
      epithelial defects, would be of great clinical benefit.

PMID- 28616361
TI  - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Side Effects Defined and Quantified.
AB  - Significance: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is an important advanced therapy
      in the treatment of problem wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers and late
      effect radiation injury. HBOT remains among the safest therapies used today.
      Nonetheless, there are side effects associated with HBOT. It is important for
      providers to be able to identify, understand, and quantify these side effects for
      prevention, management, and informed consent. Recent Advances: The past two
      decades have seen significant advancements in our understanding of the underlying
      mechanisms of HBOT. This has led to a better understanding of the underlying
      reason for clinical benefit. It has also led to a better understanding of its
      side effects. Moreover, more recent literature allows for better quantification
      of these side effects. This review will highlight these side effects. Critical
      Issues: Wound healing in the case of problem nonhealing wounds requires the use
      of various advanced treatment modalities, including HBOT. HBOT has been shown to
      significantly improve healing rates in certain problem wounds, including advanced
      diabetic foot ulcers and late effect radiation injury. It is provided in a
      variety of clinical settings by providers with varying levels of expertise. It is
      important for those providing this therapy to understand the potential side
      effects. Future Directions: Research in HBOT has led to significant advancements
      in the area of wound healing. At the same time, there remains a variety of
      treatment protocols used at different institutions. It is important to quantify
      risk and benefit at different treatment pressures and times to better standardize
      treatment and improve patient care.

PMID- 28616360
TI  - Current Advancements and Strategies in Tissue Engineering for Wound Healing: A
      Comprehensive Review.
AB  - Significance: With an aging population leading to an increase in diabetes and
      associated cutaneous wounds, there is a pressing clinical need to improve wound
      healing therapies. Recent Advances: Tissue engineering approaches for wound
      healing and skin regeneration have been developed over the past few decades. A
      review of current literature has identified common themes and strategies that are
      proving successful within the field: The delivery of cells, mainly mesenchymal
      stem cells, within scaffolds of the native matrix is one such strategy. We
      overview these approaches and give insights into mechanisms that aid wound
      healing in different clinical scenarios. Critical Issues: We discuss the
      importance of the biomimetic niche, and how recapitulating elements of the native
      microenvironment of cells can help direct cell behavior and fate. Future
      Directions: It is crucial that during the continued development of tissue
      engineering in wound repair, there is close collaboration between tissue
      engineers and clinicians to maintain the translational efficacy of this approach.

PMID- 28616362
TI  - Assessing the Accuracy of Foveal Avascular Zone Measurements Using Optical
      Coherence Tomography Angiography: Segmentation and Scaling.
AB  - PURPOSE: The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) is altered in numerous diseases. We
      assessed factors (axial length, segmentation method, age, sex) impacting FAZ
      measurements from optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography images. METHODS:
      We recruited 116 Caucasian subjects without ocular disease, and acquired two 3 *
      3 mm AngioVue scans per each right eye (232 total scans). In images of the
      superficial plexus, the FAZ was segmented using the AngioVue semiautomatic
      nonflow measurement tool and ImageJ manual segmentation. In images from the full
      retinal thickness, the FAZ was segmented using the AngioAnalytics automatic FAZ
      tool. Repeatability, reliability, and reproducibility were calculated for FAZ
      measurements (acircularity, area). RESULTS: FAZ area (mean +/- SD) for manual
      segmentation was 0.240 +/- 0.0965 mm2, greater than both semiautomatic (0.216 +/-
      0.0873 mm2) and automatic (0.218 +/- 0.0869 mm2) segmentation (P < 0.05). Not
      correcting for axial length introduced errors up to 25% in FAZ area. Manual area
      segmentation had better repeatability (0.020 mm2) than semiautomatic (0.043 mm2)
      or automatic (0.056 mm2). FAZ acircularity had better repeatability with
      automatic than manual segmentation (0.086 vs. 0.114). Reliability of all area
      measurements was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.994
      manual, 0.969 semiautomatic, 0.948 automatic). Reliability of acircularity
      measurements was 0.879 for manual and 0.606 for automatic. CONCLUSION: We
      identified numerous factors affecting FAZ measurements. These errors confound
      comparisons across studies and studies examining factors that may correlate with
      FAZ measures. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Using FAZ measurements as biomarkers for
      disease progression requires assessing and controlling for different sources of
      error. Not correcting for ocular magnification can result in significant
      inaccuracy in FAZ measurements, while choice of segmentation method affects both
      repeatability and accuracy.

PMID- 28616363
TI  - Insights from Global Analyses of Long Noncoding RNAs in Breast Cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this review was to compare and contrast the
      results and implications from several recent transcriptomic studies that analyzed
      the expression of lncRNAs in breast cancer. How many lncRNAs are dysregulated in
      breast cancer? Do dysregulated lncRNAs contribute to breast cancer etiology? Are
      lncRNAs viable biomarkers in breast cancer? RECENT FINDINGS: Transcriptomic
      profiling of breast cancer tissues, mostly from The Cancer Genome Atlas,
      identified thousands of long noncoding RNAs that are expressed and dysregulated
      in breast cancer. The expression of lncRNAs alone can divide patients into
      molecular subtypes. Subsequent functional studies demonstrated that several of
      these lncRNAs have important roles in breast cancer cell biology. SUMMARY:
      Thousands of lncRNAs are dysregulated in breast cancer that can be developed as
      biomarkers for prognostic or therapeutic purposes. The reviewed reports provide a
      roadmap to guide functional studies to discover lncRNAs with critical biological
      functions relating to breast cancer development and progression.

PMID- 28616364
TI  - Recurrent Acute Otitis Media: What Are the Options for Treatment and Prevention?
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To survey current strategies for treatment and prevention of
      recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM). RECENT FINDINGS: Treatment with systemic
      antibiotics is required in recurrent episodes of acute otitis media. A cautious
      attitude is recommended due to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics also provide
      effective prophylaxis for rAOM. Topical treatment with ear drops is recommended
      in rAOM with otorrhea from tympanostomy tubes. Pneumococcal conjugated vaccines
      seem to have a moderate reductive effect on overall otitis media. The effect on
      rAOM is still unclear. Different administrations of immunoglobulins have not been
      effective against rAOM. Breastfeeding had a protective effect against rAOM. A
      recommendation against cigarette smoke exposure as a measure to prevent otitis
      seems warranted. An effect for adenoidectomy in children <2 years old with rAOM
      has been suggested. There is a strong genetic connection with rAOM. Probiotics
      and nasal spray with Streptococci might offer future opportunities as
      prophylaxis. Too little is known about complimentary treatments to give any
      recommendations. SUMMARY: Systemic antibiotics are still needed as treatment
      against episodes of AOM in rAOM children. There are several preventive measures
      that can be taken to reduce the burden of AOM but they all have a small-moderate
      effect. Systemic antibiotics provide effective prophylaxis in rAOM, but must be
      used with extreme caution due to the emerging antibiotic resistance.

PMID- 28616365
TI  - Streptococcus pneumoniae Otitis Media Pathogenesis and How It Informs Our
      Understanding of Vaccine Strategies.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This study aimed to review the literature regarding the
      mechanisms of transition from asymptomatic colonization to induction of otitis
      media and how the insight into the pathogenesis of otitis media has the potential
      to help design future otitis media-directed vaccines. RECENT FINDINGS:
      Respiratory viruses have long been shown to predispose individuals to bacterial
      respiratory infections, such as otitis media. Recent information suggests that
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, which colonize the nasopharynx asymptomatically, can
      sense potentially "threatening" changes in the nasopharyngeal environment caused
      by virus infection by upregulating specific sets of genes involved in biofilm
      release, dissemination from the nasopharynx to other sites, and protection
      against the host immune system. Furthermore, an understanding of the
      transcriptional and proteomic changes occurring in bacteria during transition to
      infection has led to identification of novel vaccine targets that are disease
      specific and will not affect asymptomatic colonization. This approach will avoid
      major changes in the delicate balance of microorganisms in the respiratory tract
      microbiome due to elimination of S. pneumoniae. SUMMARY: Our recent findings are
      reviewed in the context of the current literature on the epidemiology and
      pathogenesis of otitis media. We also discuss how other otopathogens, such as
      Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, as well as the normal
      respiratory microbiome, can modulate the ability of pneumococci to cause
      infection. Furthermore, the unsatisfactory protection offered by the pneumococcal
      conjugate vaccines is highlighted and we review potential future strategies
      emerging to confer a more specific protection against otitis media.

PMID- 28616366
TI  - Increased Energy Cost of Mobility in Chronic Stroke.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the energy cost of completing mobility
      related activities in chronic stroke to the estimated energy cost found in the
      compendium of physical activities, a resource that estimates and classifies
      energy cost of various human physical activities. Men (n=18) and women (n=10)
      with chronic hemiparetic gait (stroke latency: 4 +/- 2 years, age: 60.4 +/- 1.6
      years, BMI: 31.5 +/- 1.1 kg/m2) participated in the study. Portable energy cost
      monitoring (COSMED K4b2) was performed during five mobility activities of varying
      intensity to determine metabolic equivalents (METs, or oxygen consumption in
      multiples of resting level) for each activity. The METs achieved during the five
      activities were compared to the following compendium MET values for: 1) floor
      sweeping; 2) stepping in place; 3) over-ground walking; 4) lower speed treadmill
      walking (1.0 mph at 4% incline); and 5) higher speed treadmill walking (2.0 mph
      at 4% incline). Measurements were obtained for 10 min at rest and 5 minutes
      during each of the five activities. The energy cost of rest was only 85% of
      Compendium METS, while mobility-related activities were ~1.25-1.50 fold greater
      when measured in stroke vs. Compendium METS for all measures (P's<0.05), except
      floor sweeping, which was similar between groups. These data indicate that MET
      levels provided in the compendium are not applicable to chronic stroke survivors
      as they overestimate energy expenditure at rest and underestimate energy
      expenditure during physical activity, indicating poor efficiency in movement,
      thus elevating the oxygen cost of completing general daily activities.

PMID- 28616367
TI  - Correction: The scavenger receptor repertoire in six cnidarian species and its
      putative role in cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2692.].

PMID- 28616368
TI  - Correction: Insights of the dental calculi microbiome of pre-Columbian
      inhabitants from Puerto Rico.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3277.].

PMID- 28616369
TI  - Management of an Obstructed Tracheostomy in a Limited-Resource Setting.
AB  - Obstruction of a tracheostomy tube is a common cause of respiratory compromise in
      adults and pediatric patients, which can lead to a life-threatening emergency if
      it is not properly managed. Compromised airway patency has many potential
      etiologies; however, the scenario described in this technical report focuses
      specifically on the management of tracheostomy obstruction through the presence
      of a mucus plug, blood clot, or highly viscous secretions. The simulation
      described in this technical report was written to be conducted as an in-situ
      simulation within the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mzuzu Central Hospital,
      Malawi. The novel aspect of this report is that it depicts the integration of low
      tech simulation with a deteriorating patient scenario educational methodology.
      This integration enables the use of affordable and sustainable simulation
      materials in Malawi context to deliver learning objectives that are otherwise not
      achievable. It was designed to train nurses, clinical officers, and nursing
      students from the ICU and male/female surgical wards. It can be utilized to train
      similar learners in other resource-poor regions of the world, as well as remote
      areas of the more developed countries.

PMID- 28616370
TI  - Editorial Comment: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis for Prioritization of Limited
      Public Health Resources - Tuberculosis Interventions in Texas.
AB  - Public health departments have limited evidence to understand and analyze the
      costs and benefits of different health programs, including tuberculosis control
      and prevention programs. The study by Miller et. al addresses this challenge to
      estimate costs and benefits of tuberculosis prevention programs in Texas and
      identify cost-effective diagnostic and treatment combinations, thereby improving
      the evidence-based decision making power of the public health departments.

PMID- 28616371
TI  - Tactile Sensing with Whiskers of Various Shapes: Determining the Three
      Dimensional Location of Object Contact Based on Mechanical Signals at the Whisker
      Base.
AB  - Almost all mammals use their mystacial vibrissae (whiskers) as important tactile
      sensors. There are no sensors along the length of a whisker: all sensing is
      performed by mechanoreceptors at the whisker base. To use artificial whiskers as
      a sensing tool in robotics, it is essential to be able to determine the three
      dimensional (3D) location at which a whisker has made contact with an object.
      With the assumption of quasistatic, frictionless, single-point contact, previous
      work demonstrated that the 3D contact point can be uniquely determined if all six
      components of force and moment are measured at the whisker base, but these
      measurements require a six-axis load cell. Here, we perform simulations to
      investigate the extent to which each of the 20 possible "triplet" combinations of
      the six mechanical signals at the whisker base uniquely determine 3D contact
      point location. We perform this analysis for four different whisker profiles
      (shapes): tapered with and without intrinsic curvature, and cylindrical with and
      without intrinsic curvature. We show that whisker profile has a strong influence
      on the particular triplet(s) of signals that uniquely map to the 3D contact
      point. The triplet of bending moment, bending moment direction, and axial force
      produces unique mappings for tapered whiskers. Four different mappings are unique
      for a cylindrical whisker without intrinsic curvature, but only when large
      deflections are excluded. These results inform the neuroscience of
      vibrissotactile sensing and represent an important step toward the development of
      artificial whiskers for robotic applications.

PMID- 28616372
TI  - Ionization Capabilities of Hydronium Ions and High Electric Fields Produced by
      Atmospheric Pressure Corona Discharge.
AB  - Atmospheric pressure corona discharge (APCD) was applied to the ionization of
      volatile organic compounds. The mass spectra of analytes having aromatic,
      phenolic, anilinic, basic and aliphatic in nature were obtained by using vapor
      supply and liquid smear supply methods. The vapor supply method mainly gave
      protonated analytes [A+H]+ caused by proton transfer from hydronium ion H3O+,
      except for benzene, toluene and n-hexane that have lower proton affinity. The use
      of the liquid smear supply method resulted in the formation of molecular ion A.+
      and/or dehydride analyte [A-H]+, according to the nature of analytes used. The
      formation of A.+ without fragment ions could be explained by the electron
      tunneling via high electric fields 108 V/m at the tip of the corona needle. The
      dehydride analytes [A-H]+ observed in the mass spectra of n-hexane, di- and
      tributylamines may be explained by the hydride abstraction from the alkyl chains
      by the hydronium ion. The hydronium ion can play the two-roles for analytes,
      i.e., the proton donor to form [A+H]+ and the hydride acceptor to form [A-H]+.

PMID- 28616373
TI  - Development of Remote Sampling ESI Mass Spectrometry for the Rapid and Automatic
      Analysis of Multiple Samples.
AB  - We report on combining a self-aspirated sampling probe and an ESI source using a
      single metal capillary which is electrically grounded and safe for use by the
      operator. To generate an electrospray, a negative H.V. is applied to the counter
      electrode of the ESI emitter to operate in positive ion mode. The sampling/ESI
      capillary is enclosed within another concentric capillary similar to the
      arrangement for a standard pneumatically assisted ESI source. The suction of the
      liquid sample is due to the Venturi effect created by the high-velocity gas flow
      near the ESI tip. In addition to serving as the mechanism for suction, the high
      velocity gas flow also assists in the nebulization of charged droplets, thus
      producing a stable ion signal. Even though the potential of the ion source
      counter electrode is more negative than the mass spectrometer in the positive ion
      mode, the electric field effect is not significant if the ion source and the mass
      spectrometer are separated by a sufficient distance. Ion transmission is achieved
      by the viscous flow of the carrier gas. Using the present arrangement, the user
      can hold the ion source in a bare hand and the ion signal appears almost
      immediately when the sampling capillary is brought into contact with the liquid
      sample. The automated analysis of multiple samples can also be achieved by using
      motorized sample stage and an automated ion source holder.

PMID- 28616374
TI  - Five things to know about diagnostic error.
AB  - Diagnostic error represents an important patient safety issue. Herein, we
      summarize five important things to know about this topic. 1) At least 1 in 20
      adults are affected by diagnostic errors annually. 2) The root causes for
      diagnostic errors are typically multifactorial. 3) Cognitive errors are found in
      the majority of cases. 4) Most missed diagnoses involve common conditions. 5)
      Advancements in policy, education, and health information technologies hold
      promise for improving diagnostic safety.

PMID- 28616375
TI  - Geometric and electronic structures of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride with
      multi-vacancy.
AB  - Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is an electrical insulator with a large band gap
      of 5 eV and a good thermal conductor of which melting point reaches about 3000 
      degrees C. Due to these properties, much attention was given to the thermal
      stability rather than the electrical properties of h-BN experimentally and
      theoretically. In this study, we report calculations that the electronic
      structure of monolayer h-BN can be influenced by the presence of a vacancy defect
      which leads to a geometric deformation in the hexagonal lattice structure. The
      vacancy was varied from mono- to tri-vacancy in a supercell, and different
      defective structures under the same vacancy density were considered in the case
      of an odd number of vacancies. Consequently, all cases of vacancy defects
      resulted in a geometric distortion in monolayer h-BN, and new energy states were
      created between valence and conduction band with the Fermi level shift. Notably,
      B atoms around vacancies attracted one another while repulsion happened between N
      atoms around vacancies, irrespective of vacancy density. The calculation of
      formation energy revealed that multi-vacancy including more B-vacancies has much
      lower formation energy than vacancies with more N-vacancies. This work suggests
      that multi-vacancy created in monolayer h-BN will have more B-vacancies and that
      the presence of multi-vacancy can make monolayer h-BN electrically conductive by
      the new energy states and the Fermi level shift.

PMID- 28616377
TI  - Blue after splenectomy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We present a 51 year old, African American, female who presented
      with persistent hypoxemia. She had been taking dapsone for many years for
      prophylaxis against Pneumocystic Jiroveci with no symptoms but eventually
      developed methemoglobinemia only after a splenectomy. From our literature review
      there are no documented cases that have demonstrated this relationship between
      dapsone, splenic function and methemoglobin and we hope to share our perplexing
      case and shed light on the interaction. DESCRIPTION: Our patient has type 1
      diabetes and underwent multiple pancreas transplants and an initial kidney
      transplant during her disease course. One year prior to her presentation she
      underwent a distal pancreatectomy and an incidental splenectomy during the same
      procedure. She had been taking dapsone for approximately 17 years due to her
      allergy to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and her immunosuppressive regimen
      included tacrolimus, sirolimus, and low dose prednisone. She had presented for a
      routine, post-surgery follow up visit when she was diagnosed with hypoxemia.
      After an extensive but unsuccessful work up for persistent hypoxemia, she
      presented to our clinic for a second opinion. Repeat testing of the arterial
      blood gas in clinic showed a significant methemoglobin (MHb) level of 16.6 mg/dl.
      DISCUSSION: Although methemoglobinemia is a well-known risk of dapsone exposure,
      we report a case that suggests that splenectomy can interact with dapsone to
      further increase the risk of methemobloginemia. We believe that our patient did
      not develop methemoglobinemia initially, despite being on dapsone for many years
      because her spleen was able to remove older more susceptible erythrocytes from
      the circulation leaving the more robust younger erythrocytes. With the
      splenectomy, the number of older erythrocytes in the peripheral circulation
      increased and resulted in an accumulation of MHb leading to the low oxygen
      saturations. Her dapsone was immediately stopped and she was started on vitamin C
      with a 3 day follow up revealing resolution of her methemoglobinemia and normal
      oxygen saturation on room air.

PMID- 28616378
TI  - Primary ciliary dyskinesia presenting with spontaneous pneumothorax: Case report
      and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive
      heterogeneous group of conditions with variable clinical findings. CASE
      PRESENTATION: A 36-year-old nonsmoking Chinese man present to the emergency
      department of our hospital with acute-onset breathlessness and sudden-onset left
      sided chest pain. The patient had 6 years primary infertility and suffered from
      recurrent episodes of respiratory tract infections since childhood. Chest X-ray
      was performed, which showed a left-sided pneumothorax with lung collapse. His
      conditions improved in clinical symptoms after 3 days of closed thoracic
      drainage. Radiographic findings after lung recruitment revealed bronchiectasis
      and bronchiolitis but no situs inversus. Paranasal sinus computed tomography (CT)
      showed maxillary sinusitis and ethmoid sinusitis. Pulmonary function tests
      demonstrated severe obstructive ventilation functional impairment. Bronchial
      mucosal cilia showed the absence of both outer and inner dynein arms of the
      microtubules (ODA and IDA). A culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was
      positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. His clinical symptoms and CT images showed
      improvement after 1 month of treatment. A literature review revealed that few
      patients are diagnosed with PCD complicated with spontaneous pneumothorax. Within
      one year of follow-up, the patient showed good responses to local ICS+ LA beta2
      agonist combined with oral carbocistein. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumothorax might be one
      of the complications of the PCD. Combination therapy including ICS+ LA beta2
      agonist and carbocistein could be a potential therapy to reduce the frequency of
      acute exacerbations and delay progression of PCD.

PMID- 28616376
TI  - Genome Editing and Muscle Stem Cells as a Therapeutic Tool for Muscular
      Dystrophies.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Muscular dystrophies are a group of severe degenerative
      disorders characterized by muscle fiber degeneration and death. Therapies
      designed to restore muscle homeostasis and to replace dying fibers are being
      experimented, but none of those in clinical trials are suitable to permanently
      address individual gene mutation. The purpose of this review is to discuss genome
      editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short
      palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated), which enable direct sequence alteration
      and could potentially be adopted to correct the genetic defect leading to muscle
      impairment. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent findings show that advances in gene therapy,
      when combined with traditional viral vector-based approaches, are bringing the
      field of regenerative medicine closer to precision-based medicine. SUMMARY: The
      use of such programmable nucleases is proving beneficial for the creation of more
      accurate in vitro and in vivo disease models. Several gene and cell-therapy
      studies have been performed on satellite cells, the primary skeletal muscle stem
      cells involved in muscle regeneration. However, these have mainly been based on
      artificial replacement or augmentation of the missing protein. Satellite cells
      are a particularly appealing target to address these innovative technologies for
      the treatment of muscular dystrophies.

PMID- 28616379
TI  - Re-biopsy after relapse of targeted therapy. T790M after epidermal growth factor
      mutation, where and why based on a case series.
AB  - Guidelines for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma
      positive in epidermal growth factor mutations indicate tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors. There are currently three tyrosine kinase inhibitors that can be used
      as first line treatment: gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib. Regarding erlotinib
      and afatinib dosage can be modified in the case of severe adverse effects. In the
      case of disease relapse investigation for T790M mutation has to be made either
      with re-biopsy or liquid biopsy and osimertinib has to be administered when T790M
      is diagnosed. Based on a case series we indicate which is the best approach for
      T790M mutation.

PMID- 28616380
TI  - Rare case of pulmonary histoplasmosis complicated with bronchocentric
      granulomatosis in a non endemic area.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary histoplasmosis is a fungal infection caused by histoplasma
      capsulatum, rarely diagnosed in non endemic areas and/or immunocompromised
      patients. Complication of pulmonary histoplasmosis with bronchocentric
      granulomatosis is extremely rare. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old man with prolonged
      fever and nausea was admitted to our hospital. Clinical examination revealed
      pathological auscultatory sounds to the left lung. Computed tomography was
      performed and revealed a large solid mass of the left upper lobe, limited pleural
      and pericardial effusion and calcified lymphadenopathy of mediastinum. A computed
      tomography guided core biopsy of the lung lesion was performed and three samples
      were obtained. Culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed Histoplasma
      capsulatum. Histological findings were compatible with bronchocentric
      granulomatosis. Extended laboratory investigation excluded immunosuppresion. Our
      patient although immunocompetent was diagnosed with chronic pulmonary
      histoplasmosis complicated with bronchocentric granulomatosis and treatment with
      antifungal medication and methylprednisoline started. CONCLUSION: Description of
      a rare case of chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis in a non endemic area like
      Greece, with atypical radiological findings, complicated with bronchocentric
      granulomatosis.

PMID- 28616381
TI  - Anosognosia for memory deficits in mild cognitive impairment: Insight into the
      neural mechanism using functional and molecular imaging.
AB  - Anosognosia, or loss of insight of memory deficits, is a common and striking
      symptom in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous findings in AD dementia patients
      suggest that anosognosia is due to both functional metabolic changes within
      cortical midline structures involved in self-referential processes, as well as
      functional disconnection between these regions. The present study aims to extend
      these findings by investigating the neural correlates of anosognosia in the
      prodromal stage of AD. Here, we used regional brain metabolism (resting state 18
      F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)) to unravel the
      metabolic correlates of anosognosia in subjects with amnestic mild cognitive
      impairment (aMCI) and subsequently resting state functional magnetic resonance
      imaging (rs-fMRI) to investigate the intrinsic connectivity disruption between
      brain regions. Thirty-one subjects (mean age: 74.1; Clinical Dementia Rating
      (CDR) global score: 0.5) with aMCI, and 251 cognitively normal (CN) older adults
      (mean age: 73.3; CDR: 0) were included as a reference group for behavioral and
      FDG data. An anosognosia index was obtained by calculating a discrepancy score
      between subjective and objective memory scores. All subjects underwent FDG-PET
      for glucose metabolism measurement, and aMCI subjects underwent additional rs
      fMRI for intrinsic connectivity measurement. Voxel-wise correlations between
      anosognosia and neuroimaging data were conducted in the aMCI subjects. Subjects
      with aMCI had significantly decreased memory awareness as compared to the CN
      older adults. Greater anosognosia in aMCI subjects was associated with reduced
      glucose metabolism in the posterior cingulate (PCC) cortices and hippocampus.
      Intrinsic connectivity analyses revealed a significant association between
      anosognosia and attenuated functional connectivity between the PCC seed region
      and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) as well as bilateral inferior parietal lobes
      (IPL). These findings provide further evidence that implicates cortical midline
      structures and hippocampus in the awareness of memory deficits. Investigating
      neuroimaging changes that co-vary with memory awareness may improve our ability
      to identify the cause of anosognosia and ultimately increase our chances for its
      treatment.

PMID- 28616382
TI  - Improving language mapping in clinical fMRI through assessment of grammar.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Brain surgery in the language dominant hemisphere remains
      challenging due to unintended post-surgical language deficits, despite using pre
      surgical functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) and intraoperative cortical
      stimulation. Moreover, patients are often recommended not to undergo surgery if
      the accompanying risk to language appears to be too high. While standard fMRI
      language mapping protocols may have relatively good predictive value at the group
      level, they remain sub-optimal on an individual level. The standard tests used
      typically assess lexico-semantic aspects of language, and they do not accurately
      reflect the complexity of language either in comprehension or production at the
      sentence level. Among patients who had left hemisphere language dominance we
      assessed which tests are best at activating language areas in the brain. METHOD:
      We compared grammar tests (items testing word order in actives and passives, wh
      subject and object questions, relativized subject and object clauses and past
      tense marking) with standard tests (object naming, auditory and visual responsive
      naming), using pre-operative fMRI. Twenty-five surgical candidates (13 females)
      participated in this study. Sixteen patients presented with a brain tumor, and
      nine with epilepsy. All participants underwent two pre-operative fMRI protocols:
      one including CYCLE-N grammar tests (items testing word order in actives and
      passives, wh-subject and object questions, relativized subject and object clauses
      and past tense marking); and a second one with standard fMRI tests (object
      naming, auditory and visual responsive naming). fMRI activations during
      performance in both protocols were compared at the group level, as well as in
      individual candidates. RESULTS: The grammar tests generated more volume of
      activation in the left hemisphere (left/right angular gyrus, right
      anterior/posterior superior temporal gyrus) and identified additional language
      regions not shown by the standard tests (e.g., left anterior/posterior
      supramarginal gyrus). The standard tests produced more activation in left BA 47.
      Ten participants had more robust activations in the left hemisphere in the
      grammar tests and two in the standard tests. The grammar tests also elicited
      substantial activations in the right hemisphere and thus turned out to be
      superior at identifying both right and left hemisphere contribution to language
      processing. CONCLUSION: The grammar tests may be an important addition to the
      standard pre-operative fMRI testing.

PMID- 28616383
TI  - Multiparametric MRI to distinguish early onset Alzheimer's disease and
      behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia.
AB  - This prospective study explored whether an approach combining structural
      [cortical thickness and white matter (WM) microstructure] and resting state
      functional MRI can aid differentiation between 62 early onset Alzheimer's disease
      (EOAD) and 27 behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) patients.
      Random forest and receiver operator characteristic curve analyses assessed the
      ability of MRI in classifying the two clinical syndromes. All patients showed a
      distributed pattern of brain alterations relative to controls. Compared to bvFTD,
      EOAD patients showed bilateral inferior parietal cortical thinning and decreased
      default mode network functional connectivity. Compared to EOAD, bvFTD patients
      showed bilateral orbitofrontal and temporal cortical thinning, and WM damage of
      the corpus callosum, bilateral uncinate fasciculus, and left superior
      longitudinal fasciculus. Random forest analysis revealed that left inferior
      parietal cortical thickness (accuracy 0.78, specificity 0.76, sensitivity 0.83)
      and WM integrity of the right uncinate fasciculus (accuracy 0.81, specificity
      0.96, sensitivity 0.43) were the best predictors of clinical diagnosis. The
      combination of cortical thickness and DT MRI measures was able to distinguish
      patients with EOAD and bvFTD with accuracy 0.82, specificity 0.76, and
      sensitivity 0.96. The diagnostic ability of MRI models was confirmed in a
      subsample of patients with biomarker-based clinical diagnosis. Multiparametric
      MRI is useful to identify brain alterations which are specific to EOAD and bvFTD.
      A severe cortical involvement is suggestive of EOAD, while a prominent WM damage
      is indicative of bvFTD.

PMID- 28616384
TI  - Comparison of large-scale human brain functional and anatomical networks in
      schizophrenia.
AB  - Schizophrenia is a disease with disruptions in thought, emotion, and behavior.
      The dysconnectivity hypothesis suggests these disruptions are due to aberrant
      brain connectivity. Many studies have identified connectivity differences but few
      have been able to unify gray and white matter findings into one model. Here we
      develop an extension of the Network-Based Statistic (NBS) called NBSm (Multimodal
      Network-based statistic) to compare functional and anatomical networks in
      schizophrenia. Structural, resting functional, and diffusion magnetic resonance
      imaging data were collected from 29 chronic patients with schizophrenia and 29
      healthy controls. Images were preprocessed, and average time courses were
      extracted for 90 regions of interest (ROI). Functional connectivity matrices were
      estimated by pairwise correlations between wavelet coefficients of ROI time
      series. Following diffusion tractography, anatomical connectivity matrices were
      estimated by white matter streamline counts between each pair of ROIs. Global and
      regional strength were calculated for each modality. NBSm was used to find
      significant overlap between functional and anatomical components that
      distinguished health from schizophrenia. Global strength was decreased in
      patients in both functional and anatomical networks. Regional strength was
      decreased in all regions in functional networks and only one region in anatomical
      networks. NBSm identified a distinguishing functional component consisting of 46
      nodes with 113 links (p < 0.001), a distinguishing anatomical component with 47
      nodes and 50 links (p = 0.002), and a distinguishing intermodal component with 26
      nodes (p < 0.001). NBSm is a powerful technique for understanding network-based
      group differences present in both anatomical and functional data. In light of the
      dysconnectivity hypothesis, these results provide compelling evidence for the
      presence of significant overlapping anatomical and functional disruption in
      people with schizophrenia.

PMID- 28616385
TI  - Neurophysiological evidence of preserved connectivity in tuber tissue.
AB  - We present a case of preserved corticospinal connectivity in a cortical tuber, in
      a 10 year-old boy with intractable epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).
      The patient had multiple subcortical tubers, one of which was located in the
      right central sulcus. In preparation for epilepsy surgery, motor mapping, by
      neuronavigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) coupled with surface
      electromyography (EMG) was performed to locate the primary motor cortical areas.
      The resulting functional motor map revealed expected corticospinal connectivity
      in the left precentral gyrus. Surprisingly, robust contralateral deltoid and
      tibialis anterior motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were also elicited with direct
      stimulation of the cortical tuber in the right central sulcus. MRI with diffusion
      tensor imaging (DTI) tractography confirmed corticospinal fibers originating in
      the tuber. As there are no current reports of preserved connectivity between a
      cortical tuber and the corticospinal tract, this case serves to highlight the
      functional interdigitation of tuber and eloquent cortex. Our case also
      illustrates the widening spectrum of neuropathological abnormality in TSC that is
      becoming apparent with modern MRI methodology. Finally, our finding underscores
      the need for further study of preserved function in tuber tissue during
      presurgical workup in patients with TSC.

PMID- 28616386
TI  - Extreme delta brush evolving into status epilepticus in a patient with anti-NMDA
      encephalitis.
AB  - Extreme delta brush (EDB) is an EEG pattern unique to anti-NMDA encephalitis. It
      is correlated with seizures and status epilepticus in patients who have a
      prolonged course of illness. The etiology of the underlying association between
      EDB and seizures is not understood. We present a patient with anti-NMDA
      encephalitis who developed status epilepticus evolving from the high frequency
      activity of the extreme delta brush. This case demonstrates that EDB is not only
      a marker for a greater propensity for seizures but also directly implicated in
      seizure generation.

PMID- 28616387
TI  - Biosecurity and geospatial analysis of mycoplasma infections in poultry farms at
      Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi region of Libya.
AB  - Geospatial database of farm locations and biosecurity measures are essential to
      control disease outbreaks. A study was conducted to establish geospatial database
      on poultry farms in Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi region of Libya, to evaluate the
      biosecurity level of each farm and to determine the seroprevalence of mycoplasma
      and its relation to biosecurity level. A field team of 7 Veterinarians belongs to
      the National Center of Animal Health was assigned for data recording and
      collection of blood samples. Personal information of the producers, geographical
      locations, biosecurity measures and description of the poultry farms were
      recorded. The total number of poultry farms in Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi Region is 461
      farms distributed in 13 cities. Out of these, 102 broiler farms and one broiler
      breeder farm (10 houses) which were in operation during team visit were included
      in this study. Following collection of blood, sera were separated and tested by
      Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies against
      Mycoplasma (General antigen for M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae). The
      seroprevalence of Mycoplasma in the region was 28% (29 poultry farms out of 103
      were infected). About 50% (23 out of 47) of poultry farms located in Garian city
      were infected with Mycoplasma and one significant cluster of Mycoplasma infection
      in the city was identified. Low level of biosecurity was found in poultry farms
      of the region. Out of the 103 farms included, 63% of poultry houses has a ground
      of soil and 44% of them has uncoated walls which may influence the proper
      cleaning and disinfection. Almost 100% of the farms are at risk of exposure to
      diseases transmitted by wild birds such as avian influenza and Newcastle disease
      due to absence of wild birds control program. Although, 81% of the farms have
      entry restrictions, only 20% have disinfectants at entry which increase the risk
      of exposure to pathogens. The results of this study highlight the weakness points
      of biosecurity measures in poultry farms of Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi region and high
      seroprevalence of mycoplasma. Data collected in this study will assist the
      Veterinary authorities to apply effective disease control strategies.

PMID- 28616388
TI  - Unusual haemodynamics in two dogs and two cats with portosystemic shunt -
      implications for distinguishing between congenital and acquired conditions.
AB  - Extrahepatic porto-systemic shunt (PSS) in small animals can be congenital (CPSS)
      or acquired (APSS) as a consequence of portal hypertension (PH), and are
      distinguished on the bases of their anatomical pattern. A precise morphologic
      imaging assessment, along with clinical and histopathologic findings, is
      important for distinguishing patients with PH from those with congenital PSSs,
      which require different therapeutic approach. Expected findings in patients with
      PH are presence of ascites, multiple APSS, and a confirmed cause of portal flow
      obstruction. On the other hand, a single PSS, absence of ascites and no evidence
      of portal vein, caudal vena cava or hepatic disorders are typical findings of
      CPSS patients. This paper describes four cases of PSSs in which the combination
      of the computed tomographic imaging findings did not match the standards for APSS
      nor for CPSS: one dog had chronic hepatitis causing PH and ascites and a
      splenoazygos PSS, to date considered a CPSS pattern. One dog showed a left
      splenogonadal PSS and porto-caval varices, to date considered an APSS pattern,
      without ascites, portal vein obstruction, primary structural hepatic disorders
      nor evidence of PH. Two cats, with and without diffuse hepatic structural
      disorders respectively, had a single left splenogonadal PSS without ascites.
      Possible interpretation of such unusual haemodynamic conditions and clinical
      repercussion, especially for orientation of treatment choice, are discussed.

PMID- 28616389
TI  - Fibrosarcoma of the eyelid in two sibling Czech wolfdogs.
AB  - Most canine tumors of the eyelid are tumors generally encountered in the skin.
      They are most commonly of epithelial origin and benign. In this report, we
      describe the cases of two sibling Czech wolfdogs presented, one year apart, with
      a subcutaneous mass involving the left eyelid. Both lesions were histologically
      consistent with a diagnosis of subcutaneous fibrosarcoma. Immunohistochemical
      analyses of the tumors revealed a mild positivity for vimentin and negativity for
      GFAP, desmin, alphaSMA, myoglobin, S100, PNL2 and calponin, excluding all
      differential diagnosis (i.e. peripheral nerve sheath tumor, melanoma,
      perivascular sarcoma, myofibroblastic sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma). To the best of
      authors' knowledge, this is the first report of canine eyelid fibrosarcoma. Since
      this rare tumor has been observed in two full siblings, we could speculate the
      existence of some genetic predisposition to sarcoma, however the present data did
      not allow any definite conclusion on the etiopathogenesis or genetic basis of
      these tumors.

PMID- 28616390
TI  - Encephalomyocarditis virus in a captive Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus).
AB  - A 5-month-old female captive Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) died suddenly
      without preceding symptoms. Gross necropsy revealed numerous white circular and
      linear foci in the myocard. Differential diagnosis all turned out negative,
      except for encephalomyocarditis virus. Histopathology revealed mineralisation of
      myocardial cells and interstitial infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells and
      less neutrophils. Encephalomyocarditis virus was detected by PCR. Although
      encephalomyocarditis virus occurs in many mammals, this is the first published
      description of this virus in a Malayan tapir.

PMID- 28616391
TI  - Opioid-free anaesthesia in three dogs.
AB  - Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) is a relatively new and growing field in human
      medicine. There are multiple motivations behind this emerging practice with the
      recognition of several serious potential opioid-related adverse effects including
      opioid induced hyperalgesia, opioid tolerance and immunomodulatory effects of
      opioids. Opioids have long been the mainstay of veterinary anaesthesia and pain
      management practice. The feasibility of OFA in veterinary patients is presented
      here. A case series of three dogs that underwent OFA for canine
      ovariohysterectomy is reported. The authors conclude OFA is possible in
      veterinary medicine; however the move away from the familiar effects of opioids
      perioperatively is challenging. Gaining experience with these types of protocols
      for standard procedures in healthy animals, such as neutering, will provide the
      anaesthetist with the building blocks for more invasive surgeries.

PMID- 28616392
TI  - Catastrophic complication following injection and extracorporeal shock wave
      therapy of a medial femoral condyle subchondral cystic lesion in a 14 year old
      Arabian mare.
AB  - This report describes fibrous cyst lining injection and extracorporeal shock wave
      therapy (ESWT) of a medial femoral condyle (MFC) subchondral cystic lesion (SCL)
      resulting in catastrophic MFC fracture in an Arabian mare. The mare was presented
      for evaluation of a severe hind limb lameness of approximately 4 months duration.
      On presentation, a non-weight bearing lameness of the left hind limb with severe
      effusion and soft tissue swelling of the stifle region was noted. Radiographic
      evaluation of the stifle revealed a large SCL of the MFC with associated
      osteoarthritis. Arthroscopic guided intra-lesional injection of the SCL with
      corticosteroids and autologous bone marrow concentrate was performed followed by
      ESWT of the MFC. The mare was discharged walking comfortably 48-hours post
      operatively. An acute increase in lameness was noted 14 days post-operatively.
      Imaging revealed catastrophic fracture of the left MFC. Possible mechanisms
      leading to failure of the MFC secondary to the described treatment are discussed.

PMID- 28616393
TI  - Tear production and intraocular pressure in canine eyes with corneal ulceration.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate changes in lacrimation and intraocular pressure
      (IOP) in dogs with unilateral corneal ulceration using the Schirmer tear test
      (STT) and rebound (TonoVet(r)) tonometry. IOP and STT values were recorded in
      both ulcerated and non-ulcerated (control) eyes of 100 dogs diagnosed with
      unilateral corneal ulceration. Dogs presented with other ocular conditions as
      their primary complaint were excluded from this study. The mean +/- standard
      deviation for STT values in the ulcerated and control eyes were 20.2+/-4.6 mm/min
      and 16.7+/-3.5 mm/min respectively. The mean +/- standard deviation for IOP in
      the ulcerated and control eyes were 11.9+/-3.1 mmHg and 16.7+/-2.6 mmHg
      respectively. STT values were significantly higher (p<0.000001) in the ulcerated
      eye compared to the control eye while IOP was significantly lower (p<0.0001).
      There is an increase in lacrimation and a decrease in IOP in canine eyes with
      corneal ulceration. The higher tear production in ulcerated eyes shows the
      importance of measuring STT in both eyes in cases of corneal ulceration, since
      this increased lacrimation may mask an underlying keratoconjunctivitis sicca only
      evident in the contralateral eye. The lower IOP in ulcerated eyes is likely to
      relate to mild uveitic change in the ulcerated eye with a concomitant increase in
      uveoscleral aqueous drainage. While these changes in tear production and IOP in
      ulcerated eyes are widely recognised in both human and veterinary ophthalmology,
      it appears that this is the first controlled documented report of these changes
      in a large number of individuals.

PMID- 28616395
TI  - Endoscopic therapies are ever-changing strategies and neverending challenges for
      gastroenterological neoplasia and the refractory conditions.

PMID- 28616394
TI  - New method of sudomotor function measurement to detect microvascular disease and
      sweat gland nerve or unmyelinated C fiber dysfunction in adults with retinopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetes-associated microvascular complications such as retinopathy
      and neuropathy often lead to end-organ and tissue damage. Impaired skin
      microcirculation often precedes the detection of other advanced diabetic
      complications. The ANS-1 system contains a redesigned sympathetic skin response
      (ANS-1 SSR) device that measures sudomotor function, a photoplethysmography
      sensor, and a blood pressure device to comprehensively assess cardiac autonomic
      neuropathy and endothelial dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to
      determine the relationships between the ANS-1 SSR amplitude measured at the: (a)
      negative electrode (Nitric Oxide [NO] Sweat Peak) with microvascular diseases and
      associated vascular blood markers and (b) positive electrode (iSweat Peak) with C
      fiber function. METHODS: All participants (healthy controls n = 50 and
      retinopathy patients n = 50) completed the ANS-1 system evaluation and a basic
      sociodemographic and medical history questionnaire, including a quality of life
      measure (SF-36). A small sample of blood was drawn to determine levels of
      homocysteine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), C-reactive protein (CRP), and
      fibrinogen. Symptoms of peripheral foot neuropathy were assessed with a scale
      from 1 (none) to 10 (the worst). We used Spearman rank correlations, independent
      samples t-tests, and receiver operating characteristic curves to determine the
      specificity and sensitivity of the NO Sweat Peak as a potential screening marker
      of retinopathy. RESULTS: The ANS-1 System Cardiometabolic Risk Score and all
      indicators of quality of life on the SF-36, other than Emotional Role
      Functioning, were significantly worse in the retinopathy patients. The sudomotor
      response marker NO Sweat Peak had a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 68%
      (Area Under the Curve = 0.81, p < 0.0001) to detect retinopathy. The NO Sweat
      Peak response marker inversely correlated with BUN (rho = -0.41, p < 0.0001),
      homocysteine (rho = -0.44, p < 0.0001), fibrinogen (rho = -0.41, p < 0.0001), the
      Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy score (rho = -0.68, p < 0.0001), and the heart rate
      variability Total Power (rho = -0.57, p < 0.0001), and it positively correlated
      with the Photoplethysmography Index (PTGi; rho = 0.53 p < 0.0001). The ANS-1
      system sudomotor response marker iSweat Peak inversely correlated with the
      severity of symptoms on the peripheral neuropathy scale (rho = -0.56, p <
      0.0001). CONCLUSION: The results of the study show that this new method of
      measuring sympathetic skin response should be useful for detecting the earliest
      manifestations of microvascular disease and symptoms of C fiber dysfunction.

PMID- 28616396
TI  - Management for non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly patients:
      the experience of a tertiary university hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) is the main cause of non-variceal upper
      gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). Endoscopic treatment and acid suppression with
      proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are most important in the management of PUB and
      these treatments have reduced mortality. However, elderly patients sometimes have
      a poor prognostic outcome due to severe comorbidities. METHODS: A retrospective
      study was performed on 504 cases with acute non-variceal UGIB who were examined
      in our hospital, in order to reveal the risk factor of a poor outcome in elderly
      patients. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-four cases needed hemostasis; 11 cases
      had unsuccessful endoscopic treatments; 31 cases had re-bleeding after endoscopic
      hemostasis. Forty-three cases died within 30 days after the initial urgent
      endoscopy, but only seven cases died from bleeding. Elderly patients aged over 65
      years had more severe comorbidities, and were prescribed non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antiplatelet agents and/or anticoagulation agents,
      more frequently, compared with non-elderly patients. The significant risk factor
      of needing hemostatic therapy was the taking of two or more NSAIDs, antiplatelet
      agents and/or anticoagulation agents. The most important risk of a poor outcome
      in elderly patients was various kinds of severe comorbidities. And so, it is
      important to predict such an outcome in these cases. AIMS65 is a simple and
      relatively useful scoring system that predicts the risk of a poor outcome in
      UGIB. High-score patients via AIMS65 were associated with a high mortality rate
      because of death from comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: The elderly patients in whom
      were prescribed two or more NSAIDs, antiplatelet agents and/or anticoagulation
      agents, should have UGIB prevented using a PPI. The most significant risk of a
      poor outcome in elderly patients was severe comorbidities. We recommend that
      elderly patients with UGIB should be estimated as having a poor outcome as soon
      as possible via the risk scoring system AIMS65.

PMID- 28616397
TI  - Development and use of a non-biomaterial model for hands-on training of
      endoscopic procedures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and peroral endoscopic myotomy
      (POEM) are recently developed techniques that have the potential to significantly
      improve clinical outcomes. However, training opportunities on these techniques
      remain limited. To address this issue, we developed a novel ex-vivo ESD/POEM
      training model. Our aim in this paper is to describe the model and provide
      preliminary evidence of promising feasibility to improve access to ESD/POEM
      training. METHODS: The model was developed using polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel,
      which can easily be modified to reproduce the stiffness of the different
      intestinal layers, namely the mucosa, submucosa, and muscle layer. RESULTS: A
      training workshop, using our ex-vivo model, was held for 28 residents.
      Satisfaction and feasibility in using the ex-vivo model for endoscopic training
      were evaluated by using a self-report questionnaire. All participants were
      satisfied with their training experience (100% satisfaction rate), with 27 of the
      28 participants reporting that the model was feasible in replicating all
      components of the ESD/POEM technique (96.4% feasibility rate). CONCLUSIONS: Based
      on this feedback, we propose that our non-biomaterial model has the feasibility
      to provide an effective endoscopy education tool and a satisfactory training
      experience.

PMID- 28616398
TI  - New photodynamic therapy with next-generation photosensitizers.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive antitumor treatment that uses the
      combination of a photosensitizer, tissue oxygen, and visible light irradiation to
      produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, predominantly singlet oxygen.
      Currently, first-generation PDT using porfimer sodium with an excimer dye laser,
      and second-generation PDT using talaporfin sodium PDT with a semiconductor laser
      are approved by health insurance for use in Japan. However, the cancer cell
      specificity and selectivity of these treatments are inadequate. Cancer cells
      consume higher levels of glucose than normal cells and this phenomenon is known
      as the Warburg effect. Thus, we developed a third-generation PDT, based on the
      Warburg effect, by synthesizing a novel photosensitizer, sugar-conjugated
      chlorin, with increased cancer cell-selective accumulation. Glucose-conjugated
      chlorin (G-chlorin) PDT showed significantly stronger antitumor effects than
      second-generation talaporfin PDT. We also found that PDT with G-chlorin induced
      immunogenic cell death which is characterized by the secretion, release, or
      surface exposure of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), including
      calreticulin (CRT) and the high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein. Mannose
      conjugated chlorin (M-chlorin) PDT which targets the mannose receptors on the
      surface of cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in cancer tissue
      stroma also showed very strong antitumor effects. These novel PDTs using glucose
      or M-chlorins stand as new candidates for very effective, next-generation PDTs.

PMID- 28616399
TI  - Management of strictures after endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial
      esophageal cancer.
AB  - Endoscopic resection of early esophageal cancer has a high therapeutic effect
      while being minimally invasive. Especially, the establishment of the endoscopic
      submucosal dissection (ESD) procedure has made it possible to resect large
      lesions in an en-bloc manner. As a result, accurate pathology evaluation became
      possible, and the risk of local recurrence was extremely low. On the other hand,
      esophageal strictures after endoscopic treatment of an extensive circumferential
      lesion are a potential problem. Previously, for the prevention and treatment of
      esophageal strictures, patients had to undergo painful endoscopic balloon
      dilation (EBD) many times. It is, however, associated with complications
      (perforation, bleeding, etc.). For this, oral intake and/or a local injection of
      steroids were given and EBD sessions were less frequently or even unnecessarily
      performed. Furthermore, oral mucosa epithelial cell sheet transplantation and
      biodegradable stents are applied for controlling post-ESD stricture.
      Nevertheless, EBD was still the treatment option for refractory cases of
      stenosis. Recently, endoscopic radial incision and cutting methods have been
      applied to esophageal post-procedural strictures and even for anastomotic
      strictures following surgery. Thus, it is now becoming possible to treat
      circumferential lesions with ESD and to control the resultant stenosis.

PMID- 28616400
TI  - Tips for safety in endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal tumors.
AB  - In Japan, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) becomes one of standard
      therapies for large colorectal tumors. Recently, the efficacy of ESD has been
      reported all over the world. However, it is still difficult even for Japanese
      experts in some situations. Right-sided location, large tumor size, high degree
      of fibrosis, difficult manipulation is related with the difficulty. However,
      improvements on ESD devices, suitable strategies, and increase of operators'
      experiences enable us to solve these problems. In this chapter, we introduce
      recent topics about various difficult factors of colorectal ESD and the tips such
      as strategy, devices, injection, and traction method [Pocket-creation method
      (PCM) etc.].

PMID- 28616401
TI  - Recent advancements in stent therapy in patients with malignant gastroduodenal
      outlet obstruction.
AB  - Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) is one of severe comorbidities caused by many
      kinds of malignant diseases and is associated with not only degradation of
      patients' quality of life but also mortality. Although surgical bypass is one of
      the main therapies for malignant GOO, it is often difficult to perform in end
      stage patients. The deployment of self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) has
      recently become a viable alternative to surgical bypass for malignant GOO. This
      technique is less invasive and more effective, particularly in patients with poor
      prognoses. Many reports have referred to the feasibility, effectiveness, and
      safety of the placement of SEMSs for malignant GOO. According to these reports,
      the rates of technical and clinical success were reported to be relatively high
      and the rate of adverse events to be acceptable. However, precautions against
      severe adverse events such as massive bleeding and perforation are necessary.
      Several reports have described the differences in clinical results among
      different kinds of SEMSs. The presence of a covered design for SEMSs may affect
      the patency of SEMSs and the rate of stent dysfunction. Selection of the SEMS
      according to axial force may affect successful achievement of long patency of
      SEMSs and avoidance of gastroduodenal perforation at the bending site of the
      duodenum. Compared with high technical success rates nearing 100%, clinical
      success rates were usually lower than technical success. Therefore, determination
      of predictive factors for failure of clinical success is important. Several
      papers reported that low performance status could be associated with failure of
      clinical success. However, the association of clinical success with other factors
      such as carcinomatosa and ascites remains controversial, which is a problem to be
      solved. Reintervention with SEMS using the stent-in-stent method after stent
      dysfunction can be performed effectively as well as placement of the first SEMS.

PMID- 28616402
TI  - Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery for gastrointestinal tumor.
AB  - With technological progress of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the last
      decade, several laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgeries (LECS) for
      gastrointestinal tumor have recently been developed. LECS is definitely favorable
      to the minimization of surgical margin, which leads to functional and anatomical
      preservation of gastrointestinal tract. LECS for gastrointestinal tumor is mainly
      sorted by two categories: exposure procedures and non-exposure procedures between
      endoluminal and extraluminal spaces. Exposure procedures have the potential risk
      of gastric contents or tumor cells spilling out over the abdominal cavity,
      because the stomach wall has to be perforated intentionally during the procedure.
      In order to avoid the potential these risks, non-exposure procedures have been
      developed. Currently, the LECS concept has rapidly permeated for treatment of
      gastrointestinal tumor due to its certainty and safety, although there is still
      room for improvement to lessen its technical difficulty. This review describes
      the current LECS for gastrointestinal tumor based on the several articles.

PMID- 28616403
TI  - Endoscopic submucosal dissection for duodenal tumors.
AB  - Recently, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the duodenal tumors has come
      to be treated in many institutions, but has also showed many problems of
      feasibility and safety compared with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). Although
      duodenal ESD is expected to be more effective for the prevention of postoperative
      local recurrence, high incidence rate of duodenal perforation and emergency
      surgical rescue are big problem. Prophylactic mucosal closure by clipping device,
      polyglycolic acid sheets shielding, and the laparoscopic and endoscopic
      cooperative surgery are reported to be effective measures to overwhelm the
      various problems associated with duodenal ESD. However, duodenal ESD still has
      quite a bit of room for improvement of the procedure, and currently the
      indication should be well discussed before treatment in consideration of the
      expected therapeutic effect and complications.

PMID- 28616404
TI  - Complications following endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric, esophageal,
      and colorectal cancer: a review of studies based on nationwide large-scale
      databases.
AB  - Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a relatively new procedure used for the
      treatment of early gastrointestinal cancers regardless of the lesion size and
      configuration, and it has gradually acquired popularity because of its minimally
      invasive nature. As compared to conventional endoscopic resection, ESD is a more
      complex procedure and requires a higher level of technical skill. Therefore, it
      is associated with a higher complication rate. Many previous studies that
      investigated the complication rates following ESD analyzed data from a limited
      number of specialized centers, possibly leading to an underestimation of the
      complication rates. Further, the relationship between hospital volume and
      complication rates is poorly understood. In the present study, we searched the
      MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library databases for studies that have reported on ESD
      related complications and the relationship between hospital volume and ESD
      related complication rates in a nationwide setting. The complication rates
      (including perforation, peritonitis, and bleeding) were 3.5% for gastric ESD,
      3.3% for esophageal ESD, and 4.6% for colorectal ESD. The studies reviewed showed
      that ESD-related complication rates were permissibly low, and that there was a
      linear association between a higher hospital volume and a lower frequency of
      complications following ESD.

PMID- 28616405
TI  - Endoscopic treatment for distal malignant biliary obstruction.
AB  - Distal malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) leads to obstructive jaundice as a
      result of when the bile excretion from the liver is disturbed and induces hepatic
      failure and sepsis, which when complicated with cholangitis, it becomes necessary
      to perform drainage for the MBO. For biliary drainage, we can perform a surgical
      bypass operation, percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), endoscopic
      biliary drainage (EBD) via duodenal papilla, or endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
      guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD), which is a transgastrointestinal biliary
      drainage. Although currently we usually perform EBD for distal MBO to begin with,
      the choice is different for biliary drainage in patients in whom EBD has failed
      in a preoperative case or an unresectable case. In other words, we choose PTBD
      for preoperative cases, and PTBD or EUS-BD according to the ability of the
      institution for their procedures when EBD has failed. It is desirable not to
      choose a plastic stent (PS) but a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS), in
      particular for the unresectable cases of pancreatic cancer it is desirable not to
      choose an uncovered SEMS but a covered SEMS in EBD. Nevertheless, further
      examinations are expected to decide which, a covered or uncovered SEMS, we should
      choose in unresectable biliary tract cancer (BTC) and whether we should select
      PS, SEMS or ENBD in preoperative cases.

PMID- 28616406
TI  - New endoscopic approach of anti-fibrotic therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.
AB  - Fibrosis continues to be paid a great attention in not only basic research but
      also clinical practice, especially for the development of novel therapeutics in
      various fibrotic diseases. However, there remain several obstacles to translation
      in developing anti-fibrosis therapy. The present review documents our
      translational practice from target discovery to first-in-patient studies in the
      development of anti-fibrosis therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). First
      topic is a target selection. We have focused on the target that has an ability to
      regulate multifactorial cascades of fibrosis. Carbohydrate sulfotransferase 15
      (CHST15) synthesizes matrix proteoglycan that regulates various pathogenic
      mediators and contributes to tissue remodeling during injury. Small interfering
      RNA (siRNA) targeting CHST15 inhibited activation of fibroblasts in vitro and
      reduced fibrosis in vivo. Second topic is a clinically feasible application. We
      established a safe and novel pancolonic delivery of siRNA, which is achieved by
      direct injection to extracellular matrix (ECM) through endoscope. Third topic is
      an endpoint for both nonclinical and clinical studies. We have focused on tissue
      specific findings for co-existence of fibrosis in ulcerative lesions in IBD and
      investigated whether the balance of mucosal healing (MH) and fibrosis, which is
      evaluated by endoscopy and histology respectively, can be used for study
      endpoints. Phase 1 clinical trial of STNM01, a synthesized CHST15 siRNA, by a
      single dose endoscopic submucosal injection for non-healer patients with Crohn's
      disease showed high rates of MH. Analyses of biopsy specimens revealed that
      STNM01 reduced CHST15 expression at local lesions, repressed pre-existing
      fibrosis and repaired the damaged crypts. Thus, blockade of multifactorial
      modulator CHST15 in ECM showed a potential to treat tissue remodeling and skew
      fibrosis toward mucosal repair. Our practice suggests that target- and tissue
      specific findings-based strategy would be a key to translation in developing anti
      fibrosis therapy.

PMID- 28616407
TI  - Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for treating esophageal motility disorders.
AB  - Pneumatic dilatation and Heller myotomy have been thoroughly studied as the most
      viable treatment options for achalasia. The pendulum, however, is shifting to the
      minimally invasive approach. Since Inoue et al. published the experience of the
      first 17 cases of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in 2010, there have been at
      least 5,000 cases performed worldwide and the number is increasing exponentially.
      Experts across the globe have been extending the indications to various
      esophageal motility disorders, to patients of extremes of age, sigmoidal
      esophagus and re-operated patients. There are a few variations in technique
      across different centers in defining the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and
      adequacy of myotomy, the optimal length, site of myotomy and whether the full
      thickness of the muscle wall should be cut. Large case series demonstrated its
      promising efficacy & reasonable complication profile. Randomized controlled trial
      in comparison with the gold standard, Heller myotomy, is ongoing. The future
      application of submucosal tunnelling technique is thrilling with its extension in
      tumour resection, antropyloromyotomy and other natural orifice transluminal
      endoscopic surgery (NOTES).

PMID- 28616408
TI  - Breastfeeding and respiratory tract infections during the first 2 years of life.
AB  - Breastfeeding and respiratory tract infections http://ow.ly/Isd9309JS69.

PMID- 28616409
TI  - Awareness and perceptions regarding common cancers among adult population in a
      rural area of Puducherry, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Awareness regarding cancer signs and symptoms and their screening and
      treatment method was low in India. OBJECTIVES: To assess the awareness level of
      common cancers, perception regarding prevention and treatment of common cancers,
      association between sociodemographic variables with the awareness level of common
      cancers in the adult population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study
      was conducted among 299 adults from the field practice areas of Our Rural Health
      Centre, Puducherry, during April-May 2014. Using systematic random sampling, 299
      adults were interviewed through a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Data
      were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and were analyzed by Statistical Package
      for Social Sciences version 20. Chi-square test was used. RESULTS: Nearly, 64%
      were in the age group of >=40 years, the majorities were females (56.2%) and 64%
      were in lower socioeconomic class. Symptoms reported majorities were unusual
      bleeding (41.6%), followed by nagging cough (34.1%). Risk factors reported
      majorities were smoking (65%), chewing tobacco (59%) followed by alcohol use
      (46.5%). Only 10% reported cancer could be diagnosed early and 27% perceived
      cancer could be preventable. Only 6% perceived cancer could be cured fully. The
      adequate awareness level regarding lung and oral cancer were 14%, but breast and
      cervical cancer were <5%. The younger age group (<40 years) had more adequate
      awareness level compared to age group >=40 years (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The
      awareness level of common cancers was very poor. Vigorous health education
      program should improve the status of early diagnosis and proper treatment for
      common cancers such as oral, breast, and cervical cancer.

PMID- 28616410
TI  - Assessing effects of BL67 points stimulation on fetal heart rate parameters and
      fetal movements during nonstress test.
AB  - CONTEXT: One of the main goals of antenatal testing is to identify fetuses at the
      risk of neurologic injury or death so that these adverse outcomes can be
      prevented. We want to assess the effects of BL67 points' stimulation on fetal
      heart rate parameters and fetal movements during nonstress test (NST). We did a
      quasi-experimental design in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Isfahan in 2011. AIMS:
      This study aims to assessment of the effects of BL67 points' stimulation on fetal
      heart rate parameters and fetal movements. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: We did a
      randomized controlled clinical trial in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Isfahan in
      2011. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study is a quasi-experimental design that was
      conducted in one group and the two steps (before-after study). Participants were
      pregnant women (primigravida) who were 35-18 years that refer to Shahid Beheshti
      Hospital in Isfahan in 2011 to receive routine prenatal care. The 32 pregnant
      women were selected for acupressure during the second NST. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
      USED: The statistical processing was performed by descriptive, paired t-test
      through SPSS version 20. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean
      number of accelerations in fetal heart rate and mean number of fetal movement
      before and after intervention; however, there was a significant difference in
      mean time to the second acceleration before and after the intervention (P =
      0.04). CONCLUSIONS: No difference between parameters of the fetal heart rate
      before and after stimulation and lack of uterine response by this method is a
      significant advantage and is probably why stimulating this point could not create
      a risk to the fetuses.

PMID- 28616411
TI  - Identification of etiologic agents of cutaneous Leishmaniasis in palpebral
      position followed by effective therapy.
AB  - CONTEXT: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a self-healing lesion but prevention of
      complications and involvement of vital organs such as palpebra requires proper
      treatment. AIMS: The main objectives were to detect agents of CL in palpebral
      region and estimate the proportion of palpebral lesion also possible
      complications among CL patients in a zoonotic CL endemic area. SETTINGS AND
      DESIGN: The study was performed from April 2012 to March 2013 in a total of 1613
      CL suspected patients by interview and physically exam. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The
      samples were used for direct smear using Giemsa stain method, or cultured in Novy
      McNeal-Nicol medium. For further checked, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      was used for negative palpebral samples. Of the 1613 examined samples, 848
      (81.4%) by direct smear, 188 (18%) by culture and 6 (0.6%) by nested PCR were
      positive, respectively. A total of 233 of the patients showed lesions on the face
      of whom 15 (male = 5, female = 10, 1.43% of all and 6.43% of facial lesions)
      presented with palpebral CL. The results of nested PCR indicated that all the
      palpebral cases were due to Leishmania major. CONCLUSIONS: About 93% of the
      patients with palpebral lesion were under 5 years old and were infected in the
      hyper endemic regions, but no ocular complication was seen in any of them. Based
      on the results, it seems that early referring to the medical center for proper
      diagnosis and treatment is the main reason for prevention of further
      complications.

PMID- 28616412
TI  - Assessing the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis genome in pregnant women with
      spontaneous abortion using polymerase chain reaction method in Yasuj: First
      report from Southwest of Iran.
AB  - CONTEXT: Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most prevalent factors of sexually
      transmitted diseases worldwide, which causes abortion, premature rupture of
      membrane, uterine cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory diseases, and ectopic
      pregnancy. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of C.
      trachomatis genome in pregnant women with abortion in Yasuj, Iran. SETTINGS AND
      DESIGN: This is a descriptive-analytical study in Shahid Mofateh Gyneco
      obstetrics clinic and Emam sajjad Hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Specimens of
      cervix, urine, placenta, and blood of 107 pregnant women were simultaneously
      collected at maternity ward and operation room and were stored for molecular
      tests. The molecular tests were performed, and the results were analyzed.
      STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Analysis was performed using SPSS software 9.1 (IBM,
      Illinois, Chicago, USA) with descriptive-analytical statistics. RESULTS: Of 107
      women, 15 had polymerase chain reaction-positive tests for C. trachomatis. The
      age of the studied individuals was 15-38 years with mean age of 26.6 years. The
      highest infection rates were in the age group of 21-25 years (7.47%), and the
      lowest frequency was in the age group of 36-40 years. A significant difference
      was noted between the number of first abortions in the case and control groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that C. trachomatis as a sexually transmitted
      agent causes severe complications such as abortion; thus, it is important to
      screen pregnant and sexually active women who are craving to carry a baby.

PMID- 28616413
TI  - The condition of interdisciplinary communication among various Educational and
      Research Departments of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study aimed to assess interdisciplinary communication among
      various Educational and Research Departments of Isfahan University of Medical
      Sciences (IUMS) in clinical medical sciences using social network analysis.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out using scientometrics method and
      interdisciplinary communication network analysis. Interdisciplinary network of
      1298 articles in medical sciences published in Journal of Isfahan Medical School
      was evaluated using macro- and micro-level criteria of network analysis. Ravar
      Matrix, UCINET, and VOSviewer software were used to analyze the interdisciplinary
      network of medical sciences articles. RESULTS: Findings showed that "Students
      Research Committee" and "School of Medicine," the affiliations of the medical
      students in general practice with scores of 272 and 197, "Epidemiology and
      Biostatistics," "Community Medicine," and "Internal Medicine" with 170, 101, and
      99, respectively, possessed the first ranking of productivity index in scientific
      communication. Furthermore, in betweenness centrality index, "Epidemiology and
      Biostatistics" (3427.807), "Students Research Committee" (2967.180), and
      "Community Medicine" (1770.300) have an appropriate position in the network.
      Based on the centrality index, "Epidemiology and Biostatistics" (22.412),
      "Students Research Committee" (22.185) as well as "Community Medicine" and
      "School of Medicine" (both 21.554) acquired the least amount of distance with
      other nodes in network. CONCLUSION: Given the increased specialization in medical
      fields in recent years, communication between researchers with various
      specializations and creation of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary
      departments had turned into an undeniable necessity. Therefore, communication
      between educational or research departments can facilitate the flow of
      information between researchers; and consequently, the top ranking departments in
      this study had more participation in scientific production of IUMS and getting
      more scores in annual evaluation by scientometrics department. This network
      analysis showed that researchers in various medical fields closely collaborate
      with each other and are able to connect with <2 intermediates.

PMID- 28616414
TI  - BASNEF Model intervention on blood pressure modification among hypertensive
      diabetic patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prevalence of hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes is two to
      three times more than nondiabetic patients. This study aimed at assessing the
      impacts of an educational program based on BASNEF Model on blood pressure
      modification among diabetic patients with hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Two hundred patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited in an educational
      intervention study among two groups. The intervention group attended a 3-month
      self-care educational program regarding hypertension control in addition to the
      regular care presented for both the groups. Another group received no extra
      program except regular treatment. To collect information about demographic
      characteristics, type 2 diabetes-related variables, and BASNEF Model construct
      items, a self-designed questionnaire was utilized. Data analyzed by SPSS version
      16 using Chi-square, independent t-test, and paired t-test. RESULTS: Knowledge,
      behavioral beliefs, attitude to action, enabling factors, subjective norms, and
      practice were significantly higher in intervention group as compared to the
      controls (P < 0.001). In addition, blood pressure revealed significant
      differences in intervention group before and after program using paired t-test (P
      = 0.001) while in the control group, there was no significant difference in blood
      pressure (P = 0.54). DISCUSSION: The study results revealed a significant change
      in blood pressure and model constructs in intervention group compared to control.
      This research suggested intervention program based on BASNEF Model has
      essentially effectiveness in blood pressure modification among diabetic patients.
      CONCLUSION: BASNEF Model has effectiveness to high blood modification among
      diabetic patients with hypertension.

PMID- 28616415
TI  - Quality evaluation of Persian nutrition and diet therapy websites.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Nowadays websites are among the most important information sources
      used by most people. With the spread of websites, especially those related to
      health issues, the number of their visitors also increases, more than half of
      which are about nutritional information. Therefore, quality analysis of nutrition
      and diet therapy websites is of outmost importance. This study aims to evaluate
      the quality of Persian nutrition and diet therapy websites. METHODS: The current
      work is a survey study and uses an applied study method. The statistical
      population consists of 51 Persian websites about nutrition and diet therapy and
      census method was used in order to study them. Data gathering was done using a
      checklist and with direct visit to each website. Descriptive and analytical
      statistics were used to analyse the gathered data with the help of SPSS 21
      software. RESULTS: Findings showed that content (66.7%), organization (82.4%),
      user friendly interfaces (52.9%) and total quality (70.6%) of most websites had a
      mediocre score while the design score for most of the websites (70.6%) was
      acceptable also organizational websites had better design, organization and
      quality compared to private websites. The three websites with the highest general
      quality score were the websites of "Novel Diet Therapy," "Behsite" and "Dr.
      BehdadiPour" (jointly) and "Dr. Kermani" respectively. Also in the dimension of
      content the factors of goal, relevance and credibility, in the dimension of
      design the factors of color, text and sound, pictures and videos, in the
      dimension of organization the factors of stability and indexing and in the
      dimension of user friendliness the factors of confidentiality, credibility and
      personalization had the highest scores. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the
      design score was higher than other scores. Also the general quality score of the
      websites was mediocre and was not desirable. Also websites didn't have suitable
      scores in every factor. Since most people search the internet for nutritional and
      diet therapy information, the creators of these websites should endeavor to fix
      the shortcomings of their websites and increase the quality of their websites in
      several different areas.

PMID- 28616416
TI  - Iranian parent-staff communication and parental stress in the neonatal Intensive
      Care Unit.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The birth of an infant requiring hospitalization in the neonatal
      Intensive Care Unit (NICU) uniformly is reported to be stressful for parents and
      family members. This study aimed to determine parent-staff communication in the
      NICU and its relationship to parent stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred
      and three Iranian parents with preterm infants hospitalized in the NICU
      participated in this descriptive-correlational study. The participants were
      selected by the quota sampling method. Data collected included a three-part:
      questionnaire, the first part covered demographic parent and infant information,
      the second was the Parent-Staff Communication Scale (the score of which ranged
      from 0 to 180), and the third was the Parental Stress Scale (the score of which
      ranged from 0 to 102). Descriptive and inferential statistics including the
      Pearson's correlation coefficient test were applied to the data, using SPSS
      software Version 16. RESULTS: This study revealed that fathers and mothers'
      stress and communication scores were almost comparable and both higher than
      expected. The total mean score of the two main variables, i.e., parent-staff
      communication and parental stress were, respectively, 100.72 +/- 18.89 and 75.26
      +/- 17.6. A significant inverse correlation was found between parental stress and
      parent-staff communication scores (r = -0.144, P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Based on
      this study finding showed that better parent-staff communication is related to
      lower parent stress scores, it is recommended that nurses and physicians receive
      specific skill training for the establishment of effective parent-staff
      communication. It is anticipated that such improved staff skills will help
      decrease parent stress and therewith likely promote parent and infant health in
      the NICU.

PMID- 28616418
TI  - Researcher's experiences about their publication in ISI journals: A qualitative
      study in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As one of the indicators of actual growth and scientific development
      capacity of countries, the importance of the research is steadily increasing.
      Knowing that success depends on the work done by researchers so identified
      identify these barriers and pave the way for one of the concerned authorities of
      their research. METHODS: This qualitative study using analysis of the theme. Semi
      structured interviews were used to collect the data. Participants include people
      who are experienced and knowledgeable in the field. Sampling was purposeful and
      continued until data saturation. The criteria of "reliability",
      "trustworthiness", "reliability" and "significant consolidation" of data were
      considered. RESULTS: Data analysis led to the extraction of code 600, 5, and 35
      issues were Zyrmvzv. Five topics including motivation, success factors, barriers
      and problems, reflections and strategies, respectively. CONCLUSION: Discussion
      interest, innovation, the ability to apply research methods, specializes in the
      research literature and English language skills of researchers successfully in
      printing paper. Creating strong incentives to improve the material and spiritual
      encouragement and removal of obstacles, increase the amount of scientific
      publications and its opposite, although the force can cause increased production
      of scientific publications, but the negative consequences of such unhealthy
      competition and robbery also will follow. As a result, universities have to go
      through proper planning and management in the areas of research and teaching more
      responsible to pay it.

PMID- 28616417
TI  - The comparison the effect of training by means of simulation and oral method on
      midwives' skill in management of shoulder dystocia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Shoulder dystocia is one of the obstetric emergencies that are
      accompanied to serious risks for mother and fetus. It necessitates making the
      method of training of shoulder dystocia management more efficient, i.e., better
      management and giving services with higher quality. Thus, this study was carried
      out to compare the impact of training by simulation and oral technique on the
      skill of the employed midwives in obstetric clinics at Mashhad city (Iran) in
      shoulder dystocia management during 2012. METHODS: The current research is a
      double-group clinical trial that was conducted on 51 members of the employed
      midwives in the obstetric clinic at Mashhad city in 2012. The questionnaire of
      personal specification and awareness about shoulder dystocia and practical
      examination (objective-structured clinical examination) were employed as tools
      for data collection. The learners were divided into two groups by randomized
      allocation. Training was done by the presentation of lecture in the oral content
      group and a short movie was displayed at the end of it. The shoulder dystocia
      management technique was simulated in another group and through role-playing of
      instructor application of moulage (station) training was conducted. The period of
      the training course (4 h) and content of the educational workshop was identical
      for both groups. The practical examination was held for the learners before and
      immediately after training course. The given data were analyzed by means of
      statistical descriptive tests including Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon test via
      SPSS software (version 16). The significance level was considered as (P < 0.05)
      in all cases. RESULTS: The total mean score was significantly increased for the
      variable of shoulder dystocia management skill after intervention in both groups
      (P < 0.0001). Similarly, the results of Mann-Whitney U-test statistical tests
      indicated that total mean score for the variable of shoulder dystocia management
      skill after the intervention was significantly greater in simulation group than
      in an oral group (P = 0.040). CONCLUSION: Training in simulated delivery room by
      means of role-playing is an efficient method for training shoulder dystocia
      management skill, so it is recommended to use this program in the training of
      this skill.

PMID- 28616419
TI  - Economic planning and equilibrium growth of human resources and capital in health
      care sector: Case study of Iran.
AB  - CONTEXT: During different planning periods, human resources factor has been
      considerably increased in the health-care sector. AIMS: The main goal is to
      determine economic planning conditions and equilibrium growth for services level
      and specialized workforce resources in health-care sector and also to determine
      the gap between levels of health-care services and specialized workforce
      resources in the equilibrium growth conditions and their available levels during
      the periods of the first to fourth development plansin Iran. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: In the study after data collection, econometric methods and EViews
      version 8.0 were used for data processing. The used model was based on
      neoclassical economic growth model. RESULTS: The results indicated that during
      the former planning periods, although specialized workforce has been increased
      significantly in health-care sector, lack of attention to equilibrium growth
      conditions caused imbalance conditions for product level and specialized
      workforce in health-care sector. CONCLUSIONS: In the past development plans for
      health services, equilibrium conditions based on the full employment in the
      capital stock, and specialized labor are not considered. The government could act
      by choosing policies determined by the growth model to achieve equilibrium level
      in the field of human resources and services during the next planning periods.

PMID- 28616420
TI  - Investigation effect of oral chamomilla on sleep quality in elderly people in
      Isfahan: A randomized control trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elderly people often suffer from sleep disorders. Chamomile due to
      the many health benefits such as sedation may be effective in improving sleep
      quality in elderly people. This study aimed to determine the effect of Matricaria
      chamomilla extract on sleep quality in elderly people admitted to nursing homes
      of Isfahan in 2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study is a quasi
      experimental clinical trial. The study population was 77 cases of elderly
      hospitalized in nursing homes. Participants were selected through random
      continuous sampling and divided into intervention and control groups. The
      intervention group received 400 mg oral capsules of chamomile twice daily, after
      lunch and after dinner for 4 weeks. The control group did not receive the
      intervention. Sleep quality in older adults before and after intervention were
      compared using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire. Data were
      analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t- and independent t-tests, one
      way analysis of variance and liner regression analysis, using SPSS software
      version 17. RESULTS: Before intervention, the mean score of sleep quality both
      experimental and control groups showed no significant difference (P > 0.05).
      After intervention, the mean score of sleep quality was a significant difference
      between experimental and control groups (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Oral
      administration of chamomile extract has sedative properties in sleep quality of
      hospitalized elderly patients in nursing homes. Therefore, it can be used in
      similar cases and nursing care.

PMID- 28616421
TI  - Cystic fibrosis prevalence among a group of high-risk children in the main
      referral children hospital in Iran.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Knowledge about cystic fibrosis (CF) in Iran is very limited. The
      objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of CF among a group of
      high-risk children with suggestive clinical features in the main referral
      hospital in Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study children consisted of 505
      patients who had presented with one or more of the following symptoms: chronic or
      recurrent respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms as rectal prolapse,
      steatorrhea, hepatobiliary disease as prolonged jaundice, failure to thrive,
      hyperglycemia and glycosuria, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis,
      hypoprothrombinemia, anemia or edema, and positive family history of CF. Patients
      were screened using pilocarpine iontophoresis to collect sweat and chemical
      analysis of its chloride content with classic Gibson and Cooke technique.
      RESULTS: Of 505 patients, 89 (17.6%) had positive sweat chloride screening test.
      Five (1%) patients had required cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductive
      regulator protein mutation analysis to confirm CF. CONCLUSION: Our findings
      suggest that in Iran, CF is more common than what previously anticipated. Larger
      studies are warranted to identify the incidence, molecular basis, and clinical
      pattern of CF in the Iranian population.

PMID- 28616422
TI  - Evaluation of educational program in the Master of Medical Education by Eisner's
      educational connoisseurship and criticism model.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To be more successful in medical education and identify the
      strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum in this field, assessment of the
      students' views, graduates, professors, and experts is essential. The aim of this
      qualitative assessment was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the
      medical education curriculum. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This research is a
      qualitative study using the Eisner's educational connoisseurship and criticism
      model that was conducted in Shiraz Medical Sciences University in 2014. In this
      research, graduate medical education curriculum was criticized by a team of
      educational experts. Fifteen professors in the first stage of the focus group
      meeting addressed the three stages of educational criticism. In the second stage,
      several interviews were conducted with the above-mentioned people. In the third
      phase, the implementation of video recordings from the focus group meeting was
      performed in written form. In the fourth stage, conventional content analysis was
      used to analyze the qualitative data. RESULTS: This curriculum has advantages and
      disadvantages in the constituent elements of the program. Its weaknesses include
      lack of written a guide for practical courses, lack of consideration of joint
      practical exercise to make integrate between lessons, lack of sufficient
      attention to aspects of practical and functional knowledge in this field, lack of
      attention to performance evaluation and development, and lack of routine review
      of the curriculum. On the other hand, the strengths of this study include the
      suitability of this field for professors and its positive impact on professors
      and students performance in the classroom. CONCLUSION: As medical education is
      partly an emerging field in Iran and considering the weaknesses, reviewing the
      curriculum based on the main part of program, the outcomes, curriculum content,
      teaching strategies, student assessment, and course management are recommended.

PMID- 28616423
TI  - The relationship between sexual dysfunction and quality of marital relationship
      in genital and breast cancers women.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The concept of sexual dysfunction is dysfunction in desire and
      emotional - social that it is Impact on the sexual response cycle and can cause
      stress and interpersonal difficulties. Quality of marital relationship is one of
      the important factors predicting sexual function disorders, which varies among
      different cancers. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship
      between sexual dysfunction and quality of marital relationship in genital and
      breast cancers in women. METHODS: This correlational study was conducted on 150
      breast and genital cancers in women referred to Sayedoshohada and Milad hospitals
      in Isfahan city through a two-stage sampling method. Participants completed
      questionnaires about demographic/disease and sexual function questionnaire (44
      questions) and quality of marital relationship (11 questions). Collected data
      were analyzed using SPSS version 14 software, statistical test such as, Pearson
      correlation coefficient tests independent t- student, one way ANOVA. RESULTS: The
      results showed that 70.7% of women had breast cancer and 29.3% had gynaecological
      cancer. 60% of patient had good quality of marital relationship and 19.3% sexual
      dysfunction. There was a significant correlation between sexual function and
      quality of marital relationship (P = <0.001). CONCLUSION: There was a significant
      correlation between sexual function disorder and quality of marital relationship.
      The inclusion of patients educational programs and couple therapy in cancer
      disease rehabilitation program is important in order to improve the quality of
      marital relationship and subsequent sexual dysfunction in cancer patients.

PMID- 28616424
TI  - Evaluation of 1-year-old children development in Isfahan City and its effective
      factors using ages and stages questionnaire, in 2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Attention to the development of children as the future
      generation that leads to the upbringing of productive human resources is an
      important subject. Development has dimensions that a child should acquire the
      skills related to them in proper age. Otherwise, he may be affected by
      developmental delays. There are different factors influencing children's
      developmental delays and this study is carried out to evaluate the developmental
      conditions of 1-year-old children in the Isfahan and its effective factors.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a historical cohort, 725 children born in 2013 were
      selected using multi-stage random sampling from health centers licensed by
      Isfahan Medical University and followed up to 1-year and their related
      specifications were extracted from ages and stages questionnaire and their
      families' files. SPSS 20 software and Pearson and Spearman correlation
      coefficients, independent t-tests, ANOVA, multiple linear regression and analysis
      of covariance were used for analyzing the data. RESULTS: The minimum and maximum
      scores of development were observed in the personal-social domain (52.38 +/- 9.1)
      and fine motor (56.06 +/- 5.9), respectively. The results showed that the child
      spacing has direct relation with development in fine motor domain (r = 0.2, P <
      0.001), personal-social development (r = 0.197, P = 0.001), and problem solving
      domain (r = 0.18, P = 0.002). The score for the development in gross motor skills
      had a direct correlation with the weight at birth (r = 0.129, P < 0.001).
      Breastfeeding also improved personal-social development (P = 0.024). Sex (P =
      0.024) and living place with communication skills also showed significant
      relations (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The factors such as the child's sex, feeding
      in the first 6 months of age, living in urban or rural areas are effective in
      delayed development. Considering these factors to prevent adverse effects of the
      elements and rapid identification of children with delayed development as well as
      timely therapeutic interventions are essential in the health care system.

PMID- 28616425
TI  - Medical radiation workers' knowledge, attitude, and practice to protect
      themselves against ionizing radiation in Tehran Province, Iran.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Medical radiation workers are potentially at a risk of unwanted
      ionizing radiation exposures. This study assessed the radiation protection
      knowledge, attitude, and practice (RP-KAP) of health-care workers who are
      occupationally exposed to radiation regarding protecting themselves from
      radiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was cross-sectional in design and
      was carried out in 16 hospitals affiliated to the Tehran University of Medical
      Sciences between May and September 2014. Total health-care workers who were
      occupationally exposed to radiation comprising 670 individuals were included in
      the study based on census sampling method. In total, 413 individuals consented to
      complete an anonymous 32-item questionnaire comprising single best choice
      questions with a numerical value assigned to each correct answer. Each set of RP
      KAP questions was scored and categorized as poor, medium, and good. The effect of
      independent variables for prediction of RP-KAP was explored using linear
      regression analyses. RESULTS: A significant number of participants had poor RP
      knowledge (78.9%), RP-attitude (70.7%), and RP-practice (32.4%). Based on linear
      regression analyses, it was found that field of study (beta = 0.1, P = 0.001),
      marital status (beta = -0.14, P = 0.01), and level of education (beta = 0.2, P <
      0.001) were the predictors of higher RP-knowledge. In-service RP-training (beta =
      0.1, P = 0.04) was associated with an increased RP-attitude. Being a woman (beta
      = 0.2, P < 0.001) and longer years of experience with radiation (beta = 0.2, P <
      0.001) were significantly related to better practice. CONCLUSION: In-service
      training with appropriate qualified and up-to-date materials based on radiation
      workers' educational needs and approved protocols and guidelines is recommended.

PMID- 28616426
TI  - Cytologic diagnosis of atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor based on touch imprint
      study: Report of a case with review of literature.
AB  - Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a rare malignant tumor with gloom
      destiny. Our case was a 4-year-old boy with a temporal lobe tumor that was then
      became evident of ATRT with recurrent happening. In a retrospective review of all
      cytologic slides, we found unique rhabdoid cells that are morphologically evident
      cells for ATRT in both times. Unfortunately, the cells were overlooked at the
      first time. We conclude if the pathologist is experienced to see rhabdoid cells
      noticing these cells is highly helpful for diagnosis ATRT, especially in frozen
      sectioning.

PMID- 28616427
TI  - Specific Genes Associated with Adverse Events of Methylphenidate Use in the
      Pediatric Population: A Systematic Literature Review.
AB  - The aim of this study was to review empirical studies examining associations
      between candidate genes and adverse events (AEs) from methylphenidate (MPH) use
      in children and adolescents. The PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science
      databases were searched from their inception until March 2017. We included
      empirically based articles on pharmacogenetic studies in 0-17-year-old patients
      that investigated associations between specific candidate genes, their
      polymorphisms, and reported AEs. We extracted information about study design,
      setting, type of AE reporter, studied genes and their polymorphisms, age and
      gender, administered doses, method of genotyping, outcome measures, and main
      findings. A total of nine articles reporting information about four double-blind,
      placebo-controlled, cross-over studies and five open-label cohort studies were
      eligible for inclusion. Studies were published from 2006 onward and included a
      total of 998 patients (3-17-year-olds) diagnosed with attention-deficit
      hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Studies predominantly involved males and lasted
      from 1 to 12 weeks. Studies used polymerase chain reaction and single nucleotide
      polymorphism genotyping methodology. Reported AEs were significantly associated
      with the following genes: appetite reduction (CES1*G); buccal-lingual movements
      (T1065G); diastolic blood pressure (ADRA2A Mspl C/C-GC); emotionality (DAT1*9/9);
      irritability (SNAP25 T1065G); picking (DRD4*7/DRD4*4); social withdrawal
      (DRD4*7/DRD4*4); somatic complaints (DAT1*10/10); tics (5-HTTLRP*S/L*L/L; SNAP25
      T1065G); sadness (CES1*rsl12443580); and vegetative symptoms (5-HTTLPR). In
      conclusion, only few MPH pediatric pharmacogenetic studies were located, and
      large between-study heterogeneity was found. Studies were of naturalistic design
      and of short duration. They included small patient samples, poorly standardized
      treatment regimens, and limited outcome assessments. In the future, more
      pharmacogenomic studies in ADHD are needed, preferably using randomized,
      controlled study designs and of longer duration (more than 6 months).

PMID- 28616428
TI  - Severity of Gastrointestinal Side Effects of Metformin Tablet Compared to
      Metformin Capsule in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to compare the severity of gastrointestinal
      (GI) side effects in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients receiving tablet or
      capsule forms of metformin. METHODS: In this prospective interventional study,
      patients were evaluated from June to November 2016 at DM clinics affiliated to
      Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Adult patients with Type 2
      DM who were eligible for inclusion criteria switched from metformin tablet to
      metformin capsule. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), GI side effects, and patient
      satisfaction based on visual analog scale (VAS) were assessed during a 6-week
      follow-up of receiving metformin capsule. FINDINGS: One hundred and three
      patients were evaluated, and 75 patients participated in this study. At the
      baseline, 40 patients (53.3%) had GI side effects due to metformin tablet which
      was reduced to 16 patients (21.3%) after switching to metformin capsule (P =
      0.001). There was also an improvement in HbA1c (from 7 to 6.8,P < 0.0001). The
      results of patients' satisfaction based on VAS and numeric rating scale indicated
      that in 59 patients (78.67%), GI side effects were reduced after switching to
      metformin capsule (mean score: 7.2 with the range of 6-9) while 16 patients
      stated no treatment preference. CONCLUSION: Switching to metformin capsule may
      result in less GI side effects, with no further side effect complications.

PMID- 28616429
TI  - Evaluation of the Interaction of Intravenous and Oral Voriconazole with Oral
      Cyclosporine in Iranian HSCT Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Voriconazole as a triazole antifungal agent is widely used for
      prophylaxis or treatment of fungal infections in allogeneic hematopoietic stem
      cell transplantation (HSCT). It can increase blood concentrations of other
      medications including cyclosporine A (CsA) which are substrates for cytochrome
      P450 3A4. The aim of this study was to evaluate comparatively the interaction
      between oral/intravenous (IV) voriconazole and oral CsA. METHODS: Twenty-nine
      recipients of allogeneic HSCT who had been already on a steady dose of CsA and
      were started on oral or IV voriconazole were evaluated in a prospective cohort
      study. Blood concentration of CsA was determined before and 5-8 days after
      voriconazole initiation. Plasma concentration of voriconazole was measured in
      steady state. The changes in blood concentration of CsA after administration of
      voriconazole were evaluated. FINDINGS: The concentration/dose (C/D) ratio of CsA
      increased significantly (P < 0.001) after voriconazole initiation in both routes
      of administration (8.40%-174.10% increase in C/D ratio). The C/D ratio alteration
      of CsA did not differ significantly between oral and IV voriconazole group (P =
      0.405). There was a significant correlation in all patients between plasma
      concentration of voriconazole and percentage of CsA C/D ratio increment (P =
      0.046). CONCLUSION: There was a significant intrapatient variability in the
      magnitude of CsA blood concentration increment after voriconazole initiation. We
      also demonstrated that magnitude of drug interaction did not differ in IV and
      oral voriconazole administration. Furthermore, we found that the magnitude of
      drug interaction was correlated with plasma concentration of voriconazole.

PMID- 28616431
TI  - Comparing the Effects of Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Their Combination
      and Minoxidil Solution Regimens on Controlling Hair Loss in Women: A Randomized
      Controlled Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the combination of oral
      supplements with 2% minoxidil solution in four groups of women with hair loss.
      METHODS: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted from July to
      December 2016 in dermatology clinics affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical
      Sciences. A total of 73, 15-45-year-old, women with hair loss participated in
      this 4-month study. Simple randomization using Random Allocation Software was
      done to put the participants in four groups to receive coadministration of zinc
      sulfate and calcium pantothenate, zinc sulfate, calcium pantothenate, and 2%
      minoxidil solution. The primary endpoint was the change in hair density and
      diameter measured by dermatoscope. Secondary endpoints included the researcher's
      evaluation, dermatologist's opinion - which was blinded to the study - from
      comparing the participants' photographs before and after treatment and finally,
      overall changes in hair density measured by participants' self-assessment.
      FINDINGS: Seventy-three women participated in this study. Primary hair count and
      thickness were 118.5 +/- 10 hairs/cm2 and 58.8 +/- 5.8 MU that changed to 124 +/-
      11 hairs/cm2 and 62.3 +/- 4.3 MU respectively (P < 0.001) which in the zinc plus
      pantothenate group these changes were from 118.6 +/- 9.9 hairs/cm2 to 121.9 +/-
      11.1 hairs/cm2 (P = 0.042) and from 62.2 +/- 6.6 MU to 64.0 +/- 5.0 MU (P =
      0.126), respectively. Hair density increments were more obvious in the minoxidil
      group, and hair thickness increments were more obvious in pantothenate group.
      Participants' satisfaction was 85% in the combination therapy which was more than
      other groups. Participants' satisfaction, author's and blind dermatologist's
      opinion showed a significant correlation (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Based on the
      participants' satisfaction, the combination of zinc sulfate and calcium
      pantothenate when administered in a pulse therapy way could be a good choice for
      hair loss controlling in initial stages.

PMID- 28616430
TI  - Training and Validation of Standardized Patients for Assessing Communication and
      Counseling Skills of Pharmacy Students: A Pilot Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to describe the process of training
      valid simulated patients (SPs) for assessing communication and counseling skills
      of pharmacy students' performance. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional and
      correlational study. Psychometric properties of checklist and SPs' portrayals and
      their filling of the checklist regarding assessing pharmacy students were
      assessed. Five SPs who were working in the simulated patient's pool were
      volunteered to take part in the project, which one of the SPs failed. Three
      scenarios, along with corresponding checklists, were developed based on the usual
      medications of different diseases consisting of asthma, respiratory infections,
      and osteoporosis. The SPs' role-play performance was video-recorded and rated
      independently by two experts according to an observational rating scale to assess
      validity. The role-play was repeated after 1 week with the same scenario and the
      same doctor, to assess test-retest reliability. The inter-rater agreement between
      SPs and experts was determined by calculating the intraclass correlation
      coefficient and kappa coefficient. FINDINGS: The four eligible SPs were all
      women, with an average age of 37 years. The correlation between mean scores of
      raters and mean scores of SPs was 0.91 and 0.85, respectively. The Pearson's
      correlation between mean scores of raters with SPs was 0.75. The checklists'
      reliability, Cronbach's alpha, was calculated to be 0.72. The measured weighted
      Cohen's kappa for the ratings of by each SP, and the gold standard was between
      0.53 and 0.57, indicating a moderate agreement. The inter-rater reliability kappa
      coefficient between raters was 0.75 (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The authors have
      demonstrated the technique of using standardized patients to evaluate
      communication and counseling skills of pharmacy students. The findings indicated
      that trained SPs can be used as an effective tool to assess pharmacy students'
      communication and counseling skills.

PMID- 28616432
TI  - Effect of Pretreatment with Omega-3 Supplement on Cardiac Necrosis Markers in
      Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary
      Intervention.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Studies have demonstrated the direct relation between elevation in
      cardiac necrosis markers and increased risk of cardiovascular complications after
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in chronic kidney disease (CKD)
      patients. In this study, we sought to evaluate the effect of omega-3 on creatine
      kinase-MB (CK-MB) and troponin-I in CKD patients undergoing elective PCI.
      METHODS: Eighty CKD patients, candidate for elective PCI, were randomly assigned
      into two groups: Group A - receiving omega-3 (2.5 g, 12 h before PCI) plus
      standard treatment (n = 37) and Group B - control group, receiving only standard
      therapy (aspirin 325 mg and clopidogrel 600 mg loading dose and weight-adjusted
      intravenous heparin) (n = 43). Blood samples were collected before and 24 h after
      PCI for measuring CK-MB and troponin-I. The primary endpoint was considered to be
      postprocedural variations of CK-MB and troponin-I levels in both groups. The
      secondary endpoint was the percentage of pre-procedural myocardial infarction
      (PMI) occurrence, defined as the elevation of post-PCI troponin-I, between study
      groups. FINDINGS: Both the baseline and 24-h CK-MB were significantly higher in
      omega-3 group. Although 24-h troponin-I increased less in omega-3-treated arm
      compared to the control group, no statistically significant variation was
      observed between the two groups. With regard to PMI occurrence, no significant
      difference was detected among study groups. CONCLUSION: Despite the beneficial
      but nonsignificant effects of omega-3 on decreasing post-PCI elevation of
      troponin-I and PMI occurrence, further investigations with bigger study
      population, higher doses of omega-3 and longer duration of treatment, and long
      term follow-up of patients are required to better test the potential effects of
      omega-3 in improving clinical outcomes in CKD patients undergoing PCI.

PMID- 28616433
TI  - Medication Errors in Patients with Enteral Feeding Tubes in the Intensive Care
      Unit.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Most patients admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) have problems in
      using oral medication or ingesting solid forms of drugs. Selecting the most
      suitable dosage form in such patients is a challenge. The current study was
      conducted to assess the frequency and types of errors of oral medication
      administration in patients with enteral feeding tubes or suffering swallowing
      problems. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in the ICU of Shahid
      Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran. Patients were assessed for the incidence and types
      of medication errors occurring in the process of preparation and administration
      of oral medicines. FINDINGS: Ninety-four patients were involved in this study and
      10,250 administrations were observed. Totally, 4753 errors occurred among the
      studied patients. The most commonly used drugs were pantoprazole tablet,
      piracetam syrup, and losartan tablet. A total of 128 different types of drugs and
      nine different oral pharmaceutical preparations were prescribed for the patients.
      Forty-one (35.34%) out of 116 different solid drugs (except effervescent tablets
      and powders) could be substituted by liquid or injectable forms. The most common
      error was the wrong time of administration. Errors of wrong dose preparation and
      administration accounted for 24.04% and 25.31% of all errors, respectively.
      CONCLUSION: In this study, at least three-fourth of the patients experienced
      medication errors. The occurrence of these errors can greatly impair the quality
      of the patients' pharmacotherapy, and more attention should be paid to this
      issue.

PMID- 28616434
TI  - Developing an Economic Case of Clinical Pharmacists' Interventions on Venous
      Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Through Service Evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) has become a huge health problem as well
      as a financial burden for the National Health Service. The objective of this
      study was to characterize current practice of VTE prophylaxis (VTEP) and evaluate
      the economic impact of clinical pharmacists' interventions (CPIs) on VTEP.
      METHODS: A prospective service evaluation was conducted in a medical and surgical
      ward at a tertiary teaching hospital in London from 23 May to 08 June 2016.
      Appropriateness of risk assessment (RA) and VTEP and CPIs were categorized and
      assessed. Based on the results of the service evaluation, a pharmacoeconomic
      analysis was undertaken to estimate the cost savings by CPIs for inappropriate
      pharmacological VTEP. FINDINGS: A total of 203 cases were analyzed. The rates of
      appropriateness for RA on admission, RA at 24 h and pharmacological VTEP were
      58.6%, 39.7%, and 75.4%, respectively. In the medical ward, there was a
      significant difference of appropriate RAs between on admission and at 24 h (70.3%
      vs. 23.8%, respectively). Whereas, the rate of appropriate pharmacological VTEP
      accounted for 75.4% and the rate of appropriate prophylaxis was significantly
      higher in the medical ward than surgical ward (80.5% vs. 68.2%, P = 0.045). Of 50
      cases of inappropriate pharmacological prophylaxis, 39 cases (78.0%) were
      corrected by clinical pharmacists. These CPIs resulted in L1,286.23 cost savings
      during the study and it was estimated to be L517,522/annum. CONCLUSION: CPIs had
      significant positive clinical and economic impacts on VTEP. There is more scope
      for the improvement of RA at 24 h through CPIs.

PMID- 28616435
TI  - Impact of Pharmacist Intervention on Appropriate Insulin Pen Use in Older
      Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Rural Area in Iran.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pharmacist
      conducted educational intervention on reducing errors related to inappropriate
      insulin pen use. METHODS: This was a prospective, before-after study with an
      educational intervention component. The study was conducted on 122 elderly
      diabetic patients. Data were collected through interviews using researcher
      administered questionnaires as well as patients' medical records. Patients were
      asked about the preparation, injection, and storage techniques, they followed
      when using insulin pens. Blood glucose parameters were extracted from laboratory
      records. After the detection of errors, patients and their caregivers were
      instructed about the insulin pen use by the pharmacist. Patients were reevaluated
      after 12 weeks. FINDINGS: Patients' mean age was 67.2 +/- 3.5 with male: female
      ratio of 71:51. Mean diabetes duration was 7.1 +/- 2.8 years. Fifty-four patients
      (44.2%) stated that they had received instructions for insulin pen use
      previously. The majority of this group (24 cases, 44.4%) reported that the
      instructions were given by a pharmacist. The mean number of errors decreased from
      3.99 +/- 0.22 errors per patient to 1.49 +/- 0.13 errors (odds ratio: 0.28, 95%
      confidence interval: 0.23-0.33,P < 0.05). Of eleven evaluated insulin pen-related
      medication error items, nine items experienced a significant decrease after
      patient education. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels decreased significantly
      from 161.7 +/- 12.5 to 147.3 +/- 13.1 mg/dL (P < 0.05). However, glycated
      hemoglobin levels did not change significantly after 3 months (P = 0.18).
      Controlled FPG had a significant rise from 45% before education to 63.9%
      postintervention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pharmacists can play an important role
      in safe and efficient use of insulin pen in elderly diabetic patients by
      minimizing the likelihood of medication errors associated with insulin pen use.

PMID- 28616436
TI  - Initiatives to Reduce Nonprescription Sales and Dispensing of Antibiotics:
      Findings and Implications.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Irrational use of antimicrobials is a major driver of antimicrobial
      resistance, exacerbated by dispensing antibiotics without a prescription. Our
      previous study suggested this was a problem in the Republic of Srpska despite
      legislation. Since then, a number of activities have been initiated.
      Consequently, the study aimed to ascertain whether these multiple initiatives had
      reduced this. METHODS: Patients visiting all community pharmacies in the Republic
      from October 2014 to July 2015 presenting with symptoms typical of an acute,
      viral, and mostly uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection, with results
      compared to the previous study. If an antibiotic was suggested, the maximum
      allowance was ?3/pack. FINDINGS: Self-medication with antibiotics significantly
      decreased from 58% to 18.5% of pharmacies. In both studies, most patients were
      offered over-the-counter medication. The most common reason for not dispensing an
      antibiotic was "antibiotics can be dispensed with a prescription only." The
      penicillins were the most dispensed antibiotic. Fewer patients than the previous
      study were given instructions about antibiotic use and no discussion on their
      side effects. CONCLUSION: While encouraging that self-medication decreased
      significantly, 18.5% were disappointing given recent initiatives. Fewer
      instructions about antibiotics if an antibiotic was dispensed were also
      disappointing. This suggests the need for even stronger enforcement of the laws
      as well as further training of pharmacy personnel to ensure the future
      appropriate use of medicines.

PMID- 28616437
TI  - An Audit of Perioperative Antimicrobial Prophylaxis: Compliance with the
      International Guidelines.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Antimicrobial prophylaxis has been demonstrated to lower the incidence
      of postoperative infection in nearly all types of surgery. The American Society
      of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) guideline summarizes current data on the
      appropriate use of antibiotic for surgical prophylaxis. The objective of this
      study was to assess and audit the use of antibiotics in a tertiary care center
      according to the recommendation of ASHP guideline. METHODS: This cross-sectional
      study was performed using prospective data gathered from April to September 2015
      in the surgical wards of Al Zahra Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Antibiotic indication
      and choice, dose, dosing interval, route of administration, and timing of first
      administration and duration of prophylaxis were compared with the ASHP guideline
      recommendations. FINDINGS: A total of 100 patients with the mean age of 49.8 +/-
      18.2 years were recruited for this study. About 22% of procedures had full
      compliance with all guideline recommendations. The most frequently encounter
      noncompliance type were the duration of prophylaxis (14%) and appropriate agent
      choice (35%). Timing of the initial dose was appropriate in most of the
      procedures (42%). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that most of the prescribed
      antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis are not in accordance with standard
      treatment guideline. The density of antimicrobial use for preoperative
      antimicrobial prophylaxis is very high. Furthermore, the hospital should develop
      a formal strategy, including a local guideline for antimicrobial prophylaxis in
      surgical procedures.

PMID- 28616438
TI  - Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptom in a Patient with Pneumonia
      and Hyperthyroidism.
AB  - Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms syndrome is an idiosyncratic
      drug reaction characterized by fever, skin eruption, lymph node enlargement, and
      internal organ involvement. We report a case of a patient with pneumonia who
      developed clinical manifestations of fever, rash, lymphadenopathy,
      hypereosinophilia, and visceral involvement (renal failure and eosinophilic
      pneumonitis) caused by methimazole. The patient improved remarkably with drug
      withdrawal. A high index of clinical suspicion is emphasized to facilitate prompt
      diagnosis of medication-related adverse effect and its discontinuation.

PMID- 28616439
TI  - Erratum: A Copmarative Review of Electronic Prescription Systems: Lessons Learned
      from Developed Countries.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 3 in vol. 6, PMID: 28331859.].

PMID- 28616440
TI  - Cardiomyopathy Related to a Weight Loss Supplement: A Case Report and Review of
      Literature.
AB  - There are various etiologies of dilated cardiomyopathy. However, in young
      patients without a strong family history of cardiovascular disease, alcohol or
      drug abuse, viral infections, and absence of endocrine and metabolic
      abnormalities, ischemia is an unlikely cause. We present an interesting case of a
      young female without traditional risk factors who developed dilated
      cardiomyopathy following administration of a weight loss supplement xenadrine and
      had resolution of symptoms after discontinuation of the supplement.

PMID- 28616441
TI  - Is Firearm Threat in Intimate Relationships Associated with Posttraumatic Stress
      Disorder Symptoms Among Women?
AB  - In the context of intimate partner violence (IPV), firearms may be used to
      threaten, coerce, and intimidate. Yet, what little research exists on firearms
      among IPV victims has focused almost exclusively on homicide or near homicide.
      Thus, the deleterious health consequences of firearms more broadly remain
      unknown. The goals of the current study were (1) to document the prevalence of
      firearm threat in a community sample of female IPV victims, and (2) to identify
      the extent to which threat with a firearm, independent of other forms of IPV, is
      related to women's posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity.
      Participants were 298 women who had been a victim in a criminal domestic violence
      case with a male intimate partner (Mage = 36.39 years; 50.0% African American;
      51.3% unemployed). Retrospective data on firearm threat, fear of firearm
      violence, other IPV victimization (i.e., physical, psychological, and sexual),
      and PTSD symptoms were collected during in-person individual interviews.
      Approximately one-quarter of the sample (24.2%) experienced threat with a firearm
      during the course of their relationship, and 12.5% were afraid that their
      partners would use a firearm against them in the 30 days prior to the study
      interview. Firearm threat and fear of firearm violence emerged as significant and
      unique predictors of PTSD symptom severity, controlling for age and physical,
      psychological, and sexual IPV victimization severity. The findings underscore
      firearm threat as a key factor for identifying and intervening with criminal
      justice involved women who experience IPV.

PMID- 28616442
TI  - Human Coronavirus-HKU1 Infection Among Adults in Cleveland, Ohio.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human coronaviruses (CoV) have been long recognized as a common cause
      of respiratory tract disease including severe respiratory tract illness.
      Coronavirus-HKU1 has been described predominantly among children less than 5
      years of age in the United States with few studies characterizing the disease
      spectrum among adults. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal specimens of patients with
      respiratory symptoms were analyzed for CoV-HKU1 by NxTAG Respiratory Pathogen
      Panel multiplex assay from February 7, 2016 to April 30, 2016. Epidemiologic,
      clinical, and laboratory data were collected on adults (patients >18 years) whose
      samples screened positive. RESULTS: Of 832 adult respiratory specimens screened,
      13 (1.6%) cases of CoV-HKU1 were identified. Adults age ranged between 23 and 75
      years and 6 (46%) were males. All of whom had 1 or more respiratory symptoms, and
      5 (38%) also reported 1 or more gastrointestinal symptoms. Eleven (85%) reported
      history of smoking and 5 (38%) used inhaled steroids. Seven (54%) required
      hospitalization, 5 (71%) of these needed supplemental oxygen, and 2 (29%) were
      admitted to intensive care. Median length of hospitalization was 5 days. Eight
      (62%) received antibiotics despite identification of CoV-HKU1. Infectious work-up
      in 1 patient who died did not reveal any other pathogen. In 2 (15%) CoV-HKU1
      positive adults, the only viral coinfection detected was influenza A.
      CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus-HKU1 accounted for 1.6% of adult respiratory infections
      and should be considered in differential diagnosis of severe respiratory
      illnesses among adults.

PMID- 28616443
TI  - Elevated Spontaneous Interferon-gamma Secretion in Human Immunodeficiency Virus
      Infected Persons.
AB  - Immune activation in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a well described
      phenomenon. We found that HIV patients have higher secretion of interferon (IFN)
      gamma compared with non-HIV subjects, as measured by the "nil" value in the
      QuantiFERON-TB Gold test, even when viral loads are low. This may reflect ongoing
      immune activation, even with optimal HIV management.

PMID- 28616445
TI  - Nitroxide Labeling of Proteins and the Determination of Paramagnetic Relaxation
      Derived Distance Restraints for NMR Studies.
AB  - Site-specific attachment of paramagnetic spin labels to biomolecules causes
      distance-dependent line-broadening effects, which can be exploited to study the
      structure and dynamics of these molecules in solution. This protocol describes
      how to attach nitroxide spin labels to proteins and how to collect and analyze
      NMR data using these labeled samples. We also explain how to derive distance
      restraints for paramagnetic relaxation enhancement nuclear magnetic resonance
      (PRE-NMR) studies.

PMID- 28616444
TI  - Incidence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
      Outpatient Study Cohort, 2000-2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are few recent studies of incident hepatitis C virus (HCV)
      infection among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in the
      United States. METHODS: We studied HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS) participants seen
      in 9 HIV-specialty clinics who had >=1 clinical encounter during 2000-2013 and
      >=2 HCV-related tests, the first of which was a negative HCV antibody test (Ab).
      Hepatitis C virus incident cases were identified by first positive HCV Ab, viral
      load, or genotype. We assessed rates of incident HCV overall, by calendar
      intervals, and by demographic and HIV risk strata, and we explored risk factors
      for incident HCV using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: The 1941
      eligible patients (median age 40 years, 23% female, 61% men who had sex with men
      [MSM], and 3% persons who injected drugs [PWID]) experienced 102 (5.3%) incident
      HCV infections for an overall incidence of 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI],
      0.87-1.30) per 100 person-years (py). Hepatitis C virus incidence decreased from
      1.83 in 2000-2003 to 0.88 in 2011-2013 (P = .024), with decreases observed (P <
      .05) among PWID and heterosexuals, but not among MSM. Overall, MSM comprised 59%
      of incident cases, and PWID were at most risk for incident HCV infection
      (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] for PWID = 4.62 and 95% CI = 2.11-10.13; for MSM,
      aHR = 1.48 and 95% CI = 0.86-2.55 compared with heterosexuals). CONCLUSIONS:
      Among HIV-infected patients in care during 2000-2013, incidence of HCV infection
      exceeded 1 case per 100 py. Our findings support recommendations for annual HCV
      screenings for HIV-infected persons, including persons with only MSM risk, to
      enable HCV diagnosis and treatment for coinfected individuals.

PMID- 28616446
TI  - Treatment with anti-FcepsilonRIalpha antibody exacerbates EAE and T-cell immunity
      against myelin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of targeting the high-affinity receptor for
      immunoglobulin E (FcepsilonRI), that plays a central role in allergic responses
      and is constitutively expressed on mast cells and basophils, in clinical disease
      and autoimmune T-cell response in experimental MS. METHODS: Experimental
      autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was induced in C57BL/6 mice by immunization
      with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein 35-55. Anti-FcepsilonRI alpha-chain
      antibody was administered intraperitoneally. CNS immunohistochemistry, flow
      cytometry analysis of immune cell populations, IgE and histamine serum
      concentration, immune cell proliferation, and cytokine measurement were
      performed. In BALB/c mice, EAE was induced by immunization with myelin
      proteolipid protein 185-206. RESULTS: Treatment with anti-FcepsilonRIalpha
      antibody resulted in exacerbation of EAE and increased CNS inflammation in
      C57BL/6 mice. Treated mice displayed long-lasting complete depletion of basophils
      in the blood stream and peripheral lymphoid organs and increased antigen-induced
      immune cell proliferation and production of interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)
      17, IL-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. In BALB/c mice,
      which are T-helper (Th) 2 prone and resistant to EAE, treatment with anti
      FcepsilonRIalpha antibody restored susceptibility to EAE. CONCLUSION: Our
      observations that anti-FcepsilonRIalpha antibody increases Th1 and Th17 responses
      against myelin antigen and exacerbates EAE suggest that FcepsilonRI, basophils,
      and possibly other FcepsilonRI-bearing cells that might be affected by this
      antibody play important roles in influencing the severity of CNS autoimmunity.

PMID- 28616447
TI  - Natalizumab-PML survivors with subsequent MS treatment: Clinico-radiologic
      outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinico-radiologic outcome of MS patients with
      natalizumab-related progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (Nz-PML) surviving
      and receiving disease-modifying therapy (DMT). METHODS: We describe clinical and
      radiologic evolution of Nz-PML survivors in an observational retrospective
      multicenter cohort to clarify the effect of different subsequent MS DMT
      strategies. Twenty-three patients from 11 centers were analyzed. Outcomes were
      (1) clinical efficacy of post-PML MS DMT, (2) radiologic efficacy of post-PML MS
      DMT, (3) radiologic evolution of PML lesion, and (4) disability progression.
      RESULTS: There was no clinical worsening of PML symptoms with a stability of
      Expanded Disability Status Scale at the last follow-up. No relapse was reported
      with fingolimod and dimethyl fumarate. No radiologic worsening of Nz-PML lesion
      was observed at the end of the follow-up. CONCLUSION: In this large cohort of
      patients with Nz-PML, MS therapies given after Nz discontinuation were not
      associated with PML worsening. A larger cohort with longer follow-up will be
      necessary to confirm this therapeutic strategy.

PMID- 28616448
TI  - Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction improves image quality without
      affecting perfusion CT quantitation in primary colorectal cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of Adaptive Statistical Iterative
      Reconstruction (ASIR) on perfusion CT (pCT) parameter quantitation and image
      quality in primary colorectal cancer. METHODS: Prospective observational study.
      Following institutional review board approval and informed consent, 32 patients
      with colorectal adenocarcinoma underwent pCT (100 kV, 150 mA, 120 s acquisition,
      axial mode). Tumour regional blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit
      time (MTT) and permeability surface area product (PS) were determined using
      identical regions-of-interests for ASIR percentages of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and
      100%. Image noise, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and pCT parameters were assessed
      across ASIR percentages. Coefficients of variation (CV), repeated measures
      analysis of variance (rANOVA) and Spearman' rank order correlation were performed
      with statistical significance at 5%. RESULTS: With increasing ASIR percentages,
      image noise decreased by 33% while CNR increased by 61%; peak tumour CNR was
      greater than 1.5 with 60% ASIR and above. Mean BF, BV, MTT and PS differed by
      less than 1.8%, 2.9%, 2.5% and 2.6% across ASIR percentages. CV were 4.9%, 4.2%,
      3.3% and 7.9%; rANOVA P values: 0.85, 0.62, 0.02 and 0.81 respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: ASIR improves image noise and CNR without altering pCT parameters
      substantially.

PMID- 28616449
TI  - Cyclic deformation and fatigue data for Ti-6Al-4V ELI under variable amplitude
      loading.
AB  - This article presents the strain-based experimental data for Ti-6Al-4V ELI under
      non-constant amplitude cyclic loading. Uniaxial strain-controlled fatigue
      experiments were conducted under three different loading conditions, including
      two-level block loading (i.e. high-low and low-high), periodic overload, and
      variable amplitude loading. Tests were performed under fully-reversed, and mean
      strain/stress conditions. For each test conducted, two sets of data were
      collected; the cyclic stress-strain response (i.e. hysteresis loops) in log10
      increments, and the peak and valley values of stress and strain for each cycle.
      Residual fatigue lives are reported for tests with two-level block loading, while
      for periodic overload and variable amplitude experiments, fatigue lives are
      reported in terms of number of blocks to failure.

PMID- 28616450
TI  - Climate, weather, socio-economic and electricity usage data for the residential
      and commercial sectors in FL, U.S.
AB  - This paper presents the data that is used in the article entitled "Climate
      sensitivity of end-use electricity consumption in the built environment: An
      application to the state of Florida, United States" (Mukhopadhyay and Nateghi,
      2017) [1]. The data described in this paper pertains to the state of Florida
      (during the period of January 1990 to November 2015). It can be classified into
      four categories of (i) state-level electricity consumption data; (ii) climate
      data; (iii) weather data; and (iv) socio-economic data. While, electricity
      consumption data and climate data are obtained at monthly scale directly from the
      source, the weather data was initially obtained at daily-level, and then
      aggregated to monthly level for the purpose of analysis. The time scale of socio
      economic data varies from monthly-level to yearly-level. This dataset can be used
      to analyze the influence of climate and weather on the electricity demand as
      described in Mukhopadhyay and Nateghi (2017) [1].

PMID- 28616451
TI  - Dataset on potential large scale production of biosurfactant using Bacillus sp.
AB  - Surfactants are very important in industry. The cost of commercial surfactant
      production is still high and the surfactant demand is constantly increasing.
      Microbial production of surfactant known as biosurfactant shows commercial
      potency. Utilization of Bacillus sp. strain on glucose fermentation for
      biosurfactant production was then studied. This type of microbe was isolated from
      soil contaminated with palm oil. The selection of the strain was based on its
      ability to form emulsifying zone around the colony and its capability to grow
      compared with those for commercial bacteria of Bacillus pumilus JCM 2508. The
      results showed a potentially promising strain with high biosurfactant yields and
      low surface tension. For further scale-up development, the microbe performance in
      a fermentor was compared with those in a flask and a proposed model to predict
      the kinetic profiles of cell mass, biosurfactant and surface tension were also
      described. The data presented here are related to the research article entitled
      "Kinetic study and modeling of biosurfactant production using Bacillus sp."
      (Heryani and Putra, 2017) [1].

PMID- 28616452
TI  - Datasets on the genomic positions of the MLL1 morphemes, the ZFP57 binding site,
      and ZFBS-Morph overlaps in the build mm9 of the mouse genome.
AB  - While MLL1 activates gene expression in most tissues, ZFP57 represses
      transcription. MLL1 selectively interacts with a group of nonmethylated DNA
      sequences known as the MLL1 morphemes. ZFP57 associates with a methylated hexamer
      (ZFBS), dispersed in the genomic DNA segments known as Imprinted Control Regions
      (ICRs) and germline Differentially Methylated Regions (gDMRs), to maintain allele
      specific gene repression. We have identified a set of composite DNA elements
      (ZFBS-Morph overlaps) that provides the sequence context of ZFBS in the canonical
      ICRs/gDMRs. This report provides tables listing the nucleotide sequences of the
      MLL1 morphemes and ZFBS-Morph overlaps. The report also offers links to the data
      repository at Purdue University, for downloading the positions of the MLL1
      morphemes, the ZFP57 binding site, and the ZFBS-Morph overlaps in the mouse
      genome.

PMID- 28616453
TI  - Reproducibility discrepancies following reanalysis of raw data for a previously
      published study on diisononyl phthalate (DINP) in rats.
AB  - A 2011 publication by Boberg et al. entitled "Reproductive and behavioral effects
      of diisononyl phthalate (DINP) in perinatally exposed rats" [1] reported
      statistically significant changes in sperm parameters, testicular histopathology,
      anogenital distance and retained nipples in developing males. Using the
      statistical methods as reported by Boberg et al. (2011) [1], we reanalyzed the
      publically available raw data ([dataset] US EPA (United States Environmental
      Protection Agency), 2016) [2]. The output of our reanalysis and the discordances
      with the data as published in Boberg et al. (2011) [1] are highlighted herein.
      Further discussion of the basis for the replication discordances and the
      insufficiency of the Boberg et al. (2011) [1] response to address them can be
      found in a companion letter of correspondence (doi:
      10.1016/j.reprotox.2017.03.013.; (Morfeld et al., 2011) [3]).

PMID- 28616454
TI  - Data on blueberry peroxidase kinetic characterization and stability towards
      thermal and high pressure processing.
AB  - The data presented in this article are related to a research article entitled
      'Thermal and high pressure inactivation kinetics of blueberry peroxidase' (Terefe
      et al., 2017) [1]. In this article, we report original data on the activity of
      partially purified blueberry peroxidase at different concentrations of hydrogen
      peroxide and phenlylenediamine as substrates and the effects of thermal and high
      pressure processing on the activity of the enzyme. Data on the stability of the
      enzyme during thermal (at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80  degrees C) and
      combined thermal-high pressure processing (100-690 MPa, 30-90  degrees C) are
      included in this report. The data are presented in this format in order to
      facilitate comparison with data from other researchers and allow statistical
      analyses and modeling by others in the field.

PMID- 28616455
TI  - Ultra high-field (7 T) multi-resolution fMRI data for orientation decoding in
      visual cortex.
AB  - Multivariate pattern classification methods have been successfully applied to
      decode orientation of visual grating stimuli from BOLD fMRI activity recorded in
      human visual cortex (Kamitani and Tong, 2005; Haynes and Rees, 2005) [12], [10].
      Though there has been extensive research investigating the true spatial scale of
      the orientation specific signals (Op de Beeck, 2010; Swisher et al., 2010; Alink
      et al., 2013; Freeman et al., 2011, 2013) [2], [15], [1], [4], [5], it remained
      inconclusive what spatial acquisition resolution is required, or is optimal, for
      decoding analyses. The research article entitled "The effect of acquisition
      resolution on orientation decoding from V1 BOLD fMRI at 7 T" Sengupta et al.
      (2017) [14] studied the effect of spatial acquisition resolution and also
      analyzed the strength and spatial scale of orientation discriminating signals. In
      this article, for the first time, we present empirical ultra high-field fMRI
      data, obtained as a part of the aforementioned study, which were recorded at four
      spatial resolutions (0.8 mm, 1.4 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm isotropic voxel size) for
      orientation decoding in visual cortex. The dataset is compliant with the BIDS
      (Brain Imaging Data Structure) format, and freely available from the OpenfMRI
      portal (dataset accession number: http://openfmri.org/dataset/ds000113c
      ds000113c).

PMID- 28616456
TI  - Experimental data of deformation and cracking behaviour of concrete ties
      reinforced with multiple bars.
AB  - The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled
      "Experimental Investigation of cracking and deformations of concrete ties
      reinforced with multiple bars" (Rimkus and Gribniak, 2017) [1]. The article
      provides data on deformation and cracking behaviour of 22 concrete ties
      reinforced with multiple bars. The number and diameter of the steel bars vary
      from 4 to 16 and from 5 mm to 14 mm, respectively. Two different covers (30 mm
      and 50 mm) are considered as well. The test recordings include average stains of
      the reinforcement and the concrete surface, the mean and maximum crack spacing,
      final crack patterns, and crack development schemes obtained using digital image
      correlation (DIC) system. The reported original data set is made publicity
      available for ensuring critical or extended analyses.

PMID- 28616457
TI  - Cervical cancer screening at a tertiary care center in Rwanda.
AB  - In limited resource settings such as Rwanda, visual inspection with acetic acid
      (VIA) is the primary model for cervical cancer screening. The objective of this
      study was to describe clinical characteristics and outcomes for women presenting
      for cervical cancer screening. A prospective, observational study was conducted
      between September 2015 and February 2016 at Kigali University Teaching Hospital
      (CHUK). Women referred to the VIA clinic were enrolled and completed a semi
      structured questionnaire. During the six-month study period, 150 women were
      enrolled and evaluated with VIA followed by colposcopy directed biopsy for VIA
      positive. The median age was 42 years (IQR 36-49). Only 20 (13.3%) asymptomatic
      women presented for screening exam, whereas 126 (84%) were symptomatic. Among
      symptomatic patients, more than one-third had never had a speculum exam prior to
      referral (n = 43). Twenty-two (14.7%) women were VIA positive, and 8 (5.3%) had
      lesions suspicious for cancer, while 120 (80%) were found to be VIA negative.
      Among women undergoing biopsy (n = 30), 11 were normal (36.7%), 5 cases showed
      CIN 1 (16.6%), 4 cases showed CIN 2 (13.3%), 2 cases showed CIN 3 (6.7%) and 8
      were confirmed cervical cancers (26.7%). In Rwanda, VIA is the current method for
      cervical cancer screening. In this study, few asymptomatic patients presented for
      cervical cancer screening. Increasing knowledge about cervical cancer screening
      and expanding access are key elements to improving cervical cancer control in
      Rwanda.

PMID- 28616458
TI  - Malignant Brenner tumor associated with a germline BRCA2 mutation.
AB  - *The first woman with a Malignant Brenner tumor and a BRCA2 mutation is
      described.*Not all women with epithelial ovarian cancers are referred for genetic
      counseling.*Women should be referred for genetics regardless of how rare the
      histology.

PMID- 28616459
TI  - This could be the start of something big-20 years since the identification of
      bats as the natural host of Hendra virus.
AB  - Hendra virus was first described in 1994 in Australia, causally associated with a
      cluster of fatal equine and human cases at a thoroughbred racing stable in the
      Brisbane suburb of Hendra. This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the
      identification of pteropid bats (flying-foxes) as the natural host of the virus,
      and it is timely to reflect on a pivotal meeting of an eclectic group of
      scientists in that process. They included animal and public health experts,
      environmental scientists, veterinary and horse industry representatives, and
      wildlife experts. The task was to review and prioritise wildlife surveillance
      seeking the origin of the previously unknown virus. The group determined that the
      likely reservoir must occur in disparate locations, and be capable of moving
      between locations, or exist in continuous, overlapping populations spanning
      multiple locations. Flying-foxes were considered to be a more probable source of
      the novel virus than birds. Within weeks, antibodies were detected in several
      species of flying-fox, and the virus was subsequently isolated. While the
      identification of the natural host of Hendra virus within 18 months of its
      description was remarkable in itself, a broader legacy followed. In the
      subsequent years, a suite of zoonotic viruses including Australian bat
      lyssavirus, Nipah virus, SARS coronavirus, and Ebola and Marburg viruses have
      been detected in bats. Bats are now the "go to" taxa for novel viruses. History
      has repeatedly demonstrated that knowledge begets knowledge. This simple notion
      of bringing a diverse group of people together in an environment of mutual
      respect reinforced this principle and proves that the sum is often so much more
      powerful than the parts.

PMID- 28616460
TI  - Redefining disease emergence to improve prioritization and macro-ecological
      analyses.
AB  - Microbial infections are as old as the hosts they sicken, but interest in the
      emergence of pathogens and the diseases they cause has been accelerating rapidly.
      The term 'emerging infectious disease' was coined in the mid-1900s to describe
      changes in disease dynamics in the modern era. Both the term and the phenomena it
      is meant to characterize have evolved and diversified over time, leading to
      inconsistencies and confusion. Here, we review the evolution of the term
      'emerging infectious disease' (EID) in the literature as applied to human hosts.
      We examine the pathways (e.g., speciation or strain differentiation in the
      causative agent vs. rapid geographic expansion of an existing pathogen) by which
      diseases emerge. We propose a new framework for disease and pathogen emergence to
      improve prioritization. And we illustrate how the operational definition of an
      EID affects conclusions concerning the pathways by which diseases emerge and the
      ecological and socioeconomic drivers that elicit emergence. As EIDs appear to be
      increasing globally, and resources for science level off or decline, the research
      community is pushed to prioritize its focus on the most threatening diseases,
      riskiest potential pathogens, and the places they occur. The working definition
      of emerging infectious diseases and pathogens plays a crucial role in
      prioritization, but we argue that the current definitions may be impeding these
      efforts. We propose a new framework for classifying pathogens and diseases as
      "emerging" that distinguishes EIDs from emerging pathogens and novel potential
      pathogens. We suggest prioritization of: 1) EIDs for adaptation and mitigation,
      2) emerging pathogens for preventive measures, and 3) novel potential pathogens
      for intensive surveillance.

PMID- 28616461
TI  - Flying-foxes in the Australian urban environment-community attitudes and
      opinions.
AB  - The urban presence of flying-foxes (pteropid bats) in eastern Australia has
      increased in the last 20 years, putatively reflecting broader landscape change.
      The influx of large numbers often precipitates community angst, typically
      stemming from concerns about loss of social amenity, economic loss or negative
      health impacts from recently emerged bat-mediated zoonotic diseases such as
      Hendra virus and Australian bat lyssavirus. Local authorities and state wildlife
      authorities are increasingly asked to approve the dispersal or modification of
      flying-fox roosts to address expressed concerns, yet the scale of this concern
      within the community, and the veracity of the basis for concern are often
      unclear. We conducted an on-line survey to capture community attitudes and
      opinions on flying-foxes in the urban environment to inform management policy and
      decision-making. Analysis focused on awareness, concerns, and management options,
      and primarily compared responses from communities where flying-fox management was
      and was not topical at the time of the survey. While a majority of respondents
      indicated a moderate to high level of knowledge of both flying-foxes and Hendra
      virus, a substantial minority mistakenly believed that flying-foxes pose a direct
      infection risk to humans, suggesting miscommunication or misinformation, and the
      need for additional risk communication strategies. Secondly, a minority of
      community members indicated they were directly impacted by urban roosts, most
      plausibly those living in close proximity to the roost, suggesting that targeted
      management options are warranted. Thirdly, neither dispersal nor culling was seen
      as an appropriate management strategy by the majority of respondents, including
      those from postcodes where flying-fox management was topical. These findings
      usefully inform community debate and policy development and demonstrate the value
      of social analysis in defining the issues and options in this complex human
      wildlife interaction. The mobile nature of flying-foxes underlines the need for a
      management strategy at a regional or larger scale, and independent of state
      borders.

PMID- 28616462
TI  - Comparative Usutu and West Nile virus transmission potential by local Culex
      pipiens mosquitoes in north-western Europe.
AB  - Originating from Africa, Usutu virus (USUV) first emerged in Europe in 2001. This
      mosquito-borne flavivirus caused high mortality rates in its bird reservoirs,
      which strongly resembled the introduction of West Nile virus (WNV) in 1999 in the
      United States. Mosquitoes infected with USUV incidentally transmit the virus to
      other vertebrates, including humans, which can result in neuroinvasive disease.
      USUV and WNV co-circulate in parts of southern Europe, but the distribution of
      USUV extends into central and northwestern Europe. In the field, both viruses
      have been detected in the northern house mosquito Culex pipiens, of which the
      potential for USUV transmission is unknown. To understand the transmission
      dynamics and assess the potential spread of USUV, we determined the vector
      competence of C. pipiens for USUV and compared it with the well characterized
      WNV. We show for the first time that northwestern European mosquitoes are highly
      effective vectors for USUV, with infection rates of 11% at 18  degrees C and 53%
      at 23  degrees C, which are comparable with values obtained for WNV.
      Interestingly, at a high temperature of 28  degrees C, mosquitoes became more
      effectively infected with USUV (90%) than with WNV (58%), which could be
      attributed to barriers in the mosquito midgut. Small RNA deep sequencing of
      infected mosquitoes showed for both viruses a strong bias for 21-nucleotide small
      interfering (si)RNAs, which map across the entire viral genome both on the sense
      and antisense strand. No evidence for viral PIWI-associated RNA (piRNA) was
      found, suggesting that the siRNA pathway is the major small RNA pathway that
      targets USUV and WNV infection in C. pipiens mosquitoes.

PMID- 28616463
TI  - Sentinel California sea lions provide insight into legacy organochlorine exposure
      trends and their association with cancer and infectious disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Organochlorine contaminants (OCs), like polychlorinated biphenyls
      (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), are widespread marine
      pollutants resulting from massive historical use and environmental persistence.
      Exposure to and health effects of these OCs in the marine environment may be
      examined by studying California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), which are
      long lived, apex predators capable of accumulating OCs. METHODS: We evaluated PCB
      and DDT levels in 310 sea lions sampled between 1992 and 2007: 204 individuals
      stranded along the coast of central California, 60 healthy males from Washington
      State, and 46 healthy females from southern California. Lipid-normalized
      contaminant concentrations were analyzed using general linear models and logistic
      regression to ascertain temporal trends; differences between stranded and healthy
      sea lions; and association of organochlorines with sex, age, and presence of
      cancer or fatal infectious disease. RESULTS: Concentrations of the contaminants
      in stranded adults decreased over time in the study period (adjusted for sex, as
      adult males had higher mean blubber concentrations than adult females and
      juveniles). Cancer was almost eight and six times more likely in animals with
      higher summed PCBs and DDTs, compared to those with lower levels (95% CI 5.55
      10.51 and 4.54-7.99, respectively). Fatal infectious diseases were similarly
      seven and five times more likely in animals with higher contaminant burdens (95%
      CI 4.20-10.89 and 3.27-7.86, respectively). Mean contaminant loads were
      significantly higher in stranded sea lions than in healthy live captured animals
      (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Organochlorine contamination has significant
      associations with health outcomes in California sea lions, raising concerns for
      humans and other animals eating tainted seafood. While environmental exposure to
      these organochlorines appears to be decreasing over time based on levels in sea
      lion tissues, their persistence in the environment and food web for all
      predators, including humans, and the associated serious health risks, warrant
      monitoring, possibly through sentinel species like marine mammals.

PMID- 28616464
TI  - A framework to promote collective action within the One Health community of
      practice: Using participatory modelling to enable interdisciplinary, cross
      sectoral and multi-level integration.
AB  - As Southeast Asia (SEA) is characterized by high human and domestic animal
      densities, growing intensification of trade, drastic land use changes and
      biodiversity erosion, this region appears to be a hotspot to study complex
      dynamics of zoonoses emergence and health issues at the Animal-Human-Environment
      interface. Zoonotic diseases and environmental health issues can have devastating
      socioeconomic and wellbeing impacts. Assessing and managing the related risks
      implies to take into account ecological and social dynamics at play, in link with
      epidemiological patterns. The implementation of a One Health (OH) approach in
      this context calls for improved integration among disciplines and improved cross
      sectoral collaboration, involving stakeholders at different levels. For sure,
      such integration is not achieved spontaneously, implies methodological guidelines
      and has transaction costs. We explore pathways for implementing such
      collaboration in SEA context, highlighting the main challenges to be faced by
      researchers and other target groups involved in OH actions. On this basis, we
      propose a conceptual framework of OH integration. Throughout 3 components (field
      based data management, professional training workshops and higher education), we
      suggest to develop a new culture of networking involving actors from various
      disciplines, sectors and levels (from the municipality to the Ministries) through
      a participatory modelling process, fostering synergies and cooperation. This
      framework could stimulate long-term dialogue process, based on the combination of
      case studies implementation and capacity building. It aims for implementing both
      institutional OH dynamics (multi-stakeholders and cross-sectoral) and research
      approaches promoting systems thinking and involving social sciences to follow-up
      and strengthen collective action.

PMID- 28616465
TI  - Cross-species transmission of canine distemper virus-an update.
AB  - Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a pantropic morbillivirus with a worldwide
      distribution, which causes fatal disease in dogs. Affected animals develop
      dyspnea, diarrhea, neurological signs and profound immunosuppression. Systemic
      CDV infection, resembling distemper in domestic dogs, can be found also in wild
      canids (e.g. wolves, foxes), procyonids (e.g. raccoons, kinkajous), ailurids
      (e.g. red pandas), ursids (e.g. black bears, giant pandas), mustelids (e.g.
      ferrets, minks), viverrids (e.g. civets, genets), hyaenids (e.g. spotted hyenas),
      and large felids (e.g. lions, tigers). Furthermore, besides infection with the
      closely related phocine distemper virus, seals can become infected by CDV. In
      some CDV outbreaks including the mass mortalities among Baikal and Caspian seals
      and large felids in the Serengeti Park, terrestrial carnivores including dogs and
      wolves have been suspected as vectors for the infectious agent. In addition,
      lethal infections have been described in non-carnivore species such as peccaries
      and non-human primates demonstrating the remarkable ability of the pathogen to
      cross species barriers. Mutations affecting the CDV H protein required for virus
      attachment to host-cell receptors are associated with virulence and disease
      emergence in novel host species. The broad and expanding host range of CDV and
      its maintenance within wildlife reservoir hosts considerably hampers disease
      eradication.

PMID- 28616466
TI  - Modeling the burden of poultry disease on the rural poor in Madagascar.
AB  - Livestock represent a fundamental economic and nutritional resource for many
      households in the developing world; however, a high burden of infectious disease
      limits their production potential. Here we present an ecological framework for
      estimating the burden of poultry disease based on coupled models of infectious
      disease and economics. The framework is novel, as it values humans and livestock
      as co-contributors to household wellbeing, incorporating feedbacks between
      poultry production and human capital in disease burden estimates. We parameterize
      this coupled ecological-economic model with household-level data to provide an
      estimate of the overall burden of poultry disease for the Ifanadiana District in
      Madagascar, where over 72% of households rely on poultry for economic and food
      security. Our models indicate that households may lose 10-25% of their monthly
      income under current disease conditions. Results suggest that advancements in
      poultry health may serve to support income generation through improvements in
      both human and animal health.

PMID- 28616467
TI  - Primate malarias: Diversity, distribution and insights for zoonotic Plasmodium.
AB  - Protozoans within the genus Plasmodium are well-known as the causative agents of
      malaria in humans. Numerous Plasmodium species parasites also infect a wide range
      of non-human primate hosts in tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide.
      Studying this diversity can provide critical insight into our understanding of
      human malarias, as several human malaria species are a result of host switches
      from non-human primates. Current spillover of a monkey malaria, Plasmodium
      knowlesi, in Southeast Asia highlights the permeability of species barriers in
      Plasmodium. Also recently, surveys of apes in Africa uncovered a previously
      undescribed diversity of Plasmodium in chimpanzees and gorillas. Therefore, we
      carried out a meta-analysis to quantify the global distribution, host range, and
      diversity of known non-human primate malaria species. We used published records
      of Plasmodium parasites found in non-human primates to estimate the total
      diversity of non-human primate malarias globally. We estimate that at least three
      undescribed primate malaria species exist in sampled primates, and many more
      likely exist in unstudied species. The diversity of malaria parasites is
      especially uncertain in regions of low sampling such as Madagascar, and taxonomic
      groups such as African Old World Monkeys and gibbons. Presence-absence data of
      malaria across primates enables us to highlight the close association of forested
      regions and non-human primate malarias. This distribution potentially reflects a
      long coevolution of primates, forest-adapted mosquitoes, and malaria parasites.
      The diversity and distribution of primate malaria are an essential prerequisite
      to understanding the mechanisms and circumstances that allow Plasmodium to jump
      species barriers, both in the evolution of malaria parasites and current cases of
      spillover into humans.

PMID- 28616468
TI  - Absence of MERS-CoV antibodies in feral camels in Australia: Implications for the
      pathogen's origin and spread.
AB  - Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections continue to be
      a serious emerging disease problem internationally with well over 1000 cases and
      a major outbreak outside of the Middle East region. While the hypothesis that
      dromedary camels are the likely major source of MERS-CoV infection in humans is
      gaining acceptance, conjecture continues over the original natural reservoir
      host(s) and specifically the role of bats in the emergence of the virus.
      Dromedary camels were imported to Australia, principally between 1880 and 1907
      and have since become a large feral population inhabiting extensive parts of the
      continent. Here we report that during a focussed surveillance study, no
      serological evidence was found for the presence of MERS-CoV in the camels in the
      Australian population. This finding presents various hypotheses about the timing
      of the emergence and spread of MERS-CoV throughout populations of camels in
      Africa and Asia, which can be partially resolved by testing sera from camels from
      the original source region, which we have inferred was mainly northwestern
      Pakistan. In addition, we identify bat species which overlap (or neighbour) the
      range of the Australian camel population with a higher likelihood of carrying
      CoVs of the same lineage as MERS-CoV. Both of these proposed follow-on studies
      are examples of "proactive surveillance", a concept that has particular relevance
      to a One Health approach to emerging zoonotic diseases with a complex
      epidemiology and aetiology.

PMID- 28616469
TI  - Periodic global One Health threats update.
AB  - Emerging infectious diseases continue to impose unpredictable burdens on global
      health and economy. Infectious disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness are
      essential to mitigate the impact of future threats. Global surveillance networks
      provide unprecedented monitoring data on plant, animal and human infectious
      diseases. Using such sources, we report on current major One Health threats and
      update on their epidemiological status.

PMID- 28616470
TI  - Global Solutions to Regional Challenges: Bridging the One Health Divide in the
      Caribbean.
AB  - Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, located on the Caribbean island of
      St. Kitts in the West Indies, hosted a multi-national, transdisciplinary One
      Health conference in St. Kitts and Nevis. Historically the many countries of the
      Caribbean carry a high burden of chronic and infectious disease and struggle with
      complex economic and developmental issues that continuously pressurize
      inhabitants and their natural environment. Considering these vast regional
      challenges, presentations covered diverse topics including community-based
      approaches for zoonotic disease control and prevention and mitigation of problems
      at the interface of wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. In two workshops the
      participants suggested a framework for practicing One Health in the Caribbean
      that emphasized capacity building and sustainability. Four structural components
      to the One Health paradigm were discussed including: identification of common
      problems, the necessity of comprehensive needs assessment, regional mobilization
      of resources, and building trust among all One Health stakeholders and the
      public.

PMID- 28616472
TI  - The 'One Health' journal: Filling a niche.

PMID- 28616471
TI  - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from infections in horses in Germany
      are frequent colonizers of veterinarians but rare among MRSA from infections in
      humans.
AB  - A total of 272 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from equine
      infections originating from 17 equine hospitals and 39 veterinary practices in
      Germany as well as 67 isolates from personnel working at equine clinics were
      subjected to molecular typing. The majority of isolates from horses was
      attributed to clonal complex (CC) 398 (82.7%). Within CC398, 66% of isolates
      belonged to a subpopulation (clade) of CC398, which is associated with equine
      clinics. MRSA attributed to CC8 (ST254, t009, t036, SCCmecIV; ST8, t064,
      SCCmecIV) were less frequent (16.5%). Single isolates were attributed to ST1,
      CC22, ST130, and ST1660. The emergence of MRSA CC22 and ST130 in horses was not
      reported so far. Nasal MRSA colonization was found in 19.5% of veterinary
      personnel with occupational exposure to horses. The typing characteristics of
      these isolates corresponded to isolates from equine infections. Comparing typing
      characteristics of equine isolates with those of a substantial number of isolates
      from human infections typed at the German Reference Center for Staphylococci and
      Enterococci (2006-2014; n = 10864) yielded that the proportion of isolates
      exhibiting characteristics of MRSA from equine medicine is very low (< 0.5%). As
      this low proportion was also found among MRSA originating from nasal screenings
      of human carriers not suffering from a staphylococcal infection (n = 5546)
      transmission of MRSA from equine clinics to the community seems to be rare so
      far.

PMID- 28616473
TI  - Ten years of the Tiger: Aedes albopictus presence in Australia since its
      discovery in the Torres Strait in 2005.
AB  - The "Asian tiger mosquito", Aedes albopictus, is highly invasive, an aggressive
      biter and a major arbovirus vector. It is not currently present on mainland
      Australia despite being intercepted on numerous occasions at international ports
      and infesting the Torres Strait of Australia since at least 2004. In the current
      paper, we describe the invasion and current status of Ae. albopictus in the
      Torres Strait, as well as research conducted to assess the threat of this species
      becoming established in arbovirus transmission cycles on the Australian mainland.
      Genetic analysis of the invading population demonstrated that the Indonesian
      region was the likely origin of the invasion and not Papua New Guinea (PNG) as
      initially suspected. There was also intermixing between Torres Strait, PNG and
      Indonesian populations, indicating that the species could be re-introduced into
      the Torres Strait compromising any successful eradication programme. Vector
      competence experiments with endemic and exotic viruses revealed that Ae.
      albopictus from the Torres Strait are efficient alphavirus vectors, but less
      efficient flavivirus vectors. Ae.albopictus obtains blood meals from a range of
      vertebrate hosts (including humans), indicating that it could play a role in both
      zoonotic and human-mosquito arbovirus transmission cycles in Australia.
      Predictive models coupled with climate tolerance experiments suggest that a
      Torres Strait strain of Ae. albopictus could colonise southern Australia by
      overwintering in the egg stage before proliferating in the warmer months.
      Cohabitation experiments demonstrated that the presence of Aedes notoscriptus
      larvae in containers would not prevent the establishment of Ae. albopictus.
      Evidence from these studies, coupled with global experience suggests that we need
      to be prepared for the imminent invasion of Australia by Ae. albopictus by
      thoroughly understanding its biology and being willing to embrace emerging
      control technologies.

PMID- 28616474
TI  - Serological tools for detection of Trichinella infection in animals and humans.
AB  - Trichinellosis is a serious foodborne zoonotic disease. It is an important threat
      to public health in both developing and developed countries. Human infections are
      strongly associated with consuming undercooked meat containing infective
      Trichinella larvae. The development of serological tools has enabled
      seroepidemiological studies and contributed to our knowledge on the importance of
      this parasite. Serological tests can also help the diagnosis of parasite
      infections in humans and the surveillance of animals. Generally speaking,
      serological techniques include detection methods for specific antibodies and for
      circulating parasite antigens in the serum or tissue fluids. Here, we present a
      comprehensive review of various methods used in the detection of antibodies
      against Trichinella and circulating parasite antigens in animals and humans.

PMID- 28616475
TI  - Clonal diversity of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus from South
      Australian wallabies.
AB  - Seven methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus nasal isolates from apparently
      healthy captive and wild wallabies were characterised by DNA microarray and
      antibiotic susceptibility assays. Isolates were found to belong to uncommon
      clonal complexes including those previously associated with birds, pigs and
      humans.

PMID- 28616476
TI  - Proteobacteria from the human skin microbiota: Species-level diversity and
      hypotheses.
AB  - The human skin microbiota is quantitatively dominated by Gram-positive bacteria,
      detected by both culture and metagenomics. However, metagenomics revealed a huge
      variety of Gram-negative taxa generally considered from environmental origin. For
      species affiliation of bacteria in skin microbiota, clones of 16S rRNA gene and
      colonies growing on diverse culture media were analyzed. Species-level
      identification was achieved for 81% of both clones and colonies. Fifty species
      distributed in 26 genera were identified by culture, mostly belonging to
      Actinobacteria and Firmicutes, while 45 species-level operational taxonomic units
      distributed in 30 genera were detected by sequencing, with a high diversity of
      Proteobacteria. This mixed approach allowed the detection of 100% of the genera
      forming the known core skin Gram-negative microbiota and 43% of the known
      diversity of Gram-negative genera in human skin. The orphan genera represented
      50% of the current skin pan-microbiota. Improved culture conditions allowed the
      isolation of Roseomonas mucosa, Aurantimonas altamirensis and Agrobacterium
      tumefaciens strains from healthy skin. For proteobacterial species previously
      described in the environment, we proposed the existence of skin-specific
      ecotypes, which might play a role in the fine-tuning of skin homeostasis and
      opportunistic infections but also act as a shuttle between environmental and
      human microbial communities. Therefore, skin-associated proteobacteria deserve to
      be considered in the One-Health concept connecting human health to the health of
      animals and the environment.

PMID- 28616477
TI  - Is there a Lyme-like disease in Australia? Summary of the findings to date.
AB  - Lyme Borreliosis is a common tick-borne disease of the northern hemisphere caused
      by the spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (B. burgdorferi s. l.)
      complex. It results in multi-organ disease with arthritic, cardiac, neurological
      and dermatological manifestations. In the last twenty-five years there have been
      over 500 reports of an Australian Lyme-like syndrome in the scientific
      literature. However, the diagnoses of Lyme Borreliosis made in these cases have
      been primarily by clinical presentation and laboratory results of tentative
      reliability and the true cause of these illnesses remains unknown. A number of
      animals have been introduced to Australia that may act as B. burgdorferi s. l.
      reservoirs in Lyme-endemic countries, and there are some Australian Ixodes spp.
      and Haemaphysalis spp. ticks whose geographical distribution matches that of the
      Australian Lyme-like cases. Four published studies have searched for Borrelia in
      Australian ticks, with contradicting results. The cause of the potential Lyme
      like disease in Australia remains to be defined. The evidence to date as to
      whether these illnesses are caused by a Borrelia species, another tick borne
      pathogen or are due to a novel or unrelated aetiology is summarised in this
      review.

PMID- 28616478
TI  - Human-livestock contacts and their relationship to transmission of zoonotic
      pathogens, a systematic review of literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Micro-organisms transmitted from vertebrate animals - including
      livestock - to humans account for an estimated 60% of human pathogens. Micro
      organisms can be transmitted through inhalation, ingestion, via conjunctiva or
      physical contact. Close contact with animals is crucial for transmission. The
      role of intensity and type of contact patterns between livestock and humans for
      disease transmission is poorly understood. In this systematic review we aimed to
      summarise current knowledge regarding patterns of human-livestock contacts and
      their role in micro-organism transmission. METHODS: We included peer-reviewed
      publications published between 1996 and 2014 in our systematic review if they
      reported on human-livestock contacts, human cases of livestock-related zoonotic
      diseases or serological epidemiology of zoonotic diseases in human samples. We
      extracted any information pertaining the type and intensity of human-livestock
      contacts and associated zoonoses. RESULTS: 1522 papers were identified, 75 were
      included: 7 reported on incidental zoonoses after brief animal-human contacts
      (e.g. farm visits), 10 on environmental exposures and 15 on zoonoses in
      developing countries where backyard livestock keeping is still customary. 43
      studies reported zoonotic risks in different occupations. Occupations at risk
      included veterinarians, culling personnel, slaughterhouse workers and farmers.
      For culling personnel, more hours exposed to livestock resulted in more frequent
      occurrence of transmission. Slaughterhouse workers in contact with live animals
      were more often positive for zoonotic micro-organisms compared to co-workers only
      exposed to carcasses. Overall, little information was available about the actual
      mode of micro-organism transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Little is known about the
      intensity and type of contact patterns between livestock and humans that result
      in micro-organism transmission. Studies performed in occupational settings
      provide some, but limited evidence of exposure response-like relationships for
      livestock-human contact and micro-organism transmission. Better understanding of
      contact patterns driving micro-organism transmission from animals to humans is
      needed to provide options for prevention and thus deserves more attention.

PMID- 28616479
TI  - Human Q fever incidence is associated to spatiotemporal environmental conditions.
AB  - Airborne pathogenic transmission from sources to humans is characterised by
      atmospheric dispersion and influence of environmental conditions on deposition
      and reaerosolisation. We applied a One Health approach using human, veterinary
      and environmental data regarding the 2009 epidemic in The Netherlands, and
      investigated whether observed human Q fever incidence rates were correlated to
      environmental risk factors. We identified 158 putative sources (dairy goat and
      sheep farms) and included 2339 human cases. We performed a high-resolution (1 * 1
      km) zero-inflated regression analysis to predict incidence rates by Coxiella
      burnetii concentration (using an atmospheric dispersion model and meteorological
      data), and environmental factors - including vegetation density, soil moisture,
      soil erosion sensitivity, and land use data - at a yearly and monthly time
      resolution. With respect to the annual data, airborne concentration was the most
      important predictor variable (positively correlated to incidence rate), followed
      by vegetation density (negatively). The other variables were also important, but
      to a less extent. High erosion sensitive soils and the land-use fractions "city"
      and "forest" were positively correlated. Soil moisture and land-use "open nature"
      were negatively associated. The geographical prediction map identified the
      largest Q fever outbreak areas. The hazard map identified highest hazards in a
      livestock dense area. We conclude that environmental conditions are correlated to
      human Q fever incidence rate. Similar research with data from other outbreaks
      would be needed to more firmly establish our findings. This could lead to better
      estimations of the public health risk of a C. burnetii outbreak, and to more
      detailed and accurate hazard maps that could be used for spatial planning of
      livestock operations.

PMID- 28616481
TI  - Evidence of exposure to Rickettsia felis in Australian patients.
AB  - Rickettsia felis is an emerging zoonosis, causing flea-borne spotted fever
      (FBSF). Serological diagnosis is typically confounded by cross-reactivity with
      typhus group rickettsiae and prior to the development of specific serological
      methods, cases of FBSF in Australia were misdiagnosed. Patient sera tested
      between August 2010 and December 2013 and known to be seropositive to R. typhi by
      immunofluorescence antibody testing (IFAT) were subsequently retested against R.
      felis using an R. felis-specific IFAT. Sera of 49 patients were of a sufficient
      quality to be included in re-analysis. A classification of FBSF and murine typhus
      (MT) was attributed to fourteen and seven patients respectively, based on a
      minimum four-fold higher antibody titre to R. felis than to R. typhi and vice
      versa. Twenty-eight patients were classified as indeterminate for either R. felis
      or R. typhi (antibody titres within two-fold of one another). Historically, it is
      likely that Australian patients clinically ill with FBSF were misdiagnosed. It is
      important that medical practitioners consider FBSF as part of their differential
      diagnoses, and obtain relevant history with regard to patient's exposure to
      domestic pets and their fleas. Australian microbiology diagnostic laboratories
      should include serological testing for R. felis as part of the diagnostic panel
      for febrile diseases. Veterinarians are encouraged to increase their awareness of
      this emerging zoonosis and advocate flea control in pets.

PMID- 28616480
TI  - Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium populations from Central Europe are
      susceptible to West Nile virus infection.
AB  - West Nile virus (WNV), a Flavivirus with an avian primary host, is already
      widespread in Europe and might also pose an infection risk to Germany, should
      competent mosquito vectors be present. Therefore, we analysed the ability of WNV
      to infect German Culex mosquitoes with special emphasis on field collected
      specimens of Culex torrentium and Culex pipiens biotype pipiens. We collected egg
      rafts of Culex mosquitoes over two subsequent seasons at two geographically
      distinct sampling areas in Germany and differentiated the samples by molecular
      methods. Adult females, reared from the various egg rafts, were challenged with
      WNV by feeding of artificial blood meals. WNV infection was confirmed by real
      time RT-PCR and virus titration. The results showed that field collected C.
      pipiens biotype pipiens and C. torrentium mosquitoes native to Germany are
      susceptible to WNV infection at 25  degrees C as well as 18  degrees C incubation
      temperature. C. torrentium mosquitoes, which have not been established as WNV
      vector so far, were the most permissive species tested with maximum infection
      rates of 96% at 25  degrees C. Furthermore, a disseminating infection was found
      in up to 94% of tested C. pipiens biotype pipiens and 100% of C. torrentium.
      Considering geographical variation of susceptibility, C. pipiens biotype pipiens
      mosquitoes from Southern Germany were more susceptible to WNV infection than
      corresponding populations from Northern Germany. All in all, we observed high
      infection and dissemination rates even at a low average ambient temperature of 18
      degrees C. The high susceptibility of German Culex populations for WNV indicates
      that an enzootic transmission cycle in Germany could be possible.

PMID- 28616482
TI  - A brief historical overview of emerging infectious disease response in China and
      the need for a One Health approach in future responses.

PMID- 28616483
TI  - The control of East Coast fever of cattle by live parasite vaccination: A science
      to-impact narrative.
AB  - There is an increasing interest in determining the impact of vaccine technologies
      developed using public funding targeted at international development, and
      understanding the factors and ingredients which contribute to the success and
      impacts of such vaccines. This paper chronicles the development of a live vaccine
      against East Coast fever, a tick-borne disease of cattle caused by Theileria
      parva. The paper describes the technological innovation, commonly known as
      infection-and-treatment, which was developed some 40 years ago, explores the
      institutional settings in which the vaccine was developed and refined, and
      discusses the political dynamics of both during the decades from first
      development to field deployment and impacts. The paper also analyses the direct
      and indirect indicators of success of ITM and the many qualifiers of these, the
      impacts that the emerging technology has had, both in positive and negative
      terms, and maps the key contributors and milestones on the research-to-impact
      pathway.

PMID- 28616484
TI  - Climatic suitability influences species specific abundance patterns of Australian
      flying foxes and risk of Hendra virus spillover.
AB  - Hendra virus is a paramyxovirus of Australian flying fox bats. It was first
      detected in August 1994, after the death of 20 horses and one human. Since then
      it has occurred regularly within a portion of the geographical distribution of
      all Australian flying fox (fruit bat) species. There is, however, little
      understanding about which species are most likely responsible for spillover, or
      why spillover does not occur in other areas occupied by reservoir and spillover
      hosts. Using ecological niche models of the four flying fox species we were able
      to identify which species are most likely linked to spillover events using the
      concept of distance to the niche centroid of each species. With this novel
      approach we found that 20 out of 27 events occur disproportionately closer to the
      niche centroid of two species (P. alecto and P. conspicillatus). With linear
      regressions we found a negative relationship between distance to the niche
      centroid and abundance of these two species. Thus, we suggest that the
      bioclimatic niche of these two species is likely driving the spatial pattern of
      spillover of Hendra virus into horses and ultimately humans.

PMID- 28616485
TI  - Evidence of canine parvovirus transmission to a civet cat (Paradoxurus musangus)
      in Singapore.
AB  - Cross-species transmission can often lead to deleterious effects in incidental
      hosts. Parvoviruses have a wide host range and primarily infect members of the
      order Carnivora. Here we describe juvenile common palm civet cats (Paradoxurus
      musangus) that were brought to the Singapore zoo and fell ill while quarantined.
      The tissues of two individual civets that died tested PCR-positive for parvovirus
      infection. Phylogenetic analysis revealed this parvovirus strain falls in a basal
      position to a clade of CPV that have infected dogs in China and Uruguay,
      suggesting cross-species transmission from domestic to wild animals. Our analysis
      further identified these viruses as genotype CPV-2a that is enzootic in
      carnivores. The ubiquity of virus infection in multiple tissues suggests this
      virus is pathogenic to civet cats. Here we document the cross-species
      transmission from domestic dogs and cats to wild civet populations, highlighting
      the vulnerability of wildlife to infectious agents in companion animals.

PMID- 28616486
TI  - Goat farm management and Brucella serological test among goat keepers and
      livestock officers, 2011-2012, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand.
AB  - Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease particularly affecting goats, emerged in Thailand
      in 2003, resulting in both an occupational hazard for goat keepers and livestock
      officers, and production losses. Farm management practices have been identified
      as risk factors associated with Brucella sero-positivity in many studies. Our
      finding in this study should be considered in order to strengthen the system of
      biosecurity control in farm animals as one health approach. The objectives of the
      study were to describe the distribution of potential risk factors by types of
      goat farms and to document the prevalence of human Brucella sero-positivity among
      goat keepers and livestock officers in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. A cross
      sectional study was conducted from September to December 2012. The study
      population included three types of goat farms: standard, community enterprise and
      private goat farms that were located in Nakhon Si Thammmarat Province in southern
      Thailand. Information on whether the farm had any Brucella sero-positivity goats
      since 2011 was retrieved from the local livestock office records. Information on
      farming management was also traced back to 2011. Field researchers collected
      information from goat keepers of the selected farms using a structured
      questionnaire. Goat keepers on all farms pre-identified (January to June 2012) as
      having had at least one positive goat were considered to have been exposed. Goat
      keepers on a random sample of farms having all goats with negative results were
      considered to be unexposed. Venous blood samples were collected from goat keepers
      exposed and unexposed and from livestock officers and the samples were tested by
      IgG ELISA. Statistical analysis was done under the complex survey design in R
      software. Fourteen standard farms, 66 community enterprise farms and 68 private
      farms participated in the study; 82.4% (122/148) used public pasture and 53.4%
      (79/148) shared breeder goats with other farms. Farm management practices
      corresponding to pre-identified risk factors were more common in private farms.
      Large herd size (>= 51 goats) and having dogs and/or rats on the farm were
      significantly associated with Brucella infection in animals (P < 0.05). Similar
      proportions of goat keepers in positive goat farm and livestock officers were
      positive for Brucella antibody (8.3% and 8.8% respectively). Several goat farming
      management practices in the study area may increase the risk of Brucella
      infection in animals. Livestock officers in the area have a high risk of being
      infected with Brucella. Improving goat farm biosecurity practices in needed to
      reduce the risk of brucellosis in this area.

PMID- 28616487
TI  - Wild snakes harbor West Nile virus.
AB  - West Nile virus (WNV) has a complex eco-epidemiology with birds acting as
      reservoirs and hosts for the virus. Less well understood is the role of reptiles,
      especially in wild populations. The goal of our study was to determine whether a
      wild population of snakes in Pennsylvania harbored WNV. Six species of snakes
      were orally sampled in the summer of 2013 and were tested for the presence of WNV
      viral RNA using RT-PCR. Two Eastern Garter Snakes, Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
      tested positive for viral RNA (2/123, 1.62%). These results indicate a possible
      role for snakes in the complex transmission cycle of WNV.

PMID- 28616488
TI  - Building bridges to operationalise one health - A Sino-Swedish collaboration to
      tackle antibiotic resistance.
AB  - Antibiotic resistance is a complex global health challenge. The recent Global
      Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance highlights the importance of adopting One
      Health approaches that can cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. We report
      on the early experiences of a multisectoral Sino-Swedish research project that
      aims to address gaps in our current knowledge and seeks to improve the situation
      through system-wide interventions. Our research project is investigating
      antibiotic use and resistance in a rural area of China through a combination of
      epidemiological, health systems and laboratory investigations. We reflect here on
      the challenges inherent in conducting long distance cross-disciplinary
      collaborations, having now completed data and sample collection for a baseline
      situation analysis. In particular, we recognise the importance of investing in
      aspects such as effective communication, shared conceptual frameworks and
      leadership. We suggest that our experiences will be instructive to others
      planning to develop similar international One Health collaborations.

PMID- 28616489
TI  - Multistate outbreak of human Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to live
      poultry from agricultural feed stores and mail-order hatcheries, United States
      2013.
AB  - Live poultry-associated salmonellosis is an emerging public health issue in the
      United States. Public and animal health officials collaborated to investigate one
      of the largest (356 cases, 39 states) of these outbreaks reported to date. A case
      was defined as illness in a person infected with the outbreak strain of
      Salmonella Typhimurium with illness onset between 1 March and 22 October 2013.
      The median patient age was seven years (range: < 1-87 years); 58% of ill persons
      were children <= 10 years, 51% were female, 25% were hospitalized; 189 (76%) of
      250 patients reported live poultry exposure in the week before illness; and 149
      (95%) of 157 reported purchasing live poultry from agricultural feed stores.
      Traceback investigations identified 18 live poultry sources, including 16 mail
      order hatcheries. Environmental sampling was conducted at two mail-order
      hatcheries. One (2.5%) of 40 duplicate samples collected at one hatchery yielded
      the outbreak strain. Live poultry are an important source of human salmonellosis,
      particularly among children, highlighting the need for educational campaigns and
      comprehensive interventions at the mail-order hatchery and agricultural feed
      store levels. Prevention and control efforts depend on a One Health approach,
      involving cooperation between public and animal health officials, industry,
      health professionals, and consumers.

PMID- 28616490
TI  - One Health and the International Fund for Agriculture Development.

PMID- 28616491
TI  - Climate change projections and public health systems: Building evidence-informed
      connections.

PMID- 28616492
TI  - The role of environmental health in One Health: A Uganda perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One Health is the integrative effort of multiple disciplines working
      locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals and
      the environment. As the human population continues to increase across the world,
      the interface of people, animals and the environment becomes more significant and
      impactful. For the past few years, the One Health concept has brought together
      experts in the areas of animal and human health. It has provided a new synthesis
      for public health and veterinary communities across the world. One Health
      initiatives have majorly focused on veterinarians, medical doctors and public
      health professionals. However, the Environmental Health profession has a major
      role to play in One Health activities based on Uganda's experiences. CONTRIBUTION
      OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TO ONE HEALTH: In Uganda, Environmental Health
      Practitioners (EHPs) carry out several duties that contribute towards One Health.
      These include: inspection of animals before slaughter (antemortem) and meat in
      abattoirs (postmortem); inspection of meat in butcheries; destruction of
      condemned meat; disease surveillance; outbreak investigation and control of
      zoonoses; control of vectors and vermin such as rats, fleas, mosquitoes and
      monkeys; health education on pertinent issues such as vaccination of dogs; and
      food safety including meat and milk. EHPs also play an important role in
      prevention, detection and abatement of microbial and chemical pollution of land,
      air and water sources that have created new threats to the health of both animals
      and humans. EHPs carry out house to house inspections on water, sanitation and
      hygiene hence involved in abating nuisances at households that could pose a
      threat to public health. Such threats could be emerging from the environment
      including animals. Enforcement of public health legislation is also a key
      contribution of EHPs to One Health in Uganda. CONCLUSION: EHPs play an important
      role in disease surveillance, prevention and control. Therefore, Environmental
      Health professionals should be involved as stakeholders in local, national and
      global One Health initiatives.

PMID- 28616493
TI  - Leadership, governance and partnerships are essential One Health competencies.
AB  - One Health is held as an approach to solve health problems in this era of
      complexity and globalization, but inadequate attention has been paid to the
      competencies required to build successful teams and programs. Most of the
      discussion on developing One Health teams focuses on creating cross-disciplinary
      awareness and technical skills. There is, however, evidence that collaborative,
      multi-disciplinary teams need skills, processes and institutions that enable
      policy and operations to be co-managed and co-delivered across jurisdictions. We
      propose that competencies in leadership and human resources; governance and
      infrastructure; and partnership and stakeholder engagement are essential, but
      often overlooked One Health attributes. Competencies in these staple attributes
      of leadership and management need to be more prominent in training and One Health
      capacity development. Although One Health has been in existence for over a
      decade, there has been no systematic evaluation of the essential attributes of
      successful and sustainable One Health programs. As such, much of this paper
      borrows from experience in other sectors dealing with complex, cross and inter
      sectoral problems. Our objective is to advocate for increased investment in One
      Health leadership, governance and partnership skills to balance the focus on
      creating cross-disciplinary awareness and technical proficiency in order to
      maintain One Health as a viable approach to health issues at the human-animal
      environment interface.

PMID- 28616494
TI  - Community-based surveillance of zoonotic parasites in a 'One Health' world: A
      systematic review.
AB  - The One Health (OH) concept provides an integrated framework for observing and
      improving health issues involving human, animal, and environmental factors, and
      has been applied in particular to zoonotic disease problems. We conducted a
      systematic review of English and Chinese language peer-reviewed and grey
      literature databases to identify zoonotic endoparasite research utilizing an OH
      approach in community-based settings. Our review identified 32 articles where
      specimens collected simultaneously from all three OH domains (people, animals,
      and the environment) were assessed for endoparasite infection or exposure. Study
      sites spanned 23 countries, and research teams brought together an average of
      seven authors from two countries. Surveillance of blood-borne and
      gastrointestinal protozoa were most frequently reported (19 of 32; 59%), followed
      by trematodes, nematodes, and cestodes. Laboratory techniques varied greatly
      between studies, and only 16 identified parasites using Polymerase Chain Reaction
      (PCR) in all three OH domains. Our review identified important gaps in
      parasitology research operating under an OH framework. We recommend that
      investigators working in the realm of zoonotic disease strive to evaluate all
      three OH domains by integrating modern molecular tools as well as techniques
      provided by economists and social scientists.

PMID- 28616495
TI  - Zoos and public health: A partnership on the One Health frontier.
AB  - Today, accredited zoos are not just places for entertainment, they are actively
      involved in research for conservation and health. During recent decades in which
      the challenges for biodiversity conservation and public health have escalated,
      zoos have made significant changes to address these difficulties. Zoos
      increasingly have four key areas of focus: education, recreation, conservation,
      and research. These key areas are important in addressing an interrelated global
      conservation (i.e. habitat and wildlife loss) and public health crisis. Zoo and
      public health professionals working together within a One Health framework
      represent a powerful alliance to address current and future conservation and
      public health problems around the world. For researchers, practitioners, and
      students, the collaboration between zoos and public health institutions offers
      the opportunity to both teach and operationalize this transdisciplinary approach.
      Using examples from our programs, we give a template for moving forward with
      collaborative initiatives and sustainable solutions involving partners in both
      zoos and public health institutions. We provide examples of cooperative programs
      and suggest a model for consideration in the development of further activities in
      this area.

PMID- 28616496
TI  - Evaluating one health: Are we demonstrating effectiveness?
AB  - The perceived benefits of a One Health approach are largely hinged on increasing
      public health efficiency and cost effectiveness through a better understanding of
      disease risk-through shared control and detection efforts, and results that
      benefit human, animal and ecosystem health. However, there have been few efforts
      to identify and systematize One Health metrics to assess these perceived
      efficiencies. Though emphasis on the evaluation of One Health has increased,
      widely cited benefits of One Health approaches have mainly been based on modeled
      projections, rather than outcomes of implemented interventions. We conducted a
      review of One Health literature to determine the current status of One Health
      frameworks and case studies reporting One Health metrics. Of 1839 unique papers,
      only 7 reported quantitative outcomes; these assessments did not follow shared
      methodology and several reviewed only intermediate outcomes. For others, the
      effectiveness of One Health approaches was often assumed without supporting
      evidence or determined subjectively. The absence of a standardized framework to
      capture metrics across disciplines, even in a generic format, may hinder the more
      widespread adoption of One Health among stakeholders. We review possible outcome
      metrics suitable for the future evaluation of One Health, noting the relevance of
      cost outcomes to the three main disciplines associated with One Health.

PMID- 28616497
TI  - MERS-coronavirus: From discovery to intervention.
AB  - Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) still causes outbreaks
      despite public awareness and implementation of health care measures, such as
      rapid viral diagnosis and patient quarantine. Here we describe the current
      epidemiological picture of MERS-CoV, focusing on humans and animals affected by
      this virus and propose specific intervention strategies that would be appropriate
      to control MERS-CoV. One-third of MERS-CoV patients develop severe lower
      respiratory tract infection and succumb to a fatal outcome; these patients would
      require effective therapeutic antiviral therapy. Because of the lack of such
      intervention strategies, supportive care is the best that can be offered at the
      moment. Limiting viral spread from symptomatic human cases to health care workers
      and family members, on the other hand, could be achieved through prophylactic
      administration of MERS-CoV neutralizing antibodies and vaccines. To ultimately
      prevent spread of the virus into the human population, however, vaccination of
      dromedary camels - currently the only confirmed animal host for MERS-CoV - may be
      the best option to achieve a sustained drop in human MERS cases in time. In the
      end, a One Health approach combining all these different efforts is needed to
      tackle this zoonotic outbreak.

PMID- 28616498
TI  - Xenotransplantation - A special case of One Health.
AB  - The chronic shortage of human transplants to treat tissue and organ failure has
      led to the development of xenotransplantation, the transplantation of cells,
      tissues and organs from another species to human recipients. For a number of
      reasons, pigs are best suited as donor animals. Successful, routine
      xenotransplantation would have an enormous impact on the health of the human
      population, including the young, who sometimes require a replacement organ or
      islet cells, but especially the elderly, who more often suffer the consequences
      of organ failure. The first form of xenotransplantation applied to humans is the
      use of pig islet cells to treat insulin-dependent diabetes, a procedure that will
      have a significant economic impact. However, although xenotransplantation using
      pig cells, tissues and organs may save and prolong the lives of patients, it may
      also be associated with the transmission of porcine microorganisms to the
      recipient, eventually resulting in emerging infectious diseases. For this reason,
      the health of both the donor animals and the human recipients represents a
      special and sensitive case of the One Health concept. Basic research leading to
      strategies how to prevent transmission of porcine microorganisms by selection of
      virus-free animals, treatment of donor pigs by antiviral drugs, vaccines,
      colostrum deprivation, early weaning, Caesarean delivery, embryo transfer and/or
      gene editing should be undertaken to supply an increasing number of potential
      recipients with urgently required transplants. The methods developed for the
      detection and elimination of porcine microorganisms in the context of
      xenotransplantation will also contribute to an improvement in the health of pig
      populations in general and an increase in the quality of meat products. At
      present, there is evidence for transmission of porcine viruses to humans eating
      pork and having contact with pigs, however the impact of these viruses on public
      health is still unknown.

PMID- 28616499
TI  - Emergence of Wesselsbron virus among black rat and humans in Eastern Senegal in
      2013.
AB  - Wesselsbron disease is a neglected mosquito transmitted Flavivirus infection that
      causes abortions and has teratogenic effects on sheep and cattle in Africa. Human
      can also be infected. The detection of human or animal cases is complicated by
      the non-specific symptoms close to Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in domestic livestock
      species or Dengue like syndrome in humans. Then, these detections are usually
      made during RVF investigations in sheep. These domestic animals should take a
      role in the life cycle of the virus but some evidences of Wesselsbron virus
      (WSLV) presence in wild animals suggest that the latter may be involved in the
      virus maintenance in nature. However, the reservoir status of wild vertebrate in
      general and rodents particularly for WSLV is only based on an isolation from a
      Cape short-eared gerbil in southern Africa. Most of WSLV isolations are from
      southern parts of Africa even if it has been found in western and central Africa
      or Madagascar. In Senegal, there are serological evidences of WSLV circulation in
      human since the 1970s and some isolations, the last one of which dates back in
      1992. Despite the detection of the virus on mosquitoes until the 2000s in
      different parts of the country, no new human case has been noted. In this paper,
      we report the WSLV re-emergence in eastern Senegal in 2013 with 2 human cases and
      its first isolation from a black rat Rattus rattus. Sequencing analyses show the
      circulation of the same strain between these humans and the commensal rodent. The
      putative impact on WSLV transmission to human populations could be more important
      if the reservoir status of the black rat is confirmed. Focused survey in human
      populations, specific entomological and mammalogical investigations would permit
      a better understanding of the life cycle of the virus and its impact on public
      health.

PMID- 28616500
TI  - An outbreak of psittacosis at a veterinary school demonstrating a novel source of
      infection.
AB  - In November 2014, New South Wales Health was notified of a cluster of respiratory
      illness in a veterinary school. Active case finding identified another case at a
      local equine stud. All cases had exposure to the equine fetal membranes of Mare
      A. This tissue subsequently tested positive for Chlamydia psittaci using
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We conducted a cohort study of
      the university and stud farm staff to determine risk factors for disease. Nine
      people were exposed to the fetal membranes of Mare A. Of these, five cases of
      psittacosis were identified. Two required hospital admission. Contact with birds
      was not associated with illness (RR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.09-2.73). People who had
      direct contact with the abnormal fetal membranes were more likely to develop
      disease (RR = 11.77, 95% CI = 1.02-infinity). The emergence of an association
      between horse exposure and C. psittaci infection has important implications for
      the prevention and control of psittacosis. Article summary line: Investigation of
      an outbreak of psittacosis in a rural veterinary school demonstrates novel source
      of infection for psittacosis through exposure to abnormal equine fetal membranes.

PMID- 28616501
TI  - Searching for animal models and potential target species for emerging pathogens:
      Experience gained from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
AB  - Emerging and re-emerging pathogens represent a substantial threat to public
      health, as demonstrated with numerous outbreaks over the past years, including
      the 2013-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus in western Africa. Coronaviruses are also a
      threat for humans, as evidenced in 2002/2003 with infection by the severe acute
      respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which caused more than 8000 human
      infections with 10% fatality rate in 37 countries. Ten years later, a novel human
      coronavirus (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, MERS-CoV), associated
      with severe pneumonia, arose in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Until December 2016,
      MERS has accounted for more than 1800 cases and 35% fatality rate. Finding an
      animal model of disease is key to develop vaccines or antivirals against such
      emerging pathogens and to understand its pathogenesis. Knowledge of the potential
      role of domestic livestock and other animal species in the transmission of
      pathogens is of importance to understand the epidemiology of the disease. Little
      is known about MERS-CoV animal host range. In this paper, experimental data on
      potential hosts for MERS-CoV is reviewed. Advantages and limitations of different
      animal models are evaluated in relation to viral pathogenesis and transmission
      studies. Finally, the relevance of potential new target species is discussed.

PMID- 28616502
TI  - Dromedary camels in northern Mali have high seropositivity to MERS-CoV.
AB  - A high percentage (up to 90%) of dromedary camels in the Middle East as well as
      eastern and central Africa have antibodies to Middle East respiratory syndrome
      coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Here we report comparably high positivity of MERS-CoV
      antibodies in dromedary camels from northern Mali. This extends the range of MERS
      CoV further west in Africa than reported to date and cautions that MERS-CoV
      should be considered in cases of severe respiratory disease in the region.

PMID- 28616503
TI  - A framework for One Health research.
AB  - The need for multidisciplinary research to address today's complex health and
      environmental challenges has never been greater. The One Health (OH) approach to
      research ensures that human, animal, and environmental health questions are
      evaluated in an integrated and holistic manner to provide a more comprehensive
      understanding of the problem and potential solutions than would be possible with
      siloed approaches. However, the OH approach is complex, and there is limited
      guidance available for investigators regarding the practical design and
      implementation of OH research. In this paper we provide a framework to guide
      researchers through conceptualizing and planning an OH study. We discuss key
      steps in designing an OH study, including conceptualization of hypotheses and
      study aims, identification of collaborators for a multi-disciplinary research
      team, study design options, data sources and collection methods, and analytical
      methods. We illustrate these concepts through the presentation of a case study of
      health impacts associated with land application of biosolids. Finally, we discuss
      opportunities for applying an OH approach to identify solutions to current global
      health issues, and the need for cross-disciplinary funding sources to foster an
      OH approach to research.

PMID- 28616504
TI  - Q fever in an endemic region of North Queensland, Australia: A 10 year review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Q fever is a zoonotic infection caused by Coxiella burnetii. Endemic
      Q fever has long been recognised in north Queensland, with north Queensland
      previously acknowledged to have the highest rate of notification in Australia. In
      this retrospective study, we reviewed the demographics and exposure of patients
      diagnosed with Q fever in an endemic region of north Queensland, to identify
      trends and exposure factors for the acquisition of Q fever. METHODS: A
      retrospective study looking at patients in the region that had tested positive
      for Q fever by case ascertainment between 2004 and 2014. This involved both a
      chart review and the completion of a patient questionnaire targeting
      demographics, clinical presentation, risk factors and outcomes. RESULTS: There
      were 101 patients with a positive Q fever serology and/or PCR that were
      identified in the region of north Queensland that was studied, between 2004 and
      2014. The cohort was residents of Mackay Hospital and Health Service. Of these, 4
      patients were excluded and 63 patients successfully completed a questionnaire on
      demographic and risk factors. Out of the 63 patients, the highest prevalence was
      in the patients residing in the coastal region of Proserpine (42/100,000 people
      per year) followed by the Whitsundays region (14.8/100,000 people per year). A
      significantly higher proportion of patients were reportedly exposed to macropods
      (69.8%) and possums (66.7%) as compared to cattle (23.8%). A trend between
      increased cases of Q fever infection and high seasonal rainfall was noted.
      CONCLUSIONS: In this endemic region of north Queensland, exposure to wildlife and
      seasonal rainfall may be substantial exposure factors for the development of Q
      fever. The region studied is a popular tourist destination. An understanding of
      risk factors involved can help practitioners who see residents or returned
      travelers from the region, with an undifferentiated fever.

PMID- 28616505
TI  - One Health in food safety and security education: Subject matter outline for a
      curricular framework.
AB  - Educating students in the range of subjects encompassing food safety and security
      as approached from a One Health perspective requires consideration of a variety
      of different disciplines and the interrelationships among disciplines. The
      Western Institute for Food Safety and Security developed a subject matter outline
      to accompany a previously published One Health in food safety and security
      curricular framework. The subject matter covered in this outline encompasses a
      variety of topics and disciplines related to food safety and security including
      effects of food production on the environment. This subject matter outline should
      help guide curriculum development and education in One Health in food safety and
      security and provides useful information for educators, researchers, students,
      and public policy-makers facing the inherent challenges of maintaining and/or
      developing safe and secure food supplies without destroying Earth's natural
      resources.

PMID- 28616506
TI  - The hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum: An emerging public health risk in Australian
      tropical rainforests and Indigenous communities.
AB  - Ancylostoma ceylanicum is the common hookworm of domestic dogs and cats
      throughout Asia, and is an emerging but little understood public health risk in
      tropical northern Australia. We investigated the prevalence of A. ceylanicum in
      soil and free-ranging domestic dogs at six rainforest locations in Far North
      Queensland that are Indigenous Australian communities and popular tourist
      attractions within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. By combining PCR-based
      techniques with traditional methods of hookworm species identification, we found
      the prevalence of hookworm in Indigenous community dogs was high (96.3% and 91.9%
      from necropsy and faecal samples, respectively). The majority of these infections
      were A. caninum. We also observed, for the first time, the presence of A.
      ceylanicum infection in domestic dogs (21.7%) and soil (55.6%) in an Indigenous
      community. A. ceylanicum was present in soil samples from two out of the three
      popular tourist locations sampled. Our results contribute to the understanding of
      dogs as a public health risk to Indigenous communities and tourists in the Wet
      Tropics. Dog health needs to be more fully addressed as part of the Australian
      Government's commitments to "closing the gap" in chronic disease between
      Indigenous and other Australians, and encouraging tourism in similar locations.

PMID- 28616507
TI  - The first report of Escherichia fergusonii isolated from non-human primates, in
      Africa.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the resistance phenotypes of selected
      enteric bacteria isolated from non-human primates at a wildlife-human interface.
      Bacterial isolates from faecal samples of non-human primates at two wildlife
      rehabilitation centres in South Africa were screened for the presence of
      Escherichia coli. The biochemical characterisation of E. coli and E. coli-like
      bacteria revealed both adonitol positive and sorbitol negative strains - a unique
      characteristic of Escherichia fergusonii and Escherichia coli K99. Further tests
      were carried out to identify the isolates, namely growth on Simmons citrate agar
      supplemented with 2% adonitol and biochemical tests based on their ability to
      ferment cellobiose and d-arabitol. Antimicrobial sensitivity was determined with
      microbroth dilution tests employing microtitre plates with 21 different
      antimicrobial drugs. Molecular characterisation was done with a duplex polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) assay that targeted the yliE and EFER_1569 genes. E.
      fergusonii strains were confirmed by the presence of a 233 bp segment of the yliE
      gene and a 432 bp segment of the EFER_1569 gene. Twenty-three E. coli-like
      bacteria were confirmed as E. fergusonii based on the confirmatory tests and they
      were in 100% agreement. Approximately 87% of them were resistant to polymyxins B
      and E (colistin) as well as the carbapenem group with occasional resistance to
      amikacin. This is the first reported isolation and identification of E.
      fergusonii strains in non-human primates. The findings point to E. fergusonii as
      a possible emerging pathogen of zoonotic importance.

PMID- 28616508
TI  - Non-invasive estimation of pulmonary outflow tract obstruction: A comparative
      study of cardiovascular phase contrast magnetic resonance and Doppler
      echocardiography versus cardiac catheterization.
AB  - AIM: To compare estimated pressure gradients from routine follow-up
      cardiovascular phase-contrast magnetic resonance (PC-MR) with those from Doppler
      echocardiography and invasive catheterization in patients with congenital heart
      disease (CHD) and pulmonary outflow tract obstruction. METHODS: In 75 patients
      with pulmonary outflow tract obstruction maximal and mean PC-MR gradients were
      compared to maximal and mean Doppler gradients. Additionally, in a subgroup of 31
      patients maximal and mean PC-MR and Doppler pressure gradients were compared to
      catheter peak-to-peak pressure gradients (PPG). RESULTS: Maximal and mean PC-MR
      gradients underestimated pulmonary outflow tract obstruction as compared to
      Doppler (max gradient: bias = + 8.4 mm Hg (+ 47.6%), r = 0.89, p < 0.001; mean
      gradient: + 4.3 mm Hg (+ 49.0%), r = 0.88, p < 0.001). However, in comparison to
      catheter PPG, maximal PC-MR gradients (bias = + 1.8 mm Hg (+ 8.8%), r = 0.90, p =
      0.14) and mean Doppler gradients (bias = - 2.3 mm Hg (- 11.2%), r = 0.87, p =
      0.17) revealed best agreement. Mean PC-MR gradients underestimated (bias = - 7.7
      mm Hg (- 55.6%), r = 0.90, p < 0.001) while maximal Doppler gradients
      systematically overestimated catheter PPG (bias = + 13.9 mm Hg (+ 56.5%), r =
      0.88, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Estimated maximal PC-MR pressure gradients from
      routine CHD follow-up agree well with invasively assessed peak-to-peak pressure
      gradients. Estimated maximal Doppler pressure gradients tend to overestimate,
      while Doppler mean gradients agree better with catheter PPG. Therefore, our data
      provide reasonable arguments to either apply maximal PC-MR gradients or mean
      Doppler gradients to non-invasively evaluate the severity of pulmonary outflow
      tract obstruction in the follow-up of CHD.

PMID- 28616509
TI  - Predictors and outcome of no-reflow post primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention for ST elevation myocardial infarction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No-reflow (TIMI < 3) during primary PCI (PCI) for STEMI occurs in 11
      41% of cases, indicates poor myocardial tissue perfusion, and is associated with
      a poor outcome. We aimed to determine predictors and 12 month outcomes of
      patients who developed no-reflow. METHODS: We analysed the PCI database of The
      Canberra Hospital and identified 781 patients who underwent primary PCI during
      2008-2012. Follow-up at 12 months was with letter, phone call and review of
      hospital records. RESULTS: No-reflow was observed in 189 patients (25%) at the
      end of the procedure. Patients with no-reflow were older (64 vs. 61 years, p =
      0.03). No-reflow patients were more likely to have initial TIMI flow < 3 (89% vs.
      79%, p = 0.001), thrombus score >= 4 (83% vs. 69%, p = 0.0001), higher use of
      glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (57% vs. 48%, p = 0.03) and longer median
      symptom to balloon time (223 min vs. 192 min, p = 0.004). No-reflow was an
      independent predictor of mortality (HR 1.95, CI 1.04-3.59, p = 0.037) during 12
      month follow-up. On multivariate analysis, age > 60 years, thrombus score >= 4
      and symptom to balloon time > 360 min were independent predictors of no-reflow.
      In 17% of cases of no reflow, it occurred only after stent insertion.
      CONCLUSIONS: No-reflow occurred in 25% of STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI
      and was more likely with older age, high thrombus burden and delayed
      presentation. No-reflow was associated with a higher risk of death at 12 month
      follow-up.

PMID- 28616510
TI  - Red cell distribution width (RDW) correlates with markers of diastolic
      dysfunction in patients with impaired left ventricular systolic function.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Red-cell distribution width (RDW) has been identified as a novel
      prognostic marker in a heterogeneous group of heart failure patients. In this
      group, diastolic dysfunction is associated with worse outcome. As the evidence is
      limited, the aim of the present study was to assess the relationship of RDW to
      diastolic markers in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) diagnosed
      during cardiac catheterization. METHODS: Clinical and angiographic data were
      collected retrospectively on a total of 291 stable patients (mean age 62 years,
      199 males) with systolic dysfunction documented during cardiac catheterization in
      a regional medical center between January 2006 and December 2010. RESULTS:
      Positive association was seen between RDW and Left ventricular end diastolic
      pressure (LVEDP), estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure(sPAP), and left
      atrial dimension (LAD) (r: 0.18, 0.24, 0.28, respectively; p:<0.05).Three year
      retrospective survival analysis for 108 patients admitted in the first 2 years
      showed a statistically significant decrease in survival patients with high RDW(>
      14.5) vs. normal RDW (73%vs.88%;log rank p:0.03). This was seen even in the
      asymptomatic subgroup (71% vs. 94%; log rank p: 0.01). CONCLUSION: RDW correlates
      with markers of diastolic dysfunction in patients with LVD. Additionally, in
      patients asymptomatic LVD, high RDW is still associated with lower survival.

PMID- 28616511
TI  - One-year outcomes following drug-eluting balloon use for coronary ostial
      restenosis.
AB  - AIMS: The management of ostial lesions is one of the challenges of percutaneous
      coronary intervention (PCI) in recent medicine. Although stent implantation has
      increased the accuracy of the results and improved long-term outcomes, in-stent
      restenosis (ISR) occurs more frequency following the treatment of ostial lesions
      than the treatment of non-ostial lesions. When additional stenting is not
      desirable, PCI with drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) has emerged as an adjunctive
      strategy. However, little data regarding the effects of DEBs in ostial ISR
      lesions are available. Our study aimed to assess the efficacy of the use of DEBs
      in coronary ostial instent restenotic lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: From November
      of 2011 to May of 2014, 85 patients were diagnosed with coronary ostial ISR in
      our hospital. A total of 93 coronary ostial ISR lesions were treated with DEBs.
      More than half of the study patients had comorbidities, including hypertension,
      diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, 77.6% of the study patients had triple vessel
      coronary artery disease, and 54.1% of the study patients had left main coronary
      artery disease. In our study, target lesion revascularization were performed in
      19.2% in all groups; 11.5% were in the ostial left anterior descending artery,
      29.0% were in the ostial left circumflex artery, and 21.4% were in the ostial
      right coronary artery. Across all of the groups, 24.4% of the patients
      experienced major adverse cardiac cerebral events. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous
      coronary intervention with drug-eluting balloons is an alternative strategy for
      coronary ostial instent restenosis when additional stenting is not desirable.

PMID- 28616512
TI  - High prevalence of coronary artery events and non-coronary events in patients
      with coronary artery aneurysm in the observational group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is occasionally detected on a small
      percentage of coronary angiography or multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT).
      CAA itself is considered benign entity despite the potential risks of rupture,
      thromboembolism, and compression of surrounding structures. However, the optimal
      management including other vascular comorbidity has yet to be fully clarified.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular events in the
      patients with CAA in the observational group. METHODS: Between January 2010 and
      August 2015, 48 CAAs were identified in 37 patients out of consecutive 10,010
      patients (0.37%) by MDCT. Twenty-eight patients treated conservatively were
      included in this study. Their major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were
      evaluated retrospectively: death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI),
      revascularizations; coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous
      coronary intervention (PCI), and other vascular events. RESULTS: The average age
      was 62.0 +/- 15.5 year sold, and median follow-up period was 49.6 months (IQR
      23.6 to 78.1). Mean CAA diameter was 7.5 +/- 2.8 mm. Twenty-two MACE occurred in
      15 patients (53.6%): 1 sudden death, 4 MI, 1 CABG for CAA, 3 PCI for CAA, 7 PCI
      for non-CAA lesions, and 6 other vascular treatments for aorta and cerebral and
      peripheral artery. Follow-up MDCT was performed for 22 CAAs in 16 patients. In 9
      CAAs of them, the maximal diameter increased significantly (Delta diameter: 1.5
      +/- 1.1 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of CAA may be associated with adverse vascular
      events including non-coronary diseases. This study could suggest the management
      for CAA should include the evaluation of not only CAA itself but also other
      vascular diseases.

PMID- 28616513
TI  - Post-valvular surgery multi-vessel coronary artery spasm - A literature review.
AB  - Coronary artery spasm (CAS) refers to the spontaneous or stimuli-induced
      transient, often localized and intense subtotal or total constriction/occlusion
      of the epicardial coronary artery, usually concomitant with angina pectoris with
      associated elevation of the ST segment on electrocardiogram (ECG). In this
      article, we present a literature review on post-valvular surgery CAS and report
      the clinical case of a 77 year-old man who experienced severe early post-aortic
      surgery chest pain and hemodynamic instability. Emergent coronary angiography
      revealed severe occlusion of multiple branches of both coronary arteries. The CAS
      was alleviated with intracoronary infusion of nitroglycerin.

PMID- 28616514
TI  - Mitral valve prolapse syndrome and MASS phenotype: Stability of aortic dilatation
      but progression of mitral valve prolapse.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS) and MASS phenotype (MASS) are
      Marfan-like syndromes that exhibit aortic dilatation and mitral valve prolapse.
      Unlike in Marfan syndrome (MFS), the presence of ectopia lentis and aortic
      aneurysm preclude diagnosis of MVPS and MASS. However, it is unclear whether
      aortic dilatation and mitral valve prolapse remain stable in MVPS or MASS or
      whether they progress like in MFS. METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal
      observational study examines clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of
      44 adults with MVPS or MASS (18 men, 26 women aged 38 +/- 17 years) as compared
      with 81 adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) with similar age and sex distribution.
      The age at final contact was 42 +/- 15 years with mean follow-up of 66 +/- 49
      months. RESULTS: At baseline, ectopia lentis and aortic sinus aneurysm were
      absent in MVPS and MASS, and systemic scores defined by the revised Ghent
      nosology were lower than in MFS (all P < .001). Unlike in MFS, no individual with
      MVPS and MASS developed aortic complications (P < .001). In contrast, the
      incidence of endocarditis (P = .292), heart failure (P = .644), and mitral valve
      surgery (P = .140) was similar in all syndromes. Cox regression analysis
      identified increased LV end-diastolic (P = .013), moderate MVR (P = .019) and
      flail MV leaflet (P = .017) as independent predictors of mitral valve surgery.
      CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence that MVPS and MASS are Marfan-like
      syndromes with stability of aortic dilatation but with progression of mitral
      valve prolapse. Echocardiographic characteristics of mitral valve disease rather
      than the type of syndrome, predict clinical progression of mitral valve prolapse.

PMID- 28616515
TI  - Coronary artery spasm: Current knowledge and residual uncertainties.
AB  - Myocardial ischaemia results from a direct mismatch between oxygen supply and
      demand, commonly arising as a result of coronary atherosclerosis, microvascular
      dysfunction or acute thrombosis and luminal obstruction. However, transient
      ischaemia may also occur due to coronary spasm leading to acute and unexpected
      myocardial ischaemia without obvious visible coronary pathology. Aside from
      symptoms of chest pain, coronary spasm can cause infarction, LV impairment,
      promote life threatening arrhythmias and ultimately sudden cardiac death. While
      therapeutic options are available, controversies exist around diagnosis,
      pathology, management and prognosis. This review summarises some of the common
      questions in this area. In particular we explore and discuss the available
      evidence for the pharmacological treatment of coronary spasm, and strategies for
      identification and management of very high risk patients to try and reduce the
      incidence of sudden premature death.

PMID- 28616516
TI  - Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in
      women with Mustard palliation for complete transposition of the great arteries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) following atrial
      redirection surgery are at risk of pregnancy-associated arrhythmia and heart
      failure. The cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) characteristics of
      these women and the relationship of CMR findings to pregnancy outcomes have not
      been described. METHODS: We included 17 women with atrial redirection surgery and
      CMR within 2 years of delivery. RESULTS: All women were asymptomatic at baseline
      (New York Heart Association Class 1). CMR studies were completed pre-pregnancy in
      3, antepartum/peripartum in 2, and postpartum in 12 women. Three women (3/17,
      18%) experienced major cardiovascular events related to pregnancy: cardiac arrest
      (n = 1) and symptomatic atrial arrhythmia (n = 2). Median gestational age at
      delivery was 38 weeks (24-39 weeks) and birth weight was 2770 g (2195-3720 g).
      Complications were seen in 3 offspring (3/17, 18%): death (n = 1) and prematurity
      (n = 2). CMR characteristics included median right ventricular end diastolic
      volume 119 mL/m2 (range 85-214 mL/m2) and median right ventricular ejection
      fraction (RVEF) 37% (range 30-51%). All women with cardiovascular complications
      had an RVEF < 35% (range 32-34%). The association between RVEF < 35% and
      cardiovascular complications trended towards statistical significance (p = 0.05).
      No statistically significant differences in CMR measurements were found between
      those with and without neonatal complications. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of
      women in this cohort had successful outcomes following pregnancy, important
      cardiovascular complications were seen in a significant minority, all of whom had
      an RVEF < 35%. The preliminary findings of our study provide impetus for a larger
      prospective study to evaluate the prognostic role of CMR in pregnant women with
      atrial redirection surgery.

PMID- 28616517
TI  - High perfusion pressure as a predictor of reperfusion pulmonary injury after
      balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical efficacy of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) to the
      patients with non-operable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
      for improving pulmonary hemodynamics and exercise tolerance has been reported in
      these several years. However, reperfusion pulmonary injury (RPI) remains to be a
      major complication of BPA to overcome. This study elucidated the local predictor
      of RPI. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with non-operable CTEPH
      underwent BPA for lesions in the segmental or sub-segmental vessels. Pre- and
      post-BPA pulmonary arterial pressures at proximal (Pp) and distal (Pd) to the
      stenosis were measured by a 0.014-in. pressure wire. Positive or negative RPI was
      evaluated by chest computed tomography in each re-perfused segment separately 4 h
      after BPA. RESULTS: Pressure measurements pre- and post-BPA were obtained from
      110 lesions, where Pd and pressure ratio (Pd/Pp) increased after BPA in all
      lesions. Among them, RPI was observed in 49 lesions (44.5%). In the RPI-positive
      lesions, post-BPA Pd and post-BPA Pd/Pp were higher compared with the RPI
      negative lesions. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that the post-BPA Pd
      was independently associated with RPI incidence. Receiver operating
      characteristic curve analysis demonstrated the best cut-off value of 19.5 mm Hg
      for post-BPA Pd to predict RPI. CONCLUSIONS: High reperfusion pressure after BPA
      could be a predictor of RPI. Monitoring local pressure during BPA procedure may
      have a potential to reduce the incidence of RPI.

PMID- 28616518
TI  - Relationship between electrocardiographic findings and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance
      phenotypes in patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Q waves and negative T waves are common electrocardiographic (ECG)
      abnormalities in patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Several studies
      correlated ECG findings with presence and extent of fibrosis and hypertrophy;
      however, their significance remains incompletely clarified. Our study aimed to
      explain the mechanism behind Q and negative T waves by comparing their positions
      on a 12-lead ECG with phenotypes observed at Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE)
      Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). METHODS: 12-lead ECG and LGE-CMR were performed
      in 88 consecutive patients with HCM (42 SD 16 years, 65 males). Using Delta
      Thickness ratio (DT ratio), and "global" and "parietal" LGE at CMR, the extent
      and distribution of myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis were studied in
      correlation with ECG abnormalities. RESULTS: Q waves in different leads were not
      associated with "parietal" LGE score. Lateral Q waves correlated with an
      increased DT ratio Inferior Septum/Lateral wall (p = 0.01). A similar correlation
      between inferior Q waves and an increased DT Ratio Anterior wall/Inferior wall
      was of borderline statistical significance (p = 0.06). As expected, ECG signs of
      LV hypertrophy related to a raised Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI) (p <
      0.0001) and mean wall thickness (p = 0.01). Depolarization disturbances,
      including negative T waves in lateral (p = 0.044) and anterior (p = 0.031) leads
      correlated with "parietal" LGE scores while QT dispersion (p = 0.0001) was
      associated with "global" LGE score. CONCLUSION: In HCM patients, Q waves are
      generated by asymmetric hypertrophy rather than by myocardial fibrosis, while
      negative T waves result from local LGE distribution at CMR.

PMID- 28616519
TI  - Cardiovascular changes in patients with non-severe Plasmodium vivax malaria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular system involvement in patients with Plasmodium vivax
      malaria has been poorly addressed. The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiac
      structures and function, and serum markers of cardiovascular injury in patients
      with the non-severe form of vivax malaria in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively evaluated 26 patients with vivax malaria in
      an outpatient referral hospital and compared results with a control group of 25
      gender- and age-matched healthy individuals. Patients underwent clinical
      evaluation, laboratory tests, and transthoracic echocardiography at first
      evaluation (day zero, D0) and seven days (D7) after malaria diagnosis. At D0
      echocardiography showed higher left ventricular (LV) systolic diameter (28.8 +/-
      2.82 vs 30.9 +/- 4.03 mm; p = 0.037) and LV diastolic volume (82.4 +/- 12.3 vs
      93.8 +/- 25.9 ml; p = 0.05), and lower LV ejection fraction (Teicholz method:
      73.2 +/- 6.59 vs 68.4 +/- 4.87%; p = 0.004) in patients compared to controls.
      Right ventricle (RV) fractional area change (54.7 +/- 5.11 vs 50.5 +/- 6.71%; p =
      0.014) was lower, and RV myocardial performance index (0.21 +/- 0.07 vs 0.33 +/-
      0.19; p = 0.007), and pulmonary vascular resistance (1.13 +/- 0.25 vs 1.32 +/-
      0.26 Woods unit; p = 0.012) were higher in patients than controls. Patients
      presented higher serum levels of unconjugated bilirubin (0.24 +/- 0.15 vs 1.30 +/
      0.89 mg/dL; p < 0.001), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1; 453
      +/- 143 vs 1983 +/- 880 ng/mL; p < 0.001), N-terminal prohormone brain
      natriuretic peptide (0.59 +/- 0.86 vs 1.08 +/- 0.81 pg/mL; p = 0.045), and
      troponin T (861 +/- 338 vs 1037 +/- 264 pg/mL; p = 0.045), and lower levels of
      plasma nitrite (13.42 +/- 8.15 vs 8.98 +/- 3.97 MUM; p = 0.016) than controls.
      Most alterations had reversed by D7. CONCLUSION: Patients with non-severe
      Plasmodium vivax malaria present subclinical reversible cardiovascular changes.

PMID- 28616520
TI  - More haste, less speed: Cardiac perforation by a thoracentesis catheter.

PMID- 28616521
TI  - Predictors of subjective health status 10 years post-PCI.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Subjective health status is an increasingly important parameter to
      assess the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in clinical
      practice. Aim of this study was to determine medical and psychosocial predictors
      of poor subjective health status over a 10 years' post-PCI period. METHODS: We
      included a series of consecutive PCI patients (n = 573) as part of the RESEARCH
      registry, a Dutch single-center retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: These
      patients completed the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline and
      10 years post-PCI. We found 6 predictors of poor subjective health status 10
      years post-PCI: SF-36 at baseline, age, previous PCI, obesity, acute myocardial
      infarction as indication for PCI, and diabetes mellitus (arranged from most to
      least numbers of sub domains). CONCLUSIONS: SF-36 scores at baseline, age, and
      previous PCI were significant predictors of subjective health status 10 years
      post-PCI. Specifically, the SF-36 score at baseline was an important predictor.
      Thus assessment of subjective health status at baseline is useful as an indicator
      to predict long-term subjective health status. Subjective health status becomes
      better by optimal medical treatment, cardiac rehabilitation and psychosocial
      support. This is the first study determining predictors of subjective health
      status 10 years post-PCI.

PMID- 28616522
TI  - The experimental model of transition from compensated cardiac hypertrophy to
      failure created by transverse aortic constriction in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) operation is used as an
      experimental model of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and LV failure in mice.
      The severity of LV remodeling or failure may depend on the degree of TAC, but is
      variable among operated animals. Therefore, we tried to identify the optimal
      diameter of TAC to create this model with ease and high reproducibility. METHODS
      AND RESULTS: To produce TAC in C57BL/6J mice (7-9 weeks, body weight 19-26 g, n =
      109), a 7-0 nylon suture ligature was tightly tied around the transverse aorta
      against needles with 3 different diameters (mm); 0.40, 0.385 and 0.375. LV wall
      thickness, end-diastolic dimension, fractional shortening were measured by
      echocardiography. At 4 weeks after TAC, no mouse with the 0.400 mm gauge
      progressed in LV failure. The 0.385 mm pin gauge mouse kept a more survival rate
      compared with the 0.375 mm (59% vs 48%), representing same efficient in LV
      failure. With the 0.385 mm pin gauge, hearts of mice remained LV hypertrophy at 1
      week after TAC, followed by LV failure at 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: TAC with the
      diameter of 0.385 mm can effectively induce the transition from LV hypertrophy to
      failure in mice with relatively preserved survival.

PMID- 28616523
TI  - Safety and feasibility of transcatheter renal sympathetic denervation using
      different types of catheter and various radiofrequency settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate in vivo the feasibility and safety of renal sympathetic
      denervation (RSD) with different catheters and various radiofrequency protocols.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-two pigs were included. First 2 pigs were enrolled in
      a feasibility protocol using one catheter and power from 5 W to 20 W. The next 10
      pigs underwent RSD with three different catheters and four different RF-power
      settings of 5 W, 8 W, 10 W and 12 W in one minute per lesion (Protocol 1). The
      following 10 (Pigs 13 to 22) underwent RSD with five types of catheters
      (including the Symplicity(r) catheter), powers of 8 W and 10 W and two minutes RF
      application (Protocol 2). Angiographic data were obtained at baseline, during and
      after RSD. At last, renal arteries were excised and analyzed macroscopically. The
      first pig developed severe renal stenoses with lesions of 15 to 20 W correlated
      with macroscopic alterations. The second feasibility pig did not develop renal
      stenosis with 5 and 8 W. In Protocol 1 from 60 RF-lesions, we observed 7 stenoses
      (>= 30%). Three were severe (one of 80% with 10 W and two of 80% with 12 W). In
      Protocol 2 from 57 lesions we observed only 1 stenosis of 50% with 8 W with
      Symplicity(r) catheter. Severe stenosis was not observed. CONCLUSION: In this
      study, renal sympathetic denervation showed safety using five types of catheters
      when applying RF-energy less than 10 W, within main stems of arteries larger than
      3.0 mm diameter and a distance between lesions of at least 1 time catheter tip
      length.

PMID- 28616524
TI  - Coronary plaque morphology on multi-modality imagining and periprocedural
      myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention.
AB  - Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be complicated by periprocedural
      myocardial infarction (PMI) as manifested by elevated cardiac biomarkers such as
      creatine kinase (CK)-MB or troponin T. The occurrence of PMI has been shown to be
      associated with worse short- and long-term clinical outcome. However, recent
      studies suggest that PMI defined by biomarker levels alone is a marker of
      atherosclerosis burden and procedural complexity but in most cases does not have
      independent prognostic significance. Diagnostic multi-modality imaging such as
      intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, coronary angioscopy, near
      infrared spectroscopy, multidetector computed tomography, and magnetic resonance
      imaging can be used to closely investigate the atherosclerotic lesion in order to
      detect morphological markers of unstable and vulnerable plaques in the patients
      undergoing PCI. With the improvement of technical aspects of multimodality
      coronary imaging, clinical practice and research are increasingly shifting toward
      defining the clinical implication of plaque morphology and patients outcomes.
      There were numerous published data regarding the relationship between pre-PCI
      lesion subsets on multi-modality imaging and post-PCI biomarker levels. In this
      review, we discuss the relationship between coronary plaque morphology estimated
      by invasive or noninvasive coronary imaging and the occurrence of PMI.
      Furthermore, this review underlies that the value of the multimodality coronary
      imaging approach will become the gold standard for invasive or noninvasive
      prediction of PMI in clinical practice.

PMID- 28616526
TI  - Repeat remote ischaemic pre-conditioning for improved cardiovascular function in
      humans: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Single exposure to remote ischaemic pre-conditioning (RIPC) has been
      shown to be effective in reducing major adverse events during cardiac surgery. We
      evaluated the efficacy of repeated exposure RIPC to elicit improvements in
      cardiovascular function. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted up until May
      1st, 2015, using the following databases: EMBASE, PubMed (Medline), Web of
      Science and the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Data
      was extracted and synthesized from published studies of repeat RIPC. RESULTS:
      Data from seven studies showed evidence of improvements in vascular function and
      anti-hypertensive effects of systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure
      following repeat RIPC. Currently existing work justifies a systematic review but
      not data pooling of individual study data. Repeat RIPC has also produced evidence
      of improvements in endothelial dependent vasodilation, but not non-endothelial
      dependent vasodilation, cutaneous vascular conductance or cardiorespiratory
      fitness. CONCLUSION: Repeated RIPC exposure has produced evidence of improvements
      in endothelial dependent vasodilation, ulcer healing and blood pressure but no
      benefit in non-endothelial dependent vasodilation, cutaneous vascular conductance
      or cardiorespiratory fitness. The optimal delivery of RIPC remains unclear, but
      at least 3 or preferably 4, 5 min exposures appears to be most beneficial, at
      least for reducing blood pressure. Aside from those undertaking cardiac surgery,
      other study populations with endothelial dysfunction may benefit from repeat
      exposure to RIPC.

PMID- 28616525
TI  - Thrombolytics in VAD management - A single-center experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With continued increase in the use of mechanical circulatory support,
      the incidence of device thrombus remains a challenge. This study is a
      retrospective analysis of data at a single center to assess the safety and
      efficacy of thrombolytic use in durable mechanical assist devices. METHODS: Data
      was analyzed retrospectively from 154 patients who underwent left ventricular
      assist device (LVAD) implantation from 1/1/2005 to 6/30/2014. The HMII device was
      implanted in 131 patients while 23 received the HVAD. LVAD thrombus was diagnosed
      when lactate dehydrogenase levels exceeded 1000 units/l accompanied by clinical
      signs of hemolysis and heart failure, echocardiographic data and surges in pump
      power. TPA (tissue plasminogen activator) protocol consisted of a 5 mg
      intravenous bolus followed by 3 mg/h infusion in normal saline for 10 h. If
      symptoms persisted another cycle of TPA at 1 mg/h was continued up to 48 h.
      RESULTS: The TPA group had a 70% success rate. Success was defined as complete
      resolution of hemolysis and clinical symptoms with no requirement for LVAD
      exchange at 30 days. 95% survival was noted at 30 days and 90% were free of a
      hemorrhagic stroke in the TPA group. The rates of hemorrhagic strokes in the TPA
      group and the control group were not different (OR = 0.92). CONCLUSION: The TPA
      protocol described here was successful consistently. Though this study is limited
      by its size and retrospective nature it leads the way for larger studies to
      generate more robust comparisons between different types of mechanical assist
      devices as well as the tailored use of thrombolytics in this patient population.

PMID- 28616527
TI  - The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system and right heart failure in congenital
      heart disease.
AB  - Adults with congenital heart disease represent a rapidly growing patient group.
      Dysfunction of the right ventricle is often present, and right heart failure
      constitutes the main cause of death. Heart failure therapies used in acquired
      left heart failure are often initiated in adults with right heart failure due to
      congenital heart disease, but the right ventricle differs substantially from the
      left ventricle, and the clinical evidence for this treatment strategy is lacking.
      In this review, we identified existing clinical studies evaluating the effects of
      ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers and aldosterone antagonists in
      adults with congenital heart disease by a systematic literature search. From 13
      identified studies no clear evidence of beneficial effects was found, but the
      design of the studies limits the validity of the results. The studies in general
      include low numbers of patients, have short follow-up periods and evaluate
      surrogate endpoints instead of hard clinical endpoints. Specific evaluation of
      symptomatic patients with a systemic right ventricle indicates that these
      patients may benefit from RAAS inhibitory treatments, but this requires further
      investigation. To conclude, existing studies do not support the use of RAAS
      inhibitory treatments in right heart failure due to congenital heart disease but
      contain important limitations. Hence, there is a need for new well-designed
      trials including higher numbers of patients and validated endpoints to optimize
      and guide future treatment of this patient group.

PMID- 28616529
TI  - Intima-media thickness of the descending aorta in patients with bicuspid aortic
      valve.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is associated with accelerated aortic
      valve disease (AVD) and abnormalities in aortic elasticity. We investigated the
      intima-media thickness of the descending aorta (AoIMT) in patients with AVD with
      or without an ascending aortic aneurysm (AscAA), in relation to BAV versus
      tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) phenotype, type of valve disease, cardiovascular
      risk factors, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with a known association
      with carotid IMT. METHODS AND RESULTS: 368 patients (210 with BAV, 158 with
      TAV,); mean age 64 +/- 13 years) were examined using transesophageal
      echocardiography (TEE) before valvular and/or aortic surgery. No patient had a
      coronary disease (CAD). The AoIMT was measured on short-axis TEE images of the
      descending aorta using a semi-automated edge-detection technique. AoIMT was
      univariately (P < 0.05) related to age, blood pressure, smoking, creatinine,
      highly sensitive C-reactive protein, HDL, valve hemodynamics and BAV. In the TAV
      subgroup it was also associated with the rs200991 SNP. Using multivariate
      regression analysis, age was the main determinant for AoIMT (P < 0.001), followed
      by male gender (P = 0.02), BAV was no longer a significant predictor of AoIMT.
      AoIMT was still related to the rs200991 SNP in TAV (P = 0.034), and to creatinine
      in BAV (P = 0.019), when other variables were accounted for. CONCLUSIONS: Intima
      media thickness of the descending aorta is not affected by aortic valve
      morphology (BAV/TAV); age is the main determinant of AoIMT. Genetic markers
      (SNPs) known to influence IMT in the carotid artery seem to correlate to IMT in
      the descending aorta only in patients with TAV.

PMID- 28616528
TI  - Acute contractile recovery extent during biventricular pacing is not associated
      with follow-up in patients undergoing resynchronization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has been reported that contractility, as assessed using dobutamine
      infusion, is independently associated with reverse remodeling after CRT.
      Controversy, however, exists about the capacity of this approach to predict a
      long-term clinical response. This study's purpose was to assess whether long-term
      CRT clinical effects can be predicted according to acute inotropic response
      induced by biventricular stimulation (CRT on), as compared with AAI-VVI right
      stimulation pacing mode (CRT off), quantified at the time of implantation.
      METHODS: In 98 patients (ejection fraction 29 +/- 10%), acute changes in left
      ventricular (LV) elastance (Ees), arterial elastance (Ea), and Ees/Ea, as
      assessed from slope changes of the force-frequency relation obtained when the
      heart rate increased, and also assessed while measuring triplane LV volumes and
      continuous noninvasive blood pressure, were related to death or rehospitalization
      during a 3-year follow-up. Other covariances tested were age, gender, disease
      etiology, QRS duration, amount of mitral regurgitation, LV diastolic volume,
      ejection fraction, and the degree of asynchrony and longitudinal strain at
      baseline. RESULTS: There was a marked increment in the Ees slope with CRT
      (interaction P = 0.004), no Ea change, and modest Ees/Ea increase (interaction P
      < 0.05). In Cox analysis, however, neither slope changes nor baseline values of
      Ees, Ea, and Ees/Ea were associated with long-term follow-up. Only ventricular
      diastolic volume (direct relation P = 0.002) and QRS duration (inverse relation P
      = 0.009) predicted death/rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Acute contractile
      recovery in CRT patients is not associated with 3 years prognosis. Instead, death
      or rehospitalization can be predicted from QRS duration and LV diastolic volume
      at baseline.

PMID- 28616530
TI  - Resistance to renal denervation therapy - Identification of underlying mechanisms
      by analysis of differential DNA methylation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Factors causing resistance to renal denervation (RDN) for treatment
      of arterial hypertension are not known. In the current study, we sought to
      determine mechanisms involved in responsiveness to renal denervation therapy in
      patients with difficult-to-control and resistant hypertension. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We evaluated the differential CpG methylation of genes in blood samples
      isolated from patients of a recently described cohort of responders or non
      responders to renal denervation using microarray technique and measured protein
      levels of identified downstream effectors in blood samples of these patients by
      ELISA. Our analysis revealed up to 6103 methylation sites differing significantly
      between non-responders and responders to renal denervation therapy. Software
      based analysis showed several of these loci to be relevant for arterial
      hypertension and sympathetic nervous activity. Particularly, genes involved in
      glutamate synthesis, degradation and glutamate signaling pathways were
      differently methylated between both groups. For instance, genes for glutamate
      dehydrogenase 1 and 2 central to glutamate metabolism, genes for ionotropic
      (AMPA, NMDA) and metabotropic glutamate receptors as well as glutamate
      transporters revealed significant differences in methylation correlating with
      responsiveness to RDN. To underline their potential relevance for responsiveness
      to RDN, we measured plasma protein levels of norepinephrine, a downstream
      effector of the glutamate receptor pathway, which were significantly lower in non
      responders to RDN. CONCLUSIONS: The present study describes novel molecular
      targets potentially contributing to reduction of blood pressure after RDN in some
      patients. Identifying patients with a high responsiveness to RDN could contribute
      to an individualized therapy in drug resistant hypertension.

PMID- 28616531
TI  - Pulmonary hypertension: prevalence and risk factors.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), defined as a systolic
      pulmonary artery pressure above 35 mm Hg, is another vascular disease entity
      recently described in patients receiving hemodialysis. It is a major problem due
      to its high prevalence and morbidity and mortality. Its pathophysiological
      mechanism is just known and the strategies for its supported not yet defined.
      AIMS: To determine the prevalence of PAH in our hemodialysis patients and its
      risk factors. METHODOLOGY: Single center descriptive and analytical cross
      sectional study, including 111 hemodialysis patients who had benefit from a trans
      thoracic cardiac Doppler ultrasound during 2014. A value greater than or equal to
      35 mm Hg is considered PAH and classified as follows: mild PAH (35 50 mm Hg),
      moderate PAH (50 70 mm Hg), and severe pulmonary hypertension (> 70 mm Hg).
      Patients with a high probability of secondary PAH, especially those with the
      following history: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary embolism,
      were not included. RESULTS: The mean age was 44.3 +/- 14.2 years. Among the 111
      patients, 18 had pulmonary arterial pressure above 35 mm Hg corresponding to
      16.22% of PAH prevalence. The average pressure was 45 mm Hg. Of these 18
      patients, 11.8% had mild PAH, 3.4% moderate PAH and 0.8% severe PAH. The average
      hemodialysis duration was significantly associated with PAH (p = 0.003); as well
      as valvular calcification (p = 0.000), mitral regurgitation (p = 0.001) and
      tricuspid regurgitation (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Primary pulmonary hypertension
      is a major problem among our hemodialysis because of its high prevalence and its
      risk factors.

PMID- 28616532
TI  - Impact and evolution of right ventricular dysfunction after successful MitraClip
      implantation in patients with functional mitral regurgitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVdysf) is a predictor of poor outcome
      in patients with heart failure and valvular disease. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the evolution and the impact of RVdysf in patients with moderate-severe
      functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) successfully treated with MitraClip.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: From October 2008 to July 2014, 60 consecutive high surgical
      risk FMR patients were evaluated and stratified into two groups: RVdysf group
      (TAPSE < 16 mm and/or S'TDI < 10 cm/s, 21 patients) and No-RVdysf group (38
      patients). The overall mean age of patients was 73 +/- 8 (83% male). Ischemic FMR
      etiology was present in 67%. Mean LVEF was 30 +/- 10%. Overall mean time follow
      up was 565 +/- 310 days. The only significant difference between the two groups
      was a greater prevalence of stroke, ICD and use of aldosterone antagonist in
      RVdysf group. Acute procedural success was achieved in 90% of patients. At 6
      month echo-matched analysis significant RV function improvement was observed in
      patients with baseline RVdysf (TAPSE 15 +/- 3.0 vs. 19 +/- 4.5, p = 0.007; S'TDI
      7 +/- 1.2 vs. 11 +/- 2.8, p < 0.0001; baseline vs. 6-month, respectively). The
      mean improvement in the 6-min walking test was significant in both groups (120
      and 143 m, RVdysf and No-RVdysf groups, respectively). At Kaplan-Meier analysis,
      the presence of RVdysf did not affect the outcome in terms of freedom from
      composite efficacy endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that successful
      MitraClip implantation in patients with FMR and concomitant right ventricular
      dysfunction yields significant improvement of RV function at mid-term follow-up.
      Further data on larger population will be required to confirm our observations.

PMID- 28616533
TI  - Differences between Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and reverse Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
      associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) and reverse TTC (r-TTC) are
      characterized by reversible regional wall motion abnormalities of the heart
      unrelated to coronary artery pathology. It remains unclear whether and/or how r
      TTC differs from TTC. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is occasionally causative of
      TTC/r-TTC, and this study was conducted to detect possible differences between
      TTC and r-TTC associated with SAH. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study
      was conducted on 328 consecutive SAH patients. They routinely underwent
      transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), ECG, and measurements of plasma
      catecholamines and other cardiac biomarkers within 24 h of admission.
      Demographic, echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and neurochemical profiles
      were compared between patients with TTC and r-TTC. The diagnosis of TTC/r-TTC was
      based on the revised Mayo Clinic Criteria. RESULTS: Data of 21 SAH-induced TTC
      and 10 SAH-induced r-TTC patients admitted between January 2009 and December 2014
      were analyzed. The patients with r-TTC were significantly younger than those with
      TTC (51.8 +/- 10.9 vs. 63.5 +/- 14.4 years, p = 0.04). The former exhibited
      significantly higher plasma epinephrine levels than the latter (809 +/- 710 vs.
      380 +/- 391 pg/mL, p = 0.04). Plasma norepinephrine levels did not differ
      significantly (2421 +/- 1374 vs. 1724 +/- 1591 pg/mL, p = 0.25). No significant
      differences were observed in other demographic/physiologic variables,
      echocardiographic parameters, frequency of ECG abnormalities, and 90-day
      mortality. Moreover, none of the patients who underwent a follow-up TTE exhibited
      morphologic change from one type to the other. CONCLUSIONS: The pathomechanisms
      in TTC and r-TTC may not be identical: however, distinguishing the two conditions
      may not have great importance from the standpoint of clinical management and
      prognostication.

PMID- 28616534
TI  - Comparison of circadian, weekly, and seasonal variations of electrical storms and
      single events of ventricular fibrillation in patients with Brugada syndrome.
AB  - In patients with Brugada syndrome (BS), VF occurred predominantly during the
      nocturnal period. Some patients also developed ESs. In addition to the circadian
      rhythm, patients showed weekly and seasonal patterns. The patients with ESs had
      peak episodes of VF on Saturday and in the winter and spring, while episodes of
      VF in patients with single VF events occurred most often on Monday with smaller
      seasonal variation. Except for age, there was no difference in the clinical or
      ECG characteristics between the patients with ESs and those with single VF
      episodes.

PMID- 28616535
TI  - Effect of intravenous infusion of iodinated contrast media on the coronary blood
      flow in dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is obtained using
      peripheral intravenous iodinated contrast agents (ICA) injection. There is
      continuing attempts to derive coronary physiological information like coronary
      blood flow (CBF) and/or fractional flow reserve from CCTA images. However, no
      data is available regarding the effect of peripheral intravenous injection of ICA
      on CBF. METHODS: A series of 4 experiments was performed using healthy mongrel
      dogs. All dogs underwent anesthesia and open thoracotomy with placement of
      ultrasound flowmeter to one of the coronary artery to provide real time absolute
      CBF measurements. Different infusion protocols of Isovue-370 and Visipaque-320
      were injected into a peripheral vein. Similar doses of normal saline injection
      were performed to be used as controls. The effect of iodinated contrast media
      injection on absolute coronary blood flow was monitored and recorded. RESULTS:
      Injection of normal saline in the peripheral vein did not produce any significant
      increase in CBF. Peripheral intravenous injection of ICA resulted in a consistent
      increase of 40-73% in absolute CBF as recorded 5 minutes post-contrast
      administration. The contrast effect starts about 30 seconds and peaks at about 2
      minutepost-contrast injection then slowly fades away in the following 10-15 min.
      The increase in the CBF was dose related. There was greater increase in the CBF
      to 50 ml infusion compared to 25 ml infusion of both Visipaque and Isovue.
      CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral venous administration of iodinated contrast-media in dogs
      results in a dose related, significant and prolonged increase in CBF.

PMID- 28616536
TI  - NT-proBNP and diastolic left ventricular function in patients with Marfan
      syndrome.
AB  - AIMS: Subclinical diastolic dysfuntion in patients with preclinical heart failure
      with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been demonstrated in patients with
      Marfan syndrome (MFS). We investigated the relationship between diastolic
      dysfunction and NT-proBNP levels in patients with MFS. METHODS AND RESULTS: NT
      proBNP, C-reactive protein (CRP) and diastolic function were assessed in 217
      patients with MFS (31 +/- 16 y, 110 f. and in 339 patients referred for suspected
      MFS in whom the diagnosis was ruled out according to the Ghent nosology (30 +/-
      15 y, 154 f). Assessment of cardiovascular remodeling, diastolic function in
      echocardiography, and NT-proBNP was analyzed with univariate analysis and multi
      parameter analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). NT-proBNP was 70.6 +/- 74.8 pg/ml in
      patients with Marfan syndrome and 58.4 +/- 100.3 pg/ml in controls (p = 0.002,
      Kolmogorov-Smirnov). There were significant intergroup differences regarding end
      diastolic left ventricular volume (p < 0.001), and aortic diameter (p < 0.001).
      The ratio of early diastolic mitral flow velocity (E) to early relaxation
      velocity in tissue Doppler (e'), E/e' (p < 0.001) was significantly higher in
      patients with Marfan syndrome than in controls, whereas e' (p < 0.001) and the
      ratio of E to inflow velocity during atrial contraction (A), E/A (p = 0.012) was
      significantly lower. Besides age and gender, diagnosis of MFS, diastolic function
      (e' and E/e'), Z-Score of aortic diameter, and left ventricular size were
      identified as significant independent parameters with impact on NT-proBNP levels.
      CONCLUSIONS: MFS patients presenting with normal ejection fraction show disturbed
      diastolic function and higher NT-proBNP levels, which is partly explained by
      aortic Z-score. Assessment of diastolic function and NT-proBNP levels may
      therefore detect early abnormalities and guide surveillance and prevention
      management of patients with MFS.

PMID- 28616537
TI  - Congenital arch vessel anomalies in CHARGE syndrome: A frequent feature with risk
      for co-morbidity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: CHARGE syndrome is a complex multiple congenital malformation
      disorder with variable expression that is caused by mutations in the CHD7 gene.
      Variable heart defects occur in 74% of patients with a CHD7 mutation, with an
      overrepresentation of atrioventricular septal defects and conotruncal defects -
      including arch vessel anomalies. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report an index patient
      with an arch vessel anomaly underlying serious feeding problems that resolved
      after arch vessel surgery. This led us to examine the incidence of arch vessel
      anomalies in our previously studied cohort of 299 patients with a CHD7 mutation.
      Forty-two patients (14%) had an aortic arch anomaly, mostly aberrant subclavian
      artery or right aortic arch, which usually occurred in combination with other
      congenital heart defects (81%). The majority of these patients also had feeding
      problems that may be linked to their arch anomaly, but insufficient information
      was available to exclude other causes. CONCLUSIONS: Arch vessel anomalies occur
      in a significant proportion of patients with a CHD7 mutation, and these anomalies
      may cause morbidity due to compression of the esophagus or trachea. Since
      symptoms of vascular compression can mimic those caused by other abnormalities in
      CHARGE syndrome, it is important to be aware of arch vessel anomalies in this
      complex patient category. Whether a solitary arch vessel anomaly is an indicator
      for CHARGE syndrome still needs to be studied, but doctors should look out for
      other CHARGE syndrome features in patients with arch vessel anomalies.

PMID- 28616538
TI  - Aorto-ostial atherosclerotic coronary artery disease-Risk factor profiles,
      demographic & angiographic features.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk factors along with demographic and angiographic features
      associated with aorto-ostial atherosclerotic coronary artery disease usually
      differ from that of non-aorto-ostial atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
      OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to evaluate etiology of aorto-ostial
      atherosclerotic coronary artery disease involving left main coronary artery
      (LMCA), right coronary artery or both with consideration of clinical risk
      factors, demographic and angiographic features. METHODS: A total of 7356
      angiograms over 2 years in continuation were analyzed. RESULTS: 116 patients were
      found to have aorto-ostial coronary artery disease with prevalence of 1.5. A
      total of 95 patients who have complete data were analyzed. Mean age was 59 +/- 10
      years. Prevalence in males was 5.7 times greater than female. Isolated ostial
      LMCA was 2 times more prevalent than isolated ostial RCA. Hypertension, diabetes
      and smoking were the main risk factors. 34.7% of the patients had
      hypercholesterolemia (> 180 mg/dl) and 26.3% of the patients had
      hypertriglyceridemia (> 150 mg/dl). High TC/HDL (> 3.5) ratio was seen in 77.9%
      of the patients. When ostial LMCA group was compared with ostial RCA group
      hypertriglyceridemia (Odds ratio 9.8, 95% CI, 1.7-4.2, P < 0.001) and
      hypercholesterolemia (Odds ratio 7.05, 95% CI, 1.7-5.7, P < 0.001) emerged as
      independent risk factors for ostial LMCA disease. CONCLUSION: Overall there is
      1.5% prevalence of atherosclerotic aorto-ostial disease of coronary arteries
      among patients of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and higher proportions
      of patients are of male sex. Hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and high
      TC/HDL ratio can be considered as risk factors for aorto-ostial atherosclerotic
      coronary artery disease.

PMID- 28616539
TI  - Idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss is associated with endothelial dysfunction.

PMID- 28616540
TI  - The fate of small side branches following drug eluting stent implantation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Although drug eluting stents (DES) have documented convenience in
      bifurcation lesions, possible unfavorable effects on small side branch ostium
      (SBO) remain a question. We aimed to explore the effects of DES on small jailed
      SBs (1.5-2.25 mm) which originated from the lesion on the main vessel and were
      not treated with either stenting or balloon dilatation. METHODS: Angiographic
      data of 107 consecutive patients (129 SB) with Medina 1,1,1 or 1,1,0 lesions were
      evaluated at the time of procedure and at the follow-up. RESULTS: Of all DES
      used, 70 (54.7%) was sirolimus-eluting, 39 (30.5%) was paclitaxel-eluting and 20
      (14.8%) was zotarolimus-eluting. The diameter of SBs was 1.84 +/- 0.41 mm with a
      stenosis of 20.7 +/- 26.6% at SBO at baseline. The lesion at the SBO had
      progressed after the procedure when the pre vs postprocedure values and follow-up
      vs pre-procedure values are compared (20.7 +/- 26.6% vs 29.4 +/- 27.4%; p <
      0.0001 and 25.4 +/- 25.1 vs 20.7 +/- 26.6%; p = 0.004 respectively). A
      significant reduction in stenosis was revealed over the follow-up (29.4 +/- 27.4
      vs 25.4 +/- 25.1 respectively; p = 0.013). The severity of the disease at the SBO
      at baseline was the only parameter that affected the severity of SB stenosis in
      acute, longterm and follow-up. Additional parameters with influence on SB patency
      at different times were female gender, stent deployment with low pressure, cTFC
      of the main lesion, age, cTFC of the lesion, late loss index and the preprocedure
      TIMI flow grade of the SB. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a significant
      deterioration of SBO immediately after stenting, follow-up data showed that the
      lesion at SBO improved but remained worse than baseline.

PMID- 28616541
TI  - Accuracy of quantitative echocardiographic measures of right ventricular function
      as compared to cardiovascular magnetic resonance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many echocardiographic parameters have been proposed to evaluate
      right ventricular (RV) systolic function. We comprehensively assessed a wide
      range of quantitative echocardiographic parameters in a single cohort compared
      with same-day cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). METHODS AND RESULTS: 92
      subjects were examined prospectively: Group 1 consisted of 46 healthy controls
      (21 males, 33.4 +/- 11.4 years), Group 2 consisted of 46 patients (20 males, 38.5
      +/- 18.9 years) undergoing RV functional assessment by CMR (1.5 T).
      Echocardiography was performed on the same day as CMR; fractional area change
      (RVFAC), myocardial performance index via spectral Doppler (RVMPI), RVMPI via
      Doppler tissue imaging (RVMPI-DTI), peak systolic myocardial velocity by DTI
      (RVSm), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), speckle tracking
      strain, and three dimensional right ventricular ejection fraction (3DE-RV).
      Linear regression, Bland-Altman and receiver-operator-characteristic (ROC)
      analyses were performed. At ROC analysis, the most predictive echocardiographic
      methods were; RVFAC (AUC = 0.892), RVMPI (AUC 0.785), TAPSE (AUC 0.849) and 3DE
      RV (AUC 0.909). 3DE-RV appeared the most accurate compared to CMR, although
      underestimated true RV volumes. CONCLUSION: As compared to CMR; 3DE-RV, RVFAC,
      TAPSE and RVMPI were the most reliable predictors of RV function. These
      parameters can be recommended for clinical use.

PMID- 28616542
TI  - Assessment of pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography-A comprehensive
      review.
AB  - Pulmonary hypertension is a pathological haemodynamic condition defined as an
      increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure >= 25 mmHg at rest, assessed using
      gold standard investigation by right heart catheterisation. Pulmonary
      hypertension could be a complication of cardiac or pulmonary disease, or a
      primary disorder of small pulmonary arteries. Elevated pulmonary pressure (PAP)
      is associated with increased mortality, irrespective of the aetiology. The gold
      standard for diagnosis is invasive right heart catheterisation, but this has its
      own inherent risks. In the past 30 years, immense technological improvements in
      echocardiography have increased its sensitivity for quantifying pulmonary artery
      pressure (PAP) and it is now recognised as a safe and readily available
      alternative to right heart catheterisation. In the future, scores combining
      various echo techniques can approach the gold standard in terms of sensitivity
      and accuracy, thereby reducing the need for repeated invasive assessments in
      these patients.

PMID- 28616543
TI  - Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the new-generation Evolut RTM:
      Comparison with CoreValve(r) in a single center cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Medtronic Evolut R (EVR) is a novel transcatheter heart valve
      designed to allow precise implantation at the intended position and to minimize
      prosthesis dysfunction as well as procedural complications. Our aim was to
      compare short-term functional and clinical outcomes of the new EVR with the
      established Medtronic CoreValve (CV) system. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 151 patients
      undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a self
      expanding valve at our institution between January 2013 and January 2016, 86 were
      treated with EVR and 65 with CV. Patients treated with EVR had a significantly
      lower rate of more-than-mild aortic regurgitation and a higher rate of device
      success. Recapture maneuvers to optimize valve deployment were performed in 22.1%
      of the EVR procedures. Transvalvular post-procedural gradients were slightly
      higher in the EVR group, while no differences were observed in the incidence of
      safety endpoints at 30 days, vascular complications, or need for permanent
      pacemaker implantation following asystole or complete atrioventricular block.
      CONCLUSIONS: These initial single-center experience data on the short-term
      outcomes after EVR valve implantation show a substantially reduced rate of more
      than-mild paravalvular regurgitation and higher device success, while 30-day
      safety outcomes were similar to the CV system. Clinical outcome data from long
      term follow-up and larger scale multicenter experience are now necessary.

PMID- 28616544
TI  - Dental care before cardiac valve surgery: Is it important to prevent infective
      endocarditis?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious disease that affects the
      surface of the endocardium. The spread of microorganisms from the oral cavity has
      been associated with the occurrence of IE. OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether dental
      treatment before cardiac valve surgery (CVS) influenced the occurrence of IE.
      METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical and dental
      histories of patients undergoing CVS from 2004 to 2014. The sample consisted of
      481 patients who underwent CVS divided into two groups: patients submitted to
      dental treatment prior to CVS (n = 110) and patients undergoing CVS without
      dental treatment (n = 371). RESULTS: Of the total sample, 38 patients (8%) were
      diagnosed with IE. No significant difference was detected (p = 0.496) in
      comparing the occurrence of IE in the group with dental preparation (6.4%) and
      without dental preparation (8.4%). The logistic regression model confirmed that
      dental treatment did not change the IE risk (p = 0.504) and indicated that age (p
      < 0.003) and gender (p = 0.013) were significant risk factors for IE. There was a
      high demand for dental procedures in the group receiving dental preparation, with
      no significant differences between the patients with or without IE. Hemoculture
      indicated qualitative differences in comparing patients with and without dental
      treatment, especially in the frequency of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results did not allow for the determination of the impact of
      dental treatment before CVS on IE outcomes. However, it was not possible to
      exclude the potential beneficial effects of dental treatment in the prevention of
      IE.

PMID- 28616545
TI  - Assessment of various parameters using simple non-invasive tests in patients with
      cardiovascular diseases with or without cardiac rehabilitation.
AB  - Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves cardiac function and exercise capacity in
      patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Simpler techniques are needed for use
      by physicians in the examination room to assess the usefulness of CR. We enrolled
      46 consecutive CVD patients in a CR program (CR group) and prospectively followed
      them for 3 months. We compared them to 18 age-, gender- and body mass index
      matched CVD patients without CR (non-CR group). Various parameters were measured
      at baseline and after 3 months using 3 simple non-invasive tests: severity of
      atherosclerosis [arterial velocity pulse index and arterial pressure volume index
      (API)] were determined using PASESA(r), an autonomic nerve total activity amount
      index and a coefficient of variation of the R-R interval (CVRR) were determined
      using eHEART(r), and peripheral resistance index, pressure rate product, stroke
      volume and cardiac index were determined using nico(r)]. There were no
      significant differences in patient characteristics including percentages (%) of
      ischemic heart disease and heart failure between the non-CR and CR groups.
      Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic BP, heart rate and API at baseline
      significantly decreased and CVRR at baseline significantly increased after 3
      months in the CR group, but not in the non-CR group. In addition, DeltaAPI (Delta
      = the value after 3 months minus the value at baseline) was positively associated
      with DeltaSBP in the CR group. In conclusion, CR significantly decreased BP and
      improved atherosclerosis and sympathetic nerve activity. These findings suggest
      that simple non-invasive tests may be useful for assessing the effects of CR.

PMID- 28616546
TI  - Late gadolinium enhancement does occur in Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy - A
      quantitative cardiac magnetic resonance and speckle tracking strain study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance
      imaging (CMR) has been recommended to distinguish Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC)
      from either acute myocardial infarction or myocarditis. METHOD: 44 consecutive
      patients with confirmed Mayo Clinic criteria for TTC underwent CMR imaging at 1.5
      Tesla during the acute phase. 10 patients who had CMRI to exclude scar related
      ventricular tachycardia, and had negative studies, were used as negative
      controls. LGE was quantitated at two signal intensity thresholds (CircleCVi
      software) at > 2 and > 5 standard-deviations (SD) above reference myocardium, and
      compared to biomarkers. FINDINGS: Mean door-to-CMR time was 57 hours. 18 patients
      (41%) had LGE > 2 SD localized to the area of abnormal wall motion, representing
      28.9 +/- 11.2% LV mass. In 16 of these 18 patients (89%) LGE signal intensity was
      > 5 SD above normal myocardium, representing 12.1 +/- 10% LV mass. LGE signal
      intensity was significantly greater in TTC than in matched controls (p < 0.05)
      but lower than in STEMI patients (p < 0.05). Mean troponin was significantly
      higher in LGE positive patients (2.5 +/- 1.8 vs 4.4 +/- 6.9, p = 0.001). Mean
      ejection fraction (EF) by CMR was 45% +/- 8.7 in LGE-negative, and 40% +/- 7.1 in
      LGE-positive patients (p = 0.37). Recovery of segmental function was confirmed at
      follow-up, mean EF was 59% in both groups. CONCLUSION: LGE was present in 41% of
      cases of TTC, 89% of which had intense enhancement > 5 SD above normal
      myocardium. Presence of LGE was associated with worse myocardial injury in the
      acute setting, with no difference in recovery of function.

PMID- 28616547
TI  - Predictors of tamponade and constriction in patients with pericardial disease
      undergoing interventional and surgical treatment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to define predictors of cardiac compression
      development including clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, chest-X
      ray and perioperative parameters and their diagnostic value. METHODS: Overall 243
      patients with pericardial disease, among them 123 with compression (tamponade,
      constriction) and 120 without signs of compression were included in the study.
      Clinical, laboratory, electrocardiographic, chest-X-Ray, echocardiographic and
      perioperative data were included in the logistic regression analysis to define
      predictors of tamponade/constriction development. RESULTS: Logistic regression
      analysis demonstrated large effusion (> 20 mm) (OR 5.393, 95%CI 1.202-24.199, p =
      0.028), cardiac chamber collapse (OR 31.426, 95%CI 1.609-613-914, p = 0.023) and
      NYHA class > 3 (OR 8.671, 95%CI 1.730-43.451, p = 0.009) were multivariable
      predictors of compression development. The model including these three variables
      allowed predicting compression in 91.7% of cases. ROC analyses demonstrated that
      all three variables had significant diagnostic value with sensitivity of 75.6%
      and specificity of 74.2% for large effusion, low sensitivity and high specificity
      for cardiac chamber collapse (35% and 92%) and NYHA class (32.5% and 94.2%).
      CONCLUSION: The independent predictors of compression development are presence of
      large effusion > 20 mm, cardiac chamber collapse and high NYHA class. The model
      including all three parameters allows correctly predicting compression in 91.4%
      of cases. The diagnostic accuracy of each parameter is characterized by high
      sensitivity and specificity of large effusion, high specificity of cardiac
      chamber collapse and NYHA class.

PMID- 28616548
TI  - A case of massive aortic mural thrombus in the absence of atherosclerotic or
      aneurysmal disease.

PMID- 28616549
TI  - Changes in the risk factors for coronary spasm.

PMID- 28616550
TI  - Is HATCH score a reliable predictor of atrial fibrillation after cavotricuspid
      isthmus ablation for typical atrial flutter?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We determined the effectiveness of the HATCH score in patients with
      typical atrial flutter (AFl) undergoing cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation to
      predict long-term atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: We conducted an
      observational retrospective single-center cohort study including all patients
      admitted to our hospital for a CTI ablation between 1998 and 2010. The patients
      were divided into four categories: 1) new-onset AF (no prior AF and AF during
      follow-up (FU)); 2) old AF (prior AF and no AF during FU); 3) prior and post AF
      (AF prior and post CTI ablation); and 4) no AF. RESULTS: Four hundred and eight
      patients were included. In patients without prior AF, the hazard ratio (HR) for
      new-onset AF during FU was 0.98 (CI 95%: 0.65-1.50; p = 0.95) and 1.00 (CI 95%:
      0.57-1.77; p = 0.98) for HATCH >= 2 and HATCH >= 3, respectively. In patients
      with prior AF, the HR for AF was 1.41 (CI 95%: 0.87-2.28; p = 0.17) and 1.79 (CI
      95%: 0.96-3.35; p = 0.06), for HATCH >= 2 and HATCH >= 3, respectively. Left
      atrial enlargement was positively correlated with the occurrence of AF during FU,
      especially in the subgroup without prior AF, which had a HR of 2.44 (CI 95%: 1.35
      4.40; p = 0.003), a HR of 2.88 (CI 95%: 1.36-6.10; p = 0.006) and a HR of 3.68
      (CI 95%: 1.71-7.94; p = 0.001), for slight, moderate and severely dilated left
      atrial dimension, respectively, compared with a normal value. CONCLUSIONS: HATCH
      score did not predict AF in patients with typical AFl who underwent CTI ablation.
      Basal left atrium dimension could help predict new-onset AF.

PMID- 28616551
TI  - Letter to Editor.

PMID- 28616552
TI  - Effectiveness of renal sympathetic denervation in renal function and blood
      pressure in CKD and non-CKD patients with controlled vs. uncontrolled
      hypertension.

PMID- 28616553
TI  - Femoral arterial closure using ProGlide(r) is more efficacious and cost-effective
      when ambulating early following cardiac catheterization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This was a prospective, single-center study evaluating the efficacy
      and cost-effectiveness of early ambulation (within 30 min) following femoral
      artery closure with the ProGlide(r) suture-mediated vascular closure device (PD)
      in patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization compared with manual
      compression. BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether early ambulation with ProGlide is
      safe or is associated with patient satisfaction and cost savings as compared with
      manual compression (MC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Inclusion criteria were met in 170
      patients (85 PD and 85 MC patients). Patients ambulated 20 ft. within 30 min (PD)
      or after the requisite 4 h recumbent time (MC) if feasible. Primary endpoint was
      time-to-ambulation (TTA) following device closure. We also directly compared the
      safety of closure, times-to-hemostasis (TTH), -ambulation (TTA) and -discharge
      (TTD) with MC and, using a fully allocated cost model, performed cost analysis
      for both strategies. Multivariate analysis was used to determine predictors of
      patient satisfaction. The primary endpoint of safe, early ambulation was achieved
      following closure (mean of 27.1 +/- 14.9 min; 95% confidence interval [CI] 25.2
      30.2). Predictors of patient satisfaction in the PD group were absence of pain
      during closure, decreased TTA, and drastic reductions in TTD; the latter
      contributed indirectly to significant cost savings in the PD group (1250.3 +/-
      146.4 vs. 2248.1 +/- 910.2 dollars, respectively; P < 0.001) and incremental cost
      savings by strategy also favored closure over MC ($84,807). CONCLUSIONS: ProGlide
      is safe and effective for femoral artery closure in patients who ambulate within
      30 min after cardiac catheterization; translating into improved patient
      satisfaction and substantial cost savings.

PMID- 28616554
TI  - Alpha2A-adrenergic receptor and eNOS genetic polymorphisms are associated with
      exercise muscle vasodilatation in apparently healthy individuals.
AB  - PURPOSE: Muscle vasodilatation during exercise has been associated with
      cardiovascular health and may be influenced by genetic variability. The purpose
      of this study was to evaluate functional genetic polymorphisms of physiologic
      pathways related to the regulation of the cardiovascular function (alpha
      adrenergic receptors, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and bradykinin B2
      receptor) and exercise muscle vasodilatation in apparently healthy men and women.
      METHODS: We enrolled 689 individuals without established cardiovascular disease
      that had attended a check-up program. The vasodilatation was studied with venous
      occlusion plethysmography and determined by the increase of vascular conductance
      during handgrip exercise. Genotypes for ADRA1A Arg347Cys (rs1048101), ADRA2A 1780
      C > T (rs553668), ADRA2B Del 301-303 (rs28365031), eNOS 786 T > C (rs2070744),
      eNOS Glu298Asp (rs1799983) and BDKRB2 (rs5810761) polymorphisms were assessed by
      polymerase chain reaction followed by high resolution melting analysis. RESULTS:
      The eNOS rs2070744 polymorphism was significantly associated with forearm
      vascular conductance during exercise in women. Women with CC genotype showed
      higher vasodilatation than carriers of TC and TT genotypes (p = 0.043). The
      ADRA2A rs553668 polymorphism was significantly associated with forearm vascular
      conductance during exercise in men. Men with TT genotype had higher
      vasodilatation than carriers of CT and CC genotypes (p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS:
      eNOS rs207074 polymorphism in women and ADRA2A rs553668 polymorphism in men were
      associated with the increase of forearm vascular conductance during handgrip
      exercise. These findings suggest that eNOS and ADRA2A genetic polymorphisms may
      be potential markers of exercise muscle vasodilatation.

PMID- 28616555
TI  - MTRR rs326119 polymorphism is associated with plasma concentrations of
      homocysteine and cobalamin, but not with congenital heart disease or coronary
      atherosclerosis in Brazilian patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Differences in the distribution of the MTRR rs326119 polymorphism
      (c.56 + 781 A > C) between patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) and
      controls have been described in Chinese individuals. The association is thought
      to be due to deregulation of homocysteine-cobalamin pathways. This has not been
      replicated in other populations. The primary objective of this study was to
      assess the influence of the MTRR rs326119 polymorphism on biochemical parameters
      of vitamin B12 metabolism, coronary lesions, and congenital heart disease in
      Brazilian subjects. METHODS: We selected 722 patients with CHD, 1432 patients who
      underwent coronary angiography, and 156 blood donors. Genotyping for the MTRR
      polymorphism was evaluated by high-resolution melting analysis, and biochemical
      tests of vitamin B12 metabolism were measured. RESULTS: Subjects carrying the AC
      or CC genotypes had higher homocysteine concentrations (9.7 +/- 0.4 MUmol/L and
      10.1 +/- 0.6 MUmol/L) and lower cobalamin concentrations (260.5 +/- 13.3 pmol/L
      and 275.6 +/- 19.9 pmol/L) compared with the subjects carrying the AA genotype
      (8.7 +/- 0.5 MUmol/L and 304.8 +/- 14.7 pmol/L), respectively. A multiple linear
      regression model also identified a significant association between the number of
      C variant alleles with the concentrations of homocysteine and cobalamin.
      Nonetheless, the allelic and genotypic distributions for MTRR rs326119 were not
      associated with CHD or coronary atherosclerosis in the studied samples.
      CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the MTRR rs326119 variant might be a
      genetic marker associated with homocysteine and cobalamin concentrations, but not
      a strong risk factor for CHD or coronary atherosclerosis in the Brazilian
      population.

PMID- 28616556
TI  - The role of optical coherence tomography in decision making during the acute
      phase of spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

PMID- 28616557
TI  - Dipyridamole-induced adverse effects in myocardial perfusion scans: Dynamic
      evaluation.
AB  - AIM AND BACKGROUND: Dipyridamole-induced stress myocardial perfusion scans (MPS)
      has been widely used for management of coronary artery disease. The adverse
      effects of dipyridamole and other stress agents have been evaluated. The aim of
      this research is to confirm the dynamic data on dipyridamole side effects during
      MPS. METHODS: We collected data of 183 patients who underwent dipyridamole
      induced stress MPS by retrospectively reviewing their clinical records, which
      included the severity of dipyridamole side effects in 3 min, 10 min, and 20 min
      after infusion. The incidence and severity at all three points, including the
      effect of age and gender, were obtained. RESULTS: Adverse effects occurred in 96
      patients (69.6%). The most frequent symptoms were dizziness (42.8%), chest
      tightness (24.6%), abdominal pain (18.1%), and headache (15.2%). Most symptoms
      were Grade 1 to 2, according to the grading system for common terminology
      criteria. The median duration of symptom persistence was 36 min, not
      significantly different among age and gender. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates
      that the adverse effects of dipyridamole were generally minimal and its duration
      was acceptable for clinical usage.

PMID- 28616558
TI  - Left ventricular diastolic gradient in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 28616559
TI  - Gender differences in the prevalence of coronary artery tortuosity and its
      association with coronary artery disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the significance of severe coronary tortuosity
      (SCT) despite it being a relatively common finding on coronary angiography. We
      examined whether the presence of tortuosity was influenced by gender or cardiac
      risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined 870 patients (Men = 589, Women =
      281) who presented to Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia for invasive coronary
      angiography for the assessment of chest pain due to suspected CAD. Female gender
      and age were significantly associated with SCT (p < 0.001 for age) with 45.2% of
      women having SCT as opposed to 19.7% of men (p < 0.001). Men with SCT had lower
      Extent scores only compared than those without tortuosity (22.4 vs. 32.4, p =
      0.003). However, women with SCT had less severe coronary artery disease than
      those with no SCT as measured by both the Extent score (12.4 vs. 19.1, p = 0.03)
      and Gensini score (10.4 vs. 15.5, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: There is a significant
      relationship between coronary artery tortuosity and gender. Women with severe
      tortuosity are more likely to have normal coronary arteries or less severe
      disease than men despite presenting with chest pain.

PMID- 28616560
TI  - Successful revascularization improves long-term clinical outcome in patients with
      chronic coronary total occlusion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Following the development of breakthrough techniques for percutaneous
      coronary intervention (PCI) in the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTO),
      the initial success rate of PCI in CTO lesions (CTO-PCI) has improved; however,
      there are few reports regarding the effects of successful CTO revascularization
      on long-term mortality in Japan. The aim of this study was to compare the long
      term clinical outcomes of patients with successful versus failed CTO
      recanalization and to identify related factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: From all PCI
      procedures performed in our hospital between 2006 and 2013, CTO-PCIs were
      extracted and classified into two groups: PCI success (n = 656 patients) and PCI
      failure (n = 82 patients). Patients with successful procedures only on a second
      attempt, CTO-PCI in small branches, or CTOs in more than one vessel were
      excluded. Survival was determined from a telephone interview or the consultation
      history in the outpatient clinic. Initial angiographic success was achieved in
      88.9% of the patients. A Kaplan-Meier plot with log-rank analysis showed that
      cumulative all-cause death was significantly lower in the success group than in
      the failure group (p = 0.0003; average follow-up duration in success group vs.
      failure group was 1531.3 +/- 33.5 vs. 1565.3 +/- 97.5 days, p = 0.7). Moreover,
      the rate of evident cardiac death was significantly lower in the success group
      than in the failure group (3.5% [23/656] vs. 15.9% [13/82], p < 0.0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that successful revascularization in patients
      with CTO improves their long-term clinical outcomes.

PMID- 28616561
TI  - Left atrial appendage function assessment and thrombus identification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of thrombus in the left atrium in patients with
      persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and may be inconsistent because of
      variability in thrombus morphology. In some cases it is challenging and requires
      unusual approach. New Doppler-derived methods might be helpful to identify such
      thrombi. We evaluated quantitative differences in mechanical function of the left
      atrial appendage (LAA) basal segments using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)and
      speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with non-valvular AF with and
      without LAA thrombus and compared them with SR patients. METHODS: A total of 80
      patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction underwent transesophageal
      echocardiography (40 patients with SR and 40 patients with AF on oral
      anticoagulants including patients with LAA thrombus). We analyzed the basal
      segments of LAA including left lateral ridge (LLR) and baso-medial appendage
      segment (BMAS). Quantitative analysis was used to calculate peak velocity,
      average velocity, strain, strain rate and deformation. RESULTS: In patients with
      AF the lower LLR strain rate was the sole new STE significant parameter
      differentiating patients with and without LAA thrombi: - 0.9(- 1.2; - 0.1)s- 1
      vs. - 1.6(- 1.9; - 1.3)s- 1, (p = 0.004). Additionally, patients in SR
      demonstrated significantly better peak velocity, average velocity, strain, strain
      rate and deformation than those with AF (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: LLR appeared to
      be an appropriate site for measuring Doppler derived parameters. It is possible
      that the strain rate in LLR area may be a novel parameter correlating with the
      presence of thrombus in patients with AF.

PMID- 28616562
TI  - Coronary calcification compromises myocardial perfusion irrespective of luminal
      stenosis.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between coronary
      artery calcification (CAC) assessed by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT)
      and myocardial perfusion assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in
      a group of symptomatic patients. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 120 patients
      (age 65.1 +/- 8.9 years, 88 males) who presented with atypical chest pain to
      Bethanien Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany, between 2007 and 2010 and who underwent
      CAC scoring using MDCT, CMR, and conventional coronary angiography. Patients were
      divided into those with high-grade (HG) stenosis (n = 67, age 65.1 +/- 9.4 years)
      and those with no-HG stenosis (n = 53, age 65.1 +/- 8.6 years). RESULTS: There
      were more males with HG stenosis (82.1% vs. 62.3%, p = 0.015), in whom the
      percentage and number of abnormal perfusion segments were higher at rest (37.3%
      vs. 17%, p = 0.014) but not different with stress (p = 0.83) from those with no
      HG stenosis. Thirty-four patients had myocardial perfusion abnormalities at rest
      and 26 patients developed perfusion defects with stress. Stress-induced
      myocardial perfusion defects were 22.4% sensitive and 79.2% specific for
      detecting HG stenosis. The CAC score was lower in patients with no-HG stenosis
      compared to those with HG stenosis (p < 0.0001). On the ROC curve, a CAC score of
      293 had a sensitivity of 71.6% and specificity of 83% in predicting HG stenosis
      [(AUC 0.80 (p < 0.0001)]. A CAC score of 293 or the presence of at least 1
      segment myocardial perfusion abnormality was 74.6% sensitive and 71.7% specific
      in detecting HG stenosis, the respective values for the 2 abnormalities combined
      being 19.4% and 90.6%. The severity of CAC correlated with the extent of
      myocardial perfusion in the patient group as a whole with stress (r = 0.22, p =
      0.015), particularly in those with no-HG stenosis (r = 0.31, p = 0.022). A CAC
      score of 293 was 31.6% sensitive and 87.3% specific in detecting myocardial
      perfusion abnormalities. CONCLUSION: In a group of patients with exertional
      angina, coronary calcification is more accurate in detecting high-grade luminal
      stenosis than myocardial perfusion defects. In addition, in patients with no
      stenosis, the incremental relationship between coronary calcium score and the
      extent of myocardial perfusion suggests coronary wall hardening as an additional
      mechanism for stress-induced angina other than luminal narrowing. These
      preliminary findings might have a clinical impact on management strategies of
      these patients other than conventional therapy.

PMID- 28616563
TI  - Low rate of access site complications after transradial coronary catheterization:
      A prospective ultrasound study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transradial artery (TRA) left heart catheterization is an
      increasingly used technique for both diagnostic and interventional coronary
      procedures. This study evaluates the incidence of access site complications in
      the current interventional era. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 507 procedures
      were performed under standardized conditions. Each procedure was performed using
      high levels of anticoagulation, hydrophilic sheaths, and short post-procedural
      compression times. Vascular complications were assessed one day after TRA
      catheterization using Duplex sonography and classified according to the necessity
      of additional medical intervention. A simple questionnaire helped identifying
      upper extremity neurologic or motor complications. Vascular complications were
      detected in 12 patients (2.36%): radial artery occlusion was detected in 9
      patients (1.77%), 1 patient developed an AV-fistula (0.19%), and 2 patients had
      pseudoaneurysms (0.38%). None of the patients required specialized medical or
      surgical intervention. Under our procedural conditions, small radial artery
      diameter was the only significant predictor for the development of post
      procedural vascular complications (2.11 +/- 0.42 mm vs 2.52 +/- 0.39 mm, p =
      0.001). None of the previously reported risk factors, namely, advanced renal
      failure, diabetes, acuteness/complexity of procedure, or sheath and catheter size
      significantly influenced the rate of vascular complications. No major hematoma or
      local neurologic or motor complications were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Using
      current techniques and materials, we report a very low rate of local
      complications associated with TRA catheterization.

PMID- 28616564
TI  - Regression of cardiac amyloidosis following stem cell transplantation: a
      comparison between echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in
      long-term survivors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: AL amyloidosis and multiple myeloma result in extracellular
      deposition of insoluble fibrillary protein in tissue and organs. Untreated median
      survival is very poor, and even worse with cardiac involvement. Chemotherapy and
      peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) have been shown to
      dramatically improve survival, with hematologic remission documented. Regression
      of cardiac changes has previously been shown, as assessed by echocardiography
      (TTE) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). This study is a comparison of
      TTE and CMR in long-term survivors of cardiac amyloidosis with regression.
      RESULTS: Four long-term survivors with cardiac amyloidosis and regression of
      cardiac features on TTE were identified. Mean age was 60 years and average
      survival was 139 months from the time of diagnosis of cardiac involvement.
      Statistically significant regression of the cardiac features of cardiac
      amyloidosis were demonstrated on TTE. In these survivors, post-PBSCT structural
      assessments were similar between TTE and CMR. Classical strain imaging features
      of cardiac amyloidosis were only present in 50%. All patients had diffuse, patchy
      gadolinium enhancement on CMR after PBSCT. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of cardiac
      amyloidosis with chemotherapy and PBSCT may result in regression of abnormalities
      on TTE with marked improvement in survival. Post treatment, TTE and CMR
      structural assessments appear similar. Gadolinium imaging suggests that
      microscopic residual infiltration persists despite macroscopic regression.
      Significant cardiac improvements with prolonged survival are seen nonetheless.
      Multimodality imaging has a vital role in the management of cardiac amyloidosis.

PMID- 28616565
TI  - Lactated Ringer's solution for preventing myocardial reperfusion injury.
AB  - Reperfusion of ischemic myocardium is crucial for salvaging myocardial cells from
      ischemic cell death. However, reperfusion itself induces various deleterious
      effects on the ischemic myocardium. These effects, known collectively as
      reperfusion injury, comprise stunned myocardium, reperfusion-induced arrhythmia,
      microvascular reperfusion injury, and lethal reperfusion injury. No approach has
      proven successful in preventing any of these injuries in the clinical setting. My
      colleagues and I recently proposed a new postconditioning protocol,
      postconditioning with lactate-enriched blood (PCLeB), for the prevention of
      reperfusion injury. This new approach consists of intermittent reperfusion and
      timely coronary injections of lactated Ringer's solution, aiming to achieve
      controlled reperfusion with cellular oxygenation and minimal lactate washout from
      the cells. This approach appeared to be effective in preventing all types of
      reperfusion injury in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI), and we have already reported excellent in-hospital outcomes of patients
      with STEMI treated using PCLeB. In this review article, I discuss a possible
      mechanism of reperfusion injury, which we believe to be valid and which we
      targeted using this new approach, and I report how the approach worked in
      preventing each type of reperfusion injury.

PMID- 28616566
TI  - The effects of fibrinolytic before referring STEMI patients: A systematic review
      and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accessibility of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in
      patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in primary care
      settings is limited. Referring patients to PCI-capable hospitals might increase
      cardiac events. Hence, fibrinolytic injection before referring patients to PCI
      capable settings decreases cardiac events, however, the effect of fibrinolytic
      injection before the referral has not been systematically evaluated. This study
      aimed to systematically review the effect of fibrinolytic injection before
      referring patients with STEMI to PCI-capable settings. METHODS: A systematic
      search with Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Google scholar, and PubMed was conducted.
      Studies conducted in patients with STEMI presented to non PCI-capable settings
      and compared fibrinolytic injection with no injection before referring patients
      to PCI-capable settings were included. The primary outcome was the composite
      outcomes of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 30 days. Meta-analyses were
      performed using random-effect model. RESULTS: Of 912 articles, three RCTs and
      three non-RCTs were included. Based on RCTs, fibrinolytic injection before the
      referral has failed to decrease MACEs compared to non-fibrinolytic injection
      [relative risk (RR) 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.89-1.57, p = 0.237].
      Fibrinolytic injection has also failed to decrease mortality, re-infarction, and
      ischemic stroke. On the other hand, fibrinolytic injection was associated with a
      higher risk of major bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: In non PCI-capable settings,
      fibrinolytic injection before referring patients with STEMI to PCI-capable
      settings has no clinical benefit but could increase risk of major bleeding.
      Clinicians might more carefully consider whether fibrinolytic injection should be
      used in patients with STEMI before the referral.

PMID- 28616567
TI  - CYP2C19 variants and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in patients with microvascular
      angina.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Categorization as a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 poor metabolizer (PM)
      is reported to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
      Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are metabolites of arachidonic acid by CYP2C19
      epoxygenases and anti-inflammatory properties, especially in microvascular
      tissues. We examined the impact of CYP2C19 polymorphisms and EETs on the patients
      with microvascular angina (MVA) caused by coronary microvascular dysfunction.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined CYP2C19 genotypes in patients with MVA (n = 81).
      MVA was defined as absence of coronary artery stenosis and epicardial spasms, and
      the presence of inversion of lactic acid levels between intracoronary and
      coronary sinuses in acetylcholine-provocation test or the adenosine-triphosphate
      induced coronary flow reserve ratio was below 2.5. CYP2C19 PM have two loss-of
      functon alleles (*2, *3). We measured serum dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (DHET)
      as representative EET metabolite. In MVA, the patients with CYP2C19 PM were 34.6%
      and high sense C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in CYP2C19 PM were
      significantly higher than that of non-PM group (0.165 +/- 0.116 vs. 0.097 +/-
      0.113 mg/dL, P = 0.026). Moreover, DHET levels in CYP2C19 PM were significantly
      lower than that of non-PM (10.4 +/- 4.58 vs. 15.6 +/- 11.1 ng/mL, P = 0.003
      (11,12-DHET); 12.1 +/- 3.79 vs. 17.3 +/- 6.49 ng/mL, P = 0.019 (14,15-DHET)).
      CONCLUSIONS: The decline of EET owing to CYP2C19 variants may affects coronary
      microvascular dysfunction via chronic inflammation.

PMID- 28616568
TI  - Clinical evaluation of R860Q semi-conservative amino acid substitution in CACNA1C
      gene in association with long QT syndrome.

PMID- 28616569
TI  - Successful conservative treatment of myocardial infarction in a teenager with
      MTHFR mutation.

PMID- 28616570
TI  - A study of spectrum of rheumatic heart disease in a tertiary care hospital in
      Central Nepal.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Rheumatic heart disease is one of the most common cause for
      heart failure and associated mortalities/morbidities in the young population in
      developing countries like Nepal imparting huge familial, social and manpower
      burden. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a hospital based descriptive cross
      sectional study during June 2014 to April 2016 over a period of 22 months at
      College of Medical Sciences-Bharatpur including 235 patients with clinical and/or
      echocardiographic evidence of definite rheumatic heart disease. RESULTS: The age
      of the patients ranged from 7 to 76 years with mean age 39.82 +/- 4.2 years with
      female preponderance (F:M = 2.1:1) (p < 0.01). Majority of the rheumatic heart
      disease patients belonged to 30-44 years (28.78%) followed by 15-29 years
      (25.75%) and 45-59 years (25.00%). Majority belonged to the low socioeconomic
      status (60.60%) (p < 0.05). The predominantly involved isolated valve was mitral
      in 110 patients (46.80%) followed by isolated aortic valve in 22 patients (9.36%)
      and 79 (33.62%) had dual valvular involvement. The common rheumatic valvular
      lesions were pure mitral stenosis in 32 (13.61%), isolated mitral regurgitation
      in 58 (24.68%), combined mitral stenosis/regurgitation in 36 (15.32%), combined
      mitral/aortic regurgitation in 23 (9.78%) and combined aortic
      stenosis/regurgitation in 18 (7.66%) patients with few overlappings. The common
      complications encountered were heart failure in 90 (38.30%) and arrhythmias in
      124 (51.00%) patients.130 patients (55.32%) received injectable benzathine
      penicillin whereas 45 patients (19.15%) preferred oral penicillin V. Surgical
      intervention was done in 54 (22.97%) patients. 12 (5.10%) expired in the CCU
      during the course of treatment. CONCLUSION: RHD is a leading cause of heart
      failure among young populations with requirement of prolonged duration of medical
      treatment and many of them requiring surgery.

PMID- 28616571
TI  - A time out for CENP-A.
AB  - Proper chromosome segregation relies on a functional centromere-kinetochore
      interface. We showed that chromatin containing CENtromere Protein A (CENP-A) is
      essential for centromere assembly, but dispensable for chromosome segregation in
      the presence of CENP-B-bound DNA sequences. This demonstrates the existence of
      two contact points between the DNA and the kinetochore to mediate successful
      chromosome segregation.

PMID- 28616572
TI  - Reversible lysine acetylation regulates nuclear translocation of TyrRS to
      counteract genotoxic oxidative stress.
AB  - Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, catalyzing the first step of protein synthesis, have
      been shown to involve with multiple additional physiologic responses. Here, we
      summarize our findings that p300/CBP-Associated Factor and Sirtuin 1 play the
      reversible acetylation role in regulating the nuclear translocation of Tyrosyl
      tRNA synthetase and activating transcription factor E2F1, thus facilitating the
      repair of damaged DNA.

PMID- 28616574
TI  - Therapeutic arginine starvation in ASS1-deficient cancers inhibits the Warburg
      effect.
AB  - Argininosuccinate Synthetase 1 deficiency induces dependence on extracellular
      arginine for continued cellular growth and survival. Arginine starvation inhibits
      the Warburg effect and diverts glucose into serine biosynthesis, while
      simultaneously increasing glutamine metabolism via the tricarboxylic acid cycle.
      Simultaneous arginine deprivation and inhibition of the subsequent metabolic
      adaptations induce synthetic lethality.

PMID- 28616573
TI  - YAP and the Hippo pathway in pediatric cancer.
AB  - The Hippo pathway is an important signaling pathway that controls cell
      proliferation and apoptosis. It is evolutionarily conserved in mammals and is
      stimulated by cell-cell contact, inhibiting cell proliferation in response to
      increased cell density. During early embryonic development, the Hippo signaling
      pathway regulates organ development and size, and its functions result in the
      coordinated balance between proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation. Its
      principal effectors, YAP and TAZ, regulate signaling by the embryonic stem cells
      and determine cell fate and histogenesis. Dysfunction of this pathway contributes
      to cancer development in adults and children. Emerging studies have shed light on
      the upregulation of Hippo pathway members in several pediatric cancers and may
      offer prognostic information on rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma, Wilms tumor,
      neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and other brain gliomas. We review the results of
      such published studies and highlight the potential clinical application of this
      pathway in pediatric oncologic and pathologic studies. These studies support
      targeting this pathway as a novel treatment strategy.

PMID- 28616575
TI  - Multiple functions of protein phosphatases in receptor tyrosine kinase signaling
      revealed by interactome analysis.
AB  - To obtain a global picture of how protein phosphatases are involved in receptor
      tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling, we mapped the RTK-phosphatase interactome.
      Analyses of selected interactions revealed detailed mechanisms of their actions.
      This study provides new knowledge to better understand cancer development and to
      identify novel therapeutic targets.

PMID- 28616576
TI  - Escaping mTOR inhibition for cancer therapy: Tumor suppressor functions of mTOR.
AB  - A master promoter of cell growth, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is
      upregulated in a large percentage of cancer cells. Still, targeting mTOR using
      rapamycin has a limited outcome in patients. Our recent results highlight the
      additional role of mTOR as a tumor suppressor, explaining these modest results in
      the clinic.

PMID- 28616577
TI  - Caspase 2 in mitotic catastrophe: The terminator of aneuploid and tetraploid
      cells.
AB  - Mitotic catastrophe is an oncosuppressive mechanism that targets cells
      experiencing defective mitoses via the activation of specific cell cycle
      checkpoints, regulated cell death pathways and/or cell senescence. This prevents
      the accumulation of karyotypic aberrations, which otherwise may drive oncogenesis
      and tumor progression. Here, we summarize experimental evidence confirming the
      role of caspase 2 (CASP2) as the main executor of mitotic catastrophe, and we
      discuss the signals that activate CASP2 in the presence of mitotic aberrations.
      In addition, we summarize the main p53-dependent and -independent effector
      pathways through which CASP2 limits chromosomal instability and non-diploidy,
      hence mediating robust oncosuppressive functions.

PMID- 28616578
TI  - Senescent cells: New target for an old treatment?
AB  - Many genotoxic chemotherapies have debilitating side effects and induce cellular
      senescence in normal tissues. Senescent cells acquire a pro-inflammatory
      phenotype which contributes to local and systemic inflammation. Eliminating
      senescent cells reduce several short- and long-term effects of the drugs,
      providing a new target to reduce the toxicity of anticancer treatments.

PMID- 28616579
TI  - Common genetic variation in the germline influences where and how tumors develop.
AB  - Germline variation contributes to individual risk for developing specific types
      of cancer. Analyzing thousands of tumors, we found evidence that the germline
      also influences vulnerable tissue sites and the mutations that arise in tumor
      genomes. These associations provide new clues to unravel the biologic mechanisms
      underlying cancer predisposition.

PMID- 28616580
TI  - Ferroptosis-like death in plant cells.
AB  - Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, oxidative, non-apoptotic form of cell death
      initially described in mammalian cells. We recently reported that a ferroptosis
      like cell death process can be triggered by heat shock in Arabidopsis thaliana.
      Thus, ferroptosis may be a form of cell death conserved between animals and
      plants.

PMID- 28616581
TI  - The enigma of RIPK1 in the liver: More than just a kinase.
AB  - Receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) represents a key molecule in cell
      death. Here, we discuss our recent data on RIPK1 in liver injury and
      hepatocellular carcinoma development and put these into relation to previous
      experimental findings to underpin that it exerts opposing kinase-dependent and
      kinase independent functions in liver cells.

PMID- 28616582
TI  - A new duet in cancer biology: AMPK the typical and UBE2O the atypical.
AB  - Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2O (UBE2O) is upregulated in human cancers. We have
      demonstrated that genetic deletion or pharmacological blockade of UBE2O reduces
      tumorigenesis through inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1
      hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha pathway. Critically, UBE2O targets adenosine
      monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase-alpha 2 (AMPKalpha2) for
      ubiquitination and degradation. We thus suggest the UBE2O-AMPKalpha2 axis as a
      potential therapeutic target for cancer.

PMID- 28616583
TI  - MNK inversely regulates TELO2 vs. DEPTOR to control mTORC1 signaling.
AB  - mTORC1 is the major homeostatic nutrient sensor for the cell. As such, it is
      integrated into diverse signaling networks and co-factor interactions that
      determine its activity. Our recent work implicates the mTORC1 co-factor and PI3K
      related Kinase (PIKK) stabilizer, TELO2, in regulating mTORC1 activity in a MAPK
      Interacting Kinase (MNK) responsive manner during mitogenic stimulation of cancer
      cells and T cell activation.

PMID- 28616584
TI  - BAK regulates catalase release from peroxisomes.
AB  - Loss of voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) leads to impaired peroxisome
      biogenesis in mammalian cells. Knockdown of BAK restores peroxisomal biogenesis
      in VDAC2-deficient cells, where BAK localization shifts from mitochondria to
      peroxisomes. Moreover, overexpression of BAK activators in wild-type cells
      permeabilizes peroxisomes in a BAK-dependent manner. Together, BAK most likely
      regulates peroxisomal membrane permeability.

PMID- 28616585
TI  - Co-targeting cancer stem-like cells and bulk cancer cells with a bispecific
      antibody.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a widely recognized target for tumors,
      but resistance is commonly reported. Recently, we reported that dual targeting of
      EGFR and NOTCH2/3 receptors with antibody CT16 showed a strong anti-stem effect
      both in vitro and in vivo to overcome resistance of EGFR inhibitors and
      radiation.

PMID- 28616586
TI  - The autotaxin-lysophosphatidic acid pathway emerges as a therapeutic target to
      prevent liver cancer.
AB  - Using transcriptome meta-analysis, we recently identified the autotaxin (ATX)
      lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) pathway as a regulator of hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC) risk in human cirrhosis patients. Pharmacological targeting of this pathway
      reduced fibrosis progression and HCC development in animals, identifying ATX-LPA
      signaling as a novel chemoprevention strategy for cirrhosis and HCC.

PMID- 28616587
TI  - Notch signaling facilitates crossing of endothelial barriers by tumor cells.
AB  - Blood vessels supply tumor cells with oxygen and nutrients and provide the basis
      for metastatic dissemination. In addition, endothelial cells can provide factors
      that orchestrate the behavior of tumor cells. Here, we expand upon our previous
      findings that link activation of Notch signaling in the endothelium to cellular
      senescence, weakening of cell junctions, and expression of adhesion molecules,
      which facilitates tumor and immune cell migration across the vessel wall and
      homing at distant sites.

PMID- 28616588
TI  - All for one and FOSL1 for all: FOSL1 at the crossroads of lung and pancreatic
      cancer driven by mutant KRAS.
AB  - KRAS proto-oncogene, GTPase (KRAS) remains refractory to current therapies. We
      devised an integrative cross-tumor approach to expose common core elements up
      regulated in mutant KRAS cancers that could provide new treatment opportunities.
      This approach identified FOSL1 (Fos-like antigen 1) as a clinically and
      functionally relevant gene in mutant KRAS-driven lung and pancreatic cancers, and
      unveiled downstream transcriptional targets amenable to pharmacological
      inhibition.

PMID- 28616589
TI  - miR-145: Revival of a Dragon in Pancreatic Cancer.
AB  - Emergence of the role of MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) as a tumor suppressor in
      pancreatic cancer, offers its potential for novel therapeutic interventions. Our
      recently published studies demonstrate clinical significance of miR-145 in
      pancreatic cancer and suggest that the dysregulation of miR-145 in human
      pancreatic tumors draws in parallel with the aberrant expression of an oncogenic
      mucin, MUC13. These studies also present a novel therapeutic strategy of
      restoring the downregulated levels of miR-145 in pancreatic cancer via
      nanoparticle mediated efficient delivery system.

PMID- 28616590
TI  - Combination of Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy and Ureteroscopy for Large
      Staghorn Calculi in a Pediatric Patient: Case Report.
AB  - Background: Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is a procedure commonly
      performed to treat nephrolithiasis, with promising results in pediatric patients.
      However, increasing renal calculi size is directly related to worsening stone
      free rates. There are few reports in the literature of >2-cm staghorn calculi
      that expound on the exact mechanism of treatment in the pediatric population.
      Case Presentation: We present a case report of a 3-year-old boy who presented
      with a large 3-cm staghorn calculi effectively treated with one session of SWL
      followed by a planned staged ureteroscopy for definitive treatment. Conclusion:
      Despite the numerous studies limiting the use of SWL to treat stones <2 cm, if
      used in softer composition stones, coupled with the larger focal volume involved
      with smaller patients, SWL when used in combination with adjunctive ureteroscopy
      is a safe and effective treatment option.

PMID- 28616591
TI  - Retained Double J Stent with Huge Renal and Bladder Calculi Extracted by
      Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy and Percutaneous Cystolitholapaxy in a Single
      Encounter.
AB  - We report a case of retained Double J ureteral stent with huge, multiple calculi
      at both ends in a 10-year-old female child. The renal and bladder calculi were
      managed by percutaneous nephrolithotomy and percutaneous cystolitholapaxy in a
      single sitting.

PMID- 28616592
TI  - French validation of the Brace Questionnaire (BrQ).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Quality of Life (QoL) scales have to be introduced in the treatment
      evaluation of our patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Vasiliadis et.
      al. created the Brace Questionnaire (BrQ), which is specific for brace-treated
      adolescents. This tool was developed and validated in Greek. The aim of our study
      was to undertake the process of cultural adaptation of the Brace Questionnaire
      (BrQ) into French. METHODS: The BrQ is made of 34 items on Likert scale, divided
      in eight domains. The questionnaire was developed for self-completion by the
      children and is adapted for 9 to 18-year-old patients. The process of cultural
      adaptation of the questionnaire was in accordance with the International Quality
      of Life Assessment (IQOLA) guidelines. In the first place, descriptive statistics
      were used to calculate mean scores and standard deviations for a given question
      and a domain. The second level was comparative, concerning reliability and
      validity. RESULTS: The internal consistency was satisfactory; Cronbach's alpha
      coefficient was 0.85. There were no floor or ceiling effects. CONCLUSIONS: The
      French version of the BrQ (F-BrQ) is reliable and reproducible, and can therefore
      be used to evaluate the quality of life of children and adolescents treated with
      a brace for idiopathic scoliosis.

PMID- 28616593
TI  - Neck and back problems in adults with idiopathic scoliosis diagnosed in youth: an
      observational study of prevalence, change over a mean four year time period and
      comparison with a control group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The knowledge is sparse concerning neck problems in patients with
      idiopathic scoliosis. This is an observational study including a control group
      which aims to describe the prevalence of neck problems and the association with
      back problems among adult individuals with and without idiopathic scoliosis.
      METHODS: One thousand sixty-nine adults with a mean age of 40 years, diagnosed
      with idiopathic scoliosis in youth, answered a questionnaire on neck and back
      problems. Eight hundred seventy of these answered the same questionnaire at a
      second occasion in a mean of 4 years later. Comparisons were made with a cross
      sectional population-based survey of 158 individuals. Statistical analyses were
      made with logistic regression or analysis of variance, adjusted for age, smoking
      status, and sex. RESULTS: Individuals with scoliosis were previously untreated (n
      = 374), brace treated (n = 451), or surgically treated (n = 244). Of the
      individuals with scoliosis, 42% (n = 444) had neck problems compared to 20% (n =
      32) of the controls (p = 0.001). The prevalence of neck problems was not affected
      by the type of treatment (p = 0.67) or onset of scoliosis; juvenile (n = 159) or
      adolescent (n = 910; p = 0.68). Neck and/or back problems were experienced by 72%
      of the individuals with scoliosis and 37% of the controls (p < 0.001). Of the
      individuals with scoliosis having neck problems, 81% also reported back problems,
      compared to 59% of the individuals in the control group (p < 0.001). The
      prevalence of neck and back problems was similar at the second survey.
      CONCLUSIONS: Neck problems are more prevalent and more often coexist with back
      problems in individuals with idiopathic scoliosis than in controls. The majority
      of individuals have persisting problems over time.

PMID- 28616594
TI  - Pattern of c-Fos expression induced by tail suspension test in the mouse brain.
AB  - The tail suspension test (TST) has been widely used as a screening assay for
      antidepressant drugs. However, the neural substrates underlying the stress
      response and antidepressant-like effect during the TST remain largely unknown
      despite the prevalence of this test. In the present study, we used
      immunohistochemistry to examine alterations in c-Fos expression as a measure of
      neuronal activity in the mouse brain after acute administration of the
      antidepressant drugs nortriptyline or escitalopram (or saline as a control) with
      or without a subsequent TST session. We found that without the TST session,
      nortriptyline administration enhanced the density of c-Fos-immunoreactive cells
      in regions of the central extended amygdala, paraventricular hypothalamic
      nucleus, and relevant regions of the brain stem, whereas escitalopram did not
      change c-Fos expression in any region. Following the TST in the absence of
      antidepressant drugs, we observed a significant increase in c-Fos-positive cell
      density in a number of brain regions within the limbic telencephalon,
      hypothalamus, and brain stem. We detected a statistically significant interaction
      using an analysis of variance between the main effects of the drug and stress
      response in four regions: the infralimbic cortex, lateral septal nucleus
      (intermediate part), ventrolateral preoptic nucleus, and solitary nucleus.
      Following the TST, escitalopram but not nortriptyline increased c-Fos-positive
      cell density in the infralimbic cortex and ventrolateral preoptic nucleus,
      whereas nortriptyline but not escitalopram increased c-Fos expression in the
      solitary nucleus. Both antidepressants significantly increased c-Fos expression
      in the lateral septal nucleus (intermediate part). The present results indicate
      that neuronal activity increases in septo-hypothalamic regions and related
      structures, especially the lateral septal nucleus, following administration of
      drugs producing an antidepressant-like effect in mice subjected to the TST.

PMID- 28616595
TI  - A rare case of anal carcinosarcoma with human papilloma virus infection in both
      biphasic tumor elements: An immunohistochemical, molecular and ultrastructural
      study.
AB  - Carcinosarcoma of the anus is rare and has yet to be reportedly associated with
      the keratinocyte-specific Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). We describe a case of anal
      carcinosarcoma with HPV infection in both the epithelial and mesenchymal
      components of the tumor by immunohistochemistry, chromogenic in-situ
      hybridization (CISH) and further supported by electron microscopy (EM).
      Microscopic examination of the tumor showed nests of poorly-differentiated
      invasive squamous cell carcinoma with basaloid features intermixed with a
      hypercellular, atypical spindle cell proliferation. Immunohistochemistry
      demonstrated that the epithelial component was positive for AE1/AE3, p63, CK5/6
      and p16, whilst the mesenchymal component was positive for smooth muscle actin,
      vimentin, and focally positive for desmin and p16, consistent with
      carcinosarcoma. The tumor was negative for GATA-3, CK7 and CK20. CISH
      demonstrated that the tumor was positive for high risk HPV (subtype 16/18) in
      both tumor components. EM further supported the presence of intracellular virus
      particles (~50 nm) that is compatible with HPV infection. Infection of both
      epithelial and mesenchymal tumor components by HPV has not been previously
      observed in the gastrointestinal tract. This finding may represent initial
      epithelial HPV infection with subsequent divergent tumoral differentiation and
      suggests the presence of viral replication in both biphasic tumor components.

PMID- 28616596
TI  - Laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) for the upper gastrointestinal
      tract.
AB  - We developed the laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS)
      technique, which combines endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and laparoscopic
      gastric resection to resect gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs). Many researchers
      have reported LECS to be a feasible technique for gastric submucosal tumor
      resection regardless of tumor location, including the esophagogastric junction
      (EGJ). Recently, the Japanese National Health Insurance system approved LECS for
      insurance coverage, and it is now widely applied for gastric submucosal tumor
      resection. Initially, we applied LECS to gastric SMTs without ulcerative lesions
      due to concern about the possibility of tumor cells seeding into the peritoneal
      cavity, in a procedure termed "classical LECS". To expand the indication of LECS
      for gastric epithelial neoplasms, modified LECS procedures such as inverted LECS,
      non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS), combination of laparoscopic
      and endoscopic approaches to neoplasia with non-exposure technique (CLEAN-NET),
      and closed laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (closed-LECS) have
      been developed and applied to patients with gastric epithelial neoplasms. As a
      future perspective of LECS, we plan to combine the modified LECS procedure and
      sentinel node (SN) navigation surgery (SNNS) for clinical (c)Stage IA gastric
      cancer resection. This strategy could be a minimally invasive surgical technique
      for cStage IA early gastric cancer.

PMID- 28616597
TI  - Reconstruction after LATG: technical tips and pitfalls.
AB  - Since the launching of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy in 1990s, the technique
      of laparoscopy has become more mature, and it has gradually been applied from
      distal gastrectomy to total gastrectomy. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is an
      accepted option for gastric cancer surgery; however, laparoscopic total
      gastrectomy is not widely performed, because of the difficulty of reconstruction
      of the digestive tract. Efforts have been made to establish an intracorporeal
      anatomic technique for esophagojejunostomy. There have been several techniques
      for esophagojejunostomy reported using either circular or lineal staplers. This
      article is to introduce these techniques and try to analysis the technical tips
      and pitfalls of them.

PMID- 28616598
TI  - Laparoscopic sentinel node navigation surgery for early gastric cancer.
AB  - Currently, the most accurate method for identifying lymph node metastasis is
      intraoperative diagnosis by sentinel node (SN) biopsy. Based on the SNNS study-a
      recent large-scale, nationwide, multicenter prospective study-the SN concept
      seems to be scientifically valid in patients with early gastric cancer. SN biopsy
      is a multistep technique consisted of six essential elements: indication, the
      selection of a tracer, a proper tracer injection method, the objective detection
      of SNs, a reliable biopsy technique, and the precise detection of nodal
      metastasis. For SN biopsy of gastric cancer, these elements have been validated
      as follows: the indication should be limited to clinical T1 less than 4 cm in
      diameter; combination mapping with radioactive colloid and blue dye is used as
      the standard; and endoscopic submucosal injection is the standard tracer
      injection. Detection of SNs and a reliable biopsy technique are enabled by
      adaptation of lymphatic basin dissection, a proper biopsy technique for gastric
      cancer. Lymphatic basin dissection is a selective lymphadenectomy procedure for
      dissecting basins en bloc, collecting lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels stained
      with dye. Lymphatic basin dissection is superior to the ordinary pick-up method,
      not only for minimizing the rate of missed SNs, but also in terms of oncological
      safety as it complements an intraoperative frozen section diagnosis by serving as
      a backup dissection. Moreover, indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence mapping has
      been developed in recent years. ICG fluorescence mapping is superior because of
      its high sensitivity and signal stability. Moreover, it is feasible for both open
      and laparoscopic gastrectomy in treating early gastric cancer. SN biopsy has
      brought dramatic changes to laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer. With
      laparoscopic SN biopsy using ICG fluorescence navigation, laparoscopic surgery
      for early gastric cancer has changed from the uniform standard gastrectomy with
      D1+ into a tailor-made function-preserving surgical procedure, such as local
      resection with lymphatic basin dissection.

PMID- 28616599
TI  - Current status and future perspectives of laparoscopic radical surgery for
      advanced gastric cancer.
AB  - Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy with lymph node dissection has widely penetrated
      to East Asian countries, where incidence of gastric cancer occurrence is higher
      than the rest of the world. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for cStageI disease
      is regarded as one of the option in daily practice in the latest Japanese
      guidelines; however its applicability to more advanced disease (Stage II/III) is
      still under debate. Actually, operative techniques of laparoscopic D2 dissection
      is being matured, but still, necessity of total omentectomy, splenic hilar
      dissection, management of bulky nodes or large primary tumor, high-level
      anastomosis in esophageal invasion cases, and extensive peritoneal lavage can be
      raised as technical limitations. In the future perspective, further technological
      innovation, including next generation surgical robot, may help surgeons overcome
      these difficulties. Currently, three large-scaled randomized phase-III clinical
      trials are ongoing in East Asia, in which patients' accruals have been already
      completed. With coming long-term outcomes of these well-designed studies,
      oncological validity of laparoscopic approach will be adequately elucidated.

PMID- 28616600
TI  - Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in UK: current status and future
      perspectives.
AB  - The aim of this study is to review the literature and report the various
      minimally invasive methods used to treat gastric cancer in the UK and compare it
      with worldwide practice. Published randomised studies, non-randomised studies and
      case series reporting the use of minimal invasive approach to treat gastric
      cancer were retrieved from the search of standard medical electronic databases
      and their outcomes were highlighted suggesting their effectiveness. Several
      randomised, controlled trials and meta-analyses have proven the clinical and
      oncological safety of the laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Similarly,
      robot-assisted gastrectomy, EMR (endoscopic mucosal resection) and ESD
      (endoscopic sub-mucosal dissection) have also been proven feasible and safe to
      treat gastric cancer of various stages in prospective and retrospective
      comparative studies. However, UK based studies on minimally invasive surgery to
      treat gastric cancer is scarce and the paucity of trials led to uncertain
      outcomes. Laparoscopic gastrectomy, robot-assisted gastrectomy, EMR and ESD are
      feasible procedures in terms of clinical and oncological safety but mainly being
      practiced in Asian countries with high prevalence of stomach cancer. The UK based
      practice is still small and limited but the introduction of MIGOCS and STOMACH
      trial might help to widen the application of this technique.

PMID- 28616601
TI  - Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in Brazil: current status and
      perspectives-a report from the Brazilian Laparoscopic Oncologic Gastrectomy Group
      (BLOGG).
AB  - The minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in Brazil has begun about two
      years after the first laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) performed by Kitano in Japan,
      in 1991. Although the report of first surgeries shows the year of 1993, there was
      no dissemination of the technique until the years 2010. At that time with the
      improvement of optical devices, laparoscopic instruments and with the
      publications coming from Asia, several Brazilian surgeons felt encouraged to go
      to Korea and Japan to learn the standardization of the LG. After that there was a
      significant increase in that type of surgery, especially after the IRCAD opened a
      branch in Brazil. The growing interest for the subject led some services to begin
      their own experience with the LG and, since the beginning, the results were
      similar with those found in the open surgery. Nevertheless, there were some
      differences with the papers published initially in Japan and Korea. In those
      countries, the surgeries were laparoscopic assisted, meaning that, in the
      majority of cases, the anastomoses were done through a mini-incision in the end
      of the procedure. In Brazil since the beginning it was performed completely
      through laparoscopic approach due to the skills acquired by Brazilian surgeons in
      bariatric surgeries. Another difference was the stage. While in the east the
      majority of cases were done in T1 patients, in Brazil, probably due to the lack
      of early cases, the surgeries were done also in advanced cases. The initial
      experience of Zilberstein et al. revealed low rates of morbidity without
      mortality. Comparing laparoscopic and open surgery, the group from Barretos/IRCAD
      showed shorter surgical time (216*255 minutes), earlier oral or enteral feeding
      and earlier hospital discharge, with a smaller number of harvested lymph nodes
      (28 in laparoscopic against 33 in open surgery). There was no significant
      difference regarding morbidity, mortality and reoperation rate. In the first
      efforts to publish a multicentric study the Brazilian Gastric Cancer Association
      (BGCA) collected data from three institutions analyzing 148 patients operated
      from 2006 to 2016. There were 98 subtotal, 48 total and 2 proximal gastrectomies.
      The anastomoses were totally laparoscopic in 105, laparoscopic assisted in 21,
      cervical in 2, and 20 open (after conversion). The reconstruction methods were:
      142 Roux-en-Y, two Billroth I, and three other types. The conversion rate was
      13.5% (20/148). The D2 dissection was performed in 139 patients. The mean number
      of harvested lymph nodes was 34.4. If we take only the D2 cases the mean number
      was 39.5. The morbidity rate was 22.3%. The mortality was 2.7%. The stages were:
      IA-59, IB-14, IIA-11, IIB-15, IIIA-9, IIIB-19, IIIC-11 and stage IV-three cases.
      Four patients died from the disease and 10 are alive with disease. The
      participating services have already begun the robotic gastrectomy with
      satisfactory results. The intention of this group is to begin now a prospective
      multicentric study to confirm the data already obtained with the retrospective
      studies.

PMID- 28616602
TI  - Histopathological regression after taxane based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in
      patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28616603
TI  - Current practice for gastric cancer treatment in Ukraine.
AB  - Ukraine registers more than 8,000 new cases of gastric cancer (GC) annually. The
      disease is usually diagnosed at stage III-IV (65% of cases) and 62.2% of patients
      die within 1 year. About 70% of patients with GC need chemotherapy, and for most
      of them, this is the only way to increase their life expectancy. An unsolved
      problem of nationwide importance is achieving the early diagnosis of GC, which
      predetermines the treatment outcome. The 5-year survival rate for GC patients in
      Ukraine is only 13%, while early diagnosed GC is almost totally curable using
      surgery. Another important task is the development of national diagnosis and
      treatment standards, which will be based on national breakthroughs and will meet
      modern international requirements.

PMID- 28616604
TI  - Percutaneous endoscopic intragastric surgery: an organ preserving approach to
      submucosal tumors at esophagogastric junction.
AB  - As an organ preserving option in the treatment of submucosal tumor found at the
      esophagogastric junction (EGJ), percutaneous endoscopic intragastric surgery
      (PEIGS) plays an important role, while it is not commonly performed and there
      have been very few reports on this unique operation. The current authors have
      been performing PEIGS since 1993 and have reported on its short- and long-term
      outcomes from one of the world largest series. Herein its confusing terminology
      is discussed and techniques of three different types of PEIGS (original PEIGS,
      single incision PEIGS, and needlescopic PEIGS) are precisely described. Although
      reports on clinical outcomes of PEIGS have been rarely published, both short-term
      and long-term outcomes seem acceptable, as far as we review our own experiences
      and the past literatures. PEIGS needs to be accessed by the data from larger
      series or RCT to be further justified and spread for the patients with submucosal
      tumors at EGJ to salvage their stomach.

PMID- 28616605
TI  - Splenic laceration after routine colonoscopy, a case report of a rare iatrogenic
      complication.
AB  - Colonoscopy is a common and routine procedure performed in the United States,
      most commonly performed for screening of colorectal cancer. Although colonoscopy
      is considered a safe procedure, it is associated with complications including
      intestinal hemorrhage and perforation. Splenic trauma, such as laceration or even
      complete rupture is a rarely reported, but potentially fatal complication if
      undetected. We present a case of splenic laceration with subcapsular hematoma
      status post routine colonoscopy. Fortunately, patient was able to be managed
      medically, without further operative intervention. We will also review the
      available literature related to this rare iatrogenic complication.

PMID- 28616606
TI  - Feasibility and safety of modified inverted T-shaped method using linear stapler
      with movable cartridge fork for esophagojejunostomy following laparoscopic total
      gastrectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We previously reported the use of an inverted T-shaped method to
      obtain a suitable view for hand sewing to close the common entry hole when the
      linear stapler was fired for esophagojejunostomy after laparoscopic total
      gastrectomy (LTG). This conventional method involved insertion of the fixed
      cartridge fork to the Roux limb and the fine movable anvil fork to the esophagus
      to avoid perforation of the jejunum. However, insertion of the movable anvil fork
      to the esophagus during this procedure often requires us to strongly push down
      the main body of the stapler with the fixed cartridge fork to bring the direction
      of the anvil fork in line with the direction of the long axis of the esophagus
      while controlling the opening of the movable anvil fork. We therefore modified
      this complicated inverted T-shaped method using a linear stapler with a movable
      cartridge fork. This modified method involved insertion of the movable cartridge
      fork into the Roux limb followed by natural, easy insertion of the fixed anvil
      fork into the esophagus without controlling the opening of the movable cartridge
      fork. METHODS: We performed LTG in a total of 155 consecutive patients with
      gastric cancer from November 2007 to December 2015 in Kyushu University Hospital.
      After LTG, we performed the conventional inverted T-shaped method using a linear
      stapler with a fixed cartridge fork in 61 patients from November 2007 to July
      2011 (fixed cartridge group). From August 2011, we used a linear stapler with a
      movable cartridge fork and performed the modified inverted T-shaped method in 94
      patients (movable cartridge group). We herein compare the short-term outcomes in
      94 cases of LTG using the modified method (movable cartridge fork) with those in
      61 cases using the conventional method (fixed cartridge fork). RESULTS: We found
      no significant differences in the perioperative or postoperative events between
      the movable and fixed cartridge groups. One case of anastomotic leakage occurred
      in the fixed cartridge group, but no anastomotic leakage occurred in the movable
      cartridge group. CONCLUSIONS: Although there were no remarkable differences in
      the short-term outcomes between the movable and fixed cartridge groups, we
      believe that the modified inverted T-shaped method is technically more feasible
      and reliable than the conventional method and will contribute to the improved
      safety of LTG.

PMID- 28616607
TI  - A simple method for tension-free Billroth I anastomosis after gastrectomy for
      gastric cancer.
AB  - Billroth I anastomosis (B-I) is a popular reconstructive procedure performed
      after distal gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer. Herein we introduce
      a new and simple technique to minimize tension after Billroth I for gastric
      cancer.

PMID- 28616608
TI  - Gastric cancer treatment in the world: Germany.
AB  - Epidemiologically, around 15,500 persons per year contract gastric cancer with
      continuously decreasing incidence and a 5-year survival rate of only 30% to 35%.
      Contrary to the Asian countries, there are no prevention programs for gastric
      cancer in Germany, which leads to the disease frequently being diagnosed in
      locally advanced stages and predominantly being treated with multimodal therapy
      concepts. Complete (R0) resection is the therapy of choice for resectable gastric
      cancer. Special forms of gastric cancer that are limited to the mucosa can be
      endoscopically resected with a curative intent. Systematic D2 lymphadenectomy
      (LAD) plays a decisive role in the management of local advanced tumors because it
      significantly contributes to the reduction of tumor-related death and both local
      and regional relapse rates. Perioperative chemotherapy improves prognosis in the
      advanced stages, whereas palliative chemotherapy is normally indicated for
      metastatic diseases. Standardized resection procedures and the use of
      individualized multimodal therapy concepts have led to improvement in the 5-year
      survival rate.

PMID- 28616609
TI  - Three-dimensional computed tomography simulation for laparoscopic lymph node
      dissection in the treatment of proximal gastric cancer.
AB  - Application of laparoscopic surgery (LS) has expanded worldwide in the various
      fields due to the potential advantage of being less invasive than open surgery;
      however difficulty in recognizing positional relationship of the organs is one of
      the disadvantages of this kind of surgery. In order to compensate this drawback,
      preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) simulation is regarded
      as promising. In gastric cancer surgery, 3D-CT simulation seems particularly
      effective in the splenic hilar dissection, because this region is associated with
      remarkable anatomical variation with complexity. As effects from the use of 3D-CT
      simulation, reduction of blood loss or complication rate, shortening of operation
      time and enhancement of surgical quality are expected. In this article, we
      introduce our methodological protocol of 3D-CT simulation in gastric cancer
      surgery with clinical case examples, and also additionally review previous
      publications reporting this imaging technology.

PMID- 28616610
TI  - Current approaches to gastric cancer in Peru and Mexico.
AB  - In Peru, the incidence of gastric cancer is reported to be around 15.8 per
      100,000 inhabitants and it is the second most common oncological disease in men
      and the third one in women. Additionally, a high mortality index was reported,
      especially among poor people. To address this issue, in 2008, Peru initiated
      several insurance treatment plans of oncological diseases with promising results.
      In Mexico, there is a high predominance of gastric cancer in male gender compared
      to female gender, even reaching a 2/1 ratio, and the detection rate of early
      gastric cancer is low (10% to 20%) which results in a mainly palliative treatment
      with an overall survival rate in 5 years about 10% to 15% only. In Peru, the
      average age at diagnosis is around 62.96+/-14.75 years old and the most frequent
      symptoms includes abdominal pain, indigestion, loss of appetite, weight loss and
      gastrointestinal bleeding, while in Mexico, some studies reported an average age
      at diagnosis around 60.3+/-4.1 years old (range, 23-78 years old) and the most
      frequent symptoms were postprandial fullness (74.4%), abdominal pain (37.2%),
      weight loss (18.6%), and melena (4.6%). The anemia rate was 65.1% with a mean Hb
      level of 6.14 g/dL. In Peru, the most common gastric cancer type is the
      intestinal-type adenocarcinoma (around 34%), followed by the diffuse-type
      adenocarcinoma (18.7%), whilst among Mexicans, the diffuse-type was reported in
      55.2% of cases, the intestinal-type was reported in 28.2% and the
      undifferentiated-type corresponded to 6%. In both, Peru and Mexico, 90% of the
      associated factors includes tabaquismo, diets rich in salt, smoked foods, and a
      sedentary lifestyle. Family inheritance and advanced age and pharmacological
      resistant Helicobacter pylori infection are also important. Poverty has been
      heavily associated with a higher incidence of gastric cancer. The management of
      gastric cancer patients in Peru is carried out by general surgeons or general
      surgical oncologists. In recent years, efforts have been made by the Peruvian
      government to establish specialized surgical centers which resulted in an
      improvement in morbidity and mortality rates, as well as an increase in the
      retrieval of lymph nodes. In Mexico, during the last 5 years, D1+ has been
      reported to be the most predominant lymphadenectomy-type, particularly in
      specialized surgical services. There have been a decrease in mortality rate from
      7.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2000 to 5.6 per 1,000,000 inhabitants in 2012.
      Additional steps in order to continue improving gastric cancer management in Peru
      and Mexico are needed.

PMID- 28616611
TI  - Technical success and short-term results of surgical treatment of
      gastrointestinal stromal tumors: an experience of three centers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) comprise about 80% of
      gastrointestinal sarcomas. In patients with localized disease, surgery is
      considered as "Gold Standard" treatment. Organ-sparing radical en-block resection
      is widely accepted practice. Since lymph node dissection is not routinely
      indicated, minimally invasive approach is of particular interest. The aim of this
      study is to investigate the short-term outcomes of different surgical treatment
      of GISTs. METHODS: We analyzed data of 116 patients who received surgical
      treatment for localized forms of GIST. Tumors were located in the stomach in 87
      (75%) cases, in the small intestine in 26 (22.4%) cases, and
      extragastrointestinal GISTs were found in 3 (2.6%) patients. Four different
      approaches were used-open surgery (OpS, n=48), laparoscopic surgery (LS, n=40),
      endoscopic procedures (EP, n=22) and hybrid rendezvous (HR, n=6). Patient
      demographics, clinical presentation of tumors, characteristics of operation
      procedures (duration, intraoperative blood loss, frequency of R0-resection and
      fragmentation of tumor), postoperative complications and length of hospital stay
      were examined in all these groups. RESULTS: Radical treatment (R0-resection) was
      performed in all patients. There were no cases of tumor ruptures during surgical
      procedure. Mean size of GIST in OpS was 9.1+/-2.0 [2-35] cm; in LS: 4.9+/-0.8
      (1.5-15) cm; in HR: 3.5+/-0.8 (2-4.5) cm and in EP: 2.3+/-0.3 (0.4-3.5) cm.
      Intraoperative blood loss in OpS was 369.7+/-209.5 [0-4,000] mL; LS: 63.9+/-16.0
      [0-150] mL; in HR: 96.7+/-44.3 [50-200] mL; in EP: 33.3+/-11.0 [0-150] mL.
      Duration of operation in OpS was 160+/-20.4 [50-310] min; in LS: 104.7+/-12.7 [50
      185]; in HR: 176.7+/-44.0 [110-260] min and in EP: 89.8+/-15.5 [25-190] min.
      Complication rate in OpS was 5 (10.4%); in LS: 3 (7.5%); in HR: 0% and in EP: 3
      (13.6%). Length of hospital stay in OpS was 13.8+/-2.2 [7-52] days; in LS: 11,
      4+/-2.2 [4-21] days; in HR: 11+/-3.2 [7-15] days and in EP: 11, 9+/-2.1 [5-22]
      days. There were no postoperative deaths. CONCLUSIONS: There is a diversity of
      surgical approaches for GISTs treatment. From our point of view, the main
      selection criteria for certain procedure are size, localization, growth type of
      the tumor and status of overlying mucosa. Nevertheless, due to relative rarity
      and heterogeneity of this pathology, individualization is necessary in each
      specific case. Laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery is proved to be safe and
      feasible for resection of the gastric GISTs, with a reasonable operation time,
      low blood loss, and an acceptable complication rate. Immediate results indicate
      that all interventions were performed radically without mortality or serious
      morbidity.

PMID- 28616613
TI  - Comparison of the airway access skills of prehospital staff in moving and
      stationary ambulance simulation: A randomized crossover study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the procedural success and intervention durations
      regarding various airway access skills in moving and stationary ambulance
      simulations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An ambulance simulator was used to simulate
      the moving ambulance environment, and a standard manikin was used for airway
      simulation. The study included 38 paramedics and paramedic students. In
      stationary and moving environments, a classical endotracheal intubation with a
      stylet, an intubation with a gum elastic bougie (GEB), a laryngeal mask airway
      (LMA), and a laryngeal tube (LT) were applied randomly. The cuff inflation
      duration, the duration until the first ventilation, and the intubation success
      were assessed. RESULTS: There was no difference in terms of success and
      intubation durations of the four methods in moving and stationary environments.
      In both environments, the LT and LMA were inserted most rapidly (p < 0.001).
      There was no difference in the intubation duration and the success among the
      supraglottic methods. In moving and stationary environments, the intubation with
      a classic stylet was faster than the intubation with a GEB. The use of a GEB did
      not increase the intubation success. CONCLUSIONS: In this simulation study, the
      moving environment did not affect the duration or success of the endotracheal
      intubation. Supraglottic methods were applied more quickly in both moving and
      stationary environments. A GEB was used successfully by practioners with no
      previous experience; however, the duration of the intubation was longer.

PMID- 28616612
TI  - Robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
AB  - The number of robotic gastrectomy (RG) performed per year has been increasing,
      particularly in East Asia where the incidence of gastric cancer is high and
      approximately half of the cases are diagnosed as early gastric cancer. With
      articulated devices of RG, surgeons are able to perform every procedure more
      meticulously, which can result in less bleeding and damage to organs. There are
      many single arm and comparative studies, and these study showed similar trends,
      which included relatively less estimated blood loss and longer operation time
      following RG than laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG), equivalent number of harvested
      lymph nodes and similar length of postoperative hospital stay between RG and LG.
      Considering the results of these retrospective comparative studies, RG seems to
      be as feasible as LG in terms of early surgical outcomes. However, medical
      expense of RG is approximately twice as much as that of LG. Lack of solid
      evidence in terms of long-term outcomes is another problem. Considering the
      higher medical expenses associated with RG, its superiority in terms of long-term
      survival outcomes needs to be confirmed in the future for it to be accepted more
      widely.

PMID- 28616614
TI  - An analysis of Emergency Medical Services demand: Time of day, day of the week,
      and location in the city.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Effective planning of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), which is
      highly dependent on the analysis of past data trends, is important in reducing
      response time. Thus, we aimed to analyze demand for these services based on time
      and location trends to inform planning for an effective EMS. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Data for this retrospective study were obtained from the Izmir EMS 112
      system. All calls reaching these services during first six months of 2013 were
      descriptively analyzed, based on time and location trends as a heat-map form.
      RESULTS: The analyses showed that demand for EMS varied within different time
      periods of day, and according to day of the week. For the night period, demand
      was higher at the weekend compared to weekdays, whereas for daytime hours, demand
      was higher during the week. For weekdays, a statistically significant relation
      was observed between the call distribution of morning and evening periods. It was
      also observed that the percentage of demand changed according to location. Among
      30 locations, the five most frequent destinations for ambulances, which are also
      correlated with high population densities, accounted for 55.66% of the total.
      CONCLUSION: The results of this study shed valuable light on the areas of call
      center planning and optimal ambulance locations of Izmir, which can also be
      served as an archetype for other cities.

PMID- 28616615
TI  - The predictive value of biochemical parameters in evaluating patients with
      abdominal trauma: The new scoring system.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of non-invasively
      and rapidly obtained biochemical parameter results to the diagnosis and follow-up
      of intraabdominal injuries in multitrauma patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total
      of 2604 multitrauma patients who were treated following their referral to our
      emergency department between January 2009 and January 2012 were retrospectively
      reviewed. A logistic regression analysis was used in the risk assessment.
      RESULTS: Statistically significant associations between intraabdominal injury and
      certain biochemical variables measured at the time of the referral were
      determined. These variables were hemoglobin <=9.99 g/dL [odds ratio (OR): 6.25,
      95% CI: 2.86-13.52, p < 0.0001], serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) >= 100
      IU/L (OR: 34.45, 95% CI: 21.76-54.54, p < 0.0001), and serum lipase >= 61 U/L
      (OR: 10.44, 95% CI: 6.56-16.49, p < 0.0001). The pretest probability score was
      determined for each patient by adding the scores that were obtained from each
      factor. ROC curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic value of the
      pretest probability score for detecting intra-abdominal injury (area = 0.88; p <
      0.0001). CONCLUSION: The results of our study demonstrated that biochemical
      parameters may contribute to the diagnosis and follow-up of intraabdominal
      injuries in multitrauma patients. In particular, ALT, AST, CK and myoglobin were
      found to have higher ORs than low hemoglobin. After these parameters are tested
      in larger scale studies in conjunction with the gold standard multislice
      abdominal CT, they may be used for establishing scores to evaluate the severity
      of abdominal injuries.

PMID- 28616616
TI  - Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase-A2 activity and its diagnostic potential in
      patients with acute coronary syndrome and acute ischemic stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study examined the Lp-PLA2 activity at the patients presented to
      the emergency department with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or acute ischemic
      stroke (AIS), as well as its diagnostic value. METHODS: The prospective study
      included consecutive male and female patients aged >18 years that presented to
      the our emergency department with ACS or AIS between November 2009 and January
      2010. Blood samples were obtained immediately following diagnosis in the ACS and
      AIS groups. The diagnostic value of Lp-PLA2 was determined based on receiver
      operating characteristic curves, sensitivity, specificity, predictive values,
      likelihood ratios and accuracy rates. RESULTS: In all, 34 ACS and 32 AIS patients
      were included in the study, and the control group included 35 patients. Lp-PLA2
      enzyme activity was significantly lower in the ACS and AIS groups than in the
      control group (26.7 +/- 13.8, 31.4 +/- 13.6, and 41.4 +/- 8.1 nmol min-1.mL-1,
      respectively; p < 0.0001, p = 0.022). In the ACS group the area under the curve
      (AUC) was 0.825 (95%CI: 0.722-0.929), sensitivity was 71% for an optimal Lp-PLA2
      cut-off value of 31.4 nmol min-1.mL-1, and specificity was 91%, whereas in the
      AIS group the AUC was 0.768 (95%CI: 0.652-0.884), sensitivity was 75% for an
      optimal Lp-PLA2 cut-off value of 38.1 nmol min-1.mL-1, and specificity was 74%.
      CONCLUSIONS: Lp-PLA2 enzyme activity was significantly lower during the early
      stage of both ACS and AIS. The obtained statistic data suggest that low Lp-PLA2
      enzyme activity can be used for diagnostic purposes.

PMID- 28616617
TI  - Comparison of granisetron and metoclopramide in the treatment of pain and emesis
      in migraine patients: A randomized controlled trial study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: One of the irritating features of migraine is emesis that can
      compromise taking oral medications. We designed this study to compare the
      effectiveness of granisetron and metoclopramide in reducing pain and treating
      emesis in migraine patients. METHODS: We included a total of 148 patients with
      migraine headache presenting to two referral hospitals in a prospective, double
      blinded randomized controlled trial. We compared the effect of granisetron (2 mg
      intravenous) with metoclopramide (10 mg intravenous). Pain intensity and emesis
      episodes were recorded before drug administration, one, two and four 4 h after
      drug administration. RESULTS: Of the 148 patients, 47 were male and 101 were
      female. 75 patients received granisetron and 73 metoclopramide. Mean pain
      intensity before the administration of the medications was 7.67 +/- 1.30 in
      granisetron group and 7.68 +/- 1.13 in metoclopramide group with an insignificant
      difference. Mean pain intensity at one, two, and 4 h after drug administration
      was 3.20 +/- 1.37, 2.39 +/- 1.28, and 1.31 +/- 0.52 in granisetron group and 5.04
      +/- 1.77, 4.1 +/- 1.8, and 1.56 +/- 0.68 in metoclopramide group (P = 0.03). Mean
      emesis episodes before drug administration were 1.85 +/- 0.81 and 1.80 +/- 0.77
      in granisetron and metoclopramide groups, respectively. These episodes were 1.33
      +/- 0.66, 0.25 +/- 0.49, and 0.04 +/- 0.19 in granisetron group and 1.38 +/-
      0.73, 0.21 +/- 0.47, and 0.41 +/- 0.19 in metoclopramide group at one, two, and 4
      h after the drug administration (P = 0.7). CONCLUSION: To came in conclusion,
      compared to metoclopramide, granisetron is a better choice in acute migraine
      ATTACK because it decreases the patients' pain as well as their emesis.

PMID- 28616618
TI  - Flash pulmonary edema: A rare cause and possible mechanisms.
AB  - Flash pulmonary edema frequently develop in case of bilateral renal artery
      stenosis and unilateral renal artery stenosis with functional solitary kidney. In
      some rare cases, unilateral renal artery stenosis with bilaterally functional
      kidneys may also lead to flash pulmonary edema. Here, we present a case of flash
      pulmonary edema caused by accessory renal artery stenosis. To our knowledge, it
      is the first case reported in the literature.

PMID- 28616619
TI  - A case of late diagnosis of chronic subdural hematoma following spinal
      anesthesia.
AB  - Intracranial subdural hematoma developing following spinal anesthesia is a rare
      but serious complication. We describe a case of subdural hematoma developing
      following spinal anesthesia and diagnosed late. A female patient receiving spinal
      anesthesia for cesarean delivery 45 days prior to arrival at the emergency
      department presented to our hospital with non-severe headache persisting for 45
      days after discharge. Computerized tomography (CT) of the brain performed due to
      long-term persisting headache resistant to medical treatment and a history of
      spinal intervention revealed a hypodense chronic subdural hematoma in the left
      frontoparietal area and a shift from left to right in midline structures. The
      patient was operated and discharged without sequelae on the 7th day
      postoperatively. Care must be taken over subdural hematoma in the presence of
      headache after spinal anesthesia persisting despite fluid intake and medical
      treatment and exceeding 48 h in duration, and diagnosis must not be delayed.

PMID- 28616620
TI  - Superior mesenteric artery syndrome: A rare but life threatening disease.
AB  - Superior mesenteric artery syndrome was observed in an adolescent patient. He had
      a 1-day history of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, without chronic or
      recurrent symptoms. Diagnosis was established by abdominal plain x-ray, contrast
      enhanced abdominal computed tomography, and endoscopic examination. The patient
      was hospitalized, monitorized, and decompressed by nasogastric tube without oral
      feeding. The symptoms of the patient were gradually relieved by conservative
      treatment and he was discharged after one week. Clinicians should be careful when
      facing upper gastrointestinal symptoms that are resistant and non-responsive to
      treatment, and this syndrome should be kept in mind. This case is presented to
      draw attention to this disease because of its rare incidence.

PMID- 28616621
TI  - A rare cause of acute abdominal pain in children: Isolated tubal torsion; a case
      series.
AB  - Isolated tubal torsion -a rare cause of acute abdomen in children-is usually
      difficult to diagnose because of non-specific findings. Surgical salphingectomy
      is required in delayed diagnosis in most cases. Three sexual inactive adolescents
      diagnosed in isolated tubal torsion (ITT) were discussed for its diagnostic
      features and surgical management. Laboratory tests and radiological studies
      including ultrasonography (US), color doppler ultrasound were performed in all
      patients after evaluation for acute lower abdominal pain in emergency department
      and they underwent surgical intervention with laparotomy (n:2) and laparoscopy
      (n:1). One of the patients in this study had salpingectomy. Detorsion of the
      fallopian tube and cyst excision were performed in the remaining two patients who
      also had paratubal cysts. There was no recurrence in these patients during the
      follow-up for 3 and 2 years. The isolated tubal torsion should be kept in mind
      and early surgical management is essential in order to preserve fallopian tube
      because of its importance in fertility.

PMID- 28616622
TI  - A case of primary mediastinal Ewing's sarcoma/ primitive neuroectodermal tumor
      presenting with chest pain.

PMID- 28616623
TI  - Neglected facts in digoxin intoxication.

PMID- 28616624
TI  - Fatigue crack closure: a review of the physical phenomena.
AB  - Plasticity-induced, roughness-induced and oxide-induced crack closures are
      reviewed. Special attention is devoted to the physical origin, the consequences
      for the experimental determination and the prediction of the effective crack
      driving force for fatigue crack propagation. Plasticity-induced crack closure
      under plane stress and plane strain conditions require, in principle, a different
      explanation; however, both types are predictable. This is even the case in the
      transition region from the plane strain to the plane stress state and all types
      of loading conditions including constant and variable amplitude loading, the
      short crack case or the transition from small-scale to large-scale yielding. In
      contrast, the prediction of roughness-induced and oxide-induced closures is not
      as straightforward.

PMID- 28616625
TI  - Heterozygous eNOS Deficient Mice as a Model to Examine the Effects of eNOS
      Haploinsufficiency on the Cerebral Circulation.
AB  - Nitric oxide derived from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) has been shown
      to be a major mediator of endothelium-dependent responses in cerebral blood
      vessels. Loss of a single eNOS gene is not associated with any apparent negative
      consequences on endothelial function in most blood vessels. In contrast, we have
      recently demonstrated that heterozygous eNOS gene deficiency in combination with
      a high fat diet is associated with marked impairment of endothelial function.
      These findings provide an important example of eNOS haploinsufficiency and one
      that directly impacts the cerebral vasculature. A major mechanism associated with
      the impairment of endothelial function with eNOS deficiency and a high fat diet
      appears to be related to increases in plasma IL-6 that serves to further reduce
      the bioavailability of NO either directly or indirectly via reductions in eNOS
      expression or activity and via increases in vascular superoxide. Taken together,
      these findings provide important insights into genetic and molecular mechanisms
      that promote endothelial dysfunction in response to a high fat diet in cerebral
      blood vessels with inherent reductions in eNOS gene expression, such as those due
      to eNOS gene polymorphisms. These findings also highlight the importance of
      eNOS+/- mice to study the effects of eNOS haploinsufficiency on cerebral blood
      vessels.

PMID- 28616630
TI  - Experimental and computational insights on the recognition mechanism between the
      estrogen receptor alpha with bisphenol compounds.
AB  - Certain bisphenols (BPs) have been regarded as endocrine-disrupting chemicals due
      to their structural similarities to bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known weak
      estrogenic chemical. However, very limited data are currently available on the
      relationship between estrogenic activity and the structure of BP analogs.
      Therefore, we systematically investigated the estrogenic potency of 14 selected
      BP analogs with typical structures using experimental and computational methods.
      Most of the tested BP analogs exhibited weak estrogenic activities in both cell
      proliferation and MVLN assays with the exception of TBBPA, TCBPA and TBBPS.
      Molecular modeling techniques have been performed to investigate the dynamic
      structural characteristics of recognition processes between BPs and estrogen
      receptor alpha (ERalpha) at the atomic level. Thr347 was identified as the key
      residue responsible for the recognition of TBBPA, TCBPA and TBBPS by means of
      induced-fit H-bonding interactions in the binding pocket of ERalpha, whereas
      other BPs, in turn, rely on the alternative formation of H-bonds with His524.
      Subsequent allosteric modulation interferes significantly with the stability of
      helix 12 that is crucial for the transcriptional activity of ERalpha. These
      structural perturbations that are induced by the three compounds were further
      confirmed to reduce the recruitment potency of co-activators more than other BPs
      based on calculations of binding free energies, which is in line with observed
      experimental transcriptional activities. Our findings may help to elucidate the
      estrogenic potency of BPs with different molecular structures.

PMID- 28616631
TI  - The effect of emodin on Staphylococcus aureus strains in planktonic form and
      biofilm formation in vitro.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a Gram-positive pathogen and forms biofilm
      easily. Bacteria inside biofilms display an increased resistance to antibiotics
      and disinfectants. The objective of the current study was to assess the
      antimicrobial activities of emodin, 1,2,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone, an
      anthraquinone derivative isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum and Rheum palmatum,
      against S. aureus CMCC26003 grown in planktonic and biofilm cultures in vitro. In
      addition, a possible synergistic effect between emodin and berberine chloride was
      evaluated. As quantified by crystal violet method, emodin significantly decreased
      S. aureus biofilm growth in a dose-dependent manner. The above findings were
      further supported by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the present study
      demonstrated that sub-MICs emodin obviously intervened the release of
      extracellular DNA and inhibited expression of the biofilm-related genes (cidA,
      icaA, dltB, agrA, sortaseA and sarA) by real-time RT-PCR. These results revealed
      a promising application for emodin as a therapeutic agent and an effective
      strategy to prevent S. aureus biofilm-related infections.

PMID- 28616633
TI  - Xeromorphic traits help to maintain photosynthesis in the perhumid climate of a
      Taiwanese cloud forest.
AB  - Previous flux measurements in the perhumid cloud forest of northeastern Taiwan
      have shown efficient photosynthesis of the endemic tree species Chamaecyparis
      obtusa var. formosana even under foggy conditions in which leaf surface moisture
      would be expected. We hypothesized this to be the result of 'xeromorphic' traits
      of the Chamaecyparis leaves (hydrophobicity, stomatal crypts, stomatal
      clustering), which could prevent coverage of stomata by precipitation, fog, and
      condensation, thereby maintaining CO2 uptake. Here we studied the amount,
      distribution, and composition of moisture accumulated on Chamaecyparis leaf
      surfaces in situ in the cloud forest. We studied the effect of surface tension on
      gas penetration to stomata using optical O2 microelectrodes in the laboratory. We
      captured the dynamics of condensation to the leaf surfaces with an environmental
      scanning electron microscope (ESEM). In spite of substantial surface
      hydrophobicity, the mean water film thickness on branchlets under foggy
      conditions was 80 um (upper surface) and 40 um (lower surface). This amount of
      water could cover stomata and prevent CO2 uptake. This is avoided by the
      clustered arrangement of stomata within narrow clefts and the presence of Florin
      rings. These features keep stomatal pores free from water due to surface tension
      and provide efficient separation of plant and atmosphere in this perhumid
      environment. Air pollutants, particularly hygroscopic aerosol, may disturb this
      functionality by enhancing condensation and reducing the surface tension of leaf
      surface water.

PMID- 28616632
TI  - Dispensing of psychotropic medication among 400,000 immigrants in The
      Netherlands.
AB  - PURPOSE: Previously, a high prevalence of certain psychiatric disorders was shown
      among non-Western immigrants. This study explores whether this results in more
      prescriptions for psychotropic medication. METHODS: Data on dispensing of
      medication among adults living in the four largest Dutch cities in 2013 were
      linked to demographic data from Statistics Netherlands. Incident (i.e., following
      no dispensing in 2010-2012) and prevalent dispensing among immigrants was
      compared to that among native Dutch (N = 1,043,732) and analyzed using
      multivariable Poisson and logistic regression. RESULTS: High adjusted Odds Ratios
      (ORadj) of prevalent and high Incidence Rate Ratios (IRRadj) of incident
      dispensing of antipsychotics were found among Moroccan (N = 115,455) and Turkish
      individuals (N = 105,460), especially among young Moroccan males (ORadj = 3.22
      [2.99-3.47]). Among Surinamese (N = 147,123) and Antillean individuals (N =
      41,430), slightly higher rates of dispensed antipsychotics were found and the
      estimates decreased after adjustment. The estimates for antipsychotic dispensing
      among the Moroccan and Turkish increased, following adjustment for household
      composition. Rates for antidepressant dispensing among Turkish and Moroccan
      subjects were high (Moroccans: ORadj = 1.74 [1.70-1.78]). Among Surinamese and
      Antillean subjects, the rates for antidepressant dispensing were low and the
      ORadj lagged behind the IRRadj (Surinamese: 0.69 [0.67-0.71] vs. 1.06 [1.00
      1.13]). Similar results were found for anxiolytics. For ADHD medication, lower
      dispensing rates were found among all migrant groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings
      agree with earlier reports of more mental health problems among Moroccan and
      Turkish individuals. Surinamese/Antillean individuals did not use psychotropic
      drugs at excess and discontinued antidepressants and anxiolytics earlier. The
      data strongly suggest under-treatment for ADHD in all ethnic minority groups.

PMID- 28616634
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28616635
TI  - Angiostrongylus cantonensis: An optimized cultivation of this parasitic nematode
      under laboratory conditions.
AB  - Angiostrongylus cantonensis (A. cantonensis), a parasitic nematode, is the
      important neurotropic pathogen which causes human angiostrongyliasis. It has a
      complex life-cycle and severe parasite-host interaction in contrast to free
      living nematode. Establishment of a well-suited life-cycle and in vitro
      cultivation of A. cantonensis in the laboratory will be one of the key techniques
      to elucidate the mechanism of parasite-host interaction. However, the low
      survival and growth rate of worms is still to be the problem. We optimized the
      known life-cycle of A. cantonensis in the laboratory, showing that small in size,
      easy to breed, and high compatibility of Biomphalaria straminea precede the
      common snails as an intermediate host of A. cantonensis. Furthermore, the egg
      hatching rate in Ham's F-12 medium reached approximately 80% using the eggs of
      mature female adult worms. We also demonstrated that the survival of larvae could
      be sustained for more than 30 days by in vitro cultivation of L1 larvae in DMEM
      with mixed antibiotics (100 units/mL of penicillin G potassium, 50 MUg/mL of
      streptomycin sulfate, and 0.5 MUg/mL of amphotericin B) and L3, L4, and L5 larvae
      in Waymouth's medium with 20% fetal calf serum and mixed antibiotics. Infective
      L1 and L3 larvae kept high infective rate to the snail and rat after cultivation
      in these media, respectively. It will provide the basis for studying on genetic
      manipulations for functional genes, new drug screening, and the mechanism of
      parasite-host interaction of parasitic nematodes.

PMID- 28616636
TI  - A Semi-automated Approach to Improve the Efficiency of Medical Imaging
      Segmentation for Haptic Rendering.
AB  - The Sensimmer platform represents our ongoing research on simultaneous haptics
      and graphics rendering of 3D models. For simulation of medical and surgical
      procedures using Sensimmer, 3D models must be obtained from medical imaging data,
      such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). Image
      segmentation techniques are used to determine the anatomies of interest from the
      images. 3D models are obtained from segmentation and their triangle reduction is
      required for graphics and haptics rendering. This paper focuses on creating 3D
      models by automating the segmentation of CT images based on the pixel contrast
      for integrating the interface between Sensimmer and medical imaging devices,
      using the volumetric approach, Hough transform method, and manual centering
      method. Hence, automating the process has reduced the segmentation time by 56.35%
      while maintaining the same accuracy of the output at +/-2 voxels.

PMID- 28616637
TI  - Calcaneal cysts and lipomas: a common pathogenesis?
AB  - Calcaneal cysts and lipomas are relatively rare, benign bone lesions. They are
      similar in many ways, including in their location and radiological appearance,
      but their content differs. Cysts contain fluid whereas lipomas contain fat,
      although some lesions may exhibit a mixed content. The pathogenesis of the two
      entities is the subject of controversy. The theory that calcaneal cysts may
      result from lipomatous necrosis has been widely suggested in the literature, but
      no such progression has ever been shown. The contrary hypothesis has also been
      considered, i.e., that the content of regressing cysts may be replaced by fatty
      marrow, leading to a lipoma-like appearance. This second theory is based on
      indirect arguments, notably that lipomas have a similar location to intraosseous
      calcaneal ganglion cysts that arise from the subtalar joint and that patients are
      older in cases of calcaneus lipomas than in cases of calcaneus cysts. We offer an
      additional argument in favor of this hypothesis. We present an original
      observation of a calcaneal cyst incidentally discovered in a 15-year-old male
      whose spontaneous evolution 3 and 7 years later revealed progressive replacement
      of its fluid content by fat.

PMID- 28616638
TI  - Piriformis muscle syndrome with assessment of sciatic nerve using diffusion
      tensor imaging and tractography: a case report.
AB  - Piriformis muscle syndrome (PMS) is difficult to diagnose by objective evaluation
      of sciatic nerve injury. Here we report a case of PMS diagnosed by diffusion
      tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography of the sciatic nerve, which can assess and
      visualize the extent of nerve injury. The patient was a 53-year-old man with a 2
      year history of continuous pain and numbness in the left leg. His symptoms
      worsened when sitting. Physical examination, including sensorimotor neurologic
      tests, the deep tendon reflex test, and the straight leg raise test, revealed no
      specific findings. The hip flexion adduction and internal rotation test and
      resisted contraction maneuvers for the piriformis muscle were positive. There
      were no abnormal findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar
      spine. The transverse diameter of piriformis muscle was slightly thicker in
      affected side on MRI of the pelvis. A single DTI sequence was performed during
      MRI of the pelvis. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and the apparent diffusion
      coefficient (ADC) of the sciatic nerve were quantified at three levels using the
      fiber-tracking method. FA values were significantly lower and ADC values were
      significantly higher distal to the piriformis muscle. We performed endoscopic
      assisted resection of the piriformis tendon. Intraoperatively, the motor-evoked
      potentials in the left gastrocnemius were improved by resection of the piriformis
      tendon. The patient's symptoms improved immediately after surgery. There was no
      significant difference in FA or ADC at any level between the affected side and
      the unaffected side 3 months postoperatively. MRI-DTI may aid the diagnosis of
      PMS.

PMID- 28616639
TI  - [Assessment of physicians? : Results of a sample analysis for the selection of
      physicians for staff positions].
AB  - As in aviation and other organizations requiring high levels of safety, medical
      complications and errors can in most cases be traced back to the human factor as
      a main cause. The correct selection of medical students and physicians is
      therefore very important, especially in leadership and key positions. This is not
      only a necessary safety aspect but also the prerequisite for the stipulated
      efficiency of modern medicine.

PMID- 28616640
TI  - [An open single-arm phase II monotherapy study of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in
      locally advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) (Keynote 427) - AN 40/16
      of the AUO].

PMID- 28616641
TI  - [Are there any prognostic predictors for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation (ECPR) in case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest?]

PMID- 28616642
TI  - [Identification of common locations of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in a
      German metropolis].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most patients who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest initially have a
      shockable rhythm. Fast defibrillation and correctly performed cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation (CPR) are key factors for patient survival. These can be carried
      out by bystanders if an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available even
      in the absence of emergency services. AIM: The place and time of CPRs in a German
      city were investigated and the strategic placement of emergency medical services
      and AEDs necessary were evaluated. METHODS: All prehospital resuscitation
      attempts by Bochum's emergency services in 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.
      The city was divided into a grid, according to the city map to describe the
      location of every resuscitation. The distribution of cases was correlated to the
      city grid and time of day. RESULTS: There were 299 cardiac arrests (mean age 74.2
      +/- 12.47 years; 59% of patients were male). Most resuscitations happened in a
      home environment between 8 am and 8 pm. There was a higher proportion of
      resuscitation attempts in grid squares with a high population density. Of the
      resuscitations in public places 16 of 47 (34%) happened in city district centers.
      In 72% of all cases, only a nonshockable rhythm could be documented as primary
      arrhythmia on the arrival of the emergency services. Of the 299 attempted
      resuscitations, a return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 41%.
      CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge about increased frequency of resuscitations in city
      centers provides insight for strategic placement of emergency devices and
      services in those areas. This can possibly minimize the time until first response
      and enables early defibrillation with AED in a first-responder program. In
      addition, bystanders should obtain clear instructions for resuscitation by the
      dispatcher of the emergency services.

PMID- 28616643
TI  - [Hypoxic hepatitis in cardiogenic shock : Incidence, laboratory detection and
      prognosis].

PMID- 28616644
TI  - Synergistic hydrolysis of xylan using novel xylanases, beta-xylosidases, and an
      alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase from Geobacillus thermodenitrificans NG80-2.
AB  - Lignocellulosic biomass from various types of wood has become a renewable
      resource for production of biofuels and biobased chemicals. Because xylan is the
      major component of wood hemicelluloses, highly efficient enzymes to enhance xylan
      hydrolysis can improve the use of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, a
      xylanolytic gene cluster was identified from the crude oil-degrading thermophilic
      strain Geobacillus thermodenitrificans NG80-2. The enzymes involved in xylan
      hydrolysis, which include two xylanases (XynA1, XynA2), three beta-xylosidases
      (XynB1, XynB2, XynB3), and one alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase (AbfA), have many
      unique features, such as high pH tolerance, high thermostability, and a broad
      substrate range. The three beta-xylosidases were highly resistant to inhibition
      by product (xylose) accumulation. Moreover, the combination of xylanase, beta
      xylosidase, and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase exhibited the largest synergistic
      action on xylan degradation (XynA2, XynB1, and AbfA on oat spelt or beechwood
      xylan; XynA2, XynB3, and AbfA on birchwood xylan). We have demonstrated that the
      proposed enzymatic cocktail almost completely converts complex xylan to xylose
      and arabinofuranose and has great potential for use in the conversion of plant
      biomass into biofuels and biochemicals.

PMID- 28616645
TI  - Groundwater contamination with 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM) and perspectives for
      its microbial removal.
AB  - The pesticide metabolite 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM) is very persistent in both
      soil and groundwater and has become one of the most frequently detected
      groundwater micropollutants. BAM is not removed by the physico-chemical treatment
      techniques currently used in drinking water treatment plants (DWTP); therefore,
      if concentrations exceed the legal threshold limit, it represents a sizeable
      problem for the stability and quality of drinking water production, especially in
      places that depend on groundwater for drinking water. Bioremediation is suggested
      as a valuable strategy for removing BAM from groundwater by deploying dedicated
      BAM-degrading bacteria in DWTP sand filters. Only a few bacterial strains with
      the capability to degrade BAM have been isolated, and of these, only three
      isolates belonging to the Aminobacter genus are able to mineralise BAM.
      Considerable effort has been made to elucidate degradation pathways, kinetics and
      degrader genes, and research has recently been presented on the application of
      strain Aminobacter sp. MSH1 for the purification of BAM-contaminated water. The
      aim of the present review was to provide insight into the issue of BAM
      contamination and to report on the current status and knowledge with regard to
      the application of microorganisms for purification of BAM-contaminated water
      resources. This paper discusses the prospects and challenges for bioaugmentation
      of DWTP sand filters with specific BAM-degrading bacteria and identifies relevant
      perspectives for future research.

PMID- 28616646
TI  - Molecular genetic diagnostics for ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac
      death syndromes.
AB  - Inherited forms of ventricular arrhythmias are rare diseases, but a major cause
      for severe cardiac events, sudden unexplained death syndromes, and death in young
      adults, infants, and children. Each disorder is genetically heterogeneous (5-20
      genes per disease) and molecular testing may include both core genes and less
      common disease genes as well. Owing to the rapid development and feasibility of
      sequencing technologies enabling a parallel analysis of several hundred genes up
      to a whole exome, disease mutations can be identified very efficiently, but have
      to be seen in the complexity and natural variance of the human genome. Precise
      phenotypic knowledge and advanced gene variant interpretation are important to
      ensure adequate patient diagnostics and management. This article focuses on the
      genetic causes of inherited arrhythmia forms predisposing patients to sudden
      cardiac death and discusses practical issues and skills for molecular testing.

PMID- 28616647
TI  - Outcomes of direct stenting in patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We compared direct stenting (DS) with conventional stenting (CS) -
      i.e., stenting after predilation - during primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention (P-PCI) in terms of procedural results and long-term mortality in
      patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: We
      retrospectively analyzed 2306 patients (mean age 59 years, 22% female) who
      underwent P-PCI within 12 h of symptom onset. Patients were then followed up
      prospectively for clinical events. Patients were divided into a DS group (n =
      597) and a CS group (n = 1709). The CS group was further divided into a CS-1
      group (baseline thrombolysis in myocardial infarction [TIMI] flow grade >= 1) and
      a CS-2 group (baseline TIMI flow grade 0). Main outcome measures were
      postprocedural myocardial reperfusion and all-cause mortality in long-term follow
      up. RESULTS: Patients in the DS group had a higher percentage of final TIMI-3
      flow, myocardial blush grade 3 and complete ST-segment resolution, better left
      ventricular ejection fraction, and a lower incidence of distal embolization
      compared with CS patients. In-hospital (1.5 vs. 4.6%, respectively, p = 0.001)
      and long-term all-cause mortality (8.8 vs. 17.0%, respectively, p < 0.001) were
      significantly lower in the DS group than in the CS group. Kaplan-Meier survival
      analysis showed similar survival rates in the DS and CS-1 groups (log-rank p =
      0.40), but significantly worse survival in the CS-2 group than in the other
      groups (log-rank p < 0.001). After adjusting for risk factors, DS was not found
      to be a predictor of long-term mortality. CONCLUSION: DS in P-PCI was associated
      with better postprocedural angiographic results and long-term survival. However,
      the DS group had similar in-hospital and long-term mortality to matched patients
      in the CS group.

PMID- 28616648
TI  - Protective effect of dietary polyphenol caffeic acid on ethylene glycol-induced
      kidney stones in rats.
AB  - Dietary polyphenol caffeic acid (1) has been reported for various pharmacological
      activities. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of caffeic
      acid (1) on ethylene glycol-induced renal stones in rats. For the study, male
      Wistar rats were divided into seven groups; normal, pathological, and standard
      drug controls, and preventive and curative groups. Normal control group received
      drinking water for 8 weeks. Pathological, standard drug, preventive, and curative
      groups received 0.75% ethylene glycol in drinking water for the induction of
      calcium oxalate stone formation, along with the regular diet. Standard drug group
      received Urocit-K by gavage from day 1, while preventive and curative groups
      received caffeic acid (1) by gavage at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg on day 1 and day
      14, respectively. At the end of the experiment, urine analysis and kidney
      histopathology were performed. Real-time PCR was performed to evaluate the renal
      expression of the most important genes involved in urolithiasis, i.e.,
      osteopontin, Tamm-Horsfall, prothrombin fragment 1, and bikunin genes. The
      results indicated that in both the preventive and curative groups, treatment of
      rats with caffeic acid (1) significantly regulated the altered biochemical
      parameters, along with the remarkable reduction of calcium oxalate deposits in
      the kidneys, as compared to the pathological group. Treatment with compound 1
      also resulted in down-regulation of the osteopontin gene, and up-regulation of
      the prothrombin fragment 1, Tamm-Horsfall, and bikunin genes. These results
      suggest that caffeic acid (1) can be further investigated for the prevention, and
      treatment of kidney stones.

PMID- 28616649
TI  - Earlier Pulmonary Valve Replacement in Down Syndrome Patients Following Tetralogy
      of Fallot Repair.
AB  - The association between Down syndrome and pulmonary hypertension could contribute
      to more severe pulmonary regurgitation after tetralogy of Fallot repair and
      possibly earlier pulmonary valve replacement. We compared cardiac magnetic
      resonance measures of pulmonary regurgitation and right ventricular dilation as
      well as timing of pulmonary valve replacement between those with and without Down
      syndrome after tetralogy of Fallot repair. Review of our surgical database from
      2000 to 2015 identified patients with tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary
      stenosis. Those with Down syndrome were compared to those without. The primary
      outcome of interest was time from repair to pulmonary valve replacement.
      Secondary outcomes included pulmonary regurgitation and indexed right ventricular
      volume on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The cohort of 284 patients included
      35 (12%) with Down syndrome. Transannular patch repair was performed in 210
      (74%). Down syndrome showed greater degree of pulmonary regurgitation (55 +/- 14
      vs. 37 +/- 16%, p = 0.01) without a significantly greater rate of right
      ventricular dilation (p = 0.09). In multivariable analysis, Down syndrome (HR
      2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.5, p = 0.02) and transannular patch repair (HR 5.5, 95% CI 1.7
      17.6, p = 0.004) were significant risk factors for valve replacement. Those with
      Down syndrome had significantly lower freedom from valve replacement (p = 0.03).
      Down syndrome is associated with an increased degree of pulmonary regurgitation
      and earlier pulmonary valve replacement after tetralogy of Fallot repair. These
      patients require earlier assessment by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to
      determine timing of pulmonary valve replacement and evaluation for and treatment
      of preventable causes of pulmonary hypertension.

PMID- 28616650
TI  - Erratum to: physiotherapy programme reduces fatigue in patients with advanced
      cancer receiving palliative care: randomized controlled trial.

PMID- 28616651
TI  - Comparison of efficacy of transversus abdominis plane block and
      iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal nerve block for postoperative pain management in
      patients undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy with spinal anesthesia: a prospective
      randomized controlled open-label study.
AB  - PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of lateral
      abdominal transversus abdominis plane block (TAP block) and
      iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal nerve block (IHINB) under ultrasound guidance for
      postoperative pain management of inguinal hernia repair. Secondary purposes were
      to compare the complication rates of the two techniques and to examine the
      effects of TAP block and IHINB on chronic postoperative pain. METHODS: This was a
      prospective randomized controlled open-label study. After approval of the
      Research Ethics Board, a total of 90 patients were allocated to three groups of
      30 by simple randomized sampling as determined with a priori power analysis.
      Peripheral nerve blocks (TAP block or IHINB) were administered to patients
      following subarachnoid block according to their allocated group. Patient pain
      scores, additional analgesic requirements and complication rates were recorded
      periodically and compared. RESULTS: Pain scores were significantly lower in the
      study groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p < 0.001
      for 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, and 48 h and at 1 and 6 months, respectively). First pain
      declaration times were significantly longer in the study groups (TAP block group
      [GT] 266.6 +/- 119.7 min; IHINB group [GI] 247.2 +/- 128.7 min; and control group
      [GC] 79.1 +/- 66.2 min; p < 0.001). At 24 h, the numeric rating scale scores of
      GT were significantly lower than GI (p = 0.048). Additional analgesic
      requirements of GT and GI patients were found to be significantly lower than GC
      patients (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.006, p = 0.002, p = 0.001, p < 0.001 for 1,
      2, 4, 6, 24, and 48 h, respectively). CONCLUSION: We conclude that administration
      of TAP block or IHINB for patients undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy reduces the
      intensity of both acute and chronic postoperative pain and additional analgesic
      requirements.

PMID- 28616652
TI  - Effects of initial graft tension on femoral tunnel widening after anatomic
      anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a bone-patellar tendon-bone
      graft.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The effects of initial graft tension upon tunnel widening (TW)
      following anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have not been
      elucidated. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the
      effect of two different graft-tensioning protocols upon femoral TW following
      anatomic ACL reconstruction using a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft and a
      three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) model. METHODS: Forty-three
      patients who underwent isolated ACL reconstruction using BPTB grafts were
      included in this study. In 18 out of the 43 patients, the graft was fixed at full
      knee extension with manual maximum pull (Group H). These patients were compared
      with 25 patients in whom the BPTB graft was fixed at full knee extension with 80
      N pull (Group L). Tunnel aperture area was measured using 3D CT 1 week and 1 year
      postoperatively, thus enabling us to calculate the percentage change in the area
      of femoral tunnel aperture. Clinical assessment was performed 1 year
      postoperatively, corresponding to the time period of CT assessment, and involved
      the evaluation of Lysholm score, anterior knee stability using a KneeLax3
      arthrometer, and the pivot-shift test. RESULTS: When measured at 1 year
      postoperatively, the mean area of the femoral tunnel aperture had increased by
      78.6 +/- 36.8% in Group H when compared with at 1 week postoperatively, whereas
      that of Group L had increased by 27.7 +/- 32.3%. Furthermore, TW (%) in Group H
      was significantly greater than that of Group L (P < 0.001). No significant
      differences were detected between the two groups with regard to any of the
      clinical outcomes evaluated. CONCLUSION: High levels of initial graft tension
      resulted in greater TW of the femoral tunnel aperture following anatomical ACL
      reconstruction using BPTB grafts. However, such levels of graft tension did not
      affect clinical outcome.

PMID- 28616653
TI  - Bird migration.

PMID- 28616655
TI  - [Cognitive-perceptive approaches in the treatment of chronic pain].
AB  - In the treatment of difficult chronic pain conditions, cognitive-perceptive
      approaches offer an alternative to conventional therapies. Especially phantom
      limb pain and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) are frequently treated with
      these promising modalities. This article provides an overview of the most
      important cognitive-perceptive therapies and the research results concerning
      their clinical efficacy. In addition, we discuss their neurobiological foundation
      and clinical perspectives.

PMID- 28616656
TI  - Accuracy of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin for acute kidney injury
      diagnosis in children: systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the accuracy of Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin
      (NGAL) as a biomarker for acute kidney injury (AKI) in children. METHODS: A
      systematic review of the literature was performed. The review protocol was
      registered at PROSPERO (CRD 42015024153). We conducted searches in the following
      databases: Medline (PubMed), LILACS (BVS), SCOPUS (Elsevier), Embase (OVID),
      Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Biomed Central, and ISI
      Web of Science, from January 1990 to October 2016. For inclusion, studies
      measured NGAL levels in plasma and urine for AKI in children. For each study, 2 *
      2 contingency tables were developed. For statistical analysis we calculated the
      sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio. For methodological
      assessment, we used Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2. Software
      used for analysis was Stata 14, and RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: In total 13 studies were
      analyzed, which included 1629 children. For urinary NGAL, the pooled sensitivity
      was 0.76 (95% CI 0.62-0.85) and a pooled specificity 0.93 (95% CI 0.88-0.96). The
      diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) for the detection of AKI was 43 (95% CI 16-115) and
      the Area under the curve (AUC) was 0.94 (95% CI 0.92-0.96). For plasma NGAL the
      combined sensitivity was 0.80 (95% CI 0.64-0.90) and a combined specificity was
      0.87 (95% CI 0.74-0.94). The DOR was 26 (95% CI 8.0-82) and AUC was 0.90 (95% CI
      0.87-0.94) for the detection of AKI in children. CONCLUSION: The data suggest
      that NGAL levels can be an important biomarker for the early detection of AKI in
      children.

PMID- 28616657
TI  - Variant of classical high grade PTLD: post-transplant EBV-negative T cell
      lymphoblastic leukaemia after solid organ transplantation.

PMID- 28616658
TI  - High KIF2A expression predicts unfavorable prognosis in diffuse large B cell
      lymphoma.
AB  - Kinesin family member 2A (KIF2A), a conserved motor protein, plays a critical
      role in the pathogenesis and prognosis of several malignant tumors. The aim of
      the present study was to investigate KIF2A expression in diffuse large B cell
      lymphoma (DLBCL), evaluate the association between KIF2A expression and the
      clinical parameters of the disease, and determine its prognostic value. KIF2A
      expression was evaluated in 134 DLBCL and 57 reactive hyperplasia samples using
      immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray. The correlations between KIF2A
      expression with clinical parameters and prognosis were estimated using univariate
      and multivariate analyses. The expression of KIF2A was significantly higher in
      DLBCL tissue samples compared with those from subjects with reactive hyperplasia
      (P=0.002). Furthermore, increased expression of KIF2A protein in DLBCL was
      related to Ann Arbor stage (P=0.027) and international prognostic index (IPI)
      score (P=0.01). The survival analysis showed that KIF2A expression (P=0.016),
      serum LDH level (P=0.049), and IPI score (P<0.001) were independent prognostic
      markers for DLBCL. Our findings also confirmed that downregulating KIF2A
      expression decreased tumor cell viability, accompanied by downregulation of pAKT
      levels. Taken together, these data provide the first evidence that increased
      KIF2A expression predicts poor prognosis in patients with DLBCL, and a rationale
      for treatment of DLBCL by targeting KIF2A.

PMID- 28616659
TI  - Isolation and functional characterization of a circadian-regulated CONSTANS
      homolog (GbCO) from Ginkgo biloba.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: This is the first report to clone and functionally characterize a
      flowering time gene GbCO in perennial gymnosperm Ginkgo biloba. GbCO complements
      the co mutant of Arabidopsis, restoring normal early flowering. CONSTANS (CO) is
      a central regulator of photoperiod pathway, which channels inputs from light, day
      length, and circadian clock to promote the floral transition. In order to
      understand the role of CO in gymnosperm Ginkgo biloba, which has a long juvenile
      phase (15-20 years), a CO homolog (GbCO) was isolated and characterized from G.
      biloba. GbCO encodes a 1741-bp gene with a predicted protein of 400 amino acids
      with two zinc finger domains (B-box I and B-box II) and a CCT domain. Phylogenic
      analysis classified GbCO into the group 1a clade of CO families in accordance
      with the grouping scheme for Arabidopsis CO (AtCO). Southern blot analysis
      indicated that GbCO belongs to a multigene family in G. biloba. Real-time PCR
      analysis showed that GbCO was expressed in aerial parts of Ginkgo, with the
      highest transcript level of GbCO being observed in shoot apexes. GbCO transcript
      level exhibited a strong diurnal rhythm under flowering-inductive long days and
      peaked during early morning, suggesting that GbCO is tightly coupled to the
      floral inductive long-day signal. In addition, an increasing trend of GbCO
      transcript level was observed both in shoot tips and leaves as the shoot growth
      under long-day condition, whereas GbCO transcript level decreased in both tissues
      under short-day condition prior to growth cessation of shoot in G. biloba. GbCO
      complemented the Arabidopsis co-2 mutant, restoring normal early flowering. All
      the evidence being taken together, our findings suggested that GbCO served as a
      potential inducer of flowering in G. biloba.

PMID- 28616660
TI  - Arenavirus Dynamics in Experimentally and Naturally Infected Rodents.
AB  - Infectious diseases of wildlife are typically studied using data on antibody and
      pathogen levels. In order to interpret these data, it is necessary to know the
      course of antibodies and pathogen levels after infection. Such data are typically
      collected using experimental infection studies in which host individuals are
      inoculated in the laboratory and sampled over an extended period, but because
      laboratory conditions are controlled and much less variable than natural
      conditions, the immune response and pathogen dynamics may differ. Here, we
      compared Morogoro arenavirus infection patterns between naturally and
      experimentally infected multimammate mice (Mastomys natalensis). Longitudinal
      samples were collected during three months of bi-weekly trapping in Morogoro,
      Tanzania, and antibody titer and viral RNA presence were determined. The time of
      infection was estimated from these data using a recently developed Bayesian
      approach, which allowed us to assess whether the natural temporal patterns match
      the previously observed patterns in the laboratory. A good match was found for
      52% of naturally infected individuals, while most of the mismatches can be
      explained by the presence of chronically infected individuals (35%), maternal
      antibodies (10%), and an antibody detection limit (25%). These results suggest
      that while laboratory data are useful for interpreting field samples, there can
      still be differences due to conditions that were not tested in the laboratory.

PMID- 28616661
TI  - Clinical relevance of P-glycoprotein activity on peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils to methotrexate in systemic lupus
      erythematosus patients.
AB  - To elucidate the relationship between P-glycoprotein activity on peripheral blood
      leukocytes of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with lupus arthritis
      and the clinical response to methotrexate. An observational study was made in
      patients with SLE according to ACR criteria 1997 who had arthralgia and arthritis
      and received methotrexate for >=3 months. Methotrexate responders and non
      responders were compared according to the Clinical Disease Activity Index.
      Mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils were isolated from SLE
      patients and P-glycoprotein expression was measured using the relative
      fluorescence index and percentage of positive cells. The chi-square test was used
      to compare P-glycoprotein activity between responders and non-responders. Thirty
      two patients with a mean age of 45.4 +/- 10.7 years were included: 34.4% had a
      response to methotrexate and 65.6% did not. Mean relative fluorescence units of
      both mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils were significantly lower
      in patients with a good response (7.0 +/- 4.3 vs. 9.6 +/- 3.8; p = 0.041 and 4.2
      +/- 3.5 vs. 7.6 +/- 4.0; p = 0.004). The prevalence of low fluorescence levels
      (<6 relative fluorescence units), signifying higher P-glycoprotein activity of
      both mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils, was higher in
      methotrexate responders than in non-responders (27.3 vs. 4.8%; p = 0.10 and 81.8
      vs. 23.8%; p = 0.003, respectively). In SLE patients with joint involvement
      treated with methotrexate, P-glycoprotein activity was higher in responders to
      methotrexate than in non-responders. Further studies are required to determine
      the mechanisms behind this finding and whether P-glycoprotein activity mediates
      alterations in methotrexate efficacy.

PMID- 28616662
TI  - Perifosine enhances bevacizumab-induced apoptosis and therapeutic efficacy by
      targeting PI3K/AKT pathway in a glioblastoma heterotopic model.
AB  - Bevacizumab (BVZ) as an antiangiogenesis therapy leads to a transient therapeutic
      efficacy in high-grade glioma. However, the proapoptotic potential of BVZ has not
      been well elucidated, yet. There is also a tumor resistance to BVZ that is linked
      to post-treatment metalloproteinases and AKT activities. Herein, the association
      between therapeutic efficacy and putative proapoptotic activity of low-dose BVZ
      either alone or in combination with a specific inhibitor of AKT called perifosine
      (PRF), in a glioma model was investigated. BALB/c mice bearing C6 glioma tumor
      were treated with BVZ and PRF either alone or combined for 13 days (n =
      11/group). At the end of treatments, apoptosis, proliferation and vascular
      density, in the xenografts (3/group) were detected by TUNEL staining, Ki67 and
      CD31 markers, respectively. Relative levels of cleaved-caspase3, phospho-AKT
      (Ser473) and matrix metalloproteinase2 (MMP2) were measured using western
      blotting. PRF and BVZ separately slowed down tumor growth along with the cell
      apoptosis induction associated with a profound increase in caspase3 activity
      through an AKT inhibition-related pathway for PRF but not BVZ. Unlike PRF, BVZ
      significantly increased the intratumor MMP2 and phospho-AKT (Ser473) levels
      coupled with the slight antiproliferative and significant antivascular effects.
      Co-administration of PRF and BVZ versus monotherapies potentiated the
      proapoptotic effects and reversed the BVZ-induced upregulation of phospho-AKT
      (Ser473) and MMP2 levels in C6 xenografts, leading to the optimal
      antiproliferative activity and tumor growth regression and longer survival. In
      conclusion, BVZ plus PRF renders a paramount proapoptotic effect, leading to a
      major therapeutic efficacy and might be a new substitute for GBM therapy in the
      clinic.

PMID- 28616664
TI  - Erratum to: The effects of multiphasic prepulses on automatic and attention
      modulated prepulse inhibition.

PMID- 28616663
TI  - The water soluble axially disubstituted silicon phthalocyanines:
      photophysicochemical properties and in vitro studies.
AB  - Two novel silicon(IV) phthalocyanines bearing 1,3
      bis[3(dimethylamino)phenoxy]propan-2-ol or 1,3-bis[3(diethylamino)phenoxy]propan
      2-ol groups at their axial positions were synthesized. These phthalocyanines were
      converted into their water soluble derivatives by the quaternization reaction
      with methyl iodide. The quaternized phthalocyanines show excellent solubility
      aqueous solutions without any aggregation which makes them potential
      photosensitizers for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT). For this reason, the
      photophysical and photochemical properties such as fluorescence quantum yields,
      lifetimes, singlet oxygen generation and photodegradation of both non-ionic (3
      and 5) and quaternized cationic silicon(IV) phthalocyanines were investigated.
      Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of PDT was determined by colorimetric proliferation
      assay against to hepatocellular carcinoma (HuH-7) cancer cells. In this study,
      the cells were incubated with a novel water soluble silicon(IV) phthalocyanine
      derivatives and thereafter the cells were illuminated using broad-band incoherent
      light source.

PMID- 28616665
TI  - Psychoneurocutaneous medicine: past, present and future.
AB  - Psychoneurocutaneous medicine is an important and rapidly growing field. It is an
      integrative science created to address the interaction between the mind, nervous
      system and skin. Four major fields are involved: psychiatry, psychology,
      neurology and dermatology. The history of psychoneurocutaneous medicine is old
      and fascinating. Even though it is a young science only established in the last
      century, allusions to the nervous system and diseases of the skin can be traced
      back thousands of years in the literature. Characteristically, the last two
      centuries were of special importance for the development of this field in Europe,
      lately in America, with great effort placed on research and publications. More
      recently, the creation of associations, work groups and the merging of
      subspecialties dedicated exclusively to study the psychological impact of skin
      disorders in subpopulations of patients have helped to give momentum to
      psychoneurocutaneous medicine. Further development of this field will shed light
      on the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of psychodermatologic disorders,
      enhancing the functionality and quality of life of patients. This paper presents
      a summary of the most influential facts in the history of psychoneurocutaneous
      medicine, its present and future perspectives.

PMID- 28616666
TI  - The role of psychosomatic medicine in intensive care units.
AB  - Critically ill patients, their relatives, and intensive care staff are
      consistently exposed to stress. The principal elements of this exceptional burden
      are confrontation with a life-threatening disease, specific environmental
      conditions at the intensive care unit, and the social characteristics of
      intensive care medicine. The short- and long-term consequences of these stressors
      include a feeling of helplessness, distress, anxiety, depression, and even
      posttraumatic stress disorders. Not only the patients, but also their relatives
      and intensive care staff are at risk of developing such psychopathologies. The
      integration of psychosomatic medicine into the general concept of intensive care
      medicine is an essential step for the early identification of fear and anxiety
      and for understanding biopsychosocial coherence in critically ill patients.
      Preventive measures such as the improvement of individual coping strategies and
      enhancing the individual's resistance to stress are crucial aspects of improving
      wellbeing, as well as the overall outcome of disease. Additional stress-reducing
      measures reported in the published literature, such as hearing music, the use of
      earplugs and eye-masks, or basal stimulation, have been successful to a greater
      or lesser extent.

PMID- 28616667
TI  - Fluorescence turn-on detection of alkaline phosphatase activity based on
      controlled release of PEI-capped Cu nanoclusters from MnO2 nanosheets.
AB  - A fluorescence turn-on assay for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity is developed
      through the controlled release of polyethyleneimine-capped copper nanoclusters
      (PEI-capped CuNCs) from the MnO2 nanosheets. In an aqueous solution, the
      positively charged PEI-capped CuNCs could be adsorbed onto the surface of the
      negatively charged MnO2 nanosheets. Such adsorption through favorable
      electrostatic interactions could efficiently quench the nanocluster fluorescence
      emission via resonance energy transfer from the PEI-capped CuNCs to the MnO2
      nanosheets. 2-Phospho-L-ascorbic acid (AAP) could be hydrolyzed to L-ascorbic
      acid (AA) in the presence of ALP. AA could reduce MnO2 into Mn2+ and trigger the
      disintegration of the MnO2 nanosheets. As a result, the CuNCs were released and
      the quenched fluorescence was recovered efficiently. The detection strategy is
      simple, inexpensive, sensitive, selective, with low toxicity, and has better
      biocompatibility. The newly fabricated biosensor for ALP activity will
      potentially make it a robust candidate for numerous biological and biomedical
      applications.

PMID- 28616668
TI  - Shunt age-related complications in adult patients with suspected shunt
      dysfunction. A recommended diagnostic workup.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients admitted for suspicion of shunt dysfunction (SD) often show
      unspecific symptoms and require time-consuming, expensive and even invasive
      diagnostics involving significant radiation exposure. The purpose of this
      retrospective study was to analyse the current diagnostic procedures and to
      propose a process optimisation. METHOD: As all patients admitted for suspicion of
      SD receive imaging studies, we searched for adult patients receiving neuroimaging
      in the period from January 2010 to July 2013, analysing referring diagnosis,
      clinical signs, products, diagnostic process and final diagnosis. Recursive
      partitioning was used to define time intervals for differentiating types of SD.
      RESULTS: A total of 148 patients, aged 18-89 (mean, 54) years, were studied.
      Forty-two percent were referred by a hospital or rehabilitation centre, 30% by
      general practitioners and 24% were self-referrals. The admission diagnosis was in
      the majority "shunt dysfunction" only. Further differentiations were rarely made.
      An SD was confirmed in 46% of the patients. In 17%, the symptoms were based on
      another cause and in 37% they could not be clearly attributed to any specific
      disorder. Abdominal dislocations (2%) and shunt infections (5%) were found within
      the first 6 months. Over- (3%) and under-drainage (14%) were the most frequent
      complications during the first 4 years. Disconnections (13%) occurred generally 4
      years or more after implantation. Only shunt obstruction (9%) showed no temporal
      pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of SD remain mostly unspecific. This study showed
      that the type of SD depends on the time interval from implantation. We propose a
      workup strategy for patients with SD based on the temporal profile.

PMID- 28616669
TI  - Awake craniotomy for vestibular schwannoma.

PMID- 28616670
TI  - Migration of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter through the processus
      vaginalis in infants: how serious inguinal hernia and hydrocele might be.
AB  - Migration of the catheter tip of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) through a
      patent processus vaginalis (PV) has seldom being reported. In this series, we
      analyzed all cases of inguinoscrotal migration of an VPS catheter at our center.
      Between 1975 and 2015, 295 VPS insertions were performed. In seven infants
      (2.3%), migration of the catheter through a patent PV was demonstrated. Cases
      with hydroceles had associated VPS malfunction, but cases with hernias were not
      associated with it. The current recommendation is to delay a PV closure until 2
      years of age in cases of infants with hydrocele without further radiological
      examinations, but this might not be the case in infants with VPS.

PMID- 28616671
TI  - A novel bovine papillomavirus type in the genus Dyokappapapillomavirus.
AB  - Papillomaviruses are a diverse group of viruses that are known to infect a wide
      range of animal species. Bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) are divided into at least
      21 genotypes (BPV1 to BPV21),  with most BPV isolates/strains described to date
      belonging to one of four genera, including Deltapapillomavirus, Xipapillomavirus,
      Epsilonpapillomavirus and Dyoxipapillomavirus. Here, we describe the
      identification and genetic characterization of a new BPV type in the genus
      Dyokappapapillomavirus. A farm in the state of New York, USA, reported chronic
      cases of vulvovaginitis in Holstein cows in 2016. Biopsies and/or swab samples
      collected from the vaginal mucosa were subjected to diagnostic investigation.
      Conventional diagnostic assays yielded negative results, and vaginal swab samples
      were subjected to viral metagenomic sequencing. Notably, BLAST searches revealed
      a papillomavirus genome with 7480 bp in length (67% nt sequence identity to
      BPV16). Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of the L1 gene of the papillomavirus
      identified here (tentatively named BPV22) revealed that it clusters with members
      of the genus Dyokappapapillomavirus. Interestingly, the recently identified
      BPV16, which was detected in fibropapilloma lesions in cattle also clusters
      within the Dyokappapapillomavirus group. Each virus, however, forms a separate
      branch in the phylogenetic tree. These results indicate that the putative BPV22
      represents the second BPV within the genus Dyokappapapillomavirus.

PMID- 28616672
TI  - Biological effects of silk fibroin 3D scaffolds on stem cells from human
      exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs).
AB  - The aim is to investigate in vitro biological effects of silk fibroin 3D
      scaffolds on stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) in terms of
      proliferation, morphological appearance, cell viability, and expression of
      mesenchymal stem cell markers. Silk fibroin 3D scaffolding materials may
      represent promising suitable scaffolds for their application in regenerative
      endodontic therapy approaches. SHEDs were cultured in silk fibroin 3D scaffolds.
      Then, cell numbers were counted and the Alamar blue colorimetric assay was used
      to analyse cell proliferation after 24, 48, 72, and 168 h of culture. The
      morphological features of SHEDs cultured on silk fibroin scaffolds were evaluated
      by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, cell viability and the expression
      of mesenchymal stem cell markers were analysed by flow cytometry. One-way
      analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by a Bonferroni post-test was performed (P
      < 0.05). At 24 and 48 h of culture, SHED proliferation on scaffolds was modest
      compared to the control although still significant (p < 0.05). However, cell
      proliferation progressively increased from 72 to 168 h compared with the control
      (p < 0.001; p < 0.01). In addition, flow cytometry analysis showed that the
      culture of SHEDs on silk fibroin scaffolds did not significantly alter the level
      of expression of the mesenchymal markers CD73, CD90, or CD105 up to 168 h; in
      addition, cell viability in silk fibroin was similar to than obtained in plastic.
      Moreover, SEM studies revealed a suitable degree of proliferation, cell
      spreading, and attachment, especially after 168 h of culture. The findings from
      the current study suggest that silk fibroin 3D scaffolds had a favourable effect
      on the biological responses of SHEDs. Further in vivo investigations are required
      to confirm these results.

PMID- 28616673
TI  - Contribution of sellar dura integrity to symptom manifestation in pituitary
      adenomas with intratumoral hemorrhage.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although hemorrhage within pituitary adenomas frequently exacerbates the
      symptoms, there are many grades of severity. Moreover, the contributing factors
      for symptom severity are still controversial. METHODS: This retrospective study
      included 82 patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas
      with intratumoral hemorrhage. The grades of preoperative symptoms were classified
      into group A, asymptomatic or minor symptoms; group B, moderate symptoms
      sufficient for complain; and group C, severe symptoms disturbing daily life.
      RESULTS: The hemorrhage volume within an adenoma was significantly higher in
      group C (92.6%) than in groups A (48.6%) and B (58.7%). Both headache and
      diplopia were dominant in group C, occurring in 72.2% and 27.8% of the patients,
      respectively. In group C, there was no significant difference in frequency
      between adenoma extensions into the sphenoid sinus (0%) and involvement of the
      cavernous sinus of Knosp grade 4 (0%), and extensions into the suprasellar region
      were not common (38.9%). The most distinctive feature was that "no extrasellar
      extension" was found only in group C (41.2%), and "multidirectional extension"
      was not detected in this group (0%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that
      the most powerful determining factors were the high frequencies of intratumoral
      hemorrhage and lack of extrasellar and multidirectional extensions. CONCLUSION:
      Rapid volume expansion of a hematoma and lack of extension or unidirectional
      extension might lead to significant compression of the sellar and surrounding
      structures. Of note, the integrity of the sellar dura might contribute to the
      acute onset of symptom manifestations caused by hemorrhage in pituitary adenomas.

PMID- 28616674
TI  - Health-related quality of life of a very special population: monks of Holy
      Mountain Athos, Greece.
AB  - PURPOSE: The investigation of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of Orthodox
      Christian monks who live at the Holy Mount Athos in Greece, and its correlation
      with demographic characteristics and Sense of Coherence (SOC-13). METHODS: A
      cross-sectional study was designed. The seven monasteries and five scetes with
      the largest number of monk population were invited to participate. Two
      monasteries and 1 scete gave their permission for the study. The final monks
      sample was formed by 166 monks from 215 who participated to the study. HRQOL was
      assessed using the SF-12 and Sense of Coherence the SOC-13 scales that were
      completed by monks from May to August 2012. MUultiple linear regression analyses
      were conducted to explore the association of the HRQOL subscales with the
      demographics and SOC-13. RESULTS: The mean age was 45.5 +/- 13.0 years; 83.7%
      lived in communal monasteries, and the mean number of years in monasticism was
      18.4 +/- 12.1. The mean value of their Physical Component Summary (PCS) score was
      47.3 +/- 5.3, which is lower than in the general Greek men population, while
      their Mental Component Summary (MCS) score was 56.4 +/- 5.8, which is higher than
      in the general Greek men population. The mean value of SOC-13 was 65.7 +/- 6.5.
      Positive association for PCS appeared for place of living (beta = 5.43, SE =
      1.27, p < 0.001) and negative association for age (beta = -0.16, SE = 0.03, p <
      0.001) while for MCS for number of years in monasticism (beta = 0.07, SE = 0.06,
      p = 0.023) and sense of coherence (beta = 0.47, SE = 0.06, p < 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that monks had better mental health but worse
      physical health compared to the general Greek male population. More studies are
      required to validate the above findings.

PMID- 28616675
TI  - Thank you to Carolyn Schwartz.

PMID- 28616676
TI  - [Liquid biopsy : A blood sample for early recognition and therapy control in lung
      cancer patients].

PMID- 28616677
TI  - [Preoperative genetic diagnostics and imaging for pediatric pheochromocytoma and
      paraganglioma].

PMID- 28616678
TI  - [The downside of transparency : On the devaluation of surgery by the dictate of
      transparency].

PMID- 28616680
TI  - Melanization of Fusarium keratoplasticum (F. solani Species Complex) During
      Disseminated Fusariosis in a Patient with Acute Leukemia.
AB  - Fusarium spp. are recognized as the second most frequently filamentous fungi
      causing opportunistic infections and particularly important due to the increasing
      number of immunocompromised patients. F. keratoplasticum (a member of F. solani
      species complex) is one of the Fusarium species commonly associated with human
      infection, and therefore, studies on the virulence of this fungus are needed.
      This study aimed to confirm the presence of melanin in F. keratoplasticum from a
      patient with systemic fusariosis. Immunofluorescence labeling with anti-melanin
      monoclonal antibody (MAb) was used to examine an expression of melanin in F.
      keratoplasticum in vitro and during infection. Electron spin resonance identified
      the particles extracted from F. keratoplasticum as stable free radical consistent
      with melanin. Lesional skin from the sites with fusariosis contained hyphal
      structures that could be labeled by melanin-binding MAb, while digestion of the
      tissue yielded dark particles that were reactive. These findings suggest that F.
      keratoplasticum hyphae and chlamydospores can produce melanin in vitro and that
      hyphae can synthesize pigment in vivo. Given the potential role of melanin in
      virulence of other fungi, this pigment in F. keratoplasticum may play a role in
      the pathogenesis of fusariosis.

PMID- 28616679
TI  - Manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2): is there a center in the universe of
      mitochondrial redox signaling?
AB  - It is becoming increasingly clear that mitochondria drive cellular functions and
      in vivo phenotypes by directing the production rate and abundance of metabolites
      that are proposed to function as signaling molecules (Chandel 2015; Selak et al.
      2005; Etchegaray and Mostoslavsky 2016). Many of these metabolites are
      intermediates that make up cellular metabolism, part of which occur in
      mitochondria (i.e. the TCA and urea cycles), while others are produced "on
      demand" mainly in response to alterations in the microenvironment in order to
      participate in the activation of acute adaptive responses (Mills et al. 2016; Go
      et al. 2010). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are well suited for the purpose of
      executing rapid and transient signaling due to their short lived nature (Bae et
      al. 2011). Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), in particular, possesses important
      characteristics including diffusibility and faster reactivity with specific
      residues such as methionine, cysteine and selenocysteine (Bonini et al. 2014).
      Therefore, it is reasonable to propose that H2O2 functions as a relatively
      specific redox signaling molecule. Even though it is now established that mtH2O2
      is indispensable, at least for hypoxic adaptation and energetic and/or metabolic
      homeostasis (Hamanaka et al. 2016; Guzy et al. 2005), the question of how H2O2 is
      produced and regulated in the mitochondria is only partially answered. In this
      review, some roles of this indispensable signaling molecule in driving cellular
      metabolism will be discussed. In addition, we will discuss how H2O2 formation in
      mitochondria depends on and is controlled by MnSOD. Finally, we will conclude
      this manuscript by highlighting why a better understanding of redox hubs in the
      mitochondria will likely lead to new and improved therapeutics of a number of
      diseases, including cancer.

PMID- 28616682
TI  - Evidence-Responsiveness and the Ongoing Autonomy of Treatment Preferences.
AB  - To be an autonomous agent is to determine one's own path in life. However, this
      cannot plausibly be seen as a one-off affair. An autonomous agent does not merely
      set herself on a particular course and then lock the steering wheel in place, so
      to speak, but must maintain some form of ongoing control over her direction in
      life-must keep her eyes on the road and her hands on the wheel. Circumstances
      often change in important and unexpected ways, after all, and it is reasonable to
      think that a crucial part of autonomy consists of the ability and disposition to
      recognize and properly respond to such changes. This implies, I contend, that a
      patient whose initial decision to undergo a given treatment satisfied plausible
      requirements of autonomy, but who is now unable to recognize that available
      evidence indicates the need to reconsider her medical situation and options has
      come to lack autonomy with respect to her desire to continue that treatment.
      However, and despite its importance with respect to both theoretical
      understandings of autonomy and applications of the concept to clinical ethics,
      this ongoing aspect of autonomy has received little attention. This paper aims to
      go some way toward remedying that. I first critically review two of the few
      theories of autonomy that do address "evidence-responsiveness" so as to identify
      and elaborate what I take to be the most promising way in which to account for
      this aspect of autonomy. After considering and responding to a possible objection
      to the evidence-responsiveness condition I propose, I conclude by discussing its
      clinical implications. That condition, I argue, is not merely theoretically
      sound, but can and should be applied to clinical practice.

PMID- 28616681
TI  - Frequency and anatomical features of the mandibular lingual foramina: systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Lingual mandibular foramina are peculiar anatomical variations often present on
      the bone surface of the inferior jaw. These structures host vascular and nervous
      anastomosis deriving from the branches of the submental artery, lingual artery,
      and the mylohyoid nerve. Reports pointed out intra-operative massive bleeding
      accidents during implant interventions occurred in this area. The aim of this
      systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize quantitatively the features
      of the lingual foramina on the midline of the inferior jaw. We performed a
      systematic review and meta-analysis complying the PRISMA statement and
      registering it in PROSPERO database. The frequency rate of the foramina resulted
      to have a point estimate of 0.965. The means of the diameters showed to have a
      point estimate of 0.840 with a standard error of 0.06. The results showed a
      significant high frequency reported in the literature of this variation, with a
      quite important diameter, sign of significant caliber of the related vessels.
      Even if this variation is underreported in modern textbooks of oral anatomy, we
      suggest an accurate screening via CT scan pre-operatively. In addition, a proper
      risk management is necessary to minimize injure hazard and properly managing the
      vascular plexus of the anterior floor of oral cavity.

PMID- 28616683
TI  - General practitioners' perceptions of the current status and pharmacists'
      contribution to primary care in Iceland.
AB  - Background For the past several years pharmacists' responsibilities have expanded
      globally from traditional tasks of dispensing medications to collaborating with
      other health care professionals in patient care. Similar developments have not
      occurred in outpatient settings in Iceland. Objective The aim of this study was
      to explore Icelandic general practitioners' views on the current status of
      primary care, their perceptions of pharmacists as a health care profession, and
      their attitudes towards future GP-pharmacist collaboration in primary care in
      Iceland. Setting Twelve primary care clinics in Iceland. Methods Semi-structured
      in-depth interviews were conducted with general practitioners from different
      primary care clinics in Iceland. A purposive and snowball sampling technique was
      used to select participants. All interviews were recorded and transcribed
      verbatim. The transcripts were categorized by themes and then analyzed using
      conventional content analysis. Main outcome measure General practitioners'
      attitudes towards pharmacists. Results Twenty general practitioners from twelve
      different primary care clinics in Iceland were interviewed. There are several
      unmet needs regarding medicines and patient monitoring in the Icelandic health
      care system. General practitioners suggested ways in which these gaps may be
      addressed and pharmacist-led clinical service was one of the suggestions.
      Currently, their communication with pharmacists in the primary sector solely
      surrounds practical non-clinical issues. Due to increasing polypharmacy and
      multimorbidity, they suggested that pharmacists should be more involved in
      patient care. Conclusions General practitioners believe that pharmacist-led
      clinical service can increase the quality of patient therapy. To improve
      communication between these health care providers, pharmacists must also re
      professionalize (strengthening the profession's status through new
      responsibilities and tasks), not having a conflict of interest and showing that
      they have expertise in patient care.

PMID- 28616684
TI  - Influence of Ethanol on Darunavir Hepatic Clearance and Intracellular PK/PD in
      HIV-Infected Monocytes, and CYP3A4-Darunavir Interactions Using Inhibition and in
      Silico Binding Studies.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although the prevalence of alcohol consumption is higher in HIV+ people
      than general public, limited information is available on how alcohol affects the
      metabolism and bioavailability of darunavir (DRV). METHODS: DRV was quantified by
      using LC-MS/MS method. All in vitro experiments were performed using human liver
      microsomes and HIV-infected monocytic cells. CYP3A4 and DRV/Ritonavir (RTV)
      docking was performed using GOLD suite 5.8. RESULTS: Ethanol (20 mM)
      significantly decreased apparent half-life and increased degradation rate
      constant of RTV-boosted DRV but not for DRV alone. Similarly, ethanol exposure
      increased hepatic intrinsic clearance for RTV-boosted DRV with no significant
      influence on DRV alone. Ethanol showed a limited influence on intracellular total
      DRV exposure in the presence of RTV without altering maximum concentration (Cmax)
      values in HIV-infected monocytic cells. Ethanol alone elevated HIV replication
      but this effect was nullified with the addition of DRV or DRV + RTV.
      Additionally, inhibitory potency of DRV was significantly reduced in the presence
      of ethanol. Our docking results projected that ethanol increases the average
      distance between DRV and CYP3A4 heme, and alter the orientation of DRV-CYP3A4
      binding. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively these findings suggest that DRV metabolism is
      primarily influenced by ethanol in the liver, but has minor effect in HIV
      residing monocytes.

PMID- 28616685
TI  - Endocytic Uptake, Transport and Macromolecular Interactions of Anionic PAMAM
      Dendrimers within Lung Tissue.
AB  - PURPOSE: Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers are a promising class of nanocarrier
      with applications in both small and large molecule drug delivery. Here we report
      a comprehensive evaluation of the uptake and transport pathways that contribute
      to the lung disposition of dendrimers. METHODS: Anionic PAMAM dendrimers and
      control dextran probes were applied to an isolated perfused rat lung (IPRL) model
      and lung epithelial monolayers. Endocytosis pathways were examined in primary
      alveolar epithelial cultures by confocal microscopy. Molecular interactions of
      dendrimers with protein and lipid lung fluid components were studied using small
      angle neutron scattering (SANS). RESULTS: Dendrimers were absorbed across the
      intact lung via a passive, size-dependent transport pathway at rates slower than
      dextrans of similar molecular sizes. SANS investigations of concentration
      dependent PAMAM transport in the IPRL confirmed no aggregation of PAMAMs with
      either albumin or dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine lung lining fluid components.
      Distinct endocytic compartments were identified within primary alveolar
      epithelial cells and their functionality in the rapid uptake of fluorescent
      dendrimers and model macromolecular probes was confirmed by co-localisation
      studies. CONCLUSIONS: PAMAM dendrimers display favourable lung biocompatibility
      but modest lung to blood absorption kinetics. These data support the
      investigation of dendrimer-based carriers for controlled-release drug delivery to
      the deep lung.

PMID- 28616686
TI  - Mechanistic approach for fabrication of gold nanoparticles by Nitzschia diatom
      and their antibacterial activity.
AB  - The problem of chemically synthesized nanoproducts motivated scientific community
      to explore ecofriendly methods of nanosynthesis. Diatoms belong to a group of
      aquatic, unicellular, photosynthetic microalgae have been scarcely investigated
      as a source of reducing and capping agents for nanosynthesis of pesticides and
      antibiotics. The present study reports a novel ecofriendly method for the
      fabrication of bioactive gold nanoparticles using locally isolated Nitzschia
      diatoms. The diatom-fabricated gold nanoparticles show characteristic ruby red
      colored with sharp absorbance peak at 529 nm. Electron microscopy confirmed
      irregular shape of gold nanoparticles, with average size of 43 nm and zeta
      potential of -16.8 mV. The effects of gold nanoparticles on diatom viability were
      investigated using light and electron microscopy. The mechanistic approach to
      shed light on how diatoms reacted after exposure to gold metal salt revealed that
      exposure to gold chloride triggers elevated levels of catalase and peroxidase
      (12.76 and 14.43 unit/mg protein, respectively) to relieve reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) stress induced by gold salt exposure. Investigation studies on
      mechanisms behind Nitzschia-mediated gold nanoparticles fabrication outlined the
      role of diatom proteins, polysaccharides in reduction, and stabilization of
      nanoparticles as confirmed by FT-IR analysis. Bioactivity of gold nanoparticles
      was accessed by coupling them with antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin),
      which increased their antibacterial activity compared to individual nanoparticles
      and antibiotics (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus
      aureus). Overall, the present novel phyco-nanotechnological approach is a
      promising tool to be used as sustainable strategy in green nanotechnology as well
      as to reduce use of antibiotics in microbial control.

PMID- 28616687
TI  - Controversies in the role of postmastectomy radiotherapy in breast cancer
      patients with one to three positive axillary nodes and safety of integrating
      radiotherapy and breast reconstruction.

PMID- 28616690
TI  - Anxiety Sensitivity Moderates the Relation Between Family Accommodation and
      Anxiety Symptom Severity in Clinically Anxious Children.
AB  - High levels of family accommodation (FA), or parental involvement in child
      symptoms, are associated with child anxiety symptom severity. The strength of
      associations has varied across studies, however, highlighting the need to
      identify moderating variables. We investigated whether anxiety sensitivity (AS)
      moderated the FA-anxiety symptom severity association in clinically anxious
      children (N = 103, ages 6-17; mean age 11.07 years). We collected child and
      mother ratings of FA, child anxiety symptom severity, and child AS ratings. AS
      significantly moderated the FA-child anxiety severity link. Specifically, this
      link was significant for low-AS but not high-AS children. Findings suggest that
      FA may operate in the typically observed fashion for low-AS children-alleviating
      immediate distress while inadvertently exacerbating longer-term anxiety-whereas
      high-AS children may experience distress following anxiety-provoking stimuli
      regardless of FA. Assessing AS in research and clinical settings may help
      identify subsets of children for whom FA is more closely tied to anxiety
      severity.

PMID- 28616688
TI  - Somatic mutations of the coding microsatellites within the beta-2-microglobulin
      gene in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancers and adenomas.
AB  - In colorectal cancers (CRCs) with tumour mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency, genes
      involved in the host immune response that contain microsatellites in their coding
      regions, including beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), can acquire mutations that may
      alter the immune response, tumour progression and prognosis. We screened the
      coding microsatellites within B2M for somatic mutations in MMR-deficient CRCs and
      adenomas to determine associations with tumour subtypes, clinicopathological
      features and survival. Incident MMR-deficient CRCs from Australasian Colorectal
      Cancer Family Registry (ACCFR) and the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study
      participants (n = 144) and 63 adenomas from 41 MMR gene mutation carriers from
      the ACCFR were screened for somatic mutations within five coding microsatellites
      of B2M. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival
      by B2M mutation status were estimated using Cox regression, adjusting for age at
      CRC diagnosis, sex, AJCC stage and grade. B2M mutations occurred in 30 (20.8%) of
      the 144 MMR-deficient CRCs (29% of the MLH1-methylated, 17% of the Lynch syndrome
      and 9% of the suspected Lynch CRCs). No B2M mutations were identified in the 63
      adenomas tested. B2M mutations differed by site, stage, grade and lymphocytic
      infiltration although none reached statistical significance (p > 0.05). The HR
      for overall survival for B2M mutated CRC was 0.65 (95% CI 0.29-1.48) compared
      with B2M wild-type. We observed differences in B2M mutation status in MMR
      deficient CRC by tumour subtypes, site, stage, grade, immune infiltrate and for
      overall survival that warrant further investigation in larger studies before B2M
      mutation status can be considered to have clinical utility.

PMID- 28616691
TI  - The influence of the counterfort while ballistic testing using gelatine blocks.
AB  - In wound ballistic research, gelatine blocks of various dimensions are used
      depending on the simulated anatomical region. When relatively small blocks are
      used as substitute for a head, problems with regard to the expansion of the
      gelatine block could arise. The study was conducted to analyse the influence of
      the material the gelatine block is placed upon. Thirty-six shots were performed
      on 12 cm gelatine cubes doped with thin foil bags containing acrylic paint.
      Eighteen blocks each were placed on a rigid table or on a synthetic sponge of 5
      cm height. Deforming bullets with different kinetic energies were fired from
      distance and recorded by a high-speed video camera. Subsequently, the gelatine
      cubes were cut into 1 cm thick slices which were scanned using a flatbed scanner.
      Cracks in the gelatine were analysed by measuring the longest crack, Fackler's
      wound profile and the polygon (perimeter and area) outlining the ends of the
      cracks. The energy dissipated ranged from 153 to 707 J. For moderate energy
      transfer, no significant influence of the sustaining material was discerned. With
      increasing dissipated energy, the sponge was compressed correspondingly, and the
      cracks were longer than in gelatine blocks which had been placed on a table. High
      speed video revealed a loss of symmetry and a flattened inferior margin of the
      temporary cavity with energies superior to approx. Two hundred Joules when the
      blocks were placed on a rigid platform. However, 12 cm gelatine cubes showed
      material limits by a non-linear response when more than 400 J were dissipated for
      both rigid and elastic sustainment. In conclusion, the smaller the gelatine
      blocks and the greater the energy transfers, the more important it is to take
      into account the counterfort of the sustaining material.

PMID- 28616692
TI  - A minimally-invasive method for profiling volatile organic compounds within
      postmortem internal gas reservoirs.
AB  - In forensic casework, non-invasive and minimally-invasive methods for postmortem
      examinations are extremely valuable. Whole body postmortem computed tomography
      (PMCT) is often used to provide visualization of the internal characteristics of
      a body prior to more invasive procedures and has also been used to locate gas
      reservoirs inside the body to assist in determining cause of death. Preliminary
      studies have demonstrated that exploiting the volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
      located in these gas reservoirs by comprehensive two-dimensional gas
      chromatography-high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC*GC-HRTOF-MS)
      may assist in providing information regarding the postmortem interval. The aim of
      the current study was to further develop the procedures related to solid-phase
      microextraction (SPME) and GC*GC-HRTOF-MS analysis of gas reservoirs collected
      from deceased individuals. SPME fiber extraction parameters, internal standard
      approach, and sample stability were investigated. Altering the SPME parameters
      increased the selectivity and sensitivity for the VOC profile, and the use of a
      mixed deuterated internal standard contributed to data quality. Samples were
      found to be stable up to 6 weeks but were recommended to be analyzed within 4
      weeks due to higher variation observed beyond this point. In addition, 29 VOC
      markers of interest were identified, and heart and/or abdominal cavity samples
      were suggested as a possible standardized sampling location for future studies.
      The data presented in this study will contribute to the long-term goal of
      producing a routine, accredited method for minimally-invasive VOC analysis in
      postmortem examinations.

PMID- 28616693
TI  - [Tinea barbae profunda due to Trichophyton mentagrophytes after journey to
      Thailand : Case report and review].
AB  - Tinea barbae represents a very rare dermatophytosis. We report on a tinea barbae
      profunda following a journey to Southeast Asia. After travel to Thailand, a
      businessman was affected by a foudroyant proceeding abscessing infection of the
      upper lip and beard area. The initial therapy with oral acyclovir and oral
      ciprofloxacin, which later was changed to ampicillin plus sulbactam,
      intravenously, was unsuccessful. In a biopsy sample, histologically, with Grocott
      Gomori's methenamine silver stain, fungal mycelium was apparent in the tissue.
      Thereupon, terbinafine 250 mg was given for 4 weeks, topically, a 1%
      ciclopiroxolamine-containing cream. In fungal culture, T. mentagrophytes were
      found to grow. Meanwhile, the patient's German wife suffered from a tinea faciei.
      From skin scrapings from the cheek, T. mentagrophytes was also cultivated. This
      zoophilic dermatophyte was identical with other zoophilic strains of T.
      mentagrophytes currently found in Germany, which were also acquired in Thailand.
      The patient had contact with Thai female sex workers who must be considered as a
      source of infection of the dermatophytosis. There was no animal contact, neither
      in Thailand, nor in Germany. The infection chain of the dermatophytosis from
      Thailand probably reached from a female sex worker via the here described patient
      to his wife in Germany. This pathway of infection has been known for 1 or 2
      years, but until now, in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria exclusively via
      pubogenital infections (tinea genitalis profunda) due to T. mentagrophytes after
      journeys to Southeast Asia. For treatment, oral antifungal agents should be used,
      first of all terbinafine, alternatively fluconazole or itraconazole.

PMID- 28616694
TI  - [Dermophytes and guinea pigs : An underestimated danger?]
AB  - BACKGROUND: For several years, an increasing number of human infections, mainly
      affecting children, with the zoophilic dermatophyte Trichophyton benhamiae has
      been observed. It is predominantly transmitted by pet guinea pigs. The prevalence
      of the dermatophyte on guinea pigs which are for sale in pet shops is unknown.
      OBJECTIVE: Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of T.
      benhamiae on symptomatic and asymptomatic guinea pigs from pet shops in Berlin.
      METHODS: We sampled 59 guinea pigs from 15 pet shops using toothbrushes
      (MacKenzie brush technique) and FLOQswabsTM and analyzed the material for the
      presence of T. benhamiae with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture.
      RESULTS: We detected T. benhamiae on more than 90% of the guinea pigs; 9% of
      which showed visible tinea symptoms. The majority was identified as asymptomatic
      carriers of the dermatophyte. CONCLUSION: Pet shop guinea pigs have a high risk
      of being carriers of T. benhamiae, which can be transmitted to humans via
      physical contact, even though there is no visible infection in most cases. It is
      therefore recommended to have newly purchased animals examined by a veterinarian.

PMID- 28616695
TI  - Prediction of breast cancer recurrence using lymph node metabolic and volumetric
      parameters from 18F-FDG PET/CT in operable triple-negative breast cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Triple-negative breast cancer has a poor prognosis. We evaluated several
      metabolic and volumetric parameters from preoperative 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose
      (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the
      prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer and compared them with current
      clinicopathologic parameters. METHODS: A total of 228 patients with triple
      negative breast cancer (mean age 47.0 +/- 10.8 years, all women) who had
      undergone preoperative PET/CT were included. The PET/CT metabolic parameters
      evaluated included maximum, peak, and mean standardized uptake values (SUVmax,
      SUVpeak, and SUVmean, respectively). The volumetric parameters evaluated included
      metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Metabolic and
      volumetric parameters were evaluated separately for tumor (T) and lymph nodes
      (N). The prognostic value of these parameters was compared with that of
      clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: All lymph node metabolic and volumetric
      parameters showed significant differences between patients with and without
      recurrence. However, tumor metabolic and volumetric parameters showed no
      significant differences. In a univariate survival analysis, all lymph node
      metabolic and volumetric parameters (SUVmax-N, SUVpeak-N, SUVmean-N, MTV-N, and
      TLG-N; all P < 0.001), T stage (P = 0.010), N stage (P < 0.001), and TNM stage (P
      < 0.001) were significant parameters. In a multivariate survival analysis, SUVmax
      N (P = 0.005), MTV (P = 0.008), and TLG (P = 0.006) with TNM stage (all P <
      0.001) were significant parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node metabolic and
      volumetric parameters were significant predictors of recurrence in patients with
      triple-negative breast cancer after surgery. Lymph node metabolic and volumetric
      parameters were useful parameters for evaluating prognosis in patients with
      triple-negative breast cancer by 18F-FDG PET/CT, rather than tumor parameters.

PMID- 28616696
TI  - [Epileptic seizures and epilepsy after a stroke : Incidence, prevention and
      treatment].
AB  - Following stroke, 3-6% of patients develop acute symptomatic seizures within the
      first 7 days. The rate is higher after cerebral haemorrhage compared to
      ischaemia. In 10-12% of patients, after more than 7 days unprovoked seizures
      occur. Due to these low incidence rates, primary prophylaxis with antiepileptic
      drugs is generally not necessary. Following one acute symptomatic seizure,
      recurrence risk within the first 7 days post-stroke is 10-20%, generally arguing
      against secondary prophylaxis with an antiepileptic drug. In clinical practice
      however, antiepileptic drug treatment in this constellation is often initiated.
      If this is done, the antiepileptic drug should be withdrawn soon after the acute
      phase, as the long-term risk for manifestation of an unprovoked seizure is
      approximately 30%. Following one post-stroke unprovoked seizure, recurrence risk
      within the next 10 years is more than 70%, this defines epilepsy. In this case,
      antiepileptic drug treatment is regularly recommended.

PMID- 28616697
TI  - Borders, Tensegrity and Development in Dialogue.
AB  - In this article we propose a development of the Dialogical Self Theory by
      introducing the notions of borders, cogenetic logic and tensegrity that we have
      elaborated during the last 5 years, in order to introduce a stronger
      developmental and dynamic perspective within the theory. We start from the
      discussion of some recent advancements of the model proposed by Hermans et al.
      (Integrative Psychological and Behavioural Science, 51(4), 2017), who refer to
      the metaphor of democratic society of the Self to understand the challenges and
      possible directions of adaptation that the persons can face in those border
      crossing processes characterizing contemporary western societies. We
      conceptualized the Self as a dynamic semiotic system in constant evolutive
      tension, rather than a system in equilibrium adapting to the environmental
      changing conditions. Then, we propose to replace the concept of stability and
      continuity of the Self with the more fruitful idea of tensional integrity.

PMID- 28616698
TI  - Costs of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a developing country.
AB  - Costs of HSCT in the United States have been widely reported, but complete
      information on costs in developing countries is lacking. We performed an analysis
      designed to assess the real, detailed costs of HSCT in Mexico. Using the database
      of the Current Accounts Department at our Institution, we performed a micro
      costing based analysis of patients from 2010 through 2015 to obtain the overall
      cost of HSCT during the in-patient procedure and 2-month follow-up. One hundred
      five transplantations (57% autologous) were performed. The most frequent
      indications for transplantation were lymphomas (32%), followed by acute leukemias
      (22%). The most frequently used conditioning regimen was reduced BUCY 2 (38%),
      followed by BEAM (28%). Among post-transplant complications, acute graft-versus
      host-disease was not associated with higher costs (p = 0.8). The median costs (in
      patient and 2-month outpatient follow-up) for auto and allo-HSCT were 12,155 and
      18,260 USD, respectively. Advances in HSCT technology have improved outcomes and
      increased the availability of this technique; however, this procedure can also
      significantly influence the socioeconomic wellbeing of patients, especially in
      developing countries. Our study highlights the feasibility of performing HSCT in
      Mexico at lower costs than developed countries, while preserving quality of care.

PMID- 28616699
TI  - FLT3-ITD with DNMT3A R882 double mutation is a poor prognostic factor in Chinese
      patients with acute myeloid leukemia after chemotherapy or allogeneic
      hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
AB  - To investigate clinical characteristics and outcomes of transplantation in AML
      patients with FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A double mutation, we retrospectively analyzed 206
      Chinese patients with AML after Sanger sequencing. Our analysis showed that AML
      patients with FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A R882 mutations had a higher white blood cell
      count and a lower complete remission (CR) rate after first induction
      chemotherapy. All 206 patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation (allo-HSCT) in status of CR. These results indicate that AML
      patients with FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A R882 double mutation show a higher 2-year
      cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), lower 2-year overall survival (OS) rate,
      and lower 2-year leukocyte-free survival (LFS) after allo-HSCT. The univariate
      and multivariate analyses confirmed that disease status prior to transplantation,
      FLT3-ITD, FLT3-ITD, and DNMT3A R882 double mutation were independent factors for
      poor prognosis after allo-HSCT. In summary, the present cohort study demonstrated
      that FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A R882 double mutation predicts poor prognosis in Chinese
      AML patients receiving chemotherapy or allo-HSCT treatment.

PMID- 28616700
TI  - Evaluation of irradiation effects of near-infrared free-electron-laser of silver
      alloy for dental application.
AB  - In the application of lasers in dentistry, there is a delicate balance between
      the benefits gained from laser treatment and the heat-related damage arising from
      laser irradiation. Hence, it is necessary to understand the different processes
      associated with the irradiation of lasers on dental materials. To obtain insight
      for the development of a safe and general-purpose laser for dentistry, the
      present study examines the physical effects associated with the irradiation of a
      near-infrared free-electron laser (FEL) on the surface of a commonly used silver
      dental alloy. The irradiation experiments using a 2900-nm FEL confirmed the
      formation of a pit in the dental alloy. The pit was formed with one macro-pulse
      of FEL irradiation, therefore, suggesting the possibility of efficient material
      processing with an FEL. Additionally, there was only a slight increase in the
      silver alloy temperature (less than 0.9  degrees C) despite the long duration of
      FEL irradiation, thus inferring that fixed prostheses in the oral cavity can be
      processed by FEL without thermal damage to the surrounding tissue. These results
      indicate that dental hard tissues and dental materials in the oral cavity can be
      safely and efficiently processed by the irradiation of a laser, which has the
      high repetition rate of a femtosecond laser pulse with a wavelength around 2900
      nm.

PMID- 28616701
TI  - Predictive value of PD-L1 based on mRNA level in the treatment of stage IV
      melanoma with ipilimumab.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: PD-L1 is established as a predictive marker for therapy of non
      small cell lung cancer with pembrolizumab. Furthermore, PD-L1 positive melanoma
      has shown more favorable outcomes when treated with anti-PD1 antibodies and
      dacarbazine compared to PD-L1 negative melanoma. However, the role of PD-L1
      expression with regard to response to checkpoint inhibition with anti-CTLA-4 is
      not clear, yet. In addition, the lack of standardization in the
      immunohistochemical assessment of PD-L1 makes the comparison of results
      difficult. In this study, we investigated the PD-L1 gene expression with a new
      fully automated technique via RT-PCR and correlated the findings with the
      response to the anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within a
      retrospective multi-center trial, PD-L1 gene expression was evaluated in 78
      melanoma patients in a total of 111 pre-treatment tumor samples from 6 skin
      cancer centers and analyzed with regard to response to ipilimumab. For meaningful
      statistical analysis, the cohort was enriched for responders with 30 responders
      and 48 non-responders. Gene expression was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR after
      extracting mRNA from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tumor tissue and correlated
      with results from immunohistochemical (IHC) stainings. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
      The evaluation of PD-L1 expression based on mRNA level is feasible. Correlation
      between PD-L1 expression as assessed by IHC and RT-PCR showed varying levels of
      concordance depending on the antibody employed. RT-PCR should be further
      investigated to measure PD-L1 expression, since it is a semi-quantitative method
      with observer-independent evaluation. With this approach, there was no
      statistical significant difference in the PD-L1 expression between responders and
      non-responders to the therapy with ipilimumab. The evaluation of PD-L1 expression
      based on mRNA level is feasible. Correlation between PD-L1 expression as assessed
      by IHC and RT-PCR showed varying levels of concordance depending on the antibody
      employed. RT-PCR should be further investigated to measure PD-L1 expression,
      since it is a semi-quantitative method with observer-independent evaluation. With
      this approach, there was no statistical significant difference in the PD-L1
      expression between responders and non-responders to the therapy with ipilimumab.

PMID- 28616702
TI  - The indication of completion lobectomy for lung adenocarcinoma <=3 cm after wedge
      resection during surgical operation.
AB  - PURPOSE: This retrospective study was designed to find out the potential
      indications of completion lobectomy (CL) during wedge resection (WR) operation
      among patients with lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) <=3 cm, by the use of Shanghai
      Chest Hospital Lung Cancer Database. PATIENTS AND METHODS: There were totally
      1938 patients in this study, including 746 WRs and 1192 CLs. The propensity score
      matching (PSM) was performed to minimize the effect of confounders. Univariable
      and multivariable cox regressions were analyzed to discover the independent risk
      factors of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Subgroup
      analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were performed if necessary. RESULTS:
      The 5-year RFS (86.1 vs 91.5%, p = 0.001 for unmatched group; 84 v 92%, p < 0.001
      for PSM group) and OS (83.6 vs 91.7%, p < 0.001 for unmatched group; 81.6 vs
      88.2%, p < 0.001 for PSM group) all indicated a better prognosis when conducting
      CL. Subgroup analysis suggested that WR was appropriate for non-invasive ADC.
      Three prognostic factors (sex, surgical approach and pleural invasion) were
      correlated with RFS and two (sex and surgical approach) corresponded with OS in
      invasive ADC through multivariable analysis. Non-lepidic-predominant component
      showed a better RFS and OS when CL was operated after WR in the subgroup of
      invasive ADC. CONCLUSION: CL was an appropriate remediation to WR when the
      existence of invasive ADC, especially non-lepidic-predominant one. While WR could
      be applied if non-invasive ADC was confirmed. Whether lepidic-predominant
      adenocarcinoma was fit for WR needed further study.

PMID- 28616703
TI  - Preparation of a biphase composite scaffold and its application in tissue
      engineering for femoral osteochondral defects in rabbits.
AB  - PURPOSE: Three-dimensional bioactive scaffolds are useful tools for stem cell
      implant in tissue-engineering. For chondral and subchondral repair, the
      chondroinductive and osteoinductive property of a scaffold is a major challenge.
      The scaffolds that aim to osteogenic differentiation have been well studied.
      However, cartilage cells can hardly be induced for osteogenesis, and monophase
      scaffolds cannot ideally repair both cartilage and subchondral defects at the
      same time. METHODS: We developed a novel biphase composite scaffold and observe
      its application osteochondral defects. We combined the advantages of silk
      fibroin/chitosan (SF/CS) scaffold in chondrogenic differentiation and the silk
      fibroin/chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite (SF/CS/nHA) scaffold in osteogenic
      differentiation and bone regeneration, and synthesized a SF/CS-SF/CS/nHA
      scaffold, which contained both the chondrocytic phase (SF/CS) and the
      osteoblastic phase (SF/CS/nHA). RESULTS: The biphase scaffold exhibited a
      porosity ratio around 90% and a water absorption ratio about 822%. A similar
      degradation property to traditional monophase scaffolds was observed. Bone
      mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) showed a good proliferation on this scaffold.
      Expression of two types of collagen was inducable for BMSCs on the scaffold.
      Neoformative extracellular matrix integrated with the scaffold was observed by
      the scanning electron microscope. When implanted in the lesion site in the rabbit
      femur with cartilage injury, mixing and filling function were exerted by the cell
      scaffold constructs (CSCs). Micro-CT scanning revealed both chondral and
      subchondral layers were repaired. Moreover, type I and II collagens were both
      expressed in the implanted CSCs. CONCLUSIONS: Chondral and subchondral repair can
      be achieved using the biphase scaffold implant that permits both chondrogenesis
      and osteogenesis from BMSCs. This approach has the potential to be clinically
      used for tissue engineering implantation.

PMID- 28616704
TI  - Metallic ion release after knee prosthesis implantation: a prospective study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacement bearings produce metallic ions
      that can cause health complications. Metallic release also occurs with other
      materials, but data on metallic ion levels after knee arthroplasty are sparse. We
      postulate that knee replacement generates elevating metallic ions (chromium (Cr),
      cobalt (Co) and titanium (Ti)) during the first year after implantation. PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: This ongoing prospective study included all patients who underwent
      the same type of knee arthroplasty between May and December 2013. Cr, Co and Ti
      levels were measured in whole blood at pre-operation and one-year follow-up (6
      and 12 months). Clinical and radiographic data (range of motion, Oxford,
      International Knee Society (IKS) and satisfaction scores) were recorded. RESULTS:
      In 90 patients, preoperative Cr, Co and Ti metallic ion levels were respectively
      0.45 MUg/l, 0.22 MUg/l, 2.94 MUg/l and increased to 1.27 MUg/l, 1.41 MUg/l, 4.08
      MUg/l (p < 0.0001) at last one-year follow-up. Mean Oxford and IKS scores rose,
      respectively, from 45.9 (30-58) and 24.9 (12-52) to 88.3 (0-168) and 160.8 (93
      200) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: After the implantation of knee arthroplasty, we
      found significant blood elevation of Cr, Co and Ti levels one year after
      implantation exceeding the normal values. This metallic ion release could lead to
      numerous effects: allergy, hypersensitivity, etc.

PMID- 28616705
TI  - Letter regarding article by Li AB et al.: intramedullary and extramedullary
      fixations for the treatment of unstable femoral intertrochanteric fractures: a
      meta-analysis of prospective randomized controlled trials.

PMID- 28616706
TI  - Surgical treatment of unstable pelvic fractures with concomitant acetabular
      fractures.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the diagnosis, treatment, and clinical prognosis of patients
      with both unstable pelvic fractures and concomitant acetabular fractures.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 21 cases of unstable pelvic
      fractures with concomitant acetabular fractures treated between January 2013 and
      December 2014. All 21 patients (18 males, 3 females), aged 43.5-55 years (range:
      21-55 years), underwent surgery within four to 15 days (average = 6.5 days) after
      injury. We evaluated the pre-operative diagnoses, surgical approaches, types of
      fixation used, and prognoses. RESULTS: All 21 patients were followed-up for six
      to 18 months. The quality of post-operative pelvic fracture reduction (determined
      using the Matta scoring criteria) was excellent in five cases, good in 12, and
      fair in four. The clinical outcomes at the final follow-up (scored using the
      Majeed criteria) were excellent in ten cases, good in eight, and fair in three.
      The quality of post-operative acetabular fracture reduction (determined using the
      Matta scoring criteria) was excellent in five cases, good in 11, and poor in
      five. Hip joint function was evaluated at the final follow-up (using the
      D'Aubigne scoring system) and was excellent in eight cases, good in nine, and
      fair in four. The healing time was 12-18 weeks for pelvic fractures and 12-22
      weeks for acetabular fractures. Post-operative wound infections in two patients
      were controlled after second operations featuring debridement and irrigation. We
      found no instance of heterotopic ossification, ischemic necrosis of the femoral
      head, or iatrogenic vascular or nerve injury. CONCLUSIONS: Good therapeutic
      outcomes in patients with unstable pelvic fractures and concomitant acetabular
      fractures can be achieved via accurate diagnosis, careful pre-operative planning,
      a well-performed operation, effective reduction and surgical fixation, and
      appropriate exercise to allow functional rehabilitation.

PMID- 28616707
TI  - Customer Characteristics and Shopping Patterns Associated with Healthy and
      Unhealthy Purchases at Small and Non-traditional Food Stores.
AB  - Small and non-traditional food stores (e.g., corner stores) are often the most
      accessible source of food for residents of lower income urban neighborhoods in
      the U.S. Although healthy options are often limited at these stores, little is
      known about customers who purchase healthy, versus less healthy, foods/beverages
      in these venues. We conducted 661 customer intercept interviews at 105 stores
      (corner stores, gas marts, pharmacies, dollar stores) in Minneapolis/St. Paul,
      Minnesota, assessing all food and beverage items purchased. We defined three
      categories of "healthy" and four categories of "unhealthy" purchases. Interviews
      assessed customer characteristics [e.g., demographics, body-mass index (BMI)]. We
      examined associations between healthy versus unhealthy purchases categories and
      customer characteristics. Overall, 11% of customers purchased >=1 serving of
      healthy foods/beverages in one or more of the three categories: 8% purchased
      fruits/vegetables, 2% whole grains, and 1% non-/low-fat dairy. Seventy-one
      percent of customers purchased >=1 serving of unhealthy foods/beverages in one or
      more of four categories: 46% purchased sugar-sweetened beverages, 17% savory
      snacks, 15% candy, and 13% sweet baked goods. Male (vs. female) customers, those
      with a lower education levels, and those who reported shopping at the store for
      convenience (vs. other reasons) were less likely to purchase fruits/vegetables.
      Unhealthy purchases were more common among customers with a BMI >=30 kg/m2 (vs.
      lower BMI). Results suggest intervention opportunities to increase healthy
      purchases at small and non-traditional food stores, particularly interventions
      aimed at male residents, those with lower education levels and residents living
      close to the store.

PMID- 28616708
TI  - Comparison of different definitions of acute kidney injury in extremely low birth
      weight infants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The definition of acute kidney injury (AKI) has evolved over the
      years, and three definitions have been adapted including pediatric risk injury
      failure, loss of kidney function (pRIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN),
      and Neonatal Modified Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). We sought
      to report the prevalence and outcome of (AKI) according to the three existing
      definitions in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. METHODS: In a
      retrospective cohort study, medical records of all ELBW infants (<1000 g)
      admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between Jan 2002 and Dec 2011
      were reviewed. Infants' demographics, anthropometric measurements, and clinical
      characteristics were collected at the time of birth and at discharge from the
      NICU. Infants were staged according to the three different definitions. RESULTS:
      During the study period, 483 ELBW infants met our inclusion criteria. The
      incidence of AKI was 56, 59, and 60% according to pRIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO,
      respectively. Mortality, NICU length of stay, and serum creatinine (SCr) at NICU
      discharge were higher in infants with advanced AKI stages regardless of the
      definition. In addition, discharge NICU weight and length z scores were lower in
      infants with advanced AKI stages. SCr at 72 h of life and SCr peak were
      predictable of NICU mortality [AUC 0.667 (95% CI 0.604-0.731), p < 0.001 and AUC
      0.747 (95% CI 0.693-0.801), p < 0.001, respectively]. CONCLUSION: Regardless of
      the definition, advanced AKI is associated with increased mortality, prolonged
      NICU length of stay, and poor growth in ELBW infants. SCr at 72 h of life and SCr
      peak may be predictable of NICU mortality.

PMID- 28616709
TI  - A simplified surgical technique for recurrent inguinal hernia repair following
      total extraperitoneal patch plastic.
AB  - PURPOSE: To present a new and alternative method for surgical treatment of
      recurrent inguinal hernia after total extraperitoneal patch plastic (TEP).
      METHODS: From January 2005 to September 2015, 35 patients (34 male, 1 female;
      mean age 65 +/- 12.6 years) with recurrent inguinal hernia following TEP were
      operated at the Kliniken Essen-Mitte using a simplified method consisting of re
      fixation of the primary mesh to the inguinal ligament by an anterior approach.
      RESULTS: The mean operating time was 47 +/- 22 min. All complications were minor
      with an overall incidence of 6%. After a mean follow-up of 54 months one re
      recurrence was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This Simplified Hernia Repair is safe and
      avoids additional foreign body implantation. Therefore, it is our method of
      choice for recurrent inguinal hernias after TEP.

PMID- 28616710
TI  - Erratum to: Advances in systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer: future
      perspectives.

PMID- 28616711
TI  - Integrating NOE and RDC using sum-of-squares relaxation for protein structure
      determination.
AB  - We revisit the problem of protein structure determination from geometrical
      restraints from NMR, using convex optimization. It is well-known that the NP-hard
      distance geometry problem of determining atomic positions from pairwise distance
      restraints can be relaxed into a convex semidefinite program (SDP). However,
      often the NOE distance restraints are too imprecise and sparse for accurate
      structure determination. Residual dipolar coupling (RDC) measurements provide
      additional geometric information on the angles between atom-pair directions and
      axes of the principal-axis-frame. The optimization problem involving RDC is
      highly non-convex and requires a good initialization even within the simulated
      annealing framework. In this paper, we model the protein backbone as an
      articulated structure composed of rigid units. Determining the rotation of each
      rigid unit gives the full protein structure. We propose solving the non-convex
      optimization problems using the sum-of-squares (SOS) hierarchy, a hierarchy of
      convex relaxations with increasing complexity and approximation power. Unlike
      classical global optimization approaches, SOS optimization returns a certificate
      of optimality if the global optimum is found. Based on the SOS method, we
      proposed two algorithms-RDC-SOS and RDC-NOE-SOS, that have polynomial time
      complexity in the number of amino-acid residues and run efficiently on a standard
      desktop. In many instances, the proposed methods exactly recover the solution to
      the original non-convex optimization problem. To the best of our knowledge this
      is the first time SOS relaxation is introduced to solve non-convex optimization
      problems in structural biology. We further introduce a statistical tool, the
      Cramer-Rao bound (CRB), to provide an information theoretic bound on the highest
      resolution one can hope to achieve when determining protein structure from noisy
      measurements using any unbiased estimator. Our simulation results show that when
      the RDC measurements are corrupted by Gaussian noise of realistic variance, both
      SOS based algorithms attain the CRB. We successfully apply our method in a divide
      and-conquer fashion to determine the structure of ubiquitin from experimental NOE
      and RDC measurements obtained in two alignment media, achieving more accurate and
      faster reconstructions compared to the current state of the art.

PMID- 28616712
TI  - Vesicular nucleotide transporter (VNUT): appearance of an actress on the stage of
      purinergic signaling.
AB  - Vesicular storage of ATP is one of the processes initiating purinergic chemical
      transmission. Although an active transport mechanism was postulated to be
      involved in the processes, a transporter(s) responsible for the vesicular storage
      of ATP remained unidentified for some time. In 2008, SLC17A9, the last identified
      member of the solute carrier 17 type I inorganic phosphate transporter family,
      was found to encode the vesicular nucleotide transporter (VNUT) that is
      responsible for the vesicular storage of ATP. VNUT transports various nucleotides
      in a membrane potential-dependent fashion and is expressed in the various ATP
      secreting cells. Mice with knockout of the VNUT gene lose vesicular storage and
      release of ATP from neurons and neuroendocrine cells, resulting in blockage of
      the initiation of purinergic chemical transmission. Thus, VNUT plays an essential
      role in the vesicular storage and release of ATP. The VNUT knockout mice exhibit
      resistance for neuropathic pain and a therapeutic effect against diabetes by way
      of increased insulin sensitivity. Thus, VNUT inhibitors and suppression of VNUT
      gene expression may be used for therapeutic purposes through suppression of
      purinergic chemical transmission. This review summarizes the studies to date on
      VNUT and discusses what we have learned about the relevance of vesicular ATP
      release as a potential drug target.

PMID- 28616713
TI  - Modulation of the TGF-beta1-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)
      mediated by P1 and P2 purine receptors in MDCK cells.
AB  - Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs during embryogenesis or under
      pathological conditions such as hypoxia, injury, chronic inflammation, or tissue
      fibrosis. In renal tubular epithelial cells (MDCK), TGF-beta1 induces EMT by
      reducing or increasing epithelial or mesenchymal marker expression, respectively.
      In this study, we confirmed that the cAMP analogues, 8-CPT-cAMP or N6-Ph-cAMP,
      inhibited the TGF-beta1-driven overexpression of the mesenchymal markers ZEB-1,
      Slug, Fibronectin, and alpha-SMA. Furthermore, we showed that A1, A2A, P2Y1,
      P2Y11, and P2X7 purine receptor agonists modulated the TGF-beta1-induced EMT
      through the involvement of PKA and/or MAPK/ERK signaling. The stimulation of A2A
      receptor reduced the overexpression of the EMT-related markers, mainly through
      the cAMP-dependent PKA pathway, as confirmed by cell pre-treatment with Myr-PKI.
      Both A1 and P2Y1 receptor stimulation exacerbated the TGF-beta1-driven effects,
      which were reduced by cell pre-treatment with the MAPK inhibitor PD98059,
      according to the increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation upon receptor activation. The
      effects induced by P2Y11 receptor activation were oppositely modulated by PKA or
      MAPK inhibition, in line with the dual nature of the Gs- and Gq-coupled receptor.
      Differently, P2X7 receptor induced, per se, similar and not additive effects
      compared to TGF-beta1, after prolonged cell exposure to BzATP. These results
      suggest a putative role of purine receptors as target for anti-fibrotic agents.

PMID- 28616714
TI  - Effect of fluid-air exchange on reducing residual silicone oil after silicone oil
      removal.
AB  - PURPOSE: Our purpose was to determine the effect of fluid-air exchange on the
      amount of silicone oil (SO) droplets remaining in the vitreous cavity after
      removal of the main body of the SO. METHODS: This was a retrospective comparative
      study of 56 eyes of 56 patients that had undergone vitrectomy with SO tamponade.
      Fluid-air exchange was performed during surgery in 30 eyes [Air Ex(+) group] and
      was not done in 26 eyes [Air Ex(-) group]. All of the eyes were examined by
      ultrasonography, and the images were converted to binarized image. The amount of
      residual SO droplets/vitreal area in the images was expressed as the, "silicone
      oil index (SOI)". The correlations between SOI and clinical findings were
      determined. RESULTS: The SOI was significantly correlated with the axial length
      (AL, R = 0.444, P = 0.023). The SOI in the Air Ex(+) group was significantly
      higher (7.4 +/- 2.6%) than in the Air Ex(-) group (4.9 +/- 3.4%; P = 0.004).
      Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the SOI was independently and
      significantly correlated with the AL and the Air Ex(+) group (P = 0.003, P =
      0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Fluid-air exchange during vitrectomy to remove
      residual SO is not effective. Our findings indicate that it may increase the
      amount of residual SO droplets.

PMID- 28616715
TI  - Effects of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab with or without anterior chamber
      paracentesis on intraocular pressure and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer
      thickness: a prospective study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab
      (IVB) with or without anterior chamber paracentesis on intraocular pressure (IOP)
      and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (PRNFL) thickness. METHODS: In this
      prospective randomized clinical trial, 90 eyes with center involving diabetic
      macular edema or wet type age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were randomly
      assigned to receive IVB either without (group A) or with (group B) anterior
      chamber paracentesis. IOP was measured before and within 2 min, 30 min, 24 hours
      and 3 months after injections. Peripapillary spectral-domain optical coherence
      tomography (SD-OCT) was performed before and 3 months after injections. RESULTS:
      Mean IOP changes 2 minutes, 30 minutes, 24 hours, and 3 months after injections
      were 26.4 +/- 5.7 mmHg (P < 0.001), 6.5 +/- 6.3 mmHg (P < 0.001), 0.2 +/- 2.9
      mmHg (P > 0.99) and 0.5 +/- 2.4 mmHg (P > 0.99) in group A and -1.3 +/- 2.4 mmHg
      (P < 0.001), -3.2 +/- 1.8 mmHg (P < 0.001), -3.1 +/- 1.8 mmHg (P < 0.001) and 
      1.8 +/- 2.2 mmHg (P < 0.001) in group B, respectively Mean baseline average PRNFL
      thickness was 85.3+/-5.6 MUm and 85.6 +/- 5 MUm in groups A and B respectively.
      Mean PRNFL thickness changes after 3 month was -2 +/- 2 MUm (P < 0.001) in group
      A and 0 +/- 2 MUm (P = 0.101) in group B. Mean PRNFL thickness in group A
      decreased more than group B (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Conventional method of IVB
      injection was associated with acute IOP rise and significant PRNFL loss 3 months
      after injection. Anterior chamber paracentesis prevents acute IOP rise and PRNFL
      loss.

PMID- 28616716
TI  - Retinal microstructures are altered in patients with idiopathic infantile
      nystagmus.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare segmented retinal layer thicknesses between patients with
      idiopathic infantile nystagmus (IIN) and controls. METHODS: This retrospective
      case-control study included 66 patients with IIN and 66 age-matched controls. The
      retinal layers were examined using spectral domain optical coherence tomography
      with autosegmentation. Central foveal thickness (CFT), outer nuclear layer (ONL),
      and outer segment length (OSL) thickness were measured at the fovea center. Mean
      values for retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell inner plexiform layer
      (GCIPL), inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform-outer nuclear layer (OPNL)
      thicknesses were calculated at two measurement points (nasal and temporal hump
      points at the macula area). RESULTS: There were no significant between-group
      differences in age, gender, or refraction error. The CFT was thicker in the IIN
      group compared with the control group (225.0 MUm vs. 217.8 MUm, P = 0.017) and
      OSL was shorter in IIN than in controls (40.0 MUm vs. 43.7 MUm., P < 0.001). The
      ONL thickness at the central fovea was not statistically different between the
      two groups. At the nasal and temporal position where the ganglion cell density
      was thickest, the GCIPL thickness was thinner in the IIN group compared to the
      controls (99.5 MUm vs. 102.8 MUm, P = 0.010). The GCIPL thickness was negatively
      correlated with logMAR visual acuity (Spearman's rho = -0.502, P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: The foveal pit was shallower, OSL was shorter, and the GCIPL
      thicknesses at macular humps were decreased in the patients with IIN compared
      with that of controls. The faulty development of the macula may be related to
      unknown pathophysiologic mechanism during fovea maturation in IIN or continuous
      eye movement itself interrupt fovea development.

PMID- 28616717
TI  - Patient and Public Outreach Initiatives in Chronic Rhinosinusitis from the
      Canadian Sinusitis Working Group: Support for Affected Patients and Extending an
      Understanding of CRS to the General Public.
AB  - Chronic rhinosinusitis is an important disease entity that affects patients
      worldwide, yet there is limited public awareness regarding the disease. The
      Canadian Rhinosinusitis Working Group, a group of diverse medical professionals,
      has made a multitude of efforts to help improve the health literacy of patients
      and important stakeholders, as well as the quality of life of patients with
      chronic rhinosinusitis. This review will aim to outline these initiatives.

PMID- 28616718
TI  - Effect of Intrastriatal 6-OHDA Lesions on Extrastriatal Brain Structures in the
      Mouse.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by
      progressive loss of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, resulting in motor and non
      motor symptoms. The underlying pathology of non-motor symptoms is poorly
      understood. Discussed are pathological changes of extrastriatal brain structures.
      In this study, we characterized histopathological alterations of extrastriatal
      brain structures in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) PD animal model. Lesions were
      induced by unilateral stereotactic injections of 6-OHDA into the striatum or
      medial forebrain bundle of adult male mice. Loss of tyrosine hydroxylase positive
      (TH+) fibers as well as glia activation was quantified following stereological
      principles. Loss of dopaminergic innervation was further investigated by western
      blotting. As expected, 6-OHDA injection into the nigrostriatal route induced
      retrograde degeneration of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars
      compacta (SNpc), less so within the ventral tegmental area. Furthermore, we
      observed a region-specific drop of TH+ projection fiber density in distinct
      cortical regions. This pathology was most pronounced in the cingulate- and motor
      cortex, whereas the piriform cortex was just modestly affected. Loss of cortical
      TH+ fibers was not paralleled by microglia or astrocyte activation. Our results
      demonstrate that the loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra
      pars compacta is paralleled by a cortical dopaminergic denervation in the 6-OHDA
      model. This model serves as a valuable tool to investigate mechanisms operant
      during cortical pathology in PD patients. Further studies are needed to
      understand why cortical dopaminergic innervation is lost in this model, and what
      functional consequence is associated with the observed denervation.

PMID- 28616719
TI  - Are Partner Race and Intimate Partner Violence Associated with Incident and Newly
      Diagnosed HIV Infection in African-American Men Who Have Sex with Men?
AB  - Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (BMSM) experience a
      disparate rate of HIV infections among MSM. Previous analyses have determined
      that STI coinfection and undiagnosed HIV infection partly explain the disparity.
      However, few studies have analyzed the impact of partner-level variables on HIV
      incidence among BMSM. Data were analyzed for BMSM who attended the Los Angeles
      LGBT Center from August 2011 to July 2015 (n = 1974) to identify risk factors for
      HIV infection. A multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze predictors
      for HIV prevalence among all individuals at first test (n = 1974; entire sample).
      A multivariable survival analysis was used to analyze predictors for HIV
      incidence (n = 936; repeat tester subset). Condomless receptive anal intercourse
      at last sex, number of sexual partners in the last 30 days, and intimate partner
      violence (IPV) were significant partner-level predictors of HIV prevalence and
      incidence. Individuals who reported IPV had 2.39 times higher odds (CI 1.35-4.23)
      and 3.33 times higher hazard (CI 1.47-7.55) of seroconverting in the prevalence
      and incidence models, respectively. Reporting Black partners only was associated
      with increased HIV prevalence, but a statistically significant association was
      not found with incidence. IPV is an important correlate of both HIV prevalence
      and incidence in BMSM. Further studies should explore how IPV affects HIV risk
      trajectories among BMSM. Given that individuals with IPV history may struggle to
      negotiate safer sex, IPV also warrants consideration as a qualifying criterion
      among BMSM for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

PMID- 28616720
TI  - Quality of life after whole brain radiotherapy compared with radiosurgery of the
      tumor bed: results from a randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A recent randomized trial (NCT01535209) demonstrated no difference in
      neurocognitive function between stereotactic radiotherapy of the tumor bed (SRT
      TB) and whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in patients with resected single brain
      metastasis. Patients treated with SRT-TB had lower overall survival compared with
      the WBRT arm. Here, we compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in
      patients who received WBRT vs. SRT-TB. METHODS: A self-reported questionnaire was
      used to assess HRQOL (EORTC QLQ-C30 with the QLQ-BN20 module) before RT, 2 months
      after RT, and every 3 months thereafter. HRQOL results are presented as mean
      scores and compared between groups. RESULTS: Of 59 randomized patients, 37 (64%)
      were eligible for HRQOL analysis, 15 received SRT-TB, and 22 had WBRT. There were
      no differences between groups in global health status and main function
      scales/symptoms (except for drowsiness and appetite loss, which were worse with
      WBRT 2 months after RT). Global health status decreased 2 and 5 months after RT,
      but significantly only for SRT-TB (p = 0.025). Physical function decreased
      significantly 5 months after SRT-TB (p = 0.008). Future uncertainty worsened
      after RT, but significantly only for SRT-TB after 2 months (p = 0.036). Patients
      treated with WBRT had significant worsening of appetite, hair loss, and
      drowsiness after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher symptom burden after WBRT
      attributed to the side effects of RT (such as appetite loss, drowsiness, and hair
      loss), global health status, physical functioning, and future uncertainty favored
      WBRT compared with SRT-TB. This may be related to the compromised brain tumor
      control with omission of WBRT.

PMID- 28616721
TI  - Biomarkers in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is currently the third most frequent form
      of malignancy. The role of biomarkers in the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy
      of cancer is constantly expanding. Translational research is already changing
      paradigms in tumours encompassing from early diagnosis to precision medicine in
      advanced disease. Nomenclature for molecular subtypes of tumours is gradually
      gaining acceptance and there are growing expectations it will further go from the
      bench to the bedside. However, the clinical relevance of biomarkers in PDAC is
      still far behind the relevance of biomarkers in other solid tumours. This article
      is part of a wider project (GALLgo) involving over forty specialists devoted to
      the multidisciplinary management of PDAC which concluded in recommendations based
      on scientific evidence. The aim of the present article is to review the
      diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, either in localised or advanced
      disease, which have been lately subjected to study and analysis and others
      currently available for PDAC in order to give strength-graded recommendations
      linked to quality of evidence that can be used as guidelines in routine clinical
      practice.

PMID- 28616722
TI  - Duhamel operation for children with distal colonic dysmotility.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report outcomes of children with constipation refractory to medical
      management and manometrically proven distal colonic dysmotility, managed with
      rectosigmoidectomy followed by Duhamel operation (Duhamel). METHODS: Children who
      underwent a Duhamel from 2009 onwards for intractable constipation and left
      colonic dysmotility were retrospectively reviewed. The primary end point was
      resolution of constipation, and secondary end point was postoperative
      complications. Continuous data were median (range). RESULTS: 11 patients (4
      males) had Duhamel at 11 years (5-16) with constipation started from 2 years (1
      8). Hirschsprung's disease was excluded. All Duhamels were performed with a
      covering ileostomy: 9 following a Hartmann procedure, one following a previously
      failed reversal of Hartmann, and one Duhamel performed with a pre-existing
      ileostomy. All ileostomies were subsequently closed. Median resection length was
      22 cm (11-31). Length of stay was 8 days (5-23). Follow-up was 5 years (0.5-7).
      Age at final review was 15 years (10-18). Resolution of constipation occurred in
      nine patients (4 required antegrade continence enemas (ACE), 5 with laxative);
      two had persistent constipation and faecal incontinence despite ACE, ultimately
      requiring an ileostomy. Two postoperative small bowel obstructions required
      laparotomy. CONCLUSION: Duhamel performed in children with manometrically proven
      distal colonic dysmotility yielded 82% resolution of refractory constipation;
      half of them subsequently needed ACE.

PMID- 28616723
TI  - Post-operative strictures in anorectal malformation: trends over 15 years.
AB  - AIM: For decades, paediatric surgeons have employed the standard posterior
      sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) approach to deal with patients with anorectal
      malformations (ARM). In recent years, we noted an apparent increase in the
      incidence of anal stricture after surgical repair of ARM following the
      introduction of laparoscopic pull-through and techniques aiming to preserve the
      internal sphincter-the internal sphincter sparing approach (ISSA). We decided to
      analyse our data to find out if these new trends had added to the problem of post
      operative strictures. METHODS: All patients with ARM at our institution from
      January 2000 to December 2015 were identified. A retrospective case note review
      was carried out. Data collected included patient demographics, type of ARM,
      operative details, and post-operative outcomes. RESULTS: 114 patients were
      identified. Ten patients were excluded. Of the remaining 104 children, 48 (46%)
      were female. Median age was 8.3 (range 1.2-16.8) years. Types of ARM were as
      follows: perineal fistula (15 patients), anterior stenotic anus (12), imperforate
      anus without fistula (10), vestibular fistula (32), rectourethral (bulbar)
      fistula (11), rectourethral (prostatic) fistula (14), rectovesical fistula (7),
      and cloaca (3). Twenty-seven patients with a perineal fistula or anterior
      stenotic anus underwent perineal procedures that were variably described by the
      different operating surgeons. The majority (15 patients) had an anoplasty, 5 had
      anal transposition, 5 had limited PSARP, and 2 patients had ISSA. Two patients
      with a cloacal anomaly underwent open cloacal reconstruction. Of the remaining 75
      patients, 45 had a PSARP approach, 6 had a laparoscopic-assisted pull-through,
      and 18 had ISSA. Four girls with vestibular fistula had anal transposition and
      two boys with imperforate anus without fistula had anoplasty. 15 (14%) children
      developed anal stricture. Stricture incidence differed according to operation
      type. PSARP was the most commonly performed procedure, with only 6% developing a
      stricture. In contrast, 30% of ISSA patients and 50% of children who had
      laparoscopic pull-through developed a stricture. Strictures also occurred in 11
      and 12% of children having anal transposition and anoplasty, respectively.
      CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic-assisted pull-through involves tunnelling the
      sphincter muscle complex. We found that often the tunnels were not wide enough,
      resulting in narrowing not just at the ano-cutaneous junction but also at the
      deeper level. 50% developed strictures. We have modified our technique by
      ensuring that the tunnels are generous enough to allow the rectum to be pulled
      through without any resistance. ISSA unfortunately resulted in 30% of our
      patients developing strictures. This approach, started in 2004, was, therefore,
      abandoned in 2013. The standard Pena's PSARP, with or without a laparotomy, has
      stood the test of time. Any modification of this approach must be carefully
      thought through and audited meticulously. Strictures can cause significant
      morbidity, which may need several revisions, and the resulting redo anoplasties
      run the risk of sphincter damage, ironically which the newer modifications of
      ISSA were trying to conserve.

PMID- 28616724
TI  - Nd:YAG laser therapy for rectal and vaginal venous malformations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited therapeutic options exist for rectal and vaginal venous
      malformations (VM). We describe our center's experience using Nd:YAG laser for
      targeted ablation of abnormal veins to treat mucosally involved pelvic VM.
      METHODS: Records of patients undergoing non-contact Nd:YAG laser therapy of
      pelvic VM at a tertiary children's hospital were reviewed. Symptoms, operative
      findings and details, complications, and outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Nine
      patients (age 0-24) underwent Nd:YAG laser therapy of rectal and/or vaginal VM.
      Rectal bleeding was present in all patients and vaginal bleeding in all females
      (n = 5). 5/7 patients had extensive pelvic involvement on MRI. Typical settings
      were 30 (rectum) and 20-25 W (vagina), with 0.5-1.0 s pulse duration. Patients
      underwent the same-day discharge. Treatment intervals ranged from 14 to 180
      (average = 56) weeks, with 6.1-year mean follow-up. Five patients experienced
      symptom relief with a single treatment. Serial treatments managed recurrent
      bleeding successfully in all patients, with complete resolution of vaginal
      lesions in 40% of cases. No complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Nd:YAG laser
      treatment of rectal and vaginal VM results in substantial improvement and symptom
      control, with low complication risk. Given the high morbidity of surgical
      resection, Nd:YAG laser treatment of pelvic VM should be considered as first line
      therapy.

PMID- 28616726
TI  - How to write an original radiological research manuscript.
AB  - : Many scientific manuscripts submitted for publication are limited by
      fundamental mistakes in their preparation, leading to rejection. We describe how
      to write a well-organized radiological research manuscript containing all of the
      important ingredients for effective communication of a hypothesis-driven
      scientific study in the context of medical imaging. KEY POINTS: * Mistakes in the
      preparation of scientific manuscripts lead to rejection. * Scientific writing,
      like any important skill, can be learned. * A well-developed approach will
      improve the quality of scientific writing. * High-quality scientific writing is
      essential to communicate research results. * A well-organized manuscript
      effectively communicates a hypothesis-driven scientific study.

PMID- 28616725
TI  - The role of T1 perfusion-based classification in magnetic resonance-guided high
      intensity focused ultrasound ablation of uterine fibroids.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To comparatively evaluate the role of magnetic resonance (MR) T1
      perfusion-based time-signal intensity (SI) curves of fibroid tissue and the
      myometrium in classification of fibroids for predicting treatment outcomes of
      high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment. METHODS: The fibroids of 74
      women who underwent MR-HIFU treatment were classified into group A (time-SI curve
      of fibroid lower than that of the myometrium) and group B (time-SI curve of
      fibroid equal to or higher than that of the myometrium). Non-perfused volume
      (NPV) ratios immediately after treatment and fibroid volume reduction ratios and
      symptom severity scores (SSS) at the 6-month follow-up were retrospectively
      assessed. RESULTS: The immediate NPV ratios in groups A and B were 95.3 +/- 6.3%
      (n = 62) and 63.8 +/- 11% (n = 12), respectively. At the 6-month follow-up, the
      fibroid volume reduction ratios in groups A and B were 0.52 +/- 0.14 (n = 50) and
      0.07 +/- 0.14 (n = 11), with the corresponding improvement in mean transformed
      SSS being 0.86 +/- 0.14 and 0.19 +/- 0.3, respectively. No serious adverse
      effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel classification method could play an
      important role in classifying fibroids for predicting the immediate outcomes of
      HIFU treatment. KEY POINTS: * MRI is an important modality for outcome prediction
      in HIFU treatment * Patient selection is a significant factor for achieving high
      NPV ratio * NPV ratio is very strongly correlated with T1 perfusion-based
      classification * T1 perfusion-based classification is a strong predictor of
      treatment outcome.

PMID- 28616727
TI  - Preliminary study of diffusion kurtosis imaging in thyroid nodules and its
      histopathologic correlation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the utility of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) of
      patients with thyroid nodules and to assess the probable correlation with
      histopathological factors. METHODS: The study included 58 consecutive patients
      with thyroid nodules who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination,
      including DKI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Histopathological analysis of
      paraffin sections included cell density and immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67
      and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Statistical analyses were
      performed using Student's t-test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves
      and Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: The diffusion parameters, cell density and
      immunohistochemistry analysis between malignant and benign lesions showed
      significant differences. The largest area under the ROC curve was acquired for
      the D value (AUC = 0.797). The highest sensitivity was shown with the use of K
      (threshold = 0.832, sensitivity = 0.917). The Ki-67 expression generally stayed
      low. A moderate correlation was found between ADC, D and cell density (r = 
      0.536, P = 0.000; r = -0.570, P = 0.000) and ADC, D and VEGF expression (r = 
      0.451, P = 0.000; r = -0.522, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The DKI-derived parameters
      D and K demonstrated an advantage compared to conventional DWI for thyroid lesion
      diagnosis. While the histopathological study indicated that the D value
      correlated better with extracellular change than the ADC value, the K value
      probably changed relative to the intracellular structure. KEY POINTS: * DWI and
      DKI parameters can identify PTC from benign thyroid nodules. * Correlations were
      found between diffusion parameters and histopathological analysis. * DKI obtains
      better diagnostic accuracy than conventional DWI.

PMID- 28616728
TI  - The relationship of cancer characteristics and patient outcome with time to lung
      cancer diagnosis after an abnormal screening CT.
AB  - PURPOSE: The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) demonstrated a reduction in
      lung cancer and all-cause mortality with low-dose CT (LDCT) screening. The aim of
      our study was to examine the time to diagnosis (TTD) of lung cancer in the LDCT
      arm of the NLST and assess its relationship with cancer characteristics and
      survival. METHODS: The subjects (N = 462) with a positive baseline screen and
      subsequent lung cancer diagnosis within 3 years were evaluated by data and image
      review to confirm the baseline abnormality. The cases were analysed for the
      relationship between TTD and imaging features, cancer type, stage and survival
      for 7 years from baseline screen. RESULTS: Cancer was judged to be present at
      baseline in 397/462 cases. The factors that showed significant association (p
      value trend less than 0.05) with longer TTD included smaller nodule size, pure
      ground glass nodules (GGNs), smooth/lobulated margins, stages I/II,
      adenocarcinoma, and decreasing lung cancer mortality. The logistic regression
      model for lung cancer death showed significant inverse relationships with size
      less than 20 mm (OR = 0.32), pure GGNs (OR = 0.24), adenocarcinoma (OR = 0.57)
      and direct relationship with age (OR = 1.4). CONCLUSION: TTD after a positive
      LDCT screen in the NLST showed a strong association with imaging features, stage
      and mortality. KEY POINTS: * NLST observed variable time to lung cancer diagnosis
      from positive baseline screen. * Time to diagnosis was associated with imaging
      features, cancer type and stage. * In univariate but not multivariate analysis,
      longer TTD correlated with decreased mortality.

PMID- 28616729
TI  - Prediction of the estimated 5-year risk of sudden cardiac death and syncope or
      non-sustained ventricular tachycardia in patients with hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy using late gadolinium enhancement and extracellular volume CMR.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ability of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and
      mapping cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) including native T1 and global
      extracellular volume (ECV) to identify hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients
      at risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) and to predict syncope or non-sustained
      ventricular tachycardia (VT). METHODS: A 1.5-T CMR was performed in 73 HCM
      patients and 16 controls. LGE size was quantified using the 3SD, 5SD and full
      width at half maximum (FWHM) method. T1 and ECV maps were generated by a 3(3)5
      modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence. Receiver-operating curve
      analysis evaluated the best parameter to identify patients with increased SCD
      risk >=4% and patients with syncope or non-sustained VT. RESULTS: Global ECV was
      the best predictor of SCD risk with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83. LGE
      size was significantly inferior to global ECV with an AUC of 0.68, 0.70 and 0.70
      (all P < 0.05) for 3SD-, 5SD- and FWHM-LGE, respectively. Combined use of the SCD
      risk score and global ECV significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy to
      identify HCM patients with syncope or non-sustained VT. CONCLUSIONS: Combined use
      of the SCD risk score and global ECV has the potential to improve HCM patient
      selection, benefiting most implantable cardioverter defibrillators. KEY POINTS: *
      Global ECV identified the best HCM patients with increased SCD risk. * Global ECV
      performed equally well compared to a SCD risk score. * Combined use of the SCD
      risk score and global ECV improved test accuracy. * Combined use potentially
      improves selection of HCM patients for ICD implantation.

PMID- 28616730
TI  - Contrast-enhanced 3T MR Perfusion of Musculoskeletal Tumours: T1 Value
      Heterogeneity Assessment and Evaluation of the Influence of T1 Estimation Methods
      on Quantitative Parameters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate intra-tumour and striated muscle T1 value heterogeneity
      and the influence of different methods of T1 estimation on the variability of
      quantitative perfusion parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty-two patients with
      a histologically confirmed musculoskeletal tumour were prospectively included in
      this study and, with ethics committee approval, underwent contrast-enhanced MR
      perfusion and T1 mapping. T1 value variations in viable tumour areas and in
      normal-appearing striated muscle were assessed. In 20 cases, normal muscle
      perfusion parameters were calculated using three different methods: signal based
      and gadolinium concentration based on fixed and variable T1 values. RESULTS:
      Tumour and normal muscle T1 values were significantly different (p = 0.0008). T1
      value heterogeneity was higher in tumours than in normal muscle (variation of
      19.8% versus 13%). The T1 estimation method had a considerable influence on the
      variability of perfusion parameters. Fixed T1 values yielded higher coefficients
      of variation than variable T1 values (mean 109.6 +/- 41.8% and 58.3 +/- 14.1%
      respectively). Area under the curve was the least variable parameter (36%).
      CONCLUSION: T1 values in musculoskeletal tumours are significantly different and
      more heterogeneous than normal muscle. Patient-specific T1 estimation is needed
      for direct inter-patient comparison of perfusion parameters. KEY POINTS: * T1
      value variation in musculoskeletal tumours is considerable. * T1 values in muscle
      and tumours are significantly different. * Patient-specific T1 estimation is
      needed for comparison of inter-patient perfusion parameters. * Technical
      variation is higher in permeability than semiquantitative perfusion parameters.

PMID- 28616732
TI  - Erratum to: Early gastric adenocarcinoma arising within foveolar-type dysplasia
      in a patient with Muir-Torre variant Lynch syndrome.

PMID- 28616731
TI  - Renal nerve stimulation for treatment of neurocardiogenic syncope: a review from
      perspective of commercialization potential.
AB  - A strong evidence of outcomes for vasovagal syncope is not easily identified. It
      would seem reasonable that the proposed Mayo Clinic technology would be reserved
      for cases with severe recurrent or refractory syncope. However, recurrence levels
      are relatively low, and while some predictive methods have been proposed,
      recurrence is also influenced by the interaction that occurs during screening and
      examinations, i.e. recurrence diminishes once an initial diagnosis has been made.
      Finally, a key factor in being able to identify suitable patients relates to
      understanding the relative significance of the vasodepression and
      cardioinhibitory components-the therapy is best suited to patients that have a
      significant level of both components. It is probably not needed in patients with
      mainly cardioinhibitory involvement-data from ISSUE 2 and ISSUE 3 studies suggest
      that this is a relatively large proportion, particularly with asystolic
      involvement. The challenge remains in having suitable screening tests to identify
      the best patients. Tilt table testing has questions concerning its ability to
      replicate clinical syncope-implantable loop recorders (ILRs) may provide more
      accurate data but their usage is not yet widely accepted given the costs and
      invasive nature of the monitor.

PMID- 28616734
TI  - Di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), an anticancer
      agent, exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in activated human mast cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Inflammation has been closely associated with the development and
      progression of cancer. Previously, we reported that mast cells play a critical
      role in tumor growth. The purpose of this study is to investigate the anti
      inflammatory effect of an anticancer agent, di-2-pyridylketone 4,4-dimethyl-3
      thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), on an activated human mast cell line, in this case
      HMC-1 cells. METHODS: We evaluated the effect and specific molecular mechanism of
      Dp44mT on phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)
      using HMC-1 cells. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrated that Dp44mT significantly
      decreased the protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and vascular
      endothelial growth factor without exposing activated HMC-1 cells to any
      cytotoxicity. In activated mast cells, Dp44mT mitigated the strong production and
      mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines, in this case, interleukin (IL)-1beta,
      IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin, through a
      blockade of caspase-1 and nuclear factor-kappaB activities. Furthermore,
      phosphorylations of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family included in
      inflammatory signaling cascades were significantly inhibited by a Dp44mT
      treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results indicate that the anticancer agent
      Dp44mT has an anti-inflammatory effect and may be of therapeutic importance for
      the treatment of mast cell-mediated inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28616735
TI  - Erratum to: Temporal trends of lipophilic persistent organic pollutants in serum
      from Danish nulliparous pregnant women 2011-2013.

PMID- 28616736
TI  - Geographic variations in female breast cancer incidence in relation to ambient
      air emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
AB  - A significant geographic variation of breast cancer incidence exists, with
      incidence rates being much higher in industrialized regions. The objective of the
      current study was to assess the role of environmental factors such as exposure to
      ambient air pollution, specifically carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
      (PAHs) that may be playing in the geographic variations in breast cancer
      incidence. Female breast cancer incidence and ambient air emissions of PAHs were
      examined in the northeastern and southeastern regions of the USA by analyzing
      data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and the
      State Cancer Profiles of the National Cancer Institute and from the Environmental
      Protection Agency. Linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the
      association between PAH emissions and breast cancer incidence in unadjusted and
      adjusted models. Significantly higher age-adjusted incidence rates of female
      breast cancer were seen in northeastern SEER regions, when compared to
      southeastern regions, during the years of 2000-2012. After adjusting for
      potential confounders, emission densities of total PAHs and four carcinogenic
      individual PAHs (benzo[a]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, naphthalene, and
      benzo[b]fluoranthene) showed a significantly positive association with annual
      incidence rates of breast cancer, with a beta of 0.85 (p = 0.004), 58.37 (p =
      0.010), 628.56 (p = 0.002), 0.44 (p = 0.041), and 77.68 (p = 0.002),
      respectively, among the northeastern and southeastern states. This study suggests
      a potential relationship between ambient air emissions of carcinogenic PAHs and
      geographic variations of female breast cancer incidence in the northeastern and
      southeastern US. Further investigations are needed to explore these interactions
      and elucidate the role of PAHs in regional variations of breast cancer incidence.

PMID- 28616737
TI  - Serum concentrations of selected organochlorine pesticides in a Lebanese
      population and their associations to sociodemographic, anthropometric and dietary
      factors: ENASB study.
AB  - Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were banned by the Stockholm Convention many
      years ago; however, they are still detected in the environment due to their high
      persistence, their current illegal use, and their import from countries where
      they have not been banned. We evaluated the serum concentrations of selected OCPs
      (hexachlorobenzene (HCB), beta-hexachlorocyclohexanes (beta-HCH), p,p'
      dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolite p,p'
      dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in a sample of Lebanese adults using gas
      chromatography coupled to an ion trap mass spectrometer detector. The mean
      concentrations of HCB, beta-HCH, DDT, and DDE were 7.1, 8.6, 2.1, and 18.9 ng/g
      of lipids, respectively, and the major contributor among the four OCPs was DDE.
      The OCP levels in the present study were in general lower than the values
      observed in several countries worldwide and their concentrations at the 95th
      percentile were lower than the biomonitoring equivalents (BEs) excluding any
      appreciable health risk. We observed an inverse association between HCB
      concentrations and body mass index (BMI) as well as HCB, beta-HCH, and DDE
      levels, and smoking habits. Milk consumption however was positively associated
      with an increased serum level of beta-HCH. This study, which was the first to
      investigate OCP serum levels in a Lebanese population, provides a baseline to
      which future measurements can be compared.

PMID- 28616738
TI  - Living in a Mediterranean city in 2050: broadleaf or evergreen 'citizens'?
AB  - The predicted effects of global change (GC) will be exacerbated in the more
      densely populated cities of the future, especially in the Mediterranean basin
      where some environmental cues, such as drought and tropospheric ozone (O3)
      pollution, already mine seriously plant survival. Physiological and biochemical
      responses of a Mediterranean, evergreen, isohydric plant species (Quercus ilex)
      were compared to those of a sympatric, deciduous, anisohydric species (Q.
      pubescens) under severe drought (20% of the effective daily evapotranspiration)
      and/or chronic O3 exposure (80 ppb for 5 h day-1 for 28 consecutive days) to test
      which one was more successful in those highly limiting conditions. Results show
      that (i) the lower reduction of total leaf biomass of Q. ilex as compared to Q.
      pubescens when subjected to drought and drought * O3 (on average -59 vs -70%,
      respectively); (ii) the steeper decline of photosynthesis found in Q. pubescens
      under drought (-87 vs -81%) and drought * O3 (-69 vs -59%, respectively); (iii)
      the increments of malondialdehyde (MDA) by-products found only in drought
      stressed Q. pubescens; (iv) the impact of O3, found only in Q. pubescens leaves
      and MDA, can be considered the best probes of the superiority of Q. ilex to
      counteract the effect of mild-severe drought and O3 stress. Also, an antagonistic
      effect was found when drought and O3 were applied simultaneously, as usually
      happens during typical Mediterranean summers. Our dataset suggests that on
      future, the urban greening should be wisely pondered on the ability of trees to
      cope the most impacting factors of GC, and in particular their simultaneity.

PMID- 28616739
TI  - Petrol filling workers as biomonitor of PAH exposure and functional health
      capacity in resource-limited settings of city Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
AB  - This is the first study from Pakistan to report the exposure of petrol filling
      workers (n = 120) to naphthalene (Nap) and pyrene (Pyr) in relation to their
      functional capacities and health outcome. A group of non-exposed subjects
      (controls n = 46) was also recruited for comparison. The perceived health risk of
      the exposed workers was monitored using a questionnaire based on the self
      reporting survey. The observed physical anomalies related to the health disorder
      included the acidity after meals, eye redness, appetite loss, skin lesions, and
      dryness of oral cavity, while those related to neurasthenic symptoms included the
      body aches, energy loss, twitching, fatigue, sleeplessness, fainting, and
      irritability. Mean Nap level observed in the exposed group (106 MUg L-1) was
      significantly correlated (r = 0.49; p < 0.01) with cigarette smoking, while the
      average Pyr concentration (19.18 MUg L-1) was associated with job duration.
      Workers exposed for 6 h per day or more had significantly high prevalence of
      physical disorders (OR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.28-6.09). Neurasthenic symptoms were
      found in 65% of the subjects and were associated with years of involvement in
      job. Ten years or more work duration at petrol pumps could be associated with a
      substantial development of neurasthenic effects (OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.23-6.34).
      In conclusion, the subjects ascribed the disturbances in physical and
      neurological behavior to their occupation (petrol filling) and also rated their
      overall health and functional capacity as poor. To promote health of petrol pump
      workers, reduction in work hours and provision of masks and gloves could be
      introduced as occupational health interventions.

PMID- 28616741
TI  - Ecological risk assessment of an open dumping site at Mehmood Booti Lahore,
      Pakistan.
AB  - A robust risk assessment of Mehmood Booting Open Dumping (MBOD) site has been
      carried out by developing holistic risk assessment framework. Framework mainly
      comprises on baseline study, hazard identification, and risk quantification and
      evaluation. Physico-chemical analysis of groundwater and leachate, health risk
      assessment, and estimation of gas emissions from the site were carried out for
      risk evaluation. LandGEM 3.02 modelling software was used to measure the gas
      emissions. Analysis of leachate showed that all parameters were exceeding the WHO
      standard limit. Water samples were found polluted with heavy metals and total
      coliform contamination. Health survey inferred that problems which were faced by
      the majority of respondents were respiratory problems (80%). LandGEM model
      estimated that total landfill gas (TLG) emitted from the site for the year 2014
      was 1.760E+05 Mg/year, CH4 emission was 5.445E+06 Mg/year, CO2 emission was
      1.290E+05 Mg/year and for non-methane organic compound emission was 2.021E+03
      Mg/year. It can be concluded that in the near future, almost all the water
      locations are possibly threatened with leachate contamination due to the
      continued accumulation of solid waste at MBOD site. The study recommends that new
      sanitary landfill sites should be designed to minimize the adverse effects
      associated with solid waste disposal and to preclude further pollution to surface
      water, groundwater, soil, and air.

PMID- 28616740
TI  - Different exposure levels of fine particulate matter and preterm birth: a meta
      analysis based on cohort studies.
AB  - The previous studies estimated the association between PM2.5 (particulate matter
      with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 MUm) exposure during
      pregnancy and preterm birth, only considered and highlighted the hazard effects
      of high levels of air pollutant exposure, and underestimated that low levels of
      pollutant exposure might also affect pregnancy outcome. We conducted a meta
      analysis of 11 cohort studies, a total of more than 1,500,000 subjects. The
      results of these studies were pooled by exposure levels and study periods. PM2.5
      exposure during pregnancy was positively associated with preterm birth (OR =
      1.15, 95% CI = 1.07-1.23), and during the first trimester of pregnancy, low
      levels of PM2.5 exposure were also positively associated with preterm birth (OR =
      1.17, 95% CI = 1.04-1.30). It is important to protect pregnant women from PM2.5
      exposures, especially during their first trimester of pregnancy even when the
      ambient PM2.5 concentration is relatively low. More relevant health policy should
      be carried out to prevent hazard effect of air pollutants.

PMID- 28616742
TI  - Wind-induced flow velocity effects on nutrient concentrations at Eastern Bay of
      Lake Taihu, China.
AB  - Shallow lakes are highly sensitive to respond internal nutrient loading due to
      wind-induced flow velocity effects. Wind-induced flow velocity effects on
      nutrient suspension were investigated at a long narrow bay of large shallow Lake
      Taihu, the third largest freshwater lake in China. Wind-induced
      reverse/compensation flow and consistent flow field probabilities at vertical
      column of the water were measured. The probabilities between the wind field and
      the flow velocities provided a strong correlation at the surface (80.6%) and the
      bottom (65.1%) layers of water profile. Vertical flow velocity profile analysis
      provided the evidence of delay response time to wind field at the bottom layer of
      lake water. Strong wind field generated by the west (W) and west-north-west (WNW)
      winds produced displaced water movements in opposite directions to the prevailing
      flow field. An exponential correlation was observed between the current
      velocities of the surface and the bottom layers while considering wind speed as a
      control factor. A linear model was developed to correlate the wind field-induced
      flow velocity impacts on nutrient concentration at the surface and bottom layers.
      Results showed that dominant wind directions (ENE, E, and ESE) had a maximum
      nutrient resuspension contribution (nutrient resuspension potential) of 34.7 and
      43.6% at the surface and the bottom profile layers, respectively. Total suspended
      solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) average
      concentrations were 6.38, 1.5, and 0.03 mg/L during our field experiment at
      Eastern Bay of Lake Taihu. Overall, wind-induced low-to-moderate hydrodynamic
      disturbances contributed more in nutrient resuspension at Eastern Bay of Lake
      Taihu. The present study can be used to understand the linkage between wind
      induced flow velocities and nutrient concentrations for shallow lakes (with
      uniform morphology and deep margins) water quality management and to develop
      further models.

PMID- 28616744
TI  - Demonstration that a Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae isolated from an
      insect (Nezara viridula) harbors a plasmid-borne type IV secretion system.
AB  - Previously, we reported the isolation of Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies
      pneumoniae strain Kp 5-1 from a southern green stink bug (Nezara viridula) that
      is a significant pest of numerous economically important crops. We subsequently
      sequenced the strains whole genome. Here, we report the presence of a functional
      plasmid-borne type IV secretion (TFSS) system that was identified using genomic
      mining of the annotated genome. Comparison of the Kp 5-1 resident 186 kb plasmid
      (pKp 5-1) with nine other Klebsiella with plasmids of comparable size from
      clinical and environmental strains revealed putative TFSS with identities ranging
      from 70 to 99%. A primer set was designed at the pKp 5-1 region that shared
      homology with traC of the conjugation capable F-plasmid. The 2.4 kb amplified PCR
      product was cloned, sequenced, and used in hybridization experiments verify that
      the predicted gene was extra-chromosomally located. Based on biparental mating
      experimental results, a K. pneumoniae Kp 5-1 derivative transformed with the non
      self-transmissible pMMB207alphabeta (an IncQ RSF1010 derivative) mobilized the
      vector into the parental strain with transfer frequencies of 10-3
      transconjugants/donor. Identification of a TFSS in strain Kp 5-1 is significant
      since in other systems the mobilization capacity is involved in dissemination of
      plasmids that may confer antibiotic resistance and/or the delivery of virulence
      proteins into host cells, and thus may have an important role in the fitness of
      this strain as well. This is the first report that both compared and demonstrated
      functionality of a plasmid-harbored TFSS in a K. pneumoniae isolated from a N.
      viridula.

PMID- 28616743
TI  - The long-term survival of stage IV gastric cancer patients with conversion
      therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: A retrospective study was performed to clarify the role of conversion
      therapy (surgery with a prospect of R0 resection performed in initially
      unresectable metastatic cancer that responded to the chemotherapy) in stage IV
      gastric cancer (GC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We treated 259 stage IV GC patients
      with systemic chemotherapy at Gifu and Hiroshima University Hospitals between
      2001-2013. Of these, 84 patients who were subsequently treated by surgery were
      classified into four categories according to our previously published
      classification of stage IV GC, and short- and long-term outcomes were analyzed.
      RESULTS: Surgery was performed in 84 patients, of which 7 were performed
      following the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, whereas the other 77 that excluded
      neoadjuvant chemotherapy cases were considered the conversion therapy. The
      postoperative mortality and morbidity were comparable with those reported
      clinical trials. The MSTs of the patients with/without surgery for each category
      were 28.3/5.8 months for category 1, 30.5/11.0 months for category 2, 31.0/18.5
      months for category 3 and 24.7/10.0 months for category 4. The MST of the R0
      resected patients (41.3 months) was far better than that of the R1-2 resected
      patients (21.2 months). The MSTs of the patients with R0/R1-2 resection were
      56.2/16.3 months for category 2, 33.3/29.6 months for category 3 and 40.7/17.8
      months for category 4. CONCLUSION: There were long-term survivors who underwent
      conversion therapy for stage IV GC. Adequate selection of stage IV GC patients
      for conversion therapy may be an important role for the surgical oncologist in
      the new era.

PMID- 28616746
TI  - Annual Convention SFCR 2017, (French Spine Society annual congress) Lille Grand
      Palais 1st-3rd June, 2017.

PMID- 28616745
TI  - Bacterial meningitis complicating the course of liver cirrhosis.
AB  - : Meningitis is rarely reported in studies investigating bacterial infections in
      patients affected by liver cirrhosis. We investigated the findings of bacterial
      meningitis in patients affected by liver cirrhosis referred to our department in
      a 16-year period. MATERIALS: Patients with cirrhosis and bacterial meningitis
      were enrolled. Cirrhosis was defined by liver histology or clinical, laboratory,
      and ultrasonographic and endoscopic findings. Bacterial meningitis was defined by
      cerebro-spinal fluid pleocytosis (>10/mcl) and characteristic clinical
      presentation. Fisher exact test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were employed as
      appropriate for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Forty-four patients with bacterial
      meningitis and cirrhosis were enrolled in the study. Sex ratio (male:female) was
      1.4:1 and median (IQR) age was 64 (55-72) years. Cirrhosis was viral in 40
      patients. At admission, median (IQR) MELD score was 12 (9-14), and median (IQR)
      Child-Pugh score was 8 (6-10). Other conditions associated with immunodepression
      were present in 22 (50%) cases. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Listeria
      monocytogenes were the agents more frequently identified. An extra-meningeal
      focus of infection was identified in 17 (39%) cases. Main symptoms at admission
      were fever, nuchal rigidity, and an obtunded or comatose status, and at least 2
      of these were reported in 37 (84%) episodes. Cerebro-spinal fluid showed high
      cells, low CSF/serum glucose ratio, and elevated protein. Seventeen patients
      (39%) died and 8 (18%) reported sequelae. High MELD and Child-Pugh scores were
      related to the mortality risk (p < 0.001). The findings of blood and cerebro
      spinal fluid analysis were not predictive of outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial
      meningitis should be considered in cirrhotics presenting with fever and altered
      conscience status. MELD and Child-Pugh scores predicted prognosis.

PMID- 28616747
TI  - Criteria for failure and worsening after surgery for lumbar disc herniation: a
      multicenter observational study based on data from the Norwegian Registry for
      Spine Surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: In clinical decision-making, it is crucial to discuss the probability of
      adverse outcomes with the patient. A large proportion of the outcomes are
      difficult to classify as either failure or success. Consequently, cutoff values
      in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for "failure" and "worsening" are
      likely to be different from those of "non-success". The aim of this study was to
      identify dichotomous cutoffs for failure and worsening, 12 months after surgical
      treatment for lumbar disc herniation, in a large registry cohort. METHODS: A
      total of 6840 patients with lumbar disc herniation were operated and followed for
      12 months, according to the standard protocol of the Norwegian Registry for Spine
      Surgery (NORspine). Patients reporting to be unchanged or worse on the Global
      Perceived Effectiveness (GPE) scale at 12-month follow-up were classified as
      "failure", and those considering themselves "worse" or "worse than ever" after
      surgery were classified as "worsening". These two dichotomous outcomes were used
      as anchors in analyses of receiver operating characteristics (ROC) to define
      cutoffs for failure and worsening on commonly used PROMs, namely, the Oswestry
      Disability Index (ODI), the EuroQuol 5D (EQ-5D), and Numerical Rating Scales
      (NRS) for back pain and leg pain. RESULTS: "Failure" after 12 months for each
      PROM, as an insufficient improvement from baseline, was (sensitivity and
      specificity): ODI change <13 (0.82, 0.82), ODI% change <33% (0.86, 0.86), ODI
      final raw score >25 (0.89, 0.81), NRS back-pain change <1.5 (0.74, 0.86), NRS
      back-pain % change <24 (0.85, 0.81), NRS back-pain final raw score >5.5 (0.81,
      0.87), NRS leg-pain change <1.5 (0.81, 0.76), NRS leg-pain % change <39 (0.86,
      0.81), NRS leg-pain final raw score >4.5 (0.91, 0.85), EQ-5D change <0.10 (0.76,
      0.83), and EQ-5D final raw score >0.63 (0.81, 0.85). Both a final raw score >48
      for the ODI and an NRS >7.5 were indicators for "worsening" after 12 months, with
      acceptable accuracy. CONCLUSION: The criteria with the highest accuracy for
      defining failure and worsening after surgery for lumbar disc herniation were an
      ODI percentage change score <33% for failure and a 12-month ODI raw score >48.
      These cutoffs can facilitate shared decision-making among doctors and patients,
      and improve quality assessment and comparison of clinical outcomes across
      surgical units. In addition to clinically relevant improvements, we propose that
      rates of failure and worsening should be included in reporting from clinical
      trials.

PMID- 28616748
TI  - Intact Transition Epitope Mapping (ITEM).
AB  - Intact transition epitope mapping (ITEM) enables rapid and accurate determination
      of protein antigen-derived epitopes by either epitope extraction or epitope
      excision. Upon formation of the antigen peptide-containing immune complex in
      solution, the entire mixture is electrosprayed to translate all constituents as
      protonated ions into the gas phase. There, ions from antibody-peptide complexes
      are separated from unbound peptide ions according to their masses, charges, and
      shapes either by ion mobility drift or by quadrupole ion filtering. Subsequently,
      immune complexes are dissociated by collision induced fragmentation and the ion
      signals of the "complex-released peptides," which in effect are the epitope
      peptides, are recorded in the time-of-flight analyzer of the mass spectrometer.
      Mixing of an antibody solution with a solution in which antigens or antigen
      derived peptides are dissolved is, together with antigen proteolysis, the only
      required in-solution handling step. Simplicity of sample handling and speed of
      analysis together with very low sample consumption makes ITEM faster and easier
      to perform than other experimental epitope mapping methods. Graphical Abstract ?.

PMID- 28616749
TI  - miR-183 and miR-21 expression as biomarkers of progression and survival in tongue
      carcinoma patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Micro RNAs (miRNAs) have a major role in human cancerogenesis.The
      current study investigated the prognostic significance of miR-183 and miR-21
      expression in tongue carcinoma patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: For qPCR of miR-183
      and miR-21 expression, total RNA isolated from 60 fresh-frozen tissue of tongue
      carcinomas was converted into cDNA by TaqMan MicroRNA Reverse Transcription Kit
      and quantified by TaqMan MicroRNAs Expression Assays. Fold changes in the miRNAs
      expression, normalized to RNU6B, were determined using 2-DeltaDeltaCt method, and
      dichotomized into high and low according to cut-off values derived from ROC curve
      analysis. RESULTS: miR-183 emerged as promising discriminatory biomarker of poor
      outcome. Tissue over-expression of miR-183, observed in 68.3% of tongue
      carcinomas, was associated with clinical stage (p = 0.037), tumor size (p =
      0.036), and high alcohol intake (p = 0.034).The patients with miR-183 over
      expression had significantly shorter overall survival (p = 0.006) and a 5.666
      times higher risk of poor outcome (p = 0.005), while miR-21 over-expression
      carried a tendency towards poorer survival (p = 0.073). However, multivariate
      analysis revealed that the recurrences were independent adverse prognostic
      factors, while miR-183 over-expression lost its significance. CONCLUSION: Our
      results suggests that over-expression of miR-183 in tumor tissue could be a
      potential marker of clinical stage and a poor survival of tongue carcinoma
      patients and may be associated with high alcohol consumption. CLINICAL RELEVANCE:
      Oncogenic miRNAs, such as the investigated miR-183 and miR-21, could be novel
      prognostic biomarkers of tumor progression and adverse clinical outcome in oral
      cancer, as well as novel therapeutic targets in cancer.

PMID- 28616751
TI  - Roles of amino acids in preventing and treating intestinal diseases: recent
      studies with pig models.
AB  - Animal models are needed to study and understand a human complex disease. Because
      of their similarities in anatomy, structure, physiology, and pathophysiology, the
      pig has proven its usefulness in studying human gastrointestinal diseases, such
      as inflammatory bowel disease, ischemia/reperfusion injury, diarrhea, and cancer.
      To understand the pathogenesis of these diseases, a number of experimental models
      generated in pigs are available, for example, through surgical manipulation,
      chemical induction, microbial infection, and genetic engineering. Our interests
      have been using amino acids as therapeutics in pig and human disease models.
      Amino acids not only play an important role in protein biosynthesis, but also
      exert significant physiological effects in regulating immunity, anti-oxidation,
      redox regulation, energy metabolism, signal transduction, and animal behavior.
      Recent studies in pigs have shown that specific dietary amino acids can improve
      intestinal integrity and function under normal and pathological conditions that
      protect the host from different diseases. In this review, we summarize several
      pig models in intestinal diseases and how amino acids can be used as therapeutics
      in treating pig and human diseases.

PMID- 28616752
TI  - Effects of C-myc gene silencing on interleukin-1beta-induced rat chondrocyte cell
      proliferation, apoptosis and cytokine expression.
AB  - This study explores the effects of C-myc gene silencing on cell proliferation,
      apoptosis and cytokine expression in interleukin (IL)-1beta-induced rat
      chondrocytes. Primary chondrocytes were obtained from 40 Sprague-Dawley rats. For
      in vitro C-myc3-shRNA transfection, chondrocytes were assigned to a blank 1,
      model 1, IL-1beta + C-myc3-shRNA, C-myc3-shRNA, (IL-1beta + C-myc3-shRNA) + C-myc
      overexpression, C-myc3-shRNA + C-myc overexpression or IL-1beta + C-myc-Con
      group. Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT
      PCR) were performed to detect C-myc, PCNA and cyclin D1 mRNA and protein
      expression. Cell proliferation was analyzed via CCK-8 assay and cell cycle while
      apoptosis was measured through flow cytometry. ELISA was utilized to assess the
      levels of metallopeptidase 13 (MMP-13), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha). Both the qRT-PCR and Western blotting results demonstrated that C-myc3
      shRNA transfection inhibits C-myc expression and promotes PCNA and cyclin D1
      expression. In comparison to the model 1 group, all groups except the (IL-1beta +
      C-myc3-shRNA) + C-myc overexpression and IL-1beta + C-myc-Con groups showed
      increases in cell proliferation and S phase cell count and decreases in G0/G1
      phase cell count, cell apoptosis and MMP-13, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels. The model
      1, C-myc3-shRNA and C-myc3-shRNA + C-myc overexpression groups displayed higher
      cell proliferation and S phase cell count and reduced G0/G1 phase cell count,
      cell apoptosis and MMP-13, IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels than the IL-1beta + C-myc3
      shRNA group. In comparison to the model 1 and C-myc3-shRNA + C-myc overexpression
      groups, the C-myc3-shRNA group promoted cell proliferation and S phase cell
      counts but suppressed G0/G1 phase cell count, cell apoptosis and MMP-13, IL-6 and
      TNF-alpha levels. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that C-myc gene silencing
      can promote cell proliferation and inhibit cell apoptosis and cytokine expression
      in IL-1beta-induced rat chondrocytes.

PMID- 28616750
TI  - Systematic review of oral manifestations related to hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We sought to identify oral symptoms found in hyperparathyroidism and
      compare their rate of occurrence, as well as potential variations in sequelae
      between primary, secondary, and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Database searches were performed through EMBASE and PubMed, with a
      continual handsearch for relevant articles. PRISMA guidelines were followed.
      RESULTS: Two hundred five articles including 245 patients were analyzed with data
      extraction. The average age was 34.02 years old (age range 1-83), with 91 male
      and 154 female patients (1:1.7 M/F ratio). Patients presented with symptoms
      including facial asymmetry or swelling (167/214 cases; 78.0%), oral pain (30/214;
      14.0%), systemic symptoms (25/214; 11.7%), referrals or incidental findings
      (16/214; 7.5%), and neuropathy (6/214; 2.8%) independently and in combination
      together. Bony pathology occurred most often in the mandible (100/245 cases;
      40.8%), while 72 cases were in the maxilla (29.4%) and 73 cases in both jaw bones
      (29.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data collection identifies a wide variation in the
      presentation of hyperparathyroidism. In order to be more certain of oral maladies
      from hyperparathyroidism, studies with large patient populations need to be
      conducted at healthcare centers to clarify the oral outcomes of
      hyperparathyroidism. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: What was thought to be a characteristic
      finding of HPT, mandibular radiolucency occurred in only a minor portion of
      cases. Furthermore, the pathognomonic sign of HPT on radiograph, loss of lamina
      dura, was only the third most common presentation. Bone pathology was most
      commonly reported in literature, but should not be assumed the only oral sequelae
      of hyperparathyroidism.

PMID- 28616753
TI  - Gemcitabine monotherapy in patients with heavily treated nasopharyngeal cancer: a
      case series.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although gemcitabine is thought to play a critical role in the
      treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer, no research to evaluate the efficacy and
      toxicity of gemcitabine monotherapy has been conducted in Japan. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed eight nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with
      gemcitabine monotherapy at National Cancer Center Hospital East between May 2015
      and August 2016. The main eligibility criteria were (1) histopathologically
      proven NPC; (2) tumor recurrence or an initial M1 TNM stage diagnosis; (3) at
      least two other types of systemic chemotherapy prior to gemcitabine; (4) no other
      active malignant tumor during treatment. RESULTS: All patients were administered
      gemcitabine 800-1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15, repeated every 4 weeks.
      Gemcitabine was given as third-line systemic chemotherapy in six (74%) patients,
      as fourth-line in one (13%) and as fifth-line in one (13%). One patient had a
      complete response and one had a partial response, giving an overall response rate
      of 25%; four patients (50%) had stable disease and two (25%) experienced disease
      progression. The main toxicity was myelosuppression, with grade 3 leukopenia in
      three (38%) patients and neutropenia in four (50%). There were no treatment
      related deaths. Median dose intensity and relative dose intensity of gemcitabine
      were 620 mg/m2/week and 97.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest
      that GEM monotherapy is well tolerated and has potential as an active agent in
      Japanese patients with recurrent/metastatic NPC who have been heavily pretreated.

PMID- 28616755
TI  - CORR Insights(r): Does the FIFA 11+ Injury Prevention Program Reduce the
      Incidence of ACL Injury in Male Soccer Players?

PMID- 28616754
TI  - Sexually dimorphic distribution of Prokr2 neurons revealed by the Prokr2-Cre
      mouse model.
AB  - Prokineticin receptor 2 (PROKR2) is predominantly expressed in the mammalian
      central nervous system. Loss-of-function mutations of PROKR2 in humans are
      associated with Kallmann syndrome due to the disruption of gonadotropin releasing
      hormone neuronal migration and deficient olfactory bulb morphogenesis. PROKR2 has
      been also implicated in the neuroendocrine control of GnRH neurons post-migration
      and other physiological systems. However, the brain circuitry and mechanisms
      associated with these actions have been difficult to investigate mainly due to
      the widespread distribution of Prokr2-expressing cells, and the lack of animal
      models and molecular tools. Here, we describe the generation, validation and
      characterization of a new mouse model that expresses Cre recombinase driven by
      the Prokr2 promoter, using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Cre expression was visualized
      using reporter genes, tdTomato and GFP, in males and females. Expression of Cre
      induced reporter genes was found in brain sites previously described to express
      Prokr2, e.g., the paraventricular and the suprachiasmatic nuclei, and the area
      postrema. The Prokr2-Cre mouse model was further validated by colocalization of
      Cre-induced GFP and Prokr2 mRNA. No disruption of Prokr2 expression, GnRH
      neuronal migration or fertility was observed. Comparative analysis of Prokr2-Cre
      expression in male and female brains revealed a sexually dimorphic distribution
      confirmed by in situ hybridization. In females, higher Cre activity was found in
      the medial preoptic area, ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus, arcuate
      nucleus, medial amygdala and lateral parabrachial nucleus. In males, Cre was
      higher in the amygdalo-hippocampal area. The sexually dimorphic pattern of Prokr2
      expression indicates differential roles in reproductive function and,
      potentially, in other physiological systems.

PMID- 28616756
TI  - Editor's Spotlight/Take 5: Readability of Orthopaedic Patient-reported Outcome
      Measures: Is There a Fundamental Failure to Communicate?

PMID- 28616757
TI  - CORR Insights(r): Complete Circumferential Osseous Extension in the Acetabular
      Rim Occurs Regardless of Acetabular Coverage.

PMID- 28616758
TI  - Does Humeral Component Lateralization in Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Affect
      Rotator Cuff Torque? Evaluation in a Cadaver Model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Humeral component lateralization in reverse total shoulder
      arthroplasty (RTSA) may improve the biomechanical advantage of the rotator cuff,
      which could improve the torque generated by the rotator cuff and increase
      internal and external rotation of the shoulder. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in
      vitro biomechanical study was to evaluate the effect of humeral component
      lateralization (or lateral offset) on the torque of the anterior and posterior
      rotator cuff. METHODS: Eight fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders from eight separate
      donors (74 +/- 8 years; six males, two females) were tested using an in vitro
      simulator. All shoulders were prescreened for soft tissue deficit and/or
      deformity before testing. A custom RTSA prosthesis was implanted that allowed
      five levels of humeral component lateralization (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 mm), which
      avoided restrictions imposed by commercially available designs. The torques
      exerted by the anterior and posterior rotator cuff were measured three times and
      then averaged for varying humeral lateralization, abduction angle (0 degrees , 45
      degrees , 90 degrees ), and internal and external rotation (-60 degrees , -30
      degrees , 0 degrees , 30 degrees , 60 degrees ). A three-way repeated measures
      ANOVA (abduction angle, humeral lateralization, internal rotation and external
      rotation angles) with a significance level of alpha = 0.05 was used for
      statistical analysis. RESULTS: Humeral lateralization only affected posterior
      rotator cuff torque at 0 degrees  abduction, where increasing humeral
      lateralization from 15 to 35 mm at 60 degrees  internal rotation decreased
      external rotation torque by 1.6 +/- 0.4 Nm (95% CI, -0.07 -1.56 Nm; p = 0.06)
      from 4.0 +/- 0.3 Nm to 2.4 +/- 0.6 Nm, respectively, but at 60 degrees  external
      rotation increased external rotation torque by 2.2 +/- 0.5 Nm (95% CI, -4.2 to 
      0.2 Nm; p = 0.029) from 6.2 +/- 0.5 Nm to 8.3 +/- 0.5 Nm, respectively. Anterior
      cuff torque was affected by humeral lateralization in more arm positions than the
      posterior cuff, where increasing humeral lateralization from 15 to 35 mm when at
      60 degrees  internal rotation increased internal rotation torque at 0 degrees ,
      45 degrees , and 90 degrees  abduction by 3.2 +/- 0.5 Nm (95% CI, 1.1-5.2 Nm; p =
      0.004) from 6.6 +/- 0.6 Nm to 9.7 +/- 0.6 Nm, 4.0 +/- 0.3 Nm (95% CI, 2.8-5.0 Nm;
      p < 0.001) from 1.7 +/- 1.0 Nm to 5.6 +/- 0.9 Nm, and 2.2 +/- 0.2 Nm (95% CI, 1.4
      2.9 Nm; p < 0.001) from 0.6 +/- 0.6 Nm to 2.8 +/- 0.6 Nm, respectively. In
      neutral internal and external rotation, increasing humeral lateral offset from 15
      to 35 mm increased the internal rotation torque at 45 and 90 abduction by 1.5 +/-
      0.3 Nm (95% CI, 0.2-2.7 Nm; p = 0.02) and 1.3 +/- 0.2 Nm (95% CI, 0.4-2.3 Nm; p <
      0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Humeral component lateralization improves
      rotator cuff torque. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results of this preliminary in vitro
      cadaveric study suggest that the lateral offset of the RTSA humeral component
      plays an important role in the torque generated by the anterior and posterior
      rotator cuff. However, further studies are needed before clinical application of
      these results. Increasing humeral offset may have adverse effects, such as the
      increased risk of implant modularity, increasing tension of the cuff and soft
      tissues, increased costs often associated with design modifications, and other
      possible as yet unforeseen negative consequences.

PMID- 28616759
TI  - Is Dual Semitendinosus Allograft Stronger Than Turndown for Achilles Tendon
      Reconstruction? An In Vitro Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Large Achilles tendon defects pose a treatment challenge. The
      standard treatment with a turndown flap requires a large extensile incision, puts
      the sural nerve at risk, and demands slow, careful rehabilitation. Dual allograft
      semitendinosus reconstruction is a new clinical alternative that has the
      theoretical advantages of a smaller incision, less dissection, and a stronger
      construct that may allow for faster rehabilitation. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: In a
      cadaver biomechanical model, we compared the dual allograft semitendinosus
      reconstruction with the myofascial turndown in terms of (1) mechanical strength
      and resistance to deformation and (2) failure mechanisms in reconstruction of
      large segmental Achilles defects. METHODS: An 8-cm segmental Achilles defect was
      created in 18 cadaveric lower extremities, nine matched pairs without defect or
      previous surgery (mean age, 78.4 years; range, 60-97 years; three female and six
      male pairs). Femoral neck densitometry to determine bone mineral density found
      that all specimens except two were osteopenic or osteoporotic. Specimens in each
      pair were assigned to allograft or turndown reconstruction. The constructs were
      mounted on a load frame and differential variable reluctance transducers were
      applied to measure deformation. Specimens were preconditioned and then loaded
      axially. Tensile force and proximal and distal construct deformation were
      measured at clinical failure, defined as 10 mm of displacement, and at ultimate
      failure, defined as failure of the reconstruction. Failure mechanism was
      recorded. RESULTS: Tensile strength at time zero was higher in the allograft
      versus the turndown construct at clinical failure (156.9 +/- 29.7 N versus 107.2
      +/- 20.0 N, respectively; mean difference, -49.7 N; 95% CI, -66.3 to -33.0 N; p <
      0.001) and at ultimate failure (290.9 +/- 83.2 N versus 140.7 +/- 43.5 N,
      respectively; mean difference, -150.2 N; 95% CI, -202.9 to -97.6 N; p < 0.001).
      Distal construct deformation was lower in the turndown versus the allograft
      construct at clinical failure (1.6 +/- 1.0 mm versus 4.7 +/- 0.7 mm medially and
      2.2 +/- 1.0 mm versus 4.8 +/- 1.1 mm laterally; p < 0.001). Semitendinosus
      allograft failure occurred via calcaneal bone bridge fracture in eight of nine
      specimens. All myofascial turndowns failed via suture pullout through the fascial
      tissue at its insertion. CONCLUSION: In this comparative biomechanical study,
      dual semitendinosus allograft reconstruction showed greater tensile strength and
      construct deformation compared with myofascial turndown in a cadaveric model of
      large Achilles tendon defects. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Further study of dual
      semitendinosus allograft for treatment of severe Achilles tendon defects with
      cyclic loading and investigation of clinical results will better elucidate the
      clinical utility and indications for this technique.

PMID- 28616761
TI  - A Response to Predictors of Heart Disease Knowledge Among Older and Younger Asian
      Indian Adults.

PMID- 28616760
TI  - Liver segmentation: indications, techniques and future directions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Liver volumetry has emerged as an important tool in clinical
      practice. Liver volume is assessed primarily via organ segmentation of computed
      tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. The goal of this
      paper is to provide an accessible overview of liver segmentation targeted at
      radiologists and other healthcare professionals. METHODS: Using images from CT
      and MRI, this paper reviews the indications for liver segmentation, technical
      approaches used in segmentation software and the developing roles of liver
      segmentation in clinical practice. RESULTS: Liver segmentation for volumetric
      assessment is indicated prior to major hepatectomy, portal vein embolisation,
      associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy
      (ALPPS) and transplant. Segmentation software can be categorised according to
      amount of user input involved: manual, semi-automated and fully automated. Manual
      segmentation is considered the "gold standard" in clinical practice and research,
      but is tedious and time-consuming. Increasingly automated segmentation approaches
      are more robust, but may suffer from certain segmentation pitfalls. Emerging
      applications of segmentation include surgical planning and integration with MRI
      based biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: Liver segmentation has multiple clinical
      applications and is expanding in scope. Clinicians can employ semi-automated or
      fully automated segmentation options to more efficiently integrate volumetry into
      clinical practice. TEACHING POINTS: * Liver volume is assessed via organ
      segmentation on CT and MRI examinations. * Liver segmentation is used for volume
      assessment prior to major hepatic procedures. * Segmentation approaches may be
      categorised according to the amount of user input involved. * Emerging
      applications include surgical planning and integration with MRI-based biomarkers.

PMID- 28616762
TI  - A systematic comparison of cardiovascular magnetic resonance and high resolution
      histological fibrosis quantification in a chronic porcine infarct model.
AB  - The noninvasive reference standard for myocardial fibrosis detection on
      cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is late gadolinium enhancement
      (LGE). Currently there is no consensus on the preferred method for LGE
      quantification. Moreover myocardial wall thickening (WT) and strain are measures
      of regional deformation and function. The aim of this research was to
      systematically compare in vivo CMR parameters, such as LGE, WT and strain, with
      histological fibrosis quantification. Eight weeks after 90 min
      ischemia/reperfusion of the LAD artery, 16 pigs underwent in vivo Cine and LGE
      CMR. Histological sections from transverse heart slices were digitally analysed
      for fibrosis quantification. Mean fibrosis percentage of analysed sections was
      related to the different CMR techniques (using segmentation or feature tracking
      software) for each slice using a linear mixed model analysis. The full width at
      half maximum (FWHM) technique for quantification of LGE yielded the highest R2 of
      60%. Cine derived myocardial WT explained 16-36% of the histological myocardial
      fibrosis. The peak circumferential and radial strain measured by feature tracking
      could explain 15 and 10% of the variance of myocardial fibrosis, respectively.
      The used method to systematically compare CMR image data with digital
      histological images is novel and feasible. Myocardial WT and strain were only
      modestly related with the amount of fibrosis. The fully automatic FWHM analysis
      technique is the preferred method to detect myocardial fibrosis.

PMID- 28616763
TI  - Associations between fruit and vegetable variety and low-grade inflammation in
      Portuguese adolescents from LabMed Physical Activity Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The dietary guidelines for the consumption of a variety of fruits and
      vegetables have been recognized as an important factor for achieving healthy
      eating patterns to reduce the risk of chronic disease throughout the lifespan.
      Our aim is to assess the association between fruit and vegetable variety and low
      grade inflammation in adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis was
      conducted with 412 adolescents (ages 14.4 +/- 1.7 years; 52% girls). The
      consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables was assessed with a food
      frequency questionnaire, considering the number of individual/category of fruit
      or vegetable intake at least once month, and categorized into tertiles. Blood
      samples were collected to determine C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL
      6), complement component 3 (C3), and 4 (C4). We created categories of lower or
      higher (inflammatory state) for each biomarker, considering sex- and age-adjusted
      median values. Then, we computed an overall inflammatory score, by adding all
      points awarded wherein one point was assigned if biomarker was higher or zero if
      lower, and created categories of 0-1 or 2-4 biomarkers above the median. The odds
      ratio (OR) and 95% interval confidence (95% CI) were calculated from binary
      logistic regression to estimate the magnitude of association between fruit and
      vegetable variety and inflammatory biomarkers. RESULTS: Adolescents with a
      greater variety of vegetable consumption (>=13 categories/month) had lower odds
      of having a higher CRP (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.15-0.64, p trend = 0.004) when compared
      to those with lower variety consumption (<=6 categories/month), independent of
      vegetable quantity intake. However, a greater variety of fruit consumption (>=12
      categories/month) had higher odds of having a higher IL-6 (OR 4.41, 95% CI 1.67
      11.71, p trend = 0.012), C3 (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.23-8.86, p trend = 0.047), and
      inflammatory score (OR 4.90, 95% CI 1.62-14.86, p trend = 0.017), when compared
      to those with lower variety consumption (<=9 categories/month), independent of
      fruit quantity intake, only for girls. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of a variety
      of vegetables is inversely associated with lower CRP. This finding supports the
      current dietary guidelines regarding the consumption of a variety of vegetables.
      The role of fruit variety in low-grade inflammation should be further studied.

PMID- 28616764
TI  - Abrupt salinity stress induces oxidative stress via the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling
      pathway in large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of abrupt salinity
      stress (12, 26 (control), and 40) on lipid peroxidation, activities and mRNA
      levels of antioxidant enzymes (Cu/Zn-SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR), and gene expression
      of the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling molecules at different times (6, 12, 24, and 48 h) in
      the liver of large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea. The results showed that
      lipid peroxidation was sharply reduced at 6 h and increased at 12 h before
      returning to control levels in the hypo-salinity group. Similarly, lipid
      peroxidation was significantly decreased at 6 h followed by a sharp increase
      towards the end of the exposure in the hyper-salinity group. Negative
      relationships between lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities and
      positive relationships between activities and gene expression of antioxidant
      enzymes were observed, suggesting that the changes at molecular levels and enzyme
      activity levels may provide protective roles against damage from salinity stress.
      Obtained results also showed a coordinated transcriptional regulation of
      antioxidant genes, suggesting that Nrf2 is required for regulating these genes.
      Furthermore, there was a positive relationship between the mRNA levels of Nrf2
      and Keap1, indicating that Keap1 plays an important role in switching off the
      Nrf2 response. In conclusion, this is the first study to elucidate effects of
      salinity stress on antioxidant responses in large yellow croaker through the
      Keap1-Nrf2 pathway.

PMID- 28616765
TI  - Effects of replacing fish meal with rubber seed meal on growth, nutrient
      utilization, and cholesterol metabolism of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus * O.
      aureus).
AB  - A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing fish meal with
      rubber seed meal (RSM) on growth, nutrient utilization, and cholesterol
      metabolism of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus * Oreochromis aureus). Five
      experimental diets were formulated with 0, 150, 300, 450, and 600 g kg-1 RSM
      replacing graded levels of fish meal, respectively. Each diet was randomly
      assigned to triplicate groups of 25 fish (initial average weight 65.3 g) per
      aquarium in a rearing system maintained at 29 +/- 1  degrees C for 8 weeks.
      Dietary 150 g kg-1 RSM inclusion did not affect the weight gain and daily growth
      coefficient, whereas these were depressed by a further inclusion. Additionally,
      feed efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio were not affected by dietary
      RSM inclusion regardless of inclusion level. However, the inclusion of 450 and
      600 g kg-1 RSM decreased the mid-intestinal trypsin, lipase, and amylase
      activities; the hepatic acyl-CoA/cholesterol acyl transferase; low-density
      lipoprotein receptor; and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase activities.
      Similarly, dietary 600 g kg-1 RSM inclusion inhibited the plasma catalase and
      hepatic glutathione peroxidase activities. These results indicated that 150 g kg
      1 RSM can be included in tilapia diets, whereas higher inclusion of RSM inhibited
      the growth rate, digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant capacity, and cholesterol
      metabolism.

PMID- 28616766
TI  - [Knowledge and information sources of parents of 3- to 6-year-old children
      concerning skin cancer risk factors].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The dissemination of knowledge on risk factors and preventive
      strategies is a core element of skin cancer prevention. However, little is known
      about the information channels utilised by the population for this purpose.
      OBJECTIVES: Descriptive analysis of information sources used by parents of 3- to
      6-year-old children as a particularly relevant target group and analysis of
      association patterns between socio-demographic factors, types of information
      sources and acquired knowledge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study
      was performed using a self-administered questionnaire with an online option
      between October 2011 and February 2012 with 3129 families who had at least one
      child visiting a kindergarten in the county of Erlangen-Hochstadt, the city of
      Erlangen or the city of Ansbach (Bavaria, Germany), with an 87.5% response rate
      on the level of kindergartens and 56.5% on the level of observational units
      (families). RESULTS: There were few structural differences between study regions.
      The internet was used by only 13.3% of participants. A positive association was
      found between the use of multiple information sources and relevant knowledge and,
      partly, protective behaviour. A negative association was identified between the
      use of the internet and knowledge. In contrast, the use of print media or audio
      visual or personal channels of information was positively associated with
      knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Preventive efforts should be increased that target parts
      of the population with lower formal education. The internet does not seem to play
      an important role and may even adversely affect knowledge, possibly due to
      unvalidated and misleading information.

PMID- 28616767
TI  - Art and Science of Instrument Development for Stated-Preference Methods.

PMID- 28616768
TI  - Antitumor activity and safety profile of weekly carboplatin plus paclitaxel in
      metastatic breast cancer: a ten-year, monocentric, retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Taxanes are a mainstay in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer
      (mBC). Combination chemotherapy, including platinum-taxens doublets, can improve
      tumor responses and progression-free survival (PFS), but is associated with more
      toxicities and an uncertain benefit in terms of overall survival (OS). METHODS:
      We performed a retrospective study on 274 consecutive patients with mBC treated
      at the Division of Medical Oncology of Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale
      Tumori, Milan, Italy, during the decade 2007-2016 with the combination of
      carboplatin AUC 2 plus paclitaxel 80 mg/m2, both given on days 1 and 8 in every
      21-day cycle. RESULTS: 264 patients were evaluable for treatment safety and
      activity. The objective response rate (ORR) was 44.7%. Median PFS and OS were 8.6
      and 23.7 months, respectively. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients had
      significantly lower PFS and OS times compared to other biology groups. At
      multivariable analysis, previous exposure to taxanes, HR-positive HER2-negative
      biology, a higher number of metastatic sites, and de novo metastatic disease at
      diagnosis were associated with reduced PFS, while receiving maintenance therapy
      correlated with improved PFS. Overall, the treatment was quite well tolerated,
      with 10.2% of patients discontinuing one or both drugs because of adverse events
      (AEs). G3-G4 neutropenia occurred in 16.8% of patients, while the incidence of
      febrile neutropenia was 2.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Weekly carboplatin-paclitaxel regimen
      is active and well tolerated in mBC treatment. Prospective studies should be
      conducted to compare its efficacy and tolerability with standard single-agent
      paclitaxel or docetaxel treatment schedules, as well as with more recent
      combination regimens.

PMID- 28616769
TI  - Prospective Associations Among Youth Religiosity and Religious Denomination and
      Youth Contraception Use.
AB  - This study prospectively investigates associations among youth religiosity,
      religious denomination, and contraception use. Associations between youth
      religiosity and religious denomination, and type of contraceptive used and
      consistent contraceptive use among sexually active youth (N = 757) were analyzed
      using multinomial and binomial logistic regression. Identifying with a religious
      denomination was a predictor of dual contraceptive use relative to using no
      method of contraception (AOR = 2.17). There was no association between youth
      religiosity and type of contraceptive use or contraceptive consistency. Religious
      leaders and public health practitioners should collaborate to develop strategies
      to engage in conversations with sexually active youth about contraceptive use.

PMID- 28616770
TI  - Protective Effect of Origanum Oil on Alterations of Some Trace Elements and
      Antioxidant Levels Induced by Mercuric Chloride in Male Rats.
AB  - In the current study, 48 male rats were classified into four groups (12
      rats/group): 1-control group received 1 ml distilled water, 2-origanum oil group
      treated daily with oral dose of origanum oil (5 mg/kg) for 30 and 60 days, 3
      mercuric chloride group treated daily with oral dose of mercuric chloride (4
      mg/kg) for 30 and 60 days, and 4-origanum oil + mercuric chloride group treated
      with both origanum oil and mercuric chloride (5 and 4 mg/kg, respectively) for 30
      and 60 days. All treatments were carried out by stomach tube. The results showed
      that administration of mercuric chloride induced significant increase in
      thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and decrease in glutathione (GSH),
      catalase (CAT), and super oxide dismutase (SOD) in testis and spleen tissues. The
      data also showed significant increase in tumor necrossis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha), 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG), acid phosphatase (ACP), urea, and
      creatinine. Furthermore, significant decreases in serum zinc (Zn), copper (Cu),
      magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and testosterone in mercuric chloride group were
      recorded. The histological examination of testis and spleen tissues showed some
      degenerative changes while significant improvement in the antioxidant levels,
      biochemical, trace elements, and histological changes were observed in mercuric
      chloride group treated with origanum oil. It could be concluded that origanum oil
      through its antioxidant potential may possess health promoting properties and
      could protect cells from oxidative damage induced by mercuric chloride.

PMID- 28616771
TI  - Androgen supplementation improves some but not all aspects of immune senescence
      in aged male macaques.
AB  - Aging leads to a progressive decline in immune function commonly referred to as
      immune senescence, which results in increased incidence and severity of
      infection. In addition, older males experience a significant disruption in their
      levels of circulating androgens, notably testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone
      (DHEA), which has been linked to sarcopenia, osteoporosis, cardiovascular
      disease, and diabetes. Since sex steroid levels modulate immune function, it is
      possible that the age-related decline in androgen levels can also affect immune
      senescence. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the pleiotropic effects of
      physiological androgen supplementation in aged male rhesus macaques (n = 7/group)
      on immune cell subset frequency and response to vaccination. As expected,
      frequency of naive CD4 and CD8 T cells declined in aged non-treated macaques,
      while that of memory T cells increased. In contrast, frequency of naive and
      memory T cells remained stable in androgen-supplemented males. In addition,
      levels of inflammatory cytokines increased less steeply in supplemented aged
      males compared to the aged controls. Despite these changes, androgen-supplemented
      animals only showed modest improvement in antibody responses following
      vaccination compared to age non-treated controls. These data indicate that short
      term physiological androgen supplementation can improve some but not all aspects
      of immune senescence.

PMID- 28616772
TI  - Evaluation of the cognitive behavioral smoking reduction program "Smoke_less": a
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - : The vast majority of smokers are unable or unwilling to quit, but many are open
      to reducing smoking. No treatment options exist for these smokers besides
      medication-based therapies. Thus, this study investigated the efficacy of a
      cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) smoking reduction program, Smoke_less. A
      sample of 155 outpatient smokers aged 18-70 years was recruited at the Tobacco
      Dependence Outpatient Clinic of the Medical Center of the University of Munich,
      Germany, and randomly assigned to the experimental group (Smoke_less: four weekly
      CBT group sessions and two telephone calls over 5 weeks, n = 51), active
      comparator group (one 15-minute counseling session, n = 49), or waiting control
      group (no intervention during the study, n = 55). The primary endpoint was a
      >=50% smoking reduction in the intention-to-treat group 1 week and 6 months after
      the intervention. We evaluated also abstinence rates at follow-up. Significantly
      more participants in the Smoke_less group had reduced smoking >=50% compared to
      the waiting group at 1 week [OR 7.59 (2.59-22.19)] and 6 months [OR 5.00 (1.68
      14.84)] and compared to the active comparison group at 1 week [OR 8.58 (2.67
      27.31)] but not at 6 months [OR 1.73 (0.71-4.20)]. We found no significant
      effects on abstinence rates. The CBT smoking reduction program Smoke_less is
      effective for smoking reduction but is superior to brief counseling only in the
      short term. Further research is required to improve its efficacy in long-term
      smoking reduction to provide a valid, non-medication-based alternative to smokers
      unable or unwilling to quit. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:
      NCT02337400.

PMID- 28616773
TI  - Intracochlear schwannoma : Tumor removal via subtotal cochleoectomy and partial
      cochlear reconstruction with preservation of semicircular canal function.
AB  - We report about a patient, who in 2005, as a 37-year-old, experienced a sudden,
      mild to moderate, mid-frequency sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear,
      along with tinnitus and mild dizziness. MRI of the temporal bone revealed a very
      small (1 mm) enhancing lesion in the second turn of the right cochlea after
      injection of contrast medium. Hearing gradually deteriorated, with complete
      hearing loss in 2015. At this time, an MRI scan showed a lesion completely
      filling the cochlea.The tumor was removed through a subtotal cochleoectomy. The
      cochlea was partially reconstructed with cartilage and fascia. A cochlea implant
      dummy electrode was inserted as a placeholder in order to try to preserve a
      channel within the most likely fibrosing "neocochlea" during follow-up MRI
      examinations.Vestibular function tests 2 months postoperatively showed preserved
      caloric excitability and a normal vestibulo-ocular reflex (video head impulse
      test, vHIT) in all three planes. The patient is free of vertigo.Intralabyrinthine
      schwannomas (ILS) are a rare differential diagnosis of sudden hearing loss.
      Surgical removal of an intracochlear ILS through partial or subtotal
      cochleoectomy with preservation of vestibular function is possible.

PMID- 28616774
TI  - [Molecular component-resolved allergy diagnostics in ENT].
AB  - Molecular component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) are, in addition to its research
      applications, being increasingly used in daily allergological routine. CRD offers
      improved diagnostic accuracy via a better understanding of the underlying
      allergen causing symptoms and helps to distinguish between true sensitization and
      cross reactions in polysensitized patients, thereby providing an approach for
      individual personalized therapy. Particularly in food allergies and anaphylaxis,
      CRD can stratify risks for the recurrence of reactions and their severity. The
      education and extended vocational training of clinical allergologists has to keep
      pace with the tremendous increase of knowledge in the field of molecular
      allergology.

PMID- 28616775
TI  - Informing Reimbursement Decisions Using Cost-Effectiveness Modelling: A Guide to
      the Process of Generating Elicited Priors to Capture Model Uncertainties.
AB  - In informing decisions, utilising health technology assessment (HTA), expert
      elicitation can provide valuable information, particularly where there is a less
      developed evidence-base at the point of market access. In these circumstances,
      formal methods to elicit expert judgements are preferred to improve the
      accountability and transparency of the decision-making process, help reduce bias
      and the use of heuristics, and also provide a structure that allows uncertainty
      to be expressed. Expert elicitation is the process of transforming the subjective
      and implicit knowledge of experts into their quantifiable expressions. The use of
      expert elicitation in HTA is gaining momentum, and there is particular interest
      in its application to diagnostics, medical devices and complex interventions such
      as in public health or social care. Compared with the gathering of experimental
      evidence, elicitation constitutes a reasonably low-cost source of evidence. Given
      its inherent subject nature, the potential biases in elicited evidence cannot be
      ignored and, due to its infancy in HTA, there is little guidance to the analyst
      wishing to conduct a formal elicitation exercise. This article attempts to
      summarise the stages of designing and conducting an expert elicitation, drawing
      on key literature and examples, most of which are not in HTA. In addition, we
      critique their applicability to HTA, given its distinguishing features. There are
      a number of issues that the analyst should be mindful of, in particular the need
      to appropriately characterise the uncertainty associated with model inputs and
      the fact that there are often numerous parameters required, not all of which can
      be defined using the same quantities. This increases the need for the elicitation
      task to be as straightforward as possible for the expert to complete.

PMID- 28616776
TI  - Evidence towards RNA Binding Motif (RNP1, RRM) Protein 3 (RBM3) as a Potential
      Biomarker of Lithium Response in Bipolar Disorder Patients.
AB  - Lithium has been used for more than six decades for the management of bipolar
      disorder (BD). In a previous transcriptomic study, we showed that patients
      affected by either BD or cluster headache, both disorders characterized by
      circadian disturbances and response to lithium in a subgroup of patients, have
      higher expression of the RNA binding motif (RNP1, RRM) protein 3 (RBM3) gene
      compared to controls. To investigate whether RBM3 could represent a biomarker of
      lithium response, we screened raw microarray expression data from lymphoblastoid
      cell lines (LCLs) derived from 20 BD patients, responders or non-responders to
      lithium. RBM3 was the most significantly differentially expressed gene in the
      list, being overexpressed in responders compared to non-responders (fold change =
      2.0; p = 1.5 * 10-16). We therefore sought to validate the microarray finding by
      quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and
      explore whether RBM3 expression was modulated by lithium treatment in vitro in
      LCLs as well as in human-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Our findings
      confirmed the higher expression of RBM3 in responders compared to non-responders
      (fold change = 3.78; p = 0.0002). Lithium did not change RBM3 expression in LCLs
      in any of the groups, but it increased its expression in NPCs. While preliminary,
      our data suggest that higher levels of RBM3 might be required for better lithium
      response and that the expression of this gene could be modulated by lithium in a
      tissue-specific manner.

PMID- 28616777
TI  - Differential Regulation of MeCP2 Phosphorylation by Laminin in Oligodendrocytes.
AB  - Oligodendrocytes (OLGs) are the myelinating cells of the central nervous system
      (CNS), and its proper differentiation is crucial for normal functioning of
      neurons. Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a multifunctional methylated DNA
      binding protein; mutation of which causes Rett syndrome, a severe
      neurodevelopmental disorder. Previously, we reported that MeCP2 is expressed in
      all the stages of oligodendrocyte development, and also shown the role of MeCP2
      as a transcription regulator of myelin genes in OLGs. The expression and function
      of MeCP2 phosphorylation at S80 (pS80MeCP2) has been well studied in neurons and
      astrocytes; however, there is no data so far available in OLGs regarding
      pS80MeCP2. Certain developmental stimuli such as growth factors and extracellular
      matrix (ECM) protein play important role in OLG development. In the present
      study, we have examined the effects of external stimuli (growth factors (GFs) and
      extracellular matrix (ECMs)) on S80 phosphorylation of MeCP2 in N19
      oligodendroglial cells (N19 OLGs). This study provides the first evidence that
      laminin (LN) differentially regulates the expression of pS80MeCP2 in immature and
      mature N19 OLGs. Thus, MeCP2 is phosphorylated in a stimulus-dependent manner
      during oligodendrocyte development, and thereby, it may regulate the
      oligodendrocyte behavior.

PMID- 28616778
TI  - Auditory brainstem responses after electrolytic lesions in bilateral subdivisions
      of the medial geniculate body of tree shrews.
AB  - This study aimed to establish a tree shrew model of bilateral electrolytic
      lesions in the medial geniculate body (MGB) to determine the advantages of using
      a tree shrew model and to assess the pattern of sound processing in tree shrews
      after bilateral electrolytic damage in different parts of the MGB. The auditory
      brainstem responses (ABRs) of a normal control group (n = 30) and an electrical
      damage group (n = 30) were tested at 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 7 days, 15 days, and
      30 days after surgery. (1) The bilateral ablations group exhibited a significant
      increase in the ABR threshold of the electrolytic damage group between pre- and
      post-operation. (2) There were significant increases in the I-VI latencies at 0 h
      after MGBd and MGBm lesions and at 24 h after MGBv lesion. (3) The amplitudes of
      wave VI were significantly decreased at 24 h and 48 h after MGBd lesion, at 72 h
      and 7 days after MGBm lesion, and at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 7 days after MGBv
      lesion. (1) The electrolytic damage group suffered hearing loss that did not
      recover and appeared to be difficult to fully repair after bilateral ablation.
      (2) The latencies and amplitudes of responses in the MGB following bilateral
      electrolytic lesion were restored to pre-operation levels after 15-30 days,
      suggesting that a portion of the central nuclei lesion was reversible. (3) The
      tree shrew auditory animal model has many advantages compared to other animal
      models, such as greater complexity of brain structure and auditory nuclei fiber
      connections, which make the results of this experiment more useful for clinical
      diagnoses compared with studies using rats and guinea pigs.

PMID- 28616779
TI  - [Arthrodesis of the distal interphalangeal joint using the headless compression
      screw].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Arthrodesis of the distal interphalangeal joint of the fingers and
      interphalangeal joint of the thumb in order to gain reliable stability and
      function. INDICATIONS: Primary and secondary osteoarthritis, rheumatoid
      arthritis, defect lesions, septic joint destruction, posttraumatic joint
      deviation, fatal joint instability, fatal tendon lesions. CONTRAINDICATIONS:
      Persistent infections (empyema, osteomyelitis, phlegmon), deficient soft tissue
      mantle, bone/screw mismatch. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Using Beasley's approach the
      extensor tendon is identified and sectioned. Incision of the collateral ligaments
      enables good exposition. Precise resection of the joint surfaces. An orthograde
      guidewire is place into the distal phalanx. After adjustment of the arthrodesis
      which is controlled using x-ray, the guide wire is drilled into the middle
      phalanx in retrograde fashion. An adequate headless compression screw is
      introduced via a transverse incision at the fingertip using the guide wire, the
      former screw is placed until sufficient compression is generated. POSTOPERATIVE
      MANAGEMENT: Finger splint reaching to the proximal interphalangeal joint for 4
      weeks after arthrodesis, full weight bearing after 6 weeks. RESULTS: Seventeen
      patients were examined after arthrodesis of the distal interphalangeal joint
      using the headless compression screw. The arthrodesis proved to be reliable and
      safe with a low complication rate and a good functional outcome. The modified
      Mayo Wrist Score (MMWS) was on average 89 (range 55-100); the outcome parameter
      DASH (disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand) score was on average 27 (range 1
      60).

PMID- 28616780
TI  - [Is deferment of the time of administration to avoid an aspirin/metamizole
      interaction by chronic dosing sufficient?]

PMID- 28616782
TI  - Erratum to: Effect of high-fat diet on rat myometrium during pregnancy-isolated
      myometrial mitochondria are not affected.

PMID- 28616781
TI  - Impact of hyperglycemia on cystathionine-gamma-lyase expression during
      resuscitated murine septic shock.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) was shown to have a regulatory role
      in glucose metabolism. Circulatory shock can induce metabolic stress, thereby
      leading to hyperglycemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. In vitro data suggest an
      effect of high glucose on CSE expression. Therefore, the aim of this study was to
      investigate the effects of hyperglycemia on CSE expression in resuscitated murine
      septic shock. METHODS: Normo- (80-150 mg/dl) and hyperglycemic (>200 mg/dl) male
      C57/BL6J mice (n = 5-6 per group) underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)
      induced polymicrobial sepsis or sham procedure (n = 6 per group) and, 15 h
      afterwards, were anesthetized again, surgically instrumented and received
      intensive care treatment, including antibiotics, lung protective mechanical
      ventilation, circulatory support, and intravenous (i.v.) glucose infusion (50% as
      stable-isotope labeled 1,2,3,4,5,6-13C6 glucose). Blood and breath gas were
      sampled hourly to quantify parameters of glucose metabolism. 5 h later, mice were
      sacrificed and organs were harvested. The liver mitochondrial respiratory
      activity was determined via high resolution respirometry; CSE, peroxisome
      proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1alpha), and
      adipocyte differentiation-related protein (ADRP) expression was
      immunohistochemically investigated. RESULTS: In sepsis combined with
      hyperglycemia the least CSE and PGC1alpha expression could be detected, along
      with reduced mitochondrial respiratory activity, and enhanced ADRP expression, a
      marker of lipid droplet formation, in the liver. A novel in vivo finding is the
      CSE translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus triggered by metabolic stress.
      CONCLUSIONS: A relationship between CSE and glucose metabolism was established,
      which, when dysregulated, may contribute to fatty liver disease and hepatic
      steatosis.

PMID- 28616783
TI  - A search for glomuferrin: a potential siderophore of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
      of the genus Glomus.
AB  - Most fungi are known to synthesize siderophores under iron limitation. However,
      arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) have so far not been reported to produce
      siderophores, although their metabolism is iron-dependent. In an approach to
      isolate siderophores from AM fungi, we have grown plants of Tagetes patula nana
      in the presence of spores from AM fungi of the genus Glomus (G. etunicatum, G.
      mossae & unidentified Glomus sp.) symbiotically under iron limitation and sterile
      conditions. A siderophore was isolated from infected roots after 2-3 weeks of
      growth in pots containing low-iron sand with Hoagland solution. HPLC analysis of
      the root cell lysate revealed a peak at a retention time of 6.7 min which showed
      iron-binding properties in a chrome azurol S test. The compound was isolated by
      preparative HPLC and the structure was determined by high resolution electrospray
      FTICR-MS and GC/MS analysis of the hydrolysis products. From an observed absolute
      mass to charge ratio (m/z) of 401.11925 [M+H]+ with a relative mass error of ? =
      0.47 ppm an elemental composition of C16H21N2O10 [M+H]+ was derived, suggesting a
      molecular weight of 400 Da for glomuferrin. Corresponnding ion masses of m/z
      423.10 and m/z 439.06 were asigned to the Na-adduct and K-adduct respectively. A
      mass of 455.03836 confirmed an Fe- complex with an elemental composition of
      C16H19N2O10Fe (? = 0.15 ppm). GC/MS analysis of the HCl lysate (6 N HCL, 12 h)
      revealed 1,4 butanediamine. Thus the proposed structure of the isolated
      siderophore from Glomus species consisted of 1,4 butanediamine amidically linked
      to two dehydrated citrate residues, similar to the previously identified bis
      amidorhizoferrin. Thus, the isolated siderophore (glomuferrin) is a member of the
      rhizoferrin family previously isolated from fungi of the Mucorales (Zygomycetes).

PMID- 28616784
TI  - Synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, DNA/BSA binding, DNA cleavage and
      cytotoxicity studies of phenanthroline based copper(II)/zinc(II) complexes.
AB  - Research on copperII 1,10-phenanththroline (phen) derivatives continues to
      attract interest in the context of structure and biological properties. In this
      paper, two metal complexes [Cu2(phen)2(MU-Cl)2]Cl2 (1), [Zn(phen)2(H2O)Cl]Cl.4H2O
      (2) were synthesized and characterized. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 were
      determined by X-ray diffraction. In order to investigate the biological
      properties of the prepared complexes, spectroscopic and biological studies were
      performed. Results of X-ray diffraction showed that 1 and 2 form two types of
      crystal structures in a given system: dinuclear and mono-nuclear complex. The
      preliminary study on the DNA cleavage activity has shown that 1 under study
      behaved as the chemical nucleases. The DNA binding interaction of 1 & 2 with CT
      DNA has been investigated by UV-Visible and fluorescence emission spectrometry
      and the apparent binding constant (K app) values are 5.1 * 104 and 1.2 * 104 M-1,
      respectively. In addition, fluorescence spectrometry of bovine serum albumin
      (BSA) with 1 & 2 showed that the quenching mechanism might be a static quenching
      procedure with one binding sites for BSA. In addition, the cytotoxicity of 1 in
      vitro on tumor cells lines (MCF-7, HepG2 and HT29) was examined by MTT and showed
      better antitumor effect on the tested cells.

PMID- 28616785
TI  - Usefulness of NKX2.2 Immunohistochemistry for Distinguishing Ewing Sarcoma from
      Other Sinonasal Small Round Blue Cell Tumors.
AB  - NKX2.2 is a new immunohistochemical marker that has been reported to be sensitive
      and specific for Ewing sarcoma (ES). It has not, however, been investigated
      specifically in the sinonasal small round blue cell tumor (SRBCT) differential
      diagnosis which includes many tumors specific to that site. It has also not been
      investigated in the newly recognized "adamantinoma-like" variant of ES.
      Immunohistochemistry for NKX2.2 was performed on 170 poorly differentiated
      sinonasal neoplasms: 73 squamous cell carcinomas (67 poorly differentiated, non
      keratinizing, or basaloid types and 6 nasopharyngeal carcinomas), 46 olfactory
      neuroblastomas, 8 sinonasal undifferentiated carcinomas (SNUCs), 6 melanomas, 7
      Ewing sarcomas, 6 SMARCB1-deficient carcinomas, 6 teratocarcinosarcomas, 5
      alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas, 4 solid adenoid cystic carcinomas, 4 NK/T cell
      lymphomas, 3 NUT carcinomas, and 2 small cell carcinomas. NKX2.2 was positive in
      7 of 7 (100%) Ewing sarcomas, including 3 adamantinoma-like variant (all diffuse,
      5 strong and 2 weak). It was also positive in 5 of 6 (83%) teratocarcinosarcomas
      (strong, but focal), 12 of 46 (26%) olfactory neuroblastomas (diffuse, 2 strong
      and 10 weak), 4 of 6 melanomas (2 diffuse, 2 focal, all weak), and 1 of 2 small
      cell carcinomas (diffuse and strong). All squamous cell carcinomas, NUT
      carcinomas, SMARCB1-deficient carcinomas, SNUCs, solid adenoid cystic carcinomas,
      NK/T cell lymphomas, and alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas were negative. In the
      sinonasal SRBCT differential diagnosis, NKX2.2 is a useful and very sensitive
      marker for Ewing sarcoma, including the treacherous adamantinoma-like variant. At
      the same time, it is not entirely specific, as it will be positive in a subset of
      other neuroendocrine/neuroectodermal tumors. As a result, NKX2.2 must be utilized
      as part of an immunohistochemical panel with other markers, especially
      cytokeratins, melanoma markers, and CD99.

PMID- 28616786
TI  - Laryngotracheal Involvement in Systemic Light Chain Amyloidosis.
AB  - Laryngotracheal amyloid deposition is an uncommon manifestation of systemic light
      chain amyloidosis. Diagnostic imaging, such as CT, is useful for suggesting the
      possibility of amyloidosis and delineating the extent of the lesions for surgical
      management; however, the diagnosis is confirmed with the histologic finding of
      amorphous eosinophilic material which stains positively for Congo red and may
      show apple green birefringence on polarization. These features are exemplified in
      this sine qua non radiology-pathology correlation article.

PMID- 28616787
TI  - Subtle radiographic signs of hamate body fracture: a diagnosis not to miss in the
      emergency department.
AB  - Hamate fractures are estimated to represent 1.7% of all carpal fractures and can
      occur at the hamulus (hook) or hamate body depending on mechanism of injury.
      Fractures of the hamate body can be exceedingly difficult to identify on standard
      wrist and hand radiographs in the emergency department. If the diagnosis is
      missed in the emergency department, orthopedic referral is often delayed. This
      can result in lasting functional disability for the patient, as these fractures
      have a propensity to destabilize the fourth and fifth carpometacarpal (CMC)
      joints. In this pictorial essay, we present six radiographic signs indicative of
      hamate body fracture with computed tomography (CT) imaging correlation. Injury
      mechanism and fracture classification schemes are portrayed to aid in the
      understanding of these injuries. Once radiographs raise suspicion for a hamate
      body fracture, further characterization with CT and orthopedic referral is
      paramount. Goals of orthopedic management include reestablishment of the fourth
      and fifth CMC articular surface, stabilization of the CMC joints, and appropriate
      treatment of concomitant soft tissue injury.

PMID- 28616788
TI  - Core curriculum case illustration: cardiac tamponade complicating proximal aortic
      dissection.
AB  - This is the 39th installment of a series that will highlight one case per
      publication issue from the bank of cases available online as part of the American
      Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to
      generate more interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases
      online, please visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for Study
      online at http://www.erad.org/page/CCIP_TOC .

PMID- 28616789
TI  - Core curriculum illustration: "Colles," dorsally angulated fracture of the distal
      radius.
AB  - This is the 41st installment of a series that will highlight one case per
      publication issue from the bank of cases available online as part of the American
      Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to
      generate more interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases
      online, please visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for Study
      online at: http://www.erad.org/page/CCIP_TOC .

PMID- 28616790
TI  - Serological survey for Brucella antibodies in donkeys of north-eastern Nigeria.
AB  - A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted to determine seroprevalence
      and risk factors influencing the presence of Brucella antibodies in donkeys of
      Borno State, north-eastern Nigeria. The study aimed at providing baseline
      information that may be used in planning a control policy against equine
      brucellosis. Blood samples were collected from 601 donkeys, comprised of 374
      males and 227 females from the six agricultural zones of the state between March
      2013 and September 2014. The sera obtained were tested for Brucella antibodies
      using Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (cELISA). Of the 601 donkeys tested, 43 (7.2%) and 40 (6.7%) were
      seropositive by RBPT and cELISA, respectively. A seroprevalence of 8.6% was
      obtained in male and 3.5% in female donkeys. According to age, the highest
      seroprevalence of 9.6% was obtained from donkeys of age group 4-6 years. With
      respect to pregnancy status, a higher seroprevalence (6.8%) was obtained from
      pregnant donkeys compared to 3.8% obtained from the non-pregnant ones. There were
      statistically significant associations between the presence of antibodies and sex
      (p < 0.05) and the presence of antibodies and age (p < 0.05) of the studied
      donkeys. However, no statistically significant association (p > 0.05) was
      observed between the pregnancy status and presence of antibodies. The study
      concludes that Brucella infection is present in donkeys in all the agricultural
      zones of the state. The relatively high seroprevalence (7.2%) obtained is of
      public health concern because of the close interaction between donkeys,
      ruminants, and humans in the study area.

PMID- 28616791
TI  - The Delorme technique in colostomy prolapse.

PMID- 28616792
TI  - The use of carbon dioxide insufflation to facilitate identification of intestinal
      injuries in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal
      chemotherapy.

PMID- 28616793
TI  - Pelvic exenteration with en bloc resection of the pelvic sidewall and
      intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy with Mobetron(r) for locally advanced
      rectal cancer.

PMID- 28616794
TI  - Long-term survival after multidisciplinary therapy for residual gallbladder
      cancer with peritoneal dissemination: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although surgical resection is the only curative treatment for
      gallbladder cancer (GBC), concomitant peritoneal dissemination is considered far
      beyond the scope of resection. We report a long-term survivor with a residual GBC
      with multiple peritoneal disseminations who underwent an extended resection after
      effective chemotherapy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 59-year-old male underwent an open
      cholecystectomy for Mirizzi syndrome at a local hospital. Because of severe
      inflammation, the gallbladder was perforated during surgery, ending in a
      piecemeal resection. A pathological examination revealed GBC with positive
      margins, and the patient was referred to our hospital 1 month after surgery for
      further treatment. A multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) showed three
      hypoattenuated tumours: a tumour (3.9 cm) at the left medial segment
      corresponding to the gallbladder bed, a tumour (1.8 cm) around the hepatic
      flexure of the transverse colon, and a tumour (1.0 cm) at the stump of the cystic
      duct. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed, which provided histologic
      evidence of adenocarcinoma. Thus, the patient had a rapidly progressive local
      relapse with limited peritoneal dissemination, labelled ycT3N0M1, stage IVB
      disease according to the UICC system. After the administration of 3 cycles of
      gemcitabine plus cisplatin combination chemotherapy, the size of all tumours and
      the CA19-9 level decreased significantly. Since the patient's general condition
      and liver function reserve were satisfactory, we decided the initial unresectable
      scenario to perform surgical therapy. After portal vein embolization, right
      hepatectomy, resection of the extrahepatic bile duct, partial duodenectomy, and
      partial colectomy were performed. Operative time was 555 min, and intraoperative
      blood loss was 1654 mL. Pathologic diagnosis of residual gallbladder carcinoma
      with peritoneal dissemination was confirmed, and the surgical margins were tumour
      free. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 29, with a Clavien-Dindo
      IIIa complication (abdominal wall abscess). Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy
      with tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil was administered during 1 year after surgery. The
      patient is doing well 6 years after the second surgery without evidence of
      disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although specific clinical factors were associated with a
      favourable outcome in this patient, the present report suggests that
      multidisciplinary therapy may be a promising option in selected patients with
      distant metastatic GBC.

PMID- 28616795
TI  - Perspective.

PMID- 28616796
TI  - Comparison of surgeon comfort assessment during phacoemulsification using
      bilateral topical anesthesia versus ipsilateral topical anesthesia: a randomized
      controlled study.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of bilateral use of topical anesthetic eye
      drops during phacoemulsification procedure as compared to use in one eye only.
      METHODS: This is a prospective double-blind randomized case study of 180 cases
      undergoing phacoemulsification under topical anesthesia using 0.5% proparacaine:
      Group 1 consisting of patients who had topical anesthetic eye drop instilled into
      the operating eye only and Group 2 consisting of patients who had both their eyes
      anesthetized using topical anesthetic eye drops. Phacoemulsification was done
      using standard surgical technique. Main parameters evaluated included number of
      intra-operative patient counseling score (IPCS), surgical comfort score (SCS),
      total phacoemulsification procedure time (TPPT) and total operation time (TOPT).
      RESULTS: A comparison of mean value of various variables between Group 1 (60;
      33.3% cases) and Group 2 (120; 66.7% cases) using "t" test revealed that there
      was a statistically significant difference for mean SCS (78.38 +/- 10.31 vs.
      85.05 +/- 8.70; p = 0.00), mean IPCS (12.60 +/- 3.11 vs. 6.63 +/- 1.74; p = 0.00)
      and mean TOPT (418.88 +/- 89.59 vs. 341.64 +/- 79.51; p = 0.00), respectively.
      However, no statistically significant difference existed for mean TPPT (143.57 +/
      87.96 vs. 152.96 +/- 78.99; p = 0.48). CONCLUSION: Simultaneous instillation of
      topical anesthetic eye drops in both the eyes, i.e., operating eye and the fellow
      eye as against practice of instilling topical anesthetic eye drop in the
      operating eye only, helps in decreasing the total surgical time by primarily
      shortening the durations of pre- and post-ultrasonic periods of surgery where
      effective globe stabilization is wanted. This is achieved by better patient
      compliance, which in turn enhances surgeon's comfort during phacoemulsification
      surgery.

PMID- 28616797
TI  - The efficacy and safety of bimatoprost/timolol maleate, latanoprost/timolol
      maleate, and travoprost/timolol maleate fixed combinations on 24-h IOP.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of bimatoprost/timolol maleate fixed combination
      (BTFC), latanoprost/timolol maleate fixed combination (LTFC), and
      travoprost/timolol maleate fixed combination (TTFC) on 24-h intraocular pressure
      (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: This prospective, observer
      masked, randomized study included 50 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.
      All patients were using hypotensive lipids and timolol maleate fixed combination
      treatment for >=4 weeks and had an IOP <= 21 mmHg. Group 1 (n = 18) received
      BTFC, group 2 (n = 14) received LTFC, and group 3 (n = 18) received TTFC. All
      patients were hospitalized, and IOP was monitored for 24-h (10:00, 14:00, 18:00,
      22:00, 02:00, and 06:00). Mean diurnal IOP variation measurements were taken
      between 06:00 and 18:00, and mean nocturnal IOP variation measurements were taken
      between 22:00 and 02:00. Mean IOP and IOP variation in the three groups were
      compared. RESULTS: Mean 24-h IOP did not differ significantly between the three
      groups (group 1: 14.6 +/- 2.9 mmHg; group 2: 14.1 +/- 3.7 mmHg and group 3: 15.8
      +/- 2.0 mmHg; P > 0.05). Mean diurnal IOP variation was 4.6 +/- 2.3 mmHg in group
      1, 5.8 +/- 2.4 mmHg in group 2, and 4.3 +/- 1.7 mmHg in group 3, and mean
      nocturnal IOP variation was 3.2 +/- 2.8 mmHg in group 1, 2.9 +/- 1.9 mmHg in
      group 2, and 3.0 +/- 1.6 mmHg group 3. There were not any significant differences
      in diurnal or nocturnal IOP variation between the three groups (P < 0.05).
      CONCLUSION: All three fixed combinations effectively controlled IOP for 24-h and
      had a similar effect on diurnal and nocturnal IOP variations.

PMID- 28616798
TI  - Postoperative diffuse opacification of a hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens:
      analysis of an explant.
AB  - PURPOSE: We describe the clinicopathological and ultrastructural features of an
      opaque single-piece hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) explanted from a
      patient. METHOD: The main outcome of this report is the documentation of calcium
      deposits confirmed by surface analysis. The decrease in visual acuity was due to
      the opacification of the IOL. The opacification involved both the optic plate and
      the haptics. RESULTS: The analysis at the scansion electron microscope revealed
      that the opacity was caused by the deposition of calcium and phosphate within the
      lens optic and haptics. CONCLUSION: This is the first case about the
      opacification of an Oculentis L-313. The opacification was characterized by
      calcium and phosphate deposition probably due to a morphological alteration of
      the posterior surface of the IOL.

PMID- 28616800
TI  - Assessing LV remodeling in nuclear cardiology.

PMID- 28616799
TI  - Dolichol phosphate mannose synthase: a Glycosyltransferase with Unity in
      molecular diversities.
AB  - N-glycans provide structural and functional stability to asparagine-linked (N
      linked) glycoproteins, and add flexibility. Glycan biosynthesis is elaborative,
      multi-compartmental and involves many glycosyltransferases. Failure to assemble N
      glycans leads to phenotypic changes developing infection, cancer, congenital
      disorders of glycosylation (CDGs) among others. Biosynthesis of N-glycans begins
      at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with the assembly of dolichol-linked tetra
      decasaccharide (Glc3Man9GlcNAc2-PP-Dol) where dolichol phosphate mannose synthase
      (DPMS) plays a central role. DPMS is also essential for GPI anchor biosynthesis
      as well as for O- and C-mannosylation of proteins in yeast and in mammalian
      cells. DPMS has been purified from several sources and its gene has been cloned
      from 39 species (e.g., from protozoan parasite to human). It is an inverting GT-A
      folded enzyme and classified as GT2 by CAZy (carbohydrate active enZyme;
      http://www.cazy.org ). The sequence alignment detects the presence of a metal
      binding DAD signature in DPMS from all 39 species but finds cAMP-dependent
      protein phosphorylation motif (PKA motif) in only 38 species. DPMS also has
      hydrophobic region(s). Hydropathy analysis of amino acid sequences from bovine,
      human, S. crevisiae and A. thaliana DPMS show PKA motif is present between the
      hydrophobic domains. The location of PKA motif as well as the hydrophobic
      domain(s) in the DPMS sequence vary from species to species. For example, the
      domain(s) could be located at the center or more towards the C-terminus.
      Irrespective of their catalytic similarity, the DNA sequence, the amino acid
      identity, and the lack of a stretch of hydrophobic amino acid residues at the C
      terminus, DPMS is still classified as Type I and Type II enzyme. Because of an
      apparent bio-sensing ability, extracellular signaling and microenvironment
      regulate DPMS catalytic activity. In this review, we highlight some important
      features and the molecular diversities of DPMS.

PMID- 28616801
TI  - Life Course Perspectives on the Onset and Continuity of Preventive Healthcare
      Behaviors.
AB  - Preventive healthcare is considered a cornerstone of good health and well-being
      that can play a major role in reducing a country's healthcare costs and improving
      both the length and quality of people's lives. Previous research on preventive
      healthcare behaviors has been predominantly cross-sectional, ignoring the dynamic
      nature of people's health behaviors over a full life span. As a result, the
      reasons for the development, stability, and changes of individuals' preventive
      healthcare behaviors over time remain relatively unknown. Our article contends
      that to understand the degree of people's engagement in preventive healthcare
      behaviors, we must understand the origins, continuity, and discontinuity of such
      behaviors. We offer the life course paradigm as a viable framework for studying
      preventive healthcare behaviors at different stages in life. Based on theory and
      previous research, our article proposes that the onset, continuity, and changes
      in preventive healthcare behaviors are the outcomes of physical, social, and
      emotional demands triggered by life events that require adaptation through the
      mechanisms of socialization, stress and coping, and human development. These
      mechanisms are the underlying change processes of the three main life course
      theoretical perspectives-normative, stress, and human capital, respectively. Our
      paper discusses implications of adopting the life course approach for theory and
      practice, and offers a research agenda in the form of general propositions and
      conceptual directions for future research.

PMID- 28616802
TI  - Comparison of Two Amplitude-Integrated Electroencephalography (aEEG) Monitors in
      Term Neonates.

PMID- 28616804
TI  - Hypoglycemic Event Frequency and the Effect of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in
      Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Using Multiple Daily Insulin Injections.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in type 1
      diabetes have been established among adults using insulin pumps. The DIAMOND
      randomized clinical trial examined the effectiveness of using CGM in improving
      glycemic control in participants using insulin injections. The frequency of
      hypoglycemic events in this trial has not been previously examined. METHODS:
      Adults with type 1 diabetes using multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) with
      A1C values of 7.5% to 9.9% and not using CGM were randomized to adopt CGM (CGM
      group, n = 105) or continue with usual care (control group, n = 53). CGM data
      were collected from both groups at the beginning of the study and after 3 and 6
      months. A hypoglycemic event was defined as a series of at least CGM values less
      than 3.0 mmol/L, separated by 20 min or more, with no intervening values of 3.0
      mmol/L or more. Hypoglycemic event rates per 24 h were compared using a linear
      model adjusted for the baseline event rate per 24 h, baseline A1C, and site as a
      random effect. RESULTS: In the CGM group, the median hypoglycemic event rate fell
      by 30% (0.23 per 24 h at baseline and 0.16 per 24 h at follow-up) while in the
      control group the rate was nearly unchanged (0.31 per 24 h at baseline and 0.30
      per 24 h at follow-up; p value = 0.03). CONCLUSION: In the DIAMOND randomized
      controlled trial, participants in the CGM group experienced a greater reduction
      in hypoglycemic event rate than participants receiving usual care in the control
      group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02282397.

PMID- 28616803
TI  - Amitriptyline May Have Possibility to Induce Brugada Syndrome Rather than Long QT
      Syndrome.
AB  - Amitriptyline has been reported to induce long QT syndrome in addition to Brugada
      syndrome. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed the potential of
      amitriptyline to induce these lethal syndromes by using the halothane
      anesthetized dogs (n = 6). Amitriptyline was intravenously administered in doses
      of 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg over 10 min every 20 min, which would provide
      approximately 1, 10 and 100 times higher plasma concentrations than a therapeutic
      one, respectively. The low dose hardly altered any of the cardiovascular
      variables. The middle dose increased the heart rate, cardiac output and left
      ventricular contractility, but decreased the total peripheral vascular resistance
      and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, whereas it did not alter any of the
      electrocardiographic variables. The high dose decreased the mean blood pressure
      and left ventricular contractility; suppressed atrioventricular nodal and
      intraventricular conduction; shortened the repolarization period without altering
      the J-T peak c and T peak-T end; and prolonged the effective refractory period,
      providing post-repolarization refractoriness in addition to the enhancement of
      the middle dose-induced cardiovascular effects. Thus, amitriptyline at up to 100
      times its therapeutic concentration may not be associated with the onset of long
      QT syndrome, but may induce Brugada syndrome.

PMID- 28616805
TI  - Effects of Insulin Plus Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1RAs) in
      Treating Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Combination therapy with insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1
      receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) has already been proven an efficient treatment
      option for type 2 diabetes. This combination can effectively improve glycated
      hemoglobin levels, cause weight loss and reduce the dosage of insulin. In
      addition, it can also reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. Several randomized
      controlled trials have confirmed that this treatment may be just as effective for
      type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. The objective of this meta-analysis was
      to assess the effects and efficacy of the treatment on glycemic changes, weight
      loss and insulin dosage in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. METHODS: We
      searched Embase, PubMed and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (no time
      restrictions) that investigated combined insulin and GLP-1 treatment. The main
      endpoints were measurements of glycated hemoglobin and changes in the weight and
      the dosage of insulin. RESULTS: In total, 1093 were studies identified, and 7
      studies were included in our meta-analysis. GLP-1 agonist and insulin combination
      therapy led to greater reductions in HbA1c levels [P = 0.03; mean difference 
      0.21; 95% confidence intervals (CI) (-0.40, 0.02)] and weight [P < 0.05; -3.53 (
      4.86, 2.19)] compared to control treatments. The combination therapy did not
      significantly influence the daily weight-adjusted total insulin dose [P = 0.05; 
      0.11 (-0.23, 0)], but it did reduce the daily weight-adjusted bolus insulin dose
      [P = 0.001; -0.06 (-0.1, 0.02)]. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis supports the use
      of a combined therapeutic regimen of insulin and GLP-1RAs for treating patients
      with T1DM. Combination therapy with GLP-1 and insulin could achieve an ideal
      treatment effect on glycemic control, weight loss and bolus insulin dose in
      patients with T1DM.

PMID- 28616807
TI  - Skin Deep: Enhanced Variable May Help Explain Racial Disparities in Type 2
      Diabetes and Prediabetes.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The study refined definitions of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes
      (Pre-/T2D) via its four-category outcome variable. Respondents were identified as
      Pre-/T2D on the basis of (a) doctor's diagnosis only (i.e., managed Pre-/T2D);
      (b) biomarker only (i.e., undiagnosed Pre-/T2D); or (c) both diagnosis and
      biomarker (i.e., unmanaged Pre-/T2D). The reference was Pre-/T2D not indicated.
      We linked the outcome to social structural and social support factors, health
      care-related factors, mental disorder, and lifestyle variables, for each
      racial/ethnic group. METHODS: We used the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 National Health
      and Nutrition Examination Surveys to measure the four-category outcome and
      examine race/ethnicity's role in explaining the outcome. RESULTS: We found Pre
      /T2D to be associated with age, BMI, physical activity, income, education,
      receiving health services, and other factors. A moderating role for
      race/ethnicity was also confirmed. CONCLUSION: The racial disparities observed in
      our three main categories generally resulted from high levels of undiagnosed Pre
      /T2D and high levels of diagnosed but unmanaged Pre-T2D. Race/ethnicity's
      moderating role generally indicated that, through the factors BMI, age, and
      receiving health services, minority status (with its attendant disadvantages)
      could facilitate undiagnosed Pre-/T2D as well as Pre-/T2D indicated concurrently
      by diagnosis and biomarker.

PMID- 28616806
TI  - Ipragliflozin Reduces Epicardial Fat Accumulation in Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetic
      Patients with Visceral Obesity: A Pilot Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Epicardial fat (EF) was reported to be independently associated
      with cardiovascular disease regardless of obesity. We have previously reported
      that a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, luseogliflozin, reduces
      the EF volume (EFV) in parallel with the reduction of body weight in obese
      patients (BMI >=25 kg/m2) with type 2 diabetes. However, it is unknown whether
      SGLT2 inhibitors could reduce EFV in non-obese patients (BMI <25 kg/m2) with type
      2 diabetes. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on the EFV in
      non-obese type 2 diabetic patients with visceral obesity in this pilot study.
      METHODS: Nine of type 2 diabetic patients (mean age 66 +/- 8 years; 33% female)
      with HbA1c 6.5-9.0%, body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) <25.0, and visceral fat area
      (VFA, cm2) >=100 were enrolled. Participants were administered ipragliflozin 50
      mg daily. EFV [median (interquartile range), cm3] was measured by magnetic
      resonance imaging. Primary endpoint was the change in EFV at 12 weeks. VFA and
      liver attenuation index (LAI), skeletal muscle index (SMI), and body fat (%) were
      also assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. RESULTS: The EFV was significantly
      reduced from 102 (79-126) cm3 to 89 (66-109) cm3 by ipraglifrozin (p = 0.008).
      The body weight, BMI, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, homeostasis model
      assessment-insulin resistance, triglycerides, leptin, body fat, android, gynoid,
      and VFA were significantly reduced and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was
      significantly increased by ipraglifrozin at 12 weeks, whereas SFA and LAI were
      unchanged. The change in EFV was significantly correlated with the change in BMI.
      CONCLUSIONS: A12-week intervention of ipragliflozin reduced the EFV in non-obese
      type 2 diabetic patients with visceral adiposity. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      UMIN Clinical Trial Registry: UMIN000019071. FUNDING: Astellas Pharma Inc. and
      the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education,
      Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

PMID- 28616808
TI  - Crop 3D-a LiDAR based platform for 3D high-throughput crop phenotyping.
AB  - With the growing population and the reducing arable land, breeding has been
      considered as an effective way to solve the food crisis. As an important part in
      breeding, high-throughput phenotyping can accelerate the breeding process
      effectively. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is an active remote sensing
      technology that is capable of acquiring three-dimensional (3D) data accurately,
      and has a great potential in crop phenotyping. Given that crop phenotyping based
      on LiDAR technology is not common in China, we developed a high-throughput crop
      phenotyping platform, named Crop 3D, which integrated LiDAR sensor, high
      resolution camera, thermal camera and hyperspectral imager. Compared with
      traditional crop phenotyping techniques, Crop 3D can acquire multi-source
      phenotypic data in the whole crop growing period and extract plant height, plant
      width, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, leaf inclination angle and other
      parameters for plant biology and genomics analysis. In this paper, we described
      the designs, functions and testing results of the Crop 3D platform, and briefly
      discussed the potential applications and future development of the platform in
      phenotyping. We concluded that platforms integrating LiDAR and traditional remote
      sensing techniques might be the future trend of crop high-throughput phenotyping.

PMID- 28616809
TI  - Cooperative strategy for a dynamic ensemble of classification models in clinical
      applications: the case of MRI vertebral compression fractures.
AB  - PURPOSE: In clinical practice, the constructive consultation among experts
      improves the reliability of the diagnosis and leads to the definition of the
      treatment plan for the patient. Aggregation of the different opinions collected
      by many experts can be performed at the level of patient information, abnormality
      delineation, or final assessment. METHODS: In this study, we present a novel
      cooperative strategy that exploits the dynamic contribution of the classification
      models composing the ensemble to make the final class assignment. As a proof of
      concept, we applied the proposed approach to the assessment of malignant
      infiltration in 103 vertebral compression fractures in magnetic resonance images.
      RESULTS: The results obtained with repeated random subsampling and receiver
      operating characteristic analysis indicate that the cooperative system
      statistically improved ([Formula: see text]) the classification accuracy of
      individual modules as well as of that based on the manual segmentation of the
      fractures provided by the experts. CONCLUSIONS: The performances have been also
      compared with those obtained with those of standard ensemble classification
      algorithms showing superior results.

PMID- 28616810
TI  - Accuracy of non-contrast PMCT for determining cause of death.
AB  - The aim of this study was (1) to compare levels of accuracy regarding the
      categorization of causes of death between non-contrast post-mortem computed
      tomography (PMCT) and the final forensic report as well as between autopsy and
      the final forensic report, and (2) to assess levels of confidence regarding the
      categorization of causes of death after non-contrast PMCT and after autopsy. This
      prospective study was conducted over a 5 month period during which 221 cases were
      admitted to our institute for forensic investigations. Whole-body PMCT and
      forensic autopsy were performed in every case. Of these, 101 cases were included
      in the final study population. Inclusion criteria were: (1) age > 18 years, (2)
      presence of at least one of the two principal investigators at the time of
      admission. One radiologist and one forensic pathologist independently read all
      PMCT datasets using a report template. Cause of death category and confidence
      levels were determined by consensus. Forensic autopsy was performed by two
      forensic pathologists; both unblinded to imaging results. Both post-imaging and
      post-autopsy cause of death categorization were compared against the final cause
      of death, as stated in the forensic expert report, which included findings from
      histology and/or toxicology. Accuracy of post-imaging cause of death
      categorization in reference to the final cause of death category was substantial
      (82%, 83/101 cases, Kappa 0.752). Accuracy of post-autopsy cause of death
      categorization in reference to the final cause of death category was near perfect
      (89%, 90/101 cases, Kappa 0.852). Post-imaging sensitivity and specificity
      regarding the categorization of causes of death were 82% and 97%, respectively.
      Post-autopsy sensitivity and specificity regarding the categorization of causes
      of death were 89% and 98%, respectively. There was a high consistency between the
      accuracy of post-imaging cause of death categorization and post-imaging levels of
      confidence. There was less consistency between accuracy of post-autopsy cause of
      death categorization and post-autopsy levels of confidence. In this study
      categorization of causes of death based on non-contrast enhanced PMCT alone, and
      on PMCT and macroscopic autopsy together, proved to be consistent with the final
      cause of death-category as determined based on all available information
      including PMCT, autopsy, and (if available) histology and/or toxicology in more
      than 82% and 89% of all cases, respectively. There was higher consistency between
      levels of confidence and accuracy of causes of death categorization was higher
      post-imaging than post-autopsy. These results underline the fact that the
      diagnostic potential of PMCT goes beyond the assessment of trauma cases.

PMID- 28616811
TI  - Black cracks: staining of fracture lines.
AB  - During the investigation of fresh bone fractures, it might be difficult to
      visualize all the fracture lines that could contribute to the interpretation of
      the biomechanics behind a fracture. To optimize the examination of the fracture,
      the bones should first be defleshed to expose the osseous surface. To reveal
      small fracture lines more clearly, we developed two easy, fast, cheap and non
      destructive methods to enhance fracture lines and bone defects by coloring the
      fracture lines with ink. One method consists of cooking the bone in ink, and the
      second method uses capillary action for ink penetration. We strongly recommend
      the use of the latter method with Talens(r) Black Indian Ink for the clearest
      results.

PMID- 28616812
TI  - Biventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy with malignant arrhythmia as a cause
      of sudden death.

PMID- 28616813
TI  - [Contributions to the thematic focal point from section III ( Social- and
      behavioural Gerontology) of the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics
      (DGGG) ].

PMID- 28616814
TI  - [Considering diversity in nursing and palliative care - the example of migrants].
AB  - Our society is characterized by increasing diversity. Immigrants greatly
      contribute to this diversification. Currently, one fifth of the population in
      Germany is considered to be of immigrant origin. Healthcare needs of immigrants
      are often not sufficiently taken into account by healthcare institutions. This
      may result in many barriers encountered by immigrants in the healthcare system,
      which may affect the utilization and quality of care. These barriers are
      particularly pronounced in nursing and palliative care. Current strategies aiming
      to reduce these barriers are limited as they often only focus on culture and
      religion, thereby neglecting the role of other diversity dimensions, such as sex
      and socioeconomic status. Diversity management is able to overcome these
      shortcomings by implementing conditions in healthcare institutions which promote
      awareness and openness towards the diversity of healthcare clients. This can
      improve the quality of care and can contribute to patient-oriented healthcare.

PMID- 28616815
TI  - [Prevention of nosocomial infections and antibiotic resistance in nursing homes].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nosocomial infections and multidrug-resistant organisms are an
      increasing problem in nursing homes worldwide; therefore, new approaches for
      infection control need to be developed. OBJECTIVES: This article gives an
      overview of infections in nursing homes, their medical treatment and previous
      measures for infection prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The article is based on
      a selective literature search including the literature database PubMed. In
      particular, scientific studies on the prevalence of nosocomial infections in
      German nursing homes, publications for medical care in long-term care facilities
      in Europe and international studies for infection prevention were evaluated.
      RESULTS: The basis for an effective reduction of infections is the establishment
      of a surveillance system. All participating medical professionals provide
      feedback about local infections and resistance situations and the presence of
      risk factors, such as urinary catheters or chronic wounds. Only then can targeted
      antibiotic strategies be adapted and the effectiveness of preventive measures,
      such as hand disinfection is continuously reviewed. So far, in particular
      multimodal, multidisciplinary prevention projects were successful. These included
      frequent staff training, reduction of urinary catheters and a rational use of
      antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: Most prevention models have been previously tested in
      hospitals. A possible applicability of the results to the infection prevention in
      long-term care facilities has so far hardly been studied. Accordingly, further
      studies on infection control in nursing homes are absolutely necessary.

PMID- 28616817
TI  - [The four dimensions for positive aging: the multifarious resources of elderly
      people].

PMID- 28616816
TI  - Access to community care for people with dementia and their informal carers :
      Case vignettes for a European comparison of structures and common pathways to
      formal care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with dementia and their informal carers often do not receive
      appropriate professional support or it is not received at the right time.
      OBJECTIVES: Description and comparison of common pathways to formal community
      dementia care in eight European countries as a part of the transnational
      Actifcare project. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The German team was responsible for
      creating an individual case scenario as a starting point. The research teams in
      Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
      were then asked to describe a common pathway to formal dementia care by writing
      their own vignette using the provided individual case scenario. RESULTS: A
      transnational qualitative content analysis was used to identify the following
      categories as being the most important: involved professionals, dementia-specific
      and team-based approaches, proactive roles, and financial aspects. General
      practitioners (GPs) are described as being the most important profession
      supporting the access to formal care in all the involved countries. In some
      countries other professionals take over responsibility for the access procedure.
      Dementia-specific approaches are rarely part of standard care; team-based
      approaches have differing significances in each of the countries. Informal carers
      are mainly proactive in seeking formal care. The Nordic countries demonstrate how
      financial support enhances access to the professional system. CONCLUSION:
      Enhanced cooperation between GPs and other professions might optimize access to
      formal dementia care. Team-based approaches focusing on dementia care should be
      developed further. Informal carers should be supported and relieved in their
      role. Financial barriers remain which should be further investigated and reduced.

PMID- 28616818
TI  - Fosfomycin for the treatment of drug-resistant urinary tract infections:
      potential of an old drug not explored fully.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Increased emergence of bacterial resistance and the limited options
      of novel antimicrobial agents have necessitated the reintroduction of some old
      antimicrobial agents. One such drug is fosfomycin, but its potential has not been
      explored fully, especially in India. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To analyze the in vitro
      activity of fosfomycin, against the urinary isolates and to compare it with in
      vitro activity of other orally administered antimicrobial agents. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This was a prospective observational study conducted between July 2014
      and June 2016. All consecutive, non-duplicate and clinically significant urinary
      isolates obtained from patients of all ages and both genders, diagnosed to have
      UTI, were included. Patients already on antibiotic therapy were excluded. Urine
      culture was performed by semiquantitative method on cysteine lactose electrolyte
      deficient medium and the isolates obtained in significant count were subjected to
      antimicrobial sensitivity testing by the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method as per
      CLSI guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 3947 non-repeating urinary isolates were
      included in the study, of which 2684 (68%) isolates originated from adult
      outpatients and remaining 1236 (32%) isolates from pediatric patients. Of these
      2783 isolates were from enterobacteriaceae family. Out of these 2730 (98.1%) were
      sensitive to fosfomycin. Most [375 of 385 (97.4%)] Pseudomonas spp were also
      susceptible to fosfomycin. A majority of ESBL- (96.5%) and MBL (91.9%)-producing
      isolates were also susceptible to fosfomycin and so were of Gram-positive
      isolates [698/707 (96%)] and MRSA [61/69 (88.4%)] were susceptible to fosfomycin.
      CONCLUSIONS: Fosfomycin showed an excellent in vitro activity against all urinary
      pathogens, including the Gram-positive or Gram-negative, ESBL and MBL producers.
      Fosfomycin should be considered as a highly effective alternative in treatment
      UTIs in both adults and pediatric patients.

PMID- 28616819
TI  - "Safe Foods" or "Fear Foods": the implications of food avoidance in college
      students from low- and middle-income countries.
AB  - PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to explore if self-reported food
      avoidance (fats, carbohydrates and protein) exists among college students in low-
      and middle-income countries (LMICs) and its relationship with body mass index
      (BMI), dieting, mood/anxiety symptoms, physical activities and general health
      knowledge. METHODS: This study is a subset (N = 6096) of a larger 26 LMICs cross
      sectional survey, which consisted of 21,007 college students. We ascertained
      socio-demographic information, food avoidance, physical activities, dieting
      behaviours, depressive and PTSD symptoms, and recorded anthropometric
      measurements. Chi-square analyses assessed the relationship between predictor
      variables and food categories eliminated from participants' diet. Multiple
      logistic regression assessed if food avoidance predicts outcome variables such as
      binge drinking, high physical activity, being underweight, exhibiting significant
      depressive and PTSD symptoms. RESULTS: Food avoidance exists in as many as one
      third of college students in low- and middle-income countries, with this being
      more likely in persons who are trying to lose weight whether by dieting or
      otherwise. Food avoidance was associated with higher BMI, depressive symptoms,
      and high intensity exercises, as well as the level of health knowledge
      influencing the types of food avoided. A significant difference was noted between
      lower middle-income and upper middle-income countries with respect to the foods
      they avoided. CONCLUSION: Despite being knowledgeable about health-related
      behaviours, we found that college students in our sample were not that different
      from those in developed countries and may be influenced by a similar advice given
      by non-experts about macronutrients. These results hold implications for
      intervention programmes and policy makers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V,
      descriptive cross-sectional survey.

PMID- 28616820
TI  - Possible involvement of central oxytocin in cisplatin-induced anorexia in rats.
AB  - During cancer chemotherapy, drugs such as 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have
      typically been used to control vomiting and anorexia. We examined the effects of
      oxytocin (OXT), which has been linked to appetite, on cisplatin-induced anorexia
      in rats. Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) expressed in the supraoptic nucleus
      (SON), the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the area postrema and the nucleus of
      the solitary tract (NTS) after intraperitoneal (ip) administration of cisplatin.
      We also examined the fluorescence intensity of OXT-mRFP1 after ip administration
      of cisplatin in OXT-mRFP1 transgenic rats. The mRFP1 fluorescence intensity was
      significantly increased in the SON, the PVN, and the NTS after administration of
      cisplatin. The cisplatin-induced anorexia was abolished by OXT receptor
      antagonist (OXTR-A) pretreatment. In the OXT-LI cells, cisplatin-induced Fos
      expression in the SON and the PVN was also suppressed by OXTR-A pretreatment.
      These results suggested that central OXT may be involved in cisplatin-induced
      anorexia in rats.

PMID- 28616821
TI  - Re-irradiation after gross total resection of recurrent glioblastoma : Spatial
      pattern of recurrence and a review of the literature as a basis for target volume
      definition.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Currently, patients with gross total resection (GTR) of recurrent
      glioblastoma (rGBM) undergo adjuvant chemotherapy or are followed up until
      progression. Re-irradiation, as one of the most effective treatments in
      macroscopic rGBM, is withheld in this situation, as uncertainties about the
      pattern of re-recurrence, the target volume, and also the efficacy of early re
      irradiation after GTR exist. METHODS: Imaging and clinical data from 26
      consecutive patients with GTR of rGBM were analyzed. The spatial pattern of
      recurrences was analyzed according to the RANO-HGG criteria ("response assessment
      in neuro-oncology criteria for high-grade gliomas"). Progression-free (PFS) and
      overall survival (OS) were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Furthermore, a
      systematic review was performed in PubMed. RESULTS: All but 4 patients underwent
      adjuvant chemotherapy after GTR. Progression was diagnosed in 20 of 26 patients
      and 70% of recurrent tumors occurred adjacent to the resection cavity. The median
      extension beyond the edge of the resection cavity was 20 mm. Median PFS was 6
      months; OS was 12.8 months. We propose a target volume containing the resection
      cavity and every contrast enhancing lesion as the gross tumor volume (GTV), a
      spherical margin of 5-10 mm to generate the clinical target volume (CTV), and a
      margin of 1-3 mm to generate the planning target volume (PTV). Re-irradiation of
      this volume is deemed to be safe and likely to prolong PFS. CONCLUSION: Re
      irradiation is worth considering also after GTR, as the volumes that need to be
      treated are limited and re-irradiation has already proven to be a safe treatment
      option in general. The strategy of early re-irradiation is currently being tested
      within the GlioCave/NOA 17/Aro 2016/03 trial.

PMID- 28616823
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetics of Combined Intravenous and Local Intrathecal
      Administration of Meropenem in Aneurysm Patients with Suspected Intracranial
      Infections After Craniotomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: For patients with intracranial infection, local
      intrathecal administration of meropenem may be a useful method to obtain a
      sufficient drug concentration in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). However, a
      large inter-individual variability may pose treatment efficacy at risk. This
      study aimed to identify factors affecting drug concentration in the CSF using
      population pharmacokinetics method. METHODS: After craniotomy, aneurysm patients
      with an indwelling lumbar cistern drainage tube who received a combined
      intravenous and intrathecal administration of meropenem for the treatment of
      suspected intracranial infection were enrolled. Venous blood and CSF specimens
      were collected for determining meropenem concentrations. Nonlinear mixed-effects
      modeling method was used to fit blood and CSF concentrations simultaneously and
      to develop the population pharmacokinetic model. The proposed model was applied
      to simulate dosage regimens. RESULTS: A three-compartmental model was established
      to describe meropenem in vivo behavior. Lumbar CSF drainage resulted in a drug
      loss, and drug clearance in CSF (CLCSF) was employed to describe this. The
      covariate analysis found that the drainage volume (mL/day) was strongly
      associated with CLCSF, and the effect of creatinine clearance was significant on
      the clearance of meropenem in blood (CL). Visual predictive check suggested that
      the proposed pharmacokinetic model agreed well with the observations. Simulation
      showed that both intravenous and intrathecal doses should be increased with the
      increases of minimum inhibitory concentration and daily CSF drainage volume.
      CONCLUSION: This model incorporates covariates of the creatinine clearance and
      the drainage volume, and a simple to use dosage regimen table was created to
      guide clinicians with meropenem dosing.

PMID- 28616822
TI  - A comparison of swallowing dysfunction after three-dimensional conformal and
      intensity-modulated radiotherapy : A systematic review by the Italian Head and
      Neck Radiotherapy Study Group.
AB  - PURPOSE: Dysphagia is one of the most important treatment-related side effects in
      head and neck cancer (HNC), as it can lead to severe life-threating complications
      such as aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy
      (IMRT) could reduce swallowing dysfunction by producing a concave dose
      distribution and reducing doses to the swallowing-related organs at risk
      (SWOARs). The aim of this study was to review the current literature in order to
      compare swallowing outcomes between IMRT and three-dimensional conformal
      radiotherapy (3DCRT). METHODS: A search was conducted in the PubMed and Embase
      databases to identify studies on swallowing outcomes, both clinically and/or
      instrumentally assessed, after 3DCRT and IMRT. Dysphagia-specific quality of life
      and objective instrumental data are summarized and discussed. RESULTS: A total of
      262 papers were retrieved from the searched databases. An additional 23 papers
      were retrieved by hand-searching the reference lists. Ultimately, 22 papers were
      identified which discussed swallowing outcomes after 3DCRT and IMRT for HNC. No
      outcomes from randomized trials were identified. CONCLUSION: Despite several
      methodological limitations, reports from the current literature seem to suggest
      better swallowing outcomes with IMRT compared to 3DCRT. Further improvements are
      likely to result from the increased use of IMRT plans optimized for SWOAR
      sparing.

PMID- 28616824
TI  - Detecting and identifying offset gaze.
AB  - A number of experiments have demonstrated that observers can accurately identify
      stimuli that they fail to detect (Rollman and Nachmias, 1972; Harris and Fahle,
      1995; Allik et al. 1982, 2014). Using a 2x2AFC double judgements procedure, we
      demonstrated an analogous pattern of performance in making judgements about the
      direction of eye gaze. Participants were shown two faces in succession: one with
      direct gaze and one with gaze offset to the left or right. We found that they
      could identify the direction of gaze offset (left/right) better than they could
      detect which face contained the offset gaze. A simple Thurstonian model, under
      which the detection judgement is shown to be more computationally complex, was
      found to explain the empirical data. A further experiment incorporated
      metacognitive ratings into the double judgements procedure to measure observers'
      metacognitive awareness (Meta-d') across the two judgements and to assess whether
      observers were aware of the evidence for offset gaze when detection performance
      was at and below threshold. Results suggest that metacognitive awareness is tied
      to performance, with approximately equal Meta-d' across the two judgements, when
      sensitivity is taken into account. These results show that both performance and
      metacognitive awareness rely not only on the strength of sensory evidence but
      also on the computational complexity of the decision, which determines the
      relative distance of that evidence from the decision axes.

PMID- 28616825
TI  - Correlation of cardio-metabolic parameters with vitamin D status in healthy
      premenopausal women.
AB  - PURPOSE: Vitamin D has been associated with metabolic disorders and increasing
      risk of cardiovascular diseases, with conflicting results. Aim of our study was
      to evaluate the relationship, if any, between cardio-metabolic risk factors and
      serum 25(OH)D concentrations in healthy women in premenopausal age. METHODS: We
      enrolled 200 healthy women, aged 19-50 years (mean age +/- SD, 38 +/- 11 years).
      In each subject, we measured serum 25(OH)D in relation to metabolic biomarkers
      and cardiovascular parameters. RESULTS: A status of vitamin D deficiency was
      found in 48% of the study population, while 38% showed levels higher than 30
      ng/ml. Fasting glucose and insulin levels were significantly higher in subjects
      with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency (P = 0.034 and P = 0.049, respectively)
      as well as HOMA-IR (P = 0.05). HDL cholesterol was significantly lower (P =
      0.024) and intima-media thickness (IMT) higher (P = 0.014) in the vitamin D
      deficient/insufficient subjects. Moreover, serum 25(OH)D levels inversely
      correlated with insulin levels (P = 0.0001) and intima-media thickness (P =
      0.015), and directly with serum HDL cholesterol (P = 0.010). At univariate
      regression analysis, the parameters that were significantly associated with
      vitamin D levels were insulin (P = 0.050), HDL cholesterol (P = 0.016), and
      intima-media thickness (P = 0.015). At multivariate analysis adjusted for age and
      BMI, vitamin D was still significantly associated with HDL cholesterol and intima
      media thickness. CONCLUSIONS: A positive association between vitamin D and HDL
      cholesterol was found in healthy women without any evidence of metabolic
      disorders, with a significant inverse correlation between vitamin D and IMT.
      These results suggest a possible protective role of 25(OH)D in cardiovascular
      disorders.

PMID- 28616826
TI  - Deposition of crystalline hydroxyapatite nano-particle on zirconia ceramic: a
      potential solution for the poor bonding characteristic of zirconia ceramics to
      resin cement.
AB  - The poor bonding strength of zirconia to different dental substrates is one of
      the challenging issues in restorative dentistry. Hydroxyapatite is an excellent
      biocompatible material with fine bonding properties. In this study, it was
      hypothesized that hydroxyapatite coating on zirconia would improve its bond
      strength. Forty-five zirconia blocks were prepared and randomly divided into
      three groups: hydroxyapatite coating, sandblasting, and no preparation (control).
      The blocks were bonded to cement and the micro-shear bond strength was measured
      following load application. The bond strength values were analyzed with the
      Kruskal-Wallis test in 3 groups and paired comparisons were made using the Mann
      Whitney U test. The failure patterns of the specimens were studied by a
      stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope and then analyzed by the chi
      square test (significance level = 0.05). Deposition of hydroxyapatite on the
      zirconia surface significantly improved its bond strength to the resin cement in
      comparison with the control specimens (p < 0.0001). Also, the bond strength was
      similar to the sandblasted group (p = 0.34). The sandblasted and control group
      only showed adhesive failure, but the hydroxyapatite coated group had mixed
      failures, indicating the better quality of bonding (p < 0.0001). As a final
      point, hydroxyapatite coating on the zirconia surface improved the bond strength
      quality and values.

PMID- 28616828
TI  - Perinatal and maternal outcomes at term in low-risk pregnancies according to NICE
      criteria: comparison between a tertiary obstetrical hospital and midwife-attended
      units.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the perinatal and maternal
      outcomes at term at a single tertiary, university hospital in women with low-risk
      pregnancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of
      women with low-risk pregnancies, who delivered at University Women's Hospital
      Magdeburg between January 2010 and December 2014. Data were compared with data
      published by Brocklehurst et al. 2011. RESULTS: Of the 6052 women investigated,
      2014 were classified as low risk according to the NICE criteria and were eligible
      for analysis. In 94.8%, a spontaneous vertex birth was observed. There were only
      2 (0.1%) perinatal complications and 52 (2.5%) maternal complications. Ventouse
      delivery, forceps delivery, and caesarean sections were performed in 2.5, 1, and
      3.1% of the cases, respectively. Episiotomy was performed in 37.7% of women. The
      third and fourth degree perineal trauma were observed in 0.3% of births
      investigated. Complications during the third stage of labour and blood
      transfusions were observed in 0.25 and 0.2%, respectively. In comparison with the
      births at home, we had lower rate of fetal complications for nulliparous women,
      but not for multiparous women, lower rate for blood transfusions, third and
      fourth degree perineal trauma and forceps delivery, and higher rate of
      spontaneous vertex birth, epidural analgesia, and episiotomy. The rate of vacuum
      extractions and caesarean sections were similar between both the places of birth.
      CONCLUSIONS: The tertiary-level obstetric unit is safe place of birth for women
      with low-risk pregnancies.

PMID- 28616827
TI  - Trastuzumab and survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Prognosis of Her2-positive breast cancer has changed since the
      introduction of trastuzumab for treatment in metastatic and early breast cancer.
      It was described to be even better compared to prognosis of Her2-negative
      metastatic breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of
      trastuzumab in our cohort. Besides the effect of adjuvant pretreatment with
      trastuzumab on survival of patients with metastatic Her2-positive breast cancer
      was analyzed. METHODS: All patients with primary breast cancer of the Regional
      Breast Cancer Center Dresden diagnosed during the years 2001-2013 were analyzed
      for treatment with or without trastuzumab in the adjuvant and in the metastatic
      treatment setting using Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and Cox regression. Age
      and tumor stage at time of first diagnosis of breast cancer as well as hormone
      receptor status, grading, time, and site of metastasis at first diagnosis of
      distant metastatic disease were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 4.481 female patients with
      primary breast cancer, 643 presented with metastatic disease. Her2-positive
      status was documented in 465 patients, including 116 patients with primary or
      secondary metastases. Median survival of patients with Her2-positive primary
      metastatic disease was 3.0 years (95% CI 2.3-4.0). After adjustment for other
      factors, survival was better in patients with Her2-positive breast cancer with
      trastuzumab therapy compared to Her2-negative metastatic disease (HR 2.10; 95% CI
      1.58-2.79). Analysis of influence of adjuvant therapy with and without
      trastuzumab by Kaplan-Meier showed a trend for better survival in not pretreated
      patients. Median survival was highest in hormone receptor-positive Her2-positive
      (triple-positive) primary metastatic breast cancer patients with 3.3 years (95%
      CI 2.3-4.6). CONCLUSION: Prognosis of patients with Her2-positive metastatic
      breast cancer after trastuzumab treatment is more favorable than for Her2
      negative breast cancer. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy with or without
      trastuzumab warrants further research. Survival is best in triple-positive
      metastatic breast cancer. This will effect counseling at the time of first
      diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer.

PMID- 28616829
TI  - Three studies in the focus of pelvic organ prolapse research.

PMID- 28616830
TI  - The Efficacy of Genetic Counseling for Psychiatric Disorders: a Meta-Analysis.
AB  - Psychiatric illnesses are complex, highly heritable disorders that have
      substantial implications for both affected individuals and their families. Though
      genetic testing is currently limited in its clinical usefulness in this area,
      interest in genetic counseling for psychiatric disorders has a relatively long
      history and many positive outcomes have been posited. Yet, empirical studies of
      genetic counseling outcomes have been emerging only more recently. The aim of the
      current meta-analysis was to analyze the efficacy of genetic counseling and
      explore potential moderators of its effect. An extensive electronic search was
      conducted investigating the literature published until July 2016. The initial
      search resulted in 2367 articles, four of which met the inclusion criteria and
      were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Effect size parameters and
      sample sizes for all variables in each study were included. The efficacy has ben
      demonstrated both at post-intervention and at follow up, with an overall
      statistically significant effect size of moderate intensity. Implications of this
      study are discussed in detail.

PMID- 28616831
TI  - Invasive Prenatal Diagnostic Testing Recommendations are Influenced by Maternal
      Age, Statistical Misconception and Perceived Liability.
AB  - Funding policy and medico-legal climate are part of physicians' reality and might
      permeate clinical decisions. This study evaluates the influence of maternal age
      and government funding on obstetrician/gynecologist recommendation for invasive
      prenatal testing (i.e. amniocentesis) for Down syndrome (DS), and its association
      with the physician's assessment of the risk of liability for medical malpractice
      unless they recommend amniocentesis. Israeli physicians (N = 171) completed a
      questionnaire and provided amniocentesis recommendations for women at 18 weeks
      gestation with normal preliminary screening results, identical except aged 28 and
      37. Amniocentesis recommendations were reversed for the younger ('yes' regardless
      of testing results: 6.4%; 'no' regardless of testing results: 31.6%) versus older
      woman ('yes' regardless of testing results: 40.9%; 'no' regardless of testing
      results: 7.0%; chi2 = 71.55, p < .01). About half of the physicians endorsed
      different recommendations per scenario; of these, 65.6% recommended amniocentesis
      regardless of testing results for the 37-year-old woman. Physicians routinely
      performing amniocentesis and those advocating for amniocentesis for all women >=
      age 35 were approximately twice as likely to vary their recommendations per
      scenario. Physicians who perceived risk of liability for malpractice as large
      were nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to vary recommendations. The results
      indicate physicians' recommendations are influenced by maternal age, though age
      is already incorporated in prenatal DS risk evaluations. The physician's
      assessment of the risk that they will be sued unless they recommend amniocentesis
      may contribute to this spurious influence.

PMID- 28616832
TI  - "If It Helps, It's Worth a Try": an Investigation of Perceptions and Attitudes
      about Genetic Counseling among Southern Manitoba Hutterites.
AB  - Few studies have explored the public's views of genetic counseling services, and
      even fewer focus on founder populations with high prevalence of genetic disease,
      such as Hutterites. The Hutterites are an Anabaptist religious group grounded in
      a strong Christian faith. The primary aim of this study was to assess Hutterites'
      views of genetic counseling services. A secondary aim was to compare their views
      to those obtained in a study of rural Midwestern U.S. residents (Riesgraf et al.,
      Journal of Genetic Counseling, 24(4), 565-579, 2015). One-hundred eleven
      individuals from southern Manitoba Hutterite colonies completed an anonymous
      survey assessing familiarity with and attitudes about genetic counseling;
      perceptions of its purpose, scope and practice; and willingness to use genetic
      counseling services. Although many respondents were not familiar with genetic
      counseling, most had accurate perceptions and positive attitudes. For instance,
      mean ratings showed endorsement of trust in information provided by genetic
      counselors and agreement that genetic counseling aligns with their values.
      Logistic regression indicated reported willingness to use genetic counseling
      services increased if respondents: had a higher self-rated familiarity with
      genetic counseling; were younger; agreed with the statement: I would trust the
      information provided by a genetic counselor; and disagreed with the statements:
      Genetic counseling is only useful for a small group of people with rare diseases,
      and Genetic counselors help expectant parents choose the eye color of their
      child. Thematic analysis of comments regarding willingness to use genetic
      counseling services yielded themes of personal/family risk, pragmatism (genetic
      counseling is sensible and practical for managing health concerns), and desire to
      prevent genetic conditions in the Hutterite population. Comparison of the present
      findings to those of Riesgraf et al. suggests predictors of Hutterites'
      willingness to use genetic counseling are unique and culturally-based. Limited
      replication of Riesgraf et al. was achieved. Additional findings, practice
      implications and research recommendations are presented.

PMID- 28616833
TI  - Use of Preservative Agents and Antibiotics for Increased Poliovirus Survival on
      Positively Charged Filters.
AB  - Environmental surveillance of poliovirus (PV) and other non-enveloped viruses can
      help identify silent circulation and is necessary to certify eradication. The bag
      mediated filtration system is an efficient method to filter large volumes of
      environmental waters at field sites for monitoring the presence of viruses. As
      filters may require long transit times to off-site laboratories for processing,
      viral inactivation or overgrowth of bacteria and fungi can interfere with virus
      detection and quantification (Miki and Jacquet in Aquatic Microb Ecol 51(2):195
      208, 2008). To evaluate virus survival over time on ViroCapTM filters, the
      filters were seeded with PV type 1 (PV1) and/or MS2 and then dosed with
      preservatives or antibiotics prior to storage and elution. These filters were
      stored at various temperatures and time periods, and then eluted for PV1 and MS2
      recovery quantification. Filters dosed with the preservative combination of 2%
      sodium benzoate and 0.2% calcium propionate had increased virus survival over
      time when stored at 25  degrees C, compared to samples stored at 25  degrees C
      with no preservatives. While elution within 24 h of filtration is recommended, if
      storage or shipping is required then this preservative mixture can help preserve
      sample integrity. Addition of an antibiotic cocktail containing cephapirin,
      gentamicin, and ProclinTM 300 increased recovery after storage at 4 and 25 
      degrees C, when compared to storage with no antibiotics. The antibiotic cocktail
      can aid sample preservation if access to appropriate antibiotics storage is
      available and sample cold chain is unreliable. This study demonstrated that the
      use of preservatives or antibiotics is a simple, cost-effective method to improve
      virus detection from ViroCap cartridge filters over time.

PMID- 28616834
TI  - Minimizing Bias in Virally Seeded Water Treatment Studies: Evaluation of Optimal
      Bacteriophage and Mammalian Virus Preparation Methodologies.
AB  - One key assumption impacting data quality in viral inactivation studies is that
      reduction estimates are not altered by the virus seeding process. However,
      seeding viruses often involves the inadvertent addition of co-constituents such
      as cell culture components or additives used during preparation steps which can
      impact viral reduction estimates by inducing non-representative oxidant demand in
      disinfection studies and fouling in membrane assessments. The objective of this
      study was therefore to characterize a mammalian norovirus surrogate, murine
      norovirus (MNV), and bacteriophage MS2 at sequential stages of viral purification
      and to quantify their potential contribution to artificial oxidant demand and non
      representative membrane fouling. Our results demonstrate that seeding solvent
      extracted and 0.1 micron filtered MNV to ~105 PFU/mL in an experimental water
      matrix will result in additional total organic carbon (TOC) and 30 min chlorine
      demand of 39.2 mg/L and 53.5 mg/L as Cl2, respectively. Performing sucrose
      cushion purification on the MNV stock prior to seeding reduces the impacts of TOC
      and chlorine demand to 1.6 and 0.15 mg/L as Cl2, respectively. The findings for
      MNV are likely relevant for other mammalian viruses propagated in serum-based
      media. Thus, advanced purification of mammalian virus stocks by sucrose cushion
      purification (or equivalent density-based separation approach) is warranted prior
      to seeding in water treatment assessments. Studies employing bacteriophage MS2 as
      a surrogate virus may not need virus purification, since seeding MS2 at a
      concentration of ~106 PFU/mL will introduce only ~1 mg/L of TOC and ~1 mg/L as
      Cl2 of chlorine demand to experimental water matrices.

PMID- 28616835
TI  - Why does the acquired cholesteatoma trigger resorption of the temporal bone?

PMID- 28616836
TI  - Outpatient versus observation/inpatient parotidectomy: patient factors and
      perioperative complications.
AB  - The objective of this manuscript is to review a single institution's experience
      with superficial or total parotidectomy in outpatient and observation/inpatient
      groups. All patients who underwent superficial or total parotidectomy between
      2009 and 2015 were identified. Patients were excluded if they had undergone
      concurrent surgery such as neck dissection, had prior radiation treatment or
      surgery at the operative site. Main outcomes were perioperative complications in
      both groups. 215 consecutive patients were included in the study, 116 (54%)
      patients in the inpatient group and 99 (46%) in the outpatient group. Aside from
      a higher observed rate of cardiac disease in the outpatient group (24.2 vs.
      11.2%, p = 0.014) and larger mean body mass index (BMI) in the inpatient group
      (32.448 vs. 30.034, p = 0.017), there were no significant differences for age,
      sex or smoking status. Average operative time differed between groups with 2 h 42
      min for inpatients and 2 h 18 min for outpatients (p < 0.001). There were 26
      complications in the inpatient group (22.4%, including two hematomas) and 8 in
      the outpatient group (8.1%). The rate of seroma/sialocele formation was
      significantly higher in the inpatient group at 15.5% (n = 18) compared with the
      outpatient group at 3% (n = 3, p = 0.001). Our study shows that parotidectomy,
      superficial or total, was performed safely as an outpatient procedure without
      significant increase in complications when compared to patients observed for at
      least one night after surgery.

PMID- 28616837
TI  - A phase Ib study of everolimus combined with metformin for patients with advanced
      cancer.
AB  - Background The efficacy to monotherapy with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus in
      advanced cancer is often limited due to therapy resistance. Combining everolimus
      with metformin may decrease the chance of therapy resistance. Methods Patients
      received everolimus and metformin in a 3 + 3 dose-escalation scheme. Objectives
      were to determine the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), maximum tolerated dose,
      toxic effects, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumour efficacy. Results 9 patients
      received study treatment for a median duration of 48 days (range: 4-78). 6
      patients discontinued due to toxicity and 3 patients because of progressive
      disease. At the starting dose level of 10 mg everolimus qd and 500 mg metformin
      bid, 3 out of 5 patients experienced a DLT. After de-escalation to 5 mg
      everolimus qd and 500 mg metformin bid, considerable toxicity was still observed
      and patient enrollment was terminated. In pharmacokinetic analyses, metformin was
      eliminated slower when co-administered with everolimus than as single-agent.
      After 9 weeks of treatment, 3 patients were still on study and all had stable
      disease. Conclusion The combination of everolimus and metformin is poorly
      tolerated in patients with advanced cancer. The pharmacokinetic interaction
      between everolimus and metformin may have implications for diabetic cancer
      patients that are treated with these drugs. Our results advocate for future
      clinical trials with combinations of other mTOR inhibitors and biguanides.

PMID- 28616838
TI  - Assessment of renal hemodynamic toxicity of fluid challenge with 0.9% NaCl
      compared to balanced crystalloid (PlasmaLyte(r)) in a rat model with severe
      sepsis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: According to international guidelines, volume expansion with
      crystalloids is the first-line treatment for hemodynamic management in patients
      with severe sepsis or septic shock. Compared to balanced crystalloids, 0.9%
      sodium chloride (0.9% NaCl) induces hyperchloremia and metabolic acidosis and may
      alter renal hemodynamics and function. We compared the effects of 0.9% NaCl to a
      less chloride-concentrated fluid, PlasmaLyte(r) (PL) in targeted fluid
      resuscitation in a randomized, double-blind controlled study in an experimental
      model of severe sepsis in rats. RESULTS: A sepsis with hypotension was induced by
      cecal ligature and puncture (CLP) in 40 male Wistar rats (20 for each
      crystalloid). Rats received fluid resuscitation over a period of 200 min for a
      targeted mean arterial pressure of 90 mm Hg. Animals received similar volumes of
      0.9% NaCl or PL. Unlike PL-resuscitated rats, 0.9% NaCl-resuscitated rats
      experienced hyperchloremia and metabolic acidosis, whereas systemic hemodynamics,
      renal hemodynamics and renal function were not significantly different between
      both groups. CONCLUSION: In our model of rats with severe sepsis resuscitated
      with large amounts of crystalloids, 0.9% NaCl-induced hyperchloremic acidosis,
      but balanced crystalloid did not improve systemic and renal hemodynamics or renal
      function.

PMID- 28616839
TI  - Continuous Evaluation in Ethics Education: A Case Study.
AB  - A great need for systematic evaluation of ethics training programs exists. Those
      tasked with developing an ethics training program may be quick to dismiss the
      value of training evaluation in continuous process improvement. In the present
      effort, we use a case study approach to delineate how to leverage formative and
      summative evaluation measures to create a high-quality ethics education program.
      With regard to formative evaluation, information bearing on trainee reactions,
      qualitative data from the comments of trainees, in addition to empirical
      findings, can ensure that the training program operates smoothly. Regarding
      summative evaluation, measures examining trainee cognition, behavior, and
      organization-level results provide information about how much trainees have
      changed as a result of taking the ethics training. The implications of effective
      training program evaluation are discussed.

PMID- 28616840
TI  - End of 2016: Can We Save Research from Predators in 2017?
AB  - At the beginning of every year, we expect to see worthwhile improvements on the
      past. The end of 2016 showcased many important issues in the scientific world,
      ranging from criticisms of research misconduct and fraud to the introduction of
      new scientometrics. Despite the scientific community's continuing efforts,
      predatory journals and publishers are still on the rise, and the Beall's list
      calls attention to the need to take a firm action across the board. This short
      opinion piece highlights research conducted by the scholarly community on
      research publication predators during 2016, and offers suggestions as to how to
      bring about future improvements.

PMID- 28616841
TI  - Zebrafish prefer larger to smaller shoals: analysis of quantity estimation in a
      genetically tractable model organism.
AB  - Numerical abilities have been demonstrated in a variety of non-human vertebrates.
      However, underlying biological mechanisms have been difficult to study due to a
      paucity of experimental tools. Powerful genetic and neurobiological tools already
      exist for the zebrafish, but numerical abilities remain scarcely explored with
      this species. Here, we investigate the choice made by single experimental
      zebrafish between numerically different shoals of conspecifics presented
      concurrently on opposite sides of the experimental tank. We examined this choice
      using the AB strain and pet store zebrafish. We found zebrafish of both
      populations to generally prefer the numerically larger shoal to the smaller one.
      This preference was significant for contrasted ratios above or equalling 2:1
      (i.e. 4 vs. 0, 4 vs. 1, 8 vs. 2, 6 vs. 2 and 6 vs. 3). Interestingly, zebrafish
      showed no significant preference when each of the two contrasted shoals had at
      least 4 members, e.g. in a contrast 8 versus 4. These results confirm that
      zebrafish possess the ability to distinguish larger numbers of items from smaller
      number of items, in a shoaling context, with a potential limit above 4. Our
      findings confirm the utility of the zebrafish for the exploration of both the
      behavioural and the biological mechanisms underlying numerical abilities in
      vertebrates.

PMID- 28616842
TI  - Characterization of Magneto-Endosymbionts as MRI Cell Labeling and Tracking
      Agents.
AB  - PURPOSE: Magneto-endosymbionts (MEs) show promise as living magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) contrast agents for in vivo cell tracking. Here we characterize the
      biomedical imaging properties of ME contrast agents, in vitro and in vivo.
      PROCEDURES: By adapting and engineering magnetotactic bacteria to the
      intracellular niche, we are creating magneto-endosymbionts (MEs) that offer
      advantages relative to passive iron-based contrast agents (superparamagnetic iron
      oxides, SPIOs) for cell tracking. This work presents a biomedical imaging
      characterization of MEs including: MRI transverse relaxivity (r 2) for MEs and ME
      labeled cells (compared to a commercially available iron oxide nanoparticle);
      microscopic validation of labeling efficiency and subcellular locations; and in
      vivo imaging of a MDA-MB-231BR (231BR) human breast cancer cells in a mouse
      brain. RESULTS: At 7T, r 2 relaxivity of bare MEs was higher (250 s-1 mM-1) than
      that of conventional SPIO (178 s-1 mM-1). Optimized in vitro loading of MEs into
      231BR cells yielded 1-4 pg iron/cell (compared to 5-10 pg iron/cell for
      conventional SPIO). r 2 relaxivity dropped by a factor of ~3 upon loading into
      cells, and was on the same order of magnitude for ME-loaded cells compared to
      SPIO-loaded cells. In vivo, ME-labeled cells exhibited strong MR contrast,
      allowing as few as 100 cells to be detected in mice using an optimized 3D SPGR
      gradient-echo sequence. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the potential of
      magneto-endosymbionts as living MR contrast agents. They have r 2 relaxivity
      values comparable to traditional iron oxide nanoparticle contrast agents, and
      provide strong MR contrast when loaded into cells and implanted in tissue.

PMID- 28616843
TI  - Intermittency in the Hodgkin-Huxley model.
AB  - We show that action potentials in the Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model result from a
      type I intermittency phenomenon that occurs in the proximity of a saddle-node
      bifurcation of limit cycles. For the Hodgkin-Huxley spatially extended model,
      describing propagation of action potential along axons, we show the existence of
      type I intermittency and a new type of chaotic intermittency, as well as space
      propagating regular and chaotic diffusion waves. Chaotic intermittency occurs in
      the transition from a turbulent regime to the resting regime of the transmembrane
      potential and is characterised by the existence of a sequence of action potential
      spikes occurring at irregular time intervals.

PMID- 28616844
TI  - Therapeutic Utility of Opioids for Restless Legs Syndrome.
AB  - Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sensorimotor neurologic disorder characterized
      by an unpleasant urge to move the legs, often accompanied by leg dysesthesias.
      Symptoms predominate in the evening or at night and often cause significant
      distress and disruption of sleep. Several non-opioid classes of drugs provide
      initial relief from the symptoms of RLS. Among these, however, the efficacy of
      dopamine agonists can wane over time or even paradoxically 'augment' the severity
      of symptoms during the course of long-term treatment. Opioids can alleviate RLS
      symptoms, even in patients who have become refractory to, or do not tolerate,
      other drugs. In a carefully selected group of patients with severe RLS that has
      not been effectively managed with other therapies, opioids may be an appropriate
      treatment.

PMID- 28616846
TI  - Characterizing user engagement with health app data: a data mining approach.
AB  - The use of mobile health applications (apps) especially in the area of lifestyle
      behaviors has increased, thus providing unprecedented opportunities to develop
      health programs that can engage people in real-time and in the real-world. Yet,
      relatively little is known about which factors relate to the engagement of
      commercially available apps for health behaviors. This exploratory study examined
      behavioral engagement with a weight loss app, Lose It! and characterized higher
      versus lower engaged groups. Cross-sectional, anonymized data from Lose It! were
      analyzed (n = 12,427,196). This dataset was randomly split into 24 subsamples and
      three were used for this study (total n = 1,011,008). Classification and
      regression tree methods were used to identify subgroups of user engagement with
      one subsample, and descriptive analyses were conducted to examine other group
      characteristics associated with engagement. Data mining validation methods were
      conducted with two separate subsamples. On average, users engaged with the app
      for 29 days. Six unique subgroups were identified, and engagement for each
      subgroup varied, ranging from 3.5 to 172 days. Highly engaged subgroups were
      primarily distinguished by the customization of diet and exercise. Those less
      engaged were distinguished by weigh-ins and the customization of diet. Results
      were replicated in further analyses. Commercially-developed apps can reach large
      segments of the population, and data from these apps can provide insights into
      important app features that may aid in user engagement. Getting users to engage
      with a mobile health app is critical to the success of apps and interventions
      that are focused on health behavior change.

PMID- 28616847
TI  - Interactive Voice Response Calls to Promote Smoking Cessation after Hospital
      Discharge: Pooled Analysis of Two Randomized Clinical Trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hospitalization offers smokers an opportunity to quit smoking.
      Starting cessation treatment in hospital is effective, but sustaining treatment
      after discharge is a challenge. Automated telephone calls with interactive voice
      response (IVR) technology could support treatment continuance after discharge.
      OBJECTIVE: To assess smokers' use of and satisfaction with an IVR-facilitated
      intervention and to test the relationship between intervention dose and smoking
      cessation. DESIGN: Analysis of pooled quantitative and qualitative data from the
      intervention groups of two similar randomized controlled trials with 6-month
      follow-up. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 878 smokers admitted to three hospitals. All
      received cessation counseling in hospital and planned to stop smoking after
      discharge. INTERVENTION: After discharge, participants received free cessation
      medication and five automated IVR calls over 3 months. Calls delivered messages
      promoting smoking cessation and medication adherence, offered medication refills,
      and triaged smokers to additional telephone counseling. MAIN MEASURES: Number of
      IVR calls answered, patient satisfaction, biochemically validated tobacco
      abstinence 6 months after discharge. KEY RESULTS: Participants answered a median
      of three of five IVR calls; 70% rated the calls as helpful, citing the social
      support, access to counseling and medication, and reminders to quit as positive
      factors. Older smokers (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.20-1.54 per decade) and smokers
      hospitalized for a smoking-related disease (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.21-2.23) completed
      more calls. Smokers who completed more calls had higher quit rates at 6-month
      follow-up (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.30-1.70, for each additional call) after
      multivariable adjustment for age, sex, education, discharge diagnosis, nicotine
      dependence, duration of medication use, and perceived importance of and
      confidence in quitting. CONCLUSIONS: Automated IVR calls to support smoking
      cessation after hospital discharge were viewed favorably by patients. Higher IVR
      utilization was associated with higher odds of tobacco abstinence at 6-month
      follow-up. IVR technology offers health care systems a potentially scalable means
      of sustaining tobacco cessation interventions after hospital discharge. CLINICAL
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers NCT01177176, NCT01714323.

PMID- 28616848
TI  - Giant Cell Arteritis with Carotidynia.

PMID- 28616845
TI  - Neoadjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: Established Concepts and Emerging
      Strategies.
AB  - In the last decade, the systemic treatment approach for patients with early
      breast cancer has partly shifted from adjuvant treatment to neoadjuvant
      treatment. Systemic treatment administration started as a 'one size fits all'
      approach but is currently customized according to each breast cancer subtype.
      Systemic treatment in a neoadjuvant setting is at least as effective as in an
      adjuvant setting and has several additional advantages. First, it enables
      response monitoring and provides prognostic information; second, it downstages
      the tumor, allowing for less extensive surgery, improved cosmetic outcomes, and
      reduced postoperative complications such as lymphedema; and third, it enables
      early development of new treatment strategies by using pathological complete
      remission as a surrogate outcome of event-free and overall survival. In this
      review we give an overview of the current standard of neoadjuvant systemic
      treatment strategies for the three main subtypes of breast cancer: hormone
      receptor-positive, triple-negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2
      positive. Additionally, we summarize drugs that are under investigation for use
      in the neoadjuvant setting.

PMID- 28616850
TI  - The "broken chair" in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

PMID- 28616851
TI  - Effect of aerobic interval training on serum IL-10, TNFalpha, and adipokines
      levels in women with multiple sclerosis: possible relations with fatigue and
      quality of life.
AB  - PURPOSE: Multiple sclerosis is associated with immune system dysfunction and
      chronic inflammation; however, possible relations between immunologic and
      metabolic factors and some psychological indexes such as fatigue and quality of
      life, especially in relation to exercise training, have not yet been
      investigated. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of aerobic
      interval training on interleukin-10/tumor necrosis factor ratio and adipokine
      (leptin and adiponectin) concentrations in women with multiple sclerosis.
      Furthermore, the relationship between these factors with fatigue and quality of
      life were assessed. METHODS: Forty women with multiple sclerosis (Expanded
      Disability Status Scale <=3) were randomized into either a non-exercising control
      or training group. The training group performed 8-weeks of upper and lower limb
      aerobic interval training. Serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factoralpha,
      interleukin-10, leptin, and adiponectin were measured before and after the 8-week
      intervention. Moreover, antropometric measures and measures for fatigue and
      quality of life were determined at the onset of and after exercise training.
      RESULTS: The results revealed that leptin and tumor necrosis factoralpha levels
      significantly decreased subsequent to the aerobic interval training. Although
      blood adiponectin levels considerably increased in the training group,
      interleukin-10 and interleukin-10/tumor necrosis factoralpha ratio underwent no
      substantial change after the exercise training. In addition, the aerobic interval
      training was associated with improvement in fatigue, quality of life, and maximal
      oxygen consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that aerobic interval
      training can be an effective strategy for managing the immune system at least by
      its significant impact on inflammatory cytokines and adipokines levels in women
      with multiple sclerosis. Additionally, this positive impact improved fatigue and
      adipose tissue indicators.

PMID- 28616852
TI  - Ultrasonographic prediction of highly aggressive telomerase reverse transcriptase
      (TERT) promoter-mutated papillary thyroid cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations are found in highly
      aggressive thyroid malignancies. Our aim was to define the ultrasonographic
      features of telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter-mutated papillary thyroid
      cancer and to evaluate their predictive performances. METHODS: Ultrasonographic
      findings were reviewed for 185 patients with surgically confirmed papillary
      thyroid cancer between 1994 and 2004. Genomic DNA to identify telomerase reverse
      transcriptase promoter mutations was extracted from archived surgical specimens.
      Logistic regression analysis was performed to compare clinical factors and
      ultrasonographic findings between telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter
      mutated and wild-type papillary thyroid cancers. RESULTS: A telomerase reverse
      transcriptase promoter mutation was detected in 8.1% (15 of 185) of specimens
      from papillary thyroid cancer patients with a strong trend toward increasing age.
      Nonparallel orientation and microlobulated margin were independent
      ultrasonographic findings for predicting telomerase reverse transcriptase
      promoter-mutated papillary thyroid cancer in patients over 50 years (odds ratio
      5.898, 95% confidence interval 1.092-31.851, P = 0.039 for orientation; odds
      ratio 5.813, 95% confidence interval 1.320-25.602, P = 0.020 for margin).
      Prevalence of telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations increased to
      50.0% in papillary thyroid cancer patients older than 50 years with both
      ultrasonographic findings and was 0% in patients without either finding. For
      identifying telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter-mutated papillary thyroid
      cancer, ultrasonographic had 64.3% sensitivity, 80.8% specificity, 50.0% positive
      predictive value and 88.4% negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: Telomerase
      reverse transcriptase promoter-mutated papillary thyroid cancer could be
      suggested by the ultrasonographic features of nonparallel orientation and
      microlobulated margin in patients older than 50 years. Prebiopsy recognition of
      this unique ultrasonographic pattern would mandate the nodule fall into a "biopsy
      suggested" category.

PMID- 28616853
TI  - Comparison of the Simple Patient-Centric Atopic Dermatitis Scoring System PEST
      with SCORAD in Young Children Using a Ceramide Dominant Therapeutic Moisturizer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Patient eczema severity time (PEST) is a new atopic dermatitis (AD)
      scoring system based on patients' own perception of their disease. Conventional
      scales such as SCORing of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) reflect the clinician's
      observations during the clinic visit. Instead, the PEST score captures eczema
      severity, relapse and recovery as experienced by the patient or caregiver on a
      daily basis, promoting patient engagement, compliance with treatment and improved
      outcomes. This study aims to determine the correlation between carer-assessed
      PEST and clinician-assessed SCORAD in paediatric AD patients after 12 weeks of
      treatment using a ceramide-dominant therapeutic moisturizer. METHODS:
      Prospective, open-label, observational, multi-centre study in which children with
      AD aged 6 months to 6 years were treated with a ceramide dominant therapeutic
      moisturizer twice daily for 12 weeks; 58 children with mild-to-moderate AD were
      included. Correlation between the 7-day averaged PEST and SCORAD scores for
      assessment of AD severity was measured within a general linear model. PEST and
      SCORAD were compared in week 4 and week 12. RESULTS: At week 12, a moderate
      correlation was found between the SCORAD and PEST scores (r = 0.51). The mean
      change in SCORAD and PEST scores from baseline to week 12 was -11.46 [95%
      confidence interval (CI) -14.99 to -7.92, p < 0.0001] and -1.33 (95% CI -0.71 to 
      0.10, p < 0.0001) respectively. PEST demonstrated greater responsiveness to
      change (33.3% of scale) compared to SCORAD (13.8% of scale). CONCLUSION: The PEST
      score correlates well with the SCORAD score and may have improved sensitivity
      when detecting changes in the severity of AD. The ceramide-dominant therapeutic
      moisturizer used was safe and effective in the management of AD in young
      children. FUNDING: Hyphens Pharma Pte Ltd. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov
      identifier, NCT02073591.

PMID- 28616854
TI  - Ventricular-arterial coupling in centenarians without cardiovascular diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ventricular-arterial (VA) coupling is a central determinant of
      cardiovascular system performance and cardiac energetics. This index is expressed
      by the Ea/Ees ratio, where the effective arterial elastance (Ea) indicates the
      net arterial load exerted on the left ventricle and the left ventricular end
      systolic elastance (Ees) is a load-independent measure of left ventricular
      chamber performance. METHODS: Thirty-three centenarians (100.6 +/- 1.2 years,
      range 99-105 years, 10 M) without cardiovascular diseases underwent a complete
      echocardiographic evaluation and an instantaneous arterial blood pressure
      measurement, to characterize the Ea/Ees ratio and its two determinants indexed to
      body surface area. RESULTS: VA coupling was markedly reduced (Ea/Ees ratio 0.40
      +/- 0.1), reflecting a disproportionate increase in Ees index (8.5 +/- 2.2
      mmHg/ml/m2) compared with Ea index (3.2 +/- 0.8 mmHg/ml/m2). Notably, the
      coupling ratio was significantly lower in women (0.37 +/- 0.1) than in men (0.45
      +/- 0.1, p = 0.0003), due to an increase in Ees index significantly greater in
      women (9.4 +/- 1.9 mmHg/ml/m2) than in men (6.5 +/- 1.5 mmHg/ml/m2, p = 0.0002).
      Using multivariate regression analysis, only female gender (beta coefficient 
      0.04, p = 0.01) and relative wall thickness (beta coefficient -0.49, p < 0.0001)
      showed a significant inverse correlation to VA coupling. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      analysis in a population of centenarians without overt cardiovascular disease
      revealed very low values of VA coupling, especially in women. Both a LV
      structural remodeling as well as a high aortic elastance might have contributed
      to a secondary disproportionate increase in myocardial stiffness.

PMID- 28616855
TI  - Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Predicts Restricted Repetitive Behavior Severity.
AB  - In addition to social communication deficits, restricted repetitive behaviors
      (RRBs) are a key diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
      Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in ASD has been posited as a
      mechanism of RRBs; however, most studies investigating ANS activity in ASD have
      focused on its relation to social functioning. This study used respiratory sinus
      arrhythmia (RSA) patterns to measure ANS functioning and analyze its relation to
      RRBs in children with and without an ASD diagnosis. Baseline RSA and RSA
      reactivity predicted RRB severity and exploratory analyses revealed these
      measures may be associated with RRB subgroups. These results are discussed in
      regards to the behavioral literature on RRBs and the benefits of finding
      biomarkers for these behaviors.

PMID- 28616856
TI  - Social Media Use, Friendship Quality, and the Moderating Role of Anxiety in
      Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - Social media holds promise as a technology to facilitate social engagement, but
      may displace offline social activities. Adolescents with ASD are well suited to
      capitalize on the unique features of social media, which requires less decoding
      of complex social information. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed social
      media use, anxiety and friendship quality in 44 adolescents with ASD, and 56
      clinical comparison controls. Social media use was significantly associated with
      high friendship quality in adolescents with ASD, which was moderated by the
      adolescents' anxiety levels. No associations were founds between social media
      use, anxiety and friendship quality in the controls. Social media may be a way
      for adolescents with ASD without significant anxiety to improve the quality of
      their friendships.

PMID- 28616857
TI  - MR Imaging Features of Intestinal Phytobezoar.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to explore MR features and imaging mechanism of
      intestinal phytobezoar and to deepen the understanding of intestinal phytobezoar.
      METHODS: Eighteen cases of intestinal phytobezoar (including 15 cases in small
      intestine and 3 cases in colon) underwent MR examinations. Summing-up and
      analyzing MR features combinded with intraoperative findings. RESULTS: All 18
      cases of intestinal phytobezoar showed irregular shape low signal on T2-weighted
      image, which was named coke sign in this study. And on T1-weighted image showed
      as follows: (i) 12 cases of intestinal phytobezoar (11 in small intestine and 1
      in ascending colon) showed internal low signal and peripheral ring-like high
      signal, which was named empty shell sign in this study, (ii) 4 cases of
      intestinal phytobezoar (3 in jejunum and 1 in ileum) showed mixed slightly higher
      signal, and (iii) 2 cases of intestinal phytobezoar (both in colon) showed
      slightly low signal. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal phytobezoar presented coke sign on
      T2-weighted image and complicated signal, more often empty shell sign on T1
      weighted image. Correct diagnosis of an intestinal phytobezoar has an instructive
      value in selection of treatment strategy.

PMID- 28616859
TI  - ?

PMID- 28616858
TI  - Intensity dependence in high-level facial expression adaptation aftereffect.
AB  - Perception of a facial expression can be altered or biased by a prolonged viewing
      of other facial expressions, known as the facial expression adaptation
      aftereffect (FEAA). Recent studies using antiexpressions have demonstrated a
      monotonic relation between the magnitude of the FEAA and adaptor extremity,
      suggesting that facial expressions are opponent coded and represented
      continuously from one expression to its antiexpression. However, it is unclear
      whether the opponent-coding scheme can account for the FEAA between two facial
      expressions. In the current study, we demonstrated that the magnitude of the FEAA
      between two facial expressions increased monotonically as a function of the
      intensity of adapting facial expressions, consistent with the predictions based
      on the opponent-coding model. Further, the monotonic increase in the FEAA
      occurred even when the intensity of an adapting face was too weak for its
      expression to be recognized. These results together suggest that multiple facial
      expressions are encoded and represented by balanced activity of neural
      populations tuned to different facial expressions.

PMID- 28616860
TI  - Insomnia as a Precipitating Factor in New Onset Mental Illness: a Systematic
      Review of Recent Findings.
AB  - PURPOSE: We aimed to systematically review recent publications (01/2014-03/2017)
      with longitudinal designs allowing for the assessment of the prospective risk of
      insomnia on new onset mental illness in key conditions: anxiety, depression,
      bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, and
      suicide. RECENT FINDINGS: A literature yielded 1859 unique articles meeting
      search criteria were identified; 16 articles met all selection criteria and
      reviewed with some studies reporting on more than one mental health outcome.
      Overall, the review supports the hypothesis that insomnia is a predictor of
      subsequent mental illness. The evidence is strongest for an insomnia-depression
      relationship. The new studies identified and reviewed add to a modest number of
      publications supporting a prospective role of insomnia in new onset mental
      illness in three areas: anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and suicide. The few
      selected new studies focused on SUD were mixed, and no studies focused on PTSD
      were identified that met the selection criteria. Treatment of insomnia may also
      be a preventive mental health strategy.

PMID- 28616861
TI  - Medical Therapy and Recurrent Ischemic Events in High Risk Patients Surviving
      their Myocardial Infarction for at Least 12 Months: Comparison of Patients with
      ST Elevation Versus Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Data about treatments and recurrent ischemic events in patients
      surviving their most recent myocardial infarction event-free for at least 12
      months are scarce. METHODS: In a retrospective data analysis, charts of patients
      who had a myocardial infarction 1-3 years ago with an event-free period of at
      least 12 months after the index event and at least one high risk factor were
      centrally collected and analyzed. Here we compare patients with ST elevation
      myocardial infarction (STEMI) versus non-ST elevation myocardial infarction
      (NSTEMI). RESULTS: A total of 666 patients, 342 with STEMI and 324 with NSTEMI,
      were included. Revascularization procedures for the index event were performed in
      89% of patients with STEMI and 72% of patients with NSTEMI. About 62% of patients
      were still on dual antiplatelet therapy after 12 months, predominantly with
      aspirin and clopidogrel. This rate declined to 30% after 18 months. Patients with
      STEMI had a higher mortality (19% versus 13%, p = 0.04) and major adverse
      cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event rate (MACCE; 33% versus 23%, p = 0.03)
      during follow-up up to 36 months, while there were no significant differences
      with respect to recurrent myocardial infarction or stroke. The number of high
      risk factors was closely linked to the rate of MACCE at follow up. CONCLUSIONS:
      Patients surviving their myocardial infarction without any further event during
      the first 12 months have a high rate of recurrent ischemic events in both STEMI
      and NSTEMI cases during subsequent follow-up. Therefore, secondary prevention
      therapies should be continued even one year after myocardial infarction, which
      might improve outcomes.

PMID- 28616862
TI  - Loops D, E and G in the Drosophila Dalpha1 subunit contribute to high
      neonicotinoid sensitivity of Dalpha1-chicken beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine
      receptor.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neonicotinoid insecticides interact with the orthosteric
      site formed at subunit interfaces of insect nicotinic ACh (nACh) receptors.
      However, their interactions with the orthosteric sites at alpha-non alpha and
      alpha-alpha subunit interfaces remain poorly understood. The aim of this study
      was to elucidate the mechanism of neonicotinoid actions using the Drosophila
      Dalpha1-chicken beta2 hybrid nACh receptor. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Computer
      models of the (Dalpha1)3 (beta2)2 nACh receptor in complex with imidacloprid and
      thiacloprid were generated. Amino acids in the Dalpha1 subunit were mutated to
      corresponding amino acids in the human alpha4 subunit to examine their effects on
      the agonist actions of neonicotinoids on (Dalpha1)3 (beta2)2 and (Dalpha1)2
      (beta2)3 nACh receptors expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes using voltage-clamp
      electrophysiology. KEY RESULTS: The (Dalpha1)3 (beta2)2 nACh receptor models
      indicated that amino acids in loops D, E and G probably determine the effects of
      neonicotinoids. The amino acid mutations tested had minimal effects on the EC50
      for ACh. However, the R57S mutation in loop G, although having minimal effect on
      imidacloprid's actions, reduced the affinity of thiacloprid for the (Dalpha1)3
      (beta2)2 nACh receptor, while scarcely affecting thiacloprid's action on the
      (Dalpha1)2 (beta2)3 nACh receptor. Both the K140T and the combined R57S;K140T
      mutations reduced neonicotinoid efficacy but only for the (Dalpha1)3 (beta2)2
      nACh receptor. Combining the E78K mutation with the R57S;K140T mutations resulted
      in a selective reduction of thiacloprid's affinity for the (Dalpha1)3 (beta2)2
      nACh receptor. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that a
      triangle of residues from loops D, E and G contribute to the selective actions of
      neonicotinoids on insect-vertebrate hybrid nACh receptors. LINKED ARTICLES: This
      article is part of a themed section on Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. To view
      the other articles in this section visit
      http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.11/issuetoc.

PMID- 28616864
TI  - A phase I study of moxetumomab pasudotox in adults with relapsed or refractory B
      cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

PMID- 28616863
TI  - Contrasting effects of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate on cloned TMEM16A
      and TMEM16B channels.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ca2+ -activated Cl- channels (CaCCs) are gated open by a
      rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ), typically provoked by
      activation of Gq -protein coupled receptors (Gq PCR). Gq PCR activation initiates
      depletion of plasmalemmal phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2 ). Here, we
      determined whether PIP2 acts as a signalling lipid for CaCCs coded by the TMEM16A
      and TMEM16B genes. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Patch-clamp electrophysiology, in
      conjunction with genetically encoded systems to control cellular PIP2 content,
      was used to define the mechanism of action of PIP2 on TMEM16A and TMEM16B
      channels. KEY RESULTS: A water-soluble PIP2 analogue (diC8-PIP2 ) activated
      TMEM16A channels by up to fivefold and inhibited TMEM16B by ~0.2-fold. The
      effects of diC8-PIP2 on TMEM16A currents were especially pronounced at low [Ca2+
      ]i . In contrast, diC8-PIP2 modulation of TMEM16B channels did not vary over a
      broad [Ca2+ ]i range but was only detectable at highly depolarized membrane
      potentials. Modulation of TMEM16A and TMEM16B currents was due to changes in
      channel gating, while single channel conductance was unaltered. Co-expression of
      TMEM16A or TMEM16B with a Danio rerio voltage-sensitive phosphatase (DrVSP),
      which degrades PIP2 , led to reduction and enhancement of TMEM16A and TMEM16B
      currents respectively. These effects were abolished by an inactivating mutation
      in DrVSP and antagonized by simultaneous co-expression of a phosphatidylinositol
      4-phosphate 5-kinase that catalyses PIP2 formation. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:
      PIP2 acts as a modifier of TMEM16A and TMEM16B channel gating. Drugs interacting
      with PIP2 signalling may affect TMEM16A and TMEM16B channel gating and have
      potential uses in basic science and implications for therapy.

PMID- 28616866
TI  - Vocal palsy increases the risk of lower respiratory tract infection in low-risk,
      low-morbidity patients undergoing thyroidectomy for benign disease: A big data
      analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Thyroidectomy is the commonest operation that places normally
      functioning laryngeal nerves at risk of injury. Vocal palsy is a major risk
      factor for dysphonia, dysphagia, and less commonly, airway obstruction. We
      investigated the association between post-thyroidectomy vocal palsy and long-term
      risks of pneumonia and laryngeal failure. DESIGN: An N=near-all analysis of the
      English administrative dataset using a previously validated informatics algorithm
      to identify young and otherwise low-risk patients undergoing first-time elective
      thyroidectomy for benign disease. Information about age, sex, morbidities, social
      deprivation and post-operative and late complications were derived. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Between 2004 and 2012, 43 515 patients between the ages of 20 and 69
      who had no history of cancer, neurological, or respiratory disease underwent
      elective total or hemithyroidectomy without concomitant or late neck dissection,
      parathyroidectomy or laryngotracheal surgery for benign thyroid disease for the
      first and only time. Information about age, sex, morbidities and in-hospital and
      late complications was recorded. RESULTS: Mean age at surgery was 46+/-12. There
      was a strong female preponderance (85%), and most patients (89%) had no recorded
      Charlson comorbidities Most patients (65%) underwent hemithyroidectomy. Late
      vocal palsy was recorded in 449 (1.03%) patients, and its occurrence was an
      independent risk factor for emergency hospital readmission (n=7113; Hazard Ratio
      1.52; 95% confidence interval 1.21-1.91), hospitalisation for lower respiratory
      tract infection (n=944; HR 2.04; 95% CI 1.07-3.75), dysphagia (n=564; HR 3.47;
      95% CI 1.57-7.65) and gastrostomy/tracheostomy placement (n=80; HR 20.8; 95% CI
      2.5-171.2). Independent risk factors for late vocal palsy were age, burden of
      morbidities, total thyroidectomy, post operative bleeding, male sex, and annual
      surgeon volume <30. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant association between post
      thyroidectomy vocal palsy and long-term risks of hospital readmission, dysphagia,
      hospitalisation for lower respiratory tract infection, and
      gastrostomy/tracheostomy tube placement. This adds weight to the need, from a
      thyroid surgical perspective, to undertake universal post-thyroidectomy laryngeal
      surveillance as a minimum standard of care, with a focus on post-operative
      dysphagia and aspiration, and from a medical/respiratory perspective, to initiate
      investigations to identify occult vocal palsy in patients who present with
      pneumonia, who have a history of thyroid surgery.

PMID- 28616865
TI  - Isoacteoside, a dihydroxyphenylethyl glycoside, exhibits anti-inflammatory
      effects through blocking toll-like receptor 4 dimerization.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Isoacteoside (is a phenylethanoid isolated from
      Monochasma savatieri Franch. ex Maxim., which is an anti-inflammatory herb widely
      used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, the exact mechanism of the anti
      inflammatory activity of isoacteoside is not completely understood. In this
      study, its anti-inflammatory mechanism was elucidated in mouse macrophages.
      EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The expression of the NF-kappaB pathway, MAPK pathway,
      iNOS, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1beta was evaluated using Western blotting,
      quantitative real-time PCR or ELISA. TLR4 dimerization was determined by
      transfecting HEK293T cells with TLR4 plasmids. The in vivo anti-inflammatory
      effect of isoacteoside was determined using mouse models of xylene-induced ear
      oedema, LPS-induced endotoxic shock and LPS-induced endotoxaemia-associated acute
      kidney injury (AKI). KEY RESULTS: Isoacteoside suppressed COX-2, iNOS, TNF-alpha,
      IL-6 and IL-1beta expression. Furthermore, isoacteoside attenuated the LPS
      induced transcriptional activity of NF-kappaB by decreasing the levels of
      phosphorylated IkappaB-alpha and IKK and NF-kappaB/p65 nuclear translocation. In
      addition, isoacteoside inhibited LPS-induced transcriptional activity of AP-1 by
      reducing the levels of phosphorylated JNK1/2 and p38MAPK. Isoacteoside blocked
      LPS-induced TLR4 dimerization, resulting in a reduction in the recruitment of
      MyD88 and TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-beta (TRIF) and the
      phosphorylation of TGF-beta-activated kinase-1 (TAK1). Pretreatment of mice with
      isoacteoside effectively inhibited xylene-induced ear oedema and LPS-induced
      endotoxic death and protected against LPS-induced AKI. CONCLUSIONS AND
      IMPLICATIONS: Isoacteoside blocked TLR4 dimerization, which activates the MyD88
      TAK1-NF-kappaB/MAPK signalling cascades and TRIF pathway. Our data indicate that
      isoacteoside is a potential lead compound for the treatment of inflammatory
      diseases.

PMID- 28616867
TI  - Pelvic trauma mortality reduced by integrated trauma care.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A multidisciplinary approach that emphasised improved triage, early
      pelvic binder application, early administration of blood and blood products,
      adherence to algorithmic pathways, screening with focused sonography (FAST),
      early computed tomography scanning with contrast angiography, angio-embolisation
      and early operative intervention by specialist pelvic surgeons was implemented in
      the last decade to improve outcomes after pelvic trauma. The manuscript evaluated
      the effect of this multi-faceted change over a 12-year period. METHODS: A
      retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing patients presenting with
      serious pelvic injury in 2002 to those presenting in 2013. The primary exposure
      and comparator variables were the year of presentation and the primary outcome
      variable was mortality at hospital discharge. Potential confounders were
      evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: There were
      1213 patients with a serious pelvic injury (Abbreviated Injury Scale >=3),
      increasing from 51 in 2002 to 156 in 2013. Demographics, injury severity and
      presenting clinical characteristics were similar between the two time periods.
      There was a statistically significant difference in mortality from 20% in 2002 to
      7.7% in 2013 (P = 0.02). The association between the primary exposure variable of
      being injured in 2013 and mortality remained statistically significant (adjusted
      odds ratio 0.10; 95% confidence interval: 0.02-0.60) when adjusted for potential
      clinically important confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-faceted interventions
      directed at the spectrum of trauma resuscitation from pre-hospital care to
      definitive surgical management were associated with significant reduction in
      mortality of patients with severe pelvic injury from 2002 to 2013. This
      demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrated, inclusive trauma system in
      achieving improved outcomes.

PMID- 28616868
TI  - Selection into Emergency Medicine specialist training: A commentary on the
      science of selection.

PMID- 28616869
TI  - A perfluorobutylpentane (F4H5)-based solution for the removal of residual
      emulsified silicone oil.
AB  - PURPOSE: The emulsification of silicone oil (SO) is associated with many
      complications. In this study, we investigate a new SO solvent,
      perfluorobutylpentane (F4H5) with 1% by volume of perfluorinated polyethers
      polyethylene glycol-perfluorinated polyethers (PFPE-PEG-PFPE) triblock copolymer,
      for removing emulsified droplets. METHODS: An in vitro 3D printed model eye
      chamber was used to evaluate the efficiency of the three test liquids in removing
      SO droplets, namely saline, F4H5 and F4H5 with surfactant PFPE-PEG-PFPE. The
      numbers of SO droplets were quantified using a Coulter Counter. The stability of
      double emulsion formed was tested with a fluidic device based on electro
      coalescence. Two retinal cell lines were used to test the biocompatibility of the
      liquids. RESULTS: The mean number of droplets remaining in the eye chamber after
      rinsing with a solution of F4H5 with surfactant was 13 315 +/- 4620/ml compared
      to saline (23 460 +/- 7595/ml; p < 0.05). The double emulsion was found to be
      highly stable. The biocompatibility of F4H5 and the surfactant was similar to
      that of the saline control. CONCLUSION: By adding a small amount of surfactant,
      the resultant F4H5 solution is able to promote double emulsification and remove
      more SO droplets. Although further in vivo safety studies are necessary before
      clinical trials, the result of our study suggests that F4H5 with surfactant is a
      promising Rinsing Solution for removing emulsified droplets. This work therefore
      translates a well-known phenomenon in emulsion science to tackle the
      emulsification problem observed in the routine vitreoretinal surgery.

PMID- 28616870
TI  - Hazard Experience, Geophysical Vulnerability, and Flood Risk Perceptions in a
      Postdisaster City, the Case of New Orleans.
AB  - This article investigates the determinants of flood risk perceptions in New
      Orleans, Louisiana (United States), a deltaic coastal city highly vulnerable to
      seasonal nuisance flooding and hurricane-induced deluges and storm surges. Few
      studies have investigated the influence of hazard experience, geophysical
      vulnerability (hazard proximity), and risk perceptions in cities undergoing
      postdisaster recovery and rebuilding. We use ordinal logistic regression
      techniques to analyze experiential, geophysical, and sociodemographic variables
      derived from a survey of 384 residents in seven neighborhoods. We find that
      residents living in neighborhoods that flooded during Hurricane Katrina exhibit
      higher levels of perceived risk than those residents living in neighborhoods that
      did not flood. In addition, findings suggest that flood risk perception is
      positively associated with female gender, lower income, and direct flood
      experiences. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of these findings for
      theoretical and empirical research on environmental risk, flood risk
      communication strategies, and flood hazards planning.

PMID- 28616871
TI  - From competition to facilitation: how tree species respond to neighbourhood
      diversity.
AB  - Studies on tree communities have demonstrated that species diversity can enhance
      forest productivity, but the driving mechanisms at the local neighbourhood level
      remain poorly understood. Here, we use data from a large-scale biodiversity
      experiment with 24 subtropical tree species to show that neighbourhood tree
      species richness generally promotes individual tree productivity. We found that
      the underlying mechanisms depend on a focal tree's functional traits: For species
      with a conservative resource-use strategy diversity effects were brought about by
      facilitation, and for species with acquisitive traits by competitive reduction.
      Moreover, positive diversity effects were strongest under low competition
      intensity (quantified as the total basal area of neighbours) for acquisitive
      species, and under high competition intensity for conservative species. Our
      findings demonstrate that net biodiversity effects in tree communities can vary
      over small spatial scales, emphasising the need to consider variation in local
      neighbourhood interactions to better understand effects at the community level.

PMID- 28616872
TI  - Culture and healthy lifestyles: a qualitative exploration of the role of food and
      physical activity in three urban Australian Indigenous communities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: 1) To explore the links between Indigenous Australian children's
      perspectives on culture, and healthy lifestyle behaviours. 2) To provide insight
      into how to approach the development of a health intervention targeting lifestyle
      behaviours in Australian Indigenous children. METHODS: Seven semi-structured
      focus groups sessions were conducted with Australian Indigenous children aged 5
      12 years living on the South Coast of New South Wales. Audio-recordings were
      transcribed and thematic analyses were conducted and related to principles of
      grounded theory. RESULTS: Participants had connections to aspects of Australian
      Indigenous culture that were embedded in their everyday lives. Healthy lifestyle
      behaviours (such as healthy eating and physical activity) were found to be
      interconnected with Australian Indigenous culture and positive emotional
      wellbeing was identified as an important outcome of connecting Australian
      Indigenous children to cultural practices. CONCLUSION: Understanding the
      importance of culture and its role in healthy lifestyles is critical in the
      development of health interventions for Indigenous populations. IMPLICATION:
      Health interventions embedded with Australian Indigenous culture may have
      potential to improve physical and emotional health within Australian Indigenous
      communities. However, it is unlikely that a 'one size fits all' approach to
      health interventions can be taken.

PMID- 28616873
TI  - Do childcare menus meet nutrition guidelines? Quantity, variety and quality of
      food provided in New Zealand Early Childhood Education services.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe food provision and evaluate menus in New Zealand childcare
      services, determining associations with service characteristics and/or cost of
      menu. METHODS: Licensed services in three regions of New Zealand participated in
      an online survey, uploading a weekly menu where applicable. Menus were scored for
      compliance with guidelines on quantity, variety and quality of foods served.
      Bivariate and multivariate associations between menu score and service
      characteristics were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 257 services participated (30%
      of 847 services invited). Food was provided daily in 56%, with 34% providing
      lunch and snacks daily. Of the 57 full menus analysed, only three (5%) met all 10
      scoring criteria (mean score of 6.8/10). Higher menu scores were statistically
      associated with employing a cook, high and low (not medium) neighbourhood
      deprivation, the Heart Foundation's Healthy Heart Award program; there was no
      association with food costs. The Healthy Heart Award remained statistically
      associated with higher menu score after adjustment for other service
      characteristics. CONCLUSION: Most menus did not meet current nutrition guidelines
      for quantity, variety, and limiting 'sometimes' and 'occasional' foods.
      Implications for public health: This study provides a baseline for monitoring
      menu compliance in New Zealand and evidence for nutrition promotion and menu
      improvement programmes in early education.

PMID- 28616875
TI  - Stakeholders' qualitative perspectives of effective telepractice pedagogy in
      speech-language pathology.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Academic programmes in speech-language pathology are increasingly
      providing telehealth/telepractice clinical education to students. Despite this
      growth, there is little information describing effective ways to teach it. AIMS:
      The current exploratory study analyzed the perceptions of speech-language
      pathology/therapy (SLP/SLT) faculty, student and SLP/SLT clinicians to ascertain
      effective pedagogical approaches for telepractice service delivery, rank the
      relative importance of telepractice skills and knowledge competencies, and define
      any pedagogical challenges to teaching them. METHODS & PROCEDURES: Qualitative
      data were collected from two sources: three open-ended questions within an online
      survey (SLP/SLT faculty n = 31, graduate students n = 16, telehealth
      ('telepractice') clinicians n = 16); and follow-up telephone interviews (n = 22).
      Data were analyzed with a grounded theory approach followed by a summative rank
      order analysis of themes. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: All three groups agreed the most
      effective telepractice instructional approach was telepractice demonstrations
      (such as students role playing or watching a supervisor). Professional
      development approaches such as workshops or training manuals were less effective
      and didactic approaches such as lecture-only were ineffective. Skills and
      knowledge competencies students needed before entering the workforce were, in
      order of implied importance: telepractice clinical skills, telepractice
      technology skills, legal knowledge pertinent to telepractice and knowledge of
      telepractice literature. The most important telepractice clinical skills students
      needed to acquire were appropriate selection of telepractice materials and
      engaging the client over the internet. Many participants said teaching and
      learning telepractice was more challenging than in-person service delivery
      because of the difficulties in selecting appropriate telepractice clinical
      materials, managing technology problems and engaging with clients over the
      internet. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Despite substantial limitations to this
      investigation, findings imply that telepractice instruction, like other methods
      of SLP/SLT clinical education, may be most effective when students engage in
      critical thinking and problem-solving issues through intense practice. Because
      the skills and competencies associated with telepractice appear to vary in their
      perceived value, academic programmes may wish to consider prioritizing how they
      are taught, giving students additional instruction in the selection of
      telepractice clinical materials and development of online interpersonal
      communication skills. For some clinical educators, the challenges associated with
      telepractice may necessitate additional educator training.

PMID- 28616874
TI  - Romiplostim monotherapy in thrombocytopenic patients with myelodysplastic
      syndromes: long-term safety and efficacy.
AB  - Romiplostim can improve platelet counts in about 50% of patients with low- or
      intermediate 1-risk (lower risk) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and
      thrombocytopenia, but its long-term toxicity and efficacy are not known. This
      open-label extension study evaluated the long-term safety and efficacy of
      romiplostim in 60 patients with lower risk MDS and platelet counts <=50 * 109 /l.
      The primary endpoint was adverse event (AE) incidence. Secondary endpoints were
      efficacy parameters, including bleeding events and platelet response. Median
      (range) treatment time in the extension study and the median observation times
      thereafter were 25 (2-181) and 57 (11-209) weeks, respectively. Treatment-related
      AEs and serious AEs were reported in 14/60 (23%) and 4/60 (7%) patients,
      respectively. Progression to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) occurred in two
      patients after 44 and 46 weeks. Patients (n = 34, 57%) with a platelet response
      were further evaluated for length of response. Median (range) response duration
      was 33 (7-174) weeks; 28/34 (82%) patients had a continuous response. Five of 34
      patients (15%) had grade >=3 bleeding events; three when the platelet count was
      >50 * 109 /l. There were no new safety concerns and the rate of progression to
      AML was low; response to romiplostim was maintained for most patients.

PMID- 28616876
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28616877
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28616878
TI  - Lichen striatus following yellow fever vaccination in an adult woman.

PMID- 28616879
TI  - Risk factors associated with late entry to antenatal care visits in NSW in 2014.

PMID- 28616880
TI  - Imiquimod-induced cutaneous lupus erythematosus with antinuclear antibodies
      showing a homogenous pattern.

PMID- 28616881
TI  - Role of dietary modification in alleviating chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms: a
      systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence for the role of dietary modifications in
      alleviating chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms. METHODS: A systematic literature
      review was guided by PRISMA and conducted using Scopus, CINAHL Plus, Web of
      Science and PsycINFO scientific databases (1994-2016) to identify relevant
      studies. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria, the quality of each paper
      was assessed and data extracted into a standardised tabular format. RESULTS:
      Positive outcomes were highlighted in some included studies for polyphenol
      intakes in animal studies, D-ribose supplementation in humans and aspects of
      symptom alleviation for one of three polynutrient supplement studies. Omega three
      fatty acid blood levels and supplementation with an omega three fatty acid
      supplement also displayed positive outcomes in relation to chronic fatigue
      syndrome symptom alleviation. CONCLUSIONS: Limited dietary modifications were
      found useful in alleviating chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms, with overall
      evidence narrow and inconsistent across studies. Implications for public health:
      Due to the individual and community impairment chronic fatigue syndrome causes
      the population, it is vital that awareness and further focused research on this
      topic is undertaken to clarify and consolidate recommendations and ensure
      accurate, useful distribution of information at a population level.

PMID- 28616882
TI  - Bullying among 18 to 23-year-old women in 2013.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of bullying among women aged 18-23 in 2013,
      and to describe the demographic characteristics, health and risk factors of those
      who experienced bullying. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis using data from the
      1989-95 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, a
      nationally representative cohort (n=16,801). RESULTS: More than one-quarter of
      women (28.4%) indicated they had never been bullied, 53.4% reported experiencing
      bullying in the past and 18.2% indicated that they were recently bullied. Women
      who had experienced bullying were more likely to have lower levels of education,
      less likely to be studying or employed, and had more difficulty managing on their
      income. Women who experienced bullying were more likely to use tobacco or illicit
      drugs, be overweight or obese and to be sedentary. Even after adjusting for these
      factors, women who had experienced bullying were at risk of poor physical health,
      psychological distress, suicidal thoughts and self-harm. CONCLUSIONS: This is the
      first nationally representative study to demonstrate the strong association
      between being a victim of bullying and health outcomes in a post-school-age
      population. Implications for public health: The findings highlight the need for
      interventions for women who have already experienced bullying and are past school
      age.

PMID- 28616883
TI  - Treatment for Thoracic Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament with
      Posterior Circumferential Decompression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report the results of the posterior approach for thoracic
      ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (TOPLL) by using a special "L"
      osteotome. METHODS: The present study enrolled 16 consecutive patients (9 men and
      7 women) between May 2009 and September 2013. All patients underwent a posterior
      circumferential decompression osteotomy and segmental instrumentation with
      interbody fusion. The mean age at surgery was 57.3 years (range, 37-68 years).
      Patients' data, clinical manifestation, blood loss, length of surgery,
      complications, visual analog scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA),
      and Frankel grading system before and after surgery were collected and evaluated,
      retrospectively. RESULTS: The average follow-up period was 30 +/- 19 months
      (range, 12-50 months). All patients were successfully treated with posterior
      compression and segmental instrumentation with interbody fusion. The average
      operation time was 261.6 +/- 51.3 min (range, 190-310 min). The mean blood loss
      was 980.3 +/- 370.5 mL (range, 600-2100 mL). All patients had subjective
      improvement of motor power and gait. Average preoperative and postoperative JOA
      scores were 4.2 +/- 1.7 and 7.8 +/- 2.5 points, respectively. Differences in the
      overall JOA scores showed significant postoperative improvement. At the last
      follow-up, all patients improved either by one or two Frankel grades. There was a
      significant difference between preoperative VAS scores and those 3 months after
      surgery (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between the 3-month
      and 12-month results (P > 0.05). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage occurred in 3
      patients. Acute neurological deterioration was encountered postoperatively in 1
      patient. CONCLUSION: Treatment with posterior transpedicular osteotomy and
      circumferential decompression was found to be safe, effective, reliable, and
      technically feasible, and keeping the thoracic cavity intact avoids many
      shortcomings of anterior surgery and results in a satisfactory spinal
      decompression.

PMID- 28616885
TI  - Non-fatal agricultural injury surveillance in the United States: A review of
      national-level survey-based systems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Currently, surveillance of non-fatal agricultural injuries in the
      U.S. mainly relies on national surveys, and to date, none of these surveys were
      formally reviewed. Our objective was to review and evaluate these survey-based
      systems, to identify critical gaps in them and provide recommendations to improve
      them. METHODS: We used the updated Center for Disease Control and Prevention
      guidelines to describe each system and evaluate each system's attributes like
      simplicity, flexibility, data quality, timeliness, representativeness, etc.
      RESULTS: Four adult and two youth national surveys collected data for non-fatal
      agricultural injuries in the U.S. The evaluation identified three major gaps: 1)
      insufficient data quality attributed to non-response, measurement errors, and
      underreporting; 2) untimeliness of data; and 3) lack of flexibility to integrate
      with other existing systems. CONCLUSION: Improving data quality, timeliness and
      flexibility will provide reliable and valid injury estimates, and increase the
      usefulness of these surveys for surveillance and prevention of farm injuries.

PMID- 28616886
TI  - Cancer incidence among boat-building workers exposed to styrene.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A cancer incidence analysis was conducted on The National Institute
      for Occupational Safety and Health boat-builders cohort exposed to styrene, a
      possible carcinogen. METHODS: Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and
      standardized rate ratios (SRR) were calculated using national and Washington
      State rates and a person-years analysis program. RESULTS: Among 3704 workers
      living in Washington State after 1991, when cancer registry case accrual began,
      516 first primary diagnoses occurred through 2007. While overall cancer incidence
      was significantly reduced [SIR: 0.83 (0.76, 0.90)], internal comparisons suggest
      an association with exposure comparing high to low exposed person-time [SRR: 1.28
      (1.05, 1.55)]. CONCLUSION: There is evidence of styrene exposure being linked to
      cancer incidence, which is notable since the cohort has not yet reached the
      median age of cancer diagnosis (65) in the United States.

PMID- 28616887
TI  - Computer-based training (CBT) intervention reduces workplace violence and
      harassment for homecare workers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study examines the effectiveness of a workplace violence and
      harassment prevention and response program with female homecare workers in a
      consumer driven model of care. METHODS: Homecare workers were randomized to
      either; computer based training (CBT only) or computer-based training with
      homecare worker peer facilitation (CBT + peer). Participants completed measures
      on confidence, incidents of violence, and harassment, health and work outcomes at
      baseline, 3, 6 months post-baseline. RESULTS: Homecare workers reported improved
      confidence to prevent and respond to workplace violence and harassment and a
      reduction in incidents of workplace violence and harassment in both groups at 6
      month follow-up. A decrease in negative health and work outcomes associated with
      violence and harassment were not reported in the groups. CONCLUSION: CBT alone or
      with trained peer facilitation with homecare workers can increase confidence and
      reduce incidents of workplace violence and harassment in a consumer-driven model
      of care.

PMID- 28616888
TI  - Firefighter perceptions of cancer risk: Results of a qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological research on firefighters indicates an
      increased incidence of specific types of cancer. Intervention is needed in the
      fire service yet little is known about how firefighters perceive their cancer
      risk. METHODS: Participant observation (150 h, n = 100) and focus group (n = 17)
      data were collected from 15 fire stations in South Florida. Firefighters had at
      least 3 years of experience, ranks included drivers, captains, lieutenants, and
      specialty captains, with a median age of 51 years. RESULTS: From the qualitative
      analysis, two major categories (direct and indirect factors) for cancer risks
      emerged based on participant notions of cancer risk and cancer prevention
      behaviors as they relate to firefighting. CONCLUSIONS: Firefighters perceive
      cancer risks as the result of performing essential job tasks and from indirect
      job factors related to being a firefighter. The two categories of cancer risks
      suggest different points of entry for intervention.

PMID- 28616889
TI  - Risk Communication Emergency Response Preparedness: Contextual Assessment of the
      Protective Action Decision Model.
AB  - Studies are continuously performed to improve risk communication campaign designs
      to better prepare residents to act in the safest manner during an emergency. To
      that end, this article investigates the predictive ability of the protective
      action decision model (PADM), which links environmental and social cues,
      predecision processes (attention, exposure, and comprehension), and risk decision
      perceptions (threat, alternative protective actions, and stakeholder norms) with
      protective action decision making. This current quasi-longitudinal study of
      residents (N = 400 for each year) in a high-risk (chemical release) petrochemical
      manufacturing community investigated whether PADM core risk perceptions predict
      protective action decision making. Telephone survey data collected at four
      intervals (1995, 1998, 2002, 2012) reveal that perceptions of protective actions
      and stakeholder norms, but not of threat, currently predict protective action
      decision making (intention to shelter in place). Of significance, rather than
      threat perceptions, perception of Wally Wise Guy (a spokes-character who
      advocates shelter in place) correlates with perceptions of protective action,
      stakeholder norms, and protective action decision making. Wally's response
      efficacy advice predicts residents' behavioral intentions to shelter in place,
      thereby offering contextually sensitive support and refinement for PADM.

PMID- 28616895
TI  - Editorial 2016.

PMID- 28616896
TI  - High-resolution transbulbar ultrasonography helping differentiate intracranial
      hypertension in bilateral optic disc oedema patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The enlargement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) has been proven to
      be related with raised intracranial pressure (ICP). No prospective study has been
      focused on utilizing retrobulbar ultrasonography in optic disc oedema patient
      presented to ophthalmologist. METHODS: High-resolution transbulbar
      ultrasonography was performed in a cohort of patient presented with bilateral
      optic disc oedema. The subarachnoid space of optic nerve (SAS), ONSD and optic
      nerve diameter (OND) was measured prior to other ancillaries including lumbar
      puncture. Subjects were classified into increased intracranial pressure (IIP) and
      normal intracranial pressure (NIP) group according to the open cerebrospinal
      fluid pressure more than 200 mm H2 0. The SAS, ONSD and OND were compared between
      groups and with normal control. The sensitivity of SAS or ONSD change for
      predicating intracranial hypertension was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 20 IIP,
      25 NIP patients and 25 normal controls were evaluated. The mean SAS and ONSD
      measured in idiopathic intracranial hypertension group was significantly
      increased than that of NIP and controls (p < 0.001), whereas the OND showed no
      statistic difference between each group. The sensitivities using the SAS and ONSD
      for differentiating increased ICP in optic disc oedema patients were 0.99 and
      0.97, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The enlarged SAS and ONSD measured by high
      resolution transbulbar sonography are very sensitive parameters to predicate
      increased ICP in bilateral optic disc oedema patients.

PMID- 28616897
TI  - Alcohol and other substance use among a sample of young people in the Solomon
      Islands.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Investigate alcohol and other substance use, with a focus on harmful
      alcohol use patterns, among young people in the Solomon Islands. METHODS: A
      structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to
      respondents aged 15-24 years across four of the country's provinces in late 2015.
      RESULTS: Four hundred young people completed the questionnaire across urban, peri
      urban and rural communities. The most common substances ever used by participants
      were betel nut (94%), licit/store-bought and/or illicit alcohol (79%) and tobacco
      (76%). Lifetime and recent substance use was particularly common among male
      respondents; e.g. 89% of male participants reported ever using any alcohol versus
      54% of females (p<0.001). Harmful alcohol use patterns were common. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our sample generally reported higher levels of substance use compared to previous
      research in the Solomon Islands, including in relation to the country's
      relatively recent (2012/13) Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Implications
      for public health: Our study made considerable advances in addressing key
      knowledge gaps regarding alcohol and other substance use among young people in
      the Solomon Islands. Evidence-based initiatives to address early initiation of
      alcohol and other substance use and the progression to more problematic use
      patterns among young people in the Solomon Islands need to be explored.

PMID- 28616898
TI  - Smoking and the eye: what Quebec teenagers know and fear.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although most people associate smoking with lung cancer and heart
      disease, few are aware of the impact of smoking on ocular health. Studies have
      suggested a better knowledge of this association might promote higher quit rates,
      particularly in teenagers. The purpose of our study was to determine the
      knowledge of teenagers about the effects of smoking on ocular health and the fear
      associated with several tobacco-related health conditions. METHODS: A self
      administered questionnaire was distributed to 180 high school students aged 14 to
      17 years. Measured variables included socio-economic demographics, smoking
      status, knowledge of the effects of smoking on general and ocular health, and
      level of fear as well as level of motivation to quit smoking associated with the
      following tobacco-related conditions: lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, heart
      attack, blindness and deafness. RESULTS: Response rate was 100 per cent. Eleven
      per cent of responders were smokers. The proportion of smokers who thought
      smoking could cause blindness was 64.3 per cent while it was 13.5 per cent for
      non-smokers. The proportion of smokers fearing blindness was 30 per cent, as
      opposed to 69.8 per cent for non-smokers. The proportion of respondents who
      thought the presented conditions were 'extremely' or 'very good' reasons to quit
      were similarly high for all smoking-associated conditions. CONCLUSION: These
      findings suggest teenagers are unaware of the impact smoking can have on ocular
      health. Smokers did not seem more concerned about vision loss compared to other
      tobacco-related diseases, as opposed to non-smokers. Our findings suggest vision
      loss would be a strong motivator to prevent initiation, but not very effective
      regarding cessation in this group. However, optometrists should be aware
      teenagers seem receptive to the message that 'smoking can cause blindness' and
      use this strategy in order to prevent smoking initiation.

PMID- 28616899
TI  - Improving socially constructed cross-cultural communication in aged care homes: A
      critical perspective.
AB  - Cultural diversity between residents and staff is significant in aged care homes
      in many developed nations in the context of international migration. This
      diversity can be a challenge to achieving effective cross-cultural communication.
      The aim of this study was to critically examine how staff and residents initiated
      effective cross-cultural communication and social cohesion that enabled positive
      changes to occur. A critical hermeneutic analysis underpinned by Giddens'
      Structuration Theory was applied to the study. Data were collected by interviews
      with residents or their family and by focus groups with staff in four aged care
      homes in Australia. Findings reveal that residents and staff are capable of
      restructuring communication via a partnership approach. They can also work in
      collaboration to develop communication resources. When staff demonstrate cultural
      humility, they empower residents from culturally and linguistically diverse
      backgrounds to engage in effective communication. Findings also suggest that
      workforce interventions are required to improve residents' experiences in cross
      cultural care. This study challenges aged care homes to establish policies,
      criteria and procedures in cross-cultural communication. There is also the
      challenge to provide ongoing education and training for staff to improve their
      cross-cultural communication capabilities.

PMID- 28616900
TI  - What factors are associated with abstinence amongst socioeconomically
      disadvantaged smokers? A cross-sectional survey of use of cessation aids and
      quitting approach.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: This study aimed to compare current and ex-smokers'
      sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics, use of cessation aids and
      abrupt versus gradual quitting approaches. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional
      survey of financially disadvantaged adults attending a community service
      organisation was conducted in New South Wales, Australia, between February 2012
      and December 2013. Sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, use of cessation
      aids and gradual versus abrupt quit approach were assessed. chi2 tests and
      logistic regression compared characteristics of current and ex-smokers. RESULTS:
      Of 905 individuals who completed the survey, 639 (71%) were current smokers and
      107 (12%) were ex-smokers. Ex-smokers were older [odds ratio (OR) = 1.03, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) = 1.01, 1.05], had higher odds of being female (OR =
      1.67, 95% CI = 1.06, 2.65), lower odds of being financially stressed (OR = 0.87,
      95% CI = 0.76, 0.99), lower odds of anxiety and depression symptoms (OR = 0.91,
      95% CI = 0.84, 0.98) and lower odds of having friends and family who were smokers
      (ORs ranged from 0.30-0.43). Ex-smokers had lower odds of using cessation aids
      and higher odds of reporting abrupt quitting during their last quit attempt (OR =
      4.48, 95% CI = 2.66, 7.54). CONCLUSIONS: Lower levels of disadvantage, less
      smoking in social networks, less use of cessation aids and abrupt (vs. gradual)
      quitting approaches were associated with being an ex-smoker. Lower use of
      evidence based methods to quit by disadvantaged ex-smokers requires further
      exploration. [Twyman L, Bonevski B, Paul C, Bryant J, West R, Siahpush M, D'este
      C, Oldmeadow C, Palazzi K. What factors are associated with abstinence amongst
      socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers? A cross-sectional survey of use of
      cessation aids and quitting approach. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].

PMID- 28616901
TI  - [The Methods and Clinical Significance of Early Diagnosis of Lung Cancer].
AB  - Lung cancer is the leading contributor to morbidity and mortality from cancer
      worldwide, with its 5-year overall survival being only about 15.6%. Due to the
      lack of specific early screening methods for lung cancer, about 75% patients are
      diagnosed late. Therefore, it remains the big challenge for the early diagnosis
      of lung cancer. We need to pay more attention to the screening of lung cancer,
      and more precise assessment and management to the pulmonary nodules screened out.
      Further study on liquid biopsy, optimization of new fiberoptic bronchoscopy and
      the sampling methods to harvest small volume of lung tissue, could be helpful to
      improve the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

PMID- 28616902
TI  - [Expression of TTF-1, NapsinA, P63, CK5/6 in Lung Cancer and Its Diagnostic
      Values for Histological Classification].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expressions of thyroid transcription factor-1(TTF
      1), NapsinA, P63 and CK5/6 in lung cancer tissues and their diagnostic value for
      histological classification. METHODS: The protein expression in a total of 964
      lung cancer samples was detected by immunohistochemistry, of which 929 cases for
      TTF-1, 113 cases for NapsinA, 282 cases for P63, and 277 for CK5/6, respectively.
      The correlations between the protein expressions of the four markers and
      clinicopathological features in lung cancer patients were analyzed. The area
      under the curves (AUCs) of ROC curves, sensitivity and specificity were
      calculated to determine the diagnostic values for the four markers. RESULTS:
      There were 552 cases of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC), 146 cases of lung squamous
      cell carcinoma (SCC), 253 cases of small cell carcinoma (SCLC), and 13 cases of
      large cell carcinoma (LCC). The median age was 56 years old, and 63.4% was male.
      The positive expression rates of TTF-1, NapsinA, P63, and CK5/6 were 76.3%
      (709/929), 67.3% (76/113) , 47.2% (133/282) and 34.7% (96/277), respectively. The
      positive expression rates of TTF-1 and NapsinA were higher in lung ADC, and the
      sensitivity and specificity of TTF-1 in the diagnosis of ADC were 81.15% and
      30.41% respectively, those of NapsinA were 82.05% and 65.71% respectively. The
      AUCs for TTF-1 and NapsinA were 0.557 8 (P=0.002 6, 95%CI:0.520 0-0.595 6) and
      0.738 8 (P<0.000 1, 95%CI:0.633 4-0.844 2) respectively. The positive expression
      rates of P63 and CK5/6 were significantly higher in lung SCC, and their
      sensitivities to diagnose SCC were 80.68% and 81.25%, with specificity 68.04% and
      84.26% respectively. TheAUCsfor P63 and CK5/6 were 0.743 6 (P<0.000 1,
      95%CI:0.681 9-0.805 3) and 0.827 6 (P<0.000 1, 95%CI:0.770 0-0.885 2)
      respectively. Logistic regression model with small sample (44 cases, ADC or SCC)
      showed that NapsinA was an independent factor to distinguish ADC and SCC (partial
      regression coefficient=2.826, P=0.022), while the other three markers showed no
      statistical significance (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TTF-1 and NapsinA can be used as
      prognositic markers for lung ADC. P63 and CK5/6 can be used as prognostic markers
      for lung SCC. NapsinA may be used to distinguish ADC and SCC.

PMID- 28616903
TI  - [Study on the Relationship Between Normalization of Tumor Microvessels and CA9
      for Rh-Endostatin to Inhibit Lewis Lung Cancer].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationship between normalization of tumor
      microvessels and CA9 for rh-Endostatin to inhibit Lewis lung cancer (LLC) and the
      expression level of CA9 in LLC. METHODS: Lewis cells of logarithmic growth phase
      were collected and made into 1*106 mL-1 cell suspensions were prepared. The
      transplanted tumor model of LLC was established on C57/BL6 mice by injected 0.2
      mL cell suspensions/mice into 40 C57/BL6 mice. 40 LLC mice were randomly divided
      into control group and rh-ES group (20 mice per group). Control group experienced
      treatment of intraperitoneal injection (ip) for 0.2 mL NS/d, while rh-ES group
      was treated for 5 mg rh-ES/(kg.d) from the first to the ninth day. The samples of
      5 mice were obtained from day 2, day 4, day 6 and day 9 after treatment in
      control group or rh-ES group, respectively. CA9 was tested by IHC in LLC and
      paracancerous tissues and estimated by RT-PCR and ELISA in the each time point of
      both rh-ES group and control group,respectively. RESULTS: The transplanted tumor
      model of LLC on C57/BL6 mice was established successfully. The expression of CA9
      decreased on day 4 and day 6 in rh-ES group estimated by RT-PCR and ELISA, which
      indicated some great significance when compared with day 2, day 9 in rh-ES group
      and day 4, day 6 in control group (P<0.05), and the expression of CA9 in day 2,
      day 4, day 6, day 9 tested by IHC was higher in LLC than in paracancerous tissues
      in control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The expression of CA9 was higher in LLC.
      Rh-ES could have positive effect on LLC model of C57/BL6 mice, in day 4-6 (a
      brief normalized time course) decreased the expression of CA9 and reversed the
      tumor hypoxia.

PMID- 28616904
TI  - [The Diagnostic Value of Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Needle Aspiration Biopsy
      for Lung or Mediastinal Lymph Node Cancer and Tuberculosis].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of endobronchial ultrasound-guided
      transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) in diagnosing lung or mediastinal
      lymph node cancer and tuberculosis. METHODS: Clinical and pathological data of
      553 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA from January 2013 to September 2016 in West
      China Hospital of Sichuan University were reviewed. The sensitivity, specificity
      and accuracy of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosing lymph node tumor and tuberculosis of
      hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes were calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity,
      specificity and accuracy of EBUS-TBNA in diagnosing hilar and mediastinal lymph
      node cancer were 89.2% (263/295), 100% (247/247) and 94.1% (510/542),
      respectively, compared with 70% (76/117), 97.2% (385/396) and 89.9% (461/513),
      respectively, for diagnosing tuberculosis identified though granulomatous biopsy.
      In the 102 cases with acid fast staining and TB-PCR, 63.7% accuracy (58/91),
      90.9% (10/11) sensitivity and 66.7% (68/102) specificity were found for any
      positive findings from acid fast bacilli or TB-DNA. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA has
      high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing hilar and mediastinal tumor,
      which can be used in combination with acid fast staining and TB-PCR for
      diagnosing tuberculosis.

PMID- 28616905
TI  - [Clinicopathological Features, Diagnoses and Treatments of 6 458 Lung Cancer
      Patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death on a global
      scale. This study aimed to review the clinicopathological featuresof primary lung
      cancer and the practice in diagnoses and treatments. METHODS: Medical record of
      patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer in West China Hospital of Sichuan
      University from 2008 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical
      characteristics of the patients, including pathological type, age, gender, and
      TNM stage were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 6 458 patients were diagnosed with
      primary lung cancer, with male patients comprising the majority (male: 66.5%, n=4
      291 vs. female: 33.5%, n=2 167). The patients had an average age of 59.22 yr.,
      mostly (61.1%) between 50 and 70 yr. and 5.1% (n=335) under 40 yr. More than half
      (53.3%) of the patients were at stage IV at diagnosis, compared with 10.5% at
      stage I. The most common histological type was adenocarcinoma (ADC, n=3 523,
      54.44%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n=1 637, 25.35%) and small
      cell lung cancer (SCLC, n=916, 14.18%). The majority of patients were confirmed
      with fibrobronchoscopy and surgery, and treated with surgery and chemotherapy.
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients diagnosed with primary lung cancer in West China Hospital
      of Sichuan University are primarily elderly men. Adenocarcinoma is the main type.
      Fibrobronchoscopyis the main method for diagnosis, and chemotherapy and surgery
      are the main treatments for lung cancer.

PMID- 28616906
TI  - [Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Lung Ground-glass Opacities:a Review of 663
      Cases].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively investigate the clinical characteristics, surgical
      treatments of the patients with lung ground-glass opacities (GGO). METHODS: All
      the patients, who underwent surgical resection of GGO in our department from Jan.
      2013 to Dec. 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicpathological features
      were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 663 patients were included in this study. The
      rate of malignancy was 92.6% (614/663). The diameter of GGO in benign group
      [(0.8+/-0.2) cm] was significant smaller than that in malignant group [ (1.5+/
      0.8) cm](P<0.001). The rate of irregular margin in malignant group was far higher
      than that in benign group (93.8% vs. 20.4%, P<0.001), but other CT signs such as
      vacuole sign, plural retraction, speculation and lobulation did not show
      significant difference between the two groups. A total of 652 (98.3%) cases were
      resected by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and only 11 (1.7%) cases
      were resected by thoracotomy. A total of 336 (50.7%) patients underwent
      lobectomy, 226 (34.1%) underwent segmentectomy and 101 (15.2%) undewent wedge
      resection. The rate of surgery-related complications was 9.0% (60/663), and one
      (0.2%) patient died. CONCLUSIONS: With careful selection of GGO by experienced
      surgeons, the rate of malignancy is very high. Surgical resection may be
      recommended for highly suspected malignant cases. Sublobar resection or lobcotomy
      by VATS can achieve good treatment effect.

PMID- 28616907
TI  - [Differentiation of Cultivated CD45-/CD31+ Mouse Lung Side Population Cells into
      Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in vitro].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the characteristics of differentiation of lung side
      population cells (LSP cells)in vitro. METHODS: CD45-/CD31+ LSP cells sorted by
      flow cytometry were taken from mouse lung tissues and cultured for 14 d. The
      cultured LSP cells were observed with colony formation assay and flow cytometryin
      vitro. The mRNA expressions of ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2),
      smooth muscle actin (SMA) and alpha-smooth muscle tropomyosin (alpha-SMT) in both
      freshly isolated LSP cells and cultured LSP cells were examined. The expressions
      of ABCG2 and stem cell antigen 1 (Sca1) in LSP cells were detected using
      immunofluorescence. RT-PCR tests were performed to detect the expressions of
      ABCG2, SMA and alpha-SMT in LSP cells. RESULTS: The isolated CD45-/CD31+ lung
      side population cells expressed ABCG2, SMA and Sca1, but not alpha-SMT. A large
      number of LSP in aggregated state were observed after 14 d of culture. Before
      induction of differentiation, the CD45-/CD31+ LSP cells expressed ABCG2 and SMA,
      but not alpha-SMT. After induction of differentiation, the CD45-/CD31+ lung side
      population cells expressed alpha-SMT and SMA, but not ABCG2. CONCLUSIONS: CD45
      /CD31+ LSP cells might be progenitor cells of vascular smooth muscle cells,
      possessing the characteristics of stem cell differentiations.

PMID- 28616908
TI  - [The Correlation Between MicroRNAs in Serum and the Extent of Liver Injury].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the correlation between the absolute quantification of
      the microRNAs (miR-122, miR-451, miR-92a, miR-192) in serum during acute liver
      injury and the extent of liver injury on rat models of CCl4 induced acute liver
      injury and mice models of acetaminophen (APAP) induced acute liver injury.
      Furthermore, to investigate the correlation between the absolute quantification
      of microRNAs in serum and the drug induced liver injury pathological scoring
      system (DILI-PSS). METHODS: The acute liver injury model in rat by CCl4 (1.5
      mL/kg), and the acute liver injury model in mice by APAP (160 mg/kg) were
      established. The serum at different time points on both models were collected
      respectively. The absolute quantification of microRNAs in serum were detected by
      using MiRbayTM SV miRNA Assay kit. Meanwhile, the pathological sections of liver
      tissue of the mice at each time point were collected to analyze the correlation
      between microRNAs and the degree of liver injury. RESULTS: In CCl4-induced rat
      acute liver injury model and APAP induced mouse acute liver injury, miR-122 and
      miR-192 appeared to be rising significantly, which remained the highest level at
      24 h after treatment, and declined to the normal level after 72 h. In CCl4
      induced rat acute liver injury model, the change of miR-92a was fluctuated and
      had no apparent rules, miR-451 declined gradually, but not obviously. In mice
      acute liver injury model induced by APAP, miR-92a and miR-451 in the progress of
      liver injury declined gradually, reached the lowest point at 48 h, and then
      recovered. The result of correlation analysis indicated that miR-122 and miR-192
      presented a good positive correlation with the DILI-PSS ( r=0.741 3, P<0.05;
      r=0.788 3, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The absolute quantification of miR-122 and miR
      192 in serum has the highest level in 24 h, then decrease in 72 h, in both drug
      induced and chemical liver injury. In addition, both the two microRNAs have good
      correlation with DILI-PSS in APAP-induced liver injury models.

PMID- 28616909
TI  - [MIG7 Regulates the Vasculogenic Mimicry Formation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
      then Effects the Metastasis Potential of HCC].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of migration-inducing gene 7 (MIG7) in
      different HCC lines and its relationship with vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation
      and metastatic potentiality. METHODS: Employing immunostaining to detect MIG7
      protein expression and VM formation in 40 matched pairs of primary and metastatic
      HCC specimens from 40 patients, and investigating the correlation of VM formation
      with MIG7 protein expression. Detecting VM formation in HCC lines with different
      metastatic ability (MHCC-97H, MHCC-97L, Huh-7) and human normal hepatocyte line
      (L-02) through three-dimensional culture, and detecting MIG7 mRNA expression with
      RT-PCR, investigating the correlation of MIG7 protein expression with VM
      formation and HCC metastatic potentiality with Western blot assay; screening the
      HCC cell line with high MIG7 expression. RESULTS: In 40 matched pairs of HCC
      tissue, there was a significant positive correlation between MIG7 protein
      expression and VM formation ( rs=0.595, P<0.01). The capability of VM formation
      of MHCC-97H with high metastatic potentiality was stronger than that of MHCC-97L
      with low metastatic potentiality and Huh-7 with non-metastatic potentiality, and
      there was no VM formation in L-02. The result of RT-PCR and Western blot assay
      indicated the same. CONCLUSIONS: MIG7 expression in HCC tissue is high and
      correlated positively with VM formation. MIG7 expression in different HCC cell
      lines is coincident with theirs VM formation, invasion and metastasis. MIG7 is a
      potential target for inhibiting the invasion and metastasis of HCC.

PMID- 28616910
TI  - [Effects of Limb Ischemic Postconditioning on Behavioral Improvement and
      Proliferation of Neural Cells in Rats with Transient Cerebral Ischemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of non-invasive limb ischemic
      postconditioning (NLIP) on the behavioral performance and the expression and
      distribution of neural cells in rats with ischemic cortex. METHODS: Rats were
      randomly divided into 3 groups: sham group (n=10), ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)
      group (n=50), and NLIP group (n=50). Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by
      intraluminal MCAO in the rats in the I/R and NLIP groups, while no suture was
      inserted in the sham-operated rats. NLIP (reperfusion-10 min, ischemia-10 min, *3
      cycles) was conducted immediately after reperfusion on bilateral femoral arteries
      by modified ischemicelastic bands. Body mass and behavioral performance of the
      rats were assessed at 3 d, 7 d, 14 d, 21 d and 28 d post-ischemia (n=5-10).
      Doublecortin (DCX) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the ischemic
      cortex were detected by immunohistochemistry.The expression of microtubule
      associated protein 2 (MAP2) was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The rats in
      the sham group showed mild body mass loss and minor neurological deficit 1-3 d
      post-ischemia and weakened muscle strength 1 d post-ischemia, which were
      alleviated gradually overtime. Compared with the sham group, neurological
      deficits were more obvious in the rats in the I/R and NLIP groups, which were
      alleviated 3-21 d post-ischemia and reached a level close to that of the sham
      group at 28 d post-ischemia. No significant difference was found betweenthe I/R
      and NLIP groups in neurologic deficit scores.NLIP significantly alleviated body
      mass loss 2-7 d post-ischemia (P<0.05) and improved muscle strength 14-28 d post
      ischemia (P<0.05).Compared with the sham group, rats in the I/R and NLP groups
      had increased numbers of DCX and GFAP-labeled cells in the ischemic penumbra over
      time, increased hypotrophic cell bodies and longer and thickened dendrites, and
      decreased expression of MAP2 (P>0.05) at 3 d post-ischemia prior to an up
      regulation.Higher expression of MAP2 was found 14-21 d post-ischemia (P<0.05) in
      the I/R group and 7-28 d post-ischemia in the NLIP group(P<0.05). Significant
      difference in MAP2 was found between the I/R and NLIP groups at 7 d post-ischemia
      (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NLIP has the potential to improve neurological outcomes
      and promote increase of neural cells in penumbral cortex after cerebral ischemia.

PMID- 28616911
TI  - [Histone Deacetylation Down-regulates the Expression of BNIP3 in Renal Cell
      Carcinoma].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the down-regulation mechanism of (bcl-2/adenovirus E1B
      19 kDa interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) expression in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
      METHODS: RCC cell lines 786-O, ACHN and A498 were treated with different
      concentrations of histone deacetylase inhibitor TSA. Thereafter, the
      proliferation of RCC cells was determined with CCK-8 assay, cell apoptosis was
      observed by flow cytometry, and the expression levels of BNIP3 were determined by
      Q-PCR and Western blot, and the acetylation status of histone H3 in the promoter
      of BNIP3 was detected by ChIP. RESULTS: After the treatment with TSA, the
      proliferation of the three RCC cell lines was significantly inhibited (P<0.05),
      the early apoptosis of cells obviously increased, and the expression levels of
      BNIP3 mRNA (P<0.05) and protein were up-regulated. The histone H3 in BNIP3
      promoter of both 786-O and ACHN was deacetylated, while the histone H3 in BNIP3
      promoter of A498 was acetylated. CONCLUSIONS: Histone deacetylation may be the
      important mechanism of BNIP3 silencing in RCC.

PMID- 28616912
TI  - [The Roles of Glut5 in Imatinib Resistance in the Ph+ Acute Lymphoblastic
      Leukemia Cell].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the possible roles of glucose transport 5 (Glut5) in
      imatinib resistance in the Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell (Ph+ ALL).
      METHODS: The gene chip technique was used to detect different gene expression
      between Ph+ ALL cell line SUP-B15/R (imatinib resistant cell line) and SUP-B15/S
      (imatinib sensitive cell line), the gene of solute carrier family 2 member 5
      (SLC2A5) and its coded protein Glut5 were screened out and were reconfirmed by
      qPCR and Western blot assay. The imatinib half maximal inhibitory concentration
      (IC50) to SUP-B15/S cells with or without fructose treatment was further detected
      by MTT assay, simultaneously signal pathway gene was detected by qPCR assay.
      RESULTS: Metabolism related gene SLC2A5 was screened out with gene chip technique
      and the Western blot assay and qPCR confirmed the high expression of SLC2A5 gene
      and its coded protein Glut5 in SUP-B15/R cells. IC50 values of imatinib to SUP
      B15/S cells after treatment with 25 MUmol/L fructose were increased from (44.50+/
      2.38) MUmol/L to (64.71+/-1.69) MUmol/L, in the meanwhile, PI3K and AKT mRNA
      level also increased in fructose treated SUP-B15/S cells compared to the control.
      CONCLUSIONS: High expression of SLC2A5 and Glut5 protein in SUP-B15/R cells leads
      to increased fructose absorption, and further activates PI3K/AKT pathway which
      cause the SUP-B15 cell resistance to imatinib.

PMID- 28616913
TI  - [The Effect of Exogenous Recombinant HMGB1 on Neural Stem Cells and Related
      Mechanism].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of exogenous recombinant high mobility group
      protein box1 (rHMGB1) on proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells
      (NSCs) and the related mechanism. METHODS: SD rat cerebral cortex cells were
      cultured in serum-free medium, extending the culture and purification of neural
      stem cells. NSCs were identified by detecting nestin-label with
      immunofluorescence method.The NSCs proliferation activity after adding different
      concentrations of rHMGB1 was determined by CCK-8 assay and the optimal
      concentration of rHMGB1 for the follow-up experiments was selected.The effect of
      rHMGB1 on NSCs differentiation was detected by immunofluorescence assay. The mRNA
      and protein expression of involved factors were studied by real-time PCR and
      Western blot separately. RESULTS: The neural cells isolated from the cortex of
      rat embryos showed the expression of nestin antigen and the neural stem cells
      purity could reach more than 99% when cultured to the third generation. Under the
      stimulation of 10 ng/mL rHMGB1, neural stem cells proliferation activity were the
      highest, therefore, 10 ng/mL rHMGB1 was selected to treat the experimental group.
      The expression of TUJ1 in the experimental group was higher than that in the
      control group (P<0.05). Real-time PCR and Western blot confirmed rHMGB1 could
      improve the expression of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE),
      Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), matrix
      metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and nerve growth factor(NGF) respectively at the
      level of mRNA and protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous rHMGB1 promoted rat
      NSCs proliferation and differentiation into neuronsin vitro by activating RAGE,
      TLRs, MMP-9 signaling.

PMID- 28616914
TI  - [Expressions and Significance of ALDH1, HIF-1alpha and VEGF in Laryngeal Squamous
      Cell Carcinoma].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expressions of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1(ALDH1),
      hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha(HIF-1alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor
      (VEGF) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma(LSCC) and their relationships with
      clinical significance. METHODS: In situ hybridization (ISH) method and
      immuohistochemical staining were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions
      of ALDH1, HIF-1alpha and VEGF in 120 LSCC specimens and 60 cases of normal
      laryngeal tissue. Their relationships with clinical pathological parameters were
      analyzed. RESULTS: The positive rates of ALDH1, HIF-1alpha and VEGF mRNA in LSCC
      were 57.5% (69/120) , 73.3% (88/120) , 56.7% (68/120) , while the positive rates
      of proteins were 55.8% (67/120) , 70.8% (85/120) and 55.0% (66/120) ,
      respectively. which were significantly higher than those in controls (P<0.05) .
      The expression of ALDH1 and VEGF proteins were significantly correlated with TNM
      stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05) . The expression of HIF-1alpha protein
      was significantly correlated with TNM stage, the degree of differentiation and
      lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The positive expression of ALDH1 was positively
      associated with those of HIF-1alpha and VEGF (P<0.05). The lymph node metastasis
      rate increased with the positive factors. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed
      that the patients with positive expression of ALDH1, HIF-1alpha and VEGF had
      lower 5-year overall survival rate than those with negative expression (P<0.05) .
      CONCLUSIONS: The expressions of ALDH1, HIF-1alpha and VEGF are higher in LSCC,
      which may be used to determine the malignancy and prognosis of LSCC.

PMID- 28616915
TI  - [Association of Elevated Platelet Microparticles with Disease Activity in
      Rheumatoid Arthritis].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the expression of platelets microparticles (PMPs) in
      peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
      patients and its correlation with clinical inflammatory parameters. METHODS: The
      levels of PMPs in PB were detected by flow cytometry in 26 active RA patients and
      15 healthy control (HC). SF was collected from 16 patients. The percentages of
      CD62P+PMPs, CD154+PMPs and clinical parameters (including CRP, ESR, RF and ACPA)
      were also measured, then the correlations of PMPs with these parameters were
      analyzed. RESULTS: PMPs levels in PB of RA patients were higher than those in PB
      from HC and those in SF of RA patients (P< 0.01). CD62P+PMPs levels in PB of RA
      patients were higher than those in PB of HC and those in SF of RA patients (P<
      0.05). CD154+PMPs levels in PB of RA patients were higher than those in PB of HC
      (P< 0.01) and those in SF of RA patients (P< 0.05). The levels of PB PMPs were
      positively correlated with disease activity score DAS28 ( r=0.462, P=0.018), but
      not with ESR, CRP, RF or ACPA. The levels of SF PMPs were not correlated with any
      of them (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PMPs may be involved in immune regulation and
      systemic inflammation of RA. The elevated levels of PMPs could be a potential
      biomarker for RA.

PMID- 28616916
TI  - [Relationship Between LEP G2548A Polymorphism and Cholesterol Gallstone].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the associations of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
      in leptin (LEP) genes and environmental factors with cholesterol gallstone in
      southeast Han populations. METHODS: A 1:2 matched case-control study was
      conducted involving 200 patients with cholesterol gallstone. Genotyping of the
      SNP was examined on the LightCycler480 PCR platform using in-house high
      resolution melting (HRM) approaches. Detection correctness was validated through
      direct sequencing. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis was
      applied to examine the effects of potential gene-environment interactions.
      RESULTS: Three genotypes of LEP G2548A were obtained by HRM genotyping, including
      52 cases of GG wild type, 192 cases of GA mutant heterozygosity and 356 cases of
      AA mutation homozygous type. The genotype distribution of the SNP locus in the
      control group was in line with the Hardy-Weinberg genetic balance (P>0.05). The
      AA genotype carriers of LEP G2548A had significantly higher serum leptin than the
      GA/GG genotype carriers (H=6.83, P<0.05). The conditional logistic regression
      revealed that high serum leptin [odds ratio (OR)=5.012, 95% confidence interval
      (CI): 3.248-7.734], AA genotype of LEP G2548A site (OR=2.292, 95%CI: 1.012
      5.193), family history of gallstones (OR=2.984, 95%CI: 1.329-6.700), high SBP
      (OR=1.927, 95%CI: 1.140-3.255) and smoking (OR=1.717, 95%CI: 1.006-2.928) were
      predictors of cholesterol gallstone. However, regular drinking of strong tea
      (OR=0.552, 95%CI: 0.336-0.907) and exercise (OR=0.591, 95%CI: 0.395-0.882) were
      protecting factors for cholesterol gallstone. The results of MDR analysis
      indicated that tea drinking, genotype of LEP G2548A site and serum leptin formed
      the optimal gene-environment interaction model. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals who
      drink less tea, carry AA genotype and have high serum leptin are more susceptible
      to cholesterol gallstone.

PMID- 28616917
TI  - [A Study on the Feasibility to Assay Minipig Insulin Through Human Insulin
      Radioimmunoassay Kit].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of using human-specific insulin
      radioimmunoassay (Ins-RIA) kit to measure the concentrations of serum insulin in
      minipigs. METHODS: The Serum samples (219) of Bama minipigs were collected. The
      concentrations of serum insulin in Bama minipigs were measured by Ins-RIA kit and
      porcine-specific insulin enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Ins-ELISA) kit,
      respectively. The linear regression analysis was undertaken in a randomly
      selected 175 samples (80% of total samples) to establish predictive equations
      between the concentrations of serum insulin measured by Ins-ELISA and the
      concentrations of serum insulin measured by Ins-RIA. The equations were then
      cross-validated in the remaining 44 samples (20% of total samples) that had not
      been included in the regression analysis. RESULTS: Measured insulin concentration
      was lower with the Ins-ELISA than that with the Ins-RIA [(15.32+/-15.50) MUIU/mL
      vs. (32.31+/-21.74) MUIU/mL, respectively, P<0.000 1]; The final predictive
      equation for the Ins-ELISA (MUIU/mL) was equal to -7.29+0.70 * Ins-RIA(MUIU/mL) (
      R2=0.94). The differences between the predicted values and the actual measured
      values were 17.18%. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin values in Bama minipigs obtained from
      the Ins-ELISA and Ins-RIA are not equivalent and differ significantly. However,
      the insulin concentration by Ins-ELISA can be well estimated by Ins-RIA.

PMID- 28616918
TI  - [Value of Procalcitonin, High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein and Pancreatic Stone
      Protein in Predicting Prognosis of Children with Sepsis].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of procalcitonin (PCT), high sensitivity C
      reactive protein (hs-CRP) and pancreatic stone protein(PSP) in predicting the
      prognosis of children with sepsis. METHODS: A total of 106 hospitalized children
      [(4.4+/-1.6) year-old] with sepsis were enrolled in this study. The expressions
      of PTC, hs-CRP and PSP in the serum samples of the children were detected on the
      first day of admission to hospital. Pearson correlation analyses were performed
      to test the correlations between pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) and PTC,
      hs-CRP and PSP. Logistic regression models were established to determine factors
      predicting death of children. The value of PTC, hs-CRP and PSP in predicting the
      prognosis of children with sepsis was determined using ROC curves. RESULTS: About
      32% children (34 cases) died. Higher expressions of PTC, hs-CRP and PSP were
      found in those who died (P<0.001). Serum PTC, hs-CRP and PSP were negatively
      correlated with PCIS (P<0.001). The multivariate logistic regression showed that
      PTC, hs-CRP and PSP were independent predictors of death in patients with sepsis
      (P<0.001). PTC, hs-CRP and PSP had an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.86[
      (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.78-0.92], 0.70 (95%CI, 0.61-0.79) and 0.69
      (95%CI, 0.60-0.78) , respectively.The AUC value increased (P<0.001) to 0.92
      (95%CI, 0.85-0.96) when the three indicators were combined (0.481*PCT+0.392*hs
      CRP +0.314*PSP), with a value of less than 122.3 indicating good prognosis in 28
      d. CONCLUSIONS: Serum PTC, hs-CRP and PSP can predict prognosis of children with
      sepsis.

PMID- 28616919
TI  - [Effects of Early Enteral Immunonutrition on Postoperative Immune Function and
      Rehabilitation of Patients with Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Risk].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of early enteral immunonutrition on
      postoperative immune function and rehabilitation of gastric cancer patients with
      nutritional risk. METHODS: New hospitalized patients with gastric cancer were
      evaluated the nutrient status based on NRS 2002. The patients who scored between
      3 to 5 points were randomized into two groups(30 cases for each group), and those
      in experimental group were given 7-d early postoperative enteral immune
      nutrition, those in control group were given normal nutrition. The immune indexes
      (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+) and nutritional indexes(transferrin, pre
      albumin, albumin) were measured before operation and at the 3rd and 7th day
      postoperatively. In addition, the first flatus time, gastrointestinal adverse
      reactions and complications, length of hospital stays were compared between the
      two groups. RESULTS: The level of CD4+/CD8+ and transferrin, pre-albumin, albumin
      in experimental group were significantly higher than those in control group at
      the third and seventh day postoperatively (P<0.05).Compared with the control
      group, the experimental group had shorter first flatus time after surgery, which
      were (63.5+/-7.3) h vs. (72.8+/-8.6 ) h respectively (P<0.05).There were no
      statistically difference on pneumonia, anastomosis leakage, severe abdominal
      distension, inflammatory bowel obstruction and total postoperative
      hospitalization time between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Early enteral
      immunonutrition can effectively promote the recovery of nutritional status and
      immune function in gastric cancer patients with nutrition risk.

PMID- 28616920
TI  - [Association of GH and IGF-1 Burden with Cardiac Structural and Functional
      Changes in Acromegaly Patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of growth hormone (GH) and insulin
      like growth factor (IGF-1) burden with the cardiac structural and functional
      changes in acromegaly patients. METHODS: Ninety-nine acromegaly patients were
      enrolled in this study. According to the normal range of echocardiographic
      parameters of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the patients were divided
      into parameter normal group and abnormal group. Correlation analyses were
      conducted between duration of disease, mean GH, mean IGF-1, GH burden, IGF-1
      burden and echocardiography data retrospectively. RESULTS: Forty eight cases
      (48.5%) was diagnosed as abnormal echocardiography, including enlargement of the
      cardiac cambers (29.3%), valvular diseases (15.1%), dilation of aortic root
      (5.1%), functional abnormal of left ventricle (19.2%) and wall motion
      abnormalities (1.0%). The average GH and IGF-1 burdens in echocardiography
      abnormal group (n=48) were higher than those in the normal group (n=51), without
      statistical significant except for the left ventricle end-systolic diameter
      (LVESD) (P=0.018) in GH burden comparison and E/A (P=0.011) and left atrium
      longitudinal dimension (LALD) (P=0.017) in IGF-1 burden comparison. Abnormal
      diastolic function group (n=18) had similar GH burden with the normal group
      (n=81) (P=0.419), but had higher IGF-1 burden than the normal group did
      (P=0.018).The GH burden correlated with left ventricle end-diastolic diameter
      (LVEDD) and LVESD, and the IGF-1 burden correlated with left ventricular ejection
      fraction (LVEF) , LALD, right ventricle longitudinal dimension( RVLD), Left
      ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), LVEDD, LVESD, and E/A ratio
      statistical significantlly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There exist associations of GH
      and IGF-1 burden with echocardiography abnormalities and cardiac complications.

PMID- 28616921
TI  - [Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression in Hospitalized Patients with Heart
      Failure].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in hospitalized
      patients with heart failure. METHODS: From September 2015 to March 2016, 301
      patients who were admitted to the cardiac ward of a tertiary hospital for heart
      failure were consecutively enrolled in this study. They were assessed with the
      Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADs). Multivariate logistic regression
      analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with anxiety and
      depression. RESULTS: Of the 301 participants, 124 (41.2%) were identified with
      anxiety and 177 (58.8%) with depression; 98 (32.6%) had both anxiety and
      depression. Higher prevalence of anxiety was found in female patients and those
      who resided in rural areas, had poor family support, had a class IV New York
      heart association (NYHA), and were admitted repeatedly (3 or more) for heart
      failure over the past year. Higher prevalence of depression was found in the
      patients with poor family support and those who had primary or lower education,
      had a class IV NYHA, and were in normal or under-weight range. The severity of
      the two conditions was positively correlated ( r=0.617, P<0.05). The multivariate
      logistic regression models identified female (OR=2.045), class IV NYHA
      (OR=1.955), 3 or more repeated admissions for heart failure (OR=2.288) as
      predictors for anxiety and/or depression. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety and depression is
      prevalent in hospitalized patients with heart failure. Increased attention needs
      to be paid to the psychological health of those patients in high risk.

PMID- 28616922
TI  - [Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and
      Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical characteristics and prevalence of chronic
      complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with various degrees of
      obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). METHODS: A total of 170 patients with
      T2DM and OSAS were enrolled in this study. These participants were divided into
      three groups with low, medium and high apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), respectively.
      The demographic characteristics, biochemical indicators and chronic complications
      of the patients in the three groups were compared. Multivariate Logistic
      regression analysis was performed to determine the associations between chronic
      complications and OSAS. RESULTS: The patients with severe OSAS had higher waist
      circumference (P=0.045), higher BMI (P=0.069), higher prevalence of diabetic
      peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and higher prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR)
      than the patients with mild-moderate OSAS. Similar levels of macrovascular
      complications were found in the three groups (P>0.05). The logistic regression
      analyses showed that DPN (OR=1.024, 95%CI 1.002-1.046) and chronic kidney disease
      (OR=1.026, 95%CI 1.004-1.049) were independent predictors of AHI, adjusting for
      the lowest oxygen saturation, gender, age, diabetic duration, family history of
      diabetes, BMI, and HbA1c. Other microvascular and macrovascular complications
      were not predictors of AHI. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with T2DM and severe OSAS have
      a higher risk of DPN and DR. Particular attention should be paid to T2DM patients
      with severe OSAS to prevent complications.

PMID- 28616923
TI  - [Effects of Tramadol on Insulin Resistance during Cesarean Section Complicated
      with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of tramadol on insulin resistance (IR)
      during cesarean section complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
      METHODS: 120 patients of elective caesarean sectioncomplicated with GDM (level
      A1) were collected from Dec.2015 to Oct.2016, randomly divided into the tramadol
      injection treated groups (0.5 mg/kg-TRM1, 1 mg/kg-TRM2 and 1.5 mg/kg-TRM3) and
      the control group (CON) (n=30). The patients of TRM groups were injected with
      tramadol after delivery of fetus during caesarean delivery under combined spinal
      epidural anaesthesia (CSEA) and the patients of CON group were treated with
      normal saline as control. The plasma were collected before CSEA (T0), after
      delivery of fetus (T1) and immediately after caesarean section (T2) for
      determination of the expression of blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, interleukin-6
      (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by hexokinase,
      chemiluminescence method and ELISA. The activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway
      of epiploon were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with T0,
      the concentration of blood glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, IL-6 and TNF-alpha
      increased significantly in T1 and T2 (P<0.05). The factors of above decreased in
      T2 of TRM2 group and TRM3 group comparing with CON group, but of no significant
      differences between TRM1 group and CON group. Compared with CON group in T2,
      PI3K/Akt signaling pathway activated significantly in TRM2 group and TRM3 group
      (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The tramadol can attenuate IR during cesarean section
      complicated with GDM and may regulate the secretion of IL-6, TNF-alpha and
      PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the treatment of IR of GDM.

PMID- 28616924
TI  - [Reference Intervals of Thyroid Hormones in Normal Pregnant Women and Effects of
      Thyroid Autoantibodies on Thyroid Hormone Levels in Pregnant Women in Chengdu
      Area].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To establish the reference intervals of thyroid hormones in normal
      pregnant women in Chengdu area of China, and to investigate the effects of
      thyroid autoantibodies on thyroid function in pregnant women. METHODS: We
      included 696 pregnant women who had gestation data from June 2013 to March 2014
      in Chengdu Women & Children's Central Hospital. Every subject under went
      questionnaire survey, physical examination, thyroid ultrasound and measurement of
      thyroid hormone and thyroid autoantibodies. The normal reference intervals were
      established according to the percentiles (P2.5-P97.5) of the healthy pregnant
      women in the same trimester. Another 50 non-pregnant women were selected as the
      control group. RESULTS: Of the 696 pregnant women, 579 subjects had negative
      thyroid autoantibodies and 117 subjects had positive thyroid autoantibodies. The
      positive rate of thyroid autoantibodies was 16.81%. Of the 579 subjects with
      negative thyroid autoantibodies, 257 were in the first trimester, 202 in the
      second trimester and 120 in the third trimester. In the first trimester of normal
      pregnancy, the reference intervals of serum thyrotropin (TSH) , free
      triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) were 0.02-4.03 mIU/L, 3.85-6.27
      pmol/L and 11.93-21.04 pmol/L respectively. In the second trimester, the
      reference intervals of serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 were 0.02-4.05 mIU/L, 3.51-5.82
      pmol/L and 11.23-19.22 pmol/L respectively. In the thirdtrimester, the reference
      intervals for serum TSH, FT3 and FT4 were 0.24-5.41 mIU/L, 3.18-4.97 pmol/L and
      11.10-17.00 pmol/L, respectively. When compared with non-pregnant women, the
      median TSH value was increasingly consisted with the progress of pregnancy
      period, while the median FT4 and FT3 values were decreasing accordingly. The
      similar tendencies of TSH, FT3, and FT4 were found in pregnant women with
      positive thyroid autoantibodies, but the trends were more remarkable when
      compared with those with negative thyroid autoantibodies. In pregnant women with
      positive thyroid autoantibodies, the incidences of clinical hypothyroidism,
      subclinical hypothyroidism and clinical hyperthyroidism were 0.85%, 15.38% and
      0.85%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The thyroid hormone reference ranges of
      pregnant women is quite different from those of non-pregnant women. It is
      necessary to establish the reference intervals of thyroid hormones in normal
      pregnant women. Thyroid function of pregnant women with positive thyroid
      autoantibodies should be monitored during the pregnant period.

PMID- 28616925
TI  - [Perceptions and Attitudes of Chengdu Residents toward "Medical and Aged Care"
      Integrated Models].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the perceptions and attitudes of Chengdu residents
      toward "medical and aged care" integrated models and associated factors. METHODS:
      A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 935 residents who were 45
      years or older in 8 communities in Chengdu. Descriptive analyses and logistic
      binary regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: About 91.1% of respondents
      preferred self-care and family support, and only 8.9% preferred community and
      institutional care. About 84.9% of respondents reported no knowledge about the
      "medical and aged care" integrated models, and 15.1% had some basic understanding
      of the integrated care models. Middle-aged respondents were more likely to
      understand the integrated care models than their older counterparts, with 21.7%
      willing to endorse the integrated care models. The logistic regression analyses
      showed that age, educational attainment, marital status, chronic illness,
      available financial support, and knowledge and awareness were associated with the
      choice. CONCLUSIONS: Chengdu residents have low level of knowledge and awareness
      of the "medical and aged care" integrated models. Public education is needed to
      promote the new aged care models.

PMID- 28616926
TI  - [Clinical Application of Chromosomal Microarray Analysis in Karyotyping with
      Uncertain Genomic Rearrangement].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To apply chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in the diagnosis of
      karyotyping with uncertain genomic rearrangement. METHODS: We retrospectively
      reviewed 48 samples (34 samples of amniotic fluid, 14 samples of peripheral
      blood) of karyotype analyses with uncertain genomic rearrangement in patients
      admitted to our department from September 2014 to April 2016. The CMA results
      were compared with those of karyotyping. RESULTS: The 48 samples consisted of 13
      samples with marker chromosomes, 19 samples with derivative chromosomes, and 16
      samples with balanced translocation. Sixteen cases (33.33%) were detected with
      abnormalities by CMA. In the 32 samples with marker chromosomes or derivative
      chromosomes, 16 cases were detected with deletions or duplications (>5 Mb) by
      CMA, including 1 case 21-trisomy, 2 cases XYY syndrome and 3 cases microdeletion/
      microduplication syndromes (22q11 duplication syndrome, Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome
      and 15q26 overgrowth syndrome). In the 16 balanced translocation cases, all
      revealed negative results in CMA. CONCLUSIONS: CMA can confirm the karyotyping
      with uncertain genomic rearrangement and clarify its clinical significance.

PMID- 28616927
TI  - [Technology and MethodsSimultaneous Determination of 9 Natural Ingredientsin
      Functional Food for Anti-hangover and Hepatoprotection by High Performance Liquid
      Chromatography].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To develop a rapid method of high performance liquid chromatography
      coupled with variable wave length UV detection for simultaneous determination of
      9 natural functional ingredients including puerarin, silymarin, quercetin
      hydrate, schisandrol A, curcumin, tanshinoneI, tanshinoneIIA, cryptotanshinone,
      and dihydrotanshinoneIin functional food for anti-hangover and hepatoprotection.
      METHODS: The samples were ultrasonically extracted with 90 % ethanol (V/V) and
      centrifuged at 10 000 r/min for 10 min prior to HPLC analysis. The nine target
      analytes were separated on a C18 column with gradient elution using methanol and
      water (The pH value was adjusted to 2.5 using H3PO4) as the mobile phase.
      Qualitative analysis was carried out using retention times of the chromatographic
      peaks, while the external standard curves were established for quantification.
      RESULTS: Under the optimal analytical conditions, the peak area of each analyte
      and its concentration had a good correlation within the linear range ( r>=0.998).
      The limits of detection and quantification of the method were 0.38-0.73 mg/kg
      (S/N=3) and 1.27-2.43 mg/kg (S/N=10), respectively. The spiked recoveries of the
      analytes were 88.9%-103.2%, and the relative standard deviations were 1.3%-3.7%.
      CONCLUSIONS: The method for the determination of 9 functional ingredients in
      functional food for anti-hangover and hepatoprotection was proposed for the first
      time in this study. The results showed that it could meet the requirement of
      routine analysis and quality control and evaluation.

PMID- 28616928
TI  - [Clinical Study of Rs-EPI DWI to Improve Imaging Quality and Assessment on
      Intracranial Mass Lesions].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the clinical value of readout-segmented echo planar
      imaging (Rs-EPI) sequence in the assessment of intracranial mass lesions compared
      to the standard single-shot EPI (Ss-EPI) sequence. METHODS: We included 21
      patients with intracranial mass lesions who underwent both Ss-EPI diffusion
      weighted imaging (DWI) and Rs-EPI DWI at 3.0T MR scanner with a twenty-channel
      head-neck coil. The quality of images was assessed by two experienced
      radiologists independently. The differences in image quality between two
      sequences were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Inter-observer
      agreements were analyzed using interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kappa
      test. RESULTS: All objectives were completed on 3.0T MR. The signal-to-noise
      ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in Rs-EPI DWI were higher than
      those in Ss-EPI DWI (130.46+/-49.10 vs. 71.58+/-30.43, P=0.000; 33.22+/-18.86 vs.
      17.92+/-18.72, P=0.003). The scores of overall image quality, ghost artifact
      where next to the paranasal sinuses, mastoid air cells and frontal sinus of Rs
      EPI DWI were significantly higher than those of Ss-EPI DWI. Meanwhile, the
      geometric distortion of anatomical structures of Rs-EPI DWI were significantly
      lower compared to Ss-EPI DWI sequence (0.016+/-0.021 vs. 0.037+/-0.069, P=0.00).
      The inter-reader and intra-reader agreements for the assessment of qualitative
      parameters were good [0.74<=Kappa value or ICC<=0.92]. CONCLUSIONS: Rs-EPI DWI
      sequence is a potential technique to improve the imaging quality in the diagnosis
      of intracranial mass lesions.

PMID- 28616929
TI  - [Clinical MedicineThe Evaluation of He-Ne Laser Therapy Help Wound Healing of
      Nail Surgery].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of He-Ne laser therapy on wound healing
      after nail surgery. METHODS: Patients who needed nail surgery were divided into
      treatment group (n=20) and control group (n=20) randomly.The He-Ne laser was
      applied to the wound after nail surgery in treatment group. The wound healing
      time, the inflammation duration, the pain rating, and the nail plate full-grown
      time were compared with control group. RESULTS: No significant differences in
      baseline of two groups were observed. The wound healing time was (16.00+/-2.51) d
      in control group and (11.35+/-1.73 ) d in treatment group, the inflammation
      duration was (9.10+/-2.10) d in control group and (7.20+/-1.44) d in treatment
      group (P<0.05), both above differences were significant (P<0.05).The nail plate
      full-grown time was (21.00+/-2.13) weeks in treatment group, whereas (21.40+/
      1.05) weeks in control group (P>0.05).The pain rating of the 2 groups was
      different from 25 h (after 3 times treatment)(P<0.05). Pain disappeared in 85.0%
      (17/20) patients of treatment group after 49 h (5 times treatment), and
      completely disappeared (20/20) after 54 h (6 times treatment), which were faster
      than those of control group at the same time points (pain disappeared only in
      50.0% and 98.5% of patients respectively). CONCLUSIONS: He-Ne laser therapy can
      help wound healing after nail surgery.

PMID- 28616930
TI  - [A Study of Etiology Classification of Minor Stroke Based on TOAST and ASCO
      Systems].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the differences in the etiology between minor stroke
      and non-minor stroke based on TOAST and ASCO systems, and to guide the early
      intervention for minor stroke. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the patients
      with acute ischemic stroke admitted to our department from July 2012 to July
      2014. We sub-typed minor stroke patients and non-minor stroke patients in
      etiology using Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) and ASCO (A
      for atherosclerosis, S for small vessel disease, C for Cardiac source, O for
      other cause) systems respectively to investigate the difference of etiology
      between the two groups. RESULTS: We included a total of 406 patients with minor
      stroke and 651 patients with non-minor stroke. The constituent ratio of TOAST was
      different (P<0.001) between the two groups. small-artery occlusion (SAO) was the
      highest cause (40.4%, 164 cases) in minor stroke group, while stroke
      undertermined etiology (SUE) was the most common (30.9%, 201 cases)in non-minor
      stroke group. The A1+2 ratio and C1+2 ratio in minor stroke group were lower than
      those in non-minor stroke group (22.8% vs. 35.4%, P<0.001; 19.3% vs. 32.1%,
      P<0.001), and the ratio of S1+2 was higher than that in non-minor stroke group
      (49.8% vs. 27.3%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The etiology of minor stroke is
      different to non-minor stroke SAO is the most common cause in minor stroke, while
      CE and LAA are more common in non-minor stroke.

PMID- 28616931
TI  - Database for Rapid Dereplication of Known Natural Products Using Data from MS and
      Fast NMR Experiments.
AB  - The discovery of novel and/or new bioactive natural products from biota sources
      is often confounded by the reisolation of known natural products. Dereplication
      strategies that involve the analysis of NMR and MS spectroscopic data to infer
      structural features present in purified natural products in combination with
      database searches of these substructures provide an efficient method to rapidly
      identify known natural products. Unfortunately this strategy has been hampered by
      the lack of publically available and comprehensive natural product databases and
      open source cheminformatics tools. A new platform, DEREP-NP, has been developed
      to help solve this problem. DEREP-NP uses the open source cheminformatics program
      DataWarrior to generate a database containing counts of 65 structural fragments
      present in 229 358 natural product structures derived from plants, animals, and
      microorganisms, published before 2013 and freely available in the nonproprietary
      Universal Natural Products Database (UNPD). By counting the number of times one
      or more of these structural features occurs in an unknown compound, as deduced
      from the analysis of its NMR (1H, HSQC, and/or HMBC) and/or MS data, matching
      structures carrying the same numeric combination of searched structural features
      can be retrieved from the database. Confirmation that the matching structure is
      the same compound can then be verified through literature comparison of
      spectroscopic data. This methodology can be applied to both purified natural
      products and fractions containing a small number of individual compounds that are
      often generated as screening libraries. The utility of DEREP-NP has been verified
      through the analysis of spectra derived from compounds (and fractions containing
      two or three compounds) isolated from plant, marine invertebrate, and fungal
      sources. DEREP-NP is freely available at https://github.com/clzani/DEREP-NP and
      will help to streamline the natural product discovery process.

PMID- 28616932
TI  - Analysis of "Accuracy and User Performance Evaluation of a New, Wireless-Enabled
      Blood Glucose Monitoring System That Links to a Smart Mobile Device".
AB  - In the study published in Journal of Diabetes, Science and Technology, Timothy S.
      Bailey and coauthors evaluated system accuracy and user performance of a new,
      wireless-enabled blood glucose monitoring system, the Contour Plus ONE blood
      glucose monitoring system. The authors declare that the study protocol was
      performed according to ISO 15197:2013 guidelines, in particular to clauses 6.3
      and 8. Results show a high level of accuracy of the product in a laboratory
      setting as well as in the hands of lay users. However, differences between both
      study parts emerge that stimulate discussion about the used comparison method.

PMID- 28616933
TI  - Split hand index and ulnar to median ratio in Hirayama disease and amyotrophic
      lateral sclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We report the relative usefulness of split hand index (SHI) and ulnar
      to median (UM) ratio in Hirayama disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
      (ALS). METHODS: The patients with HD, ALS and matched controls were subjected to
      evaluation of UM ratio and SHI. Compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) were
      recorded from abductor digit minimi (ADM) and first dorsal interosseous (FDI) by
      stimulating ulnar nerve at the wrist, and abductor pollicis brevis (APB) by
      stimulating median nerve at the wrist. UM ratio (ADM/APB) and SHI (APB * FDI/ADM)
      were calculated, and compared. Sensitivity and specificity of SHI and UM ratio in
      HD and ALS were calculated. RESULTS: Twenty-six HD and 31 ALS patients were
      included. Twenty-six matched controls for HD and 20 for ALS were also evaluated.
      The APB amplitude was significantly lower in ALS compared to HD (6.89 +/- 2.0 mv
      vs. 2.13 +/- 1.27 mv, p = 0.01). UM ratio <0.86 had a sensitivity of 80.4% and
      specificity of 86.3% for HD. SH1 <= 5.2 had a sensitivity of 82% and specificity
      of 88.8% for ALS. UM ratio had a poor specificity for ALS (18.9%) and SHI for HD
      (34%). CONCLUSION: UM ratio is more sensitive and specific for HD and SHI for ALS
      patients.

PMID- 28616934
TI  - Temporal Trends in the Prevalence and Incidence of Diagnosed ADHD in Children and
      Young Adults between 1999 and 2012 in Canada: A Data Linkage Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is a need for the routine monitoring of treated attention
      deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for timely policy making. The objective is
      to report and assess over a decade the prevalence and incidence of diagnosed ADHD
      in Canada. METHODS: Administrative linked patient data from the provinces of
      Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia were obtained from the same sources as
      the Canadian Chronic Diseases Surveillance Systems to assess the prevalence and
      incidence of a primary physician diagnosis of ADHD ( ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes: 314,
      F90.x) for consultations in outpatient and inpatient settings (Med-Echo in
      Quebec, the Canadian Institute of Health Information Discharge Abstract Database
      in the 3 other provinces, plus the Ontario Mental Health Reporting System). Dates
      of service, diagnosis, and physician specialty were retained. The estimates were
      presented in yearly brackets between 1999-2000 and 2011-2012 by age and sex
      groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADHD between 1999 and 2012 increased in all
      provinces and for all groups. The prevalence was approximately 3 times higher in
      boys than in girls, and the highest prevalence was observed in the 10- to 14-year
      age group. The incidence increased between 1999 and 2012 in Manitoba, Quebec, and
      Nova Scotia but remained stable in Ontario. Incident cases were more frequently
      diagnosed by general practitioners followed by either psychiatrists or
      paediatricians depending on the province. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and
      incidence of diagnosed ADHD did not increase similarly across all provinces in
      Canada between 1999 and 2012. Over half of cases were diagnosed by a general
      practitioner.

PMID- 28616936
TI  - Encephaloduroateriosynangiosis (EDAS) in the management of Moyamoya syndrome in
      children with sickle cell disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS) in Moyamoya syndrome (MMS)
      treatment has been well described in the literature, however in MMS caused by
      sickle cell anaemia (SCA), EDAS use remains controversial with poor long-term
      follow-up. We present a case-series of SCA patients who have undergone EDAS for
      SCA-related MMS and describe their post-operative course as well as provide a
      literature review of the role of EDAS in the treatment of sickle cell anaemia.
      METHODS: A retrospective review of all the paediatric EDAS procedures conducted
      in our institution for SCA from 2007 to 2015. Two patients underwent behavioural
      screening. RESULTS: A total of eight patients with MMS secondary to SCA underwent
      EDAS. Unilateral EDAS was performed without complication in seven patients. One
      patient underwent bilateral EDAS but with a two-year gap in between procedures.
      Follow-up magnetic resonance angiography demonstrated no progression of Moyamoya
      collaterals or further ischaemic events with regression of collaterals clearly
      visible in one patient. All patients have demonstrated a return to normal school
      activities. CONCLUSIONS: EDAS is a well-tolerated revascularisation procedure for
      children with MMS. The prevention of further infarcts in our group with sickle
      cell disease has allowed these children to resume normal school activities.

PMID- 28616935
TI  - Service Use and Unmet Needs for Substance Use and Mental Disorders in Canada.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate patterns and predictors of help seeking and met/unmet
      needs for mental health care in a national population health survey. METHOD:
      Participants were respondents to the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey on
      Mental Health (CCHS-MH; n = 25,133). We used regression to identify the
      diagnostic and sociodemographic predictors of the use of informal supports,
      primary care, and specialist care, as well as perceived unmet needs. RESULTS:
      Eleven percent of Canadians reported using professionally led services for mental
      health or substance use in 2012, while another 9% received informal supports. Two
      thirds of people with substance use disorders did not receive any care, and among
      those who did, informal supports were most common. Seventy-four percent of people
      with mood/anxiety disorders and 88% of those with co-occurring disorders did
      access services, most commonly specialist mental health care. Men, older people,
      members of ethnocultural minorities, those not born in Canada, those with lower
      education, and those with higher incomes were less likely to receive care. Unmet
      needs were higher among people with substance use disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Gaps in
      services continue to exist for some potentially vulnerable population subgroups.
      Policy and practice solutions are needed to address these unmet needs. In
      particular, the convergence of research pointing to gaps in the availability and
      accessibility of high-quality services for substance use in Canada demands
      attention.

PMID- 28616937
TI  - Influence of arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk
      factors on ALS outcome: a population-based study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic influence of pre-morbid type 2 diabetes
      mellitus, arterial hypertension and cardiovascular (CV) risk profile on ALS
      phenotype and outcome in a population-based cohort of Italian patients. METHODS:
      A total of 650 ALS patients from the Piemonte/Valle d'Aosta Register for ALS,
      incident in the 2007-2011 period, were recruited. Information about premorbid
      presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension was collected at the
      time of diagnosis. Patients' CV risk profile was calculated according to the
      Joint British Societies' guidelines on prevention of cardiovascular disease in
      clinical practice (JBS2). RESULTS: At the univariate analysis, the presence of
      pre-morbid arterial hypertension was associated with a higher age at onset of ALS
      and a shorter survival, and patients with a high CV risk profile had a worse
      prognosis than those with a low CV risk profile. The Cox multivariable analysis
      did not confirm such findings. Type 2 diabetes mellitus did not modify either the
      phenotype or the prognosis of ALS patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study performed on
      a large population-based cohort of ALS patients has demonstrated that arterial
      hypertension, type 2 diabetes and CV risk factors, calculated using the
      Framingham equation, do not influence ALS phenotype and prognosis.

PMID- 28616938
TI  - Construction of an all-solid-state artificial Z-scheme system consisting of
      Bi2WO6/Au/CdS nanostructure for photocatalytic CO2 reduction into renewable
      hydrocarbon fuel.
AB  - An all-solid-state Bi2WO6/Au/CdS Z-scheme system was constructed for the
      photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methane in the presence of water vapor. This
      Z-scheme consists of ultrathin Bi2WO6 nanoplates and CdS nanoparticles as
      photocatalysts, and a Au nanoparticle as a solid electron mediator offering a
      high speed charge transfer channel and leading to more efficient spatial
      separation of electron-hole pairs. The photo-generated electrons from the
      conduction band (CB) of Bi2WO6 transfer to the Au, and then release to the
      valence band (VB) of CdS to recombine with the holes of CdS. It allows the
      electrons remaining in the CB of CdS and holes in the VB of Bi2WO6 to possess
      strong reduction and oxidation powers, respectively, leading the Bi2WO6/Au/CdS to
      exhibit high photocatalytic reduction of CO2, relative to bare Bi2WO6, Bi2WO6/Au,
      and Bi2WO6/CdS. The depressed hole density on CdS also enhances the stability of
      the CdS against photocorrosion.

PMID- 28616939
TI  - Ultrafast growth of large-area monolayer MoS2 film via gold foil assistant CVD
      for a highly sensitive photodetector.
AB  - Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a promising material for
      ultrasensitive photodetectors owing to its tunable band gap and high absorption
      coefficient. However, controlled synthesis of high-quality, large-area monolayer
      molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is still a challenge in practical application. In
      this work, we report a gold foil assistant chemical vapor deposition method for
      the synthesis of large-size (>400 MUm) single-crystal MoS2 film on a silicon
      dioxide (SiO2) substrate. The influence of Au foil in enlarging the size of
      single-crystal MoS2 is investigated systemically using thermal simulation in
      Ansys workbench 16.0, including thermal conductivity, temperature difference and
      thermal relaxation time of the interface of SiO2 substrate and Au foil, which
      indicate that Au foil can increase the temperature of the SiO2 substrate rapidly
      and decrease the temperature difference between the oven and substrate. Finally,
      the properties of the monolayer MoS2 film are further confirmed using back-gated
      field-effect transistors: a high photoresponse of 15.6 A W-1 and a fast
      photoresponse time of 100 ms. The growth techniques described in this study could
      be beneficial for the development of other atomically thin two-dimensional
      transition metal dichalcogenide materials.

PMID- 28616940
TI  - Dirac node lines in two-dimensional Lieb lattices.
AB  - As a new type of quantum matter, Dirac node line (DNL) semimetals are currently
      attracting widespread interest in condensed matter physics and materials science.
      The DNL, featured by a closed line consisting of linear band crossings in the
      momentum space, was mostly predicted in three-dimensional materials. Here, we
      propose a tight-binding (TB) model of pz + px,y or pz + s orbitals defined on the
      two-dimensional (2D) Lieb lattice for the 2D version of DNL semimetals. The DNL
      states in these models are caused by the inversion of the bands with different
      symmetries and thus robust against spin-orbit interaction. By means of first
      principles calculations, we demonstrate two candidate materials: Be2C and BeH2
      monolayers, which have Fermi circles centred at Gamma(0,0) and K(1/2,1/2) points,
      respectively. Their Fermi velocities are higher than that in graphene. The non
      zero Z2 topological invariant accompanied by the edge states is revealed in these
      materials. This work opens an avenue for the design of 2D DNL semimetals.

PMID- 28616941
TI  - Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy study of the complexation of DNA hybrids,
      IgG antibody, and a chimeric protein of IgG-binding ZZ domains fused with a
      carbohydrate binding module.
AB  - Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was used to characterize the
      molecular interactions between the four components of a DNA recognition system. A
      fluorescent DNA probe was used to assess: (i) the hybridization with a
      complementary biotin-labeled target, (ii) the complexation of the resulting
      hybrid and an anti-biotin antibody, and (iii) the binding of the latter complex
      to a ZZ-CBM fusion protein that combines small synthetic IgG Fc-binding Z domains
      with a carbohydrate binding module (CBM). These binding interactions were
      monitored by exposing the fluorescent DNA probe to different amounts and
      combinations of the other molecules in solution. Through the analysis of FCS
      autocorrelation curves, an association constant (Ka) of 2.9 * 107 M-1 was
      estimated for DNA.DNA hybridization, and the presence of (non-) complementary
      target DNA in solution could be discriminated. The specific capture of
      biotinylated DNA hybrids by anti-biotin IgG was verified, with an apparent Ka of
      2.5 * 106 M-1. The increment in the diffusion time measured when the
      DNA.DNA:antibody complexes were in contact with the ZZ-CBM fusion protein
      suggested that the binding occurs at a stoichiometric ratio of DNA/antibody
      complex to fusion larger than 1 : 1. The FCS-derived information obtained is
      useful to gain insight into molecular interactions involved in diagnostic assays.

PMID- 28616942
TI  - Two tetraphenylethene-containing coordination polymers for reversible
      mechanochromism.
AB  - Two fluorescent coordination polymers have been designed and synthesized from a
      tetraphenylethene (TPE) derivative. These polymers, which can be potentially
      utilized as mechanical sensors, exhibit reversible mechanochromic luminescence
      with color changes visible to the naked-eye from blue to green-yellow by grinding
      or soaking in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) under UV irradiation.

PMID- 28616943
TI  - A colloidal quantum dot photonic crystal phosphor: nanostructural engineering of
      the phosphor for enhanced color conversion.
AB  - Phosphors, long-known color-converting photonic agents, are gaining increasing
      attention owing to the interest in white LEDs and related applications.
      Conventional material-based approaches to phosphors focus on obtaining the
      desired absorption/emission wavelengths and/or improving quantum efficiency.
      Here, we report a novel approach for enhancing the performance of phosphors:
      structural modification of phosphors. We incorporated inorganic colloidal quantum
      dots (CQDs) into a lateral one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal (PhC) thin-film
      structure, with its photonic band-edge (PBE) modes matching the energy of
      'excitation photons' (rather than 'emitted photons', as in most other PBE
      application devices). At resonance, we observed an approximately 4-fold
      enhancement of fluorescence over the reference bulk phosphor, which reflects an
      improved absorption of the excitation photons. This nano-structural engineering
      approach is a paradigm shift in the phosphor research area and may help to
      develop next-generation higher efficiency phosphors with novel characteristics.

PMID- 28616944
TI  - Acquiring multiple signals along with the reaction time: improving recognition
      capability of a multidimensional colorimetric sensor array for sensitive protein
      detection.
AB  - The development of sensitive and cheap sensor arrays for identification of
      proteins plays an important role in many bioanalytical and clinical
      investigations. Here, we introduce a multidimensional colorimetric sensor array
      for the detection of multiple proteins based on acquiring multiple signals along
      with the reaction time to enhance the discrimination ability. In a single
      experiment, the unique fingerprint for each protein against the sensor array is
      generated from a response absorbance signal at three reaction time points (at 10
      min, 15 min, and 20 min). Our colorimetric sensing system is able to identify ten
      proteins not only in aqueous solution at 10 nM but also in human urine at the 50
      nM level with an accuracy of 100%. Moreover, the identification of HSA in urine
      at the nanomolar level within a linear range of 0.05-1.0 MUM is achieved. Our
      sensing array system is sufficiently sensitive for the discrimination of pure
      HSA, binary mixtures of HSA and Lys at a total concentration of 50 nM in urine.
      This study indicates that the application of the real-time resolved response
      signals enables the enhancement of the discrimination ability for protein
      recognition.

PMID- 28616945
TI  - Assembling and ordering polymer-grafted nanoparticles in three dimensions.
AB  - Taking advantage of the aqueous biphasic behavior of polyethylene glycol
      (PEG)/salts, recent experiments have demonstrated self-assembly and
      crystallization of PEG-grafted gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs) into tunable two
      dimensional (2D) supercrystals by adjusting salt concentration (for instance,
      K2CO3). In those studies, combined experimental evidence and theoretical analysis
      have pointed out the possibility that similar strategies can lead to three
      dimensional (3D) formation of ordered nanoparticle precipitates. Indeed, a
      detailed small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) study reported herein reveals the
      spontaneous formation of PEG-AuNPs assemblies in high-concentration salt
      solutions that exhibit short-range 3D order compatible with fcc symmetry. We
      argue that the assembly into fcc crystals is driven by partnering nearest
      neighbors to minimize an effective surface-tension gradient at the boundary
      between the polymer shell and the high-salt media. We report SAXS and other
      results on PEG-AuNPs of various Au core diameters in the range of 10 to 50 nm and
      analyze them in the framework of brush-polymer theory revealing a systematic
      prediction of the nearest-neighbor distance in the 3D assemblies.

PMID- 28616946
TI  - Glycocalyx scaffolding with synthetic nanoscale glycomaterials.
AB  - We report a method for programming complexity into the glycocalyx of live cells.
      Via a combination of glycomaterial synthesis and membrane remodeling, we have
      engineered cells to display native-like, mixed sialoglycan populations, while
      confining the activity of each glycan into a specific nanoscale presentation.

PMID- 28616947
TI  - The impact of metalation on adsorption geometry, electronic level alignment and
      UV-stability of organic macrocycles on TiO2(110).
AB  - Metal complexes of the tetradentate bipyridine based macrocycle pyrphyrin (Pyr)
      have recently shown promise as water reduction catalysts in homogeneous
      photochemical water splitting reactions. In this study, the adsorption and
      metalation of pyrphyrin on stoichiometric TiO2(110) is investigated in ultrahigh
      vacuum by means of scanning tunneling microscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, low
      energy electron diffraction, and density functional theory. In a joint
      experimental and computational effort, the local adsorption geometry at low
      coverage, the long-range molecular ordering at higher coverage and the electronic
      structure have been determined for both the bare ligand and the cobalt-metalated
      Pyr molecule on TiO2. The energy level alignment of CoPyr/TiO2 supports electron
      injection into TiO2 upon photoexcitation of the CoPyr complex and thus renders it
      a potential sensitizer dye. Importantly, Co-incorporation is found to stabilize
      the Pyr molecule against photo-induced degradation, while the bare ligand is
      decomposed rapidly under continuous UV-irradiation. This interesting phenomenon
      is discussed in terms of additional de-excitation channels for electronically
      highly excited molecular states.

PMID- 28616948
TI  - Sub-diffraction-limit localization imaging of a plasmonic nanoparticle pair with
      wavelength-resolved dark-field microscopy.
AB  - In this work, with wavelength-resolved dark-field microscopy, the center-of-mass
      localization information from nanoparticle pairs (i.e., spherical (45 nm in
      diameter) and rod (45 * 70 nm) shaped gold nanoparticle pairs with different gap
      distances and orientations) was explored and compared with the results determined
      by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. When the gap distance was
      less than 20 nm, the scattering spectrum of the nanoparticle pair was seriously
      modulated by the plasmonic coupling effect. The measured coordinate information
      determined by the optical method (Gaussian fitting) was not consistent with the
      true results determined by SEM measurement. A good correlation between the
      optical and SEM measurements was achieved when the gap distance was further
      increased (e.g., 20, 40 and 60 nm). Under these conditions, well-defined
      scattering peaks assigned to the corresponding individual nanoparticles could be
      distinguished from the obtained scattering spectrum. These results would afford
      valuable information for the studies on single plasmonic nanoparticle imaging
      applications with the optical microscopy method such as super-localization
      imaging, high precision single particle tracking in a crowding environment and so
      on.

PMID- 28616949
TI  - Monitoring ATPase induced pH changes in single proteoliposomes with the lipid
      coupled fluorophore Oregon Green 488.
AB  - Monitoring the proton pumping activity of proteins such as ATPases in
      reconstituted single proteoliposomes is key to quantify the function of proteins
      as well as potential proton pump inhibitors. However, most pH-detecting assays
      available are either not quantitative, require well-adapted reconstitution
      protocols or are not appropriate for single vesicle studies. Here, we describe
      the quantitative and time-resolved detection of F-type ATPase-induced pH changes
      across vesicular membranes doped with the commercially available pH sensitive
      fluorophore Oregon Green 488 DHPE. This dye is shown to be well suited to monitor
      acidification of lipid vesicles not only in bulk but also at the single vesicle
      level. The pKa value of Oregon Green 488 DHPE embedded in a lipid environment was
      determined to be 6.1 making the fluorophore well suited for a variety of
      physiologically relevant proton pumps. The TFOF1-ATPase from a thermophilic
      bacterium was reconstituted into large unilamellar vesicles and the bulk
      acidification assay clearly reveals the overall activity of the F-type ATPase in
      the vesicle ensemble with an average pH change of 0.45. However, monitoring the
      pH changes in individual vesicles attached to a substrate demonstrates that the
      fraction of vesicles with a significant observable pH change is only about 5%, a
      number that cannot be gathered from bulk experiments and which is considerably
      lower than expected.

PMID- 28616950
TI  - Reliability of interacting quantum atoms (IQA) data computed from post-HF
      densities: impact of the approximation used.
AB  - The performance of BBC1, BBC2 and Muller approximations, in terms of reliability
      of IQA data, was investigated at the CCSD, CCSD(T) and MP2 levels using glycol,
      as a case study, in interpreting the relative stability of its conformers, one
      with H-bond type intramolecular interaction and the other with a steric clash
      between two O-atoms. The CCSD/BBC1 level appeared to be perfectly suited as a
      reference needed to evaluate all possible levels of theory/approximation
      combinations (LoT/LoA). We found the reliability trend LoT/BBC1 > LoT/BBC2 >
      LoT/Muller (as well as its origin) and concluded that the Muller approximation
      should not be used when the accuracy of IQA-defined energy terms is considered.
      Moreover, we have established that the requirement of reproducing, by IQA
      calculations, electronic energy is desirable but not a necessary requirement when
      a comparative approach is used, such as in FAMSEC-based analysis (FAMSEC =
      fragment attributed molecular system energy change). A new criterion is proposed
      to assess the quality of IQA data for comparative analyses, DeltaE(IQA) ~ DeltaE,
      where DeltaE(IQA) and DeltaE are the IQA and electronic energy differences,
      respectively, between the fin-state and ref-state of a molecular system. The
      closer DeltaE(IQA) approaches DeltaE, the closer the FAMSEC data approach values
      obtained at the exceptionally well performing CCSD/BBC1 level, regardless of the
      LoT/LoA combination used. Importantly, the MP2/BBC1 level performed nearly as
      well as the CCSD/BBC1 level in comparative studies. The origin of the MP2/BBC1
      approximation's exceptional and the MP2/Muller approximations's acceptable
      performance in explaining the relative stability of glycol conformers has been
      uncovered and discussed in detail.

PMID- 28616952
TI  - Room-temperature discrete-charge-fluctuation dynamics of a single molecule
      adsorbed on a carbon nanotube.
AB  - Detection and use of physical noise fluctuations in a signal provides significant
      advantages in the development of bio- and neuro-sensing and functional mimicking
      devices. Low-dimensional carbon nanomaterials are a good candidate for use in
      noise generation due to the high surface sensitivity of these materials, which
      may themselves serve as the main building blocks of these devices. Here, we
      demonstrate that the addition of a molecule with high redox activity to a carbon
      nanotube (CNT) field-effect transistor provides tunable current fluctuation
      noise. A unique charge-trap state in the vicinity of the CNT surface due to the
      presence of the single molecule is the origin of the noise, which generates a
      prominent and unique slow discrete random telegraph signal in the device current.
      The power spectral density reveals the peculiar frequency limit of the
      fluctuation for different types of molecules depending on their redox activity
      and adsorption configuration. These results indicate that the detected noise will
      provide new opportunities to obtain electronic information for a single molecule
      combined with a nanotube surface, and that controllability of the noise may
      contribute to the expansion of noise utilization in future bio-inspired devices.

PMID- 28616951
TI  - Direct characterization of the native structure and mechanics of cyanobacterial
      carboxysomes.
AB  - Carboxysomes are proteinaceous organelles that play essential roles in enhancing
      carbon fixation in cyanobacteria and some proteobacteria. These self-assembling
      organelles encapsulate Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco)
      and carbonic anhydrase using a protein shell structurally resembling an
      icosahedral viral capsid. The protein shell serves as a physical barrier to
      protect enzymes from the cytosol and a selectively permeable membrane to mediate
      transport of enzyme substrates and products. The structural and mechanical nature
      of native carboxysomes remain unclear. Here, we isolate functional beta
      carboxysomes from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and perform
      the first characterization of the macromolecular architecture and inherent
      physical mechanics of single beta-carboxysomes using electron microscopy, atomic
      force microscopy (AFM) and proteomics. Our results illustrate that the intact
      beta-carboxysome comprises three structural domains, a single-layered icosahedral
      shell, an inner layer and paracrystalline arrays of interior Rubisco. We also
      observe the protein organization of the shell and partial beta-carboxysomes that
      likely serve as the beta-carboxysome assembly intermediates. Furthermore, the
      topography and intrinsic mechanics of functional beta-carboxysomes are determined
      in native conditions using AFM and AFM-based nanoindentation, revealing the
      flexible organization and soft mechanical properties of beta-carboxysomes
      compared to rigid viruses. Our study provides new insights into the natural
      characteristics of beta-carboxysome organization and nanomechanics, which can be
      extended to diverse bacterial microcompartments and are important considerations
      for the design and engineering of functional carboxysomes in other organisms to
      supercharge photosynthesis. It offers an approach for inspecting the structural
      and mechanical features of synthetic metabolic organelles and protein scaffolds
      in bioengineering.

PMID- 28616953
TI  - Universal liquid-phase laser fabrication of various nano-metals encapsulated by
      ultrathin carbon shells for deep-UV plasmonics.
AB  - The exploration of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) beyond the usual
      visible waveband, for example within the ultraviolet (UV) or deep-ultraviolet (D
      UV) regions, is of great significance due to its unique applications in secret
      communications and optics. However, it is still challenging to universally
      synthesize the corresponding metal nanostructures due to their high activity.
      Herein, we report a universal, eco-friendly, facile and rapid synthesis of
      various nano-metals encapsulated by ultrathin carbon shells, significantly with a
      remarkable deep-UV LSPR characteristic, via a liquid-phase laser fabrication
      method. Firstly, a new generation of the laser ablation in liquid (LAL) method
      has been developed with an emphasis on the elaborate selection of solvents to
      generate ultrathin carbon shells, and hence to stabilize the formed metal
      nanocrystals. As a result, a series of metal@carbon nanoparticles (NPs),
      including Cr@C, Ti@C, Fe@C, V@C, Al@C, Sn@C, Mn@C and Pd@C, can be fabricated by
      this modified LAL method. Interestingly, these NPs exhibit LSPR peaks in the
      range of 200-330 nm, which are very rare for localized surface plasmon resonance.
      Consequently, the UV plasmonic effects of these metal@carbon NPs were
      demonstrated both by the observed enhancement in UV photoluminescence (PL) from
      the carbon nanoshells and by the improvement of the photo-responsivity of UV GaN
      photodetectors. This work could provide a universal method for carbon shelled
      metal NPs and expand plasmonics into the D-UV waveband.

PMID- 28616954
TI  - Surface charge and particle size determine the metabolic fate of dendritic
      polyglycerols.
AB  - Dendritic polyglycerols (dPG) are water soluble, polyether-based nanomaterials
      which hold great potential in diagnostic as well as therapeutic applications. In
      order to translate them for in vivo applications, a systematic assessment
      regarding their cell and tissue interactions as well as their metabolic fate in
      vivo is a crucial step. Herein, we explore the structure-activity relationship of
      three different sizes (ca. 3, 5, and 10 nm) of neutral dendritic polyglycerol
      (dPG) and their corresponding negatively charged sulfate analogs (dPGS) on their
      in vitro and in vivo characteristics. Cellular metabolic activity was studied in
      A431 and HEK293 cells. Biomolecular corona formation was determined using an
      electrophoretic mobility shift assay, which showed an increased protein binding
      of the dPGS even with serum concentrations as low as 20%. An in situ technique,
      microscale thermophoresis, was employed to address the binding affinities of
      these nanomaterials with serum proteins such as serum albumin, apo-transferrin,
      and fibrinogen. In addition, nanoparticle-cell interactions were studied in
      differentiated THP-1 cells which showed a charge dependent scavenger receptor
      mediated uptake. In line with this data, detailed biodistribution and small
      animal PET imaging studies in Wistar rats using 68Ga-labeled dPG-/dPGS-NOTA
      conjugates showed that the neutral dPG-NOTA conjugates were quantitatively
      excreted via the kidneys with a subsequent hepatobiliary excretion with an
      increase in their size, whereas the polysulfated analogs (dPGS-NOTA) were
      sequestered preferentially in the liver and kidneys irrespective of their size.
      Taken together, this systematic study accentuates that the pharmacokinetics of
      dPGs is critically dependent on the overall size and charge and can be, fine
      tuned for the intended requirements in nano-theranostics.

PMID- 28616955
TI  - Niacin for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nicotinic acid (niacin) is known to decrease LDL-cholesterol, and
      triglycerides, and increase HDL-cholesterol levels. The evidence of benefits with
      niacin monotherapy or add-on to statin-based therapy is controversial.
      OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of niacin therapy versus placebo,
      administered as monotherapy or add-on to statin-based therapy in people with or
      at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in terms of mortality, CVD events, and
      side effects. SEARCH METHODS: Two reviewers independently and in duplicate
      screened records and potentially eligible full texts identified through
      electronic searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, two trial
      registries, and reference lists of relevant articles (latest search in August
      2016). SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
      that either compared niacin monotherapy to placebo/usual care or niacin in
      combination with other component versus other component alone. We considered RCTs
      that administered niacin for at least six months, reported a clinical outcome,
      and included adults with or without established CVD. DATA COLLECTION AND
      ANALYSIS: Two reviewers used pre-piloted forms to independently and in duplicate
      extract trials characteristics, risk of bias items, and outcomes data.
      Disagreements were resolved by consensus or third party arbitration. We conducted
      random-effects meta-analyses, sensitivity analyses based on risk of bias and
      different assumptions for missing data, and used meta-regression analyses to
      investigate potential relationships between treatment effects and duration of
      treatment, proportion of participants with established coronary heart disease and
      proportion of participants receiving background statin therapy. We used GRADE to
      assess the quality of evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We included 23 RCTs that were
      published between 1968 and 2015 and included 39,195 participants in total. The
      mean age ranged from 33 to 71 years. The median duration of treatment was 11.5
      months, and the median dose of niacin was 2 g/day. The proportion of participants
      with prior myocardial infarction ranged from 0% (4 trials) to 100% (2 trials,
      median proportion 48%); the proportion of participants taking statin ranged from
      0% (4 trials) to 100% (12 trials, median proportion 100%).Using available cases,
      niacin did not reduce overall mortality (risk ratio (RR) 1.05, 95% confidence
      interval (CI) 0.97 to 1.12; participants = 35,543; studies = 12; I2 = 0%; high
      quality evidence), cardiovascular mortality (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.12;
      participants = 32,966; studies = 5; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence), non
      cardiovascular mortality (RR 1.12, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.28; participants = 32,966;
      studies = 5; I2 = 0%; high-quality evidence), the number of fatal or non-fatal
      myocardial infarctions (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.00; participants = 34,829;
      studies = 9; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence), nor the number of fatal or non
      fatal strokes (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.22; participants = 33,661; studies = 7;
      I2 = 42%; low-quality evidence). Participants randomised to niacin were more
      likely to discontinue treatment due to side effects than participants randomised
      to control group (RR 2.17, 95% CI 1.70 to 2.77; participants = 33,539; studies =
      17; I2 = 77%; moderate-quality evidence). The results were robust to sensitivity
      analyses using different assumptions for missing data. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:
      Moderate- to high-quality evidence suggests that niacin does not reduce
      mortality, cardiovascular mortality, non-cardiovascular mortality, the number of
      fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarctions, nor the number of fatal or non-fatal
      strokes but is associated with side effects. Benefits from niacin therapy in the
      prevention of cardiovascular disease events are unlikely.

PMID- 28616956
TI  - Tramadol for neuropathic pain in adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This review is an update of a review of tramadol for neuropathic
      pain, published in 2006; updating was to bring the review in line with current
      standards. Neuropathic pain, which is caused by a lesion or disease affecting the
      somatosensory system, may be central or peripheral in origin. Peripheral
      neuropathic pain often includes symptoms such as burning or shooting sensations,
      abnormal sensitivity to normally painless stimuli, or an increased sensitivity to
      normally painful stimuli. Neuropathic pain is a common symptom in many diseases
      of the peripheral nervous system. OBJECTIVES: To assess the analgesic efficacy of
      tramadol compared with placebo or other active interventions for chronic
      neuropathic pain in adults, and the adverse events associated with its use in
      clinical trials. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase for
      randomised controlled trials from inception to January 2017. We also searched the
      reference lists of retrieved studies and reviews, and online clinical trial
      registries. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised, double-blind trials of
      two weeks' duration or longer, comparing tramadol (any route of administration)
      with placebo or another active treatment for neuropathic pain, with subjective
      pain assessment by the participant. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review
      authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality and potential
      bias. Primary outcomes were participants with substantial pain relief (at least
      50% pain relief over baseline or very much improved on Patient Global Impression
      of Change scale (PGIC)), or moderate pain relief (at least 30% pain relief over
      baseline or much or very much improved on PGIC). Where pooled analysis was
      possible, we used dichotomous data to calculate risk ratio (RR) and number needed
      to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNT) or harmful outcome (NNH),
      using standard methods. We assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADE and
      created 'Summary of findings' tables. MAIN RESULTS: We identified six randomised,
      double-blind studies involving 438 participants with suitably characterised
      neuropathic pain. In each, tramadol was started at a dose of about 100 mg daily
      and increased over one to two weeks to a maximum of 400 mg daily or the maximum
      tolerated dose, and then maintained for the remainder of the study. Participants
      had experienced moderate or severe neuropathic pain for at least three months due
      to cancer, cancer treatment, postherpetic neuralgia, peripheral diabetic
      neuropathy, spinal cord injury, or polyneuropathy. The mean age was 50 to 67
      years with approximately equal numbers of men and women. Exclusions were
      typically people with other significant comorbidity or pain from other causes.
      Study duration for treatments was four to six weeks, and two studies had a cross
      over design.Not all studies reported all the outcomes of interest, and there were
      limited data for pain outcomes. At least 50% pain intensity reduction was
      reported in three studies (265 participants, 110 events). Using a random-effects
      analysis, 70/132 (53%) had at least 50% pain relief with tramadol, and 40/133
      (30%) with placebo; the risk ratio (RR) was 2.2 (95% confidence interval (CI)
      1.02 to 4.6). The NNT calculated from these data was 4.4 (95% CI 2.9 to 8.8). We
      downgraded the evidence for this outcome by two levels to low quality because of
      the small size of studies and of the pooled data set, because there were only 110
      actual events, the analysis included different types of neuropathic pain, the
      studies all had at least one high risk of potential bias, and because of the
      limited duration of the studies.Participants experienced more adverse events with
      tramadol than placebo. Report of any adverse event was higher with tramadol (58%)
      than placebo (34%) (4 studies, 266 participants, 123 events; RR 1.6 (95% CI 1.2
      to 2.1); NNH 4.2 (95% CI 2.8 to 8.3)). Adverse event withdrawal was higher with
      tramadol (16%) than placebo (3%) (6 studies, 485 participants, 45 events; RR 4.1
      (95% CI 2.0 to 8.4); NNH 8.2 (95% CI 5.8 to 14)). Only four serious adverse
      events were reported, without obvious attribution to treatment, and no deaths
      were reported. We downgraded the evidence for this outcome by two or three levels
      to low or very low quality because of small study size, because there were few
      actual events, and because of the limited duration of the studies. AUTHORS'
      CONCLUSIONS: There is only modest information about the use of tramadol in
      neuropathic pain, coming from small, largely inadequate studies with potential
      risk of bias. That bias would normally increase the apparent benefits of
      tramadol. The evidence of benefit from tramadol was of low or very low quality,
      meaning that it does not provide a reliable indication of the likely effect, and
      the likelihood is very high that the effect will be substantially different from
      the estimate in this systematic review.

PMID- 28616957
TI  - [What Are the Main Factors Assisting General Practitioners in the Development of
      Educational Strategies?]
AB  - General practitioners (GP) are in a special position to conduct educational
      strategies for their patients with chronic disease. Despite the GP's desire to be
      involved in patient education, this approach remains underdeveloped.Objective: To
      determine the factors required support the development of educational strategies
      in general practice from the GPs' perspective.Methods: Qualitative study based on
      a "modified nominal group technique" carried out among 21 GPs (not specifically
      trained in patient education) participating as investigators in an interventional
      study testing a structured educational strategy. The interventional study based
      on processes and tools specifically developed to suit general practice was held
      during their usual consultations. Thirty one patients with COPD were followed for
      9 months.Results: GPs identified 23 specific factors restructured after the
      clarification-reformulation step in 6 main factors required for the development
      of educational strategies in general practice. The consensus revealed that
      reinforcement of initial and continuing medical training was the most frequently
      cited factor and was considered to be a priority. The development of inter- and
      intra-professional cooperation was the second leading factor to be taken into
      account.Conclusion: The improvement of GP training and the promotion of areas of
      cooperation could help GPs to develop educational strategies during their
      consultations. These results may provide insight to regional health agencies
      concerning the deployment of patient education in primary care.

PMID- 28616958
TI  - Interconnected Molybdenum Carbide-Based Nanoribbons for Highly Efficient and
      Ultrastable Hydrogen Evolution.
AB  - Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is of great significance to
      produce clean, sustainable, and cost-effective hydrogen. However, the development
      of low-cost and high-efficiency non-noble-metal catalysts with a combination of
      superior catalytic activity and long-time stability still remains a challenge.
      Herein, we demonstrate a rationally designed three-dimensional architecture
      assembled from one-dimensional molybdenum carbide (MoC)-based nanoribbons where
      the MoC nanoparticles are embedded within the nitrogen-doped crystallized carbon
      nanolayers (MoC@NC nanoribbon). Such unique architecture of the MoC@NC nanoribbon
      not only provides abundant edge active sites and multielectron pathways for
      efficient mass/charge transportation but also greatly accelerates the hydrogen
      release from the reaction surface, thus boosting its electrocatalytic
      performances for HER either in an acid or in an alkaline aqueous solution. This
      advance provides a promising candidate toward the replacement of the noble-metal
      based catalysts for a highly stable and efficient HER electrocatalysis.

PMID- 28616959
TI  - Smelling, Seeing, Tasting-Old Senses for New Sensing.
AB  - The senses are the physiological mechanisms of perception that enable an organism
      to interact with the surrounding media. For centuries, humans have utilized these
      senses in science; vision and olfaction have been used the most extensively in
      laboratories followed by gustation and somatosensation, whereas audition has only
      rarely been employed. Most of these applications of senses were developed
      spontaneously based on the natural behavior of the chemistry of the reactants
      producing changes in scent, taste, or color. In recent years, by exploiting the
      outstanding properties of nanoparticles, many groups have demonstrated
      alternative sensing scenarios where the detection limits are remarkably improved,
      enabling the recognition of hazardous substances by mere sight, smell, or taste.
      Such alternative sensing approaches can be divided into two main groups: (i)
      methods that identify a single analyte by engineering a reaction that promotes a
      change in color or the generation of a characteristic scent, and (ii) methods
      that emulate or even improve mammalian senses, especially those related to taste
      and smell. In this Perspective, we discuss the context of each technology,
      present prominent examples, and evaluate the complexities, potential pitfalls,
      and opportunities presented by different re-engineering strategies.

PMID- 28616960
TI  - Functional Built-In Template Directed Siliceous Fluorescent Supramolecular
      Vesicles as Diagnostics.
AB  - Functional template directed synthesis of hybrid siliceous fluorescent vesicle
      (HSFV) is fabricated by using fluorescent vesicle as a built-in template. The
      template vesicle is the ionic self-assembly of an aggregation-induced emission
      (AIE) fluorogen. Upon depositing folic acid modified silica shell on its surface,
      the obtained HSFVs display low cytotoxicity, significant fluorescence, and
      targeted drug delivery toward cancer cells. Furthermore, the wall-thickness of
      the HSFVs can be controlled via altered concentration of silica source. This is
      the first report of HSFV employing the template vesicle as a built-in fluorescent
      agent, which represents a good example of rational design for an effective
      diagnostics, and may open up a new avenue for precision medicine.

PMID- 28616961
TI  - Na0.86Co0.95Fe0.05O2 Layered Oxide As Highly Efficient Water Oxidation
      Electrocatalyst in Alkaline Media.
AB  - Electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies, such as water
      splitting devices, rechargeable metal-air batteries, and regenerative fuel cells,
      are promising alternatives to traditional nonrenewable energy systems. Given the
      sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in the above renewable-energy
      technologies, the development of efficient OER electrocatalysts with high
      performance is of great importance. Here, we demonstrate a layer-structured oxide
      Na0.86Co0.95Fe0.05O2 (NCF0.05) as a novel electrocatalyst for efficient water
      oxidation in alkaline media. NCF0.05 shows enhanced performance, including lower
      overpotential, lower Tafel slope and better stability than the parent Na0.86CoO2
      (NC). Especially, the OER performance of NCF0.05 is comparable to the state-of
      the-art IrO2 catalyst. This enhanced catalytic activity of NCF0.05 may be
      ascribed to the unusual synergistic interplay between Fe and Co. A possible dual
      metal-site mechanism was also proposed for OER on NCF0.05.

PMID- 28616962
TI  - Size-Dependent Translocation of Nanoemulsions via Oral Delivery.
AB  - The in vivo translocation of nanoemulsions (NEs) was tracked by imaging tools
      with an emphasis on the size effect. To guarantee the accurate identification of
      NEs in vivo, water-quenching environment-responsive near-infrared fluorescent
      probes were used to label NEs. Imaging evidence confirmed prominent digestion in
      the gastrointestinal tract and oral absorption of integral NEs that survive
      digestion by enteric epithelia in a size-dependent way. In general, reducing
      particle size leads to slowed in vitro lipolysis and in vivo digestion, a
      prolonged lifetime in the small intestine, increased enteric epithelial uptake,
      and enhanced transportation to various organs. Histological examination revealed
      a pervasive distribution of smaller NEs (80 nm) into enterocytes and basolateral
      tissues, whereas bigger ones (550, 1000 nm) primarily adhered to villi surfaces.
      Following epithelial uptake, NEs are transported through the lymphatics with a
      fraction of approximately 3-6%, suggesting a considerable contribution of the
      lymphatic pathway to overall absorption. The majority of absorbed NEs were found
      1 h post administration in the livers and lungs. A similar size dependency of
      cellular uptake and transmonolayer transport was confirmed in Caco-2 cell lines
      as well. In conclusion, the size-dependent translocation of integral NEs was
      confirmed with an absolute bioavailability of at least 6%, envisioning potential
      applications in oral delivery of labile entities.

PMID- 28616963
TI  - Novel Quaternary Chalcogenide/Reduced Graphene Oxide-Based Asymmetric
      Supercapacitor with High Energy Density.
AB  - In this work we have synthesized quaternary chalcogenide Cu2NiSnS4 (QC)
      nanoparticles grown in situ on 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for application as
      anode material of solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). Thorough
      characterization of the synthesized composite validates the proper phase,
      stoichiometry, and morphology. Detailed electrochemical study of the electrode
      materials and ASCs has been performed. The as-fabricated device delivers an
      exceptionally high areal capacitance (655.1 mF cm-2), which is much superior to
      that of commercial micro-supercapacitors. Furthermore, a remarkable volumetric
      capacitance of 16.38 F cm-3 is obtained at a current density of 5 mA cm-2
      combined with a very high energy density of 5.68 mW h cm-3, which is comparable
      to that of commercially available lithium thin film batteries. The device retains
      89.2% of the initial capacitance after running for 2000 cycles, suggesting its
      long-term capability. Consequently, the enhanced areal and volumetric
      capacitances combined with decent cycle stability and impressive energy density
      endow the uniquely decorated QC/rGO composite material as a promising candidate
      in the arena of energy storage devices. Moreover, Cu2NiSnS4 being a narrow band
      gap photovoltaic material, this work offers a novel protocol for the development
      of self-charging supercapacitors in the days to come.

PMID- 28616964
TI  - Multiheteroatom-Doped Porous Carbon Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
      Prepared using 3D Network of ZIF-8/Polymeric Nanofiber as a Facile-Doping
      Template.
AB  - We report a facile and versatile method for fabrication of multiheteroatom-doped
      hierarchically porous carbon with a large specific surface area, using the 3D
      network constructed by ZIF-8 coated wormlike micelles as template. The uniform
      and highly pure wormlike micelles developed in our laboratory is essential,
      because they not only are responsible for the formation of hierarchical porosity,
      but also play as a versatile platform for multiheteroatoms doping. In a primary
      experiment, S, N, B, and P heteroatoms were doped conveniently and the resultant
      porous carbons have the excellent oxygen reduction reaction performance
      comparable to the commercial 20% Pt/C.

PMID- 28616965
TI  - Inter-Sectoral Bisphenol A (BPA) Flows in the 2012 Chinese Economy.
AB  - Bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used petrochemical compound, has become an emerging
      global environmental management challenge because its leakage is associated with
      potential environmental and human health impacts. Until now, available BPA
      statistics have been limited to the products that directly use BPA. In this
      study, we delineate direct and indirect BPA flows for the 2012 Chinese economy.
      We find that construction, production of educational and recreational products,
      and automobile manufacturing are the most BPA-intensive sectors in terms of total
      BPA flows (300, 157, and 130 Gg total BPA flows, respectively). The public
      management and health sectors, however, incur significant indirect BPA flows,
      defined as embedded and inter-sectoral BPA placed into use, even though direct
      BPA use by these sectors is limited. By revealing the currently overlooked
      indirect BPA flows, this study reveals data gaps that are highly relevant to
      improving the accuracy of estimated BPA flows and losses. The method used herein
      is transferrable to other emerging and environmentally relevant materials,
      thereby providing the holistic understanding needed for cities, regions, or
      nations to design effective policy interventions.

PMID- 28616966
TI  - Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Multi-Drug Chemotherapy and Photothermal
      Synergistic Therapy with pH and NIR-Stimulation Release.
AB  - The combination of multidrug chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT) enhances
      cancer therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we develop a simple and smart pH/NIR dual
      stimulus-responsive degradable mesoporous CoFe2O4@PDA@ZIF-8 sandwich
      nanocomposite. The mesoporous CoFe2O4 core acts as T2-weighted magnetic resonance
      (MR) imaging probe, PTT agent, and loading platform of hydrophilic doxorubicin
      (DOX). A polydopamine (PDA) layer is used to avoid the premature leakage of DOX
      before arriving at tumor site, enhance PTT efficiency, and facilitate the
      integration of ZIF-8 (a kind of metal-organic framework). The ZIF-8 shell serves
      to encapsulate hydrophobic camptothecin (CPT) and as the switch for the pH and
      NIR stimulation-responsive release of the two drugs. Therefore, T2-weighted MR
      imaging-guided multidrug chemotherapy and PTT synergistic treatment is achieved.
      Two kinds of anticancer drugs, hydrophilic DOX and hydrophobic CPT, are
      successfully loaded in CoFe2O4 and ZIF-8, respectively, so no mutual interference
      between the two drugs exists. A unique two-stage stepwise release process is
      exhibited for CPT and DOX with an interval of 12 h to improve the anticancer
      efficacy under the acidic microenvironment of tumor tissue. NIR irradiation
      achieves the burst drug-release and PTT after laser stimulation, simultaneously.
      With this smart design, high drug concentration is achieved at the tumor site by
      quick release, especially for the therapeutic drugs that show nonlinear
      pharmacokinetics, and PTT is integrated efficiently. Furthermore, negligible
      biotoxicity and a remarkable synergic antitumor effect of the hybrid
      nanocomposites are validated by HepG2 cells and tumor-bearing mice as models. Our
      multidrug delivery-releasing composite improves tumor therapeutic efficiency
      significantly compared with a single-drug chemotherapy system. The simple
      multifunctional composite system can be applied as an effective platform for
      personal nanomedicine with diagnosis, smart drug delivery, and cancer treatment
      through its remarkable photothermal property and controllable multidrug release.

PMID- 28616967
TI  - Effects of Functional Groups of Materials on Nonspecific Adhesion and
      Chondrogenic Induction of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Free and Micropatterned
      Surfaces.
AB  - Functional groups of materials are known to affect cell behaviors, yet the
      corresponding effect on stem cell differentiation is always coupled with that of
      cell spreading; it is thus unclear whether the chemical groups influence cell
      differentiation directly or via cell spreading indirectly. Herein we used a
      unique surface patterning technique to decouple the corresponding effects.
      Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow were seeded on surfaces
      coated with alkanethiols with one of four functional end groups (-CH3, -OH, 
      COOH, and -NH2) and underwent 9 days of chondrogenic induction. The measurements
      of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation confirmed less proteins adsorbed
      from the cell culture media on the neutral -CH3 and -OH surfaces than on the
      charged -COOH and -NH2 surfaces. The neutral surfaces exhibited less cell
      spreading and higher extents of chondrogenic differentiation than the charged
      surfaces, according to the characterizations of immunofluorescence staining and
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We further used a transfer
      lithography technique to prepare patterned surfaces on nonfouling poly(ethylene
      glycol) hydrogels to localize single MSCs on microislands with self-assembly
      monolayers of different alkanethiols, under given microisland areas and thus well
      defined spreading areas of cells. While small microislands were always beneficial
      for chondrogenic induction, we found that the type of functional groups had no
      significant effect on chondrogenic induction under the given cell spreading
      areas, implying that the chemical groups influence cell differentiation only
      indirectly. Our results hence illustrate that functional groups regulate stem
      cell differentiation via tuning protein adsorption and then nonspecific cell
      adhesion and thus cell spreading.

PMID- 28616968
TI  - CRISPRi-sRNA: Transcriptional-Translational Regulation of Extracellular Electron
      Transfer in Shewanella oneidensis.
AB  - Extracellular electron transfer (EET) in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, which is one
      of the most well-studied exoelectrogens, underlies many microbial
      electrocatalysis processes, including microbial fuel cells, microbial
      electrolysis cells, and microbial electrosynthesis. However, regulating the
      efficiency of EET remains challenging due to the lack of efficient genome
      regulation tools that regulate gene expression levels in S. oneidensis. Here, we
      systematically established a transcriptional regulation technology, i.e.,
      clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference (CRISPRi),
      in S. oneidensis MR-1 using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. We
      used this CRISPRi technology to repress the expression levels of target genes,
      individually and in combination, in the EET pathways (e.g., the MtrCAB pathway
      and genes affecting the formation of electroactive biofilms in S. oneidensis),
      which in turn enabled the efficient regulation of EET efficiency. We then
      established a translational regulation technology, i.e., Hfq-dependent small
      regulatory RNA (sRNA), in S. oneidensis by repressing the GFP reporter and mtrA,
      which is a critical gene in the EET pathways in S. oneidensis. To achieve
      coordinated transcriptional and translational regulation at the genomic level,
      the CRISPRi and Hfq-dependent sRNA systems were incorporated into a single
      plasmid harbored in a recombinant S. oneidensis strain, which enabled an even
      higher efficiency of mtrA gene repression in the EET pathways than that achieved
      by the CRISPRi and Hfq-dependent sRNA system alone, as exhibited by the reduced
      electricity output. Overall, we developed a combined CRISPRi-sRNA method that
      enabled the synergistic transcriptional and translational regulation of target
      genes in S. oneidensis. This technology involving CRISPRi-sRNA transcriptional
      translational regulation of gene expression at the genomic level could be applied
      to other microorganisms.

PMID- 28616969
TI  - pH-Driven Actuation of DNA Origami via Parallel I-Motif Sequences in Solution and
      on Surfaces.
AB  - As bottom up DNA nanofabrication creates increasingly complex and dynamic
      mechanisms, the implementation of actuators within the DNA nanotechnology toolkit
      has grown increasingly important. One such actuator, the I-motif, is fairly
      simple in that it consists solely of standard DNA sequences and does not require
      any modification chemistry or special purification beyond that typical for DNA
      oligomer synthesis. This study presents a new implementation of parallel I-motif
      actuators, emphasizing their future potential as drivers of complex internal
      motion between substructures. Here we characterize internal motion between DNA
      origami substructures via AFM and image analysis. Such parallel I-motif design
      and quantification of actuation provide a useful step toward more complex and
      effective molecular machines.

PMID- 28616970
TI  - Structure and Biocompatibility of Bioabsorbable Nanocomposites of Aliphatic
      Aromatic Copolyester and Cellulose Nanocrystals.
AB  - Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) was first chemically modified via
      free radical grafting with maleic anhydride (MA) and the MA-g-PBAT graft
      copolymer was then used as a matrix material to obtain cellulose nanocrystal
      (CNC)-reinforced MA-g-PBAT bionanocomposites via reactive extrusion process to
      accelerate efforts to develop functional bioabsorbable polymer nanocomposites
      with improved properties. The molecular structure of the PBAT after chemical
      modification with maleic anhydride was confirmed by 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy.
      The morphological observation of the nanocomposites revealed that the CNCs were
      finely dispersed in the matrix. Thermal analysis of the hybrids showed an
      improvement of the thermal stability of the nanocomposites upon increasing the
      CNC content. In addition, it was found that the CNC nucleated crystallization of
      the PBAT in the nanocomposites. Extensive melt rheological characterization of
      the nanocomposite samples revealed a significant improvement of the viscoelastic
      properties of the matrix due to the strong interfacial adhesion of the CNC
      particles to the PBAT. Further, development of the nonterminal characteristics of
      the viscoelastic material functions and exhibition of yield stress were
      correlated with the evolution of a 3D-netowork nanostructure of CNCs in the
      matrix. This CNC nanostructure was interpreted in the framework of scaling theory
      of fractal elastic gels, and found to be consistent with the structure of open
      porous flocs. Tensile testing of the samples showed considerable improvement in
      the modulus and ultimate strength of the samples with increasing the CNC content.
      In addition, a positive shift of the glass transition temperature was found in
      dynamic mechanical analysis. Finally, in vitro biocompatibility using Thiazolyl
      blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and cell adhesion studies with L929
      fibroblast cells revealed no cytotoxic effect of CNCs, confirming the
      biocompatibility of the nanocomposites and the associated significant improvement
      of cell adhesion, suggesting the potential applicability of this nanocomposite in
      biomedical and tissue engineering applications.

PMID- 28616971
TI  - Lack of Cell Proliferative and Tumorigenic Effects of 4-Hydroxyestradiol in the
      Anterior Pituitary of Rats: Role of Ultrarapid O-Methylation Catalyzed by
      Pituitary Membrane-Bound Catechol-O-Methyltransferase.
AB  - In animal models, estrogens are complete carcinogens in certain target sites. 4
      Hydroxyestradiol (4-OH-E2), an endogenous metabolite of 17beta-estradiol (E2), is
      known to have prominent estrogenic activity plus potential genotoxicity and
      mutagenicity. We report here our finding that 4-OH-E2 does not induce pituitary
      tumors in ACI female rats, whereas E2 produces 100% pituitary tumor incidence. To
      probe the mechanism, we conducted a short-term animal experiment to compare the
      proliferative effect of 4-OH-E2 in several organs. We found that, whereas 4-OH-E2
      had little ability to stimulate pituitary cell proliferation in ovariectomized
      female rats, it strongly stimulates cell proliferation in certain brain regions
      of these animals. Further, when we used in vitro cultured rat pituitary tumor
      cells as models, we found that 4-OH-E2 has similar efficacy as E2 in stimulating
      cell proliferation, but its potency is approximately 3 orders of magnitude lower
      than that of E2. Moreover, we found that the pituitary tumor cells have the
      ability to selectively metabolize 4-OH-E2 (but not E2) with ultrahigh efficiency.
      Additional analysis revealed that the rat pituitary expresses a membrane-bound
      catechol-O-methyltransferase that has an ultralow Km value (in nM range) for
      catechol estrogens. On the basis of these observations, it is concluded that
      rapid metabolic disposition of 4-OH-E2 through enzymatic O-methylation in rat
      anterior pituitary cells largely contributes to its apparent lack of cell
      proliferative and tumorigenic effects in this target site.

PMID- 28616973
TI  - Vegetation Loss Decreases Salt Marsh Denitrification Capacity: Implications for
      Marsh Erosion.
AB  - Salt marshes play a key role in removing excess anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads
      to nearshore marine ecosystems through sediment microbial processes such as
      denitrification. However, in the Gulf of Mexico, the loss of marsh vegetation
      because of human-driven disturbances such as sea level rise and oil spills can
      potentially reduce marsh capacity for N removal. To investigate the effect of
      vegetation loss on ecosystem N removal, we contrasted denitrification capacity in
      marsh and subtidal sediments impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill using a
      combination of 29N2 and 30N2 production (isotope pairing), denitrification
      potential measurements (acetylene block), and quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction (qPCR) of functional genes in the denitrification pathway. We found
      that, on average, denitrification capacity was 4 times higher in vegetated
      sediments because of a combination of enhanced nitrification and higher organic
      carbon availability. The abundance of nirS-type denitrifers indicated that marsh
      vegetation regulates the activity, rather than the abundance, of denitrifier
      communities. We estimated that marsh sediments remove an average of 3.6 t N km-2
      y-1 compared to 0.9 t N km-2 y-1 in unvegetated sediments. Overall, our findings
      indicate that marsh loss results in a substantial loss of N removal capacity in
      coastal ecosystems.

PMID- 28616972
TI  - Dss1 Regulates Association of Brh2 with Rad51.
AB  - Brh2, the BRCA2 ortholog in the fungus Ustilago maydis, mediates delivery of
      Rad51 to DNA during the course of homology-directed DNA repair. Rad51 interacts
      with Brh2 through the highly conserved BRC element and through a second region
      termed CRE located at the extreme carboxy terminus. Dss1, a small intrinsically
      unstructured protein that interacts with Brh2, is crucial for its activity in DNA
      repair, but the mechanism of this regulation is uncertain. In previous studies,
      we found that interaction of Brh2 with DNA was strongly modulated by association
      with Dss1. Here we report that CRE influences interaction of Dss1 with Brh2 and
      that Dss1 status markedly alters interaction of Brh2 with Rad51. While it appears
      that a single Rad51 protomer associates with Brh2 in complex with Dss1, loss of
      Dss1 is accompanied by a large increase in the number of Rad51 protomers that can
      associate with Brh2. Concomitant with this buildup of Rad51, Brh2 loses its
      ability to bind DNA. These observations suggest a feedback circuit in which
      release of Dss1 from Brh2 as it binds DNA triggers nucleation of a short Rad51
      oligomer on Brh2, which in turn promotes dissociation of Brh2 from the DNA.

PMID- 28616974
TI  - Palladium-Catalyzed Desulfitative Cross-Coupling of Arylsulfonyl Hydrazides with
      Terminal Alkynes: A General Approach toward Functionalized Internal Alkynes.
AB  - A palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira-type coupling between arylsulfonyl hydrazides
      and terminal alkynes via Ar(C)-S bond cleavage is disclosed, which enables the
      general synthesis of functionalized internal alkynes, especially the Br
      substituted ones, in good to excellent yields under acid- and base-free
      conditions.

PMID- 28616975
TI  - Design, Synthesis, and Fungicidal Evaluation of Novel Pyrazole-furan and Pyrazole
      pyrrole Carboxamide as Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitors.
AB  - The identification of novel succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) inhibitors represents
      one of the most attractive directions in the field of fungicide research and
      development. During our continuous efforts to pursue inhibitors belonging to this
      class, some structurally novel pyrazole-furan carboxamide and pyrazole-pyrrole
      carboxamide derivatives have been discovered via the introduction of scaffold
      hopping and bioisosterism to compound 1, a remarkably potent lead obtained by
      pharmacophore-based virtual screening. As a result of the evaluation against
      three destructive fungi, including Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Rhizoctonia solani,
      and Pyricularia grisea, a majority of them displayed potent fungicidal
      activities. In particular, compounds 12I-i, 12III-f, and 12III-o exhibited
      excellent fungicidal activity against S. sclerotiorum and R. solani comparable to
      that of commercial SDHI thifluzamide and 1.

PMID- 28616976
TI  - Synthesis and Herbicidal Activity of Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-dione
      Benzoxazinone Hybrids as Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase Inhibitors.
AB  - To search for new protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO, EC 1.3.3.4) inhibitors with
      improved bioactivity, a series of novel pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-dione
      benzoxazinone hybrids, 9-13, were designed and synthesized. Several compounds
      with improved tobacco PPO (mtPPO)-inhibiting and promising herbicidal activities
      were found. Among them, the most potent compound, 3-(7-fluoro-3-oxo-4-(prop-2-yn
      1-yl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4] oxazin-6-yl)-1-methylpyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine
      2,4(1H,3H)-dione, 11q, with a Ki value of 0.0074 MUM, showed six times more
      activity than flumioxazin (Ki = 0.046 MUM) against mtPPO. Compound 11q displayed
      a strong and broad spectrum of weed control at 37.5-150 g of active ingredient
      (ai)/ha by both post- and pre-emergence application, which was comparable to that
      of flumioxazin. 11q was safe to maize, soybean, peanut, and cotton at 150 g
      ai/ha, and selective to rice and wheat at 75 g ai/ha by pre-emergence
      application, indicating potential applicability in these fields.

PMID- 28616977
TI  - Gastrointestinal Simulation Model TWIN-SHIME Shows Differences between Human
      Urolithin-Metabotypes in Gut Microbiota Composition, Pomegranate Polyphenol
      Metabolism, and Transport along the Intestinal Tract.
AB  - A TWIN-SHIME system was used to compare the metabolism of pomegranate polyphenols
      by the gut microbiota from two individuals with different urolithin metabotypes.
      Gut microbiota, ellagitannin metabolism, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA),
      transport of metabolites, and phase II metabolism using Caco-2 cells were
      explored. The simulation reproduced the in vivo metabolic profiles for each
      metabotype. The study shows for the first time that microbial composition,
      metabolism of ellagitannins, and SCFA differ between metabotypes and along the
      large intestine. The assay also showed that pomegranate phenolics preserved
      intestinal cell integrity. Pomegranate polyphenols enhanced urolithin and
      propionate production, as well as Akkermansia and Gordonibacter prevalence with
      the highest effect in the descending colon. The system provides an insight into
      the mechanisms of pomegranate polyphenol gut microbiota metabolism and absorption
      through intestinal cells. The results obtained by the combined SHIME/Caco-2 cell
      system are consistent with previous human and animal studies and show that
      although urolithin metabolites are present along the gastrointestinal tract due
      to enterohepatic circulation, they are predominantly produced in the distal colon
      region.

PMID- 28616978
TI  - Synthesis and Preclinical Characterization of a Cationic Iodinated Imaging
      Contrast Agent (CA4+) and Its Use for Quantitative Computed Tomography of Ex Vivo
      Human Hip Cartilage.
AB  - Contrast agents that go beyond qualitative visualization and enable quantitative
      assessments of functional tissue performance represent the next generation of
      clinically useful imaging tools. An optimized and efficient large-scale synthesis
      of a cationic iodinated contrast agent (CA4+) is described for imaging articular
      cartilage. Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) using CA4+ reveals significantly greater
      agent uptake of CA4+ in articular cartilage compared to that of similar anionic
      or nonionic agents, and CA4+ uptake follows Donnan equilibrium theory. The CA4+
      CECT attenuation obtained from imaging ex vivo human hip cartilage correlates
      with the glycosaminoglycan content, equilibrium modulus, and coefficient of
      friction, which are key indicators of cartilage functional performance and
      osteoarthritis stage. Finally, preliminary toxicity studies in a rat model show
      no adverse events, and a pharmacokinetics study documents a peak plasma
      concentration 30 min after dosing, with the agent no longer present in vivo at 96
      h via excretion in the urine.

PMID- 28616979
TI  - Proposed Biotransformation Pathways for New Metabolites of Paralytic Shellfish
      Toxins Based on Field and Experimental Mussel Samples.
AB  - A seafood poisoning event occurred in Qinhuangdao, China, in April 2016.
      Subsequently, the causative mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were harvested
      and analyzed to reveal a high concentration [~10 758 MUg of saxitoxin (STX) equiv
      kg-1] of paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), including gonyautoxin (GTX)1/4 and
      GTX2/3, as well as new metabolites 11-hydroxy-STX (M2), 11,11-dihydroxy-STX (M4),
      open-ring 11,11-dihydroxy-STX (M6), 11-hydroxy-neosaxitoxin (NEO) (M8), and 11,11
      dihydroxy-NEO (M10). To understand the origin and biotransformation pathways of
      these new metabolites, uncontaminated mussels (M. galloprovincialis) were fed
      with either of two Alexandrium tamarense strains (ATHK and TIO108) under
      laboratory conditions. Similar PST metabolites were also detected in mussels from
      both feeding experiments. Results supposed that 11-hydroxy-C2 toxin (M1) and
      11,11-dihydroxy-C2 (M3) are transformed from C2, while 11-hydroxy-C4 toxin (M7)
      and 11,11-dihydroxy-C4 (M9) are converted from C4. In addition, the metabolites
      M2, M4, and M6 appear to be products of GTX2/3, and the metabolites M8 and M10
      are likely derived from GTX1/4.

PMID- 28616980
TI  - Parallelization of Change Point Detection.
AB  - The change point detection method ( Watkins , L. P. ; Yang , H. J. Phys. Chem. B
      2005 , 109 , 617 ) allows the objective identification and isolation of abrupt
      changes along a data series. Because this method is grounded in statistical
      tests, it is particularly powerful for probing complex and noisy signals without
      artificially imposing a kinetics model. The original algorithm, however, has a
      time complexity of [Formula: see text], where N is the size of the data and is,
      therefore, limited in its scalability. This paper puts forth a parallelization of
      change point detection to address these time and memory constraints. This
      parallelization method was evaluated by applying it to changes in the mean of
      Gaussian-distributed data and found that time decreases superlinearly with
      respect to the number of processes (i.e., parallelization with two processes
      takes less than half of the time of one process). Moreover, there was minimal
      reduction in detection power. These results suggest that our parallelization
      algorithm is a viable scheme that can be implemented for other change point
      detection methods.

PMID- 28616981
TI  - Bi(OTf)3-Mediated Intramolecular Olefinic Cyclization: Synthesis of Substituted
      Aryl-Dihydronaphthalenes and Indenes.
AB  - In this article, a facile two-step and one-pot synthetic route for the
      preparation of substituted aryl dihydronaphthalenes starting from 2
      allylbenzaldehydes via Grignard 1,2-addition and Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed
      intramolecular olefinic cyclization has been developed. A five-membered ring
      indene skeleton is also prepared via olefin isomerization, 1,2-addition followed
      by cyclization. Some key structures are determined using single-crystal X-ray
      crystallography. A possible mechanism is presented herein.

PMID- 28616982
TI  - Destabilization of Titania Nanosheet Suspensions by Inorganic Salts: Hofmeister
      Series and Schulze-Hardy Rule.
AB  - Ion specific effects on colloidal stability of titania nanosheets (TNS) were
      investigated in aqueous suspensions. The charge of the particles was varied by
      the pH of the solutions, therefore, the influence of mono- and multivalent anions
      on the charging and aggregation behavior could be studied when they were present
      either as counter or co-ions in the systems. The aggregation processes in the
      presence of inorganic salts were mainly driven by interparticle forces of
      electrostatic origin, however, chemical interactions between more complex ions
      and the surface led to additional attractive forces. The adsorption of anions
      significantly changed the surface charge properties and hence, the resistance of
      the TNS against salt-induced aggregation. On the basis of their ability in
      destabilization of the dispersions, the monovalent ions could be ordered
      according to the Hofmeister series in acidic solutions, where they act as
      counterions. However, the behavior of the biphosphate anion was atypical and its
      adsorption induced charge reversal of the particles. The multivalent anions
      destabilized the oppositely charged TNS more effectively and the aggregation
      processes followed the Schulze-Hardy rule. Only weak or negligible interactions
      were observed between the anions and the particles in alkaline suspensions, where
      the TNS possessed negative charge.

PMID- 28616983
TI  - Absolute Rate Constants for Radical Additions to Alkenes in Solution. The
      Synergistic Effect of Perfluorination on the Reactivities of n-Alkyl Radicals1.
AB  - Laser flash photolysis has been used to determine the absolute rate constants for
      addition of several partially fluorinated n-alkyl radicals to three styrenes at
      25  degrees C in Freon 113. Fluorination at the gamma-position (RCF2CH2CH2*)
      gives radicals with essentially the same reactivity as non-fluorinated n-alkyls.
      The RCH2CF2CH2* and RCH2CH2CHF* radicals are both about three times as reactive
      as RCF2CH2CH2*, but the RCH2CH2CF2* radical is ca. five to six times rather than
      ca. three times as reactive as RCH2CH2CHF*. Similarly, the perfluorinated radical
      CF3CF2CF2* is much more reactive than would be expected on the basis of the
      reactivities of the RCH2CF2CH2* and RCH2CH2CF2* radicals. Thus, perfluorinated n
      alkyl radicals are very considerably more reactive than would be predicted from
      the individual effects of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-fluorination.

PMID- 28616984
TI  - OH-Stretching Overtone Induced Dynamics in HSO3F from Reactive Molecular Dynamics
      Simulations.
AB  - The OH-stretch induced dynamics in fluorosulfonic acid (HSO3F) is characterized
      from a statistically significant number of trajectories using multisurface
      adiabatic reactive molecular dynamics (MS-ARMD) simulations. The global reactive
      potential energy surface, which describes H-transfer and HF-elimination, is
      parametrized at the MP2/6-311G++(2p,2d) level of theory with an accuracy of
      better than 1 kcal/mol. Excitation along the OH-local mode leads to H-transfer
      dynamics but elimination of HF is only observed for excitations with nu >= 6 for
      1 out of 5000 trajectories. This finding differs fundamentally from the situation
      for vibrationally induced photodissociation of H2SO4 and HSO3Cl, for which, even
      with excitations of 4 quanta along the OH-stretch mode, elimination of H2O and
      HCl, respectively, is readily observed on the subnanosecond time scale. RRKM
      rates for HX-elimination in HSO3X (X = F, Cl) only differ by a factor of 5. The
      findings from the reactive molecular dynamics simulations together with the RRKM
      results thus indicate that the origin for a closed HF-production channel is
      dynamical. This is also consistent with experimental findings for
      hydrofluoroethanes in shock tubes, which found pronounced non-RRKM behavior.

PMID- 28616985
TI  - Transition-Metal-Free and Oxidant-Free Cross-Coupling of Arylhydrazines with
      Disulfides: Base-Promoted Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Aryl Sulfides.
AB  - A novel synthesis of unsymmetrical aryl sulfides, which requires no transition
      metal catalyst and no oxidant, was developed. This base-promoted cross-coupling
      reaction proceeded using arylhydrazines and 1 equiv amount of disulfides under
      inert gas conditions to afford the unsymmetrical aryl sulfides in good yields.

PMID- 28616986
TI  - On-a-chip Biosensing Based on All-Dielectric Nanoresonators.
AB  - Nanophotonics has become a key enabling technology in biomedicine with great
      promises in early diagnosis and less invasive therapies. In this context, the
      unique capability of plasmonic noble metal nanoparticles to concentrate light on
      the nanometer scale has widely contributed to biosensing and enhanced
      spectroscopy. Recently, high-refractive index dielectric nanostructures featuring
      low loss resonances have been proposed as a promising alternative to
      nanoplasmonics, potentially offering better sensing performances along with full
      compatibility with the microelectronics industry. In this letter we report the
      first demonstration of biosensing with silicon nanoresonators integrated in state
      of-the-art microfluidics. Our lab-on-a-chip platform enables detecting Prostate
      Specific Antigen (PSA) cancer marker in human serum with a sensitivity that meets
      clinical needs. These performances are directly compared with its plasmonic
      counterpart based on gold nanorods. Our work opens new opportunities in the
      development of future point-of-care devices toward a more personalized
      healthcare.

PMID- 28616987
TI  - Impact of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound on Transcript and Metabolite Abundance
      in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - The interactions of ultrasound with biological materials are exploited for
      diagnostic, interventional, and therapeutic applications in humans and can
      improve productivity in industrial-scale generation of organic molecules such as
      biofuels, vaccines, and antibodies. Accordingly, there is great interest in
      better understanding the biological effects of ultrasound. We studied the impact
      of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on RNA expression and metabolism of S.
      cerevisiae. Although the transcript expression signature of LIPUS-treated cells
      does not differ significantly from that of untreated cells after 5 days,
      metabolomic profiling by chemical-isotopic-labeling-liquid-chromatography-mass
      spectrometry suggests that LIPUS has an impact on the pathways of pyrimidine,
      proline, alanine, aspartate, glutamate, and arginine metabolism. Therefore, LIPUS
      triggers metabolic effects beyond reprogramming of the core pathways of carbon
      metabolism. Further characterization of metabolism will likely be important for
      elucidation of the biological effects of LIPUS.

PMID- 28616988
TI  - Highly Diastereoselective alpha-Arylation of Cyclic Nitriles.
AB  - A highly diastereoselective alpha-arylation of cyclic nitriles has been developed
      via a Negishi cross-coupling of commercially available aryl, heteroaryl, and
      alkenyl halides with cyclobutyl nitriles in the presence of
      tetramethylpiperidinylzinc chloride lithium chloride (TMPZnCl*LiCl) and catalytic
      XPhos-Pd-G2. A variety of electronically diverse electrophiles were well
      tolerated, and this chemistry was further advanced with application of both
      cyclopropyl and cyclopentyl nitriles.

PMID- 28616989
TI  - Reconstructed Serine 288 in the Left Flipper Region of the Rat P2X7 Receptor
      Stabilizes Nonsensitized States.
AB  - Serine 275, a conserved residue of the left flipper region of ATP-gated P2X3
      receptors, plays a key role in both agonist binding and receptor desensitization.
      It is conserved in most of the P2X receptors except P2X7 and P2X6. By combining
      experimental patch-clamp and modeling approaches, we explored the role of the
      corresponding residue in the rat P2X7 receptor (rP2X7) by replacing the
      phenylalanine at position 288 with serine and characterizing the membrane
      currents generated by either the wild-type (WT) or the mutated rP2X7 receptor.
      F288S, an rP2X7 mutation, slowed the deactivation subsequent to 2 and 20 s
      applications of 1 mM ATP. F288S also prevented sensitization (a progressive
      current growth) observed with the WT in response to a 20 s application of 1 mM
      ATP. Increasing the ATP concentration to 5 mM promoted sensitization also in the
      mutated rP2X7 receptor, accelerating the deactivation rate to typical WT values.
      YO-PRO1 uptake in cells expressing either the WT or the F288S P2X7 receptor was
      consistent with recorded membrane current data. Interestingly, in the human P2X7
      (hP2X7) receptor, substitution Y288S did not change the deactivation rate, while
      the Y288F mutant generated a "rat-like" phenotype with a fast deactivation rate.
      Our combined experimental, kinetic, and molecular modeling data suggest that the
      rat F288S novel phenotype is due to a slower rate of ATP binding and/or unbinding
      and stabilization of nonsensitized receptor states.

PMID- 28616990
TI  - Modeling Binding with Large Conformational Changes: Key Points in Ensemble
      Docking Approaches.
AB  - Protein dynamics play a critical role in ligand binding, and different models
      have been proposed to explain the relationships between protein motion and
      molecular recognition. Here, we present a study of ligand-binding processes
      associated with large conformational changes of a protein to elucidate the
      critical choices in ensemble-docking approaches for effective prediction of the
      binding geometry. Two study cases were selected in which binding involves
      different protein motions and intermolecular interactions and, accordingly,
      conformational selection and induced-fit mechanisms play different roles: binding
      of multiple ligands to the acetylcholine binding protein and highly specific
      binding of D-allose to the allose binding protein. Our results indicated that the
      ensemble-docking technique can provide reliable predictions of the structure of
      ligand-protein complexes, starting from simulations of the apo systems, when
      suitable methodological choices are made according to the different mechanistic
      scenarios. In particular, accelerated molecular dynamics simulations are suitable
      for conformational sampling when the unbound and bound states are separated by
      high energy barriers, provided that the acceleration parameters are carefully set
      to extensively sample the relevant conformations. A strategy specifically
      developed for geometric clustering of the binding site proved to be effective for
      selecting a set of conformations relevant to binding from the MD trajectory.
      Specific strategies have to be selected to incorporate different degrees of
      ligand-induced protein flexibility into the docking or pose-refinement steps.

PMID- 28616991
TI  - Assessment of the Effects of Anisotropic Interactions among Hydrogen Molecules
      and Their Isotopologues: A Diffusion Monte Carlo Investigation of Gas Phase and
      Adsorbed Clusters.
AB  - Despite the fact that the para-hydrogen molecule (p-H2) and its isotopomers (o-D2
      and p-T2) are commonly modeled as spherical objects due to the large separation
      between rotational states, there may be situations (e.g. adsorption in pores and
      on surfaces) in which such an approximation neglects important degrees of freedom
      (i.e. the rotational ones) and introduces uncontrolled biases in the predicted
      properties. To better understand when approximating such molecules as spheres
      introduces shortcomings in their representation, we employed diffusion Monte
      Carlo to simulate small/medium-sized molecular aggregates, either isolated in
      space or experiencing external model potentials, to compute energetic quantities
      and distribution functions. These were chosen to mimic situations possibly
      occurring in real systems, in which orientational isotropy is broken. The
      comparison between isolated clusters with molecules described as rigid rotors
      with a 4D potential or as spheres interacting via Adiabatic Hindered Rotor models
      shows that neither energetic nor structural quantities are affected by reducing
      the systems dimensionality. The orientational degrees of freedom of the rotors
      remains largely uncoupled from translational ones whatever the molecular mass.
      The same happens for rotors interacting with a frozen hydrogen molecule in the
      vicinity of a repulsive surface. Deviating from such behavior are molecular
      aggregates interacting with potentials mimicking the presence of ionic adsorption
      sites inside porous materials. Such difference is ascribable to the markedly
      anisotropic and longer ranged nature of those interactions, both features being
      relevant in defining the adsorption energy of the molecular species.

PMID- 28616992
TI  - Coherent Experimental and Simulation Approach To Explore the Underlying Mechanism
      of Denaturation of Stem Bromelain in Osmolytes.
AB  - Characterization of a protein in the context of its environment is of crucial
      importance for a complete understanding of its function. Although biophysical
      techniques provide powerful tools for studying the stability and activity of the
      enzyme in the presence of various cosolvents, an approach of combining both
      experimental techniques and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations may lead to the
      mechanistic insight into the interactions governing the stability of an enzyme.
      The knowledge of these interactions can be further utilized for range of
      modifications in the wild form of an enzyme for various pharmaceutical
      applications. Herein, we employed florescence, UV-visible, circular dichroism
      (CD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) study, and MD simulations for comprehensive
      understanding of stem bromelain (BM) in the presence of betaine, sarcosine,
      arginine, and proline. The thermal stability of BM in the presence of 1 M of
      osmolytes is found to be in order: proline > betaine > buffer > arginine >
      sarcosine. BM gets more preferentially hydrated in the presence of betaine and
      proline than in sarcosine and arginine. Nonetheless, MD simulations suggest that
      betaine, sarcosine, and arginine at 1 M interact with the active site of BM
      through H-bonding except proline which are responsible for more disruption of
      active site. The distances between the catalytic site residues are 1.6, 1.9, 4.3,
      5.0, and 6.2 A for BM in proline, buffer, betaine, arginine, and sarcosine at 1
      M, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on
      detailed unequivocal evidence of denaturation and deactivation of BM in the
      presence of methylamines and amino acids.

PMID- 28616993
TI  - Multimodal Characterization of the Morphology and Functional Interfaces in
      Composite Electrodes for Li-S Batteries by Li Ion and Electron Beams.
AB  - We report the characterization of multiscale 3D structural architectures of novel
      poly[sulfur-random-(1,3-diisopropenylbenzene)] copolymer-based cathodes for high
      energy-density Li-S batteries capable of realizing discharge capacities >1000
      mAh/g and long cycling lifetimes >500 cycles. Hierarchical morphologies and
      interfacial structures have been investigated by a combination of focused Li ion
      beam (LiFIB) and analytical electron microscopy in relation to the
      electrochemical performance and physicomechanical stability of the cathodes.
      Charge-free surface topography and composition-sensitive imaging of the
      electrodes was performed using recently introduced low-energy scanning LiFIB with
      Li+ probe sizes of a few tens of nanometers at 5 keV energy and 1 pA probe
      current. Furthermore, we demonstrate that LiFIB has the ability to inject a
      certain number of Li cations into the material with nanoscale precision,
      potentially enabling control of the state of discharge in the selected area. We
      show that chemical modification of the cathodes by replacing the elemental sulfur
      with organosulfur copolymers significantly improves its structural integrity and
      compositional homogeneity down to the sub-5-nm length scale, resulting in the
      creation of (a) robust functional interfaces and percolated conductive pathways
      involving graphitic-like outer shells of aggregated nanocarbons and (b) extended
      micro- and mesoscale porosities required for effective ion transport.

PMID- 28616994
TI  - Direct training to improve educators' treatment integrity: A systematic review of
      single-case design studies.
AB  - In consultation, school psychologists may offer educators direct training to
      support the implementation of classroom interventions aimed to improve student
      outcomes. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review
      of single-case design research studies during which educators received direct
      training to implement a classroom intervention, specifically instructions,
      modeling, practice, and feedback. Two doctoral students in school psychology
      screened 228 articles and evaluated 33 studies to determine if direct training is
      effective and an evidence-based practice per single-case design standards
      proposed by the What Works Clearinghouse. Results of the review indicate that
      there is support for the practice to be deemed evidence-based and associated with
      better intervention implementation than before its application. Implications
      include direct training being considered for intensive, complex interventions to
      promote educator success with implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28616995
TI  - The hippocampus and the regulation of human food intake.
AB  - Human and animal data suggest that the hippocampus plays certain roles in
      regulating food intake. However, its actual role may be far broader than
      currently envisaged, a claim suggested by the centrality of the hippocampus to so
      many aspects of human/animal cognition. Understanding these ingestion-related
      functions is especially significant. This is because some degree of hippocampal
      impairment may be quite common, resulting for example from a Western-style diet,
      insomnia, diabetes, and depression-among many other causes. One potential
      consequence of hippocampal impairment could be a loosening of food intake
      regulation, leading in the longer-term to weight gain and its health-related
      impacts. Here we review known, suspected and newly hypothesized hippocampal
      dependent functions involved in regulating human food intake: (a) declarative
      memory processes, and their use in explicitly evaluating when, what and how much
      to eat; (b) interoception, as it relates to hunger, fullness and thirst; (c)
      inhibitory processes, especially as applied to physiological state, place, and
      time, and their role in modulating memory retrieval; (d) craving and imagery for
      food; (e) perception of time and its role in preparing the body for food intake
      and estimating meal length; (f) trace conditioning and nutrient-related learning;
      and (g) inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress response and
      stress-related eating. For each we present evidence for hippocampal involvement,
      describe the putative regulatory role, and the hypothesized effects of
      hippocampal impairment. We conclude that the hippocampus is intimately involved
      in regulating human food intake via multiple interconnected pathways, many of
      which are unstudied and understudied. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28616996
TI  - Coping, emotion regulation, and psychopathology in childhood and adolescence: A
      meta-analysis and narrative review.
AB  - In this meta-analytic and narrative review, we examine several overarching issues
      related to the study of coping, emotion regulation, and internalizing and
      externalizing symptoms of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence, including
      the conceptualization and measurement of these constructs. We report a
      quantitative meta-analysis of 212 studies (N = 80,850 participants) that measured
      the associations between coping and emotion regulation with symptoms of
      internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Within the meta-analysis we
      address the association of broad domains of coping and emotion regulation (e.g.,
      total coping, emotion regulation), intermediate factors of coping and emotion
      regulation (e.g., primary control coping, secondary control coping), and specific
      coping and emotion regulation strategies (e.g., emotional expression, cognitive
      reappraisal) with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. For cross-sectional
      studies, which made up the majority of studies included, we examine 3 potential
      moderators: age, measure quality, and single versus multiple informants. Finally,
      we separately consider findings from longitudinal studies as these provide
      stronger tests of the effects. After accounting for publication bias, findings
      indicate that the broad domain of emotion regulation and adaptive coping and the
      factors of primary control coping and secondary control coping are related to
      lower levels of symptoms of psychopathology. Further, the domain of maladaptive
      coping, the factor of disengagement coping, and the strategies of emotional
      suppression, avoidance, and denial are related to higher levels of symptoms of
      psychopathology. Finally, we offer a critique of the current state of the field
      and outline an agenda for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28616997
TI  - Emotion and the prefrontal cortex: An integrative review.
AB  - The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a critical role in the generation and
      regulation of emotion. However, we lack an integrative framework for
      understanding how different emotion-related functions are organized across the
      entire expanse of the PFC, as prior reviews have generally focused on specific
      emotional processes (e.g., decision making) or specific anatomical regions (e.g.,
      orbitofrontal cortex). Additionally, psychological theories and neuroscientific
      investigations have proceeded largely independently because of the lack of a
      common framework. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of functional
      neuroimaging, electrophysiological, lesion, and structural connectivity studies
      on the emotion-related functions of 8 subregions spanning the entire PFC. We
      introduce the appraisal-by-content model, which provides a new framework for
      integrating the diverse range of empirical findings. Within this framework,
      appraisal serves as a unifying principle for understanding the PFC's role in
      emotion, while relative content-specialization serves as a differentiating
      principle for understanding the role of each subregion. A synthesis of data from
      affective, social, and cognitive neuroscience studies suggests that different PFC
      subregions are preferentially involved in assigning value to specific types of
      inputs: exteroceptive sensations, episodic memories and imagined future events,
      viscero-sensory signals, viscero-motor signals, actions, others' mental states
      (e.g., intentions), self-related information, and ongoing emotions. We discuss
      the implications of this integrative framework for understanding emotion
      regulation, value-based decision making, emotional salience, and refining
      theoretical models of emotion. This framework provides a unified understanding of
      how emotional processes are organized across PFC subregions and generates new
      hypotheses about the mechanisms underlying adaptive and maladaptive emotional
      functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28616998
TI  - ExperienceSampler: An open-source scaffold for building smartphone apps for
      experience sampling.
AB  - Experience sampling methods allow researchers to examine phenomena in daily life
      and provide various advantages that complement traditional laboratory methods.
      However, existing experience sampling methods may be costly, require constant
      Internet connectivity, may not be designed specifically for experience sampling
      studies, or require a custom solution from a computer programming consultant. In
      this article, we present ExperienceSampler, an open-source scaffold for creating
      experience-sampling smartphone apps designed for Android and iOS devices. We
      designed ExperienceSampler to address the common barriers to using experience
      sampling methods. First, there is no cost to the user. Second, ExperienceSampler
      apps make use of local notifications to let participants know when to complete
      surveys and store the data locally until Internet connection is available. Third,
      our app scaffold was designed with experience sampling methodological issues in
      mind. We also demonstrate how researchers can easily customize ExperienceSampler
      even if they have no programming skills. Furthermore, we evaluate the utility of
      ExperienceSampler apps with results from one social psychological study conducted
      using ExperienceSampler (N = 168). Mean response rates averaged 84%, and the
      median response latency was 9 minutes. Taken together, ExperienceSampler creates
      cost-effective smartphone apps that can be easily customized by researchers to
      examine experiences in daily life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all
      rights reserved).

PMID- 28616999
TI  - Investigating why and for whom management ethnic representativeness influences
      interpersonal mistreatment in the workplace.
AB  - Preliminary research suggests that employees use the demographic makeup of their
      organization to make sense of diversity-related incidents at work. The authors
      build on this work by examining the impact of management ethnic
      representativeness-the degree to which the ethnic composition of managers in an
      organization mirrors or is misaligned with the ethnic composition of employees in
      that organization. To do so, they integrate signaling theory and a sense-making
      perspective into a relational demography framework to investigate why and for
      whom management ethnic representativeness may have an impact on interpersonal
      mistreatment at work. Specifically, in three complementary studies, the authors
      examine the relationship between management ethnic representativeness and
      interpersonal mistreatment. First, they analyze the relationship between
      management ethnic representativeness and perceptions of harassment, bullying, and
      abuse the next year, as moderated by individuals' ethnic similarity to others in
      their organizations in a sample of 60,602 employees of Britain's National Health
      Service. Second, a constructive replication investigates perceived behavioral
      integrity as an explanatory mechanism that can account for the effects of
      representativeness using data from a nationally representative survey of working
      adults in the United States. Third and finally, online survey data collected at
      two time points replicated these patterns and further integrated the effects of
      representativeness and dissimilarity when they are measured using both objective
      and subjective strategies. Results support the authors' proposed moderated
      mediation model in which management ethnic representation is negatively related
      to interpersonal mistreatment through the mediator of perceived behavioral
      integrity, with effects being stronger for ethnically dissimilar employees.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617000
TI  - How do leaders react when treated unfairly? Leader narcissism and self-interested
      behavior in response to unfair treatment.
AB  - In this article we employ a trait activation framework to examine how unfairness
      perceptions influence narcissistic leaders' self-interested behavior, and the
      downstream implications of these effects for employees' pro-social and voice
      behaviors. Specifically, we propose that narcissistic leaders are particularly
      likely to engage in self-interested behavior when they perceive that their
      organizations treat them unfairly, and that this self-interested behavior in turn
      decreases followers' pro-social behavior and voice. Data from a multisource, time
      lagged survey of 211 team leaders and 1,205 subordinates provided support for the
      hypothesized model. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28617001
TI  - Providing social services in a new immigrant settlement city: A qualitative
      inquiry.
AB  - Nationally, a new trend in migration has included the settlement of Latina/o
      immigrants in cities without an established community of Latinas/os. Social
      services become even more salient in this context in the absence of informal
      social networks of support. This study, guided by social ecological theory,
      advances our limited understanding of social services in new immigrant settlement
      destinations by elucidating contextual and structural factors endemic to the
      social service delivery process in these new immigrant destinations. Twenty-nine
      social service providers who work with Latina/o immigrants in Baltimore were
      interviewed and Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR; Hill, Thompson, & Nutt
      Williams, 1997) methods were used to analyze data through consensus and the use
      of multiple data "auditors." Findings extend our understanding of the context of
      social services in a new immigrant settlement city by identifying qualitative
      factors related to the new immigrant settlement, organization and work,
      community, and client level that impact access and quality of services. A
      theoretically driven conceptual framework adapted from the Structural
      Environmental conceptual framework (Organista, 2007) is also proposed to explain
      the transactional interconnectedness among structural-, environmental-, and
      client-level factors in the social service delivery process. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28617002
TI  - Understanding the mental health consequences of family separation for refugees:
      Implications for policy and practice.
AB  - Consistent evidence documents the negative impacts of family separation on
      refugee mental health and concerns for the welfare of distant family members and
      desire to reunite with family members as priorities for refugees postmigration.
      Less is known about refugees' emic perspectives on their experiences of family
      separation. Using mixed methods data from a community-based mental health
      intervention study, we found that family separation was a major source of
      distress for refugees and that it was experienced in a range of ways: as fear for
      family still in harm's way, as a feeling of helplessness, as cultural disruption,
      as the greatest source of distress since resettlement, and contributing to mixed
      emotions around resettlement. In addition to these qualitative findings, we used
      quantitative data to test the relative contribution of family separation to
      refugees' depression/anxiety symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
      symptoms, and psychological quality of life. Separation from a family member was
      significantly related to all 3 measures of mental health, and it explained
      significant additional variance in all 3 measures even after accounting for
      participants' overall level of trauma exposure. Relative to 26 other types of
      trauma exposure, family separation was 1 of only 2 traumatic experiences that
      explained additional variance in all 3 measures of mental health. Given the
      current global refugee crisis and the need for policies to address this large and
      growing issue, this research highlights the importance of considering the ways in
      which family separation impacts refugee mental health and policies and practices
      that could help ameliorate this ongoing stressor. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617003
TI  - Sexual harassment victimization, school belonging, and depressive symptoms among
      LGBTQ adolescents: Temporal insights.
AB  - Peer victimization and the associated poor outcomes among lesbian, gay, bisexual,
      transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth have been the focus of countless
      studies. School climate is a factor that has garnered significant attention.
      Perceptions of school contexts may even be mechanisms that define how
      victimization relates to poor outcomes. However, there is a lack of rigorous
      scholarship that could demonstrate directionality and therefore further augment
      our understanding of these relations. Specifically, it is not clear if
      victimization is strictly an antecedent to mental health issues like depressive
      symptoms. This longitudinal study examined the associations among sexual
      harassment victimization, school belonging, and depressive symptoms among LGBTQ
      high school students (n = 404). Self-report measures were completed at 3 time
      points across 3 school years in 6 Midwest high schools. Structural equation
      modeling indicated that peer victimization was an antecedent to depressive
      symptoms, and that school belonging mediated the association. Implications and
      future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617004
TI  - A critical-positive youth development model for intervening with minority youth
      at risk for delinquency.
AB  - Minority youths who experience adversity in the forms of concentrated poverty,
      neighborhood violence, and social marginalization are at increased risk for
      delinquency. Yet, traditional approaches to reducing delinquency do not typically
      account for these social-structural risk factors. This article proposes a model
      of intervening that was developed to address this limitation. The current model
      was informed by the findings of a 9-month ethnography of a leadership development
      program for African American youths as well as positive youth development and
      critical theory frameworks. It delineates the roles of key intervention features
      in enhancing important assets among minority youths that help them to better
      navigate adverse social-structural conditions, decrease problem behaviors, and
      increase prosocial behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617005
TI  - Using adolescents' drawings to reveal stereotypes about ethnic groups in
      Guatemala.
AB  - It is important to identify stereotypes about indigenous people because those
      stereotypes influence prejudice and discrimination, both obstacles to social
      justice and universal human rights. The purpose of the current study was to
      document the stereotypes, as held by Guatemalan adolescents, of indigenous Maya
      people (e.g., Maya) and nonindigenous Ladinos in Guatemala (the 2 main ethnic
      groups in Guatemala). Guatemalan adolescents (N = 465; 38.3% female; Mage = 14.51
      years; SDage = 1.81 years) provided drawings and written characteristics about
      indigenous Maya and nonindigenous Ladino people, which were then coded for
      patterns in the data. These patterns included negative stereotypes, such as the
      Maya being lazy and Ladina women being weak; and positive stereotypes, such as
      the Maya being caring and warm and Ladino men being successful. There were also
      interactions between the participants' own gender and ethnicity and how they
      depicted the target they were assigned. For example, male participants were
      unlikely to depict male targets of either ethnicity engaging in homemaking
      activities. Finally, there was evidence of in-group bias based both on gender and
      ethnicity. These findings suggest that perhaps because indigenous groups around
      the world share some common negative stereotypes, an understanding of these
      stereotypes will aid in decreasing prejudice and discrimination against
      indigenous people, could reduce intergroup conflict, and increase access to basic
      human rights. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617006
TI  - Ethnographic case study of a community day center for asylum seekers as early
      stage mental health intervention.
AB  - Clinical guidelines in refugee mental health increasingly advocate phased
      approaches to intervention that foreground the provision of pragmatic and social
      support in contexts of ongoing instability. However, the impact of such
      interventions has rarely been explored from the perspective of refugees
      themselves. We conducted ethnographic research on the experiences and perceptions
      of users of an intervention embodying this approach: a community Day Center for
      asylum seekers in Montreal. Data comprising 15 interviews and field notes from 50
      participant observation visits were analyzed using an established theoretical
      framework to identify mechanisms supporting self-perceived wellbeing among users
      in the domains of safety, social networks, justice, identity/roles, and
      existential meaning. Results shed light on how this nonspecific buffering
      intervention responds to the threats and pressures asylum seekers themselves
      identify as most salient in the immediate postflight context. These findings are
      discussed in relation to emerging theoretical frameworks in refugee mental health
      that emphasize agency, justice, and the role of local ecologies. We conclude that
      the Day Center shows significant promise as an innovative early stage mental
      health intervention for precarious status migrants and merits further research
      and evaluation. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617007
TI  - Resilient family processes, personal reintegration, and subjective well-being
      outcomes for military personnel and their family members.
AB  - Deployment affects not just the service members, but also their family members
      back home. Accordingly, this study examined how resilient family processes during
      a deployment (i.e., frequency of communication and household management) were
      related to the personal reintegration of each family member (i.e., how well each
      family member begins to "feel like oneself again" after a deployment), as well as
      several indicators of subjective well-being. Drawing from the family attachment
      network model (Riggs & Riggs, 2011), the present study collected survey data from
      273 service members, their partners, and their adolescent children. Resilient
      family processes during the deployment itself (i.e., frequency of communication,
      household management), postdeployment positive and negative personal
      reintegration, and several indicators of well-being were assessed. Frequency of
      communication was related to personal reintegration for service members, while
      household management was related to personal reintegration for nondeployed
      partners; both factors were related to personal reintegration for adolescents.
      Negative and positive personal reintegration related to a variety of subjective
      well-being outcomes for each individual family member. Interindividual (i.e.,
      crossover) effects were also found, particularly between adolescents and
      nondeployed partners. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617009
TI  - "The feasibility of implementing cognitive remediation for work in community
      based psychiatric rehabilitation programs": Correction to McGurk et al. (2017).
AB  - : Reports an error in "The feasibility of implementing cognitive remediation for
      work in community based psychiatric rehabilitation programs" by Susan R. McGurk,
      Kim T. Mueser, Melanie A. Watkins, Carline M. Dalton and Heather Deutsch
      (Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2017[Mar], Vol 40[1], 79-86). In the
      article, the author order was incorrect due to a printer error. The online
      version of this article has been corrected. (The following abstract of the
      original article appeared in record 2017-13255-004.) Objective: Adding cognitive
      remediation to vocational rehabilitation services improves cognitive and work
      functioning in people with serious mental illness, but despite interest, the
      uptake of cognitive programs into community services has been slow. This study
      evaluated the feasibility of implementing an empirically supported cognitive
      remediation program in routine rehabilitation services at 2 sites. METHOD: The
      Thinking Skills for Work (TSW) program was adapted for implementation at 2 sites
      of a large psychiatric rehabilitation agency providing prevocational services,
      but not community-based vocational services, which were provided off-site. Agency
      staff were trained to deliver TSW to clients with work or educational goals.
      Cognitive assessments were conducted at baseline and posttreatment, with work and
      school activity tracked for 2 years. RESULTS: Eighty-three participants enrolled
      in TSW, of whom 79.5% completed at least 6 of the 24 computer cognitive exercise
      sessions (M = 16.7) over an average of 18 weeks. Participants improved
      significantly from baseline to posttreatment in verbal learning and memory, speed
      of processing, and overall cognitive functioning. Over the follow-up, 25.3% of
      participants worked and 47.0% were involved in work or school activity. Higher
      work rates were observed at the site where participants had easier access to
      vocational services. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results
      support the feasibility of implementing the TSW program by frontline staff in
      agencies providing psychiatric rehabilitation, and suggest that ease of access to
      vocational services may influence work outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617008
TI  - The application and importance of disability policy research to the mental health
      field.
AB  - This editorial provides an introduction to this unique special issue of the
      Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. Rather than focusing on a particular type of
      rehabilitative services, it more broadly addresses the subject, methods, and
      results of disability policy research. This special issue is meant to start a
      conversation about the role of psychiatric rehabilitation researchers,
      professionals, and consumers in shaping future policies affecting and affected by
      mental illness. In particular, this issue focuses on the application of rigorous
      research methodologies to answer policy-relevant questions to help ensure that
      decisions affecting our field are evidence-based and address the issues that
      matter most in the lives of consumers. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617010
TI  - Value of psychiatric rehabilitation in a behavioral health medicaid managed care
      system.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to describe individuals receiving
      psychiatric rehabilitation (PR) service and investigate program outcomes and
      factors associated with progress in a multisite, descriptive evaluation across
      Pennsylvania. METHOD: Through an outcomes-monitoring process integrated into
      routine service delivery, survey responses from 408 individuals participating in
      PR were summarized. Linear mixed models were used to examine change over time in
      self-reported progress ratings in rehabilitation domains and factors associated
      with progress. RESULTS: Significantly lower utilization of inpatient psychiatric
      service was observed in the 12 months after initiating PR versus the 12 months
      before service (15% vs. 24%; p = .002). Peer and case management service
      increased after initiation of PR. Specifying a domain as a goal in the service
      plan was associated with higher progress ratings in the learning (beta = .75, p <
      0001), working (beta = 1.06, p < .0001), and physical wellness (beta = 1.27, p <
      .0001) domains. Average hopefulness rating was positively and significantly
      associated with self-reported progress in all domains. CONCLUSIONS AND
      IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The current investigation provides some evidence that
      individuals participating in PR decrease utilization of inpatient service. This
      finding and the goals and activities reported in domains over time support the
      added value of PR as a Medicaid-reimbursable service to managed care efforts to
      promote rehabilitation outcomes and recovery for individuals with psychiatric
      disabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617011
TI  - The long road from policy to practice.
AB  - TOPIC: As behavioral health care policies evolve, based on shifting paradigms and
      a developing base of evidence, day-to-day practices at the direct service level
      must change. Workforce development initiatives are a critical component to effect
      such change yet may be overlooked, underfunded, or implemented in ways that are
      ineffective. PURPOSE: This article highlights considerations for training focused
      on policy, for training issues relevant across recent policy initiatives, and
      components of effective workforce development initiatives. SOURCES USED: Sources
      include the personal experience of the authors and the available literature on
      education, training, and workforce development, as well as select references
      related to policy initiatives in psychiatric rehabilitation and behavioral health
      care. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Until policy initiatives include
      the necessary funding for and guidance on evidence-based workforce development,
      they are unlikely to achieve their full promise. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617012
TI  - To clinician innovators: A special invitation.
AB  - Our vision for this special issue was simple: to inspire clinician innovators
      working in integrated care to not only consume the literature but also contribute
      to it. Growing the research capacity of clinician innovators in integrated care
      is vital for at least three reasons. First and foremost, real-world clinicians
      have an excellent vantage on the processes and outcomes that relate to the reach
      or the extent to which the given intervention or model of care engages its
      intended audience (Klesges, Estabrooks, Dzewaltowski, Bull, & Glasgow, 2005).
      Second, policy changes within the Affordable Care Act have facilitated the rapid
      uptake of integrated care in recent years (Beacham, Kinman, Harris, & Masters,
      2012; Nash, Khatri, Cubic, & Baird, 2013), but the growth of the published
      evidence base has not kept pace. Third, clinician innovators in integrated care
      are well positioned to contribute to the evidence base because of the growing
      emphasis on demonstrating outcomes in health care. Many of the articles in this
      special issue highlight specific recommendations that clinician innovators can
      make to transform a local evaluation into one that produces generalizable
      findings worthy of publication. Our hope is that this special issue can help
      dismantle the "research" stereotype and inspire future clinician innovators to
      become more active participants. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617013
TI  - The role of policy in supporting clinician-led research on behavioral health
      integration.
AB  - In Best Care at Lower Cost, the Institute of Medicine laid out a vision for
      continuously learning health systems (Institute of Medicine of the National
      Academies, 2016). This issue of Families, Systems, & Health represents a
      substantial step toward this vision, with on-the-ground clinicians and
      administrators testing empirically informed hypotheses about practice
      transformation and population health management, and using those results to
      produce shared learning within and across systems. While the studies in this
      issue demonstrate that producing generalizable knowledge from clinician-led
      initiatives is feasible, they also demonstrate that the current system does not
      adequately support clinicians in doing so. To achieve the triple aim of better
      care, lower costs, and healthier people, health care will need innovation at all
      levels of payment and delivery (Berwick, Nolan, & Whittington, 2008), and to
      pursue the suggested fourth aim - "improving the work life of those who deliver
      care" - clinicians on the ground who lead innovations will need to be supported
      (Bodenheimer & Sinsky, 2014). This issue of Families, Systems, & Health
      demonstrates that health policy will need to adapt to better support and foster
      emerging clinician-innovators, who can be crucial partners in producing the
      knowledge necessary to improve our nation's health care systems, bringing us
      closer to the triple aim. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617014
TI  - Real-world program evaluation of integrated behavioral health care: Improving
      scientific rigor.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Designing systematic, scientifically rigorous program evaluations
      (PE) is 1 way to contribute to the significant need to build best practices and a
      stronger evidence base for integrated behavioral health care. However, there are
      many potential pitfalls when conducting PE in real-world settings, and many
      clinicians and administrators may be hesitant to engage in PE due to lack of
      training or resources. Rigorous PE can be achieved feasibly and efficiently.
      METHOD: This article discusses common challenges that arise when conducting PE in
      integrated behavioral health care settings and illustrates ways to increase the
      methodological quality of PE efforts using lessons learned from 2 real-world case
      examples. The first example included a PE of a training program for brief alcohol
      interventions, and the second example included a PE of a depression medication
      monitoring service. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: The case examples demonstrate the need
      for strategic planning beforehand, including the use of a conceptual framework as
      well as appropriate study designs/methodology, measurement, and the need for
      consistency to achieve a well-designed PE. Using the recommendations within this
      article, it is hoped that the quality of PEs can be improved resulting in more
      generalizable data that can be used to inform organizations and policymakers to
      improve health care delivery. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617015
TI  - Using implementation science to guide the integration of evidence-based family
      interventions into primary care.
AB  - This article is a demonstration of how an implementation-science (IS) framework
      can be coupled with the measurement of implementation outcomes to effectively
      integrate evidence-based family interventions in primary care. The primary care
      environment presents a number of challenges for successfully integrating such
      interventions. However, IS methods can improve the prospect of successfully
      implementing a new intervention while simultaneously and rigorously evaluating
      the impact on salient outcomes. We used our experiences across 2 pilot trials in
      which the family check-up (Smith, Montano, Mauricio, Berkel, & Dishion, 2016), an
      evidence-based family intervention, was integrated into primary care. In these
      pilot trials, the exploration, preparation, implementation, and sustainment
      (EPIS) framework and the Proctor et al. taxonomy of implementation outcomes were
      used to guide the implementation and evaluate its success. Grounding our
      presentation in our pilot work offers an illustration of applying the EPIS
      framework and outcomes measurement to real-world problems and contexts. When
      embarking on new efforts to integrate behavioral interventions into health-care
      settings, the application of IS frameworks and measurement strategies can create
      generalizable knowledge that substantively contributes to a sparse literature.
      Today, those "in the trenches" who are translating evidence-based interventions
      to their setting can contribute to the corpus of research in integrated care by
      using IS methods to plan a new program and evaluate its feasibility, adoption,
      and reach. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617016
TI  - A systematic review of evaluation research in integrated behavioral health care:
      Operational and financial characteristics.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Integrated behavioral health care (IBHC) is an emerging solution
      for the delivery of behavioral health in primary care contexts. Although IBHC has
      been implemented and studied for more than 2 decades, little seems to be known
      about how it is best evaluated. This article illustrates a framework for IBHC
      evaluation based on the Three World view (with a focus on the operational and
      financial worlds) and delivers results from a systematic review on the
      operational and financial characteristics of existing IBHC research. METHOD: This
      study identified original reports of research that included an evaluation or
      assessment of the operational or financial success or sustainability of IBHC
      sites or programs. RESULTS: A total of 3,386 articles were found through the
      selected databases and 46 articles were found to meet the inclusion criteria.
      From the 46 articles that contained an IBHC evaluation including operational or
      financial variables, 9 operational and 11 financial characteristics were
      identified as barriers or strengths to sustainability or success. The
      characteristics of the evaluation participants, IBHC settings, and method of
      evaluation were also coded and analyzed. DISCUSSION: As a result of this
      systematic review of articles, evaluation of the success and sustainability of
      the operational and financial worlds can now be conceptualized at provider and
      practice levels. Collaboration and communication between medical and behavioral
      health providers was a significant operational characteristic related to success
      and sustainability. Financial characteristics indicated that continuous financial
      evaluation throughout implementation was important to success and sustainability.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617018
TI  - Integrated care in rural health: Seeking sustainability.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The increased awareness of the financial impact associated with
      social determinants of health coincides with expectations of the Affordable Care
      Act (HR 3590) to improve care while reducing costs. The integration of behavioral
      health providers (BHPs) into primary care has demonstrated improved clinical
      outcomes. This study was designed with 2 aims, including the evaluation of the
      financial viability of an integrated care model in a rural setting and the
      demonstration of incorporating practice-based research into clinical work.
      METHOD: A rural health plan caring for 22,000 members funded a pilot project
      placing BHPs in 3 clinics to provide integrated care. Patient utilization of
      medical services for 6 months following BHP services was compared with baseline
      utilization. RESULTS: The BHPs treated 256 unique patients, with a total of 459
      consultations. The percentage of patients receiving BHP services varied between
      clinics (Clinic A = 1.4%, Clinic B = 2.7%, and Clinic C = 3.9%). A between-clinic
      analysis showed differences in medical claims data between baseline and post-BH
      services. The overall effect sizes for reduced medical utilization for patients
      at clinics B and C were very large, Hedge's g = -2.31 and -4.79, respectively.
      Utilization of 4 of the services (emergency, lab, outpatient, and primary care)
      showed the large reductions in their costs. In contrast, the data for Clinic A
      showed no change. DISCUSSION: Patients receiving behavioral health services
      within the integrated care model may decrease utilization of medical services
      following treatment, resulting in cost offset. Potential reasons for variability
      between clinics are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617017
TI  - Identifying trajectories of change to improve understanding of integrated health
      care outcomes on PTSD symptoms post disaster.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Addressing life stressors is an important function for integrated
      care, especially for health care homes located in disaster prone environments.
      This study evaluated trajectories of change for patients with postdisaster
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who were seen in integrated care. In
      addition to describing the results, this article provides the methods of subgroup
      analyses as this may be useful for others working in real-world practice. METHOD:
      Patients (N = 340) receiving services at 5 rural health clinics self-reported
      PTSD symptoms as part of an ongoing evaluation to study the effectiveness of
      integrated health. Analysis of variance was used to assess differences overtime
      and trajectories were identified with cluster analyses. Disaster and trauma
      related factors associated with these trajectories were assessed using logistic
      regression. RESULTS: Significant overall decreases in PTSD symptoms overtime were
      found; individual trajectories were identified and include stable low, steep
      declines, stable high symptoms, and increasing symptoms. Stress related to
      disaster and the number of other traumas patients experienced correctly
      classified trajectory membership. DISCUSSION: Trajectories indicate that patients
      have differing treatment needs and cluster analysis as an evaluation technique
      may be useful in identifying what treatment works and for whom. The present study
      addresses a major concern for health care providers serving disaster prone
      communities and emphasizes the importance of identifying pre incident and
      disaster related risk vulnerabilities that contribute to mental health outcomes.
      Subgroup analyses are a useful tool for developing more targeted treatment within
      integrated care and may be an accessible research strategy for others working in
      such settings. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617019
TI  - Initial examination of characteristics of patients who are high utilizers of an
      established primary care behavioral health consultation service.
AB  - : Obective: Although much has been studied regarding high-utilizing patients of
      medical services, no studies have been published regarding high-utilizing
      patients of integrated primary care behavioral health (PCBH) services. The
      primary purpose of the current study was to examine characteristics of high
      utilizing patients of PCBH services and model adherence. The secondary purpose
      was to describe the process of conducting this research by clinicians in
      integrated care. METHOD: Data were obtained from electronic health records
      retrospectively for the study's time period, 2007-2013, for the sample of all
      patients who met with the behavioral health consultation team during that time.
      Variables include demographics, diagnoses, involvement in additional services,
      and scores on a patient-complexity scale for a subset of patients. Chi-square
      analyses, t tests and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The
      results demonstrate significant associations between key demographic
      characteristics, use of population-based augmentation services (i.e., consulting
      psychiatry, care management, substance-abuse consulting), and high-utilizing
      status. Model adherence was maintained over time. Logistic regression analysis,
      controlling for high-utilizing status and number of visits, demonstrated a
      significant relationship between more complex diagnostic categories and
      behavioral health issues. DISCUSSION: There are differences between high
      utilizing patients and nonhigh-utilizing patients suggestive of increased
      clinical severity and appropriate use of services while maintaining PCBH model
      integrity. The use of the population-based augmentation services is associated
      with high-utilizer status, and reflects the ability of these services to target
      those patients who most need the clinical care. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617020
TI  - Need, access, and the reach of integrated care: A typology of patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This paper is a report on a study exploring a potential typology of
      primary care patients referred for integrated behavioral health care (IBHC)
      services. We considered whether primary care patients could be grouped into
      meaningful clusters based on perceived need for behavioral health services,
      barriers to accessing care, and past-year service utilization. We also described
      the development of a working partnership between our university-based research
      team and a federally qualified health center (FQHC). METHOD: A total of 105 adult
      primary care patients referred for same-day behavioral health appointments
      completed a brief self-report questionnaire assessing past-year behavioral health
      concerns, service utilization, and perceived barriers to utilization. RESULTS:
      Hierarchical and k-means cluster analyses revealed 3 groups: (a) Well-Served
      patients, characterized by high perceived need for services, high service use,
      and low barriers to service use (40%); (b) Underserved patients, characterized by
      high perceived need, low service utilization, and high barriers to service use
      (20%); and (c) Subclinical patients, characterized by low perceived need, low
      service use, and low barriers to service use (20%). Clusters were reliably
      differentiated by age, primary language, insurance status, and global
      functioning. DISCUSSION: We found primary care patients could be grouped into 3
      categories and that 60% (Underserved and Subclinical) represented groups less
      commonly seen in traditional mental health (MH) settings. IBHC may be a promising
      approach for extending the reach of MH care, and partnerships between FQHCs and
      university-based research teams may be a promising approach for conducting
      research on the IBHC service-delivery model. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617021
TI  - Development and implementation of a psychotherapy tracking database in primary
      care.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Although there is a rapid increase in the integration of behavioral
      health services in primary care, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of
      these services in real-world clinical settings, in part due to the difficulty of
      translating traditional mental health research designs to this setting.
      Accordingly, innovative approaches are needed to fit the unique challenges of
      conducting research in primary care. The development and implementation of one
      such approach is described in this article. METHOD: A continuously populating
      database for psychotherapy services was implemented across 5 primary care clinics
      in a large health system to assess several levels of patient care, including
      service utilization, symptomatic outcomes, and session-by-session use of
      psychotherapy principles by providers. RESULTS: Each phase of implementation
      revealed challenges, including clinician time, dissemination to clinics with
      different resources, and fidelity of data collection strategy across providers,
      as well as benefits, including the generation of useful data to inform clinical
      care, program development, and empirical research. DISCUSSION: The feasible and
      sustainable implementation of data collection for routine clinical practice in
      primary care has the potential to fuel the evidence base around integrated care.
      The current project describes the development of an innovative approach that,
      with further empirical study and refinement, could enable health care
      professionals and systems to understand their population and clinical process in
      a way that addresses essential gaps in the integrated care literature. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28617022
TI  - Reducing hospital readmission through team-based primary care: A 7-week pilot
      study integrating behavioral health and pharmacy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A team-based service delivery model was applied to provide patients
      with biopsychosocial care following hospital discharge to reduce hospital
      readmission. Most previous interventions focused on transitions of care occurred
      in the inpatient setting with attention to predischarge strategies. These
      interventions have not considered psychosocial stressors, and few have explored
      management in primary care settings. METHOD: A 7-week team-based service delivery
      model was implemented in a family medicine practice emphasizing a biopsychosocial
      approach. A physician, psychologist, pharmacist, care managers, and
      interdisciplinary trainees worked with 17 patients following hospital discharge.
      This comprehensive evaluation assessed patients' mood, cognitive abilities, and
      self-management of health behaviors. Modifications were made to improve ease of
      access to outpatient care and to improve patient understanding of the therapeutic
      plan. This pilot study was conducted to determine the utility of the model.
      RESULTS: Of 17 patients, 15 individuals avoided readmission at 30- and 90-day
      intervals. Other substantial benefits were noted, including reduced polypharmacy,
      engagement in specialty care, and reduction of environmental stressors to improve
      access to care. The clinic in which this was implemented is currently making
      efforts to maintain this model of care based on observed success. DISCUSSION:
      Although this work only represents a small sample, results are encouraging. This
      model can be replicated in other primary care settings with specialty clinicians
      on site. Specifically, approaches that promote a team-based delivery in a primary
      care setting may support improved patient outcomes and reduced overall systems'
      costs. Recommendations for research in a clinical setting are also offered.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617023
TI  - Integrated behavioral health practice facilitation in patient centered medical
      homes: A promising application.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to assess the degree of behavioral
      health (BH) integration change in patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) when
      using a practice facilitator (PF) specially trained in implementing integrated
      care and how a quasi-experimental design assists in this process. METHOD: Twelve
      PCMHs, 8 Federally Qualified Health Centers and 4 private practices, with varying
      degrees of BH services participated in this study. The degree of BH integration
      was assessed with a quasi-experimental design using the Maine Health Access
      Foundation's Site Self Assessment (MeHAF SSA) at baseline and after implementing
      site-specific BH services. The sites tracked completion of unique objectively
      measured goals being implemented using the Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) score.
      RESULTS: At the conclusion of the study, sites saw a statistically significant
      increase in the level of BH integration from a baseline of 2.73 (SD = 0.44) to a
      postintervention score of 3.49 (SD = 0.22) with improvements from mild-moderate
      overall integration to moderate-advanced overall integration (p < .001). In
      addition, 10 out of the 12 sites achieved successful implementation of unique
      goals with assistance from the PF. DISCUSSION: This study provides the first
      quasi-experimental/pretest-posttest evidence utilizing real-world data that the
      practice facilitation method is an effective solution toward increasing the
      degree of BH integration. This paper describes the real-world efforts to evaluate
      the degree of BH integration change in PCMHs when using a PF with content
      expertise in BH integration within primary care. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617024
TI  - Evaluating transformation with available resources: The influence of APEX on
      depression screening.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The University of Colorado developed and piloted a team-based primary
      care delivery model called ambulatory process excellence (APEX) in a family
      medicine residency in 2015. We evaluated its impact on depression screening using
      found data and tools readily available to practice-based evaluators. METHOD: The
      APEX model calls for 5 medical assistants (MAs) supporting 2 providers. MAs have
      dedicated time to provide delegated care, including depression screening with 2
      versions of the Patient Health Questionnaire: PHQ-2 and PHQ-9. Using an
      interrupted time-series-with-control design, we created longitudinal profiles of
      the pilot and a control practice using statistical process control charts. We
      obtained data from preexisting dashboards derived from the electronic medical
      record. Outcomes included PHQ-2 screening rates, patients screening positive, and
      the proportion of them completing a PHQ-9. Covariates included monthly visits and
      new-patient appointments. Using Microsoft Excel, we transformed all data into
      modified z scores, plotted them on a multivariate control chart for each
      practice, and assessed them for evidence of special cause variation. Key
      informants provided information about potentially confounding concurrent events.
      RESULTS: Compared with baseline, the intervention practice significantly
      increased primary care medical visits and new-patient appointments, increased
      positive PHQ-2 patients, and improved PHQ-9 completion. High screening rates
      remained stable. In the control practice, new-patient appointments increased and
      PHQ2 screening improved. DISCUSSION: APEX may contribute to better depression
      screening processes. We have provided a detailed description of a real-world,
      practice-based, quasi-experimental evaluation model using common spreadsheet
      software (Microsoft Excel) to transform and analyze found data with multivariate
      statistical process-control charts. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28617025
TI  - Confronting the new epidemic: Integrated care for opioid use disorders.
AB  - The inaugural Collaborative Family Health Care (CFHA) regional conference took
      place March 17, 2017, in St. Louis, Missouri. The conference theme was opioid use
      disorders and the potential of medication-assisted treatment using team-based
      care to address this epidemic. The conference ended with an emphasis on the
      importance of and strategies for self-care among caregivers working with this
      population and their families. This intensive meeting was crafted as a proof in
      concept for CFHA; however, the content was timely with regard to its importance
      in health care as well as compelling in the opportunity for collaborative care to
      offer an effective approach. In this article, the authors highlight five
      impotance topics: (1) opioid use disorders should be addressed in primary care;
      (2) a team is essential; (3) harm reduction; (4) sustaining self through mindful
      practice and self-compassion; and (5) medication-assisted treatment. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28617026
TI  - "The next Big Five Inventory (BFI-2): Developing and assessing a hierarchical
      model with 15 facets to enhance bandwidth, fidelity, and predictive power":
      Correction to Soto and John (2016).
AB  - Reports an error in "The Next Big Five Inventory (BFI-2): Developing and
      Assessing a Hierarchical Model With 15 Facets to Enhance Bandwidth, Fidelity, and
      Predictive Power" by Christopher J. Soto and Oliver P. John (Journal of
      Personality and Social Psychology, Advanced Online Publication, Apr 7, 2016, np).
      In the article, all citations to McCrae and Costa (2008), except for the instance
      in which it appears in the first paragraph of the introduction, should instead
      appear as McCrae and Costa (2010). The complete citation should read as follows:
      McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2010). NEO Inventories professional manual. Lutz,
      FL: Psychological Assessment Resources. The attribution to the BFI-2 items that
      appears in the Table 6 note should read as follows: BFI-2 items adapted from
      "Conceptualization, Development, and Initial Validation of the Big Five Inventory
      2," by C. J. Soto and O. P. John, 2015, Paper presented at the biennial meeting
      of the Association for Research in Personality. Copyright 2015 by Oliver P. John
      and Christopher J. Soto. The complete citation in the References list should
      appear as follows: Soto, C. J., & John, O. P. (2015, June). Conceptualization,
      development, and initial validation of the Big Five Inventory-2. Paper presented
      at the biennial meeting of the Association for Research in Personality, St.
      Louis, MO. Available from http://www.colby.edu/psych/personality-lab/ All
      versions of this article have been corrected. (The following abstract of the
      original article appeared in record 2016-17156-001.) Three studies were conducted
      to develop and validate the Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2), a major revision of the
      Big Five Inventory (BFI). Study 1 specified a hierarchical model of personality
      structure with 15 facet traits nested within the Big Five domains, and developed
      a preliminary item pool to measure this structure. Study 2 used conceptual and
      empirical criteria to construct the BFI-2 domain and facet scales from the
      preliminary item pool. Study 3 used data from 2 validation samples to evaluate
      the BFI-2's measurement properties and substantive relations with self-reported
      and peer-reported criteria. The results of these studies indicate that the BFI-2
      is a reliable and valid personality measure, and an important advance over the
      original BFI. Specifically, the BFI-2 introduces a robust hierarchical structure,
      controls for individual differences in acquiescent responding, and provides
      greater bandwidth, fidelity, and predictive power than the original BFI, while
      still retaining the original measure's conceptual focus, brevity, and ease of
      understanding. The BFI-2 therefore offers valuable new opportunities for research
      examining the structure, assessment, development, and life outcomes of
      personality traits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

PMID- 28617027
TI  - Efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy compared with other invasive treatment
      options for the different esophageal motor disorders.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been performed since 2008 on
      more than 5,000 patients. It has proven to be highly effective in the treatment
      of achalasia and has shown promising outcomes for other esophageal motility
      spastic disorders. METHODS: A literature review of the efficacy of POEM compared
      to the previous invasive treatments for different esophageal motility disorders
      was performed. The application in the pediatric and elderly populations and its
      role as a rescue therapy after other procedures are also outlined. RESULTS: Short
      term outcomes are similar to laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) and pneumatic
      endoscopic dilation (PD) (clinical success > 90%) for achalasia subtypes I and
      II. Mid-term outcomes are comparable to LHM and overcome the  results obtained
      after PD (> 90% vs ~50%). With regard to type III achalasia, POEM efficacy is 98%
      compared to 80.8% for LHM and the PD success remains at 40%. With regard to
      spastic esophageal disorders (SED), POEM has an effectiveness of 88% and 70% for
      distal esophageal spasm (DES) and jackhammer esophagus (JE) respectively. A
      response of 95% in patients with sigmoid esophagus has been reported. POEM has
      been performed in pediatric and elderly populations and has obtained a higher
      efficacy than PD in pediatric series (100% vs 33%) without greater adverse
      events. Previous treatments do not seem to hinder POEM results with excellent
      response rates, including 97% in post LHM and 100% in a re-POEM series. Final
      considerations: POEM has shown excellent short and mid-term results for all
      subtypes of achalasia but long-term results are not yet available. The promising
      results in SED may make POEM the first-line treatment for SED. A high-safety
      profile and efficacy have been shown in elderly and pediatric populations.
      Previous treatments do not seem to diminish the success rate of POEM. Core tip:
      POEM has emerged as an efficient treatment option for all subtypes of achalasia
      and other scenarios (including previous treatments and elderly and pediatric
      populations). Short and mid-term results are comparable to LHM and are better
      than PD data. The clinical response rate of DES and JE may make POEM the first
      line treatment for SED.

PMID- 28617028
TI  - Laparoscopic transgastric ERCP in bariatric surgery patients: our experience.
AB  - Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is the surgical treatment of choice
      for morbid obesity. Several therapeutic options to remove common bile duct (CBD)
      stones have been proposed in these patients. Laparoscopy-assisted transgastric
      ERCP (LATERCP) has a high success rate. However, the procedure is not fully
      standardized and some technical variations have been proposed. We introduce two
      cases in which laparoscopic transgastric ERCP has been used to treat
      choledocholithiasis after LRYGB.

PMID- 28617029
TI  - Medium to long-term efficacy and safety of oral tacrolimus in moderate to severe
      steroid refractory ulcerative colitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Oral tacrolimus is an effective drug that induces
      clinical remission in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis
      refractory to steroids. However, there is little data with regard to its medium
      to long-term efficacy and safety. The aim of this study was to assess the medium
      to long-term efficacy and safety of oral tacrolimus in this challenging clinical
      situation. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational review of the clinical
      charts of 34 patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis refractory to
      steroids treated with oral tacrolimus at our hospital (July 2001-July 2016).
      Remission was defined as a Lichtiger index score < 3 and response was defined as
      a score < 10 with a reduction of at least three points compared to the baseline
      score. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Seven patients (20.58%) required colectomy during
      the follow-up period (mean 65 months). Nine patients required rescue with
      infliximab (four patients during the first six months of follow-up and the other
      five after the first six months). The short to medium clinical efficacy combining
      both remission and clinical response was 82% at six months. Kaplan-Meier analysis
      showed that the percentage of patients free from colectomy and additional
      sequential rescue therapy was 75% at 54 months (median follow-up). The early
      introduction of thiopurines (< 2 months from start of tacrolimus) showed no
      significant improvement in prognosis (p = 0.72). Fifty-three per cent of patients
      experienced adverse effects, none of whom required treatment withdrawal. No
      severe infections were noted during the follow-up.

PMID- 28617031
TI  - Clinical manifestations and endoscopic presentations of gastric lymphoma: a
      multicenter seven year retrospective survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: To improve the diagnostic rate of gastric lymphoma by
      analyzing clinical and endoscopic features of patients with gastric lymphoma and
      suspected gastric lymphoma. METHODS: Clinical and endoscopic records of 35
      patients with gastric lymphoma (positive group) and 133 patients with suspected
      gastric lymphoma but subsequent non-malignant pathology (negative group) were
      analyzed retrospectively. Data from another 99 gastric lymphoma patients with
      malignant pathology but nonspecific endoscopy (endoscopy non-suspect group) were
      analyzed. RESULTS: Abdominal pain was the predominant symptom reported in both
      the positive and negative lymphoma groups, representing 60.0 and 52.5%,
      respectively. No significant differences in age, sex and clinical manifestations
      in subjects from the two groups were found. In the positive group, 54.3% were
      ulcerative; 34.3%, infiltrative; 8.5%, polypoid; and 2.9%, granulonodular. In the
      negative group, 52.6% were infiltrative; 42.1%, ulcerative; 4.5%, granulonodular;
      and 0.75%, polypoid. The endoscopic results varied between the two groups (p <
      0.05). In the non-suspect group, 66.7% were ulcerative; 17.2%, infiltrative;
      14.1%, polypoid; and 2.0%, granulonodular. With regards to histology, diffuse
      large B cell lymphoma was the most common subtype. The sensitivity of endoscopy
      was 60% for detecting malignancy and 21% for gastric lymphoma. CONCLUSION: The
      present study suggests that gastric lymphoma and suspected gastric lymphoma have
      similar clinical features. Gastric lymphoma presented mainly as macroscopic
      ulcerative lesions, whereas suspected gastric lymphoma appeared mainly as
      infiltrative lesions. Although the diagnostic rate of gastric lymphoma was
      relatively low (21%), it can be identified by endoscopy (60%). To improve
      diagnosis, repetitive endoscopic biopsies should be performed and novel
      endoscopic techniques developed in the future.

PMID- 28617030
TI  - A real life study of Helicobacter pylori eradication with bismuth quadruple
      therapy in naive and previously treated patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a quadruple regimen (BMTO) of
      the "3-in-1 capsule" (containing bismuth subcitrate potassium, metronidazole and
      tetracycline) plus omeprazole in naive and previously treated patients diagnosed
      with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in the clinical setting in Seville
      (Spain). METHODS: This is a prospective study carried out on consecutive patients
      with a confirmed H. pylori infection and upper gastrointestinal symptoms. After
      providing their informed consent, the patients were treated for ten days with a 3
      in-1 capsule containing bismuth subcitrate potassium (140 mg), metronidazole (125
      mg) and tetracycline (125 mg: Pylera(r)), three capsules four times daily, plus
      omeprazole (20 or 40 mg) twice daily. Eradication of infection was determined by
      a negative urea breath test at least 28 days after the end of treatment. RESULTS:
      A total of 58 consecutive patients were enrolled into this study, two of whom
      withdrew early due to vomiting on days three and five, respectively. In this
      cohort, 17 patients (29.3%) had a prior history of medication to treat H. pylori.
      In the intent-to-treat population, eradication was achieved in 97.6% (40/41) and
      82.4% (14/17) of cases in patients treated with BMTO as a first-line or rescue
      therapy, respectively. At least one adverse event was reported by 28 (48%)
      patients, mostly mild effects (86%). CONCLUSION: A ten day treatment with BMTO is
      an effective and safe strategy to combat confirmed H. pylori infection in
      patients.

PMID- 28617032
TI  - Intraductal papillary neoplasia of the bile duct with malignancy: a
      differentiated entity of cholangiocarcinoma with a better prognosis. A review of
      three new cases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intraductal papillary neoplasms of the bile duct have been
      recognized as a differentiated entity to other biliary tumors since 2001. They
      are characterized by intraductal growth, with or without mucus production, and
      have malignant potential, although they have a better prognosis than other types
      of cholangiocarcinoma. CASE REPORTS: From January 2010 to August 2015, we
      included three patients with a confirmed diagnosis of bile duct intraductal
      papillary neoplasia with malignancy that were treated at our center. Two cases
      were male and one female with a mean age of 67.3 years. All three patients
      presented malignancy at the time of diagnosis. One patient was asymptomatic and
      the diagnosis was reported in the hepatectomy specimen after a liver transplant
      due to autoimmune hepatitis. The other two patients presented with cholestasis
      and acute cholangitis and the diagnosis was made based on imaging tests (computed
      tomography [CT] and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) and endoscopic retrograde
      cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with brushing and a biopsy. The treatment in both
      cases was surgical with a left hepatectomy, and resection of the left bile duct
      and segment I. They did not receive adjuvant treatment. None of the cases had
      recurrence of the disease. DISCUSSION: Malignant intraductal papillary neoplasias
      of the biliary tract represent a different entity of cholangiocarcinoma with a
      better prognosis. Its diagnosis is based on imaging tests and histology by ERCP.
      The treatment is surgical, achieving a high rate of success with a low relapse
      rate.

PMID- 28617034
TI  - Fetal cells in maternal blood for prenatal diagnosis: a love story rekindled.

PMID- 28617033
TI  - A UPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of 5alpha-androst-3beta,5,6beta-triol in
      human plasma: development, validation and its application in clinical
      pharmacokinetic study.
AB  - AIM: 5alpha-androst-3beta,5,6beta-triol is a novel ischemic stroke drug under
      clinical development. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a
      simple ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for
      5alpha-androst-3beta,5,6beta-triol in human plasma and its application in
      clinical pharmacokinetic study. Methodology & results: After being pretreated
      using an automatized solid-phase extraction procedure, plasma sample was
      separated on a Waters(r) AcquityTM BEH C18 column (2.1 * 50 mm id, 1.7 mm) by an
      Acquity UPLC system and detected by an API 5500 triple quadrupole mass
      spectrometer, which was validated following international guidelines. CONCLUSION:
      A simple method was successfully validated over a concentration range of 2.00-500
      ng/ml for 5alpha-androst-3beta,5,6beta-triol and applied to investigate its
      plasma pharmacokinetic profiles in healthy Chinese subjects.

PMID- 28617035
TI  - Measuring Stress in Young Children Using Hair Cortisol: The State of the Science.
AB  - Extensive literature suggests that adverse experiences in early childhood may
      deleteriously impact later health. These effects are thought to be related to the
      impact of persistent or chronic stress on various biological processes, mediated
      by dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and ultimately
      irregularities in cortisol levels. Ameliorating persistent stress in young
      children requires accurately measuring the chronicity of physiologic stress,
      which is difficult in young children because of unreliable self-report and the
      burden and inaccuracy associated with using invasive acute-stress biomeasures. A
      better way to approximate persistent stress in young children is measuring hair
      cortisol concentration (HCC), as it only requires one noninvasive collection to
      measure months of HPA-axis activity or experienced stress. However, few studies
      measure HCC in young children despite wide use in adult stress research. This
      article reviews and synthesizes research that uses HCC to approximate persistent
      stress in healthy children, 12-60 months of age. Reviewed studies indicate that
      HCC is elevated in young children who are experiencing forms of persistent stress
      such as low socioeconomic status and maternal distress. Hair cortisol is thus a
      promising measure of early childhood persistent stress, but due to the limited
      use of HCC in this population, much research is still needed. Specifically, nurse
      researchers may need to measure several factors associated with early childhood
      persistent stress and HCC to identify which children are at risk for stress
      related disease.

PMID- 28617036
TI  - An LC-MS/MS method to determine vancomycin in plasma (total and unbound), urine
      and renal replacement therapy effluent.
AB  - AIM: Critical illness and medical interventions, such as renal replacement
      therapy, can cause changes to vancomycin pharmacokinetics and lead to suboptimal
      dosing. To comprehensively characterize vancomycin pharmacokinetic a method must
      measure vancomycin in a range of clinical matrices. RESULTS: A LC-MS/MS method
      was developed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and microsample
      volumes, where possible. For all matrices, the linear concentration range was 1
      100 MUg/ml, interassay accuracy and precision was within 15%, and recovery above
      80%. No matrix effects were observed. Calibration equivalence may be applied for
      some matrix combinations. CONCLUSION: A method for the analysis of vancomycin in
      plasma (total, unbound), urine and renal replacement therapy effluent, suitable
      for use in any patient pharmacokinetic study, has been developed and validated.

PMID- 28617037
TI  - Quantitative determination of a siRNA (AD00370) in rat plasma using peptide
      nucleic acid probe and HPLC with fluorescence detection.
AB  - AIM: Toxicokinetic and pharmacokinetic studies of therapeutic oligonucleotides
      require validated bioanalytical methods for sensitive and specific quantification
      of oligonucleotide drug candidates in biological samples. RESULTS: A peptide
      nucleic acid (PNA) hybridization-based HPLC-fluorescence assay was developed and
      validated for quantification of Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals' proprietary siRNA in
      rat plasma samples via hybridization and anion-exchange-HPLC (AEX-HPLC) with
      fluorescence detection. CONCLUSION: The validated method provided a sensitive and
      selective approach for quantification of siRNA in biological samples at a linear
      quantitation range of 1-1000 ng/ml. The assay requires only 25 MUl of plasma
      sample and shows excellent accuracy and precision even without using an internal
      standard, providing a useful quantification method for siRNA determination in
      biological matrix with limited sample volume.

PMID- 28617038
TI  - Relation of subclinical serum creatinine elevation to adverse in-hospital
      outcomes among myocardial infarction patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND:: Acute kidney injury is associated with adverse outcomes after acute
      ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It remains unclear, however, whether
      subclinical increase in serum creatinine that does not reach the consensus
      criteria for acute kidney injury is also related to adverse outcomes in STEMI
      patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS:: We
      conducted a retrospective study of 1897 consecutive STEMI patients between
      January 2008 and May 2016 who underwent primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention, and in whom acute kidney injury was not diagnosed throughout
      hospitalization. We investigated the incidence of subclinical acute kidney injury
      (defined as serum creatinine increase of >= 0.1 and < 0.3 mg/dl) and its relation
      to a composite end point of adverse in hospital outcomes. RESULTS:: Subclinical
      acute kidney injury was detected in 321 patients (17%). Patients with subclinical
      acute kidney injury had increased rate of the composite end point of adverse in
      hospital events (20.3% vs. 9.7%, p<0.001), a finding which was independent of
      baseline renal function. Individual components of this end point (occurrence of
      heart failure, atrial fibrillation, need for mechanical ventilation and in
      hospital mortality) were all significantly higher among patients with subclinical
      acute kidney injury ( p< 0.05 for all). In a multivariable regression model
      subclinical acute kidney injury was independently associated with higher risk for
      adverse in-hospital events (odds ratio 1.92.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.23
      2.97, p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS:: Among STEMI patients treated with primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention, small, subclinical elevations of serum
      creatinine, while not fulfilling the consensus criteria for acute kidney injury,
      may serve as a significant biomarker for adverse outcomes.

PMID- 28617039
TI  - Raman and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) Analyses of a Microsubstance
      Adhering to a Fiber of the Turin Shroud.
AB  - The Raman spectrum of a microsubstance, smeared on a fiber coming from the Shroud
      of Turin, was compared with numerous spectra published for old or modern pigment
      dyes, whole bloods, dried bloods, red blood cells, albumin, very ancient blood
      stains, and various "degradation" products of heme. Within the wavenumber measure
      accuracy, it is shown that all Raman lines detected above background could
      correspond to vibration frequencies found in biliverdin-derived compounds except
      a weak line that we tentatively attributed to amide I. Biliverdin is known as an
      oxidative ring cleavage product of the heme of blood. Energy dispersive
      spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the sample confirms an elemental composition fully
      compatible with this hypothesis. Therefore, it is very likely that this
      microsubstance contains products of heme including heme/biliverdin-derived
      compounds and protein traces (amide I). Nevertheless, other measures will be
      necessary to confirm it. This method of identification, adding EDS to Raman
      spectrometry can be applied to nondestructive testing (NDT) of many other
      microsamples.

PMID- 28617040
TI  - Complete atrioventricular block in acute coronary syndrome: prevalence,
      characterisation and implication on outcome.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim was to characterise acute coronary syndrome patients with
      complete atrioventricular block and to assess the effect on outcome. METHODS:
      Patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome were divided according to the
      presence of complete atrioventricular block: group 1, with complete
      atrioventricular block; group 2, without complete atrioventricular block.
      Clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic characteristics and
      prognosis during one year follow-up were compared between the groups. RESULTS:
      Among 4799 acute coronary syndrome patients admitted during the study period, 91
      (1.9%) presented with complete atrioventricular block. At presentation, group 1
      patients presented with lower systolic blood pressure, higher Killip class and
      incidence of syncope. In group 1, 86.8% presented with ST-segment elevation
      myocardial infarction (STEMI), and inferior STEMI was verified in 79.1% of
      patients in group 1 compared with 21.9% in group 2 ( P<0.001). Right ventricular
      myocardial infarction was more frequent in group 1 (3.3% vs. 0.2%; P<0.001).
      Among patients who underwent fibrinolysis complete atrioventricular block was
      observed in 7.3% in contrast to 2.5% in patients submitted to primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention ( P<0.001). During hospitalisation group 1 had
      worse outcomes, with a higher incidence of cardiogenic shock (33.0% vs. 4.5%;
      P<0.001), ventricular arrhythmias (17.6% vs. 3.6%; P<0.001) and the need for
      invasive mechanical ventilation (25.3% vs. 5.1%; P<0.001). After a propensity
      score analysis, in a multivariate regression model, complete atrioventricular
      block was an independent predictor of hospital mortality (odds ratio 3.671;
      P=0.045). There was no significant difference in mortality at one-year follow-up
      between the study groups. CONCLUSION: Complete atrioventricular block conferred a
      worse outcome during hospitalisation, including a higher incidence of cardiogenic
      shock, ventricular arrhythmias and death.

PMID- 28617041
TI  - A Fluorescence Quenching Analysis of the Binding of Fluoroquinolones to Humic
      Acid.
AB  - Fluorescence quenching was used to investigate the interaction of six
      fluoroquinolones with humic acid. Static quenching was observed for the binding
      of ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, fleroxacin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin
      to humic acid. The equilibrium binding constants were found from Stern-Volmer
      plots of the data. The quenching experiments were repeated over a temperature
      range of 25-45 C and van't Hoff plots were generated. From these linear plots,
      thermodynamic values were calculated for Delta H, Delta G, and Delta S for each
      of the fluoroquinolones. The equilibrium binding constants were found to be <1
      for all the antibiotics studied. The calculated DeltaH values were all negative
      and ranged from -9.5 to -27.6 kJ/mol. The high water solubility of the
      antibiotics and low DeltaH of binding suggests that the antibiotics will be
      transported easily through the environment. Finally, whether the fluoroquinolones
      are in a protonated, deprotonated, or partially protonated state is found to
      correlate to the strength of binding to humic acid.

PMID- 28617042
TI  - Spectroscopic Analysis to Characterize Finishing Treatments of Ancient Bowed
      String Instruments.
AB  - Historical bowed string instruments exhibit acoustic features and aesthetic
      appeal that are still considered inimitable. These characteristics seem to be in
      large part determined by the materials used in the ground and varnishing
      treatments after the assembly of the instrument. These finishing processes were
      kept secret by the violinmakers and the traditional methods were handed down
      orally from master craftsmen to apprentices. Today, the methods of the past can
      represent a secret to be revealed through scientific investigations. The
      "Cremonese" methods used in the 17th and 18th centuries were lost as the last
      Great Masters from the Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari families passed away. In
      this study, we had the chance of combining noninvasive and microinvasive
      techniques on six fragments of historical musical instruments. The fragments were
      detached from different instruments during extraordinary maintenance and
      restoration treatments, which involved the substitution of severely damaged
      structural parts like top plates, back plates, or ribs. Therefore, the fragments
      can offer to the scientists a valuable overview on the materials and techniques
      used by the violinmakers. The results obtained by portable X-ray fluorescence,
      optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X
      ray spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared microscopy allowed us to: (1)
      determine the stratigraphy of six instruments; (2) obtain new information about
      the materials involved in the finishing processes employed in Cremona; and (3)
      elucidate the technological relationship among the procedures adopted in the
      violin making workshops during the considered period.

PMID- 28617043
TI  - Eveningness Is Associated With Greater Depressive Symptoms in Type 2 Diabetes
      Patients: A Study in Two Different Ethnic Cohorts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Eveningness is associated with greater depressive symptoms in the
      general population. Depression and type 2 diabetes (T2D) commonly coexist. We
      aimed to explore the association between morningness-eveningness and depressive
      symptoms in T2D patients in the United States and in Thailand. PARTICIPANTS: T2D
      patients (n = 182) from an endocrinology clinic in Chicago, Illinois, and six
      hospitals in Thailand (n = 251) were enrolled. METHODS: Diabetes history was
      collected. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic
      Studies Depression scale (CES-D). The Chicago cohort completed the Morningness
      Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and the Thai cohort completed the Composite Scale
      of Morningness (CSM). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburg Sleep
      Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: The mean (SD) CES-D score was 13.7 (9.1) in
      Chicago and 11.9 (6.4) in Thailand. In Chicago participants, after adjusting for
      age, sex, ethnicity, hemoglobin A1c, insulin use, and PSQI score, greater
      eveningness (lower MEQ scores) was associated with higher CESD scores (B = 
      0.117, p = 0.048). In Thai participants, after adjusting for age, sex, and PSQI
      score, eveningness (lower CSM score) was associated with higher CES-D score (B = 
      0.147, p = 0.016). In both cohorts, however, eveningness was not independently
      associated with the likelihood of being in the at-risk range for clinical
      depression (CES-D >= 16). CONCLUSIONS: Eveningness is independently associated
      with greater depressive symptoms in T2D in two different ethnic cohorts. The
      results support the association between individual differences in circadian
      rhythms and psychological functioning in T2D.

PMID- 28617044
TI  - Translation and validation of the Norwegian version of the Coronary
      Revascularisation Outcome Questionnaire.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaires are
      increasingly used as outcome measures in research and clinical practice to assess
      treatment effectiveness in coronary heart disease (CHD) alongside traditional
      outcome measures. The Coronary Revascularisation Outcome Questionnaire (CROQ) is
      a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) to evaluate health outcomes and HRQOL
      before and after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) and percutaneous
      coronary intervention (PCI). AIM: To translate the CROQ-PCI from English into
      Norwegian and test its psychometric properties. METHODS: Independent forward and
      backward translation was done following international guidelines. The CROQ was
      then pretested with both healthcare professionals and patients before the
      psychometric properties were field tested in a sample of patients who had
      undergone PCI. Psychometric testing included an evaluation of: acceptability;
      tests of scaling assumptions; reliability; content validity; construct validity
      based on within-scale analyses; and construct validity based on comparisons with
      external measures. RESULTS: 171 of 258 (66%) invited patients participated. The
      CROQ was acceptable to patients (low proportion of missing data and good response
      rate), reliable (good internal consistency and test-retest reliability for all
      scales), had good content validity (reported by both patients and healthcare
      professionals) and good construct validity (convergent validity with the SF-12
      and Seattle Angina Questionnaire, known groups validity and factor analysis).
      CONCLUSION: The Norwegian version of CROQ-PCI is a reliable and valid PROM for
      assessing HRQOL in CHD patients. Further testing of its responsiveness and
      ability to detect change is needed before recommending its use in Norwegian
      clinical practice and research.

PMID- 28617045
TI  - Assessing attachment in school-aged children: Do the School-Age Assessment of
      Attachment and Family Drawings work together as complementary tools?
AB  - AIMS: Our goal was to identify an assessment package that could improve treatment
      planning for troubled children and their families. To assess the validity of our
      tools, we tested the relations among the School-Age Assessment of Attachment, the
      Family Drawing and children's risk status. We used the Dynamic-Maturational Model
      of Attachment and Adaptation to interpret the assessments in the hope of
      identifying a gradient of risk, and explore whether a new coding method improved
      the validity of Family Drawings and their utility as a tool to complement the
      School-Age Assessment of Attachment. METHOD: The participants were 89 children,
      aged between 5 and 12 years; 32 children were involved with mental health
      services or child protection. Each child completed a School-Age Assessment of
      Attachment and a Family Drawing. RESULTS: Both assessments differentiated between
      clinical and normative referrals with moderate effect sizes when dichotomizing
      risk versus non-risk attachment. When the analysis incorporated a gradient of six
      attachment classifications, the effect sizes decreased, but specificity of risk
      increased. CONCLUSIONS: The School-Age Assessment of Attachment had greater
      validity for discriminating risk, and type of risk, than the Family Drawings.
      With a School-Age Assessment of Attachment and family history, the Family Drawing
      can provide information about distress that some children do not provide
      verbally. Integration of the two assessment tools alongside information about
      parental and family functioning appears to be the key to formulating children's
      problems.

PMID- 28617046
TI  - Childhood maltreatment and its link to borderline personality disorder features
      in children: A systematic review approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder has repeatedly been associated with a
      history of maltreatment in childhood; however, research on maltreatment and its
      link to borderline features in children is limited. METHOD: The aim of this
      review is to synthesise the existing data on the association between maltreatment
      and borderline features in childhood. In total, 10 studies were included in this
      systematic review. RESULTS: Studies indicated that children with borderline
      features were more likely to have a history of maltreatment, and that children
      who had been maltreated were more likely to present with borderline features.
      Other risk factors such as cognitive and executive functioning deficits, parental
      dysfunction and genetic vulnerability were also identified across studies.
      CONCLUSION: This review adds to the literature by highlighting maltreatment as a
      risk factor for borderline features in childhood. Longitudinal research is
      required to establish the link between childhood borderline features and adult
      borderline features. Implications for early identification, prevention and
      intervention services are discussed.

PMID- 28617047
TI  - Interpersonal rejection sensitivity mediates the associations between peer
      victimization and two high-risk outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated a strong link between peer
      victimization and suicidal ideation and aggression. This study examined
      interpersonal rejection sensitivity as a mediator of these associations. METHOD:
      Diagnostic interviews and assessments were administered to 80 psychiatrically
      hospitalized adolescents and their parents. RESULTS: Interpersonal rejection
      sensitivity mediated the association between peer victimization and suicidal
      ideation as well as aggression after controlling for participant sex and mood
      disorder diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Interpersonal rejection sensitivity influences
      the relation between peer victimization and mental health symptoms, including
      suicidal ideation and aggression. Assessing for and addressing heightened
      interpersonal rejection sensitivity among adolescents who have been victimized by
      peers may decrease the likelihood of negative mental health outcomes.
      Implications, especially for clinicians, are further discussed.

PMID- 28617048
TI  - Developmental Patterns of Child Emotion Dysregulation as Predicted by Serotonin
      Transporter Genotype and Parenting.
AB  - Individual differences in emotion regulation are central to social, academic,
      occupational, and psychological development, and emotion dysregulation (ED) in
      childhood is a risk factor for numerous developmental outcomes. The present study
      aimed to (a) describe the developmental trajectory of ED across early childhood
      (3-6 years) and (b) examine its sensitivity to youth serotonin transporter
      genotype, positive and negative parenting behaviors, and their interaction.
      Participants were 99 families in the Collaborative Family Study, a longitudinal
      study of children with or without developmental delays. Child ED and early
      parenting were coded from parent-child interactions. To examine serotonin
      transporter genotype as a moderator between parenting and child emotion
      dysregulation (ED), children with the homozygous short (SS) genotype were
      compared to children with the homozygous long (LL) or heterozygous (SL) genotype.
      We used latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) to model yearly change in ED from
      child age 3 to 6 years. LGCM revealed that ED decreased overall across early
      childhood. In addition, we observed separate Genotype * Positive and Genotype *
      Negative parenting behavior interactions in predictions of ED growth curves.
      Children with the SL/LL genotype had ED trajectories that were minimally related
      to positive and negative parenting behavior, whereas ED decreased more
      precipitously among children with the SS genotype when exposed to low negative
      parenting or high positive parenting. These findings provide evidence for Gene *
      Environment interactions (G*Es) in the development of ED in a manner that is
      conceptually consistent with vantage sensitivity, and they improve inferences
      afforded by prospective designs.

PMID- 28617049
TI  - Cytotoxic withanolides from Physalis angulata.
AB  - A new withanolide (1), physagulide P, together with five known withanolides (2
      6), was isolated from the aerial parts of Physalis angulata L. The structure of
      new compound was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic techniques,
      including 1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS. The activity screening indicated that compound
      1 showed significant cytotoxicities against the human osteosarcoma cell line MG
      63, HepG-2 hepatoma cells and breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 with the IC50 value
      of 3.50, 4.22 and 15.74 MUM.

PMID- 28617050
TI  - Complications Following Operatively Treated Ankle Fractures in Insulin- and Non
      Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetics with ankle fractures experience more complications than the
      general population, but it is unclear whether complications differ between type 1
      and 2 diabetics and between insulin- and non-insulin-dependent diabetics. This
      study aims to determine if there is a difference in postoperative complication
      rates between these groups. METHODS: An administrative health care database from
      a large commercial insurer was queried to identify operatively treated ankle
      fractures in patients with type 1 (T1D), type 2 (T2D), type 2 insulin-dependent
      (T2ID), and type 2 non-insulin-dependent (T2NID) diabetes. Postoperative
      complications were identified to include postoperative stiffness, posttraumatic
      arthritis, amputation, implant removal, and infection. Subgroup analysis was
      performed to control for comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 20 703 closed and
      2873 open operatively treated ankle fractures were identified. Patients with T1D
      experienced higher rates of amputation, postoperative infection, and total
      complications than patients with T2D (P < .05). Patients with T2ID experienced
      higher rates of amputation, infection, and total complications than those with
      T2NID (P < .0001). Subgroup analysis controlling for comorbidities showed a
      higher total complication rate for T1D compared with T2D in closed ankle
      fractures (P < .02) and for T2ID compared with T2NID in both open and closed
      ankle fractures (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with T1D and T2ID have higher
      complication rates than patients with T2D and T2NID, respectively. Foot and ankle
      surgeons should be cautioned not to classify diabetics as one cohort and should
      use these findings to stratify risk among this patient population. LEVELS OF
      EVIDENCE: Level III: Diagnostic.

PMID- 28617051
TI  - Radiographic Detection of Marginal Impaction in Supination-Adduction Ankle
      Fractures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe the incidence of plafond
      impaction in supination-adduction type II (SAD-II) ankle fractures and assess the
      accuracy of plain radiographs in detecting plafond impaction and predicting
      planned operative management compared to computed tomography (CT). METHODS:
      Patients with SAD-II ankle fractures were retrospectively identified. All SAD-II
      plain radiographs were reviewed (120 fractures) and compared to CT images (55
      fractures). For each plain radiograph or CT scan, 3 orthopedic surgeons were
      asked the following questions: (1) Is there impaction of the tibial plafond? (2)
      Does the impaction require direct visualization and articular reduction? The
      incidence of plafond impaction and the preoperative plan were calculated
      separately for plain radiographs and CT scans. The accuracy of plain radiographs
      was calculated using responses from corresponding CT imaging as the gold
      standard. Change in preoperative management decisions after reviewing CT images
      was also calculated. RESULTS: In 120 SAD-II ankle fracture plain radiographs,
      marginal impaction of the plafond was visualized in 61% of fractures. The
      diagnosis of impaction using plain radiographs was correct in 84% of fractures
      when compared to CT imaging, resulting in a 91% positive predictive value (PPV)
      and a 55% negative predictive value (NPV). Plain radiographs were able to predict
      planned operative management after review of CT imaging with an 87% PPV and 75%
      NPV. CONCLUSION: The majority of SAD-II ankle fractures involved marginal
      impaction of the tibial plafond. Plain radiographs were accurate in diagnosing
      impaction when it was present, but were not accurate in ruling out impaction. In
      the presence of impaction, CT likely will not change planned operative
      management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, comparative series.

PMID- 28617052
TI  - Neotomodon alstoni mice present sex differences between lean and obese in daily
      hypothalamic leptin signaling.
AB  - This article compared the effects of spontaneous obesity on the daily profile in
      the relative amount of the leptin receptor (LepRb), and its output. That is the
      precursor Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) over a 24-hour period and compared with
      differences in locomotion and food intake in periods of artificial light.
      Differences between lean and obese mice were examined, as were sex differences.
      Body weight, food intake and locomotor activity were monitored in freely moving
      lean and obese mice. Hypothalamic tissue was collected at 5 h, 10 h, 15 h, 19 h
      and 24 h. Samples were analyzed by western blotting to determine the relative
      presence of protein for LepRb, STAT3 phosphorylation (by pSTAT3/STAT3 ratio) and
      POMC. Obese mice were 60% less active in locomotion than lean mice during the
      night. While both locomotor activity and food intake were noticeably greater
      during the day in obese mice than in lean mice, the hypothalamus in obese mice
      showed a lower relative abundance of POMC and reduced pSTAT3/STAT3 ratio and
      leptin receptors. Behavioral and biochemical differences were more evident in
      obese females than in obese males. These results indicate that obesity in N.
      alstoni affects hypothalamic leptin signaling according to sex.

PMID- 28617053
TI  - Chemical constituents from Bletilla striata and their NO production suppression
      in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
AB  - A novel glucoside bletilloside A (1) was isolated from the tubers of Bletilla
      striata, together with seven known compounds (2-8). Their structures were
      determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. All compounds were
      evaluated for the inhibition on NO production effects in RAW 264.7 macrophage
      cells, while militarine (4) and dactylorhin A (5) exhibited moderate inhibitory
      effects.

PMID- 28617054
TI  - In response to: "Loperamide metabolite-induced cardiomyopathy and QTc
      prolongation".

PMID- 28617055
TI  - New treatment strategies for ulcerative colitis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Therapeutic strategies in ulcerative colitis are evolving. A
      personalized and optimal use of available drugs and the integration of new drug
      classes are the cornerstones underpinning the new treatment paradigms. Areas
      covered: A structured literature search in Medline and PubMed, Cochrane meta
      analyses, and abstracts of international congresses has been performed to review
      therapeutic approaches to ulcerative colitis. The primary therapeutic objective
      of therapy is to achieve clinical remission since persistence of active disease,
      even if mild, leads to a significant reduction in quality of life. Current
      treatment paradigms of ulcerative colitis are based on the use of 5
      aminosalycilates, corticosteroids, thiopurines, TNF-alpha inhibitors and
      alpha4beta7 integrin blockers. The main determinants for drug class selection are
      disease extension, disease severity, and previous drug history. New drug classes
      that will likely become available in the foreseeable future include inhibitors of
      Janus kinases, modulators of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors, SMAD-7 antisense
      oligonucleotides, interleukin-12/23 blockers, and fecal microbiota
      transplantation. Expert commentary: Increasing therapeutic options for ulcerative
      colitis make predictors of response highly relevant. While these are not
      available, judicious use of therapies, avoidance of underdosing, or persistent
      therapy when criteria for drug failure are met are essential.

PMID- 28617056
TI  - An evaluation of quality of life in women with endometriosis who underwent
      primary surgery: a 6-month follow up in Sabah Women & Children Hospital, Sabah,
      Malaysia.
AB  - Endometriosis is a complex disease primarily affecting women of reproductive age
      worldwide. The management goals are to improve the quality of life (QoL),
      alleviate the symptoms and prevent severe disease. This prospective cohort study
      was to assess the QoL in women with endometriosis that underwent primary surgery.
      A pre- and post-operative questionnaire via ED-5Q and general VAS score used for
      the evaluation for endometrial-like pain such as dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia. A
      total of 280 patients underwent intervention; 224 laparoscopically and 56 via
      laparotomy mostly with stage II disease with ovarian endometriomas. Improvements
      in dysmenorrhoea pain scores from 5.7 to 4.15 and dyspareunia from 4.05 to 2.17
      (p <.001) were observed. The Self Rate Assessment was improved; 6.66-4.68 post
      operatively (p < .05). In EQ-5 D Index, the anxiety and activities outcomes
      showed a significant worsening post-intervention. There was no correlation
      between the stage of disease and endometrial pain; (p = .289), method of
      intervention (p = .290) and usage of post-operative hormonal therapy (p = .632).
      This study concluded that surgical treatment improved the QoL with added hormonal
      therapy post-intervention, despite not reaching statistical significance, showed
      a promising result. Impact statement Surgical intervention does improve the QoL
      for women with endometriosis however post interventional hormonal therapy is
      remain inconclusive.

PMID- 28617058
TI  - The Assessment of Skin Color and Iron Levels in Pediatric Patients with beta
      Thalassemia Major Using a Visual Skin Color Chart.
AB  - Patients with beta-thalassemia major (beta-TM), a disease that emerges due to
      disorder of hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis, require life-long erythrocyte transfusion.
      The purpose of this study was to evaluate skin color and iron levels of patients
      with beta-TM using a visual skin color chart. Each patient's skin color was
      matched on a skin color chart under a fluorescent lamp by the same physician on
      each occasion. Iron, iron binding capacity, ferritin and complete blood count
      (CBC) were studied for each patient enrolled. Colors marked on the visual skin
      color chart were compared with the laboratory results. Thirty-five patients being
      monitored at our hospital were included, 19 (54.3%) males and 16 (45.7%) females.
      The colors marked on the chart darkened as patients aged (p = 0.002, r = 0.49),
      the frequency of annual transfusions (p = 0.022, r = 0.385), ferritin levels (p <
      0.001, r = 0.72) and iron levels increased (p = 0.001, r = 0.538) and as total
      iron binding capacity (TIBC) decreased (p < 0.001, r = -0.709). On the basis of
      this study, iron deposition in patients with beta-TM was correlated with the
      colors on the chart.

PMID- 28617057
TI  - Preliminary Evaluation of a Point-of-Care Testing Device (SickleSCANTM) in
      Screening for Sickle Cell Disease.
AB  - Sickle cell disease affects about 150,000 births annually in Nigeria. Early
      diagnosis is hampered by factors such as centralized and urban localization of
      laboratories, high cost of diagnostic equipment and inadequate skilled manpower
      to operate them. The need for a low-cost, portable, easy-to-use diagnostic test
      for sickle cell disease is critical, especially in resource-poor countries. In
      this study, we evaluated the performance characteristics of a novel point-of-care
      testing device (SickleSCANTM), and its acceptability and feasibility, as a
      possible screening tool for sickle cell disease. In the first phase, we assessed
      the performance characteristics of SickleSCANTM by evaluating 57 subjects
      comprising both children and adults attending a primary health center, for Hb SS
      (betaS/betaS; HBB: c.20A>T), Hb SC (betaS/betaC; HBB: c.19G>A) and Hb AS
      (betaA/betaS) using SickleSCANTM, cellulose acetate electrophoresis (CAE) and
      high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Performance characteristics such
      as diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were compared to HPLC as a standard
      method. We subsequently undertook a second phase wherein the acceptability and
      feasibility of the device for sickle cell disease screening, was evaluated using
      semi-structured and structured questionnaires among 197 healthcare personnel and
      221 subjects, respectively. Sickle cell disease was carried by 3.4% of the
      subjects. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and test efficiency of
      SickleSCANTM for sickle cell disease (Hb SS and Hb SC), were 100.0, 98.2 and
      98.2%, respectively. Findings from this study showed SickleSCANTM to be a viable
      screening tool that can easily be applied in community-based screening for early
      diagnosis of sickle cell disease with little expertise and low cost.

PMID- 28617059
TI  - Delayed ischaemia due to vasospasm after fenestration of a large arachnoid cyst.
AB  - An 18-year-old patient developed multiple infarcts, nine days after endoscopic
      fenestration of a large arachnoid cyst. We consider vasospasm to be the most
      likely cause, presumably triggered by a chemical meningitis. Although mostly seen
      after subarachnoid haemorrhage, vasospasm can also occur after traumatic brain
      injury, brain surgery or meningitis.

PMID- 28617060
TI  - Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS 12) for prevention of
      pregnancy for up to five years.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A new five-year low dose, smaller-framed, levonorgestrel-releasing
      intrauterine contraceptive system (LNG-IUS 12) has been introduced to complement
      the currently available systems. Areas Covered: This article will provide an
      overview of this new intrauterine system - its composition and its mechanisms of
      action as well as the results of the Phase II and III clinical trials of its
      efficacy, safety and tolerability. Expert Commentary: This new LNG-IUS 12
      provides five-year contraceptive protection a pregnancy rate (less than 1%) in
      first year of use, which puts it into the top tier with the existing LNG-IUS 20
      products; however, the LNG-IUS 12 does not have the high rates of amenorrhea
      often seen with the higher dose devices. On the other hand, this new IUD shares
      the smaller frame and narrower insertion tube with the lower dose LNG-IUS 8, but
      offers longer effective life.

PMID- 28617061
TI  - Cancer-Related Fatigue and Muscle Quality in Hodgkin's Lymphoma Survivors.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare fatigue, strength, body composition,
      muscle thickness, and muscle quality between Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors (HLS)
      and apparently healthy subjects matched by age, gender, and physical activity
      levels (CON). Twelve HLS (32.16 +/- 8.06) and 36 CON (32.42 +/- 7.64) were
      enrolled in the study. Fatigue was assessed using the 20-item Multidimensional
      Fatigue Inventory, muscle strength using an isokinetic dynamometer, body
      composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and thickness and muscle
      quality using B-mode ultrasound. Differences between HLS and CON were analyzed
      using independent samples t tests. No significant differences were observed
      between groups for any demographic characteristics: age ( P = .922), weight ( P =
      .943), height ( P = .511), body mass index ( P = .796), fat mass ( P = .688), fat
      free mass ( P = .520), and percent body fat ( P = .446). No significant
      differences were observed for strength (peak torque; P = .552), relative peak
      torque ( P = .200), muscle thickness ( P > .05) and muscle quality ( P > .05).
      However, self-perceived fatigue was significantly higher in HLS than in CON ( P =
      .009). It appears that when HLS are matched by age and physical activity levels
      to CON, no significant difference in body composition, muscle thickness, muscle
      quality, or strength is observed. Self-perceived fatigue, as predicted, is higher
      in HLS, which may have implications and should be considered when prescribing
      exercise training to this cancer population.

PMID- 28617062
TI  - Novel approaches to targeting MYD88 in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is an incurable lymphoma
      characterized by the accumulation of IgM-producing lymphoplasmacytic cells in the
      bone marrow and other organs. Although WM patients can experience prolonged
      remissions, the disease invariably recurs advocating for the need of novel
      treatments in order to achieve higher response and survival rates. The discovery
      of a recurrent mutation in the MYD88 gene and an increased understanding behind
      the biology of MYD88 signaling have provided the opportunity to developing novel
      agents targeting the MYD88 pathway. Areas covered: The present review focuses on
      potential therapies that could change the landscape of treatment of patients with
      WM, specifically focusing on inhibitors of the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK),
      phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, hematopoietic cell kinase, interleukin-1 receptor
      associated kinase and MYD88 assembly. Expert commentary: Novel agents such as the
      BTK inhibitor ibrutinib has shown to be safe and highly effective in the
      treatment of WM. Ibrutinib has been approved in Europe and the United States for
      its use in patients with symptomatic WM. Prospective studies are ongoing and/or
      planned to study many other novel agents alone and in combination with aims at
      improving response, survival and quality of life in patients with WM.

PMID- 28617063
TI  - Matrix metalloproteases-responsive nanomaterials for tumor targeting diagnosis
      and treatment.
AB  - Tumour poses tremendous challenges to mankind. In various tumours, matrix
      metalloproteases (MMPs) are ubiquitously over expressed and participate
      throughout the process of tumour development. MMPs are commonly used as internal
      stimuli, and MMPs-responsive nanomaterials are classified into three categories
      according to the drug delivery process: administration and distribution to
      tumour, intratumoural distribution and cell internalisation, and specific drug
      release. First, MMPs-sensitive polyethylene glycol (PEG) de-shielding and
      activatable cell penetrating peptides were developed to improve the blood
      circulation time of drug delivery systems, thereby, enhancing tumour or stroma
      cells recognition and penetration. Following tumour recognition, the MMPs
      sensitive and size- or morphology-changeable nanoparticles (NPs) could highly
      accumulate and penetrate into tumour. Lastly, several MMPs-sensitive drug release
      strategies were feasible for both small molecule drugs and macromolecule drugs.
      In conclusion, recent novel advances of MMPs-responsive nanomaterials in tumour
      targeting diagnosis and treatment were highlighted in this review.

PMID- 28617064
TI  - Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Morton's Neuroma: A Prospective,
      Double-Blinded, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of corticosteroid injection for the treatment of
      Morton's neuroma is unclear. In addition, most of the studies related to it are
      case-control or retrospective case series. The purpose of this study was to
      compare the effectiveness between corticosteroid injection associated with local
      anesthetic and local anesthetic alone (placebo control group) for the treatment
      of Morton's neuroma. METHODS: Forty-one patients with a diagnosis of Morton's
      neuroma were randomized to receive 3 injections of either a corticosteroid plus a
      local anesthetic or a local anesthetic alone. The patients and the researcher who
      collected data were blinded to the treatment groups. The visual analog scale for
      pain and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Score
      (metatarsophalangeal/interphalangeal score) were obtained at baseline, after each
      injection, and at 3 and 6 months after the last injection. RESULTS: There were no
      significant between-group differences in terms of pain and function improvement
      at 3 and 6 months after treatment completion in comparison with baseline values.
      At the end of the study, 17 (48.5%) patients requested surgical excision of the
      neuroma: 7 (44%) in the experimental group and 10 (53%) in the control group ( P
      = 1.0). CONCLUSION: The injection of a corticosteroid plus a local anesthetic was
      not superior to a local anesthetic alone in terms of pain and function
      improvement in patients with Morton's neuroma. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I,
      randomized controlled trial.

PMID- 28617065
TI  - Unmet Needs for Family Caregivers of Elderly People With Dementia Living in
      Italy: What Do We Know So Far and What Should We Do Next?
AB  - Care of the elderly with dementia represents one of the major challenges for the
      modern society worldwide. The burden of dementia care often falls on the family
      members, entailing heavy psychosocial and economic consequences. The aim of this
      study was to evaluate the caregiver's perspective concerning the support for
      disease management on behalf of the physicians and the local Sicilian
      administrations (Italy), and the burden of care and effects on their lifestyle,
      to propose new prevention strategies and service for managing dementia and
      caregiver's burden. Fifty-nine caregivers of Italian elderly people with dementia
      (mean age, 73; age range: 63-83) were interviewed, and 55 of them completed an ad
      hoc self-report questionnaire composed of 54 multiple-choice questions. Our
      findings suggest that caregivers need more information on the disease's
      management, as well as on how to deal with the stress due to the disease burden.
      Moreover, a negative perception about the services offered from the local
      administration emerged. Assistive technology (AT) could be useful in promoting
      interaction between general practitioners and specialized centers for diagnosis,
      pharmacological and psychosocial treatments, and in saving costs. Moreover, case
      manager could follow patients and support family members within the care pathway,
      besides collecting and sharing information among the different health
      professionals involved. Further studies should be aimed at investigating whether
      AT and/or the use of specific educational strategies could be the right approach
      for meeting the needs of families living with dementia.

PMID- 28617066
TI  - Patient perceptions of treatment-free remission in chronic myeloid leukemia.
AB  - Around half of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who achieve a stable
      deep molecular response would remain in treatment-free remission (TFR) if their
      tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) were stopped. TFR is increasingly becoming a
      goal of treatment. Eighty-seven patients answered a survey exploring patient
      perceptions of TFR, incorporating CML-specific factors (disease history,
      treatment toxicity, and adherence) and questions concerning health beliefs. 81%
      of participants (95% CI: 72%-89%) indicated that they would be willing to attempt
      TFR. No demographic or CML-related variable in the survey was significantly
      associated with willingness. In qualitative analysis, the commonest motivations
      for TFR included TKI toxicity (n = 26) and convenience (n = 18). The leading
      reason for reluctance was fear of consequences of stopping TKI (n = 16).
      Reluctance was often associated with needs for additional information or
      incomplete understanding of the current data. Understanding patient motivations
      and concerns is important if TFR is to become a part of CML management.

PMID- 28617067
TI  - Parametric model measurement: reframing traditional measurement ideas in
      neuropsychological practice and research.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Neuropsychology is an applied measurement field with its psychometric
      work primarily built upon classical test theory (CTT). We describe a series of
      psychometric models to supplement the use of CTT in neuropsychological research
      and test development. METHOD: We introduce increasingly complex psychometric
      models as measurement algebras, which include model parameters that represent
      abilities and item properties. Within this framework of parametric model
      measurement (PMM), neuropsychological assessment involves the estimation of model
      parameters with ability parameter values assuming the role of test 'scores'.
      Moreover, the traditional notion of measurement error is replaced by the notion
      of parameter estimation error, and the definition of reliability becomes linked
      to notions of item and test information. The more complex PMM approaches
      incorporate into the assessment of neuropsychological performance formal
      parametric models of behavior validated in the experimental psychology
      literature, along with item parameters. These PMM approaches endorse the use of
      experimental manipulations of model parameters to assess a test's construct
      representation. Strengths and weaknesses of these models are evaluated by their
      implications for measurement error conditional upon ability level, sensitivity to
      sample characteristics, computational challenges to parameter estimation, and
      construct validity. CONCLUSION: A family of parametric psychometric models can be
      used to assess latent processes of interest to neuropsychologists. By modeling
      latent abilities at the item level, psychometric studies in neuropsychology can
      investigate construct validity and measurement precision within a single
      framework and contribute to a unification of statistical methods within the
      framework of generalized latent variable modeling.

PMID- 28617068
TI  - Nuclear factor-kappaB expression in the endometrium of normal and overweight
      women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate whether the expression levels of
      endometrial NFkappaB p65 differ between normal weight and overweight PCOS women
      and to compare them with BMI-matched control subjects without PCOS. The study
      group comprised 20 normal weight (BMI: 18.5-24.9 kg/m2) and 15 overweight PCOS
      women (BMI: 25-29.9 kg/m2) with infertility. Healthy fertile women without PCOS
      were recruited as the control group. The patients in the normal weight PCOS group
      and control group were age and BMI-matched. Endometrial samples were obtained
      during the mid-luteal phase for immunohistochemical staining. The H-Score method
      was used to evaluate NF-kappaB p65 (Rel A) expression. Both normal and overweight
      PCOS women demonstrated significantly higher endometrial NF-kappaB p65 expression
      than the women without PCOS. The H-scores of endometrial NF-kappaB p65 expression
      were similar in both groups of PCOS women. NF-kappaB p65 was positively
      correlated with serum insulin, HOMA-IR and total testosterone levels in PCOS
      women. By leading to pathological inflammation, an increase in NF-kappaB p65
      expression in the endometrium of normal and overweight PCOS women may contribute
      to PCOS-related subfertility. Impact statement What is already known on this
      subject: Although the pathogenesis of PCOS has not yet been clarified, low-grade
      chronic inflammation is gradually being established as an important pathogenetic
      factor. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-alpha
      have been reported in women with PCOS. Causes of pathological endometrial
      inflammation may arise from either a local endometrial disease or linked to
      diseases which are located in a distant reproductive tissue. Nevertheless,
      possible role of endometrial NF-kappaB, basic cellular regulatory of
      inflammation, in the pathophysiology of PCOS related implantation defect has not
      been elucidated yet. What do the results of this study add: This study provides
      first and novel insights into the relationship between PCOS related infertility
      and pathological endometrial inflammation. We demonstrated that there is a close
      association between PCOS and pathological endometrial inflammation. Moreover, we
      clearly showed that pathological endometrial inflammation occurs in both normal
      and overweight women with PCOS. Further, endometrial NF-kappaB p65 (Rel A)
      expression were found to be positively correlated with serum insulin levels and
      hyperandrogenism in overweight PCOS women. What are the implications of these
      findings for clinical practice: If we can analyse pathological endometrial
      inflammation by measuring endometrial NF-kappaB p65 (Rel A) expression, treatment
      could be directed towards eliminating the source of pathological endometrial
      inflammation.

PMID- 28617069
TI  - Simultaneous determination of six tyrosine kinase inhibitors in human plasma
      using HPLC-Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry.
AB  - AIM: Gefitinib, erlotinib, icotinib, crizotinib, lapatinib and apatinib are
      targeted cancer therapy agents acting through inhibition of tyrosine kinase.
      Method for quantifying these six drugs in human plasma of patients was required.
      MATERIALS & METHODS: An HPLC-Q-Orbitrap method (based on HPLC-MS/MS) was
      developed and validated for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of six
      tyrosine kinase inhibitors in human plasma. Sample was extracted by liquid-liquid
      extraction (ethyl acetate: tert-Butyl methyl ether, 1:1 v/v). The method shows a
      high level of accuracy and reproducibility. The lower limit of quantification was
      0.02 ng/ml for apatinib, 0.1 ng/ml for crizotinib, 2.0 ng/ml for lapatinib and
      0.05 ng/ml for erlotinib, gefitinib and icotinib. This method was successfully
      used for apatinib monitoring in plasma of patients with NSCLC. CONCLUSION: This
      simple and reproducible method has potential for monitoring of tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors in patients' plasma.

PMID- 28617070
TI  - Oral subchronic exposure to silver nanoparticles causes renal damage through
      apoptotic impairment and necrotic cell death.
AB  - Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most widely used nanomaterials.
      Following oral exposure, AgNPs can accumulate in various organs including kidneys
      where they show gender specific accumulation. There is limited information on
      their effect on renal system following long-term animal exposure especially at
      the ultramicroscopic and molecular level. In this study, we have assessed the
      effect of 60 days oral AgNPs treatment on kidneys of female Wistar rats at doses
      of 50 ppm and 200 ppm that are below previously reported lowest observed adverse
      effect level (LOAEL). AgNPs treatment led to decrease in kidney weight and some
      loss of renal function as seen by increased levels of serum creatinine and early
      toxicity markers such as KIM-1, clusterin and osteopontin. We also observed
      significant mitochondrial damage, loss of brush border membranes, pronounced
      swelling of podocytes and degeneration of their foot processes using transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM). These symptoms are similar to those seen in nephrotic
      syndrome and 'Minimal change disease' of kidney where few changes are visible
      under light microscopy but significant ultrastructural damage is observed.
      Prolonged treatment of AgNPs also led to the activation of cell proliferative,
      survival and proinflammatory factors (Akt/mTOR, JNK/Stat and Erk/NF-kappaB
      pathways and IL1beta, MIP2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and RANTES) and dysfunction of
      normal apoptotic pathway. Our study shows how long term AgNPs exposure may
      promote ultrastructural damage to kidney causing inflammation and expression of
      cell survival factors. These changes, in the long term, could lead to inhibition
      of the beneficial apoptotic pathway and promotion of necrotic cell death in
      kidneys.

PMID- 28617073
TI  - Metabolomics of exhaled breath condensate: a means for phenotyping respiratory
      diseases?

PMID- 28617072
TI  - Evaluation of NinePoint Medical's Nvision VLE device for gastrointestinal
      applications.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has increased over
      the last few decades. With a known precursor lesion, Barrett's esophagus, this
      remains a target for screening and surveillance with the goal of detecting and
      providing curative treatment for early neoplasia. Areas covered: Current
      surveillance techniques rely on white light endoscopy and random tissue sampling
      which is time consuming, costly and prone to sampling error. Volumetric laser
      endomicroscopy (VLE), a second-generation optical coherence technology, has
      emerged as an advanced imaging modality with the potential to improve dysplasia
      detection, surveillance and subsequently prevent esophageal adenocarcinoma. This
      review will focus on the use of VLE for advanced imaging of Barrett's esophagus
      and summarize its current and potential uses elsewhere in the GI tract. Expert
      commentary: NinePoint's VLE imaging device enables imaging of large segments of
      BE facilitating identification of luminal and subsurface abnormalities that may
      have otherwise been missed. Its diagnostic accuracy is improving and laser
      marking system adds the capacity for accurate VLE-histologic correlation. With
      the adoption of dysplasia scoring systems that utilize very few VLE imaging
      features, inexperienced endoscopists will likely be able to pick out areas
      concerning for dysplasia to target therapy.

PMID- 28617071
TI  - An endothelial link between the benefits of physical exercise in dementia.
AB  - The current absence of a disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) highlights the necessity
      for investigating the benefits of non-pharmacological approaches such as physical
      exercise (PE). Although evidence exists to support an association between regular
      PE and higher scores on cognitive function tests, and a slower rate of cognitive
      decline, there is no clear consensus on the underlying molecular mechanisms of
      the advantages of PE. This review seeks to summarize the positive effects of PE
      in human and animal studies while highlighting the vascular link between these
      benefits. Lifestyle factors such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome,
      and sleep apnea will be addressed in relation to the risk they pose in developing
      AD and VCID, as will molecular factors known to have an impact on either the
      initiation or the progression of AD and/or VCID. This will include amyloid-beta
      clearance, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, neurogenesis, angiogenesis,
      glucose metabolism, and white matter integrity. Particularly, this review will
      address how engaging in PE can counter factors that contribute to disease
      pathogenesis, and how these alterations are linked to endothelial cell function.

PMID- 28617074
TI  - Autism Symptoms in Fragile X Syndrome.
AB  - Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is recognized as the most common genetic cause of
      intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although symptoms of
      ASD are frequently observed in patients with FXS, researchers have not yet
      clearly determined whether the symptoms in patients with FXS differ from the
      symptoms in patients without ASD or nonsyndromic ASD. Behavioral similarities and
      differences between FXS and ASD are important to improve our understanding of the
      causes and correlations of ASD with FXS. Based on the evidence presented in this
      review, individuals with FXS and comorbid ASD have more severe behavioral
      problems than individuals with FXS alone. However, patients with FXS and comorbid
      ASD exhibit less severe impairments in the social and communication symptoms than
      patients with nonsyndromic ASD. Individuals with FXS also present with anxiety
      and seizures in addition to comorbid ASD symptoms, and differences in these
      conditions are noted in patients with FXS and ASD. This review also discusses the
      role of fragile X mental retardation 1 protein (FMRP) in FXS and ASD phenotypes.

PMID- 28617075
TI  - Follow-Up of Young Adults With ADHD in the MTA: Design and Methods for
      Qualitative Interviews.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Qualitative interviews with 183 young adults (YA) in the follow-up of
      the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With and Without ADHD (MTA) provide
      rich information on beliefs and expectations regarding ADHD, life's turning
      points, medication use, and substance use (SU). METHOD: Participants from four
      MTA sites were sampled to include those with persistent and atypically high SU,
      and a local normative comparison group (LNCG). Respondents were encouraged to
      "tell their story" about their lives, using a semistructured conversational
      interview format. RESULTS: Interviews were reliably coded for interview topics.
      ADHD youth more often desisted from SU because of seeing others going down wrong
      paths due to SU. Narratives revealed very diverse accounts and explanations for
      SU-ADHD influences. CONCLUSION: Qualitative methods captured the perspectives of
      YAs regarding using substances. This information is essential for improving
      resilience models in drug prevention and treatment programs and for treatment
      development for this at-risk population.

PMID- 28617076
TI  - Characterization of highly concentrated antibody solution - A toolbox for the
      description of protein long-term solution stability.
AB  - High protein titers are gaining importance in biopharmaceutical industry. A major
      challenge in the development of highly concentrated mAb solutions is their long
      term stability and often incalculable viscosity. The complexity of the molecule
      itself, as well as the various molecular interactions, make it difficult to
      describe their solution behavior. To study the formulation stability, long- and
      short-range interactions and the formation of complex network structures have to
      be taken into account. For a better understanding of highly concentrated
      solutions, we combined established and novel analytical tools to characterize the
      effect of solution properties on the stability of highly concentrated mAb
      formulations. In this study, monoclonal antibody solutions in a concentration
      range of 50-200 mg/ml at pH 5-9 with and without glycine, PEG4000, and Na2SO4
      were analyzed. To determine the monomer content, analytical size-exclusion
      chromatography runs were performed. zeta-potential measurements were conducted to
      analyze the electrophoretic properties in different solutions. The melting and
      aggregation temperatures were determined with the help of fluorescence and static
      light scattering measurements. Additionally, rheological measurements were
      conducted to study the solution viscosity and viscoelastic behavior of the mAb
      solutions. The so-determined analytical parameters were scored and merged in an
      analytical toolbox. The resulting scoring was then successfully correlated with
      long-term storage (40 d of incubation) experiments. Our results indicate that the
      sensitivity of complex rheological measurements, in combination with the applied
      techniques, allows reliable statements to be made with respect to the effect of
      solution properties, such as protein concentration, ionic strength, and pH shift,
      on the strength of protein-protein interaction and solution colloidal stability.

PMID- 28617078
TI  - Interplay between Notch and p53 promotes neuronal cell death in ischemic stroke.
AB  - Stroke is the world's second leading cause of mortality, with a high incidence of
      morbidity. Numerous neuronal membrane receptors are activated by endogenous
      ligands and may contribute to infarct development. Notch is a well-characterized
      membrane receptor involved in cell differentiation and proliferation, and now
      shown to play a pivotal role in cell death during ischemic stroke. Blockade of
      Notch signaling by inhibition of gamma-secretase, an enzyme that generates the
      active form of Notch, is neuroprotective following stroke. We have also
      identified that Pin1, a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase that regulates p53
      transactivation under stress, promotes the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke via
      Notch signaling. Moreover, Notch can also mediate cell death through a p53
      dependent pathway, resulting in apoptosis of neural progenitor cells. The current
      study has investigated the interplay between Notch and p53 under ischemic stroke
      conditions. Using pharmacological inhibitors, we have demonstrated that a Notch
      intracellular domain (NICD)/p53 interaction is involved in transcriptional
      regulation of genes downstream of p53 and NICD to modify stroke severity.
      Furthermore, the NICD/p53 interaction confers stability to p53 by rescuing it
      from ubiquitination. Together, these results indicate that Notch contributes to
      the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke by promoting p53 stability and signaling.

PMID- 28617077
TI  - Factors affecting immune responses to the influenza vaccine.
AB  - Annual administration of the seasonal influenza vaccine is strongly recommended
      to reduce the burden of disease, particularly for persons at the highest risk for
      the viral infection. Even during years when there is a good match between the
      vaccine and circulating strains, host-related factors such as age, preexisting
      immunity, genetic polymorphisms, and the presence of chronic underlying
      conditions may compromise influenza vaccine responsiveness. The application of
      new methodologies and large-scale profiling technologies are improving the
      ability to measure vaccine immunogenicity and our understanding of the immune
      mechanisms by which vaccines induce protective immunity. This review attempts to
      summarize the general concepts of how host factors can contribute to the
      heterogeneity of immune responses induced by influenza vaccines.

PMID- 28617079
TI  - Particle Exposure and the Historical Loss of Native American Lives to Infections.

PMID- 28617080
TI  - Host-Microbial Interactions: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Technicolor.

PMID- 28617081
TI  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection after CFTR Restoration. One Step Back, One Step
      Forward.

PMID- 28617082
TI  - Epstein-Barr Virus-induced Gene 2 and Leukocyte Airway Recruitment in Response to
      Allergen Challenge.

PMID- 28617083
TI  - Invasive Mediastinal Staging in Lung Cancer. Use a Prediction Model or Just Do
      It?

PMID- 28617084
TI  - Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and a G551D or Homozygous F508del Mutation: Similar
      Lung Function Decline.

PMID- 28617085
TI  - Kidney and Brain, an Unbroken Chain.

PMID- 28617086
TI  - Expiratory Diaphragmatic Recruitment in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. A
      Happy Coincidence or Much More?

PMID- 28617087
TI  - When Innate Responses Matter: ILC2s Loom Large in Allergic Airway Inflammation.

PMID- 28617088
TI  - Clean Fuels to Reduce Household Air Pollution and Improve Health. Still Hoping to
      Answer Why and How.

PMID- 28617089
TI  - Pulmonary Hypertension and Precision Medicine through the "Omics" Looking Glass.

PMID- 28617091
TI  - Fragment-based virtual screening approach and molecular dynamics simulation
      studies for identification of BACE1 inhibitor leads.
AB  - Traditional structure-based virtual screening method to identify drug-like small
      molecules for BACE1 is so far unsuccessful. Location of BACE1, poor Blood Brain
      Barrier permeability and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) susceptibility of the inhibitors
      make it even more difficult. Fragment-based drug design method is suitable for
      efficient optimization of initial hit molecules for target like BACE1. We have
      developed a fragment-based virtual screening approach to identify/optimize the
      fragment molecules as a starting point. This method combines the shape,
      electrostatic, and pharmacophoric features of known fragment molecules, bound to
      protein conjugate crystal structure, and aims to identify both chemically and
      energetically feasible small fragment ligands that bind to BACE1 active site. The
      two top-ranked fragment hits were subjected for a 53 ns MD simulation. Principle
      component analysis and free energy landscape analysis reveal that the new ligands
      show the characteristic features of established BACE1 inhibitors. The potent
      method employed in this study may serve for the development of potential lead
      molecules for BACE1-directed Alzheimer's disease therapeutics.

PMID- 28617092
TI  - [Formula: see text]Determination of the smoking gun of intent: significance
      testing of forced choice results in social security claimants.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Significantly below-chance findings on forced choice tests have been
      described as revealing "the smoking gun of intent" that proved malingering. The
      issues of probability levels, one-tailed vs. two-tailed tests, and the combining
      of PVT scores on significantly below-chance findings were addressed in a previous
      study, with a recommendation of a probability level of .20 to test the
      significance of below-chance results. The purpose of the present study was to
      determine the rate of below-chance findings in a Social Security Disability
      claimant sample using the previous recommendations. METHOD: We compared the
      frequency of below-chance results on forced choice performance validity tests
      (PVTs) at two levels of significance, .05 and .20, and when using significance
      testing on individual subtests of the PVTs compared with total scores in
      claimants for Social Security Disability in order to determine the rate of the
      expected increase. RESULTS: The frequency of significant results increased with
      the higher level of significance for each subtest of the PVT and when combining
      individual test sections to increase the number of test items, with up to 20% of
      claimants showing significantly below-chance results at the higher p-value.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings are discussed in light of Social Security
      Administration policy, showing an impact on policy issues concerning child abuse
      and neglect, and the importance of using these techniques in evaluations for
      Social Security Disability.

PMID- 28617090
TI  - Left ventricular function in relation to chronic residential air pollution in a
      general population.
AB  - Background In view of the increasing heart failure epidemic and awareness of the
      adverse impact of environmental pollution on human health, we investigated the
      association of left ventricular structure and function with air pollutants in a
      general population. Methods In 671 randomly recruited Flemish (51.7% women; mean
      age, 50.4 years) we echocardiographically assessed left ventricular systolic
      strain and strain rate and the early and late peak velocities of transmitral
      blood flow and mitral annular movement (2005-2009). Using subject-level data,
      left ventricular function was cross-sectionally correlated with residential long
      term exposure to air pollutants, including black carbon, PM2.5, PM10 (particulate
      matter) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), while accounting for clustering by
      residential address and confounders. Results Annual exposures to black carbon,
      PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 averaged 1.19, 13.0, 17.7, and 16.8 ug/m3. Systolic left
      ventricular function was worse ( p <= 0.027) with higher black carbon, PM2.5,
      PM10 and NO2 with association sizes per interquartile interval increment ranging
      from -0.339 to -0.458% for longitudinal strain and from -0.033 to -0.049 s-1 for
      longitudinal strain rate. Mitral E and a' peak velocities were lower ( p <=
      0.021) with higher black carbon, PM2.5 and PM10 with association sizes ranging
      from -1.727 to -1.947 cm/s and from -0.175 to -0.235 cm/s, respectively. In the
      geographic analysis, the systolic longitudinal strain sided with gradients in air
      pollution. The path analysis identified systemic inflammation as a possible
      mediator of associations with black carbon. Conclusions Long-term low-level air
      pollution is associated with subclinical impairment of left ventricular
      performance and might be a risk factor for heart failure.

PMID- 28617093
TI  - Micro-SPE in pipette tips as a tool for analysis of small-molecule drugs in
      serum.
AB  - AIM: Micro-SPE in pipette tips (MU-SPE-PT) with particle sorbent has never been
      used in small-molecule drug analysis. Methodology & results: MU-SPE-PT was used
      for the extraction of statins from biological materials followed by UHPLC-MS/MS.
      The commercial and homemade MU-SPE-PT tips filled with particle sorbent were
      compared. While the homemade tips enabled direct serum sample loading into the
      sorbent, protein precipitation (PP) had to be implemented before MU-SPE-PT
      procedure using commercial tips. Three MU-SPE-PT methods were developed and
      validated: method A: MU-SPE-PT with homemade tips; method B: PP + MU-SPE-PT with
      homemade tips; and method C: PP + MU-SPE-PT with commercial tips. Method A
      enabled a simple high-throughput approach (48 samples in 90 min) compared with
      methods B and C that required three-times longer time. However, PP increased the
      recoveries of protein-bound analytes and extracts purity in methods B and C. The
      matrix effects without internal standards correction for method C were
      significantly higher than those for the methods A and B. CONCLUSION: Compared
      with commercial tips, homemade tips filled with particles were found to be more
      suitable for drug analysis. Commercial tips tested in this study were found
      challenging but the conditions under which they could be applicable were also
      defined.

PMID- 28617094
TI  - Connecting with healthcare providers at diagnosis: adolescent/young adult cancer
      survivors' perspectives.
AB  - Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are a vulnerable and underserved
      population. AYAs' cancer survivorship is complicated by physical and psychosocial
      late effects which requires long-term follow-up. Connectedness with healthcare
      providers (HCPs) is a protective factor that may improve long-term follow-up
      behaviours of AYAs. However, little is known about AYAs' experiences connecting
      with HCPs. The purpose of this study was to describe AYA cancer survivors'
      experiences connecting with HCPs. This empirical phenomenological study
      interviewed nine AYA cancer survivors diagnosed during adolescence. Individual
      interviews were conducted and analysed using an adapted Colaizzi approach. The
      essential structure reveals that AYAs begin their experience of connectedness
      with a sense of disconnectedness prior to treatment. The diagnosis is a period of
      confusion and emotional turmoil that interfere with the AYAs' ability to connect.
      When AYAs come to accept their illness and gain familiarity with the environment,
      they then put forth an effort to connect with HCPs. Although it takes time for
      AYAs to reciprocate efforts to connect, HCPs should be aware that AYAs carefully
      assess and make judgments about whether or not HCPs can be trusted. Findings
      raise awareness of the actions and behaviours of HCPs that hinder connectedness,
      and targeted in future research.

PMID- 28617095
TI  - Association of Ankle Arthritis Score With Need for Revision Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Ankle Arthritis Score (AAS) is a new patient-reported outcome
      derived from the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS). This study analyzed
      longitudinally collected data from a cohort of patients in the Canadian
      Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (COFAS) Ankle Arthritis Study in order to
      evaluate whether the postoperative AAS is associated with need for revision
      surgery. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective, ankle-reconstruction study enrolled
      653 ankles undergoing total ankle replacement (TAR) or ankle arthrodesis (AA).
      The AAS was given at baseline and annually during postoperative follow-up. Time
      to revision surgery was modeled using a proportional hazards model. The final
      sample included 531 ankles in 509 patients. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients underwent
      metal-component revision and 8 underwent arthrodesis revision during the follow
      up time period. The remaining 461 unrevised ankles (300 TAR, 161 AA) had a
      minimum follow-up of 2 years (average of 3.4 years). Revision surgery after TAR
      was found to be associated with a higher postoperative AAS and a longer follow
      up. The hazard ratio for the AAS indicated that for every 1-point increase in the
      score, the rate of revision surgery after TAR was 1 percentage point higher.
      CONCLUSIONS: TAR patients who reported higher levels of postoperative functional
      impairment, as indicated by a higher AAS, were more likely to require metal
      component revision surgery. After adjustment for other patient factors, the risk
      of revision surgery increased with length of follow-up after TAR. This study
      provides further evidence for the utility of the AAS in the clinical setting.
      LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

PMID- 28617096
TI  - Details matter: the role of genomic location and assay standardization in DNA
      methylation analyses.

PMID- 28617097
TI  - Involuntary Civil Commitment for Substance Use Disorder: Legal Precedents and
      Ethical Considerations for Social Workers.
AB  - Although each state in the United States legally authorizes involuntary civil
      commitment on the grounds of severe mental illness, a considerable number do not
      have comparable laws to mandate drug addiction treatment. This discrepancy is
      due, in part, to differing ethical positions regarding whether a substance use
      disorder diagnosis provides sufficient justification to suspend individual
      liberty rights. This article chronicles some of the legal and ethical thinking on
      the subject and applies them to a social work-specific context.

PMID- 28617098
TI  - Effects of chronic exposure to mercury and cadmium alone and in combination on
      the coagulation system of Sprague-Dawley rats.
AB  - Water contamination with heavy metals may adversely affect our health. High metal
      levels lead to changes in blood coagulation processes, increasing the risk for
      cardiovascular disease. Exposure is not limited to a single metal but usually
      involves a mixture of metals. In this study 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      exposed to cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg), alone and in combination, for 28 days
      at dosages equivalent to 1000 times the World Health Organization water limits.
      Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that both metals caused platelet
      activation. Cd significantly increased fibrin fibers thickness and caused
      aggregation and formation of dense matted deposits (DMDs). Hg reduced fibrin
      network formation. In the combination group, Hg appeared to augment the effect of
      Cd, and the presence of extensive DMDs or aggregates between the fibers, with no
      changes to the actual fibrin thickness, was observed.

PMID- 28617099
TI  - Characterising omission errors in everyday task completion and cognitive
      correlates in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Functional ability declines with age and cognitive impairment. This
      study investigated errors of omission made by community-dwelling older adults
      completing everyday tasks in a naturalistic setting. METHOD: Sixty-five
      cognitively healthy older adults (HOA), 19 individuals with single domain mild
      cognitive impairment (sdMCI), 33 individuals with multi-domain MCI (mdMCI), and
      13 individuals with dementia completed measures of memory, processing speed,
      working memory, and executive functioning, as well as eight different activities
      of daily living in a naturalistic environment. Task steps were divided into
      preparatory, action-oriented, and concluding steps. RESULTS: For action-oriented
      steps, the number of omission errors increased with level of cognitive impairment
      beyond sdMCI (i.e., HOA = sdMCI < mdMCI < dementia). In contrast, for preparatory
      and concluding steps, the dementia group committed more omission errors than the
      HOA, sdMCI, and mdMCI groups, which did not differ. CONCLUSIONS: The results
      suggest that the more complex and integrative action-oriented steps may be the
      first type of everyday task step to be affected in the process of cognitive
      decline, with preparatory and concluding steps being preserved longer and only
      showing decline in later stages of impairment (i.e., dementia). Individuals with
      sdMCI may use other intact abilities to compensate for task omission errors.

PMID- 28617100
TI  - Discovery of potent and selective acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors:
      acacetin 7-O-methyl ether Mannich base derivatives synthesised from easy access
      natural product naringin.
AB  - Naringin, as a component universal existing in the peel of some fruits or
      medicinal plants, was usually selected as the material to synthesise bioactive
      derivates since it was easy to gain with low cost. In present investigation,
      eight new acacetin-7-O-methyl ether Mannich base derivatives (1-8) were
      synthesised from naringin. The bioactivity evaluation revealed that most of them
      exhibited moderate or potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity.
      Among them, compound 7 (IC50 for AChE = 0.82 +/- 0.08 MUmol*L-1, IC50 for BuChE =
      46.30 +/- 3.26 MUmol*L-1) showed a potent activity and high selectivity compared
      with the positive control Rivastigmine (IC50 for AChE = 10.54 +/- 0.86 MUmol*L-1,
      IC50 for BuChE = 0.26 +/- 0.08 MUmol*L-1). The kinetic study suggested that
      compound 7 bind to AChE with mix-type inhibitory profile. Molecular docking study
      revealed that compound 7 could combine both catalytic active site (CAS) and
      peripheral active site (PAS) of AChE with four points (Trp84, Trp279, Tyr70 and
      Phe330), while it could bind with BuChE via only His 20.

PMID- 28617101
TI  - Facial emotion identification and sexual assault risk detection among college
      student sexual assault victims and nonvictims.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: High rates of sexual victimization among college students necessitate
      further study of factors associated with sexual assault risk detection. The
      present study examined how social information processing relates to sexual
      assault risk detection as a function of sexual assault victimization history.
      PARTICIPANTS: 225 undergraduates (Mage = 19.12, SD = 1.44; 66% women). METHODS:
      Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing victimization history,
      an emotion identification task, and a sexual assault risk detection task between
      June 2013 and May 2014. RESULTS: Emotion identification moderated the association
      between victimization history and risk detection such that sexual assault
      survivors with lower emotion identification accuracy also reported the least risk
      in a sexual assault vignette. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that differences in
      social information processing, specifically recognition of others' emotions, are
      associated with sexual assault risk detection. College prevention programs could
      incorporate emotional awareness strategies, particularly for men and women who
      are sexual assault survivors.

PMID- 28617102
TI  - Predictors of well-being in the lives of student service members and veterans.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The current study examined predictors of well-being, including quality
      of life and academic engagement, in a sample of student service members and
      veteran college students. METHODS: Eighty-seven student service members/veterans
      (SSM/V) completed an online survey containing questions about post-deployment
      social support, emotion regulation skills, psychological distress, academic
      engagement, quality of life, and demographics. Participants were recruited from
      September 2012 through May 2014. RESULTS: Results provided partial support for
      the proposed bi-directional mediational relations between post-deployment social
      support and emotion regulation predicting to quality of life and academic
      engagement. Path models indicated that both post-deployment social support and
      emotion regulation skills partially mediated the relation with quality of life
      while accounting for the effect of psychological distress, and that emotion
      regulation skills fully mediated the relation between social support and academic
      engagement. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that both social support and
      emotion regulation skills may be useful targets for health promotion and
      intervention efforts for this population. Limitations and clinical implications
      for the development of on-campus SSM/V focused health promotion services are
      discussed.

PMID- 28617103
TI  - Effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapies for Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Meta
      Analytic Review.
AB  - Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) represents a potentially efficacious treatment
      for female sexual dysfunction (FSD). A number of recent trials assessing MBT for
      FSD have been published, but we are aware of no existing meta-analysis
      synthesizing these results. We conducted a literature review to identify all
      published trials of MBT for FSD. References of retrieved studies were searched
      and key authors were contacted with requests for complete but unpublished trials.
      Eleven trials, including a total of 449 participants, were identified. Two of
      these studies were under review at the time of the current analyses. Four trials
      utilized wait-list controls. All aspects of sexual function and subjective sexual
      well-being exhibited significant improvement during MBT, with effect sizes
      generally moderate. Controlled effect sizes versus wait list were of similar
      magnitude in most cases; however, they did not reach statistical significance for
      multiple outcome measures. Results for some outcomes were consistent with
      possible publication bias. For some outcomes, larger effect sizes tended to be
      reported in studies requiring participants to be in a romantic relationship or
      studies providing individual (versus group) therapy. MBT may be an efficacious
      intervention for FSD. However, important limitations of the current literature
      and future directions for research are discussed.

PMID- 28617104
TI  - Progress on the clinical application of the SEPT9 gene methylation assay in the
      past 5 years.

PMID- 28617105
TI  - Freshman year alcohol and marijuana use prospectively predict time to college
      graduation and subsequent adult roles and independence.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study examined how freshman year substance use prospectively
      predicted time to college graduation, and whether delayed graduation predicted
      postponed adoption of adult roles and future substance use. PARTICIPANTS:
      Participants were part of a longitudinal study that began in 2004. The first
      analyses focused on freshman year (N = 2,050). The second analyses corresponded
      to a subset of participants at age 27 (N = 575). METHODS: Measures included self
      reported substance use, adult role adoption, and university reported graduation
      dates. RESULTS: Results indicated that frequent binge drinking and marijuana use
      during freshman year predicted delayed college graduation. Those who took longer
      to graduate were more likely to have lower incomes and were less likely to obtain
      a graduate degree. Taking 5-6 years to graduate was associated with greater
      likelihood of alcohol-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the
      importance of interventions during freshman year of college to decrease substance
      use and promote timely graduation.

PMID- 28617106
TI  - An examination of ecological predictors of health literacy in black college
      students.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Health literacy is a determinant of health, but disparities in health
      literacy persist. This study examined the influence of ecological factors on
      college students' health literacy. PARTICIPANTS: During January 2016 a nonrandom
      sample of black undergraduate students (n = 298) aged 18-24 were recruited from
      enrollment lists at two urban universities in the Southeastern United States.
      METHODS: Information on health literacy as well as numerous intrapersonal,
      social, and cultural-environment factors was obtained using an electronic
      questionnaire and then statistically modeled. RESULTS: Ecological factors
      accounted for 28.7% of the variance in health literacy. In particular,
      reappraisal (B = 0.323, p < .001), suppression (B = -0.289, p < .001), campus
      health education (B = 0.192, p < .05), campus tobacco culture (B = -0.174, p <
      .05), and perceived norms (B = -0.153, p < .05) directly predicted health
      literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Although intrapersonal factors influence health literacy,
      the sociocultural environment of college can also foster or hinder college
      students' health literacy.

PMID- 28617107
TI  - Thyroid cancer in adolescents and young adults.
AB  - Despite the increase in thyroid cancer incidence among adolescents and young
      adults (AYAs), this group has received limited attention. We reviewed the
      epidemiology and challenges of thyroid cancer care among AYAs, and proposed a
      research agenda to improve their care. Thyroid cancer is the most common cancer
      in American adults 16-33 years of age. AYAs with thyroid cancer face challenges
      including overdiagnosis reduced healthcare access and inconsistent care.
      Successful treatment of these patients results in additional challenges due to
      ongoing side effects of treatment as well as lasting impacts on their quality of
      life. These challenges should fuel a collaborative research agenda aimed at
      improving the quality of care for AYAs with thyroid cancer across the spectrum of
      diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.

PMID- 28617108
TI  - Prevention and management of skin tears in older people.
AB  - Skin tears are frequently encountered in emergency and unscheduled care, and are
      prevalent in older people. Patients may present soon after an acute skin tear, or
      at a later stage when the wound presentation is different and there are
      complications. This article describes evidence-based recommendations and
      strategies for the prevention, assessment and management of skin tears, discusses
      risk factors and explains when to refer patients for specialist management.

PMID- 28617109
TI  - Meet the new team players: physician associates.
AB  - Physician associates (PAs) were introduced into the NHS to add a new kind of team
      player to the medical workforce. The role originated in the US where they are
      known as physician assistants and have been practising since the mid-1960s (
      Peate 2016 ).The PA competency and curriculum framework states that a newly
      qualified PA must be able to perform clinical work 'at the same standard as a
      newly qualified doctor', and trainees undergo a rigorous two-year postgraduate
      training ( Peate 2016 ). Before becoming eligible to practise, they must pass a
      Royal College of Physicians licensing exam and certified PAs are required to
      retake the examination every six years.

PMID- 28617111
TI  - The Drug Conversation: How to Talk to Your Child about Drugs Bowden-Jones Owen
      The Drug Conversation: How to Talk to Your Child about Drugs 180pp L12.99 Royal
      College of Psychiatrists 9781909726574 1909726575 [Formula: see text].
AB  - Presented in a logical and easy-to follow format, this book is intended for
      parents, but could be a resource for GPs who want to talk to patients about drug
      use.

PMID- 28617110
TI  - Professionalism.
AB  - Essential facts Helping nurses provide the best care possible is at the heart of
      new guidance on professionalism from the Nursing and Midwifery Council and chief
      nursing officers from across the UK.

PMID- 28617112
TI  - Dying for a Drink: All You Need to Know to Beat the Booze Cantopher Tim Dying for
      a Drink: All You Need to Know to Beat the Booze 128pp L9.99 Sheldon Press
      9781847094476 1847094473 [Formula: see text].
AB  - This interesting and well-written book is now in its second edition.

PMID- 28617113
TI  - Change to healthcare is history repeating itself.
AB  - In my last Board's Eye View, I wrote about the US presidential candidates and
      uncertainty about healthcare reform. Six months later, the story is continuing.

PMID- 28617114
TI  - Significance of Chilaiditi sign and Chilaiditi syndrome.
AB  - Chilaiditi sign and syndrome are uncommon conditions and often misdiagnosed. They
      are clinically significant, however, because they can result in a range of
      complications, including bowel volvulus, perforation and obstruction. When
      patients are symptomatic, treatment is usually conservative and surgery is rarely
      indicated unless there is a suspicion of ischaemia, or if conservative management
      does not resolve other signs and symptoms. This article describes Chilaiditi sign
      and syndrome, and presents four case studies to illustrate the relevant signs and
      symptoms.

PMID- 28617115
TI  - From Twitter.
AB  - Nurses on Twitter.

PMID- 28617116
TI  - Peninsula Communications Skills.
AB  - This app from the Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry offers healthcare
      professionals learning opportunities to improve their communication skills.

PMID- 28617117
TI  - Congress debate can get lost in translation.
AB  - It has been suggested that RCN congress resolutions rarely spark debate and, with
      this in mind, the RCN Emergency Care Association (ECA) last month put forward a
      motion with the RCN mental health forum that emergency departments (EDs) should
      no longer be seen as designated places of safety for people in mental health
      crisis.

PMID- 28617118
TI  - Not enough is done to cut risk of death after cardiac arrest.
AB  - How much is being done to cut the number of people who die after cardiac arrests
      in public places? Not enough, says a group of cardiac experts and campaigners on
      the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) steering group.

PMID- 28617120
TI  - Queen leads tributes to nurses in wake of terrorist attacks.
AB  - The Queen and the prime minister led tributes to nurses and other NHS staff
      caring for people injured in the recent terrorist attacks in Manchester and
      London. Emergency services worked through the night to assist in the immediate
      aftermath of the explosion at the Manchester arena, which killed 22 people and
      left many more injured, who were treated at hospitals across the city.

PMID- 28617121
TI  - College launches new career pathway.
AB  - The RCN is launching its new credentialing programme for nurses working at an
      advanced level of practice, following a successful five-month trial.

PMID- 28617122
TI  - How to make a career in emergency nursing.
AB  - The Professional Framework for Emergency Care Nursing was officially launched at
      the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council (NIPEC) annual conference in
      March. It was born from chief nursing officer Charlotte McArdle asking NIPEC to
      collaborate with the local RCN emergency care network to further the professional
      development of the emergency nursing workforce in Northern Ireland.

PMID- 28617123
TI  - ReSPECT - the emergency care planning tool.
AB  - Essential facts The Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment
      (ReSPECT) creates recommendations for a person's clinical care in a future
      emergency in which they are unable to make or express choices.

PMID- 28617124
TI  - Noticeboard.
AB  - Courses, events, grants, and awards to progress your career.

PMID- 28617125
TI  - 'Emergency nursing is the best job you'll ever have'.
AB  - What is your job? I am a clinical development specialist at Hasbro Children's
      Hospital, the paediatric division of Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, US. I
      educate and mentor new graduate nurses from the paediatric emergency department
      (ED) and inpatient areas.

PMID- 28617129
TI  - Ability of parents to remember advice on head injury.
AB  - Parents are unsure when to return to emergency departments (EDs) after their
      child has been evaluated for head injury.

PMID- 28617128
TI  - A system for predicting admission and discharge.
AB  - A predictive model for admission developed at a healthcare campus in Israel
      identified 94% of hospitalisations and 90% of discharges within one hour of
      presentation to the emergency department (ED).

PMID- 28617130
TI  - Use of automated external defibrillators saves lives.
AB  - Ambulance services in England attempt the resuscitation of almost 30,000 people
      who have experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) each year. Outcomes
      can be much improved if automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are used
      immediately after cardiac arrest and before emergency services arrive on the
      scene.

PMID- 28617132
TI  - RCN congress discusses whether wearing helmets should be compulsory for cyclists.
AB  - Nurses at RCN congress debated whether cycle helmets should be made compulsory.

PMID- 28617131
TI  - Number of attacks on staff is rising.
AB  - Nurses shared personal stories during an RCN congress debate last month on
      whether sanctions against people who attack NHS staff should be made tougher.

PMID- 28617133
TI  - EDs unsuitable for mental health assessments.
AB  - The RCN will lobby to ensure emergency departments (EDs) are no longer used as
      designated places of safety for people experiencing mental health crises.

PMID- 28617134
TI  - Retraction Notice.

PMID- 28617135
TI  - Influence of Personalized Exercise Recommendations During Rehabilitation on the
      Sustainability of Objectively Measured Physical Activity Levels, Fatigue, and
      Fatigue-Related Biomarkers in Patients With Breast Cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Only one-third of patients with breast cancer reach the recommended
      activity level of 15 to 25 MET h/wk. The aim of this study was to determine the
      influence of personalized exercise recommendations during rehabilitation on
      patients' physical activity level, fatigue, and self-perceived cognitive function
      as well as on side effect-associated biomarkers. METHODS: Total metabolic rate,
      physical activity level, mean MET and steps, fatigue, self-perceived cognitive
      functioning , and biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin 6, macrophage
      migration inhibiting factor [MIF], tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, brain
      derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF1]) were
      assessed in 60 patients with breast cancer in the aftercare phase before ( t0)
      and 8 months after ( t1) the intervention. The rehabilitation program consisted
      of an initial 3-week period and a 1-week stay after 4 months. RESULTS: Paired t
      test indicated a statistically significant increase in all activity outcomes from
      t0 to t1. Patients' mean activity level significantly increased from 14.89 to
      17.88 MET h/wk. Fatigue and self-perceived cognitive functioning significantly
      improved from t0 to t1. CRP levels significantly decreased, and BDNF as well as
      IGF1 levels significantly increased over time. Correlation analysis revealed
      statistically significant negative associations between fatigue, physical
      activity, and markers of inflammation (TNF-alpha and MIF). Furthermore,
      significant positive correlations between subjective cognitive functioning and
      all dimensions of fatigue were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the
      importance of personalized exercise recommendations to increase physical activity
      levels in patients with breast cancer. Furthermore, the results highlighti an
      association between physical activity, fatigue, and inflammation.

PMID- 28617136
TI  - Essential oil extraction, chemical analysis and anti-Candida activity of
      Foeniculum vulgare Miller - new approaches.
AB  - A comprehensive study on essential oil samples of Foeniculum vulgare Miller from
      Tarquinia (Italy) is reported. A 24-h systematic steam distillation was performed
      on different harvested samples applying different extraction times. The GC-MS
      analysis of the residue outcome showed o-cymene, alpha-phellandrene, alpha-pinene
      and estragole as the major constituents. The predominance and continued presence
      of o-cymene makes this fennel oil a rather unique chemotype. An evident
      correlation between the antifungal activity and phenological stage is
      demonstrated. The most active fractions were particularly rich in estragole, as
      well as a significant amount of fenchone that possibly exerts some additive
      effect in the expression of overall antifungal potency. Pre-fruiting material
      produced oil particularly rich in o-cymene. With reference to the duration of the
      extraction, the maximum amount of oil was released within the first 3 h, whereas
      the reproductive phase material needed at least 6 h for the extraction.

PMID- 28617137
TI  - Drugs currently under investigation for the treatment of invasive candidiasis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The widespread implementation of immunosuppressants,
      immunomodulators, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and solid organ
      transplantation in clinical practice has led to an expanding population of
      patients who are at risk for invasive candidiasis, which is the most common form
      of fungal disease among hospitalized patients in the developed world. The
      emergence of drug-resistant Candida spp. has added to the morbidity associated
      with invasive candidiasis and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed.
      Areas covered: In this paper, we explore investigational agents for the treatment
      of invasive candidiasis, with particular attention paid to compounds that have
      recently entered phase I or phase II clinical trials. Expert opinion: The
      antifungal drug development pipeline has been severely limited due to regulatory
      hurdles and a systemic lack of investment in novel compounds. However, several
      promising drug development strategies have recently emerged, including chemical
      screens involving Pathogen Box compounds, combination antifungal therapy, and
      repurposing of existing agents that were initially developed to treat other
      conditions, all of which have the potential to redefine the treatment of invasive
      candidiasis.

PMID- 28617138
TI  - Targeting transcription factor lysine acetylation in inflammatory airway
      diseases.
AB  - Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are inflammatory airway diseases
      for which alternative therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Interestingly,
      HDAC inhibitors show anti-inflammatory effects in mouse models for these
      diseases. Here we explore underlying mechanisms that may explain these effects.
      In previous studies, effects of HDAC inhibitors on histone acetylation are often
      correlated with their effects on gene expression. However, effects of HDAC
      inhibitors on transcription factors and their acetylation status may be
      particularly important in explaining these effects. These effects are also cell
      type-specific. Recent developments (including chemoproteomics and acetylomics)
      allow for a more detailed understanding of the selectivity of HDAC inhibitors,
      which will drive their further development into applications in inflammatory
      airway diseases.

PMID- 28617139
TI  - Human cytosolic glutathione-S-transferases: quantitative analysis of expression,
      comparative analysis of structures and inhibition strategies of isozymes involved
      in drug resistance.
AB  - Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) inhibition is a strategy to overcome drug
      resistance. Several isoforms of human GSTs are present and they are expressed in
      almost all the organs. Specific expression levels of GSTs in various organs are
      collected from the human transcriptome data and analysis of the organ-specific
      expression of GST isoforms is carried out. The variations in the level of
      expressions of GST isoforms are statistically significant. The GST expression
      differs in diseased conditions as reported by many investigators and some of the
      isoforms of GSTs are disease markers or drug targets. Structure analysis of
      various isoforms is carried out and literature mining has been performed to
      identify the differences in the active sites of the GSTs. The xenobiotic binding
      H site is classified into H1, H2, and H3 and the differences in the amino acid
      composition, the hydrophobicity and other structural features of H site of GSTs
      are discussed. The existing inhibition strategies are compared. The advent of
      rational drug design, mechanism-based inhibition strategies, availability of high
      throughput screening, target specific, and selective inhibition of GST isoforms
      involved in drug resistance could be achieved for the reversal of drug resistance
      and aid in the treatment of diseases.

PMID- 28617140
TI  - Introduction to the Special Section: Linking the MMPI-2-RF to Contemporary Models
      of Psychopathology.
AB  - This special section considers 9 independent articles that seek to link the
      Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben
      Porath & Tellegen, 2008/ 2011 ) to contemporary models of psychopathology.
      Sellbom ( this issue ) maps the Specific Problems scales onto hierarchical
      psychopathology structures, whereas Romero, Toorabally, Burchett, Tarescavage,
      and Glassmire ( this issue ) and Shkalim, Almagor, and Ben-Porath ( this issue )
      show evidence of linking the instruments' scales to diagnostic representations of
      common higher order psychopathology constructs. McCord, Achee, Cannon, Harrop,
      and Poynter ( this issue ) link the MMPI-2-RF scales to psychophysiological
      constructs inspired by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Research
      Domain Criteria. Sellbom and Smith ( this issue ) find support for MMPI-2-RF
      scale hypotheses in covering personality psychopathology in general, whereas
      Klein Haneveld, Kamphuis, Smid, and Forbey ( this issue ) and Kutchen et al. (
      this issue ) demonstrate the utility of the MMPI-2-RF in capturing contemporary
      conceptualizations of the psychopathic personality. Finally, Franz, Harrop, and
      McCord ( this issue ) and Rogers et al. ( this issue ) mapped the MMPI-2-RF
      scales onto more specific transdiagnostic constructs reflecting interpersonal
      functioning and suicide behavior proneness, respectively.

PMID- 28617142
TI  - The Alternative Model for Personality Disorders.

PMID- 28617141
TI  - Therapeutic Assessment with Adults, by Stephen E. Finn.

PMID- 28617143
TI  - Does ethno-cultural betrayal in trauma affect Asian American/Pacific Islander
      college students' mental health outcomes? An exploratory study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Interpersonal trauma has deleterious effects on mental health, with
      college students experiencing relatively high rates of lifetime trauma. Asian
      American/Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) have the lowest rate of mental healthcare
      utilization. According to cultural betrayal trauma theory, societal inequality
      may impact within-group violence in minority populations, thus having
      implications for mental health. In the current exploratory study, between-group
      (interracial) and within-group (ethno-cultural betrayal) trauma and mental health
      outcomes were examined in AAPI college students. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N =
      108) were AAPI college students from a predominantly white university. Data
      collection concluded in December 2015. METHODS: Participants completed online
      self-report measures. RESULTS: A multivariate analysis of variance revealed that
      when controlling for interracial trauma, ethno-cultural betrayal trauma
      significantly impacted dissociation, hallucinations, posttraumatic stress
      symptoms, and hypervigilance. CONCLUSIONS: The results have implications for
      incorporating identity, discrimination, and ethno-cultural betrayal trauma
      victimization into assessments and case conceptualizations in therapy.

PMID- 28617144
TI  - The risk of stroke among acutely ill hospitalized medical patients: lessons from
      recent trials on extended-duration thromboprophylaxis.
AB  - Data from recent randomized controlled trials indicate that the incidence of
      stroke among acutely ill medical patients is unexpectedly high and approximates
      1% at 90 days. Preliminary data suggest that betrixaban may reduce ischemic
      stroke in patients without atrial fibrillation. There is an unmet demand for
      stroke risk stratification schemes targeting hospitalized medical patients. The
      prognostic value of biomarkers such as natriuretic peptides and D-dimer in
      predicting short-term stroke remains uncertain. Future research should focus on
      identifying the high-risk subsets in which the benefit of anticoagulation
      significantly outweighs the associated hemorrhagic risk. Clinical trials:
      NCT00457002, NCT00571649, NCT01583218.

PMID- 28617145
TI  - Defining treatment success in rosacea as 'clear' may provide multiple patient
      benefits: results of a pooled analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rosacea treatment success is usually defined as a score of 1 ('almost
      clear') or 0 ('clear') on the 5-point Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) scale.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether, after successful treatment, 'clear' subjects had
      better outcomes than 'almost clear' subjects. METHODS: A pooled analysis was
      performed on 1366 rosacea subjects from four randomized controlled trials with
      IGA before and after treatment (ivermectin, metronidazole or vehicle).
      Assessments included the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire and
      subject assessment of rosacea improvement. In one trial, patients were followed
      after the treatment period to measure time to relapse (IGA score >=2). RESULTS:
      At end of treatment, more 'clear' than 'almost clear' subjects had a clinically
      meaningful difference in DLQI (59% vs. 44%; p < .001) and a final DLQI score of 0
      1 indicating no effect on quality of life (84% vs. 66%; p < .001). More 'clear'
      subjects reported an 'excellent' improvement in their rosacea (77% vs. 42%; p <
      .001). The median time to relapse was more than 8 months for 'clear' vs. 3 months
      for 'almost clear' subjects (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Achieving an endpoint of
      'clear' (IGA 0) vs. 'almost clear' (IGA 1) is associated with multiple positive
      patient outcomes, including delayed time to relapse.

PMID- 28617146
TI  - Diospyros rhodocalyx (Tako-Na), a Thai folk medicine, associated with hypokalemia
      and generalized muscle weakness: a case series.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Diospyros rhodocalyx (Tako-Na) is a Thai folk medicine purported to
      promote longevity, treat impotence, etc. We present patients with hypokalemia,
      weakness and hypertension after consuming Tako-Na tea. CASE SERIES: Case 1: A 61
      year-old man was brought in nine hours after drinking 400-500 mL of Tako-Na tea.
      One handful of Tako-Na bark was boiled in water to make tea. He had vomiting and
      watery diarrhea six hours after drinking it. He took no medications and had no
      history of hypertension. The only remarkable vital sign was BP 167/90 mmHg.
      Physical examination revealed generalized muscle weakness. Laboratory findings
      were potassium 2.7 mmol/L, bicarbonate 24 mmol/L, and transtubular potassium
      gradient (TTKG) 5.6. He was discharged the next day with a BP 140/90 mmHg and
      potassium 4.2 mmol/L. Case 2: A 78-year-old man, a friend of case 1, also drank
      Tako-Na tea from the same pot at the same time as case 1. He also had vomiting
      and diarrhea six hours later. He took no medications despite past history of
      hypertension (baseline SBP 140-160). Initial BP was 230/70 mmHg. He also had
      muscle weakness. Laboratory findings were potassium 3.3 mmol/L, bicarbonate 24
      mmol/L, TTKG 7.37 and normal thyroid function. He was also discharged the next
      day with a BP 148/70 mmHg and potassium 4.2 mmol/L. Case 3-7: These were patients
      reported to a poison center and their potassium concentrations were 1.4, 1.4,
      3.3, 1.3 and 1.2 mmol/L, respectively. Three of them were intubated and case 3
      died. CONCLUSIONS: Tako-Na contains betulin, betulinic acid, taraxerone, lupeol,
      and lupenone. Their structures are similar to glycyrrhetic acid, the active
      metabolite of glycyrrhizic acid found in licorice which is well known to cause
      pseudoaldosteronism. Glycyrrhetic acid is potent in inhibiting 11-beta
      hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and causes pseudoaldosteronism. We hypothesize that
      the compounds in Tako-Na act in the same way as glycyrrhetic acid in producing
      pseudoaldosteronism.

PMID- 28617147
TI  - Therapy for wound infections after earthquakes requires inclusion of drugs
      targeting Gram-negative bacteria.

PMID- 28617148
TI  - Outcomes of IVF cycles coupled with PGS by aCGH of embryos from donor and
      autologous oocytes, transferred after vitrification to women of advanced maternal
      age.
AB  - It is well documented that aneuploidy rate in preimplantation embryos increases
      with the mother's age, and at the same time the number of oocytes diminishes.
      Consequently, for patients of advanced maternal age two options are available to
      overcome these limitations: use of oocytes from young donors, or use of own
      oocytes coupled with preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for 24 chromosomes.
      However, it is not clear which strategy might be more effective. The aim of this
      retrospective study was to evaluate outcomes of IVF cycles coupled with transfer
      of vitrified embryos from donor or autologous oocytes, both with or without PGS.
      Our results demonstrate that while after PGS clinical pregnancy, twin pregnancy
      and spontaneous abortion rates are similar for embryos from donor and autologous
      oocytes, these rates are dramatically worse in all cycles without PGS. Therefore,
      PGS can be recommended as a screening method to all patients of advanced maternal
      age even when donor oocytes are used.

PMID- 28617150
TI  - Atorvastatin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs): strategy to overcome
      oral delivery drawbacks.
AB  - Atorvastatin (AT) is a widely used lipid-regulating drug to reduce cholesterol
      and triglycerides. Its poor aqueous solubility and hepatic metabolism require
      development of drug delivery systems able to improve its solubility and bypass
      hepatic effect. For this purpose, atorvastatin nanostructured lipid carriers (AT
      NLCs) were prepared and characterized. AT-NLCs were prepared by emulsification
      using high-speed homogenization followed by ultrasonication. The prepared NLCs
      showed particle size between 162.5 +/- 12 and 865.55 +/- 28 nm while zeta
      potential values varied between -34 +/- 0.29 and -23 +/- 0.36 mV. They also
      showed high encapsulation efficiency (>87%) and amorphous state of the drug in
      lipid matrix. Pharmacokinetic parameters of optimized formulation (NLC-1;
      composed of 2% Gelucire(r) 43/01, 8% Capryol(r) PGMC, 2% Pluronic(r)F68 and 0.5%
      lecithin) revealed 3.6- and 2.1-fold increase in bioavailability as compared to
      atorvastatin suspension and commercial product (Lipitor(r)), respectively.
      Administration of NLC-1 led to significant reduction (p < .05) in the rats' serum
      levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein
      (LDL) and significant increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL). This
      improvement was confirmed histologically by minimizing the associated hepatic
      steatosis. These investigations demonstrated the superiority of NLCs for
      improvement of oral bioavailability and in vivo performance of AT.

PMID- 28617149
TI  - Comparison of airway deposition distributions of particles in healthy and
      diseased workers in an Egyptian industrial site.
AB  - The objective of this study is the prediction and comparison of airway deposition
      patterns of an industrial aerosol in healthy workers and workers suffering from
      silicosis. Mass concentrations and related size distributions of particulate
      matter were measured in the industrial area of Samalut in Minia, Egypt. A novel
      stochastic lung deposition model, simulating the symptoms of silicosis by chronic
      bronchial (Br) obstruction and emphysema in the acinar (Ac) region, was applied
      to compute mass deposition fractions, deposition density, deposition rate and
      deposition density rate distributions in healthy and diseased workers. In the
      case of healthy workers, both mass deposition fractions and deposition rates are
      highest in the first half of the Ac region of the lung, while the corresponding
      deposition density and deposition density rate distributions exhibit a maximum in
      the large Br airways. In the case of diseased lungs, bullous emphysema causes a
      large deposition peak in the region of the bronchioli respiratorii. Regional mass
      deposition fractions adopt maximum values in the extrathoracic region, except
      during mouth breathing for bullous emphysema, where Ac deposition can be the most
      prominent. In general, lung deposition is significantly higher in diseased than
      in healthy lungs. Indeed, workers suffering from silicosis receive significantly
      higher Ac doses than healthy workers exposed to the same aerosol. Thus, this
      illness may progress faster if a diseased worker remains in a strongly polluted
      area.

PMID- 28617151
TI  - Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist
      antenatal clinic.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Lithium treatment in pregnancy represents a significant dilemma for
      women and treating health professionals alike. The complexity of risk-benefit
      analysis is impacted by limited information. METHODS: A cohort study of 33 women
      with severe mental illness, who were prescribed lithium at any time during the
      pregnancy, and gave birth between December 2007 and January 2015 at a specialist
      antenatal clinic in Western Australia. A descriptive comparison for women who
      continued lithium throughout pregnancy, and those who ceased on discovery of
      pregnancy was undertaken examining demographic, obstetric, neonatal and
      psychiatric variables. RESULTS: Women who were prescribed lithium, irrespective
      of whether they continued or discontinued the medication represented a high risk
      group obstetrically, with high rates of smoking overall (33%) medical
      comorbidities (54%) and antenatal complications (88%). Preconception counseling
      occurred in 33% of the cohort but increased the likelihood of continuing lithium
      in pregnancy (p = .007). Compared to those who ceased lithium, women who remained
      on lithium through the pregnancy had increased rates of fetal ultrasound
      abnormalities such as abdominal circumference >90th % (p = .005). Psychiatric
      relapses through the antenatal and immediate postpartum period appeared to be due
      to a combination of factors. DISCUSSION: Pregnant women with severe mood
      disorders treated with lithium are a vulnerable, high-risk obstetric population
      who would benefit from preconception counseling, regular antenatal care in a
      tertiary center, delivery with neonatal pediatric support and experienced
      psychiatric management.

PMID- 28617152
TI  - Impact of immunoablation and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
      on gray and white matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Immunoablation and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
      (IA/aHSCT) halts relapses, white matter (WM) lesion formation, and pathological
      whole-brain (WB) atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Whether the latter
      was due to effects on gray matter (GM) or WM warranted further exploration.
      OBJECTIVE: To model GM and WM volume changes after IA/aHSCT to further understand
      the effects seen on WB atrophy. METHODS: GM and WM volume changes were calculated
      from serial baseline and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ranging from
      1.5 to 10.5 years in 19 MS patients treated with IA/aHSCT. A mixed-effects model
      with two predictors (total busulfan dose and baseline T1-weighted WM lesion
      volume "T1LV") characterized the time-courses after IA/aHSCT. RESULTS:
      Accelerated short-term atrophy of 2.1% and 3.2% occurred in GM and WM,
      respectively, on average. Both busulfan dose and T1LV were significant predictors
      of WM atrophy, whereas only busulfan was a significant predictor of GM atrophy.
      Compared to baseline, a significant reduction in GM atrophy, not WM atrophy, was
      found. The average rates of long-term GM and WM atrophy were -0.18%/year
      (standard error (SE): 0.083) and -0.07%/year (SE: 0.14), respectively.
      CONCLUSION: Chemotherapy-related toxicity affected both GM and WM. WM was further
      affected by focal T1-weighted lesion-related pathologies. Long-term rates of GM
      and WM atrophy were comparable to those of normal-aging.

PMID- 28617155
TI  - Thirteen-Year Evaluation of the Management of Biliary Tract Complication After
      Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Although patient and graft survival rate has increased in recent
      years, biliary complications after liver transplantation are associated with
      significant morbidity and mortality. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We reviewed the
      database of 1930 patients who underwent deceased donor liver transplantation
      between 2000 and 2013. The patients had abnormal results in liver tests, as well
      as fever and jaundice. Abdominal sonography was performed, and if complication
      was identified, the patient underwent an interventional procedure by endoscopic
      retrograde cholangiopancreatography or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography.
      If the complication was not resolved by the mentioned procedures, exploration of
      common bile duct and Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy or revision of Roux-en-Y
      choledochojejunostomy was done. RESULTS: Our study group comprised 105 patients
      including 66 (63%) men and 39 (37.1%) women with a mean age of 36.7 +/- 12.5
      years (range: 15-66 years). Among 1930 patients, 105 (5.4%) cases presented with
      biliary complication after liver transplantation, of which 97 (5%) and 8 (0.4%)
      cases presented with biliary stricture and bile leak/biloma, respectively.
      CONCLUSION: In our study, most patients with biliary complications after liver
      transplantation responded to interventional procedures, with 37.1% requiring
      surgical exploration.

PMID- 28617153
TI  - Pectin methylesterase is required for guard cell function in response to heat.
AB  - Pectin is an important cell wall polysaccharide required for cellular adhesion,
      extension, and plant growth. The pectic methylesterification status of guard cell
      walls influences the movement of stomata in response to different stimuli. Pectin
      methylesterase (PME) has a profound effect on cell wall modification, especially
      on the degree of pectic methylesterification during heat response. The
      Arabidopsis thaliana PME34 gene is highly expressed in guard cells and in
      response to the phytohormone abscisic acid. The genetic data highlighted the
      significant role of PME34 in heat tolerance through the regulation of stomatal
      movement. Thus, the opening and closure of stomata is mediated by changes in
      response to a given stimulus, could require a specific cell wall modifying enzyme
      to function properly.

PMID- 28617156
TI  - The Effect of Transplant Education on Nurses Attitudes Toward Organ Donation and
      Advocacy for Transplantation.
AB  - Nurses are the largest group of health-care professionals, yet they are not
      uniformly educated regarding transplantation and organ donation. The future of
      transplantation hinges on education of this group. Before meaningful studies can
      be conducted, an instrument to measure attitudes and commitment to organ
      transplantation is needed. The purpose of this study was to examine content and
      construct validity as well as establish internal reliability of an investigator
      developed online instrument to measure nurses' attitudes and commitment to organ
      transplantation by registered nurses. The online instrument was administered to
      registered nurses enrolled in transplantation electives at the University of
      Alabama in Huntsville and Vanderbilt University. Exploratory factor analysis
      revealed 4 components with eigenvalues over 1.0. The components were as follows:
      (1) desire to work in transplantation, (2) confidence in transplantation
      advocacy, (3) organ donation advocacy, and (4) procurement. Internal consistency
      of the revised instrument was established (alpha = .94). The Transplant
      Registered Nurse (TXP-RN) instrument is a new instrument with excellent
      reliability and validity that can be used to measure attitudes and knowledge of
      American nurses about organ donation and transplantation. This important step is
      necessary before educational interventions can be accurately assessed.

PMID- 28617154
TI  - Two-kidney one-clip is a pertinent approach to integrate arterial hypertension in
      animal models of stroke: Serial magnetic resonance imaging studies of brain
      lesions before and during cerebral ischemia.
AB  - Although chronic arterial hypertension (CAH) represents the major comorbid factor
      in stroke, it is rarely integrated in preclinical studies of stroke. The majority
      of those investigations employ spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) which
      display a susceptibility to ischemic damage independent of hypertension. Here, we
      used a renovascular model of hypertension (RH) to examine, with magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI), brain alterations during the development of hypertension
      and after brain ischemia. We also examined whether MRI-derived parameters predict
      the extent of ischemia-induced brain damage. RH was induced according to the two
      kidney one-clip model and multiparametric MRI was performed at 3, 6, 9, and 12
      weeks after hypertension and also at 10, 50, and 60 min following stroke. Blood
      pressure values increased progressively and reached a plateau at 6 weeks after RH
      induction. At 12 weeks, all hypertensive animals displayed spontaneous brain
      lesions (hemorrhages, deep and cortical lesions, ventricular dilatation),
      increased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the corpus callosum and
      higher fractional anisotropy in the cortex. Following ischemia, these animals
      showed larger brain lesions (406 +/- 82 vs. 179 +/- 36 mm3, p < 0.002) which
      correlated with ADC values at chronic stage of hypertension. This model of
      hypertension displays many characteristics of the neuropathology of human CAH.
      The use of this model in stroke studies is relevant and desirable.

PMID- 28617157
TI  - Vesicoureteral Reflux in Kidney Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is frequently found after
      transplantation, but its impact on graft function, urine tract infection, and
      graft loss remains uncertain. Therefore our objective was to evaluate the effects
      of VUR on the outcome of renal transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included
      1008 adult renal transplant recipients of whom a 1-week posttransplant voiding
      cystourethrogram was available. Study end points included occurrence of
      bacteriuria, renal function, and graft survival. RESULTS: In total, 106 (10.5%)
      of 1008 graft recipients had a diagnosis of VUR on voiding cystography. The
      incidence of bacteriuria was comparable in the reflux and nonreflux group (17% vs
      17.4%, P = .91). There was no significant difference in renal function at 3
      months and 1 year in patients with and without VUR. One- and 5-year graft
      survival in patients with VUR was 85.8% and 82.1% compared to 87.3% and 83.0% in
      patients without VUR ( P = .68 and P = .80). CONCLUSION: Posttransplant VUR has
      no correlations with early bacteriuria, renal function, and graft survival.

PMID- 28617158
TI  - Transcendental Spirituality and Acquaintance With the Activities of the Domestic
      National Transplant Center as Factors Shaping Attitudes Toward Organ Donation.
AB  - CONTEXT: Organ donation has been shown to be perceived as inappropriate by
      religiously observant individuals. The impact of spirituality level on attitudes
      toward organ donation has not been broadly explored. OBJECTIVE: To explore the
      contribution of ethnicity, spirituality, level of religious observance, and
      acquaintance with the activities of the Israel National Transplant Center (INTC)
      to forming attitudes toward organ donation among Jews and Muslim Arabs in Israel.
      DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred five
      (65.2%) Jewish and 163 (34.8%) Muslim Arab respondents living in Israel. RESULTS:
      Jewish respondents had more positive attitudes toward organ donation than Muslim
      Arabs. Muslim Arabs had a higher mean spirituality score than Jews. Gender, age,
      ethnicity, level of religious observance, education, 4 spirituality dimensions,
      and acquaintance with the activities of the INTC explained 41.5% of the variance
      in attitudes to organ donation. Transcendental spirituality, acquaintance with
      the activities of the INTC, and level of religious observance had the highest
      contribution to explaining attitudes to organ donation, while gender and age had
      a low contribution. Ethnicity, education, and the 3 other spirituality dimensions
      were not found to have a significant contribution. CONCLUSION: A multifaceted
      approach to improving attitudes toward organ donation among Jews and Muslim Arabs
      in Israel is important.

PMID- 28617159
TI  - Ambulatory Care Coordination Issues With Dual Use Veteran Organ Transplant
      Recipients.
AB  - The previous literature indicates that patients receiving ongoing care in both
      Veterans Affairs (VA) and non-VA setting (dual care) may have reduced health
      outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of dual care
      provided to a veteran solid organ transplant population. This was a retrospective
      cohort study of stable solid organ transplant recipients receiving care at both a
      Veterans Affairs Medical Center and transplant center. Forty-six veteran organ
      transplant recipients met inclusion criteria. At baseline, mean age at transplant
      was 57 +/- 10 years; 93% were male, 61% received kidney transplants. Thirty-nine
      percent of patients did not receive immunosuppressant concentrations at the
      recommended intervals. The incidence of veterans that had at least 2 providers
      caring for the same comorbidity was 63% for hypertension, 58% for diabetes, and
      27% for dyslipidemia. Approximately one-third of veterans had documentation of
      care provided by the other institutions (30%-37%), and 93% of patients had
      medication regimen discrepancies between health-care systems, with 52% of
      patients having at least 1 medication discrepancy involving an immunosuppressant.
      Most veteran solid organ transplant recipients receive care across multiple
      health-care systems, with significant care coordination issues leading to gaps
      and duplications in their management. Improved communication between health
      systems is imperative to optimize outcomes in dual use veterans such as organ
      transplant recipients.

PMID- 28617160
TI  - Rising Need for Health Education Among Renal Transplant Patients and Caregiving
      Competence in Care Providers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Health education positively affects the efficacy of self-management
      and should be carried out according to the status of patients' needs, knowledge,
      and the competence of the primary caregivers. OBJECTIVES: This study was to
      investigate the needs of health education knowledge in transplant patients and
      the competence of the primary caregivers. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional
      study using a convenient sampling approach. Self-report questionnaires were
      applied to 351 renal transplantation patients and their primary caregivers.
      RESULTS: Three-hundred nine valid questionnaires were included in the analysis.
      The intensive care unit environment, stress coping strategies, the operation
      procedure, anesthesia and adverse reactions, and hand hygiene were the 5 most
      poorly understood aspects in health education. Stress coping strategies, at-home
      self-monitoring of health, pulmonary infection prevention, dietary needs, and
      anesthesia and other adverse reactions were the top 5 health education needs.
      Decision and self-efficacy were the weakest caregiving competence. Significant
      positive correlations were observed between health education knowledge level and
      caregiving competence in the primary caregivers. Marriage, education level,
      career, expense reimbursement, and residence significantly contributed to the
      health education demand questionnaire model, whereas gender, age, ethnic group,
      education level, career, and expense reimbursement significantly contributed to
      health education knowledge questionnaire model ( P < .05). CONCLUSION: The renal
      transplant patients and their primary caregivers need health education on the
      intensive care unit environment, stress coping strategies, the operation
      procedure, and anesthesia and other adverse reactions. The primary caregivers
      need training in decision-making and self-efficacy.

PMID- 28617161
TI  - Insomnia and Relationship With Immunosuppressant Therapy After Lung
      Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lung transplant recipients are at high risk of developing sleep
      disorders such as insomnia, but the prevalence and features are currently poorly
      characterized within this population. Since these disorders are associated with
      increased morbidity and mortality, it is important to identify them to optimize
      the care of lung transplant recipients. We sought to evaluate the prevalence of
      insomnia within our university-based lung transplant clinic and determine whether
      a relationship exists between insomnia and exposure to immunosuppressant
      medications following transplantation. METHODS: Participants were recruited
      through the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Lung Transplant Clinic
      (N = 125). Participants (n = 92) completed the adult sleep history questionnaire,
      which included the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) to assess for insomnia (defined
      as ISI score >10). Cumulative tacrolimus exposure was determined in 73 patients
      by performing an area under the curve calculation to assess for a potential
      relationship between tacrolimus exposure and insomnia. RESULTS: The prevalence of
      insomnia was 40% within this population. Although no difference in time since
      transplant was found, cumulative mean +/- standard error of the mean tacrolimus
      exposure was significantly higher in patients with insomnia versus those without
      insomnia (17 190 +/- 1673 ng.d/mL vs 12 130 +/- 1630 ng.d/mL, respectively; P =
      .04). Estimated tacrolimus exposure was not greater with increasing frequency of
      insomnia complaints (analysis of variance P = .54). CONCLUSION: In our
      population, insomnia is common after lung transplantation, with prevalence
      greater than the general population. Higher cumulative exposure to tacrolimus may
      contribute to insomnia in this group. Future research should investigate the
      relationship between immunosuppressant therapy and development of sleep
      disorders.

PMID- 28617162
TI  - The Use of Stroke Volume Variation to Guide Donor Management Is Associated With
      Increased Organs Transplanted per Donor.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a national shortage of organs available for transplantation,
      and utilization rates for thoracic organs are less than 40%. In addition, the
      optimal method of assessing cardiovascular status during donor management is
      uncertain. FloTrac is a noninvasive hemodynamic technique that measures cardiac
      output and fluid responsiveness. Our objective was to measure the impact of using
      this technique to guide management on fluid balance, vasopressor usage, thyroid
      hormone usage, and pulmonary function. We hypothesized that FloTrac guidance will
      increase thoracic organs transplanted per donor (OTPD). METHODS: Data were
      prospectively collected on a convenience sample of 38 donors after neurologic
      determination of death. Organs transplanted, net fluid balance, dosage of
      vasopressors, dosage of thyroid hormone, and Pao2:Fio2 were compared between
      treatment and control groups. RESULTS: The treatment group had greater thoracic
      OTPD (1.3 [1.0] vs 0.4 [0.6], P = .004) and overall OTPD (4.3 [1.5] vs 2.7 [1.5],
      P = .002). Donors in the treatment group maintained a neutral fluid balance, had
      more thyroid hormone used, and had an improvement in oxygenation. CONCLUSION: The
      implementation of this technology to aid providers may help ameliorate the
      shortage of thoracic and overall organs available for transplantation.

PMID- 28617163
TI  - Do Our Patients Trust Us to Do the Right Thing With Their Biomedical Information?

PMID- 28617164
TI  - Liver Transplantation Using Graft From a Donor With Aplastic Anemia.
AB  - Liver transplantation (LT) is a life-saving procedure in patients with end-stage
      liver disease. The number of patients in the waiting list for LT has steadily
      increased over time, so removing liver from deceased donors with unusual
      disorders could possibly be used for transplantation. We describe a case of LT
      from a donor with "aplastic anemia" to a patient with liver failure due to
      hepatitis C. Aplastic anemia is a syndrome of bone marrow failure. Aplastic
      anemia is one of the most common conditions linked to transfusion dependence, and
      long-term repeated transfusion inevitably results in iron overload. Also iron is
      a cofactor that influences the severity and progression of nonhemochromatic liver
      diseases, especially steatohepatitis and viral hepatitis. The aim of this report
      is to highlight the posttransplant findings of the recipient, with specific
      emphasis on the graft function. Our findings provide insights into the clinical
      implications of LT using graft with this rare disorder.

PMID- 28617165
TI  - Transplant Professionals' Perceptions of Long-Term Care Residents' Candidacy for
      Kidney Transplantation.
AB  - CONTEXT: Given the aging end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population, kidney
      transplant (KTx) centers may experience an increase in referrals of patients
      living in long-term care (LTC) settings (eg, skilled nursing facilities, assisted
      living facilities, group homes, and boarding homes). OBJECTIVE: To identify best
      practices among KTx professionals when considering individuals in LTC settings
      for transplantation. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional survey administered
      online to US transplant professionals via e-mail LISTSERVs and other professional
      networks. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-six KTx professionals working in the
      United States. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The survey was composed of demographic
      questions and 6 hypothetical scenarios. These scenarios asked participants to
      assess transplant candidacy of patients with ESRD living in LTC settings based on
      the information provided in the scenario. Each scenario presented a different
      variable that necessitated LTC placement, including lack of social support,
      moderate intellectual disability, stable neurological condition, mild dementia, a
      psychiatric condition controlled on medications, and limited mobility. RESULTS:
      The only scenario that elicited an overwhelmingly negative response was mild
      dementia with 73.9% of participants unwilling to consider such patients for KTx.
      By contrast, the proportion of KTx professionals reluctant to proceed with KTx in
      the remaining scenarios ranged between 40.0% and 50.6%. CONCLUSIONS: This survey
      of a large number of KTx professionals suggests that there is presently no best
      practice consensus regarding offering KTx to patients living in LTC settings.
      Further research should include a broader range of KTx professionals and should
      also include a study of outcomes with KTx in this particular patient population.

PMID- 28617166
TI  - Challenges in Providing Timely Physiotherapy and Opportunities to Influence
      Outcomes for Potential Lung Donors.
AB  - CONTEXT: There is a critical shortage of donor lungs however, considerable
      ethical considerations are associated with the conduct of research to optimize
      care of the potential organ donor. OBJECTIVE: To investigate pathways of consent,
      respiratory care by physiotherapists and donation rates to contextualize future
      research on physiotherapy effects on donor lung suitability for procurement.
      DESIGN: Retrospective audit. SETTING: Australian tertiary hospital. PATIENTS:
      Potential organ donors (defined as patients who may have been eligible to donate
      organs for transplantation via either brain death or circulatory death) 75 years
      or younger presenting to the emergency department or the intensive care unit
      (ICU) between September 2011 and December 2012. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Donation
      rates, timing of organ procurement from initial hospital presentation, number of
      persons designated to make health-care decisions approached for and consenting to
      donation and clinical research, and number of patients assessed and/or treated by
      physiotherapists. RESULTS: Records of 65 potentially eligible donors were
      analyzed. Eighteen (28%) of the 65 became donors. Organ procurement occurred at a
      median of 48 hours (interquartile range: 34-72 hours) after ICU admission. All
      decision-makers approached regarding participation in clinical research (4 [6%]
      of the 65) consented. Physiotherapists assessed 48 (74%) of the 65 patients at
      least once and provided 28 respiratory treatments to 18 (28%) of the 65 patients,
      including lung hyperinflation and positioning. Limitations were the
      retrospective, single-center design and the "potential organ donor" definition.
      CONCLUSION: Organ procurement occurs early. There is potential for early
      intervention to improve lung donor rates. Randomized controlled trials
      investigating protocolized respiratory packages of care may increase the
      potential donor pool and transplantation rates.

PMID- 28617167
TI  - Patient-Reported Barriers to the Prekidney Transplant Evaluation in an At-Risk
      Population in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite our knowledge of barriers to the early stages of the
      transplant process, we have limited insight into patient-reported barriers to the
      prekidney transplant medical evaluation in populations largely at-risk for
      evaluation failure. METHODS: One-hundred consecutive adults were enrolled at an
      urban, Midwestern transplant center. Demographic, clinical, and quality of life
      data were collected prior to patients visit with a transplant
      surgeon/nephrologist (evaluation begins). Patient-reported barriers to evaluation
      completion were collected using the Subjective Barriers Questionnaire 90-days
      after the initial medical evaluation appointment (evaluation ends), our center
      targeted goal for transplant work-up completion. RESULTS: At 90 days, 40% of
      participants had not completed the transplant evaluation. Five barrier categories
      were created from the 85 responses to the Subjective Barriers Questionnaire.
      Patient-reported barriers included poor communication, physical health,
      socioeconomics, psychosocial influences, and access to care. In addition,
      determinants for successful evaluation completion included being of white race,
      higher income, free of dialysis, a lower comorbid burden, and reporting higher
      scores on the Kidney Disease Quality of Life subscale role-emotional. CONCLUSION:
      Poor communication between patients and providers, and among providers, was the
      most prominent patient-reported barrier identified. Barriers were more prominent
      in marginalized groups such as ethnic minorities and people with low income.
      Understanding the prevalence of patient-reported barriers may aid in the
      development of patient-centered interventions to improve completion rates.

PMID- 28617168
TI  - Renalase Assessment With Regard to Kidney Function, Lipid Disturbances, and
      Endothelial Dysfunction Parameters in Stable Renal Transplant Recipients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Renal transplant dysfunction has been shown to be independent
      predictor for premature cardiovascular disease and mortality. Renalase, a
      flavoprotein secreted by several tissues, including the kidney, has been found to
      regulate sympathetic tone and blood pressure. The purpose of this secondary
      analysis was to explore relationships among parameters of endothelial
      dysfunction, lipids, glomerular filtration rate, and renalase in 2 groups: renal
      transplant patients with controlled hypertension and healthy volunteers. METHODS:
      In the parent study, 73 renal transplant recipients and 32 age- and gender
      matched controls were enrolled. A fasting sample for endothelial, lipid, and
      renalase values, along with other clinical parameters, was obtained. RESULTS: We
      found statistically significant inverse correlation between renalase and
      estimated glomerular filtration rate ( r = -0.552, P < .001), positive
      correlation between renalase and creatinine ( r = 0.364, P = .003), total
      cholesterol ( r = 0.578, P < .001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( r =
      0.261, P = .046), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( r = 0.327, P =
      .01). Renalase inversely correlated with hemoglobin ( r = -0.232, P = .032) and
      positively with white blood cells ( r = 0.233, P = .032). There was a significant
      difference in plasma renalase with regard to chronic kidney disease stages ( F =
      13.346, P < .001) but did not correlate with C-reactive protein. Renalase did not
      correlate with any of parameters of endothelial dysfunction, C-reactive protein,
      neither with some demographic data (gender, age, time or type of transplantation,
      risk factors). There were no differences in renalase concentration with regard to
      antihypertensive therapy. CONCLUSION: Renalase strongly and inversely correlated
      with kidney function, positively with creatinine and lipid disturbances. Due to
      that it is very likely that renalase levels are determined mostly by renal
      function.

PMID- 28617169
TI  - The Frequency and Associated Factors for BK Virus Infection in a Center
      Performing Mainly Living Kidney Transplantations.
AB  - PURPOSE: BK virus (BKV) nephropathy has increasingly become an important cause of
      morbidity in renal transplant recipients. We evaluated the frequency and
      associated factors for BKV infection in a center performing mainly living donor
      transplantations over a long time period. METHODS: One hundred consecutive renal
      transplant patients were included. Quarterly visits were planned to examine urine
      for decoy cells and to measure the BKV DNA in the blood and urine. Renal biopsy
      was performed in case of deteriorated allograft function. Serological
      examinations for BKV immunoglobulin G (IgG) were performed in donors. RESULTS:
      Throughout the entire follow-up period, the rates of viruria, viremia, and the
      positivity of decoy cells were 12%, 6%, and 13%, respectively. The negative and
      positive predictive values of decoy cells were 93.1% and 69.2%, respectively, for
      viruria, and 99.2% and 45.5%, respectively, for viremia. Biopsy-proven BKV
      nephropathy was observed in 1 patient. The BKV IgG was positive in all living
      donors. Viruria and viremia were associated with deceased donor transplantation,
      acute rejection, and pulse steroid therapy. In addition, viremia was associated
      with antithymocyte globulin therapy and a short duration of the posttransplant
      period. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of BKV infection was lower in our transplant
      unit compared to previous reports. Reduced doses of immunosuppression seem to be
      the main factor that may explain the reduced frequency. However, an active
      screening strategy is still of importance for this patient group.

PMID- 28617170
TI  - Adherence of Heart Transplant Recipients to Prescribed Medication and Recommended
      Lifestyle Habits.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Nonadherence may cause severe health problems in heart transplant
      (HTx) recipients. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: The present study aimed to investigate
      adherence to prescribed medication and recommended lifestyle habits in post-HTx
      patients and to assess associations between adherence, quality of life (QOL), and
      psychological well-being. DESIGN: A questionnaire package was sent to all HTx
      patients from our clinic (n = 858) to answer questions anonymously on medication
      adherence, dietary recommendations (avoidance of raw animal products and ice
      cream), pet keeping (risk of zoonosis), anxiety and depression, QOL, and
      posttraumatic stress disorders. RESULTS: Of the contacted patients, 524 (61%)
      responded and 505 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (age >=18 years and ability to
      understand German). Of the study participants, 72.4% reported taking their
      medications very correctly, 72.2% stated consuming alcohol less often than once a
      week, 58.3% performed physical exercise at least once a week, one-third reported
      eating nonrecommended foods, 22.1% stated pet keeping, and 4.3% reported smoking.
      Adherence to prescribed medication was positively associated with age ( P < .001)
      and mental QOL ( P = .015) but was unrelated to eating nonrecommended foods ( P >
      .05). Depressiveness correlated inversely with physical QOL ( r = -0.232; P <
      .01) and mental QOL ( r = -0.411; P < .01). Stress disorders and minor stressful
      events were reported by 7.8% and 46.6%, respectively. Stress disorders correlated
      inversely with mental QOL ( r = -0.282; P < .01) and physical QOL ( r = -0.422; P
      < .01). DISCUSSION: Many HTx patients adhere to prescribed medications and health
      advice. Nevertheless, nonadherence is a problem, especially in younger HTx
      patients, indicating the need for a nonadherence crisis intervention program for
      long-term HTx patients.

PMID- 28617171
TI  - Using Mobile Phone Technology to Support Young Liver Transplant Recipients Moving
      to Adult Services.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The process and preparation of moving from child to adult services
      (transition) is a challenging period of time for young people and represents
      significant changes in care and support systems. The proliferation of mobile
      phone applications for health purposes suggests that it is an area for further
      investigation. OBJECTIVE: The review explores the potential to use mobile phone
      technology to help support young liver transplant recipients moving to adult
      services. It represents the first review conducted in this specialism and
      considers a new model of support for young liver patients. METHODS: A systematic
      rapid review of the published peer-reviewed literature. RESULTS: Two searches
      were conducted: Search 1: the use of technology to support transition to adult
      services (6 studies) and Search 2: how best to support liver transplant
      recipients during transition (6 studies). DISCUSSION: Research shows that to
      achieve positive transition young people need information about their condition
      and transition. The process needs to be guided by transition readiness, rather
      than the young persons' age. Although parents and support networks should be in
      place and are valued, transition should build upon self-management and
      independence. Results suggest that there appears to be scope to use mobile phone
      technology to support transition. This is the first time a review has explored
      the types of issues or concerns facing liver transplant patients and how these
      can be addressed through mobile phone technology.

PMID- 28617172
TI  - Food supplements with red yeast rice: More regulations are needed.

PMID- 28617173
TI  - Premenstrual syndrome in university students: its correlation with their
      attitudes toward gender roles.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Psychosocial factors causing premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are
      closely correlated with gender. Thus, this study's aim was to identify
      correlations between gender role attitudes (GRA) and PMS status of university
      students. METHODS: The participants of this descriptive study were 1515 female
      students from 13 departments of Hacettepe University using stratified sampling
      method. Data were collected between February and May 2014 using a semi-structured
      questionnaire, the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), and the Gender Roles
      Attitude Scale (GRAS). Correlations between PMSS and GRAS scores were analyzed
      using the Spearman correlation coefficient. The difference between PMSS and GRAS
      scores in terms of sociodemographic characteristics was analyzed using the t-test
      and one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The mean total PMSS score was 117.96
      +/- 34.41, indicating moderate PMS levels. The total mean GRAS score was 162.71
      +/- 17.50, indicating an egalitarian GRA. As the gender roles in marriage of the
      participants became traditional, depressive thoughts and swelling became more
      common (rs= -0.620, p < .05; rs= -0.560, p < .05). The educational level of the
      mothers and perceived economic status were sociodemographic factors affecting
      both GRA and PMS. DISCUSSION: GRA and sociodemographic characteristics should be
      considered in healthcare services for PMS.

PMID- 28617174
TI  - Selective catalytic reduction of nitric oxide with carbon monoxide over alumina
      pellet-supported catalysts in the presence of excess oxygen.
AB  - Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides with carbon monoxide (CO-SCR) is
      a promising technology to remove NOx and CO simultaneously from flue gas. The
      thermodynamic analyses of catalytic process were performed toward four kinds of
      active metal oxides (CuxOy, CoxOy, MnxOy and CexOy). According to the standard
      Gibbs free-energy changes calculated, Mn had better resistance to oxygen than Cu,
      Co and Ce, while Cu and Ce had better resistance to water vapor poisoning, as
      active metals. Then, a series of binary- and ternary-preformed catalysts with
      different metal ratios were prepared by the impregnation method using Al2O3
      pellets as support and tested in excess oxygen (16 vol%) atmosphere with or
      without SO2. The results of experiment were analyzed based on thermodynamic
      analyses. Results indicated that the NO conversions of Cu-Co/Al2O3 catalysts
      increased with the rise of reaction temperature; however, the tendency changed at
      160 degrees C for Cu-Mn/Al2O3. Besides, the NO conversions of Cu-Mn/Al2O3 were
      better than Cu-Co/Al2O3. The catalysts with the metal ratio of 1.5 had the best
      denitrification performance. Among various binary catalysts, Cu-Mn/Al2O3 with the
      metal ratio Cu:Mn of 1.5 showed promising activity for CO-SCR, giving nearly 90%
      NO conversion. Besides, the doping of Ce could inhibit the sulfur poisoning and
      promote the oxide of CO under experimental conditions.

PMID- 28617175
TI  - Operator models for delivering municipal solid waste management services in
      developing countries. Part A: The evidence base.
AB  - This article presents the evidence base for 'operator models' - that is, how to
      deliver a sustainable service through the interaction of the 'client', 'revenue
      collector' and 'operator' functions - for municipal solid waste management in
      emerging and developing countries. The companion article addresses a selection of
      locally appropriate operator models. The evidence shows that no 'standard'
      operator model is effective in all developing countries and circumstances. Each
      city uses a mix of different operator models; 134 cases showed on average 2.5
      models per city, each applying to different elements of municipal solid waste
      management - that is, street sweeping, primary collection, secondary collection,
      transfer, recycling, resource recovery and disposal or a combination. Operator
      models were analysed in detail for 28 case studies; the article summarises
      evidence across all elements and in more detail for waste collection. Operators
      fall into three main groups: The public sector, formal private sector, and micro
      service providers including micro-, community-based and informal enterprises.
      Micro-service providers emerge as a common group; they are effective in expanding
      primary collection service coverage into poor- or peri-urban neighbourhoods and
      in delivering recycling. Both public and private sector operators can deliver
      effective services in the appropriate situation; what matters more is a strong
      client organisation responsible for municipal solid waste management within the
      municipality, with stable political and financial backing and capacity to manage
      service delivery. Revenue collection is also integral to operator models:
      Generally the municipality pays the operator from direct charges and/or indirect
      taxes, rather than the operator collecting fees directly from the service user.

PMID- 28617176
TI  - University student perceptions about the motives for and consequences of
      nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current study was to increase qualitative
      understanding of student motives for and consequences associated with nonmedical
      use of prescription drugs. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-one students participated in eight
      focus groups between April and November 2013. METHODS: Students described
      prescription drugs commonly used for nonmedical reasons, as well as the motives
      for and consequences associated with their use. Data were analyzed using thematic
      content analysis. RESULTS: Students reported stimulants as the most commonly used
      prescription drug for nonmedical reasons, least expensive, and easiest to obtain
      on campus, followed by benzodiazepines. Opioids were less commonly used, more
      expensive, and difficult to acquire. Motives and consequences varied by
      prescription drug class. CONCLUSIONS: Our qualitative findings extend previous
      research by suggesting differences in students' perceived motives for using and
      consequences associated with the different classes of prescription drugs. These
      findings provide implications for the development of preventive interventions.

PMID- 28617177
TI  - Discordant Anomalies with Combined Features of Pentalogy of Cantrell and OEIS
      Complex: A Case Report in Monochorionic Twins.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Ventral body wall defects have various manifestations. Among
      others, pentalogy of Cantrell (PC) and omphalocele exstrophy imperforate anus
      spinal abnormalities (OEIS) complex are defects that involve upper and lower
      anterior midline of body wall, respectively. Although both entities are in a
      spectrum of ventral body wall defects, the combination of PC and OEIS complex has
      not been described. CASE REPORT: In this report, we describe an unusual case of
      congenital ventral body wall defect with combined features of PC and OEIS
      complex, which discordantly occurred in monochorionic monoamniotic twins.
      CONCLUSION: PC and OEIS complex may be related regarding their embryologic
      origins. The combination may represent the most severe manifestation of ventral
      body wall defects.

PMID- 28617178
TI  - Concentrations of Pneumococcal IgA and IgM are compromised in some individuals
      with antibody deficiencies.
AB  - The response to pneumococcal vaccination is assessed by measurement of antigen
      specific IgG only and is compromised in a number of antibody deficiencies. We
      measured the concentrations of Pneumococcal IgA and IgM in individuals with both
      normal and abnormal pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP) IgG
      concentrations. A higher number of individuals had abnormal pre-vaccination IgA
      and IgM concentrations below the lower limit of the normal range compared to the
      control group. Post vaccination a lower number of individuals had IgA and IgM
      concentrations below the upper limit of the normal range compared to the control
      group. Non responders had a higher percentage of individuals with a prior history
      of infection. In addition, individuals with a history of prior infection had
      lower pre- and post-vaccination concentrations of PCP IgG, IgA, and IgM. Post
      vaccination IgA and IgM concentrations identified four groups of responses which
      correlated with prior history of infection. A higher percentage of individuals
      with abnormal PCP IgA and IgM concentrations had a history of prior infection
      compared to the percentage of individuals with normal concentrations. In
      individuals with an antibody deficiency, measurement of Pneumococcal IgA and IgM
      correlates with the number of individuals with prior history of infection.

PMID- 28617179
TI  - Predictive value of Pirani scoring system for tenotomy in the management of
      idiopathic clubfoot.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the predictive value of the Pirani scoring system in the
      need for tenotomy using the Ponseti method for management of idiopathic clubfoot.
      METHOD: This is a prospective observational study involving patients less than 2
      years of age with idiopathic clubfoot. The consenting parents and institution
      ethical board approved the study. The relationship between Pirani scores and the
      need for tenotomy was evaluated using the independent t-test and the binary
      logistic regression to predict the need for tenotomy. Pearson's r and Cohen's
      kappa were used to measure correlation and agreement, respectively, between the
      predicted and observed values. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used
      to interpret sensitivity and specificity levels as well as to obtain a cutoff
      score for predicting the requirement for tenotomy. RESULTS: Eighty-four clubfeet
      from 50 patients were studied. Thirty-eight feet (45%) had percutaneous tenotomy.
      The initial total Pirani and hindfoot scores were found to predict the need for
      tenotomy with the model for prediction being able to predict correctly in 72.6%
      and 75% of the time, respectively. A higher Pirani score was associated with
      higher odds of requiring tenotomy (OR = 4.402, p < 0.001) and total Pirani score
      above the cutoff point of 4.75 predicted the need for tenotomy. CONCLUSION: The
      indication for tenotomy appears to be well predicted using the Pirani scoring
      system with the odds of requiring a tenotomy increasing by more than fourfold for
      every unit increase in Pirani score.

PMID- 28617180
TI  - Lumbar spondylolysis: A report of four cases from two generations of a family.
AB  - Spondylolysis is a major cause of back pain in children and adolescents. The
      prevalence of spondylolysis depends on the sex, race, and congenital abnormality.
      These biases suggest hereditary predisposition as an etiology of spondylolysis.
      However, no conclusive evidence still exists regarding the inheritance for
      spondylolysis. Herein, we report rare cases with familial occurrence of lumbar
      spondylolysis. In two generations of a Japanese family, three brothers including
      identical twins complained of back pain related to sports activities. Clinical,
      radiographic, and computed tomographic examinations identified spondylolysis at
      L4 and L5 in all these boys. The father experienced long-term back pain and had
      spondylolisthesis at L4-L5 and healed spondylolysis at L5. The daughter and
      mother did not show any lumbar spondylolysis. The frequent development of
      spondylolysis at L4, a rarely affected segment, in four of six family members
      (66.7%) support that lumbar spondylolysis has an underlying genetic etiology,
      primarily autosomal dominant inheritance.

PMID- 28617181
TI  - A novel surgical approach for treating distal radial extraarticular malunion:
      Oblique osteotomy with buttress plate stabilization.
AB  - PURPOSE: Distal radial extraarticular malunions are not uncommon. However,
      requirements of surgical correction depend on multiple conditions. Traditionally,
      surgical techniques include closing or opening wedge osteotomies. Each has unique
      advantages and disadvantages. An oblique osteotomy was developed to simplify the
      revision surgery. METHODS: Forty-eight consecutive adult patients with 48
      malunions were surgically treated. An oblique osteotomy of 45 degrees  vertical
      to the radial longitudinal axis was performed from medio-distally to latero
      proximally. Consequently, the osteotomized fragments were compressed with a bone
      clamp. The proximal part of the distal fragment was pushed backward to correct
      the dorsal tilt. A 7-hole buttress plate was inserted volarly and cancellous bone
      graft was packed. Postoperatively, a short-arm splint or brace without
      restriction of all five metacarpophalangeal joints was applied for 6 weeks.
      RESULTS: Forty-one patients were followed for an average of 2.8 years (range, 1.1
      5.8 years). All malunions healed within 6 weeks. The union rate was 100% and no
      complications occurred. Radiographically, ulnar variance, volar tilt of radial
      articulation, and radial inclination restored to acceptable criteria in all
      patients. Patients with Modified Mayo Wrist Score (MMWS) improved from 17% to 80%
      ( p < 0.001) and Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Score improved from
      0% to 80% ( p < 0.001). The relationship between MMWS and DASH Score was highly
      correlated (correlation coefficient = -0.90). CONCLUSION: The described approach
      may be an excellent alternative for treating distal radial extraarticular
      malunions. The technique is not difficult but the satisfactory rate is high.

PMID- 28617182
TI  - Simultaneous bilateral correction of genu varum with Smart frame.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical and radiological results
      of simultaneous bilateral correction of genu varum with Smart frame. METHODS:
      Between 2011 and 2015, a total of 25 patients (10 females, 15 males) who had
      bilateral genu varum deformity were operated bilaterally with tibial and fibular
      osteotomy in the same session, using Smart frame. The mean follow-up period was
      28.7 (range, 13-45) months. All patients had bilateral tibial varus deformity.
      Femoral deformity was corrected in an earlier session in nine patients.
      Mechanical axis deviation (MAD), mechanical lateral distal femoral angle,
      mechanical medial proximal tibial angle (mMPTA) and posterior proximal tibial
      angle (PPTA) were measured preoperatively and postoperatively. Short Form-36
      questionnaire was filled by the patients preoperatively and during the last
      follow-up. RESULTS: The mean preoperative MAD was 37.6 mm (range, 9-98 mm), which
      improved to 8.4 mm (range, 3-44 mm) postoperatively ( p < 0.05). The mean
      preoperative mMPTA was 76 degrees , which improved to 89 degrees  ( p < 0.05).
      The mean preoperative PPTA was 75.5 degrees , which improved to 80.3 ( p < 0.05).
      Ten problems (20%), two obstacles (4%) and no sequelae occurred in 50 legs of 25
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, Smart frame is an accurate and reliable
      method for performing bilateral simultaneous deformity correction in patients
      with bilateral genu varum deformity. It can be applied for various childhood
      induced severe tibial deformities such as achondroplasia, rickets, skeletal
      dysplasia and Blount's disease.

PMID- 28617183
TI  - Hypermethylated CpG sites in the MTR gene promoter in preterm placenta.
AB  - AIM: Altered maternal one-carbon metabolism influences placental DNA methylation
      patterns and 'programs' the fetus for noncommunicable diseases in adult life.
      EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES: Levels of plasma folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine, mRNA
      and protein levels of MTHFR and MTR enzymes in placenta were compared among women
      delivering preterm (n = 83) and term (n = 75). MTR promoter CpG methylation was
      undertaken. RESULTS: MTHFR and MTR mRNA levels were higher while protein levels
      were lower, and MTR CpG sites were hypermethylated in the preterm group, as
      compared with the term group. Methylated CpG sites were negatively associated
      with maternal plasma vitamin B12 levels. CONCLUSION: Study suggests a
      dysregulation of enzyme genes in remethylation arm of the one-carbon metabolism
      in placenta of women delivering preterm.

PMID- 28617184
TI  - Patient perceptions of experience with cardiac rehabilitation after isolated
      heart valve surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little evidence exists on whether cardiac rehabilitation is effective
      for patients after heart valve surgery. Yet, accepted recommendations for
      patients with ischaemic heart disease continue to support it. To date, no studies
      have determined what heart valve surgery patients prefer in a cardiac
      rehabilitation programme, and none have analysed their experiences with it. AIMS:
      The purpose of this qualitative analysis was to gain insight into patients'
      experiences in cardiac rehabilitation, the CopenHeartVR trial. This trial
      specifically assesses patients undergoing isolated heart valve surgery. METHODS:
      Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine patients recruited from the
      intervention arm of the trial. The intervention consisted of a physical training
      programme and a psycho-educational intervention. Participants were interviewed
      three times: 2-3 weeks, 3-4 months and 8-9 months after surgery between April
      2013 and October 2014. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.
      RESULTS: Participants had diverse needs and preferences. Two overall themes
      emerged: cardiac rehabilitation played an important role in (i) reducing
      insecurity and (ii) helping participants to take active personal responsibility
      for their health. Despite these benefits, participants experienced existential
      and psychological challenges and musculoskeletal problems. Participants also
      sought additional advice from healthcare professionals both inside and outside
      the healthcare system. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the cardiac rehabilitation
      programme reduced insecurity and helped participants take active personal
      responsibility for their health, they experienced existential, psychological and
      physical challenges during recovery. The cardiac rehabilitation programme had
      several limitations, having implications for designing future programmes.

PMID- 28617185
TI  - Correction to: Syrpailyne Wankhar, et al., A versatile stretch sensor for
      measuring physiological movement using a centre loaded, end-supported load cell.

PMID- 28617187
TI  - Retrospective Analysis of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data With the
      Surveillance Error Grid Supports Nonadjunctive Dosing Decisions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess clinical risks of inaccurate continuous
      glucose monitoring (CGM) system readings as estimated by the surveillance error
      grid (SEG). METHODS: Values from Dexcom G4 Platinum system with an advanced
      algorithm (Software 505) were plotted on the SEG with temporally matched
      reference venous (YSI) values collected during clinic visits on days 1, 4, and 7
      of sensor wear. Data from a pediatric study (N = 79, age [mean +/- SD] 12.2 +/-
      4.6 years, all with type 1 diabetes) and an adult study (N = 51, age 46.7 +/-
      15.8 years, 44 with type 1 diabetes and 7 with type 2 diabetes) were used.
      RESULTS: Pediatric data included 2262 paired points, of which 1990 (88.0%) were
      in the "no risk" zone. Adult data included 2263 paired points, of which 2056
      (90.9%) were in the "no risk" zone. Performance was best on Day 4, when 92.7% and
      93.3% of points from the pediatric and adult studies, respectively, were in the
      "no risk" zone. Nine of the 4525 points (<0.2%) from 5 different sensors were in
      zones representing moderate risk, and none were in zones representing great or
      extreme risk. CONCLUSIONS: SEG analysis suggests that in pediatric and adult
      subjects with diabetes, using CGM values for diabetes management poses minimal
      risk to the user. CGM users also benefit from glucose trends and alerts.

PMID- 28617189
TI  - Stability of continuous and fed batch sequential anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic moving
      bed bioreactor systems at phenol shock load application.
AB  - The stability of two sequential moving bed bioreactor systems operated in
      anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic continuous moving bed bioreactor (CMBR: R1-R2-R3) and
      semi-continuous fed batch moving bed bioreactor (FMBR: B1-B2-B3) modes was
      assessed for phenol shock load (PSL) applications in the presence of thiocyanate
      and ammonia. Both the systems were exposed to 3000 mg phenol/L (PSL-I) and 3500
      mg phenol/L (PSL-II) for 3 days each from initial 2500 mg phenol/L without any
      intermediate concentration at 6 days HRT (hydraulic retention time). The effect
      of PSL-I on R1 was reversible within 10-12 days. At PSL-II, R1 required 2 days
      stop of feed for stability and resumed removal efficiency of phenol (15%) and COD
      (3%). R2 remained robust to sustain both PSLs and recovered within 15 days from
      peak influent concentrations of 1727 mg phenol/L (removal: 67%) and 324 mg SCN-
      /L (removal: 68-70%). In B1, effluent COD increased by 2%, though effluent phenol
      decreased by 3% than the pre-shock condition after PSL-I exposure. B2 acted
      similar to R2 when exposed to PSLs. The effect of PSL-I on R3 and B3 was
      negligible. However, at PSL-II R3 became vulnerable for nitrification, whereas
      phenol, COD and SCN- removal remained unaffected. In B3, PSL-II caused a decrease
      in phenol, SCN- and NH+4-N removal. In B3, stop of feed for 4 days also did not
      improve nitrification. The performance of the CMBR system was better than that of
      the FMBR system for organic shock load exposure in the presence of multiple
      pollutants.

PMID- 28617188
TI  - Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Inhibitory Effects of Qingzaojiufei Decoction
      on Tumor Growth in Lewis Lung Carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Qingzaojiufei decoction (QD) is an empirical herbal formula from
      traditional Chinese medicine that is used for the treatment of lung-related
      diseases. However, the effect of QD on the growth of lung tumor cells has not
      been investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the antitumor activity of
      QD in Lewis lung carcinomas (LLC) in vivo and in vitro, and to elucidate the
      underlying mechanisms. METHODS: The LLC cells were used to assess the antitumor
      activity of QD by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay in vitro. In vivo, mice were randomly
      assigned to 5 groups (n = 10/group): the model control (MC) group was
      intragastrically administered physiological saline (0.9% NaCl) twice daily from
      day 2 after tumor implantation for 2 weeks. The QD groups were intragastrically
      administered QD twice daily from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after tumor
      implantation for 4 weeks. The mRNA levels were detected by quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction, the proteins expression was determined by
      immunohistochemistry or western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the model group,
      QD showed inhibition of proliferation of LLC cells and reductions in tumor weight
      and proliferating cell nuclear antigen protein expression. Furthermore, QD up
      regulated p53 mRNA expression, and downregulated c-myc and Bcl-2 mRNA expression,
      while MMP-9, VEGF, and VEGFR protein expression was suppressed. Phosphorylated
      ERK1/2 levels were also reduced by QD in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our
      findings suggest that QD inhibited lung tumor growth and proliferation, by
      activation of tumor suppressor genes, inactivation of oncogenes, suppressing the
      potential for invasion and metastasis, and attenuating angiogenesis. The
      ERK/VEGF/MMPs signaling pathways may play an important role in QD-induced
      inhibition of malignant tumor cell proliferation.

PMID- 28617190
TI  - Experimental and theoretical studies of cadmium ions absorption by a new reduced
      recombinant defensin.
AB  - Heavy metal pollutants such as Cd, Hg, Pb, As, and Se are considered as both a
      global problem and a growing threat to the humanity. Being strongly poisonous to
      the metal-sensitive enzymes and leading to the growth inhibition and death of
      organisms, these metals have a toxic impact on the plants and animals. Inducing
      the metal-binding cysteine-rich peptides such as metallothioneins,
      phytochelatins, and defensins, higher organisms like plants and animals usually
      react to the heavy metal stress. In this study, a recombinant defensin protein
      was expressed in bean and its ability in the cadmium absorption was determined.
      Experimental studies revealed that this protein was able to absorb cadmium ions
      in reduced form more than oxide one. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried
      out in order to evaluation of experimental studies, using a model of Cd2+ or Na+
      and Cl- ions enclosed in a fully hydrated simulation box with the recombinant
      defensin. The theoretical results also suggested that the reduced recombinant
      defensin was more powerful in the absorption of Cd2+ than its oxide form. The
      present study is the first report of Cd2+ absorption potential of this new
      reduced recombinant defensin. The results unraveled that this recombinant
      defensin can be adopted as a molecular switch in the cadmium pollution of the
      environment and also the important role of sulfur groups in the absorption of
      cadmium ions.

PMID- 28617191
TI  - Operator models for delivering municipal solid waste management services in
      developing countries: Part B: Decision support.
AB  - This is the second of two papers reporting the results of a major study
      considering 'operator models' for municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in
      emerging and developing countries. Part A documents the evidence base, while Part
      B presents a four-step decision support system for selecting an appropriate
      operator model in a particular local situation. Step 1 focuses on understanding
      local problems and framework conditions; Step 2 on formulating and prioritising
      local objectives; and Step 3 on assessing capacities and conditions, and thus
      identifying strengths and weaknesses, which underpin selection of the operator
      model. Step 4A addresses three generic questions, including public versus private
      operation, inter-municipal co-operation and integration of services. For steps 1
      4A, checklists have been developed as decision support tools. Step 4B helps
      choose locally appropriate models from an evidence-based set of 42 common
      operator models ( coms); decision support tools here are a detailed catalogue of
      the coms, setting out advantages and disadvantages of each, and a decision-making
      flowchart. The decision-making process is iterative, repeating steps 2-4 as
      required. The advantages of a more formal process include avoiding pre-selection
      of a particular com known to and favoured by one decision maker, and also its
      assistance in identifying the possible weaknesses and aspects to consider in the
      selection and design of operator models. To make the best of whichever operator
      models are selected, key issues which need to be addressed include the capacity
      of the public authority as 'client', management in general and financial
      management in particular.

PMID- 28617192
TI  - Emerging biologic therapies for hypercholesterolaemia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) is one of the most well-established risk
      factors for CV disease. Indeed, therapies that decrease LDL-C are proven to
      effectively reduce the risk of atherosclerotic CV disease. Monoclonal antibodies
      (mAbs) that target proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) have
      recently gained traction as a promising therapeutic strategy. Areas covered: In
      this review, the authors discuss the effectiveness of mAbs against PCSK9 in
      lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other atherogenic lipid
      fractions. The discontinuation in the development of bococizumab due to efficacy
      and safety concerns, and the initial promising data about inclisiran, a long
      acting small inhibiting RNA molecule against PCSK9 synthesis, is also discussed.
      Expert opinion: Initial data about cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in large scale,
      long-term studies suggest a possible further therapeutic pathway for LDL-C
      reduction, and currently support the notion that further LDL-C reduction,
      obtained with PCSK9 inhibition on top of best available therapy, provides
      increased CV protection in subjects at very high CV risk. The development and
      marketing of mAbs against PCSK9 could help to redefine current therapeutic
      strategies aimed at reducing cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and risk, through the
      reduction of LDL-C concentrations. The cost-effectiveness of these emerging drugs
      is yet to be established.

PMID- 28617193
TI  - Are Contact Precautions ethically justifiable in contemporary hospital care?
AB  - : Hospital infection control practices known as Contact Precautions are
      recommended for the management of people with pathogens such as methicillin
      resistant Staphylococcus aureus or vancomycin-resistant Enterococci. BACKGROUND:
      The patient is isolated, and staff are required to wear gloves, and a gown or
      apron when providing care. A notice is displayed to remind staff of these
      requirements and an 'alert' message is placed in the patient's medical record.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to discuss and explore whether practices
      used in hospitals to reduce the transmission of endemic antibiotic-resistant
      organisms are ethically justified in today's healthcare environment in the
      developed world. In order to do this, the history of the development of these
      practices is summarised, and the evidence base for their effectiveness is
      reviewed. Key bioethics principles are then discussed and contextualised from the
      perspective of hospital infection prevention and control, and an ethically
      superior model for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infection
      is proposed.

PMID- 28617194
TI  - Impact of online toxicology training on health professionals: the Global
      Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP), supported
      by the American College of Medical Toxicology, links countries with and without
      toxicology services via distance education with the aim to improve education. Due
      to the lack of toxicology services in some countries there is a knowledge gap in
      the management of poisonings. We describe our experience with the worldwide
      delivery of an online introductory toxicology curriculum to emergency doctors and
      other health professionals treating poisoned patients. METHODS: We delivered a 15
      module introductory Internet-based toxicology curriculum to emergency doctors and
      health professionals, conducted from August to December 2016. This Internet-based
      curriculum was adapted from one used to teach emergency residents toxicology in
      the United States. Modules covered themes such as pharmaceutical (n = 8),
      toxidromes (n = 2) and agrochemicals (n = 5) poisoning. Participants completed
      pre-test and post-test multiple choice questions (MCQs) before and after
      completing the online module, respectively, throughout the course. We collected
      information on participant demographics, education and training, and perception
      of relevance of the curriculum. Participants gave feedback on the course and how
      it affected their practice. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six health
      professionals from 33 countries participated in the course: 98 emergency
      doctors/medical officers, 25 physicians, eight pharmacists/poisons information
      specialists, two toxicologists, two medical students and one nurse. Median age of
      participants was 34 years. Median number of years postgraduate was seven. Ninety
      (65%) had access to either a poisons information centre over the phone or
      toxicologist and 48 (35%) did not. All participants expected the course to help
      improve their knowledge. Overall median pre-module MCQ scores were 56% (95%CI:
      38, 75%) compared to post-module MCQ scores median 89% (95% CI: 67, 100%) (p <
      .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our participants demonstrated an increase in medical
      knowledge based on performance on MCQs. An online toxicology curriculum is an
      effective way to deliver education to health professionals treating poisoned
      patients and can help to bridge the knowledge gap and change practice in
      developed and developing countries.

PMID- 28617195
TI  - Light- and clock-control of genes involved in detoxification.
AB  - Circadian regulation of hepatic detoxification seems to be amongst the key roles
      of the biological clock. The liver is the major site for biotransformation, and
      in mammals, it contains several clock-controlled transcription factors such as
      proline and acidic amino acid-rich basic leucine zipper proteins (PAR bZIP) and
      basic-helix-loop-helix Per-Arnt-Sim (bHLH-PAS) family that act as circadian
      regulators of detoxification genes. This investigation explored the existence of
      daily and circadian expression of transcription factors involved in
      detoxification, as well as the temporal profile of a set of their target genes in
      zebrafish liver. In our study, zebrafish were able to synchronize to a light-dark
      (LD) cycle and displayed a diurnal pattern of activity. In addition, the
      expression of clock genes presented daily and circadian rhythmicity in liver.
      Apart from hlfa, the expression of PAR bZIP transcription factors also displayed
      daily rhythms, which appeared to be both light-dependent and clock-controlled, as
      circadian rhythms free-ran under constant conditions (continuous darkness, DD).
      Under LD, tefb, dbpa and dbpb expression peaked at the end of the darkness period
      whereas tefa showed peak levels of expression at the onset of the photophase. In
      addition, these four genes exhibited circadian expression under DD, with higher
      expression levels at the end of the subjective night. The expression of the bHLH
      PAS transcription factor arh2 also showed circadian rhythmicity in zebrafish
      liver, peaking in the middle of the subjective night and approximately 3-4 h
      before peak expression of the PAR bZIP genes. Regarding the detoxification genes,
      the major target gene of AhR, cyp1a, showed daily and circadian expression with
      an acrophase 2 h after ahr2. Under LD, abcb4 also showed daily rhythmicity, with
      an acrophase 1-2 h after that of PAR bZIP factors during the transition between
      darkness and light phases, when zebrafish become active. However, the expression
      of six detoxification genes showed circadian rhythmicity under DD, including
      cyp1a and abcb4 as well as gstr1, mgst3a, abcg2 and sult2_st2. In all cases, the
      acrophases of these genes were found during the second half of the subjective
      night, in phase with the PAR bZIP transcription factors. This suggested that
      their expression is clock-controlled, either directly by core clock genes or
      through transcription factors. This study presents new data demonstrating that
      the process of detoxification is under circadian control in fish. Results showed
      that time of day should be considered when designing toxicological studies or
      administering drugs to fish.

PMID- 28617196
TI  - Factors Associated With Having a Physician, Nurse Practitioner, or Physician
      Assistant as Primary Care Provider for Veterans With Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - Expanded use of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) is a
      potential solution to workforce issues, but little is known about how NPs and PAs
      can best be used. Our study examines whether medical and social complexity of
      patients is associated with whether their primary care provider (PCP) type is a
      physician, NP, or PA. In this national retrospective cohort study, we use 2012
      2013 national Veterans Administration (VA) electronic health record data from 374
      223 veterans to examine whether PCP type is associated with patient, clinic, and
      state-level factors representing medical and social complexity, adjusting for all
      variables simultaneously using a generalized logit model. Results indicate that
      patients with physician PCPs are modestly more medically complex than those with
      NP or PA PCPs. For the group having a Diagnostic Cost Group (DCG) score >2.0
      compared with the group having DCG <0.5, odds of having an NP or a PA were lower
      than for having a physician PCP (NP odds ratio [OR] = 0.83, 95% confidence
      interval [CI]: 0.79-0.88; PA OR = 0.85, CI: 0.80-0.89). Social complexity is not
      consistently associated with PCP type. Overall, we found minor differences in
      provider type assignment. This study improves on previous work by using a large
      national dataset that accurately ascribes the work of NPs and PAs, analyzing at
      the patient level, analyzing NPs and PAs separately, and addressing social as
      well as medical complexity. This is a requisite step toward studies that compare
      patient outcomes by provider type.

PMID- 28617198
TI  - Thinking about the environment and theorising change: how could Life History
      Strategy Theory inform mHealth interventions in low- and middle-income countries?
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a growing body of literature outlining the promise of mobile
      information and communication technologies to improve healthcare in resource
      constrained contexts. METHODS: We reviewed the literature related to mobile
      information and communication technologies which aim to improve healthcare in
      resource-constrained contexts, in order to glean general observations regarding
      the state of mHealth in high-income countries (HIC) and low- and middle-income
      countries (LMIC). RESULTS: mHealth interventions in LMIC often differ
      substantively from those in HIC, with the former being simpler, delivered through
      a single digital component (an SMS as opposed to a mobile phone application, or
      'app'), and, as a result, targeting only one of the many factors which impact on
      the activation (or deactivation) of the target behaviour. Almost as a rule, LMIC
      mHealth interventions lack an explicit theory of change. CONCLUSION: We highlight
      the necessity, when designing mHealth interventions, of having a theory of change
      that encompasses multiple salient perspectives pertaining to human behaviour. To
      address this need, we explore whether the concept of Life History Strategy could
      provide the mHealth field with a useful theory of change. Life History Strategy
      Theory may be particularly useful in understanding some of the problems,
      paradoxes, and limitations of mHealth interventions found in LMIC. Specifically,
      this theory illuminates questions regarding 'light-weight' programmes which
      solely provide information, reminders, and other virtual 'nudges' that may have
      limited impact on behaviours governed by extrinsic structural factors.

PMID- 28617199
TI  - An optimal ultrasonographic diagnostic test for early gout: A prospective
      controlled study.
AB  - Objective To identify the optimal sites for classification of early gout by
      ultrasonography. Methods Sixty patients with monosodium urate crystal-proven gout
      (25 with early gout [<=2-year symptom duration], 35 with late gout [>2-year
      symptom duration], and 36 normouricemic healthy controls) from one centre were
      prospectively evaluated. Standardized blinded ultrasound examination of 36 joints
      and the triceps and patellar tendons was performed to identify tophi and the
      double contour (DC) sign. Results Ultrasonographic sensitivity was lower in early
      than late gout. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that two
      ultrasonographic signs (tophi in the first metatarsophalangeal joint [odds ratio,
      16.46] and the DC sign in the ankle [odds ratio, 25.18]) significantly
      contributed to the final model for early gout diagnosis (sensitivity and
      specificity of 84% and 81%, respectively). The inter-reader reliability kappa
      value for the DC sign and tophi was 0.712. Conclusions Four-joint investigation
      (both first metatarsophalangeal joints for tophi and both ankles for the DC sign)
      is feasible and reliable and could be proposed as a screening test for early
      ultrasonographic gout classification in daily practice.

PMID- 28617200
TI  - Exposure to PFOA and PFOS and fetal growth: a critical merging of toxicological
      and epidemiological data.
AB  - : Toxicological and epidemiological evidence on the association between
      perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and
      birth/fetal weight was assessed. An extensive search for toxicological
      information in rats and mice, and a systematic search for epidemiological
      evidence were conducted. The linear regression coefficient (LRC) of birth weight
      (BrthW) on PFOA/PFOS was considered, and separate random effects meta-analyses
      for untransformed (i.e. not mathematically transformed) and log-transformed
      values were performed. Toxicological evidence: PFOA: 12 studies (21 datasets) in
      mice showed statistically significant lower birth/fetal weights from 5 mg/kg body
      weight per day. PFOS: most of the 13 studies (19 datasets) showed lower
      birth/fetal weights following in utero exposure. Epidemiological evidence:
      Sixteen articles were considered. The pooled LRC for a 1 ng/mL increase in
      untransformed PFOA (12 studies) in maternal plasma/serum was -12.8 g (95% CI 
      23.2; 2.4), and -27.1 g (95% CI -50.6; -3.6) for an increase of 1 loge ng/mL PFOA
      (nine studies). The pooled LRC for untransformed PFOS (eight studies) was -0.92 g
      (95%CI -3.4; 1.6), and for an increase of 1 loge ng/mL was -46.1(95% CI -80.3; 
      11.9). No consistent pattern emerged for study location or timing of blood
      sampling. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological and toxicological evidence suggests that
      PFOA and PFOS elicit a decrease in BrthW both in humans and rodents. However, the
      effective animal extrapolated serum concentrations are 102-103 times higher than
      those in humans. Thus, there is no quantitative toxicological evidence to support
      the epidemiological association, thus reducing the biological plausibility of a
      causal relationship.

PMID- 28617201
TI  - A comprehensive review of regulatory test methods for endocrine adverse health
      effects.
AB  - Development of new endocrine disruption-relevant test methods has been the
      subject of intensive research efforts for the past several decades, prompted in
      part by mandates in the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). While scientific
      understanding and test methods have advanced, questions remain on whether current
      scientific methods are capable of adequately addressing the complexities of the
      endocrine system for regulatory health and ecological risk assessments. The
      specific objective of this article is to perform a comprehensive, detailed
      evaluation of the adequacy of current test methods to inform regulatory risk
      assessments of whether a substance has the potential to perturb endocrine-related
      pathways resulting in human adverse effects. To that end,  approximately 42
      existing test guidelines (TGs) were considered in the evaluation of coverage for
      endocrine-related adverse effects. In addition to evaluations of whether test
      methods are adequate to capture endocrine-related effects, considerations of
      further enhancements to current test methods, along with the need to develop
      novel test methods to address existing test method gaps are described. From this
      specific evaluation, up to 35 test methods are capable of informing whether a
      chemical substance perturbs known endocrine related biological pathways. Based on
      these findings, it can be concluded that current validated test methods are
      adequate to discern substances that may perturb the endocrine system, resulting
      in an adverse health effect. Together, these test methods predominantly form the
      core data requirements of a typical food-use pesticide registration submission.
      It is recognized, however, that the current state of science is rapidly advancing
      and there is a need to update current test methods to include added enhancements
      to ensure continued coverage and public health and environmental protection.

PMID- 28617197
TI  - Chronic early life stress induced by limited bedding and nesting (LBN) material
      in rodents: critical considerations of methodology, outcomes and translational
      potential.
AB  - The immediate and long-term effects of exposure to early life stress (ELS) have
      been documented in humans and animal models. Even relatively brief periods of
      stress during the first 10 days of life in rodents can impact later behavioral
      regulation and the vulnerability to develop adult pathologies, in particular an
      impairment of cognitive functions and neurogenesis, but also modified social,
      emotional, and conditioned fear responses. The development of preclinical models
      of ELS exposure allows the examination of mechanisms and testing of therapeutic
      approaches that are not possible in humans. Here, we describe limited bedding and
      nesting (LBN) procedures, with models that produce altered maternal behavior
      ranging from fragmentation of care to maltreatment of infants. The purpose of
      this paper is to discuss important issues related to the implementation of this
      chronic ELS procedure and to describe some of the most prominent endpoints and
      consequences, focusing on areas of convergence between laboratories. Effects on
      the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, gut axis and metabolism are
      presented in addition to changes in cognitive and emotional functions.
      Interestingly, recent data have suggested a strong sex difference in some of the
      reported consequences of the LBN paradigm, with females being more resilient in
      general than males. As both the chronic and intermittent variants of the LBN
      procedure have profound consequences on the offspring with minimal external
      intervention from the investigator, this model is advantageous ecologically and
      has a large translational potential. In addition to the direct effect of ELS on
      neurodevelopmental outcomes, exposure to adverse early environments can also have
      intergenerational impacts on mental health and function in subsequent generation
      offspring. Thus, advancing our understanding of the effect of ELS on brain and
      behavioral development is of critical concern for the health and wellbeing of
      both the current population, and for generations to come.

PMID- 28617202
TI  - Hospital Capital Investment During the Great Recession.
AB  - Hospital capital investment is important for acquiring and maintaining technology
      and equipment needed to provide health care. Reduction in capital investment by a
      hospital has negative implications for patient outcomes. Most hospitals rely on
      debt and internal cash flow to fund capital investment. The great recession may
      have made it difficult for hospitals to borrow, thus reducing their capital
      investment. I investigated the impact of the great recession on capital
      investment made by California hospitals. Modeling how hospital capital investment
      may have been liquidity constrained during the recession is a novel contribution
      to the literature. I estimated the model with California Office of Statewide
      Health Planning and Development data and system generalized method of moments.
      Findings suggest that not-for-profit and public hospitals were liquidity
      constrained during the recession. Comparing the changes in hospital capital
      investment between 2006 and 2009 showed that hospitals used cash flow to increase
      capital investment by $2.45 million, other things equal.

PMID- 28617203
TI  - Effects of increased participation on veteran running performance.
AB  - Contrary to elite performance that is approaching an asymptote, recent analyses
      suggested a trend for improvement in veterans. This might be attributable to a
      disproportionate increase in older age-group participation. We extracted 26 years
      (1987-2012) of men's results of a running event in Switzerland, "La Course de
      l'Escalade" (7.25 km). We investigated trends in performance by five-year age
      groups, taking the 10, 20, 30, and 50 fastest in each group, and then the 1st,
      5th, and 10th percentiles. Taking the 10, 20, 30 or 50 fastest runners there was
      a trend for improvement ranging from 0.07 to 0.22 min.year-1 (p < .0001; 95% CI 
      0.083 to -0.049 and p < .0001; 95% CI -0.250 to -0.196 respectively) in the elder
      age-groups. Taking the 1st, 5th, and 10th percentiles there were no trends for
      improvement, and actual deteriorations up to 0.13 (p < .0001; 95% CI +0.119 to
      +0.138) min.year-1. Mixed-effect models with repeated measures for runners,
      confirmed a global deteriorating trend with an estimate of +0.11 min.year-1 (p <
      .0001; 95% CI +0.107 to +0.116). The results suggest that increases in
      performance in older runners arise from modifications of sampling from a growing
      population.

PMID- 28617204
TI  - Is the Clinical High-Risk State a Valid Concept? Retrospective Examination in a
      First-Episode Psychosis Sample.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: One reason for worldwide interest in the clinical high-risk (CHR)
      state for psychosis is its potential as a target for prevention. However, the
      feasibility and utility of early intervention initiatives that are focused on
      this stage involve an untested assumption: that most patients with a first
      episode of psychosis (FEP) experience earlier CHR symptoms. The objective of this
      study was to identify and characterize the proportion of FEP patients who had
      experienced such symptoms prior to the onset of their psychosis. METHODS:
      Semistructured interviews of 351 patients and families with the Circumstances of
      Onset and Relapse Schedule were supplemented by chart reviews in a catchment area
      based sample of FEP patients. Information was extracted regarding pathways to
      care and psychiatric and behavioral changes over time. Experts (N=30) working in
      FEP and CHR settings identified which of 27 early signs and symptoms constitute
      attenuated positive or subthreshold psychotic symptoms (APSPS) if they appear
      prior to a syndromal-level psychotic episode. RESULTS: Nine early signs and
      symptoms were endorsed by the experts as representing APSPS. More than half of
      consenting patients, and two-thirds (68%) of those who completed all assessments,
      had experienced at least one such sign or symptom prior to their FEP. The groups
      with and without APSPS were similar in social, demographic, and clinical
      characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Most consenting patients with an FEP had
      experienced previous signs and symptoms consistent with a CHR state prior to the
      onset of threshold-level psychotic symptoms, although a substantial minority had
      not. This finding validates the viability of the CHR construct as a potential
      target for early case identification and preventive and therapeutic
      interventions.

PMID- 28617205
TI  - Establishing a Research Agenda for Understanding the Role and Impact of Mental
      Health Peer Specialists.
AB  - Mental health peer specialists are individuals with serious mental illnesses who
      receive training to use their lived experiences to help others with serious
      mental illnesses in clinical settings. This Open Forum discusses the state of the
      research for mental health peer specialists and suggests a research agenda to
      advance the field. Studies have suggested that peer specialists vary widely in
      their roles, settings, and theoretical orientations. Theories of action have been
      proposed, but none have been tested. Outcome studies have shown benefits of peer
      specialists; however, many studies have methodological shortcomings. Qualitative
      descriptions of peer specialists are plentiful but lack grounding in
      implementation science frameworks. A research agenda advancing the field could
      include empirically testing theoretical mechanisms of peer specialists,
      developing a measure of peer specialist fidelity, conducting more rigorous
      outcomes studies, involving peer specialists in executing the research, and
      assessing various factors that influence implementing peer specialist services
      and testing strategies that could address those factors.

PMID- 28617206
TI  - Utilization Patterns at a Specialized Children's Comprehensive Psychiatric
      Emergency Program.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Most youths experiencing a psychiatric crisis present to emergency
      departments (EDs) that lack the specialized staff to evaluate them, so youths are
      often discharged without appropriate mental health assessment or treatment. To
      better understand the needs of this population, this study described clinical
      details and disposition associated with visits for psychiatric emergencies to a
      specialized ED staffed 24/7 by child psychiatrists. METHODS: Through
      retrospective chart review, 1,180 visits to the ED during its first year of
      operation were reviewed for clinical characteristics, prior service utilization,
      and demographic characteristics. Bivariate analyses (chi-square test and Wilcoxon
      rank sum test) compared differences in disposition (evaluate and release, brief
      stabilization, and inpatient psychiatric admission) associated with
      characteristics of the children's first visit (N=885). Measures with bivariate
      association of p<.10 were further assessed by using multinomial logistic
      regression analyses. RESULTS: For most visits (59%), children were evaluated and
      released, 13% were briefly stabilized, and 28% were admitted for psychiatric
      treatment. Youths with mood or psychotic disorders were more likely to be
      admitted, as were those with current suicidality or aggression. Many youths who
      presented with aggression were also identified as having suicidality or self
      harm. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical factors, especially suicidality, predicted
      psychiatric admission. Admission rates for youths with suicidality were
      significantly higher in this study than previously reported, suggesting the
      availability of child psychiatrists in this ED allowed greater ascertainment of
      suicide risk (and thus hospitalization to mitigate that risk) than occurs in EDs
      without such staffing.

PMID- 28617207
TI  - Development and Validation of a Scale Assessing Mental Health Clinicians'
      Experiences of Associative Stigma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Mental health professionals who work with people with serious mental
      illnesses are believed to experience associative stigma. Evidence suggests that
      associative stigma could play an important role in the erosion of empathy among
      professionals; however, no validated measure of the construct currently exists.
      This study examined the convergent and discriminant validity and factor structure
      of a new scale assessing the associative stigma experiences of clinicians working
      with people with serious mental illnesses. METHODS: A total of 473 clinicians
      were recruited from professional associations in the United States and
      participated in an online study. Participants completed the Clinician Associative
      Stigma Scale (CASS) and measures of burnout, quality of care, expectations about
      recovery, and self-efficacy. RESULTS: Associative stigma experiences were
      commonly endorsed; eight items on the 18-item scale were endorsed as being
      experienced "sometimes" or "often" by over 50% of the sample. The new measure
      demonstrated a logical four-factor structure: "negative stereotypes about
      professional effectiveness," "discomfort with disclosure," "negative stereotypes
      about people with mental illness," and "stereotypes about professionals' mental
      health." The measure had good internal consistency. It was significantly related
      to measures of burnout and quality of care, but it was not related to measures of
      self-efficacy or expectations about recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that
      the CASS is internally consistent and shows evidence of convergent validity and
      that associative stigma is commonly experienced by mental health professionals
      who work with people with serious mental illnesses.

PMID- 28617208
TI  - Nurse Practitioner Independent Practice Authority and Mental Health Service
      Delivery in U.S. Community Health Centers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Little is known about how nurse practitioner independent practice
      authority (NP-IPA) influences patient care. This study examined the effect of NP
      IPA on patterns of mental health-related visits provided by NPs in U.S. community
      health centers (CHCs). METHODS: State NP regulatory information was linked to
      National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data on NP- and physician-provided visits
      (N=61,457) in CHCs from 2006 through 2011. The proportion of NP-provided versus
      physician-provided mental health-related visits in states with NP-IPA was
      compared with the proportion in states without NP-IPA. The adjusted odds of
      mental health-related visits in CHCs provided by NPs in states with and without
      NP-IPA were compared by using multiple logistic regression models while
      accounting for the complex survey design. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2011, the
      odds of NP- versus physician-provided mental health-related visits in CHCs were
      more than two times greater in states with NP-IPA than in states with no NP-IPA
      (adjusted odds ratio [OR]= 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.12-4.60). In
      contrast, no significant difference between states with and without NP-IPA was
      noted in non-mental health-related CHC visits provided by NPs. Among all mental
      health-related visits, the odds of visits in which psychotropic medications were
      prescribed by an NP were more than three times higher in states with NP-IPA than
      in those without NP-IPA (adjusted OR=3.14, CI=1.50-6.54). CONCLUSIONS: Compared
      with physicians, NPs provided proportionally more CHC mental health-related
      visits in states with NP-IPA than in states without NP-IPA.

PMID- 28617209
TI  - Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention: A Systematic Review Focusing on Veterans.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Suicide rates in veteran and military populations in the United States
      are high. This article reviews studies of the accuracy of methods to identify
      individuals at increased risk of suicide and the effectiveness and adverse
      effects of health care interventions relevant to U.S. veteran and military
      populations in reducing suicide and suicide attempts. METHODS: Trials,
      observational studies, and systematic reviews relevant to U.S. veterans and
      military personnel were identified in searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SocINDEX,
      and Cochrane databases (January 1, 2008, to September 11, 2015), on Web sites,
      and in reference lists. Investigators extracted and confirmed data and dual-rated
      risk of bias for included studies. RESULTS: Nineteen studies evaluated accuracy
      of risk assessment methods, including models using retrospective electronic
      records data and clinician- or patient-rated instruments. Most methods
      demonstrated sensitivity >=80% or area-under-the-curve values >=.70 in single
      studies, including two studies based on electronic records of veterans and
      military personnel, but specificity varied. Suicide rates were reduced in six of
      eight observational studies of population-level interventions. Only two of ten
      trials of individual-level psychotherapy reported statistically significant
      differences between treatment and usual care. CONCLUSIONS: Risk assessment
      methods have been shown to be sensitive predictors of suicide and suicide
      attempts, but the frequency of false positives limits their clinical utility.
      Research to refine these methods and examine clinical applications is needed.
      Studies of suicide prevention interventions are inconclusive; trials of
      population-level interventions and promising therapies are required to support
      their clinical use.

PMID- 28617211
TI  - "Docs vs. Glocks" and the Regulation of Physicians' Speech.
AB  - Physicians increasingly have recognized the importance of asking patients whether
      they own firearms and suggesting safe means of storage. Florida's legislature
      perceived these questions as threats to patients' rights to keep guns and passed
      a law restricting physicians from making such inquiries. When a number of
      physicians and their organizations challenged the law in 2011, a six-year odyssey
      through the courts ensued. In the end, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
      struck down the statute, recognizing that physicians' free speech rights extend
      to communications with patients, a decision that may influence other attempts to
      restrict clinicians' speech.

PMID- 28617210
TI  - Antipsychotic Medication Use Among Publicly Insured Pregnant Women in the United
      States.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Given the increasing use and broadening of indications for use of
      antipsychotic medications in the general population, as well as the paucity of
      information on the safety of this drug class during pregnancy, the study
      documented patterns of antipsychotic medication use among pregnant women.
      METHODS: Medicaid Analytic eXtract data (2001-2010) from pregnant women who
      delivered live-born infants were used. Antipsychotic use at both the class and
      the individual drug level was defined based on dispensed outpatient
      prescriptions. Users' characteristics, including mental disorder diagnoses, were
      described. Temporal trends in use, as well as discontinuation patterns and
      psychotropic polytherapy, during pregnancy were evaluated. RESULTS: Among
      1,522,247 pregnancies, the prevalence of use of second-generation antipsychotics
      at any time during pregnancy increased threefold, from .4% to 1.3%, over the ten
      year period, while the use of first-generation antipsychotics remained stable at
      around .1%. The increased use of second-generation antipsychotics was largely
      driven by more frequent use among patients with bipolar disorder. Quetiapine and
      aripiprazole were the most frequently dispensed drugs, and polytherapy with
      antipsychotics and antidepressants (65.2%), benzodiazepines (24.9%), and other
      mood stabilizers (22.0%) was common. More than 50% of women receiving an
      antipsychotic in the three months prior to pregnancy discontinued the drug during
      pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: A growing number of pregnant women in Medicaid are
      exposed to second-generation antipsychotics, frequently in combination with other
      psychotropic medications. This study highlights the importance of documenting the
      use and safety of these drugs during pregnancy to inform therapeutic decision
      making for pregnant women with psychiatric disorders.

PMID- 28617212
TI  - Leveraging Technology to Address the Quality Chasm in Children's Evidence-Based
      Psychotherapy.
AB  - The quality of psychosocial treatment delivery is highly variable in community
      practice settings, even among well-trained providers. This column discusses the
      potential to improve patient outcomes by targeting two important quality-of-care
      indicators through technology: provider fidelity and children's engagement. A
      case example describes one provider's use of numerous tablet-based activities in
      the context of evidence-based psychotherapy. Providers and families responded
      favorably to this approach in a recent feasibility study funded by the National
      Institute of Mental Health. Further research is needed to determine whether this
      approach may improve outcomes, quality of care, provider fidelity, and patient
      engagement in community mental health service settings.

PMID- 28617213
TI  - Dermoscopy in differentiating palmar syphiloderm from palmar papular psoriasis.
AB  - Palmar syphiloderm is one of the most common presentations of secondary syphilis
      and its recognition is of utmost importance in order to promptly identify such a
      disease and initiate appropriate workup/management. However, the differential
      diagnosis with palmar papular psoriasis often poses some difficulties, with
      consequent possible diagnostic errors/delays and prescription of improper
      therapies. In this report, we underline the role of dermoscopy as a supportive
      tool to facilitate the non-invasive recognition of palmar syphiloderm and its
      distinction from palmar papular psoriasis.

PMID- 28617214
TI  - Clinical Q & A: Translating Therapeutic Temperature Management from Theory to
      Practice.

PMID- 28617215
TI  - Theoretical and applied issues regarding autobiographical belief and
      recollection.

PMID- 28617216
TI  - The effect of performance-based financing on maternal healthcare use in Burundi:
      a two-wave pooled cross-sectional analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several developing countries, especially in Africa, have implemented
      performance-based financing (PBF) schemes with the aim of improving healthcare
      provision. PBF was first implemented in Burundi in 2006 as a pilot programme in
      three provinces and was rolled out nationwide in 2010. OBJECTIVE: To enrich
      existing studies on Burundi in three ways. Firstly, by evaluating the effect of
      PBF on maternal care at primary and hospital levels; secondly, on the possession
      of maternity logbooks for maternal care records; and thirdly, how the amount of
      subsidies influences healthcare outputs. DESIGN: We used data from repeated cross
      sectional surveys in 500 households (intervention group: 225; control group: 275)
      conducted in 2006 and 2008. A total of 274 women, aged 15-49, who had recently
      given birth, were interviewed about the use of maternal healthcare and the
      possession of maternity logbooks. We performed a difference-in-differences
      analysis using pooled cross-sectional survey data from 2006 and 2008. RESULTS: We
      found that PBF is associated with an increased institutional deliveries
      probability of 39.5 percentage points (p < 0.01) - a relative improvement of
      81.8%. Institutional deliveries probability increased significantly only at
      health centre level by 33.6 percentage points (p < 0.01), a  relative rise of
      80.6%. There is an indication of a positive spillover effect of PBF on the
      possession of maternity logbooks. We found no PBF effect on the number of
      antenatal care visits and anti-tetanus immunization. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings
      suggest that institutional delivery highly improved because it came from a low
      baseline and its unit payment was relatively high, leading health workers to
      promote its use. The fact that deliveries mainly increased in health centres and
      not in hospitals may be explained by the context of how health delivery is
      organized in Burundi. Health policymakers have to determine the appropriate
      financial incentives that best influence the improvement of each health service.

PMID- 28617217
TI  - Quantifying and filtering knowledge generated by literature based discovery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Literature based discovery (LBD) automatically infers missed
      connections between concepts in literature. It is often assumed that LBD
      generates more information than can be reasonably examined. METHODS: We present a
      detailed analysis of the quantity of hidden knowledge produced by an LBD system
      and the effect of various filtering approaches upon this. The investigation of
      filtering combined with single or multi-step linking term chains is carried out
      on all articles in PubMed. RESULTS: The evaluation is carried out using both
      replication of existing discoveries, which provides justification for multi-step
      linking chain knowledge in specific cases, and using timeslicing, which gives a
      large scale measure of performance. CONCLUSIONS: While the quantity of hidden
      knowledge generated by LBD can be vast, we demonstrate that (a) intelligent
      filtering can greatly reduce the number of hidden knowledge pairs generated, (b)
      for a specific term, the number of single step connections can be manageable, and

PMID- 28617218
TI  - Multi-scale visual analysis of time-varying electrocorticography data via
      clustering of brain regions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There exists a need for effective and easy-to-use software tools
      supporting the analysis of complex Electrocorticography (ECoG) data.
      Understanding how epileptic seizures develop or identifying diagnostic indicators
      for neurological diseases require the in-depth analysis of neural activity data
      from ECoG. Such data is multi-scale and is of high spatio-temporal resolution.
      Comprehensive analysis of this data should be supported by interactive visual
      analysis methods that allow a scientist to understand functional patterns at
      varying levels of granularity and comprehend its time-varying behavior. RESULTS:
      We introduce a novel multi-scale visual analysis system, ECoG ClusterFlow, for
      the detailed exploration of ECoG data. Our system detects and visualizes dynamic
      high-level structures, such as communities, derived from the time-varying
      connectivity network. The system supports two major views: 1) an overview
      summarizing the evolution of clusters over time and 2) an electrode view using
      hierarchical glyph-based design to visualize the propagation of clusters in their
      spatial, anatomical context. We present case studies that were performed in
      collaboration with neuroscientists and neurosurgeons using simulated and recorded
      epileptic seizure data to demonstrate our system's effectiveness. CONCLUSION:
      ECoG ClusterFlow supports the comparison of spatio-temporal patterns for specific
      time intervals and allows a user to utilize various clustering algorithms.
      Neuroscientists can identify the site of seizure genesis and its spatial
      progression during various the stages of a seizure. Our system serves as a fast
      and powerful means for the generation of preliminary hypotheses that can be used
      as a basis for subsequent application of rigorous statistical methods, with the
      ultimate goal being the clinical treatment of epileptogenic zones.

PMID- 28617220
TI  - A theorem proving approach for automatically synthesizing visualizations of flow
      cytometry data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polychromatic flow cytometry is a popular technique that has wide
      usage in the medical sciences, especially for studying phenotypic properties of
      cells. The high-dimensionality of data generated by flow cytometry usually makes
      it difficult to visualize. The naive solution of simply plotting two-dimensional
      graphs for every combination of observables becomes impractical as the number of
      dimensions increases. A natural solution is to project the data from the original
      high dimensional space to a lower dimensional space while approximately
      preserving the overall relationship between the data points. The expert can then
      easily visualize and analyze this low-dimensional embedding of the original
      dataset. RESULTS: This paper describes a new method, SANJAY, for visualizing high
      dimensional flow cytometry datasets. This technique uses a decision procedure to
      automatically synthesize two-dimensional and three-dimensional projections of the
      original high-dimensional data while trying to minimize distortion. We compare
      SANJAY to the popular multidimensional scaling (MDS) approach for visualization
      of small data sets drawn from a representative set of benchmarks, and our
      experiments show that SANJAY produces distortions that are 1.44 to 4.15 times
      smaller than those caused due to MDS. Our experimental results show that SANJAY
      also outperforms the Random Projections technique in terms of the distortions in
      the projections. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a new algorithmic technique that uses a
      symbolic decision procedure to automatically synthesize low-dimensional
      projections of flow cytometry data that typically have a high number of
      dimensions. Our algorithm is the first application, to our knowledge, of using
      automated theorem proving for automatically generating highly-accurate, low
      dimensional visualizations of high-dimensional data.

PMID- 28617219
TI  - Drug repositioning for enzyme modulator based on human metabolite-likeness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, the metabolite-likeness of the drug space has emerged and
      has opened a new possibility for exploring human metabolite-like candidates in
      drug discovery. However, the applicability of metabolite-likeness in drug
      discovery has been largely unexplored. Moreover, there are no reports on its
      applications for the repositioning of drugs to possible enzyme modulators,
      although enzyme-drug relations could be directly inferred from the similarity
      relationships between enzyme's metabolites and drugs. METHODS: We constructed a
      drug-metabolite structural similarity matrix, which contains 1,861 FDA-approved
      drugs and 1,110 human intermediary metabolites scored with the Tanimoto
      similarity. To verify the metabolite-likeness measure for drug repositioning, we
      analyzed 17 known antimetabolite drugs that resemble the innate metabolites of
      their eleven target enzymes as the gold standard positives. Highly scored drugs
      were selected as possible modulators of enzymes for their corresponding
      metabolites. Then, we assessed the performance of metabolite-likeness with a
      receiver operating characteristic analysis and compared it with other drug-target
      prediction methods. We set the similarity threshold for drug repositioning
      candidates of new enzyme modulators based on maximization of the Youden's index.
      We also carried out literature surveys for supporting the drug repositioning
      results based on the metabolite-likeness. RESULTS: In this paper, we applied
      metabolite-likeness to repurpose FDA-approved drugs to disease-associated enzyme
      modulators that resemble human innate metabolites. All antimetabolite drugs were
      mapped with their known 11 target enzymes with statistically significant
      similarity values to the corresponding metabolites. The comparison with other
      drug-target prediction methods showed the higher performance of metabolite
      likeness for predicting enzyme modulators. After that, the drugs scored higher
      than similarity score of 0.654 were selected as possible modulators of enzymes
      for their corresponding metabolites. In addition, we showed that drug
      repositioning results of 10 enzymes were concordant with the literature evidence.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study introduced a method to predict the repositioning of known
      drugs to possible modulators of disease associated enzymes using human metabolite
      likeness. We demonstrated that this approach works correctly with known
      antimetabolite drugs and showed that the proposed method has better performance
      compared to other drug target prediction methods in terms of enzyme modulators
      prediction. This study as a proof-of-concept showed how to apply metabolite
      likeness to drug repositioning as well as potential in further expansion as we
      acquire more disease associated metabolite-target protein relations.

PMID- 28617221
TI  - Identification of cancer-specific motifs in mimotope profiles of serum antibody
      repertoire.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For fighting cancer, earlier detection is crucial. Circulating auto
      antibodies produced by the patient's own immune system after exposure to cancer
      proteins are promising bio-markers for the early detection of cancer. Since an
      antibody recognizes not the whole antigen but 4-7 critical amino acids within the
      antigenic determinant (epitope), the whole proteome can be represented by a
      random peptide phage display library. This opens the possibility to develop an
      early cancer detection test based on a set of peptide sequences identified by
      comparing cancer patients' and healthy donors' global peptide profiles of
      antibody specificities. RESULTS: Due to the enormously large number of peptide
      sequences contained in global peptide profiles generated by next generation
      sequencing, the large number of cancer and control sera is required to identify
      cancer-specific peptides with high degree of statistical significance. To
      decrease the number of peptides in profiles generated by nextgen sequencing
      without losing cancer-specific sequences we used for generation of profiles the
      phage library enriched by panning on the pool of cancer sera. To further decrease
      the complexity of profiles we used computational methods for transforming a list
      of peptides constituting the mimotope profiles to the list motifs formed by
      similar peptide sequences. CONCLUSION: We have shown that the amino-acid order is
      meaningful in mimotope motifs since they contain significantly more peptides than
      motifs among peptides where amino-acids are randomly permuted. Also the single
      sample motifs significantly differ from motifs in peptides drawn from multiple
      samples. Finally, multiple cancer-specific motifs have been identified.

PMID- 28617222
TI  - An extensive assessment of network alignment algorithms for comparison of brain
      connectomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently the study of the complex system of connections in neural
      systems, i.e. the connectome, has gained a central role in neurosciences. The
      modeling and analysis of connectomes are therefore a growing area. Here we focus
      on the representation of connectomes by using graph theory formalisms.
      Macroscopic human brain connectomes are usually derived from neuroimages; the
      analyzed brains are co-registered in the image domain and brought to a common
      anatomical space. An atlas is then applied in order to define anatomically
      meaningful regions that will serve as the nodes of the network - this process is
      referred to as parcellation. The atlas-based parcellations present some known
      limitations in cases of early brain development and abnormal anatomy.
      Consequently, it has been recently proposed to perform atlas-free random brain
      parcellation into nodes and align brains in the network space instead of the
      anatomical image space, as a way to deal with the unknown correspondences of the
      parcels. Such process requires modeling of the brain using graph theory and the
      subsequent comparison of the structure of graphs. The latter step may be modeled
      as a network alignment (NA) problem. RESULTS: In this work, we first define the
      problem formally, then we test six existing state of the art of network aligners
      on diffusion MRI-derived brain networks. We compare the performances of
      algorithms by assessing six topological measures. We also evaluated the
      robustness of algorithms to alterations of the dataset. CONCLUSION: The results
      confirm that NA algorithms may be applied in cases of atlas-free parcellation for
      a fully network-driven comparison of connectomes. The analysis shows MAGNA++ is
      the best global alignment algorithm. The paper presented a new analysis
      methodology that uses network alignment for validating atlas-free parcellation
      brain connectomes. The methodology has been experimented on several brain
      datasets.

PMID- 28617223
TI  - Coupling effects on turning points of infectious diseases epidemics in scale-free
      networks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pandemic is a typical spreading phenomenon that can be observed in
      the human society and is dependent on the structure of the social network. The
      Susceptible-Infective-Recovered (SIR) model describes spreading phenomena using
      two spreading factors; contagiousness (beta) and recovery rate (gamma). Some
      network models are trying to reflect the social network, but the real structure
      is difficult to uncover. METHODS: We have developed a spreading phenomenon
      simulator that can input the epidemic parameters and network parameters and
      performed the experiment of disease propagation. The simulation result was
      analyzed to construct a new marker VRTP distribution. We also induced the VRTP
      formula for three of the network mathematical models. RESULTS: We suggest new
      marker VRTP (value of recovered on turning point) to describe the coupling
      between the SIR spreading and the Scale-free (SF) network and observe the aspects
      of the coupling effects with the various of spreading and network parameters. We
      also derive the analytic formulation of VRTP in the fully mixed model, the
      configuration model, and the degree-based model respectively in the mathematical
      function form for the insights on the relationship between experimental
      simulation and theoretical consideration. CONCLUSIONS: We discover the coupling
      effect between SIR spreading and SF network through devising novel marker VRTP
      which reflects the shifting effect and relates to entropy.

PMID- 28617224
TI  - ENIGMA-Viewer: interactive visualization strategies for conveying effect sizes in
      meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Global scale brain research collaborations such as the ENIGMA
      (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) consortium are beginning
      to collect data in large quantity and to conduct meta-analyses using uniformed
      protocols. It becomes strategically important that the results can be
      communicated among brain scientists effectively. Traditional graphs and charts
      failed to convey the complex shapes of brain structures which are essential to
      the understanding of the result statistics from the analyses. These problems
      could be addressed using interactive visualization strategies that can link those
      statistics with brain structures in order to provide a better interface to
      understand brain research results. RESULTS: We present ENIGMA-Viewer, an
      interactive web-based visualization tool for brain scientists to compare
      statistics such as effect sizes from meta-analysis results on standardized ROIs
      (regions-of-interest) across multiple studies. The tool incorporates
      visualization design principles such as focus+context and visual data fusion to
      enable users to better understand the statistics on brain structures. To
      demonstrate the usability of the tool, three examples using recent research data
      are discussed via case studies. CONCLUSIONS: ENIGMA-Viewer supports presentations
      and communications of brain research results through effective visualization
      designs. By linking visualizations of both statistics and structures, users can
      gain more insights into the presented data that are otherwise difficult to
      obtain. ENIGMA-Viewer is an open-source tool, the source code and sample data are
      publicly accessible through the NITRC website (
      http://www.nitrc.org/projects/enigmaviewer_20 ). The tool can also be directly
      accessed online ( http://enigma-viewer.org ).

PMID- 28617225
TI  - A greedy alignment-free distance estimator for phylogenetic inference.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alignment-free sequence comparison approaches have been garnering
      increasing interest in various data- and compute-intensive applications such as
      phylogenetic inference for large-scale sequences. While k-mer based methods are
      predominantly used in real applications, the average common substring (ACS)
      approach is emerging as one of the prominent alignment-free approaches. This ACS
      approach has been further generalized by some recent work, either greedily or
      exactly, by allowing a bounded number of mismatches in the common substrings.
      RESULTS: We present ALFRED-G, a greedy alignment-free distance estimator for
      phylogenetic tree reconstruction based on the concept of the generalized ACS
      approach. In this algorithm, we have investigated a new heuristic to efficiently
      compute the lengths of common strings with mismatches allowed, and have further
      applied this heuristic to phylogeny reconstruction. Performance evaluation using
      real sequence datasets shows that our heuristic is able to reconstruct
      comparable, or even more accurate, phylogenetic tree topologies than the kmacs
      heuristic algorithm at highly competitive speed. CONCLUSIONS: ALFRED-G is an
      alignment-free heuristic for evolutionary distance estimation between two
      biological sequences. This algorithm is implemented in C++ and has been
      incorporated into our open-source ALFRED software package (
      http://alurulab.cc.gatech.edu/phylo ).

PMID- 28617226
TI  - Contextualization of drug-mediator relations using evidence networks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Genomic analysis of drug response can provide unique insights into
      therapies that can be used to match the "right drug to the right patient."
      However, the process of discovering such therapeutic insights using genomic data
      is not straightforward and represents an area of active investigation. EDDY
      (Evaluation of Differential DependencY), a statistical test to detect
      differential statistical dependencies, is one method that leverages genomic data
      to identify differential genetic dependencies. EDDY has been used in conjunction
      with the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP), a dataset with drug-response
      measurements for more than 400 small molecules, and RNAseq data of cell lines in
      the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) to find potential drug-mediator pairs.
      Mediators were identified as genes that showed significant change in genetic
      statistical dependencies within annotated pathways between drug sensitive and
      drug non-sensitive cell lines, and the results are presented as a public web
      portal (EDDY-CTRP). However, the interpretability of drug-mediator pairs
      currently hinders further exploration of these potentially valuable results.
      METHODS: In this study, we address this challenge by constructing evidence
      networks built with protein and drug interactions from the STITCH and STRING
      interaction databases. STITCH and STRING are sister databases that catalog known
      and predicted drug-protein interactions and protein-protein interactions,
      respectively. Using these two databases, we have developed a method to construct
      evidence networks to "explain" the relation between a drug and a mediator. 
      RESULTS: We applied this approach to drug-mediator relations discovered in EDDY
      CTRP analysis and identified evidence networks for ~70% of drug-mediator pairs
      where most mediators were not known direct targets for the drug. Constructed
      evidence networks enable researchers to contextualize the drug-mediator pair with
      current research and knowledge. Using evidence networks, we were able to improve
      the interpretability of the EDDY-CTRP results by linking the drugs and mediators
      with genes associated with both the drug and the mediator. CONCLUSION: We
      anticipate that these evidence networks will help inform EDDY-CTRP results and
      enhance the generation of important insights to drug sensitivity that will lead
      to improved precision medicine applications.

PMID- 28617227
TI  - In silico re-identification of properties of drug target proteins.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Computational approaches in the identification of drug targets are
      expected to reduce time and effort in drug development. Advances in genomics and
      proteomics provide the opportunity to uncover properties of druggable genomes.
      Although several studies have been conducted for distinguishing drug targets from
      non-drug targets, they mainly focus on the sequences and functional roles of
      proteins. Many other properties of proteins have not been fully investigated.
      METHODS: Using the DrugBank (version 3.0) database containing nearly 6,816 drug
      entries including 760 FDA-approved drugs and 1822 of their targets and human
      UniProt/Swiss-Prot databases, we defined 1578 non-redundant drug target and
      17,575 non-drug target proteins. To select these non-redundant protein datasets,
      we built four datasets (A, B, C, and D) by considering clustering of paralogous
      proteins. RESULTS: We first reassessed the widely used properties of drug target
      proteins. We confirmed and extended that drug target proteins (1) are likely to
      have more hydrophobic, less polar, less PEST sequences, and more signal peptide
      sequences higher and (2) are more involved in enzyme catalysis, oxidation and
      reduction in cellular respiration, and operational genes. In this study, we
      proposed new properties (essentiality, expression pattern, PTMs, and solvent
      accessibility) for effectively identifying drug target proteins. We found that
      (1) drug targetability and protein essentiality are decoupled, (2) druggability
      of proteins has high expression level and tissue specificity, and (3) functional
      post-translational modification residues are enriched in drug target proteins. In
      addition, to predict the drug targetability of proteins, we exploited two machine
      learning methods (Support Vector Machine and Random Forest). When we predicted
      drug targets by combining previously known protein properties and proposed new
      properties, an F-score of 0.8307 was obtained. CONCLUSIONS: When the newly
      proposed properties are integrated, the prediction performance is improved and
      these properties are related to drug targets. We believe that our study will
      provide a new aspect in inferring drug-target interactions.

PMID- 28617228
TI  - Prediction models for drug-induced hepatotoxicity by using weighted molecular
      fingerprints.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a critical issue in drug
      development because DILI causes failures in clinical trials and the withdrawal of
      approved drugs from the market. There have been many attempts to predict the risk
      of DILI based on in vivo and in silico identification of hepatotoxic compounds.
      In the current study, we propose the in silico prediction model predicting DILI
      using weighted molecular fingerprints. RESULTS: In this study, we used 881 bits
      of molecular fingerprint and used as features describing presence or absence of
      each substructure of compounds. Then, the Bayesian probability of each
      substructure was calculated and labeled (positive or negative for DILI), and a
      weighted fingerprint was determined from the ratio of DILI-positive to DILI
      negative probability values. Using weighted fingerprint features, the prediction
      models were trained and evaluated with the Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector
      Machine (SVM) algorithms. The constructed models yielded accuracies of 73.8% and
      72.6%, AUCs of 0.791 and 0.768 in cross-validation. In independent tests, models
      achieved accuracies of 60.1% and 61.1% for RF and SVM, respectively. The results
      validated that weighted features helped increase overall performance of
      prediction models. The constructed models were further applied to the prediction
      of natural compounds in herbs to identify DILI potential, and 13,996 unique
      herbal compounds were predicted as DILI-positive with the SVM model. CONCLUSIONS:
      The prediction models with weighted features increased the performance compared
      to non-weighted models. Moreover, we predicted the DILI potential of herbs with
      the best performed model, and the prediction results suggest that many herbal
      compounds could have potential to be DILI. We can thus infer that taking natural
      products without detailed references about the relevant pathways may be
      dangerous. Considering the frequency of use of compounds in natural herbs and
      their increased application in drug development, DILI labeling would be very
      important.

PMID- 28617229
TI  - Analyzing the field of bioinformatics with the multi-faceted topic modeling
      technique.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of
      molecular biology and computing technology. To characterize the field as
      convergent domain, researchers have used bibliometrics, augmented with text
      mining techniques for content analysis. In previous studies, Latent Dirichlet
      Allocation (LDA) was the most representative topic modeling technique for
      identifying topic structure of subject areas. However, as opposed to revealing
      the topic structure in relation to metadata such as authors, publication date,
      and journals, LDA only displays the simple topic structure. METHODS: In this
      paper, we adopt the Tang et al.'s Author-Conference-Topic (ACT) model to study
      the field of bioinformatics from the perspective of keyphrases, authors, and
      journals. The ACT model is capable of incorporating the paper, author, and
      conference into the topic distribution simultaneously. To obtain more meaningful
      results, we use journals and keyphrases instead of conferences and bag-of-words..
      For analysis, we use PubMed to collected forty-six bioinformatics journals from
      the MEDLINE database. We conducted time series topic analysis over four periods
      from 1996 to 2015 to further examine the interdisciplinary nature of
      bioinformatics. RESULTS: We analyze the ACT Model results in each period.
      Additionally, for further integrated analysis, we conduct a time series analysis
      among the top-ranked keyphrases, journals, and authors according to their
      frequency. We also examine the patterns in the top journals by simultaneously
      identifying the topical probability in each period, as well as the top authors
      and keyphrases. The results indicate that in recent years diversified topics have
      become more prevalent and convergent topics have become more clearly represented.
      CONCLUSION: The results of our analysis implies that overtime the field of
      bioinformatics becomes more interdisciplinary where there is a steady increase in
      peripheral fields such as conceptual, mathematical, and system biology. These
      results are confirmed by integrated analysis of topic distribution as well as top
      ranked keyphrases, authors, and journals.

PMID- 28617230
TI  - Predicting anatomic therapeutic chemical classification codes using tiered
      learning.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The low success rate and high cost of drug discovery requires the
      development of new paradigms to identify molecules of therapeutic value. The
      Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Code System is a World Health Organization
      (WHO) proposed classification that assigns multi-level codes to compounds based
      on their therapeutic, pharmacological and chemical characteristics as well as the
      in-vivo sites(s) of activity. The ability to predict ATC codes of compounds can
      assist in creation of high-quality chemical libraries for drug screening and in
      applications such as drug repositioning. We propose a machine learning
      architecture called tiered learning for prediction of ATC codes that relies on
      the prediction results of the higher levels of the ATC code to simplify the
      predictions of the lower levels. RESULTS: The proposed approach was validated
      using a number of compounds in both cross-validation and test setting. The
      validation experiments compared chemical descriptors, initialization methods and
      classification algorithms. The prediction accuracy obtained with tiered learning
      was found to be either comparable or better than that of established methods.
      Additionally, the experiments demonstrated the generalizability of the tiered
      learning architecture, in that its use was found to improve prediction rates for
      a majority of machine learning algorithms when compared to their stand-alone
      application. CONCLUSION: The basis of our approach lies in the observation that
      anatomical-therapeutic biological activity of certain types typically precludes
      activities of many other types. Thus, there exists a characteristic distribution
      of the ATC codes, which can be leveraged to limit the search-space of possible
      codes that can be ascribed at a particular level once the codes at the preceding
      levels are known. Tiered learning utilizes this observation to constrain the
      learning space for ATC codes at a particular level based on the ATC code at
      higher levels. This simplifies the prediction and allows for improved accuracy.

PMID- 28617231
TI  - ATria: a novel centrality algorithm applied to biological networks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The notion of centrality is used to identify "important" nodes in
      social networks. Importance of nodes is not well-defined, and many different
      notions exist in the literature. The challenge of defining centrality in
      meaningful ways when network edges can be positively or negatively weighted has
      not been adequately addressed in the literature. Existing centrality algorithms
      also have a second shortcoming, i.e., the list of the most central nodes are
      often clustered in a specific region of the network and are not well represented
      across the network. METHODS: We address both by proposing Ablatio Triadum
      (ATria), an iterative centrality algorithm that uses the concept of "payoffs"
      from economic theory. RESULTS: We compare our algorithm with other known
      centrality algorithms and demonstrate how ATria overcomes several of their
      shortcomings. We demonstrate the applicability of our algorithm to synthetic
      networks as well as biological networks including bacterial co-occurrence
      networks, sometimes referred to as microbial social networks. CONCLUSIONS: We
      show evidence that ATria identifies three different kinds of "important" nodes in
      microbial social networks with different potential roles in the community.

PMID- 28617233
TI  - Demystifying the Publication Process.

PMID- 28617232
TI  - TIGERi: modeling and visualizing the responses to perturbation of a transcription
      factor network.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transcription factor (TF) networks play a key role in controlling the
      transfer of genetic information from gene to mRNA. Much progress has been made on
      understanding and reverse-engineering TF network topologies using a range of
      experimental and theoretical methodologies. Less work has focused on using these
      models to examine how TF networks respond to changes in the cellular environment.
      METHODS: In this paper, we have developed a simple, pragmatic methodology, TIGERi
      (Transcription-factor-activity Illustrator for Global Explanation of Regulatory
      interaction), to model the response of an inferred TF network to changes in
      cellular environment. The methodology was tested using publicly available data
      comparing gene expression profiles of a mouse p38alpha (Mapk14) knock-out line to
      the original wild-type. RESULTS: Using the model, we have examined changes in the
      TF network resulting from the presence or absence of p38alpha. A part of this
      network was confirmed by experimental work in the original paper. Additional
      relationships were identified by our analysis, for example between p38alpha and
      HNF3, and between p38alpha and SOX9, and these are strongly supported by
      published evidence. FXR and MYC were also discovered in our analysis as two novel
      links of p38alpha. To provide a computational methodology to the biomedical
      communities that has more user-friendly interface, we also developed a standalone
      GUI (graphical user interface) software for TIGERi and it is freely available at
      https://github.com/namshik/tigeri/ . CONCLUSIONS: We therefore believe that our
      computational approach can identify new members of networks and new interactions
      between members that are supported by published data but have not been integrated
      into the existing network models. Moreover, ones who want to analyze their own
      data with TIGERi could use the software without any command line experience. This
      work could therefore accelerate researches in transcriptional gene regulation in
      higher eukaryotes.

PMID- 28617234
TI  - The Sociopolitical Context of Canada's National Standard for Psychological Health
      and Safety in the Workplace: Navigating Policy Implementation.
AB  - In January 2013, Canada introduced the National Standard for Psychological Health
      and Safety in the Workplace. This paper describes how the standard, which is the
      first of its kind internationally, came to be the instrument of choice within the
      current Canadian sociopolitical climate. A key consideration was that the policy
      tool had to be packaged in a manner that would be accessible and relevant across
      all workplaces and across all provinces and territories. This paper explores
      possibilities for future regulation of the standard.

PMID- 28617235
TI  - What Do We Know and Not Know about the Professional Integration of International
      Medical Graduates (IMGs) in Canada?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The literature on international medical graduates (IMGs) in Canada is
      growing, but there is a lack of systematic analysis of the literature.
      OBJECTIVES: To examine (1) the major themes in academic and grey literature
      pertaining to professional integration of IMGs in Canada; and (2) the gaps in our
      knowledge on integration of IMGs. METHODS: This paper is based on the scoping
      review of academic and grey literature published during 2001-2013 about IMGs in
      Canada. RESULTS: The literature on IMGs focuses on (1) pre-immigration
      activities; (2) early-arrival activities; (3) credential recognition/professional
      recertification; (4) bridging and residency training; (5) workplace integration;
      and (6) alternative paths to integration. The gaps in the literature include pre
      immigration and early-arrival activities, and alternative paths for integration
      for those IMGs who do not pursue medical license. CONCLUSION: Pre-immigration and
      early-arrival activities and alternative career paths for IMGs should be
      addressed in academic and policy research.

PMID- 28617236
TI  - Retention Patterns of Canadians Who Studied Medicine Abroad and Other
      International Medical Graduates.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Are Canadians who study abroad (CSAs) more likely to stay in Canada
      than other international medical graduates (IMGs)? We looked at retention
      patterns of CSAs and immigrant IMGs who completed post-graduate medical education
      (PGME) training in Canada to describe the proportion and predictors of those
      working in Canada and in rural communities in Canada in 2015. METHODS: We linked
      the National IMG Database to Scott's Medical Database to track the work locations
      of CSAs and immigrant IMGs in 2015. RESULTS: Of the 1,214 IMGs who entered PGME
      training in Canada between 2005 and 2011, most were working in Canada in 2015
      (88.0%). Relatively few IMGs worked in rural communities (9.1%). There were no
      differences in work location patterns of CSAs and immigrant IMGs. CONCLUSION:
      Contrary to what CSA advocates suggest, CSAs have the same retention patterns as
      immigrant IMGs. PGME admission policies should treat all IMGs in the same manner,
      regardless of their citizenship or residency before medical school.

PMID- 28617237
TI  - Reforming Refugee Healthcare in Canada: Exploring the Use of Policy Tools.
AB  - Refugee healthcare in Canada has been a controversial and heavily debated topic
      over the past several years. In this paper, we present a policy analysis of the
      2012 Canadian federal government decision to change the criteria and funding of
      the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). The IFHP provides federally funded
      healthcare coverage for refugees until they gain access to provincially funded
      health insurance. The paper offers a policy perspective on the changes to refugee
      health coverage over time. We draw on the policy concepts of agenda setting,
      framing, venues and causal stories to explore this topic. We suggest that these
      concepts represent a set of tools for both researchers and laypersons to
      critically appraise any issue on the policy agenda, and understand how certain
      topics become policy issues and why they are "solved" in particular ways.

PMID- 28617238
TI  - Public Health Policy in Support of Insurance Coverage for Smoking Cessation
      Treatments.
AB  - Insurance coverage for evidence-based smoking cessation treatments (SCTs)
      promotes uptake and reduces smoking rates. Published studies in this area are
      based in the US where employers are the primary source of health insurance. In
      Ontario, Canada, publicly funded healthcare does not cover SCTs, but it can be
      supplemented with employer-sponsored benefit plans. This study explores factors
      affecting the inclusion/exclusion of smoking cessation (SC) benefits. In total,
      17 interviews were conducted with eight employers (auto, retail, banking,
      municipal and university industries), four health insurers, two government
      representatives and three advisors/consultants. Overall, SCT coverage varied
      among industries; it was inconsistently restrictive and SCT differed by coverage
      amount and length of use. Barriers impeding coverage included the lack of the
      following: Canadian-specific return on investment (ROI), SC cost information,
      employer demand, government regulations/incentives and employee awareness of and
      demand. A Canadian evidence-based calculation of ROI for SC coupled with
      government incentives and public education may be needed to promote uptake of SCT
      coverage by employers.

PMID- 28617239
TI  - Bifurcation of Health Policy Regimes: A Study of Sleep Apnea Care and Benefits
      Coverage in Saskatchewan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A complex, poorly understood bifurcated health policy regime exists
      for Canada's First Nations people for extended health benefits coverage. This
      research adds to a small body of literature on the regime's impact on access and
      quality of care and its role in perpetuating health inequities in First Nations
      populations. METHODS: Using a case study of sleep apnea care in Saskatchewan, we
      identified issues of health service access and coverage through a literature
      review of extended benefits programs, legislation and policies and through 10 key
      informant interviews with federal and provincial extended benefit program
      administrators and sleep medicine physicians. RESULTS: Important access and
      coverage differences were found for First Nations populations, many of which were
      recognized by federal and provincial policy makers. Despite these, government
      respondents recommended few policy ameliorations, perhaps due to system
      complexities, constitutional constraints or political sensitivities. CONCLUSIONS:
      We suggest three policy options to ameliorate current hardships wrought by this
      policy bifurcation.

PMID- 28617240
TI  - What carcinoembryonic antigen level should trigger further investigation during
      colorectal cancer follow-up? A systematic review and secondary analysis of a
      randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Following primary surgical and adjuvant treatment for colorectal
      cancer, many patients are routinely followed up with blood carcinoembryonic
      antigen (CEA) testing. OBJECTIVE: To determine how the CEA test result should be
      interpreted to inform the decision to undertake further investigation to detect
      treatable recurrences. DESIGN: Two studies were conducted: (1) a Cochrane review
      of existing studies describing the diagnostic accuracy of blood CEA testing for
      detecting colorectal recurrence; and (2) a secondary analysis of data from the
      two arms of the FACS (Follow-up After Colorectal Surgery) trial in which CEA
      testing was carried out. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The secondary analysis was
      based on data from 582 patients recruited into the FACS trial between 2003 and
      2009 from 39 NHS hospitals in England with access to high-volume services
      offering surgical treatment of metastatic recurrence and followed up for 5 years.
      CEA testing was undertaken in general practice. RESULTS: In the systematic review
      we identified 52 studies for meta-analysis, including in aggregate 9717
      participants (median study sample size 139, interquartile range 72-247). Pooled
      sensitivity at the most commonly recommended threshold in national guidelines of
      5 ug/l was 71% [95% confidence interval (CI) 64% to 76%] and specificity was 88%
      (95% CI 84% to 92%). In the secondary analysis of FACS data, the diagnostic
      accuracy of a single CEA test was less than was suggested by the review [area
      under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.74, 95% CI 0.68 to
      0.80]. At the commonly recommended threshold of 5 ug/l, sensitivity was estimated
      as 50.0% (95% CI 40.1% to 59.9%) and lead time as about 3 months. About four in
      10 patients without a recurrence will have at least one false alarm and six out
      of 10 tests will be false alarms (some patients will have multiple false alarms,
      particularly smokers). Making decisions to further investigate based on the trend
      in serial CEA measurements is better (AUC for positive trend 0.85, 95% CI 0.78 to
      0.91), but to maintain approximately 70% sensitivity with 90% specificity it is
      necessary to increase the frequency of testing in year 1 and to apply a reducing
      threshold for investigation as measurements accrue. LIMITATIONS: The reference
      standards were imperfect and the main analysis was subject to work-up bias and
      had limited statistical precision and no external validation. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results suggest that (1) CEA testing should not be used alone as a triage test;
      (2) in year 1, testing frequency should be increased (to monthly for 3 months and
      then every 2 months); (3) the threshold for investigating a single test result
      should be raised to 10 ug/l; (4) after the second CEA test, decisions to
      investigate further should be made on the basis of the trend in CEA levels; (5)
      the optimal threshold for investigating the CEA trend falls over time; and (6)
      continuing smokers should not be monitored with CEA testing. Further research is
      needed to explore the operational feasibility of monitoring the trend in CEA
      levels and to externally validate the proposed thresholds for further
      investigation. STUDY REGISTRATION: This study is registered as PROSPERO
      CRD42015019327 and Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN93652154. FUNDING: The main
      FACS trial and this substudy were funded by the National Institute for Health
      Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

PMID- 28617241
TI  - Full length RTN3 regulates turnover of tubular endoplasmic reticulum via
      selective autophagy.
AB  - The turnover of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) ensures the correct biological
      activity of its distinct domains. In mammalian cells, the ER is degraded via a
      selective autophagy pathway (ER-phagy), mediated by two specific receptors:
      FAM134B, responsible for the turnover of ER sheets and SEC62 that regulates ER
      recovery following stress. Here, we identified reticulon 3 (RTN3) as a specific
      receptor for the degradation of ER tubules. Oligomerization of the long isoform
      of RTN3 is sufficient to trigger fragmentation of ER tubules. The long N-terminal
      region of RTN3 contains several newly identified LC3-interacting regions (LIR).
      Binding to LC3s/GABARAPs is essential for the fragmentation of ER tubules and
      their delivery to lysosomes. RTN3-mediated ER-phagy requires conventional
      autophagy components, but is independent of FAM134B. None of the other reticulon
      family members have the ability to induce fragmentation of ER tubules during
      starvation. Therefore, we assign a unique function to RTN3 during autophagy.

PMID- 28617243
TI  - Fingertip Capillary Malformation and Associated Disorders: Report of 9 Cases.
AB  - Although capillary malformations (CMs) are not usually serious health problems in
      themselves, they can occasionally be warning signs for syndromes with more
      serious or aggressive vascular malformations not readily apparent at birth or on
      initial examination. We describe a series of 9 patients with a common phenotype:
      (1) CM on the fingertips; (2) associated combined vascular (lymphatic-venous)
      malformations on the trunk and/or extremities; and (3) in some cases, partial
      overgrowth and asymmetry of the extremities. Data were collected retrospectively
      for patients with CM on the fingertips who were treated at 2 Vascular Anomalies
      Centers from January 2006 to January 2016. All the patients presented CM and
      other associated vascular abnormalities from birth. CMs were centripetal in their
      distribution. The greater the centripetal progression of the CM, the greater the
      associated vascular malformation observed. Some patients also presented varying
      degrees of overgrowth and asymmetry. At present, we have not found a patient with
      CM of the fingertip without associated anomalies. In conclusion, we present a
      series of patients with a particular morphology of CM located on the fingertips.
      All cases were associated with lymphatic-venous malformations at other sites.
      These data lead us to recommend these patients be referred from birth to a
      multidisciplinary unit of vascular anomalies.

PMID- 28617242
TI  - A subset of ipRGCs regulates both maturation of the circadian clock and
      segregation of retinogeniculate projections in mice.
AB  - The visual system consists of two major subsystems, image-forming circuits that
      drive conscious vision and non-image-forming circuits for behaviors such as
      circadian photoentrainment. While historically considered non-overlapping, recent
      evidence has uncovered crosstalk between these subsystems. Here, we investigated
      shared developmental mechanisms. We revealed an unprecedented role for light in
      the maturation of the circadian clock and discovered that intrinsically
      photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are critical for this refinement
      process. In addition, ipRGCs regulate retinal waves independent of light, and
      developmental ablation of a subset of ipRGCs disrupts eye-specific segregation of
      retinogeniculate projections. Specifically, a subset of ipRGCs, comprising ~200
      cells and which project intraretinally and to circadian centers in the brain, are
      sufficient to mediate both of these developmental processes. Thus, this subset of
      ipRGCs constitute a shared node in the neural networks that mediate light
      dependent maturation of the circadian clock and light-independent refinement of
      retinogeniculate projections.

PMID- 28617244
TI  - Continuity of Care in Infancy and Early Childhood Health Outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Continuity of care is a key aspect of the patient
      centered medical home and improves pediatric outcomes. Health care reform
      requires high-quality data to demonstrate its continued value. We hypothesized
      that increased provider continuity in infancy will reduce urgent health care use
      and increase receipt of preventive services in early childhood. METHODS:
      Continuity, using the Usual Provider of Care measure, was calculated across all
      primary care encounters during the first year of life in a prospectively
      constructed cohort of 17 773 infants receiving primary care from birth through 3
      years at 30 clinics. Health care utilization and preventive care outcomes were
      measured from ages 1 to 3 years. Confounders, including chronic conditions,
      number of sick visits in the first year, socioeconomic status, and site, were
      addressed by using multivariable regression models incorporating a propensity
      score. RESULTS: Demographics associated with the lowest continuity quartile
      included white race (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]
      1.25-1.64), Medicaid insurance (aOR 1.41; 95% CI 1.23-1.61), and asthma (aOR
      1.59; 95% CI 1.30-1.93). Lower continuity was associated with more ambulatory
      care-sensitive hospitalizations (adjusted incidence rate ratio 2.74; 95% CI 1.49
      5.03), ambulatory sick visits (adjusted incidence rate ratio 1.08; 95% CI 1.05
      1.11), and lower odds of lead screening (aOR 0.61; 95% CI 0.46-0.79). These
      associations were stronger for children with chronic conditions. Continuity
      measured during well visits was not associated with outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:
      Continuity may improve care quality and prevent high-cost health encounters,
      especially for children with chronic conditions. Novel solutions are needed to
      improve continuity in the medical home.

PMID- 28617245
TI  - Efficient mixed-solvent exfoliation of few-quintuple layer Bi2S3 and its
      photoelectric response.
AB  - A scalable liquid exfoliation of layered Bi2S3 employing a mixed-solvent strategy
      was used for the fabrication of Bi2S3 nanosheets. We found that 10% deionized
      water in 90% isopropyl alcohol is the best mixed solvent for the efficient and
      effective exfoliation of layered Bi2S3. These results are consistent with the
      absorbance spectra and enthalpy of mixing theory. The obtained Bi2S3 nanosheets
      had few-quintuple layers and were investigated by transmission electron
      microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. These Bi2S3
      nanosheets can be used to fabricate large-scale thin films by filtration method;
      the films demonstrated sensitive photoelectric response with the rise and decay
      response of photocurrent on the sub-second scale under visible light excitation.
      The electronic structures of bulk and one-quintuple layer Bi2S3 are calculated by
      first-principle calculation for better understanding of the photoelectric
      response. A green mixed-solvent processing of Bi2S3 opens up the potential
      application of Bi2S3 optoelectric films to photoelectric detection and solar
      energy conversion devices.

PMID- 28617246
TI  - Nanostructured as-deposited indium tin oxide thin films for broadband
      antireflection and light trapping.
AB  - Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were sputter-deposited at ambient temperature
      on a glass-like substrate that was periodically nanostructured by UV nanoimprint
      lithography. Cross gratings of the corrugated and conformal ITO, with different
      periods and modulation depths, were tailored to exhibit light trapping or
      antireflection properties at specific spectral windows by combined optical
      simulations and experiments. For dense gratings, the light transmission in the
      450-850 nm range was enhanced by 8% (absolute) compared to flat ITO films, which
      is one of the largest performance improvements reported in the literature for
      nanostructured transparent electrodes. Increasing the grating period shifts the
      threshold for diffraction coupling to waveguide modes in the visible and near
      infrared part of the spectrum, resulting in broad light trapping behaviour at
      wavelengths below this threshold. This work demonstrates a simple processing
      route at ambient temperature for the fabrication of high-performance transparent
      electrodes in order to fulfil different device requirements.

PMID- 28617247
TI  - Uniquely confining Cu2S nanoparticles in graphitized carbon fibers for enhanced
      oxygen evolution reaction.
AB  - Up to now, the literature on Cu2S with specific morphology applied to oxygen
      evolution reaction (OER) in the electrocatalytic field has been limited. In this
      work, unique peapod-like Cu2S/C exhibiting superb electrocatalytic performance
      toward OER is successfully synthesized, by employing Cu(OH)2 nanorods as the
      template and nontoxic glucose as the carbon source and then annealing with
      sublimed sulfur. It can be seen that this work explores a new application area
      for Cu2S. More precisely, the novel morphology contributes to increasing the
      electrochemical active surface area effectively and promoting contact between the
      Cu2S nanoparticles and the electrolyte. During electrochemical measurements, the
      peapod-like Cu2S/C shows enhanced electrocatalytic activity with a low
      overpotential of 401 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of
      52 mV dec-1. More importantly, our material is able to maintain stability for at
      least 8 h at constant potential and the current loss is negligible after 2000
      cycles. Obviously, these striking properties fully demonstrate that the peapod
      like Cu2S/C as an efficient catalyst shows great promise for OER.

PMID- 28617248
TI  - Young's modulus and indirect morphological analysis of Bi2Se3 nanoribbons by
      resonance measurements.
AB  - An electrostatically induced resonance behaviour of individual topological
      insulator Bi2Se3 nanoribbons grown by a catalyst free vapour-solid synthesis was
      studied in situ by scanning electron microscopy. It was demonstrated that the
      relation between the resonant frequencies of vibrations in orthogonal planes can
      be applied to distinguish the nanoribbons with rectangular cross-sections from
      the nanoribbons having step-like morphology (terraces). The average Young's
      modulus of the Bi2Se3 nanoribbons with rectangular cross-sections was found to be
      44 +/- 4 GPa.

PMID- 28617249
TI  - In situ biosynthesis of ultrafine metal nanoparticles within a metal-organic
      framework for efficient heterogeneous catalysis.
AB  - The synthesis of ultrafine, uniform, well-dispersed functional nanoparticles
      (NPs) under mild conditions in a controlled manner remains a great challenge. In
      biological systems, a well-defined biomineralization process is exploited, in
      which the control over NPs' size, shape and distribution is temporally and
      spatially regulated by a variety of biomolecules in a confined space. Inspired by
      this, we embedded proteins into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and explored a
      novel approach to synthesize metallic NPs by taking the synergy of protein
      induced biomineralization process and space-confined effect of MOFs. The
      generation and growth of ultrafine metal NPs (Ag or Au) was induced by the
      entrapped lysozyme molecules and confined by the ZIF-8 pores. Due to the narrow
      size distribution and homogeneous spatial distribution of metal NPs, the as
      synthesized NPs exhibit remarkably elevated catalytic activity. These findings
      demonstrate that MOFs can be loaded with specific proteins to selectively deposit
      inorganic NPs via biomimetic mineralization and these novel kinds of nanohybrid
      materials may find applications in catalysis, sensing and optics.

PMID- 28617250
TI  - Confinement of carbon nanotube enabled multi-strand helices of polyacetylenes.
AB  - Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that several polyacetylene (PA) chains
      can encapsulate and self-assemble into multi-stranded helical structures in
      confined inner space of carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The driving van der Waals
      force and curvature provided by the tube wall enable polymers to bend and spiral
      to maximize the pi-pi stacking area with the tube wall when filling the inside of
      the SWCNT. Structural forms and knitting patterns of multiple helices are
      influenced by the combined effect of the tube space, the number of PA chains and
      the temperature. The knitting pattern of a six-helix is unique and a knitted six
      helix can exist steadily after removing the SWCNT while a two- to five-helix will
      recover intrinsic straight configurations.

PMID- 28617251
TI  - On transparency in health care guidelines. Editorial.

PMID- 28617252
TI  - Patient-physician alliance: from Hippocrates to Post-Genomic Era. Commentary.
AB  - Patients need clinical competence, appropriate diagnosis and therapies in
      overcoming their disease. Yet this is insufficient. The illness experience tends
      to frighten people and the resulting emotional aspects could become relevant
      factors in coping with a sickness and disability. Hippocrates was the first to
      urge physicians to look beyond the physical features of diseases and to consider
      the patient as a unique psychosomatic entity. Additionally, the scientist spurred
      physicians to make the patient an active participant in combating the disease.
      According to Hippocrates, "the Medical Art has three actors: the physician, the
      patients and the disease. The physician and the patient must be allied against
      the disease in order to fight it". In the "Post-Genomic Era", an effective
      therapeutic approach merits a patient-physician participation, based on
      scientific understandings and human considerations. These recommendations are
      even more urgent for Rare Diseases.

PMID- 28617253
TI  - The emerging role of the human bone marrow as a privileged developmental niche
      for the transmission stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
      Commentary.
AB  - The spread of malaria relies on the ability of the Plasmodium parasites to be
      transmitted from infected individuals to the Anopheles mosquito vectors. Recent
      work on the most lethal of the malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum,
      identified the infected human bone marrow as a preferential site for the
      localization and maturation of the parasite transmission stages, the gametocytes.
      These findings unveil a complex host parasite interplay and an unsuspected role
      of the bone marrow microenvironment in the successful transmission of the malaria
      parasite and have major implications in developing and targeting future
      interventions to block the transmission of P. falciparum.

PMID- 28617254
TI  - Pertussis in infants and the resurgence of a vaccine preventable disease: what to
      do? Commentary.
AB  - Pertussis or whooping cough remains one of the most poorly controlled vaccine
      preventable diseases across the world. Universal vaccination has dramatically
      reduced its incidence but has failed to bring it completely under control. In the
      last decades, changes in pertussis epidemiology have been noted, likely related
      to the introduction of acellular pertussis vaccines. Increasing incidence is
      recorded among adolescents and adults who have become a reservoir for
      transmission to unimmunized infants, who are at risk of severe disease and death.
      In Italy, experimental evidences suggest a sustained circulation of Bordetella
      pertussis in the adult population and a significant health burden of pertussis
      among infants less than six months of age. Public health systems are currently
      exploring new vaccination strategies, including a cocooning strategy to prevent
      the transmission of the disease from family members to the newborn and
      vaccination of pregnant mothers to transmit protective antibodies to the
      offspring, and neonatal vaccination. An integrated approach for pertussis control
      and prevention is needed to enhance the current surveillance system and provide
      an accurate estimate of the real burden of pertussis in our Country, particularly
      among infants.

PMID- 28617255
TI  - A harmonized and efficient clinical research environment would benefit patients
      and enhance European competitiveness. Commentary.
AB  - The forthcoming implementation of the European Clinical Trial Regulation
      (Regulation (EU) No. 536/2014), which is expected to facilitate the conduct of
      clinical trials across the European Union, will require National Authorities to
      create the best conditions for the implementation of the new Regulation through
      national guidelines, so that sponsors may reconsider Europe as a prime location
      for planning clinical trials. During a meeting titled "Innovation in Clinical
      Research", an expert panel discussed potential local advances fostering
      competitiveness of European clinical research with representatives of the
      pharmaceutical industry, patient organisations and Italian regulatory agency in
      view of the forthcoming implementation of (EU) No. 536/2014 on clinical trials of
      medicinal products. In this article we summarise the findings of the meeting,
      describe features characterising clinical research patterns and offer some
      suggestions on the possible involvement of all stakeholders in order to foster
      research innovation and allow the timely access to novel medicines for patients.

PMID- 28617256
TI  - Mortality of populations residing in geothermal areas of Tuscany during the
      period 2003-2012.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The limited scientific knowledge on the relationship between
      exposure and health effects in relation to geothermal activity motivated an
      epidemiologic investigation of Tuscan geothermal area. AIM: This study aims at
      describing mortality of populations living in Tuscan municipalities in the period
      2003-2012. METHOD: Sixteen municipalities were included in the study area: eight
      in the northern and eight in the southern area. Mortality data come from the
      Regional Mortality Registry of Tuscany. Fifty-four causes of death, considered of
      interest for population health status or consistent with "Project SENTIERI"
      criteria, are analyzed. RESULTS: Results show a worse mortality profile in the
      southern area, especially in males, for whom excesses of all cancers and some
      causes of cancer emerge, while in the northern area an excess of cerebrovascular
      diseases among females merits attention. Further and more appropriate studies are
      needed to clarify the etiology of some diseases and to better assess a potential
      cause-effect relationship.

PMID- 28617257
TI  - Do Italian pregnant women use periconceptional folate supplementation?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Deficiency of folic acid (FA) has been identified as a risk factor
      for neural tube defects (NTDs) as well as other congenital anomalies. Thus,
      periconceptional folate supplementation is recommended for all women planning to
      get pregnant. METHODS: We conducted a KAP (knowledge, attitude, practice) survey
      to investigate the use of FA and its appropriateness. The survey included a
      sample of 562 women who delivered in the Lazio region between 2013 and 2014. Two
      logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between
      the characteristics of participating women and both the information received on
      FA intake and its use. RESULTS: The prevalence of periconceptional FA assumption
      was 19.4% although 82.2% of the interviewed women had planned their pregnancies.
      CONCLUSIONS: It shows that more periconceptional counseling is needed to increase
      women's awareness on the opportunity of FA supplementation.

PMID- 28617258
TI  - Micronized palmitoylethanolamide/trans-polydatin treatment of endometriosis
      related pain: a meta-analysis.
AB  - AIM: To demonstrate clinical effectiveness of micronized palmitoylethanolamide
      trans-polydatin combination in reducing endometriotic chronic pelvic pain. Other
      endometriotic-pains were also assessed. METHODS: Systematic reviews of PubMed,
      SCIELO, Scopus, and AJOL. Randomized trials and observational studies reporting a
      visual analogue scale for pain or similar in endometriotic patients were
      reviewed. A mean improvement of visual analogue scale (or visual analogue scale
      like) scores at enrollment and at a three-month follow-up was assessed and
      interpreted clinically. RESULTS: Four studies of poor quality were available. In
      a heterogeneous sample of endometriotic patients with pain, the administration of
      micronized palmitoylethanolamide/trans-polydatin (400 mg/40 mg) twice a day for
      three months provided a clinically relevant improvement of chronic pelvic pain
      and dysmenorrhea while improving deep dyspareunia to a limited degree. No
      clinically relevant improvement was found for dyschezia. CONCLUSION: More studies
      are warranted for assessing the drugs-related efficacy.

PMID- 28617259
TI  - Trend and variability in open and laparoscopic hysterectomies for patients with
      benign disease: a retrospective cohort study.
AB  - AIM: The aim of the present analysis on a regional hospital database was to
      ascertain the variability and 5-year trends of hysterectomy rates and the
      different surgical approaches used. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was
      conducted in Veneto Region (North-East Italy), based on administrative data
      collected in 6 years, from 2009 to 2014. RESULTS: Our study showed an overall
      decline in the hospitalization rates for hysterectomy from 197.5 to 165.8/100 000
      and shorter overall hospital stays for this procedure (from 5.5 to 4.5 days).
      During the six years analyzed, there was an overall increase in the use of
      laparoscopic surgery (from 28% to 35% of cases). There was also a marked
      variability within the region considered in terms of the hysterectomy rates and
      the type of procedure performed. CONCLUSIONS: The unwarranted variability in the
      rates of elective surgical procedures, and the techniques used to perform them,
      could be monitored by analyzing electronic hospital records.

PMID- 28617260
TI  - Pes planus and pes cavus in Southern Italy: a 5 years study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Baropodometrical digital techniques map the pressures exerted on
      the foot plant during both static and dynamic loadings. The study of the
      distribution of such pressures makes it possible to evaluate the postural and
      locomotory biomechanics together with its pathological variations. METHODS: From
      January 2011 to August 2016 we conducted a cross sectional study in order to
      diagnose flatfoot and hollowfoot through the baropodometric analysis, and
      collecting additional information such as gender and the age. 7816 static and
      dynamic baropodometric tests and radiological exams of the spine in different
      positions were performed in order to detect, evaluate and verify the presence of
      spine pathologies or postural disorders. 978 patients were screened for suspected
      foot deformities: 668 cases of hollow feet and 310 of flat feet were diagnosed.
      RESULTS: Dividing patients in "younger" and "older" (> 60 years) according to
      WHO, there is a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of hollow
      feet and flat feet (p < 0.01): the young age is a risk factor for flat feet (OR =
      1.61 CI 95% 1.22-2.11) but protective for hollow feet (OR = 0.62 CI 95% 0.47
      0.81). There is a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) due to sex in
      the prevalence of hollow feet (OR = 0.44 CI 95% 0.33-0.59) and flat feet (OR =
      2.23 CI 95% 1.68-2.98): to be a man is a preventive factor for hollow feet, but a
      risk factor for flat feet. CONCLUSIONS: Flatfoot and hollowfoot represent a
      serious public health problem which is related to working life because these
      deformities negatively influence the productivity of employees and the quality of
      life of affected patients.

PMID- 28617261
TI  - Health-promotion theories in nutritional interventions for community-dwelling
      older adults: a systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify theories applied in interventions promoting healthy
      nutrition among community-dwelling older adults and determine the efficacy of
      theories in changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      The PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and ERIC databases were searched for English
      articles from January 1990 to December 2015. Mono or multicomponent randomized
      controlled trial studies were included, whereas research on nutritional
      interventions related to acute or chronic diseases were excluded. RESULTS: Eight
      articles satisfied the inclusion criteria. Only three articles referred
      explicitly to health promotion theories. Nutritional programs varied in terms of
      contents, outcomes, lengths of interventions and follow-up. Pooling the results
      and identifying the most effective theories were therefore impossible.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although researchers and practitioners recognize the significance of
      theoretical models in guiding the health-promoting interventions, referring to a
      theoretical model for such interventions is still relatively recent.

PMID- 28617262
TI  - MMR vaccine in the postpartum does not expose seronegative women to untoward
      effects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess whether rubella vaccination
      immediately after delivery could expose seronegative women to specific untoward
      effects. METHODS: 163 rubella-seronegative women received Measles-Mumps-Rubella
      (MMR) vaccine in the immediate postpartum period; they were evaluated at one
      month and at three months thereafter through telephone interviews. As controls,
      we matched 163 rubella-seropositive women, who might experience similar symptoms
      for any reason in the same timeframe. RESULTS: No relevant difference was still
      observed in the frequency of arthralgia and myalgia at one and three months.
      Instead, a statistically significant difference in the frequency of cervical
      lymphadenopathy and cutaneous rash at one month (p = 0.028 and p = 0.005,
      respectively), was observed between cases and controls. However, no statistical
      differences were reported at three months for the same symptoms. CONCLUSIONS:
      Postpartum rubella vaccination with MMR is safe and advisable to avoid congenital
      rubella syndrome.

PMID- 28617263
TI  - Vaccine hesitancy: parental, professional and public responsibility.
AB  - The opposition to vaccinations is a well-known phenomenon that dates back to the
      Victorian age when it was self-limited by the awareness of the importance to be
      protected against fearsome infectious diseases. In the XX century, the mass use
      of vaccination has - instead - consented to eradicate or drastically reduce the
      burden of diseases such as smallpox and polio. These positive effects of the
      vaccination campaigns have blurred out, if not erased, the memory of the tragic
      consequences of the past's widespread diseases, leading people to underestimate
      the severity of the harm that vaccinations prevent. In recent years, a complex
      mixture of contextual factors have promoted an amplification of that paradoxical
      situation, leading experts to study causes and consequences of the so called
      "vaccine hesitancy". Several studies have shown the impact for children and for
      the community of the refusal or hesitation towards vaccinations from different
      points of view, including epidemiological, clinical, social and economic
      evaluation. This article provides an analysis of vaccine hesitancy from an
      ethical perspective: parental, professional and public responsibilities are
      analysed and described according to the "responsibility of the fathers towards
      the children", as articulated by Hans Jonas in 1979.

PMID- 28617264
TI  - The professional quality criteria of Italian breast screening radiologists:
      results from a national survey comparing the programmes started in 2000-2012
      versus the ones started in 1990-1999.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In Italy, due to increasing healthcare budget and staff shortages,
      the recently created regional mammography screening programmes were established
      under worse radiology practice quality criteria than the previously created
      programmes. METHODS: Using available data from a national questionnaire survey
      conducted at the end of 2013 and involving 222 responder radiologists, we
      compared the main professional quality standards of radiologists working in the
      screening programmes established during the period 2000-2012 with those working
      in the screening programmes created from 1990 to 1999. RESULTS: The former
      reported more years of clinical experience in breast imaging and a greater
      clinical mammogram reading volume than the latter. Conversely, they dedicated
      less working time to breast imaging, were less likely to participate in the
      diagnostic assessment of screen-detected lesions, to work in large-staffed
      screening centres, and to have a screening and a total mammogram reading volume
      (SMRV and TMRV) >= 5000 per year. CONCLUSIONS: The level of most professional
      quality criteria of Italian mammography screening radiologists has decreased over
      time. As SMRV and TMRV are important predictors of diagnostic accuracy, we can
      expect a lower interpretation performance of radiologists working in the recently
      created screening programmes.

PMID- 28617265
TI  - A case of fulminant subacute sclerosing panencephalitis presenting with acute
      myoclonic-astatic epilepsy.
AB  - The neurologic sequelae post-measles are less common than other complications
      measles-related and can lead to severe disability or death: primary measles
      encephalitis (PME), acute post-infectious measles encephalomyelitis (APME),
      measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE), and subacute sclerosing
      panencephalitis (SSPE). SSPE syndrome can affect people years from the acute
      measles virus infection, as result of the persistence of defective viral
      particles in brain cells. Clinical onset typically manifests with progressive
      intellectual deterioration, behavioral changes, and myoclonic jerks. The course
      of SSPE in the majority of affected children is that of a progressive worsening
      with fatal outcome within two years. This report described an Italian case of
      fulminant SSPE syndrome that led to death within few months from the initial
      onset.

PMID- 28617266
TI  - Sustainable public health systems for rare diseases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the framework of the Joint Action for Rare Diseases (RD-ACTION),
      a specific task was defined to identify mechanisms influencing sustainability,
      equity and resilience of health systems for rare diseases (RDs). METHOD:
      Literature narrative review on health systems sustainability and resilience for
      RDs. Years: 2000-2015. Databases: PubMed, Scopus, EBSCOHost, EMBAL, PASCAL,
      EMBASE, STN International and GoogleScholar. ANALYSIS: interpretive synthesis
      concept and thematic analysis (Dixon-Wood, et al.). RESULTS: 97 papers and 4 grey
      literature publications were identified. Two main topics stand out: economic
      evaluation and networks. The first topic did not identify widely accepted
      criterion to assign more weight to individuals with greater health needs.
      Healthcare network are identified as increasingly important for sustainability
      and resilience, in all of their aspects: professional "expertise", "experience"
      networks of users and carers; policy, learning, and interest networks.
      CONCLUSION: Possible mechanisms for ensuring sustainability can be identified in
      networking, patients' empowerment and reorienting healthcare towards integrated
      community and home care.

PMID- 28617267
TI  - Removal of cadmium and zinc from contaminated wastewater using Rhodobacter
      sphaeroides.
AB  - Rhodobacter sphaeroides was used for bioremediation of wastewater polluted with
      cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn). The tolerance of the microorganism to selected heavy
      metals (HMs), as well as the effects of pH, temperature and inoculum size on the
      removal rate, was investigated. The remediation effects of R. sphaeroides were
      analysed at different initial concentrations of HMs. Bioremediation mechanisms
      were thoroughly discussed based on the results from the cell characterisation
      analysis. Cd and Zn could inhibit the growth of R. sphaeroides. However, Cd was
      more toxic than Zn, with corresponding EC50 values of 5.34 and 69.79 mg L-1.
      Temperature and pH had greater influence on the removal rate of HMs than inoculum
      size. The optimal conditions for temperature and pH were 35  degrees C-40 
      degrees C and pH 7, respectively. Initial concentration of HMs and remediation
      time also affected the removal rate. Rhodobacter sphaeroides had a relatively
      higher remediation effect under the present experimental conditions. The removal
      rates for Cd and Zn reached 97.92% and 97.76%, respectively. Results showed that
      biosorption and HM precipitation were the main bioremediation mechanisms. This
      information is necessary to better understand the removal mechanism of R.
      sphaeroides, and is significant for its pilot test and future practical
      application.

PMID- 28617268
TI  - Hydrochemical characterization of a river affected by acid mine drainage in the
      Iberian Pyrite Belt.
AB  - This paper addresses the modelling of the processes associated with acid mine
      drainage affecting the Trimpancho River basin, chosen for this purpose because of
      its location and paradigmatic hydrological, geological, mining and environmental
      contexts. By using physical-chemical indicators it is possible to define the
      contamination degree of the system from the perspective of an entire river basin,
      due to its reduced dimension. This allows an exhaustive monitoring of the study
      area, considering the particularity that the stream flows directly into a water
      dam used for human supply. With such a perspective, and in order to find global
      solutions, the present study seeks to develop methodologies and tools for
      expeditious and accurate diagnosis of the pollution level of the affected stream
      that feeds the water reservoir. The implemented methodology can be applied to
      other water systems affected by similar problems, while the results will
      contribute to the development of the state of the art in a representative basin
      of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, whose pollutants' contributions are incorporated into
      the reservoir.

PMID- 28617269
TI  - Assessment of TiO2 photoactivity on the lead removal: kinetic and mechanistic
      processing.
AB  - Removal of lead ions from aqueous solutions, in the presence and in absence of
      commercial TiO2, under UV-light was studied. The influence of catalyst mass,
      concentration of Pb(II) ions and of citric acid in the starting solution as well
      as the impact of illumination conditions on the removal rate were also
      investigated. The results were fitted on the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second
      order and Elovich kinetic models, Weber-Morris intraparticle and liquid film
      diffusion models, in order to establish the photoreduction mechanism. The Pb
      removal rate increased in time by a combined linear-exponential mechanism. The
      catalyst had a positive influence on the removal rate at the start of the
      photoreduction. At a low concentration of Pb(II) ions (20 mg/L), the amount of
      photoreduced Pb(II) ions was proportional to the concentration of the citric acid
      solution, but at high concentrations (240 mg/L), the correlation was inversely
      proportional. The rate limiting steps in the removal of lead were both the
      photoreduction on the TiO2 surface and the diffusion through the film surrounding
      the catalyst particle. The lead removal was significantly influenced by the
      mobility and by the concentration of the species in solution.

PMID- 28617270
TI  - Flotation separation of strontium via phosphate precipitation.
AB  - Flotation separation of strontium (Sr) from wastewater via phosphate
      precipitation was investigated. While 37.33% of Sr precipitated at highly
      alkaline pH in the absence of PO43-, it completely precipitated as Sr3(PO4)2 at a
      molar ratio ([PO43-]:[Sr2+]) of 0.62 at a lower pH value. The presence of Ca2+
      hindered Sr precipitation, yet it could be overcome by increasing the PO43- dose.
      Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was a better collector for dispersed air flotation
      of Sr3(PO4)2 than cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, or mixed collector systems of
      SDS and saponin. The highest separation efficiency of 97.5% was achieved at an
      SDS dose of 40 mg/L. The main mechanism in the precipitate flotation is
      adsorption of anionic SDS on the positively charged surface of colloidal
      Sr3(PO4)2 via electrostatic interaction. SDS enhanced the aggregation of
      Sr3(PO4)2 precipitates as the size increased from 1.65 to 28.0 MUm, which was
      beneficial to separation as well.

PMID- 28617271
TI  - Modelling and optimization of land use/land cover change in a developing urban
      catchment.
AB  - The impacts of land use/cover change (LUCC) on hydrological processes and water
      resources are mainly reflected in changes in runoff and pollutant variations. Low
      impact development (LID) technology is utilized as an effective strategy to
      control urban stormwater runoff and pollution in the urban catchment. In this
      study, the impact of LUCC on runoff and pollutants in an urbanizing catchment of
      Guang-Ming New District in Shenzhen, China, were quantified using a dynamic
      rainfall-runoff model with the EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Based on
      the simulations and observations, the main objectives of this study were: (1) to
      evaluate the catchment runoff and pollutant variations with LUCC, (2) to select
      and optimize the appropriate layout of LID in a planning scenario for reducing
      the growth of runoff and pollutants under LUCC, (3) to assess the optimal
      planning schemes for land use/cover. The results showed that compared to 2013,
      the runoff volume, peak flow and pollution load of suspended solids (SS), and
      chemical oxygen demand increased by 35.1%, 33.6% and 248.5%, and 54.5%
      respectively in a traditional planning scenario. The assessment result of optimal
      planning of land use showed that annual rainfall control of land use for an
      optimal planning scenario with LID technology was 65%, and SS pollutant load
      reduction efficiency 65.6%.

PMID- 28617272
TI  - Ammonia nitrogen removal and recovery from acetylene purification wastewater by
      air stripping.
AB  - Ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) contaminated wastewater has posed a great threat to the
      safety of water resources. In this study, air stripping was employed to remove
      and recover NH4-N from acetylene purification wastewater (APW) in a
      polyvinylchloride manufacturing plant. Investigated parameters were initial APW
      pH, air flow rate, APW temperature and stripping time. The NH4-N removal by air
      stripping has been modeled and the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient
      (KLa) of the stripping process has been calculated from the model equation
      obtained. In addition, the ability of H2SO4 solution to absorb the NH3 stripped
      was also investigated. The results indicated that under the experimental
      conditions, the APW temperature and its initial pH had significant effects on the
      NH4-N removal efficiency and the KLa, while the effects of other factors were
      relatively minor. The removal efficiency and residual concentration of NH4-N were
      about 91% and 12 mg/L, respectively, at the optimal operating conditions of
      initial APW pH of 12.0, air flow rate of 0.500 m3/(h.L), APW temperature of 60 
      degrees C and stripping time of 120 min. One volume of H2SO4 solution (0.2 mol/L)
      could absorb about 93% of the NH3 stripped from 54 volumes of the APW.

PMID- 28617273
TI  - Model-based methodology for the design of optimal control strategies in MBR
      plants.
AB  - This paper proposes a model-based methodology that allows synthesising the most
      appropriate strategies for optimising the operation of wastewater treatment
      plants (WWTPs). The methodology is applied with the aim of maximising the
      nitrogen removal in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). The proposed procedure is based
      on a systematic approach composed of four steps. First, a sensitivity analysis of
      the input variables is carried out in order to obtain a first assessment of the
      potential for operational improvements. Then, the optimum input variable values
      are calculated by a model-based optimisation algorithm that minimises a cost
      function associated with the effluent total nitrogen at different temperatures.
      Then, the optimum operational strategies are identified. Finally, these
      operational strategies form the conceptual knowledge base for designing automatic
      control laws. The obtained optimal control strategies have shown a significant
      improvement in performance in comparison with fixed operation for the studied
      case, reducing the total nitrogen by 40%.

PMID- 28617274
TI  - Supporting constructed wetlands in P removal efficiency from surface water.
AB  - The research investigated the implementation of suspended reactive filters to
      support the phosphorus (P) removal efficiency of constructed wetlands (CWs). The
      reactive material (RM) used in this study was autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC).
      The laboratory experiment consists of four plastic boxes filled with the volume
      of 10 L of artificial P solution with three variants of RM mass to volume ratio:
      1:1 (g:L), 5:1 (g:L), 10:1 (g:L), and the blind probe 0:1 (g:L) as a reference.
      AAC of different weights (10, 50 and 100 g) was wrapped in a filter bag, put into
      boxes, and suspended. After 30 days of the laboratory experiment, AAC was able to
      reduce the P-PO4 concentration from 2.972 mg.L-1 to: 0.341 mgPO4-P.L-1, 0.006
      mgPO4-P.L-1 and 0.004 mgPO4-P.L-1 for 10 g, 50 g and 100 g mass variant,
      respectively. This concentration reduction corresponds to unit sorption of: 2.53
      mgP-PO4.g-1, 0.58 mgP-PO4.g-1 and 0.30 mgP-PO4.g-1 for 10 g, 50 g and 100 g,
      respectively. Based on the obtained data, the CW supporting filter was
      dimensioned to reduce the outflow P concentration to 0.01 mg.L-1. P removal
      efficiency prediction was calculated for Cetynia River, Poland.

PMID- 28617275
TI  - Cost comparison of full-scale water reclamation technologies with an emphasis on
      membrane bioreactors.
AB  - The paper assesses the costs of full-scale membrane bioreactors (MBRs). Capital
      expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenses (OPEX) of Spanish MBR facilities have
      been verified and compared to activated sludge plants (CAS) using water
      reclamation treatment (both conventional and advanced). Spanish MBR facilities
      require a production of 0.6 to 1.2 kWh per m3, while extended aeration (EA) and
      advanced reclamation treatment require 1.2 kWh per m3. The energy represents
      around 40% of the OPEX in MBRs. In terms of CAPEX, the implementation costs of a
      CAS facility followed by conventional water reclamation treatment (physical
      chemical + sand filtration + disinfection) ranged from 730 to 850 ?.m-3d, and
      from 1,050 to 1,250 ?.m-3d in the case of advanced reclamation treatment
      facilities (membrane filtration) with a capacity of 8,000 to 15,000 m3d-1. The
      MBR cost for similar capacities ranges between 700 and 960 ?.m-3d. This study
      shows that MBRs that have been recently installed represent a cost competitive
      option for water reuse applications for medium and large capacities (over 10,000
      m3d-1), with similar OPEX to EA and conventional water reclamation treatment. In
      terms of CAPEX, MBRs are cheaper than EA, followed by advanced water reclamation
      treatment.

PMID- 28617276
TI  - Removal of potentially toxic elements from aqueous solutions and industrial
      wastewater using activated carbon.
AB  - Water contamination with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has become one of the
      key issues in recent years that threatens human health and ecological systems.
      The present study is aimed at removing PTEs like cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr),
      copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) from aqueous solutions and industrial wastewater using
      activated carbon (AC) as an adsorbent through different batch and column
      experiments. Results demonstrated that the removal of PTEs from aqueous solutions
      was highly pH dependent, except for Cr, and the maximum removal (>78%) was
      recorded at pH 6.0. However, maximum Cr removal (82.8%) was observed at pH 3.0.
      The adsorption reached equilibrium after 60 min with 2 g of adsorbent.
      Coefficient (R2) values suggested by the Langmuir isotherm model were 0.97, 0.96,
      0.93 and 0.95 for Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb, respectively, indicating the fit to this
      model. In column experiments, the maximum removal of PTEs was observed at an
      adsorbent bed height of 20 cm with the optimal flow rate of 3.56 mL/min.
      Furthermore, PTEs removal by AC was observed in the order of Cu > Cd > Pb > Cr.
      Findings from this study suggest that AC could be used as a promising adsorbent
      for simultaneously removing several PTEs from wastewaters.

PMID- 28617277
TI  - Promotion of partial nitritation-anammox process by improving granule proportion.
AB  - For enhancing the partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) process, the effects of
      granule fraction on system performance were investigated in this study. Two
      sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were inoculated with PN/A biomass with a floc
      mass fraction of 53%. In SBR1, when the nitrogen removal rate (NRR) was stable,
      flocculent sludge was gradually discharged from the reactor using a screen, and
      the granule fraction was therefore increased. However, nitrogen removal was not
      improved and finally deteriorated due to the loss of nitritation activity. In
      SBR2, most flocculent sludge was eliminated and granular proportion was
      maintained at over 90% by controlling a short settling and decanting time. NRR
      was low initially but gradually improved to 1.23 kg N/(m3.d), which was 54%
      higher than SBR1. Ammonium oxidation activities of flocs and granules were
      respectively measured. Results suggested that the increase of nitritation
      activity in the granules was the main reason for the improvement of nitrogen
      removal in SBR2.

PMID- 28617278
TI  - Performance assessment of a vertical flow constructed wetland treating unsettled
      combined sewer overflow.
AB  - The performance of a vertical flow constructed wetland for combined sewer
      overflow treatment (CSO CW) has been evaluated. The full-scale site has been
      monitored for 3 years for major pollutants and for two load events for a range of
      micropollutants (metals, metalloids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)).
      Performance were predominantly high (97% for total suspended solids (TSS), 80%
      for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 72% for NH4-N), even if several loads were
      extremely voluminous, pushing the filter to its limits. Two different filter
      materials (a 4:1 mixture of sand and zeolite and natural pozzolana) showed
      similar treatment performance. Furthermore, environmental factors were correlated
      with COD removal efficiency. The greatest influencers of COD removal efficiency
      were the inlet dissolved COD concentrations and the duration and potential
      evapotranspiration during inter-event periods. Furthermore, sludge was analysed
      for quality and a sludge depth map was created. The map, and calculating the
      changes in sludge volume, helped to understand solid accumulation dynamics.

PMID- 28617279
TI  - Rotating belt sieves for primary treatment, chemically enhanced primary treatment
      and secondary solids separation.
AB  - Fine mesh rotating belt sieves (RBS) offer a very compact solution for removal of
      particles from wastewater. This paper shows examples from pilot-scale testing of
      primary treatment, chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) and secondary
      solids separation of biofilm solids from moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs).
      Primary treatment using a 350 microns belt showed more than 40% removal of total
      suspended solids (TSS) and 30% removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) at sieve
      rates as high as 160 m3/m2-h. Maximum sieve rate tested was 288 m3/m2-h and
      maximum particle load was 80 kg TSS/m2-h. When the filter mat on the belt
      increased from 10 to 55 g TSS/m2, the removal efficiency for TSS increased from
      about 35 to 60%. CEPT is a simple and effective way of increasing the removal
      efficiency of RBS. Adding about 1 mg/L of cationic polymer and about 2 min of
      flocculation time, the removal of TSS typically increased from 40-50% without
      polymer to 60-70% with polymer. Using coagulation and flocculation ahead of the
      RBS, separation of biofilm solids was successful. Removal efficiencies of 90%
      TSS, 83% total P and 84% total COD were achieved with a 90 microns belt at a
      sieve rate of 41 m3/m2-h.

PMID- 28617280
TI  - Two different purification systems at Istanbul-Tuzla and Adana-Kozan, their
      characterizations.
AB  - In most developed countries, wastewater treatment plants are presently utilizing
      efficient purification technology meeting the sufficiency requirements of quality
      and quantity. However, in developing countries, the number of wastewater
      treatment plants is limited. As a result, the establishment of a connection
      between the wastewater collection system and wastewater purification plants is
      increasingly becoming a top priority for researchers. The aim of this article is
      to analyze wastewater collection and purification systems and establish the links
      between these two processes. In the present study, the efficiency of the present
      purification system at the Istanbul-Tuzla and Adana-Kozan plants was investigated
      with the aim of enhancing their performance. The findings pertaining to the model
      sewage system revealed a decrease in NH3-N by 20-70%, total nitrogen (T-N) by 25
      75%, biological oxygen demand (BOD5) by 50-60%, chemical oxygen demand (COD) by
      35-55% and suspended solids (SS) by 55-85%. As a result of studies performed in
      the Tuzla sewage treatment system, we can confirm that T-N decreased by 50-75%,
      suspended solid particles by 24-57%, and BOD5 by 34-57%, while 35-55% of COD was
      removed. Similarly, in the canal exit at Kozan, BOD5 decreased by 40-55%, COD by
      30-50%, SS by 25-45% and T-N by 5-40%.

PMID- 28617281
TI  - Comparison of culture-based, vital stain and PMA-qPCR methods for the
      quantitative detection of viable hookworm ova.
AB  - Accurate quantitative measurement of viable hookworm ova from environmental
      samples is the key to controlling hookworm re-infections in the endemic regions.
      In this study, the accuracy of three quantitative detection methods [culture
      based, vital stain and propidium monoazide-quantitative polymerase chain reaction
      (PMA-qPCR)] was evaluated by enumerating 1,000 +/- 50 Ancylostoma caninum ova in
      the laboratory. The culture-based method was able to quantify an average of 397
      +/- 59 viable hookworm ova. Similarly, vital stain and PMA-qPCR methods
      quantified 644 +/- 87 and 587 +/- 91 viable ova, respectively. The numbers of
      viable ova estimated by the culture-based method were significantly (P < 0.05)
      lower than vital stain and PMA-qPCR methods. Therefore, both PMA-qPCR and vital
      stain methods appear to be suitable for the quantitative detection of viable
      hookworm ova. However, PMA-qPCR would be preferable over the vital stain method
      in scenarios where ova speciation is needed.

PMID- 28617282
TI  - Hg removal and the effects of coexisting metals in forward osmosis and membrane
      distillation.
AB  - In this study, we investigate the rejection of Hg, Cd, and Pb and the effect of
      coexisting metals on Hg removal through forward osmosis (FO) and membrane
      distillation (MD) in order to establish a more effective water treatment process.
      The results of our laboratory experiment indicate that more than 97% of the
      rejection for each metal is achieved through the FO system, and this rejection is
      the highest among previous studies using membrane filtrations. Moreover, we
      examine the matrix effect of the coexisting Cd and Pb on the rejection of Hg in
      the FO system. Hg2+ rejection increases with increase in the concentration of the
      coexisting metals. Furthermore, we study the effect of the Hg concentration and
      the water temperature on rejection of Hg2+. Indeed, the rejection of Hg2+ is
      achieved above 95% under any condition. However, approximately 1-10 ppb Hg from
      the feed solution remains in the draw solution due to permeation. Therefore, we
      use a FO-MD hybrid system. Approximately 100% rejection of Hg2+ and a stable
      water flux are achieved. Thus, the FO-MD hybrid system is considered an important
      alternative to previous studies using membrane filtration for heavy metals
      removal.

PMID- 28617283
TI  - Biosorption of six basic and acidic dyes on brown alga Sargassum ilicifolium:
      optimization, kinetic and isotherm studies.
AB  - Biosorption of Methyl Blue (MB), Fuchsin Acid (FA), Rhodamine B (RB), Methylene
      Blue (MEB), Bromocresol purple (BC) and Methyl Orange (MO) onto Sargassum
      ilicifolium was studied in a batch system. Effect of dye structure on biosorption
      by Sargassum ilicifolium was studied to define the correlation between chemical
      structure and biosorption capacity. Different dye groups such as triarylmethane
      (MB, FA and BC), monoazo (MO), thiazine (MEB) and xanthene (RB) were studied. At
      optimum experimental conditions for each dye, biosorption capacity was determined
      and compared. The results indicate that the chemical structure (triarylmethane,
      monoazo, thiazine, xanthene), number of sulfonic groups, basicity (element of
      chromophore group: S, N, O) and molecular weight of dye molecules influence their
      biosorption capacity. Experimental parameters such as biosorbent dose, pH,
      contact time, and initial dye concentration were optimized for each dye. The
      biosorption kinetic data were successfully described by the pseudo second-order
      model. The biosorption results were also analyzed by the Langmuir and Freundlich
      isotherms. Finally, biosorption capacities obtained using Sargassum ilicifolium
      were compared with the ones presented in the literature.

PMID- 28617284
TI  - Dynamic changes of bacterial community in activated sludge with pressurized
      aeration in a sequencing batch reactor.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the organic removal efficiency and microbial
      population dynamics in activated sludge with pressurized aeration. The activated
      sludge was fed with synthetic wastewater composed of simple carbon source to
      avoid the effect of complex components on microbial communities. The pressurized
      acclimation process was conducted in a bench-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR)
      under 0.3 MPa gage pressure. Another SBR was running in atmospheric environment
      as a control reactor, with the same operation parameters except for the pressure.
      Bacterial diversity was investigated by Illumina sequencing technology. The
      results showed that the total organic carbon removal efficiency of the
      pressurized reactor was significantly higher, while the mixed liquor suspended
      solids concentrations were much lower than those of the control reactor. Moderate
      pressure of 0.3 MPa had little effect on Alpha-diversity of bacterial communities
      due to the similar running conditions, e.g., feed water, solids retention time
      (SRT) and the cyclic change of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations. Although the
      relative percentage of the bacterial community changed among samples, there was
      no major change of predominant bacterial populations between the pressurized
      group and the control group. Pressurized aeration would have a far-reaching
      impact on microbial community in activated sludge when treating wastewaters being
      unfavorable to the dissolution of oxygen.

PMID- 28617285
TI  - Assessment of the technological reliability of a hybrid constructed wetland for
      wastewater treatment in a mountain eco-tourist farm in Poland.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to assess the technological reliability of a
      domestic hybrid wastewater treatment installation consisting of a classic three
      chambered (volume 6 m3) septic tank, a vertical flow trickling bed filled with
      granules of a calcinated clay material (KERAMZYT), a special wetland bed
      constructed on a slope, and a permeable pond used as a receiver. The test
      treatment plant was located at a mountain eco-tourist farm on the periphery of
      the spa municipality of Krynica-Zdroj, Poland. The plant's operational
      reliability in reducing the concentration of organic matter, measured as
      biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), was 100% when
      modelled by both the Weibull and the lognormal distributions. The respective
      reliability values for total nitrogen removal were 76.8% and 77.0%, total
      suspended solids - 99.5% and 92.6%, and PO4-P - 98.2% and 95.2%, with the
      differences being negligible. The installation was characterized by a very high
      level of technological reliability when compared with other solutions of this
      type. The Weibull method employed for statistical evaluation of technological
      reliability can also be used for comparison purposes. From the ecological
      perspective, the facility presented in the study has proven to be an effective
      tool for protecting local aquifer areas.

PMID- 28617286
TI  - Improving the microbiological quality of the Ruhr River near Essen: comparing
      costs and effects for the reduction of Escherichia coli and intestinal
      enterococci.
AB  - After rain events in densely populated areas, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) can
      have severe health-related effects upon surface water quality, as well as diffuse
      overland runoff and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). All of these sources
      emit pathogens and fecal indicator bacteria into the surface water, which the EU
      Bathing Water Directive addresses by giving threshold values for the indicators
      Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci. This study presents a comparison
      between 21 scenarios of costs for processes that reduce the load of Escherichia
      coli and intestinal enterococci into the Ruhr River during and shortly after rain
      events. The methods examined include UV irradiation for WWTPs, integrated sewer
      management and treatment of CSOs with vertical flow constructed wetlands or
      performic acid. For pollution by diffuse overland flow, we evaluated
      organizational measures. The treatment of only diffuse pollution shows merely a
      slight effect on intestinal enterococci, but none on Escherichia coli and hence,
      was not considered further. Combining all three CSO reduction methods with the
      irradiation of WWTP effluent provides the best simulation results in terms of
      reducing both indicator bacteria.

PMID- 28617287
TI  - Controlling the COD removal of an A-stage pilot study with instrumentation and
      automatic process control.
AB  - The pursuit of fully autotrophic nitrogen removal via the anaerobic ammonium
      oxidation (anammox) pathway has led to an increased interest in carbon removal
      technologies, particularly the A-stage of the adsorption/bio-oxidation (A/B)
      process. The high-rate operation of the A-stage and lack of automatic process
      control often results in wide variations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal
      that can ultimately impact nitrogen removal in the downstream B-stage process.
      This study evaluated the use dissolved oxygen (DO) and mixed liquor suspended
      solids (MLSS) based automatic control strategies through the use of in situ on
      line sensors in the A-stage of an A/B pilot study. The objective of using these
      control strategies was to reduce the variability of COD removal by the A-stage
      and thus the variability of the effluent C/N. The use of cascade DO control in
      the A-stage did not impact COD removal at the conditions tested in this study,
      likely because the bulk DO concentration (>0.5 mg/L) was maintained above the
      half saturation coefficient of heterotrophic organisms for DO. MLSS-based solids
      retention time (SRT) control, where MLSS was used as a surrogate for SRT, did not
      significantly reduce the effluent C/N variability but it was able to reduce COD
      removal variation in the A-stage by 90%.

PMID- 28617289
TI  - Study on method and mechanism of deep well circulation for the growth control of
      Microcystis in aquaculture pond.
AB  - In order to control the growth of Microcystis in aquaculture ponds and reduce its
      adverse effect on water quality and aquaculture, a production-scale experiment of
      deep well circulation treatment was carried out in an aquaculture pond with water
      surface area of 63,000 m2 and water depth of 1.6-2.0 m. Compared with the control
      pond, the experiment pond had better water quality as indicated by 64.2%
      reduction in chlorophyll a, and 81.1% reduction in algal cells. The chemical
      oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentration were reduced by
      55.1%, 57.5%, and 50.8%, respectively. The treatment efficiency is mainly due to
      the growth control of Microcystis (i.e. cell reduction of 96.4%). The gas
      vesicles collapsing because of the water pressure was suggested to be the
      mechanism for Microcystis suppression by the deep well circulation treatment. The
      Microcystis lost its buoyancy after gas vesicles collapsed and it settled to the
      bottom of the aquaculture pond. As a result, the algae reproduction was
      suppressed because algae could only grow in the area with enough sunlight (i.e.
      water depth less than 1 m).

PMID- 28617288
TI  - Fate of selected pharmaceutically active compounds in the integrated fixed film
      activated sludge process.
AB  - The potential for integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) processes to
      achieve enhanced transformation of pharmaceuticals relative to conventional
      activated sludge (CAS) processes was assessed. Previous studies have focused on
      direct comparisons of parallel reactors with and without fixed film carriers and
      little information is available on the impacts of how varying operating
      parameters impact the differences in observed pharmaceutical compound (PC)
      transformation capabilities between CAS reactors and those equipped with both an
      activated sludge (AS) and fixed film carriers. The testing was carried out using
      bench scale sequencing batch reactors fed with authentic municipal wastewater and
      operated at selected combinations of temperature and solids retention time (SRT).
      PC transformation efficiencies were assessed in a 22 factorial design that
      employed the IFAS and CAS processes, operated in parallel under identical process
      conditions. Nitrification rate testing that was conducted to obtain insight into
      the biomass activity demonstrated that IFAS consistently had improved
      nitrification kinetics despite lower mixed liquor volatile suspended solids
      levels thereby demonstrating the contribution of the biofilm to nitrification.
      Increased transformation of atenolol (ATEN; ranging from 10-60%) and trimethoprim
      (TRIM; ranging from 30-50%) in the IFAS equipped reactors relative to their
      respective activated sludge (AS) controls was observed under all experimental
      conditions. Negligible transformation of carbamazepine was observed in both
      reactors under all conditions investigated. More than 99% of acetaminophen was
      transformed in both configurations under all conditions. There was no
      correspondence between nitrification activity and TRIM removal in the control AS
      while conditions that stimulated nitrification in the control AS also resulted in
      enhanced removal of ATEN. The results of this study indicate that the integration
      of biofilms in AS processes enhances transformation of some PCs.

PMID- 28617290
TI  - Micro-zooplankton grazing as a means of fecal bacteria removal in stormwater
      BMPs.
AB  - A priority for environmental managers is control of stormwater runoff pollution,
      especially fecal microbial pollution. This research was designed to determine if
      fecal bacterial grazing by micro-zooplankton is a significant control on fecal
      bacteria in aquatic best management practices (BMPs); if grazing differs between
      a wet detention pond and a constructed wetland; and if environmental factors
      enhance grazing. Both 3-day grazing tests and 24-h dilution assays were used to
      determine grazing differences between the two types of BMP. Micro-zooplankton
      grazing was a stronger bacteria removal mechanism in stormwater wetlands rich in
      aquatic vegetation compared to a standard wet detention pond, although grazing
      was important in detention ponds as well. Our experiments indicated that the
      majority of grazers that fed on fecal bacteria were <20 MUm in size. Grazing
      rates were positively correlated with fecal coliform abundance and increased
      water temperatures. Enumeration of grazers demonstrated that protozoans were
      significantly more abundant among wetland vegetation than in open water, and open
      wetland waters contained more flagellates and dinoflagellates than open wet
      detention pond waters. Grazing on fecal bacteria in BMPs is enhanced by aquatic
      vegetation, and grazing in aquatic BMPs in warmer climates should be greater than
      in cooler climates.

PMID- 28617291
TI  - Optimizing external carbon source addition in domestics wastewater treatment
      based on online sensoring data and a numerical model.
AB  - The removal of total nitrogen in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is often
      unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons. One possible measure to improve nitrogen
      removal is the addition of external carbon. However, the amount of carbon
      addition is directly related to WWTP operation costs, highlighting the importance
      of accurately determining the amount of external carbon required. The objective
      of this study was to obtain a low nitrate concentration in the anoxic zone of
      WWTPs efficiently and economically by optimizing the external carbon source
      dosage. Experiments were conducted using a pilot-scale pre-denitrification
      reactor at a Nanjing WWTP in China. External carbon source addition based on
      online monitoring of influent wastewater quality and a developed nitrification
      denitrification numerical model was investigated. Results showed that carbon
      addition was reduced by 47.7% and aeration costs were reduced by 8.0% compared
      with those using a fixed-dose addition mode in the pilot reactor. The obtained
      technology was applied to the full-scale Jiangxinzhou WWTP in Nanjing with
      promising results.

PMID- 28617292
TI  - Corrigendum: Water Science and Technology 75 (4), 987-997: Evaluation of the
      relative roles of a vegetative filter strip and a biofiltration swale in a
      treatment train for road runoff, Kelsey Flanagan, Philippe Branchu, David Ramier
      and Marie-Christine Gromaire, doi: 10.2166/wst.2016.578.

PMID- 28617293
TI  - Two publications.

PMID- 28617294
TI  - What is new in ACC/AHA 2017 focused update of valvular heart disease guidelines.

PMID- 28617295
TI  - Medicinal plants for management of diabetes: alternative or adjuvant?

PMID- 28617296
TI  - An adult case of single atrium diagnosed using three-dimensional
      echocardiography.

PMID- 28617297
TI  - Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QTc ratio: new choices for risk stratification of
      arrhythmic events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 28617298
TI  - Author's Reply.

PMID- 28617299
TI  - A 31-year-old patient without the use of warfarin and with an aortic mechanical
      valve.

PMID- 28617300
TI  - Issues related to reliability of HRV analysis and effect of spontaneous saliva
      swallowing on HRV.

PMID- 28617301
TI  - Acute aortic regurgitation in a bicuspid aortic valve due to the rupture of an
      anomalous cord.

PMID- 28617302
TI  - A young girl presenting with cardiac thrombus: An unusual complication of
      inflammatory bowel disease.

PMID- 28617303
TI  - Prognostic value of coronary collaterals in patients with acute coronary
      syndromes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presence of good coronary collateral circulation (CCC) can
      protect and preserve myocardium from ischemia, increase myocardial contractility,
      and reduce adverse clinical events. However, its impact on mortality is still a
      topic of debate, particularly in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this
      study was to investigate the association of CCC with cardiac risk factors and in
      hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of ACS. METHODS: The
      study population included 2286 patients with ACS who underwent coronary
      angiography and were found to have at least 90% significant lesion in at least
      one major coronary artery. The CCC was graded according to the Rentrop
      classification. The patients were classified into a poor CCC group (Rentrop
      grades 0-1, n=1859) or a good CCC group (Rentrop grades 2-3, n=427). RESULTS:
      Patients with good CCC had more high-risk patient characteristics such as older
      age, higher rate of Killip class of at least 2 at admission, lower left
      ventricular ejection fraction, and impaired renal functions compared with the
      patients with poor CCC. In multivariate analysis, the presence of good CCC [odds
      ratio (OR): 2.000; 95% confidence interval: 1.116-3.585; P=0.020], left
      ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% (OR: 2.381; P=0.003), Killip class of
      at least 2 at admission (OR: 3.609; P<0.001), age of at least 65 years (OR:
      2.975; P=0.003), and hemoglobin (OR: 0.797; P=0.003) were independent predictors
      of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: In contrast to previous studies, our study
      did not confirm a beneficial role of good CCC in patients with ACS; the presence
      of good CCC was even independently associated with increased in-hospital
      mortality in the multivariate analysis.

PMID- 28617304
TI  - Human Herpesvirus 6 Reactivation in DRESS With Acute Liver Failure: A Missing Key
      Factor.

PMID- 28617305
TI  - Fibrotic Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Key Issues in Diagnosis and Management.
AB  - The diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) relies on the clinical
      evaluation of a number of features, including a history of significant exposure
      to potentially causative antigens, physical examination, chest CT scan
      appearances, bronchoalveolar lavage lymphocytosis, and, in selected cases,
      histology. The presence of fibrosis is associated with higher morbidity and
      mortality. Differentiating fibrotic HP from the idiopathic interstitial
      pneumonias can be a challenge. Furthermore, even in the context of a clear
      diagnosis of fibrotic HP, the disease behaviour can parallel that of idiopathic
      pulmonary fibrosis in a subgroup, with inexorable progression despite treatment.
      We review the current knowledge on the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of HP
      with particular focus on the fibrotic phenotype.

PMID- 28617307
TI  - Erratum: Michael A. Picker; et al.; H-NS, Its Family Members and Their Regulation
      of Virulence Genes in Shigella Species. Genes 2016, 7, 112.
AB  - n/a.

PMID- 28617306
TI  - Characterization of Hemagglutinin Negative Botulinum Progenitor Toxins.
AB  - Botulism is a disease involving intoxication with botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs),
      toxic proteins produced by Clostridium botulinum and other clostridia. The 150
      kDa neurotoxin is produced in conjunction with other proteins to form the
      botulinum progenitor toxin complex (PTC), alternating in size from 300 kDa to 500
      kDa. These progenitor complexes can be classified into hemagglutinin positive or
      hemagglutinin negative, depending on the ability of some of the neurotoxin
      associated proteins (NAPs) to cause hemagglutination. The hemagglutinin positive
      progenitor toxin complex consists of BoNT, nontoxic non-hemagglutinin (NTNH), and
      three hemagglutinin proteins; HA-70, HA-33, and HA-17. Hemagglutinin negative
      progenitor toxin complexes contain BoNT and NTNH as the minimally functional PTC
      (M-PTC), but not the three hemagglutinin proteins. Interestingly, the genome of
      hemagglutinin negative progenitor toxin complexes comprises open reading frames
      (orfs) which encode for three proteins, but the existence of these proteins has
      not yet been extensively demonstrated. In this work, we demonstrate that these
      three proteins exist and form part of the PTC for hemagglutinin negative
      complexes. Several hemagglutinin negative strains producing BoNT/A, /E, and /F
      were found to contain the three open reading frame proteins. Additionally,
      several BoNT/A-containing bivalent strains were examined, and NAPs from both
      genes, including the open reading frame proteins, were associated with BoNT/A.
      The open reading frame encoded proteins are more easily removed from the
      botulinum complex than the hemagglutinin proteins, but are present in several
      BoNT/A and /F toxin preparations. These are not easily removed from the BoNT/E
      complex, however, and are present even in commercially-available purified BoNT/E
      complex.

PMID- 28617308
TI  - NOX2-Induced Activation of Arginase and Diabetes-Induced Retinal Endothelial Cell
      Senescence.
AB  - Increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreases in nitric oxide (NO)
      have been linked to vascular dysfunction during diabetic retinopathy (DR).
      Diabetes can reduce NO by increasing ROS and by increasing activity of arginase,
      which competes with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) for their commons substrate l
      arginine. Increased ROS and decreased NO can cause premature endothelial cell
      (EC) senescence leading to defective vascular repair. We have previously
      demonstrated the involvement of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)-derived ROS, decreased NO
      and overactive arginase in DR. Here, we investigated their impact on diabetes
      induced EC senescence. Studies using diabetic mice and retinal ECs treated with
      high glucose or H2O2 showed that increases in ROS formation, elevated arginase
      expression and activity, and decreased NO formation led to premature EC
      senescence. NOX2 blockade or arginase inhibition prevented these effects. EC
      senescence was also increased by inhibition of NOS activity and this was
      prevented by treatment with a NO donor. These results indicate that diabetes/high
      glucose-induced activation of arginase and decreases in NO bioavailability
      accelerate EC senescence. NOX2-generated ROS contribute importantly to this
      process. Blockade of NOX2 or arginase represents a strategy to prevent diabetes
      induced premature EC senescence by preserving NO bioavailability.

PMID- 28617310
TI  - Development of an Automatic Testing Platform for Aviator's Night Vision Goggle
      Honeycomb Defect Inspection.
AB  - Due to the direct influence of night vision equipment availability on the safety
      of night-time aerial reconnaissance, maintenance needs to be carried out
      regularly. Unfortunately, some defects are not easy to observe or are not even
      detectable by human eyes. As a consequence, this study proposed a novel automatic
      defect detection system for aviator's night vision imaging systems AN/AVS-6(V)1
      and AN/AVS-6(V)2. An auto-focusing process consisting of a sharpness calculation
      and a gradient-based variable step search method is applied to achieve an
      automatic detection system for honeycomb defects. This work also developed a test
      platform for sharpness measurement. It demonstrates that the honeycomb defects
      can be precisely recognized and the number of the defects can also be determined
      automatically during the inspection. Most importantly, the proposed approach
      significantly reduces the time consumption, as well as human assessment error
      during the night vision goggle inspection procedures.

PMID- 28617309
TI  - Lipid Storage and Autophagy in Melanoma Cancer Cells.
AB  - Cancer stem cells (CSC) represent a key cellular subpopulation controlling
      biological features such as cancer progression in all cancer types. By using
      melanospheres established from human melanoma patients, we compared less
      differentiated melanosphere-derived CSC to differentiating melanosphere-derived
      cells. Increased lipid uptake was found in melanosphere-derived CSC vs.
      differentiating melanosphere-derived cells, paralleled by strong expression of
      lipogenic factors Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein-1 (SREBP-1) and
      Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma). An inverse
      relation between lipid-storing phenotype and autophagy was also found, since
      microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-Light Chain 3 (LC3) lipidation is reduced in
      melanosphere-derived CSC. To investigate upstream autophagy regulators, Phospho
      AMP activated Protein Kinase (P-AMPK) and Phospho-mammalian Target of Rapamycin
      (P-mTOR) were analyzed; lower P-AMPK and higher P-mTOR expression in melanosphere
      derived CSC were found, thus explaining, at least in part, their lower autophagic
      activity. In addition, co-localization of LC3-stained autophagosome spots and
      perilipin-stained lipid droplets was demonstrated mainly in differentiating
      melanosphere-derived cells, further supporting the role of autophagy in lipid
      droplets clearance. The present manuscript demonstrates an inverse relationship
      between lipid-storing phenotype and melanoma stem cells differentiation,
      providing novel indications involving autophagy in melanoma stem cells biology.

PMID- 28617311
TI  - Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Polymorphisms and Nitric Oxide Levels in
      Individuals with Chronic Periodontitis.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate whether the -1026(A>C)(rs2779249) and
      +2087(A>G)(2297518) polymorphisms in the NOS2 gene were associated with chronic
      periodontitis (CP) and with salivary levels of nitrite (NO2-) and/or nitrate +
      nitrite (NOx). A group of 113 mixed-race patients were subjected to periodontal,
      genetic, and biochemical evaluations (65 CP/48 periodontally healthy subjects).
      DNA was extracted from oral epithelial cells and used for genotyping by
      polymerase chain reaction (real-time). Salivary NOx concentrations were
      determined using an ozone-based chemiluminescence assay. Association of CP with
      alleles and genotypes of the -1026(A>C) polymorphism was found (X2 test, p =
      0.0075; 0.0308), but this was not maintained after multiple logistic regression,
      performed to estimate the effect of covariates and polymorphisms in CP. This
      analysis demonstrated, after correction for multiple comparisons, that only the
      female gender was significantly associated with CP. Polymorphisms analyzed as
      haplotypes were not associated with CP. NOx levels were significantly higher in
      the control group of heterozygous individuals for both polymorphisms. In
      conclusion, the female gender was significantly associated with CP, and higher
      levels of salivary NOx were found in control subjects and associated with the
      heterozygous state of the NOS2 polymorphisms, reinforcing the potential of NO
      metabolites as markers of periodontitis status.

PMID- 28617313
TI  - TrackCC: A Practical Wireless Indoor Localization System Based on Less-Expensive
      Chips.
AB  - This paper aims at proposing a new wireless indoor localization system (ILS),
      called TrackCC, based on a commercial type of low-power system-on-chip (SoC),
      nRF24LE1. This type of chip has only l output power levels and acute fluctuation
      for a received minimum power level in operation, which give rise to many
      practical challenges for designing localization algorithms. In order to address
      these challenges, we exploit the Markov theory to construct a ( l + 1 ) * ( l + 1
      ) -sized state transition matrix to remove the fluctuation, and then propose a
      priority-based pattern matching algorithm to search for the most similar match in
      the signal map to estimate the real position of unknown nodes. The experimental
      results show that, compared to two existing wireless ILSs, LANDMARC and SAIL,
      which have meter level positioning accuracy, the proposed TrackCC can achieve the
      decimeter level accuracy on average in both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of
      sight (NLOS) senarios.

PMID- 28617312
TI  - Autocrine Human Growth Hormone Promotes Invasive and Cancer Stem Cell-Like
      Behavior of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by STAT3 Dependent Inhibition of
      CLAUDIN-1 Expression.
AB  - Despite progress in diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),
      the clinical outcome is still unsatisfactory. Increased expression of human
      growth hormone (hGH) in HCC has been reported and is associated with poor
      survival outcome in HCC patients. Herein, we investigated the mechanism of the
      oncogenic effects of hGH in HCC cell lines. In vitro functional assays
      demonstrated that forced expression of hGH in these HCC cell lines promoted cell
      proliferation, cell survival, anchorage-independent growth, cell migration, and
      invasion, as previously reported. In addition, forced expression of hGH promoted
      cancer stem cell (CSC)-like properties of HCC cells. The increased invasive and
      CSC-like properties of HCC cells with forced expression of hGH were mediated by
      inhibition of the expression of the tight junction component CLAUDIN-1.
      Consistently, depletion of CLAUDIN-1 expression increased the invasive and CSC
      like properties of HCC cell lines. Moreover, forced expression of CLAUDIN-1
      abrogated the acquired invasive and CSC-like properties of HCC cell lines with
      forced expression of hGH. We further demonstrated that forced expression of hGH
      inhibited CLAUDIN-1 expression in HCC cell lines via signal transducer and
      activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) mediated inhibition of CLAUDIN-1
      transcription. Hence, we have elucidated a novel hGH-STAT3-CLAUDIN-1 axis
      responsible for invasive and CSC-like properties in HCC. Inhibition of hGH should
      be considered as a therapeutic option to hinder progression and relapse of HCC.

PMID- 28617314
TI  - DNA Protection Protein, a Novel Mechanism of Radiation Tolerance: Lessons from
      Tardigrades.
AB  - Genomic DNA stores all genetic information and is indispensable for maintenance
      of normal cellular activity and propagation. Radiation causes severe DNA lesions,
      including double-strand breaks, and leads to genome instability and even
      lethality. Regardless of the toxicity of radiation, some organisms exhibit
      extraordinary tolerance against radiation. These organisms are supposed to
      possess special mechanisms to mitigate radiation-induced DNA damages. Extensive
      study using radiotolerant bacteria suggested that effective protection of
      proteins and enhanced DNA repair system play important roles in tolerability
      against high-dose radiation. Recent studies using an extremotolerant animal, the
      tardigrade, provides new evidence that a tardigrade-unique DNA-associating
      protein, termed Dsup, suppresses the occurrence of DNA breaks by radiation in
      human-cultured cells. In this review, we provide a brief summary of the current
      knowledge on extremely radiotolerant animals, and present novel insights from the
      tardigrade research, which expand our understanding on molecular mechanism of
      exceptional radio-tolerability.

PMID- 28617315
TI  - Study of a Compression-Molding Process for Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diode
      Exposure Systems via Finite-Element Analysis.
AB  - Although wafer-level camera lenses are a very promising technology, problems such
      as warpage with time and non-uniform thickness of products still exist. In this
      study, finite element simulation was performed to simulate the compression
      molding process for acquiring the pressure distribution on the product on
      completion of the process and predicting the deformation with respect to the
      pressure distribution. Results show that the single-gate compression molding
      process significantly increases the pressure at the center of the product,
      whereas the multi-gate compressing molding process can effectively distribute the
      pressure. This study evaluated the non-uniform thickness of product and changes
      in the process parameters through computer simulations, which could help to
      improve the compression molding process.

PMID- 28617316
TI  - Globular Adiponectin Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Primed Inflammasomes Activation
      in Macrophages via Autophagy Induction: The Critical Role of AMPK Signaling.
AB  - The inflammasome acts as a key platform for the activation of pro-inflammatory
      cytokines. Adiponectin exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties. However, the
      effect of adiponectin on the modulation of the inflammasome has not been
      explored. Herein, we show that globular adiponectin (gAcrp) suppressed
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-primed inflammasomes activation in murine peritoneal
      macrophages judged by prevention of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) maturation,
      caspase-1 activation, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a
      caspase recruitment domain (ASC) speck formation, and pyroptotic cell death.
      Interestingly, pretreatment with 3-methyl adenine, a pharmacological inhibitor of
      autophagy, abrogated the suppressive effects of gAcrp on IL-1beta secretion and
      caspase-1 activation, indicating the crucial role of autophagy induction in gAcrp
      modulation of the inflammasome activation. In addition, inhibition of 5'Adenosine
      monophaspahate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling abolished
      suppressive effect of gAcrp on inflammasomes activation. Furthermore, autophagy
      induction or inhibition of the inflammasome activation by gAcrp was not observed
      in macrophages deficient in AMPK. Taken together, these results indicate that
      adiponectin inhibits LPS-primed inflammasomes activation in macrophages via
      autophagy induction and AMPK signaling-dependent mechanisms.

PMID- 28617317
TI  - Molecular Orientation of a Terbium(III)-Phthalocyaninato Double-Decker Complex
      for Effective Suppression of Quantum Tunneling of the Magnetization.
AB  - Single-molecule magnet (SMM) properties of crystals of a terbium(III)
      phthalocyaninato double-decker complex with different molecular packings (1:
      TbPc2, 2: TbPc2.CH2Cl2) were studied to elucidate the relationship between the
      molecular packing and SMM properties. From single crystal X-ray analyses, the
      high symmetry of the coordination environment of 2 suggested that the SMM
      properties were improved. Furthermore, the shorter intermolecular Tb-Tb distance
      and relative collinear alignment of the magnetic dipole in 2 indicated that the
      magnetic dipole-dipole interactions were stronger than those in 1. This was
      confirmed by using direct current magnetic measurements. From alternating current
      magnetic measurements, the activation energy for spin reversal for 1 and 2 were
      similar. However, the relaxation time for 2 is three orders of magnitude slower
      than that for 1 in the low-T region due to effective suppression of the quantum
      tunneling of the magnetization. These results suggest that the SMM properties of
      TbPc2 highly depend on the molecular packing.

PMID- 28617318
TI  - Occurrence of Penicillium brocae and Penicillium citreonigrum, which Produce a
      Mutagenic Metabolite and a Mycotoxin Citreoviridin, Respectively, in Selected
      Commercially Available Rice Grains in Thailand.
AB  - Commercially available rice grains in Thailand were examined to isolate the
      monoverticillate Penicillium species responsible for toxic yellowed rice.
      Penicillium species were obtained from seven out of 10 rice samples tested. Among
      them, one Penicillium citreonigrum isolate and six Penicillium brocae isolates
      were morphologically identified. The P. citreonigrum isolate produced the
      mycotoxin citreoviridin on a yeast extract sucrose broth medium. Mycotoxin
      surveys showed that citreoviridin was not detected in any samples, but one out of
      10 rice samples tested was positive for aflatoxin B1 at a level of 5.9 MUg/kg. An
      Ames test revealed that methanol extracts from rice grains inoculated with
      selected P. brocae isolates were positive for strains TA100 and YG7108 of
      Salmonella typhimurium, suggesting the presence of base-pair substitution and DNA
      alkylation mutagens. Our data obtained here demonstrated that aflatoxin B1 and
      toxic P. citreonigrum were present on domestic rice grains in Thailand, although
      limited samples were tested. Penicillium brocae, which may produce mutagenic
      metabolites, was isolated for the first time from the surface of Thai rice
      grains.

PMID- 28617320
TI  - Crellasterones A and B: A-Norsterol Derivatives from the New Caledonian Sponge
      Crella incrustans.
AB  - Two new steroids, crellasterones A (1) and B (2), together with the previously
      reported compound chalinasterol (3) and several nucleosides (4-7), were isolated
      from the sponge Crella incrustans, collected in New Caledonia. The structures of
      the new compounds were established by extensive NMR and mass spectroscopic
      analysis and revealed unprecedented marine natural products with a ring
      contracted A-norsterone nucleus and 2-hydroxycyclopentenone chromophore. The
      absolute configurations were derived from electronic circular dichroism (ECD)
      measurements in conjunction with high-level density functional theory (DFT)
      calculations.

PMID- 28617319
TI  - PDE4 Inhibition and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Novel Therapeutic Avenue.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the last few decades, a better knowledge of the inflammatory
      pathways involved in the pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has
      promoted biological therapy as an important tool to treat IBD patients. However,
      in spite of a wider spectrum of biological drugs, a significant proportion of
      patients is unaffected by or lose their response to these compounds, along with
      increased risks of infections and malignancies. For these reasons there is an
      urgent need to look for new pharmacological targets. The novel Phosphodiesterase
      4 (PDE4) inhibitors have been recently introduced as new modulators of
      intracellular signals and gene transcription for the treatment of IBD. AIM: To
      discuss and describe the state of the art of this new class of compounds in the
      IBD field, with particular attention to apremilast. METHODS: Published articles
      selected from PubMed were comprehensively reviewed, with key words including
      apremilast, inflammatory disease, IBD, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis,
      pathogenesis, therapies, and treatment. RESULTS: PDE4 inhibitors generate
      elevated intracellular levels of cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP), that
      consequently down-regulate the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the
      mucosa of IBD patients. The newly developed apremilast is one of these drugs and
      has already been approved for the treatment of dermatologic/rheumatologic
      inflammatory conditions; studies in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have in
      fact demonstrated its clinical activity. However, no clinical trials have yet
      been published on the use of apremilast in IBD. CONCLUSION: In light of the
      similarity of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways across the gut, the skin, and
      joints, apremilast is likely supposed to show its efficacy also in IBD.

PMID- 28617321
TI  - Evolving Identification of Blood Cells Associated with Clinically Isolated
      Syndrome: Importance of Time since Clinical Presentation and Diagnostic MRI.
AB  - It is not clear how the profile of immune cells in peripheral blood differs
      between patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and healthy controls
      (HC). This study aimed to identify a CIS peripheral blood signature that may
      provide clues for potential immunomodulatory approaches early in disease.
      Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from 18 people with
      CIS, 19 HC and 13 individuals with other demyelinating conditions (ODC) including
      multiple sclerosis (MS). Individuals with CIS separated into two groups, namely
      those with early (<=14 days post-diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); n =
      6) and late (>=27 days; n = 12) blood sampling. Transitional B cells were
      increased in the blood of CIS patients independently of when blood was taken.
      However, there were two time-dependent effects found in the late CIS group
      relative to HC, including decreased CD56bright NK cells, which correlated
      significantly with time since MRI, and increased CD141+ myeloid dendritic cell
      (mDC2) frequencies. Higher CD1c+ B cells and lower non-classical monocyte
      frequencies were characteristic of more recent demyelinating disease activity
      (ODC and early CIS). Analysing cell populations by time since symptoms
      (subjective) and diagnostic MRI (objective) may contribute to understanding CIS.

PMID- 28617324
TI  - A Sequential Optimization Calibration Algorithm for Near-Field Source
      Localization.
AB  - This paper considers the near-field source location problem for a nonuniform
      linear array (non-ULA) in the presence of sensor gain and phase errors. A
      sequential optimization calibration method is proposed to simultaneously estimate
      the gain and phase errors as well as the locations of calibration sources
      involving the ranges and the azimuths by exploiting some imprecise a-priori
      knowledge of calibration sources. At each iteration of the proposed method, the
      source locations, and the gain and phase errors are obtained iteratively.
      Finally, at the analysis stage, we evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed
      technique using some numerical simulations. Results show that the proposed
      algorithm shares the capability to jointly estimate the source locations and the
      errors.

PMID- 28617322
TI  - Chondroitin Sulfate-Rich Extract of Skate Cartilage Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide
      Induced Liver Damage in Mice.
AB  - The protective effects of a chondroitin sulfate-rich extract (CSE) from skate
      cartilage against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatic damage were
      investigated, and its mechanism of action was compared with that of chondroitin
      sulfate (CS) from shark cartilage. ICR mice were orally administrated 200 mg/kg
      body weight (BW) of CS or 400 mg/kg BW of CSE for 3 consecutive days, followed by
      a one-time intraperitoneal injection of LPS (20 mg/kg BW). The experimental
      groups were vehicle treatment without LPS injection (NC group), vehicle treatment
      with LPS injection (LPS group), CS pretreatment with LPS injection (CS group),
      and CSE pretreatment with LPS injection (CSE group). Hepatic antioxidant enzyme
      expression levels in the CS and CSE groups were increased relative to those in
      the LPS group. In LPS-insulted hepatic tissue, inflammatory factors were
      augmented relative to those in the NC group, but were significantly suppressed by
      pretreatment with CS or CSE. Moreover, CS and CSE alleviated the LPS-induced
      apoptotic factors and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). In addition, CS
      and CSE effectively decreased the serum lipid concentrations and downregulated
      hepatic sterol regulatory element-binding proteins expression. In conclusion, the
      skate CSE could protect against LPS-induced hepatic dyslipidemia, oxidative
      stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, probably through the regulation of MAPK
      signaling.

PMID- 28617323
TI  - Osteoblast Role in Rheumatic Diseases.
AB  - Alterations in osteoblast growth, differentiation and activity play a role in the
      pathogenesis of several rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis,
      spondyloarthritides, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. In fact, in these
      rheumatic diseases, abnormal activity of Wnt signaling, receptor activator of
      nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK)-RANK ligand (RANKL)-osteoprotegerin (OPG) signaling,
      bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) pathway and other mechanisms have been
      described in osteoblasts. This review article is focused on current knowledge on
      the role of osteoblast dysregulation occurring in rheumatic diseases.

PMID- 28617326
TI  - A Study on the Model of Detecting the Liquid Level of Sealed Containers Based on
      Kirchhoff Approximation Theory.
AB  - By simulating the sound field of a round piston transducer with the Kirchhoff
      integral theorem and analyzing the shape of ultrasound beams and propagation
      characteristics in a metal container wall, this study presents a model for
      calculating the echo sound pressure by using the Kirchhoff paraxial approximation
      theory, based on which and according to different ultrasonic impedance between
      gas and liquid media, a method for detecting the liquid level from outside of
      sealed containers is proposed. Then, the proposed method is evaluated through two
      groups of experiments. In the first group, three kinds of liquid media with
      different ultrasonic impedance are used as detected objects; the echo sound
      pressure is calculated by using the proposed model under conditions of four sets
      of different wall thicknesses. The changing characteristics of the echo sound
      pressure in the entire detection process are analyzed, and the effects of
      different ultrasonic impedance of liquids on the echo sound pressure are
      compared. In the second group, taking water as an example, two transducers with
      different radii are selected to measure the liquid level under four sets of wall
      thickness. Combining with sound field characteristics, the influence of different
      size transducers on the pressure calculation and detection resolution are
      discussed and analyzed. Finally, the experimental results indicate that
      measurement uncertainly is better than +/-5 mm, which meets the industrial
      inspection requirements.

PMID- 28617325
TI  - Development of Biopolymer Composite Films Using a Microfluidization Technique for
      Carboxymethylcellulose and Apple Skin Particles.
AB  - Biopolymer films based on apple skin powder (ASP) and carboxymethylcellulose
      (CMC) were developed with the addition of apple skin extract (ASE) and tartaric
      acid (TA). ASP/CMC composite films were prepared by mixing CMC with ASP solution
      using a microfluidization technique to reduce particle size. Then, various
      concentrations of ASE and TA were incorporated into the film solution as an
      antioxidant and an antimicrobial agent, respectively. Fourier transform infrared
      (FTIR), optical, mechanical, water barrier, and solubility properties of the
      developed films were then evaluated to determine the effects of ASE and TA on
      physicochemical properties. The films were also analyzed for antioxidant effect
      on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial
      activities against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella
      enterica, and Shigella flexneri. From the results, the ASP/CMC film containing
      ASE and TA was revealed to enhance the mechanical, water barrier, and solubility
      properties. Moreover, it showed the additional antioxidant and antimicrobial
      properties for application as an active packaging film.

PMID- 28617327
TI  - Protein Hydrolysates as Promoters of Non-Haem Iron Absorption.
AB  - Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for human growth and health. Organic iron
      is an excellent iron supplement due to its bioavailability. Both amino acids and
      peptides improve iron bioavailability and absorption and are therefore valuable
      components of iron supplements. This review focuses on protein hydrolysates as
      potential promoters of iron absorption. The ability of protein hydrolysates to
      chelate iron is thought to be a key attribute for the promotion of iron
      absorption. Iron-chelatable protein hydrolysates are categorized by their
      absorption forms: amino acids, di- and tri-peptides and polypeptides. Their
      structural characteristics, including their size and amino acid sequence, as well
      as the presence of special amino acids, influence their iron chelation abilities
      and bioavailabilities. Protein hydrolysates promote iron absorption by keeping
      iron soluble, reducing ferric iron to ferrous iron, and promoting transport
      across cell membranes into the gut. We also discuss the use and relative merits
      of protein hydrolysates as iron supplements.

PMID- 28617328
TI  - The Long-Term Consumption of Oats in Celiac Disease Patients Is Safe: A Large
      Cross-Sectional Study.
AB  - A strict gluten-free diet (GFD) can be diversified by non-contaminated oats, but
      there is a shortage of long-term studies concerning its safety. We compared long
      term treatment outcomes and factors associated with the introduction of oats
      between celiac patients on a GFD with or without oats. Eight hundred sixty-nine
      previously diagnosed celiac patients were interviewed. The validated
      Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), Psychological General Well-Being
      (PGWB), and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaires were used to
      assess symptoms and quality of life, serological tests were performed, and
      results of histology were confirmed from patient records. We found the median
      duration of GFD to be 10 years and 82% using oats. Factors predicting the
      consumption of oats were diagnosis after the year 2000, advice from a dietitian,
      detection by screening, and mild clinical presentation. Oat consumers and non
      consumers did not differ in dietary adherence (96.5% vs. 97.4%, p = 0.746), the
      prevalence of symptoms (22.9% vs. 22.5%, p = 0.931), positivity for endomysial
      antibodies (8.8% vs. 6.0%, p = 0.237), histological recovery after one year
      (63.1% vs. 60.0%, p = 0.773), malignancy (4.8% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.420),
      osteoporosis/osteopenia (9.2% vs. 11.0%, p = 0.489), or fractures (26.9% vs.
      27.9%, p = 0.791). The oat consumers had better SF-36 physical role limitations
      and general health scores. Based on our results, the long-term consumption of
      oats in celiac disease patients is safe and may improve quality of life.

PMID- 28617329
TI  - Hepatoprotective Effect of Aqueous Extract from the Seeds of Orychophragmus
      violaceus against Liver Injury in Mice and HepG2 Cells.
AB  - Orychophragmus violaceus (O. violaceus) is a kind of edible wild herb in north
      China and its seeds have medical potential, however, the effect of O. violaceus
      seeds on liver injury and the mechanism of action remains poorly understood.
      Thus, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of O.
      violaceus seeds on liver injury and further explore the molecular mechanism of
      the beneficial effects using aqueous extract from the seeds of O. violaceus
      (AEOV). Mice were orally administrated with saline, AEOV, and
      biphenyldicarboxylate for 4 days, and were then injected subcutaneously with 0.1%
      carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) dissolved in corn oil. Sixteen hours later, mice were
      sacrificed and blood samples were collected. Then, the serum was separated and
      used for biochemical assay. Livers were excised and were routinely processed for
      histological examinations. Enzyme activities and protein levels in liver
      homogenates were detected using commercial kits or by western blot analysis.
      Additionally, the hepatoprotective effect of AEOV in vitro was evaluated using
      epigoitrin, the major alkaloid compound isolated from AEOV. We found that AEOV
      attenuated liver injury induced by CCl4 as evidenced by decreased levels of
      alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aminotransferase (AST) in serum, improvement
      of liver histopathological changes, and substantial attenuation of oxidative
      stress and inflammation via regulation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related
      factor-2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) pathways. These effects of
      AEOV were comparable to that of biphenyldicarboxylate which was commonly used as
      a hepatoprotective reference. Moreover, pretreatment of HepG2 cells with
      epigoitrin improved cell viability, decreased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and
      malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and
      glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, attenuated the NFkappaB pathway, and
      elevated the Nrf2 pathway after exposure to H2O2. These results suggest that AEOV
      could effectively prevent CCl4-induced liver injury in mice via regulating the
      Nrf2 and NFkappaB pathways, and reveal the cytoprotective effects of epigoitrin
      against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells.

PMID- 28617330
TI  - Identification of Pathogenic Factors in Klebsiella pneumoniae Using Impedimetric
      Sensor Equipped with Biomimetic Surfaces.
AB  - K.pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen that causes nosocomial infections, such
      as, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, septic shock, and gastro intestinal
      disease. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), capsular polysaccharide, and fimbriae are
      recognized major virulence factors of K.pneumoniae and play key roles during
      early stages of infections. In this study, we functionalized the surface of gold
      electrode with mannose and mucin to monitor the adhesion-associated virulence
      factors of K.pneumoniae. The binding characteristics of K.pneumoniae 2242 wild
      type and of its isogenic mutants lacking outer-core LPS (?wabG) or fimbriae
      (?fimA) were investigated using Faradaic impedance spectra. The results obtained
      showed fimbriae are responsible for K.pneumoniae adhesion to the mannose of
      glycoprotein on the surfaces of epithelial cells, whereas outer-core LPS and
      capsular polysaccharide are associated with specific binding to mucous. These
      results concurred with those of a conventional in vitro assay using human
      ileocecal epithelial cell (HCT-8 cells) and a human bladder epithelial cell (T
      24), indicating that the devised method could be useful for investigating
      virulence-associated interactions of pathogenic bacteria with specific host cells
      and organs.

PMID- 28617331
TI  - Hormesis and Defense of Infectious Disease.
AB  - Infectious diseases are a global health burden and remain associated with high
      social and economic impact. Treatment of affected patients largely relies on
      antimicrobial agents that act by directly targeting microbial replication.
      Despite the utility of host specific therapies having been assessed in previous
      clinical trials, such as targeting the immune response via modulating the
      cytokine release in sepsis, results have largely been frustrating and did not
      lead to the introduction of new therapeutic tools. In this article, we will
      discuss current evidence arguing that, by applying the concept of hormesis,
      already approved pharmacological agents could be used therapeutically to increase
      survival of patients with infectious disease via improving disease tolerance, a
      defense mechanism that decreases the extent of infection-associated tissue damage
      without directly targeting pathogenic microorganisms.

PMID- 28617332
TI  - Dynamic Allostery Modulates Catalytic Activity by Modifying the Hydrogen Bonding
      Network in the Catalytic Site of Human Pin1.
AB  - Allosteric communication among domains in modular proteins consisting of flexibly
      linked domains with complimentary roles remains poorly understood. To understand
      how complementary domains communicate, we have studied human Pin1, a
      representative modular protein with two domains mutually tethered by a flexible
      linker: a WW domain for substrate recognition and a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase
      (PPIase) domain. Previous studies of Pin1 showed that physical contact between
      the domains causes dynamic allostery by reducing conformation dynamics in the
      catalytic domain, which compensates for the entropy costs of substrate binding to
      the catalytic site and thus increases catalytic activity. In this study, the
      S138A mutant PPIase domain, a mutation that mimics the structural impact of the
      interdomain contact, was demonstrated to display dynamic allostery by
      rigidification of the alpha2-alpha3 loop that harbors the key catalytic residue
      C113. The reduced dynamics of the alpha2-alpha3 loop stabilizes the C113-H59
      hydrogen bond in the hydrogen-bonding network of the catalytic site. The
      stabilized hydrogen bond between C113 and H59 retards initiation of
      isomerization, which explains the reduced isomerization rate by ~20% caused by
      the S138A mutation. These results provide new insight into the interdomain
      allosteric communication of Pin1.

PMID- 28617333
TI  - An 'Aukward' Tale: A Genetic Approach to Discover the Whereabouts of the Last
      Great Auks.
AB  - One hundred and seventy-three years ago, the last two Great Auks,
      Pinguinusimpennis, ever reliably seen were killed. Their internal organs can be
      found in the collections of the Natural History Museum of Denmark, but the
      location of their skins has remained a mystery. In 1999, Great Auk expert Errol
      Fuller proposed a list of five potential candidate skins in museums around the
      world. Here we take a palaeogenomic approach to test which-if any-of Fuller's
      candidate skins likely belong to either of the two birds. Using mitochondrial
      genomes from the five candidate birds (housed in museums in Bremen, Brussels,
      Kiel, Los Angeles, and Oldenburg) and the organs of the last two known
      individuals, we partially solve the mystery that has been on Great Auk scholars'
      minds for generations and make new suggestions as to the whereabouts of the still
      missing skin from these two birds.

PMID- 28617334
TI  - The Molecular Effect of Diagnostic Absorbed Doses from 131I on Papillary Thyroid
      Cancer Cells In Vitro.
AB  - Diagnostic whole-body scan is a standard procedure in patients with thyroid
      cancer prior to the application of a therapeutic dose of 131I. Unfortunately,
      administration of the radioisotope in a diagnostic dose may decrease further
      radioiodine uptake-the phenomenon called "thyroid stunning". We estimated
      radiation absorbed dose-dependent changes in genetic material, in particular in
      the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gene promoter, and the NIS protein level in a
      K1 cell line derived from the metastasis of a human papillary thyroid carcinoma
      exposed to 131I in culture. The different activities applied were calculated to
      result in absorbed doses of 5, 10 and 20 Gy. Radioiodine did not affect the
      expression of the NIS gene at the mRNA level, however, we observed significant
      changes in the NIS protein level in K1 cells. The decrease of the NIS protein
      level observed in the cells subjected to the lowest absorbed dose was paralleled
      by a significant increase in 8-oxo-dG concentrations (p < 0.01) and followed by
      late activation of the DNA repair pathways. Our findings suggest that the impact
      of 131I radiation on thyroid cells, in the range compared to doses absorbed
      during diagnostic procedures, is not linear and depends on various factors
      including the cellular components of thyroid pathology.

PMID- 28617335
TI  - ZnO Nano-Rod Devices for Intradermal Delivery and Immunization.
AB  - Intradermal delivery of antigens for vaccination is a very attractive approach
      since the skin provides a rich network of antigen presenting cells, which aid in
      stimulating an immune response. Numerous intradermal techniques have been
      developed to enhance penetration across the skin. However, these methods are
      invasive and/or affect the skin integrity. Hence, our group has devised zinc
      oxide (ZnO) nano-rods for non-destructive drug delivery. Chemical vapour
      deposition was used to fabricate aligned nano-rods on ZnO pre-coated silicon
      chips. The nano-rods' length and diameter were found to depend on the
      temperature, time, quality of sputtered silicon chips, etc. Vertically aligned
      ZnO nano-rods with lengths of 30-35 um and diameters of 200-300 nm were selected
      for in vitro human skin permeation studies using Franz cells with Albumin
      fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) absorbed on the nano-rods. Fluorescence and
      confocal studies on the skin samples showed FITC penetration through the skin
      along the channels formed by the nano-rods. Bradford protein assay on the
      collected fluid samples indicated a significant quantity of Albumin-FITC in the
      first 12 h. Low antibody titres were observed with immunisation on Balb/c mice
      with ovalbumin (OVA) antigen coated on the nano-rod chips. Nonetheless, due to
      the reduced dimensions of the nano-rods, our device offers the additional
      advantage of excluding the simultaneous entrance of microbial pathogens. Taken
      together, these results showed that ZnO nano-rods hold the potential for a safe,
      non-invasive, and painless intradermal drug delivery.

PMID- 28617336
TI  - Response Surface Optimized Infrared-Assisted Extraction and UHPLC Determination
      of Flavonoid Types from Flos Sophorae.
AB  - Single-factor experiment and Box-Behnken design were applied to optimize the
      infrared-assisted extraction (IRAE) of rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and
      isorhamnetin from Flos sophorae. Four factors (extract solvent, solid-liquid
      ration, extraction time, infrared power) affecting the extraction yield of
      flavonoids were studied. Under optimized conditions the extraction yield was
      33.199 +/- 0.24 mg/g, which substantially improved, compared with heating reflux
      extraction (HRE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), while extraction time
      was only 9 min. The eluents were rich in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and
      2,2'-azobis (2-methyl-propionamidine) dihydrochloride radical scavenging
      potential (IC50 of DPPH: 53.44 +/- 0.01 MUg/mL, oxygen radical absorbance
      capacity (ORAC): 3785.83 +/- 52 MUmol/g) than the extracts obtained by HRE and
      UAE. In addition, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method was
      optimized for the identification and quantification of the tested flavonoids, and
      the method was validated based on its correlation coefficient (r),
      reproducibility (RSD, n = 5), and recovery values, which were 0.9994-0.9998, 0.74
      1.83%, and 97.78-102.94%, respectively. These results confirmed that high
      extraction yield of flavonoids results in stronger antioxidant values and
      response surface methodology optimization of IRAE is a promising alternative to
      traditional extraction techniques for flavonoids from medicinal plants.

PMID- 28617337
TI  - Tunable Temperature Response of a Thermochromic Photonic Gel Sensor Containing N
      Isopropylacrylamide and 4-Acryloyilmorpholine.
AB  - In this study, thermochromic photonic gels were fabricated using 2-hydroxyethyl
      methacrylate (HEMA) as a hydrogel building block, and 4-Acryloyl morpholine
      (ACMO) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) as thermoresponsive monomers with
      different critical solution temperature behaviors. Rapid photopolymerization of
      opal-templated monomer mixtures of varying ACMO contents formed five individual
      thermochromic inverse opal photonic gels integrated on a single substrate. With
      temperature variation from 10  degrees C to 80  degrees C, the changes in
      reflective colors and reflectance spectra of the respective thermochromic gels
      were noted, and lambdapeak changes were plotted. Because NIPAAM exhibits a lower
      critical solution temperature (LCST) at 33  degrees C, the NIPAAM-only gel showed
      a steep slope for dlambdapeak/dT below 40  degrees C, whereas the slope became
      flatter at high temperatures. As the ACMO content increased in the thermochromic
      gel, the curve of dlambdapeak/dT turned out to be gradual within the investigated
      temperature range, exhibiting the entire visible range of colors. The
      incorporation of ACMO in NIPAAM-based thermochromic gels therefore enabled a
      better control of color changes at a relatively high-temperature regime compared
      to a NIPAAM-only gel. In addition, ACMO-containing thermochromic gels exhibited a
      smaller hysteresis of lambdapeak for the heating and cooling cycle.

PMID- 28617338
TI  - Indoor Autonomous Control of a Two-Wheeled Inverted Pendulum Vehicle Using Ultra
      Wide Band Technology.
AB  - In this paper, we aimed to achieve the indoor tracking control of a two-wheeled
      inverted pendulum (TWIP) vehicle. The attitude data are acquired from a low cost
      micro inertial measurement unit (IMU), and the ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is
      utilized to obtain an accurate estimation of the TWIP's position. We propose a
      dual-loop control method to realize the simultaneous balance and trajectory
      tracking control for the TWIP vehicle. A robust adaptive second-order sliding
      mode control (2-RASMC) method based on an improved super-twisting (STW) algorithm
      is investigated to obtain the control laws, followed by several simulations to
      verify its robustness. The outer loop controller is designed using the idea of
      backstepping. Moreover, three typical trajectories, including a circle, a
      trifolium and a hexagon, have been designed to prove the adaptability of the
      control combinations. Six different combinations of inner and outer loop control
      algorithms have been compared, and the characteristics of inner and outer loop
      algorithm combinations have been analyzed. Simulation results demonstrate its
      tracking performance and thus verify the validity of the proposed control
      methods. Trajectory tracking experiments in a real indoor environment have been
      performed using our experimental vehicle to further validate the feasibility of
      the proposed algorithm in practice.

PMID- 28617339
TI  - Development of a Stereovision-Based Technique to Measure the Spread Patterns of
      Granular Fertilizer Spreaders.
AB  - Centrifugal fertilizer spreaders are by far the most commonly used granular
      fertilizer spreader type in Europe. Their spread pattern however is error-prone,
      potentially leading to an undesired distribution of particles in the field and
      losses out of the field, which is often caused by poor calibration of the
      spreader for the specific fertilizer used. Due to the large environmental impact
      of fertilizer use, it is important to optimize the spreading process and minimize
      these errors. Spreader calibrations can be performed by using collection trays to
      determine the (field) spread pattern, but this is very time-consuming and
      expensive for the farmer and hence not common practice. Therefore, we developed
      an innovative multi-camera system to predict the spread pattern in a fast and
      accurate way, independent of the spreader configuration. Using high-speed
      stereovision, ejection parameters of particles leaving the spreader vanes were
      determined relative to a coordinate system associated with the spreader. The
      landing positions and subsequent spread patterns were determined using a
      ballistic model incorporating the effect of tractor motion and wind. Experiments
      were conducted with a commercial spreader and showed a high repeatability. The
      results were transformed to one spatial dimension to enable comparison with
      transverse spread patterns determined in the field and showed similar results.

PMID- 28617340
TI  - Coumarin-Tetrapyrrolic Macrocycle Conjugates: Synthesis and Applications.
AB  - This review covers the synthesis of coumarin-porphyrin, coumarin-phthalocyanine
      and coumarin-corrole conjugates and their potential applications. While coumarin
      phthalocyanine conjugates were obtained almost exclusively by tetramerization of
      coumarin-functionalized phthalonitriles, coumarin-porphyrin and coumarin-corrole
      conjugates were prepared by complementary approaches: (a) direct synthesis of the
      tetrapyrrolic macrocycle using formylcoumarins and pyrrole or (b) by
      functionalization of the tetrapyrrolic macrocycle. In the last approach a range
      of reaction types were used, namely 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions, hetero-Diels
      Alder, Sonogashira, alkylation or acylation reactions. This is clearly a more
      versatile approach, leading to a larger diversity of conjugates and allowing the
      access to conjugates bearing one to up to 16 coumarin units.

PMID- 28617342
TI  - Dynamic Resource Allocation and Access Class Barring Scheme for Delay-Sensitive
      Devices in Machine to Machine (M2M) Communications.
AB  - Supporting simultaneous access of machine-type devices is a critical challenge in
      machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. In this paper, we propose an optimal
      scheme to dynamically adjust the Access Class Barring (ACB) factor and the number
      of random access channel (RACH) resources for clustered machine-to-machine (M2M)
      communications, in which Delay-Sensitive (DS) devices coexist with Delay-Tolerant
      (DT) ones. In M2M communications, since delay-sensitive devices share random
      access resources with delay-tolerant devices, reducing the resources consumed by
      delay-sensitive devices means that there will be more resources available to
      delay-tolerant ones. Our goal is to optimize the random access scheme, which can
      not only satisfy the requirements of delay-sensitive devices, but also take the
      communication quality of delay-tolerant ones into consideration. We discuss this
      problem from the perspective of delay-sensitive services by adjusting the
      resource allocation and ACB scheme for these devices dynamically. Simulation
      results show that our proposed scheme realizes good performance in satisfying the
      delay-sensitive services as well as increasing the utilization rate of the random
      access resources allocated to them.

PMID- 28617341
TI  - Microwave-Assisted Facile Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation and Docking Study of N
      ((5-(Substituted methylene amino)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)methyl) Benzamide
      Derivatives.
AB  - In the present work, 12 novel Schiff's bases containing a thiadiazole scaffold
      and benzamide groups coupled through appropriate pharmacophore were synthesized.
      These moieties are associated with important biological properties. A facile,
      solvent-free synthesis of a series of novel 7(a-l) N-((5-(substituted methylene
      amino)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)methyl) benzamide was carried out under microwave
      irradiation. Structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, NMR,
      mass spectral study and elemental analysis. All the synthesized hybrids were
      evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against a panel of four human
      cancer cell lines, viz. SK-MEL-2 (melanoma), HL-60 (leukemia), HeLa (cervical
      cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer) and normal breast epithelial cell (MCF-10A) using
      3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay method.
      Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited promising anticancer activity, showed
      comparable GI50 values comparable to that of the standard drug Adriamycin. The
      compounds 7k, 7l, 7b, and 7a were found to be the most promising anticancer
      agents in this study. A molecular docking study was performed to predict the
      probable mechanism of action and computational study of the synthesized compounds
      7(a-l) was performed to predict absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
      and toxicity (ADMET) properties, by using QikProp v3.5 (Schrodinger LLC). The
      results showed the good oral drug-like behavior of the synthesized compounds 7(a
      l).

PMID- 28617343
TI  - Study of the Relation between the Resonance Behavior of Thickness Shear Mode
      (TSM) Sensors and the Mechanical Characteristics of Biofilms.
AB  - This work analyzes some key aspects of the behavior of sensors based on
      piezoelectric Thickness Shear Mode (TSM) resonators to study and monitor
      microbial biofilms. The operation of these sensors is based on the analysis of
      their resonance properties (both resonance frequency and dissipation factor) that
      vary in contact with the analyzed sample. This work shows that different
      variations during the microorganism growth can be detected by the sensors and
      highlights which of these changes are indicative of biofilm formation. TSM
      sensors have been used to monitor in real time the development of Staphylococcus
      epidermidis and Escherichia coli biofilms, formed on the gold electrode of the
      quartz crystal resonators, without any coating. Strains with different ability to
      produce biofilm have been tested. It was shown that, once a first homogeneous
      adhesion of bacteria was produced on the substrate, the biofilm can be considered
      as a semi-infinite layer and the quartz sensor reflects only the viscoelastic
      properties of the region immediately adjacent to the resonator, not being
      sensitive to upper layers of the biofilm. The experiments allow the
      microrheological evaluation of the complex shear modulus (G* = G' + jG") of the
      biofilm at 5 MHz and at 15 MHz, showing that the characteristic parameter that
      indicates the adhesion of a biofilm for the case of S. epidermidis and E. coli,
      is an increase in the resonance frequency shift of the quartz crystal sensor,
      which is connected with an increase of the real shear modulus, related to the
      elasticity or stiffness of the layer. In addition both the real and the imaginary
      shear modulus are frequency dependent at these high frequencies in biofilms.

PMID- 28617344
TI  - Synthesis and Biological Activity Evaluation of Novel Heterocyclic Pleuromutilin
      Derivatives.
AB  - A series of pleuromutilin derivatives were synthesized by two synthetic
      procedures under mild reaction conditions and characterized by Nuclear Magnetic
      Resonance (NMR), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), and High Resolution Mass
      Spectrometer (HRMS). Most of the derivatives with heterocyclic groups at the C-14
      side of pleuromutilin exhibited excellent in vitro antibacterial activities
      against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      (MRSA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), and vancomycin
      resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in vitro antibacterial activity. The synthesized
      derivatives which contained pyrimidine rings, 3a, 3b, and 3f, displayed modest
      antibacterial activities. Compound 3a, the most active antibacterial agent,
      displayed rapid bactericidal activity and affected bacterial growth in the same
      manner as that of tiamulin fumarate. Moreover, molecular docking studies of 3a
      and lefamulin provided similar information about the interactions between the
      compounds and 50S ribosomal subunit. The results of the study show that
      pyrimidine rings should be considered in the drug design of pleuromutilin
      derivatives.

PMID- 28617345
TI  - Examining Associations of Environmental Characteristics with Recreational Cycling
      Behaviour by Street-Level Strava Data.
AB  - Policymakers pay much attention to effectively increasing frequency of people's
      cycling in the context of developing sustainable and green cities. Investigating
      associations of environmental characteristics and cycling behaviour could offer
      implications for changing urban infrastructure aiming at encouraging active
      travel. However, earlier examinations of associations between environmental
      characteristics and active travel behaviour are limited by low spatial
      granularity and coverage of traditional data. Crowdsourced geographic information
      offers an opportunity to determine the fine-grained travel patterns of people.
      Particularly, Strava Metro data offer a good opportunity for studies of
      recreational cycling behaviour as they can offer hourly, daily or annual cycling
      volumes with different purposes (commuting or recreational) in each street across
      a city. Therefore, in this study, we utilised Strava Metro data for investigating
      associations between environmental characteristics and recreational cycling
      behaviour at a large spatial scale (street level). In this study, we took account
      of population density, employment density, road length, road connectivity,
      proximity to public transit services, land use mix, proximity to green space,
      volume of motor vehicles and traffic accidents in an empirical investigation over
      Glasgow. Empirical results reveal that Strava cyclists are more likely to cycle
      for recreation on streets with short length, large connectivity or low volume of
      motor vehicles or on streets surrounded by residential land.

PMID- 28617346
TI  - LDMOS Channel Thermometer Based on a Thermal Resistance Sensor for Balancing
      Temperature in Monolithic Power ICs.
AB  - This paper presents a method of thermal balancing for monolithic power integrated
      circuits (ICs). An on-chip temperature monitoring sensor that consists of a poly
      resistor strip in each of multiple parallel MOSFET banks is developed. A
      temperature-to-frequency converter (TFC) is proposed to quantize on-chip
      temperature. A pulse-width-modulation (PWM) methodology is developed to balance
      the channel temperature based on the quantization. The modulated PWM pulses
      control the hottest of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)
      bank to reduce its power dissipation and heat generation. A test chip with eight
      parallel MOSFET banks is fabricated in TSMC 0.25 MUm HV BCD processes, and total
      area is 900 * 914 MUm2. The maximal temperature variation among the eight banks
      can reduce to 2.8  degrees C by the proposed thermal balancing system from 9.5 
      degrees C with 1.5 W dissipation. As a result, our proposed system improves the
      lifetime of a power MOSFET by 20%.

PMID- 28617347
TI  - Repetitive Behaviours and Restricted Interests in Individuals with Down Syndrome
      One Way of Managing Their World?
AB  - This paper argues that the repetitive behaviour and restrictive interests (RBRI)
      displayed by individuals with Down syndrome have mostly positive functions.
      However, as research has developed from interests in Obsessional Compulsive
      Disorder or Autistic Spectrum Disorder, unfortunately a view has arisen that RBRI
      in individuals with Down syndrome are also likely to be pathological. This is
      particularly the case in adults. The paper reviews: (a) measures employed and the
      perspectives that have been used; (b) the development in typically developing
      individuals, those with Down syndrome, and those with other conditions associated
      with intellectual disability; (c) positive and possible negative effects of RBRI;
      and (d) the need for more research. The conclusion is that, for their level of
      development, RBRI are helpful for most individuals with Down syndrome.

PMID- 28617348
TI  - Urban Ecological Security Simulation and Prediction Using an Improved Cellular
      Automata (CA) Approach-A Case Study for the City of Wuhan in China.
AB  - Ecological security is an important research topic, especially urban ecological
      security. As highly populated eco-systems, cities always have more fragile
      ecological environments. However, most of the research on urban ecological
      security in literature has focused on evaluating current or past status of the
      ecological environment. Very little literature has carried out simulation or
      prediction of future ecological security. In addition, there is even less
      literature exploring the urban ecological environment at a fine scale. To fill-in
      the literature gap, in this study we simulated and predicted urban ecological
      security at a fine scale (district level) using an improved Cellular Automata
      (CA) approach. First we used the pressure-state-response (PSR) method based on
      grid-scale data to evaluate urban ecological security. Then, based on the
      evaluation results, we imported the geographically weighted regression (GWR)
      concept into the CA model to simulate and predict urban ecological security. We
      applied the improved CA approach in a case study-simulating and predicting urban
      ecological security for the city of Wuhan in Central China. By comparing the
      simulated ecological security values from 2010 using the improved CA model to the
      actual ecological security values of 2010, we got a relatively high value of the
      kappa coefficient, which indicates that this CA model can simulate or predict
      well future development of ecological security in Wuhan. Based on the prediction
      results for 2020, we made some policy recommendations for each district in Wuhan.

PMID- 28617349
TI  - Investigation of Acute Pulmonary Deficits Associated with Biomass Fuel Cookstove
      Emissions in Rural Bangladesh.
AB  - The use of solid biomass fuels in cookstoves has been associated with chronic
      health impacts that disproportionately affect women worldwide. Solid fuel stoves
      that use wood, plant matter, and cow dung are commonly used for household cooking
      in rural Bangladesh. This study investigates the immediate effects of acute
      elevated cookstove emission exposures on pulmonary function. Pulmonary function
      was measured with spirometry before and during cooking to assess changes in
      respiratory function during exposure to cookstove emissions for 15 females ages
      18-65. Cookstove emissions were characterized using continuous measurements of
      particulate matter (PM2.5-aerodynamic diameter <2.5 MUm) concentrations at a 1 s
      time resolution for each household. Several case studies were observed where
      women >=40 years who had been cooking for >=25 years suffered from severe
      pulmonary impairment. Forced expiratory volume in one second over forced vital
      capacity (FEV1/FVC) was found to moderately decline (p = 0.06) during cooking
      versus non-cooking in the study cohort. The study found a significant (alpha <
      0.05) negative association between 3- and 10-min maximum PM2.5 emissions during
      cooking and lung function measurements of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced
      expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC obtained during cooking
      intervals. This study found that exposure to biomass burning emissions from solid
      fuel stoves- associated with acute elevated PM2.5 concentrations- leads to a
      decrease in pulmonary function, although further research is needed to ascertain
      the prolonged (e.g., daily, for multiple years) impacts of acute PM2.5 exposure
      on immediate and sustained respiratory impairment.

PMID- 28617350
TI  - Public Perceptions of Service Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs, and Therapy Dogs.
AB  - As service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs have become more
      prevalent in the USA, so too has the controversy surrounding their legitimacy.
      Yet, there is a lack of objective data regarding the public's understanding of
      the role played by each of these types of animals, as well as their perceptions
      regarding the legitimacy of their integration. An anonymous, online survey was
      distributed to examine the perceptions of US adults who do not own any type of
      assistance animal. A total of 505 individuals responded to the online survey,
      yielding 284 usable responses. Results suggest widespread misconceptions about
      definitions, rules, regulations, and rights associated with each type of
      assistance dog. In general, service dogs are more likely to be perceived as
      helping with a legitimate need, and their access to public spaces is viewed
      favorably. While there are some concerns about the legitimacy and necessary
      access rights for emotional support dogs, members of the public correctly
      identified the roles and rights of therapy dogs. Despite the media's focus on
      abuses and false representation of these dogs, most participants reported feeling
      the majority of people are not taking advantage of the system.

PMID- 28617351
TI  - An Extended Kriging Method to Interpolate Near-Surface Soil Moisture Data
      Measured by Wireless Sensor Networks.
AB  - In the practice of interpolating near-surface soil moisture measured by a
      wireless sensor network (WSN) grid, traditional Kriging methods with auxiliary
      variables, such as Co-kriging and Kriging with external drift (KED), cannot
      achieve satisfactory results because of the heterogeneity of soil moisture and
      its low correlation with the auxiliary variables. This study developed an
      Extended Kriging method to interpolate with the aid of remote sensing images. The
      underlying idea is to extend the traditional Kriging by introducing spectral
      variables, and operating on spatial and spectral combined space. The algorithm
      has been applied to WSN-measured soil moisture data in HiWATER campaign to
      generate daily maps from 10 June to 15 July 2012. For comparison, three
      traditional Kriging methods are applied: Ordinary Kriging (OK), which used WSN
      data only, Co-kriging and KED, both of which integrated remote sensing data as
      covariate. Visual inspections indicate that the result from Extended Kriging
      shows more spatial details than that of OK, Co-kriging, and KED. The Root Mean
      Square Error (RMSE) of Extended Kriging was found to be the smallest among the
      four interpolation results. This indicates that the proposed method has
      advantages in combining remote sensing information and ground measurements in
      soil moisture interpolation.

PMID- 28617352
TI  - Equivalent Circuit Model of Low-Frequency Magnetoelectric Effect in Disk-Type
      Terfenol-D/PZT Laminate Composites Considering a New Interface Coupling Factor.
AB  - This paper describes the modeling of magnetoelectric (ME) effects for disk-type
      Terfenol-D (Tb0.3Dy0.7Fe1.92)/PZT (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3) laminate composite at low
      frequency by combining the advantages of the static elastic model and the
      equivalent circuit model, aiming at providing a guidance for the design and
      fabrication of the sensors based on magnetoelectric laminate composite.
      Considering that the strains of the magnetostrictive and piezoelectric layers are
      not equal in actual operating due to the epoxy resin adhesive bonding condition,
      the magnetostrictive and piezoelectric layers were first modeled through the
      equation of motion separately, and then coupled together with a new interface
      coupling factor kc, which physically reflects the strain transfer between the
      phases. Furthermore, a theoretical expression containing kc for the transverse ME
      voltage coefficient alphav and the optimum thickness ratio noptim to which the
      maximum ME voltage coefficient corresponds were derived from the modified
      equivalent circuit of ME laminate, where the interface coupling factor acted as
      an ideal transformer. To explore the influence of mechanical load on the
      interface coupling factor kc, two sets of weights, i.e., 100 g and 500 g, were
      placed on the top of the ME laminates with the same thickness ratio n in the
      sample fabrication. A total of 22 T-T mode disk-type ME laminate samples with
      different configurations were fabricated. The interface coupling factors
      determined from the measured alphav and the DC bias magnetic field Hbias were
      0.11 for 500 g pre-mechanical load and 0.08 for 100 g pre-mechanical load.
      Furthermore, the measured optimum thickness ratios were 0.61 for kc = 0.11 and
      0.56 for kc = 0.08. Both the theoretical ME voltage coefficient alphav and
      optimum thickness ratio noptim containing kc agreed well with the measured data,
      verifying the reasonability and correctness for the introduction of kc in the
      modified equivalent circuit model.

PMID- 28617353
TI  - Torsional Ultrasound Sensor Optimization for Soft Tissue Characterization.
AB  - Torsion mechanical waves have the capability to characterize shear stiffness
      moduli of soft tissue. Under this hypothesis, a computational methodology is
      proposed to design and optimize a piezoelectrics-based transmitter and receiver
      to generate and measure the response of torsional ultrasonic waves. The procedure
      employed is divided into two steps: (i) a finite element method (FEM) is
      developed to obtain a transmitted and received waveform as well as a resonance
      frequency of a previous geometry validated with a semi-analytical simplified
      model and (ii) a probabilistic optimality criteria of the design based on inverse
      problem from the estimation of robust probability of detection (RPOD) to maximize
      the detection of the pathology defined in terms of changes of shear stiffness.
      This study collects different options of design in two separated models, in
      transmission and contact, respectively. The main contribution of this work
      describes a framework to establish such as forward, inverse and optimization
      procedures to choose a set of appropriate parameters of a transducer. This
      methodological framework may be generalizable for other different applications.

PMID- 28617355
TI  - [An analysis of the prevalence and risk factors of multiple sclerosis in the
      Republic of Ingushetia].
AB  - AIM: To determine epidemiological characteristics and factors related to the
      development of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the population of the Republic of
      Ingushetia in 2013-2016. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A study was carried out in several
      clinical settings of the Republic of Ingushetia. A special medical form developed
      for the study was completed by patients. Medical examination of patients was
      performed as well. Statistical methods were used for data analysis. RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSION: A significant variation of MS prevalence was seen. The mean
      prevalence rate was low - 13.2 cases of MS per 100 000 of population. It was
      different in ethnic groups: 13.7 per 100 000 of population in Ingush, 15.2 in
      Chechen and 45 in the Slavonic population. The incidence of MS was 1.76 per 100
      000 population in 2015. Different risk factors of MS, including adverse
      ecological factors and environmental risk predictors (contact with poisons), and
      their greater role compared to genetic factors were identified.

PMID- 28617356
TI  - [The association of the FAS/APO-1 (rs2234767) gene polymorphism with the risk and
      rapid progression of multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the association of the FAS/APO-1 (rs2234767) gene polymorphism
      with the risk of multiple sclerosis and its progression dynamics. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: A case-control study included 100 patients with recurrent multiple
      sclerosis (MS), Russians from the Altai Territory, and 100 healthy volunteers.
      Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to genotype the 1377G>A polymorphism
      in the promoter of the FAS/APO-1 (rs2234767) gene. Association of this
      polymorphism with the risk of multiple sclerosis and its progression was
      evaluated. RESULTS: The G/A genotype and the A-allele were associated with the
      increased risk of multiple sclerosis. The G/A genotype and the A-allele were
      associated with the risk of high progression rate of the disease. The G/G
      genotype and the G-allele had a protective effect. CONCLUSION: Predisposition to
      MS as well as to high progression rate are associated with the FAS/APO-1*G/A gene
      in Russians living in the Altai Territory. Further research is required to make
      the conclusion.

PMID- 28617354
TI  - Photoacoustic Drug Delivery.
AB  - Photoacoustic (PA) technology holds great potential in clinical translation as a
      new non-invasive bioimaging modality. In contrast to conventional optical
      imaging, PA imaging (PAI) enables higher resolution imaging with deeper imaging
      depth. Besides applications for diagnosis, PA has also been extended to
      theranostic applications. The guidance of PAI facilitates remotely controlled
      drug delivery. This review focuses on the recent development of PAI-mediated drug
      delivery systems. We provide an overview of the design of different PAI agents
      for drug delivery. The challenges and further opportunities regarding PA therapy
      are also discussed.

PMID- 28617357
TI  - [Polymorphic variants of the immune response genes as risk factors for primary
      progressive multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To analyze the involvement of immune response genes in the pathogenesis of
      primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This
      multicenter study included 111 patients with PPMS from the Russian ethnic group.
      The association of PPMS with genes of immune system was analyzed by the study of
      polymorphic variants of genes of cytokines and genes of antigen-presenting cells.
      RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The genotypes of IL-4 (rs2243250)*C/C and CLEC16A
      (rs6498169)*G/G were associated with PPMS in Russians. The association between
      the HLA-DRB1*15 and PPMS found out in other populations was confirmed in
      Russians.

PMID- 28617358
TI  - [Dendritic cells in multiple sclerosis].
AB  - Main functions, structure and stages of development of dendritic cells (DCs) are
      reviewed. A role of DCs in the development of immune tolerance and autoimmune
      diseases as well as involvement of DCs in the immunopathogenesis of multiple
      sclerosis (MS and their therapeutic potential in the treatment of MS are
      discussed.

PMID- 28617359
TI  - [Clinical and molecular genetic analysis of a case of familial multiple sclerosis
      in the Republic of Bashkortostan].
AB  - AIM: To investigate clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) and the
      genetic makeup of six affected members of one family. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six
      members of the family of Russian ethnic origin were examined. Pedigree analysis
      and genotyping of polymorphic markers of candidate genes for multiple sclerosis
      were performed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The accumulation of alleles that were
      associated with autoimmune diseases according to the results of genome-wide
      association studies (rs1109670*C, rs3129934*T, rs9523762*G, rs1570538*T) was
      found in the family. The results confirm the contribution of several genetic
      variants to familial forms of MS.

PMID- 28617360
TI  - [The influence of solar and geomagnetic activity on the risk of multiple
      sclerosis (results of correlation and regression analysis)].
AB  - AIM: Multiple sclerosis (MS) develops as a result of an interaction between
      genetic and environmental factors, among them solar (SA) and geomagnetic activity
      (GMA) attract the particular attention. An impact of SA and GMA on intrauterine
      and postnatal period in MS was studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included
      358 patients with MS. Correlation (CA) and regression analysis (RA) were used to
      study the effects of SA and GMA during intrauterine period, the 1st year of life,
      a year of disease onset, a year before the onset. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: CA
      revealed the association between the MS onset and mean values of kp-index in the
      onset year and the year before the onset year, number of days with kp>=4 and
      kp>=5 in the onset year and the year before the onset year, mean SFU in the onset
      year. RA revealed the association between the MS onset and mean kp in the year
      before the onset year and in the onset year, number of days with kp>=7 in the
      onset year and the year before the onset year, mean kp during pregnancy, number
      of days with kp>=7 in the 1st year of life and during pregnancy. The influence of
      high GMA during pregnancy and in the 1st year of life increases the MS risk in
      the future and the high GMA predisposes to the MS onset in adults. The practical
      value of the study is that predicting the GMA changes we can try to prevent the
      onset and relapses in the risk groups.

PMID- 28617361
TI  - [Atypical multiple sclerosis - Balo's concentric sclerosis: two case-reports and
      a review].
AB  - This article presents two clinical cases of patients diagnosed with Balo's
      concentric sclerosis. Distinctive features of the pathogenesis in the aspect of
      differential diagnosis from other forms of multiple sclerosis and possible
      treatment are discussed.

PMID- 28617362
TI  - [Marburg's variant of multiple sclerosis: a case report].
AB  - Marburg's variant of multiple sclerosis, first described by the Austrian
      neurologist Otto Marburg in 1906, is a rare demyelinating disease that usually
      leads to severe disability or death within weeks to months. Our case report
      describes a young 24-year old woman with Marburg's variant of multiple sclerosis
      who became totally disabled over a period of some months. Clinical features and
      MRI-characteristics of two demyelinating diseases: acute disseminated
      encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and Marburg's variant of multiple sclerosis are
      discussed. The use of intense immunosuppression in the case described is
      considered.

PMID- 28617363
TI  - [Diagnostic value of immunoglobulin free light chains at the debut of multiple
      sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic value of determination of free immunoglobulin
      light chains (IgG) in the debut of multiple sclerosis (MS). MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Data from 226 patients, including 111 patients with clinically isolated syndrome
      with conversion to multiple sclerosis within the first 2 years of the disease
      (group 1), 49 patients with clinically isolated syndrome who did not develop
      multiple sclerosis within the first 2 years of the disease (group 2), 20 patients
      with other inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (group 3) were
      analyzed. The control group consisted of 46 patients with non-inflammatory
      diseases of the central nervous system. The clonality of immunoglobulins in the
      CSF, concentration of kappa and lambda free light chains and their ratio were
      studied. RESULTS: Concentrations of free light chains were significantly higher
      in the first group in comparison with group 2 and the control group, but didn't
      differ from group 3. In group 3, concentrations of free light chains were
      significantly higher compared to group 2 and controls. In oligoclonal-positive
      patients with clinically isolated syndrome (groups 1 and 2), concentrations of
      kappa and lambda free light chains were significantly higher than in oligoclonal
      negative patients. The production of free light chains in patients from the first
      group was considerably higher than in group 2 regardless of the oligoclonal
      status. The concentration of kappa chains and quotient of kappa free light chains
      in the CSF had the best diagnostic characteristics. Their use, along with the
      evaluation of IgG clonality, reduced the risk of false-negative results by 50%.
      Regardless of other factors, elevated concentrations of kappa chains increase the
      likelihood of MS diagnosis by 9.718 times. CONCLUSION: The use of free light
      chains as a laboratory marker can increase the accuracy of MS diagnosis. These
      markers can help indirectly assess the risk of transformation of a clinically
      isolated syndrome into definite multiple sclerosis within the first 2 years of
      disease.

PMID- 28617364
TI  - [A current view on the MRI diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: an update of 2016
      revised MRI criteria].
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the primary method for confirming the
      clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The article presents the current
      data on using MRI of the brain and spinal cord for diagnosis in suspected MS.
      Special attention is paid to the MRI criteria of McDonald and MAGNIMS for
      relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and primary-progressive MS (PPMS) in the latest
      revisions of 2010 and 2016. The information provided can help radiologists and
      neurologists to optimize the use of MRI in clinical practice for diagnosis of MS.

PMID- 28617365
TI  - [Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome and rebound syndrome in multiple
      sclerosis patients who stopped disease modification therapy: current
      understanding and a case report].
AB  - More and more multiple sclerosis patients have been receiving treatment with new
      immunomodulatory drugs. Its discontinuation because of side-effects, lack of
      efficacy or pregnancy has been increasing as well. This paper reviews such severe
      complications of natalizumab and fingolimod cessation as immune reconstitution
      inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) and rebound. The short history, immunopathogenesis
      and diagnostic criteria of IRIS in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus
      infection are covered. Clinical and radiological presentations as well as
      possible pathogenic mechanisms of IRIS in patients treated with natalizumab and
      fingolimod are discussed. The authors also report the case of a woman with
      multiple sclerosis treated with fingolimod, who experienced a severe relapse when
      she stopped treatment. Diagnostic criteria and prognostic factors for IRIS and
      rebound are needed in patients with multiple sclerosis who discontinue the new
      disease modification therapy.

PMID- 28617366
TI  - [An effect of disease-modifying drugs on the development of children born to
      mothers with multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate an effect of mother's treatment with disease-modifying drugs
      (DMD) on the mental and physical development of the child in the first year of
      life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty pregnancies resulted in birth of live babies
      in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were studied. The diagnosis of MS was
      made to the mother before conception of the child. Seven mothers did not receive
      DMD at the moment of conception (controls), 13 mother were treated with
      interferon-beta (IFN) and 10 with glatiramer acetate. A structure interview,
      examination of the child with the assessment of common anthropometric indices,
      the WHO scale for achievement of six milestones, medical history and statistical
      analysis were used. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The data on the negative effect of MS
      on the growth and development of the fetus and the positive impact of treatment
      of the mother with DMD in the early stages of pregnancy on anthropometric indices
      and development of the child in the first year of life were confirmed. It has
      been concluded that DMD positively influence the disease course of the female
      patient and potentially improve the prognosis for her future offspring.

PMID- 28617367
TI  - [Current algorithms of diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis based on the
      individual assessment of the patient].
AB  - This review presents the current knowledge on diagnosis, therapy of relapses of
      multiple Sclerosis (MS) and disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in MS. Algorithms of
      diagnosis and therapy of MS are presented. Special attention is paid to the
      analysis of efficacy, tolerability and safety of DMT in MS.

PMID- 28617368
TI  - [A comparative placebo-controlled clinical study on the efficacy and safety of
      interferon beta-1a for subcutaneous injections in patients with remitting
      multiple sclerosis: results of the first year of observations].
AB  - AIM: To prove the equivalent efficacy of teberif (BCD-033, interferon beta-1) and
      rebif (interferon beta-1a) in patients with remitting multiple sclerosis (RMS).
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicenter double blind placebo-controlled comparative
      randomized III phase study included 163 patients with RMS. Patients were
      randomized into three equal groups (teberif, rebif or placebo). RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSION: After 52 weeks, the equivalent efficacy of teberif and the brand drug
      rebif was shown. The result of assessment of the primary endpoint, which was
      combined unique active (CUA) lesion (the total of MRI T1-weighted lesions and new
      or newly enlarging T2-weighted lesions, without double counting of lesions with
      both activities), showed no significant differences (0.727+/-1.042 and 0.652+/
      1.059 (p=0.7354, t-Student test) in the teberif and rebif groups, respectively.
      No between-group differences were found for other MRI indices and clinical
      parameters related with relapses. Teberif was shown to have a favorable safety
      and tolerability profile comparable to that of rebif. The results suggest the
      therapeutic equivalency of the drugs and form the basis for using the bioanalogue
      of interferon-beta 1 in patients with RMS.

PMID- 28617369
TI  - [A.N. Boyko, O.V. Bykova, S.A. Sivertseva. Multiple sclerosis in children and
      adolescents. M; 2016].

PMID- 28617370
TI  - [Clinical recommendations on the use of alemtuzumab (lemtrada)].

PMID- 28617371
TI  - [Cognitive dysfunction and content of inflammatory markers in patients after
      coronary artery bypass graft].
AB  - AIM: To study the relationship between the content of inflammatory biomarkers and
      cognitive function in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
      performed in condition of artificial blood circulation (ABC) or open-heart
      surgery (OHS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with ischemic heart
      disease who survived CABG, mean age 62.4+/-6.2 years, were studied. The ABC group
      (n=18) and OHS group (n=11) were matched for age and sex. Patients underwent
      standard clinical examination as well as neurological examination and
      neuropsychological testing. Concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory
      cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, IL-1RA, IFN-gamma, IP
      10; MCP-1, MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta, RANTES, TNF) were determined in blood plasma
      obtained 24 h before and 2h after surgery using multiplex immunofluorescence
      assay. RESULTS: In both groups, an increase in concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IL
      10, IL-12, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1beta and RANTES was observed at point T1.
      Concentration of IL-1RA was significantly higher only in the ABC group but not in
      the OHS group. After CABG, an increase in concentrations of IL-8, IP-10, MIP
      1beta, IL-1RA was significantly higher in the ABC group. The Montreal scale was
      the most sensitive test for assessment of cognitive functions in post CABG
      patients. A significant decrease in scores (>3) was noted in 8 out of 18 patients
      in the ABC group and in one patient of the OHS group. The correlations between
      the decrease in cognitive functioning in the 7th day after surgery and plasma
      cytokine concentration 2 h after surgery were identified for IL-6 (r=0.472;
      p=0.01); IL-8 (r=0.403; p=0.03); IP-10 (r=0.372; p=0.047); MCP-1 (r=0.470;
      p=0.01). CONCLUSION: CABG is accompanied by the systemic inflammatory reaction,
      with the more marked inflammatory effect in patients operated under condition of
      extracorporeal circulation. CABG with ABC causes an impairment of cognitive
      functions during the first week in many patients. Impaired cognitive status was
      associated with the increase in concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines in
      blood plasma.

PMID- 28617372
TI  - [Characteristics of psychopathological symptomatology in HIV-infection
      schizophrenic patients].
AB  - AIM: To study the psychopathological structure of psychotic syndromes in HIV
      infected schizophrenic patients and in patients without HIV infection. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: Forty HIV-infected patients, 23 women and 17 men, with confirmed
      diagnosis of schizophrenia were included in the study. The control group
      consisted of 40 patients without HIV infection, 23 women (48%) and 17 men (52%).
      The psychopathological state in all patients was assessed with the PANSS. Flow
      cytometry was used to measure immunological parameters in HIV-infected patients.
      Data analysis included principal component analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:
      There were independent positive, negative and affective symptoms in the structure
      of syndromes of schizophrenic patients without HIV. The structure of syndromes in
      HIV-infected schizophrenic patients included cognitive deficit as well.

PMID- 28617373
TI  - [A psychological content of social phobia syndrome].
AB  - AIM: To perform a psychological analysis of social phobia syndrome. The subject
      area of research is the structure of mental activity and behavior in social
      activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 32 patients with symptoms of
      social phobia (ICD-10 F40.1) and 29 healthy people (controls). A complex of
      psychological methods (questionnaires; pathopsychological experiment) was used.
      RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Early maladaptive schemes and a tendency to mental
      rigidity can be a premorbid basis of the syndrome. Primary violation is in
      organizational target component by type of distortion of goal-setting regulation.
      The mechanism is a reduction in the mediation of emotions and behavior (an
      influence of emotions on the process of activity, excess metacognitive anxiety
      control leading to multi-task and exhaustion of resources of voluntary activity).
      Fear of negative evaluation leads to the fact that a wide class of situations is
      interpreted as threatening. Secondary are changes in the system of goals and
      motives of activity (technically performing components of social behavior act as
      a focus of attention, along with the target, the target replaces the
      suprasituational meaning). Along with a strong motivation to succeed, the motive
      of avoiding failure is formed, which leads to a decrease in social activity.
      Tertiary symptoms of syndrome dynamics (ways to cope with maladaptation) are
      destructive forms of decompensation (substance abuse, learned helplessness and
      hopelessness, suicidal behavior, etc.), repeatedly reinforcing the primary and
      secondary disturbances.

PMID- 28617374
TI  - [Positive changes in the severity of residual psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic
      patients switched to treatment with risperidone].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effect of changing therapy from typical antipsychotics to
      the atypical antipsychotic risperidone in the treatment of difficult-to-treat
      residual psychotic symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 15
      patients, 8 men and 7 women, mean age 49.1+/-10.25 years, diagnosed with paranoid
      schizophrenia, partial remission (ICD-10 F20.04). At the beginning all
      participants received regular maintenance antipsychotic therapy with typical
      antipsychotics. The patient assessment with the PANSS, CGI scale and GAF scale
      was performed at the beginning (before the change of antipsychotics to
      risperidone) and in the end of the study. The primary efficacy endpoint was a
      reduction in scores on the PANSS items P1 'delusions' and P3 'hallucinatory
      behavior' to 1 (no such symptom) or 2 (minimal residual symptom). Secondary
      criteria were positive changes in the severity of other psychopathological
      symptoms and an increase in the social functioning level. The average dose of
      risperidone was 4.62+/-1.35 mg. The duration of treatment was 2 month. RESULTS:
      After switching from typical antipsychotics to risperidone and two months
      monotherapy, there were significant positive changes in the total PANSS score as
      well as in positive subscale score and CGI-S score. The small, but statistically
      significant, changes were detected in the overall functioning of the patients
      (the increase in the GAF score). The dynamics of residual psychotic symptoms was
      unequal: the severity of hallucinatory symptoms decreased significantly while the
      delusional symptoms remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that
      excessive dopaminergic blockade might play a significant role in the pathogenesis
      of residual symptoms. This fact may explain the positive effect of treatment in
      the cases with the less degree of dopaminergic blockade. If it is true, the
      treatment strategy in the maintenance phase should not be a direct continuation
      of acute phase therapy and switching to other drugs and changing of the dose are
      needed.

PMID- 28617375
TI  - [Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness].
AB  - AIM: To study persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD) in outpatients with
      benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and patients with presbiataxia (PAt).
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty-four patients with PPPD, including 14 with Meniere's
      disease (MD), 19 with BPPV, 17 with a history of ischemic stroke (IS) in the
      vertebrobasilar system and 34 with Pat, were examined. For the diagnosis of
      anxiety, the original 15-point questionnaire with the Likert Scale structure was
      used. Patients received anvifen (aminophenylbutyric acid hydrochloride) in dose
      of 250 mg 3 times a day for 6 weeks. Results and sonclusion. The most common
      trigger of PPPD was sleep deprivation. The highest level of anxiety was
      identified in the PAt group (19,5+/-2,89). There was a good effect of the drug:
      it reduced anxiety in all patients studied. The quality of sleep was improved as
      well. The authors recommend anvifen as the drug of choice in patients with PPPD
      during vestibular rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

PMID- 28617376
TI  - [Postoperative cerebral dysfunction].
AB  - AIM: To study the structure, risk factors and methods of prevention of
      postoperative brain dysfunction on the example of coronary artery bypass surgery
      with cardiopulmonary bypass. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 77 patients
      who undergone elective coronary artery bypass surgery at the beating heart (22
      patients) or with cardiopulmonary bypass (55 patients, including 24 patients, who
      received cerebroprotective treatment with cytoflavin in the preoperative period).
      All patients underwent dynamic (pre- and postoperative) neurological,
      neuropsychological, instrumental examinations. RESULTS: The postoperative
      cerebral dysfunction was diagnosed in 34 (44,2%) patients. The frequency of the
      clinical types of postoperative cerebral dysfunction significantly differed:
      perioperative stroke - 3 (3,9%) cases, symptomatic delirium of the early
      postoperative period - 11 (14,3%) cases, delayed cognitive impairment - 28
      (36,4%) cases. The risk factors of postoperative cerebral dysfunction after the
      coronary artery bypass surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were identified.
      Preventive preoperative use of the neuroprotective drug cytoflavin reduces the
      severity of delayed cognitive impairment after the coronary artery bypass surgery
      with cardiopulmonary bypass and has a good safety profile. CONCLUSION: An
      analysis of the literature data and the results of our own studies show that
      postoperative cerebral dysfunction is the nosological entity with various
      etiological factors, pathogenetic mechanisms and the characteristic clinical
      types, which has an effect on the outcome of surgical treatment.

PMID- 28617377
TI  - [Pharmacological treatment of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of human placenta extract - laennec
      infusions in the treatment of patients with confirmed diagnosis of 'Chronic
      fatigue syndrome' (CFS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 38 patients
      with CFS, randomized into 2 groups: patients of the experimental group (EG, n=24)
      were treated with 10 intravenous laennec infusions, 4 ml each, 2 times/week, for
      5 weeks. The control group (CG) consisted of 14 patients. Treatment efficacy
      evaluated by the severity of chronic fatigue ('The degree of chronic fatigue'
      questionnaire), state anxiety, depression and anger (Spilberger test) and quality
      of life (SF-36v2), exercise tolerance (cardiopulmonary exercise test with gas
      analysis), blood parameters were assessed before, after, and 5 weeks of follow
      up. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The EG patients showed a significant reduction in the
      index of chronic fatigue, which was accompanied by the significant decrease in
      state depression, anxiety, improvements in subjective assessment of quality of
      life, as well as a significant increase in physical performance indices (maximal
      oxygen consumption, anaerobic threshold, load time to failure, normalization of
      the lipid 'profile' immediately after course of infusions and in 5 weeks follow
      up). No changes in chronic fatigue index and other recorded indicators were
      identified in CG. Laennec did not cause side effects, was well tolerated by all
      patients.

PMID- 28617378
TI  - [The influence of growing seizure readiness on the autonomic regulation of the
      heart].
AB  - AIM: To study the functional state of the heart in a progressive increase of
      seizure readiness (SR) due to pentylenetetrazole kindling. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      The study was carried out on male rats of the Wistar line. Simultaneous
      telemetric monitoring of electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram on-line was
      used. Individual SR of animals in 7- and 27 day pentylenetetrazole kindling was
      determined. RESULTS: The decrease in the index of LF/HF after 7 days of kindling
      reflects a compensatory reaction of the autonomic nervous system. However, the
      increase in SI indicates that the result obtained at the price of considerable
      stress regulation mechanisms. The increase in QTc, Tpeak Tend and reduced SDNN
      and TP suggest that compensatory mechanisms cannot prevent the high risk of life
      threatening arrhythmias. High SR after 27 days of kindling is accompanied by a
      shift of autonomic balance towards the growth of tone of the sympathetic system
      which may lead to decompensation and prenosological state. CONCLUSION: The
      characteristics of autonomic regulation of the heart in progressive SR are
      important for fundamental and clinical cardioneurology.

PMID- 28617379
TI  - [Immunohistochemical characteristics of the substantia nigra neurons of the
      human].
AB  - AIM: To determine the cytochemical characteristics of unchanged neurons of the
      human substantia nigra using a wide range of immunocytochemical markers some of
      which (glutamate decarboxylase-65, PGP 9.5, non-phosphorylated neurofilament
      proteins, alpa-tubulin) have never been used for study of human dopaminergic
      neurons. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fragments of human midbrain (17 men and women,
      aged from 28 to 78 years) from the archives of the Department of General and
      Specific Morphology of the Institute of Experimental Medicine were used. The
      study was performed using classical neurohistological techniques and
      immunocytochemistry using antibodies to 15 different proteins. RESULTS: Most
      neurons in substantia nigra exhibited a reduced expression of common neuronal
      markers such as neuronal nuclear protein NeuN, PGP 9.5 protein, and neuron
      specific enolase. GABAergic (GAD65-immunopositive) neurons were not found in the
      substantia nigra. Single cholinergic neurons without neuromelanin were identified
      in the dorsal part of the substantia nigra. Calcium-binding proteins calbindin
      and calretinin were not found in the majority of nigral cells although calbindin
      was rarely seen in some neurons of the dorsal part and calretinin in the ventral
      one. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was present in the substantia nigra both in
      neuropil and neuronal bodies. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the unique
      cytochemical properties of the nigral neurons, which may be related to their
      increased susceptibility to lesion and degeneration.

PMID- 28617380
TI  - [Quality of life of patients with chronic cerebral ischemia].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of soft techniques of manual therapy and
      correction of main indices of quality-of-life in patients with chronic cerebral
      ischemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred patients with chronic cerebral
      ischemia were examined. All patients received standard neurometabolic therapy. In
      the main group, patients had additional sessions of soft manual therapy
      techniques. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire on 20th
      day, and 3 and 6 month after treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A significant
      decrease in the quality-of-life of patients with chronic cerebral ischemia was
      identified. Quality-of-life has improved in patients who received neurometabolic
      therapy in the combination with soft techniques of manual therapy compared to the
      comparison group.

PMID- 28617381
TI  - [G.E. Sukhareva: a course of life and scientific/pedagogical heritage].

PMID- 28617382
TI  - [Dimebon delays the onset of symptoms of FUS-proteinopathy in transgenic mice].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate an effect of dimebon on the onset of symptomatic stage in FUS.1
      513 transgenic mice - a new genetic model of neurodegeneration, and to study the
      dynamics of disease progression in the terminal stage. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The
      study was carried out on males of line FUS1-513 with the contribution of genes
      from CD1 strains. Mice of the experimental group (n=28) received dimebon with
      water in the concentration of 70 mcg/ml starting from the 35th day of life. The
      control group (n=25) did not receive the drug. Age, body mass of animals at the
      start of symptomatic stage and duration of symptomatic stage were assessed.
      RESULTS: Application of dimebon can delay the onset of the manifestation of
      clinical symptoms of the neurodegenerative process in the experimental group
      (127.6+/-4.6 days) compared to the control group (110.6+/-4.2 days). The body
      mass was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Dimebon leads to an increase in the
      duration of presymptomatic stage and delays the manifestation of clinical
      symptoms. The changes in the dynamics of the pathological process in the
      symptomatic stage are not detected.

PMID- 28617383
TI  - [Slinical and physiological characteristics and therapy asthenic disorders in
      adolescents girls].
AB  - AIM: To study clinical and psychophysiological characteristics of asthenic
      disorders in adolescent girls in the aspect of treatment efficacy of cortexin.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-five women, aged 14-17 years, who were diagnosed
      with neurasthenia (ICD-10 F.48.0), were examined. Conventional neurological
      examination, a 10-point Visual Analogue Scale, the Multidimensional Fatigue
      Inventory (MFI-20), the A.M. Vein questionnaire, the Spielberger-Khanin
      questionnaire and EEG were used. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The high level of
      anxiety resulted in the development of autonomic symptoms and cephalgia. The EEG
      study showed that women with neurasthenia were characterized by lower alpha
      rhythm power in the occipital sites compared with healthy peers. Treatment with
      cortexin improved patient's condition in 80% of cases that was supported by the
      positive EG dynamics.

PMID- 28617384
TI  - [A comparative study of the effects of mexidolum and mildronatum on the physical
      performance of experimental animals].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effects of mexidolum on physical performance using acute and
      subchronic administration in experimental animals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The
      investigation was carried out using 123 male white outbred mice. The forced swim
      test was used to assess the effects of the drugs on the physical performance of
      mice. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A single intraperitoneal administration of 50 and
      100 mg/kg mexidolum and subchronic intraperitoneal administration of 100 mg/kg
      mexidolum significantly enhances the physical performance of animals in the
      forced swim test. Subchronic intraperitoneal administration of 100 mg/kg of the
      comparison drug mildronatum enhances the physical performance of animals, while
      intraperitoneal administration at a lower dose (50 mg/kg) has no effect. The
      effect of mexidolum at a dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg is comparable with the effect
      of mildronatum in a dose of 100 mg/kg.

PMID- 28617385
TI  - [Differential diagnosis of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with
      subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy].
AB  - Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarctions and
      leucoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an inherited CNS disease, which is caused by
      mutations in the NOTCH3 gene. Selective disorders of small vessels underlie the
      disease pathogenesis. Clinically CADASIL is characterized by headaches, multiple
      stroke-like disorders (in most cases transient ischemic attacks and lacunar
      strokes), and different focal neurological symptoms and dementia. There are
      specific MRI signs of the disease: multiple lacunar infarctions located in the
      basal ganglia, brain steam and cerebellum, focal lesions of temporal poles,
      capsula externa, periventricular and subcortical areas; diffuse white matter
      changes and leukoaraiosis can be observed as well. The differential diagnosis of
      CADASIL is made with many diseases, which are manifested by multiple brain matter
      lesions, including demyelinating disorders. It should be taken into account that
      CADASIL is characterized by headaches as one of the initial symptoms, multiple
      lacunar and diffuse brain matter lesions based on MRI data with an absence of
      atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension. Family history and autosomal dominant
      mode of inheritance is also typical of CADASIL. Detection of the NOTCH3 gene
      mutation is necessary for the definite diagnosis of CADASIL.

PMID- 28617386
TI  - [L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria caused by a new mutation in the L2HGDH gene].
AB  - The authors present a case-report of 13 year-old girl with L-2-hydroxyglutaric
      aciduria [MIM#236792], a rare autosomal/recessive metabolic disorder caused by
      mutations in the L-encoding 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (L2HGDH, 14q21.3).
      Clinical signs of the disease are presented by predominantly neurological
      symptoms (epilepsy, cerebellar ataxia, cognitive impairment). The distinctive
      feature is the specific multifocal lesion of the white matter detected on MRI.
      The characteristic neuroimaging picture and positive results of biochemical and
      molecular genetic diagnosis were identified.

PMID- 28617387
TI  - [Pharmacological neuroprotection in stroke in clinical practice: new
      perspectives].
AB  - Despite recent advances in acute stroke care, clinical armamentarium against
      stroke remains limited. Furthermore, highly effective approaches to stroke
      treatment, such as systemic reperfusion and mechanical thrombectomy, cannot be
      performed in the majority of patients. Neuroprotective strategies, i.e.
      prevention of irreversible cell damage due to the ischemia, may improve stroke
      outcomes. However, only few pharmacological agents demonstrated clinical
      efficacy. Citicoline is an endogenous mononucleotide with neuroprotective effect
      and established clinical safety and tolerability, which effectiveness in acute
      stroke was studied in several large, well-controlled trials. Recent meta-analysis
      confirmed benefit of citicoline treatment in terms of increase of chance for
      better recovery of functional independence compared to placebo. Maximal effect of
      citicoline is seen when it is administered as soon as possible after stroke onset
      in patients who are not eligible for reperfusion therapy.

PMID- 28617388
TI  - [Substance abuse: a relationship with childhood traumas].
AB  - Childhood maltreatment contributes to poor mental and physical health and
      besides, in some cases, not only in early age but also throughout the life of the
      individual. Adverse effects of childhood trauma, along with depression, anxiety
      and other mental disorders, include predisposition to substance abuse. A
      reduction of child abuse may decrease the prevalence of mental disorders,
      including addictive disorders, and improve mental health.

PMID- 28617389
TI  - [Nosospecific anxiety and a spectrum of anxiolytic activity of psychotropic
      drugs].
AB  - The article discusses the pathogenetic mechanisms of anxiety in different
      psychiatric disorders. The influence of anxiety on the course,
      pharmacotherapeutic treatment with respect to the pathogenesis and the possible
      neurochemical imbalance in the definite type of anxiety are discussed. An anti
      anxiety effect in the action of psychotropic drugs is described. It is proposed
      that neurochemical disturbances are not the same with the various types of
      anxiety, which requires using drugs from various groups to achieve treatment of
      the symptom on the pathogenetic level. The various roles of anxiety in the course
      of different mental disorders is suggested.

PMID- 28617390
TI  - [Pathopsychological aspects of low back pain].
AB  - Low back pain is one of the most common causes of disability in the world.
      Discogenic process is the leading component of the disease. A significant part of
      these pain syndromes become chronic that leads to disability and social
      maladjustment. Chronic low back pain is hard to treat due to the several types of
      pathogenesis. The paper analyzes the etiology, mechanisms of development,
      clinical features, specific characteristics, pathomorphology of the formation of
      psychogenic component of pain. A role of comorbid psychogenic states involved in
      the chronization of low back pain is considered. Main approaches to treatment of
      the psychogenic component of pain are presented.

PMID- 28617391
TI  - [Cerebral markers of endothelial dysfunction in chronic brain ischemia].
AB  - A review of the main markers of endothelial dysfunction in chronic cerebral
      ischemia is presented. The quantitative changes in the level of endothelial
      dysfunction markers in chronic cerebral ischemia help to evaluate the efficacy of
      preventive and therapeutic pharmacological activities. The results of clinical
      trials have demonstrated that the course use of divaza in patients with chronic
      cerebral ischemia leads to improvement of both clinical indicators and laboratory
      markers for normalization of cerebral ischemia and endothelial dysfunction.

PMID- 28617392
TI  - [Panic disorder: clinical phenomena and treatment options].
AB  - Panic disorder is a common mental disease with high psychiatric comorbidity. It
      is considered that a combination of genetic predisposition and a special psychic
      vulnerability plays a key role in the occurrence of panic disorder. Clinically
      proven efficacy in the treatment of panic disorder have benzodiazepines,
      tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin
      reuptake inhibitors and selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake
      inhibitors; antidepressants from other pharmaceutical groups are also used.
      Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the first line medicines in the
      treatment of panic disorder. Atypical antipsychotics may be used for the therapy
      augmentation in addition to first line drugs. Psychotherapy is used along with
      medications, and a combination of pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral
      therapy is the best method of treatment.

PMID- 28617393
TI  - [V.A. Monich 'Biophotonics, sources of light, mechanisms, experimental and
      clinical medicine'. Nizhnii Novgorod State Medical Academy. 2016].

PMID- 28617395
TI  - ['Actual issues of psychiatry and addiction medicine'. The jubilee conference
      devoted to 35-anniverssary of the Institute of Mental Health and 125-anniverssary
      of the Department of psychiatry, addiction medicine and psychotherapy of the
      Siberian State Medical University].

PMID- 28617394
TI  - [L.A. Belova, V.V. Mashin 'Venous discirculation in chronic forms of
      cerebrovascular pathology'. Ulyanovsk State Univ. 2015].

PMID- 28617396
TI  - [The II-nd All-Russian scientific-practical conference with international
      participation 'Modern problems of ethnocultural psychiatry and addiction
      medicine' held in the memory of academician of the RAS V.Ya. Semke].

PMID- 28617397
TI  - [A.A. Scoromets (to the 80th anniversary of birth)].

PMID- 28617398
TI  - [Ultrastructural changes of human dental hard tissues during orthodontic
      treatment with fixed appliances].
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate ultrastructural changes of dental enamel
      after fixation of orthodontic appliances, initial influence of orthodontic forces
      and removal of braces. Five intact permanent tooth extracted for orthodontic
      reasons were included in the experimental study. Scanning probe microscopy was
      conducted in 4 random enamel points in each tooth (20 points overall) in semi
      contact mode with standard 10 nm probes. The study showed ultrastructural enamel
      changes such as nanofractures up to 1 mm along the braces locks. The changes
      correlated with surface morphological features and teeth anatomy and may play an
      important role in dental decay and non-carious lesions occurring in the course of
      orthodontic treatment.

PMID- 28617399
TI  - [Specific age-related and gender related features in oral status].
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess age and gender related features of oral status
      and oral hygiene. The study included 234 patients (76 males and 158 females) aged
      25 to 74 years. It is proved that females have more dental appointments than
      males mostly because of specific oral conditions associated with pregnancy and
      menopause as well as better compliance with prevention programs. Thus, females
      require more intense follow-up than males which should be taken into
      consideration in treatment and follow-up plans.

PMID- 28617400
TI  - [Teeth wedge-shaped defects in adults of different age groups: remark to
      prevention and treatment].
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess the treatment of teeth wedge defects in
      different age groups. Records of 383 patients (125 males and 258 females aged 22
      85 years) treated in outpatient dental facilities with different ownership forms.
      It is shown that the medical care of patients with wedge-shaped teeth defects
      routinely consists of remineralization therapy and restoration of anatomical
      teeth shape regardless of the form of ownership. The extensiveness of dental
      rehabilitation as well as the use of more modern technologies are typical for
      private clinics and 96-100% of patients finished their treatment there. In the
      state and departmental institutions complete rehabilitation of wedge-shaped
      defects was provided in 45.5-58.0% and 54.3-83.9, respectively. The paper also
      highlights the drawbacks of primary medical documentation identified in medical
      institutions of all forms of ownership.

PMID- 28617401
TI  - [The influence of teeth morphology on bioelectrical activity of masticatory
      muscles].
AB  - The aim of the study was to reveal correlation of dental morphology and
      bioelectric activity of masticatory muscles. The study included 76 young adults
      (47.4% females and 52.6% males) divided in 3 groups according to dental
      morphology features: intact teeth (26 patients), dental decay in fissures with
      intact cusps (25 patients), pronounced dental decay with varying degree of crown
      destruction (25 patients). Electromyography (EMG) was used to document the
      bioelectric activity (BEA) of temporal and masticatory muscles. The study showed
      high level of correlation of destructive teeth changes with BEA of masticatory
      muscles. Intragroup correlation proved direct link of BEA to the number of
      decayed teeth. EMG activity differed significantly between groups 2 and 3. There
      was no statistically significant difference between groups 3 and 1 mostly because
      of high variability of BEA in group 3. Relative activity of temporal and
      masticatory muscles increased in groups 2 and 3 by 2 and 4% and 38 and 19%,
      correspondingly. There was no significant impact of gender or emotional status on
      masticatory muscles BEA.

PMID- 28617402
TI  - [Retrospective study on treatment results of patients with bone destruction in
      lower molars roots area].
AB  - The paper presents retrospective study on the efficiency of tooth protecting
      operations in patients with odontogenic bone destruction in lower molars roots
      area. The study was based on the analysis of medical records of patients treated
      in Central Research Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery from 2011 to
      2016. Tooth protecting procedures because of bone destruction in lower molars
      were carried out in 98 patients but only 59 of them were accessible to proper
      follow-up. Complications were seen in 15.2% of patients and teeth were extracted
      in 13.5% of cases. Thus, the efficacy of tooth protecting procedures in lower
      molars was 86.5%, which proves their feasibility despite of complicated surgical
      approach.

PMID- 28617403
TI  - [Local immune and oxidative status in exacerbated chronic apical periodontitis].
AB  - The aim of the study was to define local immune and oxidative changes in patients
      with exacerbated chronic apical periodontitis. These changes were assessed in
      saliva of 67 patients with the mean age of 31+/-2.5 before and after treatment.
      The study revealed disturbances in cytokines and complement system balance and
      activation of lipids peroxidation. Combination of Gepon or Vobenzim with
      Essentiale forte H and Kaskatol proved to be the most effective for correction of
      this imbalance.

PMID- 28617404
TI  - [Reconstructive otoplasty: differentiated approach to rib cartilage processing
      and ear framework formation using carving technique].
AB  - The aim of the research was to optimize surgical rehabilitation of patients with
      auricle defects and deformities by the developing of differentiated approach to
      the choice of reconstructive otoplasty method. The study involved 30 patients
      with auricle defects and deformities of congenital (20 patients) and acquired (10
      patients) etiology. The defects were total in 25 patients and partial in 5
      patients. All patients underwent ear reconstruction with rib cartilage using
      carving technique. Preoperative planning was based in Doppler ultrasound of
      temporal region vessels, laser Doppler flowmetry, temporal skin ultrasound and 3D
      ribcage CT. The surgical tactic was selected according to the possibility of
      mastoid region skin usage or necessity of the temporoparietal fascial flap. The
      approach proved to be highly efficient as otoplasty outcomes were good in 80% of
      cases, satisfactory in 10% and unsatisfactory in 10%.

PMID- 28617405
TI  - [Orthotopic bone implants for bone regeneration].
AB  - Biotechnology industry is rapidly developing. The elaboration of new biomaterials
      for bone reconstruction is one of the most perspective directions in tissue
      engineering. There are millions of surgical operations associated with use of
      bone graft materials every year. In this article we tried to analyze and
      systematize data about advanced technologies and modern trends in the preparation
      of bio-composite bone graft materials. Special attention is given to 3D
      prototyping that allows making bone implants with individual form. Introduction
      of molecular biology technologies such as activating specific cytokines and
      growth factors at the right time makes it possible to optimize bone regeneration
      process. The article has also some suggestions on further improvement of the bone
      engineering technology.

PMID- 28617406
TI  - [Fibromyxoid sarcoma of maxilla].
AB  - The paper presents literature review and clinical case of patient with
      fibromyxoid sarcoma of maxilla illustrating diagnostic difficulties and efficacy
      of multidisciplinary treatment approach.

PMID- 28617407
TI  - [Efficiency of cephalometry in orthodontic treatment planning: cephalometric
      parameters and their age-related changes].
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of cephalometry in
      orthodontic treatment planning in patients with teeth crowding and Angle Class I
      molars relation. Cephalometric parameters were analyzed in 70 patients that
      completed orthodontic treatment in 'Orthodont' dental clinic (Samara).
      Cephalometric X-rays were taken at baseline examination and after treatment. In
      patients with crowding and Class I molars relationship treated with extraction of
      all four first premolars correlation between N-Se and mandibular and maxillary
      length was disturbed. These patients showed higher N-Se and reduced jaws length
      than patients with no extraction or extraction of 2 premolars. The observed
      increase of G angle with reduced mandibular length assumes compensatory changes
      of mandible position. These disproportions were aggravated by facial growth. In
      certain cases cephalometric assessment is inefficient for treatment strategy
      choice.

PMID- 28617408
TI  - [Gender-related differences in working practice and professional growth of
      dentists].
AB  - The paper presents some aspects of professional growth, continuous education and
      working conditions of female dentists having impact on treatment quality and
      dental service state in general. Questionnaire survey was carried out in 124
      dentists, both male and female, aged 22 to 60 years. The study revealed gender
      asymmetry influencing their competitive ability, physical and emotional well
      being.

PMID- 28617409
TI  - [Safe local anesthesia in patients with bronchial asthma].
AB  - The paper presents the analysis of studies of local anesthesia in patients with
      bronchial asthma. It was found that the diagnosis of hypersensitivity to sodium
      metabisulfite in patients with bronchial asthma must be optimized for development
      of local anesthesia selection algorithm in outpatient dentistry.

PMID- 28617410
TI  - [Prof. V.A. Semkin and Prof. I.I. Babichenko 'Odontogenous cysts and tumors
      diagnosis and treatment' textbook review].

PMID- 28617411
TI  - [Prof. A.I. Matveeva (on occasion of 80-t anniversary)].

PMID- 28617412
TI  - [Abstracts of VIII Young Scientists Conference dedicated to 55th anniversary of
      Central Research Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery 'Modern
      scientific achievements in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery'].
AB  - Abstracts of VIII Young Scientists Conference dedicated to 55th anniversary of
      Central Research Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery 'Modern
      scientific achievements in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery'. Therapeutic
      stomatology. Surgical dentistry. Maxillofacial surgery. Orthopedic stomatology.
      Orthodontics. Organization of dental care.

PMID- 28617414
TI  - Obesity.
AB  - Excessive fat deposition in obesity has a multifactorial aetiology, but is widely
      considered the result of disequilibrium between energy intake and expenditure.
      Despite specific public health policies and individual treatment efforts to
      combat the obesity epidemic, >2 billion people worldwide are overweight or obese.
      The central nervous system circuitry, fuel turnover and metabolism as well as
      adipose tissue homeostasis are important to comprehend excessive weight gain and
      associated comorbidities. Obesity has a profound impact on quality of life, even
      in seemingly healthy individuals. Diet, physical activity or exercise and
      lifestyle changes are the cornerstones of obesity treatment, but medical
      treatment and bariatric surgery are becoming important. Family history, food
      environment, cultural preferences, adverse reactions to food, perinatal
      nutrition, previous or current diseases and physical activity patterns are
      relevant aspects for the health care professional to consider when treating the
      individual with obesity. Clinicians and other health care professionals are often
      ill-equipped to address the important environmental and socioeconomic drivers of
      the current obesity epidemic. Finally, understanding the epigenetic and genetic
      factors as well as metabolic pathways that take advantage of 'omics' technologies
      could play a very relevant part in combating obesity within a precision approach.

PMID- 28617415
TI  - Oral D-galactose supplementation in PGM1-CDG.
AB  - PurposePhosphoglucomutase-1 deficiency is a subtype of congenital disorders of
      glycosylation (PGM1-CDG). Previous casereports in PGM1-CDG patients receiving
      oral D-galactose (D-gal) showed clinical improvement. So far no systematic in
      vitro and clinical studies have assessed safety and benefits of D-gal
      supplementation. In a prospective pilot study, we evaluated the effects of oral D
      gal in nine patients.MethodsD-gal supplementation was increased to 1.5 g/kg/day
      (maximum 50 g/day) in three increments over 18 weeks. Laboratory studies were
      performed before and during treatment to monitor safety and effect on serum
      transferrin-glycosylation, coagulation, and liver and endocrine function.
      Additionally, the effect of D-gal on cellular glycosylation was characterized in
      vitro.ResultsEight patients were compliant with D-gal supplementation. No adverse
      effects were reported. Abnormal baseline results (alanine transaminase, aspartate
      transaminase, activated partial thromboplastin time) improved or normalized
      already using 1 g/kg/day D-gal. Antithrombin-III levels and transferrin
      glycosylation showed significant improvement, and increase in galactosylation and
      whole glycan content. In vitro studies before treatment showed N-glycan
      hyposialylation, altered O-linked glycans, abnormal lipid-linked oligosaccharide
      profile, and abnormal nucleotide sugars in patient fibroblasts. Most cellular
      abnormalities improved or normalized following D-gal treatment. D-gal increased
      both UDP-Glc and UDP-Gal levels and improved lipid-linked oligosaccharide
      fractions in concert with improved glycosylation in PGM1-CDG.ConclusionOral D-gal
      supplementation is a safe and effective treatment for PGM1-CDG in this pilot
      study. Transferrin glycosylation and ATIII levels were useful trial end points.
      Larger, longer-duration trials are ongoing.

PMID- 28617416
TI  - Genome-wide cfDNA screening: clinical laboratory experience with the first 10,000
      cases.
AB  - PurposeInvasive diagnostic prenatal testing can provide the most comprehensive
      information about the genetic status of a fetus. Noninvasive prenatal screening
      methods, especially when using cell-free DNA (cfDNA), are often limited to
      reporting only on trisomies 21, 18, and 13 and sex chromosome aneuploidies. This
      can leave a significant number of chromosomal and subchromosomal copy-number
      variations undetected. In 2015, we launched a new genome-wide cfDNA screening
      test that has the potential to narrow this detection gap.MethodsHere, we review
      the results from the first 10,000 cases submitted to the Sequenom clinical
      laboratory for genome-wide cfDNA screening.ResultsThe high-risk indication for
      this cohort differed compared with standard cfDNA screening. More samples were
      submitted with ultrasound indications (25% compared with 13% for standard cfDNA
      screening) and fewer for advanced maternal age (51% for genome-wide screening
      versus 68% for standard cfDNA screening). A total of 554 positive calls were
      made, of which 164 were detectable only via genome-wide analysis.ConclusionThis
      reports indicates a difference in utilization compared with standard cfDNA
      screening, where positivity rates are higher and a large subset of positive calls
      could not have been made using standard cfDNA screening.

PMID- 28617418
TI  - Medical genetics and genomics education: how do we define success? Where do we
      focus our resources?

PMID- 28617417
TI  - A cohort of 17 patients with kyphoscoliotic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome caused by
      biallelic mutations in FKBP14: expansion of the clinical and mutational spectrum
      and description of the natural history.
AB  - PurposeIn 2012 we reported in six individuals a clinical condition almost
      indistinguishable from PLOD1-kyphoscoliotic Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (PLOD1-kEDS),
      caused by biallelic mutations in FKBP14, and characterized by progressive
      kyphoscoliosis, myopathy, and hearing loss in addition to connective tissue
      abnormalities such as joint hypermobility and hyperelastic skin. FKBP14 is an ER
      resident protein belonging to the family of FK506-binding peptidyl-prolyl cis
      trans isomerases (PPIases); it catalyzes the folding of type III collagen and
      interacts with type III, type VI, and type X collagens. Only nine affected
      individuals have been reported to date.MethodsWe report on a cohort of 17
      individuals with FKBP14-kEDS and the follow-up of three previously reported
      patients, and provide an extensive overview of the disorder and its natural
      history based on clinical, biochemical, and molecular genetics data.ResultsBased
      on the frequency of the clinical features of 23 patients from the present and
      previous cohorts, we define major and minor features of FKBP14-kEDS. We show that
      myopathy is confirmed by histology and muscle imaging only in some patients, and
      that hearing impairment is predominantly sensorineural and may not be present in
      all individuals.ConclusionOur data further support the extensive clinical overlap
      with PLOD1-kEDS and show that vascular complications are rare manifestations of
      FKBP14-kEDS.

PMID- 28617419
TI  - Utilization of genomic sequencing for population screening of immunodeficiencies
      in the newborn.
AB  - PurposeImmunodeficiency screening has been added to many state-directed newborn
      screening programs. The current methodology is limited to screening for severe T
      cell lymphopenia disorders. We evaluated the potential of genomic sequencing to
      augment current newborn screening for immunodeficiency, including identification
      of non-T cell disorders.MethodsWe analyzed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and
      clinical data from a cohort of 1,349 newborn-parent trios by genotype-first and
      phenotype-first approaches. For the genotype-first approach, we analyzed
      predicted protein-impacting variants in 329 immunodeficiency-related genes in the
      WGS data. As a phenotype-first approach, electronic health records were used to
      identify children with clinical features suggestive of immunodeficiency. Genomes
      of these children and their parents were analyzed using a separate pipeline for
      identification of candidate pathogenic variants for rare Mendelian
      disorders.ResultsWGS provides adequate coverage for most known immunodeficiency
      related genes. 13,476 distinct variants and 8,502 distinct predicted protein
      impacting variants were identified in this cohort; five individuals carried
      potentially pathogenic variants requiring expert clinical correlation. One
      clinically asymptomatic individual was found genomically to have complement
      component 9 deficiency. Of the symptomatic children, one was molecularly
      identified as having an immunodeficiency condition and two were found to have
      other molecular diagnoses.ConclusionNeonatal genomic sequencing can potentially
      augment newborn screening for immunodeficiency.

PMID- 28617420
TI  - miRNA-mediated post-transcriptional silencing of transgenes leads to increased
      adeno-associated viral vector yield and targeting specificity.
AB  - The production of high-titer recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector is
      essential for treatment of genetic diseases affecting the retina and choroid,
      where anatomical constraints may limit injectable volumes. Problematically,
      cytotoxicity arising from overexpression of the transgene during vector
      production frequently leads to a reduction in vector yield. Herein, we evaluate
      the use of microRNA (miRNA)-mediated silencing to limit overexpression of
      cytotoxic transgenes during packaging as a method of increasing vector yield. We
      examined if post-transcriptional regulation of transgenes during packaging via
      miRNA technology would lead to increased rAAV yields. Our results demonstrate
      that silencing of cytotoxic transgenes during production resulted in up to a 22
      fold increase in vector yield. The inclusion of organ-specific miRNA sequences
      improved biosafety by limiting off-target expression following systemic rAAV
      administration. The small size (22-23 bp) of the target site allows for the
      inclusion of multiple copies into the vector with minimal impact on coding
      capacity. Taken together, our results suggest that inclusion of miRNA target
      sites into the 3'-untranslated region of the AAV cassette allow for silencing of
      cytotoxic transgenes during vector production leading to improved vector yield,
      in addition to increasing targeting specificity without reliance on cell-specific
      promoters.

PMID- 28617421
TI  - A targeted noise reduction observational study for reducing noise in a neonatal
      intensive unit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Excessive noise in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) can
      interfere with infants' growth, development and healing.Local problem:Sound
      levels in our NICUs exceeded the recommended levels by the World Health
      Organization. METHODS: We implemented a noise reduction strategy in an urban,
      tertiary academic medical center NICU that included baseline noise measurements.
      We conducted a survey involving staff and visitors regarding their opinions and
      perceptions of noise levels in the NICU. Ongoing feedback to staff after each
      measurement cycle was provided to improve awareness, engagement and adherence
      with noise reduction strategies. After widespread discussion with active
      clinician involvement, consensus building and iterative testing, changes were
      implemented including: lowering of equipment alarm sounds, designated 'quiet
      times' and implementing a customized education program for staff. INTERVENTIONS:
      A multiphase noise reduction quality improvement (QI) intervention to reduce
      ambient sound levels in a patient care room in our NICUs by 3 dB (20%) over 18
      months. RESULTS: The noise in the NICU was reduced by 3 dB from baseline. Mean
      (s.d.) baseline, phase 2, 3 and 4 noise levels in the two NICUs were: LAeq: 57.0
      (0.84), 56.8 (1.6), 55.3 (1.9) and 54.5 (2.6) dB, respectively (P<0.01).
      Adherence with the planned process measure of 'quiet times' was >90%.
      CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a multipronged QI initiative resulted in significant
      noise level reduction in two multipod NICUs. It is feasible to reduce noise
      levels if QI interventions are coupled with active engagement of the clinical
      staff and following continuous process of improvement methods, measurements and
      protocols.

PMID- 28617422
TI  - Reduced narcotic and sedative utilization in a NICU after implementation of pain
      management guidelines.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the opioid and benzodiazepine usage in a level IV NICU after
      implementation of pain guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: Guidelines were developed for
      infants undergoing surgical procedures and infants on mechanical ventilation.
      Data collected for period 1 (July to December 2013) and period 2 (March to August
      2014). RESULTS: Gestational age, birth weight and infants with hypoxic
      respiratory failure or requiring major procedures were comparable in two periods.
      Number of patients exposed to opioids decreased from 62.9% (129/205) in period 1
      to 32.8% (82/250) in period 2, P=<0.001. Cumulative dose exposure decreased,
      opioids in morphine equivalent dose, mg kg-1 (1.64 (0.38 to 6.94) vs 0.51 (0.04
      to 2.33), P=0.002), sedatives in midazolam equivalent, mg kg-1 (0.16 (0.03 to
      7.39) vs 0.10 (0.00 to 4.00), P=0.03). Ten patients required treatment for
      iatrogenic opioid withdrawal versus only three in post guideline, P=0.02.
      CONCLUSIONS: Evidence-based guidelines led to significant reduction in opioids
      and sedatives exposure, and in the number of infants requiring methadone for
      iatrogenic narcotic dependence.

PMID- 28617423
TI  - Relationship between temperature variability and brain injury on magnetic
      resonance imaging in cooled newborn infants after perinatal asphyxia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was whether temperature management during
      therapeutic hypothermia correlates with the severity of brain injury assessed on
      magnetic resonance imaging in term infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
      STUDY DESIGN: Prospectively collected register data from the National Asphyxia
      and Cooling Register of Switzerland were analyzed. RESULT: Fifty-five newborn
      infants were cooled for 72 h with a target temperature range of 33 to 34  degrees
      C. Individual temperature variability (odds ratio (OR) 40.17 (95% confidence
      interval (CI) 1.37 to 1037.67)) and percentage of temperatures within the target
      range (OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.90 to 0.98)) were associated with the severity of brain
      injury seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Neither the percentage of
      measured temperatures above (OR 1.08 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.21)) nor below (OR 0.99
      (95% CI 0.92 to 1.07) the target range was associated with the severity of brain
      injury seen on MRI. CONCLUSION: In a national perinatal asphyxia cohort,
      temperature variability and percentage of temperatures within the target
      temperature range were associated with the severity of brain injury.

PMID- 28617424
TI  - Outcomes following indomethacin prophylaxis in extremely preterm infants in an
      all-referral NICU.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We examined data from a contemporary cohort of extreme prematurity
      (EP) infants admitted to an all-referral Children's Hospital neonatal intensive
      care unit (NICU) to determine whether prophylactic indomethacin (PI) may continue
      to benefit these patients. STUDY DESIGN: An observational study utilizing the
      small baby ICU data registry that was queried for all EP infants admitted between
      2005 and 2014 with documentation of PI use (671 total EP infants; 141 (21%) did
      not receive PI (control); 530 (79%) received PI (PI). This cohort of EP infants
      was born at outside hospitals and transferred to our level IV NICU with a mean
      age on admission of 13 days, well after the PI would have been administered.
      RESULTS: No difference existed between the control and PI groups in gestational
      age, birth weight, severity of illness, other in-hospital outcomes or
      developmental delay. PI infants had a significantly lower mortality rate
      (P=0.0004), lower relative risk (RR) for mortality 0.52 (95% confidence interval
      (CI) 0.37 to 0.73, P=0.0001) and lower RR of developing the combined outcome of
      death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.98, P=0.012) when
      compared with the control group. Notably, there was no significant effect of PI
      on incidence of severe intraventricular hemorrhage or patent ductus arteriosus
      ligation. CONCLUSION: PI administration was associated with improved survival in
      EP infants referred to a level IV Children's Hospital NICU.

PMID- 28617425
TI  - Does preterm period sleep development predict early childhood growth
      trajectories?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The current study examined the relationship between sleep state
      development across the preterm and early post-term periods and subsequent growth
      trajectories from 1 to 27 months corrected age. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective
      analysis of data collected prospectively from 111 preterm infants (?34 weeks
      gestation) who participated in a multi-site longitudinal study. Separate
      longitudinal parallel process models were calculated for each sleep state (active
      and quiet sleep) and growth (weight, length and body mass index (BMI) Z-scores)
      variable to estimate the associations between their developmental trajectories.
      RESULTS: Significant associations were identified between the trajectories of
      quiet sleep and weight, active sleep and weight, quiet sleep and BMI, and active
      sleep and BMI. No statistically meaningful associations were identified between
      the trajectories of early childhood length and the preterm sleep states.
      CONCLUSION: Faster preterm period sleep development appears to predict more
      favorable early childhood growth trajectories, particularly for weight,
      indicating preterm sleep may be an important biomarker for subsequent growth
      outcomes.

PMID- 28617426
TI  - Prenatal (non)treatment decisions in extreme prematurity: evaluation of
      Decisional Conflict and Regret among parents.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Decisional Conflict and Regret among parents regarding the
      decision on initiating comfort or active care in extreme prematurity and to
      relate these to decision-making characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: A nationwide,
      multicenter, cross-sectional study using an online survey in the Netherlands.
      Data were collected from March 2015 to March 2016 among all parents with infants
      born at 24+0/7-24+6/7 weeks gestational age in 2010-2013. The survey contained a
      Decisional Conflict and Decision Regret Scale (potential scores range from 0 to
      100) and decision-making characteristics. RESULTS: Sixty-one surveys were
      returned (response rate 27%). The median Decisional Conflict score was 28. From
      the subscores within Decisional Conflict, 'values clarity' revealed the highest
      median score of 42-revealing that parents felt unclear about personal values for
      benefits and risks of the decision on either comfort care or active care. The
      median Decision Regret score was 0. Regret scores were influenced by the actual
      decision made and by outcome: Decision Regret was lower in the active care group
      and in the survivor group. CONCLUSION: We found little Decisional Conflict and no
      Decision Regret among parents regarding decision-making at 24 weeks gestation.

PMID- 28617427
TI  - Mortality among infants with evolving bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases with
      major surgery and with pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether mortality in patients with evolving bronchopulmonary
      dysplasia (BPD, defined as ?28 days of oxygen exposure with lung disease) is
      independently associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and surgery.
      STUDY DESIGN: Single institution retrospective birth cohort of preterm infants
      with gestational age (GA) 230/7 to 366/7 weeks, and evolving BPD delivered
      between 2001 and 2014. Surgery was classified as minor or major using published
      criteria. Mortality was analyzed by stepwise logistic regression analysis.
      RESULTS: Among 577 patients with evolving BPD, 33 (6%) died prior to discharge.
      Mortality decreased with GA (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.69; 95% confidence
      interval (CI): 0.55, 0.87), birth weight Z-score (aOR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.996)
      and increased with PAH (aOR: 30, 95% CI: 2.1, 415), major surgery (aOR; 2.8, 95%
      CI: 1.3, 6.3), and PAH and surgery (aOR: 10.3, 95% CI: 2.5, 42.1). CONCLUSION:
      Among preterm patients with evolving BPD, PAH and surgery are independently
      associated with mortality.

PMID- 28617428
TI  - Creation of interdisciplinary guidelines for care of women presenting to the
      emergency department with pregnancy loss.
AB  - A research trajectory is reported that created state-of-the-art interdisciplinary
      guidelines for care of women and their families who arrive in the emergency
      department with pregnancy loss. These guidelines include attention to mother and
      family bereavement as well as care of the fetus. Design was a triangulated non
      experimental exploratory action research for the purpose of changing practice.
      Included were: (1) A qualitative study of emergency room nurses and physicians to
      assess beliefs/barriers to providing optimal care for pregnancy loss patients.
      (2) A focus group of perinatal bereavement providers; (3) Another focus group in
      the form of a sponsored National Summit of professional and lay experts and (4) A
      Delphi Study to craft language for national position statement. Results allowed
      the creation of interdisciplinary guidelines from the National Perinatal
      Association. These guidelines are being adopted by organizations and facilities
      throughout the United States. Training programs for emergency department
      personnel have been created by pregnancy loss organizations and are available.

PMID- 28617429
TI  - Comparison between Bilistick System and transcutaneous bilirubin in assessing
      total bilirubin serum concentration in jaundiced newborns.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance and accuracy of the JM-103 transcutaneous
      bilirubinometer and Bilistick System in measuring total serum bilirubin for the
      early identification of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. STUDY DESIGN: The study was
      performed on 126 consecutive term and near-term (?36 weeks' gestational age)
      jaundiced newborns in Cairo University Children Hospital NICU, Egypt. Total serum
      bilirubin was assayed concurrently by the clinical laboratory and Bilistick
      System and estimated using the JM-103 transcutaneous bilirubin instrument. Bland
      Altman analysis was used to evaluate the agreement between determinations.
      RESULT: The limits of agreement of the Bilistick System (-5.8 to 3.3 mg dl-1) and
      JM-103 system (-5.4 to 6.0 mg dl-1) versus the clinical laboratory results were
      similar. CONCLUSION: The Bilistick System is an accurate alternative to
      transcutaneous (TcB) determination for early diagnosis and proper management of
      the neonatal jaundice.

PMID- 28617430
TI  - Physician views regarding the benefits and burdens of prenatal surgery for
      myelomeningocele.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Examine how pediatric and obstetrical subspecialists view benefits and
      burdens of prenatal myelomeningocele (MMC) closure. STUDY DESIGN: Mail survey of
      1200 neonatologists, pediatric surgeons and maternal-fetal medicine specialists
      (MFMs). RESULTS: Of 1176 eligible physicians, 670 (57%) responded. Most
      respondents disagreed (68%, 11% strongly) that open fetal surgery places an
      unacceptable burden on women and their families. Most agreed (65%, 10% strongly)
      that denying the benefits of open maternal-fetal surgery is unfair to the future
      child. Most (94%) would recommend prenatal fetoscopic over open or postnatal MMC
      closure for a hypothetical fetoscopic technique that had similar shunt rates
      (40%) but decreased maternal morbidity. When the hypothetical shunt rate for
      fetoscopy was increased to 60%, physicians were split (49% fetoscopy versus 45%
      open). Views about burdens and fairness correlated with the likelihood of
      recommending postnatal or fetoscopic over open closure. CONCLUSION: Individual
      and specialty-specific values may influence recommendations about prenatal
      surgery.

PMID- 28617431
TI  - Nicotine protects rat hypoglossal motoneurons from excitotoxic death via
      downregulation of connexin 36.
AB  - Motoneuron disease including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may be due, at an
      early stage, to deficit in the extracellular clearance of the excitatory
      transmitter glutamate. A model of glutamate-mediated excitotoxic cell death based
      on pharmacological inhibition of its uptake was used to investigate how
      activation of neuronal nicotinic receptors by nicotine may protect motoneurons.
      Hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) in neonatal rat brainstem slices were exposed to
      the glutamate uptake blocker DL-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartate (TBOA) that evoked
      large Ca2+ transients time locked among nearby HMs, whose number fell by about
      30% 4 h later. As nicotine or the gap junction blocker carbenoxolone suppressed
      bursting, we studied connexin 36 (Cx36), which constitutes gap junctions in
      neurons and found it largely expressed by HMs. Cx36 was downregulated when
      nicotine or carbenoxolone was co-applied with TBOA. Expression of Cx36 was
      preferentially observed in cytosolic rather than membrane fractions after
      nicotine and TBOA, suggesting protein redistribution with no change in synthesis.
      Nicotine raised the expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), a protective
      factor that binds the apoptotic-inducing factor (AIF) whose nuclear translocation
      is a cause of cell death. TBOA increased intracellular AIF, an effect blocked by
      nicotine. These results indicate that activation of neuronal nicotinic receptors
      is an early tool for protecting motoneurons from excitotoxicity and that this
      process is carried out via the combined decrease in Cx36 activity, overexpression
      of Hsp70 and fall in AIF translocation. Thus, retarding or inhibiting HM death
      may be experimentally achieved by targeting one of these processes leading to
      motoneuron death.

PMID- 28617432
TI  - BST2 confers cisplatin resistance via NF-kappaB signaling in nasopharyngeal
      cancer.
AB  - Concurrent/adjuvant cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy is regarded as the standard
      of treatment for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However,
      patients who do not respond to cisplatin suffer, rather than benefit, from
      chemotherapy treatment. The goal of this study was to identify molecules involved
      in cisplatin resistance and to clarify their molecular mechanisms, which would
      help in the discovery of potential therapeutic targets and in developing a
      personalized and precise treatment approach for NPC patients. We previously
      generated a cisplatin-sensitive NPC cell line, S16, from CNE2 cells and found
      that eIF3a, ASNS and MMP19 are upregulated in S16 cells, which contributes to
      their cisplatin sensitivity. In this study, we found that BST2 is downregulated
      in cisplatin-sensitive S16 cells compared with CNE2 cells. Knockdown of BST2 in
      NPC cells sensitized their response to cisplatin and promoted cisplatin-induced
      apoptosis, whereas exogenous overexpression of BST2 increased their cisplatin
      resistance and inhibited cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Further investigation
      demonstrated that BST2-mediated cisplatin resistance depended on the activation
      of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway and consequent upregulation of anti-apoptotic
      genes, such as Bcl-XL and livin. Moreover, an analysis of clinical data revealed
      that a high BST2 level might serve as an independent indicator of poor prognosis
      in patients with locally advanced NPC treated with platinum-based
      chemoradiotherapy. These findings suggest that BST2 likely mediates platinum
      resistance in NPC, offering guidance for personalized and precise treatment
      strategies for patients with NPC.

PMID- 28617433
TI  - Isodeoxyelephantopin induces protective autophagy in lung cancer cells via Nrf2
      p62-keap1 feedback loop.
AB  - Isodeoxyelephantopin (ESI), isolated from Elephantopus scaber L. has been
      reported to exert anticancer effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate
      whether and how cancer cells exert protective responses against ESI treatment.
      Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that ESI significantly induced autophagy
      flux in the lung cancer cells expressing mCherry-EGFP-LC3 reporter. Treatment of
      the cells with ESI increased the expression levels of the autophagy markers
      including LC3-II, ATG3 and Beclin1 in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with
      autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) not only attenuated the effects of ESI
      on autophagy, but also enhanced the effects of ESI on cell viability and
      apoptosis. Mechanistically, the SILAC quantitative proteomics coupled with
      bioinformatics analysis revealed that the ESI-regulated proteins were mainly
      involved in Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress response. We found that ESI induced
      the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 for activating the downstream target genes
      including HO-1 and p62 (SQSTM1). More importantly, ESI-induced p62 could
      competitively bind with Keap1, and releases Nrf2 to activate downstream target
      gene p62 as a positive feedback loop, therefore promoting autophagy. Furthermore,
      knockdown of Nrf2 or p62 could abrogate the ESI-induced autophagy and
      significantly enhanced the anticancer effect of ESI. Taken together, we
      demonstrated that ESI can sustain cell survival by activating protective
      autophagy through Nrf2-p62-keap1 feedback loop, whereas targeting this regulatory
      axis combined with ESI treatment may be a promising strategy for anticancer
      therapy.

PMID- 28617434
TI  - LISPRO mitigates beta-amyloid and associated pathologies in Alzheimer's mice.
AB  - Lithium has been marketed in the United States of America since the 1970s as a
      treatment for bipolar disorder. More recently, studies have shown that lithium
      can improve cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However,
      the current United States Food and Drug Administration-approved lithium
      pharmaceutics (carbonate and citrate chemical forms) have a narrow therapeutic
      window and unstable pharmacokinetics that, without careful monitoring, can cause
      serious adverse effects. Here, we investigated the safety profile,
      pharmacokinetics, and therapeutic efficacy of LISPRO (ionic co-crystal of lithium
      salicylate and l-proline), lithium salicylate, and lithium carbonate (Li2CO3). We
      found that LISPRO (8-week oral treatment) reduces beta-amyloid plaques and
      phosphorylation of tau by reducing neuroinflammation and inactivating glycogen
      synthase kinase 3beta in transgenic Tg2576 mice. Specifically, cytokine profiles
      from the brain, plasma, and splenocytes suggested that 8-week oral treatment with
      LISPRO downregulates pro-inflammatory cytokines, upregulates anti-inflammatory
      cytokines, and suppresses renal cyclooxygenase 2 expression in transgenic Tg2576
      mice. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that LISPRO provides significantly higher
      brain lithium levels and more steady plasma lithium levels in both B6129SF2/J (2
      week oral treatment) and transgenic Tg2576 (8-week oral treatment) mice compared
      with Li2CO3. Oral administration of LISPRO for 28 weeks significantly reduced
      beta-amyloid plaques and tau-phosphorylation. In addition, LISPRO significantly
      elevated pre-synaptic (synaptophysin) and post-synaptic protein (post synaptic
      density protein 95) expression in brains from transgenic 3XTg-AD mice. Taken
      together, our data suggest that LISPRO may be a superior form of lithium with
      improved safety and efficacy as a potential new disease modifying drug for AD.

PMID- 28617436
TI  - A hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha null splice variant lacking exon 10.

PMID- 28617435
TI  - Interaction between autophagy and senescence is required for dihydroartemisinin
      to alleviate liver fibrosis.
AB  - Autophagy and cellular senescence are stress responses essential for homeostasis.
      Therefore, they may represent new pharmacologic targets for drug development to
      treat diseases. In this study, we sought to evaluate the effect of
      dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells
      (HSCs), and to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms. We found that DHA
      treatment induced the accumulation of senescent activated HSCs in rat fibrotic
      liver, and promoted the expression of senescence markers p53, p16, p21 and Hmga1
      in cell model. Importantly, our study identified the transcription factor GATA6
      as an upstream molecule in the facilitation of DHA-induced HSC senescence. GATA6
      accumulation promoted DHA-induced p53 and p16 upregulation, and contributed to
      HSC senescence. By contrast, siRNA-mediated knockdown of GATA6 dramatically
      abolished DHA-induced upregulation of p53 and p16, and in turn inhibited HSC
      senescence. Interestingly, DHA also appeared to increase autophagosome generation
      and autophagic flux in activated HSCs, which was underlying mechanism for DHA
      induced GATA6 accumulation. Autophagy depletion impaired GATA6 accumulation,
      while autophagy induction showed a synergistic effect with DHA. Attractively, p62
      was found to act as a negative regulator of GATA6 accumulation. Treatment of
      cultured HSCs with various autophagy inhibitors, led to an inhibition of DHA
      induced p62 degradation, and in turn, prevented DHA-induced GATA6 accumulation
      and HSC senescence. Overall, these results provide novel implications to reveal
      the molecular mechanism of DHA-induced senescence, by which points to the
      possibility of using DHA based proautophagic drugs for the treatment of liver
      fibrosis.

PMID- 28617437
TI  - EMT-Regulome: a database for EMT-related regulatory interactions, motifs and
      network.

PMID- 28617438
TI  - Connective tissue growth factor promotes temozolomide resistance in glioblastoma
      through TGF-beta1-dependent activation of Smad/ERK signaling.
AB  - Limited benefits and clinical utility of temozolomide (TMZ) for glioblastoma (GB)
      are frequently compromised by the development of acquired drug resistance.
      Overcoming TMZ resistance and uncovering the underlying mechanisms are challenges
      faced during GB chemotherapy. In this study, we reported that connective tissue
      growth factor (CTGF) was associated with GB chemoresistance and significantly
      upregulated in TMZ-treated GB cells. CTGF knockdown promoted TMZ-induced cell
      apoptosis and enhanced chemosensitivity, whereas its overexpression markedly
      conferred TMZ resistance in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, CTGF promoted TMZ
      resistance through stem-like properties acquisition and CD44 interference
      reversed the CTGF-induced TMZ resistance. Mechanistically, further investigation
      revealed that the TMZ-induced CTGF upregulation was tissue growth factor (TGF
      beta) dependent, and regulated by TGF-beta1 activation through Smad and ERK1/2
      signaling. Together, our results suggest a pivotal role of CTGF-mediated TMZ
      resistance through TGF-beta1-dependent activation of Smad/ERK signaling pathways.
      These data provide us insights for identifying potential targets that are
      beneficial for overcoming TMZ resistance in GB.

PMID- 28617439
TI  - Cdc20 directs proteasome-mediated degradation of the tumor suppressor SMAR1 in
      higher grades of cancer through the anaphase promoting complex.
AB  - The Tumor suppressor SMAR1 (scaffold matrix attachment region binding protein 1)
      has a crucial role in maintaining genomic stability, cell cycle progression and
      apoptosis.Our previous finding showed that it is highly suppressed in higher
      grade of cancer. However, the underlying mechanism of this suppression was not
      well understood. In this study, we show that SMAR1 expression levels are
      controlled at the proteasomal level by five RING finger E3 ubiquitin ligases
      including, Cdc20, a substrate receptor of ubiquitin ligase APC/C complex. We
      found that Cdc20 binds and promotes proteasomal degradation of SMAR1 in a D-box
      motif dependent manner. Further, our results demonstrated that Cdc20 promotes
      proteasomal degradation of SMAR1 through K48-linked specific polyubiquitylation,
      and that short hairpin RNA mediated inactivation of Cdc20 leads to significant
      stabilization of SMAR1. These findings suggest that Cdc20 is responsible for
      maintaining the cellular levels of SMAR1. However, since Cdc20 fails to target
      SMAR1 upon exposure to genotoxic stresses, SMAR1 helps to maintain genomic
      stability under these conditions through its DNA damage repair activity.
      Interestingly, Cdc20-mediated degradation of SMAR1 promotes cell migration and
      invasion.The reciprocal relationship of the duo is evident in breast cancer cell
      lines as well as in patient samples, suggesting that Cdc20 functions as an
      important negative regulator of SMAR1 in higher grades of cancer. Our study
      reveals for the first time, the molecular mechanism associated with lower levels
      of expression of the important tumor suppressor SMAR1 in higher grades of breast
      cancer.

PMID- 28617440
TI  - The NF-kappaB1 is a key regulator of acute but not chronic renal injury.
AB  - The NF-kappaB family of transcription factors is important for many cellular
      functions, in particular initiation and propagation of inflammatory and immune
      responses. However, recent data has suggested that different subunits of the NF
      kappaB family can suppress the inflammatory response. NF-kappaB1, from the locus
      nfkappab1, can inhibit transcription, acting as a brake to the recognised pro
      inflammatory activity of other NF-kappaB subunits. We tested the function of NF
      kappaB1 in an acute (nephrotoxic serum (NTS) nephritis) and a chronic (unilateral
      ureteric obstruction (UUO)) model of renal injury using NF-kappaB1 (nfkappab1-/-)
      knockout mice. Deficiency in NF-kappaB1 increased the severity of glomerular
      injury in NTS-induced nephritis and was associated with greater proteinuria and
      persistent pro-inflammatory gene expression. Induction of disease in bone marrow
      chimeric mice demonstrated that the absence of NF-kappaB1 in either bone marrow
      or glomerular cells increased the severity of injury. Early after UUO (day 3)
      there was more severe histological injury in the nfkappab1-/- mice but by day 10,
      disease severity was equivalent in wild type and nfkappab1-/- mice. In
      conclusion, NF-kappaB1 modifies acute inflammatory renal injury but does not
      influence chronic fibrotic injury.

PMID- 28617441
TI  - Concomitant epigenetic targeting of LSD1 and HDAC synergistically induces
      mitochondrial apoptosis in rhabdomyosarcoma cells.
AB  - The lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is overexpressed in several cancers
      including rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). However, little is yet known about whether or
      not LSD1 may serve as therapeutic target in RMS. We therefore investigated the
      potential of LSD1 inhibitors alone or in combination with other epigenetic
      modifiers such as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Here, we identify a
      synergistic interaction of LSD1 inhibitors (i.e., GSK690, Ex917) and HDAC
      inhibitors (i.e., JNJ-26481585, SAHA) to induce cell death in RMS cells. By
      comparison, LSD1 inhibitors as single agents exhibit little cytotoxicity against
      RMS cells. Mechanistically, GSK690 acts in concert with JNJ-26481585 to
      upregulate mRNA levels of the proapoptotic BH3-only proteins BMF, PUMA, BIM and
      NOXA. This increase in mRNA levels is accompanied by a corresponding upregulation
      of BMF, PUMA, BIM and NOXA protein levels. Importantly, individual knockdown of
      either BMF, BIM or NOXA significantly reduces GSK690/JNJ-26481585-mediated cell
      death. Similarly, genetic silencing of BAK significantly rescues cell death upon
      GSK690/JNJ-26481585 cotreatment. Also, overexpression of antiapoptotic BCL-2 or
      MCL-1 significantly protects RMS cells from GSK690/JNJ-26481585-induced cell
      death. Furthermore, GSK690 acts in concert with JNJ-26481585 to increase
      activation of caspase-9 and -3. Consistently, addition of the pan-caspase
      inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone (zVAD.fmk)
      significantly reduces GSK690/JNJ-26481585-mediated cell death. In conclusion,
      concomitant LSD1 and HDAC inhibition synergistically induces cell death in RMS
      cells by shifting the ratio of pro- and antiapoptotic BCL-2 proteins in favor of
      apoptosis, thereby engaging the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. This indicates that
      combined treatment with LSD1 and HDAC inhibitors is a promising new therapeutic
      approach in RMS.

PMID- 28617442
TI  - Titanium particle-induced osteogenic inhibition and bone destruction are mediated
      by the GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signal pathway.
AB  - Wear debris-induced osteogenic inhibition and bone destruction are critical in
      the initiation of peri-prosthetic osteolysis. However, the molecular mechanism
      underlying this phenomenon is poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the
      involvement of the GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signal pathway, which is important for
      bone formation in this pathological condition. We established a titanium (Ti)
      particle-stressed murine MC3T3-E1 cell culture system and calvariae osteolysis
      model to test the hypothesis that Ti particle-induced osteogenic inhibition and
      bone destruction are mediated by the GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signal pathway. Our
      findings showed that Ti particles reduced osteogenic differentiation induced by
      osteogenesis-related gene expression, alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix
      mineralization, as well as pSer9-GSK-3beta expression and beta-catenin signal
      activity. Downregulation of GSK-3beta activity attenuated Ti particle-induced
      osteogenic inhibition, whereas the beta-catenin inhibitor reversed this
      protective effect. Moreover, the GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signal pathway mediated
      the upregulation of RANKL and downregulation of OPG in Ti particle-stressed MC3T3
      E1 cells. In addition, our in vivo results showed that Ti particles induced bone
      loss via regulating GSK-3beta and beta-catenin signals. Based on these results,
      we concluded that the GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signal pathway mediates the adverse
      effects of Ti particles on osteoblast differentiation and bone destruction, and
      can be used as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of peri
      prosthetic osteolysis.

PMID- 28617443
TI  - Bilirubin neurotoxicity is associated with proteasome inhibition.
AB  - The molecular mechanism underlying bilirubin neurotoxicity remains obscure.
      Ubiquitin-proteasome system-mediated proteolysis is pivotal to virtually all
      cellular processes and cell survival. Here we report for the first time that
      bilirubin at a clinically relevant elevated level impairs proteasomal function
      via inhibiting both the 19S proteasome-associated deubiquitinases (USP14 and
      UCHL5) and the chymotrypsin-like (CT-like) peptidase activity of 20S proteasomes,
      thereby contributing to bilirubin neurotoxicity. This is supported by multiple
      lines of evidence. First, sera from patients with hyperbilirubinemia were able to
      inhibit the peptidase activity of purified 20S proteasome in vitro in a bilirubin
      concentration-dependent manner; meanwhile, the blood cells of these patients
      showed significantly increased levels of ubiquitinated proteins (Ub-prs),
      consistent with proteasome inhibition. Second, intracerebroventricular injection
      to adult rats or intraperitoneal injections to neonatal rats of bilirubin-induced
      neural accumulation of Ub-prs, concurrent with other neural pathology; and brain
      malfunction and pathology induced by neonatal exposure to hyperbilirubinemia were
      detectable in the rats during their adulthood. Third, in primary cultures of
      hippocampal neurons, bilirubin strikingly induced Ub-pr accumulation before the
      activation of cell death pathway becomes discernible. Finally, bilirubin in vitro
      directly inhibited both the deubiquitination activity of proteasome-associated
      USP14 and UCHL5 and the CT-like peptidase activity of purified 20S proteasomes,
      in a dose-dependent manner. Hence, this study has discovered that increased
      bilirubin at a clinically achievable level can act as a proteasome inhibitor via
      targeting the 19S proteasome-associated deubiquitinases (DUBs) and, perhaps to a
      less extent, the 20S proteasome, identifying a novel mechanism for bilirubin
      neurotoxicity.

PMID- 28617444
TI  - Heme oxygenase-1 derived carbon monoxide suppresses Abeta1-42 toxicity in
      astrocytes.
AB  - Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is extensively studied, and the
      involvement of astrocytes and other cell types in this process has been
      described. However, the responses of astrocytes themselves to amyloid beta
      peptides ((Abeta; the widely accepted major toxic factor in AD) is less well
      understood. Here, we show that Abeta(1-42) is toxic to primary cultures of
      astrocytes. Toxicity does not involve disruption of astrocyte Ca2+ homeostasis,
      but instead occurs via formation of the toxic reactive species, peroxynitrite.
      Thus, Abeta(1-42) raises peroxynitrite levels in astrocytes, and Abeta(1-42)
      toxicity can be inhibited by antioxidants, or by inhibition of nitric oxide (NO)
      formation (reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO combine to form peroxynitrite),
      or by a scavenger of peroxynitrite. Increased ROS levels observed following
      Abeta(1-42) application were derived from NADPH oxidase. Induction of haem
      oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protected astrocytes from Abeta(1-42) toxicity, and this
      protective effect was mimicked by application of the carbon monoxide (CO)
      releasing molecule CORM-2, suggesting HO-1 protection was attributable to its
      formation of CO. CO suppressed the rise of NADPH oxidase-derived ROS caused by
      Abeta(1-42). Under hypoxic conditions (0.5% O2, 48 h) HO-1 was induced in
      astrocytes and Abeta(1-42) toxicity was significantly reduced, an effect which
      was reversed by the specific HO-1 inhibitor, QC-15. Our data suggest that Abeta(1
      42) is toxic to astrocytes, but that induction of HO-1 affords protection against
      this toxicity due to formation of CO. HO-1 induction, or CO donors, would appear
      to present attractive possible approaches to provide protection of both neuronal
      and non-neuronal cell types from the degenerative effects of AD in the central
      nervous system.

PMID- 28617445
TI  - Acquired cross-linker resistance associated with a novel spliced BRCA2 protein
      variant for molecular phenotyping of BRCA2 disruption.
AB  - BRCA2 encodes a protein with a fundamental role in homologous recombination that
      is essential for normal development. Carrier status of mutations in BRCA2 is
      associated with familial breast and ovarian cancer, while bi-allelic BRCA2
      mutations can cause Fanconi anemia (FA), a cancer predisposition syndrome with
      cellular cross-linker hypersensitivity. Cancers associated with BRCA2 mutations
      can acquire chemo-resistance on relapse. We modeled acquired cross-linker
      resistance with an FA-derived BRCA2-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
      platform. Associated with acquired cross-linker resistance was the expression of
      a functional BRCA2 protein variant lacking exon 5 and exon 7 (BRCA2DeltaE5+7),
      implying a role for BRCA2 splicing for acquired chemo-resistance. Integrated
      network analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic differences for phenotyping of
      BRCA2 disruption infers impact on transcription and chromatin remodeling in
      addition to the DNA damage response. The striking overlap with transcriptional
      profiles of FA patient hematopoiesis and BRCA mutation associated ovarian cancer
      helps define and explicate the 'BRCAness' profile.

PMID- 28617446
TI  - Cathepsin L and B as Potential Markers for Liver Fibrosis: Insights From Patients
      and Experimental Models.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cathepsin L (CTSL) and B (CTSB) have a crucial role in extracellular
      matrix (ECM) degradation and tissue remodeling, which is a prominent feature of
      fibrogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine the role and clinical
      significance of these cathepsins in liver fibrosis. METHODS: Hepatic histological
      CTSL and CTSB expression were assessed in experimental models of liver fibrosis,
      patients with liver cirrhosis, chronic viral hepatitis, and controls by real-time
      PCR and immunohistochemistry. Plasma levels of CTSL and CTSB were analyzed in 51
      liver cirrhosis patients (Child-Pugh stages A, B and C) and 15 controls. RESULTS:
      Significantly enhanced CTSL mRNA (P=0.02) and protein (P=0.01) levels were
      observed in the liver of carbon tetrachloride-treated mice compared with
      controls. Similarly, hepatic CTSL and CTSB mRNA levels (P=0.02) were markedly
      increased in Abcb4-/- (ATP-binding cassette transporter knockout) mice compared
      with wild-type littermates. Elevated levels of CTSL and CTSB were also found in
      the liver (P=0.001) and plasma (P<0.0001) of patients with hepatic cirrhosis
      compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, CTSL and CTSB levels correlated well
      with the hepatic collagen (r=0.5, P=0.007; r=0.64, P=0.0001). CTSL and CTSB
      levels increased with the Child-Pugh stage of liver cirrhosis and correlated with
      total bilirubin content (r=0.4/0.2; P<=0.05). CTSL, CTSB, and their combination
      had a high diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve: 0.91, 0.89 and 0.96,
      respectively) for distinguishing patients from controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our data
      demonstrate the overexpression of CTSL and CTSB in patients and experimental
      mouse models, suggesting their potential as diagnostic biomarkers for chronic
      liver diseases.

PMID- 28617448
TI  - Diminishing Effectiveness of Long-Term Maintenance Topical Steroid Therapy in PPI
      Non-Responsive Eosinophilic Esophagitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: While topical corticosteroids are first-line therapy for eosinophilic
      esophagitis (EoE), the data regarding long-term effectiveness are lacking. We
      aimed to determine long-term histologic and endoscopic outcomes of maintenance
      therapy in EoE steroid responders. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of
      adults with EoE at UNC Hospitals who had initial histologic response (<15
      eos/hpf) after 8 weeks of topical steroids, and maintained on therapy. Endoscopic
      and the histologic data were recorded at baseline and follow-up endoscopies.
      Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess loss of treatment
      response by steroid dose at recurrence, and Kaplan-Meier analysis to calculate
      durability of disease remission. RESULTS: Of 55 EoE patients with initial
      response to swallowed/topical fluticasone or budesonide over a median 11.7
      months, 33 had at least two follow-up EGDs. Of these patients, 61% had histologic
      loss of response and worse endoscopic findings. There was no difference in
      baseline steroid dose (P=0.55) between the groups, but those maintained on their
      initial dose had lower odds (OR: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.90) of loss of response
      compared to those who had subsequent dose reduction. On survival analysis, 50%
      had loss of response to steroids by 18.5 months and 75% by 29.6 months.
      CONCLUSIONS: In adult EoE steroid responders, loss of treatment response is
      common, and is associated with a steroid dose reduction. Routinely lowering doses
      for maintenance steroids may provide inferior outcomes.

PMID- 28617447
TI  - Targeting the vasculature in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: Starving versus
      normalizing blood supply.
AB  - Traditional treatments for intermediate or advanced stage hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and anti
      angiogenesis therapies were developed to starve tumor blood supply. A new
      approach of normalizing structurally and functionally abnormal tumor vasculature
      is emerging. While TACE improves survival in selected patients, the resulting
      tumor hypoxia stimulates proliferation, angiogenesis, treatment resistance and
      metastasis, which limits its overall efficacy. Vessel normalization decreases
      hypoxia and improves anti-tumor immune infiltrate and drug delivery. Several pre
      clinical agents aimed at normalizing tumor vasculature in HCC appear promising.
      Although anti-angiogenic agents with vessel normalizing potential have been
      trialed in advanced HCC with modest results, to date their primary intention had
      been to starve the tumor. Judicious use of anti-angiogenic therapies is required
      to achieve vessel normalization yet avoid excessive pruning of vessels. This
      balance, termed the normalization window, is yet uncharacterized in HCC. However,
      the optimal class, dose and schedule of vascular normalization agents, alone or
      in combination with other therapies needs to be explored further.

PMID- 28617449
TI  - Assessment of social transmission of threats in humans using observational fear
      conditioning.
AB  - Across the human life span, fear is often acquired indirectly by observation of
      the emotional expressions of others. The observational fear conditioning protocol
      was previously developed as a laboratory model for investigating socially
      acquired threat responses. This protocol serves as a suitable alternative to the
      widely used Pavlovian fear conditioning, in which threat responses are acquired
      through direct experiences. In the observational fear conditioning protocol, the
      participant (observer) watches a demonstrator being presented with a conditioned
      stimulus (CS) paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US). The expression
      of threat learning is measured as the conditioned response (CR) expressed by the
      observer in the absence of the demonstrator. CRs are commonly measured as skin
      conductance responses, but behavioral and neural measures have also been
      implemented. The experimental procedure is suitable for divergent populations,
      can be administered by a graduate student and takes ~40 min. Similar protocols
      are used in animals, emphasizing its value as a translational tool for studying
      socioemotional learning.

PMID- 28617450
TI  - A human intestinal M-cell-like model for investigating particle, antigen and
      microorganism translocation.
AB  - The specialized microfold cells (M cells) in the follicle-associated epithelium
      (FAE) of intestinal Peyer's patches serve as antigen-sampling cells of the
      intestinal innate immune system. Unlike 'classical' enterocytes, they are able to
      translocate diverse particulates without digesting them. They act as pathways for
      microorganism invasion and mediate food tolerance by transcellular transport of
      intestinal microbiota and antigens. Their ability to transcytose intact particles
      can be used to develop oral drug delivery and oral immunization strategies. This
      protocol describes a reproducible and versatile human M-cell-like in vitro model.
      This model can be exploited to evaluate M-cell transport of microparticles and
      nanoparticles for protein, drug or vaccine delivery and to study bacterial
      adherence and translocation across M cells. The inverted in vitro M-cell model
      consists of three main steps. First, Caco-2 cells are seeded at the apical side
      of the inserts. Second, the inserts are inverted and B lymphocytes are seeded at
      the basolateral side of the inserts. Third, the conversion to M cells is
      assessed. Although various M-cell culture systems exist, this model provides
      several advantages over the rest: (i) it is based on coculture with well
      established differentiated human cell lines; (ii) it is reproducible under the
      conditions described herein; (iii) it can be easily mastered; and (iv) it does
      not require the isolation of primary cells or the use of animals. The protocol
      requires skills in cell culture and microscopy analysis. The model is obtained
      after 3 weeks, and transport experiments across the differentiated model can be
      carried out over periods of up to 10 h.

PMID- 28617452
TI  - Applied physics: Wireless power on the move.

PMID- 28617451
TI  - Biological and chemical strategies for exploring inter- and intra-kingdom
      communication mediated via bacterial volatile signals.
AB  - Airborne chemical signals emitted by bacteria influence the behavior of other
      bacteria and plants. We present an overview of in vitro methods for evaluating
      bacterial and plant responses to bacterial volatile compounds (BVCs). Three types
      of equipment have been used to physically separate the bacterial test strains
      from either other bacterial strains or plants (in our laboratory we use either
      Arabidopsis or tobacco plant seedlings): a Petri dish containing two compartments
      (BI Petri dish); two Petri dishes connected with tubing; and a microtiter-based
      assay. The optimized procedure for the BI Petri dish system is described in this
      protocol and can be widely used for elucidation of potential function in
      interactions between diverse microbes and those plant and chemical volatiles
      emitted by bacteria that are most likely to mediate bacterial or plant responses
      to BVCs. We also describe a procedure for metabolome-based BVC profiling via
      dynamic (i.e., continuous airflow) or static headspace sampling using solid-phase
      microextraction (SPME). Using both these procedures, bacteria-bacteria
      communications and bacteria-plant interactions mediated by BVCs can be rapidly
      investigated (within 1-4 weeks).

PMID- 28617453
TI  - Slush-like polar structures in single-crystal relaxors.
AB  - Despite more than 50 years of investigation, it is still unclear how the
      underlying structure of relaxor ferroelectrics gives rise to their defining
      properties, such as ultrahigh piezoelectric coefficients, high permittivity over
      a broad temperature range, diffuse phase transitions, strong frequency dependence
      in dielectric response, and phonon anomalies. The model of polar nanoregions
      inside a non-polar matrix has been widely used to describe the structure of
      relaxor ferroelectrics. However, the lack of precise knowledge about the shapes,
      growth and dipole patterns of polar nanoregions has led to the characterization
      of relaxors as "hopeless messes", and no predictive model for relaxor behaviour
      is currently available. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations of the
      prototypical Pb(Mg1/3,Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 relaxor material to examine its structure
      and the spatial and temporal polarization correlations. Our simulations show that
      the unusual properties of relaxors stem from the presence of a multi-domain state
      with extremely small domain sizes (2-10 nanometres), and no non-polar matrix,
      owing to the local dynamics. We find that polar structures in the multi-domain
      state in relaxors are analogous to those of the slush state of water. The multi
      domain structure of relaxors that is revealed by our molecular dynamics
      simulations is consistent with recent experimental diffuse scattering results and
      indicates that relaxors have a high density of low-angle domain walls. This
      insight explains the recently discovered classes of relaxors that cannot be
      described by the polar nanoregion model, and provides guidance for the design and
      synthesis of new relaxor materials.

PMID- 28617454
TI  - Corrigendum: MC4R-dependent suppression of appetite by bone-derived lipocalin 2.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nature21697.

PMID- 28617458
TI  - Materials science: How to suck like an octopus.

PMID- 28617459
TI  - Junior scientists: Senior scientists as allies for equity.

PMID- 28617461
TI  - Development: Sustainability and resilience differ.

PMID- 28617462
TI  - Conservation: Pay countries to stop whaling.

PMID- 28617463
TI  - Robust wireless power transfer using a nonlinear parity-time-symmetric circuit.
AB  - Considerable progress in wireless power transfer has been made in the realm of
      non-radiative transfer, which employs magnetic-field coupling in the near field.
      A combination of circuit resonance and impedance transformation is often used to
      help to achieve efficient transfer of power over a predetermined distance of
      about the size of the resonators. The development of non-radiative wireless power
      transfer has paved the way towards real-world applications such as wireless
      powering of implantable medical devices and wireless charging of stationary
      electric vehicles. However, it remains a fundamental challenge to create a
      wireless power transfer system in which the transfer efficiency is robust against
      the variation of operating conditions. Here we propose theoretically and
      demonstrate experimentally that a parity-time-symmetric circuit incorporating a
      nonlinear gain saturation element provides robust wireless power transfer. Our
      results show that the transfer efficiency remains near unity over a distance
      variation of approximately one metre, without the need for any tuning. This is in
      contrast with conventional methods where high transfer efficiency can only be
      maintained by constantly tuning the frequency or the internal coupling parameters
      as the transfer distance or the relative orientation of the source and receiver
      units is varied. The use of a nonlinear parity-time-symmetric circuit should
      enable robust wireless power transfer to moving devices or vehicles.

PMID- 28617465
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28617464
TI  - Publishing: Journals could share peer-review data.

PMID- 28617466
TI  - Damming the rivers of the Amazon basin.
AB  - More than a hundred hydropower dams have already been built in the Amazon basin
      and numerous proposals for further dam constructions are under consideration. The
      accumulated negative environmental effects of existing dams and proposed dams, if
      constructed, will trigger massive hydrophysical and biotic disturbances that will
      affect the Amazon basin's floodplains, estuary and sediment plume. We introduce a
      Dam Environmental Vulnerability Index to quantify the current and potential
      impacts of dams in the basin. The scale of foreseeable environmental degradation
      indicates the need for collective action among nations and states to avoid
      cumulative, far-reaching impacts. We suggest institutional innovations to assess
      and avoid the likely impoverishment of Amazon rivers.

PMID- 28617467
TI  - A wet-tolerant adhesive patch inspired by protuberances in suction cups of
      octopi.
AB  - Adhesion strategies that rely on mechanical interlocking or molecular attractions
      between surfaces can suffer when coming into contact with liquids. Thus far,
      artificial wet and dry adhesives have included hierarchical mushroom-shaped or
      porous structures that allow suction or capillarity, supramolecular structures
      comprising nanoparticles, and chemistry-based attractants that use various
      protein polyelectrolytes. However, it is challenging to develop adhesives that
      are simple to make and also perform well-and repeatedly-under both wet and dry
      conditions, while avoiding non-chemical contamination on the adhered surfaces.
      Here we present an artificial, biologically inspired, reversible wet/dry adhesion
      system that is based on the dome-like protuberances found in the suction cups of
      octopi. To mimic the architecture of these protuberances, we use a simple,
      solution-based, air-trap technique that involves fabricating a patterned
      structure as a polymeric master, and using it to produce a reversed architecture,
      without any sophisticated chemical syntheses or surface modifications. The
      micrometre-scale domes in our artificial adhesive enhance the suction stress.
      This octopus-inspired system exhibits strong, reversible, highly repeatable
      adhesion to silicon wafers, glass, and rough skin surfaces under various
      conditions (dry, moist, under water and under oil). To demonstrate a potential
      application, we also used our adhesive to transport a large silicon wafer in air
      and under water without any resulting surface contamination.

PMID- 28617468
TI  - Tissue engineering: NIH competition to create 'eye in a dish'.

PMID- 28617470
TI  - Plutonium accident, ancient amber and a call to climate scientists.

PMID- 28617469
TI  - In Retrospect: A decade of shared genomic associations.

PMID- 28617471
TI  - Harmonize conflicting regulations for genetically engineered plants and animals.

PMID- 28617472
TI  - Eye-opening picture of fetal immune system emerges.

PMID- 28617473
TI  - United States revives space-policy council after 24-year absence.

PMID- 28617474
TI  - Empty rhetoric over data sharing slows science.

PMID- 28617475
TI  - UK scientists hope for softened Brexit after shock election result.

PMID- 28617476
TI  - Fight the silencing of gun research.

PMID- 28617478
TI  - Reassess dam building in the Amazon.

PMID- 28617479
TI  - Let Trump claim a better deal on climate.

PMID- 28617480
TI  - Bats are global reservoir for deadly coronaviruses.

PMID- 28617481
TI  - US mental-health agency's push for basic research has slashed support for
      clinical trials.

PMID- 28617482
TI  - The 'time machine' reconstructing ancient Venice's social networks.

PMID- 28617483
TI  - Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease: think (at least) twice!
AB  - The introduction of the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO)
      guidelines has substantially contributed to the early detection of different
      stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Several recent studies from different
      parts of the world mention a CKD prevalence of between 8 and 13%. There are
      several reasons the CKD prevalence found in a study of a particular population is
      clearly overestimated. The structure of the population pyramid (young or older
      age) of the study sample may result in high or low CKD prevalence. The absence of
      using an isotope dilution mass spectrometry creatinine assay can be the source of
      high bias in CKD prevalence. In addition, using an arbitrary single threshold of
      estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) for classifying
      CKD leads to a substantial 'overdiagnosis' (false positives) in the elderly (>65
      years of age), particularly in those without albuminuria (or proteinuria),
      haematuria or hypertension. It also results in a significant 'underdiagnosis'
      (false negatives) in younger individuals with an eGFR >60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and
      below the third percentile for their age/gender category. The use of third
      percentile eGFR rates as a cut-off based on age/gender-specific reference values
      of eGFR allows the detection of these false positives and negatives. In the
      present article, we focus on an important and frequently omitted criterion in
      epidemiological studies: chronicity. Indeed, the two most important factors
      introducing a high number (up to 50%) of false positives are lack of confirming
      proteinuria and the absence of proof of chronicity of the eGFR found at first
      screening. There is an urgent need for quality studies of the prevalence of CKD
      using representative randomized samples of the population, applying the KDIGO
      guidelines correctly.

PMID- 28617484
TI  - Improved photocathodic performance in Pt catalyzed ferroelectric BiFeO3 films
      sandwiched by a porous carbon layer.
AB  - A porous carbon layer was inserted between a BiFeO3 film and a Pt catalyst for
      efficient solar water splitting. A photocathodic current density of -235.4 MUA cm
      2 at 0 V versus RHE and an onset potential of 1.19 V versus RHE were obtained
      under 100 mW cm-2 Xe-lamp illumination.

PMID- 28617485
TI  - Non-trivial rheological exponents in sheared yield stress fluids.
AB  - In this work we discuss possible physical origins of non-trivial exponents in the
      athermal rheology of soft materials at low but finite driving rates. A key
      ingredient in our scenario is the presence of a self-consistent mechanical noise
      that stems from the spatial superposition of long-range elastic responses to
      localized plastically deforming regions. We study analytically a mean-field
      model, in which this mechanical noise is accounted for by a stress diffusion term
      coupled to the plastic activity. Within this description we show how a dependence
      of the shear modulus and/or the local relaxation time on the shear rate
      introduces corrections to the usual mean-field prediction, concerning the
      Herschel-Bulkley-type rheological response of exponent 1/2. This feature of the
      mean-field picture is then shown to be robust with respect to structural disorder
      and partial relaxation of the local stress. We test this prediction numerically
      on a mesoscopic lattice model that implements explicitly the long-range elastic
      response to localized shear transformations, and we conclude on how our scenario
      might be tested in rheological experiments.

PMID- 28617486
TI  - Ultra-high loading of sinoporphyrin sodium in ferritin for single-wave motivated
      photothermal and photodynamic co-therapy.
AB  - In this work, a potent photosensitizer, sinoporphyrin sodium (DVDMS), was loaded
      into RGD-modified ferritin (R-Fn) nanocages by a rapid, scalable and versatile
      approach for imaging guided photodynamic and photothermal (PTT/PDT) co-therapy.
      The resulting nanocomposite formed a well-defined nanocage with a photosensitizer
      loading capacity as high as 66.67 wt%, which far exceeds those reported
      previously. The bioengineered protein nanocage-based nanotheranostics exhibits a
      remarkably improved tumor treatment effect over DVDMS with good biocompatibility
      and the potential of clinical translation.

PMID- 28617487
TI  - Organ-on-a-chip devices advance to market.
AB  - To curb the high cost of drug development, there is an urgent need to develop
      more predictive tissue models using human cells to determine drug efficacy and
      safety in advance of clinical testing. Recent insights gained through fundamental
      biological studies have validated the importance of dynamic cell environments and
      cellular communication to the expression of high fidelity organ function.
      Building on this knowledge, emerging organ-on-a-chip technology is poised to fill
      the gaps in drug screening by offering predictive human tissue models with
      methods of sophisticated tissue assembly. Organ-on-a-chip start-ups have begun to
      spawn from academic research to fill this commercial space and are attracting
      investment to transform the drug discovery industry. This review traces the
      history, examines the scientific foundation and envisages the prospect of these
      renowned organ-on-a-chip technologies. It serves as a guide for new members of
      this dynamic field to navigate the existing scientific and market space.

PMID- 28617488
TI  - Potential use of the PRI and active fluorescence for the diagnosis of the
      physiological state of plants under ozone exposure and high atmospheric vapor
      pressure deficit.
AB  - Assessing photosynthesis rates with remote sensing is important for tracking the
      physiological state of plants. The photochemical reflectance index (PRI) is a
      good estimator of short-term light-use efficiency (LUE) at the leaf scale but its
      responses to environmental factors are poorly understood. In this study, we
      assessed changes in the responses of the PRI to ozone exposure and to an increase
      in atmospheric drought (separately and combined) in oak (Quercus robur) and holm
      oak (Quercus ilex) that were planted in climatic cells under controlled
      conditions. The aim was to evaluate the ability of the PRI as a relevant
      indicator to assess the impact of abiotic factors on photosynthesis. Leaf-scale
      measurements of biochemical, physiological and spectral properties, including the
      PRI in dim light on dark-adapted leaves (PRI0), kinetics of PRI responses to PAR
      variations (photosynthetically active radiation), and leaf chlorophyll
      fluorescence parameters were performed. The results show that PRI0 is a good
      proxy of the leaf chlorophyll content, and is correlated to chlorophyll
      fluorescence parameters on dark adapted leaves (Fo, Fm). The correction of the
      PRI from the leaf chlorophyll content variations (PRIc) significantly improves
      correlations between the PRI and NPQ (non-photochemical quenching). The
      variability of PARsat (estimated PAR value at PRI saturation using PRI vs. PAR
      relationships) depends on ozone exposure and on the increase in atmospheric vapor
      pressure deficit. For Quercus robur, results highlight that PARsat is linked to
      abiotic stress indicating that the PRI may be used as a relevant indicator of
      abiotic factors limiting the photosynthesis. Quercus ilex did not show
      significant variability in PRI0 and PARsat, which suggest that it is a more
      drought resistant species than Q. robur.

PMID- 28617489
TI  - Phase behaviour of hard board-like particles.
AB  - We examine the phase behaviour of colloidal suspensions of hard board-like
      particles (HBPs) as a function of their shape anisotropy, and observe a
      fascinating spectrum of nematic, smectic, and columnar liquid-crystalline phases,
      whose formation is entirely driven by excluded volume effects. We map out the
      phase diagram of short and long HBPs by gradually modifying their shape from
      prolate to oblate and investigate the long-range order of the resulting
      morphologies along the phase directors and perpendicularly to them. The intrinsic
      biaxial nature of these particles promotes the formation of translationally
      ordered biaxial phases, but does not show solid evidence that it would, per se,
      promote the formation of the biaxial nematic phase. Our simulations shed light on
      the controversial existence of the discotic smectic phase, whose layers are as
      thick as the minor particle dimension, which is stable in a relatively large
      portion of our phase diagrams. Additionally, we modify the Onsager theory to
      describe the isotropic-nematic phase transition of freely rotating biaxial
      particles as a function of the particle width, and find a relatively strong first
      order signature, in excellent agreement with our simulations. In an attempt to
      shed light on the elusive formation of the biaxial nematic phase, we apply this
      theory to predict the uniaxial-biaxial nematic phase transition and confirm,
      again in agreement with simulations, the prevailing stability of the
      translationally ordered smectic phase over the orientationally ordered biaxial
      nematic phase.

PMID- 28617490
TI  - Synthesis and bioactivity of fused- and spiro-beta-lactone-lactam systems.
AB  - An investigation of the formation of fused- and spiro-beta-lactone annulate to
      gamma-lactams has shown that the fused systems are formed preferentially, under
      standard conditions, but that spiro systems are accessible only when the
      formation of the fused system is blocked and require careful optimisation of
      reaction conditions. These systems display both weak antibacterial activity and
      proteasome inhibition.

PMID- 28617491
TI  - Deciphering the dynamics of star molecules in shear flow.
AB  - This work analyses the rotation of star polymers under shear flow, in melts, and
      in good solvent dilute solution. The latter is modeled by single molecule
      Brownian hydrodynamics, while melts are modeled using non-equilibrium molecular
      dynamics in closed (periodic) boxes and in open boundaries. A Dissipative
      Particle Dynamics (DPD) thermostat introduces pairwise monomer friction in melts
      at will, in directions normal and tangent to the monomer-monomer vectors.
      Although tangential friction is seldom modeled, we show that it is essential to
      control hydrodynamic effects in melts. We analyze the different sources of
      molecular angular momentum in solution and melts and distinguish three dynamic
      regimes as the shear rate [small gamma, Greek, dot above] is increased. These
      dynamic regimes are related with the disruption of the different relaxation
      mechanisms of the star in equilibrium. Although strong differences are found
      between harmonic springs and finitely extensible bonds, above a critical shear
      rate the star molecule has a "breathing" mode with successive elongations and
      contractions in the flow direction with frequency Omega. The force balance in the
      flow direction unveils a relation between Omega and the orientation angle. Using
      literature results for the tumbling of rings and linear chains, either in melt or
      in solution, we show that the relation is general. A different "tank-treading"
      dynamics determines the rotation of monomers around the center of mass of the
      molecule. We show that the tank-treading frequency does not saturate but keeps
      increasing with [small gamma, Greek, dot above]. This is at odds with previous
      studies which erroneously calculated the molecular angular frequency, used as a
      proxy for tank-treading.

PMID- 28617492
TI  - Heteroaryl bismuthines: a novel synthetic concept and metalpi heteroarene
      interactions.
AB  - The alkoxide Bi[OCMe2(2-C4H3S)]3 (1) is formed by the reaction of three equiv. of
      the alcohol HOCMe2(2-C4H3S) with Bi(OtBu)3 and subsequent hydrolysis provides the
      bismuth oxido cluster [Bi4O2{OCMe2(2-C4H3S)}8] (2). In contrast, the reaction of
      Bi(OtBu)3 and Bi[N(SiMe3)2]3 with the silanols HOSiMe2(2-C4H3X) (X = O, S, Se,
      and NMe), HOSiMe2(2-C4H2S-5-SiMe3) and HOSiMe2(3-C4H3S) leads to the formation of
      tris(heteroaryl)bismuthines Bi(2-C4H2X-5-R)3 [where X = O, R = H (3); X = S, R =
      H (4); X = S, R = SiMe3 (5); X = NMe, R = H (6); X = Se, R = H (7)] and Bi(3
      C4H3S)3 (8). For the silanols, bismuth-carbon bond formation is observed rather
      than silanol-alcoholate or silanol-amide exchange. The structures of compounds 1,
      2, and 4-7a in the solid state were established by single crystal X-ray
      diffraction and all compounds except 5 show London dispersion type bismuthpi
      heteroarene interactions. For the bismuthine Bi(2-C4H3Se)3 (7), two polymorphs
      were isolated depending on the conditions of crystallization. At 8  degrees C,
      polymorph I (7a) crystallizes from an n-hexane solution in the triclinic space
      group P1[combining macron], whereas polymorph II (7b) crystallizes at 20  degrees
      C from a CH2Cl2/n-pentane solution in the monoclinic space group P21/c. The
      heteroaryl bismuthines 3 and 4 exhibit 2D network structures as a result of
      bismuthpi heteroarene interactions, whereas for the pyrrole derivative 6 the
      dispersion type interactions provide separated dimers.

PMID- 28617494
TI  - Spectral and photochemical properties of hybrid organic-inorganic nanosystems
      based on CdS quantum dots and merocyanine ligands.
AB  - The spectral and photochemical properties of hybrid organic-inorganic nanosystems
      (HNSs) were investigated. HNS consisted of CdS quantum dots (QDs) functionalized
      with ligands containing the isothiouronium anchor group linked by a polymethylene
      chain with photochromic merocyanine (MC). The HNS synthesis was carried out via a
      microwave-assisted one-pot technique. Energy transfer from the QDs to MC in the
      HNS was observed and resulted in QD fluorescence quenching and MC sensitization.
      Compared to the free MC, trans-cis photoisomerization of MC in the HNS was
      suppressed and its photodestruction was accelerated. In addition, upon HNS
      photolysis by visible light with energy higher than the threshold, the
      photosensitized destruction of the QDs (which did not absorb the applied light)
      occurred. The observed effects were proposed to be caused by MC adsorption on QDs
      surface, which leads to the restriction of the MC photoisomerization and
      population of the surface electron trap states of the QDs.

PMID- 28617493
TI  - The formation of sesquiterpenoid presilphiperfolane and cameroonane metabolites
      in the Bcbot4 null mutant of Botrytis cinerea.
AB  - Botrytis cinerea is a polyphagous fungal parasite which causes serious damage to
      more than 200 plant species and consequent economic losses for commercial crops.
      This pathogen produces two families of phytotoxins, the botryanes and botcinins,
      which are involved in the infection mechanism. The B. cinerea genome has provided
      a complete picture of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of its secondary
      metabolites. The botrydial biosynthetic gene cluster has been identified. This
      cluster consists of seven genes, where the genes BcBOT1, BcBOT3 and BcBOT4 encode
      three mono-oxygenases. A study of the Bcbot4Delta null mutant revealed that this
      mono-oxygenase was involved in the hydroxylation at C-4 of the probotryane
      skeleton (C-11 of the presilphiperfolane skeleton). A detailed study of the
      Bcbot4Delta null mutant has been undertaken in order to study the metabolic fate
      of the presilphiperfolan-8-ol intermediate biosynthesized by this organism and in
      particular by this strain. As a result three new presilphiperfolanes and three
      new cameroonanes have been identified. The results suggest that the absence of
      the oxygen function at C-11 of the presilphiperfolane skeleton permits
      rearrangement to a cameroonane whilst hydroxylation at C-11 precludes this
      rearrangement. It is possible that the interactions of the C-11 hydroxylated
      derivatives perturb the stereo-electronic requirements for the migration of the C
      11:C-7 sigma bond to C-8.

PMID- 28617495
TI  - Thiol-ene micropillar array electrospray ionization platform for zeptomole level
      bioanalysis.
AB  - A micropillar array electrospray ionization (MUPESI) platform fabricated from
      thiol-enes with 56 individual polyethylene glycol coated MUPESI chips for
      bioanalytical mass spectrometry is introduced. Bioanalysis capability is shown by
      measurement of a protein, a protein digest and a cell lysate sample. The thiol
      ene polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated MUPESI chip allows the use of a wide range
      of aqueous-organic solvent compositions and provides a detection limit at 60
      zeptomole level (6 * 10-20 mol) for a peptide standard.

PMID- 28617496
TI  - A reconstructed anatase (001)-1 * 4 surface and its reactivity.
AB  - An anatase TiO2(001) surface has shown great potential as an ideal and powerful
      photocatalyst due to its chemical stability, nontoxicity, and high reactivity.
      However, the fundamental atomic structure of the reconstructed anatase (001)-(1 *
      4) surface is still under debate, which greatly impedes further exploration of
      its chemical activity. Herein, the anatase (001)-(1 * 4) surface reconstruction
      and the photocatalytic reactivity have been extensively studied using an
      effective surface structure searching method in combination with the first
      principles calculations. Our study reveals that there exist two stable (1 * 4)
      reconstructed surfaces, i.e., the previously proposed "ad-molecule" (ADM) and
      oxidized ridge (OR) surface structures, and their simulated STM images are in
      good agreement with experimental observations. Moreover, we find that the ADM
      surface has superior photocatalytic reactivity to the OR surface and a small
      number of water can be dissociated at the terrace at one water monolayer
      coverage, which has never been found before. These findings can not only be
      applied to solve the experimental controversies about the atomic structure of the
      reconstructed anatase (001)-(1 * 4) surface but also provide a theoretical basis
      for exploring the intrinsic properties of the surface.

PMID- 28617497
TI  - Flexible hybrid graphene/a-Si:H multispectral photodetectors.
AB  - We report on the integration of large area CVD grown single- and bilayer graphene
      transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) on amorphous silicon multispectral
      photodetectors. The broadband transmission of graphene results in 440%
      enhancement of the detectors' spectral response in the ultraviolet (UV) region at
      lambda = 320 nm compared to reference devices with conventional aluminum doped
      zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) electrodes. The maximum responsivity of the multispectral
      photodetectors can be tuned in their wavelength from 320 nm to 510 nm by an
      external bias voltage, allowing single pixel detection of UV to visible light.
      Graphene electrodes further enable fully flexible diodes on polyimide substrates.
      Here, an upgrade from single to bilayer graphene boosts the maximum
      photoresponsivity from 134 mA W-1 to 239 mA W-1. Interference patterns that are
      present in conventional TCE devices are suppressed as a result of the atomically
      thin graphene electrodes. The proposed detectors may be of interest in fields of
      UV/VIS spectroscopy or for biomedical and life science applications, where the
      extension to the UV range can be essential.

PMID- 28617498
TI  - Correction: A convenient, bio-inspired approach to the synthesis of multi
      functional, stable fluorescent silica nanoparticles using poly(ethylene-imine).
AB  - Correction for 'A convenient, bio-inspired approach to the synthesis of multi
      functional, stable fluorescent silica nanoparticles using poly(ethylene-imine)'
      by Christina A. Bauer, et al., Nanoscale, 2017, 9, 6509-6520.

PMID- 28617499
TI  - In vivo endoscopic mass spectrometry using a moving string sampling probe.
AB  - At present, endoscopy relies almost exclusively on optical microscopy and the
      accurate analysis such as MS interrogation is performed ex situ using biopsy. In
      this work, a novel probing system is developed to perform in situ and in vivo
      endoscopic mass spectrometry using a moving string for the sampling and
      transportation of material. A prototype of a mass spectrometric endoscope is
      constructed using an industrial endoscope and a commercial mass spectrometer. The
      sampling system consists of a moving cotton thread driven by motorized pulleys.
      When the target surface is touched by the sampling probe, the cotton thread
      "wipes" and transports the adhered sample to the ion source. Depending on the
      target analytes, desorption electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical
      ionization sources are employed interchangeably for the desorption and
      ionization. The surface under analysis is not subjected to heat, organic
      solvents, high voltage or charged droplets. In situ endoscopic MS of a living
      mouse and surface analysis inside a volunteer subject's mouth are demonstrated.

PMID- 28617500
TI  - Decamethyltitanocene hydride intermediates in the hydrogenation of the
      corresponding titanocene-(eta2-ethene) or (eta2-alkyne) complexes and the effects
      of bulkier auxiliary ligands.
AB  - 1H NMR studies of reactions of titanocene [Cp*2Ti] (Cp* = eta5-C5Me5) and its
      derivatives [Cp*(eta5:eta1-C5Me4CH2)TiMe] and [Cp*2Ti(eta2-CH2[double bond,
      length as m-dash]CH2)] with excess dihydrogen at room temperature and pressures
      lower than 1 bar revealed the formation of dihydride [Cp*2TiH2] (1) and the
      concurrent liberation of either methane or ethane, depending on the
      organometallic reactant. The subsequent slow decay of 1 yielding [Cp*2TiH] (2)
      was mediated by titanocene formed in situ and controlled by hydrogen pressure.
      The crystalline products obtained by evaporating a hexane solution of fresh
      [Cp*2Ti] in the presence of hydrogen contained crystals having either two
      independent molecules of 1 in the asymmetric part of the unit cell or cocrystals
      consisting of 1 and [Cp*2Ti] in a 2 : 1 ratio. Hydrogenation of alkyne complexes
      [Cp*2Ti(eta2-R1C[triple bond, length as m-dash]CR2)] (R1 = R2 = Me or Et)
      performed at room temperature afforded alkanes R1CH2CH2R2, and after removing
      hydrogen, 2 was formed in quantitative yields. For alkyne complexes containing
      bulkier substituent(s) R1 = Me or Ph, R2 = SiMe3, and R1 = R2 = Ph or SiMe3,
      successful hydrogenation required the application of increased temperatures (70
      80  degrees C) and prolonged reaction times, in particular for
      bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylene. Under these conditions, no transient 1 was detected
      during the formation of 2. The bulkier auxiliary ligands eta5-C5Me4tBu and eta5
      C5Me4SiMe3 did not hinder the addition of dihydrogen to the corresponding
      titanocenes [(eta5-C5Me4tBu)2Ti] and [(eta5-C5Me4SiMe3)2Ti] yielding [(eta5
      C5Me4tBu)2TiH2] (3) and [(eta5-C5Me4SiMe3)2TiH2] (4), respectively. In contrast
      to 1, the dihydride 4 did not decay with the formation of titanocene monohydride,
      but dissociated to titanocene upon dihydrogen removal. The monohydrides [(eta5
      C5Me4tBu)2TiH] (5) and [(eta5-C5Me4SiMe3)2TiH] (6) were obtained by insertion of
      dihydrogen into the intramolecular titanium-methylene sigma-bond in compounds
      [(eta5-C5Me4tBu)(eta5:eta1-C5Me4CMe2CH2)Ti] and [(eta5-C5Me4SiMe3)(eta5:eta1
      C5Me4SiMe2CH2)Ti], respectively. The steric influence of the auxiliary ligands
      became clear from the nature of the products obtained by reacting 5 and 6 with
      butadiene. They appeared to be the exclusively sigma-bonded eta1-but-2-enyl
      titanocenes (7) and (8), instead of the common pi-bonded derivatives formed for
      the sterically less congested titanocenes, including [Cp*2Ti(eta3-(1
      methylallyl))] (9). The molecular structure optimized by DFT for compound 1
      acquired a distinctly lower total energy than the analogously optimized complex
      with a coordinated dihydrogen [Cp*2Ti(eta2-H2)]. The stabilization energies of
      binding the hydride ligands to the bent titanocenes were estimated from
      counterpoise computations; they showed a decrease in the order 1 (-132.70 kJ mol
      1), 3 (-121.11 kJ mol-1), and 4 (-112.35 kJ mol-1), in accordance with the more
      facile dihydrogen dissociation.

PMID- 28617501
TI  - Generation and characterisation of a stable nickel(ii)-aminoxyl radical complex.
AB  - A stable nickel(ii)-aminoxyl radical complex was generated by the reaction of a
      nickel(ii) complex supported by a tren ligand (tris(2-aminoethyl)amine) having
      bulky m-terphenyl substituents (TIPT: 3,5-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)phenyl) and m
      CPBA (m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid). The formation mechanism of the nickel(ii)
      aminoxyl radical complex was examined.

PMID- 28617502
TI  - Bioelectrocatalytic NAD+/NADH inter-conversion: transformation of an enzymatic
      fuel cell into an enzymatic redox flow battery.
AB  - Diaphorase and a benzylpropylviologen redox polymer were combined to create a
      bioelectrode that can both oxidize NADH and reduce NAD+. We demonstrate how
      bioelectrocatalytic NAD+/NADH inter-conversion can transform a glucose/O2
      enzymatic fuel cell (EFC) with an open circuit potential (OCP) of 1.1 V into an
      enzymatic redox flow battery (ERFB), which can be rapidly recharged by operation
      as an EFC.

PMID- 28617503
TI  - DNA intrastrand cross-links induced by the purine-type deoxyguanosine-8-yl
      radical: a DFT study.
AB  - Currently, all known DNA intrastrand cross-links are found to be induced by
      pyrimidine-type radicals; however, whether or not purine-type radicals are able
      to cause DNA intrastrand cross-links remains unclear. In the present study,
      probable additions of the highly reactive deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical to its
      3'/5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides in four model compounds, 5'-GT-3', 5'-TG
      3', 5'-GC-3', and 5'-CG-3', were studied using density functional theory (DFT)
      methods. In single-stranded DNA, the deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical is preferred to
      efficiently attack the C5 site of its 3' neighboring deoxythymidine or
      deoxycytidine, forming the G[8-5]T or G[8-5]C intrastrand cross-link rather than
      the C6 site forming the G[8-6]T or G[8-6]C intrastrand cross-link. The four
      corresponding sequence isomers, namely T[5-8]G, T[6-8]G, C[5-8]G, and C[6-8]G,
      formed by additions of deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical to its 5' neighboring
      pyrimidine nucleotides are predicted to be formed inefficiently. In double
      stranded DNA, considering the detrimental effects of stabilizing weak
      interactions on related structural adjustments required in each addition reaction
      path, relatively lower reaction yields are suggested for the G[8-5]T and G[8-5]C
      intrastrand cross-links, while the formation of the other six intrastrand cross
      links becomes quite difficult. All calculations definitely demonstrate that, in
      addition to pyrimidine-type radicals, the purine-type deoxyguanosine-8-yl radical
      is able to attack its 3'/5' neighboring pyrimidine nucleotides forming several
      DNA intrastrand cross-links.

PMID- 28617504
TI  - Biomimetic iterative method for polyketide synthesis.
AB  - An iterative method for synthesizing polyketides was demonstrated, in which the
      chain elongation of a carboxylic acid was performed by decarboxylative
      dehydration condensation with a malonic acid half thioester. After transforming
      the resulting beta-ketothioester into an appropriate form, the carboxylic acid
      functionality was regenerated for the next elongation step.

PMID- 28617505
TI  - Facile ring-opening of THF at a lithium center induced by a pendant Si-H bond and
      BPh3.
AB  - The macrocyclic polyamine 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane [LH =
      (Me3TACD)H] formed adducts with tetramethyl-silazides [M{N(SiHMe2)2}] (M = Li,
      Na, K) of light alkali metals. Upon heating, intramolecular dehydrocoupling
      occurred to give [M{(L)SiMe2N(SiHMe2)}]. BPh3 induced facile ring-opening of THF
      when reacted with [Li{(L)SiMe2N(SiHMe2)}].

PMID- 28617506
TI  - A flexible 1,2-cis alpha-glycosylation strategy based on in situ adduct
      transformation.
AB  - A flexible 1,2-cis alpha-selective glycosylation strategy for a wide range of
      glycosyl donors and acceptors has been developed, which is based on an in situ
      adduct transformation protocol. Based on this strategy, both NFM-derived and
      iodide covalent adducts can be accessed for glycosylation. Using low temperature
      NMR spectroscopy, the aforementioned glycosyl adducts were detected.

PMID- 28617507
TI  - Silicene growth through island migration and coalescence.
AB  - We perform massively-parallel classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to
      study the long timescale monolayer silicene growth on an Ir (111) surface. We
      observe an intricate multi-stage growth process driven by atomic and cluster
      migration on the surface. Initial growth involves formation of sub-nanometer
      clusters via adatom surface diffusion. Subsequently, these clusters rearrange
      spontaneously with each additional Si atom, forming clusters containing 4-7
      member rings. Growth of each cluster through adatom adhesion is accompanied by
      the formation of larger islands through cluster migration and coalescence.
      Coalescence of smaller, more mobile islands into larger clusters is aided by the
      internal rearrangement of rings within each cluster. This flexibility, both of
      clusters and their constituent atoms, allows the impinging clusters to reorient
      after first contact and form a more perfect union. We also report on the effect
      of temperature and flux on the growth process and the final nanostructure. Our
      study provides atomistic insights into the early stage growth mechanisms of
      silicene which can be significant for controlled synthesis of its 2D monolayers.

PMID- 28617508
TI  - Synthesis of functionalised azepanes and piperidines from bicyclic halogenated
      aminocyclopropane derivatives.
AB  - A series of 6,6-dihalo-2-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane and 7,7-dihalo-2
      azabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane compounds were prepared by the reaction of dihalocarbene
      species with N-Boc-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrroles or -1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyridines.
      Monochloro substrates were synthesised as well, using a chlorine-to-lithium
      exchange reaction. The behaviour of several aldehydes and ketones under reductive
      amination conditions with deprotected halogenated secondary cyclopropylamines was
      investigated, showing that this transformation typically triggers cyclopropane
      ring cleavage to give access to interesting nitrogen-containing ring-expanded
      products.

PMID- 28617509
TI  - Controlled rotation and translation of spherical particles or living cells by
      surface acoustic waves.
AB  - We show experimental evidence of the acoustically-assisted micromanipulation of
      small objects like solid particles or blood cells, combining rotation and
      translation, using high frequency surface acoustic waves. This was obtained from
      the leakage in a microfluidic channel of two standing waves arranged
      perpendicularly in a LiNbO3 piezoelectric substrate working at 36.3 MHz. By
      controlling the phase lag between the emitters, we could, in addition to
      translation, generate a swirling motion of the emitting surface which, in turn,
      led to the rapid rotation of spherical polystyrene Janus beads suspended in the
      channel and of human red and white blood cells up to several rounds per second.
      We show that these revolution velocities are compatible with a torque caused by
      the acoustic streaming that develops at the particles surface, like that first
      described by [F. Busse et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 1981, 69(6), 1634-1638]. This
      device, based on standard interdigitated transducers (IDTs) adjusted to emit at
      equal frequencies, opens a way to a large range of applications since it allows
      the simultaneous control of the translation and rotation of hard objects, as well
      as the investigation of the response of cells to shear stress.

PMID- 28617510
TI  - A 1H-NMR based metabolomics study of the intervention effect of mangiferin on
      hyperlipidemia hamsters induced by a high-fat diet.
AB  - It has been demonstrated that mangiferin can ameliorate hypertriglyceridemia by
      modulating the expression levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism in animal
      experiments, but its effects on the serum metabolic fingerprinting of
      hyperlipidemia animal models have not been reported. Thus, a NMR-based
      metabolomics approach was conducted to explore the effects of mangiferin on
      hyperlipidemia hamsters and to gain a better understanding of the involved
      metabolic pathways. Hamsters fed with a high-fat diet were orally administered
      with mangiferin 150 mg per kg BW once a day for 8 weeks. Serum samples were
      analysed by 1H NMR, and multivariate statistical analysis was applied to the data
      to identify potential biomarkers. In total, 20 discriminating metabolites were
      identified. It turned out that mangiferin administration can partly reverse the
      metabolism disorders induced by a high-fat diet and exerted a good anti
      hypertriglyceridemia effect. Mangiferin ameliorated hyperlipidemia by intervening
      in some major metabolic pathways, involving glycolysis, the TCA cycle, synthesis
      of ketone bodies, and BCAAs as well as choline and lipid metabolism. These
      findings provided new essential information on the effects of mangiferin and
      demonstrated the great potential of this nutrimetabolomics approach.

PMID- 28617511
TI  - Correction: Unprecedented formation of 3-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4-one
      in a reaction between 3,3a-dihydro-9H-furo[3,4-b]chromen-9-one and malononitrile.
AB  - Correction for 'Unprecedented formation of 3-(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4
      one in a reaction between 3,3a-dihydro-9H-furo[3,4-b]chromen-9-one and
      malononitrile' by Jie-Jie Liu, et al., Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017, DOI:
      10.1039/c7ob00904f.

PMID- 28617512
TI  - A concentration-independent micro/nanofluidic active diode using an asymmetric
      ion concentration polarization layer.
AB  - Over the past decade, nanofluidic diodes that rectify ionic currents (i.e.
      greater current in one direction than in the opposite direction) have drawn
      significant attention in biomolecular sensing, switching and energy harvesting
      devices. To obtain current rectification, conventional nanofluidic diodes have
      utilized complex nanoscale asymmetry such as nanochannel geometry, surface charge
      density, and reservoir concentration. Avoiding the use of sophisticated nano
      asymmetry, micro/nanofluidic diodes using microscale asymmetry have been recently
      introduced; however, their diodic performance is still impeded by (i) low (even
      absent) rectification effects at physiological concentrations over 100 mM and
      strong dependency on the bulk concentration, and (ii) the fact that they possess
      only passive predefined rectification factors. Here, we demonstrated a new class
      of micro/nanofluidic diode with an ideal perm-selective nanoporous membrane based
      on ion concentration polarization (ICP) phenomenon. Thin side-microchannels
      installed near a nanojunction served as mitigators of the amplified
      electrokinetic flows generated by ICP and induced convective salt transfer to the
      nanoporous membrane, leading to actively controlled micro-scale asymmetry. Using
      this device, current rectifications were successfully demonstrated in a wide
      range of electrolytic concentrations (10-5 M to 3 M) as a function of the fluidic
      resistance of the side-microchannels. Noteworthily, it was confirmed that the
      rectification factors were independent from the bulk concentration due to the
      ideal perm-selectivity. Moreover, the rectification of the presenting diode was
      actively controlled by adjusting the external convective flows, while that of the
      previous diode was passively determined by invariant nanoscale asymmetry.

PMID- 28617513
TI  - Reaction of S-geranyl-2-thiouracil modified oligonucleotides with alkyl amines
      leads to the N2-alkyl isocytosine derivatives.
AB  - S-Geranylated 2-thiouridines (geS2Us) are unique hydrophobic modified nucleosides
      identified very recently in bacterial tRNAs. Our study on the synthesis of
      geS2Ura-containing oligonucleotides (geS2U-RNA and geS2dU-DNA) revealed a fast
      substitution of the S-geranyl moiety by methylamine (frequently used in
      oligonucleotide deprotection procedures) or n-butylamine, providing the
      corresponding N2-alkyl isocytosine (R2isoCyt) derivatives. To retain the S
      geranyl moiety in the DNA or RNA chains, the optimized deprotection protocol with
      8 M ethanolic ammonia should be applied. The oligomers bearing the R2isoCyt
      heterocycle (R2isoC-RNA and R2isodC-DNA) are less hydrophobic than the
      corresponding S2U- and geS2U-modified oligomers, whereas, contrary to the
      previously reported data, geS2dU-DNA and geS2U-RNA exhibit significantly higher
      lipophilicity than the parent S2Ura-containing oligonucleotides. Thermodynamic
      studies revealed that: (a) both geS2Ura- and R2isoCyt-modified oligomers exhibit
      similar hybridization properties towards DNA and RNA templates, and (b) the
      R2isoCyt nucleobase preferentially hybridizes to guanine moiety in the DNA/DNA
      and RNA/RNA duplexes.

PMID- 28617514
TI  - Enhancement of the antiproliferative activity of [RuCp(PPh3)2(dmoPTA
      1kappaP)]+via its coordination to one {CoCl2} unit: synthesis, crystal structure
      and properties of [RuCp(PPh3)2-MU-dmoPTA-1kappaP:2kappa2N,N'-CoCl2](OTf).0.25H2O.
AB  - Synthesis, characterization and the antiproliferative activity of a new
      bimetallic complex [RuCp(PPh3)2-MU-dmoPTA-1kappaP:2k2N,N'-CoCl2]OTf.0.25H2O are
      described. The stability of the complex was studied under air and N2 atmospheres
      and in CDCl3, DMSO, water and the cell culture medium, at room temperature and 40
      degrees C. The complex showed an enhanced antiproliferative activity (up to six
      fold) when compared with its parent complex [RuCp(PPh3)2(HdmoPTA)]2+ against
      human lung, cervix, breast, and colon solid tumor cell lines.

PMID- 28617515
TI  - Synthesis of N-acetoxy-N-arylamides via diacetoxyiodobenzene promoted double
      acylation reaction of hydroxylamines with aldehydes.
AB  - A facile and efficient synthesis of N-acetoxy-N-arylamides through double
      acylations of hydroxylamines with aldehydes and diacetoxyiodobenzene is reported.
      The yields of the products are good to excellent.

PMID- 28617516
TI  - Incorporation of native antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins on DNA nanostructures
      via a modular conjugation strategy.
AB  - A photocrosslinkable protein G variant was used as an adapter protein to
      covalently and site-specifically conjugate an antibody and an Fc-fusion protein
      to an oligonucleotide. This modular approach enables straightforward decoration
      of DNA nanostructures with complex native proteins while retaining their innate
      binding affinity, allowing precise control over the nanoscale spatial
      organization of such proteins for in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications.

PMID- 28617517
TI  - Selective Fasciotomy for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome Detected With
      Exercise Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
AB  - Chronic exertional compartment syndrome that is refractory to conservative
      management should be treated with surgical fasciotomy. However, owing to the
      limitations of intracompartmental needle manometry in reaching a definite
      diagnosis, the appropriate timing for fasciotomy and on which compartment remain
      unclear. The authors report the case of a 22-year-old male military cadet who
      reported pain in his left calf when running or walking for long distances. The
      pain was located at the lateral aspect of the calf, from the mid-calf level to
      the ankle. At another hospital, nonenhanced magnetic resonance imaging had been
      performed, which showed no considerable abnormality. The authors used exercise
      magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose chronic exertional compartment syndrome.
      They performed selective fasciotomy on the compartment that showed a high signal
      intensity. As a military cadet, the patient was required to jog for more than an
      hour per day and perform strenuous muscle exercises. He reported that he did not
      have calf pain or discomfort during such activities 13 months postoperatively.
      The authors obtained a follow-up exercise magnetic resonance image. Compared with
      the preoperative magnetic resonance image, the follow-up exercise magnetic
      resonance image did not show high signal intensity at the lateral compartment.
      Exercise magnetic resonance imaging is useful in confirming the diagnosis of
      chronic exertional compartment syndrome and enables the performance of selective
      fasciotomy on the affected compartment. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(6):e1099-e1102.].

PMID- 28617518
TI  - Tibiofemoral Instability After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: Posterior
      Stabilized Implants for Obese Patients.
AB  - Tibiofemoral instability is a common complication after total knee arthroplasty
      (TKA), accounting for up to 22% of all revision procedures. Instability is the
      second most common cause of revision in the first 5 years after primary TKA. In
      this study, 13 knees with tibiofemoral instability after TKA were identified
      among 693 consecutive primary TKA procedures. Patient demographics, body mass
      index, clinical symptoms, previous deformity, previous knee surgery,
      complications, interval between index TKA and first tibiofemoral instability,
      causes of instability, and interval between index TKA and revision TKA were
      retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcomes were assessed with the Lysholm Knee
      Scoring Scale. All patients were women, and mean body mass index was 37.7 kg/m2
      (range, 27.2-52.6 kg/m2). Mean interval between index TKA and first tibiofemoral
      instability was 23.4 months (range, 9-45 months), and mean interval between index
      TKA and revision TKA was 25.6 months (range, 14-48 months). All patients had
      posterior cruciate ligament-retaining implants. Of the 13 knees, 11 had flexion
      instability and 2 had global instability. In all patients, instability was caused
      by incompetence of the posterior cruciate ligament; additionally, 1 patient had
      undersized and malpositioned implants. In 4 knees, the polyethylene insert was
      broken as well. All patients underwent revision TKA. Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale
      score had improved from a mean of 35.8 (range, 30-46) to a mean of 68.3 (range,
      66-76). All patients included in this study were female and obese. The main cause
      of instability was secondary posterior cruciate ligament rupture and
      incompetence. The use of posterior-stabilized implants for primary TKA may
      prevent secondary instability in obese patients. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(5):e812
      e819.].

PMID- 28617519
TI  - Pain and Opioid Use After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty With Injectable Liposomal
      Bupivacaine Versus Interscalene Block.
AB  - Postoperative pain control is a significant concern after total shoulder
      arthroplasty. Injectable periarticular liposomal bupivacaine, which has been
      found to decrease opioid use after orthopedic procedures, has been proposed as a
      viable alternative to regional anesthesia. This study compared the efficacy of
      liposomal bupivacaine vs interscalene block among patients undergoing total
      shoulder arthroplasty. A retrospective review was conducted of 79 patients who
      underwent anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty performed by a single surgeon
      between January 2013 and April 2015. Patient demographics, in-hospital Numeric
      Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) score obtained at 12-hour intervals, length of stay, and
      total in-hospital morphine equivalents in both the bupivacaine (n=25) and block
      (n=44) groups were recorded. Differences in length of stay, morphine equivalents,
      and age were assessed with Wilcoxon tests. Sex differences were assessed with the
      chi-square test. Repeated measures analysis with least square means was used to
      assess longitudinal changes in NPRS scores. No significant differences were found
      between groups for sex (P=.89), age (P=.81), American Society of
      Anesthesiologists classification (P=.50), preoperative opioid use (P=.41), length
      of stay (P=.32), or morphine equivalents (P=.71). The average NPRS score in the
      first 12 hours was 3.01 for the bupivacaine group and 4.41 for the interscalene
      block group (P=.25). By 48 hours postoperatively, average NPRS scores were
      similar (P=.93) for the 2 groups, 4.90 for the bupivacaine group and 4.19 for the
      interscalene block group. The findings for this cohort of patients undergoing
      anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty showed no significant difference for pain
      scores, postoperative narcotic use, or length of stay with injectable liposomal
      bupivacaine vs interscalene block. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(5):e806-e811.].

PMID- 28617520
TI  - Abnormal Spontaneous Brain Activity in Patients With Anisometropic Amblyopia
      Using Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the abnormality of spontaneous activity in patients with
      anisometropic amblyopia under resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging
      (Rs-fMRI). METHODS: Twenty-four participants were split into two groups. The
      anisometropic amblyopia group had 10 patients, all of whom had anisometropic
      amblyopia of the right eye, and the control group had 14 healthy subjects. All
      participants underwent Rs-fMRI scanning. Measurement of amplitude of low
      frequency fluctuations of the brain, which is a measure of the amplitudes of
      spontaneous brain activity, was used to investigate brain changes between the
      anisometropic amblyopia and control groups. RESULTS: Compared with an age- and
      gender-matched control group, the anisometropic amblyopia group showed increased
      amplitude of low frequency fluctuations of spontaneous brain activity in the left
      superior temporal gyrus, the left inferior parietal lobe, the left pons, and the
      right inferior semi-lunar lobe. The anisometropic amblyopia group also showed
      decreased amplitude of low frequency fluctuations in the bilateral medial frontal
      gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated abnormal spontaneous brain activities
      in patients with anisometropic amblyopia under Rs-fMRI, and these abnormalities
      might contribute to the neuropathological mechanisms of anisometropic amblyopia.
      [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2017;54(5):303-310.].

PMID- 28617521
TI  - Regular Versus Releasable Sutures in Surgery for Primary Congenital Glaucoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare releasable and regular sutures in combined angle and
      filtering surgery for primary congenital glaucoma. METHODS: A prospective study
      was conducted on 39 eyes (26 right eyes) of 39 children (20 boys; 19 girls) who
      had primary congenital glaucoma treated with combined trabeculotomy
      trabeculectomy with mitomycin C and scleral flap closure with regular or
      releasable sutures. Follow-up was 24 months. Success rates (defined as an
      intraocular pressure [IOP] < 16 mm Hg without hypotony-related complications
      and/or lack of IOP-related progression of the disease) were studied and
      complications were noted. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was 6.7
      +/- 5.8 months (range: 1 to 24 months; median: 5 months) in the regular suture
      group (20 eyes) and 5.3 +/- 2.8 months (range: 1 to 13 months; median: 5 months)
      in the releasable suture group (19 eyes). The initial glaucoma surgery was
      successful in 13 (65%) and 13 (68.4%) eyes in the regular suture and releasable
      suture groups, respectively. The mean IOP was 17.4 +/- 7.3 and 16.0 +/- 5.4 mm Hg
      (P = .84) preoperatively and 8.0 +/- 9.7 and 5.8 +/- 3.6 mm Hg (P = .40) at the
      end of follow-up in the regular suture and releasable suture groups,
      respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical
      parameters between the two groups. Complications included rhegmatogenous retinal
      detachment, cataract, and superior lens subluxation, with each complication
      developing in one eye. CONCLUSIONS: Releasable sutures were not more advantageous
      than regular sutures in combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy with mitomycin C
      surgery for primary congenital glaucoma. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus.
      2017;54(5):295-301.].

PMID- 28617522
TI  - Factors related to successful return to work following multidisciplinary
      rehabilitation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with successful return to work among
      participants in a Social Security Organisation Return To Work programme. METHODS:
      Secondary data for 9,850 participants were obtained from the Social Security
      Organisation Return To Work database. The dependent variable was the Return To
      Work programme outcome, successful return to employment (same employer or
      different employer) or unsuccessful return. Logistic regression analysis with
      weighted sum contrasts was performed to assess the odds ratios with 95%
      confidence interval (95% CI) for successful return to employment across the
      various subgroups of participants. RESULTS: Overall, 65.5% of participants
      successfully returned to employment, either with their former employers or with
      new employers. Successful return to employment was found to be significantly
      higher than the overall proportion among those participants who had had commuting
      accidents, followed by those who had had workplace accidents. Successful return
      to employment was also associated with injuries of the upper and lower limbs,
      employers who were interested in hiring disabled workers, motivation to
      participate in the programme, an intervention period of 3 months or less, age 29
      years or younger, and male participants. CONCLUSION: A structured
      multidisciplinary intervention programme provides a positive outcome in terms of
      returning to work. Related factors have various impacts on successful return to
      work.

PMID- 28617523
TI  - Electrochemical characterization of Geobacter lovleyi identifies limitations of
      microbial fuel cell performance in constructed wetlands.
AB  - Power generation in microbial fuel cells implemented in constructed wetlands (CW
      MFCs) is low despite the enrichment of anode electricigens most closely related
      to Geobacter lovleyi. Using the model representative G. lovleyi strain SZ, we
      show that acetate, but not formate or lactate, can be oxidized efficiently but
      growth is limited by the high sensitivity of the bacterium to oxygen. Acetate and
      highly reducing conditions also supported the growth of anode biofilms but only
      at optimal anode potentials (450 mV vs. standard hydrogen electrode). Still,
      electrode coverage was poor and current densities, low, consistent with the lack
      of key c-type cytochromes. The results suggest that the low oxygen tolerance of
      G. lovleyi and inability to efficiently colonize and form electroactive biofilms
      on the electrodes while oxidizing the range of electron donors available in
      constructed wetlands limits MFC performance. The implications of these findings
      for the optimization of CW-MFCs are discussed. [Int Microbiol 20(2):55-64
      (2017)].

PMID- 28617524
TI  - High prevalence of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci
      isolated from a university environment in Thailand.
AB  - The present study was conducted to isolate and characterize the molecular
      epidemiology of the methicillin-resistant staphylococci in the general university
      environment, where all five locations; the library, restrooms, canteens, computer
      rooms and outdoor surfaces, are in common use by a large population of students.
      We used Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) supplemented with 4 MUg/ml of oxacillin to
      screen the methicillin-resistant staphylococci. The species level was identified
      by PCR of rdr (Staphylococcus epidermidis), groESL (Staphylococcus haemolyticus)
      and nuc (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus warneri) genes and DNA
      sequencing of tuf and dnaJ genes. The susceptibility patterns of the isolates
      were determined using the disk diffusion method. Antibiotic and disinfectant
      resistance genes, together with SCCmec types, were detected by the PCR method.
      The methicillin resistant-staphylococci were isolated from 41 of 200 samples
      (20.5%), and all of them were found to be methicillin-resistant coagulase
      negative staphylococci (MR-CoNS). The library had the highest percentage of
      contamination, with 43.3% of the samples found to be contaminated. All isolates
      belonged to 6 different species including S. haemolyticus, S. epidermidis, S.
      warneri, S. cohnii, S. saprophyticus and S. hominis. The antimicrobial resistance
      rates were highest against penicillin (100%), then cefoxitin (73.1%),
      erythromycin (73.1%) and oxacillin (68.3%). Altogether, the isolates were
      approximately 61.0% multidrug resistant (MDR), with the S. epidermidis isolates
      being the most multidrug resistant. The prevalence of the qacA/B gene was
      detected in 63.4% of the isolates, and SCCmec could be typed in 43.9% (18/41) of
      the isolates. The type range was: II (n = 1), IVd (n = 1), I (n = 2), V (n = 6),
      IVa (n = 8) and untypeable (n = 23). This result indicates that these university
      environments are contaminated with methicillin-resistant coagulase negative
      staphylococci that carry various SCCmec types and high rate of disinfectant
      resistance genes. [Int Microbiol 20(2):65-73 (2017)].

PMID- 28617525
TI  - Characterization of high exopolysaccharide-producing Lactobacillus strains
      isolated from mustard pickles for potential probiotic applications.
AB  - The aim of this study was to characterize high exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing
      lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from mustard pickles in Taiwan for potential
      probiotic applications. Among 39 collected LAB strains, four most productive EPS
      producing strains were selected for further analysis. Comparative analyses of 16S
      rDNA genes rpoA and pheS sequences demonstrated that these strains were members
      of Lactobacillus plantarum-group (LPG). NCD 2, NLD 4, SLC 13, and NLD 16 showed
      survival rates of 95.83% +/- 0.49%, 95.07% +/- 0.64%, 105.84% +/- 0.82%, and
      99.65% +/- 0.31% under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, respectively. No
      cytotoxic effects on macrophage RAW 264.7 cells were observed when they were
      treated with a low dose (1 MUg/ml) of stimulants extracted from the tested LAB
      strains. The production of nitric oxide in RAW 264.7 cells incubated with various
      LAB stimulants showed a dose-dependent increase. Among the four strains, SLC 13
      showed higher inhibitory activity on growth of Enterococcus faecalis (BCRC 12302)
      and Yersinia enterocolitica (BCRC 10807). NLD 4 showed strong inhibitory activity
      against Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43894) as compared with the other three
      strains. In summary, our results suggest that Lactobacillus pentosus SLC 13 may
      be a good candidate for probiotic applications and for development of
      antibacterial compounds. [Int Microbiol 20(2):75-84 (2017)].

PMID- 28617526
TI  - Antimicrobial resistance gene expression associated with multidrug resistant
      Salmonella spp. isolated from retail meat in Hanoi, Vietnam.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to further characterize the multi-antimicrobial
      resistance and antibiotic resistance gene expression associated with multi-drug
      resistance (MDR) in Salmonella spp. isolates from retail meats in Hanoi, Vietnam.
      A total of 14 Salmonella spp. belonging to 9 serotypes (e.g., Warragul, London,
      Derby, Indiana, Meleagridis, Give, Rissen, Assine, and Typhimurium) were tested
      for sensitivity to 8 antibiotics. Resistance to at least one antibiotic was shown
      in 13 strains (92.85%). The multiple antimicrobial resistances accounted for
      64.29% of isolates (9/14). One hundred percent of MDR isolates possessed
      antibiotic resistant genes, in which 17, 16 and 11 genes were found in Salmonella
      (Salm) Typhimurium S360, S384, S181 respectively; 12 genes in each strain as
      Indiana, Warragul, and Meleagridis; 11 genes in Give, 8 genes in Derby and 6
      genes in Rissen. Three antibiotic resistance genes (ssaQ, aadA, and gyrB) were
      present in all isolates, whereas Cephalosporin-resistant gene (e.g., CTX-M3-like)
      was not detected in any isolates. The results suggest that retail meats could
      constitute a source of human exposure to multi-drug resistant Salmonella and
      future research should focus on the impact of these MDR source on the human
      genome. [Int Microbiol 20(2): 85-93 (2017)].

PMID- 28617527
TI  - Impact of motility and chemotaxis features of the rhizobacterium Pseudomonas
      chlororaphis PCL1606 on its biocontrol of avocado white root rot.
AB  - The biocontrol rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1606 has the ability to
      protect avocado plants against white root rot produced by the phytopathogenic
      fungus Rosellinia necatrix. Moreover, PCL1606 displayed direct interactions with
      avocado roots and the pathogenic fungus. Thus, nonmotile (flgK mutant) and non
      chemotactic (cheA mutant) derivatives of PCL1606 were constructed to emphasize
      the importance of motility and chemotaxis in the biological behaviour of PCL1606
      during the biocontrol interaction. Plate chemotaxis assay showed that PCL1606 was
      attracted to the single compounds tested, such as glucose, glutamate, succinate,
      aspartate and malate, but no chemotaxis was observed to avocado or R. necatrix
      exudates. Using the more sensitive capillary assay, it was reported that smaller
      concentrations (1 mM) of single compounds elicited high chemotactic responses,
      and strong attraction was confirmed to avocado and R. necatrix exudates. Finally,
      biocontrol experiments revealed that the cheA and fglK derivative mutants reduced
      root protection against R. necatrix, suggesting an important role for these
      biological traits in biocontrol by P. chlororaphis PCL1606. [Int Microbiol
      20(2):94-104 (2017)].

PMID- 28617528
TI  - Influence of ablation therapy on the quality of life in children with
      supraventricular tachycardia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Numerous restrictions, which are imposed on children with arrhythmia,
      influence their quality of life (QoL) and may have a negative impact on their
      further development. Ablation is a highly successful treatment leaving patients
      free from arrhythmia and other related limitations. There are very few studies
      evaluating the influence of ablation on the QoL in children with arrhythmia,
      based on small groups of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      impact of ablation on the QoL in children with supraventricular tachycardia
      (SVT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 122 children with SVT who underwent a
      successful ablation. The Qol was assessed before and after the ablation, using
      the WHOQOL-BREF and the Pediatric Arrhythmia Related Score (PARS) - a specific
      questionnaire developed by the authors. RESULTS: Six months after the ablation,
      WHOQOL-BREF showed a significant improvement in the QoL in the physical (Phd) (p
      < 0.0001), psychological (Psd) (p = 0.0014) and social relationships (SRD) (p =
      0.0165) domains. PARS showed a significant improvement in the QoL in the Phd (p <
      0.0001), Psd (p = 0.0307) and medical satisfaction domains (Msd) (p < 0.0001). No
      improvement in Psd was revealed in children who had been off medications before
      the ablation. In the youngest children, a significant improvement was observed in
      all the measured domains in both questionnaires (p < 0.05), while in older
      children the greatest improvement after the ablation was noted in the area of
      physical functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Ablation in children with SVT significantly
      improved general satisfaction with health and with the QoL and had a positive
      impact on QoL scores. The youngest patients and those on antiarrhythmic
      medication before the ablation, benefit most from the procedure.

PMID- 28617529
TI  - Effect of light deprivation on expression of extended vascular endothelial growth
      factor and neovascularization in retina of neonatal rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of light deprivation on
      the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and
      neovascularization in the retina of neonatal rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty
      six neonatal SD rats (male and female) were used in this study. These rats were
      numbered randomly and assigned into 3 groups (12 rats in each group), ie. 10-day
      group (routine feeding after birth, eyeball enucleation on 10th day), 14-day
      group (routine feeding after birth, eyeball enucleation on 14th day) and light
      deprivation group (routine feeding within 1st week after birth, feeding with
      light deprivation within 2nd week after birth, eyeball enucleation on 14th day).
      The expression level of VEGF mRNA was measured by RT-PCR, and the percentage of
      the retinal vascular area was calculated by PAS staining, and the number of
      vascular endothelial cells was counted with a microscope in a double-blind
      manner. RESULTS: It was found that the expression levels of VEGF mRNA and the
      number of vascular endothelial cells in 10-day group and light deprivation group
      were significantly higher than 14-day group (p < 0.05), while the difference
      between the 10-day group and light deprivation group was not significant. The
      percentage of retinal vascular area in the 10-day group and light deprivation
      group was significantly lower than 14-day group (p < 0.05), while the difference
      between the 10-day group and the light deprivation group was not significant.
      CONCLUSIONS: The light deprivation delayed the growth of neovessels in the
      retina.

PMID- 28617530
TI  - Effects of folic acid combined with vitamin B12 on DVT in patients with
      homocysteine cerebral infarction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of folic acid combined with vitamin B12 on
      deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with homocysteine cerebral infarction.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: 90 patients with homocysteine cerebral infarction with DVT
      that were admitted to our hospital from January to July 2015 were selected as
      study subjects. They were divided into 2 groups randomly, the treatment group
      (n=45) and the non-treatment group (n=45). The treatment group was administered
      folic acid and vitamin B12, while the non-treatment group wasn't administered
      folic acid and vitamin B12. We compared and analyzed the levels of Hcy, folic
      acid and vitamin B12 of both groups. We investigated the correlation between the
      groups of patients with Hcy and folic acid and vitamin B12 treatment. We
      performed a comparative analysis of both groups of patients with an anticoagulant
      international normalized ratio (INR). The INR was recorded in detail for the
      first time as standard time, stable value time, obtain stable INR value time,
      activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and Prothrombin Time (PT) by color
      Doppler ultrasound observation of both groups with recurrent thrombosis. RESULTS:
      We compared results of the intervention and treatment groups, and the prognosis
      of Hcy decreased significantly (p<0.05). While in the treatment group, folic acid
      and vitamin B12 levels increased significantly (p<0.05), the non-treatment
      difference of Hcy, folic acid, and vitamin B12 levels, before and after the
      patients in the intervention group, were not statistically significant (p>0.05).
      In the treatment group, Hcy was negatively correlated with folic acid (r=-0.376,
      p<0.05) while the Hcy of the treatment group was negatively correlated with
      vitamin B12 (r=-0.583, p<0.05). The intervention treatment group INR first
      standard time, stable value time and stable INR values were higher than those of
      non-treatment group (p<0.05). The treatment group APTT average was lower than in
      the non-treatment group (p<0.05). The average Pt in the treatment group was lower
      than non-treatment group (p<0.05). In the treatment group, lower limb deep static
      vein thrombosis recurrence rate was 4.4%, which was lower than the non-treatment
      group where the lower limb deep vein thrombosis recurrence rate was 28.9%
      (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hcy is negatively correlated to folic acid and vitamin
      B12. Folic acid and vitamin B12 can reduce the recurrence rate of thrombosis in
      patients with lower extremity deep venous thrombosis in patients with Hcy
      disease. The mechanism of action may be to prevent the recurrence of thrombosis
      by reducing the levels of Hcy.

PMID- 28617531
TI  - Controlled-release mitomycin C-polylactic acid film prevents epidural scar
      hyperplasia after laminectomy by inducing fibroblast autophagy and regulating the
      expression of miRNAs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To design a new controlled-release MMC-PLA film and explore whether
      and how this film could prevent epidural scar hyperplasia and adhesion in a post
      laminectomy rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All procedures were performed under
      the approval and supervision of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
      (IACUC) of Nanjing Medical University. A total of 120 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats
      were randomly placed into four groups after laminectomy (each group=30 rats). In
      Group I, the laminectomy area was flushed with saline as a control; in Group II,
      25 mg of PLA film was applied to the dura mater in the laminectomy area; in Group
      III, a cotton pad soaked with 0.01% MMC solution was kept on the laminectomy
      area; and in Group IV, 25 mg of PLA film containing 0.01% MMC was implanted on
      the laminectomy area. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hematoxylin-eosin (HE)
      staining and Masson staining were used to evaluate scar adhesion and collagen
      deposition one month after the operation. Autophagy-related proteins, including
      autophagy-related gene 5 (ATG5), beclin 1, light chain-3B-2/1 (LC3B-2/1) and
      protein 53 (p53), were detected by Western blotting. A microRNA microarray
      analysis was performed to screen for scar tissue miRNAs, especially those
      associated with autophagy, and changes in expression were confirmed by reverse
      transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: A total of 112 rats
      recovered uneventfully from the surgery. MRI showed that the scar adhesion and
      scar area of the MMC-PLA group were significantly reduced compared with those of
      the PLA, MMC, and saline groups. Accordingly, scar adhesion and the deposition of
      collagen in the rats treated with MMC-PLA were also significantly reduced, as
      indicated by HE and Masson staining. In the scar tissue, the levels of autophagy
      related proteins (ATG5, beclin 1, LC3B-2/1 and p53) were significantly elevated
      in the MMC-PLA group. Additionally, in the MMC-PLA group, the expression levels
      of miR-34a, miR-146a and miR-200 were significantly increased, while the levels
      of miR-16, miR-221 and miR-378a were significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The
      controlled-release MMC-PLA film could alleviate epidural scar hyperplasia after
      laminectomy; this outcome might be associated with increased autophagy and
      altered expression of miRNAs in the scar tissue.

PMID- 28617532
TI  - The effect of a natural, standardized bilberry extract (Mirtoselect(r)) in dry
      eye: a randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Dry eye, a chronic disease of lachrymal fluid and corneo-conjunctival
      epithelium, could significantly impact visual function, affects quality of life
      and work productivity. Beside several conventional treatments, nutritional
      supplements based on bilberry extract have been identified as effective
      contributors to eye health. Here, we aim at investigating the bioavailability of
      a standardized bilberry extract, its ability to alleviate dry eye symptoms and
      its antioxidant potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Either bilberry dried
      standardized extract derived from Vaccinium myrtillus L. fresh frozen fruits
      (Mirtoselect(r)) or a highly purified anthocyanin-rich extract, devoid of the non
      anthocyanin component and supported on maltodextrins, were each orally
      administrated to 5 male rats. Blood samples were collected at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30,
      45, 60, 90, 120 minutes after treatment, processed and analyzed by UV
      spectrophotometric method. In a parallel analysis, 22 otherwise healthy subjects
      suffering from dry eye symptoms were enrolled randomly assigned to receive the
      more bioavailable bilberry extract or placebo. Ophthalmological and clinical
      examinations including Schirmer's test, pupil constriction, diacron-reactive
      oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) test and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) test
      were performed at inclusion and after the 4-week study period. RESULTS: The area
      under the curve of plasmatic levels of anthocyanosides in rats resulted 202.34+/
      24.23 ug.min/ml for Mirtoselect(r) and 130.93+/-4.93 ug.min/ml for the highly
      purified anthocyanin-rich bilberry extract, notwithstanding the fact that the
      highly purified anthocyanin-rich extract group received an anthocyanins dosage
      much higher than the Mirtoselect(r) group (354 mg/Kg in anthocyanosides vs. 136
      mg/Kg in anthocyanosides). 21 subjects, 11 subjects in the bilberry extract
      (Mirtoselect(r)) group and 10 subjects in the placebo group completed the
      clinical study. Schirmer's test values indicating the volume of tear secretion
      were significantly improved in the bilberry extract group (p=0.019), whereas no
      significant changes were observed in the placebo group. A subset analysis
      revealed that Mirtoselect(r) could be more effective in subjects with higher
      tendency of dry eye. In terms of antioxidant potential, the bilberry extract
      produced significant improvement of BAP (p=0.003) and an increase of modified
      BAP/d-ROMs ratio, an indicator of overall balance between antioxidant potential
      and oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that natural,
      standardized bilberry extract (Mirtoselect(r)) is a natural more bioavailable
      delivery form anthocyanins, suggesting a strong matrix effect exerted by the non
      anthocyanin component. Furthermore, it can improve tear secretion and plasmatic
      antioxidant potential in subjects suffering from DED symptoms.

PMID- 28617534
TI  - AFC vs. AMH: prediction of ovarian response in women with endometrioma undergoing
      controlled ovarian stimulation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical value of antral follicle count (AFC) and anti
      Mullerian hormone (AMH) for the prediction of ovarian response in women with
      endometrioma undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for IVF using GnRH
      antagonist treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with endometrioma who
      underwent their first IVF/ICSI cycle with GnRH antagonist treatment were included
      in the study. The average AMH values were recorded as 1.5-2 ng/mL. Fifty
      infertile women are not suffering from endometrioma were selected from those with
      male factor infertility as control. They were matched according to both serum AMH
      levels and age. Serum samples have been collected before the IVF treatment for
      determining AMH levels in both groups of subjects. Likewise, each group of
      subject underwent ultrasound scan for AFC on day 3. Total number of oocytes
      retrieved during OPU, the number of transferred embryo, implantation and clinical
      pregnancy rates, live birth and abortion rates, total dose of rhFSH were noted in
      both groups of subjects. RESULTS: Day 3 AFC was significantly higher in the
      control group compared to women with endometrioma. Both the number of retrieved
      oocytes during oocyte pick-up, MII oocytes and 2 PN embryo were significantly
      lower in the endometrioma. Likewise, the fertilization, implantation, clinical
      pregnancy and live birth rates of endometrioma group were significantly lower
      than those in the control group. The total rFSH dose was higher in the
      endometrioma group than those in control. The percentage of abortion in the
      endometrioma group was found to higher compared to those with controls.
      CONCLUSIONS: AFC is more sensitive than the AMH in detecting ovarian response in
      women with ovarian endometrioma. The individualization of GnRH antagonist
      protocols in subjects having endometrioma might be improved by using an AFC
      tailored approach instead of AMH.

PMID- 28617533
TI  - Cervical carcinogenesis, bacterial vaginosis, HPV-mRNA test and relapse of CIN2+
      after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between
      bacterial vaginosis (BV) and relapse of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade
      2 or more (CIN2+) after Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: One hundred four patients who underwent LEEP for CIN2+ were followed
      up every six months for three years. Fifty-three were negative for BV and fifty
      one were positive. Each clinical control included Pap test, colposcopy, Amsel
      criteria test, HPV-DNA, and HPV-mRNA test. RESULTS: Patients' age, presence of
      BV, positivity to HPV-DNA and HPV-mRNA tests were analyzed. The average age of
      patients was 42.5 +/- 8.92 years (median: 42.5; range from 27 to 58 years). The
      minimum follow-up was 6 months and maximum 36 months (average: 22.8 +/- 4.53;
      median: 24). The 10% of the patients with HPV-mRNA test negative had relapsed,
      compared to 45% of patients with HPV-mRNA test positive. Among the 53 patients
      without BV the 20% had relapsed compared with 23% of 51 patients with diagnosis
      of BV. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence for higher percentage of relapse in
      patients with BV, submitted to excisional procedure for CIN2+ associated to HPV-m
      RNA test positivity. There is only a correlation among BV and relapse of CIN2+
      lesions after LEEP.

PMID- 28617535
TI  - Research on the protective effects of antioxidants on metabolic syndrome induced
      by thyroid dysfunction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This paper researches on the protective effects of antioxidants on
      metabolic syndrome induced by thyroid dysfunction. While the role of Lipoic acid
      (LA), Resveratrol (R) and Quercetin (Q) are recognized, the mechanisms for their
      ameliorative effects are partially understood. Therefore, the objective of this
      study was to determine the prevalence of MS among university workers and to
      examine the relationship with thyroid function and mechanisms for protective
      effects of LA, Resveratrol and Quercetin on the heart, kidneys and lungs.
      SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In the cross-sectional study, a total of 2273 university
      workers (1198 males and 1075 females) aged 22-60 participated. Anthropometric
      measurements (weight and height), blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose (FPG),
      lipids, liver and kidney function tests were carried out, thyroid stimulating
      hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), total
      antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), lipid peroxidation products, malondialdehyde (MDA),
      advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and dityrosine levels were measured.
      RESULTS: A further evaluation of oxidative stress markers in subclinical
      hypothyroidism (SCH) compared with normal thyroid function showed the
      differences. Among middle-aged men with SCH (n = 467), MDA concentrations (8.11
      +/- 1.39 nmol/ml) were significantly higher euthyroid controls (7.34 +/- 1.31
      nmol/ml; n = 190) while AOPP, dityrosine and T-AOC levels were not different.
      CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that prevalence of MS components was high.
      Targeting thyroid hormone restoration, inhibition of ACE and GSK3beta via
      PI3K/AKT signaling pathway using LA, Resveratrol and Quercetin are potential
      novel therapeutic approaches for developing pharmaceuticals that could make
      significance in MS treatment.

PMID- 28617536
TI  - Effects of mulberry leaf polysaccharide on oxidative stress in pancreatic beta
      cells of type 2 diabetic rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore and discuss the effects and mechanisms of mulberry leaf
      polysaccharide (MLP) on oxidative stress in pancreatic beta-cells of type 2
      diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The model of diabetic rats was established
      by inducing the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with high-sugar and high-fat diet for 6
      weeks and then giving them streptozotocin (STZ) by single intraperitoneal
      injection. The mulberry leaf polysaccharide was administered via gavage daily for
      8 weeks, and the tissue morphology was observed through electron microscopy. The
      levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), free fatty acid (FFA), triglycerides (TG),
      low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected. The content of malondialdehyde
      (MDA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the pancreas were tested.
      The activities of mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase (CCO) and succinate
      dehydrogenase (SDH) in the pancreatic cell were examined. RESULTS: Compared with
      the normal control group, the level of FBG increased (p < 0.01), the levels of
      FFA, TG, LDL-C, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were higher (p < 0.05), the content of MDA
      increased (p < 0.05) and the activity of SOD, CCO and SDH declined (p < 0.05) in
      the model group. In comparison with the model group, the level of FBG in the
      group intervened by mulberry leaf polysaccharide decreased [(23.9 +/- 2.5) vs.
      (16.8 +/- 2.1) mmol*L-1]; the levels of FFA, TG and LDL-C dropped from (1.18 +/-
      0.24), (2.95 +/- 0.65) and (2.18 +/- 0.46) mmol*L-1 to (0.65 +/- 0.14), (2.20 +/-
      0.45) and (1.08 +/- 0.42) mmol*L-1, respectively; the levels of IL-6 and TNF
      alpha declined from (60.78 +/- 5.02) ng*L-1 and (2.34 +/- 0.42) MUg*L-1 to (30.94
      +/- 3.02) ng*L-1 and (1.02 +/- 0.12) MUg*L-1, respectively; the content of MDA w
      as reduced from (1.38 +/- 0.21) MUmol*g-1 to (0.78 +/- 0.12) MUmol*g-1; the
      activities of SOD, CCO and SDH increased from (25.32 +/- 3.58) KU*g-1, (15.00 +/-
      1.58) mmol*g-1 and (3.23 +/- 0.32) KU*g-1 to (32.87 +/- 2.62) KU*g-1, (18.30 +/-
      1.78) mmol*g-1 and (5.62 +/- 0.38) KU*g-1, respectively; the electron microscopy
      results indicated that the intervention of mulberry leaf polysaccharide could
      improve the morphological structure of the pancreatic beta-cells. CONCLUSIONS:
      The mulberry leaf polysaccharide can lower down the levels of inflammatory
      mediators and free fatty acid in the diabetic rats, alleviate oxidative stress
      injury, improve the mitochondrial functions of islet cells and protect the
      pancreatic beta-cells.

PMID- 28617537
TI  - Spirulina maxima improves insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, and total
      antioxidant status in obese patients with well-treated hypertension: a randomized
      double-blind placebo-controlled study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Spirulina maxima consumption is known to be associated with enhanced
      cardiovascular and metabolic health. Human studies on this topic have recently
      been described in a few papers; however, potential protective cardiovascular
      properties of Spirulina in obese patients receiving standard pharmacological
      antihypertensive treatment remain to be elucidated. Putative beneficial
      cardiovascular effects of Spirulina supplementation in well treated, obesity
      related hypertension were studied in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Total 50 obese subjects with treated hypertension, each
      randomized to receive 2 g of Spirulina or a placebo daily, for three months. At
      baseline and after treatment anthropometric parameters, plasma lipid levels,
      inflammation, and oxidative stress biomarkers along with insulin sensitivity
      estimated by euglycemic clamp were assessed. RESULTS: After three months of
      Spirulina supplementation significant decrease in body mass (p < 0.001), body
      mass index (BMI; p < 0.001) and waist circumference (WC; p = 0.002) were observed
      in Spirulina group. Spirulina had also significant, lowering effect on low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; p < 0.001) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)
      concentration (p = 0.002) in supplemented patients compared to placebo group.
      Spirulina supplementation considerably improved total antioxidant status (TAS; p
      = 0.001) and insulin sensitivity ratio (M; p < 0.001) in Spirulina group compared
      to placebo-treated individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The favorable influence of Spirulina
      supplementation on insulin sensitivity, plasma lipid levels along with
      inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers reported in this study creates the
      promise for new therapeutic approaches in obese patients with well-treated
      hypertension.

PMID- 28617538
TI  - Recent advances in management of tuberculosis in infants.
AB  - The global tuberculosis (TB) incidence estimated by WHO is found to be 8.6
      million people. Moreover, the highest TB burden worldwide is found in Asian and
      African countries. The disease is more prevalent in infants due to their immature
      immune systems. Despite this, the available diagnostic tools pose a challenge due
      to paucibacillary nature of the disease and difficulty in obtaining specimens.
      The present review article discusses the important and upcoming advancements in
      the management of above pathological state. The article will enlighten the new
      vaccinations for TB in the pipeline. Moreover, new upcoming approaches involving
      system biology and gene expression profiling for efficient supervision of the
      disease will also be highlighted.

PMID- 28617539
TI  - Evaluation of cardiac troponin I stability in blood sample using the AccuTnI+3
      assay.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Troponins are considered as the biomarkers of choice to highlight
      cardiac injury in emergency departments, but are also valuable to detect cardiac
      injury in a non-emergency setting. In this latter case, transport of blood
      samples to laboratories often exceeds the manufacturer's recommendations (<2 h
      between vein puncture and analysis for the Beckman Coulter AccuTnI+3 assay). We
      aim to evaluate in vitro the stability of troponin Ic (cTnI) at two intervals (<2
      h and at 4 h) over a wide range of concentrations using the Beckman Coulter
      AccuTnI+3 assay. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For each of the 95 patients included in
      this study, we analyzed the first blood sample with a time of transport <2 h, and
      the second sample after 4 h from vein puncture. We then calculated the
      correlation between the two periods of analysis and evaluated the bias by a Bland
      Altman test. RESULTS: Taking into account of our analytical reproducibility, we
      did not observe any significant differences in cTnI values between <2 h and 4 h.
      CONCLUSIONS: The time between vein puncture and analysis of cTnI can be extended
      to 4 h.

PMID- 28617540
TI  - Analysis of mechanism of PM2.5 and house dust mite antigen Der p1 in attack stage
      of child asthma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We analyzed the influence of PM2.5 and house dust mite antigen Der p1
      on the treatment of child asthma attack. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 96
      children with asthma attack were included into the study. The patients were
      randomly divided into the PM2.5 group, the house dust mite antigen group, the
      synergistic group and the control group (n= 24 in each group). RESULTS: The PM2.5
      concentration in the PM2.5 group was twice higher than standard level (<= the
      average value of PM2.5 in local air). All cases were given with same treatment,
      and the treatment effects were compared and analyzed. It was found that the
      asthma control rate in the control group was significantly higher than that in
      the PM2.5 group and the house dust mite antigen group, and the synergistic group
      was the lowest. The control time in the synergistic group was significantly
      longest, followed by the PM2.5 group and the house dust mite antigen group, and
      the control group was significantly short (p<0.05). After the intervention, the
      FVC, FEV1, and PEF levels were all increased. Those in control group were
      significantly higher than those of PM2.5 group and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
      group. Indicators in the collaborative group were the lowest. Differences were
      statistically significant (p<0.05). The differences in the PM2.5 group and
      Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus group were not statistically significant. The
      contents of serum IL-25, TSLP, and malondialdehyde after treatment of the control
      group significantly lowered while the other three groups showed a significant
      higher (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The PM2.5 and house dust mite antigen Der p1 can
      influence the treating effects of child asthma attack by an inflammatory reaction
      and oxidative stress.

PMID- 28617541
TI  - Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in duodenal breakdown fistulas: negative
      pressure fistula therapy (NPFT)?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe for the first time in literature the specific methodology
      of use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for duodenal fistula through
      clinical cases. The constant increase of use of NPWT for complex surgical
      situations imposes tailored previously undescribed solutions for the technique.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Herein, three cases of high output duodenal fistula
      successfully treated with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) are reported.
      The technical details for the application of NPWT to these fistulas are discussed
      and described. RESULTS: All three patients recovered without the necessity of
      further surgical operations. CONCLUSIONS: When using NPWT, management of high
      output duodenal fistulas must rely on some degree of customization of the
      aspiration systems. The aim of the procedure is to put under depression the
      duodenal hole and surrounding tissues "all in one" and not to separate the
      complex wound in sectors as usually indicated. We suggest calling this technique
      Negative Pressure Fistula Therapy.

PMID- 28617542
TI  - Assessment of behavioral tasks performed by hemiplegic patients with impaired
      dexterity post stroke.
AB  - Disability continues to be one of the leading reasons individuals affected by
      stroke are left incapable of performing daily activities. Due to the staggering
      number of disabled adults suffering post-stroke neurological damage, there is a
      critical need for creating and monitoring effects of successful, intensive stroke
      therapies. Behavioral assessments are useful tools by which to examine the
      effectiveness of these stroke therapies as they allow for the investigation of
      multiple variables, including task performance time, performance quality, and
      degree of motor function. The purpose of this review is to discuss various
      behavioral assessments commonly administered during stroke rehabilitation.
      Developing a battery of standardized behavioral tests would create an instrument
      to assess therapies, and therefore, ensure the most successful therapies stay in
      practice to help the recovery of individuals suffering from impaired dexterity
      due to stroke.

PMID- 28617543
TI  - Study on the clinical application of the MRS in the cognitive assessment after
      stroke.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To discuss the value of the application of the magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (MRS) in the assessment of cognitive function impairment and the
      observation of therapeutic effect. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 30 patients with
      cognitive impairment after stroke (cognitive impairment group) and 30 patients
      with no apparent cognitive impairment (control group of the stroke) were selected
      through the screening of the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scale, and
      another 30 healthy volunteers were selected (control group of the health). The
      general information of gender, age, education degree, disease duration and so on
      was matched among the 3 groups. MRS examined all the patients of the 3 groups at
      the time of enrollment, and the patients of both cognitive impairment and control
      groups received another assessment 2 months after treatment. RESULTS: The NAA/Cr
      (N-acetyl aspartate/creatine) of the bilateral hippocampus of the cognitive
      impairment group was lower than those of both control group of stroke and health
      (p < 0.05), while the Cho/Cr was higher (p < 0.05). After treatment, both
      patients of the cognitive impairment group and the control group of the stroke
      experienced an increase of NAA/Cr and a decrease of Cho/Cr (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: MRS is applicative in the assessment of the cognitive impairment
      degree of the stroke patients and can also effectively identify the existence of
      the cognitive impairment, which makes it preferably valuable in the clinical
      application.

PMID- 28617544
TI  - The relationship between quality of life and clinical phenotype in patients with
      treatment resistant and non-treatment resistant depression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation is to determine the differences in
      quality of life (QOL) and clinical phenotype between patients with treatment
      resistant (TRD) and non-treatment resistant depression (NTRD). PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: The severity, QOL, and cognitive function of 107 TRD and 173 NTRD
      patients were evaluated and calculated by the Hamilton Depression Scale-17 (HAMD
      17), the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the P300 component of
      event-related potentials (ERP), respectively. RESULTS: The scores of HAMD-17
      showed no significant statistical differences between TRD (28.8+/-6.7) and NTRD
      patients (29.3+/-8.2). The scores of anxiety/somatization (t=4.535, p=0.002),
      core item (t=3.514, p=0.005) and sleep item (t=6.079, p=0.000) were statistically
      significantly higher in TRD patients than in NTRD patients. The scores of
      physiological function (75.46+/-20.1, 88.23+/-21.4), body pain (61.39+/-17.1,
      77.19+/-21.2) and social functioning (40.27+/-20.6, 58.82+/-22.1) in SF-36 were
      statistically significantly lower in TRD patients than in NTRD patients. The P300
      latency of ERP was statistically significantly longer in TRD patients than in
      NTRD patients. Each item in the quality of life was negatively related to the
      items in HAMD-17 in TRD patients, especially for anxiety/somatization, and sleep
      items. The QOL was negatively related to core item and retardation item in NTRD
      patients, and the QOL was negatively related to the P300 latency of ERP in both
      groups, p<0.05. The sleep disorder, anxiety/somatization and core items were more
      serious in TRD patients than in NTRD patients, when the severity of depression
      was not significantly different. The QOL was significantly lower in TRD patients
      than in NTRD patients, the anxiety/somatization and sleep disorder were the main
      symptomatic factors that caused decreased QOL in TRD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The
      abilities of abstract generalization, thinking transfer, and performing a
      function, were significantly lower in TRD patients than in NTRD patients, which
      were important factors which caused decreased QOL in TRD patients.

PMID- 28617545
TI  - Fluid status of patients during the early stages of continuous ambulatory
      peritoneal dialysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the fluid status of
      patients in the early stages of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 36 patients (13 males and 23 females),
      hospitalized in the Nephrology CAPD Center, Peking University Third Hospital, and
      undergoing intubation and CAPD treatment, were recruited in this study. By
      utilize a bioelectrical impedance analyzer, changes in extracellular fluid and
      intracellular fluid within the patients' cells, and overall fluid changes were
      monitored throughout six months following CAPD treatment. Blood pressure was
      taken before dialysis and during six months following dialysis. Dietary
      assessment was also performed by recording and analyzing the patients' dietary
      protein and caloric intake during this six months period. RESULTS: Over a six
      month period, following CAPD treatment, the fluid status of the patients
      displayed a rising trend, indicated by weight gain, increasing extracellular
      fluid (ECW), intracellular fluid (ICW), overall water (TBW) and standardized
      extracellular fluid (NECW). Peritoneal ultrafiltration volume, and residual urine
      volume, showed no significant difference before or after treatment. During the
      six-month period, the dietary caloric intake of patients increased. Prior to
      CAPD, the patients' systolic blood pressure level was higher than normal.
      Following treatment, it returned to normal, and, due to the patients' rising
      fluid status, no change occurred during the six-month monitoring period.
      CONCLUSIONS: During the early stages of CAPD treatment, patients' fluid status
      increased, as a result of dietary improvement and the increased intake of water
      and salt. However, weight gain, in the early stages of the CAPD, is more likely
      due to rising fluid status than nutritional improvement. Early control of water
      and salt intake is of crucial importance for CAPD patients.

PMID- 28617546
TI  - Down-expression of miR-373 predicts poor prognosis of glioma and could be a
      potential therapeutic target.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are epigenetic regulators of gene expression, and
      their deregulation plays an important role in human cancer, including glioma. The
      main objective of this work was to investigate the expression level of miR-373
      and its clinical significance in glioma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression
      levels of miR-373 in glioma tissues and non-neoplastic brain tissues were
      measured by the qRT-PCR assay. Patients were divided into two groups based on the
      median miR-373 expression. The probability of differences in overall and
      progression-free survival as a function of time was ascertained by use of the
      Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression analysis of factors potentially associated
      with survival was conducted to identify independent factors. RESULTS: In clinical
      gastric cancer samples, we found that miR-373 expression was significantly down
      regulated in glioma tissues compared with non-neoplastic brain tissues (p<0.01).
      Reduced expression of miR-373 was associated with serum WHO grade (p=0.015) and
      KPS score (p=0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that patients with low level
      of miR-373 expression had poorer overall survival (OS) and progression-free
      survival (PFS). Multivariate survival analysis verified that miR-373 expression
      level was an independent predictor of both OS and PFS for glioma patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed miR-373 was associated to progression in glioma,
      and suggested it as a potential predictive factor for the prognosis of glioma.

PMID- 28617547
TI  - MASTL is a potential poor prognostic indicator in ER+ breast cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to explore prognostic value of MASTL
      (microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase-like) in breast cancer patients
      on the basis of ER status and molecular subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The raw
      microarray data (GDS5666) of 4T1 derived bone-aggressive explant and primary
      tumor explant were reanalyzed to identify the dysregulated genes. To pool
      previous annotated genomic data that assessed the association between MASTL
      expression and metastatic relapse (MR) risk, MR-free survival, any event (AE,
      defined as any relapse or death) risk, and AE-free survival in breast cancer
      patients, a meta-analysis was performed by bc-GenExMiner 4.0. RESULTS: MASTL is a
      significantly upregulated gene in 4T1 bone-aggressive explant compared to primary
      tumor explant. Univariate Cox analysis showed that high MASTL expression is
      associated with a higher risk of MR (HR: 1.43, 95%CI: 1.28-1.60; p<0.001) and a
      higher risk of AE (HR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.18-1.37; p<0.001) in ER+ breast cancer.
      Also, high MASTL expression also predicts a worse MR-free survival (HR: 1.74,
      95%CI: 1.40-2.17; p<0.001) and a worse AE-free survival (HR: 1.42, 95%CI: 1.23
      1.63; p<0.001) in ER+ breast cancer. However, the associations were not observed
      in ER- patients. The following NPI adjusted analyses confirmed the results of
      univariate Cox analysis. In Single Sample Predictors (SSPs) and Subtype
      Clustering Models (SCMs) subtypes, high MASTL expression is associated with
      increased risk of AE and predicts a poor AE-free survival in ER+ subgroups.
      CONCLUSIONS: MASTL might be a valuable indicator of MR risk and AE risk in ER+
      patients, but not in ER- patients.

PMID- 28617548
TI  - Bioinformatic analysis of prognostic value of ARAP3 in breast cancer and the
      associated signaling pathways.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this study, we tried to pool previous annotated genomic data to
      assess the association between ARAP3 expression and metastatic relapse (MR) risk
      in patients with breast cancer. Moreover, we also investigated the signaling
      pathways in which ARAP3 might be involved in breast cancer. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The raw microarray data (GDS5666) that compared gene transcriptional
      profiles of 4T1 derived lung-aggressive explant and primary tumor explant were
      reanalyzed to identify the dysregulated genes. ARAP3 mRNA expression, its
      association with MR-free survival and its co-upregulated genes in breast cancer,
      were studied by data mining in TCGA database and Breast Cancer Gene-Expression
      Miner Version 4.0 (bc-GenExMiner 4.0). RESULTS: ARAP3 is a significantly
      upregulated gene in the metastatic breast tumor cells. The ER- patients with high
      ARAP3 expression had significantly increased the risk of MR, regardless of the
      nodal status. Patients in ER-/Nm group with high ARAP3 expression had the highest
      risk of MR (HR: 1.25; 95%CI: 1.10-1.41, p<0.001). In patients with basal-like
      tumors, High ARAP3 level is associated with significantly worse MR-free survival
      (HR: 1.63, 95%CI: 1.22-2.19, p=0.001). ARAP3 might be closely related to the
      NOTCH4 and CDH5 signaling pathways in breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The expression
      level of ARAP3 might be a useful indicator of the metastatic likelihood of the
      basal-like breast tumors. ARAP3 might be involved in NOTCH4 and CDH5 related
      signaling pathways, but the underlying mechanism should be further studied.

PMID- 28617549
TI  - Identification of genes associated with lung cancer by bioinformatics analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to explore the underlying genes associated with
      lung cancer (LC) by bioinformatics analysis. DATA AND METHODS: Gene expression
      profile GSE2514 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Twenty
      lung and nineteen para-carcinoma tissue samples were used to identify the
      differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by paired t-test. Pathway enrichment
      analysis of DEGs was performed, followed by the construction of protein-protein
      interaction (PPI) network. Functional enrichment analysis of the module
      identified from PPI network was performed, and the enriched term with the highest
      enrichment scores was selected for pathway enrichment analysis. RESULTS: Total
      257 DEGs including 179 up-regulated DEGs such as monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and
      intercellular adhesion molecule 2 (ICAM2), and 78 down-regulated DEGs such as
      thrombospondin-2 (THBS2) were identified. Up-regulated DEGs were enriched in 7
      pathways, such as drug metabolism, tyrosine metabolism and cell adhesion
      molecules (CAMs). Down-regulated DEGs were enriched in extracellular cell matrix
      receptor interaction and focal adhesion pathways. In the PPI network, interleukin
      6 (IL6) had the highest connectivity degree of 39. Module 1 with the highest
      functional enrichment scores of 5.457 containing 13 hub genes such as KIAA0101.
      CONCLUSIONS: DEGs of LC were mainly enriched in the pathways related to
      metabolism and cell adhesion. The DEGs such as MAOA, ICAM2, IL6, THBS2 and
      KIAA0101 may be the potential targets for LC diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28617550
TI  - Prognostic and diagnostic significance of long non-coding RNA AGAP2-AS1 levels in
      patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore whether long non-coding RNA
      AGAP2-AS1 (AGAP2-AS1) could serve as a novel biomarker for non-small-cell lung
      cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cancer and matched normal lung tissues were
      collected from 198 patients. AGAP2-AS1 levels were examined by RT-PCR, and the
      associations of AGAP2-AS1 levels with clinicopathological characteristics
      evaluated. Overall survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox
      proportional hazard modeling was performed for univariate and multivariate
      analysis to determine the effects of variables on survival. Receiver-operating
      characteristic. Besides, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve
      analysis were applied to analyze its diagnostic value. RESULTS: Expression of
      AGAP2-AS1 was up-regulated in the NSCLC tissues compared with the adjacent normal
      tissues (p < 0.01). Furthermore, The level of AGAP2-AS19 in NSCLC was strongly
      correlated with tumor stage (p = 0.001) and lymph nodes metastasis (p = 0.005).
      Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated patients with higher AGAP2-AS1 expression had
      a shorter overall survival time than those with lower AGAP2-AS1 expression (p <
      0.0001). The multivariate analysis showed that AGAP2-AS1 expression is an
      independent prognostic factor of overall survival in patients with NSCLC. The
      results of ROC curve analysis showed that AGAP2-AS1 might be a promising
      diagnostic marker of NSCLC with an AUC of 0.846. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings
      revealed that AGAP2-AS1 might be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and
      prognosis of NSCLC. However, to completely elucidate its role as a biomarker,
      further studies are required.

PMID- 28617551
TI  - MiR-222 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma
      cells by targeting ETS1.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The lung adenocarcinoma is a type of lung cancer. This research is to
      investigate the effects of miR-222 on the proliferation, migration and invasion
      of the lung adenocarcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At the beginning, MiR
      222 and the controls were transfected to the lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549
      for CCK-8 proliferation, transwell migration and Matrigel invasion, and then
      observed the effect of miR-222 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of
      lung adenocarcinoma cells. The miR-222 target was regulated by ETS1 downwards to
      participate in the regulation of the process by using the luciferase reporter
      assay, the Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT
      qPCR) and the Western blotting. RESULTS: According to CCK-8 proliferation assay,
      the Transwell migration and the Matrigel invasion assay, it discovered that MiR
      222 can promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of the lung
      adenocarcinoma cells. Luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and Western blot assay
      showed that miR-222 could regulate the expression of ETS1 downwards and ETS1
      participated in the regulation of the process CONCLUSIONS: ETS1 promotes
      proliferation, migration and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells by targeting
      the regulated miR-222 downwards.

PMID- 28617552
TI  - Long non-coding RNA TUG1 can promote proliferation and migration of pancreatic
      cancer via EMT pathway.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed to investigate the effect of long non-coding RNA TUG1
      (lncRNA TUG1) on cell proliferation, as well as cell migration in pancreatic
      cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The mRNA levels of Taurine-up-regulated gene 1
      (TUG1) in three kinds of pancreatic cancer cells BxPC3, PaTu8988 and SW1990 was
      detected by RT-qPCR. Meantime, RT-qPCR was used to examine the mRNA levels of
      TUG1 in 20 cases of human pancreatic cancer tissues and its para-carcinoma
      tissues. pCDH-TUG1 plasmid and its empty plasmid pCDH were transfected into BxPC3
      and PaTu8988 cells to up-regulate TUG1 expression. siRNA targeting TUG1 and the
      control siRNA were transfected into SW1990 cells to down-regulate TUG1
      expression. Cell clone formation and CCK-8 assay were used to detect the cell
      proliferation capacity. Transwell assay was used to evaluate cell migration
      capacity. Western blot was applied to examine the protein expressions of MMP2,
      MMP9, E-cadherin, Smad 2, Smad 3, p-Smad 2, p-Smad 3, TGF-beta and TGF-betaR. RT
      qPCR was used to detect the levels of MMP2 and MMP9. RESULTS: The results showed
      that TUG1 was differentially expressed in the three kinds of pancreatic cancer
      cells, among which the expression level of SW1990 was relatively high, and the
      expression levels of BxPC3 and PaTu8988 were relatively low. TUG1 had more
      expression in pancreatic cancer tissues than that in para-carcinoma tissues.
      After the up-regulation of TUG1, cell proliferation and migration capacities were
      increased, protein levels of MMP2 and MMP9 were increased and protein level of E
      cadherin was declined. Conversely, after down-regulation of TUG1 expression, cell
      proliferation and migration capacities were weakened, protein levels of MMP2 and
      MMP9 were decreased and protein level of E-cadherin was increased. In addition,
      over-expressed TUG1 could promote Smad2 and Smad3 phosphorylation, but Smad2 and
      Smad3 phosphorylation were weakened after down-regulated expression of TUG1. The
      protein expression of TGF-beta and TGF-beta receptor were more in the TUG1
      overexpression group than that in the control group, while the result was just
      opposite after TUG1 expression was down-regulated. CONCLUSIONS: These data
      suggest that lncRNA TUG1 may enhance the proliferation and migration of
      pancreatic cancer cells through EMT pathway.

PMID- 28617553
TI  - Higher RABEX-5 mRNA predicts unfavourable survival in patients with colorectal
      cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to clarify the expression pattern and
      prognostic role of RABEX-5 mRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: RABEX-5 mRNA levels in 187 CRC were examined by Real-time polymerase
      chain reaction. Then, the association of RABEX-5 mRNA levels with
      clinicopathological features was analyzed. Survival curves were plotted using the
      Kaplan-Meier method and differences in survival rates were analyzed using the log
      rank test. The influence of each variable on survival was examined by the Cox
      multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: RABEX-5 mRNA expression was
      significantly upregulated in CRC tissues compared with the adjacent noncancerous
      tissues (p < 0.01). By statistical analyses, high RABEX-5 mRNA expression was
      observed to be closely correlated with histology/differentiation (p = 0.010), N
      classification (p = 0.004), and TNM stage (p = 0.004). Kaplan-Meier curves showed
      that patients with high RABEX-5 mRNA expression showed unfavorable overall
      survival (OS) than the low RABEX-5 mRNA expression group (p < 0.001). Finally,
      univariate and multivariate analyses showed that RABEX-5 mRNA expression was an
      independent predictor of overall survival (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: RABEX-5 mRNA
      may be a promising biomarker for the detection and prognosis evaluation of CRC.

PMID- 28617554
TI  - The study on specific umbilical blood Dc vaccine for Beige nude mice loaded human
      colorectal carcinoma to induce anti-tumor immunity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study is to observe the immunosuppression of CD137L transfected
      umbilical blood Dcs (Dendritic cell) vaccine to tumor development of SCID/ Beige
      nude mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples of umbilical blood in the childbirth
      pregnant women were collected by density gradient centrifugation. Umbilical cord
      blood dendritic cells (Dcs) were transfected by specific CD137L via
      LipofectamineTM method and cells were harvested. Meanwhile, the peripheral blood
      of volunteers was collected to isolate Dcs, the Dcs were cultured for 5 days and
      hatched with SW-1116 cells antigen. The mature Dcs were harvested. The male
      SCID/Beige nude mice were subcutaneously injected with human SW-1116 cells in
      axillary to build colorectal carcinoma model as blank control (Blank). The naked
      peripheral blood Dc vaccine group (cPBMCs), the SW-1116 antigen-specific
      peripheral blood Dc vaccine group (pDcs) and the CD137L specific umbilical blood
      Dc vaccine group (tuDcs) were injected 24 h before tumor cells injection,
      respectively to recur the humanized immune reconstruction. The general life,
      living habits changes, tumor growing time and tumor size were observed. The nude
      mice were sacrificed 18 days after tumor formation. The tumor size, mice weight,
      in vitro tumor weight, liver weight and spleen weight of mice were recorded to
      evaluate the anti-tumor effect of the specific immune cells. RESULTS: The nude
      mice in pDcs group showed better general living condition, slower tumor growth,
      smaller tumor volume and no ulceration, necrosis, and death in nude mice. The
      tumor formation time in different groups was 4.71 +/- 0.18 ds (blank), 7.71 +/-
      0.29 ds (cPBMCs), 7.86 +/- 0.26 ds (pDcs) and 8.14 +/- 0.69 ds (tuDcs)
      respectively. There were significant differences between blank and other three
      groups (F = 40.96, p < 0.01). Compared to mice in blank group, the tumor volume
      of cPBMCs group was significantly smaller (201.43 +/- 69.84 mm3 vs. 436.04 +/-
      54.50 mm3, p < 0.01) and the tumor weight were significantly smaller (1.25 +/-
      0.12 g vs. 2.83 +/- 0.24 g, p < 0.01). The tumor volume of tuDcs mice was
      significantly smaller than that of blank (92.11 +/- 11.55 mm3 vs. 436.04 +/-
      54.50 mm3, p < 0.01) and cPBMCs mice (92.11 +/- 11.55 mm3 vs. 201.43 +/- 69.84
      mm3, p < 0.01). Similarly, the tumor weight of tuDcs mice was significantly
      smaller than that of blank (0.66 +/- 0.07 g vs. 2.83 +/- 0.24 g, p < 0.01) and
      cPBMCs mice (0.66 +/- 0.07 g vs. 1.25 +/- 0.12 g, p < 0.01). There was no
      significant difference in tumor volume (92.11 +/- 11.55 mm3 vs. 85.61 +/- 11.59
      mm3, p = 0.69) and tumor weight (0.66 +/- 0.07 g vs. 0.63 +/- 0.09 g, p = 0.75)
      between tuDcs group and pDcs group. CONCLUSIONS: The specific CD137L transfected
      umbilical blood Dc vaccine had significant anti-tumor effect against human colon
      cancer in nude mice via increasing the number of immune effector cell in tumor
      microenvironment.

PMID- 28617555
TI  - Correlation analysis of miR-200b, miR-200c, and miR-141 with liver metastases in
      colorectal cancer patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate correlation relationship between serum miR-200b, miR
      200c, miR-141 levels with liver metastases in colorectal cancer patients.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 85 colorectal cancer patients with liver
      metastases and 54 colorectal cancer patients without liver metastases were
      divided into experimental group and control. Serum sample was collected before
      surgery and tested by Real-time PCR to evaluate miR-200b, miR-200c, miR-141
      expressions. RESULTS: The primary site of cancer of two groups was mostly derived
      from the colon cancer among the control and experimental group (there was no
      significant difference between the control group (61.1%) and experimental group
      (63.5%). Most of the invasive depth in the control group was T3 phase (50%), and
      most of the invasive depth in the experimental group was T4 phase (69.4%);
      therefore, the difference of the invasive depth between the control and
      experimental group is significant (p < 0.05). The majority of cases in
      experimental group were in stage IV, while they were in stage II in control. MiR
      200b, miR-200c and miR-141 relate with tumor metastasis through epithelial
      mesenchymal transition (ETM) pathway, and target ZEB1 and ZEB2 genes. MiR-200b,
      miR-200c, and miR-141 have been confirmed to be related to tumor metastasis. miR
      141 levels in serum from experimental group was higher significant compared to
      control group (p = 0.024). miR-200b levels in serum from experimental group was
      significantly increased compared to control group (p = 0.031). The miR-200c
      levels in serum from experimental group were significantly higher compared to
      control group (p = 0.015). Meanwhile, serum miR-141, miR-200b, miR-200c abnormal
      expressions in serum were related to tumor occurrence and development. Their
      levels were positively correlated with liver metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: The
      probability of liver metastases in colorectal cancer patients was positively
      correlated with serum miR-141, miR-200b, and miR-200c expressions, which could be
      treated as new biomarker for early diagnosis of liver metastases in colorectal
      cancer.

PMID- 28617556
TI  - Correlation between methylation of the p16 promoter and cervical cancer
      incidence.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the methylation of the promoter of the p16 gene in cervical
      cancer patients and explore the correlation between methylation and the incidence
      of cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We recruited 78 patients with cervical
      cancer and 48 healthy individuals. The methylation-specific PCR was used to
      detect the methylation status in the promoter of the p16 gene. The mRNA
      expression of p16 was studied by quantitative fluorescence PCR. The protein
      expression of p16 was monitored by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and
      Western blot. Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression and
      distribution of p16 in cervical tissues. RESULTS: The methylation sequencing
      results showed that samples from cervical cancer patients had a methylation rate
      of 78.52% in the p16 gene promoter region compared with a much lower rate of 9.8%
      in the control group (9.8%). Quantitative fluorescence PCR indicated that the p16
      mRNA expression was significantly reduced in cervical cancer patients compared
      with controls. ELISA and Western blot results showed that expression of the p16
      protein in cancer tissue was 0.81 +/- 0.12 ug/l, whereas in the healthy controls
      it was 3.21 +/- 0.24 ug/l. Immunohistochemical results showed that the p16
      protein was mainly present in the cytoplasm. The rate of p16 positive cells in
      the healthy cervical tissue 83.29% was higher than in cervical cancer 10.18%.
      CONCLUSIONS: The methylation of the p16 gene promoter could significantly reduce
      p16 expression, losing its tumor suppressor activity and promoting the
      development of cervical cancer.

PMID- 28617557
TI  - Expression of microRNA-142-3p in cervical cancer and its correlation with
      prognosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of current study was to assess the association between miR-142
      3p expression and the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed
      to assess the expression level of miR-142-3p in cervical cancer tissues and
      matched normal tissues. Then, statistical analysis was performed to determine the
      associations of miR-142-3p expression with the clinical features and the
      prognosis of cervical cancer. RESULTS: Significantly lower levels of miR-142-3p
      was observed in the cervical cancer tissue, compared with the adjacent normal
      cervical tissue from the same patient (p < 0.05). Low miR-142-3p expression level
      was significantly associated with advanced FIGO stage (p = 0.002), lymph node
      metastasis (p = 0.005), and depth of cervical invasion (p = 0.006). Furthermore,
      Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that patients with low miR-142-3
      expression had poorer overall survival and progression-free survival (p < 0.001,
      respectively). The univariate proportional hazard model suggested that FIGO
      stage, lymph node metastasis, depth of cervical invasion and miR-142-3p
      expression level were prognostic predictors. Finally, Multivariate survival
      analysis also confirmed that miR-142-3p could be an independent prognostic marker
      for both overall survival and progression-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-142-3p
      may be a potential novel biomarker that predicts prognosis in cervical cancer.

PMID- 28617558
TI  - Up-regulation of miR-124 inhibits invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer
      cells through mediating JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an
      important protein in Janus kinase (JAK)-STAT signaling pathway, and can
      facilitate expression of Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 gene, thus playing a role in tumor
      pathogenesis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed targeted binding sites between
      mircroRNA-124 (miR-124) and 3'-UTR of STAT3 mRNA. This study aims to investigate
      the role of miR-124 in regulating STAT3 expression and proliferation, cycle,
      apoptosis and invasion of prostate cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dual
      luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated targeted correlation between miR-124
      and STAT3. Expression of miR-124, STAT3, p-STAT3, Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 was
      compared between normal human prostate epithelial cell RWPE-1 and prostate cancer
      cell DU145. In vitro cultured DU145 cells were treated with miR-124 mimic and/or
      si-STAT3, to compare expression of STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3), B-cell
      lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Cyclin D1. Flow cytometry detected cell apoptosis and
      cycle, followed by clonal formation and transwell assay to test malignant
      proliferation and cell invasion. RESULTS: Targeted regulation existed between miR
      124 and STAT3. Comparing to RWPE-1, DU145 cells had lower miR-124 expression,
      G0/G1 phase ratio, or cell apoptosis, plus higher expression of STAT3, p-STAT3,
      Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1, ratio of S or G2/M phase. Transfection of miR-124 mimic
      and/or si-STAT3 remarkably decreased gene expression, weakened clonal formation,
      cell invasion, ratio of S and G2/M phase, cell apoptosis and increased G0/G1
      ratio. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-124 up-regulation significantly suppresses STAT3, pSTAT3
      and downstream Bcl-2 and Cyclin D1 expression, weakens cell invasion or malignant
      proliferation potency, induces G0/G1 phase arrest, and facilitates cell
      apoptosis.

PMID- 28617559
TI  - Blockade of IL-17 alleviated inflammation in rat arthritis and MMP-13 expression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one systemic auto-immune disorder
      featured as chronic synovitis and can destruct joint cartilage. Fibroblast-like
      synoviocyte (FLS) secretes various factors affecting chondrocyte matrix and
      degradation. This study thus investigated the effect of interleukin-17A (IL-17A)
      on FLS and osteoclast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Type II collagen-induced arthritis
      (CIA) rats were assigned to CIA model, CIA + IgG1 isotype, and CIA + Anti-Rat IL
      17A groups. Tissue volume and arthritis index (AI) evaluated arthritis condition.
      ELISA and flow cytometry measured IL-17A content and Th17 cell percentage in
      joint cavity fluid. Matrix metallopeptidase 13 (MMP-13) and collagen type II
      alpha 1 (COL2A1) expression in synovial tissues were compared. FLS-osteoclast co
      culture system was treated with IL-17A + IgG1 Isotype or CIA + Anti-Rat IL-17A.
      MMP-13 and COL2A1 expression were compared. RESULTS: CIA model rats had
      significantly higher IL-17A and Th17 cell ratio in joint cavity fluid. Injection
      of Anti-Rat IL-17A decreased AI and tissue volume in model rats, decreased MMP-13
      while increased COL2A1 expression in synovial or cartilage tissues. IL-17A
      treatment remarkably up-regulated MMP-13 mRNA or protein expression in
      chondrocytes. Anti-IL-17A weakened effects of IL-17A on FLS or chondrocytes.
      CONCLUSIONS: IL-17A inhibits COL2A1 mRNA and protein expression of chondrocyte in
      the co-culture system via inducing MMP-13 expression in FLS, thus enhancing
      collagen degradation and playing a role in RA-related cartilage injury.

PMID- 28617560
TI  - Influence of VEGF/BMP-2 on the proliferation and osteogenetic differentiation of
      rat bone mesenchymal stem cells on PLGA/gelatin composite scaffold.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of VEGF/BMP-2 on the proliferation and
      osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells BMSCs) on
      PLGA/gelatin composite scaffold. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomly-oriented
      nanofibers with different ratios of Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid (PLGA)/gelatin
      were produced through electrospinning. The mixture of nanofibers and BMSCs was
      pipetted onto the surface of the scaffolds, and BMSCs/PLGA/gelatin composite was
      obtained. The surface morphology, chemical structure, hydrophilicity and
      mechanical property of PLGA/gelatin nanofibers were revealed by scanning electron
      microscope. In vitro release kinetics of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2) and
      vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were studied using ELISA kits. The cell
      adhesion, growth and proliferation of BMSCs on scaffolds were observed by
      scanning electron microscopy. The CCK-8 assay was used to evaluate the effects of
      VEGF/BMP-2 slow release system on the proliferation of BMSCs on scaffolds. RT-PCR
      was used to examine the activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related
      transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2), and osteocalcin (OCN). RESULTS: In each group of
      cells in the in-vitro experiment, through electron microscope scanning, fiber
      scaffolds were interconnected three-dimensional reticular structure, BMSCs firmly
      attached to the fiber surface and internal stent, cells experienced a long
      spindle, polygon change, and branch-like protrusions on the cell surface were
      connected. Under the electron microscope, cell proliferation curve and
      osteogenesis markers (ALP, RUNX-2, OCN) expression in the dual factor group on
      cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation were much better than those of
      blank control group and single factor groups. CONCLUSIONS: In the successfully
      constructed gelatin/PLGA nanofiber scaffold, VEGF and BMP-2 can be sequentially
      released, during which VEGF and BMP-2 can promote the adhesion, proliferation,
      and differentiation of BMSCs.

PMID- 28617561
TI  - Cervicovaginal bacteria and fungi in pregnant diabetic and non-diabetic women: a
      multicenter observational cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the prevalence of cervicovaginal Bacteria, group B
      Streptococcus (GBS), Gardnerella vaginalis (GV), Candida spp., Chlamydia
      trachomatis (CT), Mycoplasma hominis (MH) and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) in
      pregnant women with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      Cervicovaginal swabs were gathered from 473 pregnant patients divided into 127
      diabetic and 346 non-diabetic. The results were correlated to gestational age,
      parity and glycemic control. RESULTS: A higher prevalence of MH/UU (p=0.012) was
      found in the diabetic patients. After the 28th week of pregnancy, the prevalence
      for all investigated microorganisms appeared similar except for MH/UU (p=0.014).
      In multigravida, there were statistical differences between two groups in testing
      for Bacteria (p=0.015) and for MH/UU (p=0.037). The diabetic condition correlated
      to the state of multigravida in cases positive for Candida spp. (p=0.049) and in
      those testing positive for at least one microorganism (p=0.043). Pregnant with a
      blood glucose > 92 have twice the risk of being positive to a single
      microbiological test than those with better glycemic control. CONCLUSIONS: The
      higher prevalence of MH/UU after the 28th weeks can be explained with the
      physiologically reduced insulin tolerance characteristic of this gestational
      period. Among the diabetic testing positive to Candida spp. the statistically
      significant association was observed only in multigravida condition. These data
      suggest that diabetic multigravida women are at increased risk for Candida spp.
      infection in relation to the improper glycemic control.

PMID- 28617562
TI  - 5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy stimulates local immunity in patients
      with condylomata acuminata via activation of T lymphocytes.
AB  - The article "5-Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy stimulates local immunity
      in patients with condylomata acuminata via activation of T lymphocytes" by J. Du,
      Q. Cheng, Z. Zhang, J.-F. Wu, F. Li, S.-Y. Chen, Y.-L. Wang, X.-N. Lu, J.-H. Xu,
      published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2017; 21 (5): 1125-1135 has been
      withdrawn.

PMID- 28617563
TI  - Regulatory mechanism of miR-29 over TGF-beta1 and COL1 in scar cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the regulatory mechanism of miR-29 over TGF-beta1 and COL1 in
      scar cells. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 5 clinical cases of hypertrophic scar (HS) skin
      and adjacent normal skin tissues were separated into fibroblast for primary
      culture and subculture before being observed morphologically and standard HE
      staining under an ordinary optical microscope. RT-PCR method was applied to test
      the expression level of miR-29, TGF-beta1, and COL1 mRNA. ELISA method was
      applied to test the expression level of extracellular matrix COL1, fibronectin
      (FN) and alpha-SMA. The miR-29 overexpression vector was built and transfected in
      vitro. RT-PCR method was applied to test related genes and ELISA method was
      applied to test the expression level of the extracellular matrix. RESULTS: The
      color of karyon and cytoplasm of normal fibroblast were both light red, with
      little ECM. The color of karyon of scar fibroblast was blue. The cytoplasm was
      red of different degrees, with relatively much ECM, in deep blue color. Compared
      with that in the normal fibroblast group, the miR-29 mRNA in fibroblast in the
      scar group significantly decreased (p<0.05). The TGF-beta1 and COL1 mRNA
      significantly increased (p<0.05). The COL1, FN and alpha-SMA level were
      significantly higher (p<0.05) than that in the normal group. These mRNAs levels
      in miR-29 overexpression group were lower than scar group but higher than the
      normal group. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of miR-29 which regulates the
      expression of TGF-beta1 and COL1 and increases the level of ECM significantly
      decreases in scar cells. This one suggests a mechanism of the formation of the
      scars through TGF-beta1 and COL1.

PMID- 28617564
TI  - A Peep Into "Peeping Tom": Successful Management of Cyclothymia Presenting as
      Voyeuristic Disorder.

PMID- 28617565
TI  - Psychotropic Medications in Swedish Homicide Victims and Offenders: A Forensic
      Toxicological Case-Control Study of Adherence and Recreational Use.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the extent to which adherence to, and recreational
      use of, psychotropic medications influence the risk of homicide offending and
      victimization. METHODS: We conducted a population-based case-control study by way
      of linking a nationwide registry of dispensed prescriptions with a forensic
      toxicological database. Homicide victims (n = 200) and offenders (n = 105) were
      identified for the years 2007-2009 and vehicle-accident controls (n = 1,643) for
      the years 2006-2013. The occurrence of congruence and incongruence between
      dispensed prescriptions and toxicology was used as a measure of adherence and
      recreational use. RESULTS: For antidepressants, incongruence-but not congruence
      between dispensed prescriptions and toxicology was associated with a
      significantly increased risk of homicide offending (odds ratio adjusted for age
      and sex [aOR] = 6.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3-11.6) but not homicide
      victimization (aOR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.3-2.0). For antipsychotics and mood
      stabilizers, a significantly increased risk of homicide offending was associated
      with incongruence between prescriptions and toxicology (aOR = 7.0; 95% CI, 2.8
      17.7), whereas risk estimates for congruence were not significantly elevated for
      either homicide offending or victimization. For GABAergic hypnotics, congruence
      and incongruence were significantly associated with increased risks of both
      homicide offending (aOR = 5.4; 95% CI, 2.6-11.0 and aOR = 4.9; 95% CI, 2.6-9.3,
      respectively) and homicide victimization (aOR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-4.2 and aOR =
      3.2; 95% CI, 1.7-6.1, respectively). Sensitivity analyses with a subset of
      controls yielded similar estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Nonadherence to medications used
      to treat affective and psychotic disorders appears to elevate the risk of
      homicide offending. Both medicinal and recreational use of GABAergic hypnotics
      appears to elevate the risk of homicide offending and victimization. In summary,
      vigilance regarding adherence to medications prescribed for mood disorders and
      psychosis, as well as restrictiveness regarding licit and illicit access to
      addictive hypnotics, might contribute to a reduction of homicidal violence.

PMID- 28617566
TI  - Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of N-Acetylcysteine
      Augmentation for Treatment-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI)
      augmentation with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a glutamate modulator and antioxidant
      medication, for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHODS:
      We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 16-week trial of NAC
      (3,000 mg daily) in adults (aged 18-65 years) with treatment-resistant OCD,
      established according to DSM-IV criteria. Forty subjects were recruited at an OCD
      specialized outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital (May 2012-October 2014). The
      primary outcome measure was the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
      scores. To evaluate the variables group, time, and interaction effects for Y-BOCS
      scores at all time points, we used nonparametric analysis of variance with
      repeated measures. Secondary outcomes were the severity scores for anxiety,
      depression, specific OCD symptom dimensions, and insight. RESULTS: Both groups
      showed a significant reduction of baseline Y-BOCS scores at week 16: the NAC
      group had a reduction of 4.3 points (25.6 to 21.3), compared with 3.0 points
      (24.8 to 21.8) for the placebo group. However, there were no significant
      differences between groups (P = .92). Adding NAC was superior to placebo in
      reducing anxiety symptoms (P = .02), but not depression severity or specific OCD
      symptom dimensions. In general, NAC was well tolerated, despite abdominal pain
      being more frequently reported in the NAC group (n [%]: NAC = 9 [60.0], placebo =
      2 [13.3]; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Our trial did not demonstrate a significant
      benefit of NAC in reducing OCD severity in treatment-resistant OCD adults.
      Secondary analysis suggested that NAC might have some benefit in reducing anxiety
      symptoms in treatment-resistant OCD patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01555970.

PMID- 28617570
TI  - Trial of Pregabalin for Acute and Chronic Sciatica.

PMID- 28617571
TI  - Trial of Pregabalin for Acute and Chronic Sciatica

PMID- 28617572
TI  - Treatment of Benzodiazepine Dependence.

PMID- 28617573
TI  - Case 8-2017: A Zimbabwean Man with a Severe Headache.

PMID- 28617574
TI  - Synergistic Suppression of Tumor Angiogenesis by the Co-delivering of Vascular
      Endothelial Growth Factor Targeted siRNA and Candesartan Mediated by
      Functionalized Carbon Nanovectors.
AB  - Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with unique physicochemical properties
      have exhibited promising biomedical applications as drug and gene carriers. In
      this study, polyethylenimine (PEI)-modified SWNT conjugates linked with
      candesartan (CD) were developed to deliver vascular endothelial growth factor
      (VEGF)-targeted siRNA (siVEGF) for the synergistic and targeted treatment of
      tumor angiogenesis. The characterization results revealed that SWNT-PEI-CD
      conjugates were successfully synthesized and exhibited desirable dispersibility
      and superior stability. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow
      cytometry (FCM) results showed that SWNT-PEI-CD/siVEGF complexes could achieve
      high cellular uptake and specific intracellular distribution of siRNA in AT1R
      overexpressed PANC-1 cells. Strong down-regulation of VEGF was also verified by
      qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay, and Western blot in complex-treated PANC-1 cells. The in vitro
      angiogenesis assay showed that SWNT-PEI-CD/siVEGF complexes highly inhibited tube
      formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Furthermore, in vivo
      observation in PANC-1 xenografted nude mice demonstrated that SWNT-PEI-CD/siVEGF
      complexes exhibited significant distribution at tumor sites and caused obvious
      inhibition of tumor growth and tumor-associated angiogenesis repression induced
      by the drug combination of CD and siVEGF. Finally, a WST-1 assay indicated that
      SWNT-PEI-CD possessed low cytotoxicity, and a hemolysis test showed good
      biocompatibility of SWNT-PEI-CD. Hematological and histological analyses
      confirmed that SWNT-PEI-CD/siVEGF complexes did not cause any obvious toxic
      effects to blood and major organs. These findings suggested that the SWNT-PEI
      CD/siVEGF co-delivery system with tumor-targeting specificity, improved endosomal
      escaping properties, and collaboration of angiogenesis inhibition could be a
      prospective method for efficient tumor antiangiogenic therapy.

PMID- 28617575
TI  - External Influences on Invertebrate Brain Histamine and Related Compounds via an
      Automated Derivatization Method for Capillary Electrophoresis.
AB  - Histamine has been shown to modulate visual system and photic behavior in
      arthropods. However, few methods are available for the direct quantification of
      histamine and its precursor and metabolites in arthropod brain. In this work, a
      method for the separation of histamine, its precursor histidine, and its
      metabolite N-methyl-histamine from brain extracts of a freshwater crustacean has
      been developed using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence
      detection. Molecules were tagged on their primary amine function with naphthalene
      2,3-dicarboxaldehyde, but derivatized histamine and N-methyl-histamine exhibited
      poor stability in contrast to derivatized histidine. To overcome this limitation,
      an automated derivatization performed within the capillary electrophoresis
      instrument was optimized and quantitatively validated. The limits of detection
      were 50, 30, and 60 nmol/L for histidine, histamine, and N-methyl-histamine,
      respectively. This study reports, for the first time, the amounts of histamine
      and its related compounds in brain extracts from populations of the freshwater
      amphipod Gammarus fossarum, and shows that these amounts vary mainly according to
      population and season, but are not affected by an experimental electrical shock.

PMID- 28617577
TI  - Imaging with Mass Spectrometry of Bacteria on the Exoskeleton of Fungus-Growing
      Ants.
AB  - Mass spectrometry imaging is a powerful analytical technique for detecting and
      determining spatial distributions of molecules within a sample. Typically, mass
      spectrometry imaging is limited to the analysis of thin tissue sections taken
      from the middle of a sample. In this work, we present a mass spectrometry imaging
      method for the detection of compounds produced by bacteria on the outside surface
      of ant exoskeletons in response to pathogen exposure. Fungus-growing ants have a
      specialized mutualism with Pseudonocardia, a bacterium that lives on the ants'
      exoskeletons and helps protect their fungal garden food source from harmful
      pathogens. The developed method allows for visualization of bacterial-derived
      compounds on the ant exoskeleton. This method demonstrates the capability to
      detect compounds that are specifically localized to the bacterial patch on ant
      exoskeletons, shows good reproducibility across individual ants, and achieves
      accurate mass measurements within 5 ppm error when using a high-resolution,
      accurate-mass mass spectrometer.

PMID- 28617576
TI  - Ex Vivo Measurement of Electrically Evoked Dopamine Release in Zebrafish Whole
      Brain.
AB  - Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have recently emerged as useful model organism for the
      study of neuronal function. Here, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at carbon
      fiber microelectrodes was used to measure locally evoked dopamine release and
      uptake in zebrafish whole brain preparations and results were compared with those
      obtained from brain slices. Evoked dopamine release ([DA]max) was similar in
      whole brain and sagittal brain slice preparations (0.49 +/- 0.13 MUM in whole
      brain and 0.59 +/- 0.28 MUM in brain slices). Treatment with alpha-methyl-p
      tyrosine methyl ester (alphaMPT), an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase,
      diminished release and the electrochemical signal reappeared after subsequent
      drug washout. No observed change in stimulated release current occurred after
      treatment with desipramine or fluoxetine in the whole brain. Treatment with the
      uptake inhibitors, nomifensine or GBR 12909 increased [DA]max, while treatment
      with sulpiride, a D2 dopamine autoreceptor antagonist, resulted in increased
      stimulated dopamine release in whole brain, but had no effect on release in
      slices. Dopamine release in whole brains increased progressively up to an
      electrical stimulation frequency of 25 Hz, while release in slices increased up
      to a frequency of only 10 Hz and then plateaued, highlighting another key
      difference between these preparations. We observed a lag in peak dopamine release
      following stimulation, which we address using diffusion models and
      pharmacological treatments. Collectively, these results demonstrate the
      electrochemical determination of dopamine release in the whole, intact brain of a
      vertebrate species ex vivo and are an important step for carrying out further
      experiments in zebrafish.

PMID- 28617578
TI  - Antibodies Against Specific MUC16 Glycosylation Sites Inhibit Ovarian Cancer
      Growth.
AB  - Expression of the retained C-terminal extracellular portion of the ovarian cancer
      glycoprotein MUC16 induces transformation and tumor growth. However, the
      mechanisms of MUC16 oncogenesis related to glycosylation are not clearly defined.
      We establish that MUC16 oncogenic effects are mediated through MGAT5-dependent N
      glycosylation of two specific asparagine sites within its 58 amino acid
      ectodomain. Oncogenic signaling from the C-terminal portion of MUC16 requires the
      presence of Galectin-3 and growth factor receptors colocalized on lipid rafts.
      These effects are blocked upon loss of either Galectin-3 expression or activity
      MGAT5. Using synthetic MUC16 glycopeptides, we developed novel N-glycosylation
      site directed monoclonal antibodies that block Galectin-3-mediated MUC16
      interactions with cell surface signaling molecules. These antibodies inhibit
      invasion of ovarian cancer cells, directly blocking the in vivo growth of MUC16
      bearing ovarian cancer xenografts, elucidating new therapeutic modalities.

PMID- 28617579
TI  - Programming Feature Size in the Thermal Wrinkling of Metal Polymer Bilayer by
      Modulating Substrate Viscoelasticity.
AB  - We report a novel strategy for creating stress-induced self-organized wrinkles in
      a metal polymer bilayer with programmable periodicity (lambdaS) varying over a
      wide range, from ~20 MUm down to ~800 nm by modulating the viscoelasticity of the
      bottom polymer layer. Substrates with different viscoelasticity are prepared by
      precuring thin films of a thermo-curable poly dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer
      (Sylgard 184) for different durations (tP) prior to deposition of the top
      aluminum layer by thermal evaporation. Precuring of the Sylgard 184 film for
      different durations leads to films with different degrees of viscoelasticity due
      to variation in the extent of cross-linking of the polymer matrix. The lambdaS as
      well as the amplitude (aS) of the wrinkles progressively decrease with an
      increase in the extent of elasticity of the film, manifested as an increase in
      the storage modulus (G'). Based on the variation in the rate of decay of lambdaS
      with G', we identify three clearly distinguishable regimes over predominantly
      viscous, viscoelastic, and elastic bottom layers. While lambdaS and aS drop with
      an increase in G' for both the first and the third regimes, it remains nearly
      independent of G' for the intermediate regime. This is attributed to the
      difference in the mechanisms of wrinkle formation in the different regimes. We
      finally show that simultaneous modulation of lambdaS and aS can be used to
      engineer surfaces with different wettability as well as anti-reflection
      properties.

PMID- 28617582
TI  - Liquid-Crystal-Based Immunosensor for Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Clinical
      Specimens.
AB  - Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious global health problem, although it is easily
      preventable and curable. The prevalence of TB is caused by a lack of simple,
      rapid, cheap, and effective TB diagnostic tests. In this study, we have
      established a novel liquid crystal (LC)-based immunosensor to diagnose TB in
      clinical specimens. The clinical serum samples were incubated on a TB antigen
      immobilized substrate, and their optical LC responses were observed using a
      polarized light microscope. Specific binding of anti-TB antibodies to the TB
      antigen-immobilized surface only occurred in clinical specimens from TB patients,
      inducing the disruption of the orientation of LCs. This was followed by the
      distinctive change in the optical appearance of LCs from uniform to random.
      However, when clinical serum samples from healthy people or latent TB patients
      were incubated, the orientation of LCs remained uniform. Through the change of
      optical LC images, in 76% of TB patients, this essay correctly identified the
      patients as having antibodies to TB in their serums. 91% of healthy people free
      of TB were correctly identified as not having antibodies to TB. Thus, this LC
      based immunosensor is a promising platform, particularly in clinical TB
      diagnostics, which does not require complicated preparation of clinical specimens
      or complex instrumentation.

PMID- 28617581
TI  - Creating an Optimal Microenvironment within Mesoporous Silica MCM-41 for Capture
      of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines in Solution.
AB  - To meet the requirement of capturing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) for
      environment protection, a unique microenvironment was carefully created inside
      the channels of mesoporous silica MCM-41. In situ carbonization of template
      micelles at 923 K, combined with the excess aluminum used in one-pot synthesis of
      MCM-41, is adopted to tailor the tortuosity of mecsoporous channels, while loaded
      metal oxides (5 wt %) and the Al component in the framework are employed to exert
      the necessary electrostatic interaction toward the target carcinogens TSNA in
      solution. The elaborated microenvironment created in mesoporous sorbents was
      characterized with XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, TEM, XPS, and TG-DSC methods.
      Various solutions of Burley- and Virginia-type tobaccos were used to assess the
      adsorption performance of new mesoporous sorbents, and the influence of the solid
      to-liquid ratio, adsorption time, and loading amount of CuO on the adsorption was
      carefully examined. The representative sample 5%Cu/AM-10c could capture 27.2% of
      TSNA in Burley tobacco solution, and its capacity reached 0.3 mg g-1 in Snus
      tobacco extract solution, offering a promising candidate for the protection of
      the environment and public health.

PMID- 28617580
TI  - Progressive Stereo Locking (PSL): A Residual Dipolar Coupling Based Force Field
      Method for Determining the Relative Configuration of Natural Products and Other
      Small Molecules.
AB  - Establishing the relative configuration of a bioactive natural product represents
      the most challenging part in determining its structure. Residual dipolar
      couplings (RDCs) are sensitive probes of the relative spatial orientation of
      internuclear vectors. We adapted a force field structure calculation methodology
      to allow free sampling of both R and S configurations of the stereocenters of
      interest. The algorithm uses a floating alignment tensor in a simulated annealing
      protocol to identify the conformations and configurations that best fit
      experimental RDC and distance restraints (from NOE and J-coupling data). A unique
      configuration (for rigid molecules) or a very small number of configurations (for
      less rigid molecules) of the structural models having the lowest chiral angle
      energies and reasonable magnitudes of the alignment tensor are provided as the
      best predictions of the unknown configuration. For highly flexible molecules, the
      progressive locking of their stereocenters into their statistically dominant R or
      S state dramatically reduces the number of possible relative configurations. The
      result is verified by checking that the same configuration is obtained by
      initiating the locking from different regions of the molecule. For all molecules
      tested having known configurations (with conformations ranging from mostly rigid
      to highly flexible), the method accurately determined the correct configuration.

PMID- 28617583
TI  - ToF-SIMS Depth Profiling of PS-b-PMMA Block Copolymers Using Arn+, C60++, and Cs+
      Sputtering Ions.
AB  - Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a high performance
      tool for molecular depth profiling of polymer films, in particular when they are
      structured in microphases. However, a major issue is the degradation of polymer
      materials under ion irradiation in reactions such as cross-linking, chain
      breaking, or reorganization processes of polymers which have been demonstrated
      for materials such as polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). This
      work aims at comparing ToF-SIMS molecular depth profiling of structured polymers
      (polystyrene (PS)-b-polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) block copolymers (BCP)) using
      either ultralow energy cesium or the more recently introduced C60++ (under NO
      dosing and with sample cooling) and argon cluster ion beams (using Ar1500+ ions
      at 5 keV). The latter improved the quality of the depth profiles, especially the
      argon cluster ion beam, as it is characterized by a greater homogeneity for the
      sputter yields of PS and PMMA. No significant artifacts were observed, and this
      was confirmed by the comparison of depth profiles obtained from films with
      variable thickness, annealing time, and morphology (cylindrical blocks vs
      spherical blocks). Comparison to a theoretical model (hexagonal centered pattern)
      ensured that the ToF-SIMS depth profiles described the real morphology and may
      thus be a relevant characterization tool to verify the morphology of the films as
      a function of the deposition parameters.

PMID- 28617584
TI  - Tunability of the Quantum Spin Hall Effect in Bi(110) Films: Effects of Electric
      Field and Strain Engineering.
AB  - The quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect is promising for achieving dissipationless
      transport devices due to their robust gapless edge states inside insulating bulk
      gap. However, the currently discussed QSH insulators usually suffer from
      ultrahigh vacuum or low temperature due to the small bulk gap, which limits their
      practical applications. Searching for large-gap QSH insulators is highly
      desirable. Here, the tunable QSH state of a Bi(110) films with a black phosphorus
      (BP) structure, which is robust against structural deformation and electric
      field, is explored by first-principles calculations. It is found that the two
      monolayer BP-Bi(110) film obtains a tunable large bulk gap by strain engineering
      and its QSH effect shows a favorable robustness within a wide range of
      combinations of in-plane and out-of-plane strains, although a single in-plane
      compression or out-of-plane extension may restrict the topological phase due to
      the self-doping effect. More interestingly, in view of biaxial strain, two
      competing physics on band topology induced by bonding-antibonding and px,y-pz
      band inversions are obtained. Meanwhile, the QSH effect can be persevered under
      an electric field of up to 0.9 V/A. Moreover, with appropriate in-plane strain
      engineering, a nontrivial topological phase in a four-monolayer BP-Bi(110) film
      is identified. Our findings suggest that these two-dimensional BP-Bi(110) films
      are ideal platforms of the QSH effect for low-power dissipation devices.

PMID- 28617585
TI  - Solution-Phase Photochemical Nanopatterning Enabled by High-Refractive-Index Beam
      Pen Arrays.
AB  - A high-throughput, solution-based, scanning-probe photochemical nanopatterning
      approach, which does not require the use of probes with subwavelength apertures,
      is reported. Specifically, pyramid arrays made from high-refractive-index
      polymeric materials were constructed and studied as patterning tools in a
      conventional liquid-phase beam pen lithography experiment. Two versions of the
      arrays were explored with either metal-coated or metal-free tips. Importantly,
      light can be channeled through both types of tips and the appropriate solution
      phase (e.g., H2O or CH3OH) and focused on subwavelength regions of a substrate to
      effect a photoreaction in solution that results in localized patterning of a self
      assembled monolayer (SAM)-coated Au thin film substrate. Arrays with as many as
      4500 pyramid-shaped probes were used to simultaneously initiate thousands of
      localized free-radical photoreactions (decomposition of a lithium acylphosphinate
      photoinitiator in an aqueous solution) that result in oxidative removal of the
      SAM. The technique is attractive since it allows one to rapidly generate features
      less than 200 nm in diameter, and the metal-free tips afford more than 10-fold
      higher intensity than the tips with nanoapertures over a micrometer propagation
      length. In principle, this mask-free method can be utilized as a versatile tool
      for performing a wide variety of photochemistries across multiple scales that may
      be important in high-throughput combinatorial screening applications related to
      chemistry, biology, and materials science.

PMID- 28617586
TI  - Research Progress toward the Practical Applications of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.
AB  - The renaissance of Li-S battery technology is evidenced by the intensive R&D
      efforts in recent years. Although the theoretical capacity and energy of a Li-S
      battery is theoretically very high, the projected usable energy is expected to be
      no more than twice that of state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries, or 500 Wh/kg. The
      recent "sulfur fever" has certainly gathered new knowledge on sulfur chemistry
      and electrochemistry, electrolytes, lithium metal, and their interactions in this
      "new" system; however, a real advance toward a practical Li-S battery is still
      missing. One of the main reasons behind this is the sensitivity of Li-S batteries
      to the experimental testing parameters. Sophisticated nanostructures are usually
      employed, while the practicality of these nanomaterials for batteries is rarely
      discussed. The sulfur electrode, usually engineered in a thin-film configuration,
      further poses uncertainties in the knowledge transfer from the lab to industry.
      This review article briefly overviews the recent research progress on Li-S
      batteries, followed by a discussion of the Li-S battery system from the authors'
      own understandings collected from their past few years of research. The critical
      findings, the unresolved issues, and the scientific gap between lab research and
      industrial application are discussed. The future work in Li-S battery research is
      also explored to propel relevant research efforts toward industrial applications.

PMID- 28617587
TI  - Variable Regions of Antibodies and T-Cell Receptors May Not Be Sufficient in
      Molecular Simulations Investigating Binding.
AB  - Antibodies and T-cell receptors are important proteins of the immune system that
      share similar structures. Both contain variable and constant regions. Insight
      into the dynamics of their binding can be provided by computational simulations.
      For these simulations the constant regions are often removed to save runtime as
      binding occurs in the variable regions. Here we present the first study to
      investigate the effect of removing the constant regions from antibodies and T
      cell receptors on such simulations. We performed simulations of an
      antibody/antigen and T-cell receptor/MHC system with and without constant regions
      using 10 replicas of 100 ns of each of the four setups. We found that simulations
      without constant regions show significantly different behavior compared to
      simulations with constant regions. If the constant regions are not included in
      the simulations alterations in the binding interface hydrogen bonds and even
      partial unbinding can occur. These results indicate that constant regions should
      be included in antibody and T-cell receptor simulations for reliable conclusions
      to be drawn.

PMID- 28617588
TI  - Biosynthesis of Single Thioether c-Type Cytochromes Provides Insight into
      Mechanisms Intrinsic to Holocytochrome c Synthase (HCCS).
AB  - C-type cytochromes (cyts c) are generally characterized by the presence of two
      thioether attachments between heme and two cysteine residues within a highly
      conserved CXXCH motif. Most eukaryotes use the System III cyt c biogenesis
      pathway composed of holocytochrome c synthase (HCCS) to catalyze thioether
      formation. Some protozoan organisms express a functionally equivalent, natural
      variant of cyt c with an XXXCH heme-attachment motif, resulting in a single
      covalent attachment. Previous studies have shown that recombinant HCCS can
      produce low levels of the XXXCH single thioether variant. However, cyt c variants
      containing substitutions at the C-terminal cysteine of the heme-attachment site
      (i.e., resulting in CXXXH) have never been observed in nature, and attempts to
      biosynthesize a recombinant version of this cyt c variant have been largely
      unsuccessful. In this study, we report the biochemical analyses of an HCCS
      matured CXXXH cyt c variant, comparing its biosynthesis and properties to those
      of the XXXCH variant. The results indicate that although HCCS mediates heme
      attachment to the N-terminal cysteine in CXXXH cyt c variants, up to 50% of the
      cyt c produced is modified in an oxygen-dependent manner, resulting in a mixed
      population of cyt c. Since this aerobic modification occurs only in the context
      of CXXXH, we also propose that natural HCCS-mediated heme attachment to CXXCH
      likely initiates at the C-terminal cysteine.

PMID- 28617589
TI  - rRNA C-Loops: Mechanical Properties of a Recurrent Structural Motif.
AB  - C-loop is an internal loop motif found in the ribosome and used in artificial
      nanostructures. While its geometry has been partially characterized, its
      mechanical properties remain elusive. Here we propose a method to evaluate global
      shape and stiffness of an internal loop. The loop is flanked by short A-RNA
      helices modeled as rigid bodies. Their relative rotation and displacement are
      fully described by six interhelical coordinates. The deformation energy of the
      loop is assumed to be a general quadratic function of the interhelical
      coordinates. The model parameters for isolated C-loops are inferred from
      unrestrained all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. C-loops exhibit high twist
      as reported earlier, but also a bend and a lateral displacement of the flanking
      helices. Their bending stiffness and lateral displacement stiffness are nearly
      isotropic and similar to the control A-RNA duplexes. Nevertheless, we found
      systematic variations with the C-loop position in the ribosome and the organism
      of origin. The results characterize global properties of C-loops in the full six
      dimensional interhelical space and enable one to choose an optimally stiff C-loop
      for use in a nanostructure. Our approach can be readily applied to other internal
      loops and extended to more complex structural motifs.

PMID- 28617591
TI  - Control of Interchain Antiferromagnetic Coupling in Porous Co(II)-Based Metal
      Organic Frameworks by Tuning the Aromatic Linker Length: How Far Does Magnetic
      Interaction Propagate?
AB  - Three MOF-74-type Co(II) frameworks with one-dimensional hexagonal channels have
      been prepared. Co(II) spins in a chain are ferromagnetically coupled through
      carboxylate and phenoxide bridges. Interchain antiferromagnetic couplings via
      aromatic ring pathways operate over a Co-Co length shorter than ~10.9 A,
      resulting in a field-induced metamagnetic transition, while being absent over
      lengths longer than ~14.7 A.

PMID- 28617590
TI  - Structure and Dynamics of RNA Repeat Expansions That Cause Huntington's Disease
      and Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1.
AB  - RNA repeat expansions cause a host of incurable, genetically defined diseases.
      The most common class of RNA repeats consists of trinucleotide repeats. These
      long, repeating transcripts fold into hairpins containing 1 * 1 internal loops
      that can mediate disease via a variety of mechanism(s) in which RNA is the
      central player. Two of these disorders are Huntington's disease and myotonic
      dystrophy type 1, which are caused by r(CAG) and r(CUG) repeats, respectively. We
      report the structures of two RNA constructs containing three copies of a r(CAG)
      [r(3*CAG)] or r(CUG) [r(3*CUG)] motif that were modeled with nuclear magnetic
      resonance spectroscopy and simulated annealing with restrained molecular
      dynamics. The 1 * 1 internal loops of r(3*CAG) are stabilized by one-hydrogen
      bond (cis Watson-Crick/Watson-Crick) AA pairs, while those of r(3*CUG) prefer one
      or two-hydrogen bond (cis Watson-Crick/Watson-Crick) UU pairs. Assigned chemical
      shifts for the residues depended on the identity of neighbors or next nearest
      neighbors. Additional insights into the dynamics of these RNA constructs were
      gained by molecular dynamics simulations and a discrete path sampling method.
      Results indicate that the global structures of the RNA are A-form and that the
      loop regions are dynamic. The results will be useful for understanding the
      dynamic trajectory of these RNA repeats but also may aid in the development of
      therapeutics.

PMID- 28617592
TI  - Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis of Acetyl-CoA Activation of Staphylococcus
      aureus Pyruvate Carboxylase.
AB  - Allosteric regulation of pyruvate carboxylase (PC) activity is pivotal to
      maintaining metabolic homeostasis. In contrast, dysregulated PC activity
      contributes to the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, rendering PC a possible
      target for allosteric therapeutic development. Recent research efforts have
      focused on demarcating the role of acetyl-CoA, one of the most potent activators
      of PC, in coordinating catalytic events within the multifunctional enzyme.
      Herein, we report a kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of acetyl-CoA activation
      of the Staphylococcus aureus PC (SaPC)-catalyzed carboxylation of pyruvate to
      identify novel means by which acetyl-CoA synchronizes catalytic events within the
      PC tetramer. Kinetic and linked-function analysis, or thermodynamic linkage
      analysis, indicates that the substrates of the biotin carboxylase and carboxyl
      transferase domain are energetically coupled in the presence of acetyl-CoA. In
      contrast, both kinetic and energetic coupling between the two domains is lost in
      the absence of acetyl-CoA, suggesting a functional role for acetyl-CoA in
      facilitating the long-range transmission of substrate-induced conformational
      changes within the PC tetramer. Interestingly, thermodynamic activation
      parameters for the SaPC-catalyzed carboxylation of pyruvate are largely
      independent of acetyl-CoA. Our results also reveal the possibility that global
      conformational changes give rise to observed species-specific thermodynamic
      activation parameters. Taken together, our kinetic and thermodynamic results
      provide a possible allosteric mechanism by which acetyl-CoA coordinates catalysis
      within the PC tetramer.

PMID- 28617593
TI  - Solid-Phase Fe Speciation along the Vertical Redox Gradients in Floodplains using
      XAS and Mossbauer Spectroscopies.
AB  - Properties of Fe minerals are poorly understood in natural soils and sediments
      with variable redox conditions. In this study, we combined 57Fe Mossbauer and Fe
      K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopic (XAS) techniques to assess solid-phase Fe
      speciation along the vertical redox gradients of floodplains, which exhibited a
      succession of oxic, anoxic, and suboxic-oxic zones with increasing depth along
      the vertical profiles. The incised stream channel is bounded on the east by a
      narrow floodplain and a steep hillslope, and on the west by a broad floodplain.
      In the eastern floodplain, the anoxic conditions at the intermediate horizon (55
      80 cm) coincided with lower Fe(III)-oxides (particularly ferrihydrite), in
      concurrence with a greater reduction of phyllosilicates(PS)-Fe(III) to PS-Fe(II),
      relative to the oxic near-surface and sandy gravel layers. In addition, the
      anoxic conditions in the eastern floodplain coincided with increased
      crystallinity of goethite, relative to the oxic layers. In the most reduced
      intermediate sediments at 80-120 cm of the western floodplain, no Fe(III)-oxides
      were detected, concurrent with the greatest PS-Fe(III) reduction (PS
      Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio ~ 1.2 (Mossbauer) or 0.8 (XAS)). In both oxic near-surface
      horizon and oxic-suboxic gravel aquifers beneath the soil horizons, Fe(III)
      oxides were mainly present as ferrihydrite with a much less amount of goethite,
      which preferentially occurred as nanogoethite or Al/Si-substituted goethite.
      Ferrihydrite with varying crystallinity or impurities such as organic matter, Al
      or Si, persisted under suboxic-oxic conditions in the floodplain. This study
      indicates that vertical redox gradients exert a major control on the quantity and
      speciation of Fe(III) oxides as well as the oxidation state of structural Fe in
      PS, which could significantly affect nutrient cycling and carbon
      (de)stabilization.

PMID- 28617594
TI  - Formation of Polyrotaxane Particles via Template Assembly.
AB  - In this study, we report a versatile method to assemble tunable poly(ethylene
      glycol) (PEG)-based polyrotaxane (PRX) particles and capsules. By threading alpha
      cyclodextrins (alphaCDs) onto PEG chains physically adsorbed onto template
      particles and subsequently dissolving the templates, PRX replica particles and
      hollow capsules are formed. This approach overcomes issues related to CD steric
      hindrance, and also reduces the multiple processing steps often associated with
      PRX-based particle formation. By simple variation of the molecular weight and end
      group functionality of the PEG, we show that the rate of particle degradation as
      well as the stability of the particles can be tuned. We also demonstrate the
      loading and release of model (drug) compounds, achieving burst and controlled
      release of the compounds. It is envisaged that this approach will provide a
      flexible platform for the engineering of a diverse range of PRX-based particles,
      enabling PRX materials to be further explored in various applications.

PMID- 28617595
TI  - An Ab Initio Exciton Model Including Charge-Transfer Excited States.
AB  - The Frenkel exciton model is a useful tool for theoretical studies of
      multichromophore systems. We recently showed that the exciton model could be used
      to coarse-grain electronic structure in multichromophoric systems, focusing on
      singly excited exciton states [ Acc. Chem. Res. 2014 , 47 , 2857 - 2866 ].
      However, our previous implementation excluded charge-transfer excited states,
      which can play an important role in light-harvesting systems and near-infrared
      optoelectronic materials. Recent studies have also emphasized the significance of
      charge-transfer in singlet fission, which mediates the coupling between the
      locally excited states and the multiexcitonic states. In this work, we report on
      an ab initio exciton model that incorporates charge-transfer excited states and
      demonstrate that the model provides correct charge-transfer excitation energies
      and asymptotic behavior. Comparison with TDDFT and EOM-CC2 calculations shows
      that our exciton model is robust with respect to system size, screening
      parameter, and different density functionals. Inclusion of charge-transfer
      excited states makes the exciton model more useful for studies of singly excited
      states and provides a starting point for future construction of a model that also
      includes double-exciton states.

PMID- 28617596
TI  - Review of Organic Wastewater Compound Concentrations and Removal in Onsite
      Wastewater Treatment Systems.
AB  - Onsite wastewater treatment systems, such as septic systems, serve 20% of U.S.
      households and are common in areas not served by wastewater treatment plants
      (WWTPs) globally. They can be sources of nutrients and pathogen pollution and
      have been linked to health effects in communities where they contaminate drinking
      water. However, few studies have evaluated their ability to remove organic
      wastewater compounds (OWCs) such as pharmaceuticals, hormones, and detergents. We
      synthesized results from 20 studies of 45 OWCs in conventional drainfield-based
      and alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems to characterize
      concentrations and removal. For comparison, we synthesized 31 studies of these
      same OWCs in activated sludge WWTPs. OWC concentrations and removal in
      drainfields varied widely and depended on wastewater sources and compound
      specific removal processes, primarily sorption and biotransformation. Compared to
      drainfields, alternative systems had similar median and higher maximum
      concentrations, reflecting a wider range of system designs and redox conditions.
      OWC concentrations and removal in drainfields were generally similar to those in
      conventional WWTPs. Persistent OWCs in groundwater and surface water can indicate
      the overall extent of septic system impact, while the presence of well-removed
      OWCs, such as caffeine and acetaminophen, may indicate discharges of poorly
      treated wastewater from failing or outdated septic systems.

PMID- 28617597
TI  - Ruthenium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Oxalyl Amide-Protected Benzylamines with
      Isocyanate as the Carbonyl Source.
AB  - An efficient synthesis of isoindolin-1-ones from oxalyl amide-protected
      benzylamines, through ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular C(sp2)-H carbonylation,
      has been developed. Variously substituted benzylamines could be well tolerated in
      this new protocol, affording the corresponding products in moderate to excellent
      yields. This approach constitutes the first example of Ru(II)-catalyzed C(sp2)-H
      carbonylation with isocyanate as a novel commercially available carbonyl source.

PMID- 28617598
TI  - Withanolides from Aeroponically Grown Physalis peruviana and Their Selective
      Cytotoxicity to Prostate Cancer and Renal Carcinoma Cells.
AB  - Investigation of aeroponically grown Physalis peruviana resulted in the isolation
      of 11 new withanolides, including perulactones I-L (1-4), 17-deoxy-23beta
      hydroxywithanolide E (5), 23beta-hydroxywithanolide E (6), 4-deoxyphyperunolide A
      (7), 7beta-hydroxywithanolide F (8), 7beta-hydroxy-17-epi-withanolide K (9),
      24,25-dihydro-23beta,28-dihydroxywithanolide G (10), and 24,25-dihydrowithanolide
      E (11), together with 14 known withanolides (12-25). The structures of 1-11 were
      elucidated by the analysis of their spectroscopic data, and 12-25 were identified
      by comparison of their spectroscopic data with those reported. All withanolides
      were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a panel of tumor cell lines
      including LNCaP (androgen-sensitive human prostate adenocarcinoma), 22Rv1
      (androgen-resistant human prostate adenocarcinoma), ACHN (human renal
      adenocarcinoma), M14 (human melanoma), SK-MEL-28 (human melanoma), and normal
      human foreskin fibroblast cells. Of these, the 17beta-hydroxywithanolides (17
      BHWs) 6, 8, 9, 11-13, 15, and 19-22 showed selective cytotoxic activity against
      the two prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and 22Rv1, whereas 13 and 20 exhibited
      selective toxicity for the ACHN renal carcinoma cell line. These cytotoxicity
      data provide additional structure-activity relationship information for the 17
      BHWs.

PMID- 28617600
TI  - First-Principles Interaction Analysis Assessment of the Manganese Cation in the
      Catalytic Activity of Glycosyltransferases.
AB  - The energetic effect of water substitution reactions in hexacoordinated [Mn(H2O)6
      nLzn]2+nz complexes with L = methanol, formic acid, formamide, formate,
      imidazole, and diphosphate is quantitatively analyzed at the MP2/triple-zeta
      level of theory. Subsequently, the state-of-the-art open shell symmetry-adapted
      perturbation theory (SAPT) analysis of the interaction energies of Mn2+...ligand
      dimers with selected O-, S-, and N-binding ligands is presented and compared to
      similar interactions of Mg2+ and Zn2+ ions. We find that the induction energies
      in the dimers with manganese are almost twice as large as in dimers with
      magnesium. The total interaction energies rise in the order Mn2+ < Mg2+ < Zn2+.
      The calculations of the Mn2+ -> Mg2+ replacement reaction suggest that metal
      dependent glycosyltransferases influence the binding preference of Mn2+ over Mg2+
      by inserting amino acids that coordinate the metal via nitrogen or sulfur into
      their active site.

PMID- 28617599
TI  - Effects of the Adulteration Technique on the Near-Infrared Detection of Melamine
      in Milk Powder.
AB  - The United States Pharmacopeial Convention has led an international collaborative
      project to develop a toolbox of screening methods and reference standards for the
      detection of milk powder adulteration. During the development of adulterated milk
      powder reference standards, blending methods used to combine melamine and milk
      had unanticipated strong effects on the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum of melamine.
      The prominent absorbance band at 1468 nm of melamine was retained when it was dry
      blended with skim milk powder but disappeared in wet-blended mixtures, where
      spray-dried milk powder samples were prepared from solution. Analyses using
      polarized light microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, dielectric relaxation
      spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and mass spectrometry indicated that wet
      blending promoted reversible and early Maillard reactions with lactose that are
      responsible for differences in melamine NIR spectra between wet- and dry-blended
      samples. Targeted detection estimates based solely on dry-blended reference
      standards are likely to overestimate NIR detection capabilities in wet-blended
      samples as a result of previously overlooked matrix effects arising from changes
      in melamine hydrogen-bonding status, covalent complexation with lactose, and the
      lower but more homogeneous melamine local concentration distribution produced in
      wet-blended samples. Techniques used to incorporate potential adulterants can
      determine the suitability of milk reference standards for use with rapid
      detection methods.

PMID- 28617601
TI  - Effects of the Surface Morphology and Conformations of Lignocellulosic Biomass
      Biopolymers on Their Nanoscale Interactions with Hydrophobic Self-Assembled
      Monolayers.
AB  - The effects of the morphology and conformations of the surface biopolymers
      present on lignocellulosic biomass as well as their steric hindrance on enzymatic
      adsorption to biomass surfaces remain elusive. In a step to better understand
      these effects, nanoscale steric forces between a model surface that represents
      the hydrophobic residues of a cellulase enzyme and a set of reference
      lignocellulosic substrates were measured using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in
      liquid media. The reference substrates investigated were prepared by kraft,
      sulfite, and organosolv pulping pretreatment methods and varied in their surface
      lignin, xylan, and acetone extractives' contents. Measured steric forces were
      quantified through fitting to a model developed to describe polyelectrolytes
      brushes in terms of a brush thickness and a brush grafting density. Our data
      indicated that cellulose microfibrils extend from the microfibril matrix leading
      to a long-range steric repulsion and low attractive forces to the hydrophobic
      model of the enzyme, suggesting that steric hindering can be a possible mechanism
      for nonproductive binding of enzymes to cellulose. When the amount of xylan
      increased in the absence of lignin, steric repulsions between the hydrophobic
      model of the enzyme, and biomass biopolymers decreased as a result of collapsed
      cellulose microfibrils and adhesion forces increased. This suggests that leaving
      a small amount of xylan after biomass pretreatment can help improve enzymatic
      binding to cellulose. Irrespective of the type of lignin present on biomass,
      grafting densities increased and brush thicknesses decreased compared to those of
      lignin-free substrates. When compared to lignin-free substrates, lignin
      containing substrates had higher attractive forces and lower steric repulsive
      forces. In addition, AFM images of the reference substrates in the wet and dry
      states showed that lignin precipitates on the biomass surface where kraft lignin
      had the highest particle size leading to a limited accessibility of the enzyme to
      the cellulose in biomass. When the effects of lignin precipitate size, the
      adhesion force, and steric forces on nonproductive enzymatic binding were all
      considered, our results indicate that organosolv pretreatment should be the
      treatment of choice to minimize enzymatic nonproductive binding to lignin.

PMID- 28617602
TI  - Rewriting Electron-Transfer Kinetics at Pyrolytic Carbon Electrodes Decorated
      with Nanometric Ruthenium Oxide.
AB  - Platinum is state-of-the-art for fast electron transfer whereas carbon
      electrodes, which have semimetal electronic character, typically exhibit slow
      electron-transfer kinetics. But when we turn to practical electrochemical
      devices, we turn to carbon. To move energy devices and electro(bio)analytical
      measurements to a new performance curve requires improved electron-transfer rates
      at carbon. We approach this challenge with electroless deposition of disordered,
      nanoscopic anhydrous ruthenium oxide at pyrolytic carbon prepared by thermal
      decomposition of benzene (RuOx@CVD-C). We assessed traditionally fast, chloride
      assisted ([Fe(CN)6]3-/4-) and notoriously slow ([Fe(H2O)6]3+/2+) electron
      transfer redox probes at CVD-C and RuOx@CVD-C electrodes and calculated standard
      heterogeneous rate constants as a function of heat treatment to crystallize the
      disordered RuOx domains to their rutile form. For the fast electron-transfer
      probe, [Fe(CN)6]3-/4-, the rate increases by 34* over CVD-C once the RuOx is
      calcined to form crystalline rutile RuO2. For the classically outer-sphere
      [Fe(H2O)6]3+/2+, electron-transfer rates increase by an even greater degree over
      CVD-C (55*). The standard heterogeneous rate constant for each probe approaches
      that observed at Pt but does so using only minimal loadings of RuOx.

PMID- 28617603
TI  - Antifouling Stripes Prepared from Clickable Zwitterionic Copolymers.
AB  - In this study, we have fabricated robust patterned surfaces that contain
      biocompatible and antifouling stripes, which cause microorganisms to consolidate
      into bare silicon spaces. Copolymers of methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine
      (MPC) and a methacrylate-substituted dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) were spin-coated
      onto silicon substrates. The MPC units contributed biocompatibility and
      antifouling properties, and the DHLA units enabled cross-linking and the
      formation of robust thin films. Photolithography enabled the formation of 200-MUm
      wide poly(MPC-DHLA) stripped patterns that were characterized using atomic force
      microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and rhodamine 6G
      staining. Regardless of the spacing between poly(MPC-DHLA) stripes (10, 50, or
      100 MUm), Escherichia coli rapidly adhered to the bare silicon gaps that lacked
      the copolymer, confirming the antifouling nature of MPC. Overall, this work
      provides a surface modification strategy for generating alternating biofouling
      and nonfouling surface structures that are potentially applicable for researchers
      studying cell biology, drug screening, and biosensor technology.

PMID- 28617604
TI  - Directional Emission from Dielectric Leaky-Wave Nanoantennas.
AB  - An important source of innovation in nanophotonics is the idea to scale down
      known radio wave technologies to the optical regime. One thoroughly investigated
      example of this approach are metallic nanoantennas which employ plasmonic
      resonances to couple localized emitters to selected far-field modes. While metals
      can be treated as perfect conductors in the microwave regime, their response
      becomes Drude-like at optical frequencies. Thus, plasmonic nanoantennas are
      inherently lossy. Moreover, their resonant nature requires precise control of the
      antenna geometry. A promising way to circumvent these problems is the use of
      broadband nanoantennas made from low-loss dielectric materials. Here, we report
      on highly directional emission from hybrid dielectric leaky-wave nanoantennas
      made of Hafnium dioxide nanostructures deposited on a glass substrate. Colloidal
      semiconductor quantum dots deposited in the nanoantenna feed gap serve as a local
      light source. The emission patterns of hybrid nanoantennas with different sizes
      are measured by Fourier imaging. We find for all antenna sizes a highly
      directional emission, underlining the broadband operation of our design.

PMID- 28617605
TI  - Arginine-Based Polymer Brush Coatings with Hydrolysis-Triggered Switchable
      Functionalities from Antimicrobial (Cationic) to Antifouling (Zwitterionic).
AB  - Arginine polymer based coatings with switchable properties were developed on
      glass slides (GS) to demonstrate the smart transition from antimicrobial
      (cationic) to fouling-resistant (zwitterionic) surfaces. l-Arginine methyl ester
      methacryloylamide (Arg-Est) and l-arginine-methacryloylamide (Arg-Me) polymer
      brushes were grafted from the GS surface via surface-initiated reversible
      addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization. In comparison to
      the pristine GS and Arg-Me graft polymerized GS (GS-Arg-Me) surfaces, the Arg-Est
      polymer brushes-functionalized GS surfaces exhibit a superior antimicrobial
      activity. Upon hydrolysis treatment, the strong bactericidal efficacy switches to
      good resistance to adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA), the adhesion of Gram
      positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia
      coli, as well as the attachment of Amphora coffeaeformis. In addition, the
      switchable coatings are proven to be biocompatible. The stability and durability
      of the switchable coatings are also ascertained after exposure to filtered
      seawater for 30 days. Therefore, deposition of the proposed "smart coatings"
      offers another environmentally friendly alternative for combating biofouling.

PMID- 28617606
TI  - Rapid Three-Dimensional Printing in Water Using Semiconductor-Metal Hybrid
      Nanoparticles as Photoinitiators.
AB  - Additive manufacturing processes enable fabrication of complex and functional
      three-dimensional (3D) objects ranging from engine parts to artificial organs.
      Photopolymerization, which is the most versatile technology enabling such
      processes through 3D printing, utilizes photoinitiators that break into radicals
      upon light absorption. We report on a new family of photoinitiators for 3D
      printing based on hybrid semiconductor-metal nanoparticles. Unlike conventional
      photoinitiators that are consumed upon irradiation, these particles form radicals
      through a photocatalytic process. Light absorption by the semiconductor nanorod
      is followed by charge separation and electron transfer to the metal tip, enabling
      redox reactions to form radicals in aerobic conditions. In particular, we
      demonstrate their use in 3D printing in water, where they simultaneously form
      hydroxyl radicals for the polymerization and consume dissolved oxygen that is a
      known inhibitor. We also demonstrate their potential for two-photon
      polymerization due to their giant two-photon absorption cross section.

PMID- 28617607
TI  - Structural Transformations in Two-Dimensional Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide
      MoS2 under an Electron Beam: Insights from First-Principles Calculations.
AB  - The polymorphism of two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)
      and different electronic properties of the polymorphs make TMDs particularly
      promising materials in the context of applications in electronics. Recently,
      local transformations from the semiconducting trigonal prismatic H phase to the
      metallic octahedral T phase in 2D MoS2 have been induced by electron irradiation
      [ Nat. Nanotech. 2014 , 9 , 391 ], but the mechanism of the transformations
      remains elusive. Using density functional theory calculations, we study the
      energetics of the stable and metastable phases of 2D MoS2 when additional charge,
      mechanical strain, and vacancies are present. We also investigate the role of
      finite temperatures, which appear to be critical for the transformations. On the
      basis of the results of our calculations, we propose an explanation for the beam
      induced transformations, which are likely promoted by charge redistribution in
      the monolayer due to electronic excitations combined with formation of vacancies
      under electron beam and buildup of the associated mechanical strain in the
      sample. As this mechanism should be relevant to other 2D TMDs, our results
      provide hints for further development and optimization of electron-beam-mediated
      engineering of the atomic structure and electronic properties of 2D TMDs with
      subnanometer resolution.

PMID- 28617608
TI  - Anti-Ice Nucleating Activity of Surfactants against Silver Iodide in Water-in-Oil
      Emulsions.
AB  - Various water-soluble substances are known as anti-ice nucleating agents (anti
      INAs), which inhibit heterogeneous ice nucleation initiated by ice nucleating
      agents (INAs). Among them, several surfactants are reportedly effective as anti
      INAs especially against silver iodide (AgI), which is a typical inorganic INA
      that induces heterogeneous ice nucleation at relatively high temperatures. In
      this study, the anti-ice nucleating activities of seven surfactants were examined
      in emulsified surfactant solutions containing AgI particles. Among previously
      reported anti-INAs (e.g., antifreeze proteins (AFPs), polyphenol compounds and
      synthetic polymers), a cationic surfactant used in this study,
      hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (C16TAB), showed the highest anti-ice
      nucleating activity against AgI. Based on the unique concentration-dependent
      dispersibility of AgI particles in C16TAB solution, the anti-ice nucleating
      activity of C16TAB must be caused by the adsorption of C16TAB molecules on AgI
      surfaces either as a monolayer or a bilayer depending on the C16TAB
      concentration.

PMID- 28617609
TI  - Transition-Metal-Free Photoinduced Intramolecular Annulation of 2,3
      Di(hetero)arylchromen-4-one.
AB  - An efficient transition-metal-free photoinduced intracyclization of 4H-chromen-4
      ones in EtOH-H2O (7:1, v/v) at ambient temperature for the construction of
      complicated fused-ring heteroaromatics is established. The reaction proceeds
      smoothly without requiring any catalysts/additives.

PMID- 28617610
TI  - Total Synthesis of the Cyclic Dodecapeptides Wewakazole and Wewakazole B.
AB  - The cyclic dodecapeptides wewakazole and wewakazole B have been synthesized by a
      divergent strategy via a common tris-proline containing oxazole octapeptide and
      two separate bis-oxazole containing tetrapeptide units, followed by peptide
      coupling and macrocyclization. The three oxazole amino acid fragments are readily
      accessible by rhodium(II)-catalyzed amide N-H insertion of diazocarbonyl
      compounds, or by the cycloaddition of rhodium carbenoids with nitriles.

PMID- 28617611
TI  - Palladium Catalyzed Arylation and Benzylation of Nitroarenes Using Aryl
      Sulfonates and Benzyl Acetates.
AB  - Pd-catalyzed arylation or benzylation of nitroazoles using aryl sulfonates or
      benzyl acetates is described. Electronically varied aryl tosylates and mesylates,
      as well as benzyl acetates, afford the arylated and benzylated products.
      Arylation of nitrobenzene is also reported. The relative rate for the arylation
      of halides is greater than that of tosylates using the reported reaction
      parameters. These studies enhance the scope of electrophiles for nitroarene
      arylations and benzylations, which was hitherto limited to the use of halide
      electrophiles.

PMID- 28617612
TI  - Effect of Urea on G-Quadruplex Stability.
AB  - G-quadruplexes represent a class of noncanonical nucleic acid structures
      implicated in transcriptional regulation, cellular function, and disease. An
      understanding of the forces involved in stabilization and destabilization of the
      G-quadruplex conformation relative to the duplex or single-stranded conformation
      is a key to elucidating the biological role of G-quadruplex-based genomic
      switches and the quest for therapeutic means for controlled induction or
      suppression of a G-quadruplex at selected genomic loci. Solute-solvent
      interactions provide a ubiquitous and, in many cases, the determining
      thermodynamic force in maintaining and modulating the stability of nucleic acids.
      These interactions involve water as well as water-soluble cosolvents that may be
      present in the solution or in the crowded environment in the cell. We present
      here the first quantitative investigation of the effect of urea, a destabilizing
      cosolvent, on the conformational preferences of a G-quadruplex formed by the
      telomeric d[A(G3T2A)3G3] sequence (Tel22). At 20 mM NaCl and room temperature,
      Tel22 undergoes a two-state urea-induced unfolding transition. An increase in
      salt mitigates the deleterious effect of urea on Tel22. The urea m-value of Tel22
      normalized per change in solvent-accessible surface area, DeltaSA, is similar to
      those for other DNA and RNA structures while being several-fold larger than that
      of proteins. Our results suggest that urea can be employed as an analytical tool
      in thermodynamic characterizations of G-quadruplexes in a manner similar to the
      use of urea in protein studies. We emphasize the need for further studies
      involving a larger selection of G-quadruplexes varying in sequence, topology
      (parallel, antiparallel, hybrid), and molecularity (monomolecular, bimolecular,
      tetramolecular) to outline the advantages and the limits of the use of urea in G
      quadruplex studies. A deeper understanding of the effect of solvent and
      cosolvents on the differential stability of the G-quadruplex and duplex
      conformations is a step toward elucidation of the modulating influence of
      different types of cosolvents on duplex-G-quadruplex molecular switches
      triggering genomic events.

PMID- 28617613
TI  - Additions of Organomagnesium Halides to alpha-Alkoxy Ketones: Revision of the
      Chelation-Control Model.
AB  - The chelation-control model explains the high diastereoselectivity obtained in
      additions of organometallic nucleophiles to alpha-alkoxy ketones but fails for
      reactions of allylmagnesium halides. Low diastereoselectivity in ethereal
      solvents results from no chelation-induced rate acceleration. Additions of
      allylmagnesium bromide to carbonyl compounds are diastereoselective using CH2Cl2
      as the solvent even though rate acceleration is still absent. Stereoselectivity
      likely arises from the predominance of the chelated form in solution. Therefore,
      a revised chelation-control model is proposed.

PMID- 28617614
TI  - Effects of background color and symbol arrangement cues on construction of multi
      symbol messages by young children without disabilities: implications for aided
      AAC design.
AB  - Children whose speech does not meet their communication needs often benefit from
      augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The design of an AAC display
      may influence the child's ability to communicate effectively. The current study
      examined how symbol background color cues and symbol arrangement affected
      construction of multi-symbol messages using line-drawing symbols, by young
      children with typical development. Participants (N = 52) heard a spoken phrase
      matching a photograph and selected line drawings within a 4 * 4 array. Friedman
      two-way ANOVAs evaluated speed and accuracy of multi-symbol message construction
      under four conditions in which the background color and arrangement of symbols
      was manipulated. Participants demonstrated significantly faster response times
      when symbols were arranged by word-class category compared to no symbol
      arrangement. The majority of children responded faster when symbols had white
      backgrounds, but this effect failed to reach statistical significance. This study
      provides preliminary evidence suggesting the importance of symbol arrangement for
      young children. The findings highlight the need for caution when incorporating
      background color on displays for young children. Future research is needed to
      examine the effect of visual cues on children who use AAC and consider additional
      factors that could influence efficacy of symbol arrangement and background color
      use.

PMID- 28617615
TI  - Association between PNPLA3 gene polymorphisms and risk of hepatitis B virus
      related hepatocellular carcinoma in Han population in China:a case-control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Several recent studies showed that the genetic polymorphisms
      in the PNPLA3 region (rs738408, rs738409, rs2294918, rs2294919 and rs2281135)
      were with related to various kinds of liver diseases. We analyzed the five single
      nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for major HBV outcomes in Han Chinese. METHODS: A
      total of 2410 samples were involved and peripheral blood samples were collected
      in this study. The SNPs in the PNPLA3 region were genotyped by using Matrix
      assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry. RESULTS:
      Our study indicated the clear relationship between the PNPLA3 rs2294918,
      rs2294919 and HBV-related HCC after control for the effects of sex, drinking and
      smoking. Health subjects with the PNPLA3 rs2294919 TC genotype would have a 0.605
      (95% CI: 0.413, 0.886; p = .010) times lower odds of having HCC, and those with
      the rs2294918 AG genotype would have a 1.872 (95% CI: 1.256, 2.792; p = .002)
      times higher odds of having HCC, whereas the values of sex, age, drinking and
      smoking were fixed. In addition, CA haplotype of the haplotype block of rs738409
      and rs2281135 was also associated with HBV-related HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Our study
      suggested that PNPLA3 loci (rs2294918, rs2294919) were associated with HBV
      related HCC in Han Chinese.

PMID- 28617616
TI  - The Role of NrF2 in the Regulation of Periodontal Health and Disease.
AB  - Immune-related disease tolerance is an important defense strategy that
      facilitates the maintenance of health in organs and tissues that are commonly
      colonized by bacteria. Immune tolerance to dysbiotic, tooth-borne biofilms is a
      poorly understood yet clinically relevant concept in the immunopathological
      mechanisms that are involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis, particularly
      those related to neutrophil and macrophage responses. In periodontal health,
      neutrophils and macrophages respond to the formation of pathogenic bacterial
      biofilms by the production of bactericidal reactive oxygen species (ROS).
      However, when released in excess, ROS cause tissue damage and exacerbate
      inflammation. To counter these destructive responses, many cell types, including
      neutrophils and macrophages, launch a dedicated antioxidant system that limits
      the cell and tissue-damaging effects of ROS. The expression of antioxidants is
      primarily regulated by genetic response elements in their promoters. Here we
      consider the roles of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (NrF2), a
      transcription factor, and other key regulators of antioxidants. The concept of
      disease tolerance, neutrophil and macrophage-generated oxidative stress, and
      their relationship to the pathogenesis of periodontitis is reviewed. We focus on
      the regulation of NrF2 and recent evidence suggesting that NrF2 plays a central
      role in host protection against tissue destruction in periodontitis.

PMID- 28617617
TI  - Accuracy and User Performance Evaluation of a New, Wireless-enabled Blood Glucose
      Monitoring System That Links to a Smart Mobile Device.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The new Contour(r)Plus ONE blood glucose monitoring system (BGMS)
      features an easy-to-use, wireless-enabled blood glucose meter that links to a
      smart mobile device via Bluetooth(r) connectivity and can sync with the ContourTM
      Diabetes app on a smartphone or tablet. METHODS: The accuracy of the new BGMS was
      assessed in 2 studies according to ISO 15197:2013 criteria. In Study 1
      (laboratory study), fingertip capillary blood samples from 100 subjects were
      tested in duplicate using 3 test strip lots. In Study 2 (clinical study), 134
      subjects with type 1 or type 2 diabetes enrolled at 2 clinical sites. BGMS
      results and YSI analyzer (YSI) reference results were compared for fingertip
      blood obtained by untrained subjects' self-testing and for study staff-obtained
      fingertip, subject palm, and venous results. RESULTS: In Study 1, 99.0% (594/600)
      of combined results for all 3 test strip lots fulfilled ISO 15197:2013 Section
      6.3 accuracy criteria. In Study 2, 99.2% (133/134) of subject-obtained capillary
      fingertip results, 99.2% (133/134) of study staff-obtained fingertip results,
      99.2% (125/126) of subject-obtained palm results, and 100% (132/132) of study
      staff-obtained venous results met ISO 15197:2013 Section 8 accuracy criteria.
      Moreover, 95.5% (128/134) of subject-obtained fingertip self-test results were
      within +/-10 mg/dl (+/-0.6 mmol/L) or +/-10% of the YSI reference result.
      Questionnaire results showed that most subjects found the BGMS easy to use.
      CONCLUSIONS: The BGMS exceeded ISO 15197:2013 accuracy criteria both in the
      laboratory and in a clinical setting when used by untrained subjects with
      diabetes.

PMID- 28617618
TI  - Value-Based Calculators in Cancer: Current State and Challenges.
AB  - The ASCO Value Framework, National Comprehensive Cancer Network Evidence Blocks,
      Memorial Sloan Kettering's DrugAbacus, and Institute for Clinical and Economic
      Review incremental cost-effectiveness ratio calculator are value-based
      methodologies that attempt to address the disproportionate increase in cancer
      care spending. These calculators can be used as an initial step for discussing
      cost versus value, but they fall short in recognizing the importance of the
      cancer journey because they do not fully factor the patient's perspective or the
      global cost of care. This timely review highlights both the limitations and the
      advantages of each value calculator and suggests opportunities for refinement.
      Practicing oncologists, payers, and manufacturers should be familiar with value
      based calculators because the role these tools play in cost containment is likely
      to be hotly debated.

PMID- 28617619
TI  - Early Functional Outcomes of Periacetabular Osteotomy After Failed Hip
      Arthroscopic Surgery for Symptomatic Acetabular Dysplasia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Persistent acetabular dysplasia is a common reason for the failure of
      hip arthroscopic surgery; however, the effect of prior hip arthroscopic surgery
      on functional outcomes after subsequent periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is
      unknown. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to (1) compare
      demographic and radiological findings in patients who had and had not undergone
      previous hip arthroscopic surgery before PAO for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia
      and (2) compare the short-term, hip-specific patient-reported outcomes in these
      same patient populations. It was hypothesized that prior hip arthroscopic surgery
      is associated with worse early functional outcomes in PAO. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort
      study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study design was
      utilized. Patients undergoing PAO were enrolled from a single-center, prospective
      hip preservation registry from March 2011 to April 2015. Patients with a minimum
      of 1-year clinical follow-up with preoperative and postoperative outcome scores
      undergoing PAO were eligible for inclusion (n = 93 patients; mean clinical follow
      up, 24 months [range, 11-58 months]). The study group consisted of patients
      undergoing PAO for symptomatic hip dysplasia after prior hip arthroscopic surgery
      (PREVSCOPE group; 22 patients, 25 hips). Patients undergoing PAO without prior
      hip arthroscopic surgery (PAOALONE group; 71 patients, 85 hips) were included as
      a comparison group. Demographic and radiological variables were recorded.
      Postoperative functional outcome scores (modified Harris Hip Score [mHHS], Hip
      Outcome Score [HOS], and International Hip Outcome Tool [iHOT-33]) were recorded
      at 6 months and annually postoperatively. RESULTS: There were no demographic
      differences between the 2 groups at baseline. Acetabular version, femoral
      version, Tonnis grade, preoperative lateral center edge angle, and intraoperative
      procedures were not different between the 2 groups. At 1-year follow-up from the
      last hip surgical procedure, the mean (+/-SD) mHHS (73 +/- 14 vs 86 +/- 14,
      respectively; P < .001), HOS-Activities of Daily Living (84 +/- 12 vs 93 +/- 11,
      respectively; P = .007), HOS-Sport (62 +/- 25 vs 85 +/- 18, respectively; P <
      .001), and iHOT-33 (62 +/- 21 vs 79 +/- 20, respectively; P = .004) were
      decreased in the PREVSCOPE group versus the PAOALONE group. At last follow-up
      (mean, 18 months from the last hip surgical procedure), the mHHS and HOS-Sport
      were lower in the PREVSCOPE group versus the PAOALONE group. There was no
      difference in complication or reoperation rates between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION:
      Failed hip arthroscopic surgery before PAO for symptomatic hip dysplasia is
      associated with lower hip-specific functional outcomes within the first 1 year of
      follow-up despite similar baseline demographic and radiological characteristics.
      These differences persisted in certain outcome scores (mHHS, HOS-Sport) at last
      follow-up but were less pronounced than at 1 year.

PMID- 28617620
TI  - Atrial fibrillation and the risk for myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality
      and heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Background In contemporary atrial fibrillation trials most deaths are cardiac
      related, whereas stroke and bleeding represent only a small subset of deaths. We
      aimed to evaluate the long-term risk of cardiac events and all-cause mortality in
      individuals with atrial fibrillation compared to no atrial fibrillation. Design A
      systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between 1 January 2006
      and 21 October 2016. Methods Four databases were searched. Studies had follow-up
      of at least 500 stable patients for either cardiac endpoints or all-cause
      mortality for 12 months or longer. Publication bias was evaluated and random
      effects models were used to synthesise the results. Heterogeneity between studies
      was examined by subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Results A total of 15
      cohort studies was included. Analyses indicated that atrial fibrillation was
      associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (relative risk (RR)
      1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-1.85), all-cause mortality (RR 1.95, 95%
      CI 1.50-2.54) and heart failure (RR 4.62, 95% CI 3.13-6.83). Coronary heart
      disease at baseline was associated with a reduced risk of myocardial infarction
      and explained 57% of the heterogeneity. A prospective cohort design accounted for
      25% of all-cause mortality heterogeneity. Due to there being fewer than 10
      studies, sources of heterogeneity were inconclusive for heart failure.
      Conclusions Atrial fibrillation seems to be associated with an increased risk of
      subsequent myocardial infarction in patients without coronary heart disease and
      an increased risk of, all-cause mortality and heart failure in patients with and
      without coronary heart disease.

PMID- 28617621
TI  - The ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale for novel oncology drugs:
      correspondence with three years of reimbursement decisions in Israel.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The European Society for Medical Oncology published in 2015 its
      Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) for cancer medicines. Our
      objective was to evaluate the association between Israel's national reimbursement
      decisions regarding novel cancer drugs, prior to the availability of ESMO-MCBS,
      and the later published ESMO-MCBS scores. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: ESMO-MCBS
      scores were obtained retrospectively for the cancer drugs that were candidates
      for reimbursement in Israel in 2013-2015 and were categorized to 'highest
      benefit' (ESMO-MCBS 4-5 or A) 'medium benefit' (3 or B) and 'lowest benefit' (0-2
      or C). The reimbursement decisions were accessed and compared with the
      categorized ESMO scores. RESULTS: ESMO-MCBS score was available for 19/22 drugs
      approved for reimbursement and 15/16 non-approved drugs. 58% of the approved
      drugs gained a 'highest benefit' score and 37% were 'medium benefit'. 87% of the
      non-approved drugs had 'lowest benefit' scores. Median score for approved drugs
      was 4 vs. 1 for the non-approved (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The Israeli decisions
      regarding reimbursement of novel cancer drugs, demonstrated concordance with ESMO
      MCBS scores. Incorporation of ESMO-MCBS data in reimbursement deliberations could
      assist in framing the appropriate use of the limited resources to deliver
      effective and affordable cancer care.

PMID- 28617622
TI  - Treatment and Communication-That Is What Matters: An Analysis of Complaints
      Regarding End-of-Life Care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Investigating complaints concerning end-of-life (EoL) care is a
      necessary step for improving the quality of life at its final stage. OBJECTIVE:
      We aimed to classify and quantify the aspects of EoL care that require
      improvement by analyzing caregivers' feedback on the care their relatives
      received before death. DESIGN: A survey of primary family caregivers of deceased
      patients. SETTING/SUBJECTS: Relatives of decedents were recruited through two
      geriatric medical centers and from persons contacted for other studies, who
      reported losing a relative. Face-to-face interviews of 70 relatives of the
      deceased were conducted. The participants' mean age was 64, 68.6% were female,
      and most (57%) were born in Israel. Regarding relationship to the deceased, 74.3%
      were sons/daughters, 24.3% were spouses, and one (1.4%) was a cousin. MEASURES:
      Responses to the question "Is there something in the health system or the
      behavior of the doctors/nurses that you would recommend changing?" were analyzed
      qualitatively. RESULTS: 82.9% of participants had complaints about the care
      received. Within this, 62.9% related to provision of services, 51.4% to
      communication, 27.1% to system issues, 15.7% to institutional issues, and 10.0%
      to staffing issues. Qualitative analysis revealed potential causal relationships
      between these EoL issues. We therefore propose a theoretical model involving the
      distal factors of system, institution, and staff that impact the proximal factors
      of provision of services and communication. CONCLUSION: The new model has the
      potential to clarify directions in research, quality assessment, and intervention
      regarding end-of-life care.

PMID- 28617623
TI  - Timing of Aspirin and Other Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use Among
      Patients With Colorectal Cancer in Relation to Tumor Markers and Survival.
AB  - Purpose Regular use of aspirin is associated with improved survival for patients
      with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the timing of and the subtype of CRC that
      would benefit the most from using aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in relation to survival is unclear. Patients and
      Methods In all, 2,419 patients age 18 to 74 years with incident invasive CRC who
      were diagnosed from 1997 to 2008 were identified from population-based cancer
      registries in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Detailed epidemiologic
      questionnaires were administered at study enrollment and at 5-year follow-up.
      Survival outcomes were completed through linkage to national death registries.
      BRAF- and KRAS-mutation status, microsatellite instability, and CpG island
      methylator phenotype were also evaluated. Cox proportional hazards regression was
      used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for overall survival (OS) and
      CRC-specific survival. Results After a median of 10.8 years of follow-up since
      diagnosis, 381 deaths (100 as a result of CRC) were observed. Compared with
      nonusers, postdiagnostic aspirin-only users had more favorable OS (HR, 0.75; 95%
      CI, 0.59 to 0.95) and CRC-specific survival (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.71),
      especially among those who initiated aspirin use (OS: HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47 to
      0.86; CRC-specific survival: HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.80). The association
      between any NSAID use after diagnosis and OS differed significantly by KRAS
      mutation status ( Pinteraction = .01). Use of any NSAID after diagnosis was
      associated with improved OS only among participants with KRAS wild-type tumors
      (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.80) but not among those with KRAS-mutant tumors (HR,
      1.24; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.96). Conclusion Among long-term CRC survivors, regular
      use of NSAIDs after CRC diagnosis was significantly associated with improved
      survival in individuals with KRAS wild-type tumors.

PMID- 28617624
TI  - How Satisfied Are Patients When Their Choice of Funded Glucose Meter Is
      Restricted to a Single Brand?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many governments and insurers are driving down the cost of medical
      devices, including glucose meters, by the central management of purchasing
      decisions. We report patients' responses to an "enforced" change in brand of
      glucose meter, one year after the introduction of a national sole supplier
      arrangement for funded glucose meters and strips. METHOD: Specialist diabetes
      clinic attendees from two geographical locations completed a questionnaire one
      year after the final meter changeover date. In the first location, consecutive
      patients were asked to complete a glucose meter satisfaction questionnaire during
      their clinic visit. In the second location, this questionnaire was mailed to
      clinic attendees. Responses to open questions were analyzed thematically.
      RESULTS: Response rates were 85% and 31% from the first and second locations,
      respectively and 378 questionnaires were suitable for analysis, 309 from the
      first and 69 from the second location. Insulin users composed 90% of
      participants. Results from the two locations were broadly similar. Most
      participants adapted well to the changeover, however 36% reported ongoing
      dissatisfaction with their "new" meter. The commonest concern, expressed by 23%
      of participants, related to meter accuracy and precision. CONCLUSIONS: One year
      after glucose meter changeover, a third of participants expressed dissatisfaction
      with their meter, with many participants describing a failure to adapt to the
      sole supplier arrangement. Providing a choice of meters and strips, ideally from
      two or more brands that have demonstrable differences in technical and ergonomic
      features, is likely to produce higher overall patient satisfaction than is a sole
      supplier arrangement.

PMID- 28617626
TI  - Understanding the rules governing NCX1 palmitoylation.

PMID- 28617627
TI  - Effect of position, time in the season, and playing surface on Achilles tendon
      ruptures in NFL games: a 2009-10 to 2016-17 review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Achilles tendon (AT) ruptures are a potentially career-altering and
      ending injury. Achilles tendon ruptures have a below average return-to-play rate
      compared to other common orthopaedic procedures for National Football League
      (NFL) players. The objective of this study was to monitor the incidence and
      injury rates (IR) of AT ruptures that occurred during the regular season in order
      to evaluate the influence of player position, time of injury, and playing surface
      on rupture rates. METHODS: A thorough online review was completed to identify
      published injury reports and public information regarding AT ruptures sustained
      during regular season and post-season games in the National Football League (NFL)
      during the 2009-10 to 2016-17 seasons. Team schedules, player position details
      and stadium information was used to determine period of the season of injury and
      playing surface. IRs were calculated per 100 team games (TG). Injury rate ratios
      (IRR) were utilized to compare IRs. RESULTS: During eight monitored seasons,
      there were 44 AT ruptures in NFL games. A majority of AT ruptures were sustained
      in the first eight games of the regular season (n = 32, 72.7%). There was a
      significant rate difference for the first and second four-game segments of the
      regular season compared to the last two four-game segments of the regular season.
      Defensive players suffered a majority of AT ruptures (n = 32, 72.7%). The IR on
      grass was 1.00 per 100 TG compared to 1.08 per 100 TG on artificial turf (IRR:
      0.93, p = .80). CONCLUSION: A significant increase in AT ruptures occurred in the
      first and second four game segments of the regular season compared to the last
      two-four game segments of the regular season. Defensive players suffered a
      majority of AT ruptures compared to offensive or specialist players. There was no
      difference between AT rupture rates and playing surface in games.

PMID- 28617628
TI  - Pilot Study of a Novel Application for Data Visualization in Type 1 Diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A novel software application, Blip, was created to combine and
      display diabetes data from multiple devices in a uniform, user-friendly manner.
      The objective of this study was to test the usability of this application by
      adults and caregivers of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: Patients
      (n = 35) and caregivers of children with T1D (n = 30) using an insulin pump for
      >1 year +/- CGM were given access to the software for 3 months. Diabetes
      management practices and the use of diabetes data were assessed at baseline and
      at study end, and feedback was gathered in a concluding questionnaire. RESULTS:
      At baseline, 97% of participants agreed it was important for patients to know how
      to interpret glucose data. Most felt that clinicians and patients should share
      the tasks of reviewing data, finding patterns, and making changes to their
      insulin plans. However, despite valuing shared responsibility, at baseline, 43%
      of participants never downloaded pump data, and only 9% did so at least once per
      month. At study end, 72% downloaded data at least once during the 3-month study,
      and 38% downloaded at least once per month. Regarding the software application,
      participants liked the central repository of data and the user interface.
      Suggestions included providing tools for understanding and interpreting glucose
      patterns, an easier uploading process, and access with mobile devices.
      CONCLUSIONS: Collaboration between developers and researchers prompted iterative,
      rapid development of data visualization software and improvements in the
      uploading process and user interface, which facilitates clinical integration and
      future clinical studies.

PMID- 28617629
TI  - Bio-extract-mediated ZnO nanoparticles: microwave-assisted synthesis,
      characterization and antidiabetic activity evaluation.
AB  - Herein, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using microwave-assisted method in the
      presence of Vaccinium arctostaphylos L, fruits extract. The structure, size,
      morphology and optical properties of the samples were characterized by XRD, SEM,
      TEM, EDX, FT-IR, UV-vis DRS and TGA analysis. A decrease in crystallite size was
      observed for the biologically synthesized ZnO compared to the chemically
      synthesized sample. Furthermore, the existence of organic moieties over the
      biologically synthesized ZnO NPs was approved using characterizing methods. Then,
      the alloxan-induced diabetic rats were divided into not treated (diabetic control
      group), and the groups received: insulin, chemically synthesized ZnO, plant
      extract, biologically synthesized ZnO with a normal healthy control group. After
      treatment, fasting blood glucose (FBS), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), total
      triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and insulin were measured. Analysis
      showed a significant decrease in FBS and increase in HDL levels in all groups
      under treatment. However, the results for cholesterol reduction were only
      significant for the group treated by biologically synthesized ZnO. Despite the
      changes in the triglyceride and insulin levels, the results were not significant.
      For all the studied parameters, bio-mediated ZnO NPs were found the most
      effective in treating the alloxan-diabetic rats compared to the other studied
      treatment agents.

PMID- 28617630
TI  - The cutting edge of platelets.

PMID- 28617631
TI  - Sixty-Five Million Years of Change in Temperature and Topography Explain
      Evolutionary History in Eastern North American Plethodontid Salamanders.
AB  - For many taxa and systems, species richness peaks at midelevations. One potential
      explanation for this pattern is that large-scale changes in climate and geography
      have, over evolutionary time, selected for traits that are favored under
      conditions found in contemporary midelevation regions. To test this hypothesis,
      we use records of historical temperature and topographic changes over the past 65
      Myr to construct a general simulation model of plethodontid salamander evolution
      in eastern North America. We then explore possible mechanisms constraining
      species to midelevation bands by using the model to predict plethodontid
      evolutionary history and contemporary geographic distributions. Our results show
      that models that incorporate both temperature and topographic changes are better
      able to predict these patterns, suggesting that both processes may have played an
      important role in driving plethodontid evolution in the region. Additionally, our
      model (whose annotated source code is included as a supplement) represents a
      proof of concept to encourage future work that takes advantage of recent advances
      in computing power to combine models of ecology, evolution, and earth history to
      better explain the abundance and distribution of species over time.

PMID- 28617632
TI  - Evolutionary Determinants of Morphological Polymorphism in Colonial Animals.
AB  - Colonial animals commonly exhibit morphologically polymorphic modular units that
      are phenotypically distinct and specialize in specific functional tasks. But how
      and why these polymorphic modules have evolved is poorly understood. Across
      colonial invertebrates, there is wide variation in the degree of polymorphism,
      from none in colonial ascidians to extreme polymorphism in siphonophores, such as
      the Portuguese man-of-war. Bryozoa are a phylum of exclusively colonial
      invertebrates that uniquely exhibit almost the entire range of polymorphism, from
      monomorphic species to others that rival siphonophores in their polymorphic
      complexity. Previous approaches to understanding the evolution of polymorphism
      have been based on analyses of (1) the functional role of polymorphs or (2)
      presumed evolutionary costs and benefits based on evolutionary theory that
      postulates polymorphism should be evolutionarily sustainable only in more stable
      environments because polymorphism commonly leads to the loss of feeding and
      sexual competence. Here we use bryozoans from opposite shores of the Isthmus of
      Panama to revisit the environmental hypothesis by comparison of faunas from
      distinct oceanographic provinces that differ greatly in environmental
      variability, and we then examine the correlations between the extent of
      polymorphism in relation to patterns of ecological succession and variation in
      life histories. We find no support for the environmental hypothesis.
      Distributions of the incidence of polymorphism in the oceanographically unstable
      Eastern Pacific are indistinguishable from those in the more stable Caribbean. In
      contrast, the temporal position of species in a successional sequence is
      collinear with the degree of polymorphism because species with fewer types of
      polymorphs are competitively replaced by species with higher numbers of
      polymorphs on the same substrata. Competitively dominant species also exhibit
      patterns of growth that increase their competitive ability. The association
      between degrees of polymorphism and variations in life histories is fundamental
      to understanding of the macroevolution of polymorphism.

PMID- 28617633
TI  - When Predators Help Prey Adapt and Persist in a Changing Environment.
AB  - To persist in a changing world, populations must adapt. The ability to adapt is
      influenced by interactions with other species, such as predators. Recent
      experiments and theory suggest that selective pressures arising from predation
      may help prey adapt phenotypically to changing environments, but how this
      influences persistence remains unclear. In particular, it has not yet been shown
      whether predator-induced adaptation can outweigh predator-imposed reductions in
      population size, allowing prey to persist when they would otherwise go extinct.
      Here we examine if (and if so, how) predation can enhance the ability of prey to
      persist in a directionally changing environment. To do so, we extend a single
      species quantitative-genetics framework that predicts rates of environmental
      change beyond which populations go extinct. While we assume predation decreases
      prey density, we find that predators can indeed help prey persist if they
      sufficiently increase prey adaptedness (decrease phenotypic lag). We show two
      ways this can occur: (1) the selective push, in which predators consume
      maladapted individuals and thus add selection that pushes the mean prey trait
      toward its optimum; and (2) the evolutionary hydra effect, when predation reduces
      prey density and thereby increases prey birthrate, allowing more selective events
      per unit time and effectively reducing generation time. We also discuss how our
      results apply more broadly to sources of mortality beyond predation.

PMID- 28617634
TI  - Dramatic Fighting by Male Cuttlefish for a Female Mate.
AB  - Male cuttlefish compete for females with a repertoire of visually dramatic
      behaviors. Laboratory experiments have explored this system in Sepia officinalis,
      but corroborative field data have eluded collection attempts by many researchers.
      While scuba diving in Turkey, we fortuitously filmed an intense sequence of
      consort/intruder behaviors in which the consort lost and then regained his female
      mate from the intruder. These agonistic bouts escalated in stages, leading to
      fast dramatic expression of the elaborate intense zebra display and culminating
      in biting and inking as the intruder male attempted a forced copulation of the
      female. When analyzed in the context of game theory, the patterns of fighting
      behavior were more consistent with mutual assessment than self-assessment of
      fighting ability. Additional observations of these behaviors in nature are needed
      to conclusively determine which models best represent conflict resolution, but
      our field observations agree with laboratory findings and provide a valuable
      perspective.

PMID- 28617635
TI  - Unexpected Nongenetic Individual Heterogeneity and Trait Covariance in Daphnia
      and Its Consequences for Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics.
AB  - Individual differences in genetics, age, or environment can cause tremendous
      differences in individual life-history traits. This individual heterogeneity
      generates demographic heterogeneity at the population level, which is predicted
      to have a strong impact on both ecological and evolutionary dynamics. However, we
      know surprisingly little about the sources of individual heterogeneity for
      particular taxa or how different sources scale up to impact ecological and
      evolutionary dynamics. Here we experimentally study the individual heterogeneity
      that emerges from both genetic and nongenetic sources in a species of freshwater
      zooplankton across a large gradient of food quality. Despite the tight control of
      environment, we still find that the variation from nongenetic sources is greater
      than that from genetic sources over a wide range of food quality and that this
      variation has strong positive covariance between growth and reproduction. We
      evaluate the general consequences of genetic and nongenetic covariance for
      ecological and evolutionary dynamics theoretically and find that increasing
      nongenetic variation slows evolution independent of the correlation in heritable
      life-history traits but that the impact on ecological dynamics depends on both
      nongenetic and genetic covariance. Our results demonstrate that variation in the
      relative magnitude of nongenetic versus genetic sources of variation impacts the
      predicted ecological and evolutionary dynamics.

PMID- 28617636
TI  - A Sea Scorpion's Strike: New Evidence of Extreme Lateral Flexibility in the
      Opisthosoma of Eurypterids.
AB  - Among the largest and most abundant aquatic predators during much of the early
      evolution of vertebrates, eurypterids have long been an iconic and intensely
      studied group of Paleozoic arthropods. We report a new specimen of the eurypterid
      Slimonia acuminata, which includes a fully articulated series of tail
      (postabdominal and telsonal) segments preserved in a tight lateral curve. Such a
      high degree of apparent lateral tail flexibility has not been previously
      recognized in eurypterids. From the perspective of hydrodynamics, the
      dorsoventrally flattened body plan of eurypterids would have limited the
      effectiveness of lateral tail motion as a means of propulsion. However, the long
      and serrated terminal tail spine of S. acuminata (and other eurypterids) would
      have made lateral tail strikes-which would have met a minimum of hydraulic
      resistance-an effective means of predatory attack and self-defense. Thus, many
      eurypterids are reinterpreted as substantially better-armed predators than
      previously supposed.

PMID- 28617637
TI  - How Parallel Is Parallel Evolution? A Comparative Analysis in Fishes.
AB  - Evidence of phenotypic parallelism is often used to infer the deterministic role
      played by natural selection. However, variation in the extent or direction of
      divergence is often evident among independent evolutionary replicates, raising
      the following question: just how parallel, overall, is parallel evolution? We
      answer this question through a comparative analysis of studies of fishes, a taxon
      where parallel evolution has been much discussed. We first ask how much of the
      among-population variance in phenotypic traits can be explained by different
      "environment" types, such as high predation versus low predation or benthic
      versus limnetic. We then use phenotypic change vector analysis to quantify
      variation in the direction (vector angles) and magnitude (vector lengths) of
      environment-associated divergence. All analyses show high variation in the extent
      of parallelism-from very high to very low, along with everything in between
      highlighting the importance of quantifying parallelism rather than just asserting
      its presence. Interestingly, instances of low extents of parallelism represent
      important components of divergence in many cases, promising considerable
      opportunities for inferences about the factors shaping phenotypic divergence.

PMID- 28617638
TI  - Frontispiece (1929).

PMID- 28617639
TI  - Genetic Correlations among Developmental and Contextual Behavioral Plasticity in
      Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Correlations among traits, including behaviors, are important because traits that
      are genetically correlated may not evolve independently. Recently, behavioral
      correlations research has expanded to include correlations not only in mean-level
      behaviors but also in behavioral plasticity, that is, the degree to which
      individuals change their behavior in response to environmental stimuli. Positive
      correlations among behavioral plasticities would imply that individuals or
      genotypes that are behaviorally plastic in one way may also be plastic in other
      ways; negative correlations could imply trade-offs. Here, we examine aversive
      odor conditioning (learning) at two time points and plasticity in pupation site
      selection behavior across substrates in a panel of Drosophila genotypes. These
      behaviors represent different types of behavioral plasticity: contextual
      plasticity describes behavioral responses to stimuli that are currently present,
      while developmental plasticity describes behavioral responses to remembered
      experiences with stimuli in the recent past. We find that learning scores and
      plasticity in pupation site selection behavior are positively genetically
      correlated, representing the first example of a genetic correlation between
      developmental and contextual plasticity. These findings imply that ecological and
      evolutionary theories focusing on variation in a single dimension of behavioral
      plasticity may be incomplete.

PMID- 28617640
TI  - Microhabitat and Climatic Niche Change Explain Patterns of Diversification among
      Frog Families.
AB  - A major goal of ecology and evolutionary biology is to explain patterns of
      species richness among clades. Differences in rates of net diversification
      (speciation minus extinction over time) may often explain these patterns, but the
      factors that drive variation in diversification rates remain uncertain. Three
      important candidates are climatic niche position (e.g., whether clades are
      primarily temperate or tropical), rates of climatic niche change among species
      within clades, and microhabitat (e.g., aquatic, terrestrial, arboreal). The first
      two factors have been tested separately in several studies, but the relative
      importance of all three is largely unknown. Here we explore the correlates of
      diversification among families of frogs, which collectively represent ~88% of
      amphibian species. We assemble and analyze data on phylogeny, climate, and
      microhabitat for thousands of species. We find that the best-fitting phylogenetic
      multiple regression model includes all three types of variables: microhabitat,
      rates of climatic niche change, and climatic niche position. This model explains
      67% of the variation in diversification rates among frog families, with arboreal
      microhabitat explaining ~31%, niche rates ~25%, and climatic niche position ~11%.
      Surprisingly, we show that microhabitat can have a much stronger influence on
      diversification than climatic niche position or rates of climatic niche change.

PMID- 28617641
TI  - Decreasing Stoichiometric Resource Quality Drives Compensatory Feeding across
      Trophic Levels in Tropical Litter Invertebrate Communities.
AB  - Living organisms are constrained by both resource quantity and quality.
      Ecological stoichiometry offers important insights into how the elemental
      composition of resources affects their consumers. If resource quality decreases,
      consumers can respond by shifting their body stoichiometry, avoiding low-quality
      resources, or up-regulating feeding rates to maintain the supply of required
      elements while excreting excess carbon (i.e., compensatory feeding). We analyzed
      multitrophic consumer body stoichiometry, biomass, and feeding rates along a
      resource-quality gradient in the litter of tropical forest and rubber and oil
      palm plantations. Specifically, we calculated macroinvertebrate feeding rates
      based on consumer metabolic demand and assimilation efficiency. Using linear
      mixed effects models, we assessed resource-quality effects on macroinvertebrate
      detritivore and predator communities. We did not detect shifts in consumer body
      stoichiometry or decreases in consumer biomass in response to declining resource
      quality, as indicated by increasing carbon-to-nitrogen ratios. However, across
      trophic levels, we found a strong indication of decreasing resource quality
      leading to increased consumer feeding rates through altered assimilation
      efficiency and community body size structure. Our study reveals the influence of
      resource quality on multitrophic consumer feeding rates and suggests compensatory
      feeding to be more common across consumer trophic levels than was formerly known.

PMID- 28617642
TI  - Extinction Risk and Lack of Evolutionary Rescue under Resource Depletion or Area
      Reduction.
AB  - Evolutionary adaptations following environmental deterioration can sometimes
      rescue populations from extinction. Here we provide a scenario in which such
      evolutionary rescue will be difficult. Using a rather general model for
      fluctuating r- and K-selection in a density-dependent population, we show that
      reduction of available resources will not necessarily induce evolution of
      adaptations to counteract such changes provided that density regulation acts
      through available resources per individual. In large populations, resource
      depletion may induce a change in stationary distribution of population size while
      the optimal phenotype remains unchanged. Under a period of continuous reduction
      in available resources, increased strength of K-selection will occur in the sense
      that individuals are able to live and reproduce under less favorable conditions.
      Smaller growth rates as a consequence of K-selection and trade-offs between
      intrinsic growth rate r and carrying capacity K may then have a considerable
      negative effect on the persistence of the population even after the reduction of
      available resources is stopped. This negative effect comes in addition to the
      purely ecological effect of reduced time to extinction because of a reduction in
      K and increased demographic stochasticity. Continuous reduction in the available
      area or in available resources per individual may result in long-run
      maladaptation even if demographic noise increases and, finally but too late,
      induces r-selection.

PMID- 28617643
TI  - Network Structure and Selection Asymmetry Drive Coevolution in Species-Rich
      Antagonistic Interactions.
AB  - Ecological interactions shape and are shaped by the evolution of interacting
      species. Mathematical models and empirical work have explored the multiple ways
      coevolution could occur in small sets of species, revealing that the addition of
      even one species can change the coevolutionary dynamics of a pairwise
      interaction. As a consequence, one of the current challenges in evolutionary
      biology is to understand how species-rich assemblages evolve and coevolve as
      networks of interacting species. We combined an adaptive network framework, a
      trait evolutionary model, and data on network structure to study how network
      organization affects and is affected by selection in antagonistic interactions
      such as parasitism, predation, and herbivory. We explored how selection imposed
      by interactions shapes the evolution of attack and defense traits, parameterizing
      our models with structural information from 31 empirical assemblages of
      antagonistic species. In the simulations, the form of coevolution in antagonistic
      interactions is affected by the intensity and asymmetry of the selection imposed
      by the interacting partners. Transient escalation in attack and defensive traits
      was the most prevalent form of coevolutionary dynamics, especially in networks
      formed by modules of highly interacting species. Fluctuating evolution of traits
      was observed when the intensity of selection was higher in exploiters than in
      victims and was especially favored in nested networks. At the species level,
      highly connected species experienced higher temporal variation in selection
      regardless of the network structure, resulting in high trait mismatching with
      their partners. The mismatched patterns of highly connected species, in turn, may
      explain the emergence of modularity in antagonistic interactions in which
      selection is stronger on exploiters than on their victims. Our results highlight
      the roles of different aspects of network structure on antagonistic coevolution:
      nestedness shapes coevolutionary dynamics, whereas modularity emerges as one
      outcome of coevolutionary dynamics.

PMID- 28617644
TI  - A Parent-Offspring Trade-Off Limits the Evolution of an Ontogenetic Niche Shift.
AB  - Many free-living animal species, including the majority of fish, insects, and
      amphibians, change their food and habitat during their life. Even though these
      ontogenetic changes in niche are common, it is not well understood which
      ecological conditions have favored the evolution of these shifts. Using an
      adaptive dynamics approach, we show that it is evolutionarily advantageous to
      switch to an alternative food source in the course of ontogeny when this results
      in a higher intake rate for the switching consumers. Individuals are, however,
      not able to specialize on this new food source when this negatively affects the
      performance early in life on the original food source. Selection on these early
      life stages is so strong that in species with a complete diet shift, evolution
      results in large juveniles and adults that are maladapted to the alternative food
      source while their offspring are specialized on the original food source when
      young. These outcomes suggest strong selection to decouple the different life
      stages, such that they can maximize their performance on different food sources
      independently from each other. Metamorphosis could be a way to decouple the
      different life stages and therefore evolve in species that feed on multiple food
      sources during their life.

PMID- 28617645
TI  - The Implications of Eco-Evolutionary Processes for the Emergence of Marine
      Plankton Community Biogeography.
AB  - Models of community assembly have been used to illustrate how the many
      functionally diverse species that compose plankton food webs can coexist.
      However, the evolutionary processes leading to the emergence of plankton food
      webs and their interplay with migratory processes and spatial heterogeneity are
      yet to be explored. We study the eco-evolutionary dynamics of a modeled plankton
      community structured in both size and space and physiologically constrained by
      empirical data. We demonstrate that a complex yet ecologically and evolutionarily
      stable size-structured food web can emerge from an initial set of two monomorphic
      phytoplankton and zooplankton populations. We also show that the coupling of
      spatial heterogeneity and migration results in the emergence of specific
      biogeographic patterns: (i) the emergence of a source-sink structure of the
      plankton metacommunities, (ii) changes in size diversity dependent on migratory
      intensity and on the scale at which diversity is considered (local vs. global),
      and (iii) the emergence of eco-evolutionary provinces (i.e., a spatial unit
      characterized by some level of abiotic heterogeneity but of homogenous size
      composition due to horizontal movements) at spatial scales that increase with the
      strength of the migratory processes.

PMID- 28617647
TI  - Lymphatic Endothelial Cells: Mechanical Stress, Cytokines, Fibrosis, and Age.

PMID- 28617648
TI  - Increasing Morbidity with Extent of Lymphadenectomy for Primary Malignant
      Melanoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: According to current guidelines, complete lymphadenectomy (LAD) is
      indicated in melanoma patients with a positive sentinel lymph node. Whereas there
      is little evidence from randomized trials for a survival benefit of this
      procedure, its morbidity is not trivial. We aimed to assess clinical associations
      between risk factors and complications of LAD to guide decision making about this
      aspect of melanoma management. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cohort of 174 patients who
      had undergone LAD for primary melanoma was retrospectively analyzed, and
      multivariable logistic regression models were used to correlate patient risk
      factors, tumor characteristics, number of excised lymph nodes, and procedural
      details with the incidence of complications. The overall rate of LAD-associated
      complications was 41.4%, 33.9% being lymphatic complications. The number of
      excised lymph nodes was independently associated with development of lymphatic
      complications (odds ratio 3.90/12.78 if more than 10/20 lymph nodes had been
      removed, p = 0.01/<0.001, respectively). However, the number of excised lymph
      nodes had no influence on overall survival using a multivariable Cox proportional
      hazards regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective cohort study, an
      important association was found between the extent of LAD and lymphatic
      complications. Further studies should evaluate the necessity and extent of
      aggressive LAD to balance survival benefit with morbidity of LAD procedures.

PMID- 28617649
TI  - Correlation Between the Severity of Subcutaneous Echo-Free Space and the Amount
      of Extracellular Fluid Determined by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis of Leg
      Edema.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both subcutaneous echo-free space (SEFS) observed by ultrasonography
      and the ratio of intracellular fluid resistance to extracellular fluid resistance
      (Ri/Re) calculated from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) represent
      extracellular edema status in the extremities. We tried to correlate these
      parameters. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 70 legs with venous edema (VE) and 68 legs
      with lymphedema (LE), subcutaneous tissue ultrasonography to determine SEFS
      severity (range, 0-2) and BIA to calculate Ri/Re were performed. In the calf,
      SEFS severity showed good linear correlation with Ri/Re, particularly in the
      lower lateral calf where the mean Ri/Re for LE (SEFS grade 0: 3.2 +/- 0.8; SEFS
      grade 1: 4.0 +/- 0.9; SEFS grade 2: 6.3 +/- 3.6) and VE (SEFS grade 0: 3.6 +/-
      0.6; SEFS grade 1: 4.4 +/- 1.6; SEFS grade 2: 5.3 +/- 2.0) was similar. In the
      thigh, a mild correlation was confirmed only in LE. CONCLUSIONS: It may be
      concluded that SEFS in the lower calf area well represents the local fluid status
      regardless of the type of edema, but not so in the thigh.

PMID- 28617651
TI  - Microbiota-Based Therapies for Clostridium difficile and Antibiotic-Resistant
      Enteric Infections.
AB  - Bacterial pathogens are increasingly antibiotic resistant, and development of
      clinically effective antibiotics is lagging. Curing infections increasingly
      requires antimicrobials that are broader spectrum, more toxic, and more
      expensive, and mortality attributable to antibiotic-resistant pathogens is
      rising. The commensal microbiota, comprising microbes that colonize the mammalian
      gastrointestinal tract, can provide high levels of resistance to infection, and
      the contributions of specific bacterial species to resistance are being
      discovered and characterized. Microbiota-mediated mechanisms of colonization
      resistance and pathogen clearance include bactericidal activity, nutrient
      depletion, immune activation, and manipulation of the gut's chemical environment.
      Current research is focusing on development of microbiota-based therapies to
      reduce intestinal colonization with antibiotic-resistant pathogens, with the goal
      of reducing pathogen transmission and systemic dissemination.

PMID- 28617652
TI  - A comparative evaluation of in-vehicle side view displays layouts in critical
      lane changing situation.
AB  - This study conducted a driving simulator experiment to comparatively evaluate
      three in-vehicle side view displays layouts for camera monitor systems (CMS) and
      the traditional side view mirror arrangement. The three layouts placed two
      electronic side view displays near the traditional mirrors positions, on the
      dashboard at each side of the steering wheel and on the centre fascia with the
      two displays joined side-by-side, respectively. Twenty-two participants performed
      a time- and safety-critical driving task that required rapidly gaining situation
      awareness through the side view displays/mirrors and making a lane change to
      avoid collision. The dependent variables were eye-off-the-road time, response
      time, and, ratings of perceived workload, preference and perceived safety.
      Overall, the layout placing the side view displays on the dashboard at each side
      of the steering wheel was found to be the best. The results indicated that
      reducing eye gaze travel distance and maintaining compatibility were both
      important for the design of CMS displays layout. Practitioner Summary: A driving
      simulator study was conducted to comparatively evaluate three in-vehicle side
      view displays layouts for camera monitor systems (CMS) and the traditional side
      view mirror arrangement in critical lane changing situation. Reducing eye
      movement and maintaining compatibility were found to be both important for the
      ergonomics design of CMS displays layout.

PMID- 28617653
TI  - Systematic Review of the Effect of Taping Techniques on Patellofemoral Pain
      Syndrome.
AB  - CONTEXT: Taping is commonly used in the management of several musculoskeletal
      conditions, including patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Specific guidelines
      for taping are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of knee taping in
      the management of PFPS. Our hypothesis was that tension taping and exercise would
      be superior to placebo taping and exercise as well as to exercise or taping
      alone. DATA SOURCES: The PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Rehabilitation and Sports
      Medicine Source, and CINAHL databases were reviewed for English-language
      randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of various taping
      techniques that were published between 1995 and April 2015. Keywords utilized
      included taping, McConnell, kinesio-taping, kinesiotaping, patellofemoral pain,
      and knee. STUDY SELECTION: Studies included consisted of RCTs (level 1 or 2) with
      participants of all ages who had anterior knee or patellofemoral pain symptoms
      and had received nonsurgical management using any taping technique. STUDY DESIGN:
      Systematic review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2. DATA EXTRACTION: A checklist
      method was used to determine selection, performance, detection, and attrition
      bias for each article. A quality of evidence grading was then referenced using
      the validated PEDro database for RCTs. Three difference comparison groups were
      compared: tension taping and exercise versus placebo taping and exercise (group
      1), placebo taping and exercise versus exercise alone (group 2), and tension
      taping and exercise versus taping alone (group 3). RESULTS: Five RCTs with 235
      total patients with multiple intervention arms were included. Taping strategies
      included McConnell and Kinesiotaping. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores indicated
      improvement in all 3 comparison groups (group 1: 91 patients, 39% of total, mean
      VAS improvement 44.9 [tension taping + exercise] vs 66 [placebo taping +
      exercise]; group 2: 56 patients, 24% of total, mean VAS improvement 66 [placebo
      taping + exercise] vs 47.6 [exercise alone]; and group 3: 112 patients, 48% of
      total, mean VAS improvement 44.9 [tension taping + exercise] vs 14.1 [taping
      alone]). CONCLUSION: This systematic review supports knee taping only as an
      adjunct to traditional exercise therapy for PFPS; however, it does not support
      taping in isolation.

PMID- 28617654
TI  - Function, Discovery, and Exploitation of Plant Pattern Recognition Receptors for
      Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance.
AB  - Plants are constantly exposed to would-be pathogens and pests, and thus have a
      sophisticated immune system to ward off these threats, which otherwise can have
      devastating ecological and economic consequences on ecosystems and agriculture.
      Plants employ receptor kinases (RKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs) as pattern
      recognition receptors (PRRs) to monitor their apoplastic environment and detect
      non-self and damaged-self patterns as signs of potential danger. Plant PRRs
      contribute to both basal and non-host resistances, and treatment with pathogen
      /microbe-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs/MAMPs) or damage-associated
      molecular patterns (DAMPs) recognized by plant PRRs induces both local and
      systemic immunity. Here, we comprehensively review known PAMPs/DAMPs recognized
      by plants as well as the plant PRRs described to date. In particular, we describe
      the different methods that can be used to identify PAMPs/DAMPs and PRRs. Finally,
      we emphasize the emerging biotechnological potential use of PRRs to improve broad
      spectrum, and potentially durable, disease resistance in crops.

PMID- 28617655
TI  - Adapted Biotroph Manipulation of Plant Cell Ploidy.
AB  - Diverse plant biotrophs that establish a sustained site of nutrient acquisition
      induce localized host endoreduplication. Endoreduplication is a process by which
      cells successively replicate their genomes without mitosis, resulting in an
      increase in nuclear DNA ploidy. Elevated ploidy is associated with enhanced cell
      size, metabolic capacity, and the capacity to differentiate. Localized host
      endoreduplication induced by adapted plant biotrophs promotes biotroph
      colonization, development, and/or proliferation. When induced host
      endoreduplication is limited, biotroph growth and/or development are compromised.
      Herein, we examine a diverse set of plant-biotroph interactions to identify (a)
      common host components manipulated to promote induced host endoreduplication and
      (b) biotroph effectors that facilitate this induced host process. Shared
      mechanisms to promote host endoreduplication and development of nutrient
      exchange/feeding sites include manipulation centered on endocycle entry at the G2
      M transition as well as yet undefined roles for differentiation regulators (e.g.,
      CLE peptides) and pectin/cell wall modification.

PMID- 28617657
TI  - National Institutes of Health research plan on rehabilitation.
AB  - One in five Americans experiences disability that affects their daily function
      because of impairments in mobility, cognitive function, sensory impairment, or
      communication impairment. The need for rehabilitation strategies to optimize
      function and reduce disability is a clear priority for research to address this
      public health challenge. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently
      published a Research Plan on Rehabilitation that provides a set of priorities to
      guide the field over the next 5 years. The plan was developed with input from
      multiple Institutes and Centers within the NIH, the National Advisory Board for
      Medical Rehabilitation Research, and the public. This article provides an
      overview of the need for this research plan, an outline of its development, and a
      listing of six priority areas for research. The NIH is committed to working with
      all stakeholder communities engaged in rehabilitation research to track progress
      made on these priorities and to work to advance the science of medical
      rehabilitation.

PMID- 28617656
TI  - Sarcocystis pantherophisi n. sp., from Eastern Rat Snakes (Pantherophis
      alleghaniensis) as Definitive Hosts and Interferon Gamma Gene Knockout Mice as
      Experimental Intermediate Hosts.
AB  - Here, we report a new species, Sarcocystis pantherophisi n. sp., with the Eastern
      rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) as natural definitive host and the
      interferon gamma gene knockout (KO) mouse as the experimental intermediate host.
      Sporocysts (n = 15) from intestinal contents of the snake were 10.8 * 8.9 MUm.
      Sporocysts were orally infective to KO mice but not to laboratory-raised albino
      outbred house mice (Mus musculus). The interferon gamma KO mice developed
      schizont-associated neurological signs, and schizonts were cultivated in vitro
      from the brain. Mature sarcocysts were found in skeletal muscles of KO mice
      examined 41 days postinoculation (PI). Sarcocysts were slender, up to 70 MUm wide
      and up to 3.5 mm long. By light microscopy, sarcocysts appeared thin-walled (<1
      MUm) without projections. By transmission electron microscopy, the sarcocyst wall
      was a variant of "type 1" (type 1i, new designation). The parasitophorous
      vacuolar membrane (pvm) had approximately 100-nm-wide * 100-nm-long bleb-like
      evaginations interspersed with 100-nm-wide * 650-nm-long elongated protrusions at
      irregular distances, and invaginations into the ground substance layer (gs) for a
      very short distance (6 nm). The gs was smooth, up to 500 nm thick, without
      tubules, and contained a few vesicles. Longitudinally cut bradyzoites at 54 days
      PI were banana-shaped, 7.8 * 2.2 MUm (n = 5). Molecular characterization using
      18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-1, and cox1 genes indicated a close relationship with
      other Sarcocystis parasites that have snake-rodent life cycles. The parasite in
      the present study was molecularly and biologically similar to a previously
      reported isolate (designated earlier as Sarcocystis sp. ex Pantherophis
      alleghaniensis) from P. alleghaniensis, and it was structurally different from
      other Sarcocystis species so far described.

PMID- 28617658
TI  - Rehabilitation research at the National Institutes of Health: Moving the field
      forward (Executive Summary).

PMID- 28617659
TI  - Inhibitory Interneurons in the Retina: Types, Circuitry, and Function.
AB  - Visual signals in the vertebrate retina are shaped by feedback and feedforward
      inhibition in two synaptic layers. In one, horizontal cells establish fundamental
      center-surround receptive-field properties via morphologically and
      physiologically complex synapses with photoreceptors and bipolar cells. In the
      other, a panoply of amacrine cells imbue ganglion cell responses with
      spatiotemporally complex information about the visual world. Here, I review
      current ideas about horizontal cell signaling, considering the evidence for and
      against the leading, competing theories. I also discuss recent work that has
      begun to make sense of the remarkable morphological and physiological diversity
      of amacrine cells. These latter efforts have been aided tremendously by
      increasingly complete connectivity maps of inner retinal circuitry and new
      genetic tools that enable study of individual, sparsely expressed amacrine cell
      types.

PMID- 28617661
TI  - Molecular dynamics approach to probe the antigenicity of PagN - an outer membrane
      protein of Salmonella Typhi.
AB  - PagN is a highly immunogenic 27-kDa outer membrane adhesin present in Salmonella
      Typhi. It plays a major role in the pathogenesis of typhoid fever and has emerged
      as a strong vaccine candidate. In this report, we predict the three-dimensional
      structure of PagN and describe the conformational dynamics associated with its
      four extracellular loops based on two 100-ns molecular dynamics simulations at
      300 and 310 K. The formation and deformation of the secondary structures on these
      loops were also investigated during the simulations which revealed loops L1 and
      L2 to be highly flexible, whereas the relative flexibility of loops L3 and L4 was
      minimal. Essential dynamics and principal component analysis deciphered more
      realistic dynamic behaviours of the loops, particularly at 310 K. Moreover, our
      epitope predictions suggest that the antigenic peptides for B-cell recognition
      are located within the loops L1 and L2, while those for T-cell recognition are
      located within the loops L3 and L4. The binding specificities of the antigenic
      peptides towards specific human MHC-I and MHC-II HLA alleles closely resembled
      the stability of the loops L3 and L4 inferred from the simulations. Finally, we
      identified potential antigenic peptides in the flexible (L1 and L2) as well as
      stable (L3 and L4) regions of PagN for both B- and T-cell recognitions, which can
      help in developing effective sub-unit vaccines.

PMID- 28617662
TI  - Telomere Length and Accelerated Biological Aging in the China Suboptimal Health
      Cohort: A Case-Control Study.
AB  - Suboptimal health status (SHS) has been linked to cardiovascular risk factors,
      psychosocial stress, and unhealthy lifestyle. These factors also contribute to
      the shortening of telomere length (TL). A case-control study was conducted to
      examine the association between subjective health measures of SHS from the
      behavior perspective and also objective measures of TL at molecular level. SHS
      (cases = 294) was matched by age, sex, and body mass index with ideal health
      (controls = 294) using a propensity score matching method. Suboptimal health
      status questionnaire-25 (SHSQ-25) was used in the community-based health survey.
      A quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure relative telomere
      length (RTL). Shorter RTL was found among the SHS group compared to the ideal
      health group (p < 0.05). SHS was almost four times likely to be in the first
      quartile (odds ratio [OR] = 3.81; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.21-6.56), almost
      thrice in second quartile (OR = 2.84; 95% CI 1.65-4.90), and almost twice likely
      to be in the third quartile (OR = 1.71; 95% CI 1.00-2.94) compared to the fourth
      quartile (the longest) of RTL after adjusting for socioeconomic, dietary intake,
      anthropometric, blood pressure, and biochemistry variables (p < 0.05). Notably,
      SHS score was negatively correlated with RTL (r = -0.218, p < 0.05). Our study
      confirms an association between SHS and short RTL. Combination of subjective
      (SHS) and objective (RTL) measures is a novel tool for health aging
      investigation. Therefore, SHSQ-25 could be used as a screening tool for measuring
      biological aging in low-income countries at community level where the expensive
      technique for RTL measurement is not applicable.

PMID- 28617663
TI  - An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Association Between Adiponectin
      Gene Polymorphisms and Coronary Artery Disease.
AB  - Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a significant contributor to global health
      burden. Adiponectin gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been
      associated with CAD susceptibility, but with inconsistent results across the
      studies. We present, in this study, an updated meta-analysis to discern the
      genetic susceptibility of adiponectin SNPs in relation to CAD. PubMed and EMBASE
      databases were used to identify the relevant published articles using the
      Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)
      guidelines. Pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were generated to
      assess the strength of the associations. Thirty-five articles with a total of
      28,947 participants (mean age 55.3 years, 11,632 cases/17,315 controls, 19,443
      males/8353 females, and 1151 persons with unspecified gender data) were included.
      The dominant, recessive, and additive models were applied. We found that the SNPs
      +45T>G (rs2241766), -4034A>C (rs822395), and -11391G>A (rs17300539) were linked
      to CAD development. In addition, +276G>T (rs1501299) SNP was associated with a
      decreased susceptibility to CAD among Caucasians. We did not find an association
      between the CAD susceptibility and the -11377C>G (rs266729) SNP. These
      observations offer new potential genetic biomarker candidates in relation to CAD,
      and warrant further research in independent world populations.

PMID- 28617664
TI  - Beyond Body Mass Index: Are Weight-loss Programs the Best Way to Improve the
      Health of African American Women?
AB  - African American women have higher prevalence (82%) of overweight (body mass
      index [BMI] 25-29) and obesity (BMI >=30) than white women (63.2%) or Hispanic
      women (77.2%), and weight-loss programs yield minimal results in this population.
      We examine the concept of BMI as a measure of health for African American women
      and suggests a more holistic, multifaceted approach to preventing chronic
      disease.

PMID- 28617660
TI  - Circuits for Action and Cognition: A View from the Superior Colliculus.
AB  - The superior colliculus is one of the most well-studied structures in the brain,
      and with each new report, its proposed role in behavior seems to increase in
      complexity. Forty years of evidence show that the colliculus is critical for
      reorienting an organism toward objects of interest. In monkeys, this involves
      saccadic eye movements. Recent work in the monkey colliculus and in the
      homologous optic tectum of the bird extends our understanding of the role of the
      colliculus in higher mental functions, such as attention and decision making. In
      this review, we highlight some of these recent results, as well as those
      capitalizing on circuit-based methodologies using transgenic mice models, to
      understand the contribution of the colliculus to attention and decision making.
      The wealth of information we have about the colliculus, together with new tools,
      provides a unique opportunity to obtain a detailed accounting of the neurons,
      circuits, and computations that underlie complex behavior.

PMID- 28617665
TI  - Prevalence and Correlates of Sleep Apnea Among US Male Veterans, 2005-2014.
AB  - The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of and factors
      associated with sleep apnea among US male veterans. We used data from the 2005
      2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to conduct survey-weighted
      descriptive, bivariate, and regression analyses. The prevalence of sleep apnea
      increased from 3.7% to 8.1% (P for trend <.001 for adjusted model) from 2005
      through 2014. Increasing severity of psychological distress and unmet mental
      health care need were associated with increased odds of sleep apnea, as was a
      diagnosis of asthma. Increased screening of sleep health is critical to improve
      the health outcomes of veterans.

PMID- 28617667
TI  - A heuristic computational model of basic cellular processes and oxygenation
      during spheroid-dependent biofabrication.
AB  - An emerging approach in biofabrication is the creation of 3D tissue constructs
      through scaffold-free, cell spheroid-only methods. The basic mechanism in this
      technology is spheroid fusion, which is driven by the minimization of energy, the
      same biophysical mechanism that governs spheroid formation. However, other
      factors such as oxygen and metabolite accessibility within spheroids impact on
      spheroid properties and their ability to form larger-scale structures. The goal
      of our work is to develop a simulation platform eventually capable of predicting
      the conditions that minimize metabolism-related cell loss within spheroids. To
      describe the behavior and dynamic properties of the cells in response to their
      neighbors and to transient nutrient concentration fields, we developed a hybrid
      discrete-continuous heuristic model, combining a cellular Potts-type approach
      with field equations applied to a randomly populated spheroid cross-section of
      prescribed cell-type constituency. This model allows for the description of: (i)
      cellular adhesiveness and motility; (ii) interactions with concentration fields,
      including diffusivity and oxygen consumption; and (iii) concentration-dependent,
      stochastic cell dynamics, driven by metabolite-dependent cell death. Our model
      readily captured the basic steps of spheroid-based biofabrication (as
      specifically dedicated to scaffold-free bioprinting), including intra-spheroid
      cell sorting (both in 2D and 3D implementations), spheroid defect closure, and
      inter-spheroid fusion. Moreover, we found that when hypoxia occurring at the core
      of the spheroid was set to trigger cell death, this was amplified upon spheroid
      fusion, but could be mitigated by external oxygen supplementation. In conclusion,
      optimization and further development of scaffold-free bioprinting techniques
      could benefit from our computational model which is able to simultaneously
      account for both cellular dynamics and metabolism in constructs obtained by
      scaffold-free biofabrication.

PMID- 28617666
TI  - Parasitic diseases of camels in Iran (1931-2017) - a literature review.
AB  - Parasitic diseases of camels are major causes of impaired milk and meat
      production, decreases in performance or even death. Some camel parasites also
      represent a threat to human health. About 171,500 one-humped camels (Camelus
      dromedarius) and 100-300 two-humped camels (Camelus bactrianus) live in Iran.
      Knowledge of the biodiversity of their parasites is still limited. The present
      review covers all information about camel parasitic diseases in Iran published as
      dissertations and in both Iranian and international journals from 1931 to
      February 2017. Ten genera of Protozoa (Trypanosoma, Eimeria, Cryptosporidium,
      Toxoplasma, Neospora, Sarcocystis, Besnoitia, Theileria, Babesia and
      Balantidium), 48 helminth species detected in the digestive system, including
      three species of Trematoda, four species of Cestoda, and 41 species of Nematoda,
      as well as helminths from other organs - Echinococcus spp., Dictyocaulus filaria,
      Thelazia leesei, Dipetalonema evansi and Onchocerca fasciata - have so far been
      described in Iranian camels. Furthermore, 13 species of hard ticks, mange mites,
      the myiasis flies Cephalopina titillator and Wohlfahrtia magnifica, and immature
      stages of the Pentastomida Linguatula serrata have also been reported from camels
      of Iran. Camel parasitic diseases are a major issue in Iran in terms of economics
      and public health. The present review offers information for an integrated
      control programme against economically relevant parasites of camels.

PMID- 28617668
TI  - Flexible room-temperature formaldehyde sensors based on rGO film and rGo/MoS2
      hybrid film.
AB  - Gas sensors based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films and rGO/MoS2 hybrid films
      were fabricated on polyethylene naphthalate substrates by a simple self-assembly
      method, which yielded flexible devices for detection of formaldehyde (HCHO) at
      room temperature. The sensing test results indicated that the rGO and rGO/MoS2
      sensors were highly sensitive and fully recoverable to a ppm-level of HCHO. The
      bending and fatigue test results revealed that the sensors were also mechanically
      robust, durable and effective for long-term use. The rGO/MoS2 sensors showed
      higher sensitivities than rGO sensors, which was attributed to the enhanced HCHO
      adsorption and electron transfer mediated by MoS2. Furthermore, two kinds of MoS2
      nanosheets were prepared by either hydrothermal synthesis or chemical exfoliation
      and were compared for their detection of HCHO, which revealed that the
      hydrothermally produced MoS2 nanosheets with rich defects led to enhanced
      sensitivity of the rGO/MoS2 sensors. Moreover, these fabricated flexible sensors
      can be applied for the HCHO detection in food packaging.

PMID- 28617669
TI  - Representativeness of individual external doses estimated for one quarter of
      residents in the Fukushima Prefecture after the nuclear disaster: the Fukushima
      Health Management Survey.
AB  - After the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the Fukushima Health
      Management Survey (FHMS) was launched. The Basic Survey, a component of FHMS, is
      a questionnaire used to survey residents across the Fukushima Prefecture about
      their behaviour in the first 4 months after the accident. The questionnaire
      findings are used to determine individual external doses by linking behaviour
      data to a computer programme with daily gamma ray dose rate maps, drawn after the
      accident. Through 30 June 2015, the response rate was only 27.2% (558 550
      population), indicating that the findings might not be generalisable because of
      poor representativeness of the population. The objective of this study was to
      clarify if the data from the FHMS Basic Survey were representative of the entire
      population, by conducting a new survey to compare the external doses between non
      respondents and respondents in the previous survey. A total of 5350 subjects were
      randomly selected from 7 local regions of Fukushima Prefecture. An interview
      survey was conducted with the non-respondents to the FHMS Basic Survey. A total
      of 990 responses were obtained from the previous non-responders by interview
      survey. For the regions Kempoku, Kenchu, Kennan, Aizu, Minami-Aizu, Soso, and
      Iwaki, differences in mean effective dose (95% confidence interval) in mSv
      between the non-responders and previous responders were 0.12 (0.01-0.23), -0.09 (
      0.21-0.03), -0.06 (-0.18-0.07), 0.05 (-0.04-0.14), 0.01 (-0.01-0.02), 0.09 (0.01
      0.17), 0.09 (0.00-0.17), respectively. The differences fall neither within the
      interval (-infinity, -0.25) nor within the interval (0.25, infinity). These
      findings imply that mean effective doses between the previous and new respondents
      were not different, with a significantly indifferent region of 0.25 mSv according
      to equivalence tests. The present study indicates that the dose distribution
      obtained from about one-quarter of Fukushima residents represents the dose
      distribution for the entire Fukushima Prefecture.

PMID- 28617670
TI  - Synthetically simple, click-generated quinoline-based Fe3+ sensors.
AB  - Simple quinoline-based fluorescent probes for Fe3+ have been efficiently
      synthesized through 'click' reaction. Both probes gave intense fluorescence
      compared to 8-hydroquinoline in various organic solvents due to the inhibition of
      the excited state intramolecular photon transfer process, while showing
      dramatically quenched and red-shifted fluorescence in an aqueous solution, which
      can be attributed to the hydrogen bond-induced intermolecular excited state
      proton transfer process. In the presence of Fe3+ or in an acidic condition (pH
      less than 4.0), both probes showed similar quenching of the emission and over 100
      nm red-shifts of their emission maxima. The binding mode between the probes and
      Fe3+ has been found to be 1:1 based on Job's plot. A highly sensitive and
      selective response in their absorption and emission towards Fe3+ over many other
      metal ions, including Cr3+ and Cu2+, was observed and may be the result of the
      ground state metal to ligand charge transfer effect from Fe3+ to quinoline
      ligands.

PMID- 28617671
TI  - Nickel skeleton three-dimensional nitrogen doped graphene nanosheets/nanoscrolls
      as promising supercapacitor electrodes.
AB  - A novel nickel skeleton 3D nitrogen doped graphene (N-GR/NF) superstructure with
      interconnected graphene nanosheets and nanoscrolls was synthesized using a facile
      two-step method. By varying the precursor concentration, the assembly of a
      graphene aerogel can be easily regulated, yielding different micro-structures and
      morphologies which accelerate the fast electron/ion transportation. The N-GR/NF
      composites demonstrate enhanced capacitance of 250 F g-1 at 5 A g-1, good rate
      performance (237 F g-1 at the current density of 12 A g-1) and cycle stability
      (90.9% retention after 5000 cycles) in 1 M KOH electrolyte. This study provides a
      new strategy for the microporous engineering of graphene gel, promising for
      further exploitation in various other applications.

PMID- 28617672
TI  - Comparison of Pd electron beam induced deposition using two precursors and an
      oxygen purification strategy.
AB  - Focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) allows the creation of nanoscale
      structures through dissociation of an organo-metallic precursor by electrons at
      the beam impact point. The deposition of Pd can be interesting for its catalytic
      behavior and ability to contact carbon based materials. Two precursors were
      investigated-Pd(hfac)2 and (Cp)Pd(allyl)-and two deposition methods: with and
      without an in situ oxygen purification process. The deposition parameters can be
      tuned for the Pd(hfac)2 precursor to provide a deposition with 23 +/- 2 at.% of
      Pd and a main component of C at 51 +/- 3 at.% and minor components of O and F. An
      in situ purification process using O2 was much faster than expected and improved
      the Pd content to up to >65 at.% while reducing the C to ~20 at.%, and avoiding
      the oxidation of Pd. The resistivity was ~100 MUOhm . cm and compares favorably
      with a bulk value of 10 MUOhm . cm. The (Cp)Pd(allyl) precursor is interesting
      because it does not release fluorine during the deposition and hence it does not
      etch a possible substrate. Its FEBID deposition had a composition of 26 +/- 5
      at.% of Pd with 74 +/- 5 at.% of C. The O2 purification process can improve the
      Pd content up to ~60 at.% while reducing C to <20 at.%, but also increasing the O
      content to 18 at%, which was released afterwards. The best resistivity was
      measured at ~1000 MUOhm . cm, although better values can be anticipated for
      longer post treatment times.

PMID- 28617673
TI  - Investigating the impact of SEM chamber conditions and imaging parameters on
      contact resistance of in situ nanoprobing.
AB  - In this paper, we investigate the impact of vacuum chamber conditions
      (cleanliness level and vacuum pressure) and imaging parameters (magnification and
      acceleration voltage) of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on the contact
      resistance of two-point in situ nanoprobing of nanomaterials. Using two typical
      types of conductive nanoprobe, two-point nanoprobing is performed on silicon
      nanowires, during which changing trends of the nanoprobing contact resistance
      with the SEM chamber conditions and imaging parameters are quantified. The
      mechanisms underlying the experimental observations are also explained. Through
      systematically adjusting the experimental parameters, the probe-sample contact
      resistance is significantly reduced from the mega-ohm level to the kilo-ohm
      level. The experimental results can serve as a guideline to evaluate electrical
      contacts of nanoprobing and instruct how to reduce the contact resistance in SEM
      based, two-point nanoprobing.

PMID- 28617674
TI  - Ultrasensitive, highly selective, and real-time detection of protein using
      functionalized CNTs as MIP platform for FOSPR-based biosensor.
AB  - A facile approach is presented for the detection of bovine serum albumin (BSA),
      based on fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (FOSPR) combined with molecular
      imprinting (MI). The probe is fabricated by exploiting the plasmonic property of
      silver thin film and vinyl-functionalised carbon nanotube-based MIP platform. BSA
      template molecules are imprinted on the MIP layer coated over multi-walled carbon
      nanotubes to ensure high specificity of the probe in the interfering
      environments. In addition, FOSPR endorses the sensor capability of real-time and
      remote sensing along with very high sensitivity due to the use of nanostructured
      MI platform. The response of the probe is considered in terms of the absorbance
      spectrum recorded for various concentrations of BSA. The sensor shows a wide
      dynamic range of 0-350 ng l-1 with a considerably linear response up to 100 ng l
      1 in the peak absorbance wavelength with BSA concentration. A highest sensitivity
      of 0.862 nm per ng l-1 is achieved for the lowest concentration of BSA and it
      decreases with the increase in BSA concentration. The performance of the present
      sensor is compared with those reported in the literature in terms of the limit of
      detection. It is found that the probe possesses a lowest LOD of 0.386 ng l-1 in
      addition to other advantages such as real-time online monitoring, high
      sensitivity, high specificity, and remote sensing.

PMID- 28617675
TI  - Application of rodes software to experimental biokinetic data for dose assessment
      in mice and rats.
AB  - H Miloudi, M Locatelli, G Autret, D Balvay, A Desbree, E Blanchardon, J M Bertho:
      application of RODES software to experimental biokinetic data for dose assessment
      in mice and rats. In support of experimental studies of chronic, long-term
      contamination in rodents, voxel-based computer models were built representing
      adult mice and juvenile, adult and elderly rats of both sexes. RODES software was
      created to calculate absorbed radiation doses to organs with these specific
      anatomical models. Absorbed doses were then calculated starting from previously
      published biokinetic data. Whole body doses showed less than 5% differences
      between calculation with RODES and calculation with the ICRP Publication 108
      model for long term exposure to 90Sr of mice. Similar results were obtained for
      long term exposure to 137Cs. Dose distribution for 90Sr internal contamination
      also showed that the dose to the skeleton is six fold more as compared to the
      whole body dose while radiation dose to other organs is less than the mean whole
      body dose. These results underline the importance of using specific anatomical
      models according to the age and the sex of experimental animals.

PMID- 28617676
TI  - Interactions between low energy electrons and DNA: a perspective from first
      principles simulations.
AB  - DNA damage caused by irradiation has been studied for many decades. Such studies
      allow us to better assess the dangers posed by radiation, and to increase the
      efficiency of the radiotherapies that are used to combat cancer. A full
      description of the irradiation process involves multiple size and time scales. It
      starts with the interaction of radiation-either photons or swift ions-and the
      biological medium, which causes electronic excitation and ionisation. The two
      main products of ionising radiation are thus electrons and radicals. Both of
      these species can cause damage to biological molecules, in particular DNA. In the
      long run, this molecular level damage can prevent cells from replicating and can
      hence lead to cell death. For a long time it was assumed that the main actors in
      the damage process were the radicals. However, experiments in a seminal paper by
      the group of Leon Sanche in 2000 showed that low-energy electrons (LEE), such as
      those generated when ionising biological targets, can also cause bond breaks in
      biomolecules, and strand breaks in plasmid DNA in particular (Boudaiffa et al
      2000 Science 287 1658-60). These results prompted a significant amount of
      experimental and theoretical work aimed at elucidating the role played by LEE in
      DNA damage. In this Topical Review we provide a general overview of the problem.
      We discuss experimental findings and theoretical results hand in hand with the
      aim of describing the physics and chemistry that occurs during the process of
      radiation damage, from the initial stages of electronic excitation, through the
      inelastic propagation of electrons in the medium, the interaction of electrons
      with DNA, and the chemical end-point effects on DNA. A very important aspect of
      this discussion is the consideration of a realistic, physiological environment.
      The role played by the aqueous solution and the amino acids from the histones in
      chromatin must be considered. Moreover, thermal fluctuations must be incorporated
      when studying these phenomena. Hence, a special place in this Topical Review is
      occupied by our recent first-principles molecular dynamics simulations that
      address the issue of how the environment favours or prevents LEEs from causing
      damage to DNA. We finish by summarising the conclusions achieved so far, and by
      suggesting a number of possible directions for further study.

PMID- 28617677
TI  - Ferroelectric switching of band alignments in LSMO/PZT/Co multiferroic tunnel
      junctions: an ab initio study.
AB  - Band alignments in ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) are expected to play a
      critical role in determining the charge transport across the tunneling barrier.
      In general, however, the interface band discontinuities and their polarization
      dependence are not well known in these systems. Using a first-principles density
      functional-theory approach, we explore the ferroelectric (FE) polarization
      dependence of the band alignments in [Formula: see text] (LSMO/PZT/Co)
      multiferroic tunnel junctions, for which recent experiments indicated an ON/OFF
      conductivity behavior upon switching the PZT FE polarization. Our results on the
      pseudomorphic defect-free LSMO/PZT/Co FTJs evidence a major FE switching effect
      on the band discontinuities at both interfaces. Based on the changes in the band
      alignments, we provide a possible explanation for the observed trends in the
      resistive switching.

PMID- 28617678
TI  - Single variant bottleneck in the early dynamics of H. influenzae bacteremia in
      neonatal rats questions the theory of independent action.
AB  - There is an abundance of information about the genetic basis, physiological and
      molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis. In contrast, relatively little is
      known about population dynamic processes, by which bacteria colonize hosts and
      invade tissues and cells and thereby cause disease. In an article published in
      1978, Moxon and Murphy presented evidence that, when inoculated intranasally with
      a mixture streptomycin sensitive and resistant (Sm S and Sm R ) and otherwise
      isogenic strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), neonatal rats develop a
      bacteremic infection that often is dominated by only one strain, Sm S or Sm R .
      After ruling out other possibilities through years of related experiments, the
      field seems to have settled on a plausible explanation for this phenomenon: the
      first bacterium to invade the host activates the host immune response that 'shuts
      the door' on the second invading strain. To explore this hypothesis in a
      necessarily quantitative way, we modeled this process with a set of mixed
      stochastic and deterministic differential equations. Our analysis of the
      properties of this model with realistic parameters suggests that this hypothesis
      cannot explain the experimental results of Moxon and Murphy, and in particular
      the observed relationship between the frequency of different types of blood
      infections (bacteremias) and the inoculum size. We propose modifications to the
      model that come closer to explaining these data. However, the modified and better
      fitting model contradicts the common theory of independent action of individual
      bacteria in establishing infections. We suggest possible experiments that would
      be able to confirm or reject our proposed modification of the early infection
      model.

PMID- 28617679
TI  - Bendamustine-Induced Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis Confirmed by
      Patch Testing.

PMID- 28617680
TI  - Pulse photoplethysmographic amplitude and heart rate variability during
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical stress affects the autonomic nervous system by increasing
      sympathetic outflow. One method of monitoring sympathetic activity is pulse
      photoplethysmographic analysis. From this two indices can be derived - autonomic
      nervous system state (ANSS) and ANSS index (ANSSi). It has recently been claimed
      that these indices can be used to measure sympathetic activity in anaesthetised
      patients, but their validity has not yet been demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: To measure
      changes in pulse photoplethysmographic indices and determine any agreement with
      autonomic nervous system modulation of the cardiovascular system in healthy study
      participants during surgery under general anaesthesia. DESIGN: Prospective
      observational study. SETTING: Single-centre study based at a tertiary care centre
      in Milan, Italy. PATIENTS: Healthy patients undergoing general anaesthesia for
      elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. INTERVENTIONS: ANSS, ANSSi, and heart rate
      variability (HRV) were analysed at three main times: baseline, after induction of
      general anaesthesia, and after pneumoperitoneum insufflation. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: The magnitude of changes in photoplethysmographic and HRV indices was
      measured. The agreement between pulse photoplethysmographic and HRV-derived
      indices was assessed by Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: In total, 52 patients were
      enrolled and their data analysed. Both pulse photoplethysmographic and HRV
      indices changed during the study phases. An agreement was found between ANSSi and
      low frequency spectral components of HRV [bias 10.2nu, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) -13 to 33.4], high frequency spectral components of HRV (bias 6.1 nu, 95% CI
      -16.3 to 28.6), and low frequency/high frequency ratio (bias 16.1nu, 95% CI -1.4
      to 33.5). The agreement was weaker between ANSSI and HRV indices. CONCLUSION: The
      study endorses the use of pulse photoplethysmographic indices ANSS and ANSSi as
      surrogates to estimate changes of autonomic modulation of the cardiovascular
      system in healthy adults during surgery under general anaesthesia.Orcid ID:
      orcid.org/0000-0002-9616-803X.

PMID- 28617681
TI  - Psychotropic drugs prescription in undocumented migrants and indigent natives in
      Italy.
AB  - To evaluate psychotropic drug use in undocumented migrants and natives in the
      same conditions of poverty. We studied drug dispensation by a nongovernmental
      organization during the year 2014. Drugs were identified according to the
      Anatomical Chemical Therapeutic classification and their quantity was measured in
      defined daily doses (DDD). We determined the percentage of patients taking at
      least one medicine with psychotropic activity in relation to the total number of
      patients receiving medicines of any class. We also calculated the individual DDD
      for psychoactive drugs. The percentage of natives receiving this type of medicine
      is significantly higher than that of undocumented migrants. Individual DDDs for
      each class of psychotropic drug are comparable in Italians and undocumented
      migrants and, among the latter, no difference was found in relation to ethnicity.
      Our findings describe for the first time the use of psychotropic medicines by
      undocumented migrants. On this basis, we hypothesize that poverty is more
      important than migration and ethnicity in generating the need for this type of
      pharmacological treatment. Both natives and undocumented migrants show poor
      adherence to treatment. This situation should be considered when programming
      health interventions in this field for the very poor and undocumented migrants.

PMID- 28617682
TI  - Carers and breathlessness.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Informal carers play a key role in supporting patients living
      with breathlessness in advanced disease, but with considerable impacts on their
      own well being. The purpose was to review recent advances in our understanding of
      the caring role in refractory breathlessness, its impacts on carers, and
      interventions to support them. RECENT FINDINGS: A systematic literature search
      resulted in 28 included articles that could be mapped to four broad areas of
      carer enquiry: the carer role (n = 6), role impact (n = 7), carer support (n =
      11) and carer views (n = 4). Search terms focused on breathlessness, but few of
      the included articles were exclusively on breathlessness: most were disease
      related, predominantly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There were a
      range of methodologies, including four systematic reviews; UK studies were most
      common. SUMMARY: Carers of patients with breathlessness take on a role
      characterized by uncertainty, largely unsupported by healthcare professionals
      (HCPs). HCP acknowledgement of these carers, their contribution and the impact of
      the caring role, is lacking. The patient-carer dyad should be considered the unit
      of care. Carer intervention should be individualized, supporting carers as
      clients and coworkers. There was a dearth of studies recruiting via primary care,
      focusing on conditions other than COPD and longitudinal work.

PMID- 28617683
TI  - Estimation of population-based cancer-specific potential years of life lost in
      Belgium.
AB  - The potential years of life lost (PYLL) observed in a cohort of cancer patients
      cannot be fully assigned to the cancer as both cancer-related and non-cancer
      related deaths contribute. A method is presented to decompose the observed all
      cause PYLL into cancer mortality and population background mortality fractions
      when cause of death information is not available. Furthermore, the association of
      cancer-specific PYLL with cancer-specific mortality and mean age at diagnosis is
      explored and the impact of the follow-up window length is examined. The framework
      of the actuarial relative survival and the Ederer II method is applied to
      estimate the population background mortality contribution, PYLL*. The fraction
      (PYLL-PYLL*)/PYLL is then attributed to the cancer. The method is applied to
      cancer incidence in Belgium 2004-2014, about 631 300 cancer patients. The cancer
      specific PYLL divided by the number of cancer patients, mean PYLL, in the Belgian
      cancer population ranges from 0.4 years for prostate cancer to 15 years for
      tumours of the central nervous system. The cancer-specific mean PYLL increases
      with both increasing cancer-specific mortality and decreasing age at diagnosis.
      Longer follow-up periods yield larger cancer-specific mean PYLL until statistical
      cure of cancer is achieved. The mean PYLL results, obtained by dividing the PYLL
      by the number of cancer patients, are visualized in combination with cancer
      incidence and mean age and mean life expectancy at diagnosis, providing an
      elegant summary to rank and compare cancer sites in terms of incidence, relative
      survival and PYLL.

PMID- 28617684
TI  - Non-infarct related artery revascularization in ST-segment elevation myocardial
      infarction patients with multivessel disease.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Multivessel disease (MVD) is common in ST-segment elevation
      myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention (PCI) and is associated with significant risk of future
      cardiovascular (CV) events including short and longer-term mortality. In this
      review, we examine the pathophysiologic construct contributing to adverse
      prognosis of MVD in STEMI, relevant available evidence that currently guides the
      management of the noninfarct-related artery (IRA) stenosis and define the
      remaining knowledge gaps for future studies. RECENT FINDINGS: Results of recent
      small sized randomized trials, when pooled, suggest improvement in CV outcomes
      including CV mortality and repeat revascularization with revascularization of the
      non-IRA stenosis compared with medical management alone. In addition, there does
      not appear to be an increase in bleeding, contrast-induced nephropathy or stroke,
      as suggested by earlier observational data. SUMMARY: These recent data have led
      to a Class IIb recommendation in the American College of Cardiology/American
      Heart Association guidelines stating that non-IRA revascularization may be
      considered in selected patients with STEMI and MVD who are hemodynamically
      stable, either at the time of primary PCI or as a planned staged procedure. The
      ongoing COMPLETE and CULPRIT-SHOCK studies will provide additional data to
      further inform the role of non-IRA revascularization and its timing in the
      management of these patients.

PMID- 28617685
TI  - Adult congenital heart disease: magnitude of the problem.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To define the magnitude of problems faced by patients with
      adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) and to identify unmet needs for this
      population. RECENT FINDINGS: The ACHD population is estimated to include more
      than 1 million people in the United States and continues to grow at a steady
      rate. Owing to the decline in early mortality in this group, modern medicine is
      now faced by the long-term complications associated with congenital heart disease
      such as chronic heart failure, increased endocarditis risk, elevated burden of
      arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, valvular dysfunction, and pregnancy.
      SUMMARY: Increasing access to ACHD care, evolution of imaging techniques and
      transcatheter technology and continued efforts at quality improvement will be key
      to successfully facing the challenges that are a product of the astounding
      success of pediatric cardiac surgery.

PMID- 28617686
TI  - Imaging adult patients with coarctation of the aorta.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of current recommendations and
      techniques used to image coarctations of the aorta. RECENT FINDINGS: Imaging of
      coarctation of the aorta in adults is moving away from conventional techniques
      such as echocardiography and invasive angiography. Echocardiography may assist in
      making the diagnosis but is limited in its ability to quantify the severity of
      coarctations. Current guidelines recommend that every patient with a coarctation
      must undergo a computed tomography (CT) or MRI scan for accurate delineation of
      morphology. MRIs provide important hemodynamic data and this is rapidly evolving
      to include techniques such as 4D flow cardiac MRI which can provide time-resolved
      data; research on using MRIs in the interventional suite is underway. CT is
      important for surveillance and provides detailed information about repair-site
      anatomy. Additionally, the use of CT-based technology to guide transcatheter
      interventions may improve the safety and efficiency of angioplasty and stent
      deployment. SUMMARY: Although echocardiography is an important first line means
      to establish the diagnosis of aortic coarctations, CT and MRI-based techniques
      enable the provision of patient-specific management options, can guide
      transcatheter interventions and detect long-term post-intervention complications.

PMID- 28617687
TI  - Preoperatively Assessable Clinical and Pathological Risk Factors for Parametrial
      Involvement in Surgically Treated FIGO Stage IB-IIA Cervical Cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Determining the risk factors associated with parametrial involvement
      (PMI) is of paramount importance to decrease the multimodality treatment in early
      stage cervical cancer. We investigated the preoperatively assessable clinical and
      pathological risk factors associated with PMI in surgically treated stage IB1
      IIA2 cervical cancer. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of women underwent
      Querleu-Morrow type C hysterectomy for cervical cancer stage IB1-IIA2 from 2001
      to 2015. All patients underwent clinical staging examination under anesthesia by
      the same gynecological oncologists during the study period. Evaluated variables
      were age, menopausal status, body mass index, smoking status, FIGO (International
      Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology) stage, clinically measured maximal tumor
      diameter, clinical presentation (exophytic or endophytic tumor), histological
      type, tumor grade, lymphovascular space invasion, clinical and pathological
      vaginal invasion, and uterine body involvement. Endophytic clinical presentation
      was defined for ulcerative tumors and barrel-shaped morphology. Two-dimensional
      transvaginal ultrasonography was used to measure tumor dimensions. RESULTS: Of
      127 eligible women, 37 (29.1%) had PMI. On univariate analysis, endophytic
      clinical presentation (P = 0.01), larger tumor size (P < 0.001), lymphovascular
      space invasion (P < 0.001), pathological vaginal invasion (P = 0.001), and
      uterine body involvement (P < 0.001) were significantly different among the
      groups with and without PMI. In multivariate analysis endophytic clinical
      presentation (odds ratio, 11.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-95.85; P = 0.02)
      and larger tumor size (odds ratio, 32.31; 95% confidence interval, 2.46-423.83; P
      = 0.008) were the independent risk factors for PMI. Threshold of 31 mm in tumor
      size predicted PMI with 71% sensitivity and 75% specificity. We identified 18
      patients with tumor size of more than 30 mm and endophytic presentation; 14
      (77.7%) of these had PMI. CONCLUSIONS: Endophytic clinical presentation and
      larger clinical tumor size (>3 cm) are independent risk factors for PMI in stage
      IB-IIA cervical cancer. Approximately 78% of the patients with a tumor size of
      more than 3 cm and endophytic presentation will require adjuvant chemoradiation
      for PMI following radical surgery. Considering clinical tumor presentation along
      with tumor size can enhance the physician's prediction of PMI in early-stage
      cervical cancer.

PMID- 28617688
TI  - Compliance with the prescribed occlusion treatment for amblyopia.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The present review article is an update on the current
      evidence about compliance to the prescribed occlusion treatment for amblyopia. In
      particular, the authors focus on the predictors and causes of noncompliance and
      possible interventions to increase it. RECENT FINDINGS: Compliance with
      prescribed occlusion treatment is often challenging. Reported rates of compliance
      range widely from 49% to 87%. Objective monitoring of occlusion has opened up new
      research opportunities and allow the design of effective therapeutic regimens.
      Also, predictors and causes of noncompliance have been investigated and their
      knowledge may help the clinician to improved compliance with prescribed occlusion
      treatment for amblyopia. SUMMARY: Although many of the studies assessing the
      effectiveness of interventions to increase compliance to patching treatment for
      amblyopia have many limitations, evidences support that use of educational
      supports, parents, and patient understanding on the importance of patching and
      written information should be considered to increase compliance with patching.

PMID- 28617689
TI  - Paracellular transport and energy utilization in the renal tubule.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Paracellular transport across the tight junction is a general
      mechanism for transepithelial transport of solutes in epithelia, including the
      renal tubule. However, why paracellular transport evolved, given the existence of
      a highly versatile system for transcellular transport, is unknown. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Recent studies have identified the paracellular channel, claudin-2,
      that is responsible for paracellular reabsorption of sodium in the proximal renal
      tubule. Knockout of claudin-2 in mice impairs proximal sodium and fluid
      reabsorption but is compensated by upregulation of sodium reabsorption in the
      loop of Henle. This occurs at the expense of increased renal oxygen consumption,
      hypoxia of the outer medulla and increased susceptibility to ischemic kidney
      injury. SUMMARY: Paracellular transport can be viewed as a mechanism to exploit
      the potential energy in existing electrochemical gradients to drive passive
      transepithelial transport without consuming additional energy. In this way, it
      enhances the efficiency of energy utilization by transporting epithelia.

PMID- 28617690
TI  - Short- and Long-term Cognitive Outcomes in Patients With Major Depression Treated
      With Electroconvulsive Therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The risk of cognitive impairment is a concern for patients with major
      depressive disorder receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Here, we evaluate
      the acute, short-term and long-term effects of ECT on tests of processing speed,
      executive function, memory, and attention. METHODS: Forty-four patients with
      major depressive disorder receiving ECT (61% right unilateral, 39% mixed right
      unilateral-bitemporal, left unilateral, and/or bitemporal lead placement)
      underwent a cognitive battery prior to ECT (T1), after 2 sessions (T2), and at
      the end of the index (T3). Thirty-two patients returned for a 6-month follow-up
      (T4). Thirty-three control subjects were assessed at 2 times approximately 4
      weeks apart (C1 and C2). RESULTS: At baseline, patients showed deficits in
      processing speed, executive function, and memory compared with control subjects.
      Including depression severity and lead placement covariates, linear mixed-model
      analysis showed significant improvement in only processing speed between T1 and
      T3 and between T1 and T4 in patients. An acute decline in attention and verbal
      memory was observed at T2, but performance returned to baseline levels at T3.
      Longitudinal cognitive outcomes did not differ in patients defined as ECT
      responders/nonresponders. LIMITATIONS: Episodic memory was not measured, and
      medications were not controlled between T3 and T4. Control subjects also showed
      improvements in processing speed, suggesting practice effects for some measures.
      CONCLUSIONS: In this naturalistic ECT treatment study, results show that the
      initiation of ECT may transiently affect memory and executive function, but
      cognition is largely unaffected during and after ECT. Whereas some functions
      might improve, others will at least remain stable up to 6 months following the
      ECT index.

PMID- 28617691
TI  - The PRIDE Study and the Conduct of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Questions Answered
      and Unanswered.
AB  - The recently published PRIDE study (prolonging remission in the depressed
      elderly) constitutes an important contribution to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
      technique, from the standpoint of both the index course to treat depressive
      symptoms and the post-remission continuation period to prevent relapse. This
      study was probably the last large, National Institute of Mental Health-funded,
      multisite ECT technical study for some time to come, so extracting clinically
      relevant recommendations is worthwhile. In this commentary, the author discusses
      evidence from this trial relevant to several important clinical index and
      continuation ECT technical issues and elaborates several unanswered questions
      deserving further consideration.

PMID- 28617692
TI  - Update on the supraclavicular flap.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this study is to describe the supraclavicular
      flap and its utility in head and neck reconstruction in the context of recent
      studies. RECENT FINDINGS: Current literature regarding the supraclavicular flap
      has described its expanded uses in a variety of head and neck reconstructive
      settings. Its reliability and limited morbidity have been well demonstrated, and
      it has been cited as a reasonable alternative to other reconstructive options
      including, in some situations, free tissue transfer. SUMMARY: The supraclavicular
      flap has shown dependability in reconstruction of defects in the head and neck,
      and it warrants consideration among reconstructive surgeons, especially for
      circumstances in which free tissue or other pedicled flaps are less than ideal.

PMID- 28617693
TI  - Bryukhonenko's Autojector: The First Apparatus for Cardiopulmonary Bypass and
      Extracorporeal Life Support.
AB  - Sergey Bryukhonenko was a prominent Soviet physician-scientist who from 1922 to
      1924 developed a methodology for perfusing a canine head and keeping it alive
      using the first extracorporeal life support device he created called
      "Autojector." From 1926 to 1927, in collaboration with surgeon Nikolay
      Terebinsky, he performed a series of perfusion experiments of the entire canine
      body using a more advanced model of Autojector. Subsequently, Bryukhonenko
      concluded the possibility of extending this methodology to heart surgery.
      Although Bryukhonenko never applied his device in clinical practice, Terebinsky
      used the concept from 1929 to 1940 on open heart experiments. Although he never
      received sufficient acknowledgement for his pioneering work, it must be
      recognized that Bryukhonenko, along with Terebinsky, laid the groundwork for
      developing cardiac surgery in the Soviet Union.

PMID- 28617694
TI  - The Spectrum of General Surgery Interventions in Pediatric Patients with
      Ventricular Assist Devices.
AB  - Ventricular assist devices (VADs) have positively impacted the management of
      heart failure. However, they come with a range of complications. Although general
      surgical complications have been assessed in adults with VADs, there is no study
      to date that has assessed general surgery intervention in the pediatric
      population. Fifty-two patients who received VADs from 2005 to 2015 at the
      Stollery Children's Hospital were assessed for general surgery intervention and
      anticoagulation status at the time of intervention. Eighteen patients (35%) had
      general surgery intervention; there were 21 nonemergency procedures and six
      emergency procedures performed. For nonemergency procedures, 89% of patients had
      anticoagulation held within 24 hours of surgery and 84% had anticoagulation
      resumed within 4 hours postoperatively. Antiplatelet therapy was not held
      perioperatively. In both emergency and nonemergency procedures, anticoagulation
      status was not a factor in the success of the procedure. This study shows that it
      is safe to have general surgery intervention on the same admission as a VAD
      implant provided an appropriate interdisciplinary healthcare team is involved
      with the perioperative management of the patient.

PMID- 28617695
TI  - An Alternative Consent Process for Minimal Risk Research in the ICU.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Seeking consent for minimal risk research in the ICU poses
      challenges, especially when the research is time-sensitive. Our aim was to
      determine the extent to which ICU patients or surrogates support a deferred
      consent process for a minimal risk study without the potential for direct
      benefit. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Five ICUs within a tertiary
      care hospital. PATIENTS: Newly admitted ICU patients 18 years old or older.
      INTERVENTIONS: We administered an eight-item verbal survey to patients or
      surrogates approached for consent to participate in a minimal risk, ICU-based
      study. The parent study involved noninvasive collection of biosamples and
      clinical data at the time of ICU admission and again 3 days later. If patients
      had capacity at the time of ICU admission, or if a surrogate was readily
      available, consent was sought prior to initial sample collection; otherwise, a
      waiver of consent was granted, and deferred consent was sought 3 days later.
      Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:
      One hundred fifty-seven individuals were approached for consent to participate in
      the parent study; none objected to the consent process. One hundred thirty-five
      of 157 (86%) competed the survey, including 94 who consented to the parent study
      and 41 who declined. Forty-four of 60 individuals (73%) approached for deferred
      consent responded positively to the question "Did we make the right choice in
      waiting until now to ask your consent?" three of 60 (5%) responded negatively,
      and 13 of 60 (22%) made a neutral or unrelated response. The most common reason
      given for endorsing the deferred consent process was the stress of the early ICU
      experience 25 of 44 (61%). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients and surrogates accept a
      deferred consent process for minimal risk research in the ICU. For appropriate
      ICU-based research, investigators and Institutional Review Boards should consider
      a deferred consent process if the subject lacks capacity and an appropriate
      surrogate is not readily available.

PMID- 28617696
TI  - Should Hyperoxia Be Avoided During Sepsis? An Experimental Study in Ovine
      Peritonitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Optimizing oxygen delivery is an important part of the hemodynamic
      resuscitation of septic shock, but concerns have been raised over the potentially
      deleterious effects of hyperoxia. We evaluated the impact of hyperoxia on
      hemodynamics, the microcirculation, and cerebral and renal metabolism in an ovine
      model of septic shock. DESIGN: Randomized animal study. SETTING: University
      hospital animal research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Fourteen adult female sheep.
      INTERVENTIONS: After induction of fecal peritonitis, sheep were randomized to
      ventilation with an FIO2 of 100% (n = 7) or an FIO2 adjusted to maintain PaO2
      between 90 and 120 mm Hg (n = 7, control). All animals were fluid resuscitated
      and observed until death. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In addition to
      hemodynamic measurements, we assessed the sublingual microcirculation, renal and
      cerebral microdialysis and microvascular perfusion, and brain tissue oxygen
      pressure. Hyperoxic animals initially had a higher mean arterial pressure than
      control animals. After onset of shock, hyperoxia blunted the decrease in stroke
      volume index observed in the control group. Hyperoxia was associated with a
      higher sublingual microcirculatory flow over time, with higher cerebral perfusion
      and brain tissue oxygen pressure and with a lower cerebral lactate-to-pyruvate
      ratio than in control animals. Hyperoxia was also associated with preserved renal
      microvascular perfusion, lower renal lactate-to-pyruvate ratio, and higher
      PaO2/FIO2 ratio. CONCLUSIONS: In this acute peritonitis model, hyperoxia induced
      during resuscitation provided better hemodynamics and peripheral microvascular
      flow and better preserved cerebral metabolism, renal function, and gas exchange.
      These observations are reassuring with recent concerns about excessive oxygen
      therapy in acute diseases.

PMID- 28617697
TI  - Evaluation of the Temple Touch Pro, a Novel Noninvasive Core-Temperature
      Monitoring System.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Temple Touch Pro (TTP) is a novel system that estimates core
      temperature from skin over the temporal artery. We tested the hypothesis that
      this noninvasive system estimates core temperature to an accuracy within 0.5
      degrees C. METHODS: Core temperature was continuously monitored in 50 adult and
      pediatric surgical patients by positioning the sensor patch of a TTP over one
      temporal artery. The sensor consists of a thermistor array near the skin surface,
      another set of thermistors above an insulator, and a second insulator between the
      upper unit and the environment. The sensor measures skin temperature and heat
      flux, from which the monitor unit estimates core temperature from a proprietary
      algorithm. Reference core temperature was measured from the esophagus or
      nasopharynx. We conducted agreement analysis between the TTP and the reference
      core temperature measurements using the 95% Bland-Altman limits of agreement for
      repeated measurement data. The proportion of all differences that were within 0.5
      degrees C and repeat measures concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were
      estimated as well. RESULTS: TTP and the reference core temperature measurements
      agreed well in both adults and pediatric patients. Bland-Altman plots showed no
      evidence of systematic bias or variability over the temperature from 35.2 degrees
      C to 37.8 degrees C. The estimated 95% lower and upper limits of agreement were 
      0.57 degrees C (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.76 to -0.41) and 0.57 degrees C
      (95% CI, 0.44 to 0.71), indicating good agreement between the 2 methods. Ninety
      four percentage (95% CI, 87% to 99%) of the TTP temperatures were within 0.5
      degrees C of the reference temperature. Good agreement was also supported by an
      estimated repeated measures CCC of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.91). The TTP core
      temperature measurements also agreed well with nasopharyngeal reference
      temperatures. CONCLUSIONS: The noninvasive TTP system is sufficiently accurate
      and reliable for routine intraoperative core temperature monitoring.

PMID- 28617698
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28617699
TI  - Wind of Change or Siren Song?

PMID- 28617700
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28617701
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28617702
TI  - Intraperitoneal Instillation of Local Anesthetics: Is This a Suitable Alternative
      for Postcesarean Pain Relief Without Toxicity Profiling?

PMID- 28617703
TI  - Using Self-reports or Claims to Assess Disease Prevalence: It's Complicated.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Two common ways of measuring disease prevalence include: (1) using
      self-reported disease diagnosis from survey responses; and (2) using disease
      specific diagnosis codes found in administrative data. Because they do not suffer
      from self-report biases, claims are often assumed to be more objective. However,
      it is not clear that claims always produce better prevalence estimates.
      OBJECTIVE: Conduct an assessment of discrepancies between self-report and claims
      based measures for 2 diseases in the US elderly to investigate definition,
      selection, and measurement error issues which may help explain divergence between
      claims and self-report estimates of prevalence. DATA: Self-reported data from 3
      sources are included: the Health and Retirement Study, the Medicare Current
      Beneficiary Survey, and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
      Claims-based disease measurements are provided from Medicare claims linked to
      Health and Retirement Study and Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey participants,
      comprehensive claims data from a 20% random sample of Medicare enrollees, and
      private health insurance claims from Humana Inc. METHODS: Prevalence of diagnosed
      disease in the US elderly are computed and compared across sources. Two medical
      conditions are considered: diabetes and heart attack. RESULTS: Comparisons of
      diagnosed diabetes and heart attack prevalence show similar trends by source, but
      claims differ from self-reports with regard to levels. Selection into insurance
      plans, disease definitions, and the reference period used by algorithms are
      identified as sources contributing to differences. CONCLUSIONS: Claims and self
      reports both have strengths and weaknesses, which researchers need to consider
      when interpreting estimates of prevalence from these 2 sources.

PMID- 28617704
TI  - Greater Oxidative Capacity in Primary Myotubes from Endurance-trained Women.
AB  - PURPOSE: Exercise training promotes skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and
      an increase in maximal oxygen consumption. Primary myotubes retain some metabolic
      properties observed in vivo but it is unknown whether this includes exercise
      induced mitochondrial adaptations. The goal of this study was to test if primary
      myotubes from exercise-trained women have higher mitochondrial content and
      maximal oxygen consumption compared with untrained women. METHODS: Six trained
      and nine untrained white women participated in this study. Muscle biopsies from
      the vastus lateralis muscle of the right leg were obtained and primary muscle
      cells were isolated. Maximal respiration rates, mitochondrial mRNA and protein
      content, and succinate dehydrogenase activity were measured in skeletal muscle
      and primary myotubes from trained and untrained women. RESULTS: Trained women,
      compared with untrained women, had higher maximal whole-body oxygen consumption
      (+18%, P = 0.03), in vivo maximal skeletal muscle oxidative capacity measured
      with near infrared spectroscopy (+48%, P < 0.01), and maximal oxygen consumption
      in permeabilized muscle fibers (+38%, P = 0.02), which coincided with higher
      protein levels of muscle mitochondrial enzymes. Primary myotubes from trained
      women had higher maximal oxygen consumption (+38%, P = 0.03), suggesting that
      some elements of exercise-induced metabolic programming persists ex vivo.
      Consistent with this idea, myotubes from trained women had higher mRNA levels of
      transcriptional regulators of mitochondrial biogenesis in addition to higher
      protein levels of mitochondrial enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the
      existence of an "exercise metabolic program," where primary myotubes isolated
      from exercise-trained individuals exhibit greater mitochondrial content and
      oxidative capacity compared with untrained individuals. These myotubes may be a
      useful model to study molecular mechanisms relevant to exercise adaptations in
      human skeletal muscle.

PMID- 28617705
TI  - Liver X Receptor alpha Is Involved in Counteracting Mechanical Allodynia by
      Inhibiting Neuroinflammation in the Spinal Dorsal Horn.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Liver X receptors, including alpha and beta isoforms, are ligand
      activated transcription factors. Whether liver X receptor alpha plays a role in
      neuropathic pain is unknown. METHODS: A spared nerve injury model was established
      in adult male rats and mice. Von Frey tests were performed to evaluate the
      neuropathic pain behavior; Western blot and immunohistochemistry were performed
      to understand the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Intrathecal injection of a
      specific liver X receptor agonist T0901317 or GW3965 could either prevent the
      development of mechanical allodynia or alleviate the established mechanical
      allodynia, both in rats and wild-type mice. GW3965 could inhibit the activation
      of glial cells and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (mean +/- SD:
      196 +/- 48 vs. 119 +/- 57; n = 6; P < 0.01) and interleukin 1beta (mean +/- SD:
      215 +/- 69 vs. 158 +/- 74; n = 6; P < 0.01) and increase the expression of
      interleukin 10 in the spinal dorsal horn. All of the above effects of GW3965
      could be abolished by liver X receptor alpha mutation. Moreover, more glial cells
      were activated, and more interleukin 1beta was released in the spinal dorsal horn
      in liver X receptor alpha knockout mice than in wild-type mice after spared nerve
      injury. Aminoglutethimide, a neurosteroid synthesis inhibitor, blocked the
      inhibitory effect of T0901317 on mechanical allodynia, on the activation of glial
      cells, and on the expression of cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of liver X
      receptor alpha inhibits mechanical allodynia by inhibiting the activation of
      glial cells and rebalancing cytokines in the spinal dorsal horn via
      neurosteroids.

PMID- 28617706
TI  - Fulminant Hyperfibrinolysis Diagnosed by Rotational Thromboelastometry.

PMID- 28617707
TI  - Lingual Thyroid.

PMID- 28617709
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28617708
TI  - The impact of nutrition on quality of life of patients with hepatitis C.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this study was to review the most recent aspects of
      nutrition and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients
      with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). RECENT FINDINGS: Low HRQOL scores have been found
      in all stages of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Of the factors linked to
      HRQOL, three aspects should be emphasized, nutritional status, physical activity
      and mental health status. Regarding the nutrition and metabolic conditions, a
      broad spectrum of nutritional disorders may impact on HRQOL of patients with CHC.
      SUMMARY: Malnutrition, which is a significant comorbidity in end-stage of all
      chronic liver diseases, has been recognized as a significant factor related to
      poor HRQOL. Of note, in individuals chronically infected with HCV, low muscle
      skeletal mass, an early indicator of undernourishment, precedes the development
      of cirrhosis. Because of the strict linkage between HRQOL, nutrition and physical
      activity, the assessment of the musculoskeletal system abnormalities in every
      patient with CHC, independently of the stage of the liver disease, is of utmost
      relevance. Maintenance of healthy skeletal muscle is essential to reduce the
      negative effects of sarcopenia on HRQOL. Otherwise, overweight/obesity and
      chronic HCV infection can cause insulin resistance, which has been associated
      with HRQOL impairment.

PMID- 28617710
TI  - The low FODMAP diet: fundamental therapy in the management of irritable bowel
      syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The low FODMAP diet is now recognized as first-line therapy
      for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms including abdominal
      pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea and or constipation. This information must be
      disseminated for application to clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS: There are
      many people with IBS worldwide who can benefit from following the low FODMAP diet
      to alleviate or minimize symptoms. Clinical studies and trials demonstrating the
      positive outcomes of the low FODMAP diet have been based on diet education
      provided by dietitians. Understanding the types of carbohydrates that are high in
      FODMAPs and the associated symptoms, nutrition intervention can be targeted using
      the low FODMAP diet. The nutrition intervention is relatively in expensive,
      noninvasive and basically without side-effects if monitored by a dietitian and
      clinical team. SUMMARY: Applying the low FODMAP diet in IBS can greatly improve
      health and quality of life outcomes by alleviating or significantly improves
      symptoms.

PMID- 28617711
TI  - Addressing engagement in technology-based behavioural HIV interventions through
      paradata metrics.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this review was to examine how often researchers
      report participants' online engagement using paradata (i.e. intervention usage
      metrics) when describing the outcomes of online behavioural HIV prevention and
      care interventions. We also highlight the utility of paradata collection and
      analysis in future technology-based trials. RECENT FINDINGS: We focused on
      studies indexed on PubMed and published between 1 January 2016 and 31 March 2017
      that reported the development and testing of online behavioural interventions for
      HIV prevention and/or care. Of the 705 extracted citations, six met study
      criteria. SUMMARY: Only one study reported paradata reflecting participants'
      engagement with a technology-based intervention. Researchers should
      systematically collect and analyse paradata to strengthen the evidence base for
      technology-based interventions (do they work?), advance the use of behaviour
      change theory across modalities and platforms (how/why do they work?) and inform
      reach and scale-up efforts (for whom do they work?). Researchers may also rely on
      paradata to examine dose-response relationships due to user engagement, to
      identify replicable core components linked to behaviour change outcomes, to
      allocate resources judiciously and drive down development costs, and to pool
      these metrics for use in future meta-analyses.

PMID- 28617713
TI  - Gastric Emphysema: A Cannot-Miss Emergency Medicine Diagnosis.
AB  - The radiographic finding of gastric emphysema with portal venous gas is
      classically an ominous finding, associated with a high rate of mortality.
      Although classically the case, this imaging finding must be quickly correlated
      with the overall clinical picture, allowing for the essential differentiation
      between the highly lethal emphysematous gastritis and the much more benign
      gastric emphysema, each of which has drastically different management strategies.
      We report a case of gastric emphysema with portal venous gas likely attributable
      to a gastric outlet obstruction and gastric mucosal defect in a 17-year-old girl
      with a chief complaint of syncope that was diagnosed in the emergency department
      and treated conservatively.

PMID- 28617712
TI  - Using technology to support HIV self-testing among MSM.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Technology-based HIV self-testing (HST) interventions have the
      potential to improve access to HIV testing among gay, bisexual, and other MSM, as
      well as address concerns about HST use, including challenges with linkage to
      appropriate follow-up services. This review examines studies that use technology
      based platforms to increase or improve the experience of HST among MSM. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Seven published studies and eight funded studies were included in this
      review. Comprehensive prevention interventions with free HST kit distribution and
      interventions that provide free HST kits and support the HST process address a
      greater number of barriers (e.g., access, correct use of testing kits, and
      correct interpretation of results) than studies that only distribute free HST
      kits through technology-based platforms. SUMMARY: By addressing HIV-testing
      barriers and specific HST concerns, these interventions address a critical need
      to improve first time and repeat testing rates among MSM. Additional research is
      needed to determine the efficacy of recent formative HST interventions. If proven
      efficacious, scale-up of these strategies have the potential to increase HIV
      testing among MSM via expanded HST uptake.

PMID- 28617714
TI  - Perioperative chemotherapy with and without high-dose methotrexate in adult
      osteosarcoma.
AB  - Treatment of adult osteosarcoma (AOS) includes perioperative chemotherapy and
      surgery. Standard chemotherapy consists of cisplatin (CP) and doxorubicin (DOX).
      Although considered the standard of care for pediatric patients, high-dose
      methotrexate (HDM) remains controversial in adults. We aimed to evaluate the role
      of HDM in AOS treated with curative intent. This study included patients with AOS
      who received perioperative chemotherapy with DOX and CP (group 1; N=16) and DOX,
      CP, and HDM (group 2; N=10). The primary endpoint was grade 3 or superior
      toxicities. The secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and disease
      free survival. Despite lower average age (35.0+/-12.1 vs. 18.9+/-2.1 years),
      group 2 presented more grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (0 vs 50%) and mucositis (0 vs
      40%), whereas group 1 presented more grade 3-4 neutropenia (43.75 vs 40%). No
      grade 3-4 renal toxicities occurred. Two grade 5 toxicities occurred in group 2,
      both after the first HDM cycle. Disease-free survival (4.38+/-0.61 vs. 2.3+/-0.54
      years, P=0.228) and OS (4.70+/-0.56 vs 2.52+/-0.57 years, P=0.107) were not
      statistically different, but presented a trend toward better outcomes in group 1.
      The 4-year OS was 65.6 and 32.8% for groups 1 and 2, respectively. In conclusion,
      HDM was associated with greater severe and lethal toxicity when added to CP and
      DOX in AOS. Also, it does not seem to impact on treatment efficacy. These data do
      not support the use of HDM for the perioperative treatment of AOS.

PMID- 28617715
TI  - Strength And Muscular Adaptations Following 6 Weeks Of Rest-Pause Versus
      Traditional Multiple-Sets Resistance Training In Trained Subjects.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to compare the longitudinal effects of six
      weeks of rest-pause versus traditional multiple-set RT on muscle strength,
      hypertrophy, localized muscular endurance, and body composition in trained
      subjects. Eighteen trained subjects (mean +/- SD; age = 30.2 +/- 6.6 years;
      weight = 74.8 +/- 17.2 kg; height = 171.4 +/- 10.3 cm) were randomly assigned to
      either a traditional multiple-set group (n = 9; 7 males and 2 females; 3 sets of
      6 repetitions with 80% of 1-RM and 2 min rest intervals between sets) or a rest
      pause group (n = 9; 7 males and 2 females). The results showed no significant
      differences (p > 0.05) between groups in 1RM strength (rest-pause: 16 +/- 11% for
      BP, 25 +/- 17% for LP, and 16 +/- 10% for BC versus traditional multiple-set: 10
      +/- 21% for BP, 30 +/- 20% for LP and 21 +/- 20% for BC). In localized muscular
      endurance, the rest-pause group displayed significantly greater (p < 0.05)
      repetitions, only for the LP exercise (rest pause: 27 +/- 8% versus traditional
      multiple set: 8 +/- 2%). In muscle hypertrophy, the rest-pause group displayed
      significantly greater (p < 0.05) thickness, only for the thigh (rest-pause: 11 +/
      14% versus traditional multiple-set: 1 +/- 7%). In conclusion, resistance
      training performed with the rest-pause method resulted in similar gains in muscle
      strength as traditional multiple-set training. However, the rest-pause method
      resulted in greater gains in localized muscular endurance and hypertrophy for the
      thigh musculature.

PMID- 28617716
TI  - Hybrid Blocks for Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Technical Description.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This narrative review article aims to examine current evidence of
      knee innervation in order to develop a technique of targeting pure sensory
      innervation of the knee joint without compromising motor function. METHODS: A
      literature review of knee innervation was performed to gain an anatomic
      understanding of terminal sensory branches of the relevant target nerves
      (femoral, obturator, sciatic, and lateral femoral cutaneous). RESULTS: Pure
      sensory block of the knee joint is challenging due to important contributions
      from themuscular innervation close to the joint and the variability of nerves
      afferents contained within and around the adductor canal. CONCLUSION: On the
      basis of this anatomic knowledge we describe an ultrasound-guided 3-injection
      hybrid technique that represents a balance between preserving adequate motor
      power while still providing analgesia in a simple method.

PMID- 28617717
TI  - Validation of the YuWell YE690A upper-arm blood pressure monitor, for clinic use
      and self-measurement, according to the European Society of Hypertension
      International Protocol revision 2010.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the automated
      oscillometric upper-arm blood pressure monitor YuWell YE690A for blood pressure
      measurement according to the International Protocol of the European Society of
      Hypertension revision 2010. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Systolic and diastolic
      blood pressures were measured sequentially in 33 adult Chinese (12 women, 44.2
      years of mean age) using a mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the
      YE690A device (one supervisor). A total of 99 pairs of comparisons were obtained
      from 33 participants for judgments in two parts with three grading phases.
      RESULTS: All the blood pressure requirements were fulfilled. The YuWell YE690A
      device achieved the targets in part 1 of the validation study. The number of
      absolute differences between device and observers within 5, 10, and 15 mmHg was
      79/99, 96/99, and 97/99, respectively, for systolic blood pressure and 72/99,
      95/99, and 98/99, respectively, for diastolic blood pressure. The device also
      fulfilled the criteria in part 2 of the validation study. Thirty-one and 25
      participants for systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, had at
      least two of the three device-observer differences within 5 mmHg (required >=24).
      No participant for systolic and two participants for diastolic blood pressure had
      all the three device-observer comparisons greater than 5 mmHg. CONCLUSION: The
      YuWell blood pressure monitor YE690A has passed the requirements of the
      International Protocol revision 2010 and hence can be recommended for blood
      pressure measurement in adults.

PMID- 28617718
TI  - Self-monitoring of blood pressure during pregnancy: an observational study in the
      obstetrical waiting room.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of self-monitoring
      of blood pressure with a semiautomatic device in pregnant women. PARTICIPANTS AND
      METHODS: Women attending routine obstetrical ultrasound scanning were invited to
      participate. The hospital staff initially demonstrated and instructed each
      participant in correct measurement and then took three measurements on both arms.
      The participant then repeated the measurements and filled an evaluation
      questionnaire. We used a validated semiautomatic device for all measurements.
      Mean values were calculated for systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood
      pressure (MAP) and were compared using the paired sample t-test. Mean values and
      differences of systolic and diastolic pressure were plotted in Bland-Altman plots
      to test the agreement of the measurements. Finally, a mean evaluation score was
      calculated. RESULTS: One hundred pregnant women were included in the study. Mean
      values of systolic, diastolic and MAP were 110.6, 69.7 and 83.3 mmHg,
      respectively, as assessed by the hospital staff. The corresponding self
      measurements were 111.4, 70.2 and 83.9 mmHg, respectively. Mean differences
      between hospital and self-measurements were 0.79 mmHg for systolic [P=0.052, 95%
      confidence interval (CI)=-0.008 to 1.58], 0.49 mmHg for diastolic (P=0.056, 95%
      CI=-0.01 to 0.99) and 0.59 mmHg for MAP (P=0.019, 95% CI=0.099-1.08). The mean
      evaluation score was 9.2 of 10. CONCLUSION: Differences between hospital staff
      and self-measurements in systolic, diastolic and MAP are within acceptable
      international standards. The semiautomatic device Microlife-VSA is well suited
      for self-measurement; however, safety studies on the use of home measurements in
      hypertensive pregnancies are still warranted.

PMID- 28617719
TI  - Guillain-Barre syndrome and Zika virus outbreaks.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Arboviruses have been associated with central and peripheral
      nervous system injuries, in special the flaviviruses. Guillain-Barre syndrome
      (GBS), transverse myelitis, meningoencephalitis, ophthalmological manifestations,
      and other neurological complications have been recently associated to Zika virus
      (ZIKV) infection. In this review, we aim to analyze the epidemiological aspects,
      possible pathophysiology, and what we have learned about the clinical and
      laboratory findings, as well as treatment of patients with ZIKV-associated
      neurological complications. RECENT FINDINGS: In the last decades, case series
      have suggested a possible link between flaviviruses and development of GBS.
      Recently, large outbreaks of ZIKV infection in Asia and the Americas have led to
      an increased incidence of GBS in these territories. Rapidly, several case reports
      and case series have reported an increase of all clinical forms and
      electrophysiological patterns of GBS, also including cases with associated
      central nervous system involvement. Finally, cases suggestive of acute transient
      polyneuritis, as well as acute and progressive postinfectious neuropathies
      associated to ZIKV infection have been reported, questioning the usually
      implicated mechanisms of neuronal injury. SUMMARY: The recent ZIKV outbreaks have
      triggered the occurrence of a myriad of neurological manifestations likely
      associated to this arbovirosis, in special GBS and its variants.

PMID- 28617720
TI  - Development of a Trigger Tool to Identify Adverse Drug Events in Elderly Patients
      With Multimorbidity.
AB  - PURPOSE: Elderly patients with multimorbidity are especially vulnerable to
      adverse drug events (ADEs) and had high prevalence rates. Identifying ADEs is
      essential for enabling timely interventions that can mitigate the adverse events
      detected and for developing targeted strategies to prevent their occurrence as
      well as to monitor implementation. The aim of this study was to develop a set
      with appropriate triggers for detecting potential ADEs in elderly patients with
      multimorbidity. METHODS: A modified Delphi methodology was used to reach
      consensus. Existing triggers for detecting ADEs in adult patients were identified
      from a literature search in several databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science,
      Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, and Cochrane Library) and from Institute
      for Healthcare Improvement published lists. Twelve experts in patient/medication
      safety or in chronic diseases scored candidate triggers for appropriateness
      according to 3 criteria (evidence, usefulness for elderly patients, and
      feasibility of implementation in clinical practice). RESULTS: Seventy-two
      triggers were initially selected to be evaluated. The final set includes a total
      of 51 triggers for which the panelists who completed the 2 rounds of evaluation
      reached agreement. These triggers were organized into 5 modules: 11 as care
      module triggers, 10 as antidotes/treatment, 11 medication concentrations, 18
      abnormal laboratory values, and 1 as emergency department trigger. CONCLUSIONS: A
      set of triggers for detecting ADEs in elderly patients with multimorbidity have
      been developed, following the consensus of a panel of experts. Subsequent
      validation in clinical practice is needed to confirm the accuracy and efficiency
      of these triggers for this population.

PMID- 28617721
TI  - Analysis of a Physician-led, Team-based Care Model for the Treatment of Glaucoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the effect of a protocol for a new physician-led, team
      based glaucoma care model implemented in 2008 at Mayo Clinic's campus in
      Rochester, Minnesota (MCR), to increase conformance with the American Academy of
      Ophthalmology (AAO) Preferred Practice Pattern guidelines for treatment of
      primary open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: Records of 591 patients with newly
      diagnosed glaucoma were assessed retrospectively for the completion of 9 AAO
      Preferred Practice Pattern recommended metrics including measured corneal
      thickness, intraocular pressure (IOP), cup to disk ratio, visual acuity, recorded
      IOP target, gonioscopy, fundus photos, ocular coherence tomography, and visual
      field in the 3 years before and 3 years after protocol implementation. Treatment
      by the glaucoma care team at MCR was compared with treatment at a community-based
      general ophthalmology practice and with a group of comprehensive ophthalmologists
      at MCR without team care, which served as controls. RESULTS: Adherence to AAO
      recommendations increased for the documentation of target IOP (+24%, 42.6% to
      66.7%; P=0.007), gonioscopy (+27%, 66.7% to 93.3%; P<=0.001), fundus photos
      (+29%, 44.4% to 73.3%; P<=0.001), and ocular coherence tomography (+20%, 48.1% to
      68.0%; P=0.02) after protocol initiation. No change in pattern of testing
      occurred in the control groups without team care during the same time period.
      Type and severity of glaucoma were similar between MCR and community practice.
      CONCLUSIONS: An increase in compliance with AAO guidelines was found after
      implementation of our protocol for a physician-led, team-based care model to
      standardize glaucoma care among providers.

PMID- 28617722
TI  - Prevalence of Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome in an Isolated Island Population of
      Korea: The Woodo Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of
      pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) within Korean population living in Woodo Island.
      METHODS: Among the 625 residents aged 50 years or older, 305 residents (197 women
      and 108 men) participated in the study; a response rate of 48.8%. Participants
      filled out questionnaires on life style. Intraocular pressure and corneal
      endothelial cell function was measured. Both pupils were dilated. Fundus
      photographs and stereo disc photographs were taken. Vertical cup-to-disc ratio
      was determined. Pure tone audiometry threshold was measured at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and
      6 kHz of frequencies for each ear. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of PXS among
      Woodo Island residents older than 50 years significantly increased with age, from
      1.0% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0%-2.8%] in participants aged 50 to 59 years
      to 23.3% (95% CI, 8.2%-38.5%) in those aged over 80 years (P<0.001). The
      prevalence of PXS showed no significant difference between men and women in all
      age groups. The age-standardized prevalence rate of PXS was 10.4% (95% CI, 8.0%
      12.8%), with a rate of 9.4% (95% CI, 5.8%-13.1%) in men and 14.9% (95% CI, 11.3%
      18.4%) in women. PXS did not show significant association with smoking, outdoor
      activity, and occupation, except alcohol consumption. PXS showed significant
      decrease in endothelial cell density. Pure tone audiometry test of PXS group
      revealed statistically significant decrease in 1, 2 kHz. CONCLUSIONS: The
      prevalence of PXS was 10.4% in the 50 years and older age group, and tended to
      increase with age. Decrease in corneal endothelial function and selective hearing
      loss was correlated in PXE patients, supporting impairment of systemic
      endothelial function in PXE syndrome.

PMID- 28617723
TI  - Effect of Uterine Fundal Pressure on Maternal Intraocular Pressure in Cesarean
      Delivery: Comparison of Regional and General Anesthesia.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) changes accompanying fundal
      pressure during a cesarean-section procedure under both regional and general
      anesthesia. METHODS: In total, 60 women scheduled for elective cesarean section,
      none of them diagnosed with ocular problems, were enrolled in the study. Patients
      underwent cesarean section under either general (group G, n=30) or regional
      anesthesia (group S, n=30) according to their choice. IOP was measured with a
      Tono-Pen before (T1) and after (T2) application of anesthesia, during fundal
      pressure (T3), and after the birth of the baby (T4). Heart rate as well as
      systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure were recorded during the
      procedure. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in IOP between the groups
      (P>0.05). In group S, IOP at T3 was significantly higher than at all other
      timepoints (P<0.001). In group G, IOP at T3 was significantly higher than at T2
      and T4. Mean arterial pressure was significantly lower in group S at all
      timepoints except T1. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, fundal pressure may
      significantly increase the IOP, but the choice of anesthetic technique may not
      have any effect on IOP.

PMID- 28617724
TI  - Intracorneal Inlays for the Correction of Presbyopia.
AB  - The current nonsurgical approaches for the correction of presbyopia are
      spectacles or contact lenses or the use of pharmaceuticals to create an
      artificial pupil and/or to stimulate residual accommodation. Refractive surgical
      procedures use a monovision approach and/or a multifocal corneal laser ablation
      with or without the induction of negative spherical aberration to improve near
      vision. More recently, new surgical approaches include intracorneal inlays. Inlay
      approaches include increasing corneal curvature alone, implanting a multifocal
      inlay, or by implanting a small aperture device that functions as a pinhole to
      restore unaided near and intermediate visual acuity. This review presents an
      analysis of the history and development of the various inlay approaches designed
      to improve presbyopia. Unlike other refractive surgical approaches, these newer
      techniques are removable. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

PMID- 28617725
TI  - Depth Profile Assessment of the Early Phase Deposition of Lysozyme on Soft
      Contact Lens Materials Using a Novel In Vitro Eye Model.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To characterize the location of fluorescently labeled lysozyme on
      commercial contact lenses (CLs) using an in vitro eye model that simulates tear
      volume, tear flow, air exposure, and mechanical wear. METHODS: One commercially
      available conventional hydrogel CL material (etafilcon A) and three silicone
      hydrogel CL materials (balafilcon A, lotrafilcon B, and senofilcon A) were
      evaluated in this study. The CLs were mounted on the in vitro eye model and
      exposed to artificial tear fluid containing fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)
      labeled lysozyme for 2 and 10 hrs. After these short incubation periods, circular
      discs were punched from the CLs at the center and periphery and were prepared for
      confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The CLSM captured a series of
      consecutive images spaced 5 MUm apart, and the resulting images were rendered
      into two dimensional cross-sectional views of the CL. The mean fluorescence at
      each 5 MUm slice was used to generate a histogram depicting the penetration of
      FITC-lysozyme into CLs. RESULTS: For both incubation periods, the CLSM images and
      histogram of etafilcon A showed that FITC-lysozyme is more concentrated at the
      lens surface, with a moderate amount of deposition in the lens matrix. For
      balafilcon A, FITC-lysozyme was evenly distributed throughout the lens. For
      lotrafilcon B, there was a greater amount of FITC-lysozyme deposition on the
      surfaces of the lens versus the matrix. Senofilcon A had differential FITC
      lysozyme distribution profiles depending on the location of the lens. At the lens
      periphery, FITC-lysozyme primarily deposited on the surface, whereas FITC
      lysozyme was uniformly distributed at the center of the lens. CONCLUSIONS: With
      the use of a sophisticated in vitro eye model, the study revealed a complex
      deposition pattern of FITC-labeled lysozyme on various CL materials after short
      periods of exposure. An understanding of the early deposition pattern of lysozyme
      on different CL material may elucidate new insights into the processes behind CL
      discomfort.

PMID- 28617726
TI  - Comparative Analysis of Peripheral Corneal Geometry in Health and Keratoconus.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare corneal peripheral angles in normal and
      keratoconic eyes, to gain a better understanding of the topography of the
      periphery of the cornea in keratoconus and assist practitioners in the selection
      and fitting of large diameter contact lenses. METHODS: Eighty-eight eyes were
      included in the study, divided into three groups: healthy (A0, 28 eyes),
      keratoconus at stage I according to the Amsler-Krumeich classification (AI, 33
      eyes) and keratoconus at stages II to IV (AII, 27 eyes). The Pentacam Scheimpflug
      system was used to manually measure the corneal peripheral angles corresponding
      to a chord length range between 8.6 and 12.6 mm at 8 different peripheral
      locations. RESULTS: The peripheral angle was influenced by ocular condition and
      by the peripheral location, with no interaction effect between both factors.
      Statistically significant differences were found in mean corneal peripheral
      angles between groups A0 (30.84 degrees +/-2.33 degrees ) and AI (31.63 degrees
      +/-2.02 degrees ) (P=0.001) and between A0 and AII (31.37 degrees +/-2.11 degrees
      ) (P=0.030). The differences between AI and AII were not significant. In all
      eyes, the largest and smallest peripheral angles were found at the temporal
      inferior and temporal superior locations, respectively, with a mean difference
      between largest and smallest of 3.37 degrees +/-1.42 degrees  in healthy eyes and
      2.96 degrees +/-1.54 degrees  in keratoconus (AI+AII). CONCLUSION: Clinically
      insignificant differences were found in peripheral angles between keratoconus and
      healthy eyes, giving support to the use of large diameter, intralimbal contact
      lenses with peripheral designs, and resting on the same corneal region, as those
      fitted on normal corneas.

PMID- 28617727
TI  - Descemet's Membrane Dehiscence Resulting From Misdirected Viscoelastic During
      Anterior Chamber Reformation.
AB  - We report a case of Descemet's membrane detachment after inadvertent intrastromal
      injection of hyaluronic acid. Surgical removal was attempted with minimal but
      slow improvement. Near-complete resolution occurred with subsequent conservative
      management within 6 weeks.

PMID- 28617728
TI  - A Comparison of the Effects of Orthokeratology Lens, Medcall Lens, and Ordinary
      Frame Glasses on the Accommodative Response in Myopic Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe and compare changes in accommodative response between
      myopic children wearing ordinary frame glasses (OFG), Mouldway orthokeratology
      lenses (M-OK), and medcall lenses (ML). METHODS: A total of 240 myopic children
      were divided into three groups: OFG [n=90]; M-OK [n=90]; and ML [n=60]). The
      diopter, accommodative lag, and binocular accommodative facility before wearing
      glasses (T0) and 1-year after wearing glasses (T1) were compared among the three
      groups. RESULTS: Commercially available software was used to perform statistical
      analysis, and the data were expressed as mean+/-SD. There were no significant
      differences among the three groups at T0. The accommodative lags in M-OK and ML
      at T1 were significantly lower than those at T0; this finding was most evident in
      M-OK. Although accommodative facility increased in all three groups, the increase
      was most evident in M-OK and ML. CONCLUSION: Mouldway orthokeratology lenses and
      ML can reduce the accommodative lag and increase the accommodative facility in
      myopic children. Compared with ML, M-OK showed considerably more marked effects
      to myopia progression in children.

PMID- 28617729
TI  - Demographic Characteristics and Prescribing Patterns of Scleral Lens Fitters: The
      SCOPE Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study reports demographic characteristics of scleral lens
      providers and indications for scleral lens prescription as assessed by a
      worldwide online survey. METHODS: The Scleral Lenses in Current Ophthalmic
      Practice: an Evaluation (SCOPE) study group designed the online survey regarding
      current scleral lens prescription and management practices. The Mayo Clinic
      Survey Research Center administered the survey, which was open from January 15 to
      March 31, 2015. Data from 989 responses were collated by the Survey Research
      Center and deidentified before analysis. Responses of individuals who had fit at
      least five patients with scleral lenses were analyzed in detail. RESULTS: Most
      lens fitters were men (61%, n=800). Of survey respondents, 29% were 25 to 34
      years; 22%, 35 to 44 years; 22%, 45 to 54 years; and 26%, more than 55 years
      (n=806). For 29% of all respondents, professional training was completed between
      2009 and 2014 (n=804). Most (54%) fit their first patient between 2010 and 2015,
      with the earliest lens fit reported in 1956 (n=634). Most respondents (63%)
      worked primarily in private, group, or retail practice (n=811). Scleral lenses
      were most often prescribed for corneal irregularity (74%), followed by ocular
      surface disease (16%) and uncomplicated refractive error (10%) (n=673).
      CONCLUSIONS: Eye care providers of all ages are fitting scleral lenses. The
      number of individuals who fit this lens modality has increased during the past
      decade. Scleral lenses are being fit by providers in a wide range of practice
      settings. Most scleral lenses are prescribed for corneal irregularity.

PMID- 28617730
TI  - Eye Symptom Questionnaire to Evaluate Anterior Eye Health.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Ophthalmologists assess eye complaints with a careful history and eye
      examination; however, other types of physicians have limited tools to evaluate
      anterior segment (AS) eye diseases. We identified the eye symptom questions that
      providers should ask to help determine the presence and urgency of AS eye
      diseases. METHODS: Persons with and without AS disease completed a self-report
      eye symptom questionnaire (ESQ) based on the National Institutes of Health
      Toolbox symptom items in an academic center's corneal and comprehensive eye
      clinics. Gold standard ophthalmic examination determined the presence and urgency
      of AS disease. The association between reported symptom severity and the
      probability of AS disease, or urgent AS disease, was evaluated using logistic
      regression models, and sensitivity and specificity of the ESQ were also
      calculated. RESULTS: A total of 324 eyes of 162 subjects were included in the
      study. Of these, AS disease was present in 255 eyes (79%); of which, 111 eyes
      showed urgent disease. Increasing symptom severity for eye pain (odds ratio
      [OR]=2.58; P<0.001), glare (OR=2.61; P=0.001), and blurry vision (OR=1.98;
      P<0.001) were associated with increased odds of AS disease. Increasing symptom
      severity for eye pain (OR=2.02; P<0.001), eye redness (OR=1.69; P=0.02), and
      blurry vision (OR=1.41, P=0.01) were associated with increased odds of urgent AS
      disease. For the primary analysis with mild symptoms considered relevant, the
      sensitivity of the ESQ to detect AS disease was 83% and to detect urgent AS
      disease was 92%. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of eye pain, glare, redness, and blurry
      vision indicate the presence and urgency of AS disease.

PMID- 28617731
TI  - Retention Rates in New Contact Lens Wearers.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the retention rate (RR) for neophyte patients fitted with
      contact lenses (CLs) and to identify factors associated with retention and
      dropout. METHOD: This multisite, sponsor-masked registry study evaluated the 1
      year status of neophyte CL wearers fitted in a representative range of UK
      practices. A total of 26 UK investigational sites each recruited up to 89
      neophyte patients. The participants were requested to complete surveys at 1 month
      (+/-1 week from date of fitting), 3 months (+/-2 weeks), and 12 months (+/-3
      weeks) online or through phone. Participants were contacted by email (or phone)
      and invited to complete an online survey that asked a range of questions
      regarding their CL wearing experience. RESULTS: Of the 531 participants
      recruited, 65.3% (347/531) responded to at least one follow-up survey and 42.3%
      (225/531) responded to all three surveys. One in four patients showed
      discontinued CL wear by 12 months. Based on evaluable subjects at 12 months, the
      RR was 77.6% (194/250, 95% confidence interval: 72.0-82.3). The most common
      reason for discontinuation was problems with vision (41%), followed by discomfort
      (36%) and handling problems (25%). The factors affecting first-year RRs: sex,
      spherical refraction, lens usage (full time or part time), and supply method
      (collected or posted). CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, the first-year RR
      for neophyte CL wearers was 77.6%. This was consistent with that noted in a
      retrospective study: 74.0%. As with the previous study, the commonly cited reason
      for discontinuation was visual problems.

PMID- 28617732
TI  - The Effects of Latanoprost With Benzalkonium Chloride Versus Travoprost With
      SofZia on the Ocular Surface.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess ocular surface changes in participants using latanoprost with
      benzalkonium chloride (Xalatan) and travoprost with SofZia (Travatan Z). METHODS:
      In this prospective, open-label, nonrandomized cohort study, participants were
      classified into two groups: group 1 (n=28) naive to glaucoma therapy, group 2
      (n=27) on previous Xalatan monotherapy in both eyes. Both groups started (or
      continued) Xalatan in the right eye and Travatan Z in the left eye. Baseline, 1-,
      and 2-month measurements of tear breakup time (TBUT), corneal staining score,
      conjunctival staining score, conjunctival hyperemia score, tear production, and
      intraocular pressure were obtained. The Ocular Surface Disease Index
      questionnaire measured participants' comfort and dryness symptoms. Medication
      preference was recorded. RESULTS: Data were collected from 55 participants. Tear
      breakup time at baseline and 1-month follow-up in group 1 was significantly
      longer than that of group 2 (P=0.005). At 2 months, there was no significant
      difference in TBUT between the two groups (P=0.779). Tear production in group 1
      at all three time points was significantly higher than group 2 (P<0.05).
      Conjunctival staining score at 2 months in group 1 was significantly higher than
      group 2 (P=0.031). There was no significant difference in other parameters
      between the groups at any other time point. No significant difference in any
      parameter was found between Xalatan and Travatan Z (intragroup comparison).
      CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in ocular surface characteristics were
      detected between groups, but no significant difference was detected between
      participants treated with Xalatan and Travatan Z.

PMID- 28617733
TI  - Economic Costs and Health-Related Quality of Life Outcomes of HIV Treatment After
      Self- and Facility-Based HIV Testing in a Cluster Randomized Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The scale-up of HIV self-testing (HIVST) in Africa is recommended,
      but little is known about how this novel approach influences economic outcomes
      following subsequent antiretroviral treatment (ART) compared with established
      facility-based HIV testing and counseling (HTC) approaches. SETTING: HIV clinics
      in Blantyre, Malawi. METHODS: Consecutive HIV-positive participants, diagnosed by
      HIVST or facility-based HTC as part of a community cluster-randomized trial
      (ISRCTN02004005), were followed from initial assessment for ART until 1-year
      postinitiation. Healthcare resource use was prospectively measured, and primary
      costing studies undertaken to estimate total health provider costs. Participants
      were interviewed to establish direct nonmedical and indirect costs over the first
      year of ART. Costs were adjusted to 2014 US$ and INT$. Health-related quality of
      life was measured using the EuroQol EQ-5D at each clinic visit. Multivariable
      analyses estimated predictors of economic outcomes. RESULTS: Of 325 participants
      attending HIV clinics for assessment for ART, 265 were identified through
      facility-based HTC, and 60 through HIVST; 168/265 (69.2%) and 36/60 (60.0%),
      respectively, met national ART eligibility criteria and initiated treatment. The
      mean total health provider assessment costs for ART initiation were US$22.79 (SE:
      0.56) and US$19.92 (SE: 0.77) for facility-based HTC and HIVST participants,
      respectively, and was US$2.87 (bootstrap 95% CI: US$1.01 to US$4.73) lower for
      the HIVST group. The mean total health provider costs for the first year of ART
      were US$168.65 (SE: 2.02) and US$164.66 (SE: 4.21) for facility-based HTC and
      HIVST participants, respectively, and comparable between the 2 groups (bootstrap
      95% CI: -US$12.38 to US$4.39). EQ-5D utility scores immediately before and one
      year after ART initiation were comparable between the 2 groups. EQ-5D utility
      scores 1 year after ART initiation had increased by 0.129 (SE: 0.011) and 0.139
      (SE: 0.027) for facility-based HTC and HIVST participants, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Once HIV self-testers are linked into HIV services, their economic
      outcomes are comparable to those linking to services after facility-based HTC.

PMID- 28617734
TI  - Is PrEP Needed for MSM in West Africa? HIV Incidence in a Prospective
      Multicountry Cohort.

PMID- 28617736
TI  - Symmetry Restoration at Rest after Masseter-to-Facial Nerve Transfer: Is It as
      Efficient as Smile Reanimation?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Masseter-to-facial nerve transfer is a highly efficient technique for
      reanimating paralyzed muscle and has been reported to restore facial symmetry at
      rest. However, no systematic studies have been performed, and the effects of
      preoperative droop of the oral commissure on postoperative symmetry at rest have
      rarely been reported. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed 35 patients
      with masseteric-to-facial nerve anastomosis and assessed the quality and quantity
      of the dynamic recovery and the oral commissure symmetry at rest. The dynamic and
      static effects were then compared. RESULTS: All of the patients' Terzis scores
      were increased postoperatively, and over half of the patients presented restored
      symmetric smiles (Terzis scores of 4 or 5). The postoperative symmetry scale of
      the oral commissure at rest improved in 18 of 35 patients. Both the mean
      postoperative altitude difference of oral commissure excursion and the
      postoperative altitude difference of bilateral oral commissure position were
      decreased compared with preoperative values. The preoperative symmetry had a
      significant effect on the postoperative altitude difference of the bilateral oral
      commissure position. The effects of the dynamic and static symmetry improvements
      were transformed to a comparable factor alpha. The dynamic alpha was
      significantly greater than the static alpha. CONCLUSIONS: Masseter-to-facial
      nerve transfer is a reliable technique for smile reanimation. However, it has
      only a limited effect on the improvement of symmetry at rest. Assessing the
      preoperative symmetry of the oral commissure at rest can be used to predict
      postoperative outcomes, and patients with severe droop of the oral commissure
      (symmetry scale grade III or IV) should receive static suspension.

PMID- 28617738
TI  - The Whitaker Classification of Craniosynostosis Outcomes: An Assessment of
      Interrater Reliability.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Whitaker classification is a simple and widely used system for
      describing aesthetic outcomes after craniosynostosis surgery. The purpose of this
      study is to evaluate its interrater reliability for patients who have undergone
      fronto-orbital surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with
      craniosynostosis who underwent surgical intervention at a tertiary referral
      center was conducted. Inclusion criteria were as follows: single-suture
      craniosynostosis, surgical intervention before age 2 years, and photographs taken
      before revisions between 5 and 20 years of age. Thirteen craniofacial surgeons
      independently reviewed the subjects' photographs and assigned Whitaker
      classifications. Interrater reliability was assessed with the Cohen kappa
      statistic. RESULTS: Twenty-nine subjects were included. Average ages at surgery
      and at the time of postoperative photography were 0.8 year and 12.8 years,
      respectively. The kappa value for all 13 raters was 0.1567 (p < 0.0001),
      indicating "slight agreement." Pairwise comparisons demonstrated kappa values
      ranging from 0.0384 to 0.5492. The average rating for the set of 29 photographs
      differed significantly across the 13 raters (p = 0.0020) and ranged from 1.79 +/-
      0.68 to 2.79 +/- 0.77. Finally, we found that average Whitaker classification did
      not differ significantly between subjects who subsequently underwent cranioplasty
      and/or fronto-orbital advancement and those who did not (subsequent procedures,
      2.45 +/- 0.55; no subsequent procedures, 1.88 +/- 0.78; p = 0.1087). CONCLUSIONS:
      The Whitaker classification exhibits low interrater reliability and does not
      predict future treatment. It may benefit craniofacial surgeons to create new
      evaluation tools with greater precision, to improve the quality of patient care
      and craniofacial outcomes research.

PMID- 28617739
TI  - Gynecomastia Classification for Surgical Management: A Systematic Review and
      Novel Classification System.

PMID- 28617740
TI  - Academic Productivity, Knowledge, and Education in Plastic Surgery: The Benefit
      of the Clinical Research Fellow.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Academic research productivity is limited by strenuous resident and
      faculty schedules but nevertheless is imperative to the growth and success of our
      discipline. The authors report institutional experience with their clinical
      research fellowship model, providing two positions per year. METHODS: A critical
      analysis of research productivity was performed for all trainees, faculty, and
      research fellows from 2000 to 2015. Academic productivity was determined by the
      number of peer-reviewed publications, podium presentations, and h-index. Academic
      fate of previous research fellows was also noted. During the 16-year timeframe,
      484 articles were published in print. Notably, 92 articles were published from
      2000 to 2007 and 392 articles were published from 2008 to 2015 (p = 0.0066),
      demonstrating linear growth after instituting the research fellowship. In
      addition, 33 articles were published from 2002 to 2004 before leadership change,
      47 from 2005 to 2007 after leadership change but before fellowship, and 58 from
      2008 to 2010 in the first few years of the fellowship (p = 0.0204). RESULTS:
      Overall, 39.9 percent of publications appeared in Plastic and Reconstructive
      Surgery, with a total of 77 different peer-reviewed journal inclusions. American
      Association of Plastic Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and
      Northeastern Society of Plastic Surgeons podium presentations totaled 143 between
      2005 and 2015. Of the eight previous fellows who applied into integrated and
      independent programs, 100 percent have matched. CONCLUSION: Incorporation of a
      formalized research fellowship into a plastic surgery program can drastically
      increase clinical research contribution in a reproducible fashion.

PMID- 28617741
TI  - Soft-Tissue Reconstruction of Large Spinal Defects: A 12-Year Institutional
      Experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spinal resections can lead to defects requiring soft-tissue
      reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to review the authors'
      institutional experience with reconstruction of spinal defects and identify risk
      factors predictive of wound complications, focusing on timing of reconstruction
      with ablative surgery. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed patients who
      underwent spinal resection and required soft-tissue reconstruction from 2002 to
      2014. Logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for
      complications. RESULTS: Of 289 reconstructions performed in 259 patients, 64
      cases (22.1 percent) had major wound complications requiring reoperation.
      Lumbosacral defects were the most common location (43.6 percent) and paraspinous
      muscle flaps were the preferred reconstructive method used for all defect
      regions. A total of 224 reconstructions (77.5 percent) were performed immediately
      at the time of spinal surgery, and 65 (22.5 percent) were performed in delayed
      fashion as a result of wound complications from previous spinal surgery. Patients
      undergoing immediate reconstruction had significantly lower rates of
      instrumentation removal (0.9 percent versus 4.6 percent; p = 0.043), unplanned
      reoperations (0.5 versus 1.3; p < 0.001), and mortality (0.9 percent versus 9.2
      percent; p < 0.001) compared with those undergoing delayed reconstruction. On
      logistic regression analysis, presence of instrumentation (OR, 3.2; p = 0.012),
      requirement for a free flap (OR, 9.0; p = 0.016), and spinal cord exposure (OR,
      2.6; p = 0.036) were associated with increased odds of a major wound
      complication. CONCLUSION: Spinal resections carry significant surgical-site
      morbidity, and selection of high-risk patients for immediate reconstruction with
      locoregional muscle flaps may be beneficial for improving wound-related outcomes.
      CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

PMID- 28617742
TI  - Facial Contouring by Targeted Restoration of Facial Fat Compartment Volume: The
      Midface.

PMID- 28617743
TI  - Reply: Gynecomastia Classification for Surgical Management: A Systematic Review
      and Novel Classification System.

PMID- 28617744
TI  - Evidence-Based Medicine: A FINER PICO Analysis.

PMID- 28617745
TI  - Grafting Techniques Discussed.

PMID- 28617749
TI  - Are You Correctly Using ABNs?

PMID- 28617750
TI  - Skin and Wound Care in Lymphedema Patients: A Taxonomy, Primer, and Literature
      Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lymphedema is a condition of localized protein-rich swelling from
      damaged or malfunctioning lymphatics. Because the immune system is compromised,
      there is a high risk of infection. Infection in patients with lymphedema may
      present in a variety of ways. OBJECTIVE: The goals of this review were to
      standardize the terminology of skin breakdown in the context of lymphedema,
      synthesize the available information to create best practice recommendations in
      support of the American Lymphedema Framework Project update to its Best Practices
      document, and create recommendations for further research. DATA SOURCES:
      Publications on skin care and wounds were retrieved, summarized, and evaluated by
      a team of investigators and clinical experts. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA
      EXTRACTION: Terms for lymphedema-associated skin breakdown were compiled and
      paired with photographs of commonly noted skin changes among patients with
      lymphedema. A list of standard dermatological terms was created. A more extensive
      literature search was then conducted by all authors. DATA SYNTHESIS: Skin
      disorders associated with lymphedema have been classified into 5 categories.
      Descriptions, photographs, and recommendations for treatment are presented.
      CONCLUSIONS: Skin care is an important defense against infection. Because of the
      lack of research, a consensus of thought and content leaders' opinion should
      guide the best practices for wound care in lymphedema.

PMID- 28617752
TI  - Quality Payment Program: Engaging in Improvement Activity for the Merit-based
      Incentive Payment System.

PMID- 28617751
TI  - Economic Evaluations of Strategies to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Pressure
      Injuries.
AB  - GENERAL PURPOSE: To provide information from a review of literature about
      economic evaluations of preventive strategies for pressure injuries (PIs). TARGET
      AUDIENCE: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians,
      physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin
      and wound care. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES: After participating in this
      educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1. Identify the
      purpose and methods used for this study.2. Compare costs and effectiveness
      related to preventative strategies for PIs. ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Pressure
      injuries (PIs) are a common and resource-intensive challenge for acute care
      hospitals worldwide. While a number of preventive strategies have the potential
      to reduce the cost of hospital-acquired PIs, it is unclear what approach is the
      most effective. OBJECTIVE: The authors performed a narrative review of the
      literature on economic evaluations of preventive strategies to survey current
      findings and identify important factors in economic assessments. DATA SOURCES:
      Ovid, MEDLINE, NHS Economic Evaluation Databases, and the Cochrane Database of
      Systematic ReviewsSELECTION CRITERIA: Potentially relevant original research
      articles and systematic reviews were considered. DATA EXTRACTION: Selection
      criteria included articles that were written in English, provided data on cost or
      economic evaluations of preventive strategies of PIs in acute care, and published
      between January 2004 and September 2015. Data were abstracted from the articles
      using a standardized approach to evaluate how the items on the Consolidated
      Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist were addressed. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: The searches identified 192 references. Thirty-three original articles
      were chosen for full-text reviews. Nineteen of these articles provided clear
      descriptions of interventions, study methods, and outcomes considered.
      CONCLUSIONS: Limitations in the available literature prevent firm conclusions
      from being reached about the relative economic merits of the various approaches
      to the prevention of PIs. The authors' review revealed a need for additional high
      quality studies that adhere to commonly used standards of both currently utilized
      and emerging ways to prevent hospital-acquired PIs.

PMID- 28617755
TI  - Prevalence and Phenotype of Concurrent Psoriasis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and inflammatory bowel disease
      (IBD) are related inflammatory immune-mediated diseases, with considerable
      overlap. However, it is as yet unclear whether co-occurrence of these diseases
      affects disease course and characteristics of the individual complaints. The
      objective of this study was to identify the prevalence of IBD and PsA in a
      psoriasis cohort and to examine whether patients with concurrent psoriasis and
      IBD carry a distinct phenotype. METHODS: Data of all patients with psoriasis
      visiting a general hospital in the Netherlands between 2009 and 2014 were
      retrospectively retrieved from electronic patient files. In addition, clinical
      characteristics of patients with concurrent psoriasis and IBD (n = 40) were
      compared with psoriasis-only (n = 1643) and IBD-only (n = 385) cohorts. RESULTS:
      Among 1669 hospital-based patients with psoriasis, prevalence of PsA was 12.2% (n
      = 203, 95% confidence interval, 10.5-13.7) and of IBD 1.6% (n = 26, 95%
      confidence interval, 1.0-2.2), including 12 Crohn's disease (CD) and 14
      ulcerative colitis. Psoriasis-PsA patients were more likely to have IBD than
      psoriasis-only patients (3.0 versus 1.4%).Psoriasis-CD patients were younger at
      CD diagnosis (20.0 versus 32.0 yr, P = 0.001), and psoriasis diagnosis (28.0
      versus 43.5 yr, P = 0.004) than psoriasis-only patients. Psoriasis-IBD patients
      had a mild psoriasis phenotype similar to psoriasis-only patients, but the CD
      phenotype was significantly more severe than in CD-only patients. CONCLUSIONS:
      The prevalence of IBD in psoriasis was approximately 4 times higher than that in
      the general population, with the highest risk for psoriasis-PsA patients.
      Psoriasis-CD patients have a mild (early-onset) psoriasis but an earlier-onset
      and severe CD-phenotype.

PMID- 28617754
TI  - Longitudinal Patterns of Medication Nonadherence and Associated Health Care
      Costs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nonadherence to treatment recommendations is associated with poorer
      outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease and may increase the cost of care. We
      examined the longitudinal relationship between nonadherence and health care costs
      and hypothesized that at least 3 distinct trajectories of nonadherence would be
      observed and that increasing nonadherence would account for significantly greater
      health care costs after controlling for disease activity. METHODS: Ninety-nine
      patients aged 2 to 21 years with inflammatory bowel disease were recruited into
      this 2-year longitudinal study. Medication possession ratios were calculated from
      pharmacy refill data, disease activity ratings were obtained from medical charts,
      and hospital and physician charges associated with an International
      Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code for ulcerative colitis or Crohn's
      disease were obtained from the hospital's accounting database. RESULTS: An
      average total cost effect size of d = 0.68 was observed between the increasing
      severity and stable low severity groups, but the confidence intervals overlap.
      Conversely, patients with increasing nonadherence demonstrated significantly
      higher health care costs than patients with stable <=10%, stable 11% to 20%, or
      decreasing nonadherence. CONCLUSIONS: Medication nonadherence is related to
      increased health care costs after controlling for disease severity. Patients with
      increasing nonadherence over time demonstrate more than a 3-fold increase in
      costs compared with adherent patients. In addition, patients whose adherence
      improves over time incur approximately the same costs as those who are
      consistently adherent. This suggests that, in addition to leveraging prevention
      efforts to keep patients from becoming more nonadherent as treatment continues,
      efforts aimed at modifying adherence behavior may result in significant cost
      savings over time.

PMID- 28617756
TI  - Optimizing Thiopurine Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among 2 Real-life
      Intercept Cohorts: Effect of Allopurinol Comedication?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thiopurines (azathioprine and mercaptopurine) are frequently used
      immunosuppressive drugs to maintain remission in patients with inflammatory bowel
      disease. Half of the conventional thiopurine-derivative users have to discontinue
      treatment within 5 years, mainly because of intolerable adverse events. Over
      recent years, different strategies to optimize thiopurine treatment were
      suggested, yet, studies describing the clinical effectiveness of these strategies
      remain scarce. The aims of this study were to compare tolerability and sustained
      clinical benefit of conventional thiopurine derivatives therapy among two 5-year
      real-life intercept cohorts and to assess the clinical value of specifically
      allopurinol cotherapy. METHODS: In this retrospective single-center cohort study,
      we analyzed data from patients in whom weight-based thiopurine monotherapy was
      initiated between 2005 and 2009 (cohort 1) or between 2010 and 2014 (cohort 2).
      The initiation of the second cohort was synchronic to the start of allopurinol
      based optimization in our center. Optimization strategies were extracted from
      patient charts. RESULTS: In total, 105 patients were included (60 in cohort 1,
      and 45 in cohort 2). Metabolite measurement was performed in 37% versus 84% of
      the patients (P < 0.001). Subsequent optimization strategies were applied in 33%
      versus 58% of the patients because of inadequate metabolite concentrations,
      intolerance, or ineffectiveness (P = 0.01). Allopurinol was coadministered to
      therapy in 18 patients (40%) in the second cohort. Therapy was switched to
      thioguanine in 11 versus 6 patients (P > 0.05). Overall, total duration was
      longer in the second cohort (10.8 versus 34.1 months, P < 0.001). The number of
      ongoing thiopurine users (20% versus 49%) and sustained clinical benefit (13%
      versus 38%) were higher in the second cohort (both P < 0.05). This was mainly
      because of a decrease in hepatotoxicity after optimization (P < 0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Optimization of thiopurine therapy by the use of therapeutic drug
      monitoring with subsequent administration of allopurinol cotherapy successfully
      enhanced sustained clinical benefit and tolerability in patients with
      inflammatory bowel disease.

PMID- 28617757
TI  - Looking into Enteric Virome in Patients with IBD: Defining Guilty or Innocence?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although there is some evidence suggesting that certain viruses may
      be involved in the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), data regarding
      viral prevalence and viral load in blood and mucosa of patients with IBD are
      scarce. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and viral load
      of common Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpes virus
      6 in blood and mucosa of adult patients with endoscopic active IBD. METHODS: From
      January to December 2014, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients with
      active endoscopic disease were consecutively enrolled. Subjects undergoing
      colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening served as healthy controls (HCs).
      Paired blood and mucosal samples from each patient and HC were collected for EBV,
      CMV, and human herpes virus 6 quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction
      assessment of the viral load. RESULTS: One hundred forty-five subjects were
      included; 95 IBD patients with active endoscopic disease (43 ulcerative colitis
      and 52 Crohn's disease) and 50 healthy subjects. CMV and EBV DNA were detected
      more frequently in the mucosa of patients with IBD compared with HCs (CMV P =
      0.017; EBV P < 0.001), irrespective of IBD type. The frequency of human herpes
      virus 6 DNA detection both in the blood and in the mucosa did not differ between
      patients with IBD and HCs. EBV median viral load was similar in the inflamed and
      noninflamed mucosa was not affected by the use of immunomodulators and/or anti
      tumor necrosis factor alpha agents, and did not correlate with endoscopic disease
      activity. CONCLUSIONS: EBV, and to a lesser extent CMV, were more prevalent in
      patients with IBD than in HCs. Mucosal viral load was not influenced by the
      therapeutic regimen, did not differ between inflamed and noninflamed mucosa, and
      did not seem to be influenced by the endoscopic activity of the disease,
      suggesting that EBV may be more involved in the onset of IBD than in its severity
      and clinical evolution.

PMID- 28617758
TI  - Individualized Infliximab Treatment Guided by Patient-managed eHealth in Children
      and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To individualize timing of infliximab (IFX) treatment in children and
      adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using a patient-managed eHealth
      program. METHODS: Patients with IBD, 10 to 17 years old, treated with IFX were
      prospectively included. Starting 4 weeks after their last infusion, patients
      reported a weekly symptom score and provided a stool sample for fecal
      calprotectin analysis. Based on symptom scores and fecal calprotectin results,
      the eHealth program calculated a total inflammation burden score that determined
      the timing of the next IFX infusion (4-12 wk after the previous infusion).
      Quality of Life was scored by IMPACT III. A control group was included to compare
      trough levels of IFX antibodies and concentrations and treatment intervals.
      Patients and their parents evaluated the eHealth program. RESULTS: There were 29
      patients with IBD in the eHealth group and 21 patients with IBD in the control
      group. During the control period, 94 infusions were provided in the eHealth group
      (mean interval 9.5 wk; SD 2.3) versus 105 infusions in the control group (mean
      interval 6.9 wk; SD 1.4). Treatment intervals were longer in the eHealth group (P
      < 0.001). Quality of Life did not change during the study. Appearance of IFX
      antibodies did not differ between the 2 groups. Eighty percent of patients
      reported increased disease control and 63% (86% of parents) reported an improved
      knowledge of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Self-managed, eHealth-individualized
      timing of IFX treatments, with treatment intervals of 4 to 12 weeks, was
      accompanied by no significant development of IFX antibodies. Patients reported
      better control and improved knowledge of their IBD.

PMID- 28617759
TI  - Functional topography of the primary motor cortex during motor execution and
      motor imagery as revealed by functional MRI.
AB  - Controversy exists regarding the involvement of the primary motor cortex (M1)
      during motor imagery (MI) and also regarding the differential somatotopic
      representation of motor execution (ME) and mental simulation of movement, that
      is, MI within M1. Although some research reported clear M1 involvement during MI
      without overt motor output, others did not. However, possible somatotopic
      representation between execution and imagery has not been clearly investigated to
      date. The aim of the present study was to aid in the resolution of this
      controversy by investigating the possible involvement of M1 during MI, and the
      differential, within M1, somatotopic representation between execution and imagery
      by quantitatively assessing different location markers such as activation peak
      and center of mass as well as intensity differences between the two tasks in case
      of with and without the overlap between the two representations. Forty-one
      healthy volunteers participated in two functional MRI runs of mouth-stretching ME
      and MI tasks. Our findings suggest the clear involvement of M1 (BA 4) during MI
      with lower signal intensity compared with ME, and further showed distinct centers
      for each representation along the y-axis (anteroposterior plane), with MI showing
      more involvement of the anterior sector of M1 (BA 4a), whereas ME recruited more
      of the posterior sector (BA 4p). These results parallel the pioneering findings
      of a functional distinction between BA 4a and BA 4p, where BA 4a is more involved
      in the cognitive aspects of MI, whereas BA 4p is more related to executive
      function, promoting the idea of distinctive somatotopic mapping between execution
      and imagery within M1 sectors.

PMID- 28617760
TI  - Nonisolated Small Bowel Gastrointestinal Angiodysplasias are Associated With
      Higher Rebleeding Rates When Compared With Isolated Small Bowel Gastrointestinal
      Angiodysplasia on Video Capsule Endoscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal angiodysplasias (GIAD) are commonly diagnosed in the
      small bowel but can be located in other areas of the gastrointestinal tract.
      About half of patients diagnosed with GIAD have more than 1 lesion and 20% of
      patients have GIAD in both the small bowel and a source outside of the small
      bowel (nonisolated to small bowel GIAD or NISGIAD). The remaining patients with
      GIAD have lesions isolated to the small bowel (ISGIAD). Complications including
      rebleeding, hospitalization and mortality rates have not been previously analyzed
      between these 2 groups. AIM: To compare rebleeding, hospitalization and mortality
      rates between ISGIAD and NISGIAD. The secondary goals were to evaluate
      comorbidities that may be associated with ISGIAD and/or NISGIAD, and to determine
      if any of these comorbidities are associated with a higher risk of rebleeding
      from GIAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study that included
      425 patients who underwent video capsule endoscopy between 2006 and 2013.
      Patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy before video
      capsule endoscopy. The primary indications for workup included obscure
      gastrointestinal bleeding. After exclusion criteria, 87 patients diagnosed with
      GIAD remained, 57 patients with ISGIAD and 30 with NISGIAD. Categorical variables
      were compared by the Fisher exact test or chi test and continuous data were
      compared using the Student T test. RESULTS: Risk factors associated with
      rebleeding rates included coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and
      congestive heart failure on multivariate analysis. Odds ratios for rebleeding was
      found in patients with NISGIAD (odds ratio, 4.222; P=0.036). There was no
      difference in hospitalization rates between patients with ISGIAD and NISGIAD.
      There was no statistically significant difference in mortality from any cause at
      30, 60, and 90 days in patients with ISGIAD and NISGIAD. CONCLUSIONS: In this
      retrospective analysis of GIAD at a single institution, patients with NISGIAD
      compared with ISGIAD had a 4 times odds of rebleeding within 1 year after capsule
      endoscopy. This is a novel study, as the distribution of GIAD has not been
      previously described as being a risk factor for rebleeding.

PMID- 28617761
TI  - Hepatitis C Virus Prevalence in Egyptian Americans in Southern California.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a global medical health concern. Egypt has
      the highest HCV prevalence. Few studies have assessed the HCV prevalence rates
      among Egyptian-born expatriates. We sought to define the HCV prevalence Egyptian
      born individuals residing in the Southern California area. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      We screened Egyptian-born individuals in houses of worship in the Southern
      California area using a point of care test HCV antibody test. Results were
      confirmed by testing the blood for viral load. Demographic information including
      risk factors were also collected. Individuals were contacted with their results,
      and those found to be detectable HCV antibodies were referred for further testing
      and additional care. RESULTS: Three hundred twenty-six Egyptian expatriates from
      7 houses of worship in Southern California were screened for the HCV infection.
      Most of the participants were screened at Coptic Churches. Nine of these
      individuals were found to be HCV infected (2.8%). We found an increased HCV
      seroprevalence in subjects were male and born in Egyptian urban areas. Five of
      the 9 subjects (56%) who tested positive were not baby boomers and only 2 of
      these 9 subjects (22%) had recognized Center for Disease Control risk factors.
      CONCLUSIONS: The HCV prevalence rate of Egyptian-born individuals living in the
      Southern California area was lower compared with the prevalence rate in the
      general Egyptian population, but higher than that seen in the general US
      population. The utility of using Center for Disease Control risk factors to
      define individuals at risk of HCV among Egyptian expatriates is not applicable.

PMID- 28617762
TI  - Racial Disparities and Sociodemographic Differences in Incidence and Survival
      Among Pediatric Patients in the United States With Primary Liver Cancer: A
      Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Population Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary liver cancer, including Hepatoblastoma (HB) and
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in pediatric populations is often fatal. The
      outcomes are poor despite universal health care access in pediatric patients.
      AIM: We investigated the sociodemographic factors affecting outcomes in pediatric
      patients with primary liver cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a large
      population database study of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer
      registry data from 1973 to 2011. HB and HCC were analyzed regarding age, sex,
      race, geographic area, and treatment-related information including survival.
      RESULTS: In total, 998 patients, the median age at time of diagnosis was 1 year
      for HB [0-19; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5-1.9] and 14 years for HCC (0-19;
      95% CI, 12.1-13.3) (P<0.001). Overall Survival (OS) in HB was 374 months (25%
      failures 19) versus HCC 21 months (25% failures 5; P<0.0001). In HCC, the
      fibrolamellar subgroup OS was 41 months (32-.) versus 16 months (11-21) in all
      others [hazard ratio (HR) 2.0; P=0.005]. Diagnosis between 2000 and 2011 (HB: 25%
      failures not reached; HCC: 38) versus diagnosis 1973 to 1999 (HB: 374; HCC: 12)
      had different survival (P=0.01; HR 1.9). For HB, OS in patients with age of
      diagnosis under 2, 25% failures was not reached versus 374 months over the age of
      2 (HR 1.7; P<0.0007). African American children with HB had OS of 67 (17-.)
      versus all others (25% failures 21) and 48% of African American children were
      diagnosed after the age of 2 versus 34% of whites (HR 1.9; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
      Later diagnosis and decreased survival in African American children with HB
      warrants further research.

PMID- 28617763
TI  - Short-Term Peripheral Vasoactive Infusions in Pediatrics: Where Is the Harm?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Pediatric shock represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality in
      the United States. Standardization of treatment such as volume resuscitation and
      vasoactive administration has resulted in improved patient outcomes. Vasoactives
      have been anecdotally associated with peripheral IV infiltration and
      extravasation. There is a paucity of evidence in pediatrics to determine the
      ideal route of vasoactive infusions and what, if any, risk factors and harm are
      associated with peripheral IV infiltration and extravasation. We aim to assess
      the frequency of and risk factors for peripheral IV infiltration and
      extravasation during peripheral IV vasoactive infusions in children admitted to
      the PICU. DESIGN: A retrospective, cohort study of all children admitted to a
      PICU from January 2012 to June 2014. SETTING: Forty-four-bed PICU at Children's
      National Health System. PATIENTS: All children 0-18 years old receiving a
      vasoactive infusion through a peripheral IV for a minimum of 1 hour.
      INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcomes of this
      study were incidence of peripheral IV infiltration and extravasation and
      resultant tissue injury. Secondary outcomes were peripheral IV characteristics
      and vasoactive infusion data. One hundred two patients met inclusion criteria.
      Sixty-two percent (63/102) were admitted with the diagnosis of septic shock. The
      most commonly used vasoactive agent was dopamine. The median peak Vasoactive
      Infusion Score was 10 (6-14). Peripheral IV infiltration and extravasation
      incidence was 2% (2/102) and neither event resulted in injury requiring medical
      or surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Vasoactive infusions through peripheral IV
      in children admitted to the PICU with shock were observed to have a low incidence
      of peripheral IV infiltration and extravasation and resultant tissue injury.
      Short-term delivery of vasoactives via peripheral IV catheter in a highly
      monitored PICU setting appears to be safe.

PMID- 28617764
TI  - Oropharyngeal Colostrum Administration in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: A
      Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Studies have confirmed the safety of oropharyngeal administration of
      colostrum in very low birth weight infants. However, the effect of oropharyngeal
      administration of colostrum on immune system is inconclusive. This study aims to
      evaluate the effect of oropharyngeal administration of colostrum on secretory
      immunoglobulin A and lactoferrin in very low birth weight infants. DESIGN:
      Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Forty-bedded neonatal ICU in a university
      children's hospital in the People's Republic of China. PATIENTS: Very low birth
      weight infants were allocated to the study group (n = 32) and control group (n =
      32). INTERVENTION: The intervention was oropharyngeal administration of 0.2 mL of
      their mother's colostrum every 4 hours for 7 days. The control group received
      saline solution. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Secretory immunoglobulin A and
      lactoferrin in urine and saliva were measured within 24 hours of life (baseline)
      and at 7 and 21 days. Primary outcomes were changes of secretory immunoglobulin A
      and lactoferrin in urine and saliva between baseline and at 7 and 21 days.
      Infant's clinical data were also collected during hospitalization. Change from
      baseline in lactoferrin in saliva at 7 days (5.18 +/- 7.07 vs -1.74 +/- 4.67
      ug/mL; p < 0.001) and 21 days (5.31 +/- 9.74 vs -1.17 +/- 10.38 ug/mL; p = 0.02)
      shows statistic difference. No differences were found of lactoferrin in urine and
      also no differences of secretory immunoglobulin A in urine and saliva. There were
      also no differences between days to full enteral feeding, occurrence rate of
      clinical sepsis, proven sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Oropharyngeal administration of colostrum can increases the level of lactoferrin
      in saliva in very low birth weight infants. No effect could be documented of
      secretory immunoglobulin A and lactoferrin in urine. Larger trials are needed to
      better describe the benefit of oropharyngeal administration of colostrum, if any,
      in very low birth weight infants.

PMID- 28617766
TI  - Notes from the Field: Evaluation of a Perceived Cluster of Plasma Cell Dyscrasias
      Among Workers at a Natural Gas Company - Illinois, 2014.

PMID- 28617767
TI  - QuickStats: Percentage* of Children and Teens Aged 4-17 Years Ever Diagnosed with
      Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),? by Sex and UrbanizationS of
      County of Residence - National Health Interview Survey,  2013-2015.
AB  - During 2013-2015, the percentage of children and teens aged 4-17 years who had
      ever received a diagnosis of ADHD was significantly higher among boys than among
      girls within all urbanization levels. Among boys, those living in small metro and
      nonmetro micropolitan areas were more likely to have received a diagnosis of ADHD
      (17.4% and 16.4%, respectively) than were those living in large central (11.4%)
      and large fringe (12.7%) metropolitan areas. Among girls, those living in large
      central areas were less likely to have received a diagnosis of ADHD (4.4%) than
      those living in each of the other five types of urban/rural areas.

PMID- 28617765
TI  - Cardioprotective Effects of Nicorandil on Coronary Heart Disease Patients
      Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND Nicorandil is a nicotinamide ester commonly prescribed for treatment
      of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). In the present study, we aimed to
      explore the cardioprotective effects of nicorandil on CHD patients undergoing
      elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). MATERIAL AND METHODS One
      hundred patients with CHD undergoing PCI were randomly divided into a control
      group (n=48) and a nicorandil group (n=52). Patients in the control group
      received traditional therapy, and while patients in the nicorandil group received
      nicorandil before PCI in addition to the traditional therapy. After PCI, all
      patients underwent coronary angiogram, and TIMI frame count (TFC) was calculated.
      Plasma levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB),
      myeloperoxidase (MPO), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined before and at 6,
      18, and 24 h after PCI. Moreover, systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean blood
      pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF)
      were recorded before and 3 months after PCI. RESULTS There was a significant
      difference in the rate of no-reflow (P=0.036) between the 2 groups. The blood
      frames and levels of cTnI, CK-MB, MPO, and MDA in the nicorandil group were
      significantly decreased compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Moreover,
      administration of nicorandil markedly decreased SBP, MBP, and HR, but obviously
      increased LVEF at 3 months after PCI (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Nicorandil
      exerts cardioprotective effects on CHD patients undergoing elective PCI by
      decreasing PCI-related myocardial injury and rate of no-reflow and improvement of
      LVEF.

PMID- 28617768
TI  - Serious Bacterial Infections Acquired During Treatment of Patients Given a
      Diagnosis of Chronic Lyme Disease - United States.
AB  - The term "chronic Lyme disease" is used by some health care providers as a
      diagnosis for various constitutional, musculoskeletal, and neuropsychiatric
      symptoms (1,2). Patients with a diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease have been
      provided a wide range of medications as treatment, including long courses of
      intravenous (IV) antibiotics (3,4). Studies have not shown that such treatments
      lead to substantial long-term improvement for patients, and they can be harmful
      (1,5). This report describes cases of septic shock, osteomyelitis, Clostridium
      difficile colitis, and paraspinal abscess resulting from treatments for chronic
      Lyme disease. Patients, clinicians, and public health practitioners should be
      aware that treatments for chronic Lyme disease can carry serious risks.

PMID- 28617769
TI  - Trends in Breastfeeding Among Infants Enrolled in the Special Supplemental
      Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children - New York, 2002-2015.
AB  - Breastfeeding is widely accepted as the optimal method of infant feeding (1,2).
      New York Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
      (WIC) has prioritized the promotion of breastfeeding. To assess breastfeeding
      trends among New York WIC infants, indicators for measuring breastfeeding
      practices reported by the New York Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System
      (PedNSS) during 2002-2015 were examined. The prevalence of breastfeeding
      initiation increased from 62.0% (2002) to 83.4% (2015), exceeding the Healthy
      People 2020 (HP2020)* objective of 81.9% in 2014, with improvements among all
      racial/ethnic groups. The percentage of New York WIC infants who breastfed for
      >=6 and >=12 months increased from 30.2% and 15.0% (2002) to 39.5% and 22.8%
      (2015), respectively. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for >=3 and >=6
      months increased from 8.9% and 2.9% (2006) to 14.3% and 8.0% (2015),
      respectively. Despite improvements in breastfeeding initiation, increasing the
      duration of breastfeeding and of exclusive breastfeeding among infants enrolled
      in the New York WIC program remains challenging. Identifying targeted strategies
      to support continued and exclusive breastfeeding should remain priorities for the
      New York WIC program.

PMID- 28617770
TI  - Announcement: Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation for Team
      Based Care for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
AB  - The Community Preventive Services Task Force recently posted new information on
      its website: "Diabetes Management: Team-Based Care for Patients with Type 2
      Diabetes." The information is available at
      https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/diabetes-management-team-based-care
      patients-type-2-diabetes.

PMID- 28617771
TI  - Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students - United States, 2011-2016.
AB  - Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United
      States; nearly all tobacco use begins during youth and young adulthood (1,2).
      Among youths, use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe (1,3). CDC and the
      Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzed data from the 2011-2016 National
      Youth Tobacco Surveys (NYTS) to determine recent patterns of current (past 30
      day) use of seven tobacco product types among U.S. middle (grades 6-8) and high
      (grades 9-12) school students. In 2016, 20.2% of surveyed high school students
      and 7.2% of middle school students reported current tobacco product use. In 2016,
      among current tobacco product users, 47.2% of high school students and 42.4% of
      middle school students used >=2 tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes (e
      cigarettes) were the most commonly used tobacco product among high (11.3%) and
      middle (4.3%) school students. Current use of any tobacco product did not change
      significantly during 2011-2016 among high or middle school students, although
      combustible tobacco product use declined. However, during 2015-2016, among high
      school students, decreases were observed in current use of any tobacco product,
      any combustible product, >=2 tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and hookahs. Among
      middle school students, current use of e-cigarettes decreased. Comprehensive and
      sustained strategies can help prevent and reduce the use of all forms of tobacco
      products among U.S. youths (1-3).

PMID- 28617772
TI  - Electronic Cigarettes as an Introductory Tobacco Product Among Eighth and 11th
      Grade Tobacco Users - Oregon, 2015.
AB  - During 2011-2015, increased electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) and hookah use
      offset declines in cigarette and other tobacco product use among youths (persons
      aged <18 years) (1). Limited information exists about which tobacco product
      introduced youths to tobacco product use. Patterns of first use of e-cigarettes
      among Oregon youths who were tobacco users were assessed in the Oregon Healthy
      Teens 2015 survey, a cross-sectional survey of eighth and 11th grade students in
      Oregon. Respondents were asked, "The very first time you used any tobacco or
      vaping product, which type of product did you use?" Among students who had ever
      used any tobacco product (ever users), e-cigarettes were the most common
      introductory tobacco product reported by both eighth (43.5%) and 11th (34.4%)
      grade students. Among students who used a tobacco product for >=1 day during the
      past 30 days (current users), e-cigarettes were the most common introductory
      tobacco product reported by eighth grade students (44.4%) and the second most
      common introductory tobacco product reported by 11th grade students (31.0%).
      Introductory use of e-cigarettes was commonly reported among youths in Oregon who
      were ever or current tobacco users, underscoring the importance of proven
      interventions to prevent all forms of tobacco use among youths (2,3).

PMID- 28617774
TI  - ?

PMID- 28617775
TI  - [Doctors' and nurses' perceptions of the spending review in the autonomous
      province of Trento (Italy)].
AB  - The national expenditure limits set by the spending review has required
      reorganization and streamlining measures. The present study was conducted in
      2015, among 2,020 nurses and 861 doctors in the autonomous province of Trento
      (Italy), to describe their perceptions of the containment measures introduced in
      healthcare spending, following the spending review. Results show that nurses and
      doctors were most affected by the measures regarding staff management (staff
      turnover rate, reducing overtime and changes in training). These measures,
      however, cannot be adopted for a long period of time without leading to negative
      effects on organization and quality of care.

PMID- 28617773
TI  - Pregnancy Outcomes After Maternal Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy - U.S.
      Territories, January 1, 2016-April 25, 2017.
AB  - Pregnant women living in or traveling to areas with local mosquito-borne Zika
      virus transmission are at risk for Zika virus infection, which can lead to severe
      fetal and infant brain abnormalities and microcephaly (1). In February 2016, CDC
      recommended 1) routine testing for Zika virus infection of asymptomatic pregnant
      women living in areas with ongoing local Zika virus transmission at the first
      prenatal care visit, 2) retesting during the second trimester for women who
      initially test negative, and 3) testing of pregnant women with signs or symptoms
      consistent with Zika virus disease (e.g., fever, rash, arthralgia, or
      conjunctivitis) at any time during pregnancy (2). To collect information about
      pregnant women with laboratory evidence of recent possible Zika virus infection*
      and outcomes in their fetuses and infants, CDC established pregnancy and infant
      registries (3). During January 1, 2016-April 25, 2017, U.S. territories? with
      local transmission of Zika virus reported 2,549 completed pregnanciesS (live
      births and pregnancy losses at any gestational age) with laboratory evidence of
      recent possible Zika virus infection; 5% of fetuses or infants resulting from
      these pregnancies had birth defects potentially associated with Zika virus
      infection  (4,5). Among completed pregnancies with positive nucleic acid tests
      confirming Zika infection identified in the first, second, and third trimesters,
      the percentage of fetuses or infants with possible Zika-associated birth defects
      was 8%, 5%, and 4%, respectively. Among liveborn infants, 59% had Zika laboratory
      testing results reported to the pregnancy and infant registries. Identification
      and follow-up of infants born to women with laboratory evidence of recent
      possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy permits timely and appropriate
      clinical intervention services (6).

PMID- 28617776
TI  - [Employment status and perceived health in Italy: data from the European Union
      Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) longitudinal study].
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between employment
      status (permanent employment, fixed-term employment, unemployment, other) and
      perceived health status in a sample of the Italian population. Data was obtained
      from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Condition (EU-SILC) study
      during the period 2009 - 2012. The sample consists of 4,848 individuals, each
      with a complete record of observations during four years for a total of 19,392
      observations. The causal relationship between perceived/self-reported health
      status and employment status was tested using a global logit model (STATA). Our
      results confirm a significant association between employment status and perceived
      health, as well as between perceived health status and economic status.
      Unemployment that was dependent on an actual lack of work opportunities and not
      from individual disability was found to be the most significant determinant of
      perceived health status; a higher educational level produces a better perceived
      health status.

PMID- 28617777
TI  - [Healthcare associated infections: patient mobility in Italy and costs for
      Italian healthcare organizations].
AB  - Healthcare-associated infections (HCI) are an obstacle to assuring safe hospital
      treatments. This study evaluates awareness of HCIs among the Italian population,
      readiness to file a complaint against the hospital in the event of an HCI, and
      the distance patients would be willing to travel to be treated in hospitals with
      lower HCI rates. Furthermore, the report highlights the importance of this issue
      in the context of hospital management.

PMID- 28617778
TI  - [Inequalities in oral health in Italy: what role for dentists?]
AB  - Due to the lack of both available data and political attention, the oral health
      of the popula-tion seems to be neglected at a scientific level. Actually,
      however, the dental sector shows strong ine-qualities in access, especially
      because of the economic crisis that hit most European countries, particu-larly
      Italy. In order to understand the impact of the organizational variables related
      to the supply of dental services on the inequalities, an empirical research was
      carried out in 2013, involving representatives of the dental profession within
      the 105 Italian provincial orders of physicians and dentists. Both qualitative
      and quantitative methodological tools have been used. The main results seem to
      give us back the image of a profession that is going through a very difficult
      period; problems, which occur on multiple levels, cannot be attributed solely to
      the economic crisis that started in 2008. Problems appear structural and require
      a process of change that has to involve, on the one hand, citizens and government
      institutions and, on the other, the latter and the dental profession.

PMID- 28617779
TI  - [Physical activity and its importance in the workplace].
AB  - The present study aims to highlight the importance of physical activity in the
      workplace and its fundamental role for the wellness of an individual. The
      relationship between sedentary lifestyle and health is supported by several
      epidemiological studies and inactivity is one of the main risk factors for
      cardiovascular disease, chronic conditions and cancer. According to the World
      Health Organization, physical activity represents: "any bodily movement produced
      by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure". The promotion of regular
      physical activity, including its promotion in the workplace is of fundamental
      importance since a close correlation exists between good health and physical
      activity. Moreover, regular physical activity improves psycho-physical
      performance, social relationships, work performance and reduces sickness,
      absenteeism from work and work injuries.

PMID- 28617780
TI  - [The burden of disability in Cameroon].
AB  - AIM: Rehabilitation services for disabled persons are lacking in countries with
      limited economic resources. Reliable and objective data are needed to plan for
      their implementation and to determine the burden of disability in these
      countries. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in June 2013
      among people living in Dschang Health District, in the West region of Cameroon,
      to collect information about socio-demographic aspects of physically disabled
      subjects and health determinants of disabilities. Data was collected using a
      standard questionnaire in French. RESULTS: In total, 159 physically disabled
      subjects were enrolled in the study. Mean age was 36 years [+/- SD 17.26], 55.9%
      of subjects were female, and 33.8% had a low educational-level. The most
      frequently reported disabilities were orthopaedic problems (mainly fractures)
      [45.8%], infectious diseases [29.1%]), and neurological disabilities (mainly
      hemiplegia [33.3%], hemiparesis [23.8%], and monoplegia [23.8%]). The main causes
      of disability were trauma due to traffic accidents (17.8%) and inappropriate
      medical interventions (14.5%). Disability was related to age and 50% of
      participants experienced social discrimination. Disabled subjects with low
      incomes (from 50.000 to 200.000 XAF) were required to pay for rehabilitative care
      (XAF 10.000 to 100.000), and up to 83% had appealed for improved quality of
      Rehabilitation Medicine. CONCLUSION: Although Law n. 83/013 for the protection of
      persons with disabilities in Cameroon dates back to 1983, the results of this
      study show that disabled people, and children in particular, are still
      marginalized, vulnerable and have little chance of recovery. Therefore, there is
      a clear need to improve the quality and availability of rehabilitative care
      services , with programmatic interventions that ensure implementation of existing
      laws, improve access to rehabilitative services, provide disabled persons with
      the necessary specialty medical products, and eliminate barriers to their social
      participation.

PMID- 28617781
TI  - [The Italian Immunization Plan 2017: analysis and starting point for the Regional
      Plans].
AB  - The National Immunization Plan 2017-2019 has been approved on January 2017. This
      official document contains the new Italian guidelines to improve vaccination
      coverage in the country. We conducted an accurate and critical analysis of the
      document, highlighting its key points and critical issues, in order to offer an
      practical tool for writing the Regional Plans. The new immunization schedule and
      the establishment of a restricted panel for the vaccine vigilance are the most
      significant innovations of the Plan. The Plan addresses also the issues of
      mandatory vaccination and of penalties for physicians who advise against
      vaccinations. Together with the presence of qualifying aspects as information
      about the ethical value and the benefits of vaccination, the Plan contains other
      interesting proposals, such as the introduction of a computerized vaccination
      register and the targeted use of new technologies to reach the population
      extensively. The Plan is set up as a conceptually rich tool, suitable for the
      development of regional operational plans.

PMID- 28617782
TI  - Data sharing statements for clinical trials: a requirement of the International
      Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

PMID- 28617783
TI  - Progress in public reporting in New Zealand since the Ombudsman's ruling, and an
      invitation.

PMID- 28617784
TI  - Rising medical student debt: should we be alarmed?

PMID- 28617785
TI  - Haemochromatosis: evaluating the effectiveness of a novel patient self-management
      approach to venesection as blood donation.
AB  - AIM: We set out to evaluate the effectiveness of a new model of self management
      of haemochromatosis, whereby patients with stable ferritin control were
      discharged from the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) therapeutic venesection
      clinic and educated to manage their own venesection by regular blood donation and
      annual serum ferritin check by their general practitioner. METHOD: Data regarding
      the frequency of blood donation and serum ferritin level were collected from the
      NZBS and Concerto records of haemochromatosis patients in the Wellington region
      who had been discharged back to the care of their general practitioner between
      January 2014 and June 2015. RESULTS: Of the 107 patients, 93% continued to donate
      blood after discharge. A serum ferritin level was checked in 78% of patients by
      their general practitioner. The mean number of blood donations per year decreased
      after discharge, with a corresponding rise in the average ferritin level
      (difference 28 mcg/L; range 13-43 mcg/L; p<0.005). CONCLUSION: The new model of
      self management was effective for the majority of patients who were discharged
      from the therapeutic venesection clinic. Longer follow up is required to assess
      the overall pattern of ferritin control in patients who self manage their
      haemochromatosis by regular blood donation.

PMID- 28617786
TI  - Audit of Trichomonas vaginalis test requesting by community referrers after a
      change from culture to molecular testing, including a cost analysis.
AB  - AIMS: Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) prevalence varies among different communities
      and peoples. The availability of robust molecular platforms for the detection of
      TV has advanced diagnosis; however, molecular tests are more costly than
      phenotypic methodologies, and testing all urogenital samples is costly. We
      recently replaced culture methods with the Aptima Trichomonas vaginalis nucleic
      acid amplification test on specific request and as reflex testing by the
      laboratory, and have audited this change. METHODS: Data were collected from
      August 2015 (microbroth culture and microscopy) and August 2016 (Aptima TV assay)
      including referrer, testing volumes, results and test cost estimates. RESULTS: In
      August 2015, 10,299 vaginal swabs, and in August 2016, 2,189 specimens
      (urogenital swabs and urines), were tested. The positivity rate went from 0.9% to
      5.3%, and overall more TV infections were detected in 2016. The number needed to
      test and cost for one positive TV result respectively was 111 and $902.55 in
      2015, and 19 and $368.92 in 2016. Request volumes and positivity rates differed
      among referrers. CONCLUSIONS: The methodology change was associated with higher
      overall detection of TV, and reductions in the numbers needed to test/cost for
      one TV diagnosis. Our audit suggests that there is room for improvement with TV
      test requesting in our community.

PMID- 28617787
TI  - Rising levels of New Zealand medical student debt.
AB  - AIM: There is little recent data on the debt levels accrued by New Zealand
      medical graduates. We aimed to quantify the level of student loan debt accrued by
      medical graduates upon completion of their medical degree, and to investigate the
      association of New Zealand Government Student Loan (GSL) debt with gender and
      age. METHODS: At graduation each year from 2006-2015, students from one New
      Zealand medical programme were invited to complete a career intention survey that
      included information on levels of GSL debt and the number of income sources used.
      RESULTS: The overall response rate was 83.8%. On average, 92% of domestic
      students reported having some student loan debt, with 28% a debt of $90,000 or
      more. The proportion of students reporting a student loan debt of $90,000 or more
      increased over the period of the study (P<0.0001). While older students were more
      likely to have a larger student loan debt than younger students, there was no
      difference in debt levels by gender. Students with larger student loans were more
      likely to rely on a larger number of financial sources to fund their studies.
      CONCLUSIONS: New Zealand medical students are carrying higher levels of student
      loan debt year on year. The effect of this on the future medical workforce is not
      certain; however, this could be negative if graduates choose to enter careers
      that are more highly paid over areas of high need. The full impact of large loans
      on individuals and the health system will take years to determine.

PMID- 28617788
TI  - Age at referral for undescended testes: has anything changed in a decade?
AB  - AIM: Undescended testis (UDT) affects 1-6% of males and is one of the most common
      disorders in paediatric surgery.Updated consensus guidelines now recommend
      surgical management of UDT by 18 months. We compare the age at referral and
      subsequent timing of orchiopexy with data published from 1996-1998 at our
      institution, prior to the advent of updated guidelines. METHODS: A retrospective
      review of all patients undergoing an orchiopexy for UDT from 2014 to 2016 was
      conducted. The age at time of first referral, first outpatient review and age at
      date of surgery were recorded. Calculations were made for time between referral
      and clinic visit (T-1) and between clinic visit and surgery (T-2). Data are
      reported as median (range). RESULTS: In the 2014-2016 group (n=216), the median
      age at time of referral was 5.3 (range 0-182) months. Following referral,
      children were seen in the clinic at a median interval 1.84 (T-1: range 0.16-17)
      months. The median interval between the clinic visit and operation was 2.95 (T-2:
      range 0-30.7) months. The median age at time of surgery was 12.6 (range 4.6
      191.3) months. Compared to the data from 1996-1998 (n=325), there was a drop in
      the median ages both at time of referral (23 months vs 5.3) and at time of
      operation (38.8 months vs 12.6). In this cohort, 66% (n=143) of boys had surgery
      before eighteen months of age. The median times between referral and clinic visit
      (T-1: 1.7 months vs 1.84) and between clinic and operation (T-2: 3.3 months vs
      2.95) were essentially unchanged. CONCLUSION: Our second snapshot in time (2014
      2016) shows improvements in median age at referral (under six months) and age at
      time of operation (at 12.6 months) when compared to the older snapshot (1996
      1998). These timings are more in keeping with recommendations for orchiopexy.

PMID- 28617789
TI  - Adequate adherence to benzathine penicillin secondary prophylaxis following the
      diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease by echocardiographic screening.
AB  - AIMS: The primary aim of this study was to determine adherence to benzathine
      penicillin (BPG) for individuals diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) by
      echocardiographic screening between 2007-2012. METHODS: BPG records were obtained
      for 57 patients, median age 12 at time of diagnosis. A 'days at risk' analysis
      was undertaken. Annual adherence was calculated for each individual. A comparison
      with the Wellington region's Rheumatic Fever 2013 adherence data was undertaken.
      RESULTS: Adherence to BPG was good with a median follow-up time of 5.8 years.
      Days at risk analysis: median 0% at year one and 2.7% at year five. The median
      adherence for the entire cohort over the entire follow-up period was 92%, range 0
      100%. There was no difference of proportions of late doses compared to the
      Wellington region. Median adherence was higher for register based (94%, n=48)
      compared to primary health care penicillin delivery (37%, n=7), p<0.005. During
      follow-up, 30% of the cohort moved between regions or overseas. CONCLUSIONS: Good
      adherence rates are achievable for secondary prophylaxis when RHD is diagnosed by
      echocardiographic screening. This likely reflects the benefit of rheumatic fever
      registers and community nursing services rather than the pathway of the diagnosis
      for RHD.

PMID- 28617790
TI  - Clinical management and patient persistence with antibiotic course in suspected
      group A streptococcal pharyngitis for primary prevention of rheumatic fever: the
      perspective from a New Zealand emergency department.
AB  - AIM: Rates of acute rheumatic fever in the Northland region are historically
      among the highest in New Zealand, impacting disproportionately on Maori children
      and youth. The primary aim of this study was to determine patient persistence to
      antibiotic treatment for group A streptococcus (GAS) pharyngitis in patients
      presenting with sore throat to the Whangarei Hospital Emergency Department.
      Secondarily, this study sought to determine prescriber adherence to the national
      antibiotic guideline for sore throat management. METHOD: A retrospective audit of
      patients presenting to ED with presumed GAS pharyngitis between 1 May 2016 and 31
      August 2016 was carried out. Data on patient demographics, clinical examination
      findings, investigations and antibiotic prescription were extracted from
      electronic medical records. Patients were contacted and after obtaining consent,
      were asked about their antibiotic treatment using a standardised telephone
      interview script. RESULTS: The patient population audited reflects those at high
      risk for acute rheumatic fever. All patients were discharged on the recommended
      medication, but only 82.7% (62/75) received the correct length (10 days) of oral
      antibiotics. Of the total of 75 patients audited, 61 (81%) had a swab taken and
      41% (25/61) of these were confirmed positive for GAS. Patients were either
      advised to commence medication without waiting for a swab result (96%, 72/75) or
      delay treatment and commence only if no improvement in symptoms (4%, 3/75). Of
      those advised to commence medication immediately, 94% (67/72) obtained their
      medication from a community pharmacy. Three patients were advised to stop
      treatment after confirmation of a negative result. Of those patients assessable
      for medication persistence (n=65), 73.8% (48/65) of patients were compliant in
      completing the full course of antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSION: This is the first
      study to assess patient persistence to an antibiotic course for GAS after
      presentation at an emergency department in Northland and possibly New Zealand.
      The results indicate a relatively high persistence rate with oral antibiotic
      treatment by patients treated for suspected GAS pharyngitis. An important finding
      is that community pharmacy dispensing does not appear to be a major barrier to
      patients acquiring medications. Additionally, the study shows low levels of
      follow up of patients with negative throat swab results, resulting in these
      patients completing the course of antibiotics unnecessarily.

PMID- 28617791
TI  - Mapping housing for the disabled in New Zealand.

PMID- 28617793
TI  - Survival of Legionella in earthquake-induced soil disturbance (liquefaction).

PMID- 28617792
TI  - Simultaneous bilateral snowboarder's fractures in a young woman: a rare entity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Talus is a well-supported bone in the foot. A fracture of talus
      requires a high-impact injury. A wedge-shaped inferolateral component is the
      lateral process of the talus (LPT). A fracture of LPT is also known as a
      'snowboarder's fracture'. Simultaneous bilateral snowboarder's fracture is rarely
      reported in English literature. CASE: We present here a case of simultaneous
      bilateral snowboarder's fractures in a slow-moving motor vehicle accident in the
      icy conditions. The injuries were unique because the snowboarder's fractures were
      accompanied by fractures of the inferior aspect of talus bilaterally and a
      fracture of the anterior process of the calcaneus in the right foot. To our
      knowledge, no such case has been reported in the past. Our patient underwent
      successful open reduction and internal fixation with plate and screws.
      CONCLUSION: Snowboarder's fractures are frequently missed by the clinicians,
      which causes significant morbidity of the patients. Adequate knowledge and
      awareness among the physicians about this type of injury may improve the patient
      care.

PMID- 28617794
TI  - New Zealand infants weaned onto a high sugar diet from four months old: better
      health or better business? Part II.

PMID- 28617795
TI  - The consequences of courage: the US Surgeon General, the National Rifle
      Association (NRA) and the Trump regime.

PMID- 28617796
TI  - Egocentric and allocentric representations in auditory cortex.
AB  - A key function of the brain is to provide a stable representation of an object's
      location in the world. In hearing, sound azimuth and elevation are encoded by
      neurons throughout the auditory system, and auditory cortex is necessary for
      sound localization. However, the coordinate frame in which neurons represent
      sound space remains undefined: classical spatial receptive fields in head-fixed
      subjects can be explained either by sensitivity to sound source location relative
      to the head (egocentric) or relative to the world (allocentric encoding). This
      coordinate frame ambiguity can be resolved by studying freely moving subjects;
      here we recorded spatial receptive fields in the auditory cortex of freely moving
      ferrets. We found that most spatially tuned neurons represented sound source
      location relative to the head across changes in head position and direction. In
      addition, we also recorded a small number of neurons in which sound location was
      represented in a world-centered coordinate frame. We used measurements of spatial
      tuning across changes in head position and direction to explore the influence of
      sound source distance and speed of head movement on auditory cortical activity
      and spatial tuning. Modulation depth of spatial tuning increased with distance
      for egocentric but not allocentric units, whereas, for both populations,
      modulation was stronger at faster movement speeds. Our findings suggest that
      early auditory cortex primarily represents sound source location relative to
      ourselves but that a minority of cells can represent sound location in the world
      independent of our own position.

PMID- 28617797
TI  - GINOM: A statistical framework for assessing interval overlap of multiple genomic
      features.
AB  - A common problem in genomics is to test for associations between two or more
      genomic features, typically represented as intervals interspersed across the
      genome. Existing methodologies can test for significant pairwise associations
      between two genomic intervals; however, they cannot test for associations
      involving multiple sets of intervals. This limits our ability to uncover more
      complex, yet biologically important associations between multiple sets of genomic
      features. We introduce GINOM (Genomic INterval Overlap Model), a new method that
      enables testing of significant associations between multiple genomic features. We
      demonstrate GINOM's ability to identify higher-order associations with both
      simulated and real data. In particular, we used GINOM to explore L1
      retrotransposable element insertion bias in lung cancer and found a significant
      pairwise association between L1 insertions and heterochromatic marks. Unlike
      other methods, GINOM also detected an association between L1 insertions and gene
      bodies marked by a facultative heterochromatic mark, which could explain the
      observed bias for L1 insertions towards cancer-associated genes.

PMID- 28617798
TI  - Robust transmission of rate coding in the inhibitory Purkinje cell to cerebellar
      nuclei pathway in awake mice.
AB  - Neural coding through inhibitory projection pathways remains poorly understood.
      We analyze the transmission properties of the Purkinje cell (PC) to cerebellar
      nucleus (CN) pathway in a modeling study using a data set recorded in awake mice
      containing respiratory rate modulation. We find that inhibitory transmission from
      tonically active PCs can transmit a behavioral rate code with high fidelity. We
      parameterized the required population code in PC activity and determined that 20%
      of PC inputs to a full compartmental CN neuron model need to be rate-comodulated
      for transmission of a rate code. Rate covariance in PC inputs also accounts for
      the high coefficient of variation in CN spike trains, while the balance between
      excitation and inhibition determines spike rate and local spike train
      variability. Overall, our modeling study can fully account for observed spike
      train properties of cerebellar output in awake mice, and strongly supports rate
      coding in the cerebellum.

PMID- 28617799
TI  - p53 and TAp63 participate in the recombination-dependent pachytene arrest in
      mouse spermatocytes.
AB  - To protect germ cells from genomic instability, surveillance mechanisms ensure
      meiosis occurs properly. In mammals, spermatocytes that display recombination
      defects experience a so-called recombination-dependent arrest at the pachytene
      stage, which relies on the MRE11 complex-ATM-CHK2 pathway responding to
      unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Here, we asked if p53 family members
      targets of ATM and CHK2-participate in this arrest. We bred double-mutant mice
      combining a mutation of a member of the p53 family (p53, TAp63, or p73) with a
      Trip13 mutation. Trip13 deficiency triggers a recombination-dependent response
      that arrests spermatocytes in pachynema before they have incorporated the testis
      specific histone variant H1t into their chromatin. We find that deficiency for
      either p53 or TAp63, but not p73, allowed spermatocytes to progress further into
      meiotic prophase despite the presence of numerous unrepaired DSBs. Even so, the
      double mutant spermatocytes apoptosed at late pachynema because of sex body
      deficiency; thus p53 and TAp63 are dispensable for arrest caused by sex body
      defects. These data affirm that recombination-dependent and sex body-deficient
      arrests occur via genetically separable mechanisms.

PMID- 28617800
TI  - Whole genome sequencing distinguishes between relapse and reinfection in
      recurrent leprosy cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since leprosy is both treated and controlled by multidrug therapy
      (MDT) it is important to monitor recurrent cases for drug resistance and to
      distinguish between relapse and reinfection as a means of assessing therapeutic
      efficacy. All three objectives can be reached with single nucleotide resolution
      using next generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of Mycobacterium
      leprae DNA present in human skin. METHODOLOGY: DNA was isolated by means of
      optimized extraction and enrichment methods from samples from three recurrent
      cases in leprosy patients participating in an open-label, randomized, controlled
      clinical trial of uniform MDT in Brazil (U-MDT/CT-BR). Genome-wide sequencing of
      M. leprae was performed and the resultant sequence assemblies analyzed in silico.
      PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In all three cases, no mutations responsible for resistance
      to rifampicin, dapsone and ofloxacin were found, thus eliminating drug resistance
      as a possible cause of disease recurrence. However, sequence differences were
      detected between the strains from the first and second disease episodes in all
      three patients. In one case, clear evidence was obtained for reinfection with an
      unrelated strain whereas in the other two cases, relapse appeared more probable.
      CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first report of using M. leprae whole
      genome sequencing to reveal that treated and cured leprosy patients who remain in
      endemic areas can be reinfected by another strain. Next generation sequencing can
      be applied reliably to M. leprae DNA extracted from biopsies to discriminate
      between cases of relapse and reinfection, thereby providing a powerful tool for
      evaluating different outcomes of therapeutic regimens and for following disease
      transmission.

PMID- 28617801
TI  - Gastrointestinal adverse events during methylphenidate treatment of children and
      adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review
      with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of randomised clinical trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To study in more depth the relationship between type, dose, or
      duration of methylphenidate offered to children and adolescents with attention
      deficit hyperactivity disorder and their risks of gastrointestinal adverse events
      based on our Cochrane systematic review. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We use data from
      our review including 185 randomised clinical trials. Randomised parallel-group
      trials and cross-over trials reporting gastrointestinal adverse events associated
      with methylphenidate were included. Data were extracted and quality assessed
      according to Cochrane guidelines. Data were summarised as risk ratios (RR) with
      95% confidence intervals (CI) using the inverse variance method. Bias risks were
      assessed according to domains. Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) was used to
      control random errors. Eighteen parallel group trials and 43 cross-over trials
      reported gastrointestinal adverse events. All trials were at high risk of bias.
      In parallel group trials, methylphenidate decreased appetite (RR 3.66, 95% CI
      2.56 to 5.23) and weight (RR 3.89, 95% CI 1.43 to 10.59). In cross-over trials,
      methylphenidate increased abdominal pain (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.04). We found
      no significant differences in the risk according to type, dose, or duration of
      administration. The required information size was achieved in three out of four
      outcomes. CONCLUSION: Methylphenidate increases the risks of decreased appetite,
      weight loss, and abdominal pain in children and adolescents with attention
      deficit hyperactivity disorder. No differences in the risks of gastrointestinal
      adverse events according to type, dose, or duration of administration were found.

PMID- 28617802
TI  - Oxidative stress affects processing of amyloid precursor protein in vascular
      endothelial cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress is thought to be a key player in the pathogenesis of
      neurodegenerative dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been
      assumed that oxidative stress contributes to the beta-amyloid deposition in
      cerebral blood vessels. METHODS: In order to prove this hypothesis, we examined
      the effect of oxidative stress on the processing of amyloid precursor protein
      (APP) in primary endothelial cells (EC) derived from cerebral cortical tissue of
      transgenic Tg2576 mice. Following exposure of EC by 1 MUM hydrogen peroxide for
      up to 48 hours, formation and secretion of APP cleavage products sAPPalpha and
      sAPPbeta into the culture medium as well as the expression of endothelial APP
      were assessed. RESULTS: Oxidative stress resulted in enhanced secretion of
      sAPPbeta into the culture medium as compared to controls (absence of hydrogen
      peroxide), which was accompanied by an increased APP expression, induction of
      VEGF synthesis, nitric oxide and oxygen free radicals productions, and
      differential changes of endothelial phospo-p42/44 MAPK expression. CONCLUSION:
      The data suggest that oxidative stress may represent a major risk factor in
      causing Abeta deposition in the brain vascular system by initiating the
      amyloidogenic route of endothelial APP processing. The enhanced beta-secretase
      activity following oxidative stress exposure, possibly promoted by
      phosphorylation of p42/44 MAPK.

PMID- 28617803
TI  - Dengue seroprevalence and force of primary infection in a representative
      population of urban dwelling Indonesian children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Indonesia reports the second highest dengue disease burden in the
      world; these data are from passive surveillance reports and are likely to be
      significant underestimates. Age-stratified seroprevalence data are relatively
      unbiased indicators of past exposure and allow understanding of transmission
      dynamics. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To better understand dengue infection
      history and associated risk factors in Indonesia, a representative population
      based cross-sectional dengue seroprevalence study was conducted in 1-18-year-old
      urban children. From October to November 2014, 3,210 children were enrolled from
      30 geographically dispersed clusters. Serum samples were tested for anti-dengue
      IgG antibodies by indirect ELISA. A questionnaire investigated associations
      between dengue serologic status and household socio-demographic and behavioural
      factors. Overall, 3,194 samples were tested, giving an adjusted national
      seroprevalence in this urban population of 69.4% [95% CI: 64.4-74.3] (33.8% [95%
      CI: 26.4-41.2] in the 1-4-year-olds, 65.4% [95% CI: 69.1-71.7] in the 5-9-year
      olds, 83.1% [95% CI: 77.1-89.0] in the 10-14-year-olds, and 89.0% [95% CI: 83.9
      94.1] in the 15-18-year-olds). The median age of seroconversion estimated through
      a linear model was 4.8 years. Using a catalytic model and considering a constant
      force of infection we estimated 13.1% of children experience a primary infection
      per year. Through a hierarchical logistic multivariate model, the subject's age
      group (1-4 vs 5-9 OR = 4.25; 1-4 vs. 10-14 OR = 12.60; and 1-4 vs 15-18 OR =
      21.87; p<0.0001) and the number of cases diagnosed in the household since the
      subject was born (p = 0.0004) remained associated with dengue serological status.
      CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first dengue seroprevalence study in
      Indonesia that is targeting a representative sample of the urban paediatric
      population. This study revealed that more than 80% of children aged 10 years or
      over have experienced dengue infection at least once. Prospective incidence
      studies would likely reveal dengue burdens far in excess of reported incidence
      rates.

PMID- 28617804
TI  - Integrating Tenascin-C protein expression and 1q25 copy number status in
      pediatric intracranial ependymoma prognostication: A new model for risk
      stratification.
AB  - PURPOSE: Despite multimodal therapy, prognosis of pediatric intracranial
      ependymomas remains poor with a 5-year survival rate below 70% and frequent late
      deaths. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: This multicentric European study evaluated putative
      prognostic biomarkers. Tenascin-C (TNC) immunohistochemical expression and copy
      number status of 1q25 were retained for a pooled analysis of 5 independent
      cohorts. The prognostic value of TNC and 1q25 on the overall survival (OS) was
      assessed using a Cox model adjusted to age at diagnosis, tumor location, WHO
      grade, extent of resection, radiotherapy and stratified by cohort. Stratification
      on a predictor that did not satisfy the proportional hazards assumption was
      considered. Model performance was evaluated and an internal-external cross
      validation was performed. RESULTS: Among complete cases with 5-year median follow
      up (n = 470; 131 deaths), TNC and 1q25 gain were significantly associated with
      age at diagnosis and posterior fossa tumor location. 1q25 status added
      independent prognostic value for death beyond the classical variables with a
      hazard ratio (HR) = 2.19 95%CI = [1.29; 3.76] (p = 0.004), while TNC prognostic
      relation was tumor location-dependent with HR = 2.19 95%CI = [1.29; 3.76] (p =
      0.004) in posterior fossa and HR = 0.64 [0.28; 1.48] (p = 0.295) in
      supratentorial (interaction p value = 0.015). The derived prognostic score
      identified 3 different robust risk groups. The omission of upfront RT was not
      associated with OS for good and intermediate prognostic groups while the absence
      of upfront RT was negatively associated with OS in the poor risk group.
      CONCLUSION: Integrated TNC expression and 1q25 status are useful to better
      stratify patients and to eventually adapt treatment regimens in pediatric
      intracranial ependymoma.

PMID- 28617805
TI  - Effect of eliminating CD4-count thresholds on HIV treatment initiation in South
      Africa: An empirical modeling study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommends initiating antiretroviral
      therapy (ART) regardless of CD4 count. We assessed the effect of ART eligibility
      on treatment uptake and simulated the impact of WHO's recommendations in South
      Africa. METHODS: We conducted an empirical analysis of cohort data using a
      regression discontinuity design, and then used this model for policy simulation.
      We enrolled all patients (n = 19,279) diagnosed with HIV between August 2011 and
      December 2013 in the Hlabisa HIV Treatment and Care Programme in rural South
      Africa. Patients were ART-eligible with CD4<350 cells/mm3 or Stage III/IV
      illness. We estimated: (1) distribution of first CD4 counts in 2013; (2)
      probability of initiating ART <=6 months of HIV diagnosis under existing criteria
      at each CD4 count; (3) probability of initiating ART by CD4 count if thresholds
      were eliminated; and (4) number of expected new initiators if South Africa
      eliminates thresholds. FINDINGS: In 2013, 38.9% of patients diagnosed had a CD4
      count >=500. 8.0% of these patients initiated even without eligible CD4 counts.
      If CD4 criteria were eliminated, we project that an additional 19.2% of patients
      with CD4 >=500 would initiate ART; 72.8% would not initiate ART despite being
      eligible. Eliminating CD4 criteria would increase the number starting ART by
      26.7%. If these numbers hold nationally, this would represent an additional
      164,000 initiators per year, a 5.2% increase in patients receiving ART and 5.3%
      increase in programme costs. CONCLUSIONS: Removing CD4 criteria alone will
      modestly increase timely uptake of ART. However, our results suggest the majority
      of newly-eligible patients will not initiate. Improved testing, linkage, and
      initiation procedures are needed to achieve 90-90-90 targets.

PMID- 28617806
TI  - A misdiagnosed infection mimicking "tree man disease".

PMID- 28617808
TI  - Lessons learned on Zika virus vectors.

PMID- 28617807
TI  - Treatment with macrolides and glucocorticosteroids in severe community-acquired
      pneumonia: A post-hoc exploratory analysis of a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Systemic corticosteroids have anti-inflammatory effects, whereas
      macrolides also have immunomodulatory activity in addition to their primary
      antimicrobial actions. We aimed to evaluate the potential interaction effect
      between corticosteroids and macrolides on the systemic inflammatory response in
      patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia to determine if combining these
      two immunomodulating agents was harmful, or possibly beneficial. METHODS: We
      performed a post-hoc exploratory analysis of a randomized clinical trial
      conducted in three tertiary hospitals in Spain. This trial included patients with
      severe community-acquired pneumonia with high inflammatory response (C-reactive
      protein [CRP] >15 mg/dL) who were randomized to receive methylprednisolone 0.5
      mg/kg/tpd or placebo. The choice of antibiotic treatment was at the physician's
      discretion. One hundred and six patients were classified into four groups
      according to antimicrobial therapy combination (beta-lactam plus macrolide or
      beta-lactam plus fluoroquinolone) and corticosteroid arm (placebo or
      corticosteroids). The primary outcome was treatment failure (composite outcome of
      early treatment failure, or of late treatment failure, or of both early and late
      treatment failure). RESULTS: The methylprednisolone with beta-lactam plus
      macrolide group had more elderly patients, with comorbidities, and higher
      pneumonia severity index (PSI) risk class V, but a lower proportion of intensive
      care unit admission, compared to the other groups. We found non differences in
      treatment failure between groups (overall p = 0.374); however, a significant
      difference in late treatment failure was observed (4 patients in the placebo with
      beta-lactam plus macrolide group (31%) vs. 9 patients in the placebo with beta
      lactam plus fluoroquinolone group (24%) vs. 0 patients in the methylprednisolone
      with beta-lactam plus macrolide group (0%) vs. 2 patients [5%] in the
      methylprednisolone with beta-lactam plus fluoroquinolone group overall p =
      0.009). We found a significant difference for In-hospital mortality in the per
      protocol population (overall p = 0.01). We did not find significant differences
      in treatment failure, early or late; or In-hospital mortality after adjusting for
      severity (PSI), year and centre of enrolment. CONCLUSIONS: In this exploratory
      analysis, we observed that the glucocorticosteroids and macrolides combination
      had no statistically significant association with main clinical outcomes compared
      with other combinations in patients with severe community acquired pneumonia and
      a high inflammatory response after taking account potential confounders. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00908713.

PMID- 28617809
TI  - Giant elephantiasis and inguino-scrotal hernia.

PMID- 28617810
TI  - Population-level impact of an accelerated HIV response plan to reach the UNAIDS
      90-90-90 target in Cote d'Ivoire: Insights from mathematical modeling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: National responses will need to be markedly accelerated to achieve
      the ambitious target of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
      This target aims for 90% of HIV-positive individuals to be aware of their status,
      for 90% of those aware to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), and for 90% of
      those on treatment to have a suppressed viral load by 2020, with each individual
      target reaching 95% by 2030. We aimed to estimate the impact of various treatment
      as-prevention scenarios in Cote d'Ivoire, one of the countries with the highest
      HIV incidence in West Africa, with unmet HIV prevention and treatment needs, and
      where key populations are important to the broader HIV epidemic. METHODS AND
      FINDINGS: An age-stratified dynamic model was developed and calibrated to
      epidemiological and programmatic data using a Bayesian framework. The model
      represents sexual and vertical HIV transmission in the general population, female
      sex workers (FSW), and men who have sex with men (MSM). We estimated the impact
      of scaling up interventions to reach the UNAIDS targets, as well as the impact of
      8 other scenarios, on HIV transmission in adults and children, compared to our
      baseline scenario that maintains 2015 rates of testing, ART initiation, ART
      discontinuation, treatment failure, and levels of condom use. In 2015, we
      estimated that 52% (95% credible intervals: 46%-58%) of HIV-positive individuals
      were aware of their status, 72% (57%-82%) of those aware were on ART, and 77%
      (74%-79%) of those on ART were virologically suppressed. Reaching the UNAIDS
      targets on time would avert 50% (42%-60%) of new HIV infections over 2015-2030
      compared to 30% (25%-36%) if the 90-90-90 target is reached in 2025. Attaining
      the UNAIDS targets in FSW, their clients, and MSM (but not in the rest of the
      population) would avert a similar fraction of new infections (30%; 21%-39%). A 25
      percentage-point drop in condom use from the 2015 levels among FSW and MSM would
      reduce the impact of reaching the UNAIDS targets, with 38% (26%-51%) of
      infections averted. The study's main limitation is that homogenous spatial
      coverage of interventions was assumed, and future lines of inquiry should examine
      how geographical prioritization could affect HIV transmission. CONCLUSIONS:
      Maximizing the impact of the UNAIDS targets will require rapid scale-up of
      interventions, particularly testing, ART initiation, and limiting ART
      discontinuation. Reaching clients of FSW, as well as key populations, can
      efficiently reduce transmission. Sustaining the high condom-use levels among key
      populations should remain an important prevention pillar.

PMID- 28617811
TI  - Genetic, structural, and chemical insights into the dual function of GRASP55 in
      germ cell Golgi remodeling and JAM-C polarized localization during
      spermatogenesis.
AB  - Spermatogenesis is a dynamic process that is regulated by adhesive interactions
      between germ and Sertoli cells. Germ cells express the Junctional Adhesion
      Molecule-C (JAM-C, encoded by Jam3), which localizes to germ/Sertoli cell
      contacts. JAM-C is involved in germ cell polarity and acrosome formation. Using a
      proteomic approach, we demonstrated that JAM-C interacted with the Golgi
      reassembly stacking protein of 55 kDa (GRASP55, encoded by Gorasp2) in developing
      germ cells. Generation and study of Gorasp2-/- mice revealed that knock-out mice
      suffered from spermatogenesis defects. Acrosome formation and polarized
      localization of JAM-C in spermatids were altered in Gorasp2-/- mice. In addition,
      Golgi morphology of spermatocytes was disturbed in Gorasp2-/- mice. Crystal
      structures of GRASP55 in complex with JAM-C or JAM-B revealed that GRASP55
      interacted via PDZ-mediated interactions with JAMs and induced a conformational
      change in GRASP55 with respect of its free conformation. An in silico
      pharmacophore approach identified a chemical compound called Graspin that
      inhibited PDZ-mediated interactions of GRASP55 with JAMs. Treatment of mice with
      Graspin hampered the polarized localization of JAM-C in spermatids, induced the
      premature release of spermatids and affected the Golgi morphology of meiotic
      spermatocytes.

PMID- 28617812
TI  - Inferring repeat-protein energetics from evolutionary information.
AB  - Natural protein sequences contain a record of their history. A common constraint
      in a given protein family is the ability to fold to specific structures, and it
      has been shown possible to infer the main native ensemble by analyzing
      covariations in extant sequences. Still, many natural proteins that fold into the
      same structural topology show different stabilization energies, and these are
      often related to their physiological behavior. We propose a description for the
      energetic variation given by sequence modifications in repeat proteins, systems
      for which the overall problem is simplified by their inherent symmetry. We
      explicitly account for single amino acid and pair-wise interactions and treat
      higher order correlations with a single term. We show that the resulting
      evolutionary field can be interpreted with structural detail. We trace the
      variations in the energetic scores of natural proteins and relate them to their
      experimental characterization. The resulting energetic evolutionary field allows
      the prediction of the folding free energy change for several mutants, and can be
      used to generate synthetic sequences that are statistically indistinguishable
      from the natural counterparts.

PMID- 28617813
TI  - Identification of Padi2 as a novel angiogenesis-regulating gene by genome
      association studies in mice.
AB  - Recent findings indicate that growth factor-driven angiogenesis is markedly
      influenced by genetic variation. This variation in angiogenic responsiveness may
      alter the susceptibility to a number of angiogenesis-dependent diseases. Here, we
      utilized the genetic diversity available in common inbred mouse strains to
      identify the loci and candidate genes responsible for differences in angiogenic
      response. The corneal micropocket neovascularization assay was performed on 42
      different inbred mouse strains using basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)
      pellets. We performed a genome-wide association study utilizing efficient mixed
      model association (EMMA) mapping using the induced vessel area from all strains.
      Our analysis yielded five loci with genome-wide significance on chromosomes 4, 8,
      11, 15 and 16. We further refined the mapping on chromosome 4 within a haplotype
      block containing multiple candidate genes. These genes were evaluated by
      expression analysis in corneas of various inbred strains and in vitro functional
      assays in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs). Of these, we found the
      expression of peptidyl arginine deiminase type II (Padi2), known to be involved
      in metabolic pathways, to have a strong correlation with a haplotype shared by
      multiple high angiogenic strains. In addition, inhibition of Padi2 demonstrated a
      dosage-dependent effect in HMVECs. To investigate its role in vivo, we knocked
      down Padi2 in transgenic kdrl:zsGreen zebrafish embryos using morpholinos. These
      embryos had disrupted vessel formation compared to control siblings. The impaired
      vascular pattern was partially rescued by human PADI2 mRNA, providing evidence
      for the specificity of the morphant phenotype. Taken together, our study is the
      first to indicate the potential role of Padi2 as an angiogenesis-regulating gene.
      The characterization of Padi2 and other genes in associated pathways may provide
      new understanding of angiogenesis regulation and novel targets for diagnosis and
      treatment of a wide variety of angiogenesis-dependent diseases.

PMID- 28617814
TI  - Risk of pneumonia in obstructive lung disease: A real-life study comparing extra
      fine and fine-particle inhaled corticosteroids.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Regular use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in patients with
      obstructive lung diseases has been associated with a higher risk of pneumonia,
      particularly in COPD. The risk of pneumonia has not been previously evaluated in
      relation to ICS particle size and dose used. METHODS: Historical cohort, UK
      database study of 23,013 patients with obstructive lung disease aged 12-80 years
      prescribed extra-fine or fine-particle ICS. The endpoints assessed during the
      outcome year were diagnosis of pneumonia, acute exacerbations and acute
      respiratory events in relation to ICS dose. To determine the association between
      ICS particle size, dose and risk of pneumonia in unmatched and matched treatment
      groups, logistic and conditional logistic regression models were used. RESULTS:
      14788 patients were stepped-up to fine-particle ICS and 8225 to extra-fine ICS.
      On unmatched analysis, patients stepping-up to extra-fine ICS were significantly
      less likely to be coded for pneumonia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.60; 95% CI
      0.37, 0.97]); experience acute exacerbations (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 0.91;
      95%CI 0.85, 0.97); and acute respiratory events (aRR 0.90; 95%CI 0.86, 0.94)
      compared with patients stepping-up to fine-particle ICS. Patients prescribed
      daily ICS doses in excess of 700 mcg (fluticasone propionate equivalent) had a
      significantly higher risk of pneumonia (OR [95%CI] 2.38 [1.17, 4.83]) compared
      with patients prescribed lower doses, irrespective of particle size. CONCLUSIONS:
      These findings suggest that patients with obstructive lung disease on extra-fine
      particle ICS have a lower risk of pneumonia than those on fine-particle ICS, with
      those receiving higher ICS doses being at a greater risk.

PMID- 28617815
TI  - Impressive predictive value of ankle-brachial index for very long-term outcomes
      in patients with cardiovascular disease: IMPACT-ABI study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a marker of generalized
      atherosclerosis and is predictive of future cardiovascular events. However, few
      studies have assessed its relation to long-term future cardiovascular events,
      especially in patients with borderline ABI. We therefore evaluated the
      relationship between long-term future cardiovascular events and ABI. METHODS: In
      the IMPACT-ABI study, a single-center, retrospective cohort study, we enrolled
      3131 consecutive patients (67 +/- 13 years; 82% male) hospitalized for
      cardiovascular disease and measured ABI between January 2005 and December 2012.
      After excluding patients with an ABI > 1.4, the remaining 3056 patients were
      categorized as having low ABI (<= 0.9), borderline ABI (0.91-0.99), or normal ABI
      (1.00-1.40). The primary endpoint was MACE (cardiovascular death, myocardial
      infarction [MI] and stroke). The secondary endpoints were cardiovascular death,
      MI, stroke, admission due to heart failure, and major bleeding. RESULTS: During a
      4.8-year mean follow-up period, the incidences of MACE (low vs. borderline vs.
      normal: 32.9% vs. 25.0% vs. 14.6%, P<0.0001) and cardiovascular death (26.2% vs.
      18.7% vs. 8.9%, P<0.0001) differed significantly across ABIs. The incidences of
      stroke (9.1% vs. 8.6% vs. 4.8%, P<0.0001) and heart failure (25.7% vs. 20.8% vs.
      8.9%, P<0.0001) were significantly higher in the low and borderline ABI groups
      than in the normal ABI group. But the incidences of MI and major bleeding were
      similar in the borderline and normal ABI groups. The hazard ratios for MACE
      adjusted for traditional atherosclerosis risk factors were significantly higher
      in patients with low and borderline ABI than those with normal ABI (HR, 1.93;
      95%CI: 1.44-2.59, P < 0.0001, HR, 1.54; 95% CI: 1.03-2.29, P = 0.035).
      CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of long-term adverse events was markedly higher among
      patients with low or borderline ABI than among those with normal ABI. This
      suggests that more attention should be paid to patients with borderline ABIs,
      especially with regard to cardiovascular death, stroke, and heart failure.

PMID- 28617816
TI  - Testing the arousal hypothesis of neonatal imitation in infant rhesus macaques.
AB  - Neonatal imitation is the matching of (often facial) gestures by newborn infants.
      Some studies suggest that performance of facial gestures is due to general
      arousal, which may produce false positives on neonatal imitation assessments.
      Here we examine whether arousal is linked to facial gesturing in newborn infant
      rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We tested 163 infants in a neonatal imitation
      paradigm in their first postnatal week and analyzed their lipsmacking gestures (a
      rapid opening and closing of the mouth), tongue protrusion gestures, and yawn
      responses (a measure of arousal). Arousal increased during dynamic stimulus
      presentation compared to the static baseline across all conditions, and arousal
      was higher in the facial gestures conditions than the nonsocial control
      condition. However, even after controlling for arousal, we found a condition
      specific increase in facial gestures in infants who matched lipsmacking and
      tongue protrusion gestures. Thus, we found no support for the arousal hypothesis.
      Consistent with reports in human newborns, imitators' propensity to match facial
      gestures is based on abilities that go beyond mere arousal. We discuss optimal
      testing conditions to minimize potentially confounding effects of arousal on
      measurements of neonatal imitation.

PMID- 28617817
TI  - Prevalence of cryptococcal infection among advanced HIV patients in Argentina
      using lateral flow immunoassay.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Globally, Latin America ranks third among regions with most cases of
      AIDS related cryptococcal meningitis. In 2009, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA)
      for the detection of cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) was developed as a potential
      point-of-care test for diagnosis of cryptococcal infection. In 2011 World Health
      Organizations recommended on CrAg screening for HIV positive persons with CD4
      below 100 cells/MUL, followed by preemptive fluconazole treatment. However, in
      Argentina no formal recommendations for CrAg screening have been issued. METHODS:
      HIV positive patients > = 18 years with advanced immunosuppression (CD4 counts
      <=100 cells/MUL within 3 months or WHO stage III/IV), who visited the hospital
      between April 1, 2014 and January 31, 2015, were included. The LFA was performed
      according to the manufacturer's instructions on all serum samples. When CrAg
      detection was positive, a lumbar puncture was performed to rule out cryptococcal
      meningitis. Patients without evidence of meningeal involvement were treated with
      preemptive oral fluconazole in ambulatory care. RESULTS: We included 123
      patients. Prevalence of CrAg-positivity was 8.1%. Among the 10 CrAg-positive
      patients, 6 had meningeal involvement detected through the CSF analysis (CSF
      India-ink testing, CSF CrAg and culture). The remaining 4 patients with positive
      CrAg received targeted preemptive treatment with oral fluconazole and were free
      of cryptococcal disease during the follow-up period. None of the 113 patients
      with a negative CrAg test result developed cryptococcal disease. CONCLUSIONS:
      This is the first study in Argentina, to our knowledge, describing the prevalence
      of cryptococcosis and usefulness of CrAg screening. LFA provided early diagnosis
      to determine a high prevalence of CrAg in our hospital, and that screening for
      subclinical infection with preemptive antifungal treatment, prevented a
      substantial proportion of meningeal disease.

PMID- 28617819
TI  - Between simplicity and accuracy: Effect of adding modeling details on quarter
      vehicle model accuracy.
AB  - Quarter vehicle model is the simplest representation of a vehicle that belongs to
      lumped-mass vehicle models. It is widely used in vehicle and suspension analyses,
      particularly those related to ride dynamics. However, as much as its common
      adoption, it is also commonly accepted without quantification that this model is
      not as accurate as many higher-degree-of-freedom models due to its simplicity and
      limited degrees of freedom. This study investigates the trade-off between
      simplicity and accuracy within the context of quarter vehicle model by
      determining the effect of adding various modeling details on model accuracy. In
      the study, road input detail, tire detail, suspension stiffness detail and
      suspension damping detail were factored in, and several enhanced models were
      compared to the base model to assess the significance of these details. The
      results clearly indicated that these details do have effect on simulated vehicle
      response, but to various extents. In particular, road input detail and suspension
      damping detail have the most significance and are worth being added to quarter
      vehicle model, as the inclusion of these details changed the response quite
      fundamentally. Overall, when it comes to lumped-mass vehicle modeling, it is
      reasonable to say that model accuracy depends not just on the number of degrees
      of freedom employed, but also on the contributions from various modeling details.

PMID- 28617818
TI  - Proteome profiling in IL-1beta and VEGF-activated human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells delineates the interlink between inflammation and angiogenesis.
AB  - Endothelial cells represent major effectors in inflammation and angiogenesis,
      processes that drive a multitude of pathological states such as atherosclerosis
      and cancer. Both inflammation and angiogenesis are interconnected with each other
      in the sense that many pro-inflammatory proteins possess proangiogenic properties
      and vice versa. To elucidate this interplay further, we present a comparative
      proteome study of inflammatory and angiogenic activated endothelial cells. HUVEC
      were stimulated with interleukin 1-beta and VEGF, respectively. Cultured primary
      cells were fractionated into secreted, cytoplasmic and nuclear protein fractions
      and processed for subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis. Obtained protein profiles were
      filtered for fraction-specific proteins to address potential cross fractional
      contamination, subjected to comparative computational biology analysis (GO-Term
      enrichment analysis, weighted gene co-expression analysis) and compared to
      published mRNA profiles of IL-1beta respectively VEGF stimulated HUVEC. GO Term
      enrichment analysis and comparative pathway analysis revealed features such as
      NOD and NfkB signaling for inflammatory activated HUVEC and VEGF and ErB
      signaling for VEGF-activated HUVEC with potential crosstalk via map kinases
      MAP2K2. Weighted protein co-expression network analysis revealed several
      potential hub genes so far not associated with driver function in inflammation or
      angiogenesis such as HSPG2, ANXA3, and GPI. "Classical" inflammation or
      angiogenesis markers such as IL6, CXCL8 or CST1 were found in a less central
      position within the co-expression networks. In conclusion, this study reports a
      framework for the computational biology based analysis of proteomics data applied
      to cytoplasmic, nucleic and extracellular fractions of quiescent, inflammatory
      and angiogenic activated HUVEC. Novel potential hub genes relevant for these
      processes were successfully identified.

PMID- 28617820
TI  - Defining health-related quality of life for young wheelchair users: A qualitative
      health economics study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wheelchairs for children with impaired mobility provide health,
      developmental and psychosocial benefits, however there is limited understanding
      of how mobility aids affect the health-related quality of life of children with
      impaired mobility. Preference-based health-related quality of life outcome
      measures are used to calculate quality-adjusted life years; an important concept
      in health economics. The aim of this research was to understand how young
      wheelchair users and their parents define health-related quality of life in
      relation to mobility impairment and wheelchair use. METHODS: The sampling frame
      was children with impaired mobility (<=18 years) who use a wheelchair and their
      parents. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews
      conducted in participants' homes. Qualitative framework analysis was used to
      analyse the interview transcripts. An a priori thematic coding framework was
      developed. Emerging codes were grouped into categories, and refined into
      analytical themes. The data were used to build an understanding of how children
      with impaired mobility define health-related quality of life in relation to
      mobility impairment, and to assess the applicability of two standard measures of
      health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Eleven children with impaired mobility
      and 24 parents were interviewed across 27 interviews. Participants defined
      mobility-related quality of life through three distinct but interrelated
      concepts: 1) participation and positive experiences; 2) self-worth and feeling
      fulfilled; 3) health and functioning. A good degree of consensus was found
      between child and parent responses, although there was some evidence to suggest a
      shift in perception of mobility-related quality of life with child age.
      CONCLUSIONS: Young wheelchair users define health-related quality of life in a
      distinct way as a result of their mobility impairment and adaptation use.
      Generic, preference-based measures of health-related quality of life lack
      sensitivity in this population. Development of a mobility-related quality of life
      outcome measure for children is recommended.

PMID- 28617821
TI  - Supplementation with small-extracellular vesicles from ovarian follicular fluid
      during in vitro production modulates bovine embryo development.
AB  - Pregnancy success results from the interaction of multiple factors, among them
      are folliculogenesis and early embryonic development. Failure during these
      different processes can lead to difficulties in conception. Alternatives to
      overcome these problems are based on assisted reproductive techniques.
      Extracellular vesicles are cell-secreted vesicles present in different body
      fluids and contain bioactive materials, such as messenger RNA, microRNAs
      (miRNAs), and proteins. Thus, our hypothesis is that extracellular vesicles from
      follicular fluid from 3-6 mm ovarian follicles can modulate bovine embryo
      development in vitro. To test our hypothesis follicular fluid from bovine ovaries
      was aspirated and small-extracellular vesicles (<200 nm) were isolated for
      further analysis. Additionally, small-extracellular vesicles (EVs) were utilized
      for functional experiments investigating their role in modulating messenger RNA,
      microRNA as well as global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation levels of
      bovine blastocysts. EVs from 3-6 mm follicles were used for RNA-seq and miRNA
      analysis. Functional annotation analysis of the EVs transcripts revealed messages
      related to chromatin remodeling and transcriptional regulation. EVs treatment
      during oocyte maturation and embryo development causes changes in blastocyst
      rates, as well as changes in the transcription levels of genes related to
      embryonic metabolism and development. Supplementation with EVs from 3-6 mm
      follicles during oocyte maturation and early embryo development (until the 4-cell
      stage) increased the levels of bta-miR-631 (enriched in EVs from 3-6 mm
      follicles) in embryos. Interestingly, the addition of EVs from 3-6 mm follicles
      induced changes in global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation levels compared
      to embryos produced by the standard in vitro production system. Our results
      indicate that the supplementation of culture media with EVs isolated from the
      follicular fluid of 3-6 mm follicles during oocyte maturation and early embryo
      development can partially modify metabolic and developmental related genes as
      well as miRNA and global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, suggesting that
      EVs play an important role during oocyte maturation and early embryo development
      in vitro.

PMID- 28617822
TI  - Intronic SNP in ESR1 encoding human estrogen receptor alpha is associated with
      brain ESR1 mRNA isoform expression and behavioral traits.
AB  - Genetic variants of ESR1 have been implicated in multiple diseases, including
      behavioral disorders, but causative variants remain uncertain. We have searched
      for regulatory variants affecting ESR1 expression in human brain, measuring
      allelic ESR1 mRNA expression in human brain tissues with marker SNPs in exon4
      representing ESR1-008 (or ESRalpha-36), and in the 3'UTR of ESR1-203, two main
      ESR1 isoforms in brain. In prefrontal cortex from subjects with bipolar disorder,
      schizophrenia, and controls (n = 35 each; Stanley Foundation brain bank), allelic
      ESR1 mRNA ratios deviated from unity up to tenfold at the exon4 marker SNP, with
      large allelic ratios observed primarily in bipolar and schizophrenic subjects.
      SNP scanning and targeted sequencing identified rs2144025, associated with large
      allelic mRNA ratios (p = 1.6E10-6). Moreover, rs2144025 was significantly
      associated with ESR1 mRNA levels in the Brain eQTL Almanac and in brain regions
      in the Genotype-Tissue Expression project. In four GWAS cohorts, rs2104425 was
      significantly associated with behavioral traits, including: hypomanic episodes in
      female bipolar disorder subjects (GAIN bipolar disorder study; p = 0.0004),
      comorbid psychological symptoms in both males and females with attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder (GAIN ADHD, p = 0.00002), psychological diagnoses in
      female children (eMERGE study of childhood health, subject age >=9, p = 0.0009),
      and traits in schizophrenia (e.g., grandiose delusions, GAIN schizophrenia, p =
      0.0004). The first common ESR1 variant (MAF 12-33% across races) linked to
      regulatory functions, rs2144025 appears conditionally to affect ESR1 mRNA
      expression in the brain and modulate traits in behavioral disorders.

PMID- 28617823
TI  - Resource capture and competitive ability of non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus spp.
      and P. destructans, the cause of white-nose syndrome in bats.
AB  - White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a devastating fungal disease that has been causing
      the mass mortality of hibernating bats in North America since 2006 and is caused
      by the psychrophilic dermatophyte Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Infected bats
      shed conidia into hibernaculum sediments and surfaces, but it is unknown if P.
      destructans can form stable, reproductive populations outside its bat hosts.
      Previous studies have found non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus in bat hibernacula,
      and these fungi may provide insight into the natural history of P. destructans.
      We compared the relatedness, resource capture, and competitive ability of non
      pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus isolates with P. destructans to determine if they
      have similar adaptations for survival in hibernacula sediment. All non-pathogenic
      Pseudogymnoascus isolates grew faster, utilized a broader range of substrates
      with higher efficiency, and were generally more resistant to antifungals compared
      to P. destructans. All isolates also showed the ability to displace P.
      destructans in co-culture assays, but only some produced extractible antifungal
      metabolites. These results suggest that P. destructans would perform poorly in
      the same environmental niche as non-pathogenic Pseudogymnoascus, and must have an
      alternative saprophytic survival strategy if it establishes active populations in
      hibernaculum sediment and non-host surfaces.

PMID- 28617824
TI  - Regulation of type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase by LXRalpha.
AB  - The iodothyronine deiodinases are selenoenzymes that regulate the activity of
      thyroid hormone via specific inner- or outer-ring deiodination. In humans, type 1
      deiodinase (D1) is highly expressed in the liver, but the mechanism by which its
      gene expression is regulated remains to be elucidated. Liver X receptor alpha
      (LXRalpha), a transcription factor of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is highly
      expressed in the liver, where it functions as a sensor for excess intracellular
      oxysterols. LXRalpha interacts with other nuclear receptors on promoters of genes
      that contain a binding core sequence for nuclear receptors. In addition, it is
      reported that the promoter of the gene encoding human D1 (hDIO1) contains the
      core sequence for one of nuclear receptors, thyroid hormone receptor (TR). We
      investigated the involvement of LXRalpha in the regulation of hDIO1, in the
      liver. We performed hDIO1 promoter-reporter assays using a synthetic LXR agonist,
      T0901317, and compared promoter activity between a human liver carcinoma cell
      line, HepG2, and a clone of human embryonic kidney cells, TSA201. We defined the
      region between nucleotides -131 and -114, especially nucleotides -126 and -125,
      of the hDIO1 promoter as critical for basal and LXRalpha-mediated specific
      transcriptional activation in HepG2 cells. An increase in hDIO1 expression was
      observed in LXRalpha-stimulated cells, but absent in cycloheximide-treated cells,
      indicating that new protein synthesis is required for LXRalpha-mediated
      regulation of hDIO1. On the other hand, electrophoretic mobility shift assays
      revealed that LXRalpha and RXRalpha bound to the hDIO1 promoter. We also
      demonstrated that LXRalpha and TRbeta compete with each other on this specific
      region of the promoter. In conclusion, our results indicated that LXRalpha plays
      a specific and important role in activation of TH by regulating D1, and that
      LXRalpha binds to and regulates the hDIO1 promoter, competing with TRbeta on
      specific sequences within the promoter.

PMID- 28617825
TI  - Concurrent development of facial identity and expression discrimination.
AB  - Facial identity and facial expression processing both appear to follow a
      protracted developmental trajectory, yet these trajectories have been studied
      independently and have not been directly compared. Here we investigated whether
      these processes develop at the same or different rates using matched identity and
      expression discrimination tasks. The Identity task begins with a target face that
      is a morph between two identities (Identity A/Identity B). After a brief delay,
      the target face is replaced by two choice faces: 100% Identity A and 100%
      Identity B. Children 5-12-years-old were asked to pick the choice face that is
      most similar to the target identity. The Expression task is matched in format and
      difficulty to the Identity task, except the targets are morphs between two
      expressions (Angry/Happy, or Disgust/Surprise). The same children were asked to
      pick the choice face with the expression that is most similar to the target
      expression. There were significant effects of age, with performance improving
      (becoming more accurate and faster) on both tasks with increasing age. Accuracy
      and reaction times were not significantly different across tasks and there was no
      significant Age x Task interaction. Thus, facial identity and facial expression
      discrimination appear to develop at a similar rate, with comparable improvement
      on both tasks from age five to twelve. Because our tasks are so closely matched
      in format and difficulty, they may prove useful for testing face identity and
      face expression processing in special populations, such as autism or
      prosopagnosia, where one of these abilities might be impaired.

PMID- 28617826
TI  - CF2 transcription factor is involved in the regulation of Mef2 RNA levels, nuclei
      number and muscle fiber size.
AB  - CF2 and Mef2 influence a variety of developmental muscle processes at distinct
      stages of development. Nevertheless, the exact nature of the CF2-Mef2
      relationship and its effects on muscle building remain yet to be resolved. Here,
      we explored the regulatory role of CF2 in the Drosophila embryo muscle formation.
      To address this question and not having proper null CF2 mutants we exploited loss
      or gain of function strategies to study the contribution of CF2 to Mef2
      transcription regulation and to muscle formation. Our data point to CF2 as a
      factor involved in the regulation of muscle final size and/or the number of
      nuclei present in each muscle. This function is independent of its role as a Mef2
      collaborative factor in the transcriptional regulation of muscle-structural
      genes. Although Mef2 expression patterns do not change, reductions or increases
      in parallel in CF2 and Mef2 transcript abundance were observed in interfered and
      overexpressed CF2 embryos. Since CF2 expression variations yield altered Mef2
      expression levels but with correct spatio-temporal Mef2 expression patterns, it
      can be concluded that only the mechanism controlling expression levels is de
      regulated. Here, it is proposed that CF2 regulates Mef2 expression through a
      Feedforward Loop circuit.

PMID- 28617827
TI  - NOG-hIL-4-Tg, a new humanized mouse model for producing tumor antigen-specific
      IgG antibody by peptide vaccination.
AB  - Immunodeficient mice transplanted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMCs) are promising tools to evaluate human immune responses to vaccines.
      However, these mice usually develop severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD),
      which makes estimation of antigen-specific IgG production after antigen
      immunization difficult. To evaluate antigen-specific IgG responses in PBMC
      transplanted immunodeficient mice, we developed a novel NOD/Shi-scid
      IL2rgammanull (NOG) mouse strain that systemically expresses the human IL-4 gene
      (NOG-hIL-4-Tg). After human PBMC transplantation, GVHD symptoms were
      significantly suppressed in NOG-hIL-4-Tg compared to conventional NOG mice. In
      kinetic analyses of human leukocytes, long-term engraftment of human T cells has
      been observed in peripheral blood of NOG-hIL-4-Tg, followed by dominant CD4+ T
      rather than CD8+ T cell proliferation. Furthermore, these CD4+ T cells shifted to
      type 2 helper (Th2) cells, resulting in long-term suppression of GVHD. Most of
      the human B cells detected in the transplanted mice had a plasmablast phenotype.
      Vaccination with HER2 multiple antigen peptide (CH401MAP) or keyhole limpet
      hemocyanin (KLH) successfully induced antigen-specific IgG production in PBMC
      transplanted NOG-hIL-4-Tg. The HLA haplotype of donor PBMCs might not be relevant
      to the antibody secretion ability after immunization. These results suggest that
      the human PBMC-transplanted NOG-hIL-4-Tg mouse is an effective tool to evaluate
      the production of antigen-specific IgG antibodies.

PMID- 28617828
TI  - ERAD defects and the HFE-H63D variant are associated with increased risk of liver
      damages in Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The most common and severe disease causing allele of Alpha 1
      Antitrypsin Deficiency (1ATD) is Z-1AT. This protein aggregates in the
      endoplasmic reticulum, which is the main cause of liver disease in childhood.
      Based on recent evidences and on the frequency of liver disease occurrence in Z
      1AT patients, it seems that liver disease progression is linked to still unknown
      genetic factors. METHODS: We used an innovative approach combining yeast genetic
      screens with next generation exome sequencing to identify and functionally
      characterize the genes involved in 1ATD associated liver disease. RESULTS: Using
      yeast genetic screens, we identified HRD1, an Endoplasmic Reticulum Associated
      Degradation (ERAD) associated protein, as an inducer of Z-mediated toxicity.
      Whole exome sequencing of 1ATD patients resulted in the identification of two
      variants associated with liver damages in Z-1AT homozygous cases: HFE H63D and
      HERPUD1 R50H. Functional characterization in Z-1AT model cell lines demonstrated
      that impairment of the ERAD machinery combined with the HFE H63D variant
      expression decreased both cell proliferation and cell viability, while Unfolded
      Protein Response (UPR)-mediated cell death was hyperstimulated. CONCLUSION: This
      powerful experimental pipeline allowed us to identify and functionally validate
      two genes involved in Z-1AT-mediated severe liver toxicity. This pilot study
      moves forward our understanding on genetic modifiers involved in 1ATD and
      highlights the UPR pathway as a target for the treatment of liver diseases
      associated with 1ATD. Finally, these findings support a larger scale screening
      for HERPUD1 R50H and HFE H63D variants in the sub-group of 1ATD patients
      developing significant chronic hepatic injuries (hepatomegaly, chronic
      cholestasis, elevated liver enzymes) and at risk developing liver cirrhosis.

PMID- 28617829
TI  - Rhythmic syllable-related activity in a songbird motor thalamic nucleus necessary
      for learned vocalizations.
AB  - Birdsong is a complex behavior that exhibits hierarchical organization. While the
      representation of singing behavior and its hierarchical organization has been
      studied in some detail in avian cortical premotor circuits, our understanding of
      the role of the thalamus in adult birdsong is incomplete. Using a combination of
      behavioral and electrophysiological studies, we seek to expand on earlier work
      showing that the thalamic nucleus Uvaeformis (Uva) is necessary for the
      production of stereotyped, adult song in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). We
      confirm that complete bilateral lesions of Uva abolish singing in the 'directed'
      social context, but find that in the 'undirected' social context, such lesions
      result in highly variable vocalizations similar to early babbling song in
      juvenile birds. Recordings of neural activity in Uva reveal strong syllable
      related modulation, maximally active prior to syllable onsets and minimally
      active prior to syllable offsets. Furthermore, both song and Uva activity exhibit
      a pronounced coherent modulation at 10Hz-a pattern observed in downstream
      premotor areas in adult and, even more prominently, in juvenile birds. These
      findings are broadly consistent with the idea that Uva is critical in the
      sequential activation of behavioral modules in HVC.

PMID- 28617831
TI  - Depression in dementia with Lewy bodies: A comparison with Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression is highly associated with dementia, and this study will
      compare the frequencies, severity, and symptoms of depression between dementia
      with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Frequency of
      depression was determined according to the DSM-IV criteria for major depression
      or the National Institute of Mental Health criteria for depression in AD (NIMH
      dAD). Severity of depression were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating
      Scale, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and the depression subscale
      in Neuropsychiatric Inventory. The rates of depressive symptoms were compared
      between AD and DLB. RESULTS: A total of 312 patients were investigated (AD/DLB =
      241/71). The frequency of major depression was significantly higher (p = 0.017)
      in DLB (19.7%) than in AD (8.7%). The higher frequency of depression in DLB was
      not reproduced by using the NIMH-dAD criteria (DLB: AD = 43.7%: 33.2%; p =
      0.105). The severity of depression was higher in DLB than in AD according to the
      Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (p < 0.001) and the Cornell Scale for Depression
      in Dementia (p < 0.001). Among depressive symptoms, pervasive anhedonia had the
      highest odds ratio in DLB compared with AD. CONCLUSION: This is the first study
      using the NIMH-dAD criteria to investigate the frequency of depression in DLB.
      Our study shows that co-morbid major depression is more frequent in DLB than in
      AD. Pervasive anhedonia had the greatest value for the differential diagnosis of
      depression between DLB and AD.

PMID- 28617830
TI  - On-treatment decrease of NKG2D correlates to early emergence of clinically
      evident hepatocellular carcinoma after interferon-free therapy for chronic
      hepatitis C.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Interferon (IFN)- free direct antiviral agents (DAAs) with
      rapid HCV eradication might evoke immunological reconstitutions, and some early
      recurrences of HCC after IFN-free DAAs have been reported. This study aimed to
      investigate whether natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) predicts early
      emergence of HCC after IFN-free DAAs. METHODS: We conducted a clinical practice
      based observational study of 101 patients infected with genotype 1 HCV who
      received IFN-free (DAAs), and stratified them into those who did or did not
      develop early (i.e., during the 6-month surveillance period following treatment.)
      recurrence or occurrence of clinically evident HCC. We also analyzed the
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells, both before treatment and at end of treatment
      (EOT), of 24 of the patients who received IFN-free DAAs, and 16 who received IFN
      combined protease inhibitor. RESULTS: We found early emergence of clinically
      evident HCC after IFN-free DAAs in 12 (12%) patients. Higher pre-treatment NKG2D
      expression, higher FIB-4 score, previous HCC history and failure to achieve
      sustained viral response were significant factors correlating to early HCC
      emergence. After IFN-free DAAs, a rapid decrease of NKG2D at EOT correlated with
      early HCC emergence in the IFN-free DAA-treated patients, but not in patients
      treated with the IFN-combined regimen. The decrease of NKG2D until EOT was
      predictive of early HCC emergence at a cut-off of -52% (AUC = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS:
      On-treatment decrease of NKG2D may be a useful predictor of early emerging HCC in
      patients treated with IFN-free DAAs.

PMID- 28617832
TI  - A TALE-inspired computational screen for proteins that contain approximate tandem
      repeats.
AB  - TAL (transcription activator-like) effectors (TALEs) are bacterial proteins that
      are secreted from bacteria to plant cells to act as transcriptional activators.
      TALEs and related proteins (RipTALs, BurrH, MOrTL1 and MOrTL2) contain
      approximate tandem repeats that differ in conserved positions that define
      specificity. Using PERL, we screened ~47 million protein sequences for TALE-like
      architecture characterized by approximate tandem repeats (between 30 and 43 amino
      acids in length) and sequence variability in conserved positions, without
      requiring sequence similarity to TALEs. Candidate proteins were scored according
      to their propensity for nuclear localization, secondary structure, repeat
      sequence complexity, as well as covariation and predicted structural proximity of
      variable residues. Biological context was tentatively inferred from co-occurrence
      of other domains and interactome predictions. Approximate repeats with TALE-like
      features that merit experimental characterization were found in a protein of
      chestnut blight fungus, a eukaryotic plant pathogen.

PMID- 28617833
TI  - Clinical performance validation of PITX2 DNA methylation as prognostic biomarker
      in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite advances in combined modality therapy, outcomes in head and
      neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) remain dismal with five-year overall survival
      rates of less than 50%. Prognostic biomarkers are urgently needed to identify
      patients with a high risk of death after initial curative treatment. Methylation
      status of the paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2 (PITX2) has recently
      emerged as a powerful prognostic biomarker in various cancers. In the present
      study, the clinical performance of PITX2 methylation was validated in a HNSCC
      cohort by means of an independent analytical platform (Infinium
      HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, Illumina, Inc.). METHODS: A total of 528 HNSCC
      patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were included in the study. Death
      was defined as primary endpoint. PITX2 methylation was correlated with overall
      survival and clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: PITX2 methylation was
      significantly associated with sex, tumor site, p16 status, and grade. In
      univariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, PITX2 hypermethylation analyzed as
      continuous and dichotomized variable was significantly associated with prolonged
      overall survival of HNSCC patients (continuous: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.19 [95%CI:
      0.04-0.88], p = 0.034; dichotomized: HR = 0.52 [95%CI: 0.33-0.84], p = 0.007). In
      multivariate Cox analysis including established clinicopathological parameters,
      PITX2 promoter methylation was confirmed as prognostic factor (HR = 0.28 [95%CI:
      0.09-0.84], p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: Using an independent analytical platform,
      PITX2 methylation was validated as a prognostic biomarker in HNSCC patients,
      identifying patients that potentially benefit from intensified surveillance
      and/or administration of adjuvant/neodjuvant treatment, i.e. immunotherapy.

PMID- 28617834
TI  - Community pharmacists' interest in and attitude to pharmacy practice research in
      Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.
AB  - Pharmacy practice-research became an important component in the pharmacy
      practice. However, limited studies were conducted in sub-Saharan Africa to
      understand the pharmacists' interest and attitude towards pharmacy practice
      research. We aimed to assess the community pharmacists' interest and attitude
      towards pharmacy practice-research in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey was
      conducted among community pharmacists in eight major cities in Ethiopia. A
      validated 25-item self-administered questionnaire covering interest and attitude
      related to pharmacy practice-research was distributed. Responses were analysed
      using descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 389 community
      pharmacists responded to the survey (response rate- 88.4%). Most of community
      pharmacists showed a high level of interest and positive attitude in being
      involved in all aspects of pharmacy practice-research. The median summary score
      for interest and attitude were 38 (IQR 20-40) (range possible 10-50) and 30 (IQR
      18-39), respectively. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents thought about being
      involved in research, felt research is important for their career (57.6%),
      confident to conduct the research (56.2%), and agreed that research is a part of
      pharmacy practice (48.5%). However, only forty-six percent agreed that they
      underwent research training. A multivariate analysis showed that females were
      more interested in pharmacy practice research than males [AOR: 1.50, 95% CI: 0.99
      2.27; p<0.05]. Community pharmacists showed high interest towards several areas
      of research competencies and demonstrated positive attitude towards pharmacy
      practice-research. Our findings suggest that providing research training to
      community pharmacists may contribute in undertaking research activities and build
      the research capacity in Ethiopia.

PMID- 28617835
TI  - Autopsy rates in the Netherlands: 35 years of decline.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Although the autopsy still is a valuable tool in health statistics,
      health care quality control, medical education, and biomedical research, autopsy
      rates have been declining worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine trends
      of overall, clinical and forensic autopsy rates among adults in the Netherlands
      over the last four decades, and trends per sex, age (groups), and hospital type.
      METHODS: We performed a retrospective study covering 35 years of Dutch national
      death counts (1977-2011), the number of in-hospital deceased patients, the number
      of deaths due to external causes, and the proportion of autopsies performed in
      these populations. The effects of sex, age and hospital category were analysed by
      linear and logistic regression and differences were evaluated by chi-square
      tests. RESULTS: Overall autopsy rates declined by 0.3% per calendar year,
      clinical autopsy rates by 0.7% per calendar year (from 31.4% to 7.7%), and
      forensic autopsy rates did not decline. Per calendar year the fraction of in
      hospital deceased patients decreased by 0.2%. Autopsy rates were highest among
      men and younger patients; clinical autopsy rates were highest for patients dying
      in academic hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: In the Netherlands clinical autopsy rates
      have rapidly declined while at the same time the fraction of in-hospital deaths
      decreased, both contributing to the overall reduced absolute number of autopsies
      performed. It is important to improve awareness among both clinicians and general
      practitioners of the significance of the clinical autopsy.

PMID- 28617836
TI  - Molecular diversity and frequency of the diarrheagenic enteric protozoan Giardia
      duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in a hospital setting in Northern Spain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human giardiosis and cryptosporidiosis are caused by the enteric
      protozoan parasites Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Both pathogens
      are major contributors to the global burden of diarrhoeal disease, affecting
      primarily children and immunodebilitated individuals in resource-poor settings.
      Giardiosis and cryptosporidiosis also represent an important, often
      underestimate, public health threat in developed countries. In Spain only limited
      information is currently available on the epidemiology of these infections.
      Molecular data on the diversity, frequency, geographical distribution, and
      seasonality of G. duodenalis assemblages/sub-assemblages and Cryptosporidium
      species/sub-genotypes are particularly scarce. METHODS: A longitudinal molecular
      epidemiological survey was conducted between July 2015 to September 2016 in
      patients referred to or attended at the Hospital San Pedro (La Rioja, Northern
      Spain) that tested positive for G. duodenalis (N = 106) or Cryptosporidium spp.
      (N = 103) by direct microscopy and/or a rapid lateral flow immunochromatographic
      assay. G. duodenalis infections were subsequently confirmed by real-time PCR and
      positive isolates assessed by multi-locus sequence genotyping of the glutamate
      dehydrogenase and beta-giardin genes of the parasite. Cryptosporidium species and
      sub-genotypes were investigated at the 60 kDa glycoprotein or the small subunit
      ribosomal RNA genes of the parasite. Sociodemographic and clinical parameters of
      infected patients were also gathered and analysed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Out of 90
      G. duodenalis-positive isolates by real-time PCR a total of 16 isolates were
      successfully typed. AII (44%, 7/16) was the most prevalent sub-assemblage found,
      followed by BIV (31%, 5/16) and BIII (19%, 3/16). A discordant genotype result
      AII/AIII was identified in an additional (6%, 1/16) isolate. No mixed infections
      A+B were detected. Similarly, a total of 81 Cryptosporidium spp. isolates were
      successfully typed, revealing the presence of C. hominis (81%, 66/81) and C.
      parvum (19%, 15/81). Obtained GP60 sequences were assigned to sub-type families
      Ib (73%, 59/81) within C. hominis, and IIa (7%, 6/81) and IId (2%, 2/81) within
      C. parvum. A marked inter-annual variation in Cryptosporidium cases was observed.
      CONCLUSIONS: Human giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis are commonly identified in
      patients seeking medical care in Northern Spain and represent a more important
      health concern than initially thought. Assemblage A within G. duodenalis and sub
      genotype IbA10G2 within C. hominis were the genetic variants of these parasite
      species more frequently found circulating in the population under study.
      Molecular data presented here seem to suggest that G. duodenalis and
      Cryptosporidium infections arise through anthroponotic rather than zoonotic
      transmission in this Spanish region.

PMID- 28617837
TI  - Risk factors and protective factors associated with incident or increase of
      frailty among community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review of
      longitudinal studies.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Frailty is one of the greatest challenges facing our aging
      population, as it can lead to adverse outcomes such as institutionalization,
      hospitalization, and mortality. However, the factors that are associated with
      frailty are poorly understood. We performed a systematic review of longitudinal
      studies in order to identify the sociodemographic, physical, biological,
      lifestyle-related, and psychological risk or protective factors that are
      associated with frailty among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A
      systematic literature search was conducted in the following databases in order to
      identify studies that assessed the factors associated with of frailty among
      community-dwelling older adults: Embase, Medline Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane,
      PsychINFO Ovid, CINAHL EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Studies were selected if
      they included a longitudinal design, focused on community-dwelling older adults
      aged 60 years and older, and used a tool to assess frailty. The methodological
      quality of each study was assessed using the Quality of Reporting of
      Observational Longitudinal Research checklist. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were
      included. Significant associations were reported between the following types of
      factors and frailty: sociodemographic factors (7/7 studies), physical factors
      (5/6 studies), biological factors (5/7 studies), lifestyle factors (11/13
      studies), and psychological factors (7/8 studies). Significant sociodemographic
      factors included older age, ethnic background, neighborhood, and access to
      private insurance or Medicare; significant physical factors included obesity and
      activities of daily living (ADL) functional status; significant biological
      factors included serum uric acid; significant lifestyle factors included a higher
      Diet Quality Index International (DQI) score, higher fruit/vegetable consumption
      and higher tertile of all measures of habitual dietary resveratrol exposure;
      significant psychological factors included depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A
      broad range of sociodemographic, physical, biological, lifestyle, and
      psychological factors show a longitudinal association with frailty. These factors
      should be considered when developing interventions aimed at preventing and/or
      reducing the burden associated with frailty among community-dwelling older
      adults.

PMID- 28617838
TI  - Safety and metabolic effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor
      analogue, in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized, placebo-controlled
      trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Use of growth hormone is associated with side effects, including
      insulin resistance. The objective of this study was to determine whether
      tesamorelin, a stabilized growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue, would alter
      insulin sensitivity or control of diabetes. DESIGN: A 12-week randomized, placebo
      controlled study of 53 patients with type 2 diabetes. Three treatment groups:
      placebo, 1 and 2 mg tesamorelin. MEASUREMENTS: Fasting glucose, glucose and
      insulin from oral glucose tolerance test, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), home
      blood glucose, insulin-like growth factor-1, and lipids. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
      Relative insulin response following oral ingestion of glucose. RESULTS: No
      significant differences were observed between groups in relative insulin response
      over the 12-week treatment period. At Week 12, fasting glucose, HbA1c and overall
      diabetes control were not significantly different between groups. In addition,
      relevant modifications in diabetes medications were similar between groups. Total
      cholesterol (-0.3+/-0.6 mmol/L) and non-HDL cholesterol (-0.3+/-0.5 mmol/L)
      significantly decreased from baseline to Week 12 in the tesamorelin 2 mg group
      (p<0.05 vs. placebo). No patient discontinued the study due to loss of diabetes
      control. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of type 2 diabetic patients with tesamorelin for
      12 weeks did not alter insulin response or glycemic control. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01264497.

PMID- 28617839
TI  - Comparative transcriptomes analysis of the wing disc between two silkworm strains
      with different size of wings.
AB  - Wings of Bombyx mori (B. mori) develop from the primordium, and different B. mori
      strains have different wing types. In order to identify the key factors
      influencing B. mori wing development, we chose strains P50 and U11, which are
      typical for normal wing and minute wing phenotypes, respectively. We dissected
      the wing disc on the 1st-day of wandering stage (P50D1 and U11D1), 2nd-day of
      wandering stage (P50D2 and U11D2), and 3rd-day of wandering stage (P50D3 and
      U11D3). Subsequently, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed on both strains in
      order to construct their gene expression profiles. P50 exhibited 628 genes
      differentially expressed to U11, 324 up-regulated genes, and 304 down-regulated
      genes. Five enriched gene ontology (GO) terms were identified by GO enrichment
      analysis based on these differentially expressed genes (DEGs). KEGG enrichment
      analysis results showed that the DEGs were enriched in five pathways; of these,
      we identified three pathways related to the development of wings. The three
      pathways include amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism pathway, proteasome
      signaling pathway, and the Hippo signaling pathway. The representative genes in
      the enrichment pathways were further verified by quantitative real-time reverse
      transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR
      results were largely consistent with each other. Our results also revealed that
      the significantly different genes obtained in our study might be involved in the
      development of the size of B. mori wings. In addition, several KEGG enriched
      pathways might be involved in the regulation of the pathways of wing formation.
      These results provide a basis for further research of wing development in B.
      mori.

PMID- 28617840
TI  - A new test for diagnosing vasovagal syncope: Standing after treadmill test with
      sublingual nitrate administration.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Increased adrenergic tone might be an additional trigger of
      orthostatic stress of vasovagal syncope (VVS). Exercise before standing might
      provide increased sensitivity compared to standing using a sublingual
      nitroglycerines protocol during tilt table testing. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the diagnostic value of treadmill testing before standing with
      nitroglycerin administration. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 36 patients with
      syncope or presyncope were enrolled for the test. VVS was confirmed in 29
      patients according to the Calgary Score (>= -2), including 20 patients who were
      likely to have typical (classical) VVS. All 36 subjects were subjected to a novel
      provocation test consisting of treadmill test using the Bruce protocol followed
      by standing with administration of 300 MUg sublingual nitroglycerin.
      Consequently, syncope or presyncope occurred in 22 patients of the 36 patients.
      The sensitivity and a specificity of the test for Calgary score based VVS was
      82.7% and 85.75%, respectively. Reproducibility rate for typical VVS was 90% (18
      of 20). In all symptomatic patients, systolic blood pressure dropped to < 90 mmHg
      and symptom occurred a mean of 6.7 +/- 2.3 minutes after the nitroglycerine
      administration. No patient required anticholinergics injection to restore vital
      signs. CONCLUSIONS: Treadmill test with administration of sublingual
      nitroglycerines might be safely used to reproduce syncope in patients with VVS.
      More clinical experience and confirmation are needed to validate this protocol.

PMID- 28617841
TI  - Height-diameter allometry and above ground biomass in tropical montane forests:
      Insights from the Albertine Rift in Africa.
AB  - Tropical montane forests provide an important natural laboratory to test
      ecological theory. While it is well-known that some aspects of forest structure
      change with altitude, little is known on the effects of altitude on above ground
      biomass (AGB), particularly with regard to changing height-diameter allometry. To
      address this we investigate (1) the effects of altitude on height-diameter
      allometry, (2) how different height-diameter allometric models affect above
      ground biomass estimates; and (3) how other forest structural, taxonomic and
      environmental attributes affect above ground biomass using 30 permanent sample
      plots (1-ha; all trees >= 10 cm diameter measured) established between 1250 and
      2600 m asl in Kahuzi Biega National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
      Forest structure and species composition differed with increasing altitude, with
      four forest types identified. Different height-diameter allometric models
      performed better with the different forest types, as trees got smaller with
      increasing altitude. Above ground biomass ranged from 168 to 290 Mg ha-1, but
      there were no significant differences in AGB between forests types, as tree size
      decreased but stem density increased with increasing altitude. Forest structure
      had greater effects on above ground biomass than forest diversity. Soil
      attributes (K and acidity, pH) also significantly affected above ground biomass.
      Results show how forest structural, taxonomic and environmental attributes affect
      above ground biomass in African tropical montane forests. They particularly
      highlight that the use of regional height-diameter models introduces significant
      biases in above ground biomass estimates, and that different height-diameter
      models might be preferred for different forest types, and these should be
      considered in future studies.

PMID- 28617842
TI  - Intra-individual gait patterns across different time-scales as revealed by means
      of a supervised learning model using kernel-based discriminant regression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Traditionally, gait analysis has been centered on the idea of average
      behavior and normality. On one hand, clinical diagnoses and therapeutic
      interventions typically assume that average gait patterns remain constant over
      time. On the other hand, it is well known that all our movements are accompanied
      by a certain amount of variability, which does not allow us to make two identical
      steps. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the intra-individual
      gait patterns across different time-scales (i.e., tens-of-mins, tens-of-hours).
      METHODS: Nine healthy subjects performed 15 gait trials at a self-selected speed
      on 6 sessions within one day (duration between two subsequent sessions from 10 to
      90 mins). For each trial, time-continuous ground reaction forces and lower body
      joint angles were measured. A supervised learning model using a kernel-based
      discriminant regression was applied for classifying sessions within individual
      gait patterns. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Discernable characteristics of intra
      individual gait patterns could be distinguished between repeated sessions by
      classification rates of 67.8 +/- 8.8% and 86.3 +/- 7.9% for the six-session
      classification of ground reaction forces and lower body joint angles,
      respectively. Furthermore, the one-on-one-classification showed that increasing
      classification rates go along with increasing time durations between two sessions
      and indicate that changes of gait patterns appear at different time-scales.
      CONCLUSION: Discernable characteristics between repeated sessions indicate
      continuous intrinsic changes in intra-individual gait patterns and suggest a
      predominant role of deterministic processes in human motor control and learning.
      Natural changes of gait patterns without any externally induced injury or
      intervention may reflect continuous adaptations of the motor system over several
      time-scales. Accordingly, the modelling of walking by means of average gait
      patterns that are assumed to be near constant over time needs to be reconsidered
      in the context of these findings, especially towards more individualized and
      situational diagnoses and therapy.

PMID- 28617843
TI  - Characterization of the regulation of a plant polysaccharide utilization operon
      and its role in biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - The soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis is often found in association with plants in
      the rhizosphere. Previously, plant polysaccharides have been shown to stimulate
      formation of root-associated multicellular communities, or biofilms, in this
      bacterium, yet the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. A five-gene gan
      operon (ganSPQAB) in B. subtilis has recently been shown to be involved in
      utilization of the plant-derived polysaccharide galactan. Despite these findings,
      molecular details about the regulation of the operon and the role of the operon
      in biofilm formation remain elusive. In this study, we performed comprehensive
      genetic analyses on the regulation of the gan operon. We show that this operon is
      regulated both by a LacI-like transcription repressor (GanR), which directly
      binds to pairs of inverted DNA repeats in the promoter region of the operon, and
      by the catabolite control protein A (CcpA). Derepression can be triggered by the
      presence of the inducer beta-1,4-galactobiose, a hydrolysis product of galactan,
      or in situ when B. subtilis cells are associated with plant roots. In addition to
      the transcriptional regulation, the encoded beta-galactosidase GanA (by ganA),
      which hydrolyzes beta-1,4-galactobiose into galactose, is inhibited at the
      enzymatic level by the catalytic product galactose. Thus, the galactan
      utilization pathway is under complex regulation involving both positive and
      negative feedback mechanisms in B. subtilis. We discuss about the biological
      significance of such complex regulation as well as a hypothesis of biofilm
      induction by galactan via multiple mechanisms.

PMID- 28617844
TI  - Wolbachia elevates host methyltransferase expression to block an RNA virus early
      during infection.
AB  - Wolbachia pipientis is an intracellular endosymbiont known to confer host
      resistance against RNA viruses in insects. However, the causal mechanism
      underlying this antiviral defense remains poorly understood. To this end, we have
      established a robust arthropod model system to study the tripartite interaction
      involving Sindbis virus and Wolbachia strain wMel within its native host,
      Drosophila melanogaster. By leveraging the power of Drosophila genetics and a
      parallel, highly tractable D. melanogaster derived JW18 cell culture system, we
      determined that in addition to reducing infectious virus production, Wolbachia
      negatively influences Sindbis virus particle infectivity. This is further
      accompanied by reductions in viral transcript and protein levels. Interestingly,
      unchanged ratio of proteins to viral RNA copies suggest that Wolbachia likely
      does not influence the translational efficiency of viral transcripts.
      Additionally, expression analyses of candidate host genes revealed D.
      melanogaster methyltransferase gene Mt2 as an induced host factor in the presence
      of Wolbachia. Further characterization of viral resistance in Wolbachia-infected
      flies lacking functional Mt2 revealed partial recovery of virus titer relative to
      wild-type, accompanied by complete restoration of viral RNA and protein levels,
      suggesting that Mt2 acts at the stage of viral genome replication. Finally,
      knockdown of Mt2 in Wolbachia uninfected JW18 cells resulted in increased virus
      infectivity, thus demonstrating its previously unknown role as an antiviral
      factor against Sindbis virus. In conclusion, our findings provide evidence
      supporting the role of Wolbachia-modulated host factors towards RNA virus
      resistance in arthropods, alongside establishing Mt2's novel antiviral function
      against Sindbis virus in D. melanogaster.

PMID- 28617845
TI  - Frequency and significance of rare RNF213 variants in patients with adult
      moyamoya disease.
AB  - PURPOSE: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disorder characterized
      by stenosis of the internal carotid arteries with compensatory development of
      collateral vessels. Although a founder variant of RNF213, p.Arg4810Lys
      (c.14429G>A, rs112735431), is a major genetic risk factor for MMD in East Asians,
      the frequency and disease susceptibility of other variants in this gene remain
      largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated the association of RNF213
      variants with MMD in Korean patients and population controls. METHODS: For all
      RNF213 variants listed in the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) as disease
      causing or likely disease-causing mutations for MMD, genotyping was performed
      using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass
      spectrometry. Genetic data from 264 adult patients with MMD were analyzed and
      compared with two control populations comprised of 622 and 1,100 Korean
      individuals, respectively. RESULTS: Among the 30 RNF213 variants that were listed
      in the HGMD, p.Arg4810Lys was identified in 67.4% (178/264) of patients with MMD
      and showed a significantly higher allele frequency than in the controls, giving
      an odds ratio of 63.29 (95% confidence interval, 33.11-120.98) for the 622
      controls and 48.55 (95% confidence interval, 31.00-76.03) for the 1100 controls.
      One additional variant, p.Ala5021Val (c.15062C>T, rs138130613), was identified in
      0.8% (2/264) of patients; however, the allele frequencies were not significantly
      different from those in the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in
      our cohort of Korean patients, the p.Arg4810Lys is the only variant that is
      strongly associated with MMD among the 30 RNF213 variants listed in the HGMD.

PMID- 28617846
TI  - A metabolite of leucine (beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate) given to sows during
      pregnancy alters bone development of their newborn offspring by hormonal
      modulation.
AB  - The effects of dietary beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation
      during gestation on bone, growth plate, and articular cartilage in newborns were
      determined. Thermal analysis of articular cartilage was performed to examine the
      structural changes in collagen. At day 70 of gestation, a total of 12 sows (Large
      White Polish breed, at the second parity) were randomly assigned to two groups,
      with each group receiving either a basal diet or the same diet supplemented with
      0.2 g/day HMB until the 90th day. Maternal HMB supplementation enhanced body
      weight, bone length, and diameter in males. It also improved geometric and
      mechanical properties contributing to increased bone morphology and endurance. In
      turn, alteration of the length was only observed in females. The positive effects
      were mediated by increased serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1
      and leptin. HMB-treatment enhanced the concentration of FSH, LH, estradiol, and
      testosterone. Serum TAP was enhanced by the HMB-treatment by 34% in females and
      138% in males. Beneficial effects of the HMB-treatment on trabecular bone and
      content of proteoglycans in articular cartilage were shown. The HMB-treatment
      significantly changed the collagen structure in cartilages, especially in the
      females, which was demonstrated by the PSR analysis. Differences between the HMB
      supplemented and the control females in the calorimetric peak temperatures were
      presumably related to different collagen fibril density in the articular
      cartilage structure. In summary, maternal HMB supplementation in the mid
      gestation period significantly improved general growth and mechanical endurance
      of long bones by the influence on the somatotropic and pituitary-gonadal axes in
      the offspring.

PMID- 28617847
TI  - The association between 38 previously reported polymorphisms and psoriasis in a
      Polish population: High predicative accuracy of a genetic risk score combining 16
      loci.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To confirm the association of previously discovered psoriasis (Ps)
      risk loci with the disease in a Polish population and to create predictive models
      based on the combination of these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-eight SNPs were genotyped in 480 Ps patients and 490
      controls. Alleles distributions were compared between patients and controls, as
      well as between different Ps sub-phenotypes. The genetic risk score (GRS) was
      calculated to assess the cumulative risk conferred by multiple loci. RESULTS: We
      confirmed associations of several loci with Ps: HLA-C, REL, IL12B, TRIM39/RPP21,
      POU5F1, MICA. The analysis of ROC curves showed that GRS combining 16 SNPs at
      least nominally (uncorrected P<0.05) associated with Ps (GRS-N) had significantly
      better discriminative power than GRS combining SNPs associated with Ps after the
      Bonferroni correction (AUC 0.776 vs. 0.750, P = 1 x 10-4) or HLA-C (AUC 0.776 vs.
      0.694, P<1 x 10-5). On the other hand, adding additional SNPs to the model did
      not improve its discriminatory ability (AUC 0.782 for GRS combining all SNPs,
      P>0.05). In order to assess the total risk conferred by GRS-N, we calculated ORs
      according to GRS-N quartile - the Ps OR for top vs. bottom GRS-N quartiles was
      12.29 (P<1 x 10-6). The analysis of different Ps sub-phenotypes showed an
      association of GRS-N with age of onset and family history of Ps. CONCLUSIONS: We
      confirmed the association of Ps with several previously identified genetic risk
      factors in a Polish population. We found that a GRS combining 16 SNPs at least
      nominally associated with Ps had a significantly better discriminatory ability
      than HLA-C or GRS combining SNPs associated with Ps after the Bonferroni
      correction. In contrast, adding additional SNPs to GRS did not increase
      significantly the discriminative power.

PMID- 28617848
TI  - Effect of caffeine ingestion on anaerobic capacity quantified by different
      methods.
AB  - We investigated whether caffeine ingestion before submaximal exercise bouts would
      affect supramaximal oxygen demand and maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (MAOD),
      and if caffeine-induced improvement on the anaerobic capacity (AC) could be
      detected by different methods. Nine men took part in several submaximal and
      supramaximal exercise bouts one hour after ingesting caffeine (5 mg.kg-1) or
      placebo. The AC was estimated by MAOD, alternative MAOD, critical power, and
      gross efficiency methods. Caffeine had no effect on exercise endurance during the
      supramaximal bout (caffeine: 131.3 +/- 21.9 and placebo: 130.8 +/- 20.8 s, P =
      0.80). Caffeine ingestion before submaximal trials did not affect supramaximal
      oxygen demand and MAOD compared to placebo (7.88 +/- 1.56 L and 65.80 +/- 16.06
      kJ vs. 7.89 +/- 1.30 L and 62.85 +/- 13.67 kJ, P = 0.99). Additionally, MAOD was
      similar between caffeine and placebo when supramaximal oxygen demand was
      estimated without caffeine effects during submaximal bouts (67.02 +/- 16.36 and
      62.85 +/- 13.67 kJ, P = 0.41) or when estimated by alternative MAOD (56.61 +/-
      8.49 and 56.87 +/- 9.76 kJ, P = 0.91). The AC estimated by gross efficiency was
      also similar between caffeine and placebo (21.80 +/- 3.09 and 20.94 +/- 2.67 kJ,
      P = 0.15), but was lower in caffeine when estimated by critical power method
      (16.2 +/- 2.6 vs. 19.3 +/- 3.5 kJ, P = 0.03). In conclusion, caffeine ingestion
      before submaximal bouts did not affect supramaximal oxygen demand and
      consequently MAOD. Otherwise, caffeine seems to have no clear positive effect on
      AC.

PMID- 28617849
TI  - Protective effect of HDL on NADPH oxidase-derived super oxide anion mediates
      hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
AB  - Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death of death in Taiwan.
      Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems, including heart attack, stroke, or
      even death. Coronary heart disease (CHD) occurs when plaque builds up in the
      coronary arteries to cause the ischemic heart disease which will enhance
      myocardial remodeling and also induce myocardial hypoxia. High density
      lipoprotein (HDL) has been proposed to have cardio-protective effects. Under
      hypoxic conditions (1%O2 for 24hr), in H9c2 cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      is induced which leads to cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction.
      Therefore, the present study described the protective effect of HDL on hypoxia
      induced cardiomyocyte damage. We investigated the NADPH oxidase-produced ROS
      related signaling pathways and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes under hypoxia
      conditions. Results showed that the ROS mediated cardiac damage might occur via
      AT1 and PKC activation. Furthermore, hypoxia downregulated the survival protein
      (p-AKTser473) and anti-apoptotic protein (BCL2), whereas pro-apoptotic protein,
      Bax and caspase 3 were upregulated. These detrimental effects by ROS and
      apoptosis were prevented by HDL pretreatment. Our findings revealed the
      underlying molecular mechanism by which HDL suppresses the hypoxia-induced
      cardiomyocyte dysfunction. Further, we elucidated the role of HDL on preventing
      hypoxia induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis is mediated through the inhibition of
      NADPH oxidase-derived ROS.

PMID- 28617850
TI  - Molecular determinants for the thermodynamic and functional divergence of
      uniporter GLUT1 and proton symporter XylE.
AB  - GLUT1 facilitates the down-gradient translocation of D-glucose across cell
      membrane in mammals. XylE, an Escherichia coli homolog of GLUT1, utilizes proton
      gradient as an energy source to drive uphill D-xylose transport. Previous studies
      of XylE and GLUT1 suggest that the variation between an acidic residue (Asp27 in
      XylE) and a neutral one (Asn29 in GLUT1) is a key element for their mechanistic
      divergence. In this work, we combined computational and biochemical approaches to
      investigate the mechanism of proton coupling by XylE and the functional
      divergence between GLUT1 and XylE. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we
      evaluated the free energy profiles of the transition between inward- and outward
      facing conformations for the apo proteins. Our results revealed the correlation
      between the protonation state and conformational preference in XylE, which is
      supported by the crystal structures. In addition, our simulations suggested a
      thermodynamic difference between XylE and GLUT1 that cannot be explained by the
      single residue variation at the protonation site. To understand the molecular
      basis, we applied Bayesian network models to analyze the alteration in the
      architecture of the hydrogen bond networks during conformational transition. The
      models and subsequent experimental validation suggest that multiple residue
      substitutions are required to produce the thermodynamic and functional
      distinction between XylE and GLUT1. Despite the lack of simulation studies with
      substrates, these computational and biochemical characterizations provide
      unprecedented insight into the mechanistic difference between proton symporters
      and uniporters.

PMID- 28617851
TI  - Severity classification of repeated isoflurane anesthesia in C57BL/6JRj mice
      Assessing the degree of distress.
AB  - According to the EU Directive 2010/63, the severity of a procedure has to be
      classified as mild, moderate or severe. General anesthesia is thought to be mild,
      but the Directive does not differentiate between single and repeated anesthesia.
      Therefore, we investigated the impact of repeated administration of isoflurane,
      the most commonly used inhalation anesthetic, on the well-being of adult
      C57BL/6JRj mice, in comparison to single administrations and to untreated
      animals, when applied six times for 45 min at an interval of 3-4 days. For the
      animals anesthetized, excitations, phases of anesthesia, and vital parameters
      were monitored. Well-being after anesthesia was assessed using a behavioral test
      battery including luxury behavior like burrowing and nest building behavior, the
      Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS), the free exploratory paradigm for anxiety-related
      behavior, home cage activity and the rotarod test for activity, as well as food
      intake and body weight. Additionally, hair corticosterone and fecal
      corticosterone metabolites were measured. Our results show that nest building
      behavior, home cage activity, body weight, and corticosterone concentrations were
      not influenced by anesthesia, whereas changes in burrowing behavior, the MGS,
      food intake, and the free exploratory behavior indicated that the well-being of
      the mice was more affected by repeated than single isoflurane anesthesia. This
      effect depended on the sex of the animals, with female mice being more
      susceptible than male mice. However, repeated isoflurane anesthesia caused only
      short-term mild distress and impairment of well-being, mainly in the immediate
      postanesthetic period. Well-being stabilized at 8 days after the last anesthesia,
      at the latest. Therefore, we conclude that when using our anesthesia protocol,
      the severity of both single and repeated isoflurane anesthesia in C57BL/6JRj mice
      can be classified as mild. However, within the mild severity category, repeated
      isoflurane anesthesia ranks higher than single isoflurane anesthesia.
      Additionally, our results imply that male and female mice can differently
      perceive the severity of a procedure.

PMID- 28617853
TI  - Co-occurrence of viruses and mosquitoes at the vectors' optimal climate range: An
      underestimated risk to temperate regions?
AB  - Mosquito-borne viruses have been estimated to cause over 100 million cases of
      human disease annually. Many methodologies have been developed to help identify
      areas most at risk from transmission of these viruses. However, generally, these
      methodologies focus predominantly on the effects of climate on either the vectors
      or the pathogens they spread, and do not consider the dynamic interaction between
      the optimal conditions for both vector and virus. Here, we use a new approach
      that considers the complex interplay between the optimal temperature for virus
      transmission, and the optimal climate for the mosquito vectors. Using published
      geolocated data we identified temperature and rainfall ranges in which a number
      of mosquito vectors have been observed to co-occur with West Nile virus, dengue
      virus or chikungunya virus. We then investigated whether the optimal climate for
      co-occurrence of vector and virus varies between "warmer" and "cooler" adapted
      vectors for the same virus. We found that different mosquito vectors co-occur
      with the same virus at different temperatures, despite significant overlap in
      vector temperature ranges. Specifically, we found that co-occurrence correlates
      with the optimal climatic conditions for the respective vector; cooler-adapted
      mosquitoes tend to co-occur with the same virus in cooler conditions than their
      warmer-adapted counterparts. We conclude that mosquitoes appear to be most able
      to transmit virus in the mosquitoes' optimal climate range, and hypothesise that
      this may be due to proportionally over-extended vector longevity, and other
      increased fitness attributes, within this optimal range. These results suggest
      that the threat posed by vector-competent mosquito species indigenous to
      temperate regions may have been underestimated, whilst the threat arising from
      invasive tropical vectors moving to cooler temperate regions may be
      overestimated.

PMID- 28617852
TI  - Dicumarol inhibits PDK1 and targets multiple malignant behaviors of ovarian
      cancer cells.
AB  - Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) is overexpressed in ovarian cancer and
      thus is a promising anticancer therapeutic target. Our previous work suggests
      that coumarin compounds are potential inhibitors of PDKs. In this study, we used
      the ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3 as the model system and examined whether
      dicumarol (DIC), a coumarin compound, could inhibit ovarian cancer through
      targeting PDK1. We showed that DIC potently inhibited the kinase activity of
      PDK1, shifted the glucose metabolism from aerobic glycolysis to oxidative
      phosphorylation, generated a higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS),
      attenuated the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), induced apoptosis, and
      reduced cell viability in vitro. The same phenotypes induced by DIC also were
      translated in vivo, leading to significant suppression of xenograft growth. This
      study not only identifies a novel inhibitor for PDK1, but it also reveals novel
      anticancer mechanisms of DIC and provides a promising anticancer therapy that
      targets the Warburg effect.

PMID- 28617854
TI  - Choroidal thickness in school children: The Gobi Desert Children Eye Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate choroidal thickness (CT) and its associations in children
      in a school-based study. METHODS: The cross-sectional school-based Gobi Desert
      Children Eye Study included 1565 out of 1911 (81.9%) eligible children from all
      schools in the oasis region of Ejina in the Gobi Desert. A detailed ophthalmic
      examination was performed, including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography
      with enhanced depth imaging for CT measurement. RESULTS: CT measurements were
      available for 1463 (93.5%) students (mean age: 11.8+/-3.5 years; range:7-21
      years). Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was 282+/-49MUm. CT was
      thickest at 1000MUm temporal to the fovea (286+/-49MUm), followed by the
      subfoveal region (282+/-49 MUm; P<0.001), the region at 2500MUm temporal to the
      fovea (278+/-49MUm), the region at 1000MUm nasal to the fovea (254+/
      49MUm;P<0.001), and the region at 2500MUm nasal to the fovea (197+/
      50MUm;P<0.001). In cross-sectional analysis, the mean SFCT increased with age
      from 288MUm at 7 years of age to 304MUm at 11 years, and then decreased to 258
      MUm at 18 years. In multivariate analysis, thicker SFCT was associated
      (regression coefficient r:0.38) with higher hyperopic refractive error
      (P<0.001;standardized regression coefficient beta:0.31;non-standardized
      regression coefficient B:7.61;95% confidence intervals (CI):6.29,8.93), younger
      age (P<0.001;beta:-0.10;B:-1.39;95%CI:-2.14,-0.64), male gender (P = 0.03;beta:
      0.05;B:-5.33;95%CI:-10.1,-0.53), higher corneal refractive power
      (P<0.001;beta:0.12;B:3.68;95%CI:2.12,5.24), and non-Han Chinese ethnicity (P =
      0.03;beta:0.05;B:6.16;95%CI:0.50,11.8). Ratio of CT(1000MUm nasal to fovea)/SFCT
      (0.90+/-0.06;range:0.66,1.23) and ratio of CT(2500MUm nasal to fovea)/SFCT
      (0.70+/-0.13;range:0.28,1.23) decreased with older age (P = 0.01;and P = 0.001,
      respectively), while ratio of CT(1000MUm temporal to fovea)/SFCT (1.02+/
      0.06;range:0.56,1.37) and ratio of CT(2500MUm temporal to fovea)/SFCT (0.99+/
      0.11;range:0.54,1.84) increased with older age (both P<0.001). Time spent
      outdoors or indoors was not significantly associated with CT-related parameter in
      multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to SFCT in adults and despite
      elongating axial length, SFCT in children increased in cross-sectional analysis
      with older age (up to 11 years of age) and then started to decrease with further
      ageing. It suggests an increase in choroidal volume up to the age of 11 years. In
      children, the choroid was thickest at 1000MUm temporal to the fovea, followed by
      the subfoveal region, and this difference significantly increased with older age.
      In contrast, CT nasal to the fovea in relationship to SFCT decreased with older
      age. CT was independent of lifestyle-associated parameters.

PMID- 28617855
TI  - Stroke in HIV-infected individuals with and without HCV coinfection in Spain in
      the combination antiretroviral therapy era.
AB  - The incidence of stroke in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected
      individuals has been well analyzed in recent epidemiological studies. However,
      little is known about the specific contribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV)
      infection to stroke among HIV-infected individuals. The aims of this study were
      to analyze trends in the incidence rates of stroke in HIV-infected individuals
      during the combination antiretroviral (cART) era in Spain and to categorize them
      by the presence or absence of HCV coinfection. We analyzed hospital discharges
      with a diagnosis of stroke in Spain according to ICD-9-CM during 1997-2013. The
      study period was divided into four calendar periods (1997-1999, 2000-2003, 2004
      2007, and 2008-2013). Patients were classified according to HCV serology. The
      number of HIV-infected patients was estimated based on data from the National
      Centre of Epidemiology. We calculated incidence rates (events per 10,000 patient
      years) and in-hospital case fatality rates (CFR). The incidence of hemorrhagic
      stroke (HS) decreased in HIV-monoinfected patients (15.8 [1997-1999] to 6.5 [2008
      2013]; P<0.001) and increased in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients (1.3 [1997-1999] to
      5.5 [2008-2013]; P<0.001). The incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) decreased in HIV
      monoinfected patients (27.4 [1997-1999] to 21.7 [2008-2013]; P = 0.005) and
      increased in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients (1.8 [1997-1999] to 11.9 [2008-2013];
      P<0.001). The CFR was 3.3 times higher for HS than for IS for the whole study
      period. The CFR of HS in HIV-monoinfected patients decreased significantly (47.4%
      [1997-1999] to 30.6% [2008-2013]; P = 0.010) but did not change significantly
      among HIV/HCV-coinfected patients (41.4% [1997-1999] to 44.7% [2008-2013]; P =
      0.784). The CFR of IS in the whole HIV-infected population decreased
      significantly (14.6% [1997-1999] to 10.9% [2008-2013]; P = 0.034), although no
      significant differences were found when each group was analyzed separately. In
      conclusion, after the introduction of cART, HS and IS rates decreased in HIV
      monoinfected individuals, but increased steadily in HIV/HCV-coinfected
      individuals.

PMID- 28617856
TI  - The associations between VDR BsmI polymorphisms and risk of vitamin D deficiency,
      obesity and insulin resistance in adolescents residing in a tropical country.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is expressed abundantly in
      different tissues; including adipocytes and pancreatic beta cells. The rs1544410
      or BsmI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the intronic region of the VDR
      gene has been previously associated with vitamin D levels, obesity and insulin
      resistance. AIMS: This study was aimed to examine the association between BsmI
      polymorphism and risk of vitamin D deficiency, obesity and insulin resistance in
      adolescents living in a tropical country. METHODS: Thirteen-year-old adolescents
      were recruited via multistage sampling from twenty-three randomly selected
      schools across the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (n = 941). Anthropometric
      measurements were obtained. Obesity was defined as body mass index higher than
      the 95th percentile of the WHO chart. Levels of fasting serum vitamin D (25
      hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)), glucose and insulin were measured. HOMA-IR was
      calculated as an indicator for insulin resistance. Genotyping was performed using
      the Sequenom MassARRAY platform (n = 807). The associations between BsmI and
      vitamin D, anthropometric parameters and HOMA-IR were examined using analysis of
      covariance and logistic regression. RESULT: Those with AA genotype of BsmI had
      significantly lower levels of 25(OH)D (p = 0.001) compared to other genotypes. No
      significant differences was found across genotypes for obesity parameters. The AA
      genotype was associated with higher risk of vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.03) and
      insulin resistance (p = 0.03) compared to GG. The A allele was significantly
      associated with increased risk of vitamin D deficiency compared to G allele
      (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.63 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.03-2.59, p =
      0.04). In those with concurrent vitamin D deficiency, having an A allele
      significantly increased their risk of having insulin resistance compared to G
      allele (adjusted OR = 2.66 (95% CI 1.36-5.19, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: VDR BsmI
      polymorphism was significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency and insulin
      resistance, but not with obesity in this population.

PMID- 28617857
TI  - Variability in CitXET expression and XET activity in Citrus cultivar Huangguogan
      seedlings with differed degrees of etiolation.
AB  - Considering the known effects of xyloglucan endotransglycosylase (XET) on plant
      growth and development, we aimed to determine whether XETs help to regulate the
      growth and elongation of Huangguogan shoots and roots. We confirmed a possible
      role for XET during seedling etiolation. Our results revealed that the roots of
      etiolated seedlings (H-E) were longer than those of green seedlings (H-G).
      However, shoot length exhibited the opposite pattern. We also observed positive
      and negative effects on the xyloglucan-degrading activity of XET in the root sub
      apical region and shoots of etiolated Huangguogan seedling, respectively. There
      was a significant down-regulation in CitXET expression in the etiolated shoots at
      15 days after seed germination. On the contrary, it was significantly increased
      in the root sub-apical region of etiolated and multicolored seedlings at 15 days
      after seed germination. The XET coding sequence (i.e., CitXET) was cloned from
      Huangguogan seedlings using gene-specific primers. The encoded amino acid
      sequence was predicted by using bioinformatics-based methods. The 990-bp CitXET
      gene was highly homologous to other XET genes. The CitXET protein was predicted
      to contain 319 amino acids, with a molecular mass of 37.45 kDa and an isoelectric
      point of 9.05. The predicted molecular formula was C1724H2548N448O466S14, and the
      resulting protein included only one transmembrane structure. The CitXET secondary
      structure consisted of four main structures (i.e., 21% alpha-helix, 30.72%
      extended strand, 9.09% beta-turn, and 39.18% random coil). Analyses involving the
      NCBI Conserved Domains Database (NCBI-CDD), InterPro, and ScanProsite revealed
      that CitXET was a member of the glycosyl hydrolase family 16 (GH16), and included
      the DEIDFEFLG motif. Our results indicate that the differed degrees of etiolation
      influenced the CitXET expression pattern and XET activity in Huangguogan
      seedlings. The differential changes in XET activity and CitXET expression levels
      in Huangguogan seedlings may influence the regulation of root and shoot
      development, and may be important for seedling etiolation.

PMID- 28617858
TI  - Effect of three edible oils on the intestinal absorption of caffeic acid: An in
      vivo and in vitro study.
AB  - Polyphenolic antioxidants are mainly absorbed through passive paracellular
      permeation regulated by tight junctions. Some fatty acids are known to modulate
      tight junctions. Fatty acids resulting from the digestion of edible oils may
      improve the absorption of polyphenolic antioxidants. Therefore, we explored the
      effect of three edible oils on the intestinal absorption of caffeic acid. Rats
      were fed with soybean oil and caffeic acid dissolved in distilled water. Caffeic
      acid contents in the plasma collected up to 1 hr were quantified. The experiment
      was repeated with coconut oil and olive oil. Component fatty acids of the oils
      were individually tested in vitro for their effect on permeability of caffeic
      acid using Caco-2 cell monolayers. Highest absorption of caffeic acid was
      observed in animals fed with coconut oil. In vitro transport percentages of
      caffeic acid in 2.5 mmol/L solutions of fatty acids were 22.01+/-0.12 (lauric),
      15.30 +/- 0.25 (myristic acid), 13.59 +/- 0.35 (linoleic acid), 3.70 +/- 0.09
      (oleic acid) and 0.10-2.0 (all other fatty acids). Lauric acid and myristic acid
      are the two major fatty acids present in coconut oil. Therefore, these fatty
      acids may contribute to the higher absorption of caffeic acid in the presence of
      coconut oil.

PMID- 28617859
TI  - Co-localization of acinar markers and insulin in pancreatic cells of subjects
      with type 2 diabetes.
AB  - To search for clues suggesting that beta cells may generate by
      transdifferentiation in humans, we assessed the presence of cells double positive
      for exocrine (amylase, carboxypeptidase A) and endocrine (insulin) markers in the
      pancreas of non-diabetic individuals (ND) and patients with type 2 diabetes
      (T2D). Samples from twelve ND and twelve matched T2D multiorgan donors were
      studied by electron microscopy, including amylase and insulin immunogold
      labeling; carboxypeptidase A immunofluorescence light microscopy assessment was
      also performed. In the pancreas from four T2D donors, cells containing both
      zymogen-like and insulin-like granules were observed, scattered in the exocrine
      compartment. Nature of granules was confirmed by immunogold labeling for amylase
      and insulin. Double positive cells ranged from 0.82 to 1.74 per mm2,
      corresponding to 0.26+/-0.045% of the counted exocrine cells. Intriguingly, cells
      of the innate immune systems (mast cells and/or macrophages) were adjacent to
      33.3+/-13.6% of these hybrid cells. No cells showing co-localization of amylase
      and insulin were found in ND samples by electron microscopy. Similarly, cells
      containing both carboxypeptidase A and insulin were more frequently observed in
      the diabetic pancreata. These results demonstrate more abundant presence of cells
      containing both acinar markers and insulin in the pancreas of T2D subjects, which
      suggests possible conversion from one cellular type to the other and specific
      association with the diseased condition.

PMID- 28617860
TI  - Increasing prevalence of infectious diseases in asylum seekers at a tertiary care
      hospital in Switzerland.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The increasing number of refugees seeking asylum in Europe in recent
      years poses new challenges for the healthcare systems in the destination
      countries. The goal of the study was to describe the evolution of medical
      problems of asylum seekers at a tertiary care centre in Switzerland. METHODS: At
      the University Hospital Basel, we compared all asylum seekers during two 1-year
      time periods in 2004/05 and 2014/15 concerning demographic characteristics and
      reasons for referrals and hospitalizations. RESULTS: Hundred ninety five of 2'544
      and 516 of 6'243 asylum seekers registered at the national asylum reception and
      procedure centre Basel were referred to the University Hospital Basel in 2004/05
      and 2014/15, and originated mainly from Europe (62.3%, mainly Turkey) and Africa
      (49.1%, mainly Eritrea), respectively. Median age was similar in both study
      periods (26.9 and 26.2 years). Infectious diseases in asylum seekers increased
      from 22.6% to 36.6% (p<0.001) and were the main reasons for hospitalizations
      (33.3% of 45 and 55.6% of 81 hospitalized patients, p = 0.017) in 2004/05
      compared to 2014/15. The leading infectious diseases in hospitalized patients
      were tuberculosis (n = 4) and bacterial skin infections (n = 2) in 2004/05;
      Malaria (n = 9), pneumonia (n = 6), Chickenpox (n = 5), other viral infections (n
      = 5) and bacterial skin infections (n = 5) in 2014/15. Infectious diseases like
      malaria, cutaneous diphtheria, louseborne-relapsing fever or scabies were only
      found in the second study period. Almost one third of the admitted asylum seekers
      required isolation precautions with median duration of 6-9.5 days in both study
      periods. CONCLUSIONS: The changing demography of asylum seekers arriving in
      Switzerland in the current refugee crisis has led to a shift in disease patterns
      with an increase of infectious diseases and the re-emergence of migration
      associated neglected infections. Physicians should be aware of these new
      challenges.

PMID- 28617861
TI  - Unconscious improvement in foreign language learning using mismatch negativity
      neurofeedback: A preliminary study.
AB  - When people learn foreign languages, they find it difficult to perceive speech
      sounds that are nonexistent in their native language, and extensive training is
      consequently necessary. Our previous studies have shown that by using
      neurofeedback based on the mismatch negativity event-related brain potential,
      participants could unconsciously achieve learning in the auditory discrimination
      of pure tones that could not be consciously discriminated without the
      neurofeedback. Here, we examined whether mismatch negativity neurofeedback is
      effective for helping someone to perceive new speech sounds in foreign language
      learning. We developed a task for training native Japanese speakers to
      discriminate between 'l' and 'r' sounds in English, as they usually cannot
      discriminate between these two sounds. Without participants attending to auditory
      stimuli or being aware of the nature of the experiment, neurofeedback training
      helped them to achieve significant improvement in unconscious auditory
      discrimination and recognition of the target words 'light' and 'right'. There was
      also improvement in the recognition of other words containing 'l' and 'r' (e.g.,
      'blight' and 'bright'), even though these words had not been presented during
      training. This method could be used to facilitate foreign language learning and
      can be extended to other fields of auditory and clinical research and even other
      senses.

PMID- 28617862
TI  - Evaluating age-related change in lip somatosensation using somatosensory evoked
      magnetic fields.
AB  - Somatosensory evoked fields (SEFs) to electrical stimulation on the right and
      left sides of the lower lip were measured using magnetoencephalography and
      compared in the bilateral hemispheres of 31 healthy normal young and 29 healthy
      normal elderly subjects to evaluate age-related change in lip somatosensation.
      The initial peak of the response around 13 ms, designated as N13m, and the second
      peak of the response, designated as P21m, were investigated. The N13m response,
      which was detected in 22 of 62 hemispheres in young adults and 37 of 58
      hemispheres in elderly adults, showed significantly prolonged latency and
      increased equivalent current dipole (ECD) moment in the elderly adults. The P21m
      response, which was detected in 56 of 62 hemispheres in young adults and in 52 of
      58 hemispheres in elderly adults, showed longer peak latency in the elderly
      adults. No significant difference was found in the ECD moment for P21m, which
      suggests that aging affected the SEFs of the lip somatosensation, but the effects
      of aging on N13m and P21m differed. Prolonged latency and increased ECD moment of
      N13m might result from decreased peripheral conduction and increased cortical
      excitation system associated with aging. Therefore, the initial response
      component might be an objective parameter for investigating change in lip
      function with age.

PMID- 28617863
TI  - The use of metabolic profiling to identify insulin resistance in veal calves.
AB  - Heavy veal calves (4-6 months old) are at risk of developing insulin resistance
      and disturbed glucose homeostasis. Prolonged insulin resistance could lead to
      metabolic disorders and impaired growth performance. Recently, we discovered that
      heavy Holstein-Friesian calves raised on a high-lactose or high-fat diet did not
      differ in insulin sensitivity, that insulin sensitivity was low and 50% of the
      calves could be considered insulin resistant. Understanding the patho
      physiological mechanisms underlying insulin resistance and discovering biomarkers
      for early diagnosis would be useful for developing prevention strategies.
      Therefore, we explored plasma metabolic profiling techniques to build models and
      discover potential biomarkers and pathways that can distinguish between insulin
      resistant and moderately insulin sensitive veal calves. The calves (n = 14) were
      classified as insulin resistant (IR) or moderately insulin sensitive (MIS) based
      on results from a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, using a cut-off value (M/I
      value <4.4) to identify insulin resistance. Metabolic profiles of fasting plasma
      samples were analyzed using reversed phase (RP) and hydrophilic interaction
      (HILIC) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Orthogonal partial least
      square discriminant analysis was performed to compare metabolic profiles. Insulin
      sensitivity was on average 2.3x higher (P <0.001) in MIS than IR group. For both
      RP-LC-MS and HILIC-LC-MS satisfactory models were build (R2Y >90% and Q2Y >66%),
      which allowed discrimination between MIS and IR calves. A total of 7 and 20
      metabolic features (for RP-LC-MS and HILIC-LC-MS respectively) were most
      responsible for group separation. Of these, 7 metabolites could putatively be
      identified that differed (P <0.05) between groups (potential biomarkers). Pathway
      analysis indicated disturbances in glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid
      metabolism, the glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and primary bile acid
      biosynthesis. These results demonstrate that plasma metabolic profiling can be
      used to identify insulin resistance in veal calves and can lead to underlying
      mechanisms.

PMID- 28617864
TI  - Pitch contour impairment in congenital amusia: New insights from the Self-paced
      Audio-visual Contour Task (SACT).
AB  - Individuals with congenital amusia usually exhibit impairments in melodic contour
      processing when asked to compare pairs of melodies that may or may not be
      identical to one another. However, it is unclear whether the impairment observed
      in contour processing is caused by an impairment of pitch discrimination, or is a
      consequence of poor pitch memory. To help resolve this ambiguity, we designed a
      novel Self-paced Audio-visual Contour Task (SACT) that evaluates sensitivity to
      contour while placing minimal burden on memory. In this task, participants
      control the pace of an auditory contour that is simultaneously accompanied by a
      visual contour, and they are asked to judge whether the two contours are
      congruent or incongruent. In Experiment 1, melodic contours varying in pitch were
      presented with a series of dots that varied in spatial height. Amusics exhibited
      reduced sensitivity to audio-visual congruency in comparison to control
      participants. To exclude the possibility that the impairment arises from a
      general deficit in cross-modal mapping, Experiment 2 examined sensitivity to
      cross-modal mapping for two other auditory dimensions: timbral brightness and
      loudness. Amusics and controls were significantly more sensitive to large than
      small contour changes, and to changes in loudness than changes in timbre.
      However, there were no group differences in cross-modal mapping, suggesting that
      individuals with congenital amusia can comprehend spatial representations of
      acoustic information. Taken together, the findings indicate that pitch contour
      processing in congenital amusia remains impaired even when pitch memory is
      relatively unburdened.

PMID- 28617865
TI  - A human genotyping trial to estimate the post-feeding time from mosquito blood
      meals.
AB  - Mosquitoes occur almost worldwide, and females of some species feed on blood from
      humans and other animals to support ovum maturation. In warm and hot seasons,
      such as the summer in Japan, fed mosquitoes are often observed at crime scenes.
      The current study attempted to estimate the time that elapsed since feeding from
      the degree of human DNA digestion in mosquito blood meals and also to identify
      the individual human sources of the DNA using genotyping in two species of
      mosquito: Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes albopictus. After stereomicroscopic
      observation, the extracted DNA samples were quantified using a human DNA
      quantification and quality control kit and were genotyped for 15 short tandem
      repeats using a commercial multiplexing kit. It took about 3 days for the
      complete digestion of a blood meal, and genotyping was possible until 2 days post
      feeding. The relative peak heights of the 15 STRs and DNA concentrations were
      useful for estimating the post-feeding time to approximately half a day between 0
      and 2 days. Furthermore, the quantitative ratios derived from STR peak heights
      and the quality control kit (Q129/Q41, Q305/Q41, and Q305/Q129) were reasonably
      effective for estimating the approximate post-feeding time after 2-3 days. We
      suggest that this study may be very useful for estimating the time since a
      mosquito fed from blood meal DNA, although further refinements are necessary to
      estimate the times more accurately.

PMID- 28617866
TI  - Characterization of trace metal content in the developing zebrafish embryo.
AB  - Trace metals are essential for health but toxic when present in excess. The
      maintenance of trace metals at physiologic levels reflects both import and export
      by cells and absorption and excretion by organs. The mechanism by which this
      maintenance is achieved in vertebrate organisms is incompletely understood. To
      explore this, we chose zebrafish as our model organism, as they are amenable to
      both pharmacologic and genetic manipulation and comprise an ideal system for
      genetic screens and toxicological studies. To characterize trace metal content in
      developing zebrafish, we measured levels of three trace elements, copper, zinc,
      and manganese, from the oocyte stage to 30 days post-fertilization using
      inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Our results indicate that metal
      levels are stable until zebrafish can acquire metals from the environment and
      imply that the early embryo relies on maternal contribution of metals to the
      oocyte. We also measured metal levels in bodies and yolks of embryos reared in
      presence and absence of the copper chelator neocuproine. All three metals
      exhibited different relative abundances between yolks and bodies of embryos.
      While neocuproine treatment led to an expected phenotype of copper deficiency,
      total copper levels were unaffected, indicating that measurement of total metal
      levels does not equate with measurement of biologically active metal levels.
      Overall, our data not only can be used in the design and execution of genetic,
      physiologic, and toxicologic studies but also has implications for the
      understanding of vertebrate metal homeostasis.

PMID- 28617867
TI  - Complete chloroplast genome sequence of common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon
      (L.) Pers.) and comparative analysis within the family Poaceae.
AB  - Common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) belongs to the subfamily
      Chloridoideae of the Poaceae family, one of the most important plant families
      ecologically and economically. This grass has a long connection with human
      culture but its systematics is relatively understudied. In this study, we
      sequenced and investigated the chloroplast genome of common bermudagrass, which
      is 134,297 bp in length with two single copy regions (LSC: 79,732 bp; SSC: 12,521
      bp) and a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions (21,022 bp). The annotation
      contains a total of 128 predicted genes, including 82 protein-coding, 38 tRNA,
      and 8 rRNA genes. Additionally, our in silico analyses identified 10 sets of
      repeats longer than 20 bp and predicted the presence of 36 RNA editing sites.
      Overall, the chloroplast genome of common bermudagrass resembles those from other
      Poaceae lineages. Compared to most angiosperms, the accD gene and the introns of
      both clpP and rpoC1 genes are missing. Additionally, the ycf1, ycf2, ycf15, and
      ycf68 genes are pseudogenized and two genome rearrangements exist. Our
      phylogenetic analysis based on 47 chloroplast protein-coding genes supported the
      placement of common bermudagrass within Chloridoideae. Our phylogenetic character
      mapping based on the parsimony principle further indicated that the loss of the
      accD gene and clpP introns, the pseudogenization of four ycf genes, and the two
      rearrangements occurred only once after the most recent common ancestor of the
      Poaceae diverged from other monocots, which could explain the unusual long branch
      leading to the Poaceae when phylogeny is inferred based on chloroplast sequences.

PMID- 28617868
TI  - Three mutations switch H7N9 influenza to human-type receptor specificity.
AB  - The avian H7N9 influenza outbreak in 2013 resulted from an unprecedented
      incidence of influenza transmission to humans from infected poultry. The majority
      of human H7N9 isolates contained a hemagglutinin (HA) mutation (Q226L) that has
      previously been associated with a switch in receptor specificity from avian-type
      (NeuAcalpha2-3Gal) to human-type (NeuAcalpha2-6Gal), as documented for the avian
      progenitors of the 1957 (H2N2) and 1968 (H3N2) human influenza pandemic viruses.
      While this raised concern that the H7N9 virus was adapting to humans, the
      mutation was not sufficient to switch the receptor specificity of H7N9, and has
      not resulted in sustained transmission in humans. To determine if the H7 HA was
      capable of acquiring human-type receptor specificity, we conducted mutation
      analyses. Remarkably, three amino acid mutations conferred a switch in
      specificity for human-type receptors that resembled the specificity of the 2009
      human H1 pandemic virus, and promoted binding to human trachea epithelial cells.

PMID- 28617869
TI  - Statins are related to impaired exercise capacity in males but not females.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exercise and statins reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD). Exercise
      capacity may be assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Whether
      statin medication is associated with CPET parameters is unclear. We investigated
      if statins are related with exercise capacity during CPET in the general
      population. METHODS: Cross-sectional data of two independent cohorts of the Study
      of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were merged (n = 3,500; 50% males). Oxygen
      consumption (VO2) at peak exercise (VO2peak) and anaerobic threshold (VO2@AT) was
      assessed during symptom-limited CPET. Two linear regression models related
      VO2peak with statin usage were calculated. Model 1 adjusted for age, sex,
      previous myocardial infarction, and physical inactivity and model 2 additionally
      for body mass index, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and estimated glomerular
      filtration rate. Propensity score matching was used for validation. RESULTS:
      Statin usage was associated with lower VO2peak (no statin: 2336; 95%-confidence
      interval [CI]: 2287-2,385 vs. statin 2090; 95%-CI: 2,031-2149 ml/min; P < .0001)
      and VO2@AT (no statin: 1,172; 95%-CI: 1,142-1,202 vs. statin: 1,111; 95%-CI:
      1,075-1,147 ml/min; P = .0061) in males but not females (VO2peak: no statin:
      1,467; 95%-CI: 1,417-1,517 vs. statin: 1,503; 95%-CI: 1,426-1,579 ml/min; P =
      1.00 and VO2@AT: no statin: 854; 95%-CI: 824-885 vs. statin 864; 95%-CI: 817-911
      ml/min; P = 1.00). Model 2 revealed similar results. Propensity scores analysis
      confirmed the results. CONCLUSION: In the general population present statin
      medication was related with impaired exercise capacity in males but not females.
      Sex specific effects of statins on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity deserve
      further research.

PMID- 28617870
TI  - A novel genetic technique in Plasmodium berghei allows liver stage analysis of
      genes required for mosquito stage development and demonstrates that de novo heme
      synthesis is essential for liver stage development in the malaria parasite.
AB  - The combination of drug resistance, lack of an effective vaccine, and ongoing
      conflict and poverty means that malaria remains a major global health crisis.
      Understanding metabolic pathways at all parasite life stages is important in
      prioritising and targeting novel anti-parasitic compounds. The unusual heme
      synthesis pathway of the rodent malaria parasite, Plasmodium berghei, requires
      eight enzymes distributed across the mitochondrion, apicoplast and cytoplasm.
      Deletion of the ferrochelatase (FC) gene, the final enzyme in the pathway,
      confirms that heme synthesis is not essential in the red blood cell stages of the
      life cycle but is required to complete oocyst development in mosquitoes. The
      lethality of FC deletions in the mosquito stage makes it difficult to study the
      impact of these mutations in the subsequent liver stage. To overcome this, we
      combined locus-specific fluorophore expression with a genetic complementation
      approach to generate viable, heterozygous oocysts able to produce a mix of FC
      expressing and FC deficient sporozoites. These sporozoites show normal motility
      and can invade liver cells, where FC deficient parasites can be distinguished by
      fluorescence and phenotyped. Parasites lacking FC exhibit a severe growth defect
      within liver cells, with development failure detectable in the early to mid
      stages of liver development in vitro. FC deficient parasites could not complete
      liver stage development in vitro nor infect naive mice, confirming liver stage
      arrest. These results validate the heme pathway as a potential target for
      prophylactic drugs targeting liver stage parasites. In addition, we demonstrate
      that our simple genetic approach can extend the phenotyping window beyond the
      insect stages, opening considerable scope for straightforward reverse genetic
      analysis of genes that are dispensable in blood stages but essential for
      completing mosquito development.

PMID- 28617872
TI  - Growing up with a single mother and life satisfaction in adulthood: A test of
      mediating and moderating factors.
AB  - Single parenthood is increasingly common in Western societies but only little is
      known about its long-term effects. We therefore studied life satisfaction among
      641 individuals (ages 18-66 years) who spent their entire childhood with a single
      mother, 1539 individuals who spent part of their childhood with both parents but
      then experienced parental separation, and 21,943 individuals who grew up with
      both parents. Individuals who grew up with a single mother for their entire
      childhood and to a lesser degree also individuals who experienced parental
      separation showed a small but persistent decrease in life satisfaction into old
      age controlling childhood socio-economic status. This decrease was partly
      mediated by worse adulthood living conditions related to socio-economic and
      educational success, physical health, social integration, and romantic
      relationship outcomes. No moderation by age, gender, and societal system where
      the childhood was spent (i.e. western oriented FRG or socialist GDR) was found.

PMID- 28617871
TI  - Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha plays roles in Epstein-Barr virus's natural life
      cycle and tumorigenesis by inducing lytic infection through direct binding to the
      immediate-early BZLF1 gene promoter.
AB  - When confronted with poor oxygenation, cells adapt by activating survival
      signaling pathways, including the oxygen-sensitive transcriptional regulators
      called hypoxia-inducible factor alphas (HIF-alphas). We report here that HIF
      1alpha also regulates the life cycle of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Incubation of
      EBV-positive gastric carcinoma AGS-Akata and SNU-719 and Burkitt lymphoma Sal and
      KemIII cell lines with a prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, L-mimosine or
      deferoxamine, or the NEDDylation inhibitor MLN4924 promoted rapid and sustained
      accumulation of both HIF-1alpha and lytic EBV antigens. ShRNA knockdown of HIF
      1alpha significantly reduced deferoxamine-mediated lytic reactivation. HIF-1alpha
      directly bound the promoter of the EBV primary latent-lytic switch BZLF1 gene,
      Zp, activating transcription via a consensus hypoxia-response element (HRE)
      located at nt -83 through -76 relative to the transcription initiation site. HIF
      1alpha did not activate transcription from the other EBV immediate-early gene,
      BRLF1. Importantly, expression of HIF-1alpha induced EBV lytic-gene expression in
      cells harboring wild-type EBV, but not in cells infected with variants containing
      base-pair substitution mutations within this HRE. Human oral keratinocyte (NOK)
      and gingival epithelial (hGET) cells induced to differentiate by incubation with
      either methyl cellulose or growth in organotypic culture accumulated both HIF
      1alpha and Blimp-1alpha, another cellular factor implicated in lytic
      reactivation. HIF-1alpha activity also accumulated along with Blimp-1alpha during
      B-cell differentiation into plasma cells. Furthermore, most BZLF1-expressing
      cells observed in lymphomas induced by EBV in NSG mice with a humanized immune
      system were located distal to blood vessels in hypoxic regions of the tumors.
      Thus, we conclude that HIF-1alpha plays central roles in both EBV's natural life
      cycle and EBV-associated tumorigenesis. We propose that drugs that induce HIF
      1alpha protein accumulation are good candidates for development of a lytic
      induction therapy for treating some EBV-associated malignancies.

PMID- 28617873
TI  - Fungal manipulation of hormone-regulated plant defense.

PMID- 28617875
TI  - Cholangioscopy using the SpyGlass system for a rare cause of obstruction:
      inflammatory polyp of the common bile duct.

PMID- 28617876
TI  - Cholecysto-cutaneous fistula in a patient with biliary lithiasis.

PMID- 28617874
TI  - Candida albicans mannans mediate Streptococcus mutans exoenzyme GtfB binding to
      modulate cross-kingdom biofilm development in vivo.
AB  - Candida albicans is frequently detected with heavy infection by Streptococcus
      mutans in plaque-biofilms from children with early-childhood caries (ECC). This
      cross-kingdom biofilm contains an extensive matrix of extracellular alpha-glucans
      that is produced by an exoenzyme (GtfB) secreted by S. mutans. Here, we report
      that mannans located on the outer surface of C. albicans cell-wall mediates GtfB
      binding, enhancing glucan-matrix production and modulating bacterial-fungal
      association within biofilms formed in vivo. Using single-molecule atomic force
      microscopy, we determined that GtfB binds with remarkable affinity to mannans and
      to the C. albicans surface, forming a highly stable and strong bond (1-2 nN).
      However, GtfB binding properties to C. albicans was compromised in strains
      defective in O-mannan (pmt4DeltaDelta) or N-mannan outer chain (och1DeltaDelta).
      In particular, the binding strength of GtfB on och1DeltaDelta strain was severely
      disrupted (>3-fold reduction vs. parental strain). In turn, the GtfB amount on
      the fungal surface was significantly reduced, and the ability of C. albicans
      mutant strains to develop mixed-species biofilms with S. mutans was impaired.
      This phenotype was independent of hyphae or established fungal-biofilm regulators
      (EFG1, BCR1). Notably, the mechanical stability of the defective biofilms was
      weakened, resulting in near complete biomass removal by shear forces. In
      addition, these in vitro findings were confirmed in vivo using a rodent biofilm
      model. Specifically, we observed that C. albicans och1DeltaDelta was unable to
      form cross-kingdom biofilms on the tooth surface of rats co-infected with S.
      mutans. Likewise, co-infection with S. mutans defective in GtfB was also
      incapable of forming mixed-species biofilms. Taken together, the data support a
      mechanism whereby S. mutans-secreted GtfB binds to the mannan layer of C.
      albicans to promote extracellular matrix formation and their co-existence within
      biofilms. Enhanced understanding of GtfB-Candida interactions may provide new
      perspectives for devising effective therapies to disrupt this cross-kingdom
      relationship associated with an important childhood oral disease.

PMID- 28617877
TI  - Degenerate intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma with fish-mouth appearance of
      the papilla.

PMID- 28617879
TI  - It is time to rethink H. pylori therapy.

PMID- 28617878
TI  - Granulomatous hepatitis: a rare primary manifestation of disseminated
      histoplasmosis in a renal transplant recipient.

PMID- 28617880
TI  - How to increase the efficiency in research on non-surgical interventions during
      cancer surgery?

PMID- 28617881
TI  - Is Heller myotomy better than balloon dilation? A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) and laparoscopic Heller
      myotomy (LHM) are the most commonly performed treatment options for achalasia.
      Decision between these treatment options is difficult. The aim of this meta
      analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of EBD compared to LHM. METHODS: The
      electronic databases PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry were
      systematically searched for the period between January 1, 1976 and December 31,
      2015. Meta-analysis was performed using the PICOS (problem, intervention,
      comparison, outcome, study design) format. Efficacy and safety of EBD were
      compared to LHM. Forest plot analyses were used to illustrate the success rate,
      perforation rate and post-procedural gastroesophageal reflux. RESULTS: Using the
      search strategy, eight studies met the selection criteria and were included in
      the meta-analysis. The total number of patients included was 749 (360 in the EBD
      group and 389 in the LHM group). The success rate was lower in the EBD group than
      in the LHM group (OR=0.486; CI: 0.304-0.779; p=0.003). The rate of perforation
      did not differ significantly between the EBD and LHM group (RR= 0.635, CI: 0.340
      1.186, p=0.154). The incidence of post-procedural symptomatic gastroesophageal
      reflux did not differ between the two treatment groups (RR=0.663, CI: 0.328
      1.343, p=0.254). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the efficacy of LHM is
      superior to that of EBD, while there is no difference in safety between the two
      treatment groups.

PMID- 28617882
TI  - Eradication rates in Italian subjects heterogeneously managed for Helicobacter
      pylori infection. Time to abandon empiric treatments in Southern Europe.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: H. pylori eradication is strongly affected by various
      factors, including the ongoing antibiotic resistance. We describe a "real life"
      scenario in patients managed for H. pylori-related conditions, living in a
      southern Italian region (Apulia), an area with clarithromycin resistance >15%.
      METHODS: 2,224 subjects were studied in two tertiary referral centers in Apulia.
      Analyses included: reason for referral, H. pylori infection rates (13C-urea
      breath test - UBT or upper endoscopy), and eradication rates following distinct
      regimens previously prescribed or prospectively prescribed (such as the bismuth
      based quadruple therapy Pylera(r), recently marketed in Italy). RESULTS: Over 80%
      of the patients were referred by family physicians (60% naive subjects). The
      overall infection rate was 32.5% and it was similar in asymptomatic patients
      (31.1%) or with H. pylori-related symptoms/clinical conditions (34.3%). In the
      987 H. pylori+ve patients receiving therapy, the overall eradication rate was
      80.2% (ITT). Observed eradication rate varied greatly across different regimens:
      57.1% (2nd line levofloxacin), 59.6% (unconventional), 70.7% (7-day triple),
      73.2% (7-day undefined), 89% (10-day sequential) and 96.9% (ITT, 10 day
      Pylera(r), 1st to 5th line regimens given to 227 patients). CONCLUSIONS: A
      heterogeneous "real life" scenario in Southern Europe shows that H. pylori+ve
      patients are put at risk of poor outcomes and points to the need of a
      susceptibility-based therapy according to guidelines and local microbial
      resistance. In the present setting (i.e. high clarithromycin resistance), despite
      the high observed eradication rate, sequential therapy should not be recommended
      (absent in guidelines, unneeded antibiotic). Bismuth-based quadruple treatment
      (1st, 2nd or subsequent lines) yields the highest eradication rates.

PMID- 28617883
TI  - Ruling-in and Ruling-out Significant Fibrosis and Cirrhosis in Patients with
      Chronic Hepatitis C Using a Shear Wave Measurement Method.
AB  - AIMS: To prospectively assess the cutoff values of a point shear wave measurement
      (SWM) method for ruling-in and ruling-out significant fibrosis and cirrhosis
      using transient elastography (TE) as the reference standard. METHOD: Consecutive
      patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled. Liver stiffness was assessed
      with the SWM method implemented on the HI VISION Ascendus ultrasound system
      (Hitachi Ltd, Japan) and with the TE method of the FibroScan(r) device (Echosens,
      France). For staging significant fibrosis (F>/=2) and cirrhosis (F=4) we used the
      TE cutoffs of 7.0 and 12.0 kiloPascal (kPa), respectively. The diagnostic
      performance of SWM was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver
      operating characteristic (AUROC) curve. Cutoffs with specificity or sensitivity >
      90% were chosen to rule-in or rule-out F>/=2 and F=4. RESULTS: 445 individuals
      [235 males, 210 females; mean age, 61.1 (13.3) years] were studied: 190 (42.7%)
      individuals had F0-F1 fibrosis stage, 82 (18.4%) F2, 46 (10.3%) F3, and 127
      (28.6%) F4 fibrosis stage. For ruling-in F>/=2 the SWM cutoff was 6.78 kPa
      [sensitivity, 76.9%(70.6-82.4); specificity, 90.3% (85.0-94.3)] and for ruling
      out it was 5.55 kPa [sensitivity, 90.6% (85.8-94.1); specificity, 72.2% (64.9
      78.6)]. For ruling-in F=4 the SWM cutoff was 9.15 kPa [sensitivity, 83.3% (74.4
      90.2); specificity, 90.1% (86.0-93.2)] and for ruling-out it was 8.41 kPa
      [sensitivity, 90.6% (82.9-95.6); specificity, 82.2% (77.3-86.4)]. AUROCs were
      0.92 (0.89-0.94) for F>/=2 and 0.94 (0.91-0.96) for F=4. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical
      practice, the use of a dual cutoff of SWM may increase the confidence in staging
      liver fibrosis with a non-invasive shear wave elastography technique.

PMID- 28617884
TI  - Dynamics of liver stiffness values by means of transient elastography in patients
      with HCV liver cirrhosis undergoing interferon free treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Liver stiffness (LS) measurement by Transient Elastography
      (TE) has been widely accepted as a tool for fibrosis assessment. The aim of this
      study was to assess LS dynamics in a group of patients with HCV liver cirrhosis
      after interferon free treatment (IFT). METHODS: This two-center clinical trial
      included 225 patients with compensated HCV cirrhosis (all genotype 1b), who
      received IFT for 12 weeks. All patients were evaluated by means of TE at the
      beginning and at the end of treatment (EOT), and a subgroup (170 patients) also
      12 weeks after EOT; all of them had sustained viral response (SVR). Reliable LS
      measurements (LSM) were defined as a median value of 10 valid LSM, with IQR <30%
      and SR >/=60%. Both M and XL probes were used. For diagnosing cirrhosis we used a
      cut-off value of 12kPa as proposed by the Tsochatzis meta-analysis. We considered
      a decrease or increase of more than 10% in LSM as being significant. RESULTS: Out
      of 225 subjects, reliable measurements were obtained in 93.7%, so that the final
      analysis included 211 patients. The mean LS values decreased significantly after
      IFT: 26.4+/-11.7 vs. 23.5+/-13.3 kPa (p=0.01). Most patients, 59.2% (125/211)
      presented more than 10% decrease in LS values, 24.1% (51/211) had stable LS
      values, while in 16.4% (35/211) cases, the LS values increased. In the subgroup
      of 170 patients with LSM also performed 12 weeks after EOT (SVR), the mean LS
      values were significantly lower as compared to baseline: 21.3+/-11 kPa vs. 27.4+/
      11.9 kPa (p<0.0001) and also as compared to EOT: 21.3+/-11 kPa vs. 23.7+/-13.3
      kPa (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: In our patients with HCV liver cirrhosis, the mean LS
      values evaluated by TE significantly decreased after antiviral treatment at EOT
      and also 12 weeks after EOT as compared to baseline. Overall, about 60% of
      patients had LS values at EOT lower than at baseline, while 12 weeks after EOT
      about 75% of patients had LS values lower than at baseline.

PMID- 28617885
TI  - The role of wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) in the detection of occult primary
      neuroendocrine tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a heterogeneous group of
      neoplasms with unclear etiology that may show functioning or non-functioning
      features. Primary tumor localization often requires integrated imaging. The
      European Neuroendocrine Tumors Society (ENETS) guidelines proposed wireless
      capsule endoscopy (WCE) as a possible diagnostic tool for NETs, if intestinal
      origin is suspected. However, its impact on therapeutic management is debated. We
      aimed to evaluate the yield of WCE in detecting intestinal primary tumors in
      patients showing liver NET metastases when first-line investigations are
      inconclusive. METHOD: Twenty-four patients with a histological diagnosis of
      metastatic NET from liver biopsy and no evidence of primary lesions at first-line
      investigations were prospectively studied in an ENETS-certified tertiary care
      center. Wireless-capsule endoscopy was requested before explorative laparotomy
      and intra-operative ultrasound. The diagnostic yield of WCE was compared to the
      surgical exploration. RESULTS: Sixteen subjects underwent surgery; 11/16 had
      positive WCE identifying 16 bulging lesions. Mini-laparotomy found 13 NETs in
      11/16 patients (9 small bowel, 3 pancreas, 1 bile ducts). Agreement between WCE
      and laparotomy was recorded in 9 patients (Sensitivity=75%; Specificity=37.5%;
      PPV=55%; NPV=60%). Correspondence assessed per-lesions produced similar results
      (Sensitivity=70%; Specificity=25%; PPV=44%; NPV=50%). No capsule retentions were
      recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Wireless-capsule endoscopy is not indicated as second-line
      investigation for patients with gastro-entero-pancreatic NETs. In the setting of
      a referral center, it might provide additional information when conventional
      investigations are inconclusive about the primary site.

PMID- 28617886
TI  - Major hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes: a narrative review.
AB  - Gastrointestinal cancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Hereditary
      gastrointestinal cancer syndromes constitute about 5-10% of all cancers. About 20
      25% of undiagnosed cases have a possible hereditary component, which is not yet
      established. In the last few decades, the advance in genomics has led to the
      discovery of multiple cancer predisposition genes in gastrointestinal cancer.
      Physicians should be aware of these syndromes to identify high-risk patients and
      offer genetic testing to prevent cancer death. In this review, we describe
      clinical manifestations, genetic testing and its challenges, diagnosis and
      management of the major hereditary gastrointestinal cancer syndromes.

PMID- 28617887
TI  - Peroral cholangiopancreatoscopy with the SpyGlass(r) system: what do we know 10
      years later.
AB  - Smaller endoscopes and catheters have been developed that permit direct
      visualization of the bile and pancreatic ducts (cholangioscopy and
      pancreatoscopy, respectively). These endoscopes and catheters are passed through
      the working channel of a standard therapeutic duodenoscope during endoscopic
      retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The SpyGlass Direct Visualization
      System (Boston Scientific Corp, Natick, MA, USA) is currently the most widely
      used and studied device. Cholangioscopy with intraductal lithotripsy has become
      an established modality in the treatment of difficult biliary lithiasis. When
      used in the evaluation of indeterminate biliary strictures by experienced
      endoscopists in recognizing intraductal pathology, it increases the diagnostic
      yield of tissue sampling. Pancreatoscopy is complementary to other imaging
      modalities in the evaluation of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the
      pancreas and is emerging as a sole or adjunctive therapy to extracorporeal shock
      wave lithotripsy for the treatment of main pancreatic duct stones. It remains
      investigational in the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Complications
      specific to the performance of cholangiopancreatoscopy include cholangitis, which
      is related to intraductal fluid irrigation.

PMID- 28617888
TI  - Position paper on treatment of hepatitis C in Romania, 2017. Part one.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with
      endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania the mean prevalence is
      about 3%. New treatments became available on the market in recent years and new
      drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered
      mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this
      task for the practitioners of this country. METHODOLOGY: A group of recognized
      experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available
      guidelines. A list of items requiring attention has been created. These items
      were discussed and rated. Decisions were taken by consensus. RECOMMENDATIONS: We
      present here the first of the two parts of our Society's recommendations for
      chronic HCV infection treatment. An agreement was reached regarding the
      diagnostic tools, the assessment of severity and the up-dated therapy schedules.
      CONCLUSIONS: This Position Paper represents a guide for the assessment and the
      therapy of HCV infection. The recommendations are in concordance with other
      guidelines but are applied to the real-life conditions in this country.

PMID- 28617889
TI  - Erdheim-Chester Disease presenting with histiocytic colitis and cytokine storm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-Langerhans histiocytosis is a group of inflammatory
      lymphoproliferative disorders originating from non-clonal expansion of
      hematopoietic stem cells into cytokine-secreting dendritic cells or macrophages.
      Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) is a rare type of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis
      characterized by tissue inflammation and injury caused by macrophage infiltration
      and histologic findings of foamy histiocytes. Often ECD involves the skeleton,
      retroperitoneum and the orbits. This is the first report documenting ECD
      manifesting as segmental colitis and causing cytokine-release syndrome. CASE
      PRESENTATION: A 68-year old woman presented with persistent fever without
      infectious etiology and hematochezia. Endoscopy showed segmental colitis and
      pathology revealed infiltration of large foamy histiocytes CD3-/CD20
      /CD68+/CD163+/S100- consistent with ECD. The patient was empirically treated with
      steroids but continued to have fever and developed progressive distributive
      shock. CONCLUSION: This case report describes the differential diagnosis of
      infectious and immune-mediated inflammatory and rheumatologic segmental colitis.
      Non-Langerhans histiocytosis and ECD are rare causes of gastrointestinal
      inflammation. Prompt diagnosis is imperative for the appropriate treatment to
      prevent hemodynamic compromise due to distributive shock or gastrointestinal
      bleeding. Importantly, gastrointestinal ECD might exhibit poor response to
      steroid treatment and other potential treatments including chemotherapy, and
      biologic treatments targeting IL-1 and TNF-alpha signalling should be considered.

PMID- 28617890
TI  - Peroral endoscopic myotomy for the treatment of achalasia in a patient with
      esophageal varices. A case report.
AB  - Achalasia is very uncommon, and rarely does achalasia co-exist with esophageal
      varices. We present a 62-year-old woman who was diagnosed with both achalasia and
      esophageal varices in December 2014 and had a past history of hematemesis. The
      patient's achalasia symptoms' Eckardt score was 9, and her hepatic function was
      Child-Pugh grade A6. After comprehensive assessment of the patient's health and
      discussion of the pros and cons of various therapies for achalasia, the patient
      underwent a peroral endoscopic myotomy. She was symptom-free after the operation
      and had no recurrence of achalasia symptoms at 20-month follow-up. No adverse
      events were reported. Peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia with esophageal
      varices has not been previously reported in the English literature.

PMID- 28617891
TI  - Esophageal adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation arising in ectopic
      gastric mucosa in the cervical esophagus: a case report and literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation is a subtype of
      alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) producing adenocarcinoma. This type of tumor is
      associated with a poor prognosis and is prone to metastasize. Esophageal
      adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation is extremely rare. CASE
      PRESENTATION: The patient was a 65-year-old woman who was referred to our
      hospital with dysphagia. Endoscopic examination revealed an elevated lesion 20mm
      in diameter at 17cm from the upper incisors. Endoscopic submucosa dissection
      (ESD) was performed and histopathological examination revealed tubular
      adenocarcinoma composed of cuboidal cells with clear cell cytoplasm.
      Immunohistochemical stain was diffusely positive for Sall-like protein 4 (SALL4)
      and weakly positive for AFP and glypican 3. From this result, we diagnosed
      esophageal adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation. The patient is
      still alive without recurrence of cancer 40 months after ESD. CONCLUSION: To our
      knowledge, this is the first report to undergo ESD for esophageal adenocarcinoma
      with enteroblastic differentiation arising from ectopic gastric mucosa in the
      esophagus.

PMID- 28617892
TI  - Intestinal heterotopic pancreas involved by simultaneous PanIN-2 lesion and
      endocrine microadenoma: a unique case.
AB  - We hereby present the case of a 58-year-old male who underwent a total
      gastrectomy for gastric neoplasm. During the surgery, a tumor mass in the jejunum
      was identified, considered as metastasis, and resected. The histopathological
      examination of the jejunal lesion showed ectopic pancreas. In this area, two
      pathological distinct lesions were identified, one histologically compatible with
      pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) type 2 lesion and the other with
      morphologic criteria for endocrine microadenoma. To our knowledge, this is the
      first case that evidences the presence of a concomitant premalignant exocrine
      lesion and benign endocrine lesion in a heterotopic pancreas.

PMID- 28617893
TI  - The "report card" to grade H. Pylori treatment regimens: is it achievable in real
      world in areas with high clarithromycin resistance?

PMID- 28617894
TI  - The "two-devices-in-one-channel technique" for biliary through-the-scope stent
      removal.

PMID- 28617895
TI  - Oral Direct Acting Antivirals treatment failed to cure a patient with chronic
      hepatitis C due to shifts of viral genotype.

PMID- 28617896
TI  - Retraction.
AB  - The authors of the case report "One-shot Balloon Dilation of Esophageal Stricture
      due to Unusual Lichen Planus Localization" published as an Image of the Issue in
      December 2016 in the Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (volume 25,
      number 4) have communicated to us they wish to retract this article from the
      journal. The Editors accept the retraction of this article from the Journal at
      the request of the author and will proceed accordingly.

PMID- 28617898
TI  - Mutation in BRAF V600E: A Poor Prognostic Marker in Stage III Colon Cancers With
      Deficient MMR?

PMID- 28617897
TI  - Recreational Activity and Facial Trauma Among Older Adults.
AB  - Importance: As the US population ages, public health agencies have released
      guidelines encouraging aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercises among
      older individuals. Facial trauma from such activities among elderly individuals
      has long been underappreciated. Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of
      recreational activity-associated facial fractures among older adults and to
      further delineate injury characteristics including demographics, fracture
      location, and specific activities. Design, Setting, and Participants: The
      National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was used to collect data on
      emergency department visits from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2015, for
      individuals 55 years of age or older who sustained facial fractures from
      recreational activities. Individual entries were evaluated for activity code,
      fracture site, and demographics. Weighting data were used to extrapolate national
      incidence. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence and location of facial fractures
      and associated recreational activity. Results: During the study period, there
      were 20 519 emergency department visits for recreational activity-associated
      facial fractures among adults 55 years of age or older (8107 women and 12 412
      men; mean [SD] age, 66.5 [9.1] years). The annual incidence of facial fractures
      increased by 45.3% from 2011 (n = 3174) through 2015 (n = 4612). Bicycling
      (26.6%), team sports (15.4%), outdoor activities (10.1%), and gardening (9.5%)
      were the most common causes of facial fractures. Walking and jogging caused 5.5%
      of fractures. In cases specifying site of fracture, nasal (65.4%) and orbital
      (14.1%) fractures were the most common. A greater proportion of men than women
      sustained bicycle-associated fractures (35.7% vs 14.9%; P = 3.1056 * 10-170),
      while more women than men sustained fractures associated with gardening (15.5% vs
      6.1%; P = 2.1029 * 10-97), outdoor activities (14.6% vs 7.7%; P = 4.3156 * 10
      50), and gym exercise (7.7% vs 1.3%; P = 3.0281 * 10-114). Men harbored a greater
      likelihood than women of orbital (14.9% vs 12.8%; P = 6.1468 * 10-5) and mandible
      fractures (9.3% vs 2.0%; P = 9.3760 * 10-64). Walking and jogging and gardening
      comprised a greater proportion of injuries in older cohorts. Conclusions and
      Relevance: Facial fractures sustained from recreational activity increased by
      45.3% during a 5-year period among older adults. Although bicycling was the most
      common activity facilitating these injuries, many other pursuits represent areas
      of concern. Nasal fractures predominated, although orbital fractures increased
      with age. These findings offer areas for targeted prevention and provide valuable
      information for patient counseling. Furthermore, initiatives encouraging greater
      activity among this population may need to be accompanied by guidelines for
      injury prevention. Level of Evidence: NA.

PMID- 28617899
TI  - When Somatic Mutations Are Associated With a Higher Aggressive Behavior-A Story
      of Announced Evidence.

PMID- 28617900
TI  - Importance of Reporting Duration of Facial Paralysis in Studies of Emotion and
      Well-being.

PMID- 28617901
TI  - Importance of Reporting Duration of Facial Paralysis in Studies of Emotion and
      Well-Being-Reply.

PMID- 28617902
TI  - Mother Tongue.

PMID- 28617903
TI  - Association Between Patient Review of Systems Score and Somatization.
AB  - Importance: Somatization is a condition in which psychological distress is
      manifested by medically unexplained symptoms, and it is prevalent in all medical
      specialties, including otolaryngology. Recognition of somatization can be
      difficult, and there are limited methods available. Objectives: To determine
      whether patients with somatization respond differently to the review of systems
      (ROS) portion of the patient interview and whether the ROS can be used to
      identify patients with somatization. Design, Setting, and Participants: A
      retrospective review of medical records of 2120 consecutive consultations of
      English- or Spanish-speaking patients aged 18 to 89 years who presented to the
      otolaryngology clinic from January 1, 2014, to November 10, 2015, was conducted
      to compare how the ROS of patients with chief complaints associated with
      somatization (group B: globus sensation, dizziness, and tinnitus) differs from
      those with symptoms more often associated with objective findings (group A: nasal
      obstruction, hoarseness, and hearing loss); a total of 605 patients were
      included. Objective clinical findings after physical examination and related
      testing were reviewed and classified as either significant, marginal, or absent.
      Current or past psychiatric comorbidities were also examined. Main Outcomes and
      Measures: Number of affirmative responses on a standardized, 69-point ROS was
      recorded as a ROS score (ROSS). Objective clinical findings, symptoms, and
      psychiatric comorbidities were recorded. Results: Of the 605 patients included in
      the analysis, 346 (57.2%) were women, and the mean (SD) age was 51.6 (15.7)
      years. Among patients with medically unexplained symptoms (median, 11; range, 0
      39), the ROSS was higher compared with those with objective clinical findings
      (median, 6; range, 0-31) (median difference, 4; 95% CI, 3 to 6). Group A
      (hoarseness, nasal obstruction, and hearing loss: median ROSS, 6, range, 0-41)
      exhibited lower ROSS than group B (dizziness, globus sensation, and tinnitus:
      median ROSS, 9; range, 0-39) (median difference, -2; 95% CI -3 to -1).
      Psychiatric comorbidity (median, 10; range, 0-41) was associated with higher ROSS
      than patients without psychiatric comorbidity (median, 5.5; range, 0 to 36)
      (median difference, 5; 95% CI, 3 to 6). Conclusions and Relevance: The manner in
      which patients respond to a standardized ROS differs in those with medically
      unexplained symptoms and in those with psychiatric disease. The ROS offers
      information beyond the actual systems review, and may be useful in the
      identification of somatization.

PMID- 28617904
TI  - Airway Foreign Body in a Premature Neonate.

PMID- 28617905
TI  - Incidence of Presumed Silicone Oil Droplets in the Vitreous Cavity After
      Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection With Insulin Syringes.
AB  - Importance: Intravitreal bevacizumab is a frequently used antivascular
      endothelial growth factor medication in the United States, but its off-label use
      is associated with risks associated with the compounding preparation. Objective:
      To determine the incidence of presumed silicone oil droplets after intravitreal
      bevacizumab was prepared in insulin syringes by a compounding pharmacy. Design,
      Setting, and Participants: A retrospective review was conducted of 60 patients
      who experienced intravitreal silicone oil droplets in the eye after intravitreal
      bevacizumab injections from a single specialist practice from October 1, 2015, to
      November 30, 2016. Bevacizumab, 1.25 mg/0.05 mL, was delivered in insulin
      syringes with a 31-gauge needle. Main Outcomes and Measures: Small, round clear
      spheres in vitreous on dilated biomicroscopic retinal examination. Results: Over
      a 14-month period involving 6632 intravitreal bevacizumab injections, 60 cases
      (35 [58%] women) of intravitreal silicone droplets were identified. Mean [SD] age
      of the patients was 80 [12] years; the population comprised 48 white, 9 Asian,
      and 3 Hispanic patients. The incidence of silicone oil droplet injections was
      0.03% (1 of 3230) from October 2015 to April 2016 and 1.7% (59 of 3402) from May
      to November 2016 (Fisher exact test, P < .001; odds ratio [OR], 57; 95% CI, 9.8
      2260). From May to November 2016, nonpriming the syringe before the intravitreal
      injection had a higher risk of intravitreal silicone oil droplets compared with
      priming the syringe (6.4% [47 of 739] vs 0.5% [12 of 2627]; Fisher exact test, P
      < .001; OR, 15.1; 95% CI, 7.9-33.4). Among the 60 cases, 41 patients (68%) were
      symptomatic, and the main symptom was floaters with spots of light. Among the
      patients with floaters, 36 (88%) improved over time (range, 2-8 months) despite
      the silicone droplets still being present on ophthalmoscopic examination.
      Conclusions and Relevance: An increase in intravitreal silicone oil associated
      with bevacizumab prepared with insulin syringes was documented. Priming the
      syringe before injection was associated with a lower frequency of this
      complication. These findings suggest that physicians should counsel their
      patients on the risk of floaters with intravitreal bevacizumab preloaded in
      insulin syringes.

PMID- 28617906
TI  - Comprehensive Hearing Aid Intervention at a Free Subspecialty Clinic.
AB  - Importance: Providing a model of a comprehensive free audiologic program may
      assist other health care professionals in developing their own similar program.
      Objective: To describe the structure, feasibility, and outcomes of a free
      subspecialty clinic providing hearing aids to develop a paradigm for other
      programs interested in implementing similar projects. Design, Setting, and
      Participants: A retrospective case series was conducted from September 1, 2013,
      through March 31, 2016. In a partnership between a free independent clinic for
      indigent patients and an academic medical center, 54 indigent patients were
      referred to the clinic for audiograms. A total of 50 of these patients had
      results of audiograms available for review and were therefore included in the
      study; 34 of these 50 patients were determined to be eligible for hearing aid
      fitting based on audiometric results. Exposures: Free audiometric testing,
      hearing aid fitting, and hearing aid donation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The
      number of hearing aids donated, number of eligible patients identified, number of
      patients fitted with hearing aids, and work effort (hours) and start-up costs
      associated with implementation of this program were quantified. Results: A total
      of 54 patients (31 women [57.4%] and 23 men [42.6%]; median age, 61 years; range,
      33-85 years) had audiograms performed, and 84 hearing aids were donated to the
      program. The patients were provided with free audiograms, hearing aid molds, and
      hearing aid programming, as well as follow-up appointments to ensure continued
      proper functioning of their hearing aids. Since 2013, a total of 34 patients have
      been determined to be eligible for the free program and were offered hearing aid
      services. Of these, 20 patients (59%) have been fitted or are being fitted with
      free hearing aids. The value of services provided is estimated to be $2260 per
      patient. Conclusions and Relevance: It is feasible to provide free, comprehensive
      audiologic care, including hearing aids and fitting, in a well-established, free
      clinic model. The opportunity for indigent patients to use hearing aids at
      minimal personal cost is a major step forward in improving access to high-quality
      care.

PMID- 28617907
TI  - Reducing Excessive Use of Antipsychotic Agents in Nursing Homes.

PMID- 28617908
TI  - Validation of Single C-Arm Fluoroscopic Technique for Measuring In Vivo Abdominal
      Wall Deformation.
AB  - Hernia meshes significantly reduce the recurrence rates in hernia repair. It is
      known that they affect the abdominal wall postimplantation, yet the understanding
      of in vivo mechanics in the mesh placement area is lacking. We established a
      single C-arm biplane fluoroscopic system to study strains at the interface
      between the mesh and repaired abdominal tissues. We aimed to validate this system
      for future porcine hernia repair studies. Custom matlab programs were written to
      correct for pincushion distortion, and direct linear transformation (DLT)
      reconstructed objects in 3D. Using a custom biplane-trough setup, image sets were
      acquired throughout the calibrated volume to evaluate a radio-opaque test piece
      with known distances between adjacent beads. Distances were measured
      postprocessing and compared to known measurements. Repeatability testing was
      conducted by taking image sets of the test piece in a fixed location to determine
      system movement. The error in areal stretch tracking was evaluated by imaging a
      square plate with fixed radio-opaque beads and using matlab programs to compare
      the measured areal stretch to known bead positions. Minor differences between
      measured and known distances in the test piece were not statistically different,
      and the system yielded a 0.01 mm bias in the XY plane and a precision of 0.61 mm.
      The measured areal stretch was 0.996, which was not significantly different than
      the expected value of 1. In addition, preliminary stretch data for a hernia mesh
      in a porcine model demonstrated technique feasibility to measure in vivo porcine
      abdominal mechanics.

PMID- 28617910
TI  - Error in Author Degree.

PMID- 28617909
TI  - Development of a Flow Evolution Network Model for the Stress-Strain Behavior of
      Poly(L-lactide).
AB  - Computational modeling is critical to medical device development and has grown in
      its utility for predicting device performance. Additionally, there is an
      increasing trend to use absorbable polymers for the manufacturing of medical
      devices. However, computational modeling of absorbable devices is hampered by a
      lack of appropriate constitutive models that capture their viscoelasticity and
      postyield behavior. The objective of this study was to develop a constitutive
      model that incorporated viscoplasticity for a common medical absorbable polymer.
      Microtensile bars of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) were studied experimentally to
      evaluate their monotonic, cyclic, unloading, and relaxation behavior as well as
      rate dependencies under physiological conditions. The data were then fit to a
      viscoplastic flow evolution network (FEN) constitutive model. PLLA exhibited rate
      dependent stress-strain behavior with significant postyield softening and stress
      relaxation. The FEN model was able to capture these relevant mechanical behaviors
      well with high accuracy. In addition, the suitability of the FEN model for
      predicting the stress-strain behavior of PLLA medical devices was investigated
      using finite element (FE) simulations of nonstandard geometries. The nonstandard
      geometries chosen were representative of generic PLLA cardiovascular stent
      subunits. These finite element simulations demonstrated that modeling PLLA using
      the FEN constitutive relationship accurately reproduced the specimen's force
      displacement curve, and therefore, is a suitable relationship to use when
      simulating stress distribution in PLLA medical devices. This study demonstrates
      the utility of an advanced constitutive model that incorporates viscoplasticity
      for simulating PLLA mechanical behavior.

PMID- 28617911
TI  - A Supraclavicular Mass.

PMID- 28617912
TI  - Mutation in BRAF V600E-Reply.

PMID- 28617913
TI  - A Woman With a Spot in Her Vision.

PMID- 28617914
TI  - Trends in Fluoroquinolone Nonsusceptibility Among Coagulase-Negative
      Staphylococcus Isolates Causing Endophthalmitis, 1995-2016.

PMID- 28617915
TI  - The Reduction in the Age-Adjusted Prevalence of Hearing Impairment in the United
      States-Reply.

PMID- 28617916
TI  - When Somatic Mutations Are Associated With a Higher Aggressive Behavior-Reply.

PMID- 28617918
TI  - Intravitreal Melphalan for Treatment of Primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma: A New
      Indication for an Old Drug.

PMID- 28617917
TI  - Genomic Profiling of Small-Bowel Adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Importance: Small-bowel adenocarcinomas (SBAs) are rare cancers with a
      significantly lower incidence, later stage at diagnosis, and worse overall
      survival than other intestinal-derived cancers. To date, comprehensive genomic
      analysis of SBA is lacking. Objective: To perform in-depth genomic
      characterization of a large series of SBAs and other gastrointestinal tumors to
      draw comparisons and identify potentially clinically actionable alterations.
      Design, Setting, and Participants: Prospective analysis was performed of clinical
      samples from patients with SBA (n = 317), colorectal cancer (n = 6353), and
      gastric carcinoma (n = 889) collected between August 24, 2012, and February 3,
      2016, using hybrid-capture-based genomic profiling, at the request of the
      individual treating physicians in the course of clinical care for the purpose of
      making therapy decisions. Results: Of the 7559 patients included in analysis,
      4138 (54.7%) were male; the median age was 56 (range, 12-101) years. The
      frequency of genomic alterations seen in SBA demonstrated distinct differences in
      comparison with either colorectal cancer (APC: 26.8% [85 of 317] vs 75.9% [4823
      of 6353], P < .001; and CDKN2A: 14.5% [46 of 317] vs 2.6% [165 of 6353], P <
      .001) or gastric carcinoma (KRAS: 53.6% [170 of 317] vs 14.2% [126 of 889], P <
      .001; APC: 26.8% [85 of 317] vs 7.8% [69 of 889], P < .001; and SMAD4: 17.4% [55
      of 317] vs 5.2% [46 of 889], P < .001). BRAF was mutated in 7.6% (484 of 6353) of
      colorectal cancer and 9.1% (29 of 317) of SBA samples, but V600E mutations were
      much less common in SBA, representing only 10.3% (3 of 29) of BRAF-mutated cases.
      The ERBB2/HER2 point mutations (8.2% [26 of 317]), microsatellite instability
      (7.6% [13 of 170]), and high tumor mutational burden (9.5% [30 of 317]) were all
      enriched in SBA. Significant differences were noted in the molecular profile of
      unspecified SBA compared with duodenal adenocarcinoma, as well as in inflammatory
      bowel disease-associated SBAs. Targetable alterations in several additional
      genes, including PIK3CA and MEK1, and receptor tyrosine kinase fusions, were also
      identified in all 3 series. Conclusions and Relevance: This study presents to our
      knowledge the first large-scale genomic comparison of SBA with colorectal cancer
      and gastric carcinoma. The distinct genomic differences establish SBA as a
      molecularly unique intestinal cancer. In addition, genomic profiling can identify
      potentially targetable genomic alterations in the majority of SBA cases (91%),
      and the higher incidence of microsatellite instability and tumor mutational
      burden in SBA suggests a potential role for immunotherapy.

PMID- 28617919
TI  - The Persistence and Functional Impact of English Language Difficulties
      Experienced by Children Learning English as an Additional Language and
      Monolingual Peers.
AB  - Purpose: This study explored whether a monolingual-normed English language
      battery could identify children with English as an additional language (EAL) who
      have persistent English language learning difficulties that affect functional
      academic attainment. Method: Children with EAL (n = 43) and monolingual English
      speaking children (n = 46) completed a comprehensive monolingual-normed English
      language battery in Year 1 (ages 5-6 years) and Year 3 (ages 7-8 years). Children
      with EAL and monolingual peers, who either met monolingual criteria for language
      impairment or typical development on the language battery in Year 1, were
      compared on language growth between Year 1 and Year 3 and on attainment in
      national curriculum assessments in Year 2 (ages 6-7 years). Results: Children
      with EAL and monolingual peers who met monolingual criteria for language
      impairment in Year 1 continued to display comparably impaired overall language
      ability 2 years later in Year 3. Moreover, these groups displayed comparably low
      levels of academic attainment in Year 2, demonstrating comparable functional
      impact of their language difficulties. Conclusion: Monolingual-normed language
      batteries in the majority language may have some practical value for identifying
      bilingual children who need support with language learning, regardless of the
      origin of their language difficulties.

PMID- 28617920
TI  - Milestone Analyses of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Targeted Therapy, and
      Conventional Therapy in Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Trials: A Meta
      analysis.
AB  - Importance: Novel intermediate end points may be useful to detect signals of
      early activity and prioritize new therapies to treat patients with advanced
      malignant neoplasms, including metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC).
      Objective: To explore milestone rate, a proposed intermediate end point for
      immunotherapy trials. Data Sources: Trials submitted to the US Food and Drug
      Administration with more than 150 patients and in which the intention-to-treat
      population was assessed were identified. Study Selection: An initial meta
      analysis identified 14 randomized clinical trials for treatment of mNSCLC with
      active controls submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration from January 1,
      2003, through December 31, 2013. An additional 11 randomized clinical trials
      submitted from January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2016 were included. Data
      Extraction and Synthesis: Two investigators abstracted data and pooled data to
      compare trial-level milestone ratios with conventional end points. Main Outcomes
      and Measures: Trial-level milestone ratios for milestone rates were calculated
      for overall response rate (ORR) within 6 months, 9-month progression-free
      survival (PFS), 9-month overall survival (OS), and 12-month OS. A weighted linear
      regression model evaluated associations between milestone ratios and hazard
      ratios (HRs). Experimental and control arms of trials testing immunotherapy,
      targeted therapy, and other trials were pooled to compare Kaplan-Meier survival
      estimates in the 3 therapeutic classes. Results: A total of 20 013 unique
      patients (65.4% male and 34.6% female; mean age, 60 [range, 18-92] years) with
      advanced lung cancer were identified in 25 unique trials. A moderate association
      was observed between 12-month OS milestone ratio and OS HR (R2 = 0.80; 95% CI,
      0.63-0.91) and 9-month OS milestone ratio and OS HR (R2 = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.49
      0.82). No associations were observed between 9-month PFS milestone ratio and OS
      HR (R2 = 0.19; 95% CI, 0.03-0.49) or 6-month ORR and OS HR (R2 = 0.05; 95% CI,
      0.0001-0.31). The aggregated Kaplan-Meier analysis of immunotherapy trials vs
      chemotherapy revealed an OS HR of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.63-0.75) and PFS HR of 0.82
      (95% CI, 0.76-0.89). Targeted therapy trials vs chemotherapy had an OS HR of 0.98
      (95% CI, 0.80-1.19) and PFS HR of 0.48 (95% CI, 0.42-0.56). Conclusions and
      Relevance: This analysis of milestone rates suggests a moderate association
      between OS milestones at 12 or 9 months and OS HR but not 9-month PFS or 6-month
      ORR milestones and OS HR. Although OS at 12 months had the strongest association
      with OS HR, it may not be the optimal time for future trials, which will
      increasingly have immunotherapy as the control, deploy new biomarker-enrichment
      strategies, and likely enroll patients with longer survival. Milestone rates may
      be useful as a complementary tool to summarize or interpret trial results or as a
      secondary end point in exploratory studies.

PMID- 28617921
TI  - Optical coherence tomography angiography-based capillary velocimetry.
AB  - Challenge persists in the field of optical coherence tomography (OCT) when it is
      required to quantify capillary blood flow within tissue beds in vivo. We propose
      a useful approach to statistically estimate the mean capillary flow velocity
      using a model-based statistical method of eigendecomposition (ED) analysis of the
      complex OCT signals obtained with the OCT angiography (OCTA) scanning protocol.
      ED-based analysis is achieved by the covariance matrix of the ensemble complex
      OCT signals, upon which the eigenvalues and eigenvectors that represent the
      subsets of the signal makeup are calculated. From this analysis, the signals due
      to moving particles can be isolated by employing an adaptive regression filter to
      remove the eigencomponents that represent static tissue signals. The mean
      frequency (MF) of moving particles can be estimated by the first lag-one
      autocorrelation of the corresponding eigenvectors. Three important parameters are
      introduced, including the blood flow signal power representing the presence of
      blood flow (i.e., OCTA signals), the MF indicating the mean velocity of blood
      flow, and the frequency bandwidth describing the temporal flow heterogeneity
      within a scanned tissue volume. The proposed approach is tested using scattering
      phantoms, in which microfluidic channels are used to simulate the functional
      capillary vessels that are perfused with the scattering intralipid solution. The
      results indicate a linear relationship between the MF and mean flow velocity. In
      vivo animal experiments are also conducted by imaging mouse brain with distal
      middle cerebral artery ligation to test the capability of the method to image the
      changes in capillary flows in response to an ischemic insult, demonstrating the
      practical usefulness of the proposed method for providing important quantifiable
      information about capillary tissue beds in the investigations of neurological
      conditions in vivo.

PMID- 28617922
TI  - Automated circumferential construction of first-order aqueous humor outflow
      pathways using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
AB  - The purpose was to create a three-dimensional (3-D) model of circumferential
      aqueous humor outflow (AHO) in a living human eye with an automated detection
      algorithm for Schlemm's canal (SC) and first-order collector channels (CC)
      applied to spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Anterior
      segment SD-OCT scans from a subject were acquired circumferentially around the
      limbus. A Bayesian Ridge method was used to approximate the location of the SC on
      infrared confocal laser scanning ophthalmoscopic images with a cross
      multiplication tool developed to initiate SC/CC detection automated through a
      fuzzy hidden Markov Chain approach. Automatic segmentation of SC and initial CC's
      was manually confirmed by two masked graders. Outflow pathways detected by the
      segmentation algorithm were reconstructed into a 3-D representation of AHO.
      Overall, only <1% of images (5114 total B-scans) were ungradable. Automatic
      segmentation algorithm performed well with SC detection 98.3% of the time and
      <0.1% false positive detection compared to expert grader consensus. CC was
      detected 84.2% of the time with 1.4% false positive detection. 3-D representation
      of AHO pathways demonstrated variably thicker and thinner SC with some clear CC
      roots. Circumferential (360 deg), automated, and validated AHO detection of angle
      structures in the living human eye with reconstruction was possible.

PMID- 28617923
TI  - Mapping absolute tissue endogenous fluorophore concentrations with chemometric
      wide-field fluorescence microscopy.
AB  - We report chemometric wide-field fluorescence microscopy for imaging the spatial
      distribution and concentration of endogenous fluorophores in thin tissue
      sections. Nonnegative factorization aided by spatial diversity is used to learn
      both the spectral signature and the spatial distribution of endogenous
      fluorophores from microscopic fluorescence color images obtained under broadband
      excitation and detection. The absolute concentration map of individual
      fluorophores is derived by comparing the fluorescence from "pure" fluorophores
      under the identical imaging condition following the identification of the
      fluorescence species by its spectral signature. This method is then demonstrated
      by characterizing the concentration map of endogenous fluorophores (including
      tryptophan, elastin, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and flavin adenine
      dinucleotide) for lung tissue specimens. The absolute concentrations of these
      fluorophores are all found to decrease significantly from normal, perilesional,
      to cancerous (squamous cell carcinoma) tissue. Discriminating tissue types using
      the absolute fluorophore concentration is found to be significantly more accurate
      than that achievable with the relative fluorescence strength. Quantification of
      fluorophores in terms of the absolute concentration map is also advantageous in
      eliminating the uncertainties due to system responses or measurement details,
      yielding more biologically relevant data, and simplifying the assessment of
      competing imaging approaches.

PMID- 28617924
TI  - The Reduction in the Age-Adjusted Prevalence of Hearing Impairment in the United
      States: An Unexpected Dividend of Phasing Out Leaded Gasoline?

PMID- 28617925
TI  - Gap in Capillary Perfusion on Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

PMID- 28617926
TI  - Author Response: Gap in Capillary Perfusion on Optical Coherence Tomography
      Angiography.

PMID- 28617927
TI  - Biomechanical Evaluations of Ocular Injury Risk for Blast Loading.
AB  - Ocular trauma is one of the most common types of combat injuries resulting from
      the exposure of military personnel with improvised explosive devices. The injury
      mechanism associated with the primary blast wave is poorly understood. We
      employed a three-dimensional computational model, which included the main
      internal ocular structures of the eye, spatially varying thickness of the cornea
      scleral shell, and nonlinear tissue properties, to calculate the intraocular
      pressure and stress state of the eye wall and internal ocular structure caused by
      the blast. The intraocular pressure and stress magnitudes were applied to
      estimate the injury risk using existing models for blunt impact and blast
      loading. The simulation results demonstrated that blast loading can induce
      significant stresses in the different components of the eyes that correlate with
      observed primary blast injuries in animal studies. Different injury models
      produced widely different injury risk predictions, which highlights the need for
      experimental studies evaluating mechanical and functional damage to the ocular
      structures caused by the blast loading.

PMID- 28617928
TI  - Expectation modulates repetition priming under high stimulus variability.
AB  - Neural responses to stimuli are often attenuated by repeated presentation. When
      observed in blood oxygen level-dependent signals, this attenuation is known as
      fMRI adaptation (fMRIa) or fMRI repetition suppression. According to a prominent
      account, fMRIa reflects the fulfillment of perceptual expectations during
      recognition of repeated items (Summerfield, Trittschuh, Monti, Mesulam, & Egner,
      2008). Supporting this idea, expectation has been shown to modulate fMRIa under
      some circumstances; however, it is not currently known whether expectation
      similarly modulates recognition performance. To address this lacuna, we measured
      behavioral and fMRI responses to faces while varying the extent to which each
      stimulus was informative about its successor. Behavioral priming was greater when
      repetitions were more likely, suggesting that recognition was facilitated by the
      expectation than an item would repeat. Notably, this effect was only observed
      when stimuli were drawn from a broad set of faces including many ethnicities and
      both genders, but not when stimuli were drawn from a narrower face set, thus
      making repetitions less informative. Moreover, expectation did not modulate fMRIa
      in face-selective cortex, contrary to previous studies, although an exploratory
      analysis indicated that it did so in a medial frontal region. These results
      support the idea that expectation modulates recognition efficiency, but insofar
      as behavioral effects of expectation were not accompanied by fMRI effects in
      visual cortex, they suggest that fMRIa cannot be entirely explained in terms of
      fulfilled expectations.

PMID- 28617929
TI  - Age effects on saccadic adaptation: Evidence from different paradigms reveals
      specific vulnerabilities.
AB  - Saccadic eye movements provide an opportunity to study closely interwoven
      perceptual, motor, and cognitive changes during aging. Here, we investigated age
      effects on different mechanisms of saccadic plasticity. We compared age effects
      in two different adaptation paradigms that tap into low- and high-level
      adaptation processes. A total of 27 senior adults and 25 young adults
      participated in our experiments. In our first experiment, we elicited adaptation
      by a double-step paradigm, which is designed to trigger primarily low-level,
      gradual motor adaptation. Age groups showed equivalent adaptation of saccadic
      gain. In our second experiment, adaptation was induced by a perceptual task that
      emphasizes high-level, fast processes. We consistently found no evidence for age
      related differences in low-level adaptation; however, the fast adaptation
      response was significantly more pronounced in the young adult group. We conclude
      that low-level motor adaptation is robust during healthy aging but that high
      level contributions, presumably involving executive strategies, are subject to
      age-related decline. Our findings emphasize the need to differentiate between
      specific aging processes in order to understand functional decline and stability
      across the adult life span.

PMID- 28617932
TI  - Effect of the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus on the development of
      cognitive impairment and dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prevention of cognitive impairment and dementia is an important
      public health goal. Epidemiological evidence shows a relationship between
      cognitive impairment and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The risk of dementia increases
      with duration of disease. This updated systematic review investigated the effect
      on cognitive function of the type of treatment and level of metabolic control in
      people with Type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of different
      strategies for managing Type 2 diabetes mellitus on cognitive function and the
      incidence of dementia. SEARCH METHODS: We searched ALOIS (the Specialized
      Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (CDCIG)), the
      Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and LILACS on 15 October
      2016. ALOIS contains records from all major health care databases, (CENTRAL,
      MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS), as well as from many trials'
      registers and grey literature sources. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised
      controlled trials (RCTs) which compared two or more different treatments for Type
      2 diabetes mellitus and in which cognitive function was measured at baseline and
      after treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently
      extracted data and assessed the quality of the included RCTs. We pooled data for
      comparable trials and estimated the effects of treatment by using risk ratios
      (RRs) and mean differences (MDs), according to the nature of the outcome. We
      assessed the quality of the evidence using GRADE methods. MAIN RESULTS: We
      identified seven eligible studies but only four provided data we could include in
      efficacy analyses. Two of these studies compared intensive versus standard
      glycaemic control and two compared different pharmacological treatments. All
      studies were at unclear risk of bias in at least two domains and one large study
      was at high risk of performance and detection bias.(a) Two studies with 13,934
      participants at high cardiovascular risk provided efficacy data on intensive
      versus standard glycaemic control. A third study with 1791 participants provided
      additional data on hypoglycaemic episodes and mortality. There is probably no
      difference between treatment groups in the number of participants who decline by
      at least 3 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) over five years (RR
      0.98, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.08; 1 study; n = 11,140; moderate-quality evidence); and
      there may also be little or no difference in the incidence of dementia (RR 1.27,
      95% CI 0.87 to 1.85; 1 study; n = 11,140; low-quality evidence). From another
      study, there was probably little or no difference in MMSE score after 40 months
      (MD -0.01, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.16; 1 study; n = 2794; moderate quality evidence).
      Participants exposed to the intensive glycaemic control strategy probably
      experience more episodes of severe hypoglycaemia than those who have standard
      treatment (RR 2.18, 95% CI 1.52 to 3.14; 2 studies; n = 12,827; moderate-quality
      evidence). The evidence from these trials suggests that the intensity of
      glycaemic control may have little or no effect on all-cause mortality (RR 0.99,
      95% CI 0.87 to 1.13; 3 studies; n = 15,888; low-quality evidence).(b) One study
      with 156 participants compared glibenclamide (glyburide) with repaglinide. There
      may be a small advantage of glibenclamide on global cognitive function measured
      with the MMSE after 12 months (MD -0.90, 95% CI -1.68 to -0.12; low-quality
      evidence). No data were reported on the incidence of dementia, hypoglycaemic
      events or all-cause mortality.(c) One study with 145 participants compared
      rosiglitazone plus metformin to glibenclamide (glyburide) plus metformin over 24
      weeks. It reported only on cognitive subdomains and not on global cognitive
      function, incidence of MCI or dementia, hypoglycaemic events or all causes of
      mortality. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found no good evidence that any specific
      treatment or treatment strategy for Type 2 diabetes can prevent or delay
      cognitive impairment. The best available evidence related to the comparison of
      intensive with standard glycaemic control strategies. Here there was moderate
      quality evidence that the strategies do not differ in their effect on global
      cognitive functioning over 40 to 60 months.

PMID- 28617933
TI  - Outcomes of radiation therapy for advanced T3/T4 nonmelanoma cutaneous squamous
      cell and basal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28617934
TI  - The anaerobic biosynthesis of plasmalogens.
AB  - The biosynthesis of plasmalogens in anaerobic bacteria differs fundamentally from
      that in animal cells. Firstly, the formation of the alk-1'-enyl ether bond in
      animal cells is oxygen dependent. Secondly, the first step in plasmalogen
      formation in animal cells is an acylation of dihydroxyacetone phosphate, which
      has been ruled out as a precursor in anaerobes. In bacteria the alk-1'-enyl ether
      bond is formed after the fully formed acyl glycerolipids are synthesized.
      Evidence will be presented for the conversion of the sn-1 acyl-linked chain to an
      O-alk-1'-enyl ether by an as yet unknown mechanism.

PMID- 28617935
TI  - Patch testing in patients with psoriasis: results of a 30-year retrospective
      study.

PMID- 28617936
TI  - T follicular regulatory cells in mice and men.
AB  - It has long been known that CD4 T cells are necessary to provide help to B cells,
      triggering a germinal centre (GC) reaction where affinity maturation and isotype
      switching occur. However, the nature of the dedicated CD4 helper T cells, known
      as T follicular helper (Tfh), was only recently described. Here, we review the
      biology and function of the recently described T follicular regulatory (Tfr)
      cells, another CD4 T-cell population also found within GCs but with regulatory
      function and characteristics. Tfr cells have been identified in mice and humans
      as simultaneously presenting characteristics of T follicular cells (namely CXCR5
      expression) and regulatory T cells (including Foxp3 expression). These Tfr cells
      have been implicated in the regulation of the magnitude of the GC reaction, as
      well as in protection from immune-mediated pathology.

PMID- 28617937
TI  - Resilience in Context: A Brief and Culturally Grounded Measure for Syrian Refugee
      and Jordanian Host-Community Adolescents.
AB  - Validated measures are needed for assessing resilience in conflict settings. An
      Arabic version of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM) was developed and
      tested in Jordan. Following qualitative work, surveys were implemented with
      male/female, refugee/nonrefugee samples (N = 603, 11-18 years). Confirmatory
      factor analyses tested three-factor structures for 28- and 12-item CYRMs and
      measurement equivalence across groups. CYRM-12 showed measurement reliability and
      face, content, construct (comparative fit index = .92-.98), and convergent
      validity. Gender-differentiated item loadings reflected resource access and
      social responsibilities. Resilience scores were inversely associated with mental
      health symptoms, and for Syrian refugees were unrelated to lifetime trauma
      exposure. In assessing individual, family, and community-level dimensions of
      resilience, the CYRM is a useful measure for research and practice with refugee
      and host-community youth.

PMID- 28617938
TI  - Fragile X syndrome: An overview and update of the FMR1 gene.
AB  - Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual
      disability and the leading form of the monogenic cause of autism. Fragile X
      mental retardation type 1 (FMR1) gene premutation is the first single-gene cause
      of primary ovarian failure (Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency
      [FXPOI]) and one of the most common causes of ataxia (fragile X-associated
      tremor/ataxia syndrome [FXTAS]), multiple additional phenotypes such as
      fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, migraine headaches, sleep disturbances, sleep
      apnea, restless legs syndrome, central pain syndrome, neuropathy and
      neuropsychiatric alterations has been described. Clinical involvement in men and
      women carrying the FMR1 premutation currently constitutes a real health problem
      in the society that should be taken into account. It is important to highlight
      that while in FXS there is a loss-of-function of the FMR1 gene, in premutation
      associated disorders there is a gain of FMR1 mRNA function. To date, the
      tremendous progress achieved in the understanding of the pathophysiology of FXS,
      has led to the development of several targeted therapies aimed at preventing or
      improving the neurological manifestations of the disease. This review is an
      update of the diseases associated with the FMR1 gene.

PMID- 28617939
TI  - Commentary on Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Positive Youth Development With
      Implications for Intervention Research.
AB  - There is a growing focus on youth positive development issues among researchers
      and practitioners around the world. In this special issue of Child Development,
      each of the international authors provides new perspectives and understanding
      about youth developmental assets in different cultural settings. The present
      commentary (a) examines some of the cross-cultural themes that emerge from the
      four articles by international authors in this issue with implications for
      positive youth development (PYD) and (b) how intervention science can benefit by
      incorporating a PYD approach. As evident, youth involved in contexts that provide
      positive resources from significant others not only were less likely to exhibit
      negative outcomes, but also were more likely to show evidence of positive
      development.

PMID- 28617940
TI  - Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy in pediatric patients enrolled in a
      prospective, open-label clinical study with cannabidiol.
AB  - Recent clinical trials indicate that cannabidiol (CBD) may reduce seizure
      frequency in pediatric patients with certain forms of treatment-resistant
      epilepsy. Many of these patients experience significant impairments in quality of
      life (QOL) in physical, mental, and social dimensions of health. In this study,
      we measured the caregiver-reported Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE)
      in a subset of patients enrolled in a prospective, open-label clinical study of
      CBD. Results from caregivers of 48 patients indicated an 8.2 +/- 9.9-point
      improvement in overall patient QOLCE (p < 0.001) following 12 weeks of CBD.
      Subscores with improvement included energy/fatigue, memory, control/helplessness,
      other cognitive functions, social interactions, behavior, and global QOL. These
      differences were not correlated to changes in seizure frequency or adverse
      events. The results suggest that CBD may have beneficial effects on patient QOL,
      distinct from its seizure-reducing effects; however, further studies in placebo
      controlled, double-blind trials are necessary to confirm this finding.

PMID- 28617941
TI  - Association of immunoglobulin G4 and free light chain with idiopathic pleural
      effusion.
AB  - The cause of pleural effusion remains uncertain in approximately 15% of patients
      despite exhaustive evaluation. As recently described immunoglobulin (Ig)G4
      related disease is a fibroinflammatory disorder that can affect various organs,
      including the lungs, we investigate whether idiopathic pleural effusion includes
      IgG4-associated etiology. Between 2000 and 2012, we collected 830 pleural fluid
      samples and reviewed 35 patients with pleural effusions undiagnosed after pleural
      biopsy at Yamaguchi-Ube Medical Center. Importantly, IgG4 immunostaining revealed
      infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells in the pleura of 12 patients (34%,
      IgG4+ group). The median effusion IgG4 level was 41 mg/dl in the IgG4+ group and
      27 mg/dl in the IgG4- group (P < 0.01). The light and heavy chains of effusion
      IgG4 antibodies of patients in the IgG4+ group were heterogeneous by two
      dimensional electrophoresis, indicating the absence of clonality of the IgG4
      antibodies. Interestingly, the kappa light chains were more heterogeneous than
      the lambda light chains. The measurement of the kappa and lambda free light chain
      (FLC) levels in the pleural fluids showed significantly different kappa FLC
      levels (median: 28.0 versus 9.1 mg/dl, P < 0.01) and kappa/lambda ratios (median:
      2.0 versus 1.2, P < 0.001) between the IgG4+ and IgG4- groups. Furthermore, the
      kappa/lambda ratios were correlated with the IgG4+ /IgG+ plasma cell ratios in
      the pleura of the IgG4+ group. Taken together, these results demonstrate the
      involvement of IgG4 in certain idiopathic pleural effusions and provide insights
      into the diagnosis, pathogenesis and therapeutic opportunities of IgG4-associated
      pleural effusion.

PMID- 28617942
TI  - Withasteroid B from D. metel L. regulates immune responses by modulating the
      JAK/STAT pathway and the IL-17+ RORgammat+ /IL-10+ FoxP3+ ratio.
AB  - Datura metel L. is a medicinal herb that contains withasteroids and has a wide
      range of biological activities. We isolated seven withasteroids from the flowers
      of D. metel L and examined their ability to inhibit immune responses in vitro and
      in vivo. Among the withasteroids, withasteroid B2 exhibited the strongest
      inhibitory effect on immune responses comparing B2 with other isolated compounds
      from D. metel L., including suppressing the differentiation of CD4+ T cells by
      inhibiting the expression and production of T cell lineage-specific master
      regulators and cytokines and directly suppressing the cytokine-induced Janus
      kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signalling
      pathways. In the interleukin (IL)-23-induced mouse ear model of skin disease, B2
      repressed disease development by inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory
      mediators in murine ear skin. Moreover, B2 affected the maturation of dendritic
      cells (DCs) in vitro which, in turn, induced T cell differentiation with an
      increased regulatory T cell (Treg ) phenotype and decreased T helper type 17
      (Th17) phenotype. This study provides new evidence that B2 might ameliorate
      chronic inflammatory skin diseases by suppressing pathogenic CD4+ T cell
      differentiation and the IL-17+ retinoic-acid-receptor-related orphan receptor
      gamma t (RORgammat)+ /IL-10+ forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3)+ ratio. These
      findings suggest that B2 might mediate the therapeutic effects observed in
      psoriasis patients following treatment with D. metel L.

PMID- 28617943
TI  - Long-term impact of childhood selective dorsal rhizotomy on pain, fatigue, and
      function: a case-control study.
AB  - AIM: Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is a surgical treatment for spasticity in
      children with cerebral palsy (CP). Studies suggest long-lasting effects of SDR on
      spasticity; long-term effects on symptoms and function are not clear. This study
      tested whether adults with CP (average 22y after SDR) report less pain, fatigue,
      and functional decline than a retrospectively assessed non-surgical comparison
      group. METHOD: This was a case-control study. Eighty-eight adults with CP (mean
      age 27y; SDR=38 male/female/missing=20/16/2; non-surgical [comparison]=50,
      male/female=19/31) recruited from a tertiary care center and the community
      completed a battery of self-reported outcome measures. Regression models were
      used to test whether SDR status predicted pain, fatigue, functional change, and
      hours of assistance (controlling for Gross Motor Function Classification System
      level). RESULTS: SDR status did not significantly predict pain interference
      (p=0.965), pain intensity (p=0.512), or fatigue (p=0.404). SDR related to lower
      decline in gross motor functioning (p=0.010) and approximately 6 fewer hours of
      daily assistance than for those in the comparison group (p=0.001).
      INTERPRETATION: Adults with CP who had SDR in childhood reported less gross motor
      decline and fewer daily assistance needs than non-surgically treated peers,
      suggesting the functional impact of SDR persists long after surgery.

PMID- 28617944
TI  - Inequity in timing of prenatal screening in New Zealand: Who are our most
      vulnerable?
AB  - BACKGROUND: In New Zealand (NZ), Maori and Pacific women are less likely to
      complete prenatal screening for Down syndrome and other aneuploidies than other
      ethnic groups. Young women <20 have low rates of completed screening compared
      with women >20 years. Women living in deprived areas have lower completed screen
      rates than women living in more affluent areas. Combined first trimester
      screening has a superior sensitivity (85%) compared with second trimester
      screening (75%) for trisomy 21. The relative contribution of demographic factors
      to timing of screening uptake (first vs second trimester) has not previously been
      examined. AIM: To evaluate the association of ethnicity, deprivation, District
      Health Board (DHB) of domicile and maternal age with timing of prenatal screening
      (first vs second trimester) in pregnant women screened in NZ from 2010 to 2013.
      METHODS AND MATERIALS: Univariate logistic regression analyses were used to
      explore the association between timing of completed screening and each of
      ethnicity, deprivation index, DHB of domicile and maternal age. Multivariate
      logistic regression models were developed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95%
      confidence intervals (CI). Statistical analyses were performed using SAS v9.3
      RESULTS: Of completed prenatal screens, 88% were completed in the first
      trimester. Ethnicity, age, deprivation and DHB were all significant predictors of
      completed first versus second trimester screening. Maori women were almost 60%
      less likely (adjusted OR 0.37, CI 0.35-0.39) and Pacific women almost 80% less
      likely (adjusted OR 0.23, CI 0.21-0.24) than NZ European women to have completed
      first versus second trimester screening. Women <30 years were less likely to have
      completed first trimester screening, as were more deprived women. Variation was
      also seen by DHB with women living in Whanganui DHB less likely to have completed
      first versus second trimester screening than women living in Auckland (adjusted
      OR 0.76, CI 0.71-0.81). Women living in Bay of Plenty DHB were more likely to be
      screened in the first versus second trimester compared with women living in
      Auckland (adjusted OR 1.55, CI 1.38-1.74). Within Auckland itself, women living
      in Counties Manukau DHB were less likely to be screened in the first versus
      second trimester than women living in Auckland DHB even after adjusting for
      ethnicity, deprivation and maternal age. CONCLUSION: Maori and Pacific women have
      the lowest uptake of completed first versus second trimester screening after
      adjusting for age, deprivation and DHB. Research is required to understand if
      this relates to characteristics of the carer making the offer of screening,
      language and/or cultural barriers to care or specific collective cultural or
      religious views held by women from these ethnicities. The lower completed first
      trimester versus second trimester prenatal screening in deprived areas, as well
      as variation by DHB, may relate to the availability of ultrasound and/or
      laboratory services in specific regions. Cost may be a contributing factor to
      inequity in timing of completed prenatal screening uptake, as first trimester
      screening incurs a part-charge to the individual, while second trimester
      screening is fully funded. Systemic factors within the NZ maternity model of care
      may also be contributory with a potential disconnect occurring for the woman
      between primary medical care and later registration with a Lead Maternity Carer
      in the first trimester.

PMID- 28617946
TI  - Heterogeneity in Perceptions of Parenting Among Arab Refugee Adolescents in
      Jordan.
AB  - Heterogeneity in parenting was examined in 883 Arab refugee adolescents in Jordan
      (Mage  = 15.01 years, SD = 1.60). Latent profile analyses of five parenting
      dimensions rated separately for mothers and fathers yielded authoritative,
      authoritarian, indifferent, punitive, and for mothers, permissive profiles, with
      most mothers (60%) and fathers (66%) classified as authoritative. Parenting was
      more often authoritative for women than men and punitive (for fathers) or
      permissive (for mothers) of boys than girls. Authoritative fathers and
      authoritarian mothers were better educated than punitive parents, whose offspring
      reported more norm breaking and internalizing symptoms and lower academic
      achievement than other youth. Adjustment was better when adolescents had at least
      one authoritative parent than when parents were either consistent or discrepant
      but nonauthoritative.

PMID- 28617945
TI  - microRNA cluster 106a~363 is involved in T helper 17 cell differentiation.
AB  - T-helper cell type 17 (Th17) mediated inflammation is associated with various
      diseases including autoimmune encephalitis, inflammatory bowel disease and lung
      diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
      Differentiation into distinct T helper subtypes needs to be tightly regulated to
      ensure an immunological balance. As microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of
      signalling pathways, we aimed to identify specific miRNAs implicated in
      controlling Th17 differentiation. We were able to create a regulatory network
      model of murine T helper cell differentiation by combining Affymetrix mRNA and
      miRNA arrays and in silico analysis. In this model, the miR-212~132 and miR
      182~183 clusters were significantly up-regulated upon Th17 differentiation,
      whereas the entire miR-106~363 cluster was down-regulated and predicted to target
      well-known Th17 cell differentiation pathways. In vitro transfection of miR-18b,
      miR-106a and miR-363-3p into primary murine Cd4+ lymphocytes decreased expression
      of retinoid-related orphan receptor c (Rorc), Rora, Il17a and Il17f, and
      abolished secretion of Th17-mediated interleukin-17a (Il17a). Moreover, we
      demonstrated target site-specific regulation of the Th17 transcription factors
      Rora and nuclear factor of activated T cells (Nfat) 5 by miR-18b, miR-106a and
      miR-363-3p through luciferase reporter assays. Here, we provide evidence that
      miRNAs are involved in controlling the differentiation and function of T helper
      cells, offering useful tools to study and modify Th17-mediated inflammation.

PMID- 28617948
TI  - Clinical Abstracts of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress
      2017, Birmingham, UK, April 6-9, 2017.

PMID- 28617947
TI  - Poly r(C) binding protein 1-mediated regulation of microRNA expression underlies
      post-sevoflurane amelioration of acute lung injury in rats.
AB  - Acute lung injury (ALI) presents a pervasive health burden due to the high
      morbidity and mortality associated with it. Volatile anesthetics like sevoflurane
      has been previously shown to have organ-protective effect, both in the context of
      normal physiological function in liver, and during LPS-induced ALI. Sevoflurane
      was shown to exert lung protective effect during LPS-induced ALI by modulating
      expression level of microRNAs (miRNAs), specifically miR-155. The objective of
      the current study was to define the underlying mechanism by which sevoflurane
      alters miRNA expression levels. Lung injury caused by LPS and its amelioration
      post sevoflurane administration was first confirmed. Expression levels of
      different miRNA and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding inflammatory cytokines were
      measured in a rat model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI, which were
      subsequently treated with either sevoflurane or vehicle control. Host of miRNAs
      and messenger RNAs encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines are overexpressed during
      LPS-induced ALI, which are reversed following sevoflurane administration. Mass
      spectrometry analysis revealed that the RNA-binding protein, poly r(C) binding
      protein 1 (PCBP1) expression is induced in ALI and is repressed following
      sevoflurane treatment. RNA immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that PCBP1
      expression dictates the altered miRNA expression and sevoflurane altered miRNA
      expression by suppressing PCBP1 expression. Our study thus elucidates a unique
      mechanism of lung protective effect of sevoflurane mediated by suppression of
      expression of a RNA-binding protein that potentiates expression of pro
      inflammatory miRNAs.

PMID- 28617949
TI  - Anxiety and depression among school students in Jordan: Prevalence, risk factors,
      and predictors.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression,
      examine their relationships with sociodemographic factors and Internet addiction,
      and identify their main predictors among Jordanian school students aged 12-18
      years. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive correlational study was conducted on a
      random sample of 800 students from 10 public schools in Amman. Symptom Checklist
      anxiety, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children, and
      Young's Internet Addiction Tool were used for the purpose. FINDINGS: Overall,
      42.1 and 73.8% of the students were experiencing anxiety and depression. Risk
      factors for both problems were school class and Internet addiction, with the
      latter being the main predictor. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Increasing students' and
      stakeholders' awareness of mental illnesses and health programs and developing
      counseling centers to meet the students' needs are necessary.

PMID- 28617950
TI  - Effect of cross-linked vs non-cross-linked collagen membranes on bone: A
      systematic review.
AB  - The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to compare the clinical
      outcomes of two different resorbable collagen membranes in terms of regenerated
      bone volume, postoperative complications and membrane degradation during bone
      regeneration procedures. Randomized controlled trials (RCT) or controlled trials
      (CT) that compared both techniques were reviewed on four electronic databases up
      to December 2015, a manual search was performed on the bibliography of the
      collected articles and the authors were contacted for additional references if
      undetected on the electronic and manual search. Membrane exposure was evaluated
      as a dichotomous outcome and the statistical unit was the membrane. The results
      were presented as relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval. Eight RCTs
      and one CT were included in this study. The majority of the studies depicted a
      bone augmentation area, which ranged from 46.15% to 94.6% for the non-cross-link
      membranes and from 44% to 92.6% for the cross-link membranes at the 4-6 month re
      entry surgery. From a total of 289 patients, a forest plot concerning the
      membrane exposure was constructed using the obtained RR of the included studies.
      The overall RR was 1.43 (95% CI: 0.85-2.39) with no statistically significant
      differences between the two groups, although with a marginal tendency towards
      higher exposure in the cross-link membrane group. This systematic review suggests
      the different membranes present themselves as appropriate for bone regeneration
      procedures, although cross-link membranes present higher rates of postoperative
      complications. However, more RCT with higher sample sizes are needed to evaluate
      the different membranes. The suggested lack of clinical differences between the
      compared membranes suggest that further cost-benefit ratio, tissue integration
      and postoperative complication oriented studies should be performed so that
      clinicians can take a patient-centred, evidence-based decision.

PMID- 28617951
TI  - Altered expression of IGF-I system in neurons of the inflamed spinal cord during
      acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
AB  - There is growing evidence that the impaired IGF-I system contributes to
      neurodegeneration. In this study, we examined the spinal cords of the EAE, the
      animal model of multiple sclerosis, to see if the expression of the IGF-I system
      is altered. To induce EAE, C57/BL6 mice were immunized with the Hooke lab MOG
      kit, sacrificed at the peak of the disease and their spinal cords were examined
      for the immunoreactivities (ir) of the IGF-I, IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and
      glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta), as one major downstream molecule in
      the IGF-I signaling. Although neurons in the non EAE spinal cords did not show
      the IGF-I immunoreactivity, they were numerously positive for the IGFBP-1. In the
      inflamed EAE spinal cord however, the patterns of expressions were reversed, that
      is, a significant increased number of IGF-I expressing neurons versus a reduced
      number of IGFBP-1 positive neurons. Moreover, while nearly all IGF-I-ir neurons
      expressed GSK3beta, some expressed it more intensely. Considering our previous
      finding where we showed a significant reduced number of the inactive
      (phosphorylated) but not that of the total GSK3beta expressing neurons in the EAE
      spinal cord, it is conceivable that the intense total GSK3beta expression in the
      IGF-I-ir neurons belongs to the active form of GSK3beta known to exert
      neuroinflammatory effects. We therefore suggest that the altered expression of
      the IGF-I system including GSK3beta in spinal cord neurons might involve in
      pathophysiological events during the EAE.

PMID- 28617953
TI  - The gingival biotype in a cohort of Chinese subjects with and without history of
      periodontal disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the gingival biotype in Chinese
      subjects with and without a history of periodontal disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Thirty periodontally healthy subjects and 20 subjects with treated chronic
      periodontitis were recruited. The mid-buccal gingival thickness of upper central
      and lateral incisors was measured by a customized caliper in all subjects. The
      crown length and crown width of these teeth were recorded in the healthy group,
      while gingival recession was measured in the periodontitis group. These outcome
      measures were compared among the groups and sub-groups, and the correlation of
      gingival biotypes with clinical parameters was analyzed. RESULTS: The mean
      thickness of gingiva in the 30 periodontally healthy subjects was 1.05+/-0.31 mm
      (0.47-1.57 mm). The males exhibited a greater crown length than the females
      (P<.05). No significant correlation was found between gingival thickness and the
      crown width to crown length ratio. The mean gingival thickness at the 80 sites
      measured in the 20 periodontitis subjects was 0.89+/-0.29 mm (0.33-1.56 mm).
      Overall, gingival biotype as measured by gingival thickness was significantly
      correlated with gingival recession (r=-.240, P=.032), while a stronger
      correlation was found among the 42 sites with bleeding on probing prior to
      periodontal treatment (r=-.382, P=.013). CONCLUSION: This study shows that
      gingival biotype measured by gingival thickness in subjects with treated
      periodontitis is significantly correlated with gingival recession. Further study
      could clarify the clinical implications of gingival biotype in the management of
      periodontal patients.

PMID- 28617952
TI  - Systolic [Ca2+ ]i regulates diastolic levels in rat ventricular myocytes.
AB  - KEY POINTS: For the heart to function as a pump, intracellular calcium
      concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ) must increase during systole to activate contraction
      and then fall, during diastole, to allow the myofilaments to relax and the heart
      to refill with blood. The present study investigates the control of diastolic
      [Ca2+ ]i in rat ventricular myocytes. We show that diastolic [Ca2+ ]i is
      increased by manoeuvres that decrease sarcoplasmic reticulum function. This is
      accompanied by a decrease of systolic [Ca2+ ]i such that the time-averaged [Ca2+
      ]i remains constant. We report that diastolic [Ca2+ ]i is controlled by the
      balance between Ca2+ entry and Ca2+ efflux during systole. The results of the
      present study identify a novel mechanism by which changes of the amplitude of the
      systolic Ca transient control diastolic [Ca2+ ]i . ABSTRACT: The intracellular Ca
      concentration ([Ca2+ ]i ) must be sufficently low in diastole so that the
      ventricle is relaxed and can refill with blood. Interference with this will
      impair relaxation. The factors responsible for regulation of diastolic [Ca2+ ]i ,
      in particular the relative roles of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and surface
      membrane, are unclear. We investigated the effects on diastolic [Ca2+ ]i that
      result from the changes of Ca cycling known to occur in heart failure.
      Experiments were performed using Fluo-3 in voltage clamped rat ventricular
      myocytes. Increasing stimulation frequency increased diastolic [Ca2+ ]i . This
      increase of [Ca2+ ]i was larger when SR function was impaired either by making
      the ryanodine receptor leaky (with caffeine or ryanodine) or by decreasing
      sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase activity with thapsigargin. The increase of
      diastolic [Ca2+ ]i produced by interfering with the SR was accompanied by a
      decrease of the amplitude of the systolic Ca transient, such that there was no
      change of time-averaged [Ca2+ ]i . Time-averaged [Ca2+ ]i was increased by beta
      adrenergic stimulation with isoprenaline and increased in a saturating manner
      with increased stimulation frequency; average [Ca2+ ]i was a linear function of
      Ca entry per unit time. Diastolic and time-averaged [Ca2+ ]i were decreased by
      decreasing the L-type Ca current (with 50 MUm cadmium chloride). We conclude that
      diastolic [Ca2+ ]i is controlled by the balance between Ca entry and efflux
      during systole. Furthermore, manoeuvres that decrease the amplitude of the Ca
      transient (without decreasing Ca influx) will therefore increase diastolic [Ca2+
      ]i . This identifies a novel mechanism by which changes of the amplitude of the
      systolic Ca transient control diastolic [Ca2+ ]i .

PMID- 28617954
TI  - Mind the movement: Frontal asymmetry stands for behavioral motivation, bilateral
      frontal activation for behavior.
AB  - Frontal asymmetry has been investigated over the past 30 years, and several
      theories have been developed about its meaning. The original theory of Davidson
      and its diversification by Harmon-Jones & Allen allocated approach motivation to
      relative left frontal brain activity and withdrawal motivation to relative right
      frontal brain activity. Hewig and colleagues extended this theory by adding
      bilateral frontal activation representing a biological correlate of the
      behavioral activation system if actual behavior is shown. Wacker and colleagues
      formulated a theory related to the revised reinforcement sensitivity theory by
      Gray & McNaughton. Here, relative left frontal brain activation represents the
      revised behavioral activation system and behavior, while relative right frontal
      brain activation represents the revised behavioral inhibition system,
      representing the experience of conflict. These theories were investigated with a
      newly developed paradigm where participants were able to move around freely in a
      virtual T maze via joystick while having their EEG recorded. Analyzing the
      influence of frontal brain activation during this virtual reality task on
      observable behavior for 30 participants, we found more relative left frontal
      brain activation during approach behavior and more relative right brain
      activation for withdrawal behavior of any kind. Additionally, there was more
      bilateral frontal brain activation when participants were engaged in behavior
      compared to doing nothing. Hence, this study provides evidence for the idea that
      frontal asymmetry stands for behavioral approach or avoidance motivation, and
      bilateral frontal activation stands for behavior. Additionally, observable
      behavior is not only determined by frontal asymmetry, but also by relevant
      traits.

PMID- 28617955
TI  - Expression atlas and comparative coexpression network analyses reveal important
      genes involved in the formation of lignified cell wall in Brachypodium
      distachyon.
AB  - While Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is an emerging model for grasses, no
      expression atlas or gene coexpression network is available. Such tools are of
      high importance to provide insights into the function of Brachypodium genes. We
      present a detailed Brachypodium expression atlas, capturing gene expression in
      its major organs at different developmental stages. The data were integrated into
      a large-scale coexpression database ( www.gene2function.de), enabling
      identification of duplicated pathways and conserved processes across 10 plant
      species, thus allowing genome-wide inference of gene function. We highlight the
      importance of the atlas and the platform through the identification of duplicated
      cell wall modules, and show that a lignin biosynthesis module is conserved across
      angiosperms. We identified and functionally characterised a putative ferulate 5
      hydroxylase gene through overexpression of it in Brachypodium, which resulted in
      an increase in lignin syringyl units and reduced lignin content of mature stems,
      and led to improved saccharification of the stem biomass. Our Brachypodium
      expression atlas thus provides a powerful resource to reveal functionally related
      genes, which may advance our understanding of important biological processes in
      grasses.

PMID- 28617956
TI  - Apigenin induces ROS-dependent apoptosis and ER stress in human endometriosis
      cells.
AB  - Apigenin is a plant-derived flavonoid having antiproliferative, anti
      inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic properties in chronic and metabolic diseases,
      and cancers. However, the functional role of apigenin remains to be identified in
      human endometriosis that is a benign inflammatory disease causing infertility,
      dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic abdominal or pelvic pain. In the present
      study, we determined the effects of apigenin on two well-established human
      endometriosis cell lines (VK2/E6E7 and End1/E6E7). Apigenin reduced proliferation
      and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the both endometriosis cell lines.
      In addition, it disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) which was
      accompanied by an increase in concentration of calcium ions in the cytosol and in
      pro-apoptotic proteins including Bax and cytochrome c in the VK2/E6E7 and
      End1/E6E7 cells. Moreover, apigenin treated cells accumulated excessive reactive
      oxygen species (ROS), and experienced lipid peroxidation and endoplasmic
      reticulum (ER) stress with activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR)
      regulatory proteins. Furthermore, the apigenin-induced apoptosis in endometriosis
      cells was regulated via the ERK1/2, JNK, and AKT cell signaling pathways. Taken
      together, apigenin is a potential novel therapeutic agent to overcome current
      limitations in the treatment to endometriosis.

PMID- 28617957
TI  - MicroRNA: A novel target of curcumin in cancer therapy.
AB  - Curcumin is known as a natural dietary polyphenol which is extracted from Curcuma
      longa L. It has been shown that curcumin has a variety of pharmacological effects
      such as antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial
      activities. Anti-cancer effects of curcumin are due to targeting of a wide range
      of cellular and molecular pathways involved in cancer pathogenesis including NF
      kB, MAPK, PTEN, P53, and microRNAs (miRNA) network. Multiple lines of evidence
      have indicated that curcumin exerts its therapeutic effects via regulating miRNA
      expression (e.g., miR-1, miR-7, miR-9, miR-34a, miR-181, miR-21, and miR-19)
      which could lead to the regulation of underlying cellular and molecular pathways
      involved in cancer pathogenesis. Exosomes are one of the important classes of
      biological vehicles which could be released from various types of cells such as
      cancer cells and stem cells and could change the behavior of recipient cells. It
      has been shown that treatment of cancer cells with different dose of curcumin
      leads to the release of exosomes containing curcumin. These exosomes could induce
      anti-cancer properties in recipient cells and reduce tumor growth. Hence,
      exosomes containing curcumin could be applied as powerful tools for cancer
      treatment. Here, we highlighted various miRNAs which could be affected by
      curcumin in various types of cancer. Moreover, we highlight exosomes containing
      curcumin as suitable therapeutic tools in cancer therapy.

PMID- 28617958
TI  - Alcohol Consumption Decreases Oxytocin Neurons in the Anterior Paraventricular
      Nucleus of the Hypothalamus in Prairie Voles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorders are associated with dysfunctional social
      relationships and stress responses. The neuropeptides oxytocin (OT) and
      vasopressin (AVP) are known to orchestrate or mediate many aspects of social
      behavior, stress responses, and ingestive behaviors. Because of the overlap
      between the effects of alcohol and the roles of OT and AVP, we sought to
      determine whether alcohol consumption altered expression of OT and AVP in the
      paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, one of the key sites for OT
      and AVP synthesis. METHODS: Pair-housed adult male prairie voles were allowed to
      consume 15% ethanol versus water in the home cage continuously (Continuous-Access
      [CA] group) or every other day for 4 hours (Intermittent-Access [IA] group).
      Control animals never had access to alcohol. After 7 weeks, animals were
      sacrificed and their brains were removed and immunohistochemical analysis of OT-
      and AVP-immunopositive neurons was performed. RESULTS: OT-immunopositive neurons
      were significantly decreased in the anterior PVN in the CA but not IA group,
      relative to Control animals, suggesting that continuous alcohol consumption
      decreases the number of OT neurons. There was no effect of alcohol consumption on
      posterior PVN OT neurons, and no effect on PVN AVP neurons. CONCLUSIONS: These
      data show that continuous-access voluntary alcohol consumption is associated with
      decreased OT neurons in the anterior PVN, suggesting that alcohol-induced
      alterations in the OT system should be investigated as a mechanism for alcohol
      related changes in social behavior, stress responses, and exacerbation of alcohol
      use disorders.

PMID- 28617959
TI  - Varenicline Reduces Alcohol Intake During Repeated Cycles of Alcohol Reaccess
      Following Deprivation in Alcohol-Preferring (P) Rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most alcoholics experience periods of voluntary alcohol abstinence or
      imposed alcohol deprivation followed by a return to alcohol drinking. This study
      examined whether varenicline (VAR) reduces alcohol intake during a return to
      drinking after periods of alcohol deprivation in rats selectively bred for high
      alcohol drinking (the alcohol preferring or "P" rats). METHODS: Alcohol
      experienced P rats were given 24-hour access to food and water and scheduled
      access to alcohol (15% and 30% v/v) for 2 h/d. After 4 weeks, rats were deprived
      of alcohol for 2 weeks, followed by reaccess to alcohol for 2 weeks, and this
      pattern was repeated for a total of 3 cycles. Rats were fed either vehicle (VEH)
      or VAR, in doses of 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg BW, at 1 hour prior to onset of the
      daily alcohol reaccess period for the first 5 days of each of the 3 alcohol
      reaccess cycles. RESULTS: Low-dose VAR (0.5 mg/kg BW) reduced alcohol intake
      during the 5 days of drug treatment in alcohol reaccess cycles 1 and 2. Higher
      doses of VAR (1.0 mg/kg BW and 2.0 mg/kg BW) reduced alcohol intake during the 5
      days of treatment in all 3 alcohol reaccess cycles. The decrease in alcohol
      intake disappeared with termination of VAR treatment in all alcohol reaccess
      cycles. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that VAR decreases alcohol intake
      during multiple cycles of alcohol reaccess following alcohol deprivation in rats
      and suggests that it may prevent a return to heavy alcohol drinking during a
      lapse from alcohol abstinence in humans with alcohol use disorder.

PMID- 28617960
TI  - Low prevalence of IgG antibodies against antigens of HEV genotypes 1 and 3 in
      women with a high-risk pregnancy.
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess whether high-risk pregnant women have a higher
      prevalence of HEV during the perinatal period. This was a cross-sectional study
      of 428 patients: Group 1, 127 women with a high-risk pregnancy; Group 2, 97
      asymptomatic people with reactivity to HCV or HBV; Group 3, 94 patients with
      clinical symptoms suggestive of HEV infection; and Group 4, 110 healthy blood
      donors from an urban area of Mexico City. ELISA was used to measure antibody to
      HEV genotypes 1 and 3. The prevalence rates of anti-HEV IgG antibodies were 0.79%
      in Group 1, 2.1% in Group 2, 7.4% in Group 3, and 0% in Group 4. Women with a
      high-risk pregnancy did not have a higher prevalence of HEV infection in this
      clinical setting.

PMID- 28617961
TI  - Interlaboratory quality control of total HIV-1 DNA load measurement for
      multicenter reservoir studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Viral reservoirs represent an important barrier to HIV cure. Accurate
      markers of HIV reservoirs are needed to develop multicenter studies. The aim of
      this multicenter quality control (QC) was to evaluate the inter-laboratory
      reproducibility of total HIV-1-DNA quantification. METHODS: Ten laboratories of
      the ANRS-AC11 working group participated by quantifying HIV-DNA with a real-time
      qPCR assay (Biocentric) in four samples (QCMD). RESULTS: Good reproducibility was
      found between laboratories (standard deviation <= 0.2 log10 copies/106 PBMC) for
      the three positive QC that were correctly classified by each laboratory
      (QC1<QC2<QC3). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this QC validate the feasibility of
      multicenter studies using this standardized assay.

PMID- 28617962
TI  - Getting to No: Pragmatic and Semantic Factors in Two- and Three-Year-Olds'
      Understanding of Negation.
AB  - Although infants say "no" early, older children have difficulty understanding its
      truth-functional meaning. Two experiments investigate whether this difficulty
      stems from the infelicity of negative sentences out of the blue. In Experiment 1,
      given supportive discourse, 3-year-olds (N = 16) understood both affirmative and
      negative sentences. However, with sentence types randomized, 2-year-olds (N = 28)
      still failed. In Experiment 2, affirmative and negative sentences were blocked.
      Two-year-olds (N = 28) now succeeded, but only when affirmatives were presented
      first. Thus, although discourse felicity seems the primary bottleneck for 3-year
      olds' understanding of negation, 2-year-olds struggle with its semantic
      processing. Contrary to accounts where negatives are understood via affirmatives,
      both sentence types were processed equally quickly, suggesting previously
      reported asymmetries are due to pragmatic accommodation, not semantic processing.

PMID- 28617963
TI  - Clinical recognition of pacemaker battery depletion and automatic reprogramming.
AB  - All contemporary pacemakers undergo automatic reprogramming upon reaching
      elective replacement indication due to battery depletion. The majority of such
      reprogramming will result in changes to both pacing mode and pacing rate. The
      exact software reprogramming varies considerably among pacemaker manufacturers
      and may even vary among models of the same manufacturer. Accordingly, it is
      essential for healthcare providers managing pacemaker patients to have a detailed
      understanding of the automatic reprogramming seen at elective replacement
      indication as well as their potential physiological and clinical consequences.

PMID- 28617965
TI  - Further delineation of the phenotype caused by biallelic variants in the WDR4
      gene.
AB  - Microcephalic primordial dwarfisms are a group of rare Mendelian disorders
      characterized by severe growth retardation and microcephaly. The molecular basis
      is heterogeneous, with disease-causing genes implicated in different cellular
      functions. Recently, 2 patients were reported with the same homozygous variant in
      the WDR4 gene, coding for an enzyme responsible for the m7 G46 post
      transcriptional modification of tRNA. We report here 2 sisters harboring compound
      heterozygous variants of WDR4. Their phenotype differs from that of the first 2
      described patients: they both have a severe microcephaly but only one of the 2
      sisters had a head circumference at birth below -2 SD, their intellectual
      deficiency is less severe, and they have a growth hormone deficiency and a
      partial hypogonadotropic hypogonadotropism. One of the 2 variants is a frameshift
      mutation, and the other one is a missense occurring in the same nucleotide
      affected by the first reported pathogenic variant, which could therefore be a
      mutational hot spot. The description of these 2 sisters allow us to confirm that
      biallelic variants in the WDR4 gene can lead to a specific phenotype,
      characterized by severe growth retardation and microcephaly.

PMID- 28617964
TI  - Prevalence and genetic features of rabbit hepatitis E virus in Korea.
AB  - Hepatitis caused by hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a public health concern worldwide.
      HEV strains have been isolated from several animal species, some of which induce
      zoonosis. Recently, the isolation of HEV from rabbits was reported. Here, the
      partial capsid gene (320 bp) of HEV was detected in rabbit feces via reverse
      transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Rabbit HEV was found in two of
      six rabbit farms and 17 of 264 rabbit fecal samples (6.4%). A phylogenetic
      analysis of the partial capsid gene classified the 17 HEV isolates into the
      putative rabbit HEV clade. A full genomic sequence, KOR-Rb-1, was obtained from
      one rabbit HEV isolate by 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends-PCR and RT
      PCR, and comprised 7275 bp excluding the 3' poly(A) tail. It shared 77.5-86.8%,
      86.6%, and 80.2-84.3% nucleotide identities with rabbit HEV isolates from China,
      the US, and France, respectively. It also shared 72.3-73.0%, 71.4%, 76.7-78.3%,
      72.8-73.3%, and 47.1-47.2% nucleotide identities with representative strains of
      HEV-1, HEV-2, HEV-3, HEV-4, and avian HEV, respectively. A full-genome
      phylogenetic analysis classified KOR-Rb-1 into the provisional rabbit HEV clade.
      This isolate could be used to study the pathogenesis and zoonotic potential of
      rabbit HEV.

PMID- 28617966
TI  - Analysis of the association of clinical factors and IL4 gene polymorphisms with
      root resorption in avulsed teeth after 1 year of replantation.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the association of clinical variables and polymorphisms (tag
      SNPs) in the interleukin 4 (IL4) gene, with the prognosis of avulsed and
      replanted teeth. METHODOLOGY: Ninety-four patients who suffered avulsion and had
      their teeth replanted and endodontically treated were included. Periapical
      radiographs were obtained soon after tooth replantation and after 1 year. For
      genotypic IL4 gene analysis, the DNA from oral mucosa cells was collected, and
      polymorphisms were investigated by real-time PCR. Univariate and multivariate
      analyses were performed to verify the association of clinical and genetic
      variables and the outcome of the replanted teeth (P < 0.05). RESULTS: After
      multivariate analysis, extra-alveolar time longer than 1 h was significantly
      associated with external root resorption. No significant association was observed
      between IL4 gene polymorphisms and root resorption. CONCLUSION: No association
      between root resorption and IL4 gene polymorphisms was observed. An extra
      alveolar time of more than 1 h was associated with a susceptibility for external
      root resorption. Replanting the tooth in its socket immediately is the most
      important factor to maintain a healthy root surface.

PMID- 28617967
TI  - Holter-monitored sudden cardiac arrest after atrioventricular junction ablation.
AB  - We present a case of sudden cardiac arrest 7 hours after radiofrequency ablation
      of the atrioventricular junction for symptomatic permanent atrial fibrillation
      unresponsive to medical therapy. The Holter monitoring revealed a progressive
      increasing of QT interval after the procedure, highlighting the repolarization
      instability after acute changes in heart rates associated with modification of
      ventricular activation, leading to occurrence of short coupling interval
      ventricular extra beats and finally to a "torsade de pointes." This illustration
      underlines the need to program a relatively rapid ventricular rate first weeks
      after junction ablation, especially in case of rapid ventricular rate prior to
      the procedure, as well as the role of continuous ECG and QT interval monitoring
      during hospital stay.

PMID- 28617968
TI  - Diversity of human herpesvirus 8 genotypes in patients with AIDS and non-AIDS
      associated Kaposi's sarcoma, Castleman's disease and primary effusion lymphoma in
      Argentina.
AB  - HHV-8 genotypes are distributed heterogeneously worldwide. The variable K1 gene
      and the conserved ORF26E region serve to genotype. The aim of the study was to
      characterize HHV-8 isolates from patients with AIDS, classical, and iatrogenic
      KS, primary effusion lymphoma and Castleman's disease and one organ donor from
      Argentina by analysis of ORFK1 and ORF26E regions. DNA was extracted from fresh
      or paraffin embedded biopsies, blood, and saliva samples and submitted to HHV-8
      PCR. Phylogenetic analyses of ORFK1 showed that subtypes C (C1, C2, and C3), B1
      and A (A1, A2, and A3) were present in 70.8%, 16.7%, and 12.5% of cases,
      respectively. Analyses of ORF26E fragment revealed that most strains (45.8%) were
      subtype A/C while the remaining fall into K, J, B2, R, and D subtypes. Linkage
      between ORFK1-ORF26E subtypes corresponded to reported relationships, except for
      one strain that clustered with B1 (K1 African) and D (ORF26E Asian-Pacific)
      subtypes. This research reveals predominance of subtype C, a broad spectrum of
      HHV-8 genotypes and reports the first isolation of the African B genotype in
      Argentina.

PMID- 28617969
TI  - Conditionally targeted deletion of PSEN1 leads to diastolic heart dysfunction.
AB  - Recently, PSEN1 has been reported to have mutations in dilated cardiomyopathy
      pedigrees. However, the function and mechanism of PSEN1 in cardiomyopathy remains
      unresolved. Here, we established four types of genetically modified mice to
      determine the function of PSEN1 in cardiac development and pathology. PSEN1 null
      mutation resulted in perinatal death, retardation of heart growth, ventricular
      dilatation, septum defects, and valvular thickening. PSEN1 knockout in adults led
      to decreased muscle fibers, widened sarcomere Z lines and reduced lengths of
      sarcomeres in cardiomyocytes. Cardiovascular loss of function of PSEN1 induced by
      Sm22a-Cre or Myh6-Cre/ER/tamoxifen also resulted in severe ultrastructural
      abnormalities, such as relaxed gap junctions between neighboring cardiomyocytes.
      Functionally, cardiovascular deletion of PSEN1 caused spontaneous mortality from
      birth to adulthood and led to diastolic heart dysfunction, including decreased
      volume of the left ventricle at the end-systolic and end-diastolic stages.
      Additionally, in a myocardial ischemia model, deletion of PSEN1 in the
      cardiovascular system first protected mice by inducing adaptive hypertrophy but
      ultimately resulted in severe heart failure. Furthermore, a collection of genes
      was abnormally expressed in the hearts of cardiac-specific PSEN1 knockout mice.
      They were enriched in cell proliferation, calcium regulation, and so on. Taken
      together, dynamic regulation and abnormal function of PSEN1 underlie the
      pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases due to ultrastructural abnormality of
      cardiomyocytes.

PMID- 28617970
TI  - Trends in the Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects: A Tale of Two Policies.

PMID- 28617971
TI  - Risk factors that influence sexual and reproductive health in Portuguese
      university students.
AB  - BACKGROUND: University students have unprotected sex and associate alcohol and/or
      drugs with sexual practices. These behaviours are risk factors for influencing
      sexual and reproductive health that can be targeted by nursing interventions.
      AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the risk and protective factors
      influencing sexual and reproductive risk-taking behaviours in university
      students. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional and correlational study in a
      sample of 1946 students. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire on
      the individual, environmental, cognitive and psychosocial factors related to
      knowledge of sexually transmitted infections, attitude for sexual and
      reproductive health, subjective norms, Condom Use Self-Efficacy and Sexual
      Sensation Seeking scales. RESULTS: Older male students were at higher risk for
      all risk behaviours studied. Students involved in committed relationships were at
      risk because of decreased condom use. Individuals who placed high importance on
      sexual sensation seeking were at increased risk. The higher the importance
      students placed on peers' opinion, the more protective their behaviours were.
      CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that university students are exposed
      to sexual risks. Individual, cognitive and psychosocial factors influence the
      risk-taking behaviours. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: The findings
      of this study should be further incorporated into health care with nurses'
      leadership, adapting healthcare services to the specific needs of this population
      and promoting educational programmes.

PMID- 28617972
TI  - Pedagogical Questions in Parent-Child Conversations.
AB  - Questioning is a core component of formal pedagogy. Parents commonly question
      children, but do they use questions to teach? This article defines "pedagogical
      questions" as questions for which the questioner already knows the answer and
      intended to help the questionee learn. Transcripts of parent-child conversations
      were collected from the CHILDES database to examine the frequency and
      distribution of pedagogical questions. Analysis of 2,166 questions from 166
      mother-child dyads and 64 father-child dyads (child's age between 2 and 6 years)
      showed that pedagogical questions are commonplace during day-to-day parent-child
      conversations and vary based on child's age, family environment, and historical
      era. The results serve as a first step toward understanding the role of parent
      child questions in facilitating children's learning.

PMID- 28617973
TI  - Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Preconception Period Among Women of Reproductive
      Age in Rural China - A Nationwide Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection during pregnancy is associated with
      perinatal complications and poor maternal and fetal outcomes. There is a lack of
      reports on HBV infection screening, prophylaxis, and/or treatment in
      preconception period among women planning a pregnancy. This study is to
      investigate the prevalence and demographic characteristics of HBV infection among
      rural women of reproductive age planning pregnancy within 6 months, in different
      geographical regions of China. METHODS: A population-based, cross-sectional, sero
      survey of HBV infection among women intending to get pregnant within 6 months was
      carried out as a part of the National Free Preconception Health Examination
      Project covering 31 provinces in mainland China between 2010-12. General
      information (age, residence status, race, education, and occupation), HBV
      infection and vaccination history was collected. Results of HBV serological test
      panel were recorded for analysis. RESULTS: Of 2 120 131 women, 2 028 361 (95.7%)
      samples of HBV serology were available for analysis. Participating women were of
      young age (median 28.1 years), mostly engaged in agricultural activities (78.1%),
      and had high school education or lower (89.6%). The overall prevalence of HBsAg
      sero-positivity was 4.9%, which corresponds to an intermediate epidemic, with a
      wide geographical variation that ranged from 1.1% in Shanxi to 13.0% in Tibet.
      90.1% women were susceptible to HBV with a 24.5% self-reported HBV vaccination
      rate. CONCLUSIONS: Significant regional differences in HBV prevalence, and a vast
      majority of women of childbearing age being susceptible to HBV, calls for a
      targeted HBV screening and vaccination strategy for women and their offspring in
      rural China.

PMID- 28617974
TI  - High expression of heat shock proteins and heat shock factor-1 distinguishes an
      aggressive subset of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - AIMS: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of molecules induced by a variety of
      environmental and pathophysiological stresses, including cancer. HSPs are
      implicated in the regulation of apoptosis and immunity in neoplasm. Transcription
      factor heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) acts as the master regulator to control HSP
      expression, and is therefore involved in tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study
      was to evaluate the expression and clinicopathological relevance of HSPs and HSF1
      in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). METHODS AND RESULTS: The expression
      of HSP27, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90 and HSF1 was assessed in 428 cases of ccRCC using
      immunohistochemistry. High expression of HSP60 and HSP70 was correlated
      positively with grade and stage. High expression of HSF1 was correlated
      positively with stage. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that 216
      patients (52%) with tumour expressing three or four markers in a panel of HSP60,
      HSP70, HSP90 and HSF1 had a significantly heightened risk for cancer-specific
      mortality than tumours expressing fewer than three markers (P < 0.0001;
      concordance index, 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical examination of HSPs
      and HSF1 provides useful prognostic information that may contribute to the design
      of therapeutic strategies for patients with ccRCC.

PMID- 28617975
TI  - Incidence of parathyroid disorders in Indian adult male population: A 25-year
      follow-up study.
AB  - CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Detailed information on the epidemiology of parathyroid
      disorders in India is lacking. Most of the available data pertain to primary
      hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) rather than the overall burden of parathyroid
      disorders. We studied the incidence of parathyroid disorders in a cohort of
      service personnel followed for a long duration. DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS: The
      data for this retrospective, descriptive epidemiological study were derived from
      the electronic medical records (EMR) of health care personnel enrolled between
      1990 and 2015. Subjects were recruited between the ages of 17 and 20 years in
      good health, and the data pertaining to parathyroid disorders were derived from
      the EMR. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: We calculated the incidence rates per person
      years of parathyroid disorders using appropriate statistical methods. RESULTS:
      Our analysis includes 51 217 participants (median age 33, range 17-54 years) with
      a mean follow-up of 12.5 years. Yearly evaluation of the data gave cumulative
      follow-up duration of 613 925 person-years. PHPT was diagnosed in 37 patients and
      hypoparathyroidism in 16 patients, giving incidence rates of 6 and 2.6 per 100
      000 person-years, respectively. Only one patient was diagnosed with
      pseudohypoparathyroidism (0.16 per 100 000 person-years). Of the 37 patients with
      PHPT, 16 (43%) developed postsurgical hypoparathyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Our cohort
      had a low incidence of PHPT when compared to Western populations. Long-term
      epidemiological studies are essential to identify the demographic trends of
      metabolic bone disorders in India.

PMID- 28617976
TI  - Atopic dermatitis and risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, myocardial
      infarction and stroke in a cross-sectional analysis from the Canadian Partnership
      for Tomorrow Project.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) has been associated with cardiovascular risk
      factors and diseases, but epidemiological studies to date have found conflicting
      results. OBJECTIVES: To determine the associations of AD with hypertension, type
      2 diabetes (T2D), myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. METHODS: We conducted a
      cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Canadian Partnership for
      Tomorrow Project, which includes Canadian residents aged 30-74 years living in
      British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces. We
      excluded participants with incomplete data on AD, hypertension, T2D, MI or
      stroke, who had type 1 or gestational diabetes or who developed any of the
      outcomes at an age prior to a diagnosis of AD. This left 259 119 participants in
      our analysis. We used logistic regression to calculate age- and sex-, and
      multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)
      between AD and subsequent hypertension, T2D, MI and stroke. RESULTS: AD was
      reported by 21 379 (8.4%) participants. In total, 52 787 cases of hypertension,
      12 739 cases of T2D, 4390 cases of MI and 2235 cases of stroke were reported by
      participants at enrolment. In the multivariable-adjusted model, AD was associated
      with decreased odds of hypertension (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.90), T2D (OR 0.78,
      95% CI 0.71-0.84), MI (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.75-1.00) and stroke (OR 0.79, 95% CI
      0.66-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: We did not find evidence of a positive association
      between AD and subsequent hypertension, T2D, MI or stroke; AD was inversely
      associated with these outcomes in our study. Given our findings and the
      conflicting literature, AD is likely not a major risk factor for cardiovascular
      disease.

PMID- 28617977
TI  - Psychometric assessment of the cultural capacity scale Spanish version in Chilean
      nursing students.
AB  - AIM: To assess the psychometric properties of the Cultural Capacity Scale Spanish
      version in Chilean nursing students. BACKGROUND: The increased diversity in
      healthcare facilities and the current shortage of local nursing workforce in
      Chile present a significant challenge to the nursing education to train future
      competent local nurses. To facilitate cultural competence development among
      Chilean nursing students, it is necessary to regularly assess their cultural
      competence, which necessitates a culturally adapted valid and reliable tool.
      METHODS: A convenience sample of 502 Chilean nursing students was surveyed in
      this cross-sectional study using the culturally adapted scale. Reliability of the
      instrument was established by internal consistency and stability reliability,
      while validity was established by content and construct. RESULTS: The Cronbach's
      alpha value of the entire scale was 0.95, and the test-retest reliability was
      0.85. The Corrected Item-Total Correlations ranged from 0.45 to 0.78. The tool
      manifested an excellent content and construct validity. The exploratory factor
      analysis confirmed a single factor of the scale. DISCUSSION: The tool
      demonstrated evidence of internal consistency, stability reliability, content
      validity and construct validity. The study provided cross-cultural evidence for
      the potential application of this scale in Chile and other Spanish-speaking
      countries. CONCLUSION: The Cultural Capacity Scale Spanish version demonstrated
      sound psychometric properties for assessing the cultural competence of Chilean
      nursing students. LIMITATIONS: The sample was restricted to one university, and
      the tool was only used in Chilean nursing students. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING
      POLICY: The establishment of the Spanish version of the tool will facilitate
      accurate and timely monitoring of the cultural competence among Chilean nursing
      students and other Spanish-speaking nursing students and nurses, which can inform
      the creation of nursing policies aimed at ensuring cultural competence
      development.

PMID- 28617978
TI  - Enantioselective determination of R-(-)-manidipine and S-(+)-manidipine in human
      plasma by a sensitive and selective chiral LC-MS/MS assay.
AB  - A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC
      MS/MS) assay method has been developed and validated for the enantioselective
      determination of manidipine in human plasma using isotope-labeled compounds as
      internal standards. After solid-phase extraction, R-(-)-manidipine and S-(+)
      manidipine were chromatographed on a Chiralpack IC-3 C18 column using a isocratic
      mobile phase composed of 2 mm ammonium bicarbonate and acetonitrile (15:85, v/v).
      The precursor ion to product ion transitions for the enantiomers and internal
      standards were monitored in the multiple reaction monitoring and positive
      ionization mode using an API-4000 mass spectrometer. The method was linear over
      the concentration range of 0.05-10.2 ng/mL for both enantiomers. The precision
      and accuracy results over five concentration levels in five different batches
      were well within the acceptance limits. The mean extraction recovery was >80% for
      both enantiomers. A variety of stability tests were executed in plasma and in
      neat samples, which complies with the FDA guidelines. After complete validation,
      the method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of a manidipine 20
      mg oral dose in 10 healthy South India subjects under fasting conditions. The
      assay reproducibility is shown through incurred samples reanalysis of 20 subject
      plasma samples.

PMID- 28617979
TI  - The Turner syndrome life course project: Karyotype-phenotype analyses across the
      lifespan.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Turner syndrome (TS) is associated with a variety of morbidities
      affecting nearly every body system, some of which increase in prevalence in adult
      life. The severity of clinical features in TS is roughly in parallel with the
      magnitude of the deficit of X-chromosome material. The aim of this study was to
      extend the established karyotype-phenotype relationships using data from a large
      adult cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Karyotypes were available in 656 women with
      TS. 611 of whom could be classified into five major groups within the cohort:
      45,X; 45,X mosaicism (45,X/46,XX); isochromosome X (isochromosome Xq); mosaicism
      45,X/46,XY and ring X. Continuous variables such as blood pressure and
      biochemical markers from clinic data were binarised allocating those in the upper
      quartile to represent at-risk individuals. With the exception of bone mineral
      density T-score for which the lower quartile was allocated as at risk. For
      comorbidities, initiation of formal treatment was recorded. RESULTS: 45,X/46,XX
      had considerably lower frequency of comorbidities compared to 45,X. The
      isochromosome group experienced similar outcomes to 45,X. Novel associations were
      found between the XY mosaic karyotype group and a decreased prevalence of thyroid
      disease and severe hearing loss. A previously unreported increased incidence of
      metabolic syndrome was noted within the ring chromosome subgroup. CONCLUSIONS:
      Karyotype may play an important factor against stratifying risk of comorbidity in
      TS and should be taken into consideration when managing adults with TS. Further
      investigations of the isochromosome (Xq) and ring groups are necessary to further
      clarify their associations with comorbidities.

PMID- 28617980
TI  - Instruments to assess self-care among healthy children: A systematic review of
      measurement properties.
AB  - AIM: To identify, critically appraise and summarize the measurement properties of
      instruments to assess self-care in healthy children. BACKGROUND: Assessing self
      care is a proper consideration for nursing practice and nursing research. No
      systematic review summarizes instruments of measurement validated in healthy
      children. DESIGN: Psychometric review in accordance with the COnsensus-based
      Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) panel.
      DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Open Grey were
      searched from their inception to December 2016. REVIEW METHODS: Validation
      studies with a healthy child population were included. Search was not restricted
      by language. Two reviewers independently assessed the methodological quality of
      included studies using the COSMIN checklist. RESULTS: Eleven studies were
      included in the review assessing the measurement properties of ten instruments.
      There was a maximum of two studies per instrument. None of the studies evaluated
      the properties of test-retest reliability, measurement error, criterion validity
      and responsiveness. Internal consistency and structural validity were rated as
      "excellent" or "good" in four studies. Four studies were rated as "excellent" in
      content validity. Cross-cultural validity was rated as "poor" in the two studies
      (three instruments) which cultural adaptation was carried out. CONCLUSION: The
      evidence available does not allow firm conclusions about the instruments
      identified in terms of reliability and validity. Future research should focus on
      generate evidence about a wider range of measurement properties of these
      instruments using a rigorous methodology, as well as instrument testing on
      different countries and child population.

PMID- 28617981
TI  - What is the variability in shoulder, axillae and waist position in a group of
      adolescents?
AB  - The clinical assessment of scoliosis is based on the recognition of asymmetry. It
      is not clear what the degree of asymmetry is in a population without scoliosis,
      which could make the differentiation between abnormal and normal uncertain. This
      study defines the range of normality in certain parameters of torso shape that
      are also associated with the clinical assessment of scoliosis. This was done by
      analysing the surface topography of a group of 195 children serially measured
      over a 5-year period. The analysis considered both the spinal curvature and the
      relative position of shoulders, axillae and waist on each side. The bivariate
      relationships were examined using 95% confidence interval data ellipses. Our
      results showed that a degree of spinal curvature was seen, either as a main
      thoracic or main thoracolumbar curve. The distribution of the data about a mean
      point is illustrated by 95% confidence interval (CI) data ellipses with shoulder,
      axilla and waist data plotted against spinal curvature. The mean values were
      close to zero (exact symmetry) for all of the measured parameters, with the
      ellipses showing little differences in the distributions. We conclude that mild
      asymmetry of the measured torso parameters is normal. These results define what
      is normal and beyond what point asymmetry becomes abnormal. This information is
      of use for those managing and counselling patients with scoliosis both before and
      after surgery.

PMID- 28617982
TI  - Issue Information - Info for Authors.

PMID- 28617986
TI  - A novel HSD17B3 gene mutation in a 46,XY female-phenotype newborn identified by
      whole-exome sequencing.

PMID- 28617987
TI  - The sex-selective impact of the Black Death and recurring plagues in the Southern
      Netherlands, 1349-1450.
AB  - : Although recent work has begun to establish that early modern plagues had
      selective mortality effects, it was generally accepted that the initial outbreak
      of Black Death in 1347-52 was a "universal killer." Recent bioarchaeological
      work, however, has argued that the Black Death was also selective with regard to
      age and pre-plague health status. The issue of the Black Death's potential sex
      selectivity is less clear. Bioarchaeological research hypothesizes that sex
      selection in mortality was possible during the initial Black Death outbreak, and
      we present evidence from historical sources to test this notion. OBJECTIVE: To
      determine whether the Black Death and recurring plagues in the period 1349-1450
      had a sex-selective mortality effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a newly
      compiled database of mortality information taken from mortmain records in
      Hainaut, Belgium, in the period 1349-1450, which not only is an important new
      source of information on medieval mortality, but also allows for sex
      disaggregation. RESULTS: We find that the Black Death period of 1349-51, as well
      as recurring plagues in the 100 years up to 1450, often had a sex-selective
      effect-killing more women than in "non-plague years." DISCUSSION: Although much
      research tends to suggest that men are more susceptible to a variety of diseases
      caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites, we cannot assume that the same
      direction of sex-selection in mortality applied to diseases in the distant past
      such as Second Pandemic plagues. While the exact reasons for the sex-selective
      effect of late-medieval plague are unclear in the absence of further data, we
      suggest that simple inequities between the sexes in exposure to the disease may
      not have been a key driver.

PMID- 28617988
TI  - MiR-145 detection in urinary extracellular vesicles increase diagnostic
      efficiency of prostate cancer based on hydrostatic filtration dialysis method.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can be detected in body fluids and may
      serve as disease biomarkers. Increasing evidence suggests that circulating miRNAs
      in serum and urine may be potential non-invasive biomarkers for prostate cancer
      (PCa). In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether hydrostatic
      filtration dialysis (HFD) is suitable for urinary EVs (UEVs) isolation and
      whether such reported PCa-related miRNAs can be detected in UEVs as PCa
      biomarkers. METHODS: To analyze EVs miRNAs, we searched for an easy and economic
      method to enrich EVs from urine samples. We compared the efficiency of HFD method
      and conventional ultracentrifugation (UC) in isolating UEVs. Subsequently, UEVs
      were isolated from patients with PCa, patients with benign prostate hyperplasia
      (BPH) and healthy individuals. Differential expression of four PCa-related miRNAs
      (miR-572, miR-1290, miR-141, and miR-145) were measured in UEVs and paired serum
      EVs using SYBR Green-based quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain
      reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: The overall performance of HFD was similar to UC. In
      miRNA yield, both HFD and UC can meet the needs of further analysis. The level of
      miR-145 in UEVs was significantly increased in patients with PCa compared with
      the patients with BPH (P = 0.018). In addition, significant increase was observed
      in miR-145 levels when patients with Gleason score >=8 tumors compared with
      Gleason score <=7 (P = 0.020). Receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC)
      revealed that miR-145 in UEVs combined with serum PSA could differentiate PCa
      from BPH better than PSA alone (AUC 0.863 and AUC 0.805, respectively). In serum
      EVs, four miRNAs were significantly higher in patients with PCa than with BPH.
      CONCLUSION: HFD is appropriate for UEVs isolation and miRNA analysis when
      compared with conventional UC. miR-145 in UEVs is upregulated from PCa patients
      compared BPH patients and healthy controls. We suggest the potential use of UEVs
      miR-145 as a biomarker of PCa.

PMID- 28617990
TI  - Cell-specific diversity in the expression and organization of cytoplasmic plaque
      proteins of apical junctions.
AB  - Tight and adherens junctions play critical roles in the barrier, adhesion, and
      signaling functions of epithelial and endothelial cells. How the molecular
      organization of these junctions is tuned to the widely diverse physiological
      requirements of each tissue type is not well understood. Here, we address this
      question by examining the expression, localization, and interactions of major
      cytoplasmic plaque proteins of tight and adherens junctions in different cultured
      epithelial and endothelial cell lines. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence
      analyses show that the expression profiles of cingulin, paracingulin, ZO-1, ZO-2,
      ZO-3, PLEKHA7, afadin, PDZD11, p120-catenin, and alpha-catenin, as well as the
      transmembrane junctional proteins occludin, E-cadherin, and VE-cadherin, are
      significantly diverse when comparing kidney cells (MDCK, mCCD), keratinocytes
      (HaCaT), lung carcinoma (A427, A549), and endothelium-derived cells (bEnd.3,
      meEC, H5V). Proximity ligation and co-immunoprecipitation assays show that
      PLEKHA7 and PDZD11 are significantly more associated with the tight junction
      proteins cingulin and ZO-1 in aortic endothelium-derived (meEC) cells but not
      kidney collecting duct epithelial (mCCD) cells. These results provide evidence
      that the cytoplasmic plaques of tight and adherens junctions are diverse in their
      composition and molecular architecture and establish a conceptual framework by
      which we can rationally address the mechanisms of tissue-dependent junction
      physiology and signaling by cytoplasmic junctional proteins.

PMID- 28617989
TI  - 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 -induced dendritic cells suppress experimental
      autoimmune encephalomyelitis by increasing proportions of the regulatory
      lymphocytes and reducing T helper type 1 and type 17 cells.
AB  - Dendritic cells (DCs), a bridge for innate and adaptive immune responses, play a
      key role in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental
      autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for MS. Administration of
      tolerogenic DCs has been used as an immunotherapy in autoimmune diseases.
      Deficiency of vitamin D is an environmental risk factor of MS. In this study, we
      induced tolerogenic DCs by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and transferred the
      tolerogenic DCs (VD3 -DCs) into EAE mice by adoptive transfer. We found that VD3 
      DCs inhibited the infiltrations of T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells into
      spinal cord and increased the proportions of regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25+
      Foxp3+ ), CD4+ IL-10+ T cells and regulatory B cells (CD19+ CD5+ CD1d+ ) in
      peripheral immune organs, which resulted in attenuated EAE. However, the
      proportions of T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells in spleen and lymph nodes and
      the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and IgG in serum also increased after
      transfer of VD3 -DCs. We conclude that transfer of VD3 -DCs suppressed EAE by
      increasing proportions of regulatory T cells, CD4+ IL-10+ T cells and regulatory
      B cells in spleen and reducing infiltration of Th1 and Th17 cells into spinal
      cord, which suggests a possible immunotherapy method using VD3 -DCs in MS.

PMID- 28617991
TI  - Interferon-beta regulates the production of IL-10 by toll-like receptor-activated
      microglia.
AB  - Pattern recognition receptors, such as toll-like receptors (TLRs), perceive
      tissue alterations and initiate local innate immune responses. Microglia, the
      resident macrophages of the brain, encode TLRs which primary role is to protect
      the tissue integrity. However, deregulated activation of TLRs in microglia may
      lead to chronic neurodegeneration. This double role of microglial responses is
      often reported in immune-driven neurologic diseases, as in multiple sclerosis
      (MS). Consequently, strategies to manipulate microglia inflammatory responses may
      help to ameliorate disease progression. In this context, the anti-inflammatory
      cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 appears as an attractive target. In this study, we
      investigated how activation of microglia by TLRs with distinct roles in MS
      impacts on IL-10 production. We found that activation of TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9
      induced the production of IL-10 to a greater extent than activation of TLR3. This
      was surprising as both TLR3 and IL-10 play protective roles in animal models of
      MS. Interestingly, combination of TLR3 triggering with the other TLRs, enhanced
      IL-10 through the modulation of its transcription, via interferon (IFN)-beta, but
      independently of IL-27. Thus, in addition to the modulation of inflammatory
      responses of the periphery described for the axis TLR3/IFN-beta, we now report a
      direct modulation of microglial responses. We further show that the presence of
      IFN-gamma in the microenvironment abrogated the modulation of IL-10 by TLR3,
      whereas that of IL-17 had no effect. Considering the therapeutic application of
      IFN-beta in MS, our study bears important implications for the understanding of
      the cytokine network regulating microglia responses in this setting.

PMID- 28617992
TI  - Antiplatelet therapy and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic
      hepatitis B patients on antiviral treatment.
AB  - : Antiplatelet therapy has shown protective effects against hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) in preclinical studies. However, it is unclear whether
      antiplatelet therapy lowers the risk of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
      A retrospective analysis was conducted of data from 1,674 chronic hepatitis B
      patients, enrolled between January 2002 and May 2015, whose serum hepatitis B
      virus DNA levels were suppressed by antivirals to <2,000 IU/mL. The primary and
      secondary outcomes were development of HCC and bleeding events, respectively.
      Risk was compared between patients with antiplatelet treatment (aspirin,
      clopidogrel, or both; antiplatelet group) and patients who were not treated (non
      antiplatelet group) using a time-varying Cox proportional hazards model for total
      population and propensity score-matching analysis. The antiplatelet group
      included 558 patients, and the non-antiplatelet group had 1,116 patients. During
      the study period, 63 patients (3.8%) developed HCC. In time-varying Cox
      proportional analyses, the antiplatelet group showed a significantly lower risk
      of HCC (hazard ratio [HR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.85; P =
      0.01), regardless of antiplatelet agent. In propensity score-matched pairs,
      antiplatelet therapy significantly reduced the risk of HCC (HR, 0.34; 95% CI,
      0.15-0.77; P = 0.01). However, the overall risk of bleeding was higher in the
      antiplatelet group (HR, 3.28; 95% CI, 1.98-5.42; P < 0.001), particularly for
      clopidogrel with or without aspirin. Treatment with aspirin alone was not
      associated with a higher bleeding risk (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.48-2.54; P = 0.81).
      CONCLUSION: Antiplatelet therapy reduces the risk of HCC in chronic hepatitis B
      patients whose hepatitis B virus is effectively suppressed. However, antiplatelet
      therapy containing clopidogrel may increase the risk of bleeding. (Hepatology
      2017;66:1556-1569).

PMID- 28617993
TI  - Rigid-body motion correction of the liver in image reconstruction for golden
      angle stack-of-stars DCE MRI.
AB  - PURPOSE: Respiratory motion can affect pharmacokinetic perfusion parameters
      quantified from liver dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Image registration can be
      used to align dynamic images after reconstruction. However, intra-image motion
      blur remains after alignment and can alter the shape of contrast-agent uptake
      curves. We introduce a method to correct for inter- and intra-image motion during
      image reconstruction. METHODS: Sixteen liver dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI
      examinations of nine subjects were performed using a golden-angle stack-of-stars
      sequence. For each examination, an image time series with high temporal
      resolution but severe streak artifacts was reconstructed. Images were aligned
      using region-limited rigid image registration within a region of interest
      covering the liver. The transformations resulting from alignment were used to
      correct raw data for motion by modulating and rotating acquired lines in k-space.
      The corrected data were then reconstructed using view sharing. RESULTS: Portal
      venous input functions extracted from motion-corrected images had significantly
      greater peak signal enhancements (mean increase: 16%, t-test, P <  0.001) than
      those from images aligned using image registration after reconstruction. In
      addition, portal-venous perfusion maps estimated from motion-corrected images
      showed fewer artifacts close to the edge of the liver. CONCLUSIONS: Motion
      corrected image reconstruction restores uptake curves distorted by motion. Motion
      correction also reduces motion artifacts in estimated perfusion parameter maps.
      Magn Reson Med 79:1345-1353, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic
      Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28617994
TI  - Photooxidation of phytochemicals in food and control: a review.
AB  - Phytochemicals are widely present in food and have been confirmed to be
      bioactive, thereby contributing to human health. However, some phytochemicals are
      sensitive to light owing to their structures and may suffer from
      photodegradation, especially when sensitizers exist, resulting in sensory quality
      change, nutrient loss in food, and even the formation of toxic compounds. The
      photooxidation of phytochemicals occurs through three different mechanisms: (1)
      by directly absorbing luminous energy, (2) with triplet-excited state sensitizers
      through electron transfer or proton transfer (type I photooxidation), and (3)
      with singlet oxygen produced by O2 (type II photooxidation). On the basis of
      these mechanisms, adequate antioxidants can be added to quench the triple-excited
      state sensitizers or singlet oxygen to protect against the photooxidation of
      phytochemicals in food. Here, we summarize and discuss the possible pathways and
      products of the photooxidation of phytochemicals that have been reported and the
      relationships between structures and photooxidation. We also propose some control
      measures, with special attention paid to the potential abilities of
      phytochemicals in the prevention of food photooxidation.

PMID- 28617995
TI  - Investigation of an N-Terminal Prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide Point-of
      Care ELISA in Clinically Normal Cats and Cats With Cardiac Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)
      concentrations may be increased in cats with various cardiac disorders. The point
      of-care (POC) ELISA assay uses the same biologic reagents as the quantitative NT
      proBNP ELISA. Previous studies have evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of
      the POC ELISA in cats with cardiac disease. OBJECTIVES: To prospectively evaluate
      the diagnostic utility of the POC ELISA in a select population of cats. ANIMALS:
      Thirty-eight client-owned cats presented to the University of Florida Cardiology
      Service for cardiac evaluation. Fifteen apparently healthy cats recruited as part
      of another study. METHODS: Physical examination and echocardiography were
      performed in all cats. The POC ELISA was assessed visually as either positive or
      negative by a reader blinded to the echocardiographic findings, and results were
      analyzed relative to quantitative assay results. RESULTS: Twenty-six cats were
      diagnosed with underlying cardiac disease, and 27 cats were considered free of
      cardiac disease. Cats with cardiac disease included: 21 with hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy, 2 with unclassified cardiomyopathy, 2 with restrictive
      cardiomyopathy, and 1 with 3rd degree atrioventricular (AV) block. The POC ELISA
      differentiated cats with cardiac disease with a sensitivity of 65.4% and
      specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The POC NT-proBNP ELISA
      performed moderately well in a selected population of cats. A negative test
      result cannot exclude the presence of underlying cardiac disease, and a positive
      test result indicates that cardiac disease likely is present, but further
      diagnostic investigation would be indicated for a definitive diagnosis.

PMID- 28617996
TI  - Gradient nonlinearity effects on upper cervical spinal cord area measurement from
      3D T1 -weighted brain MRI acquisitions.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore (i) the variability of upper cervical cord area (UCCA)
      measurements from volumetric brain 3D T1 -weighted scans related to gradient
      nonlinearity (GNL) and subject positioning; (ii) the effect of vendor-implemented
      GNL corrections; and (iii) easily applicable methods that can be used to
      retrospectively correct data. METHODS: A multiple sclerosis patient was scanned
      at seven sites using 3T MRI scanners with the same 3D T1 -weighted protocol
      without GNL-distortion correction. Two healthy subjects and a phantom were
      additionally scanned at a single site with varying table positions. The 2D and 3D
      vendor-implemented GNL-correction algorithms and retrospective methods based on
      (i) phantom data fit, (ii) normalization with C2 vertebral body diameters, and
      (iii) the Jacobian determinant of nonlinear registrations to a template were
      tested. RESULTS: Depending on the positioning of the subject, GNL introduced up
      to 15% variability in UCCA measurements from volumetric brain T1 -weighted scans
      when no distortion corrections were used. The 3D vendor-implemented correction
      methods and the three proposed methods reduced this variability to less than 3%.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results raise awareness of the significant impact that GNL can
      have on quantitative UCCA studies, and point the way to prospectively and
      retrospectively managing GNL distortions in a variety of settings, including
      clinical environments. Magn Reson Med 79:1595-1601, 2018. (c) 2017 International
      Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28617997
TI  - A market on both "sides" of the law: The use of the hidden web for the sale of
      new psychoactive substances.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The hidden Web is used for the anonymous sale of drugs, and with the
      UK Psychoactive Substances Act, 2016, implemented on May 26th 2016; it could
      increase as a platform for obtaining new psychoactive substances (NPS). This
      study aims to describe the NPS market on the visible and hidden Web preban, and
      assess whether the hidden Web is a likely place for the sale of NPS postban.
      METHODS: Data collection of 113 online shops took place in October 2015. Data
      collection of 22 cryptomarkets took place every 2 months from October 2015 to
      2016 as part of the CASSANDRA project. RESULTS: All online shops with a UK domain
      location sold NPS that were uncontrolled by the UK Misuse of Drugs Act, 1971, and
      closed after the ban. Of the cryptomarkets analysed, the total number of vendors
      selling NPS, number of substances, and listings advertised, all increased over
      the year. The majority of the NPS advertised on the hidden Web were
      phenethylamines and cathinones, yet the majority of uncontrolled NPS were
      synthetic cannabinoids. CONCLUSIONS: Vendors selling and availability of NPS
      increased over the 12 months of data collection. Potential displacement from the
      visible Web to hidden Web should be taken into consideration.

PMID- 28617999
TI  - Adenosine: An endogenous mediator in the pathogenesis of gynecological cancer.
AB  - Extracellular concentration of adenosine increases in the hypoxic tumor
      microenvironment. Adenosine signaling regulates apoptosis, angiogenesis,
      metastasis, and immune suppression in cancer cells. Adenosine-induced cell
      responses depend upon different subtypes of adenosine receptors activation and
      type of cancer. Suppression of adenosine signaling via inhibition of adenosine
      receptors or adenosine generating enzymes including CD39 and CD73 on ovarian or
      cervical cancer cells is a potentially novel therapeutic approach for
      gynecological cancer patients. This review summarizes the role of adenosine in
      the pathogenesis of gynecological cancer for a better understanding and hence a
      better management of this disease.

PMID- 28617998
TI  - Schwann cell-specific deletion of the endosomal PI 3-kinase Vps34 leads to
      delayed radial sorting of axons, arrested myelination, and abnormal ErbB2-ErbB3
      tyrosine kinase signaling.
AB  - The PI 3-kinase Vps34 (Pik3c3) synthesizes phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate
      (PI3P), a lipid critical for both endosomal membrane traffic and macroautophagy.
      Human genetics have implicated PI3P dysregulation, and endosomal trafficking in
      general, as a recurring cause of demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT)
      peripheral neuropathy. Here, we investigated the role of Vps34, and PI3P, in
      mouse Schwann cells by selectively deleting Vps34 in this cell type. Vps34
      Schwann cell knockout (Vps34SCKO ) mice show severe hypomyelination in peripheral
      nerves. Vps34-/- Schwann cells interact abnormally with axons, and there is a
      delay in radial sorting, a process by which large axons are selected for
      myelination. Upon reaching the promyelinating stage, Vps34-/- Schwann cells are
      significantly impaired in the elaboration of myelin. Nerves from Vps34SCKO mice
      contain elevated levels of the LC3 and p62 proteins, indicating impaired
      autophagy. However, in the light of recent demonstrations that autophagy is
      dispensable for myelination, it is unlikely that hypomyelination in Vps34SCKO
      mice is caused by impaired autophagy. Endosomal trafficking is also disturbed in
      Vps34-/- Schwann cells. We investigated the activation of the ErbB2/3 receptor
      tyrosine kinases in Vps34SCKO nerves, as these proteins, which play essential
      roles in Schwann cell myelination, are known to traffic through endosomes. In
      Vps34SCKO nerves, ErbB3 was hyperphosphorylated on a tyrosine known to be
      phosphorylated in response to neuregulin 1 exposure. ErbB2 protein levels were
      also decreased during myelination. Our findings suggest that the loss of Vps34
      alters the trafficking of ErbB2/3 through endosomes. Abnormal ErbB2/3 signaling
      to downstream targets may contribute to the hypomyelination observed in Vps34SCKO
      mice.

PMID- 28618000
TI  - In vivo analysis of synaptic activity in cerebellar nuclei neurons unravels the
      efficacy of excitatory inputs.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Cerebellar nuclei (CN) neurons can be classified into four groups
      according to their action potential (AP) waveform, corresponding to four types of
      neurons previously characterized. Half of the APs are generated by excitatory
      events, suggesting that excitatory inputs play a key role in generating CN
      outputs. Analysis of post-synaptic potentials reveals that the probability of
      excitatory inputs generating an AP is 0.1. The input from climbing fibre
      collaterals is characterized by a pair of synaptic potentials with a distinct
      interpair interval of 4.5 ms. The probability of climbing fibre collaterals
      initiating an AP in CN neurons is 0.15. ABSTRACT: It is commonly agreed that the
      main function of the cerebellar system is to provide well-timed signals used for
      the execution of motor commands or prediction of sensory inputs. This function is
      manifested as a temporal sequence of spiking that should be expressed in the
      cerebellar nuclei (CN) projection neurons. Whether spiking activity is generated
      by excitation or release from inhibition is still a hotly debated issue. In an
      attempt to resolve this debate, we recorded intracellularly from CN neurons in
      anaesthetized mice and performed an analysis of synaptic activity that yielded a
      number of important observations. First, we demonstrate that CN neurons can be
      classified into four groups. Second, shape-index plots of the excitatory events
      suggest that they are distributed over the entire dendritic tree. Third, the rise
      time of excitatory events is linearly related to amplitude, suggesting that all
      excitatory events contribute equally to the generation of action potentials
      (APs). Fourth, we identified a temporal pattern of spontaneous excitatory events
      that represent climbing fibre inputs and confirm the results by direct
      stimulation and analysis on harmaline-evoked activity. Finally, we demonstrate
      that the probability of excitatory inputs generating an AP is 0.1 yet half of the
      APs are generated by excitatory events. Moreover, the probability of a presumably
      spontaneous climbing fibre input generating an AP is higher, reaching a mean
      population value of 0.15. In view of these results, the mode of synaptic
      integration at the level of the CN should be re-considered.

PMID- 28618001
TI  - Three-dimensional cell culture models for anticancer drug screening: Worth the
      effort?
AB  - High attrition of new oncology drug candidates in clinical trials is partially
      caused by the poor predictive capacity of artificial monolayer cell culture
      assays early in drug discovery. Monolayer assays do not take the natural three
      dimensional (3D) microenvironment of cells into account. As a result, false
      positive compounds often enter clinical trials, leading to high dropout rates and
      a waste of time and money. Over the past 2 decades, tissue engineers and cell
      biologists have developed a broad range of 3D in vitro culturing tools that
      better represent in vivo cell biology. These tools preserve the 3D architecture
      of cells and can be used to predict toxicity of and resistance against antitumor
      agents. Recent progress in tissue engineering further improves 3D models by
      taking into account the tumor microenvironment, which is important for metastatic
      progression and vascularization. However, the widespread implementation of 3D
      cell cultures into cell-based research programs has been limited by various
      factors, including their cost and reproducibility. In addition, different 3D cell
      culture techniques often produce spheroids of different size and shape, which can
      strongly influence drug efficacy and toxicity. Hence, it is imperative to
      morphometrically characterize multicellular spheroids to avoid generalizations
      among different spheroid types. Standardized 3D culturing procedures could
      further reduce data variability and enhance biological relevance. Here, we
      critically evaluate the benefits and challenges inherent to growing cells in 3D,
      along with an overview of the techniques used to form spheroids. This is done
      with a specific focus on antitumor drug screening.

PMID- 28618002
TI  - Novel psychoactive substance use among treatment-seeking opiate users: The role
      of life events and psychiatric symptoms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Over the past 5 years, a shift to the use of novel psychoactive
      substances (NPS) has been observed among opioid users. The aim of this study was
      to assess the potential reasons for NPS use among treatment-seeking patients
      receiving opiate substitution therapy. METHOD: A structured questionnaire was
      filled out by a sample of 198 opiate dependent patients of Hungary's National
      Institute of Psychiatry and Addiction. This questionnaire assessed demographics,
      treatment characteristics, lifetime substance use, potential reasons for NPS use,
      negative life events (Life Events Scale), and psychiatric symptoms (Brief Symptom
      Inventory). RESULTS: The most frequent reasons for NPS use were curiosity,
      replacing other drugs, and easy availability. The majority of the respondents
      used synthetic cathinones and chose practical reasons, not psychopharmacological
      preferences. A series of binary logistic regressions indicated that lifetime
      amphetamine use (OR = 4.64, 95% CI [2.16, 9.96]) and more severe psychiatric
      symptoms (OR = 1.89, 95% CI [1.18, 3.04]) may predict NPS use. Time spent in
      treatment was a minor protective factor (OR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.86, 0.99]).
      CONCLUSION: Synthetic cathinones might still substitute amphetamine-derivatives,
      although these NPS are no longer legal. There is a need for the regular screening
      of psychiatric symptoms and the use of family therapy among participants on
      opioid substitution programs.

PMID- 28618003
TI  - A multi-template multiplex PCR assay for hepatitis B virus and human beta-globin.
AB  - The Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is the hallmark of HBV infection.
      Detection of antibodies to HBs and the core (ie, HBsAg and HBcAb) are primary
      serological algorithms in the laboratory diagnosis of HBV. Detection of HBsAg DNA
      is an important supplement to serological diagnosis especially in clinical cases.
      Simultaneous amplification of internal cellular controls is a good indicator of
      sample quality. Human beta-globin is a well characterized housekeeping gene (HKG)
      that is often applied as internal controls (IC) in molecular diagnosis. In this
      study, individual plasmid clones of the human beta-globin and HBs genes were
      constructed. These plasmid constructs have been applied to characterize a
      multiplex PCR assays for HBs and beta-globin genes. The findings suggest
      detection limits of less than 10 genome copies of either template In vitro using
      conventional and multiplex PCR conditions. Under the multiplex conditions, co
      amplification of beta-globin and HBsAg DNA had a resultant effect on assay
      sensitivity. This study further highlights the importance of molecular diagnosis
      in HBV infectious individuals. If fully optimized, this assay could provide a
      possible diagnostic complement to serological detection in developing countries.

PMID- 28618004
TI  - Silencing of a lipase maturation factor 2-like gene by wheat-mediated RNAi
      reduces the survivability and reproductive capacity of the grain aphid, Sitobion
      avenae.
AB  - Lipase maturation factor (LMF) family proteins are required for the maturation
      and transport of active lipoprotein lipases. However, the specific roles of LMF2
      remain unknown. In this study, a grain aphid lmf2-like gene fragment was cloned
      and was highly similar in sequence to a homologous gene in the pea aphid,
      Acyrthosiphon pisum. An RNAi vector was constructed with this fragment and used
      for wheat transformation. The expression of the lmf2-like gene in aphid, as well
      as the growth and reproduction of the aphids, was analyzed after feeding on the
      transgenic wheat. There were no significant differences in the expression of the
      lmf2-like gene over development. The expression of the lmf2-like gene was
      significantly reduced by 27.6% on the fifth day, and 57.6% on the 10th day after
      feeding. The total number of aphids produced on the transgenic plants was less
      than the number produced on control plants, and the difference became significant
      or after 2 weeks. The molting numbers were also reduced in the aphids reared on
      the transgenic plants. Our findings indicate that lmf2-like genes may have
      potential as a target gene for the control of grain aphids and show that feeding
      aphids with wheat expressing lmf2-like RNAi resulted in significant reductions in
      survival and reproduction.

PMID- 28618005
TI  - BACE1 Inhibitor Lanabecestat (AZD3293) in a Phase 1 Study of Healthy Japanese
      Subjects: Pharmacokinetics and Effects on Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid Abeta
      Peptides.
AB  - Lanabecestat (AZD3293; LY3314814) is an orally active potent inhibitor of human
      beta-secretase 1 in clinical development for the treatment of Alzheimer disease.
      In this first Japanese clinical study for an Alzheimer disease intervention to
      include cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling in Japanese elderly healthy subjects,
      we report the pharmacokinetics and effects on plasma and CSF amyloid-beta (Abeta)
      peptides of lanabecestat in a phase 1 study involving 40 healthy Japanese
      subjects (NCT02005211). No safety and tolerability concerns were identified in
      healthy Japanese subjects exposed to lanabecestat up to the highest doses given,
      which is consistent with observations in a US phase 1 study of lanabecestat.
      Exposure to lanabecestat was similar for young and elderly subjects and increased
      in a dose-dependent manner. For elderly subjects, plasma lanabecestat half-life
      after multiple dosing was 12 to 17 hours (on days 10 and 14). Robust plasma and
      CSF Abeta peptide reductions were also seen at all doses, with CSF Abeta42
      concentrations reduced by 63% and 79% in the 15- and 50-mg lanabecestat groups,
      respectively. CSF soluble amyloid-beta precursor protein beta also decreased
      following lanabecestat treatment. Suppression of CSF Abeta peptides was similar
      in elderly healthy Japanese subjects and US patients with mild to moderate
      Alzheimer disease. Lanabecestat is a promising potentially disease-modifying
      treatment in phase 3 development for patients with early Alzheimer disease.

PMID- 28618006
TI  - Lucerastat, an Iminosugar for Substrate Reduction Therapy: Pharmacokinetics,
      Tolerability, and Safety in Subjects With Mild, Moderate, and Severe Renal
      Function Impairment.
AB  - Lucerastat, an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase, has the potential for
      substrate reduction therapy in glycosphingolipid storage disorders such as Fabry
      disease. In pharmacokinetic studies in rats, dogs, and healthy subjects, the main
      route of elimination was renal. The pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and safety of
      lucerastat were evaluated in subjects with mild (group A), moderate (group B),
      and severe (group C) renal impairment. Group D included healthy subjects. Thirty
      two subjects (8 per group) were included in this single-center, open-label study
      and received a single oral dose of 1000 mg lucerastat in groups A and B and 500
      mg in groups C and D. The degree of renal impairment of the subjects was based on
      estimated glomerular filtration rate. Plasma lucerastat concentrations (dose
      corrected) were higher in groups B and C compared to group D. The elimination
      phase half-life was slower in groups B (9.6 hours) and C (16.1 hours) compared to
      group D (7.0 hours). Increased exposure to lucerastat was observed in subjects
      from groups B and C with ratio of geometric means (90%CI) of 1.60 (1.29, 1.98)
      for group B vs D and 3.17 (2.76, 3.65) for group C vs D. There were no clinically
      relevant abnormalities in vital signs, 12-lead electrocardiograms, and clinical
      laboratory values. Four nonserious adverse events were reported by 4 subjects (1
      in group A, 3 in group D). Lucerastat was well tolerated in all dose groups. Dose
      adjustment is warranted in subjects with moderate and severe renal impairment.

PMID- 28618007
TI  - An Exploratory Study in Healthy Male Subjects of the Mechanism of Mirabegron
      Induced Cardiovascular Effects.
AB  - To explore the role of beta1 -adrenoceptors (ARs) in the heart rate response to
      the selective beta3 -adrenoceptor agonist mirabegron, 12 young male volunteers
      received single oral doses of the nonselective beta1/2 -AR antagonist propranolol
      (160 mg), the selective beta1 -AR antagonist bisoprolol (10 mg), or placebo on
      days 1 and 5 of each period in a 3-period crossover study. On day 5, dosing was
      followed by a supratherapeutic dose of mirabegron (200 mg). Vital signs,
      impedance cardiography, and plasma renin activity were collected. Mirabegron
      increased heart rate and systolic blood pressure and reduced stroke volume,
      whereas cardiac output and diastolic blood pressure were unaffected. Mirabegron
      induced changes were attenuated by propranolol and bisoprolol. The data indicate
      that mirabegron has a positive chronotropic effect at supratherapeutic
      concentrations, which is at least partly mediated by stimulation of beta1 -AR.

PMID- 28618008
TI  - NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF HOME VISITORS CONDUCTING PERINATAL DEPRESSION SCREENING.
AB  - This article describes the needs and challenges faced by home visitors,
      supervisors, and clients when conducting perinatal depression screening. Home
      visitors (n = 11), supervisors (n = 5), and clients (n = 9) representing rural
      and urban practice settings in Wisconsin were recruited into three separate focus
      groups. Themes were identified from the transcribed audio-recorded interviews
      using content analysis. Results indicate that a trusting relationship was
      leveraged to facilitate depression screening and referral. Home visitors
      personalized care to a client's context and to protect confidentiality. Home
      visiting practice demanded flexibility and negotiation in decision-making with
      clients and families. Coordinating access to mental health evaluation in areas of
      limited access was a common challenge. Participants reported a need for further
      training on safety management. With adequate training and support, home visitors
      are well-positioned to promote access to mental health services in vulnerable
      families to support infant mental health.

PMID- 28618009
TI  - Evidence of an evolutionary hourglass pattern in herbivory-induced transcriptomic
      responses.
AB  - Herbivory-induced defenses are specific and activated in plants when elicitors,
      frequently found in the herbivores' oral secretions, are introduced into wounds
      during attack. While complex signaling cascades are known to be involved, it
      remains largely unclear how natural selection has shaped the evolution of these
      induced defenses. We analyzed herbivory-induced transcriptomic responses in wild
      tobacco, Nicotiana attenuata, using a phylotranscriptomic approach that measures
      the origin and sequence divergence of herbivory-induced genes. Highly conserved
      and evolutionarily ancient genes of primary metabolism were activated at
      intermediate time points (2-6 h) after elicitation, while less constrained and
      young genes associated with defense signaling and biosynthesis of specialized
      metabolites were activated at early (before 2 h) and late (after 6 h) stages of
      the induced response, respectively - a pattern resembling the evolutionary
      hourglass pattern observed during embryogenesis in animals and the developmental
      process in plants and fungi. The hourglass patterns found in herbivory-induced
      defense responses and developmental process are both likely to be a result of
      signaling modularization and differential evolutionary constraints on the modules
      involved in the signaling cascade.

PMID- 28618010
TI  - THE TRANSITION FROM MOTHER-OF-ONE TO MOTHER-OF-TWO: MOTHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF
      THEMSELVES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR FIRSTBORN CHILDREN.
AB  - This qualitative study aimed to explore mothers' perceptions of the transition to
      second-time motherhood, and advance methodology for supporting mothers during
      this transition. Fifty-seven pregnant mothers and their firstborn children (M age
      = 30.3 months) participated in a laboratory procedure in which the mother exposed
      her child to a brief episode of differential treatment. The episode was designed
      to simulate an expected experience of caregiving that would occur after the birth
      of a second child. During a postnatal visit (M=5.72 weeks following childbirth),
      mothers provided written feedback on their perceptions of the transition and the
      contribution of the laboratory experience to that transition. Qualitative content
      analysis revealed that mothers approached the birth of a second child with
      apprehension. Intrapersonal themes revealed that participation in the procedure
      shaped mothers' understanding of their expanded maternal roles by enhancing their
      sense of preparedness and confidence in their abilities to support their
      children. Interpersonal themes revealed that participation helped mothers
      appreciate the magnitude of the challenge that their children would face and gave
      mothers reason to believe that their children would adjust successfully. Findings
      are discussed in terms of their potential contribution toward developing
      methodology for helping mothers prepare for the addition of a second child.

PMID- 28618011
TI  - The healthy effects of strawberry bioactive compounds on molecular pathways
      related to chronic diseases.
AB  - It is generally accepted that a fruit and vegetable-enriched diet is favorable
      for human health. The consumption of strawberries, in particular, has been
      related to the maintenance of well-being and the prevention of several chronic
      diseases, owing to the high contents of antioxidants and phytochemicals present
      in the fruit. Several biological effects have been explained through the total
      antioxidant capacity exerted by these bioactive compounds, but recently more
      intricate mechanisms have begun to be examined. In this context, it has been
      reported that strawberry phenolics are able to exert anti-inflammatory,
      anticarcinogenic, antiproliferative, and antiatherosclerotic activities, acting
      on specific molecular pathways related to antioxidant defenses, metabolism,
      survival, and proliferation. The overall aim of this work is to discuss and
      update the cellular and molecular mechanisms recently proposed to clarify the
      effects of strawberry phenolics on human health, with particular attention to the
      most common chronic diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease,
      and cancer.

PMID- 28618013
TI  - Not a barrier but a key: How bacteriophages exploit host's O-antigen as an
      essential receptor to initiate infection.
AB  - Tailed bacteriophages specific for Gram-negative bacteria encounter
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during the first infection steps. Yet, it is not well
      understood how biochemistry of these initial interactions relates to subsequent
      events that orchestrate phage adsorption and tail rearrangements to initiate cell
      entry. For many phages, long O-antigen chains found on the LPS of smooth
      bacterial strains serve as essential receptor recognized by their tailspike
      proteins (TSP). Many TSP are depolymerases and O-antigen cleavage was described
      as necessary step for subsequent orientation towards a secondary receptor.
      However, O-antigen specific host attachment must not always come along with O
      antigen degradation. In this issue of Molecular Microbiology Prokhorov et al.
      report that coliphage G7C carries a TSP that deacetylates O-antigen but does not
      degrade it, whereas rough strains or strains lacking O-antigen acetylation remain
      unaffected. Bacteriophage G7C specifically functionalizes its tail by attaching
      the deacetylase TSP directly to a second TSP that is nonfunctional on the host's
      O-antigen. This challenges the view that bacteriophages use their TSP only to
      clear their way to a secondary receptor. Rather, O-antigen specific phages may
      employ enzymatically active TSP as a tool for irreversible LPS membrane binding
      to initiate subsequent infection steps.

PMID- 28618014
TI  - Dual-Mode Optical Sensing of Histamine at Nanomolar Concentrations in Complex
      Biological Fluids and Living Cells.
AB  - An easily synthesized fluorescein-based luminescent dye has been utilized for the
      dual-mode detection of histamine at nanomolar concentrations at pH 7.0 in water.
      The specific response to histamine was achieved by imidazole-catalyzed 'imine
      formation' reaction. The protocol was subsequently applied for the estimation of
      histamine in complex biological milieu such as human blood serum and urine
      samples. Furthermore, the dose-dependent cellular uptake of histamine and de novo
      synthesis (by thapsigargin treatment) was visualized in RAW 264.7, a mouse
      macrophage cell line. We have also developed portable paper strips for rapid, on
      site detection of histamine without involving costly instruments.

PMID- 28618015
TI  - Soluble CD163 and mannose receptor associate with chronic hepatitis B activity
      and fibrosis and decline with treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Liver macrophages are activated in chronic hepatitis B virus
      (CHB) infection and play a pivotal role in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.
      However, their role during antiviral treatment is unclear. The soluble (s)
      macrophage activation markers, sCD163 and mannose receptor (sMR), are released
      during liver damage, and their serum levels reflect liver disease severity and
      portal hypertension. We aimed to investigate associations between sCD163 and sMR
      and histopathological activity and fibrosis and changes in sCD163, sMR, and
      hepatic CD163-expression following antiviral treatment in CHB patients. METHODS:
      We assessed Ishak histological necroinflammatory activity and fibrosis scores in
      liver biopsies from 254 CHB patients and serially in 71 patients before and after
      nucleoside-analogue treatment. Liver CD163-expression was semi-quantitatively
      determined by immunohistochemistry and serum sCD163 and sMR measured by enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Before treatment, the mean levels of sCD163
      and sMR were 3.57 (SD 1.72) mg/L and 0.35 (0.12) mg/L. sCD163 and sMR increased
      with histological inflammatory activity (sCD163: r = 0.46, P < 0.00001; sMR: r =
      0.48, P < 0.00001) and correlated positively with fibrosis (sCD163: OR 1.16, 95%
      CI:1.03-1.31; sMR: OR 1.34, 95% CI:1.13-1.59); both were markers of fibrosis
      independent of other biochemical parameters and risk factors. Antiviral treatment
      significantly reduced sCD163 (3.76 [1.46] vs 2.31 [0.95], P < 0.00001), sMR (0.37
      [0.1] vs 0.29 [0.07], P < 0.00001) and hepatic CD163-expression (P = 0.0002).
      CONCLUSION: The macrophage activation markers sCD163 and sMR were associated with
      activity and fibrosis in liver biopsies from CHB patients. Both serum markers
      decreased with antiviral treatment, along with decreased hepatic CD163
      expression.

PMID- 28618012
TI  - Metabolomic signature of brain cancer.
AB  - Despite advances in surgery and adjuvant therapy, brain tumors represent one of
      the leading causes of cancer-related mortality and morbidity in both adults and
      children. Gliomas constitute about 60% of all cerebral tumors, showing varying
      degrees of malignancy. They are difficult to treat due to dismal prognosis and
      limited therapeutics. Metabolomics is the untargeted and targeted analyses of
      endogenous and exogenous small molecules, which charact erizes the phenotype of
      an individual. This emerging "omics" science provides functional readouts of
      cellular activity that contribute greatly to the understanding of cancer biology
      including brain tumor biology. Metabolites are highly informative as a direct
      signature of biochemical activity; therefore, metabolite profiling has become a
      promising approach for clinical diagnostics and prognostics. The metabolic
      alterations are well-recognized as one of the key hallmarks in monitoring disease
      progression, therapy, and revealing new molecular targets for effective
      therapeutic intervention. Taking advantage of the latest high-throughput
      analytical technologies, that is, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
      and mass spectrometry (MS), metabolomics is now a promising field for precision
      medicine and drug discovery. In the present report, we review the application of
      metabolomics and in vivo metabolic profiling in the context of adult gliomas and
      paediatric brain tumors. Analytical platforms such as high-resolution (HR) NMR,
      in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging and high- and low-resolution MS
      are discussed. Moreover, the relevance of metabolic studies in the development of
      new therapeutic strategies for treatment of gliomas are reviewed.

PMID- 28618016
TI  - ABCG2 and CD200 define patients at high risk of relapse in ELN favorable subgroup
      of AML.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Overexpression of ABCG2 and CD200 has been independently associated
      with poor outcome in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, no data are available
      on the role of these two factors in patients with core-binding factor (CBF)
      positive or FLT3-negative/NPM1-mutated cytogenetically normal (CN) AML. METHODS:
      We analyzed 65 adult AML patients with CBF+ (n=16) or FLT3-/NPM1+ CN (n=49),
      evaluating clinical and biological factors associated with complete remission
      attainment, leukemia-free survival (LFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS:
      ABCG2 was expressed in 36 (55%) cases, and CD200 was positive in 33 (51%) cases,
      six at high levels. Both ABCG2 and CD200 positivity have a negative impact on
      relapse risk: 3-year LFS was 51% vs 82% in ABCG2+ cases (RR 3.3), 49% vs 82% in
      CD200+ patients (RR=4.4), and 25% in CD200- high cases (RR=17.1). ABCG2 and CD200
      affected also OS with 3-year OS of 39% in ABCG2+ (compared to 71% in ABCG2-;
      RR=2.6) and CD200+ (compared to 68% in CD200-; RR=2.5) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      data confirm a negative impact of ABCG2 and CD200 overexpression also in AML
      patients considered at favorable risk according to ELN cytogenetic/molecular
      classification.

PMID- 28618017
TI  - Curcumin and metformin-mediated chemoprevention of oral cancer is associated with
      inhibition of cancer stem cells.
AB  - Effective chemoprevention is critical for improving outcomes of oral cancer. As
      single agents, curcumin and metformin are reported to exhibit chemopreventive
      properties, in vitro as well as in patients with oral cancer. In this study, the
      chemopreventive efficacy of this drug combination was tested in a 4-nitro
      quinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) induced mice oral carcinogenesis model. Molecular
      analysis revealed a cancer stem cell (CSC)-driven oral carcinogenic progression
      in this model, wherein a progressive increase in the expression of CSC-specific
      markers (CD44 and CD133) was observed from 8th to 25th week, at transcript (40
      100-fold) and protein levels (P <= 0.0001). Chemopreventive treatment of the
      animals at 17th week with curcumin and metformin indicated that the combination
      regimen decreased tumor volume when compared to the control arm (0.69+0.03 vs
      6.66+2.4 mm3 ; P = 0.04) and improved overall survival of the animals (P = 0.03).
      Assessment of the molecular status showed an overall downregulation of CSC
      markers in the treatment arms as compared to the untreated control. Further, in
      vitro assessment of the treatment on the primary cells generated from progressive
      stages of 4NQO-induced mice tissue showed a concordant and consistent
      downregulation of the CSC markers following combination treatment (P < 0.05). The
      treatment also inhibited the migratory and self-renewal properties of these
      cells; the effect of which was prominent in the cultures of early dysplastic
      tissue (P < 0.002). Collectively, our observations suggest that the combination
      of curcumin and metformin may improve chemopreventive efficacy against oral
      squamous cell carcinoma through a CSC-associated mechanism.

PMID- 28618019
TI  - Predictors of histological indication for treatment in HBeAg negative chronic HBV
      infection.
AB  - In this study, we evaluated the relationship of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA
      levels with liver histology and various other liver related parameters and the
      predictors of histologically active liver disease requiring treatment
      (Histological activity >=6 and/or grade >=2 by Ishak's classification) in
      patients with HBeAg negative chronic HBV infection. Demographic data, laboratory
      findings and liver histology findings of patients with no clinical cirrhosis who
      underwent liver biopsy considering HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis (HBV DNA
      >2000 IU/mL) were analyzed. Two hundred and fifteen patients were included in
      this retrospective study. Treatment indication by histologic findings were 85.7%,
      61.2%, and 64%, respectively, in group 1 (HBV DNA >=200 000), group 2 (HBV DNA 20
      000-200 000), and group 3 (HBV DNA 2000-20 000 IU/mL) (P = 0.001). Group 1 was
      different from other groups in terms of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
      aminotransferase (ALT), fibrosis stage, necroinflammatory activity, and platelet
      count. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that, advanced age (cut-off
      was 46 years), higher than normal AST and HBV DNA >=200 000 IU/mL (compared to
      group 3) were found to be the predictors of histologically active disease with
      treatment indication. Conclusively, most of the patients with HBV DNA >=200 000
      IU/mL showed treatment requiring liver injury, but also a significant portion of
      the patients with HBV DNA 2000-200 000 IU/mL carried an indication for treatment.
      Although age (>46 years) and AST (>40 IU/L) can be helpful to predict treatment
      requirement in patients with HBV DNA 2000-200 000 IU/mL, sufficient effort should
      be made to find out the significant liver damage.

PMID- 28618021
TI  - Calculation of photoionization differential cross sections using complex Gauss
      type orbitals.
AB  - Accurate theoretical calculation of photoelectron angular distributions for
      general molecules is becoming an important tool to image various chemical
      reactions in real time. We show in this article that not only photoionization
      total cross sections but also photoelectron angular distributions can be
      accurately calculated using complex Gauss-type orbital (cGTO) basis functions.
      Our method can be easily combined with existing quantum chemistry techniques
      including electron correlation effects, and applied to various molecules. The so
      called two-potential formula is applied to represent the transition dipole moment
      from an initial bound state to a final continuum state in the molecular
      coordinate frame. The two required continuum functions, the zeroth-order final
      continuum state and the first-order wave function induced by the photon field,
      have been variationally obtained using the complex basis function method with a
      mixture of appropriate cGTOs and conventional real Gauss-type orbitals (GTOs) to
      represent the continuum orbitals as well as the remaining bound orbitals. The
      complex orbital exponents of the cGTOs are optimized by fitting to the outgoing
      Coulomb functions. The efficiency of the current method is demonstrated through
      the calculations of the asymmetry parameters and molecular-frame photoelectron
      angular distributions of H2+ and H2 . In the calculations of H2 , the static
      exchange and random phase approximations are employed, and the dependence of the
      results on the basis functions is discussed. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618020
TI  - Bacterial colonization of resin composite cements: influence of material
      composition and surface roughness.
AB  - So-called secondary caries may develop in the cement gap between the tooth and
      the bonded restoration. Cement materials with a low susceptibility to biofilm
      formation are therefore desirable. In the present study, the adhesion of
      Strepococcus mutans onto three adhesive (Multilink Automix, RelyX Ultimate, and
      Panavia V5) and three self-adhesive (Multilink Speed Cem, RelyX Unicem 2 Automix,
      and Panavia SA plus) resin composite cements was evaluated. Previous studies have
      failed to evaluate concomitantly the effect of both the composition of the
      cements and their surface roughness on biofilm formation. The presence of S.
      mutans on cement surfaces with differing degrees of roughness was therefore
      recorded using fluorescence microscopy and crystal violet staining, and the
      composition of the cements was analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy mapping. Biofilm formation on resin composite cements was found to
      be higher on rougher surfaces, implying that adequate polishing of the cement gap
      is essential. The use of copper-containing cements (Multilink Automix, Panavia
      V5, and Panavia SA plus) significantly reduced biofilm formation.

PMID- 28618018
TI  - Executive Functions, Memory, and Social Cognitive Deficits and Recovery in
      Chronic Alcoholism: A Critical Review to Inform Future Research.
AB  - Alcoholism is a complex and dynamic disease, punctuated by periods of abstinence
      and relapse, and influenced by a multitude of vulnerability factors. Chronic
      excessive alcohol consumption is associated with cognitive deficits, ranging from
      mild to severe, in executive functions, memory, and metacognitive abilities, with
      associated impairment in emotional processes and social cognition. These deficits
      can compromise efforts in initiating and sustaining abstinence by hampering
      efficacy of clinical treatment and can obstruct efforts in enabling good decision
      making success in interpersonal/social interactions, and awareness of cognitive
      and behavioral dysfunctions. Despite evidence for differences in recovery levels
      of selective cognitive processes, certain deficits can persist even with
      prolonged sobriety. Herein is presented a review of alcohol-related cognitive
      impairments affecting component processes of executive functioning, memory, and
      the recently investigated cognitive domains of metamemory, social cognition, and
      emotional processing; also considered are trajectories of cognitive recovery with
      abstinence. Finally, in the spirit of critical review, limitations of current
      knowledge are noted and avenues for new research efforts are proposed that focus
      on (i) the interaction among emotion-cognition processes and identification of
      vulnerability factors contributing to the development of emotional and social
      processing deficits and (ii) the time line of cognitive recovery by tracking
      alcoholism's dynamic course of sobriety and relapse. Knowledge about the
      heterochronicity of cognitive recovery in alcoholism has the potential of
      indicating at which points during recovery intervention may be most beneficial.

PMID- 28618022
TI  - Utility of a formatted pathologic reporting system in thyroid core needle biopsy:
      A validation study of 1998 consecutive cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Thyroid core needle biopsy (CNB) is increasingly being used as a tool
      for evaluating thyroid nodules; thus, standardization of its diagnostic
      terminology is called for. We aimed to analyse the pathologic reporting system of
      thyroid CNB based on the recently proposed protocol by the Korean Endocrine
      Pathology Thyroid Core Needle Biopsy Study Group and evaluate its usefulness.
      DESIGN/METHODS: A total of 1998 consecutive cases of thyroid CNBs were reviewed
      and divided into six categories according to the protocol. Malignancy rate in
      each category and the diagnostic performance of thyroid CNB were calculated using
      705 resected cases. RESULTS: Thyroid CNB yielded 132 nondiagnostic (6.6%), 791
      benign (39.6%), 328 indeterminate (16.4%), 227 follicular neoplasm (11.4%), 69
      suspicious for malignancy (3.5%) and 451 malignant lesions (22.6%). In resected
      specimens, all of the cases designated as suspicious for malignancy and malignant
      categories in CNB were proven to be true malignant lesions. Lesions diagnosed
      with follicular neoplasm in CNB were identified as malignant lesions in 57.0%.
      Malignancy rate was significantly higher in indeterminate lesions with nuclear
      atypia compared to those with architectural atypia (80.0% vs 28.2%). When CNB
      diagnoses of indeterminate lesions or higher categories were considered positive,
      the sensitivity and positive predictive value for final malignant diagnoses were
      99.2% and 81.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CNB is an accurate method of
      evaluating thyroid nodules and can serve as an alternative to fine needle
      aspiration when it is used and reported according to standardized diagnostic
      categories.

PMID- 28618023
TI  - Is the atopic march related to confounding by genetics and early-life
      environment? A systematic review of sibship and twin data.
AB  - A popular hypothesis known as the atopic march proposes a set of sequential
      allergy and respiratory disorders in early childhood contributes enormously to
      the burden of disease in developed countries. Although the concept of the atopic
      march has been refined and strengthened by many cross-sectional and longitudinal
      studies linking eczema as the initial manifestation with progression to hay fever
      and then asthma, there is yet no definitive proof that the atopic march is the
      primary causal factor in childhood allergic disease. This debate is mainly
      related to the controversy around potential confounding of these associations by
      genetic and environmental factors. Family studies are ideally suited to
      unravelling the role of these factors. While multiple reviews have synthesized
      evidence from studies investigating this question, no review to date has explored
      specific evidence generated by twin and sibling studies to understand the
      aetiology of atopic march diseases. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review of
      twin and sibling studies that examine the allergic phenotypes that form the
      atopic march, to determine whether such analyses of data from these studies
      attempt to control for the effect confounding by shared factors, and to report
      estimates of the magnitude of associations between multiple phenotypes. Our
      review suggests that (1) genetics play a bigger role predisposing eczema to hay
      fever and eczema to asthma than environmental factors, and (2) the link between
      eczema and asthma and hay fever is independent of shared early-life environmental
      factors.

PMID- 28618024
TI  - First-principles modeling of hafnia-based nanotubes.
AB  - Hybrid density functional theory calculations were performed for the first time
      on structure, stability, phonon frequencies, and thermodynamic functions of
      hafnia-based single-wall nanotubes. The nanotubes were rolled up from the thin
      free layers of cubic and tetragonal phases of HfO2 . It was shown that the most
      stable HfO2 single-wall nanotubes can be obtained from hexagonal (111) layer of
      the cubic phase. Phonon frequencies have been calculated for different HfO2
      nanolayers and nanotubes to prove the local stability and to find the thermal
      contributions to their thermodynamic functions. The role of phonons in stability
      of nanotubes seems to be negligible for the internal energy and noticeable for
      the Helmholtz free energy. Zone folding approach has been applied to estimate the
      connection between phonon modes of the layer and nanotubes and to approximate the
      nanotube thermodynamic properties. It is found that the zone-folding
      approximation is sufficiently accurate for heat capacity, but less accurate for
      entropy. The comparison has been done between the properties of TiO2 , ZrO2 , and
      HfO2 . (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618025
TI  - CHEMICAL, PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISATION OF beta-TRACE
      PROTEIN AND gamma-TRACE PROTEIN.

PMID- 28618026
TI  - CHEMICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISATION OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN G FROM
      CEREBROSPINAL FLUID.

PMID- 28618027
TI  - THE MOBILITY OF beta-TRACE PROTEIN gamma-TRACE PROTEIN AND IMMUNOGLOBULIN G FROM
      CEREBROSPINAL FLUID ON AGAR GEL ELECTROPHORESIS.

PMID- 28618029
TI  - CONCLUDING REMARKS.

PMID- 28618030
TI  - GENERAL SUMMARY.

PMID- 28618032
TI  - QUANTITATION OF beta-TRACE PROTEIN IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID IN ANTIBODY-AGAR
      PLATES.

PMID- 28618031
TI  - ISOLATION OF beta-TRACE PROTEIN, gamma-TRACE PROTEIN AND IMMUNOGLOBULIN G FROM
      CEREBROSPINAL FLUID.

PMID- 28618033
TI  - INTRODUCTION.

PMID- 28618034
TI  - Computer-Mediated Communication in Intimate Relationships: Associations of
      Boundary Crossing, Intrusion, Relationship Satisfaction, and Partner
      Responsiveness.
AB  - This study examined the impact of technology on couples in committed
      relationships through the lens of the couple and technology framework.
      Specifically, we used data from 6,756 European couples to examine associations
      between online boundary crossing, online intrusion, relationship satisfaction,
      and partner responsiveness. The results suggest that participants' reports of
      online boundary crossing were linked with lower relationship satisfaction and
      partner responsiveness. Also, lower relationship satisfaction and partner
      responsiveness were associated with increased online boundary crossing. The
      results suggest that men, but not women, who reported greater acceptability for
      online boundary crossing were more likely to have partners who reported lower
      relationship satisfaction in their relationships. Implications for clinicians,
      relationship educators, and researchers are discussed.

PMID- 28618035
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetics of Imatinib in Nigerians With Chronic Myeloid
      Leukemia: Clinical Implications for Dosing and Resistance.
AB  - Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the drug of choice for the treatment of
      chronic myeloid leukemia in Nigeria. Several studies have established
      interindividual and interpopulation variations in imatinib disposition although
      no pharmacokinetic study have been conducted in an African population since the
      introduction of the drug. This study explored a population pharmacokinetic
      approach to investigate the disposition of imatinib in Nigerians and examined the
      involvement of some covariates including genetic factors in the variability of
      the drug disposition with a view to optimize the use of the drug in this
      population. A total of 250 plasma concentrations from 126 chronic myeloid
      leukemia patients were quantified using a validated method. A population
      pharmacokinetic model was fitted to the data using NONMEM VII software, and the
      influences of 12 covariates were investigated. The mean population-derived
      apparent steady-state clearance, elimination half-life, area under the
      concentration-time curve over 24 hours, and volume of distribution were 17.2 +/-
      1.8 L/h., 12.05 +/- 2.1 hours, 23.26 +/- 0.6 MUg.h/mL, and 299 +/- 20.4 L,
      respectively. Whole blood count, ethnicity, CYP3A5*3, and ABCB1 C3435T were found
      to have significant influence on the apparent clearance, while the
      interindividual variability in clearance and interoccasion variability in
      bioavailability were 17.4% and 20.4%, respectively. There was a wide variability
      in apparent clearance and area under the curve compared to those reported in
      other populations. Thus, treatment with a standard dose of imatinib in this
      population may not produce the desired effect in most of the patients, whereas
      continuous exposure to a low drug concentration could lead to pharmacokinetic
      derived resistance. The authors suggest the need for therapeutic drug monitoring
      guided dose individualization in this population.

PMID- 28618036
TI  - Ultra-low radiation dose during electrophysiology procedures using optimized new
      generation fluoroscopy technology.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electrophysiology procedures require fluoroscopic guidance, with the
      associated potentially adverse effects of ionizing radiation. Newer fluoroscopy
      systems have more features that enable dose-reduction strategies. This study
      aimed to investigate any reduction in radiation dose between an older fluoroscopy
      system (Philips Integris H5000, Philips Healthcare, Einhoven, Netherlands) and
      one of the latest systems (Siemens Artis Q, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen,
      Germany), optimized with dose-reduction strategies. METHODS: Radiation dose
      measures were collected over a 2-year period in a single electrophysiology
      laboratory. Procedures were separated into seven groups: devices, biventricular
      devices, electrophysiology studies, standard radiofrequency ablation, complex
      atrial ablation, ablation for ventricular arrhythmias, and pulmonary vein
      isolation. In the first year, an older fluoroscopy system was used, and in the
      second year, a new system, with dose reduction strategies. Comparisons were also
      made to the literature with regard to radiation dose levels. RESULTS: Patient
      characteristics, fluoroscopy times, number of digital acquisitions, procedural
      times, and procedural success were largely similar between the old and new system
      across procedure groups. Overall dose area product (DAP) was reduced by 91% (5.0
      [2.0-17.0] to 0.45 [0.16-2.61] Gycm2 [P > 0.001]) with the new system and was
      lower across all groups. DAP readings with the new system are some of the lowest
      published in the literature in all groups. CONCLUSION: An optimized contemporary
      digital fluoroscopy system, with low radiation dose configuration and continued
      good procedural practice, can result in ultra-low radiation levels for all
      electrophysiology procedures, without compromising procedural time or procedural
      success.

PMID- 28618037
TI  - Hydrogen Peroxide Stimulates Exosomal Cathepsin B Regulation of the Receptor for
      Advanced Glycation End-Products (RAGE).
AB  - Exosomes are nano-sized vesicles that are secreted into the extracellular
      environment. These vesicles contain various biological effector molecules that
      can regulate intracellular signaling pathways in recipient cells. The aim of this
      study was to examine a correlation between exosomal cathepsin B activity and the
      receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE). Type 1 alveolar epithelial
      (R3/1) cells were treated with or without hydrogen peroxide and exosomes isolated
      from the cell conditioned media were characterized by NanoSight analysis.
      Lipidomic and proteomic analysis showed exosomes released from R3/1 cells exposed
      to oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide or vehicle differ in their lipid
      and protein content, respectively. Cathepsin B activity was detected in exosomes
      isolated from hydrogen peroxide treated cells. The mRNA and protein expression of
      RAGE increased in cultured R3/1 cells treated with exosomes containing active
      cathepsin B while depletion of exosomal cathepsin B attenuated RAGE mRNA and
      protein expression. These results suggest exosomal cathepsin B regulates RAGE in
      type 1 alveolar cells under conditions of oxidative stress. J. Cell. Biochem.
      119: 599-606, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618038
TI  - Open visitation and nurse job satisfaction: An integrative review.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of open visitation on critical care
      nurse job satisfaction. BACKGROUND: Open visitation has many benefits for ICU
      patients and families. However, ICU open visitation also affects nurses' work
      environment. Because nurse satisfaction is crucial to overall patient
      satisfaction, nurses' perceptions, experiences and opinions about open visitation
      should be considered. DESIGN: A literature search was performed through CINAHL
      Complete, MEDLINE Complete, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Academic Search Premier and
      PsychINFO. METHODS: Key terms, inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria were
      applied. Duplicates and articles focusing on family presence during end of life
      care were excluded. Articles were evaluated for data quality, resulting in 14
      articles. RESULTS: Family presence can negatively affect nurses' workflow and
      environment. Nurses report a loss of control, interruptions in care and increased
      workloads with open visitation. Therefore, nurses prefer restricted visitation.
      CONCLUSIONS: The literature evidence encourages visitation policies that support
      nurses in managing the additional work and stress of meeting patient and family
      needs. Implementation of evidence-based strategies to support nursing staff in
      stressful ICU environments can improve job satisfaction. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: The conclusions of this integrative review can be utilized by hospitals
      considering or implementing ICU open visitation.

PMID- 28618039
TI  - Correlation between serum galectin-9 levels and liver fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Chronic liver diseases progress from chronic inflammation to
      fibrosis to tumorigenesis. Galectin-9, a beta-galactoside-specific animal lectin,
      is indicated to contribute to all three steps of progression. The aim of this
      study was to determine which of the three steps was most dominant in elevating
      the serum galectin-9 concentration and to test the possibility of galectin-9 as a
      serum biomarker. METHODS: Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis, liver
      cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or
      alcoholic liver disease who provided informed consent were enrolled in this
      study. Serum galectin-9 levels were measured using a sandwich ELISA. Multiple
      regression analyses were performed using ezr to identify factors that determined
      serum galectin-9 concentration. RESULTS: One hundred one patients with 50 of
      chronic hepatitis and 51 of liver cirrhosis were enrolled; the cohort included 45
      cases of hepatitis C virus infection, 13 cases of hepatitis B virus infection,
      and 46 cases with HCC-related complications. The median serum galectin-9
      concentration was 77.54 pg/mL (interquartile range: 18.89-241.9 pg/mL). Multiple
      linear regression analyses proved Fibrosis-4 index and aspartate aminotransferase
      to platelet ratio index, indexes of liver fibrosis, were able to predict the
      serum galectin-9 levels with statistical significance. A multiple logistic
      regression analysis determined 10 pg/mL increase in the serum galectin-9
      concentration presented an odds ratio of 3.90 for liver fibrosis progression.
      CONCLUSIONS: The serum galectin-9 concentration represents a potential biomarker
      of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases, regardless of chronic
      inflammation or the presence of HCC complications. Furthermore, higher serum
      galectin-9 levels are a predictor for liver fibrosis progression.

PMID- 28618040
TI  - Optimising implementation of a patient-assessment framework for emergency nurses:
      A mixed-method study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine potential facilitators and barriers and tailor
      interventions to optimise future implementation of a patient-assessment framework
      into emergency nursing practice. BACKGROUND: An evidence-informed patient
      assessment framework HIRAID (History, Identify Red flags, Assessment,
      Interventions, Diagnostics, communication and reassessment) improves the quality
      of patient assessments performed by emergency nurses. Facilitators and barriers
      must be understood and tailored interventions selected to optimise
      implementation. DESIGN: A mixed-method convergent study design was used. METHODS:
      Thirty eight early career emergency nurses from five Australian hospitals
      participated in an education workshop on the HIRAID assessment framework.
      Simulated clinical scenarios enabled participants to experience conducting a
      patient assessment with and without using the framework. All participants
      completed surveys, interviews and focus groups to identify potential facilitators
      and barriers. Twenty three participants completed follow-up telephone surveys 4-6
      months later. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed separately using
      descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis, prior to integration.
      Implementation interventions were selected using the Behaviour Change Wheel.
      RESULTS: Nine facilitators and nine barriers were identified to potentially
      effect implementation of the HIRAID assessment framework. Twelve of the 23
      participants (52.2%) who completed follow-up surveys reported using the framework
      in the clinical setting. To optimise future implementation, the education
      workshop needs refinement, and environmental restructuring, modelling and social
      support are required. CONCLUSION: A multimodal strategy is needed to promote
      future successful implementation of the HIRAID assessment framework into
      emergency nursing practice. RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: The successful
      implementation of the HIRAID assessment framework has the potential to improve
      nursing assessments of patients in emergency and other acute care settings. This
      study demonstrates how to systematically identify facilitators and barriers to
      behaviour change and select interventions to optimise implementation of evidence
      informed nursing practices.

PMID- 28618041
TI  - Effect of Various Ratios of Co-Cultured ATDC5 Cells and Chondrocytes on the
      Expression of Cartilaginous Phenotype in Microcavitary Alginate Hydrogel.
AB  - The present study introduced a direct co-culture of mouse ATDC5 cells and primary
      porcine chondrocytes into a microcavitary hydrogel, which possessed advantages in
      promoting the growth of chondrocytes and retaining the phenotype. These two types
      of cells were encapsulated with gelatin microspheres in alginate hydrogels in
      either of the three ratios (3:1, 1:1, or 1:3 of ATDC5 cells to chondrocytes) and
      cultured in chondrogenic medium for 28 days. Simultaneously, the single
      encapsulation of ATDC5 cells or chondrocytes was set as a control. Cell Counting
      Kit-8 (CCK-8), real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry staining were used to
      evaluate the effect of various ratios of co-cultured ATDC5 cells and chondrocytes
      on the expression of the cartilaginous phenotype. The CCK-8 data indicated that
      the ratio of 3:1 group had an outstanding ability of cell growth. The other
      results demonstrated that higher the ATDC5 ratios and longer the culture
      duration, greater the expression of cartilage-specific genes (including type II
      collagen and aggrecan) and more the synthesized cartilaginous extracellular
      matrix. Also, the Western blot analysis suggested that p44/42 MAP Kinase was
      involved in cell proliferation. However, due to the direct co-culture of the two
      cell types, the underlying mechanism necessitates further investigation. Overall,
      the co-culture system in microcavitary hydrogel improved the effect of
      chondrogenesis and exhibited promising strategy for cartilage tissue engineering
      therapies. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3607-3615, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals,
      Inc.

PMID- 28618042
TI  - Farmers' knowledge of Q fever and prevention approaches in New South Wales.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify what New South Wales (NSW) farmers know about Q fever to
      inform preventive approaches. DESIGN: Thematic analysis of qualitative data
      gathered through semi-structured individual interviews, focus groups and a
      community meeting. SETTING: Rural communities in NSW, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A
      total of 25 farmers participated in individual interviews (n = 4) or three focus
      groups, each with seven participants (n = 21). A further 27 persons, were
      involved in a community meeting. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Themes derived from the
      interviews, focus groups and community meeting. RESULTS: Knowledge variations
      regarding Q fever risk and transmission highlight a need for improved risk
      communication. Vaccination was viewed as the preferred prevention approach;
      barriers were raised including time, costs, access to screening/vaccination and
      General Practitioner (GP) knowledge about Q fever. Local vaccination initiatives
      were supported. CONCLUSIONS: Strengthening existing GP knowledge and services
      leading to expanded provision of screening/vaccination could improve the coverage
      of Q fever vaccine in endemic NSW farming and rural communities.

PMID- 28618043
TI  - Nurses' knowledge on diabetic foot ulcer disease and their attitudes towards
      patients affected: A cross-sectional institution-based study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess nurses' knowledge on diabetic ulcer disease and
      their attitudes towards patients suffering from it and to identify factors which
      influence them. BACKGROUND: Diabetic wound care is an evolving specialty with the
      rising prevalence of diabetes foot complications. As nurses play a key role in
      wound care, their knowledge and attitudes are important in providing optimum care
      to patients. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional survey design. METHODS: The
      study was conducted in three teaching hospitals. Data were collected using a
      pretested, validated, self-administered questionnaire from purposively recruited,
      voluntarily participating nurses (n = 200) who were in diabetic wound care
      practice for >=1 year. RESULTS: Lack of formal wound care training was reported
      by 91.2%. Mean knowledge score was 77.9 (range 53.3-100 on a scale from 0-100)
      with 57.8% of nurses obtaining >=80%. Nurses demonstrated an overall positive
      attitude towards caring for diabetic ulcer patients (median = 41, range 23-50 on
      a scale from 10-50). However, the study identified deficits in core knowledge and
      some negative attitudes such as insensitivity to pain. Statistically significant
      associations were seen between nurses' knowledge and duration of nursing, wound
      care experience and the type of unit they are attached to. In-service education
      (77.2%) and knowledge sharing with peers (77.9%) were the most popular knowledge
      updating sources. Although 98.6% of nurses were interested in wound care, only
      8.3% wished to engage in research. No correlation was observed between nurses'
      knowledge and attitudes. CONCLUSION: Gaps in core knowledge and negative
      attitudes may be attributed to inadequate training, suboptimal update of
      knowledge and lack of interest in wound care research. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: Wound care training should be made mandatory to improve quality of care
      given by nurses to patients with diabetic ulcers. Continuous professional
      development, evidence-based practices and wound care research should be
      encouraged.

PMID- 28618044
TI  - Rising Trend in Non-Indicated Caesarean Deliveries: Can the Trend be Reversed?

PMID- 28618045
TI  - Clean catch urine collection: Time taken and diagnostic implication. A
      prospective observational study.
AB  - AIM: Clean catch urine (CCU) collection is commonly used in pre-continent
      children. CCU can be time-consuming and specimens may be contaminated. Our aim
      was to determine the time taken for CCU attempts and to describe the success of
      this method in diagnosing or excluding urinary tract infection. METHODS:
      Prospective observational study of CCU in pre-continent children aged 2-48 months
      in the emergency department. Time taken until urine collection, 'successful'
      (voided and caught), 'missed' (voided not caught) or the procedure 'stopped',
      were recorded and urine culture results analysed. RESULTS: Two hundred and
      seventeen children (131 (60%) male) were enrolled. There were a total of 247
      attempts at CCU. For the first attempt, the median collecting time was 30.5 min
      (interquartile range (IQR) 11-66). Outcome was 'successful' in 64% (95%
      confidence intervals (CI) 58-70%), 'missed' in 16% (95% CI 11-20%) and 'stopped'
      in 20% (95% CI 15-26%). Median time if 'successful' was 25 min (IQR 7-46.5),
      'missed' 27 min (IQR 11.6-59) and 71 min (IQR 42.5-93) when 'stopped'. One
      hundred and sixty children had successful CCU collection, 129 were sent for
      culture. Fifty of 129 (39%) cultures were contaminated. If all urine specimens
      caught were sent for culture, the estimated yield of an uncontaminated urine
      specimen was 45%. Contamination was not related to time taken for CCU.
      CONCLUSIONS: CCU is time-consuming, frequently unsuccessful and contaminated,
      resulting in a low overall diagnostic yield. Clinicians could expect a 45% chance
      of obtaining a definitive urine sample from this method overall.

PMID- 28618046
TI  - Open-label randomised controlled trial about application of bundle care in
      prevention of unplanned extubation of nasobiliary drainage catheter after
      endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of bundle care on preventing
      unplanned extubation of nasobiliary drainage catheter after endoscopic retrograde
      cholangiopancreatography. BACKGROUND: Preventing unplanned extubation has become
      a difficult problem for nursing staff because the catheter is stiff, fine and
      long. DESIGN: A total of 114 cases that experienced nasobiliary drainage after
      endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for the first time in our hospital
      from April 2015-July 2016 were enrolled in this study. According to receiving
      routine nurse or bundle nurse, these cases were randomly divided into control (n
      = 56) and intervention (n = 58) group. METHOD: The unplanned extubation
      incidence, contact area between tape and catheter and tensile resistance were
      compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The contact area was one square
      centimetre in the control group and 5 cm2 in the intervention group. Tensile
      resistance was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control
      (all p < .05). Unplanned extubation incidence was significantly lower in the
      intervention group (1.72%, 1/58) than in the control (12.5%, 7/56) (p = .0305).
      CONCLUSION: Bundle care can effectively decrease unplanned extubation incidence
      after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: This study provides a basis for decreasing unplanned extubation
      incidence.

PMID- 28618047
TI  - Focal beta-catenin mutation identified on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded
      inflammatory hepatocellular adenomas.
AB  - The identification of hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) with mutation in exon 3 of the
      CTNNB1 gene encoding for beta-catenin is clinically relevant due to a higher risk
      of malignant transformation. Inflammatory HCA (IHCA) can exhibit beta-catenin
      activation (beta-IHCA). We report two cases with multiple IHCA in which focal
      beta-catenin activation has been found in one of the IHCA. In both cases, the
      diagnosis of IHCA was confirmed on the resected nodules by routine stains,
      immunohistochemical detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) and molecular biology
      on frozen material. An additional molecular analysis was performed on formalin
      fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) material that showed focal glutamine synthetase
      (GS) staining, the surrogate marker of beta-catenin activation. In case 1, it was
      a 1.8-cm area within the 7.5 cm IHCA, and in case 2 a small 0.3-cm area within a
      1.8 cm resected IHCA located close to a larger IHCA, negative for GS. In both
      cases, nuclear beta-catenin expression and decreased reticulin network were
      observed in the GS expressing foci, together with cholestasis and diffuse CD34
      expression in case 1. Molecular analysis by pyrosequencing on FFPE material using
      the GS-stained slides as reference to select areas with/without positive staining
      revealed a CTNNB1 exon 3 mutation restricted to the areas exhibiting both
      positive GS and CRP expression, whereas wild-type CTNNB1 was found in areas
      showing only CRP staining. These two cases illustrate focal beta-catenin
      activation that can occur within IHCAs. Additional data are needed to determine
      if beta-catenin mutation is a secondary event in IHCA.

PMID- 28618048
TI  - Transcriptomic Profiling in Human Decidua of Severe Preeclampsia Detected by RNA
      Sequencing.
AB  - Maternal decidua plays a critical role in implantation and placentation. Impaired
      decidualization causes failed intravascular trophoblast invasion and inadequate
      placentation and then increases the risk of preeclampsia (PE). RNA sequencing
      (RNA-Seq) has achieved great advances in the characterization and quantification
      of transcriptomes; is a powerful tool for new transcript discovery, genome
      annotation, and expression profiling. In the present study, we conducted a RNA
      Seq analysis to compare gene expression between decidua of PE (n = 3, early-onset
      severe PE, EOSPE; n = 3, late-onset severe PE, LOSPE) and normal pregnancies (n =
      3). We revealed that decidual gene transcription profile was altered in severe PE
      and identified 293 key PE-related genes involved in 19 differentially regulated
      pathways relevant for the pathogenesis of PE, among which ENO2, PGK1, and HK2
      involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and HIF-1 signaling pathway which are all
      highly related with tumorigenesis and are significantly upregulated in cancer
      cells were severely inhibited in the decidua of PE. Moreover, we identified 22
      core regulatory genes, including the newly identified pseudogenes BNIP3P1, HK2P1,
      and PGK1P1 that encode long non-coding RNA (lncRNA); interestingly,
      BNIP3/BNIP3P1, HK2/HK2P1, and PGK1/PGK1P1 appear in pairs in core genes.
      Subsequent analyses using quantitative PCR validated a portion of these results.
      This study may provide further insight into the mechanisms of PE and function as
      preventive, predictive, and therapeutic measures. Future functional studies are
      needed in order to accomplish a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved.
      J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 607-615, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618049
TI  - Study of gliquidone degradation behavior by high-performance thin-layer
      chromatography and ultra-performance liquid chromatography methods.
AB  - Gliquidone (GQ) is an oral hypoglycemic agent, belonging to second-generation
      sulfonylurea derivatives. New high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)
      and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) methods have been developed
      and validated and used for complete stability study of GQ following International
      Conference on Harmonization guidelines. GQ was subjected to stress and forced
      degradation under hydrolytic, oxidative and photolytic conditions. The drug was
      found to be unstable under acidic, alkaline and oxidative conditions with the
      formation of gliquidone sulfonamide (GQS), while a marked stability was confirmed
      under thermal and photolytic stress conditions. GQS is the British pharmacopeial
      impurity A of GQ and also considered as its synthesis intermediate. The developed
      chromatographic methods have been utilized for anticipating the degradation
      behavior of GQ under the studied conditions and then used for quantitation of GQ
      and GQS either in their pure forms or in laboratory prepared mixtures. The
      methods were successfully applied to GQ in pharmaceutical formulation. The
      methods have the advantages of being sensitive and less time consuming compared
      with the reported methods. The obtained results were statistically compared with
      a reported HPLC method showing no significant difference regarding both accuracy
      and precision.

PMID- 28618050
TI  - Different Porosities of Chitosan Can Influence the Osteogenic Differentiation
      Potential of Stem Cells.
AB  - Scaffolds porosity has an important role in in vitro and in vivo differentiation
      process of stem cells with given the amount of space available to the cells to
      proliferate and differentiate. In the present study, chitosan with three
      porosities including 10%, 15%, and 20% that created by gelatin were used for
      investigation of the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation potential of
      adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). In order to be more like the scaffold to
      natural bone tissue, freeze-drying method was used in the scaffold preparation.
      Scaffold morphology, cell attachment, and toxicity were evaluated using scanning
      electron microscopy and MTT assay. Then, osteogenic differentiation potential of
      ADSCs cultured on chitosan with different porosities was evaluated by common
      osteogenic markers such as Alizarin red staining, ALP activity, calcium content,
      and osteogenic-related genes expression via real-time RT-PCR. Although all
      scaffolds supported the proliferation and differentiation of ADSCs, but 10%
      scaffold demonstrated higher amount of osteogenic markers in comparison with the
      other porosities and control groups. Taking together, it can be concluded that
      osteogenic differentiation well done in the scaffolds with lower porosity because
      density of the cells will increase by forcing resulted from the scaffold, so
      osteogenic differentiation of the stem cells have an inverse association with
      scaffold porosity. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 625-633, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618051
TI  - Quantitative bioanalysis of bavachalcone in rat plasma by LC-MS/MS and its
      application in a pharmacokinetics study.
AB  - This study aims to develop and validate a simple and sensitive liquid
      chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for investigating
      the pharmacokinetic characteristics of bavachalcone. Liquid-liquid extraction was
      used to prepare plasma sample. Chromatographic separation of bavachalcone and IS
      was achieved using a Venusil ASB C18 (2.1 * 50 mm, 5 MUm) column with a mobile
      phase of methanol (A)-water (B) (70:30, v/v). The detection and quantification of
      analytes was performed in selected-reaction monitoring mode using precursor ->
      product ion combinations of m/z 323.1 -> 203.2 for bavachalcone, and m/z 373.0 ->
      179.0 for IS. Linear calibration plots were achieved in the range of 1-1000 ng/mL
      for bavachalcone (r2  > 0.99) in rat plasma. The recovery of bavachalcone ranged
      from 84.1 to 87.0%. The method was precise, accurate and reliable. It was fully
      validated and successfully applied to pharmacokinetic study of bavachalcone.

PMID- 28618052
TI  - Comparison between swinging and playing of white noise among colicky babies: A
      paired randomised controlled trial.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the effects of swinging and
      playing of white noise on the crying and sleeping durations of colicky babies.
      BACKGROUND: Infantile colic (IC) is one of the most common reasons for doctor
      visits among babies younger than 3 months. One of five babies older than 3 months
      also experiences IC. IC, unlike gastrointestinal problems, is regarded as an
      individual differentiation and maturation of the central nervous system.
      Providing a warm bath, breastfeeding, swinging and playing of white noise are
      nonpharmacological methods. The efficiency of these methods has been proven by
      various studies independently of one another. DESIGN: The study is a prospective,
      multicentre, paired randomised controlled trial. METHODS: The study was conducted
      between April-December 2016. The study sample consisted of 40 1-month-old babies
      with gas pains who passed a hearing screening and their mothers. The total daily
      crying and sleeping durations of the babies were determined without any
      intervention on the first week. On the second week, 20 randomly selected babies
      (first group) were swung each time they cried, and on the third week, they were
      made to listen to white noise. The other 20 babies (second group) were made to
      listen to white noise on the second week and were swung on the third week.
      Swinging and playing of white noise were performed until the babies stopped
      crying. After every intervention, the total crying and sleeping durations of the
      babies were evaluated using a "Colicky Baby's Diary." RESULTS: Playing of white
      noise significantly decreased the daily crying durations (p < .05) and increased
      the sleeping durations of the colicky babies (p < .05) compared to swinging in
      both groups. CONCLUSION: Playing of white noise was found to be a more effective
      nonpharmacological method on crying and sleeping durations of colicky babies than
      swinging. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Playing of white noise may be helpful
      for parents and healthcare personnel in reducing the gas pains of babies.

PMID- 28618053
TI  - Association of aberrant right subclavian artery with abnormal karyotype and
      microarray results.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the incidence of
      chromosomal aberration (both microscopic and sub-microscopic) in fetuses with an
      aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) detected by ultrasonographic anomaly
      scan. METHODS: The study included 62 pregnant women whose fetuses were diagnosed
      with ARSA who were referred for genetic counseling. Of these, 55 patients
      underwent amniocentesis and 7 declined invasive testing. All 55 amniocentesis
      samples were tested by standard G-banding and chromosomal microarray, except for
      2 samples for which only karyotype and fluorescence in situ hybridization for
      22q11.2 deletions were performed. RESULTS: Of the 55 women who underwent
      amniocentesis, 5 were detected with trisomy 21 (9.1%), all of whom had additional
      ultrasound findings. Among the 14 fetuses with ARSA and additional ultrasound
      findings, the incidence of trisomy 21 was 35.7%. In fetuses with isolated ARSA,
      no chromosomal aberrations were detected by standard cytogenetic analysis and
      only one (1.9%) deleterious copy number variants (CNV) was detected by
      chromosomal microarray. CONCLUSION: Aberrant right subclavian artery with
      additional ultrasound findings constitute a strong predictor for aneuploidy.
      However, when ARSA is found in isolation, it confers no increased risk for
      aneuploidy or pathogenic CNVs. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28618054
TI  - Ethics, intimacy and sexuality in aged care.
AB  - AIM: To analyse the accounts of staff, family and residents to advance ethical
      insights into intimacy and sexuality in residential care. BACKGROUND: Discourses
      of ageing readily construct people in residential aged care as postsexual,
      vulnerable and at risk of sexual exploitation, and therefore, expressions of
      intimacy and sexuality may be responded to as deviant and inherently risky. Staff
      may manage decision-making tacitly, without recourse to policies and education.
      DESIGN: The proof-of-concept study used a discursive methodology, identifying
      discourses that shape diverse meanings of intimacy, sexuality and ageing. Data
      analysis involved thematic analysis. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were
      conducted with four participants in 2015 as part of a mixed-methods study. This
      article reports on the qualitative data. RESULTS: Four themes were identified in
      the data analysis: mediated intimate relationships and everyday ethics; self
      referential morality; knowing the person then and now; and juggling ethical
      priorities. Data indicated that participants used their personal moral compass to
      inform their decision-making, without any related policies and applied ethics and
      communication education. As a result, staff described moral uncertainty and moral
      distress. Staff indicated that there were tensions in terms of the role of proxy
      decision-makers, as there were situations where staff believed they were more
      aware of residents' current wishes and cognitive capabilities than family
      members. CONCLUSIONS: Staff, families and residents routinely address intimacy
      and sexuality in aged care. Ethically informed education and policies may enhance
      the role of staff as advocates, ensuring older people living in RAC are as at
      home and autonomous as possible.

PMID- 28618055
TI  - Pericardial-esophageal fistula after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28618056
TI  - Improving substance information in USEtox(r) , part 1: Discussion on data and
      approaches for estimating freshwater ecotoxicity effect factors.
AB  - The scientific consensus model USEtox(r) is recommended by the European
      Commission as the reference model to characterize life cycle chemical emissions
      in terms of their potential human toxicity and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity
      impacts in the context of the International Reference Life Cycle Data System
      Handbook and the Environmental Footprint pilot phase looking at products (PEF)
      and organizations (OEF). Consequently, this model has been systematically used
      within the PEF/OEF pilot phase by 25 European Union industry sectors, which
      manufacture a wide variety of consumer products. This testing phase has raised
      some questions regarding the derivation of and the data used for the chemical
      specific freshwater ecotoxicity effect factor in USEtox. For calculating the
      potential freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity impacts, USEtox bases the effect factor
      on the chronic hazard concentration (HC50) value for a chemical calculated as the
      arithmetic mean of all logarithmized geometric means of species-specific chronic
      median lethal (or effect) concentrations (L[E]C50). We investigated the
      dependency of the USEtox effect factor on the selection of ecotoxicological data
      source and toxicological endpoints, and we found that both influence the
      ecotoxicity ranking of chemicals and may hence influence the conclusions of a
      PEF/OEF study. We furthermore compared the average measure (HC50) with other
      types of ecotoxicity effect indicators, such as the lowest species EC50 or no
      observable-effect concentration, frequently used in regulatory risk assessment,
      and demonstrated how they may also influence the ecotoxicity ranking of
      chemicals. We acknowledge that these indicators represent different aspects of a
      chemical's ecotoxicity potential and discuss their pros and cons for a
      comparative chemical assessment as performed in life cycle assessment and in
      particular within the PEF/OEF context. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3450-3462.
      (c) 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

PMID- 28618057
TI  - The Role of Serum High Mobility Group Box 1 and Interleukin-6 Levels in Acute
      Pancreatitis: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - The purpose of this meta-analysis was to comprehensively investigate the
      correlation between high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in
      relation to acute pancreatitis. A highly regulated exploration of various
      electronic databases, supplemented by manual searching methods, was performed in
      an attempt to identify pertinent articles of a useful nature. Subsequently, high
      quality cohort studies that were deemed to comply with the arduous inclusion and
      exclusion criteria were selected for our meta-analysis. The extensive data
      analyses reported in our meta-analysis were conducted in connection with the
      Comprehensive Meta-analysis 2.0 (CMA 2.0). A total of 395 studies (135 Chinese
      studies and 260 English studies) were initially retrieved. 27 of those studies
      were selected for our meta-analysis, comprising of 896 cases of mild acute
      pancreatitis (MAP), 700 cases of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) as well as 312
      healthy controls. Pooled data suggested that serum HMGB1 and IL-6 levels of SAP
      and MAP patients were higher than in healthy controls. Moreover, serum HMGB1 and
      IL-6 levels of SAP patients exhibited significantly higher levels than in that of
      MAP patients. Based on the rigorous investigation of our meta-analysis, it was
      concluded that serum HMGB1 and IL-6 levels might be used as effective indicators
      for pancreatic lesions as well as the degree of inflammatory response, owing
      ultimately to the observations and data analyses, suggesting that serum HMGB1 and
      IL-6 levels share a close correlation with the severity of pancreatitis. J. Cell.
      Biochem. 119: 616-624, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618058
TI  - Detection of iron restriction in anaemic and non-anaemic patients: New diagnostic
      approaches.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to detect iron restriction in non-anaemic
      patients and iron-restricted erythropoiesis (IRE) in patients with anaemia.
      METHOD: Haematologic indices and biochemical markers of iron deficiency (ID) were
      determined using the clinically accepted cut-off level for serum ferritin of <=30
      MUg/L as reference of ID. To evaluate the prevalence of iron restriction and IRE
      in patients with higher ferritin levels, we used the thresholds of the markers of
      ID as reference. RESULTS: In the anaemic group, 17.1% of patients with ferritin
      levels >30 MUg/L had IRE. The number of patients with IRE declined with
      increasing ferritin concentration. Approximately 14% of patients without anaemia
      and ferritin levels >30 MUg/L had iron restriction because of iron-sequestration
      syndromes. About 30% of the anaemic patients with IRE had ferritin concentrations
      in the range >300 MUg/L, but no patient of the non-anaemic group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Detection of iron restriction and IRE in patients with ferritin levels >30 MUg/L
      is not possible with a single test used in isolation. Based on the results, we
      have developed a scoring system to provide optimal guidance for the evaluation of
      iron restriction in non-anaemic patients and iron-restricted erythropoiesis (IRE)
      in patients with anaemia.

PMID- 28618059
TI  - Cells from subcutaneous tissues contribute to scarless skin regeneration in
      Xenopus laevis froglets.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mammals cannot regenerate the dermis and other skin structures after
      an injury and instead form a scar. However, a Xenopus laevis froglet can
      regenerate scarless skin, including the dermis and secretion glands, on the limbs
      and trunk after skin excision. Subcutaneous tissues in the limbs and trunk
      consist mostly of muscles. Although subcutaneous tissues beneath a skin injury
      appear disorganized, the cellular contribution of these underlying tissues to
      skin regeneration remains unclear. RESULTS: We crossed the inbred J strain with a
      green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled transgenic Xenopus line to obtain
      chimeric froglets that have GFP-negative skin and GFP-labeled subcutaneous
      tissues and are not affected by immune rejection after metamorphosis. We found
      that GFP-positive cells from subcutaneous tissues contributed to regenerating the
      skin, especially the dermis, after an excision injury. We also showed that the
      skin on the head, which is over bone rather than muscle, can also completely
      regenerate skin structures. CONCLUSIONS: Cells derived from subcutaneous tissues,
      at least in the trunk region, contribute to and may be essential for skin
      regeneration. Characterizing the subcutaneous tissue-derived cells that
      contribute to skin regeneration in amphibians may lead to the induction of cells
      that can regenerate complete skin structures without scarring in mammals.
      Developmental Dynamics 246:585-597, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618060
TI  - Clinical validation of the nursing diagnosis of ineffective protection in
      haemodialysis patients.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical validity of indicators of the
      nursing diagnosis of "ineffective protection" in haemodialysis patients.
      BACKGROUND: Haemodialysis patients have reduced protection. Studies on the
      nursing diagnosis of "ineffective protection" are scarce in the literature. The
      use of indicators to diagnose "ineffective protection" could improve the care of
      haemodialysis patients. The clinical usefulness of the indicators requires
      clinical validation. DESIGN: This was a diagnostic accuracy study. METHOD: This
      study assessed a sample of 200 patients undergoing haemodialysis in a reference
      clinic for nephrology during the first half of 2015. Operational definitions were
      created for each clinical indicator based on concept analysis and content
      validation by experts for these indicators. Diagnostic accuracy measurement was
      performed with latent class analysis with randomised effects. RESULTS: The
      clinical indicator of "fatigue" had high sensitivity (p = .999) and specificity
      (p = 1.000) for the identification of "ineffective protection." Additionally,
      "maladaptive response to stress" (p = .711) and "coagulation change" (p = .653)
      were sensitive indicators. The main indicators that showed high specificity were
      "fever" (p = .987), "increased number of hospitalisations" (p = .911), "weakness"
      (p = .937), "infected vascular access" (p = .962) and "vascular access
      dysfunction" (p = .722). CONCLUSION: A set of nine clinical indicators of
      "ineffective protection" were accurate and statistically significant for
      haemodialysis patients. Three clinical indicators showed sensitivity, and six
      indicators showed specificity. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Accurate measures
      for nursing diagnoses can help nurses confirm or rule out the probability of the
      occurrence of "ineffective protection" in patients undergoing haemodialysis.

PMID- 28618061
TI  - Electrical storm in a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy
      triggered by abrupt beta-blocker interruption.
AB  - We present a case of a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy
      (DMDC) having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for secondary prevention,
      who presented with electrical storm shortly after beta-blocker interruption. The
      patient was stabilized and remained free of ventricular arrhythmias soon after
      reinitiating b-adrenoreceptor antagonists. The present case highlights the
      importance of sympathetic blockage in patients with DMDC due to existing
      pathophysiology of excess diastolic Ca2+ leak from sarcoplasmic reticulum as a
      result of ryanodine receptor dysfunction.

PMID- 28618062
TI  - Examining maintenance care following infliximab salvage therapy for acute severe
      ulcerative colitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Data supporting the optimal maintenance drug therapy and
      strategy to monitor ongoing response following successful infliximab (IFX)
      induction, for acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), are limited. We aimed to
      evaluate maintenance and monitoring strategies employed in patients post-IFX
      induction therapy. METHODS: Patients in six Australian tertiary centers treated
      with IFX for steroid-refractory ASUC between April 2014 and May 2015 were
      identified via hospital IBD and pharmacy databases. Patients were followed up for
      1 year with clinical data over 12 months recorded. Analysis was limited to
      patient outcomes beyond 3 months. RESULTS: Forty one patients were identified.
      Five of the 41 (12%) patients underwent colectomy within 3 months, and one
      patient was lost to follow-up. Six of 35 (17%) of the remaining patients
      progressed to colectomy by 12 months. Maintenance therapy: Patients maintained on
      thiopurine monotherapy (14/35) versus IFX/thiopurine therapy (15/35) were
      followed up. Two of 15 (13%) patients who received combination maintenance
      therapy underwent a colectomy at 12 months, compared with 1/14 (7%) patients
      receiving thiopurine monotherapy (P = 0.610). Monitoring during maintenance: Post
      discharge, thiopurine metabolites were monitored in 15/27 (56%); fecal
      calprotectin in 11/32 (34%); and serum IFX levels in 4/20 (20%). Twenty of 32
      (63%) patients had an endoscopic evaluation after IFX salvage with median time to
      first endoscopy of 109 days (interquartile range 113-230). CONCLUSION: Following
      IFX induction therapy for ASUC, the uptake of maintenance therapy in this cohort
      and strategies to monitor ongoing response were variable. These data suggest that
      the optimal maintenance and monitoring strategy post-IFX salvage therapy remains
      to be defined.

PMID- 28618063
TI  - Papillary thyroid carcinoma expressing CD20.
AB  - We identified a case of lymphadenopathy of metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma
      (PTC) with CD20 expression, which was also expressed by the primary tumor. CD20
      expression was identified using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in metastatic PTC
      biopsy samples from a 58-year-old woman. CD20 expression was initially determined
      using a CD20-recognizing L26 clone. To validate this phenomenon, we performed IHC
      with another antibody that recognizes the N-terminus of CD20 and fluorescent
      double staining using anti-TTF-1 and anti-CD20 antibodies. Taken together, we
      concluded metastatic PTC expressed CD20. We also examined 21 additional PTC cases
      and found four more cases that were CD20 positive. Therefore, five of the 22
      (23%) cases were positive for CD20. In the positive cases, four cases were
      classical papillary thyroid carcinoma and one case was a follicular variant of
      papillary thyroid carcinoma. CD20 is an important target for molecularly targeted
      therapy for a subset of B-cell lymphomas. Complement-dependent and antibody
      dependent cellular cytotoxicities are important effector mechanisms of anti-CD20
      therapy. Here, for the first time, we report PTC with expression of CD20. Our
      findings provide a rationale for treating CD20-positive PTC patients with anti
      CD20 therapy.

PMID- 28618064
TI  - Technetium-99m radiochemistry for pharmaceutical applications.
AB  - Technetium-99m (99m Tc) is a widely used radionuclide, and the development of 99m
      Tc imaging agents continues to be in demand. This overview discusses basic
      principles of 99m Tc radiopharmaceutical preparation and design and focuses on
      the 99m Tc radiochemistry relevant to its pharmaceutical applications. The 99m Tc
      complexes are described based on the most typical examples in each category,
      keeping up with the state-of-the-art in the field. In addition, the main current
      strategies to develop targeted 99m Tc radiopharmaceuticals are summarized.

PMID- 28618065
TI  - Cold interferes with male meiotic cytokinesis in Arabidopsis thaliana
      independently of the AHK2/3-AHP2/3/5 cytokinin signaling module.
AB  - Previously we have shown that low temperature stress in Arabidopsis causes
      defects in microtubule organization and cytokinesis in male meiocytes, which
      leads to the formation of diploid pollen. Because cytokinin (CK) mediates
      multiple physiological responses to cold stress, we investigated whether CK
      signaling is involved in cold-induced diploid pollen formation. To this end, we
      monitored male sporogenesis in a series of mutants defective in CK metabolism and
      signalling. Arabidopsis plants with altered CK homeostasis, that is, the ahk2-2
      ahk3-3 double and the ahp2-1 ahp3 ahp5-2 triple mutant, were cold sensitive and
      displayed similar defective male meiotic cytokinesis as wild type plants upon
      cold stress. These findings demonstrate that the AHK2/3-AHP2/3/5 CK-signaling
      module is not required for cold-induced ploidy stability of male gamete in
      Arabidopsis. Cytological analysis further revealed that the cold-induced
      cytokinesis defects in the ahk2-2 ahk3-3 mutant correlated with irregular
      organization of the radial microtubule array (RMA) in tetrad microspores at the
      end of male meiosis. Contrary to the ahk and ahp mutants, Arabidopsis plants
      defective for ARR1, a downstream target of ahk and ahp mediated CK signalling,
      displayed higher cold-tolerance of male meiotic cytokinesis program. We here
      suggest that the transcription regulator ARR1 may act independently from the CK
      AHK2/3-AHP2/3/5 signaling module in conveying the cold response to male
      meiocytes.

PMID- 28618066
TI  - Assessment of ferritin content in multiple sclerosis brains using temperature
      induced R*2 changes.
AB  - PURPOSE: Current MRI techniques cannot reliably assess iron content in white
      matter due to the confounding diamagnetic effect of myelin. The purpose of this
      study was to validate with histology a novel iron mapping technique that uses the
      temperature dependency of the paramagnetic susceptibility in multiple sclerosis
      (MS) brains, where white matter has been reported to show significant variations
      in iron content. METHODS: We investigated post mortem brain tissue from three MS
      patients and one control subject. Temperature-dependent R2* relaxometry was
      performed between 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The resulting temperature
      coefficient ( TcR2*) maps were compared with immunohistochemical stains for
      ferritin light chain. RESULTS: Good agreement between TcR2* maps and ferritin
      staining was found by way of visual comparison and quantitative analysis. The
      highest iron concentrations were detected at the edge of MS lesions and in the
      basal ganglia. For all regions, except the subcortical U-fibers, there was a
      significant negative correlation between the TcR2* values and the ferritin count.
      CONCLUSION: This study provides further evidence that TcR2* may be a reliable
      measure of white matter iron content due to the elimination of myelin-induced
      susceptibility changes and is well suited for further research into neurological
      diseases with distortions of the iron homeostasis. Magn Reson Med 79:1609-1615,
      2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28618067
TI  - Prospects for stakeholder coordination by protected-area managers in Europe.
AB  - Growing resource demands by humans, invasive species, natural hazards, and a
      changing climate have created broad-scale impacts and the need for broader-extent
      conservation activities that span ownerships and even political borders.
      Implementing regional-scale conservation brings great challenges, and learning
      how to overcome these challenges is essential for maintaining biodiversity (i.e.,
      richness and evenness of biological communities) and ecosystem functions and
      services across scales and borders in the face of system change. We administered
      an online survey to examine factors potentially driving perspectives of protected
      area (PA) managers regarding coordination with neighboring PAs and other
      stakeholders (i.e., stakeholder coordination) for conserving biodiversity and
      ecosystem services during the next decade within diverse regions across Europe.
      Although >70% (n = 58) of responding PA managers indicated that climate change
      and invasive species are relevant for their PAs, they gave <50% probability that
      these threats could be mitigated through stakeholder coordination. They thought
      there was a >60% probability (n = 85) that stakeholder coordination would take
      place with the aim to improve conservation outcomes. Consistent with the
      foundation on which many European PAs were established, managers viewed
      maintaining or enhancing biodiversity as the most important (>70%; n = 61)
      expected benefit. Other benefits included maintaining or enhancing human
      resources and environmental education (range of Bayesian credibility intervals
      [CIs] 57-93%). They thought the main barriers to stakeholder coordination were
      the lack of human and economic resources (CI 59-67% chance of hindering; n = 64)
      followed by communication and interstakeholder differences in political
      structures and laws (CI 51-64% probability of hindering). European policies and
      strategies that address these hindering factors could be particularly effective
      means of enabling implementation of green infrastructure networks in which PAs
      are the nodes.

PMID- 28618068
TI  - Molecular cloning and analysis of a C-type lectin from silkworm Bombyx mori.
AB  - C-type lectins (CTLs) play a variety of roles in plants and animals. They are
      involved in animal development, pathogen recognition, and the activation of
      immune responses. CTLs carry one or more non-catalytic carbohydrate-recognition
      domains (CRDs) to bind specific carbohydrates reversibly. Here, we report the
      molecular cloning and functional analysis of a single-CRD CTL, named C-type
      lectin-S2 (BmCTL-S2) from the domesticated silkmoth Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera:
      Bombycidae). The ORF of CTL-S2 is 666 bp, which encodes a putative protein of 221
      amino acids. BmCTL-S2 is expressed in a variety of immune-related tissues,
      including hemocytes and fat body among others. BmCTL-S2 mRNA level in the midgut
      and the fat body was significantly increased by bacterial challenges. The
      recombinant protein (rBmCTL-S2) bound different bacterial cell wall components
      and bacterial cells. rBmCTL-S2 also inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis and
      Staphylococcus aureus. Taken together, we infer that BmCTL-S2 is a pattern
      recognition receptor with antibacterial activities.

PMID- 28618069
TI  - Optimization of acoustic radiation force imaging: Influence of timing parameters
      on sensitivity.
AB  - PURPOSE: Optimization of timing parameters for MR-guided ARFI to achieve the
      highest displacement signal-to-noise ratio (SNRd ). THEORY AND METHODS: In MR
      guided ARFI the phase change induced by motion encoding gradients (MEGs) is
      measured to assess tissue displacement. The sensitivity of this encoding
      procedure depends on several timing parameters, such as the MEG duration and the
      offset time between ultrasound (US) and MEG. Furthermore, mechanical and MR
      tissue constants and MEG schemes (bipolar or three-lobed) influence SNRd .
      Optimal timing parameters were determined in simulations for bipolar and three
      lobed MEGs, and the results were compared with measurements. To provide
      clinically usable timing parameters, physiologically relevant ranges of tissue
      constants were considered. RESULTS: For the considered ranges of tissue
      constants, optimal timing parameters provide only 6% higher SNRd for bipolar than
      for three-lobed MEG. Three-lobed MEG is less sensitive to motion as confirmed in
      phantom experiments. Bipolar MEG can use approximately 1.5-fold shorter MEG
      durations. CONCLUSION: Both bipolar and three-lobed MEGs can yield approximately
      the same SNRd if the optimal timing parameters are chosen. Bipolar MEG allows for
      shorter durations, which is preferable if deposition of US energy needs to be
      minimized, and three-lobed MEG is more suitable when residual motion compensation
      is necessary. Magn Reson Med 79:981-986, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for
      Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28618070
TI  - Morin Suppresses Astrocyte Activation and Regulates Cytokine Release in Bone
      Cancer Pain Rat Models.
AB  - As inflammatory and immune responses are involved in pathophysiology of
      debilitating neuropathic pain, reagents that can modulate these two responses may
      have therapeutic potential. Morin, derived from the moraceae family of plants,
      benefits inflammation-related diseases, but its antinociceptive effects on cancer
      pain remain elusive. In the present study, we investigated antinociceptive
      effects of morin on bone cancer pain using a rat model, where rats were subject
      to implantation of Walker 256 mammary gland carcinoma cells into the tibia. Morin
      (5-20 mg/kg) dose-dependently attenuated behavioral hypersensitivities, including
      mechanical allodynia and free movement pain, which was accompanied by
      downregulation of astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein in the spinal
      cord in cancer-bearing rats. Treatment with morin also induced reduction of pro
      inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 and upregulation of an
      antiinflammatory cytokine IL-10. Furthermore, intrathecal injection of AM630 (an
      antagonist of cannabinoid receptor 2, CB2 ), but not naloxone (an antagonist of
      opioid receptors), significantly blocked morin attenuation of behavioral
      hypersensitivities. Taken together, these results suggest that morin suppresses
      astrocyte activation and neuro-inflammation induced by bone cancer pain and its
      antinociceptive effects on bone cancer pain may be associated with activation of
      CB2 receptors in the spinal cord. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28618071
TI  - Histamine receptor 2 modifies iNKT cell activity within the inflamed lung.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Histamine is a key immunoregulatory mediator and can dampen
      proinflammatory responses via activation of histamine receptor 2 (H2 R). The aim
      of this study was to determine the role of H2 R in modulating lung inflammatory
      responses. METHODS: H2 R was blocked using famotidine or activated using dimaprit
      in both the ovalbumin (OVA) and house dust mite extract (HDM) murine models of
      respiratory inflammation. H2 R-deficient animals and CD1d/H2 R-deficient animals
      were utilized to examine the CD1d presentation of lipid antigens (alphaGalCer or
      OCH) to invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. RESULTS: Famotidine treatment
      resulted in more severe airway disease in the OVA model, while dimaprit treatment
      significantly reduced disease severity. Both OVA and HDM-induced airway diseases
      were more severe in H2 R-deficient animals. Flow cytometric analysis of lung
      tissue from H2 R-deficient animals revealed increased numbers of CD1d+ dendritic
      cells and increased numbers of iNKT cells. In vitro, alphaGalCer-stimulated iNKT
      cells from H2 R-deficient mice secreted higher levels of IL-4, IL-5, and GM-CSF.
      In vivo, alphaGalCer or OCH administration to the lung resulted in enhanced mucus
      secretion, inflammatory cell recruitment, and cytokine production in H2 R
      deficient or famotidine-treated animals, while dimaprit dampened the lung iNKT
      cell response to alphaGalCer. Removal of iNKT cells in H2 R-deficient (CD1d-/- H2
      R-/- ) animals normalized the lung response to HDM. CONCLUSION: The deliberate
      activation of H2 R, or its downstream signaling molecules, may represent a novel
      therapeutic target for chronic lung inflammatory diseases, especially when CD1d
      mediated presentation of lipid antigens to iNKT cells is contributing to the
      pathology.

PMID- 28618072
TI  - To break the weight gain-A qualitative study on the experience of school nurses
      working with overweight children in elementary school.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the experiences of school nurses working with
      overweight schoolchildren. BACKGROUND: School nurses play an important role in
      health promotion of overweight children. Lifestyle changes and interventions to
      address being overweight can improve health outcomes and decrease the risk for
      future health problems. DESIGN: A descriptive and qualitative design with a
      phenomenological approach was used. Data were gathered through interviews with
      school nurses working with overweight schoolchildren in Swedish elementary
      school; the data were subsequently analysed for meanings. RESULTS: Working with
      overweight children was perceived as demanding and challenging by the school
      nurses who found conversations on this topic emotionally loaded and complex. In
      addition, the school nurses needed to be sensitive and supportive to succeed in
      their support for a healthier everyday life for the schoolchildren. It was stated
      as important to find ways to break the child's weight gain and to cooperate with
      the parents in this work. The children's decrease in weight was experienced to be
      more successful when making small, step-by-step changes together with the child
      and his or her parents. CONCLUSIONS: This study concludes that health talks about
      being overweight may be a challenge for school nurses. Strategies used to manage
      and succeed in this work included engaging in motivational conversations, working
      step by step and cooperating with the child's parents. Furthermore, the nurses
      experienced that they needed to provide emotional support for overweight children
      during school time. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The school nurses' health
      promotion needs to focus on how to break weight gain in overweight children. In
      this work, the nurses' sensitiveness seems pivotal. Further research is needed on
      school nurses' work with health promotion and support of overweight children
      concerning how to perform efficient communication and cooperation with the
      children and their parents.

PMID- 28618073
TI  - Drug discovery for remyelination and treatment of MS.
AB  - Glia constitute the majority of the cells in our nervous system, yet there are
      currently no drugs that target glia for the treatment of disease. Given ongoing
      discoveries of the many roles of glia in numerous diseases of the nervous system,
      this is likely to change in years to come. Here we focus on the possibility that
      targeting the oligodendrocyte lineage to promote regeneration of myelin
      (remyelination) represents a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of the
      demyelinating disease multiple sclerosis, MS. We discuss how hypothesis driven
      studies have identified multiple targets and pathways that can be manipulated to
      promote remyelination in vivo, and how this work has led to the first ever
      remyelination clinical trials. We also highlight how recent chemical discovery
      screens have identified a host of small molecule compounds that promote
      oligodendrocyte differentiation in vitro. Some of these compounds have also been
      shown to promote myelin regeneration in vivo, with one already being trialled in
      humans. Promoting oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination represents
      just one potential strategy for the treatment of MS. The pathology of MS is
      complex, and its complete amelioration may require targeting multiple biological
      processes in parallel. Therefore, we present an overview of new technologies and
      models for phenotypic analyses and screening that can be exploited to study
      complex cell-cell interactions in in vitro and in vivo systems. Such
      technological platforms will provide insight into fundamental mechanisms and
      increase capacities for drug-discovery of relevance to glia and currently
      intractable disorders of the CNS.

PMID- 28618074
TI  - BCRP mRNA and FLT3-ITD are independent poor risk factors in adult patients with
      acute myeloid leukemia and intermediate or normal karyotype.
AB  - PURPOSE: FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3-internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is
      aberration associated with poor prognosis in AML. We have analyzed the expression
      of MDR-1, MRP-1, and BCRP mRNA in relation to FLT3-ITD in 100 AML adult patients
      with normal and intermediate karyotype. METHODS: The RQ-PCR method was performed
      to assess the expression of MDR-1, MRP-1, and BCRP mRNA, and the results were
      presented as coefficients calculated using an intermediate method according to
      Pfaffl's rule. RESULTS: According to univariate analysis, the following
      pretreatment variables negatively influenced disease-free survival (DFS): WBC
      count >=25*109 /L (P=.037), MRP-1 mRNA >=1.6818 (P=.028), BCRP mRNA >=1.1892
      (P=.004), FLT3-ITD (P=.005) and overall survival (OS): WBC count >=25*109 /L
      (P=.031), MRP-1 mRNA >=1.6818 (P=.01), BCRP mRNA >=1.1892 (P=.01), FLT3-ITD
      (P=.001). When all prognostic variables were pooled into a multivariate model, we
      found that WBC count >=25*109 /L (P=.026) and BCRP mRNA >=1.1892 (P=.011). We
      observed trend in negative influence of FLT3-ITD on DFS (P=.057). BCRP mRNA
      >=1.1892 (P=.035) and FLT3-ITD (P=.006) negatively, independently influenced the
      OS. CONCLUSIONS: The high expressions of BCRP mRNA calculated with Pfaffl's rule
      and FLT3-ITD are independent poor risk factors in adult patients with AML and
      intermediate or normal karyotype.

PMID- 28618075
TI  - Surgical treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor
      thrombus.
AB  - The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system recommends a tyrosine kinase
      inhibitor (sorafenib) as standard therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Sorafenib has been shown
      to prolong median overall survival (OS) by approximately 3 months in advanced HCC
      patients with PVTT (8.1 vs. 4.9 months). However, its clinical effectiveness is
      still controversial and standard treatment with sorafenib is not established in
      Japan. Surgical resection is considered a potentially curative treatment and
      provides an acceptable outcome for carefully selected patients. The surgical
      mortality rate in patients with PVTT who receive surgical resection ranges from
      0% to 10%. The median survival time and 1-year OS rate in HCC patients with PVTT
      who undergo surgical resection have been found to range from 8 to 22 months and
      21.7% to 69.6%, respectively. But improvement in therapeutic outcome is difficult
      with surgical treatment alone. Combination treatment in conjunction with such
      methods as transarterial chemoembolization, hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy,
      and radiotherapy has been found to improve the prognosis (median survival time,
      11.5-37 months; 1-year OS rate, 46.8-100%). Yet, many problems remain, such as
      surgical indications and surgical techniques. After resolving these points, a
      multidisciplinary strategy based on surgical treatment should be established for
      advanced HCC with PVTT.

PMID- 28618076
TI  - Priorities for methodological research on patient and public involvement in
      clinical trials: A modified Delphi process.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite increasing international interest, there is a lack of
      evidence about the most efficient, effective and acceptable ways to implement
      patient and public involvement (PPI) in clinical trials. OBJECTIVE: To identify
      the priorities of UK PPI stakeholders for methodological research to help resolve
      uncertainties about PPI in clinical trials. DESIGN: A modified Delphi process
      including a two round online survey and a stakeholder consensus meeting.
      PARTICIPANTS: In total, 237 people registered of whom 219 (92%) completed the
      first round. One hundred and eighty-seven of 219 (85%) completed the second; 25
      stakeholders attended the consensus meeting. RESULTS: Round 1 of the survey
      comprised 36 topics; 42 topics were considered in round 2 and at the consensus
      meeting. Approximately 96% of meeting participants rated the top three topics as
      equally important. These were as follows: developing strong and productive
      working relationships between researchers and PPI contributors; exploring PPI
      practices in selecting trial outcomes of importance to patients; and a systematic
      review of PPI activity to improve the accessibility and usefulness of trial
      information (eg participant information sheets) for participants. CONCLUSIONS:
      The prioritized methodological research topics indicate important areas of
      uncertainty about PPI in trials. Addressing these uncertainties will be critical
      to enhancing PPI. Our findings should be used in the planning and funding of PPI
      in clinical trials to help focus research efforts and minimize waste.

PMID- 28618077
TI  - Generation of a microglial developmental index in mice and in humans reveals a
      sex difference in maturation and immune reactivity.
AB  - Evidence suggests many neurological disorders emerge when normal
      neurodevelopmental trajectories are disrupted, i.e., when circuits or cells do
      not reach their fully mature state. Microglia play a critical role in normal
      neurodevelopment and are hypothesized to contribute to brain disease. We used
      whole transcriptome profiling with Next Generation sequencing of purified
      developing microglia to identify a microglial developmental gene expression
      program involving thousands of genes whose expression levels change monotonically
      (up or down) across development. Importantly, the gene expression program was
      delayed in males relative to females and exposure of adult male mice to LPS, a
      potent immune activator, accelerated microglial development in males. Next, a
      microglial developmental index (MDI) generated from gene expression patterns
      obtained from purified mouse microglia, was applied to human brain transcriptome
      datasets to test the hypothesis that variability in microglial development is
      associated with human diseases such as Alzheimer's and autism where microglia
      have been suggested to play a role. MDI was significantly increased in both
      Alzheimer's Disease and in autism, suggesting that accelerated microglial
      development may contribute to neuropathology. In conclusion, we identified a
      microglia-specific gene expression program in mice that was used to create a
      microglia developmental index, which was applied to human datasets containing
      heterogeneous cell types to reveal differences between healthy and diseased brain
      samples, and between males and females. This powerful tool has wide ranging
      applicability to examine microglial development within the context of disease and
      in response to other variables such as stress and pharmacological treatments.

PMID- 28618079
TI  - Protected areas as social-ecological systems: perspectives from resilience and
      social-ecological systems theory.
AB  - Conservation biology and applied ecology increasingly recognize that natural
      resource management is both an outcome and a driver of social, economic, and
      ecological dynamics. Protected areas offer a fundamental approach to conserving
      ecosystems, but they are also social-ecological systems whose ecological
      management and sustainability are heavily influenced by people. This editorial,
      and the papers in the invited feature that it introduces, discuss three emerging
      themes in social-ecological systems approaches to understanding protected areas:
      (1) the resilience and sustainability of protected areas, including analyses of
      their internal dynamics, their effectiveness, and the resilience of the
      landscapes within which they occur; (2) the relevance of spatial context and
      scale for protected areas, including such factors as geographic connectivity,
      context, exchanges between protected areas and their surrounding landscapes, and
      scale dependency in the provision of ecosystem services; and (3) efforts to
      reframe what protected areas are and how they both define and are defined by the
      relationships of people and nature. These emerging themes have the potential to
      transform management and policy approaches for protected areas and have important
      implications for conservation, in both theory and practice.

PMID- 28618080
TI  - Electrocatalytic Mechanism Involving Michaelis-Menten Kinetics at the Preparative
      Scale: Theory and Applicability to Photocurrents from a Photosynthetic Algae
      Suspension With Quinones.
AB  - In the past years, many strategies have been implemented to benefit from oxygenic
      photosynthesis to harvest photosynthetic electrons and produce a significant
      photocurrent. Therefore, electrochemical tools were considered and have globally
      relied on the electron transfer(s) between the photosynthetic chain and a
      collecting electrode. In this context, we recently reported the implementation of
      an electrochemical set-up at the preparative scale to produce photocurrents from
      a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii algae suspension with an appropriate mediator (2,6
      DCBQ) and a carbon gauze as the working electrode. In the present work, we wish
      to describe a mathematical modeling of the recorded photocurrents to better
      understand the effects of the experimental conditions on the photosynthetic
      extraction of electrons. In that way, we established a general model of an
      electrocatalytic mechanism at the preparative scale (that is, assuming a
      homogenous bulk solution at any time and a constant diffusion layer, both
      assumptions being valid under forced convection) in which the chemical step
      involves a Michaelis-Menten-like behaviour. Dependences of transient and steady
      state corresponding currents were analysed as a function of different parameters
      by means of zone diagrams. This model was tested to our experimental data related
      to photosynthesis. The corresponding results suggest that competitive pathways
      beyond photosynthetic harvesting alone should be taken into account.

PMID- 28618078
TI  - The perceptions of key stakeholders of the roles of specialist and advanced
      nursing and midwifery practitioners.
AB  - AIM: To explore the perceptions of key stakeholders of the roles of specialist
      and advanced nursing and midwifery practitioners. BACKGROUND: There is evidence
      that the contribution of these roles to patient care is poorly understood.
      DESIGN: This research took place over 2 months in 2015 and is part of a larger
      study involving a rapid review to inform policy development on the specialist and
      advanced nursing and midwifery practice in Ireland. As an added value, a
      qualitative element involving thematic analysis was undertaken with key
      stakeholders. METHODS: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted
      incorporating semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders (n = 15).
      Purposive sampling with maximum diversity was used to recruit a wide range of
      perspectives. FINDINGS: Participant's perspectives led to seven themes: Impact of
      these roles; role preparation, experience and organizational support; specialist
      and advanced practice roles in an interdisciplinary context; different folks but
      not such different roles; impact of specialist and advanced practice roles on
      patient outcomes; barriers and facilitators to enacting specialist and advanced
      practice roles; future development of these roles. CONCLUSION: There is
      acknowledgement of the positive impact of specialist and advanced practitioners;
      however, the evidence is currently not conclusive. Preparation for these roles
      needs to reflect changes in the calibre of today's professional applicants, and
      organizational support is paramount to their successful execution. The
      contribution of their activity to patient outcome needs to be made visible to
      enhance these roles and to justify the development of new roles across a variety
      of healthcare areas.

PMID- 28618082
TI  - Slow Magnetic Relaxation in a Mononuclear Ruthenium(III) Complex.
AB  - The development of magnetic molecules with long spin reversal/decoherence times
      highly depends on the understanding of relaxation behavior under different
      external conditions. Herein, a magnetic study on a RuIII complex (1) is
      presented. Detailed analysis of the relaxation time and the magneto-heat capacity
      data suggests that the resonant phonon trapping process dominates the magnetic
      relaxation in the crystalline sample of 1, slowing down the spin relaxation rate,
      as further confirmed by the measurements on a ground sample and frozen solution.
      Thus, it provides a rare example showing that 4d metal-centered mononuclear
      compounds without second-order anisotropy can display slow magnetic relaxation.

PMID- 28618081
TI  - Loss of the ssrA genome island led to partial debromination in the PBDE respiring
      Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain GY50.
AB  - Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chemicals commonly used as flame
      retardants in consumer products, are emerging persistent organic pollutants that
      are ubiquitous in the environment. In this study, we report a PBDE-respiring
      isolate - Dehalococcoides mccartyi strain GY50, which debrominates the most toxic
      tetra- and penta-BDE congeners (~1.4 uM) to diphenyl ether within 12 days with
      hydrogen as the electron donor. The complete genome sequence revealed 26
      reductive dehalogenase homologous genes (rdhAs), among which three genes (pbrA1,
      pbrA2 and pbrA3) were highly expressed during PBDE debromination. After 10
      transfers of GY50 with trichloroethene or 2,4,6-trichlorophenol as the electron
      acceptor instead of PBDEs, the ssrA-specific genome island (ssrA-GI) containing
      pbrA1 and pbrA2 was deleted from the genome of strain GY50, leading to two
      variants (strain GY52 with trichloroethene, strain GY55 with 2,4,6
      trichlorophenol) with identically impaired debromination capabilities
      (debromination of penta-/tetra-BDEs ceased at di-BDE 15). Through analysis of
      Illumina paired-end sequencing data, we identified read pairs that probably came
      from variants that contain ssrA-GI deletions, indicating their possible presence
      in the original strain GY50 culture. The two variant strains provide real-time
      examples on rapid evolution of organohalide-respiring organisms. As PBDE
      respiring organisms, GY50-like strains may serve as key players in detoxifying
      PBDEs in contaminated environments.

PMID- 28618083
TI  - Low-abundant species facilitates specific spatial organization that promotes
      multispecies biofilm formation.
AB  - Microorganisms frequently co-exist in matrix-embedded multispecies biofilms.
      Within biofilms, interspecies interactions influence the spatial organization of
      member species, which likely play an important role in shaping the development,
      structure and function of these communities. Here, a reproducible four-species
      biofilm, composed of Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Xanthomonas retroflexus,
      Microbacterium oxydans and Paenibacillus amylolyticus, was established to study
      the importance of individual species spatial organization during multispecies
      biofilm development. We found that the growth of species that are poor biofilm
      formers, M. oxydans and P. amylolyticus, were highly enhanced when residing in
      the four-species biofilm. Interestingly, the presence of the low-abundant M.
      oxydans (0.5% of biomass volume) was observed to trigger changes in the
      composition of the four-species community. The other three species were crucially
      needed for the successful inclusion of M. oxydans in the four-species biofilm,
      where X. retroflexus was consistently positioned in the top layer of the mature
      four-species biofilm. These findings suggest that low abundance key species can
      significantly impact the spatial organization and hereby stabilize the function
      and composition of complex microbiomes.

PMID- 28618084
TI  - CCL20 promotes migration and invasiveness of human cancerous breast epithelial
      cells in primary culture.
AB  - The relation between the tumor and its microenvironment is one of the most
      interesting and less understood issues. Recently, we showed a role of CCL20
      chemokine in proning the healthy tissue neighboring the tumor to carcinogenesis.
      Besides, tumor-secreted CCL20 induced proliferation, migration, and EMT of
      healthy cells. In this context, we have studied here if CCL20 had effects on the
      migration of cancer cells and the intracellular pathways used in breast
      epithelial cells in primary culture. Using molecular (siRNA) and pharmacological
      (inhibitors) techniques, we found multiple signaling kinases to be activated and
      involved in CCL20-induced tumor breast cell migration. CCL20 provoked a 2.5-fold
      increase of cell migration and invasion; CCL20 also enhanced MMP- 2 and MMP-9
      mRNAs/protein expression and activities. Cell migration and invasiveness due to
      CCL20 significantly decreased when MMP-2 and MMP-9 were inhibited in CCL20
      stimulated cells. CCL20 controlled MMP-2 expression through the JAK2/STAT3
      pathway, while the expression of MMP-9 occurred by PKC-alpha that activated,
      consequently, c-Src, Akt, and finally NF-kB. These results reveal a role for
      CCL20 also in tumor breast cell and point to CCL20 as a novel therapeutic target
      in cancer.

PMID- 28618085
TI  - Improved localization, spectral quality, and repeatability with advanced MRS
      methodology in the clinical setting.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the utility of an advanced magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (MRS) protocol in the clinical setting, and to compare the
      localization accuracy, spectral quality, and quantification repeatability between
      this advanced and the conventional vendor-provided MRS protocol on a clinical 3T
      platform. METHODS: Proton spectra were measured from the posterior cingulate
      cortices in 30 healthy elderly subjects by clinical MR technologists using a
      vendor-provided (point resolved spectroscopy with advanced 3D gradient-echo B0
      shimming) and an advanced (semi-LASER with FAST(EST)MAP shimming) protocol, in
      random order. Spectra were quantified with LCModel using standard pipelines for
      the clinical and research settings, respectively. RESULTS: The advanced protocol
      outperformed the vendor-provided protocol in localization accuracy (chemical
      shift-displacement error: 2.0%/ppm, semi-LASER versus 11.6%/ppm, point resolved
      spectroscopy), spectral quality (water linewidth: 6.1 +/- 1.8 Hz, FAST(EST)MAP
      versus 10.5 +/- 3.7 Hz, 3D gradient echo; P < 7e-6; residual water: 0.08 +/-
      0.12%, VAPOR versus 0.45 +/- 0.50%, WET; P < 2e-5) and within-session
      repeatability of metabolite concentrations, particularly of low signal-to-noise
      ratio data with two to eight averages (test-retest coefficients of variance of
      metabolite concentrations, P < 0.01). Concentrations of J-coupled metabolites
      such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate were biased when using the default
      pipeline with simulated macromolecules. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of MRS data can
      be improved using advanced acquisition and analysis protocols on standard 3T
      hardware in the clinical setting, which can facilitate robust applications in
      central nervous system diseases. Magn Reson Med 79:1241-1250, 2018. (c) 2017
      International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28618086
TI  - Jordanian nurses' perception and interventions related to promoting smoking
      cessation.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine nurses' perceptions related to smoking
      cessation, health promotion and interventions provided to hospitalised patients.
      BACKGROUND: Smoking is a major health problem in Jordan. The cost for treating
      smoking-related health conditions is a significant strain on the healthcare
      system. Nurses are in an ideal position to encourage smoking cessation. Little is
      known about Jordanian nurses' perceptions related to smoking cessation issues.
      METHODS: A qualitative design was used to collect data from 22 Jordanian nurses
      using focus groups. Purposive sampling was used to select the study participants.
      Content analysis was conducted, to determine themes related to the research
      questions. RESULTS: Nurses indicated that smoking cessation counselling is
      important. However, they did not feel that their counselling was very effective.
      Nurses indicated that the presence of a well-defined hospital policy regarding
      smoking was a facilitator to smoking cessation and antismoking clinics would also
      help to decrease smoking. Challenges to nurses' interventions included lack of
      hospital policy, lack of time and nurses who smoke could not be role models or
      provide effective counselling. Regarding decreasing smoking in Jordan, nurses had
      suggestions that included scare techniques and increasing taxes on cigarettes as
      well as enforcing policies that prevent cigarette sales to children under 16.
      CONCLUSIONS: Nurses are well aware of the hazards of smoking and indicate a
      belief that encouraging smoking cessation is an appropriate activity. Changes in
      smoking rules and the enforcement of rules, as well as increased public health
      efforts related to smoking cessation, are necessary to decrease smoking
      prevalence in Jordan. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Training in smoking
      cessation counselling and increased awareness of the resources may increase
      nurses' ability to have an impact on decreasing the smoking prevalence in Jordan.

PMID- 28618087
TI  - Telephone nursing in Sweden: A narrative literature review.
AB  - Telephone nursing services are expanding globally. Swedish Healthcare Direct is
      the largest healthcare provider in Sweden. This paper provides a comprehensive
      understanding of telephone nursing, as reflected by research on Swedish national
      telephone nursing, and discusses the findings in relation to international
      literature. A descriptive, mixed-studies literature review was conducted. Twenty
      four articles from January 2003 to April 2015 were identified from PubMed,
      Scopus, and CINAHL, and included. The issues explored in this study are how
      telephone nursing is perceived by callers, telephone nurses, and managers, and
      what characterizes such calls. Callers value reassurance, support, respect and
      satisfaction and involvement in decisions can increase their adherence. The
      telephone nurses' perspective focused on problems and ethical dilemmas,
      communication, the decision support tool, and working tasks. The managers'
      perspective focused on nursing work goals and malpractice claims. Concerning call
      characteristics, authentic calls, incident reports, and threats to patient safety
      were considered. Telephone nursing seems safe, but gender can play a role in
      calls. Future research on caller access, equity, and efficiency, healthcare cost
      effectiveness, distribution, and patient safety is needed.

PMID- 28618088
TI  - A comparison of barriers to mental health support-seeking among farming and non
      farming adults in rural South Australia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the differences between farming and non-farming rural adults
      in perceived barriers to mental health service use. DESIGN: A cross-sectional
      survey, modified from the Barriers to Help-Seeking Scale (BHSS), was conducted
      using a computer-assisted telephone interview. SETTING: Respondents (age 52.6 +/-
      11.6 years) were recruited from three rural regions of South Australia.
      PARTICIPANTS: Approximately, 78 non-farmers and 45 farmers were included in
      analyses. 78 retired and two unemployed participants were excluded from the
      analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Farmers and non-farmers were compared on domain
      scores and individual item responses from the adapted BHSS that represent
      'agrarian' attitudes to support-seeking for mental health: stoicism, self
      reliance, minimisation of the problem, stigma and distrust of health
      professionals. RESULTS: In the analysis of domain scores, 'Need for Control and
      Self-Reliance' was a stronger barrier for farmers than non-farmers (P = 0.009)
      with a trend (P = 0.07) towards stronger barriers among farmers in the
      'Minimising Problem and Resignation' domain. In the analysis of item-level
      responses, there was a difference (P = 0.03) between farmers and non-farmers in
      responses to 'I find it difficult to understand my doctor/health professional',
      with 24.4% of the farmers agreeing that this is a barrier compared with 15.3% of
      the non-farmers. CONCLUSION: Long-held stereotypes of stoicism and self-reliance
      among farmers were somewhat supported, in the context of mental health. Mental
      health services and professionals in rural Australia might need to adapt their
      practices to successfully engage this population.

PMID- 28618089
TI  - CRH promotes human colon cancer cell proliferation via IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling
      pathway and VEGF-induced tumor angiogenesis.
AB  - Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) has been demonstrated to participate in
      various diseases. Our previous study showed that its receptor CRHR1 mediated the
      development of colitis-associated cancer in mouse model. However, the detailed
      mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we explored the oncogenetic role of
      CRH/CRHR1 signaling in colon cancer cells. Cell proliferation and colony
      formation assays revealed that CRH contributed to cell proliferation. Moreover,
      tube formation assay showed that CRH-treated colon cancer cell supernatant
      significantly promoted tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells
      (HUVECs). And these effects could be reversed by the CRHR1 specific antagonist
      Antalarmin. Further investigation showed that CRH significantly upregulated the
      expressions of interlukin-6 (IL-6) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
      through activating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB). The CRH-induced IL-6
      promoted phosphorylation of janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducers and
      activators of transcription 3 (STAT3). STAT3 inhibition by Stattic significantly
      inhibited the CRH-induced cell proliferation. In addition, silence of VEGF
      resulted in declined tube formation induced by CRH. Taken together, CRH/CRHR1
      signaling promoted human colon cancer cell proliferation via NF-kappaB/IL
      6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and tumor angiogenesis via NF-kappaB/VEGF
      signaling pathway. Our results provide evidence to support a critical role for
      the CRH/CRHR1 signaling in colon cancer progression and suggest its potential
      utility as a new therapeutic target for colon cancer.

PMID- 28618091
TI  - Bacterial transformation: ComFA is a DNA-dependent ATPase that forms complexes
      with ComFC and DprA.
AB  - Pneumococcal natural transformation contributes to genomic plasticity, antibiotic
      resistance development and vaccine escape. Streptococcus pneumoniae, like many
      other naturally transformable species, has evolved sophisticated protein
      machinery for the binding and uptake of DNA. Two proteins encoded by the comF
      operon, ComFA and ComFC, are involved in transformation but their exact molecular
      roles remain unknown. In this study, we provide experimental evidence that ComFA
      binds to single stranded DNA (ssDNA) and has ssDNA-dependent ATPase activity. We
      show that both ComFA and ComFC are essential for the transformation process in
      pneumococci. Moreover, we show that these proteins interact with each other and
      with other proteins involved in homologous recombination, such as DprA, thus
      placing the ComFA-ComFC duo at the interface between DNA uptake and DNA
      recombination during transformation.

PMID- 28618090
TI  - Road map for the clinical application of the basophil activation test in food
      allergy.
AB  - The diagnosis of IgE-mediated food allergy based solely on the clinical history
      and the documentation of specific IgE to whole allergen extract or single
      allergens is often ambiguous, requiring oral food challenges (OFCs), with the
      attendant risk and inconvenience to the patient, to confirm the diagnosis of food
      allergy. This is a considerable proportion of patients assessed in allergy
      clinics. The basophil activation test (BAT) has emerged as having superior
      specificity and comparable sensitivity to diagnose food allergy, when compared
      with skin prick test and specific IgE. BAT, therefore, may reduce the number of
      OFC required for accurate diagnosis, particularly positive OFC. BAT can also be
      used to monitor resolution of food allergy and the clinical response to
      immunomodulatory treatments. Given the practicalities involved in the performance
      of BAT, we propose that it can be applied for selected cases where the history,
      skin prick test and/or specific IgE are not definitive for the diagnosis of food
      allergy. In the cases that the BAT is positive, food allergy is sufficiently
      confirmed without OFC; in the cases that BAT is negative or the patient has non
      responder basophils, OFC may still be indicated. However, broad clinical
      application of BAT demands further standardization of the laboratory procedure
      and of the flow cytometry data analyses, as well as clinical validation of BAT as
      a diagnostic test for multiple target allergens and confirmation of its
      feasibility and cost-effectiveness in multiple settings.

PMID- 28618092
TI  - A platinized stainless steel fiber with in-situ coated
      polyaniline/polypyrrole/graphene oxide nanocomposite sorbent for headspace solid
      phase microextraction of aliphatic aldehydes in rice samples.
AB  - The surface of a stainless steel fiber was made larger, porous and cohesive by
      platinizing for tight attachment of its coating. Then it was coated by a
      polyaniline/polypyrrole/graphene oxide (PANI/PP/GO) nanocomposite film using
      electrochemical polymerization. The prepared PANI/PP/GO fiber was used for
      headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) of linear aliphatic aldehydes in
      rice samples followed by GC-FID determination. To achieve the highest extraction
      efficiency, various experimental parameters including extraction time and
      temperature, matrix modifier and desorption condition were studied. The linear
      calibration curves were obtained over the range of 0.05-20 MUg g-1 (R2  > 0.99)
      for C4 -C11 aldehydes. The limits of detection were found to be in the range of
      0.01-0.04 MUg g-1 . RSD values were calculated to be <7.4 and 10.7% for intra-
      and inter-day, respectively. The superiority of the prepared nanocomposite SPME
      fiber was established by comparison of its results with those obtained by
      polydimethylsiloxane, carbowax-divinylbenzene, divinylbenzene-carboxen
      polydimethylsiloxane and polyacrylate commercial ones. Finally, the nanocomposite
      fiber was used to extract and determine linear aliphatic aldehydes in 18 rice
      samples.

PMID- 28618093
TI  - Influence of gender, BMI and body shape on theoretical injection outcome at the
      ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal sites.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the influences of gender, BMI
      and observed body shape on subcutaneous fat and muscle thicknesses, and
      theoretical injection outcome, at the ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal
      intramuscular injection sites. BACKGROUND: Debate continues as to whether the
      dorsogluteal or ventrogluteal injection site is more reliable for a successful
      intramuscular injection outcome. Subcutaneous fat and muscle thicknesses at the
      injection site are direct determinants of intramuscular injection outcome. BMI
      and observed body shape influence gluteal subcutaneous fat and muscle
      thicknesses, and therefore injection outcome, with potentially distinct effects
      at the ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal sites. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional
      study. METHODS: Demographic data were collected, and subcutaneous fat and muscle
      thicknesses were quantified bilaterally at the dorsogluteal and ventrogluteal
      injection sites using ultrasound, for 145 participants (57% female). RESULTS:
      Subcutaneous fat and muscle were significantly thicker at the dorsogluteal than
      the ventrogluteal site, and 75% and 86% of participants would receive a
      successful intramuscular injection at these sites, respectively. There were
      significant effects of gender, BMI and observed body shape on subcutaneous fat
      thickness and theoretical injection outcome at both sites. Females, obese
      individuals and endomorph individuals had thicker subcutaneous fat and were more
      likely to have a subcutaneous injection outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Gender, BMI and
      observed body shape could be used to guide site and needle length selection when
      administering gluteal intramuscular injections to increase the likelihood of a
      successful intramuscular injection outcome. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Both
      gluteal injection sites should be avoided in obese individuals and endomorph
      individuals. An intramuscular injection will be successful: using a 32-mm needle
      at the ventrogluteal site for all males and normal-weight females and using a 38
      mm needle for all females at the ventrogluteal site, and for all males and at
      least 98% of females at the dorsogluteal site.

PMID- 28618096
TI  - Perioperative use of terlipressin in adult liver transplant.

PMID- 28618095
TI  - A qualitative formative evaluation of a patient-centred patient safety
      intervention delivered in collaboration with hospital volunteers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that patients can meaningfully feed back to
      healthcare providers about the safety of their care. The PRASE (Patient Reporting
      and Action for a Safe Environment) intervention provides a way to systematically
      collect feedback from patients to support service improvement. The intervention
      is being implemented in acute care settings with patient feedback collected by
      hospital volunteers for the first time. OBJECTIVE: To undertake a formative
      evaluation which explores the feasibility and acceptability of the PRASE
      intervention delivered in collaboration with hospital volunteers from the
      perspectives of key stakeholders. DESIGN: A qualitative evaluation design was
      adopted across two acute NHS trusts in the UK between July 2014 and November
      2015. We conducted five focus groups with hospital volunteers (n=15), voluntary
      services and patient experience staff (n=3) and semi-structured interviews with
      ward staff (n=5). Data were interpreted using framework analysis. RESULTS: All
      stakeholders were positive about the PRASE intervention as a way to support
      service improvement, and the benefits of involving volunteers. Volunteers felt
      adequate training and support would be essential for retention. Staff
      concentrated on the infrastructure needed for implementation and raised concerns
      around sustainability. Findings were fed back to the implementation team to
      support revisions to the intervention moving into the subsequent summative
      evaluation phase. CONCLUSION: Although there are concerns regarding
      sustainability in practice, the PRASE intervention delivered in collaboration
      with hospital volunteers is a promising approach to collect patient feedback for
      service improvement.

PMID- 28618097
TI  - Accuracy of navigated cam resection in femoroacetabular impingement: A randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The main cause for revision hip arthroscopy surgery is incomplete
      bony resection of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). This study aimed to compare
      the cam resection accuracy via the conventional hip arthroscopy technique with
      the navigation technique. METHODS: Two prospectively randomized groups were
      recruited: navigated (n = 15) and conventional (n = 14). A pre-operative CT and
      post-operative MRI scan were obtained in all cases to compare alpha angle, range
      of motion simulation and determine a pre-operative 3D surgical resection plan.
      RESULTS: Post-operatively, the mean maximal alpha angle improved significantly in
      the navigated group compared with the conventional group (55 degrees vs.66
      degrees ; P = 0.023), especially in the 12 o' clock position (45 degrees vs.60
      degrees ; P = 0.041). However, positioning time and radiation exposure were
      significantly longer in the navigated group. CONCLUSION: Navigated surgery is
      effective for patients with cam type FAI in helping restore normal anatomy,
      however, not without drawbacks. Larger studies will be required to validate our
      results.

PMID- 28618098
TI  - Relationship of prelabor fetal cardiac function with intrapartum fetal compromise
      and neonatal status at term.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate prospectively the relationship of fetal cardiac
      function and Doppler ultrasound parameters with intrapartum fetal compromise
      (IFC) in appropriately grown term fetuses. Secondary aims were to correlate
      prenatal cardiac function with neonatal acid-base status, intrapartum fetal heart
      rate (FHR) abnormalities and adverse neonatal outcomes. METHODS: This was a
      blinded, prospective, observational, cohort study of 270 women with an
      uncomplicated singleton pregnancy who underwent fortnightly ultrasound assessment
      from 36 weeks' gestation until delivery at the Mater Mother's Hospital, Brisbane,
      Australia. Fetal cardiac output and blood flow parameters were assessed and
      correlated with intrapartum and neonatal outcomes. The primary outcome was need
      for operative (either Cesarean or instrumental vaginal) delivery for IFC.
      Secondary outcome measures were acidosis at birth, 5-min Apgar score <= 7,
      suspicious or pathological FHR abnormalities and admission to the neonatal
      intensive care unit. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy women were included in the
      analysis, of whom 51 (18.9%) had an emergency operative delivery for IFC. Fetuses
      that had emergency delivery for IFC showed lower mean left ventricular cardiac
      output (LVCO) (560 +/- 44 mL/min vs 617 +/- 73 mL/min; P < 0.001), lower mean
      LVCO/right ventricular cardiac output (RVCO) ratio (0.55 +/- 0.07 vs 0.64 +/-
      0.11; P < 0.001), lower mean cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) (1.62 +/- 0.3 vs 1.90
      +/- 0.5; P < 0.001) and higher mean RVCO (1026 +/- 105 mL/min vs 978 +/- 110
      mL/min; P = 0.003) compared with those that did not develop IFC. Additionally,
      LVCO and CPR were lower in fetuses with adverse neonatal outcome. CONCLUSION:
      Term fetuses with estimated fetal weight > 10th centile that develop IFC have
      evidence of lower LVCO and higher RVCO, which are in turn associated with poorer
      condition of the newborn. Fetal CPR is positively correlated with LVCO. Copyright
      (c) 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28618100
TI  - Characteristics of an effective nursing clinical instructor: The state of the
      science.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To analyse the perceived characteristics of an effective
      nursing clinical instructor and methods for measure instructor effectiveness.
      This review also examined importance of characteristics based on student age.
      BACKGROUND: The clinical instructor has a vital role in clinical education. While
      the role may be well defined, the characteristics these instructors need to do
      their jobs effectively are not. DESIGN: An integrative review from 1985 to
      present using four key terms: nursing, clinical, teaching and effectiveness. This
      review revealed 37 articles that met the inclusion criteria for analysis.
      METHODS: Inclusion criteria included studies related to nursing clinical teaching
      effectiveness of the clinical instructor in a direct patient care setting. An
      integrative review table of the studies was made by the author. Keywords were
      analyzed in the results column, and same concepts were grouped together. RESULTS:
      A synthesis of current research revealed three dominant themes: competency, the
      ability to develop interpersonal relationships and certain personality traits.
      The analysis of the literature suggests the ability to develop interpersonal
      relationships is the most valued skill. Overall, approachability emerged as the
      most important personality trait needed to be an effective clinical instructor.
      The analysis also revealed a difference regarding the priority of characteristics
      based on age of the student. CONCLUSION: The analysis of the literature suggests
      the ability to develop interpersonal relationships is the most valued skill for
      clinical instructors. Overall, approachability emerged as the most important
      personality trait needed to be an effective clinical instructor. RELEVANCE TO
      CLINICAL PRACTICE: Future studies should continue to evaluate the extent of the
      dominant themes especially considering the rise of the millennial student
      generation.

PMID- 28618101
TI  - Understanding nurses' concerns when caring for patients from diverse cultural and
      ethnic backgrounds.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences of both student and qualified
      nurses of caring for patients from diverse cultural, ethnic and linguistic
      backgrounds, in one region of Ireland. Hearing the stories, experiences and
      attitudes of nurses has the potential to influence future clinical practice and
      has implication for nurses, nurse educators and nurse managers and leaders.
      BACKGROUND: There is a wealth of international literature highlighting the
      importance of providing culturally sensitive care. However, global reports of
      culturally insensitive care continue. There is a paucity of in-depth research
      exploring the actual concerns and challenges nurses experience when caring for
      patients from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, as well as what influences
      their actions and omissions of care in practice. DESIGN: A qualitative
      exploratory descriptive design adopting the principles of a classic grounded
      theory approach was used. METHODS: Focus groups (n - 10) and individual face-to
      face interviews (n - 30) were conducted with student and qualified nurses
      studying and working in one region of Ireland. As data were collected, it was
      simultaneously analysed using the classic grounded theory methodological
      principles of coding, constant comparison and theoretical sampling. FINDINGS:
      Uncertainty was the consistent main concern that emerged. Feelings of ambiguity
      of how to act were further influenced by a lack of knowledge, an awareness of
      ethnocentric beliefs and the culture of the organisation in which participants
      learn and work in. Instead of finding answers to uncertainties, participants
      demonstrated a lack of commitment to meeting patients' needs in a culturally
      appropriate way. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds new perspectives to our
      understanding of enablers and barriers to culturally sensitive care. It explains
      the poignant effect of uncertainty and describes how nurses were unable (or
      unwilling) to find answers when in doubt. It raises questions that remain
      unanswered in the existing literature, as to why nurses feel it is acceptable to
      choose to do nothing about their lack of cultural knowledge and the uncertainties
      which follow. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Identifying the nature and
      implications of the uncertainty experienced when providing care for patients from
      diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds is an important contributing factor to
      improving cultural sensitivity and quality care.

PMID- 28618102
TI  - Factors contributing to serious adverse events in nursing homes.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To identify the most common serious adverse events that
      occurred in nursing homes and their most frequent contributing factors to the
      improvement of safe nursing care. BACKGROUND: There is a need to improve safe
      nursing care in nursing homes. Residents are often frail and vulnerable with
      extensive needs for nursing care. A relatively minor adverse event in nursing
      care can cause serious injury that could have been preventable. DESIGN: This was
      a retrospective study, with a total sample of data regarding adverse events (n =
      173) in nursing homes, concerning nursing care reported by healthcare providers
      in Sweden to the Health and Social Care Inspectorate. The reports were analysed
      with content analysis, and the frequencies of the adverse events, and their
      contributing factors, were described with descriptive statistics. RESULTS:
      Medication errors, falls, delayed or inappropriate intervention and missed
      nursing care contributed to the vast majority (89%) of the serious adverse
      events. A total of 693 possible contributing factors were identified. The most
      common contributing factors were (i) lack of competence, (ii) incomplete or lack
      of documentation, (iii) teamwork failure and (iv) inadequate communication.
      CONCLUSIONS: The contributing factors frequently interacted yet they varied
      between different groups of serious adverse events. The resident's safety depends
      on the availability of staff's competence as well as adequate documentation about
      the resident's condition. Lack of competence was underestimated by healthcare
      providers. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Registered nurses and assistant nurses
      need to have awareness of contributing factors to adverse events in nursing care.
      A holistic approach to improve patient safety in nursing homes requires
      competence of the staff, safe environments as well as resident's and relative's
      participation.

PMID- 28618099
TI  - EPEC effector EspF promotes Crumbs3 endocytosis and disrupts epithelial cell
      polarity.
AB  - Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) uses a type III secretion system to
      inject effector proteins into host intestinal epithelial cells causing diarrhoea.
      EPEC infection redistributes basolateral proteins beta1-integrin and Na+ /K+
      ATPase to the apical membrane of host cells. The Crumbs (Crb) polarity complex
      (Crb3/Pals1/Patj) is essential for epithelial cell polarisation and tight
      junction (TJ) assembly. Here, we demonstrate that EPEC displaces Crb3 and Pals1
      from the apical membrane to the cytoplasm of cultured intestinal epithelial cells
      and colonocytes of infected mice. In vitro studies show that EspF, but not Map,
      alters Crb3, whereas both effectors modulate Pals1. EspF perturbs polarity
      formation in cyst morphogenesis assays and induces endocytosis and apical
      redistribution of Na+ /K+ ATPase. EspF binds to sorting nexin 9 (SNX9) causing
      membrane remodelling in host cells. Infection with DeltaespF/pespFD3, a mutant
      strain that ablates EspF binding to SNX9, or inhibition of dynamin, attenuates
      Crb3 endocytosis caused by EPEC. In addition, infection with DeltaespF/pespFD3
      has no impact on Na+ /K+ ATPase endocytosis. These data support the hypothesis
      that EPEC perturbs apical-basal polarity in an EspF-dependent manner, which would
      contribute to EPEC-associated diarrhoea by disruption of TJ and altering the
      crucial positioning of membrane transporters involved in the absorption of ions
      and solutes.

PMID- 28618104
TI  - Effect of two different polishing systems on fluoride release, surface roughness
      and bacterial adhesion of newly developed restorative materials.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of two different polishing systems on
      fluoride release, surface roughness and bacterial adhesion of five restorative
      materials MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study groups were comprised of five
      different restorative materials, Beautifil II (B); GCP Glass Fill (G); Amalgomer
      CR (A); Dyract XP (D); Fuji IX GP (F) and 21 specimens were prepared from each
      material. Each group was divided into three subgroups according to the polishing
      system: Mylar (control) (C), Sof-lex (S), and Enhance-Pogo (EP). The amount of
      fluoride release was measured using a fluoride ion-selective electrode and
      surface roughness was investigated with a profilometer. Bacterial adhesion on the
      materials was evaluated by optical density readouts for S.mutans on a
      spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The highest amount of fluoride was released from
      specimens in the S subgroup of group G during all measurement days. Surface
      roughness values were significantly lower in subgroup C than the other polishing
      systems in all study groups except group G (P < .05). Group A displayed
      significantly higher surface roughness values than the other material groups in
      both subgroups (S and EP) (P < .01). Highest bacterial adhesion was observed in
      the EP subgroup of group A. CONCLUSIONS: Polishing promoted a significant
      increase of fluoride release on restorative materials especially in glass ionomer
      based materials. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This article stated that polishing
      promoted a significant increase of fluoride release on restorative materials
      especially in glass ionomer-based materials. Further, proper polishing systems
      must be chosen according to the structure and composition of materials to provide
      the best clinical benefits in terms of fluoride release, surface roughness and
      bacterial adhesion.

PMID- 28618103
TI  - Secretory pathway Ca2+ -ATPases promote in vitro microcalcifications in breast
      cancer cells.
AB  - Calcification of the breast is often an outward manifestation of underlying
      molecular changes that drive carcinogenesis. Up to 50% of all non-palpable breast
      tumors and 90% of ductal carcinoma in situ present with radiographically dense
      mineralization in mammographic scans. However, surprisingly little is known about
      the molecular pathways that lead to microcalcifications in the breast. Here, we
      report on a rapid and quantitative in vitro assay to monitor microcalcifications
      in breast cancer cell lines, including MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and Hs578T. We show that
      the Secretory Pathway Ca2+ -ATPases SPCA1 and SPCA2 are strongly induced under
      osteogenic conditions that elicit microcalcifications. SPCA gene expression is
      significantly elevated in breast cancer subtypes that are associated with
      microcalcifications. Ectopic expression of SPCA genes drives microcalcifications
      and is dependent on pumping activity. Conversely, knockdown of SPCA expression
      significantly attenuates formation of microcalcifications. We propose that high
      levels of SPCA pumps may initiate mineralization in the secretory pathway by
      elevating luminal Ca2+ . Our new findings offer mechanistic insight and
      functional implications on a widely observed, yet poorly understood radiographic
      signature of breast cancer.

PMID- 28618105
TI  - Factors influencing medication adherence in patients with gout: A descriptive
      correlational study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine the factors influencing adherence to urate
      lowering therapy in patients with gout in Singapore. BACKGROUND: Gout is the most
      common type of chronic inflammatory arthritis. Urate-lowering therapy is used to
      treat gout by reducing serum uric acid levels. However, adherence to urate
      lowering therapy among patients remains poor. To date, there have been no
      available studies based on a conceptual framework that examined factors
      influencing medication adherence in patients with gout. DESIGN: Cross-sectional,
      descriptive correlational study. METHODS: A convenience sample of outpatients (n
      = 108) was recruited between October 2014-January 2015 from a tertiary hospital
      in Singapore. Outcomes were measured by relevant valid and reliable instruments.
      Descriptive statistics and parametric tests including multiple linear regression
      were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Although 44.4% of the participants were
      high adherers to urate-lowering therapy, the mean adherence level was moderate.
      Significant differences in medication adherence scores were found among the
      subgroups of gender, ethnicity, marital status, employment status and presence of
      comorbidity. Medication adherence was positively significantly correlated with
      age, number of comorbidities and beliefs about medicines. Linear regression
      showed that higher level of beliefs about medicines, presence of comorbidity and
      being married were factors positively influencing medication adherence.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed moderate adherence to urate-lowering therapy in
      patients with gout in Singapore, indicating the need for strategies to improve
      adherence by considering its main influencing factors. Future research should be
      conducted to develop interventions targeted at modifying patients' beliefs about
      medicines in order to improve medication adherence. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: Findings from this study allow healthcare providers to quickly and
      easily identify patients who may have low adherence. Nurses should take the lead
      in educating patients on the mechanism of urate-lowering therapy and highlight
      the importance of adhering to it.

PMID- 28618106
TI  - Authors' response.

PMID- 28618107
TI  - Blood pressure and psychological distress among North Africans in France: The
      role of perceived personal/group discrimination and gender.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between
      perceived ethnic discrimination and (physical and mental) health indicators among
      North African women and men living in France. METHODS: This study included 82
      North Africans, aged 18-64 years. Perceived discrimination was measured at both
      group level (PGD) and personal level (PPD). The physical health indicator was
      blood pressure. The mental health indicator was self-reported psychological
      distress. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses showed that higher levels of PGD
      predicted higher blood pressure. PPD was not related to blood pressure. PPD was
      positively related to psychological distress among women, but not among men.
      CONCLUSION: PPD and PGD are associated with physical and mental health indicators
      in different ways among North African women and men in France.

PMID- 28618108
TI  - Chronic respiratory disease in the regional and remote population of the Northern
      Territory Top End: A perspective from the specialist respiratory outreach
      service.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the demographic, rates and types of chronic respiratory
      conditions in Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients in regional and remote
      communities of Northern Territory Top End, who were referred to the specialist
      respiratory outreach service. DESIGN: A retrospective, observational study over a
      2 years period. SETTING: Remote community health clinics within the Northern
      Territory Top End visited by the specialist respiratory outreach team.
      PARTICIPANTS: Only patients referred to respiratory specialist outreach team were
      included. There were 444 participants, with 210 males and 234 females. In total,
      79.3% were Indigenous. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The rates of chronic respiratory
      disease diagnoses and smoking status within the different communities and health
      district regions. RESULTS: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the
      most common primary respiratory condition in our cohort of patients (50.5%)
      followed by sleep apnoea in (14.2%), bronchiectasis in (11.6%), asthma (11%),
      interstitial lung disease (2.5%), nodule/cancer (1.8%) sarcoidosis (0.2%) and
      others (9.2%). COPD, smoking status and bronchiectasis was more frequently noted
      among the Indigenous patients compared to non-Indigenous patients (56.3% versus
      28.3%, P < 0.001), (52.6% versus 25.0%, P < 0.001), and (12.5% versus 3.3%, P =
      0.01) respectively. Obstructive sleep apnoea was more commonly diagnosed in non
      Indigenous patients. CONCLUSION: Indigenous patients of the remote and rural
      communities of the Top End have significantly higher rates of smoking and COPD
      compared to non-Indigenous patients. Bronchiectasis is also more common among
      Indigenous patients. Further efforts are warranted to develop strategies to
      address the disparity and optimise the respiratory outreach service to this
      population.

PMID- 28618109
TI  - Vaccination timeliness in preterm infants: An integrative review of the
      literature.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To take a systematic approach to reviewing the scientific
      literature examining the timeliness of vaccination in preterm infants and to
      identify any factors associated with timeliness. BACKGROUND: Preterm infants are
      vulnerable to infection and guidance advocates they are vaccinated in accordance
      with their full-term peers. Vaccination is well tolerated and protective immune
      responses are observed, yet some early enquiries suggest that preterm infants
      experience unwarranted delays. The recent surge in pertussis cases and the
      increase in vaccinations administered make this a topic requiring further
      exploration. DESIGN: An integrative review of the empirical literature. METHODS:
      Studies were identified following a search of Medline, Academic Search Premier,
      Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and
      Allied Health Literature. The review methods used were influenced by a narrative
      synthesis approach. The retrieval of papers adhered to recognised reporting
      standards. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were identified, which indicated that
      infants with the lowest gestational ages and birthweights experience the greatest
      delays. Vaccination timeliness is influenced by hospitalisation and increased
      postdischarge follow-up. There was a lack of consensus to indicate that parental
      socio-economic status and level of education were indicators for a delay. The
      studies propose that many delays are unjustified and not according to genuine
      contraindications. CONCLUSION: This review indicates that preterm infants are not
      vaccinated in a timely manner. Those involved in vaccinating preterm infants must
      be informed of the genuine contraindications to avoid unnecessary delays putting
      preterm infants at an increased risk of infection. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: Care providers should acknowledge the risk of a delay in preterm
      infants and actively promote vaccination in this population. Regular training
      should help to negate the occurrence of inappropriate delays, and careful
      discharge planning is needed to ensure that preterm infants are vaccinated on
      time.

PMID- 28618111
TI  - Iron-Catalyzed Olefin Metathesis with Low-Valent Iron Alkylidenes.
AB  - Inspired by recent reports of low-valent iron-complex-catalyzed formal [2+2]
      cycloaddition of olefins, we demonstrate computationally that with such low
      valent iron complexes and with "strong" ligands, the olefin metathesis is also
      preferred over the undesired cyclopropanation side-reaction, competition already
      studied by Hoffmann and co-workers almost 40 years ago (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1981,
      103, 5582). The [2+2] cycloaddition step in metathesis propagation, which gives a
      Chauvin-type metallacyclobutane intermediate, is proposed to proceed either via a
      planar four-electron Craig-Mobius aromatic [pi2s +pi2s ] transition-state
      structure with a low barrier of 4.7 kcal mol-1 or, alternatively, via a twisted
      Zimmerman-Mobius aromatic [pi2s +pi2a ] transition state with a 5.5 kcal mol-1
      activation-energy barrier, with respect to an "encounter" pi-complex minimum
      obtained from an FeII alkylidene and the entering olefin, while the corresponding
      triplet pathways are all disfavored.

PMID- 28618110
TI  - Intravesical vanilloids for treating neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction
      in patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. A
      report from the Neuro-Urology Promotion Committee of the International Continence
      Society (ICS).
AB  - AIMS: To systematically assess all available evidence on efficacy and safety of
      vanilloids for treating neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) in
      patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: This systematic review and meta
      analysis was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
      Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Studies were identified by
      electronic search of Cochrane register, Embase, Medline, Scopus, (last search
      January 8, 2016). RESULTS: After screening of 7848 abstracts, 4 randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) and 3 prospective cohort studies were included. Pooled
      data from three RCTs evaluating intravesical capsaicin showed the standardized
      mean difference to be -2.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] -2.87 to -1.45) in
      incontinence episodes per 24 h and -0.54 (95%CI -1.03 to -0.05) in voids per 24
      h. There was no statistically significant effect on maximum cystometric capacity
      and maximum storage detrusor pressure. Overall, adverse events were reported by
      >50% of the patients, most commonly were pelvic pain, facial flush, worsening of
      incontinence, autonomic dysreflexia, urinary tract infection and haematuria. Risk
      of bias and confounding was relevant in both RCTs and non-RCTs. CONCLUSIONS:
      Preliminary data suggest that intravesical vanilloids might be effective for
      treating NLUTD in patients with MS. However, the safety profile seems
      unfavorable, the overall quality of evidence is low and no licensed substance is
      currently available warranting well-designed, adequately sampled and properly
      powered RCTs.

PMID- 28618112
TI  - Older patients with late-stage COPD: Their illness experiences and involvement in
      decision-making regarding mechanical ventilation and noninvasive ventilation.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the illness experiences of older patients with
      late-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to develop knowledge about
      how patients perceive their preferences to be taken into account in decision
      making processes concerning mechanical ventilation and/or noninvasive
      ventilation. BACKGROUND: Decisions about whether older patients with late-stage
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will benefit from noninvasive ventilation
      treatment or whether the time has come for palliative treatment are complicated,
      both medically and ethically. Knowledge regarding patients' values and
      preferences concerning ventilation support is crucial yet often lacking. DESIGN:
      Qualitative design with a hermeneutic-phenomenological approach. METHODS: The
      data consist of qualitative in-depth interviews with 12 patients from Norway
      diagnosed with late-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The data were
      analysed within the three interpretative contexts described by Kvale and
      Brinkmann. RESULTS: The participants described their lives as fragile and
      burdensome, frequently interrupted by unpredictable and frightening
      exacerbations. They lacked information about their diagnosis and prognosis and
      were often not included in decisions about noninvasive ventilation or mechanical
      ventilation. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that these patients are highly
      vulnerable and have complex needs in terms of nursing care and medical treatment.
      Moreover, they need access to proactive advanced care planning and an opportunity
      to discuss their wishes for treatment and care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:
      To provide competent care for these patients, healthcare personnel must be aware
      of how patients experience being seriously ill. Advanced care planning and shared
      decision-making should be initiated alongside the curative treatment.

PMID- 28618113
TI  - The mechanism of interactions between tea polyphenols and porcine pancreatic
      alpha-amylase: Analysis by inhibition kinetics, fluorescence quenching,
      differential scanning calorimetry and isothermal titration calorimetry.
AB  - SCOPE: This study aims to use a combination of biochemical and biophysical
      methods to derive greater mechanistic understanding of the interactions between
      tea polyphenols and porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase (PPA). METHODS AND RESULTS:
      The interaction mechanism was studied through fluorescence quenching (FQ),
      differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal titration calorimetry
      (ITC) and compared with inhibition kinetics. The results showed that a higher
      quenching effect of polyphenols corresponded to a stronger inhibitory activity
      against PPA. The red-shift of maximum emission wavelength of PPA bound with some
      polyphenols indicated a potential structural unfolding of PPA. This was also
      suggested by the decreased thermostability of PPA with these polyphenols in DSC
      thermograms. Through thermodynamic binding analysis of ITC and inhibition
      kinetics, the equilibrium of competitive inhibition was shown to result from the
      binding of particularly galloylated polyphenols with specific sites on PPA. There
      were positive linear correlations between the reciprocal of competitive
      inhibition constant (1/Kic ), quenching constant (KFQ ) and binding constant
      (Kitc ). CONCLUSION: The combination of inhibition kinetics, FQ, DSC and ITC can
      reasonably characterize the interactions between tea polyphenols and PPA. The
      galloyl moiety is an important group in catechins and theaflavins in terms of
      binding with and inhibiting the activity of PPA.

PMID- 28618114
TI  - Subjective insomnia symptoms and sleep duration are not related to hypothalamic
      pituitary-adrenal axis activity in older adults.
AB  - Insomnia symptoms are highly prevalent in depressed older adults. This study
      investigates the association between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
      activity and symptoms of insomnia, respectively, sleep duration among 294
      depressed and 123 non-depressed older adults of the Netherlands Study of
      Depression in Older people (NESDO) study. Insomnia symptoms were defined as
      clinically relevant when having a score >= 10 points on the Women's Health
      Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (WHIIRS). Sleep duration was categorized in
      short (<= 6 h per night), normal (7-8 h per night) and long (>= 9 h per night)
      duration. Salivary cortisol levels were used to assess the following cortisol
      parameters for HPA axis activity: area under the curve with respect to the
      increase (AUCi) and to the ground (AUCg), diurnal slope, evening cortisol level
      and dexamethasone suppression ratio. Clinically relevant insomnia symptoms were
      present in 46% of the participants. Thirty-two per cent of the participants were
      short sleepers, whereas 16% were long sleepers. However, univariate analyses
      showed no differences in any of the HPA axis parameters between people with and
      without insomnia symptoms or between the three groups with different sleep
      duration. In addition, no significant interaction was found between a diagnosis
      of depression or the severity of depressive symptoms and any of the cortisol
      parameters in relation to insomnia symptoms or sleep duration.

PMID- 28618115
TI  - Iron-sulfur glutaredoxin 2 protects oligodendrocytes against damage induced by
      nitric oxide release from activated microglia.
AB  - Demyelinated brain lesions, a hallmark of autoimmune neuroinflammatory diseases
      like multiple sclerosis, result from oligodendroglial cell damage. Activated
      microglia are considered a major source of nitric oxide and subsequent
      peroxynitrite-mediated damage of myelin. Here, we provide biochemical and
      biophysical evidence that the oxidoreductase glutaredoxin 2 inhibits
      peroxynitrite formation by transforming nitric oxide into dinitrosyl
      diglutathionyl-iron-complexes. Glutaredoxin 2 levels influence both survival
      rates of primary oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and preservation of myelin
      structure in cerebellar organotypic slice cultures challenged with activated
      microglia or nitric oxide donors. Of note, glutaredoxin 2-mediated protection is
      not linked to its enzymatic activity as oxidoreductase, but to the disassembly of
      its uniquely coordinated iron-sulfur cluster using glutathione as non-protein
      ligand. The protective effect of glutaredoxin 2 is connected to decreased protein
      carbonylation and nitration. In line, brain lesions of mice suffering from
      experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis,
      show decreased glutaredoxin 2 expression and increased nitrotyrosine formation
      indicating that this type of protection is missing in the inflamed central
      nervous system. Our findings link inorganic biochemistry to neuroinflammation and
      identify glutaredoxin 2 as a protective factor against neuroinflammation-mediated
      myelin damage. Thus, improved availability of glutathione-coordinated iron-sulfur
      clusters emerges as a potential therapeutic approach in inflammatory
      demyelination.

PMID- 28618116
TI  - Differences in p53 status significantly influence the cellular response and cell
      survival to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-metformin cotreatment in colorectal cancer
      cells.
AB  - Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 are highly prevalent in cancers and are
      known to influence the sensitivity of cells to various chemotherapeutics
      including the anti-cancer candidates 1,25-dihydrovitamin D3 [1,25D3] and
      metformin. Previous studies have demonstrated additive/synergistic anti-cancer
      effects of the 1,25D3-metformin combination in different models, however, the
      influence of p53 status on the efficacy of this regimen has not been
      investigated. The CRC colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines HCT116 wild-type (wt),
      HCT116 p53-/-, and HT-29 (mutant; R273H) were employed, covering three different
      p53 variations. Synergistic effects of the combination were confirmed in all cell
      lines using MTT assay. Detailed evaluation of the combination's effects was
      performed, including on-line measurements of cellular metabolism
      (glycolysis/respiration) using a biosensor chip system, analyses of mitochondrial
      activity (membrane potential and ATP/ROS production), mRNA expression analysis of
      WNT/beta-catenin pathway players, and a comprehensive proteomic screen using
      immunoblotting and ELISA microarrays. AMPK signaling was found to be more
      strongly induced in response to all treatments in HCT116 wt cells compared to
      other cell lines, an observation that was coupled to a stronger accumulation of
      intracellular ROS in response to metformin/combination, and finally an induction
      in autophagy, depicted by an increase in LC3II:LC3I ratio in combination-treated
      cells compared to mono-treatments. An induction in apoptotic signaling was
      observed in the other cell lines in response to the combination, illustrated by a
      decrease in expression of pro-survival Bcl2 family members. P53 status impacts
      cellular responses to the combination but does not hamper its anti-proliferative
      synergy.

PMID- 28618117
TI  - iTRAQ-based proteomics of sunflower cultivars differing in resistance to
      parasitic weed Orobanche cumana.
AB  - Orobanche cumana is an obligate root parasite causing severe damage to many
      economically important crops, including sunflowers worldwide. For efficient
      control measures, it is necessary to understand the resistant mechanism during
      interaction at molecular level. The present study emphasizes on comparative
      proteomics to investigate the mechanistic basis of compatible and incompatible
      interaction of O. cumana with resistant (JY207) and susceptible (TK0409)
      sunflowers. More than 3500 proteins were identified from two cultivars by iTRAQ
      analysis. Identified proteins associated with general functions,
      posttranslational modification, energy production and conversion, carbohydrate
      transport and metabolism, and signal transduction mechanisms were the most
      represented category of induced proteins in both cultivars. The resistant
      interaction was characterized by alteration of defense-related proteins involved
      in recognition of parasites, accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins,
      biosynthesis of lignin, and detoxification of toxic metabolites in JY207 after
      inoculation. The susceptible interaction was characterized by decreased abundance
      of proteins involved in biosynthesis and signaling of plant growth regulators
      including auxin, gibberellin, brassinosteroid, and ethylene in TK0409 after
      inoculation. The present study provides comprehensive details of proteins and
      differential modulation of pathways regulated under compatible and incompatible
      interaction, allowing the identification of important molecular components for
      development of sustainable resistance against this parasite.

PMID- 28618118
TI  - Response to "Rebutting the inclined analyses on the cost-effectiveness and
      feasibility of coral reef restoration".

PMID- 28618119
TI  - KH-type splicing regulatory protein mediate inflammatory response in gastric
      epithelial cells induced by lipopolysaccharide.
AB  - To study differential expressions of KH-type splicing regulatory protein (KSRP)
      and inflammatory factors and to explore the relationship between them in
      Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced gastric epithelial cells (GES-1), cells were
      exposed to LPS for 24 h in the presence or absence of SC-514. Western blot and
      real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were used to analysis the contents of KSRP, inducible NO
      synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The results showed that LPS
      decreased the expression of KSRP protein in GES-1 cells, but not KSRP mRNA, while
      increasing the levels of iNOS and COX-2 proteins and mRNAs in GES-1cells. High
      expression of KSRP induced low expressions and stabilities of iNOS and COX-2 in
      GES-1 cells, indicated that KSRP protein presented negative correlation with iNOS
      and COX-2 with LPS stimulation. In conclusion, the regulation of expression of
      KSRP was mainly achieved through post-translational modification. KSRP protein
      participated in regulating the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in their
      transcription and translation levels. In response to LPS or gram negative
      pathogenic microorganism, KSRP could regulate Toll-like receptor (TLR)/ Nuclear
      factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) signal pathway in GES-1 cells.

PMID- 28618120
TI  - Supportive periodontal treatment: Pocket depth changes and tooth loss.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the results of 10
      years of supportive periodontal treatment(SPT) following active periodontal
      therapy(APT). Probing pocket depth(PPD), bleeding on probing(BOP), tooth
      loss(TL)and the effects of two patient-related factors, smoking and gender were
      evaluated. METHODS: This retrospective study examined patients who underwent APT
      and SPT for adult periodontitis. Analyses were conducted using site-, tooth- and
      patient-level information. Mean values were calculated, and parametric and
      nonparametric analyses were conducted as appropriate to assess the results of APT
      and SPT. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in BOP and PPD after APT.
      After 10 years, 9.3% of the patients adhered to the SPT protocol. The improvement
      in BOP and PPD was maintained, with no additional improvement in the clinical
      parameters at the 10-year follow-up. Furthermore, differences between non-smokers
      and smokers were found. After the 10-year follow-up, smokers had a significantly
      higher percentage of sites with a PPD of 4 mm or higher; the mean PPD was also
      significantly higher in smokers. A significant difference was also found between
      males and females during SPT for the percentage of sites with BOP and the
      percentage of sites with a PPD>=6 mm. A minority of patients(18.5%) did not lose
      teeth, and it was found that molars are the teeth most likely to be lost. The
      mean number of teeth lost was 2.6 during 10-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: This
      study indicates that with regard to bleeding on probing and probing pocket depth,
      patients receiving supportive periodontal treatment maintain their periodontal
      condition. However, in this group of adherent maintenance patients, tooth loss
      was most prevalent for molar teeth.

PMID- 28618121
TI  - Specificity traits consistent with legume-rhizobia coevolution displayed by
      Ensifer meliloti rhizosphere colonization.
AB  - Rhizobia are alpha- and beta-proteobacteria that associate with legumes in
      symbiosis to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The chemical communication between roots
      and rhizobia begins in the rhizosphere. Using signature-tagged-Tn5 mutagenesis
      (STM) we performed a genome-wide screening for Ensifer meliloti genes that
      participate in colonizing the rhizospheres of alfalfa and other legumes. The
      analysis of ca. 6,000 mutants indicated that genes relevant for rhizosphere
      colonization account for nearly 2% of the rhizobial genome and that most (ca.
      80%) are chromosomally located, pointing to the relevance and ancestral origin of
      the bacterial ability to colonize plant roots. The identified genes were related
      to metabolic functions, transcription, signal transduction, and
      motility/chemotaxis among other categories; with several ORFs of yet-unknown
      function. Most remarkably, we identified a subset of genes that impacted more
      severely the colonization of the roots of alfalfa than of pea. Further analyses
      using other plant species revealed that such early differential phenotype could
      be extended to other members of the Trifoliae tribe (Trigonella, Trifolium), but
      not the Fabeae and Phaseoleae tribes. The results suggest that consolidation of
      E. meliloti into its current symbiotic state should have occurred in a
      rhizobacterium that had already been adapted to rhizospheres of the Trifoliae
      tribe.

PMID- 28618122
TI  - Purification of lignans from Fructus Arctii using off-line two-dimensional
      supercritical fluid chromatography/reversed-phase liquid chromatography.
AB  - As a common traditional Chinese medicine, Fructus Arctii has important clinical
      medical values. Its main components are lignans, which are difficult to separate
      and analyze because of the complex composition, similar chemical structures, and
      close properties. In this study, an off-line two-dimensional supercritical fluid
      chromatography/reversed-phase liquid chromatography method, as well as an
      effective sample pretreatment method based on hydrophilic interaction
      chromatography material, was developed to enrich the minor lignan fractions and
      obtain high-purity compounds. In total, 12 high-purity compounds were isolated
      from Fructus Arctii. Their structures were identified by using high-resolution
      mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which showed that
      all were lignans and that most of them were isomers. The results demonstrated the
      effective off-line two-dimensional supercritical fluid chromatography/reversed
      phase liquid chromatography method for the purification of lignans from Fructus
      Arctii. The separation protocol established here will be beneficial for the
      separation of complex samples from other kinds of natural products.

PMID- 28618123
TI  - "Pain relieved, but still struggling"-Critically ill patients experiences of pain
      and other discomforts during analgosedation.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore how critically ill patients treated according to
      a strategy of analgosedation experience and handle pain, other discomforts and
      wakefulness. BACKGROUND: Patients experience both pain and discomfort while in
      the intensive care unit. International guidelines recommend focused pain
      treatment and light sedation. An analgosedation protocol favouring pain
      management, light sedation and early mobilisation was implemented in our
      university hospital medical and surgical intensive care unit in Norway in 2014.
      The analgosedation approach may affect patients' experiences of the intensive
      care unit stay. DESIGN: Exploratory, descriptive design using semi-structured
      interviews. METHOD: Eighteen adult patients treated in intensive care unit >24 hr
      and receiving mechanical ventilation were interviewed 1-9 days after intensive
      care unit discharge. Ten patients were re-interviewed after 3 months. Data were
      analysed using the "systematic text condensation" approach. FINDINGS: Four main
      categories emerged from the analysis: "In discomfort, but rarely in pain,"
      "Struggling to get a grip on reality," "Holding on" and "Handling emotionally
      trapped experiences." "Pain relieved, but still struggling" was the overarching
      theme. Analgosedation provided good pain relief, but patients still described
      frequent physical and psychological discomforts, in particular related to
      mechanical ventilation, not understanding what was going on, and experiences of
      delusions. To come to terms with their intensive care unit stay, patients needed
      to participate, trust in others and endure suffering. After hospital discharge,
      patients described both repression of experiences and searching for recognition
      of what they had gone through. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Despite good pain
      relief during analgosedation, other discomforts were commonly described.
      Critically ill patients still experience an intensive care unit stay as a
      traumatic part of their illness trajectory. Nurses need to attend carefully also
      to discomforts other than pain.

PMID- 28618124
TI  - piR-823 contributes to colorectal tumorigenesis by enhancing the transcriptional
      activity of HSF1.
AB  - Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a novel class of small non-coding RNAs, were
      first discovered in germline cells and are thought to silence transposons in
      spermatogenesis. Recently, piRNAs have also been identified in somatic tissues,
      and aberrant expression of piRNAs in tumor tissues may be implicated in
      carcinogenesis. However, the function of piR-823 in colorectal cancer (CRC)
      remains unclear. Here, we first found that piR-823 was significantly upregulated
      in CRC tissues compared with its expression in the adjacent tissues. Inhibition
      of piR-823 suppressed cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle in the G1 phase
      and induced cell apoptosis in CRC cell lines HCT116 and DLD-1, whereas
      overexpression of piR-823 promoted cell proliferation in normal colonic
      epithelial cell line FHC. Interestingly, Inhibition of piR-823 repressed the
      expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 27, 60, 70. Furthermore, elevated HSPs
      expression partially abolished the effect of piR-823 on cell proliferation and
      apoptosis. In addition, we further demonstrated that piR-823 increased the
      transcriptional activity of HSF1, the common transcription factor of HSPs, by
      binding to HSF1 and promoting its phosphorylation at Ser326. Our study reveals
      that piR-823 plays a tumor-promoting role by upregulating phosphorylation and
      transcriptional activity of HSF1 and suggests piR-823 as a potential therapeutic
      target for CRC.

PMID- 28618127
TI  - Regional citrate anticoagulation in membrane based plasma exchange: safety,
      efficacy and effect on calcium balance.
AB  - AIM: To assess the efficacy, safety and calcium balance of a membrane based
      regional citrate anticoagulation plasma exchange protocol METHODS: This was an
      observational, prospective, single center study of membrane separation plasma
      exchange using regional citrate anticoagulation. It was performed using a fixed
      dose pre-filter citrate infusion that was based on the plasma flow rate. Patients
      received a post filter calcium infusion which was modified during treatment based
      on systemic ionized calcium monitoring. Post filter ionized calcium was not
      assessed. Safety and efficacy were assessed by extraction of clinical events and
      laboratory data contemporaneously recorded in electronic health records. RESULTS:
      36 sessions in 5 patients were performed. No patients developed symptomatic
      hypocalcaemia and no patient had a recorded ionized calcium below 0.81 mmol/L.
      Filter clotting occurred in 2 sessions. The mean net calcium gained was 9.6+/-1.8
      mmol per session CONCLUSION: Regional citrate anticoagulated membrane separation
      plasma exchange can be performed safely and effectively without the need for post
      filter ionized calcium monitoring. The algorithm employed resulted in a net
      calcium gain.

PMID- 28618126
TI  - Temporal scale dependent interactions between multiple environmental disturbances
      in microcosm ecosystems.
AB  - Global environmental change has negative impacts on ecological systems, impacting
      the stable provision of functions, goods, and services. Whereas effects of
      individual environmental changes (e.g. temperature change or change in resource
      availability) are reasonably well understood, we lack information about if and
      how multiple changes interact. We examined interactions among four types of
      environmental disturbance (temperature, nutrient ratio, carbon enrichment, and
      light) in a fully factorial design using a microbial aquatic ecosystem and
      observed responses of dissolved oxygen saturation at three temporal scales
      (resistance, resilience, and return time). We tested whether multiple
      disturbances combine in a dominant, additive, or interactive fashion, and
      compared the predictability of dissolved oxygen across scales. Carbon enrichment
      and shading reduced oxygen concentration in the short term (i.e. resistance);
      although no other effects or interactions were statistically significant,
      resistance decreased as the number of disturbances increased. In the medium term,
      only enrichment accelerated recovery, but none of the other effects (including
      interactions) were significant. In the long term, enrichment and shading
      lengthened return times, and we found significant two-way synergistic
      interactions between disturbances. The best performing model (dominant, additive,
      or interactive) depended on the temporal scale of response. In the short term
      (i.e. for resistance), the dominance model predicted resistance of dissolved
      oxygen best, due to a large effect of carbon enrichment, whereas none of the
      models could predict the medium term (i.e. resilience). The long-term response
      was best predicted by models including interactions among disturbances. Our
      results indicate the importance of accounting for the temporal scale of responses
      when researching the effects of environmental disturbances on ecosystems.

PMID- 28618128
TI  - Sexual life after mastectomy in breast cancer survivors: A qualitative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Mastectomy is a highly frequent form of breast cancer treatment in
      Iran, and sexual dysfunction after mastectomy has been reported in the majority
      of breast cancer survivors in Iran. In this qualitative study, an attempt was
      made to examine the stages that patients go through in their sexual lives after
      mastectomy. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Using purposeful sampling, 30 married women,
      who had undergone surgery and had completed an adjuvant treatment period,
      participated in the study. Data collection was done using in-depth, open, and
      semistructured interviews. Content analysis was used. RESULTS: Two main
      categories were identified in the stages the patients go through following
      mastectomy: sexual function breakdown and restoration of sexual function, each of
      which involved 3 subcategories, in turn. Subcategories of the first category were
      perceived physical changes by the survivor and altered sexual behaviors. These 2
      factors lead to sexual function breakdown. The third subcategory includes the
      factors exacerbating the sexual function breakdown. The subcategories of the
      second category were modification in sexual behaviors, effort for physical
      restoration, and striving to gain support. CONCLUSION: It was found that in
      Iranian society, due to cultural context, some taboos, and patriarchal structure,
      the patients are placed under added pressure following mastectomy. As a
      consequence, they suffer emotional problems, in addition to physical
      complications of the disease and its treatments.

PMID- 28618129
TI  - Alkynyl Moiety for Triggering 1,2-Metallate Shifts: Enantiospecific sp2 -sp3
      Coupling of Boronic Esters with p-Arylacetylenes.
AB  - The enantiospecific coupling of secondary and tertiary boronic esters to
      aromatics has been investigated. Using p-lithiated phenylacetylenes and a range
      of boronic esters coupling has been achieved by the addition of N
      bromosuccinimide (NBS). The alkyne functionality of the intermediate boronate
      complex reacts with NBS triggering the 1,2-migration of the group on boron to
      carbon giving a dearomatized bromoallene intermediate. At this point elimination
      and rearomatization occurs with neopentyl boronic esters, giving the coupled
      products. However, using pinacol boronic esters, the boron moiety migrates to the
      adjacent carbon resulting in formation of ortho boron-incorporated coupled
      products. The synthetic utility of the boron incorporated product has been
      demonstrated by orthogonal transformation of both the alkyne and boronic ester
      functionalities.

PMID- 28618130
TI  - Benefits of an individualized perioperative plan for children with autism
      spectrum disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Perioperative care for children with autism spectrum disorder may be
      challenging. Previous investigators recommend development of an individualized
      perioperative management plan with caregiver involvement. AIM: The primary goal
      was to determine the usefulness of an individualized plan based on the decision
      to provide preoperative sedation stratified by autism spectrum severity level.
      Secondary goals were to assess the effectiveness of the plan based on subjective
      assessment of patient behavior at induction of anesthesia and caregiver
      satisfaction. METHODS: We developed an individualized plan for each child with
      autism spectrum disorder scheduled for anesthesia. Children were categorized by
      autism spectrum disorder severity level. With institutional ethics approval, we
      conducted a retrospective chart review to document need for preoperative
      sedation, sedation stratified by autism spectrum disorder severity level,
      behavior at induction, and caregiver satisfaction. RESULTS: Between 2012 and
      2014, we successfully prepared a plan for 246 (98%) of 251 surgical or diagnostic
      procedures in 224 patients. Severity level was distributed as 45% Severity Level
      1 and Asperger's, 25% Severity Level 2, and 30% Severity Level 3. The majority
      (90%) of cases were scheduled as day surgery. Preoperative sedation increased
      with increasing severity level: Severity Level 1 (21%) or Asperger's (31%),
      Severity Level 2 (44%), and Severity Level 3 (56%). The odds ratio for sedation
      use was 5.5 [CI: 2.6-11.5, P<.001] with Severity Level 3 vs Severity Level 1
      patients. Cooperation at induction of anesthesia was 90% overall with
      preoperative sedation administered to 94 (38%) of the entire cohort. Cooperation
      was greatest in Severity Level 1 (98%) and Asperger's patients (93%) and somewhat
      less (85%) in patients in Severity Levels 2 and 3. The plan was helpful to guide
      sedation choices as cooperation did not differ between sedated and unsedated
      children at any severity level (overall chi2 =2.87 P=.09). Satisfaction among
      caregivers contacted was 98%. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that an
      individualized plan is helpful in the perioperative management of children with
      autism spectrum disorder and that knowledge of autism spectrum disorder severity
      level may be helpful in determining the need for preoperative sedation.

PMID- 28618131
TI  - Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Properties of Achillea
      millefolium L.: A Review.
AB  - Achillea millefoilum L. (Yarrow) is an important species of Asteraceae family
      with common utilization in traditional medicine of several cultures from Europe
      to Asia for the treatment of spasmodic gastrointestinal disorders, hepatobiliary,
      gynecological disorders, against inflammation and for wound healing. An extensive
      review of literature was made on A. millefoilum L. using ethno botanical text
      books, published articles in peer-reviewed journals, unpublished materials and
      scientific databases. The Plant List, International Plant Name Index and Kew
      Botanical Garden databases were used to authenticate the scientific names.
      Monoterpenes are the most representative metabolites constituting 90% of the
      essential oils in relation to the sesquiterpenes, and a wide range of chemical
      compounds have also been reported. Different pharmacological experiments in many
      in-vitro and in-vivo models have proved the potential of A. millefoilum with
      antiinflammatory, antiulcer, anticancer activities etc. lending support to the
      rationale behind numerous of its traditional uses. Due to the noteworthy
      pharmacological activities, A. millefoilum will be a better option for new drug
      discovery. The present review will comprehensively summarize the pharmacognosy,
      phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of A. millefoilum reported to date, with
      emphasis on more in vitro, clinical and pathological studies needed to
      investigate the unexploited potential of this plant. Copyright (c) 2017 John
      Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28618132
TI  - Mugs of the bugs: The most wanted ones.

PMID- 28618133
TI  - Effects of hispolon on glioblastoma cell growth.
AB  - Hispolon is a polyphenolic compound isolated from Phellinus linteus which
      exhibits antitumor activity. Here, we explored the effects of hispolon on human
      glioblastoma cells U87MG. Cell viability was examined by MTT assay. Growth was
      investigated by incubating cells with various concentrations of hispolon (25 and
      50 uM) for 24, 48 or 72 h and daily cell count. Cell cycle and apoptosis assay
      were assessed by flow cytometry. Hispolon decreased cell viability in a dose- and
      time-dependent manner. The cell cycle distribution showed that hispolon enhanced
      the accumulation of the cells in G2/M phase. Hispolon decreased the expression of
      G1-S transition-related protein cyclin D4 but increased the expression of CDK
      inhibitor p21. Additionally, hispolon enhanced the expression of p53. Moreover,
      hispolon treatment was effective on U87MG cells in inhibiting cell viability and
      inducing cell apoptosis. Our results indicate that hispolon inhibits the cell
      viability, induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in glioblastoma U87MG
      cells, and p53 should play a role in hispolon-mediated antitumor activity.

PMID- 28618134
TI  - Potentially inappropriate use of furosemide in a very elderly population: An
      observational study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Little is known about furosemide prescription modalities in elderly
      people. We describe furosemide prescription in ambulatory elderly patients.
      METHODS: All patients aged over 80 years, affiliated to Mutualite Sociale
      Agricole de Bourgogne, a French regional health insurance plan, with a medical
      prescription delivered in March 2015, were retrospectively included. RESULTS:
      Among 15 141 patients with a median age of 86 years, comprising 61.3% of women,
      3937 patients (26%) had a prescription for furosemide. Severe heart failure was
      the most common chronic comorbidity (27.7%). Furosemide was considered a long
      term therapy for almost all patients (98.7% with prescriptions for 3 months or
      more). Recommended indications for long-term furosemide therapy included severe
      heart failure (50.9%), chronic nephropathy (3%) and cirrhosis (0.1%). The
      furosemide prescription rate increased with age (81-85: 20.4%, 86-90: 28.5%, 91
      95: 35.6%, >95: 42.7%, P<.001), and the increase was associated with a decrease
      in recommended heart failure therapeutics (beta-blockers, angiotensin-conversion
      enzyme-inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor-blockers). Prescribers were mostly
      general practitioners (81.3%). Plasma electrolytes were controlled in less than a
      half of the patients with furosemide. CONCLUSIONS: In this large study, long
      course furosemide was prescribed in a quarter of ambulatory patients. Half of
      those taking furosemide suffered from severe heart failure. Age was associated
      with a linear increase in furosemide use and a decrease in recommended heart
      failure therapeutic prescriptions. A large part of these prescriptions do not
      seem to be in accordance with recommendations.

PMID- 28618135
TI  - Self-Assembled Nano-Immunostimulant for Synergistic Immune Activation.
AB  - Immunotherapy has become one of the most promising therapies for the treatment of
      diseases. Synthetic immunostimulants and nanomaterial immunostimulant systems are
      indispensable for the activation of the immune system in cancer immunotherapy.
      Herein, a strategy for preparing self-assembled nano-immunostimulants (SANIs) for
      synergistic immune activation is reported. Three immunostimulants self-assemble
      into nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions. SANIs showed strong
      synergistic immunostimulation in macrophages. SANIs could also induce a strong
      antitumor immune response to inhibit tumor growth in mice and act as an efficient
      adjuvant of antitumor vaccines. Therefore, SANIs may be generally applied in
      cancer immunotherapy. This novel SANI strategy provides a new way for the
      development of both immunostimulants and -suppressants.

PMID- 28618136
TI  - Amphiphilic Cargo-Loaded Nanocarrier Enhances Antibiotic Uptake and Perturbs
      Efflux: Effective Synergy for Mitigation of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus.
AB  - A pyridinium-amphiphile-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocarrier
      (C1-PNC) was developed as an adjuvant in order to break the resistance and
      restore the susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
      cells to therapeutic antibiotics. Notably, against a clinical MRSA strain, C1-PNC
      was found to render 8- and 6-fold decreases in the minimum biofilm eradication
      concentration (MBEC90 ) of gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, respectively.
      Mechanistic studies on MRSA planktonic cells revealed that in the case of
      gentamicin, C1-PNC promotes enhanced cellular uptake of the antibiotic, whereas
      the propensity of C1-PNC to inhibit efflux pump activity could be leveraged to
      enhance cellular accumulation of ciprofloxacin, leading to effective killing of
      MRSA cells. Interestingly, the combinatorial dosing regimen of C1-PNC and the
      antibiotics was nontoxic to cultured HEK293 cells. This nontoxic amphiphile
      loaded nanomaterial holds considerable promise as an adjuvant for antibiotic
      mediated alleviation of MRSA biofilms.

PMID- 28618137
TI  - The impact of aspiration pneumonia and nasogastric feeding on clinical outcomes
      in stroke patients: A retrospective cohort study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine presence of clinical complications related to
      dysphagia and to explore their operational outcomes. BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is a
      common complication of stroke. The management of poststroke dysphagia is
      multidisciplinary with nurses playing a key role in screening for dysphagia risk,
      monitoring tolerance of food and fluids and checking for the development of
      complications such as fever, dehydration and change in medical status. Dysphagia
      often results in further complications including aspiration pneumonia and the
      need for nasogastric feeding. Dysphagia-related complications have been shown to
      have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality, length of stay and cost of
      admission. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: A total of 110 patients
      presenting with an ischaemic stroke were chart-audited. RESULTS: Aspiration
      pneumonia poststroke was found to be significantly associated with increased
      overall length of stay, poorer functional outcomes poststroke as well as being
      associated with a high risk of mortality. The presence of a nasogastric tube was
      also associated with reduced functional outcomes poststroke and increased risk of
      death. CONCLUSION: High prevalence and cost of complications associated with
      stroke highlight the complexity of providing nursing and allied health care to
      this patient population. This provides a snapshot of dysphagia-related
      complications experienced by stroke patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:
      This paper highlights that poststroke complications can significantly impact on
      patient outcomes and operational factors such as cost of admission; therefore,
      poststroke care requires a multidisciplinary approach to management. Furthermore,
      preventing and managing complications poststroke is a key element of nursing care
      and has the potential to significantly reduce incidence of mortality, length of
      stay and cost of hospital admission.

PMID- 28618138
TI  - Expansion of Umbilical Cord Blood Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Expressing Cells
      Generates Myeloid Progenitor Cells that Stimulate Limb Revascularization.
AB  - Uncompromised by chronic disease-related comorbidities, human umbilical cord
      blood (UCB) progenitor cells with high aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (ALDHhi
      cells) stimulate blood vessel regeneration after intra-muscular transplantation.
      However, implementation of cellular therapies using UCB ALDHhi cells for critical
      limb ischemia, the most severe form of severe peripheral artery disease, is
      limited by the rarity (<0.5%) of these cells. Our goal was to generate a
      clinically-translatable, allogeneic cell population for vessel regenerative
      therapies, via ex vivo expansion of UCB ALDHhi cells without loss of pro
      angiogenic potency. Purified UCB ALDHhi cells were expanded >18-fold over 6-days
      under serum-free conditions. Consistent with the concept that ALDH-activity is
      decreased as progenitor cells differentiate, only 15.1% +/- 1.3% of progeny
      maintained high ALDH-activity after culture. However, compared to fresh UCB
      cells, expansion increased the total number of ALDHhi cells (2.7-fold), CD34+
      /CD133+ cells (2.8-fold), and hematopoietic colony forming cells (7.7-fold).
      Remarkably, injection of expanded progeny accelerated recovery of perfusion and
      improved limb usage in immunodeficient mice with femoral artery ligation-induced
      limb ischemia. At 7 or 28 days post-transplantation, mice transplanted with
      expanded ALDHhi cells showed augmented endothelial cell proliferation and
      increased capillary density compared to controls. Expanded cells maintained pro
      angiogenic mRNA expression and secreted angiogenesis-associated growth factors,
      chemokines, and matrix modifying proteins. Coculture with expanded cells
      augmented human microvascular endothelial cell survival and tubule formation
      under serum-starved, growth factor-reduced conditions. Expanded UCB-derived
      ALDHhi cells represent an alternative to autologous bone marrow as an accessible
      source of pro-angiogenic hematopoietic progenitor cells for the refinement of
      vascular regeneration-inductive therapies. Stem Cells Translational Medicine
      2017;6:1607-1619.

PMID- 28618139
TI  - Large-Scale Ex Vivo Generation of Human Red Blood Cells from Cord Blood CD34+
      Cells.
AB  - The ex vivo generation of human red blood cells on a large scale from
      hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells has been considered as a potential method
      to overcome blood supply shortages. Here, we report that functional human
      erythrocytes can be efficiently produced from cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells using a
      bottle turning device culture system. Safety and efficiency studies were
      performed in murine and nonhuman primate (NHP) models. With the selected
      optimized culture conditions, one human CB CD34+ cell could be induced ex vivo to
      produce up to 200 million erythrocytes with a purity of 90.1% +/- 6.2% and 50% +/
      5.7% (mean +/- SD) for CD235a+ cells and enucleated cells, respectively. The
      yield of erythrocytes from one CB unit (5 million CD34+ cells) could be, in
      theory, equivalent to 500 blood transfusion units in clinical application.
      Moreover, induced human erythrocytes had normal hemoglobin content and could
      continue to undergo terminal maturation in the murine xenotransplantation model.
      In NHP model, xenotransplantation of induced human erythrocytes enhanced
      hematological recovery and ameliorated the hypoxia situation in the primates with
      hemorrhagic anemia. These findings suggested that the ex vivo-generated
      erythrocytes could be an alternative blood source for traditional transfusion
      products in the clinic. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:1698-1709.

PMID- 28618141
TI  - Mortality caused by intracranial bleeding in non-severe hemophilia A patients:
      reply.

PMID- 28618140
TI  - How does the side-effect information in patient information leaflets influence
      peoples' side-effect expectations? A cross-sectional national survey of 18- to 65
      year-olds in England.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To establish how the terms recommended by the European Commission to
      describe side-effect risk in patient information leaflets (PILs) influences
      expectations of side-effects and to identify factors associated with these side
      effect expectations. DESIGN: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out by a
      market research company. SETTING: Data were collected in England between 18th
      March and 1st April 2016. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1003 adults aged between 18
      and 65. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported expectation that the described side
      effects would affect participants if they took the medicine, measured on a
      likelihood scale from 1 (very unlikely) to 5 (very likely). RESULTS: Participants
      formed high expectations of side-effects for "very common" and "common" side
      effects, with 51.9% and 45.0% of participants rating these as "very likely" or
      "likely" to happen to them, respectively. This fell to 8.1% for "uncommon," 5.8%
      for "rare" and 4.1% for "very rare." For each descriptor, higher expectations of
      side-effects were more associated with women or being from an ethnic minority, or
      having less education, a household illness, high perceived sensitivity to
      medicines or negative beliefs about medicines. DISCUSSION: The current use of
      verbal descriptors to communicate side-effect risk in PILs leads to high side
      effect expectations. These expectations could contribute to nocebo-induced
      medication side-effects experienced by patients. Additional work is required to
      identify ways to improve the way risk information is conveyed in PILs.

PMID- 28618142
TI  - Functional diversity and redundancy across fish gut, sediment and water bacterial
      communities.
AB  - This article explores the functional diversity and redundancy in a bacterial
      metacommunity constituted of three habitats (sediment, water column and fish gut)
      in a coastal lagoon under anthropogenic pressure. Comprehensive functional gene
      arrays covering a wide range of ecological processes and stress resistance genes
      to estimate the functional potential of bacterial communities were used. Then,
      diversity partitioning was used to characterize functional diversity and
      redundancy within (alpha), between (beta) and across (gamma) habitats. It was
      showed that all local communities exhibit a highly diversified potential for the
      realization of key ecological processes and resistance to various environmental
      conditions, supporting the growing evidence that macro-organisms microbiomes
      harbour a high functional potential and are integral components of functional
      gene dynamics in aquatic bacterial metacommunities. Several levels of functional
      redundancy at different scales of the bacterial metacommunity were observed
      (within local communities, within habitats and at the metacommunity level). The
      results suggested a high potential for the realization of spatial ecological
      insurance within this ecosystem, that is, the functional compensation among
      microorganisms for the realization and maintenance of key ecological processes,
      within and across habitats. Finally, the role of macro-organisms as dispersal
      vectors of microbes and their potential influence on marine metacommunity
      dynamics were discussed.

PMID- 28618143
TI  - Cedratvirus lausannensis - digging into Pithoviridae diversity.
AB  - Amoeba-infecting viruses have raised scientists' interest due to their novel
      particle morphologies, their large genome size and their genomic content
      challenging previously established dogma. We report here the discovery and the
      characterization of Cedratvirus lausannensis, a novel member of the Megavirales,
      with a 0.75-1 um long amphora-shaped particle closed by two striped plugs. Among
      numerous host cell types tested, the virus replicates only in Acanthamoeba
      castellanii leading to host cell lysis within 24 h. C. lausannensis was resistant
      to ethanol, hydrogen peroxide and heating treatments. Like 30 000-year-old
      Pithovirus sibericum, C. lausannensis enters by phagocytosis, releases its
      genetic content by fusion of the internal membrane with the inclusion membrane
      and replicates in intracytoplasmic viral factories. The genome encodes 643
      proteins that confirmed the grouping of C. lausannensis with Cedratvirus A11 as
      phylogenetically distant members of the family Pithoviridae. The 575,161 bp AT
      rich genome is essentially devoid of the numerous repeats harbored by Pithovirus,
      suggesting that these non-coding repetitions might be due to a selfish element
      rather than particular characteristics of the Pithoviridae family. The discovery
      of C. lausannensis confirms the contemporary worldwide distribution of
      Pithoviridae members and the characterization of its genome paves the way to
      better understand their evolution.

PMID- 28618144
TI  - Thermal barriers constrain microbial elevational range size via climate
      variability.
AB  - Range size is invariably limited and understanding range size variation is an
      important objective in ecology. However, microbial range size across geographical
      gradients remains understudied, especially on mountainsides. Here, the patterns
      of range size of stream microbes (i.e., bacteria and diatoms) and macroorganisms
      (i.e., macroinvertebrates) along elevational gradients in Asia and Europe were
      examined. In bacteria, elevational range size showed non-significant phylogenetic
      signals. In all taxa, there was a positive relationship between niche breadth and
      species elevational range size, driven by local environmental and climatic
      variables. No taxa followed the elevational Rapoport's rule. Climate variability
      explained the most variation in microbial mean elevational range size, whereas
      local environmental variables were more important for macroinvertebrates.
      Seasonal and annual climate variation showed negative effects, while daily
      climate variation had positive effects on community mean elevational range size
      for all taxa. The negative correlation between range size and species richness
      suggests that understanding the drivers of range is key for revealing the
      processes underlying diversity. The results advance the understanding of
      microbial species thermal barriers by revealing the importance of seasonal and
      diurnal climate variation, and highlight that aquatic and terrestrial biota may
      differ in their response to short- and long-term climate variability.

PMID- 28618145
TI  - Solid-State Lithium Conductors for Lithium Metal Batteries Based on Electrospun
      Nanofiber/Plastic Crystal Composites.
AB  - Organic ionic plastic crystals (OIPCs) are a class of solid-state electrolytes
      with good thermal stability, non-flammability, non-volatility, and good
      electrochemical stability. When prepared in a composite with electrospun
      polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) nanofibers, a 1:1 mixture of the OIPC N-ethyl-N
      methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide ([C2 mpyr][FSI]) and lithium
      bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) produced a free-standing, robust solid-state
      electrolyte. These high-concentration Li-containing electrolyte membranes had a
      transference number of 0.37(+/-0.02) and supported stable lithium symmetric-cell
      cycling at a current density of 0.13 mA cm-2 . The effect of incorporating PVdF
      in the Li-containing plastic crystal was investigated for different ratios of
      PVdF and [Li][FSI]/[C2 mpyr][FSI]. In addition, Li|LiNi1/3 Co1/3 Mn1/3 O2 cells
      were prepared and cycled at ambient temperature and displayed a good rate
      performance and stability.

PMID- 28618146
TI  - Green alder (Alnus viridis) encroachment shapes microbial communities in
      subalpine soils and impacts its bacterial or fungal symbionts differently.
AB  - Since the mid-twentieth century, subalpine grasslands undergo a progressive
      encroachment by Alnus viridis shrubs. Thanks to its rapid vegetative
      reproduction, its nitrogen fixing symbiosis with Frankia and its ectomycorrhizal
      cohorts, green alders are vigorous colonizers that quickly form mosaic of alder
      patches that evolves into a close canopy shrub community. To better understand
      how alder encroachment might influence microbial communities in this successional
      sequence, symbiont distribution, microbial richness and community structure in
      both soils and nodules were analyzed at three successional stages: grassland,
      mosaic and forest. Soil analyses were performed in association with measures of
      nitrification and denitrification, as well as DNA metabarcoding of three
      bacterial genes (16S rDNA, nifH and amoA) and one fungal gene (ITS1). Our results
      show that (i) A. viridis encroachment is associated with soil microbial community
      changes that are in turn, linked to certain soil properties (i.e., pH, C/N ratio
      and organic matter content), (ii) both taxonomic and N related functional gene
      structures of bacteria are modified by alder encroachment and (iii) the
      distribution in soils of its bacterial symbionts (Frankia) is apparently weakly
      influenced by alder establishment while Alnus-specific ectomyccorrhizae increase
      with the increase in alder shrub density.

PMID- 28618147
TI  - Feedback preferences of patients, professionals and health insurers in integrated
      head and neck cancer care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Audit and feedback on professional practice and health care outcomes
      are the most often used interventions to change behaviour of professionals and
      improve quality of health care. However, limited information is available
      regarding preferred feedback for patients, professionals and health insurers.
      OBJECTIVE: Investigate the (differences in) preferences of receiving feedback
      between stakeholders, using the Dutch Head and Neck Audit as an example. METHODS:
      A total of 37 patients, medical specialists, allied health professionals and
      health insurers were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Questions
      focussed on: "Why," "On what aspects" and "How" do you prefer to receive feedback
      on professional practice and health care outcomes? RESULTS: All stakeholders
      mentioned that feedback can improve health care by creating awareness, enabling
      self-reflection and reflection on peers or colleagues, and by benchmarking to
      others. Patients prefer feedback on the actual professional practice that matches
      the health care received, whereas medical specialists and health insurers are
      interested mainly in health care outcomes. All stakeholders largely prefer a bar
      graph. Patients prefer a pie chart for patient-reported outcomes and experiences,
      while Kaplan-Meier survival curves are preferred by medical specialists. Feedback
      should be simple with firstly an overview, and 1-4 times a year sent by e-mail.
      Finally, patients and health professionals are cautious with regard to
      transparency of audit data. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study shows how
      feedback preferences differ between stakeholders. Therefore, tailored reports are
      recommended. Using this information, effects of audit and feedback can be
      improved by adapting the feedback format and contents to the preferences of
      stakeholders.

PMID- 28618149
TI  - Sudden cardiac death in the young: Epidemiology and overview.
AB  - Sudden cardiac death (SCD), particularly in the young athlete, is a rare though
      devastating event for families, institutions, and communities at large. It can
      also affect the nonathlete and occur at rest, although most commonly associated
      with exercise activities and/or sports participation. Common causes of SCD
      include cardiomyopathies, particularly hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the United
      States, congenital coronary artery anomalies, channelopathies, among others. This
      report will explore an overview of the prevalence and causes of SCD in the young.

PMID- 28618150
TI  - Impact of family characteristics by marital status of cohabitating adult children
      on depression among Korean older adults.
AB  - AIM: To identify the association between different living arrangements of
      intergenerational household composition and depression in older adults. METHODS:
      Data from the Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging, the first to fourth waves, were
      used. Using the first wave as baseline, our analysis included 5046 participants
      aged >=60 years with at least one living child. Depression was measured using the
      10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Factors investigated
      included living arrangements according to household composition and the marital
      status of a cohabiting adult child. A generalized estimating equation with the
      logit link for binary outcomes was used to examine the association between living
      arrangements and depression. RESULTS: Compared with the older adults living with
      a married child and grandchildren, those living alone, those living with an
      unmarried child, and those living with an unmarried child and grandchildren were
      more likely to have depression (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.13-1.75; OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.18
      1.66; OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.27-2.01). In particular, women were more likely to have
      depression than men in the association between living arrangements and
      depression. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts should be made to provide social services for
      older adults living alone and those living with an unmarried child in a two
      /three-generation family, in particular, for those who are female. Geriatr
      Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2527-2536.

PMID- 28618148
TI  - Mechanisms underlying induction of allergic sensitization by Pru p 3.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, the nature of the lipid-ligand of Pru p 3, one of the most
      common plant food allergens in southern Europe, has been identified as a
      derivative of the alkaloid camptothecin bound to phytosphingosine. However, the
      origin of its immunological activity is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to
      evaluate the role of the Pru p 3 lipid-ligand in the immunogenic activity of Pru
      p 3. METHODS: In vitro cultures of different cell types (monocyte-derived
      dendritic cells [moDCs], PBMCs [peripheral blood mononuclear cells] and
      epithelial and iNKT-hybridoma cell lines) have been used to determine the
      immunological capacity of the ligand, by measuring cell proliferation, maturation
      markers and cytokine production. To study the capacity of the lipid-ligand to
      promote sensitization to Pru p 3 in vivo, a mouse model of anaphylaxis to peach
      has been produced and changes in the humoral and basophil responses have been
      analysed. RESULTS: The lipid-ligand of Pru p 3 induced maturation of moDCsc and
      proliferation of PBMCs. Its immunological activity resided in the
      phytosphingosine tail of the ligand. The adjuvant activity of the ligand was also
      confirmed in vivo, where the complex of Pru p 3-ligand induced higher levels of
      IgE than Pru p 3 alone. The immunological capacity of the Pru p 3 ligand was
      mediated by CD1d, as maturation of moDCs was inhibited by anti-CD1d antibodies
      and Pru p 3-ligand co-localized with CD1d on epithelial cells. Finally, Pru p 3
      ligand presented by CD1d was able to interact with iNKTs. CONCLUSIONS AND
      CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The Pru p 3 lipid-ligand could act as an adjuvant to promote
      sensitization to Pru p 3, through its recognition by CD1d receptors. This
      intrinsic adjuvant activity of the accompanying lipid cargo could be a general
      essential feature of the mechanism underlying the phenomenon of allergenicity.

PMID- 28618151
TI  - Development and evaluation of a multimedia child development resource for rural
      clinicians.

PMID- 28618153
TI  - Cascading influence of inorganic nitrogen sources on DOM production, composition,
      lability and microbial community structure in the open ocean.
AB  - Nitrogen frequently limits oceanic photosynthesis and the availability of
      inorganic nitrogen sources in the surface oceans is shifting with global change.
      We evaluated the potential for abrupt increases in inorganic N sources to induce
      cascading effects on dissolved organic matter (DOM) and microbial communities in
      the surface ocean. We collected water from 5 m depth in the central North Pacific
      and amended duplicate 20 liter polycarbonate carboys with nitrate or ammonium,
      tracking planktonic carbon fixation, DOM production, DOM composition and
      microbial community structure responses over 1 week relative to controls. Both
      nitrogen sources stimulated bulk phytoplankton, bacterial and DOM production and
      enriched Synechococcus and Flavobacteriaceae; ammonium enriched for oligotrophic
      Actinobacteria OM1 and Gammaproteobacteria KI89A clades while nitrate enriched
      Gammaproteobacteria SAR86, SAR92 and OM60 clades. DOM resulting from both N
      enrichments was more labile and stimulated growth of copiotrophic
      Gammaproteobacteria (Alteromonadaceae and Oceanospirillaceae) and
      Alphaproteobacteria (Rhodobacteraceae and Hyphomonadaceae) in weeklong dark
      incubations relative to controls. Our study illustrates how nitrogen pulses may
      have direct and cascading effects on DOM composition and microbial community
      dynamics in the open ocean.

PMID- 28618152
TI  - Potential risk of HBV reactivation in patients with resolved HBV infection
      undergoing direct-acting antiviral treatment for HCV.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Despite a known risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation
      during direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for patients with hepatitis C
      virus (HCV)-HBV coinfection, it remains unclear whether patients with past HBV
      infection are at risk for reactivation. This study evaluated the risk of HBV
      reactivation during treatment with sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimens, focusing on
      patients with resolved HBV infection. METHODS: This study analyzes the data of
      183 consecutive patients treated with SOF-based regimens. From these patients, 63
      with resolved HBV infection (negative for hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] and
      undetectable HBV DNA but positive for hepatitis B core antibody) were eligible
      for this study. HBV reactivation was defined as a quantifiable HBV DNA level >20
      IU/mL. RESULTS: Among the patients antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) positive (10-500
      mIU/mL) (n = 30), the titre of anti-HBs was significantly decreased with time, as
      shown by the results of repeated-measures analysis of variance (P = .0029).
      Overall, four patients (6.3%) with resolved HBV infection came to have detectable
      HBV DNA during treatment, including one who had HBV reactivation at week 4 (HBV
      DNA 80 IU/mL). However, none developed hepatic failure. Among four patients who
      had detectable HBV DNA during treatment, all were negative or had very low-titre
      (<20 mIU/mL) anti-HBs at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The titre of anti-HBs was
      significantly decreased from the early stage of DAA treatment. Chronic hepatitis
      C patients with resolved HBV infection and negative or very low-titre anti-HBs at
      baseline are at risk for having detectable HBV DNA transiently during treatment.

PMID- 28618154
TI  - Catalytic Enantioselective Aza-pinacol Rearrangement.
AB  - The first catalytic enantioselective asymmetric aza-pinacol rearrangement is
      reported. The reactions are catalyzed by a chiral phosphoric acid and proceed via
      a highly organized transition state involving a cyclic aza-ortho-xylylene
      intermediate to afford the indoline structures with good to excellent
      enantioselectivity. The synthetic utility of this method is demonstrated by the
      asymmetric synthesis of a key intermediate to the natural product minfiensine and
      the identification of a chiral lead compound to repress antibiotic resistance.

PMID- 28618155
TI  - Clinical outcome of cystic fibrosis patients colonized by Scedosporium species
      following lung transplantation: A single-center 15-year experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fungi of the genus Scedosporium are emerging pathogens responsible
      for severe infections in lung transplant recipients. These infections are
      associated with poor prognosis and some centers consider now Scedosporium species
      colonization as a contraindication to lung transplantation (LT) even though no
      published evidence demonstrates that Scedosporium species colonization is
      associated with higher morbidity or mortality after LT. METHODS: Here, we aim to
      describe characteristics and outcome of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung transplant
      recipients colonized with Scedosporium species in a single center over a 15-year
      period. RESULTS: During the study period, 14 patients had scedosporial
      colonization reported. Only one patient, colonized before transplantation by
      Lomentospora prolificans, developed scedosporial disease. Among the eight
      patients colonized before transplantation by Scedosporium apiospermum complex,
      the median survival was 1.92 year (range 0.21-12.5). All these patients except
      one became free of fungal colonization after transplantation with antifungal
      prophylaxis including voriconazole or posaconazole. For the five patients
      colonized after LT, including two with L. prolificans, the median survival was
      1.75 years (range 0.1-13); three of them are still alive. CONCLUSIONS: It appears
      to us that scedosporial colonization may not be a contraindication for LT in CF
      patients, as long as S. apiospermum complex is involved and a life-long azole
      prophylaxis prescribed.

PMID- 28618156
TI  - The Gelpoint(r) Path Mini for transanal resection of rectal polyps - a video
      vignette.

PMID- 28618157
TI  - Liver microsomal lipid enhances the activity and redox coupling of colocalized
      cytochrome P450 reductase-cytochrome P450 3A4 in nanodiscs.
AB  - The haem-containing mono-oxygenase cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and its redox
      partner NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) are among the most
      important enzymes in human liver for metabolizing drugs and xenobiotic compounds.
      They are membrane-bound in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). How ER colocalization
      and the complex ER phospholipid composition influence enzyme activity are not
      well understood. CPR and CYP3A4 were incorporated into phospholipid bilayer
      nanodiscs, both singly, and together in a 1 : 1 ratio, to investigate the
      significance of membrane insertion and the influence of varying membrane
      composition on steady-state reaction kinetics. Reaction kinetics were analysed
      using a fluorimetric assay with 7-benzyloxyquinoline as substrate for CYP3A4.
      Full activity of the mono-oxygenase system, with electron transfer from NADPH via
      CPR, could only be reconstituted when CPR and CYP3A4 were colocalized within the
      same nanodiscs. No activity was observed when CPR and CYP3A4 were each
      incorporated separately into nanodiscs then mixed together, or when soluble forms
      of CPR were mixed with preassembled CYP3A4-nanodiscs. Membrane integration and
      colocalization are therefore essential for electron transfer. Liver microsomal
      lipid had an enhancing effect compared with phosphatidylcholine on the activity
      of CPR alone in nanodiscs, and a greater enhancing effect on the activity of CPR
      CYP3A4 nanodisc complexes, which was not matched by a phospholipid mixture
      designed to mimic the ER composition. Furthermore, liver lipid enhanced redox
      coupling within the system. Thus, natural ER lipids possess properties or include
      components important for enhanced catalysis by CPR-CYP3A4 nanodisc complexes. Our
      findings demonstrate the importance of using natural lipid preparations for the
      detailed analysis of membrane protein activity.

PMID- 28618158
TI  - A Fitbit and Facebook mHealth intervention for promoting physical activity among
      adolescent and young adult childhood cancer survivors: A pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) may be important for preventing chronic
      diseases for adolescent and young adult (AYA) childhood cancer survivors.
      Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PA interventions for AYA survivors are
      sparse, but necessary to determine effective programs for increasing PA among
      this population. Thus, we conducted a pilot RCT, testing the feasibility of a
      mobile health (mHealth) intervention to promote PA among AYA survivors.
      PROCEDURE: We recruited 14- to 18-year-olds who were >=1-year post cancer therapy
      from Seattle Children's Hospital. The 10-week intervention consisted of a
      wearable PA-tracking device (Fitbit Flex) and a peer-based virtual support group
      (Facebook group). Research staff helped set step goals and awarded badges weekly.
      Controls received usual care. Baseline assessments occurred before randomization
      and follow-up assessments occurred during weeks 8-10 of the intervention period.
      Feasibility criteria are defined below. Qualitative interviews assessed
      acceptability. Exploratory outcomes included PA, quality of life, and motivation
      for PA. RESULTS: All feasibility criteria were met: we recruited 60 survivors,
      intervention participants wore the Fitbit on the majority (71.5%) of intervention
      days, and >=90% of all participants completed questionnaires. Qualitative data
      confirmed intervention acceptability. Exploratory analyses found no significant
      adjusted group differences for change in moderate-to-vigorous PA (4.4 vs. 5.0
      min/day; P = 0.92) or sedentary time (-4.5 vs. 1.0 min/day; P = 0.73), comparing
      intervention subjects to controls. Some modest differences were found for select
      subscales of quality of life and motivation for PA. CONCLUSIONS: This mHealth PA
      intervention was feasible and acceptable to AYA childhood cancer survivors and
      warrants a fully powered RCT.

PMID- 28618159
TI  - Are herbicides a once in a century method of weed control?
AB  - The efficacy of any pesticide is an exhaustible resource that can be depleted
      over time. For decades, the dominant paradigm - that weed mobility is low
      relative to insect pests and pathogens, that there is an ample stream of new weed
      control technologies in the commercial pipeline, and that technology suppliers
      have sufficient economic incentives and market power to delay resistance -
      supported a laissez faire approach to herbicide resistance management. Earlier
      market data bolstered the belief that private incentives and voluntary actions
      were sufficient to manage resistance. Yet, there has been a steady growth in
      resistant weeds, while no new commercial herbicide modes of action (MOAs) have
      been discovered in 30 years. Industry has introduced new herbicide tolerant crops
      to increase the applicability of older MOAs. Yet, many weed species are already
      resistant to these compounds. Recent trends suggest a paradigm shift whereby
      herbicide resistance may impose greater costs to farmers, the environment, and
      taxpayers than earlier believed. In developed countries, herbicides have been the
      dominant method of weed control for half a century. Over the next half-century,
      will widespread resistance to multiple MOAs render herbicides obsolete for many
      major cropping systems? We suggest it would be prudent to consider the
      implications of such a low-probability, but high-cost development. (c) 2017
      Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28618160
TI  - Vaccinia virus A11 is required for membrane rupture and viral membrane assembly.
AB  - Although most enveloped viruses acquire their membrane from the host by budding
      or by a wrapping process, collective data argue that nucleocytoplasmic large DNA
      viruses (NCLDVs) may be an exception. The prototype member of NCLDVs, vaccinia
      virus (VACV) may induce rupture of endoplasmic-reticulum-derived membranes to
      build an open-membrane sphere that closes after DNA uptake. This unconventional
      membrane assembly pathway is also used by at least 3 other members of the NCLDVs.
      In this study, we identify the VACV gene product of A11, as required for membrane
      rupture, hence for VACV membrane assembly and virion formation. By electron
      tomography, in the absence of A11, the site of assembly formed by the viral
      scaffold protein D13 is surrounded by endoplasmic reticulum cisternae that are
      closed. We use scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron tomography to
      analyse large volumes of cells and demonstrate that in the absence of A11, no
      open membranes are detected. Given the pivotal role of D13 in initiating VACV
      membrane assembly, we also analyse viral membranes in the absence of D13
      synthesis and show that this protein is not required for rupture. Finally,
      consistent with a role in rupture, we show that during wild-type infection, A11
      localises predominantly to the small ruptured membranes, the precursors of VACV
      membrane assembly. These data provide strong evidence in favour of the unusual
      membrane biogenesis of VACV and are an important step towards understanding its
      molecular mechanism.

PMID- 28618161
TI  - Prevention of osteoporotic refractures in regional Australia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Clinical guidelines recommend that patients who sustain a minimal
      trauma fracture (MTF) should receive a bone mineral density (BMD) scan and
      bisphosphonate (or equivalent) therapy if diagnosed with osteoporosis. A pilot
      fracture liaison service (FLS) was implemented in regional NSW to improve
      adherence to the guidelines. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with an historical
      control. SETTING: Primary care. PARTICIPANTS: Control (n = 47) and cohort (n =
      93) groups comprised patients consenting to interview who presented with a MTF to
      the major referral hospital 4 months before and 12 months after FLS
      implementation respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were
      the rates of BMD scans and anti-osteoporotic medication initiation/review after
      MTF. Hospital admission data were also examined to determine death and refracture
      rates for all patients presenting during the study period with a primary
      diagnosis of MTF within 3 years of their initial fracture. RESULTS: Although
      there was no improvement in BMD scanning rates, the reported rate of medication
      initiation/review after fracture was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the FLS
      cohort. However, once adjusted for age, this association was not significant (P =
      0.086). There was a lower refracture rate during the cohort period (P = 0.013),
      however, there were significantly more deaths (P = 0.035) within 3 years of
      initial fracture. When deaths were taken into account via competing risk
      regression, patients in the cohort period were significantly less likely to
      refracture than those in the control period (Hazard ratio = 0.576, P = 0.032).
      CONCLUSIONS: A rurally based nurse-led FLS was associated with modest improvement
      after MTF. Consideration should be given to ways to strengthen the model of care
      to improve outcomes.

PMID- 28618163
TI  - The communication of health information through the media: public health
      opportunity.

PMID- 28618164
TI  - Is liver transplant education patient-centered?

PMID- 28618162
TI  - ZEB1-regulated inflammatory phenotype in breast cancer cells.
AB  - Zinc finger E-box binding protein 1 (ZEB1) and ZEB2 induce epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition (EMT) and enhance cancer progression. However, the global view of
      transcriptional regulation by ZEB1 and ZEB2 is yet to be elucidated. Here, we
      identified a ZEB1-regulated inflammatory phenotype in breast cancer cells using
      chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing, followed by gene set
      enrichment analysis (GSEA) of ZEB1-bound genes. Knockdown of ZEB1 and/or ZEB2
      resulted in the downregulation of genes encoding inflammatory cytokines related
      to poor prognosis in patients with cancer, including IL6 and IL8, therefore
      suggesting that ZEB1 and ZEB2 have similar functions in terms of the regulation
      of production of inflammatory cytokines. Antibody array and ELISA experiments
      confirmed that ZEB1 controlled the production of the IL-6 and IL-8 proteins. The
      secretory proteins regulated by ZEB1 enhanced breast cancer cell proliferation
      and tumor growth. ZEB1 expression in breast cancer cells also affected the growth
      of fibroblasts in cell culture, and the accumulation of myeloid-derived
      suppressor cells in tumors in vivo. These findings provide insight into the role
      of ZEB1 in the progression of cancer, mediated by inflammatory cytokines, along
      with the initiation of EMT.

PMID- 28618165
TI  - Herpes simplex virus-2 transmission following solid organ transplantation: Donor
      derived infection and transplantation from prior organ recipients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Owing to limited availability of donor organs, previous solid organ
      transplant (SOT) recipients are increasingly considered as potential organ
      donors. We report donor-derived transmission of herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV
      2) to two clusters of SOT recipients with transmission from the original donor
      and an HSV-2-infected recipient who subsequently became a donor. METHODS: We
      reviewed medical records of the donors and recipients in both clusters. Pre
      transplant serology and virological features of HSV-2 were characterized.
      Genotyping of HSV-2 isolates to determine potential for donor transmission of HSV
      2 through transplantation of organs from prior organ recipients was performed.
      RESULTS: A kidney-pancreas recipient died day 9 post transplant. Following
      confirmation of brain death, the lungs and recently transplanted kidney were
      donated to two further recipients. The liver was not retrieved, but biopsy
      confirmed HSV-2 infection. Testing on the original donor showed negative HSV-2
      polymerase chain reaction and HSV immunoglobulin (Ig)M, but positive HSV-2 IgG.
      The liver recipient from the original donor developed HSV-2 hepatitis and
      cutaneous infection that responded to treatment with intravenous acyclovir. In
      the second cluster, lung and kidney recipients both developed HSV-2 viremia that
      was successfully treated with antiviral therapy. Genotyping of all HSV-2-positive
      samples showed 100% sequence homology for three recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Donor
      derived HSV infection affected two clusters of recipients because of
      transplantation of organs from a prior organ recipient. HSV should be considered
      as a possible cause of illness in febrile SOT recipients in the immediate post
      transplant period and may cause disseminated disease and re-infection in HSV-2
      seropositive recipients. Testing of HSV serology and prophylaxis may be
      considered in SOT recipients not receiving cytomegalovirus prophylaxis.

PMID- 28618166
TI  - Abundance, genetic diversity and sensitivity to demethylation inhibitor
      fungicides of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from organic substrates with special
      emphasis on compost.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aspergillus fumigatus is a widespread fungus that colonizes dead
      organic substrates but it can also cause fatal human diseases. Aspergilloses are
      treated with demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides; however, resistant
      isolates appeared recently in the medical and also environmental area. The
      present study aims at molecular characterizing and quantifying A. fumigatus in
      major environmental habitats and determining its sensitivity to medical and
      agricultural DMI fungicides. RESULTS: A. fumigatus was isolated only rarely from
      soil and meadow/forest organic matter but high concentrations (103 to 107  cfu/g)
      were detected in substrates subjected to elevated temperatures, such as compost
      and silage. High genetic diversity of A. fumigatus from compost was found based
      on SSR markers, distinguishing among fungal isolates even when coming from the
      same substrate sample, while subclustering was observed based on mutations in
      cyp51A gene. Several cyp51A amino acid substitutions were found in 15 isolates,
      although all isolates were fully sensitive to the tested DMI fungicides, with
      exception of one isolate in combination with one fungicide. CONCLUSION: This
      study suggests that the tested A. fumigatus isolates collected in Italy, Spain
      and Hungary from the fungus' major living habitats (compost) and commercial
      growing substrates are not potential carriers for DMI resistance in the
      environment. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28618167
TI  - Neuropilin-1 regulated by miR-320 contributes to the growth and metastasis of
      cholangiocarcinoma cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) activates signalling pathways as
      multifunctional co-receptors in cancer cells. However, its role and how it is
      regulated by miRNAs in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) have not yet been investigated.
      METHODS: The expression of NRP-1, miR-320 and key molecules involved in cell
      proliferation, migration and related signalling pathways were detected by
      immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting and qRT-PCR. Stable transfectants depleted
      of NRP-1 were generated. The regulatory effect of miR-320 on NRP-1 was evaluated
      by luciferase reporter assays. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution and
      migration were examined. Xenograft tumour models were established to assess
      tumourigenesis, tumour growth and lung metastasis. RESULTS: Cholangiocarcinoma
      tissues expressed higher levels of NRP-1 than adjacent normal biliary tissues,
      and its expression negatively correlated with miR-320. NRP-1 depletion inhibited
      cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest in the G1/S phase by
      upregulating p27, and downregulating cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2; and
      reduced cell migration by inhibiting the phosphorylation of focal adhesion
      kinase. NRP-1 depletion suppressed tumourigenesis, tumour growth and lung
      metastasis by inhibiting cell proliferation and tumour angiogenesis in
      experimental animals. Depletion of NRP-1 inhibited the activation of VEGF/VEGFR2,
      EGF/EGFR and HGF/c-Met pathways stimulated by respective ligands. MiR-320
      negatively regulated the expression of NRP-1 by binding to the 3'-UTR of NRP-1
      promoter, and miR-320 mimics inhibited cell proliferation and migration, and the
      growth of established tumours in animals by downregulating NRP-1. CONCLUSIONS:
      The present results indicate that NRP-1 is negatively regulated by miR-320, and
      both of them may be potentially therapeutic targets for CCA.

PMID- 28618168
TI  - Streptococcus pyogenes quinolinate-salvage pathway-structural and functional
      studies of quinolinate phosphoribosyl transferase and NH3 -dependent NAD+
      synthetase.
AB  - : Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A Strep (GAS), is an obligate human
      pathogen that is responsible for millions of infections and numerous deaths per
      year. Infection manifestations can range from simple, acute pharyngitis to more
      complex, necrotizing fasciitis. To date, most treatments for GAS infections
      involve the use of common antibiotics including tetracycline and clindamycin.
      Unfortunately, new strains have been identified that are resistant to these
      drugs, therefore, new targets must be identified to treat drug-resistant strains.
      This work is focused on the structural and functional characterization of three
      proteins: spNadC, spNadD, and spNadE. These enzymes are involved in the
      biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+ ). The structures of
      spNadC and spNadE were determined. SpNadC is suggested to play a role in GAS
      virulence, while spNadE, functions as an NAD synthetase and is considered to be a
      new drug target. Determination of the spNadE structure uncovered a putative, NH3
      channel, which may provide insight into the mechanistic details of NH3 -dependent
      NAD+ synthetases in prokaryotes. ENZYMES: Quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase:
      EC2.4.2.19 and NAD synthetase: EC6.3.1.5. DATABASE: Protein structures for
      spNadC, spNadCDelta69A , and spNadE are deposited into Protein Data Bank under
      the accession codes 5HUL, 5HUO & 5HUP, and 5HUH & 5HUJ, respectively.

PMID- 28618169
TI  - ECG-derived Cheyne-Stokes respiration and periodic breathing in healthy and
      hospitalized populations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) has been investigated primarily in
      outpatients with heart failure. In this study we compare CSR and periodic
      breathing (PB) between healthy and cardiac groups. METHODS: We compared CSR and
      PB, measured during 24 hr of continuous 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) Holter
      recording, in a group of 90 hospitalized patients presenting to the emergency
      department with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) to a group
      of 100 healthy ambulatory participants. We also examined CSR and PB in the 90
      patients presenting with ACS symptoms, divided into a group of 39 (43%) with
      confirmed ACS, and 51 (57%) with a cardiac diagnosis but non-ACS. SuperECG
      software was used to derive respiration and then calculate CSR and PB episodes
      from the ECG Holter data. Regression analyses were used to analyze the data. We
      hypothesized SuperECG software would differentiate between the groups by
      detecting less CSR and PB in the healthy group than the group of patients
      presenting to the emergency department with ACS symptoms. RESULTS: Hospitalized
      patients with suspected ACS had 7.3 times more CSR episodes and 1.6 times more PB
      episodes than healthy ambulatory participants. Patients with confirmed ACS had
      6.0 times more CSR episodes and 1.3 times more PB episodes than cardiac non-ACS
      patients. CONCLUSION: Continuous 12-lead ECG derived CSR and PB appear to
      differentiate between healthy participants and hospitalized patients.

PMID- 28618171
TI  - Highly fluorinated polymers with sulfonate, sulfamide and N,N-diethylamino groups
      for the capillary electromigration separation of proteins and steroid hormones.
AB  - Highly fluorinated polymers are promising materials in separation methods due to
      their combination of high chemical and thermally stability, hydro- and
      oleophobicity, and weak intermolecular forces. However, application of these
      polymers in chromatography is limited because of their low solubility in aqueous
      organic solvents. In our research, the highly fluorinated water soluble polymers
      with -SO3- N(Et)4+ , -SO2 NH2 , and -N(Et)2 terminal groups were synthesized and
      applied as additives to the background electrolyte for the separation of steroid
      hormones and proteins by capillary electromigration methods. It is shown that
      highly fluorinated polymers can be used both as pseudo-stationary phases in
      electrokinetic chromatography for high separation efficiency (N ~ 200 * 103 ) and
      selectivity (alpha ~ 1.1) of uncharged analytes (e.g., steroid hormones), and as
      dynamic modifiers of fused silica capillary walls. The highest separation
      efficiency (N ~ 1 * 106 ) and selectivity (alpha ~ 1.3) of steroid hormones was
      achieved by combination of sodium dodecyl sulfate and fluoropolymer with
      sulfonate groups in background electrolyte with pH 2. Dynamic wall coatings based
      on fluoropolymer with -SO2 NH2 (which are easier and faster to create and wash
      off) exhibit significantly higher separation efficiency and selectivity compared
      to capillary electrochromatography on capillary columns based on polymethacrylate
      polymers.

PMID- 28618170
TI  - Frequency of Consuming Foods Predicts Changes in Cravings for Those Foods During
      Weight Loss: The POUNDS Lost Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Food cravings are thought to be the result of conditioning or pairing
      hunger with consumption of certain foods. METHODS: In a 2-year weight loss trial,
      subjects were randomized to one of four diets that varied in macronutrient
      content. The Food Craving Inventory (FCI) was used to measure cravings at
      baseline and at 6 and 24 months. Food intake was also measured at those time
      points. To measure free-living consumption of food items measured in the FCI,
      items on the FCI were matched to the foods consumed from the food intake
      assessments. Secondarily, the amount of food consumed on food intake assessments
      from foods on the FCI was analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-seven
      subjects with overweight and obesity were included. There was an association
      between change from baseline FCI item consumption and change in cravings at
      months 6 (P < 0.001) and 24 (P < 0.05). There was no association between change
      from baseline amount of energy consumed per FCI item and change in cravings.
      CONCLUSIONS: Altering frequency of consuming craved foods is positively
      associated with cravings; however, changing the amount of foods consumed does not
      appear to alter cravings. These results support the conditioning model of food
      cravings and provide guidance on how to reduce food cravings.

PMID- 28618172
TI  - Dominance of Sulfuritalea species in nitrate-depleted water of a stratified
      freshwater lake and arsenate respiration ability within the genus.
AB  - Facultative autotrophs of the genus Sulfuritalea within the class
      Betaproteobacteria have been predicted to be an important bacterial population in
      stratified freshwater lakes based on previous PCR-based studies. Here, we
      designed a new probe specific for the genus Sulfuritalea and performed catalysed
      reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridisation to enumerate cells of
      Sulfuritalea species throughout the water column in a stratified freshwater lake.
      The cells stained with the Sulfuritalea-specific probe were detected in all
      hypoxic water samples collected in different seasons and years. Their abundance
      ranged from 1.4 * 104 to 2.1 * 105 cells ml-1 , corresponding to 0.5-5.5% of the
      total DAPI-stained cells and 2.3-15% of the total bacterial cells. A high
      abundance of Sulfuritalea species was recorded in hypoxic water samples without
      nitrate, which is the only known anaerobic electron acceptor for Sulfuritalea.
      Nitrate-independent anaerobic respiration was further investigated using a single
      cultured representative of this genus, and its growth via arsenate respiration
      was experimentally demonstrated. In conclusion, Sulfuritalea species were found
      to be a major component of the planktonic bacterial community in nitrate-depleted
      hypoxic water, where arsenate respiration is one of the possible energy
      metabolisms of Sulfuritalea.

PMID- 28618173
TI  - Inter-individual differences determine the outcome of wheat bran colonization by
      the human gut microbiome.
AB  - Gut microbiota research reveals a vital role for the luminal and mucosal gut
      microbiota in human health. Fewer studies, however, have characterized the
      microbiome associated with undigested, insoluble dietary particles in the gut.
      These particles can act as a food source for bacteria and offer a physical
      platform to which they can attach. In this study, the microbiome colonizing wheat
      bran particles was analyzed. In a batch experiment, wheat bran particles were
      separately incubated with the faecal microbiota derived from 10 donors and washed
      after 48 h to remove loosely attached bacteria. The response of the luminal
      community to wheat bran and inulin, acting as a well-characterized control, was
      largely donor-dependent, both functionally, and with respect to the microbiome
      composition. Depending on the donor, wheat bran and inulin fermentation yielded
      proportionally higher propionate or butyrate production. Clostridium cluster XIVa
      and, depending on the donor, Prevotella, Roseburia, Megamonas, Bifidobacterium
      and Bacteroides species were enriched on the wheat bran particles. These genera
      include species with the documented ability to serve as primary degraders of
      wheat bran components and other species depending on cross-feeding to obtain
      their energy. Both functional groups were present in all donors, despite the
      large inter-individual differences.

PMID- 28618174
TI  - Intraspecific maternal competition induces summer diapause in insect parasitoids.
AB  - Organisms often live in unpredictable environments and have to adopt life history
      strategies that optimize their fitness under these conditions. According to bet
      hedging theory, individuals can reduce variation in fitness outcomes by investing
      in different strategies at the same time. For arthropods, facultative summer
      diapause enables survival during dry and hot periods of the year, and can be
      triggered by a decrease in resource abundance. However, the effect of resource
      depletion on diapause induction has never been disentangled from the effect of
      the perception of the presence of competitors. Using two solitary parasitoid
      species of cereal aphids as a model system, Aphidius avenae (Haliday) and
      Aphidius rhopalosiphi (De Stefani-Perez) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), we tested
      whether (i) low absolute host density and/or (ii) high levels of parasitoid
      females' competition lead to maternal-induced summer diapause in parasitoid
      offspring. Under summer-like climatic conditions, emerging parasitoid females
      were (i) reared alone and exposed to different host densities (from 5 to 130
      aphids), or (ii) reared together with competing females (from 2 to 20 females)
      and then exposed individually to 50 aphids. For both parasitoid species, low
      aphid densities did not induce summer diapause. However, the incidence of summer
      diapause increased up to a maximum of 11% with increasing levels of competition
      experienced by female parasitoids. More than 60% of the females produced both
      diapausing and nondiapausing offspring after being kept at the two highest
      competition densities. Such a "spreading-the-risk" strategy has likely evolved to
      optimize parasitoid fitness by preventing the following generation from exposure
      to low populations of suitable hosts and high mortality from superparasitism.
      These results provide the first experimental evidence of direct maternal
      competition-induced diapause in insects, and may change the way we apprehend the
      evolution of arthropod seasonal ecology, by considering intraspecific
      competition.

PMID- 28618175
TI  - The ominous association between severe endometriosis, in vitro fertilisation, and
      placenta previa: raising awareness, limiting risks, informing women.

PMID- 28618176
TI  - Bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide-based frozen ionic liquid for the hollow-fiber
      solid-phase microextraction of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its main
      metabolites.
AB  - 1-Hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide is a solid
      phase ionic organic material under ambient temperature and is considered as a
      kind of "frozen" ionic liquid. Because of their solid-state and ultra
      hydrophobicity, "frozen" ionic liquids are able to be confined in the pores of
      hollow fiber, based on which a simple method was developed for the hollow-fiber
      solid-phase microextraction of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its main
      metabolites. Under optimized conditions, the proposed method results in good
      linearity (R2 > 0.9965) over the range of 0.5-50 MUg/L, with low limits of
      detection and quantification in the range of 0.33-0.38 and 1.00-1.25 MUg/L,
      respectively. Intra- and interday precisions evaluated by relative standard
      deviation were 3-6 and 1-6%, respectively. The spiked recoveries of
      dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its main metabolites from real water samples
      were in the range of 64-113 and 79-112%, respectively, at two different
      concentration levels. The results suggest that "frozen" ionic liquids are
      promising for use as a class of novel sorbents.

PMID- 28618178
TI  - Decarboxylation of Lactones over Zn/ZSM-5: Elucidation of the Structure of the
      Active Site and Molecular Interactions.
AB  - Herein, we report the catalytic decarboxylation of gamma-valerolactone (GVL) over
      Zn/ZSM-5 to butene, followed by aromatization at high yield with co-feeding of
      water. An evaluation of the catalytic performance after prolonged periods of time
      showed that a water molecule is essential to maintain the decarboxylation and
      aromatization activities and avoid rapid catalyst deactivation. Synchrotron X-ray
      powder diffraction and Rietveld refinement were then used to elucidate the
      structures of adsorbed GVL and immobilized Zn species in combination with EXAFS
      and NMR spectroscopy. A new route for the cooperative hydrolysis of GVL by
      framework Zn-OH and Bronsted acidic sites to butene and then to aromatic
      compounds has thus been demonstrated. The structures and fundamental pathways for
      the nucleophilic attack of terminal Zn-OH sites are comparable to those of Zn
      containing enzymes in biological systems.

PMID- 28618177
TI  - Assessing the quality of primary care referrals to surgery of patients with
      diabetes in the East of England: A multi-centre cross-sectional cohort study.
AB  - AIM: Peri-operative hyperglycaemia is associated with an increased incidence of
      adverse outcomes. Communication between primary and secondary care is paramount
      to minimise these harms. National guidance in the UK recommends that the glycated
      haemoglobin (HbA1c) should be measured within 3 months prior to surgery and that
      the concentration should be less that 69 mmol/mol (8.5%). In addition, national
      guidance outlines the minimum dataset that should be included in any letter at
      the time of referral to the surgeons. Currently, it is unclear how well this
      process is being carried out. This study investigated the quality of information
      being handed over during the referral from primary care to surgical outpatients
      within the East of England. METHODS: Primary care referrals to nine different NHS
      hospital Trusts were gathered over a 1-week period. All age groups were included
      from 11 different surgical specialties. Referral letters were analysed using a
      standardised data collection tool based on the national guidelines. RESULTS: A
      total of 1919 referrals were received, of whom 169 (8.8%) had previously
      diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM). However, of these, 38 made no mention of DM in
      the referral letter but were on glucose-lowering agents. Only 13 (7.7%) referrals
      for patients with DM contained a recent HbA1c, and 20 (11.8%) contained no
      documentation of glucose-lowering medication. CONCLUSION: This study has shown
      that the quality of referral letters to surgical specialties for patients with DM
      in the East of England remain inadequate. There is a clear need for improving the
      quality of clinical data contained within referral letters from primary care. In
      addition, we have shown that the rate of referral for surgery for people with
      diabetes is almost 50% higher than the background population with diabetes.

PMID- 28618179
TI  - Critical Evaluation of Native Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry for
      Fragment-Based Screening.
AB  - Fragment-based screening presents a promising alternative to high-throughput
      screening and has gained great attention in recent years. So far, only a few
      studies have discussed mass spectrometry as a screening technology for fragments.
      Herein, we report the application of native electrospray ionization mass
      spectrometry (MS) for screening defined sets of fragments against four different
      target proteins. Fragments were selected from a primary screening conducted with
      a thermal shift assay (TSA) and represented different binding categories. Our
      data indicated that, beside specific complex formation, many fragments show
      extensive multiple binding and also charge-state shifts. Both of these factors
      complicate automated data analysis and decrease the attractiveness of native MS
      as a primary screening tool for fragments. A comparison of the hits identified by
      native MS and TSA showed good agreement for two of the proteins. Furthermore, we
      discuss general challenges, including the determination of an optimal fragment
      concentration and the question of how to rank fragment hits according to their
      affinity. In conclusion, we consider native MS to be a highly valuable tool for
      the validation and deeper investigation of promising fragment hits rather than a
      method for primary screening.

PMID- 28618180
TI  - Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and a dosimetric factor for predicting symptomatic
      radiation pneumonitis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with
      concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To identify the factors that predict the progression of radiological
      radiation pneumonitis (RP) to symptomatic RP, and to evaluate the usefulness of
      the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a marker of RP severity and prognosis in
      stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with definitive
      concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively
      reviewed 61 patients treated between January 2010 and December 2015. Patients'
      demographic characteristics, clinical data, laboratory findings and treatment
      parameters were analyzed to determine the predictive factors associated with
      progression from radiological RP to symptomatic RP. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients
      (77%) exhibited radiological RP at a median of 78 days after radiation therapy
      (RT) completion, and 15 (32%) of these patients developed symptomatic RP. The
      interval between RT completion and radiological RP presentation was shorter in
      patients who progressed to symptomatic RP (P = .001); progression was highly
      probable if this latency period was <=2 months (P = .002). Stage and RT technique
      correlated with symptomatic RP development (P = .046 and P = .046, respectively).
      Among dosimetric factors, a V20 (defined as the lung volume receiving >=20 Gy) of
      >30% was the most significant predictor of symptomatic RP (P = .001). The NLR and
      C-reactive protein level at radiological RP were higher in patients who developed
      symptomatic RP (P = .067 and P = .012, respectively). On multivariate analysis, a
      V20 >30% and an NLR at radiological RP >6 were associated with symptomatic RP
      development. CONCLUSION: The NLR at radiological RP is a useful biomarker for
      predicting symptomatic RP development after CCRT in stage III NSCLC patients.

PMID- 28618181
TI  - Ineffective Protection in Hemodialysis Patients: Sociodemographic and Clinical
      Context.
AB  - PURPOSE: To analyze the association between components of the nursing diagnosis
      ineffective protection (00043) and sociodemographic and clinical data of
      hemodialysis patients. METHOD: Cross-sectional study was conducted during the
      first half of 2015 with a sample of 200 patients from a reference clinic of
      nephrology. A structured instrument containing operational definitions was used
      to collect data. FINDINGS: Hemodialysis patients presented defining
      characteristics of ineffective protection (00043) associated with
      sociodemographic and clinical context variables. CONCLUSION: Components of this
      diagnosis may be influenced by sociodemographic and clinical context of
      hemodialysis patients.

PMID- 28618182
TI  - Mechanism and regulation of sorbicillin biosynthesis by Penicillium chrysogenum.
AB  - Penicillium chrysogenum is a filamentous fungus that is used to produce beta
      lactams at an industrial scale. At an early stage of classical strain
      improvement, the ability to produce the yellow-coloured sorbicillinoids was lost
      through mutation. Sorbicillinoids are highly bioactive of great pharmaceutical
      interest. By repair of a critical mutation in one of the two polyketide synthases
      in an industrial P. chrysogenum strain, sorbicillinoid production was restored at
      high levels. Using this strain, the sorbicillin biosynthesis pathway was
      elucidated through gene deletion, overexpression and metabolite profiling. The
      polyketide synthase enzymes SorA and SorB are required to generate the key
      intermediates sorbicillin and dihydrosorbicillin, which are subsequently
      converted to (dihydro)sorbillinol by the FAD-dependent monooxygenase SorC and
      into the final product oxosorbicillinol by the oxidoreductase SorD. Deletion of
      either of the two pks genes not only impacted the overall production but also
      strongly reduce the expression of the pathway genes. Expression is regulated
      through the interplay of two transcriptional regulators: SorR1 and SorR2. SorR1
      acts as a transcriptional activator, while SorR2 controls the expression of
      sorR1. Furthermore, the sorbicillinoid pathway is regulated through a novel
      autoinduction mechanism where sorbicillinoids activate transcription.

PMID- 28618184
TI  - Big improvements for the smallest recipients.

PMID- 28618183
TI  - Effects of different temperature regimes on survival of Diaphorina citri and its
      endosymbiotic bacterial communities.
AB  - The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is a major pest of citrus and vector
      of citrus greening (huanglongbing) in Asian. In our field-collected psyllid
      samples, we discovered that Fuzhou (China) and Faisalabad (Pakistan), populations
      harbored an obligate primary endosymbiont Candidatus Carsonella (gen. nov.) with
      a single species, Candidatus Carsonella ruddii (sp. nov.) and a secondary
      endosymbiont, Wolbachia surface proteins (WSP) which are intracellular
      endosymbionts residing in the bacteriomes. Responses of these symbionts to
      different temperatures were examined and their host survival assessed. Diagnostic
      PCR assays showed that the endosymbionts infection rates were not significantly
      reduced in both D. citri populations after 24 h exposure to cold or heat
      treatments. Although quantitative PCR assays showed significant reduction of WSP
      relative densities at 40 degrees C for 24 h, a substantial decrease occurred as
      the exposure duration increased beyond 3 days. Under the same temperature
      regimes, Ca. C. ruddii density was initially less affected during the first
      exposure day, but rapidly reduced at 3-5 days compared to WSP. However, the
      mortality of the psyllids increased rapidly as exposure time to heat treatment
      increased. The responses of the two symbionts to unfavorable temperature regimes
      highlight the complex host-symbionts interactions between D. citri and its
      associated endosymbionts.

PMID- 28618185
TI  - Let's talk about sleep: a systematic review of psychological interventions to
      improve sleep in college students.
AB  - Sleep problems are a common occurrence in college students. Insomnia, nightmares
      and impaired sleep quality lead to several mental health issues, as well as
      impaired academic performance. Although different sleep programmes exist, a
      systematic overview comparing their effectiveness is still missing. This
      systematic review aims to provide an overview of psychological interventions to
      improve sleep in college students. Seven databases were searched from November to
      December 2016 (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, PubMed,
      OpenSigle). The search string included search terms from three different topics:
      sleep, intervention and college students. Outcome measures included subjective as
      well as objective measures and focused on sleep, sleep-related and mental health
      variables. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. They were assigned to
      four intervention categories: (1) sleep hygiene, (2) cognitive-behavioural
      therapy (CBT), (3) relaxation, mindfulness and hypnotherapy and (4) other
      psychotherapeutic interventions. Fifteen studies were randomized controlled
      trials. While sleep hygiene interventions provided small to medium effects, the
      CBTs showed large effects. The variability of the effect sizes was especially
      large in the relaxation category, ranging from very small to very large effect
      sizes. Other psychotherapeutic interventions showed medium effects. CBT
      approaches provided the best effects for the improvement of different sleep
      variables in college students. Five studies included insomnia patients. The other
      three intervention categories also showed promising results with overall medium
      effects. In the future, CBT should be combined with relaxation techniques,
      mindfulness and hypnotherapy. Furthermore, the interventions should broaden their
      target group and include more sleep disorders.

PMID- 28618187
TI  - Physically consistent data assimilation method based on feedback control for
      patient-specific blood flow analysis.
AB  - This paper presents a novel data assimilation method for patient-specific blood
      flow analysis based on feedback control theory called the physically consistent
      feedback control-based data assimilation (PFC-DA) method. In the PFC-DA method,
      the signal, which is the residual error term of the velocity when comparing the
      numerical and reference measurement data, is cast as a source term in a Poisson
      equation for the scalar potential field that induces flow in a closed system. The
      pressure values at the inlet and outlet boundaries are recursively calculated by
      this scalar potential field. Hence, the flow field is physically consistent
      because it is driven by the calculated inlet and outlet pressures, without any
      artificial body forces. As compared with existing variational approaches,
      although this PFC-DA method does not guarantee the optimal solution, only one
      additional Poisson equation for the scalar potential field is required, providing
      a remarkable improvement for such a small additional computational cost at every
      iteration. Through numerical examples for 2D and 3D exact flow fields, with both
      noise-free and noisy reference data as well as a blood flow analysis on a
      cerebral aneurysm using actual patient data, the robustness and accuracy of this
      approach is shown. Moreover, the feasibility of a patient-specific practical
      blood flow analysis is demonstrated.

PMID- 28618186
TI  - Therapeutic Efficacy of Fresh, Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Severe
      Refractory Feline Chronic Gingivostomatitis.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have potent immunomodulatory functions and are a
      promising therapy for immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. We previously
      demonstrated the efficacy of fresh, autologous, adipose-derived MSCs (ASCs) to
      treat feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), a chronic oral mucosal
      inflammatory disease similar to human oral lichen planus. Here, we investigate
      the use of fresh allogeneic ASCs for treatment of FCGS in seven cats.
      Radiolabeled ASCs were also tracked systemically. Each cat received two
      intravenous injections of 20 million ASCs, 1 month apart. Oral inflammation,
      blood lymphocyte subsets, anti-fetal bovine serum antibody levels, ASC
      crossmatching and serum proteins and cytokine concentrations were determined.
      Four of the 7 cats (57%) responded to treatment [complete clinical remission (n =
      2) or substantial clinical improvement (n = 2)]. Three cats were nonresponders.
      Prior to therapy, most cats had increased circulating CD8+ T cells, decreased
      CD8lo cells, and a decreased CD4/CD8 ratio, however clinical resolution was not
      associated with normalization of these parameters. Nonresponders showed more
      severe systemic inflammation (neutrophilia, hyperglobulinemia and increased
      interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha concentration) prior to ASC
      therapy. Clinical remission took up to 20 months and no clinical relapse has
      occurred. A higher fraction of radiolabeled ASCs were identified in the oral
      cavity of FCGS affected cats than the control cat. The administration of fresh,
      allogenic ASCs appeared to have lower clinical efficacy with a delayed response
      as compared to the fresh, autologous ASCs. In addition, the mechanism(s) of
      action for autologous and allogenic ASCs may differ in this model of oral
      inflammation. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:1710-1722.

PMID- 28618188
TI  - Real-time viability and apoptosis kinetic detection method of 3D multicellular
      tumor spheroids using the Celigo Image Cytometer.
AB  - The development of three-dimensional (3D) multicellular tumor spheroid models for
      cancer drug discovery research has increased in the recent years. The use of 3D
      tumor spheroid models may be more representative of the complex in vivo tumor
      microenvironments in comparison to two-dimensional (2D) assays. Currently,
      viability of 3D multicellular tumor spheroids has been commonly measured on
      standard plate-readers using metabolic reagents such as CellTiter-Glo(r) for end
      point analysis. Alternatively, high content image cytometers have been used to
      measure drug effects on spheroid size and viability. Previously, we have
      demonstrated a novel end point drug screening method for 3D multicellular tumor
      spheroids using the Celigo Image Cytometer. To better characterize the cancer
      drug effects, it is important to also measure the kinetic cytotoxic and apoptotic
      effects on 3D multicellular tumor spheroids. In this work, we demonstrate the use
      of PI and caspase 3/7 stains to measure viability and apoptosis for 3D
      multicellular tumor spheroids in real-time. The method was first validated by
      staining different types of tumor spheroids with PI and caspase 3/7 and
      monitoring the fluorescent intensities for 16 and 21 days. Next, PI-stained and
      nonstained control tumor spheroids were digested into single cell suspension to
      directly measure viability in a 2D assay to determine the potential toxicity of
      PI. Finally, extensive data analysis was performed on correlating the time
      dependent PI and caspase 3/7 fluorescent intensities to the spheroid size and
      necrotic core formation to determine an optimal starting time point for cancer
      drug testing. The ability to measure real-time viability and apoptosis is highly
      important for developing a proper 3D model for screening tumor spheroids, which
      can allow researchers to determine time-dependent drug effects that usually are
      not captured by end point assays. This would improve the current tumor spheroid
      analysis method to potentially better identify more qualified cancer drug
      candidates for drug discovery research. (c) 2017 International Society for
      Advancement of Cytometry.

PMID- 28618189
TI  - Comparative genomics of the DNA damage-inducible network in the Patescibacteria.
AB  - Metagenomics provide unprecedented insights into the genetic diversity of
      uncultivated bacteria inhabiting natural environments. Recent surveys have
      uncovered a major radiation of candidate phyla encompassing the Patescibacteria
      superphylum. Patescibacteria have small genomes and a presumed symbiotic or
      parasitic lifestyle, but the difficulty in culturing representative members
      constrains the characterization of behavioural and adaptive traits. Here we
      combine in silico and in vitro approaches to characterize the SOS transcriptional
      response to DNA damage in the Patescibacteria superphylum. Leveraging comparative
      genomics methods, we identify and experimentally define a novel binding motif for
      the SOS transcriptional repressor LexA, and we use this motif to characterize the
      conserved elements of the SOS regulatory network in Patescibacteria. The
      Patescibacteria LexA-binding motif has unusual direct-repeat structure, and
      comparative analyses reveal sequence and structural similarities with the distant
      Acidobacteria LexA protein. Our results reveal a shared core SOS network,
      complemented by varying degrees of LexA regulation of other core SOS functions.
      This work illustrates how the combination of computational and experimental
      methods can leverage metagenomic data to characterize transcriptional responses
      in uncultivated bacteria. The report of an operational SOS response in presumed
      symbiotic and parasitic bacteria hints at an intermediate step in the process of
      genome reduction.

PMID- 28618190
TI  - Relation between upper-limb muscle strength with exercise capacity, quality of
      life and dyspnea in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), skeletal muscle
      weakness is characterized by reduced muscle strength, reduced muscle endurance
      and the presence of muscle fatigue especially in lower limbs. There has been
      little research into the upper limb skeletal muscles. OBJECTIVES: In this study,
      we aimed to investigate the relation of upper limb muscle strength with pulmonary
      function, exercise capacity, quality of life (QoL) and dyspnea sensation.
      METHODS: Eigthy-eight patients (89.8% male; age: 64.2 +/- 8.7 years) with COPD
      (FEV1 = 34.2% +/- 15.2%) were evaluated. Tests included hand grip strength and
      actual 1-repetition maximum (1RM) test for upper limb strength. Dyspnea sensation
      was assessed with medical research council (MRC) scale. St. George Respiratory
      Questionary (SGRQ) was used to evaluate patients health related QoL. Exercise
      capacity was evaluated with incremental shuttle walk test and endurance shuttle
      walk test. RESULTS: Upper limb muscle strength correlated with exercise capacity
      but no correlations were found with pulmonary functions.There were negative
      correlations with all the domains of SGRQ both actual 1RM and handgrip strength.
      MRC scores revealed a negative correlation with upper limb muscle strength.
      CONCLUSION: In our study, we showed that upper limb muscle strength correlated
      with exercise capacity, QoL, dyspnea sensation. Identifying patients who have
      greater reductions in strength will allow early interventions with a
      multidisciplinary manner.

PMID- 28618193
TI  - Introduction of color-flow injection test to confirm intravascular location of
      peripherally placed intravenous catheters.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of infiltration and extravasation when using peripheral
      intravenous catheters is high in pediatric patients. Due to the lack of a gold
      standard test to confirm intravascular location of a peripherally placed
      intravenous catheter, we introduce a novel method, the color-flow injection test
      to assess the intravascular location of these catheters. For the color-flow
      injection test, 1 mL of normal saline was injected within 2 seconds in the distal
      intravenous catheter and changes in color-flow via ultrasonography were observed
      at the proximal draining veins. The primary objective of the study was to
      demonstrate feasibility of the color-flow injection test. METHODS: A prospective
      study was conducted on children <18 years old undergoing general anesthesia. All
      peripheral intravenous catheters were subject to the color-flow injection test
      and standard confirmation tests. RESULTS: Out of the 100 patients enrolled, 22
      patients came to the operating room with preexisting peripheral intravenous
      catheters. Intraoperatively, 105 attempts were made on 78 patients of which 27
      catheters were considered as infiltrated during their placement. A final set of
      100 catheters were considered for intraoperative usage after they had passed at
      least one of the standard confirmatory tests. For the color-flow injection test,
      the ideal sites for ultrasound evaluation of proximal draining veins were the
      axillary veins and femoral veins. The color-flow injection test was positive in
      93 of the 100 catheters with color-flow changes noticed in the proximal veins
      during the saline injection. Of the 100 catheters, infiltration around seven
      catheter sites were observed within 2 hours of intraoperative usage and the color
      flow injection test was negative in these seven catheters. The color-flow
      injection test was also negative in the 27 catheters that had infiltrated during
      their placement. The color-flow injection test was sensitive at 100% [95%
      confidence interval (CI)=95-100] and specific at 100% (95% CI=56-100) to indicate
      intravascular location. CONCLUSION: We were able to confirm intravascular
      location of peripheral intravenous catheters using the color-flow injection test
      in pediatric patients. The test can lead to early recognition of malfunctioning
      peripheral intravenous catheters and decrease rate of infiltration-extravasation
      injuries associated with their use.

PMID- 28618191
TI  - A Proton Pump Inhibitor in the Reformulation Setting: Bioequivalence and
      Potential Implications for Long-Term Safety.
AB  - Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have become known for both their therapeutic effect
      and good safety profile. An application was submitted to the US Food and Drug
      Administration for approval of a reformulated PPI product that failed
      bioequivalence testing, but was submitted on the basis of the long history of PPI
      use as a "surrogate" for equivalence. This review evaluates the safety data for
      PPIs, discuss variability of pharmacokinetic parameters of PPIs in the
      reformulation setting, and potential implications of those changes for long-term
      safety.

PMID- 28618192
TI  - The patient buddy app can potentially prevent hepatic encephalopathy-related
      readmissions.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Readmissions are a major burden in cirrhosis. A proportion of
      readmissions in cirrhosis, especially because of hepatic encephalopathy (HE)
      could be avoided through patient and caregiver engagement. We aimed to define the
      feasibility of using the Patient Buddy App and its impact on 30-day readmissions
      by engaging and educating cirrhotic inpatients and caregivers in a pilot study.
      METHODS: Cirrhotic inpatients with caregivers were enrolled and followed for 30
      days post-discharge. On separately assigned devices loaded with Patient Buddy,
      they were trained on entering medication adherence, daily sodium intake and
      weights, and weekly cognitive (EncephalApp_Stroop) and fall-risk assessment and
      were educated regarding cirrhosis-related symptoms. These were monitored daily
      through a Patient Buddy loaded iPad by the clinical team. The App sent automatic
      alerts between patient/caregivers and clinical team regarding adherence and
      critical values. At 30 days, total, and HE-related admissions were analysed as
      well as the feasibility and feedback regarding educational values. RESULTS: Forty
      patients and 40 caregivers were enrolled. Seventeen patients were readmitted
      within 30-days but none for HE. Eight potential HE-related readmissions were
      prevented through App-generated alerts that encouraged early outpatient
      interventions. Caregivers and patients were concordant in data entry but six did
      not complete data entries. Most respondents rated the App favourably for its
      educational value. CONCLUSIONS: In this proof-of-concept trial, the use of
      Patient Buddy is feasible in recently discharged patients with cirrhosis and
      their caregivers. Eight HE-related readmissions were potentially avoided after
      the use of the App.

PMID- 28618194
TI  - Sexual dimorphism in the alpine butterflies Boloria pales and Boloria napaea:
      differences in movement and foraging behavior (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).
AB  - Sexual dimorphism is a widespread phenomenon in Lepidoptera. It is reflected in
      differences in life history, behavior and morphology. Analyses of differences in
      behavior are mostly difficult and time-consuming, especially in high mountain
      ecosystems. To enhance our knowledge on sexual dimorphisms of alpine butterflies,
      we performed a mark-release-recapture study on 2 species common in the Alps:
      Boloria pales and Boloria napaea. We analysed movement and foraging behavior to
      investigate differences between sexes. Both sexes were mostly sedentary and the
      movement distances of males and females similar. However, obvious differences in
      dispersal behavior between the sexes were found in the movement patterns. Three
      different patterns were distinguished. Most males showed intensive flight
      activity, but mostly flew only in a limited part of the entire habitat (i.e.,
      their individual home range) searching for females, whereas females were less
      flight active and flew only to find places for oviposition or feeding. The third
      pattern, where individuals flew larger distances, was only observed in a small
      number of males, which always returned to their home range. Nearly all feeding
      was observed on Asteraceae. However, males preferred the genera Leontodon and
      Crepis, while females preferred Leontodon and Carduus. Apart from this sexual
      difference in foraging, individuals of both sexes were found to be more or less
      specialised on nectar sources. Flight activity was generally greater in males
      than females. Therefore, we think that sex-specific requirements in nectar
      ingredients exist, that is, sugar for the intensive flight activity of males and
      amino acids for egg production of females.

PMID- 28618195
TI  - Novel reductive dehalogenases from the marine sponge associated bacterium
      Desulfoluna spongiiphila.
AB  - Desulfoluna spongiiphila strain AA1 is an organohalide respiring bacterium,
      isolated from the marine sponge Aplysina aerophoba, that can use brominated and
      iodinated phenols, in addition to sulfate and thiosulfate as terminal electron
      acceptors. The genome of Desulfoluna spongiiphila strain AA1 is approximately 6.5
      Mb. Three putative reductive dehalogenase (rdhA) genes involved in respiratory
      metabolism of organohalides were identified within the sequence. Conserved motifs
      found in respiratory reductive dehalogenases (a twin arginine translocation
      signal sequence and two iron-sulfur clusters) were present in all three putative
      AA1 rdhA genes. Transcription of one of the three rdhA genes was significantly
      upregulated during respiration of 2,6-dibromophenol and sponge extracts. Strain
      AA1 appears to have the ability to synthesize cobalamin, the key cofactor of most
      characterized reductive dehalogenase enzymes. The genome contains genes involved
      in cobalamin synthesis and uptake and can grow without cobalamin supplementation.
      Identification of this target gene associated with debromination lays the
      foundation for understanding how dehalogenating bacteria control the fate of
      organohalide compounds in sponges and their role in a symbiotic organobromine
      cycle. In the sponge environment, D. spongiiphila strain AA1 may thus take
      advantage of both brominated compounds and sulfate as electron acceptors for
      respiration.

PMID- 28618196
TI  - Integrating chytrid fungal parasites into plankton ecology: research gaps and
      needs.
AB  - Chytridiomycota, often referred to as chytrids, can be virulent parasites with
      the potential to inflict mass mortalities on hosts, causing e.g. changes in
      phytoplankton size distributions and succession, and the delay or suppression of
      bloom events. Molecular environmental surveys have revealed an unexpectedly large
      diversity of chytrids across a wide range of aquatic ecosystems worldwide. As a
      result, scientific interest towards fungal parasites of phytoplankton has been
      gaining momentum in the past few years. Yet, we still know little about the
      ecology of chytrids, their life cycles, phylogeny, host specificity and range.
      Information on the contribution of chytrids to trophic interactions, as well as
      co-evolutionary feedbacks of fungal parasitism on host populations is also
      limited. This paper synthesizes ideas stressing the multifaceted biological
      relevance of phytoplankton chytridiomycosis, resulting from discussions among an
      international team of chytrid researchers. It presents our view on the most
      pressing research needs for promoting the integration of chytrid fungi into
      aquatic ecology.

PMID- 28618197
TI  - Analysis of mutant allele fractions in driver genes in colorectal cancer -
      biological and clinical insights.
AB  - Sequencing of tumors is now routine and guides personalized cancer therapy.
      Mutant allele fractions (MAFs, or the 'mutation dose') of a driver gene may
      reveal the genomic structure of tumors and influence response to targeted
      therapies. We performed a comprehensive analysis of MAFs of driver alterations in
      unpaired primary and metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) at our institution from
      2010 to 2015 and studied their potential clinical relevance. Of 763 CRC samples,
      622 had detailed annotation on overall survival in the metastatic setting (OSmet)
      and 89 received targeted agents matched to KRAS (MEK inhibitors), BRAF (BRAF
      inhibitors), or PIK3CA mutations (PI3K pathway inhibitors). MAFs of each variant
      were normalized for tumor purity in the sample (adjMAFs). We found lower adjMAFs
      for BRAFV600E and PIK3CA than for KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF non-V600 variants. TP53
      and BRAFV600E adjMAFs were higher in metastases as compared to primary tumors,
      and high KRAS adjMAFs were found in CRC metastases of patients with KRAS wild
      type primary tumors previously exposed to EGFR antibodies. Patients with RAS- or
      BRAFV600E -mutated tumors, irrespective of adjMAFs, had worse OSmet. There was no
      significant association between adjMAFs and time to progression on targeted
      therapies matched to KRAS, BRAF, or PIK3CA mutations, potentially related to the
      limited antitumor activity of the employed drugs (overall response rate of 4.5%).
      In conclusion, the lower BRAFV600E and PIK3CA adjMAFs in subsets of primary CRC
      tumors indicate subclonality of these driver genes. Differences in adjMAFs
      between metastases and primary tumors suggest that approved therapies may result
      in selection of BRAFV600E - and KRAS-resistant clones and an increase in genomic
      heterogeneity with acquired TP53 alterations. Despite significant differences in
      prognosis according to mutations in driver oncogenes, adjMAFs levels did not
      impact on survival and did not help predict benefit with matched targeted agents
      in the metastatic setting.

PMID- 28618198
TI  - Effect of intravenous paracetamol as pre-emptive compared to preventive analgesia
      in a pediatric dental setting: a prospective randomized study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Efficacy of pre-emptive analgesia compared to preventive regimen,
      managing postoperative pain is still controversial. AIM: Evaluating the efficacy
      of intravenous (IV) paracetamol as pre-emptive analgesia compared to preventive
      post-treatment administration in pediatric dental setting. DESIGN: In a
      prospective trial, 60 noncooperative children of ASA I, II aged 3-10 years who
      underwent dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia were randomly divided
      into two groups. Pre-emptive group (n = 30) received 15 mg/kg of IV paracetamol
      before the start of treatment. Preventive group (n = 30) received 15 mg/kg of
      paracetamol at the end of treatment. Analgesic efficacy was measured by visual
      analog scale of faces (VASOF), percentage of children received postoperative
      analgesia. RESULTS: The VASOF results in the pre-emptive group were significantly
      lower compared to the preventive group at 4, 8, 12, and 24 h (0.0146, 0.0188,
      0.0085, and 0.0001, respectively). Less children in the pre-emptive group
      received supplemental fentanyl postoperatively compared to the preventive group
      (27.6%, 58.6%, respectively, P = 0.0170). Time to first rescue dose of fentanyl
      postoperatively in the pre-emptive group was later than in the preventive group
      (P = 0.0432). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of IV paracetamol pre-emptively
      provides lower pain scores, and a decreased percentage of children required pain
      relief and less amount of postoperative opioids, compared to preventive
      administration.

PMID- 28618199
TI  - Lipid interactions modulate the structural and antigenic properties of the C
      terminal domain of the malaria antigen merozoite surface protein 2.
AB  - : Merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) is a highly abundant, GPI-anchored antigen
      on the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. MSP2 induces an immune response in
      the context of natural infections and vaccine trials, and these responses are
      associated with protection from parasite infection. Recombinant MSP2 is highly
      disordered in solution but antigenic analyses suggest that it is more ordered on
      the merozoite surface. We have shown previously that the interaction of
      recombinant full-length MSP2 with lipid surfaces induces a conformational change
      in the conserved N-terminal region of MSP2, which contributes to epitope masking
      in this region. To explore the impacts of lipid interactions on the conformation
      and antigenicity of the conserved C-terminal region of MSP2, a construct
      corresponding to this domain, MSP2172-221 , was designed. NMR studies indicate
      that many residues in MSP2172-221 interact with DPC micelles, including some in
      epitopes recognised by C-terminal-specific monoclonal antibodies, but, in
      contrast to the MSP2 N-terminus, there is no indication of stable helical
      conformation. The binding affinities of a panel of monoclonal antibodies indicate
      that MSP2172-221 is antigenically similar to full-length MSP2 and show that
      liposome conjugation alters the antigenicity in a manner that may mimic native
      MSP2 on the merozoite surface. These findings highlight the impact of lipid
      interactions on the conformation and antigenicity of MSP2172-221 and will assist
      in the design of recombinant MSP2 immunogens for use as malaria vaccine
      candidates. DATABASES: Resonance assignments are available in the BioMagResBank
      (BMRB) database under the accession number 27134.

PMID- 28618200
TI  - Ambient and Dosed Exposure to Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectants Causes Neural
      Tube Defects in Rodents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Quaternary ammonium compounds are a large class of chemicals used for
      their antimicrobial and antistatic properties. Two common quaternary ammonium
      compounds, alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC) and didecyldimethyl
      ammonium chloride (DDAC), are combined in common cleaners and disinfectants.
      Introduction of a cleaner containing ADBAC+DDAC in the vivarium caused neural
      tube defects (NTDs) in mice and rats. METHODS: To further evaluate this finding,
      male and female mice were dosed in the feed at 60 or 120 mg/kg/day, or by oral
      gavage at 7.5, 15, or 30 mg/kg ADBAC+DDAC. Mice also received ambient exposure to
      ADBAC+DDAC from the disinfectant used in the mouse room. Embryos were evaluated
      on gestational day 10 for NTDs, and fetuses were evaluated on gestational day 18
      for gross and skeletal malformations. RESULTS: We found increased NTDs with
      exposure to ADBAC+DDAC in both rats and mice. The NTDs persisted for two
      generations after cessation of exposure. Notably, male exposure alone was
      sufficient to cause NTDs. Equally significant, ambient exposure from disinfectant
      use in the vivarium, influenced the levels of NTDs to a greater extent than oral
      dosing. No gross or significant axial skeletal malformations were observed in
      late gestation fetuses. Placental abnormalities and late gestation fetal deaths
      were increased at 120 mg/kg/day, which might explain the lack of malformations
      observed in late gestation fetuses. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that
      ADBAC+DDAC in combination are teratogenic to rodents. Given the increased use of
      these disinfectants, further evaluation of their safety in humans and their
      contribution to health and disease is essential. Birth Defects Research 109:1166
      1178, 2017. (c) 2017 The Authors. Birth Defects Research Published by Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28618202
TI  - Effects of persistent Fontan fenestration patency on cardiopulmonary exercise
      testing variables.
AB  - Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) aids in clinical assessment of patients
      with Fontan circulation. Effects of persistent fenestration on CPET variables
      have not been clearly defined. Associations between fenestration and CPET
      variables at anaerobic threshold (AT) and peak exercise were explored in the
      Pediatric Heart Network Fontan Cross-Sectional Study cohort. Fenestration patency
      was associated with a greater decrease in oxygen saturation from rest to peak
      exercise (fenestration -4.9 +/- 3.8 v. nonfenestration -3 +/- 3.5; P < .001).
      Physiological dead space at peak exercise was higher in fenestrated v.
      nonfenestrated (25.2 +/- 16.1 v. 21.4 +/- 15.2; P = .03). There was a weak
      association between fenestration patency and maximal work and heart rate.
      Fenestration patency was also weakly correlated with oxygen pulse, work and
      VE/VCO2 at AT. The effect of persistent fenestration on CPET measurements was
      minimal in this study, likely due to the cross-sectional design.

PMID- 28618201
TI  - Targeted quantification of functional enzyme dynamics in environmental samples
      for microbially mediated biogeochemical processes.
AB  - Microbial enzymes catalytically drive biogeochemical processes in environments.
      The dynamic linkage between functional enzymes and biogeochemical species
      transformation has, however, rarely been investigated for decades because of the
      challenges to directly quantify enzymes in environmental samples. The diversity
      of microorganisms, the low amount of available biomass and the complexity of
      chemical composition in environmental samples represent the main challenges. To
      address the diversity challenge, we first identify several signature peptides
      that are conserved in the targeted enzymes with the same functionality across
      many phylogenetically diverse microorganisms using metagenome-based protein
      sequence data. Quantification of the signature peptides then allows estimation of
      the targeted enzyme abundance. To achieve analyses of the requisite sensitivity
      for complex environmental samples with low available biomass, we adapted a
      recently developed ultrasensitive targeted quantification technology, termed high
      pressure high-resolution separations with intelligent selection and multiplexing
      (PRISM) by improving peptide separation efficiency and method detection
      sensitivity. Nitrate reduction dynamics catalyzed by dissimilatory and
      assimilatory enzymes in a hyporheic zone sediment was used as an example to
      demonstrate the application of the enzyme quantification approach. Together with
      the measurements of biogeochemical species, the approach enables investigating
      the dynamic linkage between functional enzymes and biogeochemical processes.

PMID- 28618203
TI  - Modelling the dynamic physical protection of soil organic carbon: Insights into
      carbon predictions and explanation of the priming effect.
AB  - The role and significance of physically protected soil organic carbon (SOC) in
      regulating SOC dynamics remains unclear. Here, we developed a simple theoretical
      model (DP model) considering dynamic physical protection to simulate the dynamics
      of protected (Cp ) and unprotected SOC (Cu ), and compared the modelling results
      with a conventional two-pool (fast vs. slow) model considering chemical
      recalcitrance. The two models were first constrained using extensive SOC data
      collected from soils with and without fresh carbon (C) inputs under incubation
      conditions, and then applied to project SOC dynamics and explore mechanisms
      underpinning the priming effect (PE). Overall, both models explained more than
      99% of the variances in observed SOC dynamics. The DP model predicted that Cp
      accounted for the majority of total SOC. As decomposition proceeds, the
      proportion of Cp reached >90% and kept relatively constant. Although the similar
      performance of the two models in simulating observed total SOC dynamics, their
      predictions of future SOC dynamics were divergent, challenging the predictions of
      widely used pool-based models. The DP model also suggested alternative mechanisms
      underpinning the priming of SOC decomposition by fresh C inputs. The two-pool
      model suggested that the PE was caused by the stimulated decomposition rates,
      especially for the slow recalcitrant pool, while the DP model suggested that the
      PE might be the combined consequence of stimulated Cu decomposition, the
      liberation of Cp to decomposition and the inhibition of the protection of
      unprotected SOC. The model-data integration provided a new explanation for the
      PE, highlighting the importance of liberation of initially physically protected
      SOC to decomposition by new C inputs. Our model-data integration demonstrated the
      importance of simulating physical protection processes for reliable SOC
      predictions, and provided new insights into mechanistic understanding of the
      priming effect.

PMID- 28618204
TI  - Bacterial weathering of fossil organic matter and organic carbon mobilization
      from subterrestrial Kupferschiefer black shale: long-term laboratory studies.
AB  - A large part of the organic carbon present in the lithosphere is trapped in
      fossil organic matter deposited in sedimentary rocks. Only specialized
      microorganisms are able to degrade it contributing to the return of the carbon to
      the global cycle. The role of bacteria in this process is not yet completely
      understood. In the present laboratory studies, subterrestrial organic-rich ~256
      million-year-old Kupferschiefer black shale was exposed to the activity of an
      indigenous consortium of lithobiontic bacteria for 365 days under aerobic
      conditions. An interdisciplinary research approach was applied, consisting of a
      detailed comparison of the chemical composition of extractable bitumens as well
      as resistant to extraction kerogen of the unweathered black shale to that of the
      bioweathered and chemically weathered, identification of mobilized organic
      compounds and spectrometry-based determination of proteomic composition of the
      bacterial biofilm. The oxidative bioweathering of bitumens and kerogen was
      confirmed. The mobilization of organic carbon in the form of oxidized organic
      compounds, such as monohydroxy and dihydroxy alcohols, aldehydes, monocarboxylic
      and dicarboxylic acids and esters due to the microbial activity, was documented.
      The enzymes crucial for the aerobic metabolism of aliphatic and aromatic
      hydrocarbons such as monooxygenases and dehydrogenases were identified in the
      epilithic biofilm inhabiting the black shale.

PMID- 28618205
TI  - Reduced expression of circRNA hsa_circ_0003159 in gastric cancer and its clinical
      significance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a crucial role in the occurrence of
      several diseases including cancers. However, little is known about circRNAs'
      diagnostic values for gastric cancer, one of the worldwide most common diseases
      of mortality. METHODS: The hsa_circ_0003159 levels in 108 paired gastric cancer
      tissues and adjacent non-tumorous tissues from surgical patients with gastric
      cancer were first detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction. Then, the relationships between hsa_circ_0003159
      expression levels in gastric cancer tissues and the clinicopathological factors
      of patients with gastric cancer were analyzed. Finally, its diagnostic value was
      evaluated through the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Compared
      with paired adjacent non-tumorous tissues, hsa_circ_0003159 expression was
      significantly down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues. What is more, we found
      that hsa_circ_0003159 expression levels were significantly negatively associated
      with gender, distal metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis stage. CONCLUSIONS: All
      of the results suggest that hsa_circ_0003159 may be a potential cancer marker of
      patients with gastric cancer.

PMID- 28618206
TI  - Grazing of leaf-associated Cercomonads (Protists: Rhizaria: Cercozoa) structures
      bacterial community composition and function.
AB  - Preferential food selection in protists is well documented, but we still lack
      basic understanding on how protist predation modifies the taxonomic and
      functional composition of bacterial communities. We conducted feeding trials
      using leaf-associated cercomonad Cercozoa by incubating them on a standardized,
      diverse bacterial community washed from plant leaves. We used a shotgun
      metagenomics approach to investigate the taxonomic and functional changes of the
      bacterial community after five days protist predation on bacteria. Predation
      induced shifts in bacterial community composition could be linked to phenotypic
      protist traits. Protist reproduction rate, morphological plasticity and cell
      speed were most important in determining bacterial community composition.
      Analyses of co-occurrence patterns showed less complex correlations between
      bacterial taxa in the protist-grazed treatments with a higher proportion of
      positive correlations than in non-grazed controls, suggesting that predation
      reduced the influence of strong competitors. Protist predation influenced 14
      metabolic core functions including membrane transport from which type VI
      secretion systems were in particular upregulated. In view of the functional
      importance of bacterial communities in the phyllosphere and rhizosphere of
      plants, a more detailed understanding of predator-prey interactions, changes in
      microbial composition and function, and subsequent repercussions on plant
      performance are clearly required.

PMID- 28618207
TI  - Effect of dioxin and 17beta-estradiol on the expression of cytochrome P450 1A1
      gene via an estrogen receptor dependent pathway in cellular and xenografted
      models.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 plays a major role in the metabolic activation of
      procarcinogens to carcinogens via aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway.
      Especially, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is known as an agonist of
      AhR. In estrogen responsive cancers, 17beta-estradiol (E2) may influence on AhR
      dependent expression of CYP1 family via the interaction between estrogen receptor
      (ER) and AhR. In the present study, the effect of E2/ER on the expression of AhR
      and CYP1A1 genes was investigated for MCF-7 clonal variant (MCF-7 CV) breast
      cancer cells expressing ER. In reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot
      analysis, mRNA expression level of AhR was not altered, but its protein
      expression level was increased by TCDD or E2. The transcriptional and
      translational levels of CYP1A1 appeared to be increased by TCDD or E2. The
      increased expression of AhR and CYP1A1 induced by E2 was restored to the control
      level by the co-treatment of ICI 182,780, indicating that E2 induced the protein
      expression levels of AhR and CYP1A1 like TCDD via an ER dependent pathway. In an
      in vivo xenograft mouse model transplanted with MCF-7 CV cells, the protein
      expression levels of AhR and CYP1A1 of tumor masses were also increased by E2 or
      TCDD. Taken together, these results indicate that E2 may promote AhR dependent
      expression of CYP1A1 via ER dependent pathway in MCF-7 CV cells expressing ER in
      the absence of TCDD, an agonist of AhR. The relevance of E2 and ER in CYP1A1
      activation of estrogen responsive cancers may be targeted for developing more
      effective cancer treatments.

PMID- 28618208
TI  - Experiences of registered nurses transitioning from employment in acute care to
      primary health care-quantitative findings from a mixed-methods study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the experiences of registered nurses who
      transition from acute to primary health care (PHC) employment. BACKGROUND:
      Internationally the provision of health care in PHC settings is increasing.
      Nurses are moving from acute care employment to meet the growing demand for a PHC
      workforce. However, little is known about the transition experiences of these
      nurses. DESIGN: A sequential mixed-methods study comprising a survey, and semi
      structured interviews. This study reports on survey findings relating to the
      transition experience. METHODS: Convenience and snowballing techniques were used
      to recruit 111 registered nurses who had transitioned from Australian acute
      settings to PHC employment within the last 5 years. An online survey gathered
      data relating to personal and professional demographics, type of PHC setting and
      transition experiences. RESULTS: Most respondents (n = 90, 81.1%) reported
      receiving some orientation, although the length and content varied considerably.
      Those working in metropolitan locations were more likely to report concerns
      associated with their orientation, with respondents from rural or remote
      locations more likely to have access to a preceptor than city/metropolitan
      respondents. Just under half of respondents found prioritising workload (n = 47;
      42.7%) or organisational knowledge (n = 45; 40.9%) difficult or very difficult,
      and 47.7% (n = 53) felt isolated or unsupported. 49.5% (n = 55) reported being
      overwhelmed with the new role either sometimes or regularly. Barriers to
      transitioning successfully included limited employer support to attend
      professional development activities. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of specific
      support measures may assist in the transition process. Findings from our study
      should be considered by employers when recruiting nurses new to PHC, and when
      designing orientation and ongoing education programmes. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: This study highlights the challenges faced by nurses who transition
      from acute care into PHC employment. Understanding the barriers and facilitators
      to successful transitions enhances the process for future recruitment and
      retention of PHC nurses. This evidence can inform managers, educators and
      policymakers in developing support programmes for nurses moving into PHC.

PMID- 28618209
TI  - Chemical Compositions, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils
      of Psidium guajava L. Leaves from Different Geographic Regions in China.
AB  - Hydrodistilled essential oils (EO) of Psidium guajava L. leaves from different
      regions in China were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The samples from Guangdong
      Province displayed high EO yields (0.61 - 0.75%, v/w). A total of 50 components,
      representing over 98.00% of the EOs, were identified and semi-quantitatived. The
      major constituents of EOs included beta-caryophyllene (17.17 - 31.38%), gamma
      gurjunene (9.17 - 15.22%), tau-cadinol (1.35 - 10.02%) and calamenene (2.13 -
      7.80%). The terpenoids in all sample oils were dominated by sesquiterpenes
      hydrocarbons (70.18 - 84.35%), followed by oxygenated sesquiterpenes (9.89 -
      22.19%). The similarities and differences among EOs from different samples were
      evaluated by hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis
      methods. The IC50 values of EOs from different regions were between 18.52 - 33.72
      mg/ml (DPPH) and 13.12 - 25.15 mg/ml (ABTS+ ). The FRAP value of EO from
      Guangdong Province was 7.34 - 9.13 mmol Vc/g DM, while the FRAP value of EO from
      Taiwan Province was 2.29 - 2.36 mmol Vc/g DM. The antimicrobial tests revealed
      that EO had a higher antimicrobial activity against all Gram-positive bacteria
      and two fungi. Moreover, EO from P. guajava leaves of Guangdong Province showed
      the highest antimicrobial activity. These properties can be considered in the
      design of industrial products and for further application in the food,
      pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

PMID- 28618210
TI  - The Non-Canonical Substrates of Trypanosoma cruzi Tyrosine and Aspartate
      Aminotransferases: Branched-Chain Amino Acids.
AB  - Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, lacks genes that
      encode canonical branched-chain aminotransferases. However, early studies showed
      that when epimastigotes were grown in the presence of 14 C1 -DL-leucine, the
      label was incorporated into various intermediates. More recently, our studies
      provided evidence that T. cruzi epimastigotes display a single ATP-dependent and
      saturable transport system that enables epimastigotes to uptake branched-chain
      amino acids (BCAAs) from the culture media. To extend our knowledge of the first
      step of BCAA catabolism, the ability of this parasite's noncanonical broad
      specificity aminotransferases, such as tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) and
      aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), to transaminate these amino acids was
      investigated. Indeed, our results show that TAT and ASAT utilize BCAAs as
      substrates; however, both enzymes differ in their catalytic competence in
      utilizing these amino donors. For instance, ASAT transaminates isoleucine nearly
      10-fold more efficiently than does TAT. This unique characteristic of TAT and
      ASAT allows to explain how BCAAs can be oxidized in the absence of a BCAA
      transaminase in T. cruzi.

PMID- 28618211
TI  - Tribute to Fumio Oosawa the pioneer in actin biophysics.
AB  - Fumio Oosawa and his colleagues at Nagoya University laid the foundation for
      mechanistic studies of actin. Using relatively primitive tools they discovered
      that actin monomers assemble in a two-step mechanism: highly unfavorable
      formation of small oligomeric nuclei followed by rapid elongation. Oosawa and his
      student Sadashi Hatano were the first to purify actin from a nonmuscle cell,
      Physarum polycephalum, initiating studies of the molecular mechanism of cellular
      movements.

PMID- 28618212
TI  - Quantum chemistry in environmental pesticide risk assessment.
AB  - The scientific community and regulatory bodies worldwide, currently promote the
      development of non-experimental tests that produce reliable data for pesticide
      risk assessment. The use of standard quantum chemistry methods could allow the
      development of tools to perform a first screening of compounds to be considered
      for the experimental studies, improving the risk assessment. This fact results in
      a better distribution of resources and in better planning, allowing a more
      exhaustive study of the pesticides and their metabolic products. The current
      paper explores the potential of quantum chemistry in modelling toxicity and
      environmental behaviour of pesticides and their by-products by using electronic
      descriptors obtained computationally. Quantum chemistry has potential to estimate
      the physico-chemical properties of pesticides, including certain chemical
      reaction mechanisms and their degradation pathways, allowing modelling of the
      environmental behaviour of both pesticides and their by-products. In this sense,
      theoretical methods can contribute to performing a more focused risk assessment
      of pesticides used in the market, and may lead to higher quality and safer
      agricultural products. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28618213
TI  - Solid-phase extraction assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on
      solidification of floating organic droplet to determine sildenafil and its
      analogues in dietary supplements.
AB  - A novel analytical method for the simultaneous determination of the concentration
      of sildenafil and its five analogues in dietary supplements using solid-phase
      extraction assisted reversed-phase dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based
      on solidification of floating organic droplet combined with ion-pairing liquid
      chromatography with an ultraviolet detector was developed. Parameters that affect
      extraction efficiency were systematically investigated, including the type of
      solid-phase extraction cartridge, pH of the extraction environment, and the type
      and volume of extraction and dispersive solvent. The method linearity was in the
      range of 5.0-100 ng/mL for sildenafil, homosildenafil, udenafil,
      benzylsildenafil, and thiosildenafil and 10-100 ng/mL for acetildenafil. The
      coefficients of determination were >=0.996 for all regression curves. The
      sensitivity values expressed as limit of detection were between 2.5 and 7.5
      ng/mL. Furthermore, intraday and interday precisions expressed as relative
      standard deviations were less than 5.7 and 9.9%, respectively. The proposed
      method was successfully applied to the analysis of sildenafil and its five
      analogues in complex dietary supplements.

PMID- 28618214
TI  - How to Stop Smoking.
AB  - Despite the known dangers of cigarette smoking, many smokers do not use effective
      means for cessation. Smoking-cessation guidelines recommend a variety of
      psychological and medicinal options that include nicotine-replacement products,
      pharmaceuticals, and electronic cigarettes. This article describes these smoking
      cessation options and provides guidance for physicians.

PMID- 28618215
TI  - Low-Density, Mechanical Compressible, Water-Induced Self-Recoverable Graphene
      Aerogels for Water Treatment.
AB  - Graphene aerogels (GAs) have demonstrated great promise in water treatment,
      acting as separation and sorbent materials, because of their high porosity, large
      surface area, and high hydrophobicity. In this work, we have fabricated a new
      series of compressible, lightweight (3.3 mg cm-3) GAs through simple cross
      linking of graphene oxide (GO) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with glutaraldehyde.
      It is found that the cross-linked GAs (xGAs) show an interesting water-induced
      self-recovery ability, which can recover to their original volume even under
      extremely high compression strain or after vacuum-/air drying. Importantly, the
      amphiphilicity of xGAs can be adjusted facilely by changing the feeding ratio of
      GO and PVA and it exhibits affinity from polar water to nonpolar organic liquids
      depended on its amphiphilicity. The hydrophobic xGAs with low feeding ratio of
      PVA and GO can be used as adsorbent for organic liquid, while the hydrophilic
      xGAs with high feeding ratio of PVA and GO can be used as the filter material to
      remove some water-soluble dye in the wastewater. Because of the convenience of
      our approach in adjusting the amphiphilicity by simply changing the PVA/GO ratio
      and excellent properties of the resulting xGAs, such as low density, compressive,
      and water-induced self-recovery, this work suggests a promising technique to
      prepare GAs-based materials for the water treatment in different environment with
      high recyclability and long life.

PMID- 28618216
TI  - Competitive Coordination Strategy to Finely Tune Pore Environment of Zirconium
      Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.
AB  - Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of crystalline porous materials with
      reticular architectures. Precisely tuning pore environment of MOFs has drawn
      tremendous attention but remains a great challenge. In this work, we demonstrate
      a competitive coordination approach to synthesize a series of zirconium
      metalloporphyrinic MOFs through introducing H2O and monocarboxylic acid as
      modulating reagents, in which well-ordered mesoporous channels could be observed
      clearly under conventional transmission electron microscopy. Owing to plenty of
      unsaturated Lewis acid catalytic sites exposed in the visualized mesoporous
      channels, these structures exhibit outstanding catalytic activity and excellent
      stability in the chemical fixation of carbon dioxide to cyclic carbonates. The
      zirconium-based MOFs with ordered channel structures are expected to pave the way
      to expand the potential applications of MOFs.

PMID- 28618217
TI  - Transparent Electrochemical Gratings from a Patterned Bistable Silver Mirror.
AB  - Silver mirror patterns were formed reversibly on a polystyrene (PS)-patterned
      electrode to produce gratings through the electrochemical reduction of silver
      ions. The electrochemical gratings exhibited high transparency (T > 95%), similar
      to a see-through window, by matching the refractive index of the grating pattern
      with the surrounding medium. The gratings switch to a diffractive state upon the
      formation of a mirror pattern (T < 5%) with a high diffraction efficiency up to
      40%, providing reversible diffractive gratings. The diffraction state was
      maintained in the voltage-off state (V-off) for 40 min, which demonstrated
      bistable reversible electrochemical grating (BREG) behavior. By carefully
      combining the BREGs through period matching, dual-color switching was achieved
      within the full color region, which exhibited three distinct optical switching
      states between -2.5, 0, and +2.5 V. The wide range of light tenability using the
      metallic BREGs developed herein enabled IR modulation, NIR light reflection, and
      on-demand heat transfer.

PMID- 28618218
TI  - Citrate-Coated Silver Nanoparticles Growth-Independently Inhibit Aflatoxin
      Synthesis in Aspergillus parasiticus.
AB  - Manufactured silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have long been used as antimicrobials.
      However, little is known about how these NPs affect fungal cell functions. While
      multiple previous studies reveal that Ag NPs inhibit secondary metabolite
      syntheses in several mycotoxin producing filamentous fungi, these effects are
      associated with growth repression and hence need sublethal to lethal NP doses,
      which besides stopping fungal growth, can potentially accumulate in the
      environment. Here we demonstrate that citrate-coated Ag NPs of size 20 nm, when
      applied at a selected nonlethal dose, can result in a >2 fold inhibition of
      biosynthesis of the carcinogenic mycotoxin and secondary metabolite, aflatoxin B1
      in the filamentous fungus and an important plant pathogen, Aspergillus
      parasiticus, without inhibiting fungal growth. We also show that the observed
      inhibition was not due to Ag ions, but was specifically associated with the
      mycelial uptake of Ag NPs. The NP exposure resulted in a significant decrease in
      transcript levels of five aflatoxin genes and at least two key global regulators
      of secondary metabolism, laeA and veA, with a concomitant reduction of total
      reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, the depletion of Ag NPs in the growth
      medium allowed the fungus to regain completely its ability of aflatoxin
      biosynthesis. Our results therefore demonstrate the feasibility of Ag NPs to
      inhibit fungal secondary metabolism at nonlethal concentrations, hence providing
      a novel starting point for discovery of custom designed engineered nanoparticles
      that can efficiently prevent mycotoxins with minimal risk to health and
      environment.

PMID- 28618219
TI  - Hierarchical Microspheres Constructed from Chitin Nanofibers Penetrated
      Hydroxyapatite Crystals for Bone Regeneration.
AB  - Chitin exists abundantly in crab and shrimp shells as the template of the
      minerals, which inspired us to mineralize it for fabricating bone grafting
      materials. In the present work, chitin nanofibrous microspheres were used as the
      matrix for in situ synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals including
      microflakes, submicron-needles, and submicron-spheres, which were penetrated by
      long chitin nanofibers, leading to the hierarchical structure. The shape and size
      of the HA crystals could be controlled by changing the HA synthesis process. The
      tight interface adhesion between chitin and HA through the noncovanlent bonds
      occurred in the composite microspheres, and HAs were homogeneously dispersed and
      bounded to the chitin nanofibers. In our findings, the inherent
      biocompatibilities of the both chitin and HA contributed the bone cell adhesion
      and osteoconduction. Moreover, the chitin microsphere with submicron-needle and
      submicron-sphere HA crystals remarkably promoted in vitro cell adhesion and in
      vivo bone healing. It was demonstrated that rabbits with 1.5 cm radius defect
      were almost cured completely within three months in a growth factor- and cell
      free state, as a result of the unique surface microstructure and
      biocompatibilities of the composite microspheres. The microsphere scaffold
      displayed excellent biofunctions and an appropriate biodegradability. This work
      opened up a new avenue to construct natural polymer-based organic-inorganic
      hybrid microspheres for bone regeneration.

PMID- 28618220
TI  - Au@Void@Ag Yolk-Shell Nanoclusters Visited by Molecular Dynamics Simulation: The
      Effects of Structural Factors on Thermodynamic Stability.
AB  - Au@void@Ag yolk-shell nanoclusters were studied by molecular dynamics simulation
      in order to study the effects of core and shell sizes on their thermodynamic
      stability and structural transformation. The results demonstrated that all of
      simulated nanoclusters with different core and shell sizes are unstable at
      temperatures lower than 350 K in such a way that Ag atoms are collapsed into the
      void space and fill it, which leads to creation of a more stable core-shell
      morphology, and at the melting point, only core-shell structures with altered
      thickness of the shell exist. Also, at higher temperatures, Au atoms tend to
      migrate toward the surface, and an increase of both the core and shell sizes
      leads to an increase of the thermodynamic stability. Moreover, a Au147@void@Ag252
      nanocluster with the largest core and shell and minimum void space exhibited the
      most thermodynamic stability and highest melting point. Generally, the core and
      shell sizes affect the stability and thermal behavior of yolk-shell nanoclusters
      cooperatively.

PMID- 28618221
TI  - Constructing 3D Polyphosphazene Nanotube@Mesoporous Silica@Bimetallic Phosphide
      Ternary Nanostructures via Layer-by-Layer Method: Synthesis and Applications.
AB  - A novel ternary nanostructure polyphosphazene nanotube (PZS)@ mesoporous silica
      (M-SiO2)@bimetallic phosphide (CoCuP) was facilely fabricated, using PZS as the
      template, where large amount of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide molecules were
      anchored to PZS via a similar layer-by-layer assembly strategy, and then uniform
      M-SiO2 shells can be formed successfully by Hyeon's coating method. Subsequently,
      the three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure on the basis of bimetallic phosphide
      (CoCuP) interconnected with PZS@M-SiO2 was synthesized via a convenient, mild
      hydrothermal route. It is noted that incorporating well-designed PZS@M-SiO2@CoCuP
      led to significant decrease on fire hazard of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU),
      that is, 58.2% and 19.4% reductions in peak heat release rate and total heat
      release, respectively, as well as lower toxic hydrogen cyanide and carbon
      monoxide yield accompanied by higher graphitized char layer. In the case of
      TPU/PZS@M-SiO2@CoCuP system, the storage modulus at -97  degrees C was
      dramatically improved by 62.6%, and glass transition temperature was shifted to
      higher value, compared to those of pure TPU. The enhanced fire safety and
      mechanical property for TPU composites can be ascribed to tripartite cooperative
      effect from respective parts (CoCuP and M-SiO2) plus the PZS.

PMID- 28618222
TI  - De Novo Biosynthesis of Glutarate via alpha-Keto Acid Carbon Chain Extension and
      Decarboxylation Pathway in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Microbial based bioplastics are promising alternatives to petroleum based
      synthetic plastics due to their renewability and economic feasibility. Glutarate
      is one of the most potential building blocks for bioplastics. The recent
      biosynthetic routes for glutarate were mostly based on the l-lysine degradation
      pathway from Pseudomonas putida that required lysine either by feeding or lysine
      overproduction via genetic manipulations. Herein, we established a novel
      glutarate biosynthetic pathway by incorporation of a "+1" carbon chain extension
      pathway from alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG) in combination with alpha-keto acid
      decarboxylation pathway in Escherichia coli. Introduction of homocitrate synthase
      (HCS), homoaconitase (HA) and homoisocitrate dehydrogenase (HICDH) from
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae into E. coli enabled "+1" carbon extension from alpha-KG
      to alpha-ketoadipate (alpha-KA), which was subsequently converted into glutarate
      by a promiscuous alpha-keto acid decarboxylase (KivD) and a succinate
      semialdehyde dehydrogenase (GabD). The recombinant E. coli coexpressing all five
      genes produced 0.3 g/L glutarate from glucose. To further improve the titers,
      alpha-KG was rechanneled into carbon chain extension pathway via the clustered
      regularly interspersed palindromic repeats system mediated interference (CRISPRi)
      of essential genes sucA and sucB in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The final
      strain could produce 0.42 g/L glutarate, which was increased by 40% compared with
      the parental strain.

PMID- 28618223
TI  - Covalent Protein Labeling and Improved Single-Molecule Optical Properties of
      Aqueous CdSe/CdS Quantum Dots.
AB  - Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have proven to be superior probes for single
      molecule imaging compared to organic or genetically encoded fluorophores, but
      they are limited by difficulties in protein targeting, their larger size, and on
      off blinking. Here, we report compact aqueous CdSe/CdS QDs with significantly
      improved bioconjugation efficiency and superior single-molecule optical
      properties. We have synthesized covalent protein labeling ligands (i.e., SNAP
      tags) that are optimized for nanoparticle use, and QDs functionalized with these
      ligands label SNAP-tagged proteins ~10-fold more efficiently than existing SNAP
      ligands. Single-molecule analysis of these QDs shows 99% of time spent in the
      fluorescent on-state, ~4-fold higher quantum efficiency than standard CdSe/ZnS
      QDs, and 350 million photons detected before photobleaching. Bright signals of
      these QDs enable us to track the stepping movement of a kinesin motor in vitro,
      and the improved labeling efficiency enables tracking of single kinesins in live
      cells.

PMID- 28618225
TI  - Role of Grafting Mechanism on the Polymer Coverage and Self-Assembly of Hairy
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - It is now well-accepted that controlling the spatial dispersion of nanoparticles
      (NPs), which can be achieved by grafting them with polymers of different chain
      lengths and grafting densities, is central to optimizing the thermomechanical
      properties of the resulting polymer nanocomposites. In general, there are two
      methods for creating such polymer-grafted NPs: "grafting to" and "grafting from".
      The conventional wisdom is that the "grafting from" mechanism, where monomer
      sized initiator/functional groups are attached to the surface followed by growing
      the chains, allows for higher polymer grafting densities and hence a more uniform
      polymer coverage of the NP surface. Here, we perform calculations and instead
      show that the "grafting to" strategy surprisingly leads to a more uniform polymer
      coverage of the NP surface at a given grafting density since the brush is formed
      while respecting the excluded volume constraints of the previously grafted
      chains. This conclusion is especially clear in the limit of low-to-moderate
      grafting density. Thus, at a given grafting density, the "grafting to" mechanism
      leads to an enhanced miscibility of the NPs in the matrix (which has the same
      chemistry as the grafts) and lower propensity to create self-assembled
      structures. Another important factor is that the dispersity in the number of
      grafted chains on the NPs is also smaller in the case of "grafting to" systems,
      thus leading to better defined materials. These two conclusions imply that the
      "grafting to" mechanism may provide better control over the NP dispersion state
      and hence the thermomechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites.

PMID- 28618224
TI  - Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationship of Tetrahydropyrido[4,3
      d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Potent Smoothened Antagonists with in Vivo Activity.
AB  - Medulloblastoma is one of the most prevalent brain tumors in children. Aberrant
      hedgehog (Hh) pathway signaling is thought to be involved in the initiation and
      development of medulloblastoma. Vismodegib, the first FDA-approved cancer therapy
      based on inhibition of aberrant hedgehog signaling, targets smoothened (Smo), a G
      protein coupled receptor (GPCR) central to the Hh pathway. Although vismodegib
      exhibits promising therapeutic efficacy in tumor treatment, concerns have been
      raised from its nonlinear pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles at high doses partly due
      to low aqueous solubility. Many patients experience adverse events such as muscle
      spasms and weight loss. In addition, drug resistance often arises among tumor
      cells during treatment with vismodegib. There is clearly an urgent need to
      explore novel Smo antagonists with improved potency and efficacy. Through a
      scaffold hopping strategy, we have identified a series of novel
      tetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives, which exhibited effective
      inhibition of Hh signaling. Among them, compound 24 is three times more potent
      than vismodegib in the NIH3T3-GRE-Luc reporter gene assay. Compound 24 has a
      lower melting point and much greater solubility compared with vismodegib,
      resulting in linear PK profiles when dosed orally at 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg in
      rats. Furthermore, compound 24 showed excellent PK profiles with a 72% oral
      bioavailability in beagle dogs. Compound 24 demonstrated overall favorable in
      vitro safety profiles with respect to CYP isoform and hERG inhibition. Finally,
      compound 24 led to significant regression of subcutaneous tumor generated by
      primary Ptch1-deficient medulloblastoma cells in SCID mouse. In conclusion,
      tetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives represent a novel set of Smo
      inhibitors that could potentially be utilized to treat medulloblastoma and other
      Hh pathway related malignancies.

PMID- 28618226
TI  - Nanotexturing of Conjugated Polymers via One-Step Maskless Oxygen Plasma Etching
      for Enhanced Tunable Wettability.
AB  - A one-step maskless oxygen plasma etching process is investigated to nanopattern
      conjugated polymer dodecylbenzenesulfonate doped polypyrrole (PPy(DBS)) and to
      examine the effects of nanostructures on the inherent tunable wettability of the
      surface and the droplet mobility. Etching characteristics such as the geometry
      and dimensions of the nanostructures are systematically examined for the etching
      power and duration. The mechanism of self-formation of vertically aligned dense
      array pillared nanostructures in the one-step maskless oxygen plasma etching
      process is also investigated. Results show that lateral dimensions such as the
      periodicity and diameter of the pillared nanostructures are insensitive to the
      etching power and duration, whereas the length and aspect ratio of the
      nanostructures increase with them. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and
      thermal treatment of the polymer reveal that the codeposition of impurities on
      the surface resulting from the holding substrate is the primary reason for the
      self-formation of nanostructures during the oxygen plasma etching, whereas the
      local crystallinity subject to thermal treatment has a minor effect on the
      lateral dimensions. Retaining the tunable wettability (oleophobicity) for organic
      droplets during the electrochemical redox (i.e., reduction and oxidization)
      process, the nanotextured PPy(DBS) surface shows significant enhancement of
      droplet mobility compared to that of the flat PPy(DBS) surface with no
      nanotexture by making the surface superoleophobic (i.e., in a Cassie-Baxter
      wetting state). Such enhancement of the tunable oleophobicity and droplet
      mobility of the conjugated polymer will be of great significance in many
      applications such as microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip devices, and water/oil
      treatment.

PMID- 28618227
TI  - Nanocomposite Microgels for the Selective Separation of Halogen Compounds from
      Aqueous Solution.
AB  - Nanocomposite microgels that selectively adsorb and release halogen compounds
      were developed. These nanocomposite microgels consist of poly(2-methoxyethyl
      acrylate) (pMEA) and a poly(oligo ethylene glycol methacrylate) hydrogel matrix.
      Therefore, the methoxy groups of the former are crucial for the halogen bonding,
      while the presence of the latter adds colloidal stability and allows controlled
      uptake/release of the halogen compounds. Such nanocomposite microgels may not
      only be used as dispersed carriers, but also in films and columnar formations.
      Thus, these unprecedented polymer/polymer nanocomposite microgels resolve a
      variety of problems associated with, e.g., the removal of halogen compounds from
      wastewater, or with the delivery of halogen-containing drugs.

PMID- 28618228
TI  - Mechanical Properties and Cell Compatibility of Agarose Hydrogels Containing
      Proteoglycan Mimetic Graft Copolymers.
AB  - Proteoglycans have vital biochemical and biomechanical functions. Their
      proteolytic degradation results in loss of these functions. We have previously
      reported nonprotein proteoglycan-mimetic graft copolymers that stabilize and
      deliver growth factors and are not subject to proteases. Here we expand our
      investigation of these proteoglycan mimics by also investigating their effects on
      hydrogel mechanical properties. Four polysaccharide side chains, chondroitin
      sulfate, heparin, dextran, and dextran sulfate, are each grafted to a hyaluronan
      backbone. The polysaccharides and graft copolymers are added to agarose
      hydrogels. Cyclic compression and stress relaxation tests reveal how the addition
      of the polysaccharides and graft copolymers influence hydrogel modulus. Cells
      encapsulated in agarose hydrogels containing chondroitin sulfate and the
      chondroitin sulfate graft copolymer have decreased cell viability and metabolic
      activity compared to cells in unmodified agarose hydrogels. These multifunctional
      additives can be used to improve both the biochemistry and biomechanics of
      materials, warranting further optimization to overcome the potentially negative
      effects these may have on cell viability and activity.

PMID- 28618229
TI  - Staggered Linear Assembly of Spherical-Cap Colloids.
AB  - Linear assembly of colloidal particles is of fundamental interest in visualizing
      polymer dynamics and living organisms. We have developed a fluid-fluid interface
      based method to synthesize spherical-cap polymeric latex particles. These
      particles are shown to spontaneously self-assemble in zigzag arrangement. The
      linear assembly is induced due to the shape anisotropy (one side is curved and
      the other side is nearly flat) and heterogeneous charge distribution on the
      particle surfaces. The necessities of these conditions are justified within the
      framework of DLVO theory. Spherical-cap particles of various size and aspect
      ratio reproduced the observed linear assembly, thus demonstrating the robustness
      of the self-assembly mechanism. While these types of assemblies are observed in
      spherical particles using microfluidic devices or electric field, the proposed
      approach is rather facile and does not require any external field. These novel
      assemblies could be potentially useful to understand kinetics of nucleation and
      growth of amyloidogenic proteins and to prepare artificial swimming
      microorganisms.

PMID- 28618230
TI  - Antimosquito Activity of a Titanium-Organic Framework Supported on Fabrics.
AB  - Waste swamps, stagnant water, and poor hygiene practices result in the
      proliferation of mosquitoes that may cause transmissible and infectious diseases
      such as malaria, typhoid, cholera, and Zika virus sickness. It has been shown
      that composites of the traditional natural fibers cotton, viscose, and linen and
      a Ti-bearing metal-organic framework, NH2-MIL-125, are very effective against
      mosquitoes in the absence of any conventional insecticides. In our study, prior
      to coating with NH2-MIL-125 crystals, the fabrics were modified with 3
      glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The composite materials were characterized by
      powder X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy analysis. The latter, in particular, has shown the uniform coating
      of the fabrics with NH2-MIL-125 crystals. The modified fabrics have excellent
      antimosquito properties, attracting and killing them.

PMID- 28618231
TI  - A High Resolution Study of Dynamic Changes of Ce2O3 and CeO2 Nanoparticles in
      Complex Environmental Media.
AB  - Ceria nanoparticles (NPs) rapidly and easily cycle between Ce(III) and Ce(IV)
      oxidation states, making them prime candidates for commercial and other
      applications. Increased commercial use has resulted in increased discharge to the
      environment and increased associated risk. Once in complex media such as
      environmental waters or toxicology exposure media, the same redox transformations
      can occur, causing altered behavior and effects compared to the pristine NPs.
      This study used high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and
      electron energy loss spectroscopy to investigate changes in structure and
      oxidation state of small, polymer-coated ceria suspensions in complex media. NPs
      initially in either the III or IV oxidation states, but otherwise identical, were
      used. Ce(IV) NPs were changed to mixed (III, IV) NPs at high ionic strengths,
      while the presence of natural organic macromolecules (NOM) stabilized the
      oxidation state and increased crystallinity. The Ce(III) NPs remained as Ce(III)
      at high ionic strengths, but were modified by the presence of NOM, causing
      reduced crystallinity and degradation of the NPs. Subtle changes to NP properties
      upon addition to environmental or ecotoxicology media suggest that there may be
      small but important effects on fate and effects of NPs compared to their pristine
      form.

PMID- 28618232
TI  - Toward Fast and Accurate Binding Affinity Prediction with pmemdGTI: An Efficient
      Implementation of GPU-Accelerated Thermodynamic Integration.
AB  - We report the implementation of the thermodynamic integration method on the pmemd
      module of the AMBER 16 package on GPUs (pmemdGTI). The pmemdGTI code typically
      delivers over 2 orders of magnitude of speed-up relative to a single CPU core for
      the calculation of ligand-protein binding affinities with no statistically
      significant numerical differences and thus provides a powerful new tool for drug
      discovery applications.

PMID- 28618233
TI  - Simple and Consecutive Melt Extrusion Method to Fabricate Thermally Conductive
      Composites with Highly Oriented Boron Nitrides.
AB  - In the region of thermally conductive polymer composites, forcing anisotropic
      fillers into the highly oriented structure is the most effective method to
      improve thermal conductivity and mechanical properties simultaneously. However,
      up to now, such highly oriented structure was mainly achieved in low viscosity
      polymer matrix or solutions. For the purpose of expanding the range of
      applications, in the present work, a new strategy, the consecutive and powerful
      shear flow field, was applied to introduce highly oriented boron nitride (BN)
      into high viscosity polymer matrix. Results indicated that BN was almost totally
      oriented along the extrusion plane; as a result, the anisotropic index and
      thermal conductivity of the composite filled with 40 wt % BN reached as high as
      480% and 3.57 W/(m K), respectively. Furthermore, compared with the samples with
      randomly oriented BN, elongations at break were improved more than 50-fold at the
      same filler content. Finite element analysis was also applied to systematically
      investigate the effect of the orientation direction of BN on heat dissipation
      property of the composites, and results indicated that orienting the longitudinal
      direction of BN parallel to the heat source is the best way to reduce the heat
      source temperature to a low level. Therefore, the simple, consecutive, and
      environmentally friendly melt extrusion with powerful shear flow field is an
      outstanding method to fabricate high efficiency thermally conductive composites,
      and the simulative results also have important significance on designing such
      composites for different applications.

PMID- 28618234
TI  - Successful Treatment of Acute Radiation Proctitis with Aloe Vera: A Preliminary
      Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute radiation proctitis (ARP) is a common side-effect that affects
      up to 50% of patients receiving radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the role of a topical preparation of Aloe vera in the treatment of ARP
      induced by radiotherapy of pelvic area. SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS: In this
      double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 20 consecutive patients with ARP after
      external-beam radiation therapy (46-72 Gy) of pelvic malignancies were randomized
      to receive either Aloe vera 3% or placebo ointment, 1 g twice daily for 4 weeks.
      These patients presented with at least two of the following symptoms: rectal
      bleeding, abdominal/rectal pain, diarrhea, or fecal urgency. These symptoms were
      rated by the patients in terms of their severity (grade 0-4) for each of the
      symptoms mentioned earlier at baseline and then weekly for 4 weeks. A symptom
      index was calculated by the addition of the scores (16 most symptomatic).
      Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) acute toxicity criteria and psychosocial
      status of the patients were also recorded weekly. The lifestyle impact of the
      symptoms was assessed by questionnaire grading from 0 (no effect on daily
      activity) to 4 (afraid to leave home). RESULTS: There was a significant (p <
      0.05) improvement in the symptom index (before treatment vs. after treatment with
      Aloe vera) for diarrhea (median score: 0.67 vs. 0.11), fecal urgency (median
      score: 0.89 vs. 0.11), clinical presentation total (median score: 4.33 vs. 1.22),
      RTOG total (median score: 2.89 vs. 0.89), and lifestyle (median score: 1.1 vs.
      0.33). Hemorrhage and abdominal/rectal pain did not improve significantly. The
      odds ratios for advantage of Aloe vera over placebo for "clinical presentation
      total" and "RTOG total" were 3.97 (1.3-11.9) and 5.9 (1.6-21.6), respectively.
      CONCLUSION: A substantial number of patients with radiation proctitis seem to
      benefit from therapy with Aloe vera 3% ointment.

PMID- 28618235
TI  - The Many Ways to Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week 2017.

PMID- 28618236
TI  - Eyes on New Product Development.

PMID- 28618237
TI  - Effect of Sweetened Dried Cranberry Consumption on Urinary Proteome and Fecal
      Microbiome in Healthy Human Subjects.
AB  - The relationship among diet, human health, and disease is an area of growing
      interest in biomarker research. Previous studies suggest that the consumption of
      cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) could beneficially influence urinary and
      digestive health. The present study sought to determine if daily consumption of
      sweetened dried cranberries (SDC) changes the urinary proteome and fecal
      microbiome, as determined in a prospective sample of 10 healthy individuals.
      Baseline urine and fecal samples were collected from the subjects in the fasted
      (8-12 h) state. The subjects then consumed one serving (42 g) of SDC daily with
      lunch for 2 weeks. Urine and fecal samples were collected again the day after 2
      weeks of SDC consumption. Orbitrap Q-Exactive mass spectrometry of urinary
      proteins showed that consumption of SDC resulted in changes to 22 urinary
      proteins. Multiplex sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA genes in fecal samples
      indicated changes in relative abundance of several bacterial taxonomic units
      after consumption of SDC. There was a shift in the Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes
      ratio, increases in commensal bacteria, and decreases or the absence of bacteria
      associated with negative health effects. A decrease in uromodulin in all subjects
      and an increase in Akkermansia bacteria in most subjects were observed and
      warrant further investigation. Future larger clinical studies with multiomics and
      multitissue sampling designs are required to determine the effects of SDC
      consumption on nutrition and health.

PMID- 28618238
TI  - Antiglycating potential of acesulfame potassium: an artificial sweetener.
AB  - Sweeteners have replaced the natural sugars in the food and beverage industry
      because of many reasons, such as hyperglycemia and cost. Saccharin, sucralose,
      aspartame and acesulfame-K are the most commonly used sweeteners. In the present
      study, the abovementioned artificial sweeteners were used to assess their
      glycating properties by established methods such as browning, fructosamine assay,
      determination of carbonyl content, protein aggregation, and measurement of
      fluorescence. Amadori and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed as a
      result of the interaction between carbonyl groups of reducing sugars and amino
      groups of proteins and other macromolecules during glycation. The objective of
      this study was to investigate the influence of artificial sweeteners on the
      formation of AGEs and protein oxidation in an in vitro model of glucose-mediated
      protein glycation. The results indicated that the abovementioned artificial
      sweeteners do not enhance the process of glycation. On the other hand, acesulfame
      K was found to have antiglycating potential as it caused decreased formation of
      Amadori products and AGEs. Further studies are essential in the characterization
      of Amadori products and AGEs produced as a result of interaction between
      sweeteners and proteins, which are interfered with by sweeteners. This study is
      significant in understanding the probable role of artificial sweeteners in the
      process of glycation and the subsequent effect on macromolecular alteration.

PMID- 28618239
TI  - Extent and Risks of Antipsychotic Off-Label Use in Children and Adolescents in
      Germany Between 2004 and 2011.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Only little is known about antipsychotic (AP) off-label use (OLU) in
      pediatric populations. It was the aim of this study to examine the frequency as
      well as the risks of off-label AP use in underaged patients. METHODS: To
      calculate the frequency of off-label AP prescriptions for the years 2004-2011, we
      used claims data of more than two million minors aged 0-17 years. Off-label
      prescriptions were analyzed with regard to type of OLU, physician specialty, and
      underlying diagnoses. Incidence rates of selected adverse events were calculated
      for on-label as well as for OLU. The risk of poisoning associated with on- or OLU
      was assessed in a nested case-control study. RESULTS: The annual share of
      pediatric AP users with off-label prescriptions varied between 52.3% and 71.1%.
      OLU by indication (42.8%-66.5%) was the most common type of OLU. Of the subjects
      with OLU by indication, 52.5% had a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder. Adverse
      events were scarce (incidence rates between 0.8 and 8.6 per 10,000 person-years),
      and no significant difference was observed between on- and OLU. CONCLUSION:
      Because of their frequent use in hyperkinetic disorder patients, APs are commonly
      prescribed off-label for minors. Since OLU by contraindication was rare and the
      risk of the adverse events under study was similarly small for on- and OLU, this
      is not necessarily an indication for inappropriate treatment. It rather indicates
      that further randomized studies are needed to examine efficacy and safety of
      pediatric AP use in this indication.

PMID- 28618240
TI  - Omics for Precious Rare Biosamples: Characterization of Ancient Human Hair by a
      Proteomic Approach.
AB  - Omics technologies have far-reaching applications beyond clinical medicine. A
      case in point is the analysis of ancient hair samples. Indeed, hair is an
      important biological indicator that has become a material of choice in
      archeometry to study the ancient civilizations and their environment. Current
      characterization of ancient hair is based on elemental and structural analyses,
      but only few studies have focused on the molecular aspects of ancient hair
      proteins-keratins-and their conservation state. In such cases, applied extraction
      protocols require large amounts of raw hair, from 30 to 100 mg. In the present
      study, we report an optimized new proteomic approach to accurately identify
      archeological hair proteins, and assess their preservation state, while using a
      minimum of raw material. Testing and adaptation of three protocols and of nano
      liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) parameters were
      performed on modern hair. On the basis of mass spectrometry data quality, and of
      the required initial sample amount, the most promising workflow was selected and
      applied to an ancient archeological sample, dated to about 3880 years before
      present. Finally, and importantly, we were able to identify 11 ancient hair
      proteins and to visualize the preservation state of mummy's hair from only 500
      MUg of raw material. The results presented here pave the way for new insights
      into the understanding of hair protein alteration processes such as those due to
      aging and ecological exposures. This work could enable omics scientists to apply
      a proteomic approach to precious and rare samples, not only in the context of
      archeometrical studies but also for future applications that would require the
      use of very small amounts of sample.

PMID- 28618242
TI  - Errata.

PMID- 28618243
TI  - Errata.

PMID- 28618241
TI  - Use of Adjuvant Bisphosphonates and Other Bone-Modifying Agents in Breast Cancer:
      A Cancer Care Ontario and American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice
      Guideline.
AB  - Purpose To make recommendations regarding the use of bisphosphonates and other
      bone-modifying agents as adjuvant therapy for patients with breast cancer.
      Methods Cancer Care Ontario and ASCO convened a Working Group and Expert Panel to
      develop evidence-based recommendations informed by a systematic review of the
      literature. Results Adjuvant bisphosphonates were found to reduce bone recurrence
      and improve survival in postmenopausal patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer.
      In this guideline, postmenopausal includes patients with natural menopause or
      that induced by ovarian suppression or ablation. Absolute benefit is greater in
      patients who are at higher risk of recurrence, and almost all trials were
      conducted in patients who also received systemic therapy. Most studies evaluated
      zoledronic acid or clodronate, and data are extremely limited for other
      bisphosphonates. While denosumab was found to reduce fractures, long-term
      survival data are still required. Recommendations It is recommended that, if
      available, zoledronic acid (4 mg intravenously every 6 months) or clodronate
      (1,600 mg/d orally) be considered as adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal patients
      with breast cancer who are deemed candidates for adjuvant systemic therapy.
      Further research comparing different bone-modifying agents, doses, dosing
      intervals, and durations is required. Risk factors for osteonecrosis of the jaw
      and renal impairment should be assessed, and any pending dental or oral health
      problems should be dealt with prior to starting treatment. Data for adjuvant
      denosumab look promising but are currently insufficient to make any
      recommendation. Use of these agents to reduce fragility fractures in patients
      with low bone mineral density is beyond the scope of the guideline.
      Recommendations are not meant to restrict such use of bone-modifying agents in
      these situations. Additional information at www.asco.org/breast-cancer-adjuvant
      bisphosphonates-guideline , www.asco.org/guidelineswiki ,
      https://www.cancercareontario.ca/guidelines-advice/types-of-cancer/breast .

PMID- 28618244
TI  - Errata.

PMID- 28618245
TI  - Multi-omics Integrative Investigation of Fatty Acid Metabolism in Obese and Lean
      Subcutaneous Tissue.
AB  - White adipose tissue (WAT) plays a central role in whole-body energy homeostasis
      through storage and release of fatty acids. A deeper understanding of the complex
      and highly integrated pathways regulating WAT fatty acid metabolism, and how they
      are altered with obesity, is necessary for diagnostic and therapeutic innovations
      in nutritional disorders. In this multi-omics study, we investigated the
      influence of obesity on fatty acid metabolism in human subcutaneous adipose
      tissue (SAT) using an approach that integrated transcriptomic, peptidomic, and
      fatty acid analyses. Notably, all analyses were conducted in the same adipose
      tissue sample from each participant, thus minimizing the chance of spurious
      results. In a sample of SAT from the periumbilical abdominal region of obese (n =
      11, mean body mass index [BMI] = 35.0 +/- 1.2 kg/m2) and lean subjects (n = 9,
      mean BMI = 22.1 +/- 0.5 kg/m2), we found that obese SAT tended to have higher
      relative amounts of specific monounsaturated fatty acids and n-6 polyunsaturated
      fatty acids, and lower amounts of saturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). These changes
      were associated with differential regulation of lipogenic and lipolytic pathways
      in obese SAT. Fatty acid analysis showed changes in estimated fatty acid
      desaturase and elongase activities between lean and obese SAT (p < 0.05).
      Biomarkers of lipogenesis (e.g., fatty acid synthase protein) were differentially
      regulated between lean and obese SAT. These changes were noted in conjunction
      with increases in extracellular matrix remodeling proteins. Transcriptomic data
      revealed that the key regulators of lipolysis were reduced in obese SAT. This
      integrative multi-omics analysis collectively shows that obese SAT has a distinct
      fatty acid signature compared to lean SAT and the pathways underlying fatty acid
      metabolism are broadly regulated at the level of gene expression and protein
      abundance.

PMID- 28618246
TI  - Adjuvants for Animal Vaccines.
AB  - Vaccines are essential tools for the prevention and control of infectious
      diseases in animals. One of the most important steps in vaccine development is
      the selection of a suitable adjuvant. The focus of this review is the adjuvants
      used in vaccines for animals. We will discuss current commercial adjuvants and
      experimental formulations with attention to mineral salts, emulsions, bacterial
      derived components, saponins, and several other immunoactive compounds. In
      addition, we will also examine the mechanisms of action for different adjuvants,
      examples of adjuvant combinations in one vaccine formulation, and challenges in
      the research and development of veterinary vaccine adjuvants.

PMID- 28618247
TI  - Contraception - what about the men? Experience, knowledge and attitudes: a survey
      of 2438 heterosexual men using an online dating service.
AB  - : Background There is little research on men's contraceptive knowledge, attitudes
      and beliefs, yet the male partner is known to influence contraceptive choices.
      This study investigates contraceptive experiences, knowledge, attitudes and
      beliefs of a sample of sexually active, heterosexual men via an online dating
      site. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was sent to men who had logged onto an
      online dating site within the previous year. RESULTS: We analysed 2438 survey
      responses. A contraceptive method was used at last intercourse for 82% of men <50
      years old versus 69% of men >=50 (P<0.0001). Condoms (35%), vasectomy (22%) and
      the contraceptive pill (21%) were the most commonly used methods. Older men were
      less likely to use condoms than younger men (P<0.0001). More than 80% of
      participants had heard of each method. The greatest perceived harm was with the
      emergency contraceptive pill, with 32% responding that it was 'harmful to the
      health of the user' and 37% not sure. Belief that contraception decision-making
      should be shared between partners increased from 57% in a 'one-night stand' to
      75% in a casual relationship, to 92% in a long-term relationship. CONCLUSION:
      Among this sample there is high contraceptive use, especially vasectomy in older
      men and a desire to share contraceptive decision-making with their partners,
      especially in long-term relationships. However, low awareness of some methods and
      misperceptions about hormonal contraceptive method safety, especially the
      emergency contraceptive pill, highlight the need for education for men.

PMID- 28618248
TI  - Effect of attitudes towards patients on sexual history taking: a survey of
      Iranian-American physicians in California, USA.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although obtaining sexual history from patients is essential, the
      attitudes of physicians can become a barrier to sexual health care. Iranian
      American physicians may face particular challenges because talking about
      sexuality is considered a taboo within their culture. Our study examined these
      physicians' attitudes when taking a sexual history from their patients. METHODS:
      In 2013, a self-administrated questionnaire was sent to 1550 Iranian-American
      physicians in California, USA. Using factor analysis, the principal components
      approach with a Varimax rotation was used on a set of 12-item questions (five
      point Likert scales) to detect latent factors that explain attitudes affecting
      sexual history taking. Scores are generated to determine physicians' attitudes
      towards sexual history taking. RESULTS: In total, 354 questionnaires were
      returned (23% response rate). Three factors were identified as internally
      consistent (Cronbach's alpha=0.84 - 0.94): (1) attitude towards various patients;
      (2) female sexuality; and (3) age and marriage. Significant association were
      found between these three factors and some variables such as physicians' gender,
      country of medical graduation, religion, birthplace and age. CONCLUSIONS: Results
      revealed that cultural attitudes are important factors affecting physicians'
      involvement in sexual history taking. Additional studies from this population and
      other subpopulations of US physicians are needed. New strategies that reflect on
      physicians' attitude on sexual healthcare delivery is needed. If confirmed in
      other studies, our findings could have implications for the training of medical
      graduates globally.

PMID- 28618249
TI  - An integrative study of motivation and goal regulation processes in subclinical
      anxiety, depression and hypomania.
AB  - Research has implicated motivation and goal regulation in susceptibility to mood
      disorders. We studied for the first time key facets of motivation and goal
      regulation concurrently in relation to affective symptoms. The cross-national
      sample comprised 510 university students from the United States (n = 279) and
      United Kingdom (n = 231). Participants completed self-report measures of
      motivation, conditional goal setting, urgency, depression, anxiety, and mania
      risk. Structural Equation Modeling results found that behavioral activation
      system scores correlated negatively with depression and positively with mania
      risk, but were unrelated to anxiety. High conditional goal setting correlated
      uniquely with higher depression but not to anxiety or mania risk. Urgency
      correlated with higher anxiety, depression, and mania risk. Behavioral inhibition
      system scores correlated negatively with mania risk but unexpectedly did not
      correlate with anxiety in the multivariate model. The behavioral activation,
      behavioral inhibition, conditional goal setting, and urgency results showed
      shared and distinct patterns of relationships with depression, anxiety and mania
      risk. Our findings indicate unique and common risk vulnerabilities in depressive,
      anxious, and manic syndromes and extend an integrative knowledge of these
      syndromes in relation to goal regulation.

PMID- 28618250
TI  - Backward design toward a meaningful legacy.

PMID- 28618251
TI  - Overexpression of FADD and Caspase-8 inhibits proliferation and promotes
      apoptosis of human glioblastoma cells.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The study aimed at exploring the effects involved in Fas-Associated
      protein with Death Domain (FADD) expression and cysteine-aspartic acid specific
      protease-8 (Caspase-8) in relation to the proliferation and apoptosis of human
      glioblastoma (GBM) cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 93 GBM tissues and 64 normal
      brain tissues were the central mediums used for the investigation of the study.
      Cultured human GBM SC189 cells were divided into separate groups including the
      blank negative control (NC), FADD and Caspase-8 groups. The mRNA and protein
      expressions of FADD and Caspase-8 in tissues and human glioblastoma (GBM) cells
      were detected using qRT-PCR and Western blotting techniques. Cell proliferation
      was tested by CCK-8. Flow cytometry was used for the measure of cell cycle and
      apoptosis rates. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expressions of FADD and Caspase-8
      in GBM tissues were less than the levels of expression displayed in normal brain
      tissues. Correlations between the expressions of FADD and Caspase-8 in GBM
      tissues were analyzed as being linked with the clinical grades of GBM patients.
      Patients in stage III+IV displayed lower expressions of FADD and Caspase-8 than
      patients in stage I+II. In comparison with the blank group, the FADD and Caspase
      8 groups showed decreased proliferation rates of SHG44 cells and lower ratios of
      cells in the S phase and Bcl-2 expression. Greater ratios of cells in the G0/G1
      stage as well as increased cell apoptosis and expressions of Caspase-8 and Bax
      were exhibited. The expression of FADD in the FADD group was higher than the
      blank group, however no significant differences in FADD expression was observed
      between the blank and Caspase-8 groups. CONCLUSION: The data obtained during the
      study demonstrated that overexpression of FADD and Caspase-8 suppresses
      proliferation whilst promoting the apoptosis of human GBM cells.

PMID- 28618252
TI  - Epidemiological Trends of Head and Neck Cancer in the United States: A SEER
      Population Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study represents the most recent epidemiologic trends of head and
      neck cancer (HNC) in the United States. It provides an important discussion on
      oropharyngeal cancer and cancers related to the human papillomavirus. The
      objective was to identify trends in HNC (2002 to 2012) within the United States.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of the US National
      Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) submission.
      Using the November 2014 submission of the SEER database and SEER-18 data files,
      data from 2002 to 2012 were analyzed to determine the most recent epidemiologic
      trends. HNCs of all subtypes were analyzed together. Laryngeal cancers were
      further analyzed separately. Oropharyngeal cancers of the base of tongue and
      tonsil were analyzed independently to attempt to trend HPV-related cancers.
      RESULTS: From 2002 to 2012, there were 149,301 cases of HNC recorded in the SEER
      database. The HNC rate decreased by 0.22% per year (P = .0549) and the rate of
      laryngeal cancer decreased by 1.9% per year (P < .0001). The rate of
      oropharyngeal (HPV-related) cancer increased by 2.5% per year (P < .0001). HNC
      rates increased significantly in Kentucky and Connecticut and decreased in
      California (P < .05). HPV-related cancers increased significantly in all states
      except Georgia, Hawaii, and Michigan (P < .05). Laryngeal cancer rates decreased
      in California, Georgia, New Jersey, and New Mexico (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The
      overall incidence of HNC is decreasing in the United States. There is an
      increasing incidence of HPV-related cancers of the oropharynx. Meaningful
      differences in cancer incidence and rate of change exist between men and women.
      Furthermore, younger groups have a greater decrease of overall HNC, with an
      overall increase in HPV-related cancer in patients older than 50 years.

PMID- 28618254
TI  - Platelet-Derived Growth Factor BB Influences Muscle Regeneration in Duchenne
      Muscle Dystrophy.
AB  - Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by a progressive loss of
      muscle fibers, and their substitution by fibrotic and adipose tissue. Many
      factors contribute to this process, but the molecular pathways related to
      regeneration and degeneration of muscle are not completely known. Platelet
      derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB belongs to a family of growth factors that
      regulate proliferation, migration, and differentiation of mesenchymal cells. The
      role of PDGF-BB in muscle regeneration in humans has not been studied. We
      analyzed the expression of PDGF-BB in muscle biopsy samples from controls and
      patients with DMD. We performed in vitro experiments to understand the effects of
      PDGF-BB on myoblasts involved in the pathophysiology of muscular dystrophies and
      confirmed our results in vivo by treating the mdx murine model of DMD with
      repeated i.m. injections of PDGF-BB. We observed that regenerating and necrotic
      muscle fibers in muscle biopsy samples from DMD patients expressed PDGF-BB. In
      vitro, PDGF-BB attracted myoblasts and activated their proliferation. Analysis of
      muscles from the animals treated with PDGF-BB showed an increased population of
      satellite cells and an increase in the number of regenerative fibers, with a
      reduction in inflammatory infiltrates, compared with those in vehicle-treated
      mice. Based on our results, PDGF-BB may play a protective role in muscular
      dystrophies by enhancing muscle regeneration through activation of satellite cell
      proliferation and migration.

PMID- 28618253
TI  - Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1alpha Signaling Promotes Repair of the Alveolar
      Epithelium after Acute Lung Injury.
AB  - During the acute respiratory distress syndrome, epithelial cells, primarily
      alveolar type (AT) I cells, die and slough off, resulting in enhanced
      permeability. ATII cells proliferate and spread onto the denuded basement
      membrane to reseal the barrier. Repair of the alveolar epithelium is critical for
      clinical recovery; however, mechanisms underlying ATII cell proliferation and
      spreading are not well understood. We hypothesized that hypoxia-inducible factor
      (HIF)1alpha promotes proliferation and spreading of ATII cells during repair
      after lung injury. Mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide or hydrochloric
      acid. HIF activation in ATII cells after injury was demonstrated by increased
      luciferase activity in oxygen degradation domain-Luc (HIF reporter) mice and
      expression of the HIF1alpha target gene GLUT1. ATII cell proliferation during
      repair was attenuated in ATII cell-specific HIF1alpha knockout (SftpcCreERT2+/
      ;HIF1alphaf/f) mice. The HIF target vascular endothelial growth factor promoted
      ATII cell proliferation in vitro and after lung injury in vivo. In the scratch
      wound assay of cell spreading, HIF stabilization accelerated, whereas HIF1alpha
      shRNA delayed wound closure. SDF1 and its receptor, CXCR4, were found to be
      HIF1alpha-regulated genes in ATII cells and were up-regulated during lung injury.
      Stromal cell-derived factor 1/CXCR4 inhibition impaired cell spreading and
      delayed the resolution of permeability after lung injury. We conclude that
      HIF1alpha is activated in ATII cells after lung injury and promotes proliferation
      and spreading during repair.

PMID- 28618255
TI  - Osteocyte Regulation of Receptor Activator of NF-kappaB Ligand/Osteoprotegerin in
      a Sheep Model of Osteoporosis.
AB  - Osteoporosis induction in a sheep model by steroid administration combined with
      ovariectomy recapitulates decreased bone formation and substandard matrix
      mineralization in patients. Recently, the role of osteocytes has been frequently
      addressed, with focus on their role in osteoclastogenesis. However, the
      quantification of receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and
      osteoprotegerin (OPG) signaling in osteocytes was not studied in sheep. The
      current study reproduced the sheep model of osteoporosis to study the RANKL/OPG
      ratio correlation to the method of osteoporosis induction. We investigated the
      induction of osteoporosis after 8 months using 31 female merino land sheep
      divided into four groups: control, ovariectomy, ovariectomy with dietary
      limitation, and ovariectomy with dietary limitation and steroid injection. In
      accordance to previous reports, the present study showed trabecular thinning,
      higher numbers of apoptotic osteocytes, and imbalanced metabolism, leading to
      defective mineralization. The global RANKL/OPG ratio in the spine after 8 months
      of steroid and dietary treatment was not different from that of the control.
      Interestingly, assessment of the osteocyte-specific RANKL/OPG ratio showed that
      the steroid-induced osteoporosis in its late progressive phase stimulates RANKL
      expression in osteocytes. Sclerostin is suggested to induce RANKL expression in
      osteocytes. The findings of this study can contribute to further explain the
      success of sclerostin antibodies in treating osteoporotic patients despite
      increased osteocyte-expressed RANKL.

PMID- 28618256
TI  - Cigarette Smoke Regulates Calcium-Independent Phospholipase A2 Metabolic Pathways
      in Breast Cancer.
AB  - Phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-dependent pathways are important in the regulation of
      cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, and immune responses, and can be
      dysregulated during tumor development and progression. We show herein, for the
      first time, that cigarette smoking leads to an increase in platelet-activating
      factor (PAF) content and PAF receptor expression in human breast cancer cells and
      tissue. PAF production could be abrogated in triple-negative breast cancer cells
      by inhibition of calcium-independent PLA2 (iPLA2). We also demonstrate that
      cigarette smoke induces the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal
      prostaglandin E synthase-1 and reduces 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase,
      resulting in prostaglandin E2 release in human breast cancer. Increased
      cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin E2 release could be abrogated in
      metastatic breast cancer cells by inhibition of iPLA2. These studies indicate
      that iPLA2-dependent metabolic pathways play an important role in tumor
      initiation or progression in smokers, representing novel therapeutic targets for
      breast cancer patients who smoke.

PMID- 28618257
TI  - Is a therapeutic anticoagulation window needed for delivery when using
      prophylactic low molecular weight heparin during pregnancy? A retrospective
      monocentric study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of therapeutic
      window for delivery for patients under prophylactic anticoagulation by low
      molecular weight heparin (LMWH) by comparing those who had a planned delivery
      versus those who delivered spontaneously. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective
      monocentric study included pregnant patients with prophylactic anticoagulation
      (one injection per day of enoxaparin 4000UI), who delivered after 24 weeks of
      gestation. We collected data on pregnancy characteristics and on the delivery. We
      divided patients in two groups: GROUP S were patients who delivered spontaneously
      and GROUP P were patients who had a planned delivery for a therapeutic
      anticoagulant window. Our primary endpoint was the neuraxial anaesthesia rate. We
      compared the two groups with the student test for quantitative data and the Chi-2
      test or the exact test of Fisher for qualitative data. RESULTS: Over a 3.5 years
      period, we included 100 pregnant patients with prophylactic anticoagulation.
      Indications of prophylactic LMWH were patients with a low risk of thrombosis,
      mostly personal history of cured deep venous thrombosis (36%) prior to pregnancy
      or non-thrombotic antiphospholid syndrome (37%). The overall rate of neuraxial
      anaesthesia during delivery was 86%. Twenty-six patients were included in GROUP S
      and 74 in GROUP P. In GROUP P, all patients had access to neuraxial anaesthesia
      versus 88.4% (23/26) in the GROUP S (p<0.0001). For the three remaining patients,
      the contraindication was a short delay between the last injection of LMWH and the
      need for anaesthesia. The mean delay between the last injection of LMWH and
      neuraxial anaesthesia was 42.6+/-24.1 (13-123)h in the GROUP P and 22.7+/-9.9 (11
      42)h in the GROUP S (p<0.0001). One patient had deep venous thrombosis in the 6
      weeks postpartum, in the GROUP P. CONCLUSION: With a planned induced delivery
      between 38 and 39 weeks of gestation, 11.5% of patients who went into spontaneous
      labour before induction would not have a neuraxial anaesthesia when respecting
      the 12h delay between the last injection of low molecular weight heparin and the
      need for anaesthesia.

PMID- 28618258
TI  - Differential physiological and genetic responses of five European Scots pine
      provenances to induced water stress.
AB  - Pinus sylvestris L. (Scots pine) is the conifer with widest natural distribution
      area. Portugal constitutes its westernmost limit of distribution. Most of the
      Portuguese populations were planted but two autochthonous populations were
      recently ascribed to 'Serra do Geres' (NW Portugal), and seem to be well adapted
      to the temperate climate. However, the ongoing climate changes may compromise
      their survival. With this study we intend to evaluate the anatomic-physiological
      and genetic responses of Scots pine from five European provenances ('Geres',
      'Puebla de Lillo', 'Montes Universales', Germany and Sweden) to three water
      availability regimes, in order to determine which one(s) present higher
      resistance to drought. Individuals from 'Geres' presented the highest stability
      in photosynthetic reactions as well as the better photochemical and metabolic
      behaviours under drought (T3). Hence, the relative expression ratio of three
      water stress-responsive genes during drought was lower and gradual in 'Geres',
      compared to all other provenances, followed by Germany. The results achieved in
      'Geres' and Germany provenances are very interesting since they reflected that
      the native populations of 'Geres' along with the Portuguese Scots pine planted
      populations with a probable German provenance, have ability and high adaptive
      potential to respond to situations of water deficit. Moreover, the present
      genetic and physiological data demonstrated the urgent demand for the
      conservation of Portuguese Scots pine genetic resources as well as its use in
      plantation/afforestation of areas where the warming and drought has been
      affecting the survival of this species.

PMID- 28618259
TI  - Synthesis of tricyclic butenolides and comparison their effects with known smoke
      butenolide, KAR1.
AB  - Plant-derived smoke - butenolide, called at present karrikin 1 (KAR1) is known as
      an important inductor of seed germination and seedling growth. In this study,
      tricyclic butenolides were synthesized and their effects on germination of
      dormant and non-dormant Avena fatua caryopses were compared, as were also their
      effects versus those of KAR1 on seedling growth. KAR1 was found to be most
      effective and to completely remove dormancy. Butenolides, rac-8 and (S)-8a,
      showed a low stimulatory effect on germination of dormant caryopses, visible only
      when applied at very high concentrations. These compounds used at concentrations
      100 times those of KAR1 similarly increased the speed of germination and vigor of
      non-dormant caryopses. Likewise, growth of coleoptiles and their fresh weight
      were increased by KAR1 as well as by rac-8 and (S)-8a to a similar value. KAR1
      and rac-8 were more effective than (S)-8a in increasing root growth. The results
      shown indicate that the presence of an aromatic ring in the absence of methyl
      group at C3 induced a much lower, or a similar, effect on germination of dormant
      and non-dormant Avena fatua caryopses and seedling growth compared to KAR1, but
      only when used at much higher concentrations. The simultaneous presence of a
      methyl group at C3 and an aromatic ring in the compound rac-7 exerted only a
      slight effect on the root growth.

PMID- 28618260
TI  - Protectors of the Neonatal Gut: Clostridia Send Pathogens Packing.
AB  - Commensal bacteria are known to provide colonization resistance in the gut. But
      exactly which ones provide this function? In a recent paper in Science, Kim et
      al. (2017) revealed that Clostridia added to mouse infant gut microbiota are
      sufficient to limit colonization of pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae.

PMID- 28618261
TI  - The Making of a Pathogen.
AB  - Enterococci are opportunistic pathogens, hard to eradicate because of their
      unusually robust resistance to antibiotics, disinfectants, and desiccation. In
      recent work, Lebreton et al. (2017) show that traits promoting survival in
      hospitals were acquired upon adaptation to terrestrial life when Enterococci
      split from marine ancestors 400 million years ago.

PMID- 28618262
TI  - The Helper T Cell's Dilemma in Tuberculosis.
AB  - Vaccination approaches eliciting strong CD4 T cell responses provide only weak
      protection from tuberculosis. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Moguche et
      al. (2017) show that T cells specific for different immunodominant vaccine
      antigens can fail to protect for opposite reasons, highlighting a major challenge
      in tuberculosis vaccine design.

PMID- 28618263
TI  - Relish the Thought and Channel Your Chloride, for Bacterial Clearance Depends on
      It.
AB  - Macrophage-mediated bacterial clearance relies on phagocytic uptake of the
      pathogen, subsequent phagolysosomal maturation, and microbial degradation. In
      this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Wong et al. (2017) report that a chloride
      transporter couples phagocytosis and bacterial clearance in an NF-kappaB-mediated
      feedforward loop, which is required for sustained pathogen uptake.

PMID- 28618264
TI  - Unconventional Interrogation Yields HIV's Escape Plan.
AB  - Chasing HIV-1 across the genotype landscape, unequipped to anticipate its
      maneuvers, the antibody variable-region genes pursue the virus in futility. In
      this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Dingens et al. (2017) exhibit a powerful
      technology that reveals the escape pathways of HIV-1 and may enable its capture.

PMID- 28618265
TI  - Making the Mark: The Role of Adenosine Modifications in the Life Cycle of RNA
      Viruses.
AB  - Viral epitranscriptomics is a newly emerging field that has identified unique
      roles for RNA modifications in modulating life cycles of RNA viruses. Despite the
      observation of a handful of modified viral RNAs five decades ago, very little was
      known about how these modifications regulate viral life cycles, until recently.
      Here we review the pro- and anti-viral effects of methyl-6-adenosine in distinct
      viral life cycles, the role of 2' O-methyl modifications in RNA stability and
      innate immune sensing, and functions of adenosine to inosine modifications in
      retroviral life cycles. With roles for over 100 modifications in RNA still
      unknown, this is a rapidly emerging field that is destined to suggest novel
      antiviral therapies.

PMID- 28618266
TI  - IL-22 Upregulates Epithelial Claudin-2 to Drive Diarrhea and Enteric Pathogen
      Clearance.
AB  - Diarrhea is a host response to enteric pathogens, but its impact on pathogenesis
      remains poorly defined. By infecting mice with the attaching and effacing
      bacteria Citrobacter rodentium, we defined the mechanisms and contributions of
      diarrhea and intestinal barrier loss to host defense. Increased permeability
      occurred within 2 days of infection and coincided with IL-22-dependent
      upregulation of the epithelial tight junction protein claudin-2. Permeability
      increases were limited to small molecules, as expected for the paracellular water
      and Na+ channel formed by claudin-2. Relative to wild-type, claudin-2-deficient
      mice experienced severe disease, including increased mucosal colonization by C.
      rodentium, prolonged pathogen shedding, exaggerated cytokine responses, and
      greater tissue injury. Conversely, transgenic claudin-2 overexpression reduced
      disease severity. Chemically induced osmotic diarrhea reduced colitis severity
      and C. rodentium burden in claudin-2-deficient, but not transgenic, mice,
      demonstrating that claudin-2-mediated protection is the result of enhanced water
      efflux. Thus, IL-22-induced claudin-2 upregulation drives diarrhea and pathogen
      clearance.

PMID- 28618267
TI  - Enhancement of IFNgamma Production by Distinct Commensals Ameliorates Salmonella
      Induced Disease.
AB  - The microbiota contributes to colonization resistance against invading pathogens
      by competing for metabolites, producing inhibitory substances, and priming
      protective immune responses. However, the specific commensal bacteria that
      promote host resistance and immune-mediated protection remain largely elusive.
      Using isogenic mouse lines with distinct microbiota profiles, we demonstrate that
      severity of disease induced by enteric Salmonella Typhimurium infection is
      strongly modulated by microbiota composition in individual lines. Transferring a
      restricted community of cultivable intestinal commensals from protected into
      susceptible mice decreases S. Typhimurium tissue colonization and consequently
      disease severity. This reduced tissue colonization, along with ameliorated weight
      loss and prolonged survival, depends on microbiota-enhanced IFNgamma production,
      as IFNgamma-deficient mice do not exhibit protective effects. Innate cells and
      CD4+ T cells increase in number and show high levels of IFNgamma after transfer
      of the commensal community. Thus, distinct microbiota members prevent intestinal
      Salmonella infection by enhancing antibacterial IFNgamma responses.

PMID- 28618268
TI  - Antigen Availability Shapes T Cell Differentiation and Function during
      Tuberculosis.
AB  - CD4 T cells are critical for protective immunity against Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis (Mtb), the cause of tuberculosis (TB). Yet to date, TB vaccine
      candidates that boost antigen-specific CD4 T cells have conferred little or no
      protection. Here we examined CD4 T cell responses to two leading TB vaccine
      antigens, ESAT-6 and Ag85B, in Mtb-infected mice and in vaccinated humans with
      and without underlying Mtb infection. In both species, Mtb infection drove ESAT-6
      specific T cells to be more differentiated than Ag85B-specific T cells. The
      ability of each T cell population to control Mtb in the lungs of mice was
      restricted for opposite reasons: Ag85B-specific T cells were limited by reduced
      antigen expression during persistent infection, whereas ESAT-6-specific T cells
      became functionally exhausted due to chronic antigenic stimulation. Our findings
      suggest that different vaccination strategies will be required to optimize
      protection mediated by T cells recognizing antigens expressed at distinct stages
      of Mtb infection.

PMID- 28618269
TI  - Red Blood Cell Invasion by the Malaria Parasite Is Coordinated by the PfAP2-I
      Transcription Factor.
AB  - Obligate intracellular parasites must efficiently invade host cells in order to
      mature and be transmitted. For the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum,
      invasion of host red blood cells (RBCs) is essential. Here we describe a parasite
      specific transcription factor PfAP2-I, belonging to the Apicomplexan AP2 (ApiAP2)
      family, that is responsible for regulating the expression of genes involved in
      RBC invasion. Our genome-wide analysis by ChIP-seq shows that PfAP2-I interacts
      with a specific DNA motif in the promoters of target genes. Although PfAP2-I
      contains three AP2 DNA-binding domains, only one is required for binding of the
      target genes during blood stage development. Furthermore, we find that PfAP2-I
      associates with several chromatin-associated proteins, including the Plasmodium
      bromodomain protein PfBDP1 and that complex formation is associated with
      transcriptional regulation. As a key regulator of red blood cell invasion, PfAP2
      I represents a potential new antimalarial therapeutic target.

PMID- 28618270
TI  - Diversity of Functionally Permissive Sequences in the Receptor-Binding Site of
      Influenza Hemagglutinin.
AB  - Influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) initiates viral entry by engaging host
      receptor sialylated glycans via its receptor-binding site (RBS). The amino acid
      sequence of the RBS naturally varies across avian and human influenza virus
      subtypes and is also evolvable. However, functional sequence diversity in the RBS
      has not been fully explored. Here, we performed a large-scale mutational analysis
      of the RBS of A/WSN/33 (H1N1) and A/Hong Kong/1/1968 (H3N2) HAs. Many replication
      competent mutants not yet observed in nature were identified, including some that
      could escape from an RBS-targeted broadly neutralizing antibody. This functional
      sequence diversity is made possible by pervasive epistasis in the RBS 220-loop
      and can be buffered by avidity in viral receptor binding. Overall, our study
      reveals that the HA RBS can accommodate a much greater range of sequence
      diversity than previously thought, which has significant implications for the
      complex evolutionary interrelationships between receptor specificity and immune
      escape.

PMID- 28618271
TI  - Lck/Hck/Fgr-Mediated Tyrosine Phosphorylation Negatively Regulates TBK1 to
      Restrain Innate Antiviral Responses.
AB  - Cytosolic nucleic acid sensing elicits interferon production for primary
      antiviral defense through cascades controlled by protein ubiquitination and
      Ser/Thr phosphorylation. Here we show that TBK1, a core kinase of antiviral
      pathways, is inhibited by tyrosine phosphorylation. The Src family kinases (SFKs)
      Lck, Hck, and Fgr directly phosphorylate TBK1 at Tyr354/394, to prevent TBK1
      dimerization and activation. Accordingly, antiviral sensing and resistance were
      substantially enhanced in Lck/Hck/Fgr triple knockout cells and ectopic
      expression of Lck/Hck/Fgr dampened the antiviral defense in cells and zebrafish.
      Small-molecule inhibitors of SFKs, which are conventional anti-tumor
      therapeutics, enhanced antiviral responses and protected zebrafish and mice from
      viral attack. Viral infection induced the expression of Lck/Hck/Fgr through TBK1
      mediated mobilization of IRF3, thus constituting a negative feedback loop. These
      findings unveil the negative regulation of TBK1 via tyrosine phosphorylation and
      the functional integration of SFKs into innate antiviral immunity.

PMID- 28618272
TI  - Shigella sonnei Encodes a Functional T6SS Used for Interbacterial Competition and
      Niche Occupancy.
AB  - Shigella is a leading cause of dysentery worldwide, with the majority of
      infections caused by two subgroups, S. flexneri and S. sonnei. Although S.
      flexneri has been highly prevalent in low-income countries, global development
      has brought an increase in S. sonnei at the expense of S. flexneri. However, the
      mechanisms behind this shift are not understood. Here we report that S. sonnei,
      but not S. flexneri, encodes a type VI secretion system (T6SS) that provides a
      competitive advantage in the gut. S. sonnei competes against E. coli and S.
      flexneri in mixed cultures, but this advantage is reduced in T6SS mutant strains.
      In addition, S. sonnei can persist as well as outcompete E. coli and S. flexneri
      in mice in a T6SS-dependent manner. These findings suggest that S. sonnei has a
      competitive advantage over S. flexneri and potentially explain the increasing
      global prevalence of S. sonnei.

PMID- 28618273
TI  - STING Requires the Adaptor TRIF to Trigger Innate Immune Responses to Microbial
      Infection.

PMID- 28618274
TI  - The relationship between birth and placental weights changes with placental size.

PMID- 28618275
TI  - Adsorptive removal of sulfate from acid mine drainage by polypyrrole modified
      activated carbons: Effects of polypyrrole deposition protocols and activated
      carbon source.
AB  - Polypyrrole modified activated carbon was used to remove sulfate from acid mine
      drainage water. The polypyrrole modified activated carbon created positively
      charged functionality that offered elevated sorption capacity for sulfate. The
      effects of the activated carbon type, approach of polymerization, preparation
      temperature, solvent, and concentration of oxidant solution over the sulfate
      adsorption capacity were studied at an array of initial sulfate concentrations. A
      hardwood based activated carbon was the more favorable activated carbon template,
      and this offered better sulfate removal than when using bituminous based
      activated carbon or oak wood activated carbon as the template. The hardwood-based
      activated carbon modified with polypyrrole removed 44.7 mg/g sulfate, and this
      was five times higher than for the pristine hardwood-based activated carbon.
      Various protocols for depositing the polypyrrole onto the activated carbon were
      investigated. When ferric chloride was used as an oxidant, the deposition
      protocol that achieved the most N+ atomic percent (3.35%) while also maintaining
      the least oxygen atomic percent (6.22%) offered the most favorable sulfate
      removal. For the rapid small scale column tests, when processing the AMD water,
      hardwood-based activated carbon modified with poly pyrrole exhibited 33 bed
      volume compared to the 5 bed volume of pristine activated carbons.

PMID- 28618276
TI  - Common explosives (TNT, RDX, HMX) and their fate in the environment: Emphasizing
      bioremediation.
AB  - Explosive materials are energetic substances, when released into the environment,
      contaminate by posing toxic hazards to environment and biota. Throughout the
      world, soils are contaminated by such contaminants either due to manufacturing
      operations, military activities, conflicts of different levels, open burning/open
      detonation (OB/OD), dumping of munitions etc. Among different forms of chemical
      explosives, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine
      (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro- 1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) are most
      common. These explosives are highly toxic as USEPA has recommended restrictions
      for lifetime contact through drinking water. Although, there are several
      utilitarian aspects in anthropogenic activities, however, effective remediation
      of explosives is very important. This review article emphasizes the details of
      appropriate practices to ameliorate the contamination. Critical evaluation has
      also been made to encompass the recent knowledge and advancement about
      bioremediation and phytoremediation of explosives (especially TNT, RDX and HMX)
      along with the molecular mechanisms of biodegradation.

PMID- 28618277
TI  - Fate and adverse effects of hexabromocyclododecane diastereoisomers (HBCDDs) in a
      soil-ryegrass pot system.
AB  - This study explored the fate and adverse effects of 3 main hexabromocyclododecane
      diastereoisomers (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HBCDDs) in a soil pot system planted
      with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) using a short-term (8 weeks) experiment. At the
      end of the experiment, soil urease activity in planted spiked soil increased and
      catalase activity decreased; while there was no obvious change in sucrase and
      peroxidase activities. HBCDDs mainly accumulated in the root of ryegrass, with
      root concentration factors (RCF) in the range of 1.46-4.43 and only a small part
      was transferred to the stem (SCF: 0.198-0.305) and leaf (LCF: 0.042-0.062). The
      concentration factors varied for different HBCDD diastereoisomers, being in the
      order of alpha- > beta- > gamma-HBCDD for all tissues, indicating preferential
      accumulation of alpha-HBCDD in ryegrass tissues. Moreover, the enantiomeric
      analysis revealed an enrichment of (+)-alpha-, (-)-beta- and (+)-gamma-HBCDD
      enantiomers in ryegrass tissues. beta- and gamma-HBCDDs (up to 1.90% and 4.11%,
      respectively) were transformed to aalpha-HBCDD in ryegrass, while no
      isomerization product from alpha-HBCDD was found. Hydroxylated HBCDDs
      metabolites, such as monoOHHBCDDs and diOHHBCDDs were found in ryegrass tissues
      for the first time.

PMID- 28618278
TI  - Interindividual variability of soil arsenic metabolism by human gut microbiota
      using SHIME model.
AB  - Arsenic (As) metabolism by human gut microbiota has been evidenced with in vitro
      experiments from contaminated soils. In this study, the variability in the
      metabolic potency toward As-contaminated soils and gut microbial diversity were
      investigated between healthy individuals (Adult versus Child). Arsenic
      bioaccessibility in the colon phase increased by 1.4-6.8 and 1.2-8.7 folds for
      adult and child, respectively. We found a high degree of As methylation for the
      colon digests of the adult (mean 2 MUg methylarsenicals/hr/g biomass), 3-folds
      higher than that of the child. Besides, arsenite [As(III)] concentration (1.5
      391.3 MUg/L) for the child was 2-18 times for the adult. 16S rRNA gene sequencing
      revealed that human gut microbiota from 20 various genera potentially had
      resistance genes to reduce and methylate As under conservative statistics. Our
      results indicated that As metabolism by gut microbiota from adult and child was
      significantly different. The adult gut microbiota had a great ability of As
      methylation; the child gut microbiota exhibited high As(III) level, which could
      encounter high health risk. The identity and activity of arsenic-metabolizing
      bacteria isolated from human gut and its homologous role in As metabolism need be
      further explored. This study provides a better understanding of health risk
      assessment to adults and children upon soil As exposures.

PMID- 28618279
TI  - Analyzing the impacts of three types of biochar on soil carbon fractions and
      physiochemical properties in a corn-soybean rotation.
AB  - Biochar is a solid material obtained when biomass is thermochemically converted
      in an oxygen-limited environment. In most previous studies, the impacts of
      biochar on soil properties and organic carbon (C) were investigated under
      controlled conditions, mainly laboratory incubation or greenhouse studies. This 2
      year field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of biochar on selected
      soil physical and chemical properties and carbon and nitrogen fractions for two
      selected soil types (clay loam and a sandy loam soil) under a corn (Zea mays L.)
      soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation. The three plant based biochar materials used
      for this study were corn stover (CS), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Lawson and
      C. Lawson) wood residue (PW), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) (SG). Data
      showed that CS and SG significantly increased the pH of acidic soil at the eroded
      landscape position but produced no significant change in soil pH at the
      depositional landscape position. The effects of biochar treatments on cold water
      extractable C (WSC) and nitrogen (WSN) fractions for the 0-7.5 cm depth were
      depended on biochar and soil type. Results suggested that alkaline biochars
      applied at 10 Mg ha-1 can increase the pH and WSC fraction of acidic sandy loam
      soil, but the 10 Mg ha-1 rate might be low to substantially improve physical
      properties and hot water extractable C and N fractions of soil. Application of
      higher rates of biochar and long-term monitoring is needed to quantify the
      benefits of biochar under field conditions on soils in different environmental
      conditions.

PMID- 28618280
TI  - Evaluation of bacterial biodegradation and accumulation of phenanthrene in the
      presence of humic acid.
AB  - This study evaluated the effect of humic acid (HA) on physicochemical properties
      of bacterial surfaces and on mass transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
      (PAHs) from aqueous phase into intracellular bacteria. Due to this process'
      potential for bacterial degradation, using Sphingobium sp. PHE3, degradation of
      phenanthrene (PHE) was compared in HA and non-HA sets. The results showed that
      approximately 51.1% of PHE at a concentration of 102.0 mg L-1 was biodegraded in
      the non-HA sets, whereas almost all PHE was biodegraded with HA after 72 h.
      Interestingly, PHE that accumulated in the intracellular bacteria reached 3.80 mg
      L-1 for the HA sets, which was significantly higher than that of non-HA. Lipid
      inclusion bodies appeared when Sphingobium sp. PHE3 was treated with HA. The
      results were further confirmed by the enhanced bacterial surface sorption
      capacity for the HA sets. Therefore, we concluded that added HA not only act as
      carriers and biosurfactants facilitating PHE uptake but also adjust bacteria cell
      wall properties for internalizing PHE, which ultimately overcame the PHE
      bioavailability resulting in enhanced biodegradation.

PMID- 28618281
TI  - Chlor(am)ination of iopamidol: Kinetics, pathways and disinfection by-products
      formation.
AB  - The degradation kinetics, pathways and disinfection by-products (DBPs) formation
      of iopamidol by chlorine and chloramines were investigated in this paper. The
      chlorination kinetics can be well described by a second-order model. The apparent
      second-order rate constants of iopamidol chlorination significantly increased
      with solution pH. The rate constants of iopamidol with HOCl and OCl- were
      calculated as (1.66 +/- 0.09) * 10-3 M-1 s-1 and (0.45+/- 0.02) M-1 s-1,
      respectively. However, the chloramination of iopamidol fitted well with third
      order kinetics and the maximum of the apparent rate constant occurred at pH 7. It
      was inferred that the free chlorine (i.e., HOCl and OCl-) can react with
      iopamidol while the combined chlorine species (i.e., NH2Cl and NHCl2) were not
      reactive with iopamidol. The main intermediates during chlorination or
      chloramination of iopamidol were identified using ultra performance liquid
      chromatography - electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS), and the
      destruction pathways including stepwise deiodination, hydroxylation as well as
      chlorination were then proposed. The regular and iodinated DBPs formed during
      chlorination and chloramination of iopamidol were measured. It was found that
      iodine conversion from iopamidol to toxic iodinated DBPs distinctly increased
      during chloramination. The results also indicated that although chloramines were
      much less reactive than chlorine toward iopamidol, they led to the formation of
      much more toxic iodinated DBPs, especially CHI3.

PMID- 28618282
TI  - Global shape integration and illusory form perception in the absence of
      awareness.
AB  - Previous research on perceptual organization operations still provides
      contradictory evidence on whether the integration of sparse local elements into
      coherently unified shapes and the construction of the illusory form are
      accomplished without the need of awareness. In the present study, three
      experiments were conducted in which participants were presented with masked
      (Experiment 1, SOA=27ms; Experiment 2; SOA=53ms) and unmasked (Experiment 3)
      primes consisting of geometric shapes (a square or a diamond) that could be
      congruent or incongruent with subsequent probe stimuli (square vs. diamond).
      Furthermore, the primes were divided into: a grouping condition (where local
      elements may group together into global shapes), an illusory condition (where the
      arrangement of local elements produced illusory shapes) and a hybrid condition
      (where both operations were presented simultaneously). While no priming effects
      were found for the shortest SOA (27ms), both grouping and illusory primes
      produced significant priming effects in the longer SOA (53ms). On the other hand,
      results in Experiment 3 (unmasked) showed strong priming effects for the grouping
      of the inducers in both the grouping and the hybrid conditions, and also a
      significant but weaker priming effect for the illusory condition. Overall, our
      results support the possibility of the integration of local visual features into
      a global shape in the absence of awareness and, likewise, they suggest an early 
      subliminal- construction of the illusory shape, implying that feedback
      projections from higher to lower visual areas are not crucial in the construction
      of the illusory form.

PMID- 28618283
TI  - Vocational education paths, youth activities, and underage drinking in Russia:
      How early does the trouble start?
AB  - Working-class educational paths tend to be associated with elevated drinking.
      Little research has examined whether disproportionate alcohol use among
      vocationally oriented youth begins before or after the start of their vocational
      education. The present study analyzes a large sample of Russian middle-school
      students (N=1269; mean age=14.9), comparing the patterns of drinking among middle
      schoolers oriented towards vocational educational, and their peers who do not
      plan a vocational education path. Results suggest that the orientation towards
      vocational education is associated with disproportionately high alcohol
      involvement among Russian middle-school students, even before they enter
      vocational schools. We studied if such difference could be partially explained by
      how youth orient towards extracurricular activities: discretionary peer time in
      risky contexts, reading for pleasure, working for pay, and religious activities.
      Reading demonstrated the strongest (negative) association with alcohol use, while
      religious activity unexpectedly revealed a positive (though weak) association
      with drinking. Research and policy implications are discussed.

PMID- 28618284
TI  - Differences in biomarkers of crack-cocaine adolescent users before/after
      abstinence.
AB  - AIMS: To measure the variation in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF),
      Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) and interleukin (IL) levels in
      crack-cocaine dependent adolescents after 21days of abstinence, comparing to
      levels found in a group of healthy controls. DESIGN: Cross-sectional nested on a
      short follow-up study. SETTING: Two inpatient treatment units for adolescents,
      and a low-income neighborhood. PARTICIPANTS: 90 adolescents, of both genders,
      with diagnosis of crack cocaine dependence, and 81 healthy adolescents.
      MEASUREMENTS: Serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, TBARS and BDNF were assessed on
      admission and discharge. Drug addiction severity was assessed by the Addiction
      Severity Index - Teen Version (T-ASI) and Cocaine Craving Questionnaire - Brief
      version (CCQ-b). Psychiatric comorbidities were assessed by the Schedule for
      Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children - Present and
      Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to
      estimate the IL-6, IL-10, TBARS and BDNF levels, adjusted for confounders.
      Hedges' g was used to estimate effect size. FINDINGS: TBARS (p=0.005, d=0.04), IL
      6 (p=0.027, d=0.40) and IL-10 (p=0.025, d=0.41) were elevated and BDNF (p<0.001,
      d=0.62) was reduced (p<0.001), in patients, in comparison to controls, at
      admission time. Variation in those levels between admission and discharge were
      not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Crack-cocaine use seems to be associated with
      inflammatory and oxidative imbalances in adolescents.

PMID- 28618285
TI  - Belgian experience with direct acting antivirals in people who inject drugs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) has become a curable
      disease due to the development of direct acting antivirals (DAA). The WHO has set
      a target to eliminate HCV completely. Therefore, people who inject drugs (PWID)
      also need to be treated. In this study, we compared the real-life uptake and
      outcome of DAA treatment for HCV in PWID and non-PWID. METHODS: We performed a
      nation-wide, retrospective cohort study in 15 hospitals. All patients who were
      treated with simeprevir-sofosbuvir, daclatasvir-sofosbuvir, or
      ombitasvir/paritaprevir ritonavir-dasabuvir between December 2013 and November
      2015 were included. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 579 patients: 115
      PWID (19.9%) and 464 non-PWID (80.1%). Of the PWID 18 were active PWID (15.6%),
      35 still received opiate substitution therapy (OST) (30.4%) and 62 were former
      PWID without OST (53.9%). PWID were more infected with genotype 1a and 3
      (p=0.001). There were equal rates of side-effects (44.7% vs. 46.6%; p=0.847),
      similar rates of treatment completion (95.7% vs 98.1%; p=0.244) and SVR (93.0% vs
      94.8%; p=0.430) between PWID and non-PWID, respectively. CONCLUSION: PWID,
      especially active users, are underserved for DAA treatment in real life in
      Belgium. Reimbursement criteria based on fibrosis stage make it difficult to
      treat PWID. Treatment adherence is similar in PWID and the general population,
      even in patients with active abuse. DAA were safe and effective in PWID despite
      the higher prevalence of difficult-to-treat genotypes. Based on these data more
      efforts to treat PWID are needed and policy changes are necessary to reach the
      WHO targets.

PMID- 28618287
TI  - Age-related changes in the carcass yield and meat quality of male and female
      nutrias (Myocastor coypus) under intensive production system.
AB  - The age at which final nutria weight is achieved varies in literature between six
      and 14months. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, carcass
      composition and meat quality of male and female nutrias between the ages of six
      and eight months in intensive production system. Sexual dimorphism in growth was
      observed from three months of age, and in females, growth considerably decreased
      after six months of age. The dressing-out percentage and the meat color were not
      affected by the age or sex of nutrias. Dry matter, ether extract and energetic
      values were significantly higher in females and in older nutrias. The decreasing
      frequency of type IIA fibers in older nutrias was presumably associated with a
      conversion of type IIA fibers to type IIB fibers. Nutrias under intensive
      production system can be slaughtered at six months of age when they reach a high
      carcass yield and meat quality.

PMID- 28618286
TI  - Insomnia severity as a mediator of the association between mental health symptoms
      and alcohol use in young adult veterans.
AB  - PURPOSE: Prior research has documented associations between mental health and
      alcohol use, mental health and insomnia, and insomnia and alcohol use. This study
      examined insomnia severity as a mediator of the association between mental health
      and alcohol-related outcomes in young adult veterans. PROCEDURES: Veterans aged
      18-34 years (N=622, 83% male) who reported drinking in the past year completed
      assessments at baseline and one-month follow-up as part of a larger intervention
      trial. Participants reported symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD) at baseline, insomnia severity at one month, and alcohol use and
      related consequences at baseline and one month. Mediation analyses using
      bootstrapped confidence intervals were used to examine the indirect effects of
      baseline mental health symptoms on alcohol-related outcomes at one month via
      insomnia severity. MAIN FINDINGS: Insomnia severity was associated with both
      drinking quantity and alcohol-related consequences. Greater depressive (but not
      PTSD) symptoms were associated directly with more alcohol-related consequences.
      Neither depressive nor PTSD symptoms had direct effects on drinking quantity when
      controlling for the other mental health symptoms (e.g., depressive symptoms did
      not predict drinking quantity when controlling for symptoms of PTSD). However,
      symptoms of depression and PTSD predicted drinks per week and alcohol-related
      consequences indirectly through insomnia severity. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of
      depression and PTSD increase risk for alcohol use and related consequences in
      part by increasing symptoms of insomnia. Findings suggest that insomnia may be an
      appropriate target for prevention and intervention efforts among heavy-drinking
      Veterans reporting symptoms of depression or PTSD.

PMID- 28618289
TI  - Erratum to "Comparison of turnaround time and total cost of HIV testing before
      and after implementation of the 2014 CDC/APHL laboratory testing algorithm for
      diagnosis of HIV infection" [J. Clin. Virol. 91 (2017) 69-72].

PMID- 28618288
TI  - An enhanced Enterovirus surveillance system allows identification and
      characterization of rare and emerging respiratory enteroviruses in Denmark, 2015
      16.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The potential for outbreaks due to Enteroviruses (EV) with
      respiratory tropism, such as EV-D68, and the detection of new and rare EV species
      C is a concern. These EVs are typically not detected in stool specimens and may
      therefore be missed by standard EV surveillance systems. Following the North
      American outbreak of EV-D68 in 2014, Denmark piloted an enhanced EV surveillance
      system that included the screening of respiratory samples. OBJECTIVES: We aim to
      report clinical manifestations and phylogenetic descriptions from the rare and
      emerging EVs identified thereby demonstrating the usefulness of this system.
      STUDY DESIGN: Positive EV samples received through the enhanced non-polio EV
      pilot surveillance system were characterized by sequencing fragments of VP1, VP2
      and VP4 capsid proteins and clinical observations were compiled. RESULTS: Between
      January 2015 and October 2016, six cases of rare genotypes EV-C104, C105 and C109
      and nine cases of EV-D68 were identified. Patients presented with mild to
      moderately severe respiratory illness; no paralysis occurred. Distinct EV-C104,
      EV-C109 and EV-D68 sequences argue against a common source of introduction of
      these genotypes in the Danish population. CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced EV
      surveillance system enabled detection and characterization of rare EVs in
      Denmark. In order to improve our knowledge of and our preparedness against
      emerging EVs, public health laboratories should consider expanding their EV
      surveillance system to include respiratory specimens.

PMID- 28618291
TI  - Immune-mediated neuropathies: Role of single-fiber conduction velocity.

PMID- 28618290
TI  - Defining trauma in complex care management: Safety-net providers' perspectives on
      structural vulnerability and time.
AB  - In this paper, we delineate how staff of two complex care management (CCM)
      programs in urban safety net hospitals in the United States understand trauma. We
      seek to (1) describe how staff in CCM programs talk about trauma in their
      patients' lives; (2) discuss how trauma concepts allow staff to understand
      patients' symptoms, health-related behaviors, and responses to care as results of
      structural conditions; and (3) delineate the mismatch between long-term needs of
      patients with histories of trauma and the short-term interventions that CCM
      programs provide. Observation and interview data gathered between February 2015
      and August 2016 indicate that CCM providers define trauma expansively to include
      individual experiences of violence such as childhood abuse and neglect or recent
      assault, traumatization in the course of accessing health care and structural
      violence. Though CCM staff implement elements of trauma-informed care, the short
      term design of CCM programs puts pressure on the staff to titrate their efforts,
      moving patients towards graduation or discharge. Trauma concepts enable
      clinicians to name structural violence in clinically legitimate language. As
      such, trauma-informed care and structural competency approaches can complement
      each other.

PMID- 28618292
TI  - Influence of transcutaneous spinal stimulation on human LTP-like pain
      amplification. A randomized, double-blind study in volunteers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) has been
      proven to affect nociceptive signal processing. We designed a randomized, double
      blind, cross-over study to investigate whether tsDCS applied before or after
      inducing long-term potentiation-(LTP)-like hyperalgesia may decrease nociceptive
      sensitivity. METHODS: In healthy volunteers, tsDCS (2.5mA, 15min) was applied to
      the thoracic spine prior (n=14) or immediately following (n=12) electrical high
      frequency stimulation (HFS) to the thigh, inducing hyperalgesia. Mechanical and
      electrical perception were assessed before HFS stimulation and at three time
      points following HFS stimulation (all within 90min of HFS). Subjects took part in
      three separate sessions to test effects of anodal, cathodal, or sham tsDCS.
      RESULTS: Within 60minHFS led to unilateral changes on the conditioned side:
      mechanical pain thresholds tended to decrease and electrical detection thresholds
      significantly decreased (p<0.001); pain ratings measured using the numerical
      rating scale (NRS) increased for electrical stimuli (p<0.01) and two categories
      of mechanical stimuli ("Light(8-64mN)": p=ns; "Heavy(128-512mN)": p<0.01).
      Irrespective of stimulation order or polarity, tsDCS could not influence
      nociceptive sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Hyperalgesia was adequately induced, but
      tsDCS had no effect on HFS-induced sensitization. SIGNIFICANCE: While tsDCS has
      been shown to affect pain measures, our results suggest irrespective of time of
      stimulation or polarity that tsDCS may be less effective in modulating pain in a
      sensitized state in healthy subjects.

PMID- 28618293
TI  - Pilot prospective study of post-surgery sleep and EEG predictors of post
      operative delirium.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Delirium is a common post-operative complication associated with
      significant costs, morbidity, and mortality. We sought sleep/EEG predictors of
      delirium present prior to delirium symptoms to facilitate developing and
      targeting therapies. METHODS: Continuous EEG data were obtained in 12 patients
      post-orthopedic surgery from the day of surgery until delirium assessment on post
      operative day 2 (POD2). RESULTS: Diminished total sleep time (r=-0.68; p<0.05)
      and longer latency to sleep onset (r=0.67; p<0.05) on the first night in the
      hospital were associated with greater POD2 delirium severity. Patients
      experiencing delirium slept 2.4h less and took 2h longer to fall asleep. Greater
      waking EEG delta power (r=0.84; p<0.05) on POD1 and less non-REM sleep EEG delta
      power (r=-0.72; p<0.05) on night 2 also predicted POD2 delirium severity.
      CONCLUSIONS: Loss of sleep on night1 post-surgery is an early predictor of
      subsequent delirium. EEG Delta Power alterations in waking and sleep appear to be
      later indicators of impending delirium. Further work is needed to evaluate
      reproducibility/generalizability and assess whether sleep loss contributes to
      causing delirium. SIGNIFICANCE: This first study to prospectively collect
      continuous EEG data for an extended period prior to delirium onset identified EEG
      derived indices that predict subsequent delirium that could aid in developing and
      targeting therapies.

PMID- 28618294
TI  - Focused high-resolution sonography of the suprascapular nerve: A simple surrogate
      marker for neuralgic amyotrophy?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To define the diagnostic value of high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS)
      of the suprascapular nerve (SSN) in the diagnosis of neuralgic amyotrophy (NA).
      METHODS: The cross-section areas (CSA) of the SSN at the C5 root (CSA1) and the
      omohyoid muscle in the midclavicular line (CSA2) were assessed bilaterally in 15
      healthy volunteers and 14 patients with clinically and electrophysiologically
      verified NA. Receiver-operator-characteristics (ROC) curves were generated and
      cut-off values, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive
      values (NPV), likelihood (LR) and odds ratios (OR) were calculated. RESULTS:
      Patients with NA had significantly higher CSA2-values than controls (6.36+/
      2.75vs. 2.79+/-0.83mm2, p<0.0001) and significantly higher ratios of SSN CSA2
      values of the affected vs. contralateral side (224.6+/-78.5% vs. 127.7+/-51.1%,
      p<0.0001). The ratios of SSN CSA2-values vs. CSA1-values (146.7+/-74.5% vs.
      99.9+/-28.3%, p=0.008) and CSA1-values were also significantly higher (4.70+/
      2.00vs. 2.90+/-0.90mm2, p=0.0028) than in controls. Beyond a CSA2 cut-off value
      of 4.2mm2, the ROC-AUC was 0.939 [0.861-1.00] when compared against healthy
      volunteers and 0.971 [0.901-1.00] when compared to patients with degenerative
      shoulder pain. Sensitivity was 85.7% [57.2-98.2%], specificity 96.7% [82.8
      99.9%], PPV 92.3% [64.0-99.8%], NPV 93.5% [78.6-99.2%], OR 174.0 [14.4-2106.0]
      and LR 25.7 (95% confidence intervals in brackets). CONCLUSION: SSN swelling in
      the lateral cervical region could be a supportive finding to identify NA
      patients. SIGNIFICANCE: This method allows for the rapid sonographic
      identification of NA.

PMID- 28618295
TI  - Phase-locked and non-phase-locked EEG responses to pinprick stimulation before
      and after experimentally-induced secondary hyperalgesia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Pinprick-evoked brain potentials (PEPs) have been proposed as a
      technique to investigate secondary hyperalgesia and central sensitization in
      humans. However, the signal-to-noise (SNR) of PEPs is low. Here, using time
      frequency analysis, we characterize the phase-locked and non-phase-locked EEG
      responses to pinprick stimulation, before and after secondary hyperalgesia.
      METHODS: Secondary hyperalgesia was induced using high-frequency electrical
      stimulation (HFS) of the left/right forearm skin in 16 volunteers. EEG responses
      to 64 and 96mN pinprick stimuli were elicited from both arms, before and 20min
      after HFS. RESULTS: Pinprick stimulation applied to normal skin elicited a phase
      locked low-frequency (<5Hz) response followed by a reduction of alpha-band
      oscillations (7-10Hz). The low-frequency response was significantly increased
      when pinprick stimuli were delivered to the area of secondary hyperalgesia. There
      was no change in the reduction of alpha-band oscillations. Whereas the low
      frequency response was enhanced for both 64 and 96mN intensities, PEPs analyzed
      in the time domain were only significantly enhanced for the 64mN intensity.
      CONCLUSIONS: Time-frequency analysis may be more sensitive than conventional time
      domain analysis in revealing EEG changes associated to secondary hyperalgesia.
      SIGNIFICANCE: Time-frequency analysis of PEPs can be used to investigate central
      sensitization in humans.

PMID- 28618296
TI  - Impaired body perception in developmental prosopagnosia.
AB  - Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder
      associated with difficulties recognising and discriminating faces. In some cases,
      the perceptual deficits seen in DP appear to be face-specific. However, DP is
      known to be a heterogeneous condition, and many cases undoubtedly exhibit
      impaired perception of other complex objects. There are several well-documented
      parallels between body and face perception; for example, faces and bodies are
      both thought to recruit holistic analysis and engage similar regions of visual
      cortex. In light of these similarities, individuals who exhibit face perception
      deficits, possibly due to impaired holistic processing or aberrant white matter
      connectivity, might also show co-occurring deficits of body perception. The
      present study therefore sought to investigate body perception in DP using a
      sensitive delayed match-to-sample task and a sizeable group of DPs. To determine
      whether body perception deficits, where observed, co-vary with wider object
      recognition deficits, observers' face and body matching ability was compared with
      performance in a car matching condition. Relative to age-matched controls, the DP
      sample exhibited impaired body matching accuracy at the group level, and several
      members of the sample were impaired at the single-case level. Consistent with
      previous reports of wider object recognition difficulties, a number of the DPs
      also showed evidence of impaired car recognition.

PMID- 28618297
TI  - Does communication partner training improve the conversation skills of speech
      language pathology students when interacting with people with aphasia?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aphasia is a common consequence of stroke. Despite receiving
      specialised training in communication, speech-language pathology students may
      lack confidence when communicating with People with Aphasia (PWA). This paper
      reports data from secondary outcome measures from a randomised controlled trial.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of
      communication partner training on the communication skills of speech-language
      pathology students during conversations with PWA. METHOD: Thirty-eight speech
      language pathology students were randomly allocated to trained and untrained
      groups. The first group received a lecture about communication strategies for
      communicating with PWA then participated in a conversation with PWA (Trained
      group), while the second group of students participated in a conversation with
      the PWA without receiving the lecture (Untrained group). The conversations
      between the groups were analysed according to the Measure of skill in Supported
      Conversation (MSC) scales, Measure of Participation in Conversation (MPC) scales,
      types of strategies used in conversation, and the occurrence and repair of
      conversation breakdowns. RESULTS: The trained group received significantly higher
      MSC Revealing Competence scores, used significantly more props, and introduced
      significantly more new ideas into the conversation than the untrained group. The
      trained group also used more gesture and writing to facilitate the conversation,
      however, the difference was not significant. There was no significant difference
      between the groups according to MSC Acknowledging Competence scores, MPC
      Interaction or Transaction scores, or in the number of interruptions, minor or
      major conversation breakdowns, or in the success of strategies initiated to
      repair the conversation breakdowns. CONCLUSION: Speech-language pathology
      students may benefit from participation in communication partner training
      programs.

PMID- 28618298
TI  - Shape of change in internet based behavioral activation treatment for depression.
AB  - : Shape of change, sudden gains and depression spikes were examined in an online
      12-session Behavioral Activation (BA) treatment for depression. Client and
      therapist factors related to sudden gains were examined to investigate processes
      associated with outcome. METHODS: Participants were postpartum Women with Major
      Depressive Disorder (n=42) who received online BA supported in 30-minute
      telephone sessions by a mental health worker. Depression symptoms were assessed
      at each session and number of sessions completed were recorded by the online
      program. Therapist records were rated for client stressful life event and
      therapist concrete focus. A quadratic pattern provided the best fit with the
      data; a cubic pattern was a poor fit. Sudden gains, but not depression spikes,
      predicted lower depression scores at 17-week outcome. Women who had higher
      baseline social functioning, did not experience a stressful life event during
      therapy, and completed more online modules, but not more telephone sessions, were
      more likely to have a sudden gain. A concrete therapist focus was associated with
      sudden gains. These results extend research on trajectories of change and sudden
      gains to an online BA treatment and to postpartum depression, and suggest
      important client and therapist factors associated with sudden gains.

PMID- 28618299
TI  - Is the devil in the detail? A randomised controlled trial of guided internet
      based CBT for perfectionism.
AB  - An internet guided self-help cognitive-behavioural treatment (ICBT) for
      perfectionism was recently found to be effective (see this issue). Such studies
      stand in need of replication. The aim of this study was to report the outcomes
      and predictors of change when the treatment is delivered in a UK setting. A total
      of 120 people (Mean = 28.9 years; 79% female) were randomised to receive ICBT or
      wait-list control over 12 weeks (trial registration: NCT02756871). While there
      were strong similarities between the current study and its Swedish counterpart,
      there were also important differences in procedural details. There was a
      significant impact of the intervention on the primary outcome measure (Frost
      Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Concern over Mistakes subscale) and also on
      the Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire (between group effect sizes d = 0.98
      (95% CI: 0.60-1.36) and d = 1.04 (95% CI: 0.66-1.43) respectively using intent-to
      treat analyses). Unlike the Swedish study, there was significant non-engagement
      and non-completion of modules with 71% of participants completing fewer than half
      the modules. The number of modules completed moderated the rate of change in
      clinical perfectionism over time. In conclusion, the study indicates the
      intervention is effective in a UK setting but highlighted the importance of
      procedural details to optimise retention.

PMID- 28618300
TI  - Effects of context and individual differences on the processing of taboo words.
AB  - Previous studies suggest that taboo words are special in regards to language
      processing. Findings from the studies have led to the formation of two theories,
      global resource theory and binding theory, of taboo word processing. The current
      study investigates how readers process taboo words embedded in sentences during
      silent reading. In two experiments, measures collected include eye movement data,
      accuracy and reaction time measures for recalling probe words within the
      sentences, and individual differences in likelihood of being offended by taboo
      words. Although certain aspects of the results support both theories, as the
      likelihood of a person being offended by a taboo word influenced some measures,
      neither theory sufficiently predicts or describes the effects observed. The
      results are interpreted as evidence that processing effects ascribed to taboo
      words are largely, but not completely, attributable to the context in which they
      are used and the individual attitudes of the people who hear/read them. The
      results also demonstrate the importance of investigating taboo words in
      naturalistic language processing paradigms. A revised theory of taboo word
      processing is proposed that incorporates both global resource theory and binding
      theory along with the sociolinguistic factors and individual differences that
      largely drive the effects observed here.

PMID- 28618301
TI  - Noninvasive measurement of wave speed of porcine cornea in ex vivo porcine eyes
      for various intraocular pressures.
AB  - The objective of this study was to extend an ultrasound surface wave elastography
      (USWE) technique for noninvasive measurement of ocular tissue elastic properties.
      In particular, we aim to establish the relationship between the wave speed of
      cornea and the intraocular pressure (IOP). Normal ranges of IOP are between 12
      and 22mmHg. Ex vivo porcine eye balls were used in this research. The porcine eye
      ball was supported by the gelatin phantom in a testing container. Some water was
      pour into the container for the ultrasound measurement. A local harmonic
      vibration was generated on the side of the eye ball. An ultrasound probe was used
      to measure the wave propagation in the cornea noninvasively. A 25 gauge butterfly
      needle was inserted into the vitreous humor of the eye ball under the ultrasound
      imaging guidance. The needle was connected to a syringe. The IOP was obtained by
      the water height difference between the water level in the syringe and the water
      level in the testing container. The IOP was adjusted between 5mmHg and 30mmHg
      with a 5mmHg interval. The wave speed was measured at each IOP for three
      frequencies of 100, 150 and 200Hz. Finite element method (FEM) was used to
      simulate the wave propagation in the corneal according to our experimental setup.
      A linear viscoelastic FEM model was used to compare the experimental data. Both
      the experiments and the FEM analyses showed that the wave speed of cornea
      increased with IOP.

PMID- 28618302
TI  - Growth and physiological responses of a marine diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum)
      against two imidazolium-based ionic liquids ([C4mim]BF4 and [C8mim]BF4).
AB  - Ionic liquids (ILs) have been considered as "green" substitutes for traditional
      organic solvents in many existing biological and chemical areas. However, they
      have high solubility and poor biodegradability in water, suggesting that they
      could become persistent chemical pollutants in aquatic environment. The ability
      of two widely used imidazolium-based ILs to affect the growth and physiological
      characteristics of a marine diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum) was investigated
      in this study. The diatom was exposed to different concentrations of 1-butyl-3
      methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C4mim]BF4) and 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium
      tetrafluoroborate ([C8mim]BF4) for 96h within a batch-culture system. Results
      showed that [C4mim]BF4 and [C8mim]BF4 were very stable in seawater during 96h of
      exposure, and the compounds significantly inhibited the growth of P. tricornutum
      with 24, 48, 72 and 96h EC50 values of 30.81, 28.53, 39.92, 45.88mgL-1 and 30.17,
      23.36, 28.62, 31.37mgL-1, respectively. In addition, the photosynthetic activity
      and chlorophyll a synthesis of P. tricornutum were inhibited by [C4mim]BF4 and
      [C8mim]BF4, indicating that the structural integrity of chloroplasts of the
      diatom may be disrupted or damaged by the two ILs. Compared with that of the
      controls, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was increased by 0.65, 1.17, 1.85,
      3.13, 2.94 times and 0.55, 1.77, 2.42, 3.45, 3.47 times in 5, 10, 20, 40 and
      60mgL-1 [C4mim]BF4 and [C8mim]BF4 treatments, respectively. The excessive ROS may
      cause lipid peroxidation, shortage of metabolic energy and decline of
      photosynthetic efficiency, which may be the main reason for toxicity of the two
      ILs to marine diatoms. To withstand the damaging effects of excessive ROS,
      remarkable physiological and biochemical responses occurred in treatments with
      the two ILs to protect the cells of P. tricornutum. Parameters such as soluble
      protein content, soluble sugar content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and
      peroxidase (POD) activities of the diatom increased significantly with increasing
      concentrations of the two ILs at 96h of exposure relative to the controls. These
      findings not only provide strong background for evaluating the ecological risks
      and toxicity of ILs in marine environment, but also help to unravel the toxic
      mechanism of the two ILs to marine diatoms.

PMID- 28618303
TI  - Transcriptomic response of the insect vector, Peregrinus maidis, to Maize mosaic
      rhabdovirus and identification of conserved responses to propagative viruses in
      hopper vectors.
AB  - Maize mosaic virus (MMV) is a plant-pathogenic rhabdovirus that is transmitted by
      the corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis, in a propagative manner. P. maidis
      supports long-term MMV infections with no negative effects on insect performance.
      To elucidate whole-body transcriptome responses to virus infection, RNA-Seq was
      used to examine differential gene expression of virus-infected adult insects, and
      libraries were prepared from replicated groups of virus-exposed insects and non
      exposed insects. From the 68,003 de novo-assembled transcripts, 144 were
      differentially-expressed (DE) during viral infection with comparable numbers up-
      and down-regulated. DE transcripts with similarity to genes associated with
      transposable elements (i.e., RNA-directed DNA polymerases) were enriched and may
      represent a mechanisim for modulating virus infection. Comparison of the P.
      maidis DE transcripts to published propagative virus-responsive transcript
      databases for two other hopper vectors revealed that 16% of the DE transcripts
      were shared across the three systems and may represent conserved responses to
      propagative viruses.

PMID- 28618304
TI  - Breast magnetic resonance imaging use in patients undergoing neoadjuvant
      chemotherapy is associated with less mastectomies in large ductal cancers but not
      in lobular cancers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To assess the impact of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) use
      on surgical outcome per histological breast cancer subtype in patients treated
      with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients aged 18-70
      years who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy for stage I-III invasive breast
      cancer in the Netherlands in the years 2011-2013 were identified from the
      Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients with cT4 tumours were excluded from the
      analysis. Use of breast MRI and impact on surgical treatment, resection margins
      and detection of contralateral breast cancer were analysed by multivariable
      analyses. RESULTS: Breast MRI was performed in 2879 (83.9%) out of 3433 patients
      treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Younger age (odds ratio [OR] 1.42; 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.71 for 18-50 years compared with 50-70 years),
      larger tumour stage (OR 1.46 [95% CI 1.15-1.86] for cT3, compared to cT1-2
      tumours) and multifocality (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.04-1.61, versus unifocality) were
      associated with increased breast MRI use. In ductal breast cancer, after
      stratification for cT-status, breast MRI use is associated with a significant
      lower OR for mastectomy as final surgery in cT3 tumours (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21
      0.99). Resection margin involvement and detection of contralateral breast cancer
      were not associated with breast MRI use. CONCLUSION: In patients treated with
      neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the use of breast MRI was associated with a reduced
      mastectomy rate, particularly in patients with large invasive ductal breast
      tumours but not in patients with lobular breast cancer.

PMID- 28618305
TI  - Phase I study of temsirolimus in combination with cetuximab in patients with
      advanced solid tumours.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies suggest synergistic antitumour effects of
      mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor such as temsirolimus combined with
      anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody such as cetuximab. METHODS: Temsirolimus (T) and
      cetuximab (C) were combined and escalated in cohorts of patients with advanced or
      metastatic solid tumours, respectively from 15 to 25 mg and 150-250 mg/m2, until
      the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was determined. Effort was made in the expansion
      cohort to enrol patients harbouring a molecular aberration in the human epidermal
      growth factor receptor (EGFR) and/or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways.
      Paired biopsies were optional to evaluate pathway modulation. RESULTS: Among 39
      patients enrolled, three experienced dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs): pulmonary
      embolism (C200 + T20), stomatitis (C250 + T20) and acneiform rash (C250 + T25).
      The weekly C 250 mg/m2 and T 25 mg dose level was selected as the MTD. The most
      common treatment-related adverse events were: acneiform rash (97%), oral
      mucositis (82%), fatigue (59%), nausea (41%) and diarrhoea (36%). The median
      progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were respectively 2.0
      months [95% CI: 1.8, 3.5] and 7.5 months [95% CI: 5.5, 11.9]. Among all patients,
      partial responses (PRs) and stable diseases (SDs) were observed in 2 (5.1%) and
      18 patients (46.2%), respectively. The objective response rate (ORR) in patients
      with a molecular aberration was 2/14 (14%), versus 0/24 in those without
      molecular aberration. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of T + C showed significant but
      manageable toxicities. Due to modest clinical activity, further evaluation is not
      recommended. Molecular selection could potentially increase the objective
      response rate and should be implemented during drug development.

PMID- 28618306
TI  - Effects of acute exercise on fear extinction in rats and exposure therapy in
      humans: Null findings from five experiments.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exposure therapy is an established learning-based intervention for
      the treatment of anxiety disorders with an average response rate of nearly 50%,
      leaving room for improvement. Emerging strategies to enhance exposure therapy in
      humans and fear extinction retention in animal models are primarily
      pharmacological. These approaches are limited as many patients report preferring
      non-pharmacological approaches in therapy. With general cognitive enhancement
      effects, exercise has emerged as a plausible non-pharmacological augmentation
      strategy. The present study tested the hypothesis that fear extinction and
      exposure therapy would be enhanced by a pre-training bout of exercise. METHODS:
      We conducted four experiments with rats that involved a standardized conditioning
      and extinction paradigm and a manipulation of exercise. In a fifth experiment, we
      manipulated vigorous-intensity exercise prior to a standardized virtual reality
      exposure therapy session among adults with fear of heights. RESULTS: In
      experiments 1-4, exercise did not facilitate fear extinction, long-term memory,
      or fear relapse tests. In experiment 5, human participants showed an overall
      reduction in fear of heights but exercise did not enhance symptom improvement.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although acute exercise prior to fear extinction or exposure
      therapy, as operationalized in the present 5 studies, did not enhance outcomes,
      these results must be interpreted within the context of a broader literature that
      includes positive findings. Taken all together, this suggests that more research
      is necessary to identify optimal parameters and key individual differences so
      that exercise can be implemented successfully to treat anxiety disorders.

PMID- 28618307
TI  - Meta-analysis of selected toxicity endpoints of CDK4/6 inhibitors: Palbociclib
      and ribociclib.
AB  - PURPOSE: Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors such as palbociclib
      and ribociclib are associated with distinct adverse effects (AEs) compared to
      other targeted therapies. This meta-analysis of clinical trials summarizes these
      agents' toxicity profile. METHODS: A librarian-guided literature search was
      conducted in March of 2017. The trials needed to have at least one of the study
      arms consisting of palbociclib or ribociclib monotherapy at currently FDA
      approved dose regimens. Heterogeneity across studies was analyzed using I2
      statistics. Data were analyzed using random effects meta-analysis for absolute
      risks. RESULTS: Seven randomized trials and 1,332 patients were included in our
      meta-analysis. There was evidence of significant heterogeneity between studies
      for serious AEs but not for death. The pooled absolute risk (AR) for all
      causality serious AEs and treatment-related death were 16% and 0%, respectively.
      Patients treated with CDK 4/6 inhibitors had an AR of grade 3/4 neutropenia of
      61%; neutropenic fever and infections were rare (1% and 3%, respectively). Grade
      3/4 nausea, vomiting, and rash were rare. There was no significant correlation
      between age of patients at study entry and the risk of grade 3/4 neutropenia.
      CONCLUSION: Treatment with CDK 4/6 inhibitors is well tolerated and associated
      with a low risk of treatment-related deaths. There is an increased AR of grade
      3/4 neutropenia but a low AR of associated infections.

PMID- 28618308
TI  - Supplementary medial locking plate fixation of Ludloff osteotomy versus sole lag
      screw fixation: A biomechanical evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Ludloff oblique osteotomy is inherently unstable, which might
      lead to delayed union and loss of correction. Supplementary fixation to two lag
      screw fixation has been proposed. The hypothesis is that the osteotomy fixation
      constructs supplemented by a mini locking plate provide greater resistance to
      osteotomy gaping and loss of angular correction in response to cyclic loading.
      METHODS: Twenty fourth generation composite 1st metatarsals were used and
      underwent a Ludloff osteotomy. They were divided in two fixation groups: two lag
      screws (Group A), and with a supplementary mini locking plate (Group B).
      Specimens were subjected to either monotonic loading up to failure or to fatigue
      (cyclic) tests and tracked using an optical system for 3D Digital Image
      Correlation. FINDINGS: The osteotomy gap increased in size under maximum loading
      and was significantly greater in Group A throughout the test. This increase was
      observed very early in the loading process (within the first 1000cycles). The
      most important finding though, was that with the specimens completely unloaded
      the residual gap increase was significantly greater in Group A after only
      5000cycles of loading up to the completion of the test. The lateral angle change
      under maximum loading was also significantly greater in Group A throughout the
      test, with that increase observed early in the loading process (5000cycles). With
      the specimens completely unloaded the residual lateral angle change was also
      significantly greater in Group A at the completion of the test. INTERPRETATION:
      Supplementary fixation with a mini locking plate of the Ludloff osteotomy
      provided greater resistance to osteotomy gaping and loss of angular correction
      compared to sole lag screws, in response to cyclic loading.

PMID- 28618309
TI  - Exertion and pain do not alter coordination variability in runners with
      iliotibial band syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Iliotibial band syndrome is a common overuse running injury which
      results in altered mechanics. While injuries alter discrete mechanics, they may
      also cause a change in coordination variability, the stride-to-stride
      organization of runners' movement patterns. Uninjured and injured runners may
      experience a change in coordination variability during a run to exertion due to
      fatigue, pain, or a combination of these factors. The aim of the current study
      was to determine if runners with iliotibial band syndrome and uninjured runners
      display different segment coordination variability across the course of a run to
      exertion. METHODS: 3D kinematics were collected as 13 uninjured runners and 12
      runners with iliotibial band syndrome ran on a treadmill. A modified vector
      coding technique was used to calculate coordination variability during stance for
      segment couples of interest. Coordination variability was compared between
      uninjured and injured runners at the beginning and end of the run. The influence
      of pain on coordination variability was also examined. FINDINGS: There were no
      differences in coordination variability at the beginning or end of the run
      between uninjured runners and those with iliotibial band syndrome. The change in
      coordination variability due to the run was not different between uninjured
      runners, injured runners who experienced no change in pain, and injured runners
      who did experience a change in pain. INTERPRETATION: Runners do not constrain the
      patterns of segment motion they use in response to exertion nor does it appear
      that occurrence of pain during running results in a differential change in
      coordination variability.

PMID- 28618310
TI  - Bilateral changes in 3-D scapular kinematics in individuals with chronic stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stroke can lead to altered scapular motion that may limit the ability
      to perform activities of daily living. The aims were to evaluate scapular
      kinematics of individuals with chronic stroke and the correlation with paretic
      arm function. METHODS: Scapular kinematics was assessed in thirty-four
      individuals (Chronic stroke=17; controls=17) during arm elevation and lowering in
      scapular and self-selected planes, and during hair combing. The use of the
      paretic arm to perform activities of daily living was assessed by the Motor
      Activity Log (MAL-30). Scapular kinematics was compared among paretic and non
      paretic arms, and controls. Correlation between scapular kinematics and MAL-30
      was also verified. FINDINGS: Paretic and non-paretic arms showed increased
      scapular internal rotation (p<0.05) during arm lowering in the scapular plane,
      and during arm elevation and lowering in the self-selected plane compared to
      controls. Increased internal rotation (p<0.05) was also found in the paretic arm
      during hair combing compared to controls. Increased scapular anterior tilt
      (p<0.05) was observed in the paretic arm during arm elevation while performing
      the activity of hair combing and during arm elevation and lowering in the
      scapular and self-selected planes compared to controls. The non-paretic arm
      showed increased anterior tilt (p<0.05) during arm elevation and lowering in self
      selected plane compared to controls. No difference in scapular upward rotation
      among neither arms, nor correlation between scapular kinematics and MAL-30 were
      found (p>0.05). INTERPRETATION: Individuals with chronic stroke showed bilateral
      scapular kinematics alterations. However, these alterations are not correlated
      with paretic arm function.

PMID- 28618311
TI  - Predicting knee osteoarthritis risk in injured populations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals who suffered a lower limb injury have an increased risk
      of developing knee osteoarthritis. Early diagnosis of osteoarthritis and the
      ability to track its progression is challenging. This study aimed to explore
      links between self-reported knee osteoarthritis outcome scores and biomechanical
      gait parameters, whether self-reported outcome scores could predict gait
      abnormalities characteristic of knee osteoarthritis in injured populations and,
      whether scores and biomechanical outcomes were related to osteoarthritis severity
      via Spearman's correlation coefficient. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted with asymptomatic participants, participants with lower-limb injury and
      those with medial knee osteoarthritis. Spearman rank determined relationships
      between knee injury and outcome scores and hip and knee kinetic/kinematic gait
      parameters. K-Nearest Neighbour algorithm was used to determine which of the
      evaluated parameters created the strongest classifier model. FINDINGS:
      Differences in outcome scores were evident between groups, with knee quality of
      life correlated to first and second peak external knee adduction moment (0.47,
      0.55). Combining hip and knee kinetics with quality of life outcome produced the
      strongest classifier (1.00) with the least prediction error (0.02), enabling
      classification of injured subjects gait as characteristic of either asymptomatic
      or knee osteoarthritis subjects. When correlating outcome scores and
      biomechanical outcomes with osteoarthritis severity only maximum external hip and
      knee abduction moment (0.62, 0.62) in addition to first peak hip adduction moment
      (0.47) displayed significant correlations. INTERPRETATION: The use of predictive
      models could enable clinicians to identify individuals at risk of knee
      osteoarthritis and be a cost-effective method for osteoarthritis screening.

PMID- 28618312
TI  - The effects of brief individual cognitive behavioural therapy for depression and
      homesickness among international students in Malaysia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Students who go to other countries for higher education face various
      psychological problems, particularly homesickness and depression. The objectives
      of this study were to: (a) identify differences between students who did and did
      not receive brief individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression
      to reduce homesickness; (b) identify whether brief individual CBT for depression
      reduces the level of homesickness in students between pre-, post- and follow-up
      assessment; and (c) compare the scores of students experiencing only homesickness
      and those experiencing both homesickness and depression. METHOD: The sample
      consisted of 520 first-year undergraduate international students. The
      experimental group contained students who were diagnosed with depression and
      homesickness and received seven sessions of brief individual CBT for depression
      to reduce homesickness. The control group contained students who were diagnosed
      with depression and homesickness and received one session of advice and
      suggestions. The comparison group contained students who experienced only
      homesickness and did not receive any interventions. The study used the comparison
      group to determine if an interaction effect existed between students experiencing
      only homesickness and students experiencing both homesickness and depression.
      RESULTS: Students who received brief individual CBT displayed a significant
      reduction in their homesickness and depression scores compared to the scores of
      students in the control group. Students who experienced only homesickness
      exhibited a significant reduction in the scores on homesickness in the post
      assessment compared to the control group's post-assessment homesickness scores.
      LIMITATION: The results of this study cannot be generalized as data were
      collected from three universities in Malaysia. The follow-up assessment was
      conducted six months after the post-assessment, which also limits
      generalizability beyond six months. CONCLUSION: Overall, homesickness is
      considered a normal reaction. Brief individual CBT for depression is effective in
      reducing homesickness and depression among international students.

PMID- 28618313
TI  - A MIR4646 associated methylation locus is hypomethylated in adolescent
      depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies of epigenetics and transcriptional activity in adolescents
      may provide knowledge about possible preventive strategies of depression.
      METHODS: We present a methylome-wide association study (MWAS) and cohort
      validation analysis of depression in adolescents, in two separate cohorts:
      discovery (n=93) and validation data set 1 (n=78). The genome-wide methylation
      pattern was measured from whole blood using the Illumina 450K array. A second
      validation cohort, validation data set 2, consists of post-mortem brain biopsies
      from depressed adults (n=58). We performed a MWAS by robust multiple linear
      regressions of methylation to a modified risk-score assessment of depression.
      Methylation levels of candidate CpG sites were correlated with expression levels
      of the associated gene in an independent cohort of 11 healthy volunteers.
      RESULTS: The methylation state of two CpG sites reliably predicted ratings of
      depression in adolescents (cg13227623 and cg04102384) (p<10E-06). Cohort
      validation analysis confirmed cg04102384 - located in the promoter region of
      microRNA 4646 (MIR4646) - to be hypomethylated in both validation data set 1 and
      validation data set 2 (p<0.05). Cg04102384 was inversely correlated to expression
      levels of MIR4646-3p in healthy controls (p<0.05). LIMITATIONS: MIR4646 was not
      differentially expressed in a subset of samples with adolescent depression
      measured by qRT-PCR measurements. CONCLUSION: We identify a specific MIR4646
      associated epigenetic risk site to be associated with depression in adolescents.
      Cg04102384 putatively regulates gene expression of MIR4646-3p. Target gene
      prediction and gene set overrepresentation analysis revealed involvement of this
      miRNA in fatty acid elongation, a process related to omega-3 fatty acids,
      previously associated with depression.

PMID- 28618314
TI  - The metacognitions about self-critical rumination questionnaire.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Self-criticism refers to a series of persistent and negative self
      judgements, often involuntary, that an individual makes about themselves. Recent
      research has explored the possibility that self-criticism can lead to a more
      perseverative style of thinking called self-critical rumination. There is
      evidence that self-critical rumination may be a separate construct from other
      forms of rumination, such as depressive rumination and post-event processing.
      Research has indicated that metacognitions, beliefs that individuals have about
      their internal experiences and how to control them, may play a role in self
      critical rumination. The aim of our work was to develop a measure to assess
      metacognitions related to self-critical rumination. METHOD: In Study 1, a
      community sample of 178 participants completed the newly developed Metacognitions
      about Self-Critical Rumination Questionnaire (MSCRQ) and results were subjected
      to a Principal Components Analysis. In Study 2, a community sample of 247
      participants completed a battery of questionnaires including the MSCRQ. A
      Confirmatory Factors Analysis was performed on the MSCRQ and validity was
      ascertained by correlating with other measures. RESULTS: In Study 1, a 15-item
      two-factor structure was identified. A 10-item two-factor structure was confirmed
      in Study 2. Results also indicated that the MSCRQ has acceptable levels of
      reliability, and good concurrent and incremental validity. CONCLUSIONS: The MSCRQ
      appears to be a reliable and valid measure of metacognitions about self-critical
      rumination whilst the MCQ-30 is a better predictor of general emotional distress.

PMID- 28618315
TI  - Simulation of green roof runoff under different substrate depths and vegetation
      covers by coupling a simple conceptual and a physically based hydrological model.
AB  - In spite of the well-known green roof benefits, their widespread adoption in the
      management practices of urban drainage systems requires the use of adequate
      analytical and modelling tools. In the current study, green roof runoff modeling
      was accomplished by developing, testing, and jointly using a simple conceptual
      model and a physically based numerical simulation model utilizing HYDRUS-1D
      software. The use of such an approach combines the advantages of the conceptual
      model, namely simplicity, low computational requirements, and ability to be
      easily integrated in decision support tools with the capacity of the physically
      based simulation model to be easily transferred in conditions and locations other
      than those used for calibrating and validating it. The proposed approach was
      evaluated with an experimental dataset that included various green roof covers
      (either succulent plants - Sedum sediforme, or xerophytic plants - Origanum
      onites, or bare substrate without any vegetation) and two substrate depths
      (either 8 cm or 16 cm). Both the physically based and the conceptual models
      matched very closely the observed hydrographs. In general, the conceptual model
      performed better than the physically based simulation model but the overall
      performance of both models was sufficient in most cases as it is revealed by the
      Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency index which was generally greater than 0.70. Finally,
      it was showcased how a physically based and a simple conceptual model can be
      jointly used to allow the use of the simple conceptual model for a wider set of
      conditions than the available experimental data and in order to support green
      roof design.

PMID- 28618316
TI  - Change detection using Landsat images and an analysis of the linkages between the
      change and property tax values in the Istanbul Province of Turkey.
AB  - In this study, the Istanbul Province was monitored using Landsat 5 TM, MSS,
      Landsat 7 ETM+, and Landsat 8 OLI imagery from the years 1986, 2000, 2009, 2011,
      2013, and 2015 in order to assess land cover changes in the province. The aim of
      the study was to classify manmade structures, land, green, and water areas, and
      to observe the changes in the province using satellite images. After
      classification, the images were compared in selected years to observe land cover.
      Moreover, these changes were correlated with the property tax values of Istanbul
      by years. The findings of the study showed that manmade structure areas increased
      while vegetation areas decreased due to rapid population growth, urbanization,
      and industrial and commercial development in Istanbul. These changes also explain
      the transformation of land from rural and natural areas to residential use, and
      serve as a tool with which to assess land value increments. Land value capturing
      is critical for the analysis of the linkages between the changes in land cover,
      and for assessing land transformation and urban growth. Due to inadequate market
      data, real estate tax values were used to analyze the linkages between detection
      changes, land cover, and taxation. In fact, the declared tax values of land
      owners are generally lower than the actual market values and therefore it is not
      possible to transfer the value increasing of land in urban areas by using
      property taxation from the owner to local and central governments. The research
      results also show that the integration of remote sensing results with real estate
      market data give us to determine the tax base values of real estate more
      realistically.

PMID- 28618317
TI  - Citizen science for water quality monitoring: Data implications of citizen
      perspectives.
AB  - Citizen science, where citizens play an active role in the scientific process, is
      increasingly used to expand the reach and scope of scientific research while also
      achieving engagement and educational goals. Despite the emergence of studies
      exploring data outcomes of citizen science, the process and experience of
      engaging with citizens and citizen-lead groups through participatory science is
      less explored. This includes how citizen perspectives alter data outcomes, a
      critical upshot given prevalent mistrust of citizen versus scientist data. This
      study uses a citizen science campaign investigating watershed impacts on water
      quality to interrogate the nature and implications of citizen involvement in
      producing scientifically and societally relevant data. Data representing
      scientific outcomes are presented alongside a series of vignettes that offer
      context regarding how, why, and where citizens engaged with the project. From
      these vignettes, six specific lessons are examined towards understanding how
      integration of citizen participation alters data outcomes relative to
      'professional' science. In particular, elements of participant social identity
      (e.g., their motivation for participation), and contextual knowledge (e.g., of
      the research program itself) can shape participation and resulting data outcomes.
      Such scientific outcomes are particularly relevant given continued concerns
      regarding the quality of citizen data, which could hinder scientific acceptance
      of citizen sciences. Importantly, the potential for meaningful engagement with
      citizen and participants within citizen groups - given significant capacity
      within the community - represents a substantial and under-realized opportunity.

PMID- 28618318
TI  - Effect of differential forest management on land-use change (LUC) in a tropical
      hill forest of Malaysia.
AB  - Forest ownership is considered as a vital aspect for sustainable management of
      forest and its associated biodiversity. The Global Forest Resources Assessment
      2015 reported that privately owned forest area are increasing on a global scale,
      but deforestation was found very active in privately owned hill forest areas of
      Malaysia. Penang State was purposively chosen as it has been experiencing rapid
      and radical changes due to urban expansion over the last three decades. In this
      study, analyses of land-use changes were done by PCI Geomatica using Landsat
      images from 1991 to 2015, future trends of land-use change were assessed using
      EXCEL forecast function, and its impact on the surrounding environment were
      conducted by reviewing already published articles on changing environment of the
      study area. This study revealed an annual deforestation rate of 1.4% in Penang
      Island since 1991. Trend analysis forecasted a forest area smaller than the
      current forest reserves by the year 2039. Impact analysis revealed a rapid
      biodiversity loss with increasing landslides, mudflows, water pollution, flash
      flood, and health hazard. An immediate ban over hill-land development is crucial
      for overall environmental safety.

PMID- 28618319
TI  - Distress and everyday problems in Dutch mothers and fathers of young adolescents
      with Down syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To provide targeted support to parents of children with DS, knowledge
      of their distress and everyday problems is crucial. For this purpose,
      psychosocial screening instruments can be a valuable addition to routine clinical
      practice. AIMS: To determine differences on a psychosocial screener concerning
      distress and everyday problems in parents of young adolescents (YAs) with DS
      versus control parents and in mothers of YAs with DS versus fathers. METHODS AND
      PROCEDURES: We compared outcomes of the Distress Thermometer for Parents in 76
      mothers and 44 fathers of 11-13-year-olds with DS versus 64 mothers and 52
      fathers of age-matched children without DS (comparing mothers and fathers
      separately). Additionally, we compared mothers and fathers within 34 parent
      couples of YAs with DS. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Clinical distress was not more
      frequent than in control parents. Mothers further did not report more everyday
      problems and only differed from their controls on one problem domain and some
      problem items. Fathers, however, reported more problems than their controls
      across most domains and wished to talk to a professional about their situation
      more frequently. Outcomes in mothers and fathers within parent couples did not
      differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This is one of few studies to
      report on the use of psychosocial screening instruments in parents of children
      with DS. Our results suggested that attention for fathers of YAs with DS is
      required. Psychosocial screening instruments that inquire about specific problems
      and the wish for referral can play an important role in achieving this.

PMID- 28618320
TI  - Screening for potential child maltreatment in parents of a newborn baby: The
      predictive validity of an Instrument for early identification of Parents At Risk
      for child Abuse and Neglect (IPARAN).
AB  - For preventive purposes it is important to be able to identify families with a
      high risk of child maltreatment at an early stage. Therefore we developed an
      actuarial instrument for screening families with a newborn baby, the Instrument
      for identification of Parents At Risk for child Abuse and Neglect (IPARAN). The
      aim of this study was to assess the predictive validity of the IPARAN and to
      examine whether combining actuarial and clinical methods leads to an improvement
      of the predictive validity. We examined the predictive validity by calculating
      several performance indicators (i.e., sensitivity, specificity and the Area Under
      the receiver operating characteristic Curve [AUC]) in a sample of 4692 Dutch
      families with newborns. The outcome measure was a report of child maltreatment at
      Child Protection Services during a follow-up of 3 years. For 17 children (.4%) a
      report of maltreatment was registered. The predictive validity of the IPARAN was
      significantly better than chance (AUC=.700, 95% CI [.567-.832]), in contrast to a
      low value for clinical judgement of nurses of the Youth Health Care Centers
      (AUC=.591, 95% CI [.422-.759]). The combination of the IPARAN and clinical
      judgement resulted in the highest predictive validity (AUC=.720, 95% CI [.593
      .847]), however, the difference between the methods did not reach statistical
      significance. The good predictive validity of the IPARAN in combination with
      clinical judgment of the nurse enables professionals to assess risks at an early
      stage and to make referrals to early intervention programs.

PMID- 28618321
TI  - The crucial role of the micro caregiving environment: Factors associated with
      attachment styles in alternative care in Chile.
AB  - The distribution of attachment styles has been shown to differ between groups of
      children living with their parents and children placed in alternative care (AC),
      defined as residential or foster. However, this is the first study in Latin
      America to explore possible factors affecting the quality of attachment in
      children living in both residential and foster care. Two groups of children
      (N=57) were compared: one group living in Residential Homes (RC) and the other in
      Foster Care (FC) in Chile. Children's, caregivers' and structural factors (e.g.,
      child: caregiver ratios) and their links with attachment styles were
      investigated. The micro caregiving environment (i.e., the specific individual
      child caregiver relationship), especially the caregivers' engagement,
      sensitivity, disciplinary control and affection, as well as some structural
      factors (i.e., child: caregiver ratios), were linked to attachment security in
      children. Specifically, better emotional caregiving and lower child-caregiver
      ratios were associated with higher rates of secure attachment. The association
      between quality of care (as measured by the HOME inventory) and attachment styles
      seems to be influenced by caregiver relationships (as measured by CCSERSS).
      Caregiver relationship factors (i.e., affection, engagement and sensitivity)
      directly impact the quality of the attachment children establish with them while
      living in AC. However, the relationships that caregivers establish with children
      under their care can be facilitated by good quality structural factors,
      particularly child-caregiver ratios.

PMID- 28618322
TI  - Multiple inflammatory markers and 15-year incident ADL disability in admixed
      older adults: The Bambui-Epigen Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ability of inflammatory markers to predict disability in later
      life has received growing attention. However, the current evidence came
      predominantly from Caucasians and the role of genomic ancestry has not been
      investigated. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the prognostic value of multiple
      citokynes and chemokines for incident disability in admixed older Brazilians and
      whether genomic African and Native American ancestry affects the association.
      DESIGN: Population-based longitudinal study. SETTING: The Bambui-Epigen (Brazil)
      Cohort Study of Aging. SUBJECTS: 1171 males and females aged >=60 years over 15
      year of follow-up. METHODS: Outcome examined was incident activity of daily
      living (ADL) disability assessed annually (10,039 measures were performed). Serum
      levels of citokynes (IL6, IL12, TNF, IL10, and IL1beta) and chemokines (CCL2,
      CCL5, CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL10) were measured at baseline. We used 370,539 Single
      Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) to estimate each individual genomic ancestry
      proportions. Potential confounding variables included a wide range of socio
      demographic variables and health indicators. Statistical analyses were based on
      competing risk framework. RESULTS: The incidence rate of disability was 57.9 per
      1000 person-years. IL6 level at the highest quartile showed an independent
      association with ADL disability (SRH=1.32; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.70). Other
      inflammatory markers showed no statistically significant associations with the
      outcome. Neither genomic African nor Native American ancestry had an effect
      modifier on the associations (P for interaction >0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Among
      multi-inflammatory markers, only IL6 had the potential to identify people at
      increased risk of ADL disability, independently of ethno-racial background.

PMID- 28618323
TI  - A systematic review of trends in the selective exclusion of older participant
      from randomised clinical trials.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The unjustified exclusion of older participants from clinical
      trials creates research populations that are non-representative, in turn creating
      difficulties applying research to the target populations. The aim of this study
      was to assess the proportion of randomised control trials (RCTs) that have
      unexplained upper age limits and review whether this proportion is reducing over
      time. METHODS: All RCTs in BMJ, Lancet, JAMA and NEJM from 1998 to 2015 were
      reviewed to identify any specified upper-age cut off and, if so, whether this
      exclusion criterion had an explanation in the text. The proportion of RCTs with
      an unexplained cut off was then correlated over time to look for any changes.
      RESULTS: 5680 papers were identified and 1339 excluded as they did not meet the
      search criteria. Of the remaining 4341 RCTs, 1258 (29%) had upper age limits
      specified, 1168 (92.8%) of which did not have any explanation for this cut off, a
      total of 26.9% of the RCTs reviewed. Over the 18-year period there was limited
      but statistically significant decrease in the proportion of RCTs with unexplained
      upper age limits (Pearson Correlation -0.609, P valve 0.007). CONCLUSION: Despite
      being the highest consumers of medical interventions and medications, this review
      highlights that older patients remain under-represented in clinical trial with
      only modest improvements despite increasing awareness of the problem. Future
      research must continue to adapt to provide insight into the differential effects
      of medical treatments in older patients by ensuring that trial participants are
      representative of the patient population receiving the intended therapy.

PMID- 28618324
TI  - Stem cells: An emerging novel therapeutic for type-1 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Stem cell based strategies are therapeutically potent for treating type-1
      diabetes mellitus owing to their intrinsic regenerative capacity and
      immunomodulatory properties to arrest autoimmune beta-cell destruction, preserve
      residual beta-cell mass, facilitate endogenous regeneration, ameliorate innate/
      alloimmune graft rejection, restore beta-cell-specific unresponsiveness in
      absence of chronic immunosuppression and to reverse hyperglycemia.

PMID- 28618325
TI  - Early short-term intensive multidisciplinary diabetes care: A ten-year follow-up
      of outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcome of an early short-term intensive diabetic
      care program followed by a regular out-patient shared-care education program.
      METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 196 patients newly
      diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who were admitted to the hospital
      for intensive multidisciplinary interventions. For comparison, we also enrolled
      206 patients with type 2 DM newly diagnosed but not receiving short-term
      intensive program. Both groups all attended an out-patient shared-care education
      program for more than one year. Outcome measure included average and standard
      deviation (SD) of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) over ten years, serum creatinine
      (Cr), lipid profile, urine albumin/Cr (UACR), and chronic diabetic complications
      after 10years later. The Kaplan-Meier event happening rates were used to compare
      the event rate of two samples. Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards models were
      used to investigate the influence of different variables on chronic
      complications. RESULTS: Patients who received short-term intensive diabetic
      education had less SD of HbA1cs: (0.7+/-0.7% vs. 1.0+/-0.8% (5.3+/-5.3mmol/mol vs
      9.2+/-6.4mmol/mol), p<0.001), less new-onset coronary heart disease (CHD) (8.2%
      vs. 13.7%, p=0.005), lower serum Cr (1.4+/-0.7mg/dL vs. 1.5+/-0.9mg/dL, p=0.005),
      less progression of nephropathy was also revealed (13.5% vs. 21.2%, p=0.009) and
      lower UACR (4.7+/-1.4mg/g vs. 5.3+/-1.0mg/g, p<0.001). There were no group
      differences in age, gender distribution, average HbA1c, lipid profile, and new
      onset of neuropathy and retinopathy. The independent predictors of CHD and
      nephropathy were short-term intensive diabetic education and SD of HbA1cs.
      CONCLUSION: Initiation of earlier intensive short-term multidisciplinary
      interventions in patients with newly diagnosed DM may decrease coronary heart
      disease and nephropathy. These better outcomes may be related to less fluctuation
      in blood glucose levels.

PMID- 28618326
TI  - Inflammation as target in cancer therapy.
AB  - Cells of the innate immunity infiltrating tumour tissues promote, rather than
      halt, cancer cell proliferation and distant spreading. Tumour-Associated
      Macrophages (TAMs) are abundantly present in the tumour milieu and here trigger
      and perpetrate a state of chronic inflammation which ultimately supports disease
      development and contributes to an immune-suppressive environment. Therapeutic
      strategies to limit inflammatory cells and their products have been successful in
      pre-clinical tumour models. Early clinical trials with specific cytokine and
      chemokine inhibitors, or with strategies designed to target TAMs, are on their
      way in different solid malignancies. Partial clinical responses and stabilization
      of diseases were observed in some patients, in the absence of significant
      toxicity. These encouraging results open new perspectives of combination
      treatments aimed at reducing cancer-promoting inflammation to maximize the anti
      tumour efficacy.

PMID- 28618327
TI  - Long-term antipsychotic and benzodiazepine use and brain volume changes in
      schizophrenia: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 study.
AB  - High doses of antipsychotics have been associated with loss in cortical and total
      gray matter in schizophrenia. However, previous imaging studies have not taken
      benzodiazepine use into account, in spite of evidence suggesting adverse effects
      such as cognitive impairment and increased mortality. In this Northern Finland
      Birth Cohort 1966 study, 69 controls and 38 individuals with schizophrenia
      underwent brain MRI at the ages of 34 and 43 years. At baseline, the average
      illness duration was over 10 years. Brain structures were delineated using an
      automated volumetry system, volBrain, and medication data on cumulative
      antipsychotic and benzodiazepine doses were collected using medical records and
      interviews. We used linear regression with intracranial volume and sex as
      covariates; illness severity was also taken into account. Though both medication
      doses associated to volumetric changes in subcortical structures, after adjusting
      for each other and the average PANSS total score, higher scan-interval
      antipsychotic dose associated only to volume increase in lateral ventricles and
      higher benzodiazepine dose associated with volume decrease in the caudate
      nucleus. To our knowledge, there are no previous studies reporting associations
      between benzodiazepine dose and brain structural changes. Further studies should
      focus on how these observations correspond to cognition and functioning.

PMID- 28618328
TI  - Preparation of a polylactic acid knitting mesh for pelvic floor repair and in
      vivo evaluation.
AB  - The health warning report by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 has
      drawn attention to the need for developing a suitable bio-scaffold for repairing
      female pelvic from disease. This work prepared a pure polylactic acid knitting
      mesh (PPA) and compared its structure and properties with a commercial mesh -
      Surgimesh(r) Prolapse (SP; Aspide Medical, France). Mechanical tests showed that
      the PPA mesh was stronger than SP with higher breaking strength and bursting
      strength. The in vivo property of PPA was evaluated with an animal model. Both
      PPA-tissue and SP-tissue were tested to have lower strength and initial elastic
      modulus; tissue layer played a vital role in the bio-mechanics, especially after
      3 months of implantation. New tissues on the surface of PPA grew faster and
      thicker than that on SP at each observation period. The final shrinkage rate of
      PPA (2.13 +/- 0.41%) was much lower than that of SP (30.35 +/- 1.7%). Obvious
      adhesion phenomenon was observed on both PPA and SP meshes at each test point.
      Two meshes showed different adhesion level, that PPA was assessed of severe
      adhesion, even causing host tissue rupture. By histological evaluation, both PPA
      and SP groups showed obvious tissue inflammation reaction evidenced by rich
      lymphocytes. However the surrounding tissues on the PPA recovered better, with
      higher inflammation response scores and presence of significant vascularization
      and adipogenesis after six months of implantation.

PMID- 28618329
TI  - Therapy of older persons with acute myeloid leukaemia.
AB  - Most persons age>=60 y with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) die from their disease.
      When interpreting clinical trials data from these persons one must be aware of
      substantial selection biases. Randomized trials of post-remission treatments can
      be performed upfront or after achieving defined landmarks. Both strategies have
      important limitations. Selection of the appropriate treatment is critical. Age,
      performance score, co-morbidities and frailty provide useful data to treatment
      selection. If an intensive remission induction therapy is appropriate, therapy
      with cytarabine and an anthracycline is the most common regimen. Non-intensive
      therapies consist of the hypo-methylating drugs azacitidine and decitabine, low
      dose cytarabine and supportive care. Feasibility of doing an allotransplant in
      older persons with AML is increasing. However, only very few qualify. Results of
      cytogenetic testing are risk factor in young and old persons with AML. Adverse
      abnormalities are more frequent in older persons. Although data about the
      frequency of mutations in older persons with AML is increasing their prognostic
      impact is less clear than in younger subjects. Neither differences in the
      distribution of cytogenetic risk, mutations, nor differences in clinical risk
      factors between younger and older persons with AML completely explain the age
      dependent outcome. Many drugs are in clinical development in older persons with
      AML. Their potential role in the treatment of older persons with AML remains to
      be defined.

PMID- 28618330
TI  - Improvements in self-curing composites.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the influence of a barbituric acid
      derivative acting as a catalyst and small amounts of pyrolytic silica in acrylic
      resins on color stability, solubility and sorption of a composite. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A series of two-component powder/liquid resin systems were prepared.
      Monomer-like mixtures (bis-GMA, TEGDMA, tertiary amine 60/40) and a quartz powder
      with additions of various silica and barbituric acid derivatives were used.
      Temperature of the material during polymerization was measured with the use of a
      thermometer. In addition, the material's flexural and compressive strength,
      sorption and solubility were tested pursuant to ISO4049:2009. RESULTS: The powder
      based acrylic composition in a liquid mixed immediately before use, after an
      addition of a 0.5% barbituric acid derivative, has a lower temperature during the
      polymerization process (a reduction from 43 degrees C to 37 degrees C), whereas
      color stability over time is improved, with DeltaE=1.81 for samples of powder
      mixtures containing between 0.45% of BPO and 0.15% of barbituric acid
      derivatives. For silanized quartz powder with 0.55% BPO and 0.1% BA+0.5% Aerosil
      R711, the obtained sorption value was 4.57+/-0.22MUg/mm3, whereas solubility was
      1.60+/-0.32MUg/mm3. CONCLUSIONS: New catalytic system with barbituric acid
      derivative, improves color stability for samples stored at room condition and
      under light of high intensity. A two-phase composite (bis GMA TEGDMA/Quartz),
      with a new catalytic system with barbituric acid derivatives, has a lower self
      cured temperature. Adding a small quantity of hydrophobic silica (0.5%) has a
      significant influence, with reduced sorption and solubility of the material.

PMID- 28618331
TI  - Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Namibian healthcare providers' perceptions and
      frustrations.
AB  - PURPOSE: Most studies conducted on the diagnosis and treatment of psychogenic
      nonepileptic seizures (PNES) have been performed in developed countries with
      developing countries, such as Namibia, receiving less attention. This study aimed
      to contribute to the aims of The International League against Epilepsy
      Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizure Task Force by investigating the perceptions and
      frustrations of healthcare providers (HCPs) in Namibia regarding the diagnosis
      and treatment of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. METHODS: Semi-structured
      interviews were conducted with fifteen HCPs from the private healthcare sector in
      Namibia. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the semi-structured interviews in
      order to identify themes and subthemes within the data. RESULTS: Main themes
      centred on the areas of diagnosis, treatment, patients and awareness. It was
      found that HCPs' perceptions and frustrations were often related to the lack of
      knowledge and awareness regarding the disorder. Furthermore, the lack of access
      to specialized services and equipment contributed to HCPs' frustrations. Delays
      in the diagnosis of PNES added to HCPs' concerns regarding ineffective referral
      practices and the subsequent increase in healthcare costs. Although HCPs
      expressed the need for adequate training opportunities and increased awareness
      concerning the disorder, the lack of such opportunities and awareness campaigns
      were identified as possible problem areas. CONCLUSIONS: It was evident from the
      findings that there are several gaps in how PNES are diagnosed and treated in
      Namibia. The unique challenges faced by a developing country such as Namibia were
      evident in some of the subthemes that highlighted the cultural differences in how
      PNES are conceptualized and treated.

PMID- 28618332
TI  - Brief report: Trait emotional intelligence, peer nominations, and scholastic
      achievement in adolescence.
AB  - Current research on trait EI in adolescents suggests that the construct impacts
      on several important domains of youths' psychological functioning, including
      school adjustment and achievement. The purpose of this study is to explore the
      role of trait EI and of its subcomponents, on adolescent's academic achievement.
      Data were collected from 321 Italian adolescents (162 female; Mage = 15.5, SD =
      1.86; aged 13-18 years) recruited from secondary schools. The effects of
      perceived and actual peer nominations, gender, personality dimensions, and non
      verbal cognitive abilities were also controlled. Results highlight that trait EI
      as assessed by means of the TEIQue impacts Italian but not math's grades, while
      trait EI's factors predicted both academic subjects, with significant
      contributions of Self-Control and Sociability. Limitations and implications are
      discussed.

PMID- 28618333
TI  - DNA polymerases and biotechnological applications.
AB  - A multitude of biotechnological techniques used in basic research as well as in
      clinical diagnostics on an everyday basis depend on DNA polymerases and their
      intrinsic capability to replicate DNA strands with astoundingly high fidelity.
      Applications with fundamental importance to modern molecular biology, including
      the polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing, would not be feasible without
      the advances made in characterizing these enzymes over the course of the last 60
      years. Nonetheless, the still growing application scope of DNA polymerases
      necessitates the identification of novel enzymes with tailor-made properties. In
      the recent past, DNA polymerases optimized for diverse PCR and sequencing
      applications as well as enzymes that accept a variety of unnatural substrates for
      the synthesis and reverse transcription of modified nucleic acids have been
      developed.

PMID- 28618334
TI  - Comprehensive modelling and simulation of cylindrical nanoparticles manipulation
      by using a virtual reality environment.
AB  - With the expansion of nanotechnology, robots based on atomic force microscope
      (AFM) have been widely used as effective tools for displacing nanoparticles and
      constructing nanostructures. One of the most limiting factors in AFM-based
      manipulation procedures is the inability of simultaneously observing the
      controlled pushing and displacing of nanoparticles while performing the
      operation. To deal with this limitation, a virtual reality environment has been
      used in this paper for observing the manipulation operation. In the simulations
      performed in this paper, first, the images acquired by the atomic force
      microscope have been processed and the positions and dimensions of nanoparticles
      have been determined. Then, by dynamically modelling the transfer of
      nanoparticles and simulating the critical force-time diagrams, a controlled
      displacement of nanoparticles has been accomplished. The simulations have been
      further developed for the use of rectangular, V-shape and dagger-shape
      cantilevers. The established virtual reality environment has made it possible to
      simulate the manipulation of biological particles in a liquid medium.

PMID- 28618335
TI  - Specific interactions between zinc metalloproteinase and its inhibitors: Ab
      initio fragment molecular orbital calculations.
AB  - Bacteria secrete the enzyme pseudolysin (PLN) to degrade exocellular proteins,
      and the produced peptides are used as a nutrient for the bacteria. It is thus
      expected that inhibition of PLN can suppress bacterial growth. Since such
      inhibitors do not attack to bacteria directly, the risk of producing drug
      resistance bacteria is less. However, endogenous proteinases such as the matrix
      metalloproteinases (MMPs) have active site similar to that of PLN, and there is a
      possibility that PLN inhibitors also inhibit the activity of MMPs, resulting in a
      loss of substrate degradation by these proteinases. Therefore, agents that
      inhibit the activity of only PLN and not MMPs are required. In the present study,
      we select two compounds (ARP101 and LM2) and investigate their specific
      interactions with PLN and MMPs by use of ab initio molecular simulations. Based
      on the results, we propose several novel compounds as candidates for potent PLN
      inhibition and investigate their binding properties with PLN, elucidating that
      the compound, in which a toluene group is introduced into LM2, has larger binding
      energy with PLN compared with the pristine LM2. Therefore, this compound is
      suggested to be a potent PLN inhibitor.

PMID- 28618336
TI  - Left ventricle Hermite-based segmentation.
AB  - In recent years, computed tomography (CT) has become a standard technique in
      cardiac imaging because it provides detailed information that may facilitate the
      diagnosis of the conditions that interfere with correct heart function. However,
      CT-based cardiac diagnosis requires manual segmentation of heart cavities, which
      is a difficult and time-consuming task. Thus, in this paper, we propose a novel
      technique to segment endocardium and epicardium boundaries based on a 2D
      approach. The proposal computes relevant information of the left ventricle and
      its adjacent structures using the Hermite transform. The novelty of the work is
      that the information is combined with active shape models and level sets to
      improve the segmentation. Our database consists of mid-third slices selected from
      28 volumes manually segmented by expert physicians. The segmentation is assessed
      using Dice coefficient and Hausdorff distance. In addition, we introduce a novel
      metric called Ray Feature error to evaluate our method. The results show that the
      proposal accurately discriminates cardiac tissue. Thus, it may be a useful tool
      for supporting heart disease diagnosis and tailoring treatments.

PMID- 28618337
TI  - Biomechanical study of different fixation techniques for the treatment of
      sacroiliac joint injuries using finite element analyses and biomechanical tests.
AB  - The pelvis is one of the most stressed areas of the human musculoskeletal system
      due to the transfer of truncal loads to the lower extremities. Sacroiliac joint
      injury may lead to abnormal joint mechanics and an unstable pelvis. Various
      fixation techniques have been evaluated and discussed. However, it may be
      difficult to investigate each technique due to variations in bone quality, bone
      anatomy, fracture pattern, and fixation location. Additionally, the finite
      element method is one useful technology that avoids these variations.
      Unfortunately, most previous studies neglected the effects of the lumbar spine
      and femurs when they investigated the biomechanics of pelvises. Thus, the aim of
      this study was to investigate the biomechanical performance of intact, injured,
      and treated pelvises using numerical and experimental approaches. Three
      dimensional finite element models of the spine-pelvis-femur complex with and
      without muscles and ligaments were developed. The intact pelvis, the pelvis with
      sacroiliac joint injury, and three types of pelvic fixation techniques were
      analyzed. Concurrently, biomechanical tests were conducted to validate the
      numerical outcomes using artificial pelvises. Posterior iliosacral screw fixation
      showed relatively better fixation stability and lower risks of implant failure
      and pelvic breakage than sacral bar fixation and a locking compression plate
      fixation. The present study can help surgeons and engineers understand the
      biomechanics of intact, injured, and treated pelvises. Both the simulation
      technique and the experimental setup can be applied to investigate different
      pelvic injuries.

PMID- 28618338
TI  - MarkoLAB: A simulator to study ionic channel's stochastic behavior.
AB  - : Mathematical models of the cardiac cell have started to include markovian
      representations of the ionic channels instead of the traditional Hodgkin & Huxley
      formulations. There are many reasons for this: Markov models are not restricted
      to the idea of independent gates defining the channel, they allow more complex
      description with specific transitions between open, closed or inactivated states,
      and more importantly those states can be closely related to the underlying
      channel structure and conformational changes. METHODS: We used the LabVIEW(r) and
      MATLAB(r) programs to implement the simulator MarkoLAB that allow a dynamical 3D
      representation of the markovian model of the channel. The Monte Carlo simulation
      was used to implement the stochastic transitions among states. The user can
      specify the voltage protocol by setting the holding potential, the step-to
      voltage and the duration of the stimuli. RESULTS: The most studied feature of a
      channel is the current flowing through it. This happens when the channel stays in
      the open state, but most of the time, as revealed by the low open probability
      values, the channel remains on the inactive or closed states. By focusing only
      when the channel enters or leaves the open state we are missing most of its
      activity. MarkoLAB proved to be quite useful to visualize the whole behavior of
      the channel and not only when the channel produces a current. Such dynamic
      representation provides more complete information about channel kinetics and will
      be a powerful tool to demonstrate the effect of gene mutations or drugs on the
      channel function. CONCLUSIONS: MarkoLAB provides an original way of visualizing
      the stochastic behavior of a channel. It clarifies concepts, such as recovery
      from inactivation, calcium- versus voltage-dependent inactivation, and tail
      currents. It is not restricted to ionic channels only but it can be extended to
      other transporters, such as exchangers and pumps. This program is intended as a
      didactical tool to illustrate the dynamical behavior of a channel. It has been
      implemented in two platforms MATLAB(r) and LabVIEW(r) to enhance the target users
      of this new didactical tool. The computational cost of implementing a stochastic
      simulation is within the range of a personal computer performance; making
      MarkoLAB suitable to be run during a lecture or presentation.

PMID- 28618339
TI  - HPLC-MS/MS method for troventol determination in human plasma and its application
      to biological samples.
AB  - For the first time, an HPLC-MS/MS method for the determination pmol/l levels of
      troventol (TRV) and clenbuterol as an internal standard (IS) in human plasma was
      developed, validated and tested on biological samples. The method included solid
      phase extraction by Waters Oasis WCX cartridges and chromatographic separation on
      a YMC-Pack SIL (100mm*2.1mm, 5MUm, 12nm) analytical column with acetonitrile
      water-formic acid (50:50:0.1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase; the selected ion
      transitions were m/z 332.2->138.2 and m/z 277.0->203.1 for TRV and IS,
      respectively, in positive ionization mode. The calibration curve for TRV showed
      good linearity in the concentration range of 35-500pg/ml. The method was applied
      to real samples taken from healthy subjects after inhalation of an aerosol
      containing 640MUg of TRV.

PMID- 28618340
TI  - Fast and efficient zirconia-based reversed phase chromatography for selective
      determination of triptans in rat plasma.
AB  - Selective and fast chromatographic method was essential for the determination of
      triptans, selective serotonin receptor (5-HT1) agonists, in biological specimens.
      However, selective chromatographic separation of these highly basic drugs is a
      challenging problem on silica-based stationary phases. Zirconia-based stationary
      phases have been introduced as an efficient alternative for silica-based columns
      offering unique stability, selectivity, and retention ability for various classes
      of drugs. Herein, a new selective, fast and reproducible high performance liquid
      chromatographic method (HPLC) was developed and validated for the determination
      of four triptans in plasma samples namely; Sumatriptan (SMT), Zolmitriptan (ZLT),
      Eletriptan (ELT) and Rizatriptan (RZT). Zirconia-based polybutadiene (PBD) column
      was used for the separation and quantitation of the studied triptans in rat
      plasma based on mixed mode ion exchange and reversed phase chromatography.
      Zirconia-PBD column (ZirChrom-PBD) has enhanced chemical and thermal stability,
      selectivity and provides high resolution for the investigated triptans in short
      analysis time compared with the commonly used C18 columns. A simple isocratic
      separation mode was used with a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 10mM
      phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 3.0 (20:80; v/v) at flow rate 1.0mLmin-1. The
      column was maintained at 50 degrees C and effluent was monitored by photodiode
      array detector (PDA). The developed method was validated in agreement with US-FDA
      guidelines and was appropriate for analysis of triptans in plasma samples. The
      linearity range obtained for the developed HPLC method was 15-2000ngmL-1 with
      detection limits of 4.8- 6.2ngmL-1 for all the studied triptans. The developed
      zirchonia-PBD-HPLC method was applied successfully to study the pharmacokinetics
      of ZLT in rats after a single oral dose. The method was proved to be valuable for
      therapeutic drug monitoring and bioavailability studies of the studied triptans.

PMID- 28618341
TI  - Analytical profiling of selected antioxidants and total antioxidant capacity of
      goji (Lycium spp.) berries.
AB  - Goji berries and derived products represent a relevant source of micronutrients,
      most of which are natural antioxidants and contribute to the high nutritional
      quality of these fruits. Three brands of dried goji berries have been analysed by
      a multidisciplinary approach to get an insight into both their content of
      selected antioxidants and their antioxidant capacity (AC). The former goal has
      been achieved by developing a liquid chromatographic method coupled to mass
      spectrometry and combined to a fast solid phase extraction. Several significant
      representative antioxidant compounds belonging to the following classes:
      flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, phenolic acids, amino acids and derivatives, and
      carotenoids have been taken into account. Quercetin and rutin were found to be
      the predominant flavonoids, chlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid
      and zeaxanthin was the major carotenoid. The AC of the goji berries has been
      evaluated by four analytical methods in order to estimate the contributions of
      different reactions involved in radicals scavenging. In particular, AC has been
      determined using 3 standardised methods (DPPH, ABTS, ORAC) and a recently
      proposed electrochemical method, which measures the scavenging activity of
      antioxidants towards OH radicals generated both by hydrogen peroxide photolysis
      and the Fenton reaction. The results obtained from chemical composition and
      antioxidant capacity assays confirm the high nutritional and commercial value of
      goji berries and highlight that the three brands do not exhibit significant
      differences.

PMID- 28618342
TI  - Monitoring breast cancer treatment using a Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy-based computational model.
AB  - Breast cancer affects one in four women, therefore, the search for new diagnostic
      technologies and therapeutic approaches is of critical importance. This involves
      the development of diagnostic tools to facilitate the detection of cancer cells,
      which is useful for assessing the efficacy of cancer therapies. One of the major
      challenges for chemotherapy is the lack of tools to monitor efficacy during the
      course of treatment. Vibrational spectroscopy appears to be a promising tool for
      such a purpose, as it yields Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) spectra which
      can be used to provide information on the chemical composition of the tissue.
      Previous research by our group has demonstrated significant differences between
      the infrared spectra of healthy, cancerous and post-chemotherapy breast tissue.
      Furthermore, the results obtained for three extreme patient cases revealed that
      the infrared spectra of post-chemotherapy breast tissue closely resembles that of
      healthy breast tissue when chemotherapy is effective (i.e., a good therapeutic
      response is achieved), or that of cancerous breast tissue when chemotherapy is
      ineffective. In the current study, we compared the infrared spectra of healthy,
      cancerous and post-chemotherapy breast tissue. Characteristic parameters were
      designated for the obtained spectra, spreading the function of absorbance using
      the Kramers-Kronig transformation and the best fit procedure to obtain Lorentz
      functions, which represent components of the bands. The Lorentz function
      parameters were used to develop a physics-based computational model to verify the
      efficacy of a given chemotherapy protocol in a given case. The results obtained
      using this model reflected the actual patient data retrieved from medical records
      (health improvement or no improvement). Therefore, we propose this model as a
      useful tool for monitoring the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with breast
      cancer.

PMID- 28618343
TI  - Design, synthesis, immunocytochemistry evaluation, and molecular docking
      investigation of several 4-aminopyridine derivatives as potential neuroprotective
      agents for treating Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Neuroprotection refers to the relative preservation of neuronal structure and
      function. Neuroprotective agents refer to substances that are capable of
      preserving brain function and structure. Currently, there are no neuroprotective
      agents available that can effectively relieve the progression of Parkinson's
      disease. In this work, five novel 4-aminopyridine derivatives, including three
      amides and two ureas, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated using the rat
      PC12 mice pheochromocytoma cell line as an in vitro model. As well as human Rho
      kinase inhibitory experiment was performed. Among them, compound 3, which
      exhibited high cell viability, low cytotoxicity and good efficacy of inhibition
      on alpha-synuclein, oxidation, inflammation and Rho kinase, was profound as
      potential agents for Parkinson's disease (PD).

PMID- 28618344
TI  - Developmental mechanism of muscle-tendon-bone complex in the fetal soft palate.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to investigate how the palatine aponeurosis,
      medial pterygoid process (MPP) of the sphenoid bone, and tensor veli palatini
      (TVP) muscle form the pulley: muscle-tendon-bone complex. DESIGN: Mice at
      embryonic day (ED) 14-17 were used as sample in this study. Azan staining was
      performed to observe the morphology, and immunohistochemical staining of desmin
      was performed to closely observe the development of the myotendinous junction. To
      confirm the bone formation process, immunohistochemical staining of type II
      collagen (col II), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and alkaline
      phosphatase (ALP) staining were performed. Furthermore, to objectively evaluate
      bone formation, the major axis and width of the MPP were measured, and
      osteoclasts that appeared in the MPP were counted. RESULTS: At ED 14 and 14.5,
      ALP showed a reaction throughout the MPP. The col II-positive area expanded until
      ED 16.5, but it was markedly reduced at ED 17. The TVP initially contacted with
      the palatine aponeurosis at ED 16.5. The major axis and width of the MPP and the
      number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts were significantly increased as the TVP and
      palatine aponeurosis joined. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, in addition to the tissue
      units: muscle, tendon, and bone, the interaction in organogenesis promotes rapid
      growth of the pulley: muscle-tendon-bone complex.

PMID- 28618345
TI  - A NIR-controlled cage mimicking system for hydrophobic drug mediated cancer
      therapy.
AB  - Most chemotherapeutic drugs commonly suffer from several shortcomings, including
      the lack of aqueous solubility, limited stability and adverse side effects.
      Although caging strategy has recently been employed as an effective approach to
      conceal and stabilize these drugs to achieve light-activated cancer therapy, it
      is plagued by the sophisticated drug modification process and deleterious solvent
      usage. In addition, using UV or Visible light to remove photocaged group is
      restricted to its limited tissue penetration ability in and phototoxicity. In
      this paper, by anchoring photochromic spiropyran on the mesoporous silica coated
      upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP-SP), we design a NIR-controlled cage mimicking
      system. Our results indicate that hydrophobic drug can be concealed inside the
      channels of the nanocarrier with high stability and "uncaged" via NIR irradiation
      triggered hydrophobicity-hydrophilicity switch of the spiropyran molecules,
      finally inducing drug release and recovering their bioactivity. Moreover, under
      NIR illumination, the UV/Visible emissions from UCNP can also efficaciously
      initiate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by Curcumin, further
      improving the therapeutic efficiency. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental
      results validate that NIR irradiated nanosystem can produce remarkably enhanced
      antitumor efficiency.

PMID- 28618347
TI  - Biodegradation and biocompatibility of haloarchaea-produced poly(3
      hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) copolymers.
AB  - We previously reported that the tailor-made random poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3
      hydroxyvalerate) (R-PHBHV) and higher-order PHBHV (O-PHBHV) produced by
      haloarchaea possessed unique material properties to meet biomedical application
      specific requirements. Here, we further investigated the biocompatibility and
      biodegradation of these novel materials. Cell biocompatibility of solution-cast
      films, assessed using rat fibroblast and osteoblast cells, revealed that R-PHBHV
      and O-PHBHV exhibited better support for cell attachment and proliferation
      compared with the bacteria-produced poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and PHBHV or
      polylactic acid (PLA). In vitro and in vivo biodegradation of these materials
      were evaluated in lipase-containing phosphate buffered solution (LPBS) at pH 7.4
      and by implantation in the rabbit dorsal subcutis, respectively. As expected, the
      R-PHBHV and O-PHBHV films degraded much faster in vivo than those observed in
      vitro, as demonstrated by obvious weight loss, heavy surface erosion, and fast
      molecular weight drop under implantation condition. These films showed diverse in
      vivo degradation rates. Among them, the O-PHBHV-1 film degraded fastest and even
      faster than PLA. Generally, the tissue response was mild for R-PHBHV and O-PHBHV
      compared with the controls during the implantation period. Taken together, these
      data revealed that R-PHBHV and O-PHBHV copolyesters had a wild range of
      biodegradation profiles and excellent biocompatibility. Thus, haloarchaea
      produced PHBHV materials would have great potential for use in different
      biomedical applications.

PMID- 28618348
TI  - Ultrasound-sensitive nanoparticle aggregates for targeted drug delivery.
AB  - Here we describe injectable, ultrasound (US)-responsive, nanoparticle aggregates
      (NPAs) that disintegrate into slow-release, nanoscale, drug delivery systems,
      which can be targeted to selective sites by applying low-energy US locally. We
      show that, unlike microbubble based drug carriers which may suffer from stability
      problems, the properties of mechanical activated NPAs, composed of polymer
      nanoparticles, can be tuned by properly adjusting the polymer molecular weight,
      the size of the nanoparticle precursors as well as the percentage of excipient
      utilized to hold the NPA together. We then apply this concept to practice by
      fabricating NPAs composed of nanoparticles loaded with Doxorubicin (Dox) and
      tested their ability to treat tumors via ultrasound activation. Mouse studies
      demonstrated significantly increased efficiency of tumor targeting of the US
      activated NPAs compared to PLGA nanoparticle controls (with or without US
      applied) or intact NPAs. Importantly, when the Dox-loaded NPAs were injected and
      exposed to US energy locally, this increased ability to concentrate nanoparticles
      at the tumor site resulted in a significantly greater reduction in tumor volume
      compared to tumors treated with a 20-fold higher dose of the free drug.

PMID- 28618346
TI  - Structural analysis of photocrosslinkable methacryloyl-modified protein
      derivatives.
AB  - Biochemically modified proteins have attracted significant attention due to their
      widespread applications as biomaterials. For instance, chemically modified
      gelatin derivatives have been widely explored to develop hydrogels for tissue
      engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Among the reported methods,
      modification of gelatin with methacrylic anhydride (MA) stands out as a
      convenient and efficient strategy to introduce functional groups and form
      hydrogels via photopolymerization. Combining light-activation of modified gelatin
      with soft lithography has enabled the materialization of microfabricated
      hydrogels. So far, this gelatin derivative has been referred to in the literature
      as gelatin methacrylate, gelatin methacrylamide, or gelatin methacryloyl, with
      the same abbreviation of GelMA. Considering the complex composition of gelatin
      and the presence of different functional groups on the amino acid residues, both
      hydroxyl groups and amine groups can possibly react with methacrylic anhydride
      during functionalization of the protein. This can also apply to the modification
      of other proteins, such as recombinant human tropoelastin to form MA-modified
      tropoelastin (MeTro). Here, we employed analytical methods to quantitatively
      determine the amounts of methacrylate and methacrylamide groups in MA-modified
      gelatin and tropoelastin to better understand the reaction mechanism. By
      combining two chemical assays with instrumental techniques, such as proton
      nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and liquid chromatography tandem-mass
      spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), our results indicated that while amine groups had higher
      reactivity than hydroxyl groups and resulted in a majority of methacrylamide
      groups, modification of proteins by MA could lead to the formation of both
      methacrylamide and methacrylate groups. It is therefore suggested that the
      standard terms for GelMA and MeTro should be defined as gelatin methacryloyl and
      methacryloyl-substituted tropoelastin, respectively, to remain consistent with
      the widespread abbreviations used in literature.

PMID- 28618349
TI  - Management of parotid duct injury secondary to cow horn in a developing country.
AB  - Stensen duct injury has been reported in the medical literature following
      penetrating injuries of the cheek or by exeresis of tumors of the cheek or of the
      oral mucosa. This type of physical trauma often arises from injuries as a result
      being assaulted (e.g. with knife) or from road accidents. The complexity of the
      damage to the anatomical structures and the causative agent sometimes makes the
      diagnosis difficult. We report on a clinical case of managemenent Stensen duct
      injury secondary of goring by a cow horn.

PMID- 28618350
TI  - Minimally invasive appendectomy for resection of appendiceal mucocele: Case
      series and review of the literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Appendiceal mucoceles encompass neoplastic and non-neoplastic
      causes of a distended Appendix filled with mucus. Appendectomy is recommended
      when an appendiceal mucocele is identified, incidentally or otherwise, in the
      event it is secondary to a malignancy. For an intact mucocele, it is critically
      important to avoid rupturing the mucocele during resection, as rupture of a
      neoplastic mucocele can result in pseudomyxoma peritonei, or mucin deposits in
      the peritoneum, which is associated with long-term morbidity and mortality. For
      this reason, laparotomy is the traditionally recommended surgical approach for
      treatment. PRESENTATION OF CASES: In our case series, we describe two patients, a
      49-year-old woman and a 79-year-old man, with incidentally identified appendiceal
      mucoceles. These patients were successfully treated with minimally invasive
      approaches to appendectomy, one with a robotic approach and one with a hand
      assisted laparoscopic approach. The mucoceles were removed without rupture, and
      both patients recovered well postoperatively without complication. DISCUSSION:
      While laparotomy is the traditionally recommended surgical approach for resection
      of appendiceal mucoceles, certain minimally invasive techniques allow for safe
      removal of the mucoceles while minimizing the morbidity of laparotomy.
      CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive approaches to appendenctomy, specifically the
      robotic-assisted approach and the hand-assisted laparoscopic approach, can be
      considered for safe resection of appendiceal mucoceles.

PMID- 28618352
TI  - Spectrum average cross section measurement of 183W (n, p)183Ta and 184W (n,
      p)184Ta reaction cross section in 252Cf(sf) neutron field.
AB  - Neutron induced nuclear reactions are of prime importance for both fusion and
      fission nuclear reactor technology. Present work describes the first time
      measurement of spectrum average cross section of nuclear reactions 183W(n,p)183Ta
      and 184W(n,p)184Ta using 252Cf spontaneous fission neutron source. Standard
      neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique was used. The neutron spectra were
      calculated using Monte Carlo N Particle Code (MCNP). The effects of self
      shielding and back scattering were taken into account by optimizing the detector
      modeling. These effects along with efficiency of detector were corrected for
      volume sample in the actual source-detector geometry. The measured data were
      compared with the previously measured data available in Exchange Format (EXFOR)
      data base and evaluated data using EMPIRE - 3.2.2.

PMID- 28618351
TI  - Structure of IP3R channel: high-resolution insights from cryo-EM.
AB  - Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) are ubiquitously expressed
      intracellular Ca2+ channels and the major mediators of cellular Ca2+ signals
      generated by the release of Ca2+ ions from intracellular stores in response to a
      variety of extracellular stimuli. Despite established physiological significance
      and proven involvements of IP3R channels in many human diseases, detailed
      structural basis for signal detection by these ion channels and their gating
      remain obscure. Recently, single particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) has
      yielded a long-awaited near-atomic resolution structure of the entire full-length
      type 1 IP3R. This structure provided exciting mechanistic insights into the
      molecular assembly of IP3R, revealing the pronounced structural conservation of
      Ca2+ release channels and raising many fundamental and controversial questions on
      their activation and gating. Here we summarize the major technological advances
      that propelled our cryo-EM analysis of IP3R to near-atomic resolution and discuss
      what the future holds for structural biology of Ca2+ release channels.

PMID- 28618353
TI  - Another look at the safety effects of horizontal curvature on rural two-lane
      highways.
AB  - Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) are used to represent the effects on crashes of
      changes to highway design elements and are usually obtained from observational
      studies based on reported crashes. The design element of interest for this paper
      is horizontal curvature on rural 2-lane highways. The data for this study came
      from the Washington State database in the Highway Safety Information System
      (HSIS). Crash prediction models are developed for curve sections on rural 2-lane
      highway and the tangent sections up- and down-stream of the curve sections.
      Different negative binomial models were developed for segments on level grades
      (<3%), moderate grades (3-6%), and steep grades (>6%) to account for the
      confounding effects of gradient. The relationships between crashes at different
      traffic volumes and deflection angles are explored to illustrate how to get
      estimates of CMFs for increases in the minimum radius, considering the effect of
      increased tangent length for sharper curves, an effect that is overlooked in the
      Highway Safety Manual CMF, in addition to the effect of gradient. The results of
      that exploration indicated that even at different design speeds and deflection
      angles, the CMF estimates for incremental increases in radius lie within the same
      range, and that the crash reduction rate (CRR) is higher at segments on higher
      grades compared to the ones on lower grades.

PMID- 28618354
TI  - Canadian drivers' attitudes regarding preventative responses to driving while
      impaired by alcohol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In many jurisdictions, a risk assessment following a first driving
      while impaired (DWI) offence is used to guide administrative decision making
      regarding driver relicensing. Decision error in this process has important
      consequences for public security on one hand, and the social and economic well
      being of drivers on the other. Decision theory posits that consideration of the
      costs and benefits of decision error is needed, and in the public health context,
      this should include community attitudes. The objective of the present study was
      to clarify whether Canadians prefer decision error that: i) better protects the
      public (i.e., false positives); or ii) better protects the offender (i.e., false
      negatives). METHODS: A random sample of male and female adult drivers (N=1213)
      from the five most populated regions of Canada was surveyed on drivers'
      preference for a protection of the public approach versus a protection of DWI
      drivers approach in resolving assessment decision error, and the relative value
      (i.e., value ratio) they imparted to both approaches. The role of region, sex and
      age on drivers' value ratio were also appraised. RESULTS: Seventy percent of
      Canadian drivers preferred a protection of the public from DWI approach, with the
      overall relative ratio given to this preference, compared to the alternative
      protection of the driver approach, being 3:1. Females expressed a significantly
      higher value ratio (M=3.4, SD=3.5) than males (M=3.0, SD=3.4), p<0.05. Regression
      analysis showed that both days of alcohol use in the past 30days (CI for B: 
      0.07, -0.02) and frequency of driving over legal BAC limits in the past year (CI
      for B=-0.19, -0.01) were significantly but modestly related to lower value
      ratios, R2(adj.)=0.014, p<0.001. Regional differences were also detected.
      CONCLUSIONS: Canadian drivers strongly favour a protection of the public approach
      to dealing with uncertainty in assessment, even at the risk of false positives.
      Accounting for community attitudes concerning DWI prevention and the individual
      differences that influence them could contribute to more informed, coherent and
      effective regional policies and prevention program development.

PMID- 28618355
TI  - Chemical constituents from the fruits of Ligustrum japonicum and their inhibitory
      effects on T cell activation.
AB  - A previously undescribed nor-dammarane, 3beta,20,23-trihydroxy-24,25,26,27
      tetranordammarane; three previously undescribed secoiridoid glycosides,
      ligujaponosides A-B, and iso-oleonuzhenide; and twenty three known compounds,
      were isolated from the fruits of Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. Their chemical
      structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, including 1D and
      2D NMR, and HRMS. The isolated compounds were screened for immunosuppressive
      effects on T activated cells by evaluating interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. Among
      them, sesamin inhibited IL-2 production in Jurkat T cells with an IC50 value of
      38 +/- 2 MUM. In addition, sesamin inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular
      signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), a member of the mitogen-activated protein
      kinase (MAPK) family, in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/A23187-stimulated
      T cells. Therefore, sesamin was demonstrated to inhibit T cell activation via
      regulation of MAPK phosphorylation pathway.

PMID- 28618356
TI  - Developmental neurotoxic effects of graphene oxide exposure in zebrafish larvae
      (Danio rerio).
AB  - Although graphene oxide (GO), a nanomaterial with hexagonal planar layer, has
      been widely studied due to its applications in neurobiology that include drug
      delivery and tissue engineering, additional studies to assess its potential toxic
      effects are still needed. Thus, this study evaluated the effects of GO exposure
      (at 5, 10, 50 or 100mg/L) during six consecutive days on mortality, hatching,
      spontaneous movement, heart rate, morphology, locomotion behavior,
      acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, dopamine levels and relative gene
      expression of developmental neurology-related genes using zebrafish larvae. In
      the 5mg/L dose, synapsin IIa expression up-regulation was seen concomitantly with
      down-regulation of dat expression, showing a potential compensatory mechanism.
      Moreover, the 10mg/L exposure caused an increase in heart rate, in absolute turn
      angle, brain cell damage and a decrease in dopamine levels. These alterations may
      be associated with autophagosome formation found in GO-exposed larval brain. No
      changes were observed on higher doses of GO exposure, probably due to
      nanomaterial agglomeration. Taken together, these results show that toxic effects
      of GO exposure are not dose-dependent, and are preeminent in lower
      concentrations. Additional studies are needed to deepen the specific mechanisms
      of GO neurotoxicity and are required to elucidate its potential biomedical use.

PMID- 28618357
TI  - Visualisation study on Pseudomonas migulae AN-1 transport in saturated porous
      media.
AB  - Influence of granular size and groundwater flow rate on transport of Pseudomonas
      migulae AN-1 in saturated porous media was non-invasively and visually
      investigated with a novel imaging technique based on our previously established
      green fluorescent protein-tagging approach. AN-1 was transported faster than
      water was. The finer the media were, the greater the enhancement of bacterial
      velocity was. Mass recovery (MR) increased, while deposition rate coefficient
      (Kc) decreased, with increasing granular size. Similar and linear trends of MR
      and Kc, respectively, were quantitatively observed with increasing water flow
      rate. The images revealed that the initial shape of bacterial plume after
      injection was a narrow strip along the injection well and an ellipsoid in the
      lower part of the injection well in medium and coarse sand, respectively.
      Bacterial plume migrated horizontally in medium sand, but shifted slightly
      downward in coarse sand. Under similar conditions, the fluorescent area carrying
      AN-1 in medium sand was larger than that carrying AN-1 in coarse sand during the
      same period. The visualisation method of this study captured both the movement of
      free-state and retained bacteria that adhered to sediments. A continuous
      biological zone composed of planktonic and retained AN-1 was observed. These
      findings are significant for actual bioremediation.

PMID- 28618358
TI  - Identifying structural characteristics of humic acid to static and dynamic
      fluorescence quenching of phenanthrene, 9-phenanthrol, and naphthalene.
AB  - Fluorescence quenching is a sensitive and fast method to quantify the
      interactions between a fluorescent organic contaminant and a quencher, such as
      dissolved organic matter (DOM). Dynamic fluorescence quenching is resulted from
      molecular collision, not the real binding, and thus it complicates the binding
      data interpretation. On the other hand, static fluorescence quenching occurs for
      fluorescent contaminants of ground states, which decreases the concentration of
      freely dissolved contaminants. However, how a particular structure in DOM
      contributes to the static and dynamic fluorescence quenching of a fluorescent
      contaminant is still unclear, which has greatly hindered the application of
      fluorescence quenching technique. A humic acid (HA) extracted from sediment was
      chemically modified, i.e., bleaching, acid hydrolysis, and decarboxylation. HAs
      before and after these modifications were used in fluorescence quenching
      experiments for phenanthrene (PHE), 9-phenanthrol (PTR) and naphthalene (NAP).
      Different quenching mechanisms were observed for these chemicals depending on HA
      properties. For PHE and NAP, aromatic components showed static quenching, while
      carboxyl groups primarily showed dynamic quenching. Aromatic components and
      carbohydrates in HAs primarily bound (static quenching) rather than collided
      (dynamic quenching) with PTR. Carboxyl groups showed interactions with PTR
      through dynamic quenching only when carboxyl groups were on the benzene ring.
      Based on the results, we emphasized that dynamic quenching should be carefully
      excluded in fluorescence quenching studies. This line of study is important to
      establish a general relationship between DOM properties and static/dynamic
      quenching contributions.

PMID- 28618359
TI  - Removal of phosphonates from industrial wastewater with UV/FeII, Fenton and
      UV/Fenton treatment.
AB  - Phosphonates are an important group of phosphorus-containing compounds due to
      their increasing industrial use and possible eutrophication potential. This study
      involves investigations into the methods UV/FeII, Fenton and UV/Fenton for their
      removal from a pure water matrix and industrial wastewaters. It could be shown
      that the degradability of phosphonates by UV/FeII (6 kWh/m3) in pure water
      crucially depended on the pH and was higher the less phosphonate groups a
      phosphonate contains. The UV/FeII method is recommended in particular for the
      treatment of concentrates with nitrogen-free phosphonates, only little turbidity
      and a low content of organic compounds. Using Fenton reagent, the degradation of
      polyphosphonates was relatively weak in a pure water matrix (<20% transformation
      to o-PO43-). By means of the Photo-Fenton method (6 kWh/m3), those phosphonates
      with the smallest numbers of phosphonate groups were easier degraded as well at
      pH 3.5 in a pure water matrix (o-PO43- formation rates of up to 80%). Despite an
      incomplete transformation of organically bound phosphorus to o-PO43- with Fenton
      reagent in an organically highly polluted wastewater (max. 15%), an almost total
      removal of the total P occurred. The most efficient total P elimination rates
      were achieved in accordance with the following Fenton implementation: reaction ->
      sludge separation (acidic) -> neutralization of the supernatant -> sludge
      separation (neutral). Accordingly, a neutralization directly after the reaction
      phase led to a lower total P removal extent.

PMID- 28618360
TI  - The distribution of phosphorus and its transformations during batch growth of
      Synechocystis.
AB  - Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient that affects the growth and metabolism of
      microalgal biomass. Despite the obvious importance of P, the dynamics of how it
      is taken up and distributed in microalgae are largely undefined. In this study,
      we tracked the fate of P during batch growth of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis
      sp. PCC 6803. We determined the distribution of P in intracellular polymeric
      substances (IPS), extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and soluble microbial
      products (SMP) for three initial ortho-phosphate concentrations. Results show
      that the initial P concentration had no impact on the production of biomass, SMP,
      and EPS. While the initial P concentration affected the rate and the timing of
      how P was transformed among internal and external forms of inorganic P (IP) and
      organic P (OP), the trends were the same no matter the starting P concentration.
      Initially, IP in the bulk solution was rapidly and simultaneously adsorbed by EPS
      (IPEPS) and taken up as internal IP (IPint). As the bulk-solution's IP was
      depleted, desorption of IPEPS became the predominant source for IP that was taken
      up by the growing cells and converted into OPint. At the end of the 9-d batch
      experiments, almost all P was OP, and most of the OP was intracellular. Based on
      all of the results, we propose a set of transformation pathways for P during the
      growth of Synechocystis. Key is that EPS and intracellular P pool play important
      and distinct roles in the uptake and storage of P.

PMID- 28618361
TI  - Diffusion tensor MRI tractography reveals increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in
      arcuate fasciculus following music-cued motor training.
AB  - Auditory cues are frequently used to support movement learning and
      rehabilitation, but the neural basis of this behavioural effect is not yet clear.
      We investigated the microstructural neuroplasticity effects of adding musical
      cues to a motor learning task. We hypothesised that music-cued, left-handed motor
      training would increase fractional anisotropy (FA) in the contralateral arcuate
      fasciculus, a fibre tract connecting auditory, pre-motor and motor regions.
      Thirty right-handed participants were assigned to a motor learning condition
      either with (Music Group) or without (Control Group) musical cues. Participants
      completed 20minutes of training three times per week over four weeks. Diffusion
      tensor MRI and probabilistic neighbourhood tractography identified FA, axial (AD)
      and radial (RD) diffusivity before and after training. Results revealed that FA
      increased significantly in the right arcuate fasciculus of the Music group only,
      as hypothesised, with trends for AD to increase and RD to decrease, a pattern of
      results consistent with activity-dependent increases in myelination. No
      significant changes were found in the left ipsilateral arcuate fasciculus of
      either group. This is the first evidence that adding musical cues to movement
      learning can induce rapid microstructural change in white matter pathways in
      adults, with potential implications for therapeutic clinical practice.

PMID- 28618362
TI  - Exposure of larvae to thiamethoxam affects the survival and physiology of the
      honey bee at post-embryonic stages.
AB  - Under laboratory conditions, the effects of thiamethoxam were investigated in
      larvae, pupae and emerging honey bees after exposure at larval stages with
      different concentrations in the food (0.00001 ng/MUL, 0.001 ng/MUL and 1.44
      ng/MUL). Thiamethoxam reduced the survival of larvae and pupae and consequently
      decreased the percentage of emerging honey bees. Thiamethoxam induced important
      physiological disturbances. It increased acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity at
      all developmental stages and increased glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and
      carboxylesterase para (CaEp) activities at the pupal stages. For midgut alkaline
      phosphatase (ALP), no activity was detected in pupae stages, and no effect was
      observed in larvae and emerging bees. We assume that the effects of thiamethoxam
      on the survival, emergence and physiology of honey bees may affect the
      development of the colony. These results showed that attention should be paid to
      the exposure to pesticides during the developmental stages of the honey bee. This
      study represents the first investigation of the effects of thiamethoxam on the
      development of A. mellifera following larval exposure.

PMID- 28618363
TI  - Simultaneous sorption and catalytic oxidation of trivalent antimony by Canna
      indica derived biochars.
AB  - The simultaneous sorption and oxidation of Sb(III) on biochars were investigated
      using batch experiments. The biochars were derived from Canna indica at different
      pyrolysis temperatures (300-600  degrees C, referred as CIB300-CIB600), and
      characterized by FTIR, BET, XRD, SEM-EDS, EPR and Boehm titration. The Sb(III)
      sorption data could be well fitted by both the Langmuir and Freundlich models,
      and the pseudo-second order model is best for describing the kinetic data. The
      maximum Sb(III) sorption capacity of CIB300 was 16.1 mg g-1, which was greater
      than that of other biochars. Inner-sphere complexation with oxygen-containing
      functional groups and coordination with pi electrons are the possible sorption
      mechanisms. It is worthwhile to note that 4.7-32.3% of Sb(III) was oxidized to
      Sb(V) after sorption equilibration, demonstrating the occurrence of Sb(III)
      oxidation during the sorption process. Further study of oxidation under anoxic
      condition confirmed the catalytic role of biochar for Sb(III) oxidation, and free
      radicals in biochars were crucial for electron transfer. CIB400 exhibited the
      highest catalytic oxidative ability for Sb(III), which could be ascribe to its
      reserve of more electroactive polyphenolic macromolecule and less electroinactive
      cellulose. These results imply that biochars have good potential as a green
      effective sorbent for remediation of Sb(III) contaminated water, and
      simultaneously reduce the toxicity of Sb(III) by catalytic oxidation.

PMID- 28618364
TI  - Amyloid-like protein nanofibrous membranes as a sensing layer infrastructure for
      the design of mass-sensitive biosensors.
AB  - Quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) have been used in the literature for mass
      sensitive biosensor applications. However, their performance, reliability and
      stability have been limited by the chemical treatment steps required for the
      functionalization and activation of the QCM surface, prior to antibody
      immobilization. Specifically, these steps cause increased film thickness, which
      diminishes performance by mass overload, and create a harsh environment, which
      reduces biological activity. In this work, we eliminated this chemical step by
      introducing a sensing layer modification using electrospun amyloid like-bovine
      serum albumin (AL-BSA) nanofibers on QCM surfaces. Owing to the self
      functionality of AL-BSA nanofibers, these modified QCM surfaces were directly
      activated by glutaraldehyde (GA). To assess the performance of these modified
      electrodes, a model protein, lysozyme (Lys), was selected as the biological agent
      to be immobilized. Frequency measurements were performed in batch (dip-and-dry)
      and continuous (flow-cell) processes, and binding performances were compared. AL
      BSA modified surfaces were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
      (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM),
      contact angle (CA) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). Protein detection was measured based on the frequency
      shift before and after the covalent bonding of Lys. Under optimized conditions,
      the proposed immobilization platforms could bind 335ng/mL and 250ng/mL of Lys for
      batch and continuous processes, respectively. Our results demonstrate the
      potential usage of these self-functional electrospun AL-BSA infrastructure
      sensing layers on QCM surfaces. This modification enables the direct
      immobilization of bioactive agents by eliminating any surface functionalization
      process for further mass-sensitive biosensor applications.

PMID- 28618365
TI  - A highly sensitive and widely adaptable plasmonic aptasensor using berberine for
      small-molecule detection.
AB  - Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensors allow label-free detection
      of small molecules in molecular binding events; however, they are limited by a
      relatively low sensitivity and narrow dynamic range. Here, we report highly
      sensitive small-molecule detection by LSPR peak shift exploiting the G-quadruplex
      (GQx) structure-binding characteristic of known GQx binders to enhance the LSPR
      signal of a plasmonic aptasensor. Six known GQx binders (thiazole orange,
      malachite green, crystal violet, zinc protoporphyrin IX, thioflavin T, and
      berberine) were tested for their ability to enhance the LSPR signal. Among these,
      berberine (BER) induced the largest LSPR peak shift by interacting with the GQx
      structure formed by the aptamer/target binding event on a gold nanorod surface.
      This specific binding performance was confirmed by the fluorescence signal of BER
      and through repeated cycles of BER addition and washing on the plasmonic sensing
      chip. The proposed plasmonic aptasensor respectively showed limit of detection
      (LOD) of 0.56, 0.63, 0.87 and 1.05 pM for ochratoxin A, aflatoxin B1, adenosine
      triphosphate and potassium ions, which was 1000-fold higher than that in BER-free
      condition, and a wide dynamic range from 10 pM to 10MUM. In addition, the
      proposed LSPR aptasensor could effectively be used to quantitatively analyze
      small molecules in real samples.

PMID- 28618366
TI  - Eu3+ functionalized Sc-MOFs: Turn-on fluorescent switch for ppb-level biomarker
      of plastic pollutant polystyrene in serum and urine and on-site detection by
      smartphone.
AB  - The harm of plastic pollutants for human and environment is being paid more and
      more attention. Polystyrene (PS) and styrene are toxic compounds used in large
      quantities in the production of fiberglass reinforced polyesters. In this work, a
      simple method was designed for independent detecting polystyrene and styrene
      biomarker (phenylglyoxylic acid, PGA) in serum and urine. We prepared Eu3+
      functionalized Sc-based metal-organic frameworks as turn-on fluorescent switch
      for PGA. The distinct enhanced luminescence is observed from the Eu@MOFs with
      addition of PGA. The fabricated fluorescent switch has several appealing features
      including high sensitivity (LOD = 4.16 ppb), quick response time (less than 5s)
      and broad linear range (0.02mg/mL to 0.5mg/mL). Furthermore, Eu@MOFs exhibits
      excellent selectivity that it is not affected by congeneric biomarkers. More
      interestingly, a paper-based probe has been devised. The paper-based fluorescence
      probe would perform an obvious fluorescence change from navy to red with the
      variety of PGA content. The practicability of the on-site detection platform for
      quantitative analysis using a colour scanning APP in smartphone has been also
      demonstrated by coupled with our proposed paper based fluorescence probe. This
      work first provides a fast, accurate and sensitive method for independent
      monitoring PS biomarker PGA, and the paper-based probe exhibit a new idea for
      design portable and easy to operate sensing devices combine with smartphone.

PMID- 28618367
TI  - Recent advances in transition-metal dichalcogenides based electrochemical
      biosensors: A review.
AB  - Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) comprise a category of two
      dimensional (2D) materials that offer exciting properties, including large
      surface area, metallic and semi-conducting electrical capabilities, and
      intercalatable morphologies. Biosensors employ biological molecules to recognize
      the target and utilize output elements which can translate the biorecognition
      event into electrical, optical or mass-sensitive signals to determine the
      quantities of the target. TMDCs nanomaterials have been widely applied in various
      electrochemical biosensors with high sensitivity and selectivity. The marriage of
      TMDCs and electrochemical biosensors has created many productive sensing
      strategies for applications in the areas of clinical diagnosis, environmental
      monitoring and food safety. In recent years, an increasing number of TMDCs-based
      electrochemical biosensors are reported, suggesting TMDCs offers new
      possibilities of improving the performance of electrochemical biosensors. This
      review summarizes recent advances in electrochemical biosensors based on TMDCs
      for detection of various inorganic and organic analytes in the last five years,
      including glucose, proteins, DNA, heavy metal, etc. In addition, we also point
      out the challenges and future perspectives related to the material design and
      development of TMDCs-based electrochemical biosensors.

PMID- 28618368
TI  - The scales of the zebrafish: host-microbiota interactions from proteins to
      populations.
AB  - The interactions between animal hosts and their associated microbiota can be
      studied at multiple spatial and conceptual scales, with each providing unique
      perspectives on the processes structuring host-microbe systems. Recently,
      zebrafish, Danio rerio, has emerged as a powerful model in which to study these
      interactions at many different scales. Controlled but simplified gnotobiotic
      experiments enable discovery of the molecules and cellular dynamics that shape
      host-microbe system development, whereas population level investigations of
      bacterial dispersal and transmission are beginning to reveal the processes
      shaping microbiota assembly across hosts. Here we review recent examples of these
      studies and discuss how the results can be integrated to better understand host
      microbiota systems.

PMID- 28618369
TI  - Characterization and quantification of chromate adsorption by layered porous iron
      oxyhydroxide: An experimental and theoretical study.
AB  - The inner structure of iron oxyhydroxide agglomerates (IOAs) prepared from
      hydrolysis of ferric chloride was characterized and correlated to surface
      complexation of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in a broad range of pH (3-12) and
      ionic strengths (0.0-5.0M). Evolution of particle size, morphology, and surface
      activity, combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, support the
      condensation reaction initiated formation of IOAs in three levels: iron
      nanoparticles to nanolayers to agglomerates. This agglomeration process led to a
      layered porous structure for aqueous-phase IOAs resulting in a rapid and high
      removal of Cr(VI) in batch tests. By integrating adsorption results,
      thermodynamic modeling, and quantum chemical calculations for the adsorption
      reactions, a quantitative distribution profile for each surface coordination of
      Cr(VI) ions (i.e., monodentate, bidentate, and hydrogen-bonding) was established.
      Results of this study are important to understand the fundamental mechanism of
      IOAs formation in aqueous phase and the intrinsic nature of surface complexations
      at the mineral-water interface for optimal Cr(VI) removal in hypersaline waste
      streams.

PMID- 28618370
TI  - Preferential adsorption and surface precipitation of lead(II) ions onto anatase
      in artificially contaminated Dixie clay.
AB  - During TEM-EDS (transmission electron microscopy coupled with an X-ray energy
      dispersive spectrometer) analysis of Dixie clay artificially contaminated with
      Pb(II), we observed that Pb(II) was preferentially adsorbed and precipitated on
      the surface of TiO2. To deepen the understanding of the mechanism and importance
      of this phenomenon, batch sorption experiments, XANES (X-ray absorption near edge
      spectroscopy) analysis, and sequential extraction analysis were performed. The
      TiO2 in Dixie clay was found to be anatase, and anatase showed a higher Pb(II)
      sorption propensity than rutile, alpha-FeOOH, and one of two MnO2 investigated in
      this study. Our experimental results indicated that the Pb precipitates
      preferentially formed on the surface of anatase was Pb(II) hydroxide or Pb(II)
      oxide. Additionally, sequential extraction analysis showed that at least 32% and
      42% of Pb(II) was sorbed onto anatase in the Dixie clay contaminated with a Pb
      content of 736mg Pb/kg and 1,958mg Pb/kg, respectively. These results
      demonstrated that in addition to Fe and Mn oxides that are well-known metal
      oxides that serve as sinks for Pb(II) in the soil environment, TiO2 is also a
      metal oxide that controls the behavior and fate of Pb(II) in soils.

PMID- 28618371
TI  - Photodegradation of 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid under visible LED activated N
      doped TiO2 and the mechanism of stepwise rate increment of the reused catalyst.
AB  - Photodegradation of 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA) was systematically
      investigated using N-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) under commercially available visible
      light emitting diode (Vis LED) as a novel Vis LED illumination in photocatalysis
      applications. The synergetic effect of Vis LED/N-TiO2 process was studied in
      detail by varying reaction conditions including the initial concentration of 4
      CPA, catalyst dosage, light intensity, and initial pH. Additionally, the
      influence of inorganic anions and radical scavengers on the performance of the
      Vis LED/N-TiO2 process was also evaluated. The Vis LED/N-TiO2 was found to be a
      promising process in terms of mineralization of 4-CPA. It is interesting to note
      that the performance of this process was not reduced after successive usage of
      the recycled catalyst; instead, the reaction rate of 4-CPA decay actually
      increased by using the spent catalyst. The mechanism behind rate enhancement
      after/during reuse was explored by XPS and FT-IR analyses and it was proven that
      hydroxyl groups can be incorporated into the catalyst surface by the repeated
      wetting of N-TiO2 after each reuse. This facilitates the formation of hydrogen
      bonds between the 4-CPA molecules and N-TiO2, thereby allowing more collisions
      between the trapped 4-CPA and radicals at the interface of bulk solution and
      catalyst, respectively.

PMID- 28618372
TI  - Experimental research of heat-mass coupling response of liquid storage tanks.
AB  - In order to study the coupling response process of the liquid tank under the
      external thermal attack, experiments were carried out on a vertical cylindrical
      storage tank by electric heating. The response processes of the tank pressure,
      the medium temperatures, and the wet and dry tank wall temperatures were
      monitored in the experiments. The coupling responding process between the
      evolving characters of the medium temperature and the tank wall temperature, as
      well as the resulting rising features of the tank pressure were analyzed
      comprehensively. The results indicated that, on the one side the heat transfers
      process across and through the tank wall were influenced obviously by the thermal
      flow fields of the two phase mediums which differ a lot in the thermal physical
      properties. On the other side, affected by the temperature rise in the wall, the
      vapor medium became thermal stratified and overheated with respect to the tank
      pressure, and the flow regime in the liquid medium would transform from causing
      stratification to promoting de-stratification affected by the wall boiling
      phenomenon.

PMID- 28618373
TI  - Structural changes in cell wall pectins during strawberry fruit development.
AB  - Strawberry (Fragaria * anannasa Duch.) is one of the most important soft fruit.
      Rapid loss of firmness occurs during the ripening process, resulting in a short
      shelf life and high economic losses. To get insight into the role of pectin
      matrix in the softening process, cell walls from strawberry fruit at two
      developmental stages, unripe-green and ripe-red, were extracted and sequentially
      fractionated with different solvents to obtain fractions enriched in a specific
      component. The yield of cell wall material as well as the per fresh weight
      contents of the different fractions decreased in ripe fruit. The largest
      reduction was observed in the pectic fractions extracted with a chelating agent
      (trans-1,2- diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid, CDTA fraction) and
      those covalently bound to the wall (extracted with Na2CO3). Uronic acid content
      of these two fractions also decreased significantly during ripening, but the
      amount of soluble pectins extracted with phenol:acetic acid:water (PAW) and water
      increased in ripe fruit. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the different
      fractions showed that the degree of esterification decreased in CDTA pectins but
      increased in soluble fractions at ripen stage. The chromatographic analysis of
      pectin fractions by gel filtration revealed that CDTA, water and, mainly PAW
      polyuronides were depolymerised in ripe fruit. By contrast, the size of Na2CO3
      pectins was not modified. The nanostructural characteristics of CDTA and Na2CO3
      pectins were analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Isolated pectic chains
      present in the CDTA fractions were significantly longer and more branched in
      samples from green fruit than those from red fruit. No differences in contour
      length were observed in Na2CO3 strands between samples of both stages. However,
      the percentage of branched chains decreased from 19.7% in unripe samples to 3.4%
      in ripe fruit. The number of pectin aggregates was higher in green fruit samples
      of both fractions. These results show that the nanostructural complexity of
      pectins present in CDTA and Na2CO3 fractions diminishes during fruit development,
      and this correlates with the solubilisation of pectins and the softening of the
      fruit.

PMID- 28618374
TI  - Proteomic profiling of German Dornfelder grape berries using data-independent
      acquisition.
AB  - Grapevine is one of the most important fruit plants throughout the world.
      Sequencing of the grape genome in 2007 enabled in-depth analyses of the grape
      proteome. Whereas many studies addressed changes in proteomic composition of
      grapes during ripening, we focused on the proteome of mature grape berries from
      Dornfelder, a characteristic red wine grape for Germany. Current data-independent
      acquisition proteomics technology enables the analysis of proteomic compositions
      in a degree of accuracy that was unreachable only a few years ago. Using a label
      free proteomics approach, we quantified 712 proteins in mature Dornfelder grape
      berries, of which 650 could be annotated by the Blast2GO software. Besides
      identification of proteins, our analysis provides protein amounts using the TOP3
      absolute quantification approach. Most of the proteins (200) in mature Dornfelder
      grape berries are involved in stress response. In addition, all glycolytic key
      enzymes were detected in mature grape berries suggesting that glycolysis is still
      active, whereas sugar accumulation through gluconeogenesis utilizing malate as
      substrate seems to play a minor role.

PMID- 28618375
TI  - Effects of a training program for home health care workers on the provision of
      preventive activities and on the health-related behavior of their clients: A
      quasi-experimental study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Because home health care workers repeatedly visit the same older
      adults, they are in an excellent position to improve the health-related behavior
      of older adults, their clients, by providing preventive activities. OBJECTIVES:
      The objective of this study was to determine the short- and medium term effects
      of an intervention to support workers in providing preventive activities for
      older adults. To do this, the number of activities undertaken by workers and the
      health-related behavior of their clients were assessed. DESIGN: A quasi
      experimental study was performed with a pre-post design and inclusion of one
      control group. SETTINGS: The study took place in a deprived, semi-rural area in
      The Netherlands (2011-2013). Data in three districts served by one home health
      care organization were gathered. PARTICIPANTS: The participants were home health
      care workers (registered nurses and nurse aides) and home health care clients
      aged 55 and over (community-dwelling, dependent older adults receiving home
      health care). 205 home health care workers participated in the study, 97 of them
      in the first effect measurement; and 83 of them in the second effect measurement.
      A total of 304 home health care clients participated, 214 of them in the first
      effect measurement; and 186 of them in the second effect measurement. METHODS:
      Differences in change were determined in health-related behavior between groups
      of older adults as a result of training home health care workers in preventive
      activities RESULTS: In the control group of home health care professionals a
      significant increase was found regarding the provision of preventive activities
      for the domain 'weight' (partial eta squared: 0.05 and 0.08 at first and second
      effect measurements, respectively). We found preventive activities performed by
      home health care professionals to have no significant effects on older adult
      reported health-related behavior, but observed in the intervention group a non
      significant trend in improvement of physical activity of, respectively, 85 and
      207min for the first and second effect-measurements. CONCLUSION: This training
      program had hardly any effect on preventive activities performed by home health
      care workers and on the health-related behavior of older adults. Offering health
      promotion via home health care workers may be promising but its delivery should
      be enhanced.

PMID- 28618376
TI  - Association between the HLA-B alleles and carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN: A meta
      analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: From our current understanding, the association between the human
      leukocyte antigen (HLA), HLA-B*1502, and carbamazepine(CBZ)-induced Stevens
      Jonson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN) in the Asian population
      is quite clear. However the relationship between other HLA-B alleles and CBZ
      induced severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCADRs) remains unclear. We
      aimed to identify other non-HLA-B*1502 alleles in patients with CBZ-induced
      SCADRs through a meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A thorough literature
      search was performed using Embase, PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Cochrane
      databases. A meta-analysis was performed from their inceptions to May 31, 2016.
      Studies investigating the association of HLA-B alleles and CBZ-induced SJS/TEN
      were retrieved. Two reviewers independently extracted the data. Overall odds
      ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated
      using the RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies met the inclusion
      criteria, totaling 343 CBZ-induced SJS/TEN cases, 838 CBZ tolerant controls, and
      978 population controls. We observed HLA-B*1511 as a risk marker, and HLA-B*4001
      and HLA-B*4601 as protective markers for the development of SJS/TEN in patients
      taking CBZ. SJS/TEN cases were found to be significantly associated with HLA
      B*1511 in both the tolerant group (OR=17.43;95%CI=3.12-97.41;P=0.001) and the
      population-control group (OR=11.11; 95%CI=2.62-47.09; P=0.001). The sensitivity
      analysis found that HLA-B*5801 was a protective marker in the Southeast Asian
      population (OR=0.23; 95%CI=0.09-0.58; P=0.002). CONCLUSION: Our study
      demonstrated that in the Asian population, HLA-B*4001, HLA-B*4601, HLA-B*5801
      were strong protective factors in the development of CBZ-induced SJS/TEN whereas
      HLA-B*1511 was a risk factor. While more studies may be needed in order to
      confirm these findings, consideration should be taken into testing Asian patients
      for at-risk alleles prior to CBZ therapy initiation.

PMID- 28618377
TI  - Ring and peg electrodes for minimally-Invasive and long-term sub-scalp EEG
      recordings.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Minimally-invasive approaches are needed for long-term reliable
      Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings to assist with epilepsy diagnosis,
      investigation and more naturalistic monitoring. This study compared three methods
      for long-term implantation of sub-scalp EEG electrodes. METHODS: Three types of
      electrodes (disk, ring, and peg) were fabricated from biocompatible materials and
      implanted under the scalp in five ambulatory ewes for 3months. Disk electrodes
      were inserted into sub-pericranial pockets. Ring electrodes were tunneled under
      the scalp. Peg electrodes were inserted into the skull, close to the dura. EEG
      was continuously monitored wirelessly. High resolution CT imaging,
      histopathology, and impedance measurements were used to assess the status of the
      electrodes at the end of the study. RESULTS: EEG amplitude was larger in the peg
      compared with the disk and ring electrodes (p<0.05). Similarly, chewing artifacts
      were lower in the peg electrodes (p<0.05). Electrode impedance increased after
      long-term implantation particularly for those within the bone (p<0.01). Micro-CT
      scans indicated that all electrodes stayed within the sub-scalp layers. All pegs
      remained within the burr holes as implanted with no evidence of extrusion. Eight
      of 10 disks partially eroded into the bone by 1.0mm from the surface of the
      skull. The ring arrays remained within the sub-scalp layers close to implantation
      site. Histology revealed that the electrodes were encapsulated in a thin fibrous
      tissue adjacent to the pericranium. Overlying this was a loose connective layer
      and scalp. Erosion into the bone occurred under the rim of the sub-pericranial
      disk electrodes. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the peg electrodes
      provided high quality EEG, mechanical stability, and lower chewing artifact.
      Whereas, ring electrode arrays tunneled under the scalp enable minimal surgical
      techniques to be used for implantation and removal.

PMID- 28618378
TI  - Simultaneously upgrading biogas and purifying biogas slurry using cocultivation
      of Chlorella vulgaris and three different fungi under various mixed light
      wavelength and photoperiods.
AB  - In order to purify biogas slurry and biogas simultaneously, three different
      fungi, Pleurotus geesteranus (P. geesteranus), Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum),
      and Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus) were pelletized with Chlorella vulgaris
      (C. vulgaris). The results showed that the optimal light wavelength ratio for
      red:blue was 5:5 for these three different fungi-assisted C. vulgaris, resulting
      in higher specific growth rate as well as nutrient and CO2 removal efficiency
      compared with other ratios. G. lucidum/C. vulgaris was screened as the best fungi
      mialgae for biogas slurry purification and biogas upgrading with light/dark ratio
      of 14h:10h, which was also confirmed by the economic efficiency analysis of the
      energy consumptions. These results will provide a theoretical foundation for
      large-scale biogas slurry purifying and biogas upgrading using microalgae.

PMID- 28618379
TI  - Well encapsulated Mn3O4 octahedra in graphene nanosheets with much enhanced Li
      storage performances.
AB  - Mn3O4@graphene (Mn3O4@G) nanocomposite is easily fabricated through a facile
      preparation of Mn3O4 octahedra by dealloying MnAl alloy and a following reduction
      of coassembled aggregates of Mn3O4 octahedra and graphene oxide. Benefitting from
      the distinctive nanostructure and the hybridization with well-conductive
      graphene, the capacity retentions of Mn3O4@G are dramatically improved from 25.5
      to 58.0% after 100 cycles at 300mAg-1 and from 15.8 to 43.8% after 200 cycles at
      1000mAg-1, respectively. Even the current rates reach up to 2000 and 3000mAg-1,
      Mn3O4@G electrode could still hold the highly stable capacities around 520 and
      430mAhg-1, respectively. On account of the superiorities of high electrochemical
      performances and easy preparation, the Mn3O4@G composite shows encouraging
      application potential to be an advanced anode material for lithium storage.

PMID- 28618380
TI  - Magnetite/Fe-Al-montmorillonite as a Fenton catalyst with efficient degradation
      of phenol.
AB  - A Fe-Al-MPM material assembled from nanosized magnetite and Fe-Al-pillared
      montmorillonite (Fe-Al-Mt) was characterized by XRD, XPS, BET, SEM and TEM. Fe-Al
      Mt was proven to be capable of facilitating the dispersion of magnetite
      nanoparticles and inhibiting their aggregation. The coupling of Fe-Al-Mt with
      magnetite in Fe-Al-MPM improved its Fenton catalytic activity. Complete
      conversion of phenol within 80min with a high TOC removal rate (>78%) was
      achieved using Fe-Al-MPM as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst under optimized
      conditions. The Fenton process first underwent a slow induction reaction,
      followed by the rapid oxidative decomposition of phenol. The existence of the
      induction reaction period was attributed to the need for activation of the iron
      species on the catalyst surfaces, and the duration depended on the solution
      temperature, pH and catalyst's nature. More importantly, Fe-Al-MPM showed high
      stability, with a low iron-release even after it was recycled 5 times. The
      minimal iron-leaching from Fe-Al-MPM was ascribed to the competitive adsorption
      of the incorporated aluminum and all the iron species for the residual (low
      ecotoxicity) organic ligands. These organic acids were among the main products
      that remained at the end of the Fenton process. Also important was the ease of
      separation of Fe-Al-MPM under a magnetic field.

PMID- 28618381
TI  - Magnetic recyclable bismuth oxyiodide/polyacrylic anion exchange resin composites
      with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light.
AB  - A series of magnetic recyclable bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI)/polyacrylic anion
      exchange resin (PAER) composites with visible light responses have been
      synthesized for the first time through a facile and low-cost method at normal
      temperature. The photocatalytic performances of BiOI/PAER composites were
      evaluated by photodegrading 1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid under visible
      light. It was found that 1-amino-8-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid (H-acid) removal
      rate reached to 90.1% (BiOI/PAER-2), which was higher than the pure BiOI (50.3%)
      in 60min. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of BiOI/PAER composites should
      be attributed to the improved separation efficiency of the charge carriers.
      Furthermore, the BiOI/PAER composites exhibited excellent cyclinic utilization
      stability, which is a key factor for their potential practical applications.

PMID- 28618382
TI  - Electrochemical determination of morin in Kiwi and Strawberry fruit samples using
      vanadium pentoxide nano-flakes.
AB  - Herein, we report the synthesis of Vanadium Pentoxide Nanoflakes (V2O5 NF) using
      ionic liquid and employed the V2O5 NF in electrochemical determination of Morin
      (MR) in fruit samples. The V2O5 NF were characterized by Powder X-ray diffraction
      (PXRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer
      (EDX), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and cyclic voltammetry (CV).
      Remarkably, the as-synthesized V2O5 NF exhibited excellent electrochemical
      behavior and electrochemical ability towards MR. The CV and DPV studies were
      recognized that the electrochemical performance of V2O5 NF film modified glassy
      carbon electrode (V2O5 NF/GCE) towards detection of MR is outstanding in
      comparison with unmodified GCE. The proposed MR sensor shows a wide linear range,
      high sensitivity, and low limit of detection are 0.05-10.93MUm, 1.130MUAMUM-1cm
      2, and 9nM respectively. The fabulous analytical parameters of the developed
      sensor surpassed the previously reported modified electrodes, rendering the
      potential application of V2O5 NF in environmental, biomedical, and pharmaceutical
      samples.

PMID- 28618383
TI  - Disassembly of micelle-like polyethylenimine nanocomplexes for siRNA delivery:
      High transfection efficiency and reduced toxicity achieved by simple reducible
      lipid modification.
AB  - Amphiphilic compounds consisting of polycations and lipid segments are well
      established as building blocks for the construction of siRNA carriers. They are
      capable of forming nanoparticles with high-affinity positive charges for siRNA in
      aqueous media due to their intra- and/or intermolecular hydrophobic and
      electrostatic interactions. Unfortunately, safety and efficiency of lipid
      modified polycations as the two great challenges to the clinical application need
      to be improved. Beyond that, the role of the hydrophobic segment in the process
      of siRNA delivery is elusive. Herein, in this study, branched polyethylenimine
      with a molecular weight of 600 (bPEI600) was grafted with reducible lipids via
      Michael addition reaction between amines and alkyl acrylates. Reducible
      amphiphilic polyethylenimines (PEIs) were able to condense siRNA into
      nanoparticles and disassemble under the reductive environment. Investigations
      with these materials in vitro revealed that the polymers with higher grafting
      degree provided high luciferase knockdown efficacies even at lower N/P ratios and
      the polymers with longer lipid chain displayed greater cellular uptake rate.
      Interestingly, the polymers with lower grafting degree had efficient cellular
      uptake than native bPEI600, although their in luciferase knockdown assays were
      most likely inefficient. The inconsistency between the cellular uptake profile
      and silencing efficacy proved that the intracellular trafficking of siRNA was a
      bottleneck for siRNA delivery with some polymers prepared in this study. As
      expected, reducible lipid-modified PEIs were equally efficient and much less
      toxic compared to non-reducible counterparts and might provide broader
      therapeutic windows. These findings showed the feasibility of reducible lipid
      modified PEIs as carriers for therapeutic siRNA.

PMID- 28618384
TI  - A fatty acid solvent of switchable miscibility.
AB  - Ion pair interactions were explored to design a fatty acid solvent of switchable
      miscibility with water. Fatty acids of medium length chains are immiscible with
      water but become miscible with water when ion pairs are formed with amines. The
      ion pairs become phase separated after bubbling CO2 into the solution due to the
      dissociation of the fatty acid-amine complexes. Ion pairs of caprylic acid (C8)
      and low toxic poly(oxypropylene) diamine (Jeffamine D-230) were characterized by
      FT-IR and 1H NMR. Log Kow values and surface activity were used to understand the
      switchable solvent mechanism in removing and recovering oily contaminants. More
      importantly, the ion pairs show a negligible adsorption on solid surfaces.
      Furthermore, both C8 and D-230 were recycled during the washing process. Thus the
      fatty acid as switchable solvent could be applied for oily contaminant removal
      from oily solid wastes.

PMID- 28618385
TI  - Enhanced hydrogen production of PbTe-PbS/TNAs electrodes modified with ordered
      mesoporous carbon.
AB  - PbTe-PbS/TiO2 nanotube arrays (PbTe-PbS/TNAs) were synthesized by the successive
      ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) followed by linear sweep voltammetry
      (LSV). Using Nafion as a binder, ordered mesoporous carbon was cast on these
      materials to generate the modified electrodes OMC/PbTe-PbS/TNAs. It was
      demonstrated that the electrode modification with OMC could enhance the charge
      transfer between the electrode surface and the electrolyte solution, improve the
      energy band bending of the electrode/electrolyte interface, increase the active
      electrochemical surface area of the electrode, and reduce the overpotential of
      the electrode reactions. Under ambient conditions, the short circuit current
      density (37.84mAcm-2) and the active electrochemical surface area (29mFcm-2) of
      the OMC/PbTe-PbS/TNAs electrode were 27.49% and 36.79% higher than that of PbTe
      PbS/TNAs (29.68mAcm-2 and 21.2mFcm-2), respectively. A particularly important
      feature of the OMC modification is that the hot electron extraction capability of
      the PbTe-PbS/TNAs electrode remained in the new system to provide rapid
      enhancement of short circuit current density upon increasing temperature. The
      OMC/PbTe-PbS/TNAs electrode registered a hydrogen generation rate of 11mLcm2h-1,
      with an energy efficiency of 98.79% and a heat efficiency of 43.03% under cell
      voltage of 1.0V at 55 degrees C.

PMID- 28618386
TI  - A novel method for synthesizing well-defined boehmite hollow microspheres.
AB  - A novel and effective synthesis route has been developed to fabricate gamma-AlOOH
      (boehmite) hollow microspheres (diameter in 1-2MUm) with urchin-like shell
      structures. The external surface of the hollow microspheres was constructed by
      randomly aggregated and interconnecting nanoplatelets (length in 50nm). The
      method involves two processes: (1) solid spherical particles can be obtained by
      an epoxide-driven sol-gel process in several seconds, (2) solid spheres particles
      transform into urchin-like hollow spheres through chemically induced self
      transformation process. Formation of the gamma-AlOOH hollow microspheres was
      strongly dependent on the amount of propylene oxide, the volume ratio of
      solvents, as well as the kinds of anion. gamma-AlOOH hollow microspheres could
      only be obtained in a particular situation that AlCl3.6H2O acts as salt precursor
      and the volume between H2O and ethanol were defined as 4ml, 6ml and 6ml, 4ml. In
      general, the described method is efficient and environmentally benign, and has
      significant advantages over traditional template approaches to the large-scale
      production of hollow inorganic materials.

PMID- 28618387
TI  - Two pulse recoupling.
AB  - The paper describes a family of novel recoupling pulse sequences in magic angle
      spinning (MAS) solid state NMR, called two pulse recoupling. These pulse
      sequences can be employed for both homonuclear and heteronuclear recoupling
      experiments and are robust to dispersion in chemical shifts and rf-inhomogeneity.
      The homonuclear pulse sequence consists of a building block (pi)phi(pi)-phi where
      phi=pi4n, and n is number of blocks in a rotor period. The recoupling block is
      made robust to rf-inhomogeneity by extending it to (pi)phi(pi)
      phi(pi)pi+phi(pi)pi-phi. The heteronuclear recoupling pulse sequence consists of
      a building block [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] on channel I and S,
      where phi1=3pi8n,phi2=pi8n and n is number of blocks in a rotor period. The
      recoupling block is made robust to rf-inhomogeneity by extending it to [Formula:
      see text] and [Formula: see text] on two channels respectively. The recoupling
      pulse sequences mix the z magnetization. Experimental quantification of this
      method is shown for13Calpha-13CO homonuclear recoupling in a sample of Glycine
      and 15N-13Calpha heteronuclear recoupling in Alanine. Application of this method
      is demonstrated on a sample of tripeptide N-formyl-[U-13C,15N]-Met-Leu-Phe-OH
      (MLF). Compared to R-sequences (Levitt, 2002), these sequences are more robust to
      rf-inhomogeneity and give better sensitivity, as shown in Fig. 3.

PMID- 28618388
TI  - Simultaneous determination of nine beta-lactam antibiotics in human plasma by an
      ultrafast hydrophilic-interaction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - Contemporary beta-lactam antibiotic dosing is debatable in severely ill patients,
      since the occurrence of pathophysiological changes in critical illness can result
      in great inter-individual variability. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is a
      commonly used dosing strategy to optimize exposure and thereby minimize toxicity
      and maximize the efficacy. Currently, TDM of beta-lactam antibiotics is rarely
      performed, due to poor availability in clinical practice. We describe an
      ultrafast Hydrophilic-Interaction Chromatography (HILIC) based UPLC-MS/MS method
      for the determination of amoxicillin, benzylpenicillin, cefotaxime, cefuroxime,
      ceftazidime, flucloxacillin, imipenem, meropenem and piperacillin in human
      plasma. This method involves simple sample preparation steps and was
      comprehensively validated according to standard FDA guidelines. For all analytes,
      mean accuracy and precision values were within the acceptance value. The lower
      and upper limits of quantification were found to be sufficient to cover the
      therapeutic range for all antibiotics. Finally, the method was successfully
      applied in a large pharmacokinetic study performed in the intensive care setting,
      and the feasibility of the analytical procedure was demonstrated in routine
      clinical practice. To the best of our knowledge, we report here the first HILIC
      based UPLC-MS/MS assay for the determination of beta-lactam antibiotics in human
      plasma. This simple, sensitive and ultrafast assay requires small-volume samples
      and can easily be implemented in clinical laboratories to promote the TDM of beta
      lactam antibiotics.

PMID- 28618389
TI  - Involvement of p38 MAPK and ATF-2 signaling pathway in anti-inflammatory effect
      of a novel compound bis[(5-methyl)2-furyl](4-nitrophenyl)methane on
      lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages.
AB  - Activated macrophages produce various pro-inflammatory mediators such as
      inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-derived nitric oxide (NO) and
      cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during inflammatory
      response. However, overproduction of NO and PGE2 appears to be involved in
      pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases. Therefore, inhibition of NO and
      PGE2 production might be useful for the treatment of inflammatory-related
      diseases. In this study, the bis[(5-methyl)2-furyl](4-nitrophenyl)methane or BFNM
      was evaluated for the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of action in
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage. BFNM inhibited NO and
      PGE2 production in a concentration-dependent manner and down-regulated the
      expression of iNOS and COX-2 at mRNA and protein levels. BFNM suppressed nuclear
      translocation of NF-kappaB p65 subunit only very slightly, and failed to decrease
      NF-kappaB DNA binding activity. In contrast, the compound significantly reduced
      phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and ATF-2, a component of AP-1 known to be involved
      in the transcriptional regulation of iNOS and COX-2, in a dose-dependent manner
      in LPS-induced cells. Collectively, these results suggest that BFNM has an anti
      inflammatory effect in RAW 264.7 macrophages, at least in part, by suppression of
      NO and PGE2 production. The inhibitory effect of BFNM is mediated mainly via the
      p38 MAPK/ATF-2 signaling pathway. Thus, BFNM would be a lead compound for the
      development of novel anti-inflammatory agents.

PMID- 28618390
TI  - Thirty-day non-seizure outcomes following temporal lobectomy for adult epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Multi-institutional rates of acute adverse outcomes other than
      seizures after temporal lobectomy (TL) are not well understood. Here we analyzed
      short-term morbidity and mortality following TL using a validated national
      database. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The multi-institutional American College of
      Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was
      queried by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for TL procedures performed
      for adult patients with diagnoses related to epilepsy from 2008 to 2014. Patient
      demographics, operative variables, hospital variables, preoperative laboratory
      values, and preexisting comorbidities were analyzed using univariate and
      multivariate techniques to determine associations with 30-day postoperative
      morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 202 TL procedures were analyzed, 80
      (39.6%) with intraoperative electrocorticography (ECOG) and 122 (60.4%) without
      ECOG. Mean age was 40.4+/-13.7years, and 47.5% of patients were male. Overall
      morbidity and mortality were 11.4% and 2.0%, respectively. The most common
      adverse outcomes were reoperation (5.4%), stroke with residual deficit (2.5%),
      failure to wean from ventilator (2.0%), and surgical site infection (2.0%).
      Adverse event rates were not significantly different between TLs with and without
      ECOG (13.1% vs. 8.8%, p=0.375). Independent predictors of adverse events included
      prior stroke (OR 7.60, 95% CI 1.22-47.17, p=0.029) and chronic steroid use (OR
      10.90, 95% CI 1.03-115.79, p=0.048). Diabetes mellitus (p=0.078) and older age
      (p=0.145) approached but did not reach significance in the multivariate model.
      CONCLUSIONS: We report rates of acute morbidity and mortality following TL
      procedures using a national database. These findings can be used both to assist
      with patient selection as well as patient counseling prior to surgery.

PMID- 28618392
TI  - Radiocesium decontamination of a riverside in Fukushima, Japan.
AB  - Extensive decontamination measures have been implemented in the area affected by
      the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster. Typical decontamination measures, such
      as removing topsoil of several centimeters in depth, are not suitable for rivers
      where contaminated sediments have been deposited. A decontamination measure was
      tested that considered the spatial distribution of radiocesium at the lower part
      of a tributary of the Abukuma River in Fukushima. The radiocesium distribution in
      the flood channel was vertically and horizontally highly heterogeneous. In some
      parts, the activity concentration was high (>10 kBq/kg for 137Cs) even at depths
      of 25 cm in the sediment. This may be due to plant growth in the flood channel
      favoring the deposition of sediment with high activity concentration. On the
      basis of the radiocesium distribution, the flood channel sediment was removed to
      a depth of 15-35 cm, which accumulated the most radiocesium (>3.0 kBq/kg for the
      sum of 134Cs and 137Cs). The upper 5 cm of soil was removed from the dike slopes.
      The river bed was not decontaminated because the activity concentration was low
      (<1 kBq/kg) in the river bed sediment and because the water shields gamma rays
      emitted from the sediment. The test decontamination measure reduced the air dose
      rate by a factor of approximately two, demonstrating the effectiveness of our
      measures. Annual external doses were calculated for when this part of the dike
      and the flood channel is used for commuting to school and outdoor education. The
      doses during the activities at the test site accounted for only 1-2% of the value
      during daily life in the surrounding area, indicating that radiation exposure
      during riverside activities is limited.

PMID- 28618391
TI  - Daily-level associations between PTSD and cannabis use among young sexual
      minority women.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sexual minority women have elevated trauma exposure and prevalence
      of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to heterosexual women and they
      are also more likely to use cannabis, although no research has examined
      relationships between PTSD and cannabis use in this population. Daily-level
      methodologies are necessary to examine proximal associations between PTSD and
      use. METHODS: This study included 90 trauma-exposed young adult women who
      identified as sexual minorities (34.4% identified as lesbian and 48.9% identified
      as bisexual) and evaluated daily-level associations between their PTSD symptoms
      and cannabis use. Participants were assessed at two measurement waves, one year
      apart, each consisting of 14 consecutive daily assessments. RESULTS: Cannabis use
      occurred on 22.8% of the days. Results from generalized linear mixed effects
      models showed that a person's mean level of PTSD symptom severity across days was
      strongly associated with same-day likelihood of cannabis use (OR=2.67 for 1 SD
      increase in PTSD score; p<0.001). However, daily deviation from one's average
      PTSD score was not associated with cannabis use on the same day. CONCLUSIONS:
      Findings suggest that PTSD severity may confer general risk for cannabis use,
      rather than being a state-dependent risk factor.

PMID- 28618393
TI  - Young infants' visual fixation patterns in addition and subtraction tasks support
      an object tracking account.
AB  - Investigating infants' numerical ability is crucial to identifying the
      developmental origins of numeracy. Wynn (1992) claimed that 5-month-old infants
      understand addition and subtraction as indicated by longer looking at outcomes
      that violate numerical operations (i.e., 1+1=1 and 2-1=2). However, Wynn's claim
      was contentious, with others suggesting that her results might reflect a
      familiarity preference for the initial array or that they could be explained in
      terms of object tracking. To cast light on this controversy, Wynn's conditions
      were replicated with conventional looking time supplemented with eye-tracker
      data. In the incorrect outcome of 2 in a subtraction event (2-1=2), infants
      looked selectively at the incorrectly present object, a finding that is not
      predicted by an initial array preference account or a symbolic numerical account
      but that is consistent with a perceptual object tracking account. It appears that
      young infants can track at least one object over occlusion, and this may form the
      precursor of numerical ability.

PMID- 28618404
TI  - Prevalence of Hyponatremia and Its Associated Morbimortality in Hospitalized
      Patients Receiving Parenteral Nutrition.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of
      hyponatremia (HN) and its associated morbimortality in hospitalized patients
      receiving parenteral nutrition (PN). METHODS: A retrospective study including 222
      patients receiving total PN (parenteral nutrition group [PNG]) over a 7-month
      period in a tertiary hospital and 176 matched to 179 control subjects without PN
      (control subjects group [CSG]). Demographic data, Charlson Comorbidity Index
      (CCI), date of HN detection-(serum sodium or SNa <135 mmol/L)-intrahospital
      mortality, and hospital length-of-stay (LOS) were registered. In the PNG, body
      mass index (BMI) and SNa before, during, and after PN were recorded. RESULTS: HN
      was more prevalent in the PNG: 52.8 vs. 35.8% (p = 0.001), and independent of
      age, gender, or CCI (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.1-2.8], p = 0.006). In patients on PN,
      sustained HN (75% of all intraindividual SNa <135 mmol/L) was associated with a
      higher mortality rate independent of age, gender, CCI, or BMI (OR 7.38 [95% CI
      1.07-50.8], p = 0.042). The absence of HN in PN patients was associated with a
      shorter hospital LOS (<30 days) and was independent of other comorbidities (OR
      3.89 [95% CI 2.11-7.18], p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HN is more prevalent in
      patients on PN. Sustained HN is associated with a higher intrahospital mortality
      rate. Absence of HN is associated with a shorter hospital LOS.

PMID- 28618405
TI  - Upregulation of Circulating miR-195-3p in Heart Failure.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Many circulating microRNAs (miRs) have been shown to have potential
      biomarker effects in cardiovascular disease. We studied the dysregulation of
      circulating miR-195-3p in patients with heart failure (HF) to elucidate its value
      as a potential biomarker for HF. METHODS: Eight ischemic HF (IHF) patients, 8
      nonischemic HF patients (NIHF), and 8 healthy volunteers (matched by age and sex 
      normal controls [NCs]) were chosen for miR sequencing. The plasma RNA was
      extracted, and a small RNA library of HF was established and then sequenced using
      next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. The miR-195-3p was selected for a
      second clinical study in 60 IHF, 48 NIHF patients, and 35 NCs for qRT-PCR
      validation. RESULTS: The expression of circulating miR-195-3p in the IHF group
      was increased 69.5-fold compared with the NC group using NGS technique, and it
      was the most elevated in all upregulated miRs. MiR-195-3p was ranked in the top 1
      of all upregulated miRs in contribution to HF based on a random forest model
      analysis. The upregulation of circulating miR-195-3p was also validated with the
      qRT-PCR method, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that
      the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.831. CONCLUSIONS: The circulating miR-195-3p
      was upregulated in IHF and NIHF patients and could be a potential biomarker for
      HF.

PMID- 28618406
TI  - An Analysis of Outcome of Endoscopic Fenestration of Cavum Septum Pellucidum Cyst
      - More Grey than Black and White?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) and cavum vergae are actually fluid
      filled, generally communicating midline cavities located between the third
      ventricle and corpus callosum. There have been various reports of their
      association with many behavioral and psychiatric disorders. Infrequently, they
      have been associated with an obstructive hydrocephalus-like picture. Although the
      structure and management of CSP has long been known, it has been an enigma as far
      as functional significance and management indications are concerned. The authors
      of this article try to analyze the significance of a persistent cavum and
      involvement of the same entity in varied presentations ranging from an incidental
      imaging finding to acute hydrocephalus, and propose a possible implication on the
      present surgical intervention paradigm. PURPOSE: To assess the surgical outcome
      of fenestration of a CSP cyst. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 3 patients who
      underwent endoscopic fenestration for CSP with obstructive hydrocephalus between
      2012 and 2014 was done, and data were analyzed for symptomatic clinical
      improvement in particular behavior. RESULTS: Pre- and postoperative brain MRI
      showed a significant decrease in the size of the cyst as well as the ventricles.
      There were no recurrences during follow-up. All of the patients improved.
      CONCLUSIONS: (1) Endoscopic fenestration of symptomatic CSP cysts is a safe
      treatment option. (2) Neurocognitive assessment is essential in the evaluation
      and outcome assessment of CSP.

PMID- 28618407
TI  - Association between Thyroid Function and Body Mass Index: A 10-Year Follow-Up.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the association between change in thyroid
      function tests within the euthyroid range and body mass index (BMI) in persons
      with normal weight at baseline. METHODS: This study investigated 1,100 normal
      weight euthyroid persons in a population-based cohort study, Tehran Thyroid
      Study. BMI was calculated and serum concentrations of thyrotropin (TSH) and free
      T4 (FT4) were assayed at baseline and after 10 years of follow-up. We evaluated
      the relationship between thyroid and obesity based on 2 definitions for outcome:
      (1) a binary outcome as BMI <25 or >=25 kg/m2, and (2) a multinomial outcome as
      normal BMI, overweight, and obese. RESULTS: A total of 569 women and 531 men,
      aged 36.3 +/- 13.5 years, were included. Modified Poisson regression analysis for
      binary outcome, after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, and anti-thyroid
      peroxidase antibody status, revealed a negative association between delta serum
      FT4 and follow-up BMI (relative risk 0.55 [95% CI 0.37-0.80]) without any
      significant association between change in serum TSH and follow-up BMI. However,
      in multinomial logistic regression analysis, we found no relationship between
      delta serum FT4 or TSH and follow-up BMI categories, for either overweight or
      obese vs. normal-weight participants. CONCLUSIONS: In normal-weight euthyroid
      individuals, changes in serum concentrations of FT4, but not TSH, may contribute
      to change in body weight.

PMID- 28618408
TI  - Inflammatory Pathways in Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Matter of Prime
      Importance.

PMID- 28618409
TI  - Identification of 8 Novel Mutations in Nephrogenesis-Related Genes in Chinese Han
      Patients with Unilateral Renal Agenesis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few genetic studies have focused on unilateral renal agenesis (URA),
      which is a disorder with insidious clinical manifestations and a tendency to
      result in renal failure. We aimed to detect pathogenic mutations in nephrogenesis
      related genes, which were identified by a literature review conducted among a
      large cohort of Chinese Han patients with URA. METHODS: Totally, 86 unrelated URA
      patients were included. All URA patients were diagnosed by employing radiological
      methods. Patients with a solitary kidney owing to nephrectomy or renal atrophy
      due to secondary factors were excluded. Nine (10.5%) patients had a family
      history of abnormal nephrogenesis. Fifteen (17.4%) had other malformations in the
      urogenital system. All coding exons and adjacent intron regions of 25 genes were
      analyzed using next-generation sequencing and validated by Sanger sequencing and
      100 ethnically matched healthy controls. RESULTS: Ten conserved mutations (9
      missense mutations and 1 deletion mutation) were identified in SALL1, EYA1, RET,
      HNF1B, DSTYK, WNT4, and SIX5. All mutations were novel or rare (frequency <0.1%)
      in the public databases and absent from the 100 healthy controls. Nine patients
      carried mutations in candidate genes. Most of the patients carried one single
      heterozygous mutation, except for 2, who respectively carried compound
      heterozygous mutations and 2 single heterozygous mutations. In addition, 2
      patients shared the same mutation in DSTYK. CONCLUSION: A total of 10.5% of our
      URA cases could be explained by mutations in our candidate genes. The mutations
      in nephrogenesis-related genes in the Chinese Han patients with URA had a
      decentralized distribution without any hotspot mutations.

PMID- 28618410
TI  - Deletion of the Inflammasome Sensor Aim2 Mitigates Abeta Deposition and
      Microglial Activation but Increases Inflammatory Cytokine Expression in an
      Alzheimer Disease Mouse Model.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Inflammation is clearly associated with Alzheimer disease (AD).
      Knockout of Nlrp3, a gene encoding an inflammasome sensor, has been shown to
      ameliorate AD pathology in a mouse model. Because AIM2 is the most dominant
      inflammasome sensor expressed in mouse brains, here we investigate whether Aim2
      deletion also influences the phenotype of a 5XFAD AD mouse model. METHODS:
      Quantitative RT-PCR, immunostaining, immunoblotting, and behavioral analyses were
      applied to compare wild-type, Aim2-/-, 5XFAD, and Aim2-/-;5XFAD mice. RESULTS: We
      found that Aim2 knockout mitigates Abeta deposition in the cerebral cortex and
      hippocampus of 5XFAD mice. The activation of microglial cells is also reduced in
      Aim2-/-;5XFAD brains compared with 5XFAD brains. However, Aim2 knockout does not
      improve memory and anxiety phenotypes of 5XFAD mice in an open field, cued Y
      maze, or Barnes maze. Compared with 5XFAD mice, Il-1 expression levels are not
      reduced in Aim2-/-;5XFAD mice. Unexpectedly, Il-6 and Il-18 expression levels in
      5XFAD brains were further increased when Aim2 was deleted. Thus, inflammatory
      cytokine expression in 5XFAD brains is upregulated by Aim2 deletion through an
      unknown mechanism. CONCLUSION: Although Aim2 knockout mitigates Abeta deposition
      and microglial activation, Aim2 deletion does not have a beneficial effect on the
      spatial memory or cytokine expression of 5XFAD mice. Our findings suggest that
      Abeta aggregation and microglial activation may not always be correlated with the
      expression of inflammatory cytokines or cognitive function of 5XFAD mice. Our
      study also implies that different inflammasomes likely perform distinct roles in
      different physiological and/or pathological events.

PMID- 28618411
TI  - Prevalence and Physical Distribution of SRY in the Gonads of a Woman with Turner
      Syndrome: Phenotypic Presentation, Tubal Formation, and Malignancy Risk.
AB  - Although monosomy X is the most common karyotype in patients with Turner
      syndrome, the presence of Y chromosome material has been observed in about 10% of
      patients. Y chromosome material in patients with Turner syndrome poses an
      increased risk of gonadoblastoma and malignant transformation. We report a woman
      with a diagnosis of Turner syndrome at 12 years of age, without signs of
      virilization, and karyotype reported as 46,X,del(X)(q13). At 26 years,
      cytogenetic studies indicated the patient to be mosaic for monosomy X and a cell
      line that contained a du-plicated Yq chromosome. Bilateral gonadectomy was
      performed and revealed streak gonads, without evidence of gonadoblastoma.
      Histological analysis showed ovarian stromal cells with few primordial tubal
      structures. FISH performed on streak gonadal tissue showed a heterogeneous
      distribution of SRY, with exclusive localization to the primordial tubal
      structures. DNA extraction from the gonadal tissue showed a 6.5% prevalence of
      SRY by microarray analysis, contrasting the 86% prevalence in the peripheral
      blood sample. This indicates that the overall gonadal sex appears to be
      determined by the majority gonosome complement in gonadal tissue in cases of sex
      chromosome mosaicism. This case also raises questions regarding malignancy risk
      associated with Y prevalence and tubal structures in gonadal tissue.

PMID- 28618412
TI  - Failed Downregulation of Circulating MicroRNA-155 in the Early Phase after ST
      Elevation Myocardial Infarction Is Associated with Adverse Left Ventricular
      Remodeling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: MicroRNA are noncoding RNA that have a significant role in both
      inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. AIMS: We aimed to assess whether the
      inflammation-related microRNA-155 is associated with the development of adverse
      left ventricular (LV) remodeling following ST elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI). METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected in the inflammatory
      (day 2), proliferative (day 5), and maturation phases (6 months) after STEMI (n =
      20). Granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes were enumerated with flow
      cytometry. The changes in LV volumes were assessed with 3-D echocardiography on
      day 1 and after 6 months. Adverse remodeling was defined as a >20% increase in
      end-diastolic volume. Healthy subjects were recruited as controls. RESULTS:
      MicroRNA-155 measured on day 5 correlated positively with the relative change in
      end-diastolic volume (rho = 0.490, p = 0.028). MicroRNA-155 (day 5) was
      significantly higher in patients with compared to patients without adverse LV
      remodeling. The expression level was similar in healthy subjects (n = 8) and in
      patients with LV remodeling. There was a positive correlation between microRNA
      155 and the amount of monocytes (day 5, rho = 0.463, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION:
      Impaired downregulation of microRNA-155 during the second phase of the post-
      STEMI inflammatory response is a determinant of the development of adverse LV
      remodeling.

PMID- 28618413
TI  - Induction of Apoptosis in HepaRG Cell Line by Aloe-Emodin through Generation of
      Reactive Oxygen Species and the Mitochondrial Pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Aloe-emodin (1,8-dihydroxy-3-hydroxymethyl-anthraquinone), an
      anthraquinone active compounds, is isolated from some traditional medicinal
      plants such as Rheum palmatum L. and Cassia occidentalis, which induce
      hepatotoxicity in rats. The aim of this study was to determine potential
      cytotoxic effects of aloe-emodin on HepaRG cells and to define the underlying
      mechanism. METHODS: MTT was used to evaluate cell viability. Apoptotic cell death
      was analyzed via Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. Intracellular reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were determined by flow
      cytometry, while the expression of apoptosis-related proteins was determined by
      Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Treatment with aloe-emodin significantly reduced
      cell viability and induced apoptosis in HepaRG cells in a dose- and time
      dependent manner. It provoked ROS generation and depolarization of MMP in HepaRG
      cells when compared with controls. Aloe-emodin dose-dependently increased release
      of mitochondrial cytochrome c, and levels of Fas, p53, p21, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, as
      well as activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, and subsequent cleavage of
      poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP). It also induced S-phase cell cycle arrest by
      increasing the expression of p21 and cyclin E proteins while significantly
      decreasing the expression of cyclin A and CDK2. CONCLUSION: These results suggest
      that aloe-emodin inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in HepaRG
      cells, most probably through a mechanism involving both Fas death pathway and the
      mitochondrial pathway by generation of ROS. These findings underscore the need
      for risk assessment of human exposure to aloe-emodin.

PMID- 28618414
TI  - Failed Downregulation of Circulating MicroRNA-155 as a Marker of Adverse Left
      Ventricular Remodeling: A New Useful Tool for Cardiologists?

PMID- 28618415
TI  - Disconnections of Cortico-Subcortical Pathways Related to Cognitive Impairment in
      Patients with Leukoaraiosis: A Preliminary Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the relation between the microstructural
      integrity of white matter using the technique of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)
      and changes of cognition in leukoaraiosis (LA). METHODS: Fifty patients with LA
      and 50 age- and gender-matched controls were recruited consecutively. The average
      values of mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were quantified
      both within white matter lesions (WMLs) and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM)
      from the regions of interest (ROIs). RESULTS: We found significantly decreased FA
      and increased MD in WMLs at the 5 ROIs than that in NAWM and controls (p < 0.05).
      The values of FA in NAWM were significantly lower at centrum semiovale and
      posterior periventricular white matter than those of controls (p < 0.05). The
      values of MD in NAWM were significantly higher at the anterior periventricular
      white matter and corpus callosum than those of controls (p < 0.05). The values of
      FA in NAWM located at anterior periventricular white matter correlated inversely
      with the Z scores of executive function (r = -0.420, p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: DTI
      may provide some important information about the cognitive dysfunction in
      patients with LA, which may largely attribute to the "disconnection" of cortico
      subcortical pathways, with the evidence of reduced FA and increased MD.

PMID- 28618416
TI  - Shock Wave Therapy Promotes Cardiomyocyte Autophagy and Survival during Hypoxia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autophagy plays an important role in cardiovascular disease.
      Controversy still exists regarding the effect of autophagy on ischemic/hypoxic
      myocardium. Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) is an effective alternative
      treatment for refractory ischemic heart disease. Whether CSWT can regulate
      cardiomyocyte autophagy under hypoxic conditions is not clear. We established a
      myocardial hypoxia model using the H9c2 cell line and performed shock waves (SWs)
      treatment to evaluate the effect of SW on autophagy. METHODS: The H9c2 cells were
      incubated under hypoxic conditions, and SW treatment was then performed at
      energies of 0.02, 0.05, or 0.10 mJ/mm2. The cell viability and intracellular ATP
      level were examined. Western blot analysis was used to assess the expression of
      LC3B, AMPK, mTOR, Beclin-1, Sirt1, and HIF-1alpha. Autophagic vacuoles were
      visualized by monodansylcadaverine staining. RESULTS: After the 24-hour hypoxic
      period, cardiomyocyte viability and ATP levels were decreased and autophagy was
      significantly increased in H9c2 cells. SW treatment with an energy of 0.05 mJ/mm2
      significantly increased the cellular viability, ATP level, LC3B-II/I, and number
      of autophagic vacuoles. In addition, phosphorylated AMPK and Sirt1 were increased
      and phosphorylated mTOR and HIF-1alpha were decreased after SW treatment.
      CONCLUSION: SW treatment can potentially promote cardiomyocyte autophagy during
      hypoxia and protect cardiomyocyte function by regulating the AMPK/mTOR pathway.

PMID- 28618417
TI  - Cholesterol Enhances Colorectal Cancer Progression via ROS Elevation and MAPK
      Signaling Pathway Activation.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Elevated serum cholesterol levels were linked to a higher risk
      of colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer (CRC), while the effect of
      cholesterol on CRC metastasis has not been widely studied. METHODS: CRC patients
      were enrolled to evaluate the association between low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDL) and CRC metastases, and LDL receptor (LDLR) level of the CRC
      tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The effects of LDL on cell
      proliferation, migration and stemness were assessed in CRC cells in vitro, and
      the effects of high fat diet (HFD) on tumor growth and intestinal tumorigenicity
      were investigated in vivo. ROS assays, gene expression array analysis and western
      blot were used to explore the mechanisms of LDL in CRC progression. RESULTS: The
      level of LDL was positively correlated with liver metastases, and a higher level
      of LDL receptor (LDLR) expression was associated with advanced N and M stages of
      CRC. In vitro, LDL promoted the migration and sphere formation of CRC cells and
      induced upregulated expression of "stemness" genes including Sox2, Oct4, Nanog
      and Bmi 1. High-fat diet (HFD) significantly enhanced tumor growth in vivo, and
      was associated with a shorter intestinal length in azoxymethane/dextran sodium
      sulfate (AOM/DSS)-treated mice. Furthermore, LDL significantly elevated reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) levels and Whole Human Genome Microarray found 87
      differentially expressed genes between LDL-treated CRC cells and controls, which
      were largely clustered in the MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS:
      LDL enhances intestinal inflammation and CRC progression via activation of ROS
      and signaling pathways including the MAPK pathway. Inflammation is strongly
      associated with cancer initiation, and the role of LDL in intestinal
      tumorigenicity should be further explored.

PMID- 28618418
TI  - Prognostic Significance of microRNA-7 and its Roles in the Regulation of
      Cisplatin Resistance in Lung Adenocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previously, microRNA (miR)-7 has been reported to function as a tumor
      suppressor in human cancers, but the correlations of miR-7 expression with
      prognosis and cisplatin (CDDP) resistance in lung adenocarcinoma (LA) are
      unclear. Here, our aim is to determine the prognostic significance of miR-7 and
      its roles in the regulation of CDDP resistance in LA. METHODS: Quantitative real
      time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay was performed to determine miR-7 expression in 108
      paired of LA tissues and analyze its correlations with clinicopathological
      factors of patients. The patient survival data were collected retrospectively by
      Kaplan-Meier analyses, and multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox
      proportional hazards model to determine the prognostic significance of miR-7
      expression. The effects of miR-7 expression on the chemosensitivity of LA cells
      to CDDP and its possible mechanisms were evaluated by MTT, flow cytometry,
      Western blot and luciferase assays. RESULTS: It was observed that the relative
      expression level of miR-7 in LA tissues was significantly lower than that in the
      adjacent normal tissues and low miR-7 expression level was closely associated
      with poorer tumor differentiation, advanced pathological T-factor, higher
      incidence of lymph node metastasis and advanced p-TNM stage. Also, patients with
      low miR-7 expression showed a shorter overall survival than those with high miR-7
      expression, and multivariate analysis indicated that status of miR-7 expression
      was an independent molecular biomarker for predicting the overall survival (OS)
      of LA patients. In addition, upregulation of miR-7 increases the sensitivity of
      LA cells to CDDP via induction of apoptosis by targeting Bcl-2. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      finding for the first time demonstrates that low miR-7 expression may be an
      independent poor prognostic factor and targeting miR-7 may be a potential
      strategy for the reversal of CDDP resistance in LA.

PMID- 28618419
TI  - Addictive Potential of Internet Applications and Differential Correlates of
      Problematic Use in Internet Gamers versus Generalized Internet Users in a
      Representative Sample of Adolescents.
AB  - AIMS: This paper examines the addictive potential of 8 different Internet
      applications, distinguishing male and female users. Moreover, differential
      correlates of problematic use are investigated in Internet gamers (IG) and
      generalized Internet users (GIU). METHOD: In a representative sample of 5,667
      adolescents aged 12-19 years, use of Internet applications, problematic Internet
      use, psychopathologic symptoms (emotional problems, hyperactivity/inattention,
      and psychosomatic complaints), personality (conscientiousness and extraversion),
      psychosocial correlates (perceived stress and self-efficacy), and coping
      strategies were assessed. The addictive potential of Internet applications was
      examined in boys and girls using regression analysis. MANOVAs were conducted to
      examine differential correlates of problematic Internet use between IG and GIU.
      RESULTS: Chatting and social networking most strongly predicted problematic
      Internet use in girls, while gaming was the strongest predictor in boys.
      Problematic IG exhibited multiple psychosocial problems compared to non
      problematic IG. In problematic Internet users, GIU reported even higher
      psychosocial burden and displayed dysfunctional coping strategies more frequently
      than gamers. CONCLUSION: The results extend previous findings on the addictive
      potential of Internet applications and validate the proposed distinction between
      specific and generalized problematic Internet use. In addition to Internet gaming
      disorder, future studies should also focus on other highly addictive Internet
      applications, that is, chatting or social networking, regarding differential
      correlates of problematic use.

PMID- 28618420
TI  - Heterogeneity in Gastric Cancer: From Pure Morphology to Molecular
      Classifications.
AB  - Gastric cancer (GC) represents a global health concern. Despite advances in
      prevention, diagnosis, and therapy, GC is still the third leading cause of cancer
      mortality worldwide, with more than 720,000 estimated deaths in 2012. Overall
      survival for advanced disease is about 1 year, a dismal prognosis that is partly
      due to the high levels of biological heterogeneity found in GC. Indeed, GC is a
      highly heterogeneous disease from morphological and molecular standpoints. The
      numerous histological and molecular classifications currently available reflect
      such heterogeneity. Although recent high-throughput studies cluster the molecular
      data obtained into subgroups with clinical relevance, we still need a practical,
      prognostic, and predictive classification system, integrating morphological and
      molecular features, towards the identification of novel therapeutic targets. It
      is noteworthy that GC heterogeneity encompasses not only interpatient variability
      (intertumour heterogeneity), but also variations within the same tumour
      (intratumour heterogeneity). The latter encompasses spatial heterogeneity (in
      different tumour areas) and temporal heterogeneity (along progression from
      primary to recurrent and/or metastatic disease). In this review, we analyse the
      morphological, immunophenotypic, and molecular heterogeneity in GC as the basis
      for a better understanding of the disease, and discuss the practical implications
      for diagnostic pathology, prognostic evaluation, and precision therapy.

PMID- 28618421
TI  - Identification of Tisp40 as an Essential Regulator of Renal Tubulointerstitial
      Fibrosis via TGF-beta/Smads Pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tisp40, a transcription factor of the CREB/CREM family, is involved
      in cell proliferation, differentiation and other biological functions, but its
      role in renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is unknown. METHODS: In our study, we
      investigated the effects of Tisp40 on extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation,
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the underlying molecular mechanisms
      in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-stimulated TCMK-1 cells by
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blot analysis
      and immunofluorescence in vitro, and further explored the role of Tisp40 on renal
      fibrosis induced by ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) by qPCR, Western blot analysis,
      hydroxyproline analysis, Masson trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry
      staining in vivo. RESULTS: The data showed that Tisp40 was upregulated in a model
      of renal fibrosis induced by I/R injury (IRI). Upon IRI, Tisp40-deficient mice
      showed attenuated renal fibrosis compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, the
      expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, E-cadherin, fibronectin, and collagen I
      was suppressed. Tisp40 overexpression aggravated ECM accumulation and EMT in the
      TGF-beta-stimulated TCMK-1 cell line, whereas the opposite occurred in cells
      treated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting Tisp40. Importantly, it is
      changes in the Smad pathway that attenuate renal fibrosis. CONCLUSION: These
      findings suggest that Tisp40 plays a critical role in the TGF-beta/ Smads pathway
      involved in this process. Hence, Tisp40 could be a useful therapeutic target in
      the fight against renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

PMID- 28618422
TI  - Measurement of Aortic Cell Fluid-Phase Pinocytosis in vivo by Flow Cytometry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fluid-phase pinocytosis is a receptor-independent mechanism of
      endocytosis that occurs in all mammalian cells and may be a mechanism for the
      uptake of LDL by macrophages. As there are currently no methods for the
      measurement of fluid-phase pinocytosis by individual aortic cells in vivo, we
      sought to identify a suitable method. METHODS: ApoE-/- mice were retro-orbitally
      injected with AngioSPARK fluorescent nanoparticles specifically designed to not
      interact with cells. After 24 h, mice were sacrificed, and the aortas were
      isolated and then digested to analyze aortic cell uptake of AngioSPARK by flow
      cytometry. RESULTS: CD11b-expressing aortic macrophages from mice injected with
      AngioSPARK showed high levels of fluid-phase pinocytosis compared to aortic cells
      not expressing CD11b (4,393.7 vs. 408.3 mean fluorescence intensity [MFI],
      respectively). CONCLUSION: This new technique allows for the measurement of fluid
      phase pinocytosis by aortic cells in vivo, making it possible to examine the cell
      signaling molecules and drugs that affect this process. Published by S. Karger
      AG, Basel.

PMID- 28618423
TI  - Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Pericardial
      Bioprosthesis in Chinese Patients with Single or Multiple Valve Replacement in
      Aortic, Mitral, or Tricuspid Positions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To report the safety and efficacy results of a 9- to 15-year follow
      up investigation among patients who had received Carpentier-Edwards Perimount (CE
      P) bovine pericardial bioprostheses (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) for
      valve replacement. METHODS: This retrospective study investigated freedom from
      structural valve deterioration (SVD) as well as survival and reoperation among
      different age and etiology groups in patients who were implanted with a CE-P
      bioprosthesis at Guangdong General Hospital between 2001 and 2007. Kaplan-Meier
      survival analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression were
      performed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients (N = 225) was only 61.2 +/- 11.5
      years at valve replacement. More than half of the patients (55.1%) had rheumatic
      heart disease. The survival rates were 86.46, 81.58, and 74.42% at 5 years,
      64.39, 66.19, and 55.85% at 10 years, and 48.37, 57.33, and 46.54% at 15 years
      for the groups with mitral valve replacement (MVR), aortic valve replacement
      (AVR), and double valve replacement (DVR), respectively. The median time to
      freedom from SVD was 12.5, 13.2, and 11.2 years, respectively, for patients with
      MVR, AVR, and DVR. A higher age at valve replacement was a significant risk
      factor for SVD in all patients (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Good long-term clinical
      results of CE-P valves have been demonstrated in Chinese patients >60 years.

PMID- 28618424
TI  - Preventive and Therapeutic Proximal Sealing: A 3.5-Year Randomized Controlled
      Clinical Trial Follow-Up.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this split-mouth, randomized controlled clinical trial was
      to evaluate the efficacy of proximal sealing for avoiding the development of new
      caries lesions or arresting incipient caries lesions on the mesial surface of
      first permanent molars (6m) abutting lesions on the distal surface of second
      primary molars (05d) in children at high caries risk. METHODS: A total of 61
      children 8-10 years old were selected based on the caries status of the proximal
      sites of 05d and 6m. Children with caries on 05d and caries-free 6m were placed
      in the preventive sealing group and children with caries on both 05d and 6m in
      the therapeutic group. The children in each group had one 6m surface pair and in
      each pair one 6m surface was randomly allocated to receive a preventive or
      therapeutic sealing. Using a split-mouth design, the other 6m surface in the pair
      served as control. RESULTS: After 3.5 years, standardized follow-up radiographs
      were obtained for the 45 children who remained. In the preventive sealing group,
      4 out of 30 (13.3%) sealed and 16 out of 30 (53.3%) unsealed sound 6m surfaces
      had developed new caries lesions (p = 0.004, McNemar test). In the therapeutic
      sealing group, the progression of the carious lesions on 6m was observed in 3 out
      of 15 sealed (20.0%) and 8 out of 15 (53.3%) unsealed caries control surfaces (p
      = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Preventive sealing on sound 6m surfaces abutting 05d
      lesions in children at high caries risk efficaciously prevents the development of
      caries lesions. Therapeutically sealing active non-cavitated caries lesions
      reduces the progression.

PMID- 28618425
TI  - Electronic Cigarettes in Germany: Patterns of Use and Perceived Health
      Improvement.
AB  - AIMS: The aim of the study was to characterize e-cigarette users in terms of
      their consumption patterns, motives, and the perceived health benefits they
      experience from using e-cigarettes. DESIGN: The study was a cross-sectional
      online survey in 2015. A total of 3,320 German e-cigarette users were enrolled. A
      total of 91.5% were former tobacco smokers, 7.5% used both e-cigarettes and
      tobacco products, 1.0% were never-smokers. RESULTS: No differences were found
      between ex-smokers and dual users with regard to sociodemographic and smoking
      history (mean age 40.8 years, 81% men, 45% with a high school degree or above).
      Both groups had smoked 26.4 tobacco cigarettes a day for 22 years, had
      unsuccessfully tried to quit smoking using various other nicotine replacement
      products, and had used e-cigarettes for an average of 2 years. Ex-smokers
      consumed lower nicotine strength and more liquid per month, experienced more
      positive health changes, and had made vaping their hobby. Never-smokers were
      about 5 years younger, used liquid without nicotine and without tobacco flavor,
      and had no physical dependency. CONCLUSIONS: E-cigarettes were primarily used as
      an alternative to smoking and a substitute for nicotine. More dual users than ex
      smokers used e-cigarettes in places where smoking is forbidden. Positive health
      changes were more pronounced in ex-smokers than dual users.

PMID- 28618426
TI  - Renoprotective Effect of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin
      II Receptor Blockers in Diabetic Patients with Proteinuria.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Limited evidence exists on the choice of angiotensin-converting
      enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in diabetic
      patients with nephropathy. We aim to assess the renal effectiveness and safety of
      these drugs among diabetic nephropathy patients. METHODS: This retrospective
      cohort study was conducted with diabetic nephropathy patients who initiated ACEI
      or ARB monotherapy. The primary outcome was a composite of end stage of renal
      disease and renal transplantation, and the secondary outcome was all-cause
      mortality. The safety endpoint was hyperkalemia. RESULTS: Three thousand seven
      hundred and thirty-nine ACEI users and 3,316 ARB users were identified. ARBs
      seemed to be inferior to ACEIs given their poorer renal outcome (HR 1.31; 95% CI,
      1.15-1.50) and higher risk of hyperkalemia (HR 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.32). Among
      the four ACEIs compared, captopril was an inferior treatment choice given its
      poorer renal outcomes (HR 1.42; 95% CI, 1.05-1.93) and higher mortality rate (HR
      1.25; 95% CI, 1.01-1.55). Irbesartan appeared to be a poorer treatment choice
      among the three ARBs compared, given its inferior renal protective effect (HR
      1.35; 95% CI, 1.03-1.78). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest ACEIs as a relatively
      more renoprotective and safer treatment as compared to ARBs. Captopril and
      irbesartan may be inferior to the other ACEIs and ARBs respectively.

PMID- 28618427
TI  - Matrix Metalloproteases in Arterial Hypertension and their Trend after
      Antihypertensive Treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Arterial hypertension is characterized by vascular remodelling,
      atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications. Matrix metalloproteases (MPPs)
      are endopeptidases produced by all the cells present in the vascular wall and are
      involved in the regulation of the extracellular matrix protein turnover. MMPs
      contribute to blood vessel formation, remodelling, angiogenesis; whereas an
      altered expression or activity of MMPs or their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) results
      correlated with the development and progression of cardiovascular complications.
      METHODS: We examined the literature data regarding the role of MMPs in human
      hypertension, including their involvement in vascular remodelling, and the
      effects of some antihypertensive molecules on these MMP/TIMP profile. RESULTS:
      The expression and the activity of some MMPs and TIMPs are impaired in human
      hypertension. An altered MMPs/TIMPs balance plays an important role in the
      vascular wall rearrangement, in response to hemodynamic changes which may induce
      myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis leading to ventricular remodelling. Several
      studies have examined the effects of some antihypertensive molecules, such as ACE
      inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and
      aldosterone antagonists, on the MMPs/TIMPs profile by obtaining positive results.
      CONCLUSION: Considering the data taken into consideration, the authors believe
      that in clinical practice a strategic antihypertensive therapy directed to the
      MMPs profile, may be useful to decrease the risk of cardiovascular complications.

PMID- 28618428
TI  - The Impact of Circulating Mitochondrial DNA on Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis and
      Myocardial Injury After TLR4 Activation in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), acting as a newly found 'danger
      associated molecular patterns' (DAMPs), is released into circulation upon tissue
      injury and performs as a considerable activator of inflammation and immune
      response. However, the role of circulating mtDNA in experimental autoimmune
      myocarditis (EAM) as well as Toll like receptor4 (TLR4) mediated cardiac
      inflammation and injury remains unknown. METHODS: A model of EAM was established
      in BALB/c mice by immunization with porcine cardiac myosin. Lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS) was used to stimulate TLR4 activation in EAM mice and H9C2 cells. RESULTS:
      LPS stimulation significantly aggravated cardiac inflammation and tissue injury
      in EAM, as demonstrated by increased myocardium inflammatory cell infiltration,
      and up-regulated inflammatory cytokines and troponin I(TnI) level in serum.
      Circulating mtDNA level was increased in EAM and TLR4 activation led to a greater
      elevation, which may be related to Reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress involved
      mtDNA damage characterized by reduced mtDNA copy number in myocardium tissue. In
      addition, the expression of Toll like receptor9 (TLR9), a ligand of mtDNA, was
      significantly up-regulated in the myocardium of EAM and EAM LPS group; meanwhile,
      TLR9 inhibition by ODN 2088 caused an inhibited apoptosis in LPS treated H9C2
      cells. Moreover, in EAM and EAM LPS group, simultaneously giving ODN 2088
      treatment significantly ameliorated cardiac inflammation and tissue injury
      compared with untreated group. CONCLUSION: Increased circulating mtDNA combined
      with upregulated TLR9 expression may corporately play a role in EAM as well as
      TLR4 activation mediated cardiac inflammation and injury.

PMID- 28618429
TI  - Microarray Expression Profile of Circular RNAs in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear
      Cells from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) compose a large class of RNAs that can
      be used as biomarkers in clinical blood samples. This study aimed to determine
      the expression of circRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to identify novel biomarkers for RA screening.
      METHODS: We started with a microarray screening of circRNA changes in PBMCs from
      5 RA patients and 5 healthy controls. We then confirmed the selected circRNA
      changes in PBMCs from 30 RA patients and 25 age- and sex-matched controls using
      the real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT
      PCR). Spearman correlation test was performed to assess the correlation of
      circRNAs and clinical variables. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve
      was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic value. RESULTS: We identified and
      verified five circRNAs (092516, 003524, 103047, 104871, 101873) that were
      significantly elevated in PBMCs from RA patients. Among these RA patients, we
      detected no significant correlation between the five circRNAs and the disease
      severity, including disease activity score (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation
      rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and health assessment questionnaire (HAQ).
      Yet, ROC curve analysis suggested that circRNA_104871 has significant value of RA
      diagnosis (AUC=0.833, P<0.001), followed by circRNA_003524 (AUC = 0.683, P =
      0.020), circRNA_101873 (AUC = 0.676, P = 0.026), and circRNA_103047 (AUC = 0.671,
      P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that increased expression of
      circRNAs circRNA_104871, circRNA_003524, circRNA_101873 and circRNA_103047 in
      PBMC from RA patients may serve as potential biomarkers for RA patient diagnosis.

PMID- 28618430
TI  - Extreme assay sensitivity in molecular diagnostics further unveils intratumour
      heterogeneity in metastatic colorectal cancer as well as artifactual low
      frequency mutations in the KRAS gene.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gene mutations in the RAS family rule out metastatic colorectal
      carcinomas (mCRCs) from anti-EGFR therapies. METHODS: We report a retrospective
      analysis by Sequenom Massarray and fast COLD-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing on
      240 mCRCs. RESULTS: By Sequenom, KRAS and NRAS exons 2-3-4 were mutated in 52.9%
      (127/240) of tumours, while BRAF codon 600 mutations reached 5% (12/240). Fast
      COLD-PCR found extra mutations at KRAS exon 2 in 15/166 (9%) of samples,
      previously diagnosed by Sequenom as wild-type or mutated at RAS (exons 3-4) or
      BRAF genes. After UDG digestion results were reproduced in 2/12 analysable
      subclonally mutated samples leading to a frequency of true subclonal KRAS
      mutations of 1.2% (2.1% of the previous Sequenom wild-type subgroup). In 10 out
      of 12 samples, the subclonal KRAS mutations disappeared (9 out of 12) or turned
      to a different sequence variant (1 out of 12). CONCLUSIONS: mCRC can harbour
      coexisting multiple gene mutations. High sensitivity assays allow the detection
      of a small subset of patients harbouring true subclonal KRAS mutations. However,
      DNA changes with mutant allele frequencies <3% detected in formalin-fixed
      paraffin-embedded samples may be artifactual in a non-negligible fraction of
      cases. UDG pre-treatment of DNA is mandatory to identify true DNA changes in
      archival samples and avoid misinterpretation due to artifacts.

PMID- 28618432
TI  - Accuracy of Digital vs Conventional Implant Impression Approach: A Three
      Dimensional Comparative In Vitro Analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the three-dimensional (3D) accuracy and clinical acceptability
      of implant definitive casts fabricated using a digital impression approach and to
      compare the results with those of a conventional impression method in a partially
      edentulous condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mandibular reference model was
      fabricated with implants in the first premolar and molar positions to simulate a
      patient with bilateral posterior edentulism. Ten implant-level impressions per
      method were made using either an intraoral scanner with scanning abutments for
      the digital approach or an open-tray technique and polyvinylsiloxane material for
      the conventional approach. 3D analysis and comparison of implant location on
      resultant definitive casts were performed using laser scanner and quality control
      software. The inter-implant distances and interimplant angulations for each
      implant pair were measured for the reference model and for each definitive cast
      (n = 20 per group); these measurements were compared to calculate the magnitude
      of error in 3D for each definitive cast. The influence of implant angulation on
      definitive cast accuracy was evaluated for both digital and conventional
      approaches. Statistical analysis was performed using t test (alpha = .05) for
      implant position and angulation. Clinical qualitative assessment of accuracy was
      done via the assessment of the passivity of a master verification stent for each
      implant pair, and significance was analyzed using chi-square test (alpha = .05).
      RESULTS: A 3D error of implant positioning was observed for the two impression
      techniques vs the reference model, with mean +/- standard deviation (SD) error of
      116 +/- 94 MUm and 56 +/- 29 MUm for the digital and conventional approaches,
      respectively (P = .01). In contrast, the inter-implant angulation errors were not
      significantly different between the two techniques (P = .83). Implant angulation
      did not have a significant influence on definitive cast accuracy within either
      technique (P = .64). The verification stent demonstrated acceptable passive fit
      for 11 out of 20 casts and 18 out of 20 casts for the digital and conventional
      methods, respectively (P = .01). CONCLUSION: Definitive casts fabricated using
      the digital impression approach were less accurate than those fabricated from the
      conventional impression approach for this simulated clinical scenario. A
      significant number of definitive casts generated by the digital technique did not
      meet clinically acceptable accuracy for the fabrication of a multiple implant
      supported restoration.

PMID- 28618431
TI  - Tumour heterogeneity poses a significant challenge to cancer biomarker research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The high degree of genomic diversity in cancer represents a challenge
      for identifying objective prognostic markers. We aimed to examine the extent of
      tumour heterogeneity and its effect on the evaluation of a selected prognostic
      marker using prostate cancer as a model. METHODS: We assessed Gleason Score (GS),
      DNA ploidy status and phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) expression in
      radical prostatectomy specimens (RP) from 304 patients followed for a median of
      10 years (interquartile range 6-12). GS was assessed for every tumour-containing
      block and DNA ploidy for a median of four samples for each RP. In a subgroup of
      40 patients we assessed DNA ploidy and PTEN status in every tumour-containing
      block. In 102 patients assigned to active surveillance (AS), GS and DNA ploidy
      were studied in needle biopsies. RESULTS: Extensive heterogeneity was observed
      for GS (89% of the patients) and DNA ploidy (40% of the patients) in the cohort,
      and DNA ploidy (60% of the patients) and PTEN expression (75% of the patients) in
      the subgroup. DNA ploidy was a significant prognostic marker when heterogeneity
      was taken into consideration. In the AS cohort we found heterogeneity in GS (24%)
      and in DNA ploidy (25%) specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-sample analysis should be
      performed to support clinical treatment decisions.

PMID- 28618433
TI  - Crestal Sinus Augmentation with Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2:
      Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of 2-Year Pilot Trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) together with
      an absorbable collagen carrier (ACS) was approved for augmentation of the
      maxillary sinus prior to implant placement. The original registration trial was
      based on a lateral window approach. Clinical outcomes of crestal sinus
      augmentation with rhBMP-2 have not been reported so far. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      An uncontrolled pilot trial in which seven patients with a residual maxillary
      height below 5 mm were enrolled to receive crestal sinus augmentation with rhBMP
      2/ACS was conducted. Elevation of the sinus mucosa was performed by gel pressure.
      Primary endpoints were the gain in augmentation height and volume measured by
      computed tomography after 6 months. Evaluation of bone quality at the time of
      implant placement was based on histology. Secondary endpoints were the clinical
      and radiologic evaluation of the implants and patient satisfaction by visual
      analog scale (VAS) at the 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: Median gain in augmentation
      height was 7.2 mm (range 0.0 to 17.5 mm). Five patients gained at least 5 mm of
      bone height. Two patients with a perforation of the sinus mucosa failed to
      respond to rhBMP-2/ACS and underwent lateral window augmentation. The median gain
      in augmentation volume of the five patients was 781.3 mm3 (range 426.9 to 1,242.8
      mm3). Biopsy specimens showed a cancellous network consisting of primary
      plexiform bone with little secondary lamellar bone. After 2 years, implants were
      in function with no signs of inflammation or peri-implant bone loss. Patients
      were satisfied with the esthetic outcomes and chewing function. CONCLUSION: This
      pilot clinical trial supports the original concept that rhBMP-2/ACS supports bone
      formation, also in crestal sinus augmentation, and emphasizes the relevance of
      the integrity of the sinus mucosa to predict the bone gain.

PMID- 28618434
TI  - Alveolar Ridge Augmentation Using Dystopic Autogenous Tooth: 2-Year Results of an
      Open Prospective Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of chemically unchanged tooth material in lateral
      alveolar ridge augmentation or for the filling of jaw defects. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A total of 20 patients underwent either lateral augmentation of the
      alveolar process (11 patients) or filling of jaw defects (6 patients) with
      autogenous unaltered tooth material in a longitudinal 2-year study. In three
      patients, the jaw defect was so marked that a bone block graft had to be used for
      augmentation in addition to particulate dental material. In four patients, an
      autogenous tooth block was exclusively used; in seven, crushed tooth material was
      exclusively used; and in the remaining six, dystopic teeth that had been
      extracted were removed, crushed, and reinserted into the defect in particulate
      form. Fully impacted teeth served as autogenous donor teeth. RESULTS: After a
      healing time of 3 to 6 months, 28 implants could be placed (10 immediate
      implants, 18 delayed implants). At 6, 12, and 24 months postrestoration, peri
      implant bone loss as assessed by x-ray was 0 mm, 0.4 mm, and 0.6 mm,
      respectively. Peri-implant probing depth was 1 mm after 1 year and 2 mm after 2
      years. Bleeding on probing was not seen in any of the implants after 2 years.
      CONCLUSION: Autogenous tooth material appears to be suitable for the restoration
      of lateral and intraosseous defects of the alveolar ridge with both complete
      blocks and in particulate form. However, additional long-term studies with higher
      case numbers will be required for substantiating these results.

PMID- 28618435
TI  - Anteromedializing Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy for Patellofemoral Instability:
      Occupational and Functional Outcomes in U.S. Military Service Members.
AB  - This article sought to determine rates for return to work, pain relief, and
      recurrent patellofemoral instability for military service members undergoing
      tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) for persistent lateral patellar subluxation or
      dislocation. Patient demographic and surgical variables were isolated from the
      medical records of active duty service members with at least 2 years of
      postoperative follow-up, and correlated with return to work, pain improvement,
      recurrent patellofemoral instability, and perioperative complications. There were
      51 service members (58 primary TTOs) with an average follow-up of 3.3 (range, 2.0
      6.7) years. Service members had an average of 2.8 (1-12) instability events
      preoperatively. At a minimum of 2 years postoperatively, 41 (80%) military
      service members returned to full active duty service. Among the 58 TTOs, there
      was a 46% improvement in the patient-reported visual analog score from 4.1 to 2.2
      (p < 0001). The postoperative recurrent instability rates were patellar
      dislocation (5.1%) and patellar subluxation (15.5%). Concomitant proximal
      realignment was performed in 48% of cases, which did not affect return to
      service, postoperative patellar instability events, or pain improvement (p >
      0.05). The overall complication rate was 10%. Postoperative tibial fractures
      occurred in 6.9% of TTOs. At short- to mid-term follow-up, 80% of service members
      undergoing TTO for patellofemoral instability returned to military duty with
      significant improvement in pain scores and a moderate perioperative complication
      and postoperative instability rate. This study is a level IV therapeutic case
      series.

PMID- 28618437
TI  - The Importance of Facts and the Role of Academic Publishers in Today's World-A
      Publisher's View.

PMID- 28618436
TI  - More on the Limitations of the Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time for
      Monitoring Argatroban Therapy.

PMID- 28618438
TI  - Innovations in Dysarthria Management.

PMID- 28618439
TI  - Dysarthria of Spinal Cord Injury and Its Management.

PMID- 28618440
TI  - Perspectives on the Psychosocial Management of Oromandibular Dystonia.

PMID- 28618441
TI  - Toward a Measure of Communicative Participation for Children with Developmental
      Speech Disorders.

PMID- 28618442
TI  - Examining Variation in Treatment Outcomes among Speakers with Dysarthria.

PMID- 28618443
TI  - Longitudinal Changes in Speech Breathing in Older Adults with and without
      Parkinson's Disease.

PMID- 28618444
TI  - Incorporating the Principles of Self-Management into Treatment of Dysarthria
      Associated with Parkinson's Disease.

PMID- 28618445
TI  - Speech Recognition as a Practice Tool for Dysarthria.

PMID- 28618446
TI  - Patient-Provider Communication Training for Dysarthria: Lessons Learned from
      Student Trainees.

PMID- 28618447
TI  - Patient-Provider Communication for People with Severe Dysarthria: Referral
      Policies that Lead to Systems Change.

PMID- 28618448
TI  - Out of sight but not out of mind: Home countries' macroeconomic volatilities and
      immigrants' mental health.
AB  - We provide the first empirical evidence that better economic performances by
      immigrants' countries of origin, as measured by lower consumer price index (CPI)
      or higher gross domestic product, improve immigrants' mental health. We use an
      econometrically-robust approach that exploits exogenous changes in macroeconomic
      conditions across immigrants' home countries over time and controls for
      immigrants' observable and unobservable characteristics. The CPI effect is
      statistically significant and sizeable. Furthermore, the CPI effect diminishes as
      the time since emigrating increases. By contrast, home countries' unemployment
      rates and exchange rate fluctuations have no impact on immigrants' mental health.

PMID- 28618449
TI  - Groundwater Quality: Analysis of Its Temporal and Spatial Variability in a Karst
      Aquifer.
AB  - This study develops an approach based on hierarchical cluster analysis for
      investigating the spatial and temporal variation of water quality governing
      processes. The water quality data used in this study were collected in the karst
      aquifer of Yucatan, Mexico, the only source of drinking water for a population of
      nearly two million people. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to the
      quality data of all the sampling periods lumped together. This was motivated by
      the observation that, if water quality does not vary significantly in time, two
      samples from the same sampling site will belong to the same cluster. The
      resulting distribution maps of clusters and box-plots of the major chemical
      components reveal the spatial and temporal variability of groundwater quality.
      Principal component analysis was used to verify the results of cluster analysis
      and to derive the variables that explained most of the variation of the
      groundwater quality data. Results of this work increase the knowledge about how
      precipitation and human contamination impact groundwater quality in Yucatan.
      Spatial variability of groundwater quality in the study area is caused by: a)
      seawater intrusion and groundwater rich in sulfates at the west and in the coast,
      b) water rock interactions and the average annual precipitation at the middle and
      east zones respectively, and c) human contamination present in two localized
      zones. Changes in the amount and distribution of precipitation cause temporal
      variation by diluting groundwater in the aquifer. This approach allows to analyze
      the variation of groundwater quality controlling processes efficiently and
      simultaneously.

PMID- 28618450
TI  - SAV1 represses the development of human colorectal cancer by regulating the Akt
      mTOR pathway in a YAP-dependent manner.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: SAV1 is a human homologue of Salvador that contains two protein
      protein interaction modules known as WW domains and acts as a scaffolding
      protein. SAV1 participates in the development of diverse types of cancer. We
      aimed to investigate the role of SAV1 in human colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Human colorectal cancer samples were used to study the expression of
      SAV1 and YAP. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function strategies were used to study
      the effects of SAV1 on colorectal cancer cell growth. Rapamycin was used to treat
      cells and mice to investigate the effect of mTOR signalling. RESULTS: SAV1
      represses the development of colorectal cancer by inhibiting the Akt-mTOR
      signalling in a YAP-dependent manner. The mRNA and protein levels of SAV1 are
      down-regulated in human colorectal cancer tissues compared with adjacent non
      cancer tissues. SAV1 knockdown promotes the growth of colorectal cancer cells in
      vitro and in vivo, whereas SAV1 overexpression leads to opposing results. SAV1
      represses the activation of the Akt-mTOR signalling, and rapamycin treatment
      blunts the effects of SAV1 on in vitro and in vivo growth of colorectal cancer
      cells. Finally, we show that SAV1 promotes the phosphorylation and inactivation
      of YAP, which contributes to the effect of SAV1 on Akt-mTOR signalling pathway.
      CONCLUSIONS: SAV1 is a repressor during the development of human colorectal
      cancer by inhibiting the YAP-Akt-mTOR signalling pathway.

PMID- 28618451
TI  - Multicenter comparison of CD34+ myeloid cell count by flow cytometry in low-risk
      myelodysplastic syndrome. Is it feasible?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accuracy of bone marrow (BM) blast count in low-risk myelodysplastic
      syndromes (MDS) still remains a challenge though it is essential for prognosis.
      We investigated whether the enumeration of CD34+ myeloid cells by flow cytometry
      immunophenotyping (FCI) could be used as a consistent parameter for clinical MDS
      studies. METHODS: Six clinical centers entered the study and information on their
      FCI protocols was recorded. Sixty-seven flow cytometry listmodes from BM samples
      of patients with low-risk MDS with <5% BM blasts were exchanged among
      participants in two different rounds. Interlaboratory variations on the
      quantification of CD34+ myeloid cells were calculated and strategies to solve
      differences were evaluated. RESULTS: An overall "very good" agreement on CD34+
      cell count among participants (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.720) was
      observed, but agreement was "low" in 22 files. No single parameter could fully
      explain all discrepancies, but 3 technical issues were identified as relevant:
      the use of the CD34/CD45/CD117/HLA-DR mAb combination, acquisition of >=50,000
      events and a low percentage of debris/aggregates. The frequency of discordant
      results increased with the accumulation of pitfalls (none, 16%; 1 pitfall, 40%; 2
      pitfalls, 83%; P = 0.006). Finally, the use of a common gating strategy for
      analysis increased the percentage of files with "very good" agreement to 100%.
      CONCLUSIONS: Prevention of specific technical pitfalls is mandatory to reach a
      good reproducibility of CD34+ cell count among centers. These recommendations set
      the basis for laboratory standardization and enable the use of CD34+ cell
      enumeration as additional information in low-risk MDS patients. (c) 2017
      International Clinical Cytometry Society.

PMID- 28618452
TI  - Murine melanoma cells incomplete reprogramming using non-viral vector.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The reprogramming of cancer cells into induced pluripotent stem cells
      or less aggressive cancer cells can provide a modern platform to study cancer
      related genes and their interactions with cell environment before and after
      reprogramming. Herein, we aimed to investigate the reprogramming capacity of
      murine melanoma B16F10 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The B16F10 was transfected
      using non-viral circular DNA plasmid containing the genes Sox-2, Oct4, Nanog,
      Lin28 and green fluorescent protein (GFP). These cells were characterized by
      immunofluorescence, analysis RT-PCR and cell cycle. RESULTS: Our results
      demonstrated for the first time that reprogramming of B16F10 may be induced using
      non-viral minicircle DNA containing the four reprogramming factors Oct4, Sox2,
      Lin 28, Nanog (OSLN) and the GFP reporter gene. The resulting clones are composed
      by epithelioid cells. These cells display characteristics of cancer stem cells,
      thus expressing pluripotent stem cell markers and dividing asymmetrically and
      symmetrically. Reprogrammed B16F10 cells did not form teratomas; however, they
      showed the suppression of tumourigenic abilities characterized by a reduced
      tumour size, when compared with parental B16F10 cell line. In contrast to
      parental cell line that showed accumulation of the cells in S phase of cell
      cycle, the cells of reprogrammed clones are accumulated in G1 phase. Long-term
      cultivation of reprogrammed B16F10 cells induces regression of their
      reprogramming. CONCLUSIONS: Our data imply that in result of reprogramming of
      B16F10 cells less aggressive Murine Melanoma Reprogrammed Cancer Cells may be
      obtained. These cells represent an interesting model to study mechanism of cells
      malignancy as well as provide a novel tool for anti-cancer drugs screening.

PMID- 28618453
TI  - Data-driven programmatic approach to analysis of basophil activation tests.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conventional data analysis of flow cytometry-based basophil
      activation testing requires repetitive, labor-intensive analysis that hampers
      efforts to standardize testing for clinical applications. Using an open-source
      platform, we developed and implemented a programmatic approach to the analysis of
      the basophil activation test (BAT) by flow cytometry. METHODS: Using the BUHLMANN
      FlowCAST(r) assay, peripheral blood from peanut allergic patients undergoing oral
      immunotherapy was incubated with peanut allergens (Arah1, Arah2, Arah6, whole
      peanut extract) and stained with fluorescent antibodies to CCR3 and CD63 for the
      development of a data-driven programmatic analysis using Bioconductor and R.
      Basophil identification using clustering and classification was validated using
      manually gated comparisons in an experimental subset. Reproducibility of CD63
      upregulation set on unstimulated or anti-FcERI stimulated basophils was compared.
      RESULTS: BAT analysis of 294 experiments was successful in 91.5% using the above
      approach, with a total of 7,166 individual basophil activation tests from 269
      experiments. We estimate this represents a net saving of 1340 min of labor by a
      skilled operator. Medium-based gating correlated to respective manual gating more
      closely than anti-FcERI based gating (R = 0.96 vs. R = 0.84, P < 0.001). Only 2%
      of the basophil activation results were significantly different from manual
      gating. Quality measures of the experiments and other measures of basophil
      activation were also provided by the analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We present a novel
      data-driven flow cytometric platform for the analysis of clinical basophil
      activation testing, providing a high throughput objective approach to basophil
      activation analysis. (c) 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

PMID- 28618454
TI  - The enacted unconscious: a neuropsychological model of unconscious processes.
AB  - Integrating neuropsychology with psychoanalytic thinking and experience, this
      paper offers a new view of the unconscious that veers away from more traditional
      conceptualizations. Rather, it emphasizes the ever-present influence of ongoing
      unconscious processes on much of our behaviors and mental states. Importantly,
      this new understanding is based on the functional unity of the brain/mind.

PMID- 28618455
TI  - Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment for neovascular age-related
      macular degeneration: Comparison of Age-related Macular Degeneration Treatments
      Trials 5 year outcomes and implication for clinical practice.

PMID- 28618457
TI  - Continuing Professional Development.

PMID- 28618456
TI  - Mechanisms underlying acute angle closure.

PMID- 28618458
TI  - Dreaming: a gateway to the unconscious?
AB  - Where do our dreams originate from, and what do they tell us? Is there a
      universal set of symbols that are common to all dreams, regardless of a person's
      ethnicity or culture? What does dreaming reveal about the unconscious? Why do
      some dreams remain etched in our memories, whereas others are almost instantly
      forgotten? Some scientists have adopted the position that dreams are little more
      than noise in the brain, without any substantive purpose or function. Yet, such a
      stance seemingly runs counter to the experience of many people who reflect upon
      and even analyze their dreams, often in search of clues to their daily lives or
      insights into their deeper selves. Similarly, in virtually all wisdom traditions,
      dreams are invoked as an important source of revelation or prophecy. Steve
      Paulson, executive producer and host of To the Best of Our Knowledge, moderated a
      discussion that included psychologist Deirdre Barrett, dream researcher Kelly
      Bulkeley, and psychologist and sleep/dream medicine specialist Rubin Naiman; they
      examined dreams from a variety of perspectives to answer these questions.

PMID- 28618459
TI  - Colored percolation.
AB  - A model called "colored percolation" has been introduced with its infinite number
      of versions in two dimensions. The sites of a regular lattice are randomly
      occupied with probability p and are then colored by one of the n distinct colors
      using uniform probability q=1/n. Denoting different colors by the letters of the
      Roman alphabet, we have studied different versions of the model like
      AB,ABC,ABCD,ABCDE,... etc. Here, only those lattice bonds having two different
      colored atoms at the ends are defined as connected. The percolation threshold
      p_{c}(n) asymptotically converges to its limiting value of p_{c} as 1/n. The
      model has been generalized by introducing a preference towards a subset of colors
      when m out of n colors are selected with probability q/m each and the rest of the
      colors are selected with probability (1-q)/(n-m). It has been observed that
      p_{c}(q,m) depends nontrivially on q and has a minimum at q_{min}=m/n. In another
      generalization the fractions of bonds between similarly and dissimilarly colored
      atoms have been treated as independent parameters. Phase diagrams in this
      parameter space have been drawn exhibiting percolating and nonpercolating phases.

PMID- 28618460
TI  - Surprising convergence of the Monte Carlo renormalization group for the three
      dimensional Ising model.
AB  - We present a surprisingly simple approach to high-accuracy calculations of the
      critical properties of the three-dimensional Ising model. The method uses a
      modified block-spin transformation with a tunable parameter to improve
      convergence in the Monte Carlo renormalization group. The block-spin parameter
      must be tuned differently for different exponents to produce optimal convergence.

PMID- 28618461
TI  - Noise-induced transitions in a double-well excitable oscillator.
AB  - The model of a double-well oscillator with nonlinear dissipation is studied. The
      self-sustained oscillation regime and the excitable one are described. The first
      regime consists of the coexistence of two stable limit cycles in the phase space,
      which correspond to self-sustained oscillations of the point mass in either
      potential well. The self-sustained oscillations do not occur in a noise-free
      system in the excitable regime, but appropriate conditions for coherence
      resonance in either potential well can be achieved. The stochastic dynamics in
      both regimes is researched by using numerical simulation and electronic circuit
      implementation of the considered system. Multiple qualitative changes of the
      probability density function caused by noise intensity varying are explained by
      using the phase-space structure of the deterministic system.

PMID- 28618462
TI  - Quantum-to-classical transition in the work distribution for chaotic systems.
AB  - The work distribution is a fundamental quantity in nonequilibrium thermodynamics
      mainly due to its connection with fluctuation theorems. Here, we develop a
      semiclassical approximation to the work distribution for a quench process in
      chaotic systems that provides a link between the quantum and classical work
      distributions. The approach is based on the dephasing representation of the
      quantum Loschmidt echo and on the quantum ergodic conjecture, which states that
      the Wigner function of a typical eigenstate of a classically chaotic Hamiltonian
      is equidistributed on the energy shell. Using numerical simulations, we show that
      our semiclassical approximation accurately describes the quantum distribution as
      the temperature is increased.

PMID- 28618463
TI  - Diffusion-driven self-assembly of rodlike particles: Monte Carlo simulation on a
      square lattice.
AB  - The diffusion-driven self-assembly of rodlike particles was studied by means of
      Monte Carlo simulation. The rods were represented as linear k-mers (i.e.,
      particles occupying k adjacent sites). In the initial state, they were deposited
      onto a two-dimensional square lattice of size L*L up to the jamming concentration
      using a random sequential adsorption algorithm. The size of the lattice, L, was
      varied from 128 to 2048, and periodic boundary conditions were applied along both
      x and y axes, while the length of the k-mers (determining the aspect ratio) was
      varied from 2 to 12. The k-mers oriented along the x and y directions (k_{x}-mers
      and k_{y}-mers, respectively) were deposited equiprobably. In the course of the
      simulation, the numbers of intraspecific and interspecific contacts between the
      same sort and between different sorts of k-mers, respectively, were calculated.
      Both the shift ratio of the actual number of shifts along the longitudinal or
      transverse axes of the k-mers and the electrical conductivity of the system were
      also examined. For the initial random configuration, quite different self
      organization behavior was observed for short and long k-mers. For long k-mers
      (k>=6), three main stages of diffusion-driven spatial segregation (self-assembly)
      were identified: the initial stage, reflecting destruction of the jamming state;
      the intermediate stage, reflecting continuous cluster coarsening and labyrinth
      pattern formation; and the final stage, reflecting the formation of diagonal
      stripe domains. Additional examination of two artificially constructed initial
      configurations showed that this pattern of diagonal stripe domains is an
      attractor, i.e., any spatial distribution of k-mers tends to transform into
      diagonal stripes. Nevertheless, the time for relaxation to the steady state
      essentially increases as the lattice size growth.

PMID- 28618464
TI  - Experimental investigations and phase-field simulations of triple-phase
      separation kinetics within liquid ternary Co-Cu-Pb immiscible alloys.
AB  - The phase-separation kinetics and microstructure evolution mechanisms of liquid
      ternary Co_{43}Cu_{40}Pb_{17} immiscible alloys are investigated by both the drop
      tube technique and phase-field method. Two successive phase separations take
      place during droplet falling and lead to the formation of a three-phase three
      layer core-shell structure composed of a Co-rich core, a Cu-rich middle layer,
      and a Pb-rich shell. The Pb-rich shell becomes more and more conspicuous as
      droplet diameter decreases. Meanwhile, the Co-rich core center gradually moves
      away from the core-shell center. Theoretical analyses show that a larger
      temperature gradient inside a smaller alloy droplet induces the accelerated
      growth of the surface segregation shell during triple-phase separation. The
      residual Stokes motion and the asymmetric Marangoni convection result in the
      appearance of an eccentric Co-rich core and the core deviation degree is closely
      related to the droplet size and initial velocity. A three-dimensional phase-field
      model of ternary immiscible alloys, which considers the successive phase
      separations under the combined effects of Marangoni convection and surface
      segregation, is proposed to explore the formation mechanisms of three-phase core
      shell structures. The simulated core-shell morphologies are consistent with the
      experimental observations, which verifies the model's validity in reproducing the
      core-shell dynamic evolution. Numerical results reveal that the development of
      three-phase three-layer core-shell structures can be attributed to the primary
      and then secondary phase separations dominated simultaneously by Marangoni
      convection and surface segregation. Furthermore, the effects of droplet
      temperature gradient on the growth kinetics of the surface segregation shell are
      analyzed in the light of phase-field theory.

PMID- 28618465
TI  - Two-dimensional localized chaotic patterns in parametrically driven systems.
AB  - We study two-dimensional localized patterns in weakly dissipative systems that
      are driven parametrically. As a generic model for many different physical
      situations we use a generalized nonlinear Schrodinger equation that contains
      parametric forcing, damping, and spatial coupling. The latter allows for the
      existence of localized pattern states, where a finite-amplitude uniform state
      coexists with an inhomogeneous one. In particular, we study numerically two
      dimensional patterns. Increasing the driving forces, first the localized pattern
      dynamics is regular, becomes chaotic for stronger driving, and finally extends in
      area to cover almost the whole system. In parallel, the spatial structure of the
      localized states becomes more and more irregular, ending up as a full
      spatiotemporal chaotic structure.

PMID- 28618466
TI  - Compressive response and helix formation of a semiflexible polymer confined in a
      nanochannel.
AB  - Configurations of a single semiflexible polymer is studied when it is pushed into
      a nanochannel in the case where the polymer persistence length l_{p} is much
      longer than the channel diameter D:l_{p}/D?1. Using numerical simulations, we
      show that the polymer undergoes a sequence of recurring structural transitions
      upon longitudinal compression: random deflection along the channel, a helix going
      around the channel wall, double-fold random deflection, double-fold helix, etc.
      We find that the helix transition can be understood as buckling of deflection
      segments, and the initial helix formation takes place at very small compression
      with no appreciable weak compression regime of the random deflection polymer.

PMID- 28618467
TI  - Effect of axial electric field on the Rayleigh instability at small length
      scales.
AB  - The effect of an electric field along the longitudinal axis of a nanoscale liquid
      thread is studied to understand the mechanism of breakup. The Rayleigh
      instability (commonly known as the Plateau-Rayleigh instability) of a nanosized
      liquid water thread is investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. The
      breakup mechanism of the liquid nanothread is studied by analyzing the temporal
      evolution of the thread radius. The influence of the temperature of the liquid
      nanothread and the electric-field strength on the stability and breakup is the
      major focus of the study. The results show that the axial electric field has a
      stabilizing effect even at nanoscale. The results from the simulations are in
      good agreement with the solutions obtained from the dispersion relation developed
      by Hohman et al. for the liquid thread. The critical electric-field strength
      necessary to avoid the breakup of the liquid thread is calculated and other
      effects such as the splaying and whipping instability are also discussed.

PMID- 28618468
TI  - Optimization of plasma amplifiers.
AB  - Plasma amplifiers offer a route to side-step limitations on chirped pulse
      amplification and generate laser pulses at the power frontier. They compress long
      pulses by transferring energy to a shorter pulse via the Raman or Brillouin
      instabilities. We present an extensive kinetic numerical study of the three
      dimensional parameter space for the Raman case. Further particle-in-cell
      simulations find the optimal seed pulse parameters for experimentally relevant
      constraints. The high-efficiency self-similar behavior is observed only for seeds
      shorter than the linear Raman growth time. A test case similar to an upcoming
      experiment at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics is found to maintain good
      transverse coherence and high-energy efficiency. Effective compression of a 10kJ,
      nanosecond-long driver pulse is also demonstrated in a 15-cm-long amplifier.

PMID- 28618469
TI  - Collisional dissipation rate in shearing flows of granular liquid crystals.
AB  - We make use of discrete-element-method numerical simulations of inelastic
      frictionless cylinders in simple shearing at different length-to-diameter ratios
      and solid volume fractions to analyze the rate of collisional dissipation of the
      fluctuation kinetic energy. We show that the nonspherical geometry of the
      particles is responsible, by inducing rotation, for increasing the dissipation
      rate of the fluctuation kinetic energy with respect to that for frictionless
      spheres. We also suggest that the partial alignment of the cylinders induced by
      shearing concurs with the particle inelasticity in generating correlation in the
      velocity fluctuations and thus affecting the collisional dissipation rate as the
      solid volume fraction increases. Finally, we propose simple phenomenological
      modifications to the expression of the collisional dissipation rate of kinetic
      theory of granular gases to take into account our findings.

PMID- 28618470
TI  - Fluidization and wall slip of soft glassy materials by controlled surface
      roughness.
AB  - We present a comprehensive study of concentrated emulsions flowing in
      microfluidic channels, one wall of which is patterned with micron-size equally
      spaced grooves oriented perpendicularly to the flow direction. We find a scaling
      law describing the roughness-induced fluidization as a function of the density of
      the grooves, thus fluidization can be predicted and quantitatively regulated.
      This suggests common scenarios for droplet trapping and release, potentially
      applicable for other jammed systems as well. Numerical simulations confirm these
      views and provide a direct link between fluidization and the spatial distribution
      of plastic rearrangements.

PMID- 28618471
TI  - Energy-dissipation anomaly in systems of localized waves.
AB  - We study the statistics of the power P dissipated by waves propagating in a one
      dimensional disordered medium with damping coefficient nu. An operator imposes
      the wave amplitude at one end, therefore injecting a power P that balances
      dissipation. The typical realization of P vanishes for nu->0: Disorder leads to
      localization and total reflection of the wave energy back to the emitter, with
      negligible losses. More surprisingly, the mean dissipated power <P> averaged over
      the disorder reaches a finite limit for nu->0. We show that this "anomalous
      dissipation" lim_{nu->0}<P> is directly given by the integrated density of states
      of the undamped system. In some cases, this allows us to compute the anomalous
      dissipation exactly, using properties of the undamped system only. As an example,
      we compute the anomalous dissipation for weak correlated disorder and for
      Gaussian white noise of arbitrary strength. Although the focus is on the singular
      limit nu->0, we finally show that this approach is easily extended to arbitrary
      nu.

PMID- 28618472
TI  - Cyclic public goods games: Compensated coexistence among mutual cheaters
      stabilized by optimized penalty taxation.
AB  - We study the problem of stabilized coexistence in a three-species public goods
      game in which each species simultaneously contributes to one public good while
      freeloading off another public good ("cheating"). The proportional population
      growth is governed by an appropriately modified replicator equation, depending on
      the returns from the public goods and the cost. We show that the replicator
      dynamic has at most one interior unstable fixed point and that the population
      becomes dominated by a single species. We then show that by applying an
      externally imposed penalty, or "tax" on success can stabilize the interior fixed
      point, allowing for the symbiotic coexistence of all species. We show that the
      interior fixed point is the point of globally minimal total population growth in
      both the taxed and untaxed cases. We then formulate an optimal taxation problem
      and show that it admits a quasilinearization, resulting in novel necessary
      conditions for the optimal control. In particular, the optimal control problem
      governing the tax rate must solve a certain second-order ordinary differential
      equation.

PMID- 28618473
TI  - Approximate probabilistic cellular automata for the dynamics of single-species
      populations under discrete logisticlike growth with and without weak Allee
      effects.
AB  - We investigate one-dimensional elementary probabilistic cellular automata (PCA)
      whose dynamics in first-order mean-field approximation yields discrete
      logisticlike growth models for a single-species unstructured population with
      nonoverlapping generations. Beginning with a general six-parameter model, we find
      constraints on the transition probabilities of the PCA that guarantee that the
      ensuing approximations make sense in terms of population dynamics and classify
      the valid combinations thereof. Several possible models display a negative cubic
      term that can be interpreted as a weak Allee factor. We also investigate the
      conditions under which a one-parameter PCA derived from the more general six
      parameter model can generate valid population growth dynamics. Numerical
      simulations illustrate the behavior of some of the PCA found.

PMID- 28618474
TI  - Variance of permutation entropy and the influence of ordinal pattern selection.
AB  - Permutation entropy (PE) is a widely used measure for complexity, often used to
      distinguish between complex systems (or complex systems in different states).
      Here, the PE variance for a stationary time series is derived, and the influence
      of ordinal pattern selection, specifically whether the ordinal patterns are
      permitted to overlap or not, is examined. It was found that permitting ordinal
      patterns to overlap reduces the PE variance, improving the ability of this
      statistic to distinguish between complex system states for both numeric
      (fractional Gaussian noise) and experimental (semiconductor laser with optical
      feedback) systems. However, with overlapping ordinal patterns, the precision to
      which the PE variance can be estimated becomes diminished, which can manifest as
      increased incidences of false positive and false negative errors when applying PE
      to statistical inference problems.

PMID- 28618475
TI  - Stationary engines in and beyond the linear response regime at the Carnot
      efficiency.
AB  - The condition for stationary engines to attain the Carnot efficiency in and
      beyond the linear response regime is investigated. We find that this condition
      for finite-size engines is significantly different from that for macroscopic
      engines in the thermodynamic limit. For the case of finite-size engines, the
      tight-coupling condition in the linear response regime directly implies the
      attainability of the Carnot efficiency beyond the linear response regime. As
      opposed to this, for the case of macroscopic engines in the thermodynamic limit,
      there are three types of mechanisms to attain the Carnot efficiency. One
      mechanism allows engines to attain the Carnot efficiency only in the linear
      response limit, while the other two mechanisms enable engines to attain the
      Carnot efficiency beyond the linear response regime. These three mechanisms are
      classified by introducing a tight-coupling window.

PMID- 28618476
TI  - Bremsstrahlung from the interaction of short laser pulses with dielectrics.
AB  - An intense, short laser pulse incident on a transparent dielectric can excite
      electrons from the valence to the conduction band. As these electrons undergo
      scattering, both from phonons and ions, they emit bremsstrahlung. Here we present
      a theory of bremsstrahlung emission appropriate for the interaction of laser
      pulses with dielectrics. Simulations of the interaction, incorporating this
      theory, illustrate characteristics of the radiation (power, energy, and spectra)
      for arbitrary ratios of electron collision frequency to radiation frequency. The
      conversion efficiency of laser pulse energy into bremsstrahlung depends strongly
      on both the intensity and duration of the pulse, saturating at values of about
      10^{-5}. Depending on whether the intensity is above or below the damage
      threshold of the material, the emission can originate either from the surface or
      the bulk of the dielectric, respectively. The bremsstrahlung emission may provide
      a broadband light source for diagnostics.

PMID- 28618477
TI  - Stability of viscous film flow coating the interior of a vertical tube with a
      porous wall.
AB  - The stability of the gravity-driven flow of a viscous film coating the inside of
      a tube with a porous wall is studied theoretically. We used Darcy's law to
      describe the motion of fluids in a porous medium. The Beaver-Joseph condition is
      used to describe the discontinuity of velocity at the porous-fluid interface. We
      derived an evolution equation for the film thickness using a long-wave
      approximation. The effect of velocity slip at the porous wall is identified by a
      parameter beta. We examine the effect of beta on the temporal stability, the
      absolute-convective instability (AI-CI), and the nonlinear evolution of the
      interface deformation. The results of the temporal stability reveal that the
      effect of velocity slip at the porous wall is destabilizing. The parameter beta
      plays an important role in determining the AI-CI behavior and the nonlinear
      evolution of the interface. The presence of the porous wall promotes the absolute
      instability and the formation of the plug in the tube.

PMID- 28618478
TI  - Exact solution for the force-extension relation of a semiflexible polymer under
      compression.
AB  - Exact solutions for the elastic and thermodynamic properties for the wormlike
      chain model are elaborated in terms of Mathieu functions. The smearing of the
      classical Euler buckling instability for clamped polymers is analyzed for the
      force-extension relation. Interestingly, at strong compression forces the thermal
      fluctuations lead to larger elongations than for the elastic rod. The
      susceptibility defined as the derivative of the force-extension relation displays
      a prominent maximum at a force that approaches the critical Euler buckling force
      as the persistence length is increased. We also evaluate the excess entropy and
      heat capacity induced by the compression and find that they vary nonmonotonically
      with the load. These findings are corroborated by pseudo-Brownian simulations.

PMID- 28618479
TI  - Measurements and simulations of microscopic damage to DNA in water by 30 keV
      electrons: A general approach applicable to other radiation sources and
      biological targets.
AB  - The determination of the microscopic dose-damage relationship for DNA in an
      aqueous environment is of a fundamental interest for dosimetry and applications
      in radiation therapy and protection. We combine geant4 particle-scattering
      simulations in water with calculations concerning the movement of biomolecules to
      obtain the energy deposit in the biologically relevant nanoscopic volume. We
      juxtaposition these results to the experimentally determined damage to obtain the
      dose-damage relationship at a molecular level. This approach is tested for an
      experimentally challenging system concerning the direct irradiation of plasmid
      DNA (pUC19) in water with electrons as primary particles. Here a microscopic
      target model for the plasmid DNA based on the relation of lineal energy and
      radiation quality is used to calculate the effective target volume. It was found
      that on average fewer than two ionizations within a 7.5-nm radius around the
      sugar-phosphate backbone are sufficient to cause a single strand break, with a
      corresponding median lethal energy deposit being E_{1/2}=6+/-4 eV. The presented
      method is applicable for ionizing radiation (e.g., gamma rays, x rays, and
      electrons) and a variety of targets, such as DNA, proteins, or cells.

PMID- 28618480
TI  - Coherent oscillations of driven rf SQUID metamaterials.
AB  - Through experiments and numerical simulations we explore the behavior of rf SQUID
      (radio frequency superconducting quantum interference device) metamaterials,
      which show extreme tunability and nonlinearity. The emergent electromagnetic
      properties of this metamaterial are sensitive to the degree of coherent response
      of the driven interacting SQUIDs. Coherence suffers in the presence of disorder,
      which is experimentally found to be mainly due to a dc flux gradient. We
      demonstrate methods to recover the coherence, specifically by varying the
      coupling between the SQUID meta-atoms and increasing the temperature or the
      amplitude of the applied rf flux.

PMID- 28618481
TI  - Crack propagation through disordered materials as a depinning transition: A
      critical test of the theory.
AB  - The dynamics of a planar crack propagating within a brittle disordered material
      is investigated numerically. The fracture front evolution is described as the
      depinning of an elastic line in a random field of toughness. The relevance of
      this approach is critically tested through the comparison of the roughness front
      properties, the statistics of avalanches, and the local crack velocity
      distribution with experimental results. Our simulations capture the main features
      of the fracture front evolution as measured experimentally. However, some
      experimental observations such as the velocity distribution are not consistent
      with the behavior of an elastic line close to the depinning transition. This
      discrepancy suggests the presence of another failure mechanism not included in
      our model of brittle failure.

PMID- 28618482
TI  - Quantum Monte Carlo study of the spin-1/2 honeycomb Heisenberg model with mixed
      antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions in external magnetic fields.
AB  - The continuous imaginary-time quantum Monte Carlo method with the worm update
      algorithm is applied to explore the ground-state properties of the spin-1/2
      Heisenberg model with antiferromagnetic (AF) coupling J>0 and ferromagnetic (F)
      coupling J^{'}<0 along zigzag and armchair directions, respectively, on honeycomb
      lattice. It is found that by enhancing the F coupling J^{'} between zigzag AF
      chains, the system is smoothly crossover from one-dimensional zigzag spin chains
      to a two-dimensional magnetic ordered state. In absence of an external field, the
      system is in a stripe-ordered phase. In the presence of uniform and staggered
      fields, the uniform and staggered out-of-plane magnetizations appear while the
      stripe order remains in the xy plane, and a second-order quantum phase transition
      (QPT) at a critical staggered field is observed. The critical exponents of
      correlation length for QPTs induced by a staggered field for the cases with J>0,
      J^{'}<0 and J<0, J^{'}>0 are obtained to be nu=0.70046(1) and 0.7086(3),
      respectively, indicating that both cases belong to O(3) universality. The
      corresponding dynamic and susceptibility exponent z and gamma/nu are fitted to be
      1.006572(9), 1.9412(2) and 1.004615(8), 1.96121(9) for the two cases,
      respectively. The scaling behavior in a staggered field is analyzed, and the
      ground-state phase diagrams in the plane of coupling ratio and staggered field
      are presented for two cases. The temperature dependence of susceptibility and
      specific heat of both systems in external magnetic fields is also discussed. A
      Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition is found for the present system in a uniform
      field.

PMID- 28618483
TI  - Heterogeneous colloidal particles immersed in a liquid crystal.
AB  - In this paper, we explore anisotropic interactions between particles with
      heterogeneous boundary conditions inside both nematic and cholesteric liquid
      crystals. The results show that when particles are put at different distances and
      angles with respect to each other, new types of defect structures are produced,
      depending on the relative distances and directions. In a cholesteric liquid
      crystal, the value of the pitch affects the defect structures and induced forces.
      Moreover, it was observed that it is energetically favorable for the particles to
      remain in a plane parallel to the far-field director in a nematic liquid crystal,
      while for particles immersed in a cholesteric there are multiple energy minima
      not all located in the same plane.

PMID- 28618484
TI  - Nondivergent and negative susceptibilities around critical points of a long-range
      Hamiltonian system with two order parameters.
AB  - The linear response is investigated in a long-range Hamiltonian system from the
      viewpoint of dynamics, which is described by the Vlasov equation in the large
      population limit. Because of the existence of the Casimir invariants of the
      Vlasov dynamics, an external field does not drive the system to the forced
      thermal equilibrium in general, and the linear response is suppressed. With the
      aid of a linear response theory based on the Vlasov dynamics, we compute the
      suppressed linear response in a system having two order parameters, which
      introduce the conjugate two external fields and the susceptibility matrix of size
      2 accordingly. Moreover, the two order parameters bring three phases and there
      are three types of second-order phase transitions between them. For each type of
      phase transition, all the critical exponents for elements of the susceptibility
      matrix are computed. The critical exponents reveal that some elements of the
      matrices do not diverge even at critical points, while the mean-field theory
      predicts divergences. The linear response theory also suggests the appearance of
      negative off-diagonal elements; in other words, an applied external field
      decreases the value of an order parameter. These theoretical predictions are
      confirmed by direct numerical simulations of the Vlasov equation.

PMID- 28618485
TI  - Numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for H_{2}^{+} ion
      with application to high-harmonic generation and above-threshold ionization.
AB  - Time evolution of the bound state of a molecular hydrogen cation in an intense,
      linearly polarized laser field is investigated by solving the full three
      dimensional time-dependent Schrodinger equation. Our method is based on the Born
      Oppenheimer and dipole approximations, and the wave function is expanded in
      finite series using B-spline functions and spherical harmonics in prolate
      spheroidal coordinates. After solving the stationary Schrodinger equation, the
      initial state is propagated under the influence of the laser field employing the
      Crank-Nicolson propagator. Using this method we calculate and present high
      harmonic photon spectra and above-threshold ionization angle-resolved electron
      spectra.

PMID- 28618486
TI  - Role of particle size in the kinematic properties of silo flow.
AB  - We experimentally analyze the effect that particle size has on the mass flow rate
      of a quasi two-dimensional silo discharged by gravity. In a previous work, Janda
      et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 248001 (2012)PRLTAO0031
      900710.1103/PhysRevLett.108.248001] introduced a new expression for the mass flow
      rate based on a detailed experimental analysis of the flow for 1-mm diameter
      beads. Here, we aim to extend these results by using particles of larger sizes
      and a variable that was not explicitly included in the proposed expression. We
      show that the velocity and density profiles at the outlet are self-similar and
      scale with the outlet size with the same functionalities as in the case of 1-mm
      particles. Nevertheless, some discrepancies are evidenced in the values of the
      fitting parameters. In particular, we observe that larger particles lead to
      higher velocities and lower packing fractions at the orifice. Intriguingly, both
      magnitudes seem to compensate giving rise to very similar flow rates. In order to
      shed light on the origin of this behavior we have computed fields of a solid
      fraction, velocity, and a kinetic-stress like variable in the region above the
      orifice.

PMID- 28618487
TI  - Measuring geometric frustration in twisted inextensible filament bundles.
AB  - We investigate with experiments and mapping the structure of a hexagonally
      ordered filament bundle that is held near its ends and progressively twisted
      around its central axis. The filaments are free to slide relative to each other
      and are further held under tension-free boundary conditions. Measuring the bundle
      packing with micro x-ray imaging, we find that the filaments develop the helical
      rotation Omega imposed at the boundaries. We then show that the observed
      structure is consistent with a mapping of the filament positions to disks packed
      on a dual non-Euclidean surface with a Gaussian curvature which increases with
      twist. We further demonstrate that the mean interfilament distance is minimal on
      the surface, which can be approximated by a hemisphere with an effective
      curvature K_{eff}=3Omega^{2}. Examining the packing on the dual surface, we
      analyze the geometric frustration of packing in twisted bundles and find the core
      to remain relatively hexagonally ordered with interfilament strains growing from
      the bundle center, driving the formation of defects at the exterior of highly
      twisted bundles.

PMID- 28618488
TI  - Torque and buckling in stretched intertwined double-helix DNAs.
AB  - We present a statistical-mechanical model for the behavior of intertwined DNAs,
      with a focus on their torque and extension as a function of their catenation
      (linking) number and applied force, as studied in magnetic tweezers experiments.
      Our model produces results in good agreement with available experimental data and
      predicts a catenation-dependent effective twist modulus distinct from what is
      observed for twisted individual double-helix DNAs. We find that buckling occurs
      near the point where experiments have observed a kink in the extension versus
      linking number, and that the subsequent "supercoiled braid" state corresponds to
      a proliferation of multiple small plectoneme structures. We predict a
      discontinuity in extension at the buckling transition corresponding to nucleation
      of the first plectoneme domain. We also find that buckling occurs for lower
      linking number at lower salt; the opposite trend is observed for supercoiled
      single DNAs.

PMID- 28618489
TI  - Extortion provides alternative routes to the evolution of cooperation in
      structured populations.
AB  - In this paper, we study the evolution of cooperation in structured populations
      (individuals are located on either a regular lattice or a scale-free network) in
      the context of repeated games by involving three types of strategies, namely,
      unconditional cooperation, unconditional defection, and extortion. The strategy
      updating of the players is ruled by the replicator-like dynamics. We find that
      extortion strategies can act as catalysts to promote the emergence of cooperation
      in structured populations via different mechanisms. Specifically, on regular
      lattice, extortioners behave as both a shield, which can enwrap cooperators
      inside and keep them away from defectors, and a spear, which can defeat those
      surrounding defectors with the help of the neighboring cooperators. Particularly,
      the enhancement of cooperation displays a resonance-like behavior, suggesting the
      existence of optimal extortion strength mostly favoring the evolution of
      cooperation, which is in good agreement with the predictions from the generalized
      mean-field approximation theory. On scale-free network, the hubs, who are likely
      occupied by extortioners or defectors at the very beginning, are then prone to be
      conquered by cooperators on small-degree nodes as time elapses, thus establishing
      a bottom-up mechanism for the emergence and maintenance of cooperation.

PMID- 28618490
TI  - Multiple random walks on complex networks: A harmonic law predicts search time.
AB  - We investigate multiple random walks traversing independently and concurrently on
      complex networks and introduce the concept of mean first parallel passage time
      (MFPPT) to quantify their search efficiency. The mean first parallel passage time
      represents the expected time required to find a given target by one or some of
      the multiple walkers. We develop a general theory that allows us to calculate the
      MFPPT analytically. Interestingly, we find that the global MFPPT follows a
      harmonic law with respect to the global mean first passage times of the
      associated walkers. Remarkably, when the properties of multiple walkers are
      identical, the global MFPPT decays in a power law manner with an exponent of
      unity, irrespective of network structure. These findings are confirmed by
      numerical and theoretical results on various synthetic and real networks. The
      harmonic law reveals a universal principle governing multiple random walks on
      networks that uncovers the contribution and role of the combined walkers in a
      target search. Our paradigm is also applicable to a broad range of random search
      processes.

PMID- 28618491
TI  - Minimum spanning tree filtering of correlations for varying time scales and size
      of fluctuations.
AB  - Based on a recently proposed q-dependent detrended cross-correlation coefficient,
      rho_{q} [J. Kwapien, P. Oswiecimka, and S. Drozdz, Phys. Rev. E 92, 052815
      (2015)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.92.052815], we generalize the concept of
      the minimum spanning tree (MST) by introducing a family of q-dependent minimum
      spanning trees (qMSTs) that are selective to cross-correlations between different
      fluctuation amplitudes and different time scales of multivariate data. They
      inherit this ability directly from the coefficients rho_{q}, which are processed
      here to construct a distance matrix being the input to the MST-constructing
      Kruskal's algorithm. The conventional MST with detrending corresponds in this
      context to q=2. In order to illustrate their performance, we apply the qMSTs to
      sample empirical data from the American stock market and discuss the results. We
      show that the qMST graphs can complement rho_{q} in disentangling "hidden"
      correlations that cannot be observed in the MST graphs based on rho_{DCCA}, and
      therefore, they can be useful in many areas where the multivariate cross
      correlations are of interest. As an example, we apply this method to empirical
      data from the stock market and show that by constructing the qMSTs for a spectrum
      of q values we obtain more information about the correlation structure of the
      data than by using q=2 only. More specifically, we show that two sets of signals
      that differ from each other statistically can give comparable trees for q=2,
      while only by using the trees for q?2 do we become able to distinguish between
      these sets. We also show that a family of qMSTs for a range of q expresses the
      diversity of correlations in a manner resembling the multifractal analysis, where
      one computes a spectrum of the generalized fractal dimensions, the generalized
      Hurst exponents, or the multifractal singularity spectra: the more diverse the
      correlations are, the more variable the tree topology is for different q's. As
      regards the correlation structure of the stock market, our analysis exhibits that
      the stocks belonging to the same or similar industrial sectors are correlated via
      the fluctuations of moderate amplitudes, while the largest fluctuations often
      happen to synchronize in those stocks that do not necessarily belong to the same
      industry.

PMID- 28618492
TI  - Spontaneous exchange of leader-laggard relationship in mutually coupled
      synchronized semiconductor lasers.
AB  - We investigate the instantaneous behavior of synchronized temporal wave forms in
      two mutually coupled semiconductor lasers numerically and experimentally. The
      temporal wave forms of two lasers are synchronized with a propagation delay time,
      with one laser oscillating in advance of the other, known as the leader-laggard
      relationship. The leader-laggard relationship can be determined by measuring the
      cross-correlation between the two temporal wave forms with the propagation delay
      time. The leader can be identified when the optical carrier frequency of the
      leader laser is higher than that of the other laser. However, spontaneous
      exchange between the leader and laggard lasers can be observed in low-frequency
      fluctuations by short-term cross-correlation measurements, even for a fixed
      initial optical frequency detuning. The spontaneous exchange of the leader
      laggard relationship originates from alternation of partial optical frequency
      locking between the two lasers. This observation is analyzed using a phase space
      trajectory on steady-state solutions for mutually coupled lasers with optical
      frequency detuning.

PMID- 28618493
TI  - Simple wealth distribution model causing inequality-induced crisis without
      external shocks.
AB  - We address the issue of the dynamics of wealth accumulation and economic crisis
      triggered by extreme inequality, attempting to stick to most possibly intrinsic
      assumptions. Our general framework is that of pure or modified multiplicative
      processes, basically geometric Brownian motions. In contrast with the usual
      approach of injecting into such stochastic agent models either specific,
      idiosyncratic internal nonlinear interaction patterns or macroscopic disruptive
      features, we propose a dynamic inequality model where the attainment of a sizable
      fraction of the total wealth by very few agents induces a crisis regime with
      strong intermittency, the explicit coupling between the richest and the rest
      being a mere normalization mechanism, hence with minimal extrinsic assumptions.
      The model thus harnesses the recognized lack of ergodicity of geometric Brownian
      motions. It also provides a statistical intuition to the consequences of Thomas
      Piketty's recent "r>g" (return rate > growth rate) paradigmatic analysis of very
      long-term wealth trends. We suggest that the "water-divide" of wealth flow may
      define effective classes, making an objective entry point to calibrate the model.
      Consistently, we check that a tax mechanism associated to a few percent relative
      bias on elementary daily transactions is able to slow or stop the build-up of
      large wealth. When extreme fluctuations are tamed down to a stationary regime
      with sizable but steadier inequalities, it should still offer opportunities to
      study the dynamics of crisis and the inner effective classes induced through
      external or internal factors.

PMID- 28618494
TI  - Radiation dynamics of a cavitation bubble in a liquid-filled cavity surrounded by
      an elastic solid.
AB  - A specific cavitation phenomenon occurs inside the stems of trees. The internal
      pressure in tree conduits can drop down to significant negative values, which
      causes the nucleation of bubbles. The bubbles exhibit high-frequency oscillations
      just after their nucleation. In the present study, this phenomenon is modeled by
      taking into account acoustic waves produced by bubble oscillations. A dispersion
      equation is derived, which is then used to calculate the resonance frequency and
      the attenuation coefficient of the bubble oscillations. Radiation damping is
      found to be predominant in comparison with viscous damping, except for very small
      bubbles. A typical number of oscillation cycles before the complete damping of
      the oscillation is found to be of the order of 10, as observed for cavitation
      bubbles in biomimetic synthetic trees.

PMID- 28618495
TI  - Robustness of synthetic oscillators in growing and dividing cells.
AB  - Synthetic biology sets out to implement new functions in cells, and to develop a
      deeper understanding of biological design principles. Elowitz and Leibler [Nature
      (London) 403, 335 (2000)NATUAS0028-083610.1038/35002125] showed that by rational
      design of the reaction network, and using existing biological components, they
      could create a network that exhibits periodic gene expression, dubbed the
      repressilator. More recently, Stricker et al. [Nature (London) 456, 516
      (2008)NATUAS0028-083610.1038/nature07389] presented another synthetic oscillator,
      called the dual-feedback oscillator, which is more stable. Detailed studies have
      been carried out to determine how the stability of these oscillators is affected
      by the intrinsic noise of the interactions between the components and the
      stochastic expression of their genes. However, as all biological oscillators
      reside in growing and dividing cells, an important question is how these
      oscillators are perturbed by the cell cycle. In previous work we showed that the
      periodic doubling of the gene copy numbers due to DNA replication can couple not
      only natural, circadian oscillators to the cell cycle [Paijmans et al., Proc.
      Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 113, 4063 (2016)PNASA60027-842410.1073/pnas.1507291113],
      but also these synthetic oscillators. Here we expand this study. We find that the
      strength of the locking between oscillators depends not only on the positions of
      the genes on the chromosome, but also on the noise in the timing of gene
      replication: noise tends to weaken the coupling. Yet, even in the limit of high
      levels of noise in the replication times of the genes, both synthetic oscillators
      show clear signatures of locking to the cell cycle. This work enhances our
      understanding of the design of robust biological oscillators inside growing and
      diving cells.

PMID- 28618496
TI  - Plasma high-order-harmonic generation from ultraintense laser pulses.
AB  - Plasma high-order-harmonic generation from an extremely intense short-pulse laser
      is explored by including the effects of ion motion, electron-ion collisions, and
      radiation reaction force in the plasma dynamics. The laser radiation pressure
      induces plasma ion motion through the hole-boring effect, resulting in frequency
      shifting and widening of the harmonic spectra. The classical radiation reaction
      force slightly mitigates the frequency broadening caused by the ion motion. Based
      on the results and physical considerations, parameter maps highlighting the
      optimum regions for generating a single intense attosecond pulse and coherent XUV
      radiation are presented.

PMID- 28618497
TI  - Synchronization of fluctuating delay-coupled chaotic networks.
AB  - We study the synchronization of chaotic units connected through time-delayed
      fluctuating interactions. Focusing on small-world networks of Bernoulli and
      Logistic units with a fixed chiral backbone, we compare the synchronization
      properties of static and fluctuating networks in the regime of large delays. We
      find that random network switching may enhance the stability of synchronized
      states. Synchronization appears to be maximally stable when fluctuations are much
      faster than the time-delay, whereas it disappears for very slow fluctuations. For
      fluctuation time scales of the order of the time-delay, we report a
      resynchronizing effect in finite-size networks. Moreover, we observe
      characteristic oscillations in all regimes, with a periodicity related to the
      time-delay, as the system approaches or drifts away from the synchronized state.

PMID- 28618498
TI  - Magnetohydrodynamics of laser-produced high-energy-density plasma in a strong
      external magnetic field.
AB  - Recent progress in the generation in the laboratory of a strong (>100-T) magnetic
      field enables us to investigate experimentally unexplored magnetohydrodynamics
      phenomena of a high-energy-density plasma, which an external magnetic field of
      200-300 T notably affects due to anisotropic thermal conduction, even when the
      magnetic field pressure is much lower than the plasma pressure. The external
      magnetic field reduces electron thermal conduction across the external magnetic
      field lines because the Larmor radius of the thermal electrons in the external
      magnetic field is much shorter than the mean free path of the thermal electrons.
      The velocity of a thin polystyrene foil driven by intense laser beams in the
      strong external magnetic field is faster than that in the absence of the external
      magnetic field. Growth of sinusoidal corrugation imposed initially on the laser
      driven polystyrene surface is enhanced by the external magnetic field because the
      plasma pressure distribution becomes nonuniform due to the external magnetic
      field structure modulated by the perturbed plasma flow ablated from the
      corrugated surface.

PMID- 28618499
TI  - Social contagions on time-varying community networks.
AB  - Time-varying community structures exist widely in real-world networks. However,
      previous studies on the dynamics of spreading seldom took this characteristic
      into account, especially those on social contagions. To study the effects of time
      varying community structures on social contagions, we propose a non-Markovian
      social contagion model on time-varying community networks based on the activity
      driven network model. A mean-field theory is developed to analyze the proposed
      model. Through theoretical analyses and numerical simulations, two hierarchical
      features of the behavior adoption processes are found. That is, when community
      strength is relatively large, the behavior can easily spread in one of the
      communities, while in the other community the spreading only occurs at higher
      behavioral information transmission rates. Meanwhile, in spatial-temporal
      evolution processes, hierarchical orders are observed for the behavior adoption.
      Moreover, under different information transmission rates, three distinctive
      patterns are demonstrated in the change of the whole network's final adoption
      proportion along with the growing community strength. Within a suitable range of
      transmission rate, an optimal community strength can be found that can maximize
      the final adoption proportion. Finally, compared with the average activity
      potential, the promoting or inhibiting of social contagions is much more
      influenced by the number of edges generated by active nodes.

PMID- 28618500
TI  - Recovery of mechanical pressure in a gas of underdamped active dumbbells with
      Brownian noise.
AB  - In contrast with a gas at thermodynamic equilibrium, the mean force exerted on a
      wall by a gas of active particles usually depends on the confining potential,
      thereby preventing a proper definition of mechanical pressure. In this paper, we
      investigate numerically the properties of a gas of underdamped self-propelled
      dumbbells subject to Brownian noise of increasing intensity, in order to
      understand how the notion of pressure is recovered as noise progressively masks
      the effects of self-propulsion and the system approaches thermodynamic
      equilibrium. The simulations performed for a mobile asymmetric wall separating
      two chambers containing an equal number of active dumbbells highlight some subtle
      and unexpected properties of the system. First, Brownian noise of moderate
      intensity is sufficient to let mean forces equilibrate for small values of the
      damping coefficient, while much stronger noise is required for larger values of
      the damping coefficient. Moreover, the displacement of the mean position of the
      wall upon increase of the intensity of the noise is not necessarily monotonous
      and may instead display changes of direction. Both facts actually reflect the
      existence of several mechanisms leading to the rupture of force balance, which
      tend to displace the mean position of the wall towards different directions and
      display different robustness against an increase of the intensity of Brownian
      noise. This work therefore provides a clear illustration of the fact that driving
      an autonomous system towards (or away from) thermodynamic equilibrium may not be
      a straightforward process, but may instead proceed through the variations of the
      relative weights of several conflicting mechanisms.

PMID- 28618501
TI  - Asymptotic prime partitions of integers.
AB  - In this paper, we discuss P(n), the number of ways a given integer n may be
      written as a sum of primes. In particular, an asymptotic form P_{as}(n) valid for
      n->infinity is obtained analytically using standard techniques of quantum
      statistical mechanics. First, the bosonic partition function of primes, or the
      generating function of unrestricted prime partitions in number theory, is
      constructed. Next, the density of states is obtained using the saddle-point
      method for Laplace inversion of the partition function in the limit of large n.
      This gives directly the asymptotic number of prime partitions P_{as}(n). The
      leading term in the asymptotic expression grows exponentially as sqrt[n/ln(n)]
      and agrees with previous estimates. We calculate the next-to-leading-order term
      in the exponent, proportional to ln[ln(n)]/ln(n), and we show that an earlier
      result in the literature for its coefficient is incorrect. Furthermore, we also
      calculate the next higher-order correction, proportional to 1/ln(n) and given in
      Eq. (43), which so far has not been available in the literature. Finally, we
      compare our analytical results with the exact numerical values of P(n) up to
      n~8*10^{6}. For the highest values, the remaining error between the exact P(n)
      and our P_{as}(n) is only about half of that obtained with the leading-order
      approximation. But we also show that, unlike for other types of partitions, the
      asymptotic limit for the prime partitions is still quite far from being reached
      even for n~10^{7}.

PMID- 28618502
TI  - Kinetic percolation.
AB  - We demonstrate that kinetic aggregation forms superaggregates that have
      structures identical to static percolation aggregates, and these superaggregates
      appear as a separate phase in the size distribution. Diffusion limited cluster
      cluster aggregation (DLCA) simulations were performed to yield fractal aggregates
      with a fractal dimension of 1.8 and superaggregates with a fractal dimension of
      D=2.5 composed of these DLCA supermonomers. When properly normalized to account
      for the DLCA fractal nature of their supermonomers, these superaggregates have
      the exact same monomer packing fraction, scaling law prefactor, and scaling law
      exponent (the fractal dimension) as percolation aggregates; these are necessary
      and sufficient conditions for same structure. The size distribution remains
      monomodal until these superaggregates form to alter the distribution. Thus the
      static percolation and the kinetic descriptions of gelation are now unified.

PMID- 28618503
TI  - Anomalous diffusion on a fractal mesh.
AB  - We present exact analytical results for properties of anomalous diffusion on a
      fractal mesh. The fractal mesh structure is a direct product of two fractal sets,
      one belonging to a main branch of backbones, the other to the side branches of
      fingers. Both fractal sets are constructed on the entire (infinite) y and x axes.
      We suggest a special algorithm in order to construct such sets out of standard
      Cantor sets embedded in the unit interval. The transport properties of the
      fractal mesh are studied, in particular, subdiffusion along the backbones is
      obtained with the dispersion relation <x^{2}(t)>?t^{beta}, where the transport
      exponent beta<1 is determined by the fractal dimensions of both backbone and
      fingers. Superdiffusion with beta>1 has been observed as well when the
      environment is controlled by means of a memory kernel.

PMID- 28618504
TI  - Wave propagation reversal for wavy vortices in wide-gap counter-rotating
      cylindrical Couette flow.
AB  - We present a numerical study of wavy supercritical cylindrical Couette flow
      between counter-rotating cylinders in which the wavy pattern propagates either
      prograde with the inner cylinder or retrograde opposite the rotation of the inner
      cylinder. The wave propagation reversals from prograde to retrograde and vice
      versa occur at distinct values of the inner cylinder Reynolds number when the
      associated frequency of the wavy instability vanishes. The reversal occurs for
      both twofold and threefold symmetric wavy vortices. Moreover, the wave
      propagation reversal only occurs for sufficiently strong counter-rotation. The
      flow pattern reversal appears to be intrinsic in the system as either periodic
      boundary conditions or fixed end wall boundary conditions for different system
      sizes always result in the wave propagation reversal. We present a detailed
      bifurcation sequence and parameter space diagram with respect to retrograde
      behavior of wavy flows. The retrograde propagation of the instability occurs when
      the inner Reynolds number is about two times the outer Reynolds number. The
      mechanism for the retrograde propagation is associated with the inviscidly
      unstable region near the inner cylinder and the direction of the global average
      azimuthal velocity. Flow dynamics, spatio-temporal behavior, global mean angular
      velocity, and torque of the flow with the wavy pattern are explored.

PMID- 28618505
TI  - Forces and torques on rigid inclusions in an elastic environment: Resulting
      matrix-mediated interactions, displacements, and rotations.
AB  - Embedding rigid inclusions into elastic matrix materials is a procedure of high
      practical relevance, for instance, for the fabrication of elastic composite
      materials. We theoretically analyze the following situation. Rigid spherical
      inclusions are enclosed by a homogeneous elastic medium under stick boundary
      conditions. Forces and torques are directly imposed from outside onto the
      inclusions or are externally induced between them. The inclusions respond to
      these forces and torques by translations and rotations against the surrounding
      elastic matrix. This leads to elastic matrix deformations, and in turn results in
      mutual long-ranged matrix-mediated interactions between the inclusions. Adapting
      a well-known approach from low-Reynolds-number hydrodynamics, we explicitly
      calculate the displacements and rotations of the inclusions from the externally
      imposed or induced forces and torques. Analytical expressions are presented as a
      function of the inclusion configuration in terms of displaceability and
      rotateability matrices. The role of the elastic environment is implicitly
      included in these relations. That is, the resulting expressions allow a
      calculation of the induced displacements and rotations directly from the
      inclusion configuration, without having to explicitly determine the deformations
      of the elastic environment. In contrast to the hydrodynamic case, compressibility
      of the surrounding medium is readily taken into account. We present the complete
      derivation based on the underlying equations of linear elasticity theory. In the
      future, the method will, for example, be helpful to characterize the behavior of
      externally tunable elastic composite materials, to accelerate numerical
      approaches, as well as to improve the quantitative interpretation of
      microrheological results.

PMID- 28618506
TI  - Phase diagram and aggregation dynamics of a monolayer of paramagnetic colloids.
AB  - We have developed a tunable colloidal system and a corresponding theoretical
      model for studying the phase behavior of particles assembling under the influence
      of long-range magnetic interactions. A monolayer of paramagnetic particles is
      subjected to a spatially uniform magnetic field with a static perpendicular
      component and a rapidly rotating in-plane component. The sign and strength of the
      interactions vary with the tilt angle theta of the rotating magnetic field. For a
      purely in-plane field, theta=90^{?}, interactions are attractive and the
      experimental results agree well with both equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium
      predictions based on a two-body interaction model. For tilt angles
      50^{?}?theta?55^{?}, the two-body interaction gives a short-range attractive and
      long-range repulsive interaction, which predicts the formation of equilibrium
      microphases. In experiments, however, a different type of assembly is observed.
      Inclusion of three-body (and higher-order) terms in the model does not resolve
      the discrepancy. We further characterize the anomalous regime by measuring the
      time-dependent cluster size distribution.

PMID- 28618507
TI  - Contractile actuation and dynamical gel assembly of paramagnetic filaments in
      fast precessing fields.
AB  - Flexible superparamagnetic filaments are studied under the influence of fast
      precessing magnetic fields using simulations and a continuum approximation
      analysis. We find that individual filaments can be made to exert controllable
      tensile forces along the precession axis. These forces are exploited for
      microscopic actuation. In bulk, the filaments can be rapidly assembled into
      different configurations whose material properties depend on the field
      parameters. The precession frequency affects filament aggregation and
      conformation by changing the net torques on the filament ends. Using a time
      dependent precession angle allows considerable freedom in choosing properties for
      filament aggregates. As an example, we design a field that twists chains together
      to dynamically assemble a self-healing gel.

PMID- 28618508
TI  - Similarity law for Widom lines and coexistence lines.
AB  - The coexistence line of a fluid separates liquid and gaseous states at
      subcritical pressures, ending at the critical point. Only recently, it became
      clear that the supercritical state space can likewise be divided into regions
      with liquidlike and gaslike properties, separated by an extension to the
      coexistence line. This crossover line is commonly referred to as the Widom line,
      and is characterized by large changes in density or enthalpy, manifesting as
      maxima in the thermodynamic response functions. Thus, a reliable representation
      of the coexistence line and the Widom line is important for sub- and
      supercritical applications that depend on an accurate prediction of fluid
      properties. While it is known for subcritical pressures that
      nondimensionalization with the respective species critical pressures p_{cr} and
      temperatures T_{cr} only collapses coexistence line data for simple fluids, this
      approach is used for Widom lines of all fluids. However, we show here that the
      Widom line does not adhere to the corresponding states principle, but instead to
      the extended corresponding states principle. We resolve this problem in two
      steps. First, we propose a Widom line functional based on the Clapeyron equation
      and derive an analytical, species specific expression for the only parameter from
      the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state. This parameter is a function of the
      acentric factor omega and compares well with experimental data. Second, we
      introduce the scaled reduced pressure p_{r}^{*} to replace the previously used
      reduced pressure p_{r}=p/p_{cr}. We show that p_{r}^{*} is a function of the
      acentric factor only and can thus be readily determined from fluid property
      tables. It collapses both subcritical coexistence line and supercritical Widom
      line data over a wide range of species with acentric factors ranging from -0.38
      (helium) to 0.34 (water), including alkanes up to n-hexane. By using p_{r}^{*},
      the extended corresponding states principle can be applied within corresponding
      states principle formalism. Furthermore, p_{r}^{*} provides a theoretical
      foundation to compare Widom lines of different fluids.

PMID- 28618509
TI  - Spreading law on a completely wettable spherical substrate: The energy balance
      approach.
AB  - The spreading of a cap-shaped spherical droplet on a completely wettable
      spherical substrate is studied. The nonequilibrium thermodynamic formulation is
      used to derive the thermodynamic driving force of spreading including the line
      tension effect. Then the energy balance approach is adopted to derive the
      evolution equation of the spreading droplet. The time evolution of the contact
      angle theta of a droplet obeys a power law theta~t^{-alpha} with the exponent
      alpha, which is different from that derived from Tanner's law on a flat
      substrate. Furthermore, the line tension must be positive to promote complete
      wetting on a spherical substrate, while it must be negative on a flat substrate.

PMID- 28618510
TI  - Lateral diffusion induced by active proteins in a biomembrane.
AB  - We discuss the hydrodynamic collective effects due to active protein molecules
      that are immersed in lipid bilayer membranes and modeled as stochastic force
      dipoles. We specifically take into account the presence of the bulk solvent that
      surrounds the two-dimensional fluid membrane. Two membrane geometries are
      considered: the free membrane case and the confined membrane case. Using the
      generalized membrane mobility tensors, we estimate the active diffusion
      coefficient and the drift velocity as a function of the size of a diffusing
      object. The hydrodynamic screening lengths distinguish the two asymptotic regimes
      of these quantities. Furthermore, the competition between the thermal and
      nonthermal contributions in the total diffusion coefficient is characterized by
      two length scales corresponding to the two membrane geometries. These
      characteristic lengths describe the crossover between different asymptotic
      behaviors when they are larger than the hydrodynamic screening lengths.

PMID- 28618511
TI  - Evaluating the morphological completeness of a training image.
AB  - Understanding the three-dimensional (3D) stochastic structure of a porous medium
      is helpful for studying its physical properties. A 3D stochastic structure can be
      reconstructed from a two-dimensional (2D) training image (TI) using mathematical
      modeling. In order to predict what specific morphology belonging to a TI can be
      reconstructed at the 3D orthogonal slices by the method of 3D reconstruction,
      this paper begins by introducing the concept of orthogonal chords. After
      analyzing the relationship among TI morphology, orthogonal chords, and the 3D
      morphology of orthogonal slices, a theory for evaluating the morphological
      completeness of a TI is proposed for the cases of three orthogonal slices and of
      two orthogonal slices. The proposed theory is evaluated using four TIs of porous
      media that represent typical but distinct morphological types. The significance
      of this theoretical evaluation lies in two aspects: It allows special
      morphologies, for which the attributes of a TI can be reconstructed at a special
      orthogonal slice of a 3D structure, to be located and quantified, and it can
      guide the selection of an appropriate reconstruction method for a special TI.

PMID- 28618512
TI  - Cavity master equation for the continuous time dynamics of discrete-spin models.
AB  - We present an alternate method to close the master equation representing the
      continuous time dynamics of interacting Ising spins. The method makes use of the
      theory of random point processes to derive a master equation for local
      conditional probabilities. We analytically test our solution studying two known
      cases, the dynamics of the mean-field ferromagnet and the dynamics of the one
      dimensional Ising system. We present numerical results comparing our predictions
      with Monte Carlo simulations in three different models on random graphs with
      finite connectivity: the Ising ferromagnet, the random field Ising model, and the
      Viana-Bray spin-glass model.

PMID- 28618513
TI  - Recurrence measure of conditional dependence and applications.
AB  - Identifying causal relations from observational data sets has posed great
      challenges in data-driven causality inference studies. One of the successful
      approaches to detect direct coupling in the information theory framework is
      transfer entropy. However, the core of entropy-based tools lies on the
      probability estimation of the underlying variables. Here we propose a data-driven
      approach for causality inference that incorporates recurrence plot features into
      the framework of information theory. We define it as the recurrence measure of
      conditional dependence (RMCD), and we present some applications. The RMCD
      quantifies the causal dependence between two processes based on joint recurrence
      patterns between the past of the possible driver and present of the potentially
      driven, excepting the contribution of the contemporaneous past of the driven
      variable. Finally, it can unveil the time scale of the influence of the sea
      surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean on the precipitation in the Amazonia
      during recent major droughts.

PMID- 28618514
TI  - Dynamics of a bistable Miura-origami structure.
AB  - Origami-inspired structures and materials have shown extraordinary properties and
      performances originating from the intricate geometries of folding. However,
      current state of the art studies have mostly focused on static and quasistatic
      characteristics. This research performs a comprehensive experimental and
      analytical study on the dynamics of origami folding through investigating a
      stacked Miura-Ori (SMO) structure with intrinsic bistability. We fabricate and
      experimentally investigated a bistable SMO prototype with rigid facets and
      flexible crease lines. Under harmonic base excitation, the SMO exhibits both
      intrawell and interwell oscillations. Spectrum analyses reveal that the dominant
      nonlinearities of SMO are quadratic and cubic, which generate rich dynamics
      including subharmonic and chaotic oscillations. The identified nonlinearities
      indicate that a third-order polynomial can be employed to approximate the
      measured force-displacement relationship. Such an approximation is validated via
      numerical study by qualitatively reproducing the phenomena observed in the
      experiments. The dynamic characteristics of the bistable SMO resemble those of a
      Helmholtz-Duffing oscillator (HDO); this suggests the possibility of applying the
      established tools and insights of HDO to predict origami dynamics. We also show
      that the bistability of SMO can be programmed within a large design space via
      tailoring the crease stiffness and initial stress-free configurations. The
      results of this research offer a wealth of fundamental insights into the dynamics
      of origami folding, and provide a solid foundation for developing foldable and
      deployable structures and materials with embedded dynamic functionalities.

PMID- 28618515
TI  - Numerical simulations of vesicle and bubble dynamics in two-dimensional four-roll
      mill flows.
AB  - We use a computational technique based on the immersed boundary method to
      construct a four-roll mill device with which we can generate a broad spectrum of
      flow types from an extensional flow to a rotational one. We put a vesicle or a
      bubble in the constructed four-roll mill device to investigate their interaction
      with the surrounding fluid. The vesicle dynamics are determined by its bending
      rigidity, inextensibility, and hydrodynamical force, whereas the bubble dynamics
      is governed by the surface tension and the hydrodynamic interaction. Depending on
      the type of the flow, these suspended objects go through either a tank-treading
      motion or a tumbling motion. We validate our numerical method by a convergence
      study and discuss the transition between tank-treading and tumbling motions for
      the vesicles and bubbles.

PMID- 28618516
TI  - Viral self-assembly pathway and mechanical stress relaxation.
AB  - The final shape of a virus is dictated by the self-assembly pathway of its
      constituents. Using standard thin-shell elasticity, we highlight the prominent
      role of the viral shell's spontaneous curvature in determining the assembly
      pathway. In particular, we demonstrate that the mechanical stress inherent to the
      growth of a curved surface can be relaxed in two different ways in the early
      steps of assembly, depending on the value of the spontaneous curvature of the
      surface. This important result explains why most viral shells have either a
      compact shape with icosahedral symmetry or an elongated shape lacking this
      symmetry.

PMID- 28618517
TI  - Microscopic derivation of the hydrodynamics of active-Brownian-particle
      suspensions.
AB  - We derive the hydrodynamic equations of motion for a fluid of active particles
      described by underdamped Langevin equations that reduce to the active-Brownian
      particle model, in the overdamped limit. The contraction into the hydrodynamic
      description is performed by locally averaging the particle dynamics with the
      nonequilibrium many-particle probability density, whose formal expression is
      found in the physically relevant limit of high friction through a multiple-time
      scale analysis. This approach permits us to identify the conditions under which
      self-propulsion can be subsumed into the fluid stress tensor and thus to define
      systematically and unambiguously the local pressure of the active fluid.

PMID- 28618518
TI  - Random walks on activity-driven networks with attractiveness.
AB  - Virtually all real-world networks are dynamical entities. In social networks, the
      propensity of nodes to engage in social interactions (activity) and their chances
      to be selected by active nodes (attractiveness) are heterogeneously distributed.
      Here, we present a time-varying network model where each node and the dynamical
      formation of ties are characterized by these two features. We study how these
      properties affect random-walk processes unfolding on the network when the time
      scales describing the process and the network evolution are comparable. We derive
      analytical solutions for the stationary state and the mean first-passage time of
      the process, and we study cases informed by empirical observations of social
      networks. Our work shows that previously disregarded properties of real social
      systems, such as heterogeneous distributions of activity and attractiveness as
      well as the correlations between them, substantially affect the dynamical process
      unfolding on the network.

PMID- 28618519
TI  - Limiting the stroke of a Schmitt trigger with multiplicative noise.
AB  - We have devised an experiment whereby a bistable system is confined away from its
      deterministic attractors by means of multiplicative noise. Together with previous
      numerical results, our experimental results validate the hypothesis that the
      higher the slope of the noise's multiplicative factor, the more it shifts the
      stationary states.

PMID- 28618520
TI  - Torque-coupled thermodynamic model for F_{o}F_{1}-ATPase.
AB  - F_{o}F_{1}-ATPase is a motor protein complex that utilizes transmembrane ion flow
      to drive the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine diphosphate
      (ADP) and phosphate (Pi). While many theoretical models have been proposed to
      account for its rotary activity, most of them focus on the F_{o} or F_{1}
      portions separately rather than the complex as a whole. Here, we propose a simple
      but new torque-coupled thermodynamic model of F_{o}F_{1}-ATPase. Solving this
      model at steady state, we find that the monotonic variation of each portion's
      efficiency becomes much more robust over a wide range of parameters when the
      F_{o} and F_{1} portions are coupled together, as compared to cases when they are
      considered separately. Furthermore, the coupled model predicts the dependence of
      each portion's kinetic behavior on the parameters of the other. Specifically, the
      power and efficiency of the F_{1} portion are quite sensitive to the proton
      gradient across the membrane, while those of the F_{o} portion as well as the
      related Michaelis constants for proton concentrations respond insensitively to
      concentration changes in the reactants of ATP synthesis. The physiological proton
      gradient across the membrane in the F_{o} portion is also shown to be optimal for
      the Michaelis constants of ADP and phosphate in the F_{1} portion during ATP
      synthesis. Together, our coupled model is able to predict key dynamic and
      thermodynamic features of the F_{o}F_{1}-ATPase in vivo semiquantitatively, and
      suggests that such coupling approach could be further applied to other
      biophysical systems.

PMID- 28618521
TI  - Local time of Levy random walks: A path integral approach.
AB  - The local time of a stochastic process quantifies the amount of time that sample
      trajectories x(tau) spend in the vicinity of an arbitrary point x. For a generic
      Hamiltonian, we employ the phase-space path-integral representation of random
      walk transition probabilities in order to quantify the properties of the local
      time. For time-independent systems, the resolvent of the Hamiltonian operator
      proves to be a central tool for this purpose. In particular, we focus on the
      local times of Levy random walks (Levy flights), which correspond to fractional
      diffusion equations.

PMID- 28618522
TI  - Role of length polydispersity in the phase behavior of freely rotating hard
      rectangle fluids.
AB  - We use the density-functional formalism, in particular the scaled-particle
      theory, applied to a length-polydisperse hard-rectangle fluid to study its phase
      behavior as a function of the mean particle aspect ratio kappa_{0} and
      polydispersity Delta_{0}. The numerical solutions of the coexistence equations
      are calculated by transforming the original problem with infinite degrees of
      freedoms to a finite set of equations for the amplitudes of the Fourier expansion
      of the moments of the density profiles. We divide the study into two parts. The
      first one is devoted to the calculation of the phase diagrams in the packing
      fraction eta_{0}-kappa_{0} plane for a fixed Delta_{0} and selecting parent
      distribution functions with exponential (the Schulz distribution) or Gaussian
      decays. In the second part we study the phase behavior in the eta_{0}-Delta_{0}
      plane for fixed kappa_{0} while Delta_{0} is changed. We characterize in detail
      the orientational ordering of particles and the fractionation of different
      species between the coexisting phases. Also we study the character (second vs
      first order) of the isotropic-nematic phase transition as a function of
      polydispersity. We particularly focus on the stability of the tetratic phase as a
      function of kappa_{0} and Delta_{0}. The isotropic-nematic transition becomes
      strongly of first order when polydispersity is increased: The coexistence gap
      widens and the location of the tricritical point moves to higher values of
      kappa_{0} while the tetratic phase is slightly destabilized with respect to the
      nematic one. The results obtained here can be tested in experiments on shaken
      monolayers of granular rods.

PMID- 28618523
TI  - Compressive elasticity of polydisperse biopolymer gels.
AB  - We theoretically predict the nonlinear elastic responses of polydisperse
      biopolymer gels to uniaxial compression. We analyze the competition between
      compressive stiffening due to polymer densification by out-going solvent flow and
      compressive softening due to continuous polymer buckling. We point out that the
      polydispersity in polymer lengths can result in an intrinsic, equilibrium mode of
      nonaffine compression: nonuniform strain but with uniform force distribution,
      which is found to be more energetically preferable than affine deformation. In
      this case, the gel softens significantly after the onset of polymer buckling at
      small compression, but as compression increases, densification-induced stiffening
      becomes important and a modulus plateau should be observed for a large range of
      strain. We also relate our results to recent compression experiments on collagen
      gels and fibrin gels.

PMID- 28618524
TI  - Experimental velocity study of non-Boussinesq Rayleigh-Benard convection.
AB  - The effects of strongly varying fluid properties, beyond the validity range of
      the so-called Boussinesq approximation, were experimentally studied in Rayleigh
      Benard (RB) convection. Two experiments were conducted in the same cubical RB
      convection cell at similar Rayleigh and Prandtl numbers. In one experiment water
      was used as working fluid and the imposed temperature difference between the top
      and bottom plates of the cell was such to ensure non-Boussinesq conditions. In
      the other experiment, taken as a reference for Boussinesq conditions, methanol
      was used as working fluid, allowing a smaller temperature difference between the
      plates. In both experiments the instantaneous and time-averaged flow fields were
      determined experimentally in a vertical cross section of the cell by using
      particle image velocimetry. Results show a non-Boussinesq effect that manifests
      itself as an increase of the time-averaged horizontal velocity component close to
      the bottom wall of the cell and as a global top-bottom asymmetry of the velocity
      field. This is an experimental study of the whole velocity field of RB convection
      at non-Boussinesq conditions.

PMID- 28618525
TI  - Influence of liquid crystalline phases on the tunability of a random laser.
AB  - In this paper, we report the temperature behavior of an optimized disordered
      photonic system-based liquid crystal by means of heat capacity and refractive
      index measurements. The scattering system is formed by a porous borosilicate
      glass random matrix (about 60%) infiltrated with a smectogenic liquid crystal
      (about 16%) and a small amount of laser dye (0.1%). The rest of the scattering
      system is about 24% air, giving rise to a high refractive index contrast
      scattering system. Such a system has the functionality to change the refractive
      index contrast with temperature due to the liquid crystal temperature behavior.
      The system, optically pumped by the second harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG pulsed
      laser working at 532 nm, exhibits random laser action, the threshold of which
      depends upon the liquid crystalline mesophase. Temperatures of existence of the
      smectic-B phase correspond to the most optimized random laser. In such a
      mesophase, the transport mean free path has been determined as about 16 MUm in a
      coherent backscattering experiment.

PMID- 28618526
TI  - Comparative study of the anchoring strength of reactive mesogens and industrial
      polyimides used for the alignment of liquid crystals.
AB  - We measured the Rapini-Papoular polar anchoring strength coefficient W for 4^{'}
      pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) on alignment layers formed by the reactive mesogen
      photopolymers RM 257, RM 82, and RM 84 [4,4^{'}-bis(acryloyl)biphenyl] (by
      Merck). These materials are commonly used for the photostabilization of the
      liquid crystal (LC) director in the bulk as well as at the surface of the LC
      layer via the formation of a loose polymer network that captures the director
      orientation. We developed a method of fabrication of alignment layers from these
      polymers, and estimated W from the measurements of the optical retardation as a
      function of applied voltage in uniformly aligned cells. We found that RM 257
      yielded W of about 6*10^{-4}J/m^{2}, whereas RM 82 and RM 84 provided anchoring
      strengths of about 2*10^{-4} and 4*10^{-4}J/m^{2}, respectively. Subsequent
      heating of the sample either destroyed the alignment layer, or substantially
      decreased W to about 1*10^{-4}J/m^{2}, which was comparable to the anchoring
      strength of weakly rubbed commercial polyimides.

PMID- 28618527
TI  - Implementation of dual time-stepping strategy of the gas-kinetic scheme for
      unsteady flow simulations.
AB  - In our study, the dual time-stepping strategy of the gas-kinetic scheme is
      constructed and used for the simulation of unsteady flows. In comparison to the
      previous implicit gas-kinetic scheme, both the inviscid and viscous flux Jacobian
      are considered in our work, and the linear system of the pseudo-steady-state is
      solved by applying generalized minimal residual algorithm. The accuracy is
      validated by several numerical cases, the incompressible flow around blunt bodies
      (stationary circular cylinder and square cylinder), and the transonic buffet on
      the NACA0012 airfoil under hybrid mesh. The numerical cases also demonstrate that
      the present method is applicable to approach the fluid flows from laminar to
      turbulent and from incompressible to compressible. Finally, the case of acoustic
      pressure pulse is carried out to evaluate the effects of enlarged time step, and
      the side effect of enlarged time step is explained. Compared with the explicit
      gas-kinetic scheme, the proposed scheme can greatly accelerate the computation
      and reduce the computational costs for unsteady flow simulations.

PMID- 28618528
TI  - Dynamics of spiral waves rotating around an obstacle and the existence of a
      minimal obstacle.
AB  - Pinning of vortices by obstacles plays an important role in various systems. In
      the heart, anatomical reentry is created when a vortex, also known as the spiral
      wave, is pinned to an anatomical obstacle, leading to a class of physiologically
      very important arrhythmias. Previous analyses of its dynamics and instability
      provide fine estimates in some special circumstances, such as large obstacles or
      weak excitabilities. Here, to expand theoretical analyses to all circumstances,
      we propose a general theory whose results quantitatively agree with direct
      numerical simulations. In particular, when obstacles are small and pinned spiral
      waves are destabilized, an accurate explanation of the instability in two
      dimensional media is provided by the usage of a mapping rule and dimension
      reduction. The implications of our results are to better understand the mechanism
      of arrhythmia and thus improve its early prevention.

PMID- 28618529
TI  - Completeness of inertial modes of an incompressible inviscid fluid in a
      corotating ellipsoid.
AB  - Inertial modes are the eigenmodes of contained rotating fluids restored by the
      Coriolis force. When the fluid is incompressible, inviscid, and contained in a
      rigid container, these modes satisfy Poincare's equation that has the peculiarity
      of being hyperbolic with boundary conditions. Inertial modes are, therefore,
      solutions of an ill-posed boundary-value problem. In this paper, we investigate
      the mathematical side of this problem. We first show that the Poincare problem
      can be formulated in the Hilbert space of square-integrable functions, with no
      hypothesis on the continuity or the differentiability of velocity fields. We
      observe that with this formulation, the Poincare operator is bounded and self
      adjoint, and as such, its spectrum is the union of the point spectrum (the set of
      eigenvalues) and the continuous spectrum only. When the fluid volume is an
      ellipsoid, we show that the inertial modes form a complete base of polynomial
      velocity fields for the square-integrable velocity fields defined over the
      ellipsoid and meeting the boundary conditions. If the ellipsoid is axisymmetric,
      then the base can be identified with the set of Poincare modes, first obtained by
      Bryan [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London 180, 187 (1889)PTRMAD1364
      503X10.1098/rsta.1889.0006], and completed with the geostrophic modes.

PMID- 28618530
TI  - Time-dependent breakdown of fiber networks: Uncertainty of lifetime.
AB  - Materials often fail when subjected to stresses over a prolonged period. The time
      to failure, also called the lifetime, is known to exhibit large variability of
      many materials, particularly brittle and quasibrittle materials. For example, a
      coefficient of variation reaches 100% or even more. Its distribution shape is
      highly skewed toward zero lifetime, implying a large number of premature
      failures. This behavior contrasts with that of normal strength, which shows a
      variation of only 4%-10% and a nearly bell-shaped distribution. The fundamental
      cause of this large and unique variability of lifetime is not well understood
      because of the complex interplay between stochastic processes taking place on the
      molecular level and the hierarchical and disordered structure of the material. We
      have constructed fiber network models, both regular and random, as a paradigm for
      general material structures. With such networks, we have performed Monte Carlo
      simulations of creep failure to establish explicit relationships among fiber
      characteristics, network structures, system size, and lifetime distribution. We
      found that fiber characteristics have large, sometimes dominating, influences on
      the lifetime variability of a network. Among the factors investigated,
      geometrical disorders of the network were found to be essential to explain the
      large variability and highly skewed shape of the lifetime distribution. With
      increasing network size, the distribution asymptotically approaches a double
      exponential form. The implication of this result is that, so-called "infant
      mortality," which is often predicted by the Weibull approximation of the lifetime
      distribution, may not exist for a large system.

PMID- 28618531
TI  - Noise focusing in neuronal tissues: Symmetry breaking and localization in
      excitable networks with quenched disorder.
AB  - We introduce a coarse-grained stochastic model for the spontaneous activity of
      neuronal cultures to explain the phenomenon of noise focusing, which entails
      localization of the noise activity in excitable networks with metric
      correlations. The system is modeled as a continuum excitable medium with a state
      dependent spatial coupling that accounts for the dynamics of synaptic
      connections. The most salient feature is the emergence at the mesoscale of a
      vector field V(r), which acts as an advective carrier of the noise. This entails
      an explicit symmetry breaking of isotropy and homogeneity that stems from the
      amplification of the quenched fluctuations of the network by the activity
      avalanches, concomitant with the excitable dynamics. We discuss the microscopic
      interpretation of V(r) and propose an explicit construction of it. The coarse
      grained model shows excellent agreement with simulations at the network level.
      The generic nature of the observed phenomena is discussed.

PMID- 28618532
TI  - Reducing microwave absorption with fast frequency modulation.
AB  - We study the response of a two-level quantum system to a chirp signal, using both
      numerical and analytical methods. The numerical method is based on numerical
      solutions of the Schrodinger solution of the two-level system, while the
      analytical method is based on an approximate solution of the same equations. We
      find that when two-level systems are perturbed by a chirp signal, the peak
      population of the initially unpopulated state exhibits a high sensitivity to
      frequency modulation rate. We also find that the aforementioned sensitivity
      depends on the strength of the forcing, and weaker forcings result in a higher
      sensitivity, where the frequency modulation rate required to produce the same
      reduction in peak population would be lower. We discuss potential applications of
      this result in the field of microwave power transmission, as it shows applying
      fast frequency modulation to transmitted microwaves used for power transmission
      could decrease unintended absorption of microwaves by organic tissue.

PMID- 28618533
TI  - Dynamics of interacting electrons under effect of a Morse potential.
AB  - We consider interacting electrons moving in a nonlinear Morse lattice. We set the
      initial conditions as follows: electrons were initially localized at the center
      of the chain and a solitonic deformation was produced by an impulse excitation on
      the center of the chain. By solving quantum and classical equations for this
      system numerically, we found that a fraction of electronic wave function was
      trapped by the solitonic excitation, and trapping specificities depend on the
      degree of interaction among electrons. Also, there is evidence that the effective
      electron velocity depends on Coulomb interaction and electron-phonon coupling in
      a nontrivial way. This association is explained in detail along this work. In
      addition, we briefly discuss the dependence of our results with the type of
      initial condition we choose for the electrons and lattice.

PMID- 28618534
TI  - Simultaneous influence of helicity and compressibility on anomalous scaling of
      the magnetic field in the Kazantsev-Kraichnan model.
AB  - Using the field theoretic renormalization group technique and the operator
      product expansion, the systematic investigation of the influence of the spatial
      parity violation on the anomalous scaling behavior of correlation functions of
      the weak passive magnetic field in the framework of the compressible Kazantsev
      Kraichnan model with the presence of a large-scale anisotropy is performed up to
      the second order of the perturbation theory (two-loop approximation). The
      renormalization group analysis of the model is done and the two-loop explicit
      expressions for the anomalous and critical dimensions of the leading composite
      operators are found as functions of the helicity and compressibility parameters
      and their anisotropic hierarchies are discussed. It is shown that for arbitrary
      values of the helicity parameter and for physically acceptable (small enough)
      values of the compressibility parameter, the main role is played by the composite
      operators near the isotropic shell in accordance with the Kolmogorov's local
      isotropy restoration hypothesis. The anomalous dimensions of the relevant
      composite operators are then compared with the anomalous dimensions of the
      corresponding leading composite operators in the Kraichnan model of passively
      advected scalar field. The significant difference between these two sets of
      anomalous dimensions is discussed. The two-loop inertial-range scaling exponents
      of the single-time two-point correlation functions of the magnetic field are
      found and their dependence on the helicity and compressibility parameters is
      studied in detail. It is shown that while the presence of the helicity leads to
      more pronounced anomalous scaling for correlation functions of arbitrary order,
      the compressibility, in general, makes the anomalous scaling more pronounced in
      comparison to the incompressible case only for low-order correlation functions.
      The persistence of the anisotropy deep inside the inertial interval is
      investigated using the appropriate odd ratios of the correlation functions. It is
      shown that, in general, the persistence of the anisotropy is much more pronounced
      in the helical systems, while in the compressible turbulent environments this is
      true only for low-order odd ratios of the correlation functions.

PMID- 28618535
TI  - Work distributions for random sudden quantum quenches.
AB  - The statistics of work performed on a system by a sudden random quench is
      investigated. Considering systems with finite dimensional Hilbert spaces we model
      a sudden random quench by randomly choosing elements from a Gaussian unitary
      ensemble (GUE) consisting of Hermitian matrices with identically, Gaussian
      distributed matrix elements. A probability density function (pdf) of work in
      terms of initial and final energy distributions is derived and evaluated for a
      two-level system. Explicit results are obtained for quenches with a sharply given
      initial Hamiltonian, while the work pdfs for quenches between Hamiltonians from
      two independent GUEs can only be determined in explicit form in the limits of
      zero and infinite temperature. The same work distribution as for a sudden random
      quench is obtained for an adiabatic, i.e., infinitely slow, protocol connecting
      the same initial and final Hamiltonians.

PMID- 28618536
TI  - Driven Brownian particle as a paradigm for a nonequilibrium heat bath: Effective
      temperature and cyclic work extraction.
AB  - We apply the concept of a frequency-dependent effective temperature based on the
      fluctuation-dissipation ratio to a driven Brownian particle in a nonequilibrium
      steady state. Using this system as a thermostat for a weakly coupled harmonic
      oscillator, the oscillator thermalizes according to a canonical distribution at
      the respective effective temperature across the entire frequency spectrum. By
      turning the oscillator from a passive thermometer into a heat engine, we realize
      the cyclic extraction of work from a single thermal reservoir, which is feasible
      only due to its nonequilibrium nature.

PMID- 28618537
TI  - Heat fluctuations of Brownian oscillators in nonstationary processes: Fluctuation
      theorem and condensation transition.
AB  - We study analytically the probability distribution of the heat released by an
      ensemble of harmonic oscillators to the thermal bath, in the nonequilibrium
      relaxation process following a temperature quench. We focus on the asymmetry
      properties of the heat distribution in the nonstationary dynamics, in order to
      study the forms taken by the fluctuation theorem as the number of degrees of
      freedom is varied. After analyzing in great detail the cases of one and two
      oscillators, we consider the limit of a large number of oscillators, where the
      behavior of fluctuations is enriched by a condensation transition with a
      nontrivial phase diagram, characterized by reentrant behavior. Numerical
      simulations confirm our analytical findings. We also discuss and highlight how
      concepts borrowed from the study of fluctuations in equilibrium under symmetry
      breaking conditions [Gaspard, J. Stat. Mech. (2012) P0802110.1088/1742
      5468/2012/08/P08021] turn out to be quite useful in understanding the deviations
      from the standard fluctuation theorem.

PMID- 28618538
TI  - Study of dynamic heterogeneity of an active particle system.
AB  - We have studied spatial and temporal dynamic heterogeneity (DH) in a system of
      hard-sphere particles, subjected to active forces with constant amplitude and
      random direction determined by rotational diffusion with correlation time tau. We
      have used a variety of observables to characterize the DH behavior, including the
      deviation from standard Stokes-Einstein (SE) relation, a non-Gaussian parameter
      alpha_{2}(Deltat) for the distribution of particle displacement within a certain
      time interval Deltat, a four-point susceptibility chi_{4}(Deltat,DeltaL) for the
      correlation in dynamics between any two points in space separated by distance
      DeltaL within some time window Deltat, and a vector spatial-temporal correlation
      function S_{vec}(R,Deltat) for vector displacements within time interval Deltat
      of particle pairs originally separated by R. By mapping the particle motion into
      a continuous-time random walk with constant jump length, we can obtain the
      average waiting time <t_{x}>?D_{s}^{-1} and persistence time <t_{p}>?eta, with
      D_{s} the self-diffusion coefficient and eta the shear viscosity, such that the
      observable lambda=<t_{p}>/<t_{x}>?D_{s}eta can be calculated as a function of the
      control parameter tau to show how it deviates from its SE value lambda_{0}.
      Interestingly, we find lambda/lambda_{0} shows a nonmonotonic behavior for large
      volume fraction phi_{a}, wherein lambda/lambda_{0} undergoes a minimum at a
      certain intermediate value of tau, indicating that both small and large particle
      activity may lead to strong DH. Such a reentrance phenomenon is further
      demonstrated in terms of the non-Gaussian parameters alpha_{2}, four-point
      susceptibility chi_{4}, and vector spatiotemporal correlation functions S_{vec},
      respectively. Detail analysis shows that it is the competition between the dual
      roles of particle activity, namely, activity-induced higher effective temperature
      and activity-induced clustering, that leads to such nontrivial nonmonotonic
      behaviors. In addition, we find that DH may also show a maximum level at an
      intermediate value of phi_{a} if tau is large enough, implying that a more
      crowded system may be less heterogeneous than a less crowded one for a system
      with high particle activity.

PMID- 28618539
TI  - Highly efficient optical director reorientation of liquid-crystalline polymer
      induced by dye additives.
AB  - Light-induced director orientation of polymeric liquid-crystalline systems was
      investigated. The materials under study were composed of a nematic liquid
      crystalline polymer (NLCP) and a small amount (0.05-0.5 wt.%) of conformationally
      active (azobenzene) or stable (anthraquinone) dye impurity. Light action on the
      homogeneously aligned polymer films above glass transition temperature leads to
      the director reorientation and, consequently, to a change in the extraordinary
      refractive index. The effect is associated with the dye molecule excitation and
      related change of intermolecular forces. In the case of NLCP with
      conformationally active dye dopant, an extremely high orientational optical
      response was detected (nonlinear coefficient is n_{2}~0.1cm^{2}/W). In contrast,
      the efficiency of orientational light action on NLCP with conformationally stable
      dye dopant is of the same order of magnitude as that of dye-doped low-molar-mass
      liquid crystals. At the normal light incidence on the NLCP doped with azo-dye,
      the threshold director orientation is observed which is similar to the
      Freedericksz transition under the action of magnetic and electric fields. The
      obtained high-orientational optical response of NLCP caused by azo-dye dopant in
      combination with the possibility of the recording of deformed structure in the
      glassy state, typical for polymer compounds, reveals new opportunities in
      photonics applications.

PMID- 28618540
TI  - Six-vertex model and Schramm-Loewner evolution.
AB  - Square ice is a statistical mechanics model for two-dimensional ice, widely
      believed to have a conformally invariant scaling limit. We associate a Peano
      (space-filling) curve to a square ice configuration, and more generally to a so
      called six-vertex model configuration, and argue that its scaling limit is a
      space-filling version of the random fractal curve SLE_{kappa}, Schramm-Loewner
      evolution with parameter kappa, where 4<kappa<=12+8sqrt[2]. For square ice,
      kappa=12. At the "free-fermion point" of the six-vertex model, kappa=8+4sqrt[3].
      These unusual values lie outside the classical interval 2<=kappa<=8.

PMID- 28618541
TI  - Qualitative changes in phase-response curve and synchronization at the saddle
      node-loop bifurcation.
AB  - Prominent changes in neuronal dynamics have previously been attributed to a
      specific switch in onset bifurcation, the Bogdanov-Takens (BT) point. This study
      unveils another, relevant and so far underestimated transition point: the saddle
      node-loop bifurcation, which can be reached by several parameters, including
      capacitance, leak conductance, and temperature. This bifurcation turns out to
      induce even more drastic changes in synchronization than the BT transition. This
      result arises from a direct effect of the saddle-node-loop bifurcation on the
      limit cycle and hence spike dynamics. In contrast, the BT bifurcation exerts its
      immediate influence upon the subthreshold dynamics and hence only indirectly
      relates to spiking. We specifically demonstrate that the saddle-node-loop
      bifurcation (i) ubiquitously occurs in planar neuron models with a saddle node on
      invariant cycle onset bifurcation, and (ii) results in a symmetry breaking of the
      system's phase-response curve. The latter entails an increase in synchronization
      range in pulse-coupled oscillators, such as neurons. The derived bifurcation
      structure is of interest in any system for which a relaxation limit is
      admissible, such as Josephson junctions and chemical oscillators.

PMID- 28618542
TI  - One-dimensional irreversible aggregation with dynamics of a totally asymmetric
      simple exclusion process.
AB  - We define and study one-dimensional model of irreversible aggregation of
      particles obeying a discrete-time kinetics, which is a special limit of the
      generalized Totally Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process (gTASEP) on open chains.
      The model allows for clusters of particles to translate as a whole entity one
      site to the right with the same probability as single particles do. A particle
      and a cluster, as well as two clusters, irreversibly aggregate whenever they
      become nearest neighbors. Nonequilibrium stationary phases appear under the
      balance of injection and ejection of particles. By extensive Monte Carlo
      simulations it is established that the phase diagram in the plane of the
      injection-ejection probabilities consists of three stationary phases: a
      multiparticle (MP) one, a completely filled (CF) phase, and a "mixed" (MP+CF)
      one. The transitions between these phases are: an unusual transition between MP
      and CF with jump discontinuity in both the bulk density and the current, a
      conventional first-order transition with a jump in the bulk density between MP
      and MP+CF, and a continuous clustering-type transition from MP to CF, which takes
      place throughout the MP+CF phase between them. By the data collapse method a
      finite-size scaling function for the current and bulk density is obtained near
      the unusual phase transition line. A diverging correlation length, associated
      with that transition, is identified and interpreted as the size of the largest
      cluster. The model allows for a future extension to account for possible cluster
      fragmentation.

PMID- 28618543
TI  - Nonuniversality in the spectral properties of time-reversal-invariant microwave
      networks and quantum graphs.
AB  - We present experimental and numerical results for the long-range fluctuation
      properties in the spectra of quantum graphs with chaotic classical dynamics and
      preserved time-reversal invariance. Such systems are generally believed to
      provide an ideal basis for the experimental study of problems originating from
      the field of quantum chaos and random matrix theory. Our objective is to
      demonstrate that this is true only for short-range fluctuation properties in the
      spectra, whereas the observation of deviations in the long-range fluctuations is
      typical for quantum graphs. This may be attributed to the unavoidable occurrence
      of short periodic orbits, which explore only the individual bonds forming a graph
      and thus do not sense the chaoticity of its dynamics. In order to corroborate our
      supposition, we performed numerous experimental and corresponding numerical
      studies of long-range fluctuations in terms of the number variance and the power
      spectrum. Furthermore, we evaluated length spectra and compared them to
      semiclassical ones obtained from the exact trace formula for quantum graphs.

PMID- 28618544
TI  - Dynamics of a mechanical system with multiple degrees of freedom out of thermal
      equilibrium.
AB  - Out of thermal equilibrium, an environment imposes effective mechanical forces on
      nanofabricated devices as well as on microscopic chemical or biological systems.
      Here we address the question of how to calculate these forces together with the
      response of the system from first principles. We show that an ideal gaslike
      environment, even near thermal equilibrium, can enforce a specific steady state
      on the system by creating effective potentials in otherwise homogeneous space. An
      example of stable and unstable rectifications of thermal fluctuations is
      presented using a modified Feynman-Smoluchowski ratchet with two degrees of
      freedom. Moreover, the stability of a steady configuration depends on its chiral
      symmetry. The transition rate probabilities and the corresponding kinetic
      equations are derived for a complex mechanical system with arbitrary degrees of
      freedom. This work, therefore, extends the applicability of mechanical systems as
      a toy model playground of statistical physics for active and living matter with
      multiple degrees of freedom.

PMID- 28618545
TI  - Mean-Lagrangian formalism and covariance of fluid turbulence.
AB  - Mean-field-based Lagrangian framework is developed for the fluid turbulence
      theory, which enables physically objective discussions, especially, of the
      history effect. Mean flow serves as a purely geometrical object of Lie group
      theory, providing useful operations to measure the objective rate and history
      integration of the general tensor field. The proposed framework is applied, on
      the one hand, to one-point closure model, yielding an objective expression of the
      turbulence viscoelastic effect. Application to two-point closure, on the other
      hand, is also discussed, where natural extension of known Lagrangian correlation
      is discovered on the basis of an extended covariance group.

PMID- 28618546
TI  - Composition law of kappa-entropy for statistically independent systems.
AB  - The intriguing and still open question concerning the composition law of kappa
      entropy S_{kappa}(f)=1/2kappa?_{i}(f_{i}^{1-kappa}-f_{i}^{1+kappa}) with
      0<kappa<1 and ?_{i}f_{i}=1 is here reconsidered and solved. It is shown that, for
      a statistical system described by the probability distribution f={f_{ij}}, made
      up of two statistically independent subsystems, described through the probability
      distributions p={p_{i}} and q={q_{j}}, respectively, with f_{ij}=p_{i}q_{j}, the
      joint entropy S_{kappa}(pq) can be obtained starting from the S_{kappa}(p) and
      S_{kappa}(q) entropies, and additionally from the entropic functionals
      S_{kappa}(p/e_{kappa}) and S_{kappa}(q/e_{kappa}),e_{kappa} being the kappa
      Napier number. The composition law of the kappa-entropy is given in closed form
      and emerges as a one-parameter generalization of the ordinary additivity law of
      Boltzmann-Shannon entropy recovered in the kappa->0 limit.

PMID- 28618547
TI  - Optimal cost for strengthening or destroying a given network.
AB  - Strengthening or destroying a network is a very important issue in designing
      resilient networks or in planning attacks against networks, including planning
      strategies to immunize a network against diseases, viruses, etc. Here we develop
      a method for strengthening or destroying a random network with a minimum cost. We
      assume a correlation between the cost required to strengthen or destroy a node
      and the degree of the node. Accordingly, we define a cost function c(k), which is
      the cost of strengthening or destroying a node with degree k. Using the degrees k
      in a network and the cost function c(k), we develop a method for defining a list
      of priorities of degrees and for choosing the right group of degrees to be
      strengthened or destroyed that minimizes the total price of strengthening or
      destroying the entire network. We find that the list of priorities of degrees is
      universal and independent of the network's degree distribution, for all kinds of
      random networks. The list of priorities is the same for both strengthening a
      network and for destroying a network with minimum cost. However, in spite of this
      similarity, there is a difference between their p_{c}, the critical fraction of
      nodes that has to be functional to guarantee the existence of a giant component
      in the network.

PMID- 28618548
TI  - Probability of noise- and rate-induced tipping.
AB  - We propose an approximation for the probability of tipping when the speed of
      parameter change and additive white noise interact to cause tipping. Our
      approximation is valid for small to moderate drift speeds and helps to estimate
      the probability of false positives and false negatives in early-warning
      indicators in the case of rate- and noise-induced tipping. We illustrate our
      approximation on a prototypical model for rate-induced tipping with additive
      noise using Monte Carlo simulations. The formula can be extended to close
      encounters of rate-induced tipping and is otherwise applicable to other forms of
      tipping. We also provide an asymptotic formula for the critical ramp speed of the
      parameter in the absence of noise for a general class of systems undergoing rate
      induced tipping.

PMID- 28618549
TI  - Breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein relation in pure Lennard-Jones fluids: From gas
      to liquid via supercritical states.
AB  - We have examined the conditions under which the breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein
      (SE) relation occurs in pure Lennard-Jones (LJ) fluids over a wide range of
      temperatures and packing fractions beyond the critical point. To this end, the
      temperature and packing-fraction dependence of the self-diffusion coefficient, D,
      and the shear viscosity, eta_{sv}, were evaluated for Xe using molecular dynamics
      calculations with the Green-Kubo formula. The results showed good agreement with
      the experimental values. The breakdown was determined in light of the SE equation
      which we have recently derived for pure LJ liquids:
      Deta_{sv}=(k_{B}T/2pi)(N/V)^{1/3}, where k_{B} is the Boltzmann constant, T is
      the temperature, and N is the particle number included in the system volume V. We
      have found that the breakdown occurs in the lower range of the packing fraction,
      eta<0.2, and derived the SE relation in its broken form as Deta_{sv}=0.007(1
      eta)^{-5}eta^{-4/3}(k_{B}T/epsilon)^{n}k_{B}T(N/V)^{1/3}, where n increases from
      0 up to 1 with the decreasing eta. The equation clearly shows that the breakdown
      mainly occurs because the packing-fraction dependence does not cancel out between
      D and eta_{sv} in this region, which is attributed to the gaseous behavior in the
      packing-fraction dependence of the shear viscosity under a constant number
      density. In addition, the gaseous behavior in the temperature dependence of the
      shear viscosity also partially causes the breakdown.

PMID- 28618550
TI  - General expression for the component size distribution in infinite configuration
      networks.
AB  - In the infinite configuration network the links between nodes are assigned
      randomly with the only restriction that the degree distribution has to match a
      predefined function. This work presents a simple equation that gives for an
      arbitrary degree distribution the corresponding size distribution of connected
      components. This equation is suitable for fast and stable numerical computations
      up to the machine precision. The analytical analysis reveals that the asymptote
      of the component size distribution is completely defined by only a few parameters
      of the degree distribution: the first three moments, scale, and exponent (if
      applicable). When the degree distribution features a heavy tail, multiple
      asymptotic modes are observed in the component size distribution that, in turn,
      may or may not feature a heavy tail.

PMID- 28618551
TI  - Measuring effective temperatures in a generalized Gibbs ensemble.
AB  - The local physical properties of an isolated quantum statistical system in the
      stationary state reached long after a quench are generically described by the
      Gibbs ensemble, which involves only its Hamiltonian and the temperature as a
      parameter. If the system is instead integrable, additional quantities conserved
      by the dynamics intervene in the description of the stationary state. The
      resulting generalized Gibbs ensemble involves a number of temperature-like
      parameters, the determination of which is practically difficult. Here we argue
      that in a number of simple models these parameters can be effectively determined
      by using fluctuation-dissipation relationships between response and correlation
      functions of natural observables, quantities which are accessible in experiments.

PMID- 28618552
TI  - Plateau-Rayleigh instability in solids is a simple phase separation.
AB  - A long elastic cylinder, with radius a and shear-modulus MU, becomes unstable
      given sufficient surface tension gamma. We show this instability can be simply
      understood by considering the energy, E(lambda), of such a cylinder subject to a
      homogenous longitudinal stretch lambda. Although E(lambda) has a unique minimum,
      if surface tension is sufficient [Gamma=gamma/(aMU)>sqrt[32]] it loses convexity
      in a finite region. We use a Maxwell construction to show that, if stretched into
      this region, the cylinder will phase-separate into two segments with different
      stretches lambda_{1} and lambda_{2}. Our model thus explains why the instability
      has infinite wavelength and allows us to calculate the instability's subcritical
      hysteresis loop (as a function of imposed stretch), showing that instability
      proceeds with constant amplitude and at constant (positive) tension as the
      cylinder is stretched between lambda_{1} and lambda_{2}. We use full nonlinear
      finite-element calculations to verify these predictions and to characterize the
      interface between the two phases. Near Gamma=sqrt[32] the length of such an
      interface diverges, introducing a new length scale and allowing us to construct a
      one-dimensional effective theory. This treatment yields an analytic expression
      for the interface itself, revealing that its characteristic length grows as
      l_{wall}~a/sqrt[Gamma-sqrt[32]].

PMID- 28618553
TI  - Mechanism of unconfined dust explosions: Turbulent clustering and radiation
      induced ignition.
AB  - It is known that unconfined dust explosions typically start off with a relatively
      weak primary flame followed by a severe secondary explosion. We show that
      clustering of dust particles in a temperature stratified turbulent flow ahead of
      the primary flame may give rise to a significant increase in the radiation
      penetration length. These particle clusters, even far ahead of the flame, are
      sufficiently exposed and heated by the radiation from the flame to become
      ignition kernels capable to ignite a large volume of fuel-air mixtures. This
      efficiently increases the total flame surface area and the effective combustion
      speed, defined as the rate of reactant consumption of a given volume. We show
      that this mechanism explains the high rate of combustion and overpressures
      required to account for the observed level of damage in unconfined dust
      explosions, e.g., at the 2005 Buncefield vapor-cloud explosion. The effect of the
      strong increase of radiation transparency due to turbulent clustering of
      particles goes beyond the state of the art of the application to dust explosions
      and has many implications in atmospheric physics and astrophysics.

PMID- 28618554
TI  - Memory-induced diffusive-superdiffusive transition: Ensemble and time-averaged
      observables.
AB  - The ensemble properties and time-averaged observables of a memory-induced
      diffusive-superdiffusive transition are studied. The model consists in a random
      walker whose transitions in a given direction depend on a weighted linear
      combination of the number of both right and left previous transitions. The
      diffusion process is nonstationary, and its probability develops the phenomenon
      of aging. Depending on the characteristic memory parameters, the ensemble
      behavior may be normal, superdiffusive, or ballistic. In contrast, the time
      averaged mean squared displacement is equal to that of a normal undriven random
      walk, which renders the process nonergodic. In addition, and similarly to Levy
      walks [Godec and Metzler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 020603 (2013)PRLTAO0031
      900710.1103/PhysRevLett.110.020603], for trajectories of finite duration the time
      averaged displacement apparently become random with properties that depend on the
      measurement time and also on the memory properties. These features are related to
      the nonstationary power-law decay of the transition probabilities to their
      stationary values. Time-averaged response to a bias is also calculated. In
      contrast with Levy walks [Froemberg and Barkai, Phys. Rev. E 87, 030104(R)
      (2013)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.87.030104], the response always vanishes
      asymptotically.

PMID- 28618555
TI  - Viscosity of a classical gas: The rare-collision versus the frequent-collision
      regime.
AB  - The shear viscosity eta for a dilute classical gas of hard-sphere particles is
      calculated by solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation in terms of the weakly
      absorbed plane waves. For the rare-collision regime, the viscosity eta as a
      function of the equilibrium gas parameters-temperature T, particle number density
      n, particle mass m, and hard-core particle diameter d-is quite different from
      that of the frequent-collision regime, e.g., from the well-known result of
      Chapman and Enskog. An important property of the rare-collision regime is the
      dependence of eta on the external ("nonequilibrium") parameter omega, frequency
      of the sound plane wave, that is absent in the frequent-collision regime at
      leading order of the corresponding perturbation expansion. A transition from the
      frequent to the rare-collision regime takes place when the dimensionless
      parameter nd^{2}(T/m)^{1/2}omega^{-1} goes to zero. The scaled absorption
      coefficient for sound waves calculated in the rare and frequent-collision regimes
      is found to be in qualitative agreement with the experimental data.

PMID- 28618556
TI  - Strain tensor selection and the elastic theory of incompatible thin sheets.
AB  - The existing theory of incompatible elastic sheets uses the deviation of the
      surface metric from a reference metric to define the strain tensor [Efrati et
      al., J. Mech. Phys. Solids 57, 762 (2009)JMPSA80022
      509610.1016/j.jmps.2008.12.004]. For a class of simple axisymmetric problems we
      examine an alternative formulation, defining the strain based on deviations of
      distances (rather than distances squared) from their rest values. While the two
      formulations converge in the limit of small slopes and in the limit of an
      incompressible sheet, for other cases they are found not to be equivalent. The
      alternative formulation offers several features which are absent in the existing
      theory. (a) In the case of planar deformations of flat incompatible sheets, it
      yields linear, exactly solvable, equations of equilibrium. (b) When reduced to
      uniaxial (one-dimensional) deformations, it coincides with the theory of
      extensible elastica; in particular, for a uniaxially bent sheet it yields an
      unstrained cylindrical configuration. (c) It gives a simple criterion determining
      whether an isometric immersion of an incompatible sheet is at mechanical
      equilibrium with respect to normal forces. For a reference metric of constant
      positive Gaussian curvature, a spherical cap is found to satisfy this criterion
      except in an arbitrarily narrow boundary layer.

PMID- 28618557
TI  - Scale-free networks emerging from multifractal time series.
AB  - Methods connecting dynamical systems and graph theory have attracted increasing
      interest in the past few years, with applications ranging from a detailed
      comparison of different kinds of dynamics to the characterization of empirical
      data. Here we investigate the effects of the (multi)fractal properties of a
      signal, common in time series arising from chaotic dynamics or strange
      attractors, on the topology of a suitably projected network. Relying on the box
      counting formalism, we map boxes into the nodes of a network and establish
      analytic expressions connecting the natural measure of a box with its degree in
      the graph representation. We single out the conditions yielding to the emergence
      of a scale-free topology and validate our findings with extensive numerical
      simulations. We finally present a numerical analysis on the properties of
      weighted and directed network projections.

PMID- 28618558
TI  - Measurement of the shell decompression in direct-drive inertial-confinement
      fusion implosions.
AB  - A series of direct-drive implosions performed on OMEGA were used to isolate the
      effect of an adiabat on the in-flight shell thickness. The maximum in-flight
      shell thickness was measured to decrease from 75+/-2 to 60+/-2MUm when the
      adiabat of the shell was reduced from 6 to 4.5, but when decreasing the adiabat
      further (1.8), the shell thickness increased to 75+/-2MUm due to the growth of
      the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Hydrodynamic simulations suggest that a laser
      imprint is the dominant seed for these nonuniformities.

PMID- 28618559
TI  - Universal spatiotemporal scaling of distortions in a drifting lattice.
AB  - We study the dynamical response to small distortions of a lattice about its
      uniform state, drifting through a dissipative medium due to an external force,
      and show, analytically and numerically, that the fluctuations, both transverse
      and longitudinal to the direction of the drift, exhibit spatiotemporal scaling
      belonging to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class. Further, we predict that
      a colloidal crystal drifting in a constant electric field is linearly stable
      against distortions and the distortions propagate as underdamped waves.

PMID- 28618560
TI  - Topology-dependent rationality and quantal response equilibria in structured
      populations.
AB  - Given that the assumption of perfect rationality is rarely met in the real world,
      we explore a graded notion of rationality in socioecological systems of networked
      actors. We parametrize an actors' rationality via their place in a social network
      and quantify system rationality via the average Jensen-Shannon divergence between
      the games Nash and logit quantal response equilibria. Previous work has argued
      that scale-free topologies maximize a system's overall rationality in this setup.
      Here we show that while, for certain games, it is true that increasing degree
      heterogeneity of complex networks enhances rationality, rationality-optimal
      configurations are not scale-free. For the Prisoner's Dilemma and Stag Hunt
      games, we provide analytic arguments complemented by numerical optimization
      experiments to demonstrate that core-periphery networks composed of a few
      dominant hub nodes surrounded by a periphery of very low degree nodes give
      strikingly smaller overall deviations from rationality than scale-free networks.
      Similarly, for the Battle of the Sexes and the Matching Pennies games, we find
      that the optimal network structure is also a core-periphery graph but with a
      smaller difference in the average degrees of the core and the periphery. These
      results provide insight on the interplay between the topological structure of
      socioecological systems and their collective cognitive behavior, with potential
      applications to understanding wealth inequality and the structural features of
      the network of global corporate control.

PMID- 28618561
TI  - Capturing Brownian dynamics with an on-lattice model of hard-sphere diffusion.
AB  - Conventional master equation approaches approximate the diffusion of molecules in
      continuum space by the process of particles hopping on a spatial lattice. The
      hopping probability from one voxel (spatial lattice point) to its neighbor is
      usually considered to be constant throughout space. Such an assumption is only
      consistent with pointlike molecules and thus neglects volume-exclusion effects
      due to finite particle size. A few studies have attempted to introduce volume
      exclusion effects by choosing the hopping probability from one voxel to a
      neighboring one to be a linear function of the number density. Here, we formulate
      an alternative master equation in which the hopping probability is equal to the
      fraction of available space in the neighboring voxel as estimated using scaled
      particle theory. This leads to the hopping probability being a nonlinear function
      of the number density. A mean-field approximation (mfa) leads to a partial
      differential equation of the advection-diffusion type. We show that the time
      evolution of the particle number density sampled using the stochastic simulation
      algorithm associated with the new master equation and the number density obtained
      by numerical integration of the mfa are in good agreement with each other. They
      are also distinctly different than the time evolution predicted by the
      conventional master equation and those with hopping probabilities which are
      linear functions of the number density. The results from the new lattice
      description are also shown to be in very good agreement with the lattice-free
      method of Brownian dynamics, even for highly crowded scenarios.

PMID- 28618562
TI  - Evolution of moments and correlations in nonrenewal escape-time processes.
AB  - The theoretical description of nonrenewal stochastic systems is a challenge.
      Analytical results are often not available or can be obtained only under strong
      conditions, limiting their applicability. Also, numerical results have mostly
      been obtained by ad hoc Monte Carlo simulations, which are usually
      computationally expensive when a high degree of accuracy is needed. To gain
      quantitative insight into these systems under general conditions, we here
      introduce a numerical iterated first-passage time approach based on solving the
      time-dependent Fokker-Planck equation (FPE) to describe the statistics of
      nonrenewal stochastic systems. We illustrate the approach using spike-triggered
      neuronal adaptation in the leaky and perfect integrate-and-fire model,
      respectively. The transition to stationarity of first-passage time moments and
      their sequential correlations occur on a nontrivial time scale that depends on
      all system parameters. Surprisingly this is so for both single exponential and
      scale-free power-law adaptation. The method works beyond the small noise and time
      scale separation approximations. It shows excellent agreement with direct Monte
      Carlo simulations, which allow for the computation of transient and stationary
      distributions. We compare different methods to compute the evolution of the
      moments and serial correlation coefficients (SCCs) and discuss the challenge of
      reliably computing the SCCs, which we find to be very sensitive to numerical
      inaccuracies for both the leaky and perfect integrate-and-fire models. In
      conclusion, our methods provide a general picture of nonrenewal dynamics in a
      wide range of stochastic systems exhibiting short- and long-range correlations.

PMID- 28618563
TI  - Nonmonotonic dynamic correlations in quasi-two-dimensional confined glass-forming
      liquids.
AB  - It has been broadly accepted that the behavior of glass-forming liquids, where
      their relaxation dynamics exhibit a pronounced slowdown as they are cooled toward
      the glass transition temperature, is caused by the increase in one or more
      correlation lengths. However, the role of length scales in the dynamics of glass
      forming liquids is not clearly established, and past simulation work that
      suggests a surprising nonmonotonic temperature evolution of spatial dynamical
      correlations near the mode-coupling crossover temperature has been both
      questioned and supported by subsequent work. Here, using molecular dynamics
      simulation, we also show a striking maximum in the dynamic length scale
      xi_{c}^{dyn} at a given temperature, but the temperature of this maximum is found
      to shift as the size of the confined system increases. Furthermore, we find that
      such a maximum disappears for all geometry sizes considered when a rough wall is
      replaced with a smooth, hard wall, suggesting that the nature of the nonmonotonic
      temperature dependence of xi_{c}^{dyn} does not reflect an intrinsic property of
      bulk liquids, but originates from wall effects. Our results provide new insights
      into the dynamics of glass-forming liquids, particularly for quasi-two
      dimensional systems.

PMID- 28618564
TI  - Bounds of memory strength for power-law series.
AB  - Many time series produced by complex systems are empirically found to follow
      power-law distributions with different exponents alpha. By permuting the
      independently drawn samples from a power-law distribution, we present nontrivial
      bounds on the memory strength (first-order autocorrelation) as a function of
      alpha, which are markedly different from the ordinary +/-1 bounds for Gaussian or
      uniform distributions. When 1<alpha<=3, as alpha grows bigger, the upper bound
      increases from 0 to +1 while the lower bound remains 0; when alpha>3, the upper
      bound remains +1 while the lower bound descends below 0. Theoretical bounds agree
      well with numerical simulations. Based on the posts on Twitter, ratings of
      MovieLens, calling records of the mobile operator Orange, and the browsing
      behavior of Taobao, we find that empirical power-law-distributed data produced by
      human activities obey such constraints. The present findings explain some
      observed constraints in bursty time series and scale-free networks and challenge
      the validity of measures such as autocorrelation and assortativity coefficient in
      heterogeneous systems.

PMID- 28618565
TI  - Freak oscillation in a dusty plasma.
AB  - The freak oscillation in one-dimensional dusty plasma is studied numerically by
      particle-in-cell method. Using a perturbation method, the basic set of fluid
      equations is reduced to a nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLSE). The rational
      solution of the NLSE is presented, which is proposed as an effective tool for
      studying the rogue waves in dusty plasma. Additionally, the application scope of
      the analytical solution of the rogue wave described by the NLSE is given.

PMID- 28618566
TI  - Towards a unified lattice kinetic scheme for relativistic hydrodynamics.
AB  - We present a systematic derivation of relativistic lattice kinetic equations for
      finite-mass particles, reaching close to the zero-mass ultrarelativistic regime
      treated in the previous literature. Starting from an expansion of the Maxwell
      Juttner distribution on orthogonal polynomials, we perform a Gauss-type
      quadrature procedure and discretize the relativistic Boltzmann equation on space
      filling Cartesian lattices. The model is validated through numerical comparison
      with standard tests and solvers in relativistic fluid dynamics such as Boltzmann
      approach multiparton scattering and previous relativistic lattice Boltzmann
      models. This work provides a significant step towards the formulation of a
      unified relativistic lattice kinetic scheme, covering both massive and near
      massless particles regimes.

PMID- 28618567
TI  - Optimizing diffusion in multiplexes by maximizing layer dissimilarity.
AB  - Diffusion in a multiplex depends on the specific link distribution between the
      nodes in each layer, but also on the set of the intralayer and interlayer
      diffusion coefficients. In this work we investigate, in a quantitative way, the
      efficiency of multiplex diffusion as a function of the topological similarity
      among multiplex layers. This similarity is measured by the distance between
      layers, taken among the pairs of layers. Results are presented for a simple two
      layer multiplex, where one of the layers is held fixed, while the other one can
      be rewired in a controlled way in order to increase or decrease the interlayer
      distance. The results indicate that, for fixed values of all intra- and
      interlayer diffusion coefficients, a large interlayer distance generally enhances
      the global multiplex diffusion, providing a topological mechanism to control the
      global diffusive process. For some sets of networks, we develop an algorithm to
      identify the most sensitive nodes in the rewirable layer, so that changes in a
      small set of connections produce a drastic enhancement of the global diffusion of
      the whole multiplex system.

PMID- 28618568
TI  - Finite-size corrections in the random assignment problem.
AB  - We analytically derive, in the context of the replica formalism, the first finite
      size corrections to the average optimal cost in the random assignment problem for
      a quite generic distribution law for the costs. We show that, when moving from a
      power-law distribution to a Gamma distribution, the leading correction changes
      both in sign and in its scaling properties. We also examine the behavior of the
      corrections when approaching a delta-function distribution. By using a numerical
      solution of the saddle-point equations, we provide predictions that are confirmed
      by numerical simulations.

PMID- 28618569
TI  - Chaos in the band structure of a soft Sinai lattice.
AB  - We study the effect of broken spatial and dynamical symmetries on the band
      structure of two lattices with unit cells that are soft versions of the classic
      Sinai billiard. We find significant signatures of chaos in the band structure of
      these lattices, in energy regimes where the underlying classical unit cell
      undergoes a transition to chaos. Broken dynamical symmetries and the presence of
      chaos can diminish the feasibility of changing and controlling band structure in
      a wide variety of two-dimensional lattice-based devices, including two
      dimensional solids, optical lattices, and photonic crystals.

PMID- 28618570
TI  - Thermal Rayleigh-Marangoni convection in a three-layer liquid-metal-battery
      model.
AB  - The combined effects of buoyancy-driven Rayleigh-Benard convection (RC) and
      surface tension-driven Marangoni convection (MC) are studied in a triple-layer
      configuration which serves as a simplified model for a liquid metal battery
      (LMB). The three-layer model consists of a liquid metal alloy cathode, a molten
      salt separation layer, and a liquid metal anode at the top. Convection is
      triggered by the temperature gradient between the hot electrolyte and the colder
      electrodes, which is a consequence of the release of resistive heat during
      operation. We present a linear stability analysis of the state of pure thermal
      conduction in combination with three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of
      the nonlinear turbulent evolution on the basis of a pseudospectral method. Five
      different modes of convection are identified in the configuration, which are
      partly coupled to each other: RC in the upper electrode, RC with internal heating
      in the molten salt layer, and MC at both interfaces between molten salt and
      electrode as well as anticonvection in the middle layer and lower electrode. The
      linear stability analysis confirms that the additional Marangoni effect in the
      present setup increases the growth rates of the linearly unstable modes, i.e.,
      Marangoni and Rayleigh-Benard instability act together in the molten salt layer.
      The critical Grashof and Marangoni numbers decrease with increasing middle layer
      thickness. The calculated thresholds for the onset of convection are found for
      realistic current densities of laboratory-sized LMBs. The global turbulent heat
      transfer follows scaling predictions for internally heated RC. The global
      turbulent momentum transfer is comparable with turbulent convection in the
      classical Rayleigh-Benard case. In summary, our studies show that incorporating
      Marangoni effects generates smaller flow structures, alters the velocity
      magnitudes, and enhances the turbulent heat transfer across the triple-layer
      configuration.

PMID- 28618571
TI  - Evidence for equivalence of diffusion processes of passive scalar and magnetic
      fields in anisotropic Navier-Stokes turbulence.
AB  - The influence of the uniaxial small-scale anisotropy on the kinematic
      magnetohydrodynamic turbulence is investigated by using the field theoretic
      renormalization group technique in the one-loop approximation of a perturbation
      theory. The infrared stable fixed point of the renormalization group equations,
      which drives the scaling properties of the model in the inertial range, is
      investigated as the function of the anisotropy parameters and it is shown that,
      at least at the one-loop level of approximation, the diffusion processes of the
      weak passive magnetic field in the anisotropically driven kinematic
      magnetohydrodynamic turbulence are completely equivalent to the corresponding
      diffusion processes of passively advected scalar fields in the anisotropic Navier
      Stokes turbulent environments.

PMID- 28618572
TI  - Functional window of the avian compass.
AB  - The functional window is an experimentally observed property of the avian compass
      that refers to its selectivity around the geomagnetic-field strength. We show
      that the simple radical-pair model, using biologically feasible hyperfine
      parameters, can qualitatively explain the salient features of the avian compass
      as observed in behavioral experiments: its functional window, as well as
      disruption of the compass action by radio-frequency fields of specific
      frequencies. Further, we show that adjustment of the hyperfine parameters can
      tune the functional window, suggesting a possible mechanism for its observed
      adaptation to field variation. While these lend support to the radical-pair
      model, we find that in its simplest form-or even with minor augmentations-it
      cannot quantitatively explain the observed width of the functional window. This
      suggests deeper generalization of the model, possibly in terms of more nuclei or
      more subtle environmental interaction than has been considered hitherto. Finally,
      we examine a possible biological purpose for the functional window; even assuming
      evolutionary benefit from radical-pair magnetoreception, it seems likely that the
      functional window could be just a corollary thereof, imparting no additional
      advantage.

PMID- 28618573
TI  - beta-Cyclodextrin polymer binding to DNA: Modulating the physicochemical
      parameters.
AB  - Cyclodextrins and cyclodextrins-modified molecules have interesting and appealing
      properties due to their capacity to host components that are normally insoluble
      or poorly soluble in water. In this work, we investigate the interaction of a
      beta-cyclodextrin polymer (poly-beta-CD) with lambda-DNA. The polymers are
      obtained by the reaction of beta-CD with epichlorohydrin in alkaline conditions.
      We have used optical tweezers to characterize the changes of the mechanical
      properties of DNA molecules by increasing the concentration of poly-beta-CD in
      the sample. The physical chemistry of the interaction is then deduced from these
      measurements by using a recently developed quenched-disorder statistical model.
      It is shown that the contour length of the DNA does not change in the whole range
      of poly-beta-CD concentration (<300MUM). On the other hand, significant
      alterations were observed in the persistence length that identifies two binding
      modes corresponding to the clustering of ~2.6 and ~14 polymer molecules along the
      DNA double helix, depending on the polymer concentration. Comparing these results
      with the ones obtained for monomeric beta-CD, it was observed that the
      concentration of CD that alters the DNA persistence length is considerably
      smaller when in the polymeric form. Also, the binding constant of the polymer-DNA
      interaction is three orders of magnitude higher than the one found for native
      (monomeric) beta-CD. These results show that the polymerization of the beta-CD
      strongly increases its binding affinity to the DNA molecule. This property can be
      wisely used to modulate the binding of cyclodextrins to the DNA double helix.

PMID- 28618574
TI  - Contact angles of a drop pinned on an incline.
AB  - For a drop on an incline with small tilt angle alpha, when the contact line is a
      circle of radius r, we derive the relation mgsinalpha=gammarpi/2(costheta^{min}
      costheta^{max}) at first order in alpha, where theta^{min} and theta^{max} are
      the contact angles at the back and at the front, m is the mass of the drop and
      gamma the surface tension of the liquid. We revisit in this way the Furmidge
      model for a large range of contact angles. We also derive the same relation at
      first order in the Bond number B=rhogR^{2}/gamma, where R is the radius of the
      spherical cap at zero gravity. The drop profile is computed exactly in the same
      approximation. Results are compared with surface evolver simulations, showing a
      surprisingly large range of contact angles for applicability of first-order
      approximations.

PMID- 28618575
TI  - Hydrodynamics of viscous inhalant flows.
AB  - Inhalant flows draw fluid into an orifice from a reservoir and are ubiquitous in
      engineering and biology. Surprisingly, there is a lack of quantitative
      information on viscous inhalant flows. We consider here laminar flows (Reynolds
      number Re<=100) developing after impulsive inhalation begins. We implement finite
      element simulations of flows with varying Re and extraction height h (orifice
      height above a bottom bed). Numerical results are experimentally validated using
      particle image velocimetry measurements in a physical model for a representative
      flow case in the middle of the Re-h parameter space. We use two metrics to
      characterize the flow in space and time: regions of influence (ROIs), which
      describe the spatial extent of the flow field, and inhalation volumes, which
      describe the initial distribution of inhaled fluid. The transient response for
      all Re features an inviscid sinklike component at early times followed by a
      viscous diffusive component. At lower Re, diffusion entrains an increasing volume
      of fluid over time, enlarging the ROI indefinitely. In some geometries, these
      flows spatially bifurcate, with some fluid being inhaled through the orifice and
      some bypassing into recirculation. At higher Re, inward advection dominates
      outward viscous diffusion and the flow remains trapped in a sinklike state. Both
      ROIs and inhalation volumes are strongly dependent on Re and extraction height,
      suggesting that organisms or engineers could tune these parameters to achieve
      specific inhalation criteria.

PMID- 28618576
TI  - Diffusion of chiral molecules and propagation of structural chirality in
      anisotropic liquids.
AB  - Diffusion in nature is usually considered as a smooth redistribution process.
      However, it appears that the diffusion of chiral molecules and the propagation of
      chirality may proceed in quite different ways. Indeed, in the present work,
      unexpected quantization of the spatial concentration of chiral molecules is
      discovered in self-aligned molecular liquids. It is shown that the
      interpenetration of two liquids is forming discrete diffusion barrier walls
      resulting in steplike concentration distribution of chiral molecules in space.
      The concentration gradient is at least an order of magnitude stronger from both
      sides of the barrier wall compared to the gradient between those walls. It is
      also shown that this microscopic diffusion process may be controlled by
      macroscopic boundary conditions imposed on the host molecular system. Both of
      those phenomena are related to the collective long-range orientational "elastic"
      interactions of molecules of the host. The observed phenomena may radically
      change our understanding of diffusion of chiral molecules, among others, in
      biological tissue, which contains many examples of self-aligned molecular
      liquids. This, in turn, has the potential to revolutionize drug design and
      delivery techniques.

PMID- 28618577
TI  - Double diffusivity model under stochastic forcing.
AB  - The "double diffusivity" model was proposed in the late 1970s, and reworked in
      the early 1980s, as a continuum counterpart to existing discrete models of
      diffusion corresponding to high diffusivity paths, such as grain boundaries and
      dislocation lines. It was later rejuvenated in the 1990s to interpret
      experimental results on diffusion in polycrystalline and nanocrystalline
      specimens where grain boundaries and triple grain boundary junctions act as high
      diffusivity paths. Technically, the model pans out as a system of coupled Fick
      type diffusion equations to represent "regular" and "high" diffusivity paths with
      "source terms" accounting for the mass exchange between the two paths. The model
      remit was extended by analogy to describe flow in porous media with double
      porosity, as well as to model heat conduction in media with two nonequilibrium
      local temperature baths, e.g., ion and electron baths. Uncoupling of the two
      partial differential equations leads to a higher-ordered diffusion equation,
      solutions of which could be obtained in terms of classical diffusion equation
      solutions. Similar equations could also be derived within an "internal length"
      gradient (ILG) mechanics formulation applied to diffusion problems, i.e., by
      introducing nonlocal effects, together with inertia and viscosity, in a mechanics
      based formulation of diffusion theory. While being remarkably successful in
      studies related to various aspects of transport in inhomogeneous media with
      deterministic microstructures and nanostructures, its implications in the
      presence of stochasticity have not yet been considered. This issue becomes
      particularly important in the case of diffusion in nanopolycrystals whose
      deterministic ILG-based theoretical calculations predict a relaxation time that
      is only about one-tenth of the actual experimentally verified time scale. This
      article provides the "missing link" in this estimation by adding a vital element
      in the ILG structure, that of stochasticity, that takes into account all boundary
      layer fluctuations. Our stochastic-ILG diffusion calculation confirms
      rapprochement between theory and experiment, thereby benchmarking a new
      generation of gradient-based continuum models that conform closer to real-life
      fluctuating environments.

PMID- 28618578
TI  - Nearly maximally predictive features and their dimensions.
AB  - Scientific explanation often requires inferring maximally predictive features
      from a given data set. Unfortunately, the collection of minimal maximally
      predictive features for most stochastic processes is uncountably infinite. In
      such cases, one compromises and instead seeks nearly maximally predictive
      features. Here, we derive upper bounds on the rates at which the number and the
      coding cost of nearly maximally predictive features scale with desired predictive
      power. The rates are determined by the fractal dimensions of a process' mixed
      state distribution. These results, in turn, show how widely used finite-order
      Markov models can fail as predictors and that mixed-state predictive features can
      offer a substantial improvement.

PMID- 28618579
TI  - Charge and spin current statistics of the open Hubbard model with weak coupling
      to the environment.
AB  - Based on generalization and extension of our previous work [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112,
      067201 (2014)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.112.067201] to multiple
      independent Markovian baths we will compute the charge and spin current
      statistics of the open Hubbard model with weak system-bath coupling up to next-to
      leading order in the coupling parameter. Only the next-to-leading and higher
      orders depend on the Hubbard interaction parameter. The physical results are
      related to those for the XXZ model in the analogous setup implying a certain
      universality, which potentially holds in this class of nonequilibrium models.

PMID- 28618580
TI  - Entropy of international trades.
AB  - The organization of international trades is highly complex under the collective
      efforts towards economic profits of participating countries given inhomogeneous
      resources for production. Considering the trade flux as the probability of
      exporting a product from a country to another, we evaluate the entropy of the
      world trades in the period 1950-2000. The trade entropy has increased with time,
      and we show that it is mainly due to the extension of trade partnership. For a
      given number of trade partners, the mean trade entropy is about 60% of the
      maximum possible entropy, independent of time, which can be regarded as a
      characteristic of the trade fluxes' heterogeneity and is shown to be derived from
      the scaling and functional behaviors of the universal trade-flux distribution.
      The correlation and time evolution of the individual countries' gross-domestic
      products and the number of trade partners show that most countries achieved their
      economic growth partly by extending their trade relationship.

PMID- 28618581
TI  - Symplectic and antiplectic waves in an array of beating cilia attached to a
      closed body.
AB  - By taking into account the hydrodynamic interactions in a one dimensional array
      of model cilia attached to a no-slip cylinderical surface, we investigate their
      synchronized motion. We show how the emergence of metachronal waves depends on
      the initial state of the system and investigate the conditions under which the
      formation of symplectic and antiplectic waves are possible.

PMID- 28618582
TI  - Interacting opinion and disease dynamics in multiplex networks: Discontinuous
      phase transition and nonmonotonic consensus times.
AB  - Opinion formation and disease spreading are among the most studied dynamical
      processes on complex networks. In real societies, it is expected that these two
      processes depend on and affect each other. However, little is known about the
      effects of opinion dynamics over disease dynamics and vice versa, since most
      studies treat them separately. In this work we study the dynamics of the voter
      model for opinion formation intertwined with that of the contact process for
      disease spreading, in a population of agents that interact via two types of
      connections, social and contact. These two interacting dynamics take place on two
      layers of networks, coupled through a fraction q of links present in both
      networks. The probability that an agent updates its state depends on both the
      opinion and disease states of the interacting partner. We find that the opinion
      dynamics has striking consequences on the statistical properties of disease
      spreading. The most important is that the smooth (continuous) transition from a
      healthy to an endemic phase observed in the contact process, as the infection
      probability increases beyond a threshold, becomes abrupt (discontinuous) in the
      two-layer system. Therefore, disregarding the effects of social dynamics on
      epidemics propagation may lead to a misestimation of the real magnitude of the
      spreading. Also, an endemic-healthy discontinuous transition is found when the
      coupling q overcomes a threshold value. Furthermore, we show that the disease
      dynamics delays the opinion consensus, leading to a consensus time that varies
      nonmonotonically with q in a large range of the model's parameters. A mean-field
      approach reveals that the coupled dynamics of opinions and disease can be
      approximately described by the dynamics of the voter model decoupled from that of
      the contact process, with effective probabilities of opinion and disease
      transmission.

PMID- 28618583
TI  - Phase transitions at high energy vindicate negative microcanonical temperature.
AB  - The notion of negative absolute temperature emerges naturally from Boltzmann's
      definition of "surface" microcanonical entropy in isolated systems with a bounded
      energy density. Recently, the well-posedness of such construct has been
      challenged, on account that only the Gibbs "volume" entropy-and the strictly
      positive temperature thereof-would give rise to a consistent thermodynamics. Here
      we present analytical and numerical evidence that Boltzmann microcanonical
      entropy provides a consistent thermometry for both signs of the temperature. In
      particular, we show that Boltzmann (negative) temperature allows the description
      of phase transitions occurring at high energy densities, at variance with Gibbs
      temperature. Our results apply to nonlinear lattice models standardly employed to
      describe the propagation of light in arrays of coupled wave guides and the
      dynamics of ultracold gases trapped in optical lattices. Optically induced
      photonic lattices, characterized by saturable nonlinearity, are particularly
      appealing because they offer the possibility of observing states and phase
      transitions at both signs of the temperature.

PMID- 28618584
TI  - Model of the best-of-N nest-site selection process in honeybees.
AB  - The ability of a honeybee swarm to select the best nest site plays a fundamental
      role in determining the future colony's fitness. To date, the nest-site selection
      process has mostly been modeled and theoretically analyzed for the case of binary
      decisions. However, when the number of alternative nests is larger than two, the
      decision-process dynamics qualitatively change. In this work, we extend previous
      analyses of a value-sensitive decision-making mechanism to a decision process
      among N nests. First, we present the decision-making dynamics in the symmetric
      case of N equal-quality nests. Then, we generalize our findings to a best-of-N
      decision scenario with one superior nest and N-1 inferior nests, previously
      studied empirically in bees and ants. Whereas previous binary models highlighted
      the crucial role of inhibitory stop-signaling, the key parameter in our new
      analysis is the relative time invested by swarm members in individual discovery
      and in signaling behaviors. Our new analysis reveals conflicting pressures on
      this ratio in symmetric and best-of-N decisions, which could be solved through a
      time-dependent signaling strategy. Additionally, our analysis suggests how
      ecological factors determining the density of suitable nest sites may have led to
      selective pressures for an optimal stable signaling ratio.

PMID- 28618585
TI  - Uniform description of polymer ejection dynamics from capsid with and without
      hydrodynamics.
AB  - We use stochastic rotation dynamics (SRD) to examine the dynamics of the ejection
      of an initially strongly confined flexible polymer from a spherical capsid with
      and without hydrodynamics. The results obtained using stochastic rotation
      dynamics (SRD) are compared to similar Langevin simulations. Inclusion of
      hydrodynamic modes speeds up the ejection but also allows the part of the polymer
      outside the capsid to expand closer to equilibrium. This shows as higher values
      of radius of gyration when hydrodynamics are enabled. By examining the waiting
      times of individual polymer beads, we find that the waiting time t_{w} grows with
      the number of ejected monomers s as a sum of two exponents. When ~63% of the
      polymer has ejected, the ejection enters the regime of slower dynamics. The
      functional form of t_{w} versus s is universal for all ejection processes
      starting from the same initial monomer densities. Inclusion of hydrodynamics only
      reduces its magnitude. Consequently, we define a universal scaling function h
      such that the cumulative waiting time t=N_{0}h(s/N_{0}) for large N_{0}. Our
      unprecedentedly precise measurements of force indicate that this form for
      t_{w}(s) originates from the corresponding force toward the pore decreasing
      superexponentially at the end of the ejection. Our measured t_{w}(s) explains the
      apparent superlinear scaling of the ejection time with the polymer length for
      short polymers. However, for asymptotically long polymers, t_{w}(s) predicts
      linear scaling.

PMID- 28618586
TI  - Pattern of a confined chemical garden controlled by injection speed.
AB  - Pattern of confined chemical garden was controlled by the speed of injected
      fluid, and their mechanism is discussed. A confined chemical garden system was
      constructed where an aqueous solution of cobalt chloride was injected into a cell
      filled with sodium silicate solution. The reaction of these two solutions
      resulted in the formation of precipitation. The viscosities of the prepared
      aqueous solutions were set to be similar in order to rule out the possibility of
      Saffman-Taylor instability. The injection front showed three distinctive
      patterns: algaes, shells, and filaments, which were dependent on injection speed.
      The injection pressure and the spatio-temporal pattern of the injected fluid were
      measured, and a significant increase in the injection pressure was observed when
      the filament pattern appeared, which indicated the existence of thin lubrication
      layer between the precipitation and the substrate. The filament pattern was
      further analyzed quantitatively, and the number of active filaments was
      determined to be proportional to the injection speed. A mathematical model was
      constructed that considered both the viscous effect from the thin lubrication
      layer and the Laplace pressure. This model successfully reproduced the
      characteristic filament dynamics.

PMID- 28618587
TI  - General scaling relations for locomotion in granular media.
AB  - Inspired by dynamic similarity in fluid systems, we have derived a general
      dimensionless form for locomotion in granular materials, which is validated in
      experiments and discrete element method (DEM) simulations. The form instructs how
      to scale size, mass, and driving parameters in order to relate dynamic behaviors
      of different locomotors in the same granular media. The scaling can be derived by
      assuming intrusion forces arise from resistive force theory or equivalently by
      assuming the granular material behaves as a continuum obeying a frictional yield
      criterion. The scalings are experimentally confirmed using pairs of wheels of
      various shapes and sizes under many driving conditions in a common sand bed. We
      discuss why the two models provide such a robust set of scaling laws even though
      they neglect a number of the complexities of granular rheology. Motivated by
      potential extraplanetary applications, the dimensionless form also implies a way
      to predict wheel performance in one ambient gravity based on tests in a different
      ambient gravity. We confirm this using DEM simulations, which show that scaling
      relations are satisfied over an array of driving modes even when gravity differs
      between scaled tests.

PMID- 28618588
TI  - Multiscale model for pedestrian and infection dynamics during air travel.
AB  - In this paper we develop a multiscale model combining social-force-based
      pedestrian movement with a population level stochastic infection transmission
      dynamics framework. The model is then applied to study the infection transmission
      within airplanes and the transmission of the Ebola virus through casual contacts.
      Drastic limitations on air-travel during epidemics, such as during the 2014 Ebola
      outbreak in West Africa, carry considerable economic and human costs. We use the
      computational model to evaluate the effects of passenger movement within
      airplanes and air-travel policies on the geospatial spread of infectious
      diseases. We find that boarding policy by an airline is more critical for
      infection propagation compared to deplaning policy. Enplaning in two sections
      resulted in fewer infections than the currently followed strategy with multiple
      zones. In addition, we found that small commercial airplanes are better than
      larger ones at reducing the number of new infections in a flight. Aggregated
      results indicate that passenger movement strategies and airplane size predicted
      through these network models can have significant impact on an event like the
      2014 Ebola epidemic. The methodology developed here is generic and can be readily
      modified to incorporate the impact from the outbreak of other directly
      transmitted infectious diseases.

PMID- 28618589
TI  - Emergence of chaos in starlike networks of dissipative nonlinear oscillators by
      localized parametric excitations.
AB  - We study the effectiveness of locally controlling the impulse transmitted by
      parametric periodic excitations at inducing and suppressing chaos in starlike
      networks of driven damped pendula, leading to asynchronous chaotic states and
      equilibria, respectively. We found that the inducing (suppressor) effect of
      increasing (decreasing) the impulse transmitted by the parametric excitations
      acting on particular nodes depends strongly on their number and degree of
      connectivity as well as the coupling strength. Additionally, we provide a
      theoretical analysis explaining the basic physical mechanisms of the emergence
      and suppression of chaos as well as the main features of the chaos-control
      scenario. Our findings constitute proof of the impulse-induced control of chaos
      in a simple model of complex networks, thus opening the way to its application to
      real-world networks.

PMID- 28618590
TI  - Multidimensional Chebyshev interpolation for warm and hot dense matter.
AB  - We propose a scheme based on a multidimensional Chebyshev interpolation to
      approximate smooth functions that depend on more than one variable. The present
      method generalizes the one dimensional Chebyshev approximation. The
      multidimensional approach can be used for generating databases like equation of
      state in the warm and hot dense matter. It is well suited to the present advance
      of massively parallel supercomputers.

PMID- 28618591
TI  - Origin of the inverse energy cascade in two-dimensional quantum turbulence.
AB  - We establish a statistical relationship between the inverse energy cascade and
      the spatial correlations of clustered vortices in two-dimensional quantum
      turbulence. The Kolmogorov spectrum k^{-5/3} on inertial scales r corresponds to
      a pair correlation function between the vortices with different signs that decays
      as a power law with the pair distance given as r^{-4/3}. To test these scaling
      relations, we propose a forced and dissipative point vortex model that captures
      the turbulent dynamics of quantized vortices by the emergent clustering of same
      sign vortices. The inverse energy cascade developing in a statistically neutral
      system originates from this vortex clustering that evolves with time.

PMID- 28618592
TI  - Condensation of Lee-Yang zeros in scalar field theory.
AB  - We show that, at the critical temperature, there is a class of Lee-Yang zeros of
      the partition function in a general scalar field theory, which location scales
      with the size of the system with a characteristic exponent expressed in terms of
      the isothermal critical exponent delta. In the thermodynamic limit the zeros
      belonging to this class condense to the critical point zeta=1 on the real axis in
      the complex fugacity plane while the complementary set of zeros (with Rezeta<1)
      covers the unit circle. Although the aforementioned class degenerates to a single
      point for an infinite system, when the size is finite it contributes
      significantly to the partition function and reflects the self-similar structure
      (fractal geometry, scaling laws) of the critical system. This property opens up
      the perspective to formulate finite-size scaling theory in effective QCD, near
      the chiral critical point, in terms of the location of Lee-Yang zeros.

PMID- 28618593
TI  - Wetting and dewetting processes in the axial retraction of liquid filaments.
AB  - We study the hydrodynamic mechanisms involved in the motion of the contact line
      formed at the end region of a liquid filament laying on a planar and horizontal
      substrate. Since the flow develops under partially wetting conditions, the tip of
      the filament recedes and forms a bulged region (head) that subsequently develops
      a neck region behind it. Later the neck breaks up leading to a separated drop,
      while the rest of the filament restarts the sequence. One main feature of this
      flow is that the whole dynamics and final drop shapes are strongly influenced by
      the hysteresis of the contact angle typical in most of the liquid-substrate
      systems. The time evolution till breakup is studied experimentally and pictured
      in terms of a hybrid wettability theory which involves the Cox-Voinov
      hydrodynamic approach combined with the molecular kinetic theory developed by
      Blake. The parameters of this theory are determined for our liquid-substrate
      system (silicone oil-coated glass). The experimental results of the retracting
      filament are described in terms of a simple heuristic model and compared with
      numerical simulations of the full Navier-Stokes equations. This study is of
      special interest in the context of pulsed laser-induced dewetting.

PMID- 28618594
TI  - Alliance formation with exclusion in the spatial public goods game.
AB  - Detecting defection and alarming partners about the possible danger could be
      essential to avoid being exploited. This act, however, may require a huge
      individual effort from those who take this job, hence such a strategy seems to be
      unfavorable. But structured populations can provide an opportunity where a
      largely unselfish excluder strategy can form an effective alliance with other
      cooperative strategies, hence they can sweep out defection. Interestingly, this
      alliance is functioning even at the extremely high cost of exclusion where the
      sole application of an exclusion strategy would be harmful otherwise. These
      results may explain why the emergence of extreme selfless behavior is not
      necessarily against individual selection but could be the result of an
      evolutionary process.

PMID- 28618595
TI  - Anticipated synchronization in neuronal circuits unveiled by a phase-response
      curve analysis.
AB  - Anticipated synchronization (AS) is a counterintuitive behavior that has been
      observed in several systems. When AS occurs in a sender-receiver configuration,
      the latter can predict the future dynamics of the former for certain parameter
      values. In particular, in neuroscience AS was proposed to explain the apparent
      discrepancy between information flow and time lag in the cortical activity
      recorded in monkeys. Despite its success, a clear understanding of the mechanisms
      yielding AS in neuronal circuits is still missing. Here we use the well-known
      phase-response-curve (PRC) approach to study the prototypical sender-receiver
      interneuron neuronal motif. Our aim is to better understand how the transitions
      between delayed to anticipated synchronization and anticipated synchronization to
      phase-drift regimes occur. We construct a map based on the PRC method to predict
      the phase-locking regimes and their stability. We find that a PRC function of two
      variables, accounting simultaneously for the inputs from sender and interneuron
      into the receiver, is essential to reproduce the numerical results obtained using
      a Hodgkin-Huxley model for the neurons. On the contrary, the typical
      approximation that considers a sum of two independent single-variable PRCs fails
      for intermediate to high values of the inhibitory coupling strength of the
      interneuron. In particular, it loses the delayed-synchronization to anticipated
      synchronization transition.

PMID- 28618596
TI  - Language competition in a population of migrating agents.
AB  - Influencing various aspects of human activity, migration is associated also with
      language formation. To examine the mutual interaction of these processes, we
      study a Naming Game with migrating agents. The dynamics of the model leads to
      formation of low-mobility clusters, which turns out to break the symmetry of the
      model: although the Naming Game remains symmetric, low-mobility languages are
      favored. High-mobility languages are gradually eliminated from the system, and
      the dynamics of language formation considerably slows down. Our model is too
      simple to explain in detail language competition of migrating human communities,
      but it certainly shows that languages of settlers are favored over nomadic ones.

PMID- 28618597
TI  - Role of the displacement current on Warburg-type behavior.
AB  - We investigate the role of the displacement current in the analysis of the
      electric response of an electrolytic cell to an external stimulus. We show that
      several models proposed to interpret the spectra deduced by means of the
      impedance spectroscopy technique are questionable. In particular, we demonstrate
      that even in the frequency range below the Debye frequency the role of the
      displacement current is fundamental, and its omission leads to incorrect results
      for the impedance of the cell. In our analysis, the boundary conditions on the
      bulk current density are of Nernstian and of Ohmic type. The analysis is limited
      to a fully dissociated electrolyte, and for only one type of mobile ions, as
      discussed in several papers devoted to the subject. Particular attention is given
      to the spatial dependence of the current density. We show that Warburg-like
      behavior is never predicted in the framework of the Poisson-Nernst-Planck model,
      if the electric impedance of the cell is correctly evaluated. From this
      conclusion, valid for media with only one type of mobile ions, it follows that if
      Warburg-like behavior is experimentally observed the theoretical interpretation
      is still an open problem, and its origin is probably related to the boundary
      conditions.

PMID- 28618598
TI  - Designing nucleosomal force sensors.
AB  - About three quarters of our DNA is wrapped into nucleosomes: DNA spools with a
      protein core. It is well known that the affinity of a given DNA stretch to be
      incorporated into a nucleosome depends on the geometry and elasticity of the
      basepair sequence involved, causing the positioning of nucleosomes. Here we show
      that DNA elasticity can have a much deeper effect on nucleosomes than just their
      positioning: it affects their "identities". Employing a recently developed
      computational algorithm, the mutation Monte Carlo method, we design nucleosomes
      with surprising physical characteristics. Unlike any other nucleosomes studied so
      far, these nucleosomes are short-lived when put under mechanical tension whereas
      other physical properties are largely unaffected. This suggests that the
      nucleosome, the most abundant DNA-protein complex in our cells, might more
      properly be considered a class of complexes with a wide array of physical
      properties, and raises the possibility that evolution has shaped various
      nucleosome species according to their genomic context.

PMID- 28618599
TI  - Grain coarsening in two-dimensional phase-field models with an orientation field.
AB  - In the literature, contradictory results have been published regarding the form
      of the limiting (long-time) grain size distribution (LGSD) that characterizes the
      late stage grain coarsening in two-dimensional and quasi-two-dimensional
      polycrystalline systems. While experiments and the phase-field crystal (PFC)
      model (a simple dynamical density functional theory) indicate a log-normal
      distribution, other works including theoretical studies based on conventional
      phase-field simulations that rely on coarse grained fields, like the multi-phase
      field (MPF) and orientation field (OF) models, yield significantly different
      distributions. In a recent work, we have shown that the coarse grained phase
      field models (whether MPF or OF) yield very similar limiting size distributions
      that seem to differ from the theoretical predictions. Herein, we revisit this
      problem, and demonstrate in the case of OF models [R. Kobayashi, J. A. Warren,
      and W. C. Carter, Physica D 140, 141 (2000)PDNPDT0167-278910.1016/S0167
      2789(00)00023-3; H. Henry, J. Mellenthin, and M. Plapp, Phys. Rev. B 86, 054117
      (2012)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.86.054117] that an insufficient resolution
      of the small angle grain boundaries leads to a log-normal distribution close to
      those seen in the experiments and the molecular scale PFC simulations. Our paper
      indicates, furthermore, that the LGSD is critically sensitive to the details of
      the evaluation process, and raises the possibility that the differences among the
      LGSD results from different sources may originate from differences in the
      detection of small angle grain boundaries.

PMID- 28618600
TI  - Relation between the porosity and tortuosity of a membrane formed by disconnected
      irregular pores and the spatial diffusion coefficient of the Fick-Jacobs model.
AB  - In this work, we provide a theoretical relationship between the spatial-dependent
      diffusion coefficient derived in the Fick-Jacobs (FJ) approximation and the
      macroscopic diffusion coefficient of a membrane that depends on the porosity,
      tortuosity, and the constriction factors. Based on simple mass conservation
      arguments under equilibrium as well as in nonequilibrium conditions, we
      generalize previous expressions for the effective diffusion coefficient of an
      irregular pore, originally obtained by Festa and d'Agliano for horizontal and
      periodic pores, and then extended by Bradley for tortuous periodic pores, to the
      case of pores with arbitrary geometry. Through a formal definition of the
      constrictivity factor in terms of the geometry of the pore, our results provide
      very clear physical interpretation of experimental measurements since they link
      the local properties of the flow with macroscopic quantities of experimental
      relevance in the design and optimization of porous materials. The macroscopic
      diffusion coefficient as well as the spatiotemporal evolution of the
      concentration profiles inside a pore have been recently measured by using pulse
      field gradient NMR techniques. The advantage of using the FJ approach is that the
      spatiotemporal concentration profile inside a pore of irregular geometry is
      directly related to the pore's shape and, therefore, that the macroscopic
      diffusion coefficient can be obtained by comparing the spatiotemporal
      concentration profiles from such experiments with those of the theoretical model.
      Hence, the present study is relevant for the understanding of the transport
      properties of porous materials where the shape and arrangement of pores can be
      controlled at will.

PMID- 28618601
TI  - Dual time scales in simulated annealing of a two-dimensional Ising spin glass.
AB  - We apply a generalized Kibble-Zurek out-of-equilibrium scaling ansatz to
      simulated annealing when approaching the spin-glass transition at temperature T=0
      of the two-dimensional Ising model with random J=+/-1 couplings. Analyzing the
      spin-glass order parameter and the excess energy as functions of the system size
      and the annealing velocity in Monte Carlo simulations with Metropolis dynamics,
      we find scaling where the energy relaxes slower than the spin-glass order
      parameter, i.e., there are two different dynamic exponents. The values of the
      exponents relating the relaxation time scales to the system length, tau~L^{z},
      are z=8.28+/-0.03 for the relaxation of the order parameter and z=10.31+/-0.04
      for the energy relaxation. We argue that the behavior with dual time scales
      arises as a consequence of the entropy-driven ordering mechanism within droplet
      theory. We point out that the dynamic exponents found here for T->0 simulated
      annealing are different from the temperature-dependent equilibrium dynamic
      exponent z_{eq}(T), for which previous studies have found a divergent behavior:
      z_{eq}(T->0)->infinity. Thus, our study shows that, within Metropolis dynamics,
      it is easier to relax the system to one of its degenerate ground states than to
      migrate at low temperatures between regions of the configuration space
      surrounding different ground states. In a more general context of optimization,
      our study provides an example of robust dense-region solutions for which the
      excess energy (the conventional cost function) may not be the best measure of
      success.

PMID- 28618602
TI  - Finite-thickness effects on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in accelerated
      elastic solids.
AB  - A physical model has been developed for the linear Rayleigh-Taylor instability of
      a finite-thickness elastic slab laying on top of a semi-infinite ideal fluid. The
      model includes the nonideal effects of elasticity as boundary conditions at the
      top and bottom interfaces of the slab and also takes into account the finite
      transit time of the elastic waves across the slab thickness. For Atwood number
      A_{T}=1, the asymptotic growth rate is found to be in excellent agreement with
      the exact solution [Plohr and Sharp, Z. Angew. Math. Mech. 49, 786
      (1998)10.1007/s000330050121], and a physical explanation is given for the
      reduction of the stabilizing effectiveness of the elasticity for the thinner
      slabs. The feedthrough factor is also calculated.

PMID- 28618603
TI  - Analytical solution of the steady membrane voltage fluctuation caused by a single
      ion channel.
AB  - An analytical steady-state solution of the stochastic model describing the
      integrated dynamics of the membrane voltage and the gating of a single channel is
      presented. The voltage density function experiences bifurcation in the parameter
      space, and the threshold is determined by the comparison between the rates of the
      voltage evolution and that of the channel gating. It is singular at the reversal
      potential if the voltage evolves faster than the channel gating. As an
      application, the entropy production rate associated with the gating currents is
      calculated; its variation tendency in parameter space is consistent to that of
      the number of transitions counted from the sample paths. The analysis in this
      paper identifies the values of parameters that justify the formation of the
      voltage pulse and the efficient energy cost, which is associated with the
      singularity of the voltage density functions.

PMID- 28618604
TI  - Taylor cone and electrospraying at a free surface of superfluid helium charged
      from below.
AB  - Electrically charged metallic micro- and nanoparticles are trapped under a free
      surface of superfluid He in a vertical static electric field. We observe a static
      deformation of the charged liquid surface in the form of a Taylor cone and the
      emission of a charged liquid helium jet (electrospray). Our numeric calculations
      reproduce the static shape of the cone.

PMID- 28618605
TI  - Measurements of ionization states in warm dense aluminum with betatron radiation.
AB  - Time-resolved measurements of the ionization states of warm dense aluminum via K
      shell absorption spectroscopy are demonstrated using betatron radiation generated
      from laser wakefield acceleration as a probe. The warm dense aluminum is
      generated by irradiating a free-standing nanofoil with a femtosecond optical
      laser pulse and was heated to an electron temperature of ~20-25 eV at a close-to
      solid mass density. Absorption dips in the transmitted x-ray spectrum due to the
      Al^{4+} and Al^{5+} ions are clearly seen during the experiments. The measured
      absorption spectra are compared to simulations with various ionization potential
      depression models, including the commonly used Stewart-Pyatt model and an
      alternative modified Ecker-Kroll model. The observed absorption spectra are in
      approximate agreement with these models, though indicating a slightly higher
      state of ionization and closer agreement for simulations with the modified Ecker
      Kroll model.

PMID- 28618606
TI  - Instabilities in bilayer complex plasmas: Wake-induced mode coupling.
AB  - Stability principles for bilayer complex plasmas are studied. To mimic bilayer
      crystals and identify the main melting mechanism of such structures, a simple
      binary-chain model is employed. This approach provides adequate representation of
      the collective effects and accurate description of the interaction
      nonreciprocity, associated with the wake-mediated interparticle forces. It is
      shown that the wake-induced coupling of the wave modes sustained in different
      crystalline layers can trigger the dynamical instability. Furthermore, the mode
      coupling is demonstrated to be a universal instability mechanism, operating also
      in bilayer fluids. General stability criteria for the crystalline and fluid
      bilayers are derived.

PMID- 28618607
TI  - Fully kinetic simulation study of ion-acoustic solitons in the presence of
      trapped electrons.
AB  - The nonlinear fluid theory developed by Schamel suggests a modified KdV equation
      to describe the temporal evolution of ion acoustic (IA) solitons in the presence
      of trapped electrons. The validity of this theory is studied here by verifying
      solitons' main characteristic, i.e., stability against successive mutual
      collisions. We have employed a kinetic model as a more comprehensive theory than
      the fluid one, and utilized a fully kinetic simulation approach (both ions and
      electrons are treated based on the Vlasov equation). In the simulation approach,
      these solitons are excited self-consistently by employing the nonlinear process
      of IA solitons formation from an initial density perturbation (IDP). The effect
      of the size of IDPs on the chain formation is proved by the simulation code as a
      benchmark test. It is shown that the IA solitons, in the presence of trapped
      electrons, can retain their features (both in spatial and velocity direction)
      after successive mutual collisions. The collisions here include encounters of IA
      solitons with the same trapping parameter, while differing in size. Kinetic
      simulation results reveal a complicated behavior during a collision between IA
      solitons in contrast to the fluid theory predictions and simulations. In the
      range of parameters considered here, two oppositely propagating solitons rotate
      around their collective center in the phase space during a collision, independent
      of their trapping parameters. Furthermore, they exchange some portions of their
      trapped populations.

PMID- 28618608
TI  - Hydrodynamic theory of freezing: Nucleation and polycrystalline growth.
AB  - Structural aspects of crystal nucleation in undercooled liquids are explored
      using a nonlinear hydrodynamic theory of crystallization proposed recently [G. I.
      Toth et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26, 055001 (2014)JCOMEL0953
      898410.1088/0953-8984/26/5/055001], which is based on combining fluctuating
      hydrodynamics with the phase-field crystal theory. We show that in this
      hydrodynamic approach not only homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation processes
      are accessible, but also growth front nucleation, which leads to the formation of
      new (differently oriented) grains at the solid-liquid front in highly undercooled
      systems. Formation of dislocations at the solid-liquid interface and interference
      of density waves ahead of the crystallization front are responsible for the
      appearance of the new orientations at the growth front that lead to spherulite
      like nanostructures.

PMID- 28618609
TI  - Splitting in the pinning-depinning transition of fronts in long-delayed bistable
      systems.
AB  - We investigate the formation of localized domains through front pinning in a
      periodically forced, bistable semiconductor laser with long-delayed
      optoelectronic feedback. At difference with 1D spatially extended systems, the
      transition from the pinning to the propagation regime occurs via two separated
      bifurcations, each corresponding to the unpinning of one of the fronts
      surrounding the localized domain. The bifurcation splitting is systematically
      explored, unveiling the crucial role played by the forcing frequency. The
      experimental results are reproduced and interpreted by means of a prototypical
      model of our system.

PMID- 28618610
TI  - Estimating higher-order structure functions from geophysical turbulence time
      series: Confronting the curse of the limited sample size.
AB  - Utilizing synthetically generated random variates and laboratory measurements, we
      document the inherent limitations of the conventional structure function approach
      in limited sample size settings. We demonstrate that an alternative approach,
      based on the principle of maximum likelihood, can provide nearly unbiased
      structure function estimates with far less uncertainty under such unfavorable
      conditions. The superiority of this approach over the conventional approach does
      not diminish even in the case of strongly correlated samples. Two entirely
      different types of probability distributions, which have been reported in the
      turbulence literature, are found to be compatible with the proposed approach.

PMID- 28618611
TI  - Large-scale structure of randomly jammed spheres.
AB  - We numerically analyze the density field of three-dimensional randomly jammed
      packings of monodisperse soft frictionless spherical particles, paying special
      attention to fluctuations occurring at large length scales. We study in detail
      the two-point static structure factor at low wave vectors in Fourier space. We
      also analyze the nature of the density field in real space by studying the large
      distance behavior of the two-point pair correlation function, of density
      fluctuations in subsystems of increasing sizes, and of the direct correlation
      function. We show that such real space analysis can be greatly improved by
      introducing a coarse-grained density field to disentangle genuine large-scale
      correlations from purely local effects. Our results confirm that both Fourier and
      real space signatures of vanishing density fluctuations at large scale are
      absent, indicating that randomly jammed packings are not hyperuniform. In
      addition, we establish that the pair correlation function displays a surprisingly
      complex structure at large distances, which is however not compatible with the
      long-range negative correlation of hyperuniform systems but fully compatible with
      an analytic form for the structure factor. This implies that the direct
      correlation function is short ranged, as we also demonstrate directly. Our
      results reveal that density fluctuations in jammed packings do not follow the
      behavior expected for random hyperuniform materials, but display instead a more
      complex behavior.

PMID- 28618612
TI  - Simon's fundamental rich-get-richer model entails a dominant first-mover
      advantage.
AB  - Herbert Simon's classic rich-get-richer model is one of the simplest empirically
      supported mechanisms capable of generating heavy-tail size distributions for
      complex systems. Simon argued analytically that a population of flavored elements
      growing by either adding a novel element or randomly replicating an existing one
      would afford a distribution of group sizes with a power-law tail. Here, we show
      that, in fact, Simon's model does not produce a simple power-law size
      distribution as the initial element has a dominant first-mover advantage, and
      will be overrepresented by a factor proportional to the inverse of the innovation
      probability. The first group's size discrepancy cannot be explained away as a
      transient of the model, and may therefore be many orders of magnitude greater
      than expected. We demonstrate how Simon's analysis was correct but incomplete,
      and expand our alternate analysis to quantify the variability of long term
      rankings for all groups. We find that the expected time for a first replication
      is infinite, and show how an incipient group must break the mechanism to improve
      their odds of success. We present an example of citation counts for a specific
      field that demonstrates a first-mover advantage consistent with our revised view
      of the rich-get-richer mechanism. Our findings call for a reexamination of
      preceding work invoking Simon's model and provide an expanded understanding going
      forward.

PMID- 28618613
TI  - Describing magnetorheology under a colloidal glass approach.
AB  - The equilibrium structure and dynamics of magnetorheological (MR) fluids are
      studied in this work by simulations, where particles are modeled as dipoles with
      a quasihard spherical core. Upon increasing the interaction strength, controlled
      experimentally by the magnetic field, elongated clusters grow and, for intense
      fields, thick columns form, aligned with the field. The dynamics of the system is
      monitored by the mean-squared displacement and density correlation functions,
      which show an increasing slowing down with the attraction strength. The
      correlation function shows a two-step decay, with a separation between
      microscopic and long time dynamics, a typical hallmark of undercooled fluids. We
      have therefore analyzed the dynamics of this MR fluid using the typical concepts
      for undercooled fluids. Thus, the second decay of the density correlation
      function is fitted with a stretched exponential, and the wave-vector dependence
      of the fitting parameters studied. Both the amplitude and the time scale
      oscillate in phase with the structure factor. Our results support the idea that
      the magnetorheological effect is in fact the manifestation of a colloidal system
      approaching an attractive glass transition (or gel transition).

PMID- 28618614
TI  - Temperature distribution and heat radiation of patterned surfaces at short
      wavelengths.
AB  - We analyze the equilibrium spatial distribution of surface temperatures of
      patterned surfaces. The surface is exposed to a constant external heat flux and
      has a fixed internal temperature that is coupled to the outside heat fluxes by
      finite heat conductivity across the surface. It is assumed that the temperatures
      are sufficiently high so that the thermal wavelength (a few microns at room
      temperature) is short compared to all geometric length scales of the surface
      patterns. Hence the radiosity method can be employed. A recursive multiple
      scattering method is developed that enables rapid convergence to equilibrium
      temperatures. While the temperature distributions show distinct dependence on the
      detailed surface shapes (cuboids and cylinder are studied), we demonstrate robust
      universal relations between the mean and the standard deviation of the
      temperature distributions and quantities that characterize overall geometric
      features of the surface shape.

PMID- 28618615
TI  - Electrostatic Debye layer formed at a plasma-liquid interface.
AB  - We construct an analytic model for the electrostatic Debye layer formed at a
      plasma-liquid interface by combining the Gouy-Chapman theory for the liquid with
      a simple parabolic band model for the plasma sheath. The model predicts a
      nonlinear scaling between the plasma current density and the solution ionic
      strength, and we confirmed this behavior with measurements using a liquid-anode
      plasma. Plots of the measured current density as a function of ionic strength
      collapse the data and curve fits yield a plasma electron density of ~10^{19}m^{
      3} and an electric field of ~10^{4}V/m on the liquid side of the interface.
      Because our theory is based firmly on fundamental physics, we believe it can be
      widely applied to many emerging technologies involving the interaction of low
      temperature, nonequilibrium plasma with aqueous media, including plasma medicine
      and various plasma chemical synthesis techniques.

PMID- 28618616
TI  - Solvent-dependent critical properties of polymer adsorption.
AB  - Advanced chain-growth computer simulation methodologies have been employed for a
      systematic statistical analysis of the critical behavior of a polymer adsorbing
      at a substrate. We use finite-size scaling techniques to investigate the solvent
      quality dependence of critical exponents, critical temperature, and the structure
      of the phase diagram. Our study covers all solvent effects from the limit of
      super-self-avoiding walks, characterized by effective monomer-monomer repulsion,
      to poor solvent conditions that enable the formation of compact polymer
      structures. The results significantly benefit from taking into account
      corrections to scaling.

PMID- 28618617
TI  - Extended lattice Boltzmann scheme for droplet combustion.
AB  - The available lattice Boltzmann (LB) models for combustion or phase change are
      focused on either single-phase flow combustion or two-phase flow with evaporation
      assuming a constant density for both liquid and gas phases. To pave the way
      towards simulation of spray combustion, we propose a two-phase LB method for
      modeling combustion of liquid fuel droplets. We develop an LB scheme to model
      phase change and combustion by taking into account the density variation in the
      gas phase and accounting for the chemical reaction based on the Cahn-Hilliard
      free-energy approach. Evaporation of liquid fuel is modeled by adding a source
      term, which is due to the divergence of the velocity field being nontrivial, in
      the continuity equation. The low-Mach-number approximation in the governing
      Navier-Stokes and energy equations is used to incorporate source terms due to
      heat release from chemical reactions, density variation, and nonluminous
      radiative heat loss. Additionally, the conservation equation for chemical species
      is formulated by including a source term due to chemical reaction. To validate
      the model, we consider the combustion of n-heptane and n-butanol droplets in
      stagnant air using overall single-step reactions. The diameter history and flame
      standoff ratio obtained from the proposed LB method are found to be in good
      agreement with available numerical and experimental data. The present LB scheme
      is believed to be a promising approach for modeling spray combustion.

PMID- 28618618
TI  - Critical behavior of the two-dimensional Ising model with a slit.
AB  - The two-dimensional Ising model with a slit is studied. The slit free energy is
      defined, in which the bulk term, edge terms, and corner terms other than that of
      the slit are canceled. The bond propagation algorithm is used to calculate the
      free energy, internal energy, and heat capacity numerically. At the critical
      point, the slit free energy has a logarithmic correction L^{-1}lnL, in addition
      to the correction lnL, where L is the typical length of the system. The fitted
      coefficients of these terms agree with the conformal field theory very well. The
      integral constant and extrapolation length, which are pending in the conformal
      field theory, are obtained. In the slit internal energy, the leading term is
      proportional to L. There is a correction term, ln^{2}L, that has a geometry
      independent coefficient, the exact value of which is conjectured to be 
      sqrt[2]/(2pi^{2}). The leading term in the slit heat capacity is proportional to
      L^{2}. There is also a ln^{2}L term; however, its coefficient depends on the
      geometry. In the infinitely long strip limit, its exact value is conjectured to
      be 5/pi^{2}. Near the critical point, for different size lattices, the rescaled
      slit free energies, internal energies, and heat capacities collapse onto the
      corresponding universal curves. According to the scaling and conformal field
      theory, the leading term of the slit free energy should be -c/8ln|t| for L|t|?1
      and |t|?1, where t is the reduced temperature. The amplitude c/8 is universal,
      and c is the central charge. Our results validate these predictions
      qualitatively. For L|t|?1 and |t|?1, the slit internal energy and heat capacity
      scale as t^{-1} and t^{-2}, respectively.

PMID- 28618619
TI  - Coarse graining atomistic simulations of plastically deforming amorphous solids.
AB  - The primary mode of failure in disordered solids results from the formation and
      persistence of highly localized regions of large plastic strains known as shear
      bands. Continuum-level field theories capable of predicting this mechanical
      response rely upon an accurate representation of the initial and evolving states
      of the amorphous structure. We perform molecular dynamics simulations of a
      metallic glass and propose a methodology for coarse graining discrete, atomistic
      quantities, such as the potential energies of the elemental constituents. A
      strain criterion is established and used to distinguish the coarse-grained
      degrees-of-freedom inside the emerging shear band from those of the surrounding
      material. A signal-to-noise ratio provides a means of evaluating the strength of
      the signal of the shear band as a function of the coarse graining. Finally, we
      investigate the effect of different coarse graining length scales by comparing a
      two-dimensional, numerical implementation of the effective-temperature
      description in the shear transformation zone (STZ) theory with direct molecular
      dynamics simulations. These comparisons indicate the coarse graining length scale
      has a lower bound, above which there is a high level of agreement between the
      atomistics and the STZ theory, and below which the concept of effective
      temperature breaks down.

PMID- 28618620
TI  - Levy flights versus Levy walks in bounded domains.
AB  - Levy flights and Levy walks serve as two paradigms of random walks resembling
      common features but also bearing fundamental differences. One of the main
      dissimilarities is the discontinuity versus continuity of their trajectories and
      infinite versus finite propagation velocity. As a consequence, a well-developed
      theory of Levy flights is associated with their pathological physical properties,
      which in turn are resolved by the concept of Levy walks. Here, we explore Levy
      flight and Levy walk models on bounded domains, examining their differences and
      analogies. We investigate analytically and numerically whether and under which
      conditions both approaches yield similar results in terms of selected statistical
      observables characterizing the motion: the survival probability, mean first
      passage time, and stationary probability density functions. It is demonstrated
      that the similarity of the models is affected by the type of boundary conditions
      and the value of the stability index defining the asymptotics of the jump length
      distribution.

PMID- 28618621
TI  - Tracer diffusion in active suspensions.
AB  - We study the diffusion of a Brownian probe particle of size R in a dilute
      dispersion of active Brownian particles of size a, characteristic swim speed
      U_{0}, reorientation time tau_{R}, and mechanical energy
      k_{s}T_{s}=zeta_{a}U_{0}^{2}tau_{R}/6, where zeta_{a} is the Stokes drag
      coefficient of a swimmer. The probe has a thermal diffusivity
      D_{P}=k_{B}T/zeta_{P}, where k_{B}T is the thermal energy of the solvent and
      zeta_{P} is the Stokes drag coefficient for the probe. When the swimmers are
      inactive, collisions between the probe and the swimmers sterically hinder the
      probe's diffusive motion. In competition with this steric hindrance is an
      enhancement driven by the activity of the swimmers. The strength of swimming
      relative to thermal diffusion is set by Pe_{s}=U_{0}a/D_{P}. The active
      contribution to the diffusivity scales as Pe_{s}^{2} for weak swimming and Pe_{s}
      for strong swimming, but the transition between these two regimes is
      nonmonotonic. When fluctuations in the probe motion decay on the time scale
      tau_{R}, the active diffusivity scales as k_{s}T_{s}/zeta_{P}: the probe moves as
      if it were immersed in a solvent with energy k_{s}T_{s} rather than k_{B}T.

PMID- 28618622
TI  - Production of high-angular-momentum electron beams in laser-plasma interactions.
AB  - It was shown that in the interactions of ultra-intense circularly polarized laser
      pulse with the near-critical plasmas, the angular momentum can be transferred
      efficiently from the laser beam to electrons through the resonance acceleration
      process. The transferred angular momentum increases almost linearly with the
      acceleration time t_{a} when the electrons are resonantly accelerated by the
      laser field. In addition, it is shown analytically that the averaged angular
      momentum of electrons is proportional to the laser amplitude a_{L}, and the total
      angular momentum of the accelerated electron beam is proportional to the square
      of the laser amplitude a_{L}^{2} for a fixed parameter of n_{e}/n_{c}a_{L}. These
      results are verified by three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. This
      regime provides an efficient and compact alternative for the production of high
      angular momentum electron beams, which may have many potential applications in
      condensed-matter spectroscopy, new electron microscopes, and bright x-ray vortex
      generation.

PMID- 28618623
TI  - Macroscopically constrained Wang-Landau method for systems with multiple order
      parameters and its application to drawing complex phase diagrams.
AB  - A generalized approach to Wang-Landau simulations, macroscopically constrained
      Wang-Landau, is proposed to simulate the density of states of a system with
      multiple macroscopic order parameters. The method breaks a multidimensional
      random-walk process in phase space into many separate, one-dimensional random
      walk processes in well-defined subspaces. Each of these random walks is
      constrained to a different set of values of the macroscopic order parameters.
      When the multivariable density of states is obtained for one set of values of
      fieldlike model parameters, the density of states for any other values of these
      parameters can be obtained by a simple transformation of the total system energy.
      All thermodynamic quantities of the system can then be rapidly calculated at any
      point in the phase diagram. We demonstrate how to use the multivariable density
      of states to draw the phase diagram, as well as order-parameter probability
      distributions at specific phase points, for a model spin-crossover material: an
      antiferromagnetic Ising model with ferromagnetic long-range interactions. The
      fieldlike parameters in this model are an effective magnetic field and the
      strength of the long-range interaction.

PMID- 28618624
TI  - Delayed bet-hedging resilience strategies under environmental fluctuations.
AB  - Many biological populations, such as bacterial colonies, have developed through
      evolution a protection mechanism, called bet hedging, to increase their
      probability of survival under stressful environmental fluctuation. In this
      context, the concept of preadaptation refers to a common type of bet-hedging
      protection strategy in which a relatively small number of individuals in a
      population stochastically switch their phenotypes to a dormant metabolic state in
      which they increase their probability of survival against potential environmental
      shocks. Hence, if an environmental shock took place at some point in time,
      preadapted organisms would be better adapted to survive and proliferate once the
      shock is over. In many biological populations, the mechanisms of preadaptation
      and proliferation present delays whose influence in the fitness of the population
      are not well understood. In this paper, we propose a rigorous mathematical
      framework to analyze the role of delays in both preadaptation and proliferation
      mechanisms in the survival of biological populations, with an emphasis on
      bacterial colonies. Our theoretical framework allows us to analytically quantify
      the average growth rate of a bet-hedging bacterial colony with stochastically
      delayed reactions with arbitrary precision. We verify the accuracy of the
      proposed method by numerical simulations and conclude that the growth rate of a
      bet-hedging population shows a nontrivial dependency on their preadaptation and
      proliferation delays. Contrary to the current belief, our results show that
      faster reactions do not, in general, increase the overall fitness of a biological
      population.

PMID- 28618625
TI  - Hierarchical structure in sharply divided phase space for the piecewise linear
      map.
AB  - We have studied a two-dimensional piecewise linear map to examine how the
      hierarchical structure of stable regions affects the slow dynamics in Hamiltonian
      systems. In the phase space there are infinitely many stable regions, each of
      which is polygonal-shaped, and the rest is occupied by chaotic orbits. By using
      symbolic representation of stable regions, a procedure to compute the edges of
      the polygons is presented. The stable regions are hierarchically distributed in
      phase space and the edges of the stable regions show the marginal instability.
      The cumulative distribution of the recurrence time obeys a power law as ~t^{-2},
      the same as the one for the system with phase space, which is composed of a
      single stable region and chaotic components. By studying the symbol sequence of
      recurrence trajectories, we show that the hierarchical structure of stable
      regions has no significant effect on the power-law exponent and that only the
      marginal instability on the boundary of stable regions is responsible for
      determining the exponent. We also discuss the relevance of the hierarchical
      structure to those in more generic chaotic systems.

PMID- 28618626
TI  - Stochastic lattice model of synaptic membrane protein domains.
AB  - Neurotransmitter receptor molecules, concentrated in synaptic membrane domains
      along with scaffolds and other kinds of proteins, are crucial for signal
      transmission across chemical synapses. In common with other membrane protein
      domains, synaptic domains are characterized by low protein copy numbers and
      protein crowding, with rapid stochastic turnover of individual molecules. We
      study here in detail a stochastic lattice model of the receptor-scaffold reaction
      diffusion dynamics at synaptic domains that was found previously to capture, at
      the mean-field level, the self-assembly, stability, and characteristic size of
      synaptic domains observed in experiments. We show that our stochastic lattice
      model yields quantitative agreement with mean-field models of nonlinear diffusion
      in crowded membranes. Through a combination of analytic and numerical solutions
      of the master equation governing the reaction dynamics at synaptic domains,
      together with kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, we find substantial discrepancies
      between mean-field and stochastic models for the reaction dynamics at synaptic
      domains. Based on the reaction and diffusion properties of synaptic receptors and
      scaffolds suggested by previous experiments and mean-field calculations, we show
      that the stochastic reaction-diffusion dynamics of synaptic receptors and
      scaffolds provide a simple physical mechanism for collective fluctuations in
      synaptic domains, the molecular turnover observed at synaptic domains, key
      features of the observed single-molecule trajectories, and spatial heterogeneity
      in the effective rates at which receptors and scaffolds are recycled at the cell
      membrane. Our work sheds light on the physical mechanisms and principles linking
      the collective properties of membrane protein domains to the stochastic dynamics
      that rule their molecular components.

PMID- 28618628
TI  - Two-dimensional implosion simulations with a kinetic particle code.
AB  - We perform two-dimensional implosion simulations using a Monte Carlo kinetic
      particle code. The application of a kinetic transport code is motivated, in part,
      by the occurrence of nonequilibrium effects in inertial confinement fusion
      capsule implosions, which cannot be fully captured by hydrodynamic simulations.
      Kinetic methods, on the other hand, are able to describe both continuum and
      rarefied flows. We perform simple two-dimensional disk implosion simulations
      using one-particle species and compare the results to simulations with the
      hydrodynamics code rage. The impact of the particle mean free path on the
      implosion is also explored. In a second study, we focus on the formation of fluid
      instabilities from induced perturbations. We find good agreement with
      hydrodynamic studies regarding the location of the shock and the implosion
      dynamics. Differences are found in the evolution of fluid instabilities,
      originating from the higher resolution of rage and statistical noise in the
      kinetic studies.

PMID- 28618627
TI  - Experimental comparison of forces resisting viral DNA packaging and driving DNA
      ejection.
AB  - We compare forces resisting DNA packaging and forces driving DNA ejection in
      bacteriophage phi29 with theoretical predictions. Ejection of DNA from prohead
      motor complexes is triggered by heating complexes after in vitro packaging and
      force is inferred from the suppression of ejection by applied osmotic pressure.
      Ejection force from 0% to 80% filling is found to be in quantitative agreement
      with predictions of a continuum mechanics model that assumes a repulsive DNA-DNA
      interaction potential based on DNA condensation studies and predicts an inverse
      spool conformation. Force resisting DNA packaging from ~80% to 100% filling
      inferred from optical tweezers studies is also consistent with the predictions of
      this model. The striking agreement with these two different measurements suggests
      that the overall energetics of DNA packaging is well described by the model.
      However, since electron microscopy studies of phi29 do not reveal a spool
      conformation, our findings suggest that the spool model overestimates the role of
      bending rigidity and underestimates the role of intrastrand repulsion. Below ~80%
      filling the inferred forces resisting packaging are unexpectedly lower than the
      inferred ejection forces, suggesting that in this filling range the forces are
      less accurately determined or strongly temperature dependent.

PMID- 28618629
TI  - Global stability and H theorem in lattice models with nonconservative
      interactions.
AB  - In kinetic theory, a system is usually described by its one-particle distribution
      function f(r,v,t), such that f(r,v,t)drdv is the fraction of particles with
      positions and velocities in the intervals (r,r+dr) and (v,v+dv), respectively.
      Therein, global stability and the possible existence of an associated Lyapunov
      function or H theorem are open problems when nonconservative interactions are
      present, as in granular fluids. Here, we address this issue in the framework of a
      lattice model for granularlike velocity fields. For a quite general driving
      mechanism, including both boundary and bulk driving, we show that the steady
      state reached by the system in the long-time limit is globally stable. This is
      done by proving analytically that a certain H functional is nonincreasing in the
      long-time limit. Moreover, for a quite general energy injection mechanism, we are
      able to demonstrate that the proposed H functional is nonincreasing for all
      times. Also, we put forward a proof that clearly illustrates why the "classical"
      Boltzmann functional H_{B}[f]=?drdvf(r,v,t)lnf(r,v,t) is inadequate for systems
      with nonconservative interactions. This is done not only for the simplified
      kinetic description that holds in the lattice models analyzed here but also for a
      general kinetic equation, like Boltzmann's or Enskog's.

PMID- 28618630
TI  - Pattern formation in a reaction-diffusion system of Fitzhugh-Nagumo type before
      the onset of subcritical Turing bifurcation.
AB  - We investigate numerically the behavior of a two-component reaction-diffusion
      system of Fitzhugh-Nagumo type before the onset of subcritical Turing bifurcation
      in response to local rigid perturbation. In a large region of parameters, the
      initial perturbation evolves into a localized structure. In a part of that
      region, closer to the bifurcation line, this structure turns out to be unstable
      and covers all the available space over the course of time in a process of self
      completion. Depending on the parameter values in two-dimensional (2D) space, this
      process happens either through generation and evolution of new peaks on
      oscillatory tails of the initial pattern, or through the elongation, deformation,
      and rupture of initial structure, leading to space-filling nonbranching snakelike
      patterns. Transient regimes are also possible. Comparison of these results with
      1D simulations shows that the prebifurcation region of parameters where the self
      completion process is observed is much larger in the 2D case.

PMID- 28618631
TI  - Two coupled, driven Ising spin systems working as an engine.
AB  - Miniaturized heat engines constitute a fascinating field of current research.
      Many theoretical and experimental studies are being conducted that involve
      colloidal particles in harmonic traps as well as bacterial baths acting like
      thermal baths. These systems are micron-sized and are subjected to large thermal
      fluctuations. Hence, for these systems average thermodynamic quantities, such as
      work done, heat exchanged, and efficiency, lose meaning unless otherwise
      supported by their full probability distributions. Earlier studies on
      microengines are concerned with applying Carnot or Stirling engine protocols to
      miniaturized systems, where system undergoes typical two isothermal and two
      adiabatic changes. Unlike these models we study a prototype system of two
      classical Ising spins driven by time-dependent, phase-different, external
      magnetic fields. These spins are simultaneously in contact with two heat
      reservoirs at different temperatures for the full duration of the driving
      protocol. Performance of the model as an engine or a refrigerator depends only on
      a single parameter, namely the phase between two external drivings. We study this
      system in terms of fluctuations in efficiency and coefficient of performance
      (COP). We find full distributions of these quantities numerically and study the
      tails of these distributions. We also study reliability of the engine. We find
      the fluctuations dominate mean values of efficiency and COP, and their
      probability distributions are broad with power law tails.

PMID- 28618632
TI  - Relaxation of twist helicity in the cascade process of linked quantum vortices.
AB  - By numerically solving the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation we analyze
      the cascade process associated with the evolution and decay of a pair of linked
      vortex rings. The system decays through a series of reconnections to produce
      finally three unlinked, unfolded, almost planar vortex loops. Total helicity,
      initially zero, remains unchanged throughout the process. The gradual transfer
      from writhe (due to initial linking) to twist helicity, followed by a continuous
      relaxation of twist across scales during the evolution is shown to be a generic
      mechanism that consistently takes place on each individual component.

PMID- 28618633
TI  - Numerical study of the F model with domain-wall boundaries.
AB  - We perform a numerical study of the F model with domain-wall boundary conditions.
      Various exact results are known for this particular case of the six-vertex model,
      including closed expressions for the partition function for any system size as
      well as its asymptotics and leading finite-size corrections. To complement this
      picture we use a full lattice multicluster algorithm to study equilibrium
      properties of this model for systems of moderate size, up to L=512. We compare
      the energy to its exactly known large-L asymptotics. We investigate the model's
      infinite-order phase transition by means of finite-size scaling for an observable
      derived from the staggered polarization in order to test the method put forward
      in our recent joint work with Duine and Barkema. In addition we analyze local
      properties of the model. Our data are perfectly consistent with analytical
      expressions for the arctic curves. We investigate the structure inside the
      temperate region of the lattice, confirming the oscillations in vertex densities
      that were first observed by Syljuasen and Zvonarev and recently studied by Lyberg
      et al. We point out "(anti)ferroelectric" oscillations close to the corresponding
      frozen regions as well as "higher-order" oscillations forming an intricate
      pattern with saddle-point-like features.

PMID- 28618634
TI  - Zero-temperature coarsening in the Ising model with asymmetric second-neighbor
      interactions in two dimensions.
AB  - We consider the zero-temperature coarsening in the Ising model in two dimensions
      where the spins interact within the Moore neighborhood. The Hamiltonian is given
      by H=-?_{<i,j>}S_{i}S_{j}-kappa?_{<i,j^{'}>}S_{i}S_{j^{'}}, where the two terms
      are for the first neighbors and second neighbors, respectively, and kappa>=0. The
      freezing phenomenon, already noted in two dimensions for kappa=0, is seen to be
      present for any kappa. However, the frozen states show more complicated structure
      as kappa is increased; e.g., local antiferromagnetic motifs can exist for
      kappa>2. Finite-sized systems also show the existence of an isoenergetic active
      phase for kappa>2, which vanishes in the thermodynamic limit. The persistence
      probability shows universal behavior for kappa>0; however, it is clearly
      different from the kappa=0 results when a nonhomogeneous initial condition is
      considered. Exit probability shows universal behavior for all kappa>=0. The
      results are compared with other models in two dimensions having interactions
      beyond the first neighbor.

PMID- 28618635
TI  - Enhanced drainage and thinning of liquid films between bubbles and solids that
      support surface waves.
AB  - We study the thinning and drainage of the intermediate liquid film between a
      bubble and a solid surface at close proximity in the presence of a surface
      acoustic wave (SAW) in the solid. Specifically, we employ the diffraction of
      light to observe a long air bubble confined in a solid rectangular channel filled
      with silicone oil. This setup, constituting a two-dimensional physical model of
      thin film drainage, allows us to analyze the influence of a SAW on the rate of
      thinning of the micron-thick liquid film separating the bubble and the solid
      substrate. The viscous penetration of the SAW into the liquid imposes a
      convective drift of mass, redistributing the fluid in the film against capillary
      resistance and producing a net drift of liquid out of the film. The rate of
      drainage of liquid from the film increases by one to several orders of magnitude
      in comparison to the rate of drainage due to the Laplace pressure of the bubble
      alone. The experimental findings agree well with a newly developed theory
      describing the SAW-enhanced drainage as a competition between the capillary flow
      and SAW-induced streaming.

PMID- 28618636
TI  - Entropy of diluted antiferromagnetic Ising models on frustrated lattices using
      the Wang-Landau method.
AB  - We use a Monte Carlo simulation to study the diluted antiferromagnetic Ising
      model on frustrated lattices including the pyrochlore lattice to show the
      dilution effects. Using the Wang-Landau algorithm, which directly calculates the
      energy density of states, we accurately calculate the entropy of the system. We
      discuss the nonmonotonic dilution concentration dependence of residual entropy
      for the antiferromagnetic Ising model on the pyrochlore lattice, and compare it
      to the generalized Pauling approximation proposed by Ke et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett.
      99, 137203 (2007)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.99.137203]. We also
      investigate other frustrated systems, the antiferromagnetic Ising model on the
      triangular lattice and the kagome lattice, demonstrating the difference in the
      dilution effects between the system on the pyrochlore lattice and that on other
      frustrated lattices.

PMID- 28618638
TI  - Localized dark solitons and vortices in defocusing media with spatially
      inhomogeneous nonlinearity.
AB  - Recent studies have demonstrated that defocusing cubic nonlinearity with local
      strength growing from the center to the periphery faster than r^{D}, in space of
      dimension D with radial coordinate r, supports a vast variety of robust bright
      solitons. In the framework of the same model, but with a weaker spatial-growth
      rate ~r^{alpha} with alpha<=D, we test here the possibility to create stable
      localized continuous waves (LCWs) in one-dimensional (1D) and 2D geometries,
      localized dark solitons (LDSs) in one dimension, and localized dark vortices
      (LDVs) in two dimensions, which are all realized as loosely confined states with
      a divergent norm. Asymptotic tails of the solutions, which determine the
      divergence of the norm, are constructed in a universal analytical form by means
      of the Thomas-Fermi approximation (TFA). Global approximations for the LCWs,
      LDSs, and LDVs are constructed on the basis of interpolations between analytical
      approximations available far from (TFA) and close to the center. In particular,
      the interpolations for the 1D LDS, as well as for the 2D LDVs, are based on a
      deformed-tanh expression, which is suggested by the usual 1D dark-soliton
      solution. The analytical interpolations produce very accurate results, in
      comparison with numerical findings, for the 1D and 2D LCWs, 1D LDSs, and 2D LDVs
      with vorticity S=1. In addition to the 1D fundamental LDSs with the single notch
      and 2D vortices with S=1, higher-order LDSs with multiple notches are found too,
      as well as double LDVs, with S=2. Stability regions for the modes under
      consideration are identified by means of systematic simulations, the LCWs being
      completely stable in one and two dimensions, as they are ground states in the
      corresponding settings. Basic evolution scenarios are identified for those
      vortices that are unstable. The settings considered in this work may be
      implemented in nonlinear optics and in Bose-Einstein condensates.

PMID- 28618639
TI  - Nonscaling displacement distributions as may be seen in fluorescence correlation
      spectroscopy.
AB  - A continuous time random walk (CTRW) model with waiting times following the Levy
      stable distribution with exponential cutoff in equilibrium is a simple
      theoretical model giving rise to normal, yet non-Gaussian, diffusion. The
      distribution of the particles' displacements is explicitly time dependent and
      does not scale. Since fluorescent correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is often used to
      investigate diffusion processes, we discuss the influence of this lack of scaling
      on the possible outcome of the FCS measurements and calculate the FCS
      autocorrelation curves for such equilibrated CTRWs. The results show that
      although the deviations from Gaussian behavior may be detected when analyzing the
      short- and long-time asymptotic behavior of the corresponding curves, their
      bodies are still perfectly fitted by the fit forms used for normal diffusion. The
      diffusion coefficients obtained from the fits may however differ considerably
      from the true tracer diffusion coefficients as describing the time dependence of
      the mean squared displacement.

PMID- 28618637
TI  - Actin growth profile in clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
AB  - Clathrin-mediated endocytosis in yeast is driven by a protein patch containing
      close to 100 different types of proteins. Among the proteins are 5000-10000
      copies of polymerized actin, and successful endocytosis requires growth of the
      actin network. Since it is not known exactly how actin network growth drives
      endocytosis, we calculate the spatial distribution of actin growth required to
      generate the force that drives the process. First, we establish the force
      distribution that must be supplied by actin growth, by combining membrane-bending
      profiles obtained via electron microscopy with established theories of membrane
      mechanics. Next, we determine the profile of actin growth, using a continuum
      mechanics approach and an iterative procedure starting with an actin growth
      profile obtained from a linear analysis. The profile has fairly constant growth
      outside a central hole of radius 45-50 nm, but very little growth in this hole.
      This growth profile can reproduce the required forces if the actin shear modulus
      exceeds 80 kPa, and the growing filaments can exert very large polymerization
      forces. The growth profile prediction could be tested via electron-microscopy or
      super-resolution experiments in which the turgor pressure is suddenly turned off.

PMID- 28618640
TI  - Epidemic extinction paths in complex networks.
AB  - We study the extinction of long-lived epidemics on finite complex networks
      induced by intrinsic noise. Applying analytical techniques to the stochastic
      susceptible-infected-susceptible model, we predict the distribution of large
      fluctuations, the most probable or optimal path through a network that leads to a
      disease-free state from an endemic state, and the average extinction time in
      general configurations. Our predictions agree with Monte Carlo simulations on
      several networks, including synthetic weighted and degree-distributed networks
      with degree correlations, and an empirical high school contact network. In
      addition, our approach quantifies characteristic scaling patterns for the optimal
      path and distribution of large fluctuations, both near and away from the epidemic
      threshold, in networks with heterogeneous eigenvector centrality and degree
      distributions.

PMID- 28618641
TI  - Kinetic simulations of ladder climbing by electron plasma waves.
AB  - The energy of plasma waves can be moved up and down the spectrum using chirped
      modulations of plasma parameters, which can be driven by external fields.
      Depending on whether the wave spectrum is discrete (bounded plasma) or continuous
      (boundless plasma), this phenomenon is called ladder climbing (LC) or
      autoresonant acceleration of plasmons. It was first proposed by Barth et al.
      [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 075001 (2015)PRLTAO0031
      900710.1103/PhysRevLett.115.075001] based on a linear fluid model. In this paper,
      LC of electron plasma waves is investigated using fully nonlinear Vlasov-Poisson
      simulations of collisionless bounded plasma. It is shown that, in agreement with
      the basic theory, plasmons survive substantial transformations of the spectrum
      and are destroyed only when their wave numbers become large enough to trigger
      Landau damping. Since nonlinear effects decrease the damping rate, LC is even
      more efficient when practiced on structures like quasiperiodic Bernstein-Greene
      Kruskal (BGK) waves rather than on Langmuir waves per se.

PMID- 28618642
TI  - Effect of antifreeze protein on heterogeneous ice nucleation based on a two
      dimensional random-field Ising model.
AB  - Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are the key biomolecules that protect many species
      from suffering the extreme conditions. Their unique properties of antifreezing
      provide the potential of a wide range of applications. Inspired by the present
      experimental approaches of creating an antifreeze surface by coating AFPs, here
      we present a two-dimensional random-field lattice Ising model to study the effect
      of AFPs on heterogeneous ice nucleation. The model shows that both the size and
      the free-energy effect of individual AFPs and their surface coverage dominate the
      antifreeze capacity of an AFP-coated surface. The simulation results are
      consistent with the recent experiments qualitatively, revealing the origin of the
      surprisingly low antifreeze capacity of an AFP-coated surface when the coverage
      is not particularly high as shown in experiment. These results will hopefully
      deepen our understanding of the antifreeze effects and thus be potentially useful
      for designing novel antifreeze coating materials based on biomolecules.

PMID- 28618643
TI  - Statistical characterization of microstructure of packings of polydisperse hard
      cubes.
AB  - Polydisperse packings of cubic particles arise in several important problems.
      Examples include zeolite microcubes that represent catalytic materials,
      fluidization of such microcubes in catalytic reactors, fabrication of new classes
      of porous materials with precise control of their morphology, and several others.
      We present the results of detailed and extensive simulation and microstructural
      characterization of packings of nonoverlapping polydisperse cubic particles. The
      packings are generated via a modified random sequential-addition algorithm. Two
      probability density functions (PDFs) for the particle-size distribution, the
      Schulz and log-normal PDFs, are used. The packings are analyzed, and their random
      close-packing density is computed as a function of the parameters of the two
      PDFs. The maximum packing fraction for the highest degree of polydispersivity is
      estimated to be about 0.81, much higher than 0.57 for the monodisperse packings.
      In addition, a variety of microstructural descriptors have been calculated and
      analyzed. In particular, we show that (i) an approximate analytical expression
      for the structure factor of Percus-Yevick fluids of polydisperse hard spheres
      with the Schulz PDF also predicts all the qualitative features of the structure
      factor of the packings that we study; (ii) as the packings become more
      polydisperse, their behavior resembles increasingly that of an ideal system
      "ideal gas"-with little or no correlations; and (iii) the mean survival time and
      mean relaxation time of a diffusing species in the packings increase with
      increasing degrees of polydispersivity.

PMID- 28618644
TI  - Intrinsic flow structure and multifractality in two-dimensional bacterial
      turbulence.
AB  - The active interaction between the bacteria and fluid generates turbulent
      structures even at zero Reynolds number. The velocity of such a flow obtained
      experimentally has been quantitatively investigated based on streamline segment
      analysis. There is a clear transition at about 16 times the organism body length
      separating two different scale regimes, which may be attributed to the different
      influence of the viscous effect. Surprisingly the scaling extracted from the
      streamline segment indicates the existence of scale similarity even at the zero
      Reynolds number limit. Moreover, the multifractal feature can be quantitatively
      described via a lognormal formula with the Hurst number H=0.76 and the
      intermittency parameter MU=0.20, which is coincidentally in agreement with the
      three-dimensional hydrodynamic turbulence result. The direction of cascade is
      measured via the filter-space technique. An inverse energy cascade is confirmed.
      For the enstrophy, a forward cascade is observed when r/R<=3, and an inverse one
      is observed when r/R>3, where r and R are the separation distance and the
      bacteria body size, respectively. Additionally, the lognormal statistics is
      verified for the coarse-grained energy dissipation and enstrophy, which supports
      the lognormal formula to fit the measured scaling exponent.

PMID- 28618645
TI  - Localization in random bipartite graphs: Numerical and empirical study.
AB  - We investigate adjacency matrices of bipartite graphs with a power-law degree
      distribution. Motivation for this study is twofold: first, vibrational states in
      granular matter and jammed sphere packings; second, graphs encoding social
      interaction, especially electronic commerce. We establish the position of the
      mobility edge and show that it strongly depends on the power in the degree
      distribution and on the ratio of the sizes of the two parts of the bipartite
      graph. At the jamming threshold, where the two parts have the same size,
      localization vanishes. We found that the multifractal spectrum is nontrivial in
      the delocalized phase, but still near the mobility edge. We also study an
      empirical bipartite graph, namely, the Amazon reviewer-item network. We found
      that in this specific graph the mobility edge disappears, and we draw a
      conclusion from this fact regarding earlier empirical studies of the Amazon
      network.

PMID- 28618646
TI  - Hydrodynamic mobility of a solid particle near a spherical elastic membrane. II.
      Asymmetric motion.
AB  - In this paper, we derive analytical expressions for the leading-order
      hydrodynamic mobility of a small solid particle undergoing motion tangential to a
      nearby large spherical capsule whose membrane possesses resistance toward
      shearing and bending. Together with the results obtained in the first part [Daddi
      Moussa-Ider and Gekle, Phys. Rev. E 95, 013108 (2017)2470
      004510.1103/PhysRevE.95.013108], where the axisymmetric motion perpendicular to
      the capsule membrane is considered, the solution of the general mobility problem
      is thus determined. We find that shearing resistance induces a low-frequency peak
      in the particle self-mobility, resulting from the membrane normal displacement in
      the same way, although less pronounced, to what has been observed for the
      axisymmetric motion. In the zero-frequency limit, the self-mobility correction
      near a hard sphere is recovered only if the membrane has a nonvanishing
      resistance toward shearing. We further compute the in-plane mean-square
      displacement of a nearby diffusing particle, finding that the membrane induces a
      long-lasting subdiffusive regime. Considering capsule motion, we find that the
      correction to the pair-mobility function is solely determined by membrane
      shearing properties. Our analytical calculations are compared and validated with
      fully resolved boundary integral simulations where a very good agreement is
      obtained.

PMID- 28618647
TI  - Shear banding, discontinuous shear thickening, and rheological phase transitions
      in athermally sheared frictionless disks.
AB  - We report on numerical simulations of simple models of athermal, bidisperse, soft
      core, massive disks in two dimensions, as a function of packing fraction phi,
      inelasticity of collisions as measured by a parameter Q, and applied uniform
      shear strain rate gamma[over ]. Our particles have contact interactions
      consisting of normally directed elastic repulsion and viscous dissipation, as
      well as tangentially directed viscous dissipation, but no interparticle Coulombic
      friction. Mapping the phase diagram in the (phi,Q) plane for small gamma[over ],
      we find a sharp first-order rheological phase transition from a region with
      Bagnoldian rheology to a region with Newtonian rheology, and show that the system
      is always Newtonian at jamming. We consider the rotational motion of particles
      and demonstrate the crucial importance that the coupling between rotational and
      translational degrees of freedom has on the phase structure at small Q (strongly
      inelastic collisions). At small Q, we show that, upon increasing gamma[over ],
      the sharp Bagnoldian-to-Newtonian transition becomes a coexistence region of
      finite width in the (phi,gamma[over ]) plane, with coexisting Bagnoldian and
      Newtonian shear bands. Crossing this coexistence region by increasing gamma[over
      ] at fixed phi, we find that discontinuous shear thickening can result if
      gamma[over ] is varied too rapidly for the system to relax to the shear-banded
      steady state corresponding to the instantaneous value of gamma[over ].

PMID- 28618648
TI  - Affine and topogical structural entropies in granular statistical mechanics:
      Explicit calculations and equation of state.
AB  - We identify two orthogonal sources of structural entropy in rattler-free granular
      systems: affine, involving structural changes that only deform the contact
      network, and topological, corresponding to different topologies of the contact
      network. We show that a recently developed connectivity-based granular
      statistical mechanics separates the two naturally by identifying the structural
      degrees of freedom with spanning trees on the graph of the contact network. We
      extend the connectivity-based formalism to include constraints on, and
      correlations between, degrees of freedom as interactions between branches of the
      spanning tree. We then use the statistical mechanics formalism to calculate the
      partition function generally and the different entropies in the high-angoricity
      limit. We also calculate the degeneracy of the affine entropy and a number of
      expectation values. From the latter, we derive an equipartition principle and an
      equation of state relating the macroscopic volume and boundary stress to the
      analog of the temperature, the contactivity.

PMID- 28618649
TI  - Cafestol, a diterpene molecule found in coffee, induces leukemia cell death.
AB  - To evaluate the antitumor properties of Cafestol four leukemia cell lines were
      used (NB4, K562, HL60 and KG1). Cafestol exhibited the highest cytotoxicity
      against HL60 and KG1 cells, as evidenced by the accumulation of cells in the sub
      G1 fraction, mitochondrial membrane potential reduction, accumulation of cleaved
      caspase-3 and phosphatidylserine externalization. An increase in CD11b and CD15
      differentiation markers with attenuated ROS generation was also observed in
      Cafestol-treated HL60 cells. These results were similar to those obtained
      following exposure of the same cell line to cytarabine (Ara-C), an antileukemic
      drug. Cafestol and Ara-C reduced the clonogenic potential of HL60 cells by 100%,
      but Cafestol spared murine colony forming unit- granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM),
      which retained their clonogenicity. The co-treatment of Cafestol and Ara-C
      reduced HL60 cell viability compared with both drugs administered alone. In
      conclusion, despite the distinct molecular mechanisms involved in the activity of
      Cafestol and Ara-C, a similar cytotoxicity towards leukemia cells was observed,
      which suggests a need for prophylactic-therapeutic pre-clinical studies regarding
      the anticancer properties of Cafestol.

PMID- 28618650
TI  - Anti-amnesic effects of Ganoderma species: A possible cholinergic and antioxidant
      mechanism.
AB  - Mushrooms are valued for their nutritional as well as medicinal properties.
      Ganoderma species are used traditionally to treat neurological disorders but
      scientific evidence for this is insufficient. The present study was designed to
      systematically evaluate the anti-amnesic effect of selected Ganoderma species
      i.e. G. mediosinense and G. ramosissimum. Extracts of selected mushroom species
      were evaluated for their antioxidant activity and acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
      inhibition using in-vitro assays (DPPH and Ellman tests respectively). The anti
      amnesic potential of the most active extract (i.e. 70% methanol extract of G.
      mediosinense) was confirmed using mouse model of scopolamine-induced amnesia.
      Mice were treated with bioactive extract and donepezil once orally before the
      induction of amnesia. Cognitive functions were evaluated using passive shock
      avoidance (PSA) and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. The effect on brain
      AChE activity, brain oxidative stress (TBARS level) and neuronal damage (H & E
      staining) were also assessed. In-vitro results showed strong antioxidant and AChE
      inhibitory activities by G. mediosinense extract (GME). Therefore, it was
      selected for in-vivo studies. GME pre-treatment (800mg/kg, p.o.) reversed the
      effect of scopolamine in mice, evident by significant decrease (p <0.05) in the
      transfer latency time and increase in object recognition index in PSA and NOR,
      respectively. GME significantly reduced the brain AChE activity and oxidative
      stress. Histopathological examination of brain tissues showed decrease in
      vacuolated cytoplasm and increase in pyramidal cells in brain hippocampal and
      cortical regions. GME exerts anti-amnesic effect through AChE inhibition and
      antioxidant mechanisms.

PMID- 28618651
TI  - Modulatory effects of Caralluma fimbriata extract against high-fat diet induced
      abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism in Wistar rats.
AB  - The present study was aimed to evaluate the modulatory effects of hydroalcoholic
      extract of Caralluma fimbriata (CFE) by assaying the activities of key enzymes of
      carbohydrate metabolism and changes in glycogen content (liver and muscle) in
      high-fat (HF) diet-induced diabetic rats. In vitro glucose uptake studies were
      carried out in both psoas muscle and adipose tissue. The inhibitory effect of the
      extract on alpha-amylase was determined in in vitro studies. Male Wistar rats of
      body weight around 180g were divided into five groups (n=8), two of these groups
      were fed with standard pellet diet and the other three groups were fed with HF-
      (60%) diet. CFE (200mg/kg body weight/day) was administered through oral route to
      each group of standard pellet diet rats and HF-fed rats and Metformin (Met)
      (20mg/kg body weight/day) was administered through oral route to HFD+Met group
      for 90 days. At the end of the experimental period, biochemical parameters
      related to glycogen content in liver and muscle, and intestinal disaccharidases
      like maltase, sucrase and lactase were assayed. Alterations in the activities of
      enzymes of glucose metabolism (hexokinase, phosphorfructoki nase, pyruvate
      kinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, and glucose-6
      phosphate dehydrogenase), intestinal disaccharidases and glycogen content as
      observed in the high fat diet-fed rats were prevented with CFE/Met
      administration. From this study, we observed that CFE/Met could significantly
      restore the levels of glycogen in liver and muscle and key enzymes of
      carbohydrate metabolism to near normal in groups-HFD+CFE and HFD+Met. The
      skeletal muscle of HF-diet fed rats showed degenerative changes of muscle
      myofibers with fat deposition. These changes were attenuated in the HFD group
      treated with CFE/Met and retained their normal structure appearance. It can be
      concluded from these results that CFE might be of value in reducing the
      alterations related to carbohydrate metabolism under high calorie diet
      consumption.

PMID- 28618653
TI  - Myosin regulatory light chain phosphorylation is associated with leiomyosarcoma
      development.
AB  - Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant smooth muscle tumor which can be very
      unpredictable. Myosin II is involved in many functions, including cell
      contraction, migration, and adhesion. The phosphorylation of myosin regulatory
      light chain (MLC) by myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) determines the activity of
      Myosin II. However, it is still unclear whether MLC phosphorylation is involved
      in cell proliferation in leiomyosarcoma. In this study, we aimed to explore the
      role of MLCK-dependent MLC phosphorylation in leiomyosarcoma development. We
      found that the expression of MLCK, phosphorylated MLC, and Ki67 in leiomyosarcoma
      was significantly higher than in leiomyoma and adjacent normal smooth muscle
      cells. MLCK expression was significantly correlated with phosphorylated MLC
      level. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with high expression
      of MLCK or phosphorylated MLC had shorter overall survival times compared with
      the patients with low expression of MLCK or phosphorylated MLC. In vitro studies
      revealed a causative link between MLC phosphorylation and cellular proliferation
      as expression of phosphomimetic MLC (T19D, S20D) increased cellular proliferation
      as assessed by Ki67 staining. In contrast, MLCK specific inhibitor reduced
      cellular proliferation. We concluded that MLCK, phosphorylated MLC and Ki67 were
      overexpressed in leiomyosarcoma. MLCK dependent MLC phosphorylation might be
      responsible for the high proliferative state in leiomyosarcoma. MLCK and
      phosphorylated MLC are potential prognostic indicators of leiomyosarcoma.

PMID- 28618652
TI  - Cross-talk of MicroRNA and hydrogen sulfide: A novel therapeutic approach for
      bone diseases.
AB  - Bone homeostasis requires a balance between the bone formation of osteoblasts and
      bone resorption of osteoclasts to maintain ideal bone mass and bone quality. An
      imbalance in bone remodeling processes results in bone metabolic disorders such
      as osteoporosis. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gasotransmitter, has attracted the
      focus of many researchers due to its multiple physiological functions. It has
      been implicated in anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, angiogenic, cytoprotective,
      anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. H2S has also been shown to exert
      osteoprotective activity through its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative
      effects. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms by which H2S mitigates bone
      diseases are not completely understood. Experimental evidence suggests that H2S
      may regulate signaling pathways by directly influencing a gene in the cascade or
      interacting with some other gasotransmitter (carbon monoxide or nitric oxide) or
      both. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs which regulate gene expression
      by targeting, binding and suppressing mRNAs; thus controlling cell fate.
      Certainly, bone remodeling is also regulated by miRNAs expression and has been
      reported in many studies. MicroRNAs also regulate H2S biosynthesis. The inter
      regulation of microRNAs and H2S opens a new possibility for exploring the H2S
      microRNA crosstalk in bone diseases. However, the relationship between miRNAs,
      bone development, and H2S is still not well explained. This review focuses on
      miRNAs and their roles in regulating bone remodeling and possible mechanisms
      behind H2S mediated bone loss inhibition, H2S-miRNAs crosstalk in relation to the
      pathophysiology of bone remodeling, and future perspectives for miRNA-H2S as a
      therapeutic agent for bone diseases.

PMID- 28618654
TI  - Comparison of honey and dextrose solution on post-operative peritoneal adhesion
      in rat model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peritoneal adhesion between abdominal organs is a complication of
      surgery. It causes major complications like pain, bowel obstruction, infertility
      and increases risk of death. Honey is known to have anti-inflammatory and
      antioxidant properties potentially relevant for adhesive protection. METHODS:
      Thirty rats were divided into five groups: negative control without any surgical
      procedure (normal group), control group treated with normal saline, experimental
      group I treated with 1ml of 10% honey, experimental group II treated with honey
      at half concentration of group I (honey0.5), and positive control group receiving
      1ml of dextrose 5%. Inflammatory, growth and angiogenesis factors (TNF-alpha, Il
      6, IL-1beta, TGF-beta1 and VEGF) of the adhesion tissue were assessed using
      ELISA. Antioxidant factors (NO, GSH and MDA) were also assessed using biochemical
      procedures. RESULTS: The difference between peritoneal adhesion scores, TNF
      alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, TGF-beta1, VEGF, NO, GSH and MDA value of all groups was
      strongly significant (p<0.001). We showed that honey can decrease peritoneal
      adhesion (p<0.001), TNF-alpha (p<0.001), IL-1beta (p<0.001), IL-6 (p<0.001), TGF
      beta1 (p<0.001), VEGF (p<0.001), NO (p<0.001), MDA (p<0.001) and increase GSH
      (p<0.001) compared with control group. Honey 0.5 also significantly decreased
      peritoneal adhesion (p<0.001), TNF-alpha (p<0.001), IL-1beta (p<0.01), IL-6
      (p<0.001), VEGF (p<0.001), NO (p<0.001), MDA (p<0.01) and increase GSH (p<0.001)
      compared with control group. CONCLUSIONS: We find that honey can decrease
      inflammatory, growth and angiogenesis factors which can advance peritoneal
      adhesion and increase antioxidant factors. Honey could serve as a protective
      agent for peritoneal adhesion.

PMID- 28618655
TI  - Eugenia uniflora fruit (red type) standardized extract: a potential
      pharmacological tool to diet-induced metabolic syndrome damage management.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Eugenia uniflora fruit
      (red type) extract on metabolic status, as well as on neurochemical and
      behavioral parameters in an animal model of metabolic syndrome induced by a
      highly palatable diet (HPD). Rats were treated for 150days and divided into 4
      experimental groups: standard chow (SC) and water orally, SC and E. uniflora
      extract (200mg/kg daily, p.o), HPD and water orally, HPD and extract. Our data
      showed that HPD caused glucose intolerance, increased visceral fat, weight gain,
      as well as serum glucose, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol;
      however, E. uniflora prevented these alterations. The extract decreased lipid
      peroxidation and prevented the reduction of superoxide dismutase and catalase
      activities in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum of animals
      submitted to HPD. We observed a HPD-induced reduction of thiol content in these
      cerebral structures. The extract prevented increased acetylcholinesterase
      activity in the prefrontal cortex caused by HPD and the increase in immobility
      time observed in the forced swim test. Regarding chemical composition, LC/MS
      analysis showed the presence of nine anthocyanins as the major compounds. In
      conclusion, E. uniflora extract showed benefits against metabolic alterations
      caused by HPD, as well as exhibited antioxidant and antidepressant-like effects.

PMID- 28618656
TI  - Role of growth factor receptor-bound 2 in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Growth Factor Receptor-bound 2 (GRB2) plays a crucial role in
      regulation of cellular function including proliferation and differentiation, and
      we previously identified GRB2 as promoting HSCs (HSCs) proliferation. However,
      the underlying mechanisms that are involving in the regulation of GRB2 in hepatic
      fibrogenesis remain unknown. METHODS: In the present study, we tested the
      function of GRB2 in hepatic fibrosis. Hepatic fibrosis was induced by
      subcutaneous CCl4 administration at a dose of 3mL/kg in rats. The rat HSC cell
      line HSC-T6 were cultured for proliferation investigation by CCK-8 and BrdU
      incorporation method. The levels of GRB2, HMGB1, PI3K/AKT, COL1A1 and alpha-SMA
      were analyzed by western blot or real-time PCR. RESULTS: showed that the
      expression of GRB2 and HMGB1 was obviously increased in liver tissues of hepatic
      fibrosis rats accompanied by up-regulation of COL1A1 and alpha-SMA. In cultured
      HSCs, application of exogenous HMGB1 induced cell proliferation and cell
      proliferation rate concomitantly with up-regulation of GRB2 expression and
      PI3K/AKT phosphorylation. The effects of HMGB1-induced proliferation of HSCs and
      up-regulation of COL1A1 and alpha-SMA were abolished by GRB2 siRNA. HMGB1-induced
      proliferation of HSCs and up-regulation of COL1A1 and alpha-SMA was reversed in
      the presence of LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings suggest that GRB2 plays an important role in CCl4-induced hepatic
      fibrosis by regulating HSCs' function, and up-regulation of GRB2 induced by HMGB1
      is mediated via the PI3K/AKT pathway.

PMID- 28618657
TI  - Antidepressive effects of ginsenoside Rg1 via regulation of HPA and HPG axis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity is a well
      established pathological feature of major depression, accompanied by the
      persistent increase of glucocorticoid level and the dysfunction of hypothalamic
      pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) is one of the most active
      ingredients of Panax ginseng, which has various biological activity. OBJECTIVE:
      This study aimed to investigate the antidepressive effects of Rg1 and elucidate
      its impact on neuroendocrine system. METHODS: The antidepressive effects of Rg1
      were first analysed in mice, and was further identified in the chronic
      unpredictable-mild-stress (CUMS) model and the gonadectomized (GDX) model. The
      effects of Rg1 on depression-like behaviour were analysed by the forced swimming
      test (FST), tail suspension test (TST), sucrose preference test, and measurement
      of pentobarbital-induced sleep. The serum corticosterone and testosterone levels
      were detected by ELISA. The protein levels of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and
      androgen receptor (AR) were analysed by western blot and immunohistochemistry
      analysis. RESULTS: Rg1 significantly decreased the immobility time of mice in FST
      and TST. Furthermore, Rg1 alleviated anhedonia and hopelessness, decreased serum
      corticosterone level, and increased serum testosterone level, and the GR protein
      level in the PFC and hippocampus of the CUMS-treated rats. Moreover, Rg1 improved
      sleep disruption, down-regulated the serum corticosterone level, and increased AR
      protein level in the PFC of the GDX-treated mice. CONCLUSION: Together, these
      studies suggest that Rg1 displayed antidepressant activity through the modulation
      of the HPA and the HPG axis. These findings provide new mechanism involved in the
      antidepressive effects of Rg1 and propose theoretical clues for clinical
      therapies.

PMID- 28618658
TI  - The impact of multiple stressors on the biomarkers response in gills and liver of
      freshwater breams during different seasons.
AB  - Biomarkers attract increasing attention in environmental studies, as a tool for
      detection of exposure and effects of pollution, from both natural and
      anthropogenic sources. This study aims to assess the impact of multiple stressors
      during distinctive seasons, covering also extreme hydrological events (extensive
      flooding in the mid May 2014), on different levels of biological organization in
      the liver and gills of three closely related freshwater breams. Our previous
      study on DNA damage in blood cells of these specimens showed increased DNA damage
      in June 2014, one month after the flooding event. As a continuation of that
      research, the present study was conducted. As a biomarker of exposure DNA damage
      was measured by applying the alkaline comet assay, while histopathological
      alterations were monitored as a biomarker of effect. Additionally, concentrations
      of metals and metalloids in gills, liver and muscle were assessed. Sampling of
      fish tissues was performed in 2014, during winter (January and February), spring
      (March and early June) and summer (late June, July and August). Significant
      seasonal difference in DNA damage was observed for both tissues. During spring
      and summer the level of DNA damage in gills was significantly higher when
      compared to the liver. Histopathological analyses showed higher frequency of
      alterations in gills during spring, and in liver during summer, but without a
      significant seasonal difference. Gills had the highest concentration of metals
      and metalloids during the spring and summer, and liver during winter. Muscle was
      the least affected tissue during all three seasons. This study highlighted the
      importance of the multiple biomarker approach and the use of different fish
      tissues in assessment of surface water pollution.

PMID- 28618659
TI  - Projected impact of climate change and chemical emissions on the water quality of
      the European rivers Rhine and Meuse: A drinking water perspective.
AB  - Low river discharges of the rivers Rhine and Meuse are expected to occur more
      often and more prolonged in a changing climate. During these dry periods the
      dilution of point sources such as sewage effluents is reduced leading to a
      decline in chemical water quality. This study projects chemical water quality of
      the rivers Rhine and Meuse in the year 2050, based on projections of chemical
      emissions and two climate scenarios: moderate and fast climate change. It focuses
      on specific compounds known to be relevant to drinking water production, i.e.
      four pharmaceuticals, a herbicide and its metabolite and an artificial sweetener.
      Hydrological variability, climate change, and increased emission show a
      significant influence on the water quality in the Rhine and Meuse. The combined
      effect of changing future emissions of these compounds and reduced dilution due
      to climate change has leaded to increasing (peak) concentrations in the river
      water by a factor of two to four. Current water treatment efficiencies in the
      Netherlands are not sufficient to reduce these projected concentrations in
      drinking water produced from surface water below precautionary water target
      values. If future emissions are not sufficiently reduced or treatment
      efficiencies are not improved, these compounds will increasingly be found in
      drinking water, albeit at levels which pose no threat to human health.

PMID- 28618660
TI  - Relative roles of spatial processes, natural factors and anthropogenic stressors
      in structuring a lake macroinvertebrate metacommunity.
AB  - Studies of aquatic metacommunities have so far been focused almost entirely on
      relatively isolated systems, such as a set of streams, lakes or ponds. Here, we
      aimed to quantify the relative importance of spatial processes, natural factors
      and anthropogenic stressors in structuring of a macroinvertebrate metacommunity
      within a large, highly-connected shallow lake system. The roles of different
      drivers were evaluated for the entire metacommunity, 10 trait-based deconstructed
      metacommunities and four common species by incorporating extensive sampling and a
      large number of abiotic explanatory variables. Contrary to our expectations, we
      found that variation in community structure among sites was mostly correlated to
      spatial and wind-wave variables rather than anthropogenic disturbance factors
      even though the lake presented strong environmental gradients associated with
      long-term human pressures. In addition, the relative importance of the three
      groups of drivers varied slightly among the deconstructed trait matrices (i.e.
      based on dispersal ability, feeding mode and degree of occurrence). Importantly,
      the distributions of the most common species showed significant and strong
      spatial autocorrelation, indicating the prominent role of high dispersal rate for
      their distributions. These findings suggest that the influences of high dispersal
      rates and natural disturbance may even override the roles of anthropogenic
      stressors in metacommunity organization in highly-connected aquatic systems.
      Hence, we strongly encourage that spatial processes and natural drivers are taken
      into account in the development of bioassessment approaches in highly-connected
      aquatic systems.

PMID- 28618661
TI  - Probabilistic quantitative microbial risk assessment model of norovirus from
      wastewater irrigated vegetables in Ghana using genome copies and fecal indicator
      ratio conversion for estimating exposure dose.
AB  - The need to replace the commonly applied fecal indicator conversions ratio (an
      assumption of 1:10-5 virus to fecal indicator organism) in Quantitative Microbial
      Risk Assessment (QMRA) with models based on quantitative data on the virus of
      interest has gained prominence due to the different physical and environmental
      factors that might influence the reliability of using indicator organisms in
      microbial risk assessment. The challenges facing analytical studies on virus
      enumeration (genome copies or particles) have contributed to the already existing
      lack of data in QMRA modelling. This study attempts to fit a QMRA model to genome
      copies of norovirus data. The model estimates the risk of norovirus infection
      from the intake of vegetables irrigated with wastewater from different sources.
      The results were compared to the results of a corresponding model using the fecal
      indicator conversion ratio to estimate the norovirus count. In all scenarios of
      using different water sources, the application of the fecal indicator conversion
      ratio underestimated the norovirus disease burden, measured by the Disability
      Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), when compared to results using the genome copies
      norovirus data. In some cases the difference was >2 orders of magnitude. All
      scenarios using genome copies met the 10-4 DALY per person per year for
      consumption of vegetables irrigated with wastewater, although these results are
      considered to be highly conservative risk estimates. The fecal indicator
      conversion ratio model of stream-water and drain-water sources of wastewater
      achieved the 10-6 DALY per person per year threshold, which tends to indicate an
      underestimation of health risk when compared to using genome copies for
      estimating the dose.

PMID- 28618662
TI  - A one-year, on-line, multi-site observational study on water-soluble inorganic
      ions in PM2.5 over the Pearl River Delta region, China.
AB  - As the significant components of PM2.5, almost all of previous studies on water
      soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) have been limited by the use of single sampling
      station, short sampling times or low temporal resolution. This paper focuses on
      analysing one-year (2012) observations of WSIIs at a regional central (RCEN)
      site, a coastal urban (CURB) site and a coastal rural (CRUR) site in the Pearl
      River Delta region. On average, secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA) were the most
      abundant component and accounted for over 80% of the total WSIIs. The ratio among
      sulfate, nitrate and ammonium mass concentrations was close to 2:1:1 (5:2:1) at
      the RCEN and CURB sites (CRUR site). Most components (except Na+) showed higher
      concentrations in the dry season. The diurnal variations of different ions showed
      obvious differences, which were partially controlled by photochemical reactions
      and diffusion conditions in the boundary layer. Ionic formation patterns were
      different among the three sites. Secondary inorganic pollution was much more
      serious in the northwestern PRD, and it had a significant effect on pollution in
      the coastal areas. High SO42- concentrations at the CRUR site may be associated
      with local emissions, such as dimethysulfide (DMS). Long-range transport along
      the southeastern coastline also played an important role in SO42- pollution over
      the PRD region. Sea salt aerosols were an important source in coastal regions;
      they contributed large amounts of Cl-, Na+, Mg2+ at the CRUR site and large
      amounts of Na+, Mg2+ at the CURB site. The case studies found that sea salt
      aerosols concentrations increased obviously during the heavy precipitation period
      of typhoon. The presence of warm-wet air masses before continuous moist weather
      (CMW) was favourable for the formation of SIA. On the other hand, during CMW
      periods, SIA concentrations decreased rapidly.

PMID- 28618663
TI  - Chemical characteristics and source apportionment of PM2.5 in Lanzhou, China.
AB  - Daily PM2.5 samples were collected during winter 2012 and summer 2013 at an urban
      site in Lanzhou and were analyzed for chemical compounds including water soluble
      inorganic ions (WSIN), trace elements, water soluble organic carbon (WSOC),
      carbonaceous species (OC/EC), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and humic
      like substances (HULIS). The seasonal-average reconstructed PM2.5 mass was
      120.5MUgm-3 in winter and 34.1MUgm-3 in summer. The top three groups of species
      in PM2.5 were OC (35.4+/-13.9MUgm-3), WSIN (34.89+/-14.21MUgm-3), and EC (13.80+/
      5.41MUgm-3) in winter and WSIN (11.25+/-3.25MUgm-3), OC (9.74+/-3.30MUgm-3), and
      EC (4.44+/-2.00MUgm-3) in summer. EC exceeded SO42- on most of the days. Several
      anthropogenic produced primary pollutants such as PAHs, Cl-, Pb, Cd and OCpri
      were 4-22 times higher in winter than summer. Carcinogenic substances such as
      Arsenic, BaP, Pb, and Cd in PM2.5 exceeded the WHO guideline limits by 274%,
      153%, 23% and 7%, respectively. Positive Matric Factorization analysis identified
      seven source factors including steel industry, secondary aerosols, coal
      combustion, power plants, vehicle emissions, crustal dust, and smelting industry,
      which contributed 7.1%, 33.0%, 28.7%, 3.12%, 8.8%, 13.3%, and 6.0%, respectively,
      to PM2.5 in winter, and 6.7%, 14.8%, 3.1%, 3.4%, 25.2%, 11.6% and 35.2% in
      summer. Smelting industry and steel industry were identified for the first time
      as sources of PM2.5 in this city, and power plant was distinguished from
      industrial boiler and residential coal burning.

PMID- 28618664
TI  - An epidemiological approach to characterise the human exposure pathways in a
      contaminated estuarine environment.
AB  - This study's aim was to develop and implement an integrative epidemiologic cross
      sectional study that allows identifying and characterising exposure pathways of
      populations living and working on the shores of a contaminated estuarine
      environment. Population residing in Carrasqueira, located on the Sado estuary
      with known contaminated areas was compared to another population on a
      noncontaminated estuary (Vila Nova de Mil Fontes - VNMF), considered a nonexposed
      population. Simple random samples of individuals were selected in each study
      population from the National Health Service Lists: 140 individuals were selected
      in Carrasqueira and 219 in VNMF. Participation rates were higher in the exposed
      group (62.5%, n=102 in Carrasqueira and 48.3%, n=100 individuals in VNMF). The
      same structured questionnaire was used in both populations, including questions
      on occupational activities, leisure activities, consumption of food (including
      fish and mollusks from the estuary) and use of water for human intake and
      agriculture. Results showed that a significantly higher proportion of
      Carrasqueira participants reported doing tasks in their job that promote direct
      (48.8% vs 1.2% in VNMF, p-value<0.001) or indirect (30% vs 11.9% in VNMF, p
      value=0.004) contact with water from the estuary. Regarding seafood consumption,
      the exposed population of Carrasqueira had a higher frequency of consumption of
      cuttlefish (23.5% vs 9% in VNMF, p-value=0.007), sole (22.5% vs 4% in VNMF, p
      value<0.001) and clams (18.6% vs 5.0 in VNMF, p-value=0.004). The comparative
      study design, with exposed and nonexposed populations living on the shores of two
      different estuaries allowed us to confirm the hypothesis of a higher risk of
      contamination from the contaminated estuarine environment. The study design and
      the selection of both populations were adequate for this type of epidemiologic
      study of potential routes of human contamination in a mixture of contaminated
      estuarine environment and can be used in other estuarine areas with similar
      environmental risk.

PMID- 28618665
TI  - Metal accumulation in soils derived from volcano-sedimentary rocks, Rio Itapicuru
      Greenstone Belt, northeastern Brazil.
AB  - Many countries and some Brazilian regions have defined the guideline values for
      metals in soils. However, the local geological features may be so heterogeneous
      that global or even regional guideline values cannot be applied. The Greenstone
      Belts are worldwide geological formations of vast extension, containing
      mineralization of various metals (e.g., Au, Cr, Ni, and Ag). Natural
      concentrations of soils must be known to correctly assess the impact of mining.
      We studied the soils of the Rio Itapicuru Greenstone Belt (RIGB), of
      Paleoproterozoic age, sampling at 24 sites (0-0.20m) in the areas not or
      minimally human impacted, equally distributed in the three units of the RIGB:
      Volcanic Mafic Unit (VMU), Volcanic Felsic Unit (VFU), and Volcano-clastic
      Sedimentary Unit (SU). The natural pseudo-total concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn,
      Pb, Fe, and Mn were obtained by acid digestion (EPA3050b) both in the soil and
      the particle-size fractions (sand and clay+silt). The concentrations of metals in
      RIGB soils, especially Cr and Ni, are generally higher than those reported for
      other regions of Brazil or other countries. Even the sedimentary soils have
      relatively high metal values, naturally contaminated by the VMU of the RIGB; a
      potential impact on Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks located near the
      study region is highly expected. Metals are concentrated (80%) in the fine
      particle-size fraction, implying an easy availability through surface transport
      (wind and runoff). We introduced a new index, called the Fe-independent
      accumulation factor - AF-Fe, which reveals that 90-98% of the dynamics of the
      trace metals is associated with the iron geochemical cycle. We primarily conclude
      that determining the guideline values for different soil classes in variable
      geological/geochemical environment and under semiarid climate is meaningless: the
      concentration of metals in soils is clearly more related to the source material
      than to the pedogenesis processes.

PMID- 28618666
TI  - The toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW): A critical review.
AB  - Large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) are produced by the
      surface-mining oil sands industry in Alberta. Both laboratory and field studies
      have demonstrated that the exposure to OSPW leads to many physiological changes
      in a variety of organisms. Adverse effects include compromised immunological
      function, developmental delays, impaired reproduction, disrupted endocrine
      system, and higher prevalence of tissue-specific pathological manifestations. The
      composition of OSPW varies with several factors such as ore sources, mining
      process, and tailings management practices. Differences in water characteristics
      have confounded interpretation or comparison of OSPW toxicity across studies.
      Research on individual fractions extracted from OSPW has helped identify some
      target pollutants. Naphthenic acids (NAs) are considered as the major toxic
      components in OSPW, exhibiting toxic effects through multiple modes of action
      including narcosis and endocrine disruption. Other pollutants, like polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, and ions may also contribute to the overall
      OSPW toxicity. Studies have been conducted on OSPW as a whole complex effluent
      mixture, with consideration of the presence of unidentified components, and the
      interactions (potential synergistic or antagonistic reactions) among chemicals.
      This review summarizes the toxicological data derived from in vitro and in vivo
      exposure studies using different OSPW types, and different taxa of organisms. In
      general, toxicity of OSPW was found to be dependent on the OSPW type and
      concentration, duration of exposures (acute versus sub chronic), and organism
      studied.

PMID- 28618668
TI  - Re: Diagnostic Accuracy of Multi-Parametric MRI and TRUS Biopsy in Prostate
      Cancer (PROMIS): A Paired Validating Confirmatory Study.

PMID- 28618667
TI  - Re: Radiation with or without Antiandrogen Therapy in Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

PMID- 28618669
TI  - Re: Rb1 and Trp53 Cooperate to Suppress Prostate Cancer Lineage Plasticity,
      Metastasis, and Antiandrogen Resistance.

PMID- 28618670
TI  - Re: Low CD38 Identifies Progenitor-Like Inflammation-Associated Luminal Cells
      that Can Initiate Human Prostate Cancer and Predict Poor Outcome.

PMID- 28618671
TI  - Re: Targeted Molecular-Genetic Imaging and Ligand-Directed Therapy in Aggressive
      Variant Prostate Cancer.

PMID- 28618672
TI  - Re: Vasectomy and Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Large US Cohort.

PMID- 28618673
TI  - Re: Increase in Prostate Cancer Distant Metastases at Diagnosis in the United
      States.

PMID- 28618674
TI  - Re: Identifying Drivers of Episode Cost Variation with Radical Prostatectomy.

PMID- 28618675
TI  - Re: Interim 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography for Early
      Metabolic Assessment of Response to Cisplatin, Etoposide, and Bleomycin
      Chemotherapy for Metastatic Seminoma: Clinical Value and Future Directions.

PMID- 28618676
TI  - Re: The Effect of Sevoflurane versus Desflurane on Postoperative Catheter-Related
      Bladder Discomfort in Patients Undergoing Transurethral Excision of a Bladder
      Tumour: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PMID- 28618677
TI  - Re: Thiazide Treatment in Primary Hyperparathyroidism-A New Indication for an Old
      Medication?

PMID- 28618678
TI  - Re: Mucin-1 Increases Renal TRPV5 Activity In Vitro, and Urinary Level Associates
      with Calcium Nephrolithiasis in Patients.

PMID- 28618679
TI  - Re: Outcomes of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in Spinal Cord Injury Patients as
      Compared to a Matched Cohort.

PMID- 28618680
TI  - Re: Perirenal Hematoma after Ureteroscopy: A Systematic Review.

PMID- 28618681
TI  - Re: Defining the Rate of Negative Ureteroscopy in the General Population Treated
      for Upper Tract Urinary Stone Disease.

PMID- 28618682
TI  - Re: Outcomes of Pyeloplasty in Very Poorly Functioning Kidneys: Examining the
      Myths.

PMID- 28618683
TI  - Re: Short- and Long-Term Complications and Outcomes of Radiation and Surgically
      Induced Rectourethral Fistula Repair with Buccal Mucosa Graft and Muscle
      Interposition Flap.

PMID- 28618685
TI  - Re: Suspected Penile Fracture after Xiaflex Injection and Use of a VED.

PMID- 28618684
TI  - Re: The Impact of Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity on Artificial Urinary Sphincter
      Outcomes in Men.

PMID- 28618686
TI  - Re: Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment is a Useful Predictive Tool for
      Postoperative Delirium after Gastrointestinal Surgery in Old-Old Adults.

PMID- 28618687
TI  - Re: Cognitive Reserve and Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults.

PMID- 28618688
TI  - Re: Association of Pre-Operative Medication Use with Post-Operative Delirium in
      Surgical Oncology Patients Receiving Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment.

PMID- 28618689
TI  - Re: Standardized Pelvic Floor Exercises Improve Stress Urinary Incontinence in
      Women with Intrinsic Sphincter Deficiency.

PMID- 28618690
TI  - Re: Summary of European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines on Neuro-Urology.

PMID- 28618691
TI  - Re: More than 15 Years of Experience with Intradetrusor OnabotulinumtoxinA
      Injections for Treating Refractory Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity: Lessons to
      be Learned.

PMID- 28618692
TI  - Re: Different Number of Intravesical OnabotulinumtoxinA Injections for Patients
      with Refractory Detrusor Overactivity do Not Affect Treatment Outcome: A
      Prospective Randomized Comparative Study.

PMID- 28618693
TI  - Re: Comparison of Flowrates and Voided Volumes during Non-Instrumented
      Uroflowmetry and Pressure-Flow Studies in Women with Stress Incontinence.

PMID- 28618694
TI  - Re: Change in Urinary Storage Symptoms following Treatment for Female Stress
      Urinary Incontinence.

PMID- 28618695
TI  - Re: Anticholinergic Medication Use and Falls in Postmenopausal Women: Findings
      from the Women's Health Initiative Cohort Study.

PMID- 28618696
TI  - Re: Effect of Potentially Inappropriate Use of Antimuscarinic Medications on
      Healthcare Use and Cost in Individuals with Overactive Bladder.

PMID- 28618697
TI  - Re: Urinary Incontinence and Social Function in Older Australian Women.

PMID- 28618698
TI  - Re: Greenlight High-Performance System (HPS) 120-W Laser Vaporization versus
      Transurethral Resection of the Prostate for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic
      Hyperplasia: A Meta-Analysis of the Published Results of Randomized Controlled
      Trials.

PMID- 28618699
TI  - Re: Do Baseline Estrogen and Testosterone Affect Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
      (LUTS) Prior to or after Pharmacologic Treatment with Tadalafil?

PMID- 28618700
TI  - Re: Meta-Analysis of Metabolic Syndrome and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in
      Chinese Patients.

PMID- 28618701
TI  - Re: The Undescended Testicles of West Virginia: A Single Center Experience.

PMID- 28618702
TI  - Re: The Anatomic Findings during Operative Exploration for Non-Palpable Testes: A
      Prospective Evaluation.

PMID- 28618703
TI  - Re: Barriers to Use of Semen Analysis in the Adolescent with a Varicocele: Survey
      of Patient, Parental, and Practitioner Attitudes.

PMID- 28618704
TI  - Re: Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Patients after Enterocystoplasty.

PMID- 28618705
TI  - Re: Should we Question Early Feminizing Genitoplasty for Patients with Congenital
      Adrenal Hyperplasia and XX Karyotype?

PMID- 28618706
TI  - Re: Body Mass Index and Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Clinical and Biological
      Correlations.

PMID- 28618707
TI  - Re: Cryoablation versus Partial Nephrectomy for Clinical T1b Renal Tumors: A
      Matched Group Comparative Analysis.

PMID- 28618708
TI  - Re: Impact of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Drugs on Perioperative Outcomes of
      Robotic-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy.

PMID- 28618709
TI  - Re: Visual Assessment of the Intensity and Pattern of T1 Hyperintensity on MRI to
      Differentiate Hemorrhagic Renal Cysts from Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PMID- 28618710
TI  - Re: Sustained-Release Formulation of Mitomycin C to the Upper Urinary Tract Using
      a Thermosensitive Polymer: A Preclinical Study.

PMID- 28618711
TI  - Re: EORTC Nomograms and Risk Groups for Predicting Recurrence, Progression, and
      Disease-Specific and Overall Survival in Non-Muscle-Invasive Stage Ta-T1
      Urothelial Bladder Cancer Patients Treated with 1-3 Years of Maintenance Bacillus
      Calmette-Guerin.

PMID- 28618712
TI  - Re: Phase II Drug-Metabolizing Polymorphisms and Smoking Predict Recurrence of
      Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Gene-Smoking Interaction.

PMID- 28618713
TI  - Re: SH3BGRL3 Protein as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker for Urothelial
      Carcinoma: A Novel Binding Partner of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor.

PMID- 28618714
TI  - Lsp family proteins regulate antibiotic biosynthesis in Lysobacter enzymogenes
      OH11.
AB  - Ax21 family proteins have been shown to play regulatory roles in plant- and
      animal-pathogenic species in the bacterial family Xanthomonadaceae, but the
      protein have not been investigated previously in the non-pathogenic members of
      this bacterial family. Lysobacter enzymogenes, is a non-pathogenic species known
      for its capacity as a biocontrol agent of plant pathogens. It is also noted for
      the production of antimicrobial secondary metabolites, heat stable antifungal
      factor (HSAF) and WAP-8294A2, that have potential for agricultural and
      pharmaceutical applications. The species also displays type IV pili-dependent
      twitching motility and the production of multiple extracellular lytic enzymes as
      additional biocontrol-related traits. Here, we show that L. enzymogenes strain
      OH11 possesses three genes widely separated in the OH11 genome that code for
      unique Ax21-like proteins (Lsp). By comparing the wildtype OH11 with mutant
      strains having a single lsp gene or a combination of lsp genes deleted, we found
      that each Lsp protein individually is involved in positive regulation of HSAF and
      WAP-8294A2 biosynthesis, but the proteins collectively do not exert additive
      effects in this regulation. None of the Lsp proteins were found to influence
      twitching motility or the production of three extracellular lytic enzymes. This
      study is the first to provide evidence linking Ax21-family proteins to antibiotic
      biosynthesis and, hence, adds new insights into the diversity of regulatory
      functions of Ax21 family proteins in bacteria.

PMID- 28618715
TI  - Retention Model of TaO/HfO x and TaO/AlO x RRAM with Self-Rectifying Switch
      Characteristics.
AB  - A retention behavior model for self-rectifying TaO/HfO x - and TaO/AlO x -based
      resistive random-access memory (RRAM) is proposed. Trapping-type RRAM can have a
      high resistance state (HRS) and a low resistance state (LRS); the degradation in
      a LRS is usually more severe than that in a HRS, because the LRS during the SET
      process is limited by the internal resistor layer. However, if TaO/AlO x elements
      are stacked in layers, the LRS retention can be improved. The LRS retention time
      estimated by extrapolation method is more than 5 years at room temperature. Both
      TaO/HfO x - and TaO/AlO x -based RRAM structures have the same capping layer of
      TaO, and the activation energy levels of both types of structures are 0.38 eV.
      Moreover, the additional AlO x switching layer of a TaO/AlO x structure creates a
      higher O diffusion barrier that can substantially enhance retention, and the
      TaO/AlO x structure also shows a quite stable LRS under biased conditions.

PMID- 28618716
TI  - RF Electromagnetic Field Treatment of Tetragonal Kesterite CZTSSe Light
      Absorbers.
AB  - In this work, we propose a method to improve electro-optical and structural
      parameters of light-absorbing kesterite materials. It relies on the application
      of weak power hydrogen plasma discharges using electromagnetic field of radio
      frequency range, which improves homogeneity of the samples. The method allows to
      reduce strain of light absorbers and is suitable for designing solar cells based
      on multilayered thin film structures. Structural characteristics of tetragonal
      kesterite Cu2ZnSn(S, Se)4 structures and their optical properties were studied by
      Raman, infrared, and reflectance spectroscopies. They revealed a reduction of the
      sample reflectivity after RF treatment and a modification of the energy band
      structure.

PMID- 28618717
TI  - The Electrical Properties of Hybrid Composites Based on Multiwall Carbon
      Nanotubes with Graphite Nanoplatelets.
AB  - In the present work, we have investigated the concentration dependences of
      electrical conductivity of monopolymer composites with graphite nanoplatelets or
      multiwall carbon nanotubes and hybrid composites with both multiwall carbon
      nanotubes and graphite nanoplatelets. The latter filler was added to given
      systems in content of 0.24 vol%. The content of multiwall carbon nanotubes is
      varied from 0.03 to 4 vol%. Before incorporation into the epoxy resin, the
      graphite nanoplatelets were subjected to ultraviolet ozone treatment for 20 min.
      It was found that the addition of nanocarbon to the low-viscosity suspension
      (polymer, acetone, hardener) results in formation of two percolation transitions.
      The percolation transition of the composites based on carbon nanotubes is the
      lowest (0.13 vol%).It was determined that the combination of two
      electroconductive fillers in the low-viscosity polymer results in a synergistic
      effect above the percolation threshold, which is revealed in increase of the
      conductivity up to 20 times. The calculation of the number of conductive chains
      in the composite and contact electric resistance in the framework of the model of
      effective electrical resistivity allowed us to explain the nature of synergistic
      effect. Reduction of the electric contact resistance in hybrid composites may be
      related to a thinner polymer layer between the filler particles and the growing
      number of the particles which take part in the electroconductive circuit.

PMID- 28618718
TI  - Modulation of Electronic and Optical Anisotropy Properties of ML-GaS by Vertical
      Electric Field.
AB  - We investigate the electric-field-dependent optical properties and electronic
      behaviors of GaS monolayer by using the first-principles calculations. A reversal
      of the dipole transition from E//c to E?c anisotropy is found with a critical
      external electric field of about 5 V/nm. Decomposed projected band contributions
      exhibit asymmetric electronic structures in GaS interlayers under the external
      electric field, which explains the evolution of the absorption preference.
      Spatial distribution of the partial charge and charge density difference reveal
      that the strikingly reversed optical anisotropy in GaS ML is closely linked to
      the additional crystal field originated from the external electric field. These
      results pave the way for experimental research and provide a new perspective for
      the application of the monolayer GaS-based two-dimensional electronic and
      optoelectronic devices.

PMID- 28618719
TI  - A Short Progress Report on High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells.
AB  - Faced with the increasingly serious energy and environmental crisis in the world
      nowadays, the development of renewable energy has attracted increasingly more
      attention of all countries. Solar energy as an abundant and cheap energy is one
      of the most promising renewable energy sources. While high-performance solar
      cells have been well developed in the last couple of decades, the high module
      cost largely hinders wide deployment of photovoltaic devices. In the last 10
      years, this urgent demand for cost-effective solar cells greatly facilitates the
      research of solar cells. This paper reviews the recent development of cost
      effective and high-efficient solar cell technologies. This report paper covers
      low-cost and high-efficiency perovskite solar cells. The development and the
      state-of-the-art results of perovskite solar cell technologies are also
      introduced.

PMID- 28618720
TI  - Structure and Electronic Properties of Transition Metal Doped Kaolinite Nanoclay.
AB  - In this work, a series of transition metal (Cr, Mn, Fe, and Co) doped kaolinite
      nanoclays were investigated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The
      influence of metal doping on geometric structure and electronic structure of
      kaolinite was analyzed. The ferromagnetic (FM), antiferromagnetic (AFM), and
      nonmagnetic (NM) states of transition metal (TM) doped kaolinite structures were
      studied. The crystal volume, lattice parameters, bond length, charge, and spin
      were calculated by dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D2). The
      results indicated that Cr3+ and Fe3+ dopants showed more stable under AFM state,
      while Mn3+ preferred both AFM and FM states, and Co3+ dopant preferred NM state.
      Also, the transition metal doping could induce lattice volume expansion and some
      dopant states in the band gap.

PMID- 28618721
TI  - The relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms in adolescents.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: While poor sleep quality and sleep problems are signs of
      depression in adolescents, depressive symptoms among this age group further
      deteriorate sleep quality. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship
      between sleep quality and depressive symptoms in adolescents of 14 to 20 years of
      age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted with a descriptive and cross
      sectional research design. The sample group consisted of 313 adolescents in
      Istanbul, Turkey. The data were collected using a questionnaire form, the Beck
      Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
      RESULTS: The mean BDI score of the adolescents was 12.99 +/- 8.94 (range: 0-53)
      and 4.8% had severe depressive symptoms. The global PSQI score of the adolescents
      was 4.69 +/- 2.87 (range: 0-16) and 63.6% had good sleep quality, whereas the
      remaining 36.4% had poor sleep quality. There was a moderate positive correlation
      between BDI and PSQI scores. The factors affecting the quality of sleep of
      adolescents were mild and moderate-severe depressive symptom level, smoking, and
      the presence of sleep problems in a family member. CONCLUSION: This study shows a
      relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptom levels of adolescents.
      The findings of the current research will contribute to the development of school
      wellbeing programs that will be prepared with the aim of improving sleep quality
      and reducing depressive symptoms.

PMID- 28618722
TI  - Antioxidants status in type 2 diabetic patients in Morocco.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Type 2 diabetes is a heterogeneous and multifactorial metabolic
      disorder with some relationship to oxidative stress (OS). Since no studies were
      conducted in the Moroccan population, this clinical investigation aimed at
      evaluating the antioxidants status in Moroccan patients with type 2 diabetes.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples of 60 type 2 diabetic patients and 40
      healthy controls subjects were analyzed for determination of glycemia,
      hemoglobin, CRP, glycated hemoglobin, lipid parameters, malondialdehyde (MDA),
      vitamins E and C, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se). RESULTS: CRP and
      triglycerides were higher in the diabetic group while high-density lipoprotein
      levels were significantly lower compared to the control group. Plasma MDA, Cu
      concentrations, and Cu/Zn ratio were found to be higher in diabetic patients
      compared to healthy subjects, while vitamin E, Zn, and Se concentrations were
      lower compared to the control group. No significant difference was found in
      vitamin C levels between the two groups. Plasma HbA1c was positively correlated
      to MDA levels. CONCLUSION: This study shows that antioxidant status is impaired
      in diabetics compared to healthy controls.

PMID- 28618723
TI  - Evaluation of quality of life and cost-effectiveness of definitive surgery and
      the levonorgestrel intrauterine system as treatment options for heavy menstrual
      bleeding.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to compare the levonorgestrel intrauterine
      system (LNG-IUS) with abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and total laparoscopic
      hysterectomy (TLH) as first-line treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-eight patients aged 20-55 years who complained of
      regular heavy menstrual bleeding were enrolled in the study. The TAH group
      included 29 patients, the LNG-IUS group included 34, and the TLH group included
      35. These groups were compared in terms of quality of life and the cost
      effectiveness of the selected methods. Quality of life was assessed using the 36
      Item Short Form (SF-36), and cost-effectiveness was assessed according to the
      current cost of each approach. RESULTS: The quality of life parameters, with the
      exception of mental health, improved significantly in the LNG-IUS, TAH, and TLH
      groups. The mean costs of the LNG-IUS, TAH, and TLH procedures were $99.15 +/-
      4.90, $538.82 +/- 193.00 and $1617.05 +/- 258.44, respectively (P < 0.05).
      Overall, LNG-IUS was the most cost-effective treatment option. CONCLUSION: The
      outcome measures of the SF-36 revealed that after 6 months, these treatments were
      equal in terms of quality of life, except for mental health. LNG-IUS was the most
      cost-effective approach.

PMID- 28618724
TI  - Vitamin E as a novel therapy in the treatment of acute aluminum phosphide
      poisoning.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Aluminum phosphide (AlP) is commonly used as a fumigant in
      developing countries. Induction of oxidative stress is one of the most important
      mechanisms of its toxicity. In this regard, and considering that there is no
      specific antidote for its treatment, the aim of this study was to evaluate the
      effect of vitamin E in the treatment of acute AlP poisoning. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This was a clinical trial on acute AlP poisoned patients. All patients
      received supportive treatment. In addition, the treatment group received vitamin
      E (400 mg/BD/IM). Level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity
      of plasma were measured. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the
      treatment and control groups with regard to demographic, clinical, or
      paraclinical data or Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPSII) on admission.
      Systolic blood pressure significantly increased during the first 24 h in the
      treatment group (P < 0.05). The plasma MDA level significantly decreased in the
      treatment group (P < 0.05). Vitamin E administration decreased the necessity (30%
      vs. 62%, P < 0.05) and duration of intubation and mechanical ventilation (P <
      0.05). It significantly reduced the mortality rate in the treatment group
      compared to the control group (15% vs. 50%, respectively, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION:
      Vitamin E along with supportive treatment could have a therapeutic effect in
      acute AlP poisoning.

PMID- 28618725
TI  - Performing ICSI with commercial microinjection pipettes enhanced pregnancy rates.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Many technical factors can affect intracytoplasmic sperm
      injection (ICSI) outcomes. The role of the injection micropipette could be of
      vital importance in ICSI programs. The main goal was to compare ICSI pregnancy
      outcomes between commercial and home-made injection micropipettes in a large
      population with male factor infertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five-hundred and
      eleven ICSI cycles with severe male factor were included in this retrospective
      study. ICSI cycles were divided into two groups: A (home-made micropipettes, n =
      267) and B (commercial micropipettes, n = 244). Rates of fertilization, embryo
      formation, and chemical and clinical pregnancies were compared between the
      groups. The independent samples t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test
      were used, whenever appropriate, for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of
      3621 MII oocytes were retrieved, of which 2003 were fertilized. The rate of
      normal fertilization was significantly higher in group A (57.9%) compared to
      group B (52.5%). However, the rate of embryo formation showed an increase in
      group B compared to group A (90.4% and 85.9%, respectively, P = 0.002). In
      addition, the clinical pregnancy outcomes improved in group B. CONCLUSION: Our
      findings indicate that clinical pregnancy improves when commercial injection
      micropipettes are used in ICSI programs.

PMID- 28618726
TI  - The evaluation of cervical spinal angle in patients with acute and chronic neck
      pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Clinicians associate the changes in cervical lordosis with neck
      pain, but there is no clear consensus on this. We aimed to investigate the
      relationships of cervical angles, neck pain, disability, and the psychological
      status of the patients with acute and chronic neck pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      total of 110 patients with neck pain were included in this study. Demographic and
      clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded. The lordosis angle was
      determined by the posterior tangent method. A visual analog scale (VAS), the Neck
      Disability Index (NDI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale were
      administered to all patients. RESULTS: The mean cervical lordosis angle was 23.10
      +/- 8.07 degrees. A statistically negative correlation was detected between
      cervical angle and duration of disease (P < 0.05). The cervical angle of the
      acute neck pain group was higher than that of the chronic pain group (P < 0.05).
      There was no difference between the acute and chronic neck pain groups with
      respect to VAS, NDI, and HAD scores (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: We found that the
      cervical angle was significantly lower in chronic neck pain patients when
      compared to acute patients, and patients with higher pain scores had more severe
      disability and that disability increased with the duration of disease.

PMID- 28618727
TI  - Analysis of epidemiology and risk factors for mortality in ventilator-associated
      pneumonia attacks in intensive care unit patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiologic
      characteristics, the causative microorganisms and their antimicrobial
      susceptibility patterns, and the prognostic risk factors for mortality in
      critically ill patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, all the critically ill
      patients with VAP hospitalized in a medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU)
      between January 2010 and June 2015 were evaluated. Patients' demographic features
      and microbiological data were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 417 patients were
      clinically diagnosed with VAP; 51.1% of them were male and the average age was
      found as 69.9 +/- 15.9 years. VAP was detected at approximately 25.0 +/- 18.0
      days of ICU stay and 17.9 +/- 12.6 days after intubation. Acinetobacter baumannii
      (69.5%) was isolated as the most frequent VAP agent, and the most effective
      antibiotic was colistin. The crude mortality rate was detected as 39.8% among the
      patients. The presence of dyspnea at admission, coronary heart disease as a
      comorbidity, unconsciousness at admission, steroid usage, and prolonged hospital
      stay were observed as independent risk factors in multivariate analysis (P <
      0.01). CONCLUSION: According to the etiological microorganisms and antimicrobial
      susceptibility patterns, colistin was found to be the most reliable antibiotic
      for empirical antimicrobial therapy.

PMID- 28618728
TI  - Epidemiology of under-five mortality in Istanbul: changes from 1988 to 2011.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Understanding the causes of under-five deaths is key to realizing
      sustainable developmental goals. The aim of this descriptive study was to
      investigate the causes of under-five mortality in Istanbul during 2011 and
      compare the findings to those of 1988 and 2000. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All burial
      records of Istanbul were evaluated, and cemetery records of 1494 children, who
      died at under five years of age and were buried in Istanbul Metropolitan
      Municipality Cemeteries between 1 January and 31 December 2011, were analyzed.
      Several sociodemographic characteristics and causes of death were compared with
      the results of studies carried out in 1988 and 2000 in Istanbul with similar
      methods. RESULTS: Under-five mortality rate was lower in 2011 than in 1988 and
      2000. Of all deaths, 58.8% had occurred in the neonatal period and most were in
      the first day of life, similarly to those of 1988 and 2000. The proportion of
      deaths in the age group of 1-4 years was found to be increasing. Prematurity and
      perinatal causes remained the main cause of death under five years of age in
      Istanbul during the 23-year period. Unknown causes, due to misclassification,
      were still seen in a relatively high proportion. CONCLUSION: Under-five mortality
      rate and death due to infectious diseases decreased in Istanbul from 1988 to
      2011. Our findings showed a need for more emphasis on perinatal events and better
      evaluation of causes of death in clinical practice.

PMID- 28618729
TI  - Risk factors associated with poor outcome in diabetic foot ulcer patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Diabetic foot ulcers and related complications are a major cause
      of morbidity and hospital admissions. Our aim was to evaluate the risk factors
      associated with poor outcome in diabetic foot ulcers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      prospective study was conducted on patients with diabetic foot ulceration
      attending the Madinah Teaching Hospital from June 2014 to December 2015.
      Potential risk factors and laboratory test results at presentation were recorded
      and their association with outcome (healing vs. amputation) was analyzed using
      IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. RESULTS: In total, 112 patients
      were studied during our study period. The majority of the patients were male
      (60.7%) and aged 50 years and older (62.5%). Regarding the outcome, 68% healed
      completely, 27.7% underwent amputation, and 4.5% died during this period. Patient
      age of 50 and older, long duration of diabetes (>10 years), rural origin, and
      heel ulcers were significantly associated with poor outcome (P < 0.05).
      CONCLUSION: Patients with diabetes should have a detailed annual foot
      examination; those having risk factors for poor outcome require more frequent
      foot care, patient education, and early referral to tertiary care centers.

PMID- 28618730
TI  - Possible triggering factors and comorbidities in newly diagnosed autoimmune
      bullous diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The distribution and the demographic, etiological, and clinical
      features of autoimmune bullous diseases (ABDs) vary according to geographic
      regions of the world. The limited number of reported studies in Turkey are mostly
      retrospective and generally include only pemphigus. The aim of our study was to
      evaluate the demographic data, clinical features, associated triggering factors,
      and comorbidities in patients newly diagnosed with ABDs. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      In this descriptive and prospective study, the demographic data, inhabited
      regions, smoking and drinking habits, presence of comorbidities, and specific and
      general potential triggering factors of ABDs considered by the patients were
      examined. Furthermore, the distribution of lesions and autoimmune bullous skin
      disorder intensity scores were recorded. RESULTS: Of the total 59 ABD patients,
      26 (44.1%) were diagnosed with pemphigus, 25 (42.4%) were diagnosed with
      pemphigoid, and 8 (13.5%) were diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis. Although
      there were some differences between the subgroups of ABDs, the onset of the
      disease was associated with a triggering factor (stress, foods, physical trauma,
      chemical agents, ultraviolet rays, medications, infections, malignancies, and
      pregnancy, in a decreasing frequency) in 96.6% of the patients. Autoimmune
      diseases, neuropsychiatric disorders, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were
      found to be statistically significantly higher in the pemphigoid group compared
      to the pemphigus and dermatitis herpetiformis groups. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of
      triggering factors and comorbidities before starting treatment may assist in
      controlling the disease more swiftly and reducing the side effects of treatment
      in the management of ABDs. However, to evaluate the frequency and significance of
      our findings in order to determine whether they are statistically significant or
      not, we suggest a multicenter prospective clinical trial, which would include
      control groups and a higher number of patients for each of the disease groups and
      clinical subtypes.

PMID- 28618731
TI  - Impact of adjuvant treatment on oncologic outcomes in patients with stage I
      leiomyosarcoma of the uterus.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the role of adjuvant therapy for
      stage I uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinicopathological
      data of cases of stage I uterine LMS from 1998 to 2015 were retrieved from the
      computerized database of Hacettepe University Hospital. The Kaplan-Meier method
      was used to estimate survival and progression-free survival, and survival
      differences were analyzed by log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was performed
      to account for the potential influence of confounding factors. RESULTS: We
      evaluated the outcomes of 35 patients with histologically proven stage I LMS. The
      median age at diagnosis was 50 years. All patients underwent surgical treatment
      and 20 patients (57.1%) received adjuvant therapy. Twelve of these patients
      (34.3%) received adjuvant chemotherapy, 3 (8.6%) received adjuvant pelvic
      irradiation, and 5 (14.2%) received adjuvant chemotherapy with pelvic
      irradiation. The median follow-up duration was 34 months (range: 3-231 months).
      Twenty-three (65.7%) patients had a recurrence during follow-up. Adjuvant therapy
      did not significantly improve median progression-free survival or median overall
      survival. Cox regression analysis did not demonstrate any significant impact of
      the factors studied, including age, menopausal status, tumor size, mitotic count,
      staging surgery, or adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant therapy for surgically
      treated stage I uterine LMS did not improve oncologic outcomes.

PMID- 28618732
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in patients with widespread
      musculoskeletal pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of 25
      hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) vitamin D) deficiency in patients complaining of
      widespread musculoskeletal pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional
      study, 14,925 patients (13,589 females and 1336 males; mean age: 47.0 years,
      range: 20-99 years) were included. Serum 25(OH) vitamin D was measured by ELISA.
      The patients were classified into two groups: 1) patients with vitamin D
      deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and 2) patients without vitamin D deficiency (>20 ng/mL).
      RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 73.9%. A multivariate
      logistic regression model showed that low 25(OH) vitamin D level was associated
      with sex, age, and month in which 25(OH) hypovitaminosis was determined. The risk
      of a low 25(OH) vitamin D was level was 1.74 times higher in female patients than
      in males. The risk of low 25(OH) vitamin D level was highest in March during the
      year. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that vitamin D deficiency should be
      considered in patients with widespread musculoskeletal pain and some precautions,
      such as sunbathing during summer, should be recommended for patients with a risk
      of vitamin D deficiency.

PMID- 28618733
TI  - Pain, depression levels, fatigue, sleep quality, and quality of life in elderly
      patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate and determine the
      relationships (if any) among pain, depression levels, fatigue, sleep quality, and
      quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) aged 65 years and
      over, and to compare the results with those of RA patients under 65 years of age.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 52 patients with RA aged 65 years and
      over (Group 1) and 84 patients with RA under 65 years of age (Group 2). Pain,
      depression levels, fatigue, sleep quality, quality of life, and disease activity
      of all of the participants were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS), the
      Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS), the
      Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and the Disease
      Activity Score-28, respectively. RESULTS: When the two groups were compared,
      higher scores for the VAS, BDI, total CIS, and PSQI were found in Group 1
      compared to Group 2 (P = 0.003, P = 0.003, P = 0.007, and P = 0.001,
      respectively). The SF-36 subscales of the physical component summary and mental
      component summary were not statistically significantly different between the two
      groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study evaluated the situation in elderly
      patients with RA and showed that pain, depression level, fatigue, and sleep
      quality worsen with age.

PMID- 28618734
TI  - A comparison of usage of the laryngeal mask UniqueTM in denticulate and
      edentulate geriatric patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Mask ventilation in geriatric and edentulous patients can be
      ineffective or even impossible because of the shape inside the patients' cheeks.
      For patients for whom a mask cannot be used for long, the use of a laryngeal mask
      can ease the administration of anesthesia. The aim of this study was to compare
      the use of the laryngeal mask UniqueTM in denticulate and edentulate patients
      aged over 65 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included
      patients according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists I-III
      classification, aged 65 years or more. The patients were divided into two groups:
      a dentulous group (n = 33) and an edentulous group (n = 33). The success of the
      first attempt of insertion, ease of insertion, time taken to insert, and
      oropharyngeal leak pressure were measured. After insertion of the laryngeal mask
      UniqueTM, a researcher who was unaware of whether the patients had teeth or not
      conducted an oropharyngeal leak test. RESULTS: The success rate of inserting the
      laryngeal mask UniqueTM on the first attempt was higher in the dentulous group
      than in the edentulous group. Ease of insertion, time taken to insert,
      oropharyngeal leak pressure, and laryngopharyngeal morbidity were similar for
      each group. CONCLUSION: In this study, successful insertion of the laryngeal mask
      UniqueTM was higher in dentulous than in edentulous patients. We conclude that
      this effect could have important implications for anesthesiologists managing
      edentulous geriatric patients with supraglottic airway devices.

PMID- 28618735
TI  - Three-layer primary closure of the bipedicled TRAM flap donor site for
      unilateralbreast reconstruction: a 15-year experience with 124 consecutive
      patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap
      remains widely used as a breast reconstruction technique. The bipedicled TRAM
      flap is not as preferable as it was formerly, mainly because of its donor site
      complications. However, in a number of situations, a bipedicled TRAM flap may be
      the only alternative. Therefore, a three-layer primary closure technique used
      with bipedicled TRAM flap breast reconstructions that can avoid donor site
      complications without using a mesh is presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      retrospective study was performed that included patients who underwent bipedicled
      TRAM flap breast reconstruction with the three-layer primary closure technique.
      Between 2000 and 2015, 124 breast reconstruction patients were reviewed for donor
      site morbidity. RESULTS: During the 15-year study period, 106 patients had
      conventional bipedicled TRAM flaps and 18 had bipedicled TRAM flaps with a
      surgical delay procedure. For all groups, none of the patients developed
      abdominal wall hernia, but three patients had bulging. Partial flap loss was the
      most common flap complication, present in 6 flaps (4.8%). CONCLUSION: The
      suturing technique studied provided abdominal wall closure without the use of a
      mesh even when utilizing a bilateral pedicle with very low complication rates.

PMID- 28618736
TI  - Frequency of human parvovirus 4 (PARV4) viremia among HBV-infected patients and
      healthy donors in Shiraz, Iran.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: PARV4, a small DNA virus belonging to the family Parvoviridae,
      was first isolated in an HBV injecting drug user. Several studies have
      investigated PARV4 co-infection with HBV and HCV and its effect on the
      progression of liver disease. The aim of this study was to determine the
      frequency of PARV4 among HBV-infected patients and healthy individuals. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: A group of 90 HBV patients and a group of 90 healthy subjects were
      included in this study. Samples were selected after screening tests such as HBsAg
      ELISA, anti-HCV ELISA, and anti-HIV ELISA. Nested-PCRs were conducted to detect
      the PARV4 genome. Positive samples were then subjected to DNA sequencing.
      RESULTS: PARV4 DNA was detected in 4.4% of HBV patients in comparison with 1.1%
      of healthy individuals (P-value: 0.36). DNA sequencing results revealed that
      PARV4 in all five positive samples was genotype I.Conclusions: Although this
      pilot study showed no significant difference between the frequency of PARV4 among
      HBV patients and healthy donors, further studies with a larger sample size are
      suggested to determine the association of PARV4 with HBV co-infection and the
      impact of this virus on the progression of liver disease in patients with
      hepatitis B.

PMID- 28618737
TI  - Effects of Artcure Diffusional Patch application on pain and functional status in
      lumbar disc herniation patients: a prospective randomized controlled study.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the Artcure
      Diffusional Patch, which contains a mixture of 6 herbal oils (oleum thymi, oleum
      limonis, oleum nigra, oleum rosmarini, oleum chamomilla, oleum lauriexpressum)
      and has a hypoosmolar lipid structure, in the conservative treatment of lumbar
      disc herniation patients and to show the advantages and/or possibility of using
      this as an alternative method to surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the 120
      patients enrolled, 79 clinically diagnosed patients were included in the study.
      Clinical evaluations were performed on patients who had findings of protrusion or
      extrusion in their magnetic resonance results. The treatment group was treated
      with the Artcure Diffusional Patch while the control group received a placebo
      transdermal diffusional patch. The functional state of patients was measured
      using the Oswestry Disability Index and pain intensity was measured with a visual
      analog scale as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes of the study were Lasegue's
      sign, the femoral stretching test, and paravertebral muscle spasm. RESULTS: The
      treatment group showed a dramatic recovery in the first month following the
      application in regards to Oswestry Disability Index scores and visual analog
      scale values. The patients treated with the Artcure Diffusional Patch showed a
      statistically significant difference in recovery as compared to the control
      group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the Artcure Diffusional Patch may
      be an alternative for the conservative treatment of lumbar disc herniation with
      radiculopathy.

PMID- 28618738
TI  - Groin and thigh reconstructions with pedicled rectus abdominis myocutaneous
      flaps.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Resection of tumors from the groin and thigh regions with safe
      margins often results in significant soft tissue defects, which preclude primary
      closure. This study presents a series of rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps for
      irradiated thigh and groin wounds with the purpose of evaluating the efficacy and
      outcomes of these flaps in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2008 to
      2015, all patients who underwent resection of thigh or groin region tumors and
      reconstruction with an inferiorly based rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap were
      retrospectively identified. Medical records of the patients were reviewed.
      RESULTS: A total of 27 patients, aged 20-67 years, were operated on for defects
      in the groin and upper thigh region. Nine patients underwent immediate
      reconstruction. The remaining 18 patients underwent late reconstruction. There
      was neither total flap loss nor partial flap loss. We chose to utilize 15
      ipsilateral and 12 contralateral pedicles. The mean length of stay in hospital
      was 13.7 days. CONCLUSION: A rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap can be
      successfully used in patients with groin and upper thigh defects due to its
      predictable and robust vascular supply, bulky muscle content, wide arc of
      rotation, and large skin island.

PMID- 28618739
TI  - An investigation of sagittal thoracic spinal curvature and mobility in subjects
      with and without chronic neck pain: cut-off points and pain relationship.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Thoracic spine insufficiency is a subject of interest in neck
      problems. The aim was to investigate thoracic spinal curvature and mobility in
      subjects with and without chronic neck pain (CNP), cut-off points, and the
      relationship with pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six patients with CNP (CNP
      group) and 53 healthy volunteers (control group) were included. Neck pain
      intensity of the patients was assessed by visual analogue scale and sagittal
      thoracic curvature and mobility of all participants were assessed by Spinal Mouse
      (Idiag, Fehraltorf, Switzerland). RESULTS: Thoracic curvature was higher (P <
      0.001) and mobility lower in the CNP group in comparison to the control group (P
      = 0.013). There was a positive correlation between pain intensity and thoracic
      curvature (r = 0.391, P < 0.001), while there was a negative correlation between
      pain intensity and thoracic mobility (r = -0.260, P = 0.006). For detecting neck
      pain, it was observed that the cut-off points for thoracic curvature and mobility
      were 45.5 degrees  and 30.0 degrees , respectively. CONCLUSION: An increase in
      thoracic curvature of more than 45 degrees  and a decrease in mobility more than
      30 degrees  may be critical for CNP patients.

PMID- 28618740
TI  - Screening of immunocompromised patients at risk of strongyloidiasis in western
      Turkey using ELISA and real-time PCR.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Strongyloides stercoralis causes life-threatening hyperinfection
      or disseminated strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients such as HIV
      positive, organ transplantation, and cancer patients. This study investigated the
      presence of strongyloidiasis in immunocompromised patients for the first time in
      Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum and stool samples were collected from 108
      patients (25.9% of them were chronic renal failure and 74.1% were renal
      transplantation patients) who were admitted to Ege University Medical School in
      Izmir, located in western Turkey. Serum samples were analyzed by ELISA (DRG,
      Germany) and the presence of 18S rRNA gene of S. stercoralis was detected in
      stool samples by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The analysis of serum samples showed
      that only one patient was anti-S. stercoralis IgG antibody and real-time PCR
      positive (0.92%). The patient was treated twice with albendazole (400 mg/day for
      3 days) at 2-week intervals. Follow up real-time PCR was negative and the patient
      became seronegative 6 months after the initial diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This
      screening showed that the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in this small group of
      patients who were at risk of strongyloidiasis was 0.92%. Overall, the results
      showed that more systematic studies are required in Turkey to show the prevalence
      of strongyloidiasis.

PMID- 28618741
TI  - Routine assessment of occupational exposure and its relation to semen quality in
      infertile men: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Concerns about the detrimental effects of occupational and
      environmental exposure on male reproductive function have been raised by reports
      of declining sperm quality over the last decades. The aim of this study was to
      investigate the association between altered semen parameters and exposure to
      occupational risk factors as assessed by questionnaire. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study among a population of 2122
      men who underwent andrological investigation for couple infertility. All
      participants were interviewed and their semen samples were analyzed. Information
      about medical history and occupational exposure was used to classify participants
      into exposed and unexposed groups. RESULTS: Exposure to pesticides was associated
      with a significantly higher risk of asthenozoospermia (adjusted odds ratio [OR] =
      1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4) and necrozoospermia (OR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.4-4.7). Exposure
      to cement was found to be correlated with a higher risk of oligozoospermia (OR =
      1.1; 95% CI, 0.9-1.4). There was no association between semen impairment and
      exposure to solvents, excess heat, or mechanical vibrations. CONCLUSION: We found
      an association between self-reported occupational exposure and altered semen
      parameters. These results support the usefulness of questionnaires for routine
      assessment and management of occupational exposures in infertile men.

PMID- 28618742
TI  - The Turkish version of the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE): its
      cultural adaptation, validation, and reliability.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to describe the cultural adaptation of the
      Turkish Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) and to examine the
      reliability and validity of the scale in older Turkish adults. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Eighty elderly people were recruited for the study. The assessments
      included the PASE, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the
      Short Physical Performance Battery and Short Form-36 Quality of Life
      Questionnaire (SF-36), and the Mini Mental State Test. Outcome measures were
      conducted twice within a week (test-retest) for reliability. RESULTS: Cronbach's
      alpha coefficient was 0.714 for the initial evaluation. The intraclass
      correlation coefficient for the test-retest reliability was 0.995 with a 95%
      confidence interval of 0.993-0.997. A high level of positive correlation (0.742,
      P < 0.001) was found between the total score of PASE and the total scores of
      IPAQ. There were strong positive correlations between the PASE and the total
      score of SPPB (0.622, P < 0.001), while an average level of positive correlation
      with SF-36 was found (0.432, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of the study
      suggest that the Turkish version of the PASE has powerful measurement qualities,
      which makes it a reliable and valid scale for the fields of research and
      practice.

PMID- 28618743
TI  - Social support and quality of life in a group of cancer patients (Ankara,
      Turkey).
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Cancer has become an important public health challenge all around
      the world. Though the demographic and clinical features of cancer patients are
      well documented in Turkey, the establishment of social support networks has been
      somewhat neglected. The aim of the study was to assess cancer patients' perceived
      social support and quality of life characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, European Organization of
      Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, and Turkish
      version of the EUROHIS measurements were obtained from the study group.
      Associations between the scores and sociodemographic variables of the patients
      were evaluated. Determination of the best predictors that affect social support
      perception scores was performed by multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS:
      A total of 364 patients (217 females, 147 males) were analyzed. Regarding the
      mean scores of perceived social support, statistically significant differences
      were found between education, perceived economic status, and ECOG groups (P <
      0.001). CONCLUSION: The best predictors that have an effect on perceived social
      support need to be studied in depth with further research.

PMID- 28618744
TI  - Comparative analysis of selected cagPAI genes and different vacA genotypes in
      Iranian and Turkish H. pylori-positive patients suffering from gastric
      adenocarcinoma and active chronic gastritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Helicobacter pylori is a pathogen that colonizes a majority of
      the world's population. Genetic diversity within the virulence genes of bacteria
      such as cagPAI and vacA may have a modified effect on the pathogenic potential of
      the bacteria. This study aimed to investigate which genes can be suggested as
      potentially related virulence factors for H. pylori-associated active chronic
      gastritis and stomach adenocarcinoma in the northwest of Iran and south of
      Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded stomach biopsy
      tissue samples were obtained from Iranian and Turkish patients from selected
      geographical regions. The prevalence of selected cagPAI genes and vacA genotypes
      were studied in H. pylori-positive samples by using polymerase chain reaction and
      specific primers. RESULTS: Out of 320 patients, H. pylori was detected in 28.43%
      of patients. We found that the vacAs1, vacAm2, and cagA genes with mean
      prevalences of 82.41%, 71.42%, and 69.23%, respectively, were dominant in Iranian
      and Turkish patients. CONCLUSION: In the south of Turkey and northwest of Iran
      the studied genes were homogeneous and there were no significant differences in
      bacterial genetics. The results of this study indicate that cagA and vacAs1 are
      dominant genes in people with gastric disorders in our selected geographical
      regions.

PMID- 28618745
TI  - Effects of a closed system suction connector on airway resistance in ventilated
      neonates.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Increased airway resistance reduces the effectiveness of
      ventilation treatment. Endotracheal tubes (ETTs) and connectors contribute to
      resistance. However, the effect of a closed system suction (CSS) connector is not
      well known. We compared the in vivo resistance occurring with a CSS connector
      with that of the standard connector. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective
      study was conducted at Gazi University Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.
      Intubated neonates were studied for two cycles; each cycle contained two periods
      of ETT + connector pairs (15 min/period) as follows: cycle 1 [A: long ETT +
      standard connector; B: long ETT + CSS connector] and cycle 2 [C: shortened ETT +
      standard connector; D: shortened ETT + CSS connector]. Resistance of 40
      breaths/period was averaged for each case, and the means were analyzed by
      Wilcoxon test for pairwise comparisons between standard and CSS connectors. As
      each case provided two cycle data, 16 cycle data were compared. RESULTS: The CSS
      connector increased resistance by 13.8% (range: 3.0%-22.1%) compared to the
      standard connector; P < 0.001. The resistance increase was similar between long
      [17.3% (range: 3.0%-17.7%)] and shortened ETTs [15.3% (range: 5.0%-29.6%)]; P =
      0.834. CONCLUSION: CSS connectors were found to increase airway resistance in
      ventilated neonates. The contribution of CSS should be considered during
      ventilation, particularly in the presence of difficulty in providing sufficient
      tidal volume.

PMID- 28618746
TI  - Male infertility is significantly associated with multiple deletions in an 8.7-kb
      segment of sperm mtDNA in Pakistan.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to find a link between sperm mitochondrial DNA
      mutations and male infertility in Pakistan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA from semen
      samples was extracted and amplified by PCR using 7.8-kb deletion-specific
      primers. The PCR products were separated on agarose gel, visualized under UV
      illumination, and then photographed. The results were genotyped and the data were
      analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: Deletion analysis of the 8.7-kb fragment by long
      PCR revealed multiple deletions. The frequency of deletion was much higher in
      infertile groups as compared to the control group. Further, on comparison between
      different subtypes of infertile groups, the deletions were highest in the
      oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) group. The statistical analysis of case and
      control groups showed a significant association of the 8.7-kb deletion with human
      male infertile groups (P = 0.031), and particularly a very significant
      association with the OAT subgroup (P = 0.019). CONCLUSION: A significant
      association has been found between human male infertility and mtDNA deletions in
      an 8.7-kb segment of sperm mtDNA in a Pakistani population.

PMID- 28618747
TI  - First trimester ultrasonographic parameters in prediction of the course and
      outcome of monochorionic twin pregnancies.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the association and the
      potential predictive value of first trimester ultrasonographic parameters on the
      course and outcome of monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A prospective cohort study was undertaken of 39 healthy women with
      consecutive monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies. During first-trimester
      screening, crown-rump length (CRL) and nuchal translucency (NT) were measured.
      The intertwin discordance in CRL and NT was determined. As pregnancy outcomes we
      assessed twins' live-born rates, Apgar scores, birth weight, pregnancy
      complications, and gestational week of delivery. RESULTS: None of the assessed
      pregnancy outcomes significantly correlated with standard CRL discordance >=10%.
      The newly established cut-off was 3.75 mm for CRL and 1.3 mm for NT.
      Monochorionic diamniotic twins were delivered in a later gestational week and had
      better chance of survival if CRL intertwin difference was <3.75 mm. Apgar scores
      significantly negatively correlated only with NT of corresponding twins. When
      intertwin NT difference was >=1.3 mm, twins had lower birth weight and pregnancy
      complications were more frequent. Regression models show that intertwin CRL
      difference <3.75 mm is a significant predictor of live-born monochorionic
      diamniotic twins. CONCLUSION: CRL and NT in monochorionic diamniotic twin
      pregnancies could indicate pregnancy complications and outcomes.

PMID- 28618748
TI  - Evaluation of polyneuropathy and associated risk factors in children with type 1
      diabetes mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common metabolic
      diseases seen in the world today. Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a chronic
      complication of the disease that is rarely reported in children, since it has a
      relatively longer latency period. Our main objective in this study is to
      determine the incidence rate of DN in pediatric DM patients and assess the risk
      factors associated with DN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 111 patients from
      January 2011 to May 2014 were reviewed in a retrospective manner. Nerve
      conduction studies were performed as the gold standard in diagnosis. RESULTS: The
      incidence rate of symptomatic DN was 13.5% according to our study results. The
      EMG-diagnosed DN incidence rate was calculated as 22.5%. Following linear
      regression analysis, positive correlation was found between diabetes duration,
      diabetic ketoacidosis, and DN presence. CONCLUSION: Our study results demonstrate
      the fact that poor metabolic control, especially during early stages of the
      disease, is a major risk factor for neuropathy development. Planning prospective
      studies with long-term evaluations on nerve conduction in children with DM will
      be beneficial for this subject.

PMID- 28618749
TI  - Serum ischemic modified albumin (IMA) concentration and IMA/albumin ratio in
      patients with hepatitis B-related chronic liver diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Albumin is the most important protein synthesized by the liver.
      Posttranscriptional changes occur in the molecular structure of albumin due to
      various factors and isoforms arise. Ischemic modified albumin (IMA) is one such
      isoform. This study was conducted to evaluate serum IMA concentrations in
      patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related chronic liver diseases. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: This study included 74 treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B patients,
      25 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis, and 49 healthy controls. Serum IMA
      concentration was measured spectrophotometrically using the albumin cobalt
      binding test. RESULTS: The mean IMA concentrations in the chronic hepatitis B
      group and healthy controls were 0.33 +/- 0.11 ABSU and 0.27 +/- 0.70 ABSU,
      respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Mean
      IMA/albumin ratios (IMAR) in the chronic hepatitis B and control groups were 0.08
      +/- 0.04 and 0.06 +/- 0.17, respectively, and the difference was also
      statistically significant (P < 0.001). Higher serum IMA concentrations and IMAR
      were detected in patients with advanced fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Serum IMA
      concentration and IMAR are increased in patients with HBV-related chronic liver
      diseases and IMA and IMAR are associated with the degree of liver fibrosis. IMA
      and IMAR may have potential use as noninvasive markers of fibrosis in chronic
      hepatitis B patients.

PMID- 28618750
TI  - Morphometric study of the true S1 and S2 of the normal and dysmorphic sacralized
      sacra.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to generate data for the S1 and S2 alar pedicle
      and body and the alar orientations for both dysmorphic and normal sacra.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised two groups: Group N consisted of 53
      normal sacra and Group D included 10 dysmorphic sacra. Various features such as
      alar pedicle circumference; anterior, middle, and posterior axis of the sacral
      ala; sacral body height and width; and sagittal thickness were measured. RESULTS:
      In group N, the median anterior axis of the alae was observed to be 30 degrees 
      on the right and 25 degrees  on the left, the median midline axis was found to be
      20 degrees  on the right and 15 degrees  on the left, and the median posterior
      alar axis was -15 degrees  on the right and -20 degrees  on the left. The true S1
      and S2 alar pedicle circumferences were observed to be significantly smaller in
      group D, which demonstrated a shorter S1 alar pedicle mean circumference,
      significantly narrower S1 body mean width, and considerably tapered sagittal
      thickness. CONCLUSION: Our analysis indicated that dysmorphic sacra have a lower
      sagittal thickness and width of bodies and smaller alar pedicles, which explains
      the difficulties in their percutaneous fixation.

PMID- 28618751
TI  - Frequency and molecular characterization of human norovirus in Erzurum, Turkey.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: There are limited studies on genotyping and phylogenetic analysis
      of norovirus in Turkey, and this has not previously been studied in the Eastern
      Anatolia region. The aim of the present study was to determine the norovirus
      profile in this region with genotyping and phylogenetic analysis. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Included in the study were stool samples obtained from 427 people from
      different age groups in Eastern Anatolia. The nucleic acid samples isolated by
      the automatic system and nucleic acid sequence reactions and phylogenetic
      analyses were performed on RNA samples. RESULTS: The presence of norovirus was
      detected in 86 (20.1%) of the 427 stool samples by RT-PCR analysis. Twenty-six
      samples selected randomly from norovirus-RNA positive samples were subjected to
      the sequence reaction. In 24 of the 26 samples, genogroup GII was determined, as
      well as one each from GI and GIV in sequence reactions. Four different genotypes
      were detected in genogroup GII, which were determined to be the dominant types.
      These were GII.1, GII.4, GII.16, and GII.21. The GI.6 and GIV.1 genotypes were
      determined in genogroups GI and GIV, respectively. CONCLUSION: The high frequency
      and genetic diversity of these infections are risk factors for disease and so
      vaccine studies should be undertaken in consideration of this situation.

PMID- 28618752
TI  - A comparison of culture and PCR methods for identifying Propionibacterium acnes
      in lesions isolated from patients with acne.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: One of the factors that affect the occurrence of acne is the
      presence of Propionibacterium acnes. The present study was conducted to compare
      the culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for identifying P. acnes
      in lesions isolated from patients with acne. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To examine
      the presence of P. acnes, 70 samples of acne lesions were collected. Microbial
      culture and the PCR molecular technique were used to identify P. acnes. RESULTS:
      Of the total of 70 samples, 14 cases (20%) were identified as P. acnes positive
      using microbial culture and 58 cases (82.85%) using PCR. The results obtained
      showed the lack of a relationship between the frequency of P. acnes and factors
      such as sex, family history of acne, and history of treatment with either of the
      techniques examined (i.e. the microbial culture and PCR). In contrast, a
      significant relationship was observed between the frequency of P. acnes and age
      with the culture method. CONCLUSION: Given the limitations in the identification
      of P. acnes using microbial culture, PCR is proposed as a better method with a
      higher efficiency.

PMID- 28618753
TI  - Development of a new real-time PCR screening kit for HbS and common beta
      thalassemia mutations observed in Turkey.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: IVSI-110 (G>A), IVSI-6 (T>C), IVSII-1 (G>A), IVSII-745 (C>G),
      IVSI-1 (G>A), and HbS are mutations covering 76% of all the beta-globin mutations
      in the Turkish population. In this study, our aim is to develop a reliable, fast,
      real-time kit for these mutations using the TaqMan probe method. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This study included 100 individuals with beta-thalassemia or sickle cell
      anemia who had unknown mutations, and 21 controls with known mutations. RESULTS:
      We designed a kit containing the IVSI-110 (G>A), IVSI-6 (T>C), IVSII-1 (G>A),
      IVSII-745 (C>G), IVSI-1 (G>A), and HbS mutations by using the real-time PCR
      method. One hundred patients were studied with our developed TaqMan real-time PCR
      kit. Of these patients, 73 (73%) were identified with the beta gene mutation.
      Among those 73 patients, 16 were homozygous, 54 were heterozygous, and 3 were
      compound heterozygous. CONCLUSION: This reliable kit provided rapid diagnosis
      including 76% of the beta-thalassemia mutations in Turkey.

PMID- 28618754
TI  - Evaluation and comparison of radiologic-pathologic findings in invasive
      cribriform carcinoma of the breast.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: This study aimed to report invasive cribriform carcinoma (ICC)
      with radiological and histopathologic correlations. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Seventy patients with ICC were classified into two groups; pure ICC patients and
      patients with >50% cribriform carcinoma component were included in group 1, while
      patients with <50% cribriform carcinoma component were included in group 2. All
      patients were reviewed according to American College of Radiology (ACR) breast
      imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) lexicon of mammography (MG),
      ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One-way analysis of
      variance tests and t-tests were used for analysis. P < 0.05 was accepted as
      statistically significant. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were in group 1 and 52 were
      in group 2. All patients had MG and US, while 24 patients needed MRI. According
      to MG ACR BI-RADS lexicon evaluation, irregular shape, spiculated margin and
      indistinct margin, and high density were statistically significantly higher in
      group 2 than the other group (respectively P = 0.001, P = 0.001, and P= 0.04).
      Equal density was statistically significantly higher in group 1 than the other
      group (P = 0.008). According to US ACR BI-RADS lexicon evaluation, irregular
      shape, spiculated margins, angular margins, microlobulated margins, and
      nonparallel orientation were more common US findings in group 2 than the other
      group (respectively P = 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.003, P = 0.04, and P = 0.04). The
      rate of parallel orientation was higher in group 1 than the other group (P =
      0.02). CONCLUSION: Few cases showed benign characteristics and most ICCs appear
      with typical features of malignancy. Radiologic features of ICC could be better
      understood and would be helpful for radiologists in diagnosing this rare type of
      malignancy.

PMID- 28618755
TI  - Isolation rates and antibiotic susceptibilities of different Enterobacteriaceae
      species as urinary tract infection agents in Turkey: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: In Turkey, few systematic reviews have analyzed the results of
      studies on the isolation rates of urinary tract infection agents and their
      antibiotic susceptibilities. This review was done to fill this gap and enable the
      correct application of guideline-based medical therapy by determining the
      isolation rates and antibiotic susceptibilities of different Enterobacteriaceae
      species in Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant studies found from various
      databases with the help of previously specified search strategies were examined
      and eliminated according to eligibility criteria. The remaining 22 studies were
      included in this systematic review. RESULTS: Escherichia coli was the most
      frequently isolated species among all agents in both in- and outpatient settings.
      Only the antibiotic susceptibility data of E. coli could be analyzed because
      among the 22 studies only E. coli had adequate antibiotic susceptibility data to
      be analyzed. The calculated resistance rates of the most frequently preferred
      antibiotics (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone) were
      46%, 32%, and 19% for outpatients and 54%, 48%, and 28% for inpatients,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: The resistance profiles of commonly used antimicrobial
      agents are much higher than the thresholds set by international guidelines.
      Hence, treatment algorithms for urinary tract infections should be designed
      according to Turkey's antimicrobial resistance patterns.

PMID- 28618756
TI  - Rational design of rabies vaccine formulation for enhanced stability.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Vaccines are often lyophilized in order to retain their stability
      and efficacy for a longer period of time. However, the same lyophilization
      process may also cause a major degradation of the vaccine, especially during
      early phases of manufacturing, leading to a loss of potency of the product. Many
      viral diseases, such as rabies, are acute and fatal unless the vaccine is
      administered prior to exposure or the onset of symptoms in the case of
      postexposure treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the effect of
      lyophilization on the stability of the virus structure during rabies vaccine
      manufacturing using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron
      microscopy. RESULTS: Our results indicate that some viruses lose their stability
      and efficacy in the course of lyophilization if the pH of the cell culture medium
      is controlled by solvated CO2 because the structure of the rabies virus is very
      sensitive to the solution pH: the virus either aggregates or its shape is
      deformed at low solution pH, whereas at high pH empty capsid shells are formed.
      CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, we developed a new formulation for the rabies
      vaccine that is stable in different buffers owing to the prevention of pH upshift
      upon lyophilization.

PMID- 28618757
TI  - The effect of acetylsalicylic acid on vasopressin, serum insulin levels, insulin
      resistance, and biochemical parameters in rats induced with experimental diabetes
      type 2.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) treatment in diabetic patients is very
      important owing to the increasing hyperactivity of thrombocytes and
      atherosclerosis. In several investigations, it was reported that diabetes caused
      increased coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and death. In this
      study, we aimed to investigate the effect of ASA on osmoregulation, glycemic
      control, and some biochemical parameters in rats induced with experimental
      diabetes type 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four rats were randomly divided in
      four groups: control (I), ASA control (II), diabetic (III), and ASA diabetic
      (IV). Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin treatment (30 mg/kg, twice,
      intraperitoneal injection) in obese rats. ASA (150 mg/kg body weight, orally) was
      administered for 5 weeks in the ASA control and ASA diabetic groups. Serum
      electrolytes, creatinine, albumin, and total protein levels were analyzed with an
      autoanalyzer. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and insulin were analyzed by ELISA
      techniques. RESULTS: At the end of the study ASA treatments had decreased the
      fasting blood glucose levels but had interestingly increased the serum AVP levels
      in diabetics rats. CONCLUSION: AVP levels were increased 2-fold by ASA treatment
      in diabetic rats. For the first time in this study, the hypoglycemic effect of
      ASA was attributed to an increase in blood volume by AVP levels. This explanation
      may be a new approach to the literature on this topic.

PMID- 28618758
TI  - Investigation of the behavioral and neurochemical effects of monosodium glutamate
      on neonatal rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The objective of this study was to investigate and analyze the
      behavioral and neurochemical effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG) injections at
      various and subsequent dosages on male Wistar rats during the neonatal period.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to determine the behavioral and neurochemical
      effects of MSG, the experiment was implemented on neonatal male Wistar rats and
      the test was repeated for various MSG dosages. After completing the experiment,
      additionally, levels of dopamine, GABA, catecholamine (dopamine, noradrenaline,
      and adrenaline) and glutamate in the brain cells of the decapitated rats were
      also measured using the ELISA method. RESULTS: Considering the results of the
      behavioral test, when we compared the test values of the control group with the
      values of the MSG-injected groups we noted that there were significant
      differences in the statistical figures obtained. Additionally, we found that the
      statistical figures of some neurochemical parameters were also significantly
      different when we compared the values of the MSG group with the control values.
      CONCLUSION: MSG injection has a clear effect on the neurochemical parameters,
      learning memory, and locomotor activities of rats.

PMID- 28618759
TI  - The effect of trimetazidine on renal oxidative stress in partial and complete
      ureteral obstructions in a rat model.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Renal oxidative stress occurs in ureteral obstructions. The
      purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the antioxidant and
      antiischemic agent trimetazidine (TMZ) on oxidative stress following ureteral
      obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten groups were established. Sham groups were
      checked as controls after 1 and 3 weeks. The other 8 groups had partial or
      complete ureteral obstruction while receiving or not receiving trimetazidine
      (TMZ) at 5 mg/kg daily and were evaluated after either 1 week or 3 weeks.
      Creatinine and cystatin C measurements were performed in the serum.
      Malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activity
      were measured in renal tissue and serum. RESULTS: In the 1-week groups, tissue
      malondialdehyde, serum myeloperoxidase, and glutathione peroxidase activity
      increased significantly with obstruction and TMZ use compared to the control
      group (P < 0.005). In the 3-week TMZ group, cystatin C, tissue malondialdehyde,
      serum and tissue myeloperoxidase, and tissue glutathione peroxidase differed
      significantly (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in all parameters
      after 3 weeks of partial obstruction (P > 0.05), with only serum malondialdehyde
      being significantly elevated (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TMZ did not exhibit a renal
      oxidative stress-lowering effect in obstruction. It causes mild impairment of
      renal functions in obstruction. Patients using TMZ must be closely monitored in
      terms of kidney function in the event of any ureteral obstruction.

PMID- 28618760
TI  - Changes in the serum, liver, and renal cortical lipids and electrolytes in
      rabbits with cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Cisplatin is an anticancer drug that can induce nephrotoxicity.
      Its toxicity is associated with dyslipidemia and disturbed electrolyte balance.
      In the present study we investigated the changes in serum lipid profile and
      electrolyte levels and their contents in kidney and liver tissues of rabbits
      treated with cisplatin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight adult male New
      Zealand White rabbits were used in the experiment. Animals of groups C, P1, and
      P2 were injected with saline, cisplatin (4.0 mg/kg bw), and cisplatin (6.5 mg/kg
      bw), respectively, and killed 3 days after the injections. Animals of group R
      were given cisplatin (6.5 mg/kg bw) and killed after 7 days. All animals were
      killed after an overnight fast. RESULTS: The P2 animals showed reductions in
      their body weights, significant (P < 0.001) increases in serum creatinine and
      urea levels, and significant (P < 0.001) drops in cortical alkaline phosphatase
      activity and necrotic kidney histology. The treatments had no effect on liver
      function. Moreover, the P2 animals showed increased serum cholesterol, TAG, and
      elevated LDL-cholesterol, with significant accumulations of the kidney
      cholesterol and TAG, but no change in serum phospholipid and depleted hepatic
      cholesterol. Moreover, the P2 animals had depressed serum levels of potassium,
      calcium, and magnesium, and reduced renal cortical calcium and magnesium contents
      and depressed liver calcium but not magnesium. However, the P1 animals had no
      significant alterations in their lipid or electrolyte levels. Most of the
      perturbed parameters returned to normal levels in the recovery group. CONCLUSION:
      Cisplatin nephrotoxicity in rabbits is accompanied by reductions in body weight,
      secondary dyslipidemia, and reduced serum potassium, calcium, and magnesium with
      depleted renal cortical magnesium and calcium and accumulated cortical lipids.

PMID- 28618761
TI  - The effects of iloprost and alprostadil on ischemia-reperfusion injury in
      preventing inflammation, tissue degeneration, and apoptosis in rat skeletal
      muscle.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: The protective effects of prostaglandin (PG) analogs on ischemia
      reperfusion (I/R) have been well documented; however, comparative studies are
      lacking. The aim of the present study was to determine whether iloprost or
      alprostadil is more effective in preventing muscle I/R injury. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups (n = 8): sham, control, IL
      (I/R + iloprost), and AL (I/R + alprostadil). I/R was induced by a tourniquet in
      the hindlimb for 3 h/3 h. The IL and AL groups received iloprost (0.5 ng kg-1 min
      1) and alprostadil (0.05 ug kg-1 min-1) during reperfusion, respectively. After 6
      h, blood and muscles were collected for analyses. RESULTS: Serum TNF-alpha and IL
      1beta levels were decreased in the IL and AL groups compared with the control
      group (P < 0.05), whereas IL-6 levels did not change significantly. Tissue
      malondialdehyde levels were significantly lower in the IL and AL groups (P <
      0.05). Tissue catalase levels showed no difference. The histological damage
      scores and apoptosis scores were both significantly decreased in the IL and AL
      groups compared with the control group (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study
      indicated that iloprost and alprostadil attenuated I/R injury in skeletal muscle.
      However, no comparable difference was evident regarding the efficacies of either
      PG analog.

PMID- 28618762
TI  - Antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects of gemcitabine in collagen-induced
      arthritis model.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Gemcitabine (GEM) has antiproliferative effects on lymphocytes,
      which are potent pathogenic actors of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the
      study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of GEM on collagen-induced
      arthritis (CIA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arthritis was induced by the intradermal
      injection of chicken type II collagen with incomplete Freund's adjuvant into
      albino Wistar rats. Doses of 5 and 20 mg/kg GEM were administered twice a week
      after the 14th day, which marked the onset the arthritis. Serum IL-17, TNF-alpha,
      malondialdehyde, catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase
      (GPx) levels and tissue heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2
      related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels were analyzed. RESULTS: Histopathologically
      prevalent inflammation and cartilage/bone destruction were observed in the
      arthritis group. Moreover, in the arthritis group serum IL-17, TNF-alpha, and
      malondialdehyde levels were significantly increased while catalase, SOD, GPx, HO
      1, and Nrf2 levels were significantly decreased. However, in the GEM-treated
      groups, decreased TNF-alpha, IL-17, and malondialdehyde levels; increased SOD,
      catalase, GPx, Nrf2, and HO-1 levels; and ameliorated perisynovial inflammation
      and cartilage/bone destruction were observed. CONCLUSION: GEM suppresses cytokine
      levels and enhances antioxidant activity. It also prevents cartilage/bone
      destruction in the CIA model. GEM may be a viable candidate for research into the
      treatment of RA.

PMID- 28618763
TI  - Comparison of endothelin and nitric oxide synthase blockers on hemorheological
      parameters in endotoxemic rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Septic shock is an important health problem that vastly alters
      cardiovascular and hemodynamic status. Increased production of nitric oxide (NO)
      and endothelin is a counterpart of this endotoxemic state. This study was
      conducted to test the hypothesis that nonselective NO synthesis blocker (L-NAME),
      inducible NO synthesis blocker (L-canavanine), or endothelin receptor antagonist
      (bosentan) will reverse the effects of sepsis on hemorheological parameters.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in 8
      groups: saline (control), endotoxin, bosentan, L-NAME, L-canavanine, endotoxin +
      bosentan, endotoxin + L-NAME, and endotoxin + L-canavanine. Blood was withdrawn
      at the 4th hour of endotoxemic state. Erythrocyte deformability and erythrocyte
      aggregation were determined by laser-assisted optical rotational cell analyzer at
      37  degrees C. Plasma viscosity (mPa.s) was measured by a cone-plate viscometer
      with 0.5 mL of plasma. RESULTS: Endotoxin administration significantly increased
      aggregation half-time and lowered erythrocyte aggregation amplitude and
      aggregation index compared to the control, indicating a slower and weaker
      aggregation pattern. L-NAME and L-canavanine alleviated the effects of endotoxin
      on erythrocyte aggregation without altering the values in the control animals.
      However, bosentan did not perform such a restoration. CONCLUSION: This finding
      suggests that these restoration effects of the blockers occur via their
      modulation of nitric oxide synthesis rather than through the endothelin pathway.

PMID- 28618764
TI  - What is the rectal colonization rate of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae
      (CRE)-infected patients? What is the decolonization rate of CRE-colonized
      patients in the hospital?

PMID- 28618765
TI  - The influence of intraabdominal pressure on the mortality rate of patients with
      acute pancreatitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Intraabdominal hypertension (IAH) is a common clinical finding in
      patients with acute pancreatitis and is associated with poor prognosis. This
      study aimed to determine the impact of intraabdominal pressure (IAP) on the
      mortality rate in patients with acute pancreatitis in an intensive care unit.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 patients with acute pancreatitis were
      included in this prospective cohort study. Based on the obtained values of IAP,
      the patients were divided into two groups: those with normal IAP (n = 14) and
      increased IAP (n = 36). Mean values of IAP were compared with examined variables.
      RESULTS: The mortality rate of the study group was 40%. Comparing the IAP and
      treatment outcomes, it was proved that there were statistically highly
      significant differences (P = 0.012). Increasing the value of IAP increased the
      mortality rate. Deceased patients in the IAH group had greater statistical
      significance of APACHE II score (P = 0.016), abdominal perfusion pressure (P =
      0.048), lactate (P = 0.049), hematocrit (P = 0.039), Ranson's criteria on
      admission (P = 0.017), Ranson's criteria after 48 h (P = 0.010), Sequential Organ
      Failure Assessment score (P = 0.014), and body mass index (P = 0.012) compared to
      the surviving patients. CONCLUSION: IAP has an impact on the increase of
      mortality rates in patients with acute pancreatitis.

PMID- 28618766
TI  - Relationship between blood glucose levels and cardiovascular risk in the Spanish
      Mediterranean population.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Diabetes is associated with an increased prevalence of
      cardiovascular disease. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is an intermediate
      clinical situation between normal glucose levels and type 2 diabetes. The aim of
      this study is to determine how fasting glucose concentrations affect different
      cardiovascular risk scales. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive study was
      conducted with 59,041 Mediterranean Spanish workers. IFG was determined using the
      American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the World Health Organization (WHO)
      criteria. Different indicators of cardiovascular risk were analyzed: body mass
      index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, blood pressure, lipid
      parameters, atherogenic indices, metabolic syndrome, and various scales of
      cardiovascular risk such as REGICOR, DORICA, SCORE, Heart Age, and Vascular Age.
      RESULTS: All cardiovascular scales showed statistically significant differences
      between the IFG group and the normal glucose group. In all cases, values were
      worse in the IFG group; furthermore, men exhibited more unfavorable levels of
      cardiovascular risk factors than women. Higher odds ratio values were present in
      employees with metabolic syndrome according to ATP III criteria (9.42, 95% CI:
      8.56-10.37 using WHO criteria and 9.25, 95% CI: 8.67-9.87 using ADA
      criteria).Conclusions: IFG increases cardiovascular risk whether using classical
      scales (REGICOR, SCORE, and metabolic syndrome) or other less studied scales
      (atherogenic indices, Heart Age, and Vascular Age).

PMID- 28618767
TI  - Skin findings in autoimmune and nonautoimmune thyroid disease with respect to
      thyroid functional status and healthy controls.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Thyroid disorders are associated with a wide variety of skin
      disorders that respond to treatment of hormone imbalance in most cases and thus
      are of vital importance to dermatologists. This study aimed to evaluate skin
      findings associated with autoimmune and nonautoimmune thyroid disease with
      respect to thyroid functional status and healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      A total of 300 consecutive patients with either autoimmune (n = 173) or
      nonautoimmune (n = 127) thyroid disease and 100 healthy control subjects were
      included in this cross-sectional study. Data on patient demographics, thyroid
      function tests, and skin findings were recorded for patient and control groups.
      RESULTS: Compared to control subjects, patients had higher proportions in
      populations with alopecia (P < 0.001), nail thinning (P = 0.02), brittle nails (P
      = 0.001), pruritus (P < 0.001), diffuse hyperhidrosis (P = 0.01), flushing (P =
      0.001), and xerosis (P < 0.001). Onycholysis (P = 0.02), yellow skin (P = 0.04),
      periorbital edema (P = 0.03), psoriasis (P = 0.001), and palmoplantar
      hyperkeratosis (P = 0.007) were significantly more common in patients with
      autoimmune than nonautoimmune thyroid disease. A significantly higher percentage
      of patients with autoimmune rather than nonautoimmune thyroid disease had overall
      skin findings (P = 0.03) among the hyperthyroid patients.Conclusions: Our
      findings indicate that the presence of skin findings in a majority of thyroid
      patients significantly differs for certain cutaneous manifestations with respect
      to controls, autoimmune etiology, and thyroid functional status.

PMID- 28618768
TI  - Psychosocial functioning in pediatric patients with pectus excavatum and pectus
      carinatum.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum are the most commonly seen
      anterior chest wall deformities. Recent studies reveal that minimal invasive
      repair of pectus deformities improves the quality of life. Our aim is to assess
      the psychosocial functioning and sociodemographic characteristics of pediatric
      patients with pectus deformities and evaluate the differences between patients
      operated on with minimal invasive repair techniques and nonoperated patients.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS:  Thirty-two patients with pectus deformities who were
      operated on 6 months or more before and 31 nonoperated patients participated in
      the study. The Children's Depression Inventory, Piers-Harris Children's Self
      Concept Scale, Capa Social Phobia Scale for Children and Adolescents, Strengths
      and Difficulties Questionnaire - Self-Report Version (SDQ-SR), and State-Trait
      Anxiety Inventory for Children - Trait Version were completed by the patients.
      The SDQ-Parent Report Version (SDQ-PR) was completed by their parents. RESULTS: 
      There were no statistically significant differences between operated and
      nonoperated patient groups in terms of total scores on the psychiatric rating
      scales. Prosocial behavior subscale scores in SDQ-SR (P = 0.013) and SDQ-PR (P =
      0.019) were lower in the operated group. CONCLUSION: Prosocial behavior levels
      were lower in the operated group. Further exploration of the psychosocial profile
      of pediatric patients with pectus deformities would better elucidate their needs
      in the course of their socioemotional development.

PMID- 28618769
TI  - Association study of CTLA-4 +49A/G gene polymorphism with recurrent pregnancy
      loss in the Iranian Azeri Turkish ethnic group.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as two or more
      pregnancy losses. T-regulatory cells play an important role in the feto-maternal
      interface. Cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a molecule that
      downregulates the activation and proliferation of T cells. The objective of the
      current study was to investigate the possible association of CTLA-4+49A/G gene
      polymorphism with RPL among patients from the Iranian Azeri Turkish ethnic group.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group/patients consisted of 101 women with the
      experience of two or more pregnancy losses and the control group consisted of 101
      women with at least two live births, without any previous history of pregnancy
      loss and autoimmune diseases from the same ethnic group. The CTLA-4+49A/G was
      detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms
      assay. RESULTS: The distribution of CTLA-4+49A/G genotype was AA, 38.61%; AG,
      51.48%; GG, 9.9% in patients and AA, 37.62%; AG, 47.52%; GG,14.85% in controls (P
      value: 0.2). Furthermore, no association in G-allele was observed in the patient
      and control groups (P-value: 0.5). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study
      suggest that CTLA-4 does not have any association with RPL in the Iranian Azeri
      Turkish ethnic group.

PMID- 28618770
TI  - Clinical significance of renal cortical thickness in patients with chronic kidney
      disease.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations between
      laboratory findings and ultrasonographic measurements of renal length and
      cortical thickness in patients receiving follow-up for chronic kidney disease
      (CKD). METHODS: A total of 41 CKD patients (18 males and 23 females; mean age,
      65.2 years; range, 42 to 85 years) with a low glomerular filtration rate who did
      not require renal replacement therapy were included in this prospective study.
      Patients were followed up with laboratory assays at bimonthly intervals and with
      ultrasonography performed twice a year. Renal cortical thickness, renal length,
      and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values were compared using the
      paired-samples t test. Additionally, Pearson correlation analysis was conducted
      between renal length and cortical thickness measurements and eGFR values to
      assess kidney function. RESULTS: At the beginning of the study and after 24
      months, mean eGFR values of the 41 patients were 35.92 mL/min and 28.38 mL/min,
      respectively. The mean renal length was 91.29 mm at the beginning of the study
      and 90.24 mm at the end of the study. The mean cortical thickness was 5.76+/-2.05
      mm at the beginning of the study and 5.28+/-1.99 mm at the end of the study. A
      statistically significant positive association was found between eGFR and mean
      renal length (r=0.66, P<0.01) and between eGFR and mean cortical thickness
      (r=0.85, P<0.01), with the latter being more prominent. CONCLUSION: Our study
      suggests that ultrasonographic cortical thickness measurements may be an
      important imaging technique in the follow-up care of patients with CKD.

PMID- 28618771
TI  - Logistic LASSO regression for the diagnosis of breast cancer using clinical
      demographic data and the BI-RADS lexicon for ultrasonography.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of image analysis
      for predicting breast cancer using two distinct regression models and to evaluate
      the usefulness of incorporating clinical and demographic data (CDD) into the
      image analysis in order to improve the diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS: This
      study included 139 solid masses from 139 patients who underwent a ultrasonography
      guided core biopsy and had available CDD between June 2009 and April 2010. Three
      breast radiologists retrospectively reviewed 139 breast masses and described each
      lesion using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon. We
      applied and compared two regression methods-stepwise logistic (SL) regression and
      logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression-in
      which the BI-RADS descriptors and CDD were used as covariates. We investigated
      the performances of these regression methods and the agreement of radiologists in
      terms of test misclassification error and the area under the curve (AUC) of the
      tests. RESULTS: Logistic LASSO regression was superior (P<0.05) to SL regression,
      regardless of whether CDD was included in the covariates, in terms of test
      misclassification errors (0.234 vs. 0.253, without CDD; 0.196 vs. 0.258, with
      CDD) and AUC (0.785 vs. 0.759, without CDD; 0.873 vs. 0.735, with CDD). However,
      it was inferior (P<0.05) to the agreement of three radiologists in terms of test
      misclassification errors (0.234 vs. 0.168, without CDD; 0.196 vs. 0.088, with
      CDD) and the AUC without CDD (0.785 vs. 0.844, P<0.001), but was comparable to
      the AUC with CDD (0.873 vs. 0.880, P=0.141). CONCLUSION: Logistic LASSO
      regression based on BI-RADS descriptors and CDD showed better performance than SL
      in predicting the presence of breast cancer. The use of CDD as a supplement to
      the BI-RADS descriptors significantly improved the prediction of breast cancer
      using logistic LASSO regression.

PMID- 28618773
TI  - Painful nodule on umbilicus: Sister Mary Joseph nodule as an unusual but
      important manifestation of widespread gallbladder cancer.

PMID- 28618772
TI  - Efficacy and safety of pitavastatins in patients with acute myocardial
      infarction: Livalo in Acute Myocardial Infarction Study (LAMIS) II.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated the efficacy and safety and influence on glucose
      tolerance by different doses of pitavastatins in acute myocardial infarction
      (AMI) patients. METHODS: Consecutive 1,101 AMI patients who were enrolled in
      Livalo in Acute Myocardial Infarction Study (LAMIS)-II were randomly assigned to
      receive either 2 mg of pitavastatin or 4 mg of pitavastatin orally per day.
      Primary efficacy endpoint was composite of cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial
      infarction, target-lesion revascularization, and hospitalization for unstable
      angina, heart failure or arrhythmic events at 12-month. RESULTS: There was no
      significant difference in primary efficacy endpoint between 2 mg and 4 mg groups
      (9.07% vs. 9.13%, p = 0.976). The degree of the reduction of low density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was significantly greater in 4 mg group compared
      to 2 mg group from baseline to follow-up (-42.05 +/- 32.73 mg/dL vs. -34.23 +/-
      31.66 mg/dL, p = 0.002). Fasting plasma glucose level was reduced significantly
      in both groups (-20.16 +/- 54.49 mg/dL in 4 mg group and -24.45 +/- 63.88 mg/dL
      in 2 mg group, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) and there was no
      significant change of glycated hemoglobin in two groups from baseline to follow
      up (-0.13% +/- 1.21% in 4 mg group and -0.04% +/- 1.10% in 2 mg group, p = 0.256
      and p = 0.671, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although LDL-C was reduced more
      significantly by using 4 mg of pitavastatin compared to 2 mg of pitavastatin, the
      event rate was comparable without adverse effects on glucose tolerance in both
      groups in AMI patients who were enrolled in LAMIS-II.

PMID- 28618774
TI  - Low-Dose Radiation Therapy for Primary Conjunctival Marginal Zone B-Cell
      Lymphoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and the
      long-term outcomes of primary conjunctival marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBCL)
      patients who were treated with radiation therapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Retrospective data of 79 patients with 121 primary conjunctival MZBCL lesions
      were collected from January 1, 2001 till June 30, 2014. All lesions were treated
      by local RT (26 Gy) with patient-specific customized lens-shielding device.
      RESULTS: The current Korean patients' cohort showed younger median age at
      diagnosis (38 years), great female preponderance (78.5%) and more frequent
      bilateral involvement (53.2%) than the previous studies. Following 26 Gy's RT,
      excellent clinical outcomes were achieved: 5-year rates of overall survival,
      local relapse-free survival, and contralateral relapse-free survival were 100%,
      98.1%, and 91.5%, respectively. Two patients (2.5%) developed local relapse and
      five (6.3%) developed relapse at initially uninvolved contralateral conjunctiva
      with median interval of 52.9 months, and late adverse events of grade 2 and 3
      occurred in seven (8.8%) and two (2.5%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: 26
      Gy's RT was highly effective and safe, with the use of lens-shielding device, in
      treating patients with primary conjunctival MZBCL.

PMID- 28618775
TI  - Thermal Decomposition of 2,3,3,3- and trans-1,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropenes.
AB  - The thermal decomposition reactions of 2,3,3,3- and trans-1,3,3,3
      tetrafluoropropenes (TFPs) have been studied both experimentally and
      computationally to elucidate their kinetics and mechanism. The experiments were
      performed by observing the temporal profiles of HF produced in the decomposition
      of the tetrafluoropropenes behind shock waves at temperatures of 1540-1952 K (for
      2,3,3,3-TFP) or 1525-1823 K (for trans-1,3,3,3-TFP) and pressure of 100-200 kPa
      in Ar bath. The reaction pathways responsible for the profiles were explored
      based on quantum chemical calculations. The decomposition of 2,3,3,3-TFP was
      predicted to proceed predominantly via direct 1,2-HF elimination to yield CHCCF3,
      while trans-1,3,3,3-TFP was found to decompose to HF and a variety of isomeric
      C3HF3 products including CHCCF3, CF2CCHF, CCHCF3, and CF2CHCF. The C3HF3 isomers
      can subsequently decompose to either CF2 + CHCF or CF2CC + HF products.
      Multichannel RRKM/master equation calculations were performed for the identified
      decomposition channels. The observed formation rates and apparent yields of HF
      are shown to be consistent with the computational predictions.

PMID- 28618776
TI  - Salicylideneanilines-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks as Chemoselective
      Molecular Sieves.
AB  - Porous materials such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are good candidates
      for molecular sieves due to the chemical diversity of their building blocks,
      which allows fine-tuning of their chemical and physical properties by design.
      Tailored synthesis of inherently functional building blocks can generate
      framework materials with chemoresponsivity, leading to controllable
      functionalities such as switchable sorption and separation. Herein, we
      demonstrate a chemoselective, salicylideneanilines-based COF (SA-COF), which
      undergoes solvent-triggered tautomeric switching. This is unique compared to
      solid-state salicylideneanilines' counterpart, which typically requires high
      energy input such as photo or thermal activation to trigger the enol-keto
      tautomerisim and cis-trans isomerization. Accompanying the tautomerization, the
      ionic properties of the COF can be tuned reversibly, thus forming the basis of
      size-exclusion, selective ionic binding or chemoseparation in SA-COF demonstrated
      in this work.

PMID- 28618777
TI  - Rare Earth pcu Metal-Organic Framework Platform Based on RE4(MU3-OH)4(COO)62+
      Clusters: Rational Design, Directed Synthesis, and Deliberate Tuning of
      Excitation Wavelengths.
AB  - The Td point group symmetry of rare earth (RE3+) metal clusters RE4(MU3
      OH)4(COO)62+ makes them attractive building blocks for creating metal-organic
      frameworks (MOFs) with controllable topologies. Herein, we describe the design
      and synthesis of a series of isoreticular MOFs featuring pcu topology [MOF
      1114(RE) and MOF-1115(RE)] with variable rare earth metal ions (RE3+ = Y3+, Sm3+,
      Eu3+, Gd3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, Ho3+, Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+) and linear amino-functionalized
      dicarboxylate linkers of different lengths. In total, we report 22 MOFs that vary
      in both composition and structure yet share the same RE4(MU3-OH)4 cluster motif.
      We demonstrate that these pcu MOFs are cationic and that anion exchange can be
      used to affect the MOF properties. We also investigate the luminescence
      properties of a representative member of this MOF series [MOF-1114(Yb)] that
      exhibits near-infrared emission. We show that the excitation energy for Yb3+
      sensitization can be carefully adjusted to lower energy via covalent
      postsynthetic modification at the amino group sites within the MOF.

PMID- 28618778
TI  - Tunable Large Pore Mesoporous Carbons for the Enhanced Adsorption of Humic Acid.
AB  - Tunable large pore soft templated mesoporous carbons (SMC) were obtained via the
      organic self-assembly of resorcinol/formaldehyde with the triblock copolymer F127
      and by investigating the effect of carbon precursor to surfactant (p/s) ratio and
      carbonization temperature on the material characteristics. The p/s ratio and
      carbonization temperature were varied respectively from 0.83 to 0.25 and from 400
      to 1200  degrees C. The resulting SMCs had various average pore sizes, tunable
      from 7 up to 50 nm. At lower p/s ratios, the pore size increased, pore size
      distributions broadened, and pore volumes increased. An increase of
      hydrophobicity was observed at elevated carbonization temperatures. A 2D
      hexagonal ordered SMC with a narrow pore size distribution was obtained at a
      ratio of 0.83. Lower ratios (0.5 and 0.25) transformed into disordered porous
      carbons containing micropores, mesopores, and even macropores. The SMCs were
      tested for adsorption of a large organic molecule, humic acid (HA), from water.
      The material characteristics that significantly affected HA adsorption capacity
      were pore size and mass % (wt %) carbon. The novel SMCs showed an unprecedented
      high adsorption of HA in the entire molecular weight distribution range. SMCs
      with large mesopores resulted in higher maximum adsorption capacities and
      improved HA adsorption kinetics compared to activated carbon.

PMID- 28618779
TI  - Photofragmentation of Tetranitromethane: Spin-Unrestricted Time-Dependent Excited
      State Molecular Dynamics.
AB  - In this study, the photofragmentation dynamics of tetranitromethane (TNM) is
      explored by a spin-unrestricted time-dependent excited-state molecular dynamics
      (u-TDESMD) algorithm based on Rabi oscillations and principles similar to
      trajectory surface hopping, with a midintensity field approximation. The leading
      order process is represented by the molecule undergoing cyclic excitations and de
      excitations. During excitation cycles, the nuclear kinetic energy is accumulated
      to overcome the dissociation barriers in the reactant and a sequence of
      intermediates. The dissociation pathway includes the ejection of NO2 groups
      followed by the formation of NO and CO. The simulated mass spectra at the ab
      initio level, based on the bond length in possible fragments, are extracted from
      simulation trajectories. The recently developed methodology has the potential to
      model and monitor photoreactions with open-shell intermediates and radicals.

PMID- 28618780
TI  - Amorphous Metal Polysulfides: Electrode Materials with Unique
      Insertion/Extraction Reactions.
AB  - A unique charge/discharge mechanism of amorphous TiS4 is reported. Amorphous
      transition metal polysulfide electrodes exhibit anomalous charge/discharge
      performance and should have a unique charge/discharge mechanism: neither the
      typical intercalation/deintercalation mechanism nor the conversion-type one, but
      a mixture of the two. Analyzing the mechanism of such electrodes has been a
      challenge because fewer tools are available to examine the "amorphous" structure.
      It is revealed that the electrode undergoes two distinct structural changes: (i)
      the deformation and formation of S-S disulfide bonds and (ii) changes in the
      coordination number of titanium. These structural changes proceed continuously
      and concertedly for Li insertion/extraction. The results of this study provide a
      novel and unique model of amorphous electrode materials with significantly larger
      capacities.

PMID- 28618781
TI  - Cavity-Type DNA Origami-Based Plasmonic Nanostructures for Raman Enhancement.
AB  - DNA origami has been established as addressable templates for site-specific
      anchoring of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Given that AuNPs are assembled by
      charged DNA oligonucleotides, it is important to reduce the charge repulsion
      between AuNPs-DNA and the template to realize high yields. Herein, we developed a
      cavity-type DNA origami as templates to organize 30 nm AuNPs, which formed dimer
      and tetramer plasmonic nanostructures. Transmission electron microscopy images
      showed that high yields of dimer and tetramer plasmonic nanostructures were
      obtained by using the cavity-type DNA origami as the template. More importantly,
      we observed significant Raman signal enhancement from molecules covalently
      attached to the plasmonic nanostructures, which provides a new way to high
      sensitivity Raman sensing.

PMID- 28618782
TI  - Ab Initio Nonadiabatic Dynamics with Coupled Trajectories: A Rigorous Approach to
      Quantum (De)Coherence.
AB  - We report the first nonadiabatic molecular dynamics study based on the exact
      factorization of the electron-nuclear wave function. Our approach (a coupled
      trajectory mixed quantum-classical, CT-MQC, scheme) is based on the quantum
      classical limit derived from systematic and controlled approximations to the full
      quantum-mechanical problem formulated in the exact-factorization framework. Its
      strength is the ability to correctly capture quantum (de)coherence effects in a
      trajectory-based approach to excited-state dynamics. We show this by benchmarking
      CT-MQC dynamics against a revised version of the popular fewest-switches surface
      hopping scheme that is able to fix its well-documented overcoherence issue. The
      CT-MQC approach is successfully applied to investigation of the photochemistry
      (ring-opening) of oxirane in the gas phase, analyzing in detail the role of
      decoherence. This work represents a significant step forward in the establishment
      of the exact factorization as a powerful tool to study excited-state dynamics,
      not only for interpretation purposes but mainly for nonadiabatic ab initio
      molecular dynamics simulations.

PMID- 28618783
TI  - Pulsed Light-Emitting Diodes for a Higher Phytochemical Level in Microgreens.
AB  - A novel research of pulsed light-emitting diode (LED) lighting versus continuous
      lighting was conducted by analyzing phytochemical levels in microgreens. Red pak
      choi (Brassica rapa var. chinensis), mustard (Brassica juncea L.), and tatsoi
      (Brassica rapa var. rosularis) were grown indoors under HPS lamps supplemented
      with monochromatic (455, 470, 505, 590, and 627 nm) LEDs [total photosynthetic
      photon flux density (PPFD) of 200 +/- 10 MUmol m-2 s-1, for 16 h day-1]. For
      pulsed light treatments, the frequencies at 2, 32, 256, and 1024 Hz with a duty
      cycle of 50% monochromatic LEDs were applied. The results were compared to those
      under the continuous light (0 Hz) condition in terms of total phenolic content,
      anthocyanins, and antiradical activity (DPPH). The summarized data suggested that
      pulsed light affected accumulation of secondary metabolites both positive and
      negative in microgreens. The significant differences in the response of
      phytochemicals between pulsed light at several frequencies and continuous light
      were determined. The most positive effects of 2, 256, and 1024 Hz for total
      phenolic compounds in mustard under all wavelength LEDs were achieved. The LED
      frequencies at 2 and 32 Hz were the most suitable for accumulation of
      anthocyanins in red pak choi and tatsoi. The highest antiradical activity under
      the treatments of 32, 256, and 1024 Hz in mustard and under the 2 Hz frequency in
      red pak choi and tatsoi was determined.

PMID- 28618784
TI  - Gold-Catalyzed Oxidation Terminal Alkyne: An Approach to Synthesize Substituted
      Dihydronaphthalen-2(1H)-ones and Phenanthrenols.
AB  - A facile gold-catalyzed oxidation terminal alkynes to synthesize substituted
      dihydronaphthalen-2(1H)-ones 3 and phenanthrenols 5 was realized. Various useful
      structures and drug precursors were generated in up to 99% yield under mild
      condition and low catalyst loading.

PMID- 28618790
TI  - Estimation of surface impedance at oblique incidence based on sparse array
      processing.
AB  - A method is proposed to estimate the surface impedance of a large absorptive
      panel from free-field measurements with a spherical microphone array. The method
      relies on the reconstruction of the pressure and the particle velocity on the
      studied surface using an equivalent source method based on spherical array
      measurements. The sound field measured by the array is mainly composed of an
      incident and a reflected wave, so it can be represented as a spatially sparse
      problem. This makes it possible to use compressive sensing in order to enhance
      the resolution and the quality of the estimation. The results indicate an
      accurate reconstruction for angles of incidence between 0 degrees  and 60 degrees
      , and between approximately 200 and 4000 Hz. Additionally, experimental
      challenges are discussed, such as the sample's finiteness at low frequencies and
      the estimation of the background noise.

PMID- 28618791
TI  - Broadband classification and statistics of echoes from aggregations of fish
      measured by long-range, mid-frequency sonar.
AB  - For horizontal-looking sonar systems operating at mid-frequencies (1-10 kHz),
      scattering by fish with resonant gas-filled swimbladders can dominate seafloor
      and surface reverberation at long-ranges (i.e., distances much greater than the
      water depth). This source of scattering, which can be difficult to distinguish
      from other sources of scattering in the water column or at the boundaries, can
      add spatio-temporal variability to an already complex acoustic record. Sparsely
      distributed, spatially compact fish aggregations were measured in the Gulf of
      Maine using a long-range broadband sonar with continuous spectral coverage from
      1.5 to 5 kHz. Observed echoes, that are at least 15 decibels above background
      levels in the horizontal-looking sonar data, are classified spectrally by the
      resonance features as due to swimbladder-bearing fish. Contemporaneous multi
      frequency echosounder measurements (18, 38, and 120 kHz) and net samples are used
      in conjunction with physics-based acoustic models to validate this approach.
      Furthermore, the fish aggregations are statistically characterized in the long
      range data by highly non-Rayleigh distributions of the echo magnitudes. These
      distributions are accurately predicted by a computationally efficient, physics
      based model. The model accounts for beam-pattern and waveguide effects as well as
      the scattering response of aggregations of fish.

PMID- 28618792
TI  - Effect of evaporation and condensation on a thermoacoustic engine: A Lagrangian
      simulation approach.
AB  - Acoustic oscillations of a fluid (a mixture of gas and vapor) parcel in a wet
      stack of a thermoacoustic engine are numerically simulated with a Lagrangian
      approach taking into account Rott equations and the effect of non-equilibrium
      evaporation and condensation of water vapor at the stack surface. In a traveling
      wave engine, the volume oscillation amplitude of a fluid parcel always increases
      by evaporation and condensation. As a result, pV work done by a fluid parcel is
      enhanced, which means enhancement of acoustic energy in a thermoacoustic engine.
      On the other hand, in a standing-wave engine, the volume oscillation amplitude
      sometimes decreases by evaporation and condensation, and pV work is suppressed.
      Presence of a tiny traveling-wave component, however, results in the enhancement
      of pV work by evaporation and condensation.

PMID- 28618793
TI  - Finite Element and Boundary Methods in Structural Acoustics and Vibration.

PMID- 28618795
TI  - Sound Propagation Through the Stochastic Ocean.

PMID- 28618794
TI  - Sound trapping and dredging barriers.
AB  - When sound barriers are installed on both sides of a noise source, degradation in
      performance is observed. Barriers having negative-phase-gradient surfaces
      successfully eliminate this drawback by trapping sound energy in between the
      barriers. In contrast, barriers can also be designed to "dredge" the energy flux
      out. An extended model considering higher-order diffractions, which resulted from
      the interplay of the induced surface wave and barrier surface periodicity, is
      presented. It is found that the sound dredging barriers provide a remarkable
      enhancement over the trapping ones, and hence have the potential to be widely
      used in noise control engineering.

PMID- 28618796
TI  - Low frequency acoustic properties of Posidonia oceanica seagrass leaf blades.
AB  - The acoustics of seagrass meadows impacts naval and oceanographic sonar
      applications. To study this environment, a one-dimensional resonator was used to
      assess the low-frequency (1-5 kHz) acoustic response of the leaf blades of the
      Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica in water. Three separate collections of
      plants from Crete, Greece, and Sicily, Italy were investigated. A high
      consistency in effective sound speed was observed within each collection while a
      strong variability was observed between different collections. Average size,
      mass, and epiphytic coverage within each collection were quantified, and
      discoloration and stiffness are discussed qualitatively with respect to the
      observed acoustic variability.

PMID- 28618797
TI  - The dynamic excitation of a granular chain: Contact mechanics finite element
      analysis and experimental validation.
AB  - There is currently interest in transmitting acoustic signals along granular
      chains to produce waveforms of relevance to biomedical ultrasound applications.
      The study of such a transduction mechanism is greatly aided by the use of
      validated theoretical models. In view of this, a finite element analysis is
      presented in this paper. The dynamics of a granular chain of six, 1 mm diameter
      chrome steel spherical beads, was excited at one end using a sinusoidal
      displacement signal at 73 kHz, and terminated by a rigid support. Output from
      this model was compared with the solution provided by the equivalent discrete
      dynamics model, and good agreement obtained. An experimental configuration
      involving the same chain, but terminated by an annular support made of a liquid
      photopolymer resin was also simulated and the velocity of the last sphere
      obtained through simulation was compared with laser vibrometer measurement, with
      good agreement. This model was then extended whereby the granular chain was
      coupled to an acoustic medium with the properties of water, via a thin vitreous
      carbon cylinder. Finite element predictions of the acoustic pressure indicate
      that, for a 73 kHz excitation frequency, harmonic rich acoustic pulses with
      harmonic content close to 1 MHz are predicted.

PMID- 28618798
TI  - No correlation between headphone frequency response and retail price.
AB  - This study quantifies variability of measured headphone response patterns and
      aims to uncover any correlations between headphone type, retail price, and
      frequency response. For this purpose, the mean, variance, and covariance of the
      frequency magnitude responses were analyzed and correlated with headphone type
      and retail value. The results indicate that neither the measured response nor an
      attempt to objectively quantify perceived quality is related to price. On
      average, in-ear headphones have a slightly higher measured bass response than
      circumaural and supra-aural headphones. Furthermore, in-ear and circumaural
      headphones have a slightly lower deviation from an assumed target curve than
      supra-ear models. Ninety percent of the variance across all headphone
      measurements can be described by a set of six basis functions. The first basis
      function is similar to published target responses, while the second basis
      function represents a spectral tilt.

PMID- 28618799
TI  - Biosonar signal propagation in the harbor porpoise's (Phocoena phocoena) head:
      The role of various structures in the formation of the vertical beam.
AB  - Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) use narrow band echolocation signals for
      detecting and locating prey and for spatial orientation. In this study, acoustic
      impedance values of tissues in the porpoise's head were calculated from computer
      tomography (CT) scan and the corresponding Hounsfield Units. A two-dimensional
      finite element model of the acoustic impedance was constructed based on CT scan
      data to simulate the acoustic propagation through the animal's head. The far
      field transmission beam pattern in the vertical plane and the waveforms of the
      receiving points around the forehead were compared with prior measurement
      results, the simulation results were qualitatively consistent with the
      measurement results. The role of the main structures in the head such as the air
      sacs, melon and skull in the acoustic propagation was investigated. The results
      showed that air sacs and skull are the major components to form the vertical
      beam. Additionally, both beam patterns and sound pressure of the sound waves
      through four positions deep inside the melon were demonstrated to show the role
      of the melon in the biosonar sound propagation processes in the vertical plane.

PMID- 28618800
TI  - Effects of tempo, swing density, and listener's drumming experience, on swing
      detection thresholds for drum rhythms.
AB  - Swing, a popular technique in music performance, has been said to enhance the
      "groove" of the rhythm. Swing works by delaying the onsets of even-numbered
      subdivisions of each beat (e.g., 16th-note swing delays the onsets of the second
      and fourth 16th-note subdivisions of each quarter-note beat). The "swing
      magnitude" (loosely speaking, the amount of delay) is often quite small. And
      there has been little investigation, using musical stimuli, into what swing
      magnitudes listeners can detect. To that end, this study presented continually
      looped electronic drum rhythms, with 16th-note swing in the hi-hat on every other
      bar, to drummers and non-drummers. Swing magnitude was adjusted using a staircase
      procedure, to determine the magnitude where the difference between swinging and
      not-swinging bars was just-noticeable. Different tempi (60 to 140 quarter-notes
      per minute) and swing densities (how often notes occurred at even-numbered
      subdivisions) were used. Results showed that all subjects could detect smaller
      swing magnitudes when swing density was higher, thus confirming a previous
      speculation that the perceptual salience of swing increases with swing density.
      The just-noticeable magnitudes of swing for drummers differed from those of non
      drummers, in terms of both overall magnitude and sensitivity to tempo, thus
      prompting questions for further exploration.

PMID- 28618801
TI  - Relative contributions of formants to the intelligibility of sine-wave sentences
      in Mandarin Chinese.
AB  - Early sine-wave speech (SWS) studies showed that the first three formants contain
      sufficient intelligibility information. The present work assessed the relative
      perceptual contributions of the first three formants. Mandarin sentences were
      edited to generate two SWS conditions: removal of one of the first three formant
      trajectories, and preservation of only one formant trajectory. In addition, SWS
      synthesis was implemented in the absence of sine-wave amplitude modulation. The
      results consistently showed that the trajectory of the second formant contributed
      the most to intelligibility, and the effect of amplitude modulation was smaller
      than that of the formant number.

PMID- 28618802
TI  - Non-negative intensity for coupled fluid-structure interaction problems using the
      fast multipole method.
AB  - The non-negative intensity (NNI) method is applied to large-scale coupled fluid
      structure interaction (FSI) problems using the fast multipole boundary element
      method (FMBEM). The NNI provides a field on the radiating structure surface that
      consists of positive-only contributions to the radiated sound power, thus
      avoiding the near-field cancellation effects that otherwise occur with the sound
      intensity field. Thus far the NNI has been implemented with the boundary element
      method (BEM) for relatively small problem sizes to allow for the full BEM
      coefficient and inverse matrices to be explicitly constructed and stored. In this
      work, the FMBEM is adapted to the NNI by calculating the eigenvalue solution of
      the symmetric acoustic impedance matrix using the FMBEM via a two-stage solution
      method. The FMBEM implementation of the NNI is demonstrated for a large-scale
      model of a submerged cylindrical shell. The coupled FSI problem is first solved
      using a finite element-FMBEM model and the resulting surface fields are then used
      in the FMBEM calculation of the NNI. An equivalent reactive NNI field
      representing the evanescent near-field radiation is demonstrated and the effect
      of the chosen number eigenvectors on the NNI field is investigated.

PMID- 28618803
TI  - Effects of linear and nonlinear speech rate changes on speech intelligibility in
      stationary and fluctuating maskers.
AB  - Algorithmic modifications to the durational structure of speech designed to avoid
      intervals of intense masking lead to increases in intelligibility, but the basis
      for such gains is not clear. The current study addressed the possibility that the
      reduced information load produced by speech rate slowing might explain some or
      all of the benefits of durational modifications. The study also investigated the
      influence of masker stationarity on the effectiveness of durational changes.
      Listeners identified keywords in sentences that had undergone linear and
      nonlinear speech rate changes resulting in overall temporal lengthening in the
      presence of stationary and fluctuating maskers. Relative to unmodified speech, a
      slower speech rate produced no intelligibility gains for the stationary masker,
      suggesting that a reduction in information rate does not underlie intelligibility
      benefits of durationally modified speech. However, both linear and nonlinear
      modifications led to substantial intelligibility increases in fluctuating noise.
      One possibility is that overall increases in speech duration provide no new
      phonetic information in stationary masking conditions, but that temporal
      fluctuations in the background increase the likelihood of glimpsing additional
      salient speech cues. Alternatively, listeners may have benefitted from an
      increase in the difference in speech rates between the target and background.

PMID- 28618804
TI  - An optical flow-based state-space model of the vocal folds.
AB  - High-speed movies of the vocal fold vibration are valuable data to reveal vocal
      fold features for voice pathology diagnosis. This work presents a suitable
      Bayesian model and a purely theoretical discussion for further development of a
      framework for continuum biomechanical features estimation. A linear and Gaussian
      nonstationary state-space model is proposed and thoroughly discussed. The
      evolution model is based on a self-sustained three-dimensional finite element
      model of the vocal folds, and the observation model involves a dense optical flow
      algorithm. The results show that the method is able to capture different
      deformation patterns between the computed optical flow and the finite element
      deformation, controlled by the choice of the model tissue parameters.

PMID- 28618805
TI  - Explosion yield estimation from pressure wave template matching.
AB  - A method for estimating the yield of explosions from shock-wave and acoustic-wave
      measurements is presented. The method exploits full waveforms by comparing
      pressure measurements against an empirical stack of prior observations using
      scaling laws. The approach can be applied to measurements across a wide-range of
      source-to-receiver distances. The method is applied to data from two explosion
      experiments in different regions, leading to mean relative errors in yield
      estimates of 0.13 using prior data from the same region, and 0.2 when applied to
      a new region.

PMID- 28618806
TI  - Testing two crackle criteria using modified jet noise waveforms.
AB  - The jet sound quality "crackle" has historically been studied and quantified
      using the statistics of the pressure waveform. Some investigators have suggested
      crackle, and its associated shock content, may be better quantified using the
      statistics of the time derivative of the waveform. Modified waveforms are used to
      evaluate crackle prediction criteria based on the skewness of each variable. The
      resultant waveforms are provided as direct evidence that the pressure
      distribution does not directly predict or quantify a crackling sound quality
      while the statistics of the derivative appear to do so.

PMID- 28618808
TI  - Semi-analytical modeling of ground/plate interaction for general elastic boundary
      conditions.
AB  - This letter introduces ground/plate interaction using the concept of ground cross
      modal impedance in the case of general elastic boundary conditions. Navier
      equations are generally used to account for ground vibration with two propagating
      waves, the dilatational wave and the shear wave. The plate equation of motion
      follows the Kirchhoff-Love hypothesis, where shear and rotational inertia are
      neglected in the plate thickness. The general elastic boundary conditions are
      expressed analytically through a two-dimensional Fourier series in the plate
      displacement solution. This study shows that the plate general boundary
      conditions have a small influence on the plate velocity. However, two categories
      of boundary conditions could be implemented, especially at low frequency.

PMID- 28618807
TI  - The effect of presentation level and stimulation rate on speech perception and
      modulation detection for cochlear implant users.
AB  - In order to improve speech understanding for cochlear implant users, it is
      important to maximize the transmission of temporal information. The combined
      effects of stimulation rate and presentation level on temporal information
      transfer and speech understanding remain unclear. The present study
      systematically varied presentation level (60, 50, and 40 dBA) and stimulation
      rate [500 and 2400 pulses per second per electrode (pps)] in order to observe how
      the effect of rate on speech understanding changes for different presentation
      levels. Speech recognition in quiet and noise, and acoustic amplitude modulation
      detection thresholds (AMDTs) were measured with acoustic stimuli presented to
      speech processors via direct audio input (DAI). With the 500 pps processor,
      results showed significantly better performance for consonant-vowel nucleus
      consonant words in quiet, and a reduced effect of noise on sentence recognition.
      However, no rate or level effect was found for AMDTs, perhaps partly because of
      amplitude compression in the sound processor. AMDTs were found to be strongly
      correlated with the effect of noise on sentence perception at low levels. These
      results indicate that AMDTs, at least when measured with the CP910 Freedom speech
      processor via DAI, explain between-subject variance of speech understanding, but
      do not explain within-subject variance for different rates and levels.

PMID- 28618810
TI  - Enhancement effects of clear speech and word-initial position in Korean glides.
AB  - The current study investigated the enhancement effect in Korean speakers' clear
      speech and word-initial position, using acoustic analyses of the Korean glides
      /w/ and /j/. The results showed that the transitions of glides /w/ and /j/ at
      onset were enhanced in clear speech with an expanded vowel space. An expanded
      vowel space was also observed in the word-initial position, but the expansion was
      not statistically significant. However, the significant interaction between
      speaking style and word position revealed that the articulatory and global
      modifications in clear speech were noticeably greater at onset in the word-medial
      compared to the word-initial position. Also, the mid-front vowel /e/ shifted
      downward and leftward in clear speech, indicating that mid-front vowels are
      fronted and lowered in clear speech. As a language-specific issue, no phonetic
      evidence was found supporting the existence of two Korean glides, /wepsilon/ and
      /we/, even in clear speech and word-initial position, indicating a diachronic
      sound merger of these two glides. In addition, the glide /je/ after a consonant
      was neutralized into /e/ in casual speech. These findings suggest a relationship
      between speaking style effects, word position effects, and changing phonetic
      targets due to diachronic sound change.

PMID- 28618809
TI  - Binaural sensitivity in children who use bilateral cochlear implants.
AB  - Children who are deaf and receive bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs) perform
      better on spatial hearing tasks using bilateral rather than unilateral inputs;
      however, they underperform relative to normal-hearing (NH) peers. This gap in
      performance is multi-factorial, including the inability of speech processors to
      reliably deliver binaural cues. Although much is known regarding binaural
      sensitivity of adults with BiCIs, less is known about how the development of
      binaural sensitivity in children with BiCIs compared to NH children. Sixteen
      children (ages 9-17 years) were tested using synchronized research processors.
      Interaural time differences and interaural level differences (ITDs and ILDs,
      respectively) were presented to pairs of pitch-matched electrodes. Stimuli were
      300-ms, 100-pulses-per-second, constant-amplitude pulse trains. In the first and
      second experiments, discrimination of interaural cues (either ITDs or ILDs) was
      measured using a two-interval left/right task. In the third experiment, subjects
      reported the perceived intracranial position of ITDs and ILDs in a lateralization
      task. All children demonstrated sensitivity to ILDs, possibly due to monaural
      level cues. Children who were born deaf had weak or absent sensitivity to ITDs;
      in contrast, ITD sensitivity was noted in children with previous exposure to
      acoustic hearing. Therefore, factors such as auditory deprivation, in particular,
      lack of early exposure to consistent timing differences between the ears, may
      delay the maturation of binaural circuits and cause insensitivity to binaural
      differences.

PMID- 28618811
TI  - Vocal repertoire of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in northern
      Norway.
AB  - The knowledge of the vocal repertoire of pilot whales is very limited. In this
      paper, the vocal repertoire of long-finned pilot whales recorded during different
      encounters in the Vestfjord in northern Norway between November 2006 and August
      2010 are described. Sounds were analysed using two different methods: (1) an
      observer-based audio-visual inspection of FFT-derived spectrograms, with which,
      besides a general variety of clicks, buzzes, nonharmonic sounds, and whistles,
      129 different distinct call types and 25 subtypes were distinguished. These call
      types included pulsed calls and discrete structured whistles varying from simple
      to highly complex structures composed of several segments and elements. In
      addition, ultrasonic whistles previously not described for pilot whales were
      found. In addition to the diversity of single calls, call sequences consisting of
      repetitions and combinations of specific call types were recorded and (2) a
      parametric approach that permitted the confirmation of the high variability in
      pilot whale call structures was developed. It is concluded that the pilot whale
      vocal repertoire is among the most complex for the mammalian species and the high
      structural variability, along with call repetitions and combinations, require a
      closer investigation to judge their importance for vocal communication.

PMID- 28618812
TI  - Auditory feature representation using convolutional restricted Boltzmann machine
      and Teager energy operator for speech recognition.
AB  - In this letter, authors propose an auditory feature representation technique with
      the filterbank learned using an annealing dropout convolutional restricted
      Boltzmann machine (ConvRBM) and noise-robust energy estimation using the Teager
      energy operator (TEO). TEO is applied on each subband of ConvRBM filterbank and
      pooled later to get the short-term spectral features. Experiments on AURORA 4
      database show that the proposed features perform better than the Mel filterbank
      features. The relative improvement of 2.59%-11.63% and 1.26%-6.87% in word error
      rate is achieved using the time delay neural network and the bidirectional long
      short-term memory models, respectively.

PMID- 28618813
TI  - Ultrasonic attenuation of polycrystalline materials with a distribution of grain
      sizes.
AB  - Elastic wave scattering at grain boundaries in polycrystalline media can be
      quantified to determine microstructural properties. The amplitude drop observed
      for coherent wave propagation (attenuation) as well as diffuse-field scattering
      events have been extensively studied. In all cases, the scattering shows a clear
      dependence on grain size, grain shape, and microstructural texture. Models used
      to quantify scattering experiments are often developed assuming dependence on a
      single spatial length scale, usually, mean grain diameter. However, several
      microscopy studies suggest that most metals have a log normal distribution of
      grain sizes. In this study, grain size distribution is discussed within the
      context of previous attenuation models valid for arbitrary crystallite
      symmetries. Results are presented for titanium using a range of distribution
      means and widths assuming equiaxed grains and no preferred crystallographic
      orientation. The longitudinal and shear attenuations are shown to vary with
      respect to the frequency dependence for varying distribution widths even when the
      volumetric mean grain size is held constant. Furthermore, the results suggest
      that grain size estimates based on attenuation can have large errors if the
      distribution is neglected. This work is anticipated to play an important role in
      microstructural characterization research associated with ultrasonic scattering.

PMID- 28618814
TI  - Three-dimensional-printed membrane-type acoustic metamaterial for low frequency
      sound attenuation.
AB  - Membrane-type acoustic metamaterials have received much attention for low
      frequency sound manipulation, especially in the form of decorated membrane
      resonators. In this paper, such resonators are obtained using fused deposition
      modeling. Beyond the practical aspects provided by this manufacturing method, the
      low density of the flexible filament used increases their effectiveness. Indeed,
      the mass usually added to the membrane center can easily be divided into several
      disjoint elements. Using rotary inertia of the added structures, new peaks of
      efficiency in both absorption and normal transmission loss appear when compared
      to usual decorated membrane resonators.

PMID- 28618815
TI  - Convolutional neural network-based automatic classification of midsagittal tongue
      gestural targets using B-mode ultrasound images.
AB  - Tongue gestural target classification is of great interest to researchers in the
      speech production field. Recently, deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) have
      shown superiority to standard feature extraction techniques in a variety of
      domains. In this letter, both CNN-based speaker-dependent and speaker-independent
      tongue gestural target classification experiments are conducted to classify
      tongue gestures during natural speech production. The CNN-based method achieves
      state-of-the-art performance, even though no pre-training of the CNN (with the
      exception of a data augmentation preprocessing) was carried out.

PMID- 28618816
TI  - Test of single degree of freedom acoustic treatment impedance models for
      multimodal acoustic propagation in duct with flow.
AB  - Passive acoustic treatments, also called liners, are the main solution to noise
      problems. The Single Degree Of Freedom (SDOF) acoustic treatment, composed of a
      thin material (perforated plate) affixed to air cavities with a rigid bottom,
      constitutes a solution. Predicting sound level reduction by an SDOF treatment
      requires reliable acoustic impedance models. An experimental/numerical method has
      been developed for a duct with an acoustic treatment to test acoustic impedance
      models of SDOF treatment with a multimodal propagation in the presence of a mean
      flow. This method is based on the comparison of experimental results from an
      aeroacoustic bench composed of a circular duct with a treated area, and numerical
      results from an FEM-PML axisymmetric model based on Galbrun's equation. The
      numerical results are confronted with experimental results to test impedance
      models up to M0=+/-0.25.

PMID- 28618818
TI  - Passive bottom reflection-loss estimation using ship noise and a vertical line
      array.
AB  - An existing technique for passive bottom-loss estimation from natural marine
      surface noise (generated by waves and wind) is adapted to use noise generated by
      ships. The original approach-based on beamforming of the noise field recorded by
      a vertical line array of hydrophones-is retained; however, additional processing
      is needed in order for the field generated by a passing ship to show features
      that are similar to those of the natural surface-noise field. A necessary
      requisite is that the ship position, relative to the array, varies over as wide a
      range of steering angles as possible, ideally passing directly over the array to
      ensure coverage of the steepest angles. The methodology is illustrated through
      simulation and applied to data from a field experiment conducted offshore of San
      Diego, CA in 2009.

PMID- 28618817
TI  - An algorithm to increase intelligibility for hearing-impaired listeners in the
      presence of a competing talker.
AB  - Individuals with hearing impairment have particular difficulty perceptually
      segregating concurrent voices and understanding a talker in the presence of a
      competing voice. In contrast, individuals with normal hearing perform this task
      quite well. This listening situation represents a very different problem for both
      the human and machine listener, when compared to perceiving speech in other types
      of background noise. A machine learning algorithm is introduced here to address
      this listening situation. A deep neural network was trained to estimate the ideal
      ratio mask for a male target talker in the presence of a female competing talker.
      The monaural algorithm was found to produce sentence-intelligibility increases
      for hearing-impaired (HI) and normal-hearing (NH) listeners at various signal-to
      noise ratios (SNRs). This benefit was largest for the HI listeners and averaged
      59%-points at the least-favorable SNR, with a maximum of 87%-points. The mean
      intelligibility achieved by the HI listeners using the algorithm was equivalent
      to that of young NH listeners without processing, under conditions of identical
      interference. Possible reasons for the limited ability of HI listeners to
      perceptually segregate concurrent voices are reviewed as are possible
      implementation considerations for algorithms like the current one.

PMID- 28618819
TI  - Evaluation of uncertainty for regularized deconvolution: A case study in
      hydrophone measurements.
AB  - An estimation of the measurand in dynamic metrology usually requires a
      deconvolution based on a dynamic calibration of the measuring system. Since
      deconvolution is, mathematically speaking, an ill-posed inverse problem, some
      kind of regularization is required to render the problem stable and obtain usable
      results. Many approaches to regularized deconvolution exist in the literature,
      but the corresponding evaluation of measurement uncertainties is, in general, an
      unsolved issue. In particular, the uncertainty contribution of the regularization
      itself is a topic of great importance, because it has a significant impact on the
      estimation result. Here, a versatile approach is proposed to express prior
      knowledge about the measurand based on a flexible, low-dimensional modeling of an
      upper bound on the magnitude spectrum of the measurand. This upper bound allows
      the derivation of an uncertainty associated with the regularization method in
      line with the guidelines in metrology. As a case study for the proposed method,
      hydrophone measurements in medical ultrasound with an acoustic working frequency
      of up to 7.5 MHz are considered, but the approach is applicable for all kinds of
      estimation methods in dynamic metrology, where regularization is required and
      which can be expressed as a multiplication in the frequency domain.

PMID- 28618820
TI  - Onset of barotrauma injuries related to number of pile driving strike exposures
      in hybrid striped bass.
AB  - Previous studies exploring injury response to pile driving in fishes presented
      exposure paradigms (>900 strikes) that emulated circumstances where fish would
      not leave an area being ensonified. Those studies did not, however, address the
      question of how many strikes are needed before injuries appear. Thus, the number
      of strikes paired with a constant single strike sound exposure level (SELss) that
      can cause injuries is not yet clear. In order to examine this question, hybrid
      striped bass (white bass Morone chrysops * striped bass Morone saxatilis) were
      exposed to 8-384 strikes in three different SELss treatments that generated
      different cumulative sound exposure level values. The treatment with the highest
      SELss values caused swim bladder injuries in fish exposed to as few as eight pile
      strikes. These results have important implications for pile driving operations
      where SELss values meet or exceed the exposure levels used in this study.

PMID- 28618821
TI  - Low-intensity ultrasound activates vestibular otolith organs through acoustic
      radiation force.
AB  - The present study examined the efficacy of 5 MHz low-intensity focused ultrasound
      (LiFU) as a stimulus to remotely activate inner ear vestibular otolith organs.
      The otolith organs are the primary sensory apparati responsible for detecting
      orientation of the head relative to gravity and linear acceleration in three
      dimensional space. These organs also respond to loud sounds and vibration of the
      temporal bone. The oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau, was used to facilitate
      unobstructed acoustic access to the otolith organs in vivo. Single-unit responses
      to amplitude-modulated LiFU were recorded in afferent neurons identified as
      innervating the utricle or the saccule. Neural responses were equivalent to
      direct mechanical stimulation, and arose from the nonlinear acoustic radiation
      force acting on the otolithic mass. The magnitude of the acoustic radiation force
      acting on the otolith was measured ex vivo. Results demonstrate that LiFU stimuli
      can be tuned to mimic directional forces occurring naturally during physiological
      movements of the head, loud air conducted sound, or bone conducted vibration.

PMID- 28618822
TI  - Precision and bias in estimating detection distances for beaked whale
      echolocation clicks using a two-element vertical hydrophone array.
AB  - Detection distances are critical for cetacean density and abundance estimation
      using distance sampling methods. Data from a drifting buoy system consisting of
      an autonomous recorder and a two-element vertical hydrophone array at ~100-m
      depth are used to evaluate three methods for estimating the horizontal distance
      (range) to beaked whales making echolocation clicks. The precision in estimating
      time-differences-of-arrival (TDOA) for direct- and surface-reflected-path clicks
      is estimated empirically using repeated measures over short time periods. A
      Teager-Kaiser energy detector is used to improve estimates of TDOA for surface
      reflected signals. Simulations show that array tilt in the direction of the
      source cannot be reliably estimated given this array geometry and these
      measurements of TDOA error, which means that range cannot be reliably estimated.
      If array tilt can be reduced to less than 0.5 degrees , range can be reliably
      estimated up to ~3000 m. If array depth is increased to 200 m and array tilt is
      less than 1 degrees , range can be reliably estimated up to ~5000 m. Prior
      information on the depth of vocalizing beaked whales and estimates of declination
      angle can be used to precisely estimate range, but different analytical methods
      are required to avoid bias and to treat distributions of depth probabilistically.

PMID- 28618823
TI  - Effects of rhythm and phrase-final lengthening on word-spotting in Korean.
AB  - A word-spotting experiment was conducted to investigate whether rhythmic
      consistency and phrase-final lengthening facilitate performance in Korean.
      Listeners had to spot disyllabic and trisyllabic words in nonsense strings
      organized in phrases with either the same or variable syllable count; phrase
      final lengthening was absent, or occurring either in all phrases or only in the
      phrase immediately preceding the target. The results show that, for disyllabic
      targets, inconsistent syllable count and lengthening before the target led to
      fewer errors. For trisyllabic targets, accuracy was at ceiling, but final
      lengthening in all phrases reduced reaction times. The results imply that both
      rhythmic consistency (i.e., regular syllable count) and phrase-final lengthening
      play a role in word-spotting and, by extension, in speech processing in Korean,
      as in other languages. However, the results also reflect the language specific
      role of prosodic cues. First, the cues here were used primarily with disyllabic
      targets, which were cognitively more demanding to process partly due to their
      high phonological neighborhood density. Second, the facilitating effect of
      rhythmic consistency was weak, possibly because strict consistency is not present
      in spoken Korean. Overall, rhythmic consistency facilitated spotting when targets
      mapped onto phrases, confirming the importance of phrasal organization in Korean
      speech processing.

PMID- 28618824
TI  - Space-frequency coded orthogonal signal-division multiplexing over underwater
      acoustic channels.
AB  - Orthogonal signal-division multiplexing (OSDM) is a newly emerged modulation
      scheme which provides a generalized framework unifying conventional orthogonal
      frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and single-carrier frequency domain
      equalization. In this letter, a space-frequency block coding (SFBC) scheme based
      on OSDM is proposed for time-varying underwater acoustic channels. The receiver
      processing includes Doppler compensation, channel estimation, space-frequency
      decoding, and equalization. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate its
      superiority over the existing SFBC-OFDM counterpart.

PMID- 28618825
TI  - Spectral equalization in binaural signals represented by order-truncated
      spherical harmonics.
AB  - The synthesis of binaural signals from spherical microphone array recordings has
      been recently proposed. The limited spatial resolution of the reproduced signal
      due to order-limited reproduction has been previously investigated perceptually,
      showing spatial perception ramifications, such as poor source localization and
      limited externalization. Furthermore, this spatial order limitation also has a
      detrimental effect on the frequency content of the signal and its perceived
      timbre, due to the rapid roll-off at high frequencies. In this paper, the
      underlying causes of this spectral roll-off are described mathematically and
      investigated numerically. A digital filter that equalizes the frequency spectrum
      of a low spatial order signal is introduced and evaluated. A comprehensive
      listening test was conducted to study the influence of the filter on the
      perception of the reproduced sound. Results indicate that the suggested filter is
      beneficial for restoring the timbral composition of order-truncated binaural
      signals, while conserving, and even improving, some spatial properties of the
      signal.

PMID- 28618826
TI  - A Marchenko equation for acoustic inverse source problems.
AB  - From acoustics to medical imaging and seismology, one strives to make inferences
      about the structure of complex media from acoustic wave observations. This study
      proposes a solution that is derived from the multidimensional Marchenko equation,
      to learn about the acoustic source distribution inside a volume, given a set of
      observations outside the volume. Traditionally, this problem has been solved by
      backpropagation of the recorded signals. However, to achieve accurate results
      through backpropagation, a detailed model of the medium should be known and
      observations should be collected along a boundary that completely encloses the
      volume of excitation. In practice, these requirements are often not fulfilled and
      artifacts can emerge, especially in the presence of strong contrasts in the
      medium. On the contrary, the proposed methodology can be applied with a single
      observation boundary only, without the need of a detailed model. In order to
      achieve this, additional multi-offset ultrasound reflection data must be acquired
      at the observation boundary. The methodology is illustrated with one-dimensional
      synthetics of a photoacoustic imaging experiment. A distribution of
      simultaneously acting sources is recovered in the presence of sharp density
      perturbations both below and above the embedded sources, which result in
      significant scattering that complicates the use of conventional methods.

PMID- 28618828
TI  - Pavement type and wear condition classification from tire cavity acoustic
      measurements with artificial neural networks.
AB  - Tire road noise is the major contributor to traffic noise, which leads to general
      annoyance, speech interference, and sleep disturbances. Standardized methods to
      measure tire road noise are expensive, sophisticated to use, and they cannot be
      applied comprehensively. This paper presents a method to automatically classify
      different types of pavement and the wear condition to identify noisy road
      surfaces. The methods are based on spectra of time series data of the tire cavity
      sound, acquired under normal vehicle operation. The classifier, an artificial
      neural network, correctly predicts three pavement types, whereas there are few
      bidirectional mis-classifications for two pavements, which have similar physical
      characteristics. The performance measures of the classifier to predict a new or
      worn out condition are over 94.6%. One could create a digital map with the output
      of the presented method. On the basis of these digital maps, road segments with a
      strong impact on tire road noise could be automatically identified. Furthermore,
      the method can estimate the road macro-texture, which has an impact on the tire
      road friction especially on wet conditions. Overall, this digital map would have
      a great benefit for civil engineering departments, road infrastructure operators,
      and for advanced driver assistance systems.

PMID- 28618829
TI  - Detection of an undersea acoustic communications network by an energy detector.
AB  - A theory is presented for the upper bound on the mean time tau to the detection
      of an undersea acoustic communications network by an energy detector whose
      initial position and heading are uniformly distributed random variables. The
      network is an infinite square grid of omnidirectional transmit-receive nodes on a
      flat bottom. Each node transmits to one nearest neighbor at a bit-rate R equal to
      Shannon's capacity, maximizing tau. The network sets a signaling bandwidth W and
      node-spacing D. The detector sets a false-alarm rate, integration time, height
      above the bottom, and speed. For W = 5 kHz and D = 1 km, tau is computed as a
      function of R in 200 -m water with propagation varying from spherical to
      cylindrical spreading, volume absorption of 2 dB per km (corresponding
      approximately to 15 kHz), and illustrative values for other parameters.

PMID- 28618830
TI  - Acoustic levitation of an object larger than the acoustic wavelength.
AB  - Levitation and manipulation of objects by sound waves have a wide range of
      applications in chemistry, biology, material sciences, and engineering. However,
      the current acoustic levitation techniques are mainly restricted to particles
      that are much smaller than the acoustic wavelength. In this work, it is shown
      that acoustic standing waves can be employed to stably levitate an object much
      larger than the acoustic wavelength in air. The levitation of a large slightly
      curved object weighting 2.3 g is demonstrated by using a device formed by two 25
      kHz ultrasonic Langevin transducers connected to an aluminum plate. The sound
      wave emitted by the device provides a vertical acoustic radiation force to
      counteract gravity and a lateral restoring force that ensure horizontal stability
      to the levitated object. In order to understand the levitation stability, a
      numerical model based on the finite element method is used to determine the
      acoustic radiation force that acts on the object.

PMID- 28618831
TI  - Effect of inhomogeneous temperature fields on acoustic streaming structures in
      resonators.
AB  - Acoustic streaming in 2D rectangular resonant channels filled with a fluid with a
      spatial temperature distribution is studied within this work. An inertial force
      is assumed for driving the acoustic field; the temperature inhomogeneity is
      introduced by resonator walls with prescribed temperature distribution. The
      method of successive approximations is employed to derive linear equations for
      calculation of primary acoustic and time-averaged secondary fields including the
      streaming velocity. The model equations have a standard form which allows their
      numerical integration using a universal solver; in this case, COMSOL Multiphysics
      was employed. The numerical results show that fluid temperature variations in the
      direction perpendicular to the resonator axis influence strongly the streaming
      field if the ratio of the channel width and the viscous boundary layer thickness
      is big enough; the streaming in the Rayleigh vortices can be supported as well as
      opposed, which can ultimately lead to the appearance of additional vortices.

PMID- 28618832
TI  - Broadband focusing of underwater sound using a transparent pentamode lens.
AB  - An inhomogeneous acoustic metamaterial lens based on spatial variation of
      refractive index for broadband focusing of underwater sound is reported. The
      index gradient follows a modified hyperbolic secant profile designed to reduce
      aberration and suppress side lobes. The gradient index (GRIN) lens is comprised
      of transversely isotropic hexagonal microstructures with tunable quasi-static
      bulk modulus and mass density. In addition, the unit cells are impedance-matched
      to water and have in-plane shear modulus negligible compared to the effective
      bulk modulus. The flat GRIN lens is fabricated by cutting hexagonal centimeter
      scale hollow microstructures in aluminum plates, which are then stacked and
      sealed from the exterior water. Broadband focusing effects are observed within
      the homogenization regime of the lattice in both finite element simulations and
      underwater measurements (20-40 kHz). This design approach has potential
      applications in medical ultrasound imaging and underwater acoustic
      communications.

PMID- 28618833
TI  - Formulae for predicting non-acoustical parameters of deformed fibrous porous
      materials.
AB  - Formulae to predict non-acoustical parameters (i.e., flow resistivity,
      tortuosity, and viscous and thermal characteristic lengths) of deformed fibrous
      porous materials are proposed provided that the original values of these
      parameters are known in advance. These formulae are developed using numerical
      fluid analyses. The flow resistivity was calculated by using the finite element
      method for a two-dimensional incompressible viscous fluid approximated by Oseen
      flow. The tortuosity and characteristic lengths were calculated by using the
      complex variable boundary element method for a two-dimensional potential flow.
      These calculations showed that the flow resistivity was inversely proportional to
      the porosity multiplied by the three-halves power of the compression ratio, that
      the tortuosity can be represented by a linear expression of the porosity, and
      that both characteristic lengths changed in the same manner with respect to the
      porosity. These tendencies agreed well with measurements of real glass wools of
      various bulk densities. The proposed prediction formulae for the parameters were
      then derived from the tendencies obtained from the numerical analyses. The
      predicted parameter values were compared with the calculated parameters and good
      agreement was obtained, confirming the validity of the proposed formulae.

PMID- 28618835
TI  - Effect of Psychosocial Factors on Eating Behaviors and BMI Among African American
      Women.
AB  - Psychosocial stress and negative emotions have been associated with the
      consumption of highly palatable foods and excess weight. Few studies have
      examined these variable relationships among young African American women. The
      purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of
      perceived stress, depressive symptoms, eating behaviors, and body mass index
      (BMI) among 191 African American women who were 18 to 40 years old. Multivariate
      analysis indicated that depressive symptoms had a greater impact on highly
      palatable eating behaviors compared with perceived stress. This study extends
      understanding of depressive symptoms on eating behaviors among young African
      American women.

PMID- 28618834
TI  - Psychophysical and modeling approaches towards determining the cochlear phase
      response based on interaural time differences.
AB  - The cochlear phase response is often estimated by measuring masking of a tonal
      target by harmonic complexes with various phase curvatures. Maskers yielding most
      modulated internal envelope representations after passing the cochlear filter are
      thought to produce minimum masking, with fast-acting cochlear compression as the
      main contributor to that effect. Thus, in hearing-impaired (HI) listeners,
      reduced cochlear compression hampers estimation of the phase response using the
      masking method. This study proposes an alternative approach, based on the effect
      of the envelope modulation strength on the sensitivity to interaural time
      differences (ITDs). To evaluate the general approach, ITD thresholds were
      measured in seven normal-hearing listeners using 300-ms Schroeder-phase harmonic
      complexes with nine different phase curvatures. ITD thresholds tended to be
      lowest for phase curvatures roughly similar to those previously shown to produce
      minimum masking. However, an unexpected ITD threshold peak was consistently
      observed for a particular negative phase curvature. An auditory-nerve based ITD
      model predicted the general pattern of ITD thresholds except for the threshold
      peak, as well as published envelope ITD data. Model predictions simulating outer
      hair cell loss support the feasibility of the ITD-based approach to estimate the
      phase response in HI listeners.

PMID- 28618836
TI  - Comparing EEG Nonlinearity in Deficit and Nondeficit Schizophrenia Patients:
      Preliminary Data.
AB  - Electroencephalogram (EEG) contains valuable information obtained noninvasively
      that can be used for assessment of brain's processing capacity of patients with
      psychiatric disorders. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate possible
      differences in EEG complexity between deficit (DS) and nondeficit (NDS) subtypes
      of schizophrenia as a reflection of the cognitive processing capacities in these
      groups. A particular nonlinear metric known as Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) was
      used as a computational tool in order to determine the randomness in EEG alpha
      band time series from 3 groups (deficit schizophrenia [n = 9], nondeficit
      schizophrenia [n = 10], and healthy controls [n = 10]) according to time series
      randomness. There was a significant difference in frontal EEG complexity between
      the DS and NDS subgroups ( p = .013), with DS group showing less complexity. A
      significant positive correlation was found between LZC values and Positive and
      Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) general psychopathology scores (ie, larger
      frontal EEG complexity correlated with more severe psychopathology), explained
      partially by the emotional component subscore of the PANSS. These findings
      suggest that cognitive processing occurring in the frontal networks in DS is less
      complex compared to NDS patients as reflected by EEG complexity measures. The
      data also suggest that there may be a relationship between the degree of
      emotionality and the complexity of the frontal EEG signal.

PMID- 28618837
TI  - Fish and Meat Are Often Withheld From the Diets of Infants 6 to 12 Months in Fish
      Farming Households in Rural Bangladesh.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fish is a widely available animal-source food in Bangladesh and a
      rich source of nutrients, yet little is known about practices related to
      incorporating fish into the diets of infants and young children. OBJECTIVE: Use
      dietary diversity data to explore consumption patterns of fish and high-quality
      food items within the household and examine factors associated with delayed
      introduction of fish to infants and young children. METHODS: Cross-sectional
      survey of 496 households with children <36 months participating in the
      Aquaculture for Income and Nutrition project in Bangladesh. Data collected
      included household characteristics, women's dietary diversity score, and minimum
      dietary diversity score along with data on Infant and Young Child Feeding
      practices. RESULTS: Most children (63.4%) met the threshold for minimum dietary
      diversity. Despite having received extensive nutrition education related to
      including fish in complementary foods, only half of the caretakers introduced
      fish at 6 months and the mean age of introduction of small fish was 8.7 months.
      Meat and fish were not common in infant diets but increased with child age.
      Concerns about bones were a major barrier to incorporating fish into infant
      diets. CONCLUSION: Given its nutrient profile and widespread availability in
      certain contexts, fish could be an underutilized opportunity to improve nutrition
      and health outcomes of infants and young children. Further research, including
      utilizing food processing technologies, is needed to develop appropriate
      responses to overcome these barriers.

PMID- 28618838
TI  - Regression tree analysis of ecological momentary assessment data.
AB  - An increasingly popular form of data collection in health psychology research is
      Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA); that is, using diaries or smartphones to
      collect intensive longitudinal data. This method is increasingly applied to the
      study of relationships between state-based aspects of individuals' functioning
      and health outcomes (e.g., binge eating, alcohol use). Analysis of such data is
      challenging and regression tree modelling (RTM) may be a useful alternative to
      multilevel modelling for investigating the association between a set of
      explanatory variables and a continuous outcome. Furthermore, RTM outputs
      'decision trees' that could be used by health practitioners to guide assessment
      and tailor intervention. In contrast to regression, RTM is able to easily
      accommodate many complex, higher-order interactions between predictor variables
      (without the need to create explicit interaction terms). These benefits make the
      technique useful for those interested in monitoring and intervening upon health
      and psychological outcomes (e.g., mood, eating behaviour, risky alcohol use, and
      treatment adherence). Using real data, this paper demonstrates both the benefits
      and limitations of RTM and how to extend these models to accommodate analysis of
      nested data; that is, data that arise from EMA where repeated observations are
      nested within individuals.

PMID- 28618840
TI  - Cardiac surgery in solid organ transplant recipients: a clinical challenge.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Due to continuous improvement of transplant medicine, the number of
      solid organ transplant recipients in need of cardiac surgery is constantly
      growing. The objective of this work was to compare different reports on outcomes
      in patients with previous solid organ transplant after cardiac surgery. Areas
      covered: Published studies containing data about solid organ transplant
      recipients: renal, hepatic, pancreas or combined were identified through med-line
      research. Reported outcomes were categorized according to short- and long term
      follow up and the presence or absence of a match-group. All data reported was
      analyzed in a retrospective manner. Throughout the studies, authors have reported
      acceptable short term mortality and morbidity for solid organ transplant
      recipients, which however was increased when compared to matched population.
      Expert commentary: This review summarizes chief findings concerning cardiac
      surgery in recipients of solid organ transplantations, as reported in current
      literature, with the aim of highlighting clinical aspects, which play a potential
      role in the short and long term-outcome of these patients.

PMID- 28618841
TI  - Assessment of solid microneedle rollers to enhance transmembrane delivery of
      doxycycline and inhibition of MMP activity.
AB  - Many chronic wounds exhibit high matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity that
      impedes the normal wound healing process. Intradermal delivery (IDD) of sub
      antimicrobial concentrations of doxycycline, as an MMP inhibitor, could target
      early stages of chronic wound development and inhibit further wound progression.
      To deliver doxycycline intradermally, the skin barrier must be disrupted.
      Microneedle rollers offer a minimally invasive technique to penetrate the skin by
      creating multiple microchannels that act as temporary conduits for drugs to
      diffuse through. In this study, an innovative and facile approach for delivery of
      doxycycline across Strat-MTM membrane was investigated using microneedle rollers.
      The quantity and rate of doxycycline diffusing through the micropores directly
      correlated with increasing microneedle lengths (250, 500 and 750 MUm). Treatment
      of Strat-MTM with microneedle rollers resulted in a reduction in fibroblast
      mediated collagen gel contraction and MMP activity compared with untreated Strat
      MTM. Our results show that treatment of an epidermal mimetic with microneedle
      rollers provides sufficient permeabilization for doxycycline diffusion and
      inhibition of MMP activity. We conclude that microneedle rollers are a promising,
      clinically ready tool suitable for delivery of doxycycline intradermally to treat
      chronic wounds.

PMID- 28618839
TI  - Sphingosine kinase and sphingosine-1-phosphate in liver pathobiology.
AB  - Over 20 years ago, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) was discovered to be a bioactive
      signaling molecule. Subsequent studies later identified two related kinases,
      sphingosine kinase 1 and 2, which are responsible for the phosphorylation of
      sphingosine to S1P. Many stimuli increase sphingosine kinase activity and S1P
      production and secretion. Outside the cell, S1P can bind to and activate five S1P
      specific G protein-coupled receptors (S1PR1-5) to regulate many important
      cellular and physiological processes in an autocrine or paracrine manner. S1P is
      found in high concentrations in the blood where it functions to control vascular
      integrity and trafficking of lymphocytes. Obesity increases blood S1P levels in
      humans and mice. With the world wide increase in obesity linked to consumption of
      high-fat, high-sugar diets, S1P is emerging as an accomplice in liver
      pathobiology, including acute liver failure, metabolic syndrome, control of blood
      lipid and glucose homeostasis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and liver
      fibrosis. Here, we review recent research on the importance of sphingosine
      kinases, S1P, and S1PRs in liver pathobiology, with a focus on exciting insights
      for new therapeutic modalities that target S1P signaling axes for a variety of
      liver diseases.

PMID- 28618842
TI  - ALSUntangled 40: Ayahuasca.

PMID- 28618843
TI  - Risk of cardiac death among cancer survivors in the United States: a SEER
      database analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Population-based data on the risk of cardiac death among cancer
      survivors are needed. This scenario was evaluated in cancer survivors (>5 years)
      registered within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.
      METHODS: The SEER database was queried using SEER*Stat to determine the frequency
      of cardiac death compared to other causes of death; and to determine heart
      disease-specific and cancer-specific survival rates in survivors of each of the
      10 most common cancers in men and women in the SEER database. RESULTS: For cancer
      specific survival rate, the highest rates were related to thyroid cancer
      survivors; while the lowest rates were related to lung cancer survivors. For
      heart disease-specific survival rate, the highest rates were related to thyroid
      cancer survivors; while the lowest rates were related to both lung cancer
      survivors and urinary bladder cancer survivors. The following factors were
      associated with a higher likelihood of cardiac death: male gender, old age at
      diagnosis, black race and local treatment with radiotherapy rather than surgery
      (P < 0.0001 for all parameters). CONCLUSION: Among cancer survivors (>5 years),
      cardiac death is a significant cause of death and there is a wide variability
      among different cancers in the relative importance of cardiac death vs. cancer
      related death.

PMID- 28618844
TI  - Endovascular treatment of malignant superior vena cava syndrome secondary to lung
      cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Superior Vena Cava obstruction results in severe oedema of the upper
      thorax. Endovascular treatment allows a rapid restoration of the blood flow with
      a rapid resolution of symptoms. We retrospectively report a single institution's
      experience in stent placement for malignant Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (SVCS)
      caused by lung cancer. METHODS: Thirty-three consecutive patients (23 men, 10
      women; median age, 57.6 years; range 34-71 years) who underwent endovascular SVCS
      palliative treatment were enrolled between August 2002 and June 2015. All
      patients presented SVCS secondary to lung cancer. Signs and symptoms of SVCS were
      scored. RESULTS: All procedures were successfully completed (100% technical
      success rate). Twenty-eight patients showed a progressive clinical improvement
      after endovascular treatment of SVCS (84.8% clinical success rate) within 48
      hours, there were five clinical failures which improved progressively with
      posterior radiotherapy. During follow-up, three patients (9%) suffered intra or
      post-procedural complications (1 cardiac arrhythmia, 2 stent thrombosis).
      CONCLUSIONS: Stent placement in malignant SVCS seems to be an effective and rapid
      treatment for the relief of symptoms and quality of life improvement with a
      relatively low complications rate with a rapid resolution of symptoms. Therefore,
      it should be seriously considered as the first option in the SVC obstruction
      treatment.

PMID- 28618845
TI  - Evaluation of cognitive and social functioning in patients requiring long-term
      inpatient psychiatric care using the International Classification of Functioning,
      Disability, and Health: a large-scale, multi-institutional observational study.
AB  - PURPOSE: We comprehensively evaluated cognitive and social functioning in
      patients requiring long-term inpatient psychiatric care using the International
      Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. METHOD: We surveyed 1967
      patients receiving long-term inpatient psychiatric care. Patients were further
      categorized into an old long-stay group (n = 892, >5 years in hospitals) and a
      new long-stay group (n = 1075, 1-5 years in hospitals). We obtained responses for
      all the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health items
      in domain b (Body Functions) and domain d (Activities and Participation). We
      estimated weighted means for each item using the propensity score to adjust for
      confounding factors. RESULTS: Responses were received from 307 hospitals
      (response rate of hospitals: 25.5%). Cognitive and social functioning in the old
      long-stay group was more severely impaired than in the new long-stay group. No
      statistically significant differences were observed regarding the International
      Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health items associated with basic
      activities of daily living between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Combined therapy
      consisting of cognitive remediation and rehabilitation on social functioning for
      this patient population should be started from the early stage of
      hospitalization. Non-restrictive, independent environments may also be optimal
      for this patient population. Implications for rehabilitation Rehabilitation of
      cognitive and social functioning for patients requiring long-term inpatient
      psychiatric care should be started in the early stages of hospitalization. In
      psychiatric fields, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability,
      and Health checklist could facilitate individualized rehabilitation planning by
      allowing healthcare professionals to visually assess the comprehensive
      functioning of each patient using graphics such as radar charts.

PMID- 28618846
TI  - Comparison of Direct Iliofemoral Stenting Following AngioJet Rheolytic
      Thrombectomy vs Staged Stenting After AngioJet Rheolytic Thrombectomy Plus
      Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis in Patients With Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the treatment outcomes in patients with acute proximal deep
      vein thrombosis (DVT) and iliofemoral stenosis who underwent either direct
      stenting after AngioJet rheolytic thrombectomy or staged stenting after AngioJet
      thrombectomy plus catheter-directed thrombolysis with urokinase. METHODS: From
      June 2014 to February 2016, 91 DVT patients underwent 2 treatments for duplex
      verified iliofemoral stenosis: direct stenting (n = 46; mean age 54.8 years; 32
      men) or staged stenting (n = 45; mean age 56.5 years; 27 men). The degree of
      patency after thrombectomy or thrombolysis was evaluated using the Venous
      Registry Index (VRI), while the risk of postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) was
      evaluated according to the Villalta scale. Patients were followed with periodic
      duplex ultrasound scans up to 1 year. RESULTS: The technical success rates were
      100% in both groups; there was no 30-day mortality. Immediate (24-hour) clinical
      improvement was achieved in 42 (91%) of 46 direct group patients vs 33 (73%) of
      45 staged group patients (p<0.001). A significant reduction (p<0.001) in the
      length of hospital stay was noted in the direct group (4.59+/-0.91) compared with
      that in the staged group (5.8+/-1.6). The stents used in the direct group were
      longer but with similar diameter compared with the staged group. The thrombolysis
      rates were 81.50%+/-5.76% in the direct group and 85.67%+/-3.84% in the staged
      group (p<0.001). The VRIs declined (improved) significantly in both groups
      (11.68+/-1.92 to 3.21+/-1.44 in the direct group and 12.17+/-2.29 to 2.36+/-1.19
      in the staged group, both p<0.001). The Villalta scores were significantly better
      in the staged group (p<0.001). Recurrent DVT occurred in 2 patients in the direct
      group. The primary patency rates at 1 year were 93.5% in the direct group and
      97.8% in the staged group (p=0.323). CONCLUSION: Both direct and staged stenting
      are effective treatment modalities for patients with acute proximal DVT. Compared
      with staged stenting, direct stenting provides similar treatment success and a
      significant reduction in the length of hospital stay; however, it has lower
      thrombolysis efficacy, and the risk of PTS at 1 year is greater with direct
      stenting.

PMID- 28618847
TI  - A Fatal Aortic Arch Rupture Due to Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis in a 24
      year-old Woman.
AB  - Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a life-threatening disease which
      often develops from a purulent infection of the oral cavity and is associated
      with high rates of mortality. Here we report the case of a young patient who died
      from an aortic arch rupture in context of DNM developed from an odontogenic
      infection caused by Prevotella buccae. Based on the current knowledge on this
      very rare vascular complication, we discuss factors that may have contributed to
      this fatal issue and future issues to optimize care provided to patients.

PMID- 28618848
TI  - The stroke caregiving trajectory in relation to caregiver depressive symptoms,
      burden, and intervention outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Caregiver depression and burden have a detrimental effect on stroke
      survivors' rehabilitation and are contributors to stroke survivors' hospital
      readmission and institutionalization. The stroke caregiving trajectory is unique
      compared to other illnesses, and the effect of length of caregiving on stroke
      caregiver outcomes is poorly understood. Interventions can improve caregiver
      outcomes, but the optimal timing of these interventions is unclear. OBJECTIVES:
      We sought to determine the relationship between: (1) length of caregiving and
      stroke caregiver depressive symptoms and burden, and (2) length of caregiving and
      amount of change in depressive symptoms and burden following the Resources and
      Education for Stroke Caregivers' Understanding and Empowerment (RESCUE)
      intervention - an online and telephone problem-solving, education, and support
      intervention. METHODS: We analyzed retrospective data collected from 72 stroke
      caregivers who participated in the RESCUE intervention. Outcomes were caregiver
      depressive symptoms and burden. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects regression
      analysis. RESULTS: Baseline depressive symptoms and burden were both negatively
      related to length of caregiving (p < 0.05). We found significant improvement in
      caregiver depressive symptoms and burden following an intervention. The
      interaction between changes in outcomes and length of caregiving was not
      significant for either depressive symptoms (p = 0.26) or burden (p = 0.10).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship
      between length of caregiving and depression, burden, and intervention outcomes.
      Clinicians should recognize that the stroke caregiving trajectory can be
      nonlinear. Routine and repeated clinical assessment of caregiver well-being is
      needed, along with implementation of interventions when necessary, regardless of
      how much time has passed since the stroke.

PMID- 28618849
TI  - Mycotoxins, trace elements, and phthalates in marketed rice of different origin
      and exposure assessment.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine levels of 11 mycotoxins, 10 trace
      elements, and 6 phthalates in rice samples from Serbian and Chinese market.
      Mycotoxins were not detected in any of the analysed rice samples. Results
      revealed similar median levels for following elements: Mn, 17.5 and 15.7 mg kg-1;
      Fe, 2.47 and 2.12 mg kg-1; Cu, 1.95 and 1.59 mg kg-1 in marketed samples from
      Serbia and China, respectively. Median concentration of Ni in Serbian marketed
      samples was 1.9 times higher than in Chinese ones. The median levels (ug kg-1) of
      phthalates ranged from 1.2 (benzylbutyl phthalate [BBP]) - 566 (di(2-ethyl-hexyl)
      phthalate [DEHP]) and 1.7 (BBP) - 348 (DEHP) in Serbian and Chinese marketed
      samples, respectively. The results were used to assess daily exposure of Serbian
      and Chinese adult consumers. The calculated target hazard quotients indicated
      that the potential risk attributable to the analysed contaminants in rice samples
      should not be of concern neither for the Serbian nor the Chinese consumers.

PMID- 28618850
TI  - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Cambodian smoked fish.
AB  - More than 85% of the population in Cambodia is strongly dependent on agriculture,
      of which freshwater aquaculture is one of the most important sources of food
      production. The smoked fish represents an important source of nutrients for
      Cambodian population; however, it can also lead to excessive intake of polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). A field survey was conducted among selected smoked
      fish producers near to Tonle Sap river in Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia. The
      study revealed that maximal limits for benzo[a]pyrene and the sum of four PAHs
      given by EC 1881/2006 were exceeded 2-50 times. Such burden can lead to increased
      risk of development of carcinogenic diseases.

PMID- 28618851
TI  - Crush Deformation of a Balloon-Expandable Stent Implanted in an Infrainguinal
      Bypass Graft.
AB  - A 59-year-old man with critical claudication underwent left femoro-anterior
      bypass grafting, which was uneventful. The graft was tunneled medially across the
      knee, then anterior to the tibia. His symptoms recurred 1 year later and he was
      found to have critical stenosis of the vein graft just proximal to the anterior
      tibial arterial anastomosis. This was treated with scaffolded balloon angioplasty
      and implantation of a coronary, zotarolimus-eluting balloon-expandable stent,
      which was also uneventful. However, his claudication again recurred 1 year later.
      Diagnostic angiography revealed crush, deformation and restenosis of the balloon
      expandable stent requiring surgical revision of the bypass graft.

PMID- 28618852
TI  - Low Vitamin D is Associated With Infections and Proinflammatory Cytokines During
      Pregnancy.
AB  - Vitamin D is known to regulate innate and adaptive immune processes at the
      cellular level, but the role of vitamin D status on associated inflammatory
      processes across pregnancy is unclear. Our primary objective was to evaluate the
      relationships between serum biomarkers of inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6, IL
      10, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha), acute-phase proteins (C-reactive protein
      and hepcidin) and vitamin D status, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), measured across pregnancy and in the neonate at
      birth. A second objective was to identify associations between vitamin D status
      and clinically diagnosed infections. In this study, 158 racially and ethnically
      diverse pregnant adolescents were recruited from the Rochester Adolescent
      Maternity Program (RAMP) in Rochester, NY. Serum 1,25(OH)2D was significantly
      lower in adolescents and neonates with IL-6 concentrations above the 75th
      percentile at delivery ( P = .04) and at birth ( P = .004), respectively. After
      adjusting for other potential covariates of inflammation, maternal serum
      1,25(OH)2D was significantly positively associated with TNF-alpha during
      pregnancy ( P = .02), but at delivery 1,25(OH)2D and TNF-alpha were inversely
      associated with one another ( P = .02). Teens with 25(OH)D concentrations <30
      ng/mL were more likely to test positive for candida ( P = .002) and bacterial
      vaginosis ( P = .02) during pregnancy. African Americans exhibited significantly
      lower TNF-alpha concentrations at both mid-gestation ( P = .009) and delivery ( P
      = .001) compared to the Caucasian adolescents. These results suggest that lower
      maternal vitamin D status may increase risk of infection across gestation.

PMID- 28618853
TI  - Editor's presentation.

PMID- 28618854
TI  - Verification of organ doses calculated by a dose monitoring software tool based
      on Monte Carlo Simulation in thoracic CT protocols.
AB  - Background The importance of monitoring of the radiation dose received by the
      human body during computed tomography (CT) examinations is not negligible.
      Several dose-monitoring software tools emerged in order to monitor and control
      dose distribution during CT examinations. Some software tools incorporate Monte
      Carlo Simulation (MCS) and allow calculation of effective dose and organ dose
      apart from standard dose descriptors. Purpose To verify the results of a dose
      monitoring software tool based on MCS in assessment of effective and organ doses
      in thoracic CT protocols. Material and Methods Phantom measurements were
      performed with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD LiF:Mg,Ti) using two different
      thoracic CT protocols of the clinical routine: (I) standard CT thorax (CTT); and
      (II) CTT with high-pitch mode, P = 3.2. Radiation doses estimated with MCS and
      measured with TLDs were compared. Results Inter-modality comparison showed an
      excellent correlation between MCS-simulated and TLD-measured doses ((I) after
      localizer correction r = 0.81; (II) r = 0.87). The following effective and organ
      doses were determined: (I) (a) effective dose = MCS 1.2 mSv, TLD 1.3 mSv; (b)
      thyroid gland = MCS 2.8 mGy, TLD 2.5 mGy; (c) thymus = MCS 3.1 mGy, TLD 2.5 mGy;
      (d) bone marrow = MCS 0.8 mGy, TLD 0.9 mGy; (e) breast = MCS 2.5 mGy, TLD 2.2
      mGy; (f) lung = MCS 2.8 mGy, TLD 2.7 mGy; (II) (a) effective dose = MCS 0.6 mSv,
      TLD 0.7 mSv; (b) thyroid gland = MCS 1.4 mGy, TLD 1.8 mGy; (c) thymus = MCS 1.4
      mGy, TLD 1.8 mGy; (d) bone marrow = MCS 0.4 mGy, TLD 0.5 mGy; (e) breast = MCS
      1.1 mGy, TLD 1.1 mGy; (f) lung = MCS 1.2 mGy, TLD 1.3 mGy. Conclusion Overall, in
      thoracic CT protocols, organ doses simulated by the dose-monitoring software tool
      were coherent to those measured by TLDs. Despite some challenges, the dose
      monitoring software was capable of an accurate dose calculation.

PMID- 28618855
TI  - Stability of and Factors Related to Medical Student Specialty Choice of
      Psychiatry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Targeted efforts are needed to increase the number of medical students
      choosing psychiatry, but little is known about when students decide on their
      specialty or what factors influence their choice. The authors examined the timing
      and stability of student career choice of psychiatry compared with other
      specialties and determined what pre- and intra-medical school factors were
      associated with choosing a career in psychiatry. METHOD: Using survey data from
      students who graduated from U.S. allopathic medical schools in 2013 and 2014
      (N=29,713), the authors computed rates of psychiatry specialty choice at the
      beginning and end of medical school and assessed the stability of that choice. A
      multivariate-adjusted logistic regression and recursive partitioning were used to
      determine the association of 29 factors with psychiatry specialty choice.
      RESULTS: Choice of psychiatry increased from 1.6% at the start of medical school
      to 4.1% at graduation. The stability of psychiatry specialty choice from
      matriculation to graduation, at just over 50%, was greater than for any other
      specialty. However, almost 80% of future psychiatrists did not indicate an
      inclination toward the specialty at matriculation. A rating of "excellent" for
      the psychiatry clerkship (odds ratio=2.66), a major in psychology in college
      (odds ratio=2.58), and valuing work-life balance (odds ratio=2.25) were the
      factors most strongly associated with psychiatry career choice. CONCLUSIONS:
      Students who enter medical school planning to become psychiatrists are likely to
      do so, but the vast majority of students who choose psychiatry do so during
      medical school. Increasing the percentage of medical students with undergraduate
      psychology majors and providing an exemplary psychiatry clerkship are modifiable
      factors that may increase the rate of psychiatry specialty choice.

PMID- 28618858
TI  - Equivalence of Laptop and Tablet Administrations of the Minnesota Multiphasic
      Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form.
AB  - The present study investigated the comparability of laptop computer- and tablet
      based administration modes for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2
      Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Employing a counterbalanced within-subjects
      design, the MMPI-2-RF was administered via both modes to a sample of college
      undergraduates ( N = 133). Administration modes were compared in terms of mean
      scale scores, internal consistency, test-retest consistency, external validity,
      and administration time. Mean scores were generally similar, and scores produced
      via both methods appeared approximately equal in terms of internal consistency
      and test-retest consistency. Scores from the two modalities also evidenced highly
      similar patterns of associations with external criteria. Notably, tablet
      administration of the MMPI-2-RF was substantially longer than laptop
      administration in the present study (mean difference 7.2 minutes, Cohen's d =
      .95). Overall, results suggest that varying administration mode between laptop
      and tablet has a negligible influence on MMPI-2-RF scores, providing evidence
      that these modes of administration can be considered psychometrically equivalent.

PMID- 28618857
TI  - State-Independent and Dependent Neural Responses to Psychosocial Stress in
      Current and Remitted Depression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Stress is a strong risk factor for major depressive disorder, while
      sensitization to stress in remitted individuals plays a key role in depression
      recurrence. The present study explored the state-independent (trait) and
      dependent (state) neural responses to psychosocial stress in major depressive
      disorder. METHOD: Thirty-six patients with medication-naive first-episode current
      depression, 33 patients with remitted depression, and 36 demographically matched
      healthy control participants were administered the Montreal Imaging Stress Task
      during functional MRI. One-way analyses of variance were used to assess
      differences in stress responses in the three groups. RESULTS: Both currently
      depressed and remitted patients exhibited higher stress levels and cortisol
      responses than control subjects. Compared with control subjects, both depressed
      and remitted patients exhibited reduced activation in the ventromedial prefrontal
      cortex and increased activation in the precuneus. The stress-induced ventromedial
      prefrontal cortex activation changes negatively correlated with cortisol
      increases in all three groups. Additional increased activations were found in the
      dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral striatum in remitted patients
      compared with control subjects, and activation in these regions correlated
      inversely with depressive symptoms in the remitted group. CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings provide novel evidence regarding the trait and state markers of
      depression on neural responses to psychosocial stress. Regional activation
      changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and precuneus may reflect the trait
      markers of depression. Hyperactivation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and
      striatum may represent a state-dependent compensatory mechanism during depression
      remission.

PMID- 28618856
TI  - Psychosocial Stress and Brain Function in Adolescent Psychopathology.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to explore how conduct, hyperactivity/inattention,
      and emotional symptoms are associated with neural reactivity to social-emotional
      stimuli, and the extent to which psychosocial stress modulates these
      relationships. METHOD: Participants were community adolescents recruited as part
      of the European IMAGEN study. Bilateral amygdala regions of interest were used to
      assess the relationship between the three symptom domains and functional MRI
      neural reactivity during passive viewing of dynamic angry and neutral facial
      expressions. Exploratory functional connectivity and whole brain multiple
      regression approaches were used to analyze how the symptoms and psychosocial
      stress relate to other brain regions. RESULTS: In response to the social
      emotional stimuli, adolescents with high levels of conduct or
      hyperactivity/inattention symptoms who had also experienced a greater number of
      stressful life events showed hyperactivity of the amygdala and several regions
      across the brain. This effect was not observed with emotional symptoms. A cluster
      in the midcingulate was found to be common to both conduct problems and
      hyperactivity symptoms. Exploratory functional connectivity analyses suggested
      that amygdala-precuneus connectivity is associated with hyperactivity/inattention
      symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results link hyperactive amygdala responses and
      regions critical for top-down emotional processing with high levels of
      psychosocial stress in individuals with greater conduct and
      hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. This work highlights the importance of
      studying how psychosocial stress affects functional brain responses to social
      emotional stimuli, particularly in adolescents with externalizing symptoms.

PMID- 28618859
TI  - Sitagliptin Attenuates Endothelial Dysfunction of Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats:
      Implication of the Antiperoxynitrite and Autophagy.
AB  - Although the contributions of sitagliptin to endothelial function in diabetes
      mellitus were previously reported, the potential mechanisms still remain
      undefined. Our research was intended to explore the underlying mechanisms of
      protective effects of sitagliptin treatment on endothelial dysfunction in Zucker
      diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. Male lean nondiabetic Zucker rats were used as control
      and male obese ZDF rats were randomly divided into ZDF and ZDF + sitagliptin
      groups. The significant decrease in endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by
      acetylcholine was observed in mesenteric arteries and thoracic aorta rings of ZDF
      rats. The administration of sitagliptin restored the vascular function
      effectively. The morphology study showed severe endothelial injuries in thoracic
      aortas of ZDF rats, and sitagliptin treatment attenuated these changes. The
      increased malondialdehyde levels and decreased superoxide dismutase activities in
      serum of ZDF rats were reversed by sitagliptin treatment. Sitagliptin also
      increased the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and microtubule
      associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and decreased the expression of
      inducible nitric oxide synthase, 3-nitrotyrosine, and p62 in ZDF rats. After
      giving Fe (III) tetrakis (1-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin pentachloride porphyrin
      pentachloride (FeTMPyP, a peroxynitrite [ONOO-] scavenger) or sitagliptin to high
      glucose (30 mmol/L, 48 hours) cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells
      (HUVECs), the increased levels of Beclin-1 and lysosome-associated membrane
      protein type 2 were detected. Both FeTMPyP and sitagliptin also significantly
      increased the number of mRFP-GFP-LC3 dots per cell, suggesting that autophagic
      flux was increased in HUVECs. Our study indicated that sitagliptin treatment can
      improve the endothelium-dependent relaxation and attenuate the endothelial
      impairment of ZDF rats. The protective effects of sitagliptin are possibly
      related to antiperoxynitrite and promoting autophagy.

PMID- 28618860
TI  - The effects of the Lactobacillus casei strain on obesity in children: a pilot
      study.
AB  - There are few data regarding the role of probiotics as a dietary intervention in
      the management of obesity in children. An open prospective examination was
      conducted to clarify the effects of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS)
      containing beverages in obese children. We compared the intestinal microbiota and
      organic acid levels between 12 obese (average age, 10.8 years; body mass index
      (BMI) Z score, 2.7+/-1.7) and 22 control children(average age, 8.5 years; BMI Z
      score, 0.1+/-0.7), and pre- and post-intervention in the obese children. The
      obese group underwent diet and exercise therapy for 6 months and then were given
      an LcS beverage daily for another 6 months and the body weight and serological
      markers were monitored. Significant reductions in the faecal concentrations of
      Bifidobacterium (obese group, 7.9+/-1.5 vs non-obese group, 9.8+/-0.5
      Log10cells/g; P<0.01) along with a significant decline in the Bacteroides
      fragilis group, Atopobium cluster and Lactobacillus gasseri subgroup, and acetic
      acid (obese group, 45.1+/-16.9 vs non-obese group, 57.9+/-17.6 MUmol/g; P<0.05)
      were observed in the obese group at baseline. A significant decline in body
      weight (-2.9+/-4.6%; P<0.05) and an elevation in the high density lipoprotein
      cholesterol level (+11.1+/-17.6%; P<0.05) were observed 6 months after ingestion
      of the LcS beverage compared to baseline. Furthermore, a significant increase in
      the faecal concentration of Bifidobacterium (7.0+/-1.2 before ingestion vs 9.1+/
      1.2 Log10cells/g after ingestion; P<0.01) and an apparent increase in the acetic
      acid concentration (7.0+/-1.2 before ingestion vs 9.1+/-1.2 Log10cells/g after
      ingestion; P<0.01) were observed 6 months after ingestion. LcS contributed to
      weight loss while also improving the lipid metabolism in obese children via a
      significant increase in the faecal Bifidobacterium numbers and the acetic acid
      concentration.

PMID- 28618861
TI  - Potentially probiotic Lactobacillus strains with anti-proliferative activity
      induce cytokine/chemokine production and neutrophil recruitment in mice.
AB  - Lactobacillus pentosus B281 and Lactobacillus plantarum B282 are two
      Lactobacillus strains previously isolated from fermented table olives. Both
      strains were found to possess probiotic properties and displayed desirable
      technological characteristics for application as starters in novel functional
      food production. In the present study the anti-proliferative and
      immunostimulatory activities of the two strains were investigated. Firstly, we
      demonstrated that live L. pentosus B281 and L. plantarum B282 significantly
      inhibited the growth of human colon cancer cells (Caco-2) in a time- and dose
      dependent manner. By employing the air pouch system in mice, we showed that
      administration of both strains led to a rapid and statistically significant
      infiltration of leukocytes in the air pouch exudates. The phenotypical
      characterisation of the recruited immune cells was performed by flow cytometry
      analysis. We demonstrated that the majority of the infiltrated leukocytes were
      neutrophils. Finally by using the Mouse Cytokine Array Panel A Detection Antibody
      cocktail, we showed that both strains induced the expression of granulocyte
      colony stimulating factor, interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, chemokine (C
      X-C motif) ligand (CXCL)-1, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand (CCL)-3, CCL-4, and CXCL
      2 and diminished the expression levels of soluble intercellular adhesion
      molecule, macrophage colony-stimulating factor and metallopeptidase inhibitor 1.
      Our results showed that both strains display anti-proliferative and
      immunostimulatory properties equal or even better in some cases than those of
      established and commonly used probiotic strains. These findings further support
      the probiotic character of the two strains.

PMID- 28618862
TI  - Probiotic guidelines and physician practice: a cross-sectional survey and
      overview of the literature.
AB  - Probiotic use by patients and physicians has dramatically increased over the last
      decade, although definitive evidence is often lacking for their use. We examined
      probiotic-prescribing practices among health care providers (HCP) at a tertiary
      medical centre and compared these practices to clinical guidelines. HCP at the
      Stanford Medical Center received a survey on probiotic prescribing practices
      including choice of probiotic and primary indications. A broad overview of the
      literature was performed. Among 2,331 HCP surveyed, 632 responded. Of the 582 of
      these who routinely prescribed medications, 61% had recommended probiotic foods
      or supplements to their patients. Women and gastroenterologists were more likely
      to prescribe probiotics (odds ratio (OR): 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0
      2.1; OR: 3.9, 95% CI: 1.5-10.1, respectively). Among probiotic prescribers, 50%
      prescribed inconsistently or upon patient request, and 40% left probiotic choice
      to the patient. Common indications for probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus GG,
      were prevention and treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (79 and 66%,
      respectively). Probiotics were often prescribed for 'general bowel health' or at
      patient request (27 and 39% of responders, respectively). Most respondents (63%)
      thought an electronic medical record (EMR) pop-up would change probiotic
      prescribing patterns. However, a review of published guidelines and large trials
      found inconsistencies in probiotic indications, dosages and strain selection.
      Probiotic prescribing is common but lacks consistency, with choice of probiotic
      frequently left to the patient, even for indications with some strain-specific
      evidence. Implementation of EMR pop-ups/pocket guides may increase consistency in
      probiotic prescribing, although the lack of clear and consistent guidelines must
      first be addressed with large, well-designed clinical trials.

PMID- 28618863
TI  - Interaction of vaginal Lactobacillus strains with HeLa cells plasma membrane.
AB  - Vaginal lactobacilli offer protection against recurrent urinary and vaginal
      infections. The precise mechanisms underlying the interaction between
      lactobacilli and the host epithelium remain poorly understood at the molecular
      level. Deciphering such events can provide valuable information on the mode of
      action of commensal and probiotic bacteria in the vaginal environment. We
      investigated the effects exerted by five Lactobacillus strains of vaginal origin
      (Lactobacillus crispatus BC1 and BC2, Lactobacillus gasseri BC9 and BC11 and
      Lactobacillus vaginalis BC15) on the physical properties of the plasma membrane
      in a cervical cell line (HeLa). The interaction of the vaginal lactobacilli with
      the cervical cells determined two kinds of effects on plasma membrane: (1)
      modification of the membrane polar lipid organisation and the physical properties
      (L. crispatus BC1 and L. gasseri BC9); (2) modification of alpha5beta1 integrin
      organisation (L. crispatus BC2, L. gasseri BC11 and L. vaginalis BC15). These two
      mechanisms can be at the basis of the protective role of lactobacilli against
      Candida albicans adhesion. Upon stimulation with all Lactobacillus strains, we
      observed a reduction of the basal oxidative stress in HeLa cells that could be
      related to modifications in physical properties and organisation of the plasma
      membrane. These results confirm the strictly strain-specific peculiarities of
      Lactobacillus and deepen the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the
      health-promoting role of this genus within the vaginal ecosystem.

PMID- 28618864
TI  - Gut microbiota composition strongly correlates to peripheral insulin sensitivity
      in obese men but not in women.
AB  - Gut microbiota composition may play an important role in the development of
      obesity-related comorbidities. However, only few studies have investigated gender
      differences in microbiota composition and gender-specific associations between
      microbiota or microbial products and insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity
      (hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp), body composition (dual energy X-ray
      absorptiometry), substrate oxidation (indirect calorimetry), systemic
      inflammatory markers and microbiota composition (PCR) were determined in male
      (n=15) and female (n=14) overweight and obese subjects. Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes
      ratio was higher in men than in women (P=0.001). Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes-ratio
      was inversely related to peripheral insulin sensitivity only in men (men:
      P=0.003, women: P=0.882). This association between Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes-ratio
      and peripheral insulin sensitivity did not change after adjustment for dietary
      fibre and saturated fat intake, body composition, fat oxidation and markers of
      inflammation. Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes-ratio was not associated with hepatic
      insulin sensitivity. Men and women differ in microbiota composition and its
      impact on insulin sensitivity, implying that women might be less sensitive to gut
      microbiota-induced metabolic aberrations than men. This trial was registered at
      clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02381145.

PMID- 28618865
TI  - Streptococcus thermophilus NCIMB 41856 ameliorates signs of colitis in an animal
      model of inflammatory bowel disease.
AB  - Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is mainly based on suppression of
      symptoms, often with numerous side effects. Trials of probiotics in IBD have
      frequently produced disappointing results. The majority of probiotics are
      unusual, since they do not require iron for growth, unlike many bacteria resident
      in the intestine. The IBD intestine is iron-rich due to bleeding and use of oral
      iron supplements; conventional probiotics would be rapidly outcompeted. We have
      evaluated an iron-responsive Streptococcus thermophilus strain for its potential
      to reduce signs of colitis. Efficacy of S. thermophilus was evaluated in the
      dextran sodium sulphate mouse model of colitis. Treated animals were given 1*108
      cfu S. thermophilus per day and clinical observations were taken daily. At
      termination, gross and histopathological signs of disease, cellular infiltration,
      location of bacteria, and cytokine expression in the intestine were determined.
      S. thermophilus delayed onset of colitis and reduced clinical signs of disease,
      including bodyweight loss and gastrointestinal bleeding. It reduced bacterial
      translocation into the colonic tissue. Increased numbers of CD8+ intraepithelial
      lymphocytes were seen in control animals treated with S. thermophilus. S.
      thermophilus had no effect on gross pathology, histopathology or cytokine
      production in either colitic or control animals. We propose that S. thermophilus
      promotes maintenance of mucosal barrier function which reduces bacterial
      translocation, thereby reducing immune stimulation and associated inflammation.
      This allows mucosal healing, reducing gastrointestinal bleeding and weight loss.
      This could be studied as a locally-acting adjunct or alternative to current IBD
      treatments.

PMID- 28618866
TI  - Characterization of Articular Cartilage Recovery and Its Correlation with Optical
      Response in the Near-Infrared Spectral Range.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examine the capacity of a new parameter, based on
      the recovery response of articular cartilage, to distinguish between healthy and
      damaged tissues. We also investigate whether or not this new parameter correlates
      with the near-infrared (NIR) optical response of articular cartilage. DESIGN:
      Normal and artificially degenerated (proteoglycan-depleted) bovine cartilage
      samples were nondestructively probed using NIR spectroscopy. Subsequently they
      were subjected to a load and unloading protocol, and the recovery response was
      logged during unloading. The recovery parameter, elastic rebound ( ER), is based
      on the strain energy released as the samples underwent instantaneous elastic
      recovery. RESULTS: Our results reveal positive relationship between the rebound
      parameter and cartilage proteoglycan content (normal samples: 2.20 +/- 0.10 N mm;
      proteoglycan-depleted samples: 0.50 +/- 0.04 N mm for 1 hour of enzymatic
      treatment and 0.13 +/- 0.02 N mm for 4 hours of enzymatic treatment). In
      addition, multivariate analysis using partial least squares regression was
      employed to investigate the relationship between ER and NIR spectral data. The
      results reveal significantly high correlation ( R2cal = 98.35% and R2val =
      79.87%; P < 0.0001), with relatively low error (14%), between the recovery and
      optical response of cartilage in the combined NIR regions 5,450 to 6,100 cm-1 and
      7,500 to 12,500 cm-1. CONCLUSION: We conclude that ER can indicate the mechanical
      condition and state of health of articular cartilage. The correlation of ER with
      cartilage optical response in the NIR range could facilitate real-time evaluation
      of the tissue's integrity during arthroscopic surgery and could also provide an
      important tool for cartilage assessment in tissue engineering and regeneration
      research.

PMID- 28618867
TI  - Human Articular Chondrocytes Induce Interleukin-2 Nonresponsiveness to Allogeneic
      Lymphocytes.
AB  - Introduction We previously showed that articular chondrocytes (ACs) have immune
      privilege and immunomodulatory functions like those of mesenchymal stem cells. To
      elucidate these mechanisms, we focused on interleukin-2 (IL-2), which plays
      critical roles in lymphocyte mitogenic activity. The purpose of this study was to
      explore whether ACs affect the role of IL-2 underlying immunomodulatory
      functions. Material and Methods Irradiated human ACs from osteoarthritis donors
      were used. Third-party ACs were added to the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) with
      or without recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2), and the levels of IL-2 and the
      soluble form of the IL-2 receptor alpha (sIL-2Ralpha) protein in supernatant were
      measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2)
      was also added to the MLR. To detect the expression of IL-2 receptor alpha (CD25)
      on lymphocytes in the MLR, flow cytometric analysis was performed. Last, ACs and
      allogeneic activated CD4+ T cell were co-cultured, and the expression of CD25 on
      activated T cells was examined by flow cytometry. Results Third-party ACs
      significantly inhibited the MLR and reduced the level of sIL-2Ralpha in a dose
      dependent manner, but did not affect the concentration of IL-2. Exogenous rhIL-2
      accelerated MLR but did not rescue the inhibitory effect of ACs. ACs inhibited
      the expression of CD25 on activated CD4+ T cells. Discussion Our results showed
      that third-party ACs inhibited the proliferation of allogeneic activated
      lymphocytes, thereby inhibiting production sIL-2Ralpha, although ACs did not
      affect IL-2 secretion from lymphocytes. Also, ACs inhibited CD25 expression on
      activated CD4+ T cells. Thus, ACs inhibited the immune response of allogeneic
      lymphocytes by inducing IL-2 nonresponsiveness.

PMID- 28618868
TI  - Appropriate Use Criteria for Hyaluronic Acid in the Treatment of Knee
      Osteoarthritis in the United States.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A workgroup of clinical experts has developed an Appropriate Use
      Criteria (AUC) for the use of hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of
      osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The increasingly broad and varied use of HA
      injections, lack of published clinical guidance, and limited coverage for their
      use has created the imperative to establish appropriateness criteria. METHODS:
      The experts of this workgroup represent rheumatology, orthopedic surgery,
      physiatry, sports medicine, and nursing clinicians with substantive knowledge of
      intra-articular HA therapy. This workgroup utilized the results of a systematic
      review of evidence, expert clinical opinion, and current evidence-based clinical
      practice guidelines to develop appropriateness criteria for the use of intra
      articular HA for knee OA in 17 real-world clinical scenarios. RESULTS: The
      workgroup scored the appropriateness of treatment of each patient scenario using
      a 9-point scale to designate a treatment as appropriate (7-9), uncertain (4-6),
      or inappropriate (1-3). Six scenarios were scored as appropriate, 10 scenarios
      were scored as uncertain, and 1 scenario was scored as inappropriate. CONCLUSION:
      This article can assist clinicians in shared decision-making by providing best
      practices in considering HA injections for knee OA treatment. Moreover, this AUC
      article can aid payers and policy makers in determining reimbursement and
      preauthorization policies and more appropriately managing health care resources.
      It is clear that further research is still necessary-particularly in patient
      populations differentiated by OA severity-that may benefit the greatest from the
      use of HA injections for the treatment of knee OA.

PMID- 28618869
TI  - Review of Soluble Biomarkers of Osteoarthritis: Lessons From Animal Models.
AB  - Objective Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the leading causes of disability within
      the adult population. Currently, its diagnosis is mainly based on clinical
      examination and standard radiography. To date, there is no way to detect the
      disease at a molecular level, before the appearance of structural changes and
      symptoms. So an attractive alternative for monitoring OA is the measurement of
      biochemical markers in blood, urine, or synovial fluid, which could reflect
      metabolic changes in joint tissue and therefore disease onset and progression.
      Animal models are relevant to investigate the early stage of OA and metabolic
      changes occurring in joint tissues. The goal of this narrative review is to
      summarize the scientific data available in the literature on soluble biomarkers
      in animal models of OA. Design A literature search was conducted using the
      PubMed/Medline and Scopus databases between February 1995 and December 2015. All
      original articles, systematic and narrative reviews published in French or in
      English were considered. Results We summarized the data of 69 studies and
      proposed a classification scheme for OA biomarkers in animal studies, largely
      inspired by the BIPEDS classification. Conclusions Studies about biomarkers and
      animal models indicate that some markers could be valuable to monitor OA
      progression and assess therapeutic response in some animal models.

PMID- 28618870
TI  - Molecular Validation of Chondrogenic Differentiation and Hypoxia Responsiveness
      of Platelet-Lysate Expanded Adipose Tissue-Derived Human Mesenchymal Stromal
      Cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal environmental conditions for chondrogenic
      differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cells
      (AMSCs). In this investigation we specifically investigate the role of oxygen
      tension and 3-dimensional (3D) culture systems. DESIGN: Both AMSCs and primary
      human chondrocytes were cultured for 21 days in chondrogenic media under normoxic
      (21% oxygen) or hypoxic (2% oxygen) conditions using 2 distinct 3D culture
      methods (high-density pellets and poly-epsilon-caprolactone [PCL] scaffolds).
      Histologic analysis of chondro-pellets and the expression of chondrocyte-related
      genes as measured by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction
      were used to evaluate the efficiency of differentiation. RESULTS: AMSCs are
      capable of expressing established cartilage markers including COL2A1, ACAN, and
      DCN when grown in chondrogenic differentiation media as determined by gene
      expression and histologic analysis of cartilage markers. Expression of several
      cartilage-related genes was enhanced by low oxygen tension, including ACAN and
      HAPLN1. The pellet culture environment also promoted the expression of hypoxia
      inducible cartilage markers compared with cells grown on 3D scaffolds.
      CONCLUSIONS: Cell type-specific effects of low oxygen and 3D environments
      indicate that mesenchymal cell fate and differentiation potential is remarkably
      sensitive to oxygen. Genetic programming of AMSCs to a chondrocytic phenotype is
      effective under hypoxic conditions as evidenced by increased expression of
      cartilage-related biomarkers and biosynthesis of a glycosaminoglycan-positive
      matrix. Lower local oxygen levels within cartilage pellets may be a significant
      driver of chondrogenic differentiation.

PMID- 28618871
TI  - Five-Year Follow-up of Knee Joint Distraction: Clinical Benefit and Cartilaginous
      Tissue Repair in an Open Uncontrolled Prospective Study.
AB  - Objective In end-stage knee osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may
      finally become inevitable. At a relatively young age, this comes with the risk of
      future revision surgery. Therefore, in these cases, joint preserving surgery such
      as knee joint distraction (KJD) is preferred. Here we present 5-year follow-up
      data of KJD. Design Patients ( n = 20; age <60 years) with conservative therapy
      resistant tibiofemoral osteoarthritis considered for TKA were treated. Clinical
      evaluation was performed by questionnaires. Change in cartilage thickness was
      quantified on radiographs and magnetic resonance images (MRI). The 5-year changes
      after KJD were evaluated and compared with the natural progression of
      osteoarthritis using Osteoarthritis Initiative data. Results Five-years
      posttreatment, patients still reported clinical improvement from baseline:
      DeltaWOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index) +21.1
      points (95% CI +8.9 to +33.3; P = 0.002), DeltaVAS (visual analogue scale score)
      pain -27.6 mm (95%CI -13.3 to -42.0; P < 0.001), and minimum radiographic joint
      space width (JSW) of the most affected compartment (MAC) remained increased as
      well: Delta +0.43 mm (95% CI +0.02 to +0.84; P = 0.040). Improvement of mean JSW
      (x-ray) and mean cartilage thickness (MRI) of the MAC, were not statistically
      different from baseline anymore (Delta +0.26 mm; P = 0.370, and Delta +0.23 mm; P
      = 0.177). Multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that KJD treatment
      was associated with significantly less progression in mean and min JSW (x-ray)
      and mean cartilage thickness (MRI) compared with natural progression (all Ps
      <0.001). Conclusions KJD treatment results in prolonged clinical benefit,
      potentially explained by an initial boost of cartilaginous tissue repair that
      provides a long-term tissue structure benefit as compared to natural progression.
      Level of evidence, II.

PMID- 28618872
TI  - Outcomes of Patellofemoral Osteochondral Lesions Treated With Structural Grafts
      in Patients Older Than 40 Years.
AB  - Background Chondral lesions in the patellofemoral compartment represent a
      difficult entity to treat among active patients, with no clear consensus on the
      optimal treatment strategy. The purpose of this study was to review the
      functional outcomes of patients >40 years old with primary patellofemoral
      osteochondral lesions who underwent a cartilage restoration procedure with a
      structural graft. Methods Following institutional review board approval, 35
      patients >40 years treated for patellofemoral chondral or osteochondral injuries
      were retrospectively identified. Seventeen (47%) had prior surgery (mean 1.4
      procedures, range 1-4). Average follow-up was 3.6 +/- 1.6 years. Average patient
      age was 51.5 years (range 40-72 years); 54% were male. Twenty-six (74%) had
      isolated trochlear lesions, 7 had isolated patellar lesions (20%), while 2 (6%)
      had bipolar lesions. Twenty patients (57%) were treated with synthetic biphasic
      scaffold plugs (SS), 9 (26%) with fresh osteochondral allograft (OCA) and 6 (17%)
      with osteochondral autograft transfer (OAT). Outcomes were measured with
      validated measures: Activity of Daily Living Score (ADL), International Knee
      Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Evaluation form, and Marx Activity
      Scale (MAS). Results The average lesion size for the entire cohort was 3.1 +/-
      1.7 cm2. Average defect size was 2.6 +/- 1.7 cm2 for the SS group, 4.3+/-1.5 cm2
      for the OCA group, and 2.9 +/- 0.8 cm2 for the OAT group ( P > 0.051). Outcome
      scores for the entire population demonstrated significant improvement in ADL ( P
      = 0.002) and IKDC scores ( P = 0.004) between baseline and final follow-up, while
      MAS scores were maintained ( P = 0.51). Conclusion Structural grafts are a viable
      treatment option for symptomatic focal osteochondral lesions of the
      patellofemoral joint in patients 40 years and older, with anticipated
      improvements in pain and function and maintenance of preoperative activity
      levels.

PMID- 28618873
TI  - Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score and Classification System (AMADEUS) for
      Assessment of Preoperative Cartilage Defect Severity.
AB  - Objective To design a simple magnetic resonance (MR)-based assessment system for
      quantification of osteochondral defect severity prior to cartilage repair surgery
      at the knee. Design The new scoring tool was supposed to include 3 different
      parameters: (1) cartilage defect size, (2) depth/morphology of the cartilage
      defect, and (3) subchondral bone quality, resulting in a specific 3-digit code. A
      clearly defined numeric score was developed, resulting in a final score of 0 to
      100. Defect severity grades I through IV were defined. For intra- and
      interobserver agreement, defects were assessed by 2 independent readers on
      preoperative knee MR images of n = 44 subjects who subsequently received
      cartilage repair surgery. For statistical analyses, mean values +/- standard
      deviation (SD), interclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and linear weighted
      kappa values were calculated. Results The mean total Area Measurement And DEpth &
      Underlying Structures (AMADEUS) score was 48 +/- 24, (range, 0-85). The mean
      defect size was 2.8 +/- 2.6 cm2. There were 36 of 44 full-thickness defects. The
      subchondral bone showed defects in 21 of 44 cases. Kappa values for intraobserver
      reliability ranged between 0.82 and 0.94. Kappa values for interobserver
      reliability ranged between 0.38 and 0.85. Kappa values for AMADEUS grade were
      0.75 and 0.67 for intra- and interobserver agreement, respectively. ICC scores
      for the AMADEUS total score were 0.97 and 0.96 for intra- and interobserver
      agreement, respectively. Conclusions The AMADEUS score and classification system
      allows reliable severity encoding, scoring and grading of osteochondral defects
      on knee MR images, which is easily clinically applicable in daily practice.

PMID- 28618874
TI  - Von Willebrand Factor: Multimeric Structure and Functional Activity in Patients
      With Atrial Fibrillation With and Without Oral Anticoagulation.
AB  - von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a multimeric glycoprotein present in blood plasma.
      It is synthesized in megakaryocytes and endothelial cells, secreted into
      circulation in the form of high-molecular-weight multimers (HMWMs), and cleaved
      into shorter, less active multimers by ADAMTS13. It is essential for platelet
      adhesion and aggregation. Previous studies have investigated the relationship
      between vWF levels and thromboembolic events with little regard to vWF multimeric
      structure. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) exhibit higher plasma vWF and
      lower ADAMTS13 levels. One hundred seven patients with AF, 51 anticoagulated and
      56 nonanticoagulated, were eligible for the study. Plasma samples were analyzed
      for vWF antigen, vWF activity, and ADAMTS13; vWF multimers were analyzed by
      Western blot in 1% to 1.3% sodium dodecyl sulfate agarose gel electrophoresis.
      Patients with AF without oral anticoagulation (OAC) had significantly higher vWF
      plasma levels (154.00 [75-201] UI/dL) and vWF activity (60.00% [20%-210%])
      compared to patients with OAC (133.50 [90-192] UI/dL, P = <.001; 50.00% [20%
      160%], P = .02). Both were specially decreased in patients treated with
      acenocumarin. Patients without OAC also showed lower ADAMTS13 levels and presence
      of vWF HMWMs. Patients with AF show higher plasma levels and vWF activity.
      Moreover, treatment with traditional OAC (acenocumarin) significantly reduced vWF
      levels. Patients without OAC might have an increased risk of thrombotic events
      showing lower ADAMTS13 and higher vWF levels. Patients with stroke had higher
      plasma levels, vWF activity, and HMWMs. Our study suggests that increased vWF
      levels and presence of HMWMs could be related to cerebrovascular disease and may
      represent useful biomarkers for stroke in AF.

PMID- 28618876
TI  - Niosomes for oral delivery of nateglinide: in situ-in vivo correlation.
AB  - Niosomes have been claimed to enhance intestinal absorption and to widen the
      absorption window of acidic drugs. This was reported after monitoring the
      intestinal absorption in situ. Accordingly, the aim of this work was to
      investigate the effect of niosomal encapsulation on intestinal absorption and
      oral bioavailability of nateglinide. This was conducted with the goal of
      correlation between in situ intestinal absorption and in vivo availability. The
      drug was encapsulated into proniosomes. The niosomes resulting after hydration of
      proniosomes were characterized with respect to vesicle size and drug entrapment
      efficiency. The in situ rabbit intestinal absorption of nateglinide was monitored
      from its aqueous solution and niosomes. Streptozotocin was used to induce
      diabetes in albino rats which were then used to assess the hypoglycemic effect of
      nateglinide after oral administration of aqueous dispersion and niosomal systems.
      The prepared vesicles were in the nanoscale with the recorded size being 283 nm.
      The entrapment efficiency depended on the pH of the formulation. The in situ
      intestinal absorption reflected non-significant alteration in the membrane
      transport parameters of the drug after niosomal encapsulation compared with the
      free drug solution. In contrast, niosomes showed significant improvement in the
      rate and extent of the hypoglycemic effect compared with the unprocessed drug.
      This discrepancy can be attributed to different transport pathway for the drug
      after niosomal inclusion with the vesicles undergoing translymphatic transport
      which can minimize presystemic metabolism. However, this requires confirmatory
      investigations. In conclusion niosomes can enhance oral bioavailability of
      nateglinide with the absorption being through nontraditional pathway.

PMID- 28618875
TI  - Implementation of guideline-based therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease: Differences between men and women veterans.
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common among both men and women,
      and guidelines recommend the same therapy for both sexes. While previous studies
      have identified gender differences in other chronic disease management, few
      studies have examined how implementation of COPD guidelines differs between men
      and women. We performed a cross-sectional study of veterans admitted to Veterans
      Affairs (VA) hospitals for COPD during October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2011. We
      collected information on baseline COPD medications during the 6 months prior to
      hospitalization and categorized therapies as "appropriate" or "inappropriate"
      based on current guidelines. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine
      the differences in COPD medications between men and women, after controlling for
      baseline patient characteristics. We also examined the differences in hospital
      outcomes, including length of stay and hospital readmission. We identified 33,558
      veterans, including 1149 women and 32,409 men who were admitted to 130 VA
      hospitals. Women were significantly less likely to have received inhaler
      therapies prior to admission, with lower rates of short-acting beta agonists,
      short-acting muscarinic antagonists, long-acting beta agonists, and long-acting
      muscarinic antagonists compared to men. Women also received fewer appropriate
      inhaler combinations (odds ratio [OR] = 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.74
      0.93) and more inappropriate combinations (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.17-1.51). Women
      and men were prescribed similar rates of inhaled steroid and oral steroids.
      Hospital outcomes were also similar between the two groups. These findings
      highlight a potential gender disparity in appropriate outpatient COPD therapy.
      Improving the quality of care for patients with COPD should include equitable
      implementation of guideline-based COPD management.

PMID- 28618877
TI  - Effect of natural polymers on the survival of Lactobacillus casei encapsulated in
      alginate microspheres.
AB  - Linseed and okra mucilages, the fungal exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran, and
      commercial fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) were used to microencapsulate
      Lactobacillus casei LC-01 and L. casei BGP 93 in sodium alginate microspheres by
      the extrusion technique in calcium chloride. The addition of carbohydrate
      biopolymers from linseed, okra and the fungal exocellular (1 -> 3)(1 -> 6)-beta-D
      glucan, named botryosphaeran provided higher encapsulation efficiency (EE) (>93%
      and >86%) for L. casei LC 01 and L. casei BGP 93, respectively. The use of
      linseed, okra and botryosphaeran improved the stability of probiotics
      encapsulated in the microspheres during the storage period over 15 d at 5 
      degrees C when compared to microspheres formulated with sodium alginate alone as
      the main encapsulating agent (p <= 0.05). In in vitro gastrointestinal simulation
      tests, the use of FOS combined with linseed mucilage was shown to be more
      effective in protecting L. casei cells LC-01 and L. casei BGP 93.

PMID- 28618878
TI  - Rachael Crabb, Sonya Reeder & Diana Calvin, Listening In: Building Faith and
      Friendship Thorough Conversations That Matter Crabb Rachael , Reeder Sonya &
      Calvin Diana , Listening In: Building Faith and Friendship Thorough Conversations
      That Matter , Intervarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL, 2015.

PMID- 28618879
TI  - Contemplative Listening: A Rhetorical-Critical Approach To Facilitate Internal
      Dialog.
AB  - This article presents a discussion technique that is tailored to clients needing
      to reorient their convictions following a critical life event. The technique has
      three distinctive characteristics. The client's statements are not classified
      into categories from conventional layer models that are designed to track the
      themes or content of talk. Instead, we adopt a rhetorical approach because of the
      fundamental metaphysical nature of conviction that this article assumes. The
      primary focus is on how clients talk about themselves and their convictions. This
      focus allows the professional to support clients in their personal work. The
      technique is a tool that professionals can use during the discussion to monitor
      whether they themselves are in fact doing what they promised the client they
      would do. Finally, the technique is a third way, alongside a kerygmatic and
      therapeutic approach, in which chaplains can conduct discussions. The terminology
      it employs can be used as a common language for much of the work carried out by
      chaplains from different philosophical backgrounds.

PMID- 28618880
TI  - Contemplative Listening in Moral Issues: Moral Counseling Redefined in Principles
      and Method.
AB  - We present a listening grid for moral counseling, in which we pay particular
      attention, alongside the what, to how clients talk about themselves: as if they
      were spectators; aware what this talking does to them; how they perceive what is
      good from the past; and what they will strive for in the future. By this moral
      talk, clients discover a picture of the conviction that will enable them to make
      a decision.

PMID- 28618882
TI  - Superman Goes to the Emergency Room.

PMID- 28618883
TI  - The Freedom of the Octogenarian to Find Grace and Humor in the Lasting Personal
      Strength Gained Through CAPPE* Education.

PMID- 28618884
TI  - Art, Objects, and Beautiful Stories: A "New" Approach to Spiritual Care.
AB  - The use of story, and the use of art or various arts-based techniques have become
      popular in a number of helping professions, including spiritual care. There
      remains a gap in the literature, however, in which an approach comprised of both
      story and art or objects is explored. This paper addresses this gap by discussing
      the experience, theory, benefits, and technique of combining story and art or
      object-based techniques for the provision of spiritual care.

PMID- 28618885
TI  - An Exploration of Current Approaches to and Facilities for Spiritual Care
      Provision in the Republic of Ireland.
AB  - This study aimed to explore current approaches to and facilities for spiritual
      care provision in the Republic of Ireland. The findings identify that providing
      spiritual care to patients is a key component of hospital policy. Spiritual
      support is identified as the responsibility of the whole healthcare team with
      specific responsibility being attributed to the healthcare chaplain. Most sites
      provided a sacred space or quiet place for clients, visitors and staff to
      contemplate.

PMID- 28618886
TI  - Emotional Sequelae of Elective Abortion: The Role of Guilt and Shame.
AB  - Although estimates vary, many women experience long-term emotional, spiritual,
      psychological and interpersonal difficulties following abortion, including
      complicated grief, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
      relationship disturbances. Developmental, drive, object-relations and narcissism
      models for perinatal loss also illuminate the dynamics of post-abortion
      syndromes. Guilt and shame play important roles in generating and concealing post
      abortion sequelae. Pastoral care and healthcare providers can increase their
      awareness of post-abortion sequelae and provide effective care for women
      experiencing these syndromes.

PMID- 28618887
TI  - Scene from a Lapel Cross: Bad Day.

PMID- 28618888
TI  - Moonlight.

PMID- 28618889
TI  - Fake Awareness.

PMID- 28618890
TI  - The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling Quiz June 2017: (Continuing Education
      Quiz).

PMID- 28618891
TI  - Musculoskeletal manifestations as determinants of quality of life impairment in
      patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Objective The objective of this study was to identify determinants of health
      related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment in patients with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE). Methods Overall, 101 SLE patients were recruited; 37 healthy
      subjects and 35 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients served as controls. HRQoL was
      evaluated using three patient reported outcomes (PROs): the Short Form-36 version
      2 (SF-36v2) health survey, the fatigue scale version 4 (FACITv4) and the Heath
      Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). A large set of demographic and clinical
      variables, including SLE arthritis subtypes, was evaluated searching for factors
      independently associated with worse QoL. Multivariate models were applied to
      identify factors independently associated with outcomes. Bonferroni's corrected p
      values < 0.05 were considered significant. Results SLE patients showed worse
      results than healthy controls ( p < 0.01) in all SF-36v2 domains and, with
      reference to the mental QoL, also than RA patients ( p < 0.01). Jaccoud's
      deformities, active arthritis, and fibromyalgia were the only factors
      independently associated with worse results in both physical and mental
      components summary of the SF-36v2 ( p < 0.01) and FACITv4 fatigue scale ( p <
      0.01). Fragility fractures, deformities, and active arthritis negatively affected
      disability perception measured by the HAQ ( p < 0.01). No statistically
      significant differences in perceived HRQoL were highlighted between patients with
      deforming and erosive arthritis. However, they had significantly worse results
      than patients with non-deforming non-erosive arthritis across all investigated
      PROs ( p < 0.01). Conclusion In order to limit musculoskeletal manifestations as
      a source of impaired QoL in SLE patients, therapeutic strategies targeted to
      successfully manage active arthritis and fibromyalgia and to prevent deforming
      damage are needed.

PMID- 28618892
TI  - Cutaneous lupus erythematosus and the risk of deep venous thrombosis and
      pulmonary embolism: A Danish nationwide cohort study.
AB  - Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major public health concern. Lupus
      erythematosus (LE) is a chronic autoimmune disease ranging from localized
      cutaneous disease (CLE) to systemic involvement (SLE). Patients with SLE have an
      increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but little is known about the CLE
      related risk of VTE. Methods To evaluate the risk of VTE in patients with SLE and
      CLE as compared to the general population, a retrospective cohort study was
      conducted. Incidence rates and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals
      (CIs) from multivariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate and compare
      the risk of VTE. Registries of hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and
      prescription drug use were studied to determine the risk of VTE in patients with
      CLE and SLE and the general population between 1997 and 2011. Results A total of
      3234 patients with CLE and 3627 patients with SLE were identified and compared to
      5,590,070 individuals in the reference population. The incidence rates per 1000
      year of VTE were higher in patients with LE, i.e. 1.20, 3.06, and 5.24 for the
      reference population, CLE, and SLE, respectively. In adjusted models, both CLE
      (HR 1.39; 95% CI 1.10-1.78) and SLE (HR 3.32; 95% CI 2.73-4.03) were associated
      with a statistically significant increased risk of VTE, compared to the reference
      population. Conclusion In this nationwide study, both CLE and SLE were
      significant risk factors for VTE. The results add to our understanding of
      comorbidities in patients with LE, and call for further studies and increased
      awareness of thromboembolic complications in patients with CLE.

PMID- 28618893
TI  - Corrigendum to "The chronic damage in systemic lupus erythematosus is driven by
      flares, glucocorticoids and antiphospholipid antibodies: results from a
      monocentric cohort".

PMID- 28618894
TI  - Pneumonic tularaemia: experience of 58 cases from 2000 to 2012 in Northern
      Finland.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pneumonic tularaemia is less common clinical form of tularaemia
      compared with the ulceroglandular form, with only a limited number of case
      reports and case series in Europe. In Finland, Northern Ostrobothnia is an
      endemic area of tularaemia with occasional seasonal outbreaks. METHODS: In our
      study, a consecutive series of 58 pneumonic tularaemia cases diagnosed and
      treated in Oulu University Hospital in 2000-2012 were retrospectively analysed in
      terms of epidemiology, clinical course, and prognosis. RESULTS: The incidence of
      pneumonic tularaemia showed peaks in cycles of a few years and most cases were
      diagnosed in late summer or early autumn. Respiratory symptoms were absent in 47%
      of patients, and 7% had normal chest X-ray. The chest computed tomography (CT)
      was performed in 81% of patients, demonstrating variable findings associated with
      pneumonic tularaemia. Bronchoscopy was performed for 22 (38%) patients and four
      (18%) of these also proceeded into mediastinoscopy. Moreover, thoracoscopy was
      performed for one (2%) patient. Two (3%) patients were treated shortly in the
      intensive care unit (ICU) during their stay in hospital. No mortality was
      observed. CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of pneumonic tularaemia are diagnosed during
      the seasonal outbreaks. The lack of specific symptoms often complicates the
      diagnosis and leads to unnecessarily invasive examinations.

PMID- 28618895
TI  - Silver nanoparticles inhaled during pregnancy reach and affect the placenta and
      the foetus.
AB  - Recently, interest for the potential impact of consumer-relevant engineered
      nanoparticles on pregnancy has dramatically increased. This study investigates
      whether inhaled silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) reach and cross mouse placental
      barrier and induce adverse effects. Apart from their relevance for the growing
      use in consumer products and biomedical applications, AgNPs are selected since
      they can be unequivocally identified in tissues. Pregnant mouse females are
      exposed during the first 15 days of gestation by nose-only inhalation to a
      freshly produced aerosol of 18-20 nm AgNPs for either 1 or 4 h, at a particle
      number concentration of 3.80 * 107 part./cm-3 and at a mass concentration of 640
      MUg/m3. AgNPs are identified and quantitated in maternal tissues, placentas and
      foetuses by transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy and single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
      Inhalation of AgNPs results in increased number of resorbed foetuses associated
      with reduced oestrogen plasma levels, in the 4 h/day exposed mothers. Increased
      expression of pregnancy-relevant inflammatory cytokines is also detected in the
      placentas of both groups. These results prove that NPs are able to reach and
      cross the mouse placenta and suggest that precaution should be taken with respect
      to acute exposure to nanoparticles during pregnancy.

PMID- 28618896
TI  - Managing risk during care transitions when approaching end of life: A qualitative
      study of patients' and health care professionals' decision making.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increasing importance is being placed on the coordination of services
      at the end of life. AIM: To describe decision-making processes that influence
      transitions in care when approaching the end of life. DESIGN: Qualitative study
      using field observations and longitudinal semi-structured interviews.
      SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Field observations were undertaken in three sites: a
      residential care home, a medical assessment unit and a general medical unit in
      New Zealand. The Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool was used to
      identify participants with advanced and progressive illness. Patients and family
      members were interviewed on recruitment and 3-4 months later. Four weeks of
      fieldwork were conducted in each site. A total of 40 interviews were conducted:
      29 initial interviews and 11 follow-up interviews. Thematic analysis was
      undertaken. FINDINGS: Managing risk was an important factor that influenced
      transitions in care. Patients and health care staff held different perspectives
      on how such risks were managed. At home, patients tolerated increasing risk and
      used specific support measures to manage often escalating health and social
      problems. In contrast, decisions about discharge in hospital were driven by
      hospital staff who were risk-adverse. Availability of community and carer
      services supported risk management while a perceived need for early discharge
      decision making in hospital and making 'safe' discharge options informed hospital
      discharge decisions. CONCLUSION: While managing risk is an important factor
      during care transitions, patients should be able to make choices on how to live
      with risk at the end of life. This requires reconsideration of transitional care
      and current discharge planning processes at the end of life.

PMID- 28618897
TI  - Shared decision making about palliative chemotherapy: A qualitative observation
      of talk about patients' preferences.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Particularly at the end of life, treatment decisions should be shared
      and incorporate patients' preferences. This study examines elaboration and
      preference construction. AIM: To examine the values, appraisals and preferences
      that patients express, as well as the oncologists' communicative behaviour that
      facilitates these expressions in consultations on palliative chemotherapy.
      DESIGN: Verbatim transcripts of audio-recorded consultations ( n = 60) were
      analysed in MAXqda10 software. Two independent coders identified and categorised
      patients' preference-related utterances and oncologists' utterances, preceding
      and following such expressions. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Cancer patients ( n = 41)
      with a median life expectancy <1 year and oncologists ( n = 13) meeting with them
      in either initial or evaluative follow-up consultations. RESULTS: Most frequent
      were patients' expressions of treatment preferences (65% of consultations), often
      the simple wish to have treatment. Expressions of underlying values (48%) and
      appraisals of treatment aspects (50%) were less common. Most preference-related
      utterances concerned single statements (59%); in 51% of the consultations, true
      dialogue was observed. Preference-related utterances were least common in follow
      up consultations concerning stable disease or response. Preference-related
      fragments were patient-initiated (42%), oncologist-facilitated (28%) or
      oncologist-invited (30%). Oncologist responses likely to trigger more preference
      related talk were showing empathy, checking and probe questioning. Likely to
      reduce space were providing information, personally agreeing and neutral
      responses. CONCLUSION: Elaboration and joint preference construction is not
      standard practice in consultations on palliative chemotherapy. Oncologists may
      benefit from realising this and training skills that support this key step of
      shared decision making. Also, repeated shared decision making throughout the
      course of palliative chemotherapy should be stimulated.

PMID- 28618898
TI  - A metasynthesis study of family caregivers' transition experiences caring for
      community-dwelling persons with advanced cancer at the end of life.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Family caregivers (broadly defined as family and friends) experience
      multiple concurrent transitions when caring for a person with advanced cancer.
      AIMS: To (a) explore the transition experience of family caregivers caring for
      persons with advanced cancer living in the community, (b) describe potential
      triggers for transitions, (c) identify what influences this experience, and (d)
      develop a conceptual framework of their transition experience. DESIGN:
      Sandelowski and Barroso's methodology for synthesizing qualitative research
      included (a) a comprehensive search of empirical literature, (b) quality
      appraisal of qualitative studies, (c) classification of studies, and (d)
      synthesis of the findings. DATA SOURCES: Literature was sourced from six
      electronic data bases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) published
      qualitative studies (and mixed-method designs) of the caregiving experience of
      family caregivers of community-living persons with advanced cancer at the end of
      life, (b) participants (caregivers and care recipients) of 18 years of age and
      above, (c) studies published in English in any country, and (d) studies published
      between 2004 and 2014. RESULTS: A total of 72 studies were included in the
      metasynthesis. Family caregivers experience a "life transition" whereby their
      lives are permanently altered. The participants described the process of
      redefining normal which consisted of coming to terms with their situation and
      connecting with others. Outcomes of these processes were as follows: (a)
      maintaining a sense of personhood, (b) reframing hope, (c) maintaining self
      efficacy, (d) finding meaning, and (e) preparing for the death of their care
      recipient. CONCLUSION: The findings provide a framework to guide the development
      of supportive programs and future research.

PMID- 28618899
TI  - Development of a caregiver-reported measure to support systematic assessment of
      people with dementia in long-term care: The Integrated Palliative care Outcome
      Scale for Dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Symptom burden is common for long-term care residents with dementia
      which if untreated compromises quality of life. Measurement tools can support
      assessment of symptoms and problems but are not widely used in long-term care
      settings. We developed the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia
      derived from the Palliative care Outcome Scale, Palliative care Outcome Scale
      Symptom and Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale. AIM: To examine the content
      validity, acceptability and comprehension of Integrated Palliative care Outcome
      Scale for Dementia for routine use in long-term care settings for people with
      dementia and to refine Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for Dementia.
      DESIGN: A multi-method qualitative study consisting of focus groups, semi
      structured interviews and cognitive interviews. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Three
      residential long-term care settings in London, UK. Focus group and semi
      structured interview participants included caregiver staff, family, general
      practitioners and district nurses. Caregiver staff were sampled purposively for
      cognitive interviews. RESULTS: A total of 26 respondents participated in the
      focus groups ( n = 21) or semi-structured interviews ( n = 5) and 10 caregiver
      staff completed cognitive interviews. Additional symptoms and problems included
      agitation, wandering, sleep problems, communication problems and diarrhoea.
      Refinements or lay terms were required to improve comprehension and consistency
      of item response for nausea, drowsiness, delusions/hallucinations, agitation,
      loss of interest, communication problems and interaction. A video presentation
      was required to support comprehension of instructions and assessment of verbally
      compromised residents. CONCLUSION: Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale for
      Dementia is a comprehensive and acceptable caregiver-reported measure to detect
      symptoms and problems in dementia. It is suitable for caregiver staff without
      professional training as it has been refined and tailored to maximise caregiver
      expertise, ready for further psychometric testing.

PMID- 28618900
TI  - Shared decision-making in palliative care: Research priorities to align care with
      patients' values.

PMID- 28618901
TI  - Health inequalities in secondary prevention.
AB  - Health inequalities are differences in health status or the distribution of
      health determinants between distinct populations or groups. These have important
      impacts on the accessibility and effectiveness of cardiovascular disease
      preventive measures. This article discusses the most relevant issues on this
      topic.

PMID- 28618902
TI  - Secondary prevention: Where we are.
AB  - The Sixth Joint Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and Other
      Societies on Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice Guidelines
      have been published in 2016: greater emphasis has been placed on a population
      based approach, on disease-specific interventions and on female-specific
      conditions, younger individuals and ethnic minorities. The ESC guidelines
      underscore that a lifetime approach to cardiovascular risk is important as both
      risk and prevention are dynamic and continuous. The guidelines can assist
      healthcare professionals, patients, and are valuable for the healthcare system
      but implementation of secondary cardiovascular disease prevention is far from
      optimal. Although there is no single way to ensure the use of guidelines in
      practice, multifaceted interventions based on known barriers are most
      appropriate. Essential components for implementation are: (a) taking action; (b)
      strengthening capacity; (c) evaluating impact; (d) advancing policy; and (e)
      engaging in regional and global partnerships. The strategy depends on a balanced
      investment in all available intervention approaches, from policy and
      environmental changes designed to prevent risk factors to assurance of quality
      care for individuals with cardiovascular disease. Our greatest challenges
      represent our greatest opportunities.

PMID- 28618903
TI  - Planning secondary prevention: Room for improvement.
AB  - The prognosis of patients after acute coronary syndromes is still suboptimal,
      mainly due to the risk of recurrent adverse coronary events, which is greatest
      during the first year, but persists over one's lifetime. Meaningful progress in
      preventing cardiovascular events has been achieved. However, there remains much
      room for improvement by embracing innovative therapies and investing in
      multidisciplinary approaches. Pharmacological interventions focused on optimising
      antithrombotic and lipid-lowering therapies are both pillars of secondary
      prevention that have seen recent ground-breaking advances. Moreover, new
      approaches in diabetic patients with cardiovascular disease and new targets for
      anti-inflammatory treatment may significantly improve prevention strategies in
      the future. However, pharmacological treatments are expensive and can have
      significant side effects. Developing better tools in order to identify high-risk
      patients and promote more personalised strategies for each patient should be an
      absolute priority. Furthermore, adherence to medication is still low and
      represents a real challenge; several strategies to improve low adherence to
      treatment are currently under discussion. Non-pharmacological interventions are
      also essential. Improving communication with patients and advanced surveillance
      for those secondary risk factors that may negatively impact prognosis are
      crucial. Encouraging multidisciplinary teams that work effectively to optimise
      all aspects of secondary prevention, including a cardiac rehabilitation
      programme, is the optimal approach. Current secondary prevention strategies and
      suggestions for areas of improvement are discussed in this manuscript. However,
      the question remains: will research in secondary prevention continue to focus on
      stronger and more expensive drugs, or is it time for us to embrace a more patient
      centred clinical and research model?

PMID- 28618904
TI  - Antiplatelet and antithrombotic treatment for secondary prevention in ischaemic
      heart disease.
AB  - Platelets play a key role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes and
      this is why antiplatelet drugs are essential, both in the acute phase and in the
      long-term follow-up in preventing recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke and
      cardiovascular death. Aspirin is the most used agent and still remains the first
      choice drug for lifelong administration in secondary prevention after myocardial
      infarction. Dual antiplatelet therapy, targeting more than one pathway of
      platelet activation, has significantly improved the outcome of patients with
      acute coronary syndromes despite an increased risk of bleeding complications. The
      aim of this article is to provide an overview of the evidence from randomized
      clinical trials with a focus on the best association between aspirin and a P2Y12
      inhibitor such as clopidogrel, prasugrel or ticagrelor, on the selection of the
      appropriate agent based on the revascularization strategy and on the optimal
      duration of such an intensive treatment. We will also provide the latest evidence
      regarding new antithrombotic agents, such as vorapaxar or low dose rivaroxaban,
      that could be associated with dual antiplatelet therapy in high risk patients
      with the aim of further reducing the rate of major ischaemic complications.
      Finally we will address the issue of patients presenting with atrial fibrillation
      and a concomitant acute coronary syndrome who frequently need a percutaneous
      coronary intervention, with a specific focus on the combination therapy of
      antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents and on the current recommendations of the
      guidelines.

PMID- 28618905
TI  - Effective low-density lipoprotein-lowering therapy: Implementation in clinical
      practice.
AB  - Although age-adjusted mortality of coronary heart disease has been successfully
      reduced over recent years, coronary heart disease still represents a leading
      cause of death and morbidity, in particular in patients at very high
      cardiovascular risk. Dyslipidaemia plays a major and causal role in the
      development and clinical progression of coronary heart disease. At present, low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol represents the primary target of lipid-directed
      therapies for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and events. The new
      European guidelines recommend intensive statin therapy and the possible addition
      of ezetimibe to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to a goal of less than
      1.8 mmol/L (<70 mg/dL) or by at least 50% if the baseline low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol is between 1.8 and 3.5 mmol/L (70-135 mg/dL) in patients at very high
      cardiovascular risk. Also, the new European guidelines now mention the potential
      use of proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors in very
      high-risk patients with persistently high levels of low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol despite maximally tolerated statin treatment in combination with
      ezetimibe or in patients with statin intolerance. A recent European consensus
      document discusses the practical clinical use of PCSK9 inhibitors and provides
      more detailed recommendations. However, despite the overwhelming scientific
      evidence of the beneficial effects of lipid-lowering therapies, a large
      proportion of patients at very high cardiovascular risk are not treated according
      to the current European guideline recommendations. Reinforcing lipid-lowering
      therapies provides an excellent chance effectively to reduce morbidity and
      mortality from coronary heart disease.

PMID- 28618906
TI  - Quality assurance and the need to evaluate interventions and audit programme
      outcomes.
AB  - Evidence-based clinical guidelines provide standards for the provision of
      healthcare. However, these guidelines have been poorly implemented in daily
      practice. Clinical audit is a quality improvement tool to promote quality of care
      in daily practice and to improve outcomes through the systematic review of care
      delivery and implementation of changes. A major priority in the management of
      subjects with cardiovascular disease (CVD) management is secondary prevention by
      controlling cardiovascular risk factors and providing appropriate medical
      treatment. Clinical audits can be applied to monitor modifiable risk factors and
      evaluate quality improvements of CVD management in daily practice. Existing
      clinical audits have provided an overview of the burden of risk factors in
      subjects with CVD and reflect real-world risk factor recording and management.
      However, consistent and representative data from clinic audits are still
      insufficient to fully monitor quality improvement of CVD management. Data are
      lacking in particular from low- and middle-income countries, limiting the
      evaluation of CVD management quality by clinical audit projects in many settings.
      To support the development of clinical standards, monitor daily practice
      performance, and improve quality of care in CVD management at national and
      international levels, more widespread clinical audits are warranted.

PMID- 28618907
TI  - Lifestyle modification in secondary prevention.
AB  - A healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone of prevention. Its promotion is a major
      task for all healthcare providers with the collaboration of the family and
      caregivers. It includes intervention in personal behaviour and risk factors (such
      as lack of physical activity, use of tobacco, unhealthy food habits and
      overweight), and all interventions aimed at changing lifestyle should be
      lifelong.

PMID- 28618908
TI  - Psychosocial perspectives in cardiovascular disease.
AB  - Adaptation to living with cardiovascular disease may differ from patient to
      patient and is influenced not only by disease severity and limitations incurred
      by the disease but also by socioeconomic factors (e.g. health literacy), the
      patients' psychological make-up and susceptibility to distress. Co-morbid
      depression and/or anxiety is prevalent in 20% of patients with cardiovascular
      disease, which may be either transient or chronic. Distress, such as depression,
      reduces adherence, serves as a barrier to behaviour change and the adoption of a
      healthy lifestyle, and increases the risk that patients drop out of cardiac
      rehabilitation, impacting on patients' quality of life, risk of hospitalisation
      and mortality. Hence it is paramount to identify this subset of high-risk
      patients in clinical practice. This review provides a general overview of the
      prevalence of selected psychosocial risk factors, their impact on patient
      reported and clinical outcomes, and biological and behavioural mechanisms that
      may explain the association between psychosocial factors and health outcomes. The
      review also provides recommendations on which self-report screening measures to
      use to identify patients at high risk due to their psychosocial profile, and the
      effectiveness of available trials that target these risk factors. Despite
      challenges and barriers associated with screening of patients combined with
      appropriate treatment, it is paramount that we treat not only the heart but also
      the mind in order to improve the quality of care and patient and clinical
      outcomes.

PMID- 28618909
TI  - Improving adherence to medication for secondary cardiovascular disease
      prevention.
AB  - Survivors of myocardial infarction are at risk of recurrent events and have an
      annual death rate of 5%. Advances in treatment and, in particular, the
      interventional management of myocardial infarction have seen important mortality
      gains over recent decades, yet cardiovascular diseases remain the biggest killer
      in many European countries. Change in lifestyle and adherence to medication to
      prevent further events are key to the recurrence of future events following
      myocardial infarction, but adherence to medication for the secondary prevention
      of cardiovascular disease is a profound problem. This article outlines a growing
      evidence base about the complex nature of adherence as a psychological phenomenon
      that is influenced by the nature of the event itself, illness perception and
      factors related to medication beliefs that cannot be addressed simply through a
      combination of educational approaches. A whole-systems approach is advocated,
      starting with the education of health professionals to understand the psychology
      of adherence, and to react comfortably to patients decisions about medication,
      with a pivotal role for follow-up in secondary care and cardiac rehabilitation.

PMID- 28618910
TI  - Diabetes: Prevalence, prognosis and management of a potent cardiovascular risk
      factor.
AB  - This review highlights the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and the
      dismal prognosis after acute coronary events when diabetes is present. Although
      there have been improvements in this area, diabetes still confers an increased
      risk. In order to achieve successful outcomes in individuals with diabetes,
      extensive treatment of risk factors and the use of all available evidence-based
      therapies are needed. In this context, glucose-lowering therapies and
      antithrombotic and revascularisation strategies are detailed in this review.
      Emerging data indicate that novel glucose-lowering drugs may impact
      cardiovascular outcome with mechanisms that are beyond glucose control. In
      addition, this review addresses hidden diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in
      patients with acute and stable coronary artery disease and how they influence
      future cardiovascular risk.

PMID- 28618911
TI  - Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Unmet medical need,
      implementation and innovation.

PMID- 28618912
TI  - Hypertension: Overly important but under-controlled.
AB  - Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and death. Despite
      increased knowledge of its importance in cardiovascular disease, the worldwide
      prevalence is still increasing and there is considerable scope for improvement of
      awareness, treatment and control. In this review, five major issues in
      hypertension management in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease will be
      outlined. The first two issues will address hypertension diagnosis: out-of-office
      blood pressure measurements and the detection of secondary hypertension. The last
      three issues will address hypertension treatment: lifestyle modification,
      medication adherence and blood pressure targets. For each of the five issues, we
      will outline existing knowledge, gaps in existing knowledge, barriers preventing
      full implementation of guideline recommendations, and possible solutions to
      improve management of the current disquieting situation.

PMID- 28618913
TI  - A multidisciplinary approach to prevention.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease accounts for 17,500 deaths globally, representing nearly
      half of all non-communicable disease deaths. The World Health Organization has
      set nine lifestyle, risk factor and medicines targets to achieve by 2025 with the
      aim of reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 25%. In
      order to succeed in this, we need to equip our global health professional
      workforce with the skills to support patients and their families with making
      lifestyle changes and being in concordance with cardioprotective medication
      regimes at every opportunity. Success depends on collegiate working through
      effective interdisciplinary team-based care characterised by shared goals, clear
      roles, mutual trust, effective communication and measurable processes and
      outcomes, with the patient and family at the centre of care. Nurses are the
      largest sector of the health professional workforce and their role in prevention
      should be optimised. Nurse coordinated care is proven to be effective, especially
      where they work in an interdisciplinary way with other health professionals such
      as doctors, pharmacists and psychologists, who provide equally important
      expertise for supporting holistic care. Successful care models are those that
      comprehensively target all adverse lifestyles and risk factors that are
      responsible for the development of cardiovascular disease. These characteristics
      should be reflected in the standards and core components of prevention and
      rehabilitation programmes.

PMID- 28618914
TI  - Role of the polypill for secondary prevention in ischaemic heart disease.
AB  - In 2011, for the first time in the history of humankind, non-communicable
      diseases became the leading cause of death worldwide. This change in trend is
      obviously multifactorial and very complex, as it is the paradoxical result of
      social, economic and health system growth worldwide. Vaccination and infectious
      diseases control, changing dietary habits worldwide, sedentary behaviour,
      globalisation, industrialisation (resulting in a shift from manual to sedentary
      labour), tobacco and sugary beverage surges in low- and middle-income countries
      and rapid urbanisation have all played a role in this epidemic transition. At the
      same time, the increase in cardiovascular risk factors, together with a decline
      in mortality in high-income countries in the past two decades, has led to a
      significant upsurge in the prevalence of secondary prevention of ischaemic heart
      disease. With this, the effect that non-adherence to cardioprotective drugs is
      having has become progressively clear, both in terms of clinical outcomes and as
      a driver of increased healthcare expenditure. The cardiovascular polypill, which
      was originally proposed as a strategy to improve accessibility to
      cardioprotective drugs worldwide, has proven to be a mainstay therapeutic
      approach for improving medication adherence in cardiovascular disease. In the
      current paper, we aim to review the need for a polypill strategy in the present
      scenario of cardiovascular disease, the available data that support such a
      strategy and the various clinical trials that are in progress that will help
      further shape future indications for the cardiovascular polypill.

PMID- 28618915
TI  - Coronary artery disease: Risk stratification and patient selection for more
      aggressive secondary prevention.
AB  - In patients with stable coronary artery disease, clinical outcomes are
      predominantly characterized by the consequences of atherosclerosis on the
      myocardium, but also by complications of atherosclerosis, notably recurrent acute
      coronary syndrome or stroke. Secondary prevention therapy is therefore key in
      this patient population. Intensification of secondary prevention therapy is
      possible, at the price of a therapeutic risk or a high cost, therefore justifying
      careful selection of patients with a high residual risk and low therapeutic risk.
      Two lines of therapy can be intensified, independently of each other, namely anti
      thrombotics and lipid-lowering agents. Intensification of anti-thrombotic therapy
      is efficacious in terms of ischaemic events and cardiovascular mortality, but
      incurs an excess haemorrhagic risk. Patients aged over 65 years of age and those
      with a history of intra-cranial haemorrhage are not eligible for intensification
      of anti-thrombotic therapy. Conversely, patients with prior or recurrent
      myocardial infarction may benefit from this strategy, especially if they are
      current smokers or have diabetes mellitus. Intensification of lipid-lowering
      therapy can be achieved through an association of high-intensity statins with
      ezetimibe or PCSK9 inhibitors. This strategy engenders little risk, but the cost
      of PCSK9 inhibition is high, and should be considered based on the level of low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol achieved with statin treatment at the maximal
      tolerated dose. In addition to this patient selection based on low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol levels, the presence of diabetes or documented
      progression of atherosclerosis should be considered.

PMID- 28618916
TI  - Who needs secondary prevention?
AB  - Secondary prevention for ischaemic heart disease can be defined as a
      comprehensive set of measures, aiming to reduce the recurrence of cardiovascular
      disease and to improve long-term prognosis. Despite its proven efficacy, uptake
      and adherence rates remain poor. This paper summarises the available European
      recommendations for secondary prevention in varying ischaemic heart disease
      populations, including those patients with specific co-morbidities. The
      scientific evidence supporting these recommendations is provided. The article
      relates to the European Association of Preventive Cardiology, the Acute
      Cardiovascular Care Association and the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and
      Allied Professions Secondary Prevention After Acute Myocardial Infarction
      framework in that it clarifies accurately who needs secondary prevention.

PMID- 28618917
TI  - Reduced cardiovascular activation following chronic stress in caregivers of
      people with anorexia nervosa.
AB  - Caring for offspring diagnosed with eating disorders (EDs) puts caregivers under
      high levels of chronic stress, which have negative consequences for their health.
      Unfortunately, caregivers have received little attention from mental health
      professionals. Chronic stress experienced by informal caregivers has been
      associated with the alteration of body homeostasis, and therefore, the
      functioning of various physiological systems. This could be the basis of health
      problems in informal caregivers of people with EDs. The main objective of this
      study was to analyze physiological response, in terms of heart rate (HR) and
      heart rate variability (HRV), to an acute laboratory stressor in a sample of
      informal caregivers of individuals with anorexia nervosa (n = 24) compared to a
      sample of noncaregivers (n = 26). In addition, the relationship between
      depressive mood and the aforementioned cardiovascular response parameters was
      analyzed in the group of caregivers. Caregivers had higher high-frequency (HF)
      power HRV, and lower HR, low-frequency (LF) power HRV and LF/HF ratio values than
      noncaregivers, which suggests lower cardiovascular reactivity to the acute
      stressor than noncaregivers. Moreover, a blunted HR response to stress was
      associated with high depressive mood scores in caregivers. Hence, it seems that
      the worse the mood the lower the cardiovascular reactivity to stressful events in
      this population. Developing and implementing psychotherapeutic interventions
      focused on stress management would help caregivers to reduce their stress levels
      and cope more effectively with stressors.

PMID- 28618918
TI  - Does Guiding Toward Task-Relevant Information Help Improve Graph Processing and
      Graph Comprehension of Individuals with Low or High Numeracy? An Eye-Tracker
      Experiment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals with low numeracy have difficulties with understanding
      complex graphs. Combining the information-processing approach to numeracy with
      graph comprehension and information-reduction theories, we examined whether high
      numerates' better comprehension might be explained by their closer attention to
      task-relevant graphical elements, from which they would expect numerical
      information to understand the graph. Furthermore, we investigated whether
      participants could be trained in improving their attention to task-relevant
      information and graph comprehension. DESIGN: In an eye-tracker experiment ( N =
      110) involving a sample from the general population, we presented participants
      with 2 hypothetical scenarios (stomach cancer, leukemia) showing survival curves
      for 2 treatments. In the training condition, participants received written
      instructions on how to read the graph. In the control condition, participants
      received another text. We tracked participants' eye movements while they answered
      9 knowledge questions. The sum constituted graph comprehension. We analyzed
      visual attention to task-relevant graphical elements by using relative fixation
      durations and relative fixation counts. RESULTS: The mediation analysis revealed
      a significant ( P < 0.05) indirect effect of numeracy on graph comprehension
      through visual attention to task-relevant information, which did not differ
      between the 2 conditions. Training had a significant main effect on visual
      attention ( P < 0.05) but not on graph comprehension ( P < 0.07). CONCLUSIONS:
      Individuals with high numeracy have better graph comprehension due to their
      greater attention to task-relevant graphical elements than individuals with low
      numeracy. With appropriate instructions, both groups can be trained to improve
      their graph-processing efficiency. Future research should examine (e.g.,
      motivational) mediators between visual attention and graph comprehension to
      develop appropriate instructions that also result in higher graph comprehension.

PMID- 28618919
TI  - Discontinuation of Vasopressin Before Norepinephrine in the Recovery Phase of
      Septic Shock.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Guidance for the discontinuation of vasopressors in the recovery
      phase of septic shock is limited. Norepinephrine is more easily titrated;
      however, septic shock is a vasopressin deficient state, which exogenous
      vasopressin endeavors to resolve. Discontinuation of vasopressin before
      norepinephrine may result in clinically significant hypotension. METHODS: This
      retrospective, cohort study compared discontinuation of norepinephrine and
      vasopressin in medically, critically ill patients in the recovery phase of septic
      shock from May 2014 to June 2016. Difference in clinically significant
      hypotension after norepinephrine or vasopressin discontinuation was evaluated
      with chi2 test. Linear regression was performed, examining the effect of agent
      discontinuation on clinically significant hypotension. Baseline variables were
      examined for a bivariate relationship with clinically significant hypotension;
      those with P < .2 were included in the model. RESULTS: Vasopressin was
      discontinued first or last in 62 and 92 patients, respectively. Sequential Organ
      Failure Assessment scores at 72 hours (7.9 vs 7.6, P = .679) were similar. In
      unadjusted analysis, when vasopressin was discontinued first, more clinically
      significant hypotension developed (10.9% vs 67.8%, P < .001). There was no
      difference in intensive care unit (174 vs 216 hours, P = .178) or hospital
      duration (470 vs 473 hours, P = .977). In adjusted analyses, discontinuing
      vasopressin first was associated with increased clinically significant
      hypotension (odds ratio [OR]: 13.837, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.403-56.250,
      P < .001) but not in-hospital (OR: 0.659, 95% CI: 0.204-2.137, P = .488) or 28
      day mortality (OR: 0.215, 95% CI: 0.037-1.246, P = .086). CONCLUSION: Adult
      patients receiving norepinephrine and vasopressin in the resolving phase of
      septic shock may be less likely to develop clinically significant hypotension if
      vasopressin is the final vasopressor discontinued.

PMID- 28618920
TI  - Castor oil for induction of labour: a retrospective study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of
      castor oil to induce labour. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational
      case control study was conducted over five years. Castor oil was proposed to
      women referred to the Birth Centre (Castor Oil group (COG)). They were compared
      to women who chose to be followed by the traditional doctor-led unit (control
      group (CG)). Castor oil was administered in a 60 ml single dose in 200 ml of warm
      water. Inclusion criteria were gestational age between 40 and 41 weeks plus
      premature rupture of membranes between 12 and 18 hours or amniotic fluid index
      <=4 or Bishop Score of <=4 or absence of spontaneous labour over 41 + 4 weeks.
      RESULTS: Pharmacological induction of labour was required for 18 women in the COG
      (45%) and 36 in the CG (90%) (p < .001). The mode of delivery differed
      significantly between groups: women assuming castor oil showed a higher incidence
      of vaginal delivery, whereas the incidence of caesarean section was lower in the
      COG, but no statistical significance was reached. CONCLUSIONS: The use of castor
      oil is related to a higher probability of labour initiation within 24 hours.
      Castor oil can be considered a safe non-pharmacological method for labour
      induction.

PMID- 28618921
TI  - Surgical evacuation of acute subdural hematoma in octogenarians: a ten-year
      experience from a single trauma center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elderly patients presenting with an acute subdural hematoma (aSDH)
      have historically had unfavorable outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed
      patient records from 2005 through 2015 that were >=80 years of age and underwent
      surgical evacuation of aSDH. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients met inclusion
      criteria, with a mean age of 84 years (range 80-91). Glascow Outcome Scale (GOS)
      of 4-5 was deemed a good outcome and a GOS 1-3 was deemed to be a poor outcome.
      Six patients had good outcome at last follow up and 27 patients had poor outcome.
      Patients with a higher presenting Glascow Coma Scale (GCS) trended towards better
      outcome [(good: mean 13.1, median 14.5, IQR 12.5-15) vs. (poor: mean 9.6, median
      10, IQR 6-14) p = 0.06]. Patients with a higher in-hospital post-operative GCS
      score had significantly better overall outcome than patients who left the
      hospital with a lower GCS score [(good: mean 14.5, median 14.5, IQR 14-15) vs.
      (poor: mean 8.4, median 9, IQR 4-11) p = 0.001]. Patients with a good outcome had
      a median aSDH thickness of 17mm (IQR 12.75-19.75) while patients with a poor
      outcome had a median thickness of 20mm (IQR 16-24.5); p = 0.17. In addition,
      patients with a good outcome had a median midline shift of 10mm (IQR 6-12.5),
      while patients with a poor outcome had a median midline shift of 14mm (IQR 10
      20); p = 0.07. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis for elderly patients with large aSDH
      remains poor, but a subset of patients can benefit from surgical intervention.

PMID- 28618922
TI  - High expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 is predictive of
      lymphovascular invasion and poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma.
AB  - C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 have been shown to play oncogenic role
      individually. This study aimed to determine the combinatorial role of C-X-C
      chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 in lung adenocarcinoma. Expression of C-X-C
      chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 was detected in resected tumor samples from 185
      patients with lung adenocarcinoma at stage I-IIIa by immunohistochemistry.
      Correlations of their immunoscores with clinicopathological characteristics and
      disease-specific survival were retrospectively investigated. A three-dimensional
      capillary-like sprouting model was established to assess the effects of C-X-C
      chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 on angiogenesis in vitro. The results revealed
      that expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 was elevated in lung
      adenocarcinoma tissues. The high co-expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and
      Notch1 was significantly correlated with tumor size, tumor status, nodal status,
      tumor stage, and lymphovascular invasion, as well as decreased disease-specific
      survival. Multivariate analysis showed that lymphovascular invasion (hazard
      ratio: 0.205, 95% confidence interval: 0.086-0.491, p < 0.0001) and co-expression
      of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 (hazard ratio: 0.293, 95% confidence
      interval: 0.168-0.510, p < 0.0001) were independent indicators of poor prognosis
      in lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, Notch1 enhanced the effects of C-X-C
      chemokine receptor 4 to promote angiogenesis by regulating Flt1 and Flt4 in
      vitro. In conclusion, co-expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1 is
      associated with tumor progression and lymphovascular invasion and is an
      independent indicator of poor survival in lung adenocarcinoma. In lung
      adenocarcinoma patients with high C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 and Notch1
      expression, simultaneous inhibition of both factors might be an effective
      treatment strategy.

PMID- 28618923
TI  - Serum autoantibodies against a panel of 15 tumor-associated antigens in the
      detection of ovarian cancer.
AB  - In this study, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been used to examine the
      frequencies of serum autoantibodies against two candidate tumor-associated
      antigens intensively selected from the Human Protein Atlas database, in
      combination with 13 tumor-associated antigens available from our lab in sera from
      44 OC patients and 50 normal healthy controls. Conventional evaluation (mean +
      3SD as the cutoff value to determine a positive reactivity), receiver operating
      characteristic curve analyses, and classification tree analysis were further used
      to evaluate the diagnostic performance of autoantibodies against these tumor
      associated antigens (anti-tumor-associated antigens) in ovarian cancer. For
      single anti-tumor-associated antigen, when the cutoff values were set as mean +
      3SD of normal healthy controls, NPM1, MDM2, PLAT, p53, and c-Myc could achieve
      sensitivity higher than 20% at 98% specificity. Combinational utilization of
      autoantibodies against MDM2, PLAT, NPM1, 14-3-3 Zeta, p53, and RalA achieved the
      optimal diagnostic performance with 72.7% sensitivity at 96% specificity.
      Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the
      receiver operating characteristic curves of autoantibodies against c-Myc, NPM1,
      MDM2, p16, p53, and 14-3-3 Zeta were greater than 0.80. This indicated that these
      tumor-associated antigens held high potential to serve as diagnostic biomarkers
      in ovarian cancer detection. Decision tree analysis indicated that anti-c-Myc
      held high potential in the detection of ovarian cancer. Further studies are
      warranted to validate the diagnostic performance of these anti-tumor-associated
      antigens with high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve,
      including autoantibodies against c-Myc, MDM2, PLAT, NPM1, 14-3-3 Zeta, p53, and
      RalA.

PMID- 28618924
TI  - Expression and clinical significance of placenta-specific 1 in pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma.
AB  - The limited efficacy of conventional therapies for pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma has led to the growing interest for identifying potential
      antigenic targets for immunotherapy. Placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) is a new member
      of cancer-testis antigens with restricted expression in normal tissues. Ectopic
      activation of PLAC1 has been found in different types of cancers, but its role in
      pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains unknown. This study evaluated the
      protein expression of PLAC1 and its clinical significance in pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma. We examined PLAC1 expression in 93 pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma samples by immunohistochemistry. The expression of PLAC1 was
      detected in 41 (44.1%) patients. Among patients' clinicopathological
      characteristics, PLAC1 expression was only significantly correlated with tumor
      differentiation (p = 0.028). Univariate analysis revealed that PLAC1 expression
      (p = 0.016) and tumor differentiation (p = 0.003) were significantly correlated
      with poor survival in the whole cohort. Subgroup analysis showed that PLAC1
      expression was an independent prognostic biomarker in the perineural invasion
      positive subgroup (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that the protein expression
      of PLAC1 was significantly associated with decreased overall survival in patients
      with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, indicating that it was a valuable
      prognostic marker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and might be a potential
      target for immunotherapy.

PMID- 28618925
TI  - DJ-1 is a reliable serum biomarker for discriminating high-risk endometrial
      cancer.
AB  - New reliable approaches to stratify patients with endometrial cancer into risk
      categories are highly needed. We have recently demonstrated that DJ-1 is
      overexpressed in endometrial cancer, showing significantly higher levels both in
      serum and tissue of patients with high-risk endometrial cancer compared with low
      risk endometrial cancer. In this experimental study, we further extended our
      observation, evaluating the role of DJ-1 as an accurate serum biomarker for high
      risk endometrial cancer. A total of 101 endometrial cancer patients and 44
      healthy subjects were prospectively recruited. DJ-1 serum levels were evaluated
      comparing cases and controls and, among endometrial cancer patients, between high
      and low-risk patients. The results demonstrate that DJ-1 levels are
      significantly higher in cases versus controls and in high- versus low-risk
      patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis shows that DJ-1
      has a very good diagnostic accuracy in discriminating endometrial cancer patients
      versus controls and an excellent accuracy in distinguishing, among endometrial
      cancer patients, low- from high-risk cases. DJ-1 sensitivity and specificity are
      the highest when high- and low-risk patients are compared, reaching the value of
      95% and 99%, respectively. Moreover, DJ-1 serum levels seem to be correlated with
      worsening of the endometrial cancer grade and histotype, making it a reliable
      tool in the preoperative decision-making process.

PMID- 28618926
TI  - Diagnostic relevance of a novel multiplex immunoassay panel in breast cancer.
AB  - Multiple factors contribute to the development and progression of breast cancer.
      Markers of tumor growth and invasion, cell death, immune activation, and
      angiogenesis can be assessed in parallel by a novel multiplex immunoassay panel.
      The diagnostic performance of a multiplex cancer biomarker magnetic bead panel
      comprising 24 tumor associated parameters was evaluated in sera of 154 women
      including 77 patients with breast cancer, 10 with precancerous lesions, 31 with
      benign breast diseases, and 36 healthy controls. Marker levels were log
      transformed for variance stabilization. Significance testing was done using t
      test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test with correction of p values for multiple testing.
      Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed. Serum
      levels of several biomarkers were significantly (p <= 0.001) higher in cancer
      patients than in healthy controls, particularly alpha-fetoprotein, cancer antigen
      15-3, cancer antigen 19-9, migration inhibitory factor, carcinoembryonic antigen,
      cancer antigen 125, hepatocyte growth factor, soluble Fas, tumor necrosis factor
      alpha, stem cell factor, and osteopontin. As most markers were also elevated in
      benign breast diseases, only cancer antigen 15-3 showed significant differences
      to cancer patients (p <= 0.001). The resulting areas under the curve in receiver
      operating characteristic curves for discrimination between benign and malignant
      breast diseases achieved 0.71 with a sensitivity of 33.8% at 95% specificity.
      Multiplexing enables parallel analysis of different biomarker classes for cancer
      detection. Established cancer antigen 15-3 proved to be most relevant for
      differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28618927
TI  - Long non-coding RNA MSTO2P promotes the proliferation and colony formation in
      gastric cancer by indirectly regulating miR-335 expression.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs are emerging as new players in gene regulation, but whether
      long non-coding RNAs influence the expression of microRNA is unclear. The
      expression levels of misato family member 2, pseudogene were significantly
      associated with lymphatic metastasis and distal metastasis in 80 paired gastric
      cancer tissues using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase
      chain reaction experiments. The effects of long non-coding RNA misato family
      member 2, pseudogene were assessed by overexpressing or downexpressing long non
      coding RNA misato family member 2, pseudogene in gastric cancer cells. Long non
      coding RNA misato family member 2, pseudogene promoted gastric cancer cell
      growth, colony formation, migration, and invasion in gastric cancer cells. Long
      non-coding RNA misato family member 2, pseudogene influenced biologic functions
      in gastric cancer cells via indirectly regulating the activation of miR-335. Our
      results reveal long non-coding RNA misato family member 2, pseudogene as an
      oncogenic long non-coding RNA that promotes cell growth and invasion. Therefore,
      long non-coding RNAs might function as key regulatory hubs in gastric cancer
      progression.

PMID- 28618928
TI  - Overexpression of TRIM44 is related to invasive potential and malignant outcomes
      in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - Recent studies have shown that some members of the tripartite motif-containing
      protein family function as important regulators for carcinogenesis. In this
      study, we investigated whether tripartite motif-containing protein 44 acts as a
      cancer-promoting gene through its overexpression in esophageal squamous cell
      carcinoma. We analyzed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to evaluate
      malignant potential and also analyzed 68 primary tumors to evaluate clinical
      relevance of tripartite motif-containing protein 44 protein in esophageal
      squamous cell carcinoma patients. Expression of the tripartite motif-containing
      protein 44 protein was detected in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines
      (8/14 cell lines; 57%) and primary tumor samples of esophageal squamous cell
      carcinoma (39/68 cases; 57%). Knockdown of tripartite motif-containing protein 44
      expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells using several specific
      small interfering RNAs inhibited cell migration and invasion, but not cell
      proliferation. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the overexpression
      of the tripartite motif-containing protein 44 protein in the tumor infiltrated
      region was associated with the status of lymph node metastasis ( p = 0.049), and
      the overall survival rates were significantly worse among patients with
      tripartite motif-containing protein 44-overexpressing tumors than those with non
      expressing tumors ( p = 0.029). Moreover, multivariate Cox regression model
      identified that overexpression of the tripartite motif-containing protein 44
      protein was an independent worse prognostic factor (hazard ratio = 2.815; p =
      0.041), as well as lymphatic invasion (hazard ratio = 2.735; p = 0.037). These
      results suggest that tripartite motif-containing protein 44 protein could play a
      crucial role in tumor invasion through its overexpression and highlight its
      usefulness as a predictor and potential therapeutic target in esophageal squamous
      cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28618929
TI  - Anti-tumorigenic effects of a novel digitoxin derivative on both estrogen
      receptor-positive and triple-negative breast cancer cells.
AB  - While there are targeted treatments for triple positive breast cancers, lack of
      specific biomarkers for triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) has hindered the
      development of therapies for this subset of cancers. In this study, we evaluated
      the anticancer properties of cardiac glycoside Digitoxin (Dtx) and its synthetic
      analog MonoD on breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (estrogen receptor-positive breast
      cancer) and MDA-MB-468 (triple-negative breast cancer). Both cardiac glycosides,
      at concentrations within the therapeutic range, increased the fraction of cells
      in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, decreased viability, and inhibited the
      migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Both cardiac glycosides increased
      production of superoxide and induced apoptosis in both cell types. Reduced
      protein levels of nuclear factor kappa B and IkappaB kinase-beta were found in
      cardiac glycoside-treated cells, indicating that the cellular effects of these
      compounds are mediated via nuclear factor kappa B pathway. This study
      demonstrates the cytotoxic potential of digitoxin, and more importantly its
      synthetic analog MonoD, in the treatment of triple-positive breast cancer and
      more importantly the aggressive triple-negative breast cancer. Collectively, this
      study provides a basis for the reevaluation of cardiac glycosides in the
      treatment of breast cancer and more importantly reveals their potential in the
      treatment of triple-negative breast cancers.

PMID- 28618930
TI  - Gallic acid against hepatocellular carcinoma: An integrated scheme of the
      potential mechanisms of action from in vivo study.
AB  - The global burden of hepatocellular carcinoma is increasing; actually, it is
      estimated as 750,000 new cases annually. This study was initiated to emphasize
      the possibility that gallic acid could alleviate hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo. In
      this study, 40 rats were enrolled and distributed as follows; group 1 was set as
      negative control, while all of groups 2, 3, and 4 were orally received N
      nitrosodiethylamine for hepatocellular carcinoma induction. Group 2 was left
      untreated, whereas groups 3 and 4 were orally treated with gallic acid and
      doxorubicin, respectively. The current data indicated that gallic acid
      administration in hepatocellular carcinoma bearing rats yielded significant
      decline in serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein, glypican-3, and signal transducer
      and activator of transcription 3 along with significant enhancement in serum
      suppressors of cytokine signaling 3 level. Also, gallic acid-treated group
      displayed significant downregulation in the gene expression levels of hepatic
      gamma glutamyl transferase and heat shock protein gp96. Intriguingly, treatment
      with gallic acid remarkably ameliorated the destabilization of liver tissue
      architecture caused by N-nitrosodiethylamine intoxication as evidenced by
      histopathological investigation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the
      hepatocarcinogenic effect of N-nitrosodiethylamine can be abrogated by gallic
      acid supplementation owing to its affinity to regulate signal transducer and
      activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway through its outstanding
      bioactivities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, apoptotic, and antitumor
      effects.

PMID- 28618931
TI  - Detection of FAM172A expressed in circulating tumor cells is a feasible method to
      predict high-risk subgroups of colorectal cancer.
AB  - Previous studies used to enumerate circulating tumor cells to predict prognosis
      and therapeutic effect of colorectal cancer. However, increasing studies have
      shown that only circulating tumor cells enumeration was not enough to reflect the
      heterogeneous condition of tumor. In this study, we classified different
      metastatic-potential circulating tumor cells from colorectal cancer patients and
      measured FAM172A expression in circulating tumor cells to improve accuracy of
      clinical diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Blood samples were
      collected from 45 primary colorectal cancer patients. Circulating tumor cells
      were enriched by blood filtration using isolation by size of epithelial tumor
      cells, and in situ hybridization with RNA method was used to identify and
      discriminate subgroups of circulating tumor cells. Afterwards, FAM172A expression
      in individual circulating tumor cells was measured. Three circulating tumor cell
      subgroups (epithelial/biophenotypic/mesenchymal circulating tumor cells) were
      identified using epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. In our research,
      mesenchymal circulating tumor cells significantly increased along with tumor
      progression, development of distant metastasis, and vascular invasion.
      Furthermore, FAM172A expression rate in mesenchymal circulating tumor cells was
      significantly higher than that in epithelial circulating tumor cells, which
      suggested that FAM172A may correlate with malignant degree of tumor. This
      hypothesis was further verified by FAM172A expression in mesenchymal circulating
      tumor cells, which was strictly related to tumor aggressiveness factors.
      Mesenchymal circulating tumor cells and FAM172A detection may predict highrisk
      stage II colorectal cancer. Our research proved that circulating tumor cells were
      feasible surrogate samples to detect gene expression and could serve as a
      predictive biomarker for tumor evaluation.

PMID- 28618932
TI  - Intimate cross-talk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment of B-cell
      lymphomas: The key role of exosomes.
AB  - B-cell lymphomas are composed of tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment,
      which is conventionally thought to be composed of a mixture of stromal cells,
      blood vessels, immune cells, and non-cell components, such as extracellular
      matrix, cytokines, and chemokines. Exosomes, small endocytically derived vesicles
      that have been proved to be present in a variety of tumor niches and involved in
      mediating cell signaling networks, are increasingly regarded as important
      components of tumor microenvironment. In this review, we first focus on the
      biogenesis, biodistribution, transportation, and other general characteristics of
      exosomes and then highlight the vital roles of exosomes in lymphomagenesis and
      disease progression, particularly from the perspective of immune dysfunction,
      virus infection, and therapeutic resistance mechanisms.

PMID- 28618933
TI  - High expression of long non-coding RNA ZEB1-AS1 promotes colorectal cancer cell
      proliferation partially by suppressing p15 expression.
AB  - This study aims to investigate the function of long non-coding RNA ZEB1-AS1,
      reveal its molecular mechanism in colorectal cancer cell growth, and evaluate its
      clinical significance in colorectal cancer patients. ZEB1-AS1 has reported in the
      development of several cancers, but the biological role of it in colorectal
      cancer has not been discussed. In this report, ZEB1-AS1 expression level was
      measured with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 63 pairs of
      colorectal cancer tissues and paired adjacent non-tumor colorectal tissues. The
      relationship between ZEB1-AS1 expression and overall survival was analyzed by
      virtue of Kaplan-Meier analysis. Subsequently, small interfering RNA or
      lentivirus vector-mediated lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 was transfected into colorectal cancer
      cell lines. Cell viability and apoptosis were examined. Later, nude mouse
      transplantation experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of ZEB1-AS1 on
      colorectal cancer development in vivo. It turns out that ZEB1-AS1 is upregulated
      in colorectal cancer tissues and its expression is significantly associated with
      overall survival rate and recurrence-free survival. Upregulation of ZEB1-AS1
      colorectal cancer promotes cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis. In
      addition, cell cycle inhibitory protein p15 participates in the oncogenic
      function of ZEB1-AS1. Collectively, ZEB1-AS1 has asignificant effect on
      colorectal cancer pathological process and serves as a valuable prognostic
      biomarker for colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28618934
TI  - Identification of curcumin-inhibited extracellular matrix receptors in non-small
      cell lung cancer A549 cells by RNA sequencing.
AB  - Curcumin is a potent anti-cancer drug in several types of human cancers. Despite
      of several preclinical and clinical studies of curcumin, the precise mechanism of
      curcumin in cancer prevention has remained unclear. In our study, we for the
      first time investigated whole transcriptome alteration in A549 non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines after treatment with curcumin using RNA
      sequencing. We found that lots of genes and signaling pathways were significantly
      altered after curcumin treatment in A549 cells. With bioinformatics approaches
      (gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and STRING), we found
      that those curcumin altered genes were not only the genes that induce cell death
      but also those extracellular matrix receptors and mitogen-activated protein
      kinase signaling pathway genes which regulate cell migration and proliferation.
      Among those significantly altered genes, eight genes ( COL1A1, COL4A1, COL5A1,
      LAMA5, ITGA3, ITGA2B, DDIT3, and DUSP1) were further examined by quantitative
      reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis in four
      non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. Both in cell lines and in mouse model, the
      extracellular matrix receptors including the integrin ( ITGA3 and ITGA2B),
      collagen ( COL5A1), and laminin ( LAMA5) were significantly inhibited by curcumin
      at messenger RNA and protein levels. Functional studies confirmed that curcumin
      not only induced A549 cell death but also repressed cell proliferation and
      migration by regulating extracellular matrix receptors. Collectively, our study
      suggests that curcumin may be used as a promising drug candidate for intervening
      lung cancer in future studies.

PMID- 28618935
TI  - Heterogeneous DNA methylation status in same-cell subpopulations of ovarian
      cancer tissues.
AB  - This study aims to explore the heterogeneous DNA methylation differences between
      individual single ovarian cancer cells isolated from the same formalin-fixed and
      paraffin-embedded human ovarian cancer tissue. Single cells were isolated by
      laser microdissection. Whole genome amplification and polymerase chain reaction
      purification were performed on the converted genomic DNA. Target primers designed
      for checking DNA methylation were used in polymerase chain reaction reactions to
      amplify special fragments. Sequencing was performed to analyze the heterogeneous
      DNA methylation statuses of different single ovarian cancer cells. Three of nine
      single human ovarian cancer cells showed positive bands (33.3%) on separating
      gel. The methylated and unmethylated CpGs were shown at the same loci in
      different single cells. We show heterogeneous DNA methylation statuses in same
      cell subpopulations.

PMID- 28618936
TI  - Detection and a possible link between parvovirus B19 and thyroid cancer.
AB  - Human parvovirus B19 (B19) is a small, non-enveloped virus and belongs to
      Parvoviridae family. B19 persists in many tissues such as thyroid tissue and even
      thyroid cancer. The main aim of this study was to determine the presence of B19,
      its association with increased inflammation in thyroid tissue, and thus its
      possible role in thyroid cancer progression. Studies have shown that virus
      replication in non-permissive tissue leads to overexpression of non-structural
      protein and results in upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines such as
      interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha. A total of 36 paraffin-embedded
      thyroid specimens and serum were collected from patients and 12 samples were used
      as control. Various methods were employed, including polymerase chain reaction,
      real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The
      results have shown the presence of B19 DNA in 31 of 36 samples (86.11%). Almost
      in all samples, the levels of non-structural protein 1, nuclear factor kappa B,
      tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 6 were simultaneously high. The
      presence of parvovirus B19 has a significant positive correlation with nuclear
      factor kappa B, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin 6 levels. This study
      suggests that B19 infection may play an important role in tumorigenesis and
      thyroid cancer development via the inflammatory mechanisms.

PMID- 28618937
TI  - 37LRP induces invasion in hypoxic lung adenocarcinoma cancer cells A549 through
      the JNK/ERK/c-Jun signaling cascade.
AB  - We previously reported that 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor involved in
      metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cancer cells. In this study, we further
      revealed that hypoxia induced 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor expression and
      activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal
      kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in lung adenocarcinoma cancer
      cells. In addition, we further demonstrated that the c-Jun N-terminal kinase
      inhibitor SP600125 and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase inhibitor
      U0126 blocked the c-Jun activity and abolished hypoxia-induced 37-kDa laminin
      receptor precursor expression and promoter activity in a concentration-dependent
      manner. However, the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor did not
      affect 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor expression and c-Jun activity in
      response to hypoxia. Furthermore, downregulated c-Jun expression by short
      interfering RNA could also inhibit hypoxia-induced 37-kDa laminin receptor
      precursor expression and transcriptional activity. The inhibition of 37-kDa
      laminin receptor precursor expression by SP600125 and U0126 could be rescued by c
      Jun overexpression. Studies using luciferase promoter constructs revealed a
      significant increase in the activity of promoter binding in the cells exposed to
      hypoxia, which was lost in the cells with mutation of the activator protein 1
      binding site. Electrophoresis mobility shift assay and chromatin
      immunoprecipitation demonstrated a functional activator protein 1 binding site
      within 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor gene regulatory sequence located at -271
      relative to the transcriptional initiation point. Hypoxia-induced invasion of
      A549 cells was inhibited by the pharmacologic inhibitors of c-Jun N-terminal
      kinase (SP600125) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (U0126) as
      well as 37-kDa laminin receptor precursor-specific siRNA or antibody. Our results
      suggest that hypoxia-elicited c-Jun/activator protein 1 regulates 37-kDa laminin
      receptor precursor expression, which modulates migration and invasion of lung
      adenocarcinoma cells.

PMID- 28618938
TI  - Laboratory validation of formal concept analysis of the methylation status of
      microarray-detected genes in primary breast cancer.
AB  - Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. DNA methylations
      play important roles in cancer development and progression. Formal concept
      analysis was previously utilized for data mining hypermethylated and
      hypomethylated genes in breast cancer molecular subtypes in illumina methylation
      based microarray database, to laboratory validate their outputs; HS3ST2 (heparan
      sulfate d-glucosaminyl 3-O-sulfonyl transferase-2) and MUC1 (mucin-1) were
      retrieved. Both play important roles in progression and invasion of breast
      cancer. The methylation status of both genes was laboratory validated using
      methylation-based polymerase chain reaction in breast cancer subtypes luminal A
      (early stages) and luminal B (late stages) in comparison with benign conditions
      and normal breast to conclude their roles in tumor invasion and to validate the
      newly developed algorithm (formal concept analysis). Significant cancer-specific
      hypermethylation of HS3ST2 was detected in luminal B (chi square = 30.6, p =
      0.000), while significant cancer-specific hypomethylation of MUC1 was detected in
      luminal B (chi square = 30.5, p = 0.001) breast cancer. The median levels of the
      percentage of methylated allele of both genes were significantly discriminative
      between luminal A and luminal B subtypes and benign and healthy control groups.
      Detection of MUC1 and HS3ST2 promoter methylation status appears to be useful
      molecular markers for assessing the progressive state of the disease and could be
      helpful in discriminating breast cancer molecular subtypes. These results
      validate the methylation-based microarray analysis, thus trust their output in
      the future.

PMID- 28618939
TI  - Rapamycin enhances the anti-angiogenesis and anti-proliferation ability of YM155
      in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - YM155, a small molecule inhibitor of survivin, has been studied in many tumors.
      It has been shown that YM155 inhibited oral squamous cell carcinoma through
      promoting apoptosis and autophagy and inhibiting proliferation. It was found that
      YM155 also inhibited the oral squamous cell carcinoma-mediated angiogenesis
      through the inactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Rapamycin,
      a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, played an important role in the
      proliferation and angiogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. In our
      study, cell proliferation assay, transwell assay, tube formation assay, and
      western blot assay were used to investigate the synergistic effect of rapamycin
      on YM155 in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Either in vitro or in vivo, rapamycin
      and YM155 exerted a synergistic effect on the inhibition of survivin and vascular
      endothelial growth factor through mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Overall,
      our results revealed that low-dose rapamycin strongly promoted the sensitivity of
      oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines to YM155.

PMID- 28618940
TI  - Association of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 with the proliferation,
      migration and invasion in gastric cancer cells.
AB  - Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 is a cysteine-rich protein that
      belongs to the CCN family, which has been implicated in mediating the occurrence
      and progression through distinct molecular mechanisms in several tumor types.
      However, the association of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 with
      gastric cancer and the related molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated.
      Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the biological role of Wnt1-inducible
      signaling pathway protein-1 in the proliferation, migration, and invasion in
      gastric cancer cells and further investigated the associated molecular mechanism
      on these biological functions. We first detected the expression level of Wnt1
      inducible signaling pathway protein-1 in gastric cancer, and the reverse
      transcription polymerase chain reaction have shown that Wnt1-inducible signaling
      pathway protein-1 expression levels were upregulated in gastric cancer tissues.
      The expression of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 in gastric cancer
      cell lines was also detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction
      and Western blotting. Furthermore, two gastric cancer cell lines with high
      expression of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 were selected to explore
      the biological function of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 in gastric
      cancer. Function assays indicated that knockdown of Wnt1-inducible signaling
      pathway protein-1 suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in BGC
      823 and AGS gastric cancer cells. Further investigation of mechanisms suggested
      that cyclinD1 was identified as one of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1
      related genes to accelerate proliferation in gastric cancer cells. In addition,
      one pathway of Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 induced migration and
      invasion was mainly through the enhancement of epithelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition progression. Taken together, our findings presented the first evidence
      that Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein-1 was upregulated in gastric cancer
      and acted as an oncogene by promoting proliferation, migration, and invasion in
      gastric cancer cells.

PMID- 28618941
TI  - Molecular interplay of pro-inflammatory transcription factors and non-coding RNAs
      in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth most common cancer in the
      developing world. The aggressive nature of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma,
      its tendency for relapse, and the poor survival prospects of patients diagnosed
      at advanced stages, represent a pressing need for the development of new
      therapies for this disease. Chronic inflammation is known to have a causal link
      to cancer pre-disposition. Nuclear factor kappa B and signal transducer and
      activator of transcription 3 are transcription factors which regulate immunity
      and inflammation and are emerging as key regulators of tumor initiation,
      progression, and metastasis. Although these pro-inflammatory factors in
      esophageal squamous cell carcinoma have been well-characterized with reference to
      protein-coding targets, their functional interactions with non-coding RNAs have
      only recently been gaining attention. Non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs and
      long non-coding RNAs demonstrate potential as biomarkers and alternative
      therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the recent literature and
      concepts on non-coding RNAs that are regulated by/regulate nuclear factor kappa B
      and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in esophageal cancer
      progression. We also discuss how these recent discoveries can pave way for future
      therapeutic options to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28618942
TI  - Prognostic role of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 in human solid tumors: A
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - In the past decades, the oncogenic role of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2
      has been demonstrated in a number of cancer types. However, studies have reported
      contradictory findings concerning the correlation between fibroblast growth
      factor receptor 2 expression and prognosis in solid tumors. To address this
      discrepancy, we performed a meta-analysis with 18 published studies (2975
      patients) retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of science. Data were extracted
      and computed into odds ratios. The results showed that fibroblast growth factor
      receptor 2 overexpression was significantly associated with decreased 3-year
      overall survival (odds ratio = 1.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.30-2.85, p =
      0.001) and 5-year overall survival (odds ratio = 1.62, 95% confidence interval:
      1.07-2.44, p = 0.02) in patients with solid tumors. Subgroup analysis revealed
      that high fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 expression was also associated with
      poor prognosis of gastric cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and esophageal
      cancer, but not correlated with pancreatic cancer. In conclusion, fibroblast
      growth factor receptor 2 overexpression is correlated with decreased survival in
      most solid tumors, suggesting that the expression status of fibroblast growth
      factor receptor 2 is a valuable prognostic biomarker and a novel therapeutic
      target in human solid tumors.

PMID- 28618944
TI  - Demethoxycurcumin in combination with ultraviolet radiation B induces apoptosis
      through the mitochondrial pathway and caspase activation in A431 and HaCaT cells.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy is widely used in the clinical treatment of tumors,
      especially skin cancers. It has been reported that the photosensitizer curcumin,
      in combination with ultraviolet radiation B, induces HaCaT cell apoptosis, and
      this effect may be due to the activation of caspase pathways. In this study, we
      examined the photodynamic effects of demethoxycurcumin, a more stable analogue of
      curcumin, to determine whether it could induce apoptosis in skin cancer cells. We
      investigated the effects of a combination of ultraviolet radiation B and
      demethoxycurcumin on apoptotic cell death in A431 and HaCaT cells and determined
      the molecular mechanism of action. Our results showed increased apoptosis with a
      combination of ultraviolet radiation B with demethoxycurcumin, as compared to
      ultraviolet radiation B or demethoxycurcumin alone. The combination of
      ultraviolet radiation B irradiation with demethoxycurcumin synergistically
      induced apoptotic cell death in A431 and HaCaT cells through activation of p53
      and caspase pathways, as well as through upregulation of Bax and p-p65 expression
      and downregulation of Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and nuclear factor-kappaB expression. In
      addition, we found that reactive oxygen species significantly increased with
      treatment, and mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization was remarkably
      enhanced. In conclusion, our data indicate that demethoxycurcumin may be a
      promising photosensitizer for use in photodynamic therapy to induce apoptosis in
      skin cancer cells.

PMID- 28618943
TI  - Long non-coding RNA DANCR, a prognostic indicator, promotes cell growth and
      tumorigenicity in gastric cancer.
AB  - Gastric cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality
      worldwide, and proliferation of gastric cancer represents the major reason for
      its poor prognosis. Recent evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs play
      crucial roles in development and progression of gastric cancer. Long non-coding
      RNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA is upregulated in hepatic
      cell carcinoma, but the role of lncRNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein
      coding RNA in gastric cancer has not been explored. In this article, we found
      that differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA is also upregulated in
      gastric cancer. Experiments revealed that silencing differentiation antagonizing
      non-protein coding RNA significantly inhibited gastric cancer cell proliferation
      in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of differentiation antagonizing non-protein
      coding RNA notably increases gastric cancer cell proliferation. From RNA-seq and
      gene ontology annotations, we found that differentiation antagonizing non-protein
      coding RNA influences the gene expression programs in cell metabolic and cycle
      process. Taken together, our findings suggest that the long non-coding RNA
      differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA promotes the proliferation of
      gastric cancer and is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in
      gastric cancer.

PMID- 28618945
TI  - The expression profiling of serum miR-92a, miR-375, and miR-760 in colorectal
      cancer: An Egyptian study.
AB  - Dysregulation in microRNA expression is a common feature in colorectal cancer.
      Due to the inconsistent results regarding serum miR-92a expression pattern and
      the insufficient studies on serum miR-375 and miR-760, we aimed in this study to
      investigate their expression profile and diagnostic and prognostic power in
      Egyptian colorectal cancer patients. The expression profile of miR-92a, miR-375,
      and miR-760 was determined in the sera of 64 colorectal cancer patients using
      quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in
      comparison to 27 healthy control subjects. The expression fold change of the
      studied microRNAs was correlated with patients' clinicopathological features.
      Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was done to determine the role
      of these microRNAs in colorectal cancer diagnosis and follow-up according to the
      yielded area under the curve. The expression pattern of miR-92a was significantly
      upregulated (3.38 +/- 2.52, p < 0.0001), while both of miR-375 and 760 were
      significantly downregulated (-1.250 +/- 1.80, p< 0.0001; -1.710 +/- 1.88, p <
      0.0001, respectively) in colorectal cancer than the control. MiR-92a was
      positively correlated ( r = 0.671, p = 0.0001), while miR-375 and miR-760 were
      inversely correlated ( r = -0.414, p = 0.001; r = -0.644, p = 0.0001) with
      advanced colorectal cancer stages. Receiver operating characteristic curve
      analysis disclosed the highest diagnostic potential for miR-760 to discriminate
      colorectal cancer patients and early-stage colorectal cancer from the control
      (area under the curve = 0.922 and 0.875, respectively), while the highest
      prognostic potential for discrimination between colorectal cancer stages was for
      miR-92a. In conclusion, serum level of miR-92a, miR-375, and miR-760 may serve as
      biomarkers of colorectal cancer in Egyptian patients with high diagnostic power
      for miR-760 and high prognostic power for miR-92a.

PMID- 28618946
TI  - A comparative proteomic analysis of bile for biomarkers of cholangiocarcinoma.
AB  - Cholangiocarcinoma is a primary malignant tumor of the bile duct epithelium.
      Cholangiocarcinoma is usually detected at an advanced stage when successful
      treatment is no longer possible. As the tumor originates from the bile duct
      epithelium, bile is an ideal source of tumor biomarkers for cholangiocarcinoma.
      In this study, we used a quantitative proteomics approach to identify potential
      tumor-associated proteins in the bile fluid of six cholangiocarcinoma patients.
      Three different gross-appearance tumor types were used in the analysis: mass
      forming type ( n = 2), periductal infiltrating type ( n = 2), and intraductal
      growth type ( n = 2). Two bile samples from non-cancerous patients were used as
      controls. Isobaric labeling, coupled with Tandem mass spectrometry, was used to
      quantify protein levels in the bile of cholangiocarcinoma and control patients.
      In all, 63 proteins were significantly increased in cholangiocarcinoma bile
      compared to normal bile. Alpha-1-antitrypsin was one of the overexpressed
      proteins that increased in cholangiocarcinoma bile samples. Immunohistochemical
      analysis revealed that alpha-1-antitrypsin was detected in 177 (50%) of 354
      cholangiocarcinoma tissues from our Tissue Bank. Immunoblotting of 54
      cholangiocarcinoma bile samples showed that alpha-1-antitrypsin was positive in
      38 (70%) samples. Fecal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that alpha-1
      antitrypsin level was able to distinguish cholangiocarcinoma patients from normal
      individuals. In conclusion, alpha-1-antitrypsin is a potential marker for early
      diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma.

PMID- 28618947
TI  - Treatment outcome comparisons between exons 19 and 21 EGFR mutations for non
      small-cell lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion after first-line
      and second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
AB  - Recent studies demonstrated a significantly increased frequency of epidermal
      growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPEs). The purpose of this
      study is to investigate the effect of first-line and second-line EGFR-tyrosine
      kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the treatment of NSCLC with MPEs harboring exon 19
      deletion and L858R mutation. From 2010 to 2015, 203 NSCLC patients with MPEs
      harboring EGFR mutation treated with EGFR-TKIs were reviewed. The efficacy were
      evaluated with Pearson chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, Log-rank test and Cox
      proportional hazards model. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control
      rate (DCR) for patients treated with first-line and second-line EGFR-TKIs were
      21.9%, 91.4% and 14.7%, 85.3%, respectively. The overall median PFS and OS of
      enrolled NSCLC patients with MPE were 9.3 months (95% CI, 8.4-10.2 months), 20.9
      months (95% CI, 18.9-22.9 months) after first-line TKIs, and 7.6 months (95% CI,
      6.6-8.6 months), 15.3 months (95% CI, 13.6-15.9 months) after second-line TKIs.
      The exon 19 deletion arm had a longer median PFS (9.4 vs 7.1 months, p=0.003) and
      OS (16.8 vs 13.8 months, p=0.003) compared with the L858R mutation arm after
      second-line TKIs. In a conclusion, EGFR genotype was an independent predictor of
      PFS and OS. No significant side effects differences between the two mutation
      groups was observed for first or second-line EGFR-TKIs. This study demonstrated
      that EGFR mutations are significant predictors for advanced NSCLC patients with
      MPE receiving second-line EGFR-TKIs treatment.

PMID- 28618948
TI  - Tissue-specific significance of BAP1 gene mutation in prognostic prediction and
      molecular taxonomy among different types of cancer.
AB  - BAP1 is an emerging tumor suppressor whose inactivating mutations have been found
      to play critical roles in tumor development. This study was conducted to
      elucidate the potential value of BAP1 mutation in guiding prognostic prediction
      and clinical stratification. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of relevant
      studies from multiple databases, to determine the impact of BAP1 mutation on the
      overall survival and disease-free survival of patients in various cancers. A
      total of 2457 patients from 21 studies were included in the final analysis.
      Although the pooled results demonstrated that BAP1 mutation was a negative
      indicator of overall survival (hazard ratio = 1.73; 95% confidence interval =
      1.23-2.42) and disease-free survival (hazard ratio = 2.25; 95% confidence
      interval = 1.47-3.45), this prognostic value was only applicable to uveal
      melanoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma, but not to malignant pleural
      mesothelioma or cholangiocarcinoma. Consistently, BAP1 mutation was correlated
      with critical clinicopathological features only in uveal melanoma and clear cell
      renal cell carcinoma. In uveal melanoma, BAP1 mutation and SF3B1/EIF1AX mutations
      were negatively correlated, and BAP1-mutant tumors indicated significant worse
      prognosis than SF3B1/EIF1AX-mutant tumors ( p = 0.028). While in clear cell renal
      cell carcinoma, BAP1 mutation was mutually exclusive with PBRM1 mutations, and
      BAP1-mutant clear cell renal cell carcinomas also showed significantly worse
      prognosis than PBRM1-mutant clear cell renal cell carcinomas ( p = 0.001). Our
      study revealed a unique tissue-specific significance of BAP1 mutation in
      prognostic prediction among different types of cancer. Clinically, combining
      detection of BAP1 mutation and other driver mutations may further allow for a
      more precise molecular taxonomy to stratify patients into distinct subgroups in
      uveal melanoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28618949
TI  - IQ-domain GTPase-activating protein 1 promotes the malignant phenotype of
      invasive ductal breast carcinoma via canonical Wnt pathway.
AB  - IQ-domain GTPase-activating protein 1 is a scaffolding protein with multidomain
      which plays a role in modulating dishevelled (Dvl) nuclear translocation in
      canonical Wnt pathway. However, the biological function and mechanism of IQ
      domain GTPase-activating protein 1 in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) remain
      unknown. In this study, we found that IQ-domain GTPase-activating protein 1
      expression was elevated in invasive ductal carcinoma, which was positively
      correlated with tumor grade, lymphatic metastasis, and poor prognosis.
      Coexpression of IQ-domain GTPase-activating protein 1 and Dvl in the nucleus and
      cytoplasm of invasive ductal carcinoma was significantly correlated but not in
      the membrane. Postoperative survival in the patients with their coexpression in
      the nucleus and cytoplasm was obviously lower than that without coexpression. The
      positive expression rates of c-myc and cyclin D1 were significantly higher in the
      patients with nuclear coexpression of Dvl and IQ-domain GTPase-activating protein
      1 than that with cytoplasmic coexpression, correlating with poor prognosis. IQ
      domain GTPase-activating protein 1 significantly enhanced cell proliferation and
      invasion in invasive ductal carcinoma cell lines by interacting with Dvl in
      cytoplasm to promote Dvl nuclear translocation so as to upregulate the expression
      of c-myc and cyclin D1. Collectively, our data suggest that IQ-domain GTPase
      activating protein 1 may promote the malignant phenotype of invasive ductal
      carcinoma via canonical Wnt signaling, and it could be used as a potential
      prognostic biomarker for breast cancer patients.

PMID- 28618950
TI  - MiR-1-3p inhibits the proliferation and invasion of bladder cancer cells by
      suppressing CCL2 expression.
AB  - We attempted to analyze the effects of miR-1-3p and CCL2 on the proliferation,
      migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cells. A total of 18 pairs of bladder
      cancer tissues with corresponding adjacent tissues and the 6 cases of normal
      tissues were collected. The expressions of miR-1-3p and CCL2 in the cancer
      tissues were evaluated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and
      western blot. The relationship between miR-1-3p and CCL2 was assessed using
      luciferase reporter assay. The UM-UC-3 bladder cancer cells were transfected with
      CCL2 small interfering RNA and miR-1-3p mimics. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay,
      Transwell assay, and the flow cytometry test were used to detect the
      proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of bladder cancer cells.
      Bladder cancer tissues had lower levels of miR-1-3p but higher levels of CCL2
      than normal tissues ( p < 0.05). The transfection of miR-1-3p mimics and CCL2
      small interfering RNA remarkably suppressed cell proliferation and invasion and
      promoted apoptosis of cells ( p < 0.05). Results of the luciferase reporter gene
      assay demonstrated that miR-1-3p targeted CCL2. MiR-1-3p suppresses the
      proliferation and invasion of urinary bladder cancer cells by targeting CCL2.

PMID- 28618951
TI  - Biological evaluation of octahydropyrazin[2,1-a:5,4-a']diisoquinoline derivatives
      as potent anticancer agents.
AB  - In this study, we evaluated the cytotoxic activity and antiproliferative potency
      of novel octahydropyrazin[2,1-a:5,4-a']diisoquinoline derivatives (1-7) in MCF-7
      and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Annexin V binding assay and disruption
      of the mitochondrial potential were performed to determine apoptosis. The
      activity of caspases 3, 8, 9, and 10 was measured after 24 h of incubation with
      tested compounds to explain detailed molecular mechanism of induction of
      apoptosis. The results from experiments were compared with effects obtained after
      incubation in the presence of camptothecin and etoposide. Our study demonstrated
      that the most active compounds in both analyzed breast cancer cell lines were
      compounds 3 and 4. We also observed that all compounds induced apoptosis. We
      demonstrated the higher activity of caspases 3, 8, 9, and 10, which confirmed
      that induction of apoptosis is associated with external and internal cell death
      pathway. Our study revealed that the novel compounds in group of diisoquinoline
      derivatives are promising candidates in anticancer treatment by activation of
      both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.

PMID- 28618952
TI  - MicroRNA-105 inhibits human glioma cell malignancy by directly targeting SUZ12.
AB  - Glioma accounts for the majority of primary malignant brain tumors in adults and
      is highly aggressive. Although various therapeutic approaches have been applied,
      outcomes of glioma treatment remain poor. MicroRNAs are a class of small
      noncoding RNAs that function as regulators of gene expression. Accumulating
      evidence shows that microRNAs are associated with tumorigenesis and tumor
      progression. In this study, we found that miR-105 is significantly downregulated
      in glioma tissues and glioma cell lines. We identified suppressor of Zeste 12
      homolog as a novel direct target of miR-105 and showed that suppressor of Zeste
      12 homolog protein levels were inversely correlated with the levels of miR-105
      expression in clinical specimens. Overexpression of miR-105 inhibited cell
      proliferation, tumorigenesis, migration, invasion, and drug sensitivity, whereas
      overexpression of suppressor of Zeste 12 homolog antagonized the tumor
      suppressive functions of miR-105. Taken together, our results indicate that miR
      105 plays a significant role in tumor behavior and malignant progression, which
      may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of glioma and other
      cancers.

PMID- 28618953
TI  - Overexpression of microRNA-194 suppresses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition
      in targeting stem cell transcription factor Sox3 in endometrial carcinoma stem
      cells.
AB  - The epithelial-mesenchymal transition is the key process driving cancer
      metastasis. MicroRNA-194 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition in several
      cancers and its downregulation indicates a poor prognosis in human endometrial
      carcinoma. Self-renewal factor Sox3 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition at
      gastrulation and is also involved epithelial-mesenchymal transition in several
      cancers. We intended to determine the roles of Sox3 in inducing epithelial
      mesenchymal transition in endometrial cancer stem cells and the possible role of
      microRNA-194 in controlling Sox3 expression. Firstly, we found that Sox3 and
      microRNA-194 expressions were associated with the status of endometrial cancer
      stem cells in a panel of endometrial carcinoma tissue, the CD133+ cell was higher
      in tumorsphere than in differentiated cells, and overexpression of microRNA-194
      would decrease CD133+ cell expression. Silencing of Sox3 in endometrial cancer
      stem cell upregulated the epithelial marker E-cadherin, downregulated the
      mesenchymal marker vimentin, and significantly reduced cell invasion in vitro;
      overexpression of Sox3 reversed these phenotypes. Furthermore, we discovered that
      the expression of Sox3 was suppressed by microRNA-194 through direct binding to
      the Sox3 3'-untranslated region. Ectopic expression of microRNA-194 in
      endometrial cancer stem cells induced a mesenchymal-epithelial transition by
      restoring E-cadherin expression, decreasing vimentin expression, and inhibiting
      cell invasion in vitro. Moreover, overexpression of microRNA-194 inhibited
      endometrial cancer stem cell invasion or metastasis in vivo by injection of
      adenovirus microRNA-194. These findings demonstrate the novel mechanism by which
      Sox3 contributes to endometrial cancer stem cell invasion and suggest that
      repression of Sox3 by microRNA-194 may have therapeutic potential to suppress
      endometrial carcinoma metastasis. The cancer stem cell marker, CD133, might be
      the surface marker of endometrial cancer stem cell.

PMID- 28618954
TI  - Prognostic value of pretreatment inflammatory biomarkers in advanced lung
      adenocarcinoma patients receiving first-line pemetrexed/platinum doublet.
AB  - Inflammation is a new hallmark feature of cancer initiation and progression. We
      aimed to investigate the association between inflammatory response biomarkers and
      progression-free survival and overall survival in advanced lung adenocarcinoma
      patients treated with first-line pemetrexed and platinum doublet chemotherapy.
      Patients hospitalized between April 2012 and March 2015 were enrolled and
      eliminated according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The pretreatment
      neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, derived neutrophil
      to-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were calculated. Besides
      the well-established clinical prognostic factors, the prognostic values of the
      four markers were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox's proportional
      hazards regression model. A total of 78 patients were enrolled in this study.
      Elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte
      ratio were correlated with poor treatment response ( p = 0.014, 0.012,
      respectively). A high pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, derived
      neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, as well as low
      lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, were associated with worse progression-free
      survival and overall survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that high
      neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (hazard ratio = 2.056; 95% confidence interval,
      1.281-3.299; p = 0.003) and >=3 metastasis organs (hazard ratio = 1.989; 95%
      confidence interval, 1.069-3.702; p = 0.030) were independent prognostic factors
      for progression-free survival. Meanwhile, high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio
      (hazard ratio = 5.540; 95% confidence interval, 2.974-10.321; p < 0.001) and
      habitual smoking (hazard ratio = 2.806; 95% confidence interval, 1.509-5.221; p =
      0.001) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. In conclusion,
      Pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was an independent prognostic factor
      for advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients treated with first-line
      pemetrexed/platinum doublet chemotherapy. Elevated pretreatment derived
      neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio might be
      potential biomarkers for poorer responses to chemotherapy. To verify these
      findings, larger well-designed prospective studies are needed.

PMID- 28618955
TI  - Oridonin synergizes with Nutlin-3 in osteosarcoma cells by modulating the levels
      of multiple Bcl-2 family proteins.
AB  - The small-molecule inhibitors of p53-murine double minute 2 interaction, such as
      Nutlin-3, are effective against cancers bearing wild-type p53. However, murine
      double minute 2 inhibitors often are unable to completely eliminate solid tumor
      cells. To address this issue, we investigated the anticancer effects of Nutlin-3
      in combination with Oridonin in osteosarcoma cells. We found that Oridonin at sub
      toxic concentrations synergistically enhanced Nutlin-3-mediated cell viability
      inhibition in wild-type p53 U2OS and SJSA-1, but not in p53-mutant MNNG/HOS and
      in null-p53 Saos-2 osteosarcoma cell lines. Importantly, in the presence of
      Oridonin, Nutlin-3 could completely abolish cell viability in the wild-type p53
      osteosarcoma cell lines. Western blotting analysis showed that Oridonin treatment
      rapidly and distinctly increased the levels of all three forms of Bim and also
      markedly reduced the levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in osteosarcoma cells. Western
      blotting analysis further showed that Oridonin considerably enhanced Nutlin-3
      triggered activation of caspases-9 and -3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase
      cleavage. Flow cytometry assay showed that Oridonin significantly enhanced Nutlin
      3-mediated apoptosis in wild-type p53 osteosarcoma cells. Overall, our results
      suggest that the combined treatment of Nutlin-3 plus Oridonin may offer a novel
      therapeutic strategy for osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28618956
TI  - Acid-sensing ion channels contribute to the effect of extracellular acidosis on
      proliferation and migration of A549 cells.
AB  - Acid-sensing ion channels, a proton-gated cation channel, can be activated by low
      extracellular pH and involved in pathogenesis of some tumors such as glioma and
      breast cancer. However, the role of acid-sensing ion channels in the growth of
      lung cancer cell is unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression of
      acid-sensing ion channels in human lung cancer cell line A549 and their possible
      role in proliferation and migration of A549 cells. The results show that acid
      sensing ion channel 1, acid-sensing ion channel 2, and acid-sensing ion channel 3
      are expressed in A549 cells at the messenger RNA and protein levels, and acid
      sensing ion channel-like currents were elicited by extracellular acid stimuli.
      Moreover, we found that acidic extracellular medium or overexpressing acid
      sensing ion channel 1a promotes proliferation and migration of A549 cells. In
      addition psalmotoxin 1, a specific acid-sensing ion channel 1a inhibitor, or acid
      sensing ion channel 1a knockdown can abolish the effect of acid stimuli on A549
      cells. In addition, acid-sensing ion channels mediate increase of [Ca2+]i induced
      by low extracellular pH in A549 cells. All these results indicate that acid
      sensing ion channel-calcium signal mediate lung cancer cell proliferation and
      migration induced by extracellular acidosis, and acid-sensing ion channels may
      serve as a prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for lung cancer.

PMID- 28618957
TI  - Addition of peritonectomy to gastrectomy can predict good prognosis of gastric
      adenocarcinoma patients with intraoperatively proven single P1/P2 carcinomatosis.
AB  - This study was to evaluate the prognosis of peritonectomy following gastrectomy
      for gastric adenocarcinoma patients with intraoperatively proven single P1/P2
      carcinomatosis and to define the best therapeutic strategy of the patient cohort.
      The patients with intraoperatively proven single P1/P2 carcinomatosis from a
      prospectively maintained database were divided into resection group and non
      resection group based on complete gross resection of peritoneal carcinomatosis.
      From 2005 to 2012, there were 103 patients in the resection group and 122
      patients in the non-resection group. There was no difference in morbidity and
      mortality between groups. The patients did not have improved median survival in
      P1 carcinomatosis compared to P2 carcinomatosis (15.53 vs 14.80 months, p =
      0.450). The median survival was significantly improved in the resection group
      compared to the patients in the non-resection group (21.07 vs 13.37 months, p <
      0.001). The patients undergoing complete gross peritonectomy plus postoperative
      chemotherapy had a significantly longer median survival than patients who had
      complete gross peritonectomy alone, patients receiving postoperative chemotherapy
      alone, and patients receiving neither peritonectomy nor postoperative
      chemotherapy (27.33 vs 12.00 vs 16.00 vs 10.33 months, p < 0.001). In the
      multivariate analysis, poor performance status ( p = 0.036), absence of complete
      gross peritonectomy ( p < 0.001), and lack of postoperative chemotherapy ( p <
      0.001) were identified as independently associated with poor survival. The data
      indicate complete gross peritonectomy following gastrectomy confers a survival
      benefit to gastric cancer patients with intraoperatively proven single P1/P2
      carcinomatosis. In addition, postoperative chemotherapy improves survival
      regardless of resection of peritoneal carcinomatosis and should be recommended.

PMID- 28618958
TI  - Current and future biomarkers for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Although pancreatic cancer is only the twelfth most common type of cancer in the
      world, it features a very unfavorable prognosis. The mortality rate almost equals
      the incidence rate, corroborating the very poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer.
      The 5-year survival rate for all stages of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is
      only 7%. Surgical resection represents the only potentially curative treatment
      option for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients but is often not feasible
      due to the advanced stage of the disease upon diagnosis. For advanced disease,
      palliative chemotherapy is the treatment of choice although the regimens
      available to date are untargeted and have extensive side-effect profiles, making
      them unsuitable for patients with a low performance status. For this reason,
      early detection of pancreatic cancer is essential in order to provide patients
      with an optimal therapeutic approach. Up to the present day, carbohydrate antigen
      19-9 is the only diagnostic marker approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
      Administration but its diagnostic potential is limited due to its restricted
      sensitivity and specificity, supporting the urgent need for novel biomarkers. In
      addition, prognostic and treatment-predictive biomarkers might provide essential
      information regarding personalized treatment decisions for individual patients.
      In this article, we aim to review current and future diagnostic, prognostic, and
      treatment-predictive biomarkers for pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28618959
TI  - Achaete-scute complex homologue-1 promotes development of laryngocarcinoma via
      facilitating the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation.
AB  - Laryngeal cancer is one of the most common fatal cancers among head and neck
      carcinomas, whose mechanism, however, remains unclear. The proneural basic-helix
      loop-helix protein achaete-scute complex homologue-1, a member of the basic helix
      loop-helix family, plays a very important role in many cancers. This study aims
      to explore the clinical value and mechanism of achaete-scute complex homologue-1
      in laryngeal cancer. Methods including Cell Counting Kit-8, flow cytometry,
      Transwell invasion assays, and scratch assay were adopted to further explore the
      bio-function of achaete-scute complex homologue-1, whose expression was examined
      in fresh and paraffin chip of laryngeal carcinoma tissues by means of western
      blot and immunohistochemistry, after the interference of achaete-scute complex
      homologue-1; achaete-scute complex homologue-1, an overexpression in laryngeal
      carcinoma whose carcinogenicity potential was confirmed via western blot, was
      correlative with T classification (p = 0.002), histological differentiation (p =
      0.000), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.000), and poor survival (p = 0.000).
      Multivariate analysis shows that achaete-scute complex homologue-1 overexpression
      is an independent prognostic factor unfavorable to laryngeal carcinoma patients
      (p = 0.000). Moreover, knocking down achaete-scute complex homologue-1 expression
      could significantly suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion of
      laryngeal carcinoma cell in vitro and disorder epithelial-mesenchymal
      transformation-associated protein expression. Achaete-scute complex homologue-1
      plays an important role in the genesis and progression of laryngeal carcinoma and
      may act as a potential biomarker for therapeutic target and prognostic
      prediction.

PMID- 28618960
TI  - Role of patient-, tumor- and systemic inflammatory response-related factors in
      predicting survival of patients with node-negative gastric cancer.
AB  - It is currently unclear as to which patients with node-negative gastric cancer
      can benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. This study aimed to develop a prognostic
      model based on patient-, tumor-, and host-related factors to stratify high-risk
      patients eligible for adjuvant therapy. Correlations of clinicopathological and
      hematological features with overall survival were analyzed using a Cox model. A
      score to identify risk classes was derived from hazard ratios in multivariate
      analysis. In all, 436 patients with node-negative gastric cancer (stage pT1
      4aN0M0) were analyzed in this study. Multivariate analysis showed that age, depth
      of invasion, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio were independent prognostic
      indicators of overall survival, and a prognostic model was developed using these
      significant factors. Patients were stratified into three risk groups with
      significant differences in the 3-year survival rates (98.5%, 91.6%, and 70.7%,
      respectively; p < 0.001) according to their scores. The prognostic model improved
      the predictive accuracy of postoperative 3-year survival rate by 7% when compared
      with the pathological T stage. A model based on age, depth of invasion, and
      neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio is more effective than traditional staging systems in
      predicting the prognosis of node-negative gastric cancer. High-risk patients
      could be considered for adjuvant therapy.

PMID- 28618961
TI  - MicroRNA-208b inhibits human osteosarcoma progression by targeting ROR2.
AB  - MicroRNAs are widely involved in cancer progression by inhibiting the expression
      levels of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, and dysregulation of microRNAs may
      contribute to tumorigenesis. Here, we found that overexpressed miR-208b can
      reduce the proliferation of human osteosarcoma cell lines U-2OS and Saos-2 by
      arresting cell cycle progression. The in vivo xenograft tumors induced by Saos-2
      cells overexpressing miR-208b had smaller size and grew more slowly than those
      induced by the control cells. The mobility of U-2OS or Saos-2 cells was also
      downregulated by miR-208b. MiR-208b targeted a site in the 3' untranslated region
      of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2. Inhibition of receptor
      tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 suppresses osteosarcoma metastasis in
      vitro. Recovering the expression levels of receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan
      receptor 2 in miR-208b-overexpressed U-2OS or Saos-2 cells attenuated the
      inhibitory effects of miR-208b. In addition, the expression levels of miR-208b
      are significantly reduced in human osteosarcoma tissue samples compared to normal
      tissue samples, and miR-208b levels correlated inversely with receptor tyrosine
      kinase-like orphan receptor 2 levels. On these bases, we identified that miR-208b
      targets receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 gene by which miR-208b
      can regulate the development of osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28618962
TI  - Amelioration of Dalton's lymphoma-induced angiogenesis by melatonin.
AB  - For tumor to grow beyond 1-2 mm3 size, tumor recruits new blood vessels referred
      as angiogenesis; therefore, targeting angiogenesis can be a promising strategy to
      suppress cancer progression. In this study, in order to develop a good
      angiogenesis model, we investigated effect of Dalton's lymphoma on angiogenesis
      and further monitored the role of melatonin on regulation of angiogenesis. To
      evaluate angiogenesis, endothelial cells were isolated from main thoracic aorta
      and cultured in vitro in the presence or absence of Dalton's lymphoma
      supplemented with or without melatonin to monitor their role on its proliferation
      and migration, a hallmark of angiogenesis. Chick chorioallantoic membrane as well
      as mice mesentery which allows in vivo studies of tumor angiogenesis and testing
      of anti-angiogenic molecules was used to validate the in vitro analysis. To
      further extend our understanding about the regulation of the angiogenesis, we
      evaluated expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3, vascular
      endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and
      fibroblast growth factor in Dalton's lymphoma cells and mesentery by
      semiquantitative and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
      analysis. Dalton's lymphoma ascites induced significant increase in endothelial
      cell proliferation, migration, and sprouting of the tertiary branching in
      chorioallantoic membrane and mesentery of Dalton's lymphoma-bearing mice, whereas
      melatonin treatment led to their inhibition in a dose-dependent manner.
      Semiquantitative and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
      analysis of melatonin-treated Dalton's lymphoma cells and mesentery tissue
      clearly demonstrated restoration of angiogenesis-related genes tissue inhibitor
      of metalloproteinases 3 and reduction of vascular endothelial growth factor,
      vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and fibroblast growth factor
      messenger RNA expression. Taken together, our results strongly demonstrate that
      Dalton's lymphoma provides pro-angiogenic environment leading to significant
      increase in angiogenesis, and further melatonin treatment reduced the Dalton's
      lymphoma ascites-induced angiogenesis implying that Dalton's lymphoma can serve
      as a very good model to study angiogenesis as well as for screening of drugs that
      can target angiogenesis.

PMID- 28618964
TI  - Role of antibodies to human papillomavirus 16 in prostate cancer: A seroscreening
      by peptide microarray.
AB  - Evidence is accumulating in estimating the potential role of human papillomavirus
      infection in prostate carcinogenesis. However, the results remain inconclusive.
      We measured the serostatus of antibodies to one of the high-risk human
      papillomaviruses, human papillomavirus 16, with a newly developed peptide
      microarray. Serum samples were collected from 75 untreated prostate cancer
      patients, along with 80 control subjects. We identified 12 peptides with
      significant differences in prostate cancer samples from all 241 peptides derived
      from human papillomavirus 16. Our results showed human papillomavirus 16
      infection in 64.0% of prostate cancer serum samples, which is significantly
      different compared with the controls ( p < 0.01) because only 17.5% of the
      control serum was considered seropositive. The area under the receiver operator
      characteristic curve was 0.793 (95% confidence interval 0.721-0.864), indicating
      that the new microarray technique may have diagnostic value. The results showed
      an association between serological evidence for human papillomavirus 16 infection
      and risk of prostate cancer. The different serostatus of antibodies in the two
      subgroups indicated that human papillomavirus 16 infection might occur and play a
      potential role of progression in a minority of prostate cancer.

PMID- 28618963
TI  - Noxin promotes proliferation of breast cancer cells via P38-ATF2 signaling
      pathway.
AB  - Noxin (also called chromosome 11 open reading frame 82 or DNA damage-induced
      apoptosis suppressor) is associated with anti-apoptosis and cell proliferation in
      response to stress signals. However, to our knowledge, the role of Noxin in
      regulating cell proliferation is still controversial and there are no reports of
      the function and clinicopathological association in breast cancer. In this study,
      immunohistochemistry results showed that Noxin expression was significantly
      correlated with advanced tumor-node-metastasis stage ( p = 0.027), positive
      regional lymph node metastasis ( p = 0.002), and poor overall survival ( p =
      0.002). Proliferation assay results showed that Noxin obviously promoted the
      ability of proliferation of normal breast cells. Subsequent western blot results
      revealed that Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1 were upregulated by overexpressing Noxin,
      whereas Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1 were downregulated after depleting Noxin. The
      levels of phosphorylated P38 and activating transcription factor 2 were obviously
      increased after overexpressing Noxin, and their expression was downregulated
      accordingly by transfecting Noxin-small interfering RNA. Moreover, P38 inhibitor
      counteracted the elevating expression of phosphorylated activating transcription
      factor 2, Cyclin D1, and Cyclin E1 induced by Noxin overexpression and thereby
      reversed the effect of Noxin overexpression on facilitating cell growth. Taken
      together, our studies indicated that Noxin was overexpressed in breast cancer and
      its positive expression was significantly correlated with advance tumor-node
      metastasis stage, positive lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis. Noxin
      facilitated the expression of Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E1 through activating P38
      activating transcription factor 2 signaling pathway, thus enhanced cell growth of
      breast cancer.

PMID- 28618965
TI  - Time-dependent effects of prognostic biomarkers of systemic inflammation in
      patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - The goal of this study was to examine time-dependent effects of prognostic
      biomarkers of systemic inflammation in patients with metastatic renal cell
      carcinoma. Retrospective chart reviews were conducted at the Winship Cancer
      Institute of Emory University and the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical
      Center with authorization from the Emory University Institutional Review Board
      and the Veterans Administration Research and Development Committee. Inclusion
      criteria included age ?18 years, treatment with targeted therapy for clear cell
      or non-clear cell metastatic renal cell carcinoma and concomitant assessment of C
      reactive protein and albumin levels on ?3 occasions that were ?10 days apart.
      Discovery, expansion, and external validation cohorts were identified.
      Established prognostic variables were evaluated by univariate and multivariate
      analyses. Intensity of systemic inflammation was assessed at all time points with
      C-reactive protein and albumin as prognostic covariates for overall survival in
      an extended Cox regression model. Intensity of systemic inflammation was assessed
      on 3186 occasions in 181 patients. Risk status changed in 131 patients (72%). The
      hazard ratio for overall survival was 21.41 (95% confidence interval = 8.26
      55.50) with a type 3 p value of <0.001 for the reference cohort and 9.68 (2.07
      45.31) with a type-3 p value of 0.006 for the external validation cohort when
      time points associated with severe systemic inflammation were compared to all
      other time points. The bias-corrected c-statistic was 0.839 (0.773-0.905) and
      0.818 (0.691-0.946), respectively. Terminal disease progression with severe
      systemic inflammation was detected in 87% of the 90 patients who died. In
      conclusion, time-dependent effects are a prominent feature of intensity of
      systemic inflammation, a powerful prognostic biomarker for metastatic renal cell
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28618966
TI  - 68Ga/177Lu-labeled DOTA-TATE shows similar imaging and biodistribution in
      neuroendocrine tumor model.
AB  - Somatostatin receptors are overexpressed in neuroendocrine tumors, whose
      endogenous ligands are somatostatin. DOTA-TATE is an analogue of somatostatin,
      which shows high binding affinity to somatostatin receptors. We aim to evaluate
      the 68Ga/177Lu-labeling DOTA-TATE kit in neuroendocrine tumor model for molecular
      imaging and to try human-positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging
      of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE in neuroendocrine tumor patients. DOTA-TATE kits were
      formulated and radiolabeled with 68Ga/177Lu for 68Ga/177Lu-DOTA-TATE (M-DOTA
      TATE). In vitro and in vivo stability of 177Lu-DOTA-TATE were performed. Nude
      mice bearing human tumors were injected with 68Ga-DOTA-TATE or 177Lu-DOTA-TATE
      for micro-positron emission tomography and micro-single-photon emission computed
      tomography/computed tomography imaging separately, and clinical positron emission
      tomography/computed tomography images of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE were obtained at 1 h post
      intravenous injection from patients with neuroendocrine tumors. Micro-positron
      emission tomography and micro-single-photon emission computed tomography/computed
      tomography imaging of 68Ga-DOTA-TATE and 177Lu-DOTA-TATE both showed clear tumor
      uptake which could be blocked by excess DOTA-TATE. In addition, 68Ga-DOTA-TATE
      positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in neuroendocrine tumor
      patients could show primary and metastatic lesions. 68Ga-DOTA-TATE and 177Lu-DOTA
      TATE could accumulate in tumors in animal models, paving the way for better
      clinical peptide receptor radionuclide therapy for neuroendocrine tumor patients
      in Asian population.

PMID- 28618967
TI  - Association of lysosomal protein transmembrane 4 beta gene polymorphism with
      pancreatic carcinoma susceptibility in the Chinese population.
AB  - Pancreatic carcinoma is an aggressive malignancy with particularly low 5-year
      survival rate. In order to improve the dismal survival rate, identification of
      new potential susceptibility risk factors for the prevention and early detection
      of pancreatic carcinoma is of utmost importance. Lysosomal protein transmembrane
      4 beta has two alleles designated as LAPTM4B*1 and LAPTM4B*2. The aim of this
      study was to investigate the association between lysosomal protein transmembrane
      4 beta gene polymorphism and the risk of pancreatic carcinoma in China. A
      population-based case-control analysis was performed in 233 patients with
      pancreatic carcinoma and 842 control subjects. The genotypes of lysosomal protein
      transmembrane 4 beta were determined by utilizing polymerase chain reaction based
      on specific primers. The chi2 test was used to analyze the differences of
      categorical variables and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Odds ratio and 95%
      confidence intervals were computed using an unconditional logistic regression
      model. A significant difference in the frequency of LAPTM4B*2 was observed
      between the patients and the controls (33.05% vs 27.55%, p = 0.03). LAPTM4B*2 had
      a 1.33-fold (95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.71) higher risk for developing
      pancreatic carcinoma when compared with LAPTM4B*1 carriers. We found that the
      frequency of LAPTM4B*1/2 + *2/2 in pancreatic carcinoma group was higher than
      that in the control group (57.94% vs 48.34%, p = 0.01). However, no significant
      association was observed between lysosomal protein transmembrane 4 beta genotypes
      and gender, age, family history of cancer, smoking/alcohol status,
      histopathological differentiation, lymph node metastasis, clinical stage, or
      serum cancer antigen 19-9 level. These findings indicate that the LAPTM4B*2
      allele is associated with the high risk of pancreatic carcinoma and carrying
      LAPTM4B*2 may be a susceptible factor to Chinese pancreatic carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28618968
TI  - miR-221 and miR-222 synergistically regulate hepatocyte growth factor activator
      inhibitor type 1 to promote cell proliferation and migration in gastric cancer.
AB  - Gastric cancer is a common malignancy with limited treatment options and poor
      prognosis. Introduction of novel pathways of gastric cancer will provide
      candidates for target therapy. Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type
      1 is an integral-membrane proteinase inhibitor. Hepatocyte growth factor
      activator inhibitor type 1 abnormality is found in various cancers and correlates
      with tumor progression and metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying the
      dysregulation of hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 expression
      in gastric cancer remain unclear. Although microRNAs have been reported to be
      involved in the development of cancer, the roles of miR-221 and miR-222 in
      gastric cancer have not been reported yet. In this study, we showed that
      hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 protein was downregulated,
      while miR-221 and miR-222 were significantly increased in gastric cancer tissues.
      Bioinformatic predictions and luciferase assay verified that the 3'-untranslated
      region of the HAI-1 gene is a direct target site for miR-221 and miR-222.
      Overexpression of miR-221 and miR-222 in MGC-803 cells leads to the inhibition of
      hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 protein expression, thus
      promoting cell proliferation and migration; whereas knockdown of miR-221 and miR
      222 showed opposite effects. Moreover, we found that the expression level of
      hepatocyte growth factor activator protein was increased when hepatocyte growth
      factor activator inhibitor type 1 was knocked down in MGC-803 cells. Thus,
      gastric cancer is probably an autocrine tumor, and the antitumor mechanism of
      hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 in vitro might be mediated by
      regulating the expression of hepatocyte growth factor activator protein.
      Therefore, our data illustrated a novel pathway comprising miR-221and miR-222 and
      hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 in gastric cancer, which is a
      potential target for future clinical use.

PMID- 28618970
TI  - Letter regarding Zhao et al. entitled " DPYD gene polymorphisms are associated
      with risk and chemotherapy prognosis in pediatric patients with acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia".
AB  - Zhao et al. investigated the association between germline genetic polymorphisms
      in DPYD, the gene encoding dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, and (1) the risk of
      developing pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and (2) outcome of acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia following the treatment with 5-fluorouracil plus
      oxaliplatin (FOLFOX). The authors found that the common DPYD variant c.85T>C
      (rs1801265, DPYD*9A) was significantly associated with (1) risk of developing
      pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia, (2) complete response rate, (3) event
      free survival, and (4) treatment-related toxicity. The authors conclude that
      patients carrying the c.85T>C C allele have an increased risk of developing acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia and have inferior outcome, and that DPYD c.85T>C can be
      used as a guide for individualized treatment and the decision to utilize 5
      fluorouracil in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. In our view, the published
      article gives rise to multiple critical issues regarding the study's rationale
      and the methodology used, which strongly question the validity of the authors'
      conclusions.

PMID- 28618969
TI  - Penfluridol induces endoplasmic reticulum stress leading to autophagy in
      pancreatic cancer.
AB  - Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers.
      Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that high basal state autophagy in
      pancreatic tumors could induce resistance to chemotherapy. Recently, we have
      demonstrated that penfluridol suppresses pancreatic tumor growth by autophagy
      mediated apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo; however, the mechanism of autophagy
      induction by penfluridol was not clear. Several studies have established that
      endoplasmic reticulum stress could lead to autophagy and inhibit tumor
      progression. In this study, we demonstrated that penfluridol induced endoplasmic
      reticulum stress in BxPC-3, AsPC-1, and Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cell lines as
      indicated by upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers such as binding
      protein (BIP), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and inositol requiring 1alpha
      (IRE1alpha) after treatment with penfluridol in a concentration-dependent manner.
      Inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress by pretreatment with pharmacological
      inhibitors such as sodium phenylbutyrate and mithramycin or by silencing CHOP
      using CHOP small interfering RNA, blocked penfluridol-induced autophagy. These
      results clearly indicate that penfluridol-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress
      lead to autophagy in our model. Western blot analysis of subcutaneously implanted
      AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 tumors as well as orthotopically implanted Panc-1 tumors
      demonstrated upregulation of BIP, CHOP, and IRE1alpha expression in the tumor
      lysates from penfluridol-treated mice as compared to tumors from control mice.
      Altogether, our study establishes that penfluridol-induced endoplasmic reticulum
      stress leads to autophagy resulting in reduced pancreatic tumor growth. Our study
      opens a new therapeutic target for advanced chemotherapies against pancreatic
      cancer.

PMID- 28618971
TI  - Inversin correlates with the malignant phenotype of non-small cell lung cancer
      and promotes the invasiveness of lung cancer cells.
AB  - Inversin, encoded by NPHP2, is one of the 10 NPHP proteins known to be involved
      in nephronophthisis (an autosomal recessive cystic kidney). Although the previous
      reports showed that inversin played an important role in embryonic development
      and renal diseases, its function in cancer was not revealed clearly so far. As
      measured by immunohistochemical staining, inversin was highly expressed in the
      cytoplasm of lung cancer samples (63.4%, 161/254) compared with adjacent normal
      lung tissues (22.0%, 11/50, p < 0.01). Moreover, its expression was positively
      correlated with differentiation ( p = 0.014), tumor node metastasis staging ( p =
      0.007), and lymph node metastasis ( p = 0.020). The overall survival of non-small
      cell lung cancer patients with inversin positive expression (45.41 +/- 1.800
      months) was significantly reduced compared with those with inversin negative
      expression (51.046 +/- 2.238 months, p = 0.042). Consistently, we found that the
      invasion capacity of A549 cells transfected with inversin was significantly
      stronger than that of control cells ( p < 0.05), while inversin siRNA-treatment
      significantly reduced cell invasion in H1299 cells ( p < 0.05). Additionally, we
      demonstrated that inversin could upregulate the expression of N-cadherin,
      Vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and matrix metalloproteinase-9.
      Collectively, these results indicated that inversin might promote the
      tumorigenicity of lung cancer cells and serve as a novel therapeutic target of
      non-small cell lung cancer.

PMID- 28618972
TI  - Techniques and modifications for TMJ arthrocentesis: A literature review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To discuss advantages and disadvantages of TMJ arthrocentesis
      techniques, identifying modifications as reported in the literature. METHODS: A
      PubMed web-based search was carried out, using the terms TMJ and arthrocentesis,
      to determine the scope of coverage in well-documented articles in English.
      RESULTS: Among 237 articles, 12 distinct techniques were described for TMJ
      arthrocentesis in 12 articles. Among 12 techniques, 5 were classified as double
      puncture arthrocentesis (DPA) and 7 as single puncture arthrocentesis (SPA). In
      total, 17 well documented articles about SPA were found in literature.
      DISCUSSION: Arthrocentesis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was first
      described in 1991. To make the traditional procedure even less invasive, many
      arthrocentesis methods have been described. However, in 2015, TMJ arthrocentesis
      techniques were divided into two groups to limit the complexities surrounding the
      concepts related to TMJ arthrocentesis techniques.

PMID- 28618973
TI  - From clinical uncertainties to precision medicine: the emerging role of the gut
      barrier and microbiome in small bowel functional diseases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made in the
      understanding of disease pathophysiology. Many new theories expound on the
      importance of emerging factors such as microbiome influences, genomics/omics,
      stem cells, innate intestinal immunity or mucosal barrier complexities. This has
      introduced a further dimension of uncertainty into clinical decision-making, but
      equally, may shed some light on less well-understood and difficult to manage
      conditions. Areas covered: Comprehensive review of the literature on gut barrier
      and microbiome relevant to small bowel pathology. A PubMed/Medline search from
      1990 to April 2017 was undertaken and papers from this range were included.
      Expert commentary: The scenario of clinical uncertainty is well-illustrated by
      functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). The movement towards achieving a
      better understanding of FGIDs is expressed in the Rome IV guidelines. Novel
      diagnostic and therapeutic protocols focused on the GB and SB microbiome can
      facilitate diagnosis, management and improve our understanding of the underlying
      pathological mechanisms in FGIDs.

PMID- 28618974
TI  - Cystic dilation of a ventriculus terminalis. Case report and review of the
      literature.
AB  - The ventriculus terminalis (VT) is a small ependyma-lined cavity within the conus
      medullaris that is in direct continuity with the central canal of the spinal
      cord. Cystic dilatation of the ventriculus terminalis on its own is an extremely
      rare pathological event in adults whose pathogenesis is uncertain. VT has been
      described in children as a normal developmental phenomenon. These lesions are
      often diagnosed incidentally during imaging and are in most cases asymptomatic,
      especially in children. Symptomatic dilatation of VT in adults is a rare
      condition with 61cases being reported to date. Symptomatic dilatation of VT in
      children has not been reported till now. We present a 5 year-old-boy with a
      sphincteric and walking disorder. The patient was assessed by clinical,
      electrophysiological and urodynamic investigations as well as magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) of the lumbar-sacral segment with and without gadolinium
      enhancement. Lumbar-sacral MRI demonstrated the presence of a cystic lesion
      containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which did not enhance after gadolinium,
      compatible with the diagnosis of the ventriculus terminalis dilation.The patient
      underwent laminectomy and the cyst wall was fenestrated with a midline myelotomy.
      In 6-month of follow-up, urinary problems and gait disturbance improved.

PMID- 28618975
TI  - A Black Cohosh Extract Causes Hematologic and Biochemical Changes Consistent with
      a Functional Cobalamin Deficiency in Female B6C3F1/N Mice.
AB  - Black cohosh rhizome, available as a dietary supplement, is most commonly
      marketed as a remedy for dysmenorrhea and menopausal symptoms. A previous
      subchronic toxicity study of black cohosh dried ethanolic extract (BCE) in female
      mice revealed a dose-dependent ineffective erythropoiesis with a macrocytosis
      consistent with the condition known as megaloblastic anemia. The purpose of this
      study was to investigate potential mechanisms by which BCE induces these
      particular hematological changes. B6C3F1/N female mice (32/group) were exposed by
      gavage to vehicle or 1,000 mg/kg BCE for 92 days. Blood samples were analyzed for
      hematology, renal and hepatic clinical chemistry, serum folate and cobalamin, red
      blood cell (RBC) folate, and plasma homocysteine and methylmalonic acid (MMA).
      Folate levels were measured in liver and kidney. Hematological changes included
      decreased RBC count; increased mean corpuscular volume; and decreased
      reticulocyte, white blood cell, neutrophil, and lymphocyte counts. Blood smear
      evaluation revealed increased Howell-Jolly bodies and occasional basophilic
      stippling in treated animals. Plasma homocysteine and MMA concentrations were
      increased in treated animals. Under the conditions of our study, BCE
      administration caused hematological and clinical chemistry changes consistent
      with a functional cobalamin, and possibly folate, deficiency. Further studies are
      needed to elucidate the mechanism by which BCE causes increases in homocysteine
      and MMA.

PMID- 28618976
TI  - Bromelain-decorated hybrid nanoparticles based on lactobionic acid-conjugated
      chitosan for in vitro anti-tumor study.
AB  - In this work, lactobionic acid-modified chitosan (CLA) was chosen as an initial
      material to prepare tumor-targeted nanoparticles (CLA NPs). To improve the
      nanoparticles' tumor penetration ability, bromelain was then decorated on the
      surface of CLA NPs to give CLAB NPs. The micromorphology of CLA and CLAB NPs was
      observed by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
      The stability of CLA and CLAB NPs was then investigated at different pH values
      (4.0-9.0) and physiological environment by dynamic light scattering. Doxorubicin
      as a model drug was successfully encapsulated into these two nanoparticles and
      drug release profiles were also investigated at pH 5.5, 6.5 and 7.4,
      respectively. Cellular uptake and MTT results against HepG2 and SH-SY5Y cells
      demonstrated that the LA-conjugated tumor-targeting NPs can be efficiently
      internalized into hepatoma carcinoma cells, leading to higher cytotoxicity than
      free doxorubicin. CLAB NPs show considerable cell cytotoxicity and are expected
      to improve the penetration ability and therapeutic effect in the subsequent in
      vivo studies.

PMID- 28618977
TI  - Sacrificial template method for the synthesis of three-dimensional nanofibrous
      58S bioglass scaffold and its in vitro bioactivity and cell responses.
AB  - Three-dimensional nanofibrous scaffolds that morphologically mimic natural
      extracellular matrices hold great promises in tissue engineering and regenerative
      medicine due to their increased cell attachment and differentiation compared with
      block structure. In this work, for the first time, three-dimensional porous
      nanofibrous 58S bioglass scaffolds have been fabricated using a sacrificial
      template method. During the process, a natural three-dimensional nanofibrous
      bacterial cellulose was used as the sacrificial template on which precursor 58S
      glass was deposited via a sol-gel route. SEM and TEM results verify that the as
      prepared 58S scaffolds can inherit the three-dimensional nanofibrous feature of
      bacterial cellulose. Pore structure characterizations by nitrogen adsorption
      desorption and mercury intrusion porosimetry demonstrate that the 58S scaffolds
      are highly porous with a porosity of 75.1% and contain both mesopores (39.4 nm)
      and macropores (60 um) as well as large BET surface area (127.4 m2 g-1). In vitro
      cell studies suggest that the 58S scaffold is bioactive and biocompatible with
      primary mouse osteoblast cells, suggesting that the nanofibrous structure of 58S
      is able to provide an appropriate environment for cellular functioning. These
      results strongly suggest that the three-dimensional nanofibrous 58S scaffold has
      great potential for application in bone tissue engineering and regenerative
      medicine.

PMID- 28618978
TI  - Properties of poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite composite through the use of epoxy
      functional compatibilizers for biomedical application.
AB  - A composite of 70/30 poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite was systematically prepared
      using various amounts of glycidyl methacrylate as reactive compatibilizer or
      Joncryl ADR(r)-4368 containing nine glycidyl methacrylate functions as a chain
      extension/branching agent to improve the mechanical and biological properties for
      suitable usage as internal bone fixation devices. The effect of glycidyl
      methacrylate/Joncryl on mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite
      was investigated through flexural strength. Cell proliferation and
      differentiation of osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on the composite
      samples were determined by Alamar Blue assay and alkaline phosphatase expression,
      respectively. Result shows that flexural strength tends to decrease, as glycidyl
      methacrylate content increases except for 1 wt.% glycidyl methacrylate. With an
      addition of dicumyl peroxide, the flexural strength shows an improvement than
      that of without dicumyl peroxide probably due to the chemical bonding of the
      hydroxyapatite and poly(lactic acid) as revealed by FTIR and NMR, whereas the
      composite with 5 wt.% Joncryl shows the best result, as the flexural strength
      increases getting close to pure poly(lactic acid). The significant morphology
      change could be seen in composite with Joncryl where the uniform agglomeration of
      hydroxyapatite particles oriented in poly(lactic acid) matrix. Addition of the
      epoxy functional compatibilizers at suitable percentages could also have benefits
      to cellular attachment, proliferation, differentiation and mineralization. So
      that, this poly(lactic acid)/hydroxyapatite composite could be a promising
      material to be used as internal bone fixation devices such as screws, pins and
      plates.

PMID- 28618979
TI  - Complications and post-operative sequelae of temporomandibular joint
      arthrocentesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE:  To evaluate intraoperative complications and postsurgical sequelae
      associated with arthrocentesis of the TMJ, including injection of Sodium
      Hyaluronate. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated 433 arthrocentesis
      procedures performed in 315 patients between January 2009 and August 2016. The
      authors reviewed the complications identified during the procedure and the follow
      up period. RESULTS: Temporary swelling of the periarticular tissues (95.1%) or
      the external auditory canal (23.5%), ipsilateral temporary open bite (68.8%),
      frontalis and orbicularis oculis paresis (65.1%), preauricular hematoma (0.4%),
      and a case of vertigo (0.2%) were the complications detected. CONCLUSIONS: TMJ
      arthrocentesis remains a procedure with a minimum number of important
      complications. If present, complications are generally temporary, caused by the
      anesthetic effect or by the soft tissue edema created by the fluid extravasation
      created by the irrigation procedure, and can be managed on an outpatient basis.

PMID- 28618980
TI  - Evaluating the care cascade after antiretroviral therapy initiation in Latin
      America.
AB  - Accelerating antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration, improving retention,
      and achieving viral suppression in low- and middle-income countries must be
      prioritized. We evaluated trends and disparities in these milestones in a large
      Latin American cohort. Adults starting ART (ARTstart) from 2003 to 2014 at
      Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology sites were
      assessed for care cascade outcomes: CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3 at ARTstart;
      retention (>=1 visit at one year after ARTstart); viral suppression (>=1 HIV-1
      RNA <200 copies/ml at one year after ARTstart). Modified Poisson regression
      provided adjusted prevalence ratios by age, gender, and HIV transmission risk,
      accounting for site and year of ARTstart. Proportions achieving ARTstart and
      suppression improved over time (p < 0.05). Older age was associated with better
      retention and viral suppression, but not ARTstart at CD4 cell count >200
      cells/mm3. Females and men who have sex with men (MSM) were more likely to have
      CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3 at ARTstart. Injection drug users (IDUs) were less
      likely to be retained while MSM were more likely to achieve viral suppression
      (all p < 0.05). Despite improvements in these outcomes over the course of a
      decade in this cohort, significant disparities existed, disadvantaging younger
      patients, men, and IDUs. These gaps indicate continued progress in providing
      early diagnosis and ARTstart remain critical.

PMID- 28618981
TI  - Perceived effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy, self-rated health and
      treatment adherence among HIV-positive people who inject drugs in Estonia.
AB  - The HIV epidemic in Estonia affects the population of people who inject drugs
      (PWID) the most, but factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy
      (ART) among PWID have not been thoroughly examined in Estonia, with particularly
      limited data regarding beliefs and attitudes of PWID. The objective of this study
      was to explore the association between ART adherence and individual beliefs,
      perceived effectiveness of ART, and self-rated health in particular, in this
      specific population. The study used baseline survey data from a longitudinal
      intervention study of HIV prevention among PWID in Estonia, in which 107 HIV
      infected participants reported current use of ART. Current adherence was measured
      through the use of a visual analog scale. Approximately half (49%) of the
      participants reported optimal (>=95%) adherence. The vast majority (81%) believed
      in the effectiveness of ART. Less than a quarter of the participants (22%) rated
      their health as good or very good, and a half (52%) reported average health.
      Individual beliefs and self-reported health were not associated with ART
      adherence in both bivariate and multivariable analyses. Participants with problem
      drinking reported significant suboptimal adherence to ART (adjusted odds ratio
      [AOR] 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.97). Daily injection drug use was also associated with
      suboptimal adherence (AOR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13-0.91). Problem drinking has not been
      commonly reported as a factor of suboptimal ART adherence among PWID; further
      research would be useful to identify the pathways that might be involved.

PMID- 28618983
TI  - Regulatory T Cells Show Dynamic Behavior During Late Pregnancy, Delivery, and the
      Postpartum Period.
AB  - Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are critical immunomodulators during early pregnancy
      by preventing maternal T-cell activation against fetal cells. However, how
      populations of maternal Tregs vary during and after pregnancy in humans is still
      unclear. Therefore, we investigated Treg subsets in the peripheral blood of
      pregnant women from late pregnancy through the postpartum period. To accomplish
      this, the following circulating Treg subsets were analyzed in 43 healthy pregnant
      women and 35 nonpregnant women by flow cytometry during the third trimester, on
      the day of delivery, and postpartum: CD4DimCD25Hi, CD4+CD25HiFoxp3+, and
      CD4+CD25HiCD127-/dim. Additionally, the expression levels of the transcription
      factor Foxp3 in CD4DimCD25Hi Treg were analyzed. We have found that CD4DimCD25Hi
      Treg subset significantly decreased in the pregnant women on the day of delivery
      relative to the third trimester ( P < .05), and that all Treg subsets
      significantly increased postpartum compared to the third trimester and the day of
      delivery ( P < .05). Moreover, the Foxp3 expression ratios within the
      CD4DimCD25Hi Treg subset decreased during pregnancy and until delivery compared
      to those measured in the nonpregnant women and significantly increased postpartum
      compared to the third trimester and the day of delivery ( P < .05). Thus, despite
      their established role in offering immunoprotection to the fetus in early
      pregnancy, the number of circulating Tregs also varies from late pregnancy to the
      postpartum period. Our results offer an explanation for the possible effects of
      pregnancy on the clinical outcomes of some autoimmune diseases during the
      postpartum period.

PMID- 28618984
TI  - Glycemic Variability and Insulin Needs in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
      Supplemented with Vitamin D: A Pilot Study Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring
      System.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that glycemic variability could influence the
      risk of complications in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). There are no data about
      the action of Vitamin D (VD) on glycemic variability. Our pilot study aims to
      evaluate glycemic variability and insulin needs in patients with T1DM
      supplemented with VD. METHODS: 22 Patients received doses of 4000 and 10000
      IU/day of cholecalciferol for 12 weeks, according to the patient's baseline VD
      levels and underwent continuous glucose monitoring system. RESULTS: Correlations
      were found between percentage variation (Delta) of glycemia standard deviation
      (DeltaSDG), calculated using continuous glucose monitoring, with Delta of basal
      (r = 0.6; p <0.01) and total insulin dose (r = 0.6; p <0.01). Correlations
      between VD status after supplementation and Delta of prandial (r = 0.5; p <0.05)
      and total insulin dose (r = 0.4; p <0.05) were found, suggesting that the dose of
      insulin needed by patients is lower when VD status is better. We divided patients
      in two subgroups: SDG improved (subgroup 1; N = 12 (55%)) and SDG worsened
      (subgroup 2; N = 10 (45%)). Group 1, compared to subgroup 2, required a lower
      insulin dose (Deltabasal insulin dose = -8.0 vs. 6.3%; p <0.05) and had a lower
      frequency of hypoglycemia (27% vs. 64%, hypoglycemias/days evaluated; p <0.01).
      CONCLUSION: Our study suggests a relation between VD supplementation, improved
      glycemic variability, lower insulin needs and lower frequency of hypoglycemia in
      patients with T1DM.

PMID- 28618985
TI  - Dendrimers: General Aspects, Applications and Structural Exploitations as
      Prodrug/Drug-delivery Vehicles in Current Medicine.
AB  - Dendrimers are hyper branched macro molecules with well-defined structure and
      high degree of functionality on the surface. The dendrimer architecture allows
      control over properties such as shape, size, density, polarity, reactivity,
      solubility etc. These special features can be exploited to design molecules
      having desired properties used for biomedical applications. Recent advancements
      in correlation between structure and biodegradability and in vivo performance are
      opening up new avenues for these molecules; particularly, in biological
      applications like drug delivery. The unique structure of dendrimers provides
      enough attachment sites for drugs. Further, it is possible to tune the molecules
      in such a way so that the drug molecules are encapsulated outside the target area
      and are released only in the local environment of targets. This review presents
      some general aspects of dendrimers and how their properties are exploited for
      drug delivery applications.

PMID- 28618986
TI  - Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers as Indicator of Atherogenesis in Rats:
      Antioxidants as Preventive Pharmacological Methods.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The oxidative process in atherogenesis generated by proinflammatory
      induction and response to antioxidants vitamins in an experimental model were
      analyzed. METHODS: Male rats were used: (A)Control, (B)Control+vitamin E plus C,
      (C)Hyperfibrinogenemia and (D)Hyperfibrinogenemia+vitamins E plus C.
      Hyperfibrinogenemia induced by daily injection of adrenaline (0.1mg/day/rat) for
      120 days. TREATMENT: 3.42 mg/kg of vitamin E plus 2.14 mg/kg of vitamin C,
      fifteen days after induction. Vascular histology analyzed by optical microscopy.
      Fibrinogen, nitrites and superoxide dismutase analyzed by spectrophotometry.
      STATISTICS: MANOVA, Hotelling test for post testing, significance level p<0.05.
      RESULTS: (C) group showed higher fibrinogen than (A) and (B)(p<0.001). Compared
      to (C) group, (D) showed a decrease of fibrinogen (p<0.001). A marked increase in
      nitrites was found in (C) versus (A), (B) and (D) groups (p<0.001). Superoxide
      dismutase activity increased in (C) group compared to groups (A) and (B)
      (p<0.001). In the group (D) an increase of the activity of this enzyme was
      observed in comparison to groups (C)(p<0.001), (A) and (B) (p<0.0001 in both).
      The (C) group shown endothelial denudation, thickening of the vascular intima and
      extracellular matrix enlargement with foam cells(p<0.001). CONCLUSION: These
      results strongly suggest that vitamins E plus C produce regression of
      inflammatory and oxidative stress processes in this experimental model.

PMID- 28618987
TI  - Synthesis of New Thiazolyl Coupled Pyrazoles Bearing 2,4-Thiazolidinedionyl
      Pharmacophore and Their Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: 2, 4-Thiazolidinedione (TZD), pyrazole and thiazole heterocyclic
      rings exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activities. Medicinal chemists use
      these heterocyclic moieties as scaffolds in drug designing and discovery. The
      existing medicaments, celecoxib and meloxicam, used for treating inflammation and
      pain are having, pyrazole and thiazole, respectively as key scaffolds. Pyrazoles
      coupled with 2, 4-thiazolidinediones may display enhanced anti-inflammatory
      activity. With this hope the bench work was carried out. METHODS: Heterocyclic
      aldehydes, 3-(4-methyl-2-substituted thiazol-5-yl)-1-phenyl-1Hpyrazole- 4-
      carbaldehydes (4a-b) have been allowed to undergo Knoevenagel condensation with N
      substituted 2,4-thiazolidinediones (5a-e) in PEG-400 in the presence of L-proline
      at 110 degrees C and obtained the condensed products (6a-j). COX-2 evaluation of
      the titled product has been carried out using in vitro COX-2 ELISA Kit.
      Antibacterial activity of these compounds (6a-j) has also been determined.
      RESULTS: On the basis of 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Mass spectral data of the condensed
      products the structures have been assigned to (Z)-5-((3-(4-methyl-2-substituted
      thiazol-5-yl)-1- phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methylene) 3-substituted thiazolidine-2,4
      diones (6a-j). Among the evaluated compounds (6a-j), 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i and 6j have
      shown notable COX-2 inhibitory activity. CONCLUSION: Compounds, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d,
      6e and 6f have inhibited the growth of the Bacillus cereus NCIM 2106, Bacillus
      subtilis NCIM 2063, Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIM 2074, Salmonella typhimurium NCIM
      2501 and Staphylococcus aureus NCIM 2079. However, compound 6f has emerged as a
      suitable candidate with dual properties i.e. COX-2 inhibitory and antibacterial
      in the present study.

PMID- 28618988
TI  - Synthesis, Docking and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Triazole Amine Derivatives
      as Potential Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4), is one of the members of PDE superfamily
      which catalyzes the hydrolysis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate to adenosine
      monophosphate in pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cells, leading to
      increased inflammatory processes. PDE4 has been reported as an attractive
      therapeutic target involved in various inflammatory disorders. OBJECTIVE: The
      present work was designed to synthesize and evaluate the anti-inflammatory
      activity of some new triazole amine derivatives as potential PDE4 inhibitors.
      METHOD: The present work involved the synthesis of a series of newer substituted
      triazole amine derivatives followed by characterization using FTIR and 1H-NMR
      spectroscopy and their in silico evaluation by docking studies to determine the
      binding interactions for the best fit conformations in the binding site of PDE4
      protein. Based on the results of the in silico studies, the selected compounds
      were tested for the anti-inflammatory activity using carrageenan-induced paw
      oedema method. RESULTS: The yields of synthesized compounds were moderate and
      amongst the synthesized molecules, compound 5 demonstrated high anti-inflammatory
      activity. The results of experimental studies were found to be in concordance
      with that of the in silico docking results. Most of the synthesized molecules
      were also found to possess drug like properties as contrived by Lipinski's rule
      of five. CONCLUSION: These newly synthesized molecules could act as the starting
      hits for the design of effective, potent and selective PDE4 inhibitors for the
      promising treatment of inflammatory disorders.

PMID- 28618989
TI  - Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Novel 12-N-methylcytisine Derivatives.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Neurodegenerative diseases and inflammation are always
      linked to each other; therefore the elaboration of new chemical compounds, which
      interact with pharmacological targets involved into these two processes, can
      become one of ways of correction of these types of human CNS pathology. In the
      field of this problem the anti-inflammatory activity of ten 3-amino derivatives
      of quinolizidine alkaloid (.)-cytisine (the data about nootropic activity of
      these compounds are outlined by us previously) was studied by using in vivo, in
      vitro and in silico approaches. METHODS: The anti-inflammatory activity of novel
      compounds was investigated on carrageenan- induced model of inflammation in Rat
      paw following an established protocol. COX-1 (ovin) and COX-2 (human recombinant)
      inhibition activities of tested compounds assessed using a COX Fluorescent
      Inhibitor Screening Assay Kit. And as part of an in silico screening the leading
      compounds were docked into the tyrosine sites of COX-1/COX-2 enzymes (PDB code:
      1DIY and 1CVU). RESULTS: It was established that ability of 3-(2
      hydroxyphenyl)amino, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) amino and 3-(3-phenylprop-2-en-1
      yl)amino derivatives of 12-N-metylcytisine to inhibit the carrageenan-induced paw
      oedema in rats is comparable with reference drug diclofenac. The results of in
      vitro COX-1/COX-2 inhibition assay showed no significant activity of tested
      compounds, except compounds with 2-hydroxyphenyl, 3-phenylprop-2-en-1-yl, furyl
      and thiophenyl fragments which slightly reduce the activity of COX-2. CONCLUSION:
      The tendency to occurrence of anti-inflammatory properties of synthesized
      derivatives of quinolizidine alkaloid (-)-cytisine can be explained on the basis
      of molecular docking results, which assume the possibility of interaction of more
      potent compounds with key amino acids of COX-1/COX-2 active sites.

PMID- 28618990
TI  - Biological Roles of the Eclectic Chromogranin-A-derived Peptide Catestatin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Research on Chromogranin A (CGA) and its derived fragments
      convincingly demonstrated the multifunctional activity of the 21 amino acid
      peptide named Catestatin (CST: human CGA352-372, bovine CGA344-364, rat CGA367
      387). This review aims to provide a synopsis of the current information
      concerning the biological role of CST in health and disease. METHODS: Structured
      search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature. RESULTS:
      CST is mainly known as an inhibitor of the nicotinic-dependent Catecholamine (CA)
      release, and an anti-hypertensive peptide, but its role includes a modulation of
      antioxidant and immune defense, epidermal function, and adipose tissue
      homeostasis. CST influences the cardiocirculatory system acting both indirectly,
      via the autonomic nervous system, and directly by influencing the basal cardiac
      function, and the stretch-dependent myocardial performance. It also counteracts
      the effects of adrenergic stimulation on the heart and protects the myocardium
      from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, acting in pre- and postconditioning
      protection. CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge on CST is constantly expanding, thanks to
      a growing number of human studies that document its involvement in physiological
      modulation and in many severe diseases, also revealing its applicative potential
      as a clinical biomarker.

PMID- 28618991
TI  - Effects of Polyphenolic Derivatives on Heme Oxygenase-System in Metabolic
      Dysfunctions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this review is to summarize the effects of various
      naturally occurring polyphenols in the management of metabolic dysfunctions. This
      cluster of metabolic abnormalities comprises insulin resistance, increased levels
      of free fatty acids, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, hyperglycemia and
      hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM) along with
      DM-induced complications. Most of them are included in the well-known metabolic
      syndrome (MS). These metabolic dysfunctions in turn are tightly associated to a
      high risk of development of cardiovascular diseases. Although molecular
      mechanisms underlying the onset of metabolic dysfunctions and related
      complications are not yet clear, it is widely recognized that they are associated
      to oxidative stress and chronic low-grade of inflammatory levels. METHODS: We
      undertook a structured search of bibliographic references through the use of
      SciFinder. The database was provided by a division of ACS (American Chemical
      Society) and guarantees access to the world's most extensive and authoritative
      source of references. The search was performed using "heme oxygenase-1" as
      research topic and a subsequent refinement was done by using inclusion/exclusion
      criteria. The quality of retrieved papers was evaluated on the basis of standard
      tools. RESULTS: From a careful review of the selected literature, of interest,
      the use of natural antioxidant polyphenols seems to be the ideal pharmacological
      treatment since they are endowed with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
      properties. In particular, some polyphenols such as curcumin, quercetin,
      genistein, and caffeic acid phenethyl ester are able to potently activate nuclear
      factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and related downstream expression of
      enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Indeed, an overexpression of HO-1 has
      been demonstrated to play a beneficial role in metabolic diseases. CONCLUSION:
      The following review is intended to stimulate interest in the role of natural
      occurring HO-1 inducers in metabolic dysfunction, focusing on the clinical
      potential of HO-1 activity to restore the balance between pro-oxidant and anti
      oxidants systems.

PMID- 28618992
TI  - Modulating mitophagy in mitochondrial disease.
AB  - Mitochondrial diseases may result from mutations in the maternally-inherited
      mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or from mutations in nuclear genes encoding
      mitochondrial proteins. Their bi-genomic nature makes mitochondrial diseases a
      very heterogeneous group of disorders that can present at any age and can affect
      any type of tissue. The autophagic-lysosomal degradation pathway plays an
      important role in clearing dysfunctional and redundant mitochondria through a
      specific quality control mechanism termed mitophagy. Mitochondria could be
      targeted for autophagic degradation for a variety of reasons including basal
      turnover for recycling, starvation induced degradation, and degradation due to
      damage. While the core autophagic machinery is highly conserved and common to
      most pathways, the signaling pathways leading to the selective degradation of
      damaged mitochondria are still not completely understood. Type 1 mitophagy due to
      nutrient starvation is dependent on PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) for
      autophagosome formation but independent of mitophagy proteins, PINK1 (PTEN
      induced putative kinase 1) and Parkin. Whereas type 2 mitophagy that occurs due
      to damage is dependent on PINK1 and Parkin but does not require PI3K. Autophagy
      and mitophagy play an important role in human disease and hence could serve as
      therapeutic targets for the treatment of mitochondrial as well as
      neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, we reviewed drugs that are known
      modulators of autophagy (AICAR and metformin) and may effect this by activating
      the AMP-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Furthermore, we reviewed
      data available on supplements, such as Coenzyme Q and the quinone idebenone, that
      we assert rescue increased mitophagy in mitochondrial disease by benefiting
      mitochondrial function.

PMID- 28618993
TI  - New Perspectives on Biomedical Applications of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.
AB  - Iron oxide nanomaterials are considered promising tools for improved therapeutic
      efficacy and diagnostic applications in biomedicine. Accordingly, engineered iron
      oxide nanomaterials are increasingly proposed in biomedicine, and the
      interdisciplinary researches involving physics, chemistry, biology
      (nanotechnology) and medicine have led to exciting developments in the last
      decades. The progresses of the development of magnetic nanoparticles with
      tailored physico-chemical and surface properties produced a variety of clinically
      relevant applications, spanning from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug
      delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, to in vitro diagnostics. Notwithstanding the
      wellknown conventional synthetic procedures and their wide use, along with recent
      advances in the synthetic methods open the door to new generations of naked iron
      oxide nanoparticles possessing peculiar surface chemistries, suitable for other
      competitive biomedical applications. New abilities to rationally manipulate iron
      oxides and their physical, chemical, and biological properties, allow the
      emersion of additional possibilities for designing novel nanomaterials for
      theranostic applications.

PMID- 28618994
TI  - Role of Anti-PCSK9 Antibodies in the Treatment of Patients with Statin
      Intolerance.
AB  - Statin intolerance is usually defined as the inability of a patient to tolerate
      statintreatment due to muscle-related complaints. While randomised trials show
      that these complaints occure with similar frequency in patients receiving
      placebo, namely in up to ~5% of the subjects, and data from registries as well as
      clinical experience indicate a much higher frequency of up to ~30%. The lack of
      standard definition or of a diagnostic marker of statin intolerance confounds the
      problem. The diagnosis remains subjective based on the symptoms the patient
      reports. Therefore, a large number of patients who need a statin are not
      receiving it, or receiving only very-low and/or intermittent doses unable to
      achieve a robust decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), leaving
      patients at high or very high risk for cardiovascular events requiring an
      alternative form of lipid-lowering therapy. Until recently, the only available
      alternatives were niacin, ezetimibe, bile-acid sequestrants and fibrates that
      decrease LDL-C concentrations by up to 15-20%. Recently the fully human
      monoclonal antibodies against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9),
      alirocumab (Praluent(r)) and evolocumab (Repatha(r)), which have been shown to
      decrease LDL-C by up to 70% have been approved in Europe for use in patients with
      primary hypercholesterolemia not at LDL-C target while on maximally tolerated
      lipid-lowering therapy and specifically for patients with statin intolerance and
      in the USA for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or familial
      hypercholesterolemia requiring additional LDL-C lowering. Ongoing large clinical
      trials with cardiovascular endpoints will provide a definitive answer for the
      role of anti-PCSK9 antibodies in clinical practice.

PMID- 28618995
TI  - The Complexity of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Modulation of Signaling Pathways Related to
      Pancreatic Cancer.
AB  - Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide and is the second leading cause
      of death in the United States. Although cancer death rate has dropped by 23%
      since 1991, there are certain types of cancer for which death rates are still
      increasing, such as pancreatic cancer. There is an urgent need to find new
      therapies that could help improve this dreadful outcome. In this regard, the role
      of nutrition in health and disease has attracted much attention. Several dietary
      components are involved in metabolic, physiologic and cell signaling affecting
      tumor growth and progression. Although lipids, and more specifically
      polyunsaturated fatty acids, have been traditionally studied due to their health
      effects in cardiovascular disease, it is now clear that they can impact an
      extensive array of cellular processes that influence a wide range of diseases
      such as type II diabetes, inflammatory disorders and cancer. These biological
      activities may be grouped as regulation of: (1) membrane structure and function,
      (2) intracellular signaling pathways, (3) transcription factor activity, (4) gene
      expression, and (5) production of bioactive lipid mediators. The aim of this
      review is to assimilate the current state of knowledge about these potential
      mechanism(s) of action and signaling pathways modulated by polyunsaturated fatty
      acids in pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28618996
TI  - The Influence of Obese Insulin-Resistance on the Outcome of the
      Ischemia/Reperfusion Insult to the Heart.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obese insulin-resistance is one of the most important risk factor for
      cardiovascular diseases including ischemic heart disease (IHD). Growing evidences
      suggest that the susceptibility to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury
      is increased in an obese insulin-resistance condition. Based on the currently
      available evidence from human and animal studies, this review mainly focuses on
      the influence of obese insulinresistance on the outcome of the I/R insult to the
      heart. Moreover, we have discussed whether improving insulin sensitivity by
      pharmacological interventions could ameliorate reperfusion induced myocardial
      injury. METHODS: The electronic database Pubmed was used as the source of
      selected peerreviewed research articles published in English. Both pre-clinical
      studies and clinical trials were obtained using obesity, insulin resistance,
      ischemia-reperfusion injury and myocardial infarction as keywords. RESULTS:
      Twenty-seven pre-clinical studies were obtained using obesity, insulin
      resistance, and cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury as keywords, and five
      clinical trials were obtained using obesity, insulin resistance, and myocardial
      infarction as keywords. The underlying mechanisms responsible for the
      exacerbation of I/R injury in obese insulinresistance were the main subject of
      our review. CONCLUSION: The findings of this review suggest that the
      susceptibility to I/R injury is increased in an obese insulin-resistance
      condition. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the exacerbation of
      I/R injury in obese insulin-resistance have not been fully elucidated, but
      increased basal oxidative stress, the impairment of anti-oxidant capacities,
      insulin signaling and pro-survival signaling and increased inflammation, likely
      play an important role.

PMID- 28618997
TI  - VDAC1 as a Player in Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis and Target for Modulating
      Apoptosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1), an outer mitochondria
      membrane protein, functions as a mitochondrial governor, controlling transport of
      metabolites in and out of the mitochondria and energy production, while also
      coordinating glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. VDAC1 plays a key role in
      mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by functioning in the release of apoptotic
      proteins located in the inter-membranal space and due to its association with pro
      and anti-apoptotic proteins. Thus, VDAC1 is considered as a promising target for
      controlling apoptosis. METHODS: We reviewed published data presenting accumulated
      evidence suggesting that VDAC1 oligomerization represents an important step in
      the intrinsic mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. RESULTS: The published
      data support the proposal that VDAC1 oligomerization leads to the formation of a
      large pore that allows the release of pro-apoptotic proteins to the cytosol,
      thereby, activation of apoptosis. Evidence for the relationship between VDAC1
      expression levels and induction of apoptosis are presented. This includes the
      finding that almost all apoptosis stimuli induce VDAC1 over-expression shifting
      VDAC1 from a monomeric to an oligomeric assembly, corresponding to the Cyto c
      release channel. Compounds or conditions inducing VDAC1 over-expression, VDAC1
      oligomerization and apoptosis are presented. Likewise, VDAC1-interacting
      molecules, that inhibit both VDAC1 oligomerization and apoptosis are also
      presented. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the findings about VDAC1
      oligomerization as a potential target for controlling apoptosis, specifically
      using drugs to induce apoptotic cell death in cancer and inhibit apoptosis in
      neurodegenerative diseases, as well as possible VDAC1-based therapeutic
      applications.

PMID- 28618998
TI  - The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The current molecular understanding of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has still not
      resulted in successful interventions. Mitochondrial dysfunction of the AD brain
      is currently emerging as a hallmark of this disease. One mitochondrial function
      often affected in AD is oxidative phosphorylation responsible for ATP production,
      but also for production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and for the de novo
      synthesis of pyrimidines. This paper reviews the role of mitochondrial produced
      ROS and pyrimidines in the aetiology of AD and their proposed role in oxidative
      degeneration of macromolecules, synthesis of essential phospholipids and
      maintenance of mitochondrial viability in the AD brain.

PMID- 28618999
TI  - Biomarkers for Diagnosing and Staging of Fabry Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fabry disease is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by
      deficient activity of alpha -galactosidase A which leads to progressive
      intracellular accumulation of globotriaosylceramide in tissues and organs
      including heart, kidney, vascular endothelium, the nervous system, the eyes and
      the skin. Cardiac involvement is common, leads to fatal complications and is
      mainly responsible for reduced life expectancy in Fabry disease. The exact
      staging of disease progression and timely initiation of treatment is essential in
      Fabry disease. Therefore, it is essential to use the possibilities of specific
      biomarkers for early detection of organ involvement or early diagnosis. METHODS:
      By the use of Pubmed all relevant papers for biomarkers in Fabry disease were
      screened. The quality of retrieved papers was appraised using standard tools.
      Finally, 70 peer reviewed paper were included. RESULTS: In the past biomarkers
      for Fabry disease biomarkers did not have clinical relevance. Nowadays, a lot of
      research is focusing on identification of new biomarkers and their clinical
      relevance. Only two biomarkers reached clinical applicability. Lyso-GB3 for
      identification of atypical FD variants and hsTNT for identification of cardiac
      involvement, which should indicate further diagnostics. Treatment response to ERT
      can be monitored by lyso-GB3 but data for long-time outcome are missing. A lot of
      GB3-related analogs are identified in urine and plasma, some of which might play
      an important role for managing Fabry disease in future. CONCLUSION: In
      conclusion, we suggest to measure lyso-GB3 and hsTNT at least once a year. The
      routine measurement of these two biomarkers will help now for the staging of
      every individual patient and in addition, will help for a better general
      understanding of Fabry disease.

PMID- 28619000
TI  - Astrocytes Pathology in ALS: A Potential Therapeutic Target?
AB  - The mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
      (ALS) are multifactorial and include genetic and environmental factors. Nowadays,
      it is well accepted that neuronal loss is driven by non-cell autonomous toxicity.
      Non-neuronal cells, such as astrocytes, have been described to significantly
      contribute to motoneuron cell death and disease progression in cell culture
      experiments and animal models of ALS. Astrocytes are essential for neuronal
      survival and function by regulating neurotransmitter and ion homeostasis, immune
      response, blood flow and glucose uptake, antioxidant defence and growth factor
      release. Based on their significant functions in "housekeeping" the central
      nervous system (CNS), they are no longer thought to be passive bystanders but
      rather contributors to ALS pathogenesis. Findings from animal models have
      broadened our knowledge about different pathomechanisms in ALS, but therapeutic
      approaches to impede disease progression failed. So far, there is no cure for ALS
      and effective medication to slow down disease progression is limited. Targeting
      only a single aspect of this multifactorial disease may exhibit therapeutic
      limitations. Hence, novel cellular targets must be defined and new pharmaceutical
      strategies, such as combinatorial drug therapies are urgently needed. The present
      review discusses the physiological role of astrocytes and current hypotheses of
      astrocyte pathology in ALS. Furthermore, recent investigation of potential drug
      candidates in astrocyte cell culture systems and animal models, as well as data
      obtained from clinical trials, will be addressed. The central role of astrocytes
      in ALS pathogenesis makes them a promising target for pharmaceutical
      interventions.

PMID- 28619001
TI  - Icariin Attenuates Interleukin-1beta-Induced Inflammatory Response in Human
      Nucleus Pulposus Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Low back pain is a common problem, mainly caused by intervertebral
      disc degeneration (IDD). An important pathophysiological characteristic of IDD is
      the loss of homeostatic balance of the extracellular matrix metabolism.
      Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is one of the inflammatory mediators stimulating the
      degradation of extracellular matrix in the nucleus pulposus (NP) and contributing
      to IDD pathogenesis. Icariin, which is isolated from Epimedium brevicornum, acts
      as an anti-inflammatory drug. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the
      pharmacological effects of icariin in IDD by simulating NP inflammation in vitro.
      METHOD: Human NP cells were isolated and cultured in vitro. NP cells were
      pretreated with icariin (0.1, 1 and 10 uM) and stimulated by IL-1beta (10 ng/ml).
      The concentration of Prostaglandin E2 was determined by enzymelinked
      immunosorbent assay. Nitric oxide was determined by Griess reagent assay. The
      expression of cyclooxygenase- 2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS),
      degrading enzymes, collagen II, aggrecan, mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK),
      and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB)-related signaling molecules was assessed
      via western blotting. RESULTS: IL-1beta induced pronounced expression of COX-2
      and iNOS, and stimulated production of prostaglandin E2 and nitric oxide. Icariin
      exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting IL-1beta-induced
      production of degrading enzymes, as well as extracellular matrix reduction.
      Finally, icariin suppressed IL-1beta-induced activation of MAPK- and NF-kappaB
      related signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that icariin
      may have a protective effect on NP cells. The antiinflammatory effect may
      contribute to the therapeutic action of icariin in IDD.

PMID- 28619002
TI  - Targeting Astrocytes for Treatment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder affecting
      upper and lower motoneurons. The two types, sporadic and familial differ in the
      aetiopathogenesis but have a similar neuropathology characterized by oxidative
      stress, excitotoxicity and inflammation. The disease is also characterized by a
      non-cell autonomous mechanism with astrocytes playing a central role by affecting
      synaptic glutamate, the blood-brain barrier, and metabolic and trophic support.
      Two types of therapeutic approaches focusing on astrocytes are presented: a)
      emerging molecular targets (potassium inward rectifier channels and aquaporins at
      the astrocyte endfeet, and IP3 receptor signaling pathway), and b) cell therapy
      with stem cell - generated and transplanted astrocytes.

PMID- 28619003
TI  - Hydroxyapatite as a Nanomaterial for Advanced Tissue Engineering and Drug
      Therapy.
AB  - Hydroxyapatite (HAp) is a complicated ceramic material that varies between the
      way it appears in biological systems and how it is synthesized as various calcium
      phosphates. HAp varies in chemical composition of substituting atoms,
      crystallinity, grain size and electrical polarization. HAp can form solid to
      macro-, micro- and nanoporous structures. Also, particulate HAp can have highly
      porous structure. HAp can be used as coatings for metal implants in thicknesses
      from hundreds of microns down to hundreds of nanometers. Cotton wool-like HAp
      fibers can be electrospun compounded with polymers (or without) for tissue
      engineering (TE) scaffolds. This review describes the features of HAp that may be
      utilized further in developing novel applications. As a nanomaterial HAp has been
      applied for drug delivery. The adsorption of proteins and other compounds can be
      adjusted by modifying HAp composition, electrical polarization and wettability.
      Of special interest are the bisphosphonates that bind to HAp and thereby can be
      used to treat bone loss and also couple other drugs to the mineral. A new area
      for HAp constructs may appear in treating metallosis. HAp coating may function as
      a scavenger for the ions release from metal implants and thereby inhibit the
      adverse effects of the ion burden for the body. So far HAp is considered as safe
      biomaterial but nano HAp may insidiously possess adverse effects especially when
      ingested by cells and eliciting excess intracellular calcium. Thereby critical
      approach also for HAp biomaterials is of utmost importance.

PMID- 28619004
TI  - Albumin Nanocarriers, gamma- Irradiated Crosslinked, Combined with Therapeutic
      Drugs for Cancer Therapy>.
AB  - Albumin polymeric Nanoparticles (NPs) have opened a great expectancy as for
      controlled drug delivery due to their therapeutic potency. Concomitantly
      biodegradable NPs technologies with target linked structures to pave the way of
      personalised medicine are becoming increasingly important in sight of a
      therapeutically effective research technology. This is particularly attractive
      for nanoparticle-based cancer delivery systems, based on the known limitations
      and efforts to overcome. This new group of gamma irradiated-NPs inherited both
      the protein delivery properties and robustness of polymer forming structures, and
      gamma irradiation techniques that leave clean, innocuous and biodegradable NPs.
      These protein NPs made of serum albumin are referred to SA NPs that possesses
      several characteristics making them especially attractive to be considered as a
      drug delivery system. This review focused on methodologies actually being used in
      the synthesis and characterisation of albumin NPs and different author's opinions
      on strategic ways to treat cancerous cell-lines with NPs. Utterly, challenges
      being overthrown by researchers are brought up to anneal an effective, all in one
      targeted albumin NPs to passed through in vitro and preclinical trials.

PMID- 28619005
TI  - Effects of immunonutrition on biomarkers in traumatic brain injury patients in
      Malaysia: a prospective randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Head injury is one of the top three diagnosis leading to intensive
      care unit (ICU) admission in Malaysia. There has been growing interest in using
      immunonutrition as a mode of modulating the inflammatory response to injury or
      infection with the aim of improving clinical outcome. The aim of the present
      study was to evaluate the effect of an immunonutrition on biomarkers (IL-6,
      glutathione, CRP, total protein and albumin) in traumatic brain injury patients.
      METHODS: Thirty six patients with head injury admitted to neurosurgical ICU in
      University Malaya Medical Centre were recruited for this study, over a 6-month
      period from July 2014 to January 2015. Patients were randomized to receive either
      an immunonutrition (Group A) or a standard (Group B) enteral feed. Levels of
      biomarkers were measured at day 1, 5 and 7 of enteral feeding. RESULTS: Patients
      in Group A showed significant reduction of IL-6 at day 5 (p < 0.001) with
      concurrent rise in glutathione levels (p = 0.049). Patients in Group A also
      demonstrated a significant increase of total protein level at the end of the
      study (day 7). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate the potential of
      immunonutrition reducing cytokines and increasing antioxidant indices in patients
      with TBI. However, further studies incorporating patient outcomes are needed to
      determine its overall clinical benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: National Medical
      Research Register (NMRR) ID: 14-1430-23,171. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:
      NCT03166449 .

PMID- 28619006
TI  - Tag SNP selection for prediction of tick resistance in Brazilian Braford and
      Hereford cattle breeds using Bayesian methods.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cattle resistance to ticks is known to be under genetic control with
      a complex biological mechanism within and among breeds. Our aim was to identify
      genomic segments and tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with
      tick-resistance in Hereford and Braford cattle. The predictive performance of a
      very low-density tag SNP panel was estimated and compared with results obtained
      with a 50 K SNP dataset. RESULTS: BayesB (pi = 0.99) was initially applied in a
      genome-wide association study (GWAS) for this complex trait by using deregressed
      estimated breeding values for tick counts and 41,045 SNP genotypes from 3455
      animals raised in southern Brazil. To estimate the combined effect of a genomic
      region that is potentially associated with quantitative trait loci (QTL), 2519
      non-overlapping 1-Mb windows that varied in SNP number were defined, with the top
      48 windows including 914 SNPs and explaining more than 20% of the estimated
      genetic variance for tick resistance. Subsequently, the most informative SNPs
      were selected based on Bayesian parameters (model frequency and t-like
      statistics), linkage disequilibrium and minor allele frequency to propose a very
      low-density 58-SNP panel. Some of these tag SNPs mapped close to or within genes
      and pseudogenes that are functionally related to tick resistance. Prediction
      ability of this SNP panel was investigated by cross-validation using K-means and
      random clustering and a BayesA model to predict direct genomic values. Accuracies
      from these cross-validations were 0.27 +/- 0.09 and 0.30 +/- 0.09 for the K-means
      and random clustering groups, respectively, compared to respective values of 0.37
      +/- 0.08 and 0.43 +/- 0.08 when using all 41,045 SNPs and BayesB with pi = 0.99,
      or of 0.28 +/- 0.07 and 0.40 +/- 0.08 with pi = 0.999. CONCLUSIONS: Bayesian GWAS
      model parameters can be used to select tag SNPs for a very low-density panel,
      which will include SNPs that are potentially linked to functional genes. It can
      be useful for cost-effective genomic selection tools, when one or a few key
      complex traits are of interest.

PMID- 28619007
TI  - Whole genome sequencing analyses of Listeria monocytogenes that persisted in a
      milkshake machine for a year and caused illnesses in Washington State.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2015, in addition to a United States multistate outbreak linked to
      contaminated ice cream, another outbreak linked to ice cream was reported in the
      Pacific Northwest of the United States. It was a hospital-acquired outbreak
      linked to milkshakes, made from contaminated ice cream mixes and milkshake maker,
      served to patients. Here we performed multiple analyses on isolates associated
      with this outbreak: pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), whole genome single
      nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, species-specific core genome multilocus
      sequence typing (cgMLST), lineage-specific cgMLST and whole genome-specific MLST
      (wgsMLST)/outbreak-specific cgMLST. We also analyzed the prophages and virulence
      genes. RESULTS: The outbreak isolates belonged to sequence type 1038, clonal
      complex 101, genetic lineage II. There were no pre-mature stop codons in inlA.
      Isolates contained Listeria Pathogenicity Island 1 and multiple internalins. PFGE
      and multiple whole genome sequencing (WGS) analyses all clustered together food,
      environmental and clinical isolates when compared to outgroup from the same
      clonal complex, which supported the finding that L. monocytogenes likely
      persisted in the soft serve ice cream/milkshake maker from November 2014 to
      November 2015 and caused 3 illnesses, and that the outbreak strain was
      transmitted between two ice cream production facilities. The whole genome SNP
      analysis, one of the two species-specific cgMLST, the lineage II-specific cgMLST
      and the wgsMLST/outbreak-specific cgMLST showed that L. monocytogenes cells
      persistent in the milkshake maker for a year formed a unique clade inside the
      outbreak cluster. This clustering was consistent with the cleaning practice after
      the outbreak was initially recognized in late 2014 and early 2015. Putative
      prophages were conserved among prophage-containing isolates. The loss of a
      putative prophage in two isolates resulted in the loss of the AscI restriction
      site in the prophage, which contributed to their AscI-PFGE banding pattern
      differences from other isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The high resolution of WGS analyses
      allowed the differentiation of epidemiologically unrelated isolates, as well as
      the elucidation of the microevolution and persistence of isolates within the
      scope of one outbreak. We applied a wgsMLST scheme which is essentially the
      outbreak-specific cgMLST. This scheme can be combined with lineage-specific
      cgMLST and species-specific cgMLST to maximize the resolution of WGS.

PMID- 28619008
TI  - Trends in mortality rates by subtypes of heart disease in Mississippi, 1980-2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heart disease (HD) is the leading cause of death among
      Mississippians. However, trends in mortality rates for HD subtypes in Mississippi
      have not been adequately described. This study examined trends in mortality rates
      for HD subtypes among adults in Mississippi from 1980 through 2013. METHODS: We
      used Mississippi Vital Statistics data to calculate age-specific mortality rates
      for HD subtypes for Mississippians age 35 and older. Cases were identified via
      underlying cause of death codes from the International Classification of
      Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Tenth Revision (ICD-10). We used Joinpoint
      software to calculate the average annual percent change (AAPC) in mortality rates
      for HD subtypes by race, sex, and age group. RESULTS: Overall, the age-adjusted
      coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rate among Mississippi adults decreased by
      62.7% between 1980 and 2013, with an AAPC of -3.0% (95% CI -3.7 to -2.3), while
      the age-adjusted heart failure mortality rate increased by 66.7%, with an AAPC of
      1.4% (95% CI 0.5 to 2.3). Trends varied across HD subtypes: Annual rates of
      hypertensive HD mortality increased significantly for men, for individuals age 35
      to 54, and for individuals age 75 and older. CHD mortality experienced a
      significant annual decrease among all race, sex, and age subgroups, while heart
      failure increased significantly among women, whites, and individuals age 75 and
      older. CONCLUSIONS: From 1980 to 2013, CHD mortality decreased significantly
      while heart failure mortality increased significantly among adult Mississippians.
      However, HD subtype trends differed by race, sex, and age group.

PMID- 28619009
TI  - Measuring influenza laboratory capacity: use of a tool to measure improvements.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To collect information, identify training needs, and assist with
      influenza capacity building voluntary laboratory capacity assessments were
      conducted using a standardized tool in CDC cooperative agreement countries. To
      understand the usefulness of comparing results from repeat assessments and to
      determine if targeted training supported improvements, this paper details
      comparison of assessment results of conducting 17 repeat laboratory assessments
      between 2009 and 2013. METHODS: Laboratory assessments were conducted by SMEs in
      17 laboratories (16 countries). We reviewed the quantitative assessment results
      of the laboratories that conducted both an initial and follow up assessment
      between 2009 to 2013 using repeated measures of Anova, (Mixed procedure of SAS
      (9.3)). Additionally, we compared the overall summary scores and the assessor
      recommendations from the two assessments. RESULTS: We were able to document a
      statistically significant improvement between the first and second assessments
      both on an aggregate as well as individual indicator score. Within the
      international capacity tool three of the eight categories recorded statistically
      significant improvement (equipment, management, and QA/QC), while the other tool
      categories (molecular, NIC, specimen, safety and virology) showed improvement in
      scores although not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: We found that using a
      standardized tool and quantitative framework is useful for documenting capacity
      and performance improvement in identified areas over time. The use of the tool
      and standard reports with assessor recommendations assisted laboratories with
      establishing, maintaining, and improving influenza laboratory practices. On-going
      assessments and the consistent application of the analytic framework over time
      will continue to aid in building a measurement knowledge base for laboratory
      capacity.

PMID- 28619010
TI  - Did online publishers "get it right"? Using a naturalistic search strategy to
      review cognitive health promotion content on internet webpages.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One of the most common uses of the Internet is to search for health
      related information. Although scientific evidence pertaining to cognitive health
      promotion has expanded rapidly in recent years, it is unclear how much of this
      information has been made available to Internet users. Thus, the purpose of our
      study was to assess the reliability and quality of information about cognitive
      health promotion encountered by typical Internet users. METHODS: To generate a
      list of relevant search terms employed by Internet users, we entered seed search
      terms in Google Trends and recorded any terms consistently used in the prior 2
      years. To further approximate the behaviour of typical Internet users, we entered
      each term in Google and sampled the first two relevant results. This search,
      completed in October 2014, resulted in a sample of 86 webpages, 48 of which had
      content related to cognitive health promotion. An interdisciplinary team rated
      the information reliability and quality of these webpages using a standardized
      measure. RESULTS: We found that information reliability and quality were
      moderate, on average. Just one retrieved page mentioned best practice, national
      recommendations, or consensus guidelines by name. Commercial content (i.e.,
      product promotion, advertising content, or non-commercial) was associated with
      differences in reliability and quality, with product promoter webpages having the
      lowest mean reliability and quality ratings. CONCLUSIONS: As efforts to
      communicate the association between lifestyle and cognitive health continue to
      expand, we offer these results as a baseline assessment of the reliability and
      quality of cognitive health promotion on the Internet.

PMID- 28619011
TI  - To be active through indoor-climbing: an exploratory feasibility study in a group
      of children with cerebral palsy and typically developing children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor disabilities in
      children and young adults and it is also often associated with cognitive and
      physiological challenges. Climbing requires a multifaceted repertoire of
      movements, participants at all levels of expertise may be challenged functionally
      and cognitively, making climbing of great potential interest in (re)habilitation
      settings. However, until now only few research projects have investigated the
      feasibility of climbing as a potential activity for heightening physical activity
      in children with CP and the possible beneficial effects of climbing activities in
      populations with functional and/or cognitive challenges. The aim of this study
      was therefore to test the feasibility of an intensive 3 weeks indoor-climbing
      training program in children with CP and typically developing (TD) peers. In
      addition we evaluated possible functional and cognitive benefits of 3 weeks of
      intensive climbing training in 11 children with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 11-13
      years and six of their TD peers. METHOD: The study was designed as a feasibility
      and interventional study. We evaluated the amount of time spent being physically
      active during the 9 indoor-climbing training sessions, and climbing abilities
      were measured. The participants were tested in a series of physiological,
      psychological and cognitive tests: two times prior to and one time following the
      training in order to explore possible effects of the intervention. RESULTS: The
      children accomplished the training goal of a total of nine sessions within the 3
      week training period. The time of physical activity during a 2:30 h climbing
      session, was comparably high in the group of children with CP and the TD
      children. The children with CP were physically active on average for almost 16 h
      in total during the 3 weeks. Both groups of participants improved their climbing
      abilities, the children with CP managed to climb a larger proportion of the
      tested climbing route at the end of training and the TD group climbed faster. For
      the children with CP this was accompanied by significant improvements in the Sit
      to-stand test (p < 0.01), increased rate of force development in the least
      affected hand during an explosive pinch test and increased muscular-muscular
      coherence during a pinch precision test (p < 0.05). We found no improvements in
      maximal hand or finger strength and no changes in cognitive abilities or
      psychological well-being in any of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show
      that it is possible to use climbing as means to make children with CP physically
      active. The improved motor abilities obtained through the training is likely
      reflected by increased synchronization between cortex and muscles, which results
      in a more efficient motor unit recruitment that may be transferred to daily
      functional abilities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN18006574; day of registration:
      09/05/2017; the trial is registered retrospectively.

PMID- 28619012
TI  - Genetic analysis of varicella-zoster virus in the aqueous humor in uveitis with
      severe hyphema.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Genetic variations have been identified in the genome of varicella
      zoster virus (VZV) strains using vesicle fluid, varicella scabs and throat swab
      samples. We report a rare case of VZV-associated uveitis with severe hyphema,
      which was immediately diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the
      aqueous humor, in which we were able to analyze the VZV genotype for the first
      time. CASE PRESENTATION: A 16-year-old Japanese boy was referred to our hospital
      with a 20-day history of unilateral anterior uveitis and 11-day history of
      hyphema. At presentation, details of the iris, the iridocorneal angle, and the
      fundus were not visible due to the severe hyphema. Serum anti-VZV IgG and anti
      VZV IgM were elevated, and 1.61 * 109 copies/mL of VZV-DNA were detected by real
      time PCR using the aqueous humor. As there were no eruptions on his face or body,
      we diagnosed zoster sine herpete and started intravenous administration of
      prednisolone and acyclovir. The hyphema completely disappeared 2 weeks after
      presentation, while sectorial iris atrophy and mild periphlebitis of the fundus
      became gradually apparent. Anterior inflammation and periphlebitis gradually
      improved and VZV-DNA in the aqueous humor was reduced to 1.02 * 106 copies/mL at
      4 weeks after presentation. Examination by slit lamp microscope revealed no
      inflammation after 5 months, and VZV-DNA could no longer be detected in the
      aqueous humor. Serum anti-VZV IgG and anti-VZV IgM also showed a gradual decrease
      along with improvement in ocular inflammation. The genetic analysis of multiple
      open reading frames and the R5 variable repeat region in the VZV genes, using DNA
      extracted from the aqueous humor at presentation, showed that the isolate was a
      wild-type clade 2 VZV strain (prevalent in Japan and surrounding countries) with
      R5A allele and one SNP unique to clade 1 (both are major types in Europe and
      North America). CONCLUSIONS: VZV-associated uveitis may develop hyphema that
      obscures ocular inflammation, thus PCR analysis using the aqueous humor is the
      key investigation necessary for the diagnosis. The measurement of VZV-DNA copies
      by real-time PCR would be useful for evaluation of therapeutic effects. We could
      amplify and analyze VZV genotype using the aqueous humor including a very large
      number of VZV-DNA copies (1.61 * 109 copies/mL).

PMID- 28619013
TI  - MLST genotypes of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from broiler products, dairy
      cattle and human campylobacteriosis cases in Lithuania.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Campylobacter (C.) jejuni is the leading cause of human
      campylobacteriosis worldwide. We performed a molecular epidemiological study to
      investigate the genetic relationship among C. jejuni strains isolated from human
      diarrhoeal patients, broiler products and dairy cattle in Lithuania. METHODS: The
      C. jejuni isolates from human clinical cases, dairy cattle and broiler products
      were genotyped using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Allele numbers for each
      housekeeping gene, sequence type (ST), and clonal complex (CC) were assigned by
      submitting the DNA sequences to the C. jejuni MLST database (
      http://pubmlst.org/campylobacter ). Based on the obtained sequence data of the
      housekeeping genes a phylogenetic analysis of the strains was performed and a
      minimum spanning tree (MST) was calculated. RESULTS: Among the 262 C. jejuni
      strains (consisting of 43 strains isolated from dairy cattle, 102 strains
      isolated from broiler products and 117 clinical human C. jejuni strains), 82
      different MLST sequence types and 22 clonal complexes were identified. Clonal
      complexes CC21 and CC353 predominated among the C. jejuni strains. On ST-level,
      five sequence types (ST-5, ST-21, ST-50, ST-464 and ST-6410) were dominating and
      these five STs accounted for 35.9% (n = 94) of our isolates. In addition, 51
      (19.5%) C. jejuni strains representing 27 (32.9%) STs were reported for the first
      time in the PubMLST database ( http://pubmlst.org/campylobacter ). The highest
      Czekanowski index or proportional similarity index (PSI) was calculated for C.
      jejuni strains isolated from human campylobacteriosis cases and broiler products
      (PSI = 0.32) suggesting a strong link between broiler strains and human cases.
      The PSI of dairy cattle and human samples was lower (PSI = 0.11), suggesting a
      weaker link between bovine strains and human cases. The calculated Simpson's
      index of all C. jejuni isolates showed a high genetic diversity (D = 0.96).
      CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that broiler products are the most important
      source of human campylobacteriosis in Lithuania. The study provides information
      on MLST type distribution and genetic relatedness of C. jejuni strains from
      humans, broiler products and dairy cattle in Lithuania for the first time,
      enabling a better understanding of the transmission pathways of C. jejuni in this
      country.

PMID- 28619014
TI  - Prognostic impact of blood and urinary angiogenic factor levels at diagnosis and
      during treatment in patients with osteosarcoma: a prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is essential for the progression and metastatic spread
      of solid tumours. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has
      been linked to poor survival among osteosarcoma patients but the clinical
      relevance of monitoring blood and urine angiogenic factors is uncertain. The aim
      of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of blood VEGF and
      blood and urinary basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels in osteosarcoma
      patients, both at diagnosis and during treatment. METHODS: Patients with
      localised or metastatic osteosarcoma enrolled in OS2005 and OS2006 studies
      between 2005 and 2011 were prospectively included in this study. VEGF and bFGF
      levels in serum and plasma and bFGF levels in urine were measured by ELISA at
      diagnosis, before surgery, and at the end of treatment. Endpoints considered for
      the prognostic analysis were histological response, progression-free and overall
      survival. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the distribution of baseline
      biomarker values across the different subgroups, and paired sample Wilcoxon rank
      tests were used to analyze changes over time. Association between biomarker
      levels and outcomes were assessed in multivariable models (logistic regression
      for histologic response, and Cox models for survival). RESULTS: Samples were
      available at diagnosis for 269 patients (54% males; age <= 18 years: 73%;
      localised disease in 68%, doubtful lung lesions in 17%, and metastases in 15%).
      High serum VEGF and bFGF levels were observed in respectively 61% and 51% of
      patients. Serum and plasma VEGF values were not strongly correlated with one
      another (r = 0.53). High serum and plasma VEGF levels were significantly more
      frequent in patients with large tumours (>=10 cm; p = 0.003 and p = 0.02,
      respectively). VEGF levels fell significantly during pre-operative chemotherapy
      (p < 0.0001). No significant correlation was found between this variation and
      either the histological response, progression-free survival or overall survival
      (p = 0.26, p = 0.67, and p = 0.87, respectively). No significant association was
      found between blood or urinary bFGF levels and clinical characteristics,
      histological response, or survival. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of VEGF and bFGF
      angiogenic factors are high in most osteosarcoma patients, but have no
      significant impact on response to chemotherapy or outcome in this large
      prospective series. OS 2006 TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: clinicaltrials.gov
      NCT00470223; date of registration: May 3th 2007.

PMID- 28619015
TI  - Nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections at a specialized tuberculosis treatment
      centre in the Republic of Korea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections is
      increasing worldwide, however formal evaluations of the epidemiology of NTM
      infections are limited. Understanding the trends and true prevalence of NTM is a
      major priority for optimizing infection control programmes and resources. The
      purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiology, clinical
      manifestations, and radiologic findings in NTM-infected patients at specialized
      Tuberculosis (Tb) treatment centre in South Korea, which is endemic to Tb, and
      find solutions to control NTM infections. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive
      study was conducted among patients who were diagnosed with NTM from November 2011
      to January 2016 at Seoul Metropolitan Government Seobuk hospital, Korea, using
      medical records and chest radiography results. Prevalence of NTM using national
      health insurance data was compared to the prevalence and incidence of Tb using
      National statistics data. RESULTS: The age- and sex- adjusted prevalence of NTM
      infection per 100,000 population increased between 2009 (9.4) and 2016 (36.1).
      However, the prevalence and incidence of Tb per 100,000 population decreased from
      106.5 to 74.4, and 81.2 to 61.8, respectively. In total, 64 patients (37 [57.8%]
      men) were enrolled in the study. Among 33 (51.6%) patients with slowly growing
      nontuberculous mycobacteria (SGM) infection, 29 were detected with Mycobacterium
      avium complex (n = 13, M. avium; n = 16, M. intracellulare), and 4 with M.
      kansasii. Among 31 (48.4%) patients with rapidly growing nontuberculous
      mycobacteria (RGM) infection, 27 and 4 patients were detected with M. abscessus
      complex and M. fortuitum complex, respectively. RGM patients were more likely to
      have current Tb (P = 0.041), cough (P < 0.05), and sputum (P < 0.01) than SGM
      patients in the univariate analysis, but not in the multivariate analysis.
      CONCLUSION: Given the increasing prevalence of NTM infections, precise
      epidemiological and surveillance data should be obtained by reporting NTM
      infections to public health authorities. Introducing nucleic acid amplification
      tests to differentiate between Tb and NTM in smear-positive specimens should be
      considered.

PMID- 28619016
TI  - Clinical application of a novel endoscopic mask: a randomized controlled, multi
      center trial in patients undergoing awake fiberoptic bronchoscopic intubation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Awake fiberoptic bronchoscopic tracheal intubation is usually
      regarded as an effective method in the management of predicted difficult airway.
      Hypoxia during awake nasal fiberoptic bronchoscopic intubation leads to
      discontinuation of the procedure, prolonged manipulation time and increased risk
      of severe complications. The main aim of the study was to test whether the novel
      endoscopic mask is helpful for hypoxia during the intubation. METHODS: This was a
      randomized, controlled, multi-center study. 55 patients were recruited, but one
      patient was lost to follow-up. Finally, 54 patients (19 man and 35 women) were
      analyzed. After entering the operating room, nasal catheter oxygen-providing was
      given in the control group, and the treatment group received endoscopic mask
      oxygen-providing, with a flow rate of 3 L/min, lasting into the end of the
      intubation. Primary outcomes included mean arterial pressure, heart rate, minimum
      pulse oxygen saturation and incidence of pulse oxygen saturation <= 90%.
      Secondary outcomes included number of intubation attempts and time to intubation.
      All outcomes were finally measured. RESULTS: Minimum pulse oxygen saturation
      during awake nasal fiberoptic bronchoscopic tracheal intubation was significantly
      higher in the endoscopic mask intubation group (91.7% +/- 4.7%) than that the
      nasal catheter intubation group (87.6% +/- 8.2%, P = 0.031. Furthermore, the
      incidence of pulse oxygen saturation <= 90% was significantly lower in the
      endoscopic mask intubation group (20.0%, 5/25) than that in the nasal catheter
      intubation group (51.7%, 15/29, P = 0.037). But mean arterial pressure of during
      intubation was significantly higher in the endoscopic mask group (100.0 +/- 13.3
      vs 90.3 +/- 21.8, P = 0.049). In addition, there were no differences in the
      number of intubation attempts (P = 0.45) or time to intubation between the two
      groups (P = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic mask was safely used in awake
      fiberoptic bronchoscopic tracheal intubation, with advantages of stable blood
      pressure and potential prevention of desaturation. Beginners for the intubation
      procedure and patients at high risk of hypoxia could benefit from the use of the
      endoscopic mask. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn .
      Registration No.: ChiCTR-TRC-13004086. Date of Registration: 8th, Sep, 2013.

PMID- 28619018
TI  - Efficient soluble expression of disulfide bonded proteins in the cytoplasm of
      Escherichia coli in fed-batch fermentations on chemically defined minimal media.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The production of recombinant proteins containing disulfide bonds in
      Escherichia coli is challenging. In most cases the protein of interest needs to
      be either targeted to the oxidizing periplasm or expressed in the cytoplasm in
      the form of inclusion bodies, then solubilized and re-folded in vitro. Both of
      these approaches have limitations. Previously we showed that soluble expression
      of disulfide bonded proteins in the cytoplasm of E. coli is possible at shake
      flask scale with a system, known as CyDisCo, which is based on co-expression of a
      protein of interest along with a sulfhydryl oxidase and a disulfide bond
      isomerase. With CyDisCo it is possible to produce disulfide bonded proteins in
      the presence of intact reducing pathways in the cytoplasm. RESULTS: Here we
      scaled up production of four disulfide bonded proteins to stirred tank
      bioreactors and achieved high cell densities and protein yields in glucose fed
      batch fermentations, using an E. coli strain (BW25113) with the cytoplasmic
      reducing pathways intact. Even without process optimization production of
      purified human single chain IgA1 antibody fragment reached 139 mg/L and hen
      avidin 71 mg/L, while purified yields of human growth hormone 1 and interleukin 6
      were around 1 g/L. Preliminary results show that human growth hormone 1 was also
      efficiently produced in fermentations of W3110 strain and when glucose was
      replaced with glycerol as the carbon source. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show for
      the first time that efficient production of high yields of soluble disulfide
      bonded proteins in the cytoplasm of E. coli with the reducing pathways intact is
      feasible to scale-up to bioreactor cultivations on chemically defined minimal
      media.

PMID- 28619017
TI  - Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: exploring the affected
      biological systems and mechanisms.
AB  - BACKGROUND: According to several studies, the onset of the Borderline Personality
      Disorder (BPD) depends on the combination between genetic and environmental
      factors (GxE), in particular between biological vulnerabilities and the exposure
      to traumatic experiences during childhood. We have searched for studies reporting
      possible alterations in several biological processes and brain morphological
      features in relation to childhood trauma experiences and to BPD. We have also
      looked for epigenetic mechanisms as they could be mediators of the effects of
      childhood trauma in BPD vulnerability. DISCUSSION: We prove the role of
      alterations in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, in neurotrasmission, in
      the endogenous opioid system and in neuroplasticity in the childhood trauma
      associated vulnerability to develop BPD; we also confirm the presence of
      morphological changes in several BPD brain areas and in particular in those
      involved in stress response. Not so many studies are available on epigenetic
      changes in BPD patients, although these mechanisms are widely investigated in
      relation to stress-related disorders. A better comprehension of the biological
      and epigenetic mechanisms, affected by childhood trauma and altered in BPD
      patients, could allow to identify "at high risk" subjects and to prevent or
      minimize the development of the disease later in life.

PMID- 28619019
TI  - Life after prostate cancer treatment: a mixed methods study of the experiences of
      men with sexual dysfunction and their partners.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men and sexual
      dysfunction is the most frequently reported long-term side effect of prostate
      cancer surgery or radiation. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences
      of men with sexual dysfunction and their partners following prostate cancer
      treatment. METHODS: Men with sexual dysfunction from either surgical removal or
      radiation therapy 1-5 years after treatment were interviewed, as well as their
      partners. A mixed method design was used to determine the lived experience of men
      with sexual dysfunction. Open-ended questions guided the interviews. RESULTS:
      Twenty seven men completed the study with a mean age of 61 years (SD = 8.0; range
      = 44-77 years). Nine partners also participated. The majority of men (92.6%) had
      surgery. The average time from treatment to the interview was 23.5 months (SD =
      11.7). Themes were frustration with sexual dysfunction, importance of support and
      understanding from others, depression and anxiety related to sexual dysfunction,
      importance of intimacy with partner, factors that impact treatment satisfaction,
      and education and comprehensive information about sex. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate
      cancer survivors and partners need accurate information about sexual side effects
      before during and after treatment. Men and partners required individualized help
      and guidance to manage sexual dysfunction. Support and understanding from
      partners, family, and others was also identified as an important aspect of
      healing and adjustment after prostate cancer treatment. Prostate cancer
      education/support groups played a key role in helping men and partners gain
      advocacy, education, and support. Psychological problems such as depression and
      anxiety need to be identified and addressed in men after prostate cancer
      treatment. Men and partners need assistance in understanding and navigating their
      way through intimacy to move forward with connectedness in their relationship.
      Satisfaction with treatment and with providers is dependent on patient education
      and understanding of all aspects of prostate cancer treatment including sexual
      side effects and incontinence.

PMID- 28619020
TI  - Medical students can teach communication skills - a mixed methods study of cross
      year peer tutoring.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cross-year peer tutoring (CYPT) of medical students is recognized as
      an effective learning tool. The aim of this study is to investigate the non
      inferiority of the objective outcome of medical interview training with CYPT
      compared with the results of faculty-led training (FLT), and to explore
      qualitatively the educational benefits of CYPT. METHODS: We conducted a
      convergent mixed methods study including a randomized controlled non-inferiority
      trial and two focus groups. For the CYPT group, teaching was led by six student
      tutors from year 5. In the FLT group, students were taught by six physicians.
      Focus groups for student learners (four tutees) and student teachers (six tutors)
      were conducted following the training session. RESULTS: One hundred sixteen
      students agreed to participate. The OSCE scores of the CYPT group and FLT group
      were 91.4 and 91.2, respectively. The difference in the mean score was 0.2 with a
      95% CI of -1.8 to 2.2 within the predetermined non-inferiority margin of 3.0. By
      analyzing the focus groups, we extracted 13 subordinate concepts and formed three
      categories including 'Benefits of CYPT', 'Reflections of tutees and tutors' and
      'Comparison with faculty', which affected the interactions among tutees, tutors,
      and faculty. CONCLUSIONS: CYPT is effective for teaching communication skills to
      medical students and for enhancing reflective learning among both tutors and
      tutees.

PMID- 28619021
TI  - Treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures by short-segment pedicle screw
      fixation using a combination of two additional pedicle screws and vertebroplasty
      at the level of the fracture: a finite element analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Traditional one-above and one-below four-screw posterior short
      segment instrumentation is used for unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures.
      However, this method has a high rate of implant failure and early loss of
      reduction. The purpose of this study was to use finite element (FE) analysis to
      determine the effect of treating thoracolumbar burst fractures by short-segment
      pedicle screw fixation using a combination of two additional pedicle screws and
      vertebroplasty at the level of the fracture. METHODS: An intact T11-L1 spine FE
      model was created from the computed tomography images of a male subject. Four
      fixation models with posterior fusion devices (pedicle screws, rods, cross-link)
      were established to simulate an unstable thoracolumbar fracture with different
      fusion surgeries: short-segment fixation with: 1) a link (S-L); 2) intermediate
      bilateral screws (S-I); 3) a link and calcium sulfate cement (S-L-C); 4)
      intermediate bilateral screws and calcium sulfate cement (S-I-C). Different
      loading conditions (flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation) were
      applied on the models and analyzed with a FE package. The range of motion (ROM),
      and the maximum value and distribution of the implant stress, and the stress in
      the facet joint, were compared between the intact and fixation models. RESULTS:
      The ROM in flexion, extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending was the
      smallest in the S-I-C model, followed by the S-I, S-L-C, and S-L models. Maximum
      von Mises stress values were larger under lateral bending and axial rotation
      loadings than under flexion and extension loading. High stress was concentrated
      at the crosslink and rod junctions. Maximal von Mises stress on the superior
      vertebral body for all loading conditions was larger than that on the inferior
      vertebral body. The maximal von Mises stress of the pedicle screws during all
      states of motion were 265.3 MPa in S-L fixation, 192.9 MPa in S-I fixation, 258.4
      MPa in S-L-C fixation, and 162.3 MPa in S-I-C fixation. CONCLUSIONS: Short
      segment fixation with two intermediate pedicle screws together with calcium
      sulfate cement at the fractured vertebrae may provide a stiffer construct and
      less von Mises stress of the pedicle screws and rods as compared to other types
      of short-segment fixation.

PMID- 28619022
TI  - Effect of low-magnitude different-frequency whole-body vibration on subchondral
      trabecular bone microarchitecture, cartilage degradation, bone/cartilage
      turnover, and joint pain in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUD: Whole-body vibration(WBV) has been suggested for the prevention of
      subchondral bone loss of knee osteoarthritis (OA) . This study examined the
      effects of different frequency of whole-body vibration on subchondral trabecular
      bone microarchitecture, cartilage degradation and metabolism of the tibia and
      femoral condyle bone, and joint pain in an anterior cruciate ligament transection
      (ACLT)-induced knee osteoarthritisrabbit model. METHOD: Ninety adult rabbits were
      divided into six groups: all groups received unilateral ACLT; Group 1, ACLT only;
      Group 2, 5 Hz WBV; Group 3, 10 Hz WBV; Group 4, 20 Hz WBV; Group 5, 30 Hz WBV;
      and Group 6, 40 Hz WBV. Pain was tested via weight-bearing asymmetry. Subchondral
      trabecular bone microarchitecture was examined using in vivo micro-computed
      tomography. Knee joint cartilage was evaluated by gross morphology, histology,
      and ECM gene expression level (aggrecan and type II collagen [CTX-II]). Serum
      bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, N-mid OC, cartilage oligometric protein,
      CPII, type I collagen, PIIANP, G1/G2 aggrecan levels, and urinary CTX-II were
      analyzed. RESULTS: After 8 weeks of low-magnitude WBV, the lower frequency (10 Hz
      and 20 Hz) WBV treatment decreased joint pain and cartilage resorption,
      accelerated cartilage formation, delayed cartilage degradation especially at the
      20 Hz regimen. However, the higher frequencies (30 Hz and 40 Hz) had worse
      effects, with worse limb function and cartilage volume as well as higher
      histological scores and cartilage resorption. In contrast, both prevented loss of
      trabeculae and increased bone turnover. No significant change was observed in the
      5 Hz WBV group. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that the lower frequencies (10
      Hz and 20 Hz) of low-magnitude WBV increased bone turnover, delayed cartilage
      degeneration, and caused a significant functional change of the OA-affected limb
      in ACLT-induced OA rabbit model but did not reverse OA progression after 8 weeks
      of treatment.

PMID- 28619023
TI  - Potential for adaptation to climate change: family-level variation in fitness
      related traits and their responses to heat waves in a snail population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: On-going global climate change poses a serious threat for natural
      populations unless they are able to evolutionarily adapt to changing
      environmental conditions (e.g. increasing average temperatures, occurrence of
      extreme weather events). A prerequisite for evolutionary change is within
      population heritable genetic variation in traits subject to selection. In
      relation to climate change, mainly phenological traits as well as heat and
      desiccation resistance have been examined for such variation. Therefore, it is
      important to investigate adaptive potential under climate change conditions
      across a broader range of traits. This is especially true for life-history traits
      and defences against natural enemies (e.g. parasites) since they influence
      organisms' fitness both directly and through species interactions. We examined
      the adaptive potential of fitness-related traits and their responses to heat
      waves in a population of a freshwater snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. We estimated
      family-level variation and covariation in life history (size, reproduction) and
      constitutive immune defence traits [haemocyte concentration, phenoloxidase (PO)
      like activity, antibacterial activity of haemolymph] in snails experimentally
      exposed to typical (15  degrees C) and heat wave (25  degrees C) temperatures. We
      also assessed variation in the reaction norms of these traits between the
      treatments. RESULTS: We found that at the heat wave temperature, snails were
      larger and reproduced more, while their immune defence was reduced. Snails showed
      high family-level variation in all examined traits within both temperature
      treatments. The only negative genetic correlation (between reproduction and
      antibacterial activity) appeared at the high temperature. However, we found no
      family-level variation in the responses of most examined traits to the
      experimental heat wave (i.e. largely parallel reaction norms between the
      treatments). Only the reduction of PO-like activity when exposed to the high
      temperature showed family-level variation, suggesting that the cost of heat waves
      may be lower for some families and could evolve under selection. CONCLUSION: Our
      results suggest that there is genetic potential for adaptation within both
      thermal environments and that trait evolution may not be strongly affected by
      trade-offs between them. However, rare differences in thermal reaction norms
      across families indicate limited evolutionary potential in the responses of
      snails to changing temperatures during extreme weather events.

PMID- 28619024
TI  - Communication with young people in paediatric and adult endocrine consultations:
      an intervention development and feasibility study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Communication is complex in endocrine care, particularly during
      transition from paediatric to adult services. The aims of this study were to
      examine the feasibility of interventions to support young people to interact with
      clinicians. METHODS: Development and evaluation of a complex intervention in 2
      phases: Pre-intervention observational study; Intervention feasibility study.
      Purposive sample of recordings of 62 consultations with 58 young people aged 11
      25 years with long-term endocrine conditions in two paediatric and two adult
      endocrine clinics. Proportion of time talked during consultations, number and
      direction of questions asked; Paediatric Consultation Assessment Tool (PCAT);
      OPTION shared decision making tool; Medical Information Satisfaction Scale (MISS-
      21). Young people were invited to use one or more of: a prompt sheet to help them
      influence consultation agendas and raise questions; a summary sheet to record key
      information; and the www.explain.me.uk website. RESULTS: Nearly two thirds of
      young people (63%) chose to use at least one communication intervention. Higher
      ratings for two PCAT items (95% CI 0.0 to 1.1 and 0.1 to 1.7) suggest
      interventions can support consultation skills. A higher proportion of
      accompanying persons (83%) than young people (64%) directed questions to
      clinicians. The proportion of young people asking questions was higher (84%) in
      the intervention phase than in the observation phase (71%). CONCLUSIONS:
      Interventions were acceptable and feasible. The Intervention phase was associated
      with YP asking more questions, which implies that the availability of
      interventions could promote interactivity.

PMID- 28619026
TI  - Elevated serum fibroblast growth factor 23 levels as an indicator of lower
      extremity atherosclerotic disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, basic and clinical studies have provided evidence
      supporting the relationship between circulating levels of fibroblast growth
      factor (FGF) 23 and the development of atherosclerosis. Given that diabetes is an
      established risk factor for lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD), the
      goal of the present study was to explore the relationship between serum FGF23
      levels and LEAD, as well as the related factors, in Chinese patients with type 2
      diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A total of 401 hospitalized T2DM patients (201
      subjects with LEAD and 200 subjects without LEAD) were enrolled in this study.
      Serum FGF23 levels were determined by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay. Femoral intima-media thickness (F-IMT) and lower limb atherosclerotic
      plaque were assessed through color Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: The median
      (interquartile range) serum FGF23 levels in the entire study population was 42.08
      (35.59-49.17) pg/mL. Subjects with LEAD had significantly higher serum FGF23
      levels compared with those without LEAD (44.00 [37.54-51.30] pg/mL versus 40.42
      [32.61-48.23] pg/mL, P < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that serum FGF23
      levels were independently and positively correlated with the presence of LEAD
      (odds ratio 1.039, 95% confidence interval 1.012-1.067, P = 0.004). In addition,
      multiple liner regression analysis revealed that serum FGF23 levels were
      positively associated with F-IMT (standardized beta = 0.175, P < 0.001).
      Furthermore, this relationship remained significant after additional adjustment
      for gender and factors potentially affecting serum FGF23 levels (serum calcium,
      serum phosphorus, and glomerular filtration rate), respectively (both P < 0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese patients with T2DM, serum FGF23 levels were independently
      and positively correlated with the presence of LEAD.

PMID- 28619027
TI  - : health is my capital: a qualitative study of access to healthcare by Chinese
      migrants in Singapore.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since the 1970s, Singapore has turned into one of the major receiving
      countries of foreign workers in Southeast Asia. Over the years, challenges
      surrounding access to healthcare by Chinese migrant workers have surfaced
      globally. This study aims to explore the experiences of Chinese migrants
      accessing primary and secondary/tertiary healthcare in Singapore, and the
      opportunities for overcoming these barriers. METHODS: We conducted 25 in-depth
      interviews of 20 Chinese migrants and five staff from HealthServe, a non
      governmental organization serving Chinese migrants in Singapore from October 2015
      to January 2016. Interviews were transcribed and analysed inductively adopting
      thematic analysis. RESULTS: Chinese migrants in Singapore who were interviewed
      are mainly middle-aged breadwinners with multiple dependents. Their concept of
      health is encapsulated in a Chinese proverb "", meaning "health is my capital".
      Health is defined by them as a personal asset, needed to provide for their
      families. From their health-seeking behaviors, six pathways were identified,
      highlighting different routes chosen and resulting outcomes depending on whether
      their illness was perceived as major or minor, and if they sought help from the
      private or public sector private or public sector. Key barriers were identified
      relating to vulnerabilities during the migration process, during their illness,
      when consulting with healthcare providers, and during repatriation. A
      transactional doctor-patient culture in China contrasts with the trust migrants
      place in Singaporean's public health system, perceived as equitable and
      personable. However, challenges remain for injured migrants who sought help from
      the private sector and those with chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Policy
      recommendations to increase patient autonomy enabling choice of healthcare
      provider and provide for non-work related illnesses are suggested. Partnerships
      between migrant advocacy organizations and various stakeholders such as
      hospitals, government agencies and employers can be strengthened.

PMID- 28619025
TI  - Evaluating the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle clinician in addressing the
      chronic disease risk behaviours of community mental health clients: study
      protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with a mental illness experience a greater morbidity and
      mortality from chronic diseases relative to the general population. A higher
      prevalence of modifiable health risk behaviours such as smoking, poor nutrition,
      physical inactivity and harmful alcohol consumption contribute substantially to
      this disparity. Despite clinical practice guidelines recommending that mental
      health services routinely provide care to address these risk behaviours, the
      provision of such care is consistently reported to be low internationally and in
      Australia. This protocol describes a randomised controlled trial that aims to
      assess the effectiveness of allocating a clinician within a community mental
      health service to the specific role of providing assessment, advice and referral
      for clients' chronic disease risk behaviours. METHODS/DESIGN: Approximately 540
      clients of one community mental health service will be randomised to receive
      either usual care for chronic disease risks provided in routine consultations or
      usual care plus an additional face-to-face consultation and follow-up telephone
      call with a 'healthy lifestyle clinician'. The clinician will assess clients'
      chronic disease risk behaviours, provide advice to change behaviours, and refer
      at-risk clients to free telephone coaching services (New South Wales (NSW)
      Quitline and NSW Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service) for specialist
      behaviour change care. The primary outcomes, regarding referral to and client
      uptake of the telephone services, will be obtained from the respective services.
      Telephone interviews of clients at baseline and at 1 and 6 months post baseline
      follow-ups will assess secondary outcomes: receipt of any assessment, advice and
      referral from the mental health service; satisfaction with the receipt of such
      care; satisfaction with the receipt of any care provided by the telephone
      services; interest and confidence in and perceived importance of changing risk
      behaviours; and risk behaviour status. DISCUSSION: This study will add to the
      limited literature regarding effective strategies to address chronic disease
      prevention among the higher risk population of community mental health clients.
      The results will inform the development of future policies and service delivery
      initiatives to address the high prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours
      among people with a mental illness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand
      Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), ACTRN12616001519448 . Registered on 3 November
      2016.

PMID- 28619029
TI  - Rapid deterioration of Mooren's ulcers after conjunctival flap: a review of 2
      cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conjunctival flaps are a widely used treatment for numerous corneal
      ulcers that are caused by microorganismal infections. However, whether it can be
      performed on immune-mediated corneal ulcers is controversial. CASE PRESENTATION:
      We present two cases of Mooren's ulcer that were treated using conjunctival flap
      in an attempt to prevent further corneal perforation at their local hospital. A
      rapid acceleration in ulcer progression was observed after a conjunctival flap
      was applied. Ultimately, the two patients underwent corneal transplantation,
      which required the postoperative use of topical immunosuppressants and resulted
      in a final cure. In the current report, we also discussed this incorrect surgical
      choice via a review of conventional interventions that are used to treat Mooren's
      ulcer. CONCLUSIONS: These two cases demonstrate that keratoplasty combined with
      topical immunosuppressants is effective in treating Mooren's ulcer. Application
      of conjunctival flaps or autografting could promote progression of ulceration in
      Mooren's ulcers.

PMID- 28619028
TI  - In vitro downregulated hypoxia transcriptome is associated with poor prognosis in
      breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypoxia is a characteristic of breast tumours indicating poor
      prognosis. Based on the assumption that those genes which are up-regulated under
      hypoxia in cell-lines are expected to be predictors of poor prognosis in clinical
      data, many signatures of poor prognosis were identified. However, it was observed
      that cell line data do not always concur with clinical data, and therefore
      conclusions from cell line analysis should be considered with caution. As many
      transcriptomic cell-line datasets from hypoxia related contexts are available,
      integrative approaches which investigate these datasets collectively, while not
      ignoring clinical data, are required. RESULTS: We analyse sixteen heterogeneous
      breast cancer cell-line transcriptomic datasets in hypoxia-related conditions
      collectively by employing the unique capabilities of the method, UNCLES, which
      integrates clustering results from multiple datasets and can address questions
      that cannot be answered by existing methods. This has been demonstrated by
      comparison with the state-of-the-art iCluster method. From this collection of
      genome-wide datasets include 15,588 genes, UNCLES identified a relatively high
      number of genes (>1000 overall) which are consistently co-regulated over all of
      the datasets, and some of which are still poorly understood and represent new
      potential HIF targets, such as RSBN1 and KIAA0195. Two main, anti-correlated,
      clusters were identified; the first is enriched with MYC targets participating in
      growth and proliferation, while the other is enriched with HIF targets directly
      participating in the hypoxia response. Surprisingly, in six clinical datasets,
      some sub-clusters of growth genes are found consistently positively correlated
      with hypoxia response genes, unlike the observation in cell lines. Moreover, the
      ability to predict bad prognosis by a combined signature of one sub-cluster of
      growth genes and one sub-cluster of hypoxia-induced genes appears to be
      comparable and perhaps greater than that of known hypoxia signatures.
      CONCLUSIONS: We present a clustering approach suitable to integrate data from
      diverse experimental set-ups. Its application to breast cancer cell line datasets
      reveals new hypoxia-regulated signatures of genes which behave differently when
      in vitro (cell-line) data is compared with in vivo (clinical) data, and are of a
      prognostic value comparable or exceeding the state-of-the-art hypoxia signatures.

PMID- 28619030
TI  - Integrative analysis of DNA methylation, mRNAs, and small RNAs during maize
      embryo dedifferentiation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Maize (Zea mays) is an important model crop for transgenic studies.
      However, genetic transformation of maize requires embryonic calli derived from
      immature embryo, and the impact of utilizing tissue culture methods on the maize
      epigenome is poorly understood. Here, we generated whole-genome MeDIP-seq data
      examining DNA methylation in dedifferentiated and normal immature maize embryos.
      RESULTS: We observed that most of the dedifferentiated embryos exhibited a
      methylation increase compared to normal embryos. Increased methylation at
      promoters was associated with down-regulated protein-coding gene expression;
      however, the correlation was not strong. Analysis of the callus and immature
      embryos indicated that the methylation increase was induced during induction of
      embryonic callus, suggesting phenotypic consequences may be caused by
      perturbations in genomic DNA methylation levels. The correlation between the 21
      24nt small RNAs and DNA methylation regions were investigated but only a
      statistically significant correlation for 24nt small RNAs was observed.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data extend the significance of epigenetic changes during
      maize embryo callus formation, and the methylation changes might explain some of
      the observed embryonic callus variation in callus formation.

PMID- 28619031
TI  - Healthy people and healthy profits? Elaborating a conceptual framework for
      governing the commercial determinants of non-communicable diseases and
      identifying options for reducing risk exposure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant threat to
      human health and well-being, and carry significant implications for economic
      development and health care and other costs for governments and business,
      families and individuals. Risks for many of the major NCDs are associated with
      the production, marketing and consumption of commercially produced food and
      drink, particularly those containing sugar, salt and transfats (in ultra
      processed products), alcohol and tobacco. The problems inherent in primary
      prevention of NCDs have received relatively little attention from international
      organizations, national governments and civil society, especially when compared
      to the attention paid to secondary and tertiary prevention regimes (i.e. those
      focused on provision of medical treatment and long-term clinical management).
      This may in part reflect that until recently the NCDs have not been deemed a
      priority on the overall global health agenda. Low political priority may also be
      due in part to the complexity inherent in implementing feasible and acceptable
      interventions, such as increased taxation or regulation of access, particularly
      given the need to coordinate action beyond the health sector. More fundamentally,
      governing determinants of risk frequently brings public health into conflict with
      the interests of profit-driven food, beverage, alcohol and tobacco industries.
      MATERIALS: We use a conceptual framework to review three models of governance of
      NCD risk: self-regulation by industry; hybrid models of public-private
      engagement; and public sector regulation. We analyse the challenges inherent in
      each model, and review what is known (or not) about their impact on NCD outcomes.
      CONCLUSION: While piecemeal efforts have been established, we argue that
      mechanisms to control the commercial determinants of NCDs are inadequate and
      efforts at remedial action too limited. Our paper sets out an agenda to
      strengthen each of the three governance models. We identify reforms that will be
      needed to the global health architecture to govern NCD risks, including to
      strengthen its ability to consolidate the collective power of diverse
      stakeholders, its authority to develop and enforce clear measures to address
      risks, as well as establish monitoring and rights-based accountability systems
      across all actors to drive measurable, equitable and sustainable progress in
      reducing the global burden of NCDs.

PMID- 28619033
TI  - Social representations of malaria in the Guna indigenous population of Comarca
      Guna de Madungandi, Panama.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to recognize the social representation
      of the Guna indigenous population by identifying cultural elements related to
      malaria, in order to create an intercultural approach to any health intervention
      to control and prevent the disease. METHODS: This qualitative study has an
      anthropological focus that used participant observation, informal conversations,
      focus groups, interviews, in-depth interviews with key actors. Analyses included
      review, classification and categorization of interviews. RESULTS: Malaria within
      the Guna culture is in harmony with several cultural factors, such as magic,
      religion, beliefs, myths, and nature. The health system must include these
      factors in its intercultural approach to ensure the sustainability of anti
      malarial intervention measures. Until this is not properly addressed, the Guna
      population of Madungandi will remain a permanent source of risk for malaria
      transmission in this region and for the rest of the country. CONCLUSION: The
      findings of this study contribute new variables that can facilitate an
      intercultural approach to improve the perception of malaria in the indigenous
      population of Comarca Guna de Madungandi, Panama.

PMID- 28619032
TI  - The role of intracellular trafficking of CdSe/ZnS QDs on their consequent
      toxicity profile.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nanoparticle interactions with cellular membranes and the kinetics of
      their transport and localization are important determinants of their
      functionality and their biological consequences. Understanding these phenomena is
      fundamental for the translation of such NPs from in vitro to in vivo systems for
      bioimaging and medical applications. Two CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QD) with
      differing surface functionality (NH2 or COOH moieties) were used here for
      investigating the intracellular uptake and transport kinetics of these QDs.
      RESULTS: In water, the COOH- and NH2-QDs were negatively and positively charged,
      respectively, while in serum-containing medium the NH2-QDs were agglomerated,
      whereas the COOH-QDs remained dispersed. Though intracellular levels of NH2- and
      COOH-QDs were very similar after 24 h exposure, COOH-QDs appeared to be
      continuously internalised and transported by endosomes and lysosomes, while NH2
      QDs mainly remained in the lysosomes. The results of (intra)cellular QD
      trafficking were correlated to their toxicity profiles investigating levels of
      reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial ROS, autophagy, changes to cellular
      morphology and alterations in genes involved in cellular stress, toxicity and
      cytoskeletal integrity. The continuous flux of COOH-QDs perhaps explains their
      higher toxicity compared to the NH2-QDs, mainly resulting in mitochondrial ROS
      and cytoskeletal remodelling which are phenomena that occur early during cellular
      exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data reveal that although cellular QD
      levels were similar after 24 h, differences in the nature and extent of their
      cellular trafficking resulted in differences in consequent gene alterations and
      toxicological effects.

PMID- 28619034
TI  - Evaluation of two intervention models on contraceptive attitudes and behaviors
      among nulliparous women in Shanghai, China: a clustered randomized controlled
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With increasing acceptance of premarital sex among young Chinese
      women, the rates of unintended pregnancies and induced abortions are becoming
      alarmingly high, suggesting the needs of educating women with adequate
      contraceptive knowledge and providing them with accessible contraceptive
      services. Previous studies have shown that knowledge and attitudes towards
      contraception could be modified through intervention strategies. This study aimed
      to evaluate the effects of two community intervention models on modifying
      contraceptive attitudes and behaviors among nulliparous women. METHODS: In this
      clustered randomized controlled trial, nulliparous women aged 18-40 years from 18
      communities were enrolled and randomized to either the traditional community
      intervention model (TC model) or the more comprehensive new community-based
      intervention model (NC model) with a ratio of 1:2. Contraceptive attitudes and
      behaviors were assessed before and after the interventions. RESULTS: A total of
      901 nulliparous women were followed. The most common contraceptive method in both
      groups was condom (approximately 80%) before or after interventions. The rates of
      using effective contraceptive methods were very low (<5%) even after the
      intervention. Comparing the NC with TC group, the adjusted ORs and 95% CIs
      regarding natural family planning, emergency contraceptive usage and short-acting
      OCPs were1.53 (95% CI: 1.11-2.13), 2.87 (95% CI: 2.05-4.02), and 2.71 (95% CI:
      1.65-4.47), respectively; while the ORs and 95%CIs of gynecological examination
      and contraceptive use were 2.31 (95% CI: 1.63-3.27) and 2.89 (95% CI: 1.98-4.23),
      respectively. No statistical significant difference was found for the use of
      effective contraceptive methods at post-intervention among the two models.
      CONCLUSIONS: High proportions of nulliparous women held negative attitudes and
      behaviors towards effective contraceptive methods. The NC model, integrating
      existing health resources, had more positive influence than the TC model on the
      favorable contraceptive attitudes and behaviors towards the use of any
      contraceptive methods, but had limited impact on the use of effective
      contraceptive methods. Our study suggested the feasibility of applying the NC
      model in Shanghai. Interventions on contraceptive attitudes and behaviors should
      base on the existing health service system, synthesize resources and selectively
      apply to populations with distinct characteristics.

PMID- 28619035
TI  - An evolutionary optimization of a rhodopsin-based phototrophic metabolism in
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The expression of the Gloeobacter rhodopsin (GR) in a chemotrophic
      Escherichia coli enables the light-driven phototrophic energy generation.
      Adaptive laboratory evolution has been used for acquiring desired phenotype of
      microbial cells and for the elucidation of basic mechanism of molecular
      evolution. To develop an optimized strain for the artificially acquired
      phototrophic metabolism, an ancestral E. coli expressing GR was adaptively
      evolved in a chemostat reactor with constant illumination and limited glucose
      conditions. This study was emphasized at an unexpected genomic mutation
      contributed to the improvement of microbial performance. RESULTS: During the
      chemostat culture, increase of cell size was observed, which were distinguished
      from that of the typical rod-shaped ancestral cells. A descendant ET5 strain was
      randomly isolated from the chemostat culture at 88-days. The phototrophic growth
      and the light-induced proton pumping of the ET5 strain were twofold and eightfold
      greater, respectively, than those of the ancestral E. coli strain. Single point
      mutation of C1082A at dgcQ gene (encoding diguanylate cyclase, also known as the
      yedQ gene) in the chromosome of ET5 strain was identified from whole genome
      sequencing analysis. An ancestral E. coli complemented with the same dgcQ
      mutation from the ET5 was repeated the subsequently enhancements of light-driven
      phototrophic growth and proton pumping. Intracellular c-di-GMP, the product of
      the diguanylate cyclase (dgcQ), of the descendant ET5 strain was suddenly
      increased while that of the ancestral strain was negligible. CONCLUSIONS: Newly
      acquired phototrophic metabolism of E. coli was further improved via adaptive
      laboratory evolution by the rise of a point mutation on a transmembrane cell
      signaling protein followed by increase of signal molecule that eventually led an
      increase proton pumping and phototrophic growth.

PMID- 28619036
TI  - Monocyte differentiation and macrophage priming are regulated differentially by
      pentraxins and their ligands.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Circulating bone marrow-derived monocytes can leave the blood, enter
      a tissue, and differentiate into M1 inflammatory, M2a remodeling/fibrotic, or
      M2c/Mreg resolving/immune-regulatory macrophages. Macrophages can also convert
      from one of the above types to another. Pentraxins are secreted proteins that
      bind to, and promote efficient clearance of, microbial pathogens and cellular
      debris during infection, inflammation, and tissue damage. The pentraxins C
      reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid P (SAP), and pentraxin-3 (PTX3) can also
      bind a variety of endogenous ligands. As monocytes and macrophages are exposed to
      differing concentrations of pentraxins and their ligands during infection,
      inflammation, and tissue damage, we assessed what effect pentraxins and their
      ligands have on these cells. RESULTS: We found that many polarization markers do
      not discriminate between the effects of pentraxins and their ligands on
      macrophages. However, pentraxins, their ligands, and cytokines differentially
      regulate the expression of the hemoglobin-haptoglobin complex receptor CD163, the
      sialic acid-binding lectin CD169, and the macrophage mannose receptor CD206. CRP,
      a pentraxin generally thought of as being pro-inflammatory, increases the
      extracellular accumulation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, and this
      effect is attenuated by GM-CSF, mannose-binding lectin, and factor H.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the presence of pentraxins and their
      ligands regulate macrophage differentiation in the blood and tissues, and that
      CRP may be a potent inducer of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.

PMID- 28619037
TI  - IFN-lambda1 with Th17 axis cytokines and IFN-alpha define different subsets in
      systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interferon (IFN)-alpha is thought to have a pivotal role in systemic
      lupus erythematosus (SLE), and type III IFNs (IFN-lambda) were recently also
      associated with SLE. In this study, we measured levels of IFN-alpha, IFN-lambda1,
      and related cytokines, such as IL-17A, IL-23, and interferon-gamma-induced
      protein 10 (IP-10), in a Karolinska University Hospital cohort of patients with
      SLE and control subjects. The objective of the study was to investigate if
      cytokine measurements could identify different subsets of patients with active
      SLE and higher disease damage. METHODS: We included 261 patients with SLE and 261
      population control subjects. All participants underwent a standardized clinical
      examination. Medical files were reviewed. Patients with SLE were assessed for
      current organ manifestations, disease activity, and damage. Routine blood
      parameters, complement levels, and serology were analyzed at the time of
      inclusion. Levels of IFN-lambda1, IFN-alpha, IL-17A, IL-23, and IP-10 were
      measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: IFN-lambda1 and IFN-alpha
      were detected in 29% and 44% of patients, respectively, but their levels did not
      correlate. High serum levels of IFN-lambda1 were positively associated with
      antinucleosome antibodies and lymphopenia but negatively with musculoskeletal
      damage. Positive correlations between levels of IFN-lambda1, IL-17A, and IL-23
      were observed. Patients with high levels of these three cytokines had more
      disease damage, especially renal impairment. High levels of IFN-alpha were
      associated with mucocutaneous disease; leukopenia; and low complement, Ro/SSA,
      and La/SSB. Vascular events and antiphospholipid antibodies were uncommon. We
      identified two subgroups with high disease activity: one with double-high IFN
      lambda1 and IFN-alpha and another with IP-10high. The former had more
      neuropsychiatric manifestations, and the latter had more arthritis. Increased
      levels of both types I and III IFNs were found in a proportion of population
      control subjects. Therefore, high IFN levels do not seem to be SLE-specific
      biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of circulating IFN-lambda1 and IFN-alpha
      define subsets of patients with SLE with different characteristics. Levels of IFN
      lambda1 correlate with T-helper type 17 cytokines and identify a subgroup with
      more damage. High disease activity is associated with either simultaneous
      upregulation of IFN-lambda1 and IFN-alpha or independently with IP-10. Our
      findings could be of major importance when tailoring therapy for patients with
      SLE with agents targeting IFN pathways.

PMID- 28619038
TI  - The experiences of women with maternal near miss and their perception of quality
      of care in Kelantan, Malaysia: a qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality has been the main way of ascertaining the outcome
      of maternal and obstetric care. However, maternal morbidities occur more
      frequently than maternal deaths; therefore, maternal near miss was suggested as a
      more useful indicator for the evaluation and improvement of maternal health
      services. Our study aimed to explore the experiences of women with maternal near
      miss and their perception of the quality of care in Kelantan, Malaysia. METHODS:
      A qualitative phenomenological approach with in-depth interview method was
      conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Kelantan, Malaysia. All women admitted to
      labour room, obstetrics and gynaecology wards and intensive care units in 2014
      were screened for the presence of any vital organ dysfunction or failure based on
      the World Health Organization criteria for maternal near miss. Pregnancy
      irrespective of the gestational age was included. Women younger than 18 years
      old, with psychiatric disorder and beyond 42 days of childbirth were excluded.
      RESULTS: Thirty women who had experienced maternal near miss events were included
      in the analysis. All were Malays between the ages of 22 and 45. Almost all women
      (93.3%) had secondary and tertiary education and 63.3% were employed. The women's
      perceptions of the quality of their care were influenced by the competency and
      promptness in the provision of care, interpersonal communication, information
      sharing and the quality of physical resources. The predisposition to seek
      healthcare was influenced by costs, self-attitude and beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: Self
      appraisal of maternal near miss, their perception of the quality of care, their
      predisposition to seek healthcare and the social support received were the four
      major themes that emerged from the experiences and perceptions of women with
      maternal near miss. The women with maternal near miss viewed their experiences as
      frightening and that they experienced other negative emotions and a sense of
      imminent death. The factors influencing women's perceptions of quality of care
      should be of concern to those seeking to improve services at healthcare
      facilities. The addition of a maternal near miss case review programme, allows
      for understanding on the factors related to providing care or to the
      predisposition to seek care; if addressed, may improve future healthcare and
      patient outcomes.

PMID- 28619039
TI  - Food insecurity and food consumption by season in households with children in an
      Arctic city: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High rates of food insecurity are documented among Inuit households
      in Canada; however, data on food insecurity prevalence and seasonality for Inuit
      households with children are lacking, especially in city centres. This project:
      (1) compared food consumption patterns for households with and without children,
      (2) compared the prevalence of food insecurity for households with and without
      children, (3) compared food consumption patterns and food insecurity prevalence
      between seasons, and (4) identified factors associated with food insecurity in
      households with children in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. METHODS: Randomly selected
      households were surveyed in Iqaluit in September 2012 and May 2013. Household
      food security status was determined using an adapted United States Department of
      Agriculture Household Food Security Survey Module. Univariable logistic
      regressions were used to examine unconditional associations between food security
      status and demographics, socioeconomics, frequency of food consumption, and
      method of food preparation in households with children by season. RESULTS:
      Households with children (n = 431) and without children (n = 468) participated in
      the survey. Food insecurity was identified in 32.9% (95% CI: 28.5-37.4%) of
      households with children; this was significantly higher than in households
      without children (23.2%, 95% CI: 19.4-27.1%). The prevalence of household food
      insecurity did not significantly differ by season. Demographic and socioeconomic
      characteristics of the person responsible for food preparation, including low
      formal education attainment (ORSept = 4.3, 95% CI: 2.3-8.0; ORMay = 3.2, 95% CI:
      1.8-5.8), unemployment (ORSept = 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3; ORMay = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1
      1.5), and Inuit identity (ORSept = 8.9, 95% CI: 3.4-23.5; ORMay = 21.8, 95% CI:
      6.6-72.4), were associated with increased odds of food insecurity in households
      with children. Fruit and vegetable consumption (ORSept = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.8;
      ORMay = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9), as well as eating cooked (ORSept = 0.5, 95% CI:
      0.3-1.0; ORMay = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) and raw (ORSept = 1.7, 95% CI: 0.9-3.0;
      ORMay = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.1) fish were associated with decreased odds of food
      insecurity among households with children, while eating frozen meat and/or fish
      (ORSept = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4-5.0; ORMay = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-3.7) was associated with
      increased odds of food insecurity. CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity is high among
      households with children in Iqaluit. Despite the partial subsistence livelihoods
      of many Inuit in the city, we found no seasonal differences in food security and
      food consumption for households with children. Interventions aiming to decrease
      food insecurity in these households should consider food consumption habits, and
      the reported demographic and socioeconomic determinants of food insecurity.

PMID- 28619040
TI  - Helicobacter suis induces changes in gastric inflammation and acid secretion
      markers in pigs of different ages.
AB  - Gastric mRNA expression of markers for acid secretion and inflammation and
      presence of gastric ulceration was studied in naturally Helicobacter suis
      infected and non-infected 2-3 months old, 6-8 months old and adult pigs. In H.
      suis-infected 2-3 months old pigs, IL-8 and IL-1beta transcript levels were
      upregulated in the pyloric gland zone, indicating an innate immune response. A
      similar response was demonstrated in the fundic gland zone of adult pigs,
      potentially due to a shift of H. suis colonization from the pyloric to the fundic
      gland zone. A Treg response in combination with decreased expressions of IL-8, IL
      17A and IFN-gamma was indicated to be present in the H. suis-infected 6-8 months
      old pigs, which may have contributed to persistence of H. suis. In H. suis
      infected adult pigs, a Treg response accompanied by a Th17 response was
      indicated, which may have played a role in the decreased number of H. suis
      bacteria in the stomach of this age group. The decreased G-cell mass and
      upregulated expression of somatostatin indicated decreased acid secretion in H.
      suis-infected 6-8 months old pigs. In H. suis-infected adult pigs, upregulation
      of most markers for gastric acid secretion and increased G-cell mass was
      detected. Presence of severe hyperkeratosis and erosions in the non-glandular
      part of the stomach were mainly seen in the H. suis-positive groups. These
      results show that H. suis infection affects the expression of markers for acid
      secretion and inflammation and indicate that these effects differ depending on
      the infection phase.

PMID- 28619041
TI  - Assessment of short and long-term outcomes of diabetes patient education using
      the health education impact questionnaire (HeiQ).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is a progressive chronic illness that will affect
      more than 500 million people worldwide by 2030. It is a significant cause of
      morbidity and mortality. Finding the right care management for diabetes patients
      is necessary to effectively address the growing population of affected
      individuals and escalating costs. Patient education is one option for improving
      patient self-management. However, there are large discrepancies in the outcomes
      of such programs and long-term data are lacking. We assessed the short and long
      term outcomes of diabetes patient education using the health education impact
      questionnaire (HeiQ). METHODS: We conducted a observational cohort study of 83
      type 2 diabetes patients participating in patient education programs in Denmark.
      The seven-scale HeiQ was completed by telephone interview at baseline and 2 weeks
      (76 participants, 93%) and 12 months (66, 80%) after the patient education ended.
      Changes over time were assessed using mean values and standard deviation at each
      time point and Cohen effect sizes. RESULTS: Patients reported improvements 2
      weeks after the program ended in 4 of 7 constructs: skills and technique
      acquisition (ES = 0.59), self-monitoring and insight (ES = 0.52), constructive
      attitudes and approaches (ES = 0.43) and social integration and support (ES =
      0.27). After 12 months, patients reported improvements in 3 of 7 constructs:
      skills and technique acquisition (ES = 0.66), constructive attitudes and
      approaches (ES = 0.43), and emotional wellbeing (ES = 0.44). Skills and technique
      showed the largest short- and long-term effect size. No significant changes were
      found in health-related activity or positive and active engagement in life over
      time. CONCLUSION: After 12 months, diabetes patients who participated in patient
      education demonstrated increased self-management skills, improved acceptance of
      their chronic illness and decreased negative emotional response to their disease.
      Applying HeiQ as an outcome measure yielded new knowledge as to what patients
      with diabetes can obtain by participating in a patient education.

PMID- 28619042
TI  - Metabolic targeting of HIF-dependent glycolysis reduces lactate, increases oxygen
      consumption and enhances response to high-dose single-fraction radiotherapy in
      hypoxic solid tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A high rate of glycolysis leading to elevated lactate content has
      been linked to poor clinical outcomes in patients with head and neck and cervical
      cancer treated with radiotherapy. Although the biological explanation for this
      relationship between lactate and treatment response remains unclear, there is a
      continued interest in evaluating strategies of targeting metabolism to enhance
      the effectiveness of radiotherapy. The goal of this study was to investigate the
      effect of metabolic-targeting through HIF-1alpha inhibition and the associated
      changes in glycolysis, oxygen consumption and response on the efficacy of high
      dose single-fraction radiotherapy (HD-SFRT). METHODS: HIF-1alpha wild-type and
      HIF-1alpha knockdown FaDu and ME180 xenograft tumors were grown in the hind leg
      of mice that were placed in an environmental chamber and exposed to different
      oxygen conditions (air-breathing and hypoxia). Ex vivo bioluminescence microscopy
      was used to measure lactate and ATP levels and the hypoxic fraction was measured
      using EF5 immunohistochemical staining. The oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in each
      cell line in response to in vitro hypoxia was measured using an extracellular
      flux analyzer. Tumor growth delay in vivo was measured following HD-SFRT
      irradiation of 20 Gy. RESULTS: Targeting HIF-1alpha reduced lactate content, and
      increased both oxygen consumption and hypoxic fraction in these tumors after
      exposure to short-term continuous hypoxia. Tumors with intact HIF-1alpha
      subjected to HD-SFRT immediately following hypoxia exposure were less responsive
      to treatment than tumors without functional HIF-1alpha, and tumors irradiated
      under air breathing conditions regardless of HIF-1alpha status. CONCLUSIONS:
      Blocking the HIF1 response during transient hypoxic stress increased hypoxia,
      reduced lactate levels and enhanced response to HD-SFRT. This strategy of
      combining hypofractionated radiotherapy with metabolic reprogramming to inhibit
      anaerobic metabolism may increase the efficacy of HD-SFRT through increased
      oxygen consumption and complementary killing of radiosensitive and hypoxic,
      radioresistant cells.

PMID- 28619043
TI  - Effect of transcutaneous electrical stimulation treatment on lower urinary tract
      symptoms after class III radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer patients: study
      protocol for a multicentre, randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Class III radical hysterectomy (RH III)_plus pelvic lymphadenectomy
      is the standard surgery for early stage cervical cancer (CC) patients, the 5 year
      survival rate is about 90%, but pelvic floor disorders especially bladder
      dysfunction are common due to damaged vessels and nerve fibers following surgery.
      Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) treatment has been used to treat
      bladder disorders for many years, but its effect on cervical cancer patients, the
      best treatment time point and stimulated protocol, had never been assessed. The
      aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of TENS treatment on lower
      urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after RH III in CC patients. METHODS/DESIGN: The
      study will be conducted as a clinical, multicentre, randomised controlled trial
      with balanced randomisation (1:1). The planned sample size is 208 participants
      (at 1:1 ratio, 104 subjects in each group). At 5-7 days after RH III, patients
      are screened according to operative and pathological findings. Enrolled
      participants are randomised into an intervention group (TENS plus conventional
      clinical care) or control group (conventional clinical care), with stratification
      by menopausal status (menopause vs. non-menopause) and surgical modality
      (laparoscopic RH or abdominal RH). Participants in both groups will be followed
      up at 14 days, 21 days, 28 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24
      months after surgery. The primary endpoint is improvement rate of urination
      function which is defined as recovery (residual urine <=50 ml) or improvement
      (residual urine 50-100 ml). Secondary endpoints include urodynamic parameter,
      urinary incontinence, anorectal function, pelvic function, quality of life (QOL),
      disease-free survival and adverse events. Primary endpoint analyses will be
      carried out by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests taking into center effect.
      DISCUSSION: To our knowledge this is the first trial to investigate the effect of
      TENS treatment on bladder function recovery after RH III among CC patients. This
      study will provide new information on TENS efficacy for bladder function
      recovery. Once confirmed, it may help to provide a new, non-invisive treatment
      for those postoperative CC patients with poor pelvic function, which would help
      improve their quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered to
      Clinical Trials.gov ( NCT02492542 ) on June 25, 2015.

PMID- 28619044
TI  - Differing specificities and isotypes of anti-citrullinated peptide/protein
      antibodies in palindromic rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To analyze differences in the recognition of anti-citrullinated
      peptide/protein antibody (ACPA) citrullinated epitopes and isotypes in patients
      with palindromic rheumatism (PR) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: ACPA
      fine specificities (citrullinated peptides of enolase, fibrin, and vimentin) and
      isotypes (IgG, IgM, and IgA) were analyzed in 54 patients with longstanding PR
      and 54 patients with established RA. RESULTS: CCP2 tested positive in 66.7% of
      patients with PR and RA. The ACPA distribution of fine specificities and isotypes
      differed between PR and RA patients. PR patients had a lower frequency of fine
      ACPA specificities than RA patients, which was significant in the case of a
      peptide derived from vimentin (PR 24.1% vs. 59.3% RA; p < 0.001). The mean number
      of ACPA specificities was lower in PR than in RA patients, and only 25.9% of PR
      patients recognized >=2 additional specificities compared with 46.3% of RA
      patients. Significantly less isotype usage, especially IgA, was observed in PR
      patients. CONCLUSION: The ACPA immune response differed in patients with PR and
      RA, with fewer fine specificities and isotype usage in patients with PR. Some
      patients with PR may have impaired maturation of the B-cell response against
      citrullinated peptides with no progression to RA.

PMID- 28619045
TI  - Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells alleviate obliterative bronchiolitis
      in a murine model via IDO.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Long-term survival of lung transplantation is hindered by the
      development of obliterative bronchiolitis (OB). Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs)
      were documented to have more potent immunosuppressive ability than mesenchymal
      stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow and placenta. The goal of our study is to
      evaluate the effect of repeated administration of ASCs on OB and the involvement
      of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) mediating the protective effect of ASCs in a
      heterotopic tracheal transplantation (HTT) model. METHODS: For studies in vitro,
      ASCs were treated with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). For in vivo study, tracheas
      from BALB/c or C57BL/6 donors were transplanted into C57BL/6 recipients to create
      a HTT model. On days 0, 1, 3, 5, 8, 12, 15, 20 and 25 post-transplant, the
      allogeneic recipient mice were administered intravenously with phosphate buffered
      saline, 1 * 106 human ASCs, or 1 * 106 human ASCs plus 1-methyltryptophan (1-MT),
      an IDO inhibitor. On days 3, 7, 14 and 28, serum, trachea and spleen samples were
      harvested for analysis. RESULTS: ASCs homed to heterotopic tracheal grafts after
      infusion. Multiple doses of ASCs significantly increased tracheal IDO levels in
      allografts. There were significant increases in graft and serum IFN-gamma levels
      in allografts compared with isografts. IFN-gamma elevated IDO expression and
      activity in ASCs in vitro. ASCs alleviated OB in allografts as evidenced by
      reduced epithelial loss, epithelial apoptosis, and intraluminal obstruction. The
      effects of ASCs on OB were blocked by 1-MT. 1-MT also blocked the alterations in
      pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as CD3+ T cell infiltration induced
      by ASCs. ASCs induced not only splenic levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T
      cells (Treg) but also IL-10 and TGF-beta-producing Treg. Furthermore, IDO
      inhibition abolished the changes of splenic Treg induced by ASCs. In addition,
      Treg reduction by cyclophosphamide treatment did not alter the effects of ASCs on
      tracheal IDO expression in allografts confirming Treg induction is downstream of
      IDO. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated doses of ASCs are capable of ameliorating OB. ASCs act
      at least in part via elevating IDO expression. ASCs promote the generation of
      Treg and suppress T cell infiltration via an IDO-dependent mechanism.

PMID- 28619046
TI  - Identification of a novel CTCF mutation responsible for syndromic intellectual
      disability - a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant mental retardation 21 (MRD21) is a very rare
      condition, characterized by short stature, microcephaly, mild facial dysmorphisms
      and intellectual disability that ranged from mild to severe. MRD21 is caused by
      mutations in CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and this was established through only
      four unrelated cases, two of which had frameshift mutations. CTCF is a master
      transcriptional regulator that controls chromatin structure and may serve as
      insulator and transcriptional activator and repressor. CASE PRESENTATION: This
      study presents, clinically and molecularly, an Emirati patient with de novo
      frameshift mutation in CTCF. This novel mutation was uncovered using whole exome
      sequencing and was confirmed by Sanger sequencing in the trio. In silico
      analysis, using SIFT Indel, indicates that this frameshift; p.Lys206Profs*13 is
      functionally damaging with the likely involvement of nonsense-mediated mRNA
      decay. CONCLUSIONS: Upon comparing the clinical picture of the herewith-reported
      individual with previously reported cases of MRD21, there seems to be many common
      symptoms, and few new ones that were not observed before. This helps to further
      define this rare condition and its molecular underpinnings.

PMID- 28619047
TI  - Environmental isolation explains Iberian genetic diversity in the highly
      homozygous model grass Brachypodium distachyon.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brachypodium distachyon (Poaceae), an annual Mediterranean Aluminum
      (Al)-sensitive grass, is currently being used as a model species to provide new
      information on cereals and biofuel crops. The plant has a short life cycle and
      one of the smallest genomes in the grasses being well suited to experimental
      manipulation. Its genome has been fully sequenced and several genomic resources
      are being developed to elucidate key traits and gene functions. A reliable
      germplasm collection that reflects the natural diversity of this species is
      therefore needed for all these genomic resources. However, despite being a model
      plant, we still know very little about its genetic diversity. As a first step to
      overcome this gap, we used nuclear Simple Sequence Repeats (nSSR) to study the
      patterns of genetic diversity and population structure of B. distachyon in 14
      populations sampled across the Iberian Peninsula (Spain), one of its best known
      areas. RESULTS: We found very low levels of genetic diversity, allelic number and
      heterozygosity in B. distachyon, congruent with a highly selfing system. Our
      results indicate the existence of at least three genetic clusters providing
      additional evidence for the existence of a significant genetic structure in the
      Iberian Peninsula and supporting this geographical area as an important genetic
      reservoir. Several hotspots of genetic diversity were detected and populations
      growing on basic soils were significantly more diverse than those growing in
      acidic soils. A partial Mantel test confirmed a statistically significant
      Isolation-By-Distance (IBD) among all studied populations, as well as a
      statistically significant Isolation-By-Environment (IBE) revealing the presence
      of environmental-driven isolation as one explanation for the genetic patterns
      found in the Iberian Peninsula. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of higher genetic
      diversity in eastern Iberian populations occurring in basic soils suggests that
      these populations can be better adapted than those occurring in western areas of
      the Iberian Peninsula where the soils are more acidic and accumulate toxic Al
      ions. This suggests that the western Iberian acidic soils might prevent the
      establishment of Al-sensitive B. distachyon populations, potentially causing the
      existence of more genetically depauperated individuals.

PMID- 28619048
TI  - Hematochezia caused by eosinophilic proctocolitis in a newborn before oral
      feeding: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hematochezia is a frequent symptom in early infancy. However, it
      occurs very rarely within the immediate neonatal period, and its occurrence
      before any oral intake is particularly rare. Because of the "congenital"
      presentation of hematochezia in our patient, we initially considered our case to
      be a non-classical, potentially severe type of food protein-induced allergic
      proctocolitis. This diagnosis needs to be confirmed by an abnormal oral challenge
      test once the hematochezia has disappeared. If such a challenge cannot
      demonstrate an allergic origin, then the etiology of the hematochezia could be a
      neonatal transient eosinophilic colitis. Only two similar cases have been
      described so far. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a black baby boy of
      African origin born at 36 weeks 5 days of gestational age who presented with
      massive hematochezia immediately after birth. A rectosigmoidoscopy revealed a
      severe inflammation associated with diffuse eosinophilic infiltration on biopsy.
      His clinical outcome was favorable after introduction of an amino acid formula
      diet. We initially considered our case to be a non-classical, potentially severe
      type of food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis but reintroduction of
      standard formula milk at the age of 3 months was successful. So, our patient is
      the first newborn in Europe who fits the diagnosis of "neonatal transient
      eosinophilic colitis." CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the possible etiology of
      "congenital" eosinophilic inflammation of the distal colon and conclude that
      hematochezia in well-looking neonates, in the absence of negative challenge tests
      later on, is more likely to be a neonatal transient eosinophilic colitis than an
      allergic proctocolitis. This new entity could be more frequent than previously
      thought, changing our medical care strategies for this kind of neonatal symptom.

PMID- 28619049
TI  - Non-inferiority versus superiority drug claims: the (not so) subtle distinction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current regulatory guidance and practice of non-inferiority trials
      are asymmetric in favor of the test treatment (Test) over the reference treatment
      (Control). These trials are designed to compare the relative efficacy of Test to
      Control by reference to a clinically important margin, M. MAIN TEXT: Non
      inferiority trials allow for the conclusion of: (a) non-inferiority of Test to
      Control if Test is slightly worse than Control but by no more than M; and (b)
      superiority if Test is slightly better than Control even if it is by less than M.
      From Control's perspective, (b) should lead to a conclusion of non-inferiority of
      Control to Test. The logical interpretation ought to be that, while Test is
      statistically better, it is not clinically superior to Control (since Control
      should be able to claim non-inferiority to Test). This article makes a
      distinction between statistical and clinical significance, providing for symmetry
      in the interpretation of results. Statistical superiority and clinical
      superiority are achieved, respectively, when the null and the non-inferiority
      margins are exceeded. We discuss a similar modification to placebo-controlled
      trials. CONCLUSION: Rules for interpretation should not favor one treatment over
      another. Claims of statistical or clinical superiority should depend on whether
      or not the null margin or the clinically relevant margin is exceeded.

PMID- 28619050
TI  - A standardized crisis management model for self-harming and suicidal individuals
      with three or more diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorder: The
      Brief Admission Skane randomized controlled trial protocol (BASRCT).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brief Admission is a crisis and risk management strategy in which
      self-harming and suicidal individuals with three or more diagnostic criteria of
      borderline personality disorder self-admit to hospital at times of increasing
      risk when other efforts to stay safe are failing. Standardized in the current
      randomized controlled trial, the intensity of Brief Admission Skane is
      implemented in durations of three days, with a maximum frequency of three times a
      month. Brief Admission is integrated into existing treatment plans in advance of
      crises to prevent reliance on general psychiatric admissions for risk management,
      as these may be lengthy, unstructured, and of uncertain therapeutic value.
      METHODS/DESIGN: The overall objective of the Brief Admission Skane randomized
      controlled trial is to determine if Brief Admission can replace general
      psychiatric admission for self-harming and suicidal individuals with complex
      mental illness at times of escalating risk. Other objectives of the study are to
      evaluate whether Brief Admission increases daily functioning and enhances coping,
      reduces psychiatric symptoms including frequency and severity of self-harm and
      suicidal behaviours. A final objective is to determine if Brief Admission is an
      effective crisis management model for this population. Participants are
      randomized at an individual level to either Brief Admission Skane plus Treatment
      as Usual or Treatment As Usual. Based on a priori power analyses, N = 124
      participants will be recruited to the study. Data collection is in progress, and
      will continue until June 2018. All participant data are single-blinded and will
      be handled with intention-to-treat analysis. DISCUSSION: Based on the combined
      clinical experience of our international research group, the Brief Admission
      Skane randomized controlled trial upon which the current protocol is based
      represents the first initiative to standardize, implement and evaluate Brief
      Admission amongst self-harming and suicidal individuals, including those with
      borderline traits. Objectively measuring protocol fidelity and developing English
      language Brief Admission study protocols and training materials are
      implementation and dissemination targets developed in order to facilitate
      adherent international export of Brief Admission Skane. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      NCT02985047 . Registered November 25, 2016. Retrospectively registered.

PMID- 28619051
TI  - Spatial patterns of childhood diarrhea in Ethiopia: data from Ethiopian
      demographic and health surveys (2000, 2005, and 2011).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Childhood diarrhea is a major public health problem, especially in
      developing countries, including Ethiopia. Exploring the spatial pattern of
      childhood diarrhea is important to monitor and design effective intervention
      programs. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the spatial patterns of
      childhood diarrhea in Ethiopia over the past one decade. METHODS: A total of
      29,358 under-five children were retrieved from three consecutive Ethiopian
      demographic and health surveys (2000, 2005, and 2011) and included into the
      study. Spatial cluster and autocorrelation analysis was done to explore the
      patterns of childhood diarrhea. RESULTS: Childhood diarrhea clustered spatially
      at a national level in all survey periods (Moran's I: 0.3830-1.3296, p < 0.05).
      Significant spatial clusters were found in different survey periods across the
      regions. The most likely spatial clusters were found in Southern Nations
      Nationalities and people, West Oromia, Gambella, Benshangul-Gumuz, and Somali
      regions. Childhood diarrhea also clustered at the border areas of Southern
      Nations Nationalities and People and Tigray, Central Somali and Western Oromia,
      Gambella and Amhara (West Gojam, Awi, Oromia, and Wag Himra) regions. In 2000,
      the most likely clusters were found in Southern Nations Nationalities and People,
      West Oromia, and Gambella regions (LLR = 55.37, p < 0.001); in 2005, at Southern
      Nations Nationalities and People (LLR: 45.69, p < 0.001); and in 2011, at
      Gambella, West Southern Nations Nationalities and People and Oromia, and
      Benshangul-Gumuz regions (LLR: 51.09, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this study,
      childhood diarrhea remains public health problem and had a spatial variation
      across the regions. Identifying the risk areas would help in designing effective
      interventions to reduce childhood diarrhea in these areas.

PMID- 28619053
TI  - Who needs registered reports?
AB  - Registered Reports, an article format initiated to help promote transparency and
      reproducibility in the preclinical and social sciences, are spreading into the
      biological literature. The format is now offered by BMC Biology, in a spirit of
      experiment.

PMID- 28619052
TI  - Heterologous expression of an alpha-amylase inhibitor from common bean (Phaseolus
      vulgaris) in Kluyveromyces lactis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Phaseolamin or alpha-amylase inhibitor 1 (alphaAI) is a glycoprotein
      from common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that inhibits some insect and mammalian
      alpha-amylases. Several clinical studies support the beneficial use of bean
      alphaAI for control of diabetes and obesity. Commercial extracts of P. vulgaris
      are available but their efficacy is still under question, mainly because some of
      these extracts contain antinutritional impurities naturally present in bean seeds
      and also exhibit a lower specific activity alphaAI. The production of recombinant
      alphaAI allows to overcome these disadvantages and provides a platform for the
      large-scale production of pure and functional alphaAI protein for
      biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. RESULTS: A synthetic gene
      encoding alphaAI from the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Pinto) was codon
      optimised for expression in yeasts (alphaAI-OPT) and cloned into the protein
      expression vectors pKLAC2 and pYES2. The yeasts Kluyveromyces lactis GG799 (and
      protease deficient derivatives such as YCT390) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      YPH499 were transformed with the optimised genes and transformants were screened
      for expression by antibody dot blot. Recombinant colonies of K. lactis YCT390
      that expressed and secreted functional alphaAI into the culture supernatants were
      selected for further analyses. Recombinant alphaAI from K. lactis YCT390 was
      purified using anion-exchange and affinity resins leading to the recovery of a
      functional inhibitor. The identity of the purified alphaAI was confirmed by mass
      spectrometry. Recombinant clones of S. cerevisiae YPH499 expressed functional
      alphaAI intracellularly, but did not secrete the protein. CONCLUSIONS: This is
      the first report describing the heterologous expression of the alpha-amylase
      inhibitor 1 (alphaAI) from P. vulgaris in yeasts. We demonstrated that
      recombinant strains of K. lactis and S. cerevisiae expressed and processed the
      alphaAI precursor into mature and active protein and also showed that K. lactis
      secretes functional alphaAI.

PMID- 28619054
TI  - HGPEC: a Cytoscape app for prediction of novel disease-gene and disease-disease
      associations and evidence collection based on a random walk on heterogeneous
      network.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Finding gene-disease and disease-disease associations play important
      roles in the biomedical area and many prioritization methods have been proposed
      for this goal. Among them, approaches based on a heterogeneous network of genes
      and diseases are considered state-of-the-art ones, which achieve high prediction
      performance and can be used for diseases with/without known molecular basis.
      RESULTS: Here, we developed a Cytoscape app, namely HGPEC, based on a random walk
      with restart algorithm on a heterogeneous network of genes and diseases. This app
      can prioritize candidate genes and diseases by employing a heterogeneous network
      consisting of a network of genes/proteins and a phenotypic disease similarity
      network. Based on the rankings, novel disease-gene and disease-disease
      associations can be identified. These associations can be supported with network-
      and rank-based visualization as well as evidences and annotations from biomedical
      data. A case study on prediction of novel breast cancer-associated genes and
      diseases shows the abilities of HGPEC. In addition, we showed prominence in the
      performance of HGPEC compared to other tools for prioritization of candidate
      disease genes. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our app is expected to effectively
      predict novel disease-gene and disease-disease associations and support network-
      and rank-based visualization as well as biomedical evidences for such the
      associations.

PMID- 28619055
TI  - Molecular typing of Leptospira interrogans serovar Hardjo isolates from
      leptospirosis outbreaks in Brazilian livestock.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is caused by pathogenic spirochetes of the genus
      Leptospira spp. This zoonotic disease is distributed globally and affects
      domestic animals, including cattle. Leptospira interrogans serogroup Sejroe
      serovar Hardjo and Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo
      remain important species associated with this reproductive disease in livestock
      production. Previous studies on Brazilian livestock have reported that L.
      interrogans serovar Hardjo is the most prevalent leptospiral agent in this
      country and is related to clinical signs of leptospirosis, which lead to economic
      losses in production. Here, we described the isolation of three clinical strains
      (Norma, Lagoa and Bolivia) obtained from leptospirosis outbreaks that occurred in
      Minas Gerais state in 1994 and 2008. RESULTS: Serological and molecular typing
      using housekeeping (secY and 16SrRNA) and rfb locus (ORF22 and ORF36) genes were
      applied for the identification and comparative analysis of Leptospira spp. Our
      results identified the three isolates as L. interrogans serogroup Sejroe serovar
      Hardjo and confirmed the occurrence of this bacterial strain in Brazilian
      livestock. Genetic analysis using ORF22 and ORF36 grouped the Leptospira into
      serogroup Sejroe and subtype Hardjoprajitno. Genetic approaches were also applied
      to compare distinct serovars of L. interrogans strains by verifying the copy
      numbers of the IS1500 and IS1533 insertion sequences (ISs). The IS1500 copy
      number varied among the analyzed L. interrogans strains. CONCLUSION: This study
      provides evidence that L. interrogans serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo subtype
      Hardjoprajitno causes bovine leptospirosis in Brazilian production. The molecular
      results suggested that rfb locus (ORF22 and ORF36) could improve epidemiological
      studies by allowing the identification of Leptospira spp. at the serogroup level.
      Additionally, the IS1500 and IS1533 IS copy number analysis suggested distinct
      genomic features among closely related leptospiral strains.

PMID- 28619056
TI  - Ophthalmic artery occlusion following neuro-embolization of the external carotid
      artery, a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Embozene(r) is a new neuroembolizing microsphere used to reduce
      intraoperative bleeding for head and neck tumours. We report a case of iatrogenic
      ophthalmic artery occlusion after Embozene(r) embolization of the external
      carotid artery (ECA). CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old African gentleman
      presented with left nasal obstruction and epistaxis for 2 years and was diagnosed
      with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. He subsequently underwent embolization of the
      maxillary branch of the left ECA using Embozene(r) Microspheres - 250 MUm in size
      before endoscopic tumour excision to reduce intra-operative bleeding. He
      complained of sudden painless profound visual loss in the left eye (LE) two hours
      after embolization. Visual acuity in LE was no light perception. Fundus
      examination showed pale retina with no cherry red spot. Arterial narrowing and
      segmentation were seen in all quadrants. A diagnosis of left ophthalmic artery
      occlusion was made. Despite immediate management including ocular massage and
      lowering of intraocular pressure, the visual loss remained. Retrospective review
      of digital subtraction angiogram showed an anastomosis between the left
      ophthalmic artery and anterior deep temporal artery as a potential route for
      microspheres migration. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative angio-architecture
      understanding and diligent selection of embolic material are helpful in
      preventing this adverse event. The use of newer agents for embolotherapy may
      cause migration of embolic material from the external to the internal carotid
      system leading to ophthalmic artery occlusion and blindness.

PMID- 28619057
TI  - Polysaccharide compositions of collenchyma cell walls from celery (Apium
      graveolens L.) petioles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Collenchyma serves as a mechanical support tissue for many herbaceous
      plants. Previous work based on solid-state NMR and immunomicroscopy suggested
      collenchyma cell walls (CWs) may have similar polysaccharide compositions to
      those commonly found in eudicotyledon parenchyma walls, but no detailed chemical
      analysis was available. In this study, compositions and structures of cell wall
      polysaccharides of peripheral collenchyma from celery petioles were investigated.
      RESULTS: This is the first detailed investigation of the cell wall composition of
      collenchyma from any plant. Celery petioles were found to elongate throughout
      their length during early growth, but as they matured elongation was increasingly
      confined to the upper region, until elongation ceased. Mature, fully elongated,
      petioles were divided into three equal segments, upper, middle and lower, and
      peripheral collenchyma strands isolated from each. Cell walls (CWs) were prepared
      from the strands, which also yielded a HEPES buffer soluble fraction. The CWs
      were sequentially extracted with CDTA, Na2CO3, 1 M KOH and 4 M KOH.
      Monosaccharide compositions of the CWs showed that pectin was the most abundant
      polysaccharide [with homogalacturonan (HG) more abundant than rhamnogalacturonan
      I (RG-I) and rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II)], followed by cellulose, and other
      polysaccharides, mainly xyloglucans, with smaller amounts of heteroxylans and
      heteromannans. CWs from different segments had similar compositions, but those
      from the upper segments had slightly more pectin than those from the lower two
      segments. Further, the pectin in the CWs of the upper segment had a higher degree
      of methyl esterification than the other segments. In addition to the anticipated
      water-soluble pectins, the HEPES-soluble fractions surprisingly contained large
      amounts of heteroxylans. The CDTA and Na2CO3 fractions were rich in HG and RG-I,
      the 1 M KOH fraction had abundant heteroxylans, the 4 M KOH fraction was rich in
      xyloglucan and heteromannans, and cellulose was predominant in the final residue.
      The structures of the xyloglucans, heteroxylans and heteromannans were deduced
      from the linkage analysis and were similar to those present in most eudicotyledon
      parenchyma CWs. Cross polarization with magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) NMR
      spectroscopy showed no apparent difference in the rigid and semi-rigid
      polysaccharides in the CWs of the three segments. Single-pulse excitation with
      magic-angle spinning (SPE/MAS) NMR spectroscopy, which detects highly mobile
      polysaccharides, showed the presence of arabinan, the detailed structure of which
      varied among the cell walls from the three segments. CONCLUSIONS: Celery
      collenchyma CWs have similar polysaccharide compositions to most eudicotyledon
      parenchyma CWs. However, celery collenchyma CWs have much higher XG content than
      celery parenchyma CWs. The degree of methyl esterification of pectin and the
      structures of the arabinan side chains of RG-I show some variation in the
      collenchyma CWs from the different segments. Unexpectedly, the HEPES-soluble
      fraction contained a large amount of heteroxylans.

PMID- 28619059
TI  - Critical shoulder angle combined with age predict five shoulder pathologies: a
      retrospective analysis of 1000 cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acromial morphology has previously been defined as a risk factor for
      some shoulder pathologies. Yet, study results are inconclusive and not all major
      shoulder diseases have been sufficiently investigated. Thus, the aim of the
      present study was to analyze predictive value of three radiological parameters
      including the critical shoulder angle, acromion index, and lateral acromion angle
      in relationship to symptomatic patients with either cuff tear arthropathy,
      glenohumeral osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tear, impingement, and tendinitis
      calcarea. METHODS: A total of 1000 patients' standardized true-anteroposterior
      radiographs were retrospectively assessed. Receiver-operating curve analyses and
      multinomial logistic regression were used to examine the association between
      shoulder pathologies and acromion morphology. The prediction model was derived
      from a development cohort and applied to a validation cohort. Prediction model's
      performance was statistically evaluated. RESULTS: The majority of radiological
      measurements were significantly different between shoulder pathologies, but the
      critical shoulder angle was an overall better parameter to predict and
      distinguish between the different pathologies than the acromion index or lateral
      acromion angle. Typical critical shoulder angle-age patterns for the different
      shoulder pathologies could be detected. Patients diagnosed with rotator cuff
      tears had the highest, whereas patients with osteoarthritis had the lowest
      critical shoulder angle. The youngest patients were in the tendinitis calcarea
      and the oldest in the cuff tear arthropathy group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study
      showed that critical shoulder angle and age, two easily assessable variables,
      adequately predict different shoulder pathologies in patients with shoulder
      complaints.

PMID- 28619058
TI  - The regulatory role of DPP4 in atherosclerotic disease.
AB  - The increasing prevalence of atherosclerosis has become a worldwide health
      concern. Although significant progress has been made in the understanding of
      atherosclerosis pathogenesis, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.
      Recent studies suggest dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4), a regulator of inflammation
      and metabolism, may be involved in the development of atherosclerotic diseases.
      There has been increasing clinical and pre-clinical evidence showing DPP4
      incretin axis is involved in cardiovascular disease. Although the cardiovascular
      outcome of DPP4 inhibition or incretin analogues has been or being evaluated by
      several large scale clinical trials, the exact role of DPP4 in atherosclerotic
      diseases is not completely understood. In the current review, we will summarize
      the recent advances in direct and indirect regulatory role of DPP4 in
      atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28619060
TI  - Incidence, disease onset and short-term outcome in urea cycle disorders -cross
      border surveillance in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic
      disorders. Affected individuals often present with hyperammonemic encephalopathy
      (HE) and have an increased risk of severe neurologic disease and early death. The
      study aims to provide epidemiologic data and to describe the disease
      manifestation and short-term outcome. METHOD: Cross-border surveillance of newly
      diagnosed patients with UCDs - below 16 years of age - was performed from July
      2012 to June 2015 in Germany and Austria and from January 2012 to December 2015
      in Switzerland. Inquiries were sent monthly to all Pediatric Departments in
      Germany and Switzerland, and quarterly to the Austrian Metabolic Group. In
      addition, data were collected via a second source (metabolic laboratories) in all
      three countries. RESULTS: Between July 2012 and June 2015, fifty patients
      (Germany: 39, Austria: 7, Switzerland: 4) with newly diagnosed UCDs were reported
      and later confirmed resulting in an estimated cumulative incidence of 1 in 51,946
      live births. At diagnosis, thirty-nine patients were symptomatic and 11
      asymptomatic [10 identified by newborn screening (NBS), 1 by high-risk-family
      screening (HRF)]. The majority of symptomatic patients (30 of 39 patients)
      developed HE with (n = 25) or without coma (n = 5), 28 of them with neonatal
      onset. Despite emergency treatment 15 of 30 patients with HE already died during
      the newborn period. Noteworthy, 10 of 11 patients diagnosed by NBS or HRF
      remained asymptomatic. Comparison with the European registry and network for
      intoxication type metabolic diseases (E-IMD) demonstrated that cross-national
      surveillance identified a higher number of clinically severe UCD patients
      characterized by earlier onset of symptoms, higher peak ammonium concentrations
      in plasma and higher mortality. CONCLUSION: Cross-border surveillance is a
      powerful tool to identify patients with UCDs demonstrating that (1) the
      cumulative incidence of UCDs is lower than originally suggested, (2) the
      mortality rate is still high in patients with neonatal onset of symptoms, and (3)
      onset type and peak plasma ammonium concentration predict mortality.

PMID- 28619061
TI  - Rituximab versus cyclophosphamide for the treatment of connective tissue disease
      associated interstitial lung disease (RECITAL): study protocol for a randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) frequently complicates systemic
      autoimmune disorders resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. The
      connective tissue diseases (CTDs) most frequently resulting in ILD include:
      systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory myositis (including dermatomyositis,
      polymyositis and anti-synthetase syndrome) and mixed connective tissue disease.
      Despite the development, over the last two decades, of a range of biological
      therapies which have resulted in significant improvements in the treatment of the
      systemic manifestations of CTD, the management of CTD-associated ILD has changed
      little. At present there are no approved therapies for CTD-ILD. Following trials
      in scleroderma-ILD, cyclophosphamide is the accepted standard of care for
      individuals with severe or progressive CTD-related ILD. Observational studies
      have suggested that the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, is an effective
      rescue therapy in the treatment of refractory CTD-ILD. However, before now, there
      have been no randomised controlled trials assessing the efficacy of rituximab in
      this treatment population. METHODS/DESIGN: RECITAL is a UK, multicentre,
      prospective, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled trial funded by
      the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme of the Medical Research Council
      and National Institute for Health Research. The trial will compare rituximab 1 g
      given intravenously, twice at an interval of 2 weeks, with intravenously
      administered cyclophosphamide given monthly at a dose of 600 mg/m2 body surface
      area in individuals with ILD due to systemic sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory
      myositis (including anti-synthetase syndrome) or mixed connective tissue disease.
      A total of 116 individuals will be randomised 1:1 to each of the two treatment
      arms, with stratification based on underlying CTD, and will be followed for a
      total of 48 weeks from first dose. The primary endpoint for the study will be
      change in forced vital capacity (FVC) at 24 weeks. Key secondary endpoints
      include: safety, change in FVC at 48 weeks as well as survival, change in oxygen
      requirements, total 48-week corticosteroid exposure and utilisation of health
      care resources. DISCUSSION: This is the first randomised control trial to study
      the efficacy of rituximab as first-line treatment in CTD-associated ILD. The
      results generated should provide important information on the treatment of a life
      threatening complication affecting a rare group of CTDs. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01862926. Registered on 22 May 2013.

PMID- 28619062
TI  - Platinum-containing compound platinum pyrithione suppresses ovarian tumor
      proliferation through proteasome inhibition.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most aggressive gynecological
      malignant neoplasms and makes up 25-30% of all cancer cases of the female genital
      tract. Currently, resistance to traditional chemotherapy is a great challenge for
      patients with Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Therefore, identifying novel
      agents for EOC treatment is essential and urgent. METHOD: MTS assay was used to
      analyze the cell viability and proliferation of cancer cells. Flow cytometry was
      employed to analyze cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis. Protein signaling
      pathways were detected by western blot and immunohistochemical staining. Nude
      mouse experiment was performed to test the in vivo effect of platinum pyrithione
      (PtPT). RESULTS: PtPT is a chemically well-characterized synthetic complex of
      platinum that potently inhibits proteasome-associated deubiquitinases USP14 and
      UCHL5 activity and shows selective cytotoxicity to multiple cancer cells without
      damaging DNA. We found that PtPT significantly accumulated ubquitinated-proteins
      and suppressed the proliferation of multiple EOC cells. Additionally, PtPT
      induced G2 phase arrest and apoptosis in both A2780 and SKOV3 cells. More
      importantly, animal experiments showed that PtPT dramatically suppressed the
      growth of EOC xenografts without obvious side effects. CONCLUSION: These results
      suggest that through proteasome inhibition, PtPT significantly suppressed the
      proliferation of EOC in vitro and in vivo and could be developed as a novel agent
      for EOC treatment in the future.

PMID- 28619063
TI  - More preoperative flexibility implies adequate neural pliability for curve
      correction without prophylactic untethering in scoliosis patients with
      asymptomatic tethered spinal cord, a retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tethered spinal cord is frequently associated with scoliosis. It is
      still controversial whether a prophylactic untethering is necessary before
      correction procedure in scoliosis patients with tethered spinal cord. In this
      study we determined the clinical outcome of a one-stage posterior scoliosis
      correction without a prophylactic untethering for treating scoliosis with an
      asymptomatic tethered spinal cord. METHODS: Seventeen (5 males and 12 females)
      scoliosis patients with tethered spinal cords were retrospectively reviewed. All
      patients underwent a one-stage posterior scoliosis correction without preventive
      untethering. Parameters of radiograph were used to assess correction result. The
      Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 questionnaire was analyzed pre- and post
      operatively to evaluate the clinical outcomes. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic
      Association (mJOA) score was used to assess the pre- and post-operative spinal
      cord function. RESULTS: The post-operative coronal Cobb angle was significantly
      decreased compared with preoperative. (23.8 +/- 6.4 degrees  vs. 58.4 +/- 12.6
      degrees , P < 0.01). The coronal Cobb angle was 22.4 +/- 6.8 degrees  at the
      final follow-up evaluation. The apical vertebral translation (AVT) was also
      decreased significantly. (27.5 mm vs. 60.9 mm, P < 0.01). The SRS-22 total score
      was improved at the 1-year follow-up evaluation compared with the pre-operative
      SRS-22 total score (87 +/- 4 vs. 70 +/- 5, p < 0.05). The functional activities,
      pain, self-image, mental health, and surgery satisfactory scores at the final
      follow-up evaluation were all improved compared with the corresponding pre
      operative scores, especially the self-image and mental health scores (p < 0.05).
      The spinal cord function was stable and there was no new neurological symptoms
      after scoliosis correction. No difference existed between the pre- and post
      operative total mJOA score (26 +/- 2 vs. 27 +/- 2, p = 0.39), which including
      subjective symptom (p = 0.07), clinical symptom (p = 0.33), daily activities (p =
      0.44) and bladder function (p = 0.67). CONCLUSION: One-stage posterior scoliosis
      correction is a safe and effective surgical procedure for scoliosis patients
      combined with asymptomatic tethered spinal cord who have adequate spinal cord
      function reserve.

PMID- 28619064
TI  - Protective effect of rutin supplementation against cisplatin-induced
      Nephrotoxicity in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cisplatin (CP) is commonly used in the treatment of different types
      of cancer but nephrotoxicity has been a major limiting factor. Therefore, the
      present study aimed to study the possible protective effect of rutin against
      nephrotoxicity induced by cisplatin in rats. METHODS: Forty male Wistar albino
      rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Rats of group 1 control group
      intraperitoneal (i.p.) received 2.5 ml/kg, group 2 CP group received single dose
      5 mg/kg cisplatin i.p. group 3 rutin group orally received 30 mg/kg rutin group 4
      (CP plus rutin) received CP and rutin as in group 2 and 3. Kidneys were harvested
      for histopathology and for the study the gene expression of c-Jun N-terminal
      kinases (JNK), Mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MKK4), MKK7, P38 mitogen
      activated protein kinases (P38), tumor necrosis factors alpha (TNF-alpha), TNF
      Receptor-Associated Factor 2 (TRAF2), and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1-alpha).
      RESULTS: The cisplatin single dose administration to rats induced nephrotoxicity
      associated with a significant increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum
      creatinine and significantly increase Malondialdehyde (MDA) in kidney tissues by
      230 +/- 5.5 nmol/g compared to control group. The animal treated with cisplatin
      showed a significant increase in the expression levels of the IL-1alpha (260%),
      TRFA2 (491%), P38 (410%), MKK4 (263%), MKK7 (412%), JNK (680%) and TNF-alpha
      (300%) genes compared to control group. Additionally, histopathological
      examination showed that cisplatin-induced interstitial congestion, focal
      mononuclear cell inflammatory, cell infiltrate, acute tubular injury with
      reactive atypia and apoptotic cells. Rutin administration attenuated cisplatin
      induced alteration in gene expression and structural and functional changes in
      the kidney. Additionally, histopathological examination of kidney tissues
      confirmed gene expression data. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that the
      anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of rutin may prevent CP-induced
      nephrotoxicity via decreasing the oxidative stress, inhibiting the interconnected
      ROS/JNK/TNF/P38 MAPK signaling pathways, and repairing the histopathological
      changes against cisplatin administration.

PMID- 28619065
TI  - Open issues in Mucopolysaccharidosis type I-Hurler.
AB  - Mucopolysaccharidosis I-Hurler (MPS I-H) is the most severe form of a metabolic
      genetic disease caused by mutations of IDUA gene encoding the lysosomal alpha-L
      iduronidase enzyme. MPS I-H is a rare, life-threatening disease, evolving in
      multisystem morbidity including progressive neurological disease, upper airway
      obstruction, skeletal deformity and cardiomyopathy. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem
      cell transplantation (HSCT) is currently the gold standard for the treatment of
      MPS I-H in patients diagnosed and treated before 2-2.5 years of age, having a
      high rate of success. Beyond the child's age, other factors influence the
      probability of treatment success, including the selection of patients, of graft
      source and the donor type employed. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with human
      recombinant laronidase has also been demonstrated to be effective in ameliorating
      the clinical conditions of pre-transplant MPS I-H patients and in improving HSCT
      outcome, by peri-transplant co-administration. Nevertheless the long-term
      clinical outcome even after successful HSCT varies considerably, with a
      persisting residual disease burden. Other strategies must then be considered to
      improve the outcome of these patients: one is to pursue early pre-symptomatic
      diagnosis through newborn screening and another one is the identification of
      novel treatments. In this perspective, even though newborn screening can be
      envisaged as a future attractive perspective, presently the best path to be
      pursued embraces an improved awareness of signs and symptoms of the disorder by
      primary care providers and pediatricians, in order for the patients' timely
      referral to a qualified reference center. Furthermore, sensitive new biochemical
      markers must be identified to better define the clinical severity of the disease
      at birth, to support clinical judgement during the follow-up and to compare the
      effects of the different therapies. A prolonged neuropsychological follow-up of
      post-transplant cognitive development of children and residual disease burden is
      needed. In this perspective, the reference center must guarantee a
      multidisciplinary follow-up with an expert team. Diagnostic and interventional
      protocols of reference centers should be standardized whenever possible to allow
      comparison of clinical data and evaluation of results. This review will focus on
      all these critical issues related to the management of MPS I-H.

PMID- 28619066
TI  - Hepatocyte growth factor produced in lung fibroblasts enhances non-small cell
      lung cancer cell survival and tumor progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The influence of lung fibroblasts on lung cancer progression is not
      fully understood. METHODS: Lung fibroblasts (HFL1, MRC5, and IMR90 cells) and non
      small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)-derived cell lines (A549, EBC1, and HI1017) were
      cultured under serum-free conditions, and the resulting culture media were
      designated "cell-conditioned media". Cell survival (viability) was assessed by
      WST-1 assay. Concentrations of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were measured by
      ELISA. The BALB/c-nu mouse strain was used for the xenograft model. RESULTS: Lung
      fibroblast-conditioned media enhanced the survival of the three NSCLC cell lines
      tested. HGF was produced to a greater extent by lung fibroblasts than NSCLC
      cells. Exogenous HGF enhanced the survival of NSCLC cells. Either an anti-HGF
      neutralizing antibody or the Met inhibitor PHA-665752 inhibited the fibroblast
      conditioned media-enhanced survival of NSCLC cells. The co-inoculation of mice
      with NSCLC cells and fibroblasts enhanced tumorigenicity and tumor progression in
      a mouse xenograft model. PHA-665752 significantly inhibited tumor progression
      that occurred after the co-inoculation of NSCLC cells and fibroblasts. In
      addition, HGF production by fibroblasts was stimulated by NSCLC cells.
      CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides evidence for an interaction between
      fibroblasts and NSCLC cells via the HGF/Met signaling pathway, which affects
      NSCLC cell survival and tumor progression. These findings may contribute to the
      development of anti-cancer-associated fibroblast therapeutic strategies. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: No trial registration is required because this study is not a
      clinical trial. This study does not include any participants or patients.

PMID- 28619067
TI  - Design and initial implementation of the WHO FP umbrella project- to strengthen
      contraceptive services in the sub Saharan Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Strengthening contraceptive services in sub Saharan Africa is
      critical to achieve the FP 2020 goal of enabling 120 million more women and girls
      to access and use contraceptives by 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals
      (SDG) targets of universal access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH)
      services including family planning by 2030. METHOD: The World Health Organization
      (WHO) and partners have designed a multifaceted project to strengthen health
      systems to reduce the unmet need of contraceptive and family planning services in
      sub Saharan Africa. The plan leverages global, regional and national partnerships
      to facilitate and increase the use of evidence based WHO guidelines with a
      specific focus on postpartum family planning. The four key approaches undertaken
      are i) making WHO Guidelines adaptable & appropriate for country use ii) building
      capacity of WHO regional/country staff iii) providing technical support to
      countries and iv) strengthening partnerships for introduction and implementation
      of WHO guidelines. This paper describes the project design and elaborates the
      multifaceted approaches required in initial implementation to strengthen
      contraceptive services. CONCLUSION: The initial results from this project reflect
      that simultaneous application these approaches may strengthen contraceptive
      services in Sub Saharan Africa and ensure sustainability of the efforts. The
      lessons learned may be used to scale up and expand services in other countries.

PMID- 28619068
TI  - Late-onset jaw and teeth pain mimicking trigeminal neuralgia associated with
      chronic vagal nerve stimulation: case series and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) for refractory epilepsy is well
      established. Trigeminal neuralgia itself is a common disease in adults, and thus,
      late-onset pain in the trigeminal region under VNS, which is extremely rare, may
      not be recognized as caused by VNS. CASE PRESENTATION: Two patients with drug
      resistant symptomatic epilepsy treated with chronic VNS experienced stimulation
      related pain in the lower and upper jaw and teeth on the side of stimulation. No
      evidence of local spread of the stimulation current was present. The pain started
      with a delay of years after device implantation and weeks after the last increase
      in the pacing parameters. At the time of onset, the pain was not recognized as
      VNS-related, leading to extensive examinations. The trigeminal neuralgia-like
      pain resolved after adjustment of the stimulation current intensity. In one of
      the patients, the pain disappeared within one to two days following every
      epileptic seizure. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of late-onset
      trigeminal pain under VNS revealing a direct link between epileptogenic and pain
      processes. CONCLUSION: A painless interval between the last change of the pacing
      parameters and trigeminal pain can lead to the erroneous interpretation that this
      is a typical trigeminal neuralgia. The lack of its recognition as a side effect
      of VNS can lead to unnecessary examinations and delayed adjustment of stimulation
      parameters. In patients with signs of late-onset trigeminal pain under VNS with
      normal electrode impedance and no evidence of local current spread, the
      replacement of the VNS lead does not seem to be beneficial. A review of the
      literature on VNS side effects including pain and device malfunctions was
      undertaken.

PMID- 28619069
TI  - Social determinants of depression and suicidal behaviour in the Caribbean: a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depressive disorder is the largest contributor to years lived with
      disability in the Caribbean, adding 948 per 100,000 in 2013. Depression is also a
      major risk factor for suicidal behaviour. Social inequalities influence the
      occurrence of depression, yet little is known about the social inequalities of
      this condition in the Caribbean. In support of the 2011 Rio Political Declaration
      on addressing health inequities, this article presents a systematic review of the
      role of social determinants on depression and its suicidal behaviours in the
      Caribbean. METHODS: Eight databases were searched for observational studies
      reporting associations between social determinants and depression frequency,
      severity, or outcomes. Based on the PROGRESS-plus checklist, we considered 9
      social determinant groups (of 15 endpoints) for 6 depression endpoints, totalling
      90 possible ways ('relationship groups') to explore the role of social
      determinants on depression. Studies with >=50 participants conducted in Caribbean
      territories between 2004 and 2014 were eligible. The review was conducted
      according to STROBE and PRISMA guidelines. Results were planned as a narrative
      synthesis, with meta-analysis if possible. RESULTS: From 3951 citations, 55
      articles from 45 studies were included. Most were classified as serious risk of
      bias. Fifty-seven relationship groups were reported by the 55 included articles,
      leaving 33 relationship groups (37%) without an evidence base. Most associations
      were reported for gender, age, residence, marital status, and education.
      Depression, its severity, and its outcomes were more common among females (except
      suicide which was more common among males), early and middle adolescents (among
      youth), and those with lower levels of education. Marriage emerged as both a risk
      and protective factor for depression score and prevalence, while several
      inequality relationships in Haiti were in contrast to typical trends. CONCLUSION:
      The risk of bias and few numbers of studies within relationship groups restricted
      the synthesis of Caribbean evidence on social inequalities of depression. Along
      with more research focusing on regional social inequalities, attempts at
      standardizing reporting guidelines for observational studies of inequality and
      studies examining depression is necessitated. This review offers as a benchmark
      to prioritize future research into the social determinants of depression
      frequency and outcomes in the Caribbean.

PMID- 28619070
TI  - Genome and Transcriptome sequence of Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.)
      Gaertn.) provides insights into drought tolerance and nutraceutical properties.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) is an important staple
      food crop widely grown in Africa and South Asia. Among the millets, finger millet
      has high amount of calcium, methionine, tryptophan, fiber, and sulphur containing
      amino acids. In addition, it has C4 photosynthetic carbon assimilation mechanism,
      which helps to utilize water and nitrogen efficiently under hot and arid
      conditions without severely affecting yield. Therefore, development and
      utilization of genomic resources for genetic improvement of this crop is
      immensely useful. RESULTS: Experimental results from whole genome sequencing and
      assembling process of ML-365 finger millet cultivar yielded 1196 Mb covering
      approximately 82% of total estimated genome size. Genome analysis showed the
      presence of 85,243 genes and one half of the genome is repetitive in nature. The
      finger millet genome was found to have higher colinearity with foxtail millet and
      rice as compared to other Poaceae species. Mining of simple sequence repeats
      (SSRs) yielded abundance of SSRs within the finger millet genome. Functional
      annotation and mining of transcription factors revealed finger millet genome
      harbors large number of drought tolerance related genes. Transcriptome analysis
      of low moisture stress and non-stress samples revealed the identification of
      several drought-induced candidate genes, which could be used in drought tolerance
      breeding. CONCLUSIONS: This genome sequencing effort will strengthen plant
      breeders for allele discovery, genetic mapping, and identification of candidate
      genes for agronomically important traits. Availability of genomic resources of
      finger millet will enhance the novel breeding possibilities to address potential
      challenges of finger millet improvement.

PMID- 28619071
TI  - New adenovirus-based vaccine vectors targeting Pfs25 elicit antibodies that
      inhibit Plasmodium falciparum transmission.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An effective malaria transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) would be a
      major advance in the current efforts to eliminate and, ultimately, eradicate
      malaria. Antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum surface protein, Pfs25, are
      known to block parasite development in the mosquito vector. However, in initial
      clinical trials the limited immunogenicity of recombinant Pfs25 protein-in
      adjuvant vaccines has been a challenge. METHODS: Novel human adenovirus type 5
      (Ad5) vectors were used in heterologous prime boost vaccination strategies to
      augment the immune response against Pfs25. Specifically, an Ad5 vector that
      directs expression of full-length, membrane-bound Pfs25 was used as a priming
      immunization followed by a boost with Ad5 viral particles displaying only the
      Pfs25 epitope targeted by transmission-blocking antibodies 4B7 and 1D2 (Pfs25 aa
      122-134) in hypervariable region 5 of the hexon capsid protein. RESULTS: This
      heterologous prime-boost vaccine strategy induced antibodies that significantly
      inhibit P. falciparum transmission to mosquitoes in a standard membrane-feeding
      assay. Further, immunized mice generated a robust anti-Pfs25 antibody response
      characterized by higher titer, higher relative avidity and a broader IgG subclass
      profile than observed with a homologous prime-boost with recombinant Pfs25/alum.
      CONCLUSION: The data suggest that focusing the immune response against defined
      epitopes displayed on the viral capsid is an effective strategy for transmission
      blocking vaccine development.

PMID- 28619072
TI  - The Arabidopsis SWI/SNF protein BAF60 mediates seedling growth control by
      modulating DNA accessibility.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plant adaptive responses to changing environments involve complex
      molecular interplays between intrinsic and external signals. Whilst much is known
      on the signaling components mediating diurnal, light, and temperature controls on
      plant development, their influence on chromatin-based transcriptional controls
      remains poorly explored. RESULTS: In this study we show that a SWI/SNF chromatin
      remodeler subunit, BAF60, represses seedling growth by modulating DNA
      accessibility of hypocotyl cell size regulatory genes. BAF60 binds nucleosome
      free regions of multiple G box-containing genes, opposing in cis the promoting
      effect of the photomorphogenic and thermomorphogenic regulator Phytochrome
      Interacting Factor 4 (PIF4) on hypocotyl elongation. Furthermore, BAF60
      expression level is regulated in response to light and daily rhythms.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results unveil a short path between a chromatin remodeler and
      a signaling component to fine-tune plant morphogenesis in response to
      environmental conditions.

PMID- 28619074
TI  - Novel oligodendroglial alpha synuclein viral vector models of multiple system
      atrophy: studies in rodents and nonhuman primates.
AB  - Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a horrible and unrelenting neurodegenerative
      disorder with an uncertain etiology and pathophysiology. MSA is a unique
      proteinopathy in which alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) accumulates preferentially in
      oligodendroglia rather than neurons. Glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) of alpha
      syn are thought to elicit changes in oligodendrocyte function, such as reduced
      neurotrophic support and demyelination, leading to neurodegeneration. To date,
      only a murine model using one of three promoters exist to study this disease. We
      sought to develop novel rat and nonhuman primate (NHP) models of MSA by
      overexpressing alpha-syn in oligodendroglia using a novel oligotrophic adeno
      associated virus (AAV) vector, Olig001. To establish tropism, rats received
      intrastriatal injections of Olig001 expressing GFP. Histological analysis showed
      widespread expression of GFP throughout the striatum and corpus callosum with
      >95% of GFP+ cells co-localizing with oligodendroglia and little to no expression
      in neurons or astrocytes. We next tested the efficacy of this vector in rhesus
      macaques with intrastriatal injections of Olig001 expressing GFP. As in rats, we
      observed a large number of GFP+ cells in gray matter and white matter tracts of
      the striatum and the corpus callosum, with 90-94% of GFP+ cells co-localizing
      with an oligodendroglial marker. To evaluate the potential of our vector to
      elicit MSA-like pathology in NHPs, we injected rhesus macaques intrastriatally
      with Olig001 expressing the alpha-syn transgene. Histological analysis 3-months
      after injection demonstrated widespread alpha-syn expression throughout the
      striatum as determined by LB509 and phosphorylated serine-129 alpha-syn
      immunoreactivity, all of which displayed as tropism similar to that seen with
      GFP. As in MSA, Olig001-alpha-syn GCIs in our model were resistant to proteinase
      K digestion and caused microglial activation. Critically, demyelination was
      observed in the white matter tracts of the corpus callosum and striatum of
      Olig001-alpha-syn but not Olig001-GFP injected animals, similar to the human
      disease. These data support the concept that this vector can provide novel rodent
      and nonhuman primate models of MSA.

PMID- 28619073
TI  - Genome-wide pathway analysis identifies VEGF pathway association with oral
      ulceration in systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a genetically complex rheumatic
      disease characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations of unknown
      etiology. Recent studies have suggested the existence of a genetic basis for SLE
      heterogeneity. The objective of the present study was to identify new genetic
      variation associated with the clinically relevant phenotypes in SLE. METHODS: A
      two-stage pathway-based approach was used to identify the genetic variation
      associated with the main clinical phenotypes in SLE. In the discovery stage, 482
      SLE patients were genotyped using Illumina Human Quad610 microarrays. Association
      between 798 reference genetic pathways from the Molecular Signatures Database and
      11 SLE phenotypes was tested using the set-based method implemented in PLINK
      software. Pathways significantly associated after multiple test correction were
      subsequently tested for replication in an independent cohort of 425 SLE patients.
      Using an in silico approach, we analyzed the functional effects of common SLE
      therapies on the replicated genetic pathways. The association of known SLE risk
      variants with the development of the clinical phenotypes was also analyzed.
      RESULTS: In the discovery stage, we found a significant association between the
      vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway and oral ulceration (P value
      for false discovery rate (P FDR) < 0.05), and between the negative regulation
      signaling pathway of retinoic acid inducible gene-I/melanoma differentiation
      associated gene 5 and the production of antinuclear antibodies (P FDR < 0.05). In
      the replication stage, we validated the association between the VEGF pathway and
      oral ulceration. Therapies commonly used to treat mucocutaneous phenotypes in SLE
      were found to strongly influence VEGF pathway gene expression (P = 4.60e-4 to
      5.38e-14). Analysis of known SLE risk loci identified a strong association
      between PTPN22 and the risk of hematologic disorder and with the development of
      antinuclear antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The present study has identified VEGF
      genetic pathway association with the risk of oral ulceration in SLE. New
      therapies targeting the VEGF pathway could be more effective in reducing the
      severity of this phenotype. These findings represent a first step towards the
      understanding of the genetic basis of phenotype heterogeneity in SLE.

PMID- 28619075
TI  - Anti-inflammatory effect of Chang-An-Shuan on TNBS-induced experimental colitis
      in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), denominated by Crohn's disease and
      ulcerative colitis, is often associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea and bloody
      stool. The standard protocols for treating colitis conditions are not
      satisfactory; thus, complementary and alternative medicines have been
      increasingly accepted by IBD sufferers worldwide. In this study, we aimed to
      elucidate the anti-inflammatory effect of Chang-An-Shuan (CAS), a 6-herb Chinese
      medicinal formula, on 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis
      in rats and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were
      administered with rectal gavage of 2.5% TNBS in 50% ethanol for the induction of
      experimental colitis which is considered as a model for Crohn's disease. Upon the
      TNBS induction, rats were given CAS at 0.5 g/kg/day or 5 g/kg/day for 10 days.
      The application of salicylazosulfapyridine (0.5 g/kg/day) was served as a
      positive reference drug for the colitis condition. The efficacy and mechanistic
      action of CAS were evaluated by means of histopathological and biochemical
      approaches such as histological staining, real-time polymerase chain reaction,
      Western blotting analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Oral
      administration of CAS at 5 g/kg/day, but not 0.5 g/kg/day, significantly
      ameliorated the severity of TNBS-induced colitis as evidenced by the reduced loss
      of body weight, alleviated diarrhea and decreased bloody stool. While lowering
      the disease activity index, the administration of CAS lessened mucosal lesions
      thus mucosal integrity of the colitis rats was notably improved. Further, the CAS
      treatment also significantly suppressed the mRNA and protein levels of pro
      inflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      while enhancing the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the TNBS-treated
      rats. Importantly, the ameliorative effect of CAS was related to an inhibition of
      the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway by downregulating the
      expression levels of NF-kappaBp-65, p-38 and p-AKT. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that
      CAS is a potential alternative remedial approach for treating IBD conditions, and
      the anti-inflammatory effect of CAS is associated with the down-regulation of the
      NF-kappaB signaling pathway and the balanced production of pro- and anti
      inflammatory cytokines.

PMID- 28619076
TI  - Effectiveness and equity of the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme for mosquito
      nets over 10 years of implementation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Tanzania National Voucher Scheme (TNVS) was a public private
      partnership managed by the Ministry of Health that provided pregnant women and
      infants with highly subsidized (long-lasting) insecticide-treated nets between
      2004 and 2014. It was implemented in the context of the National Insecticide
      Treated Nets (NATNETS) Programme and was the main keep up strategy for vulnerable
      populations. CASE DESCRIPTION: The programme design was adjusted considerably
      over time to incorporate new evidence, shifting public health policies, and
      changing donor priorities. Three TNVS models can be distinguished: (1) the fixed
      discount; (2) the fixed top-up; (3) the hybrid voucher model. The changes
      improved equity and effectiveness, but also had a profound effect on how the
      programme was managed and implemented. RESULTS: The TNVS reached the majority of
      beneficiaries with vouchers, and significantly increased household ownership and
      use of LLINs. While two mass distribution campaigns implemented between 2009 and
      2011 achieved universal coverage and equity, the TNVS ensured continuous
      protection of the vulnerable populations before, during and after the campaigns.
      The TNVS stimulated and maintained a large national retail network which managed
      the LLIN supply chain. DISCUSSION AND LESSONS LEARNED: The effectiveness of the
      TNVS was a function of several interdependent factors, including the supply chain
      of vouchers through the public health system; the supply chain of nets in the
      commercial sector; the demand for nets from voucher recipients; management and
      risk mitigation measures; and the influence of global and donor objectives.
      CONCLUSION: The TNVS was a highly innovative and globally influential programme,
      which stimulated the thinking around effectively and equitably distributing ITNs,
      and contributed directly to the evolution of global policy. It was a fundamental
      component of the NATNETS programme which protected a malaria-vulnerable
      population for over a decade.

PMID- 28619077
TI  - What is the impact of local control in Ewing sarcoma: analysis of the first
      Brazilian collaborative study group - EWING1.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Relapse in localized Ewing sarcoma patients has been a matter of
      concern regarding poor prognosis. Therefore, we investigated the impact of local
      control modality (surgery, surgery plus radiotherapy, and radiotherapy) on
      clinical outcomes such as survival and recurrence in patients with non-metastatic
      Ewing sarcoma treated on the first Brazilian Collaborative Group Trial of the
      Ewing Family of Tumors (EWING1). METHODS: Seventy-three patients with localized
      Ewing sarcoma of bone aged < 30 years were included. The treating physicians
      defined the modality of local control based on the recommendations of the
      coordinating center and the patient and tumor characteristics. Possible
      associations of local control modality with local failure (LF), disease-free
      survival (DFS), event-free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), and clinical
      characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 12.8 years (range, 2
      to 25 years) and median follow-up time was 4.5 years (range, 2.3 to 6.7 years).
      Forty-seven patients underwent surgery, 13 received radiotherapy, and 13 received
      both. The 5-year EFS, OS, and DFS for all patients was 62.1%, 63.3%, and 73.1%,
      respectively. The 5-year cumulative incidence (CI) of LF was 7.6% for surgery,
      11.1% for radiotherapy, and 0% for postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) (p = 0.61).
      The 5-year EFS was 71.7% for surgery, 30.8% for radiotherapy, and 64.1% for PORT
      (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant effect of local control
      modality on EFS and OS in the study. Surgery and PORT modalities yielded very
      close results. The group treated with radiotherapy alone had considerably worse
      outcomes. This may be confounded by greater risk factors in these patients. There
      was no significant effect of local control modality on the CI of LF and DFS.

PMID- 28619078
TI  - Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression, anxiety, alcohol
      misuse or anger in armed forces veterans and their families: systematic review
      and meta-analysis protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence highlights a high prevalence of common mental health
      disorders in armed forces veterans and their families, with depression, anxiety,
      alcohol misuse and anger being more common than PTSD. This paper presents a
      protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify existing
      randomised controlled trial (RCT) research testing the effectiveness of
      psychological interventions for these difficulties in armed forces veterans and
      their family members. METHODS: Electronic databases (CENTRAL, PsycInfo, MEDLINE,
      CINAHL, The Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials, EMBASE and ASSIA) will be
      searched to identify suitable studies for inclusion in the review supplemented by
      forward and backward reference checking, grey literature searches and contact
      with subject authors. Research including armed forces veterans and their family
      members will be included in the review with research including serving personnel
      or individuals under the age of 18 being excluded. Few RCTs examining the
      treatment of depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse or anger exist in armed forces
      veterans to date. The primary outcome will be symptomatic change following
      intervention for these difficulties. The secondary outcomes will include
      methodological aspects of interest such as discharge type and recruitment setting
      if data permits. In the event that the number of studies identified is too low to
      undertake a meta-analysis, a narrative review will be conducted. Quality
      assessment will be undertaken using the Cochrane Collaboration Tool and Cochran's
      Q statistic calculated to test for heterogeneity as suggested by the Cochrane
      handbook. DISCUSSION: The review will examine the findings of existing
      intervention research for depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse or anger in armed
      forces veterans and their families, along with any effect sizes that may exist.
      SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42016036676.

PMID- 28619080
TI  - The management of a cystic hepatic lesion ruptured in the bile ducts: a case
      report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatic cystadenoma is a rare benign cystic tumor; it tends to recur
      after incomplete surgical resection and has malignant potential. We report the
      case of a patient with a ruptured biliary cystadenoma in the common bile duct
      that caused diagnostic and therapeutic problems. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old
      North African woman, admitted for angiocholitis, was operated 2 months before for
      a hepatic cystic lesion taken for a hydatid cyst compressing her common bile
      duct. The clinical and the complementary examinations converged toward recurrence
      of the hydatid cyst for which a surgical resection was decided. Intraoperative
      findings as well as the histological study of the "membranes" extracted from her
      common bile duct indicated a hepatic cystadenoma. CONCLUSIONS: The rarity of
      hepatic cystadenoma and the non-specificity of clinical and imaging signs make
      diagnosis of hepatic cystadenoma difficult, especially when it is complicated by
      rupture in the bile ducts; this contributes to a delay in diagnosis and an
      inadequate therapeutic approach.

PMID- 28619079
TI  - Association between high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and hypertension in
      relation to circulating CD34-positive cell levels.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) level is
      inversely correlated with cardiovascular events, HDL is also reported to be
      positively associated with hypertension, which is a known endothelial impairment
      factor. Since HDL mediates important protective actions on the vascular
      endothelium by increasing the number of circulating endothelial progenitor cells
      (CD34-positive cells), the level of circulating CD34-positive cells should
      influence the association between HDL and hypertension. METHODS: To investigate
      the association between HDL and hypertension in relation to the level of
      circulating CD34-positive cells, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 477
      elderly men aged 60-69 years who participated in general health checkup. RESULTS:
      HDL was found to be significantly positively associated with hypertension in
      subjects with a high level of circulating CD34-positive cells, while no
      significant association was observed for subjects with low circulating CD34
      positive cells. Known cardiovascular risk factors adjusted odds (ORs) and 95%
      confidence intervals (CIs) of hypertension for increments of one standard
      deviation (SD) in HDL (13.8 mg/dL) were 1.44 (1.06, 1.96) for subjects with a
      high level of circulating CD34-positive cells and 0.87 (0.63, 1.19) for subjects
      with low circulating CD34-positive cells. We also revealed a significant
      association between HDL level and CD34-positive cell level on hypertension, with
      fully adjusted p values for the effect of this interaction on hypertension at
      0.022. CONCLUSIONS: Independent of known cardiovascular risk factors, HDL was
      found to be positively associated with hypertension in subjects with a high level
      of circulating CD34-positive cells but not for subjects with low circulating CD34
      positive cells.

PMID- 28619081
TI  - Burnout among workers in emergency Departments in Palestinian hospitals:
      prevalence and associated factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Working in Emergency Departments (EDs) entails high work pressure and
      stress due to witnessing human suffering and the unpredictable nature of the
      work. This environment puts personnel at risk of burnout. This analysis aims to
      assess burnout levels and associated risk factors among health workers in EDs in
      Palestinian hospitals. Also, it examines the association between burnout and
      workplace violence, as well as with job turnover. METHODS: Cross-sectional design
      utilising a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from all
      workers at 14 EDs; 8 from the West Bank and 6 from the Gaza Strip. Burnout was
      measured using Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey. RESULTS: A total
      of 444 workers (response rate 74.5%) participated: 161(36.3%) nurses, 142(32.0%)
      physicians and 141(31.7%) administrative personnel. Results showed high levels of
      burnout among EDs workers; 64.0% suffered from high emotional exhaustion, 38.1%
      from high depersonalization and 34.6% from low personal accomplishment. In
      addition, high levels of emotional exhaustion (72.3%) was significantly prevalent
      among physicians compared to nurses (69.8%) and administrative workers (51.4%) (p
      < 0.05). In comparison, high levels of depersonalization was significantly
      prevalent among nurses (48.8%) compared to physicians (32.1%) and administrative
      workers (31.9%) (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the
      levels of personal accomplishment burnout among the three groups (p > 0.05).
      Moreover, high degree of burnout was more prevalent among EDs workers in the West
      Bank than among those working in the Gaza Strip (OR 2.02, 95% CI = 1.11-3.69, p =
      0.019), and higher among younger workers (aged <=30 years old) than their older
      counterparts (OR 2.4, 95% CI = 1.302-4.458, p = 0.005). Exposure to physical
      violence was significantly associated with having a high degree of burnout (OR
      2.017 95% CI = 1.121-3.631, p = 0.019), but no association was observed with
      regards to exposure to verbal violence (p > 0.05). Finally, burnout was
      significantly associated with workers' intention to leave work at EDs (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Burnout is considerably prevalent among EDs' workers, especially
      nurses and physicians. Burnout is positively associated with job turnover
      intention and also with exposure to workplace violence. Therefore, there is a
      need for prevention and management strategies to address occupational burnout and
      reduce negative consequences on workers, patients and organisations.

PMID- 28619082
TI  - Assessing changes in knowledge, attitude and practices on dengue diagnosis and
      management among primary care physicians after the largest dengue epidemic in
      Singapore.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dengue results in high morbidity and mortality globally. The
      knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of dengue management, including
      diagnosis, among primary care physicians (PCPs) are important to reduce dengue
      transmission and burden. However, there is a lack of understanding on the impact
      of dengue epidemic on dengue management. Hence, the aim of this study is to
      examine the changes in KAP on dengue management among PCPs before and after the
      largest dengue epidemic in 2013 in Singapore. METHODS: Surveys were mailed to
      2000 and 1514 PCPs registered under the Singapore Medical Council in March of
      year 2011 and 2014, respectively. Survey data were then collected between April
      and June of that year. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used for comparing
      categorical variables. A multivariate logistic regression model was implemented
      to determine independent factors for frequent use of dengue diagnostic tests
      (DDTs). All tests were conducted at 5% level of significance. Adjusted odds ratio
      and corresponding 95% confidence intervals were reported, where applicable.
      Qualitative data were descriptively coded for themes and analysis. RESULTS: Among
      PCPs surveyed in 2011 and 2014, 89.9% and 86% had good knowledge on dengue
      management respectively. The usage of DDTs had increased significantly in 2014 (N
      = 164;56%) as compared to 2011 (N = 107;29.5%) in both private and public clinics
      (p < 0.001). Dengue Duo point-of-care test (POCT) kits was independently
      associated with frequent use of DDTs (adjusted odds ratio = 2.15; 95% confidence
      interval = 1.25-3.69). There was a significant reduction in referral of dengue
      patients to hospital (31.4% in 2011; 13.3% in 2014; p < 0.001), and a significant
      increase in frequency of clinic follow-ups (18.4% in 2011; 28.5% in 2014; p =
      0.003). One key theme highlighted was that dengue management can be improved with
      availability of POCT kit, better awareness of the disease and any revised
      clinical guidelines. CONCLUSION: The knowledge on dengue management remained
      high, while the attitude and practices, particularly on the usage of DDTs
      improved significantly after a large epidemic. Furthermore, PCPs had more
      confident in managing dengue patients in primary care settings and in educating
      patients on the importance of vector control and dengue warning signs to reduce
      dengue transmission and burden.

PMID- 28619083
TI  - On marker-based parentage verification via non-linear optimization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parentage verification by molecular markers is mainly based on short
      tandem repeat markers. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as bi-allelic
      markers have become the markers of choice for genotyping projects. Thus, the
      subsequent step is to use SNP genotypes for parentage verification as well.
      Recent developments of algorithms such as evaluating opposing homozygous SNP
      genotypes have drawbacks, for example the inability of rejecting all animals of a
      sample of potential parents. This paper describes an algorithm for parentage
      verification by constrained regression which overcomes the latter limitation and
      proves to be very fast and accurate even when the number of SNPs is as low as 50.
      The algorithm was tested on a sample of 14,816 animals with 50, 100 and 500 SNP
      genotypes randomly selected from 40k genotypes. The samples of putative parents
      of these animals contained either five random animals, or four random animals and
      the true sire. Parentage assignment was performed by ranking of regression
      coefficients, or by setting a minimum threshold for regression coefficients. The
      assignment quality was evaluated by the power of assignment (P[Formula: see
      text]) and the power of exclusion (P[Formula: see text]). RESULTS: If the sample
      of putative parents contained the true sire and parentage was assigned by
      coefficient ranking, P[Formula: see text] and P[Formula: see text] were both
      higher than 0.99 for the 500 and 100 SNP genotypes, and higher than 0.98 for the
      50 SNP genotypes. When parentage was assigned by a coefficient threshold,
      P[Formula: see text] was higher than 0.99 regardless of the number of SNPs, but
      P[Formula: see text] decreased from 0.99 (500 SNPs) to 0.97 (100 SNPs) and 0.92
      (50 SNPs). If the sample of putative parents did not contain the true sire and
      parentage was rejected using a coefficient threshold, the algorithm achieved a
      P[Formula: see text] of 1 (500 SNPs), 0.99 (100 SNPs) and 0.97 (50 SNPs).
      CONCLUSION: The algorithm described here is easy to implement, fast and accurate,
      and is able to assign parentage using genomic marker data with a size as low as
      50 SNPs.

PMID- 28619084
TI  - Unusual clinical outcome of primary Hyperoxaluria type 1 in Tunisian patients
      carrying 33_34InsC mutation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1), is a rare and heterogeneous
      disease and one of major causes of renal insufficiency in Tunisia, caused by
      mutations in the AGXT gene. 33-34InsC mutation, was mainly described in children
      with a severe clinical feature leading to early death, but it was uncommonly
      reported in adult patients. METHODS: Common mutations in AGXT were tested using
      PCR/RFLP technique in 111 patients (68 adult, 43 children) with suspected PH1.
      RESULTS: We described 16 cases (eight adult and eight children) with a 33-34InsC
      mutation with a median age of 24 years [6 months - 73 years]. All children were
      in end stage renal disease (ESRD) at the median age of 3 years due to lithiasis
      and/or nephrocalcinosis. Unfortunately, 75% of them died with a median age of 2.5
      years. For the majority of adults only spontaneous elimination of urolithiasis
      were noted, 37.5% preserved until now a normal renal function and 62.5% of them
      reached ESRD at the median age of 55.8 +/- 12.31 years old. CONCLUSION: In this
      study 33-34InsC mutation gives a controversial clinical effect in children and
      adults. The implication of other genetic and/or environmental factors can play a
      crucial role in determining the ultimate phenotype.

PMID- 28619085
TI  - Validity of a family-centered approach for assessing infants' social-emotional
      wellbeing and their developmental context: a prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Family-centered care seems promising in preventive pediatrics, but
      evidence is lacking as to whether this type of care is also valid as a means to
      identify risks to infants' social-emotional development. We aimed to examine the
      validity of such a family-centered approach. METHODS: We conducted a prospective
      cohort study. During routine well-child visits (2-15 months), Preventive Child
      Healthcare (PCH) professionals used a family-centered approach, assessing domains
      as parents' competence, role of the partner, social support, barriers within the
      care-giving context, and child's wellbeing for 2976 children as protective,
      indistinct or a risk. If, based on the overall assessment (the families were
      labeled as "cases", N = 87), an intervention was considered necessary, parents
      filled in validated questionnaires covering the aforementioned domains. These
      questionnaires served as gold standards. For each case, two controls, matched by
      child-age and gender, also filled in questionnaires (N = 172). We compared PCH
      professionals' assessments with the parent-reported gold standards. Moreover, we
      evaluated which domain mostly contributed to the overall assessment. RESULTS:
      Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between PCH professionals' assessments
      and gold standards were overall reasonable (Spearman's rho 0.17-0.39) except for
      the domain barriers within the care-giving context. Scores on gold standards were
      significantly higher when PCH assessments were rated as "at risk" (overall and
      per domain).We found reasonable to excellent agreement regarding the absence of
      risk factors (negative agreement rate: 0.40-0.98), but lower agreement regarding
      the presence of risk factors (positive agreement rate: 0.00-0.67). An "at risk"
      assessment for the domain Barriers or life events within the care-giving context
      contributed most to being overall at risk, i.e. a case, odds ratio 100.1, 95%
      confidence interval: 22.6 - infinity. CONCLUSION: Findings partially support the
      convergent validity of a family-centered approach in well-child care to assess
      infants' social-emotional wellbeing and their developmental context. Agreement
      was reasonable to excellent regarding protective factors, but lower regarding
      risk factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trialregister, NTR2681. Date of
      registration: 05-01-2011, URL:
      http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2681 .

PMID- 28619086
TI  - Patterns of venous thromboembolism risk in patients with localized colorectal
      cancer undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy or active surveillance: an observational
      cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Venous thromoboembolism (VTE) is a frequent and burdensome
      complication of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the epidemiology of
      VTE in patients with localized CRC after surgery in curative intent is
      incompletely understood. In this single-center observational cohort study, we
      investigate patterns of VTE risk in localized CRC, and define its relationship
      with baseline risk factors, adjuvant chemotherapy and CRC recurrence. METHODS:
      Five-hundred-sixteen patients with stage II/III CRC were included retrospectively
      at the time of surgery, and followed until the occurrence of VTE, CRC recurrence,
      or death (median age = 65.1 years, stage II and III: n = 151 (29.5%), n = 361
      (70.5%); adjCTX: n = 339 (65.7%)). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 2.7
      years, 15 VTEs (2.7%) and 116 recurrences (22.5%) occurred, and 46 patients
      (8.9%) died. Six-month, 1-year, and 5-year VTE risks were 1.6%, 2.0% and 3.2%,
      respectively. In competing risk time-to-VTE regression, adjCTX was not associated
      with an increased risk of VTE (Subdistribution hazard ratio = 0.98, 95% CI:0.33
      2.88, p = 0.97). The occurrence of disease recurrence strongly increased the risk
      of VTE (Multi-state model: Transition hazard ratio (THR) = 13.03, 95% CI:4.39
      38.74, p < 0.0001)). Conversely, the onset of VTE did not predict for recurrence
      (THR = 1.95, 95% CI: 0.62-6.16, p = 0.25). CONCLUSION: VTE risk is very low in
      localized CRC and does not appear to be increased by adjuvant chemotherapy. Thus,
      primary thromboprophylaxis is unlikely to result in clinical benefit in this
      population. The strongest determinant of VTE risk appears to be disease
      recurrence.

PMID- 28619087
TI  - Longitudinal estimation of intramuscular Tibialis Anterior coherence during
      subacute spinal cord injury: relationship with neurophysiological, functional and
      clinical outcome measures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Estimation of surface intramuscular coherence has been used to
      indirectly assess pyramidal tract activity following spinal cord injury (SCI),
      especially within the 15-30 Hz bandwidth. However, change in higher frequency
      (>40 Hz) muscle coherence during SCI has not been characterised. Thus, the
      objective of this study was to identify change of high and low frequency
      intramuscular Tibialis Anterior (TA) coherence during incomplete subacute SCI.
      METHODS: Fifteen healthy subjects and 22 subjects with motor incomplete SCI
      (American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale, AIS, C or D grade) were
      recruited and tested during 4 sessions performed at 2-week intervals up to 8
      months after SCI. Intramuscular TA coherence estimation was calculated within the
      10-60 Hz bandwidth during controlled maximal isometric and isokinetic foot
      dorsiflexion. Maximal voluntary dorsiflexion torque, gait function measured with
      the WISCI II scale, and TA motor evoked potentials (MEP) were recorded. RESULTS:
      During subacute SCI, significant improvement in total lower limb manual muscle
      score, TA muscle strength and gait function were observed. No change in TA MEP
      amplitude was identified. Significant increase in TA coherence was detected in
      the 40-60 Hz, but not the 15-30 Hz bandwidth. The spasticity syndrome was
      associated with lower 15-30 Hz TA coherence during maximal isometric dorsiflexion
      and higher 10-60 Hz coherence during fast isokinetic movement (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal estimation of neurophysiological and clinical measures
      during subacute SCI suggest that estimation of TA muscle coherence during
      controlled movement provides indirect information regarding adaptive and
      maladaptive motor control mechanisms during neurorehabilitation.

PMID- 28619088
TI  - Chemokine signals are crucial for enhanced homing and differentiation of
      circulating osteoclast progenitor cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The peripheral blood (PB) monocyte pool contains osteoclast
      progenitors (OCPs), which contribute to osteoresorption in inflammatory
      arthritides and are influenced by the cytokine and chemokine milieu. We aimed to
      define the importance of chemokine signals for migration and activation of OCPs
      in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: PB and, when
      applicable, synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from 129 patients with RA,
      53 patients with PsA, and 110 control patients in parallel to clinical parameters
      of disease activity, autoantibody levels, and applied therapy. Receptors for
      osteoclastogenic factors (CD115 and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB
      [RANK]) and selected chemokines (CC chemokine receptor 1 [CCR1], CCR2, CCR4, CXC
      chemokine receptor 3 [CXCR3], CXCR4) were determined in an OCP-rich subpopulation
      (CD3-CD19-CD56-CD11b+CD14+) by flow cytometry. In parallel, levels of CC
      chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, CXC chemokine ligand 9 (CXCL9),
      CXCL10, and CXCL12 were measured using cytometric bead array or enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay. Sorted OCPs were stimulated in culture by macrophage colony
      stimulating factor and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand, and
      they were differentiated into mature osteoclasts that resorb bone. Selected
      chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, CXCL10, and CXCL12) were tested for their
      osteoclastogenic and chemotactic effects on circulatory OCPs in vitro. RESULTS:
      The OCP population was moderately enlarged among PB cells in RA and correlated
      with levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), rheumatoid factor, CCL2,
      and CCL5. Compared with PB, the RANK+ subpopulation was expanded in SF and
      correlated with the number of tender joints. Patients with PsA could be
      distinguished by increased RANK expression rather than total OCP population. OCPs
      from patients with arthritis had higher expression of CCR1, CCR2, CCR4, CXCR3,
      and CXCR4. In parallel, patients with RA had increased levels of CCL2, CCL3,
      CCL4, CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCL10, with significant elevation in SF vs PB for CXCL10.
      The subset expressing CXCR4 positively correlated with TNF-alpha, bone resorption
      marker, and rheumatoid factor, and it was reduced in patients treated with
      disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. The CCR4+ subset showed a significant
      negative trend during anti-TNF treatment. CCL2, CCL5, and CXCL10 had similar
      osteoclastogenic effects, with CCL5 showing the greatest chemotactic action on
      OCPs. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we identified distinct effects of selected
      chemokines on stimulation of OCP mobilization, tissue homing, and maturation.
      Novel insights into migratory behaviors and functional properties of circulatory
      OCPs in response to chemotactic signals could open ways to new therapeutic
      targets in RA.

PMID- 28619089
TI  - Light manipulation of mosquito behaviour: acute and sustained photic suppression
      of biting activity in the Anopheles gambiae malaria mosquito.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Host-seeking behaviours in anopheline mosquitoes are time-of-day
      specific, with a greater propensity for nocturnal biting. We investigated how a
      short exposure to light presented during the night or late day can inhibit biting
      activity and modulate flight activity behaviour. RESULTS: Anopheles gambiae
      (s.s.), maintained on a 12:12 LD cycle, were exposed transiently to white light
      for 10-min at the onset of night and the proportion taking a blood meal in a
      human biting assay was recorded every 2 h over an 8-h duration. The pulse
      significantly reduced biting propensity in mosquitoes 2 h following
      administration, in some trials for 4 h, and with no differences detected after 6
      h. Conversely, biting levels were significantly elevated when mosquitoes were
      exposed to a dark treatment during the late day, suggesting that light suppresses
      biting behaviour even during the late daytime. These data reveal a potent effect
      of a discrete light pulse on biting behaviour that is both immediate and
      sustained. We expanded this approach to develop a method to reduce biting
      propensity throughout the night by exposing mosquitoes to a series of 6- or 10
      min pulses presented every 2 h. We reveal both an immediate suppressive effect of
      light during the exposure period and 2 h after the pulse. This response was found
      to be effective during most times of the night: however, differential responses
      that were time-of-day specific suggest an underlying circadian property of the
      mosquito physiology that results in an altered treatment efficacy. Finally, we
      examined the immediate and sustained effects of light on mosquito flight activity
      behaviour following exposure to a 30-min pulse, and observed activity suppression
      during early night, and elevated activity during the late night. CONCLUSIONS: As
      mosquitoes and malaria parasites are becoming increasingly resistant to
      insecticide and drug treatment respectively, there is a necessity for the
      development of innovative control strategies beyond insecticide-treated nets
      (ITNs) and residual spraying. These data reveal the potent inhibitory effects of
      light exposure and the utility of multiple photic pulses presented at intervals
      during the night/late daytime, may prove to be an effective tool that complements
      established control methods.

PMID- 28619090
TI  - Truffle renaissance in Poland - history, present and prospects.
AB  - The use of truffles in Poland has a long tradition, yet due to some historical
      aspects, this knowledge was lost. Currently, truffles and truffle orchards are
      again receiving attention, and thanks to, e.g., historical data, they have solid
      foundations to be established. Publications relating to truffles between 1661 and
      2017 were searched for in international and national databases, such as the
      database of PhD theses, Google Scholar, and catalogues of the National Library of
      Poland, the Jagiellonian Digital Library, the University Library of J. Giedroyc
      in Bialystok and the Lower Silesian Digital Library (DBC). A very meticulous
      survey of the literature on truffles showed that truffles have been known since
      at least 1661. In the 18th century, the fungi were considered a non-timber forest
      product. It is interesting to mention the impact of Polish Count Michal Jan Borch
      in understanding the nature of truffles. The whitish truffle (Tuber borchii) is
      named after him. The greatest number of publications regarding truffles can be
      observed at the first half of the 19th and 20th centuries. The fungi were present
      not only in cookbooks but also in scientific literature, and aspects of their
      ecology and medicinal use are considered. The "dark ages" for truffles, mainly
      for social reasons, occurred after the Second World War. In tough times, when
      Poland was under Soviet communist control (1945-1989), truffles as a luxurious
      product have been completely forgotten. However, at the end of the 20th century,
      truffles started receiving attention in Polish society. Yet, the real awakening
      began in the first decade of the twenty-first century when the first truffle
      orchards were established. One of them has already produced the first fruit
      bodies of summer truffle (Tuber aestivum). Truffles have been present in Polish
      culture for centuries. Their renaissance indicates the need for fostering
      sustainable agroforestry-centred initiatives aimed at helping truffle growers in
      growing the precious fungi and thus meeting market demands.

PMID- 28619091
TI  - The usefulness of flexible cystoscopy for preventing double-J stent malposition
      after laparoscopic ureterolithotomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of flexible cystoscopy
      in preventing malpositioning of the ureteral stent after laparoscopic
      ureterolithotomy in male patients. METHODS: From April 2009 to June 2015, 97 male
      patients with stones >1.8 cm in the upper ureter underwent intracorporeal double
      J stenting of the ureter after laparoscopic ureterolithotomy performed by four
      different surgeons. In the last 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic
      ureterolithotomy flexible cystoscopy was performed through the urethral route to
      confirm the position of the double-J stent, while in the first 47 correct
      positioning of the stent was confirmed through postoperative KUB. The demographic
      data and perioperative outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. Penalized logistic
      regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of flexible cystoscopy.
      RESULTS: Upward malpositioning of the ureteral stent was found in 9 of the 47
      (19.1%) patients who underwent surgery without flexible cystoscopy. Among the 50
      most recent patients who underwent surgery with flexible cystoscopy through the
      urethral route, upward malpositioning was observed in 10 (20%) patients. The
      factors preventing upward malpositioning of the double-J catheter in multivariate
      analysis were surgeon (p = 0.039) and use of flexible cystoscopy (p = 0.008).
      CONCLUSION: Flexible cystoscopy is a simple, safe, quick, and effective method to
      identify and correct malpositioning of double-J stents, especially in male
      patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov
      Registry on May 11, 2017 (retrospective registration) with a trial registration
      number of NCT03150446 .

PMID- 28619092
TI  - Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation
      among adults in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite a growing body of scientific literature exploring the nature
      of meditation there is limited information on the characteristics of individuals
      who use it. This is particularly true of comparative studies examining prevalence
      and predictors of use of various forms of meditation. METHODS: A secondary
      analysis was conducted using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey
      (n = 34,525). Three popular forms of meditation were compared-mantra,
      mindfulness, and spiritual-to determine lifetime and 12-month use related to key
      sociodemographic, health behavior, health status, and healthcare access
      variables. RESULTS: The 12-month prevalence for meditation practice was 3.1% for
      spiritual meditation, 1.9% for mindfulness meditation, and 1.6% for mantra
      meditation. This represents approximately 7.0, 4.3, and 3.6 million adults
      respectively. A comparison across the three meditation practices found many
      similarities in user characteristics, suggesting interest in meditation may be
      more related to the type of person meditating than to the type of practice
      selected. Across meditation styles use was more prevalent among respondents who
      were female, non-Hispanic White, college educated, physically active; who used
      other complementary health practices; and who reported depression. Higher
      utilization of conventional healthcare services was one of the strongest
      predictors of use of all three styles. In addition to similarities, important
      distinctions were observed. For example, spiritual meditation practice was more
      prevalent among former drinkers. This may reflect use of spiritual meditation
      practices in support of alcohol treatment and sobriety. Reasons for use of
      meditation were examined using the sample of respondents who practiced
      mindfulness meditation. Wellness and prevention (74%) was a more common reason
      than use to treat a specific health condition (30%). Common reasons for use
      included stress management (92%) and emotional well-being (91%), and to support
      other health behaviors. Meditation was viewed positively because it was self-care
      oriented (81%) and focused on the whole person (79%). CONCLUSION: Meditation
      appears to provide an accessible, self-care resource that has potential value for
      mental health, behavioral self-regulation, and integrative medical care.
      Considering consumer preference for distinct types of meditation practices,
      understanding the underlying mechanisms, benefits, and applications of practice
      variations is important.

PMID- 28619093
TI  - Serial immunomonitoring of cancer patients receiving combined antagonistic anti
      CD40 and chemotherapy reveals consistent and cyclical modulation of T cell and
      dendritic cell parameters.
AB  - BACKGROUND: CD40 signalling can synergise with chemotherapy in preclinical cancer
      models, and early clinical studies are promising. We set out to define the
      immunological changes associated with this therapeutic combination to identify
      biomarkers for a response to the therapy. Here, we present serial
      immunomonitoring examining dendritic cell and T cell subpopulations over
      sequential courses of chemoimmunotherapy. METHODS: Fifteen patients with
      mesothelioma received up to six 21-day cycles of pemetrexed plus cisplatin
      chemotherapy and anti-CD40 (CP-870,893). Peripheral blood was collected weekly,
      and analysed by flow cytometry. Longitudinal immunophenotyping data was analysed
      by linear mixed modelling, allowing for variation between patients. Exploratory
      analyses testing for any correlation between overall survival and
      immunophenotyping data were undertaken up to the third cycle of treatment.
      RESULTS: Large statistically significant cyclical variations in the proportions
      of BDCA-1+, BDCA-2+ and BDCA-3+ dendritic cells were observed, although all
      subsets returned to baseline levels after each cycle and no significant changes
      were observed between start and end of treatment. Expression levels of CD40 and
      HLA-DR on dendritic cells were also cyclically modulated, again without
      significant change between start and end of treatment. CD8 and CD4 T cell
      populations, along with regulatory T cells, effector T cells, and markers of
      proliferation and activation, showed similar patterns of statistically
      significant cyclical modulation in response to therapy without changes between
      start and end of treatment. Exploratory analysis of endpoints revealed that
      patients with a higher than average proportion of BDCA-2+ dendritic cells (p =
      0.010) or a higher than average proportion of activated (ICOS+) CD8 T cells
      (0.022) in pretreatment blood samples had better overall survival. A higher than
      average proportion of BDCA-3+ dendritic cells was associated with poorer overall
      survival at both the second (p = 0.008) and third (p = 0.014) dose of anti-CD40.
      CONCLUSIONS: Substantial cyclical variations in DC and T cell populations during
      sequential cycles of chemoimmunotherapy highlight the critical importance of
      timing of immunological biomarker assessments in interpretation of results and
      the value of linear mixed modelling in interpretation of longitudinal change over
      a full treatment course. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia New Zealand Clinical
      Trials Registry number ACTRN12609000294257 (18th May 2009).

PMID- 28619094
TI  - Morphologic and molecular study of lung cancers associated with idiopathic
      pulmonary fibrosis and other pulmonary fibroses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primitive lung cancers developed on lung fibroses are both diagnostic
      and therapeutic challenges. Their incidence may increase with new more efficient
      lung fibrosis treatments. Our aim was to describe a cohort of lung cancers
      associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other lung fibrotic
      disorders (non-IPF), and to characterize their molecular alterations using
      immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing (NGS). METHODS: Thirty-one
      cancer samples were collected from 2001 to 2016 in two French reference centers
      for pulmonary fibrosis - 18 for IPF group and 13 for non-IPF group. NGS was
      performed using an ampliseq panel to analyze hotspots and targeted regions in 22
      cancer-associated genes. ALK, ROS1 and PD-L1 expressions were assessed by
      immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent
      histologic subtype in the IPF group (44%), adenocarcinoma was the most frequent
      subtype in the non-IPF group (62%). Forty-one mutations in 13 genes and one EGFR
      amplification were identified in 25 samples. Two samples had no mutation in the
      selected panel. Mutations were identified in TP53 (n = 20), MET (n = 4), BRAF (n
      = 3), FGFR3, PIK3CA, PTEN, STK11 (n = 2), SMAD4, CTNNB1, DDR2, ERBB4, FBXW7 and
      KRAS (n = 1) genes. No ALK and ROS1 expressions were identified. PD-L1 was
      expressed in 10 cases (62%) with only one (6%) case >50%. CONCLUSIONS: This
      extensive characterization of lung fibrosis-associated cancers evidenced
      molecular alterations which could represent either potential therapeutic targets
      either clues to the pathophysiology of these particular tumors. These findings
      support the relevance of large molecular characterization of every lung fibrosis
      associated cancer.

PMID- 28619095
TI  - Integrated pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model to evaluate the in vivo
      antimicrobial activity of Marbofloxacin against Pasteurella multocida in piglets.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Marbofloxacin is a veterinary fluoroquinolone with high activity
      against Pasteurella multocida. We evaluated it's in vivo activity against P.
      multocida based on in vivo time-kill data in swine using a tissue-cage model. A
      series of dosages ranging from 0.15 to 2.5 mg/kg were administered
      intramuscularly after challenge with P. multocida type B, serotype 2. RESULTS:
      The ratio of the 24 h area under the concentration-time curve divided by the
      minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC24TCF/MIC) was the best PK/PD index
      correlated with the in vivo antibacterial effectiveness of marbofloxacin (R2 =
      0.9279). The AUC24TCF/MIC necessary to achieve a 1-log10 CFU/ml reduction and a 3
      log10 CFU/ml (90% of the maximum response) reduction as calculated by an
      inhibitory sigmoid Emax model were 13.48 h and 57.70 h, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Marbofloxacin is adequate for the treatment of swine infected with
      P. multocida. The tissue-cage model played a significant role in achieving these
      PK/PD results.

PMID- 28619096
TI  - Presenilins regulate synaptic plasticity and mitochondrial calcium homeostasis in
      the hippocampal mossy fiber pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Presenilins play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's
      disease, in which the hippocampus is particularly vulnerable. Previous studies of
      Presenilin function in the synapse, however, focused exclusively on the
      hippocampal Schaffer collateral (SC) pathway. Whether Presenilins play similar or
      distinct roles in other hippocampal synapses is unknown. METHODS: To investigate
      the role of Presenilins at mossy fiber (MF) synapses we performed field and whole
      cell electrophysiological recordings and Ca2+ imaging using acute hippocampal
      slices of postnatal forebrain-restricted Presenilin conditional double knockout
      (PS cDKO) and control mice at 2 months of age. We also performed quantitative
      electron microscopy (EM) analysis to determine whether mitochondrial content is
      affected at presynaptic MF boutons of PS cDKO mice. We further conducted
      behavioral analysis to assess spatial learning and memory of PS cDKO and control
      mice at 2 months in the Morris water maze. RESULTS: We found that long-term
      potentiation and short-term plasticity, such as paired-pulse and frequency
      facilitation, are impaired at MF synapses of PS cDKO mice. Moreover, post-tetanic
      potentiation (PTP), another form of short-term plasticity, is also impaired at MF
      synapses of PS cDKO mice. Furthermore, blockade of mitochondrial Ca2+ efflux
      mimics and occludes the PTP deficits at MF synapses of PS cDKO mice, suggesting
      that mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis is impaired in the absence of PS.
      Quantitative EM analysis showed normal number and area of mitochondria at
      presynaptic MF boutons of PS cDKO mice, indicating unchanged mitochondrial
      content. Ca2+ imaging of dentate gyrus granule neurons further revealed that
      cytosolic Ca2+ increases induced by tetanic stimulation are reduced in PS cDKO
      granule neurons in acute hippocampal slices, and that inhibition of mitochondrial
      Ca2+ release during high frequency stimulation mimics and occludes the Ca2+
      defects observed in PS cDKO neurons. Consistent with synaptic plasticity
      impairment observed at MF and SC synapses in acute PS cDKO hippocampal slices, PS
      cDKO mice exhibit profound spatial learning and memory deficits in the Morris
      water maze. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate the importance of PS in the
      regulation of synaptic plasticity and mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis in the
      hippocampal MF pathway.

PMID- 28619097
TI  - Adipose tissue-derived stromal vascular fraction in regenerative medicine: a
      brief review on biology and translation.
AB  - Adipose/fat tissue provides an abundant source of stromal vascular fraction (SVF)
      cells for immediate administration and can also give rise to a substantial number
      of cultured, multipotent adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs). Recently, both
      SVF and ADSCs have gained wide-ranging translational significance in regenerative
      medicine. Initially used for cosmetic breast enhancement, this mode of treatment
      has found use in many diseases involving immune disorders, tissue degeneration,
      and ischaemic conditions. In this review, we try to address several important
      aspects of this field, outlining the biology, technology, translation, and
      challenges related to SVF- and ADSC-based therapies. Starting from the basics of
      SVF and ADSC isolation, we touch upon recently developed technologies, addressing
      elements of novel methods and devices under development for point-of-care
      isolation of SVF. Characterisation of SVF cells and ADSCs is also an evolving
      area and we look into unusual expression of CD34 antigen as an interesting marker
      for such purposes. Based on reports involving different cells of the SVF, we draw
      a potential mode of action, focussing on angiogenesis since it involves multiple
      cells, unlike immunomodulation which is governed predominantly by ADSCs. We have
      looked into the latest research, experimental therapies, and clinical trials
      which are utilising SVF/ADSCs in conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's
      disease, peripheral neuropathy, osteoarthritis, diabetic foot ulcer, and so
      forth. However, problems have arisen with regards to the lack of proper
      regulatory guidelines for such therapies and, since the introduction of US Food
      and Drug Administration draft guidelines and the Reliable and Effective Growth
      for Regenerative Health Options that Improve Wellness (REGROW) Act, the debate
      became more public with regards to safe and efficacious use of these cells.

PMID- 28619098
TI  - Interventions to prevent hemodynamic instability during renal replacement therapy
      for acute kidney injury: a systematic review protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic instability during renal replacement therapy (HIRRT) in
      the form of intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a frequent complication of
      hemodialysis in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), and most studies have focused on
      this chronic population. However, HIRRT is also an important concern for
      critically ill ICU patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), complicating an
      estimated 30% of dialysis treatments in this population. HIRRT can exacerbate
      organ hypoperfusion in the setting of critical illness and may negatively impact
      renal recovery in the AKI population. This is a protocol for a systematic review
      to synthesize the evidence surrounding dialysis-related interventions used to
      minimize HIRRT in critically ill patients with RRT-requiring AKI. This protocol
      has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic
      Reviews (PROSPERO) database. METHODS/DESIGN: We will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, and
      CENTRAL databases in collaboration with a health information specialist using a
      comprehensive search strategy. We will also supplement our search with a scan of
      the "gray literature" to identify relevant ongoing trials or conference
      abstracts. Observational studies and clinical trials will be included in our
      analysis. Our outcomes will include the incidence of HIRRT, dialysis-related
      complications, in-hospital mortality, and renal recovery. Prior to our search, we
      performed an initial search of these databases and PROSPERO, which yielded no
      prior or ongoing systematic reviews on this topic. Two reviewers will
      independently screen the list of identified abstracts using pre-defined inclusion
      and exclusion criteria. Two reviewers will then independently extract data from
      selected studies and undertake an assessment of their quality using validated
      tools. DISCUSSION: HIRRT is a common complication of renal replacement therapy
      not only in ESKD but also in the critically ill AKI population. It can result in
      early discontinuation of dialysis, further organ injury from hypoperfusion, and
      possibly negatively impact renal recovery. This systematic review will synthesize
      the existing evidence on the interventions employed to predict or prevent
      episodes HIRRT in critically ill patients with RRT-requiring AKI. This systematic
      review will allow for an understanding the current evidence for interventions to
      limit HIRRT in AKI and, in doing so, may also highlight areas in need of further
      research. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42016037754.

PMID- 28619100
TI  - Cyclophilin B facilitates the replication of Orf virus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Viruses interact with host cellular factors to construct a more
      favourable environment for their efficient replication. Expression of cyclophilin
      B (CypB), a cellular peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase), was found to
      be significantly up-regulated. Recently, a number of studies have shown that CypB
      is important in the replication of several viruses, including Japanese
      encephalitis virus (JEV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human papillomavirus type
      16 (HPV 16). However, the function of cellular CypB in ORFV replication has not
      yet been explored. METHODS: Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique
      was applied to identify genes differentially expressed in the ORFV-infected MDBK
      cells at an early phase of infection. Cellular CypB was confirmed to be
      significantly up-regulated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR)
      analysis and Western blotting. The role of CypB in ORFV infection was further
      determined using Cyclosporin A (CsA) and RNA interference (RNAi). Effect of CypB
      gene silencing on ORFV replication by 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50)
      assay and qRT-PCR detection. RESULTS: In the present study, CypB was found to be
      significantly up-regulated in the ORFV-infected MDBK cells at an early phase of
      infection. Cyclosporin A (CsA) exhibited suppressive effects on ORFV replication
      through the inhibition of CypB. Silencing of CypB gene inhibited the replication
      of ORFV in MDBK cells. In conclusion, these data suggest that CypB is critical
      for the efficient replication of the ORFV genome. CONCLUSIONS: Cellular CypB was
      confirmed to be significantly up-regulated in the ORFV-infected MDBK cells at an
      early phase of infection, which could effectively facilitate the replication of
      ORFV.

PMID- 28619099
TI  - Differentiated demographic histories and local adaptations between Sherpas and
      Tibetans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The genetic relationships reported by recent studies between Sherpas
      and Tibetans are controversial. To gain insights into the population history and
      the genetic basis of high-altitude adaptation of the two groups, we analyzed
      genome-wide data in 111 Sherpas (Tibet and Nepal) and 177 Tibetans (Tibet and
      Qinghai), together with available data from present-day human populations.
      RESULTS: Sherpas and Tibetans show considerable genetic differences and can be
      distinguished as two distinct groups, even though the divergence between them
      (~3200-11,300 years ago) is much later than that between Han Chinese and either
      of the two groups (~6200-16,000 years ago). Sub-population structures exist in
      both Sherpas and Tibetans, corresponding to geographical or linguistic groups.
      Differentiation of genetic variants between Sherpas and Tibetans associated with
      adaptation to either high-altitude or ultraviolet radiation were identified and
      validated by genotyping additional Sherpa and Tibetan samples. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      analyses indicate that both Sherpas and Tibetans are admixed populations, but the
      findings do not support the previous hypothesis that Tibetans derive their
      ancestry from Sherpas and Han Chinese. Compared to Tibetans, Sherpas show higher
      levels of South Asian ancestry, while Tibetans show higher levels of East Asian
      and Central Asian/Siberian ancestry. We propose a new model to elucidate the
      differentiated demographic histories and local adaptations of Sherpas and
      Tibetans.

PMID- 28619101
TI  - In vitro production of bovine embryos derived from individual donors in the
      Corral(r) dish.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since the identity of the embryo is of outmost importance during
      commercial in vitro embryo production, bovine oocytes and embryos have to be
      cultured strictly per donor. Due to the rather low yield of oocytes collected
      after ovum pick-up (OPU) per individual cow, oocyte maturation and embryo culture
      take place in small groups, which is often associated with inferior embryo
      development. The objective of this study was to improve embryonic development in
      small donor groups by using the Corral(r) dish. This commercial dish is designed
      for human embryo production. It contains two central wells that are divided into
      quadrants by a semi-permeable wall. In human embryo culture, one embryo is placed
      per quadrant, allowing individual follow-up while embryos are exposed to a common
      medium. In our study, small groups of oocytes and subsequently embryos of
      different bovine donors were placed in the Corral(r) dish, each donor group in a
      separate quadrant. RESULTS: In two experiments, the Corral(r) dish was evaluated
      during in vitro maturation (IVM) and/or in vitro culture (IVC) by grouping
      oocytes and embryos of individual bovine donors per quadrant. At day 7, a
      significantly higher blastocyst rate was noted in the Corral(r) dish used during
      IVM and IVC than when only used during IVM (12.9% +/- 2.10 versus 22.8% +/- 2.67)
      (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in blastocyst yield were observed
      anymore between treatment groups at day 8 post insemination. CONCLUSIONS: In the
      present study, the Corral(r) dish was used for in vitro embryo production (IVP)
      in cattle; allowing to allocate oocytes and/or embryos per donor. As fresh embryo
      transfers on day 7 have higher pregnancy outcomes, the Corral(r) dish offers an
      added value for commercial OPU/IVP, since a higher blastocyst development at day
      7 is obtained when the Corral(r) dish is used during IVM and IVC.

PMID- 28619102
TI  - Dl-3-n-butylphthalide protects the heart against ischemic injury and H9c2
      cardiomyoblasts against oxidative stress: involvement of mitochondrial function
      and biogenesis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) is an acute and fatal condition that
      threatens human health. Dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) has been used for the
      treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Mitochondria may play a protective role in MI
      injury. However, there are few reports on the cardioprotective effect of NBP or
      the potential mitochondrial mechanism for the NBP-induced protection against
      cardiac ischemia injury. We investigated the therapeutic effects of NBP in an in
      vivo MI model and an in vitro oxidative stress model, as well as the potential
      mitochondrial mechanism. METHODS: This study comprised two different experiments.
      The aim of experiment 1 was to determine the protective effects of NBP on MI and
      the underlying mechanisms in vivo. In part 1, myocardial infarct size was
      measured by staining with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazoliumchloride (TTC). Myocardial
      enzymes and mitochondrial enzymes were assayed. The aim of experiment 2 was to
      investigate the role of NBP in H2O2-induced myocardial ischemic injury in H9c2
      cells and to determine the potential mechanism. In part 2, H9c2 cell viability
      was evaluated. ROS levels, mitochondrial morphology, and mitochondrial membrane
      potential of H9c2 cells were measured. ATP levels were evaluated using an assay
      kit; mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the expressions of NRF-1 and TFAM, and
      mitochondrial biogenesis factors were determined. RESULTS: NBP treatment
      significantly reduced the infarct ratio, as observed by TTC staining, decreased
      serum myocardial enzymes in MI, and restored heart mitochondrial enzymes
      (isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate
      dehydrogenase (MDH), and a-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (a-KGDH) activities after
      MI. Moreover, in in vitro studies, NBP significantly increased the viability of
      H9c2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, reduced cell apoptosis, protected
      mitochondrial functions, elevated the cellular ATP levels, and promoted H2O2
      induced mitochondrial biogenesis in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. CONCLUSION:
      Collectively, the results from both the in vivo and in vitro experiments
      suggested that NBP exerted a cardioprotective effect on cardiac ischemic injury
      via the regulation of mitochondrial function and biogenesis.

PMID- 28619103
TI  - Effects of muscle dysmorphia, social comparisons and body schema priming on
      desire for social interaction: an experimental approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a relatively young diagnosis referring to
      the desire for a high degree in lean muscle mass, while simultaneously believing
      that one is insufficiently muscular, mostly found in men. It goes along with a
      risk for social withdrawal to maintain rigid exercise and dietary regimen. The
      aim of the current study was thus, to explore differences in men with and without
      a risk for muscle dysmorphia regarding their desire for social interaction.
      Furthermore, we investigated potential effects of individual social comparison
      tendencies (the tendency to compare oneself with persons who are perceived to be
      superior or inferior to oneself on a certain dimension) and of one's own body
      schema on the desire for social interaction. METHODS: One hundred physically
      active, college aged Austrian men were recruited via social media and flyers at
      fitness centers and the sports department of the University of Vienna.
      Participants were randomly assigned to a priming condition evoking their own body
      schema or a control condition and had to state their desire for social
      interaction with male or female stimulus persons of high or average
      attractiveness. We conducted a 2 (group of participant; men with vs. without a
      risk for MD) * 2 (priming condition; priming vs. non-priming) * 2 (attractiveness
      of stimulus person; highly attractive vs. less attractive) experimental design
      with different social comparison tendencies as covariates. RESULTS: Men with a
      risk for muscle dysmorphia showed lesser desire for social interaction than men
      without this risk, which can be seen as a risk factor for psychopathological
      outcomes. Generally, men with and without a risk for muscle dysmorphia did not
      differ with regard to their preferences for attractive stimulus persons as
      subjects for social interaction. We confirmed the notion that a tendency for
      downward social comparisons goes along with a diminished desire for social
      interaction. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that men with a risk for muscle
      dysmorphia appeared to be at higher risk for social withdrawal and that this is
      associated with social comparison tendencies. Future investigations on clinical
      populations are needed, for this population is highly prone to social isolation
      and negative outcomes related to it.

PMID- 28619104
TI  - Individualized dual antiplatelet therapy based on platelet function testing in
      patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a meta-analysis of
      randomized controlled trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) represents a strong risk
      factor for thrombotic events after PCI. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and
      safety of individualizing intensified dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in PCI
      treated patients with HPR based on platelet function testing (PFT). METHODS:
      Electronic databases were searched for randomized control trials that reported
      the clinical outcomes of using an intensified antiplatelet protocol with P2Y12
      receptor inhibitor comparing with standard maintenance dose of clopidogrel on the
      basis of platelet function testing. Clinical endpoints were assessed. RESULTS:
      From 2005 to 2016, thirteen clinical studies comprising 7290 patients were
      included for analysis. Compared with standard antiplatelet therapy with
      clopidogrel, the intensified protocol based on platelet function testing was
      associated with a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events
      (RR:0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.84, p = 0.005), cardiovascular death (RR:0.60, 95% CI:
      0.38-0.96, p = 0.03), stent thrombosis (RR:0.58, 95% CI: 0.36-0.93, p = 0.02) and
      target vessel revascularization (RR:0.33, 95% CI: 0.14-0.76, p = 0.009). No
      significant difference was found in the rate of bleeding events between
      intensified and standard protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with standard
      clopidogrel therapy, individualized intensified antiplatelet therapy on the basis
      of platelet reactivity testing reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events in
      patient undergoing PCI, without increasing the risk of bleeding.

PMID- 28619105
TI  - Patterns of antimicrobial resistance in intensive care unit patients: a study in
      Vietnam.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a major concern in developing
      countries. The present study sought to define the pattern of antimicrobial
      resistance in ICU patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia. METHODS: Between
      November 2014 and September 2015, we enrolled 220 patients (average age ~ 71 yr)
      who were admitted to ICU in a major tertiary hospital in Ho Chi Minh City,
      Vietnam. Data concerning demographic characteristics and clinical history were
      collected from each patient. The Bauer-Kirby disk diffusion method was used to
      detect the antimicrobial susceptibility. RESULTS: Antimicrobial resistance was
      commonly found in ceftriaxone (88%), ceftazidime (80%), ciprofloxacin (77%),
      cefepime (75%), levofloxacin (72%). Overall, the rate of antimicrobial resistance
      to any drug was 93% (n = 153/164), with the majority (87%) being resistant to at
      least 2 drugs. The three commonly isolated microorganisms were Acinetobacter (n =
      75), Klebsiella (n = 39), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 29). Acinetobacter
      baumannii were virtually resistant to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, piperacilin,
      imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin. High rates (>70%)
      of ceftriaxone and ceftazidime-resistant Klebsiella were also observed.
      CONCLUSION: These data indicated that critically ill patients on ventilator in
      Vietnam were at disturbingly high risk of antimicrobial resistance. The data also
      imply that these Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
      multidrug resistance pose serious therapeutic problems in ICU patients. A
      concerted and systematic effort is required to rapidly identify high risk
      patients and to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance in developing
      countries.

PMID- 28619106
TI  - Bone mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate ischemia/reperfusion-induced damage in
      renal epithelial cells via microRNA-223.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies have indicated that microRNA-223 (miR-223) plays a
      role in the tissue-protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). NLR family
      pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) was reported to affect a renal
      ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by exerting a direct effect on the renal
      tubular epithelium. Therefore, we investigated how miR-223 and NLRP3 might
      function in kidneys exposed to conditions of ischemia and subsequent reperfusion.
      METHODS: Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) murine renal tubular epithelial cells
      (RTECs) were cocultured with either MSCs or hypoxia-pretreated MSCs (htMSCs),
      after which the RTECs were examined for their viability and evidence of
      apoptosis. Next, miR-223 expression in the MSCs was downregulated to verify that
      MSCs protected RTECs via the transport of miR-223. Kidney I/R KM/NIH mouse models
      were created and used for in vivo studies. RESULTS: The results showed that
      coculture with MSCs significantly increased the viability of RTECs and decreased
      their rates of apoptosis. The levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin
      like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), and
      vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in samples of coculture supernatants
      were higher than those in samples of non-coculture supernatants. A bioinformatics
      analysis revealed a targeting relationship between miR-223 and NLRP3. A dual
      luciferase assay showed that miR-223 inhibited NLRP3 expression. The htMSCs
      displayed a protective function associated with an upregulation of miR-223 as
      induced by Notch1 and the downregulation of NLRP3. Conversely, inhibition of miR
      223 impeded the protective effect of MSCs. In the I/R mouse models, injection of
      either MSCs or htMSCs ameliorated the damage to kidney tissue, while suppression
      of miR-223 expression in MSCs reduced their protective effect on mouse kidneys.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that miR-223 and NLRP3 play important roles
      in the treatment of renal tissue injuries with transplanted MSCs.

PMID- 28619107
TI  - Risk factors of suicide attempt among people with suicidal ideation in South
      Korea: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suicide is a serious public health concern worldwide, and the fourth
      leading cause of death in Korea. Few studies have focused on risk factors for
      suicide attempt among people with suicidal ideation. The aim of the present study
      was to investigate the risk factors and develop prediction models for suicide
      attempt among people with suicidal ideation in the Korean population. METHOD:
      This study included 1567 men and 3726 women aged 20 years and older who had
      suicidal ideation from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
      from 2007 to 2012. Among them, 106 men and 188 women attempted suicide.
      Multivariate logistic regression analysis with backward stepwise elimination was
      performed to find risk factors for suicide attempt. Sub-group analysis, dividing
      participants into under 50 and at least 50 years old was also performed. RESULTS:
      Among people with suicidal ideation, age, education, cancer, and depressive
      disorder were selected as risk factors for suicide attempt in men. Age,
      education, national basic livelihood security, daily activity limitation,
      depressive disorder, stress, smoking, and regular exercise were selected in
      women. Area under curves of our prediction models in men and women were 0.728 and
      0.716, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to pay attention to populations
      with suicidal ideation and the risk factors mentioned above. Prediction models
      using the determined risk factors could be useful to detect high-risk groups
      early for suicide attempt among people with suicidal ideation. It is necessary to
      develop specific action plans for these high-risk groups to prevent suicide.

PMID- 28619108
TI  - Scavenging on a pulsed resource: quality matters for corvids but density for
      mammals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human food subsidies can provide predictable food sources in large
      quantities for wildlife species worldwide. In the boreal forest of Fennoscandia,
      gut piles from moose (Alces alces) harvest provide a potentially important food
      source for a range of opportunistically scavenging predators. Increased
      populations of predators can negatively affect threatened or important game
      species. As a response to this, restrictions on field dressing of moose are under
      consideration in parts of Norway. However, there is a lack of research to how
      this resource is utilized. In this study, we used camera-trap data from 50 gut
      piles during 1043 monitoring days. We estimated depletion of gut piles separately
      for parts with high and low energy content, and used these results to scale up
      gut pile density in the study area. We identified scavenger species and analyzed
      the influences of gut pile quality and density on scavenging behavior of mammals
      and corvids (family Corvidae). RESULTS: Main scavengers were corvids and red fox
      (Vulpes vulpes). Parts with high energy content were rapidly consumed, mainly by
      corvids that were present at all gut piles shortly after the remains were left at
      the kill site. Corvid presence declined with days since harvest, reflecting
      reduction in gut pile quality over time independent of gut pile density. Mammals
      arrived 7-8 days later at the gut piles than corvids, and their presence depended
      only on gut pile density with a peak at intermediate densities. The decline at
      high gut pile densities suggest a saturation effect, which could explain
      accumulation of gut pile parts with low energy content. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      shows that remains from moose harvest can potentially be an important food
      resource for scavengers, as it was utilized to a high degree by many species.
      This study gives novel insight into how energy content and density of resources
      affect scavenging patterns among functional groups of scavengers.

PMID- 28619109
TI  - Type II CRISPR/Cas9 approach in the oncological therapy.
AB  - CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a
      prokaryotic adaptable immune mechanism used by many bacteria and archaea to
      protect themselves from foreign nucleic acids. This complex system can recognize
      and cut non-self DNA in order to provide the prokaryotic organisms a strong
      defense against foreign viral or plasmid attacks and make the cell immune from
      further assaults. Today, it has been adapted to be used in vitro and in vivo in
      eukaryotic cells to perform a complete and highly selective gene knockout or a
      specific gene editing. The ease of use and the low cost are only two features
      that have made it very popular among the scientific community and the possibility
      to be used as a clinical treatment in several genetic derived pathologies has
      rapidly spread its fame worldwide. However, CRISPR is still not fully understood
      and many efforts need to be done in order to make it a real power tool for the
      human clinical treatment especially for oncological patients. Indeed, since
      cancer originates from non-lethal genetic disorders, CRISPR discovery fuels the
      hope to strike tumors on their roots. More than 4000 papers regarding CRISPR were
      published in the last ten years and only few of them take in count the possible
      applications in oncology. The purpose of this review is to clarify many
      problematics on the CRISPR usage and highlight its potential in oncological
      therapy.

PMID- 28619110
TI  - Effect of aspartic acid and glutamate on metabolism and acid stress resistance of
      Acetobacter pasteurianus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) are widely applied in food, bioengineering
      and medicine fields. However, the acid stress at low pH conditions limits acetic
      acid fermentation efficiency and high concentration of vinegar production with
      AAB. Therefore, how to enhance resistance ability of the AAB remains as the major
      challenge. Amino acids play an important role in cell growth and cell survival
      under severe environment. However, until now the effects of amino acids on acetic
      fermentation and acid stress resistance of AAB have not been fully studied.
      RESULTS: In the present work the effects of amino acids on metabolism and acid
      stress resistance of Acetobacter pasteurianus were investigated. Cell growth,
      culturable cell counts, acetic acid production, acetic acid production rate and
      specific production rate of acetic acid of A. pasteurianus revealed an increase
      of 1.04, 5.43, 1.45, 3.30 and 0.79-folds by adding aspartic acid (Asp), and cell
      growth, culturable cell counts, acetic acid production and acetic acid production
      rate revealed an increase of 0.51, 0.72, 0.60 and 0.94-folds by adding glutamate
      (Glu), respectively. For a fully understanding of the biological mechanism,
      proteomic technology was carried out. The results showed that the strengthening
      mechanism mainly came from the following four aspects: (1) Enhancing the
      generation of pentose phosphates and NADPH for the synthesis of nucleic acid,
      fatty acids and glutathione (GSH) throughout pentose phosphate pathway. And GSH
      could protect bacteria from low pH, halide, oxidative stress and osmotic stress
      by maintaining the viability of cells through intracellular redox equilibrium;
      (2) Reinforcing deamination of amino acids to increase intracellular ammonia
      concentration to maintain stability of intracellular pH; (3) Enhancing nucleic
      acid synthesis and reparation of impaired DNA caused by acid stress damage; (4)
      Promoting unsaturated fatty acids synthesis and lipid transport, which resulted
      in the improvement of cytomembrane fluidity, stability and integrity.
      CONCLUSIONS: The present work is the study to show the effectiveness of Asp and
      Glu on metabolism and acid stress resistance of A. pasteurianus as well as their
      working mechanism. The research results will be helpful for development of
      nutrient salts, the optimization and regulation of high concentration of cider
      vinegar production process.

PMID- 28619111
TI  - Two-minute disconnection technique with a double-lumen tube to speed the collapse
      of the non-ventilated lung for one-lung ventilation in thoracoscopic surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thoracic surgery requires the effective collapse of the non
      ventilated lung. In the majority of cases, we accomplished, accelerated lung
      collapse using a double-lumen tube (DLT). We hypothesized that using the two
      minute disconnection technique with a DLT would improve lung collapse during
      subsequent one-lung ventilation. METHODS: Fifty patients undergoing thoracoscopic
      surgery with physical classification I or II according to the American Society of
      Anesthesiologists were randomly divided into two groups for respiratory
      management of one-lung ventilation (OLV). In group N, OLV was initiated after the
      DLT was disconnected for 2 min; the initiation time began when the surgeon made
      the skin incision. In group C, OLV was initiated when the surgeon commenced the
      skin incision and scored the quality of lung collapse (using a four-point ordinal
      scale). The surgeon's satisfaction or comfort with the surgical conditions was
      assessed using a visual analogue scale. rSO2 level, mean arterial pressure, pulse
      oxygen saturation, arterial blood gas analysis, intraoperative hypoxaemia,
      intraoperative use of CPAP during OLV, and awakening time were determined in
      patients at the following time points: while inhaling air (T0), after anaesthesia
      induction andinhaling 100% oxygen in the supine position under double lung
      ventilation for five mins (T1), at two mins after skin incision (T2), at ten mins
      after skin incision (T3), and after the lung recruitment manoeuvres and inhaling
      50% oxygen for five mins (T4). RESULTS: The two-minute disconnection technique
      was associated with a significantly shorter time to total lung collapse compared
      to that of the conventional OLV ventilation method (15 mins vs 22 mins,
      respectively; P < 0.001), and the overall surgeon's satisfaction was higher (9 vs
      7, respectively; P < 0.001). At T2, the PaCO2, left rSO2 and right rSO2 were
      higher in group N than in group C. There were no statistically significant
      differences between the incidence of intraoperative hypoxaemia and intraoperative
      use of CPAP during OLV (10% vs 5%, respectively; P = 1.000), duration of
      awakening (18 mins vs 19 mins, respectively; P = 0.616). CONCLUSIONS: A two
      minute disconnection technique using a double-lumen tube was used to speed the
      collapse of the non-ventilated lung during one-lung ventilation for thoracoscopic
      surgery. The surgeon was satisfied with the surgical conditions. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry number, ChiCTR-IPR-17010352 .
      Registered on Jan, 7, 2017.

PMID- 28619112
TI  - Docosahexaenoic acid regulates vascular endothelial cell function and prevents
      cardiovascular disease.
AB  - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is present in high concentrations in salmon, herring,
      and trout. Epidemiologic studies have shown that high dietary consumption of
      these and other oily fish is associated with reduced rates of myocardial
      infarction, atherosclerosis, and other ischemic pathologies. Atherosclerosis is
      induced by inflammation and can lead to acute cardiovascular events and extensive
      plaque. DHA inhibits the development of inflammation in endothelial cells, alters
      the function and regulation of vascular biomarkers, and reduces cardiovascular
      risk. It also affects vascular relaxation and constriction by controlling nitric
      oxide and endothelin 1 production in endothelial cells. DHA also contributes to
      the prevention of arteriosclerosis by regulating the expression of oxidized low
      density lipoprotein receptor 1, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, thromboxane A2
      receptor, and adhesion molecules such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1,
      monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 in
      endothelial cells. Recent research showed that DHA reduces the increase in
      adhesion factor expression induced by lipopolysaccharide by suppressing toll-like
      receptor 4. A new mechanism of action of DHA has been described that is mediated
      through endothelial free fatty acid receptor 4, associated with heme oxygenase 1
      induction by Nrf2. However, the efficacy and mechanisms of action of DHA in
      cardiovascular disease prevention are not yet completely understood. The aim of
      this paper was to review the effects of DHA on vascular endothelial cells and
      recent findings on their potential for the prevention of circulatory diseases.

PMID- 28619113
TI  - Mechanisms underlying extensive Ser129-phosphorylation in alpha-synuclein
      aggregates.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized neuropathologically by intracellular
      aggregates of fibrillar alpha-synuclein, termed Lewy bodies (LBs). Approximately
      90% of alpha-synuclein deposited as LBs is phosphorylated at Ser129 in brains
      with PD. In contrast, only 4% of total alpha-synuclein is phosphorylated at
      Ser129 in brains with normal individuals. It is unclear why extensive
      phosphorylation occurs in the pathological process of PD. To address this issue,
      we investigated a mechanism and role of Ser129-phosphorylation in regulating
      accumulation of alpha-synuclein. In CHO cells, the levels of Ser129
      phosphorylated soluble alpha-synuclein were maintained constantly to those of
      total alpha-synuclein in intracellular and extracellular spaces. In SH-SY5Y cells
      and rat primary cortical neurons, mitochondrial impairment by rotenone or MPP+
      enhanced Ser129-phosphorylation through increased influx of extracellular Ca2+.
      This elevation was suppressively controlled by targeting Ser129-phosphorylated
      alpha-synuclein to the proteasome pathway. Rotenone-induced insoluble alpha
      synuclein was also targeted by Ser129-phosphoryation to the proteasome pathway.
      Experiments with epoxomicin and chloroquine showed that proteasomal targeting of
      insoluble Ser129-phosphorylated alpha-synuclein was enhanced under lysosome
      inhibition and it reduced accumulation of insoluble total alpha-synuclein.
      However, in a rat AAV-mediated alpha-synuclein overexpression model, there was no
      difference in the number of total alpha-synuclein aggregates between A53T mutant
      and A53T plus S129A double mutant alpha-synuclein, although Ser129-phosphorylated
      alpha-synuclein-positive aggregates were increased in rats expressing A53T alpha
      synuclein. These findings suggest that Ser129-phosphorylation occurs against
      stress conditions, which increases influx of extracellular Ca2+, and it prevents
      accumulation of insoluble alpha-synuclein by evoking proteasomal clearance
      complementary to lysosomal one. However, Ser129-phosphorylation may provide an
      ineffective signal for degradation-resistant aggregates, causing extensive
      phosphorylation in aggregates.

PMID- 28619115
TI  - Effectiveness of a physical activity program on cardiovascular disease risk in
      adult primary health-care users: the "Pas-a-Pas" community intervention trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity is a major, modifiable, risk factor for
      cardiovascular disease (CVD) that contributes to the prevention and management of
      CVD. The aim of this study was to assess the short- and medium-term effectiveness
      of 9 months of a supervised physical activity program, including sociocultural
      activities, on CVD risk in adults. METHODS: Multicentered, randomized, controlled
      community intervention involving 364 patients in four primary care centers. The
      participants were randomly assigned to a Control Group (CG = 104) or Intervention
      Group (IG = 260); mean age 65.19 years; 76.8% women. The intervention consisted
      of 120 min/week walking (396 METs/min/week) and sociocultural gathering once a
      month. Clinical history, physical activity, dietary intake, CVD risk factors
      (smoking, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, weight, waist circumference,
      BMI, total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glycosylated
      hemoglobin and glucose) and global CVD risk were assessed at baseline and at the
      end of the intervention and multivariate models were applied to the data.
      Incidence of adverse cardiovascular events and continued adherence to the
      physical activity were assessed 2 years after intervention. RESULTS: At the end
      of the intervention period, in the IG relative to the CG group, there was a
      significant increase in physical activity (774.81 METs/min/week), a significant
      change during the intervention period in systolic blood pressure (-6.63 mmHg),
      total cholesterol (-10.12 mg/dL) and LDL-cholesterol (-9.05 mg/dL) even after
      adjustment for potential confounders. At 2 years after the intervention, in the
      IG, compared with the CG, tthe incidence of adverse cardiovascular events was
      significantly lower (2.5% vs. 10.5%) and the adherence to regular physical
      activity was higher (72.8% vs 27.2%) in IG compared to CG. CONCLUSIONS: This
      community-based physical activity program improved cardiovascular health in the
      short- as well as medium-term, and promoted regular physical activity in the
      medium-term in older Spanish adults. TRIALS REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov ID
      NCT02767739 . Trial registered on May 5th, 2016. Retrospectively registered.

PMID- 28619114
TI  - Reducing the rate and duration of Re-ADMISsions among patients with unipolar
      disorder and bipolar disorder using smartphone-based monitoring and treatment -
      the RADMIS trials: study protocol for two randomized controlled trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unipolar and bipolar disorder combined account for nearly half of all
      morbidity and mortality due to mental and substance use disorders, and burden
      society with the highest health care costs of all psychiatric and neurological
      disorders. Among these, costs due to psychiatric hospitalization are a major
      burden. Smartphones comprise an innovative and unique platform for the monitoring
      and treatment of depression and mania. No prior trial has investigated whether
      the use of a smartphone-based system can prevent re-admission among patients
      discharged from hospital. The present RADMIS trials aim to investigate whether
      using a smartphone-based monitoring and treatment system, including an integrated
      clinical feedback loop, reduces the rate and duration of re-admissions more than
      standard treatment in unipolar disorder and bipolar disorder. METHODS: The RADMIS
      trials use a randomized controlled, single-blind, parallel-group design. Patients
      with unipolar disorder and patients with bipolar disorder are invited to
      participate in each trial when discharged from psychiatric hospitals in The
      Capital Region of Denmark following an affective episode and randomized to either
      (1) a smartphone-based monitoring system including (a) an integrated feedback
      loop between patients and clinicians and (b) context-aware cognitive behavioral
      therapy (CBT) modules (intervention group) or (2) standard treatment (control
      group) for a 6-month trial period. The trial started in May 2017. The outcomes
      are (1) number and duration of re-admissions (primary), (2) severity of
      depressive and manic (only for patients with bipolar disorder) symptoms;
      psychosocial functioning; number of affective episodes (secondary), and (3)
      perceived stress, quality of life, self-rated depressive symptoms, self-rated
      manic symptoms (only for patients with bipolar disorder), recovery, empowerment,
      adherence to medication, wellbeing, ruminations, worrying, and satisfaction
      (tertiary). A total of 400 patients (200 patients with unipolar disorder and 200
      patients with bipolar disorder) will be included in the RADMIS trials.
      DISCUSSION: If the smartphone-based monitoring system proves effective in
      reducing the rate and duration of re-admissions, there will be basis for using a
      system of this kind in the treatment of unipolar and bipolar disorder in general
      and on a larger scale. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03033420 .
      Registered 13 January 2017. Ethical approval has been obtained.

PMID- 28619116
TI  - Feasibility of a physical activity intervention during and shortly after
      chemotherapy for testicular cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Given the risk of developing acute and long-term adverse effects in
      patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy for testicular cancer (TC), risk
      reducing interventions, such as physical activity (PA), may be relevant. Limited
      knowledge is available on the challenges met when conducting PA intervention
      trials in patients with TC during and shortly after chemotherapy. The aims of the
      present feasibility study are therefore to determine patient recruitment,
      compliance and adherence to a PA intervention. RESULTS: Patients with metastatic
      TC referred to cisplatin-based chemotherapy were eligible. They followed an
      individual low-threshold PA intervention, including counseling from a personal
      coach during and 3 months after chemotherapy. Outcomes were recruitment rate,
      compliance rate and adherence to the intervention including preferences for type
      of PA and barriers for PA. During 8 months 12 of 18 eligible patients were
      invited, all consented, but three dropped out. Walking and low intensity
      activities were preferred and nausea and feeling unwell were the most often
      reported barriers towards PA. DISCUSSION: In order to achieve adequate
      recruitment, compliance and complete data in future PA intervention trials, close
      cooperation with treating physicians, individual PA plans and availability of
      personalized coaching are required. Trial registration NCT01749774, November
      2012, ClinicalTrials.gov.

PMID- 28619117
TI  - The elevation of plasma concentrations of apoB-48-containing lipoproteins in
      familial hypercholesterolemia is independent of PCSK9 levels.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported high plasma concentrations of both
      intestinal apolipoprotein (apo) B-48-containing lipoproteins and PCSK9 in
      subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). However, the extent to which
      LDL receptor deficiency and PCSK9 levels influence plasma apoB-48 concentrations
      in humans remains to be fully characterized. The objective of the study was to
      assess the independent association between FH, PCSK9 concentrations and plasma
      apoB-48 levels in a large cohort of genetically defined FH heterozygotes (HeFH)
      and homozygotes (HoFH). METHODS: A total of 118 HeFH, 6 HoFH, and 117 controls
      were included in the study. Plasma PCSK9 and apoB-48 concentrations were measured
      in the fasting state. RESULTS: Plasma PCSK9 and apoB-48 levels were higher in FH
      subjects compared with controls (PCSK9: HoFH: 642.6 +/- 246.9 vs. HeFH: 324.9 +/-
      119.8 vs. CONTROLS: 194.5 +/- 65.9 ng/mL, P < 0.0001; apoB-48: HoFH: 14.71 +/-
      4.36 vs. HeFH: 6.55 +/- 4.24 vs. CONTROLS: 3.03 +/- 2.07 MUg/mL; P < 0.0001).
      There were no correlations between apoB-48 and PCSK9 plasma levels in both
      controls (rho = 0.06, P = 0.5) and HeFH subjects (rho = 0.07, P = 0.4). Multiple
      linear regression analysis showed that the FH status was the only independent
      factor associated with apoB-48 levels, contributing to 28.7% of the variance (P <
      0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that the elevation in plasma apoB-48
      levels associated with FH is independent of PCSK9 levels. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      NCT02225340 .

PMID- 28619119
TI  - Transmission of a novel sonotubometry acoustic click stimulus in healthy and
      patulous eustachian tube subjects: a retrospective case -control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction can be very difficult to diagnose
      accurately. Our aim is to determine whether a newly developed sonotubometric test
      using clicks can reliably detect ET opening during swallowing in normal ET
      subjects, and patulous ET (PET) in subjects with ET dysfunction. METHODS: Sixteen
      subjects (19 normal ET ears and 6 PET ears) were individually placed in a sound
      isolated audiometry booth and subjected to a 1000Hz click train stimulus, played
      through the nose. PET subjects were identified through the ET clinic at our
      institution, while healthy subjects were recruited. Transmission through the ET
      was recorded by a microphone in the ear ipsilateral to the presenting nostril,
      during no swallow and swallow states, and this was used to compute a power ratio
      (power in the frequency range of interest to the whole frequency range). The
      power transmission ratio both before and after the swallow was averaged, and
      represented the baseline (BaseR). The power transmission ratio during swallow
      represented the peak (PeakR). The same process was repeated in the absence of a
      stimulus to account for swallowing noise. Wilcoxon rank rum tests were performed
      to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: It was found that for healthy ET
      patients, the median difference between the PeakR and BaseR was 0.51 (p = 0.004).
      For the PET patients in this study, the median difference between the PeakR and
      the BaseR was 3.30 (p = 0.041). Comparing the baseline between groups revealed
      that PET patients had a median BaseR 1.05 higher than healthy ET patients. PET
      patients had a median PeakR of 3.84 higher than healthy ET patients. Both were
      deemed to be statistically significant (p = 0.003, p = 0.003 respectively). A
      significant difference was found between median PeakR for the stimulus and no
      stimulus condition for the healthy ET group (0.59, p < 0.001) and for the PET
      group (4.39, p = 0.031), indicating that it was unlikely that swallowing noise
      caused false positive results. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that
      a novel click stimulus is capable of detecting ET opening during swallowing in
      healthy patients as well as highlighting PET in diseased subjects.

PMID- 28619118
TI  - Serum levels of leptin and high molecular weight adiponectin are inversely
      associated with radiographic spinal progression in patients with ankylosing
      spondylitis: results from the ENRADAS trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous research indicates a role of adipokines in inflammation and
      osteogenesis. Hence adipokines might also have a pathophysiological role in
      inflammation and new bone formation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
      The aim of this study was to investigate the role of adipokine serum levels as
      predictors of radiographic spinal progression in patients with AS. METHODS: A
      total of 120 patients with definite AS who completed a  2-year follow up in the
      ENRADAS trial were included in the current study. Radiographic spinal progression
      was defined as: (1) worsening of the modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis spine
      (mSASSS) score by >=2 points and/or (2) new syndesmophyte formation or
      progression of existing syndesmophytes after 2 years. Serum levels of adipokines
      (adiponectin (APN) and its high molecular weight form (HMW-APN), chemerin,
      leptin, lipocalin-2, omentin, resistin, visfatin) were measured using enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: There was a significant association between
      radiographic spinal progression and both leptin and HMW-APN. Baseline serum
      levels of both adipokines were lower in patients who showed radiographic spinal
      progression after 2 years. This association was especially evident in men; they
      had generally lower leptin and HMW-APN serum levels as compared to women. The
      inverse association between adipokines and radiographic spinal progression was
      confirmed in the logistic regression analysis: the odds ratios (OR) for the
      outcome "no mSASSS progression >=2 points" were 1.16 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.29) and
      1.17 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.38), for leptin and HMW-APN, respectively; for "no
      syndesmophyte formation/progression" the respective OR were 1.29 (95% CI 1.11 to
      1.50) and 1.18 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.42), adjusted for the presence of syndesmophytes
      at baseline, C-reactive protein at baseline, sex, body mass index (BMI), non
      steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs intake score over 2 years, and smoking status
      at baseline. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin and HMW-APN predict protection from spinal
      radiographic progression in patients with AS. Women generally have higher leptin
      and HMW-APN serum levels that might explain why they have less structural damage
      in the spine as compared to male patients with AS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT:
      2007-007637-39. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00715091 . Registered on 14 July 2008.

PMID- 28619121
TI  - Exploring patients' treatment journeys following randomisation in mental health
      trials to improve future trial conduct: a synthesis of multiple qualitative data
      sets.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The way in which pragmatic trials are designed suggests that there
      are differences between the experiences of participants randomised to usual care
      and intervention arms. These potential differences relate not only to which
      treatment participants receive but also how they access and engage with their
      allocated treatment. Such differences could affect trial results. The aim of this
      study was to assess whether such differences exist and, if they do, to consider
      their implications for the design of future trials. METHODS: Interview
      transcripts were sampled from data sets gathered during three qualitative
      studies, all of which had been nested within large, primary care depression
      trials. Each study had explored trial participants' views and experiences of
      treatments received following randomisation. Transcripts from 37 participants
      were purposefully sampled, 20 of which were from interviews held with individuals
      allocated to receive usual GP care. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS:
      There was evidence of differences between trial arms across all three data sets.
      Intervention participants were willing and able to engage with the treatment to
      which they had been allocated. Randomisation had led to them embarking upon a
      clear treatment pathway and receiving care in a context where they felt
      comfortable discussing their mental health and had sufficient time to do so.
      Intervention participants also had continuity with and confidence in the
      practitioners they saw. A few usual-care participants talked about having
      continuity with and confidence in their GPs. However, most of the usual-care
      participants reported a reluctance to consult GPs about mental health,
      difficulties in securing treatment appointments, and little or no changes in care
      following randomisation. Additionally, most reported a lack of continuity of care
      and a lack confidence in the treatment available to them. CONCLUSIONS: There are
      important differences between usual-care and intervention arms that go beyond
      treatment received, and they relate to how participants experience accessing and
      engaging with their allocated care. As these differences could affect trial
      results, researchers may want to measure or reduce them in order to fully
      appreciate or control for the range of factors that might affect treatment
      outcomes.

PMID- 28619122
TI  - Long-term results of percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty in neonatal critical
      pulmonary valve stenosis: a 20-year, single-centre experience.
AB  - : Introduction Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty is the primary treatment for
      critical pulmonary valve stenosis in neonates. Thus far, a few studies have
      reported long-term results of this technique in neonatal critical pulmonary valve
      stenosis. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective study of all consecutive
      newborns with critical pulmonary valve stenosis subjected to percutaneous balloon
      valvuloplasty at a single centre, between 1994 and 2014, to assess its immediate
      and long-term safety and efficacy. RESULTS: A total of 24 neonates presented with
      critical pulmonary valve stenosis. The mean diameter of the pulmonary annulus was
      7 mm (+/-1.19); 33.3% had a dysplastic pulmonary valve, and 92% were started on
      prostaglandin E1 treatment. Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty was performed at a
      mean age of 4.0+/-4.3 days using, on average, a balloon-to-pulmonary annulus
      ratio of 1.18 mm (with a range from 0.9 to 1.43). Immediate success was achieved
      in 22/24 patients (92%) with a reduction in the pulmonary transvalvular peak
      gradient (p<0.05) and in the right ventricle/systemic pressure ratio (p<0.05).
      There was one death (4%) 6 days after the procedure, and 29.2% of them had
      transient rhythm complications. For a mean follow-up time of 8.4 years, the re
      intervention rate was 42.9%. In total, 14 re-interventions were performed in nine
      neonates, including surgery in six. Freedom from re-intervention was 50% at 8
      years and 43% at 10 and 15 years. CONCLUSION: This series, to the best of our
      knowledge, has had the longest follow-up of neonates with critical pulmonary
      valve stenosis. Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty is a safe and effective
      treatment, and in our study 75% of the patients were exclusively treated using
      this technique.

PMID- 28619120
TI  - G6PD deficiency alleles in a malaria-endemic region in the Western Brazilian
      Amazon.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax parasites are the predominant cause of malaria
      infections in the Brazilian Amazon. Infected individuals are treated with
      primaquine, which can induce haemolytic anaemia in glucose-6-phosphate
      dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient individuals and may lead to severe and fatal
      complications. This X-linked disorder is distributed globally and is caused by
      allelic variants with a geographical distribution that closely reflects
      populations exposed historically to endemic malaria. In Brazil, few studies have
      reported the frequency of G6PD deficiency (G6PDd) present in malaria-endemic
      areas. This is particularly important, as G6PDd screening is not currently
      performed before primaquine treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the
      prevalence of G6PDd in the region of Alto do Jurua, in the Western Brazilian
      Amazon, an area characterized by a high prevalence of P. vivax infection.
      METHODS: Five-hundred and sixteen male volunteers were screened for G6PDd using
      the fluorescence spot test (Beutler test) and CareStartTM G6PD Biosensor system.
      Demographic and clinical-epidemiological data were acquired through an individual
      interview. To assess the genetic basis of G6PDd, 24 SNPs were genotyped using the
      Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR assay. RESULTS: Twenty-three (4.5%) individuals
      were G6PDd. No association was found between G6PDd and the number of malaria
      cases. An increased risk of reported haemolysis symptoms and blood transfusions
      was evident among the G6PDd individuals. Twenty-two individuals had the G6PDd A(
      ) variant and one the G6PD A(+) variant. The Mediterranean variant was not
      present. Apart from one polymorphism, almost all SNPs were monomorphic or with
      low frequencies (0-0.04%). No differences were detected among ethnic groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: The data indicates that ~1/23 males from the Alto do Jurua could be
      G6PD deficient and at risk of haemolytic anaemia if treated with primaquine. G6PD
      A(-) is the most frequent deficiency allele in this population. These results
      concur with reported G6PDd in other regions in Brazil. Routine G6PDd screening to
      personalize primaquine administration should be considered, particularly as
      complete treatment of patients with vivax malaria using chloroquine and
      primaquine, is crucial for malaria elimination.

PMID- 28619123
TI  - CHD and respiratory syncytial virus: global expert exchange recommendations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Palivizumab is the standard immunoprophylaxis against serious disease
      due to respiratory syncytial virus infection. Current evidence-based prophylaxis
      guidelines may not address certain children with CHD within specific high-risk
      groups or clinical/management settings. METHODS: An international steering
      committee of clinicians with expertise in paediatric heart disease identified key
      questions concerning palivizumab administration; in collaboration with an
      additional international expert faculty, evidence-based recommendations were
      formulated using a quasi-Delphi consensus methodology. RESULTS: Palivizumab
      prophylaxis was recommended for children with the following conditions: <2 years
      with unoperated haemodynamically significant CHD, who are cyanotic, who have
      pulmonary hypertension, or symptomatic airway abnormalities; <1 year with
      cardiomyopathies requiring treatment; in the 1st year of life with surgically
      operated CHD with haemodynamically significant residual problems or aged 1-2
      years up to 6 months postoperatively; and on heart transplant waiting lists or in
      their 1st year after heart transplant. Unanimous consensus was not reached for
      use of immunoprophylaxis in children with asymptomatic CHD and other co-morbid
      factors such as arrhythmias, Down syndrome, or immunodeficiency, or during a
      nosocomial outbreak. Challenges to effective immunoprophylaxis included the
      following: multidisciplinary variations in identifying candidates with CHD and
      prophylaxis compliance; limited awareness of severe disease risks/burden; and
      limited knowledge of respiratory syncytial virus seasonal patterns in
      subtropical/tropical regions. CONCLUSION: Evidence-based immunoprophylaxis
      recommendations were formulated for subgroups of children with CHD, but more data
      are needed to guide use in tropical/subtropical countries and in children with
      certain co-morbidities.

PMID- 28619124
TI  - Multiplex tests to identify gastrointestinal bacteria, viruses and parasites in
      people with suspected infectious gastroenteritis: a systematic review and
      economic analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastroenteritis is a common, transient disorder usually caused by
      infection and characterised by the acute onset of diarrhoea. Multiplex
      gastrointestinal pathogen panel (GPP) tests simultaneously identify common
      bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens using molecular testing. By providing
      test results more rapidly than conventional testing methods, GPP tests might
      positively influence the treatment and management of patients presenting in
      hospital or in the community. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the evidence
      for GPP tests [xTAG(r) (Luminex, Toronto, ON, Canada), FilmArray (BioFire
      Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, UT, USA) and Faecal Pathogens B (AusDiagnostics,
      Beaconsfield, NSW, Australia)] and to develop a de novo economic model to compare
      the cost-effectiveness of GPP tests with conventional testing in England and
      Wales. DATA SOURCES: Multiple electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web
      of Science and the Cochrane Database were searched from inception to January 2016
      (with supplementary searches of other online resources). REVIEW METHODS: Eligible
      studies included patients with acute diarrhoea; comparing GPP tests with standard
      microbiology techniques; and patient, management, test accuracy or cost
      effectiveness outcomes. Quality assessment of eligible studies used tailored
      Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2, Consolidated Health Economic
      Evaluation Reporting Standards and Philips checklists. The meta-analysis included
      positive and negative agreement estimated for each pathogen. A de novo decision
      tree model compared patients managed with GPP testing or comparable coverage with
      patients managed using conventional tests, within the Public Health England
      pathway. Economic models included hospital and community management of patients
      with suspected gastroenteritis. The model estimated costs (in 2014/15 prices) and
      quality-adjusted life-year losses from a NHS and Personal Social Services
      perspective. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies informed the review of clinical
      evidence (17 xTAG, four FilmArray, two xTAG and FilmArray, 0 Faecal Pathogens B).
      No study provided an adequate reference standard with which to compare the test
      accuracy of GPP with conventional tests. A meta-analysis (of 10 studies) found
      considerable heterogeneity; however, GPP testing produces a greater number of
      pathogen-positive findings than conventional testing. It is unclear whether or
      not these additional 'positives' are clinically important. The review identified
      no robust evidence to inform consequent clinical management of patients. There is
      considerable uncertainty about the cost-effectiveness of GPP panels used to test
      for suspected infectious gastroenteritis in hospital and community settings.
      Uncertainties in the model include length of stay, assumptions about false
      positive findings and the costs of tests. Although there is potential for cost
      effectiveness in both settings, key modelling assumptions need to be verified and
      model findings remain tentative. LIMITATIONS: No test-treat trials were
      retrieved. The economic model reflects one pattern of care, which will vary
      across the NHS. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic review and cost-effectiveness model
      identify uncertainties about the adoption of GPP tests within the NHS. GPP
      testing will generally correctly identify pathogens identified by conventional
      testing; however, these tests also generate considerable additional positive
      results of uncertain clinical importance. FUTURE WORK: An independent reference
      standard may not exist to evaluate alternative approaches to testing. A test
      treat trial might ascertain whether or not additional GPP 'positives' are
      clinically important or result in overdiagnoses, whether or not earlier diagnosis
      leads to earlier discharge in patients and what the health consequences of
      earlier intervention are. Future work might also consider the public health
      impact of different testing treatments, as test results form the basis for public
      health surveillance. STUDY REGISTRATION: This study is registered as PROSPERO
      CRD2016033320. FUNDING: The National Institute for Health Research Health
      Technology Assessment programme.

PMID- 28619125
TI  - Uptake, prevalence and predictors of first-time use for the 75+ Health Assessment
      Scheme.
AB  - In 1999, the Australian Federal Government introduced Medicare items for Health
      Assessments for people aged 75 years and older (75+ health assessments). This
      research examined uptake of these assessments and identified predictors of use by
      women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH).
      Assessments were identified for each year from 1999 to 2013 using linked Medicare
      data. Time to first assessment was examined, as well as social and health factors
      associated with having an assessment. From 1999 to 2013, 61.8% of women had at
      least one assessment. Almost one-third had an assessment within 2 years of their
      introduction, 25% of women died before having an assessment and 13% survived but
      did not have an assessment. Factors associated with assessment included being
      widowed, private health insurance, marital status, education, having arthritis
      and urinary incontinence, and less difficulty managing on income. Many women
      never received an assessment, and many only received one. Promotion of the 75+
      health assessments is necessary among older women to increase uptake.

PMID- 28619126
TI  - Health and wellbeing outcomes of programs for Indigenous Australians that include
      strategies to enable the expression of cultural identities: a systematic review.
AB  - Indigenous people have long maintained that strong cultural identities are
      critical to health and wellbeing. The purpose of this systematic review is to
      examine whether interventions that entail strategies to enable expression of
      cultural identities for Australian Indigenous peoples are associated with
      measurable improvements in health and wellbeing. Peer-reviewed articles that
      reported quantitatively expressed health and wellbeing outcomes involving
      Indigenous Australian participants only were included. The cultural intervention
      component was defined and assessed by Indigenous researchers on the team. A
      narrative analysis was conducted. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO
      (CRD42015027387). Thirteen articles describing eleven studies were identified,
      including one randomised control trial (RCT), one cluster RCT and two studies
      with non-randomised controls. Other studies reported on case series or cross
      sectional studies. All except two studies described multiple intervention
      strategies. Eight studies showed significant improvement in at least one
      psychosocial, behavioural or clinical measure, with two showing a positive
      direction of effect and one showing no improvement. Publication bias may
      discourage researchers to report negative findings of these interventions.
      Although studies vary in quality, this review provides evidence that
      interventions that include opportunities for expression of cultural identities
      can have beneficial effects for Australian Indigenous peoples.

PMID- 28619127
TI  - Bone mineral disturbances in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 5 not yet
      on dialysis.
AB  - AIMS: This retrospective study evaluates the success of a treatment strategy for
      secondary hyperparathyroidism in our cohort of patients with chronic kidney
      disease stage 5 who were not yet on dialysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 81
      predialysis patients from the outpatient clinic of the Department of Nephrology,
      University Medical Center Ljubljana were reviewed. We focused on serum markers
      for bone mineral metabolism including intact parathyroid hormone (PTH),
      phosphate, corrected calcium, and the usage of phosphate-binding agents and
      vitamin D analogs. Results of intact PTH and phosphorus and calcium
      concentrations were related to treatment options for secondary
      hyperparathyroidism. RESULTS: The average intact PTH concentration was 198.8 +/-
      162.5 ng/L, serum phosphate was 1.52 +/- 0.35 mmol/L, and corrected calcium was
      2.23 +/- 0.2 mmol/L. Phosphate-binding agents were prescribed in 62% patients,
      44% of these patients were on calcium-containing phosphate binders. Active
      vitamin D or synthetic vitamin D analogs were given to 65% of patients, and 48%
      of all received a combination of active vitamin D derivate and inactive vitamin D
      supplementation. Serum intact PTH was between 150 and 300 ng/L in 30%, under 150
      ng/L in 46%, and over 300 ng/L in 24% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      data show that 76% of our patients with CKD stage 5 not yet on dialysis achieved
      adequate control of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Marked reduction of intact PTH
      levels in a significant proportion of our patients prompt us to assess the
      administration of excessive amounts of calcium and/or vitamin D supplements to
      prevent over-suppression of PTH, which can induce adynamic bone disease.?.

PMID- 28619128
TI  - Bioimpedance-based rather than weight-based ultrafiltration prescription for
      children on maintenance hemodialysis?.
AB  - The determination of dry weight (DW) in young children on hemodialysis (HD)
      remains challenging. Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) is a potentially helpful means
      of estimating the need for ultrafiltration and monitoring body fluids in patients
      on renal replacement therapy, but its role has not yet been clearly defined. The
      aim of this paper is to share our experience of prescribing ultrafiltration on
      the basis of BIA parameters alone. The body weight (BW), resistance (Rx), and
      reactance (Xc) of a 3-year-old girl on chronic HD were recorded pre- and post-HD
      over a period of 16 months. The BIA parameter that best correlated with actual
      ultrafiltration (the difference between pre- and post-HD BW) was identified, and
      the equivalence between actual ultrafiltration and changes in Xc was derived to
      obtain the following equation: 1 ohm of Xc = 27.4 g of ultrafiltration. Finally,
      during 21 consecutive HD sessions, ultrafiltration was exclusively prescribed on
      the basis of the derived equation (BIA-based prescription) after having defined a
      target post-HD Xc of 45 ohm. The BIA-based prescription period was compared with
      21 consecutive HD sessions in which ultrafiltration was prescribed using the
      conventional approach based on BW (BW-based prescription). Comparison of BIA
      based and BW-based ultrafiltration prescription showed significantly fewer HD
      sessions complicated by hypotension (19 vs. 50%) or by the need for reinfusion (5
      vs. 50%), and a better overall quality of HD sessions (86 vs. 37%). No difference
      in blood pressure was observed, and no acute fluid overload event was detected in
      either period. BIA-based ultrafiltration seems to be safe, feasible, and
      effective. The described approach can be particularly useful in the case of
      patients with problems in setting or maintaining the correct DW.?.

PMID- 28619129
TI  - Randomized, two-way crossover bioequivalence study of levamlodipine besylate
      tablets in healthy Chinese subjects?.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present bioequivalence study was designed to compare the newly
      developed levamlodipine besylate 2.5-mg tablet (test) with that of its 2.5-mg
      marketed counterpart (reference) in healthy Chinese adult male volunteers.
      METHODS: A single-dose, randomized, open-label, two-period, and two-treatment
      self-crossover study was conducted in healthy Chinese volunteers after informed
      consent was obtained. In each part of the study, the subjects were randomly
      assigned to receive the test or reference product (5 mg levamlodipine) in a 1 : 1
      ratio, and then received the alternative product, following a 14-day washout
      period. Plasma levamlodipine concentrations were analyzed by liquid
      chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters
      (noncompartmental model) were assessed with WinNonlin software. Analysis of
      variance (ANOVA) and FDA (USA) bioequivalence statistical criterion of 90% CI for
      80 - 125% range (set at p <= 0.05) of geometric means ratios of test : reference
      product for C<sub>max</sub>, AUC<sub>0-t</sub>, and AUC<sub>0-infinity</sub> were
      determined. Tolerability was assessed during the entire study period. RESULTS:
      ANOVA indicated that the period, sequence, and formulation had no significant
      effect on the PK parameters (p >= 0.05), although there was a statistically
      significant difference between formulations in AUC<sub>0-t</sub> (p <= 0.05). The
      test formulation was bioequivalent to the marketed formulation as the 90% CI for
      the ratio of geometric means of C<sub>max</sub> (84.52 - 103.00%), AUC<sub>0
      t</sub> (87.49 - 98.23%), and AUC<sub>0-infinity</sub> (84.30 - 103.25%) were
      within equivalence limits (80 - 125%) under fasting condition. No serious adverse
      events were found among the subjects. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that test
      and reference levamlodipine besylate tablets were bioequivalent under fasting
      condition.?.

PMID- 28619130
TI  - Occurrence of Mycoplasma hyorhinis infections in fattening pigs and association
      with clinical signs and pathological lesions of Enzootic Pneumonia.
AB  - Respiratory disorders in fattening pigs are of major concern worldwide.
      Particularly Enzootic Pneumonia remains a problem for the pig industry. This
      chronic respiratory disease is primarily caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.
      hyopneumoniae). However, more recently it was hypothesised that M. hyorhinis can
      also cause similar lung lesions. To investigate the relevance of M. hyorhinis as
      a cause of pneumonia in fattening pigs 10 farms in Switzerland (considered free
      of Enzootic Pneumonia) and 20 farms in Germany (regarded as endemic for Enzootic
      Pneumonia) with a history of chronic and/or recurrent respiratory diseases were
      included in the study. During a one-time farm visit the coughing index was
      determined in the batch of oldest fattening pigs in each farm before submission
      to slaughter. In total, 1375 lungs from these pigs were collected at the abattoir
      and individually scored for lesions. Furthermore, 600 lungs with, if present,
      indicative lesions for Enzootic Pneumonia (purple to grey areas of tissue
      consolidation in the cranio-ventral lung lobes) were tested for mycoplasma
      species by culture and by real-time PCR for the presence of M. hyorhinis and M.
      hyopneumoniae. In total, 15.7% of the selected lungs were tested positive for M.
      hyorhinis by real-time PCR. The prevalence of M. hyorhinis was 10% in Switzerland
      and 18.5% in Germany and differed significantly between these two countries
      (p=0.007). M. hyorhinis was detected significantly more often in pneumonic lungs
      (p=0.004) but no significant association was found between M. hyorhinis and the
      coughing index or the M. hyopneumoniae status of the pig. M. hyopneumoniae was
      detected in 0% and 78.5% of the selected lungs in Switzerland and Germany,
      respectively. We found no evidence that M. hyorhinis alone can lead to similar
      lung lesions as seen by an infection with M. hyopneumoniae in fattening pigs. In
      addition, a simultaneous infection with both M. hyorhinis and M. hyopneumoniae
      did not aggravate the observed lung lesions. Moreover, the presence of M.
      hyorhinis showed no clinical effect in terms of coughing at least at the end of
      the fattening phase. However, different levels of virulence of M. hyorhinis
      isolates as well as interactions with viral pathogens like porcine reproductive
      and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) or porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) were
      reported in the literature and need to be further investigated.

PMID- 28619131
TI  - Comparison of sample types and diagnostic methods for in vivo detection of
      Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae during early stages of infection.
AB  - Detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in live pigs during the early stages of
      infection is critical for timely implementation of control measures, but is
      technically challenging. This study compared the sensitivity of various sample
      types and diagnostic methods for detection of M. hyopneumoniae during the first
      28days after experimental exposure. Twenty-one 8-week old pigs were intra
      tracheally inoculated on day 0 with M. hyopneumoniae strain 232. Two age matched
      pigs were mock inoculated and maintained as negative controls. On post
      inoculation days 0, 2, 5, 9, 14, 21 and 28, nasal swabs, laryngeal swabs,
      tracheobronchial lavage fluid, and blood samples were obtained from each pig and
      oral fluid samples were obtained from each room in which pigs were housed. Serum
      samples were assayed by ELISA for IgM and IgG M. hyopneumoniae antibodies and C
      reactive protein. All other samples were tested for M. hyopneumoniae DNA by
      species-specific real-time PCR. Serum antibodies (IgG) to M. hyopneumoniae were
      detected in challenge-inoculated pigs on days 21 and 28. M. hyopneumoniae DNA was
      detected in samples from experimentally inoculated pigs beginning at 5days post
      inoculation. Laryngeal swabs at all samplings beginning on day 5 showed the
      highest sensitivity for M. hyopneumoniae DNA Detection, while oral fluids showed
      the lowest sensitivity. Although laryngeal swabs are not considered the typical
      M. hyopneumoniae diagnostic sample, under the conditions of this study laryngeal
      swabs tested by PCR proved to be a practical and reliable diagnostic sample for
      M. hyopneumoniae detection in vivo during early-stage infection.

PMID- 28619132
TI  - Co-infection of H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus and infectious bronchitis
      virus decreases SP-A expression level in chickens.
AB  - Chicken surfactant protein A (cSP-A) is a collectin believed to play an important
      role in antiviral immunity. However, cSP-A expression in the respiratory tract of
      chickens after viral co-infection remains unclear. The aim of this study was the
      detection and characterization of cSP-A in co-infected chickens. For this
      purpose, four-week-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were divided into
      five groups and inoculated intranasally with H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus
      (AIV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), or Newcastle disease virus (NDV).
      Chickens were sacrificed at three days post inoculation, and the lung, trachea,
      and air sac samples were taken to determine histological changes and expression
      levels of cSP-A mRNA and cSP-A protein. The cSP-A mRNA and its protein were
      detected separately using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptional
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (S-ELISA), and an immunohistochemistry assay (IHC). In comparison, for the PBS
      group as the negative group and the NDV-infected group as the positive group, the
      histological changes showed that the lesions of the AIV+ IBV co-infected group
      were more serious compared to the AIV-infected group and the IBV-infected group.
      Consequently, the expression level of cSP-A in the AIV+IBV co-infected group
      significantly decreased when compared to the AIV-infected group and the IBV
      infected group by qRT-PCR, ELISA, and IHC analysis. The mechanism of the
      downregulation of SP-A expression level will be addressed in future.

PMID- 28619133
TI  - Equine herpesvirus type 1 induces both neurological and respiratory disease in
      Syrian hamsters.
AB  - The equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is an important cause of
      myeloencephalopathy and respiratory disease in horses. Animal models for EHV-1
      infection have been specially developed using mice and Syrian hamsters
      (Mesocricetus auratus). However, few studies have attempted to evaluate the
      pathogenesis of EHV-1 infection in the central nervous system (CNS) and
      respiratory system of hamsters. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate
      the pathogenesis of four Brazilian EHV-1 strains within the CNS and lungs of
      Syrian hamsters. Hamsters intranasally infected with A4/72, A9/92, A3/97, and
      Iso/72 EHV-1 strains developed severe neurological and respiratory signs and died
      during acute EHV-1 infection within 3 to 5days post-inoculation. However,
      neurological signs were more severe in A4/72 and A9/92-infected hamsters, whereas
      respiratory signs were more prominent in A3/97 and Iso/72-infected hamsters. In
      the latter, lesions in the CNS were predominantly inflammatory, whereas in A4/72
      and A9/92-infected hamsters, neuronal and liquefactive necrosis were the
      predominant lesions. EHV-1 infected hamsters also developed an interstitial
      pneumonia with infiltration of alveolar septa by macrophages, neutrophils, and
      lymphocytes, with the exception of A9/92-infected hamsters, which developed
      severe hemorrhages within the airways. EHV-1 antigens were detected along with
      CNS and pulmonary lesions. EHV-1 was also recovered from CNS of all infected
      hamsters, whereas the virus was recovered from the lungs of A4/72, A9/92, and
      Iso/72-infected hamsters. Brazilian EHV-1 strains caused both severe CNS and
      respiratory disease in hamsters, thus making this species an interesting model
      for EHV-1 infection in the CNS and respiratory system.

PMID- 28619134
TI  - Genetic, antigenic, and pathogenic characteristics of avian infectious bronchitis
      viruses genotypically related to 793/B in China.
AB  - In this study, 20 infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) strains, which were
      genotypically related to 793/B, as assessed by an S1 gene comparison and a
      complete genomic sequence analysis, were isolated and identified from 2009 to
      2014 in China. Phylogenetic analysis, network tree, similarity plot analysis,
      Recombination Detection Program 4(RDP4) and sequence comparison revealed that 12
      of the 20 isolates were likely the reisolated vaccine virus. One isolate,
      ck/CH/LSD/110857, was shown to have originated from recombination events between
      H120- and 4/91-like vaccine strains that did not result in changes of
      antigenicity and pathogenicity. The remaining seven IBV isolates were shown to
      have originated from recombination events between a 4/91-like vaccine strain and
      a GX-LY9-like virus, which were responsible for the emergence of a novel
      serotype. A vaccination-challenge test found that vaccination with the 4/91
      vaccine strain did not provide protection against challenge with the recombinant
      viruses. In addition, the results showed that the recombination events between
      the vaccine and field strains resulted in altered genetics, serotype,
      antigenicity, and pathogenicity compared with those of their deduced parental
      viruses. The results are important not only because this virus is of economic
      importance to poultry industry, but also because it is important for elucidating
      the origin and evolution of other coronaviruses.

PMID- 28619135
TI  - In vitro adherence and invasion of primary chicken oviduct epithelial cells by
      Gallibacterium anatis.
AB  - Gallibacterium anatis (G. anatis) has been suggested to have a causal role in
      salpingitis and peritonitis in egg-laying chickens, leading to decreased egg
      production and increased mortality worldwide. Adherence and invasion of
      epithelial cells are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of G. anatis
      infection. The purpose of this article was to study adherence and invasion of G.
      anatis using two G. anatis strains of different virulence (Yu-PDS-RZ-1-SLG
      strain, highly virulent and F149T strain, non-virulent) via infection of the
      primary chicken oviduct epithelial cells (PCOECs).The results showed that Yu-PDS
      RZ-1 -SLG strain was able to attach to PCOECs at higher levels than that of F149T
      strain, but no invasion was observed with either strain. However, cell debris and
      cell apoptosis were observed after being exposed to G. anatis Yu-PDS-RZ-1-SLG for
      90min, whereas G. anatis F149T did not cause cell damage, and adherence was
      prevented by trypsin treatment of bacterial cells. Cytokines were detected by
      ELISA after infection, and the results showed that the expression of IL-6, TNF
      alpha, and IFN-gamma levels was higher in virulent strain infection than that of
      the avirulent group. Results also indicated that the highly virulent strain G.
      anatis displayed an increased level of adherence. Changes in cytokine profiles in
      this study suggested that the production of cytokines might influence the
      microenvironment of oviduct and promote adherence, serving as a possible
      mechanism inducing cell damage.

PMID- 28619136
TI  - Coimmunization with recombinant epitope-expressing baculovirus enhances
      protective effects of inactivated H5N1 vaccine against heterologous virus.
AB  - H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), poses a significant
      threat to poultry and human health. However, currently available inactivated
      influenza vaccines are less efficacious against viruses that display antigenic
      drift. In this study, we constructed a recombinant baculovirus (BV-HMNN)
      expressing four conserved antigen epitopes: H5N1 hemagglutinin stem area amino
      acids 76-130 (HA2 76-130); three tandem repeats from the ectodomain of the
      conserved influenza matrix protein M2 (3M2e); nucleoprotein amino acids 55-69
      (NP55-69); and nucleoprotein amino acids 380-393 (NP380-393). We evaluated the
      immunogenicity and protective efficacy of coimmunization with an inactivated
      avian influenza virus vaccine (Re6) and the recombinant baculovirus (BV-HMNN)
      against heterologous viral infection in specific-pathogen-free chickens. The
      chickens immunized with both vaccines (Re6+BV-HMNN) achieved complete protection,
      was significantly greater than that of chickens vaccinated with Re6 alone. BV
      HMNN-supplemented vaccination also reduced viral shedding more effectively than
      nonsupplemented vaccination. We conclude that coimmunization with both vaccines
      was superior to immunization with the inactivated vaccine alone in inducing cross
      protection against heterologous H5N1 virus.

PMID- 28619137
TI  - Determinants of virulence and of resistance to ceftiofur, gentamicin, and
      spectinomycin in clinical Escherichia coli from broiler chickens in Quebec,
      Canada.
AB  - Antimicrobials are frequently used for the prevention of avian colibacillosis,
      with gentamicin used for this purpose in Quebec until 2003. Ceftiofur was also
      used similarly, but voluntarily withdrawn in 2005 due to increasing resistance.
      Spectinomycin-lincomycin was employed as a replacement, but ceftiofur use was
      partially reinstated in 2007 until its definitive ban by the poultry industry in
      2014. Gentamicin resistance frequency increased during the past decade in
      clinical Escherichia coli isolates from broiler chickens in Quebec, despite this
      antimicrobial no longer being used. Since this increase coincided with the use of
      spectinomycin-lincomycin, co-selection of gentamicin resistance through
      spectinomycin was suspected. Therefore, relationships between spectinomycin,
      gentamicin, and ceftiofur resistance determinants were investigated here. The
      distribution of 13 avian pathogenic E. coli virulence-associated genes and their
      association with spectinomycin resistance were also assessed. A sample of 586 E.
      coli isolates from chickens with colibacillosis in Quebec between 2009 and 2013
      was used. The major genes identified for resistance to ceftiofur, gentamicin, and
      spectinomycin were blaCMY, aac(3)-VI, and aadA, respectively. The aadA and aac(3)
      VI genes were strongly associated and shown to be located on a modified class 1
      integron. The aadA and blaCMY genes were negatively associated, but when present
      together, were generally located on the same plasmids. No statistical positive
      association was observed between aadA and virulence genes, and virulence genes
      were only rarely detected on plasmids encoding spectinomycin resistance. Thus,
      the use of spectinomycin-lincomycin may likely select for gentamicin but not
      ceftiofur resistance, nor for any of the virulence-associated genes investigated.

PMID- 28619138
TI  - Newcastle disease virus-like particles induce DC maturation through TLR4/NF
      kappaB pathway and facilitate DC migration by CCR7-CCL19/CCL21 axis.
AB  - Newcastle disease virus-like particles (NDV VLPs) are a potential candidate
      vaccine, as shown by eliciting specific immune response against NDV in mice and
      chickens. Activation of dendritic cells (DCs) is critical to initiate immune
      response. However, the mechanism of how NDV VLPs induce DC maturation and
      migration remains elusive. In this study, we found that NDV VLPs are efficient in
      DC activation by up-regulating surface MHC II and costimulatory molecules, and
      proinflammatory cytokines through the TLR4/NF-kappaB pathway. Furthermore, NDV
      VLPs elevated CCR7 expression on DCs, resulting in DC migration towards
      CCL19/CCL21 both in vitro and ex vivo. As a consequence of DC maturation and
      migration, CD4+ T cells were also activated in vivo, demonstrating increased
      intracellular IFN-gamma and IL-4 levels. Together, these results present new
      insights for NDV VLPs induced DC maturation and migration, providing a better
      understanding of VLP-triggered innate immune responses.

PMID- 28619139
TI  - Analysis of antigenicity and pathogenicity reveals major differences among QX
      like infectious bronchitis viruses and other serotypes.
AB  - Avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes considerable damage to
      the poultry industry worldwide and the proportion of QX-like genotype isolates
      have increased over time. Here, to better understand the antigenicity and
      pathogenicity of this genotype, we conducted sequence analyses, cross
      neutralization tests, and also examined the pathogenicity of two strains, SD and
      SZ. Sequence analyses revealed that SD and SZ isolates belong to the QX-like IBV
      genotype and share high homology in their full-length genomes. Cross
      neutralization tests showed high cross neutralization between SD and SZ, but
      distant relationships with other representative strains of the classical IBV
      serotypes. Virus infection experiments showed that SD caused high mortality with
      strong respiratory and renal pathogenicity in chickens, whereas SZ caused milder
      lesions by comparison. This study highlights the big discrepancy in antigenicity
      that exists between QX-like strains and other serotypes. Collectively, these
      findings provide important information about the epidemiology and pathogenicity
      of IBV, which may benefit the control of IB in the poultry industry.

PMID- 28619140
TI  - Decreased egg production in laying hens associated with infection with genotype 3
      avian hepatitis E virus strain from China.
AB  - To determine the relationship between decreased egg production and avian HEV
      infection, thirty healthy 23-week-old Hy-Line Variety Brown layer hens were
      randomly divided into 3 groups with 10 hens per group. Next, a genotype 3 avian
      HEV strain from China was used to inoculate laying hens via oronasal or
      intravenous routes using a 50% chicken infectious dose of 500. All hens were
      necropsied at 14 weeks postinoculation (wpi). Fecal virus shedding, viremia,
      seroconversion, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increases and liver lesions
      showed that after intravenous (i.v.) and oronasal inoculation, the laying hens
      were successfully infected. Compared with the uninoculated group, the i.v. and
      oronasally inoculated groups exhibited egg production decreases at 1wpi and 2wpi,
      reaching peak production at 3wpi and 8wpi, respectively. In both groups,
      decreased production was evident for 12 weeks and overall decreases ranged from
      10% to 30%. In addition, in the 7 field layer farms exhibiting decreased egg
      production, vaccination regimens had been completed against Newcastle disease,
      infectious bronchitis, avian influenza H9N2 and H5N1 and egg drop syndrome virus.
      However, circulating avian HEV was confirmed on these farms using tests to detect
      avian HEV IgG antibodies and RNA. Therefore, the experimental and field data
      indicate that avian HEV infection acting alone could account for observed
      decreases in egg production in laying hens.

PMID- 28619141
TI  - A cross-sectional study of oral antibacterial treatment patterns in relation to
      specific diarrhoeal pathogens in weaner pigs.
AB  - According to international guidelines, the use of antibacterials should be
      evidence based and prudent. This register-based, cross-sectional study
      investigates the potential effect of laboratory findings on the patterns of
      antibacterial oral (batch) medication of weaner pigs, and the level of compliance
      with national guidelines for antibacterial use. The study population includes
      1,736 weaner herds (~65% of all Danish weaner pigs) that were subject to
      laboratory analysis from the National Veterinary Institute on Brachyspira
      pilosicoli, Lawsonia intracellularis, and E.coli (F4 and F18) in 2014.
      Antibacterial prescription data were obtained from the national database,
      VetStat. These showed that antibacterial prescriptions for use in weaner pigs was
      8.6% lower in spring 2015 compared to spring 2014. The antibacterial use per pig
      tended (p=0.08) to decrease more in herds with negative laboratory results
      compared to herds with a moderate or massive occurrence of either of the
      pathogens. Irrespective of the laboratory findings on diarrhoeal pathogens,
      tetracyclines were the most frequently used antibacterials by a substantial
      margin, both 3 months prior to and 2-5 months after laboratory analysis.
      According to the national guidelines, tetracyclines are the second or third
      choice antibacterial for treatment of diarrhoeal pathogens, due to resistance and
      co-resistance patterns. Compliance with the guidelines increased in 14% of the
      herds, mostly following identification of B. pilosicoli within the herd. Between
      10% and 20% of the herds did not use batch treatment, despite the presence of
      moderate-massive amounts of the pathogens.

PMID- 28619142
TI  - Drivers of Bartonella infection in micromammals and their fleas in a
      Mediterranean peri-urban area.
AB  - People living at the human/wildlife interface are at risk of becoming infected
      with Bartonella for which micromammals act as reservoir. We aimed to determine
      the factors related to the prevalence of Bartonella and its haplotype diversity
      in micromammals and in their fleas in a Mediterranean peri-urban environment. We
      analyzed 511 micromammals, chiefly 407 wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), captured
      into Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain) in spring and autumn from 2011 to 2013
      in two natural and two adjacent residential areas, their fleas (grouped in 218
      monospecific pools) and 29 fetuses from six Bartonella-positive female wood mice.
      Amplification of a fragment of ITS was carried out by real time PCR. Prevalence
      was 49% (57% in the dominant species, the wood mouse), and 12 haplotypes were
      detected. In general, prevalence was higher in those hosts more heavily infested
      by fleas, coincident with higher rates of capture, in autumn than in spring, and
      in adults than in juveniles. Prevalence did not differ between natural and
      residential areas except for one prevalent haplotype, which was more frequent in
      natural areas. Prevalence in flea pools (58%) was only explained by Bartonella
      occurrence in the pool host. In 56.4% of the flea pools with identified
      Bartonella haplotypes, we found the same haplotype in the host and in its flea
      pool. Prevalence in wood mouse fetuses was 69%, with at least one infected fetus
      in all litters, and two litters with all the fetuses infected. indicating that
      vertical transmission might be important in Bartonella epidemiology in the wood
      mouse. There is a hazard of Bartonella infection for people living in residential
      areas and those visiting peri-urban natural areas in Barcelona.

PMID- 28619143
TI  - A bacterial ghost improves the immunological efficacy of a Newcastle disease
      virus inactivated vaccine.
AB  - Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most common contagious viral infectious
      diseases of poultry. Vaccination is an effective way to protect chickens from
      Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and large efforts have been made to acquire not
      only new vaccines but also new adjuvants to improve the efficiency of existing
      inactivated vaccines. Here, we observed the adjuvanticity of the bacterial ghost
      (BG) on the effectiveness of inactivated NDV vaccine in a chicken model. We found
      that BG, as an adjuvant with inactivated NDV vaccine, substantially strengthened
      the ND-specific antibody response and protection against lethal challenge in a
      chicken model, reduced viral shedding, strengthened the time duration of antibody
      titers, produced an available immunization effect with a low dose of vaccine, and
      improved serum IL-2 and IFN-gamma concentrations. Our results demonstrate that BG
      significantly improved the immunogenicity of an inactivated NDV vaccine and is a
      new immune adjuvant candidate.

PMID- 28619144
TI  - Recombinant human adenovirus-5 expressing capsid proteins of Indian vaccine
      strains of foot-and-mouth disease virus elicits effective antibody response in
      cattle.
AB  - Recombinant adenovirus-5 vectored foot-and-mouth disease constructs (Ad5- FMD)
      were made for three Indian vaccine virus serotypes O, A and Asia 1. Constructs co
      expressing foot-and- mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid and viral 3C protease
      sequences, were evaluated for their ability to induce a neutralizing antibody
      response in indigenous cattle (Bos indicus). Purified Ad5-FMD viruses were
      inoculated in cattle as monovalent (5*109 pfu/animal) or trivalent (5*109
      pfu/animal per serotype) vaccines. Animals vaccinated with monovalent Ad5-FMD
      vaccines were boosted 63days later with the same dose. After primary
      immunization, virus neutralization tests (VNT) showed seroconversion in 83, 67
      and 33% of animals vaccinated with Ad5-FMD O, A and Asia 1, respectively. Booster
      immunization elicited seroconversion in all of the animals (100%) in the
      monovalent groups. When used in a trivalent form, the Ad5-FMD vaccine induced
      neutralizing antibodies in only 33, 50 and 16% of animals against serotypes O, A
      and Asia 1, respectively on primo-vaccination, and titers were significantly
      lower than when the same vectors were used in monovalent form. Neutralizing
      antibody titers differed by serotype for both Ad5-FMD monovalent and trivalent
      vaccines, with Asia 1 serotype inducing the lowest titers. Antibody response to
      Ad5 vector in immunized cattle was also assessed by VNT. It appeared that the
      vector immunity did not impact the recall responses to expressed FMDV antigens on
      booster immunization. In summary, the study suggested that the recombinant Ad5
      FMD vaccine has a potential use in monovalent form, while its application in
      multivalent form is not currently encouraging.

PMID- 28619145
TI  - Thymol kills bacteria, reduces biofilm formation, and protects mice against a
      fatal infection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae strain L20.
AB  - Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of the highly contagious
      and deadly respiratory infection porcine pleuropneumonia, resulting in serious
      losses to the pig industry worldwide. Alternative to antibiotics are urgently
      needed due to the serious increase in antimicrobial resistance. Thymol is a
      monoterpene phenol and efficiently kills a variety of bacteria. This study found
      that thymol has strong bactericidal effects on the A. pleuropneumoniae 5b
      serotype strain, an epidemic strain in China. Sterilization occurred rapidly, and
      the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is 31.25MUg/mL; the A.
      pleuropneumoniae density was reduced 1000 times within 10min following treatment
      with 1 MIC. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that thymol
      could rapidly disrupt the cell walls and cell membranes of A. pleuropneumoniae,
      causing leakage of cell contents and cell death. In addition, treatment with
      thymol at 0.5 MIC significantly reduced the biofilm formation of A.
      pleuropneumoniae. Quantitative RT-PCR results indicated that thymol treatment
      significantly increased the expression of the virulence genes purC, tbpB1 and
      clpP and down-regulated ApxI, ApxII and Apa1 expression in A. pleuropneumoniae.
      Therapeutic analysis of a murine model showed that thymol (20mg/kg) protected
      mice from a lethal dose of A. pleuropneumoniae, attenuated lung pathological
      lesions. This study is the first to report the use of thymol to treat A.
      pleuropneumoniae infection, establishing a foundation for the development of new
      antimicrobials.

PMID- 28619146
TI  - Dynamics of CMY-2 producing E. coli in a broiler parent flock.
AB  - Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and plasmid mediated AmpC beta-lactamase
      (ESBL/pAmpC) producing bacteria are resistant to Extended Spectrum Cephalosporins
      (ESC), and are present in all levels of the broiler production chain. We
      determined the prevalence, concentration, and persistence of ESBL/pAmpC
      Escherichia coli in a broiler parent flock during the rearing and laying period.
      One-day old chickens were housed in four separate pens. Until week 33 no
      antibiotics or coccidiostatics were used. During rearing 57 chickens in each pen
      (n=228), and in the laying period two groups of 33 chickens were individually
      sampled (n=66). Environmental samples were taken from week 16 onwards. ESBL/pAmpC
      E. coli presence was determined by selective culturing. In the samples of week 16
      19 the concentration of ESBL/pAmpC-E. coli was determined. All ESC-resistant
      isolates found were positive for pAmpC gene blaCMY-2 located on IncA/C plasmids,
      in several E. coli MLST types. CMY-2-E. coli prevalence decreased from 91% (95%CI
      86-94%) at day 7 (week 1) to 0% (95%CI 0-5%) in week 21. However, CMY-2-E. coli
      remained present in the environmental samples during the whole study. CMY-2-E.
      coli concentration varied between detection limit (<10^3) and 2.10^4 cfu/g
      faeces. The sharp reduction of CMY-2-E. coli in this broiler parent flock in
      absence of antibiotics suggests a selective disadvantage of blaCMY-2 on IncA/C
      plasmids on animal level. The underlying mechanism should be studied further as
      this may provide new insights on how to reduce ESBL/pAmpC prevalence and
      transmission in the broiler production chain.

PMID- 28619147
TI  - Detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in naturally infected gilts over time.
AB  - Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causes a chronic respiratory infection in pigs and its
      transmission occurs mainly by direct contact and by vertical transmission (sow-to
      piglet). The objective of this study was to assess the detection dynamics and
      persistence of M. hyopneumoniae natural infection in replacement gilts. Forty
      four twenty-day-old gilts were selected from a M. hyopneumoniae positive farm and
      followed up to one day prior to their first weaning. Laryngeal swabs were
      collected every 30days, starting at day 20, for M. hyopneumoniae detection by
      real-time PCR, resulting in 12 samplings. Piglets born to selected females were
      sampled via laryngeal swabs one day prior to weaning to evaluate sow-to-piglet
      transmission. The M. hyopneumoniae prevalence was estimated at each one of the 12
      samplings in gilts and a multiple comparison test and Bonferroni correction were
      performed. Bacterial detection in gilts started at 110days of age (doa) and a
      significant increase (p<0.05) occurred at 140 doa. The M. hyopneumoniae
      prevalence remained above 20% from 140 to 230 doa, decreasing thereafter.
      However, it did not reach 0% at any sampling after 110 doa. In this study, M.
      hyopneumoniae was not detected in piglets sampled prior to weaning. The M.
      hyopneumoniae detection pattern showed that in natural infections, gilts were
      positive for M. hyopneumoniae for one to three months, but occasionally long-term
      detection may occur. Moreover, the lack of M. hyopneumoniae detection throughout
      the study in 18.2% of gilts indicated the existence of negative subpopulations in
      positive herds.

PMID- 28619148
TI  - Antigenic diversity of Brazilian isolates of HoBi-like pestiviruses.
AB  - Hobi-like viruses comprise an unclassified group of bovine pestiviruses related
      to bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 (BVDV-1) and 2 (BVDV-2). These viruses were
      originally identified in fetal bovine serum from Brazilian origin and,
      subsequently, isolated from diseased animals in several countries. Herein we
      performed an antigenic characterization of eight Brazilian HoBi-like viruses
      isolated from persistently infected (PI) animals and from gastroenteric disease
      (2007-2015). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 5' unstranslated region (UTR)
      clustered these viruses with other HoBi-like viruses from European and Asiatic
      origin. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) binding indicated variability in the Hobi-like
      virus glycoprotein E2 and significant differences from the homologous BVDV-1 and
      BVDV-2 glycoprotein. Analysis of antigenic relatedness based on virus
      neutralizing titers using virus-specific antisera revealed that HoBi-like viruses
      are antigenically very different from BVDV-1 and, to a lesser extent, from BVDV
      2. Cross-neutralizing assays between pairs of HoBi-like viruses and their
      respective antisera indicated the existence of antigenic variability among these
      viruses, even for viruses isolated from the same herd in different occasions.
      Moreover, the identification of a HoBi-like isolate with low antigenic similarity
      with the other isolates indicates the potential existence of antigenic subgroups
      among HoBi-like virus isolates. Finally, sera of lambs immunized with commercial
      BVDV vaccines showed low or undetectable neutralizing activity against HoBi-like
      isolates. These results indicate significant antigenic differences between BVDV
      genotypes and Brazilian HoBi-like viruses and the existence of antigenic
      variability within this atypical group of pestiviruses. These findings extend the
      knowledge about the antigenic diversity of HoBi-like viruses and reinforce the
      need for their inclusion in current BVDV vaccines.

PMID- 28619149
TI  - Abortion and mortality in farm mink (Neovison vison) associated with feed-born
      Clostridium limosum.
AB  - Disease in mink clinically characterized by abortion and increased mortality
      among pregnant female mink on 28 Danish farms was observed during April and May
      2015. Most of these farms suffered extensive disease problems, including a
      significant increase in the number of mated females without litters.
      Pathological, microbiological and molecular biological methods were applied to
      investigate the cause of disease. Necropsies of animals found dead revealed
      fragile and partially dissolved (liquefying) uterine tissue, with the presence of
      Gram positive rod-shaped bacteria. These slow growing bacteria were isolated by
      anaerobic culturing and identified as Clostridium limosum by both MALDI-TOF mass
      spectrometry analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. All the performed tests for
      relevant differential diagnoses were negative. Foodborne disease was indicated
      because all the affected farms were served by the same feed factory. A specific
      PCR-based analysis was developed for positive identification of C. limosum and
      used to screen archived feed samples from the implicated feed factory. Both C.
      limosum 16S rRNA genes and C. limosum collagenase genes were identified in both
      mixed feed and more specifically in raw chicken carcass used as one of the
      components in the mixed feed, which was therefore identified as the most likely
      source of contamination. Based on the results of this investigation it is
      concluded that C. limosum can be associated with abortion and increased mortality
      in pregnant mink females and it is consequently recommended that raw materials
      contaminated with C. limosum should be avoided in mink feed, in particular during
      the whelping season.

PMID- 28619150
TI  - Alpha/beta interferon receptor deficiency in mice significantly enhances
      susceptibility of the animals to pseudorabies virus infection.
AB  - Pseudorabies virus, one of the neurotropic viruses, can infect numerous mammals.
      In particular, pseudorabies virus infection of swine occurs worldwide, and is a
      major threat to swine industry. However, the mechanism underlying the interaction
      between pseudorabies virus and host innate immune system is not fully understood.
      Here, we investigated the involvement of interferon alpha/beta (IFN-alpha/beta)
      receptor (IFNAR) in the pathogenesis of pseudorabies virus in a mouse model. The
      results showed that IFNAR-deficient (IFNAR-/-) mice were highly susceptible to
      the virus infection, as evidenced by markedly reduced survival rate of infected
      animals and increased viral replication. The expression of IFN-alpha/beta and
      relevant interferon-stimulated genes in IFNAR-/- mice was significantly lower
      than that in wild-type (WT) littermates after the viral infection. Moreover, in
      response to the virus challenge, IFNAR-/- mice displayed elevated levels of
      inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-1beta, and IFNAR-/-
      cells showed increased phosphorylation of STAT3. Collectively, these data reveal
      that the IFNAR-/- mice are more sensitive to pseudorabies virus infection than WT
      animals, and excessive IL-6/STAT3 response in IFNAR-/- mice may contribute to the
      pathogenesis. Our findings suggest that type I IFNs/IFNAR-dependent homeostatic
      control of the innate immunity is required for host defense against pseudorabies
      virus infection.

PMID- 28619151
TI  - Effects of vitamin D and its metabolites on cell viability and Staphylococcus
      aureus invasion into bovine mammary epithelial cells.
AB  - Vitamin D has been found have various biological effects that may be potent in
      preventing bovine mastitis. Two forms of vitamin D, vitamin D2 (D2) and vitamin
      D3 (D3), can be hydroxylated to functional metabolites in cattle. The objectives
      of the present study were to investigate the potential of vitamin D compounds for
      controlling bovine mastitis using in vitro cell models, and to compare the
      differences between D2 and D3 compounds. Results showed that D2 compounds have
      comparable effects to their D3 analogues on inhibiting MAC-T cell viability in
      vitro. S. aureus growth was inhibited by high concentrations of D2, D3, 25(OH)D2
      and 25(OH)D3. 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 induced CYP24A1 expression but reduced VDR
      mRNA expression, whereas the expression of CYP27B1, occludin, and E-cadherin did
      not change. Additionally, the induction of CYP24A1 expression by 25(OH)D3 was
      higher than that of 25(OH)D2, which may contribute to their differences in
      inhibiting cell viability. S. aureus invaded into MAC-T cells and universally
      inhibited gene expressions. Pre-treat MAC-T cells with 25(OH)D2 reduced S. aureus
      adhesion while pre-treatment with 25(OH)D3 inhibited S. aureus invasion, but
      neither of the compounds attenuated the S. aureus-induced gene expression
      reduction. In conclusion, the present study shows that D2 compounds have
      comparable effects on inhibiting cell viability and S. aureus invasion to their
      D3 analogues in vitro, suggesting that D2 and its metabolites have potential in
      controlling bovine mastitis.

PMID- 28619152
TI  - The newly emerging duck-origin goose parvovirus in China exhibits a wide range of
      pathogenicity to main domesticated waterfowl.
AB  - Short beak and dwarfism syndrome virus (SBDSV) is a newly emerging distinct duck
      origin goose parvovirus that belongs to the genus Dependovirus. Our previous
      studies have found that SBDSV was highly pathogenic to Cherry Valley ducklings
      and mule ducklings. However, little is known about its pathogenicity to other
      waterfowls. In the present study, the pathogenicity of SBDSV was evaluated in
      domesticated waterfowl including Muscovy ducklings, Sheldrake ducklings and
      domestic goslings. All experimentally infected birds exhibited remarkable growth
      retardation, anorexia and diarrhea similar to naturally infected birds.
      Interestingly, atrophic beaks and protruded tongues were not observed in all
      infection groups. At necropsies, no diagnostic pathological lesions were
      observed. Viral antigens existed in most organ tissues such as heart, liver,
      spleen, kidney, pancreas and intestine. All ducks in Muscovy duckling and
      Sheldrake duckling infected groups and 70% goslings in infected groups were
      seropositive for goose parvovirus (GPV) antibodies at 21dpi with the average
      titers as 28.4, 26.9, 24.0, respectively. Muscovy ducklings were more prominent
      in viral load and weight loss with a higher GPV antibodies titer than Sheldrake
      ducklings and goslings. Taken together, SBDSV exhibits a wide range of
      pathogenicity to main domesticated waterfowl with variable symptoms and cause
      considerable economic losses in China.

PMID- 28619153
TI  - Identification of candidate protein markers of Bovine Parainfluenza Virus Type 3
      infection using an in vitro model.
AB  - Bovine Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 (BPI3V) infections are often asymptomatic,
      causing respiratory tissue damage and immunosuppression, predisposing animals to
      severe bacterial pneumonia, the leading cause of Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD)
      mortality. As with many pathogens, routine BPI3V serology does not indicate the
      presence of damaged respiratory tissue or active infection. In vitro proteomic
      marker screening using disease relevant cell models could help identify markers
      of infection and tissue damage that are also detectable during in vivo
      infections. This study utilised a proteomic approach to investigate in vitro
      cellular responses during BPI3V infection to enhance the current understanding of
      intracellular host-virus interactions and identify putative markers of in vivo
      infection. Through 2D gel electrophoresis proteomic analysis, BPI3V
      Phosphoprotein P and host T-complex Protein 1 subunit theta were found to be
      accumulated at the latter stages of infection within bovine fibroblasts. These
      proteins were subsequently detected using targeted multiple reaction monitoring
      (MRM) mass spectrometry in the plasma of animals challenged with BPI3V, with
      differential protein level profiles observed dependant on animal vaccination
      status. Potential mechanisms by which BPI3V overcomes host cellular immune
      response mechanisms allowing for replication and production of viral proteins
      were also revealed. Assessment of circulating protein marker levels identified
      through an in vitro approach as described may enable more effective diagnosis of
      active viral infection and diseased or damaged respiratory tissue in animals and
      allow for more effective utilisation of preventative therapeutic interventions
      prior to bacterial disease onset and significantly aid the management and control
      of BRD.

PMID- 28619154
TI  - An unusual culprit: Klebsiella pneumoniae causing septicaemia outbreaks in
      neonatal pigs?
AB  - This study investigated the cause of recent outbreaks of septicaemia in neonatal
      pigs in Australia (Victoria and Queensland). Septicaemia in neonatal pigs is
      commonly caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli, extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli
      and beta-haemolytic streptococci. Infrequent causes of septicaemia are
      Actinobacillus suis and Citrobacter freundii. Therefore, it was quite unexpected
      when Klebsiella pneumoniae was isolated in predominant growth from multiple
      organs of pigs dying of septicaemia from six days of age. Two cases in Victoria
      were associated with multilocus sequence type 25 (ST25), whereas the cases on a
      single farm in Queensland were associated with two different sequence types
      (ST278 and ST1978). Similar outbreaks of septicaemia have also occurred in
      England, but all were associated with K. pneumoniae ST25. The K. pneumoniae
      sequence types did not cluster phylogenetically into groups of isolates from the
      same geographical location or into groups which caused either septicaemia or
      pneumonia. Antibiotic resistance also varied between isolates and showed neomycin
      resistance in Queensland. These results suggest that several sequence types of K.
      pneumoniae are involved in causing outbreaks of septicaemia in neonatal pigs, in
      addition to its previously recognised role in pneumonia and mastitis.

PMID- 28619155
TI  - Black-pigmented anaerobic bacteria associated with ovine periodontitis.
AB  - Periodontitis is a polymicrobial infectious disease that causes occlusion change,
      tooth loss, difficulty in rumination, and premature culling of animals. This
      study aimed to detect species of the genera Porphyromonas and Prevotella present
      in the periodontal pocket of sheep with lesions deeper than 5mm (n=14) and in the
      gingival sulcus of animals considered periodontally healthy (n=20). The presence
      of microorganisms was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific
      primers for Porphyromonas asaccharolytica, Porphyromonas endodontalis,
      Porphyromonas gingivalis, Porphyromonas gulae, Prevotella buccae, Prevotella
      intermedia, Prevotella loescheii, Prevotella melaninogenica, Prevotella
      nigrescens, Prevotella oralis, and Prevotella tannerae. Prevalence and risk
      analysis were performed using Student's t-test and Spearman's correlation. Among
      the Prevotella and Porphyromonas species detected in the periodontal lesions of
      sheep, P. melaninogenica (85.7%), P. buccae (64.3%), P. gingivalis (50%), and P.
      endodontalis (50%) were most prevalent. P. gingivalis (15%) and P. oralis (10%)
      prevailed in the gingival sulcus. P. gulae and P. tannerae were not detected in
      the 34 samples studied. Data evaluation by t-test verified that occurrence of P.
      asaccharolytica, P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis, P. buccae, P. intermedia, P.
      melalinogenica, and P. nigrescens correlated with sheep periodontitis. The
      findings of this study will be an important contribution to research on
      pathogenesis of sheep periodontitis and development of its control measures.

PMID- 28619156
TI  - Preserved immunogenicity of an inactivated vaccine based on foot-and-mouth
      disease virus particles with improved stability.
AB  - Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the etiological agent of a highly
      contagious disease that affects important livestock species. Vaccines based on
      inactivated FMDV virions provide a useful tool for the control of this pathogen.
      However, long term storage at 4 degrees C (the temperature for vaccine storage)
      or ruptures of the cold chain, provoke the dissociation of virions, reducing the
      immunogenicity of the vaccine. An FMDV mutant carrying amino acid replacements
      VP1 N17D and VP2 H145Y isolated previously rendered virions with increased
      resistance to dissociation at 4 degrees C. We have evaluated the immunogenicity
      in swine (a natural FMDV host) of a chemically inactivated vaccine based on this
      mutant. The presence of these amino acid substitutions did not compromise the
      immunological potential, including its ability to elicit neutralizing antibodies.
      These results support the feasibility of this kind of mutants with increased
      capsid stability as suitable viruses for producing improved FMDV vaccines.

PMID- 28619157
TI  - Occurrence of a lethal ranavirus in hybrid mandarin (Siniperca
      scherzeri*Siniperca chuatsi) in Guangdong, South China.
AB  - A novel ranavirus with features similar to largemouth bass virus (LMBV) was
      isolated and then characterized from a natural mass mortality of adult hybrid
      mandarin (Siniperca scherzeri*Siniperca chuatsi). The isolated LMBV-like
      iridovirus was designated as mandarin ranavirus (MRV)-GD1301. The results of
      artificial infection showed that MRV-GD1301 was highly virulent to hybrid
      mandarin juveniles, and 100% mortality was observed within 5days after infection
      via intraperitoneal injection. Moribund fishes typically have abnormally swollen
      abdomens with extremely severe ascites and exhibit exophthalmia. The
      characteristic clinical signs have been rarely recorded in other LMBV-associated
      fish diseases and other viral diseases in mandarin aquaculture. In contrast to
      the high lethality in hybrid mandarin, MRV-GD1301 showed avirulence to koi
      Cyprinus carpio, a susceptible fish species to LMBV-like koi ranavirus (KIRV)
      found recently in India. Our findings suggest that MRV is an emerging causative
      agent of mass mortality in mandarin species.

PMID- 28619158
TI  - Low genetic diversity of bovine Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis
      isolates detected by MIRU-VNTR genotyping.
AB  - Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit and variable number tandem repeat
      (MIRU-VNTR) has been developed as a simple, rapid and cost efficient molecular
      typing method to differentiate Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis
      (MAP) isolates. The aim of this study was to determine the genomic diversity of
      MAP across the Republic of Ireland by utilising the MIRU-VNTR typing method on a
      large collection of MAP isolates. A total of 114 MAP isolates originated from 53
      herds across 19 counties in the Republic of Ireland were genotyped based on eight
      established MIRU-VNTR loci. Four INMV groups were observed during this study.
      INMV 1 was found in 67 MAP isolates (58.8%) and INMV 2 was observed in 45
      isolates (39.4%). INMV 3 and INMV 116 recorded only one isolate each (0.9%). The
      unique INMV 116 group has never been reported among herds thus far and the
      molecular pattern of the MAP isolate classified in INMV 116 showed a difference
      at the MIRU-VNTR X3 locus compared to the other three INMV groups observed. INMV
      1, INMV 2 and INMV 3 are observed frequently in Europe and comprised 99.1% of the
      total MAP isolates characterised in this study, indicating that MAP exhibited low
      level of genetic diversity across the Republic of Ireland using the MIRU-VNTR
      method. By the implementation of SNP analysis or MLSSR as an additional typing
      method, MAP genetic diversity would increase. INMV 3 is unique to Ireland and
      whereas INMV 116 has never been previously reported among herds by MIRU-VNTR
      typing.

PMID- 28619159
TI  - Original Mycobacterial Sin, a consequence of highly homologous antigens?
AB  - The role of antigens shared between Mycobacteria in in-vivo cross-reactive immune
      responses in host animals, have been reported to be responsible for reduced BCG
      vaccination efficacy as well reduced specificity of routine immunological
      diagnostic tests. This presents with significant disease control challenges in
      humans and animals. The present review highlights the results of previous studies
      on the effect of pre-sensitization to environmental mycobacteria on either
      pathogenic mycobacteria and/or M. bovis BCG, in experimental animals. It also
      takes an in-depth view into assessing the genetic similarities and relationships
      between atypical mycobacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and
      how they might explain the immunological imprint of environmental mycobacteria in
      directing the hosts' immune response upon subsequent exposure to other classes of
      mycobacteria. The outcome of this review suggests that genetic closeness between
      particular atypical mycobacteria and MTBC usually indicate a higher level of
      homology for certain shared protective antigens. This ultimately results in a
      higher level of cross reactive immune responses as compared with other atypical
      mycobacteria that are further away genetically. This would explain the different
      effects of environmental mycobacteria on MTBC that have been reported in the
      different studies. In other words the direction of the host immune system in
      response to exposure to MTBC would depend on the type of environmental
      mycobacteria that was encountered in the initial exposure. We also explain these
      mycobacterial interactions in the context of the phenomenon of "Original
      Mycobacterial Sin". The effects of these inevitable mycobacterial interactions on
      field diagnosis and control by vaccination and how to circumvent them are
      discussed.

PMID- 28619160
TI  - Protein misfolding cyclic amplification corroborates the absence of PrPSc
      accumulation in placenta from foetuses with the ARR/ARQ genotype in natural
      scrapie.
AB  - Ovine scrapie is a worldwide spread prion disease that is transmitted
      horizontally under field conditions. Placenta from scrapie-infected ewes is an
      important source of infection, since this tissue can accumulate high amounts of
      PrPSc depending on the foetal genotype. Therefore, placentas carrying susceptible
      foetuses can accumulate PrPSc but there is not PrPSc accumulation in presence of
      foetuses with at least one ARR haplotype. In scrapie eradication programs,
      ARR/ARR males are used for breeding to increase the resistant progeny and reduce
      the horizontal transmission of the disease through the placenta. The development
      of highly sensitive techniques, that allow the detection of minimal amounts of
      PrPSc, has caused many secretions/excretions and tissues that had previously been
      deemed negative to be relabeled as positive for PrPSc. This has raised concerns
      about the possible presence of minimal amounts of PrPSc in placentas from ARR
      foetuses that conventional techniques had indicated were negative. In the present
      study we examined 30 placentas from a total of 23 gestations; 15 gestations
      resulted from naturally ARQ/ARQ scrapie-infected ewes mated with ARR/ARR rams.
      The absence of PrPSc in placentas carrying the foetal ARR haplotype (n=19) was
      determined by IDEXX HerdChek scrapie/BSE Antigen EIA Test, Prionics(r)-Check
      WESTERN and corroborated by the highly sensitive Protein Misfolding Cyclic
      Amplification technique (PMCA). By immunohistochemistry, several unspecific
      stainings that might mislead a diagnosis were observed. The results of the
      present study support that using ARR/ARR males in scrapie eradication programs
      efficiently decreases the spreading of the agent in the environment via shed
      placentas.

PMID- 28619161
TI  - Antimicrobials used for surgical prophylaxis by companion animal veterinarians in
      Australia.
AB  - Antimicrobials are widely used in veterinary practices, but there has been no
      investigation into the classes of antimicrobials used or the appropriateness of
      their use in surgical prophylaxis. Antimicrobial usage guidelines were published
      by the Australian Infectious Disease Advisory Panel (AIDAP) in 2013, but there
      has been no investigation of compliance with them. This study aimed to
      investigate antimicrobial use for surgical prophylaxis in companion animal
      practice and assess compliance with AIDAP guidelines for selected conditions by
      conducting a cross-sectional study of antimicrobial usage patterns of Australian
      veterinarians using an online questionnaire. Information solicited included:
      details of the respondent, the frequency with which antimicrobials were used for
      specific surgical conditions (including dose and duration) and practice
      antimicrobial use policies and sources of information about antimicrobial drugs
      and their uses. A total of 886 members of the Australian veterinary profession
      completed the survey. Few (22%) reported that their practice that had an
      antimicrobial use policy. Generally, the choice of antimicrobial drug was
      appropriate for the given surgical conditions. There was poor compliance with
      AIDAP guidelines for non-use of antimicrobials for routine neutering.
      Veterinarians caring solely for companion animals had higher odds of optimal
      compliance with guidelines than veterinarians in mixed species practices (OR 1.4,
      95%CI 1.1-1.9). Recent graduates (>2011) had lower odds of compliance than older
      graduates (OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.6-0.9). The findings suggest that antimicrobial use
      guidelines need to be expanded and promoted to improve the responsible use of
      antimicrobials in small animal practice in Australia.

PMID- 28619162
TI  - Impact of treatments for recycled broiler litter on the viability and infectivity
      of microorganisms.
AB  - The microbiological risk of recycled litter depends on the efficacy of the
      management system applied to inactivate residual microorganisms and preserve the
      health of the successive broiler flock. This study aimed to assess the viability
      and infectivity of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), Infectious Bursal Disease
      Virus (IBDV) and Salmonella Heidelberg in recycled litter exposed to different
      treatments. The litter was contaminated with microorganisms and submitted to the
      treatments (T): T1: shallow fermentation; T2: quicklime (calcium oxide); T3:
      shallow fermentation followed by addition of quicklime; T4: no treatment.
      Sentinel chicks housed on the treated litter showed that T1 and T3 inactivated
      residual IBDV. Analysis of the litter subjected to T1 also showed reduced levels
      of total enterobacteria. T2 was not able to reduce the microorganisms assessed
      and its association with T1 (T3) failed to enhance the effect of the treatment.
      NDV did not survive in the broiler litter, regardless of the treatment applied,
      and it was also not detected in the sentinel chicks. S. Heidelberg remained
      viable in the litter submitted to all studied treatments, being isolated from the
      sentinel chicks of all the experimental groups. The antimicrobial activity of T1
      and T3 was associated to higher ammonia contents in the broiler litter. The
      results indicate that the shallow fermentation treatment is efficient for
      controlling residual IBDV and total enterobacteria in the recycled litter.

PMID- 28619163
TI  - Frequent occurrence of nonprimate hepacivirus infections in Thoroughbred breeding
      horses - A cross-sectional study for the occurrence of infections and potential
      risk factors.
AB  - Recently, several new hepaciviruses have been identified of which the nonprimate
      hepacivirus (NPHV) - the closest relative to hepatitis C virus (HCV) discovered
      to date - is highly prevalent in horses. However, potential risk factors for the
      transmission of NPHV among horses remain still unknown. Therefore, the objective
      of this study was to investigate the occurrence of NPHV infections in
      Thoroughbreds in northern and western Germany and to identify potential risk
      factors associated with NPHV infections. Using a cross-sectional study design, a
      total of 733 serum samples from Thoroughbred broodmares and stallions from
      northern and western Germany were analyzed for the presence of anti-NPHV
      nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) antibodies and NPHV RNA using the luciferase
      immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) and a quantitative real-time PCR, respectively.
      Information regarding signalment, stud farm, breeding history and international
      transportation history of each horse were collected and evaluated. A frequent
      occurrence of NPHV was found in the study population with 453 seropositive horses
      (61.8%) and 134 horses (18.3%) carrying NPHV RNA. Furthermore, statistical
      analysis revealed that the probability of being infected decreased for horses
      with a transportation history with increasing age by 20% each year. For horses
      that stayed in Germany no association between age and infection could be
      observed. In conclusion, the high occurrence of NPHV infections in breeding
      Thoroughbreds suggests circulating NPHV infections, endemic herds or persistent
      shedding in these animals and revealed the association of age and international
      transportation as risk factor for NPHV infections.

PMID- 28619164
TI  - Impact of environmental bacterial communities on fish health in marine
      recirculating aquaculture systems.
AB  - Marine cultured fish diseases caused by bacteria in recirculating aquaculture
      systems (RASs) greatly threaten fish aquaculture. To date, the dynamics of
      bacterial populations in RAS and their impacts to fish health remain largely
      unknown. In the present study, the bacterial communities in the water from two
      different marine RASs were analyzed using pyrosequencing technique. Fish disease
      syndromes and mortality had been reported from one RAS (RAS-d) while the fish in
      the other RAS remained healthy (RAS-h). The diversity of bacteria in each RAS and
      the abundance of each bacterium were identified based on sequencing the V4
      hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. A total number of 107,476 effective
      sequences were obtained from the pyrosequencing results. 640 and 844 operational
      taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified in RAS-d and RAS-h, respectively. In order
      level, tags annotation showed that Vibrionales and Flavobacteriales were the
      predominant strains in RAS-d with a relative abundance 50.5% and 36.5%,
      respectively. In contrast, the bacterial community in RAS-h contained 35.8%
      Vibrionales, 17.3% Alteromonadales, 10.7% Rhodobacterales, 7.43% Kordiimonadales,
      and 6.26% Oceanospirillales. In addition, the Vibrionaceae in the RAS-d
      represented 6.98% of the population which was significantly higher than that in
      RAS-h (0.40%). More potential pathogenic bacteria in fish, such as Vibrio
      harveyi, Vibrio rotiferianus were also found in the bacterial population in RAS
      d. The results also showed that the bacteria community in RAS-h was more diverse
      and balanced than in RAS-d. These findings of this study suggested a potential
      correlation between fish diseases and environmental bacterial populations.

PMID- 28619165
TI  - The use of animals as a surveillance tool for monitoring environmental health
      hazards, human health hazards and bioterrorism.
AB  - This review discusses the utilization of wild or domestic animals as surveillance
      tools for monitoring naturally occurring environmental and human health hazards.
      Besides providing early warning to natural hazards, animals can also provide
      early warning to societal hazards like bioterrorism. Animals are ideal
      surveillance tools to humans because they share the same environment as humans
      and spend more time outdoors than humans, increasing their exposure risk.
      Furthermore, the biologically compressed lifespans of some animals may allow them
      to develop clinical signs more rapidly after exposure to specific pathogens.
      Animals are an excellent channel for monitoring novel and known pathogens with
      outbreak potential given that more than 60 % of emerging infectious diseases in
      humans originate as zoonoses. This review attempts to highlight animal illnesses,
      deaths, biomarkers or sentinel events, to remind human and veterinary public
      health programs that animal health can be used to discover, monitor or predict
      environmental health hazards, human health hazards, or bioterrorism. Lastly, we
      hope that this review will encourage the implementation of animals as a
      surveillance tool by clinicians, veterinarians, ecosystem health professionals,
      researchers and governments.

PMID- 28619166
TI  - Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance among Escherichia coli from chicken and
      swine, China, 2008-2015.
AB  - The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance trend
      in Escherichia coli from food animals in China. During 2008-2015, a total of
      15,130 E. coli were isolated from chicken and swine from seven provinces. The
      susceptibilities of these isolates to nine classes of antimicrobial agents were
      determined using broth microdilution susceptibility method. The findings of this
      study include: (1) multi-drug resistance was highly prevalent in E. coli; (2)
      these E. coli isolates showed high resistant rate (>80%) to several old drugs,
      including ampicillin, tetracycline and sulfisoxazole; (3) increasing resistance
      to colistin, florfenicol and ceftiofur was observed; (4) the E. coli isolates
      from different provinces had different resistance patterns. All these data
      highlight the rising problem of antimicrobial resistance. It is urgent to improve
      the management of animal production and enhance the proper use of antimicrobials
      in China as well as the other countries.

PMID- 28619167
TI  - Effect of vaccination against pneumonia on the survival of bighorn sheep (Ovis
      canadensis) commingled with carrier animals.
AB  - Leukotoxin producing (lkt+) members of Pasteurellaceae, particularly Mannheimia
      haemolytica and Bibersteinia trehalosi are important pathogens of pneumonia in
      bighorn sheep (BHS; Ovis canadensis), causing fatal disease. Predisposing or
      concurrent infection with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae enhances the severity of the
      disease, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. Several studies have
      investigated the effectiveness of vaccines against lkt+ members of
      Pasteurellaceae in preventing fatal pneumonia in BHS. In all of these studies,
      however, vaccinated animals were challenged experimentally, by direct inoculation
      of the pathogens, rather than by natural challenge. Moreover, none has
      investigated the efficacy of the vaccines under conditions of concurrent
      infection with M. ovipneumoniae. We immunized three bighorn rams and one pregnant
      ewe with an experimental multivalent vaccine along with a commercial vaccine. The
      immunized animals were then commingled with two bighorn ewes known to be carriers
      of lkt+ members of Pasteurellaceae, to simulate natural infection or disease
      transmission. All vaccinated animals remained healthy. We then inoculated the two
      carrier ewes with nasal washings from domestic sheep containing M. ovipneumoniae.
      Within a week, all animals developed mild to moderate signs of pneumonia. While
      the rams died within two-three months post-inoculation (p.i.), the vaccinated ewe
      and her lamb died five and eight months p.i., respectively. Taken together, these
      results suggest that vaccination of BHS against lkt+ members of Pasteurellaceae
      alone can protect them from natural challenge by these pathogens. However, it may
      not be adequate to protect them against pneumonia compounded by concurrent
      infection with M. ovipneumoniae.

PMID- 28619168
TI  - Comparison of Asian porcine high fever disease isolates of porcine reproductive
      and respiratory syndrome virus to United States isolates for their ability to
      cause disease and secondary bacterial infection in swine.
AB  - Epidemiologic data from Asian outbreaks of highly-pathogenic (HP) porcine
      reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) suggest that disease severity
      was associated with both the virulence of the PRRSV isolates and secondary
      bacterial infections. Previous reports have indicated that U.S. isolates of PRRSV
      predispose to secondary bacterial infections as well, but the severity of disease
      that occurred in Asia in pigs infected with these HP-PRRSV strains has not been
      reported in the U.S. The objectives of this research were to compare the
      pathogenesis of Asian and U.S. PRRSV isolates with regard to their ability to
      cause disease and predispose to secondary bacterial infections in swine. To
      address these objectives groups of pigs were infected with 1 of 2 Asian HP-PRRSV
      strains (rJXwn06 or rSRV07) or 1 of 2 U.S. PRRSV strains (SDSU73 or VR-2332)
      alone or in combination with Streptococcus suis, Haemophilus parasuis, and
      Actinobacillus suis. Pigs infected with rJXwn06 exhibited the most severe
      clinical disease while the pigs infected with rSRV07 and SDSU73 exhibited
      moderate clinical disease, and pigs infected with VR-2332 exhibited minimal
      clinical signs. The frequency of secondary bacterial pneumonia was associated
      with the clinical severity induced by the PRRSV strains evaluated. The levels of
      proinflammatory cytokines in the serum were often lower for pigs coinfected with
      virus and bacteria compared to pigs infected with PRRSV alone indicating an
      alteration in the immune response in coinfected pigs. Combined our results
      demonstrate that severity of disease appears to be dependent on virulence of the
      PRRSV strain, and development of secondary bacterial infection.

PMID- 28619169
TI  - Inter-laboratory validation of foot-and-mouth disease diagnostic capability in
      Germany.
AB  - Germany has been free from foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) without
      vaccination since 1992, but diagnostic capability at regional laboratories is
      maintained for FMDV exclusion in suspect cases and as surge capacity for outbreak
      preparedness. A proficiency test was initiated in 2015 to evaluate the diagnostic
      performance of 20 regional veterinary laboratories. A panel of two identical
      samples of FMDV genome for real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain
      reaction (RT-PCR), four lyophilized bovine sera for antibody detection and eight
      samples of inactivated vaccine antigen for analysis with a lateral-flow device
      (LFD) were tested with the systems routinely used at the participating
      institutions. With only one exception, all laboratories reliably detected viral
      RNA with two real-time RT-PCR assays down to a dilution of 10(-4) of the original
      material. The LFD pen-side test was evaluated at 8 of 20 laboratories, and FMDV
      antigen was detected by all participants down to a dilution of 1:81. Serological
      diagnosis was also very consistent at most participating institutions. Very few
      false-negative results were returned for the diluted positive sera, and testing
      of a large cohort of negative samples demonstrated a high specificity of over 99%
      for the two commercial ELISA kits used (PrioCHECK(r) FMDV NS and ID Screen(r) FMD
      NSP). In conclusion, the proficiency test demonstrated the reliable and robust
      FMDV diagnostic capability of the German regional veterinary diagnostic
      laboratories. Furthermore, the suitability of the commercially available ELISA
      systems for the detection of FMDV-specific antibodies was confirmed. Proficiency
      tests are an important quality assurance measure for transboundary diseases like
      FMDV where diagnostic capacity in free countries has to be available at the
      highest possible standard.

PMID- 28619170
TI  - Seroprevalence for norovirus genogroup II, IV and VI in dogs.
AB  - Molecular and serological data suggest that noroviruses (NoVs) might be
      transmitted between humans and domestic carnivores. In this study we screened an
      age-stratified collection of canine sera (n=516) by using an ELISA assay based on
      virus-like particles (VLPs) of human NoVs GII.4 and GIV.1 and carnivore NoVs
      GIV.2 and GVI.2. Antibodies against GII.4 and GIV.1 human NoVs and GIV.2 and
      GVI.2 NoVs from carnivores were identified in dog sera (13.0%, 67/516) suggesting
      their exposure to homologous and heterologous NoVs. Analysis of the trends of age
      class prevalence showed a gradual increase in the positive rate from 9.0% and
      7.0%, in young dogs <1year of age to 15.0% in dogs older than 12 years, for GII.4
      and GVI.2 NoVs, respectively. A significant difference in the IgG distribution by
      age classes was observed for GIV.1 NoVs, with the highest rate of antibodies
      (7.0%) in the age group <1year and the lowest (1.0%) in the age-classes 7-9
      (P=0.049). High correlation between the reactivity to GII.4 and GVI.2 NoVs was
      observed, likely due to conserved epitopes in the capsid structure.

PMID- 28619171
TI  - Proteomic and bioinformatic analyses of putative Mannheimia haemolytica secretome
      by liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - Mannheimia haemolytica is a major bacterial contributor to bovine respiratory
      disease complex that costs the livestock industry a billion dollars a year in
      USA. Commercial vaccines are only partially efficacious under field conditions.
      Earlier studies found that outer membrane protein preparations and culture
      supernatants can induce immune responses that enhance resistance to challenge by
      M. haemolytica strains. The objective of this study was to characterize secretome
      of two M. haemolytica stains grown under two different media. Bacteria-free
      concentrated supernatants from M. haemolytica culture was subjected to LC-MS/MS.
      The secretome of M. haemolytica from both strains yielded 923 proteins. Using
      bioinformatic tools, 283 were identified as secreted proteins. Further breakdown
      of 283 proteins showed that 114 (40.2%), 184 (65.0%), 138(48.7%), 151 (53.3%) and
      172 (60.7%) were characterized as secreted proteins by SignalP 4.1, SecretomeP
      2.0, LipoP, Phobius, and PRED-TAT, respectively. A total of 95 (33.56%) proteins
      were characterized as being secreted via non-classical pathway as opposed to the
      majority that were secreted in signal peptide dependent pathway. The demonstrated
      proteins include all previously immunologically characterized M. haemolytica
      proteins. The potential of using secretome analysis in the design and development
      of a multivalent vaccine is discussed.

PMID- 28619172
TI  - Genetic analysis of Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar Pullorum based
      on characterization and evolution of CRISPR sequence.
AB  - Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar Pullorum (S. Pullorum) is the cause
      of pullorum disease, characterized by white diarrhea, which leads to high
      mortality in poultry. In this study, we aimed to assess the genetic diversity of
      655 S. Pullorum strains from 1962 to 2015 in China, Europe, and South America. A
      sequence typing scheme based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic
      repeats (CRISPR) was used to reveal the genetic relationships among these strains
      in this study. Overall, a total of 20 Pullorum sequence types (PSTs) of CRISPR
      were identified in the 655 isolates with PST7 (74%, 486/655) and PST3 (13%,
      86/655) to be the most two frequent PSTs belonging to two different lineages,
      which confirmed the genetic conservation of S. Pullorum strains isolated from six
      provinces and two direct-controlled municipalities (Beijing and Shanghai) in
      China. However, the identification of seven new PSTs distributed in strains
      isolated since 2001 implied that genetic variation continues to develop in S.
      Pullorum. Interestingly, the whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism typing
      (WGST) of 96 strains out of the 655 isolates divided them into four lineages
      based on SNP analysis of core genomic sequence and exhibit good correspondence
      with the CRISPR subtyping method. Notably, 22 out of 26 isolates from Europe and
      South America were distributed in five distinctive PSTs (with no Chinese
      strains). Additionally, CRISPR data of spacers and their arrangement exhibit
      subtle but distinct specificity between different strains, and the dynamic
      adaptive nature of CRISPR loci provides critical insights into the evolution of
      S. Pullorum as the bacteria are influenced by their environment.

PMID- 28619173
TI  - Vaccine immune pressure influences viral population complexity of avian influenza
      virus during infection.
AB  - Vaccines are useful tools to control influenza A virus infection in poultry, but
      they need to be periodically reformulated to guarantee appropriate protection
      from infection and to limit viral replication and circulation, which could favour
      the emergence of new variants. In this study, a deep sequencing approach was used
      to characterize and follow the evolution of the hemagglutinin of the H5N1 highly
      pathogenic avian influenza viral population in infected animals vaccinated with
      two vaccines conferring different protection levels. Results from this
      preliminary investigation suggested that the evolution of the viral population,
      as well as the abundance and heterogeneity of minority variants could be
      influenced by the immune pressure conferred by vaccination.

PMID- 28619174
TI  - Experimental infection with highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza viruses in the
      Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) and domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica).
AB  - Wild birds play a major role in the evolution, maintenance, and dissemination of
      highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV). Sub-clinical infection with
      HPAI in resident wild birds could be a source of dissemination of HPAIV and
      continuous outbreaks. In this study, the pathogenicity and infectivity of two
      strains of H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4 virus were evaluated in the Mandarin duck (Aix
      galericulata) and domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica). None of the birds
      experimentally infected with H5N8 viruses showed clinical signs or mortality. The
      H5N8 viruses efficiently replicated in the virus-inoculated Mandarin ducks and
      transmitted to co-housed Mandarin ducks. Although relatively high levels of viral
      shedding were noted in pigeons, viral shedding was not detected in some of the
      pigeons and the shedding period was relatively short. Furthermore, the infection
      was not transmitted to co-housed pigeons. Immunohistochemical examination
      revealed the presence of HPAIV in multiple organs of the infected birds.
      Histopathological evaluation showed the presence of inflammatory responses
      primarily in HPAIV-positive organs. Our results indicate that Mandarin ducks and
      pigeons can be infected with H5N8 HPAIV without exhibiting clinical signs; thus,
      they may be potential healthy reservoirs of the H5N8 HPAIV.

PMID- 28619175
TI  - Sodium oxybate treatment in narcolepsy and its effect on muscle tone.
AB  - AIMS: To estimate the effect of the compound sodium oxybate (SO) on chin muscle
      tone in sleep, a re-analysis of the results of the international multicenter
      study SXB-15 was performed, applying a validated semi-automatic analysis of
      muscle tone. This analysis distinguishes short (<0.5 s) and long (>0.5 s) muscle
      activity indices per hour (SMI, LMI) in 116 patients with narcolepsy-cataplexy.
      While stable stimulant medication was permitted, tricyclics and SSRIs were
      withdrawn. Polysomnographies were performed at baseline (V5), four weeks after
      titration of SO to 4.5 g, 6 g, or 9 g or placebo (V6) and after another four
      weeks on stable SO dose (V7). RESULTS: SMI and LMI decreased significantly during
      light sleep. LMI remained stable in all SO groups during slow wave sleep (SWS),
      but decreased significantly during REM sleep. SMI decreased non-significantly,
      but consistently during SWS and REM in the 9 g group only. A subgroup analysis of
      patients who stayed on stimulants showed that they had higher SMIs and LMIs in
      all groups. Patients who had been treated with anticataplectic medication prior
      to study inclusion had lower LMIs in the 9 g group during REM sleep in all
      visits. CONCLUSION: SO has a differential effect on muscle tone that is dose and
      sleep stage dependent. Low dosages increase short muscle activity, possibly
      enabling the occurrence of parasomnias. High doses are especially efficacious in
      REM sleep, suggesting that SO could be used to treat REM sleep behavior disorder.
      Comedication with stimulants and prior medication with anticataplectic medication
      exerts an influence on muscle tone.

PMID- 28619176
TI  - Evaluation of the effect of JZP-110 in patients with narcolepsy assessed using
      the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test censored to 20 minutes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of JZP-110 on the Maintenance of Wakefulness
      Test (MWT) with data censored to include only the first 20 min of a 40-min MWT.
      METHODS: In a 4-week, placebo-controlled crossover design (Study 201; N = 33) and
      a 12-week parallel-group design (Study 202; N = 93), JZP-110 was evaluated in
      narcolepsy patients using changes from baseline in the 40-min MWT as the primary
      endpoint. Effect sizes based on the change from baseline in mean MWT sleep
      latency were calculated using 20-min censored MWT data and compared to 40-min MWT
      data. RESULTS: In Study 201, mean (standard deviation) changes in MWT sleep
      latency were 12.7 (10.6) min with JZP-110 versus 0.9 (6.0) min with placebo (P =
      0.0002) for 40-min data, and 8.9 (6.3) versus 0.4 (4.6) min for 20-min censored
      data (P < 0.0001). In Study 202, mean changes in MWT sleep latency were 12.8
      (10.3) min with JZP-110 versus 2.1 (7.9) min with placebo (P < 0.0001) for 40-min
      data, and 8.9 (5.5) versus 1.1 (5.6) min for 20-min censored data (P < 0.0001).
      In Studies 201 and 202, respectively, Cohen's d effect sizes were large and
      numerically greater for 20-min censored data (1.54 and 1.41) versus 40-min data
      (1.37 and 1.17). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with narcolepsy, JZP-110 significantly
      improved the ability to stay awake compared with placebo, with large effect sizes
      using both the 40-min and 20-min censored MWT data.

PMID- 28619177
TI  - Women with symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing are less likely to be diagnosed
      and treated for sleep apnea than men.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women are often underrepresented at sleep clinics evaluating sleep
      disordered breathing (SDB). The aim of the present study was to analyze gender
      differences in sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment in men and women with similar
      symptoms of SDB. METHODS: Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) provided
      information about snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), BMI and somatic
      diseases at baseline (1999-2001) and follow-up (2010-2012) from 4962 men and 5892
      women. At follow-up participants were asked whether they had a diagnosis of
      and/or treatment for sleep apnea. RESULTS: Among those with symptoms of SDB
      (snoring and EDS), more men than women had been given the diagnosis of sleep
      apnea (25% vs. 14%, p < 0.001), any treatment (17% vs. 11%, p = 0.05) and CPAP
      (6% vs. 3%, p = 0.04) at follow-up. Predictors of receiving treatment were age,
      BMI, SDB symptoms at baseline and weight gain, while female gender was related to
      a lower probability of receiving treatment (adj. OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.3-0.5). In both
      genders, the symptoms of SDB increased the risk of developing hypertension (adj
      OR, 95% CI: 1.5, 1.2-1.8) and diabetes (1.5, 1.05-2.3), independent of age, BMI,
      smoking and weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: Snoring females with daytime sleepiness may
      be under-diagnosed and under-treated for sleep apnea compared with males, despite
      running a similar risk of developing hypertension and diabetes.

PMID- 28619179
TI  - Agreement between sleep diary and actigraphy in a highly educated Brazilian
      population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the agreement between a sleep diary and
      actigraphy on the assessment of sleep parameters among school teachers from
      Brazil. METHODS: A total of 163 teachers (66.3% women; aged 45 +/- 9 years)
      filled out a sleep diary and wore a wrist actigraph device for seven consecutive
      days. Data were collected from August 2014 to March 2015 in Londrina, a large
      city in southern Brazil. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Pearson
      correlation coefficients (r) were used to compare self-reported and actigraphic
      data. RESULTS: Self-reported total sleep time (TST), sleep onset latency (SOL),
      and sleep efficiency were higher than measured by actigraphy (mean difference:
      22.6 +/- 46.9 min, 2.6 +/- 13.3 min, and 7.3+/- 5.7%, respectively). Subjective
      total time in bed (TIB) and wake-up time were lower than measured by actigraphy
      (mean difference: -10.7 +/- 37.6 and -19.7 +/- 29.6, respectively). Moderate or
      good agreement and correlation were found between the sleep diary and the
      actigraphic data for TST (ICC = 0.70; r = 0.60), TIB (ICC = 0.83; r = 0.73),
      bedtime (ICC = 0.95; r = 0.91), sleep start time (ICC = 0.94; r = 0.88), and wake
      up time (ICC = 0.87; r = 0.78). However, SOL (ICC = 0.49; r = 0.38) and sleep
      efficiency (ICC = 0.16; r = 0.22) showed only fair or poor agreement and
      correlation. CONCLUSION: In this highly educated population, the sleep diary and
      the actigraphy showed moderate or good agreement to assess several sleep
      parameters. However, these methods seemed to measure different dimensions of
      sleep regarding sleep onset latency and efficiency. These findings moderately
      varied according to the individual's subjective sleep quality.

PMID- 28619178
TI  - Changes in subcortical shape and cognitive function in patients with chronic
      insomnia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine morphological changes in
      subcortical structures via surface-based analysis and to correlate local shape
      changes with cognitive function. METHODS: We analyzed subcortical brain
      morphology and compared the shape changes with clinical and neuropsychological
      features in patients with chronic insomnia. RESULTS: Hippocampal atrophy was
      associated with higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (r = -0.4, p =
      0.0408) and higher arousal indices (r = -0.4, p = 0.0332). Local volume loss of
      the putamen was associated with higher arousal indices (r = -0.5, p = 0.0416).
      Atrophic change of subcortical structures including the hippocampus, amygdala,
      basal ganglia, and thalamus, correlated negatively with verbal fluency, frontal
      function, verbal memory, and visual memory, respectively, in these patients (|r|
      >= 0.3, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that sleep quality and
      fragmentation are closely related to atrophic changes in hippocampus and putamen.
      In addition, atrophic changes in global subcortical structures are associated
      with impaired cognitive function in patients with chronic insomnia.

PMID- 28619180
TI  - Are the Insomnia Severity Index and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index valid outcome
      measures for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia? Inquiry from the
      perspective of response shifts and longitudinal measurement invariance in their
      Chinese versions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Insomnia Severity
      Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) are valid outcome measures
      for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Specifically, we tested
      whether the factorial parameters of the ISI and the PSQI could remain invariant
      against CBT-I, which is a prerequisite to using their change scores as an
      unbiased measure of the treatment outcome of CBT-I. METHODS: A clinical data set
      including scores on the Chinese versions of the ISI and the PSQI obtained from
      114 insomnia patients prior to and after a 6-week CBT-I program in Taiwan was
      analyzed. A series of measurement invariance (MI) tests were conducted to compare
      the factorial parameters of the ISI and the PSQI before and after the CBT-I
      treatment program. RESULTS: Most factorial parameters of the ISI remained
      invariant after CBT-I. However, the factorial model of the PSQI changed after CBT
      I treatment. An extra loading with three residual correlations was added into the
      factorial model after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The partial strong invariance of
      the ISI supports that it is a valid outcome measure for CBT-I. In contrast,
      various changes in the factor model of the PSQI indicate that it may not be an
      appropriate outcome measure for CBT-I. Some possible causes for the changes of
      the constructs of the PSQI following CBT-I are discussed.

PMID- 28619181
TI  - Multifactorial sleep disturbance in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder,
      ranking only behind Alzheimer's disease and affecting 2% of the population over
      the age of 65. Pathophysiologically, PD is characterized by selective
      degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta
      (SNpc) and striatal dopamine depletion. Patients may also exhibit mild-to-severe
      degeneration of other central and peripheral nervous tissues. The most dramatic
      symptoms of the disease are profound dopamine-responsive motor disturbances,
      including bradykinesia, akinesia, rigidity, resting tremor, and postural
      instability. PD patients commonly present with debilitating non-motor symptoms,
      including cognitive impairment, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and sleep
      disturbance. Of these, sleep disturbance is the most consistently reported, and
      likely represents a disorder integrative of PD-related motor impairment,
      autonomic nervous system dysfunction, iatrogenic insult, and central
      neurodegeneration. The pathophysiology of PD may also indirectly disrupt sleep by
      increasing susceptibility to sleep disorders, including sleep disordered
      breathing, periodic limb movements, and REM behavior disorder. In this review, we
      will discuss these systems representing a multifactorial etiology in PD sleep
      disturbance.

PMID- 28619182
TI  - Evolution of circadian rhythms: from bacteria to human.
AB  - The human body persists in its rhythm as per its initial time zone, and
      transition always occur according to solar movements around the earth over 24 h.
      While traveling across different latitudes and longitudes, at the pace exceeding
      the earth's movement, the changes in the external cues exceed the level of
      toleration of the body's biological clock. This poses an alteration in our
      physiological activities of sleep-wake pattern, mental alertness, organ movement,
      and eating habits, causing them to temporarily lose the track of time. This is
      further re-synchronized with the physiological cues of the destination over time.
      The mechanism of resetting of the clocks with varying time zones and cues occur
      in organisms from bacteria to humans. It is the result of the evolution of
      different pathways and molecular mechanisms over the time. There has been
      evolution of numerous comprehensive mechanisms using various research tools to
      get a deeper insight into the rapid turnover of molecular mechanisms in various
      species. This review reports insights into the evolution of the circadian
      mechanism and its evolutionary shift which is vital and plays a major role in
      assisting different organisms to adapt in different zones and controls their
      internal biological clocks with changing external cues.

PMID- 28619183
TI  - Association between sleep duration and menstrual cycle irregularity in Korean
      female adolescents.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The association between sleep and the menstrual cycle in the
      adolescent population has been scarcely studied. This study aimed to investigate
      the association between sleep duration and menstrual cycle irregularity among
      female adolescents using nationwide representative data from the South Korean
      population. METHODS: This population-based, cross-sectional study used the data
      collected from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012,
      and the data from 801 female adolescents were analyzed. Hierarchical
      multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the risk of
      menstrual cycle irregularity in relation to sleep duration. RESULTS: Subjects
      with menstrual cycle irregularity accounted for 15% (N = 120). The mean sleep
      duration in subjects with menstrual cycle irregularity was significantly shorter
      than that in those without (p = 0.003). Menstrual cycle irregularity prevalence
      tended to decrease as sleep duration increased (p for trend = 0.004), which was
      significantly different based on sleep duration and presence of depressive mood
      (p = 0.011). Sleep duration <=5 h per day was significantly associated with
      increased risk of menstrual cycle irregularity compared with that in the subjects
      whose sleep duration is >=8 h per day even after adjusting for confounding
      variables. The odds ratios of menstrual cycle irregularity tended to increase for
      shorter sleep duration in all adjusted models. CONCLUSION: This study found a
      significant inverse association between sleep duration and menstrual cycle
      irregularity among Korean female adolescents. Increasing sleep duration is
      required to improve the reproductive health of female adolescents.

PMID- 28619184
TI  - Sleep quality subtypes predict health-related quality of life in children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed to investigate whether distinct sleep quality
      subtypes predicted health-related quality of life in a nonclinical sample of
      children. METHODS: This paper utilized data from two waves of the Longitudinal
      Study of Australian Children, a cohort study that follows a representative
      population of children in Australia. This paper examined data from Waves 4 and 5
      of the LSAC (covering the period 2010-2012) and included 3974 children aged 10-11
      years at Wave 4 (51.4% male). Multiple dimensions of sleep quality were assessed
      using a combination of child- and parent-reported measures. Health-related
      quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed through the Pediatric Quality of Life
      Inventory. RESULTS: Latent class analysis indicated six distinct sleep quality
      classes in children, namely good sleep, moderate sleep quality, mild sleep
      disturbances, short sleep, long sleep, and disordered sleep. In general, the
      disordered sleep and minor sleep disturbance classes had poorer HRQOL, which
      worsened over time. The long sleep and moderate sleep quality classes also showed
      some decreases in HRQOL over time. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that
      there are distinct sleep quality subtypes in children that could have
      implications for HRQOL. These findings may inform future strategies to promote
      improved sleep and HRQOL in children.

PMID- 28619185
TI  - High prevalence of restless legs syndrome/Willis Ekbom Disease (RLS/WED) among
      people living at high altitude in the Indian Himalaya.
AB  - BACKGROUND: At high altitude, prevalence of restless legs syndrome has been found
      to be greater than expected in small population-based studies, which did not use
      validated tools for identification of RLS. However, it is not known as to whether
      this increased prevalence is associated with altitude or increased risk factors
      for RLS in these populations or errors in identification of RLS. METHOD: This
      population based, door-to-door study was conducted at low altitude (400 m above
      sea level) and high altitudes (1900-2000 m and 3200 m above sea level) using
      random stratified sampling in Himalayan and sub-Himalayan region of India.
      Subjects between 18 and 84 years were screened for restless-legs-syndrome using
      the validated Cambridge-Hopkins RLS diagnostic questionnaire. Medical
      comorbidities were ascertained from their medical records. Their anthropometric
      measurements were obtained and wake resting oxygen saturation was monitored using
      finger pulse-oximeter. Physical activity during leisure time was evaluated by
      using the Goldin leisure time exercise questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 1689
      subjects were included. Average age of the included subjects was 35.2 years;
      55.2% were women. RLS was identified in 9.4% subjects with higher prevalence
      among women (13.6% women vs. 4.1% men; P < 0.001). RLS was significantly more
      prevalent at higher altitudes (12.2% at 1900-2000 m and 11.8% at 3200 m) compared
      to low altitude (2.5% at 400 m). The low altitude prevalence matched that
      reported in prior studies of RLS in India. Subjects with medical disorders
      sometimes related to RLS (eg, peripheral neuropathy, COPD, varicose veins and
      anemia) also had higher prevalence of RLS. Binary logistic regression controlling
      for female gender, number of pregnancies, peripheral neuropathy, varicose veins,
      anemia showed that high altitude independently significantly increased the
      likelihood of RLS (OR: 5.4, 95% CI: 2.8, 10.4). CONCLUSION: RLS is about five
      times more prevalent at high than low altitudes even when controlling for effects
      of other medical conditions associated with increased risk of RLS.

PMID- 28619186
TI  - Ankle-brachial index and peripheral artery disease are not related to restless
      legs syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the relationship between impaired
      peripheral arterial circulation as measured by ankle-brachial index (ABI) and
      restless legs syndrome (RLS) in the general population. METHODS: Data are derived
      from three independent, German population-based, prospective studies: the control
      sample of BiDirect (N = 966), the second follow-up of SHIP (N = 2333), and a
      subsample of SHIP-Trend (N = 1269). RLS was assessed with questions based on the
      RLS minimal criteria. ABI was measured with an automated method in BiDirect and
      with Doppler ultrasound in both SHIP studies. An ABI score below 0.9 was
      indicative of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Co-morbidities, medications and
      behavioural factors were self-reported. Additional measurements included body
      mass index and haemoglobin from blood serum. For BiDirect, a follow-up with
      identical methodology was performed after a median of 2.5 years. RESULTS: In
      cross-sectional analyses, decreased ABI was not significantly associated with RLS
      as outcome in multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for several
      potential confounders (BiDirect: odds ratio (OR) = 1.07 for a -0.1 change in ABI,
      95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81-1.42, p = 0.62; SHIP-2: OR = 0.99, CI: 0.85
      1.16, p = 0.94; SHIP-Trend: OR = 0.99, CI: 0.87-1.13, p = 0.88). Similar non
      significant results were achieved using PAD (instead of ABI) as an independent
      variable. In BiDirect, baseline ABI was not a significant predictor of incident
      RLS in longitudinal analysis (OR = 0.77, CI: 0.53-1.12, p = 0.17). CONCLUSION:
      Results from three independent studies suggest that reduced ABI is not a risk
      factor for RLS in the general population.

PMID- 28619187
TI  - Safety and efficacy of long-term use of sodium oxybate for narcolepsy with
      cataplexy in routine clinical practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sodium oxybate is licensed in Europe for the treatment of narcolepsy
      with cataplexy in adults. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and
      safety of sodium oxybate in clinical practice in patients with narcolepsy and
      cataplexy refractory to other treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a
      retrospective single centre study including patients with severe narcolepsy with
      cataplexy refractory to other treatments, who were initiated on sodium oxybate
      between 2009 and 2015. Patients were allowed to be on other stimulants or/and
      anti-cataplectic agents. Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and weekly cataplexy
      events were recorded. Side effects (SEs) were recorded at every follow-up visit.
      RESULTS: 90 patients were prescribed sodium oxybate, with a total of 3116 patient
      months of drug exposure. ESS and weekly cataplexy events were significantly
      reduced by sodium oxybate for all patients (DeltaESS = 4.3 +/- 4.4 and
      Deltacataplexy = 21.8 +/- 18.5 events/week; p < 0.0001, respectively). The
      required maintenance dose could not be predicted based upon gender, body mass
      index, or clinical factors. 60% of patients were able to reduce or come off other
      medications. Half of the patients experienced at least one SE, and 26.6% had to
      stop treatment due to limiting SEs. Nausea, mood swings and enuresis were the
      most commonly reported SEs. SEs that led to drug discontinuation, particularly
      psychosis, were associated with increasing age and were observed early after the
      initiation of the drug. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium oxybate provides a good clinical
      efficacy and acceptable safety profile in routine clinical practice for the
      treatment of patients suffering from narcolepsy with cataplexy. A quarter of
      patients experience SEs requiring withdrawal of the drug with older patients
      being more vulnerable to the more serious SEs.

PMID- 28619188
TI  - How to Use Beta-Blockers in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction and
      Atrial Fibrillation.

PMID- 28619190
TI  - Preventing Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Another
      Piece of the Puzzle.

PMID- 28619189
TI  - Antithrombotic Therapy and First Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Atrial
      Fibrillation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have increased risk of
      thromboembolic events such as stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). Although it
      has been established that the efficacy of anticoagulation is superior to that of
      antiplatelet agents for stroke prophylaxis in AF, the optimal antithrombotic
      treatment remains uncertain for primary protection against MI. OBJECTIVES: The
      authors investigated the incidence of first-time MI in patients with AF according
      to antithrombotic treatment and estimated the risk of stroke and bleeding.
      METHODS: Subjects with first-time AF diagnosed from 1997 to 2012 without history
      of coronary artery disease were identified using Danish nationwide administrative
      registries. Subjects were divided into time varying exposure groups according to
      antithrombotic treatment. The relative risks of outcomes were estimated by
      Poisson regression models. RESULTS: A total of 71,959 patients (median 75 years
      of age; females: 47%). At baseline, 37,539 patients (52%) were treated with
      vitamin K antagonist (VKA) monotherapy, 25,458 (35%) with acetylsalicylic acid
      (ASA) monotherapy and 8,962 (13%) with dual-therapy (VKA + ASA). The incidence of
      MI was 3% (n = 2,275). Relative to the VKA-treated group, the associated risk of
      MI was significantly higher for ASA (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.54; 95%
      confidence interval [CI]: 1.40 to 1.68) and dual-therapy (IRR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.06
      to 1.40). The bleeding risk was significantly higher for dual-therapy (IRR: 1.93;
      95% CI: 1.81 to 2.07). The risk of stroke relative to that of VKA therapy was
      significantly higher for both ASA (IRR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.88 to 2.12) and dual
      therapy (IRR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.43). CONCLUSIONS: VKA monotherapy in
      patients with AF was associated with a lower risk of first-time MI and stroke
      than ASA monotherapy. Combination of ASA and VKA therapy was not associated with
      a lower risk of MI but was associated with increased bleeding risk.

PMID- 28619192
TI  - PCI Volume Benchmarks: Still Adequate for Quality Assessment in 2017?

PMID- 28619191
TI  - Outcomes of PCI in Relation to Procedural Characteristics and Operator Volumes in
      the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Professional guidelines have reduced the recommended minimum number
      to an average of 50 percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures performed
      annually by each operator. Operator volume patterns and associated outcomes since
      this change are unknown. OBJECTIVES: The authors describe herein PCI operator
      procedure volumes; characteristics of low-, intermediate-, and high-volume
      operators; and the relationship between operator volume and clinical outcomes in
      a large, contemporary, nationwide sample. METHODS: Using data from the National
      Cardiovascular Data Registry collected between July 1, 2009, and March 31, 2015,
      we examined operator annual PCI volume. We divided operators into low- (<50 PCIs
      per year), intermediate- (50 to 100 PCIs per year), and high- (>100 PCIs per
      year) volume groups, and determined the adjusted association between annual PCI
      volume and in-hospital outcomes, including mortality. RESULTS: The median annual
      number of procedures performed per operator was 59; 44% of operators performed
      <50 PCI procedures per year. Low-volume operators more frequently performed
      emergency and primary PCI procedures and practiced at hospitals with lower annual
      PCI volumes. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality was 1.86% for low-volume operators,
      1.73% for intermediate-volume operators, and 1.48% for high-volume operators. The
      adjusted risk of in-hospital mortality was higher for PCI procedures performed by
      low- and intermediate-volume operators compared with those performed by high
      volume operators (adjusted odds ratio: 1.16 for low versus high; adjusted odds
      ratio: 1.05 for intermediate vs. high volume) as was the risk for new dialysis
      post PCI. No volume relationship was observed for post-PCI bleeding. CONCLUSIONS:
      Many PCI operators in the United States are performing fewer than the recommended
      number of PCI procedures annually. Although absolute risk differences are small
      and may be partially explained by unmeasured differences in case mix between
      operators, there remains an inverse relationship between PCI operator volume and
      in-hospital mortality that persisted in risk-adjusted analyses.

PMID- 28619193
TI  - Protein-Losing Enteropathy in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), characterized by loss of proteins
      in the intestine, is a devastating complication in patients with congenital heart
      disease. The cause of PLE is unknown, but lymphatic involvement has been
      suspected. OBJECTIVES: The authors evaluated the use of lymphangiographic imaging
      and liver lymphatic embolization as a treatment for PLE. METHODS: This was a
      single-center, retrospective review of imaging and interventions used in 8
      consecutive patients with liver lymphatic embolization and congenital heart
      disease with elevated central venous pressure complicated by PLE. RESULTS: Liver
      lymphangiography was performed in 8 patients (5 males, 3 females; median age, 21
      years), 7 of whom demonstrated leakage of liver lymph into the duodenum through
      abnormal hepatoduodenal lymphatic communications. This was confirmed by
      duodenoscopy with simultaneous injection of isosulfan blue dye into the liver
      lymphatics in 6 of 7 patients. Liver lymphatic embolization with ethiodized oil
      in 2 patients resulted in a temporary increase in albumin blood level and symptom
      improvement in 1 patient, but was complicated by duodenal bleeding in both
      patients. Of the remaining 6 patients, liver lymphatic embolization with n-butyl
      cyanoacrylate glue resulted in sustained improvement of the serum albumin level
      and symptoms in 3 patients, temporary improvement in 2 patients, and no change in
      1 patient with median follow-up of 135 days (range, 84 to 1,005 days).
      CONCLUSIONS: The authors demonstrated liver lymph leakage as a cause of PLE in
      patients with congenital heart disease and elevated central venous pressure.
      Lymphatic embolization led to improved albumin levels and relief of symptoms.
      Further experience with the technique is needed to determine long-term outcome of
      this procedure.

PMID- 28619194
TI  - Once More Unto the Breach: A New Treatment Paradigm for Protein-Losing
      Enteropathy.

PMID- 28619196
TI  - Genetics and Valve Calcification.

PMID- 28619197
TI  - Traditional Chinese Medicine for Cardiovascular Disease: Evidence and Potential
      Mechanisms.
AB  - Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has more than 2,000 years of history and has
      gained widespread clinical applications. However, the explicit role of TCM in
      preventing and treating cardiovascular disease remains unclear due to a lack of
      sound scientific evidence. Currently available randomized controlled trials on
      TCM are flawed, with small sample sizes and diverse outcomes, making it difficult
      to draw definite conclusions about the actual benefits and harms of TCM. Here, we
      systematically assessed the efficacy and safety of TCM for cardiovascular
      disease, as well as the pharmacological effects of active TCM ingredients on the
      cardiovascular system and potential mechanisms. Results indicate that TCM might
      be used as a complementary and alternative approach to the primary and secondary
      prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, further rigorously designed
      randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess the effect of TCM on long
      term hard endpoints in patients with cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28619195
TI  - Association of Triglyceride-Related Genetic Variants With Mitral Annular
      Calcification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mitral annular calcium (MAC), commonly identified by cardiac imaging,
      is associated with cardiovascular events and predisposes to the development of
      clinically important mitral valve regurgitation and mitral valve stenosis.
      However, its biological determinants remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: The
      authors sought to evaluate whether a genetic predisposition to elevations in
      plasma lipids is associated with the presence of MAC. METHODS: The authors used 3
      separate Mendelian randomization techniques to evaluate the associations of lipid
      genetic risk scores (GRS) with MAC in 3 large patient cohorts: the Framingham
      Health Study, MESA (Multiethnic European Study of Atherosclerosis), and the AGE
      RS (Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study). The authors provided
      cross-ethnicity replication in the MESA Hispanic-American participants. RESULTS:
      MAC was present in 1,149 participants (20.4%). In pooled analyses across all 3
      cohorts, a triglyceride GRS was significantly associated with the presence of MAC
      (odds ratio [OR] per triglyceride GRS unit: 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]:
      1.24 to 2.41; p = 0.0013). Neither low- nor high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
      GRS was significantly associated with MAC. Results were consistent in cross
      ethnicity analyses among the MESA Hispanic-Americans cohort (OR per triglyceride
      GRS unit: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.03 to 4.03; p = 0.04). In joint meta-analysis across
      all included cohorts, the triglyceride GRS was associated with MAC (OR per
      triglyceride GRS unit: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.32 to 2.41; p = 0.0001). The results were
      robust to several sensitivity analyses that limit both known and unknown forms of
      genetic pleiotropy. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic predisposition to elevated triglyceride
      levels was associated with the presence of MAC, a risk factor for clinically
      significant mitral valve disease, suggesting a causal association. Whether
      reducing triglyceride levels can lower the incidence of clinically significant
      mitral valve disease requires further study.

PMID- 28619199
TI  - Changing Demographics: A New Approach to Global Health Care Due to the Aging
      Population.

PMID- 28619198
TI  - Cardiovascular Disease in Incarcerated Populations.
AB  - Currently, 2.2 million individuals are incarcerated, and more than 11 million
      have been released from U.S. correctional facilities. Individuals with a history
      of incarceration are more likely to be of racial and ethnic minority populations,
      poor, and have higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors, especially smoking
      and hypertension. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among
      incarcerated individuals, and those recently released have a higher risk of being
      hospitalized and dying of cardiovascular disease compared with the general
      population, even after accounting for differences in racial identity and
      socioeconomic status. In this review, the authors: 1) present information on the
      cardiovascular health of justice-involved populations, and unique prevention and
      care conditions in correctional facilities; 2) identify knowledge gaps; and 3)
      propose promising areas for research to improve the cardiovascular health of this
      population. An Executive Summary of a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
      workshop on this topic is available.

PMID- 28619200
TI  - Patient Outcomes With STEMI Caused by Aneurysmal Coronary Artery Disease and
      Treated With Primary PCI.

PMID- 28619201
TI  - Lafora Disease Is an Inherited Metabolic Cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 28619202
TI  - Directly Observed Therapy: A Possible Tool to Tackle Medication Nonadherence in
      the CVD Epidemic.

PMID- 28619203
TI  - Reply: Directly Observed Therapy: A Possible Tool to Tackle Medication
      Nonadherence in the CVD Epidemic.

PMID- 28619204
TI  - RAS Fingerprint.

PMID- 28619205
TI  - Reply: RAS Fingerprint.

PMID- 28619206
TI  - Editorial Overview.

PMID- 28619207
TI  - Trends in dental caries in children and adolescents according to poverty status
      in the United States from 1999 through 2004 and from 2011 through 2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Except for a small increase in caries prevalence in young children
      from 1999 through 2004, the prevalence of pediatric caries in the United States
      has remained consistent for the past 3 decades. METHODS: The authors used data
      from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (from 1999
      through 2004 and from 2011 through 2014) to ascertain changes in caries
      prevalence in youth aged 2 to 19 years. The authors evaluated changes in the
      prevalence of caries experience, untreated caries, and severe caries (3 or more
      teeth with untreated caries) in the primary, mixed, and permanent dentition
      according to poverty status. RESULTS: Untreated dental caries in the primary
      dentition decreased (24% versus 14%) for children aged 2 to 8 years regardless of
      poverty status from the period from 1999 through 2004 to the period from 2011
      through 2014. Severe caries in primary teeth decreased between the period from
      1999 through 2004 and the period from 2011 through 2014 for 2- to 8-year-olds
      (10% versus 6%). Among preschool-aged children in families with low incomes,
      caries experience decreased from nearly 42% to 35%, and untreated caries
      decreased from 31% to 18%. Furthermore, there were significant reductions in the
      number of carious dental surfaces and significant increases in the number of
      restored dental surfaces. Overall, there was little change in the prevalence of
      caries in older children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of caries
      in primary teeth in preschool-aged children has improved in the previous decade
      in the United States; however, the prevalence of having no caries experience in
      permanent teeth in children and adolescents remains unchanged. PRACTICAL
      IMPLICATIONS: Although the oral health status of young children has improved in
      the previous decade, few changes have occurred for many older children and
      adolescents.

PMID- 28619208
TI  - Inconclusive evidence on using antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures to
      prevent infective endocarditis.

PMID- 28619209
TI  - Gravitating towards universal health coverage in the new WHO era.

PMID- 28619210
TI  - Uncovering difference: a glimpse at patients with heart failure in low-income and
      middle-income countries.

PMID- 28619211
TI  - Making sense of consensus: comparative modelling of malaria interventions.

PMID- 28619212
TI  - Treatment of preschool children for schistosomiasis.

PMID- 28619213
TI  - Positive steps with negative studies in the WASH sector.

PMID- 28619214
TI  - Reframing non-communicable diseases as socially transmitted conditions.

PMID- 28619215
TI  - New INDEPTH strategy for the SDGs using robust population data.

PMID- 28619216
TI  - Counting disability: emerging consensus on the Washington Group questionnaire.

PMID- 28619217
TI  - Preventing deaths from pesticide self-poisoning-learning from Sri Lanka's
      success.

PMID- 28619218
TI  - Renaming non-communicable diseases.

PMID- 28619219
TI  - Renaming non-communicable diseases.

PMID- 28619220
TI  - Renaming non-communicable diseases.

PMID- 28619221
TI  - Renaming non-communicable diseases.

PMID- 28619222
TI  - The predicament of patients with suspected Ebola.

PMID- 28619223
TI  - The predicament of patients with suspected Ebola.

PMID- 28619224
TI  - The predicament of patients with suspected Ebola.

PMID- 28619226
TI  - Correction to Lancet Glob Health 2017; 5: e537-44.

PMID- 28619225
TI  - The predicament of patients with suspected Ebola - Authors' reply.

PMID- 28619227
TI  - Efficacy and safety of praziquantel in preschool-aged and school-aged children
      infected with Schistosoma mansoni: a randomised controlled, parallel-group, dose
      ranging, phase 2 trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Praziquantel has been the drug of choice for schistosomiasis control
      for more than 40 years, yet surprisingly, the optimal dose for children younger
      than 4 years is not known. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of
      escalating praziquantel dosages in preschool-aged children (PSAC). METHODS: We
      did a randomised controlled, parallel-group, single-blind, dose-ranging, phase 2
      trial in PSAC (2-5 years) and school-aged children (SAC; aged 6-15 years) as a
      comparator group in southern Cote d'Ivoire. Children were randomly assigned
      (1:1:1:1) to 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, or 60 mg/kg praziquantel or placebo.
      Participants, investigators, and laboratory technicians were masked to group
      assignment, while the investigator providing treatment was aware of the treatment
      group. The primary objective was to estimate the nature of the dose-response
      relation in terms of cure rate using the Kato Katz technique. Dose-response
      curves were estimated using Emax models. Available case analysis was done
      including all participants with primary endpoint data. This trial is registered
      with International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN15280205.
      FINDINGS: Between Nov 11, 2014, and Feb 18, 2015, 660 PSAC and 225 SAC were
      assessed for eligibility; of whom 161 (24%) PSAC and 180 (80%) SAC had a
      detectable Schistosoma mansoni infection. 161 PSAC were randomly allocated of
      whom 154 received treatment: 42 were assigned to 20 mg/kg praziquantel, of whom
      40 received treatment; 38 were assigned to 40 mg/kg praziquantel, of whom 38
      received treatment; 41 were assigned to 60 mg/kg praziquantel, of whom 39
      received treatment; and 40 were assigned to placebo, of whom 37 received placebo.
      180 SAC were randomly allocated of whom 177 received treatment: 49 were assigned
      to 20 mg/kg praziquantel, of whom 47 received treatment; 46 were assigned to 40
      mg/kg praziquantel, of whom 46 received treatment; 42 were assigned to 60 mg/kg
      praziquantel, of whom 42 received treatment; and 43 were assigned to placebo, of
      whom 43 received treatment. Follow-up (available-case) data were available for
      143 PSAC and 174 SAC. In PSAC, the 20 mg/kg dose resulted in cure in 23 children
      (62%; 95% CI 44.8-77.5), 40 mg/kg in 26 children (72%; 54.8-85.8), 60 mg/kg in 25
      children (71%; 53.7-85.4), and placebo in 13 children (37%; 21.5-55.1). In SAC,
      the 20 mg/kg dose resulted in cure in 14 children (30%; 95% CI 17.7-45.8), 40
      mg/kg in 31 children (69%; 53.4-81.8), 60 mg/kg in 34 children (83%; 67.9-92.8),
      and placebo in five children (12%; 4.0-25.6). For both age groups, the number of
      adverse events was similar among the three praziquantel treatment groups, with
      fewer adverse events observed in the placebo groups. The most common adverse
      events in PSAC were diarrhoea (11 [9%] of 124) and stomach ache (ten [8%]) and in
      SAC were diarrhoea (50 [28%] of 177), stomach ache (66 [37%]), and vomiting (26
      [15%]) 3 h post treatment. No serious adverse events were reported.
      INTERPRETATION: Praziquantel shows a flat dose-response and overall lower
      efficacy in PSAC compared with in SAC. In the absence of treatment alternatives,
      a single dose of praziquantel of 40 mg/kg, recommended by the WHO for S mansoni
      infections in SAC can be endorsed for PSAC in preventive chemotherapy programmes.
      FUNDING: European Research Council.

PMID- 28619228
TI  - Effect of community health clubs on child diarrhoea in western Rwanda: cluster
      randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Community health clubs are multi-session village-level gatherings led
      by trained facilitators and designed to promote healthy behaviours mainly related
      to water, sanitation, and hygiene. They have been implemented in several African
      and Asian countries but have never been evaluated rigorously. We aimed to
      evaluate the effect of two versions of the community health club model on child
      health and nutrition outcomes. METHODS: We did a cluster-randomised trial in
      Rusizi district, western Rwanda. We defined villages as clusters. We assessed
      villages for eligibility then randomly selected 150 for the study using a simple
      random sampling routine in Stata. We stratified villages by wealth index and by
      the proportion of children younger than 2 years with caregiver-reported diarrhoea
      within the past 7 days. We randomly allocated these villages to three study
      groups: no intervention (control; n=50), eight community health club sessions
      (Lite intervention; n=50), or 20 community health club sessions (Classic
      intervention; n=50). Households in these villages were enrolled in 2013 for a
      baseline survey, then re-enrolled in 2015 for an endline survey. The primary
      outcome was caregiver-reported diarrhoea within the previous 7 days in children
      younger than 5 years. Analysis was by intention to treat and per protocol. This
      trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01836731. FINDINGS: At the
      baseline survey undertaken between May, 2013, and August, 2013, 8734 households
      with children younger than 5 years of age were enrolled. At the endline survey
      undertaken between Sept 21, 2015, and Dec 22, 2015, 7934 (91%) of the households
      were re-enrolled. Among children younger than 5 years, the prevalence of
      caregiver-reported diarrhoea in the previous 7 days was 514 (14%) of 3616
      assigned the control, 453 (14%) of 3196 allocated the Lite intervention
      (prevalence ratio compared with control 0.97, 95% CI 0.81-1.16; p=0.74), and 495
      (14%) of 3464 assigned the Classic intervention (prevalence ratio compared with
      control 0.99, 0.85-1.15; p=0.87). INTERPRETATION: Community health clubs, in this
      setting in western Rwanda, had no effect on caregiver-reported diarrhoea among
      children younger than 5 years. Our results question the value of implementing
      this intervention at scale for the aim of achieving health gains. FUNDING: Bill &
      Melinda Gates Foundation.

PMID- 28619230
TI  - Innovative financing instruments for global health 2002-15: a systematic
      analysis.
AB  - Development assistance for health (DAH), the value of which peaked in 2013 and
      fell in 2015, is unlikely to rise substantially in the near future, increasing
      reliance on domestic and innovative financing sources to sustain health
      programmes in low-income and middle-income countries. We examined innovative
      financing instruments (IFIs)-financing schemes that generate and mobilise funds
      to estimate the quantum of financing mobilised from 2002 to 2015. We identified
      ten IFIs, which mobilised US$8.9 billion (2.3% of overall DAH) in 2002-15. The
      funds generated by IFIs were channelled mostly through GAVI and the Global Fund,
      and used for programmes for new and underused vaccines, HIV/AIDS, malaria,
      tuberculosis, and maternal and child health. Vaccination programmes received the
      largest amount of funding ($2.6 billion), followed by HIV/AIDS ($1080.7 million)
      and malaria ($1028.9 million), with no discernible funding targeted to non
      communicable diseases.

PMID- 28619229
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of Xpert MTB/RIF for tuberculosis diagnosis in South Africa: a
      real-world cost analysis and economic evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2010 a new diagnostic test for tuberculosis, Xpert MTB/RIF,
      received a conditional programmatic recommendation from WHO. Several model-based
      economic evaluations predicted that Xpert would be cost-effective across sub
      Saharan Africa. We investigated the cost-effectiveness of Xpert in the real world
      during national roll-out in South Africa. METHODS: For this real-world cost
      analysis and economic evaluation, we applied extensive primary cost and patient
      event data from the XTEND study, a pragmatic trial examining Xpert introduction
      for people investigated for tuberculosis in 40 primary health facilities (20
      clusters) in South Africa enrolled between June 8, and Nov 16, 2012, to estimate
      the costs and cost per disability-adjusted life-year averted of introducing Xpert
      as the initial diagnostic test for tuberculosis, compared with sputum smear
      microscopy (the standard of care). FINDINGS: The mean total cost per study
      participant for tuberculosis investigation and treatment was US$312.58 (95% CI
      252.46-372.70) in the Xpert group and $298.58 (246.35-350.82) in the microscopy
      group. The mean health service (provider) cost per study participant was $168.79
      (149.16-188.42) for the Xpert group and $160.46 (143.24-177.68) for the
      microscopy group of the study. Considering uncertainty in both cost and effect
      using a wide range of willingness to pay thresholds, we found less than 3%
      probability that Xpert introduction improved the cost-effectiveness of
      tuberculosis diagnostics. INTERPRETATION: After analysing extensive primary data
      collection during roll-out, we found that Xpert introduction in South Africa was
      cost-neutral, but found no evidence that Xpert improved the cost-effectiveness of
      tuberculosis diagnosis. Our study highlights the importance of considering
      implementation constraints, when predicting and evaluating the cost-effectiveness
      of new tuberculosis diagnostics in South Africa. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates
      Foundation.

PMID- 28619231
TI  - Endoplasmic reticulum chaperones tweak the mitochondrial calcium rheostat to
      control metabolism and cell death.
AB  - The folding of secretory proteins is a well-understood mechanism, based on
      decades of research on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperones. These chaperones
      interact with newly imported polypeptides close to the ER translocon. Classic
      examples for these proteins include the immunoglobulin binding protein
      (BiP/GRP78), and the lectins calnexin and calreticulin. Although not considered
      chaperones per se, the ER oxidoreductases of the protein disulfide isomerase
      (PDI) family complete the folding job by catalyzing the formation of disulfide
      bonds through cysteine oxidation. Research from the past decade has demonstrated
      that ER chaperones are multifunctional proteins. The regulation of ER
      mitochondria Ca2+ crosstalk is one of their additional functions, as shown for
      calnexin, BiP/GRP78 or the oxidoreductases Ero1alpha and TMX1. This function
      depends on interactions of this group of proteins with the ER Ca2+ handling
      machinery. This novel function makes perfect sense for two reasons: i. It allows
      ER chaperones to control mitochondrial apoptosis instantly without a lengthy
      bypass involving the upregulation of pro-apoptotic transcription factors via the
      unfolded protein response (UPR); and ii. It allows the ER protein folding
      machinery to fine-tune ATP import via controlling the speed of mitochondrial
      oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, the role of ER chaperones in regulating ER
      mitochondria Ca2+ flux identifies the progression of secretory protein folding as
      a central regulator of cell survival and death, at least in cell types that
      secrete large amount of proteins. In other cell types, ER protein folding might
      serve as a sentinel mechanism that monitors cellular well-being to control cell
      metabolism and apoptosis. The selenoprotein SEPN1 is a classic example for such a
      role. Through the control of ER-mitochondria Ca2+-flux, ER chaperones and folding
      assistants guide cellular apoptosis and mitochondrial metabolism.

PMID- 28619232
TI  - Corrigendum to "Microbial pesticide removal in rapid sand filters for drinking
      water treatment - Potential and kinetics" [Water Res. 48 (2014) 71-81].

PMID- 28619233
TI  - Do we have distinct systems for immediate and delayed actions? A selective review
      on the role of visual memory in action.
AB  - The perception-action model with its assumptions of distinct visual pathways for
      perception and visuomotor control has been highly influential but also
      contentious. The controversy largely focused on the evidence from studies on
      perceptual illusions and this scientific field has been reviewed quite a few
      times in recent years. In contrast another aspect of the model, namely the role
      of visual memory in action control, received comparatively little attention. With
      respect to visual memory the perception-action model proposes that only the
      perceptual or ventral stream can maintain a sustained representation of the
      visual world while the visuomotor system or dorsal stream has to rely on
      currently available visual information. Consequently, visual information from the
      dorsal system cannot guide actions that are based on memorized visual
      information. We call this feature of the perception-action model: the dorsal
      amnesia hypothesis. There are at least two reasons for why this hypothesis is of
      special relevance. Firstly, it provides a particularly clear criterion to
      distinguish between functions of the ventral and dorsal stream. Secondly, this
      hypothesis led to some unexpected discoveries which provided particularly
      compelling evidence in favour of the model. In this review, we will revisit all
      relevant empirical areas, ranging from physiological examinations and
      neuropsychological studies to behavioural experiments in neurologically intact
      participants. Based on this review, we conclude that the dorsal amnesia
      hypothesis is in our view no longer tenable.

PMID- 28619234
TI  - What is the heterogeneity in the impact seen with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
      telling us?
AB  - Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have proven highly effective in decreasing
      invasive disease and pneumonia in young children. However, there is considerable
      geographic variability in the impact of these vaccines on other disease endpoints
      and in other age groups. Investigation of the possible causes of this variability
      would greatly improve our understanding of pneumococcal pathophysiology and
      stimulate the effort to design more broadly effective vaccines.

PMID- 28619235
TI  - Morphological and pharmacological determinants of peri-procedural myocardial
      infarction following elective stent implantation: Optical coherence tomography
      sub-analysis of the PRASFIT-Elective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that peri-procedural myocardial
      infarction (PMI) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated
      with adverse short- and long-term outcomes, and several morphological predictors
      of PMI have been studied. However, the determinants of PMI under novel anti
      platelet therapy are not fully elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS: PRASFIT-Elective
      is a multicenter, parallel-group study of PCI patients in non-acute settings
      receiving either prasugrel or clopidogrel in addition to aspirin. Among 742 study
      patients, 94 (116 lesions) underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) to
      evaluate the area of intra-stent tissue (IST, which comprises tissue protrusion
      and thrombus) after stenting in addition to standard parameters. We investigated
      the relationship between the peak creatine kinase (CK)-MB fraction levels after
      PCI and post-stent OCT findings, as well as on-treatment platelet reactivity
      determined by the P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) at PCI, in a post hoc manner. The
      multivariate linear analysis revealed that a larger total IST area (standardized
      coefficient: 0.370, p<0.001) and smaller minimal stent diameter (standardized
      coefficient: -0.242, p<0.014), but not the PRU value (p=0.988), were
      independently associated with CK-MB leakage. The IST area after stenting was
      mainly determined by the target lesion lipid index (averaged lipid arc*lipid
      length) (r=0.583, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Following elective PCI, a large IST area
      originating from a lipid-rich plaque and a smaller minimal stent diameter were
      associated with PMI.

PMID- 28619236
TI  - The effect of isolated soy protein adjunctive with flaxseed oil on markers of
      inflammation, oxidative stress, acute phase proteins, and wound healing of burn
      patients; a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The objective was to determine the effect of isolated soy protein
      (ISP) and flaxseed oil (FO) on inflammatory and oxidative stress indices, acute
      phase proteins, and wound healing of burn patients. METHODS: One hundred eighty
      eight patients were assessed for eligibility in this randomized controlled trial.
      Of these, seventy-three eligible patients (total burn surface area 20-50%) were
      randomly assigned to 3 isocaloric groups, labeled as control (wheat flour+corn
      oil (CO)), ISP+FO, and ISP+CO, to receive these nutrients for 3 weeks. We used
      intention to treat analysis to overcome bias. Because of the large perturbation
      in water compartments, patients received nutrients from 4th to 25th day of
      admission. Serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), malondialdehyde
      (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ferritin, albumin, and transferrin were
      measured. The wound area was evaluated by stereological test. RESULTS: During the
      3-week intervention, hs-CRP (-19.4+/-5.6, -11.7+/-4.7MUg/ml) and ferritin (
      83.8+/-20.5, -80.1+/-19.6ng/ml) levels changes significantly reduced compared to
      the control group (P<0.05). MDA level (-0.05+/-0.21MUmol/l) significantly
      decreased in group A (P<0/05) but was not significant in groups B and control
      (P>0.05). Albumin level (0.59+/-0.14, 0.30+/-0.12g/dl) significantly increased in
      group A compared to the control group (P<0.05), but no significant relationship
      was found between other groups (P>0.05). Transferrin level (4.9+/-3.6, 2.9+/
      5.1g/dl) significantly increased in ISP groups compared to the control (P<0.05).
      SOD improved in all groups with no significant difference between them (P>0.05).
      The stereology examination showed significant improvement in wound healing in the
      ISP groups on days 22 and 25 compared to the control group. CONCLUSION:
      Nutritional supplements with ISP may attenuate post-burn oxidative stress and
      inflammation, leading to improved wound healing in burn patients. Flaxseed oil
      may not exert a beneficial effect over the ISP.

PMID- 28619237
TI  - Influence of recycling programmes on waste separation behaviour.
AB  - To achieve high rates of waste reuse and recycling, waste separation in
      households is essential. This study aimed to reveal how recycling programmes in
      Sweden and Bulgaria influenced inhabitants' participation in separation of
      household waste. The waste separation behaviour of 111 university students from
      Kalmar, Sweden and 112 students from Plovdiv, Bulgaria was studied using the
      Theory of Planned Behaviour framework. The results showed that a lack of proper
      conditions for waste separation can prevent individuals from participating in
      this process, regardless of their positive attitudes. When respondents were
      satisfied with the local conditions for waste separation their behaviour instead
      depended on their personal attitudes towards waste separation and recycling.

PMID- 28619238
TI  - Mesenchymal stem cell in venous leg ulcer: An intoxicating therapy.
AB  - Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are a prevalent and reoccurring type of complicated
      wound, turning as a considerable public healthcare issue, with critical social
      and economic concern. There are both medical and surgical therapies to treat
      venous leg ulcers; however, a cure does not yet exist. Mesenchymal stem cells
      (MSC) are capable and proved of accelerating wound healing in vivo and their
      study with human chronic wounds is currently awaited. MSCs are a promising source
      of adult progenitor cells for cellular therapy and have been demonstrated to
      differentiate into various mesenchymal cell lineages. They have a crucial and
      integral role in native wound healing by regulating immune response and
      inflammation. Improved understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms at
      work in delayed wound healing compels to the development of cellular therapy in
      VLU. This review focuses on the current treatment option of VLU and further
      emphasizing the role of MSCs in accelerating the healing process. With further
      understanding of the mechanism of action of these cells in wound improvement and,
      the involvement of cytokines can also be revealed that could be used for the
      therapeutic purpose for VLU healing. Clinical uses of MSCs have been started
      already, and induced MSCs are surely a promising tool or compelling therapy for
      VLU.

PMID- 28619239
TI  - Antimicrobial susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from the
      urethra of men with acute urethritis and/or epididymitis.
AB  - We determined minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 41 antimicrobial agents
      for 73 clinical strains of Haemophilus influenzae isolated from the urethra of
      men with acute urethritis and/or epididymitis and examined the strains for the
      production of beta-lactamase. We also compared their antimicrobial
      susceptibilities with those of H. influenzae strains from respiratory tract or
      otorhinolaryngological infections that were reported in Japan. The proportion of
      beta-lactamase-nonproducing ampicillin-resistant strains from acute urethritis
      and/or epididymitis appeared to be lower, but that of beta-lactamase-producing
      ampicillin-resistant strains appeared to be higher, compared with those from
      respiratory tract or otorhinolaryngological infections. However, their
      antimicrobial susceptibilities to a variety of other antimicrobial agents would
      be similar to those from respiratory tract or otorhinolaryngological infections.
      Almost all of the strains of H. influenzae from acute urethritis and/or
      epididymitis were susceptible to the agents, including ceftriaxone, quinolones,
      macrolides, and tetracyclines, commonly prescribed for treatment of acute
      urethritis based on the MIC breakpoints recommended by the Clinical and
      Laboratory Standards Institute. Ceftriaxone and quinolones could be effective on
      H. influenzae-induced urethritis. However, azithromycin treatment failures were
      reported in acute urethritis caused by H. influenzae strains considered
      susceptible to azithromycin. Further studies will be needed to determine MIC
      breakpoints of antimicrobial agents, which are recommended for treatment of
      urogenital infections, for H. influenzae strains causing these infections.
      Nevertheless, this study provides useful data regarding antimicrobial
      susceptibilities of H. influenzae strains isolated from the urogenital tract,
      which have rarely been studied.

PMID- 28619241
TI  - Increased subclinical atherosclerosis burden in familial hypercholesterolemia
      phenotype: What do genetic defects tell us and what are the clinical
      implications?

PMID- 28619240
TI  - What is Language and How Could it Have Evolved?

PMID- 28619242
TI  - Insurance coverage and diabetes quality indicators among patients with diabetes
      in the US general population.
AB  - This study explores associations between health insurance and diabetes quality
      indicators. Data were obtained from 8305 patients with diabetes who reported no
      insurance, Medicaid or private insurance in the 2013 BRFSS in 26 states in the
      US. Six diabetes quality indicators were assessed: HgbA1c testing, foot exam, eye
      exam, influenza immunization, pneumococcal immunization and diabetes education.
      Logistic regression was performed comparing quality indicators by insurance group
      adjusting for covariates. Subjects with private insurance or Medicaid were more
      likely than the uninsured to have HgbA1c testing (OR=2.60, 95%CI: 2.02-3.35;
      OR=2.04, 95%CI: 1.55-2.69, respectively), a foot exam (OR=1.72, 95%CI: 1.32-2.25;
      OR=1.64, 95%CI: 1.23-2.18, respectively) and an eye exam (OR=2.01, 95%CI: 1.56
      2.58; OR=2.50, 95%CI: 1.91-3.27, respectively). Those with private insurance were
      more likely than the uninsured to have influenza immunization (OR=1.75, 95%CI:
      1.37-2.25) and diabetes education (OR=1.36, 95%CI: 1.06-1.74). Uninsured persons
      with diabetes are less likely to receive standard diabetes services compared to
      the insured, but most quality indicators were similar in publicly and privately
      insured groups.

PMID- 28619243
TI  - Unfolding the genetic pathways of dyslexia in Asian population: A review.
AB  - Dyslexia also known as specific reading disorder is a complex heritable disorder
      with unexpected difficulty in learning to read and spell despite adequate
      intelligence, education, environment, and normal senses. Over past decades,
      researchers have attempted to characterize dyslexia neurobiological and genetic
      levels and unfold its pathophysiology. The genetic research on dyslexia has
      received attention in Asia from the last decade. Though limited by different
      constraints the studies from Asia have been able to gather significant evidence
      in this field. We present a review of studies of genetics in Asian population and
      suggest future directions.

PMID- 28619244
TI  - Impact of avascular areas, as measured by contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS, on the
      accuracy of FNA for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: EUS-guided FNA (EUS-FNA) is used for the diagnosis of
      pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but sometimes the method results in a false negative.
      Occasionally, an avascular area may be observed within the pancreatic
      adenocarcinoma tumor during contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS (CH-EUS). The aim of
      this study was to evaluate whether the diagnostic sensitivity of EUS-FNA for
      pancreatic adenocarcinoma was affected by the presence of avascularity on CH-EUS.
      METHODS: Two hundred ninety-two patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who
      presented at Kindai University Hospital for EUS-FNA and CH-EUS between June 2009
      and August 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. This was a single-center
      retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data held in a registry. The
      overall sensitivity of EUS-FNA for the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma was
      calculated. The sensitivities of cytology, histology, and the combination of
      cytology and histology were also evaluated. These variables were individually
      evaluated according to the presence or absence of an avascular area on CH-EUS to
      assess whether the diagnostic sensitivity of EUS-FNA for pancreatic
      adenocarcinoma was related to the presence of an avascular area within the
      tumors. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity of EUS-FNA was 90.8% (265/292). The
      sensitivities of EUS-FNA for lesions with and without an avascular area were
      72.9% (35/48) and 94.3% (230/244), respectively, with the difference being
      statistically significant (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: EUS-FNA has lower sensitivity
      for pancreatic adenocarcinoma with avascular areas on CH-EUS.

PMID- 28619245
TI  - Risk of metachronous neoplasia on surveillance colonoscopy in young patients with
      colorectal neoplasia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Few prior reports exist that address the appropriate
      colonoscopy surveillance interval for individuals <50 years old. We compared the
      risk of metachronous neoplasia between younger (20-49 years) and older (50-54
      years) cohorts. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study compared the
      incidence of metachronous neoplasia in younger and older cohorts according to
      baseline risk stratification. Subjects were eligible if they underwent their
      first colonoscopy between June 2006 and May 2010 and had at least 1 or more
      surveillance colonoscopy up to June 2015. RESULTS: Among a total of 10,477
      subjects who underwent baseline colonoscopy, 9722 were eligible after excluding
      755 subjects. Of those 9722 subjects, 43% underwent surveillance colonoscopy. In
      the baseline high-risk adenoma group (n = 840), the 3-year risk of metachronous
      advanced neoplasia was 10.7% in the younger patients on screening colonoscopy and
      8.9% in the older patients (P > .1). In the baseline low-risk adenoma group (n =
      1869), the 5-year risk of metachronous advanced neoplasia was 4.9% in the younger
      patients on screening colonoscopy and 5.1% in the older patients (P > .1).
      Similarly, in the baseline no neoplasia group (n = 7013), the 5-year risk of
      metachronous advanced neoplasia was 4.1% in the younger patients on screening
      colonoscopy and 5.6% in the older patients (P > .1). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the
      similar risk of metachronous advanced neoplasia in younger and older individuals,
      we suggest a 3-year surveillance interval for high-risk adenoma and a 5-year
      surveillance interval for low-risk adenoma in young individuals without a strong
      family history.

PMID- 28619246
TI  - Using the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process to model the evolution of interacting
      populations.
AB  - The Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) process plays a major role in the analysis of the
      evolution of phenotypic traits along phylogenies. The standard OU process
      includes random perturbations and stabilizing selection and assumes that species
      evolve independently. However, evolving species may interact through various
      ecological process and also exchange genes especially in plants. This is
      particularly true if we want to study phenotypic evolution among diverging
      populations within species. In this work we present a straightforward statistical
      approach with analytical solutions that allows for the inclusion of adaptation
      and migration in a common phylogenetic framework, which can also be useful for
      studying local adaptation among populations within the same species. We
      furthermore present a detailed simulation study that clearly indicates the
      adverse effects of ignoring migration. Similarity between species due to
      migration could be misinterpreted as very strong convergent evolution without
      proper correction for these additional dependencies. Finally, we show that our
      model can be interpreted in terms of ecological interactions between species,
      providing a general framework for the evolution of traits between "interacting"
      species or populations.

PMID- 28619247
TI  - Childhood maltreatment severity is associated with elevated C-reactive protein
      and body mass index in adults with schizophrenia and bipolar diagnoses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several studies have described an association between childhood
      maltreatment and inflammatory markers in the psychotic disorders (schizophrenia
      [SZ] and bipolar disorder [BD]). Previous studies have been relatively small (<50
      participants), and the severity of abuse and the putative influence of body mass
      index (BMI) have not been properly investigated. METHODS: The combined effects of
      childhood abuse severity and clinical diagnosis on inflammatory markers were
      investigated in a large sample (n=483) of patients with a disorder on the
      psychosis spectrum and in healthy controls (HCs). Plasma levels of inflammatory
      markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], soluble tumor necrosis
      factor receptor type 1 [TNFR-R1], glycoprotein 130 [gp130]) were analyzed, and
      BMI and data on childhood trauma events, on the basis of the Childhood Trauma
      Questionnaire (CTQ), were obtained from all participants. RESULTS: Patients had
      increased levels of hs-CRP (P<0.001, Cohens d=0.4), lower levels of gp130
      (P<0.001, Cohens d=0.5), higher BMI (P<0.001, Cohens d=0.5) and reported more
      childhood maltreatment experiences (P<0.001, Cohens d=1.2) than the HC group. The
      severity of childhood abuse (up to three types of abuse: sexual abuse, physical
      abuse, and emotional abuse) was associated with elevated BMI (f=8.46, P<0.001,
      Cohen's d=0.5) and hs-CRP (f=5.47, P=0.001, Cohen's d=0.3). Combined effects of
      patient status and severity of childhood abuse were found for elevated hs-CRP
      (f=4.76, P<0.001, Cohen's d=0.4). Differences among the groups disappeared when
      BMI was added to the model. DISCUSSION: Trauma-altered immune activation via
      elevated hs-CRP in patients with SZ and BD may be mediated by higher BMI;
      however, the direction of this association needs further clarification.

PMID- 28619248
TI  - The effectiveness of behavioural and cognitive behavioural therapies for insomnia
      on depressive and fatigue symptoms: A systematic review and network meta
      analysis.
AB  - This review aimed to assess the impact of behavioural therapy for insomnia
      administered alone (BT-I) or in combination with cognitive techniques (cognitive
      behavioural therapy for insomnia, CBT-I) on depressive and fatigue symptoms using
      network meta-analysis. PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from 1986
      to May 2015. Studies were included if they incorporated sleep restriction, a core
      technique of BT-I treatment, and an adult insomnia sample, a control group and a
      standardised measure of depressive and/or fatigue symptoms. Face-to-face, group,
      self-help and internet therapies were all considered. Forty-seven studies were
      included in the meta-analysis. Eleven classes of treatment or control conditions
      were identified in the network. Cohen's d at 95% confidence interval (CI) was
      calculated to assess the effect sizes of each treatment class as compared with
      placebo. Results showed significant effects for individual face-to-face CBT-I on
      depressive (d = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.06-0.63) but not on fatigue symptoms, with high
      heterogeneity between studies. The source of heterogeneity was not identified
      even after including sex, age, comorbidity and risk of bias in sensitivity
      analyses. Findings highlight the need to reduce variability between study
      methodologies and suggest potential effects of individual face-to-face CBT-I on
      daytime symptoms.

PMID- 28619249
TI  - Metabolism of sex steroids is influenced by acquired adiposity-A study of young
      adult male monozygotic twin pairs.
AB  - Obesity and ageing are associated with lower serum testosterone levels in men.
      How fat distribution or adipose tissue metabolism, independent of genetic factors
      and age, are related to sex steroid metabolism is less clear. We studied the
      associations between adiposity and serum sex hormone concentrations, and mRNA
      expression of genes regulating sex hormone metabolism in adipose tissue in young
      adult male monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs. The subjects [n=18 pairs; mean age, 32
      years; individual body mass indexes (BMIs) 22-36kg/m2] included 9 male MZ twin
      pairs discordant for BMI [intra-pair difference (Delta) in BMI >=3kg/m2]. Sex
      steroid concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass
      spectrometry, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic
      resonance imaging, and mRNA expressions from subcutaneous adipose tissue by
      Affymetrix. In BMI-discordant pairs (mean DeltaBMI=5.9kg/m2), serum
      dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was lower [mean 1.9 (SD 0.7) vs. 2.4 (1.0) nmol/l,
      P=0.040] and mRNA expressions of DHT-inactivating AKR1C2 (P=0.021) and cortisol
      producing HSD11B1 (P=0.008) higher in the heavier compared to the leaner co
      twins. Serum free 17beta-estradiol (E2) was higher [2.3 (0.5) vs. 1.9 (0.5)
      pmol/l, P=0.028], and in all twin pairs, serum E2 and estrone concentrations were
      higher in the heavier than in the leaner co-twins [107 (28) vs. 90 (22) pmol/l,
      P=0.006; and 123 (43) vs. 105 (27) pmol/l, P=0.025]. Within all twin pairs, i.e.
      independent of genetic effects and age, 1) the amount of subcutaneous fat
      inversely correlated with serum total and free testosterone, DHT, and sex hormone
      binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations (P<0.01 for all), 2) intra-abdominal fat
      with total testosterone and SHBG (P<0.05), and 3) liver fat with SHBG (P=0.006).
      Also, 4) general and intra-abdominal adiposity correlated positively with mRNA
      expressions of AKR1C2, HSD11B1, and aromatase in adipose tissue (P<0.05). In
      conclusion, acquired adiposity was associated with decreased serum DHT and
      increased estrogen concentrations, independent of genetic factors and age. The
      reduction of DHT could be linked to its increased degradation (by AKR1C2 and
      HSD11B1) and increased estrogen levels to increased adiposity-related expression
      of aromatase in adipose tissue.

PMID- 28619250
TI  - Biotypes: Promise and Pitfalls.

PMID- 28619251
TI  - Increases of Calbindin-Containing Chandelier Cartridges in Schizophrenia: Fact or
      Artifact?

PMID- 28619252
TI  - ZNF804A: Insights From the First Genome-wide Significant Schizophrenia Gene.

PMID- 28619253
TI  - The N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor: Memory, Madness, and More.

PMID- 28619254
TI  - 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Characterization of Psychosis Spectrum and Future
      Directions.

PMID- 28619255
TI  - Infant nutrition and maternal obesity influence the risk of non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease in adolescents.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: The pathway to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in
      adolescents may have its origins in adiposity gains, nutrition and sedentary
      lifestyle established during childhood. There is inadequate knowledge regarding
      the associations between infant nutrition and subsequent NAFLD. We examined the
      association of maternal factors and infant nutrition, with the subsequent
      diagnosis of NAFLD in adolescents. METHODS: Adolescents aged 17years in the
      Western Australian Pregnancy (Raine) Cohort study had fatty liver assessment
      using liver ultrasound. Prospectively recorded data on maternal pregnancy and
      infant feeding were examined against a NAFLD outcome during late adolescence.
      RESULTS: NAFLD was diagnosed in 15.2% of the 1,170 adolescents examined. Ninety
      four percent had been breastfed as infants. The duration of breastfeeding before
      starting supplementary milk was ?4months in 54.4% and ?6months in 40.6%.
      Breastfeeding without supplementary milk ?6months (adjusted odds ratio [OR]:
      0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.43-0.94, p=0.02), maternal pre-pregnancy
      obesity (adjusted OR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.21-4.32, p=0.01) and adolescent obesity
      (adjusted OR: 9.08; 95% CI: 6.26-13.17, p<0.001) were associated with NAFLD
      independent of a Western dietary pattern at 17years of age. Adolescents with
      NAFLD who had been breastfed for ?6months had a less adverse metabolic profile
      compared with adolescents breastfed for <6months. Supplementary milk intake
      starting before 6months was associated with a higher prevalence and ultrasound
      severity of NAFLD compared with intake starting after 6months (17.7% vs. 11.2%,
      p=0.003 and 7.8% vs. 3.4%, p=0.005 respectively). CONCLUSION: Though NAFLD is
      generally mediated through adiposity gains, breastfeeding for at least 6months,
      avoidance of early supplementary formula milk feeding, and normal maternal pre
      pregnancy BMI may reduce the odds of a NAFLD diagnosis during adolescence. LAY
      SUMMARY: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disorder in
      which there is too much fat in the liver of people who do not consume excessive
      amounts of alcohol. In this large study, we found that infants who consumed
      breast milk for less than 6months before starting infant formula milk, infants
      who were obese as teenagers or had mothers who were obese at the start of
      pregnancy, were much more likely to have NAFLD at 17years of age. Based on our
      findings we consider that reducing the risk of NAFLD in teenagers needs to start
      before birth, by encouraging normal body mass index before pregnancy, as well as
      breastfeeding without infant formula milk consumption for the first 6months of
      life.

PMID- 28619256
TI  - Pre-natal and post-natal environment monitoring to prevent non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease development.

PMID- 28619257
TI  - WITHDRAWN: The Role of capsule endoscopy and device assisted enteroscopy for
      small bowel lesions in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.
AB  - This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor.
      The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier
      Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our
      business/policies/article-withdrawal.

PMID- 28619258
TI  - Rho kinase-dependent desensitization of GPR39; a unique mechanism of GPCR
      downregulation.
AB  - GPR39, a G-protein-coupled receptor activated by zinc, reportedly activates
      multiple intracellular signaling pathways via Gs, Gq, G12/13, and beta-arrestin,
      but little is known about downregulation of the receptor upon its activation. To
      our knowledge, this is the first report on the mechanism of feedback regulation
      of GPR39 function determined in GPR39-expressing HEK293 cells (HEK293-GPR39) as a
      model cell system. In HEK293-GPR39 cells, GPR39-C3, which is a positive
      allosteric modulator, activated cAMP production (downstream of Gs), IP1
      accumulation (downstream of Gq), SRF-RE-dependent transcription (downstream of
      G12/13), and beta-arrestin recruitment. GPR39-C3 induced dose- and time-dependent
      loss of response in cAMP production by second challenge of the compound. This
      functional desensitization was blocked by the Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, Y
      27632, but not by Gq or Gs-pathway inhibitors or inhibition of beta-arrestin
      recruitment. In the receptor localization assay, GPR39-C3 induced internalization
      of GFP-tagged GPR39. This internalization was also inhibited by Y-27632, which
      suggested that ROCK activation is critical for internalization and
      desensitization of GPR39. A novel biased GPR39 positive allosteric modulator, 5
      [2-[(2,4-dichlorophenyl)methoxy]phenyl]-2,2-dimethyl-1,3,5,6
      tetrahydrobenzo[a]phenanthridin-4-one (GSB-118), which activated cAMP responses
      and beta-arrestin recruitment but showed no effect on SRF-RE-dependent
      transcription, did not induce desensitization. These results revealed a unique
      mechanism of desensitization of GPR39.

PMID- 28619259
TI  - Astroglial versus Neuronal D-Serine: Fact Checking.

PMID- 28619260
TI  - Neural correlates of decision making on whole body yaw rotation: An fNIRS study.
AB  - Prominent accounts of decision making state that decisions are made on the basis
      of an accumulation of sensory evidence, orchestrated by networks of prefrontal
      and parietal neural populations. Here we assess whether these findings generalize
      to decisions on self-motion. Participants were presented with whole body yaw
      rotations of different durations in a 2-Interval-Forced-Choice paradigm, and
      tasked to discriminate motions on the basis of their amplitude. The cortical
      hemodynamic response was recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy
      (fNIRS) while participants were performing the task. The imaging data was used to
      predict the specific response on individual experimental trials, and to predict
      whether the comparison stimulus would be judged larger than the reference.
      Classifier performance on the former variable was negligible. However,
      considerable performance was achieved for the latter variable, specifically using
      parietal imaging data. The findings provide support for the notion that activity
      in the parietal cortex reflects modality independent decision variables that
      represent the strength of the neural evidence in favor of a decision. The results
      are encouraging for the use of fNIRS as a method to perform neuroimaging in
      moving individuals.

PMID- 28619261
TI  - Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/p62) maintains protein folding capacity under endoplasmic
      reticulum stress in mouse hypothalamic organotypic culture.
AB  - Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) also known as ubiquitin-binding protein p62 (p62) is a
      cargo protein involved in the degradation of misfolded proteins via selective
      autophagy. Disruption of autophagy and resulting accumulation of misfolded
      proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) leads to ER stress. ER stress is
      implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases and obesity. As knockout of p62
      (p62KO) reportedly induces obesity in mice, we examined how p62 contributes to ER
      stress and the ensuing unfolded protein response (UPR) in hypothalamus using
      mouse organotypic cultures in the present study. Cultures from p62KO mice showed
      significantly reduced formation of LC3-GFP puncta, an index of autophagosome
      formation, in response to the chemical ER stressor thapsigargin compared to wild
      type (WT) cultures. Hypothalamic cultures from p62KO mice exhibited higher basal
      expression of the UPR/ER stress markers CHOP mRNA and ATF4 mRNA than WT cultures.
      Thapsigargin enhanced CHOP, ATF4, and BiP mRNA as well as p-eIF2alpha protein
      expression in both WT and p62KO cultures, but all peak values were greater in
      p62KO cultures. A proteasome inhibitor increased p62 expression in WT cultures
      and upregulated the UPR/ER stress markers CHOP mRNA and ATF4 mRNA in both
      genotypes, but to a greater extent in p62KO cultures. Therefore, p62 deficiency
      disturbed autophagosome formation and enhanced both basal and chemically induced
      ER stress, suggesting that p62 serves to prevent ER stress in mouse hypothalamus
      by maintaining protein folding capacity.

PMID- 28619262
TI  - The Parkland grading scale for cholecystitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gallbladders (GBs) with severe inflammation have longer operative
      times and an increased risk for complications. We propose a grading system using
      intraoperative images to better stratify GB inflammation. METHODS: After
      reviewing the intraoperative images of GBs obtained during several hundred
      laparoscopic cholecystectomies, we developed a five-tiered grading system based
      on anatomy and inflammatory changes. Fifty intraoperative photographs were taken
      prior to dissection and then distributed to 11 surgeons who rated each GB's
      severity per the grading system. The two-way random effects Intraclass
      Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the reliability among the
      raters. RESULTS: The ICC among the raters of GB severity was 0.804 (95% CI: 0.733
      to 0.867; p = 0.0001). Nineteen GB images had greater than 82% agreement and 16
      were clustered around GBs with severe inflammation (grades 3-5). CONCLUSION: This
      study proposes a simple, reliable grading system that characterizes GB complexity
      based on inflammation and anatomy.

PMID- 28619263
TI  - Cancer care in the developed world: A comparison of surgical oncology training
      programs.

PMID- 28619264
TI  - Institutional variants for lymph node counts after pancreatic resections.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lymph node (LN) counts from pancreatectomy are postulated as quality
      metric for surgical therapy of pancreatic malignancy. METHODS: Prospectively
      collected data from a single surgeon's pancreatectomy experience were analyzed
      for predictors of LN counts. RESULTS: Of 315 consecutive patients (54% female,
      median age: 65, range 18-88), 239 had a proven cancer diagnosis (76%). Operations
      included pancreatoduodenectomy (69%), distal pancreatectomy (26%), total
      pancreatectomy (1%) and others (4%). Patients were treated in 4 different
      tertiary cancer center settings (Institution A: 11%; B: 46%; C: 27%; D: 16%) with
      consistent regional dissection standards. Mean total LN counts differed between
      institutions for malignancies (A: 18, B: 13, C: 26, D: 26, p < 0.0001) and benign
      diseases (p = 0.003). At least 15 LNs were reported in 63% of cancer patients
      (institution range: 34-92%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pathologic processing
      should be standardized if LN numbers are to be adopted as quality metric for
      pancreatic cancer resections.

PMID- 28619265
TI  - Comparison of surgical incision complete closure versus leaving skin open in
      wound class IV in emergent colon surgery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to compare the effect of techniques of wound closure in
      the emergent colon surgery with wound class IV. METHODS: Using 2014 the colectomy
      targeted ACS-NSQIP dataset; we identified patients undergoing emergent colectomy
      with wound class IV. Comparison of surgical incision complete closure versus
      leaving the skin open and multivariate logistic regression analyses was
      performed. RESULTS: Of 1792 patients undergoing emergent colectomy with wound
      class IV, the complete closure cohort had 1376 patients and the incision skin
      open cohort had 416 patients. The incidence of deep SSI was 2.3% in the complete
      closure cohort vs. 1.2% in the incision skin open, p = 0.15, and intra-abdominal
      abscess rate was 11.8% in the complete closure cohort vs. 12.3% in the incision
      skin open, p = 0.78. The dehiscence rate, readmission rate, and reoperation rates
      were not statistically significant between two cohorts. A multivariate model for
      dehiscence did not yield significant association between the complete closure
      cohort and incision skin open cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical incision complete
      wound closure in the emergent colon surgery with wound class III/IV is safe and
      effective.

PMID- 28619266
TI  - Patterns of use and factors associated with early discontinuation of opioids
      following major trauma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inappropriate use of prescription opioids is a growing public-health
      issue. We sought to estimate the proportion of traumatic injury patients using
      legal prescription opioids up to 1-year after hospitalization. METHODS: We used
      2006-2014 claims data from TRICARE insurance to identify adults hospitalized
      secondary to trauma between 2007 and 2013. Prescription opioid use was evaluated
      for one-year post-discharge. Risk-adjusted Cox Proportional-hazards models were
      used to evaluate predictors of opioid discontinuation. RESULTS: Only 1% of
      patients sustained legal prescription opioid use at 1-year following trauma.
      Lower socioeconomic status (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.98) and higher injury severity
      (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84-0.91) were associated with sustained use. Younger patients
      (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.04-1.21) and Black patients (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.04-1.15) were
      found to have a higher likelihood of opioid discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: In this
      population, adult patients who sustained trauma were not at high risk of
      sustained legal prescription opioid use.

PMID- 28619267
TI  - Multiple paternity in the cultured yellow pond turtles (Mauremys mutica).
AB  - As a result of hunting and habitat loss, wild populations of the yellow pond
      turtle, Mauremys mutica, are decreasing. The International Union for Conservation
      of Nature considers M. mutica to be an endangered species. All studied freshwater
      turtles have polyandrous mating with multiple paternity. To survey the mating
      strategies of M. mutica, 1year's genetic data of parents and all offspring in an
      artificially captive population were analyzed. Two groups of multiplex PCR
      containing 16 microsatellite loci were used to analyze the paternity of 302
      hatchlings from 132 parents and from 159 clutches. The genetic data indicated
      that multiple paternity is rare in M. mutica, occurring in only seven of 138
      clutches. Although the frequency of multiple paternity was only 5.07%, results of
      the present research indicate that M. mutica has a polyandrous mating system. In
      the breeding season, the successive clutches of 34 females each had the same
      paternity as the previous clutches. It was observed that four males (f85, f58,
      f87, and f76) had more than 20 offspring each, totaling 99 and representing
      32.78% of all offspring. This finding implies that paternity is competitive in
      this artificially captive population and might bias the genetic diversity of the
      offspring.

PMID- 28619268
TI  - RETRACTED: Ankle-hindfoot after calcaneal fractures: A biomechanical study.
AB  - This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal
      (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).This article has been retracted
      at the request of the Editor-in-Chief.The decision to retract this article is
      based on the fact that it contains much of the same information that the authors
      stated in the following report, which was published in another journal: Xu C, Liu
      H, Li M, Wang C, Li K. A Three-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis of Displaced
      Intra-Articular Calcaneal Fractures. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2017 Mar-Apr; 56(2): 319
      326. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2016.09.018. PMID: 28231965.A review of the
      timeline of events related to our publication indicated that the manuscript was
      originally submitted and accepted for publication shortly after the other report
      was published in Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery.The authors were aware that
      the two reports contained much of the same (in large part, identical)
      information, and that the two manuscripts were under consideration by two
      different journals, despite indication from the corresponding authors to each
      journal that the work that each journal was considering was original.Because of
      this breach of scientific publication ethics, specifically self-plagiarism, this
      report (PMID: 28619268) has been retracted from Orthopaedics & Traumatology:
      Surgery & Research / Orthop Traumatol Surg Res.

PMID- 28619269
TI  - Comparing effects of cervical anterior approach and laminoplasty in surgical
      management of cervical ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament by a
      prospective nonrandomized controlled study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The laminoplasty has been the most widely used surgical method for
      OPLL. In recent years, increasing attention has been drawn to the anterior
      operative approaches for surgical treatment of cervical OPLL. However, which
      method is the optimum selection for therapy of cervical OPLL is still obscure.
      Therefore, we performed this prospective nonrandomized clinical study in patients
      with multilevel cervical myelopathy due to OPLL and compare the therapeutic
      efficiency of laminoplasty and anterior approach (cervical discectomy and/or
      cervical corpectomy) in the management of multilevel cervical OPLL. HYPOTHESIS:
      There is no difference in clinical effects between anterior cervical spine
      surgery and laminoplasty in the treatment of multilevel cervical OPLL. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: A total of 150 consecutive patients with multilevels of cervical
      OPLL underwent anterior approaches (ACDF, ACCF and HDF) from July 2010 to June
      2014, which were enrolled in this study. During the same period, one hundred and
      two patients receiving the laminoplasty were enrolled in the study. The clinical
      effects, alignment and range of motion (ROM) of cervical spine in patients of the
      anterior group and posterior group were assessed, respectively. The effects of
      high signals in T2 weighed MRI scans and percentage of spinal canal stenosis in
      these patients were also evaluated. Finally, postoperative complications
      regarding each group were analyzed. RESULTS: Although significant differences in
      types of OPLL and preoperative sagittal alignment of cervical spine occurred in
      the two groups (P<0.05), clinical effects of the two groups were similar
      (P>0.05). The cervical curvature in laminoplasty group showed significant
      decrease at final follow-up (P<0.05). For ROM of cervical spine, no significant
      alteration was observed in both groups. The high T2 weighed signals and rate of
      spinal canal stenosis can influence clinical effects of both anterior group and
      laminoplasty group. In addition, significantly higher complication rate was
      observed in laminoplasty group compared with anterior group (P<0.05). DISCUSSION:
      Both anterior and laminoplasty approaches can be considered effective and safe
      procedures in the treatment of the multilevel OPLL. However, the anterior
      approach with relatively lower incidence of postoperative complications is a
      better choice for cases with poor cervical curvature and serious spinal canal
      stenosis. TYPE OF STUDY AND LEVEL OF PROOF: Level 3 nonrandomized, controlled
      clinical trials.

PMID- 28619270
TI  - What is symptom meaning? A framework analysis of communication in palliative care
      consultations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is a limited understanding of symptom meaning and its
      significance to clinical practice within symptom experience literature. This
      study aims to qualitatively explore the ways in which symptom meanings are
      discussed by patients and responded to by palliative care physicians during
      consultations. METHODS: Framework analysis was conducted with 40 palliative care
      consultation transcripts. RESULTS: 55% of consultations discussed symptom
      meaning. Six themes regarding patients' symptom meanings emerged while four
      themes conveyed physicians' responses to these utterances. Key symptom meanings
      included symptoms representing diminished function and uncertainty about symptom
      cause or future. Physicians usually gave scientific medical responses concerning
      symptom cause and treatment, versus reassurance or empathy. CONCLUSION: This
      study has provided greater insight into the different symptom meanings that exist
      for palliative care patients. Physicians' responses highlight their reliance on
      medical information when patients are distressed. Future studies should explore
      the impact of different responses on patient outcomes, and health practitioners'
      views about optimal responses. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Physicians could explore
      symptom meanings with their patients, looking out for those identified here.
      Apart from information-giving and treatment, active listening to these concerns
      as they present in consultations may help improve the therapeutic relationship
      and better guide optimal care.

PMID- 28619271
TI  - The impact of motivational interviewing on adherence and symptom severity in
      adolescents and young adults with chronic illness: A systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Given the negative consequences associated with non-adherence in
      adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with chronic illness, it is important to
      identify interventions to address this issue. Therefore, this review's primary
      objective is to evaluate the impact of motivational interviewing (MI) on
      adherence and symptom level/severity in AYAs with chronic illness using a
      modified Cochrane method. METHOD: Four databases (e.g., CINAHL, Medline,
      PsychINFO, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts) were systematically
      reviewed. 121 articles were identified in the initial search. Article eligibility
      was assessed on two tiers using the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Twelve articles
      were retained for data extraction. Diabetes, asthma, and HIV were the most common
      chronic illness populations examined in the study. Eleven of the twelve articles
      provided support for either improved adherence, symptom reduction, or a
      combination of both after participants received MI. Quality of life was also
      enhanced in three studies. CONCLUSION: Because adherence and symptom levels were
      positively impacted, it appears that MI may be a promising intervention for AYAs
      with chronic illness in addressing non-adherence and potentially improving
      quality of life. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare providers should consider
      implementing MI in their practice to establish rapport and potentially improve
      long-term health outcomes for AYAs with chronic illness.

PMID- 28619272
TI  - Patient participation during oncological encounters: Barriers and need for
      supportive interventions experienced by elderly cancer patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To enhance patient participation during (oncological) encounters, this
      study aims to gain insight into communication barriers and supportive
      interventions experienced by elderly patients with cancer. METHOD: A mixed method
      design, including both quantitative (secondary survey data analysis) and
      qualitative (interviews) methods Survey data were used to identify communication
      barriers and need for supportive interventions of elderly cancer patients,
      compared to younger patients. Next, interviews provided in-depth insight into
      elderly patients' experiences and underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: A majority of
      the 70 participating elderly cancer patients (53%) felt confident in
      communicating and participating during medical encounters. However, 47% of
      patients experienced barriers to effectively communicate with their healthcare
      provider and felt the need for supportive interventions. The 14 interviewed
      patients mentioned barriers and facilitators related to attributes of themselves
      (e.g. feeling sick, self-efficacy), the provider (e.g. taking patient seriously)
      and the healthcare system (e.g. time constraints). CONCLUSIONS: Although many
      elderly cancer patients feel confident, offering support to patients who feel
      less confident in communicating with their provider is recommended. PRACTICE
      IMPLICATIONS: The outcomes of this study can be used as a first step for
      developing interventions for elderly cancer patients to overcome communication
      barriers, and help providers to facilitate this process.

PMID- 28619273
TI  - The many "Disguises" of patient-centered communication: Problems of
      conceptualization and measurement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To critically examine different approaches to the measurement of
      patient-centered communication. METHODS: Provides a critique of 7 different
      measures of patient-centered communication with respect to differences in their
      assumptions about what constitutes patient-centeredness and in their approaches
      to measurement. RESULTS: The measures differed significantly with regard to
      whether the measure captured behavior (what the interactants did) or judgment
      (how well the behavior was performed), focused on the individual clinician or on
      the interaction as a whole, and on who makes the assessment (participant or
      observer). A multidimensional framework for developing patient-centered
      communication measures is presented that encompasses the patient's perspective
      and participation, the biopsychosocial context of the patient's health, the
      clinician-patient relationship, quality of information-exchange, shared
      understanding, and shared, evidence-based decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: The state
      of measurement of the patient-centered communication construct lacks coherence,
      in part because current measures were developed either void of a conceptual
      framework or from very different theoretical perspectives. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS:
      Assessment of patients' experiences with quality of communication in medical
      encounters should drill down into specific domains of patient-centeredness.

PMID- 28619274
TI  - The importance of acknowledgement of emotions in routine patient psychological
      assessment: The example of the dental setting.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate, by means of a conceptual model, the effect of dental
      staff engaging with their patients who share their level of dental anxiety in a
      short screening questionnaire. METHODS: Three consecutive studies based in the UK
      primary dental care services were conducted. Each study adopted a randomised
      group design to focus on the possible influence on patient state anxiety of the
      dentist becoming aware of their patients' dental anxiety from the self-reports of
      the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). RESULTS: A consistent finding in the
      first two studies was that the presentation of MDAS score sheet to the dentist
      was effective in reducing patient state anxiety when leaving the surgery. The
      third study provided supportive evidence that a more permanent anxiolytic effect
      of the presentation of the MDAS to the dentist was associated with the dentist
      responding openly to their patient about the fears expressed. CONCLUSION: The
      active engagement of dental staff in the formal presentation of dental anxiety
      screening confers a reliable benefit to dentally anxious patients. CLINICAL
      IMPLICATIONS: Anxiety assessments in clinical service may give patients
      significant relief when staff acknowledge and engage patients when presented with
      their self-reported ratings.

PMID- 28619275
TI  - Differentiation Affects the Release of Exosomes from Colon Cancer Cells and Their
      Ability to Modulate the Behavior of Recipient Cells.
AB  - Exosomes are involved in intercellular communication. We previously reported that
      sodium butyrate-induced differentiation of HT29 colon cancer cells is associated
      with a reduced CD133 expression. Herein, we analyzed the role of exosomes in the
      differentiation of HT29 cells. Exosomes were prepared using ultracentrifugation.
      Gene expression levels were evaluated by real-time PCR. The cell proliferation
      rate was assessed by MTT assay and with the electric cell-substrate impedance
      sensing system, whereas cell motility was assessed using the scratch test and
      confocal microscopy. Sodium butyrate-induced differentiation of HT29 and Caco-2
      cells increased the levels of released exosomes and their expression of CD133.
      Cell differentiation and the decrease of cellular CD133 expression levels were
      prevented by blocking multivesicular body maturation. Exosomes released by HT29
      differentiating cells carried increased levels of miRNAs, induced an increased
      proliferation and motility of both colon cancer cells and normal fibroblasts,
      increased the colony-forming efficiency of cancer cells, and reduced the sodium
      butyrate-induced differentiation of HT29 cells. Such effects were associated with
      an increased phosphorylation level of both Src and extracellular signal regulated
      kinase proteins and with an increased expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition-related genes. Release of exosomes is affected by differentiation of
      colon cancer cells; exosomes might be used by differentiating cells to get rid of
      components that are no longer necessary but might continue to exert their effects
      on recipient cells.

PMID- 28619276
TI  - Arginine vasopressin relates with spatial learning and memory in a mouse model of
      spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.
AB  - Spinocerebellar ataxia is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that the most
      prevalent type is type 3 (SCA3). Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is released within
      the lateral septum for controlling the learning and memory. This communication
      studied the effect of AVP on the spatial learning and memory of SCA3 mice. The
      spatial learning and memory were analyzed by Morris water maze test (MWM), and
      AVP concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results showed that
      (Alves et al., 2010) the swimming velocity, distance traveled and latency to the
      platform of MWM in SCA3 mice were reduced slower than those in WT mice over 4
      training days (p<0.05, 0.01 or 0.001); (Antunes and Zimmerman, 1978) SCA3 mice
      showed a lower performance of spatial learning and memory of MWM during the fifth
      day (test day) compared to WT mice; (Bao et al., 2014) SCA3 mice had a decrease
      of AVP concentration in cerebral cortex (6.3+/-0.6pg/mg vs. 11.4+/-1.0pg/mg,
      p<0.01), hypothalamus (6.1+/-1.3ng/mg vs. 10.3+/-2.1ng/mg, p<0.05), hippocampus
      (3.2+/-0.5pg/mg vs. 5.2+/-1.0pg/mg, p<0.01) and cerebellum (4.7+/-0.9pg/mg vs.
      8.3+/-1.1pg/mg, p<0.01), not in spinal cord, pituitary and serum; and (Barberies
      and Tribollet, 1996) intraventricular AVP could significantly quicken swimming
      velocity, cut down distance traveled and reduce latency to the platform of MWM in
      a dose-dependent manner, but intraventricular AVP receptor antagonist weakened
      the spatial learning and memory of MWM in SCA3 mice during the fifth day. The
      data suggested that AVP in the brain, not spinal cord and peripheral system of
      SCA3 mice related with the change of the spatial learning and memory of MWM.

PMID- 28619277
TI  - Non-invasive Estimation of Temperature during Physiotherapeutic Ultrasound
      Application Using the Average Gray-Level Content of B-Mode Images: A Metrological
      Approach.
AB  - Healing therapies that make use of ultrasound are based on raising the
      temperature in biological tissue. However, it is not possible to heal impaired
      tissue by applying a high dose of ultrasound. The temperature of the tissue is
      ultimately the physical quantity that has to be assessed to minimize the risk of
      undesired injury. Invasive temperature measurement techniques are easy to use,
      despite the fact that they are detrimental to human well being. Another approach
      to assessing a rise in tissue temperature is to derive the material's general
      response to temperature variations from ultrasonic parameters. In this article, a
      method for evaluating temperature variations is described. The method is based on
      the analytical study of an ultrasonic image, in which gray-level variations are
      correlated to the temperature variations in a tissue-mimicking material. The
      physical assumption is that temperature variations induce wave propagation
      changes modifying the backscattered ultrasound signal, which are expressed in the
      ultrasonographic images. For a temperature variation of about 15 degrees C, the
      expanded uncertainty for a coverage probability of 0.95 was found to be 2.5
      degrees C in the heating regime and 1.9 degrees C in the cooling regime. It is
      possible to use the model proposed in this article in a straightforward manner to
      monitor temperature variation during a physiotherapeutic ultrasound application,
      provided the tissue-mimicking material approach is transferred to actual
      biological tissue. The novelty of such approach resides in the metrology-based
      investigation outlined here, as well as in its ease of reproducibility.

PMID- 28619278
TI  - Poor Apgar score and high mortality in puppies born by caesarean section from
      bitches anaesthetized with a propofol constant rate infusion.

PMID- 28619279
TI  - Intra-abdominal pressure and intra-abdominal hypertension in critically ill
      obstetric patients: a prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Critically ill obstetric patients may have risk factors for intra
      abdominal hypertension. This study evaluated the intra-abdominal pressure and its
      effect on organ function and the epidemiology of intra-abdominal hypertension.
      METHODS: Obstetric patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit, with an
      anticipated stay greater than 24hours, were included. Intra-abdominal pressure
      was measured daily via a Foley catheter, based on intravesical pressure. RESULTS:
      One-hundred-and-one patients were enrolled. The intra-abdominal pressure was 5
      7mmHg in 34%; 7-12mmHg in 60%; and >=12mmHg (intra-abdominal hypertension) in 6%.
      All six patients with intra-abdominal hypertension were pregnant at the time of
      admission. The intra-abdominal pressure in four patients normalized to <12mmHg
      following delivery, but in the remaining two it persisted >=12mmHg and both these
      patients died. Correlation between intra-abdominal pressure and organ dysfunction
      was weak (r=0.211). Statistical comparison between patients with and without
      intra-abdominal hypertension for risk factors, daily intra-abdominal pressures,
      and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score could not be done due to the
      disproportionately small number of patients with intra-abdominal hypertension as
      opposed to those without (6 versus 95). Intra-abdominal pressure did not
      significantly differ between survivors and non-survivors (8.5+/-1.1 vs 7.9+/
      1.7mmHg, P=0.079). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of intra-abdominal hypertension in
      critically ill obstetric patients was lower than previously defined for mixed
      Intensive Care Unit populations, with an association with the pregnant state.
      Normalization of intra-abdominal pressure after delivery was associated with
      better survival. There was no correlation between intra-abdominal pressure and
      organ function or mortality.

PMID- 28619280
TI  - It All Depends on Who Does What: A Survey of Patient and Family Member Comfort
      With Surgical Trainees Operating.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To measure patient and family member comfort with surgical trainees of
      varying levels performing different portions of surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND
      PARTICIPANTS: An electronic survey dividing surgery into 6 steps (prepping and
      positioning, initial incision, deep dissection, critical portions, deep suturing,
      and closing incision), differentiating surgical trainees by 4 levels of
      experience (medical student, intern, resident, and fellow), and specifying
      whether or not an attending surgeon is in the operating room (OR) was given to
      200 patients and family members in the surgical waiting area of a single academic
      medical center. Responses were on a 7-point Likert scale from "Not Comfortable at
      All" to "Completely Comfortable". RESULTS: Patient and family member comfort
      significantly increased as trainee experience increased. It reached a nadir for
      all trainees performing "critical portions" of surgery. However, their average
      response was "Comfortable" for residents and fellows performing any surgical step
      when the attending surgeon is present in the OR. The percentage of "Comfortable"
      responses was significantly lower for all trainee levels performing any surgical
      step when the attending surgeon is absent from the OR. CONCLUSIONS: Patient and
      family member comfort with surgical trainees operating varies based on the
      trainee's level of experience, the step the trainee performs, and whether or not
      the attending surgeon is present in the OR. Patients and family members are on
      average "Comfortable" with surgical residents and fellows performing any surgical
      step when the attending surgeon is present.

PMID- 28619281
TI  - Metabolism of KO143, an ABCG2 inhibitor.
AB  - The ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2) plays an important role in
      modulating drug disposition and endobiotic homeostasis. KO143 is a potent and
      relatively selective ABCG2 inhibitor. We found that the metabolic stability of
      KO143 was very poor in human liver microsomes (HLM). Our further studies
      illustrated that the tert-butyl ester group in KO143 can be rapidly hydrolyzed
      and removed by carboxylesterase 1. This metabolic pathway was confirmed as a
      major pathway of KO143 metabolism in both HLM and mice. K1 is an analog of KO143
      without the ester group. We found that the metabolic stability of K1 was
      significantly improved in HLM when compared to KO143. These data suggest that the
      ester group in KO143 is the major cause of the poor metabolic stability of KO143.
      The data from this study can be used to guide the development of KO143 analogs
      with better metabolic properties.

PMID- 28619282
TI  - The first CUB-domain containing serine protease from Chlamys farreri which might
      be involved in larval development and immune response.
AB  - Serine proteases (SPs) are one of the most well understood enzyme families, which
      play an important role in regulating many physiological events. In the present
      study, one CUB-domain containing serine protease was identified from Chlamys
      farreri (designated as CfCUBSP). The full-length cDNA of CfCUBSP was of 3181 bp
      with an open reading frame of 2688 bp encoding a polypeptide of 896 amino acids.
      CfCUBSP shared closer phylogenetic relationship with those multi-domain SPs which
      consisted of one SP domain, and different numbers of CUB domain and LDLa domain
      than other SPs. The mRNA transcripts of CfCUBSP were detected in all
      developmental stages with the highest expression level in fertilized eggs and the
      lowest in trochophore larvae. In adult scallop, the CfCUBSP mRNA could be
      detected in all examined tissues with the highest level in hepatopancreas, and
      CfCUBSP protein was dominantly located in the gills, hepatopancreas, gonad and
      kidney. The mRNA expression of CfCUBSP in hemocytes was significantly up
      regulated after the stimulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN)
      and beta-glucan (GLU) (P < 0.05). All the results collectively indicated that
      CfCUBSP was a primitive member of the invertebrate SPs which might be involved in
      larval development and immune response against Gram-negative (G-) and Gram
      positive (G+) bacteria and fungus in scallop.

PMID- 28619283
TI  - Preparation and in vitro assessment of wet-spun gemcitabine-loaded polymeric
      fibers: Towards localized drug delivery for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There has been minimal improvement in the prognosis of
      pancreatic cancer cases in the past 3 decades highlighting the crucial need for
      more effective therapeutic approaches. A drug delivery system capable of locally
      delivering high concentrations of chemotherapeutics directly at the site of the
      tumor is clearly required. The aim of this study was to fabricate and
      characterize the biophysical properties of gemcitabine-eluting wet-spun polymeric
      fibers for localized drug delivery applications. METHODS/RESULTS: Fibers spun
      from alginate or chitosan solutions with or without the anticancer drug
      gemcitabine had a uniform surface area, were internally homogeneous and ranged
      from 50-120 MUm in diameter. Drug encapsulation ranged from 13-52%, depending on
      the type and concentration of polymer used. Gemcitabine displayed first-order
      release kinetics where 64-82% of the loaded drug was rapidly released within the
      first 10 h followed by a sustained release over the next 134 h. A time dependent
      inhibition of ex vivo tumor spheroid growth and cell viability was observed after
      incubation with gemcitabine-loaded fibers but not control fibers. CONCLUSION:
      With further development these studies could lead to the manufacture of a safe
      and effective delivery system designed to combat non-resectable pancreatic cancer
      for which currently there is minimal chance of cure.

PMID- 28619284
TI  - Assessment of disease aggression in cystic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A CT
      and pathology correlation study.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There are inconsistencies in the literature regarding the
      clinical significance of cystic components in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
      (NET). This may be related to differences in the identification of cystic NET
      through imaging and/or pathology. Tumors may also be microscopically or
      macroscopically cystic. Our primary objective is to determine radiology-pathology
      correlation for the identification of cystic components. Our secondary objective
      is to determine if cystic components are associated with indices of tumor
      aggression. METHODS: 60 tumors with correlative surgical pathology were assessed
      retrospectively for cystic components on CT and pathology. Tumor was categorized
      as solid or cystic on CT and pathology. If cystic on pathology, cystic components
      were categorized as macroscopic or microscopic. Cystic components were estimated
      as <50% and >=50% tumor volume. WHO/Hochwald grade and presence of metastases
      were used to stratify disease aggression. Associations were tested with Chi
      square/Fisher's exact test and differences were tested with t-test/Wilcoxon rank
      sums test. RESULTS: There is moderate agreement between CT and histology for
      presence of cystic components. Discrepancies were mostly attributable to the
      presence of microscopic cystic components in tumors appearing solid on CT. There
      was no difference in size between cystic and solid tumors on CT or pathology. No
      association between CT-determined cystic components and tumor grade was found.
      Tumors with cystic components (cystic by CT, and macroscopically cystic by
      pathology) demonstrated less association with metastases than solid tumors.
      CONCLUSIONS: Cystic components, comprising >=50% of the tumor by CT and observed
      macroscopically on pathology, are associated with less aggressive disease.

PMID- 28619285
TI  - 5-Fluorouracil biomarkers in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.

PMID- 28619286
TI  - Neuroprotective potential of Aloe arborescens against copper induced
      neurobehavioral features of Parkinson's disease in rat.
AB  - Copper (Cu) is an important trace element for the organism survival, which
      ensures the normal functioning of different biosystems. However, excessive levels
      of this heavy metal are responsible for profound physiological alterations
      including the central nervous system. Numerous findings sustain the involvement
      of heavy metals, as an environmental risk factor such as copper (Cu), in the
      neuropathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) which is a chronic neurodegenerative
      disorder that principally affects the motor system. The classic and evident
      symptoms of PD namely rigidity, tardiness of movement, and difficulty with
      walking, result from progressive dopaminergic neurons death within substantia
      nigra. Whereas, few pharmacological trials have shown a beneficial role against
      Cu neurotoxicity, Aloe arborescens is one of the powerful medicinal plants with
      an array of therapeutic effects. Thus, we aimed through the present study, to
      evaluate the impact of acute Cu intoxication (10MUg/g B.W. i.p) for 3days on the
      dopaminergic system and locomotor performance, together with the possible
      restorative effect of oral administration of aqueous extract of Aloe arborescens
      gel (AEAAG) (200mg/kg B.W.). By means of immunohistochemistry, we noted, in the
      Cu intoxicated rats, a significant loss of TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) expression
      within substantia nigra compacta (SNc), ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the
      subsequent striatal outputs, those alterations were correlated to behavioral
      abnormalities such as a severe drop of locomotor performance. While AEAAG
      administration to Cu intoxicated rats showed a noticeable beneficial effect; this
      potential was featured by a complete recovery of the TH expression and locomotor
      behavior deficiencies in the intoxicated rats. The present investigation have
      brought, on the one hand, an experimental evidence of an altered dopaminergic
      innervations following Cu intoxication and on the other hand, a new
      pharmacological property of Aloe arborescens that may be used as a
      neuroprotective plant for neurodegenerative disorders, such as PD, touching the
      dopaminergic system trigged by heavy metals.

PMID- 28619287
TI  - The impact of black seed oil on tramadol-induced hepatotoxicity:
      Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.
AB  - : The natural herb, black seed (Nigella Sativa; NS) is one of the most important
      elements of folk medicine. The aim was to evaluate the impact of Nigella Sativa
      Oil (NSO) on the changes induced by tramadol in rat liver. Twenty four albino
      rats were used. CONTROL GROUP: given intraperitoneal and oral saline for 30days.
      TR-group: given intraperitoneal tramadol (20, 40, 80mg/kg/day) in the first,
      middle and last 10days of the experiment, respectively. TR+NS group: administered
      intraperitoneal tramadol in similar doses to TR-group plus oral NSO (4ml/kg/day)
      for 30days. Immunohistochemical, electron microscopic, biochemical and
      statistical studies were performed. TR-group displayed disarranged hepatic
      architecture, hepatic congestion, hemorrhage and necrosis. Apoptotic hepatocytes,
      mononuclear cellular infiltration and a significant increase in the number of
      anti-CD68 positive cells were observed. Ultrastructurally, hepatocytes showed
      shrunken nuclei, swollen mitochondria, many lysosomes and autophagic vacuoles.
      Activated Ito and Von Kupffer cells were also demonstrated. Elevated serum levels
      of AST, ALT, ALP and bilirubin were noticed. NSO administration resulted in
      preservation of hepatic histoarchitecture and ultrastructure and significant
      reductions in the number of anti-CD68 positive cells and serum levels of liver
      seromarkers. In conclusion, NSO administration could mitigate the alterations
      induced by tramadol in rat liver.

PMID- 28619288
TI  - Effects of exogenous leptin on seasonal reproductive responses to interacting
      environmental cues in female Siberian hamsters.
AB  - Animals living in temperate climates respond to environmental cues that signal
      current and future resource availability to ensure that energy resources are
      available to support reproduction. Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) undergo
      robust gonadal regression in short, winter-like photoperiods as well as in
      response to mild food restriction in intermediate photoperiods. The goal of the
      present study was to investigate whether leptin is a relevant metabolic signal in
      regulating gonadal regression in response to diminishing food availability. Adult
      female hamsters housed in short-day (winter-like) or intermediate (fall-like)
      photoperiods received either ad libitum access to food or mild food restriction
      (90% of ad libitum intake) and were treated with either leptin or a vehicle for
      five weeks in order to determine the ability of leptin to inhibit gonadal
      regression. At the end of five weeks, vehicle-treated hamsters showed
      physiological signs associated with ongoing gonadal regression, such as decreases
      in body mass and food intake, cessation of estrous cycling, and small decreases
      in reproductive tissue mass. Leptin did not modify changes in body mass, food
      intake, hormone concentration, or tissue mass, but showed a tendency to support
      estrous cycling, particularly in response to food restriction in the intermediate
      photoperiod treatment. Overall, leptin appears to play a minor role in
      coordinating reproductive responses to multiple environmental cues, at least in
      the early stages of gonadal regression.

PMID- 28619289
TI  - Validation of a method for "dose of the day" calculation in head-neck tomotherapy
      by using planning ct-to-MVCT deformable image registration.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and dosimetric
      accuracy of a method that employs planning CT-to-MVCT deformable image
      registration (DIR) for calculation of the daily dose for head and neck (HN)
      patients treated with Helical Tomotherapy (HT). METHODS: For each patient, the
      planning kVCT (CTplan) was deformably registered to the MVCT acquired at the 15th
      therapy session (MV15) with a B-Spline Free Form algorithm using Mattes mutual
      information (open-source software 3D Slicer), resulting in a deformed CT (CTdef).
      On the same day as MVCT15, a kVCT was acquired with the patient in the same
      treatment position (CT15). The original HT plans were recalculated both on CTdef
      and CT15, and the corresponding dose distributions were compared; local dose
      differences <2% of the prescribed dose (DD2%) and 2D/3D gamma-index values (2%
      2mm) were assessed respectively with Mapcheck SNC Patient software (Sun Nuclear)
      and with 3D-Slicer. RESULTS: On average, 87.9%+/-1.2% of voxels were found for
      DD2% (on average 27 slices available for each patient) and 94.6%+/-0.8% of points
      passed the 2D gamma analysis test while the 3D gamma test was satisfied in
      94.8%+/-0.8% of body's voxels. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first
      demonstration of the dosimetric accuracy of kVCT-to-MVCT DIR for dose of the day
      computations. The suggested method is sufficiently fast and reliable to be used
      for daily delivered dose evaluations in clinical strategies for adaptive
      Tomotherapy of HN cancer.

PMID- 28619290
TI  - Sparing dysphagia/aspiration related structures using novel hybrid volumetric
      modulated arc therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: Studies using split field IMRT to spare dysphagia/aspiration related
      structures (DARS) have raised concern regarding dose uncertainty at matchline.
      This study explores the utility of hybrid VMAT in sparing the DARS and assesses
      matchline dose uncertainty in postoperative oral cavity cancer patients and
      compares it with VMAT. METHODS & MATERIALS: Ten postoperative oral cavity cancer
      patients were planned with h-VMAT and VMAT using the same planning CT dataset.
      PTV and DARS were contoured using standard delineation guidelines. In h-VMAT 80%
      of the neck dose was planned using AP/PA technique and then VMAT optimization was
      done for the total PTV by keeping the corresponding AP/PA plan as the base dose.
      Planning goal for PTV was V95%>=95% and for DARS, adequate sparing. Plans and
      dose volume histograms were analyzed using dosimetric indices. Absolute point and
      portal dose measurements were done for h-VMAT plans to verify dose at the
      matchline. RESULTS: Coverage in both the techniques was comparable. Significant
      differences were observed in mean doses to DARS (Larynx: 24.36+/-2.51 versus
      16.88+/-2.41Gy; p<0.0006, Pharyngeal constrictors: 25.16+/-2.41 versus 21.2+/
      2.1Gy; p<0.005, Esophageal inlet: 18.71+/-2 versus 12.06+/-0.79Gy; p<0.0002)
      favoring h-VMAT. Total MU in both the techniques was comparable. Average
      percentage variations in point dose measurements in h-VMAT done at +3.5 and -3.5
      positions were (1.47+/-1.48 and 2.28+/-1.35%) respectively. Average gamma
      agreement for portal dose measured was 97.07%. CONCLUSION: h-VMAT achieves better
      sparing of DARS with no matchline dose uncertainty. Since these patients have
      swallowing dysfunction post-operatively, attempts should be made to spare these
      critical structures as much as possible.

PMID- 28619291
TI  - Body mass modulates huddling dynamics and body temperature profiles in rabbit
      pups.
AB  - Altricial mammals typically lack the physiological capacity to thermoregulate
      independently during the early postnatal period, and in litter-bearing species
      the young benefit strongly from huddling together with their litter siblings.
      Such litter huddles are highly dynamic systems, often characterized by
      competition for energetically favorable, central positions. In the present study,
      carried out in domestic rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, we asked whether
      individual differences in body mass affect changes in body temperature during
      changes in the position within the huddle. We predicted that pups with relatively
      lower body mass should be more affected by such changes arising from huddle
      dynamics in comparison to heavier ones. Changes in pups' maximum body surface
      temperature (determined by infrared thermography) were significantly affected by
      changes in the number of their neighbors in the litter huddle, and indeed these
      temperature changes largely depended on the pups' body mass relative to their
      litter siblings. Lighter pups showed significant increases in their maximum body
      surface temperature when their number of huddling partners increased by one or
      two siblings whereas pups with intermediate or heavier body mass did not show
      such significant increases in maximum body temperature when experiencing such
      changes. A similar pattern was found with respect to average body surface
      temperature. This strong link between changes in the number of huddling partners
      and body surface temperature in lighter pups might, on the one hand, arise from a
      higher vulnerability of such pups due to their less favorable body surface area
      to-volume ratio. On the other hand, as lighter pups generally had fewer neighbors
      than heavier ones and thus typically a comparatively smaller body surface in
      contact with siblings, they potentially had more to gain from increasing their
      number of neighbors. The present findings might help to understand how individual
      differences in body mass within a litter lead to the emergence of individual
      differences in sibling interactions during early postnatal life in different
      species of altricial and litter-bearing mammals.

PMID- 28619292
TI  - Psychophysiological response in parachute jumps, the effect of experience and
      type of jump.
AB  - We aimed to analyse the effect of experience and type of parachute jump on the
      psychophysiological responses of jumpers. We analysed blood oxygen saturation,
      heart rate, blood glucose, lactate and creatinkinase, leg strength, isometric
      hand strength, cortical arousal, specific fine motor skills, self-confidence and
      cognition, and somatic and state anxiety, before and after four different
      parachute jumps: a sport parachute jump, a manual tactical parachute jump, tandem
      pilots, and tandem passengers. Independently of the parachute jump, the
      psychophysiological responses of experienced paratroopers were not affected by
      the jumps, except for an increase in anaerobic metabolism. Novice parachute
      jumpers presented a higher psychophysiological stress response than the
      experienced jumpers, together with a large anticipatory anxiety response before
      the jump; however, this decreased after the jump, although the high physiological
      activation was maintained. This information could be used by civil and military
      paratroopers' instructors to improve their training programmes.

PMID- 28619293
TI  - Efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine on thromboembolic events in
      patients with atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in combination with Western
      medicine (WM) has been widely used worldwide. This systematic review aimed to
      evaluate the efficacy and safety of TCM in prevention of thromboembolic events in
      patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: Potential studies were searched
      through the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CBM, VIP, CNKI, and Wanfang
      databases up to February 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating
      the thromboembolic events and/or safety outcome of TCM in patients with AF were
      included. RESULTS: A total of 905 AF patients from 9 RCTs were identified. Meta
      analysis showed that TCM in combination with warfarin was better than warfarin
      alone for preventing total thromboembolic events with a 68% reduction of risk
      (risk ratio [RR] 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-0.78) without increasing
      the risk of total bleeding (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.29-1.72). Compared with warfarin,
      TCM therapy was associated with lower risk of total bleeding (RR 0.13; 95% CI
      0.04-0.47), but increased the risk of total thromboembolic events (RR 1.84; 95%
      CI 1.03-3.27). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that TCM combined with
      warfarin is superior to warfarin alone for the prevention of total thromboembolic
      events in patients with AF, with equal risk of bleeding as warfarin alone.

PMID- 28619294
TI  - Impact of mulberry leaf extract on type 2 diabetes (Mul-DM): A randomized,
      placebo-controlled pilot study.
AB  - AIMS: Mulberry leaves have been used anecdotally in Asia to treat many disease
      states, including glucose abnormalities. Animal and human studies illustrate
      potential benefit of mulberry leaf extract (MLE) in type 2 diabetes mellitus
      (DM2). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the glycemic and safety effects
      of MLE in patients with DM2. MATERIALS & METHODS: This randomized, double-blind,
      placebo-controlled pilot study evaluated MLE (1000mg standardized) versus
      matching placebo given three times daily with meals. Patients (n=24) were
      included if they had DM2 on single or combination oral therapy with a stable
      hemoglobin A1C (A1C). A 2-week placebo run-in (baseline) was followed by
      initiation of randomized medication for 3 months. Primary endpoints were change
      in A1C and self-monitoring blood glucoses (SMBG). Safety was also evaluated.
      RESULTS: Of 24 patients enrolled, 17 patients completed the study. Post-prandial
      SMBG was significantly decreased at 3 months in the MLE group versus baseline
      (16.1%; p<0.05). This improvement in post-prandial SMBG persisted when compared
      to placebo (18.2%; p<0.05). A1C decreased from 7.30% at baseline to 6.94% in the
      MLE group but did not reach statistical significance (p=0.079). There was no
      difference in A1C between MLE and placebo. A significant 15% increase occurred in
      serum creatinine when the MLE group was compared to baseline or placebo (p<0.05
      for both). There was no significant effect on weight, fasting SMBG, blood
      pressure, hypoglycemia, or other safety evaluation markers. CONCLUSIONS: These
      results suggest that mulberry leaf extract may be a useful complementary mealtime
      glucose option for patients with DM2. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00795704.

PMID- 28619295
TI  - Effects of massage therapy on anxiety, depression, hyperventilation and quality
      of life in HIV infected patients: A randomized controlled trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: HIV infection is often preceded or accompanied by psychiatric
      comorbidities. These disorders improve with complementary therapies. The aim of
      this study was to measure the effect of massage therapy on anxiety, depression,
      hyperventilation and quality of life in HIV infected patients. METHOD: Adult HIV
      infected patients were randomized (n=29) in massage therapy group (one hour a
      week during four weeks) and control group. Anxiety and depression (HADS-A and
      HADS-D), hyperventilation (Nijmegen questionnaire) and quality of life (WHOQOL
      HIV) were evaluated at inclusion and after 4 weeks. RESULTS: At inclusion, 51%
      and 17% of the patients had a positive HADS-A and HADS-D score respectively. Two
      facets from WHOQOL-HIV ("Home environment" and "Death and dying" (p=0.04)) were
      different between groups. After the four week massage therapy, a significant
      improvement was observed only for Nijmegen questionnaire (p=0.01) and HADS-A
      (p=0.04) contrarily to WHOQOL-HIV and HADS-D. Domains of the WHOQOL-HIV did not
      improve following the massage therapy. Only "Pain and discomfort" facet improved
      after massage therapy (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the positive
      impact of a four week massage therapy on anxiety and hyperventilation in HIV
      infected patients. However, neither benefit of this program was observed on
      depression and quality of life.

PMID- 28619296
TI  - Understanding North American yoga therapists' attitudes, skills and use of
      evidence-based practice: A cross-national survey.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the adoption of evidence-based practice (EBP)
      by yoga therapists (YTs). OBJECTIVE: To determine the attitudes, skills,
      training, use, barriers and facilitators to the use of EBP amongst North American
      YTs DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive survey METHODS: Self-identified YTs
      practicing in North America were invited to participate in an online survey. YT
      attitudes, skills, training, utilisation, barriers to use, and facilitators of
      EBP use were measured using the 84-item Evidence-Based practice Attitude and
      utilization SurvEy (EBASE). RESULTS: 367 members responded (~20% of eligible
      participants). Attitudes towards EBP were generally positive with 88% agreeing
      that professional literature and research findings were useful for the practice
      of yoga therapy. Most (80%) were interested in improving their skills and the
      majority agreed that EBP improves the quality of care (68%), assists in making
      decisions (74%) and takes into account the YTs clinical experience when making
      clinical decisions (59%). Moderate to moderately-high levels of perceived skill
      in EBP were reported mostly utilizing online search engines (51%). Lack of
      clinical evidence was the only notable barrier to uptake reported by YTs (48%).
      Facilitators to EBP included access to online EBP education materials (70.6%),
      ability to download full-text journal articles and access to free online
      databases in the workplace (67.3%). CONCLUSION: North American YTs report
      positive attitudes, moderate to moderately-high levels of perceived skill and
      moderate uptake of EBP. This aligns them with other complementary and integrative
      health practitioners. Initiatives to support the adoption of EBP are proposed as
      a means of improving best practice in yoga therapy.

PMID- 28619297
TI  - Corrigendum to "Using a questionnaire among patient, resident doctor and senior
      supervisor: Are their answers the same?" [Complement. Ther. Med. 22 (April (2))
      (2014) 296-303].

PMID- 28619298
TI  - Alternative medicine, worker health, and absenteeism in the United States.
AB  - : Health related absenteeism costs an estimated $153 billion annually in the
      United States (Witters and Agrawal, 2011).1 Chronic conditions (major
      contributors to absenteeism) are often successfully managed by Complementary and
      Alternative Medicine (CAM). As CAM becomes an increasingly visible component of
      healthcare, firms may wish to consider whether CAM therapies can help reduce
      illness-related absenteeism. This paper aims to extend the literature on
      healthcare utilization and absenteeism by exploring whether CAM treatment is
      associated with fewer workdays missed due to illness. METHODS: Using the 2007
      National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and propensity score matching (PSM), this
      study estimates the relationship between visits to CAM practitioners, health, and
      illness-related absenteeism. RESULTS: In a sample of 8820 workers, the average
      annual number of workdays lost due to illness is 3.69. Visiting an acupuncturist
      correlates with lower absenteeism among men (1.182 fewer workdays missed,
      p<0.05), whereas visiting a naturopathic doctor correlates with 2.359 and 2.521
      fewer workdays missed for women and men, respectively (both p<0.001). Active mind
      body practices, massage, chiropractic and acupuncture treatments are all
      significantly associated with improved health. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates suggest
      that some CAM modalities correlate with lower absenteeism, and many correlate
      with improved health. Two limitations of this study are worth noting. First, a
      small proportion of the sample uses CAM, limiting the generalizability of
      results. Second, if health conscious individuals are more likely to use CAM, then
      health attitudes may be contributing to lower absenteeism among the treated.
      Further research is needed to identify a causal relationship between CAM
      treatment, health, and absenteeism.

PMID- 28619299
TI  - Comparative cost analysis of inpatient integrative medicine-Results of a pilot
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Costs of integrative treatment alone and in comparison with other
      treatment approaches have scarcely been reported in the past. This study presents
      results of a comparative cost analysis of an inpatient integrative medicine
      treatment costs. METHODS: Data from 2006 for inpatients referred to a Department
      of Integrative Medicine in Germany were used. Case-related treatment costs were
      calculated, and transformed into Casemix-Indices and revenues per DRG. Costs were
      compared between departments at the same hospital and between different hospitals
      using univariate statistics and Chi-Square tests. RESULTS: In total 1253
      inpatients (81.4% female, 61.1+/-14.4years) were included in the current
      analysis. Most patients were treated for diseases of the musculoskeletal system
      (57.2%), followed by diseases of the digestive system (11.4%), and diseases of
      the nervous system (10.4%). The department received an additional payment for
      most of the patients (88.0%), which led to an effective appreciation of 10.8% per
      case compared to the standardized Casemix-Index. In-house comparisons with other
      departments found the department in close vicinity to the departments of Internal
      medicine with regards to CMI and mean revenue, however the Patient Clinical
      Complexity Level was significantly lower in the Integrative medicine department.
      The interhospital comparison revealed comparable Casemix-Index and DRG-revenue,
      however the additional payment increased the mean revenue significantly.
      CONCLUSION: Modern integrative in-patient treatment is mostly cost-equivalent to
      conventional treatment. Cost effectiveness studies should be considered to
      further investigate the potential of integrative in patient treatment.

PMID- 28619300
TI  - Clinical effect of traditional Chinese spinal orthopedic manipulation in
      treatment of Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of Traditional Chinese Spinal
      Orthopedic Manipulation (TCSOM) in treating Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome
      (FAPS) in comparison with Pinaverium Bromide (Dicetel, PBD), and to assess a
      possible cause for FAPS. METHODS: 60 cases of FAPS patients were randomly
      assigned to the TCSOM group and PBD group according to the random number table
      method. The TCSOM group was treated with thumb pressing manipulation, every other
      day in the first week, and once every three days in the second week, for 5 times
      treatments. Patients in the PBD group were instructed to take 50mg 3 times a day,
      consistently for 2 weeks. The symptoms of pre-treatment and post-treatment were
      assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS) pain score. A symptom improvement rating
      (SIR) was implemented in order to evaluate the effects of the treatments, and to
      statistically compare the two groups. RESULTS: The symptoms of 21 patients of the
      TCSOM group were resolved soon after the first spinal manipulation treatment and
      4 cases were significantly improved. The VAS pain scores in the TCSOM group were
      significantly lower than those in the PBD group after 2 weeks treatment.
      According to the SIR based on VAS, the TCSOM research group included 20 cases
      with excellent results, 8 cases with good, and 2 cases with poor. There were no
      side effects in the TCSOM group after treatment. Based on VAS, the PBD research
      group reported 6 cases with excellent results, 8 cases with good and 16 cases
      with poor. All cases were statistically analyzed, revealing a significant
      difference (P<0.001) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: TCSOM group performed
      much better than PBD group for relief of the symptoms of FAPS. Thumb pressing
      manipulation on the thoracic and/or lumbar region can correct the displacement of
      inter-vertebral discs and/or vertebra, resolving the stimuli caused by pressure
      exerting on the nerves and vessels around the spine. TREATMENT: with thumb
      pressing manipulation on the Back-Shu acupoints, the Jiaji (EX-B2) and the
      governor vessel acupoint had a very good clinical effect for abdominal pain
      indicating that it is an effective treatment for FAPS.

PMID- 28619302
TI  - Chinese herbal medicine for treating menopausal symptoms in London women:
      developing a good practice protocol via the factor analysis of prescribing
      patterns in a clinical study.
AB  - The objective of the study described in this paper was to define Chinese medicine
      formula patterns for the treatment of menopausal women in London. These formula
      patterns are intended to inform the development of best practice guidelines for a
      future pragmatic randomised controlled trial, with the ultimate goal of
      evaluating the possibility of integrating Chinese medicine treatment strategies
      for menopausal symptoms into the UK National Health Service. Data from a clinical
      study that had demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicine in
      treating 117 perimenopausal women at the Westminster University Polyclinic in
      London were analysed for symptom occurrence and herb use. The frequency of
      occurrence of different presenting symptoms and the frequency of use of
      individual herbs is described, the patterns of combined herb use were analysed by
      means of factor analysis, and the correlations between these patterns and the
      presenting symptoms were analysed using the chi square test. Treating the
      emergent use patterns as Chinese herbal medicine formulas, five distinctive
      formula patterns emerged in the course of this study. While there is some overlap
      between these formulas and their associated symptom patterns and those described
      in Chinese medicine textbooks and guidelines, some formula patterns appear to be
      unique to London women. This indicates that best practice guidelines for the
      Chinese medicine treatment of menopausal symptoms, which have been shown to vary
      cross-culturally, need to be derived from local clinical practice.

PMID- 28619301
TI  - The effects of Gua sha on symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers associated with
      chronic low back pain: A randomized active-controlled crossover pilot study in
      elderly.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To address the challenges for trialing with elderly and the lacking of
      valid sham/placebo control, a randomized crossover pilot study is designed and
      its feasibility on elderly subjects is evaluated. DESIGN: A pilot randomized
      crossover study was conducted with hydrocollator-based hot pack therapy as active
      control. Pain intensity, physical disability, depression, general health status,
      and salivary biomarkers were assessed as outcome measures. RESULTS: Despite there
      was no significant difference observed between any outcome measures attained by
      the two interventions, several important differences were noted during the one
      week follow-up period. The magnitudes of pain reduction (21-25% versus 16-18%)
      and disability improvement (45-52% versus 39-42%) were greater in the Gua sha
      treated group than the hot pack group. Both treatments were shown to improve
      flexion, extension and bending movements of the lower back, whereas areas of
      improvement varied between the two interventions. Decreasing trends were observed
      in both tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1)
      levels following Gua sha. However, rebounds of the biomarkers were observed one
      week following hot pack. Furthermore, in response to Gua sha, the decrease of TNF
      alpha was strongly correlated with the improvement of physical disability,
      whereas the physical disability was correlated with the VAS pain intensity.
      CONCLUSION: It demonstrated a feasible clinical trial protocol for evaluating the
      effectiveness of Gua sha and other therapeutic modalities. Gua sha may exhibit a
      more long-lasting anti-inflammatory effect relative to hot pack for pain relief
      and improved mobility in elderly patients with chronic low back pain.

PMID- 28619303
TI  - Effect of light pressure stroking massage with sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) oil on
      alleviating acute traumatic limbs pain: A triple-blind controlled trial in
      emergency department.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Due to adverse effects of common medications used for traumatic pain
      management, it is crucial to use complementary methods to alleviate this pain.
      Present study aimed to assess the effect of light pressure stroking massage with
      topical sesame oil on pain severity of patients with limbs trauma. METHODS: This
      triple-blinded randomized trial was conducted on 40 patients with upper or lower
      extremities trauma in emergency department of Busheher Amir Al-Momenian Hospital,
      Busheher, Iran, in 2015-2016. Patients received a 5min massage with either liquid
      paraffin (placebo) or sesame oil on trauma site twice a day for 9days duration.
      Pain severity was assessed by visual analogue scale in first day (baseline), 3th,
      6th and 9th days of intervention in the both groups. RESULTS: Mean changes of
      pain severity between two groups was significant in the 6th (-0.20+/-1.36;
      P=0.036) and 9th (-0.36+/-1.12; P<0.001) days of intervention. Regarding to
      intake of diclofenac, no significant difference was seen between sesame oil and
      placebo groups during 9days of intervention (575.23+/-3.11 and 625.13+/-4.23
      respectively, P=0.601). There were no adverse effects during the study in the
      both groups. CONCLUSION: Massage with topical sesame oil was associated with
      significant reduction in pain severity of patients with limbs trauma. Therefore,
      it is suggested to use this oil on complementary medicine for pain relief due to
      low cost, easy usage and lack of adverse effects.

PMID- 28619304
TI  - The prevalence rate of deviations in body constitutions and related factors in
      follow-up stage breast cancer patients-A nationwide study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to apply a rigorous traditional Chinese
      medicine (TCM) body constitution questionnaire (BCQ) to survey the prevalence
      rate of deviations in body constitution and to explore the health-related
      lifestyle behavior factors of deviations in body constitution. DESIGN: A cross
      sectional study was administered through postal mail. Subjects were recruited
      from a national organization for breast cancer patients (Taiwan Breast Cancer
      Alliance). SETTING/MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were obtained from 311 breast
      cancer patients by questionnaires including a demographic record sheet, lifestyle
      behavior scales and the BCQ (Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu, and Stasis). Differences concerning
      the presence of body constitutions were analyzed by Chi-square tests and analyses
      of variance, and potential predictive factors were analyzed using multivariate
      logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 55.3% of the subjects had a Yang-Xu
      constitution, 61.0% had a Yin-Xu constitution, and 47.6% had a Stasis
      constitution. A total of 42.8% of the patients displayed a combination of the
      three types of body constitutions. Feeling stressed, physical exercise, and
      favoring fried food were predictors of the combined Yang-Xu, Yin-Xu and Stasis
      constitutions (p<0.05). Staying up late was significantly associated with Yin-Xu
      (p=0.017), and favoring salty food was significantly associated with Stasis
      (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of deviations in body constitutions was
      observed in the follow-up stage of breast cancer patients. Increasing the
      adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors might strengthen and balance body
      constitution, which could improve supportive care in breast cancer survivors.

PMID- 28619305
TI  - Effects of music listening on anxiety and physiological responses in patients
      undergoing awake craniotomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of music
      listening on the level of anxiety and physiological responses for awake
      craniotomy. METHODS: An experimental design with randomization was applied in
      this study. Participants in experimental group (19 patients) selected and
      listened music at their preferences in the waiting room and throughout the entire
      surgical procedure in addition to usual care while control group (19 patients)
      only gave usual care. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), heartbeat, breathing,
      and blood pressure were collected for analysis. RESULTS: The results of this
      study showed that after music listening, there was significant decrease in the
      level of anxiety (p<.001). The findings also showed that the music intervention
      significantly reduced heartbeat rate 84.5 (p<.004), systolic pressure 42
      (p<.001), and diastolic pressure 38 (p<.001) over time. We concluded that music
      listening is associated with a decreased level of anxiety and distress after
      awake craniotomy patients. CONCLUSION: The results of this study can provide
      perioperative nursing care in providing music listening when patients were in the
      waiting room and during surgery to reduce the anxiety so as to reach the goal of
      human care and improve perioperative nursing care.

PMID- 28619306
TI  - Management of viral oral ulcers in children using Chinese herbal medicine: A
      report of two cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Viral oral ulcers are common presentations in pediatric clinics.
      Although self-limiting, painful ulcerative lesions and inflamed mucosa can
      decrease oral intake and lead to dehydration. Despite the widespread use of
      Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for pediatric upper respiratory disease in Taiwan,
      there is little evidence for its effectiveness as an antipyretic or in aiding
      ulcer healing for children with viral oral ulcers. We report two cases of
      children who presented with viral oral ulcers to illustrate the potential
      efficacy of CHM treatment in recovery from herpangina (HA) and herpetic
      gingivostomatitis (HGS). CLINICAL FEATURES AND OUTCOME: A 10-year-old girl with
      HA presented with an acute febrile illness associated with small vesicular or
      ulcerative lesions on the posterior oropharyngeal structures. The family refused
      western medicine due to a prior anaphylactic skin rash when she had taken sulfa
      drugs. The other patient was a 4-year-old boy with complaints of painful ulcers
      and hemorrhagic crusts on the lips. He was diagnosed with HGS and had received
      ibuprofen and supportive treatments such as hydration and local anesthesia spray
      for days, characterized by fever, anorexia, and nausea to no effect. Because the
      patients were suffering from the damp-heat syndrome according to Traditional
      Chinese Medicine (TCM) differentiation, both were treated using the same herbal
      formulas powder prescription, named Liang Ge San (LGS) and Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan
      (GLXDD). After several days of CHM treatment, the oral ulcers were in regression.
      Follow-up of the frontal view in both patients showed satisfactory disappearance
      of the sick furred tongue. CONCLUSIONS: The results of these case reports show
      that the early prescription of CHM is an effective modality of alternative
      treatment for viral oral ulcers. To our knowledge, this is the first report of
      CHM treatment hastening the recovery from febrile disease with viral oral ulcers
      in Taiwan. Future experimental studies to determine the definitive mechanism and
      clinical trials are warranted.

PMID- 28619307
TI  - Pilot randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based group intervention in
      adolescent girls at risk for type 2 diabetes with depressive symptoms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: (1) Evaluate feasibility and acceptability of a mindfulness-based
      group in adolescent girls at-risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) with depressive
      symptoms, and (2) compare efficacy of a mindfulness-based versus cognitive
      behavioral group for decreasing depressive symptoms and improving insulin
      resistance. DESIGN AND SETTING: Parallel-group, randomized controlled pilot trial
      conducted at a university. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three girls 12-17y with
      overweight/obesity, family history of diabetes, and elevated depressive symptoms
      were randomized to a six-week mindfulness-based (n=17) or cognitive-behavioral
      program (n=16). INTERVENTIONS: Both interventions included six, one-hour weekly
      group sessions. The mindfulness-based program included guided mindfulness
      awareness practices. The cognitive-behavioral program involved cognitive
      restructuring and behavioral activation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adolescents were
      evaluated at baseline, post-intervention, and six-months.
      Feasibility/acceptability were measured by attendance and program ratings.
      Depressive symptoms were assessed by validated survey. Insulin resistance was
      determined from fasting insulin and glucose, and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry
      was used to assess body composition. RESULTS: Most adolescents attended >=80%
      sessions (mindfulness: 92% versus cognitive-behavioral: 87%, p=1.00).
      Acceptability ratings were strong. At post-treatment and six-months, adolescents
      in the mindfulness condition had greater decreases in depressive symptoms than
      adolescents in the cognitive-behavioral condition (ps<.05). Compared to the
      cognitive-behavioral condition, adolescents in the mindfulness-based intervention
      also had greater decreases in insulin resistance and fasting insulin at post
      treatment, adjusting for fat mass and other covariates (ps<.05). CONCLUSIONS: A
      mindfulness-based intervention shows feasibility and acceptability in girls at
      risk for T2D with depressive symptoms. Compared to a cognitive-behavioral
      program, after the intervention, adolescents who received mindfulness showed
      greater reductions in depressive symptoms and better insulin resistance.
      ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02218138 clinicaltrials.gov.

PMID- 28619308
TI  - What the public think about hypnosis and hypnotherapy: A narrative review of
      literature covering opinions and attitudes of the general public 1996-2016.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the public's understanding of hypnosis and openness to
      hypnotherapy. METHODS: A comprehensive search of English language peer reviewed
      journal articles from 1st January 1996-11th March 2016 was performed over 9
      databases (Medline, PubMed, PsycARTICLES, CINAHL, Embase (excerpta medica),
      PsychInfo, Cochrane, Science citation index-expanded, Conference citation index)
      and a title-only search of Google scholar. 39 keyword combinations were employed:
      hypnosis, hypnotherapy, hypnotic, perception, beliefs, knowledge, view, opinion
      and understanding, in singular and plural where appropriate. A search of the
      bibliographies of eligible articles was undertaken. Inclusion criteria - Articles
      containing original data regarding the general public's attitudes towards
      hypnotherapy or hypnosis. Exclusion criteria - Non-therapy hypnosis (forensic,
      entertainment) materials and those concerned with groups likely to possess prior
      or professional knowledge of hypnosis, (hypnotists, clinicians and
      psychologists). Analysis was conducted in line with the questions. RESULTS: 31
      articles were identified, covering diverse populations. Most people believe that:
      hypnosis is an altered state which requires collaboration to enter; once
      hypnotized perception changes; hypnotherapy is beneficial for psychological
      issues and is supportive of medical interventions; hypnosis can also enhance
      abilities especially memory. People are open to hypnotherapy subject to
      validation from the psychological or medical establishment. Similarity of opinion
      is more apparent than difference. CONCLUSION: Most people are positive towards
      hypnotherapy, and would consider its use under the right circumstances.

PMID- 28619309
TI  - Scalp acupuncture attenuates neurological deficits in a rat model of hemorrhagic
      stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for approximately 15% of all stroke
      cases, and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Limited human studies
      suggested that scalp acupuncture could facilitate functional recovery after
      cerebral hemorrhage. In the current study, we used an animal model of cerebral
      hemorrhage to examine the potential effects of scalp acupuncture. METHODS: Adult
      male Sprague-Dawley rats received autologous blood (50MUL) into the right caudate
      nucleus on the right side under pentobarbital anesthesia, and then received scalp
      acupuncture (DU20 through GB7 on the lesion side) or sham acupuncture (1cm to the
      right side of the acupoints) (n=10 per group). A group of rats receiving
      autologous blood into the caudate nucleus but no other intervention, as well as a
      group of rats receiving anesthesia but no blood injection to the brain (n=10 per
      group) were included as additional controls. Composite neuroscore, corner turn
      test, forelimb placing test, wire hang task and beam walking were used to
      evaluate the behavior of rats. Hematoxylin and Eosin (HE) staining was used to
      observe the histopathological changes. Western blot was used to detect the
      content of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and nuclear factor-KappaB
      (NFkappaB) protein expression. RESULTS: Scalp acupuncture attenuated neurological
      deficits (p<0.01 or <0.05 vs. sham acupuncture using a variety of behavioral
      tests) at 1-7days after the treatment. The brain content of TNF-alpha and
      NFkappaB was decreased (p<0.01 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Scalp acupuncture could
      improve neurological deficits in a rat model of hemorrhagic stroke.

PMID- 28619310
TI  - Dance for Parkinson's-The effects on whole body co-ordination during turning
      around.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of ballroom and Latin American dancing
      classes on turning in people with Parkinson's. DESIGN: This study employed a
      randomised, controlled, experimental design. SETTING: Dance classes were
      performed in a community dance centre in Southern England and all assessments
      took place a gait laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven people with mild
      moderate Parkinson's participated. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly
      allocated to receive either 20, 1-h dancing classes over 10 weeks (n=15), or a
      'usual care' control group (n=12). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Twelve, 180 degrees  on
      the-spot turns to the predicted/un-predicted and preferred/un-preferred direction
      were analysed for each participant, using 3-dimensional motion analysis before
      and after the intervention period, alongside clinical measures. RESULTS: Movement
      of the head, pelvis, and feet during turning in people with Parkinson's are
      affected by dancing with tighter coupling of body segments. Significant 4-way
      interactions between the groups, over time and turn style, with longer latency of
      the head (p=0.008) and greater rotation in the pelvis (p=0.036), alongside a
      trend of slower movement of the first (p=0.063) and second (p=0.081) foot in
      controls were shown, with minimal change in dancers. All interactions were
      affected by the type of turn. No significant differences were found in the centre
      of mass displacement, turn time or clinical measures. CONCLUSION: Those who
      danced were better able to coordinate their axial and perpendicular segments and
      surprisingly became more 'en bloc' in their turning behaviour, suggesting this
      may be a beneficial adaptation, rather than a maladaptive result of Parkinson's,
      as previously suggested.

PMID- 28619311
TI  - Treating individuals with amputations in therapeutic massage and bodywork
      practice: A qualitative study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Best practices for massage therapy and bodywork (TMB) treatment of
      individuals with amputations are not well established. Although anecdotal
      observations are available, they have limited applicability for informing
      effective massage therapy and bodywork approaches for individuals with
      amputations. This study is part of a multifaceted research program seeking to
      establish a foundation for education and investigation of TMB for amputation
      related conditions/symptomology. The purpose of this study was to understand how
      TMB practitioners approach and treat individuals with amputations and their
      perceptions of outcomes. The TMB practitioner perspective is important in
      informing the development of a TMB practice framework for people with amputation.
      METHODS: The methodology of this study was informed by the phenomenological
      approach to qualitative inquiry. Semi-structured telephone interviews were
      conducted between June and September 2015, recorded and transcribed. Analysis
      consisted of descriptive coding and themes emerged through an iterative process.
      Codes and themes were discussed and verified with the research team. Participants
      were invited to review developed themes to indicate the extent to which results
      accurately encompassed their experiences as TMB practitioners. RESULTS: Twenty
      five community practicing, professional TMB practitioners from 16 states
      consented to participate and all completed one interview. Analysis identified
      four themes which indicated TMB practitioners: value touch and consider it a core
      aspect of treatment for individuals with amputations; operate under a core belief
      that individuals with amputations greatly benefit from TMB; and consider relief
      that stems from TMB to be multidimensional, including physical, mental, and
      emotional aspects; and, certain components of treatment approach are unique to
      amputation clients. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support that individuals with
      amputation benefit from TMB, at least from the perspective of TMB practitioners.
      Findings of this exploratory research identify important questions regarding
      approaches to treatment and potential TMB effectiveness hypotheses for amputation
      populations. Next steps will consider TMB approach and effects from the
      perspective of those with amputation(s).

PMID- 28619312
TI  - Pay dirt! human health depends on soil health.

PMID- 28619313
TI  - Reply: CHA2DS2-VASc score in the prediction of ischemic bowel disease among
      patients with atrial fibrillation: Insights from a nationwide cohort.

PMID- 28619314
TI  - Does PEDF improve atherosclerotic plaque stability by inhibiting VSMCs'
      apoptosis?

PMID- 28619315
TI  - Response to letter "Does PEDF improve atherosclerotic plaque stability by
      inhibiting VSMCs apoptosis".

PMID- 28619316
TI  - Cancer and takotsubo cardiomyopathy: More questions than answers.

PMID- 28619317
TI  - Reply to "Cancer and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: More questions than answers".

PMID- 28619318
TI  - The frontier of the comprehensive information of the coronary plaque together
      with functional assessment is at the gates.

PMID- 28619319
TI  - In reply to "The hard task of the anatomic characterization in improving the
      prognostic stratification of CAD".

PMID- 28619320
TI  - The hard task of the anatomic characterization in improving the prognostic
      stratification of CAD.

PMID- 28619321
TI  - Insight of forced diuresis with matched controlled hydration strategy to prevent
      contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiovascular
      intervention.

PMID- 28619322
TI  - Author's reply to: Insight of forced diuresis with matched controlled hydration
      strategy to prevent contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing
      cardiovascular intervention.

PMID- 28619323
TI  - Assessment of isolated systolic hypertension with lower diastolic and the risk of
      cardiovascular disease in older adults.

PMID- 28619324
TI  - Treatment of systolic hypertension and low diastolic blood pressure in older
      adults: How low is too low?!

PMID- 28619325
TI  - Comment on "Aldosterone pathway blockade to prevent atrial fibrillation: A
      systematic review and meta-analysis" by Neefs et al.

PMID- 28619326
TI  - Response to "comment on "aldosterone pathway blockade to prevent atrial
      fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis" by Neefs et al."

PMID- 28619327
TI  - A new technique to deal with challenging transseptal puncture.

PMID- 28619328
TI  - Reply to the letter to editor: "A new technique to deal with challenging
      transseptal puncture".

PMID- 28619329
TI  - Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA): A promising biomarker for coronary dysfunction in
      MOB individuals.

PMID- 28619330
TI  - The need of identifying circulating biomarkers of coronary dysfunction.

PMID- 28619331
TI  - Copeptin and its clinical implications in the setting of vasovagal syncope.

PMID- 28619332
TI  - Response to the letter to editor: Copeptin and its clinical implications in the
      setting of vasovagal syncope.

PMID- 28619333
TI  - Reply to "Physically triggered takotsubo cardiomyopathy has a worse prognosis:
      Potential roles of systemic inflammation and coronary slow flow phenomenon".

PMID- 28619334
TI  - Physically triggered takotsubo cardiomyopathy has a worse prognosis: Potential
      roles of systemic inflammation and coronary slow flow phenomenon.

PMID- 28619335
TI  - Impact of stress on Takotsubo syndrome.

PMID- 28619336
TI  - Assessment of current use of guideline-based medical therapy in elderly patients
      with heart failure.

PMID- 28619337
TI  - Prognostic value of left atrial size and function in adults with tetralogy of
      Fallot.

PMID- 28619338
TI  - Reply: Letter to the editor: Prognostic value of left atrial size and function in
      adults with tetralogy of Fallot.

PMID- 28619339
TI  - Kounis syndrome: A review article on epidemiology, diagnostic findings,
      management and complications of allergic acute coronary syndrome: Mastocytosis
      and post-mortem diagnosis.

PMID- 28619340
TI  - In reply: Kounis syndrome: A review article on epidemiology, diagnostic findings,
      management and complications of allergic acute coronary syndrome: Mastocytosis
      and post-mortem diagnosis.

PMID- 28619341
TI  - Paclitaxel eluting balloon and sirolimus eluting balloon, many weapons against a
      common enemy: The in-stent restenosis.

PMID- 28619342
TI  - On parsimony and tautology in the study of acute coronary syndrome.

PMID- 28619343
TI  - Exhaustion is associated with poor recovery of physical performance independently
      of depression in ACS patients In reply to Bianchi, Schonfeld, & Laurent.

PMID- 28619344
TI  - Abdominal aortic aneurysm size and mortality.

PMID- 28619345
TI  - Dissecting the diagnosis of biventricular myocarditis.

PMID- 28619346
TI  - Differentiation of Takotsubo syndrome from infarct-like myocarditis.

PMID- 28619347
TI  - Activating transcription factor 3 in cardiac remodeling: Angel or demon?

PMID- 28619348
TI  - Activating Transcription 3's role in cardiac remodeling.

PMID- 28619349
TI  - Is flat QRS complex in lead aVL the characteristic of ventricular arrhythmias
      originating from the junction of the right ventricular outflow tract and
      tricuspid annulus?

PMID- 28619350
TI  - Norton score is designed for pressure ulcer risk, not for prognosis of acute
      myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28619351
TI  - Treatment for in-stent restenosis using drug-eluting balloon: Importance of
      procedural optimization rather than device itself.

PMID- 28619352
TI  - Comparison of outcomes after treatment of in-stent restenosis using newer
      generation drug-eluting stents versus first generation drug-eluting balloon. A
      balanced comparison?

PMID- 28619353
TI  - Comments on cardiovascular mortality - Comparing risk factor associations within
      couples and in the total population - The HUNT study.

PMID- 28619354
TI  - Reply to Letter to the editor "Comments on cardiovascular mortality - Comparing
      risk factor associations within couples and in the total population - The HUNT
      Study".

PMID- 28619355
TI  - Comments on CHA2DS2-VASc score in the prediction of ischemic bowel disease among
      patients with atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28619356
TI  - Operative and 1-Year Outcomes of the Custom-Made Fenestrated Anaconda Aortic
      Stent Graft-A UK Multicenter Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early and 1-year outcomes are presented for fenestrated endovascular
      aneurysm repair (FEVAR) of complex aortic aneurysmal disease with the custom-made
      Anaconda fenestrated stent graft in 101 patients. METHODS: Retrospective site
      reported data from the first 101 elective cases (2010-2014) from 4 UK centers
      were studied to evaluate patient demographics, aneurysm morphology, clinical
      success, and 1-year outcomes in patients undergoing fenestrated aneurysm repair
      with the custom-made Anaconda device. RESULTS: 101 fenestrated grafts (median age
      76, 85% male) were implanted with a total of 255 fenestrations (196 renal
      arteries, 48 superior mesenteric artery, and 11 celiac arteries) with 3%
      mortality, 98.4% target vessel patency (TVP) at 30 day follow-up. Although 15
      type I or III endoleaks were demonstrated at completion angiography, all 10 type
      Ia endoleaks resolved spontaneously. Survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 97%
      and 91% at 1 month and 1 year, respectively; with 75.8% showing reduction in
      abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter and only 1 patient with sac expansion. Freedom
      from loss of TVP was 97.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Custom-made fenestrated Anaconda devices
      demonstrate low procedural mortality and a high rate of technical and clinical
      success at 30 days and 1 year.

PMID- 28619357
TI  - A case of cystic type intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct diagnosed
      by SpyGlass DS, a novel peroral cholangioscopy.

PMID- 28619358
TI  - Integrating a facial scan, virtual smile design, and 3D virtual patient for
      treatment with CAD-CAM ceramic veneers: A clinical report.
AB  - This clinical report describes a digital workflow using the virtual smile design
      approach augmented with a static 3-dimensional (3D) virtual patient with
      photorealistic appearance to restore maxillary central incisors by using computer
      aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) monolithic lithium
      disilicate ceramic veneers.

PMID- 28619360
TI  - Further delineation of COG8-CDG: A case with novel compound heterozygous
      mutations diagnosed by targeted exome sequencing.
AB  - Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are a rapidly expanding group of
      inherited metabolic disorders with highly variable clinical presentations caused
      by deficient glycosylation of proteins and/or lipids. CDG-IIh is a very rare
      subgroup of CDG caused by mutations in the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG)
      complex gene, COG8, and so far, only two cases have been reported in the medical
      literature. Here, we describe an 8-year-old Korean boy with psychomotor
      retardation, hypotonia, failure to thrive, elevated serum liver enzymes,
      microcephaly, and talipes equinovarus. A liver biopsy of the patient showed only
      interface hepatitis with mild lobular activity, and brain magnetic resonance
      imaging revealed cerebellar atrophy. Compared with the previous two reported
      cases, our patient showed relatively mild psychomotor retardation without a
      seizure history. The transferrin isoelectric focusing profiles in the patient
      showed a CDG type II pattern with increased disialo- and trisialo-transferrin.
      Targeted exome sequencing was performed to screen all CDG type II-related genes,
      and two novel frameshift mutations were found: c.171dupG (p.Leu58Alafs*29) and
      c.1656dupC (p.Ala553Argfs*15) in COG8. The parents were heterozygous carriers of
      each variant. CDG should be included in the initial differential diagnosis for
      children with a suspected unknown syndrome or unclassified inherited metabolic
      disorder or children with diverse clinical presentations, such as psychomotor
      retardation, hypotonia, skeletal deformity, microcephaly, cerebellar atrophy, and
      unexplained transient elevated liver enzyme.

PMID- 28619359
TI  - Postpartum estrogen withdrawal impairs GABAergic inhibition and LTD induction in
      basolateral amygdala complex via down-regulation of GPR30.
AB  - Postpartum estrogen (E2) withdrawal is known to be a particularly vulnerable time
      for depressive symptoms. In this study, ovariectomized (OVX) mice were treated
      with co-administration of estradiol benzoate and progesterone (E2/P4) followed by
      administration of E2 alone (E2) and a subsequent E2 withdrawal (EW) to mimic the
      hormonal changes during pregnancy and postpartum. The objective of this study was
      to investigate the influence of E2 withdrawal after hormone-simulated pregnancy
      on synaptic function and plasticity in basolateral amygdala complex (BLA). In
      comparison to control mice, EW mice spent less time in the central portion of
      open-field test and open arms of elevated plus-maze. Excitatory postsynaptic
      potentials (EPSPs) slopes at external capsule BLA synapse were reduced in E2/P4
      mice, recovered in E2-mice, and increased in EW-mice. EW-mice showed a
      significant increase in duration of EPSPs and paired-pulse inhibition (PPI) with
      multi-spike responses of EPSPs and impairment of long-term depression (LTD)
      induction, which were corrected by GABAAR agonist muscimol. Levels of estrogen
      receptor (ER) GPR30, ERalpha and ERbeta expression in BLA of EW-mice were lower
      than those in control mice. The bath-application of GPR30 agonist G-1 in BLA of
      EW-mice recovered the GABAAR-mediated inhibition and LTD indication, but ERbeta
      agonist DPN or ERalpha agonist PPT could not. A single BLA-injection of G-1
      rather than DPN or PPT in EW-mice could partially relieve the anxiety-like
      behaviors. The results indicate that postpartum E2 withdrawal causes dysfunction
      of GABAAR-mediated inhibition in the BLA through reducing GPR30 expression, which
      impairs LTD induction and causes anxiety-like behaviors.

PMID- 28619361
TI  - alpha-lipoic acid ameliorates n-3 highly-unsaturated fatty acids induced lipid
      peroxidation via regulating antioxidant defenses in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon
      idellus).
AB  - This study evaluated the protective effect of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) on n-3
      highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs)-induced lipid peroxidation in grass carp.
      The result indicated that diets with n-3 HUFAs increased the production of
      malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.05), thereby inducing lipid peroxidation in liver
      and muscle of grass carp. Meanwhile, compared with control group, the
      hepatosomatic index (HSI) and kidney index (KI) of grass carp were markedly
      increased in n-3 HUFAs-only group. However, diets with LA remarkably inhibited
      the n-3 HUFAs-induced increase of HSI, KI, and MDA level in serum, liver and
      muscle (P < 0.05). Interestingly, LA also significantly elevated the ratio of
      total n-3 HUFAs in fatty acid composition of muscle and liver (P < 0.05).
      Furthermore, LA significantly promoted the activity of antioxidant enzymes in
      serum, muscle and liver of grass carp (P < 0.05), including superoxide dismutase
      (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione s-transferase (GST). The further results
      showed that LA significantly elevated mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes with
      promoting the mRNA expression of NF-E2-related nuclear factor 2 (Nrf2) and
      decreasing Kelch-like-ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) mRNA level. From the
      above, these results suggested that LA could attenuate n-3 HUFAs-induced lipid
      peroxidation, remit the toxicity of the lipid peroxidant, and protect n-3 HUFAs
      against lipid peroxidation to promote its deposition in fish, likely
      strengthening the activity of antioxidant enzymes through regulating mRNA
      expressions of antioxidant enzyme genes via mediating Nrf2-Keap1 signaling
      pathways.

PMID- 28619362
TI  - Peroxiredoxin 1 from cuttlefish (Sepiella maindroni): Molecular characterization
      of development and its immune response against Vibrio alginolyticus.
AB  - The aim of this work was constructive to understand the function of peroxiredoxin
      (PRDX) family member Peroxiredoxin 1 in Sepiella maindroni (SmPrx1) through
      molecular mechanisms of reproduction, embryonic development and immune responses
      to Vibrio alginolyticus. The full-length cDNA of SmPrx1 was of 1062 bp, contains
      a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 79bp, a 3' UTR of 359 bp, an open reading frame
      of 624 bp encoding 207 amino acids. The conserved peroxidase catalytic center
      "FYPLDFTFVCPTEI" and "GEVCPA" were observed in the sequence of SmPrx1; this
      indicated that it was a member of 2-Cys Prx. Quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR
      assays revealed that SmPrx1 was ubiquitously expressed in all examined tissues,
      muscle, ink sac, liver, ovary, testis, intestine, gill and totally blood cells,
      and showed high levels in testis. SmPrx1 mRNA was ubiquitously detected in all
      tested tissues, and the expression was comparatively high in testis, hemocyte,
      liver and ovary. Moreover, the SmPrx1 gene transcript was detected at all five
      stages of embryonic development phases that were respectively the zygote stage,
      the pre-embryonic stage, the organogenesis stage, the morphological integrity
      stage, the pre-hatching stage. The general tendency of expression was gradually
      increased and rapidly decreased. High expressed in progenitive tissues and
      embryonic development exhibit the proliferation-associated protein
      characterization like in mammal. The expression levels of SmPrx1 in liver and
      hemocytes grew swiftly and quickly reached peak value after Vibrio alginolyticus
      challenge. As hours passed by, the expression level began to reduce and resumed
      to normal levels after 48 h. The antioxidant activity and peroxidase activity of
      SmPrx1 were 6.17 U/mg. The results showed that the recombined protein of SmPrx1
      had antioxidant activity and was the importance part of the antioxidant system in
      Sepiella maindroni. This study provides useful information to help further
      understand the functional mechanism of Prx 1 in marine cephalopod immunity.

PMID- 28619363
TI  - Acute hypoxic stress: Effect on blood parameters, antioxidant enzymes, and
      expression of HIF-1alpha and GLUT-1 genes in largemouth bass (Micropterus
      salmoides).
AB  - Dissolved oxygen (DO) plays a crucial role in survival, growth, and normal
      physiological functions of aquatic organisms. Nevertheless, the mechanisms
      involved in hypoxic stress and adaptation have not been fully elucidated in
      Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). To reveal the effect of acute hypoxia on
      Largemouth bass, we simulated acute hypoxia (DO: 1.2 +/- 0.2 mg/L) in the
      laboratory and analyzed physiological parameters (RBCs, Hb, SOD, CAT, NA+/K+
      ATPase, GPx, and MDA) and gene expression (HIF-1alpha and GLUT-1) in Largemouth
      bass exposed to various durations of acute hypoxia (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h).
      Our results indicated that acute hypoxic exposure significantly increased RBCs
      but decreased Hb. In addition, antioxidant enzyme activity was enhanced
      significantly in the liver and muscles at the initial stage of acute hypoxic
      exposure, but decreased significantly in gills during the entire process of
      hypoxic exposure. Furthermore, the expression levels of HIF-1alpha and GLUT-1
      mRNA were significantly up-regulated in Largemouth bass under acute hypoxic
      exposure. In conclusion, our study provides a valuable basis for further
      elucidation of hypoxic adaptation and facilitates husbandry for an economically
      valuable species.

PMID- 28619364
TI  - Outcome of arterial ischemic stroke in children with heart disease.
AB  - : Arterial ischemic strokes (AIS) are rare in childhood. Congenital and acquired
      heart diseases are one of the most important risk factors of AIS in children.
      OBJECTIVE: Study the outcome of children with heart disease that have suffered
      AIS and the factors that influence on prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We
      evaluated all children with heart disease who had suffered AIS between 2000 and
      2014 in our hospital. RESULTS: Seventy-four children with heart disease suffered
      an arterial ischemic stroke. 20% of them died and 10% had new AIS during the
      study period. Fifty-two patients were evaluated an average of six years after
      AIS. According to the Paediatric Stroke Outcome Scale (PSOM), most of the
      patients had some degree of impairment, mainly in sensorimotor and in cognitive
      behavioural areas. The modified Rankin scale (mRS) showed an unfavourable outcome
      in 70% of patients (including patients that have died). Upper limb was more
      functionally impaired than lower limb. Strokes in neonatal period and early life
      were associated with poor prognosis. Size of stroke, cortical and subcortical
      involvement and basal ganglia stroke were associated with an unfavourable
      outcome. Fever in the acute phase and hemiparesis at presentation were also poor
      prognostic factors. Epilepsy at time of evaluation was also associated with
      unfavourable outcome. On the other hand, a normal electroencephalogram was
      associated with favourable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: AIS in children with heart
      disease had an unfavourable outcome, with impairment in different areas. Epilepsy
      happened in one third of the patients.

PMID- 28619365
TI  - Aucklandia lappa DC. extract enhances gefitinib efficacy in gefitinib-resistance
      secondary epidermal growth factor receptor mutations.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Aucklandia lappa DC. is a widely used medicinal
      plant in China, India and Pakistan for a long time. Previously, a number of
      different pharmacological experiments in vitro and in vivo have convincingly
      demonstrated the abilities of it to exhibit anticancer activities. Reynoutria
      japonica Houtt. has also been widely used as traditional Chinese medicinal plant.
      Previous studies have demonstrated that it is bioactive to exhibit anticancer
      activities. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to investigate whether the extracts
      of Aucklandia lappa DC. and Reynoutria japonica Houtt. are capable of treating
      drug-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), providing support for novel
      usage beyond traditional uses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extracts combined with
      gefitinib have been tested taking the vulval development of transgenic C. elegans
      (jgIs25) as an effective and simple in vivo model system, evaluating their
      efficacy against acquired NSCLC. Synchronous larval 1 (L1) larvae were treated
      with extracts plus gefitinib and cultured to obtain mainly L4 larvae. The
      multivulva (Muv) phenotype was recorded at the adult stage. RESULTS: Our data
      showed that Aucklandia lappa DC. extract could significantly enhance the efficacy
      of gefitinib, suppressing the Muv phenotype of jgIs25. Meanwhile, it could also
      down-regulate the mRNA and protein expression of EGFR in jgIs25. Collectively,
      our results verified that the capability of Aucklandia lappa DC. to inhibit Muv
      phenotype may be based on the EGFR signaling pathway inhibition. CONCLUSION: We
      demonstrated that the co-administration of Aucklandia lappa DC. with gefitinib
      may provide an effective strategy for the therapy of EGFR inhibitor resistant
      NSCLCs.

PMID- 28619366
TI  - BPI-3016, a novel long-acting hGLP-1 analogue for the treatment of Type 2
      diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues have been commonly used as add-on
      medications for patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Currently, the
      development of long-acting GLP-1 analogues which allow the freedom and
      flexibility of once-weekly injections while maintaining their potency for a
      relatively long period has become the mainstream. Here, we successfully developed
      a long-acting human GLP-1(7-37) analogue (BPI-3016) with significantly extended
      half-life and increased resistance to dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) cleavage
      by structural modifications of human GLP-1. In vitro activity of BPI-3016
      including GLP-1 receptor affinity and stimulation of cyclic adenosine
      monophosphate (cAMP) production was measured. In vivo activity of BPI-3016 such
      as its effects on glycemic control, beta-cell mass and body weight was evaluated
      in ob/ob mice, db/db mice, and spontaneous diabetic cynomolgus monkeys. The
      results indicated that BPI-3016 preserved receptor affinity to GLP receptors, and
      was capable of stimulating cAMP production. In in vivo pharmacokinetic study, the
      half-life of BPI-3016 was more than 95h after single dosing in diabetic
      cynomolgus monkeys. Also, BPI-3016 reduced fasting and post-prandial plasma
      glucose levels for up to a week after a single dose; It reduced body mass index
      (BMI), body fat, improved glucose tolerance and showed insulinotropic effects
      after once-weekly injection for 7 weeks. In conclusion, BPI-3016 retains the
      effects of GLP-1 with significantly prolonged half-life, making it a promising
      therapy for type 2 diabetes with once-weekly treatment in the clinic.

PMID- 28619368
TI  - Preliminary evidence for associations between molecular markers and quantitative
      traits in a set of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars and breeding
      lines.
AB  - The identification of polymorphic markers associated with various quantitative
      traits allows us to test their performance for the exploitation of the extensive
      quantitative variation maintained in gene banks. In the current study, a set of
      97 wheat germplasm accessions including 48 cultivars and 49 breeding lines were
      evaluated for 18 agronomic traits. The accessions were also genotyped with 23
      ISSR, nine IRAP and 20 REMAP markers, generating a total of 658 clear and
      scorable bands, 86% of which were polymorphic. Both neighbor-joining dendrogram
      and Bayesian analysis of clustering of individuals revealed that the accessions
      could be divided into four genetically distinct groups, indicating the presence
      of a population structure in current wheat germplasm. Associations between
      molecular markers and 18 agronomic traits were analyzed using the mixed linear
      model (MLM) approach. A total of 94 loci were found to be significantly
      associated with agronomic traits (P<=0.01). The highest number of bands
      significantly associated with the 18 traits varied from 11 for number of
      spikelets spike-1 (NSS) to two for grain yield in row (GRY). Loci ISSR16-9 and
      REMAP13-10 were associated with three different traits. The results of the
      current study provide useful information about the performance of retrotransposon
      based and ISSR molecular markers that could be helpful in selecting potentially
      elite gene bank samples for wheat-breeding programs.

PMID- 28619369
TI  - Mechanisms of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease in antiphospholipid
      syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. New therapeutic approaches.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are 2
      highly related autoimmune-rheumatic diseases associated with an increased risk of
      developing cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Despite the great progresses made in
      understanding the pathological mechanisms leading to CV diseases in those
      pathologies, there is still the unmet need to improve long term prognosis. CV
      diseases in SLE and APS is thought to happen as the result of a complex
      interaction between traditional CV risk factors, immune deregulation and disease
      activity, including the synergic effect of cytokines, chemokines, adipokines,
      proteases, autoantibodies, adhesion receptors, oxidative stress and a plethora of
      intracellular signalling molecules. Genomic and epigenomic analyses have further
      allowed the identification of specific signatures explaining the proathero
      thrombotic profiles of APS and SLE patients. This review examines the complex
      role of these heterogeneous factors, and analyses new therapeutic approaches
      under study to reduce the CV risk in these autoimmune disorders.

PMID- 28619370
TI  - Sleep Duration and Impaired Glycemic Control.

PMID- 28619371
TI  - The Reply.

PMID- 28619367
TI  - The vasoprotective axes of the renin-angiotensin system: Physiological relevance
      and therapeutic implications in cardiovascular, hypertensive and kidney diseases.
AB  - The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is undisputedly one of the most prominent
      endocrine (tissue-to-tissue), paracrine (cell-to-cell) and intracrine
      (intracellular/nuclear) vasoactive systems in the physiological regulation of
      neural, cardiovascular, blood pressure, and kidney function. The importance of
      the RAS in the development and pathogenesis of cardiovascular, hypertensive and
      kidney diseases has now been firmly established in clinical trials and practice
      using renin inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, type 1
      (AT1) angiotensin II (ANG II) receptor blockers (ARBs), or aldosterone receptor
      antagonists as major therapeutic drugs. The major mechanisms of actions for these
      RAS inhibitors or receptor blockers are mediated primarily by blocking the
      detrimental effects of the classic angiotensinogen/renin/ACE/ANG
      II/AT1/aldosterone axis. However, the RAS has expanded from this classic axis to
      include several other complex biochemical and physiological axes, which are
      derived from the metabolism of this classic axis. Currently, at least five axes
      of the RAS have been described, with each having its key substrate, enzyme,
      effector peptide, receptor, and/or downstream signaling pathways. These include
      the classic angiotensinogen/renin/ACE/ANG II/AT1 receptor, the ANG II/APA/ANG
      III/AT2/NO/cGMP, the ANG I/ANG II/ACE2/ANG (1-7)/Mas receptor, the
      prorenin/renin/prorenin receptor (PRR or Atp6ap2)/MAP kinases ERK1/2/V-ATPase,
      and the ANG III/APN/ANG IV/IRAP/AT4 receptor axes. Since the roles and
      therapeutic implications of the classic angiotensinogen/renin/ACE/ANG II/AT1
      receptor axis have been extensively reviewed, this article will focus primarily
      on reviewing the roles and therapeutic implications of the vasoprotective axes of
      the RAS in cardiovascular, hypertensive and kidney diseases.

PMID- 28619372
TI  - The Reply.

PMID- 28619373
TI  - Blood Pressure Goals in Functionally Limited Elderly Patients.

PMID- 28619374
TI  - The Reply.

PMID- 28619375
TI  - A Child With Progressive Leg Weakness.

PMID- 28619376
TI  - Early Imaging and Adverse Neurodevelopmental Outcome in Asphyxiated Newborns
      Treated With Hypothermia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brain injury can be identified as early as day two of life in
      asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia, when using diffusion magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI). However, it remains unclear whether these diffusion
      changes can predict future neurodevelopment. This study aimed to determine
      whether abnormal early diffusion changes in newborns treated with hypothermia are
      associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome at age two years. METHODS:
      Asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia were enrolled prospectively. They
      underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at specific time points over the first
      month of life, including diffusion-weighted imaging and diffusion-tensor imaging.
      Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were
      measured in different regions of interest. Adverse neurodevelopmental outcome was
      defined as cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, and/or seizure disorder
      around age two years. ADC and FA values were compared between the newborns
      developing or not developing adverse outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-nine asphyxiated
      newborns treated with hypothermia were included. Among the newborns developing
      adverse outcome, ADC values were significantly decreased on days two to three of
      life and increased around day ten of life in the thalamus, posterior limb of the
      internal capsule, and the lentiform nucleus. FA values decreased in the same
      regions around day 30 of life. These newborns also had increased ADC around day
      ten of life and around day 30 of life, and decreased FA around day 30 of life in
      the anterior and posterior white matter. CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion changes that were
      evident as early as day two of life, when the asphyxiated newborns were still
      treated with hypothermia, were associated with later abnormal neurodevelopmental
      outcome.

PMID- 28619378
TI  - Improving Efficiency in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.

PMID- 28619377
TI  - Cumulative Incidence of Seizures and Epilepsy in Ten-Year-Old Children Born
      Before 28 Weeks' Gestation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the incidence of seizures and epilepsy in the first
      decade of life among children born extremely premature (less than 28 weeks'
      gestation). METHOD: In a prospective, multicenter, observational study, 889 of
      966 eligible children born in 2002 to 2004 were evaluated at two and ten years
      for neurological morbidity. Complementing questionnaire data to determine a
      history of seizures, all caregivers were interviewed retrospectively for
      postneonatal seizures using a validated seizure screen followed by a structured
      clinical interview by a pediatric epileptologist. A second pediatric
      epileptologist established an independent diagnosis based on recorded responses
      of the interview. A third epileptologist determined the final diagnosis when
      evaluators disagreed (3%). Life table survival methods were used to estimate
      seizure incidence through ten years. RESULTS: By age ten years, 12.2% (95%
      confidence interval: 9.8, 14.5) of children had experienced one or more seizures,
      7.6% (95% confidence interval: 5.7, 9.5) had epilepsy, 3.2% had seizure with
      fever, and 1.3% had a single, unprovoked seizure. The seizure incidence increased
      with decreasing gestational age. In more than 75% of children with seizures,
      onset was after one year of age. Seizure incidence was comparable in both sexes.
      Two-thirds of those with epilepsy had other neurological disorders. One third of
      children with epilepsy were not recorded on the medical history questionnaire.
      SIGNIFICANCE: The incidence of epilepsy through age ten years among children born
      extremely premature is approximately 7- to 14-fold higher than the 0.5% to 1%
      lifetime incidence reported in the general pediatric population. Seizures in this
      population are under-recognized, and possibly underdiagnosed, by parents and
      providers.

PMID- 28619379
TI  - Visualization of the Ankle Lateral Collateral Ligament Complex.

PMID- 28619380
TI  - Early Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injection Improves Pain and Function in
      Adhesive Capsulitis of the Shoulder: 1-Year Retrospective Longitudinal Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intra-articular corticosteroid injection is a commonly used therapy
      for adhesive capsulitis, but not enough studies exist on the optimal timing of
      the injection. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether intra-articular corticosteroid
      injection has better outcomes in patients with earlier stage than later stage of
      adhesive capsulitis. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective longitudinal study SETTING:
      University-affiliated tertiary care hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Primary adhesive
      capsulitis patients (n=339) who were unresponsive to at least 1 month of
      conservative treatment and who had ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection.
      INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Visual analogue scale,
      Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and passive range of motion (flexion,
      abduction, external rotation, and internal rotation and extension) were evaluated
      at pretreatment, month 1 and 12 after the first injection. RESULTS: The result of
      the multiple regressions, which considered the main and the interaction effect of
      confounding variables, showed that the differences of all outcomes in both short
      term effect at month 1 and long-term effect at month 12 are greater when the
      duration of pain prior to injection is shorter. Among the confounders, the
      injection number in the difference of internal rotation and extension between
      month 0 and 12 (IRE Delta(0-12)) was statistically significant. IRE Delta(0-12)
      was also greater when the pain duration was shorter, though the decrease in IRE
      Delta(0-12) differed depending on the number of injections. CONCLUSIONS: Early
      injection improves outcomes of adhesive capsulitis at both short- and long-term
      follow-ups. If pain persists despite non-invasive and conservative treatments,
      early injection may be considered to shorten its natural history. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: III.

PMID- 28619381
TI  - Recent experimental advances for understanding bubble-particle attachment in
      flotation.
AB  - Bubble-particle interaction is of great theoretical and practical importance in
      flotation. Significant progress has been achieved over the past years and the
      process of bubble-particle collision is reasonably well understood. This,
      however, is not the case for bubble-particle attachment leading to three-phase
      contact line formation due to the difficulty in both theoretical analysis and
      experimental verification. For attachment, surface forces play a major role. They
      control the thinning and rupture of the liquid film between the bubble and the
      particle. The coupling between force, bubble deformation and film drainage is
      critical to understand the underlying mechanism responsible for bubble-particle
      attachment. In this review we first discuss the advances in macroscopic
      experimental methods for characterizing bubble-particle attachment such as
      induction timer and high speed visualization. Then we focus on advances in
      measuring the force and drainage of thin liquid films between an air bubble and a
      solid surface at a nanometer scale. Advances, limits, challenges, and future
      research opportunities are discussed. By combining atomic force microscopy and
      reflection interference contrast microscopy, the force, bubble deformation, and
      liquid film drainage can be measured simultaneously. The simultaneous measurement
      of the interaction force and the spatiotemporal evolution of the confined liquid
      film hold great promise to shed new light on flotation.

PMID- 28619382
TI  - Does early motion lead to a higher failure rate or better outcomes after
      arthroscopic rotator cuff repair? A systematic review of overlapping meta
      analyses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aims of the study were as follows: to perform a systematic review
      of meta-analyses comparing "early motion" and "delayed motion" after arthroscopic
      rotator cuff repair; to provide a framework to analyze the best available
      evidence to develop recommendations; and to identify gaps where suggestions could
      be made for future investigations. METHODS: Literature searches were performed to
      identify meta-analyses examining arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with early
      motion vs. delayed-motion rehabilitation protocols. Clinical data were extracted,
      and meta-analysis quality was assessed using the Quality of Reporting of Meta
      analyses and Oxman-Guyatt scales. RESULTS: Nine meta-analyses met inclusion
      criteria. No clear superiority was noted in clinical outcome scores for early
      motion or delayed-motion rehabilitation. Results of tendon healing were found to
      be either no different or in favor of delayed motion, but no differences were
      noted in rotator cuff tear recurrence rates postoperatively. The majority of meta
      analyses found significantly better range of motion with early motion up to a
      year postoperatively for forward elevation and up to 6 months for external
      rotation, but significant differences were not reported for functional
      improvements and strength at 12 months postoperatively. Subgroup analyses
      suggested that larger preoperative tear sizes have significantly greater retear
      rates with early-motion rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: The current highest level of
      evidence suggests that early-motion rehabilitation after rotator cuff repair
      results in superior postoperative range of motion up to 1 year. Whereas early
      motion and delayed motion after cuff repair may lead to comparable functional
      outcomes and retear rates, concern exists that early motion may result in greater
      retear rates, particularly with larger tear sizes.

PMID- 28619383
TI  - Cardiac rehabilitation and readmissions after heart transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is under-utilized. CR is
      indicated after heart transplantation, but there are no data regarding CR
      participation in transplant recipients. We characterized current CR utilization
      among heart transplant recipients in the United States and the association of CR
      with 1-year readmissions using the 2013-2014 Medicare files. METHODS: The study
      population included Medicare beneficiaries enrolled due to disability (patients
      on the transplant list are eligible for disability benefits under Medicare
      regulations) or age >=65 years. We identified heart transplant patients by
      diagnosis codes and cumulative CR sessions occurring within 1 year after the
      transplant hospitalization. RESULTS: There were 2,531 heart transplant patients
      in the USA in 2013, of whom 595 (24%) received Medicare coverage and were
      included in the study. CR utilization was low, with 326 patients (55%)
      participating in CR programs. The Midwest had the highest proportion of
      transplant recipients initiating CR (68%, p = 0.001). Patients initiating CR
      attended a mean of 26.7 (standard deviation 13.3) sessions, less than the
      generally prescribed program of 36 sessions. Transplant recipients age 35 to 49
      years were less likely to initiate CR (odds ratio [OR] 0.39, 95% confidence
      interval [CI] 0.23 to 0.66, p < 0.001) and attended 8.2 fewer sessions (95% CI
      3.5 to 12.9, p < 0.001) than patients age >=65 years. CR participation was
      associated with a 29% lower 1-year readmission risk (95% CI 13% to 42%, p =
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Only half of cardiac transplant recipients participate in
      CR, and those who do have a lower 1-year readmission risk. These data invite
      further study on barriers to CR in this population.

PMID- 28619384
TI  - Risk stratification to determine the impact of induction therapy on survival,
      rejection and adverse events after pediatric heart transplant: A multi
      institutional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Induction therapy is increasingly being used in pediatric heart
      transplantation. General versus risk-adapted use remains controversial. We aimed
      to determine the impact of induction therapy on outcomes after stratifying
      patients by diagnosis and risk. METHODS: The Pediatric Heart Transplant Study
      (PHTS) database was used to identify patients (age <=18 years) who underwent
      transplantation between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2014. Patients were
      excluded if they survived <48 hours or received multiple induction agents.
      Patients were stratified using a multivariable model to predict 1-year mortality.
      Patients within the top 25% risk of predicted mortality were defined as high risk
      (HR) and the bottom 75% as low risk (LR). RESULTS: Of the 2,860 patients studied,
      1,370 received anti-lymphocyte antibody (ALA), 707 received an interleukin-2
      receptor antagonist (IL-2RA) and 783 received no induction (NI) therapy. Overall,
      patients with NI had lower survival (p < 0.01); however, multivariable analysis
      did not demonstrate an association with graft loss. Freedom from rejection was
      greater among LR congenital heart disease (CHD) and all cardiomyopathy (CMP)
      patients who received induction therapy (p < 0.01, for both), as confirmed in a
      multivariable analysis for CMP patients. Frequency of graft vasculopathy was
      higher in LR CMP patients who received NI. Freedom from infection was lower with
      IL-2RA in the LR groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric heart transplant survival has
      improved in the recent era, in concert with increased use of induction therapy.
      Although induction therapy is associated with decreased rejection, it was not
      found to directly influence survival on multivariable analysis. Lower risk
      patients may benefit the most from induction therapy, particularly IL-2RA, which
      may be correlated with decreased infection and rejection in this cohort.

PMID- 28619385
TI  - Rectum and bladder spacing in cervical cancer brachytherapy using a novel
      injectable hydrogel compound.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate injection of a novel hydrogel
      (TraceIT; Augmenix, Waltham, MA) between the cervix, rectum, and bladder in
      female cadavers compared with, and in addition to, the current standard of gauze
      packing, for organ-at-risk sparing in cervical cancer brachytherapy planning.
      METHODS AND MATERIALS: This brachytherapy cadaver study used T2-weighted MRI and
      CT imaging to compare three scenarios: (1) gauze packing alone, (2) hydrogel
      injection placed in the cervical fornices and rectovaginal septum, and (3) gauze
      packing in conjunction with hydrogel injection. Hydrogel distribution was
      evaluated. Doses to 2 cm3 volumes (D2cc) for the rectum, bladder, and sigmoid
      were collected. Statistical significance (p < 0.05) was evaluated using a two
      tailed paired t test. RESULTS: Hydrogel was successfully injected to space the
      bladder and rectum from the cervix in all five cadavers. The spacer was easily
      identifiable on both CT and MRI. The use of hydrogel in addition to packing
      resulted in a 22% decrease in rectum D2cc dose (p = 0.02), a 10% decrease in
      bladder D2cc (p = 0.27), and no change in sigmoid D2cc dose. No difference was
      observed between hydrogel only vs. gauze packing only. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      revealed a significant clinically meaningful decrease in rectal D2cc associated
      with the use of hydrogel in addition to gauze packing-TraceIT hydrogel holds
      promise as a spacer in cervical cancer therapy.

PMID- 28619386
TI  - A novel 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in Rhodococcus sp. P14 for
      transforming 17beta-estradiol to estrone.
AB  - 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (17beta-HSD) are a group of oxidoreductase
      enzymes that exhibit high specificity for 17C reduction/oxidation. However, the
      mechanism of 17beta-HSD in oxidizing steroid hormone 17beta-estradiol to estrone
      in bacterium is still unclear. In this work, a functional bacterium Rhodococcus
      sp. P14 was identified having rapid ability to oxidize estradiol into estrone in
      mineral salt medium (MSM) within 6 h. The functional genes encoding NADH
      dependent oxidoreductase were successfully detected with the help of
      bioinformatics, and it was identified that it contained two consensus regions
      affiliated to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily.
      Expression of 17beta-HSD could be induced by estradiol in strain P14. The 17beta
      HSD gene from Rhodococcus sp. P14 was expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21.
      Furthermore, recombinant 17beta-HSD-expressing BL21 cells showed a high
      transformation rate, they are capable of transforming estradiol to estrone up to
      94%. The purified His-17beta-HSD protein also exhibited high catalyzing
      efficiency. In conclusion, this study provides the first evidence that a novel
      17beta-HSD in Rhodococcus sp. P14 can catalyze the oxidation of estradiol.

PMID- 28619388
TI  - Metabolomics highlights pharmacological bioactivity and biochemical mechanism of
      traditional Chinese medicine.
AB  - Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has attracted increasing interest throughout
      the world because of its potential complementary therapy and an abundant source
      for new drug discovery. TCM possesses the significant bioactivity of the use of
      multi-component drugs and can act multiple targets by multiple components.
      Metabolomics is a holistic investigation of numerous metabolite responses of
      complex biology systems to pathological stimuli and drug treatments based on the
      global metabolic profiles in complex biological matrixes. It provides variation
      of systematic metabolic networks for characterizing pathological states in animal
      models and clinical studies. In agreement with the holistic thinking of TCM,
      metabolomics has shown potential in bioactivity evaluation and action mechanism
      of TCM as well as pharmaceutical research and development. Recently, different
      metabolomic technologies have been applied to the modernization of TCM and
      treatments of different diseases such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease,
      liver disease and metabolic disease. Based on the reported literature, this paper
      introduced the application of metabolomics in efficacy evaluation of TCM and its
      biochemical action mechanism.

PMID- 28619387
TI  - Evaluation of ameliorative ability of Silibinin against zidovudine and isoniazid
      induced hepatotoxicity and hyperlipidaemia in rats: Role of Silibinin in Phase I
      and II drug metabolism.
AB  - HIV/AIDS patients have suppressed immune system, making them vulnerable to many
      opportunistic infections including tuberculosis (TB). The patients who are co
      infected with TB undergo combined regimens with anti-retroviral drugs such as
      zidovudine (AZT) and anti-tubercular drug such as isoniazid (INH) for therapy
      leading to hepatotoxicty. Silibinin (SBN), extracted from Silybum marianum
      commonly called as "Milk thistle" is used against several drugs-induced
      hepatotoxicity. The present study evaluates the ameliorative effect of SBN
      against AZT alone, INH alone, and INH + AZT-induced toxic insults to liver of
      rats. Wistar albino rats (n = 6/groups) were given INH and AZT (25 and 50 mg
      mg/kg b.w.) respectively either alone or in combination for a sub-chronic period
      of 45 days orally. Another group of rats received SBN (100 mg/kg b.w.) along with
      INH and AZT. The group that received propylene glycol served as control. AZT
      alone, INH alone and INH + AZT treatments showed parenchymal cell injury and
      cholestasis by highly significant increase in the activities of marker enzymes
      (aspartate and alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, argino succinic acid
      lyase), bilirubin and protein. The presence of hyperlipidaemia was observed by
      analyzing lipid profiles in serum/liver/adipose tissue, gene expression (RT-PCR)
      of Phase-I and II metabolizing enzymes and western blot. Transmission electron
      microscopy study also revealed large vacuoles with membraneous debri, pleomorphic
      mitochondria, disruption of endoplasmic reticulum, presence of lipid droplets,
      breakage in cellular and nuclear membrane. SBN simultaneous treatment showed
      ameliorative effect against INH + AZT-induced hepatotoxicity and hyperlipidemia
      in rats.

PMID- 28619389
TI  - The promising effect of linagliptin and/or indole-3-carbinol on experimentally
      induced polycystic ovarian syndrome.
AB  - Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common medical conditions
      that lead to female infertility worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess
      the effect of linagliptin and/or indole-3-carbinol (I3C) on PCOS in female rats.
      Fifty female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into five equal groups: Control
      group; Letrozole-induced PCOS group; Letrozole + Linagliptin group; Letrozole +
      I3C group and Letrozole + Linagliptin + I3C group. Body weight, body mass index,
      Lee index and ovarian indices were determined. Plasma levels of luteinizing
      hormone (LH), free testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, fasting
      blood glucose (FBG) and fasting plasma insulin were measured. Quantitative
      Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) was calculated. Tissue antioxidant
      status, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1), tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and Nrf2/HO-1 content were assessed.
      Histopathological and immunohistochemical examination of the ovaries were done.
      Linagliptin and/or I3C induced significant decrease in tissue TGF-beta1, TNF
      alpha, IL-10, plasma free testosterone, luteinizing hormone, progesterone,
      estradiol, FBG and insulin levels associated with significant improvement of
      insulin resistance whereas tissue Nrf2/HO-1 content and antioxidant enzymes were
      significantly increased compared to PCOS group. In addition, final body weight,
      final body mass and Lee indices were significantly decreased compared to PCOS
      group. Also, there was significant improvement of the ovarian morphology compared
      to PCOS group. This improvement was significant with linagliptin/I3C combination
      compared to the use of each of these drugs alone. In conclusion, linagliptin/I3C
      combination might represent a beneficial therapeutic modality for amelioration of
      PCOS.

PMID- 28619390
TI  - The Effect of Massage on Acute Postoperative Pain in Critically and Acutely Ill
      Adults Post-thoracic Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized
      Controlled Trials.
AB  - Critical care practice guidelines identify a lack of clear evidence on the
      effectiveness of massage for pain control. To assess the effect of massage on
      acute pain in critically and acutely ill adults post-thoracic surgery. Medline,
      Embase, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases
      were searched. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
      evaluating the effect of massage compared to attention control/sham massage or
      standard care alone on acute pain intensity post-thoracic surgery. Twelve RCTs
      were included. Of these, nine evaluated massage in addition to standard
      analgesia, including 2 that compared massage to attention control/sham massage in
      the intensive care unit (ICU), 6 that compared massage to standard analgesia
      alone early post-ICU discharge, and 1 that compared massage to both attention
      control and standard care in the ICU. Patients receiving massage with analgesia
      reported less pain (0-10 scale) compared to attention control/sham massage (3
      RCTs; N = 462; mean difference -0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.25 to 
      0.35; p < 0.001; I2 = 13%) and standard care (7 RCTs; N = 1087; mean difference 
      0.85, 95% CI -1.28 to -0.42; p < 0.001; I2 = 70%). Massage, in addition to
      pharmacological analgesia, reduces acute post-cardiac surgery pain intensity.

PMID- 28619391
TI  - Pharmacists' attitudes regarding provision of sexual and reproductive health
      services.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to assess attitudes from Ohio pharmacists
      about contraceptive authority. Secondary objectives included determining
      pharmacists' perceptions of benefits, barriers, and preparedness for offering
      such services and examining attitudes about and experiences with other
      reproductive health topics to inform future research. METHODS: An anonymous 26
      question Institutional Review Board-approved electronic survey was developed and
      distributed via Qualtrics to a random sample of 500 licensed pharmacists in Ohio.
      Two months were allotted for survey completion. A link to free Accreditation
      Council for Pharmacy Education-approved continuing pharmacy education (CPE)
      through Ohio Northern University was offered as an incentive for completing the
      survey. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-eight pharmacists completed the survey (62%
      female). Fifty-eight percent worked in community pharmacy and 34% in health
      system pharmacy. The majority indicated that oral and transdermal contraceptive
      methods should be pharmacist-initiated (57% and 54%, respectively) through a
      collaborative practice agreement or statewide protocol. More pharmacists
      supported provision of hormonal contraception through a collaborative practice
      agreement rather than a statewide protocol. Increased access to care and
      convenience for patients were identified most frequently as potential benefits.
      Time constraints, concerns of increased liability, and other barriers for
      initiating such services were identified by pharmacists. Pharmacists most
      frequently listed clinical guidelines, CPE, and patient education materials as
      tools needed to successfully initiate contraceptive therapy regimens. Pharmacists
      responding to the survey were also proponents of increasing involvement in other
      aspects of sexual and reproductive health, such as expedited partner therapy
      (64%) and human papilloma virus vaccination (67%). Respondents indicated a
      potential lack of experience or training in topics such as expedited partner
      therapy and intimate partner violence. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists surveyed showed
      interest in providing sexual and reproductive health services, including
      pharmacist-provided prescription contraceptive products and preventive health
      services. Further studies are needed to evaluate pharmacists' roles in other
      sexual and reproductive health services.

PMID- 28619392
TI  - Platelet satellitism in autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
AB  - Platelet satellitism is a rare phenomenon observed in blood smears obtained from
      blood anticoagulated with EDTA with an estimated frequency at 0.008%. It is
      characterized by platelet rosetting around neutrophils and in rare cases around
      other blood cells, which may causes pseudothrombocytopenia. Our case involves a
      26-year-old female patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). Blood smear
      with EDTA as an anticoagulant had platelet satellitism whereas the phenomenon was
      not observed in tubes with different anticoagulants (citrate, heparin) and
      capillary blood. This phenomenon was still observed four weeks after the
      patient's discharge. Furthermore, we discuss the possible pathophysiological
      mechanisms of platelet satellitism proposed in the literature. To our knowledge,
      this is the first case of platelet satellitism reported in AIHA.

PMID- 28619393
TI  - Advanced oxidation protein products and their relationship with cardiovascular
      risk factors in young apparently healthy people.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) are used as a marker to
      estimate oxidative stress in plasma proteins. Oxidative stress is considered a
      factor of cardiovascular risk (CVRF) related to increased blood pressure, and
      dyslipidaemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between
      plasma AOPPs and CVRF in apparently healthy young adults. METHODS: A prospective
      cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 students of the Faculty of Chemical
      Pharmacobiology of the UMSNH. Body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were
      determined. A blood specimen was also collected to quantify AOPPs, glucose, total
      cholesterol, lipoproteins (high, low, and very low density), and triglycerides.
      RESULTS: Differences were observed in the groups with and without CVRF, with
      significant differences in BMI, waist, body fat (P<.05), and lipid profile
      (P<.0001). AOPPs were higher in the group of young people with three and four
      CVRF (F: 4.651; P=.002). A negatively correlation was found between AOPPs and LDL
      cholesterol (r=-0.364; P=.0001). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that AOPPs
      concentrations are increased as CVRF increase in young adults. Thus, this could
      be considered an important risk factor, because their deposition in the
      atherosclerotic plaque favours the atherogenic process, and thus the development
      of cardiovascular disease. Quantification of AOPPs contributes to the indirect
      determination of oxidative status in the body. The study of metabolic and
      oxidative state of apparently healthy young adults is important in the prevention
      of cardiovascular disease in later life. More longitudinal studies are required
      to study its evolution.

PMID- 28619394
TI  - Understanding real-world adherence in the directly acting antiviral era: A
      prospective evaluation of adherence among people with a history of drug use at a
      community-based program in Toronto, Canada.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatments for Hepatitis C (HCV) are
      now widely available with sustained virologic response (SVR) rates of >90%. A
      major predictor of response to DAAs is adherence, yet few real-world studies
      evaluating adherence among marginalized people who use drugs and/or alcohol
      exist. This study evaluates patterns and factors associated with non-adherence
      among marginalized people with a history of drug use who were receiving care
      through a primary care, community-based HCV treatment program where opiate
      substitution is not offered on-site. METHODS: Prospective evaluation of chronic
      HCV patients initiating DAA treatment. Self-report medication adherence
      questionnaires were completed weekly. Pre/post treatment questionnaires examined
      socio-demographics, program engagement and substance use. Missing adherence data
      was counted as a missed dose. RESULTS: Of the 74 participants, who initiated
      treatment, 76% were male, the average age was 54 years, 69% reported income from
      disability benefits, 30% did not have stable housing and only 24% received opiate
      substitution therapy. Substance use was common in the month prior to treatment
      initiation with, 11% reported injection drug use, 30% reported non-injection drug
      use and 18% moderate to heavy alcohol use. The majority (85%) were treatment
      naive, with 76% receiving sofosbuvir/ledipasvir (8-24 weeks) and 22%
      Sofosbuvir/Ribarvin (12-24 weeks). The intention to treat proportion with SVR12
      was 87% (60/69). In a modified ITT analysis (excluding those with undetectable
      RNA at end of treatment), 91% (60/66) achieved SVR12. Overall, 89% of treatment
      weeks had no missed doses. 41% of participants had at least one missed dose. In
      multivariate analysis the only factor independently associated with weeks with
      missed doses was moderate to heavy alcohol use (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: This study
      demonstrates that strong adherence and SVR with DAAs is achievable, with
      appropriate supports, even in the context of substance use, and complex
      health/social issues.

PMID- 28619395
TI  - The new front in the war on doping: Amateur athletes.
AB  - The war on drugs is usually associated with criminal policies aimed at stemming
      consumption of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and cannabis, less so with
      enhancement drugs like those used in sport. As drug use in sport, or doping, has
      become more visibly widespread, policies aimed at combating the issue have become
      more restrictive, intrusive, and harsh. In this article we draw new comparisons
      between the wider war on drugs and recent developments in sports anti-doping. We
      identify a growing trend towards criminalisation of traffickers and users, and
      associate that with another growing trend: the testing of amateur athletes. This
      article reviews the current anti-doping system, including the recent amateur
      policies, then considers of the results of one such program in amateur cycling.
      We then shift to consider the possible implications for amateurs of criminal
      doping laws and the recent debates about allowing medical exemptions for
      therapeutic use of banned substances. We show that drug use in sport can be
      understood as a new front in the war on drugs, with some extreme measures and
      many negative unintended consequences. To remedy this, we argue that amateur
      athletes require a separate anti-doping policy focused on minimising harms of
      use.

PMID- 28619396
TI  - Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Implantation of Brachytherapy Catheters in Bladder
      Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) implantation of brachytherapy
      catheters (BTCs) can be a minimally invasive alternative to open retropubic
      implantation. Descriptions of the surgical technique and outcomes are sparse.
      OBJECTIVE: To describe our technique and perioperative outcomes for RAL BTC
      implantation in urothelial carcinoma (UC) and urachal carcinoma (UraC). DESIGN,
      SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Between June 2011 and May 2016, 26 patients with cN0M0
      solitary T1G3 or T2G1-3 UC of <=5cm or cN0M0 UraC were scheduled for external
      beam radiotherapy (20*2Gy), RAL BTC implantation, and pulsed-dose (29*1.04Gy) or
      high-dose rate brachytherapy (10*2.50Gy). Median follow-up was 12 mo
      (interquartile range 4-20). SURGICAL PROCEDURE: RAL BTC implantation with or
      without pelvic lymph node dissection and/or partial cystectomy. MEASUREMENTS AND
      STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Perioperative data, complications, disease-free-survival
      (DFS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and cystectomy-free survival (CFS)
      were evaluated as well as the feasibility of the technique. RESULTS AND
      LIMITATIONS: BTC implantation was successful in 92% of the patients. Median
      hospitalisation was 5 d (interquartile range 4-7) and blood loss <50ml in all
      cases. DFS was 74% at 1 yr and 63% at 2 yr. LRFS was 80% at 1 and 2 yr, and CFS
      was 87% at 1 and 2 yr. Early (<=30 d) high-grade complications (Clavien-Dindo
      >=3) occurred in 8% of the patients. The study is limited by the small sample
      size and short follow-up time. CONCLUSIONS: RAL BTC implantation is technically
      feasible and could serve as safe, minimally invasive alternative to open surgery
      in selected patients. The results of this study should be confirmed in larger
      studies. PATIENT SUMMARY: Brachytherapy catheter (BTC) implantation is
      traditionally carried out via open retropubic surgery. We describe robot-assisted
      laparoscopic BTC implantation as a minimally invasive alternative. Perioperative
      outcomes are described and confirm the safety and feasibility of this procedure.

PMID- 28619397
TI  - Development of Environmental Health Indicators for the Child Population: Report
      on a Brazilian Experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This report presents the Brazilian experience on the elaboration of a
      matrix of children's environmental health indicators to the Brazilian Health
      Surveillance System. This experience was part of a project with the financial
      support of the Ministry of Health of Brazil to develop appropriate indicators for
      identification, measuring, and monitoring of the environmental risk factors to
      the children's health. METHODS: The methodology adopted for the development of
      the matrix of indicators of children's environmental health to Brazil comprised 3
      steps. In the first step, the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the
      Brazilian population, aged 0-14 years, were identified, according to the data
      available from the Ministry of Health. The second step consisted of the
      identification of the Brazilian public-access information systems, with available
      official data regarding environmental, health, and socioeconomic conditions. In
      the third step, a preliminary matrix was elaborated. Correlation analyses were
      done to determine the indicators that would constitute the final matrix.
      FINDINGS: The selected indicators allowed the identification and surveillance of
      cancer, injuries, adverse birth outcomes, diarrheic and respiratory diseases,
      associated with environmental risk factors, in the Brazilian child population.
      The existing Brazilian official information systems provided data with the
      necessary quality for the construction of children's environmental health
      indicators. Nevertheless, some official systems on health information presented
      limitations related to the data availability over the course of time and
      timeliness of data capture. Concerning the environmental information, the major
      limitation was accessibility. CONCLUSIONS: A matrix of indicators of children's
      environmental health to Brazil can come to contribute to the implementation of a
      surveillance system of children's exposure to environmental contaminants in
      Brazil.

PMID- 28619398
TI  - Global Burden of Disease of Mercury Used in Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the world's largest
      anthropogenic source of mercury emission. Gold miners are highly exposed to
      metallic mercury and suffer occupational mercury intoxication. The global disease
      burden as a result of this exposure is largely unknown because the informal
      character of ASGM restricts the availability of reliable data. OBJECTIVE: To
      estimate the prevalence of occupational mercury intoxication and the disability
      adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to chronic metallic mercury vapor
      intoxication (CMMVI) among ASGM gold miners globally and in selected countries.
      METHODS: Estimates of the number of artisanal small-scale gold (ASG) miners were
      extracted from reviews supplemented by a literature search. Prevalence of
      moderate CMMVI among miners was determined by compiling a dataset of available
      studies that assessed frequency of intoxication in gold miners using a
      standardized diagnostic tool and biomonitoring data on mercury in urine. Severe
      cases of CMMVI were not included because it was assumed that these persons can no
      longer be employed as miners. Cases in workers' families and communities were not
      considered. Years lived with disability as a result of CMMVI among ASG miners
      were quantified by multiplying the number of prevalent cases of CMMVI by the
      appropriate disability weight. No deaths are expected to result from CMMVI and
      therefore years of life lost were not calculated. Disease burden was calculated
      by multiplying the prevalence rate with the number of miners for each country and
      the disability weight. Sensitivity analyses were performed using different
      assumptions on the number of miners and the intoxication prevalence rate.
      FINDINGS: Globally, 14-19 million workers are employed as ASG miners. Based on
      human biomonitoring data, between 25% and 33% of these miners-3.3-6.5 million
      miners globally-suffer from moderate CMMVI. The resulting global burden of
      disease is estimated to range from 1.22 (uncertainty interval [UI] 0.87-1.61) to
      2.39 (UI 1.69-3.14) million DALYs. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the first
      global and country-based estimates of disease burden caused by mercury
      intoxication in ASGM. Data availability and quality limit the results, and the
      total disease burden is likely undercounted. Despite these limitations, the data
      clearly indicate that mercury intoxication in ASG miners is a major, largely
      neglected global health problem.

PMID- 28619400
TI  - A Standard of Care.

PMID- 28619399
TI  - Rural-Urban Differences in Trends in the Wealth Index in Kenya: 1993-2009.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to construct a wealth index that could be
      compared over time in order to understand the trends in wealth in Kenya and
      determine predictors of change in wealth index. METHODS: Data were from the
      Demographic and Health Survey program collected in Kenya between 1993 and 2009.
      Variable categories were collapsed to match and factor analysis was performed on
      the 4-year pooled data to generate a harmonized wealth index. Possible predictors
      of wealth were selected from household variables available for all 4 years.
      Household sampling weights and stratification by rural/urban was used. RESULTS:
      Overall, wealth increased in Kenya between 1993 and 2008; however, when
      stratified, no significant increase existed in urban areas and a significant
      increase was identified in rural areas specifically between 2003 and 2008. The
      strongest predictor was education, with more than a standard deviation difference
      for secondary or higher levels of education over those with no education. The
      association of gender of the head of household and whether the head of household
      had a partner differed between rural and urban areas, with household heads who
      were women and those who had a partner having more wealth in urban areas but less
      wealth in rural areas. CONCLUSION: Wealth in Kenya increased over time,
      specifically in rural regions. Differences were identified in predictors of
      wealth by urban/rural residence, educational level, and gender of the head of
      household and should be taken into account when planning interventions to target
      those in disproportionately low wealth brackets.

PMID- 28619401
TI  - Assessment of Surgical and Trauma Capacity in Potosi, Bolivia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scaling up surgical and trauma care in low- and middle-income
      countries could prevent nearly 2 million annual deaths. Various survey
      instruments exist to measure surgical and trauma capacity, including Personnel,
      Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, and Supplies (PIPES) and International
      Assessment of Capacity for Trauma (INTACT). OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate
      surgical and trauma capacity in the Bolivian department of Potosi using a
      combined PIPES and INTACT tool, with additional questions to further inform
      intervention targets. METHODS: In June and July 2014 a combined PIPES and INTACT
      survey was administered to 20 government facilities in Potosi with a minimum of 1
      operating room: 2 third-level, 10 second-level, and 8 first-level facilities. A
      surgeon, head physician, director, or obstetrician-gynecologist completed the
      survey. Additional personnel responded to 4 short-answer questions. Survey items
      were divided into subsections, and PIPES and INTACT indices calculated. Medians
      were compared via Wilcoxon rank sum and Kruskal-Wallis tests. FINDINGS: Six of 20
      facilities were located in the capital city and designated urban. Urban
      establishments had higher median PIPES (8.5 vs 6.7, P = .11) and INTACT (8.5 vs
      6.9, P = .16) indices compared with rural. More than half of surgeons and
      anesthesiologists worked in urban hospitals. Urban facilities had higher median
      infrastructure and procedure scores compared with rural. Fifty-three individuals
      completed short-answer questions. Training was most desired in laparoscopic
      surgery and trauma management; less than half of establishments reported staff
      with trauma training. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical and trauma capacity in Potosi was
      most limited in personnel, infrastructure, and procedures at rural facilities,
      with greater personnel deficiencies than previously reported. Interventions
      should focus on increasing the number of surgical and anesthesia personnel in
      rural areas, with a particular focus on the reported desire for trauma management
      training. Results have been made available to key stakeholders in Potosi to
      inform targeted quality improvement interventions.

PMID- 28619402
TI  - Global Health Values of a Multidirectional Near Peer Training Program in Surgery,
      Pathology, Anatomy, Research Methodology, and Medical Education for Haitian,
      Rwandan, and Canadian Medical Students.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As health care delivery increasingly requires providers to cross
      international borders, medical students at McGill University, Canada, developed a
      multidirectional exchange program with Haiti and Rwanda. The program integrates
      surgery, pathology, anatomy, research methodology, and medical education.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to explore the global health value of
      this international training program to improve medical education within the
      environment of developing countries, such as Haiti and Rwanda, while improving
      sociocultural learning of Canadian students. METHODS: Students from the
      University of Kigali, Rwanda and Universite Quisqueya, Haiti, participated in a 3
      week program at McGill University. The students spanned from the first to sixth
      year of their respective medical training. The program consisted of anatomy
      dissections, surgical simulations, clinical pathology shadowing, and interactive
      sessions in research methodology and medical education. To evaluate the program,
      a survey was administered to students using a mixed methodology approach.
      FINDINGS: Common benefits pointed out by the participants included personal and
      professional growth. The exchange improved career development, sense of
      responsibility toward one's own community, teaching skills, and sociocultural
      awareness. The participants all agreed that the anatomy dissections improved
      their knowledge of anatomy and would make them more comfortable teaching the
      material when the returned to their university. The clinical simulation
      activities and shadowing experiences allowed them to integrate the different
      disciplines. However, the students all felt the research component had too little
      time devoted to it and that the knowledge presented was beyond their educational
      level. CONCLUSION: The development of an integrated international program in
      surgery, pathology, anatomy, research methodology, and medical education provided
      medical students with an opportunity to learn about differences in health care
      and medical education between the 3 countries. This exchange demonstrated that a
      crosscultural near-peer teaching environment can be an effective and sustainable
      method of medical student-centered development in global health.

PMID- 28619403
TI  - Practice, Knowledge, and Barriers for Screening of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Among
      High-Risk Chinese Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the leading causes of cancer
      deaths in China. Considering its poor prognosis when diagnosed late, Chinese
      guidelines recommend biannual screening for HCC with abdominal ultrasound and
      serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test for high-risk populations. OBJECTIVES: To
      investigate the practice, knowledge, and self-perceived barriers for HCC
      screening among high-risk hospital patients in China. METHODS: An interview-based
      questionnaire was conducted among Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B
      and/or chronic hepatitis C infection from outpatient clinics at 2 tertiary
      medical institutions in Shanghai and Wuhan, China. FINDINGS: Among 352
      participating patients, 50.0% had routine screening, 23.3% had irregular
      screening, and 26.7% had incomplete or no screening. Significant determinants for
      screening included higher level of education, underlying liver cirrhosis, a
      family history of HCC, and better knowledge concerning viral hepatitis, HCC, and
      HCC screening guidelines. Moreover, factors associated with better knowledge were
      younger age, female gender, urban residency, education level of college or above,
      annual household income of greater than 150,000 RMB, and longer duration of
      hepatitis infection. The 3 most common barriers reported for not receiving
      screening were not aware that screening for HCC exists (41.5%), no symptoms or
      discomfort (38.3%), and lack of recommendation from physicians (31.9%).
      CONLUSIONS: Health care professionals and community leaders should actively
      inform patients regarding the benefits of HCC screening through design of
      educational programs. Such interventions are expected to increase knowledge about
      HCC and HCC screening, as well as improve screening adherence and earlier
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28619404
TI  - Prevalence of Pediatric Asthma Risk in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early detection and treatment of pediatric asthma could reduce
      morbidity and lessen burden on society. Currently there is no known research on
      the prevalence of pediatric asthma in the Dominican Republic (DR) and no known
      asthma risk assessment tool for one-time encounters in a fast-paced clinic.
      OBJECTIVES: To pilot a streamlined version of previously validated screening
      tools to estimate the prevalence of pediatric asthma risk in Santo Domingo Norte,
      DR. METHODS: A combined asthma questionnaire and clinical assessment tool was
      developed and administered to patients aged 2-12 years. FINDINGS: We found that
      25.7% of the 74 study participants were categorized as probable asthma, 21.6%
      were at high risk for asthma, 14.9% elevated risk, and 37.8% not at risk.
      CONCLUSION: If the prevalence of 25.7% is representative of the DR as a whole,
      the DR would have one of the highest national rates in Latin America. The study
      assessment tool was convenient to use, but tool validation is needed.

PMID- 28619405
TI  - Treating Childhood Malnutrition in Rural Haiti: Program Outcomes and Obstacles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Haiti has the worst malnutrition rate in the Western hemisphere. In
      October 2010, a cholera epidemic erupted and spread rapidly throughout the
      country, straining Haiti's already fragile health infrastructure across all
      levels of care. This study reviews data from an outpatient therapeutic feeding
      program (OTP) for acute childhood malnutrition at a clinic in rural Haiti with a
      focus on the effect of the 2010 cholera epidemic on program operations. METHODS:
      A retrospective chart review was conducted for the complete set of patients who
      were enrolled in the OTP from its inception in March 2009 through January 2014.
      FINDINGS: A total of 187 charts were retrieved representing 176 unique patients,
      of whom 5 were currently enrolled in care. At admission, 96 (51.3%) met criteria
      for severe acute malnutrition, 88 (47.1%) met criteria for moderate acute
      malnutrition, and 3 (1.6%) did not meet criteria for acute malnutrition. Of the
      182 completed charts, 119 (65.4%) reached their target weight (>=-1 weight-for
      height z-score) by discharge (ie, were "cured"), 43 (23.6%) defaulted, 11 (6.0%)
      were discharged prematurely, 8 (4.4%) died, and 1 (0.5%) was hospitalized. A
      total of 11 patients (6.3%) who were initially admitted relapsed after discharge
      and were later readmitted. Data from 170 complete records (93.4%) were included
      in a multivariate logistic regression. Severe (vs moderate) acute malnutrition
      was negatively associated with likelihood of being cured when controlling for
      other patient- and care-related factors (OR = 0.261, P = .002). Average cholera
      burden was negatively correlated with likelihood of OTP treatment cure when
      controlling for patient- and care-related variables (OR = 0.859, P = .002) but
      was insignificant when controlling for year. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the study
      have been used to inform a restructuring of the clinic's acute malnutrition
      program toward a more community-centered model of management, the context and
      implications of which are discussed in relation to the existing literature.

PMID- 28619407
TI  - Should They Also Have Babies? Community Attitudes Toward Sexual and Reproductive
      Rights of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People living with HIV have the right to healthy, satisfying sex
      lives and to appropriate services to ensure their sexual and reproductive health,
      including having healthy children. The reproductive rights of people living with
      HIV/AIDS are, however, often met with skepticism and discrimination, despite
      recent advances in HIV treatment. OBJECTIVE: To assess the attitudes of community
      members in Kano, Nigeria, toward the right of persons living with HIV/AIDS to
      have healthy sexual relationships and bear children. METHODS: A cross-section of
      399 adults was interviewed using pretested structured questionnaires. Logistic
      regression analysis was used to obtain adjusted estimates for predictors of
      agreement with the rights of persons with HIV/AIDS to bear children. FINDINGS: A
      substantial proportion of respondents (28.6%) strongly agreed and agreed (10.5%)
      that persons with HIV/AIDS should not be allowed to marry. More than a fifth of
      the respondents disagreed (16.0%) and strongly disagreed (8.0%) with the rights
      of HIV-infected persons to bear children. Agreement with the statement "HIV
      infected persons should have biological children" was independently associated
      with higher educational status (adjusted odds ratio: 2.26, 95% confidence
      interval: 1.82-6.73) and awareness of prevention of mother-to-child HIV
      transmission effectiveness (adjusted odds ratio: 2.53, 95% confidence interval:
      1.92-5.37). Of those who agreed that HIV-infected persons should have children (n
      = 253), 17.8% and 26.1% strongly agreed and agreed, respectively, that persons
      living with HIV/AIDS should be restricted to having fewer children. Further,
      11.5% and 4.8% of respondents disagreed and strongly disagreed, respectively,
      that infertile HIV-infected couples should receive fertility treatment.
      CONCLUSIONS: People living with HIV/AIDS face discriminatory attitudes to their
      reproductive rights in northern Nigeria. There is a need for effective,
      culturally appropriate information, education, and communication approaches to
      improving community perceptions of sexual and reproductive rights of people
      living with HIV/AIDS.

PMID- 28619406
TI  - Physical Activity, Sleep, and BMI Percentile in Rural and Urban Ugandan Youth.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Uganda is experiencing a dual burden of over- and undernutrition,
      with overweight prevalence increasing while underweight remains common. Potential
      weight-related factors, particularly physical activity, sleep, and rural/urban
      status, are not currently well understood or commonly assessed in Ugandan youth.
      OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to pilot test a survey measuring weight
      related factors in rural and urban Ugandan schoolchildren. METHODS: A cross
      sectional survey measured sociodemographics, physical activity, sleep patterns,
      and dietary factors in 148 rural and urban schoolchildren aged 11-16 in central
      Uganda. Height and weight were objectively measured. Rural and urban youth were
      compared on these factors using chi2 and t tests. Regression was used to identify
      correlates of higher body mass index (BMI) percentile in the full sample and
      nonstunted youth. FINDINGS: Youth were on average 12.1 +/- 1.1 years old;
      underweight (10%) was more common than overweight (1.4%). Self-reported sleep
      duration and subjective sleep quality did not differ by rural/urban residence.
      Rural children overall had higher BMI percentile and marginally higher stunting
      prevalence. In adjusted analyses in both the full and nonstunted samples, higher
      BMI percentile was related to living in a rural area, higher frequency of
      physical activity, and higher subjective sleep quality; it was negatively related
      to being active on weekends. In the full sample, higher BMI percentile was also
      related to female gender, whereas in nonstunted youth, higher BMI was related to
      age. BMI percentile was unrelated to sedentary time, performance of active chores
      and sports, and dietary factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study is one of the first to
      pilot test a survey assessing weight-related factors, particularly physical
      activity and sleep, in Ugandan schoolchildren. BMI percentile was related to
      several sociodemographic, sleep, and physical activity factors among primarily
      normal-weight school children in Uganda, providing a basis for understanding
      weight status in the context of the nutrition transition.

PMID- 28619408
TI  - Children Crossing Streets: The Cognitive Task of Pedestrians Across Nations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: About 100,000 children die worldwide in pedestrian crashes, more than
      90% of whom live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, most
      existing research on children's ability to cross the street is conducted in high
      income countries (HICs). OBJECTIVE: The present study discusses 4 ways pedestrian
      behavior in LMICs differs from that in HICs, influencing both children's ability
      to cross streets safely and adult efforts to train children in pedestrian safety.
      FINDINGS: First, in many LMICs one cannot simply wait for a traffic gap that is
      large enough to permit crossing at a typical walking pace. Instead, pedestrians
      must enter traffic gaps they deem large enough to permit the oncoming driver to
      stop, slow, or swerve around them. Second, decisions in LMICs must be made very
      quickly to maximize safety. In many cases, pedestrians must anticipate how
      oncoming drivers will behave as a crossing is initiated. Third, multilane LMIC
      crossings sometimes involve separated decisions to cross each lane and then
      evaluate safety in the middle of the roadway rather than making a single decision
      to cross the entire span within a safe traffic gap. Last, children's short
      stature may substantially influence behavior in LMIC settings. When gaps are
      small and open spaces limited, the ability to see over oncoming vehicles and
      perceive them approaching, including how spread they are and at what speeds they
      are traveling, offers a distinct advantage to the taller pedestrian CONCLUSIONS:
      Taken together, it is concluded that safe child pedestrian engagement in LMICs is
      more complex, and may require more developed cognitive skill, than safe child
      pedestrian engagement in HICs.

PMID- 28619409
TI  - Student Reflection Papers on a Global Clinical Experience: A Qualitative Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many of the 70,000 graduating US medical students [per year] have
      reported participating in a global health activity at some stage of medical
      school. This case study design provided a method for understanding the student's
      experience that included student's learning about culture, health disparities,
      exposure and reaction to a range of diseases actually encountered. The broad
      diversity of themes among students indicated that the GCE provided a flexible,
      personalized experience. We need to understand the student's experience in order
      to help design appropriate curricular experiences [and valid student assessment].
      OBJECTIVE: Our research aim was to analyze medical student reflection papers to
      understand how they viewed their Global Clinical Experience (GCE). METHODS: A
      qualitative case study design was used to analyze student reflection papers. All
      28 students who participated in a GCE from 2008-2010 and in 2014-2015 and
      submitted a reflection paper on completion of the GCE were eligible to
      participate in the study. One student did not submit a reflection paper and was
      not included in the study. FINDINGS: All 27 papers were coded by paragraph for
      reflection and for themes. System of Care/Range of Care was mentioned most often,
      Aids to Adjustment Process was mentioned least. The theme, "Diseases," referred
      to any mention of a disease in the reflection papers, and 44 diseases were
      mentioned in the papers. The analysis for depth of reflection yielded the
      following data: Observation, 81/248 paragraphs; Observation and Interpretation,
      130/248 paragraphs; and Observation, Interpretation, and Suggestions for change,
      36/248 paragraphs; 9 reflection papers contained 27 separate accounts of a
      transformational experience. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a method for
      understanding the student's experience that included student's learning about
      culture, health disparities, and exposure and reaction to a range of diseases
      actually encountered. The broad diversity of themes among students indicated that
      the GCE provided a flexible, personalized experience. How we might design a
      curriculum to facilitate transformational learning experiences needs further
      research.

PMID- 28619410
TI  - An International Collaboration for the Training of Medical Chief Residents in
      Rwanda.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The year-long position of chief medical resident is a time-honored
      tradition in the United States that serves to provide the trainee with an
      opportunity to gain further skills as a clinician, leader, teacher, liaison, and
      administrator. However, in most training programs in the developing world, this
      role does not exist. OBJECTIVES: We sought to develop a collaborative program to
      train the first medical chief residents for the University of Rwanda and to
      assess the impact of the new chief residency on residency training, using
      questionnaires and qualitative interviews with Rwandan faculty, chief residents,
      and residents. METHODS: The educational context and the process leading up to the
      appointment of Rwandan chief residents, including selection, job description, and
      necessary training (in the United States and Rwanda), are described. One year
      after implementation, we used a parallel, mixed methods approach to evaluate the
      new chief medical resident program through resident surveys as well as
      semistructured interviews with key informants, including site chief residents,
      chief residents, and faculty. We also observed chief residents and site chief
      residents at work and convened focus groups with postgraduate residents to yield
      additional qualitative information. RESULTS: Rwandan faculty and residents
      generally felt that the new position had improved the educational and
      administrative structure of the teaching program while providing a training
      ground for future academicians. CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative training program
      between developing and developed world academic institutions provides an
      efficient model for the development of a new chief residency program in the
      developing world.

PMID- 28619411
TI  - Where We Fall Down: Tensions in Teaching Social Medicine and Global Health.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As global health interest has risen, so too has the relevance of
      education on the social determinants of health and health equity. Social medicine
      offers a particularly salient framework for educating on the social determinants
      of health, health disparities, and health equity. SocMed and EqualHealth, 2
      unique but related organizations, offer annual global health courses in Uganda,
      Haiti, and the United States, which train students to understand and respond to
      the social determinants of health through praxis, self-reflection and self
      awareness, and building collaborative partnerships across difference. OBJECTIVES:
      The aim of this paper is to describe an innovative pedagogical approach to
      teaching social medicine and global health. We draw on the notion of praxis,
      which illuminates the value of iterative reflection and action, to critically
      examine our points of weakness as educators in order to derive lessons with broad
      applicability for those engaged in global health work. METHODS: The data for this
      paper were collected through an autoethnography of teaching 10 global health
      social medicine courses in Uganda and Haiti since 2010. It draws on revealing
      descriptions from participant observation, student feedback collected in
      anonymous course evaluations, and ongoing relationships with alumni. FINDINGS:
      Critical analysis reveals 3 significant and complicated tensions raised by our
      courses. The first point of weakness pertains to issues of course ownership by
      North American outsiders. The second tension emerges from explicit acknowledgment
      of social and economic inequities among our students and faculty. Finally, there
      are ongoing challenges of sustaining positive momentum toward social change after
      transformative course experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Although successful in generating
      transformative learning experiences, these courses expose significant fracture
      points worth interrogating as educators, activists, and global health
      practitioners. Ultimately, we have identified a need for building equitable
      partnerships and intentional community, embracing discomfort, and moving beyond
      reflection to praxis in global health education.

PMID- 28619412
TI  - Ethical Considerations When Sending Medical Trainees Abroad for Global Health
      Experiences.

PMID- 28619413
TI  - Visiting Trainees in Global Settings: Host and Partner Perspectives on Desirable
      Competencies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current competencies in global health education largely reflect
      perspectives from high-income countries (HICs). Consequently, there has been
      underrepresentation of the voices and perspectives of partners in low- and middle
      income countries (LMICs) who supervise and mentor trainees engaged in short-term
      experiences in global health (STEGH). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was
      to better understand the competencies and learning objectives that are considered
      a priority from the perspective of partners in LMICs. METHODS: A review of
      current interprofessional global health competencies was performed to design a
      web-based survey instrument in English and Spanish. Survey data were collected
      from a global convenience sample. Data underwent descriptive statistical analysis
      and logistic regression. FINDINGS: The survey was completed by 170 individuals;
      132 in English and 38 in Spanish. More than 85% of respondents rated cultural
      awareness and respectful conduct while on a STEGH as important. None of the
      respondents said trainees arrive as independent practitioners to fill health care
      gaps. Of 109 respondents, 65 (60%) reported that trainees gaining fluency in the
      local language was not important. CONCLUSIONS: This study found different levels
      of agreement between partners across economic regions of the world when compared
      with existing global health competencies. By gaining insight into host partners'
      perceptions of desired competencies, global health education programs in LMICs
      can be more collaboratively and ethically designed to meet the priorities, needs,
      and expectations of those stakeholders. This study begins to shift the paradigm
      of global health education program design by encouraging North-South/East-West
      shared agenda setting, mutual respect, empowerment, and true collaboration.

PMID- 28619414
TI  - Health Information Needs and Reliability of Sources Among Nondegree Health
      Sciences Students: A Prerequisite for Designing eHealth Literacy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding health information needs and health-seeking behavior is
      a prerequisite for developing an electronic health information literacy (EHIL) or
      eHealth literacy program for nondegree health sciences students. At present,
      interest in researching health information needs and reliable sources paradigms
      has gained momentum in many countries. However, most studies focus on health
      professionals and students in higher education institutions. OBJECTIVE: The
      present study was aimed at providing new insight and filling the existing gap by
      examining health information needs and reliability of sources among nondegree
      health sciences students in Tanzania. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted in 15 conveniently selected health training institutions, where 403
      health sciences students were participated. Thirty health sciences students were
      both purposely and conveniently chosen from each health-training institution. The
      selected students were pursuing nursing and midwifery, clinical medicine,
      dentistry, environmental health sciences, pharmacy, and medical laboratory
      sciences courses. Involved students were either in their first year, second year,
      or third year of study. RESULTS: Health sciences students' health information
      needs focus on their educational requirements, clinical practice, and personal
      information. They use print, human, and electronic health information. They lack
      eHealth research skills in navigating health information resources and have
      insufficient facilities for accessing eHealth information, a lack of specialists
      in health information, high costs for subscription electronic information, and
      unawareness of the availability of free Internet and other online health-related
      databases. CONCLUSION: This study found that nondegree health sciences students
      have limited skills in EHIL. Thus, designing and incorporating EHIL skills
      programs into the curriculum of nondegree health sciences students is vital. EHIL
      is a requirement common to all health settings, learning environments, and levels
      of study. Our future intention is to design EHIL to support nondegree health
      sciences students to retrieve and use available health information resources on
      the Internet.

PMID- 28619415
TI  - International Travelers' Sociodemographic, Health, and Travel Characteristics: An
      Italian Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Approximately the 8% of travelers requires medical care, with the
      diagnosis of a vaccine-preventable disease. The aim of our study was to analyze
      the socio-demographic, health and travel characteristics of the Italian
      international travelers. METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study from
      January 2015 to June 2016, at the Travel Medicine Clinic of Siena, asking the
      doctor to interview patients who attended the Clinic, recording socio-demographic
      and travel information, malaria prophylaxis, vaccinations. The data were
      organized in a database and processed by software Stata(r). RESULTS: We collected
      419 questionnaires. Patients chose 71 countries for their travels; the favorite
      destinations were: India (6.31%), Thailand (6.31%), and Brazil (5.10%). The mean
      length of stay was 36.17 days. Italians, students, and freelancers tended to stay
      abroad for a longer time (mean: 36.4 days, 59.87 days and 64.16 days
      respectively). 33.17% of our sample used drugs for malaria chemoprophylaxis:
      71.9% of them used Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone(r)), 26.6% used Mefloquine
      (Lariam(r)), 1.5% other drugs. The vaccinations that travelers mostly got in our
      study were to prevent hepatitis A (n = 264), the typhoid fever (n = 187), the
      Tetanus + Diphtheria + Pertussis (n = 165), the Yellow fever (n = 118) and the
      cholera (n = 78). Twenty-eight (6.68%) refused some recommended vaccinations. The
      vaccines mostly refused were for Typhoid fever (n = 20), hepatitis a (n = 9), and
      cholera (n = 9). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that Italian international
      travelers are at-risk because of their poor vaccinations adherence. This implies
      that pre-travel counseling is fundamental to increase the knowledge of the risks
      and the compliance of future travelers.

PMID- 28619416
TI  - Mass Gatherings and Public Health: Case Studies from the Hajj to Mecca.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many new and challenging risks can be introduced during mass
      gatherings. The Hajj, as one of the largest mass gatherings, provides an
      excellent annual opportunity to reflect on the public health risk posed by
      international and multicultural crowds and the value of mitigation strategies.
      OBJECTIVES: To identify the gap between preparation and training taken before
      being exposed to the mass gathering and postexposure experiences, and the breach
      between the expectations and reality of the holy place. METHODS: This was a
      qualitative study with in-depth interviews using semistructured questionnaires
      among Hajjis from 4 different countries (Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, and New
      Zealand). Purposive sampling was done. The present study was also supported by
      literature review. FINDINGS: Findings pointed to weaknesses in implementation and
      enforcement of law, for both the custodian country and countries of origin of
      Hajjis. Disparities among developed and developing countries were also
      noticeable. CONCLUSIONS: From a global health and human security perspective,
      strengthening of core capacities in managing mass gatherings as well as
      researching risks posed by such gatherings are paramount to safeguard the
      public's health. Attention of health professionals worldwide and adoption of
      strategic planning at custodian country and sending countries are obligatory.

PMID- 28619417
TI  - Point-of-Care Testing for Anemia, Diabetes, and Hypertension: A Pharmacy-Based
      Model in Lima, Peru.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prevention and control of chronic diseases is a high priority for
      many low- and middle-income countries. This study evaluated the feasibility and
      acceptability of training pharmacy workers to provide point-of-care testing for 3
      chronic diseases-hypertension, diabetes, and anemia-to improve disease detection
      and awareness through private pharmacies. METHODS: We developed a multiphase
      training curriculum for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to build capacity
      for identification of risk factors, patient education, point-of-care testing, and
      referral for abnormal results. We conducted a pre-post evaluation with
      participants and evaluated results using Student t test for proportions. We
      conducted point-of-care testing with pharmacy clients and evaluated acceptability
      by patient characteristics (age, gender, and type of patient) using multiple
      logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 72 pharmacy workers (66%) completed the
      full training curriculum. Pretest scores indicated that pharmacists had more
      knowledge and skills in chronic disease risk factors, patient education, and
      testing than pharmacy technicians. All participants improved their knowledge and
      skills after the training, and post-test scores indicated that pharmacy
      technicians achieved the same level of competency as pharmacists (P < .01).
      Additionally, 698 clients received at least 1 test during the study; 53%
      completed the acceptability survey. Nearly 100% thought the pharmacy could
      provide faster results, faster and better attention, and better access to basic
      screening for hypertension, diabetes, and anemia than a traditional health
      center. Fast service was very important: 41% ranked faster results and 30% ranked
      faster attention as the most important factor for receiving diagnostic testing in
      the pharmacy. DISCUSSION: We found that it is both feasible for pharmacies and
      acceptable to clients to train pharmacy workers to provide point-of-care testing
      for anemia, diabetes, and hypertension. This innovative approach holds potential
      to increase early detection of risk factors and bolster disease prevention and
      management efforts in Peru and other low- and middle-income settings.

PMID- 28619418
TI  - Corrigendum to "There's No App for That: Assessing the Impact of mHealth on the
      Supervision, Motivation, Engagement, and Satisfaction of Community Health Workers
      in Sierra Leone" [Annals of Global Health 82 (2016) 936-949].

PMID- 28619419
TI  - Usefulness of scintigraphy with labelled leucocytes and SPECT/CT in vascular
      graft infection.
AB  - Vascular graft infections are a rare complication in this type of procedure.
      However, when they do occur, they usually have high morbidity, and even a high
      mortality. Proper identification and location is crucial for the appropriate and
      early management, whether medical or surgical, thus knowledge of the right tools
      is paramount. Nuclear medicine studies play an important role in this regard,
      either by using labelled white blood cells scintigraphy or 18F-FDG. The choice,
      among other factors, will depend on the experience with both techniques by the
      different groups, their knowledge of them, as well as their availability. Two
      cases are presented in which 99mTc-HMPAO-white blood cells SPECT/CT scintigraphy
      was very useful in the diagnosis and location of the suspected infectious
      compromise, which led to the subsequent appropriate and guided management. Both
      cases were confirmed clinically and microbiologically.

PMID- 28619420
TI  - Study of factors that influence the outcome of 131I treatment in hyperthyroidism
      secondary to nodular goitre.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome after 131I treatment in patients with
      multinodular (MNG) and nodular toxic goitre (NTG) according to the administered
      dose and other factors related to the patient, pathology, or previous treatments.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 108 patients (67 MNG
      and 41 NTG) treated in our department, with a follow-up period of at least 2
      years. Development of hypothyroidism and treatment failure were evaluated along
      with their relationship with the administered dose and other factors such as age,
      sex, grade of hyperthyroidism, type of goitre, presence of autoimmunity, or
      previous antithyroid medication. RESULTS: More than one-third (36.9%) of MNG
      patients, and even higher proportion of NTG patients (51.2%) developed non
      transient hypothyroidism, particularly in those receiving 740MBq (66.7%). No
      relationship was found with any other variable. The development of early
      hypothyroidism (before one year) was also not related to any variable. Treatment
      failure was not related to the dose, but in MNG there was a relationship with
      male gender, presence of autoimmunity, or previous antithyroid drugs use.
      CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of hypothyroidism obtained with high doses of 131I in
      hyperthyroidism secondary to nodular goitre treatment suggests that lower doses
      might be sufficient to control the disease without an increase in treatment
      failures. Only patients with positive autoimmunity, in previous anti-thyroid
      medication, and perhaps male gender in MNG might be given higher doses, as the
      failure rate increases, but further studies are required.

PMID- 28619421
TI  - The protective role of maternal posttraumatic growth and cognitive trauma
      processing among Palestinian mothers and infants.
AB  - War survivors use multiple cognitive and emotional processes to protect their
      mental health from the negative impacts of trauma. Because mothers and infants
      may be especially vulnerable to trauma in conditions of war, it is urgent to
      determine which cognitive and emotional processes are effective for preventing
      negative trauma impacts." This study examined whether mothers' high posttraumatic
      growth (PTG) and positive posttraumatic cognitions (PTC) protected (a) their own
      mental health and (b) their infants' stress regulation and sensorimotor and
      language development from the effects of war trauma. The participants were 511
      Palestinian mothers and their infants living in the Gaza strip. The mothers were
      interviewed in their second trimester of pregnancy (T1) as well as when the
      infant was four months (T2) and twelve months (T3). Mothers reported
      posttraumatic growth (PTG; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996) at T1 and posttraumatic
      cognitions (PTCI; Foa et al., 1999) at T2. They also reported their exposure to
      traumatic war events both at T1 and T3 and described their mental health
      conditions (e.g., PTSD and/or depressive and dissociation symptoms) at T3. The
      Infant Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ) was used to measure infants' stress
      regulation at T2 and sensorimotor and language development at T3. The results,
      based on regression analyses with interaction terms between trauma and PTG,
      showed that high levels of traumatic war events were not associated with high
      levels of PTSD, depressive, or dissociation symptoms among mothers showing high
      levels of PTG. This suggests that PTG may protect maternal mental health from the
      effects of trauma. In turn, positive maternal PTCs appeared to protect the
      infants' stress regulation from the effects of war trauma. The study concludes by
      discussing ways to develop and implement preventive interventions for mother
      infant dyads in war conditions.

PMID- 28619422
TI  - Joint engagement in infants and its relationship to their visual impairment
      measurements.
AB  - Coordination of attention between a social partner and an external focus of
      shared interest, called joint engagement, is associated with positive
      developmental outcomes such as better language, socio-emotional, and theory of
      mind skills in sighted infants. Current measures of joint engagement rely on an
      infant's visual behaviors, making it difficult to study joint engagement in
      infants with low or no vision. In a naturalistic observational study, 20 infants
      with various levels of visual impairments - mean ages: 1.08 years (N=9) and 1.62
      years (N=18), were videotaped during 30-min free play sessions with their
      caregivers. Seven infants were tested at both ages. Videos were coded to
      determine the percentage of time the dyads participated in joint engagement.
      Results showed that all visually impaired infants participated in joint
      engagement, with a significant increase between earlier and later ages. Infants'
      visual impairment levels were described in terms of visual acuity and contrast
      sensitivity as measured using both visual evoked potential and preferential
      looking techniques. Of the visual measurements, infants' reduction in contrast
      sensitivity measured with preferential looking, alone, predicted the infants'
      percentage of time in joint engagement across ages. Contrary to prior research
      that exclusively focused on visual acuity, this finding supports the need to
      include contrast sensitivity measurements in studies with visually impaired
      infants.

PMID- 28619423
TI  - Acute respiratory distress syndrome following alemtuzumab therapy for relapsing
      multiple sclerosis.
AB  - We present the case of a 54 year old woman with known relapsing-remitting
      multiple sclerosis who presented with acute respiratory deterioration five weeks
      after a first course of alemtuzumab. Imaging showed bilateral ground glass
      changes and extensive investigations confirmed chest infection with dual
      pathogens - Pneumocystis jirovecii and Cytomegalovirus. She responded to standard
      anti-PJP and CMV therapy and was discharged on oral prophylaxis. Opportunistic
      infections in the weeks immediately following alemtuzumab therapy remain an
      uncommon complication but one that requires clinical vigilance, careful
      monitoring and appropriate prophylactic therapy.

PMID- 28619424
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of interleukin-8 in patients with multiple
      sclerosis and its correlation with Q-albumin.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory-demyelinating disease of
      the central nervous system (CNS). Autoimmune inflammation is common in the early
      stages of MS and is followed by neurodegenerative processes. The result of these
      changes is axon and myelin breakdown. The paraclinical examination methods are an
      important part of the diagnostic process. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain
      and the cervical spinal cord and an examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are
      common paraclinical examinations. An increasing number of studies deal with CSF
      and serum levels of biomarkers and their role in MS. We hypothesized that the
      level of interleukin-8 (IL-8) could be different in MS patients than in controls.
      These differences may be related to damage of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). BBB
      damage is quantified by the quotient of albumin (Q-alb). METHODS: CSF and serum
      levels of IL-8 were assessed in 102 patients with newly diagnosed MS meeting
      McDonald's revised diagnostic criteria and in 102 subjects as a control group. We
      then correlated these results with Q-alb. RESULTS: Levels of IL-8 in CSF were
      significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (Mann-Whitney U test,
      p<0.0001). Serum levels of IL-8 were significantly lower in MS patients than in
      controls (Mann-Whitney U test, p=0.018). Spearman's correlation analysis proved a
      significant correlation between levels of IL-8 and Q-alb. CONCLUSION: As the
      etiology of MS is only partially known, research dealing with biomarkers in MS
      should continue. Better knowledge of etiology can provide a new perspective,
      especially for treatment.

PMID- 28619425
TI  - Using endogenous saccades to characterize fatigue in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is likely to cause dysfunction of neural
      circuits between brain regions increasing brain working load or a subjective
      overestimation of such working load leading to fatigue symptoms. The aim of this
      study was to investigate if saccades can reveal the effect of fatigue in patients
      with MS. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with MS (EDSS<=3) and age matched controls
      were recruited. Eye movements were monitored using an infrared eyetracker. Each
      participant performed 40 trials in an endogenous generated saccade paradigm
      (valid and invalid trials). The fatigue severity scale (FSS) was used to assess
      the severity of fatigue. FSS scores were used to define two subgroups, the MS
      fatigue group (score above normal range) and the MS non-fatigue. Differences
      between groups were tested using linear mixed models. RESULTS: Thirty-one MS
      patients and equal number of controls participated in this study. FSS scores were
      above the normal range in 11 patients. Differences in saccade latency were found
      according to group (p<0.001) and trial validity (p=0.023). Differences were
      16.9ms, between MS fatigue and MS non-fatigue, 15.5ms between MS fatigue and
      control. The mean difference between valid and invalid trials was 7.5ms.
      Differences in saccade peak velocity were found according to group (p<0.001), the
      difference between MS fatigue and control was 22.3 degrees /s and between MS
      fatigue and non-fatigue was 12.3 degrees /s. Group was a statistically
      significant predictor for amplitude (p<0.001). FSS scores were correlated with
      peak velocity (p=0.028) and amplitude (p=0.019). CONCLUSION: Consistent with the
      initial hypothesis, our study revealed altered saccade latency, peak velocity and
      amplitude in patients with fatigue symptoms. Eye movement testing can complement
      the standard inventories when investigating fatigue because they do not share
      similar limitations. Our findings contribute to the understanding of functional
      changes induced by MS and might be useful for clinical trials and treatment
      decisions.

PMID- 28619426
TI  - Hospitalization is associated with subsequent disability in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although an increasing amount of research has evaluated interactions
      between MS and comorbid chronic disease, few data exist regarding the
      interactions between MS and acute illness. As compared to age and sex-matched
      persons without MS, persons with MS experience higher rates of hospitalization
      and critical illness, and higher mortality rates and health care utilization
      following critical illness. We aimed to determine whether acute illness requiring
      hospitalization is associated with progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).
      METHODS: We conducted this population-based, retrospective cohort study by
      linking data from the regional MS Clinic in Calgary, Canada with the Canadian
      Discharge Abstract Database to identify non-obstetric hospitalizations. We
      included individuals with a confirmed diagnosis of MS, at least one recorded
      Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) measurement, and known age of symptom
      onset of age 10 years or older. Using data from 2009 to 2014, we used generalized
      linear models with generalized estimating equations to establish the association
      within individuals between hospitalization and the time course of MS-related
      disability (as measured by the EDSS), adjusting for sex, age, disease course at
      onset, and use of disease-modifying therapies. RESULTS: We included 2104
      individuals with MS in the analysis, who had a median of 4 EDSS measurements
      each. Of these 491 (23.3%) had at least one hospitalization. Most subjects were
      female, with a relapsing disease course at onset, and a mean (SD) age at symptom
      onset of 33.0 (10.0) years. The underlying rate of disability progression
      averaged 0.9 EDSS points per decade. Following hospitalization, there was a step
      increase in EDSS, averaging 0.23 points, equivalent to 2.5 years of time-related
      disease progression. Hospitalization did not alter the subsequent temporal rate
      of disability progression. The findings did not differ in those hospitalized for
      MS versus other reasons. CONCLUSIONS: Acute illness requiring hospitalization is
      associated with a worsening of MS-related disability.

PMID- 28619427
TI  - Soluble CD40 ligand derived from serum is not correlated with early MS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD154) is a proinflammatory and prothrombotic
      ligand belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family. It has been shown by a
      variety of studies that sCD154 is elevated in the serum of patients afflicted
      with system autoimmune diseases. The aim of our study was to address whether
      sCD154 is increased in disease affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS). METHODS:
      Twenty MS patients who have been newly diagnosed as clinically definite multiple
      sclerosis (CDMS) along with twenty age and sex matched healthy individuals were
      recruited for this study. Serum cCD154 was measured by Enzyme-Linked
      Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The results showed no statistically
      meaningful difference between newly diagnosed MS patients (3.07ng/ul+/-0.66) and
      control group (2.95ng/ul+/-0.79; p=0.62) CONCLUSION: Regarding our study, it
      seems that soluble CD40 ligand derived from serum is not correlated with early
      stage of MS disease.

PMID- 28619428
TI  - Neuromyelitis optica presenting with horner syndrome: A case report and review of
      literature.
AB  - Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous
      system that predominantly affects the spinal cord and optic nerves. We describe a
      19 years old woman with left Horner syndrome (HS), who was diagnosed as NMO with
      characteristic longitudinally extensive myelitis and positive serum aquaporin-4
      immunoglobulin G antibodies (AQP4-IgG). Our report describes one of the very rare
      ocular motor symptoms in NMO patients.

PMID- 28619429
TI  - Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis: An update.
AB  - The most recent findings linking exposure to sun and vitamin D insufficiency to
      multiple sclerosis (MS) are reviewed. Due to insufficient sunshine and changing
      lifestyles, hypovitaminosis D is widespread in temperate countries. Numerous
      epidemiological studies have strongly suggested that sunshine and vitamin D
      insufficiency contributes to MS risk in these countries. Moreover, several large
      genetic studies in MS patients have recently stated unequivocally that diverse
      abnormalities involving vitamin D metabolism are related to the risk of the
      disease. The important implications of such results are discussed here. Then, the
      interactions of hypovitaminosis D with the other genetic and environmental
      protective and risk factors, such as the allele HLA DRB1*1501, Epstein-Barr virus
      infection, obesity, smoking and sexual hormones, are summarized. Vitamin D
      insufficiency and sufficiency could be a risk and a protective factor,
      respectively, among many other factors possibly continuously modulating the
      global MS risk from the mother's pregnancy to the triggering of MS in adulthood.
      However, many interactions between these different factors occur more
      particularly between conception and the end of adolescence, which corresponds to
      the period of maturation of the immune system and thymus and may be related to
      the dysimmune nature of the disease. The main mechanisms of action of vitamin D
      in MS appear to be immunomodulatory, involving the various categories of T and B
      lymphocytes in the general immune system, but neuroprotector and neurotrophic
      mechanisms could also be exerted at the central nervous system level.
      Furthermore, several controlled immunological studies performed in MS patients
      have recently confirmed that vitamin D supplementation has multiple beneficial
      immunomodulatory effects. However, there is still an enduring absence of major
      conclusive randomized clinical trials testing vitamin D supplementation in MS
      patients because of the quasi-insurmountable practical difficulties that exist
      nowadays in conducting and completing over several years such studies involving
      the use of a vitamin. Nevertheless, it should be noted that similar robust
      statistical models used in five different association studies have already
      predicted a favorable vitamin D effect reducing relapses by 50-70%. If there is
      now little doubt that vitamin D exerts a beneficial action on the inflammatory
      component of MS, the results are as yet much less clear for the progressive
      degenerative component. Lastly, until more information becomes available, vitamin
      D supplementation of MS patients, using a moderate physiological dose essentially
      correcting their vitamin insufficiency, is recommended.

PMID- 28619430
TI  - Effect of fingolimod (FTY720) on choroidal thickness in patients with multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), to
      compare the choroidal thickness in a healthy population (group 1), with newly
      diagnosed multiple sclerosis (MS) patients (group 2), with MS patients who
      underwent beta-interferon monotherapy (group 3) and MS patients who underwent
      fingolimod therapy for 1 year (group 4) METHODS: Twenty-five control subjects (25
      eyes), 24 newly diagnosed (24 eyes) MS patients, 22 MS patients who underwent
      fingolimod monotherapy for 1 year (22 eyes), and 24 MS patients who underwent
      beta-interferon monotherapy for 1 year (24 eyes) were included in this study. The
      control group consisted of age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. The
      choroidal thickness measurements were performed using a high-speed and high
      resolution SD-OCT device. The choroidal thickness measurements were compared
      using a One Way Anova and Post-Hoc Tukey test. RESULTS: Ninety-five eyes of 95
      participants were included in this study. The mean age of the control group was
      27.83+/-4.60, and it was 26.83+/-6.79, 27.87+/-6. 46 and 27.58+/-6.65 in the
      newly diagnosed MS group, fingolimod group and beta-interferon group,
      respectively. In fingolimod group N-1000, N-1500 and T-1500 was significantly
      lower than control group. (p=0.026, p=0.06 p=0.13) CONCLUSION: Choroidal
      thickness values at N-1000, N-1500 and T-1500 levels in fingolimod group were
      found lower than in control but higher than in newly diagnosed MS group. This
      result can be explained with the therapeutic effect of the fingolimod on MS.

PMID- 28619431
TI  - Depletion of CD20 B cells fails to inhibit relapsing mouse experimental
      autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is often considered to be a CD4, T cell
      mediated disease. This is largely based on the capacity of CD4 T cells to induce
      relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rodents. However,
      CD4-depletion using a monoclonal antibody was considered unsuccessful and
      relapsing MS responds well to B cell depletion via CD20 B cell depleting
      antibodies. The influence of CD20 B cell depletion in relapsing EAE was assessed.
      METHODS: Relapsing EAE was induced in Biozzi ABH mice. These were treated with
      CD20-specific (18B12) antibody and the influence on CD45RA-B220 B cell depletion
      and clinical course was analysed. RESULTS: Relapsing EAE in Biozzi ABH failed to
      respond to the marked B cell depletion induced with a CD20-specific antibody. In
      contrast to CD20 and CD8-specific antibodies, CD4 T cell depletion inhibited EAE.
      CONCLUSION: Spinal cord antigen-induced disease in ABH mice is CD4 T cell
      dependent. The lack of influence of CD20 B cell depletion in relapsing EAE,
      coupled with the relatively marginal and inconsistent results obtained in other
      mouse studies, suggests that rodents may have limited value in understanding the
      mechanism occurring following CD20 B cell depletion in humans.

PMID- 28619432
TI  - Computerized posturography is more sensitive than clinical Romberg Test in
      detecting postural control impairment in minimally impaired Multiple Sclerosis
      patients.
AB  - Balance impairment, frequent in Multiple Sclerosis patients (MS), is difficult to
      detect promptly with routine clinical examination. Computerized platforms can
      measure subtle deficit but, given the complexity of postural system, multiple
      tests should be adopted. To evaluate whether platform was more sensitive than
      Romberg Test (RT) in detecting balance abnormalities, we 1) chose a battery of
      posturographic tests, 2) collected normative data from 58 healthy subjects 3)
      applied the tests to Clinically Isolated Syndrome (n=42) and minimally impaired
      MS (n=76). Subjects underwent 3 trials of quiet standing with eyes open and
      closed (modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance, mCTSIB) and 4
      trials of voluntary anterior and lateral maximal leaning on right and left sides
      (Limits of Stability, LOS), giving 10 postural indexes. For every subject, the
      best trials were selected for subsequent analysis. Normative values were
      established in a range from 1st to 99th percentile, defining balance impairment
      by the presence of at least 2 indexes out of range. Even adopting the above
      mentioned strict definition of balance impairment, the forceplate resulted more
      sensitive than RT, detecting abnormalities in 25% of patients, while RT was
      abnormal in 7% only. In RT-negative patients with 1-year follow-up (n =67) the
      detection of a single abnormal index was able to predict a subsequent onset of
      symptomatic balance impairment. The proposed procedure is quick, easy to perform
      and can improve the assessment of the clinical course of MS, from a pre-clinical
      stage up to medium degree of disability.

PMID- 28619433
TI  - Infectious mononucleosis and multiple sclerosis - Updated review on associated
      risk.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has been substantial evidence accumulating on the role of
      infectious mononucleosis (IM) and the subsequent risk of obtaining Multiple
      Sclerosis (MS). Up to date studies not previously explored were reviewed by the
      author to further clarify the association. METHODS: Medline and Web of Science
      were searched with no time constraints for articles exploring an association
      between Multiple Sclerosis and Infectious Mononucleosis. 24 articles were found,
      totalling 1063 cases and 13,227 cohort/controls. RESULTS: 23/24 (96%) articles
      reported a significant association of Infectious Mononucleosis on the risk of
      subsequent multiple sclerosis. DISCUSSION: Overall, new literature on IM and risk
      of MS categorically supports the association. Future work should focus on other
      risk factors such as age and gender on IM and subsequent risk of MS.

PMID- 28619434
TI  - Terminalia chebula attenuates quinolinate-induced oxidative PC12 and OLN-93 cell
      death.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Quinolinic acid (QA) is a product of tryptophan degradation and its
      pathologic accumulation has been found to induce neuroinflammatory and
      demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis via excessive free radicals
      generation. Recent studies showed that Terminalia chebula has several
      pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and
      neuroprotective properties. The aim of this study was evaluation of the
      protective effect of T. chebula alcoholic extract (TCAE) on oxidative PC12 and
      OLN-93 cells death induced by QA. METHODS: The cells were pretreated with TCAE
      (6.25-50MUg/mL) for 2h and then subjected to QA (8mM) for 24h. Cell viability and
      the parameters of redox status including the levels of intracellular reactive
      oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage were measured
      using 2-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT), 2,7
      dicholorofluorecin diacetate (DCF-DA), thiobarbituric acid and comet assays,
      respectively. RESULTS: Based on Folin-Ciocalteu method, the total phenolic
      compounds in TCAE were estimated about 1.18%. TCAE at concentration ranges of
      6.25-50MUg/mL had no toxic effect on cell viability (p>0.05). Treatment with TCAE
      significantly increased cell viability following QA insult at concentrations
      above 25MUg/mL (p<0.01). Cytoprotective potential of TCAE also ameliorated ROS
      accumulation, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage induced by QA. CONCLUSION: These
      data suggest that TCAE exhibits neuroprotection and oligoprotection potential by
      means of alleviating oxidative stress parameters.

PMID- 28619435
TI  - Video head impulse test can detect brainstem dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of video
      head impulse test (vHIT) in the detection of brainstem lesions in patients with
      multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Sixty-eight participants were enrolled and
      divided into two groups: 39 healthy subjects (HC) (78 ears, 20 females, mean age
      25,3+/-6,3) and 29 MS patients (58 ears, 14 females, mean age 33,7+/-7,7). Both
      groups underwent vHIT, and in MS group MRI was analyzed for the presence of
      brainstem lesions. vHIT pathology was defined as presence of overt saccades
      (<200ms) or lateral gain lower than 0.8 for lateral canal, and presence of overt
      saccades (<200ms) or posterior/anterior slope lower than 0.7. RESULTS: In HC,
      decreased gain on horizontal canals was found in 8 out of 78 ears (11%), while 16
      out of 58 ears (38%) had pathological results in the MS group. Mean gain of the
      lateral canals (60ms) was significantly reduced in MS group compared to HC
      (0.874+/-0143 vs. 0.954+/-0,170, p=0.004, respectively). Compared to HC overt
      saccades <200ms in the lateral canals (p=0.018) and in the posterior canals
      (p=0.011), overt saccades >200ms in lateral (p<0.001), anterior (p=0.019) and
      posterior canals (p=0.009), and covert saccades in the anterior (p=0.042) and
      posterior canals (p=0.046) were more frequent in the MS group. There was
      statistically significant association between the presence of BS MR lesions and
      bilateral pathology on vHIT for lateral semicircular canal (chi(1)=3.982,
      p=0.046). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that vHIT can detect brainstem
      dysfunction in patients with MS.

PMID- 28619436
TI  - Tumefactive demyelinating lesions: A comprehensive review.
AB  - Tumefactive multiple sclerosis or tumefactive demyelinating lesion (TDL) is one
      of the rare variants of multiple sclerosis (MS) posing a diagnostic challenge and
      a therapeutic enigma since it is difficult to distinguish from a true central
      nervous system (CNS) neoplasm or other CNS lesions on magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI). The prevalence of TDL is estimated to be 1-3/1000 cases of MS with an
      annual incidence of 0.3/100,000. This could be an underestimate due to
      unavailability of a global MS registry and under-reporting of this condition. TDL
      may occur at any age with the ages between the 20s and 30s being more frequently
      affected. The pathogenesis of TDL remains unknown, but some speculations have
      been made. These include the autoimmune theory based on the close relationship
      between TDLs and MS, Fingolimod use, Fingolimod cessation, and Natalizumab use.
      The clinical presentation of patients with TDL is variable and atypical for
      demyelinating disease due to the differences in size and location of the lesion.
      In this article, we aim to explore TDL comprehensively and provide an evidence
      based approach for diagnosis and treatment. This will result in recommendations
      that may improve the diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes. Detailed
      history, physical examination, and several MRI imaging can spare patients the
      need for a brain biopsy. Treatment of acute lesions includes corticosteroids and
      plasma exchange therapy. When a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting MS is fulfilled,
      conventional first line MS disease modifying therapy should be used. Available
      recently published data suggests that Fingolimod should not be used in TDL
      patients, mainly due to the possibility of more than just a chance association
      between TDLs and initiation of Fingolimod. The use of several new MS disease
      modifying therapy for the management of TDL remains to be studied. Further well
      conducted research including multi-center trials is needed to explain several
      ambiguous aspects related to the etiology and management of TDL.

PMID- 28619437
TI  - Fatigue evaluation in fingolimod treated patients: An observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fatigue is one of the most disabling symptoms in Multiple Sclerosis
      (MS) patients and is associated with a low quality of life. Fingolimod (Fg), a
      sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator, is the first oral MS disease
      modifying treatment. Little is known about its effect on fatigue. To assess the
      impact of Fg on fatigue within the first 6 months of treatment in MS patients, we
      conducted a prospective, open label study, in real life setting. METHODS: Change
      of Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) between Fg treatment start and at 6
      months was used as a first outcome. Secondary outcomes were changes of MFIS
      subscales, Fatigue severity scale (FSS) and Visual Analogic Scale of Fatigue (VAS
      F) scores, RESULTS: 54 completed the study at M6. No significant change was noted
      in global MFIS (and neither in sub analysis of MFIS), FSS or VAS-F at M6.
      Patients with high level of fatigue (MFIS or >=38) had a higher EDSS score than
      patients with lower level of fatigue (MFIS <38), (mean 3.3, [SD 1.6] versus 1.6
      [SD1.1], p=0.0002) but showed no significant difference in MFIS evolution at M6.
      There was no significant statistical difference in fatigue parameters evolution
      at M6 within patients Nz+ or Nz-. CONCLUSION: There is no significant impact of
      Fg on fatigue after 6 months of treatment.

PMID- 28619438
TI  - Editors' welcome.

PMID- 28619439
TI  - Origin, prevalence and response to therapy of hepatitis C virus genotype 2k/1b
      chimeras.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is known about the epidemiology and frequency of
      recombinant HCV genotype 2/1 strains, which may represent a challenge for direct
      antiviral therapy (DAA). This study aims to identify the epidemiology and
      phylogeny of HCV genotype 2/1 strains and encourages genotype screening, to
      select the DAA-regimen that achieves the optimal sustained virologic response.
      METHODS: Consecutive samples from HCV genotype 2 infected patients, according to
      commercial genotyping, from Germany, Italy and Israel were re-genotyped by Sanger
      based sequencing. Virologic, epidemiological, and phylogenetic analyses including
      other published chimeras were performed. RESULTS: Sequence analysis of 442
      supposed HCV genotype 2 isolates revealed 61 (genotype 2k/1b (n=59), 2a/1b (n=1)
      or 2b/1a (n=1)) chimeras. No chimeras were observed in Italy, but the frequency
      was 14% and 25% in Germany and Israel. Treatment of viral chimera with
      sofosbuvir/ribavirin led to virologic relapse in 25/27 patients (93%). Nearly all
      patients treated with genotype 1-based DAA-regimens initially (n=8/9), or after
      relapse (n=13/13), achieved a sustained virologic response. Most patients with
      2k/1b chimeras (88%) were originally from eight different areas of the former
      Soviet Union. All known 2k/1b chimeras harbour the same recombination breakpoint
      and build one phylogenetic cluster, while all other chimeras have different
      phylogenies. CONCLUSIONS: The HCV genotype 2k/1b variant derives from one single
      recombination event most likely in the former Soviet Union, while other chimeras
      are unique and develop independently. A relatively high frequency has been
      observed along the migration flows, in Germany and Israel. In countries with
      little migration from the former Soviet Union the prevalence of 2k/1b chimeras is
      expected to be low. Treatment with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin is insufficient, but
      genotype 1-based regimens seem to be effective. Lay summary: The frequency of
      recombinant HCV is higher than expected. A novel recombinant variant (HCV
      genotype 2a/1b) was identified. Screening for recombinant viruses would
      contribute to increased response rates to direct antiviral therapy.

PMID- 28619440
TI  - Breaking Bad News: A Survey of Radiology Residents' Experiences Communicating
      Results to Patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The practice of radiology often includes routine communication of
      diagnostic test results directly to patients in breast imaging and interventional
      radiology. There is increasing interest in expanding direct communication
      throughout radiology. Though these conversations can substantially affect patient
      well-being, there is limited evidence indicating that radiology residents are
      specifically taught methods to effectively convey imaging results to patients.
      Our purpose is to evaluate resident experience communicating imaging results to
      patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An IRB-approved study with a total of 11 pilot
      tested questions was used. Surveyed programs included radiology residents (PGY2
      PGY5) at 2 urban residency programs. Online surveys were administered using
      SurveyMonkey and e-mailed to residents at both programs (starting November 20,
      2015, completed March 31, 2016). Demographics were obtained with survey
      proportions compared using logistic regression (P < 0.05, statistically
      significant). RESULTS: A total of 73 residents responded (93.6% response rate)
      with similar response rates at each institution (P = 0.689). Most were male
      (71.2%) with 17.8% planning to go into breast imaging (21.9%, interventional
      radiology (IR)). Furthermore, 83.6% described no training in communicating
      radiology results to patients; 91.8% of residents communicated results with
      patients (87.7% diagnostic imaging tests and 57.5% biopsies). Residents most
      commonly communicated results in person (75.3%) followed by phone (64.4%), and
      79.4% agreed or strongly agreed that additional training relaying results would
      be helpful. CONCLUSIONS: A large majority of radiology residents have
      communicated test results to patients, yet few have received training in how to
      communicate these results. A large majority of residents expressed interest in
      obtaining additional communication training. Additional research is required to
      determine ideal methods to educate residents on communicating test results.

PMID- 28619441
TI  - Radiologic Guide to Surgical Treatment of Kienbock's Disease.
AB  - Kienbock's disease, or avascular necrosis of the lunate, is a progressive disease
      ultimately resulting in end-stage arthrosis of the wrist. Various surgical
      treatments are available for different Lichtman stages of disease. We review the
      surgical options and indications, expected radiologic post-operative appearance,
      as well as detail potential surgical complications, as they relate to Kienbock's
      disease.

PMID- 28619442
TI  - Quantification of bleeding during dental extraction in patients on dual
      antiplatelet therapy.
AB  - In spite of the possibility of triggering thromboembolic events, many
      professionals indicate the suspension of antiplatelet agents before dental
      surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to perform a quantitative
      assessment of intraoperative bleeding in patients on dual antiplatelet therapy. A
      case-control study was conducted in patients on dual antiplatelet therapy (APT
      group) and in patients who did not use these medications (control group). The
      following examinations were requested: complete blood cell count, blood
      coagulation tests, and platelet aggregation. The quantity of bleeding was
      measured intraoperatively by collection of aspirated blood. The mean volume of
      blood lost during the surgical procedure was 6.10ml in the control group and
      16.07ml in the APT group (P=0.002). The mean volume of blood lost per minute was
      0.60ml/min in the control group and 1ml/min in the APT group (P=0.001), with
      local haemostatic methods being sufficient to control the bleeding. There was no
      postoperative bleeding complication in any case. Patients on dual antiplatelet
      therapy presented a larger volume of bleeding, but this could be controlled by
      means of local haemostatic measures. Therefore, there is no need to stop either
      of the two dual antiplatelet therapy medications before dental extractions.

PMID- 28619443
TI  - CT-guided hook-wire localisation prior to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery of
      pulmonary lesions.
AB  - AIM: To assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of computed tomography (CT)
      guided pulmonary nodule localisation using a hooked guide wire before video
      assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included
      79 patients with a history of malignancies outside the lung associated with
      pulmonary nodules. Mean lesion size was 0.7 cm (range 0.5-1.8 cm) and the mean
      lesion distance to the pleural surface was 1.5 cm (range 0.2-5 cm). All lesions
      (n=82) were marked with a 22-G hook wire. The technique was designed to insert
      the tip of the hook wire within or maximally 1 cm from the edge of the lesion.
      The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for univariate analyses and Fisher's exact test
      for categorical values. RESULTS: The hooked guide wire was positioned
      successfully in all 82 pulmonary nodules within mean time of 9 minutes (8-20
      minutes, SD: 2.5 minutes). The procedure time was inversely proportional to the
      size of the lesion (Spearman correlation factor 0.7). Minimal pneumothoraces were
      observed in five patients (7.6%). Pneumothorax was not correlated to the
      histopathology of the pulmonary nodules (p>0.09). Focal perilesional pulmonary
      haemorrhage developed in four patients (5%). Both haemorrhage and pneumothorax
      were significantly correlated to lesions <10 mm (p=0.02 and 0.01 respectively).
      The volume of resected lung tissue was significantly correlated to lesions of
      increased distance from the pleural surface >=2.5 cm in comparison to lesions of
      <2.5 cm from the pleural surface. CONCLUSION: CT-guided pulmonary nodule
      localisation prior to VATS could enable safe, accurate surgical guidance for the
      localisation of small pulmonary nodules.

PMID- 28619444
TI  - Single-step production of the simvastatin precursor monacolin J by engineering of
      an industrial strain of Aspergillus terreus.
AB  - Monacolin J is a key precursor for the synthesis of simvastatin (Zocor), an
      important drug for treating hypercholesterolemia. Industrially, monacolin J is
      manufactured through alkaline hydrolysis of lovastatin, a fungal polyketide
      produced by Aspergillus terreus. Multistep chemical processes for the conversion
      of lovastatin to simvastatin are laborious, cost expensive and environmentally
      unfriendly. A biocatalysis process for monacolin J conversion to simvastatin has
      been developed. However, direct bioproduction of monacolin J has not yet been
      achieved. Here, we identified a lovastatin hydrolase from Penicillium
      chrysogenum, which displays a 232-fold higher catalytic efficiency for the in
      vitro hydrolysis of lovastatin compared to a previously patented hydrolase, but
      no activity for simvastatin. Furthermore, we showed that an industrial A. terreus
      strain heterologously expressing this lovastatin hydrolase can produce monacolin
      J through single-step fermentation with high efficiency, approximately 95% of the
      biosynthesized lovastatin was hydrolyzed to monacolin J. Our results demonstrate
      a simple and green technical route for the production of monacolin J, which makes
      complete bioproduction of the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin feasible and
      promising.

PMID- 28619445
TI  - Effects of kallidinogenase on retinal edema and size of non-perfused areas in
      mice with retinal vein occlusion.
AB  - Kallidinogenase has been used to treat retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in patients,
      although there are no evidences on the effects of kallidinogenase on the retinal
      edema and the non-perfused areas in eyes with a RVO. We have established a murine
      RVO model with retinal edema and non-perfused areas. The purpose of this study
      was to evaluate the effects of kallidinogenase on the retinal edema and size of
      the non-perfused areas in the mouse RVO model. We evaluated the thickness of the
      retinal layers and size of the non-perfused areas, and the blood flow by laser
      speckle flowgraphy in RVO model. The effects of an intravenous injection of
      kallidinogenase on the retinal edema and size of the non-perfused areas were
      determined. In addition, the expressions of phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt)
      and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were measured by Western blotting.
      Our results showed that kallidinogenase reduced the degree of retinal edema and
      size of the non-perfused areas by an increase in the blood flow in RVO model.
      Kallidinogenase also increased the levels of phosphorylated Akt and eNOS. These
      findings indicate that kallidinogenase acted through Akt/eNOS-dependent
      phosphorylation. Thus, kallidinogenase should be considered as a possible
      therapeutic agent for RVO patients.

PMID- 28619446
TI  - Design, synthesis, and evaluation of DNA topoisomerase II-targeted nucleosides.
AB  - We developed novel nucleoside-based topoisomerase II selective inhibitors and
      showed that small structural units, such as catechols, are essential for DNA
      topoisomerase II inhibitory activity. Moreover, nucleoside analogues containing
      TBS and 1,3-dithian moieties had potent and selective DNA topoisomerase II
      inhibitory activities. In further experiments, compound 25b having a beta
      configuration of the thymine moiety showed relatively strong growth inhibitory
      activity against cancer cell lines, and was more potent against all cancer cell
      lines than compound 26b, which carries a thymine moiety in the alpha
      configuration.

PMID- 28619447
TI  - Similar movements are associated with drastically different muscle contraction
      velocities.
AB  - We investigated how kinematic redundancy interacts with the neurophysiological
      control mechanisms required for smooth and accurate, rapid limb movements.
      Biomechanically speaking, tendon excursions are over-determined because the
      rotation of few joints determines the lengths and velocities of many muscles. But
      how different are the muscle velocity profiles induced by various, equally valid
      hand trajectories? We used an 18-muscle sagittal-plane arm model to calculate
      100,000 feasible shoulder, elbow, and wrist joint rotations that produced valid
      basketball free throws with different hand trajectories, but identical initial
      and final hand positions and velocities. We found large differences in the
      eccentric and concentric muscle velocity profiles across many trajectories; even
      among similar trajectories. These differences have important consequences to
      their neural control because each trajectory will require unique, time-sensitive
      reflex modulation strategies. As Sherrington mentioned a century ago, failure to
      appropriately silence the stretch reflex of any one eccentrically contracting
      muscle will disrupt movement. Thus, trajectories that produce faster or more
      variable eccentric contractions will require more precise timing of reflex
      modulation across motoneuron pools; resulting in higher sensitivity to time
      delays, muscle mechanics, excitation/contraction dynamics, noise, errors and
      perturbations. By combining fundamental concepts of biomechanics and
      neuroscience, we propose that kinematic and muscle redundancy are, in fact,
      severely limited by the need to regulate reflex mechanisms in a task-specific and
      time-critical way. This in turn has important consequences to the learning and
      execution of accurate, smooth and repeatable movements-and to the rehabilitation
      of everyday limb movements in developmental and neurological conditions, and
      stroke.

PMID- 28619448
TI  - The future of pharmaceutical quality and the path to get there.
AB  - While six sigma quality has long been achieved in other industries, it is rarely
      seen in the pharmaceutical sector. However, consumers and patients deserve six
      sigma quality pharmaceuticals with minimal risks of shortages or recalls. We
      propose that the future of pharmaceutical quality is six sigma, meaning that no
      more than 3.4 defects occur per million opportunities. We discuss the path to get
      there, including economic drivers, performance-based regulation, Quality by
      Design, advanced manufacturing technologies, and continuous improvement and
      operational excellence. This article outlines an ambitious goal and is intended
      to be thought-provoking in spite of the challenging path to get there. This goal
      is envisioned because it is in the best interest of patients and consumers and is
      realizable with continued advances and investments in science and technology. The
      fundamental destination of pharmaceutical quality has been long envisioned: a
      maximally efficient, agile, flexible pharmaceutical manufacturing sector that
      reliably produces high quality drugs without extensive regulatory oversight.

PMID- 28619449
TI  - Development of semisolid self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDSs)
      filled in hard capsules for oral delivery of aciclovir.
AB  - The study aimed to develop semisolid self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems
      (SMEDDSs) as carriers for oral delivery of aciclovir in hard hydroxypropylmethyl
      cellulose (HPMC) capsules. Six self-dispersing systems (SD1-SD6) were prepared by
      loading aciclovir into the semisolid formulations consisting of medium chain
      length triglycerides (lipid), macrogolglycerol hydroxystearate (surfactant),
      polyglyceryl-3-dioleate (cosurfactant), glycerol (hydrophilic cosolvent), and
      macrogol 8000 (viscosity modifier). Their characterization was performed in order
      to identify the semisolid system with rheological behaviour suitable for filling
      in hard HPMC capsules and fast dispersibility in acidic and alkaline aqueous
      media with formation of oil-in-water microemulsions. The optimal SMEDDS was
      loaded with aciclovir at two levels (2% and 33.33%) and morphology and aqueous
      dispersibility of the obtained systems were examined by applying light microscopy
      and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), respectively. The assessment of
      diffusivity of aciclovir from the SMEDDSs by using an enhancer cell model, showed
      that it was increased at a higher drug loading. Differential scanning calorimetry
      (DSC) analysis indicated that the SMEDDSs were semisolids at temperatures up to
      50 degrees C and physically stable and compatible with HPMC capsules for 3 months
      storage at 25 degrees C and 4 degrees C. The results of in vitro release study
      revealed that the designed solid dosage form based on the semisolid SMEDDS loaded
      with the therapeutic dose of 200mg, may control partitioning of the solubilized
      drug from in situ formed oil-in-water microemulsion carrier into the sorrounding
      aqueous media, and hence decrease the risk for precipitation of the drug.

PMID- 28619450
TI  - Tocosome: Novel drug delivery system containing phospholipids and tocopheryl
      phosphates.
AB  - The potential of two derivatives of vitamin E, i.e. alpha-tocopheryl phosphate
      (TP) and di-alpha-tocopheryl phosphate (T2P), for the protection and delivery of
      therapeutics is being investigated in our laboratory and some promising results
      have been obtained so far. Novel nanocarrier systems containing TP, T2P and
      different lipids/phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, stearyl amine, Phospholipon
      90H, Phospholipon 100H) with and without cholesterol were prepared using Mozafari
      method. The preparation method did not require utilization of potentially toxic
      solvents, detergents or employment of harsh treatments such as sonication or high
      shear force homogenization. Tocosomes, containing 5-fluorouracil (as a model
      drug), were shown to possess narrow size distribution, acceptable encapsulation
      efficiency and long-term stability (more than two years).

PMID- 28619451
TI  - Ribbon thickness influences fine generation during dry granulation.
AB  - Uncontrolled fine generation during the milling process is a challenge for dry
      granulation by roller compaction. Here, we report the observation that ribbon
      thickness can significantly influence percentage of fines. Thus, among other
      parameters, ribbon thickness needs to be controlled for the development of a
      robust roller compaction process and ensure successful scale up.

PMID- 28619452
TI  - The role of lecithin degradation on the pH dependent stability of halofantrine
      encapsulated fat nano-emulsions.
AB  - We report on the successful incorporation of the antimalarial drug, halofantrine,
      into laboratory based soybean oil emulsions which were designed to mimic the
      commercially available parenteral fat emulsion, Intralipid(r). A high pH (minimum
      of pH 9, preferable pH of 11) was required for the drug laden emulsion to remain
      stable on storage and also to resist breaking under various stresses. Ageing of
      lecithin samples on storage was noted to result in degradation and a decrease in
      pH. We argue that this is the main reason for a similar decrease in pH for
      lecithin based emulsions and subsequent instability in drug laden emulsions. As
      expected, incorporation of the drug (halofantrine) resulted in lower stability.
      The (intensity weighted) particle size increased from 281nm for the drug free
      emulsion to 550nm following a loading of 1gL-1 of halofantrine, indicative of a
      lowering in stability and this was reflected in a shorter shelf life.
      Interestingly, incorporation of even higher concentrations of drug then resulted
      in better stability albeit never as stable as the drug free emulsion. We also
      report on unusual and complex surface tension behaviour for fresh lecithin where
      multiple critical concentration points were observed.

PMID- 28619453
TI  - Poly(ethylene oxide)/hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin films for oromucosal
      delivery of hydrophilic drugs.
AB  - In this study, we highlight the potential of the mucoadhesive film made from a
      poly(ethylene oxide)/hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (PEO/CD) mixture in the
      oromucosal delivery of hydrophilic drugs, with a specific focus on dexamethasone
      phosphate disodium salt (Dexa). CD formed a complex with Dexa in solution and did
      not interact with mucin as highlighted from the spectrophotometric and
      spectrofluorimetric analysis. Similarly, CD and PEO did not affect mucin
      conformation, suggesting no direct interaction between the unstirred water layer
      and film components. Remarkably, PEO/CD/Dexa films dissolved more slowly than
      those made of PEO alone also in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) pH 6.8 and gave a
      time-control on Dexa delivered dose. These combined effects resulted in a higher
      amount of Dexa accumulated in the mucosa, which can be highly beneficial in case
      of local diseases. Furthermore, Dexa amount able to diffuse through porcine
      buccal mucosa was lower when film contained CD, highlighting how CD can act as a
      modulator of drug transport also in the case of water-soluble drugs. In summary,
      our results demonstrate the versatility of PEO/CD films in mucosal delivery of
      hydrophilic corticosteroids paving the way to a novel approach in the treatment
      of mouth diseases.

PMID- 28619454
TI  - Carvacrol/clay hybrids loaded into in situ gelling films.
AB  - The aim of the present work was the development of polymer films loaded with a
      carvacrol (CVR)/clay hybrid (HYBD) for the delivery of CRV in infected skin ulcer
      treatment. Different clays were considered: montmorrilonite, halloysite and
      palygorskite (PHC). CRV incorporation in PHC reduced its volatility. HYBD showed
      20% w/w CRV loading capacity and was able to preserve CRV antioxidant properties.
      HYBD was characterized by improved antimicrobial properties against S. aureus and
      E. coli and cytocompatibility towards human fibroblasts with respect to pure CRV.
      Films were prepared by casting an aqueous dispersion containing
      poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA), poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), chitosan glutamate (CS),
      sericin and HYBD. Optimization of film composition was supported by a Design of
      Experiments (DoE) approach. In a screening phase, a full factorial design (FFD)
      was used and the following factors were investigated at two levels: PVA (12
      14%w/w), PVP (2-4%w/w) and CS (0.134-0.5%w/w) concentrations. For the
      optimization phase, FFD was expanded to a "central composite design". The
      response variables considered were: elongation, tensile strength and buffer
      absorption of films, durability of the gels formed after film hydration. Upon
      hydration, the optimized film formed a viscoelastic gel able to protect the
      lesion area and to modulate CRV release.

PMID- 28619455
TI  - In vitro release profiles of PLGA core-shell composite particles loaded with
      theophylline and budesonide.
AB  - We investigated the effects of drug loading location, matrix material and shell
      thickness on the in vitro release of combinational drugs from core-shell PLGA
      (i.e., poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)) particles. Budesonide and Theophylline were
      selected as highly hydrophobic and hydrophilic model drugs, respectively. The
      dual-capillary electrospray (ES) technique, operated at the cone-jet mode, was
      used to produce samples of drug-loaded core-shell composite particles with
      selected overall sizes, polymer materials, and shell thicknesses. Theophylline
      and Budesonide were loaded at different locations in a PLGA composite particle.
      This study illustrated how the aforementioned factors affect the release rates of
      Budesonide and Theophylline loaded in core-shell PLGA composites. We further
      identified that core-shell composite particles with both model drugs loaded in
      the core and with matrix PLGA polymers of low molecular weights and low LA/GA
      ratios are the best formulation for the sustained release of highly hydrophilic
      and hydrophobic active pharmaceutical ingredients from PLGA composite particles.
      The formulation strategy obtained in this study can be in principle generalized
      for biopharmaceutical applications in fixed-dose combination therapy.

PMID- 28619456
TI  - How does secondary processing affect the physicochemical properties of inhalable
      salbutamol sulphate particles? A temporal investigation.
AB  - As pulmonary drug delivery is extended from low doses to high doses,
      physicochemical characteristics of the active pharmaceutical ingredient gain
      importance in the development of dry powder inhalers. Therefore, the present work
      aims to understand the impact of distinct engineering techniques on the process
      induced physicochemical characteristics of salbutamol sulphate particles over
      time. The particle engineering techniques chosen were jet-milling and spray
      drying, two well used processes in the production of predominately crystalline
      and amorphous inhalable particles, respectively. Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy, modulated differential scanning calorimetry, particle size
      distribution and tensiometry experiments were used to characterise the engineered
      powders immediately, 7, 14 and 21 days after production. The rugged spherical
      amorphous particles (3.75+/-0.08MUm) obtained via spray-drying showed that they
      were capable of forming strong agglomerates (5.01+/-0.22MUm) through "amorphous
      bridging". On the other hand, jet-milling produced smaller (2.06+/-0.08MUm),
      crystalline, irregular shaped particles with a very large surface area (11.04+/
      0.10m2/g) that, over time, formed looser particle aggregates of decreasing size
      (3.76+/-0.10MUm). Temporal evolution of the properties of spray-dried and jet
      milled particles showed a notable influence on the efficiency of blending with a
      model carrier at 0, 7 and 21 days (e.g. relative standard deviation of drug
      content of 11.3, 7.0 and 21.6%, respectively).

PMID- 28619457
TI  - In vitro studies of phospholipid-modified PAMAM-siMDR1 complexes for the reversal
      of multidrug resistance in human breast cancer cells.
AB  - The application of RNAi therapeutics is promising in combating several major
      human diseases including malignant tumors. However, this approach is limited due
      to its delivery barriers. In this study, we designed a new carrier system loaded
      with a functional siRNA targeting MDR1 gene to reverse multi-drug resistance
      (MDR) in human breast cancer MCF-7/ADR cells. Phospholipid-modified PAMAM-siMDR1
      complexes were designed on the external decoration of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) with
      phospholipid (PL) and the electrostatical interaction between PAMAM and siMDR1 to
      form hybrid nanocomplexes (PL-dendriplexes). Compared with siMDR1 and
      dendriplexes (PAMAM-siMDR1), this delivery system represented higher gene
      silencing efficiency, enhanced cellular uptake of siMDR1, decreased p-gp
      expression, raised cellular accumulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and inhibited the
      tumor cell migration. Moreover, the siMDR1 loaded PL-dendriplexes worked
      synergistically with paclitaxel (PTX) for treating MDR, leading to increased cell
      apoptosis and cell phase regulation. Overall, this study shows that the PL
      dendriplexes hold great promise in reversing the drug-resistance in MCF-7/ADR
      cells.

PMID- 28619458
TI  - Development and validation of an HPLC-fluorescence method for the quantification
      of IR780-oleyl dye in lipid nanoparticles.
AB  - A reversed-phase (RP) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for
      the content determination of IR780-oleyl (IRO) dye in lipid nanoparticles was
      developed and validated. Chromatographic separation was performed on a RP C18
      column with a gradient program of water and acetonitrile both with 0.1% (v/v)
      TFA, at a flow rate of 1.0mL/min and a total run of 21min. IRO dye detection was
      made by fluorescence at emission wavelength of 773nm (excitation wavelength:
      744nm). According to ICH guidelines, the developed method was shown to be
      specific, linear in the range 3-8MUg/mL (R2=0.9998), precise at the intra-day and
      inter-day levels as reflected by the coefficient of variation (CV<=1.98%) at
      three different concentrations (4, 6 and 8 MUg/mL) and accurate, with recovery
      rates between 98.2-101.6% and 99.2-100.5%. The detection and quantitation limits
      were 0.41 and 1.24MUg/mL, respectively. Stability studies of sample processing
      showed that IRO dye was stable after 24h in the autosampler or after three
      freeze/thaw cycles. Combined with fluorescence measurements, the developed method
      was successfully applied to optimize the loading capacity of IRO dye in the core
      of lipid nanoparticles.

PMID- 28619459
TI  - Reflections on experiential learning in evaluation capacity building with a
      community organization, Dancing With Parkinson's.
AB  - This paper discusses what was learned about evaluation capacity building with
      community organizations who deliver services to individuals with neurological
      disorders. Evaluation specialists engaged by the Ontario Brain Institute
      Evaluation Support Program were paired with community organizations, such as
      Dancing With Parkinson's. Some of the learning included: relationship building is
      key for this model of capacity building; community organizations often have had
      negative experiences with evaluation and the idea that evaluations can be
      friendly tools in implementing meaningful programs is one key mechanism by which
      such an initiative can work; community organizations often need evaluation most
      to be able to demonstrate their value; a strength of this initiative was that the
      focus was not just on creating products but mostly on developing a learning
      process in which capacities would remain; evaluation tools and skills that
      organizations found useful were developing a theory of change and the concept of
      heterogeneous mechanisms (informed by a realist evaluation lens).

PMID- 28619460
TI  - Critical appraisal leaves our upper limb therapy intervention trial
      misrepresented.

PMID- 28619461
TI  - Predictability of BRCA1/2 mutation status in patients with ovarian cancer: How to
      select women for genetic testing in middle-income countries.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of algorithms for predicting BRCA1/2 germ
      line mutation carrier probability, and to identify factors that could improve
      their performance among Brazilian women with ovarian cancer (OC). STUDY DESIGN:
      In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled patients (unselected for family
      history of cancer) undergoing treatment or follow-up for OC in a single centre in
      Brazil. Clinical and demographic data, including family history of cancer, were
      obtained. Blood samples were collected for genetic testing. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: The entire coding sequence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 was evaluated for
      mutations. Mutation carrier probability was calculated using BOADICEA, BRCAPRO,
      Myriad and the Manchester score. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative
      predictive values, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves
      (AUC) were calculated for each algorithm. Logistic regression was used to detect
      additional factors associated with BRCA1/2 status, and these were added to the
      algorithms before recalculating the AUCs. RESULTS: BRCA1/2 mutations were
      identified in 19 of the 100 included patients. BOADICEA outperformed other
      algorithms (sensitivity, 73.7%; specificity, 87.7%; AUC, 0.87, with a threshold
      of a 10% risk of mutation). Later menarche was associated with the presence of a
      BRCA1/2 mutation. Although adding age at menarche resulted in a larger AUC for
      all models, this increase was significant only for the Myriad algorithm.
      CONCLUSION: A BOADICEA risk evaluation of 10% or more most accurately predicted
      BRCA1/2 status, and the inclusion of age at menarche tended to improve the
      performance of all algorithms. Using these tools could reduce the number of
      tests, but at the expense of missing a significant proportion of mutation
      carriers.

PMID- 28619462
TI  - Perceptions of an educational programme for registered nurses who work at non
      major trauma services in Victoria, Australia: The Nursing Emergency eXternal
      Trauma Programme.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emergency nurses working in non-Major Trauma Service (non-MTS)
      facilities face the challenge of providing immediate care to seriously injured
      patients, despite infrequent presentations at their workplace. A one-day
      education programme endorsed by the Australian College of Nursing was developed
      to provide contemporary trauma education for nurses. The aim of this study was to
      report participants' perceptions of their experience of this programme. METHODS:
      Peer reviewed lesson plans were developed to guide educational activities. Of 32
      participants, 24 consented to and completed pre and post-programme surveys.
      Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to report study findings.
      RESULTS: Most participants were nurses with greater than two years' experience in
      Emergency Nursing (92%). Trauma patient transfers each year from a non-MTS to a
      Major Trauma Service occurred infrequently; eight nurses (33.3%) reported greater
      than10 trauma transfers per year. Participant expectations of the programme
      included personal growth, knowledge acquisition, increased confidence and a focus
      on technical skills. Participants reported the day to be worthwhile and valuable;
      improved confidence, increased knowledge, and the opportunity to discuss current
      evidence based practice were highly regarded. Recommendations for future
      programmes included extending to two days and include burns and more complex
      pathophysiology. CONCLUSIONS: With centralisation of trauma care to major trauma
      services, frequent and continuing education of nurses is essential. Nurses from
      non-Major Trauma Service facilities in Victoria found this programme worthwhile
      as they gained knowledge and skills and increased confidence to care for trauma
      patients.

PMID- 28619463
TI  - In this Issue June 2017.

PMID- 28619464
TI  - The ageing society and emergency hospital admissions.
AB  - There is strong policy interest, in England as elsewhere, in slowing the growth
      in emergency hospital admissions, which for older people increased by 3.3%
      annually between 2001/2 and 2012/3. Resource constrains have increased the
      importance of understanding rising emergency admissions, which in policy
      discourse is often explained by population aging. This study examines how far the
      rise in emergency admissions of people over 65 was due to population ageing, how
      far to the changing likelihood of entering hospital at each age, and how far to
      other factors which might be more amenable to policy measures. It shows that:
      admission rates rose with age from age 40 upward but each successive birth cohort
      experienced lower emergency admission rates after standardising for age and other
      effects. This downward cohort effect largely offset the consequences of an older
      and larger population aged over 65. Other factors which could explain increasing
      admissions, such as new technologies or rising expectations, appear more
      important than the changing size and age structure of the population as drivers
      of rising emergency admissions in old age. These findings suggest that stemming
      the rate of increase in emergency admissions of older people may be feasible, if
      challenging, despite population ageing.

PMID- 28619465
TI  - A systematic review of soft-to-hard tissue ratios in orthognathic surgery. Part
      IV: 3D analysis - Is there evidence?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the soft-to-hard tissue
      ratio using 3D analysis in different types of orthognathic surgery. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: A systematic search for relevant studies published in different
      languages through December 2016 was performed in the Medline, Embase, Lilacs,
      Scopus, and Science Direct databases. Additional studies were identified by
      reference analysis. The methodological quality of the included studies was
      evaluated using the method proposed by the Effective Public Health Practice
      Project. The level of evidence was assessed using the Level of Evidence (LOE)
      scale from the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine. RESULTS: A total of 11
      articles with 461 patients were included in the review, comprising 5
      retrospective study and 6 prospective studies. The latter included 5 studies that
      performed anatomical area analyses of postoperative soft tissue results in the
      context of software-based planned surgeries without regard to hard tissues and 6
      articles that presented analyses related to soft tissue in the preoperative and
      postoperative stage with certain points to be considered in hard tissues. The
      analysis of bias in the articles revealed a weak methodology in all included
      studies, which made it impossible to perform any type of comparison. CONCLUSION:
      Bias governs many of the published studies related to 3D analysis. There are no
      data that can be applied to determine the soft-to-hard tissue ratio using 3D
      analysis in orthognathic surgery.

PMID- 28619466
TI  - Drosophila mitotypes determine developmental time in a diet and temperature
      dependent manner.
AB  - It is well known that specific mitochondrial (mt) DNA mutations can reduce
      organismal fitness and influence mitochondrial-nuclear interactions. However,
      determining specific mtDNA mutations that are beneficial has been elusive. In
      this study, we vary the diet and environmental temperature to study larval
      development time of two Drosophila melanogaster mitotypes (Alstonville and
      Dahomey), in two nuclear genetic backgrounds, and investigate developmental
      differences through weight, feeding rate, and movement. To manipulate the diet,
      we utilize the nutritional geometric framework to manipulate isocaloric diets of
      differing macronutrient ratios (1:2 and 1:16 protein: carbohydrate (P:C) ratios)
      and raise flies at three temperatures (19 degrees C, 23 degrees C and 27 degrees
      C). Larvae with Dahomey mtDNA develop more slowly than Alstonville when fed the
      1:2 P:C diet at all temperatures and developed more quickly when fed the 1:16 P:C
      diet at 23 degrees C and 27 degrees C. We determined that Dahomey larvae eat
      more, move less, and weigh more than Alstonville larvae when raised on the 1:16
      P:C diet and that these physiological responses are modified by temperature. We
      suggest that 1 (or more) of 4 mtDNA changes is likely responsible for the
      observed effects and posit the mtDNA changes moderate a physiological trade-off
      between consumption and foraging.

PMID- 28619467
TI  - [Synthesis and binding affinity to human steroid hormone receptors of 3-phenoxy-4
      hydroxycoumarins and 3-phenoxy-4-phenylcoumarins].
AB  - The synthesis and the study of the binding affinity to human receptors of
      glucocorticoids, mineralcorticoids, androgens, estrogens and progesterone of 3
      phenoxy-4-hydroxycoumarins and 3-phenoxy-4-phenylcoumarins were performed. It
      shows the absence of any binding affinity of all these derivatives to
      glucocorticoid and mineralcorticoid receptors and a non-selective binding
      affinity to androgen, oestrogen and progesterone receptors with 3-phenoxy-4
      phenyl-coumarins.

PMID- 28619468
TI  - Preface for the HIV issue.

PMID- 28619469
TI  - A pattern-based approach to reactive lymphadenopathies.
AB  - A crucial task in histopathological examination of enlarged lymph nodes is to
      discriminate malignant form benign processes. The central importance of this
      issue is reflected by the fact that benign lymphadenopathies mistaken for
      lymphomas belong to the most commonly misdiagnosed cancers. In addition,
      recognition of distinct histopathological patterns of reactive lymph node changes
      narrow down the potential number of causative agents, especially of those that
      can be specifically identified by means of often very resource-consuming
      ancillary techniques; thus, the more precise the differential diagnosis
      established upon histopathological examination is, the more targetable and
      efficient the application of these techniques will be. This review provides a
      synopsis on a histopathological pattern-based approach towards reactive
      lymphadenopathies.

PMID- 28619470
TI  - Whole-body hyperthermia and a subthreshold dose of citalopram act synergistically
      to induce antidepressant-like behavioral responses in adolescent rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Open and randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials
      have demonstrated clinical efficacy of infrared whole-body hyperthermia in
      treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Demonstration of antidepressant
      like behavioral effects of whole-body hyperthermia in preclinical rodent models
      would provide further support for the clinical use of infrared whole-body
      hyperthermia for the treatment of MDD, and would provide additional opportunities
      to explore underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Adolescent male Wistar rats were
      habituated daily for 7days to an incubator (23 degrees C, 15min), then exposed,
      24h later, to an 85-min period of whole-body hyperthermia (37 degrees C) or
      control conditions (23 degrees C), with or without pretreatment with a
      subthreshold dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, citalopram
      (5mg/kg, s.c., 23h, 5h, and 1h before behavioral testing in a 5-min forced swim
      test). Rectal temperature was monitored daily and immediately before and after
      the forced swim test to determine the relationship between body temperature and
      antidepressant-like behavioral responses. RESULTS: Whole-body hyperthermia and
      citalopram independently increased body temperature and acted synergistically to
      induce antidepressant-like behavioral responses, as measured by increased
      swimming and decreased immobility in the absence of any effect on climbing
      behaviors in the forced swim test, consistent with a serotonergic mechanism of
      action. CONCLUSIONS: Preclinical data support use of infrared whole-body
      hyperthermia in the treatment of MDD.

PMID- 28619471
TI  - Oral haloperidol or olanzapine intake produces distinct and region-specific
      increase in cannabinoid receptor levels that is prevented by high fat diet.
AB  - Clinical studies show higher levels of cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) in the
      brain of schizophrenic patients while preclinical studies report a significant
      functional interaction between dopamine D2 receptors and CB1Rs as well as an
      upregulation of CB1Rs after antipsychotic treatment. These findings prompted us
      to study the effects of chronic oral intake of a first and a second generation
      antipsychotic, haloperidol and olanzapine, on the levels and distribution of
      CB1Rs in the rat brain. Rats consumed either regular chow or high-fat food and
      drank water, haloperidol drinking solution (1.5mg/kg), or olanzapine drinking
      solution (10mg/kg) for four weeks. Motor and cognitive functions were tested at
      the end of treatment week 3 and upon drug discontinuation. Two days after drug
      discontinuation, rats were euthanized and brains were processed for in vitro
      receptor autoradiography. In chow-fed animals, haloperidol and olanzapine
      increased CB1R levels in the basal ganglia and the hippocampus, in a similar, but
      not identical pattern. In addition, olanzapine had unique effects in CB1R
      upregulation in higher order cognitive areas, in the secondary somatosensory
      cortex, in the visual and auditory cortices and the geniculate nuclei, as well as
      in the hypothalamus. High fat food consumption prevented antipsychotic-induced
      increase in CB1R levels in all regions examined, with one exception, the globus
      pallidus, in which they were higher in haloperidol-treated rats. The results
      point towards the hypothesis that increased CB1R levels could be a confounding
      effect of antipsychotic medication in schizophrenia that is circumveneted by high
      fat feeding.

PMID- 28619472
TI  - Gasdermins: Effectors of Pyroptosis.
AB  - Pyroptosis is a form of lytic programmed cell death initiated by inflammasomes,
      which detect cytosolic contamination or perturbation. This drives activation of
      caspase-1 or caspase-11/4/5, which cleave gasdermin D, separating its N-terminal
      pore-forming domain (PFD) from the C-terminal repressor domain (RD). The PFD
      oligomerizes to form large pores in the membrane that drive swelling and membrane
      rupture. Gasdermin D is one of six (in humans) gasdermin family members; several
      other gasdermins have also been shown to form pores that cause pyroptosis after
      cleavage to activate their PFDs. One of these, gasdermin E, is activated by
      caspase-3 cleavage. We review our current understanding of pyroptosis as well as
      current knowledge of the gasdermin family.

PMID- 28619473
TI  - Cocaine adulteration.
AB  - Cocaine is a naturally occurring and illicitly used psychostimulant drug. Cocaine
      acts at monoaminergic neurotransmitter transporters to block uptake of the
      monoamines, dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. The resulting increase of
      monoamines in the extracellular space underlies the positively reinforcing
      effects that cocaine users seek. In turn, this increase in monoamines underlies
      the development of addiction, and can also result in a number of severe side
      effects. Currently, cocaine is one of the most common illicit drugs available on
      the European market. However, cocaine is increasingly sold in impure forms. This
      trend is driven by cocaine dealers seeking to increase their profit margin by
      mixing ("cutting") cocaine with numerous other compounds ("adulterants").
      Importantly, these undeclared compounds put cocaine consumers at risk, because
      consumers are not aware of the additional potential threats to their health. This
      review describes adulterants that have been identified in cocaine sold on the
      street market. Their typical pharmacological profile and possible reasons why
      these compounds can be used as cutting agents will be discussed. Since a subset
      of these adulterants has been found to exert effects similar to cocaine itself,
      we will discuss levamisole, the most frequently used cocaine cutting agent today,
      and its metabolite aminorex.

PMID- 28619474
TI  - High metabolic versatility of different toxigenic and non-toxigenic
      Clostridioides difficile isolates.
AB  - Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) is a major nosocomial
      pathogen with an increasing number of community-acquired infections causing
      symptoms from mild diarrhea to life-threatening colitis. The pathogenicity of C.
      difficile is considered to be mainly associated with the production of genome
      encoded toxins A and B. In addition, some strains also encode and express the
      binary toxin CDT. However; a large number of non-toxigenic C. difficile strains
      have been isolated from the human gut and the environment. In this study, we
      characterized the growth behavior, motility and fermentation product formation of
      17 different C. difficile isolates comprising five different major genomic clades
      and five different toxin inventories in relation to the C. difficile model
      strains 630Deltaerm and R20291. Within 33 determined fermentation products, we
      identified two yet undescribed products (5-methylhexanoate and 4-(methylthio)
      butanoate) of C. difficile. Our data revealed major differences in the
      fermentation products obtained after growth in a medium containing casamino acids
      and glucose as carbon and energy source. While the metabolism of branched chain
      amino acids remained comparable in all isolates, the aromatic amino acid uptake
      and metabolism and the central carbon metabolism-associated fermentation pathways
      varied strongly between the isolates. The patterns obtained followed neither the
      classification of the clades nor the ribotyping patterns nor the toxin
      distribution. As the toxin formation is strongly connected to the metabolism, our
      data allow an improved differentiation of C. difficile strains. The observed
      metabolic flexibility provides the optimal basis for the adaption in the course
      of infection and to changing conditions in different environments including the
      human gut.

PMID- 28619475
TI  - Post-partum depression-a glimpse of light in the darkness?

PMID- 28619476
TI  - Brexanolone (SAGE-547 injection) in post-partum depression: a randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Post-partum depression is a serious mood disorder in women that might
      be triggered by peripartum fluctuations in reproductive hormones. This phase 2
      study investigated brexanolone (USAN; formerly SAGE-547 injection), an
      intravenous formulation of allopregnanolone, a positive allosteric modulator of
      gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptors, for the treatment of post-partum
      depression. METHODS: For this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial,
      we enrolled self-referred or physician-referred female inpatients (<=6 months
      post partum) with severe post-partum depression (Hamilton Rating Scale for
      Depression [HAM-D] total score >=26) in four hospitals in the USA. Eligible women
      were randomly assigned (1:1), via a computer-generated randomisation program, to
      receive either a single, continuous intravenous dose of brexanolone or placebo
      for 60 h. Patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignments. The
      primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline in the 17-item HAM-D total
      score at 60 h, assessed in all randomised patients who started infusion of study
      drug or placebo and who had a completed baseline HAM-D assessment and at least
      one post-baseline HAM-D assessment. Patients were followed up until day 30. This
      trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02614547. FINDINGS: This
      trial was done between Dec 15, 2015 (first enrolment), and May 19, 2016 (final
      visit of the last enrolled patient). 21 women were randomly assigned to the
      brexanolone (n=10) and placebo (n=11) groups. At 60 h, mean reduction in HAM-D
      total score from baseline was 21.0 points (SE 2.9) in the brexanolone group
      compared with 8.8 points (SE 2.8) in the placebo group (difference -12.2, 95% CI 
      20.77 to -3.67; p=0.0075; effect size 1.2). No deaths, serious adverse events, or
      discontinuations because of adverse events were reported in either group. Four of
      ten patients in the brexanolone group had adverse events compared with eight of
      11 in the placebo group. The most frequently reported adverse events in the
      brexanolone group were dizziness (two patients in the brexanolone group vs three
      patients in the placebo group) and somnolence (two vs none). Moderate treatment
      emergent adverse events were reported in two patients in the brexanolone group
      (sinus tachycardia, n=1; somnolence, n=1) and in two patients in the placebo
      group (infusion site pain, n=1; tension headache, n=1); one patient in the
      placebo group had a severe treatment-emergent adverse event (insomnia).
      INTERPRETATION: In women with severe post-partum depression, infusion of
      brexanolone resulted in a significant and clinically meaningful reduction in HAM
      D total score, compared with placebo. Our results support the rationale for
      targeting synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in the development of
      therapies for patients with post-partum depression. A pivotal clinical programme
      for the investigation of brexanolone in patients with post-partum depression is
      in progress. FUNDING: Sage Therapeutics, Inc.

PMID- 28619477
TI  - A novel body frame based approach to aerospacecraft attitude tracking.
AB  - In the common practice of designing an attitude tracker for an aerospacecraft,
      one transforms the Newton-Euler rotation equations to obtain the dynamic
      equations of some chosen inertial frame based attitude metrics, such as Euler
      angles and unit quaternions. A Lyapunov approach is then used to design a
      controller which ensures asymptotic convergence of the attitude to the desired
      orientation. Although this design methodology is pretty standard, it usually
      involves singularity-prone coordinate transformations which complicates the
      analysis process and controller design. A new, singularity free error feedback
      method is proposed in the paper to provide simple and intuitive stability
      analysis and controller synthesis. This new body frame based method utilizes the
      concept of Euleraxis and angles to generate the smallest error angles from a body
      frame perspective, without coordinate transformations. Global tracking
      convergence is illustrated with the use of a feedback linearizing PD tracker, a
      sliding mode controller, and a model reference adaptive controller. Experimental
      results are also obtained on a quadrotor platform with unknown system parameters
      and disturbances, using a boundary layer approximated sliding mode controller, a
      PIDD controller, and a unit sliding mode controller. Significant tracking quality
      is attained.

PMID- 28619478
TI  - Constrained tracking control for nonlinear systems.
AB  - This paper proposes a tracking control strategy for nonlinear systems without
      needing a prior knowledge of the reference trajectory. The proposed method
      consists of a set of local controllers with appropriate overlaps in their
      stability regions and an on-line switching strategy which implements these
      controllers and uses some augmented intermediate controllers to ensure steering
      the system states to the desired set points without needing to redesign the
      controller for each value of set point changes. The proposed approach provides
      smooth transient responses despite switching among the local controllers. It
      should be mentioned that the stability regions of the proposed controllers could
      be estimated off-line for a range of set-point changes. The efficiencies of the
      proposed algorithm are illustrated via two example simulations.

PMID- 28619479
TI  - A demonstration of analytical similarity comparing a proposed biosimilar
      pegfilgrastim and reference pegfilgrastim.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF,
      filgrastim) is used primarily to reduce incidence and duration of severe
      neutropenia and its associated complications in cancer patients that have
      received a chemotherapy regimen. The pegylated form of filgrastim,
      "pegfilgrastim", is a long-acting form that requires only a once-per-cycle
      administration for the management of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
      Apobiologix, a division of ApoPharma USA, Inc., and Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited
      have co-developed a proposed pegfilgrastim biosimilar to US-licensed
      pegfilgrastim. METHODS: The analytical similarity of Apobiologix pegfilgrastim
      and US-licensed pegfilgrastim with respect to their physicochemical profile was
      established using a wide range of rigorous orthogonal analytical techniques.
      Biological function was compared using receptor binding analyses, in vitro
      proliferation assays, and in vivo hematopoietic progenitor mobilization. RESULTS:
      Apobiologix pegfilgrastim and the US-licensed pegfilgrastim reference product
      were found to be highly similar analytically with respect to molecular mass,
      primary, secondary and tertiary protein structures, purity, charge, and
      hydrophobicity. No differences in receptor binding affinity were observed, and
      all samples demonstrated similar in vitro and in vivo bioactivity. CONCLUSION:
      These studies provide robust evidence supporting the structural and functional
      similarity between Apobiologix pegfilgrastim and the US-licensed reference
      pegfilgrastim, and hence their biosimilarity.

PMID- 28619480
TI  - Online resources for malaria in travellers.

PMID- 28619481
TI  - Computational Psychosomatics and Computational Psychiatry: Toward a Joint
      Framework for Differential Diagnosis.
AB  - This article outlines how a core concept from theories of homeostasis and
      cybernetics, the inference-control loop, may be used to guide differential
      diagnosis in computational psychiatry and computational psychosomatics. In
      particular, we discuss 1) how conceptualizing perception and action as inference
      control loops yields a joint computational perspective on brain-world and brain
      body interactions and 2) how the concrete formulation of this loop as a
      hierarchical Bayesian model points to key computational quantities that inform a
      taxonomy of potential disease mechanisms. We consider the utility of this
      perspective for differential diagnosis in concrete clinical applications.

PMID- 28619482
TI  - Correction of sunken upper eyelid with orbital fat transposition flap and
      dermofat graft.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sunken upper eyelid is a commonly found deformity among Asians,
      mostly due to the aging process and excessive orbital fat removal during oriental
      blepharoplasty procedures. This deformity is frequently accompanied by multiple,
      poorly defined upper eyelid folds and blepharoptosis. To date, autologous fat
      graft has been the treatment of choice for this group of patients. However,
      accurate placement of the graft in the orbital fat is quite challenging, and it
      can result in contour irregularities when injected into the preseptal plane.
      METHODS: From 2008 to 2013, 60 patients with sunken upper eyelids were treated
      with either an orbital fat transposition flap or a dermofat graft according to
      the severity of the deformity. Mild sunken upper eyelids were corrected during
      upper blepharoplasty by exposing the central orbital fat sac and transposing it
      in a flap-like manner. In more severe cases, a dermofat graft harvested from the
      intergluteal crease was used. RESULTS: Postoperative complications included
      difficulty in eye opening because of the weight of the dermofat graft and
      swelling of the periorbit, which gradually resolved with time. Mild bruising,
      tenderness, asymmetry, and blepharoptosis were also noted, but no additional
      treatments were necessary. During the 13-month follow-up period, two patients
      from the orbital fat transposition flap group and one patient from the dermofat
      graft group underwent revision surgeries. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomy of the orbit,
      prior surgical history, and sunkenness of the upper eyelid were all considered
      during preoperative planning. Either an orbital fat transposition flap or a
      dermofat graft was applied, according to the severity of the deformity, with
      successful results. Particularly in mild cases of sunken upper eyelid deformity,
      an orbital fat transposition flap is an easy and effective method that requires
      no additional procedures.

PMID- 28619483
TI  - Characterizing infections in prosthetic breast reconstruction: A validity
      assessment of national health databases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Current guidelines in the United States require reporting only the
      30-day postoperative outcomes to standardized databases, including the National
      Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Thus, many breast implant-related
      complications go unreported in standard databases. We sought to characterize late
      periprosthetic infections following implant-based breast reconstruction. METHODS:
      We conducted a retrospective analysis of all women who underwent expander/implant
      reconstruction from 2005 to 2014 at two institutions. All periprosthetic
      infections were identified and divided into early and late cohorts (<=30 days or
      >30 days). Infection was defined as any episode where antibiotics were initiated
      or a prosthetic device was explanted because of clinical evidence of the
      infection. RESULTS: In the 1820 patients (2980 breasts) identified, 421
      periprosthetic infections occurred (14%). Of these, 173 (41%) were early and 248
      (59%) were late (mean time to infection = 66.4 +/- 101.9 days). Patients with
      late infections were more likely to be current smokers or have diabetes than
      patients with early infections (p < 0.034 for both). Infections caused by gram
      negative bacteria and antimicrobial-resistant strains of Staphylococcus were more
      common in the early infection group (p < 0.001 for both). Implant loss due to
      infection was more common in the late infection group (p = 0.037). DISCUSSION:
      Late periprosthetic infections following implant-based breast reconstruction are
      underestimated in national outcome databases and have unique risk factors and
      microbiology compared to early infections. A system-level change in reevaluating
      and redefining a timeline for tracking and treating implant infections is
      necessary, given the substantial morbidity associated with, and frequency of,
      late periprosthetic infections.

PMID- 28619484
TI  - The new opt-out Dutch National Breast Implant Registry - Lessons learnt from the
      road to implementation.
AB  - An estimated 1-3% of all women in the Netherlands carry breast implants. Since
      the introduction five decades ago, problems with a variety of breast implants
      have emerged with direct consequences for the patients' health. Plastic surgeons
      worldwide reacted through campaigning for auditing on long-term implant quality,
      surgeon performance, and institutional outcomes in implant registries.
      Especially, the PIP implant scandal of 2010 demonstrated the paucity of
      epidemiological data and uncovered a weakness in our ability to even 'track and
      trace' patients. In addition, a recent report of the Dutch Institute of National
      Health showed a lack of compliance of 100% of breast implant producers to CE
      requirements. These arguments stress the need for an independent implant
      registry. Insufficient capture rates or dependence from the implant producers
      made the variety of national and international patient registries unreliable. The
      Dutch Breast Implant Registry (DBIR) is unique because it is an opt-out registry
      without the need for informed consent and thus a high capture rate. Furthermore,
      an estimated 95% of breast implants are implanted by board-certified plastic
      surgeons. Funding was received from a non-governmental organisation to increase
      the quality of health care in the Netherlands, and maintenance is gathered by 25
      euros per implant inserted. This article describes the way the Dutch have set up
      their system, with special attention to the well-known hurdles of starting a
      patient registry. Examples include: funding, medical ethical issues, opt out
      system, benchmarking, quality assurance as well as governance and collaboration.
      The Dutch consider their experience and data shareware for others to be used
      globally to the benefit of patient safety and quality improvement.

PMID- 28619485
TI  - Reliability and validity of Mamma Balance(r): Novel software to assess the
      symmetry of the nipple-areola-complex position.

PMID- 28619486
TI  - Extended depth of focus contact lenses vs. two commercial multifocals: Part 2.
      Visual performance after 1 week of lens wear.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the visual performance of prototype contact lenses designed
      via deliberate manipulation of higher-order spherical aberrations to extend-depth
      of-focus with two commercial multifocals, after 1 week of lens wear. METHODS: In
      a prospective, participant-masked, cross-over, randomized, 1-week dispensing
      clinical-trial, 43 presbyopes [age: 42-63 years] each wore AIROPTIX Aqua
      multifocal (AOMF), ACUVUE OASYS for presbyopia (AOP) and extended-depth-of-focus
      prototypes (EDOF) appropriate to their add requirements. Measurements comprised
      high-contrast-visual-acuity (HCVA) at 6m, 70cm, 50cm and 40cm; low-contrast
      visual-acuity (LCVA) and contrast-sensitivity (CS) at 6m and stereopsis at 40cm.
      A self-administered questionnaire on a numeric-rating-scale (1-10) assessed
      subjective visual performance comprising clarity-of-vision and lack-of-ghosting
      at various distances during day/night-viewing conditions and overall-vision
      satisfaction. RESULTS: EDOF was significantly better than AOMF and AOP for HCVA
      averaged across distances (p<=0.038); significantly worse than AOMF for LCVA
      (p=0.021) and significantly worse than AOMF for CS in medium and high add-groups
      (p=0.006). None of these differences were clinically significant (<=2 letters).
      EDOF was significantly better than AOMF and AOP for mean stereoacuity (36 and 13
      seconds-of-arc, respectively: p<=0.05). For clarity-of-vision, EDOF was
      significantly better than AOP at all distances and AOMF at intermediate and near
      (p<=0.028). For lack-of-ghosting averaged across distances, EDOF was
      significantly better than AOP (p<0.001) but not AOMF (p=0.186). EDOF was
      significantly better than AOMF and AOP for overall-vision-satisfaction
      (p<=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: EDOF provides better intermediate and near vision
      performance than either AOMF or AOP with no difference for distance vision after
      1 week of lens wear.

PMID- 28619487
TI  - Viscerocutaneous Loxoscelism.

PMID- 28619488
TI  - Financial risk protection from social health insurance.
AB  - This paper estimates the impact of social health insurance on financial risk by
      utilizing data from a natural experiment created by the phased roll-out of a
      social health insurance program for the poor in India. We estimate the
      distributional impact of insurance on of out-of-pocket costs and incorporate
      these results with a stylized expected utility model to compute associated
      welfare effects. We adjust the standard model, accounting for conditions of
      developing countries by incorporating consumption floors, informal borrowing, and
      asset selling which allow us to separate the value of financial risk reduction
      from consumption smoothing and asset protection. Results show that insurance
      reduces out-of-pocket costs, particularly in higher quantiles of the
      distribution. We find reductions in the frequency and amount of money borrowed
      for health reasons. Finally, we find that the value of financial risk reduction
      outweighs total per household costs of the insurance program by two to five
      times.

PMID- 28619489
TI  - Predictors of Outcomes in Fourth Ventricular Epidermoid Cysts: A Case Report and
      a Review of Literature.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present an illustrative case of fourth ventricular epidermoid cyst
      and review the literature to identify predictors of surgical outcomes. METHODS: A
      case of fourth ventricular epidermoid cyst is presented and a systematic review
      of 5 popular databases was performed by independent authors. Stepwise logistic
      regression was performed to identify clinical predictors of outcomes. RESULTS: A
      21-year-old woman presented with 3 months of headaches and visual obscurations
      and was diagnosed with a multilobulated mass in the fourth ventricle. The patient
      underwent suboccipital craniotomy. Complete removal of the mass was achieved and
      the final diagnosis was consistent with an epidermoid cyst. The systematic review
      identified 23 studies that reported 37 patients. Mean age was 42.8 years. Mean
      length of time between symptom onset and diagnosis was 4.43 years. Age (P =
      0.049) and duration of symptoms (P < 0.001) were significantly different between
      patients who experienced symptom improvement and those who did not. Duration of
      symptom onset to diagnosis was a significant predictor of poor outcomes (odds
      ratio, 1.19, 95% confidence interval, 1.003-4.785). CONCLUSIONS: Our review found
      that in patients with fourth ventricular epidermoid cysts, unfavorable outcomes
      were predicted by older age and by longer intervals from symptom onset to
      diagnosis. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for fourth
      ventricular epidermoid cysts in patients presenting with cerebellar signs and
      visual disturbances.

PMID- 28619490
TI  - Use of Simple Neck Extension to Improve Guiding Catheter Accessibility in
      Tortuous Cervical Internal Carotid Artery for Endovascular Embolization of
      Intracranial Aneurysm: A Technical Note.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms, a tortuous
      cervical internal carotid artery can limit guiding catheter access to a
      sufficiently high position. Although intermediate distal access catheters can go
      beyond the tortuous segment of internal carotid arteries, they may increase the
      risk of procedure-related complications, require significantly complex technical
      procedures, and limit the use of adjunctive techniques. Using simple neck
      extension alone, we successfully improved guiding catheter access in 2 patients.
      METHODS: Through a provocative test, we confirmed suitability of manual neck
      extension in 2 patients with severe posterior curvature of a tortuous internal
      carotid artery. Intraoperatively, we manually extended the neck and stretched the
      curvatures. We guided a 6F guiding catheter superiorly and performed coil
      embolization with an occlusion balloon catheter in 1 case and with the balloon
      assisted neck remodeling technique in 1 case. RESULTS: Coil embolization was
      completed without any adverse events in both cases. CONCLUSIONS: The simple neck
      extension technique successfully improved accessibility of the guiding catheter.
      As the need for safe and highly skilled intervention increases, our technique may
      be useful because it can reduce procedure-related complications and allow balloon
      assisted techniques.

PMID- 28619491
TI  - The Accuracy of Multimodality Intraoperative Neuromonitoring to Predict
      Postoperative Neurologic Deficits Following Cervical Laminoplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) has been reported to be
      sensitive and specific in the detection of neurologic injury during spinal
      surgery. The purpose of this study was to clarify the incidence of C5 palsy using
      multimodality IONM and to compare the accuracy of multimodality IONM to predict
      postoperative C5 palsy with isolated transcranial motor evoked potentials (MEPs).
      METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 135 consecutive patients at a single
      institution with cervical spondylotic myelopathy who underwent open door
      laminoplasty using MEPs combined with somatosensory evoked potentials and free
      running electromyography. RESULTS: Multimodality IONM was obtained in 131 cases.
      Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament was present in 19 patients
      (14.1%). Postoperative C5 palsy occurred in 3 patients (2.2%). Significant MEP
      alerts occurred in 12 patients. Significant somatosensory evoked potential change
      was not observed. To predict acute-onset C5 palsy, MEP alerts in the deltoid or
      biceps had 100% sensitivity and 98.4% specificity. Transient or persistent MEP
      alerts in the deltoid or biceps had same positive predictive value with
      sensitivity of 50.0% and specificity 99.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of any
      neurologic deficit, including C5 palsy, during laminoplasty while using
      multimodality IONM was relatively low. MEP alerts in the deltoids or biceps had
      100% sensitivity and 98.4% specificity for predicting a postoperative deficit.
      Somatosensory evoked potentials did not appear to be helpful in predicting
      postoperative deficits.

PMID- 28619492
TI  - Case of Familial Moyamoya Disease Presenting 10 Years After Initial Negative
      Magnetic Resonance Screening in Childhood.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both genetic and environmental factors are considered to contribute
      to the onset of moyamoya disease, but the exact mechanism has not yet been
      clarified. Furthermore, the typical time course of progression to vessel
      occlusion has not been established, even in the genetically high-risk population.
      CASE DESCRIPTION: We present the case of a 21-year-old female with familial
      history of moyamoya disease. She underwent screening for moyamoya disease 10
      years prior, but no abnormalities in magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic
      resonance angiography were found. She presented to our hospital for transient
      numbness of the left upper and lower extremities and dysarthria at the age of 21.
      She was diagnosed with moyamoya disease and underwent bilateral
      encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis. Gene analysis on the point mutation of RNF213,
      p.R4810K, was conducted for this patient, her younger sister with moyamoya
      disease, and their nonsymptomatic parents. A rare variant (p.R4810K) was positive
      in these sisters and their mother. CONCLUSION: We show a case of familial
      moyamoya disease diagnosed 10 years after the magnetic resonance imaging
      screening in childhood. We must carefully consider when, how, and for whom
      screening for moyamoya disease should be performed, taking into account familial
      history of the disease.

PMID- 28619493
TI  - Dynamic Four-Dimensional Computed Tomography Angiography for Neurovascular
      Pathologies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This article illustrates, summarizes, and reviews the multifaceted
      application of four-dimensional (4D) computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the
      characterization and diagnosis of various cerebrovascular and tumor-associated
      vascular pathologies through the presentation of clinical cases, including acute
      and chronic stroke, arteriovenous malformations, aneurysm, moyamoya disease, and
      hypervascularity associated with a tumor and its relationship to preoperative
      embolization. The technical nuances and limitations of the 4D-CTA technique are
      also discussed. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present 6 cases that best elucidate the
      application and technical nuances of 4D-CTA and its advantages over traditional
      digital subtraction angiography. Along with discussion of the utility of 4D-CTA,
      we also examine the limitations of this technique. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial
      vascular lesions can be detected with 4D-CTA and clinically evaluated using
      information related to vascular flow dynamics. The use of 4D-CTA provides data
      related to ongoing vascular changes as well as accurate spatial delineation of
      cerebrovascular pathologies. Overall, 4D-CTA is increasing its role in
      neuroimaging by providing superior information regarding structural three
      dimensional imaging quality and real-time flow.

PMID- 28619494
TI  - Role of Hemodynamic Forces in Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: An Overview of a
      Complex Scenario.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An understanding of the natural history of unruptured intracranial
      aneurysms (IAs) has always played a critical role in presurgical or endovascular
      planning, to avoid possibly fatal events. Size, shape, morphology, and location
      are known risk factors for rupture of an aneurysm, but morphologic parameters
      alone may not be sufficient to perform proper rupture risk stratification.
      METHODS: We performed a systematic PubMed search and focused on hemodynamics
      forces that may influence aneurysmal initiation, growth, and rupture. RESULTS: We
      included 223 studies describing several hemodynamic parameters related to
      aneurysm natural history. In these studies, different modalities of aneurysm
      model creation have been used to evaluate flow and to comprehensively analyze the
      evolution of IAs. Controversy exists about the correlation between these
      parameters and initiation, growth, rupture risk, or stabilization of the
      aneurysmal sac. Recent findings have also shown the importance of flow patterns
      in this process and the relationship between unruptured IA geometry and
      hemodynamic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The role of hemodynamic forces in evaluation
      of the natural history of unruptured IAs presents is inherently complex and is
      still not completely understood. In this complex scenario, although several
      attempts have been described in the literature, a proper risk rupture
      stratification and treatment strategy selection based on hemodynamic forces has
      not yet been created. Further efforts should be made to accomplish this important
      goal.

PMID- 28619495
TI  - Results of Atypical Hemifacial Spasm with Microvascular Decompression: 14 Case
      Reports and Literature Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined atypical hemifacial spasm (AHFS), and the
      mechanism of AHFS remains unclear. In this study, we examined the etiology,
      prognosis, and treatment of AHFS. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the
      clinical data for 14 consecutive patients that underwent microvascular
      decompression (MVD) for AHFS between January 2014 and December 2015. Clinical
      features, outcomes, and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: The incidence of
      AHFS is 1.52%. There were no significant differences in sex, age, side and
      duration between the typical hemifacial spasm and AHFS. During the follow-up
      period, the effective rate of MVD for patients with AHFS was 92.3%. Three
      patients developed delayed facial nerve palsy postoperatively, 1 patient
      experienced occipital sensory disturbance, and 1 patient suffered hearing loss.
      CONCLUSIONS: Most of the cases of AHFS studied here were caused by neurovascular
      conflict in zone IV of the facial nerve distal to the root entry zone. MVD
      surgery is the first choice treatment for AHFS.

PMID- 28619496
TI  - Injury to the Lumbar Plexus and its Branches After Lateral Fusion Procedures: A
      Cadaver Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Neurologic deficits from lumbar plexus nerve injuries commonly
      occur in patients undergoing lateral approaches. However, it is not yet clear
      what types of injury occur, where anatomically they are located, or what
      mechanism causes them. We aimed to study 1) the topographic anatomy of lumbar
      plexus nerves and their injuries in human cadavers after lateral transpsoas
      approaches to the lumbar spine, 2) the structural morphology of those injuries,
      and 3) the topographic anatomy of the lumbar plexus throughout the mediolateral
      approach corridor. METHODS: Fifteen adult fresh frozen cadaveric torsos (26
      sides) underwent lateral approaches (L1-L5) by experienced lateral spine
      surgeons. The cadavers were subsequently opened and the entire plexus dissected
      and examined for nerve injuries. The topographic anatomy of the lumbar plexus and
      its branches, their injuries, and the morphology of these injuries were
      documented. RESULTS: Fifteen injuries were found with complete or partial nerve
      transections (Sunderland IV and V). Injuries were found throughout the
      mediolateral approach corridor. At L1/2, the iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, and
      subcostal nerves were injured within the psoas major muscle, the retroperitoneal
      space, or the outer abdominal muscles and subcutaneous tissues. Genitofemoral
      nerve injuries were found in the retroperitoneal space. Nerve root injuries
      occurred within the retroperitoneal space and psoas muscle. Femoral nerve
      injuries were found only within the psoas major muscle. No obturator nerve
      injuries occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral approaches can lead to structural nerve
      damage. Knowledge of the complex plexus anatomy, specifically its mediolateral
      course, is critical to avoid approach-related injuries.

PMID- 28619497
TI  - Long-Term Functional Outcome of Symptomatic Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms in
      an Interdisciplinary Treatment Concept.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In symptomatic unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs), data on long
      term functional outcome are sparse in the literature, even in the light of modern
      interdisciplinary treatment decisions. We therefore analyzed our in-house
      database for prognostic factors and long-term outcome of neurologic symptoms
      after microsurgical/endovascular treatment. METHODS: Patients treated between
      2000 and 2016 after interdisciplinary vascular board decision were included. UIAs
      were categorized as symptomatic in cases of cranial nerve or brainstem
      compression. Symptoms were categorized as mild/severe. Long-term development of
      symptoms after treatment was assessed in a standardized and independent fashion.
      RESULTS: Of 98 symptomatic UIAs (microsurgery/endovascular 43/55), 84 patients
      presented with cranial nerve (NII-VI) compression and 14 patients with brainstem
      compression symptoms. Permanent morbidity occurred in 9% of patients. Of 119
      symptoms (mild/severe 71/48), 60.4% recovered (full/partial 22%/39%) and 29%
      stabilized by the time of last follow-up; median follow-up was 19.5 months.
      Symptom recovery was higher in the long-term compared with that at discharge (P =
      0.002). Optic nerve compression symptoms were less likely to improve compared
      with abducens nerve palsies and brainstem compression. Prognostic factors for
      recovery were duration and severity of symptoms, treatment modality
      (microsurgery) and absence of ischemia in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS:
      This recent study presents for the first time a detailed analysis of relevant
      prognostic factors for long-term recovery of cranial nerve/brainstem compression
      symptoms in an interdisciplinary treatment concept, which was excellent in most
      patients, with lowest recovery rates in optic nerve compression. Symptom recovery
      was remarkably higher in the long-term compared with recovery at discharge.

PMID- 28619498
TI  - Microsurgical Treatment of Colloid Cysts of the Third Ventricle.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study analyzes the results of surgical treatment in 377 patients
      with colloid cysts (CCs) of the third ventricle who were treated at the Burdenko
      Neurosurgery Institute from 1981 to 2015. Operations were performed by a single
      surgeon (the first author of the article). METHODS: The transcallosal approach
      was used to remove CCs in 97% of cases. Total cyst removal was performed in 96%
      of cases (in 4% of cases, a small cyst capsule fragment was left on the veins and
      fornix); in 3 cases, the cyst recurred, which required its repeated removal.
      RESULTS: Hydrocephalus symptoms regressed in 98% of patients. The most frequent
      complications in the early postoperative period were memory impairments of
      varying severity, with a tendency to regress by the time of discharge. Two
      patients had an intraventricular hematoma, which required operative exploration
      in 1 patient. There were 4 cases of meningitis (including 1 shunt-associated
      meningitis) and 5 cases of transient pyramidal insufficiency. CONCLUSIONS: We
      made a preliminary assessment of the reasonability of the infratentorial
      supracerebellar approach for removal of CCs in 10 cases.

PMID- 28619499
TI  - Results of Early High-Flow Bypass and Trapping for Ruptured Blood Blister-Like
      Aneurysms of the Internal Carotid Artery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to clarify the efficacy and safety of early
      surgery using trapping of the affected internal carotid artery (ICA) and high
      flow bypass between the second portion of the middle cerebral artery and cervical
      external carotid artery with radial artery graft for ruptured blood blister-like
      aneurysms (BBAs) arising from the anterior wall of the ICA. METHODS: Medical
      charts of 16 consecutive patients (7 men and 9 women; mean, 59 years) with
      subarachnoid hemorrhage (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade I, n =
      2; grade II, n = 5; grade III, n = 2; grade IV, n = 4; grade V, n = 3) caused by
      ruptured BBA surgically treated between July 2010 and October 2015 were
      retrospectively reviewed. Eleven patients underwent acute surgery within 24 hours
      after the onset, whereas surgery was performed between 3 and 17 days after the
      onset because of referral delay or associated vasospasm in 5 patients. All
      patients underwent the same surgical procedure. RESULTS: Elimination of the BBA
      and patency of the bypass were achieved in all patients. Postoperatively, 2
      patients showed small infarction in the Heubner artery area, and 2 others
      suffered symptomatic vasospasm, but no patient suffered infarction in the
      posterior communicating/anterior choroidal artery territories. Identically, no
      patient showed ischemic optic neuropathy. At the last follow-up (mean, 36
      months), favorable clinical outcome (good recovery or mild disability in Glasgow
      Outcome Scale) was achieved in 14 (88%) of the patients without rebleeding or
      refilling of the aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS: Early surgical repair of BBAs by
      trapping of the affected ICA with high-flow bypass is safe and effective
      treatment with satisfactory midterm outcome.

PMID- 28619500
TI  - Was Cavum Septum Pellucidum the Cause of Intractable Seizure in a 17-Year-Old Boy
      with Wilson Disease?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP), which is often found incidentally in a
      few populations, occasionally becomes symptomatic if enlarged significantly.
      Wilson disease (WD) is an uncommon autosomal recessive inborn defect in copper
      metabolism characterized by abnormal accumulation of copper in various tissues,
      particularly in the liver and the brain. Seizure disorder, although rare both in
      CSP and WD, may happen in a few patients with either of the conditions. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: We report a case of 17-year-old boy, a patient with known WD, who
      developed intractable seizure for a year, which was not controlled with a large
      amount of antiepileptics. Magnetic resonance imaging showed enlargement of his
      preexisting CSP, which was small and asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis of WD.
      His WD was in a state of remission when he developed the seizure disorder. On
      endoscopic cyst fenestration, he was relieved of the seizure. CONCLUSIONS:
      Symptomatic CSP is a rare disorder, but the coexistence of WD is even rarer.
      Endoscopic cyst fenestration is a novel procedure that can be successful in
      properly selected cases. To the best of our knowledge, CSP associated with WD has
      not been reported in any English literature. We present this case for its rarity
      along with a relevant literature review.

PMID- 28619501
TI  - Irreversible Total Loss of Brain Function and Organ Donation in Patients with
      Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a life-threatening
      disease with an often fatal clinical course leading to irreversible loss of brain
      function (ILBF) (i.e., brain death). The purpose of this study was to assess the
      prevalence and characteristics of patients with aSAH who became organ donors
      after diagnosis of ILBF. METHODS: Anonymized clinical data sets of 395 patients
      treated for aSAH at a university medical center from January 2011 to December
      2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Prevalence of consent for organ donation and
      clinical characteristics, including parameters for diagnosis of irreversible loss
      of brain function, were assessed. RESULTS: After initial admission to the
      intensive care unit, 18.0% of patients (n = 71) died (Glasgow Outcome Scale score
      1). Intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in 42.3% of patients who died, aneurysmal
      rebleeding occurred in 19.7%, and intraventricular hemorrhage occurred in 87.3%.
      In 50.7% of patients who died (n = 36), ILBF was diagnosed, and 32.4% (n = 23) of
      these patients became organ donors. In 55.6%, additional diagnostic
      electroencephalography was performed. Male patients significantly more often
      became organ donors than female patients (P = 0.008). ILBF with subsequent organ
      donation was predominantly seen in patients <60 years old. A total 85 of organs
      were explanted for donation, including 42 kidneys, 21 livers, 3 pancreas, 11
      hearts and 8 lungs. CONCLUSIONS: ILBF in the setting of fatal aSAH is a prevalent
      diagnosis with complex demands for neurointensive care physicians. We
      demonstrated the clinical characteristics and epidemiologic factors of patients
      with aSAH converting to organ donors.

PMID- 28619502
TI  - "Outside Support": Curious Case of Duplicated Posterior Elements.

PMID- 28619503
TI  - Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Levornidazole in Elderly Subjects and Dosing Regimen
      Evaluation Using Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Levornidazole, the levo-isomer of ornidazole, is a third-generation
      nitroimidazole derivative newly developed after metronidazole, tinidazole, and
      ornidazole. An open-label, parallel-controlled, single-dose study was conducted
      for the investigation of the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of levornidazole and
      its metabolites in healthy elderly Chinese subjects, and for the evaluation of 2
      dosing regimens in the elderly. METHODS: Levornidazole was intravenously
      administered at 500 mg to healthy elderly (aged 60-80 years) or young subjects
      (aged 19-45 years). The PK profiles of levornidazole and its metabolites in
      elderly subjects were evaluated and compared with those in the young group.
      WinNonlin software was used for simulating the PK profile of levornidazole in the
      elderly population following the dosing regimens of 500 mg BID and 750 mg once
      daily for 7 days. Monte Carlo simulation was used for estimating the cumulative
      fraction of response and probability of target attainment of both dosing regimens
      against Bacteroides spp. RESULTS: The Cmax, AUC0-24, and AUC0-infinity values of
      levornidazole in the elderly group were 11.98 MUg/mL, 131.36 MUg.h/mL, and 173.61
      MUg.h/mL, respectively. The t1/2, CLt, and mean residence time from time 0 to
      infinity were 12.21 hours, 2.91 L/h, and 16.46 hours. The metabolic ratios of
      metabolites (M) 1, 2, 4, and 6 were <3.0%, and that of M16 was 17.70%. The
      urinary excretion values of levornidazole, M1, M2, M4, M6, and M16 over 96 hours
      were 10.21%, 0.92%, ~0%, 2.69%, 0.54%, and 41.98%. The PK properties of
      levornidazole and the urinary excretion of all metabolites were not statistically
      different between the 2 groups. The cumulative fraction of response was >90%
      against B fragilis and other Bacteroides spp, and the probability of target
      attainment was >90% when the minimum inhibitory concentration was <=1 MUg/mL, in
      both groups. IMPLICATIONS: No dosing regimen adjustment is suggested when
      levornidazole is used in elderly patients with normal hepatic functioning and
      mild renal dysfunction. The findings from the PK/PD analysis imply that both
      regimens may achieve satisfactory clinical and microbiological efficacy against
      anaerobic infections in elderly patients. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry
      (http://www.chictr.org.cn) identifier: ChiCTR-OPC-16007938.

PMID- 28619504
TI  - Kolaviron shows anti-proliferative effect and down regulation of vascular
      endothelial growth factor-C and toll like receptor-2 in Wuchereria bancrofti
      infected blood lymphocytes.
AB  - The anti-proliferative effect and down regulation of vascular endothelial growth
      factor C and toll like receptor-2 by kolaviron on Wuchereria bancrofti infected
      peripheral blood lymphocytes were investigated. Blood were collected from
      consenting volunteers in Talata Mafara, Nigeria, between the hours of 10pm to
      12am, and microscopically identified for microfilariae. W. bancrofti positive
      samples were cultured for 72h treated with Doxycycline (2MUg/ml) and kolaviron
      (5MUg/ml) in vitro. Mitotic index, expression of vascular endothelial growth
      factor-C (VEGF-c), toll like receptor-2 (TLR-2) were determined using standard
      procedures. Mitotic index was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in the kolaviron
      treated group compared to negative control. Kolaviron also significantly (P<0.05)
      down regulated the expression of VEGF-c and TLR-2 when compared with the
      untreated group. In both cases, the effects of kolaviron was not significantly
      different (P<0.05) to that of doxycycline. Furthermore, strong positive
      correlations between mitotic index, VEGF-c and TLR-2 expressions were observed.
      The study suggests that kolaviron rich portion of Garcinia kola exhibited anti
      proliferative effect and down regulation of VEGF-c and TLR-2 in W. bancrofti
      infected blood. Thus, the results from this study might have unravelled the
      potency of kolaviron in the management of complications associated with lymphatic
      filariasis.

PMID- 28619505
TI  - Application of CRISPR-Cas9 in eye disease.
AB  - The system of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)
      and CRISPR-associated nuclease (Cas)9 is an effective instrument for revising the
      genome with great accuracy. This system has been widely employed to generate
      mutants in genomes from plants to human cells. Rapid improvements in Cas9
      specificity in eukaryotic cells have opened great potential for the use of this
      technology as a therapeutic. Herein, we summarize the recent advancements of
      CRISPR-Cas9 use in research on human cells and animal models, and outline a basic
      and clinical pipeline for CRISPR-Cas9-based treatments of genetic eye diseases.

PMID- 28619506
TI  - Near infra-red light attenuates corneal endothelial cell dysfunction in situ and
      in vitro.
AB  - In the present study mechanical damage to the corneal endothelium was induced by
      elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP, 140 mmHg, 60 min) to one eye of rats,
      delivered either in complete darkness or in the presence of red light (16.5 W/m2,
      3000 lx, 625-635 nm). IOP raised in the dark revealed the endothelium to be
      damaged as staining for the gap junction protein ZO-1 was irregular in appearance
      with some cells displaced in position or lost to leave gaps or holes. This damage
      was clearly attenuated when red light was focused through the pupil during the
      insult of raised IOP. Moreover, staining of endothelium with JC-1 dye showed
      mitochondria to be activated by both elevated IOP and red light but the
      activation of mitochondria persisted longer for red light. We interpret this
      finding to suggest that raised IOP causes apoptosis of endothelial cells and that
      their mitochondria are activated in the initial stages of the process. In
      contrast, red light activates mitochondria to induce a protective mechanism to
      counteract the negative influence of raised IOP on endothelial cells. Evidence is
      provided to support this notion by the finding that red light stimulates
      mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase IV (COX IV). Moreover, mitochondria in corneal
      endothelial cell cultures are activated by red light, revealed by staining with
      JC-1, that results in an increased rate of proliferation and are also able to
      counteract toxic insults (sodium azide or cobalt chloride) to the cultures. The
      present studies therefore show that a non-toxic level of red light attenuates
      damage to the corneal endothelium both in situ and in vitro through action on COX
      IV located in mitochondria that results in an enhancement of a cell's survival
      mechanisms. The study provides proof of principle for the non-invasive use of red
      light therapy to attenuate any dysfunctions associated with the corneal
      endothelium and so preserve maximum visual acuity.

PMID- 28619507
TI  - Sensitivity of mitochondrial DNA depleted rho0 cells to H2O2 depends on the
      plasma membrane status.
AB  - To clarify the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-depleted rho0 cells
      and the cellular sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), we established HeLa and
      SAS rho0 cell lines and investigated their survival rate in H2O2, radical
      scavenging enzymes, plasma membrane potential status, and chronological change in
      intracellular H2O2 amount under the existence of extracellular hydrogen peroxide
      compared with the parental cells. The results revealed that rho0 cells had higher
      sensitivity to H2O2 than their parental cells, even though the catalase activity
      of rho0 cells was up-regulated, and the membrane potential of the rho0 cells was
      lower than their parental cells. Furthermore, the internal H2O2 amount
      significantly increased only in rho0 cells after 50 MUM H2O2 treatment for 1 h.
      These results suggest that plasma membrane status of rho0 cells may cause
      degradation, and the change could lead to enhanced membrane permeability to H2O2.
      As a consequence, rho0 cells have a higher H2O2 sensitivity than the parental
      cells.

PMID- 28619508
TI  - MiR-129-5p inhibits non-small cell lung cancer cell stemness and chemoresistance
      through targeting DLK1.
AB  - Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stemness and chemoresistance represent
      significant barriers to successful treatment. Downregulation of microRNA 129 (miR
      129) has been implicated in a variety of cancers, and miR-129-5p has recently
      been shown to reduce lung cancer proliferation and metastasis. In this study, we
      used NSCLC cell lines A549 and H460 to investigate the effects of miR-129-5p on
      NSCLC stemness and chemoresistance. CD133 + stem cells in both lines showed
      reduced miR-129-5p expression, and introducing miR-129-5p into these cells
      reduced stem cell markers and self-renewal ability, as measured by qRT-PCR,
      western blot, MTT assays, and sphere formation assays. MTT, colony formation, and
      DAPI staining assays further revealed that miR-129-5p inhibits NSCLC
      chemoresistance when the cells are treated with varying doses of CDDP. The target
      prediction algorithm TargetScan allowed us to identify notch signaling receptor
      delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1) as a potential target for miR-129-5p in its
      inhibition of NSCLC stemness and chemoresistance. Indeed, our DLK1 luciferase
      reporter plasmid demonstrated that miR-129-5p reduces DLK1 expression.
      Furthermore, DLK1 overexpression partially rescued inhibition of NSCLC stemness
      and chemoresistance caused by miR-129-5p. Overall, these results demonstrate that
      miR-129-5p inhibits NSCLC stemness and chemoresistance through direct targeting
      of DLK1. They suggest that miR-129-5p and DLK1 can play a role in an effective
      treatment strategy for NSCLC.

PMID- 28619509
TI  - miR-141-3p inhibits fibroblast proliferation and migration by targeting GAB1 in
      keloids.
AB  - Keloids are benign dermal fibroproliferative tumors that develop as a result of
      several dysregulated processes. Emerging evidence has revealed that miRNAs
      contribute to keloid formation. However, the molecular mechanisms of keloid
      pathogenesis remain unclear. In our study, we found that miR-141-3p in keloid
      tissues and keloid fibroblasts was significantly decreased compared with the
      levels in normal tissues and normal skin fibroblasts, respectively. miR-141-3p
      overexpression resulted in significantly decreased proliferation and migration
      and the promotion of apoptosis in keloid fibroblasts, whereas miR-141-3p
      knockdown in keloid fibroblasts yielded the opposite results. Growth factor
      receptor binding 2-associated binding protein 1 (GAB1) was identified and
      confirmed as a direct target of miR-141-3p. The expression of GAB1 was up
      regulated in keloid tissues, and the restoration of GAB1 partially reversed the
      inhibitory effects of miR-141-3p on the proliferation and migration of keloid
      fibroblasts. All data suggested that miR-141-3p decreased the proliferation and
      migration of keloid fibroblasts by repressing GAB1 expression, providing a useful
      target for keloid management.

PMID- 28619510
TI  - Crystal structure of BrlR with c-di-GMP.
AB  - The transcriptional regulator BrlR is a member of the MerR family of multidrug
      transport activators in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Recent study indicates that BrlR
      is a novel 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP) receptor and can be activated
      by c-di-GMP. To gain insight into BrlR function, we determined the structure of
      BrlR with c-di-GMP complex structure to 2.5 A. The structure and size exclusion
      chromatography (SEC) data revealed BrlR forms a tetramer and each BrlR protomer
      consists of three parts, DNA-binding domain, a coiled-coil region and GyrI-like
      domain. There are two different c-di-GMP binding sites located mainly at the DNA
      binding domain of each BrlR protomer and do not overlap with the GyrI-like
      domain. The drug-binding pocket in GyrI-like domain is much conserved indicating
      it can also bind flat-shaped molecules like other multidrug resistance (MDR)
      proteins.

PMID- 28619511
TI  - AQP5 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis via NF-kappaB-regulated
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
AB  - Aquaporin 5 (AQP5), a transmembrane protein, is known for its involvement in the
      progress of many diseases such as chronic kidney disease and systemic disease.
      Recently, AQP5 has been reported to play an important role in cancer progression.
      However, little is known about its precise functions in hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC). This study aimed to investigate the specific role of AQP5 in HCC. The
      results showed that AQP5 was highly expressed in HCC cell lines and its down
      regulation inhibited HCC cell invasion and tumor metastasis in vitro and in vivo.
      In addition, down-regulation of AQP5 suppressed the epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition (EMT) process in HCC cells by modulating EMT-related molecules such as
      E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, N-cadherin and Vimentin. Further studies on
      corresponding mechanisms indicated that AQP5 down-regulation inhibited HCC
      metastasis and EMT partly via inactivation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
      Taken together, these findings suggest that AQP5 may be a potential therapeutic
      target for HCC.

PMID- 28619512
TI  - PART-1 functions as a competitive endogenous RNA for promoting tumor progression
      by sponging miR-143 in colorectal cancer.
AB  - LncRNAs were altered in several cancers and played a crucial role in various
      biological activities and progressions of different diseases, including
      proliferation, chemical resistance, and metastasis. In the present study, we
      revealed that prostrate androgen-regulated transcript-1 (PART-1) was highly
      expressed in colorectal cancer cells and tissues, and knockdown of PART-1
      suppressed cell proliferation and metastasis, both in vitro and in vivo. In
      addition, PART-1 functioned as a ceRNA of DNMT3A, by sponging miR-143.
      Finally,PART-1 induced tumor progression by regulating DNMT3A.

PMID- 28619513
TI  - Myricetin ameliorates scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice via
      inhibiting acetylcholinesterase and down-regulating brain iron.
AB  - The aim of our study was to investigate to investigate the effect of myricetin on
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its underlying mechanisms. In our study, Myricetin
      effectively attenuated Fe2+-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. In a
      mouse model of AD, myricetin treatment significantly reversed scopolamine-induced
      cognitive deficits deriving from a novel action of inhibiting
      acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and down-regulating brain iron. Furthermore,
      Myricetin treatment reduced oxidative damage and increased antioxidant enzymes
      activity in mice. Interestingly, the effect of myricetin was largely abolished by
      high iron diet. Therefore we suggested that treatment with myricetin attenuated
      cognitive deficits in mice via inhibiting AChE and brain iron regulation. In
      addition, myricetin reduce iron contents may via inhibiting transferrin receptor
      1 (TrR1) expression. In conclusion, accumulated data demonstrates that myricetin
      is a potential multifunctional drug for AD.

PMID- 28619514
TI  - The frequency of Th17 cells in the small intestine exhibits a day-night variation
      dependent on circadian clock activity.
AB  - Interleukin-17-producing CD4+ T helper (Th17) cells are a key immune lineage that
      protects against bacterial and fungal infections at mucosal surfaces. At steady
      state, Th17 cells are abundant in the small intestinal mucosa of mice. There are
      several mechanisms for regulating the population of Th17 cells in the small
      intestine, reflecting the importance of maintaining their numbers in the correct
      balance. Here we demonstrate the existence of a time-of-day-dependent variation
      in the frequency of Th17 cells in the lamina propria of the small intestine in
      wild-type mice, which was not observed in mice with a loss-of-function mutation
      of the core circadian gene Clock or in mice housed under aberrant light/dark
      conditions. Consistent with this, expression of CCL20, a chemokine that regulates
      homeostatic trafficking of Th17 cells to the small intestine, exhibited circadian
      rhythms in the small intestine of wild-type, but not Clock-mutated, mice. In
      support of these observations, the magnitude of ovalbumin (OVA)-specific antibody
      and T-cell responses in mice sensitized with OVA plus cholera toxin, a mucosal
      Th17 cell-dependent adjuvant, was correlated with daily variations in the
      proportion of Th17 cells in the small intestine. These results suggest that the
      proportion of Th17 cells in the small intestine exhibits a day-night variation in
      association with CCL20 expression, which depends on circadian clock activity. The
      findings provide novel insight into the regulation of the Th17 cell population in
      the small intestine at steady state, which may have translational potential for
      mucosal vaccination strategies.

PMID- 28619515
TI  - Dynamic accommodation without feedback does not respond to isolated blur cues.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine whether dynamic accommodation responds to
      isolated blur cues without feedback, and without changes in the distance of the
      object. Nine healthy subjects aged 21-40years were recruited. Four different
      aberration patterns were used as stimuli to induce blur with (1) the eye's
      natural, uncorrected, optical aberrations, (2) all aberrations corrected, (3)
      spherical aberration only, or (4) astigmatism only. The stimulus was a video
      animation based on computer-generated images of a monochromatic Maltese cross.
      Each individual video was generated for each subject off-line, after measuring
      individual aberrations at different accommodation levels. The video simulated
      sinusoidal changes in defocus at 0.2Hz. Dynamic images were observed through a
      0.8mm pinhole placed at a plane conjugated with the eye's pupil, thus effectively
      removing potential feedback stemming from accommodation changes. Accommodation
      responses were measured with a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer for the four different
      aberration patterns. The results showed that seven out of nine subjects did not
      respond to any stimuli, whereas the response of the other two subjects was
      erratic and they seemed to be searching rather than following the stimulus. A
      significant reduction in average accommodative gain (from 0.52 to 0.11) was
      obtained when the dioptric demand cue was removed. No statistically significant
      differences were found among the experimental conditions used. We conclude that
      aberration related blur does not drive the accommodation response in the absence
      of feedback from accommodation.

PMID- 28619517
TI  - Acute sialadenitis as adverse reaction to iodinated contrast.
AB  - Swelling of the salivary glands after administration of iodinated contrast is a
      very rare adverse reaction. Its etiology is not clear and although it has a
      benign course associated complications have been reported. We report two cases of
      acute bilateral sialadenitis after intravenous iodinated contrast in 60 and 63
      year-old men who underwent a computed tomography scan in the previous days.

PMID- 28619518
TI  - In vitro cytotoxic potential of friedelin in human MCF-7 breast cancer cell:
      Regulate early expression of Cdkn2a and pRb1, neutralize mdm2-p53 amalgamation
      and functional stabilization of p53.
AB  - We aimed to explore the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of friedelin on breast
      cancer MCF-7 cells. Cytotoxic effect of friedelin on MCF-7 cells was analyzed
      using MTT, cell and nuclear morphology. The apoptosis mechanism of friedelin on
      MCF-7 cells was analyzed using real-time PCR. Friedelin potentially inhibit 78%
      of MCF-7 cell's growth, the IC50 value was 1.8MUM in 24h and 1.2MUM in 48h.
      Friedelin increased ROS significantly and DNA damage was confirmed by tunel
      assay. We found characteristically 52% apoptotic cells and 6% necrotic cells in
      PI, AO/ErBr staining after 48h treatment with 1.2MUM of friedelin. Apoptosis was
      confirmed by significantly (p<=0.001) increased tumor suppressor gene Cdkn1a,
      pRb2, p53, Nrf2, caspase-3 and decreased Bcl-2, mdm2 & PCNA expression after 48h.
      In conclusion, friedelin effectively inhibit breast cancer MCF-7 cell growth, it
      was associated with early expression of Cdkn1a, pRb2 and activation of p53 and
      caspases.

PMID- 28619519
TI  - A Diagnostic Challenge: Focal Fatty Liver or Metastasis?

PMID- 28619516
TI  - The inner blood-retinal barrier: Cellular basis and development.
AB  - The blood-retinal barrier (BRB) regulates transport across retinal capillaries
      maintaining proper neural homeostasis and protecting the neural tissue from
      potential blood borne toxicity. Loss of the BRB contributes to the
      pathophysiology of a number of blinding retinal diseases including diabetic
      retinopathy. In this review, we address the basis of the BRB, including the
      molecular mechanisms that regulate flux across the retinal vascular bed. The
      routes of transcellular and paracellular flux are described as well as
      alterations in these pathways in response to permeabilizing agents in diabetes.
      Finally, we provide information on exciting new studies that help to elucidate
      the process of BRB development or barriergenesis and how understanding this
      process may lead to new opportunities for barrier restoration in diabetic
      retinopathy.

PMID- 28619520
TI  - Cardiac Complications, Earlier Treatment, and Initial Disease Severity in
      Kawasaki Disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess if observed higher observed risks of cardiac complications
      for patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) treated earlier may reflect bias due to
      confounding from initial disease severity, as opposed to any negative effect of
      earlier treatment. STUDY DESIGN: We used data from Japanese nationwide KD surveys
      from 1997 to 2004. Receipt of additional intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (data
      available all years) or any additional treatment (available for 2003-2004) were
      assessed as proxies for initial disease severity. We determined associations
      between earlier or later IVIG treatment (defined as receipt of IVIG on days 1-4
      vs days 5-10 of illness) and cardiac complications by stratifying by receipt of
      additional treatment or by using logistic modeling to control for the effect of
      receiving additional treatment. RESULTS: A total of 48 310 patients with KD were
      included in the analysis. In unadjusted analysis, earlier IVIG treatment was
      associated with a higher risk for 4 categories of cardiac complications,
      including all major cardiac complications (risk ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.06-1.15).
      Stratifying by receipt of additional treatment removed this association, and
      earlier IVIG treatment became protective against all major cardiac complications
      when controlling for any additional treatment in logistic regressions (OR, 0.90;
      95% CI, 0.80-1.00). CONCLUSIONS: Observed higher risks of cardiac complications
      among patients with KD receiving IVIG treatment on days 1-4 of the illness are
      most likely due to underlying higher initial disease severity, and patients with
      KD should continue to be treated with IVIG as early as possible.

PMID- 28619521
TI  - Overview of long non-coding RNA and mRNA expression in response to
      methamphetamine treatment in vitro.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) display multiple functions including regulation of
      neuronal injury. However, their impact in methamphetamine (METH)-induced
      neurotoxicity has rarely been reported. Here, using microarray analysis, we
      investigated the expression profiling of lncRNAs and mRNAs in primary cultured
      prefrontal cortical neurons after METH treatment. We observed a difference in
      lncRNA and mRNA expression between the experimental and sham control groups.
      Using bioinformatics, we analyzed the highest enriched gene ontology (GO) terms
      of biological process, cellular component, and molecular function, and Kyoto
      Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and pathway network analysis.
      Furthermore, an lncRNA-mRNA co-expression sub-network for aberrantly expressed
      terms revealed possible interactions of lncRNA NR_110713 and NR_027943 with their
      related genes. Afterwards, three lncRNAs (NR_110713, NR_027943, GAS5) and two
      mRNAs (Ddit3, Casp12) were targeted to validate the microarray data by qRT-PCR.
      This presented an overview of lncRNA and mRNA expression profiling and indicated
      that lncRNA might participate in METH-induced neuronal apoptosis by regulating
      the coding genes of neurons.

PMID- 28619522
TI  - Integrated analysis of paraquat-induced microRNAs-mRNAs changes in human neural
      progenitor cells.
AB  - Paraquat (PQ), one of the most widely used fast-acting and non-selective
      herbicides in the world is believed to act as a neurotoxicant, which increases
      the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD) by selectively impairing
      dopaminergic neurons. However, the mechanism of PQ on neural progenitor cells
      remains unclear. As regulator of mRNA expression, miRNA play a crucial role in
      neurotoxicity. Based on our previous study, we chose 10MUM PQ, which induced ROS
      production and inhibited proliferation but not reduced the cell viability. In
      this study, we present an integrative analysis of PQ-induced whole transcriptome
      changes and its regulatory miRNA networks in human neural progenitor cells
      (hNPCs). Integrated analysis of PQ-induced miRNA-mRNA alteration reveals
      differential expression of 3972 mRNAs and 52 miRNAs. Based on the GO analysis and
      pathway analysis of the intersection genes, we found 48 significantly altered GO
      terms and 22 significant pathways, among which, Wnt signaling being the top
      ranked pathway. We verified that the expression of 9 miRNAs and 11 mRNAs related
      to the Wnt signaling pathway were altered in a dose-dependent manner by qPCR.
      These results indicate that PQ changes mRNAs and miRNAs expression in hNPCs,
      leading to the alteration of several neurodevelopment related key biological
      processes and crucial pathways, especially Wnt signaling pathway. Moreover, it
      suggests that PQ could downregulate Wnt signaling pathway via miRNA to induce
      developmental neurotoxicity.

PMID- 28619523
TI  - Affective associations with negativity: Why popular peers attract youths' visual
      attention.
AB  - Visual attention to high-status peers is well documented, but whether this
      attentional bias is due to high-status individuals' leadership and prosocial
      characteristics or due to their more agonistic behaviors has yet to be examined.
      To identify the affective associations that may underlie visual attention for
      high-status versus low-status peers, 122 early adolescents (67 girls;
      Mage=11.0years, SD=0.7) completed a primed attention paradigm. Visual attention
      was measured using eye tracking as participants looked simultaneously at
      photographs of two classmates: one nominated by peers as popular and one
      nominated by peers as unpopular. Prior to each trial, the early adolescents were
      presented with a positive prime, the word "nice"; a negative prime, the word
      "stupid"; or no prime. Primary analyses focused on first-gaze preference and
      total gaze time The results showed a stronger first gaze preference for popular
      peers than for unpopular peers in the no-prime and negative prime trials than in
      the positive prime trials. The visual preference for a popular peer, thus, was
      attenuated by the positive prime. These findings are consistent with the notion
      that youths may visually attend to high-status peers due to their association
      with more negative characteristics and the threat they may pose to youths' own
      social standing and ability to gain interpersonal resources.

PMID- 28619524
TI  - Molecular determinants of radiosensitivity in normal and tumor tissue: A
      bioinformatic approach.
AB  - Although radiation therapy is a treatment of choice for cancer, a high percentage
      of patients develop adverse effects in normal tissue following radiotherapy,
      mainly, due to genetic factors. Notably, although it is established that a lower
      dose of ionizing radiation can minimize the tumor cell population in
      radiosensitive cancer patients, the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiation has
      not gained enough attention. In this mini-review, the molecular
      pathways/mechanisms and the related molecules involved in clinically relevant
      radiotoxicity, as well as normal and tumor cell radiosensitivity, were
      investigated for various types of cancers employing bioinformatics approaches. A
      total of 255 genes/gene products were retrieved and investigated in this study,
      which are implicated in pathways related mainly to DNA damage repair, oxidative
      stress, apoptosis and fibrosis. Furthermore, a novel molecular gene signature of
      normal tissue radiotoxicity was identified. The findings of our study could be
      utilized by healthcare professionals in personalized clinical decision-making, in
      order to efficiently sensitize tumor cells to radiation and yet minimize adverse
      effects in the adjacent normal tissues as well as to improve the quality of life
      in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

PMID- 28619525
TI  - Murine and human pancreatic tumor exosome recovery in mouse serum: Diagnostic and
      prognostic potential and target cell delivery.
AB  - Exosomes (Exo), powerful intercellular communicators, are recovered in all body
      fluids, suggesting suitability for diagnosis and prognosis. Easy in vitro
      manipulation recommends Exo as drug vehicles. Aiming to consolidate diagnostic
      and therapeutic potential of Exo, we evaluated recovery and fate of tumor (TEX)
      and exogenous Exo in syngeneic and xenogeneic mice bearing a murine or a human
      pancreatic adenocarcinoma. A significant increase in serum (S)-TEX was observed 2
      weeks after tumor cell application. Instead, S-TEX declined within 3-6 days after
      tumor excision. Intravenously injected dye-labeled TEX were rapidly cleared from
      the serum. Partly being degraded in the liver, the majority is taken-up by PBL,
      liver, bone marrow and lung cells. In the tumor-bearing host TEX persisted longer
      becoming enriched in tumor cells and metastatic organs. Accordingly, an antibody
      blockade of a TEX marker hampered disseminated tumor cell settlement in selected
      organs. In brief, a tumor marker panel appears suited for S-TEX recovery. In
      murine models, S-TEX are qualified for therapy control and follow-up studies.
      Despite rapid clearance from the serum, Exo uptake by host cells is most
      promising for tailored Exo as drug transporter.

PMID- 28619526
TI  - Auto-induction of Pichia pastoris AOX1 promoter for membrane protein expression.
AB  - Pichia pastoris is a highly successful recombinant protein expression system due
      to its ability to quickly generate large quantities of recombinant proteins in
      simple media. P. pastoris has been used to successfully generate milligram
      quantities of many important human membrane proteins, including G-protein coupled
      receptors, ion channels, and transporters, which are becoming increasingly
      important therapeutic targets. Despite these successes, protein expression in P.
      pastoris is still cumbersome due to a need to change growth media from glycerol
      media to methanol induction media, which minimizes inhibition of the AOX1
      promoter by residual glycerol. Taking advantage of this behavior of the AOX1
      promoter, we developed Buffered extra-YNB Glycerol Methanol (BYGM) auto-induction
      media (100 mM potassium phosphate pH 6.0, 2.68% w/v YNB, 0.4% v/v glycerol, 0.5%
      v/v methanol, and 8 * 10-5% w/v biotin) which not only simplified the protein
      expression process, but also optimized protein expression levels in P. pastoris.
      We successfully used this auto-induction method to overexpress the target in both
      MutS and Mut+ strains. Moreover, we show that this method can facilitate
      screening high-expressing clones, as well as enable parallel protein production
      in P. pastoris.

PMID- 28619527
TI  - Expression of full-length HER2 protein in Sf9 insect cells and its presentation
      on the surface of budded virus-like particles.
AB  - Biomarkers of cancer are often glycosylated membrane receptor proteins present on
      the cellular surface. In order to develop new antibodies for cancer diagnostics
      or treatment, it is a main pre-requisite that these target proteins are available
      in a native conformation. However, membrane receptor proteins are notoriously
      difficult to produce due to their hydrophobic nature and complex architecture.
      Here, we used the baculovirus-insect cell expression system to produce budded
      virus-like particles (VLPs) as the scaffold for the presentation of complex
      membrane proteins. Since the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is
      known to be overexpressed in a number of cancers it was chosen as model for a
      tumor antigen. VLPs displaying full-length HER2 on the surface were produced in
      Spodoptera frugiperda 9 (Sf9) insect cells and purified by sucrose gradient
      ultracentrifugation. The number of secreted particles was quantified by
      nanoparticle tracking analysis. To confirm the presence of HER2 protein on the
      surface, VLPs were labeled with gold-conjugated antibodies and analyzed by
      transmission electron microscopy. Functionality of displayed HER2 was
      investigated by ELISA and a newly established biolayer interferometry based
      technique. Detection was accomplished using the specific monoclonal antibody
      Herceptin and filamentous phages displaying a single-chain variable fragment of
      an anti-HER2 antibody. Significant stronger binding of Herceptin and anti-HER2
      phages to HER2-displaying VLPs as compared to control VLPs was demonstrated.
      Thus, we suggest that Sf9 insect cells are highly feasible for the fast and easy
      production of various budded VLPs that serve as a platform for full-length
      membrane receptor presentation.

PMID- 28619528
TI  - Ineffective cough and mechanical mucociliary clearance techniques.
AB  - Cough is a fundamental defense mechanism for keeping the airway free of foreign
      elements. Life-threatening situations may arise when cough proves ineffective as
      a result of muscle weakness or altered mucociliary function. When a patient is
      unable to cough effectively, techniques are required to either reinforce or
      replace cough capacity. The use of mechanical systems that facilitate or
      substitute cough function is increasingly common in Intensive Care Units, where
      it is relatively frequent to find situations of ineffective cough due to
      different clinical causes. This review examines the current clinical practice
      recommendations referred to the indication and use of mechanical cough assist and
      intrapulmonary percussive ventilation systems.

PMID- 28619530
TI  - Neural networks underlying language and social cognition during self-other
      processing in Autism spectrum disorders.
AB  - The social communication impairments defining autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may
      be built upon core deficits in perspective-taking, language processing, and self
      other representation. Self-referential processing entails the ability to
      incorporate self-awareness, self-judgment, and self-memory in information
      processing. Very few studies have examined the neural bases of integrating self
      other representation and semantic processing in individuals with ASD. The main
      objective of this functional MRI study is to examine the role of language and
      social brain networks in self-other processing in young adults with ASD. Nineteen
      high-functioning male adults with ASD and 19 age-sex-and-IQ-matched typically
      developing (TD) control participants made "yes" or "no" judgments of whether an
      adjective, presented visually, described them (self) or their favorite teacher
      (other). Both ASD and TD participants showed significantly increased activity in
      the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) during self and other processing relative to
      letter search. Analyses of group differences revealed significantly reduced
      activity in left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG), and left inferior parietal lobule
      (LIPL) in ASD participants, relative to TD controls. ASD participants also showed
      significantly weaker functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex
      (ACC) with several brain areas while processing self-related words. The LIFG and
      IPL are important regions functionally at the intersection of language and social
      roles; reduced recruitment of these regions in ASD participants may suggest poor
      level of semantic and social processing. In addition, poor connectivity of the
      ACC may suggest the difficulty in meeting the linguistic and social demands of
      this task in ASD. Overall, this study provides new evidence of the altered
      recruitment of the neural networks underlying language and social cognition in
      ASD.

PMID- 28619529
TI  - On the partnership between neural representations of object categories and visual
      features in the ventral visual pathway.
AB  - A dominant view in the cognitive neuroscience of object vision is that regions of
      the ventral visual pathway exhibit some degree of category selectivity. However,
      recent findings obtained with multivariate pattern analyses (MVPA) suggest that
      apparent category selectivity in these regions is dependent on more basic visual
      features of stimuli. In which case a rethinking of the function and organization
      of the ventral pathway may be in order. We suggest that addressing this issue of
      functional specificity requires clear coding hypotheses, about object category
      and visual features, which make contrasting predictions about neuroimaging
      results in ventral pathway regions. One way to differentiate between categorical
      and featural coding hypotheses is to test for residual categorical effects:
      effects of category selectivity that cannot be accounted for by visual features
      of stimuli. A strong method for testing these effects, we argue, is to make
      object category and target visual features orthogonal in stimulus design. Recent
      studies that adopt this approach support a feature-based categorical coding
      hypothesis according to which regions of the ventral stream do indeed code for
      object category, but in a format at least partially based on the visual features
      of stimuli.

PMID- 28619531
TI  - [Find your way in the jungle of mAbs].
AB  - The rapidly increasing number of approved monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and the
      huge number of mAbs in clinical development are a matter of concern for who wants
      to easily identify targets, indications, mechanisms of action and possible
      adverse effects. The current nomenclature being of limited interest, simple
      rationales will be presented for helping practitioners in rapidly classify mAbs
      depending on their structure-pharmacology relationship and in evaluating their
      potential effects, particularly in transfusion medicine.

PMID- 28619533
TI  - [Dyslipidemia management in patients with high cardiovascular risk in Spain. ALMA
      study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the attitude of primary care (PCPs) and specialized care
      (SCPs) physicians towards the general set of patients with dyslipidemia,
      particularly those with cardiovascular risk factors. DESIGN: Observational,
      descriptive, multi-center study based on a survey. LOCATION: Different healthcare
      regions in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: 1,402 PCPs, and 596 SCPs. MAIN MEASUREMENTS:
      Physician's profile, routine practices in the management of patients with
      dyslipidemia. RESULTS: 84.3% took the global cardiovascular risk into account
      when prescribing the treatment. Target LDL-C concentration in patients without
      cardiovascular risk factors was <130mg/dL and <160mg/dL for 51.9% and 29.0% of
      physicians, respectively. In smokers and patients with hypertension or diabetes,
      the LDL target was <100mg/dL for 49-55% of physicians, whereas in patients with
      cardiovascular complication, ischemic cardiopathy or stroke, target LDL-C was
      <70mg/dL in 71-88% of them. First-line treatment for patients without
      cardiovascular risk factors was atorvastatin (66%), whereas in patients with
      diabetes, kidney disease or metabolic syndrome, most physicians (80-89%) used
      pitavastatin. SCPs showed a greater trend than PCPs to establish a LDL-C target
      of <70mg/dL in patients with previous stroke (77.5% vs 66.8%) or coronary disease
      (92.1% vs 80.6%) (P<.0001), as well as to prescribe a combined treatment in
      patients not achieving the target LDL-C concentrations (58.1% vs 50.2%, P=.0013).
      CONCLUSIONS: Although CVR assessment is generally accepted, there is broad
      disagreement in defining the objectives of LDL-C. Most often than PCPs, the SCPs
      consider more ambitious targets for LDL-C and the association of lipid-lowering
      drugs.

PMID- 28619532
TI  - Major Physical Health Conditions and Risk of Suicide.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Most individuals make healthcare visits before suicide, but many do
      not have a diagnosed mental health condition. This study seeks to investigate
      suicide risk among patients with a range of physical health conditions in a U.S.
      general population sample and whether risk persists after adjustment for mental
      health and substance use diagnoses. METHODS: This study included 2,674
      individuals who died by suicide between 2000 and 2013 along with 267,400 controls
      matched on year and location in a case-control study conducted in 2016 across
      eight Mental Health Research Network healthcare systems. A total of 19 physical
      health conditions were identified using diagnostic codes within the healthcare
      systems' Virtual Data Warehouse, including electronic health record and insurance
      claims data, during the year before index date. RESULTS: Seventeen physical
      health conditions were associated with increased suicide risk after adjustment
      for age and sex (p<0.001); nine associations persisted after additional
      adjustment for mental health and substance use diagnoses. Three conditions had a
      more than twofold increased suicide risk: traumatic brain injury (AOR=8.80,
      p<0.001); sleep disorders; and HIV/AIDS. Multimorbidity was present in 38% of
      cases versus 15.5% of controls, and represented nearly a twofold increased risk
      for suicide. CONCLUSIONS: Although several individual conditions, for example,
      traumatic brain injury, were associated with high risk of suicide, nearly all
      physical health conditions increased suicide risk, even after adjustment for
      potential confounders. In addition, having multiple physical health conditions
      increased suicide risk substantially. These data support suicide prevention based
      on the overall burden of physical health.

PMID- 28619534
TI  - Cryptochrome photoreceptors in green algae: Unexpected versatility of mechanisms
      and functions.
AB  - Green algae have a highly complex and diverse set of cryptochrome photoreceptor
      candidates including members of the following subfamilies: plant, plant-like,
      animal-like, DASH and cryptochrome photolyase family 1 (CPF1). While some green
      algae encode most or all of them, others lack certain members. Here we present an
      overview about functional analyses of so far investigated cryptochrome
      photoreceptors from the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (plant and animal
      like cryptochromes) and Ostreococcus tauri (CPF1) with regard to their biological
      significance and spectroscopic properties. Cryptochromes of both algae have been
      demonstrated recently to be involved to various extents in circadian clock
      regulation and in Chlamydomonas additionally in life cycle control. Moreover,
      CPF1 even performs light-driven DNA repair. The plant cryptochrome and CPF1 are
      UVA/blue light receptors, whereas the animal-like cryptochrome responds to almost
      the whole visible spectrum including red light. Accordingly, plant cryptochrome,
      animal-like cryptochrome and CPF1 differ fundamentally in their structural
      response to light as revealed by their visible and infrared spectroscopic
      signatures, and in the role of the flavin neutral radical acting as dark form or
      signaling state.

PMID- 28619535
TI  - Evolution and regulation of Bigelowiella natans light-harvesting antenna system.
AB  - Bigelowiella natans is a mixotrophic flagellate and member of the
      chlorarachniophytes (Rhizaria), whose plastid is derived from a green algal
      endosymbiont. With the completion of the B. natans nuclear genome we are able to
      begin the analysis of the structure, function and evolution of the photosynthetic
      apparatus. B. natans has undergone substantial changes in photosystem structure
      during the evolution of the plastid from a green alga. While Photosystem II
      (PSII) composition is well conserved, Photosystem I (PSI) composition has
      undergone a dramatic reduction in accessory protein subunits. Coinciding with
      these changes, there was a loss of green algal LHCI orthologs while the PSII-like
      antenna system has the expected green algal-like proteins (encoded by genes
      Lhcbm1-8, Lhcb4). There are also a collection of LHCX-like proteins, which are
      commonly associated with stramenopiles and other eukaryotes with red-algal
      derived plastids, along with two other unique classes of LHCs- LHCY and LHCZ-
      whose function remains cryptic. To understand the regulation of the LHC gene
      family as an initial probe of function, we conducted an RNA-seq experiment under
      a short-term, high-light (HL) and low-light stress. The most abundant LHCII
      transcript (Lhcbm6) plus two other LHCBM types (Lhcbm1, 2) were down regulated
      under HL and up-regulated following a shift to very-low light (VL), as is common
      in antenna specializing in light harvesting. Many of the other LHCII and LHCY
      genes had a small, but significant increase in HL and most were only moderately
      affected under VL. The LHCX and LHCZ genes, however, had a strong up-regulation
      under HL-stress and most declined under VL, suggesting that they primarily have a
      role in photoprotection. This contrasts to the LHCY family that is only
      moderately responsive to light and a much higher basal level of expression,
      despite being within the LHCSR/LHCX clade. The expression of LHCX/Z proteins
      under HL-stress may be related to the induction of long-term, non-photochemical
      quenching mechanisms.

PMID- 28619536
TI  - Discovery of the selective sphingomyelin synthase 2 inhibitors with the novel
      structure of oxazolopyridine.
AB  - Sphingomyelin synthase (SMS) is a key enzyme in sphingomyelin biosynthetic
      pathway, whose activity is highly related to the atherosclerosis progression.
      SMS2 could serve as a promising therapeutic target for atherosclerosis. Based on
      the structure of lead compound D2, a series of oxazolopyridine derivatives were
      designed, synthesized, and their inhibitory activities against purified SMS1 and
      SMS2 enzymes were evaluated respectively. The representative molecules QY4 and
      QY16 possess micromolar inhibitory activities against SMS2 and excellent isoform
      preferences over SMS1, qualified to be selected as potential molecules in further
      discovery of specific SMS2 inhibitors.

PMID- 28619537
TI  - Synthesis and biological evaluation of caffeic acid derivatives as potent
      inhibitors of alpha-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis.
AB  - We have disclosed our effort to develop caffeic acid derivatives as potent and
      non-toxic inhibitors of alpha-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis to treat pigmentation
      disorders and skin medication including a cosmetic skin-whitening agent. The SAR
      studies revealed that cyclohexyl ester and secondary amide derivatives of caffeic
      acid showed significant inhibitory activities.

PMID- 28619538
TI  - Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-(2
      [18F]fluoroethoxy)benzothiazole ([18F]FEDBT) for PET imaging of breast cancer.
AB  - Given the ever-present demand for improved PET radiotracer in oncology imaging,
      we have synthesized 2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-(2-[18F]fluoroethoxy)benzothiazole
      ([18F]FEDBT), a fluorine-18-containing fluoroethylated benzothiazole to explore
      its utility as a PET imaging tracer. [18F]FEDBT was prepared via kryptofix
      mediated nucleophilic substitution of the tosyl group precursor. Fractionated
      ethanol-based solid-phase (SPE cartridge-based) purification afforded [18F]FEDBT
      in 60% radiochemical yield (EOB), with radiochemical purity in excess of 98% and
      the specific activity was 35GBq/MUmol. The radiotracer displayed clearly higher
      cellular uptake ratio in various breast cancer cell lines MCF7, MDA-MB-468 and
      MDA-MB-231. However, both biodistribution and microPET studies have showed an
      higher abdominal accumulation of [18F]FEDMBT and the tumor/muscle ratio of 1.8
      was observed in the MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors mice model. Further the
      lipophilic improvement is needed for the reducement of hepatobilliary
      accumulation and to promote the tumor uptake for PET imaging of breast cancer.

PMID- 28619539
TI  - Systemic Immunological changes in patients with distinct clinical outcomes during
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The lung lesions in an individual infected with tuberculosis (TB) are
      surprisingly variable and independent of each other. However, there is no
      circulating biomarker yet able to segregate patients according to the extent of
      lung lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the phenotypic and functional
      profile of leukocytes of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and
      controls (CO) were fully scrutinized by immunophenotyping assays and in vitro
      short-term whole blood culture. The TB group was subdivided according to the
      extent of lung lesions as unilateral (UNI) and bilateral (BI). RESULTS: The
      results show that TB group display an altered leukocyte profile in the peripheral
      blood with significant lower counts of NK-cells, CD3+CD56+CD16+/- NKT-cells,
      CD4+T-cells, CD19+B-cells when compared to CO. Increased CD4+T-cells and CD8+T
      cell activation was observed by the upregulation of activation markers (HLA-DR)
      as well as of chemokine receptors (CCR2, CCR3, and CXCR4). In addition, TB group
      presented a significant decrease proportion of CD14LowCD16+ monocytes despite the
      increase in HLA-DR expression. Regarding the severity of the disease, in the BI
      group a reduction in frequency of CD19+CD5+ B-cells and expression of HLA-DR in
      CD14LowCD16+ monocytes was observed. Furthermore, the extent of lung lesions
      influences the production of molecules as observed by significantly larger
      production of IL-4 by neutrophils, total T-cells, CD4+T-cells, CD8+T-cells and
      CD19+B-cells in UNI as compared to BI. By contrast, in BI group the frequency of
      high producers of both IL-17+CD4+T-cells and IL-17+CD8+T-cells were significantly
      increased than UNI, suggesting the deleterious role of these subsets during
      active pulmonary Mtb infection. CONCLUSION: The immunophenotypic characterization
      of unilateral and bilateral active TB performed in the present study indicates
      that the extent of lung lesion could be associated with a fine-tuning between
      immunological responses during untreated Mtb infection.

PMID- 28619540
TI  - Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Thymectomy Versus Sternotomy Thymectomy in
      Patients With Thymoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of video-assisted
      thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and to compare the oncologic outcomes of VATS with
      those of sternotomy in patients with thymoma. METHODS: The clinical outcomes of
      2,835 patients with thymic epithelial tumors treated between 1991 and 2010 in 32
      Japanese institutions were collected retrospectively. The study compared
      postoperative complications, positive surgical margins, location of recurrence,
      and survival in 140 of 142 VATS-treated patients (VATS group) matched with 140 of
      1,294 sternotomy-treated patients (ST group) by using propensity scores. RESULTS:
      Postoperative complications were observed in 8 patients in the VATS group. The
      morbidity rate in the VATS group was not different from that of the ST group (p =
      0.25). Positive surgical margins were noted in 4 patients (3 in the VATS group; 1
      in the ST group). There was no statistically significant difference in the
      recurrence rate between groups (median follow-up period: 3.7 years in the VATS
      group; 5.2 years in the ST group). In total the most frequent site of recurrence
      was pleural dissemination. In the VATS group, the 5-year recurrence-free survival
      rate was 93.8%, and the 5-year overall survival rate was 97.9%. There was no
      difference in the recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates between the
      VATS group and the ST group (p = 0.91 and p = 0.74, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:
      VATS thymectomy was feasible and comparable to sternotomy for the treatment of
      patients with thymoma with regard to morbidity, incomplete resection rate, and
      prognosis. However, additional follow-up is required to evaluate long-term
      outcomes.

PMID- 28619542
TI  - Development of a Multidisciplinary Program to Expedite Care of Esophageal
      Emergencies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Level 1 programs have improved outcomes by expediting the
      multidisciplinary care of critically ill patients. We established a novel level 1
      program for the management of esophageal emergencies. METHODS: After
      institutional review board approval, we performed a retrospective analysis of
      patients referred to our level 1 esophageal emergency program from April 2013
      through November 2015. A historical comparison group of patients treated for the
      same diagnosis in the previous 2 years was used. RESULTS: Eighty patients were
      referred and transported an average distance of 56 miles (range, 1-163 miles).
      Median time from referral to arrival was 2.4 hours (range, 0.4-12.9 hours).
      Referrals included 6 (7%) patients with esophageal obstruction and 71 (89%)
      patients with suspected esophageal perforation. Of the patients with suspected
      esophageal perforation, causes included iatrogenic (n = 26), Boerhaave's syndrome
      (n = 32), and other (n = 13). Forty-six percent (n = 33) of patients were
      referred because of pneumomediastinum, but perforation could not be subsequently
      demonstrated. Initial management of patients with documented esophageal
      perforation included operative treatment (n = 25), endoscopic intervention (n =
      8), and supportive care (n = 5). Retrospective analysis demonstrated a
      statistically significant difference in mean Pittsburgh severity index score
      (PSS) between esophageal perforation treatment groups (p < 0.01). In patients
      with confirmed perforations, there were 3 (8%) mortalities within 30 days. More
      patients in the esophageal level 1 program were transferred to our institution in
      less than 24 hours after diagnosis than in the historical comparison group (p <
      0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Development of an esophageal emergency referral program has
      facilitated multidisciplinary care at a high-volume institution, and early
      outcomes appear favorable.

PMID- 28619541
TI  - Can Renal Resistive Index Predict Acute Kidney Injury After Acute Type A Aortic
      Dissection Repair?
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study sought to determine whether assessment of the renal
      resistive index (RRI) can predict the short-term reversibility of acute kidney
      injury (AKI) after repair of acute type A aortic dissection (TAAD). METHODS: This
      prospective study included 62 patients undergoing repair of acute TAAD. Doppler
      based RRIs were obtained preoperatively, immediately after the surgical
      procedure, and 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. The occurrence of AKI was
      evaluated daily according to Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria. Persistent AKI
      was defined as AKI lasting longer than 3 days. The association between the
      maximum RRI level at different time points and persistent AKI was analyzed by the
      receiver-operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients, 22 (35.5%)
      had no AKI, 21 (33.9%) had transient AKI, and 19 (30.6%) had persistent AKI. The
      maximum RRI was 0.67 +/- 0.03 (0.62 to 0.71), 0.71 +/- 0.05 (0.59 to 0.79), and
      0.78 +/- 0.05 (0.70 to 0.92) in the no AKI, transient AKI, and persistent AKI
      groups, respectively. The maximum level of RRI was significantly correlated with
      that of SCr during the first 48 hours postoperatively (rho = 0.606; p < 0.001).
      RRI could predict persistent AKI with an area under the receiver-operating
      characteristic curve of 0.918 (95% confidence interval, 0.850 to 0.986; p <
      0.001). A postoperative RRI of 0.725 or higher was a marker for early detection
      of persistent AKI with high sensitivity and specificity (94.7% and 72.1%,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated maximum RRI may be a predictor of
      persistent AKI after repair of acute TAAD. This is helpful for management
      decision making and improving the prognosis of patients with AKI.

PMID- 28619543
TI  - Circumferential Three-Dimensional-Printed Tracheal Grafts: Research Model
      Feasibility and Early Results.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Methods for tracheal graft research have presented persistent
      challenges to investigators, and three-dimensional (3D)-printed biosynthetic
      grafts offer one potential development platform. We aimed to develop an efficient
      research platform for customizable circumferential 3D-printed tracheal grafts and
      evaluate feasibility and early structural integrity with a large-animal model.
      METHODS: Virtual 3D models of porcine subject tracheas were generated using
      preoperative computed tomography scans. Two designs were used to test graft
      customizability and the limits of the construction process. Designs I and II used
      270-degree and 360-degree external polycaprolactone scaffolds, respectively, both
      encompassing a circumferential extracellular matrix collagen layer. The
      polycaprolactone scaffolds were made in a fused-deposition modeling 3D printer
      and customized to the recipient's anatomy. Design I was implanted in 3 pigs and
      design II in 2 pigs, replacing 4-ring tracheal segments. Data collected included
      details of graft construction, clinical outcomes, bronchoscopy, and gross and
      histologic examination. RESULTS: The 3D-printed biosynthetic grafts were produced
      with high fidelity to the native organ. The fabrication process took 36 hours.
      Grafts were implanted without immediate complication. Bronchoscopy immediately
      postoperatively and at 1 week demonstrated patent grafts and appropriate healing.
      All animals lived beyond a predetermined 1-week survival period. Bronchoscopy at
      2 weeks showed significant paraanastomotic granulation tissue, which, along with
      partial paraanastomotic epithelialization, was confirmed on pathology. Overall
      survival was 17 to 34 days. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a rapid, reproducible,
      resource efficient method to develop various anatomically precise grafts. Further
      graft refinement and strategies for granulation tissue management are needed to
      improve outcomes.

PMID- 28619544
TI  - Changes in Tracheostomy- and Intubation-Related Tracheal Stenosis: Implications
      for Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study sought to identify the changing characteristic patterns
      and locations of stenosis after tracheostomy or intubation and to assess the risk
      factors associated with perioperative complication and restenosis after primary
      resection and reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed
      (January /2012 to March 2015) on patients treated at the University of Arizona
      Medical Center (Tucson, Arizona) who had symptomatic tracheal stenosis secondary
      to prolonged intubation or tracheostomy. Data on demographics, surgical approach,
      and outcome were obtained. Analysis was performed using the chi2 test, Kaplan
      Meier estimate of survival, Cox proportional hazards survival analysis, and
      univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients
      were referred for surgical resection, and 36 patients underwent primary resection
      and reconstruction; 72% of patients had previous endobronchial treatments for
      stenosis. Fourteen patients had postintubation tracheal stenosis, and 22 had
      tracheostomy-related stenosis (16 percutaneous, 6 open tracheostomy). Among all
      patients, 52.8% had stenosis proximal to or involving the cricoid; 72.7% of
      patients with tracheostomy-related stenosis had stenosis at or proximal to the
      cricoid, whereas only 21.4% of the patients with intubation-related stenosis had
      a similar location. Nineteen patients underwent laryngotracheal resection, and 17
      patients had tracheal resection. The mean length of resection was 3.6 cm. A body
      mass index greater than 35 was associated with increased perioperative
      complications (p = 0.012). In multivariate analysis, patients younger than 30
      years of age at operation had an increased relative risk of recurrence.
      CONCLUSIONS: Recent advances in percutaneous tracheostomy have increased the
      numbers of patients presenting with proximal tracheal stenosis, thus
      necessitating more complex subglottic resection and reconstruction. The
      anastomotic and overall complication rate remains low despite these more complex
      operations.

PMID- 28619546
TI  - Screening in Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH).
AB  - : Screening for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) is a controversial
      subject. Screening may be by universal neonatal clinical examination (Ortolani or
      Barlow manoeuvres) with the addition of sonographic imaging of the hip (selective
      'at risk' hips or universal screening in the neonate). In the UK, the NIPE
      guidelines recommend universal neonatal clinical assessment of the hip joints, a
      General Practitioner 6-8 week clinical 'hip check' and assessment clinically with
      sonographic imaging at 4-6 weeks for certain 'at risk' hips for pathological DDH.
      The effectiveness and difficulties arising from the UK current screening policy
      (clinical and sonographic) are highlighted. The purpose of the review was to
      assess the risk factors and efficacy of diagnostic methods in DDH, based on
      longitudinal cohort studies of 10 years or more. CONCLUSION: Hip screening in DDH
      does not meet most of the World Health Organisation's criteria for an effective
      screening programme and should only be considered as surveillance due to its low
      sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV). There is a significant risk of
      over diagnosis and over treatment. There is no International consensus on
      screening in DDH. Pathological DDH is mainly a female condition and 'at
      risk'/General Practitioner screening identifies few pathological cases in male
      subjects. The General Practitioner 6-8 week 'hip check' has a very low PPV for
      pathological DDH and is of doubtful value in screening and diagnosis. Unilateral
      limitation of hip abduction is a time dependent and useful clinical sign in the
      diagnosis of pathological DDH. The majority of the previously considered 'at
      risk' factors are not true risk factors with little or no association with
      pathological DDH.

PMID- 28619545
TI  - Blast-related disinhibition and risk seeking in mice and combat Veterans:
      Potential role for dysfunctional phasic dopamine release.
AB  - Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) caused by exposure to high explosives has been
      called the "signature injury" of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a
      wide array of chronic neurological and behavioral symptoms associated with blast
      induced mTBI. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here we
      used a battlefield-relevant mouse model of blast-induced mTBI and in vivo fast
      scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) to investigate whether the mesolimbic dopamine
      system contributes to the mechanisms underlying blast-induced behavioral
      dysfunction. In mice, blast exposure increased novelty seeking, a behavior
      closely associated with disinhibition and risk for subsequent maladaptive
      behaviors. In keeping with this, we found that veterans with blast-related mTBI
      reported greater disinhibition and risk taking on the Frontal Systems Behavior
      Scale (FrSBe). In addition, in mice we report that blast exposure causes
      potentiation of evoked phasic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Taken
      together these findings suggest that blast-induced changes in the dopaminergic
      system may mediate aspects of the complex array of behavioral dysfunctions
      reported in blast-exposed veterans.

PMID- 28619547
TI  - A systematic review of the management and outcome of ERCP related duodenal
      perforations using a standardized classification system.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The incidence of duodenal perforation after ERCP ranges from 0.09%
      to 1.67% and mortality up to 8%. METHODS: This systematic review was registered
      in Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, PROSPERO. Stapfer classification
      of ERCP-related duodenal perforations was used. RESULTS: The systematic search
      yielded 259 articles. Most frequent post-ERCP perforation was Stapfer type II
      (58.4%), type I second most frequent perforation (17.8%) followed by Stapfer type
      III in 13.2% and type IV in 10.6%. Rate of NOM was lowest in Stapfer type I
      perforations (13%), moderate in type III lesions (58.1%) and high in other types
      of perforations (84.2% in type II and 84.6% in IV). In patients underwent early
      surgical treatment (<24 h from ERCP) the most frequent operation was simple
      duodenal suture with or without omentopexy (93.7%). In patients undergoing late
      surgical treatment (>24 h from ERCP) interventions performed were more complex.
      In type I lesions post-operative mortality rate was higher in patients underwent
      late operation (>24 h). In type I lesions, failure of NOM occurred in 42.8% of
      patients. In type II failure of NOM occurred in 28.9% of patients and in type III
      there was failure of NOM in only 11.1%, none in type IV. Postoperative mortality
      after NOM failure was 75% in type I, 22.5% in type II and none died after
      surgical treatment for failure of NOM in type III perforations. CONCLUSIONS: This
      systematic review showed that in patients with Stapfer type I lesions, early
      surgical treatment gives better results, however the opposite seems true in
      Stapfer III and IV lesions.

PMID- 28619549
TI  - Fetal exposure to lead during pregnancy and the risk of preterm and early-term
      deliveries.
AB  - Studies have reported the association between lead exposure during pregnancy and
      preterm birth. However, findings are still inconsistent. This prospective birth
      cohort study evaluated the risks of preterm and early-term births and its
      association with prenatal lead exposure in Hubei, China. A total of 7299 pregnant
      women were selected from the Healthy Baby Cohort. Maternal urinary lead levels
      were measured by the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The
      associations between tertiles of urinary lead levels and the risks of preterm and
      early-term deliveries were assessed using multiple logistic regression models.
      The geometric mean of creatinine-adjusted urinary lead concentrations among all
      participating mothers, preterm birth, and early-term birth were 3.19, 3.68, and
      3.17MUg/g creatinine, respectively. A significant increase in the risk of preterm
      births was associated with the highest urinary lead tertile after adjusting for
      confounders with odds ratio (OR) of 1.96. The association was more pronounced
      among 25-36 years old mothers with OR of 2.03. Though significant p trends were
      observed between lead exposure (medium and high tertiles) and the risk of early
      term births, their ORs were not significant. Our findings indicate that the risk
      of preterm birth might increase with higher fetal lead exposure, particularly
      among women between the age of 25 and 36 years.

PMID- 28619550
TI  - New discoveries in the pathogenesis and classification of vitiligo.
AB  - Vitiligo is a common autoimmune disease that progressively destroys melanocytes
      in the skin, resulting in the appearance of patchy depigmentation. This
      disfiguring condition frequently affects the face and other visible areas of the
      body, which can be psychologically devastating. The onset of vitiligo often
      occurs in younger individuals and progresses for life, resulting in a heavy
      burden of disease and decreased quality of life. Presentation patterns of
      vitiligo vary, and recognition of these patterns provides both diagnostic and
      prognostic clues. Recent insights into disease pathogenesis offer a better
      understanding of the natural history of the disease, its associations, and
      potential for future treatments. The first article in this continuing medical
      education series outlines typical and atypical presentations of vitiligo, how
      they reflect disease activity, prognosis, and response to treatment. Finally, we
      discuss disease associations, risk factors, and our current understanding of
      disease pathogenesis.

PMID- 28619548
TI  - Review: Emerging concepts in the pathogenesis of tendinopathy.
AB  - Tendinopathy is a common clinical problem and has a significant disease burden
      attached, not only in terms of health care costs, but also for patients directly
      in terms of time off work and impact upon quality of life. Controversy surrounds
      the pathogenesis of tendinopathy, however the recent systematic analysis of the
      evidence has demonstrated that many of the claims of an absence of inflammation
      in tendinopathy were more based around belief than robust scientific data. This
      review is a summary of the emerging research in this topical area, with a
      particular focus on the role of neuronal regulation and inflammation in
      tendinopathy.

PMID- 28619551
TI  - Evidence-based recommendations for the management of acne fulminans and its
      variants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acne fulminans (AF) is a severe variant of inflammatory acne. It
      typically manifests as an explosive worsening and ulceration of skin lesions, and
      can be associated with systemic symptoms. However, there is a paucity of evidence
      based information and no clear guidelines concerning the classification and
      treatment of AF. OBJECTIVE: To better define the spectrum of AF and its variants,
      devise optimal therapeutic approaches, and identify areas of future research.
      METHODS: A panel of physicians with expertise in severe acne vulgaris was
      convened after a comprehensive literature review of severe acne variants.
      Priority topics were reviewed and presented by each panelist at a 5-hour
      conference. Following review of the audiotape and scribed notes from the
      conference, surveys were utilized to address points of controversy and to clarify
      consensus recommendations. RESULTS: Appropriate clinical case presentations and
      consensus survey questions were utilized to create final recommendations based on
      both the literature and the expert consensus. LIMITATIONS: Limited evidenced
      based data and prospective studies in the literature concerning the treatment of
      AF is available. CONCLUSION: These guidelines better characterize AF and provide
      health care practitioners approaches to the classification, treatment, and
      prevention of AF and its variants.

PMID- 28619552
TI  - Surgical outcomes of patients on isotretinoin in the perioperative period: A
      single-center, retrospective analysis.

PMID- 28619553
TI  - Methotrexate treatment in patients with a history of cutaneous melanoma and the
      risk of a consecutive primary melanoma: A national retrospective registry-based
      cohort study.

PMID- 28619554
TI  - A prospective evaluation of the candle wax sign: A visual clue to diagnose
      aggressive basal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28619555
TI  - Optimal time to provide skin cancer and photoprotection education to pediatric
      solid organ transplant recipients.

PMID- 28619556
TI  - Topical Janus kinase inhibitors for the treatment of pediatric alopecia areata.

PMID- 28619557
TI  - Current and emerging treatments for vitiligo.
AB  - Clinicians should be aware that vitiligo is not merely a cosmetic disease and
      that there are safe and effective treatments available for vitiligo. It is
      important to recognize common and uncommon presentations and those with active
      disease, as well as their implications for clinical management; these were
      discussed in the first article in this continuing medical education series.
      Existing treatments include topical and systemic immunosuppressants,
      phototherapy, and surgical techniques, which together may serve to halt disease
      progression, stabilize depigmented lesions, and encourage repigmentation. We
      discuss how to optimize the currently available treatments and highlight emerging
      treatments that may improve treatment efficacy in the future.

PMID- 28619558
TI  - Systematic review and quality analysis of studies on the efficacy of topical
      diphenylcyclopropenone treatment for alopecia areata.

PMID- 28619559
TI  - Unusual patterns of presentation of frontal fibrosing alopecia: A clinical and
      trichoscopic analysis of 98 patients.

PMID- 28619560
TI  - Rotterdam criteria-based diagnostic subtype is not a strong predictor of
      cutaneous phenotype in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A cross-sectional
      study.

PMID- 28619561
TI  - Risk of Alzheimer's disease is not increased among patients with hidradenitis
      suppurativa: A retrospective population-based cohort analysis.

PMID- 28619562
TI  - Apremilast treatment of atopic dermatitis and other chronic eczematous
      dermatoses.

PMID- 28619563
TI  - Ethnicity affects the presenting severity of psoriasis.

PMID- 28619564
TI  - Clinical registries: Should physicians accept payments for enrolling patients?

PMID- 28619565
TI  - Commentary: Clinical registries: The good, the bad, and the ugly.

PMID- 28619566
TI  - Comorbidities in patients with psoriasis: The role of the dermatologist.

PMID- 28619567
TI  - Beyond JAAD July 2017: Articles of interest to dermatologists from the
      nondermatologic literature.

PMID- 28619569
TI  - Imprinting lesion size and surgical margins to facilitate patient education.

PMID- 28619570
TI  - Removal of large epidermoid cysts by use of a minimal-incision technique.

PMID- 28619571
TI  - Temporary application of transparent adhesive film dressing for the prevention of
      splash-back during local anesthetic administration in dermatologic surgery.

PMID- 28619572
TI  - Inaccuracies in SEER registry data on melanoma thickness.

PMID- 28619573
TI  - Reply to: "Inaccuracies in SEER registry data on melanoma thickness".

PMID- 28619575
TI  - Reduction of early nodules after injection of hyaluronic acid filler.

PMID- 28619576
TI  - Preapplication of white petroleum jelly to adjacent skin to prevent aluminum
      chloride-induced irritant dermatitis.

PMID- 28619577
TI  - Ingenol mebutate for the management of genital warts in sensitive anatomic
      locations.

PMID- 28619578
TI  - Analysis of Pressure Distribution During Direct Microlaryngoscopy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the pressure distribution during
      direct microlaryngoscopy and its relation with the positioning of the patient.
      STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective study in cadavers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      pressure distribution during direct microlaryngoscopy was investigated in five
      adult fresh cadavers by using matrix-based piezoresistive thin-film sensors. The
      pressure among three head and neck positions (extension-extension, neutral, and
      flexion-extension) was studied. RESULTS: The real-time pressure and its
      distribution were recorded as 3-D contours. The map commonly showed two peak
      pressure points, with one focused on the middle of the laryngoscope (peak
      pressure 1) and the other one focused on the distal part of the laryngoscope
      (peak pressure 2). The mean average pressure in this study was 38 +/- 13 kPa, and
      the flexion-extension position had the lowest average pressure and peak pressure.
      However, the average pressure and peak pressure 1 showed no significant
      difference among the three positions (P > 0.05); peak pressure 2 in the flexion
      extension position was significantly lower than that in the extension-extension
      position (P = 0.024) and the neutral position (P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The
      results of this study indicate that the flexion-extension position induced lower
      pressure exerted on the laryngoscope and is an optimal position for direct
      microlaryngoscopy. Hyoid bone may play an important role in the pressure exerted.

PMID- 28619580
TI  - Corrigendum to "MKP-1 negatively regulates LPS-mediated IL-1beta production
      through p38 activation and HIF-1alpha expression". (Cell Signal. 34 (1-10) (2017)
      Epub 2017 Feb 24).

PMID- 28619579
TI  - Recording sympathetic nerve activity from the skin.
AB  - Sympathetic tone is important in cardiac arrhythmogenesis; however, methods to
      estimate sympathetic tone are either invasive or require proper sinus node
      function that may be abnormal in disease states. Because of the direct and
      extensive connections among various nerve structures, it is possible for the
      sympathetic nerves in the various structures to activate simultaneously.
      Therefore, we hypothesized that nerve activity can be recorded from the skin and
      it can be used to estimate the cardiac sympathetic tone. Preclinical studies in
      canines demonstrated that nerve activity is detectable using conventional ECG
      electrodes and can be used to estimate cardiac sympathetic tone. Subsequent
      clinical studies further supported this concept. In addition to studying the
      autonomic mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmia, these new methods may have broad
      application in studying both cardiac and non-cardiac diseases.

PMID- 28619581
TI  - [Cardiovascular risk of smoking by gender].
AB  - In France, the increase in the prevalence of women's smoking has been major over
      the past 30 years. The consequences are a significant increase and an unusual
      precocity of all the women's cardiovascular (CV) pathologies (myocardial
      infarction, stroke and aortic pathologies). Associated factors (combined oral
      contraception, unequal distribution of other CV risk factors by sex) increase the
      CV impact of women's smoking. For the same tobacco use, women have a 25% higher
      risk of coronary heart disease than men. The risk awareness is lower in women
      than in men and medical management insufficient. For women, medications are more
      often needed to quit smoking. The medical management of women's smoking is a
      major public health priority.

PMID- 28619582
TI  - [Why I am an intern in occupational medicine and why I am delighted!]

PMID- 28619583
TI  - Trans-oesophageal echocardiography for acute systemic embolism: Check the heart
      don't forget the aorta.

PMID- 28619584
TI  - Application of C8 liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis
      of enniatins and bassianolides.
AB  - Several moderately pathogenic Fusarium species produce enniatins, a family of
      cyclohexadepsipeptides with insecticidal and phytotoxic activities. A semi
      targeted LC-MS/MS approach utilizing reversed-phase C8 UHPLC column
      chromatography that combines both product ion and neutral loss filtering was
      developed to detect enniatins and structurally-related compounds in a sample.
      Using this methodology, resolution of all major enniatins was achieved with a 6
      min LC run. From extracts of F. avenaceum, F. acuminatum and F. subglutinans, 23
      enniatins and 16 previously unreported bassianolide-like cyclooctadepsipeptides
      were detected. Enniatins B, B1, A1 and A were the most frequently detected
      enniatins from silage and inoculated maize. The newly discovered bassianolide
      compounds were also detected, in lesser amounts on inoculated maize and in
      naturally contaminated silage.

PMID- 28619586
TI  - Determination of acidity constants and prediction of electrophoretic separation
      of amyloid beta peptides.
AB  - In this paper we describe a strategy to estimate by CE the acidity constants
      (pKa) of complex polyprotic peptides from their building peptide fragments. CE
      has been used for the determination of the pKas of five short polyprotic peptides
      that cover all the sequence of amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides 1-40 and 1-42 (Abeta
      fragments 1-15, 10-20, 20-29, 25-35 and 33-42). First, the electrophoretic
      mobility (me) was measured as a function of pH of the background electrolyte
      (BGE) in the pH range 2-12 (bare fused silica capillary, I=25mM and T=25 degrees
      C). Second, the mes were fitted to equations modelling the ionisable behaviour of
      the different fragments as a function of pH to determine their pKas. The accuracy
      of the pKas was demonstrated predicting the electrophoretic behaviour of the
      studied fragments using the classical semiempirical relationships between me and
      peptide charge-to-mass ratio (me vs. q/Mr1/2, classical polymer model, q=charge
      and Mr=relative molecular mass). Separation selectivity in a mixture of the
      fragments as a function of pH was evaluated, taking into account the influence of
      the electroosmotic flow (EOF) at each pH value, and a method for the simple and
      rapid simulation of the electropherograms at the optimum separation pH was
      described. Finally, the pKas of the fragments were used to estimate the pKas of
      the Abeta peptides 1-40 and 1-42 (tC and D 3.1, E 4.6 and Y 10.8 for acidic amino
      acids and tN-D 8.6, H 6.0, K 10.6 and R 12.5 for basic amino acids), which were
      used to predict their behaviour and simulate their electropherograms with
      excellent results. However, as expected due to the very small differences on
      q/Mr1/2 values, separation resolution of their mixtures was poor over the whole
      pH range. The use of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) coated capillaries allowed
      reducing the EOF and a slight improvement of resolution.

PMID- 28619585
TI  - Sensitivity enhancement by chromatographic peak concentration with ultra-high
      performance liquid chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for
      minor impurity analysis.
AB  - High performance liquid chromatography can be coupled with nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to give a powerful analytical method known as liquid
      chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-NMR) spectroscopy, which can be
      used to determine the chemical structures of the components of complex mixtures.
      However, intrinsic limitations in the sensitivity of NMR spectroscopy have
      restricted the scope of this procedure, and resolving these limitations remains a
      critical problem for analysis. In this study, we coupled ultra-high performance
      liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with NMR to give a simple and versatile analytical
      method with higher sensitivity than conventional LC-NMR. UHPLC separation enabled
      the concentration of individual peaks to give a volume similar to that of the NMR
      flow cell, thereby maximizing the sensitivity to the theoretical upper limit. The
      UHPLC concentration of compound peaks present at typical impurity levels (5.0
      13.1 nmol) in a mixture led to at most three-fold increase in the signal-to-noise
      ratio compared with LC-NMR. Furthermore, we demonstrated the use of UHPLC-NMR for
      obtaining structural information of a minor impurity in a reaction mixture in
      actual laboratory-scale development of a synthetic process. Using UHPLC-NMR, the
      experimental run times for chromatography and NMR were greatly reduced compared
      with LC-NMR. UHPLC-NMR successfully overcomes the difficulties associated with
      analyses of minor components in a complex mixture by LC-NMR, which are
      problematic even when an ultra-high field magnet and cryogenic probe are used.

PMID- 28619587
TI  - Chemicalome and metabolome profiling of polymethoxylated flavonoids in Citri
      Reticulatae Pericarpium based on an integrated strategy combining background
      subtraction and modified mass defect filter in a Microsoft Excel Platform.
AB  - Detection of metabolites in complex biological matrixes is a great challenge
      because of the background noise and endogenous components. Herein, we proposed an
      integrated strategy that combined background subtraction program and modified
      mass defect filter (MMDF) data mining in a Microsoft Excel platform for
      chemicalome and metabolome profiling of the polymethoxylated flavonoids (PMFs) in
      Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP). The exogenously-sourced ions were firstly
      filtered out by the developed Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) program
      incorporated in the Microsoft Office. The novel MMDF strategy was proposed for
      detecting both target and untarget constituents and metabolites based on narrow,
      well-defined mass defect ranges. The approach was validated to be powerful, and
      potentially useful for the metabolite identification of both single compound and
      homologous compound mixture. We successfully identified 30 and 31 metabolites
      from rat biosamples after oral administration of nobiletin and tangeretin,
      respectively. A total of 56 PMFs compounds were chemically characterized and 125
      metabolites were captured. This work demonstrated the feasibility of the
      integrated approach for reliable characterization of the constituents and
      metabolites in herbal medicines.

PMID- 28619588
TI  - A system map for the ionic liquid stationary phase 1,12
      di(tripropylphosphonium)dodecane bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
      trifluoromethanesulfonate for gas chromatography.
AB  - The solvation parameter model is used to prepare a system map for the retention
      of volatile organic compounds on the ionic liquid stationary phase 1,12
      di(tripropylphosphonium)dodecane bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide
      trifluoromethanesulfonate (SLB-IL61) over the temperature range 80-260 degrees C.
      Retention is governed by dispersion, dipole-type and hydrogen-bonding
      interactions each with its own temperature dependence. The exchange of a
      bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion in SLB-IL60 for a
      trifluromethanesulfonate anion (SLB-IL61) results in a change in selectivity
      indicated by an increase in the hydrogen-bond basicity and a decrease in hydrogen
      bond acidity of the stationary phase without change in either the cohesion or
      dipolarity/polarizability of the stationary phases. At high temperatures there
      are small differences in electron lone pair interactions but these are relatively
      unimportant in terms of selectivity differences. Since the disclosed chemical
      structures for SLB-IL60 and SLB-IL61 does not contain obvious hydrogen-bond acid
      functional groups the modest hydrogen-bond acidity of these stationary phases was
      unexpected but does not appear to be obviously connected to adsorption sites at
      the column wall. The polarity number is shown to be a poor indicator of column
      retention properties for SLB-IL61. Principal component analysis with the system
      constants as variables indicates that the retention properties of SLB-IL61 are
      not duplicated by any of the common poly(siloxane) and poly(ethylene glycol)
      stationary phase chemistries in current use for column preparation. The SLB-IL61
      column is closest in separation properties to
      poly(cyanopropylphenyldimethylsiloxane) and
      poly(cyanopropylmethyldimethysiloxane) stationary phases with a high percentage
      of cyanopropyl-containing monomer but the two stationary phase types are not
      selectivity equivalent.

PMID- 28619589
TI  - Isolation of sutherlandins A, B, C and D from Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R. Br.
      by counter-current chromatography using spiral tubing support rotors.
AB  - Spiral countercurrent-chromatography has great potential for improving the
      capacity and efficiency of purification of secondary metabolites, and here we
      describe applications useful for the isolation of flavonoids from the widely used
      South African medicinal plant, Sutherlandia frutescens (L.) R. Br. In the spiral
      tubing support rotor, STS-4 for high-speed counter-current chromatography,
      several polar butanol aqueous solvent systems were selected using a logK plot,
      and the novel flavonol glycosides (sutherlandins A-D) were well separated by the
      optimized solvent system (ethyl acetate:n-butanol:acetic acid:water; 5:1:0.3:6 by
      vol.). The yield of purified flavonoids from 0.9g extract varied from 8.6mg to
      54mg of the sutherlandins for a total of 85.3mg. The same extract was
      fractionated in the new STS-12 rotor of the same outside dimensions but with more
      radial channels forming 12 loops of the tubing instead of 4. The rotor holds more
      layers and increased length of tubing. From 0.9g extract the STS-12 rotor yielded
      more recovery of 110.4mg total with amounts varying from 11.2mg to 64mg of the
      sutherlandins and apparent increased separation efficiency as noted by less
      volume of each fraction peak. Thus from 1-g amounts of extract, good recovery of
      the flavonoids was achieved in the butanol aqueous solvent system.

PMID- 28619590
TI  - Prototyping of thermoplastic microfluidic chips and their application in high
      performance liquid chromatography separations of small molecules.
AB  - The present paper discusses practical aspects of prototyping of microfluidic
      chips using cyclic olefin copolymer as substrate and the application in high
      performance liquid chromatography. The developed chips feature a 60mm long
      straight separation channel with circular cross section (500MUm i.d.) that was
      created using a micromilling robot. To irreversibly seal the top and bottom chip
      substrates, a solvent-vapor-assisted bonding approach was optimized, allowing to
      approximate the ideal circular channel geometry. Four different approaches to
      establish the micro-to-macro interface were pursued. The average burst pressure
      of the microfluidic chips in combination with an encasing holder was established
      at 38MPa and the maximum burst pressure was 47MPa, which is believed to be the
      highest ever report for these polymer-based microfluidic chips. Porous polymer
      monolithic frits were synthesized in-situ via UV-initiated polymerization and
      their locations were spatially controlled by the application of a photomask.
      Next, high-pressure slurry packing was performed to introduce 3MUm silica
      reversed-phase particles as the stationary phase in the separation channel.
      Finally, the application of the chip technology is demonstrated for the
      separation of alkyl phenones in gradient mode yielding baseline peak widths of 6s
      by applying a steep gradient of 1.8min at a flow rate of 10MUL/min.

PMID- 28619591
TI  - Doxycycline as a new chiral selector in capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - Doxycycline (DOX) is one of the tetracycline class of antibiotics and has not
      been examined for its enantioseparation abilities previously. The purpose of the
      present work was to evaluate DOX as a chiral selector (CS) using capillary
      electrophoresis (CE) in nonaqueous mode. Systematic experiments were performed to
      investigate the effects of concentration of CS, compositions of organic solvents
      and background electrolytes, applied voltage on chiral separation of a set of
      acidic chiral compounds. Excellent resolutions of enantiomers of acidic chiral
      compounds were attained in a background electrolytes composed of 50:50
      acetonitrile/methanol+214mM acetic acid+ 63mM triethylamine and 38mM DOX. The
      results show that DOX is a viable chiral selector in CE for the enantioseparation
      of the type of chiral compounds investigated.

PMID- 28619592
TI  - Hyphenation of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography with
      atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation high resolution mass spectrometry: Part
      1. Study of the coupling parameters for the analysis of natural non-polar
      compounds.
AB  - An analytical method based on Ultra-High-Performance Supercritical Fluid
      Chromatography (UHPSFC) coupled with Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization -
      High-resolution mass spectrometry (APCI-Q-TOF-HRMS) was developed for compounds
      screening from oily samples. The hyphenation was made using a commercial UHPLC
      device coupled to a CO2 pump in order to perform the chromatographic analysis. An
      adaptation of the injection system for compressible fluids was accomplished for
      this coupling: this modification of the injection sequence was achieved to
      prevent unusual variations of the injected volume related to the use of a
      compressible fluid. UHPSFC-HRMS hyphenation was optimized to enhance the response
      of the varied compounds from a seed extract (anthraquinones, free fatty acids,
      diacylglycerols, hydroxylated triacylglycerols and triacylglycerols). No split
      was used prior to the APCI ionization source, allowing introducing all the
      compounds in the spectrometer, ensuring a better sensitivity for minor compounds.
      The effects of a mechanical make-up (T-piece) added before this ionization source
      was discussed in terms of standard deviation of response, response intensity and
      fragmentation percentage. The location of the T-piece with regards to the
      backpressure regulator (BPR), the flow rate and the nature of the make-up solvent
      were studied. Results show that the effects of the studied parameters depend on
      the nature of the compounds, whereas the make-up addition favours the robustness
      of the mass response (quantitative aspect).

PMID- 28619593
TI  - On the halt of spontaneous capillary flows in diverging open channels.
AB  - Due to their compactness and independence of exterior energy sources, capillary
      microsystems are increasingly used in many different scientific domains, from
      biotechnology to medicine and biology, chemistry, energy and space. Obtaining a
      capillary flow depends on channel geometry and contact angle. A general condition
      for the establishment of a spontaneous capillary flow in a uniform cross section
      channel has already been derived from Gibbs free energy. In this work, we
      consider spontaneous capillary flows (SCF) in diverging open rectangular channels
      and suspended channels, and we show that they do not flow indefinitely but stop
      at some location in the channel. In the case of linearly diverging open channels,
      we derive the expression that determines the location where the flow stops. The
      theoretical approach is verified by using the Surface Evolver numerical program
      and is checked by experiments. The approach is extended to sudden enlargements,
      and it is shown that the enlargements can act as stop and trigger valves.

PMID- 28619594
TI  - Characterisation of medical microfluidic systems regarding fast changing flow
      rates using optical front tracking methods.
AB  - The presented optical flow metering methods are appropriate to characterise the
      dynamic properties of microfluidic systems. The dynamic behaviour of clinical or
      medical devices, micro pumps and flow sensors based on thermal methods were
      investigated. The Camera-System covers a flow range from 50nl/min to 500ul/min.
      The uncertainty is less than 4%, sample rates up to 5kS/s. The Displacement
      Sensor-System covers a flow range between 100ul/min and 50ml/min. The uncertainty
      is less than 3% at sample rates up to 49kS/s. It was shown that measuring
      pulsating flow rates with thermal flow sensors is possible, but the signal is low
      pass filtered. The low pass behaviour is determined by the thermal properties,
      thermal resistance and heat capacity, of the flow channel. But the mean flow rate
      was always measured properly. The fluidic properties of two different types of
      micro pumps were examined and characterised exemplary.

PMID- 28619595
TI  - Eutrophication affects the resistance of fucoids to an introduced alga spread.
AB  - This study investigates whether eutrophication can affect the capacity of the
      canopy alga Cystoseira brachycarpa to impede or limit the spread of the
      introduced species Caulerpa cylindracea. By means of a manipulative field study
      (16 months long), the effects of nutrient enrichment and C. cylindracea removal
      were tested on the canopy-alga and the associated macroalgal community. Results
      highlighted deep changes through time due to nutrient enrichment, as C.
      brachycarpa decreased and Halopteris scoparia increased in cover. Furthermore, C.
      brachycarpa was also affected by the presence of the introduced species Caulerpa
      cylindracea which, in turn, was found significantly advantaged by nutrient
      enrichment. Overall, our findings suggest that eutrophication can drive the
      substitution of Cystoseira with H. scoparia, leading to the shift from canopy to
      opportunistic species, which are unable to avoid the spread of C. cylindracea.

PMID- 28619596
TI  - Selective p300 inhibitor C646 inhibited HPV E6-E7 genes, altered glucose
      metabolism and induced apoptosis in cervical cancer cells.
AB  - High risk HPV infection is a causative factor of cervical cancer. The
      constitutive expression of HPV E6-E7 genes is important for the maintenance of
      cancer phenotypes. The cellular transcription co-activator p300 plays a crucial
      role in the regulation of HPV genes thus it was targeted for the inhibition of
      HPV-associated cervical cancer. In the present study, HPV positive cervical cells
      were treated with C646, a selective inhibitor of p300, to investigate its
      influence on HPV E6-E7 expression and cancer cell growth. Results of RT-qPCR,
      Western-blot and promoter activity assays showed that C646 inhibited the
      transcription of HPV E6-E7, which was accompanied with the accumulation of p53
      protein. Meanwhile, cell proliferation was suppressed, glucose metabolism was
      disrupted and apoptosis was induced via the intrinsic pathway. Generally, the
      anti-cervical cancer potential of C646 was demonstrated and a novel mechanism was
      proposed in this study.

PMID- 28619597
TI  - The Andalusian Bipolar Family (ABiF) Study: Protocol and sample description.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Here, we present the first description of the Andalusian Bipolar
      Family (ABiF) Study. This longitudinal investigation of families from Andalusia,
      Spain commenced in 1997 with the aim of elucidating the molecular genetic causes
      of bipolar affective disorder. The cohort has since contributed to a number of
      key genetic findings, as reported in international journals. However, insight
      into the genetic underpinnings of the disorder in these families remains limited.
      METHOD: In the initial 1997-2003 study phase, 100 multiplex bipolar disorder and
      other mood disorder families were recruited. The ongoing second phase of the
      project commenced in 2013, and involves follow-up of a subgroup of the originally
      recruited families. The aim of the follow-up investigation is to generate: i)
      longitudinal clinical data; ii) results from detailed neuropsychological
      assessments; and iii) a more extensive collection of biomaterials for future
      molecular biological studies. RESULTS: The ABiF Study will thus generate a
      valuable resource for future investigations into the aetiology of bipolar
      affective disorder; in particular the causes of high disease loading within
      multiply affected families. DISCUSSION: We discuss the value of this approach in
      terms of new technologies for the identification of high-penetrance genetic
      factors. These new technologies include exome and whole genome sequencing, and
      the use of induced pluripotent stem cells or model organisms to determine
      functional consequences.

PMID- 28619598
TI  - Incremental prognostic value of a complex left ventricular remodeling
      classification in asymptomatic for heart failure hypertensive patients.
AB  - We evaluated the prognostic impact of a complex remodeling classification (CRC)
      in asymptomatic patients with arterial hypertension (AH). We retrospectively
      included 749 hypertensive patients (female 325, 43.4% age 62 +/- 11.3 years) in
      Stages A and B of heart failure. CRC was evaluated including indexed left
      ventricular mass, end-diastolic volume, and relative wall thickness. After 45
      month follow-up, we considered a composite endpoint: total mortality, myocardial
      infarction, myocardial revascularization, cerebrovascular events, and acute
      pulmonary edema. Blood pressure was controlled in 265 patients (35.4%), 317
      (42.3%) were in Grade 1 of AH, 123 (16.4%) in Grade 2, and 44 (5.9%) in Grade 3.
      Considering CRC, 292 patients (38%) presented normal/physiological hypertrophy,
      102 (13.6%) concentric remodeling, 29 (3.9%) eccentric remodeling, 157 (21%)
      concentric hypertrophy, 11 (1.5%) mixed hypertrophy, 52 (6.9%) dilated
      hypertrophy, and 36 (4.8%) eccentric hypertrophy. We observed a total of 73
      events (9.7%). Kaplan-Meier method demonstrated a significant different survival
      in CRC-derived classes (P < .001). Cox regression demonstrated CRC as independent
      predictor (P = .01), after adjusting for age, gender, diabetes mellitus, grade of
      hypertension, antihypertensive therapy, stable ischemic heart disease, obesity,
      systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and classic remodeling classification. In
      asymptomatic patients with AH, CRC is an independent predictor of poor outcome.

PMID- 28619599
TI  - Impact of sulfuric and nitric acids on carbonate dissolution, and the associated
      deficit of CO2 uptake in the upper-middle reaches of the Wujiang River, China.
AB  - Carbonate weathering and the CO2 consumption in karstic area are extensive
      affected by anthropogenic activities, especially sulfuric and nitric acids usage
      in the upper-middle reaches of Wujiang River, China. The carbonic acid would be
      substituted by protons from sulfuric and nitric acids which can be reduce CO2
      absorption. Therefore, The goal of this study was to highlight the impacts of
      sulfuric and nitric acids on carbonate dissolution and the associated deficit of
      CO2 uptaking during carbonate weathering. The hydrochemistries and carbon
      isotopic signatures of dissolved inorganic carbon from groundwater were measured
      during the rainy season (July; 41 samples) and post-rainy season (October; 26
      samples). Our results show that Ca2+ and Mg2+ were the dominant cations (55.87
      98.52%), and HCO3- was the dominant anion (63.63-92.87%). The combined
      concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ commonly exceeded the equivalent concentration of
      HCO3-, with calculated [Ca2++Mg2+]/[HCO3-] equivalent ratios of 1.09-2.12. The
      mean measured groundwater delta13CDIC value (-11.380/00) was higher than that
      expected for carbonate dissolution mediated solely by carbonic acid (-11.50/00),
      and the strong positive correlation of these values with [SO42-+NO3-]/HCO3-
      showed that additional SO42- and NO3- were required to compensate for this cation
      excess. Nitric and sulfuric acids are, therefore, suggested to have acted as the
      additional proton-promoted weathering agents of carbonate in the region,
      alongside carbonic acid. The mean contribution of atmospheric/pedospheric CO2 to
      the total aquatic HCO3- decreased by 15.67% (rainy season) and 14.17% (post-rainy
      season) due to the contributions made by these acids. The annual mean deficit of
      soil CO2 uptake by carbonate weathering across the study area was 14.92%, which
      suggests that previous workers may have overestimated the absorption of CO2 by
      carbonate weathering in other karstic areas worldwide.

PMID- 28619600
TI  - Corrigendum to "Assessment of immunotoxicity of dibutyl phthalate using live
      zebrafish" [Fish & Shellfish Immunology (Fish & Shellfish Immunol.) 45 (2) (2015)
      286-292].

PMID- 28619601
TI  - LDL cholesterol was more strongly associated with percent body fat than body mass
      index and waist circumference in a health screening population.
AB  - AIMS: To compare correlations between changes in cardiovascular risk factors and
      those in obesity indices and to compare associations with incident hyper-LDL
      cholesterolemia among obesity indices. METHODS: Correlation coefficients were
      calculated between 7-year changes in cardiovascular risk factors and those in
      body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and percent body fat (PBF) in 634
      men and 396 women who used no antihypertensive, antidiabetic or
      antihyperlipidemic drugs. Odds ratios of incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia after
      7 years were calculated for BMI, WC and PBF in 738 men and 388 women. RESULTS:
      There were no significant differences in the correlations with 7-year changes in
      cardiovascular risk factors between 7-year changes in BMI and WC. The correlation
      with 7-year change in LDL cholesterol was stronger for that in PBF than that in
      BMI or WC (p=0.021 or 0.089, respectively in men and 0.022 or 0.020, respectively
      in women). The correlations with 7-year changes in log triglycerides, HDL
      cholesterol and log high-sensitivity CRP were stronger for those in BMI and WC
      than that in PBF in men. Incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia after 7 years was
      significantly associated with PBF, but not BMI or WC, in men after adjusted for
      age and other covariates. However, the association was not significant after
      further adjusted for LDL cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation with 7-year
      change in LDL cholesterol was stronger for that in PBF than that in BMI or WC.
      Incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia was significantly associated with PBF, but not
      with BMI or WC, in men.

PMID- 28619602
TI  - Optimized method for isolation of immature intracytoplasmic retroviral particles
      from mammalian cells.
AB  - To biochemically and structurally characterize viral intracytoplasmic particles
      (ICAPs), a sample of high purity and homogeneity is usually required. Production
      of ICAPs in the system closely related to their natural host cells is crucial for
      the analysis of host-cell binding proteins involved in ICAPs assembly, transport
      and budding. However, this approach is often hampered by problems with low yield
      of the ICAPs due to either low expression or fast release from the host cell.
      Another obstacle may be a low stability or fragility of the intracellular
      particles. The published methods for ICAPs isolation often involved several time
      consuming centrifugation steps yielding damaged particles. Other papers describe
      the ICAPs production in non-natural host cells. Here, we optimized the method for
      purification of unstable Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) ICAPs from non-human
      primate derived cells, commonly used to study MPMV replication i.e. African green
      monkey kidney fibroblast cell line (COS-1). Our simple and rapid procedure
      involved separation of the intracytoplasmic particles from the cell debris and
      organelles by differential, low-speed centrifugation, their purification using
      sucrose velocity gradient and final concentrating by low-speed centrifugation.
      Importantly, the method was established for unstable and fragile M-PMV
      intracytoplasmic particles. Therefore, it may be suitable for isolation of ICAPs
      of other viruses.

PMID- 28619603
TI  - Water-Soluble Combretastatin A4 Phosphate Orally Delivered via Composite
      Nanoparticles With Improved Inhibition Effect Toward S180 Tumors.
AB  - Combretastatin A4 phosphate (CA4P) is a novel vascular disrupting agent for
      cancer therapy. However, frequent dosing and negative patient compliance have
      been encountered over CA4P by injection administration due to its quite short
      term action and acute side effects. Therefore, it is significant to develop an
      oral formulation of CA4P. We established a novel method to prepare CA4P-loaded
      nanoparticles (CA4P-NPs) for oral administration by combining methoxy
      poly(ethylene glycol)-b-polylactide (PELA) and poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid)
      (PLGA) polymers. Transport study in vitro was evaluated on Madin-Darby canine
      kidney cell models, and antitumor effect evaluation in vivo was performed on S180
      subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumor models in mice. The highest entrapment
      efficiency of CA4P-NPs was achieved when the weight ratio of PELA to PLGA was
      optimized to 1:1. The apparent permeability coefficient of CA4P-NPs was found to
      be 2.08-fold higher than that of free CA4P in transport study. CA4P-NPs reached
      an absolute bioavailability of 77.6% with the tumor inhibition ratio of 41.2%
      that was significantly superior to free CA4P. These results suggest a promising
      application of this composite nanoparticle for the oral delivery of water-soluble
      drugs.

PMID- 28619604
TI  - Clinical Implementation of Pharmacogenomics for Personalized Precision Medicine:
      Barriers and Solutions.
AB  - Clinical implementation of pharmacogenomics (PGx) leads to personalized medicine,
      which improves the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of treatments.
      Although PGx-based research has been conducted for more than a decade, several
      barriers have slowed down its widespread implementation in clinical practice.
      Globally, there is an imbalance in programs and solutions required to empower the
      clinical implementation of PGx between countries. Therefore, we aimed to review
      these issues comprehensively, determine the major barriers, and find the best
      solutions. Through an extensive review of ongoing clinical implementation
      programs, scientific, educational, ethical, legal, and social issues, information
      technology, and reimbursement were identified as the key barriers. The pace of
      global implementation of genomic medicine coincided with the resource limitations
      of each country. The key solutions identified for the earlier mentioned barriers
      are as follows: building of secure and suitable information technology
      infrastructure with integrated clinical decision support systems along with
      increasing PGx evidence, more regulations, reimbursement strategies for
      stakeholder's acceptance, incorporation of PGx education in all institutions and
      clinics, and PGx promotion to all health care professionals and patients. In
      conclusion, this review will be helpful for the better understanding of common
      barriers and solutions pertaining to the clinical application of PGx.

PMID- 28619605
TI  - The prognostic value of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in term newborns
      treated with therapeutic hypothermia following asphyxia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to correlate brain metabolism assessed
      shortly after therapeutic hyperthermia by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy
      (MRS), with neurodevelopmental outcome. METHODS: At the age of 6.0+/-1.8days,
      brain metabolites of 35 term asphyxiated newborns, treated with therapeutic
      hypothermia, were quantified by multivoxel proton MRS of a volume cranial to the
      corpus callosum, containing both gray and white matter. At the age of 30months
      the Bayley Scale of Infant Development-III was performed. RESULTS: Infants that
      died had lower gray matter NAA levels than infants that survived (P=0.005). In
      surviving infants (28 of 35) there was a trend of negative correlation between
      gray matter choline levels and gross motor outcome (r=-0.45). In the white
      matter, choline correlated negatively with fine motor skills (r=-0.40), and
      creatine positively with gross motor skills (r=0.58, P=0.02). There was no
      relationship between lactate levels and outcome. CONCLUSION: MRS of asphyxiated
      neonates treated by therapeutic hypothermia can serve as predictor of outcome.
      Unlike previously reported associations in untreated asphyxiates, lactate levels
      had no relationship with outcome, which indicates that one of the working
      mechanisms of therapeutic hypothermia is reduction of the metabolic rate.

PMID- 28619607
TI  - Revisiting syntactic development in deaf and hearing children from a dependency
      approach: Comment on "Dependency distance: a new perspective on syntactic
      patterns in natural languages" by Haitao Liu et al.

PMID- 28619606
TI  - Pivotal roles of glycogen synthase-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world,
      and represents the second most frequently cancer and third most common cause of
      death from cancer worldwide. At advanced stage, HCC is a highly aggressive tumor
      with a poor prognosis and with very limited response to common therapies.
      Therefore, there is still the need for new effective and well-tolerated
      therapeutic strategies. Molecular-targeted therapies hold promise for HCC
      treatment. One promising molecular target is the multifunctional serine/threonine
      kinase glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). The roles of GSK-3beta in HCC remain
      controversial, several studies suggested a possible role of GSK-3beta as a tumor
      suppressor gene in HCC, whereas, other studies indicate that GSK-3beta is a
      potential therapeutic target for this neoplasia. In this review, we will focus on
      the different roles that GSK-3 plays in HCC and its interaction with signaling
      pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of HCC, such as Insulin-like Growth
      Factor (IGF), Notch, Wnt/beta-catenin, Hedgehog (HH), and TGF-beta pathways. In
      addition, the pivotal roles of GSK3 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT),
      invasion and metastasis will be also discussed.

PMID- 28619608
TI  - Real-world Direct Health Care Costs for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients
      Treated With Cetuximab or Bevacizumab-containing Regimens in First-line or First
      line Through Second-line Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study examined real-world direct health care costs for
      metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients initiating first-line (1L)
      bevacizumab (BEV)- or cetuximab (CET)-containing regimen in 1L or 1L-through
      second-line (1L-2L) therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using a large US insurance
      claims database, patients with mCRC initiating 1L BEV- or 1L CET-containing
      regimen from January 1, 2008 to September 30, 2014 were identified. The per
      patient per-month (PPPM) all-cause health care costs (2014 US dollars) were
      measured during 1L therapy and, for patients continuing to a 2L biologic
      containing regimen, 1L-2L therapy. Multivariable regression analyses were used to
      compare PPPM total health care costs between patients initiating a 1L BEV- versus
      1L CET-containing regimen. RESULTS: A total of 6095 patients initiating a 1L BEV-
      and 453 initiating a 1L CET-containing regimen were evaluated for 1L costs; 2218
      patients initiating a 1L BEV- and 134 initiating a 1L CET-containing regimen were
      evaluated for 1L-2L costs. In 1L therapy, 1L CET had adjusted PPPM costs that
      were $3135 (95% confidence interval [CI], $1174-$5040; P < .001) greater on
      average than 1L BEV. In 1L-2L therapy, 1L BEV-2L CET had adjusted PPPM costs that
      were $1402 (95% CI, $1365-$1442; P = .010) greater than those for 1L BEV-2L BEV,
      and 1L CET-2L BEV had adjusted PPPM costs that were $4279 (95% CI, $4167-$4400; P
      = .001) greater on average than those for 1L BEV-2L BEV. The adjusted PPPM cost
      differences for 1L BEV-2L other biologic or 1L CET-2L other biologic agent were
      numerically greater but statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: PPPM total
      health care costs for 1L and 2L therapy tended to be greater for patients treated
      with 1L CET-containing regimens than for 1L BEV-containing regimens. Also,
      continuing treatment with BEV-containing regimens 1L-2L was less costly than
      switching between BEV and CET. The cost differences between BEV and CET hold
      important implications for treatment decisions of mCRC patients in real-world
      clinical practice.

PMID- 28619609
TI  - Recommendations to prevent shoulder and elbow injuries due to over training in
      elementary school baseball players.

PMID- 28619610
TI  - Forecasting gastrointestinal precipitation and oral pharmacokinetics of
      dantrolene in dogs using an in vitro precipitation testing coupled with in silico
      modeling and simulation.
AB  - The aim of the current research was to determine the precipitation kinetics of
      dantrolene sodium using canine biorelevant in vitro testing and to model the
      precipitation kinetics by appropriately coupling the data with an in silico tool
      adapted for dogs. The precipitation profiles of dantrolene sodium solutions were
      obtained with the in vitro paddle apparatus at a revolution rate of 50rpm. The in
      silico prediction tool was designed using STELLA software and the predicted
      plasma concentration profiles of dantrolene using the in vitro precipitation data
      were compared with the observed in vivo pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs. The
      plasma profiles of dantrolene, which served as a model weakly acidic drug which
      precipitates in the upper gastrointestinal tract, was successfully predicted
      using the in vitro precipitation testing coupled with the in silico modeling and
      simulation approach. The approach was subsequently used to forecast the effect of
      pharmaceutical excipients (HPMC/PG) on the ability of the drug to supersaturate
      in the gut and the resulting pharmacokinetics. The agreement of the simulated
      pharmacokinetics with the observed values confirms the ability of canine
      biorelevant media to predict oral performance of enhanced dosage forms in dogs.

PMID- 28619611
TI  - An insight into selection specificity of quinolone resistance determinants within
      Enterobacteriaceae family.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Quinolone antimicrobials are frequently misused due to self
      medication and suboptimal dose administration, leading to the development of
      resistance as well as treatment failure. The present study aimed to characterise
      plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants and their genetic
      selection in the presence of quinolone stress within members of the
      Enterobacteriaceae. METHODS: A total of 209 non-duplicate Enterobacteriaceae
      isolates were collected from hospital and community health centres over the
      period July 2013-June 2014. Molecular characterisation of phenotypically screened
      quinolone-resistant isolates was done by multiplex PCR. Plasmids bearing the qnr
      and aac(6')-Ib-cr genes were transformed into Escherichia coli DH5alpha and were
      selected on Muller-Hinton agar plates containing 0.25MUg/mL and 0.5MUg/mL
      ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin. Conjugation
      experiments were performed to determine whether the aac(6')-Ib-cr- and qnr
      carrying plasmids were self-transferable. RESULTS: The transformation assay
      revealed that transformants carrying qnrA could be selected in media containing
      norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, whereas qnrB and aac(6')-Ib-cr were
      selected on media containing norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Transformed qnrD
      could be selected in media containing norfloxacin and ofloxacin, and qnrS was
      selected only in the presence of levofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of qnr
      genes has been associated with an increase in quinolone minimum inhibitory
      concentrations (MICs) and therefore leads to treatment failure when quinolones
      are used as selective therapeutic drugs. Since PMQR determinants have a high
      prevalence, effective measures should be taken and surveillance should be
      performed in order to avoid treatment failures using this group of
      antimicrobials.

PMID- 28619612
TI  - Improving the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of Illigera henryi by solid
      state fermentation with Clonostachys rogersoniana.
AB  - Illigera henryi, an endemic traditional Chinese medicine, contains abundant
      aporphine alkaloids that possess various bioactivities. In the present study,
      tubers of I. henryi were fermented by several fungi, and the acetylcholinesterase
      (AChE) inhibitory activities of non-fermented and fermented I. henryi were
      measured. The results showed that the fermentation of I. henryi with Clonostachys
      rogersoniana 828H2 is effective for improving the AChE inhibitory activity. A key
      biotransformation was found during the C. rogersoniana fermentation for
      clarifying the improvement of the AChE inhibitory activity of I. henryi: (S)
      actinodaphnine (1) was converted to a new 4-hydroxyaporphine alkaloid (4R,6aS)-4
      hydroxyactinodaphnine (2) that possessed a stronger AChE inhibitory activity,
      with an IC50 value of 17.66+/-0.06 MUM. This paper is the first to report that
      the pure strain fermentation processing of I. henryi and indicated C.
      rogersoniana fermentation might be a potential processing method for I. henryi.

PMID- 28619613
TI  - Does supplemental photodynamic therapy optimize the disinfection of bacteria and
      endotoxins in one-visit and two-visit root canal therapy? A randomized clinical
      trial.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of supplemental photodynamic therapy (PDT) in
      optimizing the removal of bacteria and endotoxins from primarily infected root
      canals after one-visit and two-visit treatments. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-four
      primarily infected root canals with apical periodontitis were selected and
      randomly divided into one-visit (n=12) and two-visit treatment groups (n=12).
      Chemo-mechanical preparation (CMP) was performed by using the single-file
      reciprocating technique+2.5% NaOCL and a final rinse with 17% EDTA. The
      photosensitizer agent (methylene blue 0.1mg/mL) was applied to root canals for
      60s before application of laser with a potency of 60mW and energy density of
      129J/cm2 for 120s after CMP in the one-visit treatment and after 14-day inter
      appointment medication with Ca(OH)2+Saline solution (SSL) in the two-visit
      treatment. Samples were collected before and after root canal procedures.
      Endotoxins were quantified by chromogenic limulus amebocyte lysate assay. Culture
      techniques were used to determine bacterial colony-forming unit counts. RESULTS:
      Bacteria and endotoxins were detected in 100% of the initial samples, with median
      values of 1.97*105 CFU/mL and 24.983EU/mL, respectively. The CMP using single
      file reciprocating technique was effective in the reduction of bacteria and
      endotoxins (All, p<0.05). The supplemental PDT was effective in reducing
      bacterial load in the one-visit (p<0.05) but not in the two-visit treatment after
      use of Ca(OH)2 medication for 14days (p>0.05). In the two-visit group, after
      14days of inter-appointment medication with Ca(OH)2, a significant reduction in
      the median levels of endotoxins was found in comparison to CMP alone (from 1.041
      to 0.094EU/mL) (p<0.05). Despite the type of treatment, the supplemental PDT was
      not effective against endotoxins (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The photodynamic therapy
      optimized the disinfection of bacteria from root canals in one-visit but not for
      two visit treatment modality with the accomplishment of calcium hydroxide
      medication. Despite the type of treatment, the supplemental PDT was not effective
      against endotoxins.

PMID- 28619614
TI  - Rapid ex vivo examination of Mohs specimens using optical coherence tomography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is an effective treatment for certain
      non-melanoma skin cancers. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a biomedical
      imaging modality that permits high-resolution imaging of the epidermis and dermis
      with the potential to detect both healthy tissue and tumour. OCT may also provide
      a means of detecting and differentiating between the various histological
      subtypes of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) in vivo. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this
      prospective ex vivo study was to evaluate the efficacy of OCT in recognising
      healthy and pathological margins of excised BCC lesions and detecting different
      BCC subtypes. METHODS: Seventy-three subjects with biopsy-proven BCCs on the
      facial region undergoing MMS were recruited. Narrow clinically healthy margins of
      the skin surrounding the tumour were included in the excisional biopsy. Biopsies
      were scanned with the OCT instrument immediately ex vivo and processed to obtain
      horizontal Mohs frozen sections and compared with their corresponding OCT images.
      RESULTS: Histopathological analysis of 280 margins showed 232 tumour free margins
      and 48 tumour-involved margins. OCT showed very good sensitivity (81.2%) and
      specificity (94.3%) in detecting healthy from tumour-involved margins. OCT
      accuracy was 93.4%, and the intra- and inter-observer reliability was substantial
      (Kappa value ranged between 0.63-0.76). CONCLUSION: This study shows the accuracy
      of ex vivo OCT in identifying the margin status of BCCs of the head and neck
      region. Moreover, this modality has demonstrated good capability in
      distinguishing different BCC subtypes and the potential for in vivo in situ
      diagnostics.

PMID- 28619615
TI  - Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of association of chlorhexidine to
      photosensitizer used in photodynamic therapy in root canals infected by
      Enterococcus faecalis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to evaluate, in vitro, the
      influence of the addition of chlorhexidine to photosensitiser in the
      antimicrobial activity of photodynamic therapy in root canals infected by
      Enterococcus faecalis. METHODS: The root canals of 50 single-rooted human
      extracted teeth were enlarged up to a file F3 of Pro-Taper system, autoclaved,
      inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis and incubated for 14days. The samples were
      divided into five groups (n=10) according to the protocol of decontamination: G1
      (control group) - no procedure was performed; G2-photosensitiser (0.01% methylene
      blue); G3-2% chlorhexidine gel; G4-photodynamic therapy; and G5-photodynamic
      therapy with photosensitiser modified by chlorhexidine. Microbiological test (CFU
      counting) was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of proposed treatments.
      Data were subjected to one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc Tukey test
      (alpha=0.05). RESULTS: Group 3 (CHX) showed the lowest mean contamination (2.03
      log10 CFU/mL), being statistically different from all other all groups (p<0.05).
      There was no statistically significant difference between groups 4 (PDT) and 5
      (PDT+CHX) (p<0.05), being more effectives against E. faecalis when compared to
      groups 1 (NT) and 2 (MB), and less effective when compared to group 2 (CHX).
      CONCLUSIONS: The addition of chlorhexidine to photosensitiser did not result in a
      better decontamination potential of photodynamic therapy alone over root canals
      infected by E. faecalis.

PMID- 28619616
TI  - Activity-independent screening of secreted proteins using split GFP.
AB  - The large-scale industrial production of proteins requires efficient secretion,
      as provided, for instance, by the Sec system of Gram-positive bacteria. Protein
      engineering approaches to optimize secretion often involve the screening of large
      libraries, e.g. comprising a target protein fused to many different signal
      peptides. Respective high-throughput screening methods are usually based on
      photometric or fluorimetric assays enabling fast and simple determination of
      enzymatic activities. Here, we report on an alternative method for quantification
      of secreted proteins based on the split GFP assay. We analyzed the secretion by
      Bacillus subtilis of a homologous lipase and a heterologous cutinase by
      determination of GFP fluorescence and enzyme activity assays. Furthermore, we
      identified from a signal peptide library a variant of the biotechnologically
      relevant B. subtilis protein swollenin EXLX1 with up to 5-fold increased
      secretion. Our results demonstrate that the split GFP assay can be used to
      monitor secretion of enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins in B. subtilis in a
      high-throughput manner.

PMID- 28619617
TI  - Maximising the data potential in COPD research.

PMID- 28619618
TI  - NMR in drug design.
AB  - The use of NMR as a tool to determine 3 dimensional protein solution structures,
      once a darling of the pharmaceutical industry, has largely given way to study of
      the interaction of prospective drugs with macromolecular targets. Many of these
      approaches involve ligand-centered studies, which have the advantage of speed and
      efficiency, but there are also many approaches that take directly from our
      learnings in macromolecular NMR and provide greater structural detail yet are
      still optimized for rapid turn-around of information. In the evolution of NMR in
      the pharmaceutical industry, the unique strengths of NMR to provide dynamic and
      atomic level information continue to be exploited to discover and design new
      drugs. Numerous methods have been developed over the past two decades that fall
      into the categories of fragment-based pre-lead discovery, ligand binding studies
      and qualitative structural screening.

PMID- 28619619
TI  - Flavin-catalyzed redox tailoring reactions in natural product biosynthesis.
AB  - Natural products are distinct and often highly complex organic molecules that
      constitute not only an important drug source, but have also pushed the field of
      organic chemistry by providing intricate targets for total synthesis. How the
      astonishing structural diversity of natural products is enzymatically generated
      in biosynthetic pathways remains a challenging research area, which requires
      detailed and sophisticated approaches to elucidate the underlying catalytic
      mechanisms. Commonly, the diversification of precursor molecules into distinct
      natural products relies on the action of pathway-specific tailoring enzymes that
      catalyze, e.g., acylations, glycosylations, or redox reactions. This review
      highlights a selection of tailoring enzymes that employ riboflavin (vitamin B2)
      derived cofactors (FAD and FMN) to facilitate unusual redox catalysis and steer
      the formation of complex natural product pharmacophores. Remarkably, several such
      recently reported flavin-dependent tailoring enzymes expand the classical
      paradigms of flavin biochemistry leading, e.g., to the discovery of the flavin-N5
      oxide - a novel flavin redox state and oxygenating species.

PMID- 28619620
TI  - Development of a solid dosage platform for the oral delivery of bilayer vesicles.
AB  - Within this work, we develop vesicles incorporating sub-unit antigens as solid
      dosage forms suitable for the oral delivery of vaccines. Using a combination of
      trehalose, dextran and mannitol, freeze-dried oral disintegrating tablets were
      formed which upon rehydration release bilayer vesicles incorporating antigen.
      Initial studies focused on the optimisation of the freeze-dry cycle and
      subsequently excipient content was optimised by testing tablet hardness,
      disintegration time and moisture content. The use of 10% mannitol and 10% dextran
      produced durable tablets which offered strong resistance to mechanical damage yet
      appropriate disintegration times and dispersed to release niosomes-entrapping
      antigen. From these studies, we have formulated a bilayer vesicle vaccine
      delivery system as rapid disintegrating tablets and capsules.

PMID- 28619622
TI  - The spectraplakins of Caenorhabditis elegans: Cytoskeletal crosslinkers and
      beyond.
AB  - Spectraplakins are evolutionary conserved cytolinkers with characteristics of
      both the spectrin and the plakin family proteins. Caenorhabditis elegans
      possesses two categories of spectraplakin isoforms encoded by a single locus
      termed vab-10. Here we summarize the structure, homology, expression and
      functions of these spectraplakin family proteins in the nematode. We particularly
      focus on the diverse roles of VAB-10 isoforms in a number of organs and tissue
      types, as well as the similarities and distinctions of the underlying mechanisms.
      We also discuss the functional partners of VAB-10 in different contexts, plus the
      involvement of VAB-10 isoforms in physiological processes beyond cytoskeletal
      integration. We emphasize the importance of spectraplakin-related studies using
      Caenorhabditis elegans as the model, and their contributions to our understanding
      of spectraplakins across species.

PMID- 28619623
TI  - Intracellular trafficking of particles inside endosomal vesicles is regulated by
      particle size.
AB  - Little comparative information is available on the detailed intracellular
      dynamics (diffusion, active movement, and distribution mechanisms) of
      nanoparticles (<=100nm) and sub-micron particles (>100nm). Here, we
      quantitatively examined the intracellular movements of different-sized particles
      and of the endosomal vesicles containing those particles. We showed that silica
      nanoparticles of various sizes (30 to 100nm) had greater motility than sub-micron
      particles in A549 cells. Although particles of different sizes localized in the
      early endosomes, late endosomes, and lysosomes in different proportions, their
      motilities did not vary, regardless of the vesicles in which they were localized.
      However, surprisingly, endosomal vesicles containing silica nanoparticles moved
      faster than those containing sub-micron particles. These results suggest that
      nanoparticles included within endosomal vesicles do not suppress the motility of
      the vesicles, whereas sub-micron particles perturb endosomal vesicle transport.
      Our data support a new hypothesis that differences in particle size influence
      membrane trafficking of endosomal vesicles.

PMID- 28619624
TI  - Fetal stem cell and gene therapy.
AB  - Advances in our understanding of stem cells, gene editing, prenatal imaging and
      fetal interventions have opened up new opportunities for the treatment of
      congenital diseases either through in-utero stem cell transplantation or in-utero
      gene therapy. Improvements in ultrasound-guided access to the fetal vasculature
      have also enhanced the safety and efficacy of cell delivery. The fetal
      environment offers accessible stem cell niches, localized cell populations with
      large proliferative potential, and an immune system that is able to acquire donor
      specific tolerance. In-utero therapy seeks to take advantage of these factors and
      has the potential to cure diseases prior to the onset of symptoms, a strategy
      that offers substantial social and economic benefits. In this article, we examine
      previous studies in animal models as well as clinical attempts at in-utero
      therapy. We also discuss the barriers to successful in-utero therapy and future
      strategies for overcoming these obstacles.

PMID- 28619621
TI  - Immunohistochemical evaluation of two antibodies against PD-L1 and prognostic
      significance of PD-L1 expression in epithelioid peritoneal malignant
      mesothelioma: A RENAPE study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epithelioid peritoneal malignant mesothelioma (EPMM) is the most
      common subtype of this aggressive tumor. We compared two antibodies against PD
      L1, a recent theranostic biomarker, and evaluated the prognostic value of PD-L1
      expression by mesothelial and immune cells in EPMM. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry
      was performed on 45 EPMM. Clinical and pathological data were extracted from the
      RENAPE database. Using E1L3N and SP142 clones, inter-observer agreement, PD-L1
      expression by mesothelial and immune cells and inter-antibody agreement were
      evaluated. The prognostic relevance of PD-L1 expression was evaluated in 39 EPMM
      by univariate and multivariate analysis of overall survival (OS) and progression
      free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Inter-observer agreement on E1L3N immunostaining
      was moderate for mesothelial and immune cells, and fair for mesothelial and poor
      for immune cells using SP142. Using E1L3N, 31.1% of mesothelial and 15.6% of
      immune cells expressed PD-L1, and 22.2% of mesothelial and 26.7% of immune cells
      using SP142. Inter-antibody agreement was moderate. In most positive cases, 1-5%
      of tumor cells were positive. Using E1L3N, PD-L1 expression by lymphocytes was
      associated with better OS and PFS by both univariate and multivariate analysis.
      Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy predicted
      better prognosis than other treatments. Solid subtype was an independent
      prognostic factor for worse OS. CONCLUSION: E1L3N appeared easier to use than
      SP142 to evaluate PD-L1 expression. A minority of EPMM expressed PD-L1, and only
      a few cells were positive. PD-L1 expression by immune cells evaluated with E1L3N
      was an independent prognostic factor in EPMM.

PMID- 28619625
TI  - HMGB1, an innate alarmin, plays a critical role in chronic inflammation of
      adipose tissue in obesity.
AB  - Obesity has emerged as an imminent global public health concern over the past
      several decades. It has now become evident that obesity is characterized by the
      persistent and low-grade inflammation in the adipose tissue, and serves as an
      independent risk factor for many metabolic disorders such as diabetes and
      cardiovascular disease. Particularly, adipocytes originated from obese mice and
      humans likely predominate necrosis upon stressful insults, leading to passive
      release of cellular contents including the high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) into
      the extracellular milieu. Extracellular HMGB1 acts as an innate alarmin to
      stimulate the activation of resident immune cells in the adipose tissue. Upon
      activation, those resident immune cells actively secrete additional HMGB1, which
      in turn activates/recruits additional immune cells, and induces adipocyte death.
      This review summarizes those novel discoveries in terms of HMGB1 in the
      initiation and maintenance of chronic inflammatory state in adipose tissue in
      obesity, and discusses its potential application in clinical settings.

PMID- 28619626
TI  - Assessment of heavy metal and petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in the
      Sultanate of Oman with emphasis on harbours, marinas, terminals and ports.
AB  - The assessment here includes data on levels of contaminants (petroleum
      hydrocarbons and heavy metals) in sediments and biomonitor organisms, including
      the eulittoral rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata and subtidal biomonitors, the
      barnacle Balanus trigonus and the antipatharian coral Antipathes sp., at
      harbours, marinas, terminals and large ports along the coastline of Oman. TBT
      levels in harbour and port sediments up to a maximum of 100ppb TBT dry weight are
      highlighted. Oysters contained concentrations up to 367ppm mg TPH/kg dry weight.
      The maximum levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in the subtidal sediments and
      barnacles at the oil tanker loading Single Buoy Mooring stations in Mina Al
      Fahal. In general, the levels of most of the contaminants analysed are at low to
      moderate concentrations compared to those in highly contaminated sites such as
      shipyards and dry docks, but continued monitoring is recommended especially
      during any dredging campaigns.

PMID- 28619627
TI  - Composition, spatial distribution and sources of macro-marine litter on the Gulf
      of Alicante seafloor (Spanish Mediterranean).
AB  - The composition, spatial distribution and source of marine litter in the Spanish
      Southeast Mediterranean were assessed. The data proceed from a marine litter
      retention programme implemented by commercial trawlers and were analysed by GIS.
      By weight, 75.9% was plastic, metal and glass. Glass and plastics were mainly
      found close to the coast. A high concentration of metal was observed in some
      isolated zones of both open and coastal waters. Fishing activity was the source
      of 29.16% of the macro-marine litter, almost 68.1% of the plastics, and 25.1% of
      the metal. The source of the other 60.84% could not be directly identified,
      revealing the high degree of uncertainty regarding its specific origin.
      Indirectly however, a qualitative analysis of marine traffic shows that the
      likely sources were merchant ships mainly in open waters and recreational and
      fishing vessels in coastal waters.

PMID- 28619628
TI  - Environmental background values of trace elements in sediments from the Jiaozhou
      Bay catchment, Qingdao, China.
AB  - Selected trace elements (As, Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, Co, Pb and Ni) in 76 surface
      sediment samples collected from the rivers and the intertidal zone of Jiaozhou
      Bay (JZB) were evaluated to assess their environmental background values in the
      JZB catchment. Overall, the sediment quality in the area meets the China Marine
      Sediment Quality criteria. The background values (ranges) of the elements As, Cr,
      Zn, Cu, Cd, Co, Pb and Ni were, respectively, 8.28 (4.10-12.46), 67.96 (38.40
      97.52), 56.80 (16.42-196.51), 19.13 (5.71-64.06), 0.10 (0.02-0.42), 6.51 (2.08
      20.40), 17.97 (12.26-55.84) and 20.69 (10.43-30.95)mg/kg. The background values
      of most of the trace elements were lower than those in Chinese soil, the upper
      continental crust, global shales and global preindustrial sediments. The results
      may assist in defining future coastal and river management measures specifically
      targeted at monitoring trace element contamination in the JZB catchment.

PMID- 28619629
TI  - Scales and drivers of seasonal pCO2 dynamics and net ecosystem exchange along the
      coastal waters of southeastern Arabian Sea.
AB  - The impact of seasonal coastal upwelling on the dynamics of dissolved inorganic
      carbon (DIC) and sea-air fluxes of CO2 along the coastal waters of Kochi was
      investigated during 2015, as a part of Ecosystem Modelling Project. The surface
      water pCO2 varied from 396 to 630MUatm during the study period. Significant inter
      seasonal variations were found in the distribution of physico-chemical variables
      and surface pCO2. An increase of 102.1MUatm of pCO2 was noticed over a two-decade
      period with a rate of 5.3MUatmy-1. There was an agreement between the fluxes of
      CO2 and net ecosystem production (NEP) with respect to the trophic status while
      NEP was higher than CO2 fluxes by a factor of 3.9. The annual net ecosystem
      exchange (NEE) was estimated to be 15.02mmolCm-2d-1 indicating that the coastal
      waters of Kochi are highly heterotrophic in nature.

PMID- 28619630
TI  - Hilar fat infiltration: A new prognostic factor in metastatic clear cell renal
      cell carcinoma with first-line sunitinib treatment.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The selection of patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell
      carcinoma (ccRCC) who may benefit from targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors has
      been a challenge, even more so now with the advent of new therapies. Hilar fat
      infiltration (HFI) is a validated prognostic factor in nonmetastatic ccRCC (TNM
      2009 staging system) but has never been studied in metastatic patients. We aimed
      to assess its phenotype and prognostic effect in patients with metastatic ccRCC
      treated with first-line sunitinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a multicentric
      study, we retrospectively included 90 patients and studied the corresponding
      ccRCC at the pathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular levels. Patient and
      tumor characteristics were compared using univariate and multivariate analysis.
      All the features were then studied by Cox models for prognostic effect. RESULTS:
      HFI was found in 42 patients (46.7%), who had worse prognosis (Heng criteria) (P
      = 0.003), liver metastases (P = 0.036), and progressive diseases at first
      radiological evaluation (P = 0.024). The corresponding ccRCC was associated with
      poor pathological prognostic factors that are well known in nonmetastatic ccRCC.
      For these patients, median progression-free survival was 4 months vs. 13 months
      (P = 0.02), and median overall survival was 14 months vs. 29 months (P = 0.006).
      In a multivariate Cox model integrating all the variables, only poor prognosis,
      according to the Heng criteria and HFI, remained independently associated with
      both progression-free survival and overall survival. CONCLUSION: HFI was
      demonstrated for the first time to be an independent poor prognostic factor. Its
      potential role in predicting resistance to antiangiogenic therapy warrants
      further investigation.

PMID- 28619631
TI  - Histopathologic analysis of tumor bed and peritumoral pseudocapsule after in
      vitro tumor enucleation on radical nephrectomy specimen for clinical T1b renal
      cell carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study was designed to assess the feasibility and histopathologic
      safety of tumor enucleation for renal cell carcinoma, through histopathologic
      analysis of the tumor bed and peritumoral pseudocapsule (PC) after in vitro tumor
      enucleation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 176 radical nephrectomy specimens
      for clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma in our institution, from January 2013
      February 2016. Immediately after the kidney was excised, the tumor of radical
      specimen was enucleated in vitro. The tumor bed parenchyma of 15mm beyond the PC
      was examined to investigate the possible presence of tumor invasion or satellite
      lesions. The PC invasion was also evaluated. RESULTS: The average tumor size was
      5.7+/-0.7cm. The histopathologic evaluation revealed that 68.2% of tumors were
      clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The pathological staging showed that 92.6%
      of tumors were pT1b, 2.8% were pT2, and 4.5% were pT3a. For clinical T1b RCC,
      tumor infiltration on tumor bed was detected in 6 cases (3.4%), and satellite
      lesion was detected in 3 (1.7%). In the group of grade 1 to 2, 4 (2.3%) were
      found with residual tumor, and 5 (2.8%) in the group of grade 3 to 4 (P = 0.133).
      Papillary RCC had the highest rate of residual tumors (8.8%). A statistically
      significant association of peritumoral PC invasion with tumor size and pathologic
      grade was observed. Median follow-up was 23 months (range: 6-43) with a
      recurrence rate of 6.3% (11 of 176) and a cancer-specific mortality rate of 2.8%
      (5 of 176). CONCLUSIONS: For clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma, the risks of
      tumor infiltration or satellite lesions on enucleation tumor bed or both are
      relatively low. Peritumoral PC invasion is associated with tumor size and
      pathologic stage. Tumor enucleation is a histopathologically safe technique for
      patients undergoing partial nephrectomy.

PMID- 28619632
TI  - Enhancing prostate cancer survivorship care through self-management.
AB  - The lack of clear roles for prostate cancer survivorship care providers places
      prostate cancer survivors at significant risk of inappropriate use of services
      delivered piecemeal by different providers, persistent bothersome symptoms, and
      silent suffering. Optimizing quality of care for prostate cancer survivors hinges
      on decreasing fragmentation of care, and providing quality symptom management.
      This is achieved through comprehensive, appropriate medical, surgical,
      pharmacological and psychosocial care, coupled with self-management, as
      highlighted in several recent resources addressing long-term and late effects of
      treatment. Although further study is warranted, prostate cancer survivors
      engaging in self-management may reduce the negative impact of prostate cancer in
      their lives through better quality of care (better symptom management and
      efficient use of services) and quality of life.

PMID- 28619633
TI  - Time to progression after first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor predicts survival
      in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma receiving second-line molecular
      targeted therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The effect of response to first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)
      therapy on second-line survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
      who receive second-line molecular-targeted therapy (mTT) after first-line failure
      remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients who developed disease
      progression after first-line TKI, without prior cytokine therapy, were enrolled.
      According to the median first-line time to progression (1L-TTP), patients were
      divided into 2 groups (i.e., short vs. long). Second-line progression-free
      survival (2L-PFS) and second-line overall survival (2L-OS) were defined as the
      time from second-line mTT initiation. Survival was calculated with the Kaplan
      Meier method and compared using the log-rank test between patients with short and
      long 1L-PFS. Predictors for survivals were identified using Cox proportional
      hazards regression models. RESULTS: The median 1L-TTP was 8.84 months. Thirty
      patients (50.0%) with short 1L-TTP (<8.84mo) had significantly shorter 2L-PFS and
      2L-OS compared to patients with long 1L-TTP (2L-PFS: 4.96 vs. 10.2mo, P = 0.0002;
      2L-OS: 9.6 vs. 28.0mo, P = 0.0036). Multivariable analyses for 2L-PFS and 2L-OS
      showed that 1L-TTP was an independent predictor both as a categorical
      classification (cutoff: 8.84mo) and as a continuous variable (both P<0.05). The
      median follow-up duration was 13.1 months (interquartile range: 6.56-24.7).
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients who achieve a long-term response after first-line TKI
      therapy could have a favorable prognosis with second-line mTT.

PMID- 28619634
TI  - Enhancement of Siglec-8 expression predicts adverse prognosis in patients with
      clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (siglecs) family has
      important functions in tumor progression. The purpose of our study is to figure
      out the correlation between the expression level of Siglec-8 and prognosis of
      patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and then to predict the
      overall survival (OS) via a novel nomogram. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of
      patients (n = 267) histologically diagnosed with ccRCC from Zhongshan Hospital
      were included into our study. Immunohistochemistry of Siglec-8 was performed in
      the tissue microarray, and the staining intensity was divided into high/low
      according to the median value of the H-score grading. Survival analyses including
      Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate the
      association between Siglec-8 expression and the survival of patients in different
      risk groups. Stage, size, grade, and necrosis score and University of California
      Los Angeles Integrated Staging System score were used in the risk stratification.
      A nomogram incorporating Siglec-8 and several other clinical parameters was
      plotted for predicting the 5-year and 8-year OS. RESULTS: Siglec-8 was observed
      dominantly on the membrane of tumor cells. The enhanced expression level of
      Siglec-8 had significant correlation with adverse overall and disease-free
      survival of patients (P<0.0001 and P = 0.0186, respectively). The association was
      more significant in patients with lower risk. Cox regression analyses defined
      Siglec-8 as an independent prognostic factor of OS (P<0.001 for univariate
      analysis, P = 0.003 for multivariate analysis). The new nomogram integrating
      Siglec-8 with several traditional prognostic factors proved to be more accurate
      than conventional prognostic system using tumor node metastasis stage only
      (Harrell c-index: 0.801, 95% CI: 0.755-0.847 vs. 0.717, 95% CI: 0.662-0.772).
      CONCLUSION: Our study has found that the elevated expression level of Siglec-8
      was correlated with poor prognosis of patients with ccRCC. Siglec-8,
      incorporation with other clinical parameters, could perform better in prediction
      of patients' OS.

PMID- 28619635
TI  - Production and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoic acid from Bacillus
      thuringiensis using different carbon substrates.
AB  - Polyhydroxyalkanoic acids (PHA) are biodegradable microbially synthesised
      polymers which can act as alternatives to conventional petrochemical based
      plastics. Bacterial isolates from soil and sewage samples were screened for the
      ability to accumulate PHA using Sudan Black B dye, and growth conditions of the
      best PHA accumulating bacterium was optimized. The PHA produced was characterized
      by FTIR spectroscopy. Eight PHA-producing bacteria were isolated and isolate SBC4
      which had the highest percentage accumulation of 30% was genotypically identified
      as Bacillus thuringiensis and selected for further studies. Glucose and ammonium
      sulfate supplementation afforded the optimum cultural conditions for cell growth
      and PHA accumulation yielding 0.33g/l and 0.40g/l respectively. B. thuringiensis
      SBC4 utilized corn bran, corn cob and wheat bran for PHA production, with corn
      cob yielding the highest PHA content of 21.05%. The optimum pH, temperature and
      incubation time for PHA productions were 7.0, 37 degrees C and 48h. The use of
      all the optimum conditions in a newly modified medium increased the PHA content,
      with an overall increase in PHA accumulation from 30% to 44.96% equivalent to an
      increase of 50% in PHA yield. The presence of major peaks such as CO stretching,
      CH vibrations, COC stretching confirmed PHA production.

PMID- 28619636
TI  - Isolation and characterization of a non-specific lipid transfer protein from
      Chelidonium majus L. latex.
AB  - Plant non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are small basic proteins,
      which mostly play a role in intracellular lipid transport and antimicrobial
      defense. Recently it was shown using shotgun proteomic approach that the whole
      plant extract of Chelidonium majus L. (Papaveraceae) contains relatively abundant
      nsLTPs. Therefore the aim of the work was to isolate and characterize nsLTP from
      C. majus latex. Results obtained using PCR approach with degenerate primers
      showed the presence of nsLTP protein in C. majus root latex, named CmLTP 9.5. The
      protein consists of 93 aa with a molecular weight of 9.5kDa (NCBI GenBank
      accession no. ALT21495, coded by KP733898). The mature form of CmLTP 9.5 has a
      molecular weight of 7.147kDa and contains typical eight strictly conserved
      cysteine residues. A 3D model of CmLTP 9.5 displays a hydrophobic cavity. The
      isolated protein fraction tested using diffusion method and critical dilution
      assay showed strong antibacterial activity towards Gram-negative Campylobacter
      jejuni as well as Gram-positive Listeria greyi and Clostridium perfringens.
      Further studies using protein expression system are required to fully understand
      CmLTP 9.5 mode of action.

PMID- 28619637
TI  - Preparation and characterization of silk sericin/PVA blend film with silver
      nanoparticles for potential antimicrobial application.
AB  - Sericin has great potentials in biomedical applications for its good reactive
      activity, biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, the undesirable
      mechanical performance limits its application. Here, we developed a green, facile
      and economic approach to prepare sericin/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend film.
      Further, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in situ on the surface of
      sericin/PVA film via UV-assisted green synthesis method. Mechanical performance,
      swelling, mass losing and water retention tests showed the blend film had good
      mechanical performance, hygroscopicity, water retention capacity and low mass
      losing ratio. Scanning electron microscopy, fourier transfer infrared
      spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry diffraction and X-ray photoelectron
      spectroscopy indicated the blending of PVA and sericin promoted the formation of
      hydrogen bond network between sericin and PVA, thus enhanced the mechanical
      performance and the stability of sericin, as well as the hygroscopicity and water
      retention capacity. UV irradiation and AgNPs modification did not affect the
      inner crystalline structure of sericin/PVA blend film. The inhibition zone and
      bacteria growth curve assay suggested AgNPs-sericin/PVA film had good
      antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus. This novel AgNPs
      sericin/PVA film shows great potentials in biomedical materials such as wound
      dressing and skin tissue engineering.

PMID- 28619638
TI  - Development and characterization of cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) skin gelatin
      protein isolate blend films.
AB  - In the present study, cuttlefish skin gelatin (CSG) and protein isolate (CSPI)
      blend films were prepared and their physicochemical and antioxidant properties
      were characterized. CSG (4%, w/v) was blended with CSPI (3%, w/v) at different
      ratios and 15% of glycerol (w/w, plasticizer/polymer dry matter). Results showed
      that increasing of CSPI content induced lower lightness but higher redness,
      yellowness and color difference values compared to CSG film. In addition, CSPI
      film had the lowest tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EAB) values.
      The FTIR spectra of blend films showed a shift in the position of peaks related
      to the amide-I group, suggesting that they were involved in the interaction
      between the biopolymers. The structural properties evaluated by DSC showed a
      total miscibility between both polymers. This result was also confirmed by the
      SEM study, revealing a compact and homogenous structure in the blend films.
      Moreover, the water contact angle decreased in blend films, especially for those
      having higher proportion of CSPI. The antioxidant activity of films was markedly
      favored by the CSPI incorporation. Therefore, CSPI addition into gelatin matrix
      allowed to improve the blend films properties, mainly governed by the CSG/CSPI
      ratio.

PMID- 28619639
TI  - Chitosan doped with nanoparticles of copper, nickel and cobalt.
AB  - Metal colloids in 2 propanol using nanoparticles (NPs) of copper, nickel and
      cobalt were prepared by Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method. The resulting
      colloidal dispersions were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy
      (TEM). The colloids were supported in chitosan. Then, microbiological assays were
      performed using E. coli and S. aureus in order to determine the
      bactericide/bacteriostatic activity of nanoparticles (NPs) trapped or chelated
      with chitosan. Finally, the toxicity of the metal colloids Cu, Ni and Co was
      tested. Bio-assays were conducted in three different animal species. First of all
      on earth warms (Eisenia foetida) to evaluate the toxicity and the
      biocompatibility of chitosan in lactic acid (1% and 0.5%). Secondly bio-assay
      done in fishes (rainbow trout), the liver toxicity of NPs in vivo was evaluated.
      Finally, a bio-assay was conducted in Sprange-Dawley rats of 100g weight, which
      were injected intraperitoneally with different solutions of chitosan metal
      colloids. Then, the minimum and maximum concentration were determined for copper,
      nickel and cobalt. The purpose of the use of chitosan was acting as a carrier for
      some magnetic NPs, which toxicity would allow to obtain new polymeric materials
      with potential applications as magnet future drugs carrier.

PMID- 28619640
TI  - Potential of amino-riched nano-structured MnFe2O4@cellulose for biosorption of
      toxic Cr (VI): Modeling, kinetic, equilibrium and comparing studies.
AB  - In this work, amine riched MnFe2O4-cellulose was employed to remove toxic Cr
      (VI). To find out the optimum conditions R (3.3.1) software was used. The results
      of Cr (VI) adsorption onto three-step adsorbents were compared by interpreting
      kinetic and isotherm studies. The kinetic studies reveal that the adsorption of
      Cr (VI) onto cellulose and magnetic cellulose (MC) followed pseudo-first order
      model whereas the adsorption of Cr (VI) onto amine modified cellulose (AFMC)
      followed pseudo-second order kinetic model. From the obtained intraparticle
      diffusion model results it is evident that the adsorption is an external surface
      process. The adsorption isotherm parameters for Cr (VI) adsorption onto MC and
      AFMC showed that the correlation coefficient (R2: 0.96, 0.88) of Freundlich
      isotherm is more than that of Langmuir isotherm (R2: 0.50, 0.76); hence, it is
      suggested that the adsorption of Cr (VI) onto these sorbents occurs in multilayer
      possessing heterogeneous sorption sites whereas the adsorption onto cellulose
      followed Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacities of cellulose, MC and
      AFMC under optimum conditions were found to be 25, 125 and 250mg/g, respectively;
      thus, it is confirmed that adsorption efficiency has been improved after
      modification steps.

PMID- 28619641
TI  - Optimal conditions for producing bactericidal sodium hyaluronate-TiO2
      bionanocomposite and its characterization.
AB  - In this research, the creation of optimum conditions for the formation of sodium
      hyaluronate-TiO2 bionanocomposite and its antibacterial effect on gram positive
      and gram negative bacteria was evaluated. The Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy spectra, scanning electron microscopy images and energy dispersive X
      ray spectroscopy pattern confirmed the formation of the bionanocomposite.
      Thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis indicated that the
      thermal stability rate had significantly improved with formation of the
      bionanocomposite. Nine experiments were designed based on the Taguchi method by
      applying different proportions of sodium hyaluronate biopolymer and TiO2
      nanoparticles at different stirring times. Bionanocomposite produced under
      conditions of experiment 5 (TiO2 4mg/ml, sodium hyaluronate 1mg/ml and stirring
      time of 90min) and experiment 9 (TiO2 8mg/ml, sodium hyaluronate 2mg/ml and
      stirring time of 60min) completely prevented the growth of Staphylococcus aureus
      and Escherichia coli. It can be concluded that sodium hyaluronate-TiO2
      bionanocomposite can be used as an effective antimicrobial compound in food,
      pharmaceutical, medical and environmental sectors.

PMID- 28619642
TI  - Polysaccharides and their depolymerized fragments from Costaria costata:
      Molecular weight and sulfation-dependent anticoagulant and FGF/FGFR signal
      activating activities.
AB  - Crude polysaccharides from Costaria costata were extracted by hot water and
      further fractionated by anion exchange chromatography into three polysaccharide
      fractions. Three low molecular weight fragments were then prepared by degradation
      of the polysaccharides with hydrogen peroxide and ascorbic acid. The structural
      features of the polysaccharides and their low molecular weight fragments were
      elucidated for the first time based on the HGPC, FT-IR, NMR, MS, monosaccharide
      composition, and other chemical analyses. Their anticoagulant and FGF-1, -2, -7, 
      8, -9, -10/FGFR1c signaling activation activities in BaF3 cells were also
      examined. Our studies showed that the polysaccharides were sulfated at different
      positions of galactose and fucose residues. The APTT-, PT- and TT-based
      anticoagulant assay results indicated that a high molecular weight and a higher
      degree of sulfation were essential for their anticoagulant activities. In
      contrast, not only the polysaccharides but also the depolymerized fragments
      showed significant FGF/FGFR signal activating activities in a FGF-, molecular
      weight-, and sulfation-dependent manner. The results presented in current study
      demonstrated the potential use of the polysaccharides and their fragments as
      anticoagulants and FGF signal regulators.

PMID- 28619643
TI  - Superior transfection efficiency of phagocytic astrocytes by large chitosan/DNA
      nanoparticles.
AB  - PURPOSE: Mechanism study of why astrocytes isolated from experimental autoimmune
      encephalomyelitis (EAE)-induced B6 mice or after being exposed to inflammatory
      factors had the highest transfection efficiency to larger-sized, but not
      compacted, pspCS/pDNA particles. METHODS: Phosphorylatable short peptide
      conjugated chitosan (pspCS) was compounded with plasmid DNA (pDNA) at different
      N:P ratios to form pspCS/pDNA particles of different size and zeta potentials.
      These pspCS/pDNA particles were used for the transfection of astrocytes isolated
      from either EAE induced or healthy B6 mice. Transfection efficiency and cell
      permeability of the particles were determined by the internalization of radio
      [H3]-labeled plasmid and the expression of a luciferase reporter gene
      respectively. Phagocytosis of EAE-astrocytes was determined by the
      internalization of FITC labeled dextran beads. By comparing the transfection
      efficiency of differently-sized pspCS/pDNA particles to normal and phagocytic
      astrocytes, with or without cytochalasin D, a phagocytosis inhibitor, in the
      presence, the contribution of phagocytosis to cell permeability and transfection
      efficiency was evaluated. RESULTS: In vivo EAE-induction or in vitro inflammatory
      factors treatment transferred normal astrocytes to be phagocytic astrocytes which
      underwent phagocytosis, had the highest cell permeability and transfection
      efficiency to larger-sized pspCS/pDNA particles formed at lower N:P ratios. When
      phagocytosis was inhibited by cytochalasin D, both cell permeability and
      transfection efficiency of phagocytic astrocytes to larger were significantly
      decreased. Thereafter, particle size, not zeta potential, was verified as the key
      factor for determining whether the particles could be phagocytosed. In addition
      phagocytosis was successfully induced in ARPE-19 cells as well, which also
      improved the transfection efficiency of larger pspCS/pDNA particles. CONCLUSION:
      A generally accepted concept is that the internalization of cationic polymer/pDNA
      particles, chitosan-DNA complex for instance, is mainly through the procedure of
      endocytosis of the transfected cells. More compacted particles with higher zeta
      potential were used to be considered had higher cell permeability and
      transfection efficiency. However, here we reported that phagocytosis is another
      important procedure for determining internalization and transfection efficiency
      of cationic polymer/pDNA nanoparticles, especially for advanced transfection
      efficiency of large pspCS/pDNA particles. Thus, for gene delivery applications,
      the environmental condition of the target cells should be seriously considered
      for selecting an appropriate gene transfer strategies.

PMID- 28619644
TI  - Management and outcomes of symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms during the past
      20 years.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We compared the management of patients with symptomatic, unruptured
      abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) treated at a tertiary care center between two
      decades. This 20-year period encapsulated a shift in surgical approach to aortic
      aneurysms from primarily open to primarily endovascular, and we sought to
      determine the effect of this shift in the evaluation, treatment, and clinical
      outcomes of patients with symptomatic AAA. METHODS: We reviewed 1429 consecutive
      patients with unruptured AAAs treated at a tertiary care hospital by six staff
      surgeons between 1995 and 2004 (era 1) and between 2005 and 2014 (era 2). Of
      those patients, 160 (11%) were symptomatic from their aneurysm and were included
      in our study. Patient demographics, operative approach, and outcomes were
      analyzed and compared for each period. RESULTS: Era 1 included 75 patients (71%
      men; average age, 73.1 +/- 10.0 years) treated for symptomatic AAA (91.9%
      infrarenal, 4.0% juxtarenal, and 4.0% pararenal); of these, 68% were treated with
      open repair and 32.0% were treated with an endovascular repair. Perioperative
      mortality during this period was 5.3% (7.8% for the open cohort and 0% for the
      endovascular cohort). Era 2 included 85 patients (72.9% men; average age 72.0 +/-
      9.5 years) treated for symptomatic AAA (90.1% infrarenal, 7.5% juxtarenal, and
      2.4% pararenal); of these, 29% were treated open and 71% underwent endovascular
      repair. Perioperative mortality was 5.9% (8.0% for the open cohort and 5.0% for
      the endovascular cohort). Era 2 had a significantly higher rate of endovascular
      repair compared with era 1 (71% vs 32%; P < .0001) and a trend toward decreased
      long-term mortality. The length of stay for era 2 was significantly reduced
      compared with era 1 (4 days vs 6 days; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge,
      this is the largest single-institution cohort of symptomatic AAAs, which comprise
      10% to 11% of overall aneurysms. As expected, we found a significant shift over
      time in the approach to these patients from a primarily open to a primarily
      endovascular technique. The modern era was also associated with decreased lengths
      of stay and fewer gastrointestinal and wound complications but no significant
      differences in overall perioperative mortality.

PMID- 28619645
TI  - Introduction of arteriovenous grafts with graft insertion anastomosis for
      hemodialysis access.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: An arteriovenous bridging graft is a viable option for patients with
      compromised arteries or veins because of advanced age or diabetes. Arteriovenous
      graft with graft insertion anastomosis (AVGI) is the novel technique for graft
      vein anastomosis where the prosthesis is inserted into the vein, and the
      anastomosis is performed on the surface of the prosthesis. This study assessed
      the short-term and long-term results of AVGI to clarify the efficacy of this
      technique. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2015, AVGI was performed in graft-vein
      anastomosis of prosthetic forearm loop access. Characteristics and level of
      complications were assessed. To evaluate the long-term results, functional graft
      patency and frequency of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty were examined.
      RESULTS: The study comprised 58 patients. There were no deaths related to the
      surgery. The time of hemostasis after AVGI was recorded at 0 seconds because no
      bleeding from the suture holes was seen. At 1, 2, and 3 years, primary patency
      were 45.1% +/- 7.5%, 23.1% +/- 7.5%, and 23.1% +/- 7.5%, respectively, and
      assisted primary patency rates were 59.4% +/- 7.2%, 50.8% +/- 7.6%, and 50.8% +/-
      7.6%, respectively. Secondary patency rates at 4 and 5 years were 100% +/- 0% and
      94.1% +/- 5.7%, respectively. The frequency of percutaneous balloon angioplasty
      to maintain the patency was 1.61 +/- 0.53 times per year. Graft infection
      occurred in four patients (6.9%). CONCLUSIONS: AVGI is an advantageous technique
      for graft vein anastomosis in an arteriovenous bridging graft in both the short
      term and long-term.

PMID- 28619646
TI  - Time-dependent effects of HJP272, an endothelin receptor antagonist, in bleomycin
      induced pulmonary fibrosis.
AB  - Using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model of acute lung injury, we have previously
      shown that endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent mediator of vasoconstriction, may act as
      a "gatekeeper" for the influx of inflammatory cells into the lung. To further
      investigate the potential of ET-1 to limit the progression of lung injury,
      hamsters were treated with an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), HJP272,
      either 1 h prior to intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (BLM) or 24 h
      afterwards. Lung injury and repair were examined by measuring the following
      parameters: 1) histopathological changes; 2) neutrophil content in
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); 3) lung collagen content; 4) tumor necrosis
      factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) expression by BALF macrophages; 5) BALF levels of: a)
      transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1), b) stromal cell-derived factor 1
      (commonly referred to as CXCL12), and c) platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF
      BB); 6) alveolar septal cell apoptosis (as measured by the TUNEL assay). For each
      of these parameters, animals pretreated with HJP272 showed significant reductions
      compared to those receiving BLM alone. In contrast, post-treatment with HJP272
      was either ineffective or produced only marginally significant changes. The
      efficacy of a single pretreatment with HJP272 prior to induction of lung injury
      suggests that subsequent features of the disease are determined at a very early
      stage. This may explain why ERAs are not an effective treatment for human
      pulmonary fibrosis. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that they may be useful as
      prophylactic agents when given in combination with drugs that have fibrogenic
      potential.

PMID- 28619648
TI  - Biophysical characterization of nanostructured TiO2 as a good substrate for hBM
      MSC adhesion, growth and differentiation.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells from human bone marrow (hBM-MSC) are widely utilized for
      clinical applications involving bone healing. In this context, their use has been
      often optimized in association to variously designed titanium substrates, being
      this material of great use in orthopaedic implants. According to recent findings,
      the ability of hBM-MSC to differentiate towards a specific lineage is not only
      driven by biochemical signals, but physical stimuli, such as rigidity or
      roughness of the substrate, can also support a commitment towards osteogenic
      differentiation. Moreover, the presence of features with defined dimensional
      scales, in particular nanometer-size, also proved to elicit specific biological
      effects. Here we evaluated the effectiveness of a nano-patterned titanium surface
      in sustaining hBM-MSC adhesion, growth and differentiation by means of a panel of
      biophysical tools: morphometry, electrophysiology, intracellular calcium
      measurements and immunocytochemistry. The results substantiate the idea that this
      micro-textured titanium dioxide is a good surface for growth and differentiation
      of hBM-MSC and it exhibits a stimulating action mainly in the initial period of
      differentiation. Moreover, the basal concentration of free cytosolic Calcium
      [Ca2+]i is confirmed to be a good hallmark of the hBM-MSC maturation stage. The
      study could provide relevant hints to help improving the biocompatibility and
      osteointegration potential of clinical titanium implants.

PMID- 28619647
TI  - Using CRISPR-Cas9 to Generate Gene-Corrected Autologous iPSCs for the Treatment
      of Inherited Retinal Degeneration.
AB  - Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great promise for
      autologous cell replacement. However, for many inherited diseases, treatment will
      likely require genetic repair pre-transplantation. Genome editing technologies
      are useful for this application. The purpose of this study was to develop CRISPR
      Cas9-mediated genome editing strategies to target and correct the three most
      common types of disease-causing variants in patient-derived iPSCs: (1) exonic,
      (2) deep intronic, and (3) dominant gain of function. We developed a homology
      directed repair strategy targeting a homozygous Alu insertion in exon 9 of male
      germ cell-associated kinase (MAK) and demonstrated restoration of the retinal
      transcript and protein in patient cells. We generated a CRISPR-Cas9-mediated non
      homologous end joining (NHEJ) approach to excise a major contributor to Leber
      congenital amaurosis, the IVS26 cryptic-splice mutation in CEP290, and
      demonstrated correction of the transcript and protein in patient iPSCs. Lastly,
      we designed allele-specific CRISPR guides that selectively target the mutant
      Pro23His rhodopsin (RHO) allele, which, following delivery to both patient iPSCs
      in vitro and pig retina in vivo, created a frameshift and premature stop that
      would prevent transcription of the disease-causing variant. The strategies
      developed in this study will prove useful for correcting a wide range of genetic
      variants in genes that cause inherited retinal degeneration.

PMID- 28619650
TI  - Advancing pharmacy practice through implementation science.

PMID- 28619649
TI  - The School Inner-City Asthma Intervention Study: Design, rationale, methods, and
      lessons learned.
AB  - Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the United States,
      causes significant morbidity, particularly in the inner-city, and accounts for
      billions of dollars in health care utilization. Home environments are established
      sources of exposure that exacerbate symptoms and home-based interventions are
      effective. However, elementary school children spend 7 to 12h a day in school,
      primarily in one classroom. From the observational School Inner-City Asthma Study
      we learned that student classroom-specific exposures are associated with
      worsening asthma symptoms and decline in lung function. We now embark on a
      randomized, blinded, sham-controlled school environmental intervention trial,
      built on our extensively established school/community partnerships, to determine
      the efficacy of a school-based intervention to improve asthma control. This
      factorial school/classroom based environmental intervention will plan to enroll
      300 students with asthma from multiple classrooms in 40 northeastern inner-city
      elementary schools. Schools will be randomized to receive either integrated pest
      management versus control and classrooms within these schools to receive either
      air purifiers or sham control. The primary outcome is asthma symptoms during the
      school year. This study is an unprecedented opportunity to test whether a
      community of children can benefit from school or classroom environmental
      interventions. If effective, this will have great impact as an efficient, cost
      effective intervention for inner city children with asthma and may have broad
      public policy implications.

PMID- 28619651
TI  - Structure and electrochemistry of proteins harboring iron-sulfur clusters of
      different nuclearities. Part I. [4Fe-4S]+[2Fe-2S] iron-sulfur proteins.
AB  - In a recent series of review papers we have updated structure/electrochemistry of
      metalloproteins harboring single types of iron-sulfur clusters, namely
      {Fe(Cys)4}, {[Fe2S2](Cys)4}, {[Fe2S2](Cys)3(X)} (X=Asp, Arg, His),
      {[Fe2S2](Cys)2(His)2}, {[Fe3S4](Cys)3}, {[Fe4S4](Cys)4} and
      {[Fe4S4](SgammaCys)3(nonthiolate ligand)} cores, and their synthetic analogs. We
      now face with iron-sulfur proteins harboring iron-sulfur centres of different
      nuclearities. In this picture we start with proteins containing [4Fe-4S]+[2Fe-2S]
      clusters.

PMID- 28619653
TI  - On optimal spatial filtering for the detection of phase coupling in multivariate
      neural recordings.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Neuronal oscillations synchronize processing in the brain over
      large spatiotemporal scales and thereby facilitate integration of individual
      functional modules. Up to now, the relation between the phases of neuronal
      oscillations and behavior or perception has mainly been analyzed in sensor space
      of multivariate EEG/MEG recordings. However, sensor-space analysis distorts the
      topographies of the underlying neuronal sources and suffers from low signal-to
      noise ratio. Instead, we propose an optimized source reconstruction approach
      (Phase Coupling Optimization, PCO). METHODS: PCO maximizes the 'mean vector
      length', calculated from the phases of recovered neuronal sources and a target
      variable of interest (e.g., experimental performance). As pre-processing, the
      signal-to-noise ratio in the search-space is maximized by spatio-spectral
      decomposition. PCO was benchmarked against several competing algorithms and
      sensor-space analysis using realistic forward model simulations. As a practical
      example, thirteen 96-channel EEG measurements during a simple reaction time task
      were analyzed. After time-frequency decomposition, PCO was applied to the EEG to
      examine the relation between the phases of pre-stimulus EEG activity and reaction
      times. RESULTS: In simulations, PCO outperformed other spatial optimization
      approaches and sensor-space analysis. Scalp topographies of the underlying source
      patterns and the relation between the phases of the source activity and the
      target variable could be reconstructed accurately even for very low SNRs (-10dB).
      In a simple reaction time experiment, the phases of pre-stimulus delta waves
      (<0.1Hz) with widely distributed fronto-parietal source topographies were found
      predictive of the reaction times. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: From multivariate
      recordings, PCO can reconstruct neuronal sources that are phase-coupled to a
      target variable using a data-driven optimization approach. Its superiority has
      been shown in simulations and in the analysis of a simple reaction time
      experiment. From this data, we hypothesize that the phase entrainment of slow
      delta waves (<1Hz) facilitates sensorimotor integration in the brain and that
      this mechanism underlies the faster processing of anticipated stimuli. We further
      propose that the examined slow delta waves, observed to be phase-coupled to
      reaction times, correspond to the compound potentials typically observed in
      paradigms of stimulus anticipation and motor preparation.

PMID- 28619652
TI  - Frontal temporal and parietal systems synchronize within and across brains during
      live eye-to-eye contact.
AB  - Human eye-to-eye contact is a primary source of social cues and communication. In
      spite of the biological significance of this interpersonal interaction, the
      underlying neural processes are not well-understood. This knowledge gap, in part,
      reflects limitations of conventional neuroimaging methods, including solitary
      confinement in the bore of a scanner and minimal tolerance of head movement that
      constrain investigations of natural, two-person interactions. However, these
      limitations are substantially resolved by recent technical developments in
      functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive spectral absorbance
      technique that detects changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain by using
      surface-mounted optical sensors. Functional NIRS is tolerant of limited head
      motion and enables simultaneous acquisitions of neural signals from two
      interacting partners in natural conditions. We employ fNIRS to advance a data
      driven theoretical framework for two-person neuroscience motivated by the
      Interactive Brain Hypothesis which proposes that interpersonal interaction
      between individuals evokes neural mechanisms not engaged during solo, non
      interactive, behaviors. Within this context, two specific hypotheses related to
      eye-to-eye contact, functional specificity and functional synchrony, were tested.
      The functional specificity hypothesis proposes that eye-to-eye contact engages
      specialized, within-brain, neural systems; and the functional synchrony
      hypothesis proposes that eye-to-eye contact engages specialized, across-brain,
      neural processors that are synchronized between dyads. Signals acquired during
      eye-to-eye contact between partners (interactive condition) were compared to
      signals acquired during mutual gaze at the eyes of a picture-face (non
      interactive condition). In accordance with the specificity hypothesis, responses
      during eye-to-eye contact were greater than eye-to-picture gaze for a left
      frontal cluster that included pars opercularis (associated with canonical
      language production functions known as Broca's region), pre- and supplementary
      motor cortices (associated with articulatory systems), as well as the subcentral
      area. This frontal cluster was also functionally connected to a cluster located
      in the left superior temporal gyrus (associated with canonical language receptive
      functions known as Wernicke's region), primary somatosensory cortex, and the
      subcentral area. In accordance with the functional synchrony hypothesis, cross
      brain coherence during eye-to-eye contact relative to eye-to-picture gaze
      increased for signals originating within left superior temporal, middle temporal,
      and supramarginal gyri as well as the pre- and supplementary motor cortices of
      both interacting brains. These synchronous cross-brain regions are also
      associated with known language functions, and were partner-specific (i.e.,
      disappeared with randomly assigned partners). Together, both within and across
      brain neural correlates of eye-to-eye contact included components of previously
      established productive and receptive language systems. These findings reveal a
      left frontal, temporal, and parietal long-range network that mediates neural
      responses during eye-to-eye contact between dyads, and advance insight into
      elemental mechanisms of social and interpersonal interactions.

PMID- 28619654
TI  - Representational precision in visual cortex reveals outcome encoding and reward
      modulation during action preparation.
AB  - According to ideomotor theory, goal-directed action involves the active
      perceptual anticipation of actions and their associated effects. We used
      multivariate analysis of fMRI data to test if preparation of an action promotes
      precision in the perceptual representation of the action. In addition, we tested
      how reward magnitude modulates this effect. Finally, we examined how expectation
      and uncertainty impact neural precision in the motor cortex. In line with our
      predictions, preparation of a hand or face action increased the precision of
      neural activation patterns in the extrastriate body area (EBA) and fusiform face
      area (FFA), respectively. The size of this effect of anticipation predicted
      individuals' efficiency at performing the prepared action. In addition,
      increasing reward magnitude increased the precision of perceptual representations
      in both EBA and FFA although this effect was limited to the group of participants
      that learned to associate face actions with high reward. Surprisingly,
      examination of representations in the hand motor cortex and face motor cortex
      yielded effects in the opposite direction. Our findings demonstrate that the
      precision of representations in visual and motor areas provides an important
      neural signature of the sensorimotor representations involved in goal-directed
      action.

PMID- 28619655
TI  - Comparison of the spatial resolution of source imaging techniques in high-density
      EEG and MEG.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study aims at evaluating and comparing electrical and
      magnetic distributed source imaging methods applied to high-density
      Electroencephalography (hdEEG) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. We used
      resolution matrices to characterize spatial resolution properties of Minimum Norm
      Estimate (MNE), dynamic Statistical Parametric Mapping (dSPM), standardized Low
      Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (sLORETA) and coherent Maximum Entropy on
      the Mean (cMEM, an entropy-based technique). The resolution matrix provides
      information of the Point Spread Functions (PSF) and of the Crosstalk functions
      (CT), this latter being also called source leakage, as it reflects the influence
      of a source on its neighbors. METHODS: The spatial resolution of the inverse
      operators was first evaluated theoretically and then with real data acquired
      using electrical median nerve stimulation on five healthy participants. We
      evaluated the Dipole Localization Error (DLE) and the Spatial Dispersion (SD) of
      each PSF and CT map. RESULTS: cMEM showed the smallest spatial spread (SD) for
      both PSF and CT maps, whereas localization errors (DLE) were similar for all
      methods. Whereas cMEM SD values were lower in MEG compared to hdEEG, the other
      methods slightly favored hdEEG over MEG. In real data, cMEM provided similar
      localization error and significantly less spatial spread than other methods for
      both MEG and hdEEG. Whereas both MEG and hdEEG provided very accurate
      localizations, all the source imaging methods actually performed better in MEG
      compared to hdEEG according to all evaluation metrics, probably due to the higher
      signal-to-noise ratio of the data in MEG. CONCLUSION: Our overall results show
      that all investigated methods provide similar localization errors, suggesting
      very accurate localization for both MEG and hdEEG when similar number of sensors
      are considered for both modalities. Intrinsic properties of source imaging
      methods as well as their behavior for well-controlled tasks, suggest an overall
      better performance of cMEM in regards to spatial resolution and spatial leakage
      for both hdEEG and MEG. This indicates that cMEM would be a good candidate for
      studying source localization of focal and extended generators as well as
      functional connectivity studies.

PMID- 28619656
TI  - The large-scale functional connectivity correlates of consciousness and arousal
      during the healthy and pathological human sleep cycle.
AB  - Advances in neuroimaging have greatly improved our understanding of human sleep
      from a systems neuroscience perspective. However, cognition and awareness are
      reduced during sleep, hindering the applicability of standard task-based
      paradigms. Methods recently developed to study spontaneous brain activity
      fluctuations have proven useful to overcome this limitation. In this review, we
      focus on the concept of functional connectivity (FC, i.e. statistical covariance
      between brain activity signals) and its application to functional magnetic
      resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquired during sleep. We discuss how FC analyses
      of endogenous brain activity during sleep have contributed towards revealing the
      large-scale neural networks associated with arousal and conscious awareness. We
      argue that the neuroimaging of deep sleep can be used to evaluate the predictions
      of theories of consciousness; at the same time, we highlight some apparent
      limitations of deep sleep as an experimental model of unconsciousness. In resting
      state fMRI experiments, the onset of sleep can be regarded as the object of
      interest but also as an undesirable confound. We discuss a series of articles
      contributing towards the disambiguation of wakefulness from sleep on the basis of
      fMRI-derived dynamic FC, and then outline a plan for the development of more
      general and data-driven sleep classifiers. To complement our review of studies
      investigating the brain systems of arousal and consciousness during healthy
      sleep, we then turn to pathological and abnormal sleep patterns. We review the
      current literature on sleep deprivation studies and sleep disorders, adopting the
      critical stance that lack of independent vigilance monitoring during fMRI
      experiments is liable for false positives related to atypical sleep propensity in
      clinical and sleep-deprived populations. Finally, we discuss multimodal
      neuroimaging as a promising future direction to achieve a better understanding of
      the large-scale FC of the brain during sleep and its relationship to mechanisms
      at the cellular level.

PMID- 28619657
TI  - Low-frequency oscillations employ a general coding of the spatio-temporal
      similarity of dynamic faces.
AB  - Brain networks use neural oscillations as information transfer mechanisms.
      Although the face perception network in occipitotemporal cortex is well-studied,
      contributions of oscillations to face representation remain an open question. We
      tested for links between oscillatory responses that encode facial dimensions and
      the theoretical proposal that faces are encoded in similarity-based "face
      spaces". We quantified similarity-based encoding of dynamic faces in
      magnetoencephalographic sensor-level oscillatory power for identity, expression,
      physical and perceptual similarity of facial form and motion. Our data show that
      evoked responses manifest physical and perceptual form similarity that
      distinguishes facial identities. Low-frequency induced oscillations (< 20Hz)
      manifested more general similarity structure, which was not limited to identity,
      and spanned physical and perceived form and motion. A supplementary fMRI
      constrained source reconstruction implicated fusiform gyrus and V5 in this
      similarity-based representation. These findings introduce a potential link
      between "face space" encoding and oscillatory network communication, which
      generates new hypotheses about the potential oscillation-mediated mechanisms that
      might encode facial dimensions.

PMID- 28619658
TI  - Tender swelling of the posterior mandible.

PMID- 28619659
TI  - Effects of Canagliflozin on Cardiovascular Biomarkers in Older Adults With Type 2
      Diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors may reduce cardiovascular
      and heart failure risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
      OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of canagliflozin on
      cardiovascular biomarkers in older patients with T2DM. METHODS: In 666 T2DM
      patients randomized to receive canagliflozin 100 or 300 mg or placebo, the study
      assessed the median percent change in serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic
      peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI), soluble (s)ST2, and
      galectin-3 from baseline to 26, 52, and 104 weeks. RESULTS: Both serum NT-proBNP
      and serum hsTnI levels increased in placebo recipients, but they remained largely
      unchanged in those randomized to canagliflozin. Hodges-Lehmann estimates of the
      difference in median percent change between pooled canagliflozin and placebo were
      -15.0%, -16.1%, and -26.8% for NT-proBNP, and -8.3%, -11.9%, and -10.0% for hsTnI
      at weeks 26, 52, and 104, respectively (all p < 0.05). Serum sST2 was unchanged
      with canagliflozin and placebo over 104 weeks. Serum galectin-3 modestly
      increased from baseline with canagliflozin versus placebo, with significant
      differences observed at 26 and 52 weeks but not at 104 weeks. These results
      remained unchanged when only patients with complete samples were assessed.
      CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, treatment with canagliflozin delayed the rise
      in serum NT-proBNP and hsTnI for over 2 years in older T2DM patients. These
      cardiac biomarker data provide support for the beneficial cardiovascular effect
      of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in T2DM. (A Safety and Efficacy
      Study of Canagliflozin in Older Patients [55 to 80 Years of Age] With Type 2
      Diabetes Mellitus; NCT01106651).

PMID- 28619660
TI  - Corrigendum to "Fluorescence evaluations for porphyrin formation during topical
      PDT using ALA and methyl-ALA mixtures in pig skin models" [Photodiagn. Photodyn.
      Ther. 15 (2016) 236-244].

PMID- 28619661
TI  - Corrigendum to "The optimization of fluorescence imaging of brain tumor tissue
      differentiated from brain edema-in vivo kinetic study of 5-aminolevulinic acid
      and talaporfin sodium" [Photodiagn. Photodyn. Ther. 6 (2009), 19-27].

PMID- 28619662
TI  - Rapid detection of Salmonella with Recombinase Aided Amplification.
AB  - Rapid Salmonella detection using Recombinase Aided Amplification was established.
      The reaction completes in 20 min at 39 degrees C and can be performed with a
      portable device. Once further improved, this method should be a great choice for
      monitoring contamination, such as foodborne Salmonella or for similar purposes.

PMID- 28619664
TI  - Nailfold capillaroscopic changes in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial
      hypertension and systemic sclerosis-related pulmonary arterial hypertension.
AB  - : Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) represents one of the main clinical
      expressions of the vascular changes in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Lung
      microvascular changes can play a role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic PAH
      (IPAH) also. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of
      capillaroscopic abnormalities in patients with IPAH and to evaluate the
      differences in capillary nailfold changes between patients with IPAH and patients
      with SSc with and without PAH. METHODS: 39 SSc patients (19 with PAH - SSc-PAH
      and 20 without - SSc-noPAH), 21 subjects with IPAH and 20 healthy subjects were
      recruited. PAH was diagnosed by right heart catheterization. Nailfold
      videocapillaroscopy was performed (NVC) in all recruited subjects; capillary
      quantitative parameters (loops length and width, capillary density,
      neoangiogenesis) were evaluated and a semiquantitative scoring was used (normal,
      minor or major abnormalities for healthy controls and IPAH subjects and specific
      patterns - early, active and late - for SSc subjects) to define microvascular
      alterations. RESULTS: The presence of capillaroscopic abnormalities was detected
      in 38,1% subjects with IPAH; particularly, compared to healthy controls,
      capillary density was significantly lower (7,5+/-1,65loops/mm vs 9+/-1,37loops/mm
      p<0,05) and mean capillary width was significantly higher (21+/-13MUm vs 17+/
      3MUm p<0,05). A more severe NVC pattern (active/late) was described. SSc-PAH
      patients compared to SSc-noPAH patients (73,2% vs 50% respectively, p<0,05), with
      a significantly lower capillary density (5,64+/-1,9loops/mm vs 6,5+/-1,3loops/mm
      p<0,05) and a significantly higher capillary width (55+/-7MUm vs 35+/-8MUm -
      p<0,05) and mean number of neoangiogenesis (N/mm) (1+/-0,33 vs 0,2+/-0,22
      respectively p<0,05). CONCLUSIONS: These data, beyond to confirm the role of
      microvascular damage in SSc-related PAH, support the hypothesis of systemic
      microvascular involvement in IPAH also, which can be detected by NVC, although
      further studies are needed to establish whether the changes in the systemic
      microcirculation are causal or consequential to PAH.

PMID- 28619663
TI  - Captive wild birds as reservoirs of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and Shiga
      toxin producing E. coli (STEC).
AB  - Psittacine birds have been identified as reservoirs of diarrheagenic Escherichia
      coli, a subset of pathogens associated with mortality of children in tropical
      countries. The role of other orders of birds as source of infection is unclear.
      The aim of this study was to perform the molecular diagnosis of infection with
      diarrheagenic E. coli in 10 different orders of captive wild birds in the state
      of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fecal samples were analyzed from 516 birds belonging to 10
      orders: Accipitriformes, Anseriformes, Columbiformes, Falconiformes, Galliformes,
      Passeriformes, Pelecaniformes, Piciformes, Psittaciformes and Strigiformes. After
      isolation, 401 E. coli strains were subjected to multiplex PCR system with
      amplification of genes eae and bfp (EPEC), stx1 and stx2 for STEC. The results of
      these tests revealed 23/401 (5.74%) positive strains for eae gene, 16/401
      positive strains for the bfp gene (3.99%) and 3/401 positive for stx2 gene
      (0.75%) distributed among the orders of Psittaciformes, Strigiformes and
      Columbiformes. None of strains were positive for stx1 gene. These data reveal the
      infection by STEC, typical and atypical EPEC in captive birds. The frequency of
      these pathotypes is low and restricted to few orders, but the data suggest the
      potential public health risk that these birds represent as reservoirs of
      diarrheagenic E. coli.

PMID- 28619665
TI  - Computer modelling of electro-osmotically augmented three-layered microvascular
      peristaltic blood flow.
AB  - A theoretical study is presented here for the electro-osmosis modulated
      peristaltic three-layered capillary flow of viscous fluids with different
      viscosities in the layers. The layers considered here are the core layer, the
      intermediate layer and the peripheral layer. The analysis has been carried out
      under a number of physical restrictions viz. Debye-Huckel linearization (i.e.
      wall zeta potential <=25mV) is assumed sufficiently small, thin electric double
      layer limit (i.e. the peripheral layer is much thicker than the electric double
      layer thickness), low Reynolds number and large wavelength approximations. A non
      dimensional analysis is used to linearize the boundary value problem. Fluid-fluid
      interfaces, peristaltic pumping characteristics, and trapping phenomenon are
      simulated. Present study also evaluates the responses of interface, pressure
      rise, time-averaged volume flow rate, maximum pressure rise, and the influence of
      Helmholtz-Smoluchowski velocity on the mechanical efficiency (with two different
      cases of the viscosity of fluids between the intermediate and the peripheral
      layer). Trapping phenomenon along with bolus dynamics evolution with thin EDL
      effects are analyzed. The findings of this study may ultimately be useful to
      control the microvascular flow during the fractionation of blood into plasma (in
      the peripheral layer), buffy coat (intermediate layer) and erythrocytes (core
      layer). This work may also contributes in electrophoresis, hematology,
      electrohydrodynamic therapy and, design and development of biomimetic electro
      osmotic pumps.

PMID- 28619666
TI  - Treatment of rectal cancer in the East and West: Should it be different?

PMID- 28619667
TI  - Taking the Good with the Bad: Survival and Late Toxicity among Young
      Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Survivors.

PMID- 28619668
TI  - US Registered Dietitian Nutritionists' Knowledge and Attitudes of Intuitive
      Eating and Use of Various Weight Management Practices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Researchers have been advocating for a new weight-inclusive paradigm
      that focuses on health rather than weight. One important component of this model
      is intuitive eating. Although registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) are the
      nation's food and nutrition experts, RDNs' knowledge of and attitudes toward
      intuitive eating and use of traditional or restrictive strategies are unknown.
      OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize RDNs' knowledge of and
      attitudes toward an intuitive eating lifestyle and describe use of traditional
      weight management and nonrestrictive lifestyle practices with clients. DESIGN:
      This was a cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A validated survey was
      distributed using online survey software to 88,834 RDNs. RESULTS: There were
      18,622 respondents who completed the survey (25%). The majority of RDNs were
      knowledgeable about intuitive eating, answering 71% of items correctly. The
      majority of RDNs had a positive view on each attitude item. RDNs who work in
      weight management reported using nonrestrictive/intuitive eating practices more
      than traditional/restrictive practices. RDNs who were women (P<0.001), had
      advanced education (P<0.001), worked in a private practice setting (P<0.001),
      completed at least one certificate of training in weight management (P<0.001),
      had more experience in weight management counseling (P<0.001), and had greater
      intuitive eating knowledge (P<0.001) were more likely to report greater use of
      nonrestrictive/intuitive eating practices. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides
      evidence that RDNs are using an intuitive eating approach more often than
      traditional weight management practices.

PMID- 28619669
TI  - Sex pheromone in the moth Heliothis virescens is produced as a mixture of two
      pools: de novo and via precursor storage in glycerolipids.
AB  - Most species of moths use a female-produced volatile sex pheromone, typically
      produced via de novo fatty acid synthesis in a specialized gland, for
      communication among mates. While de novo biosynthesis of pheromone (DNP) is
      rapid, suggesting transient precursor acids, substantial amounts of pheromone
      precursor (and other) acids are stored, predominantly in triacylglycerols in the
      pheromone gland. Whether these stored acids are converted to pheromone later or
      not has been the subject of some debate. Using a tracer/tracee approach, in which
      we fed female Heliothis virescens U-13C-glucose, we were able to distinguish two
      pools of pheromone, in which precursors were temporally separated (after and
      before feeding on labeled glucose): DNP synthesized from a mixed tracer/tracee
      acetyl CoA pool after feeding, and pheromone made from precursor acids primarily
      synthesized before feeding, which we call recycled precursor fat pheromone (RPP).
      DNP titer varied from high (during scotophase) to low (photophase) and with
      presence/absence of pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN), in
      accord with native pheromone titer previously observed. By contrast, RPP was
      constant throughout the photoperiod and did not change with PBAN
      presence/absence. The amount of RPP (6.3-10.3 ng/female) was typically much lower
      than that of DNP, especially during the scotophase (peak DNP, 105 ng/female). We
      propose an integral role for stored fats in pheromone biosynthesis, in which they
      are hydrolyzed and re-esterified throughout the photoperiod, with a small
      proportion of liberated precursor acyl CoAs being converted to pheromone. During
      the sexually active period, release of PBAN results in increased flux of glucose
      (from trehalose) and hydrolyzed acids entering the mitochondria, producing acetyl
      CoA precursor for de novo fat and pheromone biosynthesis.

PMID- 28619670
TI  - Hyponatraemia diagnosis and treatment clinical practice guidelines.
AB  - Hyponatremia, defined as a serum sodium concentration <135mmol/l, is the most
      common water-electrolyte imbalance encountered in clinical practice. It can lead
      to a wide spectrum of clinical symptoms, from mild to severe or even life
      threatening, and is associated with increased mortality, morbidity and length of
      hospital stay. Despite this, the management of hyponatremia patients remains
      problematic. The prevalence of hyponatremia in a wide variety of conditions and
      the fact that hyponatremia is managed by clinicians with a broad variety of
      backgrounds have fostered diverse institution- and specialty-based approaches to
      diagnosis and treatment. To obtain a common and holistic view, the European
      Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), the European Society of Endocrinology
      (ESE) and the European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant
      Association (ERA-EDTA), represented by European Renal Best Practice (ERBP), have
      developed clinical practice guidelines on the diagnostic approach and treatment
      of hyponatremia as a joint venture of 3societies representing specialists with a
      natural interest in hyponatremia. In addition to a rigorous approach to the
      methodology and evaluation of the evidence, the document focuses on patient
      positive outcomes and on providing a useful tool for clinicians involved in
      everyday practice. In this article, we present an abridged version of the
      recommendations and suggestions for the diagnosis and treatment of hyponatremia
      extracted from the full guide.

PMID- 28619671
TI  - Combination of five diagnostic tests to estimate the prevalence of hookworm
      infection among school-aged children from a rural area of colombia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Public health programs for the control of soil-transmitted
      helminthiases require valid diagnostic tests for surveillance and parasitic
      control evaluation. However, there is currently no agreement about what test
      should be used as a gold standard for the diagnosis of hookworm infection. Still,
      in presence of concurrent data for multiple tests it is possible to use
      statistical models to estimate measures of test performance and prevalence. The
      aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of five parallel tests
      (direct microscopic examination, Kato-Katz, Harada-Mori, modified Ritchie-Frick,
      and culture in agar plate) to detect hookworm infections in a sample of school
      aged children from a rural area in Colombia. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used both, a
      frequentist approach, and Bayesian latent class models to estimate the
      sensitivity and specificity of five tests for hookworm detection, and to estimate
      the prevalence of hookworm infection in absence of a Gold Standard. The Kato-Katz
      and agar plate methods had an overall agreement of 95% and kappa coefficient of
      0.76. Different models estimated a sensitivity between 76% and 92% for the agar
      plate technique, and 52% to 87% for the Kato-Katz technique. The other tests had
      lower sensitivity. All tests had specificity between 95% and 98%. The prevalence
      estimated by the Kato-Katz and Agar plate methods for different subpopulations
      varied between 10% and 14%, and was consistent with the prevalence estimated from
      the combination of all tests. The Harada-Mori, Ritchie-Frick and direct
      examination techniques resulted in lower and disparate prevalence estimates.
      Bayesian approaches assuming imperfect specificity resulted in lower prevalence
      estimates than the frequentist approach.

PMID- 28619672
TI  - Point of care diagnosis of multiple schistosome parasites: Species-specific DNA
      detection in urine by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP).
AB  - Schistosomes are easily transmitted and high chance of repeat infection, so if
      control strategies based on targeted mass drug administration (MDA) are to
      succeed it is essential to have a test that is sensitive, accurate and simple to
      use. It is known and regularly demonstrated that praziquantel does not always
      eliminate an infection so in spite of the successes of control programs a
      residual of the reservoir survives to re-infect snails. The issue of diagnostic
      sensitivity becomes more critical in the assessment of program effectiveness.
      While serology, such as antigen capture tests might improve sensitivity, it has
      been shown that the presence of species-specific DNA fragments will indicate,
      most effectively, the presence of active parasites. Polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) can amplify and detect DNA from urine residue captured on Whatman No. 3
      filter paper that is dried after filtration. Previously we have detected S.
      mansoni and S. haematobium parasite-specific small repeat DNA fragment from
      filtered urine on filter paper by PCR. In the current study, we assessed the
      efficacy of detection of 86 urine samples for either or both schistosome
      parasites by PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) that were
      collected from a low to moderate transmission area in Ghana. Two different DNA
      extraction methods, standard extraction kit and field usable LAMP-PURE kit were
      also evaluated by PCR and LAMP amplification. With S. haematobium LAMP
      amplification for both extractions showed similar sensitivity and specificity
      when compared with PCR amplification (100%) verified by gel electrophoresis. For
      S. mansoni sensitivity was highest for LAMP amplification (100%) for standard
      extraction than PCR and LAMP with LAMP-PURE (99% and 94%). The LAMP-PURE
      extraction produced false negatives, which require further investigation for this
      field usable extraction kit. Overall high positive and negative predictive values
      (90% - 100%) for both species demonstrated a highly robust approach. The LAMP
      approach is close to point of care use and equally sensitive and specific to
      detection of species-specific DNA by PCR. LAMP can be an effective means to
      detect low intensity infection due to its simplicity and minimal DNA extraction
      requirement. This will enhance the effectiveness of surveillance and MDA control
      programs of schistosomiasis.

PMID- 28619673
TI  - Molecular characterization of Blastocystis from pigs in Shaanxi province of
      China.
AB  - Blastocystis is an enteric eukaryote of mystery for its ubiquitous presence in
      animals and humans worldwide and a broad diversity genetically. The animals have
      been suggested to be an important reservoir to transmit Blastocystis to humans
      because of high colonization frequency and the presence of zoonotic subtypes. In
      the present study, the prevalence and subtypes of Blastocystis in pigs in Shaanxi
      province of China were determined using the molecular technique based on the
      small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene fragment. Of 560 pig faecal samples collected
      from different geographical origins, 419 (74.8%) were positive for Blastocystis
      colonization. The prevalence was significant affected by the age and the
      geographical origin. Four subtypes, including three zoonotic (ST1, ST3 and ST5)
      and one animal specific (ST10) subtypes, were identified. To our knowledge, this
      study provides the first run-through information for colonization of Blastocystis
      in pigs in China.

PMID- 28619674
TI  - Frontal cranioplasty in fronto-metaphyseal dysplasia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fronto-metaphyseal dysplasia (FMD), also called Gorlin-Cohen
      syndrome, is a rare syndrome initially described in 1969 by Gorlin and Cohen.
      Patients present skeletal dysplasia, craniofacial malformations and digit
      abnormalities. Craniofacial phenotype of FMD is characterized by supraorbital
      hyperostosis, hypertelorism, down-slanting palpebral fissures, broad nasal bridge
      and micrognathia. Here, we report the first adult case of craniofacial
      reconstruction with frontal cranioplasty in a patient with FMD. OBSERVATION: A 21
      year-old male patient presented with aesthetic requests related to his facial
      abnormalities. The patient underwent a fronto-orbital cranioplasty using a
      coronal approach. Orbital, frontal and nasal hyperostoses were contoured in order
      to obtain a symmetric result. The patient had no postoperative complication.
      Aesthetic results were satisfactory and stable after 6 months of follow-up.
      DISCUSSION: The density and the quality of craniofacial bones were normal and
      this may account for the stability of cranioplasty results over time. Because
      bone was normal, cranioplasty is safety and stable in FMD.

PMID- 28619675
TI  - A pilot exploration of the effect of designated Function Focused Care on
      mobility, functional dependence and falls frequency in Dutch nursing home
      residents.
AB  - In recent years, there has been a gradual change in nursing home care from care
      providers doing as many things as possible for residents to a philosophy where
      patients are encouraged to become more involved in their care and activities of
      daily living. Function Focused Care (FFC) is a methodology to stimulate the
      involvement of residents on a daily basis that has shown to be safe and effective
      in improving ADL-functioning. We implemented FFC in four nursing homes with 53
      residents. This first pilot project in Dutch nursing homes has replicated the
      finding that FFC inspires functional independence, but also revealed a reduction
      in the number of falls among fallers.

PMID- 28619676
TI  - Peroxynitrite-modified histone as a pathophysiological biomarker in autoimmune
      diseases.
AB  - Under physiological conditions, reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are produced
      continuously. However, excess of these radicals may damage biomolecules like
      lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. These reactive species have been implicated
      in many disease conditions including acute/chronic inflammation, rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA), neurodegenerative diseases and systemic lupus erythematosus
      (SLE). Peroxynitrite, an oxidant and nitrating molecule, formed in in vivo, when
      nitric oxide reacts with superoxide radical. The abnormal levels of nitrotyrosine
      detected in tissues affected by autoimmune diseases have been attributed to
      peroxynitrite-mediated enhanced nitration of tyrosine residues in proteins. The
      chromosomal histone proteins are conserved and weak immunogens. However, they
      exhibit strong immunogenicity after nitration. Rabbits challenged with
      peroxynitrite-modified histone induce high titre antibodies, indicating that
      peroxynitrite modification generated immunogenic epitopes. The preferential
      binding of peroxynitrite-modified histones by autoantibodies derived from SLE and
      RA sera shows oxidatively and nitrated modified histones involve in the
      initiation and progression of autoimmune diseases. This review article presents
      the literature review of the physicochemical and immunological studies on histone
      proteins modified with peroxynitrite with an objective of the possible role of
      oxidatively nitrated histones in the initiation/progression of autoimmune
      inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28619677
TI  - i-motif structures in long cytosine-rich sequences found upstream of the promoter
      region of the SMARCA4 gene.
AB  - Cytosine-rich oligonucleotides are capable of forming complex structures known as
      i-motif with increasingly studied biological properties. The study of sequences
      prone to form i-motifs located near the promoter region of genes may be difficult
      because these sequences not only contain repeats of cytosine tracts of disparate
      length but also these may be separated by loops of varied nature and length. In
      this work, the formation of intramolecular i-motif structures by a long sequence
      located upstream of the promoter region of the SMARCA4 gene has been
      demonstrated. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Circular Dichroism, Gel
      Electrophoresis, Size-Exclusion Chromatography, and multivariate analysis have
      been used. Not only the wild sequence (5'-TC3T2GCTATC3TGTC2TGC2TCGC3T2G2TCATGA2C4
      3') has been studied but also several other truncated and mutated sequences.
      Despite the apparent complex sequence, the results showed that the wild sequence
      may form a relatively stable and homogeneous unimolecular i-motif structure, both
      in terms of pH or temperature. The model ligand TMPyP4 destabilizes the
      structure, whereas the presence of 20% (w/v) PEG200 stabilized it slightly. This
      finding opens the door to the study of the interaction of these kind of i-motif
      structures with stabilizing ligands or proteins.

PMID- 28619678
TI  - APRIL:TACI axis is dispensable for the immune response to rabies vaccination.
AB  - There is significant need to develop a single-dose rabies vaccine to replace the
      current multi-dose rabies vaccine regimen and eliminate the requirement for
      rabies immune globulin in post-exposure settings. To accomplish this goal, rabies
      virus (RABV)-based vaccines must rapidly activate B cells to secrete antibodies
      which neutralize pathogenic RABV before it enters the CNS. Increased
      understanding of how B cells effectively respond to RABV-based vaccines may
      improve efforts to simplify post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens. Several
      studies have successfully employed the TNF family cytokine a proliferation
      inducing ligand (APRIL) as a vaccine adjuvant. APRIL binds to the receptors TACI
      and B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-expressed by B cells in various stages of
      maturation-with high affinity. We discovered that RABV-infected primary murine B
      cells upregulate APRIL ex vivo. Cytokines present at the time of antigen exposure
      affect the outcome of vaccination by influencing T and B cell activation and GC
      formation. Therefore, we hypothesized that the presence of APRIL at the time of
      RABV-based vaccine antigen exposure would support the generation of protective
      antibodies against RABV glycoprotein (G). In an effort to improve the response to
      RABV vaccination, we constructed and characterized a live recombinant RABV-based
      vaccine vector which expresses murine APRIL (rRABV-APRIL). Immunogenicity testing
      in mice demonstrated that expressing APRIL from the RABV genome does not impact
      the primary antibody response against RABV G compared to RABV alone. In order to
      evaluate the necessity of APRIL for the response to rabies vaccination, we
      compared the responses of APRIL-deficient and wild-type mice to immunization with
      rRABV. APRIL deficiency does not affect the primary antibody response to
      vaccination. Furthermore, APRIL expression by the vaccine did not improve the
      generation of long-lived antibody-secreting plasma cells (PCs) as serum antibody
      levels were equivalent in response to rRABV-APRIL and the vector eight weeks
      after immunization. Moreover, APRIL is dispensable for the long-lived antibody
      secreting PC response to rRABV vaccination as anti-RABV G IgG levels were similar
      in APRIL-deficient and wild-type mice six months after vaccination. Mice lacking
      the APRIL receptor TACI demonstrated primary anti-RABV G antibody responses
      similar to wild-type mice following immunization with the vaccine vector
      indicating that this response is independent of TACI-mediated signals.
      Collectively, our findings demonstrate that APRIL and associated TACI signaling
      is dispensable for the immune response to RABV-based vaccination.

PMID- 28619679
TI  - Antiviral activity of [1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-7(6H)-ones against
      chikungunya virus targeting the viral capping nsP1.
AB  - Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging alphavirus transmitted to humans by
      Aedes mosquitoes. Since 2005, CHIKV has been spreading worldwide resulting in
      epidemics in Africa, the Indian Ocean islands, Asia and more recently in the
      Americas. CHIKV is thus considered as a global health concern. There is no
      specific vaccine or drug available for the treatment of this incapacitating viral
      infection. We previously identified 3-aryl-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidin-7(6H)
      ones as selective inhibitors of CHIKV replication and proposed the viral capping
      enzyme nsP1 as a target. This work describes the synthesis of novel series of
      related compounds carrying at the aryl moiety a methylketone and related oximes
      combined with an ethyl or an ethyl-mimic at 5-position of the
      triazolopyrimidinone. These compounds have shown antiviral activity against
      different CHIKV isolates in the very low MUM range based on both virus yield
      reduction and virus-induced cell-killing inhibition assays. Moreover, these
      antivirals inhibit the in vitro guanylylation of alphavirus nsP1, as determined
      by Western blot using an anti-cap antibody. Thus, the data obtained seem to
      indicate that the anti-CHIKV activity might be related to the inhibition of this
      crucial step in the viral RNA capping machinery.

PMID- 28619680
TI  - Quality of life and functional capacity of patients with adhesive capsulitis:
      identifying risk factors associated to better outcomes after treatment with nerve
      blocking.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study were to assess the quality of life and
      functional capacity of adhesive capsulitis patients at the beginning and end of
      procedure and to identify risk factors associated to better outcomes after
      treatment with nerve blocking. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed.
      Inclusion criteria were clinical signs of adhesive capsulitis and disease changes
      on shoulder imaging exams. The short form of World Health Organization Quality of
      life and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaires were
      administered at the beginning and end of treatment. A score of 55 points or more
      on the Constant index was used for discontinuation of treatment. We used the
      Wilcoxon test for paired samples. Multiple regression analysis of Poisson was
      carried out using exposure variables with p<0.20 in the univariate analysis and
      the satisfactory quality of life and better functional capability as outcomes.
      The significance level was 5%. RESULTS: 43 patients were evaluated. For the
      comparison between medians values at the beginning and end of treatment (physical
      domain: 46.43-67.86; psychologic domain: 66.67-79.17; social domain: 66.67-75;
      environment domain: 62.5-68.75; DASH: 64.16-38.33), p was <0.05. Aging
      (physical/psychologic/DASH), higher educational level
      (physical/environment/DASH), less severity (only physical) and fewer nerve
      blocking (only psychologic) were these independent risk factors. CONCLUSIONS:
      Quality of life and functional capacity of the patients improve at the end of
      procedure. Older patients and higher education levels are the risk factors most
      associated to satisfactory quality of life and better functional capacity after
      treatment with nerve blocking.

PMID- 28619681
TI  - Gastric carcinoma after sleeve gastrectomy for obesity.
AB  - Obesity is associated with an increased risk of cancer development in the upper
      gastrointestinal tract. We present the case of a female patient with gastric
      carcinoma after sleeve gastrectomy. Before bariatric surgery, one rationale for
      performing routine endoscopy is to detect clinically relevant conditions with the
      potential to change the surgical procedure. After bariatric surgery in
      symptomatic patients and in patients with unspecific symptoms, early upper
      endoscopy should be performed to detect potential carcinomas of the upper
      gastrointestinal tract.

PMID- 28619682
TI  - Air quality and acute deaths in California, 2000-2012.
AB  - Many studies have shown an association between air quality and acute deaths, and
      such associations are widely interpreted as causal. Several factors call
      causation and even association into question, for example multiple testing and
      multiple modeling, publication bias and confirmation bias. Many published studies
      are difficult or impossible to reproduce because of lack of access to
      confidential data sources. Here we make publically available a dataset containing
      daily air quality levels, PM2.5 and ozone, daily temperature levels, minimum and
      maximum and daily maximum relative humidity levels for the eight most populous
      California air basins, thirteen years, >2M deaths, over 37,000 exposure days. The
      data are analyzed using standard time series analysis, and a sensitivity analysis
      is computed varying model parameters, locations and years. Our analysis finds
      little evidence for association between air quality and acute deaths. These
      results are consistent with those for the widely cited NMMAPS dataset when the
      latter are restricted to California. The daily death variability was mostly
      explained by time of year or weather variables; Neither PM2.5 nor ozone added
      appreciably to the prediction of daily deaths. These results call into question
      the widespread belief that association between air quality and acute deaths is
      causal/near-universal.

PMID- 28619683
TI  - Functional assessment and quality of life in patients following replantation of
      the distal half of the forearm (except fingers): A review of 11 cases.
AB  - The aims of this study were to evaluate the function and quality of life in
      patients who have undergone replantation of the hand or forearm. We carried out a
      retrospective single-center study of cases performed between 1977 and 2015. Our
      hospital's database was searched for patients who underwent replantation of the
      distal half of the forearm and hand (except the fingers). The evaluation included
      sensitivity, joint mobility, strength and quality of life. Conventional
      functional scores were used. Seventeen replantation cases were identified. Four
      patients were lost to follow-up. Of the 13 available patients, two suffered a
      replantation failure. Ultimately 11 patients were included in the study. Three
      patients were evaluated based on their medical records and eight were reviewed in
      person. The mean patient age was 31+/-11.8 years. The sensory evaluation resulted
      in five patients being classified as S1 and one as S3+. The mean Kapandji score
      was 4.3+/-2.3 [0-6]. The mean grip strength was 39.4+/-20% [0-80], and the pinch
      strength was 36.2+/-16% [0-60] compared to the healthy contralateral side. The
      mean DASH was 36.2+/-30.4 [4.5-79.5]. According to Chen's classification, two
      patients were at stage IV. For 50% of patients, the overall quality of life was
      at least equivalent to that of the general population. Replantation of the distal
      half of the forearm and hand should be attempted whenever possible. Although
      replantation causes some disability, good quality of life seems to be maintained.

PMID- 28619684
TI  - Is Usutu virus ready for prime time?
AB  - Although considered a neglected tropical disease, the mosquito-borne Usutu virus
      has demonstrated signs of emergence from Africa to Europe. While human cases are
      infrequent, the potential for neuroinvasive infection, even in immunocompetent
      individuals, suggests a need for increased research into virus biology and
      pathogenesis, as well as rapid measures for diagnosis and environmental
      surveillance.

PMID- 28619685
TI  - Molecular mechanisms of human papillomavirus-related carcinogenesis in head and
      neck cancer.
AB  - This review examines the general cellular and molecular underpinnings of human
      papillomavirus (HPV)-related carcinogenesis in the context of head and neck
      squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and focuses on HPV-positive oropharyngeal
      squamous cell carcinoma in areas for which specific data is available. It covers
      the major pathways dysregulated in HPV-positive HNSCC and the genome-wide changes
      associated with this disease.

PMID- 28619686
TI  - Low-dose BMP-2 is sufficient to enhance the bone formation induced by an
      injectable, PLGA fiber-reinforced, brushite-forming cement in a sheep defect
      model of lumbar osteopenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Bioresorbable calcium phosphate cement (CPC) may be suitable
      for vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty of osteoporotic vertebral fractures. However,
      additional targeted delivery of osteoinductive bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs)
      in the CPC may be required to counteract the augmented local bone catabolism and
      support complete bone regeneration. PURPOSE: This study aimed at testing an
      injectable, poly (l-lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) fiber-reinforced, brushite
      forming cement (CPC) containing low-dose bone morphogenetic protein BMP-2 in a
      sheep lumbar osteopenia model. STUDY DESIGN/ SETTING: This is a prospective
      experimental animal study. METHODS: Bone defects (diameter 5 mm) were generated
      in aged, osteopenic female sheep and filled with fiber-reinforced CPC alone (L4;
      CPC+fibers) or with CPC containing different dosages of BMP-2 (L5; CPC+fibers+BMP
      2; 1, 5, 100, and 500 ug BMP-2; n=5 or 6 each). The results were compared with
      those of untouched controls (L1). Three and 9 months after the operation,
      structural and functional effects of the CPC (+/-BMP-2) were analyzed ex vivo by
      measuring (1) bone mineral density (BMD); (2) bone structure, that is, bone
      volume/total volume (assessed by micro-computed tomography [micro-CT] and
      histomorphometry), trabecular thickness, and trabecular number; (3) bone
      formation, that is, osteoid volume/bone volume, osteoid surface/bone surface,
      osteoid thickness, mineralizing surface/bone surface, mineral apposition rate,
      and bone formation rate/bone surface; (4) bone resorption, that is, eroded
      surface/bone surface; and (5) compressive strength. RESULTS: Compared with
      untouched controls (L1), CPC+fibers (L4) and/or CPC+fibers+BMP-2 (L5)
      significantly improved all parameters of bone formation, bone resorption, and
      bone structure. These effects were observed at 3 and 9 months, but were less
      pronounced for some parameters at 9 months. Compared with CPC without BMP-2,
      additional significant effects of BMP-2 were demonstrated for bone structure
      (bone volume/total volume, trabecular thickness, trabecular number) and formation
      (osteoid surface/bone surface and mineralizing surface/bone surface), as well as
      for the compressive strength. The BMP-2 effects on bone formation at 3 and 9
      months were dose-dependent, with 5-100 ug as the optimal dosage. CONCLUSIONS: BMP
      2 significantly enhanced the bone formation induced by a PLGA fiber-reinforced
      CPC in sheep lumbar osteopenia. A single local dose as low as <=100 ug BMP-2 was
      sufficient to augment middle to long-term bone formation. The novel CPC+BMP-2 may
      thus represent an alternative to the bioinert, supraphysiologically stiff
      polymethylmethacrylate cement presently used to treat osteoporotic vertebral
      fractures by vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty.

PMID- 28619687
TI  - Use of the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) as a treatment outcome measure
      for patients with chronic spinal pain disorder in a functional restoration
      program.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) is a valid and
      reliable patient-reported instrument designed to identify patients whose
      presenting symptoms may be related to central sensitization (CS). Part A of the
      CSI measures a full array of 25 somatic and emotional symptoms associated with
      CS, and Part B asks if patients have previously been diagnosed with one or more
      specific central sensitivity syndromes (CSSs) and related disorders. The CSI has
      previously been validated in a group of patients with chronic pain who were
      screened by a trained psychiatrist for specific CSS diagnoses. It is currently
      unknown if the CSI can be a useful treatment-outcome assessment tool for patients
      with chronic spinal pain disorder (CSPD) who are not screened for comorbid CSSs.
      It is known, however, that previous studies have identified CS-related symptoms,
      and comorbid CSSs, in subsets of patients with CSPDs. Studies have also shown
      that CS-related symptoms can be influenced by cognitive and psychosocial factors,
      including abuse history in both childhood and adulthood, sleep disturbance,
      catastrophic and fear-avoidant cognitions, and symptoms of depression and
      anxiety. PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate CSI scores, and their associations
      with other clinically relevant psychosocial variables, in a cohort of patients
      with CSPD who entered and completed a functional restoration program. STUDY
      DESIGN/SETTING: A retrospective study of prospectively collected data from a
      cohort study of patients with CSPD, who completed the CSI at admission to, and
      discharge from, an interdisciplinary function restoration program (FRP) was
      carried out. PATIENT SAMPLE: A cohort of 763 patients with CSPD comprised the
      study sample. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical interviews evaluated mood disorders and
      abuse history. A series of self-reported measures evaluated comorbid psychosocial
      symptoms, including pain intensity, pain-related anxiety, depressive symptoms,
      somatization symptoms, perceived disability, and sleep disturbance, at FRP
      admission and discharge. METHODS: Patients were grouped into five severity level
      groups, from mild to extreme, based on total CSI scores, at FRP admission, and
      then again at discharge. The FRP included a quantitatively directed and medically
      supervised exercise process, as well as a multimodal psychosocial disability
      management component. RESULTS: The CSI severity groups were strongly associated
      with Major Depressive Disorder and previous abuse history (p<.01), which are
      known risk factors for CS-related symptoms and diagnoses. The CSI scores were
      also strongly associated with patient-reported CSS diagnoses on CSI Part B. The
      percentage of patients who reported a comorbid CSS diagnosis increased in each
      higher CSI-severity group, from 11% in the Subclinical group, to 56% in the
      Extreme group. The CSI severity groups were significantly related to other CS
      related patient-reported symptoms, including pain intensity, pain-related
      anxiety, depressive symptoms, somatization symptoms, perceived disability, and
      sleep disturbance (p's<.001). The CSI scores, along with all other psychosocial
      measures, decreased at treatment discharge. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study,
      admission CSI scores were highly associated with previous CSS diagnoses, CS
      related symptoms, and clinically relevant patient-reported psychosocial
      variables. All psychosocial variables, as well as scores on the CSI, were
      significantly improved at FRP discharge. The CSI may have important clinical
      utility, as a screener and as a treatment outcome measure, for patients with CSPD
      participating in an interdisciplinary FRP.

PMID- 28619688
TI  - Single-port laparoscopy in gynecologic oncology: seven years of experience at a
      single institution.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Single-port laparoscopy has gained popularity within minimally
      invasive gynecologic surgery for its feasibility, cosmetic outcomes, and safety.
      However, within gynecologic oncology, there are limited data regarding short-term
      adverse outcomes and long-term hernia risk in patients undergoing single-port
      laparoscopic surgery. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe short
      term outcomes and hernia rates in patients after single-port laparoscopy in a
      gynecologic oncology practice. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective, single-institution
      study was performed for patients who underwent single-port laparoscopy from 2009
      to 2015. A univariate analysis was performed with chi2 tests and Student t tests;
      Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards determined time to hernia development.
      RESULTS: A total of 898 patients underwent 908 surgeries with a median follow-up
      of 37.2 months. The mean age and body mass index were 55.7 years and 29.6 kg/m2,
      respectively. The majority were white (87.9%) and American Society of
      Anesthesiologists class II/III (95.5%). The majority of patients underwent
      surgery for adnexal masses (36.9%) and endometrial hyperplasia/cancer (37.3%).
      Most women underwent hysterectomy (62.7%) and removal of 1 or both fallopian
      tubes and/or ovaries (86%). Rate of adverse outcomes within 30 days, including
      reoperation (0.1%), intraoperative injury (1.4%), intensive care unit admission
      (0.4%), venous thromboembolism (0.3%), and blood transfusion, were low (0.8%).
      The rate of urinary tract infection was 2.8%; higher body mass index (P = .02),
      longer operative time (P = .02), smoking (P = .01), hysterectomy (P = .01), and
      cystoscopy (P = .02) increased the risk. The rate of incisional cellulitis was
      3.5%. Increased estimated blood loss (P = .03) and endometrial cancer (P = .02)
      were independent predictors of incisional cellulitis. The rate for surgical
      readmissions was 3.4%; higher estimated blood loss (P = .03), longer operative
      time (P = .02), chemotherapy alone (P = .03), and combined chemotherapy and
      radiation (P < .05) increased risk. The rate of incisional hernia rate was 5.5%
      (n = 50) with a mean occurrence at 570.2 +/- 553.3 days. Higher American Society
      of Anesthesiologists class (P = .04), diabetes (P < .001), hypertension (P =
      .043), increasing age (P = .017; hazard ratio [HR], 1.03), and body mass index (P
      < .001; HR, 1.08) were independent predictors for incisional hernia development.
      Previous abdominal surgeries (P = .24) and hand assist (P = .64) were not
      associated with increased risk for incisional hernia. Patients with American
      Society of Anesthesiologists class III/IV had a 3 year hernia rate of 12.8% (HR,
      1.81). Patients with diabetes mellitus had a 3 year hernia rate of 23.0% (HR,
      3.60). CONCLUSION: In this large cohort of patients undergoing single-port
      laparoscopy, the incidence of short-term adverse outcomes is low. While the rate
      of incisional hernia was 5.5%, incidence reached 23.0% at 3 years in high-risk
      groups. Previous studies with short follow-up duration may underestimate the risk
      of hernia, especially in patients with significant comorbidities.

PMID- 28619689
TI  - Risks and benefits of opportunistic salpingectomy during vaginal hysterectomy: a
      decision analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fallopian tubes are commonly removed during laparoscopic and open
      hysterectomy to prevent ovarian and tubal cancer but are not routinely removed
      during vaginal hysterectomy because of perceptions of increased morbidity,
      difficulty, or inadequate surgical training. OBJECTIVE: We sought to quantify
      complications and costs associated with a strategy of planned salpingectomy
      during vaginal hysterectomy. STUDY DESIGN: We created a decision analysis model
      using TreeAgePro. Effectiveness outcomes included ovarian cancer incidence and
      mortality as well as major surgical complications. Modeled complications included
      transfusion, conversion to laparotomy or laparoscopy, abscess/hematoma requiring
      intervention, ileus, readmission, and reoperation within 30 days. We also modeled
      subsequent benign adnexal surgery beyond the postoperative window. Those whose
      procedures were converted from a vaginal route were assumed to undergo bilateral
      salpingectomy, regardless of treatment group, following American College of
      Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines. Costs were gathered from published
      literature and Medicare reimbursement data, with internal cost data from 892
      hysterectomies at a single institution used to estimate costs when necessary.
      Complication rates were determined from published literature and from 13,397
      vaginal hysterectomies recorded in the National Surgical Quality Improvement
      Program database from 2008 through 2013. RESULTS: Switching from a policy of
      vaginal hysterectomy alone to a policy of routine planned salpingectomy prevents
      a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in 1 of every 225 women having surgery and prevents
      death from ovarian cancer in 1 of every 450 women having surgery. Overall,
      salpingectomy was a less expensive strategy than not performing salpingectomy
      ($7350.62 vs $8113.45). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the driving force
      behind increased costs was the increased risk of subsequent benign adnexal
      surgery among women retaining their tubes. Planned opportunistic salpingectomy
      had more major complications than hysterectomy alone (7.95% vs 7.68%). Major
      complications included transfusion, conversion to laparotomy or laparoscopy,
      abscess/hematoma requiring intervention, ileus, readmission, and reoperation
      within 30 days. Therefore, routine salpingectomy results in 0.61 additional
      complications per case of cancer prevented and 1.21 additional complications per
      death prevented. A surgeon therefore must withstand an additional ~3
      complications to prevent 5 cancer diagnoses and ~6 additional complications to
      prevent 5 cancer deaths. CONCLUSION: Salpingectomy should routinely be performed
      with vaginal hysterectomy because it was the dominant and therefore cost
      effective strategy. Complications are minimally increased, but the trade-off with
      cancer prevention is highly favorable.

PMID- 28619692
TI  - A randomized trial of motivational interviewing and facilitated contraceptive
      access to prevent rapid repeat pregnancy among adolescent mothers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most interventions designed to reduce teen pregnancy rates have not
      focused on pregnant and/or parenting adolescents. Therefore, a large randomized
      controlled trial was conducted regarding a motivational interviewing program
      entitled Teen Options to Prevent Pregnancy in a low-income sample of adolescent
      mothers. This program recommended monthly sessions between a participant and a
      registered nurse over 18 months. This program also featured facilitated birth
      control access through transportation assistance and a part-time contraceptive
      clinic. OBJECTIVE: The impact of this program on rapid repeat pregnancies at 18
      months after enrollment was evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: Five hundred ninety-eight
      adolescent females were enrolled from 7 obstetrics-gynecology clinics and 5
      postpartum units of a large hospital system in a Midwestern city. Each
      participant was enrolled at least 28 weeks pregnant or less than 9 weeks
      postpartum. Each participant was randomized to either the Teen Options to Prevent
      Pregnancy intervention or a usual-care control condition. Intervention
      participants averaged 4.5 hours of assistance. Participants were contacted by
      blinded research staff at 6 and 18 months to complete self-report surveys.
      Differences in outcomes between the intervention and control groups were assessed
      using ordinary least-squares regression. RESULTS: There was an 18.1% absolute
      reduction in self-reported repeat pregnancy in the intervention group relative to
      the control group (20.5% vs 38.6%%; P < .001). There was a 13.7% absolute
      increase in self-reported long-acting reversible contraception use in the
      intervention group relative to the control group (40.2% vs 26.5%, P = .002).
      There was no evidence of harmful effects of the intervention on sexual risk
      behaviors, such as having sexual intercourse without a condom or greater number
      of partners. CONCLUSION: The Teen Options to Prevent Pregnancy program represents
      one of the few evidence-based interventions to reduce rapid repeat teen
      pregnancy. This relatively brief intervention may be a viable alternative to more
      time-intensive programs that adolescent mothers may be unable or unwilling to
      receive.

PMID- 28619691
TI  - A mouse model of antepartum stillbirth.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many stillbirths of normally formed fetuses in the third trimester
      could be prevented via delivery if reliable means to anticipate this outcome
      existed. However, because the etiology of these stillbirths is often unexplained
      and although the underlying mechanism is presumed to be hypoxia from placental
      insufficiency, the placentas often appear normal on histopathological
      examination. Gestational age is a risk factor for antepartum stillbirth, with a
      rapid rise in stillbirth rates after 40 weeks' gestation. We speculate that a
      common mechanism may explain antepartum stillbirth in both the late-term and
      postterm periods. Mice also show increasing rates of stillbirth when pregnancy is
      artificially prolonged. The model therefore affords an opportunity to
      characterize events that precede stillbirth. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the
      study was to prolong gestation in mice and monitor fetal and placental growth and
      cardiovascular changes. STUDY DESIGN: From embryonic day 15.5 to embryonic day
      18.5, pregnant CD-1 mice received daily progesterone injections to prolong
      pregnancy by an additional 24 hour period (to embryonic day 19.5). To
      characterize fetal and placental development, experimental assays were performed
      throughout late gestation (embryonic day 15.5 to embryonic day 19.5), including
      postnatal day 1 pups as controls. In addition to collecting fetal and placental
      weights, we monitored fetal blood flow using Doppler ultrasound and examined the
      fetoplacental arterial vascular geometry using microcomputed tomography. Evidence
      of hypoxic organ injury in the fetus was assessed using magnetic resonance
      imaging and pimonidazole immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: At embryonic day 19.5,
      mean fetal weights were reduced by 14% compared with control postnatal day 1
      pups. Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed that fetal heart rate and umbilical artery
      flow continued to increase at embryonic day 19.5. Despite this, the embryonic day
      19.5 fetuses had significant pimonidazole staining in both brain and liver
      tissue, indicating fetal hypoxia. Placental weights at embryonic day 19.5 were
      21% lower than at term (embryonic day 18.5). Microcomputed tomography showed no
      change in quantitative morphology of the fetoplacental arterial vasculature
      between embryonic day 18.5 and embryonic day 19.5. CONCLUSION: Prolongation of
      pregnancy renders the murine fetus vulnerable to significant growth restriction
      and hypoxia because of differential loss of placental mass rather than any
      compromise in fetoplacental blood flow. Our data are consistent with a hypoxic
      mechanism of antepartum fetal death in human term and postterm pregnancy and
      validates the inability of umbilical artery Doppler to safely monitor such
      fetuses. New tests of placental function are needed to identify the late-term
      fetus at risk of hypoxia to intervene by delivery to avoid antepartum stillbirth.

PMID- 28619693
TI  - Oral astringent stimuli alter the enamel pellicle's ultrastructure as revealed by
      electron microscopy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This electron microscopic study aimed at investigating effects of
      oral astringent stimuli on the enamel pellicle's morphology. METHODS: Pellicles
      were formed in situ within 30min on bovine enamel slabs, fixed to individuals'
      upper jaw splints. The pellicle-coated specimens were immersed in vitro in seven
      diverse astringent solutions and subsequently analyzed by scanning electron
      microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, as well as
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Four biocompatible astringents, namely
      the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate, the metal salt iron(III) sulfate, the
      basic protein lysozyme, and the aminopolysaccharide chitosan, were additionally
      applied in situ. After rinsing the oral cavity with these compounds, the
      pellicle's ultrastructure was imaged by SEM and TEM, respectively. Untreated
      pellicle samples served as controls. RESULTS: Exposure to polyphenols and
      lysozyme induced particularly thicker and electron-denser pellicles in comparison
      to the control pellicle with similar characteristics in vitro and in situ. In
      contrast, acidic chitosan and metal salt solutions, respectively, revealed minor
      pellicle alterations. The incorporation of Fe and Al into the pellicles treated
      with the corresponding inorganic salts was verified by EDX analysis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Astringent-induced pellicle modifications were for the first time visualized by
      TEM. The ultrastructural alterations of the dental pellicle may partly explain
      the tooth-roughening effect caused by oral astringent stimuli. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Astringents might modify the pellicle's protective properties
      against dental erosion, attrition, as well as bacterial adhesion, and by this
      means may influence tooth health. The findings may thus be particularly relevant
      for preventive dentistry.

PMID- 28619694
TI  - Reply to alternative effects of transportation time in out-of-hospital cardiac
      arrests.

PMID- 28619695
TI  - A prolonged PR interval, an unfavorable shareholder of the profits of cardiac
      resynchronization therapy?

PMID- 28619690
TI  - Metformin, the aspirin of the 21st century: its role in gestational diabetes
      mellitus, prevention of preeclampsia and cancer, and the promotion of longevity.
AB  - Metformin is everywhere. Originally introduced in clinical practice as an
      antidiabetic agent, its role as a therapeutic agent is expanding to include
      treatment of prediabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, and polycystic
      ovarian disease; more recently, experimental studies and observations in
      randomized clinical trials suggest that metformin could have a place in the
      treatment or prevention of preeclampsia. This article provides a brief overview
      of the history of metformin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and reviews the
      results of metaanalyses of metformin in gestational diabetes mellitus as well as
      the treatment of obese, non-diabetic, pregnant women to prevent macrosomia. We
      highlight the results of a randomized clinical trial in which metformin
      administration in early pregnancy did not reduce the frequency of large-for
      gestational-age infants (the primary endpoint) but did decrease the frequency of
      preeclampsia (a secondary endpoint). The mechanisms by which metformin may
      prevent preeclampsia include a reduction in the production of antiangiogenic
      factors (soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 and soluble
      endoglin) and the improvement of endothelial dysfunction, probably through an
      effect on the mitochondria. Another potential mechanism whereby metformin may
      play a role in the prevention of preeclampsia is its ability to modify cellular
      homeostasis and energy disposition, mediated by rapamycin, a mechanistic target.
      Metformin has a molecular weight of 129 Daltons and therefore readily crosses the
      placenta. There is considerable evidence to suggest that this agent is safe
      during pregnancy. New literature on the role of metformin as a chemotherapeutic
      adjuvant in the prevention of cancer and in prolonging life and protecting
      against aging is reviewed briefly. Herein, we discuss the mechanisms of action
      and potential benefits of metformin.

PMID- 28619696
TI  - Postoperative Pain Management in Spanish Hospitals: A Cohort Study Using the PAIN
      OUT Registry.
AB  - : Pain after surgery remains a problem worldwide, although there are no published
      data on postoperative outcomes in Spain. We evaluated 2,922 patients on the first
      day after surgery in 13 tertiary care Spanish hospitals, using the PAIN-OUT
      questionnaire. The aims were to: assess postoperative outcomes and
      anesthetic/analgesic management in Orthopedics (ORT) and General Surgery (GEN)
      patients; explore the influence of the analgesic therapy on outcomes and opioid
      requirements; evaluate and compare outcomes and analgesic management according to
      surgical procedure. Mean worst pain and percentage of patients in severe pain
      were 5.6 (on a numeric rating scale of 0-10) and 39.4%, respectively, slightly
      lower than those reported in Western countries (range, 5.0-8.4 and 33-55%).
      Patients' pain assessment (83.1%) and information were high (63.3%), but
      participation in decision-making (4.8) was lower than in the United States (7.0)
      and Europe (Germany, France, Norway, and Denmark; mean, 5.9). Patients after
      orthopedic surgery had the worst outcomes. General anesthesia was more frequent
      in GEN patients, whereas regional (central and peripheral) was more frequent in
      ORT surgery patients. Mean opioid consumption (20.2 mg per patient per 24 hours,
      oral morphine equivalents), was lower than reported and decreased >50% after
      regional analgesia. Intravenous morphine patient-controlled analgesia was seldom
      used (6.2%). Acute opioid treatments were associated with worsened outcomes
      whereas multimodal analgesia (mainly antipyretic analgesics-nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs-opioids) were associated with improved results. Epidurals in
      abdominal surgery (16.7%) were also associated with better outcomes. Presurgical
      chronic pain (>7) and/or chronic opioid consumption, were associated with
      worsened pain outcomes; the latter with a 50% increase in postoperative opioid
      requirements. Tibia/fibula and foot surgeries (ORT), and gastric, small
      intestine, and anterior abdominal wall procedures (GEN) were the most painful.
      Rigorous control of chronic pain before surgery, and combining opioids with
      adjuvants and other analgesics perioperatively, might improve postoperative
      outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: We analyzed postoperative outcomes and analgesic
      management in patients from tertiary care Spanish hospitals. The study serves as
      a point of comparison with other Western countries and shows that pain intensity
      outcomes and opioid consumption were slightly better in the Spanish population.
      Chronic pain before surgery (numeric rating scale score >7) and/or chronic opioid
      consumption, were associated with worsened pain outcomes, suggesting that
      rigorous control of chronic pain before surgery, and combining opioids with
      adjuvants and other analgesics perioperatively, might improve outcomes. Patients'
      pain participation in decision-making was inadequate and should be improved in
      Spanish hospitals.

PMID- 28619697
TI  - Depression and Pain in Asian and White Americans With Knee Osteoarthritis.
AB  - : Few studies have examined the underlying psychosocial mechanisms of pain in
      Asian Americans. Using the biopsychosocial model, we sought to determine whether
      variations in depression contribute to racial group differences in symptomatic
      knee osteoarthritis pain between Asian Americans and non-Hispanic white
      Americans. The sample consisted of 100 participants, including 50 Asian Americans
      (28 Korean Americans, 9 Chinese Americans, 7 Japanese Americans, 5 Filipino
      Americans, and 1 Indian American) and 50 age- and sex-matched non-Hispanic white
      Americans with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis pain. The Centers for
      Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to assess symptoms of depression,
      and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index and the
      Graded Chronic Pain Scale were used to measure clinical pain. In addition,
      quantitative sensory testing was used to measure experimental sensitivity to heat
      and mechanically-induced pain. The results indicated that higher levels of
      depression in Asian Americans may contribute to greater clinical pain and
      experimental pain sensitivity. These findings add to the growing literature
      regarding ethnic and racial differences in pain and its associated psychological
      conditions, and additional research is warranted to strengthen these findings.
      PERSPECTIVE: This article shows the contribution of depression to clinical pain
      and experimental pain sensitivity in Asian Americans with knee osteoarthritis.
      Our results suggest that Asian Americans have higher levels of depressive
      symptoms and that depression plays a relevant role in greater clinical pain and
      experimental pain sensitivity in Asian Americans.

PMID- 28619698
TI  - Neuropathic Pain in Low Back-Related Leg Pain Patients: What Is the Evidence of
      Prevalence, Characteristics, and Prognosis in Primary Care? A Systematic Review
      of the Literature.
AB  - : This systematic review synthesizes literature describing prevalence,
      characteristics, and prognosis of low back-related leg pain (LBLP) patients with
      neuropathic pain in primary care and/or similar settings. Inclusion and exclusion
      criteria were developed and used by independent reviewers to screen citations for
      eligibility. The initial search yielded 24,948 citations; after screening 12
      studies were included. Neuropathic pain was identified using case ascertainment
      tools (n = 5), clinical history with examination (n = 4), and using LBLP samples
      assumed neuropathic (n = 3). Neuropathic pain prevalence varied from 19% to 80%.
      There was consistent evidence for higher back-related disability (n = 3), poorer
      health-related quality of life (n = 2), and some evidence for more severe
      depression (n = 2), anxiety (n = 3), and pain intensity (n = 4) in patients with
      neuropathic pain. Results were less consistent when cases were identified through
      clinical history with examination than those identified using case ascertainment
      tools. Prognosis (n = 1) of LBLP patients with neuropathic pain was worse
      compared with those without, in all outcomes (leg pain intensity, leg and back
      related disability, self-reported general health) except back pain intensity. No
      studies described prognostic factors. This systematic review highlights the
      evidence gap in neuropathic pain in LBLP in primary care, especially with respect
      to prognosis. PERSPECTIVE: Patients with LBLP may have neuropathic pain. This
      systematic review emphasizes the paucity of evidence describing the
      characteristics and prognosis of neuropathic pain in this patient population.
      Future research investigating prognosis of these patients with neuropathic pain
      is likely to contribute to better understanding and management.

PMID- 28619699
TI  - The Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Sleep Duration in Turkish Children: A
      Cross-Sectional Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: As in adults, hypertension is also an important risk factor for
      cardiovascular disease in children. We aimed to evaluate the effect of sleep
      duration on blood pressure in normal weight Turkish children aged between 11-17
      years. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the primary and
      secondary schools of the two central and ten outlying districts of Kayseri,
      Turkey. Subjects were 2860 children and adolescents (1385 boys, 1475 girls).
      Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured according to the
      recommendations of the Fourth Report of the National High Blood Pressure
      Education Program Working Group on High Blood Pressure in Children and
      Adolescents. Sleep duration was classified as follows: <=8 hours, 8.1-8.9 hours,
      9.0-9.9 hours or >=10 hours. RESULTS: For short sleeper boys and girls
      (participants with a sleep duration <=8 h) the prevalence of prehypertension and
      hypertension was 35.0% and 30.8%, respectively. In univariate binary logistic
      regression analyses (age-adjusted), each unit increment in sleep duration (hours)
      in boys and girls, decreased the prehypertension and hypertension risk by 0.89
      [odds ratio (OR)] [confidance interval (CI); 0.82-0.98] and 0.88 (OR) (CI; 0.81
      0.97), respectively (p<0.05). In multiple binary logistic regression analyses
      [age- and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted] the location of the school and sleep
      duration categories were shown to be the most important factors for
      prehypertension and hypertension in both genders, while household income was the
      most important factor, only in boys. CONCLUSIONS: A sleep duration <=8 h is an
      independent risk factor for prehypertension and hypertension in Turkish children
      aged 11-17 years.

PMID- 28619700
TI  - Integrated Detection and Prediction of Influenza Activity for Real-Time
      Surveillance: Algorithm Design.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Influenza is a viral respiratory disease capable of causing epidemics
      that represent a threat to communities worldwide. The rapidly growing
      availability of electronic "big data" from diagnostic and prediagnostic sources
      in health care and public health settings permits advance of a new generation of
      methods for local detection and prediction of winter influenza seasons and
      influenza pandemics. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present a method for
      integrated detection and prediction of influenza virus activity in local settings
      using electronically available surveillance data and to evaluate its performance
      by retrospective application on authentic data from a Swedish county. METHODS: An
      integrated detection and prediction method was formally defined based on a design
      rationale for influenza detection and prediction methods adapted for local
      surveillance. The novel method was retrospectively applied on data from the
      winter influenza season 2008-09 in a Swedish county (population 445,000). Outcome
      data represented individuals who met a clinical case definition for influenza
      (based on International Classification of Diseases version 10 [ICD-10] codes)
      from an electronic health data repository. Information from calls to a
      telenursing service in the county was used as syndromic data source. RESULTS: The
      novel integrated detection and prediction method is based on nonmechanistic
      statistical models and is designed for integration in local health information
      systems. The method is divided into separate modules for detection and prediction
      of local influenza virus activity. The function of the detection module is to
      alert for an upcoming period of increased load of influenza cases on local health
      care (using influenza-diagnosis data), whereas the function of the prediction
      module is to predict the timing of the activity peak (using syndromic data) and
      its intensity (using influenza-diagnosis data). For detection modeling,
      exponential regression was used based on the assumption that the beginning of a
      winter influenza season has an exponential growth of infected individuals. For
      prediction modeling, linear regression was applied on 7-day periods at the time
      in order to find the peak timing, whereas a derivate of a normal distribution
      density function was used to find the peak intensity. We found that the
      integrated detection and prediction method detected the 2008-09 winter influenza
      season on its starting day (optimal timeliness 0 days), whereas the predicted
      peak was estimated to occur 7 days ahead of the factual peak and the predicted
      peak intensity was estimated to be 26% lower than the factual intensity (6.3
      compared with 8.5 influenza-diagnosis cases/100,000). CONCLUSIONS: Our detection
      and prediction method is one of the first integrated methods specifically
      designed for local application on influenza data electronically available for
      surveillance. The performance of the method in a retrospective study indicates
      that further prospective evaluations of the methods are justified.

PMID- 28619701
TI  - Effectiveness of a Web-Based Intervention in Reducing Depression and Sickness
      Absence: Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent in the working population and is
      associated with significant loss of workdays; however, access to evidence-based
      treatment is limited. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Web
      based intervention in reducing mild to moderate depression and sickness absence.
      METHODS: In an open-label randomized controlled trial, participants were
      recruited from a large-scale statutory health insurance and were assigned to two
      groups. The intervention group had access to a 12 week Web-based program
      consisting of structured interactive sessions and therapist support upon request.
      The wait-list control group had access to unguided Web-based psycho-education.
      Depressive symptoms were self-assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up
      (12 weeks after treatment) using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and
      Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) as primary outcome measures. Data on sickness
      absence was retrieved from health insurance records. Intention-to-treat (ITT)
      analysis and per-protocol (PP) analysis were performed. RESULTS: Of the 180
      participants who were randomized, 88 completed the post-assessment (retention
      rate: 48.8%, 88/180). ITT analysis showed a significant between-group difference
      in depressive symptoms during post-treatment in favor of the intervention group,
      corresponding to a moderate effect size (PHQ-9: d=0.55, 95% CI 0.25-0.85, P<.001,
      and BDI-II: d=0.41, CI 0.11-0.70, P=.004). PP analysis partially supported this
      result, but showed a non-significant effect on one primary outcome (PHQ-9:
      d=0.61, 95% CI 0.15-1.07, P=.04, and BDI-II: d=0.25 95% CI -0.18 to 0.65, P=.37).
      Analysis of clinical significance using reliable change index revealed that
      significantly more participants who used the Web-based intervention (63%, 63/100)
      responded to the treatment versus the control group (33%, 27/80; P<.001). The
      number needed to treat (NNT) was 4.08. Within both groups, there was a reduction
      in work absence frequency (IG: -67.23%, P<.001, CG: -82.61%, P<.001), but no
      statistical difference in sickness absence between groups was found (P=.07).
      CONCLUSIONS: The Web-based intervention was effective in reducing depressive
      symptoms among adults with sickness absence. As this trial achieved a lower power
      than calculated, its results should be replicated in a larger sample. Further
      validation of health insurance records as an outcome measure for eHealth trials
      is needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial
      Number (ISRCTN): 02446836; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN02446836 (Archived by
      WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jx4SObnw).

PMID- 28619702
TI  - Computerized Childbirth Monitoring Tools for Health Care Providers Managing
      Labor: A Scoping Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proper monitoring of labor and childbirth prevents many pregnancy
      related complications. However, monitoring is still poor in many places partly
      due to the usability concerns of support tools such as the partograph. In 2011,
      the World Health Organization (WHO) called for the development and evaluation of
      context-adaptable electronic health solutions to health challenges. Computerized
      tools have penetrated many areas of health care, but their influence in
      supporting health staff with childbirth seems limited. OBJECTIVE: The objective
      of this scoping review was to determine the scope and trends of research on
      computerized labor monitoring tools that could be used by health care providers
      in childbirth management. METHODS: We used key terms to search the Web for
      eligible peer-reviewed and gray literature. Eligibility criteria were a
      computerized labor monitoring tool for maternity service providers and dated 2006
      to mid-2016. Retrieved papers were screened to eliminate ineligible papers, and
      consensus was reached on the papers included in the final analysis. RESULTS: We
      started with about 380,000 papers, of which 14 papers qualified for the final
      analysis. Most tools were at the design and implementation stages of development.
      Three papers addressed post-implementation evaluations of two tools. No
      documentation on clinical outcome studies was retrieved. The parameters targeted
      with the tools varied, but they included fetal heart (10 of 11 tools), labor
      progress (8 of 11), and maternal status (7 of 11). Most tools were designed for
      use in personal computers in low-resource settings and could be customized for
      different user needs. CONCLUSIONS: Research on computerized labor monitoring
      tools is inadequate. Compared with other labor parameters, there was
      preponderance to fetal heart monitoring and hardly any summative evaluation of
      the available tools. More research, including clinical outcomes evaluation of
      computerized childbirth monitoring tools, is needed.

PMID- 28619703
TI  - Identifying Nonclinical Factors Associated With 30-Day Readmission in Patients
      with Cardiovascular Disease: Protocol for an Observational Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of hospitalization
      in older adults and high readmission rates have attracted considerable attention
      as actionable targets to promote efficiency in care and to reduce costs. Despite
      a plethora of research over the past decade, current strategies to predict
      readmissions have been largely ineffective and efforts to identify novel clinical
      predictors have been largely unsuccessful. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study
      is to examine a wide array of socioeconomic, psychosocial, behavioral, and
      clinical factors to predict risks of 30-day hospital readmission in
      cardiovascular patients. METHODS: The study includes patients (aged 18 years and
      older) admitted for the treatment of cardiovascular-related illnesses at the Duke
      Heart Center, which is among the nation's largest and top-ranked cardiovascular
      care hospitals. The study uses a novel standardized survey to ascertain data on a
      comprehensive array of patient characteristics that will be linked to their
      electronic medical records. A series of univariate and multivariate models will
      be used to estimate the associations between the patient-level factors and 30-day
      readmissions. The performance of the risk models will be examined based on 2
      components of accuracy-model calibration and discrimination-to determine how
      closely the predicted outcome agrees with the observed (actual) outcome and how
      well the model distinguishes patients who were readmitted and those who were not.
      The purpose of this paper is to present the protocol for the implementation of
      this study. RESULTS: The study was launched in February 2014 and is actively
      recruiting patients from the Heart Center. Approximately 550 patients have been
      enrolled to date and the study is expected to continue recruitment until February
      2018. Preliminary results show that participants in the study were aged 63.6
      years on average (SD 14.0), predominately male (61.2%), and primarily non
      Hispanic white (64.6%) or non-Hispanic black (31.7%). The demographic
      characteristics of study participants were not significantly different from all
      patients admitted to the Heart Center during this period with an average age of
      65.0 years (SD 15.3) and predominately male (58.6%), non-Hispanic white (62.9%)
      or non-Hispanic black (31.8%) The integration of the interview data with clinical
      data from the patient electronic medical records is currently underway. The study
      has received funding and ethical approval. CONCLUSIONS: Many US hospitals
      continue to struggle with high readmission rates in patients with cardiovascular
      disease. The primary objective of this study is to collect and integrate a
      comprehensive array of patient attributes to develop a powerful yet parsimonious
      model to stratify risks of rehospitalization in cardiovascular patients. The
      results of this research also have the potential to identify actionable targets
      for tailored interventions to improve patient outcomes.

PMID- 28619704
TI  - Applying STOPP Guidelines in Primary Care Through Electronic Medical Record
      Decision Support: Randomized Control Trial Highlighting the Importance of Data
      Quality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions (PIPs) are a common cause of
      morbidity, particularly in the elderly. OBJECTIVE: We sought to understand how
      the Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions (STOPP) prescribing criteria,
      implemented in a routinely used primary care Electronic Medical Record (EMR),
      could impact PIP rates in community (non-academic) primary care practices.
      METHODS: We conducted a mixed-method, pragmatic, cluster, randomized control
      trial in research naive primary care practices. Phase 1: In the randomized
      controlled trial, 40 fully automated STOPP rules were implemented as EMR alerts
      during a 16-week intervention period. The control group did not receive the 40
      STOPP rules (but received other alerts). Participants were recruited through the
      OSCAR EMR user group mailing list and in person at user group meetings. Results
      were assessed by querying EMR data PIPs. EMR data quality probes were included.
      Phase 2: physicians were invited to participate in 1-hour semi-structured
      interviews to discuss the results. RESULTS: In the EMR, 40 STOPP rules were
      successfully implemented. Phase 1: A total of 28 physicians from 8 practices were
      recruited (16 in intervention and 12 in control groups). The calculated PIP rate
      was 2.6% (138/5308) (control) and 4.11% (768/18,668) (intervention) at baseline.
      No change in PIPs was observed through the intervention (P=.80). Data quality
      probes generally showed low use of problem list and medication list. Phase 2: A
      total of 5 physicians participated. All the participants felt that they were
      aware of the alerts but commented on workflow and presentation challenges.
      CONCLUSIONS: The calculated PIP rate was markedly less than the expected rate
      found in literature (2.6% and 4.0% vs 20% in literature). Data quality probes
      highlighted issues related to completeness of data in areas of the EMR used for
      PIP reporting and by the decision support such as problem and medication lists.
      Users also highlighted areas for better integration of STOPP guidelines with
      prescribing workflows. Many of the STOPP criteria can be implemented in EMRs
      using simple logic. However, data quality in EMRs continues to be a challenge and
      was a limiting step in the effectiveness of the decision support in this study.
      This is important as decision makers continue to fund implementation and adoption
      of EMRs with the expectation of the use of advanced tools (such as decision
      support) without ongoing review of data quality and improvement. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02130895;
      https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02130895 (Archived by WebCite at
      http://www.webcitation.org/6qyFigSYT).

PMID- 28619707
TI  - Purpura in a 5 year old girl.

PMID- 28619708
TI  - ARHGAP18 Downregulation by miR-200b Suppresses Metastasis of Triple-Negative
      Breast Cancer by Enhancing Activation of RhoA.
AB  - Rho GTPases activated in cancer cells drive proliferation, migration, and
      metastasis. Thus, RhoGAP proteins, which negatively regulate Rho GTPases, are
      generally thought to function as tumor suppressors. Here this expectation was
      challenged by characterization of ARHGAP18, a RhoGAP family member that is
      selectively overexpressed in highly migratory triple-negative breast cancer
      (TNBC) cells. In human breast tumors, higher ARHGAP18 levels associated with
      worse overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and metastasis-free survival.
      In TNBC cells, ARHGAP18 deletion increased RhoA activation but reduced growth,
      migration, and metastatic capacity. Mechanistic investigations revealed that
      ARHGAP18 levels were controlled by miR-200b, the enforced expression of which was
      sufficient to activate RhoA, enhanced formation of focal adhesions and actin
      stress fibers, and reduced migration and metastasis. Enforced elevation of
      ARHGAP18 where miR-200b was stably expressed reduced RhoA activity but increased
      cell migration. Pharmacologic inhibition of the Rho effector kinase ROCK blocked
      RhoA signaling and reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-200b on cell migration.
      Finally, ARHGAP18 overexpression or ROCK inhibition was sufficient to overcome
      metastatic blockade by miR-200b. Taken together, these results define opposing
      roles for oncogenic ARHGAP18 and tumor suppressive miR-200b in determining TNBC
      cell migration and metastatic prowess. Cancer Res; 77(15); 4051-64. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619710
TI  - Heme-oxygenase-1 Production by Intestinal CX3CR1+ Macrophages Helps to Resolve
      Inflammation and Prevents Carcinogenesis.
AB  - CX3CR1+ macrophages in the intestinal lamina propria contribute to gut
      homeostasis through the immunomodulatory interleukin IL10, but there is little
      knowledge on how these cells or the CX3CR1 receptor may affect colorectal
      carcinogenesis. In this study, we show that CX3CR1-deficient mice fail to resolve
      gut inflammation despite high production of IL10 and have increased colitis and
      adenomatous polyps in chemical and genetic models of colon carcinogenesis.
      Mechanistically, CX3CL1-mediated engagement of the CX3CR1 receptor induced
      upregulation of heme-oxygenase-1 (HMOX-1), an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
      enzyme. CX3CR1-deficient mice exhibited significantly lower expression of HMOX-1
      in their adenomatous colon tissues. Combining LPS and CX3CL1 displayed a strong
      synergistic effect in vitro, but HMOX-1 levels were significantly lower in KO
      macrophages. Cohousing of wild-type and CX3CR1-/- mice during the AOM/DSS
      treatment attenuated disease severity in CX3CR1-/- mice, indicating the
      importance of the microbiome, but did not fully reinstate HMOX-1 levels and did
      not abolish polyp formation. In contrast, pharmacologic induction of HMOX-1 in
      vivo by cobalt protoporphyrin-IX treatment eradicated intestinal inflammation and
      fully protected KO mice from carcinogenesis. Taken together, our results
      establish an essential role for the receptor CX3CR1 in gut macrophages in
      resolving inflammation in the intestine, where it helps protects against colitis
      associated cancer by regulating HMOX-1 expression. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4472-85.
      (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619709
TI  - Loss of FAM46C Promotes Cell Survival in Myeloma.
AB  - FAM46C is one of the most recurrently mutated genes in multiple myeloma; however
      its role in disease pathogenesis has not been determined. Here we demonstrate
      that wild-type (WT) FAM46C overexpression induces substantial cytotoxicity in
      multiple myeloma cells. In contrast, FAM46C mutations found in multiple myeloma
      patients abrogate this cytotoxicity, indicating a survival advantage conferred by
      the FAM46C mutant phenotype. WT FAM46C overexpression downregulated IRF4, CEBPB,
      and MYC and upregulated immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain and HSPA5/BIP
      Furthermore, pathway analysis suggests that enforced FAM46C expression activated
      the unfolded protein response pathway and induced mitochondrial dysfunction.
      CRISPR-mediated depletion of endogenous FAM46C enhanced multiple myeloma cell
      growth, decreased Ig light chain and HSPA5/BIP expression, activated ERK and
      antiapoptotic signaling, and conferred relative resistance to dexamethasone and
      lenalidomide treatments. Genes altered in FAM46C-depleted cells were enriched for
      signaling pathways regulating estrogen, glucocorticoid, B-cell receptor
      signaling, and ATM signaling. Together these results implicate FAM46C in myeloma
      cell growth and survival and identify FAM46C mutation as a contributor to myeloma
      pathogenesis and disease progression via perturbation in plasma cell
      differentiation and endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4317
      27. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619711
TI  - IGFBP7 Deletion Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - Activation of IGF signaling is a major oncogenic event in diverse cancers,
      including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this setting, the insulin-like
      growth factor binding protein IGFBP7 inhibits IGF signaling by binding the IGF1
      receptor (IGF1R), functioning as a candidate tumor suppressor. IGFBP7 abrogates
      tumors by inhibiting angiogenesis and inducing cancer-specific senescence and
      apoptosis. Here, we report that Igfbp7-deficient mice exhibit constitutively
      active IGF signaling, presenting with proinflammatory and immunosuppressive
      microenvironments and spontaneous liver and lung tumors occurring with increased
      incidence in carcinogen-treated subjects. Igfbp7 deletion increased proliferation
      and decreased senescence of hepatocytes and mouse embryonic fibroblasts, effects
      that were blocked by treatment with IGF1 receptor inhibitor. Significant
      inhibition of genes regulating immune surveillance was observed in Igfbp7-/-
      murine livers, which was associated with a marked inhibition in antigen cross
      presentation by Igfbp7-/- dendritic cells. Conversely, IGFBP7 overexpression
      inhibited growth of HCC cells in syngeneic immunocompetent mice. Depletion of
      CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocytes abolished this growth inhibition, identifying it as an
      immune-mediated response. Our findings define an immune component of the
      pleiotropic mechanisms through which IGFBP7 suppresses HCC. Furthermore, they
      offer a genetically based preclinical proof of concept for IGFBP7 as a
      therapeutic target for immune management of HCC. Cancer Res; 77(15); 4014-25.
      (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619712
TI  - Targeting acetylcholine receptor M3 prevents the progression of airway
      hyperreactivity in a mouse model of childhood asthma.
AB  - Asthma often progresses into adulthood from early-life episodes of adverse
      environmental exposures. However, how the injury to developing lungs contributes
      to the pathophysiology of persistent asthma remains poorly understood. In this
      study, we identified an age-related mechanism along the cholinergic nerve-airway
      smooth muscle (ASM) axis that underlies prolonged airway hyperreactivity (AHR) in
      mice. We showed that ASM continued to mature until ~3 wk after birth. Coinciding
      with postnatal ASM maturation, there was a critical time window for the
      development of ASM hypercontractility after cholinergic stimulation. We found
      that allergen exposure in neonatal mice, but not in adult mice, elevated the
      level and activity of cholinergic nerves (termed neuroplasticity). We
      demonstrated that cholinergic neuroplasticity is necessary for the induction of
      persistent AHR after neonatal exposure during rescue assays in mice deficient in
      neuroplasticity. In addition, early intervention with cholinergic receptor
      muscarinic (ChRM)-3 blocker reversed the progression of AHR in the neonatal
      exposure model, whereas beta2-adrenoceptor agonists had no such effect. Together,
      our findings demonstrate a functional relationship between cholinergic
      neuroplasticity and ASM contractile phenotypes that operates uniquely in early
      life to induce persistent AHR after allergen exposure. Targeting ChRM3 may have
      disease-modifying benefits in childhood asthma.-Patel, K. R., Bai, Y., Trieu, K.
      G., Barrios, J., Ai, X. Targeting acetylcholine receptor M3 prevents the
      progression of airway hyperreactivity in a mouse model of childhood asthma.

PMID- 28619715
TI  - Liquefied gas electrolytes for electrochemical energy storage devices.
AB  - Electrochemical capacitors and lithium-ion batteries have seen little change in
      their electrolyte chemistry since their commercialization, which has limited
      improvements in device performance. Combining superior physical and chemical
      properties and a high dielectric-fluidity factor, the use of electrolytes based
      on solvent systems that exclusively use components that are typically gaseous
      under standard conditions show a wide potential window of stability and excellent
      performance over an extended temperature range. Electrochemical capacitors using
      difluoromethane show outstanding performance from -78 degrees  to +65 degrees C,
      with an increased operation voltage. The use of fluoromethane shows a high
      coulombic efficiency of ~97% for cycling lithium metal anodes, together with good
      cyclability of a 4-volt lithium cobalt oxide cathode and operation as low as -60
      degrees C, with excellent capacity retention.

PMID- 28619713
TI  - Molecular model of fission yeast centrosome assembly determined by
      superresolution imaging.
AB  - Microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs), known as centrosomes in animals and
      spindle pole bodies (SPBs) in fungi, are important for the faithful distribution
      of chromosomes between daughter cells during mitosis as well as for other
      cellular functions. The cytoplasmic duplication cycle and regulation of the
      Schizosaccharomyces pombe SPB is analogous to centrosomes, making it an ideal
      model to study MTOC assembly. Here, we use superresolution structured
      illumination microscopy with single-particle averaging to localize 14 S. pombe
      SPB components and regulators, determining both the relationship of proteins to
      each other within the SPB and how each protein is assembled into a new structure
      during SPB duplication. These data enabled us to build the first comprehensive
      molecular model of the S. pombe SPB, resulting in structural and functional
      insights not ascertained through investigations of individual subunits, including
      functional similarities between Ppc89 and the budding yeast SPB scaffold Spc42,
      distribution of Sad1 to a ring-like structure and multiple modes of Mto1
      recruitment.

PMID- 28619714
TI  - The G protein-coupled receptor GPR31 promotes membrane association of KRAS.
AB  - The product of the KRAS oncogene, KRAS4B, promotes tumor growth when associated
      with the plasma membrane (PM). PM association is mediated, in part, by
      farnesylation of KRAS4B, but trafficking of nascent KRAS4B to the PM is
      incompletely understood. We performed a genome-wide screen to identify genes
      required for KRAS4B membrane association and identified a G protein-coupled
      receptor, GPR31. GPR31 associated with KRAS4B on cellular membranes in a
      farnesylation-dependent fashion, and retention of GPR31 on the endoplasmic
      reticulum inhibited delivery of KRAS4B to the PM. Silencing of GPR31 expression
      partially mislocalized KRAS4B, slowed the growth of KRAS-dependent tumor cells,
      and blocked KRAS-stimulated macropinocytosis. Our data suggest that GPR31 acts as
      a secretory pathway chaperone for KRAS4B.

PMID- 28619717
TI  - Photoinduced decarboxylative borylation of carboxylic acids.
AB  - The conversion of widely available carboxylic acids into versatile boronic esters
      would be highly enabling for synthesis. We found that this transformation can be
      effected by illuminating the N-hydroxyphthalimide ester derivative of the
      carboxylic acid under visible light at room temperature in the presence of the
      diboron reagent bis(catecholato)diboron. A simple workup allows isolation of the
      pinacol boronic ester. Experimental evidence suggests that boryl radical
      intermediates are involved in the process. The methodology is illustrated by the
      transformation of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl carboxylic acids as well
      as a diverse range of natural-product carboxylic acids, thereby demonstrating its
      broad utility and functional group tolerance.

PMID- 28619716
TI  - Ratchet-like polypeptide translocation mechanism of the AAA+ disaggregase Hsp104.
AB  - Hsp100 polypeptide translocases are conserved members of the AAA+ family
      (adenosine triphosphatases associated with diverse cellular activities) that
      maintain proteostasis by unfolding aberrant and toxic proteins for refolding or
      proteolytic degradation. The Hsp104 disaggregase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      solubilizes stress-induced amorphous aggregates and amyloids. The structural
      basis for substrate recognition and translocation is unknown. Using a model
      substrate (casein), we report cryo-electron microscopy structures at near-atomic
      resolution of Hsp104 in different translocation states. Substrate interactions
      are mediated by conserved, pore-loop tyrosines that contact an 80-angstrom-long
      unfolded polypeptide along the axial channel. Two protomers undergo a ratchet
      like conformational change that advances pore loop-substrate interactions by two
      amino acids. These changes are coupled to activation of specific nucleotide
      hydrolysis sites and, when transmitted around the hexamer, reveal a processive
      rotary translocation mechanism and substrate-responsive flexibility during Hsp104
      catalyzed disaggregation.

PMID- 28619719
TI  - Hypothalamic regulation of regionally distinct adult neural stem cells and
      neurogenesis.
AB  - Neural stem cells (NSCs) in specialized niches in the adult mammalian brain
      generate neurons throughout life. NSCs in the adult mouse ventricular
      subventricular zone (V-SVZ) exhibit a regional identity and, depending on their
      location, generate distinct olfactory bulb interneuron subtypes. Here, we show
      that the hypothalamus, a brain area regulating physiological states, provides
      long-range regionalized input to the V-SVZ niche and can regulate specific NSC
      subpopulations. Hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin neurons selectively innervate
      the anterior ventral V-SVZ and promote the proliferation of Nkx2.1+ NSCs and the
      generation of deep granule neurons. Accordingly, hunger and satiety regulate
      adult neurogenesis by modulating the activity of this hypothalamic-V-SVZ
      connection. Our findings reveal that neural circuitry, via mosaic innervation of
      the V-SVZ, can recruit distinct NSC pools, allowing on-demand neurogenesis in
      response to physiology and environmental signals.

PMID- 28619720
TI  - Bullying in NHS must be "called out," says head of NHS Improvement.

PMID- 28619718
TI  - Click chemistry enables preclinical evaluation of targeted epigenetic therapies.
AB  - The success of new therapies hinges on our ability to understand their molecular
      and cellular mechanisms of action. We modified BET bromodomain inhibitors, an
      epigenetic-based therapy, to create functionally conserved compounds that are
      amenable to click chemistry and can be used as molecular probes in vitro and in
      vivo. We used click proteomics and click sequencing to explore the gene
      regulatory function of BRD4 (bromodomain containing protein 4) and the
      transcriptional changes induced by BET inhibitors. In our studies of mouse models
      of acute leukemia, we used high-resolution microscopy and flow cytometry to
      highlight the heterogeneity of drug activity within tumor cells located in
      different tissue compartments. We also demonstrate the differential distribution
      and effects of BET inhibitors in normal and malignant cells in vivo. This study
      provides a potential framework for the preclinical assessment of a wide range of
      drugs.

PMID- 28619721
TI  - Hagfish slime exudate stabilization and its effect on slime formation and
      functionality.
AB  - Hagfish produce vast amounts of slime when under attack. The slime is the most
      dilute hydrogel known to date, and is a highly interesting material for
      biomaterial research. It forms from a glandular secrete, called exudate, which
      deploys upon contact with seawater. To study slime formation ex vivo and to
      characterize its material properties, stabilization of the sensitive slime
      exudate is crucial. In this study, we compared the two main stabilization
      methods, dispersion in high osmolarity citrate/PIPES (CP) buffer and immersion in
      oil, and tested the influence of time, temperature and pH on the stability of the
      exudate and functionality of the slime. Using water retention measurements to
      assess slime functionality, we found that CP buffer and oil preserved the exudate
      within the first 5 hours without loss of functionality. For longer storage times,
      slime functionality decreased for both stabilization methods, for which the
      breakdown mechanisms differed. Stabilization in oil likely favored temperature
      sensitive osmotic-driven swelling and rupture of the mucin vesicles, causing the
      exudate to gel and clump. Extended storage in CP buffer resulted in an inhibited
      unraveling of skeins. We suggest that a water soluble protein glue, which
      mediates skein unraveling in functional skeins, denatures and gradually becomes
      insoluble during storage in CP buffer. The breakdown was accentuated when the pH
      of the CP buffer was raised from pH 6.7 to pH 8.5, probably caused by increased
      denaturation of the protein glue or by inferior vesicle stabilization. However,
      when fresh exudate was mixed into seawater or phosphate buffer at pH 6-9, slime
      functionality was not affected, showing pH insensitivity of the slime formation
      around a neutral pH. These insights on hagfish exudate stabilization mechanisms
      will support hagfish slime research at a fundamental level, and contribute to
      resolve the complex mechanisms of skein unraveling and slime formation.

PMID- 28619723
TI  - Government must lift pay cap to keep staff, says NHS Confederation.

PMID- 28619722
TI  - Corticosteroid Therapy During Acute Bronchiolitis in Patients Who Later Develop
      Asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Meta-analyses show that corticosteroids are not
      effective in patients with bronchiolitis. However, risk factors for asthma such
      as eczema or familial atopy prompt some practitioners to prescribe
      corticosteroids for bronchiolitis. We assessed if corticosteroid prescription is
      associated with shorter hospitalization for bronchiolitis among patients who
      later develop asthma. METHODS: The Pediatric Health Information System database
      was interrogated for patients with bronchiolitis aged <2 years hospitalized
      between 2006 and 2015. Only patients who also later had a hospitalization for
      asthma and prescription of inhaled corticosteroids were included. For the initial
      bronchiolitis admission, use of mechanical ventilation defined "severe illness,"
      and ICU admission without mechanical ventilation defined "moderate illness"; all
      other patients were deemed to have "mild illness." Variables associated (P < .10)
      with length of stay (LOS) in bivariate analysis were included in linear
      regression analysis. RESULTS: During the bronchiolitis admission of 2479 children
      who were later hospitalized for asthma, corticosteroid prescription (n = 857) was
      associated with longer LOS in bivariate analysis (3 [2-4] vs 2 [2-4] days; P <
      .01) but not the multivariate model (P = .18) that included age, sex, comorbid
      conditions, bacterial pneumonia, and illness severity. Corticosteroid
      prescription was associated with shorter LOS among previously healthy children
      with moderate illness (4 [2-6] vs 5 [3-7] days; P = .02) but not those with mild
      or severe illness. CONCLUSIONS: Corticosteroids were not associated with improved
      outcome in patients with bronchiolitis who were later hospitalized with asthma.
      Moderately ill patients with no comorbidities may warrant further study.

PMID- 28619724
TI  - Impact of Relative Conditional Survival Estimates on Patient Prognosis After
      Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some aspects of prognosis are not reflected by cumulative survival
      estimates. These aspects include information on the time already survived by the
      patient and the patient's survival compared with the general population.
      Conditional survival (ie, conditional on having survived a certain period of time
      already) and relative conditional survival (ie, compared with the general
      population) do incorporate these aspects. We investigated these measures of
      prognosis in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We studied 17 903 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary
      intervention between 2000 and 2014. Cumulative survival was estimated for
      patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (n=5996, 853 deaths),
      non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (n=5371, 901 deaths), and stable
      angina pectoris (n=6536, 965 deaths) in 4 age categories. One-year conditional
      and relative conditional survival up to 10 years post-percutaneous coronary
      intervention was calculated. The results demonstrated that 1-year cumulative
      survival for patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction aged >=76
      years was 83%. One-year conditional survival, conditional on surviving the first
      month, was 92% in this group, and relative conditional survival (relative to the
      general population) was 99%. In younger age categories and in patients with non
      ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and stable angina pectoris , similar
      patterns were found albeit less pronounced. Five-year relative conditional
      rendered similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Relative conditional survival provides a
      comprehensive picture of patient prognosis, particularly for older patients with
      ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Although, as expected, their
      cumulative survival is low, once they survive the first month after percutaneous
      coronary intervention, their prognosis is comparable to that of the general
      population. Therefore, relative conditional survival estimates provide an
      important, meaningful addition when discussing prognosis with patients.

PMID- 28619725
TI  - Referral to Cardiac Rehabilitation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention,
      Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, and Valve Surgery: Data From the Clinical
      Outcomes Assessment Program.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite guideline recommendations that patients undergoing
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass surgery, or
      valve surgery be referred to cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation is
      underused. The objective of this study was to examine hospital-level variation in
      cardiac rehabilitation referral after PCI, coronary artery bypass surgery, and
      valve surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from the Clinical Outcomes
      Assessment Program, a registry of all nonfederal hospitals performing PCI and
      cardiac surgery in Washington State. We included eligible PCI, coronary artery
      bypass surgery, and valve surgery patients from 2010 to 2015. We analyzed PCI and
      cardiac surgery separately by performing multivariable hierarchical logistic
      regression for the outcome of cardiac rehabilitation referral at discharge,
      clustered by hospital. Patient-level covariates included age, sex,
      race/ethnicity, comorbidities, and procedure indication/status. Cardiac
      rehabilitation referral was reported in 48% (34 047/71 556) of PCI patients and
      91% (21 831/23 972) of cardiac surgery patients. The hospital performing the
      procedure was a stronger predictor of referral than any individual patient
      characteristic for PCI (hospital referral range 3%-97%; median odds ratio, 5.94;
      95% confidence interval, 4.10-9.49) and cardiac surgery (range 54%-100%; median
      odds ratio, 7.09; 95% confidence interval, 3.79-17.80). Hospitals having an
      outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program explained only 10% of PCI variation and
      0% of cardiac surgery variation. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac rehabilitation referral at
      discharge was less prevalent after PCI than cardiac surgery. The strongest
      predictor of cardiac rehabilitation referral was the hospital performing the
      procedure. Efforts to improve cardiac rehabilitation referral should focus on
      increasing referral after PCI, especially in low referral hospitals.

PMID- 28619726
TI  - Putting Prognosis Into Perspective.

PMID- 28619727
TI  - RNA-seq implicates deregulation of the immune system in the pathogenesis of
      diverticulitis.
AB  - Individuals with diverticula or outpouchings of the colonic mucosa and submucosa
      through the colonic wall have diverticulosis, which is usually asymptomatic. In
      10-25% of individuals, the diverticula become inflamed, resulting in
      diverticulitis. Very little is known about the pathophysiology or gene regulatory
      pathways involved in the development of diverticulitis. To identify these
      pathways, we deep sequenced RNAs isolated from full-thickness sections of sigmoid
      colon from diverticulitis patients and control individuals. Specifically for
      diverticulitis cases, we analyzed tissue adjacent to areas affected by chronic
      disease. Since the tissue was collected during elective sigmoid resection, the
      disease was in a quiescent state. A comparison of differentially expressed genes
      found that gene ontology (GO) pathways associated with the immune response were
      upregulated in diverticulitis patients compared with nondiverticulosis controls.
      Next, weighted gene coexpression network analysis was performed to identify the
      interaction among coexpressed genes. This analysis revealed RASAL3, SASH3, PTPRC,
      and INPP5D as hub genes within the brown module eigengene, which highly
      correlated (r = 0.67, P = 0.0004) with diverticulitis. Additionally, we
      identified elevated expression of downstream interacting genes. In summary,
      transcripts associated with the immune response were upregulated in adjacent
      tissue from the sigmoid colons of chronic, recurrent diverticulitis patients.
      Further elucidating the genetic or epigenetic mechanisms associated with these
      alterations can help identify those at risk for chronic disease and may assist in
      clinical decision management.NEW & NOTEWORTHY By using an unbiased approach to
      analyze transcripts expressed in unaffected colonic tissues adjacent to those
      affected by chronic diverticulitis, our study implicates that a defect in the
      immune response may be involved in the development of the disease. This finding
      expands on the current data that suggest the pathophysiology of diverticulitis is
      mediated by dietary, age, and obesity-related factors. Further characterizing the
      immunologic differences in diverticulitis may better inform clinical decision
      making.

PMID- 28619728
TI  - Activated Notch signaling cascade is correlated with stem cell differentiation
      toward absorptive progenitors after massive small bowel resection in a rat.
AB  - Notch signaling is thought to act to drive cell versification in the lining of
      the small intestine. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the role of
      the Notch signaling pathway in stem cell differentiation in the late stages of
      intestinal adaptation after massive small bowel resection in a rat. Male Sprague
      Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups of eight
      rats each: Sham rats underwent bowel transection and reanastomosis, while SBS
      rats underwent 75% small bowel resection. Rats were euthanized on day 14
      Illumina's Digital Gene Expression (DGE) analysis was used to determine Notch
      signaling gene expression profiling. Notch-related gene and protein expression
      was determined using real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and
      immunohistochemistry. From seven investigated Notch-related (by DGE analysis)
      genes, six genes were upregulated in SBS vs. control animals with a relative
      change in gene expression level of 20% or more. A significant upregulation of
      Notch signaling-related genes in resected animals was accompanied by a
      significant increase in Notch-1 protein levels (Western blot analysis) and a
      significant increase in the number of Notch1 and Hes1 (target gene)-positive
      cells (immunohistochemistry) compared with sham animals. Evaluation of cell
      differentiation has shown a strong increase in total number of absorptive cells
      (unchanged secretory cells) compared with control rats. In conclusion, 2 wk after
      bowel resection in rats, stimulated Notch signaling directs the crypt cell
      population toward absorptive progenitors.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study provides
      novel insight into the mechanisms of cell proliferation following massive small
      bowel resection. We show that 2 wk after bowel resection in rats, enhanced stem
      cell activity was associated with stimulated Notch signaling pathway. We
      demonstrate that activated Notch signaling cascade directs the crypt cell
      population toward absorptive progenitors.

PMID- 28619729
TI  - Characterization and mechanisms of the supragastric belch in the cat.
AB  - A response in which a belch occurs without gastric involvement, i.e., the
      supragastric belch (SGB), has been characterized in humans. The aims of this
      study were to determine whether animals have an SGB and, if so, to determine its
      mechanisms. Studies were conducted in decerebrate cats (n = 30) with
      electromyographic electrodes on hyoid, pharyngeal, esophageal, and diaphragm
      muscles. The effects of distending different regions of the esophagus in
      different manners using a balloon were quantified to determine the most
      appropriate stimulus for activating the cat SGB. The effects of esophageal
      perfusion of lidocaine (n = 3), vagus nerve transection (n = 3), or esophageal
      acidification (n = 5) on activation of the SGB were determined. Rapid large
      distensions of the thoracic esophagus best activated responses similar to the
      human SGB, i.e., rapid inhalation followed by a belch. The rapid inhalation was
      associated with activation of hiatal fibers and the belch with activation of dome
      fibers of the diaphragm. The rapid inhalation response was independent of the
      belch response. Lidocaine perfusion of the esophagus blocked the belch response
      without blocking the rapid inhalation, HCl perfusion sensitized the esophagus to
      activation of both the rapid inhalation and the belch response, and vagotomy
      blocked both responses. We conclude that the cat has an SGB that is composed of
      two independent reflex responses, i.e., rapid inhalation and belch, that are
      mediated by the vagus nerves and tension/mucosal receptors of the esophagus and
      sensitized by esophageal acid exposure. We hypothesize that the SGB is a learned
      voluntarily activated reflex response.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Rapid strong distension of
      the thoracic esophagus activates rapid inhalation followed by a belch, which is
      the sequence of responses that compose the human supragastric belch (SGB). The
      rapid inhalation and belch phases of the cat SGB are activated by hiatal and dome
      fibers of the diaphragm, respectively, and are mediated by the vagus nerves and
      tension/mucosal receptors of the esophagus and sensitized by esophageal acid
      exposure. There are many similarities between the cat and human SGB.

PMID- 28619730
TI  - Consumption of a High-Iron Diet Disrupts Homeostatic Regulation of Intestinal
      Copper Absorption in Adolescent Mice.
AB  - High-iron feeding of rodents has been commonly used to model human iron-overload
      disorders. We recently noted that high-iron consumption impaired growth and
      caused severe systemic copper deficiency in growing rats, but the mechanism by
      which this occurred could not be determined due to technical limitations. In the
      current investigation, we thus utilized mice; first to determine if the same
      phenomenon occurred in another mammalian species, and secondly since we could
      assess in vivo copper absorption in mice. We hypothesized that excessive dietary
      iron impaired intestinal copper absorption. Weanling, male mice were thus fed AIN
      93G-based diets containing high (HFe) (~8800 ppm) or adequate (AdFe) (~80 ppm)
      iron in combination with low (~0.9 ppm), adequate (~9 ppm) or high (~180 ppm)
      copper for several weeks. Iron and copper homeostasis was subsequently assessed.
      Mice consuming the HFe diets grew slower, were anemic, and had lower hepatic
      copper levels and serum ceruloplasmin activity. These physiologic perturbations
      were all prevented by higher dietary copper, demonstrating that copper depletion
      was the underlying cause. Furthermore, homeostatic regulation of copper
      absorption was noted in the mice consuming the AdFe diets, with absorption
      increasing as dietary copper decreased. HFe-fed mice did not have impaired copper
      absorption (disproving our hypothesis), but homeostatic control of absorption was
      disrupted. There were also noted perturbations in the tissue distribution of
      copper in the HFe-fed mice, suggesting that altered storage and thus
      bioavailability contributed to the noted copper deficiency. Dietary iron loading
      thus antagonizes copper homeostasis leading to pathological symptoms of severe
      copper depletion.

PMID- 28619731
TI  - USP25 regulates Wnt signaling by controlling the stability of tankyrases.
AB  - Aberrant activation of the Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in human
      cancer development. Wnt signaling is negatively regulated by Axin, a scaffolding
      protein that controls a rate-limiting step in the destruction of beta-catenin,
      the central activator of the Wnt pathway. In Wnt-stimulated cells, Axin is
      rapidly modified by tankyrase-mediated poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, which promotes the
      proteolysis of Axin and consequent stabilization of beta-catenin. Thus,
      regulation of the levels and activity of tankyrases is mechanistically important
      in controlling Wnt signaling. Here, we identify ubiquitin-specific protease 25
      (USP25) as a positive regulator of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. We found that
      USP25 directly interacted with tankyrases to promote their deubiquitination and
      stabilization. We demonstrated that USP25 deficiency could promote the
      degradation of tankyrases and consequent stabilization of Axin to antagonize Wnt
      signaling. We further characterized the interaction between TNKS1 and USP25 by X
      ray crystal structure determination. Our results provide important new insights
      into the molecular mechanism that regulates the turnover of tankyrases and the
      possibility of targeting the stability of tankyrases by antagonizing their
      interaction with USP25 to modulate the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.

PMID- 28619732
TI  - Genital herpes.

PMID- 28619733
TI  - Reply: Repeatability of Quantitative Whole-Body 18F-FDG PET/CT Uptake Measures in
      Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Dynamic Versus Test-Retest Design.

PMID- 28619734
TI  - 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in Newly Diagnosed Carcinoma of the Prostate: Correlation of
      Intraprostatic PSMA Uptake with Several Clinical Parameters.
AB  - 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT is a promising diagnostic
      tool for patients with prostate cancer. Our study evaluates SUVs in benign
      prostate tissue and malignant, intraprostatic tumor lesions and correlates
      results with several clinical parameters. Methods: One hundred four men with
      newly diagnosed prostate carcinoma and no previous therapy were included in this
      study. SUVmax was measured and correlated with biopsy findings and MRI.
      Afterward, data were compared with current prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
      values, Gleason score (GS), and d'Amico risk classification. Results: In this
      investigation a mean SUVmax of 1.88 +/- 0.44 in healthy prostate tissue compared
      with 10.77 +/- 8.45 in malignant prostate lesions (P < 0.001) was observed.
      Patients with higher PSA, higher GS, and higher d'Amico risk score had
      statistically significant higher PSMA uptake on PET/CT (P < 0.001 each).
      Conclusion: PSMA PET/CT is well suited for detecting the intraprostatic malignant
      lesion in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Our findings indicate a
      significant correlation of PSMA uptake with PSA, GS, and risk classification
      according to the d'Amico scale.

PMID- 28619735
TI  - The Evolving Role of Succinate in Tumor Metabolism: An 18F-FDG-Based Study.
AB  - In recent years, inherited and acquired mutations in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA)
      cycle enzymes have been reported in diverse cancers. Pheochromocytomas and
      paragangliomas often exhibit dysregulation of glucose metabolism, which is also
      driven by mutations in genes encoding the TCA cycle enzymes or by activation of
      hypoxia signaling. Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas associated with succinate
      dehydrogenase (SDH) deficiency are characterized by high 18F-FDG avidity. This
      association is currently only partially explained. Therefore, we hypothesized
      that accumulation of succinate due to the TCA cycle defect could be the major
      connecting hub between SDH-mutated tumors and the 18F-FDG uptake profile.
      Methods: To test whether succinate modifies the 18F-FDG metabolic profile of
      tumors, we performed in vitro and in vivo (small-animal PET/CT imaging and
      autoradiography) experiments in the presence of succinate, fumarate, and
      phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in different cell models. As a control, we also
      evaluated the impact of succinate on 18F-fluorocholine uptake and retention.
      Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) immunohistochemistry was performed to assess
      whether 18F-FDG uptake correlates with GLUT1 staining. Results: Intratumoral
      injection of succinate significantly increased 18F-FDG uptake at 24 h on small
      animal PET/CT imaging and autoradiography. No effect of succinate was observed on
      cancer cells in vitro, but interestingly, we found that succinate caused
      increased 18F-FDG uptake by human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a
      concentration-dependent manner. No significant effect was observed after
      intratumoral injection of fumarate or PBS. Succinate, fumarate, and PBS have no
      effect on cell viability, regardless of cell lineage. Intramuscular injection of
      succinate also significantly increases 18F-FDG uptake by muscle when compared
      with either PBS or fumarate, highlighting the effect of succinate on connective
      tissues. No difference was observed between PBS and succinate on 18F
      fluorocholine uptake in the tumor and muscle and on hind limb blood flow. GLUT1
      expression quantification did not significantly differ between the study groups.
      Conclusion: The present study shows that succinate stimulates 18F-FDG uptake by
      endothelial cells, a finding that partially explains the 18F-FDG metabotype
      observed in tumors with SDH deficiency. Although this study is an 18F-FDG-based
      approach, it provides an impetus to better characterize the determinants of 18F
      FDG uptake in various tumors and their surrounding microenvironment, with a
      special emphasis on the role of tumor-specific oncometabolites.

PMID- 28619736
TI  - Effects of Hypercapnia on Myocardial Blood Flow in Healthy Human Subjects.
AB  - Elevation of the end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (PETco2) increases cerebral
      and myocardial blood flow (MBF), suggesting that it may be a suitable alternative
      to pharmacologic stress or exercise for myocardial perfusion imaging. The purpose
      of this study was to document the pharmacodynamics of CO2 for MBF using
      prospective end-tidal targeting to precisely control arterial Pco2 and PET to
      measure the outcome variable, MBF. Methods: Ten healthy men underwent serial 82Rb
      PET/CT imaging. Imaging was performed at rest and during 6-min hypercapnic
      plateaus (baseline; PETco2 at 50, 55, and 60 mm Hg; repeat of PETco2 at 60 mm Hg;
      and repeat of baseline). MBF was measured using 82Rb injected 3 min after the
      beginning of hypercapnia and a 1-tissue-compartment model with flow-dependent
      extraction correction. Results were compared with those obtained during an
      adenosine stress test (140 MUg/kg/min). Results: Baseline PETco2 was 38.9 +/- 0.8
      (mean +/- SD) mm Hg (range, 35-43 mm Hg). All PETco2 targets were sustained, with
      SDs of less than 1.5 mm Hg. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, rate * pressure
      product, and respiratory frequency increased with progressive hypercapnia. MBF
      increased significantly at each level of hypercapnia to 1.92-fold over baseline
      (0.86 +/- 0.24 vs. 0.45 +/- 0.08 mL/min/g; P = 0.002) at a PETco2 of 60 mm Hg.
      MBF after the administration of adenosine was significantly greater than that
      with the maximal hypercapnic stimulus (2.00 vs. 0.86 mL/min/g; P < 0.0001).
      Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the response of
      MBF to different levels of hypercapnia in healthy humans with PET. MBF increased
      with increasing levels of hypercapnia; MBF at a PETco2 of 60 mm Hg was double
      that at baseline.

PMID- 28619737
TI  - Acute massive gastric dilatation causing ischaemic necrosis and perforation of
      the stomach.
AB  - Acute massive gastric dilatation (AMGD) is a rare distinctive condition but
      associates with high morbidity and mortality. Though usually seen in patients
      with eating disorders, many aetiologies of AMGD have been described. The
      distension has been reported to cause gastric necrosis with or without
      perforation, usually within 1-2 days of an inciting event of AMGD.We report the
      case of a 58-year-old male who presented with gastric perforation associated with
      AMGD 11 days after surgical relief of a proximal small bowel obstruction. The
      AMGD arose from a closed loop obstruction between a tumour at the gastro
      oesophageal junction and a small bowel obstruction as a result of volvulus around
      a jejunal feeding tube.To our knowledge, this is the first case of a closed loop
      obstruction of this aetiology reported in the literature, and the presentation of
      this patient's AMGD was notable for the delayed onset of gastric necrosis. The
      patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy and a partial gastrectomy to excise a
      portion of his perforated stomach. Surgeons should be aware of the possibility of
      delayed ischaemic gastric perforation in cases of AMGD.

PMID- 28619738
TI  - Fingolimod-associated macular oedema.

PMID- 28619739
TI  - Renal cell carcinoma with isolated breast metastasis.
AB  - Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a highly prevalent disease worldwide with many
      cases being metastasised to various organs during the time of initial
      presentation. Metastatic RCC to the breast is a rare entity and can mimic primary
      breast carcinoma. In this article, we present a 63-year-old Caucasian woman
      presented with a breast mass that was detected by screening mammography and found
      to have a biopsy proven grade-II clear RCC in the breast tissue. Despite the high
      incidence and prevalence of primary breast cancer, metastasis from extramammary
      should be suspected in patients with a prior history of other cancers. In this
      brief literature review, we also highlight the survival benefit from surgery and
      close follow-up in selected group of patients with metastatic, metachronous and
      solitary RCC.

PMID- 28619740
TI  - Gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma of skin, eye and brain presenting with visual loss.
AB  - A young man presented with rapid, predominantly right-sided visual loss with a
      background of multifocal skin lesions. Visual acuity was right hand movements,
      left 6/5 Snellen, deteriorating to 6/38. He showed panuveitis with bilateral
      multifocal retinal infiltrates and retinal vasculitis. Multifocal brain lesions
      were identified. Biopsy of both skin and vitreous showed atypical lymphocytes,
      and immunohistochemistry confirmed T-cell lymphoma of gamma-delta subtype.
      Management with the CODOX-M/IVAC polychemotherapy regimen achieved rapid response
      including resolution of intraocular changes and substantial improvement of visual
      acuity to right 6/7.5, left 6/6. However, he relapsed before planned stem cell
      transplantation. Salvage with the gemcitabine/dexamethasone/cisplatin regimen,
      although temporarily effective, was followed by further relapse including
      widespread brain involvement, and he succumbed 10 months after presentation.

PMID- 28619741
TI  - Saddle-nose and bilateral cauliflower ear deformities with pyoderma gangrenosum
      like ulcers, cavitary pulmonary lesions, digital gangrene and pulselessness in a
      young female.
AB  - We report a young female who presented with saddle-nose and bilateral cauliflower
      ear deformities along with pyoderma gangrenosum-like ulcers, digital gangrene and
      pulselessness. Subsequently, she was found to have bilateral conductive hearing
      loss, a corneal opacity, mild aortic regurgitation and radiological evidence of
      cavitary changes in lungs and aortoarteritis. Our patient had a constellation of
      symptoms which posed a diagnostic challenge. Finally, a diagnosis of relapsing
      polychondritis with several unusual features was made. Overlap with Takayasu's
      arteritis and granulomatosis with polyangitis, which has been reported rarely in
      the literature, cannot be excluded.

PMID- 28619742
TI  - Postgastric bypass hypoglycaemia in a patient with end-stage renal disease: a
      diagnostic and management pitfall.
AB  - Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is currently one of the most popular
      procedures to aid weight loss. Hypoglycaemia associated with gastric bypass
      surgery is an underdiagnosed but life-threatening potential consequence of the
      surgical procedure. We present a case of a 44-year-old woman with end-stage renal
      disease presenting with refractory hypoglycaemia after 10 years of RYGB.
      Extensive history and work-up excluded medications, renal disease, insulinoma and
      dumping syndrome as the cause of hypoglycaemia. Dietary modifications or
      pharmacological trial of drugs did not ameliorate her symptoms with progressive
      worsening of hypoglycaemia leading to continuous dextrose infusion. Distal
      pancreatectomy was performed with subsequent resolution of hypoglycaemia.
      Surgical pathology results showed diffuse hyperplastic islet cells, confirming
      the diagnosis of postgastric bypass hypoglycaemia.

PMID- 28619745
TI  - Many parts make a whole: Calcium transients sum for slow waves.
AB  - New JGP study shows how calcium events drive long intestinal slow wave plateaus.

PMID- 28619746
TI  - Informal regionalization of pediatric fracture care in the Greater Toronto Area:
      a retrospective cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Operative management of pediatric fractures is an expected competency
      in the specialty of Orthopedic Surgery. However, specialized pediatric centres
      may be providing care for increasing numbers of patients with fractures
      previously treated at community hospitals. The primary objective of this study
      was to examine trends in presentation of children with fractures to a specialized
      pediatric centre. METHODS: We performed a detailed chart review to examine trends
      in presentation of children aged 14 years or less with supracondylar humerus or
      femur fractures to a specialized pediatric centre (Hospital for Sick Children,
      Toronto) from anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area between Apr. 1, 2008, and Mar.
      31, 2015. Consecutive patients admitted to hospital and requiring operative
      intervention for a supracondylar humerus or femur fracture were considered. We
      calculated changes in operation incidence rates per year using multivariable
      negative binomial regression models. RESULTS: A total of 945 children with
      supracondylar humerus fractures and 421 with femur fractures underwent operative
      intervention during the study period. The baseline characteristics of the 2
      groups were similar irrespective of which year fixation occurred. The annual
      incidence rate of supracondylar humerus fractures increased from 108 to 169
      (56.5%) over the study period, at an adjusted rate of 7.5% per year (adjusted
      incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.075, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.072-1.079, p <
      0.001). The annual incidence rate of femur fractures increased from 49 to 69
      (40.8%), at an adjusted rate of 5.3% per year (adjusted IRR 1.053, 95% CI 1.044
      1.062, p < 0.001). Significant increases were observed independent of fracture
      classification, stabilization method, whether patients were transferred from an
      outside hospital or presented directly, patient geographic location or the season
      in which the fracture occurred. INTERPRETATION: Adjusted annual incidence rates
      of supracondylar humerus and femur fractures increased significantly over the
      study period. Further work is needed to assess the clinical impact of informal
      regionalization of care and to determine whether the phenomenon occurs in other
      specialties.

PMID- 28619747
TI  - Successful immune checkpoint blockade in a patient with advanced stage
      microsatellite-unstable biliary tract cancer.
AB  - Cancers acquire multiple somatic mutations that can lead to the generation of
      immunogenic mutation-induced neoantigens. These neoantigens can be recognized by
      the host's immune system. However, continuous stimulation of immune cells against
      tumor antigens can lead to immune cell exhaustion, which allows uncontrolled
      outgrowth of tumor cells. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as
      a novel approach to overcome immune cell exhaustion and reactivate antitumor
      immune responses. In particular, antibodies blocking the exhaustion-mediating
      programmed death receptor (PD-1)/programmed death receptor ligand (PD-L1) pathway
      have shown clinical efficacy. The effects were particularly pronounced in tumors
      with DNA mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency and a high mutational load, which
      typically occur in the colon and endometrium. Here, we report on a 24-yr-old
      woman diagnosed with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who showed strong and
      durable response to the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab, although
      treatment was initiated at an advanced stage of disease. The patient's tumor
      displayed DNA MMR deficiency and microsatellite instability (MSI) but lacked
      other features commonly discussed as predictors of response toward checkpoint
      blockade, such as PD-L1 expression or dense infiltration with cytotoxic T cells.
      Notably, high levels of HLA class I and II antigen expression were detected in
      the tumor, suggesting a potential causal relation between functionality of the
      tumor's antigen presentation machinery and the success of immune checkpoint
      blockade. We suggest determining MSI status in combination with HLA class I and
      II antigen expression in tumors potentially eligible for immune checkpoint
      blockade even in the absence of conventional markers predictive for anti-PD-1/PD
      L1 therapy and in entities not commonly linked to the MSI phenotype. Further
      studies are required to determine the value of these markers for predicting the
      success of immune checkpoint blockade.

PMID- 28619748
TI  - Pore Polarity and Charge Determine Differential Block of Kir1.1 and Kir7.1
      Potassium Channels by Small-Molecule Inhibitor VU590.
AB  - VU590 was the first publicly disclosed, submicromolar-affinity (IC50 = 0.2 MUM),
      small-molecule inhibitor of the inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channel and
      diuretic target, Kir1.1. VU590 also inhibits Kir7.1 (IC50 ~ 8 MUM), and has been
      used to reveal new roles for Kir7.1 in regulation of myometrial contractility and
      melanocortin signaling. Here, we employed molecular modeling, mutagenesis, and
      patch clamp electrophysiology to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying
      VU590 inhibition of Kir1.1 and Kir7.1. Block of both channels is voltage- and K+
      dependent, suggesting the VU590 binding site is located within the pore.
      Mutagenesis analysis in Kir1.1 revealed that asparagine 171 (N171) is the only
      pore-lining residue required for high-affinity block, and that substituting
      negatively charged residues (N171D, N171E) at this position dramatically weakens
      block. In contrast, substituting a negatively charged residue at the equivalent
      position in Kir7.1 enhances block by VU590, suggesting the VU590 binding mode is
      different. Interestingly, mutations of threonine 153 (T153) in Kir7.1 that reduce
      constrained polarity at this site (T153C, T153V, T153S) make wild-type and
      binding-site mutants (E149Q, A150S) more sensitive to block by VU590. The Kir7.1
      T153C mutation enhances block by the structurally unrelated inhibitor VU714 but
      not by a higher-affinity analog ML418, suggesting that the polar side chain of
      T153 creates a barrier to low-affinity ligands that interact with E149 and A150.
      Reverse mutations in Kir1.1 suggest that this mechanism is conserved in other Kir
      channels. This study reveals a previously unappreciated role of membrane pore
      polarity in determination of Kir channel inhibitor pharmacology.

PMID- 28619749
TI  - Chaand Nagpaul: a calm and persuasive negotiator.

PMID- 28619750
TI  - Trusts boost ratings by engaging staff and including clinicians in management.

PMID- 28619751
TI  - Synthesis and Profiling of a Novel Potent Selective Inhibitor of CHK1 Kinase
      Possessing Unusual N-trifluoromethylpyrazole Pharmacophore Resistant to Metabolic
      N-dealkylation.
AB  - Checkpoint-mediated dependency of tumor cells can be deployed to selectively kill
      them without substantial toxicity to normal cells. Specifically, loss of CHK1, a
      serine threonine kinase involved in the surveillance of the G2-M checkpoint in
      the presence of replication stress inflicted by DNA-damaging drugs, has been
      reported to dramatically influence the viability of tumor cells. CHK1's pivotal
      role in maintaining genomic stability offers attractive opportunity for
      increasing the selectivity, effectivity, and reduced toxicity of chemotherapy.
      Some recently identified CHK1 inhibitors entered clinical trials in combination
      with DNA antimetabolites. Herein, we report synthesis and profiling of MU380, a
      nontrivial analogue of clinically profiled compound SCH900776 possessing the
      highly unusual N-trifluoromethylpyrazole motif, which was envisioned not to
      undergo metabolic oxidative dealkylation and thereby provide greater robustness
      to the compound. MU380 is a selective and potent inhibitor of CHK1 which
      sensitizes a variety of tumor cell lines to hydroxyurea or gemcitabine up to 10
      times. MU380 shows extended inhibitory effects in cells, and unlike SCH900776,
      does not undergo in vivo N-dealkylation to the significantly less selective
      metabolite. Compared with SCH900776, MU380 in combination with GEM causes higher
      accumulation of DNA damage in tumor cells and subsequent enhanced cell death, and
      is more efficacious in the A2780 xenograft mouse model. Overall, MU380 represents
      a novel state-of-the-art CHK1 inhibitor with high potency, selectivity, and
      improved metabolic robustness to oxidative N-dealkylation. Mol Cancer Ther;
      16(9); 1831-42. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619752
TI  - The MET/AXL/FGFR Inhibitor S49076 Impairs Aurora B Activity and Improves the
      Antitumor Efficacy of Radiotherapy.
AB  - Several therapeutic agents targeting HGF/MET signaling are under clinical
      development as single agents or in combination, notably with anti-EGFR therapies
      in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, despite increasing data
      supporting a link between MET, irradiation, and cancer progression, no data
      regarding the combination of MET-targeting agents and radiotherapy are available
      from the clinic. S49076 is an oral ATP-competitive inhibitor of MET, AXL, and
      FGFR1-3 receptors that is currently in phase I/II clinical trials in combination
      with gefitinib in NSCLC patients whose tumors show resistance to EGFR inhibitors.
      Here, we studied the impact of S49076 on MET signaling, cell proliferation, and
      clonogenic survival in MET-dependent (GTL16 and U87-MG) and MET-independent
      (H441, H460, and A549) cells. Our data show that S49076 exerts its cytotoxic
      activity at low doses on MET-dependent cells through MET inhibition, whereas it
      inhibits growth of MET-independent cells at higher but clinically relevant doses
      by targeting Aurora B. Furthermore, we found that S49076 improves the antitumor
      efficacy of radiotherapy in both MET-dependent and MET-independent cell lines in
      vitro and in subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models in vivo In conclusion, our
      study demonstrates that S49076 has dual antitumor activity and can be used in
      combination with radiotherapy for the treatment of both MET-dependent and MET
      independent tumors. These results support the evaluation of combined treatment of
      S49076 with radiation in clinical trials without patient selection based on the
      tumor MET dependency status. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2107-19. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619754
TI  - Antitumor Effect of the Atypical Retinoid ST1926 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia and
      Nanoparticle Formulation Prolongs Lifespan and Reduces Tumor Burden of Xenograft
      Mice.
AB  - Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most frequent types of blood
      malignancies. It is a complex disorder of undifferentiated hematopoietic
      progenitor cells. The majority of patients generally respond to intensive
      therapy. Nevertheless, relapse is the major cause of death in AML, warranting the
      need for novel treatment strategies. Retinoids have demonstrated potent
      differentiation and growth regulatory effects in normal, transformed, and
      hematopoietic progenitor cells. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is the paradigm of
      treatment in acute promyelocytic leukemia, an AML subtype. The majority of AML
      subtypes are, however, resistant to ATRA. Multiple synthetic retinoids such as
      ST1926 recently emerged as potent anticancer agents to overcome such resistance.
      Despite its lack of toxicity, ST1926 clinical development was restricted due to
      its limited bioavailability and rapid excretion. Here, we investigate the
      preclinical efficacy of ST1926 and polymer-stabilized ST1926 nanoparticles
      (ST1926-NP) in AML models. We show that sub-MUmol/L concentrations of ST1926
      potently and selectively inhibited the growth of ATRA-resistant AML cell lines
      and primary blasts. ST1926 induced-growth arrest was due to early DNA damage and
      massive apoptosis in AML cells. To enhance the drug's bioavailability, ST1926-NP
      were developed using Flash NanoPrecipitation, and displayed comparable anti
      growth activities to the naked drug in AML cells. In a murine AML xenograft
      model, ST1926 and ST1926-NP significantly prolonged survival and reduced tumor
      burden. Strikingly, in vivo ST1926-NP antitumor effects were achieved at four
      fold lower concentrations than the naked drug. These results highlight the
      promising use of ST1926 in AML therapy and encourage its further development. Mol
      Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2047-57. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619753
TI  - Inhibition of Hsp90 Suppresses PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling and Has Antitumor Activity
      in Burkitt Lymphoma.
AB  - Hsp90 is a molecular chaperone that protects proteins, including oncogenic
      signaling complexes, from proteolytic degradation. PU-H71 is a next-generation
      Hsp90 inhibitor that preferentially targets the functionally distinct pool of
      Hsp90 present in tumor cells. Tumors that are driven by the MYC oncoprotein may
      be particularly sensitive to PU-H71 due to the essential role of Hsp90 in the
      epichaperome, which maintains the malignant phenotype in the setting of MYC.
      Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma characterized by MYC
      dysregulation. In this study, we evaluated Hsp90 as a potential therapeutic
      target in BL. We found that primary BL tumors overexpress Hsp90 and that Hsp90
      inhibition has antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo, including potent activity
      in a patient-derived xenograft model of BL. To evaluate the targets of PU-H71 in
      BL, we performed high-affinity capture followed by proteomic analysis using mass
      spectrometry. We found that Hsp90 inhibition targets multiple components of
      PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, highlighting the importance of this pathway in BL.
      Finally, we found that the anti-lymphoma activity of PU-H71 is synergistic with
      dual PI3K/mTOR inhibition in vitro and in vivo Overall, this work provides
      support for Hsp90 as a therapeutic target in BL and suggests the potential for
      combination therapy with PU-H71 and inhibitors of PI3K/mTOR. Mol Cancer Ther;
      16(9); 1779-90. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619755
TI  - Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-targeted Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) for the
      Treatment of EGFR-expressing Bladder Cancer.
AB  - The use of light as a means of therapy for bladder cancer has a long history but
      has been hampered by a lack of tumor specificity and therefore, damage to the
      normal bladder mucosa. Here, we describe a targeted form of phototherapy called
      photoimmunotherapy (PIT), which targets EGFR-expressing bladder cancer. Anti-EGFR
      antibody panitumumab was labeled with the photoabsorber (PA), IRDye 700Dx
      (IR700), to create a panitumumab-IR700 antibody-PA conjugate that is activated by
      near-infrared radiation (NIR). Bladder cancer tissue microarray (TMA) and bladder
      cancer cell lines were analyzed for expression of EGFR. Mechanism of PIT-induced
      cell death was studied using proliferation assays, transmission electron
      microscopy (TEM), and production of reactive oxygen species. Finally, the in vivo
      effect was studied in xenografts. EGFR staining of TMAs showed that while most
      bladder cancers have expression of EGFR to a varying degree, squamous cell
      carcinomas (SCC) have the highest expression of EGFR. Panitumumab-IR700 activated
      by NIR light rapidly killed UMUC-5 cells, a bladder SCC line. Panitumumab alone,
      panitumumab-IR700 without NIR, or NIR alone had no effect on cells. TEM
      demonstrated that cell death is due to necrosis. Singlet oxygen species
      contributed toward cell death. NIR-PIT with panitumumab-IR700 reduced growth
      compared with only panitumumab-IR700-treated UMUC-5 xenograft tumors. PIT is a
      new targeted treatment for bladder cancer. Panitumumab-IR700-induced PIT
      selectively kills EGFR-expressing bladder cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and
      therefore warrants further therapeutic studies in orthotopic xenografts of
      bladder cancer and ultimately in patients. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2201-14.
      (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619756
TI  - Alpha Particle Enhanced Blood Brain/Tumor Barrier Permeabilization in
      Glioblastomas Using Integrin Alpha-v Beta-3-Targeted Liposomes.
AB  - Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant astrocytoma characterized
      by extensive invasion, angiogenesis, hypoxia, and micrometastasis. Despite the
      relatively leaky nature of GBM blood vessels, effective delivery of antitumor
      therapeutics has been a major challenge due to the complications caused by the
      blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the highly torturous nature of newly formed tumor
      vasculature (blood tumor barrier-BTB). External beam radiotherapy was previously
      shown to be an effective means of permeabilizing central nervous system (CNS)
      barriers. By using targeted short-ranged radionuclides, we show for the first
      time that our targeted actinium-225-labeled alphavbeta3-specific liposomes (225Ac
      IA-TLs) caused catastrophic double stranded DNA breaks and significantly enhanced
      the permeability of BBB and BTB in mice bearing orthotopic GBMs. Histologic
      studies revealed characteristic alpha-particle induced double strand breaks
      within tumors but was not significantly present in normal brain regions away from
      the tumor where BBB permeability was observed. These findings indicate that the
      enhanced vascular permeability in these distal regions did not result from direct
      alpha-particle-induced DNA damage. On the basis of these results, in addition to
      their direct antitumor effects, 225Ac-IA-TLs can potentially be used to enhance
      the permeability of BBB and BTB for effective delivery of systemically
      administered antitumor therapeutics. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2191-200. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28619757
TI  - CDK4/6 Inhibitors Sensitize Rb-positive Sarcoma Cells to Wee1 Kinase Inhibition
      through Reversible Cell-Cycle Arrest.
AB  - Research into the biology of soft tissue sarcomas has uncovered very few
      effective treatment strategies that improve upon the current standard of care
      which usually involves surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Many patients with
      large (>5 cm), high-grade sarcomas develop recurrence, and at that point have
      limited treatment options available. One challenge is the heterogeneity of
      genetic drivers of sarcomas, and many of these are not validated targets. Even
      when such genes are tractable targets, the rarity of each subtype of sarcoma
      makes advances in research slow. Here we describe the development of a
      synergistic combination treatment strategy that may be applicable in both soft
      tissue sarcomas as well as sarcomas of bone that takes advantage of targeting the
      cell cycle. We show that Rb-positive cell lines treated with the CDK4/6 inhibitor
      palbociclib reversibly arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and upon drug
      removal cells progress through the cell cycle as expected within 6-24 hours.
      Using a long-term high-throughput assay that allows us to examine drugs in
      different sequences or concurrently, we found that palbociclib-induced cell-cycle
      arrest poises Rb-positive sarcoma cells (SK-LMS1 and HT-1080) to be more
      sensitive to agents that work preferentially in S-G2 phase such as doxorubicin
      and Wee1 kinase inhibitors (AZD1775). The synergy between palbociclib and AZD1775
      was also validated in vivo using SK-LMS1 xenografts as well as Rb-positive
      patient-derived xenografts (PDX) developed from leiomyosarcoma patients. This
      work provides the necessary preclinical data in support of a clinical trial
      utilizing this treatment strategy. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1751-64. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619758
TI  - Cotargeting of MEK and PDGFR/STAT3 Pathways to Treat Pancreatic Ductal
      Adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the most lethal human diseases
      and remains largely refractory to available drug treatments. Insufficient
      targeting of the known oncogenic drivers and activation of compensatory feedback
      loops and inability to prevent metastatic spread contribute to poor prognosis for
      this disease. The KRAS-driven MEK pathway is mutationally activated in most
      pancreatic cancers and is an important target for therapeutics. Using a two
      dimensional monolayer culture system as well as three-dimensional spheroid
      culture system, we conducted a screen of a large panel of anticancer agents and
      found that MAP2K (MEK) inhibitors were most effective in targeting PDAC spheroids
      in comparison with monolayer cultures. Combination treatment with an MEK
      inhibitor and the multikinase inhibitor ponatinib was effective in targeting
      pancreatic cancer cells both in monolayer and spheroids by effectively blocking
      signaling via the PDGFRalpha and MEK kinases, while also preventing the
      activation of STAT3- and S6-mediated compensatory feedback loops in cancer cells.
      Furthermore, using xenograft models, we demonstrate that cotreatment with a MEK
      inhibitor and ponatinib causes significant tumor regression. PDAC patient samples
      also provided evidence of increased STAT3 activation in PDAC tumors and MAPK1
      (ERK) activation in liver metastases, implicating STAT3 and ERK as key drivers in
      primary tumors and metastases, respectively. These results reveal a combination
      drug treatment strategy that may be effective in pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer
      Ther; 16(9); 1729-38. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619759
TI  - Modeling Therapy Resistance in BRCA1/2-Mutant Cancers.
AB  - Although PARP inhibitors target BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutant tumor cells, drug
      resistance is a problem. PARP inhibitor resistance is sometimes associated with
      the presence of secondary or "revertant" mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 Whether
      secondary mutant tumor cells are selected for in a Darwinian fashion by treatment
      is unclear. Furthermore, how PARP inhibitor resistance might be therapeutically
      targeted is also poorly understood. Using CRISPR mutagenesis, we generated
      isogenic tumor cell models with secondary BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Using these
      in heterogeneous in vitro culture or in vivo xenograft experiments in which the
      clonal composition of tumor cell populations in response to therapy was
      monitored, we established that PARP inhibitor or platinum salt exposure selects
      for secondary mutant clones in a Darwinian fashion, with the periodicity of PARP
      inhibitor administration and the pretreatment frequency of secondary mutant tumor
      cells influencing the eventual clonal composition of the tumor cell population.
      In xenograft studies, the presence of secondary mutant cells in tumors impaired
      the therapeutic effect of a clinical PARP inhibitor. However, we found that both
      PARP inhibitor-sensitive and PARP inhibitor-resistant BRCA2 mutant tumor cells
      were sensitive to AZD-1775, a WEE1 kinase inhibitor. In mice carrying
      heterogeneous tumors, AZD-1775 delivered a greater therapeutic benefit than
      olaparib treatment. This suggests that despite the restoration of some BRCA1 or
      BRCA2 gene function in "revertant" tumor cells, vulnerabilities still exist that
      could be therapeutically exploited. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 2022-34. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28619761
TI  - Exhaled breath condensate biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung cancer using
      proteomics.
AB  - We explored whether the proteomic analysis of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) may
      provide biomarkers for noninvasive screening for the early detection of lung
      cancer (LC). EBC was collected from 192 individuals [49 control (C), 49 risk
      factor-smoking (S), 46 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 48 LC].
      With the use of liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry, 348 different
      proteins with a different pattern among the four groups were identified in EBC
      samples. Significantly more proteins were identified in the EBC from LC compared
      with other groups (C: 12.4 +/- 1.3; S: 15.3 +/- 1; COPD: 14 +/- 1.6; LC: 24.2 +/-
      3.6; P = 0.0001). Furthermore, the average number of proteins identified per
      sample was significantly higher in LC patients, and receiver operating
      characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.8,
      indicating diagnostic value. Proteins frequently detected in EBC, such as
      dermcidin and hornerin, along with others much less frequently detected, such as
      hemoglobin and histones, were identified. Cytokeratins (KRTs) were the most
      abundant proteins in EBC samples, and levels of KRT6A, KRT6B, and KRT6C isoforms
      were significantly higher in samples from LC patients (P = 0.0031, 0.0011, and
      0.0009, respectively). Moreover, the amount of most KRTs in EBC samples from LC
      patients showed a significant positive correlation with tumor size. Finally, we
      used a random forest algorithm to generate a robust model using EBC protein data
      for the diagnosis of patients with LC where the area under the ROC curve obtained
      indicated a good classification (82%). Thus this study demonstrates that the
      proteomic analysis of EBC samples is an appropriated approach to develop
      biomarkers for the diagnosis of lung cancer.

PMID- 28619760
TI  - FBW7-Dependent Mcl-1 Degradation Mediates the Anticancer Effect of Hsp90
      Inhibitors.
AB  - Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is widely overexpressed in cancer cells and
      necessary for maintenance of malignant phenotypes. Hsp90 inhibition induces tumor
      cell death through degradation of its client oncoproteins and has shown promises
      in preclinical studies. However, the mechanism by which Hsp90 inhibitors kill
      tumor cells is not well-understood. Biomarkers associated with differential
      sensitivity and resistance to Hsp90 inhibitors remain to be identified. In this
      study, we found that colorectal cancer cells containing inactivating mutations of
      FBW7, a tumor suppressor and E3 ubiquitin ligase, are intrinsically insensitive
      to Hsp90 inhibitors. The insensitive colorectal cancer cells lack degradation of
      Mcl-1, a prosurvival Bcl-2 family protein. Hsp90 inhibition promotes GSK3beta
      dependent phosphorylation of Mcl-1, which subsequently binds to FBW7 and
      undergoes ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Specifically blocking Mcl-1
      phosphorylation by genetic knock-in abrogates its degradation and renders in
      vitro and in vivo resistance to Hsp90 inhibitors, which can be overcame by Mcl-1
      selective small-molecule inhibitors. Collectively, our findings demonstrate a key
      role of GSK3beta/FBW7-dependent Mcl-1 degradation in killing of colorectal cancer
      cells by Hsp90 inhibitors and suggest FBW7 mutational status as a biomarker for
      Hsp90-targeted therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1979-88. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619762
TI  - Impaired TNF/TNFR2 signaling enhances Th2 and Th17 polarization and aggravates
      allergic airway inflammation.
AB  - CD4+ T-cell differentiation plays an important role in allergic airway diseases.
      Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) has been shown to regulate CD4+ T
      lymphocyte differentiation, but its role in allergic airway inflammation is not
      clear. Here, we investigated the role of TNFR2 in allergic airway inflammation.
      The mouse model was generated by immunization with ovalbumin and intranasal
      administration of TNFR2 antibody. Airway inflammation and CD4+ T-cell
      differentiation were measured in vivo and in vitro. Inhibited TNFR2 signaling
      aggravated airway inflammation and increased the expression of inflammatory
      cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-17, and TNF-alpha) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage
      fluid. Impaired TNFR2 signaling promoted Th2 and Th17 polarization but inhibited
      Th1 and CD4+CD25+ T-cell differentiation in vivo. Furthermore, TNFR2 signaling
      inhibition promoted Th2 and Th17 polarization in vitro, which may occur through
      the activation of TNF receptor-associated factor 2 and NF-kappaB signaling.
      Therefore, our findings indicate that impaired TNF/TNFR2 signaling enhances Th2
      and Th17 polarization and aggravates allergic airway inflammation.

PMID- 28619763
TI  - Stress at work.

PMID- 28619764
TI  - Medicoeconomic analysis of lobectomy using thoracoscopy versus thoracotomy for
      lung cancer: a study protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial
      (Lungsco01).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the last decade, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)
      lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has had a major effect on
      thoracic surgery. Retrospective series have reported benefits of VATS when
      compared with open thoracotomy in terms of postoperative pain, postoperative
      complications and length of hospital stay. However, no large randomised control
      trial has been conducted to assess the reality of the potential benefits of VATS
      lobectomy or its medicoeconomic impact. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The French National
      Institute of Health funded Lungsco01 to determine whether VATS for lobectomy is
      superior to open thoracotomy for the treatment of NSCLC in terms of economic cost
      to society. This trial will also include an analysis of postoperative outcomes,
      the length of hospital stay, the quality of life, long-term survival and
      locoregional recurrence. The study design is a two-arm parallel randomised
      controlled trial comparing VATS lobectomy with lobectomy using thoracotomy for
      the treatment of NSCLC. Patients will be eligible if they have proven or
      suspected lung cancer which could be treated by lobectomy. Patients will be
      randomised via an independent service. All patients will be monitored according
      to standard thoracic surgical practices. All patients will be evaluated at day 1,
      day 30, month 3, month 6, month 12 and then every year for 2 years thereafter.
      The recruitment target is 600 patients. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol
      has been approved by the French National Research Ethics Committee (CPP Est I:
      09/06/2015) and the French Medicines Agency (09/06/2015). Results will be
      presented at national and international meetings and conferences and published in
      peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02502318.

PMID- 28619765
TI  - Early termination of cardiovascular trials as a consequence of poor accrual:
      analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov 2006-2015.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To present a snapshot of experimental cardiovascular research with a
      focus on geographical and temporal patterns of early termination due to poor
      accrual. SETTING: The Aggregate Analysis of ClinicalTrials.gov (AACT) database,
      reflecting ClinicalTrials.gov as of 27 March 2016. DESIGN: The AACT database was
      searched for all cardiovascular clinical trials that started from January 2006 up
      to December 2015. RESULTS: Thirteen thousand and seven hundred twenty-nine
      cardiovascular trials were identified. Of these, 8900 (65%) were classified as
      closed studies. Globally, 11% of closed trials were terminated. This proportion
      varied from 9.6% to 14% for trials recruiting from Europe and Americas,
      respectively, with a slightly decreasing trend (p=0.02) over the study period.
      The most common reason for trials failing to complete was poor accrual (41%).
      Intercontinental trials exhibited lower figures of poor accrual as the reason for
      their early stopping, as compared with trials recruiting in a single continent
      (28% vs 44%, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Poor accrual significantly challenges the
      successful completion of cardiovascular clinical trials. Findings are suggestive
      of a positive effect of globalisation of cardiovascular clinical research on the
      achievement of enrolment goals within a reasonable time frame.

PMID- 28619766
TI  - Diagnostic performance of an automatic blood pressure measurement device,
      Microlife WatchBP Home A, for atrial fibrillation screening in a real-world
      primary care setting.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a UK National Institute for
      Health and Care Excellence-recommended automatic oscillometric blood pressure
      (BP) measurement device incorporated with an atrial fibrillation (AF) detection
      algorithm (Microlife WatchBP Home A) for real-world AF screening in a primary
      healthcare setting. SETTING: Primary healthcare setting in Hong Kong.
      INTERVENTIONS: This was a prospective AF screening study carried out between 1
      September 2014 and 14 January 2015. The Microlife device was evaluated for AF
      detection and compared with a reference standard of lead-I ECG. PRIMARY OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Diagnostic performance of Microlife for AF detection. RESULTS: 5969
      patients (mean age: 67.2+/-11.0 years; 53.9% female) were recruited. The mean
      CHA2DS2-VASc ( C : congestive heart failure [1 point]; H : hypertension [1
      point]; A2 : age 65-74 years [1 point] and age >=75 years [2 points]; D :
      diabetes mellitus [1 point]; S : prior stroke or transient ischemic attack [2
      points]; VA : vascular disease [1 point]; and Sc : sex category [female] [1
      point])score was 2.8+/-1.3. AF was diagnosed in 72 patients (1.21%) and confirmed
      by a 12-lead ECG. The Microlife device correctly identified AF in 58 patients and
      produced 79 false-positives. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity for AF
      detection were 80.6% (95% CI 69.5 to 88.9) and 98.7% (95% CI 98.3 to 98.9),
      respectively. Among patients with a false-positive by the Microlife device, 30.4%
      had sinus rhythm, 35.4% had sinus arrhythmia and 29.1% exhibited premature atrial
      complexes. With the low prevalence of AF in this population, the positive and
      negative predictive values of Microlife device for AF detection were 42.4% (95%
      CI 34.0 to 51.2) and 99.8% (95% CI 99.6 to 99.9), respectively. The overall
      diagnostic performance of Microlife device to detect AF as determined by area
      under the curves was 0.90 (95% CI 0.89 to 0.90). CONCLUSIONS: In the primary care
      setting, Microlife WatchBP Home was an effective means to screen for AF, with a
      reasonable sensitivity of 80.6% and a high negative predictive value of 99.8%, in
      addition to its routine function of BP measurement. In a younger patient
      population aged <65 years with a lower prevalence of AF, Microlife WatchBP Home A
      demonstrated a similar diagnostic accuracy.

PMID- 28619767
TI  - Association of hypercapnia on admission with increased length of hospital stay
      and severity in patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia: a
      prospective observational study from Pakistan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the presence of hypercapnia on admission in adult
      patients admitted to a university-based hospital in Karachi, Pakistan with
      community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) correlates with an increased length of
      hospital stay and severity compared with no hypercapnia on admission. STUDY
      DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTINGS: Tertiary care hospital in
      Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: Patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled
      in the study. The severity of pneumonia was assessed by CURB-65 and PSI scores.
      An arterial blood gas analysis was obtained within 24 hours of admission. Based
      on arterial PaCO2 levels, patients were divided into three groups: hypocapnic
      (PaCO2 <35 mm Hg), hypercapnic (PaCO2 >45 mm Hg) and normocapnic (PaCO2 <35-45 mm
      Hg). OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was the association of hypercapnia on
      admission with mean length of hospital stay. Secondary outcomes were the need for
      mechanical ventilation, ICU admission and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total
      of 295 patients of mean age 60.20+/-17.0 years (157 (53.22%) men) were enrolled
      over a 1-year period. Hypocapnia was found in 181 (61.35%) and hypercapnia in 57
      (19.32%) patients. Hypercapnic patients had a longer hospital stay (mean 9.27+/
      7.57 days), increased requirement for non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV)
      on admission (n=45 (78.94%)) and longer mean time to clinical stability (4.39+/
      2.0 days) compared with the other groups. Overall mortality was 41 (13.89%), but
      there was no statistically significant difference in mortality (p=0.35) and ICU
      admission (p=0.37) between the three groups. On multivariable analysis, increased
      length of hospital stay was associated with NIMV use, ICU admission, hypercapnia
      and normocapnia. CONCLUSION: Hypercapnia on admission is associated with severity
      of CAP, longer time to clinical stability, increased length of hospital stay and
      need for NIMV. It should be considered as an important criterion to label the
      severity of the illness and also a determinant of patients who will require a
      higher level of hospital care. However, further validation is required.

PMID- 28619768
TI  - Liquorice-induced hypokalaemia in patients treated with Yokukansan preparations:
      identification of the risk factors in a retrospective cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum potassium levels and rates of hypokalaemia in
      patients treated with liquorice-containing Japanese traditional Kampo-medicines
      Yokukansan (YK) and Yokukansan-ka-chinpihange (YKCH). DESIGN: Retrospective
      cohort study. SETTING: Patients receiving YK preparations for dementia and other
      psychiatric disorders in the University of Tsukuba Hospital in Japan.
      PARTICIPANTS: 389 patients (male/female: 174/215, 68.6+/-16.1 years) were treated
      with YK preparations for 231 days (range 6-2788 days). Patients whose potassium
      levels were <3.6 mEq/L before administration of YK preparations, and drug non
      compliant patients, were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The occurrence rate of
      hypokalaemia and assessment of the risk factors for YK preparation-induced
      hypokalaemia. RESULTS: Of the 389 patients treated with YK preparations, 94
      (24.2%) developed hypokalaemia (potassium levels <3.6 mEq/L) 34 days (range 1
      1600 days) after administration of the preparations. 36 (38.3%) patients had co
      administration with lower potassium-inducing drugs (LPIDs; diuretics,
      glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and glycyrrhizin), which was more frequent in
      the patients without hypokalaemia (17.3%) (p<0.05). A Cox proportional hazard
      model identified four risk factors for hypokalaemia: YK administration (not YKCH)
      (HR 3.093, 95% CI 1.408 to 6.798), co-administration of LPIDs (HR 2.743, 95% CI
      1.754 to 4.289), hypoalbuminaemia at baseline (HR 2.145, 95% 1.360 to 3.384), and
      full dosage administration (7.5 g/day) (HR 1.600, 95% CI 1.005 to 2.549).
      CONCLUSIONS: Serum potassium monitoring should be done at least monthly in
      patients with the following risk factors: LPID co-administration, YK
      administration, hypoalbuminaemia, and full dosage administration.

PMID- 28619769
TI  - Detection of peripheral and central sensitisation at acupoints in patients with
      unilateral shoulder pain in Beijing: a cross-sectional matched case-control
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pattern of experimental pain responses at acupoints
      in patients with unilateral shoulder pain. DESIGN: A cross-sectional matched
      study. SETTING: Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Beijing Hospital of
      Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University.
      PARTICIPANTS: Volunteer samples of 60 participants (30 patients with unilateral
      shoulder pain, 30 healthy controls). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were measured at four acupoints-namely,
      Tianzong (SI 11), Jianliao (SJ 14), Jianyu (LI 15) and Jianzhen (SI 9), on the
      painful/non-painful side in patients with unilateral shoulder pain or healthy
      controls, respectively. The correlations between the Peripheral Sensitisation
      Index (PSI) and Central Sensitisation Index (CSI) were compared. RESULTS:
      Analysis showed significantly lower PPT values at acupoints on the painful side
      compared with the non-painful side in patients with shoulder pain (p<0.025).
      Meanwhile, PPTs on the non-painful side of these patients were lower than those
      on the ipsilateral side of healthy controls (p<0.025). No significant differences
      in PPT values were found between the non-acupoint of the painful/non-painful side
      in patients with shoulder pain and the ipsilateral side of healthy controls
      (p>0.05). Additionally, it was observed that the pressure pain assessment
      acupoints have a strong association with PSI and CSI; three acupoints, in
      particular, SJ 14, LI 15 and SI 9, showed a correlation with PSI and CSI.
      CONCLUSION: The results suggest the presence of peripheral and central
      sensitisation at acupoints in participants with unilateral shoulder pain. There
      exists an obvious relationship among the three acupoints SJ 14, LI 15 and SI 9,
      which are usually chosen to treat shoulder pain. The results provide evidence for
      the selection of acupoints to treat shoulder pain by acupuncture.

PMID- 28619770
TI  - Return to work of cancer patients after a multidisciplinary intervention
      including occupational counselling and physical exercise in cancer patients: a
      prospective study in the Netherlands.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To support return to work (RTW) among cancer patients, a
      multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme was developed which combined
      occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme during
      chemotherapy. The aim was to investigate RTW rates of cancer patients and to
      evaluate changes in work-related quality of life and physical outcomes. DESIGN:
      Longitudinal prospective intervention study using a one-group design. SETTING:
      Two hospitals in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Of the eligible patients, 56%
      participated; 93 patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer receiving
      chemotherapy and on sick leave were included. Patients completed questionnaires
      on RTW, the importance of work, work ability (WAI), RTW self-efficacy, fatigue
      (MFI), and quality of life (EORTC QLQ C-30) at baseline and 6, 12 and 18 months
      follow-up. Before and after the exercise programme 1-repetition maximum (1RM)
      muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2 peak) were assessed. RESULTS:
      Six months after the start of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme that
      combined occupational counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme,
      59% of the cancer patients returned to work, 86% at 12 months and 83% at 18
      months. In addition, significant improvements (p<0.05) in the importance of work,
      work ability, RTW self-efficacy, and quality of life were observed, whereas
      fatigue levels were significantly reduced. After completing the exercise
      programme, 1RM muscle strength was significantly increased but there was no
      improvement in VO2 peak level. CONCLUSIONS: RTW rates of cancer patients were
      high after completion of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme. A
      multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme which combines occupational
      counselling with a supervised physical exercise programme is likely to result in
      RTW, reduced fatigue and increased importance of work, work ability, and quality
      of life.

PMID- 28619771
TI  - Revealed versus concealed criteria for placental insufficiency in an unselected
      obstetric population in late pregnancy (RATIO37): randomised controlled trial
      study protocol.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) affects 5%-10% of all pregnancies,
      contributing to 30%-50% of stillbirths. Unfortunately, growth restriction often
      is not detected antenatally. The last weeks of pregnancy are critical for
      preventing stillbirth among babies with FGR because there is a pronounced
      increase in stillbirths among growth-restricted fetuses after 37 weeks of
      pregnancy. Here we present a protocol (V.1, 23 May 2016) for the RATIO37 trial,
      which evaluates an integrated strategy for accurately selecting at-risk fetuses
      for delivery at term. The protocol is based on the combination of fetal biometry
      and cerebroplacental ratio (CPR). The primary objective is to reduce stillbirth
      rates. The secondary aims are to detect low birth weights and adverse perinatal
      outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study is designed as multicentre (Spain,
      Chile, Mexico,Czech Republic and Israel), open-label, randomised trial with
      parallel groups. Singleton pregnancies will be invited to participate after
      routine second-trimester ultrasound scan (19+0-22+6 weeks of gestation), and
      participants will be randomly allocated to receive revealed or concealed CPR
      evaluation. Then, a routine ultrasound and Doppler scan will be performed at 36+0
      37+6 weeks. Sociodemographic and clinical data will be collected at enrolment.
      Ultrasound and Doppler variables will be recorded at 36+0-37+6 weeks of
      pregnancy. Perinatal outcomes will be recorded after delivery. Univariate (with
      estimated effect size and its 95% CI) and multivariate (mixed-effects logistic
      regression) comparisons between groups will be performed. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: The study will be conducted in accordance with the principles of
      Good Clinical Practice. This study was accepted by the Clinical Research Ethics
      Committee of Hospital Clinic Barcelona on 23May 2016. Subsequent approval by
      individual ethical committees and competent authorities was granted. The study
      results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated at
      international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02907242; pre-results.

PMID- 28619772
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of HPV-based cervical cancer screening in the public health
      system in Nicaragua.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA
      testing (versus Papanicolaou (Pap)-based screening) for cervical cancer screening
      in Nicaragua. DESIGN: A previously developed Monte Carlo simulation model of the
      natural history of HPV infection and cervical cancer was calibrated to
      epidemiological data from Nicaragua. Cost data inputs were derived using a micro
      costing approach in Carazo, Chontales and Chinandega departments; test
      performance data were from a demonstration project in Masaya department. SETTING:
      Nicaragua's public health sector facilities. PARTICIPANTS: Women aged 30-59
      years. INTERVENTIONS: Screening strategies included (1) Pap testing every 3
      years, with referral to colposcopy for women with an atypical squamous cells of
      undetermined significance or worse result ('Pap'); (2) HPV testing every 5 years,
      with referral to cryotherapy for HPV-positive eligible women (HPV cryotherapy or
      'HPV-Cryo'); (3) HPV testing every 5 years, with referral to triage with visual
      inspection with acetic acid (VIA) for HPV-positive women ('HPV-VIA'); and (4) HPV
      testing every 5 years, with referral to Pap testing for HPV-positive women ('HPV
      Pap'). OUTCOME MEASURES: Reduction in lifetime risk of cancer and incremental
      cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER; 2015 US$ per year of life saved (YLS)). RESULTS:
      HPV-based screening strategies were more effective than Pap testing. HPV-Cryo was
      the least costly and most effective strategy, reducing lifetime cancer risk by
      29.5% and outperforming HPV-VIA, HPV-Pap and Pap only, which reduced cancer risk
      by 19.4%, 12.2% and 10.8%, respectively. With an ICER of US$320/YLS, HPV-Cryo
      every 5 years would be very cost-effective using a threshold based on Nicaragua's
      per capita gross domestic product of US$2090. Findings were robust across
      sensitivity analyses on test performance, coverage, compliance and cost
      parameters. CONCLUSIONS: HPV testing is very cost-effective compared with Pap
      testing in Nicaragua, due to higher test sensitivity and the relatively lower
      number of visits required. Increasing compliance with recommended follow-up will
      further improve the health benefits and value for public health dollars.

PMID- 28619773
TI  - Herbal medicine (Hyeolbuchukeo-tang or Xuefu Zhuyu decoction) for treating
      primary dysmenorrhoea: protocol for a systematic review of randomised controlled
      trials.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Primary dysmenorrhoea is menstrual pain without pelvic pathology
      and is the most common gynaecological condition in women. Xuefu Zhuyudecoction
      (XZD) or Hyeolbuchukeo-tang, a traditional herbal formula, has been used as a
      treatment for primary dysmenorrhoea. The purpose of this study is to assess the
      current published evidence regarding XZD as treatment for primary dysmenorrhoea.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The following databases will be searched from their
      inception until April 2017: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Allied and Complementary
      Medicine Database (AMED), EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, six Korean medical
      databases (Korean Studies Information Service System, DBPia, Oriental Medicine
      Advanced Searching Integrated System, Research Information Service System, Korea
      Med and the Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal), three Chinese medical databases
      (China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang Database and Chinese
      Scientific Journals Database (VIP)) and one Japanese medical database (CiNii).
      Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that will be included in this systematic review
      comprise those that used XZD or modified XZD. The control groups in the RCTs
      include no treatment, placebo, conventional medication or other treatments.
      Trials testing XZD as an adjunct to other treatments and studies where the
      control group received the same treatment as the intervention group will be also
      included. Data extraction and risk of bias assessments will be performed by two
      independent reviewers. The risk of bias will be assessed with the Cochrane risk
      of bias tool. All statistical analyses will be conducted using Review Manager
      software (RevMan V.5.3.0). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review will
      be published in a peer-reviewed journal. The review will also be disseminated
      electronically and in print. The review will benefit patients and practitioners
      in the fields of traditional and conventional medicine. PROSPERO REGISTRATION
      NUMBER: CRD42016050447.

PMID- 28619774
TI  - Protocol for a multicentre, multistage, prospective study in China using system
      based approaches for consistent improvement in surgical safety.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Surgical safety has emerged as a crucial global health issue in the
      past two decades. Although several safety-enhancing tools are available, the pace
      of large-scale improvement remains slow, especially in developing countries such
      as China. The present project (Modern Surgery and Anesthesia Safety Management
      System Construction and Promotion) aims to develop and validate system-based
      integrated approaches for reducing perioperative deaths and complications using a
      multicentre, multistage design. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The project involves
      collection of clinical and outcome information for 1 20 000 surgical inpatients
      at four regionally representative academic/teaching general hospitals in China
      during three sequential stages: preparation and development, effectiveness
      validation and improvement of implementation for promotion. These big data will
      provide the evidence base for the formulation, validation and improvement
      processes of a system-based stratified safety intervention package covering the
      entire surgical pathway. Attention will be directed to managing inherent patient
      risks and regulating medical safety behaviour. Information technology will
      facilitate data collection and intervention implementation, provide supervision
      mechanisms and guarantee transfer of key patient safety messages between
      departments and personnel. Changes in rates of deaths, surgical complications
      during hospitalisation, length of stay, system adoption and implementation rates
      will be analysed to evaluate effectiveness and efficiency. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the institutional review boards of
      Peking Union Medical College Hospital, First Hospital of China Medical
      University, Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, Xiangya Hospital Central South
      University and the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of
      Medical Sciences. Study findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals,
      conference presentations and patent papers.

PMID- 28619775
TI  - Retrospective cohort study of all deaths among infants born between 22 and 27
      completed weeks of gestation in Switzerland over a 3-year period.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research is to assess causes and circumstances of
      deaths in extremely low gestational age neonates (ELGANs) born in Switzerland
      over a 3-year period. DESIGN: Population-based, retrospective cohort study.
      SETTING: All nine level III perinatal centres (neonatal intensive care units
      (NICUs) and affiliated obstetrical services) in Switzerland. PATIENTS: ELGANs
      with a gestational age (GA) <28 weeks who died between 1 July 2012 and 30 June
      2015. RESULTS: A total of 594 deaths were recorded with 280 (47%) stillbirths and
      314 (53%) deaths after live birth. Of the latter, 185 (59%) occurred in the
      delivery room and 129 (41%) following admission to an NICU. Most liveborn infants
      dying in the delivery room had a GA <=24 weeks and died following primary non
      intervention. In contrast, NICU deaths occurred following unrestricted life
      support regardless of GA. End-of-life decision-making and redirection of care
      were based on medical futility and anticipated poor quality of life in 69% and
      28% of patients, respectively. Most infants were extubated before death (87%).
      CONCLUSIONS: In Switzerland, most deaths among infants born at less than 24 weeks
      of gestation occurred in the delivery room. In contrast, most deaths of ELGANs
      with a GA >=24 weeks were observed following unrestricted provisional intensive
      care, end-of-life decision-making and redirection of care in the NICU regardless
      of the degree of immaturity.

PMID- 28619776
TI  - A cross-sectional study of the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of
      hypertension in Shenzhen, China.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: An understanding of the awareness, treatment and control of
      hypertension is helpful to guide decision-making regarding interventions to
      reduce the risk for diseases with hypertension as a key risk factor. This study
      aimed to estimate the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of
      hypertension in Shenzhen, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted.
      We employed multistage cluster random sampling methods to select participants. A
      survey involving face-to-face interviews was conducted to collect the data. A
      total of 1676 participants finished the survey and formed the final analysis.
      RESULTS: We found that the prevalence of hypertension was 17.6%. The rates of
      hypertension awareness, treatment and control were 48.8%, 51.4% and 43.2%
      respectively. Only 6.8% hypertensives were found to be managed by community
      health centres. Compared with the female participants, the males were found to
      have higher rates of prevalence (19.7% vs 15.7%; OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.97)
      and awareness (42.9% vs 38.1%; OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.28 to 4.33), but lower rates of
      medication treatments (20.5% vs 30.2%; OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.92) and control
      (12.8% vs 23.0%; OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.96). Migrants were more likely to be
      aware of hypertension (32.5% vs 44.3%; OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.90), reduce
      their salt intake (8.8% vs 18.1%; OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.94), and undertake
      regular monitoring of hypertension (1.3% vs 11.0%; OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.92)
      when compared with the locals. CONCLUSIONS: Our study finds that hypertension is
      an important public health burden in Shenzhen. It implies that strategies need to
      be developed to improve effective primary care management of hypertension. It
      also suggests a need to develop gender and household register tailored strategies
      for the prevention, detection, treatment and control of hypertension.

PMID- 28619778
TI  - In patients with severe uncontrolled asthma, does knowledge of adherence and
      inhaler technique using electronic monitoring improve clinical decision making? A
      protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Many patients with asthma remain poorly controlled despite the use
      of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta agonists. Poor control may arise
      from inadequate adherence, incorrect inhaler technique or because the condition
      is refractory. Without having an objective assessment of adherence, clinicians
      may inadvertently add extra medication instead of addressing adherence. This
      study aims to assess if incorporating objectively recorded adherence from the
      Inhaler Compliance Assessment (INCA) device and lung function into clinical
      decision making provides more cost-effective prescribing and improves outcomes.
      METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This prospective, randomised, multicentre study will
      compare the impact of using information on adherence to influence asthma
      treatment. Patients with severe uncontrolled asthma will be included. Data on
      adherence, inhaler technique and electronically recorded peak expiratory flow
      rate will be used to promote adherence and guide a clinical decision protocol to
      guide management in the active group. The control group will receive standard
      inhaler and adherence education. Medications will be adjusted using a protocol
      based on Global Initiativefor Asthma (GINA) recommendations. The primary outcome
      is the between-group difference in the proportion of patients who have refractory
      disease and are prescribed appropriate medications at the end of 32 weeks. A co
      primary outcome is the difference between groups in the rate of adherence to
      salmeterol/fluticasone inhaler over the last 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes include
      changes in symptoms, lung function, type-2 cytokine biomarkers and clinical
      outcomes between both groups. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses of the
      INCA device intervention will be performed. The economic impact of a national
      implementation of the INCA-SUN programme will be evaluated. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: The results of the study will be published as a manuscript in peer
      reviewed journals. The study has been approved by the ethics committees in the
      five participating hospitals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02307669; Pre-results.

PMID- 28619777
TI  - Peripherally InSerted CEntral catheter dressing and securement in patients with
      cancer: the PISCES trial. Protocol for a 2x2 factorial, superiority randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Around 30% of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) fail
      from vascular, infectious or mechanical complications. Patients with cancer are
      at highest risk, and this increases morbidity, mortality and costs. Effective
      PICC dressing and securement may prevent PICC failure; however, no large
      randomised controlled trial (RCT) has compared alternative approaches. We
      designed this RCT to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of dressing and
      securements to prevent PICC failure. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Pragmatic,
      multicentre, 2*2 factorial, superiority RCT of (1) dressings (chlorhexidine
      gluconate disc (CHG) vs no disc) and (2) securements (integrated securement
      dressing (ISD) vs securement device (SED)). A qualitative evaluation using a
      knowledge translation framework is included. Recruitment of 1240 patients will
      occur over 3 years with allocation concealment until randomisation by a
      centralised service. For the dressing hypothesis, we hypothesise CHG discs will
      reduce catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CABSI) compared with no CHG
      disc. For the securement hypothesis, we hypothesise that ISD will reduce
      composite PICC failure (infection (CABSI/local infection), occlusion,
      dislodgement or thrombosis), compared with SED. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: types of PICC
      failure; safety; costs; dressing/securement failure; dwell time; microbial
      colonisation; reversible PICC complications and consumer acceptability. Relative
      incidence rates of CABSI and PICC failure/100 devices and/1000 PICC days (with
      95% CIs) will summarise treatment impact. Kaplan-Meier survival curves (and log
      rank Mantel-Haenszel test) will compare outcomes over time. Secondary end points
      will be compared between groups using parametric/non-parametric techniques; p
      values <0.05 will be considered to be statistically significant. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval from Queensland Health (HREC/15/QRCH/241) and
      Griffith University (Ref. No. 2016/063). Results will be published. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Trial registration number is: ACTRN12616000315415.

PMID- 28619780
TI  - Qualitative analysis of 6961 free-text comments from the first National Cancer
      Patient Experience Survey in Scotland.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To analyse free-text responses from the first Scottish Cancer Patient
      Experience Survey (SCPES) to understand patients' experiences of care, identify
      valued aspects and areas for improvement. DESIGN: Inductive thematic analysis of
      seven free-text comment boxes covering all stages of the cancer experience, from
      a national cohort survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Adult cancer patients
      diagnosed across all Health Boards in Scotland between July 2013 and March 2014,
      and who had an inpatient stay or hospital visit between January and September
      2014. 2663 respondents (of n=4835 survey respondents) provided 6961 free-text
      comments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Positive and negative themes of patients'
      experiences. Differences in the proportion of positive to negative comments by
      demographics. METHODS: Data were analysed as follows: (1) comments were initially
      categorised at a high level (eg, positive, negative, miscellaneous, etc); (2)
      inductive codes were derived and applied to all relevant comments; (3) codes
      sharing similar meaning were amalgamated into subthemes, and code frequencies
      were measured; (4) subthemes were mapped into overarching themes; (5) difference
      in the proportion of positive to negative comments by demographics were analysed
      using chi2 tests. RESULTS: Participants made more positive than negative comments
      (1:0.78). Analysis highlighted the importance to patients of Feeling that
      Individual Needs Are Met and Feeling Confident Within the System. Comments also
      provided insight into how Processes and Structures within the system of care can
      negatively impact on patients' experience. Particular issues were identified with
      care experiences in the lead-up to diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis provides
      a detailed understanding of patients' cancer care experiences, therefore
      indicating what aspects matter in those experiences. Although the majority of
      comments were positive, there were a significant number of negative comments,
      especially about the lead-up to diagnosis. Comments suggest patients would value
      greater integration of care from services involved in their treatment for cancer.

PMID- 28619779
TI  - Multiple health behaviour change interventions for primary prevention of
      cardiovascular disease in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is uncertain whether multiple health behaviour change (MHBC)
      interventions are effective for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
      (CVD) in primary care. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were performed to
      evaluate the effectiveness of MHBC interventions on CVD risk and CVD risk
      factors; the study also evaluated associations of theoretical frameworks and
      intervention components with intervention effectiveness. METHODS: The search
      included randomised controlled trials of MHBC interventions aimed at reducing CVD
      risk in primary prevention population up to 2017. Theoretical frameworks and
      intervention components were evaluated using standardised methods. Meta-analysis
      with stratification and meta-regression were used to evaluate intervention
      effects. RESULTS: We identified 31 trials (36 484 participants) with a minimum
      duration of 12 months follow-up. Pooled net change in systolic blood pressure (16
      trials) was -1.86 (95% CI -3.17 to -0.55; p=0.01) mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure
      (15 trials), -1.53 (-2.43 to -0.62; p=0.001) mm Hg; body mass index (14 trials), 
      0.13 (-0.26 to -0.01; p=0.04) kg/m2; serum total cholesterol (14 trials), -0.13 (
      0.19 to -0.07; p<0.001) mmol/L. There was no significant association between
      interventions with a reported theoretical basis and improved intervention
      outcomes. No association was observed between intervention intensity (number of
      sessions and intervention duration) and intervention outcomes. There was
      significant heterogeneity for some risk factor analyses, leading to uncertain
      validity of some pooled net changes. CONCLUSIONS: MHBC interventions delivered to
      CVD-free participants in primary care did not appear to have quantitatively
      important effects on CVD risk factors. Better reporting of interventions'
      rationale, content and delivery is essential to understanding their
      effectiveness.

PMID- 28619781
TI  - Perception of different formats of front-of-pack nutrition labels according to
      sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors in a French population: cross
      sectional study among the NutriNet-Sante cohort participants.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Four formats for a front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition label are currently
      considered in France: the Nutriscore (or 5-Colour Nutrition Label, developed by a
      public research team), the SENS (supported by retailers), Multiple Traffic Lights
      (MTL, currently used in UK) and a modified version of the Reference Intakes
      (mRIs, supported by industry). Our objective was to investigate the perception of
      these FOP labels, according to sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors.
      DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Web-based French cohort. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURE: FOP labels perception. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the NutriNet-Sante
      cohort received a specific questionnaire on the perceptions of the four label
      formats identified. Sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary data (three 24-hours
      dietary records) were collected through self-administered questionnaires.
      Mutually exclusive clusters of FOP labels perception were identified through a
      multiple correspondence analysis followed by a hierarchical clustering procedure.
      Sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors associated with the clusters were
      explored using multivariable multinomial logistic regression. All analyses were
      weighted according to 2009 French census data. RESULTS: Among the 21,702
      participants in the study, the Nutriscore received the most important number of
      favourable responses on positive perception dimensions by participants, followed
      by MTL and SENS. The five identified clusters were characterised by marked
      preferences for Nutriscore (cluster 1, 43.2% of participants, crude n=9,399), MTL
      (cluster 2, 27.3%, crude n=6,163), SENS (cluster 3, 17.05%, crude n=3,546), mRIs
      (cluster 4, 7.31%, crude n=1,632) and none of the presented formats (cluster 5,
      5.10%, crude n=965). The cluster 1 (Nutriscore) was associated with lower
      adherence to nutritional recommendations, while cluster 2 (MTL) was associated
      with younger age and higher level of education. CONCLUSION: The Nutriscore
      appears to have a wide reach in the population and to appeal to subjects with
      lower adherence to nutritional recommendations.

PMID- 28619782
TI  - What stage are low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) at with patient
      safety curriculum implementation and what are the barriers to implementation? A
      two-stage cross-sectional study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The improvement of safety in healthcare worldwide depends in part on
      the knowledge, skills and attitudes of staff providing care. Greater patient
      safety content in health professional education and training programmes has been
      advocated internationally. While WHO Patient Safety Curriculum Guides (for
      Medical Schools and Multi-Professional Curricula) have been widely disseminated
      in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) over the last several years,
      little is known about patient safety curriculum implementation beyond high-income
      countries. The present study examines patient safety curriculum implementation in
      LMICs. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys were carried out. First, 88 technical
      officers in Ministries of Health and WHO country offices were surveyed to
      identify the pattern of patient safety curricula at country level. A second
      survey followed that gathered information from 71 people in a position to provide
      institution-level perspectives on patient safety curriculum implementation.
      RESULTS: The majority, 69% (30/44), of the countries were either considering
      whether to implement a patient safety curriculum or actively planning, rather
      than actually implementing, or embedding one. Most organisations recognised the
      need for patient safety education and training and felt a safety curriculum was
      compatible with the values of their organisation; however, important faculty
      level barriers to patient safety curriculum implementation were identified. Key
      structural markers, such as dedicated financial resources and relevant assessment
      tools to evaluate trainees' patient safety knowledge and skills, were in place in
      fewer than half of organisations studied. CONCLUSIONS: Greater attention to
      patient safety curriculum implementation is needed. The barriers to patient
      safety curriculum implementation we identified in LMICs are not unique to these
      regions. We propose a framework to act as a global standard for patient safety
      curriculum implementation. Educating leaders through the system in order to embed
      patient safety culture in education and clinical settings is a critical first
      step.

PMID- 28619783
TI  - Community gardening, community farming and other local community-based gardening
      interventions to prevent overweight and obesity in high-income and middle-income
      countries: protocol for a systematic review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The worldwide prevalence of overweight/obesity has continued to
      rise over the last decades. To reverse this trend, public health authorities are
      exploring cost-effective interventions, especially in high-income and middle
      income countries. Community gardening offers a unique opportunity for individuals
      to enhance physical activity levels and improve their diet. However, synthesised
      evidence on the short-term or long-term effectiveness and on the costs of
      community gardening interventions to prevent overweight/obesity remains limited.
      Therefore, this review will investigate: (1) the effectiveness of voluntary
      participation in community gardening compared with no or a control intervention
      on overweight/obesity and associated health outcomes, (2) effects on different
      subgroups of populations and (3) the costs of community gardening interventions.
      METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a systematic review, limited to evaluations
      of community gardening interventions with controlled quantitative and interrupted
      time series designs. To identify relevant articles, we will systematically search
      12 academic and 5 grey literature databases, as well as 2 trial registers and 6
      websites. Articles will then be assessed for eligibility based on a predefined
      set of criteria. At least two independent reviewers will assess each article for
      relevance, before evaluating the methodological quality and potential bias of the
      studies. Data relevant to the objectives of this review will be extracted and
      cross-validated. Any disagreements will be mediated by a third reviewer. If
      feasible, meta-analyses of primary outcomes (overweight/obesity, physical
      activity, food intake, energy intake) will be conducted. We will use the Grading
      of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation method to assess the
      overall quality of evidence. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: For this review, no
      ethical approval is required as we will only extract and analyse secondary data.
      We aim to submit the final review manuscript to an open access journal for
      publication and disseminate results via conferences and social media. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews
      (PROSPERO)(CRD42017043696).

PMID- 28619785
TI  - Correction: Comparison of acupuncture pretreatment followed by letrozole versus
      letrozole alone on live birth in anovulatory infertile women with polycystic
      ovary syndrome: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

PMID- 28619786
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28619784
TI  - Relationships between socioeconomic position and objectively measured sedentary
      behaviour in older adults in three prospective cohorts.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether sedentary behaviour in older adults is
      associated with a systematic and comprehensive range of socioeconomic position
      (SEP) measures across the life course. SEP measures included prospective measures
      of social class, income, educational qualifications and parental social class and
      contemporaneous measures of area deprivation. SETTING: Glasgow and the
      surrounding (West of Scotland) combined with Edinburgh and the surrounding area
      (the Lothians). PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults aged around 79, 83, and
      64 years from, respectively, the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936) (n=271) and
      the 1930s (n=119) and 1950s (n=310) cohorts of the West of Scotland Twenty-07
      study. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Sedentary behaviour was measured objectively
      using an activPAL activity monitor worn continuously for 7 days and used to
      calculate percentage of waking time spent sedentary. RESULTS: Among retired
      participants, for most cohort and SEP combinations, greater social disadvantage
      was associated with increased sedentary time. For example, in the Twenty-07 1930s
      cohort, those most deprived on the Carstairs measure spent 6.5% (95% CI 0.3 to
      12.7) more of their waking time sedentary than the least deprived. However, for
      employed people, the relationship between SEP and sedentary behaviour was much
      weaker. For example, in terms of social class differences, among the retired, the
      most disadvantaged spent 5.7% more waking time sedentary (95% CI 2.6% to 87%),
      whereas among the employed, there was effectively no difference (-0.5%; 95% CI 
      9.0 to 8.0). CONCLUSIONS: Diverse SEP measures were associated with increased
      sedentary behaviour among retired people. There was little evidence for a
      relationship between SEP measures and sedentary behaviour among employed older
      adults. Prior to retirement, the constraints of the workplace may be masking
      effects that are only apparent at weekends.

PMID- 28619787
TI  - Draft Genome Sequences of Four Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Obtained from
      Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
AB  - Patients suffering chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are frequently infected
      by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Nevertheless, the number of sequenced isolates causing
      this type of infection is low. Here, we present the draft genomes of four P.
      aeruginosa isolates obtained from patients presenting chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease.

PMID- 28619788
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of Edwardsiella ictaluri Isolate RUSVM-1 Recovered from
      Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the Western Hemisphere.
AB  - Edwardsiella ictaluri is a Gram-negative bacillus that has recently been
      implicated in disease outbreaks in tilapia and zebrafish. We report here the
      complete and annotated genome sequence of an isolate from a Nile tilapia
      (Oreochromis niloticus), which contains a chromosome of 3,630,639 bp and two
      plasmids.

PMID- 28619789
TI  - First Complete Squash leaf curl China virus Genomic Segment DNA-A Sequence from
      East Timor.
AB  - We present here the first complete Squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCV) genomic
      segment DNA-A sequence from East Timor. It was isolated from a pumpkin plant.
      When compared with 15 complete SLCCV DNA-A genome sequences from other world
      regions, it most resembled the Malaysian isolate MC1 sequence.

PMID- 28619790
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus CA16, a Bacterium Capable
      of Degrading Diesel and Lignin.
AB  - We report here the complete assembled genome sequence of Acinetobacter
      calcoaceticus CA16, which is capable of utilizing diesel and lignin as a sole
      carbon source. CA16 contains a 4,110,074-bp chromosome and a 5,920-bp plasmid.
      The assembled sequences will help elucidate potential metabolic pathways and
      mechanisms responsible for CA16's hydrocarbon degradation ability.

PMID- 28619791
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Aeromonas hydrophila Strain BSK-10 (Serotype O97),
      Isolated from Carassius carassius with Motile Aeromonad Septicemia in China.
AB  - We report here a draft genome sequence of Aeromonas hydrophila strain BSK-10,
      belonging to serotype O97, isolated from crucian carp (Carassius carassius) with
      motile aeromonad septicemia in Zhejiang, China. The assembly resulted in 34
      scaffolds totaling approximately 4.97 Mb, with an average G+C content of 60.97%
      and 4,594 predicted coding genes.

PMID- 28619792
TI  - Whole-Genome Sequence of Bacillus stratosphericus Strain 5Co, Isolated from
      Lichen Usnea florida in Central Florida, United States, with High Tolerance to
      Salt and Heavy Metal.
AB  - Bacillus stratosphericus strain 5Co was isolated from lichen Usnea florida in
      central Florida, United States. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of this
      strain, which consists of 159 contigs spanning 3,628,496 bp, with a G+C content
      of 41.3% and comprises 3,729 predicted coding sequences.

PMID- 28619793
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Methylocapsa palsarum NE2T, an Obligate Methanotroph
      from Subarctic Soil.
AB  - Methylocapsa palsarum NE2T is an aerobic, mildly acidophilic, obligate
      methanotroph. Similar to other Methylocapsa species, it possesses only a
      particulate methane monooxygenase and is capable of atmospheric nitrogen
      fixation. The genome sequence of this typical inhabitant of subarctic wetlands
      and soils also contains genes indicative of aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis.

PMID- 28619794
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of Biocontroller Bacillus velezensis Strain JTYP2,
      Isolated from Leaves of Echeveria laui.
AB  - Bacillus velezensis JTYP2 was isolated from the leaves of Echeveria laui in
      Qingzhou, China, and may control some of the fungal pathogens of the plant. Here,
      we present the complete genome sequence of B. velezensis JTYP2. Several gene
      clusters related to its biosynthesis of antimicrobial compounds were predicted.

PMID- 28619795
TI  - Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc citreum DmW_111, Isolated from Wild Drosophila.
AB  - Isolates of the lactic acid bacterium Leuconostoc citreum are a major part of
      fermentation processes, especially in Korean kimchi. Here, we present the genome
      of L. citreum DmW_111, isolated from wild Drosophila melanogaster; analysis of
      this genome will expand the diversity of genome sequences for non-Lactobacillus
      spp. isolated from D. melanogaster.

PMID- 28619796
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Campylobacter jejuni CAM970 and C. coli CAM962,
      Associated with a Large Outbreak of Foodborne Illness in Fukuoka, Japan, in 2016.
AB  - Here, we report the draft genome sequences of Campylobacter jejuni CAM970 and C.
      coli CAM962, which were associated with a large outbreak of foodborne illness
      originating from undercooked chicken sushi in Fukuoka, Japan, in May 2016. Their
      genome sizes were 1,690,901 and 1,704,736 bp, with 22 and 23 rRNAs, 9 and 9
      tRNAs, and 411* and 419* coverage for C. jejuni CAM970 and C. coli CAM962,
      respectively.

PMID- 28619797
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain Belonging to the
      East African-Indian Family in the Indo-Oceanic Lineage, Isolated in Hanoi,
      Vietnam.
AB  - The East African-Indian (EAI) family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an endemic
      group mainly observed in Southeast Asia. Here, we report the complete genome
      sequence of an M. tuberculosis strain isolated as a member of the EAI family in
      Hanoi, Vietnam, a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis.

PMID- 28619798
TI  - Metagenomes of Soil Samples from an Established Perennial Cropping System of
      Asparagus Treated with Biostimulants in Southern France.
AB  - We report here the metagenomes of soil samples from a perennial cropping system
      of asparagus that was treated with two biostimulants. Two treatments were
      compared to an untreated control. Control soil samples were taken at the
      beginning and at end of the experiment.

PMID- 28619799
TI  - Genome Sequence of Weissella cibaria DmW_103, Isolated from Wild Drosophila.
AB  - Lactic acid bacteria are commonly associated with Drosophila spp. Here, we report
      on the isolation of a strain of Weissella cibaria and the sequencing, assembly,
      and annotation of its genome. A total of 35 contigs were generated, with 2,349
      coding sequences found.

PMID- 28619800
TI  - Complete Genome Sequences of the p1 Gene Type 2b and 2c Strains Mycoplasma
      pneumoniae KCH-402 and KCH-405.
AB  - Here, we present the complete genome sequences of Mycoplasma pneumoniae KCH-402
      and KCH-405, which are p1 gene type 2b and 2c strains, respectively. These
      strains harbor variations in the orf6 gene, which encodes the cytadherence
      related proteins P40 and P90.

PMID- 28619801
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Sphingomonas sp. Strain Sph1(2015), Isolated from a
      Fouled Membrane Filter Used To Produce Drinking Water.
AB  - We report here the high-quality draft genome sequence of Sphingomonas sp. strain
      Sph1(2015), isolated from a fouled reverse osmosis membrane used for the
      production of high-quality drinking water. The draft sequence provides insights
      into the modus operandi of this strain to form biofilms on membrane surfaces.
      This knowledge offers tools to develop novel antifouling strategies.

PMID- 28619802
TI  - Draft Genome Sequences of Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Morganella
      morganii Strains AA1 and AV1, Isolated from a Freshwater Lake and
      Eicchorniacrassipes Roots.
AB  - Two strains of Morganella morganii, AA1 and AV1, were isolated from freshwater
      and Eicchornia crassipes roots, respectively. Here, we report their draft genome
      sequences, which are ~3.6 Mb and have 51% G+C content. The predicted coding
      sequences (3,259 for strain AA1 and 3,345 for strain AV1) encode beta-lactamases,
      transpeptidases, and penicillin-binding proteins.

PMID- 28619803
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of the Photoautotrophic and Bacteriochlorophyll e
      Synthesizing Green Sulfur Bacterium Chlorobaculum limnaeum DSM 1677T.
AB  - Chlorobaculum limnaeum DSM 1677T is a mesophilic, brown-colored,
      chlorophototrophic green sulfur bacterium that produces bacteriochlorophyll e and
      the carotenoid isorenieratene as major pigments. This bacterium serves as a model
      organism in molecular research on photosynthesis, sulfur metabolism, and
      bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis. We report here the complete genome sequence.

PMID- 28619804
TI  - Permanent Draft Genome Sequence for Frankia sp. Strain Cc1.17, a Nitrogen-Fixing
      Actinobacterium Isolated from Root Nodules of Colletia cruciata.
AB  - Frankia sp. strain Cc1.17 is a member of the Frankia lineage 3, the organisms of
      which are able to reinfect plants of the Eleagnaceae, Rhamnaceae, and Myricaceae
      families and the genera Gynmnostoma and Alnus Here, we report the 8.4-Mbp draft
      genome sequence, with a G+C content of 72.14% and 6,721 candidate protein-coding
      genes.

PMID- 28619805
TI  - Complete Genome Sequences of Two Human Oral Microbiome Commensals, Streptococcus
      salivarius ATCC 25975 and S. salivarius ATCC 27945.
AB  - Streptococcus salivarius strains are significant contributors to the human oral
      microbiome. Some possess unique fimbriae that give them the ability to
      coaggregate and colonize particular oral structures. We present here the complete
      genomes of Streptococcus salivarius Lancefield K-/K+ strains ATCC 25975 and ATCC
      27945, which can and cannot, respectively, produce fimbriae.

PMID- 28619806
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Geobacter pelophilus Strain Dfr2, a Ferric Iron-Reducing
      Bacterium.
AB  - Here, we report a draft genome sequence of Geobacter pelophilus strain Dfr2, a
      ferric iron-reducing bacterium. This genome information will further our
      understanding of the mechanisms underlying electron transfer from microorganisms
      to ferric iron oxides.

PMID- 28619807
TI  - Genome Sequence of Prosthecochloris sp. Strain HL-130-GSB from the Phylum
      Chlorobi.
AB  - The genome of the green sulfur bacterium Prosthecochloris sp. strain HL-130-GSB,
      isolated from a cyanobacterial mat obtained from Hot Lake, a saline meromictic
      lake in Washington, USA, comprises 2,437,774 bp in a single contig. The genome is
      predicted to encode 2,565 proteins and contain 47 tRNA genes and 2 rRNA operons.

PMID- 28619808
TI  - First Insights into the Genome Sequence of Clostridium oryzae DSM 28571, Isolated
      from the Soil of a Japanese Rice Field.
AB  - Clostridium oryzae was originally isolated from the soil of a Japanese rice
      field. C. oryzae represents a novel species within the genus Clostridium and is
      associated with anaerobic rice straw degradation. Here, we present the draft
      genome sequence of C. oryzae DSM 28571 (5.076 Mbp), containing 4,590 predicted
      protein-coding genes.

PMID- 28619809
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudoruegeria sp. SK021, a Representative of the Marine
      Roseobacter Group, Isolated from North Sea Sediment.
AB  - Pseudoruegeria sp. SK021 is a member of the Roseobacter group, isolated under
      aerobic conditions from North Sea sediment. The draft genome comprises 3.95 Mb
      and contains 3,747 protein-coding sequences. Although the strain is nonmotile
      under laboratory conditions, the entire set of genes for the formation of a
      flagellar apparatus was found.

PMID- 28619810
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of the Campylobacter cuniculorum Type Strain LMG 24588.
AB  - Campylobacter cuniculorum is a thermotolerant species isolated from farmed
      rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Although C. cuniculorum is highly prevalent in
      rabbits farmed for human consumption, the pathogenicity of this organism in
      humans is still unknown. This study describes the whole-genome sequence of the C.
      cuniculorum type strain LMG 24588 (=CCUG 56289T).

PMID- 28619811
TI  - Full-Genome Sequence of Listeria monocytogenes Strain H34, Isolated from a
      Newborn with Sepsis in Uruguay.
AB  - The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes severe disease mainly in the
      vulnerable populations of the young, old, pregnant, and immunocompromised. Here,
      we present the genome sequence of L. monocytogenes H34, a serotype 1/2b, lineage
      I, sequence type 489 (ST489) strain, isolated from a neonatal sepsis case in
      Uruguay.

PMID- 28619812
TI  - Draft Genome Sequences of Six Enterococcus faecalis Strains Isolated from
      Malaysian Clinical and Environmental Origins.
AB  - Enterococcus faecalis is known to cause a variety of nosocomial infections,
      including urinary tract infections. Antibiotic resistance and virulence
      properties in this species are of public concern. The draft genome sequences of
      six E. faecalis strains isolated from clinical and environmental sources in
      Malaysia are presented here.

PMID- 28619813
TI  - Complete Genome Sequences of the Endophytic Streptomyces sp. Strains LUP30 and
      LUP47B, Isolated from Lucerne Plants.
AB  - The complete genome sequences of two endophytic Streptomyces sp. strains, LUP30
      and LUP47B, were analyzed. These strains were isolated from surface-sterilized
      roots of lucerne plants from South Australia and were found to promote the growth
      of the rhizobial partner in vitro and significantly increased nodulation and
      nitrogen fixation in lucerne plants.

PMID- 28619814
TI  - Genome Sequence of the Saprophytic Ascomycete Epicoccumnigrum Strain ICMP 19927,
      Isolated from New Zealand.
AB  - Epicoccum nigrum is a common mitosporic fungus of the Didymellaceae (Ascomycota)
      family known for the production of numerous secondary metabolites. Here, we
      present the 34.7-Mbp draft genome sequence of strain ICMP 19927 assembled from a
      range of short-insert and long-insert Illumina libraries.

PMID- 28619815
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of a Legionella longbeachae Serogroup 1 Strain Isolated
      from a Patient with Legionnaires' Disease.
AB  - Legionella longbeachae serogroup 1, predominantly found in soil and composted
      plant material, causes the majority of cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD) in New
      Zealand. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of an L. longbeachae
      serogroup 1 (sg1) isolate derived from a patient hospitalized with LD in
      Christchurch, New Zealand.

PMID- 28619816
TI  - Correction for Vazquez-Hernandez et al., "Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces
      scabrisporus NF3, an Endophyte Isolated from Amphipterygium adstringens".

PMID- 28619817
TI  - Synergism between canoe and scribble mutations causes tumor-like overgrowth via
      Ras activation in neural stem cells and epithelia.
AB  - Over the past decade an intriguing connection between asymmetric cell division,
      stem cells and tumorigenesis has emerged. Neuroblasts, which are the neural stem
      cells of the Drosophila central nervous system, divide asymmetrically and
      constitute an excellent paradigm for investigating this connection further. Here
      we show that the simultaneous loss of the asymmetric cell division regulators
      Canoe (afadin in mammals) and Scribble in neuroblast clones leads to tumor-like
      overgrowth through both a severe disruption of the asymmetric cell division
      process and canoe loss-mediated Ras-PI3K-Akt activation. Moreover, canoe loss
      also interacts synergistically with scribble loss to promote overgrowth in
      epithelial tissues, here just by activating the Ras-Raf-MAPK pathway. discs large
      1 and lethal (2) giant larvae, which are functionally related to scribble,
      contribute to repress the Ras-MAPK signaling cascade in epithelia. Hence, our
      work uncovers novel cooperative interactions between all these well-conserved
      tumor suppressors that ensure tight regulation of the Ras signaling pathway.

PMID- 28619818
TI  - Antagonistic regulation of the second mitotic wave by Eyes absent-Sine oculis and
      Combgap coordinates proliferation and specification in the Drosophila retina.
AB  - The transition from proliferation to specification is fundamental to the
      development of appropriately patterned tissues. In the developing Drosophila eye,
      Eyes absent (Eya) and Sine oculis (So) orchestrate the progression of progenitor
      cells from asynchronous cell division to G1 arrest and neuronal specification at
      the morphogenetic furrow. Here, we uncover a novel role for Eya and So in
      promoting cell cycle exit in the second mitotic wave (SMW), a synchronized,
      terminal cell division that occurs several hours after passage of the furrow. We
      show that Combgap (Cg), a zinc-finger transcription factor, antagonizes Eya-So
      function in the SMW. Based on the ability of Cg to attenuate Eya-So
      transcriptional output in vivo and in cultured cells and on meta analysis of
      their chromatin occupancy profiles, we speculate that Cg limits Eya-So activation
      of select target genes posterior to the furrow to ensure properly timed mitotic
      exit. Our work supports a model in which context-specific modulation of
      transcriptional activity enables Eya and So to promote both entry into and exit
      from the cell cycle in a distinct spatiotemporal sequence.

PMID- 28619819
TI  - Yorkie and Hedgehog independently restrict BMP production in escort cells to
      permit germline differentiation in the Drosophila ovary.
AB  - Multiple signaling pathways guide the behavior and differentiation of both
      germline stem cells (GSCs) and somatic follicle stem cells (FSCs) in the
      Drosophila germarium, necessitating careful control of signal generation, range
      and responses. Signal integration involves escort cells (ECs), which promote
      differentiation of the GSC derivatives they envelop, provide niche signals for
      FSCs and derive directly from FSCs in adults. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling induces the
      Hippo pathway effector Yorkie (Yki) to promote proliferation and maintenance of
      FSCs, but Hh also signals to ECs, which are quiescent. Here, we show that in ECs
      both Hh and Yki limit production of BMP ligands to allow germline
      differentiation. Loss of Yki produced a more severe germarial phenotype than loss
      of Hh signaling and principally induced a different BMP ligand. Moreover, Yki
      activity reporters and epistasis tests showed that Yki does not mediate the key
      actions of Hh signaling in ECs. Thus, both the coupling and output of the Hh and
      Yki signaling pathways differ between FSCs and ECs despite their proximity and
      the fact that FSCs give rise directly to ECs.

PMID- 28619820
TI  - SoxF factors induce Notch1 expression via direct transcriptional regulation
      during early arterial development.
AB  - Arterial specification and differentiation are influenced by a number of
      regulatory pathways. While it is known that the Vegfa-Notch cascade plays a
      central role, the transcriptional hierarchy controlling arterial specification
      has not been fully delineated. To elucidate the direct transcriptional regulators
      of Notch receptor expression in arterial endothelial cells, we used histone
      signatures, DNaseI hypersensitivity and ChIP-seq data to identify enhancers for
      the human NOTCH1 and zebrafish notch1b genes. These enhancers were able to direct
      arterial endothelial cell-restricted expression in transgenic models. Genetic
      disruption of SoxF binding sites established a clear requirement for members of
      this group of transcription factors (SOX7, SOX17 and SOX18) to drive the activity
      of these enhancers in vivo Endogenous deletion of the notch1b enhancer led to a
      significant loss of arterial connections to the dorsal aorta in Notch pathway
      deficient zebrafish. Loss of SoxF function revealed that these factors are
      necessary for NOTCH1 and notch1b enhancer activity and for correct endogenous
      transcription of these genes. These findings position SoxF transcription factors
      directly upstream of Notch receptor expression during the acquisition of arterial
      identity in vertebrates.

PMID- 28619821
TI  - Convergence of signaling pathways underlying habenular formation and axonal
      outgrowth in zebrafish.
AB  - The habenular nuclei are a conserved integrating center in the vertebrate
      epithalamus, where they modulate diverse behaviors. Despite their importance, our
      understanding of habenular development is incomplete. Time-lapse imaging and fate
      mapping demonstrate that the dorsal habenulae (dHb) of zebrafish are derived from
      dbx1b-expressing (dbx1b+ ) progenitors, which transition into cxcr4b-expressing
      neuronal precursors. The precursors give rise to differentiated neurons, the
      axons of which innervate the midbrain interpeduncular nucleus (IPN). Formation of
      the dbx1b+ progenitor population relies on the activity of the Shh, Wnt and Fgf
      signaling pathways. Wnt and Fgf function additively to generate dHb progenitors.
      Surprisingly, Wnt signaling also negatively regulates fgf8a, confining expression
      to a discrete dorsal diencephalic domain. Moreover, the Wnt and Fgf pathways have
      opposing roles in transcriptional regulation of components of the Cxcr4-chemokine
      signaling pathway. The chemokine pathway, in turn, directs the posterior
      outgrowth of dHb efferents toward the IPN and, when disrupted, results in
      ectopic, anteriorly directed axonal projections. The results define a signaling
      network underlying the generation of dHb neurons and connectivity with their
      midbrain target.

PMID- 28619822
TI  - COP9 signalosome subunits protect Capicua from MAPK-dependent and -independent
      mechanisms of degradation.
AB  - The COP9 signalosome removes Nedd8 modifications from the Cullin subunits of
      ubiquitin ligase complexes, reducing their activity. Here, we show that mutations
      in the Drosophila COP9 signalosome subunit 1b (CSN1b) gene increase the activity
      of ubiquitin ligases that contain Cullin 1. Analysis of CSN1b mutant phenotypes
      revealed a requirement for the COP9 signalosome to prevent ectopic expression of
      Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) target genes. It does so by protecting
      Capicua, a transcriptional repressor of EGFR target genes, from EGFR pathway
      dependent ubiquitylation by a Cullin 1/SKP1-related A/Archipelago E3 ligase and
      subsequent proteasomal degradation. The CSN1b subunit also maintains basal
      Capicua levels by protecting it from a separate mechanism of degradation that is
      independent of EGFR signaling. As a suppressor of tumor growth and metastasis,
      Capicua may be an important target of the COP9 signalosome in cancer.

PMID- 28619824
TI  - Setd1b, encoding a histone 3 lysine 4 methyltransferase, is a maternal effect
      gene required for the oogenic gene expression program.
AB  - Germ cell development involves major reprogramming of the epigenome to prime the
      zygote for totipotency. Histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylations are universal
      epigenetic marks mediated in mammals by six H3K4 methyltransferases related to
      fly Trithorax, including two yeast Set1 orthologs: Setd1a and Setd1b. Whereas
      Setd1a plays no role in oogenesis, we report that Setd1b deficiency causes female
      sterility in mice. Oocyte-specific Gdf9-iCre conditional knockout (Setd1bGdf9
      cKO) ovaries develop through all stages; however, follicular loss accumulated
      with age and unfertilized metaphase II (MII) oocytes exhibited irregularities of
      the zona pellucida and meiotic spindle. Most Setd1bGdf9 cKO zygotes remained in
      the pronuclear stage and displayed polyspermy in the perivitelline space.
      Expression profiling of Setd1bGdf9 cKO MII oocytes revealed (1) that Setd1b
      promotes the expression of the major oocyte transcription factors including
      Obox1, 2, 5, 7, Meis2 and Sall4; and (2) twice as many mRNAs were upregulated
      than downregulated, suggesting that Setd1b also promotes the expression of
      negative regulators of oocyte development with multiple Zfp-KRAB factors
      implicated. Together, these findings indicate that Setd1b serves as maternal
      effect gene through regulation of the oocyte gene expression program.

PMID- 28619825
TI  - SPEF2 functions in microtubule-mediated transport in elongating spermatids to
      ensure proper male germ cell differentiation.
AB  - Sperm differentiation requires specific protein transport for correct sperm tail
      formation and head shaping. A transient microtubular structure, the manchette,
      appears around the differentiating spermatid head and serves as a platform for
      protein transport to the growing tail. Sperm flagellar 2 (SPEF2) is known to be
      essential for sperm tail development. In this study we investigated the function
      of SPEF2 during spermatogenesis using a male germ cell-specific Spef2 knockout
      mouse model. In addition to defects in sperm tail development, we observed a
      duplication of the basal body and failure in manchette migration resulting in an
      abnormal head shape. We identified cytoplasmic dynein 1 and GOLGA3 as novel
      interaction partners for SPEF2. SPEF2 and dynein 1 colocalize in the manchette
      and the inhibition of dynein 1 disrupts the localization of SPEF2 to the
      manchette. Furthermore, the transport of a known SPEF2-binding protein, IFT20,
      from the Golgi complex to the manchette was delayed in the absence of SPEF2.
      These data indicate a possible novel role of SPEF2 as a linker protein for dynein
      1-mediated cargo transport along microtubules.

PMID- 28619823
TI  - Sin3a regulates epithelial progenitor cell fate during lung development.
AB  - Mechanisms that regulate tissue-specific progenitors for maintenance and
      differentiation during development are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate
      that the co-repressor protein Sin3a is crucial for lung endoderm development.
      Loss of Sin3a in mouse early foregut endoderm led to a specific and profound
      defect in lung development with lung buds failing to undergo branching
      morphogenesis and progressive atrophy of the proximal lung endoderm with complete
      epithelial loss at later stages of development. Consequently, neonatal pups died
      at birth due to respiratory insufficiency. Further analysis revealed that loss of
      Sin3a resulted in embryonic lung epithelial progenitor cells adopting a
      senescence-like state with permanent cell cycle arrest in G1 phase. This was
      mediated at least partially through upregulation of the cell cycle inhibitors
      Cdkn1a and Cdkn2c. At the same time, loss of endodermal Sin3a also disrupted cell
      differentiation of the mesoderm, suggesting aberrant epithelial-mesenchymal
      signaling. Together, these findings reveal that Sin3a is an essential regulator
      for early lung endoderm specification and differentiation.

PMID- 28619826
TI  - A toolkit for GFP-mediated tissue-specific protein degradation in C. elegans.
AB  - Proteins that are essential for embryo production, cell division and early
      embryonic events are frequently reused later in embryogenesis, during organismal
      development or in the adult. Examining protein function across these different
      biological contexts requires tissue-specific perturbation. Here, we describe a
      method that uses expression of a fusion between a GFP-targeting nanobody and a
      SOCS-box containing ubiquitin ligase adaptor to target GFP-tagged proteins for
      degradation. When combined with endogenous locus GFP tagging by CRISPR-Cas9 or
      with rescue of a null mutant with a GFP fusion, this approach enables routine and
      efficient tissue-specific protein ablation. We show that this approach works in
      multiple tissues - the epidermis, intestine, body wall muscle, ciliated sensory
      neurons and touch receptor neurons - where it recapitulates expected loss-of
      function mutant phenotypes. The transgene toolkit and the strain set described
      here will complement existing approaches to enable routine analysis of the tissue
      specific roles of C. elegans proteins.

PMID- 28619828
TI  - The Association of Telomere Length in Peripheral Blood Cells with Cancer Risk: A
      Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies.
AB  - The association between telomere length (TL) in peripheral blood cells and cancer
      risk remains inconclusive. We carried out a meta-analysis on prospective studies.
      The study-specific RR estimates were first transformed to a common comparable
      scale and then were pooled by a random-effects model. The dataset was composed of
      13,894 cases and 71,672 controls from 28 studies in 25 articles. In the
      comparison of the longest versus shortest third of TL, we observed a marginally
      positive association between longer TL and higher risk of total cancers [OR =
      1.086; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.952-1.238]. Subgroup analyses showed that
      the association was stronger in lung cancer (n = 3; OR = 1.690; 95% CI, 1.253
      2.280), in men (n = 6; OR = 1.302; 95% CI, 1.120-1.514) and in studies with more
      precise methods for DNA extraction (phenol-chloroform, salting-out or magnetic
      bead, n = 6, OR = 1.618; 95% CI, 1.320-1.985) and TL measurement (multiplex Q
      PCR, n = 8; OR = 1.439; 95% CI, 1.118-1.852). Our meta-analysis suggested longer
      TL in peripheral blood cells is a likely risk factor for lung cancer or cancers
      in men. Accurate DNA extraction and TL measurement methods make it more liable to
      find significant associations between TL and cancer risk and thus should be taken
      into consideration in future epidemiologic studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers
      Prev; 26(9); 1381-90. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619827
TI  - Architectural protein Pita cooperates with dCTCF in organization of functional
      boundaries in Bithorax complex.
AB  - Boundaries in the Bithorax complex (BX-C) of Drosophila delimit autonomous
      regulatory domains that drive parasegment-specific expression of homeotic genes.
      BX-C boundaries have two crucial functions: they must block crosstalk between
      adjacent regulatory domains and at the same time facilitate boundary bypass. The
      C2H2 zinc-finger protein Pita binds to several BX-C boundaries, including Fab-7
      and Mcp To study Pita functions, we have used a boundary replacement strategy by
      substituting modified DNAs for the Fab-7 boundary, which is located between the
      iab-6 and iab-7 regulatory domains. Multimerized Pita sites block iab-6<->iab-7
      crosstalk but fail to support iab-6 regulation of Abd-B (bypass). In the case of
      Fab-7, we used a novel sensitized background to show that the two Pita-binding
      sites contribute to its boundary function. Although Mcp is from BX-C, it does not
      function appropriately when substituted for Fab-7: it blocks crosstalk but does
      not support bypass. Mutation of the Mcp Pita site disrupts blocking activity and
      also eliminates dCTCF binding. In contrast, mutation of the Mcp dCTCF site does
      not affect Pita binding, and this mutant boundary retains partial function.

PMID- 28619829
TI  - Germline Genetic Variants and Lung Cancer Survival in African Americans.
AB  - Background: African Americans have the highest lung cancer mortality in the
      United States. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of germline variants
      influencing lung cancer survival have not yet been conducted with African
      Americans. We examined five previously reported GWAS catalog variants and
      explored additional genome-wide associations among African American lung cancer
      cases.Methods: Incident non-small cell lung cancer cases (N = 286) in the
      Southern Community Cohort Study were genotyped on the Illumina HumanExome
      BeadChip. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate HRs and 95%
      confidence intervals (CIs) for overall mortality. Two independent African
      American studies (N = 316 and 298) were used for replication.Results: One
      previously reported variant, rs1878022 on 12q23.3, was significantly associated
      with mortality (HR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.54-0.92). Replication findings were in the
      same direction, although attenuated (HR = 0.87 and 0.94). Meta-analysis had a HR
      of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.71-0.97). Analysis of common variants identified an
      association between chromosome 6q21.33 and mortality (HR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.33
      0.66).Conclusions: We identified an association between rs1878022 in CMKLR1 and
      lung cancer survival. However, our results in African Americans have a different
      direction of effect compared with a prior study in European Americans, suggesting
      a different genetic architecture or presence of gene-environment interactions. We
      also identified variants on chromosome 6 within the gene-rich HLA region, which
      has been previously implicated in lung cancer risk and survival.Impact: We found
      evidence that inherited genetic risk factors influence lung cancer survival in
      African Americans. Replication in additional populations is necessary to confirm
      potential genetic differences in lung cancer survival across populations. Cancer
      Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(8); 1288-95. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619831
TI  - Stool DNA Test of Methylated Syndecan-2 for the Early Detection of Colorectal
      Neoplasia.
AB  - Background: Although the incidence of colorectal cancer is steadily increasing,
      screening for colorectal cancer with conventional approaches is not routinely
      performed in China. Noninvasive screening methods are attractive options to
      resolve this issue. Syndecan-2 (SDC2) is frequently methylated in colorectal
      cancer. However, the value of a stool test of methylated SDC2 for the detection
      of colorectal cancer is unknown.Methods: Methylation status of SDC2 was tested in
      cell lines and 398 colorectal tissue samples and further evaluated with 497 stool
      samples, including 196 from colorectal cancer patients, 122 from adenoma
      patients, and 179 from normal individuals, using real-time methylation-specific
      PCR. The impacts of one quantitative partial stool sampling device and 17
      potentially interfering substances on the performance of fecal methylated SDC2
      were also analyzed. SDC2 expression was also measured.Results:SDC2 methylation
      level was higher in 96.8% (120/124) of colorectal cancer tissues compared with
      paired adjacent normal epithelia. Stool test of methylated SDC2 detected 81.1%
      (159/196) of colorectal cancer and 58.2% (71/122) of adenomas at a specificity of
      93.3% (167/179). No significant difference was found between partial and whole
      stool collection on colorectal cancer detection (P > 0.05, R2 = 0.80). Among 17
      interfering substances, only berberine at high concentrations inhibited fecal
      detection of methylated SDC2SDC2 was overexpressed in colorectal cancer tissues
      compared with normal epithelia.Conclusions: Fecal methylated SDC2 is a valuable
      biomarker for the noninvasive detection of colorectal neoplasms.Impact: Stool DNA
      test of methylated SDC2 would serve as an alternative method for screening
      colorectal neoplasms. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(9); 1411-9. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28619830
TI  - Differential and Joint Effects of Metformin and Statins on Overall Survival of
      Elderly Patients with Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Large Population-Based Study.
AB  - Background: Published evidence indicates that individual use of metformin and
      statin is associated with reduced cancer mortality. However, their differential
      and joint effects on pancreatic cancer survival are inconclusive.Methods: We
      identified a large population-based cohort of 12,572 patients ages 65 years or
      older with primary pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) diagnosed between 2008
      and 2011 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare
      linked database. Exposure to metformin and statins was ascertained from Medicare
      Prescription Drug Event files. Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying
      covariates adjusted for propensity scores were used to assess the association
      while controlling for potential confounders.Results: Of 12,572 PDAC patients, 950
      (7.56%) had used metformin alone, 4,506 (35.84%) had used statin alone, and 2,445
      (19.45%) were dual users. Statin use was significantly associated with improved
      overall survival [HR, 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.90-0.98], and
      survival was more pronounced in postdiagnosis statin users (HR, 0.69; 95% CI,
      0.56-0.86). Metformin use was not significantly associated with overall survival
      (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.94-1.09). No beneficial effect was observed for dual users
      (HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.95-1.05).Conclusions: Our findings suggest potential
      benefits of statins on improving survival among elderly PDAC patients; further
      prospective studies are warranted to corroborate the putative benefit of statin
      therapy in pancreatic cancer.Impact: Although more studies are needed to confirm
      our findings, our data add to the body of evidence on potential anticancer
      effects of statins. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(8); 1225-32. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28619833
TI  - CT Angiography ASPECTS Predicts Outcome Much Better Than Noncontrast CT in
      Patients with Stroke Treated Endovascularly.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Noncontrast CT ASPECTS has been investigated as a
      predictor of outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Our purpose was to
      investigate whether CTA source images are a better predictor of clinical and
      radiologic outcomes than NCCT ASPECTS in candidates for endovascular stroke
      therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT scans of patients (n = 124) were independently
      evaluated by 2 readers for baseline NCCT and CTA source image ASPECTS and for
      follow-up ASPECTS. An mRS of <=2 at 3 months was considered a favorable outcome.
      Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the ability
      of NCCT and CTA source image ASPECTS to identify patients with favorable
      outcomes. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to find
      independent predictors of outcome. RESULTS: Baseline CTA source image ASPECTS
      correlated better than NCCT ASPECTS with follow-up ASPECTS (r = 0.76 versus r =
      0.51; P for comparison of the 2 coefficients < .001). Receiver operating
      characteristic curve analysis showed that baseline CTA source image ASPECTS
      compared with NCCT ASPECTS can better identify patients with favorable outcome
      (CTA source image area under the curve = 0.83; 95% CI, 0.76-0.91; NCCT area under
      the curve = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.58-0.77; P < .001). Finally, the stepwise regression
      analysis showed that lower age, good recanalization, lower time to
      recanalization, and good baseline CTA source image ASPECTS, not NCCT ASPECTS,
      were independent predictors of favorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS: CTA source image
      ASPECTS predicts outcome better than NCCT ASPECTS; this finding suggests CTA
      rather than NCCT as a main step in the decision-making process for patients with
      acute ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28619832
TI  - Excess Mortality among HIV-Infected Individuals with Cancer in the United States.
AB  - Background: Human immunodefieciency virus (HIV)-infected persons are living
      longer in the era of effective HIV treatment, resulting in an increasing cancer
      burden in this population. The combined effects of HIV and cancer on mortality
      are incompletely understood.Methods: We examined whether individuals with both
      HIV and cancer have excess mortality using data from the HIV/AIDS Cancer Match
      Study and the National Center for Health Statistics (1996-2010). We compared age,
      sex, and race-stratified mortality between people with and without HIV or one of
      the following cancers: lung, breast, prostate, colorectum, anus, Hodgkin
      lymphoma, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We utilized additive Poisson regression models
      that included terms for HIV, cancer, and an interaction for their combined effect
      on mortality. We report the number of excess deaths per 1,000 person-years for
      models with a significant interaction (P < 0.05).Results: For all cancers
      examined except prostate cancer, at least one demographic subgroup of HIV
      infected cancer patients experienced significant excess mortality. Excess
      mortality was most pronounced at younger ages (30-49 years), with large excesses
      for males with lung cancer (white race: 573 per 1,000 person-years; non-white:
      503) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (white: 236; non-white: 261), and for females with
      Hodgkin lymphoma (white: 216; non-white: 136) and breast cancer (non-white:
      107).Conclusions: In the era of effective HIV treatment, overall mortality in
      patients with both HIV and cancer was significantly higher than expected on the
      basis of mortality rates for each disease separately.Impact: These results
      suggest that HIV may contribute to cancer progression and highlight the
      importance of improved cancer prevention and care for the U.S. HIV population.
      Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(7); 1027-33. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619835
TI  - Regarding "What Is the Ideal Core Number for Ultrasonography-Guided Thyroid
      Biopsy of Cytologically Inconclusive Nodules?"

PMID- 28619834
TI  - Temporal and Spatial Variances in Arterial Spin-Labeling Are Inversely Related to
      Large-Artery Blood Velocity.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The relationship between extracranial large-artery
      characteristics and arterial spin-labeling MR imaging may influence the quality
      of arterial spin-labeling-CBF images for older adults with and without vascular
      pathology. We hypothesized that extracranial arterial blood velocity can explain
      between-person differences in arterial spin-labeling data systematically across
      clinical populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed consecutive
      pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling and phase-contrast MR imaging on 82
      individuals (20-88 years of age, 50% women), including healthy young adults,
      healthy older adults, and older adults with cerebral small vessel disease or
      chronic stroke infarcts. We examined associations between extracranial phase
      contrast hemodynamics and intracranial arterial spin-labeling characteristics,
      which were defined by labeling efficiency, temporal signal-to-noise ratio, and
      spatial coefficient of variation. RESULTS: Large-artery blood velocity was
      inversely associated with labeling efficiency (P = .007), temporal SNR (P <
      .001), and spatial coefficient of variation (P = .05) of arterial spin-labeling,
      after accounting for age, sex, and group. Correction for labeling efficiency on
      an individual basis led to additional group differences in GM-CBF compared to
      correction using a constant labeling efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Between-subject
      arterial spin-labeling variance was partially explained by extracranial velocity
      but not cross-sectional area. Choosing arterial spin-labeling timing parameters
      with on-line knowledge of blood velocity may improve CBF quantification.

PMID- 28619836
TI  - Risk Factor Analysis of Recanalization Timing in Coiled Aneurysms: Early versus
      Late Recanalization.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Long-term documentation of anatomic and angiographic
      characteristics pertaining to the timing of recanalization in coiled aneurysms
      has been insufficient. Our intent was to analyze and compare early and late-phase
      recanalization after coiling, identifying respective risk factors. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A total of 870 coiled saccular aneurysms were monitored for extended
      periods (mean, 30.8 +/- 8.3 months). Medical records and radiologic data were
      also reviewed, stratifying patients as either early (n = 128) or late (n = 52)
      recanalization or as complete occlusion (n = 690). Early recanalization was
      equated with confirmed recanalization within 6 months after the procedure,
      whereas late recanalization was defined as verifiable recanalization after
      imaging confirmation of complete occlusion at 6 months. A multinomial regression
      model served to assess potential risk factors, the reference point being early
      recanalization. RESULTS: Posterior circulation (P = .009), subarachnoid
      hemorrhage at presentation (P = .011), second attempt for recanalized aneurysm (P
      < .001), and aneurysm size >7 mm (P < .001) emerged as variables significantly
      linked with early recanalization (versus complete occlusion). Late (versus early)
      recanalization corresponded with aneurysms <=7 mm (P = .013), and in a separate
      subanalysis of lesions <=7 mm, aneurysms 4-7 mm showed a significant predilection
      for late recanalization (P = .008). However, the propensity for complete
      occlusion in smaller lesions (<=7 mm) increased as the size diminished.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although long-term complete occlusion after coiling was more likely
      in aneurysms <=7 mm, such lesions were more prone to late (versus early)
      recanalization, particularly those of 4-7 mm in size. Long-term follow-up imaging
      is thus appropriate in aneurysms >4 mm to detect late recanalization of those
      formerly demonstrating complete occlusion.

PMID- 28619837
TI  - Differentiation between Treatment-Induced Necrosis and Recurrent Tumors in
      Patients with Metastatic Brain Tumors: Comparison among 11C-Methionine-PET, FDG
      PET, MR Permeability Imaging, and MRI-ADC-Preliminary Results.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In patients with metastatic brain tumors after gamma
      knife radiosurgery, the superiority of PET using 11C-methionine for
      differentiating radiation necrosis and recurrent tumors has been accepted. To
      evaluate the feasibility of MR permeability imaging, it was compared with PET
      using 11C-methionine, FDG-PET, and DWI for differentiating radiation necrosis
      from recurrent tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study analyzed 18 lesions from
      15 patients with metastatic brain tumors who underwent gamma knife radiosurgery.
      Ten lesions were identified as recurrent tumors by an operation. In MR
      permeability imaging, the transfer constant between intra- and extravascular
      extracellular spaces (/minute), extravascular extracellular space, the transfer
      constant from the extravascular extracellular space to plasma (/minute), the
      initial area under the signal intensity-time curve, contrast-enhancement ratio,
      bolus arrival time (seconds), maximum slope of increase (millimole/second), and
      fractional plasma volume were calculated. ADC was also acquired. On both PET
      using 11C-methionine and FDG-PET, the ratio of the maximum standard uptake value
      of the lesion divided by the maximum standard uptake value of the symmetric site
      in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere was measured (11C-methionine ratio and
      FDG ratio, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic curve was used
      for analysis. RESULTS: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve
      for differentiating radiation necrosis from recurrent tumors was the best for the
      11C-methionine ratio (0.90) followed by the contrast-enhancement ratio (0.81),
      maximum slope of increase (millimole/second) (0.80), the initial area under the
      signal intensity-time curve (0.78), fractional plasma volume (0.76), bolus
      arrival time (seconds) (0.76), the transfer constant between intra- and
      extravascular extracellular spaces (/minute) (0.74), extravascular extracellular
      space (0.68), minimum ADC (0.60), the transfer constant from the extravascular
      extracellular space to plasma (/minute) (0.55), and the FDG-ratio (0.53). A
      significant difference in the 11C-methionine ratio (P < .01), contrast
      enhancement ratio (P < .01), maximum slope of increase (millimole/second) (P <
      .05), and the initial area under the signal intensity-time curve (P < .05) was
      evident between radiation necrosis and recurrent tumor. CONCLUSIONS: The present
      study suggests that PET using 11C-methionine may be superior to MR permeability
      imaging, ADC, and FDG-PET for differentiating radiation necrosis from recurrent
      tumors after gamma knife radiosurgery for metastatic brain tumors.

PMID- 28619838
TI  - State of Practice: Endovascular Treatment of Acute Aneurysmal SAH in Germany.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acute aneurysmal SAH is a severe disease that requires
      prompt treatment. Endovascular coiling and neurosurgical clipping are established
      treatment options. Our intention was to determine the state of current practice
      in acute aneurysmal SAH treatment in Germany, with emphasis on logistic and
      temporal aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We interviewed 74 German university and
      nonuniversity hospitals with an anonymous questionnaire comprising 15 questions
      concerning the practice of treatment and diagnostics of acute aneurysmal SAH at
      their respective institutions. The response rate was 74% among all institutions
      (55/74); among university hospitals, 77%; and among nonuniversity hospitals, 72%.
      RESULTS: The majority of all aneurysms were treated endovascularly (66% of acute
      aneurysmal SAH, 66% of unruptured aneurysms). Treatment on weekends was provided
      by 100% of endovascular and 96% of neurosurgical facilities. Average patients
      with acute aneurysmal SAH were not treated during the night (98%). Seventy
      percent of endovascular and 78% of neurosurgical treatments were not started
      later than 8:00 pm. Fifty-three percent of hospitals would not start a same-day
      diagnostic angiography in acute aneurysmal SAH if treatment was scheduled for the
      following day. Eighty-two percent of all centers performed DSA after clipping to
      evaluate the treatment results. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey gives a detailed summary
      of the current practice of endovascular treatment and related topics in acute
      aneurysmal SAH in Germany and also reveals considerable changes in practice in
      comparison with older data.

PMID- 28619839
TI  - Transcranial Duplex Sonography Predicts Outcome following an Intracerebral
      Hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Several radiologic features such as hematoma volume are
      related to poor outcome following an intracerebral hemorrhage and can be measured
      with transcranial duplex sonography. We sought to determine the prognostic value
      of transcranial duplex sonography in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of patients diagnosed
      with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Transcranial duplex sonography
      examinations were performed within 2 hours of baseline CT, and we recorded the
      following variables: hematoma volume, midline shift, third ventricle and lateral
      ventricle diameters, and the pulsatility index in both MCAs. We correlated these
      data with the CT scans and assessed the prognostic value of the transcranial
      duplex sonography measurements. We assessed early neurologic deterioration during
      hospitalization and mortality at 1-month follow-up. RESULTS: We included 35
      patients with a mean age of 72.2 +/- 12.8 years. Median baseline hematoma volume
      was 9.85 mL (interquartile range, 2.74-68.29 mL). We found good agreement and
      excellent correlation between transcranial duplex sonography and CT when
      measuring hematoma volume (r = 0.791; P < .001) and midline shift (r = 0.827; P <
      .001). The logistic regression analysis with transcranial duplex sonography
      measurements showed that hematoma volume was an independent predictor of early
      neurologic deterioration (OR, 1.078; 95% CI, 1.023-1.135) and mortality (OR,
      1.089; 95% CI, 1.020-1.160). A second regression analysis with CT variables also
      demonstrated that hematoma volume was associated with early neurologic
      deterioration and mortality. When we compared the rating operation curves of both
      models, their predictive power was similar. CONCLUSIONS: Transcranial duplex
      sonography showed an excellent correlation with CT in assessing hematoma volume
      and midline shift in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Hematoma volume
      measured with transcranial duplex sonography was an independent predictor of poor
      outcome.

PMID- 28619840
TI  - Does 3T Fetal MRI Improve Image Resolution of Normal Brain Structures between 20
      and 24 Weeks' Gestational Age?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stronger magnetic fields have the potential to improve
      fetal image resolution. Our objective was to detect whether there was better
      anatomic resolution of brain structures in fetuses imaged with a 3T magnet
      compared with a 1.5T magnet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiple cerebral and facial
      anatomic structures were retrospectively assessed in 28 fetal MR imaging scans
      with normal findings (12 at 3T and 16 at 1.5T) with a 0-3 grading score. Fetuses
      were assessed during the second trimesters (gestational age, 20-24 weeks). The
      association between the quality ratings and magnetic field strengths (1.5T versus
      3T) was evaluated by a linear mixed-effects model. A quantitative assessment of
      the signal intensity was also performed in the different layers of the developing
      brain. Comparative log-ratios were calculated across the different layers of the
      fetal brain. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant interaction between
      location and magnetic field strength (P < .001). The cerebral structures of the
      cerebellum, pons, venous system, semicircular canal, and cochlea showed
      statistically significant higher values on the 3T magnet. Similarly, statistical
      significance was also obtained on the quantitative assessment of the multilayer
      appearance of the brain; the 3T magnet had a median factor of 8.38 higher than
      the 1.5T magnet (95% CI, 4.73-14.82). Other anatomic structures assessed in the
      supratentorial compartment of the brain showed higher values on the 3T magnet
      with no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Both magnets depict cerebral and
      facial normal anatomic structures; however, our data indicates better anatomic
      detail on the 3T than on the 1.5T magnet.

PMID- 28619841
TI  - The Concept of "Number Needed to Image".

PMID- 28619842
TI  - Cumulative Dose of Macrocyclic Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent Improves Detection
      of Enhancing Lesions in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging is currently the reference
      standard for detecting active inflammatory lesions in patients with multiple
      sclerosis. The sensitivity of MR imaging for this purpose may vary according to
      the physicochemical characteristics of the contrast agent used and the
      acquisition strategy. The purpose of this study was to compare detection of
      gadolinium-enhancing lesions or active disease following a single or cumulative
      dose of a macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent with different image
      acquisition delays in patients with clinically isolated syndrome or relapsing
      multiple sclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients received a first dose
      (0.1 mmol/kg) of gadobutrol and, 20 minutes later, a second dose (0.1 mmol/kg),
      with a cumulative dose of 0.2 mmol/kg. Two contrast-enhanced T1-weighted
      sequences were performed at 5 and 15 minutes after the first contrast
      administration, and 2 additional T1-weighted sequences at 5 and 15 minutes after
      the second contrast administration with a 3T magnet. RESULTS: One hundred fifteen
      patients were considered evaluable. A significantly larger number of lesions were
      detected in scans obtained at 5 and 15 minutes after the second contrast
      injection compared with scans obtained at 5 and 15 minutes after the first
      injection (P < .001). The number of patients with active lesions on MR imaging
      was significantly higher after the second dose administration (52.0%, first dose
      versus 59.2%, second dose; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative dosing of a
      macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent increases detection of enhancing
      lesions and patients with active lesions. These data could be considered in the
      design of MR imaging protocols aimed at detecting active multiple sclerosis
      lesions.

PMID- 28619843
TI  - Stefania Jablonska.

PMID- 28619844
TI  - People in US are less concerned about health inequality than those in other
      countries.

PMID- 28619846
TI  - Acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells create a leukemic niche without affecting the
      CXCR4/CXCL12 axis.

PMID- 28619845
TI  - The prohibitin-binding compound fluorizoline induces apoptosis in chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia cells through the upregulation of NOXA and synergizes with
      ibrutinib, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside or venetoclax.
AB  - Fluorizoline is a new synthetic molecule that induces apoptosis by selectively
      targeting prohibitins. In the study herein, the pro-apoptotic effect of
      fluorizoline was assessed in 34 primary samples from patients with chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia. Fluorizoline induced apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic
      leukemia cells at concentrations in the low micromolar range. All primary samples
      were sensitive to fluorizoline irrespective of patients' clinical or genetic
      features, whereas normal T lymphocytes were less sensitive. Fluorizoline
      increased the protein levels of the pro-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 family member
      NOXA in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells. Furthermore, fluorizoline synergized
      with ibrutinib, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide riboside or venetoclax to induce
      apoptosis. These results suggest that targeting prohibitins could be a new
      therapeutic strategy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

PMID- 28619847
TI  - Targeted activation of the SHP-1/PP2A signaling axis elicits apoptosis of chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia cells.
AB  - Lyn, a member of the Src family of kinases, is a key factor in the dysregulation
      of survival and apoptotic pathways of malignant B cells in chronic lymphocytic
      leukemia. One of the effects of Lyn's action is spatial and functional
      segregation of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 into two pools, one beneath the
      plasma membrane in an active state promoting pro-survival signals, the other in
      the cytosol in an inhibited conformation and unable to counter the elevated level
      of cytosolic tyrosine phosphorylation. We herein show that SHP-1 activity can be
      elicited directly by nintedanib, an agent also known as a triple angiokinase
      inhibitor, circumventing the phospho-S591-dependent inhibition of the
      phosphatase, leading to the dephosphorylation of pro-apoptotic players such as
      procaspase-8 and serine/threonine phosphatase 2A, eventually triggering
      apoptosis. Furthermore, the activation of PP2A by using MP07-66, a novel FTY720
      analog, stimulated SHP-1 activity via dephosphorylation of phospho-S591, which
      unveiled the existence of a positive feedback signaling loop involving the two
      phosphatases. In addition to providing further insights into the molecular basis
      of this disease, our findings indicate that the PP2A/SHP-1 axis may emerge as an
      attractive, novel target for the development of alternative strategies in the
      treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

PMID- 28619848
TI  - Red blood cell Gardos channel (KCNN4): the essential determinant of erythrocyte
      dehydration in hereditary xerocytosis.

PMID- 28619851
TI  - Culture, Bias, and Understanding: We Can Do Better.

PMID- 28619852
TI  - Right to Counsel in Juvenile Court 50 Years After In re Gault.

PMID- 28619849
TI  - The house fly Y Chromosome is young and minimally differentiated from its ancient
      X Chromosome partner.
AB  - Canonical ancient sex chromosome pairs consist of a gene rich X (or Z) Chromosome
      and a male-limited (or female-limited) Y (or W) Chromosome that is gene poor. In
      contrast to highly differentiated sex chromosomes, nascent sex chromosome pairs
      are homomorphic or very similar in sequence content. Nascent sex chromosomes can
      arise if an existing sex chromosome fuses to an autosome or an autosome acquires
      a new sex-determining locus/allele. Sex chromosomes often differ between closely
      related species and can even be polymorphic within species, suggesting that
      nascent sex chromosomes arise frequently over the course of evolution. Previously
      documented sex chromosome transitions involve changes to both members of the sex
      chromosome pair (X and Y, or Z and W). The house fly has sex chromosomes that
      resemble the ancestral fly karyotype that originated ~100 million yr ago;
      therefore, the house fly is expected to have X and Y Chromosomes with different
      gene content. We tested this hypothesis using whole-genome sequencing and
      transcriptomic data, and we discovered little evidence for genetic
      differentiation between the X and Y in house fly. We propose that the house fly
      has retained the ancient X Chromosome, but the ancestral Y was replaced by an X
      Chromosome carrying a new male determining gene. Our proposed hypothesis provides
      a mechanism for how one member of a sex chromosome pair can experience
      evolutionary turnover while the other member remains unaffected.

PMID- 28619853
TI  - The Relevance of Stress and Trauma to Forensic Psychiatry.

PMID- 28619854
TI  - Dissociation: Defining the Concept in Criminal Forensic Psychiatry.
AB  - Claims of amnesia and dissociative experiences in association with a violent
      crime are not uncommon. Research has shown that dissociation is a risk factor for
      violence and is seen most often in crimes of extreme violence. The subject matter
      is most relevant to forensic psychiatry. Peritraumatic dissociation for instance,
      with or without a history of dissociative disorder, is quite frequently reported
      by offenders presenting for a forensic psychiatric examination. Dissociation or
      dissociative amnesia for serious offenses can have legal repercussions stemming
      from their relevance to the legal constructs of fitness to stand trial, criminal
      responsibility, and diminished capacity. The complexity in forensic psychiatric
      assessments often lies in the difficulty of connecting clinical symptomatology
      reported by violent offenders to a specific condition included in the Diagnostic
      and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). This article provides a review
      of diagnostic considerations with regard to dissociation across the DSM
      nomenclature, with a focus on the main clinical constructs related to
      dissociation. Forensic implications are discussed, along with some guides for the
      forensic evaluator of offenders presenting with dissociation.

PMID- 28619855
TI  - Pediatric PTSD: Clinical, Forensic, and Diagnostic Understanding.
AB  - Exposure to trauma is a common event in the lives of children and adolescents
      living in the United States. Although a minority of youth develop full
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a traumatic event, those who do tend
      to have an extended course of symptoms in multiple functional domains and higher
      rates of psychiatric comorbidities. Pediatric PTSD can play an important role in
      legal settings, and requires that an expert witness be well versed in advances in
      clinical and conceptual models of this diagnosis and familiar with current
      research devoted to the posttraumatic response in youth. This review is designed
      to be a resource for the forensic evaluator and outlines the current
      understanding of epidemiological and clinical features of pediatric PTSD, as well
      as the neurobiological, dimensional, and developmental conceptual models that
      describe it.

PMID- 28619856
TI  - Childhood Trauma, PTSD, and the Cautious Forensic Expert.
AB  - For centuries, medicine and psychiatry mirrored society's equivocations regarding
      childhood trauma. Those conflicts have mostly resolved, with widespread agreement
      that children are commonly exposed to traumatic events that may lead to PTSD and
      other mental conditions. The psychiatric and legal arguments should no longer be
      about the reality of childhood trauma in general; instead, experts should focus
      on the methodology of translating a particular child's narrative truth of
      maltreatment into a historical account, so that the expert can be qualified to
      offer criminal or civil court testimony after examining the child. In this
      commentary, we explore the daunting forensic challenges of eliciting admissible
      evidence to confirm or dispute the allegations and of offering scientifically
      credible opinions about whether any present and future harm related to the trauma
      and PTSD was directly caused by the incident.

PMID- 28619857
TI  - Pediatric PTSD in the DSM-5 and the Forensic Interview of Traumatized Youth.
AB  - Since the Third Edition, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
      Disorders (DSM) has increasingly incorporated developmentally informed criteria
      for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of recognition that children and
      adolescents can manifest PTSD differently from adults. The most recent edition,
      DSM-5, among other changes, has introduced a developmental subtype for children
      six years of age or younger. As pediatric PTSD features very prominently in both
      civil and criminal proceedings, it is vital that the expert witness be familiar
      with the updated criteria and know how to interview traumatized youth
      appropriately in the forensic setting. In this review, we discuss the importance
      of the evolution of PTSD from past DSM editions to the current one, and the
      implications of using the new diagnostic criteria and current conceptual models
      in the forensic evaluation of pediatric PTSD.

PMID- 28619858
TI  - PTSD, Acute Stress, Performance and Decision-Making in Emergency Service Workers.
AB  - Despite research identifying high levels of stress and traumatic stress symptoms
      among those in the emergency services, the impact of these symptoms on
      performance and hence public safety remains uncertain. This review paper
      discusses a program of research that has examined the effects of prior critical
      incident exposure, acute stress, and current post-traumatic symptoms on the
      performance and decision-making during an acutely stressful event among police
      officers, police communicators, paramedics and child protection workers. Four
      studies, using simulation methods involving video simulators, human-patient
      simulators, and/or standardized patients, examined the performance of emergency
      workers in typical workplace situations related to their individual profession.
      Results varied according to level of acuity of stress and the nature of
      performance and decision-making. There was no evidence that PTSD had a direct
      impact on global performance on tasks for which emergency responders are highly
      trained. However, PTSD was associated with assessment of risk in situations that
      required professional judgement. Further, individuals experiencing PTSD symptoms
      reported higher levels of acute stress when faced with high acuity situations.
      Acute stress in these studies was associated with performance deficits on complex
      cognitive tasks, verbal memory impairment and heightened assessment of risk.

PMID- 28619859
TI  - Criminal Charges for Child Harm from Substance Use in Pregnancy.
AB  - Despite the opposition of medical and public health professionals, several state
      legislatures are considering laws that permit child abuse charges for substance
      use during pregnancy. We reviewed legal decisions regarding women charged with a
      crime against a fetus or child as a result of substance use during pregnancy. We
      identified 24 judicial opinions published between 1977 and 2015 in cases
      involving 29 women prosecuted in 19 states. Charges included child endangerment,
      child abuse, drug delivery, attempted aggravated child abuse, chemical
      endangerment of a child, child neglect, child mistreatment, homicide,
      manslaughter, and reckless injury to a child. The substances related to the
      charges included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and prescription
      pills. Proceedings resulted in dismissal of the charges or convictions overturned
      for 86.2 percent of the women. In all of the cases, the judicial decision
      depended on the disposition of the question of whether, for the purpose of
      adjudicating the criminal charges, a fetus is a child. The balance in the courts
      in favor of treating substance use during pregnancy as a medical problem depends
      on the definition of a child for the purposes of criminal statutes. Professional
      advocacy may best be directed at state legislatures.

PMID- 28619860
TI  - Motherhood and Apple Pie: A UK Perspective on Mothers Who Misuse Drugs.
AB  - In this commentary, I explore two questions raised by Angelotta and Appelbaum's
      study. First, I offer an English legal perspective on the protection of children
      from their mothers, looking at both civil (family) and criminal law. Second, I
      discuss the idealization of motherhood that is implied by the prosecution of
      pregnant women; the denigration of those who fail this ideal; and the way that
      idealization and denigration contribute to injustice for women. I conclude by
      offering comments on the implications for those assessing women accused of
      harming their unborn child.

PMID- 28619861
TI  - Geriatrics and the Legal System.
AB  - Correctional systems, already struggling to meet the basic and functional
      requirements of older prisoners, will be further challenged by the increasing
      medical and psychiatric needs of this population. Mental health and general
      medical care for older adults requires specific on-site or consultation expertise
      in geriatric medicine and psychiatry, as well as potential changes in
      infrastructure, both of which may be prohibitively expensive. However,
      compassionate and effective treatment of older prisoners requires that prison and
      legal systems facilitate this expert care. To address this situation, strategic
      revisions of the criminal justice system are needed to alleviate prison
      overcrowding and consequent inadequate medical care for inmates, especially the
      elder ones. The unique, age-related demands of this older population predict an
      increased need for forensic psychiatrists with a thorough knowledge and expertise
      in geriatrics, as more forensic psychiatric evaluations will be needed before
      trial in both civil and criminal cases, during incarceration, and at the time of
      parole. In this article, we review the current state of elder inmates in
      correctional institutions and advocate for increased geriatric training for
      forensic psychiatrists in anticipation of this growing need.

PMID- 28619862
TI  - The Elephant in the Courtroom.

PMID- 28619863
TI  - Military Trauma's Unusual Appearance.

PMID- 28619864
TI  - Introduction to the Special Section on the Goldwater Rule.

PMID- 28619865
TI  - Reflections on the Goldwater Rule.
AB  - The APA's Goldwater Rule, precluding psychiatrists from rendering opinions to the
      media about public figures whom they have not examined, has often engendered
      controversy. Here, I consider the justifications for the rule, how well they
      stand up to criticism, and the extent, if any, to which modifications might be
      called for. Although embarrassment to the profession is often cited as the basis
      for the Rule, it reflects more substantive concerns, including the risk of harm
      to living persons and discouraging persons in need of treatment from seeking
      psychiatric attention. The most potent criticisms of the Rule are that it
      discourages public education about mental illness and its effects and precludes
      legitimate scholarly endeavors by psychiatrists studying foreign leaders,
      historical figures, and others. However, there are many ways of providing
      education about mental illness without violating the Rule, and read properly, it
      should not prevent legitimate historical investigation, though some clarification
      of the Rule on this point might be helpful. Even psychiatrists who seek to aid
      policymakers in dealing with international or domestic threats should not find
      that the Rule interferes with their efforts. On balance, the Goldwater Rule
      continues to be an important underpinning of ethical behavior by psychiatrists.

PMID- 28619866
TI  - Interpreting the Goldwater Rule.
AB  - Section 7.3 of the Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially
      Applicable to Psychiatry (the so-called Goldwater Rule) provides guidance on the
      ethics of making psychiatric comments about public figures who have not been
      interviewed and have not given consent. I argue that the wording of Section 7.3
      is ambiguous, and I document disagreement over the scope of the rule and consider
      the implications of this disagreement. If one reads Section 7.3 narrowly, as
      banning media comments without interview and consent, but allowing such comments
      in institutional settings, then the general principle articulated in the text and
      often repeated in the media begins to appear insubstantial. If one reads Section
      7.3 broadly, then the work of psychiatrists in the courts, in government agencies
      such as the Central Intelligence Agency, in insurance companies, and in the
      academy becomes ethically problematic. I trace the American Psychiatric
      Association's own interpretation of Section 7.3 and conclude that the APA has
      advocated a narrow reading. I assert the need for an integrated theory of
      psychiatric ethics for settings where interview and consent are absent. Such a
      theory, articulating why comments in institutional settings are ethical, but
      comments to media are not, may reduce public confusion and provide a basis for
      revising Section 7.3.

PMID- 28619867
TI  - Journalism Ethics and the Goldwater Rule in a "Post-Truth" Media World.
AB  - This article strongly supports the Goldwater Rule, a position arrived at through
      an exploration of journalism ethics and practice norms for reporting on public
      figures, and justified by three claims. First, there is a seldom-acknowledged
      contradiction in ethics when it comes to journalistic reporting on public
      figures, one that is increasingly difficult to navigate in the current media
      climate. Second, the goal of informing and educating the public through offering
      a professional opinion about the mental health of public figures is often
      misaligned with the realities of journalistic storytelling. Third, there are ways
      to inform and educate the public about mental health and public figures that do
      not violate the Goldwater Rule.

PMID- 28619868
TI  - A Resident Perspective on the Goldwater Rule.
AB  - Section 7.3 of the Principles of Medical Ethics with Annotations Especially
      Applicable to Psychiatry, more commonly known as the Goldwater rule, admonishes
      psychiatrists to avoid offering professional opinions about public figures in the
      absence of an in-person evaluation. To our knowledge, no peer-reviewed articles
      have been published considering resident perspectives on the Goldwater rule.
      Furthermore, we have found little published guidance that deals specifically with
      teaching the Goldwater rule in a general residency curriculum. We propose that
      residency programs should incorporate a brief (one hour) but thoughtful
      discussion of the Goldwater rule into their general curriculum. We recommend that
      such a didactic hour should introduce arguments for and against the rule in its
      present form. Covered topics could include whether there should be exceptions to
      the rule, whether the rule is defensible on ethical grounds, and what contexts
      exist in which psychiatric opinions can be rendered without personal examination.
      We hope to make the case that a more nuanced exploration of the Goldwater rule
      could help open a door to discussions that would foster the growth of a mature
      professional identity.

PMID- 28619869
TI  - Exploring a Defense of Extreme Emotional Disturbance.

PMID- 28619870
TI  - Duty to Warn for Federal Parole Officers.

PMID- 28619871
TI  - Miranda Warnings in Noncustodial Interrogation of Juveniles and Voluntariness of
      Statements Made at the Request of Interested Adults.

PMID- 28619872
TI  - Disability Claims Under ERISA.

PMID- 28619873
TI  - Psychiatric Record Discoverable as Brady Material.

PMID- 28619874
TI  - Necessary Services Must Be Proven Futile Before Parental Rights Termination.

PMID- 28619875
TI  - Involuntary Administration of Medication in Mental Health Facilities.

PMID- 28619876
TI  - Eligibility for Special Education Services Under the Individuals with
      Disabilities Education Act.

PMID- 28619877
TI  - Government Management of Accompanied Minors Held in the Custody of Immigration
      Authorities.

PMID- 28619878
TI  - Clarification to Prison Litigation Reform Act "Three Strikes" Rule.

PMID- 28619882
TI  - Doctor convicted of manslaughter is suspended from register for a year.

PMID- 28619884
TI  - Effect of an obesogenic diet on circadian activity and serum hormones in old
      monkeys.
AB  - Like women, old female rhesus macaques undergo menopause and show many of the
      same age-associated changes, including perturbed activity/rest cycles and altered
      circulating levels of many hormones. Previous studies showed that administration
      of an estrogen agonist increased activity in female monkeys, that hormone therapy
      (HT) increased activity in postmenopausal women and that obesity decreased
      activity in women. The present study sought to determine if postmenopausal
      activity and circulating hormone levels also respond to HT when monkeys are fed a
      high-fat, high-sugar Western style diet (WSD). Old female rhesus macaques were
      ovo-hysterectomized (OvH) to induce surgical menopause and fed a WSD for 2 years.
      Half of the animals received estradiol-17beta (E), beginning immediately after
      OvH, while the other half received placebo. Animals in both groups showed an
      increase in body weight and a decrease in overall activity levels. These changes
      were associated with a rise in both daytime and nocturnal serum leptin
      concentrations, but there was no change in serum concentrations of either
      cortisol or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). These data suggest that 2
      years of HT has little or no effect on locomotor activity or circadian hormone
      patterns in menopausal macaques fed an obesogenic diet.

PMID- 28619883
TI  - Spatiotemporal Monitoring of Pseudomonas syringae Effectors via Type III
      Secretion Using Split Fluorescent Protein Fragments.
AB  - Pathogenic gram-negative bacteria cause serious diseases in animals and plants.
      These bacterial pathogens use the type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver
      effector proteins into host cells; these effectors then localize to different
      subcellular compartments to attenuate immune responses by altering biological
      processes of the host cells. The fluorescent protein (FP)-based approach to
      monitor effectors secreted from bacteria into the host cells is not possible
      because the folded FP prevents effector delivery through the T3SS Therefore, we
      optimized an improved variant of self-assembling split super-folder green
      fluorescent protein (sfGFPOPT) system to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics
      of effectors delivered through bacterial T3SS into plant cells. In this system,
      effectors are fused to 11th beta-strand of super-folder GFP (sfGFP11), and when
      delivered into plant cells expressing sfGFP1-10 beta-strand (sfGFP1-10OPT), the
      two proteins reconstitute GFP fluorescence. We generated a number of Arabidopsis
      thaliana transgenic lines expressing sfGFP1-10OPT targeted to various subcellular
      compartments to facilitate localization of sfGFP11-tagged effectors delivered
      from bacteria. We demonstrate the efficacy of this system using Pseudomonas
      syringae effectors AvrB and AvrRps4 in Nicotiana benthamiana and transgenic
      Arabidopsis plants. The versatile split sfGFPOPT system described here will
      facilitate a better understanding of bacterial invasion strategies used to evade
      plant immune responses.

PMID- 28619885
TI  - Maximizing the right stuff: The trade-off between membrane permeability and
      selectivity.
AB  - Increasing demands for energy-efficient separations in applications ranging from
      water purification to petroleum refining, chemicals production, and carbon
      capture have stimulated a vigorous search for novel, high-performance separation
      membranes. Synthetic membranes suffer a ubiquitous, pernicious trade-off: highly
      permeable membranes lack selectivity and vice versa. However, materials with both
      high permeability and high selectivity are beginning to emerge. For example,
      design features from biological membranes have been applied to break the
      permeability-selectivity trade-off. We review the basis for the permeability
      selectivity trade-off, state-of-the-art approaches to membrane materials design
      to overcome the trade-off, and factors other than permeability and selectivity
      that govern membrane performance and, in turn, influence membrane design.

PMID- 28619886
TI  - Tubular clathrin/AP-2 lattices pinch collagen fibers to support 3D cell
      migration.
AB  - Migrating cells often use focal adhesions in order to move. Focal adhesions are
      less prominent in cells migrating in three-dimensional (3D) as compared with 2D
      environments. We looked for alternative adhesion structures supporting cell
      migration. We analyzed the dynamics of clathrin-coated pits in cells migrating in
      a 3D environment of collagen fibers. Both topological cues and local engagement
      of integrins triggered the accumulation of clathrin-coated structures on fibers.
      Clathrin/adaptor protein 2 (AP-2) lattices pinched collagen fibers by adopting a
      tube-like morphology and regulated adhesion to fibers in an endocytosis
      independent manner. During migration, tubular clathrin/AP-2 lattices stabilized
      cellular protrusions by providing anchoring points to collagen fibers. Thus,
      tubular clathrin/AP-2 lattices promote cell adhesion that, in coordination with
      focal adhesions, supports cell migration in 3D.

PMID- 28619887
TI  - Comment on "Xist recruits the X chromosome to the nuclear lamina to enable
      chromosome-wide silencing".
AB  - Chen et al (Reports, 28 October 2016, p. 468) proposed that an interaction
      between Xist RNA and Lamin B receptor (LBR) is necessary and sufficient for Xist
      spreading during X-chromosome inactivation. We reanalyzed their data and found
      that reported genotypes of mutants are not supported by the sequencing data.
      These inconsistencies preclude assessment of the role of LBR in Xist spreading.

PMID- 28619889
TI  - News at a glance.

PMID- 28619888
TI  - Response to Comment on "Xist recruits the X chromosome to the nuclear lamina to
      enable chromosome-wide silencing".
AB  - Wang et al question whether Lamin B receptor is required for Xist-mediated
      silencing because they claim that our cells contain an inversion rather than a
      deletion. We present evidence that these cells contain a proper deletion and that
      the confusion is caused by DNA probes used in the experiment. Accordingly, the
      points raised have no effect on the conclusions in our paper.

PMID- 28619890
TI  - Designers squabble over giant Chinese scope.

PMID- 28619891
TI  - NIH abandons grant cap, offers new help to younger scientists.

PMID- 28619892
TI  - Mini-livers reveal fine details of organ development.

PMID- 28619894
TI  - In a major shift, cancer drugs go 'tissue-agnostic'.

PMID- 28619893
TI  - Spooky action achieved at record distance.

PMID- 28619895
TI  - Supply of promising T cell therapy is strained.

PMID- 28619896
TI  - Chimps in waiting.

PMID- 28619897
TI  - A composite window into human history.

PMID- 28619898
TI  - Growing anisotropic crystals at the nanoscale.

PMID- 28619899
TI  - Glycophorin alleles link to malaria protection.

PMID- 28619900
TI  - Deciphering microglial diversity in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28619901
TI  - Scaling pain threshold with microRNAs.

PMID- 28619902
TI  - Tracking the dynamics of electron expulsion.

PMID- 28619903
TI  - Linking job loss, inequality, mental health, and education.

PMID- 28619904
TI  - There's more to a meal.

PMID- 28619905
TI  - Unlikely allies.

PMID- 28619906
TI  - Invest in insects.

PMID- 28619907
TI  - Chile unprepared for Ph.D. influx.

PMID- 28619908
TI  - NIH's ineffective funding policies.

PMID- 28619910
TI  - Go with the flow in drug manufacturing.

PMID- 28619909
TI  - Food for fungi.

PMID- 28619911
TI  - Bigger and badder.

PMID- 28619912
TI  - Saving earthquakes for the wet season.

PMID- 28619913
TI  - Space calling Earth, on the quantum line.

PMID- 28619914
TI  - Early life stress in depression susceptibility.

PMID- 28619915
TI  - Preparing for the feast during the fast.

PMID- 28619916
TI  - Engaging local stakeholders.

PMID- 28619917
TI  - A site-specific switch for cancer cells.

PMID- 28619918
TI  - Filtering through to what's important.

PMID- 28619919
TI  - Silently taking up the slack.

PMID- 28619920
TI  - Pathogens select for genomic variants.

PMID- 28619921
TI  - Helping a cell to migrate in 3D space.

PMID- 28619922
TI  - Two different combs from a single source.

PMID- 28619923
TI  - Quick eruption after a long bake.

PMID- 28619924
TI  - A detailed look at an electron's exit.

PMID- 28619925
TI  - The vegetation-climate loop.

PMID- 28619927
TI  - Joined-up research brings rewards.

PMID- 28619926
TI  - MicroRNAs in functional and dysfunctional pain.

PMID- 28619928
TI  - An antisensible approach to target KRAS.

PMID- 28619929
TI  - Selecting against cis conformers.

PMID- 28619930
TI  - Finding foreshocks in the damage zone.

PMID- 28619931
TI  - Immune control of hair growth.

PMID- 28619932
TI  - Thinking about what others believe is hard work.

PMID- 28619933
TI  - TET function in development.

PMID- 28619934
TI  - I know what you know.

PMID- 28619935
TI  - Revealing the hidden movers.

PMID- 28619936
TI  - Bipolar light-emitting junctions.

PMID- 28619937
TI  - Satellite-based entanglement distribution over 1200 kilometers.
AB  - Long-distance entanglement distribution is essential for both foundational tests
      of quantum physics and scalable quantum networks. Owing to channel loss, however,
      the previously achieved distance was limited to ~100 kilometers. Here we
      demonstrate satellite-based distribution of entangled photon pairs to two
      locations separated by 1203 kilometers on Earth, through two satellite-to-ground
      downlinks with a summed length varying from 1600 to 2400 kilometers. We observed
      a survival of two-photon entanglement and a violation of Bell inequality by 2.37
      +/- 0.09 under strict Einstein locality conditions. The obtained effective link
      efficiency is orders of magnitude higher than that of the direct bidirectional
      transmission of the two photons through telecommunication fibers.

PMID- 28619939
TI  - Coherent imaging of an attosecond electron wave packet.
AB  - Electrons detached from atoms or molecules by photoionization carry information
      about the quantum state from which they originate, as well as the continuum
      states into which they are released. Generally, the photoelectron momentum
      distribution is composed of a coherent sum of angular momentum components, each
      with an amplitude and phase. Here we show, by using photoionization of neon, that
      a train of attosecond pulses synchronized with an infrared laser field can be
      used to disentangle these angular momentum components. Two-color, two-photon
      ionization via a Stark-shifted intermediate state creates an almost pure f-wave
      with a magnetic quantum number of zero. Interference of the f-wave with a
      spherically symmetric s-wave provides a holographic reference that enables phase
      resolved imaging of the f-wave.

PMID- 28619938
TI  - Kilogram-scale prexasertib monolactate monohydrate synthesis under continuous
      flow CGMP conditions.
AB  - Advances in drug potency and tailored therapeutics are promoting pharmaceutical
      manufacturing to transition from a traditional batch paradigm to more flexible
      continuous processing. Here we report the development of a multistep continuous
      flow CGMP (current good manufacturing practices) process that produced 24
      kilograms of prexasertib monolactate monohydrate suitable for use in human
      clinical trials. Eight continuous unit operations were conducted to produce the
      target at roughly 3 kilograms per day using small continuous reactors,
      extractors, evaporators, crystallizers, and filters in laboratory fume hoods.
      Success was enabled by advances in chemistry, engineering, analytical science,
      process modeling, and equipment design. Substantial technical and business
      drivers were identified, which merited the continuous process. The continuous
      process afforded improved performance and safety relative to batch processes and
      also improved containment of a highly potent compound.

PMID- 28619940
TI  - Rapid cooling and cold storage in a silicic magma reservoir recorded in
      individual crystals.
AB  - Silicic volcanic eruptions pose considerable hazards, yet the processes leading
      to these eruptions remain poorly known. A missing link is knowledge of the
      thermal history of magma feeding such eruptions, which largely controls
      crystallinity and therefore eruptability. We have determined the thermal history
      of individual zircon crystals from an eruption of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New
      Zealand. Results show that although zircons resided in the magmatic system for
      103 to 105 years, they experienced temperatures >650 degrees  to 750 degrees C
      for only years to centuries. This implies near-solidus long-term crystal storage,
      punctuated by rapid heating and cooling. Reconciling these data with existing
      models of magma storage requires considering multiple small intrusions and
      multiple spatial scales, and our approach can help to quantify heat input to and
      output from magma reservoirs.

PMID- 28619941
TI  - Recurring and triggered slow-slip events near the trench at the Nankai Trough
      subduction megathrust.
AB  - The discovery of slow earthquakes has revolutionized the field of earthquake
      seismology. Defining the locations of these events and the conditions that favor
      their occurrence provides important insights into the slip behavior of tectonic
      faults. We report on a family of recurring slow-slip events (SSEs) on the plate
      interface immediately seaward of repeated historical moment magnitude (Mw) 8
      earthquake rupture areas offshore of Japan. The SSEs continue for days to several
      weeks, include both spontaneous and triggered slip, recur every 8 to 15 months,
      and are accompanied by swarms of low-frequency tremors. We can explain the SSEs
      with 1 to 4 centimeters of slip along the megathrust, centered 25 to 35
      kilometers (km) from the trench (4 to 10 km depth). The SSEs accommodate 30 to
      55% of the plate motion, indicating frequent release of accumulated strain near
      the trench.

PMID- 28619942
TI  - Seasonal water storage, stress modulation, and California seismicity.
AB  - Establishing what controls the timing of earthquakes is fundamental to
      understanding the nature of the earthquake cycle and critical to determining time
      dependent earthquake hazard. Seasonal loading provides a natural laboratory to
      explore the crustal response to a quantifiable transient force. In California,
      water storage deforms the crust as snow and water accumulates during the wet
      winter months. We used 9 years of global positioning system (GPS) vertical
      deformation time series to constrain models of monthly hydrospheric loading and
      the resulting stress changes on fault planes of small earthquakes. The seasonal
      loading analysis reveals earthquakes occurring more frequently during stress
      conditions that favor earthquake rupture. We infer that California seismicity
      rates are modestly modulated by natural hydrological loading cycles.

PMID- 28619943
TI  - Increase in predator-prey size ratios throughout the Phanerozoic history of
      marine ecosystems.
AB  - The escalation hypothesis posits that predation by increasingly powerful and
      metabolically active carnivores has been a major driver of metazoan evolution. We
      test a key tenet of this hypothesis by analyzing predatory drill holes in fossil
      marine shells, which provide a ~500-million-year record of individual predator
      prey interactions. We show that drill-hole size is a robust predictor of body
      size among modern drilling predators and that drill-hole size (and thus inferred
      predator size and power) rose substantially from the Ordovician to the Quaternary
      period, whereas the size of drilled prey remained stable. Together, these trends
      indicate a directional increase in predator-prey size ratios. We hypothesize that
      increasing predator-prey size ratios reflect increases in prey abundance, prey
      nutrient content, and predation among predators.

PMID- 28619944
TI  - Early life stress confers lifelong stress susceptibility in mice via ventral
      tegmental area OTX2.
AB  - Early life stress increases risk for depression. Here we establish a "two-hit"
      stress model in mice wherein stress at a specific postnatal period increases
      susceptibility to adult social defeat stress and causes long-lasting
      transcriptional alterations that prime the ventral tegmental area (VTA)-a brain
      reward region-to be in a depression-like state. We identify a role for the
      developmental transcription factor orthodenticle homeobox 2 (Otx2) as an upstream
      mediator of these enduring effects. Transient juvenile-but not adult-knockdown of
      Otx2 in VTA mimics early life stress by increasing stress susceptibility, whereas
      its overexpression reverses the effects of early life stress. This work
      establishes a mechanism by which early life stress encodes lifelong
      susceptibility to stress via long-lasting transcriptional programming in VTA
      mediated by Otx2.

PMID- 28619946
TI  - Controlling guest conformation for efficient purification of butadiene.
AB  - Conventional adsorbents preferentially adsorb the small, high-polarity, and
      unsaturated 1,3-butadiene molecule over the other C4 hydrocarbons from which it
      must be separated. We show from single-crystal x-ray diffraction and
      computational simulation that a hydrophilic metal-organic framework, [Zn2(btm)2],
      where H2btm is bis(5-methyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methane, has quasi-discrete
      pores that can induce conformational changes in the flexible guest molecules,
      weakening 1,3-butadiene adsorption through a large bending energy penalty. In a
      breakthrough operation at ambient temperature and pressure, this guest
      conformation-controlling adsorbent eluted 1,3-butadiene first, then butane,
      butene, and isobutene. Thus, 1,3-butadiene can be efficiently purified (>=99.5%)
      while avoiding high-temperature conditions that can lead to its undesirable
      polymerization.

PMID- 28619947
TI  - Drawing connections.

PMID- 28619945
TI  - Transcriptional activation of RagD GTPase controls mTORC1 and promotes cancer
      growth.
AB  - The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is recruited to the
      lysosome by Rag guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) and regulates anabolic
      pathways in response to nutrients. We found that MiT/TFE transcription factors
      master regulators of lysosomal and melanosomal biogenesis and autophagy-control
      mTORC1 lysosomal recruitment and activity by directly regulating the expression
      of RagD. In mice, this mechanism mediated adaptation to food availability after
      starvation and physical exercise and played an important role in cancer growth.
      Up-regulation of MiT/TFE genes in cells and tissues from patients and murine
      models of renal cell carcinoma, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and melanoma
      triggered RagD-mediated mTORC1 induction, resulting in cell hyperproliferation
      and cancer growth. Thus, this transcriptional regulatory mechanism enables
      cellular adaptation to nutrient availability and supports the energy-demanding
      metabolism of cancer cells.

PMID- 28619948
TI  - Administration of immunobiotic Lactobacillus plantarum delays but does not
      prevent lethal pneumovirus infection in Rag1-/- mice.
AB  - Administration of immunobiotic Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) directly to the
      respiratory mucosa promotes cross-protection against lethal pneumovirus infection
      via B-cell-independent mechanisms. In this study, we examined Lp-mediated cross
      protection in Rag1-/- mice which cannot clear virus from lung tissue. Although Lp
      was initially protective, Rag1-/- mice ultimately succumbed to a delayed lethal
      outcome associated with local production of the proinflammatory cytokines CCL1, 
      2, and -7, granulocyte recruitment, and ongoing virus replication. By contrast,
      CD8null mice, which are fully capable of clearing virus, are protected by Lp with
      no delayed lethal outcome, granulocyte recruitment to the airways, or induction
      of CCL7. Repeated administration of Lp to virus-infected Rag1-/- mice had no
      impact on delayed mortality. Moreover, administration of Lp to the respiratory
      mucosa resulted in no induction of IFN-alpha or -beta in Rag1-/- or wild-type
      mice, and IFN-abR gene deletion had no impact on Lp-mediated protection. Overall,
      our findings indicate that although Lp administered to the respiratory tract has
      substantial impact on lethal virus-induced inflammation in situ, endogenous virus
      clearance mechanisms are needed to promote sustained protection. Our results
      suggest that a larger understanding of the mechanisms and mediators that limit
      acute virus-induced inflammation may yield new and useful therapeutic modalities.

PMID- 28619949
TI  - Expansion and activation of granulocytic, myeloid-derived suppressor cells in
      childhood precursor B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - Precursor B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is a B cell-derived,
      malignant disorder with the highest incidence among children. In addition to the
      genetic abnormality, a dysregulated immune system also has an important role in
      the pathogenesis of B-ALL. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) represent one
      of the key drivers in immune tolerance against tumor cells, including various
      solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. The role of MDSCs in B-ALL remains
      poorly understood. Here, we showed that the granulocytic (G)-MDSC population was
      significantly elevated in both the peripheral blood and BM of patients with B
      ALL, when compared with age-matched healthy controls. G-MDSCs levels correlated
      positively with clinical therapeutic responses and B-ALL disease prognostic
      markers, including minimal residual disease, and the frequencies of CD20+ and
      blast cells. The immunosuppressive function of B-ALL-derived G-MDSCs was mediated
      through the production of reactive oxygen species and required direct cell-cell
      contact, with the potential participation of STAT3 signaling. Overall, the
      results of our study support accumulation and activation of G-MDSCs as a novel
      mechanism of immune evasion of tumor cells in patients with B-ALL and may be a
      new therapeutic target.

PMID- 28619950
TI  - How neutrophils resist shear stress at blood vessel walls: molecular mechanisms,
      subcellular structures, and cell-cell interactions.
AB  - Neutrophils are the first cells arriving at sites of tissue injury or infection
      to combat invading pathogens. Successful neutrophil recruitment to sites of
      inflammation highly depends on specific molecular mechanisms, fine-tuning the
      received information into signaling pathways and converting them into well
      described recruitment steps. This review highlights the impact of vascular flow
      conditions on neutrophil recruitment and the multitude of mechanisms developed to
      enable this sophisticated process under wall shear stress conditions. The
      recruitment process underlies a complex interplay between adhesion and signaling
      molecules, as well as chemokines, in which neutrophils developed specific
      mechanisms to travel to sites of lesion in low and high shear stress conditions.
      Rolling, as the first step in the recruitment process, highly depends on
      endothelial selectins and their ligands on neutrophils, inducting of
      intracellular signaling and subsequently activating beta2 integrins, enabling
      adhesion and postadhesion events. In addition, subcellular structures, such as
      microvilli, tethers, and slings allow the cell to arrest, even under high wall
      shear stress. Thereby, microvilli that are pulled out from the cell body form
      tethers that develop into slings upon their detachment from the substrate. In
      addition to the above-described primary capture, secondary capture of neutrophils
      via neutrophil-neutrophil or neutrophil-platelet interaction promotes the process
      of neutrophil recruitment to sites of lesion. Thus, precise mechanisms based on a
      complex molecular interplay, subcellular structures, and cell-cell interactions
      turn the delicate process of neutrophil trafficking during flow into a robust
      response allowing effective neutrophil accumulation at sites of injury.

PMID- 28619953
TI  - Solar ultraviolet B exposure and global variation in tuberculosis incidence: an
      ecological analysis.
AB  - Epidemiological evidence supports vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for
      tuberculosis. Differences in solar ultraviolet B (UV-B) exposure, the major
      source of vitamin D, might therefore partially explain global variation in
      tuberculosis incidence.In a global country-based ecological study, we explored
      the correlation between vitamin D-proxies, such as solar UV-B exposure, and other
      relevant variables with tuberculosis incidence, averaged over the period 2004
      2013.Across 154 countries, annual solar UV-B exposure was associated with
      tuberculosis incidence. Tuberculosis incidence in countries in the highest
      quartile of UV-B exposure was 78% (95% CI 57-88%, p<0.001) lower than that in
      countries in the lowest quartile, taking into account other vitamin D-proxies and
      covariates. Of the explained global variation in tuberculosis incidence, 6.3%
      could be attributed to variations in annual UV-B exposure. Exposure to UV-B had a
      similar, but weaker association with tuberculosis notification rates in the
      multilevel analysis with sub-national level data for large countries (highest
      versus lowest quartile 29% lower incidence; p=0.057).The potential preventive
      applications of vitamin D supplementation in high-risk groups for tuberculosis
      merits further investigation.

PMID- 28619952
TI  - Cardiometabolic correlates of sleep disordered breathing in Andean highlanders.
AB  - Associations between sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and cardiometabolic
      outcomes have not been examined in highlanders.We performed nocturnal polygraphy
      in Peruvian highlanders (3825 m). Multivariable linear regression models examined
      associations between SDB metrics and haemoglobin, glucose tolerance (haemoglobin
      A1c (HbA1c)), fasting glucose, homeostatic model-based assessments of insulin
      resistance and beta-cell function (HOMA-IR and HOMA-beta, respectively), blood
      pressure, and lipids, while adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and
      wake oxygenation.Participants (n=187; 91 men) were (median (interquartile range))
      52 (45-62) years old, and had a BMI of 27.0 (24.3-29.5) kg.m-2 and 87% (85-88%)
      oxyhaemoglobin (arterial oxygen) saturation during wakefulness. In fully adjusted
      models, worsening nocturnal hypoxaemia was associated with haemoglobin elevations
      in men (p=0.03), independent of wake oxygenation and apnoea-hypopnoea index
      (AHI), whereas worsening wake oxygenation was associated with haemoglobin
      elevations in older women (p=0.02). In contrast, AHI was independently associated
      with HbA1c elevations (p<0.05). In single-variable models, nocturnal hypoxaemia
      was associated with higher HbA1c, HOMA-IR and HOMA-beta (p<0.001, p=0.02 and
      p=0.04, respectively), whereas AHI was associated with HOMA-IR, systolic blood
      pressure and triglyceride elevations (p=0.02, p=0.01 and p<0.01, respectively).
      These associations were not significant in fully adjusted models.In highlanders,
      nocturnal hypoxaemia and sleep apnoea were associated with distinct
      cardiometabolic outcomes, conferring differential risk for excessive
      erythrocytosis and glucose intolerance, respectively.

PMID- 28619954
TI  - A novel immune biomarker IFI27 discriminates between influenza and bacteria in
      patients with suspected respiratory infection.
AB  - Host response biomarkers can accurately distinguish between influenza and
      bacterial infection. However, published biomarkers require the measurement of
      many genes, thereby making it difficult to implement them in clinical practice.
      This study aims to identify a single-gene biomarker with a high diagnostic
      accuracy equivalent to multi-gene biomarkers.In this study, we combined an
      integrated genomic analysis of 1071 individuals with in vitro experiments using
      well-established infection models.We identified a single-gene biomarker, IFI27,
      which had a high prediction accuracy (91%) equivalent to that obtained by multi
      gene biomarkers. In vitro studies showed that IFI27 was upregulated by TLR7 in
      plasmacytoid dendritic cells, antigen-presenting cells that responded to
      influenza virus rather than bacteria. In vivo studies confirmed that IFI27 was
      expressed in influenza patients but not in bacterial infection, as demonstrated
      in multiple patient cohorts (n=521). In a large prospective study (n=439) of
      patients presented with undifferentiated respiratory illness (aetiologies
      included viral, bacterial and non-infectious conditions), IFI27 displayed 88%
      diagnostic accuracy (AUC) and 90% specificity in discriminating between influenza
      and bacterial infections.IFI27 represents a significant step forward in
      overcoming a translational barrier in applying genomic assay in clinical setting;
      its implementation may improve the diagnosis and management of respiratory
      infection.

PMID- 28619955
TI  - Pulmonary artery to aorta ratio and risk of all-cause mortality in the general
      population: the Rotterdam Study.
AB  - A pulmonary artery to aorta ratio (PA:A) >1 is a proxy of pulmonary hypertension.
      It is not known whether this measure carries prognostic information in the
      general population and in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD).Between 2003 and 2006, 2197 participants from the population-based
      Rotterdam Study (mean+/-sd age 69.7+/-6.7 years; 51.3% female), underwent cardiac
      computed tomography (CT) scanning with PA:A quantification, defined as the ratio
      between the diameters of the pulmonary artery and the aorta. COPD was diagnosed
      based on spirometry or clinical presentation and obstructive lung function
      measured by a treating physician. Cox regression was used to investigate the risk
      of mortality.We observed no association between 1-sd increase of PA:A and
      mortality in the general population. Larger PA:A was associated with an increased
      risk of mortality in individuals with COPD, particularly in moderate-to-severe
      COPD (hazard ratio 1.36, 95% CI 1.03-1.79). We demonstrated that the risk of
      mortality in COPD was driven by severe COPD, and that this risk increased with
      decreasing diffusing capacity.Larger PA:A is not associated with mortality in an
      older general population, but is an independent determinant of mortality in
      moderate-to-severe COPD. Measuring PA:A in CT scans obtained for other
      indications may yield important prognostic information in individuals with COPD.

PMID- 28619956
TI  - A longitudinal modelling study estimates acute symptoms of community acquired
      pneumonia recover to baseline by 10 days.
AB  - Our aims were to address three fundamental questions relating to the symptoms of
      community-acquired pneumonia (CAP): Do patients completely recover from pneumonia
      symptoms? How long does this recovery take? Which factors influence symptomatic
      recovery?We prospectively recruited patients at two hospitals in Liverpool, UK,
      into a longitudinal, observational cohort study and modelled symptom recovery
      from CAP. We excluded patients with cancer, immunosuppression or advanced
      dementia, and those who were intubated or palliated from admission. We derived a
      statistical model to describe symptom patterns.We recruited 169 (52% male)
      adults. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the time taken to recover to
      baseline was determined by the initial severity of symptoms. Severity of symptoms
      was associated with comorbidity and was inversely related to age. The pattern of
      symptom recovery was exponential and most patients' symptoms returned to baseline
      by 10 days.These results will inform the advice given to patients regarding the
      resolution of their symptoms. The recovery model described here will facilitate
      the use of symptom recovery as an outcome measure in future clinical trials.

PMID- 28619957
TI  - Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis complicating sarcoidosis.
AB  - Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) complicating sarcoidosis (SA) is associated
      with high mortality, and there is a lack of clarity regarding the relative
      contributions of SA or CPA.This was a retrospective single-centre study on CPA
      SA.In total, 65 patients (44 men), aged 41.4+/-13.5 and 48.3+/-11.9 years at the
      time of SA and CPA diagnoses, respectively, were included between 1980 and 2015.
      Of these, 64 had fibrocystic SA, most often advanced, with composite
      physiological index (CPI) >40 (65% of patients) and pulmonary hypertension (PH)
      (31%), and 41 patients (63%) were treated for SA (corticosteroids or
      immunosuppressive drugs). Chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis (CCPA) was the
      most frequent CPA pattern. Regarding treatment, 55 patients required long-term
      antifungals, 14 interventional radiology, 11 resection surgery and two
      transplantation. Nearly half of the patients (27; 41.5%) died (mean age 55.8
      years); 73% of the patients achieved 5-year survival and 61% 10-year survival.
      Death most often resulted from advanced SA and rarely from haemoptysis. CPI,
      fibrosis extent and PH predicted survival. Comparison with paired healthy
      controls without CPA did not show any difference in survival, but a higher
      percentage of patients had high-risk mould exposure.CPA occurs in advanced
      pulmonary SA. CPA-SA is associated with high mortality due to the underlying
      advanced SA rather than to the CPA. CPI, fibrosis extent and PH best predict
      outcome.

PMID- 28619958
TI  - Monocytes inhibit NK activity via TGF-beta in patients with obstructive sleep
      apnoea.
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with cancer incidence and mortality.
      The contribution of the immune system appears to be crucial; however, the
      potential role of monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells remains
      unclear.Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR, flow cytometry and in vitro
      assays were used to analyse the phenotype and immune response activity in 92
      patients with OSA (60 recently diagnosed untreated patients and 32 patients after
      6 months of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)) and 29
      healthy volunteers (HV).We determined that monocytes in patients with OSA exhibit
      an immunosuppressive phenotype, including surface expression of glycoprotein-A
      repetitions predominant protein (GARP) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF
      beta), in contrast to those from the HV and CPAP groups. High levels of TGF-beta
      were detected in OSA sera. TGF-beta release by GARP+ monocytes impaired NK
      cytotoxicity and maturation. This altered phenotype correlated with the hypoxic
      severity clinical score (CT90). Reoxygenation eventually restored the altered
      phenotypes and cytotoxicity.This study demonstrates that GARP+ monocytes from
      untreated patients with OSA have an NK-suppressing role through their release of
      TGF-beta. Our findings show that monocyte plasticity immunomodulates NK activity
      in this pathology, suggesting a potential role in cancer incidence.

PMID- 28619959
TI  - Defining asthma and assessing asthma outcomes using electronic health record
      data: a systematic scoping review.
AB  - There is currently no consensus on approaches to defining asthma or assessing
      asthma outcomes using electronic health record-derived data. We explored these
      approaches in the recent literature and examined the clarity of reporting.We
      systematically searched for asthma-related articles published between January 1,
      2014 and December 31, 2015, extracted the algorithms used to identify asthma
      patients and assess severity, control and exacerbations, and examined how the
      validity of these outcomes was justified.From 113 eligible articles, we found
      significant heterogeneity in the algorithms used to define asthma (n=66 different
      algorithms), severity (n=18), control (n=9) and exacerbations (n=24). For the
      majority of algorithms (n=106), validity was not justified. In the remaining
      cases, approaches ranged from using algorithms validated in the same databases to
      using nonvalidated algorithms that were based on clinical judgement or clinical
      guidelines. The implementation of these algorithms was suboptimally described
      overall.Although electronic health record-derived data are now widely used to
      study asthma, the approaches being used are significantly varied and are often
      underdescribed, rendering it difficult to assess the validity of studies and
      compare their findings. Given the substantial growth in this body of literature,
      it is crucial that scientific consensus is reached on the underlying definitions
      and algorithms.

PMID- 28619960
TI  - Airway inflammation and inhaled corticosteroids in COPD.

PMID- 28619961
TI  - Recovery from community acquired pneumonia: the view from the top of the iceberg.

PMID- 28619962
TI  - Sarcoidosis and aspergillosis: a tough combination.

PMID- 28619963
TI  - In Rotterdam, size really does matter: implications of pulmonary artery
      enlargement on mortality.

PMID- 28619964
TI  - Airway inflammation in COPD after long-term withdrawal of inhaled
      corticosteroids.

PMID- 28619965
TI  - Host transcriptomics for diagnosis of infectious diseases: one step closer to
      clinical application.

PMID- 28619966
TI  - The Art of Breathing: Kiai.

PMID- 28619967
TI  - A Four-Factor Immunoscore System That Predicts Clinical Outcome for Stage II/III
      Gastric Cancer.
AB  - The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system is insufficiently
      prognostic for operable gastric cancer patients; therefore, complementary factors
      are under intense investigation. Although the focus is on immune markers, the
      prognostic impact of a single immune factor is minimal, due to complex antitumor
      immune responses. A more comprehensive evaluation may engender more accurate
      predictions. We analyzed immune factors by immunohistochemical staining in two
      independent cohorts. The association with patients' survival was analyzed by the
      Kaplan-Meier method. Our immunoscore system was constructed using Cox
      proportional hazard analysis. PD-L1+ immune cells (IC), PD-L1+ tumor cells (TC),
      PD-1hi, and CD8More were found among 33.33%, 31.37%, 33.33%, and 49%,
      respectively, of patients from the discovery cohort, and 41.74%, 17.4%, 38.26%,
      and 30.43% from the validation cohort. PD-L1+ ICs and PD-1hi ICs correlated with
      poorer overall survival (OS), but PD-L1+ TCs correlated with better OS and
      clinical outcomes and infiltration of more CD8+ T cells. These four factors were
      independently prognostic after tumor/lymph nodes/metastasis (TNM) stage
      adjustment. An immunoscore system based on hazard ratios of the four factors
      further separated gastric cancer patients with similar TNM staging into low-,
      medium-, or high-risk groups, with significantly different survival. Our
      prognostic model yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic
      curve (AUC) of 0.856 for prediction of mortality at 5 years, superior to that of
      TNM staging (AUC of 0.676). Thus, this more comprehensive immunoscore system can
      provide more accurate prognoses and is an essential complement to the AJCC
      staging system for operable gastric cancer patients. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(7);
      524-34. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619969
TI  - Tension enterothorax and hepatothorax due to a diaphragmatic hernia: successful
      emergency repair of a life-threatening condition.
AB  - A 70-year-old female patient presented with acute severe respiratory distress at
      a district general hospital. Medical history included type 2 diabetes, recurrent
      pulmonary embolisms and pre-existing diaphragmatic hernia containing part of the
      liver. Despite initial treatment with steroid inhalers, her clinical picture
      rapidly deteriorated requiring emergency intubation and positive pressure
      ventilation. Imaging investigations revealed tension enterothorax and
      hepatothorax with tracheal deviation. The patient was transferred and underwent
      an emergency laparotomy at the Regional Oesophagogastric Unit. A large
      diaphragmatic hernia (central tendon defect) which contained the duodenum, porta
      hepatis, right lobe of liver, gallbladder and right colon was reduced and
      successfully repaired. Her postoperative course was uneventful with no signs of
      recurrence at 2 months follow-up.This case describes an extremely rare and life
      threatening condition of tension enterothorax and hepatothorax, which should be
      considered in the differential diagnosis of acute respiratory distress with
      tracheal deviation.

PMID- 28619968
TI  - Breast Cancer Neoantigens Can Induce CD8+ T-Cell Responses and Antitumor
      Immunity.
AB  - Next-generation sequencing technologies have provided insights into the biology
      and mutational landscape of cancer. Here, we evaluate the relevance of cancer
      neoantigens in human breast cancers. Using patient-derived xenografts from three
      patients with advanced breast cancer (xenografts were designated as WHIM30,
      WHIM35, and WHIM37), we sequenced exomes of tumor and patient-matched normal
      cells. We identified 2,091 (WHIM30), 354 (WHIM35), and 235 (WHIM37) nonsynonymous
      somatic mutations. A computational analysis identified and prioritized HLA class
      I-restricted candidate neoantigens expressed in the dominant tumor clone. Each
      candidate neoantigen was evaluated using peptide-binding assays, T-cell cultures
      that measure the ability of CD8+ T cells to recognize candidate neoantigens, and
      preclinical models in which we measured antitumor immunity. Our results
      demonstrate that breast cancer neoantigens can be recognized by the immune
      system, and that human CD8+ T cells enriched for prioritized breast cancer
      neoantigens were able to protect mice from tumor challenge with autologous
      patient-derived xenografts. We conclude that next-generation sequencing and
      epitope-prediction strategies can identify and prioritize candidate neoantigens
      for immune targeting in breast cancer. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(7); 516-23. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28619970
TI  - Large bladder calculus masking a stone in single-system ureterocele.
AB  - Ureterocele in an elderly is a rare entity. The presence of stone within
      ureterocele along with a large bladder calculus is an even rarer presentation.
      This phenomenon has not been reported so far to the best of our knowledge. We
      present an unusual case of a large bladder calculus with a concomitant stone in
      the associated ureterocele. The diagnosis was missed in the first instance due to
      the masking effect by the larger bladder calculus. Herein, we discuss this case
      and its management.

PMID- 28619971
TI  - McSwain type V appendix intussusception.

PMID- 28619972
TI  - Staged curative treatment of a complex direct carotid-cavernous fistula with a
      large arterial defect and an 'oversized' internal carotid artery.
AB  - This is a case of a high-flow, post-traumatic direct carotid-cavernous fistula
      with a widened arterial defect and a large-diameter internal carotid artery
      (ICA). The unique aspect of this case is the oversized ICA, >8mm in diameter,
      which is both a pathological and a therapeutic challenge, given the lack of
      available neuroendovascular devices for full vessel reconstruction. We present a
      planned two-stage embolisation paradigm for definitive treatment. Transarterial
      coil embolisation is performed as the first stage to disconnect the fistula and
      normalise flow in the ICA. A 3-month recovery period is then allowed for
      reduction in carotid diameter. Repair of the large vessel defect and
      pseudoaneurysm is performed as a second stage in a delayed fashion with a flow
      diverting device. Follow-up angiography at 6 months demonstrates obliteration of
      the fistula and curative ICA reconstruction to a diameter <5mm.

PMID- 28619973
TI  - Marjolin's squamous cell carcinoma of the hallux following recurrent ingrown
      toenail infections.
AB  - Marjolin's squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) affecting the toe is rare. Due to
      resemblance with benign conditions it can often result in misdiagnosis. We report
      a case of Marjolin's SCC affecting the proximal hallux in a patient with
      recurrent ingrown toenail infections. A 58-year-old woman with a background of
      wedge resections for ingrown toenail and distal phalanx amputation for
      osteomyelitis presented with pain and hyperkeratotic raised ulcer around the
      proximal phalanx. MRI scan revealed soft tissue mass infiltrating the proximal
      phalanx with biopsies confirming a SCC. The patient underwent first ray
      amputation and made a good clinical recovery and remains disease free. Due to
      clinical similarities with benign conditions, awareness of Marjolin's SCC as a
      potential diagnosis when treating patients with recurrent ingrown toenail is
      imperative. We recommend patients with recurrent ingrown toenail or ulceration
      with a background of chronic infection have biopsies performed to exclude
      potential malignancy.

PMID- 28619974
TI  - Twenty-nine-month follow-up of a paediatric zirconia dental crown.
AB  - The aim of this paper is to present the long-term follow-up of one paediatric
      zirconia crown on a deciduous molar. Preformed crowns are part of the
      armamentarium in paediatric dentistry. In recent years, aesthetic alternatives to
      preformed metal crowns have been developed, first preveneered crowns and then
      zirconia crowns. This paper describes the restoration of a primary molar with a
      zirconia crown (EZ-Pedo, Loomis, California, USA) in an 8-year-old boy. In this
      clinical case, the protocol for the implementation and maintenance of zirconia
      crowns is detailed. The patient was followed up for 29 months until the natural
      exfoliation of his primary molar. The adaptation of the zirconia crown, the
      gingival health and the wear on the opposing tooth were considered. In this case,
      the paediatric zirconia crown allowed sustainable functional restoration while
      restoring a natural appearance of the tooth.

PMID- 28619975
TI  - Antibiotic-associated haemorrhagic colitis: not always Clostridium difficile.
AB  - Antibiotic-associated colitis is a gastrointestinal complication of antibiotic
      use commonly seen in hospitalised patients, with Clostridium difficile (C.
      difficile) colitis being the most common type. We present a case of haemorrhagic
      colitis secondary to Klebsiella oxytoca following self-initiated amoxicillin
      clavulanic acid use. An 85-year-old woman presented to the emergency department
      with abdominal pain and mucobloody diarrhoea. History was notable for an ongoing
      5-day course of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid use. The CT scan of her abdomen
      revealed extensive diffuse thickening of the ascending and transverse colon.
      Stool culture grew K. oxytoca, an established cause of haemorrhagic colitis. She
      declined colonoscopy but recovered with withdrawal of all antibiotics and
      conservative treatment. We should be vigilant to haemorrhagic colitis following
      antibiotic use which is not always C. difficile related.

PMID- 28619976
TI  - Vesical dermoid: a rare bladder tumour.
AB  - Dermoid cysts are benign developmental lesions consisting of tissues of more than
      one germ cell lineage origin. The urinary bladder is a very rare location of
      dermoid cysts. We report a case of an 18-year-old woman who presented with
      suprapubic pain, dysuria and turbid urine. Blood and serum chemistry was normal.
      Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a heterogeneously enhancing mass of 2.5*2 cm within
      the urinary bladder infiltrating fundus of urinary bladder with extraluminal
      extension. At cystoscopy, an irregular mass arising from the dome of the urinary
      bladder with a covering of hair and whitish scales was seen. The patient was
      managed by transperitoneal laparoscopic partial cystectomy with left
      oophorectomy. Histology revealed dermoid cyst arising from the urinary bladder
      and simple serous cyst in the ovary. Postoperative course was uneventful.

PMID- 28619977
TI  - Infectious crystalline keratopathy after Descemeta?TMs stripping endothelial
      keratoplasty.
AB  - A 68-year-old woman presented with infectious crystalline keratopathy 4 months
      after she underwent a combined phacoemulsification and Descemet's stripping
      endothelial keratoplasty for Fuch's endothelial dystrophy in her left eye. After
      5 months of topical moxifloxacin 1%, the infiltrate responded well but had not
      completely resolved, with the resulting endothelial failure requiring a
      penetrating keratoplasty 9 months after the initial operation. Microbiology
      identified Enterococcus faecalis with the histopathology demonstrating bacterial
      colonies within the graft interface. Postoperatively she developed
      endophthalmitis, needing vitrectomy and intravitreal antibiotics. The infection
      settled with no recurrence, with topical and oral antibiotics continued for 2
      months. A sutured toric piggyback intraocular lens was performed 18 months
      postvitrectomy for graft astigmatism, achieving a best-corrected vision of
      6/15.Infectious crystalline keratopathy can occur following Descemet's stripping
      endothelial keratoplasty, requiring long-term topical therapy and potentially
      leading to graft failure with the necessity for further keratoplasty.

PMID- 28619978
TI  - Rheumatoid arthritis causing diffuse alveolar haemorrhage: a novel therapeutic
      approach.
AB  - Pulmonary vascular involvement due to rheumatoid arthritis, presenting as diffuse
      alveolar haemorrhage (DAH), is a rare phenomenon, especially if there are no
      signs of systemic vasculitides. Furthermore, how to proceed with the management
      of these patients is challenging, as in the case of our patient, who had
      recurrent DAH. We present a case of a patient with known rheumatoid arthritis who
      had recurrence of DAH that spanned over several years, often presenting with life
      threatening respiratory failure. While her DAH presentation improved with high
      dose glucocorticoids, to resolve her recurrence, we opted to initiate treatment
      with rituximab, with a short course of azathioprine. After the second round of
      rituximab, the patient continues to do well without any further DAH-related
      complications. We also summarise prior cases of such patients to highlight
      variable treatment options.

PMID- 28619979
TI  - Modeling Cancer Mutations in 3-D.
AB  - Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have launched COSMIC-3D, a
      tool that allows scientists to explore how cancer mutations affect the structure
      and function of more than 8,000 human proteins. They hope COSMIC-3D, which is
      freely available on the web, will facilitate the design of new cancer drugs.

PMID- 28619980
TI  - Pan-Cancer Analysis Pinpoints Targets in PI3K Pathway.
AB  - A new study of all 32 cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas identifies genomic
      alterations that increase the activity of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. The study,
      which combines mutation data with measures of protein levels and phosphorylation
      status, suggests that mutations in IDH1, VHL, and STK11 promote activation of the
      pathway and may point to new drug targets.

PMID- 28619983
TI  - Failure to replicate thrombomodulin genetic variant predictors of venous
      thromboembolism in African Americans.

PMID- 28619981
TI  - Ibrutinib Unmasks Critical Role of Bruton Tyrosine Kinase in Primary CNS
      Lymphoma.
AB  - Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) links the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) and Toll
      like receptors with NF-kappaB. The role of BTK in primary central nervous system
      (CNS) lymphoma (PCNSL) is unknown. We performed a phase I clinical trial with
      ibrutinib, the first-in-class BTK inhibitor, for patients with relapsed or
      refractory CNS lymphoma. Clinical responses to ibrutinib occurred in 10 of 13
      (77%) patients with PCNSL, including five complete responses. The only PCNSL with
      complete ibrutinib resistance harbored a mutation within the coiled-coil domain
      of CARD11, a known ibrutinib resistance mechanism. Incomplete tumor responses
      were associated with mutations in the B-cell antigen receptor-associated protein
      CD79B. CD79B-mutant PCNSLs showed enrichment of mammalian target of rapamycin
      (mTOR)-related gene sets and increased staining with PI3K/mTOR activation
      markers. Inhibition of the PI3K isoforms p110alpha/p110delta or mTOR synergized
      with ibrutinib to induce cell death in CD79B-mutant PCNSL cells.Significance:
      Ibrutinib has substantial activity in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell
      lymphoma of the CNS. Response rates in PCNSL were considerably higher than
      reported for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma outside the CNS, suggesting a
      divergent molecular pathogenesis. Combined inhibition of BTK and PI3K/mTOR may
      augment the ibrutinib response in CD79B-mutant human PCNSLs. Cancer Discov; 7(9);
      1018-29. (c)2017 AACR.See related commentary by Lakshmanan and Byrd, p. 940This
      article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 920.

PMID- 28619982
TI  - JAK1/2 and BCL2 inhibitors synergize to counteract bone marrow stromal cell
      induced protection of AML.
AB  - The bone marrow (BM) provides a protective microenvironment to support the
      survival of leukemic cells and influence their response to therapeutic agents. In
      acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the high rate of relapse may in part be a result of
      the inability of current treatment to effectively overcome the protective
      influence of the BM niche. To better understand the effect of the BM
      microenvironment on drug responses in AML, we conducted a comprehensive
      evaluation of 304 inhibitors, including approved and investigational agents,
      comparing ex vivo responses of primary AML cells in BM stroma-derived and
      standard culture conditions. In the stroma-based conditions, the AML patient
      cells exhibited significantly reduced sensitivity to 12% of the tested compounds,
      including topoisomerase II, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma 2
      (BCL2), and many tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The loss of TKI sensitivity
      was most pronounced in patient samples harboring FLT3 or PDGFRB alterations. In
      contrast, the stroma-derived conditions enhanced sensitivity to Janus kinase
      (JAK) inhibitors. Increased cell viability and resistance to specific drug
      classes in the BM stroma-derived conditions was a result of activation of
      alternative signaling pathways mediated by factors secreted by BM stromal cells
      and involved a switch from BCL2 to BCLXL-dependent cell survival. Moreover, the
      JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib restored sensitivity to the BCL2 inhibitor
      venetoclax in AML patient cells ex vivo in different model systems and in vivo in
      an AML xenograft mouse model. These findings highlight the potential of JAK
      inhibitors to counteract stroma-induced resistance to BCL2 inhibitors in AML.

PMID- 28619984
TI  - Mitochondrial Integrity and Function in the Progression of Early Pressure
      Overload-Induced Left Ventricular Remodeling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Following pressure overload, compensatory concentric left ventricular
      remodeling (CR) variably transitions to eccentric remodeling (ER) and systolic
      dysfunction. Mechanisms responsible for this transition are incompletely
      understood. Here we leverage phenotypic variability in pressure overload-induced
      cardiac remodeling to test the hypothesis that altered mitochondrial homeostasis
      and calcium handling occur early in the transition from CR to ER, before overt
      systolic dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to
      ascending aortic banding, (n=68) or sham procedure (n=5). At 3 weeks post
      ascending aortic banding, all rats showed CR (left ventricular volumes < sham).
      At 8 weeks post-ascending aortic banding, ejection fraction was increased or
      preserved but 3 geometric phenotypes were evident despite similar pressure
      overload severity: persistent CR, mild ER, and moderate ER with left ventricular
      volumes lower than, similar to, and higher than sham, respectively. Relative to
      sham, CR and mild ER phenotypes displayed increased phospholamban, S16
      phosphorylation, reduced sodium-calcium exchanger expression, and increased
      mitochondrial biogenesis/content and normal oxidative capacity, whereas moderate
      ER phenotype displayed decreased p-phospholamban, S16, increased sodium-calcium
      exchanger expression, similar degree of mitochondrial biogenesis/content, and
      impaired oxidative capacity with unique activation of mitochondrial autophagy and
      apoptosis markers (BNIP3 and Bax/Bcl-2). CONCLUSIONS: After pressure overload,
      mitochondrial biogenesis and function and calcium handling are enhanced in
      compensatory CR. The transition to mild ER is associated with decrease in
      mitochondrial biogenesis and content; however, the progression to moderate ER is
      associated with enhanced mitochondrial autophagy/apoptosis and impaired
      mitochondrial function and calcium handling, which precede the onset of overt
      systolic dysfunction.

PMID- 28619985
TI  - Long-Term Improvements After Multimodal Rehabilitation in Late Phase After
      Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Treatments that improve function in late phase after
      stroke are urgently needed. We assessed whether multimodal interventions based on
      rhythm-and-music therapy or horse-riding therapy could lead to increased
      perceived recovery and functional improvement in a mixed population of
      individuals in late phase after stroke. METHODS: Participants were assigned to
      rhythm-and-music therapy, horse-riding therapy, or control using concealed
      randomization, stratified with respect to sex and stroke laterality. Therapy was
      given twice a week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in participants'
      perception of stroke recovery as assessed by the Stroke Impact Scale with an
      intention-to-treat analysis. Secondary objective outcome measures were changes in
      balance, gait, grip strength, and cognition. Blinded assessments were performed
      at baseline, postintervention, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: One
      hundred twenty-three participants were assigned to rhythm-and-music therapy
      (n=41), horse-riding therapy (n=41), or control (n=41). Post-intervention, the
      perception of stroke recovery (mean change from baseline on a scale ranging from
      1 to 100) was higher among rhythm-and-music therapy (5.2 [95% confidence
      interval, 0.79-9.61]) and horse-riding therapy participants (9.8 [95% confidence
      interval, 6.00-13.66]), compared with controls (-0.5 [-3.20 to 2.28]); P=0.001 (1
      way ANOVA). The improvements were sustained in both intervention groups 6 months
      later, and corresponding gains were observed for the secondary outcomes.
      CONCLUSIONS: Multimodal interventions can improve long-term perception of
      recovery, as well as balance, gait, grip strength, and working memory in a mixed
      population of individuals in late phase after stroke. CLINICAL TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: URL: http//www.ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01372059.

PMID- 28619986
TI  - Contribution of Established Stroke Risk Factors to the Burden of Stroke in Young
      Adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: As stroke in young adults is assumed to have different
      etiologies and risk factors than in older populations, the aim of this study was
      to examine the contribution of established potentially modifiable cardiovascular
      risk factors to the burden of stroke in young adults. METHODS: A German
      nationwide case-control study based on patients enrolled in the SIFAP1 study
      (Stroke In Young Fabry Patients) 2007 to 2010 and controls from the population
      based GEDA study (German Health Update) 2009 to 2010 was performed. Cases were
      2125 consecutive patients aged 18 to 55 years with acute first-ever stroke from
      26 clinical stroke centers; controls (age- and sex-matched, n=8500, without
      previous stroke) were from a nationwide community sample. Adjusted population
      attributable risks of 8 risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes
      mellitus, coronary heart disease, smoking, heavy episodic alcohol consumption,
      low physical activity, and obesity) and their combinations for all stroke,
      ischemic stroke, and primary intracerebral hemorrhage were calculated. RESULTS:
      Low physical activity and hypertension were the most important risk factors,
      accounting for 59.7% (95% confidence interval, 56.3-63.2) and 27.1% (95%
      confidence interval, 23.6-30.6) of all strokes, respectively. All 8 risk factors
      combined explained 78.9% (95% confidence interval, 76.3-81.4) of all strokes.
      Population-attributable risks of all risk factors were similar for all ischemic
      stroke subtypes. Population-attributable risks of most risk factors were higher
      in older age groups and in men. CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable risk factors previously
      established in older populations also account for a large part of stroke in
      younger adults, with 4 risk factors explaining almost 80% of stroke risk.
      CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique
      identifier: NCT00414583.

PMID- 28619987
TI  - Letter by Iguchi and Nango Regarding Article, "Pioglitazone for Secondary Stroke
      Prevention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis".

PMID- 28619988
TI  - Another Enchantment From ENCHANTED (Enhanced Control of Hypertension and
      Thrombolysis Stroke Study): Are Savings and Safety More Salutary Than Efficacy?

PMID- 28619990
TI  - Response by Lee et al to Letter Regarding Article, "Pioglitazone for Secondary
      Stroke Prevention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis".

PMID- 28619989
TI  - Low- Versus Standard-Dose Alteplase in Patients on Prior Antiplatelet Therapy:
      The ENCHANTED Trial (Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombolysis Stroke
      Study).
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Many patients receiving thrombolysis for acute ischemic
      stroke are on prior antiplatelet therapy (APT), which may increase symptomatic
      intracerebral hemorrhage risk. In a prespecified subgroup analysis, we report
      comparative effects of different doses of intravenous alteplase according to
      prior APT use among participants of the international multicenter ENCHANTED study
      (Enhanced Control of Hypertension and Thrombolysis Stroke Study). METHODS: Among
      3285 alteplase-treated patients (mean age, 66.6 years; 38% women) randomly
      assigned to low-dose (0.6 mg/kg) or standard-dose (0.9 mg/kg) intravenous
      alteplase within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, 752 (22.9%) reported prior APT use.
      Primary outcome at 90 days was the combined end point of death or disability
      (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] scores, 2-6). Other outcomes included mRS scores 3
      to 6, ordinal mRS shift, and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage by various
      standard criteria. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in outcome
      between patients with and without prior APT after adjustment for baseline
      characteristics and management factors during the first week; defined by mRS
      scores 2 to 6 (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81
      1.26; P=0.953), 3 to 6 (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.75-1.20; P=0.662), or ordinal mRS
      shift (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.87-1.21; P=0.770). Alteplase-treated patients on prior
      APT had higher symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.00-3.30;
      P=0.051) according to the safe implementation of thrombolysis in stroke
      monitoring study definition. Although not significant (P-trend, 0.053), low-dose
      alteplase tended to have better outcomes than standard-dose alteplase in those on
      prior APT compared with those not using APT (mRS scores of 2-6; OR, 0.84; 95% CI,
      0.62-1.12 versus OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.99-1.36). CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose alteplase
      may improve outcomes in thrombolysis-treated acute ischemic stroke patients on
      prior APT, but this requires further evaluation in a randomized controlled trial.
      CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique
      identifier: NCT01422616.

PMID- 28619991
TI  - Evidence that differentiation-inducing factor-1 controls chemotaxis and cell
      differentiation, at least in part, via mitochondria in D. discoideum.
AB  - Differentiation-inducing factor-1 [1-(3,5-dichloro-2,6-dihydroxy-4
      methoxyphenyl)hexan-1-one (DIF-1)] is an important regulator of cell
      differentiation and chemotaxis in the development of the cellular slime mold
      Dictyostelium discoideum However, the entire signaling pathways downstream of DIF
      1 remain to be elucidated. To characterize DIF-1 and its potential receptor(s),
      we synthesized two fluorescent derivatives of DIF-1, boron-dipyrromethene
      (BODIPY)-conjugated DIF-1 (DIF-1-BODIPY) and nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-conjugated
      DIF-1 (DIF-1-NBD), and investigated their biological activities and cellular
      localization. DIF-1-BODIPY (5 uM) and DIF-1 (2 nM) induced stalk cell
      differentiation in the DIF-deficient strain HM44 in the presence of cyclic
      adenosine monosphosphate (cAMP), whereas DIF-1-NBD (5 uM) hardly induced stalk
      cell differentiation under the same conditions. Microscopic analyses revealed
      that the biologically active derivative, DIF-1-BODIPY, was incorporated by stalk
      cells at late stages of differentiation and was localized to mitochondria. The
      mitochondrial uncouplers carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), at 25
      50 nM, and dinitrophenol (DNP), at 2.5-5 uM, induced partial stalk cell
      differentiation in HM44 in the presence of cAMP. DIF-1-BODIPY (1-2 uM) and DIF-1
      (10 nM), as well as CCCP and DNP, suppressed chemotaxis in the wild-type strain
      Ax2 in shallow cAMP gradients. These results suggest that DIF-1-BODIPY and DIF-1
      induce stalk cell differentiation and modulate chemotaxis, at least in part, by
      disturbing mitochondrial activity.

PMID- 28619993
TI  - Low extracellular potassium prolongs repolarization and evokes early
      afterdepolarization in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived
      cardiomyocytes.
AB  - Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is characterized by a prolonged QT-interval on
      electrocardiogram and by increased risk of sudden death. One of the most common
      and potentially life-threatening electrolyte disturbances is hypokalemia,
      characterized by low concentrations of K+ Using a multielectrode array platform
      and current clamp technique, we investigated the effect of low extracellular K+
      concentration ([K+]Ex) on the electrophysiological properties of hiPSC-derived
      cardiomyocytes (CMs) generated from a healthy control subject (WT) and from two
      symptomatic patients with type 1 of LQTS carrying G589D (LQT1A) or IVS7-2A>G
      mutation (LQT1B) in KCNQ1 The baseline prolongations of field potential durations
      (FPDs) and action potential durations (APDs) were longer in LQT1-CMs than in WT
      CMs. Exposure to low [K+]Ex prolonged FPDs and APDs in a concentration-dependent
      fashion. LQT1-CMs were found to be more sensitive to low [K+]Ex compared to WT
      CMs. At baseline, LQT1A-CMs had more prolonged APDs than LQT1B-CMs, but low
      [K+]Ex caused more pronounced APD prolongation in LQT1B-CMs. Early
      afterdepolarizations in the action potentials were observed in a subset of LQT1A
      CMs with further prolonged baseline APDs and triangular phase 2 profiles. This
      work demonstrates that the hiPSC-derived CMs are sensitive to low [K+]Ex and
      provide a platform to study acquired LQTS.

PMID- 28619992
TI  - Patterning and gastrulation defects caused by the tw18 lethal are due to loss of
      Ppp2r1a.
AB  - The mouse t haplotype, a variant 20 cM genomic region on Chromosome 17, harbors
      16 embryonic control genes identified by recessive lethal mutations isolated from
      wild mouse populations. Due to technical constraints so far only one of these,
      the tw5 lethal, has been cloned and molecularly characterized. Here we report the
      molecular isolation of the tw18 lethal. Embryos carrying the tw18 lethal die from
      major gastrulation defects commencing with primitive streak formation at E6.5. We
      have used transcriptome and marker gene analyses to describe the molecular
      etiology of the tw18 phenotype. We show that both WNT and Nodal signal
      transduction are impaired in the mutant epiblast, causing embryonic patterning
      defects and failure of primitive streak and mesoderm formation. By using a
      candidate gene approach, gene knockout by homologous recombination and genetic
      rescue, we have identified the gene causing the tw18 phenotype as Ppp2r1a,
      encoding the PP2A scaffolding subunit PR65alpha. Our work highlights the
      importance of phosphatase 2A in embryonic patterning, primitive streak formation,
      gastrulation, and mesoderm formation downstream of WNT and Nodal signaling.

PMID- 28619994
TI  - Simultaneous stimulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis by feeding in the
      anterior intestine of the omnivorous GIFT tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus.
AB  - The present study was performed to investigate the roles of anterior intestine in
      the postprandial glucose homeostasis of the omnivorous Genetically Improved
      Farmed Tilapia (GIFT). Sub-adult fish (about 173 g) were sampled at 0, 1, 3, 8
      and 24 h post feeding (HPF) after 36 h of food deprivation, and the time course
      of changes in intestinal glucose transport, glycolysis, glycogenesis and
      gluconeogenesis at the transcription and enzyme activity level, as well as plasma
      glucose contents, were analyzed. Compared with 0 HPF (fasting for 36 h), the mRNA
      levels of both ATP-dependent sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 and facilitated
      glucose transporter 2 increased during 1-3 HPF, decreased at 8 HPF and then
      leveled off. These results indicated that intestinal uptake of glucose and its
      transport across the intestine to blood mainly occurred during 1-3 HPF, which
      subsequently resulted in the increase of plasma glucose level at the same time.
      Intestinal glycolysis was stimulated during 1-3 HPF, while glucose storage as
      glycogen was induced during 3-8 HPF. Unexpectedly, intestinal gluconeogenesis
      (IGNG) was also strongly induced during 1-3 HPF at the state of nutrient
      assimilation. The mRNA abundance and enzyme activities of glutamic-pyruvic and
      glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminases increased during 1-3 HPF, suggesting that the
      precursors of IGNG might originate from some amino acids. Taken together, it was
      concluded that the anterior intestine played an important role in the regulation
      of postprandial glucose homeostasis in omnivorous tilapia, as it represented
      significant glycolytic potential and glucose storage. It was interesting that
      postprandial IGNG was stimulated by feeding temporarily, and its biological
      significance remains to be elucidated in fish.

PMID- 28619995
TI  - Codependence of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor 2 and Transforming Growth
      Factor-beta in Elastic Fiber Assembly and Its Perturbation in Pulmonary Arterial
      Hypertension.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We determined in patients with pulmonary arterial (PA) hypertension
      (PAH) whether in addition to increased production of elastase by PA smooth muscle
      cells previously reported, PA elastic fibers are susceptible to degradation
      because of their abnormal assembly. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Fibrillin-1 and elastin
      are the major components of elastic fibers, and fibrillin-1 binds bone
      morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and the large latent complex of transforming growth
      factor-beta1 (TGFbeta1). Thus, we considered whether BMPs like TGFbeta1
      contribute to elastic fiber assembly and whether this process is perturbed in PAH
      particularly when the BMP receptor, BMPR2, is mutant. We also assessed whether in
      mice with Bmpr2/1a compound heterozygosity, elastic fibers are susceptible to
      degradation. In PA smooth muscle cells and adventitial fibroblasts, TGFbeta1
      increased elastin mRNA, but the elevation in elastin protein was dependent on
      BMPR2; TGFbeta1 and BMP4, via BMPR2, increased extracellular accumulation of
      fibrillin-1. Both BMP4- and TGFbeta1-stimulated elastic fiber assembly was
      impaired in idiopathic (I) PAH-PA adventitial fibroblast versus control cells,
      particularly those with hereditary (H) PAH and a BMPR2 mutation. This was related
      to profound reductions in elastin and fibrillin-1 mRNA. Elastin protein was
      increased in IPAH PA adventitial fibroblast by TGFbeta1 but only minimally so in
      BMPR2 mutant cells. Fibrillin-1 protein increased only modestly in IPAH or HPAH
      PA adventitial fibroblasts stimulated with BMP4 or TGFbeta1. In Bmpr2/1a
      heterozygote mice, reduced PA fibrillin-1 was associated with elastic fiber
      susceptibility to degradation and more severe pulmonary hypertension.
      CONCLUSIONS: Disrupting BMPR2 impairs TGFbeta1- and BMP4-mediated elastic fiber
      assembly and is of pathophysiologic significance in PAH.

PMID- 28619999
TI  - PD-L2 Expression in Human Tumors: Relevance to Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Cancer.
AB  - Purpose: Tumor-associated PD-L1 expression is predictive of clinical response to
      PD-1-directed immunotherapy. However, PD-L1-negative patients may also respond to
      PD-1 checkpoint blockade, suggesting that other PD-1 ligands may be relevant to
      the clinical activity of these therapies. The prevalence of PD-L2, the other
      known ligand of PD-1, and its relationship to response to anti-PD-1 therapy were
      evaluated.Experimental Design: PD-L2 expression was assessed in archival tumor
      tissue from seven indications using a novel immunohistochemical assay. In
      addition, relationships between clinical response and PD-L2 status were evaluated
      in tumor tissues from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)
      with recurrent or metastatic disease, treated with pembrolizumab.Results: PD-L2
      expression was observed in all tumor types and present in stromal, tumor, and
      endothelial cells. The prevalence and distribution of PD-L2 correlated
      significantly with PD-L1 (P = 0.0012-<0.0001); however, PD-L2 was detected in the
      absence of PD-L1 in some tumor types. Both PD-L1 and PD-L2 positivity
      significantly predicted clinical response to pembrolizumab on combined tumor,
      stromal and immune cells, with PD-L2 predictive independent of PD-L1. Response
      was greater in patients positive for both PD-L1 and PD-L2 (27.5%) than those
      positive only for PD-L1 (11.4%). PD-L2 status was also a significant predictor of
      progression-free survival (PFS) with pembrolizumab independent of PD-L1 status.
      Longer median times for PFS and overall survival were observed for PD-L2-positive
      than PD-L2-negative patients.Conclusions: Clinical response to pembrolizumab in
      patients with HNSCC may be related partly to blockade of PD-1/PD-L2 interactions.
      Therapy targeting both PD-1 ligands may provide clinical benefit in these
      patients. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); 3158-67. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28619996
TI  - Farnesoid X Receptor and Liver X Receptor Ligands Initiate Formation of Coated
      Platelets.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The liver X receptors (LXRs) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) have been
      identified in human platelets. Ligands of these receptors have been shown to have
      nongenomic inhibitory effects on platelet activation by platelet agonists. This,
      however, seems contradictory with the platelet hyper-reactivity that is
      associated with several pathological conditions that are associated with
      increased circulating levels of molecules that are LXR and FXR ligands, such as
      hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We,
      therefore, investigated whether ligands for the LXR and FXR receptors were
      capable of priming platelets to the activated state without stimulation by
      platelet agonists. Treatment of platelets with ligands for LXR and FXR converted
      platelets to the procoagulant state, with increases in phosphatidylserine
      exposure, platelet swelling, reduced membrane integrity, depolarization of the
      mitochondrial membrane, and microparticle release observed. Additionally,
      platelets also displayed features associated with coated platelets such as P
      selectin exposure, fibrinogen binding, fibrin generation that is supported by
      increased serine protease activity, and inhibition of integrin alphaIIbbeta3. LXR
      and FXR ligand-induced formation of coated platelets was found to be dependent on
      both reactive oxygen species and intracellular calcium mobilization, and for FXR
      ligands, this process was found to be dependent on cyclophilin D. CONCLUSIONS: We
      conclude that treatment with LXR and FXR ligands initiates coated platelet
      formation, which is thought to support coagulation but results in desensitization
      to platelet stimuli through inhibition of alphaIIbbeta3 consistent with their
      ability to inhibit platelet function and stable thrombus formation in vivo.

PMID- 28620000
TI  - Inhibitor of Pancreatic Cancer by RHIL1RA-Letter.

PMID- 28619997
TI  - Cardiotonic Steroids Stimulate Macrophage Inflammatory Responses Through a
      Pathway Involving CD36, TLR4, and Na/K-ATPase.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Circulating levels of cardiotonic steroids (CTS) are elevated in
      various chronic inflammatory conditions, but the role of CTS in inflammation
      remains largely unknown. We have previously shown that the CTS ouabain stimulates
      proinflammatory responses in murine macrophages. In this study, we aim to explore
      the mechanism how CTS induce proinflammatory responses in primary murine and
      human macrophages. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Using both murine peritoneal macrophages
      and human monocyte-derived macrophages, we demonstrated that ouabain activated NF
      kappaB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells), leading
      to proinflammatory cytokine (eg, MCP-1 [monocyte chemotactic protein 1], TNF
      alpha [tumor necrosis factor-alpha], IL-1beta [interleukin-1beta], and IL-6)
      production. By applying siRNA techniques and murine peritoneal macrophages
      isolated from genetically modified mice, we showed that macrophages partially
      deficient in Na/K-ATPase, the receptor for CTS, or fully deficient in the
      scavenger receptor CD36 or TLR4 (Toll-like receptor) were resistant to ouabain
      induced NF-kappaB activation, suggesting an indispensable role of these 3
      receptors in this pathway. Mechanistically, this effect of ouabain was
      independent of the ion transport function of the Na/K-ATPase. Instead, ouabain
      stimulated a signaling complex, including Na/K-ATPase, CD36, and TLR4.
      Subsequently, TLR4 recruited MyD88 adaptor protein for NF-kappaB activation.
      Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of ouabain into mice specifically
      recruited Ly6C+CCR2+ monocyte subtypes to the peritoneal cavities, indicating
      that the CTS ouabain triggers inflammation in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: CTS activate NF
      kappaB leading to proinflammatory cytokine production in primary macrophages
      through a signaling complex, including CD36, TLR4, and Na/K-ATPase. These
      findings warrant further studies on endogenous CTS in chronic inflammatory
      diseases, such as atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28620001
TI  - Inhibition of Pancreatic Cancer by RhIL1RA-Response.

PMID- 28620002
TI  - Correction: Frequent Overexpression of HMGA2 in Human Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid
      Tumor and Its Correlation with let-7a3/let-7b miRNA.

PMID- 28620003
TI  - Correction: Indole-3-Carbinol Synergizes with and Restores Fludarabine
      Sensitivity in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells Irrespective of p53 Activity
      and Treatment Resistances.

PMID- 28620004
TI  - Cancer and Central Nervous System Tumor Surveillance in Pediatric
      Neurofibromatosis 1.
AB  - Although the neurofibromatoses consist of at least three autosomal dominantly
      inherited disorders, neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2), and
      schwannomatosis, NF1 represents a multisystem pleiotropic condition very
      different from the other two. NF1 is a genetic syndrome first manifesting in
      childhood; affecting multiple organs, childhood development, and neurocognitive
      status; and presenting the clinician with often complex management decisions that
      require a multidisciplinary approach. Molecular genetic testing (see article for
      detailed discussion) is recommended to confirm NF1, particularly in children
      fulfilling only pigmentary features of the diagnostic criteria. Although cancer
      risk is not the major issue facing an individual with NF1 during childhood, the
      condition causes significantly increased malignancy risks compared with the
      general population. Specifically, NF1 is associated with highly elevated risks of
      juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, and malignant peripheral
      nerve sheath tumor as well as substantial risks of noninvasive pilocytic
      astrocytoma, particularly optic pathway glioma (OPG), which represent a major
      management issue. Until 8 years of age, clinical assessment for OPG is advised
      every 6 to 12 months, but routine MRI assessment is not currently advised in
      asymptomatic individuals with NF1 and no signs of clinical visual pathway
      disturbance. Routine surveillance for other malignancies is not recommended, but
      clinicians and parents should be aware of the small risks (<1%) of certain
      specific individual malignancies (e.g., rhabdomyosarcoma). Tumors do contribute
      to both morbidity and mortality, especially later in life. A single whole-body
      MRI should be considered at transition to adulthood to assist in determining
      approaches to long-term follow-up. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); e46-e53. (c)2017
      AACRSee all articles in the online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.

PMID- 28620005
TI  - Cancer and Central Nervous System Tumor Surveillance in Pediatric
      Neurofibromatosis 2 and Related Disorders.
AB  - The neurofibromatoses consist of at least three autosomal-dominant inherited
      disorders: neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), and
      schwannomatosis. For over 80 years, these conditions were inextricably tied
      together under generalized neurofibromatosis. In 1987, the localization of NF1 to
      chromosome 17q and NF2 (bilateral vestibular schwannoma) to 22q led to a
      consensus conference at Bethesda, Maryland. The two main neurofibromatoses, NF1
      and NF2, were formally separated. More recently, the SMARCB1 and LZTR1 genes on
      22q have been confirmed as causing a subset of schwannomatosis. The last 26 years
      have seen a great improvement in understanding of the clinical and molecular
      features of these conditions as well as insights into management. Childhood
      presentation of NF2 (often with meningioma) in particular predicts a severe
      multitumor disease course. Malignancy is rare in NF2, particularly in childhood;
      however, there are substantial risks from benign and low-grade central nervous
      system (CNS) tumors necessitating MRI surveillance to optimize management. At
      least annual brain MRI, including high-resolution images through the auditory
      meatus, and a clinical examination and auditory assessment are required from
      diagnosis or from around 10 to 12 years of age if asymptomatic. Spinal imaging at
      baseline and every 2 to 3 years is advised with more frequent imaging if
      warranted on the basis of sites of tumor involvement. The malignancy risk in
      schwannomatosis is not well defined but may include an increased risk of
      malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in SMARCB1 Imaging protocols are also
      proposed for SMARCB1 and LZTR1 schwannomatosis and SMARCE1-related meningioma
      predisposition. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); e54-e61. (c)2017 AACRSee all articles in
      the online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.

PMID- 28620006
TI  - Cancer Surveillance in Gorlin Syndrome and Rhabdoid Tumor Predisposition
      Syndrome.
AB  - Gorlin syndrome and rhabdoid tumor predisposition syndrome (RTPS) are autosomal
      dominant syndromes associated with an increased risk of childhood-onset brain
      tumors. Individuals with Gorlin syndrome can manifest a wide range of phenotypic
      abnormalities, with about 5% of family members developing medulloblastoma,
      usually occurring in the first 3 years of life. Gorlin syndrome is associated
      with germline mutations in components of the Sonic Hedgehog pathway, including
      Patched1 (PTCH1) and Suppressor of fused (SUFU)SUFU mutation carriers appear to
      have an especially high risk of early-onset medulloblastoma. Surveillance MRI in
      the first years of life in SUFU mutation carriers is, therefore, recommended.
      Given the risk of basal cell carcinomas, regular dermatologic examinations and
      sun protection are also recommended. Rhabdoid tumors (RT) are tumors initially
      defined by the descriptive "rhabdoid" term, implying a phenotypic similarity with
      rhabdomyoblasts at the microscopic level. RTs usually present before the age of 3
      and can arise within the cranium as atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors or
      extracranially, especially in the kidney, as malignant rhabdoid tumors. However,
      RTs of both types share germline and somatic mutations in SMARCB1 or, more
      rarely, SMARCA4, each of which encodes a chromatin remodeling family member.
      SMARCA4 mutations are particularly associated with small cell carcinoma of the
      ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT). The outcome following a diagnosis of any of
      these tumors is often poor, and the value of surveillance is unknown.
      International efforts to determine surveillance protocols are underway, and
      preliminary recommendations are made for carriers of SMARCB1 and SMARCA4
      mutations. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); e62-e67. (c)2017 AACRSee all articles in the
      online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.

PMID- 28620007
TI  - Von Hippel-Lindau and Hereditary Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma Syndromes:
      Clinical Features, Genetics, and Surveillance Recommendations in Childhood.
AB  - Von Hippel-Lindau disease (vHL) is a hereditary tumor predisposition syndrome
      that places affected individuals at risk for multiple tumors, which are
      predominantly benign and generally occur in the central nervous system or
      abdomen. Although the majority of tumors occur in adults, children and
      adolescents with the condition develop a significant proportion of vHL
      manifestations and are vulnerable to delayed tumor detection and their sequelae.
      Although multiple tumor screening paradigms are currently being utilized for
      patients with vHL, surveillance should be reassessed as the available relevant
      clinical information continues to expand. We propose a new vHL screening paradigm
      similar to existing approaches, with important modifications for some tumor
      types, placing an emphasis on risks in childhood. This includes advancement in
      the timing of surveillance initiation and increased frequency of screening
      evaluations. Another neuroendocrine-related familial condition is the rapidly
      expanding hereditary paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma syndrome (HPP). The tumor
      spectrum for patients with HPP syndrome includes paragangliomas,
      pheochromocytomas, renal cancer, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. The
      majority of patients with HPP syndrome harbor an underlying variant in one of the
      SHDx genes (SDHA, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD, SDHA, and SDHAF2), although other genes also
      have been described (MAX and TMEM127). Annual screening for elevated plasma or
      urine markers along with complete blood count and biennial whole-body MRI
      accompanied by focal neck MRI is recommended for older children and adults with
      HPP syndrome to detect tumors early and to decrease morbidity and mortality from
      HPP-related tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); e68-e75. (c)2017 AACRSee all
      articles in the online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.

PMID- 28620008
TI  - PTEN, DICER1, FH, and Their Associated Tumor Susceptibility Syndromes: Clinical
      Features, Genetics, and Surveillance Recommendations in Childhood.
AB  - PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), DICER1 syndrome, and hereditary
      leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC) syndrome are pleiotropic tumor
      predisposition syndromes that include benign and malignant neoplasms affecting
      adults and children. PHTS includes several disorders with shared and distinct
      clinical features. These are associated with elevated lifetime risk of breast,
      thyroid, endometrial, colorectal, and renal cancers as well as melanoma. Thyroid
      cancer represents the predominant cancer risk under age 20 years. DICER1 syndrome
      includes risk for pleuropulmonary blastoma, cystic nephroma, ovarian sex cord
      stromal tumors, and multinodular goiter and thyroid carcinoma as well as brain
      tumors including pineoblastoma and pituitary blastoma. Individuals with HLRCC may
      develop multiple cutaneous and uterine leiomyomas, and they have an elevated risk
      of renal cell carcinoma. For each of these syndromes, a summary of the key
      syndromic features is provided, the underlying genetic events are discussed, and
      specific screening is recommended. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); e76-e82. (c)2017
      AACRSee all articles in the online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.

PMID- 28620010
TI  - An unusual pelvis radiograph.

PMID- 28620009
TI  - Recommendations for Cancer Surveillance in Individuals with RASopathies and Other
      Rare Genetic Conditions with Increased Cancer Risk.
AB  - In October 2016, the American Association for Cancer Research held a meeting of
      international childhood cancer predisposition syndrome experts to evaluate the
      current knowledge of these syndromes and to propose consensus surveillance
      recommendations. Herein, we summarize clinical and genetic aspects of RASopathies
      and Sotos, Weaver, Rubinstein-Taybi, Schinzel-Giedion, and NKX2-1 syndromes as
      well as specific metabolic disorders known to be associated with increased
      childhood cancer risk. In addition, the expert panel reviewed whether sufficient
      data exist to make a recommendation that all patients with these disorders be
      offered cancer surveillance. For all syndromes, the panel recommends increased
      awareness and prompt assessment of clinical symptoms. Patients with Costello
      syndrome have the highest cancer risk, and cancer surveillance should be
      considered. Regular physical examinations and complete blood counts can be
      performed in infants with Noonan syndrome if specific PTPN11 or KRAS mutations
      are present, and in patients with CBL syndrome. Also, the high brain tumor risk
      in patients with L-2 hydroxyglutaric aciduria may warrant regular screening with
      brain MRIs. For most syndromes, surveillance may be needed for nonmalignant
      health problems. Clin Cancer Res; 23(12); e83-e90. (c)2017 AACRSee all articles
      in the online-only CCR Pediatric Oncology Series.

PMID- 28620011
TI  - Dietary restriction but not angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade improves DNA
      damage-related vasodilator dysfunction in rapidly aging Ercc1Delta/- mice.
AB  - DNA damage is an important contributor to endothelial dysfunction and age-related
      vascular disease. Recently, we demonstrated in a DNA repair-deficient,
      prematurely aging mouse model (Ercc1Delta/- mice) that dietary restriction (DR)
      strongly increases life- and health span, including ameliorating endothelial
      dysfunction, by preserving genomic integrity. In this mouse mutant displaying
      prominent accelerated, age-dependent endothelial dysfunction we investigated the
      signaling pathways involved in improved endothelium-mediated vasodilation by DR,
      and explore the potential role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). Ercc1Delta/
      mice showed increased blood pressure and decreased aortic relaxations to
      acetylcholine (ACh) in organ bath experiments. Nitric oxide (NO) signaling and
      phospho-Ser1177-eNOS were compromised in Ercc1Delta/- DR improved relaxations by
      increasing prostaglandin-mediated responses. Increase of cyclo-oxygenase 2 and
      decrease of phosphodiesterase 4B were identified as potential mechanisms. DR also
      prevented loss of NO signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells and normalized
      angiotensin II (Ang II) vasoconstrictions, which were increased in Ercc1Delta/-
      mice. Ercc1Delta/- mutants showed a loss of Ang II type 2 receptor-mediated
      counter-regulation of Ang II type 1 receptor-induced vasoconstrictions. Chronic
      losartan treatment effectively decreased blood pressure, but did not improve
      endothelium-dependent relaxations. This result might relate to the aging
      associated loss of treatment efficacy of RAS blockade with respect to endothelial
      function improvement. In summary, DR effectively prevents endothelium-dependent
      vasodilator dysfunction by augmenting prostaglandin-mediated responses, whereas
      chronic Ang II type 1 receptor blockade is ineffective.

PMID- 28620012
TI  - Metabolic disturbances of non-alcoholic fatty liver resemble the alterations
      typical for type 2 diabetes.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is an independent risk factor for the
      development of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We examined metabolic perturbations in
      patients with NAFL, patients with T2DM, and control (CON) subjects with normal
      intrahepatic lipid (IHL) content.A two-step (10 mU/m2 /min; 40 mU/m2/min)
      hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp was performed in 11 NAFL, 13 T2DM, and 11 CON
      subjects, all matched for BMI, and aerobic fitness. IHL content was measured
      using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Because of high IHL content
      variability in T2DM patients, this group was separated into a high IHL content
      group (IHL >= 5.0%, T2DM+NAFL) and a normal IHL content group (IHL < 5.0%, T2DM
      non-NAFL) for further analysis.IHL content was increased in NAFL and T2DM+NAFL
      subjects (P<0.050 versus CON and T2DM-non-NAFL subjects). Adipose tissue insulin
      sensitivity index (Adipo-IRi) was higher in NAFL (P<0.050 versus CON and T2DM-non
      NAFL subjects) and in T2DM+NAFL subjects (P=0.055 versus CON subjects, P<0.050
      versus T2DM-non-NAFL subjects). Suppression of plasma-free fatty acids (P=0.046)
      was lower in NAFL compared with CON subjects, with intermediate values for T2DM
      non-NAFL, and T2DM+NAFL subjects. Suppression of endogenous glucose production
      (EGP) and insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (DeltaRd) was comparable between
      NAFL, T2DM-non-NAFL, and T2DM+NAFL subjects (all P>0.05), and was lower in
      comparison with CON subjects (all P<0.01). Metabolic flexibility was lower in
      T2DM-non-NAFL subjects (P=0.047) and NAFL subjects (P=0.059) compared with CON
      subjects. Adipo-IRi (r=0.652, P<0.001), hepatic insulin resistance index (HIRi)
      (r=0.576, P=0.001), and DeltaRd (r=-0.653, P<0.001) correlated with IHL
      content.Individuals with NAFL suffer from metabolic perturbations to a similar
      degree as T2DM patients. NAFL is an important feature leading to severe insulin
      resistance and should be viewed as a serious health threat for the development of
      T2DM. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01317576.

PMID- 28620013
TI  - The evolution of vertical climbing in primates: evidence from reaction forces.
AB  - Vertical climbing is an essential behavior for arboreal animals, yet limb
      mechanics during climbing are poorly understood and rarely compared with those
      observed during horizontal walking. Primates commonly engage in both arboreal
      walking and vertical climbing, and this makes them an ideal taxa in which to
      compare these locomotor forms. Additionally, primates exhibit unusual limb
      mechanics compared with most other quadrupeds, with weight distribution biased
      towards the hindlimbs, a pattern that is argued to have evolved in response to
      the challenges of arboreal walking. Here we test an alternative hypothesis that
      functional differentiation between the limbs evolved initially as a response to
      climbing. Eight primate species were recorded locomoting on instrumented vertical
      and horizontal simulated arboreal runways. Forces along the axis of, and normal
      to, the support were recorded. During walking, all primates displayed forelimbs
      that were net braking, and hindlimbs that were net propulsive. In contrast, both
      limbs served a propulsive role during climbing. In all species, except the
      lorisids, the hindlimbs produced greater propulsive forces than the forelimbs
      during climbing. During climbing, the hindlimbs tends to support compressive
      loads, while the forelimb forces tend to be primarily tensile. This functional
      disparity appears to be body-size dependent. The tensile loading of the forelimbs
      versus the compressive loading of the hindlimbs observed during climbing may have
      important evolutionary implications for primates, and it may be the case that
      hindlimb-biased weight support exhibited during quadrupedal walking in primates
      may be derived from their basal condition of climbing thin branches.

PMID- 28620014
TI  - The tendinopathic Achilles tendon does not remain iso-volumetric upon repeated
      loading: insights from 3D ultrasound.
AB  - Mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy (MAT) alters the normal three-dimensional (3D)
      morphology of the Achilles tendon (AT) at rest and under a single tensile load.
      However, how MAT changes the 3D morphology of the AT during repeated loading
      remains unclear. This study compared the AT longitudinal, transverse and volume
      strains during repeated loading of the tendinopathic AT with those of the
      contralateral tendon in people with unilateral MAT. Ten adults with unilateral
      MAT performed 10 successive 25 s submaximal (50%) voluntary isometric
      plantarflexion contractions with both legs. Freehand 3D ultrasound scans were
      recorded and used to measure whole AT, free AT and proximal AT longitudinal
      strains and free AT cross-sectional area (CSA) and volume strains. The free AT
      experienced higher longitudinal and CSA strain and reached steady state following
      a greater number of contractions (five contractions) in the tendinopathic AT
      compared with the contralateral tendon (three contractions). Further, free tendon
      CSA and volume strain were greater in the tendinopathic AT than in the
      contralateral tendon from the first contraction, whereas free AT longitudinal
      strain was not greater than that of the contralateral tendon until the fourth
      contraction. Volume loss from the tendon core therefore preceded the greater
      longitudinal strain in the tendinopathic AT. Overall, these findings suggest that
      the tendinopathic free AT experiences an exaggerated longitudinal and transverse
      strain response under repeated loading that is underpinned by an altered
      interaction between solid and fluid tendon matrix components. These alterations
      are indicative of accentuated poroelasticity and an altered local stress-strain
      environment within the tendinopathic free tendon matrix, which could affect
      tendon remodelling via mechanobiological pathways.

PMID- 28620016
TI  - Correction for Doller et al., "Tandem Phosphorylation of Serines 221 and 318 by
      Protein Kinase Cdelta Coordinates mRNA Binding and Nucleocytoplasmic Shuttling of
      HuR".

PMID- 28620015
TI  - Genetic editing of the androgen receptor contributes to impaired male courtship
      behavior in zebrafish.
AB  - Elucidating the genes that contribute to behavioral variation has become an
      important endeavor in behavioral studies. While advances in genomics have
      narrowed down the list of candidate genes, functional validation of them has
      lagged behind, partly because of challenges associated with rapid gene
      manipulations. Consequently, few studies have demonstrated causal genetic changes
      linked to behaviors. The 'gene editing revolution' has offered unprecedented
      opportunities to investigate candidate genes responsible for critical behaviors.
      Here, we edited the androgen receptor gene (AR), which is associated with male
      reproductive behavior in zebrafish, using TAL effector nucleases (TALENs), and
      tested whether modifications at the AR impacted courtship during mating trials.
      We reveal that males lacking AR courted females significantly less, showing
      reduced levels of stereotypic behaviors. Consistent with previous studies,
      disrupting androgen mechanisms can lead to behavioral changes with potential
      fitness consequences. Our study highlights the possibility of genetically
      altering a reproductive behavior, further solidifying the link between genotype
      and behavior.

PMID- 28620017
TI  - Correction for Guo et al., "Poly(A) Signals Located near the 5' End of Genes Are
      Silenced by a General Mechanism That Prevents Premature 3'-End Processing".

PMID- 28620018
TI  - Correction for Papa and Germain, "SirT3 Regulates a Novel Arm of the
      Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response".

PMID- 28620019
TI  - Correction for Carmon et al., "LGR5 Interacts and Cointernalizes with Wnt
      Receptors To Modulate Wnt/beta-Catenin Signaling".

PMID- 28620020
TI  - Correction for Panasenko and Collart, "Not4 E3 Ligase Contributes to Proteasome
      Assembly and Functional Integrity in Part through Ecm29".

PMID- 28620021
TI  - Correction for Wolff et al., "Cell-Type-Dependent Regulation of mTORC1 by REDD1
      and the Tumor Suppressors TSC1/TSC2 and LKB1 in Response to Hypoxia".

PMID- 28620023
TI  - Synthetic biology engineering of biofilms as nanomaterials factories.
AB  - Bottom-up fabrication of nanoscale materials has been a significant focus in
      materials science for expanding our technological frontiers. This assembly
      concept, however, is old news to biology - all living organisms fabricate
      themselves using bottom-up principles through a vast self-organizing system of
      incredibly complex biomolecules, a marvelous dynamic that we are still attempting
      to unravel. Can we use what we have gleaned from biology thus far to illuminate
      alternative strategies for designer nanomaterial manufacturing? In the present
      review article, new synthetic biology efforts toward using bacterial biofilms as
      platforms for the synthesis and secretion of programmable nanomaterials are
      described. Particular focus is given to self-assembling functional amyloids found
      in bacterial biofilms as re-engineerable modular nanomolecular components.
      Potential applications and existing challenges for this technology are also
      explored. This novel approach for repurposing biofilm systems will enable future
      technologies for using engineered living systems to grow artificial
      nanomaterials.

PMID- 28620024
TI  - Signalling assemblies: the odds of symmetry.
AB  - The assembly of proteins into complexes is fundamental to nearly all biological
      signalling processes. Symmetry is a dominant feature of the structures of
      experimentally determined protein complexes, observed in the vast majority of
      homomers and many heteromers. However, some asymmetric structures exist, and
      asymmetry also often forms transiently, intractable to traditional structure
      determination methods. Here, we explore the role of protein complex symmetry and
      asymmetry in cellular signalling, focusing on receptors, transcription factors
      and transmembrane channels, among other signalling assemblies. We highlight a
      recurrent tendency for asymmetry to be crucial for signalling function, often
      being associated with activated states. We conclude with a discussion of how
      consideration of protein complex symmetry and asymmetry has significant potential
      implications and applications for pharmacology and human disease.

PMID- 28620025
TI  - Growing functions of the ESCRT machinery in cell biology and viral replication.
AB  - The vast expansion in recent years of the cellular processes promoted by the
      endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery has reinforced
      its identity as a modular system that uses multiple adaptors to recruit the core
      membrane remodelling activity at different intracellular sites and facilitate
      membrane scission. Functional connections to processes such as the aurora B
      dependent abscission checkpoint also highlight the importance of the
      spatiotemporal regulation of the ESCRT machinery. Here, we summarise the role of
      ESCRTs in viral budding, and what we have learned about the ESCRT pathway from
      studying this process. These advances are discussed in the context of areas of
      cell biology that have been transformed by research in the ESCRT field, including
      cytokinetic abscission, nuclear envelope resealing and plasma membrane repair.

PMID- 28620026
TI  - Learning to read and write in evolution: from static pseudoenzymes and
      pseudosignalers to dynamic gear shifters.
AB  - We present a systems biology view on pseudoenzymes that acknowledges that genes
      are not selfish: the genome is. With network function as the selectable unit,
      there has been an evolutionary bonus for recombination of functions of and within
      proteins. Many proteins house a functionality by which they 'read' the cell's
      state, and one by which they 'write' and thereby change that state. Should the
      writer domain lose its cognate function, a 'pseudoenzyme' or 'pseudosignaler'
      arises. GlnK involved in Escherichia coli ammonia assimilation may well be a
      pseudosignaler, associating 'reading' the nitrogen state of the cell to 'writing'
      the ammonium uptake activity. We identify functional pseudosignalers in the
      cyclin-dependent kinase complexes regulating cell-cycle progression. For the
      mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, we illustrate how a 'dead'
      pseudosignaler could produce potentially selectable functionalities. Four billion
      years ago, bioenergetics may have shuffled 'electron-writers', producing various
      networks that all served the same function of anaerobic ATP synthesis and carbon
      assimilation from hydrogen and carbon dioxide, but at different ATP/acetate
      ratios. This would have enabled organisms to deal with variable challenges of
      energy need and substrate supply. The same principle might enable 'gear-shifting'
      in real time, by dynamically generating different pseudo-redox enzymes,
      reshuffling their coenzymes, and rerouting network fluxes. Non-stationary pH
      gradients in thermal vents together with similar such shuffling mechanisms may
      have produced a first selectable proton-motivated pyrophosphate synthase and
      subsequent ATP synthase. A combination of functionalities into enzymes,
      signalers, and the pseudo-versions thereof may offer fitness in terms of
      plasticity, both in real time and in evolution.

PMID- 28620027
TI  - Metal coordination in kinases and pseudokinases.
AB  - Protein phosphorylation, mediated by protein kinases, is a key event in the
      regulation of eukaryotic signal transduction. The majority of eukaryotic protein
      kinases perform phosphoryl transfer, assisted by two divalent metal ions. About
      10% of all human protein kinases are, however, thought to be catalytically
      inactive. These kinases lack conserved residues of the kinase core and are
      classified as pseudokinases. Yet, it has been demonstrated that pseudokinases are
      critically involved in biological functions. Here, we show how pseudokinases have
      developed strategies by modifying amino acid residues in order to achieve stable,
      active-like conformations. This includes binding of the co-substrate ATP in a two
      metal-, one metal- or even no metal-binding mode. Examples of the respective
      pseudokinases are provided on a structural basis and compared with a canonical
      protein kinase, Protein Kinase A. Moreover, the functional roles of both
      independent metal-binding sites, Me1 and Me2, are discussed. Lack of
      phosphotransferase activity does not implicate a loss of function and can easily
      point to alternative roles of pseudokinases, i.e. acting as switches or
      scaffolds, and having evolved as components crucial for cellular cross-talk and
      signaling. Interestingly, pseudokinases are present in all kingdoms of life and
      their specific roles remain enigmatic. More studies are needed to unravel the
      crucial functions of those interesting proteins.

PMID- 28620028
TI  - The secret life of kinases: insights into non-catalytic signalling functions from
      pseudokinases.
AB  - Over the past decade, our understanding of the mechanisms by which pseudokinases,
      which comprise ~10% of the human and mouse kinomes, mediate signal transduction
      has advanced rapidly with increasing structural, biochemical, cellular and
      genetic studies. Pseudokinases are the catalytically defective counterparts of
      conventional, active protein kinases and have been attributed functions as
      protein interaction domains acting variously as allosteric modulators of
      conventional protein kinases and other enzymes, as regulators of protein
      trafficking or localisation, as hubs to nucleate assembly of signalling
      complexes, and as transmembrane effectors of such functions. Here, by
      categorising mammalian pseudokinases based on their known functions, we
      illustrate the mechanistic diversity among these proteins, which can be viewed as
      a window into understanding the non-catalytic functions that can be exerted by
      conventional protein kinases.

PMID- 28620029
TI  - How RNA acts as a nuclease: some mechanistic comparisons in the nucleolytic
      ribozymes.
AB  - Recent structural and mechanistic studies have shed considerable light on the
      catalytic mechanisms of nucleolytic ribozymes. The discovery of several new
      ribozymes in this class has now allowed comparisons to be made, and the
      beginnings of mechanistic groupings to emerge.

PMID- 28620031
TI  - TSPAN7, effector of actin nucleation required for dendritic cell-mediated
      transfer of HIV-1 to T cells.
AB  - Dendritic cells (DCs) have essential roles in early detection of pathogens and
      activation of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Whereas human DCs are
      resistant to productive HIV-1 replication, they have a unique ability to take up
      virus and transmit it efficiently to T lymphocytes. By doing that, HIV-1 may
      evade, at least in part, the first line of defense of the immune system,
      exploiting DCs instead to facilitate rapid infection of a large pool of immune
      cells. While performing an shRNA screen in human primary monocyte-derived DCs, to
      gain insights into this cell biological process, we discovered the role played by
      tetraspanin-7 (TSPAN7). This member of the tetraspanin family appears to be a
      positive regulator of actin nucleation and stabilization, through the ARP2/3
      complex. By doing so, TSPAN7 limits HIV-1 endocytosis and maintains viral
      particles on actin-rich dendrites for an efficient transfer toward T lymphocytes.
      While studying the function of TSPAN7 in the control of actin nucleation, we also
      discovered the existence in DCs of two opposing forces at the plasma membrane:
      actin nucleation, a protrusive force which seems to counterbalance actomyosin
      contraction.

PMID- 28620030
TI  - Functions of protein phosphatase-6 in NF-kappaB signaling and in lymphocytes.
AB  - Protein phosphatase-6 (PP6) is a member of the PPP family of Ser/Thr phosphatases
      involved in intracellular signaling. PP6 is conserved among all eukaryotes, and
      genetics in model organisms indicates it has non-redundant functions relative to
      other PPP phosphatases. PP6 functions in association with conserved SAPS subunits
      and, in vertebrate species, forms heterotrimers with Ankrd subunits. Multiple
      studies have demonstrated how PP6 exerts negative control at different steps of
      nuclear factor kappaB signaling. Expression of PP6 catalytic subunit and the
      PPP6R1 subunit is especially high in hematopoietic cells and lymphoid tissues.
      Recent efforts at conditionally knocking out genes for PP6c or PP6R1 (SAPS1) have
      revealed distinctive effects on development of and signaling in lymphocytes.

PMID- 28620032
TI  - A moving target: structure and disorder in pursuit of Myc inhibitors.
AB  - The Myc proteins comprise a family of ubiquitous regulators of gene expression
      implicated in over half of all human cancers. They interact with a large number
      of other proteins, such as transcription factors, chromatin-modifying enzymes and
      kinases. Remarkably, few of these interactions have been characterized
      structurally. This is at least in part due to the intrinsically disordered nature
      of Myc proteins, which adopt a defined conformation only in the presence of
      binding partners. Owing to this behaviour, crystallographic studies on Myc
      proteins have been limited to short fragments in complex with other proteins.
      Most recently, we determined the crystal structure of Aurora-A kinase domain
      bound to a 28-amino acid fragment of the N-Myc transactivation domain. The
      structure reveals an alpha-helical segment within N-Myc capped by two tryptophan
      residues that recognize the surface of Aurora-A. The kinase domain acts as a
      molecular scaffold, independently of its catalytic activity, upon which this
      region of N-Myc becomes ordered. The binding site for N-Myc on Aurora-A is
      disrupted by certain ATP-competitive inhibitors, such as MLN8237 (alisertib) and
      CD532, and explains how these kinase inhibitors are able to disrupt the protein
      protein interaction to affect Myc destabilization. Structural studies on this and
      other Myc complexes will lead to the design of protein-protein interaction
      inhibitors as chemical tools to dissect the complex pathways of Myc regulation
      and function, which may be developed into Myc inhibitors for the treatment of
      cancer.

PMID- 28620034
TI  - Structural insights into the alternative oxidases: are all oxidases made equal?
AB  - The alternative oxidases (AOXs) are ubiquinol-oxidoreductases that are members of
      the diiron carboxylate superfamily. They are not only ubiquitously distributed
      within the plant kingdom but also found in increasing numbers within the fungal,
      protist, animal and prokaryotic kingdoms. Although functions of AOXs are highly
      diverse in general, they tend to play key roles in thermogenesis, stress
      tolerance (through the management of radical oxygen species) and the maintenance
      of mitochondrial and cellular energy homeostasis. The best structurally
      characterised AOX is from Trypanosoma brucei In this review, we compare the
      structure of AOXs, created using homology modelling, from many important species
      in an attempt to explain differences in activity and sensitivity to AOX
      inhibitors. We discuss the implications of these findings not only for future
      structure-based drug design but also for the design of novel AOXs for gene
      therapy.

PMID- 28620035
TI  - Molecular interactions shaping the tetraspanin web.
AB  - To facilitate the myriad of different (signaling) processes that take place at
      the plasma membrane, cells depend on a high degree of membrane protein
      organization. Important mediators of this organization are tetraspanin proteins.
      Tetraspanins interact laterally among themselves and with partner proteins to
      control the spatial organization of membrane proteins in large networks called
      the tetraspanin web. The molecular interactions underlying the formation of the
      tetraspanin web were hitherto mainly described based on their resistance to
      different detergents, a classification which does not necessarily correlate with
      functionality in the living cell. To look at these interactions from a more
      physiological point of view, this review discusses tetraspanin interactions based
      on their function in the tetraspanin web: (1) intramolecular interactions
      supporting tetraspanin structure, (2) tetraspanin-tetraspanin interactions
      supporting web formation, (3) tetraspanin-partner interactions adding functional
      partners to the web and (4) cytosolic tetraspanin interactions regulating
      intracellular signaling. The recent publication of the first full-length
      tetraspanin crystal structure sheds new light on both the intra- and
      intermolecular tetraspanin interactions that shape the tetraspanin web.
      Furthermore, recent molecular dynamic modeling studies indicate that the binding
      strength between tetraspanins and between tetraspanins and their partners is the
      complex sum of both promiscuous and specific interactions. A deeper insight into
      this complex mixture of interactions is essential to our fundamental
      understanding of the tetraspanin web and its dynamics which constitute a basic
      building block of the cell surface.

PMID- 28620033
TI  - Scissor sisters: regulation of ADAM10 by the TspanC8 tetraspanins.
AB  - A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) is a ubiquitously expressed
      transmembrane protein which is essential for embryonic development through
      activation of Notch proteins. ADAM10 regulates over 40 other transmembrane
      proteins and acts as a 'molecular scissor' by removing their extracellular
      regions. ADAM10 is also a receptor for alpha-toxin, a major virulence factor of
      Staphylococcus aureus Owing to the importance of its substrates, ADAM10 is a
      potential therapeutic target for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases such as
      Alzheimer's and prion diseases, bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases
      such as heart attack, stroke and asthma. However, targetting ADAM10 is likely to
      result in toxic side effects. The tetraspanins are a superfamily of 33 four
      transmembrane proteins in mammals which interact with and regulate specific
      partner proteins within membrane nanodomains. Tetraspanins appear to have a cone
      shaped structure with a cholesterol-binding cavity, which may enable tetraspanins
      to undergo cholesterol-regulated conformational change. An emerging paradigm for
      tetraspanin function is the regulation of ADAM10 by the TspanC8 subgroup of
      tetraspanins, namely Tspan5, 10, 14, 15, 17 and 33. This review will describe how
      TspanC8s are required for ADAM10 trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum and
      its enzymatic maturation. Moreover, different TspanC8s localise ADAM10 to
      different subcellular localisations and may cause ADAM10 to adopt distinct
      conformations and cleavage of distinct substrates. We propose that ADAM10 should
      now be regarded as six different scissor proteins depending on the interacting
      TspanC8. Therapeutic targetting of specific TspanC8/ADAM10 complexes could allow
      ADAM10 targetting in a cell type- or substrate-specific manner, to treat certain
      diseases while minimising toxicity.

PMID- 28620036
TI  - Substrate selectivity in the zDHHC family of S-acyltransferases.
AB  - S-acylation is a reversible lipid modification occurring on cysteine residues
      mediated by a family of membrane-bound 'zDHHC' enzymes. S-acylation predominantly
      results in anchoring of soluble proteins to membrane compartments or in the
      trafficking of membrane proteins to different compartments. Recent work has shown
      that although S-acylation of some proteins may involve very weak interactions
      with zDHHC enzymes, a pool of zDHHC enzymes exhibit strong and specific
      interactions with substrates, thereby recruiting them for S-acylation. For
      example, the ankyrin-repeat domains of zDHHC17 and zDHHC13 interact specifically
      with unstructured consensus sequences present in some proteins, thus contributing
      to substrate specificity of these enzymes. In addition to this new information on
      zDHHC enzyme protein substrate specificity, recent work has also identified
      marked differences in selectivity of zDHHC enzymes for acyl-CoA substrates and
      has started to unravel the underlying molecular basis for this lipid selectivity.
      This review will focus on the protein and acyl-CoA selectivity of zDHHC enzymes.

PMID- 28620037
TI  - The more the merrier: high-throughput single-molecule techniques.
AB  - The single-molecule approach seeks to understand molecular mechanisms by
      observing biomolecular processes at the level of individual molecules. These
      methods have led to a developing understanding that for many processes, a
      diversity of behaviours will be observed, representing a multitude of pathways.
      This realisation necessitates that an adequate number of observations are
      recorded to fully characterise this diversity. The requirement for large numbers
      of observations to adequately sample distributions, subpopulations, and rare
      events presents a significant challenge for single-molecule techniques, which by
      their nature do not typically provide very high throughput. This review will
      discuss many developing techniques which address this issue by combining
      nanolithographic approaches, such as zero-mode waveguides and DNA curtains, with
      single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, and by drastically increasing throughput
      of force-based approaches such as magnetic tweezers and laminar-flow techniques.
      These methods not only allow the collection of large volumes of single-molecule
      data in single experiments, but have also made improvements to ease-of-use,
      accessibility, and automation of data analysis.

PMID- 28620038
TI  - APPL1 is a multifunctional endosomal signaling adaptor protein.
AB  - Endosomal adaptor proteins are important regulators of signaling pathways
      underlying many biological processes. These adaptors can integrate signals from
      multiple pathways via localization to specific endosomal compartments, as well as
      through multiple protein-protein interactions. One such adaptor protein that has
      been implicated in regulating signaling pathways is the adaptor protein
      containing a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, phosphotyrosine-binding (PTB)
      domain, and leucine zipper motif 1 (APPL1). APPL1 localizes to a subset of Rab5
      positive endosomes through its Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs and PH domains, and it
      coordinates signaling pathways through its interaction with many signaling
      receptors and proteins through its PTB domain. This review discusses our current
      understanding of the role of APPL1 in signaling and trafficking, as well as
      highlights recent work into the function of APPL1 in cell migration and adhesion.

PMID- 28620039
TI  - CSBB: synthetic biology research at Newcastle University.
AB  - The Centre for Synthetic Biology and the Bioeconomy (CSBB) brings together a far
      reaching multidisciplinary community across all Newcastle University's faculties 
      Medical Sciences, Science, Agriculture and Engineering, and Humanities, Arts and
      Social Sciences. The CSBB focuses on many different areas of Synthetic Biology,
      including bioprocessing, computational design and in vivo computation, as well as
      improving understanding of basic molecular machinery. Such breadth is supported
      by major national and international research funding, a range of industrial
      partners in the North East of England and beyond, as well as a large number of
      doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. The CSBB trains the next generation of
      scientists through a 1-year MSc in Synthetic Biology.

PMID- 28620040
TI  - Cell-free synthetic biology for in vitro prototype engineering.
AB  - Cell-free transcription-translation is an expanding field in synthetic biology as
      a rapid prototyping platform for blueprinting the design of synthetic biological
      devices. Exemplar efforts include translation of prototype designs into medical
      test kits for on-site identification of viruses (Zika and Ebola), while gene
      circuit cascades can be tested, debugged and re-designed within rapid turnover
      times. Coupled with mathematical modelling, this discipline lends itself towards
      the precision engineering of new synthetic life. The next stages of cell-free
      look set to unlock new microbial hosts that remain slow to engineer and unsuited
      to rapid iterative design cycles. It is hoped that the development of such
      systems will provide new tools to aid the transition from cell-free prototype
      designs to functioning synthetic genetic circuits and engineered natural product
      pathways in living cells.

PMID- 28620041
TI  - A standard-enabled workflow for synthetic biology.
AB  - A synthetic biology workflow is composed of data repositories that provide
      information about genetic parts, sequence-level design tools to compose these
      parts into circuits, visualization tools to depict these designs, genetic design
      tools to select parts to create systems, and modeling and simulation tools to
      evaluate alternative design choices. Data standards enable the ready exchange of
      information within such a workflow, allowing repositories and tools to be
      connected from a diversity of sources. The present paper describes one such
      workflow that utilizes, among others, the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL)
      to describe genetic designs, the Systems Biology Markup Language to model these
      designs, and SBOL Visual to visualize these designs. We describe how a standard
      enabled workflow can be used to produce types of design information, including
      multiple repositories and software tools exchanging information using a variety
      of data standards. Recently, the ACS Synthetic Biology journal has recommended
      the use of SBOL in their publications.

PMID- 28620042
TI  - Long noncoding RNAs: lincs between human health and disease.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent one of the largest classes of transcripts
      and are highly diverse in terms of characteristics and functions. Advances in
      high-throughput sequencing platforms have enabled the rapid discovery and
      identification of lncRNAs as key regulatory molecules involved in various
      cellular processes and their dysregulation in various human diseases. Here, we
      summarize the current knowledge of the functions and underlying mechanisms of
      lncRNA activity with a particular focus on cancer biology. We also discuss the
      potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for clinical
      applications.

PMID- 28620043
TI  - Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase: catalysis, coupling and controversies.
AB  - Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase is a member of a diverse superfamily of haem
      copper oxidases. Its mechanism of oxygen reduction is reviewed in terms of the
      cycle of catalytic intermediates and their likely chemical structures. This
      reaction cycle is coupled to the translocation of protons across the inner
      mitochondrial membrane in which it is located. The likely mechanism by which this
      occurs, derived in significant part from studies of bacterial homologues, is
      presented. These mechanisms of catalysis and coupling, together with current
      alternative proposals of underlying mechanisms, are critically reviewed.

PMID- 28620044
TI  - Let there be light: how to use photoswitchable cross-linker to reprogram
      proteins.
AB  - Azobenzene is a photo-isomerizing molecule whose end-to-end distance changes upon
      external illumination. When combined with site-specific reactive groups, it can
      be used as molecular tweezers to remote-control the structure and function of
      protein targets. The present study gives a brief overview over the rational
      design strategies that use an azobenzene-based photoswitchable cross-linker to
      engineer ON/OFF switches into functional proteins or to reprogram proteins for
      novel functions. The re-engineered proteins may be used as remote controls for
      cellular pathways, as light-gated drug delivery platforms or as light-powered
      machinery of synthetic cells and micro-scaled factories.

PMID- 28620045
TI  - Fundamental principles of vascular network topology.
AB  - The vascular system is arguably the most important biological system in many
      organisms. Although the general principles of its architecture are simple, the
      growth of blood vessels occurs under extreme physical conditions. Optimization is
      an important aspect of the development of computational models of the vascular
      branching structures. This review surveys the approaches used to optimize the
      topology and estimate different geometrical parameters of the vascular system.
      The review is focused on optimizations using complex cost functions based on the
      minimum total energy principle and the relationship between the laws of growth
      and precise vascular network topology. Experimental studies of vascular networks
      in different species are also discussed.

PMID- 28620046
TI  - Role of ESCRT component HD-PTP/PTPN23 in cancer.
AB  - Sustained cellular signalling originated from the receptors located at the plasma
      membrane is widely associated with cancer susceptibility. Endosomal sorting and
      degradation of the cell surface receptors is therefore crucial to preventing
      chronic downstream signalling and tumorigenesis. Since the Endosomal Sorting
      Complexes Required for Transport (ESCRT) controls these processes, ESCRT
      components were proposed to act as tumour suppressor genes. However, the bona
      fide role of ESCRT components in tumorigenesis has not been clearly demonstrated.
      The ESCRT member HD-PTP/PTPN23 was recently identified as a novel haplo
      insufficient tumour suppressor in vitro and in vivo, in mice and humans. In this
      mini-review, we outline the role of the ESCRT components in cancer and summarize
      the functions of HD-PTP/PTPN23 in tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28620047
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma-related oncogene (SCCRO) neddylates Cul3 protein to
      selectively promote midbody localization and activity of Cul3KLHL21 protein
      complex during abscission.
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma-related oncogene (SCCRO)/DCUN1D1, a component of the
      neddylation E3 complex, regulates the activity of the cullin-RING-ligase type of
      ubiquitination E3s by promoting neddylation of cullin family members. Studies
      have shown that SCCRO regulates proliferation in vitro and in vivo Here we show
      that inactivation of SCCRO results in prolonged mitotic time because of delayed
      and/or failed abscission. The effects of SCCRO on abscission involve its role in
      neddylation and localization of Cul3 to the midbody. The Cul3 adaptor KLHL21
      mediates the effects of SCCRO on abscission, as it fails to localize to the
      midbody in SCCRO-deficient cells during abscission, and its inactivation resulted
      in phenotypic changes identical to SCCRO inactivation. Ubiquitination-promoted
      turnover of Aurora B at the midbody was deficient in SCCRO- and KLHL21-deficient
      cells, suggesting that it is the target of Cul3KLHL21 at the midbody. Correction
      of abscission delays in SCCRO-deficient cells with addition of an Aurora B
      inhibitor at the midbody stage suggests that Aurora B is the target of SCCRO
      promoted Cul3KLHL21 activity. The activity of other Cul3-anchored complexes,
      including Cul3KLHL9/KLHL13, was intact in SCCRO-deficient cells, suggesting that
      SCCRO selectively, rather than collectively, neddylates cullins in vivo Combined,
      these findings support a model in which the SCCRO, substrate, and substrate
      adaptors cooperatively provide tight control of neddylation and cullin-RING
      ligase activity in vivo.

PMID- 28620048
TI  - Chaperone-client interactions: Non-specificity engenders multifunctionality.
AB  - Here, we provide an overview of the different mechanisms whereby three different
      chaperones, Spy, Hsp70, and Hsp60, interact with folding proteins, and we discuss
      how these chaperones may guide the folding process. Available evidence suggests
      that even a single chaperone can use many mechanisms to aid in protein folding,
      most likely due to the need for most chaperones to bind clients promiscuously.
      Chaperone mechanism may be better understood by always considering it in the
      context of the client's folding pathway and biological function.

PMID- 28620049
TI  - The X-linked deubiquitinase USP9X is an integral component of centrosome.
AB  - The X-linked deubiquitinase USP9X has been implicated in multiple pathological
      disorders including malignancies and X-linked intellectual disability. However,
      its biological function and substrate repertoire remain to be investigated. In
      this study, we utilized the tandem mass tag labeling assay to identify USP9X
      regulated proteins and revealed that the expression of multiple genes is altered
      in USP9X-deficient cells. Interestingly, we showed that USP9X promotes
      stabilization of centrosome proteins PCM1 and CEP55 through its catalytic
      activity. Remarkably, we demonstrated that USP9X is physically associated and
      spatially co-localized with PCM1 and CEP55 in the centrosome, and we revealed
      that either PCM1 or CEP55 loss resulted in impairment of USP9X centrosome
      localization. Moreover, we showed that USP9X is required for centrosome
      duplication, and this effect is dependent on its catalytic activity and its N
      terminal module, which is responsible for physical association of USP9X with PCM1
      and CEP55. Collectively, our experiments identified USP9X as an integral
      component of the centrosome where it functions to stabilize PCM1 and CEP55 and
      promote centrosome biogenesis.

PMID- 28620051
TI  - The role of the Met20 loop in the hydride transfer in Escherichia coli
      dihydrofolate reductase.
AB  - A key question concerning the catalytic cycle of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate
      reductase (ecDHFR) is whether the Met20 loop is dynamically coupled to the
      chemical step during catalysis. A more basic, yet unanswered question is whether
      the Met20 loop adopts a closed conformation during the chemical hydride transfer
      step. To examine the most likely conformation of the Met20 loop during the
      chemical step, we studied the hydride transfer in wild type (WT) ecDHFR using
      hybrid quantum mechanics-molecular mechanics free energy simulations with the
      Met20 loop in a closed and disordered conformation. Additionally, we investigated
      three mutant forms (I14X; X = Val, Ala, Gly) of the enzyme that have increased
      active site flexibility and donor-acceptor distance dynamics in closed and
      disordered Met20 loop states. We found that the conformation of the Met20 loop
      has a dramatic effect on the ordering of active site hydration, although the
      Met20 loop conformation only has a moderate effect on the hydride transfer rate
      and donor-acceptor distance dynamics. Finally, we evaluated the pKa of the
      substrate N5 position in closed and disordered Met20 loop states and found a
      strong correlation between N5 basicity and the conformation of the Met20 loop.

PMID- 28620050
TI  - Engineering the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of human IgG1 multimers and
      monomers to fine-tune interactions with sialic acid-dependent receptors.
AB  - Multimeric fragment crystallizable (Fc) regions and Fc-fusion proteins are
      actively being explored as biomimetic replacements for IVIG therapy, which is
      deployed to manage many diseases and conditions but is expensive and not always
      efficient. The Fc region of human IgG1 (IgG1-Fc) can be engineered into
      multimeric structures (hexa-Fcs) that bind their cognate receptors with high
      avidity. The critical influence of the unique N-linked glycan attached at Asn-297
      on the structure and function of IgG1-Fc is well documented; however, whether the
      N-linked glycan has a similarly critical role in multimeric, avidly binding Fcs,
      is unknown. Hexa-Fc contains two N-linked sites at Asn-77 (equivalent to Asn-297
      in the Fc of IgG1) and Asn-236 (equivalent to Asn-563 in the tail piece of IgM).
      We report here that glycosylation at Asn-297 is critical for interactions with Fc
      receptors and complement and that glycosylation at Asn-563 is essential for
      controlling multimerization. We also found that introduction of an additional
      fully occupied N-linked glycosylation site at the N terminus at position 1
      (equivalent to Asp-221 in the Fc of IgG1) dramatically enhances overall sialic
      acid content of the Fc multimers. Furthermore, replacement of Cys-575 in the IgM
      tail piece of multimers resulted in monomers with enhanced sialic acid content
      and differential receptor-binding profiles. Thus insertion of additional N-linked
      glycans into either the hinge or tail piece of monomers or multimers leads to
      molecules with enhanced sialylation that may be suitable for managing
      inflammation or blocking pathogen invasion.

PMID- 28620053
TI  - Exercise training improves cardiac autonomic control, cardiac function, and
      arrhythmogenesis in rats with preserved-ejection fraction heart failure.
AB  - Chronic heart failure is characterized by autonomic imbalance, cardiac
      dysfunction, and arrhythmogenesis. It has been shown that exercise training (ExT)
      improves central nervous system oxidative stress, autonomic control, and cardiac
      function in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; however, to date no
      comprehensive studies have addressed the effects of ExT, if any, on oxidative
      stress in brain stem cardiovascular areas, cardiac autonomic balance,
      arrhythmogenesis, and cardiac function in heart failure with preserved ejection
      fraction (HFpEF). We hypothesize that ExT reduces brain stem oxidative stress,
      improves cardiac autonomic control and cardiac function, and reduces
      arrhythmogenesis in HFpEF rats. Rats underwent sham treatment or volume overload
      to induce HFpEF. ExT (60 min/day, 25 m/min, 10% inclination) was performed for 6
      wk starting at the second week after HFpEF induction. Rats were randomly
      allocated into Sham+sedentary (Sed) (n = 8), Sham+ExT (n = 6), HFpEF+Sed (n = 8),
      and HFpEF+ExT (n = 8) groups. Compared with the HFpEF+Sed condition, HFpEF+ExT
      rats displayed reduced NAD(P)H oxidase activity and oxidative stress in the
      rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), improved cardiac autonomic balance, and
      reduced arrhythmogenesis. Furthermore, a threefold improvement in cardiac
      function was observed in HFpEF+ExT rats. These novel findings suggest that
      moderate-intensity ExT is an effective means to attenuate the progression of
      HFpEF through improvement in RVLM redox state, cardiac autonomic control, and
      cardiac function.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In the present study, we found that exercise
      reduced oxidative stress in key brain stem areas related to autonomic control,
      improved sympathovagal control of the heart, reduced cardiac arrhythmias, and
      delayed deterioration of cardiac function in rats with heart failure with
      preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Our results provide strong evidence for the
      therapeutic efficacy of exercise training in HFpEF.

PMID- 28620052
TI  - The antibacterial prodrug activator Rv2466c is a mycothiol-dependent reductase in
      the oxidative stress response of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
AB  - The Mycobacterium tuberculosis rv2466c gene encodes an oxidoreductase enzyme
      annotated as DsbA. It has a CPWC active-site motif embedded within its
      thioredoxin fold domain and mediates the activation of the prodrug TP053, a
      thienopyrimidine derivative that kills both replicating and nonreplicating
      bacilli. However, its mode of action and actual enzymatic function in M.
      tuberculosis have remained enigmatic. In this study, we report that Rv2466c is
      essential for bacterial survival under H2O2 stress. Further, we discovered that
      Rv2466c lacks oxidase activity; rather, it receives electrons through the
      mycothiol/mycothione reductase/NADPH pathway to activate TP053, preferentially
      via a dithiol-disulfide mechanism. We also found that Rv2466c uses a monothiol
      disulfide exchange mechanism to reduce S-mycothiolated mixed disulfides and
      intramolecular disulfides. Genetic, phylogenetic, bioinformatics, structural, and
      biochemical analyses revealed that Rv2466c is a novel mycothiol-dependent
      reductase, which represents a mycoredoxin cluster of enzymes within the DsbA
      family different from the glutaredoxin cluster to which mycoredoxin-1 (Mrx1 or
      Rv3198A) belongs. To validate this DsbA-mycoredoxin cluster, we also
      characterized a homologous enzyme of Corynebacterium glutamicum (NCgl2339) and
      observed that it demycothiolates and reduces a mycothiol arsenate adduct with
      kinetic properties different from those of Mrx1. In conclusion, our work has
      uncovered a DsbA-like mycoredoxin that promotes mycobacterial resistance to
      oxidative stress and reacts with free mycothiol and mycothiolated targets. The
      characterization of the DsbA-like mycoredoxin cluster reported here now paves the
      way for correctly classifying similar enzymes from other organisms.

PMID- 28620054
TI  - An assessment of the autonomic nervous system in the electrohypersensitive
      population: a heart rate variability and skin conductance study.
AB  - The aim of the study was twofold: first, to compare the activity of the autonomic
      nervous system (ANS) between the population self-declared as
      electrohypersensitive (EHS) and their matched control individuals without
      intended exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). The second objective was to
      determine whether acute exposure to different radiofrequency signals modifies ANS
      activity in EHS. For that purpose, two different experiments were undertaken, in
      which ANS activity was assessed through heart rate variability (HRV) and skin
      conductance (SC). In the first experiment, a comparison between the EHS group (n
      = 30) and the control group (n = 25) showed that the EHS has an increased number
      of responses to auditory stimuli as measured by skin conductance activity, and
      that none of the short-term heart rate variability parameters differ between the
      two matched study groups. The second experiment, performed in a shielded chamber,
      involved 10 EHS from the first experiment. The volunteers participated in two
      different sessions (sham and exposure). The participants were consecutively
      exposed to four EMF signals (GSM 900, GSM 1800, DECT, and Wi-Fi) at environmental
      level (1 V/m). The experiment was double blinded and counterbalanced. The HRV
      variables studied did not differ between the two sessions. Concerning
      electrodermal activity, the data issued from skin conductance and tonic activity
      did not differ between the sessions, but showed a time variability. In
      conclusion, the HRV and SC profiles did not significantly differ between the EHS
      and control populations under no exposure. Exposure did not have an effect on the
      ANS parameters we have explored.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study provided analysis on
      the skin conductance parameters using a newly developed method (peak/min,
      extraction of skin conductance responses) that had not been performed previously.
      Additionally, the skin conductance signal was decomposed, considering tonic and
      phasic activities to be a distinct compound. Moreover, this is the first time a
      study has been designed into two steps to understand whether the autonomic
      nervous system is disturbed in the EHS population.

PMID- 28620055
TI  - The effects of RSR13 on microvascular Po2 kinetics and muscle contractile
      performance in the rat arterial ligation model of peripheral arterial disease.
AB  - Exercise intolerance and claudication are symptomatic of peripheral arterial
      disease. There is a close relationship between muscle O2 delivery, microvascular
      oxygen partial pressure (PmvO2), and contractile performance. We therefore
      hypothesized that a reduction of hemoglobin-oxygen affinity via RSR13 would
      maintain a higher PmvO2 and enhance blood-muscle O2 transport and contractile
      function. In male Wistar rats (12 wk of age), we created hindlimb ischemia via
      right-side iliac artery ligation (AL). The contralateral (left) muscle served as
      control (CONT). Seven days after AL, phosphorescence-quenching techniques were
      used to measure PmvO2 at rest and during contractions (electrical stimulation; 1
      Hz, 300 s) in tibialis anterior muscle (TA) under saline (n = 10) or RSR13 (n =
      10) conditions. RSR13 at rest increased TA PmvO2 in CONT (13.9 +/- 1.6 to 19.3 +/
      1.9 Torr, P < 0.05) and AL (9.0 +/- 0.5 to 9.9 +/- 0.7 Torr, P < 0.05).
      Furthermore, RSR13 extended maintenance of the initial TA force (i.e., improved
      contractile performance) such that force was not decreased significantly until
      contraction 240 vs. 150 in CONT and 80 vs. 20 in AL. This improved muscle
      endurance with RSR13 was accompanied by a greater DeltaPmvO2 (PmvO2 decrease from
      baseline) (CONT, 7.4 +/- 1.0 to 11.2 +/- 1.3; AL, 6.9 +/- 0.5 to 8.6 +/- 0.6
      Torr, both P < 0.05). Whereas RSR13 did not alter the kinetics profile of PmvO2
      (i.e., mean response time) substantially during contractions, muscle force was
      elevated, and the ratio of muscle force to PmvO2 increased. In conclusion,
      reduction of hemoglobin-oxygen affinity via RSR13 in AL increased PmvO2 and
      improved muscle contractile performance most likely via enhanced blood-muscle O2
      diffusion.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first investigation to examine the effect
      of RSR13 (erythrocyte allosteric effector) on skeletal muscle microvascular
      oxygen partial pressure kinetics and contractile function using an arterial
      ligation model of peripheral arterial disease in experimental animals. The
      present results provide strong support for the concept that reducing hemoglobin
      O2 affinity via RSR13 improved tibialis anterior muscle contractile performance
      most likely via enhanced blood-muscle O2 diffusion.

PMID- 28620057
TI  - Applied physiology: Research that makes a difference.

PMID- 28620056
TI  - Postnatal airway growth in cystic fibrosis piglets.
AB  - Mutations in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance
      regulator (CFTR) anion channel cause CF. The leading cause of death in the CF
      population is lung disease. Increasing evidence suggests that in utero airway
      development is CFTR-dependent and that developmental abnormalities may contribute
      to CF lung disease. However, relatively little is known about postnatal CF airway
      growth, largely because such studies are limited in humans. Therefore, we
      examined airway growth and lung volume in a porcine model of CF. We hypothesized
      that CF pigs would have abnormal postnatal airway growth. To test this
      hypothesis, we performed CT-based airway and lung volume measurements in 3-wk-old
      non-CF and CF pigs. We found that 3-wk-old CF pigs had tracheas of reduced
      caliber and irregular shape. Their bronchial lumens were reduced in size
      proximally but not distally, were irregularly shaped, and had reduced
      distensibility. Our data suggest that lack of CFTR results in aberrant postnatal
      airway growth and development, which could contribute to CF lung disease
      pathogenesis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This CT scan-based study of airway morphometry in
      the cystic fibrosis (CF) postnatal period is unique, as analogous studies in
      humans are greatly limited for ethical and technical reasons. Findings such as
      reduced airway lumen area and irregular caliber suggest that airway growth and
      development are CF transmembrane conductance regulator-dependent and that airway
      growth defects may contribute to CF lung disease pathogenesis.

PMID- 28620058
TI  - Intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia during sleep does not induce ventilatory long
      term facilitation in healthy males.
AB  - Intermittent hypoxia-induced ventilatory neuroplasticity is likely important in
      obstructive sleep apnea pathophysiology. Although concomitant CO2 levels and
      arousal state critically influence neuroplastic effects of intermittent hypoxia,
      no studies have investigated intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia effects during
      sleep in humans. Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate if
      intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia during sleep induces neuroplasticity
      (ventilatory long-term facilitation and increased chemoreflex responsiveness) in
      humans. Twelve healthy males were exposed to intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia (24
      * 30 s episodes of 3% CO2 and 3.0 +/- 0.2% O2) and intermittent medical air
      during sleep after 2 wk washout period in a randomized crossover study design.
      Minute ventilation, end-tidal CO2, O2 saturation, breath timing, upper airway
      resistance, and genioglossal and diaphragm electromyograms were examined during
      10 min of stable stage 2 sleep preceding gas exposure, during gas and intervening
      room air periods, and throughout 1 h of room air recovery. There were no
      significant differences between conditions across time to indicate long-term
      facilitation of ventilation, genioglossal or diaphragm electromyogram activity,
      and no change in ventilatory response from the first to last gas exposure to
      suggest any change in chemoreflex responsiveness. These findings contrast with
      previous intermittent hypoxia studies without intermittent hypercapnia and
      suggest that the more relevant gas disturbance stimulus of concomitant
      intermittent hypercapnia frequently occurring in sleep apnea influences acute
      neuroplastic effects of intermittent hypoxia. These findings highlight the need
      for further studies of intermittent hypercapnic hypoxia during sleep to clarify
      the role of ventilatory neuroplasticity in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea.NEW
      & NOTEWORTHY Both arousal state and concomitant CO2 levels are known modulators
      of the effects of intermittent hypoxia on ventilatory neuroplasticity. This is
      the first study to investigate the effects of combined intermittent hypercapnic
      hypoxia during sleep in humans. The lack of neuroplastic effects suggests a need
      for further studies more closely replicating obstructive sleep apnea to determine
      the pathophysiological relevance of intermittent hypoxia-induced ventilatory
      neuroplasticity.

PMID- 28620059
TI  - Anakinra in a Cohort of Children with Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report efficacy and safety in patients with chronic nonbacterial
      osteomyelitis (CNO) unresponsive to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID)
      and bisphosphonates and/or glucocorticoids treated with anakinra. METHODS: Nine
      patients (6 females) with refractory CNO were treated with anakinra for at least
      6 months. We recorded, at baseline and after 6 months of treatment, clinical and
      laboratory features, and number and distribution of bone lesions detected by
      99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy. Disease activity was evaluated using a physician's
      global assessment (PGA). RESULTS: At baseline, 9/9 patients had mild to severe
      PGA. After 6 months of treatment, in 5 patients the PGA score was graded from
      none to minimal. At baseline, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive
      protein (CRP) were elevated in 8 out of 9 patients. After 6 months, 5/9 patients
      had normalized CRP and ESR and in all except 1, CRP and ESR decreased. Before
      starting anakinra, a total of 77 bone lesions were detected by bone scintigraphy.
      After 6 months of treatment of the 77 lesions, 42 had resolved and 35 were
      stable. In 7/9 patients, 20 new lesions appeared during treatment; 2 of these 7
      patients were symptomatic. At the last followup visit (median 1.7 yrs, range 0.8
      2.8), 6/9 patients maintained a PGA graded as none to minimal. CONCLUSION:
      Anakinra is a possible therapeutic alternative in patients with refractory CNO.
      The practical significance of clinically silent bone lesions detected by bone
      scintigraphy remains to be established.

PMID- 28620060
TI  - Hospitalizations in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in an Academic
      Health Science Center.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Hospitalization occurs in about 10% of patients with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE) each year and accounts for most of the direct cost of SLE
      patient care. We aimed to determine the frequency of admissions of patients with
      SLE and describe their causes and outcomes. METHODS: We identified all
      hospitalizations at University Health Network in the periods 2011-2012 and 2013
      2015 with an International Classification of Diseases, 10th ed. code of M32
      (SLE). A retrospective chart review of these patients categorized them based on
      SLE care provider and cause of admission. Frequency of emergency room visits and
      duration of hospitalization were ascertained. Poisson and linear regressions were
      performed to determine factors associated with frequency and duration of
      hospitalizations. RESULTS: There were 247 unique patients with SLE who were
      hospitalized a total of 491 times: 87.4% were women, average age of 43.9 +/- 17.9
      years, and disease duration 13.7 +/- 12.3 years. Incidental causes were most
      common (35.6%); 21.4% and 22.4% of admissions were because of active SLE and
      infection, respectively. The patients with SLE averaged 1.6 hospitalizations
      lasting 8.5 days. Thirteen percent of hospitalizations resulted in intensive care
      unit admission, and 2.8% of hospitalizations resulted in death. Patient
      employment was associated with fewer hospitalizations during 2011-2015.
      Antimalarial use was associated with fewer hospitalizations as well as shorter
      length of stay during 2011-2012. The presence of damage correlated with increased
      hospitalizations. Higher educational level and antimalarial use correlated with
      shorter length of stay. CONCLUSION: Patients with SLE are frequently
      hospitalized, often because of active SLE or infection, and re-hospitalized
      within a short period of time.

PMID- 28620061
TI  - Whole-body Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Inflammatory Arthritis: Systematic
      Literature Review and First Steps Toward Standardization and an OMERACT Scoring
      System.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WB-MRI) is a relatively new
      technique that can enable assessment of the overall inflammatory status of people
      with arthritis, but standards for image acquisition, definitions of key
      pathologies, and a quantification system are required. Our aim was to perform a
      systematic literature review (SLR) and to develop consensus definitions of key
      pathologies, anatomical locations for assessment, a set of MRI sequences and
      imaging planes for the different body regions, and a preliminary scoring system
      for WB-MRI in inflammatory arthritis. METHODS: An SLR was initially performed,
      searching for WB-MRI studies in arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondyloarthritis, or
      enthesitis. These results were presented to a meeting of the MRI in Arthritis
      Working Group together with an MR image review. Following this, preliminary
      standards for WB-MRI in inflammatory arthritides were developed with further
      iteration at the Working Group meetings at the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology
      (OMERACT) 2016. RESULTS: The SLR identified 10 relevant original articles (7
      cross-sectional and 3 longitudinal, mostly focusing on synovitis and/or
      enthesitis in spondyloarthritis, 4 with reproducibility data). The Working Group
      decided on inflammation in peripheral joints and entheses as primary focus areas,
      and then developed consensus MRI definitions for these pathologies, selected
      anatomical locations for assessment, agreed on a core set of MRI sequences and
      imaging planes for the different regions, and proposed a preliminary scoring
      system. It was decided to test and further develop the system by iterative
      multireader exercises. CONCLUSION: These first steps in developing an OMERACT WB
      MRI scoring system for use in inflammatory arthritides offer a framework for
      further testing and refinement.

PMID- 28620062
TI  - Urine Biomarkers to Predict Response to Lupus Nephritis Therapy in Children and
      Young Adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To delineate urine biomarkers that forecast response to therapy of
      lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS: Starting from the time of kidney biopsy, patients
      with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus who were diagnosed with LN were
      studied serially. Levels of 15 biomarkers were measured in random spot urine
      samples, including adiponectin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), ceruloplasmin,
      hemopexin, hepcidin, kidney injury molecule 1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1,
      lipocalin-like prostaglandin D synthase (LPGDS), transforming growth factor-beta
      (TGF-beta), transferrin, and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP). RESULTS: Among 87
      patients (mean age 15.6 yrs) with LN, there were 37 treatment responders and 50
      nonresponders based on the American College of Rheumatology criteria. At the time
      of kidney biopsy, levels of TGF-beta (p < 0.0001) and ceruloplasmin (p = 0.006)
      were significantly lower among responders than nonresponders; less pronounced
      differences were present for AGP, hepcidin, LPGDS, transferrin, and VDBP (all p <
      0.05). By Month 3, responders experienced marked decreases of adiponectin, AGP,
      transferrin, and VDBP (all p < 0.01) and mean levels of these biomarkers were all
      outstanding (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve >= 0.9) for
      discriminating responders from nonresponders. Patient demographics and extrarenal
      disease did not influence differences in biomarker levels between response
      groups. CONCLUSION: Low urine levels of TGF-beta and ceruloplasmin at baseline
      and marked reduction of AGP, LPGDS, transferrin, or VDBP and combinations of
      other select biomarkers by Month 3 are outstanding predictors for achieving
      remission of LN. If confirmed, these results can be used to help personalize LN
      therapy.

PMID- 28620063
TI  - Clinical and Patient-reported Outcomes in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
      by Body Surface Area Affected by Psoriasis: Results from the Corrona
      PsA/Spondyloarthritis Registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is commonly comorbid with psoriasis; the
      extent of skin lesions is a major contributor to psoriatic disease
      severity/burden. We evaluated whether extent of skin involvement with psoriasis
      [body surface area (BSA) > 3% vs <= 3%] affects overall clinical and patient
      reported outcomes (PRO) in patients with PsA. METHODS: Using the Corrona
      PsA/Spondyloarthritis Registry, patient characteristics, disease activity, and
      PRO at registry enrollment were assessed for patients with PsA aged >= 18 years
      with BSA > 3% versus <= 3%. Regression models were used to evaluate associations
      of BSA level with outcome [modified minimal disease activity (MDA), Health
      Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, patient-reported pain and fatigue, and the
      Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire score]. Adjustments were
      made for age, sex, race, body mass index, disease duration, and history of
      biologics, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, and prednisone use. RESULTS:
      This analysis included 1240 patients with PsA with known BSA level (n = 451, BSA
      > 3%; n = 789, BSA <= 3%). After adjusting for potential confounding variables,
      patients with BSA > 3% versus <= 3% had greater patient-reported pain and fatigue
      and higher HAQ scores (p = 2.33 * 10-8, p = 0.002, and p = 1.21 * 10-7,
      respectively), were 1.7* more likely not to be in modified MDA (95% CI 1.21-2.41,
      p = 0.002), and were 2.1* more likely to have overall work impairment (1.37-3.21,
      p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: These Corrona Registry data show that substantial skin
      involvement (BSA > 3%) is associated with greater PsA disease burden,
      underscoring the importance of assessing and effectively managing psoriasis in
      patients with PsA because this may be a contributing factor in PsA severity.

PMID- 28620064
TI  - Sleep Disturbance in Psoriatic Disease: Prevalence and Associated Factors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the prevalence and quality of sleep in patients
      with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and those with psoriasis without PsA (PsC)
      followed in the same center, to identify factors associated with sleep
      disturbance, and to compare findings to those of healthy controls (HC). METHODS:
      The study included 113 PsA [ClASsification for Psoriatic ARthritis (CASPAR)
      criteria] and 62 PsC (PsA excluded by a rheumatologist) patients and 52 HC.
      Clinical variables were collected using a standard protocol. The sleep quality
      was evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Other patient
      reported outcomes collected included the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ),
      Dermatology Life Quality Index, EQ-5D, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36
      survey, patient's global assessment, and the Functional Assessment of Chronic
      Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-fatigue) scale. Statistical analyses included
      descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and linear regression. RESULTS:
      The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 84%, 69%, and 50% in PsA, PsC, and HC,
      respectively. Total PSQI score was higher in both patients with PsA and patients
      with PsC compared with HC (p < 0.01) and higher in patients with PsA compared to
      patients with PsC (p < 0.0001). EQ-5D anxiety component, EQ-5D final, and FACIT
      fatigue were independently associated with worse PSQI in patients with PsC and
      those with PsA (p < 0.05). Actively inflamed (tender or swollen) joints are
      independently associated with worse PSQI in patients with PsA (p < 0.01).
      CONCLUSION: Patients with psoriatic disease have poor sleep quality. Poor sleep
      is associated with fatigue, anxiety, and lower EQ-5D. In patients with PsA, poor
      sleep is associated with active joint inflammation.

PMID- 28620065
TI  - Critical Outcomes in Longitudinal Observational Studies and Registries in
      Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An OMERACT Special Interest Group Report.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Outcomes important to patients are those that are relevant to their
      well-being, including quality of life, morbid endpoints, and death. These
      outcomes often occur over the longterm and can be identified in prospective
      longitudinal observational studies (PLOS). There are no standards for which
      outcome domains should be considered. Our overarching goal is to identify
      critical longterm outcome domains for patients with rheumatic diseases, and to
      develop a conceptual framework to measure and classify them within the scope of
      OMERACT Filter 2.0. METHODS: The steps of this initiative primarily concern
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and include (1) performing a systematic review of RA
      patient registries and cohorts to identify previously collected and reported
      outcome domains and measurement instruments; (2) developing a conceptual
      framework and taxonomy for identification and classification of outcome domains;
      (3) conducting focus groups to identify domains considered critical by patients
      with RA; and (4) surveying patients, providers, and researchers to identify
      critical outcomes that can be evaluated through the OMERACT filter. RESULTS: In
      our initial evaluation of databases and registries across countries, we found
      both commonalities and differences, with no clear standardization. At the initial
      group meeting, participants agreed that additional work is needed to identify
      which critical outcomes should be collected in PLOS, and suggested several:
      death, independence, and participation, among others. An operational strategy for
      the next 2 years was proposed. CONCLUSION: Participants endorsed the need for an
      initiative to identify and evaluate critical outcome domains and measurement
      instruments for data collection in PLOS.

PMID- 28620067
TI  - Allele-Specific Silencing of Mutant mRNA Rescues Ultrastructural and Arrhythmic
      Phenotype in Mice Carriers of the R4496C Mutation in the Ryanodine Receptor Gene
      (RYR2).
AB  - RATIONALE: Mutations in the cardiac Ryanodine Receptor gene (RYR2) cause dominant
      catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a leading cause of
      sudden death in apparently healthy individuals exposed to emotions or physical
      exercise. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of allele-specific silencing by
      RNA interference to prevent CPVT phenotypic manifestations in our dominant CPVT
      mice model carriers of the heterozygous mutation R4496C in RYR2. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We developed an in vitro mRNA and protein-based assays to screen
      multiple siRNAs for their ability to selectively silence mutant RYR2-R4496C mRNA
      over the corresponding wild-type allele. For the most performant of these siRNAs
      (siRYR2-U10), we evaluated the efficacy of an adeno-associated serotype 9 viral
      vector (AAV9) expressing miRYR2-U10 in correcting RyR2 (Ryanodine Receptor type 2
      protein) function after in vivo delivery by intraperitoneal injection in neonatal
      and adult RyR2R4496C/+ (mice heterozygous for the R4496C mutation in the RyR2)
      heterozygous CPVT mice. Transcriptional analysis showed that after treatment with
      miRYR2-U10, the ratio between wild-type and mutant RYR2 mRNA was doubled (from
      1:1 to 2:1) confirming the ability of miRYR2-U10 to selectively inhibit RYR2
      R4496C mRNA, whereas protein quantification showed that total RyR2 was reduced by
      15% in the heart of treated mice. Furthermore, AAV9-miRYR2-U10 effectively (1)
      reduced isoproterenol-induced delayed afterdepolarizations and triggered activity
      in infected cells, (2) reduced adrenergically mediated ventricular tachycardia in
      treated mice, (3) reverted ultrastructural abnormalities of junctional
      sarcoplasmic reticulum and transverse tubules, and (4) attenuated mitochondrial
      abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates that allele-specific silencing
      with miRYR2-U10 prevents life-threatening arrhythmias in CPVT mice, suggesting
      that the reduction of mutant RyR2 may be a novel therapeutic approach for CPVT.

PMID- 28620066
TI  - Mitochondrial Complex IV Subunit 4 Isoform 2 Is Essential for Acute Pulmonary
      Oxygen Sensing.
AB  - RATIONALE: Acute pulmonary oxygen sensing is essential to avoid life-threatening
      hypoxemia via hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) which matches perfusion to
      ventilation. Hypoxia-induced mitochondrial superoxide release has been suggested
      as a critical step in the signaling pathway underlying HPV. However, the identity
      of the primary oxygen sensor and the mechanism of superoxide release in acute
      hypoxia, as well as its relevance for chronic pulmonary oxygen sensing, remain
      unresolved. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of the pulmonary-specific isoform
      2 of subunit 4 of the mitochondrial complex IV (Cox4i2) and the subsequent
      mediators superoxide and hydrogen peroxide for pulmonary oxygen sensing and
      signaling. METHODS AND RESULTS: Isolated ventilated and perfused lungs from
      Cox4i2-/- mice lacked acute HPV. In parallel, pulmonary arterial smooth muscle
      cells (PASMCs) from Cox4i2-/- mice showed no hypoxia-induced increase of
      intracellular calcium. Hypoxia-induced superoxide release which was detected by
      electron spin resonance spectroscopy in wild-type PASMCs was absent in Cox4i2-/-
      PASMCs and was dependent on cysteine residues of Cox4i2. HPV could be inhibited
      by mitochondrial superoxide inhibitors proving the functional relevance of
      superoxide release for HPV. Mitochondrial hyperpolarization, which can promote
      mitochondrial superoxide release, was detected during acute hypoxia in wild-type
      but not Cox4i2-/- PASMCs. Downstream signaling determined by patch-clamp
      measurements showed decreased hypoxia-induced cellular membrane depolarization in
      Cox4i2-/- PASMCs compared with wild-type PASMCs, which could be normalized by the
      application of hydrogen peroxide. In contrast, chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary
      hypertension and pulmonary vascular remodeling were not or only slightly affected
      by Cox4i2 deficiency, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cox4i2 is essential for acute
      but not chronic pulmonary oxygen sensing by triggering mitochondrial
      hyperpolarization and release of mitochondrial superoxide which, after conversion
      to hydrogen peroxide, contributes to cellular membrane depolarization and HPV.
      These findings provide a new model for oxygen-sensing processes in the lung and
      possibly also in other organs.

PMID- 28620068
TI  - X-Box Binding Protein-1 Dependent Plasma Cell Responses Limit the Development of
      Atherosclerosis.
AB  - RATIONALE: Diverse B cell responses and functions may be involved in
      atherosclerosis. Protective antibody responses, such as those against oxidized
      lipid epitopes, are thought to mainly derive from T cell-independent innate B
      cell subsets. In contrast, both pathogenic and protective roles have been
      associated with T cell-dependent antibodies, and their importance in both humans
      and mouse models is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To specifically target antibody
      production by plasma cells and determine the impact on atherosclerotic plaque
      development in mice with and without CD4+ T cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: We
      combined a model of specific antibody deficiency, B cell-specific CD79a-Cre x
      XBP1 (X-box binding protein-1) floxed mice (XBP1-conditional knockout), with
      antibody-mediated depletion of CD4+ T cells. Ldlr knockout mice transplanted with
      XBP1-conditional knockout (or wild-type control littermate) bone marrow were fed
      western diet for 8 weeks with or without anti-CD4 depletion. All groups had
      similar levels of serum cholesterol. In Ldlr/XBP1-conditional knockout mice,
      serum levels of IgG, IgE, and IgM were significantly attenuated, and local
      antibody deposition in atherosclerotic plaque was absent. Antibody deficiency
      significantly accelerated atherosclerosis at both the aortic root and aortic
      arch. T cell and monocyte responses were not modulated, but necrotic core size
      was greater, even when adjusting for plaque size, and collagen deposition
      significantly lower. Anti-CD4 depletion in Ldlr/wild-type mice led to a decrease
      of serum IgG1 and IgG2c but not IgG3, as well as decreased IgM, associated with
      increased atherosclerosis and necrotic cores, and a decrease in plaque collagen.
      The combination of antibody deficiency and anti-CD4 depletion has no additive
      effects on aortic root atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: The endogenous T cell
      dependent humoral response can be protective. This has important implications for
      novel vaccine strategies for atherosclerosis and in understanding the impacts of
      immunotherapies used in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28620069
TI  - Prediction of Adulthood Obesity Using Genetic and Childhood Clinical Risk Factors
      in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Early
      prediction of obesity is essential for prevention. The aim of this study is to
      assess the use of childhood clinical factors and the genetic risk factors in
      predicting adulthood obesity using machine learning methods. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      A total of 2262 participants from the Cardiovascular Risk in YFS (Young Finns
      Study) were followed up from childhood (age 3-18 years) to adulthood for 31
      years. The data were divided into training (n=1625) and validation (n=637) set.
      The effect of known genetic risk factors (97 single-nucleotide polymorphisms) was
      investigated as a weighted genetic risk score of all 97 single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms (WGRS97) or a subset of 19 most significant single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms (WGRS19) using boosting machine learning technique. WGRS97 and
      WGRS19 were validated using external data (n=369) from BHS (Bogalusa Heart
      Study). WGRS19 improved the accuracy of predicting adulthood obesity in training
      (area under the curve [AUC=0.787 versus AUC=0.744, P<0.0001) and validation data
      (AUC=0.769 versus AUC=0.747, P=0.026). WGRS97 improved the accuracy in training
      (AUC=0.782 versus AUC=0.744, P<0.0001) but not in validation data (AUC=0.749
      versus AUC=0.747, P=0.785). Higher WGRS19 associated with higher body mass index
      at 9 years and WGRS97 at 6 years. Replication in BHS confirmed our findings that
      WGRS19 and WGRS97 are associated with body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: WGRS19
      improves prediction of adulthood obesity. Predictive accuracy is highest among
      young children (3-6 years), whereas among older children (9-18 years) the risk
      can be identified using childhood clinical factors. The model is helpful in
      screening children with high risk of developing obesity.

PMID- 28620070
TI  - Prediction of Adult Dyslipidemia Using Genetic and Childhood Clinical Risk
      Factors: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular
      disease. We examined whether the addition of novel single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms for blood lipid levels enhances the prediction of adult
      dyslipidemia in comparison to childhood lipid measures. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two
      thousand four hundred and twenty-two participants of the Cardiovascular Risk in
      Young Finns Study who had participated in 2 surveys held during childhood (in
      1980 when aged 3-18 years and in 1986) and at least once in a follow-up study in
      adulthood (2001, 2007, and 2011) were included. We examined whether inclusion of
      a lipid-specific weighted genetic risk score based on 58 single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 71 single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 40 single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms for triglycerides improved the prediction of adult dyslipidemia
      compared with clinical childhood risk factors. Adjusting for age, sex, body mass
      index, physical activity, and smoking in childhood, childhood lipid levels, and
      weighted genetic risk scores were associated with an increased risk of adult
      dyslipidemia for all lipids. Risk assessment based on 2 childhood lipid measures
      and the lipid-specific weighted genetic risk scores improved the accuracy of
      predicting adult dyslipidemia compared with the approach using only childhood
      lipid measures for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (area under the receiver
      operating characteristic curve 0.806 versus 0.811; P=0.01) and triglycerides
      (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.740 versus area under
      the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.758; P<0.01). The overall net
      reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement were
      significant for all outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of weighted genetic risk
      scores to lipid-screening programs in childhood could modestly improve the
      identification of those at highest risk of dyslipidemia in adulthood.

PMID- 28620071
TI  - Multiancestry Study of Gene-Lifestyle Interactions for Cardiovascular Traits in
      610 475 Individuals From 124 Cohorts: Design and Rationale.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several consortia have pursued genome-wide association studies for
      identifying novel genetic loci for blood pressure, lipids, hypertension, etc.
      They demonstrated the power of collaborative research through meta-analysis of
      study-specific results. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Gene-Lifestyle Interactions
      Working Group was formed to facilitate the first large, concerted, multiancestry
      study to systematically evaluate gene-lifestyle interactions. In stage 1, genome
      wide interaction analysis is performed in 53 cohorts with a total of 149 684
      individuals from multiple ancestries. In stage 2 involving an additional 71
      cohorts with 460 791 individuals from multiple ancestries, focused analysis is
      performed for a subset of the most promising variants from stage 1. In all, the
      study involves up to 610 475 individuals. Current focus is on cardiovascular
      traits including blood pressure and lipids, and lifestyle factors including
      smoking, alcohol, education (as a surrogate for socioeconomic status), physical
      activity, psychosocial variables, and sleep. The total sample sizes vary among
      projects because of missing data. Large-scale gene-lifestyle or more generally
      gene-environment interaction (G*E) meta-analysis studies can be cumbersome and
      challenging. This article describes the design and some of the approaches pursued
      in the interaction projects. CONCLUSIONS: The Gene-Lifestyle Interactions Working
      Group provides an excellent framework for understanding the lifestyle context of
      genetic effects and to identify novel trait loci through analysis of
      interactions. An important and novel feature of our study is that the gene
      lifestyle interaction (G*E) results may improve our knowledge about the
      underlying mechanisms for novel and already known trait loci.

PMID- 28620072
TI  - Genes, Environment, and the Heart: Putting the Pieces Together.

PMID- 28620073
TI  - Translating Polygenic Analysis for Prevention: From Who to How.

PMID- 28620074
TI  - Regulatory BC1 RNA in cognitive control.
AB  - Dendritic regulatory BC1 RNA is a non-protein-coding (npc) RNA that operates in
      the translational control of gene expression. The absence of BC1 RNA in BC1
      knockout (KO) animals causes translational dysregulation that entails neuronal
      phenotypic alterations including prolonged epileptiform discharges, audiogenic
      seizure activity in vivo, and excessive cortical oscillations in the gamma
      frequency band. Here we asked whether BC1 RNA control is also required for higher
      brain functions such as learning, memory, or cognition. To address this question,
      we used odor/object attentional set shifting tasks in which prefrontal cortical
      performance was assessed in a series of discrimination and conflict learning
      sessions. Results obtained in these behavioral trials indicate that BC1 KO
      animals were significantly impaired in their cognitive flexibility. When faced
      with conflicting information sources, BC1 KO animals committed regressive errors
      as they were compromised in their ability to disengage from recently acquired
      memories even though recall of such memories was in conflict with new situational
      context. The observed cognitive deficits are reminiscent of those previously
      described in subtypes of human autism spectrum disorders.

PMID- 28620075
TI  - Experience-dependent epigenomic reorganization in the hippocampus.
AB  - Using a hippocampus-dependent contextual threat learning and memory task, we
      report widespread, coordinated DNA methylation changes in CA1 hippocampus of
      Sprague-Dawley rats specific to threat learning at genes involved in synaptic
      transmission. Experience-dependent alternations in gene expression and DNA
      methylation were observed as early as 1 h following memory acquisition and became
      more pronounced after 24 h. Gene ontology analysis revealed significant
      enrichment of functional categories related to synaptic transmission in genes
      that were hypomethylated at 24 h following threat learning. Integration of these
      data sets with previously characterized epigenetic and transcriptional changes in
      brain disease states suggested significant overlap between genes regulated by
      memory formation and genes altered in memory-related neurological and
      neuropsychiatric diseases. These findings provide a comprehensive resource to aid
      in the identification of memory-relevant therapeutic targets. Our results shed
      new light on the gene expression and DNA methylation changes involved in memory
      formation, confirming that these processes are dynamic and experience-dependent.
      Finally, this work provides a roadmap for future studies to identify linkage of
      memory-associated genes to altered disease states.

PMID- 28620076
TI  - Superior long-term synaptic memory induced by combining dual pharmacological
      activation of PKA and ERK with an enhanced training protocol.
AB  - Developing treatment strategies to enhance memory is an important goal of
      neuroscience research. Activation of multiple biochemical signaling cascades,
      such as the protein kinase A (PKA) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase
      (ERK) pathways, is necessary to induce long-term synaptic facilitation (LTF), a
      correlate of long-term memory (LTM). Previously, a computational model was
      developed which correctly predicted a novel enhanced training protocol that
      augmented LTF by searching for the protocol with maximal overlap of PKA and ERK
      activation. The present study focused on pharmacological approaches to enhance
      LTF. Combining an ERK activator, NSC, and a PKA activator, rolipram, enhanced LTF
      to a greater extent than did either drug alone. An even greater increase in LTF
      occurred when rolipram and NSC were combined with the Enhanced protocol. These
      results indicate superior memory can be achieved by enhanced protocols that take
      advantage of the structure and dynamics of the biochemical cascades underlying
      memory formation, used in conjunction with combinatorial pharmacology.

PMID- 28620077
TI  - The influence of recollection and familiarity in the formation and updating of
      associative representations.
AB  - Prior representations affect future learning. Little is known, however, about the
      effects of recollective or familiarity-based representations on such learning. We
      investigate the ability to reuse or reassociate elements from recollection- and
      familiarity-based associations to form new associations. Past neuropsychological
      research suggests that hippocampal, and presumably recollective, representations
      are more flexible than extra-hippocampal, presumably familiarity-based,
      representations. We therefore hypothesize that the elements of recollective
      associations, as opposed to familiarity-based representations, may be more easily
      manipulated and decoupled from each other, and facilitate the formation of new
      associations. To investigate this hypothesis we used the AB/AC learning paradigm.
      Across two recall studies we observed an advantage in learning AC word pairs if
      AB word pairs were initially recollected. Furthermore, AB word pairs were more
      likely to intrude during a final AC test if those AB word pairs were initially
      familiarity-based. A third experiment using a recognition version of the AB/AC
      paradigm ruled out the possibility that our findings were due to memory strength.
      Our results support the idea that elements in recollective associative traces may
      be more discretely coded, leading to their flexible use, whereas elements in
      familiarity-based associative traces are less flexible.

PMID- 28620078
TI  - Role of the anterior cingulate cortex in the retrieval of novel object
      recognition memory after a long delay.
AB  - Previous in vivo electrophysiological studies suggest that the anterior cingulate
      cortex (ACgx) is an important substrate of novel object recognition (NOR) memory.
      However, intervention studies are needed to confirm this conclusion and permanent
      lesion studies cannot distinguish effects on encoding and retrieval. The interval
      between encoding and retrieval tests may also be a critical determinant of the
      role of the ACgx. The current series of experiments used micro-infusion of the
      GABAA receptor agonist, muscimol, into ACgx to reversibly inactivate the area and
      distinguish its role in encoding and retrieval. ACgx infusions of muscimol,
      before encoding did not alter NOR assessed after a delay of 20 min or 24 h.
      However, when infused into the ACgx before retrieval muscimol impaired NOR
      assessed after a delay of 24 h, but not after a 20-min retention test. Together
      these findings suggest that the ACgx plays a time-dependent role in the
      retrieval, but not the encoding, of NOR memory, neuronal activation being
      required for the retrieval of remote (24 h old), but not recent (20 min old)
      visual memory.

PMID- 28620079
TI  - Starvation promotes odor/feeding-time associations in flies.
AB  - Starvation causes a motivational state that facilitates diverse behaviors such as
      feeding, walking, and search. Starved Drosophila can form odor/feeding-time
      associations but the role of starvation in encoding of "time" is poorly
      understood. Here we show that the extent of starvation is correlated with the
      fly's ability to establish odor/feeding-time memories. Prolonged starvation
      promotes odor/feeding-time associations after just a single cycle of reciprocal
      training. We also show that starvation is required for acquisition but is
      dispensable for retrieval of odor/feeding-time memory. Finally, even with
      extended starvation, a functional circadian oscillator is indispensable for
      establishing odor/feeding-time memories.

PMID- 28620080
TI  - The Sorting Nexin 3 Retromer Pathway Regulates the Cell Surface Localization and
      Activity of a Wnt-Activated Polycystin Channel Complex.
AB  - Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is caused by inactivating
      mutations in PKD1 (85%) or PKD2 (15%). The ADPKD proteins encoded by these genes,
      polycystin-1 (PC1) and polycystin-2 (PC2), form a plasma membrane receptor-ion
      channel complex. However, the mechanisms controlling the subcellular localization
      of PC1 and PC2 are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the involvement of
      the retromer complex, an ancient protein module initially discovered in yeast
      that regulates the retrieval, sorting, and retrograde transport of membrane
      receptors. Using yeast two-hybrid, biochemical, and cellular assays, we
      determined that PC2 binds two isoforms of the retromer-associated protein sorting
      nexin 3 (SNX3), including a novel isoform that binds PC2 in a direct manner.
      Knockdown of SNX3 or the core retromer protein VPS35 increased the surface
      expression of endogenous PC1 and PC2 in vitro and in vivo and increased Wnt
      activated PC2-dependent whole-cell currents. These findings indicate that an SNX3
      retromer complex regulates the surface expression and function of PC1 and PC2.
      Molecular targeting of proteins involved in the endosomal sorting of PC1 and PC2
      could lead to new therapeutic approaches in ADPKD.

PMID- 28620082
TI  - Turning the Tide: Improving Fluid Management in Dialysis through Technology.

PMID- 28620083
TI  - Interpreting iron studies.

PMID- 28620084
TI  - Multidimensional Genetic Analysis of Repeated Seizures in the Hybrid Mouse
      Diversity Panel Reveals a Novel Epileptogenesis Susceptibility Locus.
AB  - Epilepsy has many causes and comorbidities affecting as many as 4% of people in
      their lifetime. Both idiopathic and symptomatic epilepsies are highly heritable,
      but genetic factors are difficult to characterize among humans due to complex
      disease etiologies. Rodent genetic studies have been critical to the discovery of
      seizure susceptibility loci, including Kcnj10 mutations identified in both mouse
      and human cohorts. However, genetic analyses of epilepsy phenotypes in mice to
      date have been carried out as acute studies in seizure-naive animals or in
      Mendelian models of epilepsy, while humans with epilepsy have a history of
      recurrent seizures that also modify brain physiology. We have applied a repeated
      seizure model to a genetic reference population, following seizure susceptibility
      over a 36-d period. Initial differences in generalized seizure threshold among
      the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel (HMDP) were associated with a well-characterized
      seizure susceptibility locus found in mice: Seizure susceptibility 1 Remarkably,
      Szs1 influence diminished as subsequent induced seizures had diminishing
      latencies in certain HMDP strains. Administration of eight seizures, followed by
      an incubation period and an induced retest seizure, revealed novel associations
      within the calmodulin-binding transcription activator 1, Camta1 Using systems
      genetics, we have identified four candidate genes that are differentially
      expressed between seizure-sensitive and -resistant strains close to our novel
      Epileptogenesis susceptibility factor 1 (Esf1) locus that may act individually or
      as a coordinated response to the neuronal stress of seizures.

PMID- 28620085
TI  - A SINE Insertion in ATP1B2 in Belgian Shepherd Dogs Affected by Spongy
      Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia (SDCA2).
AB  - Spongy degeneration with cerebellar ataxia (SDCA) is a genetically heterogeneous
      neurodegenerative disorder with autosomal recessive inheritance in Malinois dogs,
      one of the four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd breed. Using a combined linkage
      and homozygosity mapping approach we identified an ~10.6 Mb critical interval on
      chromosome 5 in a Malinois family with four puppies affected by cerebellar
      dysfunction. Visual inspection of the 10.6 Mb interval in whole-genome sequencing
      data from one affected puppy revealed a 227 bp SINE insertion into the ATP1B2
      gene encoding the beta2 subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase holoenzyme
      (ATP1B2:c.130_131insLT796559.1:g.50_276). The SINE insertion caused aberrant RNA
      splicing. Immunohistochemistry suggested a reduction of ATP1B2 protein expression
      in the central nervous system of affected puppies. Atp1b2 knockout mice had
      previously been reported to show clinical and neurohistopathological findings
      similar to the affected Malinois puppies. Therefore, we consider
      ATP1B2:c.130_131ins227 the most likely candidate causative variant for a second
      subtype of SDCA in Malinois dogs, which we propose to term spongy degeneration
      with cerebellar ataxia subtype 2 (SDCA2). Our study further elucidates the
      genetic and phenotypic complexity underlying cerebellar dysfunction in Malinois
      dogs and provides the basis for a genetic test to eradicate one specific
      neurodegenerative disease from the breeding population in Malinois and the other
      varieties of the Belgian Shepherd breed. ATP1B2 thus represents another candidate
      gene for human inherited cerebellar ataxias, and SDCA2-affected Malinois puppies
      may serve as a naturally occurring animal model for this disorder.

PMID- 28620081
TI  - Re-Examining Neutrophil Participation in GN.
AB  - Significant advances in understanding the pathogenesis of GN have occurred in
      recent decades. Among those advances is the finding that both innate and adaptive
      immune cells contribute to the development of GN. Neutrophils were recognized as
      key contributors in early animal models of GN, at a time when the prevailing view
      considered neutrophils to function as nonspecific effector cells that die quickly
      after performing antimicrobial functions. However, advances over the past two
      decades have shown that neutrophil functions are more complex and sophisticated.
      Specifically, research has revealed that neutrophil survival is regulated by the
      inflammatory milieu and that neutrophils demonstrate plasticity, mediate
      microbial killing through previously unrecognized mechanisms, demonstrate
      transcriptional activity leading to the release of cytokines and chemokines,
      interact with and regulate cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems, and
      contribute to the resolution of inflammation. Therefore, neutrophil participation
      in glomerular diseases deserves re-evaluation. In this review, we describe
      advances in understanding classic neutrophil functions, review the expanded roles
      of neutrophils in innate and adaptive immune responses, and summarize current
      knowledge of neutrophil contributions to GN.

PMID- 28620087
TI  - Daily Activity of the Housefly, Musca domestica, Is Influenced by Temperature
      Independent of 3' UTR period Gene Splicing.
AB  - Circadian clocks orchestrate daily activity patterns and free running periods of
      locomotor activity under constant conditions. While the first often depends on
      temperature, the latter is temperature-compensated over a physiologically
      relevant range. Here, we explored the locomotor activity of the temperate
      housefly Musca domestica Under low temperatures, activity was centered round a
      major and broad afternoon peak, while high temperatures resulted in activity
      throughout the photophase with a mild midday depression, which was especially
      pronounced in males exposed to long photoperiods. While period (per) mRNA peaked
      earlier under low temperatures, no temperature-dependent splicing of the last per
      3' end intron was identified. The expression of timeless, vrille, and Par domain
      protein 1 was also influenced by temperature, each in a different manner. Our
      data indicated that comparable behavioral trends in daily activity distribution
      have evolved in Drosophila melanogaster and M. domestica, yet the behaviors of
      these two species are orchestrated by different molecular mechanisms.

PMID- 28620086
TI  - A Genetic Screen Reveals an Unexpected Role for Yorkie Signaling in JAK/STAT
      Dependent Hematopoietic Malignancies in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - A gain-of-function mutation in the tyrosine kinase JAK2 (JAK2V617F ) causes human
      myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). These patients present with high numbers of
      myeloid lineage cells and have numerous complications. Since current MPN
      therapies are not curative, there is a need to find new regulators and targets of
      Janus kinase/Signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT)
      signaling that may represent additional clinical interventions . Drosophila
      melanogaster offers a low complexity model to study MPNs as JAK/STAT signaling is
      simplified with only one JAK [Hopscotch (Hop)] and one STAT (Stat92E).
      hopTumorous-lethal(Tum-l) is a gain-of-function mutation that causes dramatic
      expansion of myeloid cells, which then form lethal melanotic tumors. Through an
      F1 deficiency (Df) screen, we identified 11 suppressors and 35 enhancers of
      melanotic tumors in hopTum-l animals. Dfs that uncover the Hippo (Hpo) pathway
      genes expanded (ex) and warts (wts) strongly enhanced the hopTum-l tumor burden,
      as did mutations in ex, wts, and other Hpo pathway genes. Target genes of the Hpo
      pathway effector Yorkie (Yki) were significantly upregulated in hopTum-l blood
      cells, indicating that Yki signaling was increased. Ectopic hematopoietic
      activation of Yki in otherwise wild-type animals increased hemocyte proliferation
      but did not induce melanotic tumors. However, hematopoietic depletion of Yki
      significantly reduced the hopTum-l tumor burden, demonstrating that Yki is
      required for melanotic tumors in this background. These results support a model
      in which elevated Yki signaling increases the number of hemocytes, which become
      melanotic tumors as a result of elevated JAK/STAT signaling.

PMID- 28620088
TI  - The R148.3 Gene Modulates Caenorhabditis elegans Lifespan and Fat Metabolism.
AB  - Despite many advances, the molecular links between energy metabolism and
      longevity are not well understood. Here, we have used the nematode model
      Caenorhabditis elegans to study the role of the yet-uncharacterized gene R148.3
      in fat accumulation and lifespan. In wild-type worms, a R148.3p::GFP reporter
      showed enhanced expression throughout life in the pharynx, in neurons, and in
      muscles. Functionally, a protein fusing a predicted 22 amino acid N-terminal
      signal sequence (SS) of R148.3 to mCherry displayed robust accumulation in
      coelomyocytes, indicating that R148.3 is a secreted protein. Systematic depletion
      of R148.3 by RNA interference (RNAi) at L1 but not at young-adult stage enhanced
      triglyceride accumulation, which was associated with increased food uptake and
      lower expression of genes involved in lipid oxidation. However, RNAi of R148.3 at
      both L1 and young-adult stages robustly diminished mean and maximal lifespan of
      wild-type worms, and also abolished the long-lived phenotypes of eat-2 and daf
      2/InsR mutants. Based on these data, we propose that R148.3 is an SS that
      modulates fat mass and longevity in an independent manner.

PMID- 28620091
TI  - Correction: TALEN-Mediated Inactivation of PD-1 in Tumor-Reactive Lymphocytes
      Promotes Intratumoral T-cell Persistence and Rejection of Established Tumors.

PMID- 28620092
TI  - The Evolution of Clinical Trials in Oncology: Defining Who Benefits from New
      Drugs Using Innovative Study Designs.

PMID- 28620089
TI  - Development and validation of risk prediction equations to estimate survival in
      patients with colorectal cancer: cohort study.
AB  - Objective To develop and externally validate risk prediction equations to
      estimate absolute and conditional survival in patients with colorectal cancer.
      Design Cohort study.Setting General practices in England providing data for the
      QResearch database linked to the national cancer registry.Participants 44 145
      patients aged 15-99 with colorectal cancer from 947 practices to derive the
      equations. The equations were validated in 15 214 patients with colorectal cancer
      from 305 different QResearch practices and 437 821 patients with colorectal
      cancer from the national cancer registry.Main outcome measures The primary
      outcome was all cause mortality and secondary outcome was colorectal cancer
      mortality.Methods Cause specific hazards models were used to predict risks of
      colorectal cancer mortality and other cause mortality accounting for competing
      risks, and these risk estimates were combined to obtain risks of all cause
      mortality. Separate equations were derived for men and women. Several variables
      were tested: age, ethnicity, deprivation score, cancer stage, cancer grade,
      surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body
      mass index, family history of bowel cancer, anaemia, liver function test result,
      comorbidities, use of statins, use of aspirin, clinical values for anaemia, and
      platelet count. Measures of calibration and discrimination were determined in
      both validation cohorts at 1, 5, and 10 years.Results The final models included
      the following variables in men and women: age, deprivation score, cancer stage,
      cancer grade, smoking status, colorectal surgery, chemotherapy, family history of
      bowel cancer, raised platelet count, abnormal liver function, cardiovascular
      disease, diabetes, chronic renal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
      prescribed aspirin at diagnosis, and prescribed statins at diagnosis. Improved
      survival in women was associated with younger age, earlier stage of cancer, well
      or moderately differentiated cancer grade, colorectal cancer surgery (adjusted
      hazard ratio 0.50), family history of bowel cancer (0.62), and prescriptions for
      statins (0.77) and aspirin (0.83) at diagnosis, with comparable results for men.
      The risk equations were well calibrated, with predicted risks closely matching
      observed risks. Discrimination was good in men and women in both validation
      cohorts. For example, the five year survival equations on the QResearch
      validation cohort explained 45.3% of the variation in time to colorectal cancer
      death for women, the D statistic was 1.86, and Harrell's C statistic was 0.80
      (both measures of discrimination, indicating that the scores are able to
      distinguish between people with different levels of risk). The corresponding
      results for all cause mortality were 42.6%, 1.77, and 0.79.Conclusions Risk
      prediction equations were developed and validated to estimate overall and
      conditional survival of patients with colorectal cancer accounting for an
      individual's clinical and demographic characteristics. These equations can
      provide more individualised accurate information for patients with colorectal
      cancer to inform decision making and follow-up.

PMID- 28620093
TI  - Increased Interleukin-35 Levels in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes With Remaining C
      Peptide.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Many patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes have remaining
      functional beta-cells. This study investigated immunological differences between
      patients with or without measurable remaining endogenous insulin production after
      >=10 years duration of disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients (n = 113;
      >=18 years of age) with type 1 diabetes and with disease duration of >=10 years
      were recruited at Uppsala University Hospital. Residual beta-cell function was
      determined with an ultrasensitive C-peptide ELISA. Circulating cytokines,
      including interleukin-35 (IL-35), were determined in plasma. Additional blood
      samples were collected from 14 of the identified C-peptide-positive patients and
      12 of the C-peptide-negative patients, as well as from 15 healthy control
      subjects, and were used for immediate investigation of peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells. RESULTS: The blood concentration of the cytokine IL-35 was
      markedly lower in C-peptide-negative patients, and this was associated with a
      simultaneous decrease in the proportion of IL-35+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), IL
      35+ regulatory B cells, and IL-35-producing CD8+Foxp3+ cells. IL-35 has
      previously been shown to maintain the phenotype of Tregs, block the
      differentiation of T-helper 17 cells, and thereby dampen immune assaults to beta
      cells. We found that the proportions of IL-17a+ cells among the Tregs, CD4+ T
      cells, and CD8+ T cells were lower in the C-peptide-positive patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with remaining endogenous beta-cell function after >10
      years duration of type 1 diabetes differ immunologically from other patients with
      long-standing type 1 diabetes. In particular, they have a much higher IL-35
      production.

PMID- 28620095
TI  - Responses to Cytokines and Interferons that Depend upon JAKs and STATs.
AB  - Many cytokines and all interferons activate members of a small family of kinases
      (the Janus kinases [JAKs]) and a slightly larger family of transcription factors
      (the signal transducers and activators of transcription [STATs]), which are
      essential components of pathways that induce the expression of specific sets of
      genes in susceptible cells. JAK-STAT pathways are required for many innate and
      acquired immune responses, and the activities of these pathways must be finely
      regulated to avoid major immune dysfunctions. Regulation is achieved through
      mechanisms that include the activation or induction of potent negative regulatory
      proteins, posttranslational modification of the STATs, and other modulatory
      effects that are cell-type specific. Mutations of JAKs and STATs can result in
      gains or losses of function and can predispose affected individuals to autoimmune
      disease, susceptibility to a variety of infections, or cancer. Here we review
      recent developments in the biochemistry, genetics, and biology of JAKs and STATs.

PMID- 28620094
TI  - An Interrupted Time Series Analysis to Determine the Effect of an Electronic
      Health Record-Based Intervention on Appropriate Screening for Type 2 Diabetes in
      Urban Primary Care Clinics in New York City.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of a health system-wide primary care diabetes
      management system, which included targeted guidelines for type 2 diabetes (T2DM)
      and prediabetes (dysglycemia) screening, on detection of previously undiagnosed
      dysglycemia cases. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Intervention included electronic
      health record (EHR)-based decision support and standardized providers and staff
      training for using the American Diabetes Association guidelines for dysglycemia
      screening. Using EHR data, we identified 40,456 adults without T2DM or recent
      screening with a face-to-face visit (March 2011-December 2013) in five urban
      clinics. Interrupted time series analyses examined the impact of the intervention
      on trends in three outcomes: 1) monthly proportion of eligible patients receiving
      dysglycemia testing, 2) two negative comparison conditions (dysglycemia testing
      among ineligible patients and cholesterol screening), and 3) yield of undiagnosed
      dysglycemia among those tested. RESULTS: Baseline monthly proportion of eligible
      patients receiving testing was 7.4-10.4%. After the intervention, screening
      doubled (mean increase + 11.0% [95% CI 9.0, 13.0], proportion range 18.6-25.3%).
      The proportion of ineligible patients tested also increased (+5.0% [95% CI 3.0,
      8.0]) with no concurrent change in cholesterol testing (+0% [95% CI -0.02,
      0.05]). About 59% of test results in eligible patients showed dysglycemia both
      before and after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a policy for
      systematic dysglycemia screening including formal training and EHR templates in
      urban academic primary care clinics resulted in a doubling of appropriate testing
      and the number of patients who could be targeted for treatment to prevent or
      delay T2DM.

PMID- 28620096
TI  - Interleukin-6 Family Cytokines.
AB  - The interleukin (IL)-6 family cytokines is a group of cytokines consisting of IL
      6, IL-11, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF),
      oncostatin M (OSM), cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1), cardiotrophin-like cytokine (CLC),
      and IL-27. They are grouped into one family because the receptor complex of each
      cytokine contains two (IL-6 and IL-11) or one molecule (all others cytokines) of
      the signaling receptor subunit gp130. IL-6 family cytokines have overlapping but
      also distinct biologic activities and are involved among others in the regulation
      of the hepatic acute phase reaction, in B-cell stimulation, in the regulation of
      the balance between regulatory and effector T cells, in metabolic regulation, and
      in many neural functions. Blockade of IL-6 family cytokines has been shown to be
      beneficial in autoimmune diseases, but bacterial infections and metabolic side
      effects have been observed. Recent advances in cytokine blockade might help to
      minimize such side effects during therapeutic blockade.

PMID- 28620098
TI  - Cytokine Signaling in the Development and Homeostasis of Regulatory T cells.
AB  - Cytokine signaling is indispensable for regulatory T-cell (Treg) development in
      the thymus, and also influences the homeostasis, phenotypic diversity, and
      function of Tregs in the periphery. Because Tregs are required for establishment
      and maintenance of immunological self-tolerance, investigating the role of
      cytokines in Treg biology carries therapeutic potential in the context of
      autoimmune disease. This review discusses the potent and diverse influences of
      interleukin (IL)-2 signaling on the Treg compartment, an area of knowledge that
      has led to the use of low-dose IL-2 as a therapy to reregulate autoaggressive
      immune responses. Evidence suggesting Treg-specific impacts of the cytokines
      transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), IL-7, thymic stromal lymphopoietin
      (TSLP), IL-15, and IL-33 is also presented. Finally, we consider the technical
      challenges and knowledge limitations that must be overcome to bring other
      cytokine-based, Treg-targeted therapies into clinical use.

PMID- 28620099
TI  - Correction: RAG1/2 induces genomic insertions by mobilizing DNA into RAG1/2
      independent breaks.

PMID- 28620100
TI  - Restoring leukemia cell function from the inside out.

PMID- 28620097
TI  - Interleukin 17 Family Cytokines: Signaling Mechanisms, Biological Activities, and
      Therapeutic Implications.
AB  - The cytokines of the interleukin 17 (IL-17) family play a central role in the
      control of infections, especially extracellular fungi. Conversely, if
      unrestrained, these inflammatory cytokines contribute to the pathology of
      numerous autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions. Recent advances have led
      to the approval of IL-17A-blocking biologics for the treatment of moderate to
      severe plaque psoriasis, but much remains to be understood about the biological
      functions, regulation, and signaling pathways downstream of these factors. In
      this review, we outline the current knowledge of signal transduction and known
      physiological activities of IL-17 family cytokines. We will highlight in
      particular the current understanding of these cytokines in the context of skin
      manifestations of disease.

PMID- 28620101
TI  - Barcodes show family trees in ALL.

PMID- 28620102
TI  - Novel oncogenic noncoding mutations in T-ALL.

PMID- 28620103
TI  - Pre-PMF emerging as important subgroup of MPN.

PMID- 28620104
TI  - From tumor suppressor to thrombus resolver.

PMID- 28620105
TI  - Erdheim-Chester disease presenting as bradycardia in an elderly man.

PMID- 28620106
TI  - Coarse basophilic stippling in lead poisoning.

PMID- 28620107
TI  - Cicalese MP, Ferrua F, Castagnaro L, et al. Update on the safety and efficacy of
      retroviral gene therapy for immunodeficiency due to adenosine deaminase
      deficiency. Blood. 2016;128(1):45-54.

PMID- 28620108
TI  - Marini O, Costa S, Bevilacqua D, et al. Mature CD10+ and immature CD10-
      neutrophils present in G-CSF-treated donors display opposite effects on T cells.
      Blood. 2017;129(10):1343-1356.

PMID- 28620109
TI  - Prefibrotic/early vs overt PMF.

PMID- 28620110
TI  - Predicting survival in patients with colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28620111
TI  - Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the
      American Heart Association.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading global cause of death, accounting for
      17.3 million deaths per year. Preventive treatment that reduces CVD by even a
      small percentage can substantially reduce, nationally and globally, the number of
      people who develop CVD and the costs of caring for them. This American Heart
      Association presidential advisory on dietary fats and CVD reviews and discusses
      the scientific evidence, including the most recent studies, on the effects of
      dietary saturated fat intake and its replacement by other types of fats and
      carbohydrates on CVD. In summary, randomized controlled trials that lowered
      intake of dietary saturated fat and replaced it with polyunsaturated vegetable
      oil reduced CVD by ~30%, similar to the reduction achieved by statin treatment.
      Prospective observational studies in many populations showed that lower intake of
      saturated fat coupled with higher intake of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated
      fat is associated with lower rates of CVD and of other major causes of death and
      all-cause mortality. In contrast, replacement of saturated fat with mostly
      refined carbohydrates and sugars is not associated with lower rates of CVD and
      did not reduce CVD in clinical trials. Replacement of saturated with unsaturated
      fats lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a cause of atherosclerosis,
      linking biological evidence with incidence of CVD in populations and in clinical
      trials. Taking into consideration the totality of the scientific evidence,
      satisfying rigorous criteria for causality, we conclude strongly that lowering
      intake of saturated fat and replacing it with unsaturated fats, especially
      polyunsaturated fats, will lower the incidence of CVD. This recommended shift
      from saturated to unsaturated fats should occur simultaneously in an overall
      healthful dietary pattern such as DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
      or the Mediterranean diet as emphasized by the 2013 American Heart
      Association/American College of Cardiology lifestyle guidelines and the 2015 to
      2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

PMID- 28620112
TI  - Midwifery and women's health.
AB  - EBN Perspectives bring together key issues from the commentaries in one of our
      nursing topic themes. 

PMID- 28620118
TI  - Role of p38-MAPK pathway in the effects of high-magnitude compression on nucleus
      pulposus cell senescence in a disc perfusion culture.
AB  - Nucleus pulposus (NP) cell senescence is a typical pathological feature within
      the degenerative intervertebral disc. As a potential inducing and aggregating
      factor of disc degeneration, mechanical overloading affects disc biology in
      multiple ways. The present study was to investigate the NP cell senescence
      associated phenotype under intermittent high compression in an ex vivo disc
      bioreactor culture, and the role of the p38-MAPK pathway in this regulatory
      process. Porcine discs were cultured in culture chambers of a self-developed
      mechanically active bioreactor and subjected to different magnitudes of dynamic
      compression (low-magnitude and high-magnitude: 0.1 and 1.3 MPa at a frequency of
      1.0 Hz for 2 h per day respectively) for 7 days. Non-compressed discs were used
      as controls. The inhibitor SB203580 was used to study the role of the p38-MAPK
      pathway in this process. Results showed that intermittent high-magnitude
      compression clearly induced senescence-associated changes in NP cells, such as
      increasing beta-galactosidase-positive NP cells, decreasing PCNA-positive NP
      cells, promoting the formation of senescence-associated heterochromatic foci
      (SAHF), up-regulating the expression of senescence markers (p16 and p53), and
      attenuating matrix production. However, inhibition of the p38-MAPK pathway partly
      attenuated the effects of intermittent high-magnitude (1.3 MPa) compression on
      those described NP cell senescence-associated parameters. In conclusion,
      intermittent high-magnitude compression can induce NP cell senescence-associated
      changes in an ex vivo disc bioreactor culture, and the p38-MAPK pathway is
      involved in this process.

PMID- 28620119
TI  - Tripartite motif containing 25 promotes proliferation and invasion of colorectal
      cancer cells through TGF-beta signaling.
AB  - Tripartite motif containing 25 (TRIM25) is a member of TRIM proteins and
      functions as an E3 (ubiquitin ligase). It has been found to act as an oncogene in
      gastric cancer cells and is abnormally expressed in cancers in female
      reproductive system. Here, we investigated the function of TRIM25 in colorectal
      cancer. TRIM25 was found to be significantly up-regulated in colorectal cancer
      tissues and cancer cell lines through real-time PCR assay. Colorectal cancer
      cells (CRCs) overexpressing TRIM25 exhibited a two-fold higher proliferation and
      migration rate compared with their parental lines in vitro Moreover, TRIM25 also
      promoted tumor progression in vivo Further study indicated that TRIM25 worked
      through positively regulating transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)
      signaling pathway to regulate the proliferation and invasion of CRCs. In summary,
      our results indicate that TRIM25 also acts as an oncogene in colorectal cancer
      and it functions through TGF-beta signaling pathway. Thus, TRIM25 represents
      potential targets for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28620121
TI  - Social norms: More details, please.

PMID- 28620120
TI  - Ethyl Vanillin Activates TRPA1.
AB  - The nonselective cation channel transient receptor potential ankryn subtype
      family 1 (TRPA1) is expressed in neurons of dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal
      ganglia and also in vagal afferent neurons that innervate the lungs and
      gastrointestinal tract. Many TRPA1 agonists are reactive electrophilic compounds
      that form covalent adducts with TRPA1. Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), the common
      agonist used to identify TRPA1, contains an electrophilic group that covalently
      binds with cysteine residues of TRPA1 and confers a structural change on the
      channel. There is scientific motivation to identify additional compounds that can
      activate TRPA1 with different mechanisms of channel gating. We provide evidence
      that ethyl vanillin (EVA) is a TRPA1 agonist. Using fluorescent calcium imaging
      and whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology on dissociated rat vagal afferent
      neurons and TRPA1-transfected COS-7 cells, we discovered that EVA activates cells
      also activated by AITC. Both agonists display similar current profiles and
      conductances. Pretreatment with A967079, a selective TRPA1 antagonist, blocks the
      EVA response as well as the AITC response. Furthermore, EVA does not activate
      vagal afferent neurons from TRPA1 knockout mice, showing selectivity for TRPA1 in
      this tissue. Interestingly, EVA appears to be pharmacologically different from
      AITC as a TRPA1 agonist. When AITC is applied before EVA, the EVA response is
      occluded. However, they both require intracellular oxidation to activate TRPA1.
      These findings suggest that EVA activates TRPA1 but via a distinct mechanism that
      may provide greater ease for study in native systems compared with AITC and may
      shed light on differential modes of TRPA1 gating by ligand types.

PMID- 28620122
TI  - NHS cyberattack may prove to be a valuable wake up call.

PMID- 28620123
TI  - Correction: Work injuries among migrant workers in Denmark.

PMID- 28620124
TI  - A High-Throughput, Field-Based Phenotyping Technology for Tall Biomass Crops.
AB  - Recent advances in omics technologies have not been accompanied by equally
      efficient, cost-effective, and accurate phenotyping methods required to dissect
      the genetic architecture of complex traits. Even though high-throughput
      phenotyping platforms have been developed for controlled environments, field
      based aerial and ground technologies have only been designed and deployed for
      short-stature crops. Therefore, we developed and tested Phenobot 1.0, an auto
      steered and self-propelled field-based high-throughput phenotyping platform for
      tall dense canopy crops, such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Phenobot 1.0 was
      equipped with laterally positioned and vertically stacked stereo RGB cameras.
      Images collected from 307 diverse sorghum lines were reconstructed in 3D for
      feature extraction. User interfaces were developed, and multiple algorithms were
      evaluated for their accuracy in estimating plant height and stem diameter. Tested
      feature extraction methods included the following: (1) User-interactive
      Individual Plant Height Extraction (UsIn-PHe) based on dense stereo three
      dimensional reconstruction; (2) Automatic Hedge-based Plant Height Extraction
      (Auto-PHe) based on dense stereo 3D reconstruction; (3) User-interactive Dense
      Stereo Matching Stem Diameter Extraction; and (4) User-interactive Image Patch
      Stereo Matching Stem Diameter Extraction (IPaS-Di). Comparative genome-wide
      association analysis and ground-truth validation demonstrated that both UsIn-PHe
      and Auto-PHe were accurate methods to estimate plant height, while Auto-PHe had
      the additional advantage of being a completely automated process. For stem
      diameter, IPaS-Di generated the most accurate estimates of this biomass-related
      architectural trait. In summary, our technology was proven robust to obtain
      ground-based high-throughput plant architecture parameters of sorghum, a tall and
      densely planted crop species.

PMID- 28620137
TI  - Biological specificity of CDK4/6 inhibitors: dose response relationship, in vivo
      signaling, and composite response signature.
AB  - Recently developed potent and selective CDK4/6 inhibitors fall into two classes
      based on structure and toxicity profiles in clinical studies. One class,
      exemplified by palbociclib and ribociclib, exhibits neutropenia as a dose
      limiting toxicity and requires discontinuous dosing. In contrast, the
      structurally distinct CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib is dosed continuously, and has
      diarrhea and fatigue as dose-limiting toxicities. In preclinical models,
      palbociclib has been extensively studied and induces cell cycle inhibition in an
      RB-dependent manner. Thus far, abemaciclib has been less extensively evaluated.
      We found that abemaciclib cell cycle inhibitory activity is RB-dependent at
      clinically achievable concentrations. Abemaciclib elicited potent suppression of
      RB/E2F regulated genes associated with prognosis in ER-positive breast cancer.
      However, unlike palbociclib, at 250nM-1 uM doses abemaciclib induced cell death
      in RB-deficient cell lines. This response was associated with a rapidly-induced
      multi-vacuolar phenotype indicative of lysosomal membrane permeabilization that
      could be ameliorated with chloroquine. This event was not a reflection of
      inhibition of other CDK family members, but could be recapitulated with CBX4945
      that inhibits casein and DYRK/HIPK kinases. To determine if these "off-target"
      features of abemaciclib were observed in vivo, mice harboring matched RB-positive
      and negative xenografts were treated with palbociclib and abemaciclib. In vivo,
      all of the apparent activity of abemaciclib was RB-dependent and strongly
      elicited suppression of cell cycle regulatory genes in a fashion markedly similar
      to palbociclib. Using gene expression data from cell lines and tumors treated
      with abemaciclib and palbociclib a composite signature of response to CDK4/6
      inhibition was developed that included many genes that are individually required
      for tumor cell proliferation or viability. These data indicate that while
      abemaciclib and palbociclib can exert distinct biological and molecular effects,
      there are common gene expression features that could be broadly utilized in
      measuring the response to CDK4/6 inhibition.

PMID- 28620138
TI  - New perspectives for colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28620148
TI  - CFC1 is a cancer stemness-regulating factor in neuroblastoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the use of aggressive therapy, survival rates among high-risk
      neuroblastoma (NB) patients remain poor. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are considered
      to be critically involved in the recurrence and metastasis of NB and are isolated
      as NB spheres. METHODS: The gene expression profiling of adherent (control) and
      sphere-forming primary NB cells was conducted using a gene expression microarray.
      CFC1, which functions in the development of embryos and decides the left-right
      axis, was strongly expressed in sphere-forming cells only and was related to the
      unfavorable prognosis of NB patients. The knockdown and overexpression of CFC1
      were performed using a lentiviral system in NB cell lines. Sphere formation, cell
      proliferation, colony formation in soft agar, and xenograft tumor formation were
      analyzed. RESULTS: The overexpression of CFC1 increased sphere formation, cell
      growth, and colony formation. These phenotypes, particularly sphere formation,
      and xenograft tumor formation were significantly suppressed by the knockdown of
      CFC1. CFC1 inhibited Activin A-induced NB cell differentiation and Smad2
      phosphorylation in NB cell lines, indicating its involvement in tumorigenesis
      related to EGF-CFC co-receptor family molecule pathways. Collectively, these
      results indicate that CFC1 is a candidate molecule for the development of CSC
      targeted therapy for NB.

PMID- 28620149
TI  - Adult neurogenesis in intellectual disabilities.

PMID- 28620146
TI  - Mitochondrial ASncmtRNA-1 and ASncmtRNA-2 as potent targets to inhibit tumor
      growth and metastasis in the RenCa murine renal adenocarcinoma model.
AB  - Knockdown of antisense noncoding mitochondrial RNAs (ASncmtRNAs) induces
      apoptosis in several human and mouse tumor cell lines, but not normal cells,
      suggesting this approach for a selective therapy against different types of
      cancer. Here we show that in vitro knockdown of murine ASncmtRNAs induces
      apoptotic death of mouse renal adenocarcinoma RenCa cells, but not normal murine
      kidney epithelial cells. In a syngeneic subcutaneous RenCa model, treatment
      delayed and even reversed tumor growth. Since the subcutaneous model does not
      reflect the natural microenviroment of renal cancer, we used an orthotopic model
      of RenCa cells inoculated under the renal capsule. These studies showed
      inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. Direct metastasis assessment by tail
      vein injection of RenCa cells also showed a drastic reduction in lung metastatic
      nodules. In vivo treatment reduces survivin, N-cadherin and P-cadherin levels,
      providing a molecular basis for metastasis inhibition. In consequence, the
      treatment significantly enhanced mouse survival in these models. Our results
      suggest that the ASncmtRNAs could be potent and selective targets for therapy
      against human renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28620150
TI  - Mutational cascades in cancer.

PMID- 28620151
TI  - Reproductive innovation and the recognition of a new genus within the
      Polystomatidae (Monogenea) infecting chelonian vertebrates.
AB  - Polystomatid monogeneans have a wide diversity of life cycles correlated with the
      varied ecology and behaviour of their aquatic vertebrate hosts. Typically,
      transmission involves a swimming infective larva but most hosts are amphibious
      and invasion is interrupted when hosts leave water. A key life cycle adaptation
      involves a uterus that, in the most specialised cases, may contain several
      hundred fully-developed larvae prepared for instant host-to-host transmission. By
      contrast, one subfamily of the Polystomatidae - the Polystomoidinae, specific to
      chelonians (freshwater turtles) - has a simplified reproductive system without a
      uterus. Recently, Polystomoides nelsoni Du Preez et Van Rooyen, 2015 has been
      described with a uterus containing multiple eggs. The present study explores the
      exceptional interest of this parasite - for the functional biology of egg
      production, for the evolution of a reproductive system unique amongst ca 60
      species in the subfamily, and for systematic relationships. A new genus is
      proposed, Uteropolystomoides gen. n., separate from the four currently-recognised
      genera Polystomoides Ward, 1917, Uropolystomoides Tinsley et Tinsley, 2016,
      Neopolystoma Price, 1939 and Polystomoidella Price, 1939 which lack a uterus. In
      addition, U. nelsoni (Du Preez et Van Rooyen, 2015) comb. n. has a suite of
      distinctive copulatory stuctures: a massive genital bulb with an exceptionally
      large number of very long genital spines and hyper-development of the vaginal
      openings. These characters set U. nelsoni apart from all other polystomoidines
      worldwide except Polystomoides multifalx Stunkard, 1924 and P. stunkardi Harwood,
      1931. Missing data for these latter species preclude definitive assessment of
      inter-relationships but the distinguishing characters of U. nelsoni, especially
      the unique occurrence of the uterus, suggest a novel evolutionary pathway
      isolated from other lineages of polystomatids infecting chelonians.

PMID- 28620152
TI  - Cryptosporidium meleagridis and C. baileyi (Apicomplexa) in domestic and wild
      birds in Algeria.
AB  - A total of 345 faecal samples were collected from domestic, captive and wild
      birds in rural areas, urban areas and a Zoo in Algeria. Samples were screened for
      the presence of parasites belonging to the genus Cryptosporidium Tyzzer, 1910 by
      microscopy and PCR analysis of the small-subunit rRNA (SSU), actin and 60-kDa
      glycoprotein (gp60) genes. Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 31 samples.
      Sequence analysis of SSU and actin genes revealed the presence of C. baileyi
      Current, Upton et Haynes, 1986 in domestic chicken broilers (n = 12), captive
      ostriches (n = 4) and a wild mallard (n = 1), and C. meleagridis Slavin, 1955 in
      a graylag goose (n = 1), chickens (n = 11) and turkeys (n = 2). Twenty-three
      chicken and two turkey broilers from five farms were positive for cryptosporidia,
      with an overall prevalence of 2% and 6%, respectively. Both C. meleagridis and C.
      baileyi were detected in farmed chicken broilers, with a prevalence ranging from
      9% to 69%. Farmed turkeys broilers were positive only for C. meleagridis, with a
      13% prevalence at the animal level. Subtyping of C. meleagridis isolates at the
      gp60 locus showed the presence of subtype IIIgA22G3R1 in graylag goose and
      chicken broilers and IIIgA23G2R1 in chicken and turkey broilers. Infection with
      cryptosporidia was not associated with any clinical diseases. The results of the
      present study, which provides the first data on the prevalence of Cryptosporidium
      spp. in wild birds in Africa, demonstrate the presence of human pathogenic C.
      meleagridis in both domestic and wild birds in Algeria.

PMID- 28620153
TI  - Premature Labor and Neonatal Septicemia Caused by Capnocytophaga Ochracea.
AB  - BACKGROUND Capnocytophaga ochracea is a gram-negative anaerobic organism commonly
      found in human oral flora. It is characteristically sensitive to beta-lactams and
      resistant to aminoglycosides. CASE REPORT A 23-year-old woman presented with
      lower abdominal pain and was admitted for premature labor at 24-weeks of
      gestation. At presentation, the cervix was closed and the membrane was intact;
      however, contractions continued, the membrane subsequently ruptured before
      receiving any steroids or magnesium, and the mother gave birth to a 540-gram
      female baby. At birth, Apgar scores were 1 at 5 minutes, 1 at 10 minutes, and 2
      at 15 minutes. On the fifth day of life, the blood culture grew Capnocytophaga
      species. Consequently, Cefotaxime was started and ampicillin continued for a
      total of 14 days; however, on the 6th day, the head ultrasound showed grade 4
      intraventricular hemorrhage and a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order was placed in
      the chart. The patient's health continued to deteriorate, having multiple
      episodes of bradycardia and desaturation until cardiac arrest on the 17th day.
      CONCLUSIONS Capnocytophaga ochracea was isolated from the blood culture of a
      preterm neonate. It was thought to be the cause of the premature labor and
      subsequent neonatal septicemia. This case report suggests that the prevalence of
      Capnocytophaga infections is most likely underestimated and that additional
      premature labors and abortions could have been caused by Capnocytophaga
      infections that were never detected. Hence, more studies are needed to
      investigate the route of transmission.

PMID- 28620154
TI  - Influence of Donor Lung Surfactant-A and -B Protein Expression on the Development
      of Primary Graft Dysfunction After Lung Transplantation: A Pilot Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is responsible of high early mortality
      in lung transplanted patients. We measured the rate of surfactant proteins in the
      organ donor, and we observed the occurrence of lung PGD in the recipient. The co
      relation between these two parameters was evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this
      pilot study, we prospectively collected blood samples and lung biopsies in
      thirteen donors at the time of recovery of organs before preservation. Gene
      expression of SP-A, SP-B, SP-D, and CC16 was evaluated by real-time quantitative
      PCR. Surfactant proteins plasma levels were evaluated by ELISA. Post-transplant
      assessments included hemodynamic, arterial blood gas measurements, and
      radiographic evaluation to determine PGD and lung biopsies. RESULTS Nine of the
      thirteen recipients (69%) developed lung infiltrates and four (31%) developed PGD
      at either stages 2 or 3. SP-A and SP-B expressions were dramatically reduced in
      lung allografts of these patients, while lung expression of SP-D and CC16
      remained unchanged. Plasma levels of SP-A, SP-B, SP-D, and CC16 did not differ.
      CONCLUSIONS Primary graft dysfunction may be initiated in the donor. Lung
      allografts with low lung SP-A and SP-B gene expression prior to implantation are
      associated with increased incidence of lung infiltrates after transplantation.

PMID- 28620155
TI  - SHP-2 Activating Mutation Promotes Malignant Biological Behaviors of Glioma
      Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND This study investigated the mechanism underlying the activating
      mutation of SHP-2 in promoting malignant biological behaviors of glioma cells.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS The SHP-2 empty plasmid pcDNA3.1 and SHP-2 activating
      mutation plasmid pcDNA3.1 SHP-2 D61G mutant eukaryotic expression vectors were
      designed; stable SHP-2-expressing cells transfected with pcDNA3.1 SHP-2 D61G
      mutant were set as the mutation group; cells transfected with pcDNA3.1 were set
      as the empty vector group; and cells without transfection were set as the control
      group. The cell reproductive capacity in each group was measured by MTT method.
      The invasion ability of cells in vitro was detected by Transwell chamber assay,
      the cell apoptosis in each group was detected by Annexin-V/PE dual-staining
      method, and the clone formation ability of cells in vitro was detected by Tablet
      clone-forming assay. The activation of ERK1/2, ARK, and p38MAPK signal pathways
      in each group was determined by Western blot. RESULTS After transfection, the
      expression of SHP-2 protein in the mutant group was significantly higher than
      that in the control group and empty vector group. The proliferation ability of
      transfected cells, the apoptosis rate, the invasion ability, and the expression
      levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2, AKT, and p38 in the mutation group was
      significantly higher than in the empty vector group and the control group
      (P<0.05). Moreover, the cell clone formation ability of the mutation group was
      obviously enhanced (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The activating mutation of SHP-2 can
      lead to malignant changes in biological behaviors of glioma cells, and the
      specific mechanism may be related to the activation of ERK1/2, AKT, and p38
      signal pathway. SHP-2 protein may become a new target for anti-malignant
      transformation of glioma.

PMID- 28620156
TI  - The effect of Lasik surgery on myopic anisometropes' sensory eye dominance.
AB  - Lasik is a common surgery for treating anisometropia. In this study, we asked a
      specific question: what's the effect of Lasik surgery on anisometropes' sensory
      eye dominance ? Fifteen myopic anisometropes (mean age: 23 +/- 6.9 years old; 6
      females) participated in our experiment. We quantitatively measured participants'
      sensory eye dominance before and after the Lasik surgery using a binocular phase
      combination paradigm. We found no significant change of sensory eye dominance
      within 16 weeks (measured between 8 to 96 days, for one or two repetitions) after
      the surgery (t(14) = -1.44, p = 0.17). A further following on eight patients
      showed that patients' two eyes were much more balanced at 16 weeks or more
      (measured one or two times between 112 to 408 days) after the surgery (t(7) = 
      3.79, p = 0.007). Our results suggest that the benefit of Lasik surgery on
      anisometropes' sensory eye dominance is not immediate, a long-term 'adaptation'
      period (16 weeks or more) is necessary to enable the surgery to be truly
      effective.

PMID- 28620157
TI  - A novel cell membrane affinity sample pretreatment technique for recognition and
      preconcentration of active components from traditional Chinese medicine.
AB  - We describe a novel biomembrane affinity sample pretreatment technique to quickly
      screen and preconcentrate active components from traditional Chinese medicine
      (TCM), which adopts cell membrane coated silica particles (CMCSPs) as affinity
      ligands which benefit the biomembrane's ability to maximize simulation of drug
      receptor interactions in vivo. In this study, the prepared CMCSPs formed by
      irreversible adsorption of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) cell
      membrane on the surface of silica were characterized using different
      spectroscopic and imaging instruments. Drug binding experiments showed the
      excellent adsorption rate and adsorption capacity of FGFR4/CMCSPs compared with
      non-coated silica particles. The FGFR4/CMCSPs were used as solid-phase extraction
      sorbents to pretreat the TCM Aconitum szechenyianum Gay. The resultant
      FGFR4/CMCSPs exhibited good performance. In addition, high selectivity and
      recognition ability of the FGFR4/CMCSPs were determined by selectivity
      experiments. Four alkaloid were screened and identified, one of these alkaloid,
      napellonine, showed favorable anti-tumor activity in preliminary pharmacological
      verification trials including cell proliferation and molecular docking assays.
      The proposed cell membrane affinity sample pretreatment method is a reliable,
      effective and time-saving method for fast screening and enriching active
      compounds and can be extended to pretreat other TCMs as leading compounds
      resources.

PMID- 28620158
TI  - Clinical Features and Sleep Analysis of Chinese Patients with Fatal Familial
      Insomnia.
AB  - This study aimed to examine clinical features, sleep, abnormal sleep-wake
      transition and non-sleep disturbances as well as lab tests in Chinese fatal
      familial insomnia (FFI) subjects. Patients with confirmed clinical and laboratory
      diagnosis of FFI have been retrospectively reviewed. The clinical features and
      the results of the complementary tests, including polysomnography (PSG), brain
      imaging and genetic analysis, were used. Two male and three female patients were
      recruited in this study. Three of the five patients had more comprehensive family
      medical records. The most typical clinical manifestations in all 5 patients were
      sleep disturbances, including insomnia, laryngeal stridor, sleep breath
      disturbance, and sleep-related involuntary movements. PSG of all these five cases
      showed reduction in total sleep time, sleep fragmentation, abnormal short non
      rapid eye movement - rapid eye movement (REM) cycling, REM sleep reduction or
      loss, and REM sleep instruction in wakefulness. Patient 2's emission tomography
      scan demonstrated a reduction in glucose uptake in the left thalamus and
      bilateral inferior parietal lobe. In summary, Chinese FFI patients are typically
      characterized by organic sleep related symptoms, rapidly progressive dementia and
      sympathetic symptoms. We propose that structural damages in the thalamus and
      cortex are mostly responsible for clinical manifestations of FFI.

PMID- 28620159
TI  - Main and epistatic loci studies in soybean for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
      resistance reveal multiple modes of resistance in multi-environments.
AB  - Genome-wide association (GWAS) and epistatic (GWES) studies along with expression
      studies in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] were leveraged to dissect the
      genetics of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) [caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.)
      de Bary], a significant fungal disease causing yield and quality losses. A large
      association panel of 466 diverse plant introduction accessions were phenotyped in
      multiple field and controlled environments to: (1) discover sources of
      resistance, (2) identify SNPs associated with resistance, and (3) determine
      putative candidate genes to elucidate the mode of resistance. We report 58
      significant main effect loci and 24 significant epistatic interactions associated
      with SSR resistance, with candidate genes involved in a wide range of processes
      including cell wall structure, hormone signaling, and sugar allocation related to
      plant immunity, revealing the complex nature of SSR resistance. Putative
      candidate genes [for example, PHYTOALEXIN DEFFICIENT 4 (PAD4), ETHYLENE
      INSENSITIVE 3-LIKE 1 (EIL3), and ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR 1 (ERF1)] clustered
      into salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) pathways suggest
      the involvement of a complex hormonal network typically activated by both
      necrotrophic (ET/JA) and biotrophic (SA) pathogens supporting that S.
      sclerotiorum is a hemibiotrophic plant pathogen.

PMID- 28620160
TI  - Small-diameter hybrid vascular grafts composed of polycaprolactone and
      polydioxanone fibers.
AB  - Electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) vascular grafts showed good mechanical
      properties and patency. However, the slow degradation of PCL limited vascular
      regeneration in the graft. Polydioxanone (PDS) is a biodegradable polymer with
      high mechanical strength and moderate degradation rate in vivo. In this study, a
      small-diameter hybrid vascular graft was prepared by co-electrospinning PCL and
      PDS fibers. The incorporation of PDS improves mechanical properties,
      hydrophilicity of the hybrid grafts compared to PCL grafts. The in vitro/vivo
      degradation assay showed that PDS fibers completely degraded within 12 weeks,
      which resulted in the increased pore size of PCL/PDS grafts. The healing
      characteristics of the hybrid grafts were evaluated by implantation in rat
      abdominal aorta replacement model for 1 and 3 months. Color Doppler ultrasound
      demonstrated PCL/PDS grafts had good patency, and did not show aneurysmal
      dilatation. Immunofluorescence staining showed the coverage of endothelial cells
      (ECs) was significantly enhanced in PCL/PDS grafts due to the improved surface
      hydrophilicity. The degradation of PDS fibers provided extra space, which
      facilitated vascular smooth muscle regeneration within PCL/PDS grafts. These
      results suggest that the hybrid PCL/PDS graft may be a promising candidate for
      the small-diameter vascular grafts.

PMID- 28620161
TI  - Different signaling patterns contribute to loss of keratinocyte cohesion
      dependent on autoantibody profile in pemphigus.
AB  - Pemphigus is an autoimmune blistering skin disease caused primarily by
      autoantibodies against desmoglein (Dsg)1 and 3. Here, we characterized the
      mechanisms engaged by pemphigus IgG from patients with different clinical
      phenotypes and autoantibody profiles. All pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus
      foliaceus (PF) IgG and AK23, a monoclonal mouse antibody against Dsg3, caused
      loss of cell cohesion, cytokeratin retraction and p38MAPK activation. Strong
      alterations in Dsg3 distribution were caused by mucosal (aDsg3 antibodies),
      mucocutaneous (aDsg1 + aDsg3) as well as atypical (aDsg3) PV-IgG. All PV-IgG
      fractions and AK23 compromised Dsg3 but not Dsg1 binding and enhanced Src
      activity. In contrast, rapid Ca2+ influx and Erk activation were induced by
      mucocutaneous PV-IgG and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) IgG (aDsg1) whereas cAMP was
      increased by mucosal and mucocutaneous PV-IgG only. Selective inhibition of
      p38MAPK, Src or PKC blocked loss of keratinocyte cohesion in response to all
      autoantibody fractions whereas Erk inhibition was protective against
      mucocutaneous PV-IgG and PF-IgG only. These results demonstrate that signaling
      patterns parallel the clinical phenotype as some mechanisms involved in loss of
      cell cohesion are caused by antibodies targeting Dsg3 whereas others correlate
      with autoantibodies against Dsg1. The concept of key desmosome regulators may
      explain observations from several experimental models of pemphigus.

PMID- 28620162
TI  - Characterization of an iron oxide nanoparticle labelling and MRI-based protocol
      for inducing human mesenchymal stem cells into neural-like cells.
AB  - The aim of the current study was to develop an iron oxide nanoparticle (ION)
      labelling and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based protocol to allow
      visualization of the differentiation process of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)
      into neural-like cells (NCs) in vitro. Ferucarbotran, a clinically available ION,
      which can be visualized under MRI, is used for tracking cells implanted in vivo.
      The NCs were verified morphologically and histologically by light microscopy, and
      their functions were verified by measuring their action potentials.
      Conformational conversion of axon-like structures was observed under light
      microscopy. These NCs exhibited frequent, active action potentials compared with
      cells that did not undergo neural differentiation. The labelling of ION had no
      influence on the morphological and functional differentiation capacity of the
      MSCs. We conclude that the MSCs that were differentiated into NCs exhibited in
      vitro activity potential firing and may be used to replace damaged neurons.

PMID- 28620163
TI  - Natural history of relapsed myeloma, refractory to immunomodulatory drugs and
      proteasome inhibitors: a multicenter IMWG study.
AB  - Introduction of new myeloma therapies offers new options for patients refractory
      to immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PIs). In this
      multicenter study, patients with relapsed multiple myeloma, who have received at
      least three prior lines of therapy, are refractory to both an IMiD (lenalidomide
      or pomalidomide) and a PI (bortezomib or carfilzomib), and have been exposed to
      an alkylating agent were identified. The time patients met the above criteria was
      defined as time zero (T0). Five hundred and forty-three patients diagnosed
      between 2006 and 2014 were enrolled in this study. Median age at T0 was 62 years
      (range 31-87); 61% were males. The median duration between diagnosis and T0 was
      3.1 years. The median number of lines of therapy before T0 was 4 (range 3-13).
      The median overall survival (OS) from T0 for the entire cohort was 13 (95%
      confidence interval (CI) 11, 15) months. At least one regimen recorded after T0
      in 462 (85%) patients, with a median (95% CI) progression-free survival and OS
      from T0 of 5 (4, 6), and 15.2 (13, 17) months, respectively. The study provides
      the expected outcome of relapsed multiple myeloma that is refractory to a PI and
      an IMiD, a benchmark for comparison of new therapies being evaluated.

PMID- 28620164
TI  - Biodistribution and residence time of adenovector serotype 5 in normal and
      immunodeficient mice and rats detected with bioluminescent imaging.
AB  - As concerns increase about adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) being a safe gene transfer
      vector, it is important to evaluate its distribution, residence time, and
      possible toxicity in immunodeficient populations. To characterize the potential
      risk associated with different Ad5 vector delivery modes, we used immunocompetent
      and immunodeficient Rag2 -/- animals to establish mouse and rat models that could
      be monitored with bioluminescent imaging following intramuscular or intravascular
      infection with an engineered replication-incompetent Ad5 virus carrying the
      firefly luciferase gene (Ad5-Fluc). The Ad5 vector was less well-tolerated by
      Rag2 -/- animals than by wildtype ones, with delayed residence time, wider virus
      dissemination, less weight gain, and relatively severe pathological changes. In
      intravascularly Ad5-Fluc-infected Rag2 -/- mice, systemic virus dissemination
      extended from the abdomen to the limbs and head on day 9 post-infection.
      Additionally, significant increases in plasma TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, which may
      be important factors in the heightened immunopathology in the liver and brain,
      were detected in the Rag2 -/- mice 30 days after intravascular delivery. The Ad5
      vector was better tolerated after intramuscular delivery than after intravascular
      delivery. Ad5-Fluc/Rag2 -/- mice and rats can be used as reliable models of an
      immunodeficient population in which to evaluate the safety of Ad5-vectored
      vaccines or gene therapy products.

PMID- 28620165
TI  - Applying modern psychometric techniques to melodic discrimination testing: Item
      response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item generation.
AB  - Modern psychometric theory provides many useful tools for ability testing, such
      as item response theory, computerised adaptive testing, and automatic item
      generation. However, these techniques have yet to be integrated into mainstream
      psychological practice. This is unfortunate, because modern psychometric
      techniques can bring many benefits, including sophisticated reliability measures,
      improved construct validity, avoidance of exposure effects, and improved
      efficiency. In the present research we therefore use these techniques to develop
      a new test of a well-studied psychological capacity: melodic discrimination, the
      ability to detect differences between melodies. We calibrate and validate this
      test in a series of studies. Studies 1 and 2 respectively calibrate and validate
      an initial test version, while Studies 3 and 4 calibrate and validate an updated
      test version incorporating additional easy items. The results support the new
      test's viability, with evidence for strong reliability and construct validity. We
      discuss how these modern psychometric techniques may also be profitably applied
      to other areas of music psychology and psychological science in general.

PMID- 28620166
TI  - Ab initio molecular dynamics simulation of low energy radiation responses of
      alpha-Al2O3.
AB  - In this study, an ab initio molecular dynamics method is employed to investigate
      the response behavior of alpha-Al2O3 to low energy irradiation. Different from
      the previous experiments, our calculations reveal that the displacements of
      oxygen dominate under electron irradiation and the created defects are mainly
      oxygen vacancy and interstitial. The experimental observation of the absorption
      peaks appearing at 203, 233 and 256 nm for alpha-Al2O3 under electron
      irradiations should be contributed by the oxygen defects and these defects will
      reduce the transmittance of alpha-Al2O3, which agrees well with the very recent
      experiment. This study demonstrates the necessity to reinvestigate the threshold
      displacement energies of alpha-Al2O3, and to introduce recombination center for
      oxygen defects to improve its optical properties and performance under radiation
      environment.

PMID- 28620167
TI  - High-throughput rapid-prototyping of low-cost paper-based microfluidics.
AB  - Paper-based micro analytical devices offer significant advantages compared to the
      conventional microfluidic chips including cost-effectiveness, ease of
      fabrication, and ease of use while preserving critical features including strong
      capillary action and biological compatibility. In this work, we demonstrate an
      inexpensive, rapid method for high-throughput fabrication of paper-based
      microfluidics by patterning hydrophobic barriers using a desktop pen plotter
      integrated with a custom-made, low-cost paper feeder. We tested various types of
      commercial permanent markers and compared their water-resistant capabilities for
      creating hydrophobic barriers. Additionally, we studied the performance of
      markers with different types of paper, plotting speeds, and pattern dimensions.
      To verify the effectiveness of the presented fabrication method, colorimetric
      analysis was performed on the results of a glucose assay.

PMID- 28620169
TI  - Structural insight for the recognition of G-quadruplex structure at human c-myc
      promoter sequence by flavonoid Quercetin.
AB  - Small molecule ligands that could stabilize G-quadruplex structure formed at the
      promoter region of human c-myc oncogene will regulate its expression in cancer
      cells. Flavonoids, a group of naturally available small molecule, have been known
      for their various promising effects on human health. In present study, we have
      performed detailed biophysical studies for the interaction of human c-myc G
      quadruplex DNA with nine representative flavonoids: Luteolin, Quercetin, Rutin,
      Genistein, Kaempferol, Puerarin, Hesperidin, Myricetin and Daidzein. We found by
      using fluorescence titration that Quercetin interacts with c-myc G-quadruplex DNA
      sequence Pu24T with highest affinity. This interaction was further explored by
      using NMR spectroscopy and we have derived the first solution structure for the
      complex formed between Quercetin and biologically significant c-myc promoter DNA
      sequence forming G-quadruplex structure. In present solution structure, Quercetin
      stacks at 5' and 3' G-tetrads of Pu24T G-quadruplex structure and stabilize it
      via pi-pi stacking interactions. Furthermore, in vitro studies on HeLa cells
      suggested that Quercetin induces apoptosis-mediated cell death and down-regulated
      c-myc gene expression. This study emphasizes the potential of flavonoids as a
      promising candidate for targeting c-myc promoter region and thus, could act as a
      potential anti-cancer agent.

PMID- 28620168
TI  - Dynamics of maternally transferred trace elements in oyster larvae and latent
      growth effects.
AB  - Understanding the maternal transfer of contaminants and their potential effects
      has great implications for a valid ecological assessment of environmental
      pollution. However, relevant studies on marine bivalves are very limited. Here,
      we examined the maternal transfer of trace metals in populations of oyster
      Crassostrea hongkongensis with contrasting metal exposure histories. Elevated
      accumulation of trace metals was observed in eggs and larvae from contaminated
      sites, suggesting maternal transfer of multi-metals in natural oyster
      populations. The dynamics of maternally transferred metals was for the first time
      documented in this study. We demonstrated that excessively transferred metals in
      contaminated larvae were rapidly eliminated during the early developmental stage,
      and the efflux rate of metals in larvae was greatly dependent on environmental
      contamination level. These results provided the first field evidence of modified
      metal biokinetics in offsprings due to exposure history of adults in marine
      bivalves. Moreover, egg production was negatively correlated with the
      contamination level of metals in eggs. There was a further lagged growth in the
      contaminated larvae, indicating the potential adverse and latent effects of
      maternally transferred metals on the viability of oyster offspring. Our findings
      highlighted the importance of transgenerational studies on long-term metal
      exposure in marine bivalves.

PMID- 28620170
TI  - Validation of optimal reference genes for quantitative real time PCR in muscle
      and adipose tissue for obesity and diabetes research.
AB  - The global incidence of obesity has led to an increasing need for understanding
      the molecular mechanisms that drive this epidemic and its comorbidities.
      Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) is the most reliable and widely used
      method for gene expression analysis. The selection of suitable reference genes
      (RGs) is critical for obtaining accurate gene expression information. The current
      study aimed to identify optimal RGs to perform quantitative transcriptomic
      analysis based on RT-qPCR for obesity and diabetes research, employing in vitro
      and mouse models, and human tissue samples. Using the ReFinder program we
      evaluated the stability of a total of 15 RGs. The impact of choosing the most
      suitable RGs versus less suitable RGs on RT-qPCR results was assessed. Optimal
      RGs differed between tissue and cell type, species, and experimental conditions.
      By employing different sets of RGs to normalize the mRNA expression of peroxisome
      proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1alpha), we show
      that sub-optimal RGs can markedly alter the PGC1alpha gene expression profile.
      Our study demonstrates the importance of validating RGs prior to normalizing
      transcriptional expression levels of target genes and identifies optimal RG pairs
      for reliable RT-qPCR normalization in cells and in human and murine muscle and
      adipose tissue for obesity/diabetes research.

PMID- 28620172
TI  - Endocrinology: Reducing fat and building bone.

PMID- 28620171
TI  - Mechanical stability of talin rod controls cell migration and substrate sensing.
AB  - Cells adhere to the surrounding tissue and probe its mechanical properties by
      forming cell-matrix adhesions. Talin is a critical adhesion protein and
      participates in the transmission of mechanical signals between extracellular
      matrix and cell cytoskeleton. Force induced unfolding of talin rod subdomains has
      been proposed to act as a cellular mechanosensor, but so far evidence linking
      their mechanical stability and cellular response has been lacking. Here, by
      utilizing computationally designed mutations, we demonstrate that stepwise
      destabilization of the talin rod R3 subdomain decreases cellular traction force
      generation, which affects talin and vinculin dynamics in cell-matrix adhesions
      and results in the formation of talin-rich but unstable adhesions. We observed a
      connection between talin stability and the rate of cell migration and also found
      that talin destabilization affects the usage of different integrin subtypes and
      sensing of extracellular matrix proteins. Experiments with truncated forms of
      talin confirm the mechanosensory role of the talin R3 subdomain and exclude the
      possibility that the observed effects are caused by the release of talin head-rod
      autoinhibition. In conclusion, this study provides evidence into how the
      controlled talin rod domain unfolding acts as a key regulator of adhesion
      structure and function and consequently controls central cellular processes such
      as cell migration and substrate sensing.

PMID- 28620175
TI  - Ageing: Old bone removal.

PMID- 28620177
TI  - Market watch: Upcoming market catalysts in Q3 2017.

PMID- 28620178
TI  - Collision-induced activation: Towards industrially scalable approach to graphite
      nanoplatelets functionalization for superior polymer nanocomposites.
AB  - Scale-up manufacturing of engineered graphene-like nanomaterials to deliver the
      industry needs for development of high-performance polymer nanocomposites still
      remains a challenge. Herein, we introduce a quick and cost-effective approach to
      scalable production of functionalized graphite nanoplatelets using "kitchen
      blender" approach and Diels-Alder chemistry. We have shown that, in a solvent
      free process and through a cycloaddition mechanism, maleic anhydride can be
      grafted onto the edge-localized electron rich active sites of graphite
      nanoplatelets (GNP) resulting from high collision force, called "graphite
      collision-induced activation". The mechanical impact was modelled by applying the
      point charge method using density functional theory (DFT). The functionalization
      of GNP with maleic anhydride (m-GNP) was characterized using various spectroscopy
      techniques. In the next step, we used a recyclable process to convert m-GNP to
      the highly-reactive GNP (f-GNP) which exhibits a strong affinity towards the
      epoxy polymer matrix. It was found that at a low content of f-GNP e.g., 0.5 wt%,
      significant enhancements of ~54% and ~65% in tensile and flexural strengths of
      epoxy nanocomposite can be achieved, respectively. It is believed that this new
      protocol for functionalization of graphene nanomaterials will pave the way for
      relatively simple industrial scale fabrication of high performance graphene based
      nanocomposites.

PMID- 28620179
TI  - Ferroelectric-assisted gold nanoparticles array for centimeter-scale highly
      reproducible SERS substrates.
AB  - Assemble metal nanoparticles into various ordered structures with scale up to
      centimeter area is required to meet diverse needs of lab-on-a-chips and analytic
      components. Here, we present the uniform and high-yield fabrication of centimeter
      scale gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) array for SERS substrates. Ferroelectric
      assisted assembly of AuNPs line array is successfully fabricated by using a
      periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) single crystal as a template. SNOM-Raman shows
      that the uniform assembly of AuNPs exhibits a high density of "hot spots" arising
      from strong electromagnetic (EM) field coupling induced by adjacent AuNPs.
      Quantitative analysis based on SERS detection describes an excellent
      reproducibility with an intensity variation less than 7% at 1649 cm-1 of
      Rhodamine 6G. SERS spectra combined with 3D-FDTD modelling indicate that the EM
      enhancement occurs at all three excitation wavelength of 515, 561 and 633 nm and
      the 561-nm-laser displays the strongest Raman enhancement with an enhancement
      factor in an order of 109. The corresponding experimental and theoretical results
      present a new strategy to fabricate large-area, highly reproducible and sensitive
      SERS substrates for practical applications.

PMID- 28620180
TI  - A functional SUMO-motif in the active site of PIM1 promotes its degradation via
      RNF4, and stimulates protein kinase activity.
AB  - The PIM1 serine/threonine protein kinase mediates growth factor and survival
      signalling, and cooperates potently with c-MYC during tumorigenesis. PIM1 is
      overexpressed in many human cancers and is a promising target for drug
      development. PIM1 levels are regulated mainly through cytokine-induced
      transcription and protein degradation, but mechanisms regulating its activity and
      levels remain largely unexplored. Here, we show that PIM1 is modified in vitro
      and in cultured cells by the Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) on two
      independent sites: K169, within a consensus SUMOylation motif (IK169DE171) in the
      active site of PIM1, and also at a second promiscuous site. Alanine substitution
      of E171 (within the consensus motif) abolished SUMOylation, significantly
      increased the half-life of PIM1, and markedly reduced its ubiquitylation.
      Mechanistically, SUMOylation promoted ubiquitin-mediated degradation of PIM1 via
      recruitment of the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase, RNF4. Additionally, SUMOylated
      PIM1 showed enhanced protein kinase activity in vitro. Interestingly, the E171A
      mutant was active in vitro but displayed altered substrate specificity in
      cultured cells, consistent with the idea that SUMOylation may govern PIM1
      substrate specificity under certain contexts. Taken together, these data
      demonstrate that the protein kinase activity and levels of PIM1 can be regulated
      by a covalent post-translational modification.

PMID- 28620181
TI  - Hair bundles of cochlear outer hair cells are shaped to minimize their fluid
      dynamic resistance.
AB  - The mammalian sense of hearing relies on two types of sensory cells: inner hair
      cells transmit the auditory stimulus to the brain, while outer hair cells
      mechanically modulate the stimulus through active feedback. Stimulation of a hair
      cell is mediated by displacements of its mechanosensitive hair bundle which
      protrudes from the apical surface of the cell into a narrow fluid-filled space
      between reticular lamina and tectorial membrane. While hair bundles of inner hair
      cells are of linear shape, those of outer hair cells exhibit a distinctive V
      shape. The biophysical rationale behind this morphology, however, remains
      unknown. Here we use analytical and computational methods to study the fluid flow
      across rows of differently shaped hair bundles. We find that rows of V-shaped
      hair bundles have a considerably reduced resistance to crossflow, and that the
      biologically observed shapes of hair bundles of outer hair cells are near-optimal
      in this regard. This observation accords with the function of outer hair cells
      and lends support to the recent hypothesis that inner hair cells are stimulated
      by a net flow, in addition to the well-established shear flow that arises from
      shearing between the reticular lamina and the tectorial membrane.

PMID- 28620182
TI  - Residential radon exposure and brain cancer: an ecological study in a radon prone
      area (Galicia, Spain).
AB  - We aimed to know if radon concentration is associated with municipal mortality
      due to brain cancer in Galicia, Spain. We designed an ecological study taking as
      study unit Galician municipalities. To be included, municipalities had to have at
      least three radon measurements. We correlated radon concentrations with municipal
      mortality due to these malignant tumors during the period 1999-2008. We
      calculated the relative risk of dying of brain cancers for each municipality and
      correlated this value with municipal radon concentration using Spearman's Rho.
      251 municipalities were included, with close to 3,500 radon measurements and an
      average of 14 radon measurements at each municipality. We observed a significant
      correlation between residential radon with brain cancer mortality for males and
      females and the intensity of the correlation was higher for females. These
      results were reinforced when the analysis was restricted to municipalities with
      more than 5 radon measurements: Spearman's Rho 0.286 (p-value < 0.001) and
      Spearman's Rho 0.509 (p-value < 0.001) for males and females, respectively. These
      results suggest an association between residential radon and brain cancer
      mortality. More research using more robust epidemiological designs is needed to
      confirm these findings.

PMID- 28620183
TI  - De novo assembly and annotation of the Zhe-Maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f.)
      Ker-Gawl) transcriptome in different growth stages.
AB  - Zhe-Maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus (L.f.) Ker-Gawl) is a traditional medicinal
      herb in the family Liliaceae that has significant pharmacological effects on
      immunity and cardiovascular disease. In this study, three different growth stages
      of Zhe-Maidong were investigated using RNA-seq, and a total of 16.4 Gb of raw
      data was obtained. After filtering and assembling, 96,738 unigenes with an
      average length of 605.3 bp were ultimately generated. A total of 77,300 unigenes
      were annotated using information from five databases, including the NT, NR,
      SwissProt, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO)
      databases. Additionally, the mechanisms of flavonoid, saponin and polysaccharide
      biosynthesis and of accumulation at different stages of tuber development were
      also characterized. From the first to third years, the contents of flavonoids,
      saponins and polysaccharides all increased, whereas the expression levels of
      related genes decreased in the flavonoid and saponin pathways and first increased
      and then decreased in the polysaccharide pathway. The results of this study
      provide the most comprehensive expressed sequence resource for Zhe-Maidong and
      will expand the available O. japonicus gene library and facilitate further genome
      wide research and analyses of this species.

PMID- 28620184
TI  - Transcriptomic Analysis of the Regulation of Lipid Fraction Migration and Fatty
      Acid Biosynthesis in Schizochytrium sp.
AB  - Schizochytrium sp. is the main source of docosahexaenoic acid-rich oil, which is
      widely used in food additive and pharmaceutical industry. In this study, using
      RNA-seq, comparative transcriptomic analyses were performed at four stages of DHA
      fermentation by Schizochytrium sp to get potential genes related to cell
      transition from cell growth to lipid accumulation and then to lipid turnover.
      1406, 385, 1384 differently expressed genes were identified by comparisons in
      pairs of S2 vs S1, S3 vs S2 and S4 vs S3. Functional analysis revealed that
      binding and single-organism process might be involve in the cell transition from
      cell growth to lipid accumulation while oxidation-reduction process played an
      important role in the transition from lipid accumulation to lipid turnover. pfaC
      in the PKS pathway showed higher sensitivity to the environmental change, which
      might be the key regulator for enhancing PUFA biosynthesis in the future. Some
      other genes in signal transduction and cell transport were revealed to be related
      to lipid turnover, which would enrich the current knowledge regarding lipid
      metabolism and help to enhance the DHA production and enrich different lipid
      fractions by Schizochytrium in the future.

PMID- 28620185
TI  - c-Abl regulates gastrointestinal muscularis propria homeostasis via ERKs.
AB  - The gastrointestinal tract is responsible for food digestion and absorption. The
      muscularis propria propels the foodstuff through the GI tract and defects in
      intestine motility may cause obstruction disorders. Our present genetic studies
      identified non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl as an important regulator of the
      muscularis propria homeostasis and a risk factor for rectal prolapse. Mouse
      deficient for c-Abl showed defects in the muscularis propria of gastrointestinal
      tract and older c-Abl -/- mice developed megaesophagus and rectal prolapse.
      Inhibition of c-Abl with imatinib mesylate, an anti-CML drug, or ablation of c
      Abl using Prx1-Cre, which marks smooth muscle cells, recapitulated most of the
      muscularis propria phenotypes. The pathogenesis of rectal prolapse was
      attributable to overproliferation of smooth muscle cells, which was caused by
      enhanced ERK1/2 activation. Administration of ERK inhibitor U0126 impeded the
      development of rectal prolapse in c-Abl deficient mice. These results reveal a
      role for c-Abl-regulated smooth muscle proliferation in the pathogenesis of
      rectal prolapse, and imply that long-term use of imatinib mesylate may cause
      gastrointestinal problems in patients while ERK inhibitor may be effective in
      treating rectal prolapse.

PMID- 28620186
TI  - Phenotypic, genotypic and antigenic characterization of emerging avian reoviruses
      isolated from clinical cases of arthritis in broilers in Saskatchewan, Canada.
AB  - In recent years, emerging strains of pathogenic arthrogenic avian reovirus (ARV)
      have become a challenge to the chicken industry across USA and Canada causing
      significant economic impact. In this study, we characterized emerging variant ARV
      strains and examined their genetic and antigenic relationship with reference
      strains. We isolated 37 emerging variant ARV strains from tendons of broiler
      chickens with clinical cases of arthritis/tenosynovitis at commercial farms in
      Saskatchewan, Canada. Viral characterization using immunocytochemistry, gold
      immunolabeling and electron microscopy revealed distinct features characteristic
      of ARV. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR
      RFLP) analyses of the viral Sigma C gene revealed genetic heterogeneity between
      the field isolates. On phylogenetic analyses, the Sigma C amino acid sequences of
      the isolates were clustered into four distinct genotypic groups. These ARV field
      strains were genetically diverse and quite distant from the vaccine and vaccine
      related field strains. Antibodies produced against a commercial Reo 2177 (r)
      vaccine did not neutralize these variants. Moreover, structure based analysis of
      the Sigma C protein revealed significant antigenic variability between the
      cluster groups and the vaccine strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the
      first report on the genetic, phenotypic and antigenic characterization of
      emerging ARVs in Canada.

PMID- 28620187
TI  - Discovery and identification of O, O-diethyl O-(4-(5-phenyl-4, 5-dihydroisoxazol
      3-yl) phenyl) phosphorothioate (XP-1408) as a novel mode of action of
      organophosphorus insecticides.
AB  - Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides play an important role in pest control. Many
      OP insecticides have been removed from the market because of their high toxicity
      to humans. We designed and synthesized a new OP insecticide with the goal of
      providing a low cost, and less toxic insecticide. The mode of action of O, O
      diethyl O-(4-(5-phenyl-4, 5-dihydroisoxazol-3-yl) phenyl) phosphorothioate (XP
      1408) was studied in Drosophila melanogaster. Bioassays showed that XP-1408 at a
      concentration of 50 mg/L delayed larval development. Molecular docking into
      Drosophila acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and voltage-gated sodium channels
      suggested that XP-1408 fitted into their active sites and could be inhibitory.
      Whole-cell patch clamp recordings indicated that XP-1408 exhibited synergistic
      effects involving the inhibition of cholinergic synaptic transmission and
      blockage of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels and sodium (Nav) channels. In
      conclusion, the multiple actions of XP-1408 rendered it as a lead compound for
      formulating OP insecticides with a novel mode of action.

PMID- 28620189
TI  - Switching and extension of transmission response, based on bending metamaterials.
AB  - The electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT)-like effects in planar and non
      planar metamaterials (MMs) were investigated for microwave (GHz) frequencies. The
      specific MMs used in this study consisted of a cut-wire resonator and a ring
      resonator, where were placed on the top and the bottom layers, respectively. A
      transmission window was produced, due to the interference between bright- and
      bright-mode coupling. Using the numerical and the experimental results, we
      demonstrate that the bending of MM leads to enhanced transmission and bandwidth,
      as well as an additional EIT-like peak. This provides an effective way of
      realizing the tunable devices, including the switching sensors.

PMID- 28620188
TI  - Ecological diversity and co-occurrence patterns of bacterial community through
      soil profile in response to long-term switchgrass cultivation.
AB  - Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a cellulosic biofuel feedstock and their
      effects on bacterial communities in deep soils remain poorly understood. To
      reveal the responses of bacterial communities to long-term switchgrass
      cultivation through the soil profile, we examined the shift of soil microbial
      communities with depth profiles of 0-60 cm in five-year switchgrass cultivation
      and fallow plots. The Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that
      switchgrass cultivation significantly increased microbial OTU richness, rather
      than microbial Shannon diversity; however, there was no significant difference in
      the structure of microbial communities between switchgrass cultivation and fallow
      soils. Both switchgrass cultivation and fallow soils exhibited significant
      negative vertical spatial decay of microbial similarity, indicating that more
      vertical depth distant soils had more dissimilar communities. Specifically,
      switchgrass cultivation soils showed more beta-diversity variations across soil
      depth profile. Through network analysis, more connections and closer
      relationships of microbial taxa were observed in soils under switchgrass
      cultivation, suggesting that microbial co-occurrence patterns were substantially
      influenced by switchgrass cultivation. Overall, our study suggested that five
      year switchgrass cultivation could generated more beta-diversity variations
      across soil depth and more complex inter-relationships of microbial taxa,
      although did not significantly shape the structure of soil microbial community.

PMID- 28620190
TI  - Formation of Biphasic Hydroxylapatite-Beta Magnesium Tricalcium Phosphate in Heat
      Treated Salmonid Vertebrae.
AB  - Ichthyoarchaeological evidence is uncommon at ancient hunter-gatherer sites from
      various regions and timeframes. This research contributes to the development of
      microarchaeological techniques useful for identifying fishing economies in
      situations where classifiable bones are unavailable. Specifically, traces of heat
      altered bone mineral in domestic hearths are expected to provide markers for
      discarded fish remains. We used a series of laboratory incineration experiments
      to characterize the mineralogy of burned salmonid vertebrae. Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction distinguished the formation of beta
      magnesium tricalcium phosphate (betaMgTCP) at temperatures as low as 600  degrees
      C. Bones from a sample of game mammals and birds did not form this phase at
      temperatures below 1,000  degrees C. We propose that this neoformed mineral can
      serve as a proxy for hunter-gatherer salmonid fishing when typical
      ichthyoarchaeological evidence is absent. Using Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy, it will be possible to rapidly and inexpensively determine the
      presence of betaMgTCP in fragmentary burned bone remains associated with
      combustion features. The occurrence of betaMgTCP in archaeological hearth
      features will offer a new means of further evaluating the temporal, geographic,
      and cultural scope of salmonid harvesting. We also acknowledge the value of
      biphasic hydroxylapatite-betaMgTCP recovered from Atlantic salmon vertebrae as a
      bioceramic.

PMID- 28620191
TI  - Density-wave fronts on the brink of wet granular condensation.
AB  - Density-wave fronts in a vibrofluidized wet granular layer undergoing a gas
      liquid-like transition are investigated experimentally. The threshold of the
      instability is governed by the amplitude of the vertical vibrations. Fronts,
      which are curved into a spiral shape, propagate coherently along the circular rim
      of the container with leading edges. They are stable beyond a critical distance
      from the container center. Based on an analysis of the emerging time and length
      scales, we propose a model for the pattern formation by considering the
      competition between the time scale for the condensation of wet granular particles
      from a gas-like state and that of the energy injection resisting this process.

PMID- 28620192
TI  - Luminescent turn-on detection of Hg(II) via the quenching of an iridium(III)
      complex by Hg(II)-mediated silver nanoparticles.
AB  - A novel luminescent turn-on detection method for Hg(II) was developed. The method
      was based on the silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-mediated quenching of Ir(III) complex
      1. The addition of Hg(II) ions causes the luminescence of complex 1 to be
      recovered due to the oxidation of AgNPs by Hg(II) ions to form Ag(I) and Ag/Hg
      amalgam. The luminescence intensity of 1 increased in accord with an increased
      Hg(II) concentration ranging from 0 nM to 180 nM, with the detection limit of 5
      nM. This approach offers an innovative method for the quantification of Hg(II).

PMID- 28620194
TI  - Prognostic value of olfactory nerve damage measured with thallium-based olfactory
      imaging in patients with idiopathic olfactory dysfunction.
AB  - Idiopathic olfactory disorder is resistant to treatment, and the recovery time is
      long. This study investigated the prognostic value of the migration of nasally
      administered thallium-201 to the olfactory bulb (thallium migration to the OB), a
      measure of olfactory nerve damage, in patients with idiopathic olfactory
      disorders. Twenty-four patients with idiopathic olfactory disorders were enrolled
      in the study (7 women and 17 men; aged 23-73 years). We retrospectively analyzed
      potential prognostic markers in subjects who underwent thallium-based olfactory
      imaging with the nasal administration of thallium-201 before conventional
      treatment with the Japanese herbal medicine tokishakuyakusan and compared those
      data with the prognosis. Log-rank tests were performed to assess the relationship
      between thallium migration to the OB (<4.6% [low] vs. >=4.6% [high]; data
      dichotomized at the optimal cutoff value) and the duration until recovery of the
      odor recognition threshold determined by a standard olfactory function test (T&T
      olfactometry) after the treatment. Upon statistical analysis, we found that high
      thallium migration to the OB was significantly correlated with better prognosis
      in patients. Our results suggest that patients with intact olfactory nerve fibers
      could be selected using thallium-based imaging for the long-term follow-up of
      olfactory dysfunction.

PMID- 28620193
TI  - MicroRNA-29a Counteracts Synovitis in Knee Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis by
      Targeting VEGF.
AB  - Synovitis contributes to the development of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
      MicroRNAs regulate joint microenvironment homeostasis and deterioration. This
      study was undertaken to characterize the actions of microRNA-29a (miR-29a) to
      synovial remodeling in OA joints. Synovial specimens isolated from patients with
      end-stage OA knees showed abundant fibrotic matrix and vessel histopathology
      concomitant with weak miR-29a expression. In vitro, miR-29a knockdown caused
      synovial fibroblasts to exhibit high expressions of collagen III, TGF-beta1,
      MMP9, MMP13, and ADAMTS5, whereas miR-29a overexpression diminished these joint
      deleterious factors. In collagenase-mediated OA pathogenesis, miR-29a
      overexpressing transgenic mice showed minor responses to hyperplasia, macrophage
      infiltration, fibrosis, hyperangiogenesis, and VEGF expression in synovial
      lesions. These effects mitigated articular cartilage loss and gait aberrance of
      injured joints. Intra-articular administration of miR-29a precursor lessened the
      collagenase aggravation of excessive synovial remodeling reactions and thereby
      sustained joint tissue integrity. miR-29a lowered VEGF production and angiogenic
      activities in synovial fibroblasts through targeting the 3'-UTR of VEGF. Taken
      together, miR-29a deficiency exacerbated synovitis pathogenesis in the end-stage
      OA knees. miR-29a signaling fends off excessive synovial angiogenesis and
      fibrosis, which delays joint destruction. This study sheds new light on the
      protective effects against synovial deterioration and the therapeutic advantage
      of miR-29a in OA knees.

PMID- 28620195
TI  - Attenuation of cGVHD by C5a/C5aR blockade is associated with increased frequency
      of Treg.
AB  - C5aR signaling plays an important role in the regulation of T cell activation and
      alloimmune responses in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). However,
      direct evidence of this modulation and the efficacy of C5aR blockade in the
      treatment of cGVHD have not been demonstrated. We observed higher expression of
      C5aR on both monocytes and T cells of patients with cGVHD compared with healthy
      controls and non-GVHD patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation. Our data also demonstrated a significant negative correlation
      between C5aR expression and regulatory T cells (Treg) frequency in cGVHD
      patients, indicating a potential role of C5aR in the generation and regulation of
      Treg. In addition, an in vitro experiment revealed C5aR deficiency promoted the
      development of Treg whereas C5a activation abolished the differentiation of Treg.
      Importantly, we found C5aR blockade by PMX53 attenuated the pathology of cGVHD
      and improved the survival of cGVHD mice. PMX53 had a direct regulatory effect on
      Treg commitment and increased TGF-beta1 expression. Thus, C5aR signaling may
      induce and intensify cGVHD by down-regulating Treg induction. The modulation of
      C5aR activation by PMX53 may provide a potential therapy for cGVHD.

PMID- 28620196
TI  - Integration of DNA methylation and gene transcription across nineteen cell types
      reveals cell type-specific and genomic region-dependent regulatory patterns.
AB  - Despite numerous studies done on understanding the role of DNA methylation,
      limited work has focused on systems integration of cell type-specific interplay
      between DNA methylation and gene transcription. Through a genome-wide analysis of
      DNA methylation across 19 cell types with T-47D as reference, we identified
      106,252 cell type-specific differentially-methylated CpGs categorized into 7,537
      differentially (46.6% hyper- and 53.4% hypo-) methylated regions. We found 44%
      promoter regions and 75% CpG islands were T-47D cell type-specific methylated.
      Pyrosequencing experiments validated the cell type-specific methylation across
      three benchmark cell lines. Interestingly, these DMRs overlapped with 1,145 known
      tumor suppressor genes. We then developed a Bayesian Gaussian Regression model to
      measure the relationship among DNA methylation, genomic segment distribution,
      differential gene expression and tumor suppressor gene status. The model
      uncovered that 3'UTR methylation has much less impact on transcriptional activity
      than other regions. Integration of DNA methylation and 82 transcription factor
      binding information across the 19 cell types suggested diverse interplay patterns
      between the two regulators. Our integrative analysis reveals cell type-specific
      and genomic region-dependent regulatory patterns and provides a perspective for
      integrating hundreds of various omics-seq data together.

PMID- 28620197
TI  - Interleukin-28B dampens airway inflammation through up-regulation of natural
      killer cell-derived IFN-gamma.
AB  - Interleukin-28A (IL-28A) modulates CD11c+ dendritic cell (DC) function and
      promotes type 1T helper (Th1) differentiation, thus suppressing allergic airway
      diseases. However, the function of the IL-28A isoform IL-28B in these diseases
      remains largely unknown. In this study, we revealed a novel role of IL-28B in
      inducing type 1 immunity and protecting against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic
      asthma in mice. IL-28B overexpression in wild-type mice promoted natural killer
      (NK) cell polarization in the lung, leading to the increased number of interferon
      (IFN)-gamma-producing NK1 cells as well as Th1 differentiation. Importantly, IL
      28B overexpression had no protective effect on OVA-induced asthma in IFN-gamma
      knockout (IFN-gamma-/-) mice. These results demonstrate that IL-28B ameliorates
      experimental allergic asthma via enhancing NK cell polarization, which might be
      useful for prevention and treatment of allergic asthma.

PMID- 28620198
TI  - Hydrogen gas protects IP3Rs by reducing disulfide bridges in human keratinocytes
      under oxidative stress.
AB  - Based on the oxidative stress theory, aging derives from the accumulation of
      oxidized proteins induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cytoplasm.
      Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) elicits ROS that induces skin aging through oxidation of
      proteins, forming disulfide bridges with cysteine or methionine sulfhydryl
      groups. Decreased Ca2+ signaling is observed in aged cells, probably secondary to
      the formation of disulfide bonds among Ca2+ signaling-related proteins. Skin
      aging processes are modeled by treating keratinocytes with H2O2. In the present
      study, H2O2 dose-dependently impaired the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-induced
      Ca2+ response, which was partially protected via co-treatment with beta
      mercaptoethanol, resulting in reduced disulfide bond formation in inositol 1, 4,
      5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs). Molecular hydrogen (H2) was found to be more
      effectively protected H2O2-induced IP3R1 dysfunction by reducing disulfide bonds,
      rather than quenching ROS. In conclusion, skin aging processes may involve ROS
      induced protein dysfunction due to disulfide bond formation, and H2 can protect
      oxidation of this process.

PMID- 28620199
TI  - Predicting the outcomes of organic reactions via machine learning: are current
      descriptors sufficient?
AB  - As machine learning/artificial intelligence algorithms are defeating chess
      masters and, most recently, GO champions, there is interest - and hope - that
      they will prove equally useful in assisting chemists in predicting outcomes of
      organic reactions. This paper demonstrates, however, that the applicability of
      machine learning to the problems of chemical reactivity over diverse types of
      chemistries remains limited - in particular, with the currently available
      chemical descriptors, fundamental mathematical theorems impose upper bounds on
      the accuracy with which raction yields and times can be predicted. Improving the
      performance of machine-learning methods calls for the development of
      fundamentally new chemical descriptors.

PMID- 28620200
TI  - Urinary metabolomics reveals the therapeutic effect of HuangQi Injections in
      cisplatin-induced nephrotoxic rats.
AB  - The side effects of cisplatin (CDDP), notably nephrotoxicity, greatly limited its
      use in clinical chemotherapy. HuangQi Injections (HI), a commonly used
      preparation of the well-known Chinese herbal medicine Astragali radix, appeared
      to be promising treatment for nephrotoxicity without compromising the anti-tumor
      activity of CDDP. In this study, the urinary metabolomics approach using liquid
      chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF/MS) was developed to
      assess the toxicity-attenuation effects and corresponding mechanisms of HI on
      CDDP-exposed rats. As a result, successive administration of HI significantly
      recovered the decline of body weight and downregulated the abnormal increase of
      serum creatinine and urea. HI partly restored the CDDP-induced alteration of
      metabolic profiling back into normal condition. Totally 43 toxicity-attenuation
      potential biomarkers were screened and tentatively identified, which were
      involved in important metabolic pathways such as amino acid metabolism, TCA
      cycle, fatty acid metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism and purine metabolism. The
      results clearly revealed that HI could alleviate CDDP-induced nephrotoxicity and
      improve the disturbed metabolic balance induced by repeated CDDP exposure. The
      present study provided reliable evidence for the protective effect of HI on CDDP
      induced toxicity with the multi-target pharmacological characteristics.

PMID- 28620201
TI  - Interactions between the developmental and adult social environments mediate
      group dynamics and offspring traits in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Developmental conditions can strongly influence adult phenotypes and social
      interactions, which in turn affect key evolutionary processes such as sexual
      selection and sexual conflict. While the implications of social interactions in
      phenotypically mixed populations at the individual level are increasingly well
      known, how these effects influence the fate of groups remains poorly understood,
      which limits our understanding of the broader ecological implications. To address
      this problem we manipulated adult phenotypes and social composition in Drosophila
      melanogaster - by experimentally manipulating the larval density of the group
      members - and measured a range of group-level outcomes across the lifespan of
      groups. Adult groups composed of exclusively low larval-density individuals
      showed high courtship levels, and low early reproductive rates, group growth
      rates, offspring mass and offspring eclosion success, relative to high larval
      density or mixed larval-density groups. Furthermore, high larval-density groups
      had lower survival. Offspring mass increased with time, but at a reduced rate in
      groups when male group members (but not females) were from a mixture of larval
      densities; peak reproductive rates were also earlier in these groups. Our results
      suggest that that variation in developmental conditions experienced by adult
      group members can modify the reproductive output of groups.

PMID- 28620203
TI  - Prehistoric cooking versus accurate palaeotemperature records in shell midden
      constituents.
AB  - The reconstruction of pre-depositional cooking treatments used by prehistoric
      coastal populations for processing aquatic faunal resources is often difficult in
      archaeological shell midden assemblages. Besides limiting our knowledge of
      various social, cultural, economic and technological aspects of shell midden
      formation, unknown pre-depositional cooking techniques can also introduce large
      errors in palaeoclimate reconstructions as they can considerably alter the
      geochemical proxy signatures in calcareous skeletal structures such as bivalve
      shells or fish otoliths. Based on experimental and archaeological data, we show
      that carbonate clumped-isotope thermometry can be used to detect and reconstruct
      prehistoric processing methods in skeletal aragonite from archaeological shell
      midden assemblages. Given the temperature-dependent re-equilibration of clumped
      isotopes in aragonitic carbonates, this allows specific processing, cooking or
      trash dispersal strategies such as boiling, roasting, or burning to be
      differentiated. Besides permitting the detailed reconstruction of cultural or
      technological aspects of shell midden formation, this also allows erroneous
      palaeoclimate reconstructions to be avoided as all aragonitic shells subjected to
      pre-historic cooking methods show a clear alteration of their initial oxygen
      isotopic composition.

PMID- 28620202
TI  - Nanotopological plate stimulates osteogenic differentiation through TAZ
      activation.
AB  - The topographical environment, which mimics the stem cell niche, provides
      mechanical cues to regulate the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).
      Diverse topographical variations have been engineered to investigate cellular
      responses; however, the types of mechanical parameters that affect cells, and
      their underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this study, we screened
      nanotopological pillars with size gradient to activate transcriptional
      coactivator with PDZ binding motif (TAZ), which stimulates osteogenesis of MSC.
      We observed that a nanotopological plate, 70 nm in diameter, significantly
      induces osteogenic differentiation with the activation of TAZ. TAZ activation via
      the nanotopological plate was mediated by actin polymerization and Rho signaling,
      as evidenced by the cytosolic localization of TAZ under F-actin or Rho kinase
      inhibitor. The FAK and MAPK pathways also play a role in TAZ activation by the
      nanotopological plate because the inhibitor of ERK and JNK blocked nanopattern
      plate induced osteogenic differentiation. Taken together, these results indicate
      that nanotopology regulates cell differentiation through TAZ activation.

PMID- 28620204
TI  - Neo-actinomycins A and B, natural actinomycins bearing the 5H-oxazolo[4,5
      b]phenoxazine chromophore, from the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. IMB094.
AB  - Neo-actinomycins A and B (1 and 2), two new natural actinomycins featuring an
      unprecedented tetracyclic 5H-oxazolo[4,5-b]phenoxazine chromophore, were isolated
      from the marine-derived actinomycete Streptomyces sp. IMB094. Their structures
      were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. The presence of this ring system was
      proposed to originate from a condensation between actinomycin D (3) with alpha
      ketoglutarate and pyruvate, respectively. Compound 1 showed potent cytotoxic
      activities against human cancer HCT116 and A549 cell lines in the nanomolar range
      (IC50: 38.7 and 65.8 nM, respectively) and moderate antibacterial activities
      against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin
      resistant Enterococci (VRE) strains.

PMID- 28620205
TI  - An anti vimentin antibody promotes tube formation.
AB  - In recent years, there has been an increasing appreciation of the importance of
      secreted and extracellular proteins that traditionally have been considered as
      intracellular components. Vimentin is a highly abundant intermediate filament
      protein, and its intracellular functions have been investigated in a large number
      of studies. Recently, however, vimentin has been shown to take part in
      significant processes outside the cell. Our understanding of the functions of
      extracellular vimentin is, however, limited. In this study we demonstrate that a
      vimentin specific antibody, obtained by phage antibody technology, promotes tube
      formation of endothelial cells in a 2D matrigel assay. By binding vimentin, the
      antibody increases the tube formation by 21% after 5 hours of incubation.
      Addition of the antibody directly to cultured endothelial cells does not
      influence endothelial cell migration or proliferation. The enhanced tube
      formation can be seen for up to 10 hours where after the effect decreases. It is
      shown that the antibody-binding site is located on the coil 2 domain of vimentin.
      To our knowledge this is the first study that demonstrates an enhanced tube
      formation by binding vimentin in a 2D matrigel assay under normoxic conditions.

PMID- 28620206
TI  - Analysis of Muller glia specific genes and their histone modification using Hes1
      promoter driven EGFP expressing mouse.
AB  - Retinal neurons and Muller glia are generated from a common population of
      multipotent retinal progenitor cells. We purposed to identify Muller glia
      specific molecular signatures during retinal development. Using transgenic mice
      carrying the Hes1 promoter (pHes1) followed by EGFP, we purified EGFP-positive
      Muller glia and other EGFP-negative retinal cells from developing retinas and
      subjected them to RNA sequencing analysis. Gene expression pattern of EGFP
      positive cell was similar to genes expressed in retinal progenitors, and they
      were downregulated in other cell lineages. Then, we examined the modification
      profiles of H3K27me3 and H3K4me3 by referring to chromatin immunoprecipitation
      sequencing data of rods and other cells. Clustering of the H3K4me3 and H3K27me3
      values followed by ontology analysis revealed a high incidence of transcription
      factors including Hes1 in clusters with high H3K27me3 levels. Hes1 expression
      level decreased dramatically, and the H3K27me3 level at the Hes1-locus was
      upregulated strongly during retinal development. Furthermore, the Hes1 expression
      level was upregulated in an Ezh2-knockout retina. These results suggest that
      downregulation of Muller glia-related genes in other lineage rather than
      upregulation of them in Muller glia contributed Muller-specific molecular
      features, and a role for modified H3K27me3 in suppressing Muller glia-related
      genes in other retinal cell lineages to avoid unfavorable expression.

PMID- 28620207
TI  - Dengue virus activates cGAS through the release of mitochondrial DNA.
AB  - Cyclic GMP-AMP synthetase (cGAS) is a DNA-specific cytosolic sensor, which
      detects and initiates host defense responses against microbial DNA. It is thus
      curious that a recent study identified cGAS as playing important roles in
      inhibiting positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) viral infection,
      especially since RNA is not known to activate cGAS. Using a dengue virus serotype
      2 (DENV-2) vaccine strain (PDK53), we show that infection creates an endogenous
      source of cytosolic DNA in infected cells through the release of mitochondrial
      DNA (mtDNA) to drive the production of cGAMP by cGAS. Innate immune responses
      triggered by cGAMP contribute to limiting the spread of DENV to adjacent
      uninfected cells through contact dependent gap junctions. Our result thus
      supports the notion that RNA virus indirectly activates a DNA-specific innate
      immune signaling pathway and highlights the breadth of the cGAS-induced antiviral
      response.

PMID- 28620208
TI  - Bacterial Diversity of Intestinal Microbiota in Patients with Substance Use
      Disorders Revealed by 16S rRNA Gene Deep Sequencing.
AB  - Substance abuse and addiction are worldwide concerns. In China, populated with
      over 1.3 billion people, emerging studies show a steady increase in substance
      abuse and substance-related problems. Some of the major challenges include a lack
      of an effective evaluation platform to determine the health status of substance
      addicted subjects. It is known that the intestinal microbiota is associated to
      the occurrence and development of human diseases. However, the changes of
      bacterial diversity of intestinal microbiota in substance-addicted subjects have
      not been clearly characterized. Herein, we examined the composition and diversity
      of intestinal microbiota in 45 patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) and
      in 48 healthy controls (HCs). The results show that the observed species
      diversity index and the abundance of Thauera, Paracoccus, and Prevotella are
      significantly higher in SUDs compared to HCs. The functional diversity of the
      putative metagenomes analysis reveals that pathways including translation, DNA
      replication and repair, and cell growth and death are over-represented while
      cellular processes and signaling, and metabolism are under-represented in SUDs.
      Overall, the analyses show that there seem to be changes in the microbiota that
      are associated with substance use across an array of SUDs, providing fundamental
      knowledge for future research in substance-addiction assessment tests.

PMID- 28620209
TI  - Using variable importance measures to identify a small set of SNPs to predict
      heading date in perennial ryegrass.
AB  - Prior knowledge on heading date enables the selection of parents of synthetic
      cultivars that are well matched with respect to time of heading, which is
      essential to ensure plants put together will cross pollinate. Heading date of
      individual plants can be determined via direct phenotyping, which has a time and
      labour cost. It can also be inferred from family means, although the spread in
      days to heading within families demands roguing in first generation synthetics.
      Another option is to predict heading date from molecular markers. In this study
      we used a large training population consisting of individual plants to develop
      equations to predict heading date from marker genotypes. Using permutation-based
      variable selection measures we reduced the marker set from 217,563 to 50 without
      impacting the predictive ability. Opportunities exist to develop a cheap assay to
      sequence a small number of regions in linkage disequilibrium with heading date
      QTL in thousands of samples. Simultaneous use of these markers in non-linkage
      based marker-assisted selection approaches, such as paternity testing, should
      enhance the utility of such an approach.

PMID- 28620211
TI  - Multimode quantum states with single photons carrying orbital angular momentum.
AB  - We propose and experimentally demonstrate a scheme for generating multimode
      quantum states with single photons carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM).
      Various quantum states have been realized by superposing multiple OAM modes of
      single photons in two possible paths. These quantum states exhibit NOON-like
      "super-resolving" interference behavior for the multiple OAM modes of single
      photons. Compared with the NOON states using many photons, these states are not
      only easily prepared, but also robust to photon losses. They may find potential
      applications in quantum optical communication and recognizing defects or objects.
      The method to identify a particular kind of defect has been demonstrated both
      theoretically and experimentally.

PMID- 28620210
TI  - A bacterial acetyltransferase triggers immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana
      independent of hypersensitive response.
AB  - Type-III secreted effectors (T3Es) play critical roles during bacterial
      pathogenesis in plants. Plant recognition of certain T3Es can trigger defence,
      often accompanied by macroscopic cell death, termed the hypersensitive response
      (HR). Economically important species of kiwifruit are susceptible to Pseudomonas
      syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), the causal agent of kiwifruit bacterial canker.
      Although Psa is non-pathogenic in Arabidopsis thaliana, we observed that a T3E,
      HopZ5 that is unique to a global outbreak clade of Psa, triggers HR and defence
      in Arabidopsis accession Ct-1. Ws-2 and Col-0 accessions are unable to produce an
      HR in response to Pseudomonas-delivered HopZ5. While Ws-2 is susceptible to
      virulent bacterial strain Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 carrying HopZ5,
      Col-0 is resistant despite the lack of an HR. We show that HopZ5, like other
      members of the YopJ superfamily of acetyltransferases that it belongs to,
      autoacetylates lysine residues. Through comparisons to other family members, we
      identified an acetyltransferase catalytic activity and demonstrate its
      requirement for triggering defence in Arabidopsis and Nicotiana species.
      Collectively, data herein indicate that HopZ5 is a plasma membrane-localized
      acetyltransferase with autoacetylation activity required for avirulence.

PMID- 28620212
TI  - Shaping electromagnetic waves using software-automatically-designed metasurfaces.
AB  - We present a fully digital procedure of designing reflective coding metasurfaces
      to shape reflected electromagnetic waves. The design procedure is completely
      automatic, controlled by a personal computer. In details, the macro coding units
      of metasurface are automatically divided into several types (e.g. two types for 1
      bit coding, four types for 2-bit coding, etc.), and each type of the macro coding
      units is formed by discretely random arrangement of micro coding units. By
      combining an optimization algorithm and commercial electromagnetic software, the
      digital patterns of the macro coding units are optimized to possess constant
      phase difference for the reflected waves. The apertures of the designed
      reflective metasurfaces are formed by arranging the macro coding units with
      certain coding sequence. To experimentally verify the performance, a coding
      metasurface is fabricated by automatically designing two digital 1-bit unit
      cells, which are arranged in array to constitute a periodic coding metasurface to
      generate the required four-beam radiations with specific directions. Two
      complicated functional metasurfaces with circularly- and elliptically-shaped
      radiation beams are realized by automatically designing 4-bit macro coding units,
      showing excellent performance of the automatic designs by software. The proposed
      method provides a smart tool to realize various functional devices and systems
      automatically.

PMID- 28620213
TI  - Design for Fe-high Mn alloy with an improved combination of strength and
      ductility.
AB  - Recently, Fe-Mn twinning-induced plasticity steels with an austenite phase have
      been the course of great interest due to their excellent combination of tensile
      strength and ductility, which carbon steels have never been able to attain.
      Nevertheless, twinning-induced plasticity steels also exhibit a trade-off between
      strength and ductility, a longstanding dilemma for physical metallurgists, when
      fabricated based on the two alloy design parameters of stacking fault energy and
      grain size. Therefore, we investigated the tensile properties of three Fe-Mn
      austenitic steels with similar stacking fault energy and grain size, but
      different carbon concentrations. Surprisingly, when carbon concentration
      increased, both strength and ductility significantly improved. This indicates
      that the addition of carbon resulted in a proportionality between strength and
      ductility, instead of a trade-off between those characteristics. This new design
      parameter, C concentration, should be considered as a design parameter to endow
      Fe-Mn twinning-induced plasticity steel with a better combination of strength and
      ductility.

PMID- 28620214
TI  - Phylogenomic Insight into Salinispora (Bacteria, Actinobacteria) Species
      Designations.
AB  - Bacteria represent the most genetically diverse kingdom of life. While great
      progress has been made in describing this diversity, it remains difficult to
      identify the phylogenetic and ecological characteristics that delineate groups of
      bacteria that possess species-like properties. One major challenge associated
      with species delineations is that not all shared genes have the same evolutionary
      history, and thus the choice of loci can have a major impact on phylogenetic
      reconstruction. Sequencing the genomes of large numbers of closely related
      strains provides new opportunities to distinguish ancestral from acquired alleles
      and assess the effects of recombination on phylogenetic inference. Here we
      analyzed the genomes of 119 strains of the marine actinomycete genus Salinispora,
      which is currently comprised of three named species that share 99% 16S rRNA gene
      sequence identity. While 63% of the core genome showed evidence of recombination,
      this had no effect on species-level phylogenomic resolution. Recombination did
      however blur intra-species relationships and biogeographic resolution. The genome
      wide average nucleotide identity provided a new perspective on Salinispora
      diversity, revealing as many as seven new species. Patterns of orthologous group
      distributions reveal a genetic basis to delineation the candidate taxa and
      insight into the levels of genetic cohesion associated with bacterial species.

PMID- 28620215
TI  - Theta band transcranial alternating current stimulations modulates network
      behavior of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.
AB  - Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) is an important region in the processing
      of both cognition and affect. Recently, transcranial brain stimulation has been
      used to modulate cortical activity, but it is unclear whether this stimulation
      has a specific effect on dACC. Based on EEG evidence that frontal midline theta
      activity is generated in dACC, we hypothesized that transcranial alternating
      current stimulation (tACS) with theta band frequency would modulate neural
      networks including dACC. In this study, we examined the effects of theta band
      tACS on functional networks and emotional state. Graph theory analysis for
      resting-state functional MRI data revealed that theta band tACS decreased
      functional integration and hub capacity in dACC, and the attenuation of dACC
      network function was associated with emotional state change. Overall, these
      results demonstrate that theta band stimulation can modulate dACC.

PMID- 28620216
TI  - Chinese Milk Vetch Improves Plant Growth, Development and 15N Recovery in the
      Rice-Based Rotation System of South China.
AB  - Chinese milk vetch (CMV) is vital for agriculture and environment in China. A pot
      experiment combined with 15N labeling (including three treatments: control, no
      fertilizer N and CMV; 15N-labeled urea alone, 15NU; substituting partial 15NU
      with CMV, 15NU-M) was conducted to evaluate the impact of CMV on plant growth,
      development and 15NU recovery in rice-based rotation system. The 15NU-M mitigated
      oxidative damage by increasing antioxidant enzymes activities and chlorophyll
      content while decreased malondialdehyde content in rice root and shoot, increased
      the biomass, total N and 15N uptake of plant shoots by 8%, 12% and 39%
      respectively, thus inducing a noticeable increase of annual 15N recovery by 77%
      versus 15NU alone. Remarkable increases in soil NH4+ and populations of bacteria,
      actinomycetes and azotobacter were obtained in legume-rice rotation system while
      an adverse result was observed in soil NO3- content versus fallow-rice. CMV as
      green manure significantly increased the fungal population which was decreased
      with cultivating CMV as cover crop. Therefore, including legume cover crop in
      rice-based rotation system improves plant growth and development, annual N
      conservation and recovery probably by altering soil nitrogen forms plus
      ameliorating soil microbial communities and antioxidant system which alleviates
      oxidative damages in plants.

PMID- 28620217
TI  - Secretory laccase 1 in Bemisia tabaci MED is involved in whitefly-plant
      interaction.
AB  - The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a phloem-feeding pest that lives predominantly on
      herbaceous species and causes serious damage to hosts. Whitefly saliva is thought
      to contain proteins that modulate plant defences and facilitate feeding. A
      predicted secreted protein, laccase 1 (LAC1), was found in the salivary gland
      transcriptome of B. tabaci and might be existed in the watery saliva of B.
      tabaci. As LAC1 has a potential role in detoxification of secondary plant
      compounds in insects, we speculated that it may participate in the insect's
      response to plant defences. Here, we cloned the complete cDNA of LAC1 and found
      that (1) LAC1 was highly expressed in the salivary gland (SG) and midgut; (2)
      LAC1 transcript level in head (containing SG) was 2.1 times higher in plant-fed
      than in diet-fed whiteflies and 1.6 times higher in the head and 23.8 times
      higher in the midgut of whiteflies that fed on jasmonic acid (JA)-sprayed plants
      than on control plants; and (3) silencing LAC1 decreased the survival rate of
      plant-fed whiteflies but had a marginal effect on whiteflies raised on an
      artificial diet. These results indicate that LAC1 enables whiteflies to overcome
      the chemical defences of host plants and might act as an effector in saliva.

PMID- 28620218
TI  - Bioinspired nanocoatings for biofouling prevention by photocatalytic redox
      reactions.
AB  - Aquaculture is a billion dollar industry and biofouling of aquaculture
      installations has heavy economic penalties. The natural antifouling (AF) defence
      mechanism of some seaweed that inhibits biofouling by production of reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) inspired us to mimic this process by fabricating ZnO
      photocatalytic nanocoating. AF activity of fishing nets modified with ZnO
      nanocoating was compared with uncoated nets (control) and nets painted with
      copper-based AF paint. One month experiment in tropical waters showed that
      nanocoatings reduce abundances of microfouling organisms by 3-fold compared to
      the control and had higher antifouling performance over AF paint. Metagenomic
      analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic fouling organisms using next generation
      sequencing platform proved that nanocoatings compared to AF paint were not
      selectively enriching communities with the resistant and pathogenic species. The
      proposed bio-inspired nanocoating is an important contribution towards
      environmentally friendly AF technologies for aquaculture.

PMID- 28620219
TI  - Molecular dynamics exploration of poration and leaking caused by Kalata B1 in HIV
      infected cell membrane compared to host and HIV membranes.
AB  - The membrane disruption activities of kalata B1 (kB1) were investigated using
      molecular dynamics simulations with membrane models. The models were constructed
      to mimic the lipid microdomain formation in membranes of HIV particle, HIV
      infected cell, and host cell. The differences in the lipid ratios of these
      membranes caused the formation of liquid ordered (lo) domains of different sizes,
      which affected the binding and activity of kB1. Stronger kB1 disruptive activity
      was observed for the membrane with small sized lo domain. Our results show that
      kB1 causes membrane leaking without bilayer penetration. The membrane poration
      mechanism involved in the disorganization of the lo domain and in cholesterol
      inter-leaflet translocation is described. This study enhances our understanding
      of the membrane activity of kB1, which may be useful for designing novel and
      potentially therapeutic peptides based on the kB1 framework.

PMID- 28620220
TI  - Coupling killing to neutralization: combined therapy with ceftriaxone/Pep19-2.5
      counteracts sepsis in rabbits.
AB  - Sepsis, which is induced by severe bacterial infections, is a major cause of
      death worldwide, and therapies combating the disease are urgently needed. Because
      many drugs have failed in clinical trials despite their efficacy in mouse models,
      the development of reliable animal models of sepsis is in great demand. Several
      studies have suggested that rabbits reflect sepsis-related symptoms more
      accurately than mice. In this study, we evaluated a rabbit model of acute sepsis
      caused by the intravenous inoculation of Salmonella enterica. The model
      reproduces numerous symptoms characteristic of human sepsis including
      hyperlactatemia, hyperglycemia, leukopenia, hypothermia and the hyperproduction
      of several pro-inflammatory cytokines. Hence, it was chosen to investigate the
      proposed ability of Pep19-2.5-an anti-endotoxic peptide with high affinity to
      lipopolysaccharide and lipoprotein-to attenuate sepsis-associated pathologies in
      combination with an antibiotic (ceftriaxone). We demonstrate that a combination
      of Pep19-2.5 and ceftriaxone administered intravenously to the rabbits (1) kills
      bacteria and eliminates bacteremia 30 min post challenge; (2) inhibits Toll-like
      receptor 4 agonists in serum 90 min post challenge; (3) reduces serum levels of
      pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha); and
      (4) reverts to hypothermia and gives rise to temperature values indistinguishable
      from basal levels 330 min post challenge. The two components of the combination
      displayed synergism in some of these activities, and Pep19-2.5 notably
      counteracted the endotoxin-inducing potential of ceftriaxone. Thus, the
      combination therapy of Pep19-2.5 and ceftriaxone holds promise as a candidate for
      human sepsis therapy.

PMID- 28620221
TI  - Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes as a new therapeutic strategy for liver
      diseases.
AB  - The administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a therapy for liver
      disease holds great promise. MSCs can differentiate into hepatocytes, reduce
      liver inflammation, promote hepatic regeneration and secrete protective
      cytokines. However, the risks of iatrogenic tumor formation, cellular rejection
      and infusional toxicity in MSC transplantation remain unresolved. Accumulating
      evidence now suggests that a novel cell-free therapy, MSC-secreted exosomes,
      might constitute a compelling alternative because of their advantages over the
      corresponding MSCs. They are smaller and less complex than their parent cells
      and, thus, easier to produce and store, they are devoid of viable cells, and they
      present no risk of tumor formation. Moreover, they are less immunogenic than
      their parent cells because of their lower content in membrane-bound proteins.
      This paper reviews the biogenesis of MSC exosomes and their physiological
      functions, and highlights the specific biochemical potential of MSC-derived
      exosomes in restoring tissue homeostasis. In addition, we summarize the recent
      advances in the role of exosomes in MSC therapy for various liver diseases,
      including liver fibrosis, acute liver injury and hepatocellular carcinoma. This
      paper also discusses the potential challenges and strategies in the use of
      exosome-based therapies for liver disease in the future.

PMID- 28620222
TI  - Nitric oxide mediated transcriptional modulation enhances plant adaptive
      responses to arsenic stress.
AB  - Arsenic (As) contamination in rice leads to yield decline and causes carcinogenic
      risk to human health. Although the role of nitric oxide (NO) in reducing As
      toxicity is known, NO-mediated genetic modulation in the plant during arsenic
      toxicity has not yet been established. We analyzed the key components of NO
      metabolism and the correlations between NO interaction and arsenic stress using
      rice as a relevant model plant. Illumina sequencing was used to investigate the
      NO-mediated genome-wide temporal transcriptomic modulation in rice root upon
      AsIII exposure during 12 days (d) of the growth period. Sodium nitroprusside
      (SNP) was used as NO donor. SNP supplementation resulted in marked decrease in
      ROS, cell death and As accumulation during AsIII stress. NO was found to modulate
      metal transporters particularly NIP, NRAMP, ABC and iron transporters, stress
      related genes such as CytP450, GSTs, GRXs, TFs, amino acid, hormone(s), signaling
      and secondary metabolism genes involved in As detoxification. We detected NO
      mediated change in jasmonic acid (JA) content during AsIII stress. The study
      infers that NO reduces AsIII toxicity through modulating regulatory networks
      involved in As detoxification and JA biosynthesis.

PMID- 28620224
TI  - Comparing the plant diversity between artificial forest and nature growth forest
      in a giant panda habitat.
AB  - Artificial restoration is an important way to restore forests, but little is
      known about its effect on the habitat restoration of the giant panda. In the
      present study, we investigated the characteristics of artificial forest in the
      Wanglang Nature Reserve to determine whether through succession it has formed a
      suitable habitat for the giant panda. We compared artificial forest
      characteristics with those of natural habitat used by the giant panda. We found
      that the dominant tree species in artificial forest differed from those in the
      natural habitat. The artificial forest had lower plant species richness and
      diversity in the tree and shrub layers than did the latter, and its community
      structure was characterized by smaller tree and bamboo sizes, and fewer and lower
      bamboo clumps, but more trees and larger shrub sizes. The typical community
      collocation of artificial forest was a "Picea asperata + no-bamboo" model, which
      differs starkly from the giant panda's natural habitat. After several years of
      restoration, the artificial forest has failed to become a suitable habitat for
      the giant panda. Therefore, a simple way of planting individual trees cannot
      restore giant panda habitat; instead, habitat restoration should be based on the
      habitat requirements of the giant panda.

PMID- 28620223
TI  - A Facile Green Synthetic Route for the Preparation of Highly Active gamma-Al2O3
      from Aluminum Foil Waste.
AB  - A novel green preparation route to prepare nano-mesoporous gamma-Al2O3 from
      AlCl3.6H2O derived from aluminum foil waste and designated as ACFL550 is
      demonstrated, which showed higher surface area, larger pore volume, stronger
      acidity and higher surface area compared to gamma-Al2O3 that is produced from the
      commercial AlCl3 precursor, AC550. The produced crystalline AlCl3.6H2O and
      Al(NO3)3.9H2O in the first stage of the preparation method were characterized by
      single-crystal XRD, giving two crystal structures, a trigonal (R-3c) and
      monoclinic (P21/c) structure, respectively. EDX analysis showed that ACFL550 had
      half the chlorine content (Cl%) relative to AC550, which makes ACFL550 a
      promising catalyst in acid-catalysed reactions. Pure and modified ACFL550 and
      AC550 were applied in acid-catalysed reactions, the dehydration of methanol to
      dimethyl ether and the total methane oxidation reactions, respectively. It was
      found that ACFL550 showed higher catalytic activity than AC550. This work opens
      doors for the preparation of highly active and well-structured nano-mesoporous
      alumina catalysts/supports from aluminum foil waste and demonstrates its
      application in acid-catalysed reactions.

PMID- 28620225
TI  - Significance of Natural Scene Statistics in Understanding the Anisotropies of
      Perceptual Filling-in at the Blind Spot.
AB  - Psychophysical experiments reveal our horizontal preference in perceptual filling
      in at the blind spot. On the other hand, tolerance in filling-in exhibit vertical
      preference. What causes this anisotropy in our perception? Building upon the
      general notion that the functional properties of the early visual system are
      shaped by the innate specification as well as the statistics of the environment,
      we reasoned that the anisotropy in filling-in could be understood in terms of
      anisotropy in orientation distribution inherent in natural scene statistics. We
      examined this proposition by investigating filling-in of bar stimuli in a
      Hierarchical Predictive Coding model network. The model network, trained with
      natural images, exhibited anisotropic filling-in performance at the blind spot,
      which is similar to the findings of psychophysical experiments. We suggest that
      the over-representation of horizontal contours in the natural scene contributes
      to the observed horizontal superiority in filling-in and the broader distribution
      of vertical contours contributes to the observed vertical superiority of
      tolerance in filling-in. These results indicate that natural scene statistics
      plays a significant role in determining the filling-in performance at the blind
      spot and shaping the associated anisotropies.

PMID- 28620226
TI  - Anger provocation in violent offenders leads to emotion dysregulation.
AB  - Anger and anger regulation problems that result in aggressive behaviour pose a
      serious problem for society. In this study we investigated differences in brain
      responses during anger provocation or anger engagement, as well as anger
      regulation or distraction from anger, and compared 16 male violent offenders to
      18 non-offender controls. During an fMRI adapted provocation and regulation task
      participants were presented with angry, happy and neutral scenarios. Prior
      research on violent offenders indicates that a combination of increased limbic
      activity (involved in emotion), along with decreased prefrontal activity
      (involved in emotion regulation), is associated with reactive aggression. We
      found increased ventrolateral prefrontal activity during anger engagement in
      violent offenders, while decreased dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal
      activity was found during anger distraction. This activity pattern was specific
      for anger. We found no exclusive pattern for happiness. In violent offenders,
      this suggests an increased need to regulate specifically during anger engagement
      and regulation difficulties when explicitly instructed to distract. The constant
      effort required for violent offenders to regulate anger might exhaust the
      necessary cognitive resources, resulting in a risk for self-control failure.
      Consequently, continuous provocation might ultimately contribute to reactive
      aggression.

PMID- 28620228
TI  - A Sensory Material Approach for Reducing Variability in Additively Manufactured
      Metal Parts.
AB  - Despite the recent growth in interest for metal additive manufacturing (AM) in
      the biomedical and aerospace industries, variability in the performance,
      composition, and microstructure of AM parts remains a major impediment to its
      widespread adoption. The underlying physical mechanisms, which cause variability,
      as well as the scale and nature of variability are not well understood, and
      current methods are ineffective at capturing these details. Here, a Nickel
      Titanium alloy is used as a sensory material in order to quantitatively, and
      rather rapidly, observe compositional and/or microstructural variability in
      selective laser melting manufactured parts; thereby providing a means to evaluate
      the role of process parameters on the variability. We perform detailed
      microstructural investigations using transmission electron microscopy at various
      locations to reveal the origins of microstructural variability in this sensory
      material. This approach helped reveal how reducing the distance between adjacent
      laser scans below a critical value greatly reduces both the in-sample and sample
      to-sample variability. Microstructural investigations revealed that when the
      laser scan distance is wide, there is an inhomogeneity in subgrain size,
      precipitate distribution, and dislocation density in the microstructure,
      responsible for the observed variability. These results provide an important
      first step towards understanding the nature of variability in additively
      manufactured parts.

PMID- 28620227
TI  - Gene-physical activity interactions in lower extremity performance: inflammatory
      genes CRP, TNF-alpha, and LTA in community-dwelling elders.
AB  - We assessed gene-gene and gene-physical activity interactions of polymorphisms in
      C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and
      lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) genes on lower extremity performance in community
      dwelling elders in Taiwan. Five SNPs (rs1205, rs1130864, rs1800947, rs2794520,
      and rs3093059) of CRP gene, three SNPs (rs909253, rs1041981, and rs2239704) of
      LTA gene, and three SNPs (rs3093662, rs1800629, and rs1799964) of TNF-alpha gene
      of 472 unrelated elders were genotyped. Lower extremity performance included
      timed up-and-go test (TUG), walking speed, weight-adjusted leg press (waLP), and
      timed chair stand (TCS). We detected significant interactions between physical
      activity with CRP rs2794520, rs1205, and rs3093059; LTA rs909253 and rs1041981;
      and TNF-alpha rs1799964 for TCS in women after covariate adjustment (all P <
      0.05). In men, significant interactions between physical activity with CRP
      rs2794520, rs1205, and rs3093059; and LTA rs909253 and rs1041981 for TUG; with
      CRP rs2794520, rs1205, rs1130864, and rs3093059; and LTA rs909253 and rs1041981
      for walking speed; and with TNF-alpha rs3093662 for waLP after covariate
      adjustment (all P < 0.05). These variants also significantly interacted with
      physical activity on TCS in women and on walking speed in men. These results show
      inflammatory genes are involved in lower extremity performance, likely via gene
      physical activity interactions.

PMID- 28620229
TI  - Novel bioactive glass based injectable bone cement with improved osteoinductivity
      and its in vivo evaluation.
AB  - Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the development of a new
      generation of injectable bone cements that are bioactive, biodegradable and are
      able to have appropriate mechanical properties for treatment of vertebral
      compression fractures (VCFs). In this study, a novel PSC/CS composite cement with
      high content of PSC (a phytic acid-derived bioactive glass) was prepared and
      evaluated in both vitro and vivo. The PSC/CS cement showed excellent
      injectability, good resistance to disintegration, radiopacity and suitable
      mechanical properties. The in vitro test showed that the cement was bioactive,
      biocompatible and could maintain its shape sustainably, which made it possible to
      provide a long-term mechanical support for bone regeneration. Radiography,
      microcomputed tomography and histology of critical sized rabbit femoral condyle
      defects implanted with the cements proved the resorption and osteoinductivity of
      the cement. Compared with the PMMA and CSPC, there were more osteocyte and
      trabeculae at the Bone-Cement interface in the group PSC/CS cement. The volume of
      the residual bone cement suggested that PSC/CS had certain ability of degradation
      and the resorption rate was much lower than that of the CSPC cement. Together,
      the results indicated that the cement was a promising bone cement to treat the
      VCFs.

PMID- 28620230
TI  - Measurement of the magnetic moment of single Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense
      cells by magnetic tweezers.
AB  - Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense is a helix-shaped magnetotactic bacterium that
      synthesizes iron-oxide nanocrystals, which allow navigation along the geomagnetic
      field. The bacterium has already been thoroughly investigated at the molecular
      and cellular levels. However, the fundamental physical property enabling it to
      perform magnetotaxis, its magnetic moment, remains to be elucidated at the single
      cell level. We present a method based on magnetic tweezers; in combination with
      Stokesian dynamics and Boundary Integral Method calculations, this method allows
      the simultaneous measurement of the magnetic moments of multiple single bacteria.
      The method is demonstrated by quantifying the distribution of the individual
      magnetic moments of several hundred cells of M. gryphiswaldense. In contrast to
      other techniques for measuring the average magnetic moment of bacterial
      populations, our method accounts for the size and the helical shape of each
      individual cell. In addition, we determined the distribution of the saturation
      magnetic moments of the bacteria from electron microscopy data. Our results are
      in agreement with the known relative magnetization behavior of the bacteria. Our
      method can be combined with single cell imaging techniques and thus can address
      novel questions about the functions of components of the molecular magnetosome
      biosynthesis machinery and their correlation with the resulting magnetic moment.

PMID- 28620231
TI  - Facile preparation of water-soluble hyperbranched polyamine functionalized
      multiwalled carbon nanotubes for high-efficiency organic dye removal from aqueous
      solution.
AB  - Water-soluble hyperbranched polyamine functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes
      nanocomposite (WHPA-OMCNT) was successfully prepared and applied to water
      remediation in this paper. WHPA-OMCNT was characterized by Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), zeta potential,
      scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM)
      analyses. WHPA-OMCNT exhibited excellent adsorption performance for removal of
      organic dyes e.g., methylene blue (MB), malachite green (MG) and methyl violet
      (MV). The equilibrium adsorption capacity was 800.0 mg g-1 for MB, 840.3 mg g-1
      for MG and 970.9 mg g-1 for MV under the optimal conditions. The pseudo-second
      order equation and the Langmuir model exhibited good correlation with the
      adsorption kinetic and isotherm data for all three pollutants, respectively. The
      thermodynamic results (DeltaG < 0, DeltaH < 0, DeltaS < 0) implied that the
      adsorption process of MB, MG and MV was feasible, exothermic and spontaneous in
      nature. A possible adsorption mechanism has been proposed, where H-bonding,
      electrostatic attraction and pi-pi stacking interactions dominated the adsorption
      of the organic dyes. In addition, the excellent reproducibility endowed WHPA
      OMCNT with the potential for application in water treatment.

PMID- 28620232
TI  - Real-time monitoring of laser powder bed fusion process using high-speed X-ray
      imaging and diffraction.
AB  - We employ the high-speed synchrotron hard X-ray imaging and diffraction
      techniques to monitor the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process of Ti-6Al-4V in
      situ and in real time. We demonstrate that many scientifically and
      technologically significant phenomena in LPBF, including melt pool dynamics,
      powder ejection, rapid solidification, and phase transformation, can be probed
      with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. In particular, the keyhole
      pore formation is experimentally revealed with high spatial and temporal
      resolutions. The solidification rate is quantitatively measured, and the slowly
      decrease in solidification rate during the relatively steady state could be a
      manifestation of the recalescence phenomenon. The high-speed diffraction enables
      a reasonable estimation of the cooling rate and phase transformation rate, and
      the diffusionless transformation from beta to alpha ' phase is evident. The data
      present here will facilitate the understanding of dynamics and kinetics in metal
      LPBF process, and the experiment platform established will undoubtedly become a
      new paradigm for future research and development of metal additive manufacturing.

PMID- 28620233
TI  - Dating early animal evolution using phylogenomic data.
AB  - Information about the geological timeframe during which animals radiated into
      their major subclades is crucial to understanding early animal ecology and
      evolution. Unfortunately, the pre-Cambrian fossil record is sparse and its
      interpretation controversial. Relaxed molecular-clock methods provide an
      alternative means of estimating the timing of cladogenesis deep in the metazoan
      tree of life. So far, thorough molecular clock studies focusing specifically on
      Metazoa as a whole have been based on relatively small datasets or incomplete
      representation of the main non-bilaterian lineages (such as sponges and
      ctenophores), which are fundamental for understanding early metazoan evolution.
      Here, we use a previously published phylogenomic dataset that includes a fair
      sampling of all relevant groups to estimate the timing of early animal evolution
      with Bayesian relaxed-clock methods. According to our results, all non-bilaterian
      phyla, as well as total-group Bilateria, evolved in an ancient radiation during a
      geologically relatively short time span, before the onset of long-term global
      glaciations ("Snowball Earth"; ~720-635 Ma). Importantly, this result appears
      robust to alterations of a number of important analytical variables, such as
      models of among-lineage rate variation and sets of fossil calibrations used.

PMID- 28620234
TI  - EZH2-mediated epigenetic silencing of TIMP2 promotes ovarian cancer migration and
      invasion.
AB  - Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is often increased in malignant tumors and is
      involved in metastasis. EZH2 silences gene expression by tri-methylating the
      lysine 27 residue of histone H3 (H3K27me3). However, the mechanism underlying
      EZH2 promotion of ovarian cancer metastasis remains elusive. Here, we showed that
      EZH2 is up-regulated in ovarian cancer and is associated with tumor metastasis
      and poor survival by mRNA sequencing and microarray results from databases.
      Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry results revealed that EZH2 was
      negatively correlated with the expression of tissue inhibitor of
      metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP2). EZH2 overexpression inhibited TIMP2 expression and
      promoted proteolytic activities of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and vice
      versa. EZH2 promoted ovarian cancer invasion and migration, which could be
      largely reversed by TIMP2 down-regulation in vitro and in vivo. Both H3K27me3
      inhibition and demethylation could reduce methylation of the TIMP2 promoter and
      finally reactivate TIMP2 transcription. The presence of EZH2 and H3K27me3 at the
      TIMP2 promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. H3K27me3 and DNA
      methyltransferases at the promoter were significantly increased by EZH2
      overexpression. These results suggest that EZH2 inhibits TIMP2 expression via
      H3K27me3 and DNA methylation, which relieve the repression of MMP and facilitate
      ovarian cancer invasion and migration.

PMID- 28620236
TI  - Quadratic Characteristics of Environment Induced Voltage Shot Noise in Josephson
      Junctions.
AB  - We investigate theoretically and experimentally the environment-induced voltage
      shot noise in current biased Josephson junctions induced by phase particle
      tunneling. Quantum mechanical treatment based on the Caldeira-Leggett model with
      tight-binding formulation in local Wannier bases gives a clear picture of the
      voltage shot noise. A universal form of the zero-frequency noise spectrum is
      obtained, which exhibits a quadratic dependence on the mean voltage in small bias
      region. The quadratic dependence is verified experimentally on junctions covering
      a wide range of parameters, and is found also in junction arrays of various array
      sizes.

PMID- 28620235
TI  - A non-ionotropic activity of NMDA receptors contributes to glycine-induced
      neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.
AB  - NMDA receptor (NMDAR) is known for its ionotropic function. But recent evidence
      suggests that NMDAR also has a non-ionotropic property. To determine the role of
      non-ionotropic activity of NMDARs in clinical relevant conditions, we tested the
      effect of glycine, a co-agonist of NMDARs, in rat middle cerebral artery
      occlusion (MCAO), an animal model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury after
      the animals were injected with the NMDAR channel blocker MK-801 and the glycine
      receptor antagonist strychnine. We show that glycine reduces the infarct volume
      in the brain of ischemic stroke animals pre-injected with MK-801 and strychnine.
      The effect of glycine is sensitive to the antagonist of glycine-GluN1 binding
      site and blocked by Akt inhibition. In the neurobehavioral tests, glycine
      improves the functional recovery of stroke animals pre-injected with MK-801 and
      strychnine. This study suggests that glycine-induced neuroprotection is mediated
      in part by the non-ionotropic activity of NMDARs via Akt activation in cerebral
      ischemia-reperfusion injury.

PMID- 28620237
TI  - LEA29Y expression in transgenic neonatal porcine islet-like cluster promotes long
      lasting xenograft survival in humanized mice without immunosuppressive therapy.
AB  - Genetically engineered pigs are a promising source for islet cell transplantation
      in type 1 diabetes, but the strong human anti-pig immune response prevents its
      successful clinical application. Here we studied the efficacy of neonatal porcine
      islet-like cell clusters (NPICCs) overexpressing LEA29Y, a high-affinity variant
      of the T cell co-stimulation inhibitor CTLA-4Ig, to engraft and restore
      normoglycemia after transplantation into streptozotocin-diabetic NOD-SCID
      IL2rgamma-/- (NSG) mice stably reconstituted with a human immune system.
      Transplantation of INSLEA29Y expressing NPICCs resulted in development of normal
      glucose tolerance (70.4%) and long-term maintenance of normoglycemia without
      administration of immunosuppressive drugs. All animals transplanted with wild
      type NPICCs remained diabetic. Immunohistological examinations revealed a strong
      peri- and intragraft infiltration of wild-type NPICCs with human CD45+ immune
      cells consisting of predominantly CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and some CD68+
      macrophages and FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Significantly less infiltrating
      lymphocytes and only few macrophages were observed in animals transplanted with
      INSLEA29Y transgenic NPICCs. This is the first study providing evidence that beta
      cell-specific LEA29Y expression is effective for NPICC engraftment in the
      presence of a humanized immune system and it has a long-lasting protective effect
      on inhibition of human anti-pig xenoimmunity. Our findings may have important
      implications for the development of a low-toxic protocol for porcine islet
      transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes.

PMID- 28620238
TI  - A data driven approach to understanding the organization of high-level visual
      cortex.
AB  - The neural representation in scene-selective regions of human visual cortex, such
      as the PPA, has been linked to the semantic and categorical properties of the
      images. However, the extent to which patterns of neural response in these regions
      reflect more fundamental organizing principles is not yet clear. Existing studies
      generally employ stimulus conditions chosen by the experimenter, potentially
      obscuring the contribution of more basic stimulus dimensions. To address this
      issue, we used a data-driven approach to describe a large database of scenes
      (>100,000 images) in terms of their visual properties (orientation, spatial
      frequency, spatial location). K-means clustering was then used to select images
      from distinct regions of this feature space. Images in each cluster did not
      correspond to typical scene categories. Nevertheless, they elicited distinct
      patterns of neural response in the PPA. Moreover, the similarity of the neural
      response to different clusters in the PPA could be predicted by the similarity in
      their image properties. Interestingly, the neural response in the PPA was also
      predicted by perceptual responses to the scenes, but not by their semantic
      properties. These findings provide an image-based explanation for the emergence
      of higher-level representations in scene-selective regions of the human brain.

PMID- 28620239
TI  - Shared and Specific Intrinsic Functional Connectivity Patterns in Unmedicated
      Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder.
AB  - Identifying brain differences and similarities between bipolar disorder (BD) and
      major depressive disorder (MDD) is necessary for increasing our understanding of
      the pathophysiology and for developing more effective treatments. However, the
      features of whole-brain intrinsic functional connectivity underlying BD and MDD
      have not been directly compared. We collected resting-state fMRI data from 48 BD
      patients, 48 MDD patients, and 51 healthy subjects. We constructed voxel-wise
      whole-brain functional networks and computed regional functional connectivity
      strength (FCS) using graph-theory and further divided the regional FCS into long
      range FCS (lFCS) and short-range FCS (sFCS). Relative to the controls, both the
      BD and MDD patients showed decreased sFCS in the bilateral precuneus. In
      addition, the BD patients showed increased and the MDD patients showed decreased
      lFCS and sFCS in the bilateral cerebellum. The BD patients also showed increased
      lFCS in the right middle temporal gyrus and increased sFCS in the bilateral
      thalamus compared to either the MDD patients or the controls. These findings
      suggest that BD and MDD may have some shared as well as a greater number of
      specific impairments in their functional connectivity patterns, providing new
      evidence for the pathophysiology of BD and MDD at the large-scale whole brain
      connectivity level.

PMID- 28620240
TI  - miR-200c-driven Mesenchymal-To-Epithelial Transition is a Therapeutic Target in
      Uterine Carcinosarcomas.
AB  - Uterine carcinosarcomas (UCSs) are highly aggressive malignancies associated with
      poor prognoses and limited treatment options. These tumors are hypothesized to
      develop from the endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC) through epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition (EMT). We test this long-standing hypothesis by depleting miR-200, a
      family of microRNAs critical for EMT, in EAC cell lines. Our data suggest that
      UCSs do not develop from EACs via EMT. Clinically more relevant, we show that miR
      200 expression in UCS cells induces a robust mesenchymal-epithelial transition
      (MET). Using in vitro and murine xenograft models, we demonstrate decreased
      growth and aggressiveness of miR-200-overexpressing UCS cell lines. Whole
      transcriptome analysis confirmed changes consistent with an MET and also revealed
      changes in angiogenic genes expression. Finally, by treatment of UCS-xenografted
      mice with miR-200c incorporated in DOPC nanoliposomes, we demonstrate anti-tumor
      activities. These findings suggest that ectopic miR-200 expression using advanced
      microRNA therapeutics may be a potential treatment approach for patients with
      UCS.

PMID- 28620241
TI  - TGF-beta/atRA-induced Tregs express a selected set of microRNAs involved in the
      repression of transcripts related to Th17 differentiation.
AB  - Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential regulators of immune tolerance. atRA and
      TGF-beta can inhibit the polarization of naive T cells into inflammatory Th17
      cells, favoring the generation of stable iTregs, however the regulatory
      mechanisms involved are not fully understood. In this context, the roles of
      individual microRNAs in Tregs are largely unexplored. Naive T cells were
      immunomagnetically isolated from umbilical cord blood and activated with anti
      human CD2/CD3/CD28 beads in the presence of IL-2 alone (CD4Med) or with the
      addition of TGF-beta and atRA (CD4TGF/atRA). As compared to CD4Med, the
      CD4TGF/atRA condition allowed the generation of highly suppressive
      CD4+CD25hiCD127-FOXP3hi iTregs. Microarray profiling allowed the identification
      of a set of microRNAs that are exclusively expressed upon TGF-beta/atRA treatment
      and that are predicted to target a set of transcripts concordantly downregulated.
      This set of predicted targets were enriched for central components of IL
      6/JAK/STAT and AKT-mTOR signaling, whose inhibition is known to play important
      roles in the generation and function of regulatory lymphocytes. Finally, we show
      that mimics of exclusively expressed miRs (namely miR-1299 and miR-30a-5p) can
      reduce the levels of its target transcripts, IL6R and IL6ST (GP130), and increase
      the percentage of FoxP3+ cells among CD4+CD25+/hi cells.

PMID- 28620242
TI  - Salivary testosterone measurement in women with and without polycystic ovary
      syndrome.
AB  - Clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism is one of the diagnostic criteria
      for PCOS. An evaluation of the role of salivary testosterone (salT) and
      androstenedione (salA) for the diagnosis of PCOS was undertaken in a cross
      sectional study involving 65 women without PCOS and 110 women with PCOS
      fulfilling all 3 diagnostic Rotterdam criteria. Serum and salivary androgen
      measurements were determined by LC-MS/MS. salT and salA were significantly
      elevated in PCOS compared to controls (P < 001). No androgen marker was more
      predictive than another using ROC curves, but multiple logistic regression
      suggested salT was more predictive than free androgen index (FAI) (p < 0.01). The
      combination of salT or FAI identified 100% of PCOS women. PCOS women with both
      biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism as opposed to clinical hyperandrogenism
      alone showed a metabolic phenotype (p < 0.05) and insulin resistance (p < 0.001).
      PCOS patients with an isolated elevated FAI showed increased insulin resistance
      compared to those with an isolated salT (P < 0.05). salT appeared to be at least
      as predictive as FAI for the diagnosis of the classical PCOS phenotype, and the
      combination of salT or FAI identified 100% of PCOS patients. This suggests that
      salT measurement by LC-MS/MS holds the promise of complementing existing
      laboratory tests as a means of assessing hyperandrogenemia.

PMID- 28620243
TI  - Targeting glioma stem cells in vivo by a G-quadruplex-stabilizing synthetic
      macrocyclic hexaoxazole.
AB  - G-quadruplex (G4) is a higher-order nucleic acid structure that is formed by
      guanine-rich sequences. G4 stabilization by small-molecule compounds called G4
      ligands often causes cytotoxicity, although the potential medicinal impact of
      this effect has not been fully established. Here we demonstrate that a synthetic
      G4 ligand, Y2H2-6M(4)-oxazole telomestatin derivative (6OTD), limits the growth
      of intractable glioblastoma (grade IV glioma) and glioma stem cells (GSCs).
      Experiments involving a human cancer cell line panel and mouse xenografts
      revealed that 6OTD exhibits antitumor activity against glioblastoma. 6OTD
      inhibited the growth of GSCs more potently than it did the growth of
      differentiated non-stem glioma cells (NSGCs). 6OTD caused DNA damage, G1 cell
      cycle arrest, and apoptosis in GSCs but not in NSGCs. These DNA damage foci
      tended to colocalize with telomeres, which contain repetitive G4-forming
      sequences. Compared with temozolomide, a clinical DNA-alkylating agent against
      glioma, 6OTD required lower concentrations to exert anti-cancer effects and
      preferentially affected GSCs and telomeres. 6OTD suppressed the intracranial
      growth of GSC-derived tumors in a mouse xenograft model. These observations
      indicate that 6OTD targets GSCs through G4 stabilization and promotion of DNA
      damage responses. Therefore, G4s are promising therapeutic targets for
      glioblastoma.

PMID- 28620244
TI  - Specific ablation of mouse Fam20C in cells expressing type I collagen leads to
      skeletal defects and hypophosphatemia.
AB  - FAM20C mutations in humans cause Raine syndrome and our previous studies showed
      that global inactivation of mouse Fam20C led to bone and dental defects. By
      crossbreeding 2.3  kb Col 1a1-Cre mice with Fam20C flox/flox mice, we created 2.3
      kb Col 1a1-Cre;Fam20C foxl/flox (cKO) mice, in which Fam20C was inactivated in
      cells expressing Type I collagen. This study showed that the long bones of cKO
      mice were shorter and had a lower level of mineralization compared to the normal
      mice. The collagen fibrils in Fam20C-deficient bone were disorganized and thicker
      while the growth plate cartilage in cKO mice was disorganized and wider compared
      to the normal mice. The Fam20C-deficient bone had a lower level of dentin matrix
      protein 1, and higher levels of osteopontin and bone sialoprotein than the
      normal. The blood of cKO mice had an elevated level of fibroblast growth factor
      23 and reduced level of phosphorus. These findings indicate that inactivation of
      Fam20C in cells expressing type I collagen led to skeletal defects and
      hypophosphatemia. The altered levels of dentin matrix protein 1 and osteopontin
      in Fam20C-deficient bone may be significant contributors to the mineralized
      tissue defects in human patients and animals suffering from the functional loss
      of FAM20C.

PMID- 28620245
TI  - Catching up? The educational mobility of migrants' and natives' children in
      Europe.
AB  - Migrants into European countries are often less educated than European natives.
      We analyse whether migrants' children are more or less likely than natives'
      children to achieve upward educational mobility across generations, and study
      differences in the factors, which contribute to differences in mobility for the
      two groups. We find that migrants' descendants are more often upwardly mobile
      (and less often downwardly mobile) than their native peers in the majority of
      countries studied, and show that the main factor contributing to these patterns
      is the education level of parents. Although a lower parental education means that
      their children are less likely to access the same amount of human, social and
      financial capital as children of more highly educated parents, migrants'
      descendants over the last two generations were able to make significant progress
      in reducing education gaps with natives.

PMID- 28620246
TI  - "I'll Be There for You": Teen Parents' Coparenting Relationships.
AB  - Marriage promotion policy agendas have focused research attention on coparenting
      relationships, but little is known about coparenting among teen parents.
      Qualitative interviews with 76 teen mothers and fathers, supplemented with site
      observations at a school and clinic, investigated coparenting relationships and
      those relationships' embeddedness in extended families and social institutions.
      We identified prevalent coparenting trajectories and analyzed individual-,
      interaction-, and institutional-level influences on coparenting. Coparenting
      trajectories diverged depending on whether the couple stayed together and assumed
      traditionally gendered parenting roles. Participants perceived that coparenting
      relationships strongly shaped their current and future socioeconomic, emotional,
      and practical circumstances and their success at "being there" for their child.
      Extended families, institutions, and social programs often pushed teen parents
      apart, although many participants felt they needed a functional relationship with
      the other parent. Coparenting relationships, considered jointly with extended
      families and social institutions, are fundamental for understanding teen
      parenthood and shaping effective social policies.

PMID- 28620247
TI  - 3D-3D Registration of partial capitate bones using spin-images.
AB  - It is often necessary to register partial objects in medical imaging. Due to
      limited FOV, the entirety of an object cannot always be imaged. This study
      presents a novel application of an existing registration algorithm to this
      problem. The spin-image algorithm [1] creates pose-invariant representations of
      global shape with respect to individual mesh vertices. These 'spin-images,' are
      then compared for two different poses of the same object to establish
      correspondences and subsequently determine relative orientation of the poses. In
      this study, the spin-image algorithm is applied to 4DCT-derived capitate bone
      surfaces to assess the relative accuracy of registration with various amounts of
      geometry excluded. The limited longitudinal coverage under the 4DCT technique
      (38.4mm, [2]), results in partial views of the capitate when imaging wrist
      motions. This study assesses the ability of the spin-image algorithm to register
      partial bone surfaces by artificially restricting the capitate geometry available
      for registration. Under IRB approval, standard static CT and 4DCT scans were
      obtained on a patient. The capitate was segmented from the static CT and one
      phase of 4DCT in which the whole bone was available. Spin-image registration was
      performed between the static and 4DCT. Distal portions of the 4DCT capitate (10
      70%) were then removed and registration was repeated. Registration accuracy was
      evaluated by angular errors and the percentage of sub-resolution fitting. It was
      determined that 60% of the distal capitate could be omitted without appreciable
      effect on registration accuracy using the spin-image algorithm (angular error <
      1.5 degree, sub-resolution fitting > 98.4%).

PMID- 28620248
TI  - Relative gene expression of fatty acid synthesis genes at 60 days postpartum in
      bovine mammary epithelial cells of Surti and Jafarabadi buffaloes.
AB  - AIM: Aim of the study was to study the relative gene expression of genes
      associated with fatty acid synthesis at 60 days postpartum (pp) in bovine mammary
      epithelial cells (MECs) of Surti and Jafarabadi buffaloes. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      A total of 10 healthy Surti and Jafarabadi buffaloes of each breed were selected
      at random from Livestock Research Station, Navsari and Cattle Breeding Farm,
      Junagadh, Gujarat, respectively, for this study. Milk sample was collected from
      each selected buffalo at day 60 pp from these two breeds to study relative gene
      expression of major milk fat genes using non-invasive approach of obtaining
      primary bovine MECs (pBMEC) from milk samples. RESULTS: In this study overall,
      the relative expression of the six major milk lipogenic genes butyrophilin
      subfamily 1 member A1 (BTN1A1), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), lipoprotein lipase
      (LPL), glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase mitochondrial (GPAM), acetyl-coenzyme
      A carboxylase alpha (ACACA), and lipin (LPIN) did not show changes in expression
      patterns at 60th day of lactation in both Surti and Jafarabadi buffaloes.
      CONCLUSION: The pBMEC can be successfully recovered from 1500 ml of milk of Surti
      and Jafarabadi buffaloes using antibody-mediated magnetic bead separation and can
      be further used for recovering RNA for down step quantification of major milk
      lipogenic gene expression. The relative expression of the six major milk
      lipogenic genes BTN1A1, SCD, LPL, GPAM, ACACA, and LPIN did not show changes in
      expression patterns in both Surti and Jafarabadi buffaloes, suggesting expression
      levels of lipogenic genes are maintained almost uniform till peak lactation
      without any significant difference.

PMID- 28620249
TI  - Comparison of Surti goat milk with cow and buffalo milk for physicochemical
      characteristics, selected processing-related parameters and activity of selected
      enzymes.
AB  - AIM: The study was undertaken to find out the physicochemical characteristics,
      selected processing-related parameters and activity of selected enzymes in Surti
      goat milk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Milk samples from Surti goats and buffalo milk
      samples were collected during the period from July 2013 to January 2014 at
      Reproductive Biology Research Unit, Anand Agricultural University (AAU), Anand.
      Milk samples from Kankrej cows were collected from Livestock Research Station,
      AAU, Anand. Samples were analyzed for physicochemical characteristics such as
      acidity, viscosity, surface tension, specific gravity, refractive index, freezing
      point, and electrical conductivity. Samples were also analyzed for selected
      processing-related parameters such as heat coagulation time (HCT), rennet
      coagulation time (RCT), rate of acid production by starter culture, alcohol
      stability, and activity of selected enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase
      activity, catalase activity, proteolytic activity, and lipase activity. RESULTS:
      Goat milk had the highest acidity, viscosity and surface tension, followed by cow
      milk and buffalo milk. However, the differences in acidity, specific gravity,
      surface tension, refractive index, electrical conductivity, HCT and lipase
      activity of three types of milk studied, viz., goat, cow, and buffalo milk were
      found statistically non-significant (p<0.05). The buffalo milk had the highest
      specific gravity, followed by those found in cow and goat milk. The viscosity,
      freezing point and RCT of goat milk was significantly lower (p>0.05) than that of
      the buffalo milk. However, the difference in viscosity, freezing point and RCT of
      goat milk and that of the cow milk was statistically non-significant. The cow
      milk had the highest refractive index, followed by goat and buffalo milk. The cow
      milk had the highest proteolytic activity and heat coagulation time (HCT),
      followed by those found in buffalo and goat milk. The goat milk had the lowest
      freezing point, lipase activity, and RCT, followed by those found in cow and
      buffalo milk. The goat milk had the highest electrical conductivity, followed by
      those found in buffalo and cow milk. The collected goat, cow and buffalo milk
      samples showed negative stability at 68% (v/v) alcohol concentration. Goat milk
      showed positive alcohol test at 75% (v/v) alcohol concentration. Acidity was
      found to increase proportionally with time. After 14 h, it was found that goat
      milk became thicker, but the curd had a very low consistency. Cow milk had the
      highest alkaline phosphatase activity and catalase activity followed by those
      found in goat milk and lowest alkaline phosphatase activity and catalase activity
      was found in buffalo milk. The alkaline phosphatase activity and proteolytic
      activity of goat milk was significantly lower (p>0.05) than that of the cow milk.
      However, the difference in alkaline phosphatase activity and proteolytic activity
      of goat milk and that of the buffalo milk was statistically non-significant.
      Alkaline phosphatase activity of buffalo milk was significantly lower (p>0.05)
      than that of the alkaline phosphatase activity in cow milk. CONCLUSION: It can be
      concluded from the study that the goat milk has highest acidity, viscosity,
      electrical conductivity, and surface tension compared to that of cow and buffalo
      milk. The goat milk has lowest specific gravity, freezing point, proteolytic
      activity, lipase activity, RCT and HCT compared to cow and buffalo milk. Goat
      milk had highest refractive index compared to buffalo milk, whereas lowest
      refractive index compared to cow milk. Goat milk showed positive alcohol test at
      75% (v/v) alcohol concentration. The curd formed from goat milk after 14 h was
      having very weak consistency. The goat milk has higher alkaline phosphatase
      activity, catalase activity compared to buffalo milk while it has lower alkaline
      phosphatase activity, catalase activity compared to cow milk.

PMID- 28620250
TI  - Influence of clinical mastitis and its treatment outcome on reproductive
      performance in crossbred cows: A retrospective study.
AB  - AIM: Evaluation of the effect of clinical mastitis (CM) and its treatment outcome
      on the reproductive performance in crossbred cows retrospectively. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Datasets of 835 lactating cows affected with CM during a period of 12
      years (2001-2012) were considered for this study. Mastitis treatment related data
      and reproductive parameters such as days to first detected heat (DTFDH), days to
      first insemination (DTFI), days open (DO), and number of services per conception
      (SC) were collected from mastitis treatment and artificial insemination
      registers, respectively. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using SPSS 20 software. The
      means were compared with the Duncan's multiple comparison post-hoc test. RESULTS:
      CM affected cows had significantly (p<0.05) higher DTFDH, DTFI, DO and SC
      compared to clinically healthy cows. Cows diagnosed with a single episode of CM
      had significantly (p<0.05) delayed DTFDH while, DO and SC were significantly
      higher (p<0.05) in cows diagnosed by multiple episodes of CM. SC was
      significantly (p<0.05) higher in cows diagnosed with both relapse and recurrence.
      Severe CM affected cows had significantly (p<0.05) altered reproductive
      parameters. The reproductive parameters were altered to high extent when CM
      occurred during the breeding period. CONCLUSION: CM-affected cows had higher
      DTFDH, DTFI, DO and SC compared to clinically healthy cows. The negative effects
      of CM on reproduction parameters were higher when CM occurred during the breeding
      period.

PMID- 28620251
TI  - Physiological alteration, quality of anesthesia and economy of isoflurane in
      domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus).
AB  - AIM: Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of isoflurane anesthesia on
      physiological parameters, assessment of anesthetic qualities, and economy of use
      of isoflurane in domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In
      this study, 18 apparently healthy adult domestic chickens were selected randomly
      and divided into three groups. The birds were anesthetized by masked induction
      with isoflurane at a dose rate of 3.5%, 4%, and 5% and were maintained with 1.5%,
      2%, and 2.5% isoflurane with oxygen by endotracheal intubation in Groups I, II,
      and III, respectively. Physiological parameters, viz., cloacal temperature, heart
      rate, and respiration rate were recorded at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min.
      The quality of anesthesia was assessed on the basis of induction time, induction
      behavior, quality of sedation, production of analgesia, degree of muscle
      relaxation, palpebral reflex, recovery time, and recovery behavior. The economy
      of anesthesia was calculated in terms of quantity of isoflurane utilized during
      60 min of study. Statistical analysis was performed by analysis of variance,
      Duncan's multiple range tests. RESULTS: There was significant decrease (p<0.01)
      in physiological parameters such as in cloacal temperature, heart rate and
      respiration rate in the birds of all the groups from 0 to 60 min. The induction
      time was 5.83+/-0.33, 2.37+/-0.18, and 0.87+/-0.15 min, respectively, in Groups
      I, II, and III. Induction behavior was smooth in Group III, whereas mildly stormy
      in Group II and I. Quality of sedation was excellent in Group III, better in
      Group II as compared to Group I. Analgesia was moderate in Group III whereas poor
      in Group II and I. Degree of muscle relaxation was excellent in Group III,
      whereas good in Group I and II. Palpebral reflexes were absent in all the groups.
      Recovery time was 15.33+/-0.84, 18.83+/-0.94, and 26.50+/-0.85 in Groups I, II,
      and III respectively. Recovery behavior was smooth in birds of all the groups.
      The cost of the anesthesia was 158.22+/-1.04, 194.27+/-0.66, and 236.84+/-0.60
      Indian National Rupee in Groups I, II, and III, respectively. Quantity of
      anesthesia utilized in each group was 7.62+/-0.05, 9.35+/-0.03, and 11.41+/-0.03
      ml in Groups I, II, and III, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of isoflurane at
      different concentration produces different level of physiological changes,
      quality of anesthesia and economy without causing any deleterious effect on the
      birds. The physiological parameters observed in this study can serve as reference
      values for the wild and endangered birds.

PMID- 28620253
TI  - Dactylogyrus barnae sp. n. (Platyhelminthes: Monogenoidea) infecting gills of
      Barilius barna Hamilton, 1822 (Pisces: Cyprinidae) from a global biodiversity
      hotspot - Arunachal Pradesh (India).
AB  - AIM: This study was a part of an ongoing parasitological survey to investigate
      the health status of hill stream fish in river systems of Arunachal Pradesh - A
      global biodiversity hotspot. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the 2013/2015, 18 live
      specimens of Barilius barna (Cyprinidae) were captured from the local rivers of
      Arunachal Pradesh and examined for parasitic monogenoids. These fish, with their
      flatworms, were immediately fixed in hot (60 degrees C) 4% formalin for later
      examination. Identification and morphometric description used in this study
      followed Gussev (1976). Type specimens were deposited in the British Natural
      History Museum, UK. RESULTS: Dactylogyrus barnae sp. n. is described and
      illustrated from specimens of B. barna (Hamilton, 1822) from Arunachal Pradesh,
      India. The new species is characterized by a combination of the following
      characters: Copulatory tube coiled in 11/2 counterclockwise rings, vagina
      consisting of a vaginal tube and vaginal pore, a complex sclerotized plate of
      unknown function in between male copulatory organ and vagina, and an anteromedial
      knob-like process on the dorsal bar. CONCLUSION: D. barnae sp. n. is the fourth
      species of Dactylogyrus described from the Northeast India and brings the total
      number of species of Dactylogyrus in Indian waters to 56. B. barna represents a
      new host record for Dactylogyrus spp., and possibly the first report for any
      parasite.

PMID- 28620252
TI  - An immunological approach of sperm sexing and different methods for
      identification of X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm.
AB  - Separation of X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm has been practiced for selection
      of desired sex of offspring to increase the profit in livestock industries. At
      present, fluorescence-activated cell sorter is the only successful method for
      separation of X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm. This technology is based on the
      differences in DNA content between these two types of sperm and has been
      commercialized for bovine sperm. However, this technology still has problems in
      terms of high economic cost, sperm damage, and lower pregnancy rates compared to
      unsorted semen. Therefore, an inexpensive, convenient, and non-invasive approach
      for sperm sexing would be of benefit to agricultural sector. Within this
      perspective, immunological sperm sexing method is one of the attractive choices
      to separate X- and Y-chromosome bearing sperm. This article reviews the current
      knowledge about immunological approaches, viz., H-Y antigen, sex-specific
      antigens, and differentially expressed proteins for sperm sexing. Moreover, this
      review also highlighted the different methods for identification of X- and Y
      sperm.

PMID- 28620254
TI  - Isolation, morphological identification and in vitro antibacterial activity of
      endophytic bacteria isolated from Azadirachta indica (neem) leaves.
AB  - AIM: The objective of this study was to isolate endophytic bacteria from
      Azadirachta indica (neem) leaves, their identification and investigate their
      antibacterial activity against three Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus
      aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Bacillus cereus and Gram-negative bacteria
      Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Klebsiella pneumoniae. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Fresh leaves of A. indica (neem) was procured from the Department of
      Botany, JNKVV, Jabalpur. Five samples were taken, and each sample was divided
      into five subsamples and separated for further isolation of endophytic bacteria.
      For sterilization leaves were treated with double distilled water, 0.1% sodium
      hypochlorite, 0.01% bavistin, 0.05% and 70% ethanol. Sterilized leaves of the
      plants were embedded in Kings B (KB) petri plates and incubated at 37 degrees C
      for 24 h. Characterization of the bacteria was done according to its morphology
      and by Gram-staining. After that, a single colony was transferred into brain
      heart infusion (BHI) broth and incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h. The
      antibacterial effect was studied by the disk diffusion method with known
      antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Ci) as standard. RESULTS: A total of 25 bacterial
      isolates from A. indica (neem) were obtained and identified morphologically. Most
      of the samples on KB media depicted irregular shape, flat elevation, undulated,
      rough, opaque, and white in color. Most of the samples on blood agar showed
      irregular, raise elevation, undulated, smooth, opaque and all the isolates were
      nonhemolytic and nonchromogenic. The growth of endophytic bacteria in BHI broth
      were all isolates showed turbidity. The microscopic examination revealed that
      maximum isolates were Gram-positive and rod shaped. Good antibacterial activity
      was observed against S. aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, E. coli, Salmonella
      Typhimurium, and K. pneumoniae. CONCLUSIONS: Endophytic bacteria are present in
      leaves of A. indica (neem) and it possesses antibacterial activity against few
      Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

PMID- 28620255
TI  - Detection of emerging antibiotic resistance in bacteria isolated from subclinical
      mastitis in cattle in West Bengal.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this work was to detect antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative
      bacteria isolated from subclinical mastitis in cattle in West Bengal. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: The milk samples were collected from the cattle suffering with
      subclinical mastitis in West Bengal. The milk samples were inoculated into the
      nutrient broth and incubated at 37 degrees C. On the next day, the growth was
      transferred into nutrient agar and MacConkey agar. All the pure cultures obtained
      from nutrient agar slant were subjected to Gram-staining and standard biochemical
      tests. All the bacterial isolates were tested in vitro for their sensitivity to
      different antibiotics commonly used in veterinary practices. All Gram-negative
      isolates including positive control were subjected to polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) for detection of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaVIM, tetA, tetB, tetC, and
      tetM genes considered for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), metallo-beta
      lactamase, and tetracycline resistance. RESULTS: In total, 50 Gram-negative
      organisms (Escherichia coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter)
      were isolated from milk samples of subclinical mastitis infected cattle. Among
      these Gram-negative isolates, 48% (24/50) were found either ESBL producing or
      tetracycline resistant. Out of total 50 Gram-negative isolates, blaCTX-M was
      detected in 18 (36%) isolates, and 6 (12%) harbored blaTEM genes in PCR. None of
      the isolates carried blaSHV genes. Further, in this study, 5 (10%) isolates
      harbored tet(A) gene, and 8 (16%) isolates carried tet(B) gene. No tet(C) gene
      was detected from the isolates. CONCLUSION: This study showed emerging trend of
      antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria associated with subclinical mastitis
      in cattle in West Bengal, India.

PMID- 28620256
TI  - Effects of season and artificial photoperiod on semen and seminal plasma
      characteristics in bucks of two goat breeds maintained in a semen collection
      center.
AB  - AIM: This study quantified the effects of season and photoperiodic treatment on
      semen and seminal plasma (SP) characteristics in 12 bucks of two Spanish goat
      breeds (Murciano-Granadina, and Payoya) for the past 1 year. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A total of 6 bucks (three of each breed) were exposed to the natural day
      length and the other six males (three of each breed) were exposed to alternating
      conditions of 2 months of long days (16 h light) and 2 months of short days (8 h
      light). Weekly concentrations of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase/aspartate
      aminotransferase (GOT/AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), potassium, testosterone,
      and protein in SP were measured. Reaction time and scrotal circumference were
      recorded, and plasma testosterone concentrations were measured before semen
      collection. RESULTS: Sperm volume, LDH, and potassium concentration in SP, and
      reaction time did not differ significantly between breeds, seasons, and
      photoperiodic treatment. Sperm concentrations were higher (p<0.001) in spring and
      summer than they were in autumn and winter. Mean percentage of positive hypo
      osmotic swelling test sperm was the highest in summer and under the artificial
      photoperiod (p<0.01). GOT/AST concentrations differed (p<0.01) between breeds and
      seasons. Breed, season, and photoperiod had significant (p<0.001) effects on
      protein and testosterone levels in SP. Plasma testosterone concentrations were
      highest in summer (p<0.001), and differed significantly (p<0.01) between breeds.
      Scrotal perimeter differed significantly (p<0.001) between breeds and
      photoperiod. CONCLUSION: Recognition of those seasonal and breed-specific
      differences in the performance of bucks should help to improve the management of
      individual semen samples for use in artificial insemination programs.

PMID- 28620257
TI  - Comparison of milk production and milk composition for an exotic and a local
      synthetic rabbit lines.
AB  - AIM: Basic objective of this research was to compare two rabbit lines: V-line
      (exotic line), Alexandria (local synthetic line) for yield and composition of
      milk product and their effect on productive performance of rabbits. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The experiment was conducted on 80 does and their kits. Milk yield (MY)
      of each doe and milk composition (MC) were recorded at 3rd week of lactation.
      RESULTS: The results of MY showed insignificant difference between V-line and
      Alexandria line. While the results of MC indicated significant differences in
      milk protein and fat between the two lines. The protein electrophoresis was used
      for assaying variation in milk proteins between the two lines. The banding
      protein patterns showed seven protein bands for Alexandria line and six bands for
      V line. The results demonstrated one specific protein marker at 48 KDa (kappa
      casein) in Alexandria doe's milk. Moreover, the results of individual body weight
      at weaning age indicated that Alexandria rabbits had significantly higher body
      weight compared with V-line rabbits (845.33 g, 664.05 g, respectively).
      Alexandria line had significantly lower mortality rate compared with V-line
      (1.5%, 2.7%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The differences which obtained in
      Alexandria line milk may play an important role in the productive performance of
      rabbits.

PMID- 28620258
TI  - Development of indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of canine
      leptospirosis.
AB  - AIM: This study was taken up to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (i-ELISA) for screening antibodies against Leptospira spp. in canines.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: An i-ELISA was developed using outer membrane protein
      extracted from Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola used for coating the well
      with concentration of 0.5 ug/ul. A total of 250 serum samples from clinically
      affected and apparently healthy dogs were collected along with relevant
      epidemiological data at Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College
      and Research Institute, Namakkal, and subjected to i-ELISA. RESULTS: Out of 250
      sera samples, 140 (56.00%) were found to be positive by i-ELISA. All the sera
      samples were subjected to microagglutination test (MAT) with panel of 12
      different serovars. A total of 71 (28.40%) sera samples were positivity to MAT
      excluding the sera samples positive to L. interrogans serovars canicola and
      icterohaemorrhagiae in vaccinated dogs. Sensitivity and specificity of i-ELISA
      were higher in compared with MAT was 91.54% and 58.10%, respectively. CONCLUSION:
      An indirect ELISA developed for the detection of canine antileptospiral
      antibodies proved to be highly sensitive, rapid and easy to perform and overcome
      the drawbacks of MAT.

PMID- 28620259
TI  - Standardization of dot-enzyme-linked immmunosorbent assay for the diagnosis of
      bovine visceral schistosomiasis.
AB  - AIM: Bovine visceral schistosomiasis has been reported as an important disease
      entity as it affects animal health, productivity, causes economic losses due to
      liver condemnation, and produces a high morbidity. This study was conducted to
      standardize an easy, reliable dot-enzyme-linked immmunosorbent assay (ELISA) for
      the diagnosis of visceral schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma spindale and to
      know the prevalence rate in and around Hyderabad. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A dot
      ELISA was standardized in the laboratory using whole worm antigen (WWA) and
      excretory-secretory antigen (ESA) of S. spindale. The standardized test was used
      for the diagnosis of bovine visceral schistosomiasis at field level. The
      sensitivity and specificity of the test was compared with counter current
      immunoelectrophoresis. In total, 288 sera (125 cattle and 163 buffalo) were
      screened by dot-ELISA. RESULTS: The dot-ELISA detected 32.63% of infection
      (94/288) using WWA and 40.62% of infection (117/288) using ESA. In cattle, the
      prevalence rate was 32.80% (41/125) using WWA and 40.80% (51/125) of infection.
      Similarly, in buffaloes, the prevalence rate was 32.51% (53/163) using WWA and
      40.49% (66/163) of infection using ESA. The overall sensitivity of dot-ELISA was
      76.74% and 80.48% with WWA and ESA, respectively, and specificity was 73.3% and
      78.57% in WWA and ESA, respectively. CONCLUSION: As ante-mortem diagnosis of
      visceral schistosomiasis is difficult in subclinical conditions, dot-ELISA can be
      used as a reliable immunodiagnostic test for diagnosis at field level.

PMID- 28620260
TI  - The positive expression of genotype VII Newcastle disease virus (Malaysian
      isolate) in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica).
AB  - AIM: Genotype VII Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is the most predominant NDV
      strains that circulating in Malaysia; thus, this study was aimed to determine the
      susceptibility of Japanese quails toward genotype VII NDV. Clinical signs, gross
      pathological lesions of organs, positive detection of virus in organs and cloacal
      swabs, as well as the expression of the antibody titer, were used as parameters
      to assess the susceptibility of Japanese quails following infection of genotype
      VII NDV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: About 20 quails were divided into three groups
      (n=8 for Groups A and B; n=4 for the control group). The quails in the Groups A
      and B were infected via intraocular route with 0.03 ml of 103.5 ELD50 and 107.0
      ELD50 of NDV strain IBS 002, respectively, while the control group received 1*
      phosphate-buffered saline. Cloacal swabs and necropsy were taken on day 7 post
      infection for all quails were subjected to one-step reverse transcription real
      time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for detection of virus and
      examination for gross pathological lesion, respectively. Blood serums of infected
      quails were taken on day 10, 14, and 21 post-day infections and were subjected
      for hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay. RESULTS: Depression and ruffled
      feathers, trachea rales, leg paralysis, and torticollis were shown in some of the
      quails in both infected groups. Based on statistical analysis, there was no
      significant difference (p>0.05) in clinical signs between the infected groups.
      The results for RT-qPCR were found to be negative for all groups, and no gross
      pathological lesions of organs observed for quails in both infected groups.
      Trachea, proventriculus, and cecal tonsil were taken for the detection of NDV by
      RT-qPCR, and some of the organ samples showed positive detection of virus in both
      infected groups. HI assay showed an increase in mean titers of antibody across
      time and between infected groups. CONCLUSION: In summary, Japanese quails are
      susceptible to genotype VII NDV based on parameters assessed.

PMID- 28620261
TI  - Single-nucleotide polymorphism-based genetic diversity analysis of the Kilakarsal
      and Vembur sheep breeds.
AB  - AIM: The present study was thus undertaken to analyze the genetic diversity of
      Kilakarsal and Vembur sheep breeds using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
      markers within Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3, 5, 6, 9, and 10 genes. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Competitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based end
      point genotyping was performed using real-time PCR to type the SNPs. Allele
      discrimination module implemented in real-time PCR was utilized to call the
      genotypes based on fluorescence intensity recorded for each of the two alleles.
      Basic diversity indices, namely, gene frequencies, observed heterozygosity,
      expected heterozygosity, and inbreeding coefficient (FIS), and testing for Hardy
      Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) were estimated using package for elementary analysis
      of SNP data software program. RESULTS: Of the 25 SNPs, 22 were found to be
      polymorphic, whereas two SNPs, namely, TLR3_1081_AC and TLR9_2036_CT, were
      monomorphic in both Kilakarsal and Vembur sheep populations. The SNP
      TLR10_1180_AG was monomorphic in Kilakarsal but polymorphic in Vembur sheep. The
      observed heterozygosities were estimated as 0.289 and 0.309 in Kilakarsal and
      Vembur sheep, respectively, whereas the expected heterozygosity values were 0.305
      and 0.309 in the two breeds, respectively. The overall mean FIS was 0.107 ranging
      from -0.005 to 0.241 in Kilakarsal sheep and -0.047 ranging from -0.005 to 0.255
      in Vembur sheep. In Kilakarsal sheep, the test for HWE revealed TLR9_1308_GC SNP
      locus with significant deviation (p<0.05) due to heterozygosity deficit. In
      Vembur sheep, TLR10_82_CT and TLR10_292_CG loci showed significant deviation
      (p<0.05) due to heterozygosity excess. Other SNP loci did not deviate from HWE
      (p>0.05) revealing that the population was in HWE proportions. CONCLUSIONS: The
      SNP markers within five TLR genes (TLR3, TLR5, TLR6, TLR9, and TLR10) utilized
      for genotyping in this study were highly polymorphic in Kilakarsal and Vembur
      breeds of sheep. This study on the genetic diversity analysis of the Kilakarsal
      and Vembur sheep breeds revealed considerable genetic variation within the breeds
      and it can be utilized to improve desirable traits.

PMID- 28620262
TI  - Prevalence of multiple drug resistant Streptococcus suis in and around Guwahati,
      India.
AB  - AIM: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial
      susceptibility of Streptococcus suis and their resistance patterns isolated from
      both clinically healthy carriers and diseased pigs in and around Guwahati, Assam,
      India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 497 samples were collected during
      October, 2012, to April, 2014, from clinically healthy (n=67) and diseased
      (n=230) pigs of varying age and either sex maintained under organized and
      unorganized farming systems. Samples were processed for isolation and
      identification of S. suis by biochemical characterization and polymerase chain
      reaction targeting the housekeeping gene glutamate dehydrogenase. In vitro
      antimicrobial susceptibility of the recovered isolates against nine antibiotic
      groups comprising 17 antimicrobial agents was studied by standard method.
      RESULTS: Of the 497 samples examined, 7 (1.41%) isolates were confirmed to be S.
      suis of which 5 (1.87%) and 2 (0.87%) were derived from clinically healthy and
      diseased pigs, respectively. All the isolates were susceptible to gentamicin,
      amikacin, and erythromycin (100%) followed by the penicillin group and
      enrofloxacin (85.71%), ceftriaxone, doxycycline HCL, ofloxacin and
      chloramphenicol (71.43%), to kanamycin, clindamycin and co-trimoxazole (42.85%).
      The isolates showed least susceptibility to cefalexin, tetracycline and
      streptomycin (28.57%). All the five S. suis isolates from clinically healthy pigs
      were susceptible to penicillin G, amoxyclav, doxycycline HCl, gentamicin,
      amikacin and erythromycin, 80.00% isolates susceptible to ampicillin,
      enrofloxacin and ofloxacin, 60.00% to ceftriaxone, kanamycin and chloramphenicol,
      40% to cefalexin, tetracycline, clindamycin and co-trimoxazole, respectively.
      Only 20.00% isolates were susceptible to streptomycin. Both the isolates
      recovered from diseased pigs were susceptible to ampicillin, ceftriaxone,
      gentamicin, amikacin, enrofloxacin, erythromycin, and clindamycin. On the other
      hand, both the isolates were resistant to cefalexin, tetracycline, doxycycline
      HCL, and kanamycin. Altogether five different resistance patterns (multi-drug
      resistance) were observed. Of the seven S. suis isolates, two isolates were
      susceptible to all the 17 antimicrobial agents, one isolate was resistant to four
      antimicrobial agents, two isolates to seven agents, one isolate to nine agents,
      and one isolate exhibited resistance to 14 antimicrobial agents. CONCLUSION: This
      study was conducted to determine the prevalence of S. suis in clinically healthy
      and diseased pigs and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. All the
      isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, amikacin and erythromycin, and most of
      them were resistant to cefalexin, tetracycline and streptomycin. Five different
      patterns of antimicrobial resistance (multi-drug resistance) were observed.

PMID- 28620263
TI  - Immunopathological response of leukocytes against microfilariae and adult worms
      in white rats infected with Setaria cervi.
AB  - AIM: Aim of this study was to see the immunopathological changes against the
      microfilariae (Mf) and adult worms of a bovine filarid, Setaria cervi in the
      tissues of vital organs of experimentally infected white rats. The effect of
      diethylcarbamazine (DEC) was also observed on the Mf, as leukocytes especially
      lymphocytes produce immunoglobulins which opsonize and increase the efficacy of
      DEC against circulating Mf. Effect of this drug was also assessed on liver
      enzymes in the microfilaremic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Microfilaremia was
      established by implanting adult worms intraperitoneally and by the infusion of Mf
      recovered from the uterus of gravid female worms. DEC was administered orally for
      six consecutive days in the rats having patent infection. Differential leukocyte
      count was recorded every 3rd day, and liver enzymes were estimated every 10th day
      in both treated and untreated rats. Pathological changes were observed in HE
      stained sections of vital organs where Mf or adult worms were trapped. RESULTS:
      Destruction and reduction in microfilarial density were noticed in microfilaremic
      rats treated with DEC. Trapped Mf and embedded worms revealed heavy cellular
      infiltrations by defensive cells which surrounded and attached with the body
      surface of the Mf as well as adult worms for their destruction and piece meal
      clearance. Immune-mediated pathology was observed in the tissue sections of
      lungs, spleen, and liver. Liver enzymes were elevated during the period of higher
      parasitemia. CONCLUSIONS: There was a moderate level of immunopathology against
      the Mf and adult worms by the leukocytes in experimentally infected
      microfilaremic rats. Mf were in the process of degeneration where they got
      trapped. Moderate increase in liver enzyme was noticed which was slightly more in
      untreated group. Although a fraction of Mf gets killed in the peritoneum,
      majority of them successfully enter the systemic circulation and survive for
      about 54 days, which is sufficient enough for conducting immunological and
      chemotherapeutic studies.

PMID- 28620264
TI  - Silencing of AQP3 induces apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via downregulation of
      glycerol intake and downstream inhibition of lipogenesis and autophagy.
AB  - Gastric cancer (GC) has a poor prognosis and is a leading cause of cancer-related
      death. Optimal therapeutic targets have not been identified. AQP3 is capable of
      transporting glycerol across the cytomembrane. Previous studies have shown that
      AQP3 is involved in proliferation, invasion and migration by regulating glycerol
      and lipid metabolism in diverse cancer cell types. However, the potential roles
      of glycerol and lipid metabolism in AQP3-related cell apoptosis in GC remain
      unclear. In this study, we observed that AQP3 expression was upregulated in tumor
      tissues, and positively correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis and
      glycerol concentration in human GC samples. Silencing of AQP3 resulted in
      decreased glycerol intake and impaired lipid synthesis, which contributed to
      increased cell apoptosis. Furthermore, inhibition of autophagy induced by AQP3
      knockdown promoted cell apoptosis. Administration of either glycerol or rapamycin
      restored cell viability, and overexpression of AQP3 increased cell viability by
      upregulating cellular glycerol metabolism and autophagy. Our study demonstrates
      that the increase in cell apoptosis of AQP3-deficient GC cells is a consequence
      of reduced glycerol uptake and lipogenesis and is associated with autophagy
      inhibition induced by AQP3 deficiency.

PMID- 28620265
TI  - Panel of seven long noncoding RNA as a candidate prognostic biomarker for ovarian
      cancer.
AB  - Ovarian cancer is one of the most common and lethal gynecological malignancies.
      The diagnosis of ovarian cancer is often at an advanced stage. Accumulated
      evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles during
      ovarian tumorigenesis. In this study, using the lncRNA-mining approach, we
      analyzed lncRNA expression profiles of 493 ovarian cancer patients from Gene
      Expression Omnibus datasets, and identified a signature group of seven lncRNAs
      (BC037530, AK021924, AK094536, AK094536, BC062365, BC004123 and BC007937)
      associated with patient survival in the training dataset GSE9891. We also
      formulated a risk score model to divide patients into low-risk and high-risk
      groups based on the expression of these seven lncRNAs. We further validated the
      predictive power of our risk score model in two other datasets, GSE26193 and
      GSE63885. Our analysis showed that the seven-lncRNA signature can serve as an
      independent predictor apart from Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)
      stage and patient age. Further investigation revealed the seven-lncRNA signature
      correlated with few critical signaling pathways involved in cancer. Combined, all
      these findings strongly support that the seven-lncRNA signature can serve as a
      strong prognosis biomarker.

PMID- 28620266
TI  - Mechanistic Evaluation of the Impact of Smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
      Disease on the Nasal Epithelium.
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major causes of
      chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide. The development of markers of COPD
      onset is hampered by the lack of accessibility to the primary target tissue, and
      there is a need to consider other sample sources as surrogates for biomarker
      research. Airborne toxicants pass through the nasal epithelium before reaching
      the lower airways, and the similarity with bronchial histology makes it an
      attractive surrogate for lower airways. In this work, we describe the
      transcriptomics findings from the nasal epithelia of subjects enrolled in a
      clinical study focusing on the identification of COPD biomarkers. Transcriptomic
      data were analyzed using the biological network approach that enabled us to
      pinpoint the biological processes affected in the upper respiratory tract in
      response to smoking and mild-to-moderate COPD. Our results indicated that nasal
      and lower airway immune responses were considerably different in COPD subjects
      and caution should be exercised when using upper airway samples as a surrogate
      for the lower airway. Nevertheless, the network approach described here could
      present a sensitive means of identifying smokers at risk of developing COPD.

PMID- 28620269
TI  - Cold Steel, Weak Flesh: Mechanism, Masculinity and the Anxieties of Late
      Victorian Empire.
AB  - This article considers the reception and representation of advanced military
      technology in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Britain. It argues
      that technologies such as the breech-loading rifle and the machine gun existed in
      an ambiguous relationship with contemporary ideas about martial masculinities and
      in many cases served to fuel anxieties about the physical prowess of the British
      soldier. In turn, these anxieties encouraged a preoccupation in both military and
      popular domains with that most visceral of weapons, the bayonet, an obsession
      which was to have profound consequences for British military thinking at the dawn
      of the First World War.

PMID- 28620267
TI  - Differences in Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Treatment Programs for
      Fibromyalgia: A Mapping Review.
AB  - Fibromyalgia is a multifaceted chronic pain syndrome and the integration of
      different health disciplines is strongly recommended for its care. The
      interventions based on this principle are very heterogeneous and the difference
      across their structures has not been extensively studied, leading to incorrect
      conclusions when their outcomes are pooled. The objective of this mapping review
      was to summarize the characteristics of these programs, with particular focus on
      the integration of their components. We performed a search of the literature
      about treatments for fibromyalgia involving multiple disciplines on PubMed and
      Scopus. Starting from 560 articles, we included 22 noncontrolled studies, 10
      controlled studies, and 17 RCTs evaluating the effects of 38 multidisciplinary or
      interdisciplinary interventions. The average quality of the studies was low.
      Their outcomes were usually pain intensity, quality of life, and psychological
      variables. We created a map of the programs based on the degree of integration of
      the included disciplines, which ranged from a juxtaposition of few components to
      a complex harmonization of different perspectives obtained through teamwork
      strategies. The rehabilitation programs were then thoroughly described with
      regard to the duration, setting, therapeutic components, and professionals
      included. The implications for future quantitative reviews are discussed.

PMID- 28620270
TI  - Flucytosine and Amphotericin B Coadministration Induces Dose-Related Renal
      Injury.
AB  - Invasive fungal infections remain an important clinical problem, and despite
      recent approaches, they bring high morbidity and mortality. Combination therapies
      are the most effective; however, adverse effects need to be considered. In this
      study, we aimed to evaluate the nephrotoxicity induced by combined therapy of
      flucytosine (FL) and amphotericin B (AMF) at 3 different doses administered to
      mice for 14 days: 300 MUg/kg AMF+50 mg/kg FL; 600 MUg/kg AMF+100 mg/kg FL; 900
      MUg/kg AMF+150 mg/kg FL. Antifungal coadministration triggered nuclear
      translocation of NF-kappaB and upregulated nuclear factor kappa-light-chain
      enhancer of activated B cells subunit p65 (NF-kappaB p65) messenger RNA mRNA
      level in dose-dependent manner. The immunopositivity of tumor necrosis factor
      alpha and interleukin-6 (IL-6), together with IL-6 gene expression, increased
      both in tubular and glomerular cells. Amphotericin B-flucytosine cotreatment
      increased significantly the number of terminal deoxy-nucleotidyl transferase
      (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling positive nuclei. Apoptotic cells in renal
      tubuli were confirmed by electron microscopy. Histopathological analysis revealed
      collagen accumulation at the glomerular level. Collagen was also evidenced in the
      glomeruli at the dose of 900 MUg/kg AMF+150mg/kg FL by Masson-Goldner trichrome
      staining and electron microscopy. Moreover, antifungal cotherapy induced
      upregulation of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) gene expression in
      a dose-dependent manner. Inflammation and epithelial tubular apoptosis are
      associated with TGF-beta1 activation and initiation of the early stage of
      glomerular fibrosis at higher doses, leading to tubule-interstitial fibrosis.

PMID- 28620268
TI  - Towards the genetic control of invasive species.
AB  - Invasive species remain one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. Their
      control would be enhanced through the development of more effective and
      sustainable pest management strategies. Recently, a novel form of genetic pest
      management (GPM) has been developed in which the mating behaviour of insect pests
      is exploited to introduce genetically engineered DNA sequences into wild
      conspecific populations. These 'transgenes' work in one or more ways to reduce
      the damage caused by a particular pest, for example reducing its density, or its
      ability to vector disease. Although currently being developed for use against
      economically important insect pests, these technologies would be highly
      appropriate for application against invasive species that threaten biodiversity.
      Importantly, these technologies have begun to advance in scope beyond insects to
      vertebrates, which include some of the world's worst invasives. Here we review
      the current state of this rapidly progressing field and, using an established set
      of eradication criteria, discuss the characteristics which make GPM technologies
      suitable for application against invasive pests.

PMID- 28620271
TI  - Glutamine Ameliorates Mucosal Damage Caused by Immune Responses to Duck Plague
      Virus.
AB  - The immune-releasing effects of L-glutamine (Gln) supplementation in duck plague
      virus (DPV)-infected ducklings were evaluated in 120 seven-day-old ducklings that
      were divided into 8 groups. The ducklings in control and DPV, 0.5Gln and DPV +
      0.5Gln, 1.0Gln and DPV + 1.0Gln, and 2.0Gln and DPV + 2.0Gln received 0, 0.5,
      1.0, and 2.0 g of Gln/kg feed/d by gastric perfusion, respectively. Then, the
      ducklings in control to 2.0Gln were injected with 0.2 mL of phosphate-buffered
      saline, while those in DPV to DPV + 2.0Gln were injected with DPV at 0.2 mL of
      2000 TCID50 (50% tissue culture infection dose) 30 minutes after gavage with Gln,
      sampled at 12 hours and days 1, 2, 4, and 6. Glutamine supplementation under
      physiological conditions enhanced immune function and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)
      expressions in a dose-dependent manner. An increase in Gln supplementation under
      DPV-infected conditions enhanced growth performance, decreased immunoglobulin
      (Ig) release in plasma and secretory IgA in the duodenum, ameliorated plasma
      cytokine levels, and suppressed overexpressions of the TLR4 pathway in the
      duodenum. The positive effects of Gln on the humoral immunity- and intestinal
      inflammation-related damage should be considered a mechanism by which
      immunonutrition can assist in the recovery from DPV infection.

PMID- 28620272
TI  - Short-term effects of a brief intervention to reduce alcohol use and sexual risk
      among homeless young adults: Results from a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Homeless young adults are more likely than their never-homeless
      counterparts to abuse alcohol and engage in risky sexual behaviors, yet no
      interventions to simultaneously reduce both these behaviors among this vulnerable
      population have been systematically designed and evaluated. We therefore
      developed a brief intervention (BI) to reduce both alcohol use and sexual risk
      behaviors among homeless young adults. The results of a randomized trial testing
      the BI against an education comparison (EC) are presented. METHOD: Young adults
      (N=61; age 17-22 years) from an urban, Northeastern crisis shelter were randomly
      assigned to either the 2-session, individual-level BI or a time-matched, 2
      session, individual-level EC. Generalized linear mixed models for repeated
      measures determined effects of treatment condition on outcomes. RESULTS: The BI
      significantly increased participant readiness to change alcohol use. However, it
      did not significantly decrease primary alcohol or HIV sexual risk outcomes,
      independently or relative to EC (all ps>.05). Participants in the EC reduced
      times engaged in unprotected sex between baseline and post-intervention to a
      significantly greater extent (p<.01) than those in the BI condition. Participants
      in both conditions reported satisfaction with respective interventions.
      CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the BI was acceptable and successful in
      getting participants to consider changing their drinking. However, lack of change
      in alcohol and sexual behavior outcomes indicates the need for further research
      to determine how to translate readiness to change into actual behavioral change
      among homeless young adults.

PMID- 28620273
TI  - State-Dependent Decoding Algorithms Improve the Performance of a Bidirectional
      BMI in Anesthetized Rats.
AB  - Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) promise to improve the quality of life of
      patients suffering from sensory and motor disabilities by creating a direct
      communication channel between the brain and the external world. Yet, their
      performance is currently limited by the relatively small amount of information
      that can be decoded from neural activity recorded form the brain. We have
      recently proposed that such decoding performance may be improved when using state
      dependent decoding algorithms that predict and discount the large component of
      the trial-to-trial variability of neural activity which is due to the dependence
      of neural responses on the network's current internal state. Here we tested this
      idea by using a bidirectional BMI to investigate the gain in performance arising
      from using a state-dependent decoding algorithm. This BMI, implemented in
      anesthetized rats, controlled the movement of a dynamical system using neural
      activity decoded from motor cortex and fed back to the brain the dynamical
      system's position by electrically microstimulating somatosensory cortex. We found
      that using state-dependent algorithms that tracked the dynamics of ongoing
      activity led to an increase in the amount of information extracted form neural
      activity by 22%, with a consequently increase in all of the indices measuring the
      BMI's performance in controlling the dynamical system. This suggests that state
      dependent decoding algorithms may be used to enhance BMIs at moderate
      computational cost.

PMID- 28620274
TI  - Influence of Estrogen Modulation on Glia Activation in a Murine Model of
      Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - Epidemiological data suggest a sexual dimorphism in Parkinson disease (PD), with
      women showing lower risk of developing PD. Vulnerability of the nigrostriatal
      pathway may be influenced by exposure to estrogenic stimulation throughout
      fertile life. To further address this issue, we analyzed the progression of
      nigrostriatal damage, microglia and astrocyte activation and microglia
      polarization triggered by intrastriatal injection of dopaminergic neurotoxin 6
      hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in male, female and ovariectomized (OVX) mice, as well
      as in OVX mice supplemented with 17betaestradiol (OVX+E). Animals were sacrificed
      at different time points following 6-OHDA injection and brain sections containing
      striatum and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) underwent immunohistochemistry
      for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) (dopaminergic marker), immunofluorescence for IBA1
      and GFAP (markers of microglia and astrocyte activation, respectively) and triple
      immunoflorescent to identify polarization of microglia toward the cytotoxic M1
      (DAPI/IBA1/TNFalpha) or cytoprotective M2 (DAPI/IBA1/CD206) phenotype. SNc damage
      induced by 6-OHDA was significantly higher in OVX mice, as compared to all other
      experimental groups, at 7 and 14 days after surgery. Astrocyte activation was
      higher in OVX mice with respect the other experimental groups, at all time
      points. Microglial activation in the SNc was detected at earlier time points in
      male, female and OVX+E, while in OVX mice was detected at all time-points.
      Microglia polarization toward the M2, but not the M1, phenotype was detected in
      female and OVX+E mice, while the M1 phenotype was observed only in male and OVX
      mice. Our results support the protective effects of estrogens against
      nigrostriatal degeneration, suggesting that such effects may be mediated by an
      interaction with microglia, which tend to polarize preferentially toward an M2,
      cytoprotective phenotype in the presence of intense estrogenic stimulation.

PMID- 28620275
TI  - Genome-Wide Target Analyses of Otx2 Homeoprotein in Postnatal Cortex.
AB  - Juvenile brain has a unique time window, or critical period, in which neuronal
      circuits are remodeled by experience. Mounting evidence indicates the importance
      of neuronal circuit rewiring in various neurodevelopmental disorders of human
      cognition. We previously showed that Otx2 homeoprotein, essential for brain
      formation, is recaptured during postnatal maturation of parvalbumin-positive
      interneurons (PV cells) to activate the critical period in mouse visual cortex.
      Cortical Otx2 is the only interneuron-enriched transcription factor known to
      regulate the critical period, but its downstream targets remain unknown. Here, we
      used ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing) to identify genome-wide
      binding sites of Otx2 in juvenile mouse cortex, and interneuron-specific RNA-seq
      to explore the Otx2-dependent transcriptome. Otx2-bound genes were associated
      with human diseases such as schizophrenia as well as critical periods. Of these
      genes, expression of neuronal factors involved in transcription, signal
      transduction and mitochondrial function was moderately and broadly affected in
      Otx2-deficient interneurons. In contrast to reported binding sites in the embryo,
      genes encoding potassium ion transporters such as KV3.1 had juvenile cortex
      specific binding sites, suggesting that Otx2 is involved in regulating fast
      spiking properties during PV cell maturation. Moreover, transcripts of oxidative
      resistance-1 (Oxr1), whose promoter has Otx2 binding sites, were markedly
      downregulated in Otx2-deficient interneurons. Therefore, an important role of
      Otx2 may be to protect the cells from the increased oxidative stress in fast
      spiking PV cells. Our results suggest that coordinated expression of Otx2 targets
      promotes PV cell maturation and maintains its function in neuronal plasticity and
      disease.

PMID- 28620276
TI  - An Analysis of a Novel, Short-Term Therapeutic Psychoeducational Program for
      Children and Adolescents with Chronic Neurological Illness and Their Parents;
      Feasibility and Efficacy.
AB  - The purpose of this intervention was to develop a therapeutic psycho-educational
      program that improves quality of life in children and adolescents who are
      experiencing chronic neurological illness, including epilepsy, and their parents,
      and to analyze the intervention's feasibility and efficacy and participants'
      satisfaction. Participants were eight children (n = 8) and adolescents and their
      parents; participating children were experiencing chronic neurological illness
      with psychological comorbidity; children with intellectual impairment were
      excluded (IQ < 80). The program was carried out weekly for four sessions. In each
      of the 4 weeks, children's session content addressed self, emotion, coping
      skills, and finishing up, respectively; and parents' session content targeted
      family dynamic and emotional intervention, coping skills, childcare and
      education, and finishing up, respectively. Clinical psychologists administered
      psychological assessments (viz., Child Behavior Checklist, Pediatric Quality of
      Life Inventory, Parenting Stress Index, Beck Depression Inventory, Children's
      Depression Inventory, and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale) at pre- and
      post-intervention, and administered satisfaction surveys following the
      intervention. Participants' opinions about the program's necessity, contents, and
      process, and participants' overall program satisfaction were analyzed. Parents
      and children reported high levels of satisfaction with the program. Externalizing
      behavioral problems, anxiety/depression, and emotional functioning from quality
      of life showed improvement after the intervention. Although not statistically
      significant, total child stress trended downward from pre- to post-intervention.
      A four-session structured therapeutic psycho-educational program for children and
      adolescents with chronic neurological illness and their parents was successfully
      implemented, showing good compliance and high satisfaction and efficacy.

PMID- 28620277
TI  - Accumulating Evidence for Axonal Translation in Neuronal Homeostasis.
AB  - The specialized structure of the neuron requires that homeostasis is sustained
      over the meter or more that may separate a cell body from its axonal terminus.
      Given this impressive distance and an axonal volume that is many times that of
      the cell body, how is such a compartment grown during development, re-grown after
      injury, and maintained throughout adulthood? While early answers to these
      questions focused on the local environment or the cell soma as supplying the
      needs of the axon, it is now well-established that the axon has some unique needs
      that can only be met from within. Decades of research have revealed local
      translation as an indispensable mechanism of axonal homeostasis during
      development and regeneration in both invertebrates and vertebrates. In contrast,
      the extent to which the adult, mammalian axonal proteome is maintained through
      local translation remains unclear and controversial. This mini-review aims to
      highlight important experiments that have helped to shape the field of axonal
      translation, to discuss conceptual arguments and recent evidence that supports
      local translation as important to the maintenance of adult axons, and to suggest
      experimental approaches that have the potential to further illuminate the role of
      axonal translation in neuronal homeostasis.

PMID- 28620278
TI  - Revealing the Dysfunction of Schematic Facial-Expression Processing in
      Schizophrenia: A Comparative Study of Different References.
AB  - The use of event-related potential (ERP) recording technology during perceptual
      and cognitive processing has been studied in order to develop objective
      diagnostic indexes for people with neuropsychiatric disorders. For example,
      patients with schizophrenia exhibit consistent abnormalities in face-evoked early
      components of ERPs and mismatch negativities (MMNs). In most studies, the choice
      of reference has been the average reference (AVE), but whether this is the most
      suitable choice is still unknown. The aim of this study was to systematically
      compare the AVE and reference electrode standardization technique (REST) methods
      for assessing expressional face-evoked early visual ERPs and visual MMNs (vMMNs)
      in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. The results showed that both
      the AVE and REST methods could: (1) obtain primary visual-evoked ERPs in the two
      groups, (2) reveal the neutral and emotional expression discrimination deficit of
      the P1 component in the patients, which was normal in the healthy controls, (3)
      reflect reductions of happy vMMNs in the patients compared to the healthy
      controls, and (4) show right-dominant sad vMMNs only in the patients. On the
      other hand, compared to the energy distributions of the AVE-obtained potentials,
      those of REST-obtained early visual ERPs and vMMNs were more concentrated around
      the temporo-occipital areas. Furthermore, only the REST-obtained vMMNs revealed a
      significant difference between happy and sad mismatch stimuli in patients with
      schizophrenia. These results demonstrate that REST technology might provide new
      insights into neurophysiological factors associated with neuropsychiatric
      disorders.

PMID- 28620279
TI  - Interleukin-6 Deficiency Attenuates Retinal Ganglion Cell Axonopathy and Glaucoma
      Related Vision Loss.
AB  - The pleotropic cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) is implicated in retinal ganglion
      cell (RGC) survival and degeneration, including that associated with glaucoma. IL
      6 protects RGCs from pressure-induced apoptosis in vitro. However, it is unknown
      how IL-6 impacts glaucomatous degeneration in vivo. To study how IL-6 influences
      glaucomatous RGC axonopathy, accompanying glial reactivity, and resultant
      deficits in visual function, we performed neural tracing, histological, and
      neurobehavioral assessments in wildtype (B6;129SF2/J; WT) and IL-6 knock-out mice
      (B6;129S2-IL6tm1kopf/J; IL-6-/-) after 8 weeks of unilateral or bilateral
      microbead-induced glaucoma (microbead occlusion model). IOP increased by 20%
      following microbead injection in both genotypes (p < 0.05). However, deficits in
      wound healing at the site of corneal injection were noted. In WT mice, elevated
      IOP produced degenerating axon profiles and decreased axon density in the optic
      nerve by 15% (p < 0.01). In IL-6-/- mice, axon density in the optic nerve did not
      differ between microbead- and saline-injected mice (p > 0.05) and degenerating
      axon profiles were minimal. Preservation of RGC axons was reflected in visual
      function, where visual acuity decreased significantly in a time-dependent manner
      with microbead-induced IOP elevation in WT (p < 0.001), but not IL-6-/- mice (p >
      0.05). Despite this preservation of RGC axons and visual acuity, both microbead
      injected WT and IL-6-/- mice exhibited a 50% decrease in anterograde CTB
      transport to the superior colliculus, as compared to saline-injected controls (p
      < 0.01). Assessment of glial reactivity revealed no genotype- or IOP-dependent
      changes in retinal astrocytes. IOP elevation decreased microglia density and
      percent retinal area covered in WT mice (p < 0.05), while IL-6-/- mice exhibited
      only a decrease in density (p < 0.05). Together, our findings indicate that two
      defining features of RGC axonopathy-axon transport deficits and structural
      degeneration of axons-likely occur via independent mechanisms. Our data suggest
      that IL-6 is part of a mechanism that specifically leads to structural
      degeneration of axons. Furthermore, its absence is sufficient to prevent both
      structural degeneration of the optic nerve and vision loss. Overall, our work
      supports the proposition that functional deficits in axon transport represent a
      therapeutic window for RGC axonopathy and identify IL-6 signaling as a strong
      target for such a therapeutic.

PMID- 28620281
TI  - Inhibition of the Mitochondrial Glutamate Carrier SLC25A22 in Astrocytes Leads to
      Intracellular Glutamate Accumulation.
AB  - The solute carrier family 25 (SLC25) drives the import of a large diversity of
      metabolites into mitochondria, a key cellular structure involved in many
      metabolic functions. Mutations of the mitochondrial glutamate carrier SLC25A22
      (also named GC1) have been identified in early epileptic encephalopathy (EEE) and
      migrating partial seizures in infancy (MPSI) but the pathophysiological mechanism
      of GC1 deficiency is still unknown, hampered by the absence of an in vivo model.
      This carrier is mainly expressed in astrocytes and is the principal gate for
      glutamate entry into mitochondria. A sufficient supply of energy is essential for
      the proper function of the brain and mitochondria have a pivotal role in
      maintaining energy homeostasis. In this work, we wanted to study the consequences
      of GC1 absence in an in vitro model in order to understand if glutamate
      catabolism and/or mitochondrial function could be affected. First, short hairpin
      RNA (shRNA) designed to specifically silence GC1 were validated in rat C6 glioma
      cells. Silencing GC1 in C6 resulted in a reduction of the GC1 mRNA combined with
      a decrease of the mitochondrial glutamate carrier activity. Then, primary
      astrocyte cultures were prepared and transfected with shRNA-GC1 or mismatch-RNA
      (mmRNA) constructs using the Neon(r) Transfection System in order to target a
      high number of primary astrocytes, more than 64%. Silencing GC1 in primary
      astrocytes resulted in a reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (Phosphate)
      (NAD(P)H) formation upon glutamate stimulation. We also observed that the
      mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) was functional after glucose stimulation
      but not activated by glutamate, resulting in a lower level of cellular adenosine
      triphosphate (ATP) in silenced astrocytes compared to control cells. Moreover,
      GC1 inactivation resulted in an intracellular glutamate accumulation. Our results
      show that mitochondrial glutamate transport via GC1 is important in sustaining
      glutamate homeostasis in astrocytes. Main Points: The mitochondrial respiratory
      chain is functional in absence of GC1Lack of glutamate oxidation results in a
      lower global ATP levelLack of mitochondrial glutamate transport results in
      intracellular glutamate accumulation.

PMID- 28620282
TI  - A Reward-Based Behavioral Platform to Measure Neural Activity during Head-Fixed
      Behavior.
AB  - Understanding the neural computations that contribute to behavior requires
      recording from neurons while an animal is behaving. This is not an easy task as
      most subcellular recording techniques require absolute head stability. The Go/No
      Go sensory task is a powerful decision-driven task that enables an animal to
      report a binary decision during head-fixation. Here we discuss how to set up an
      Ardunio and Python based platform system to control a Go/No-Go sensory behavior
      paradigm. Using an Arduino micro-controller and Python-based custom written
      program, a reward can be delivered to the animal depending on the decision
      reported. We discuss the various components required to build the behavioral
      apparatus that can control and report such a sensory stimulus paradigm. This
      system enables the end user to control the behavioral testing in real-time and
      therefore it provides a strong custom-made platform for probing the neural basis
      of behavior.

PMID- 28620280
TI  - Pathophysiology of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.
AB  - Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a common, dose-dependent adverse effect of
      several antineoplastics. It can lead to detrimental dose reductions and
      discontinuation of treatment, and severely affects the quality of life of cancer
      survivors. Clinically, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy presents as
      deficits in sensory, motor, and autonomic function which develop in a glove and
      stocking distribution due to preferential effects on longer axons. The
      pathophysiological processes are multi-factorial and involve oxidative stress,
      apoptotic mechanisms, altered calcium homeostasis, axon degeneration and membrane
      remodeling as well as immune processes and neuroinflammation. This review
      focusses on the commonly used antineoplastic substances oxaliplatin, cisplatin,
      vincristine, docetaxel, and paclitaxel which interfere with the cancer cell cycle
      leading to cell death and tumor degradation-and cause severe acute and chronic
      peripheral neuropathies. We discuss drug mechanism of action and pharmacokinetic
      disposition relevant to the development of peripheral neuropathy, the
      epidemiology and clinical presentation of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy,
      emerging insight into genetic susceptibilities as well as current understanding
      of the pathophysiology and treatment approaches.

PMID- 28620283
TI  - Octopus Cells in the Posteroventral Cochlear Nucleus Provide the Main Excitatory
      Input to the Superior Paraolivary Nucleus.
AB  - Auditory streaming enables perception and interpretation of complex acoustic
      environments that contain competing sound sources. At early stages of central
      processing, sounds are segregated into separate streams representing attributes
      that later merge into acoustic objects. Streaming of temporal cues is critical
      for perceiving vocal communication, such as human speech, but our understanding
      of circuits that underlie this process is lacking, particularly at subcortical
      levels. The superior paraolivary nucleus (SPON), a prominent group of inhibitory
      neurons in the mammalian brainstem, has been implicated in processing temporal
      information needed for the segmentation of ongoing complex sounds into discrete
      events. The SPON requires temporally precise and robust excitatory input(s) to
      convey information about the steep rise in sound amplitude that marks the onset
      of voiced sound elements. Unfortunately, the sources of excitation to the SPON
      and the impact of these inputs on the behavior of SPON neurons have yet to be
      resolved. Using anatomical tract tracing and immunohistochemistry, we identified
      octopus cells in the contralateral cochlear nucleus (CN) as the primary source of
      excitatory input to the SPON. Cluster analysis of miniature excitatory events
      also indicated that the majority of SPON neurons receive one type of excitatory
      input. Precise octopus cell-driven onset spiking coupled with transient offset
      spiking make SPON responses well-suited to signal transitions in sound energy
      contained in vocalizations. Targets of octopus cell projections, including the
      SPON, are strongly implicated in the processing of temporal sound features, which
      suggests a common pathway that conveys information critical for perception of
      complex natural sounds.

PMID- 28620285
TI  - The Evidence for Altered BDNF Expression in the Brain of Rats Reared or Housed in
      Social Isolation: A Systematic Review.
AB  - There is evidence that development and maintenance of neural connections are
      disrupted in major mental disorders, which indicates that neurotrophic factors
      could play a critical role in their pathogenesis. Stress is a well-established
      risk factor for psychopathology and recent research suggests that disrupted
      signaling via brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be involved in
      mediating the negative effects of stress on the brain. Social isolation of rats
      elicits chronic stress and is widely used as an animal model of mental disorders
      such as schizophrenia and depression. We carried out a systematic search of
      published studies to review current evidence for an altered expression of BDNF in
      the brain of rats reared or housed in social isolation. Across all age groups
      (post-weaning, adolescent, adult), majority of the identified studies (16/21)
      reported a decreased expression of BDNF in the hippocampus. There are far less
      published data on BDNF expression in other brain regions. Data are also scarce to
      assess the behavioral changes as a function of BDNF expression, but the
      downregulation of BDNF seems to be associated with increased anxiety-like
      symptoms. The reviewed data generally support the putative involvement of BDNF in
      the pathogenesis of stress-related mental illness. However, the mechanisms
      linking chronic social isolation, BDNF expression and the elicited behavioral
      alterations are currently unknown.

PMID- 28620286
TI  - Audience Effects in Territorial Defense of Male Cichlid Fish Are Associated with
      Differential Patterns of Activation of the Brain Social Decision-Making Network.
AB  - Animals communicate by exchanging signals frequently in the proximity of other
      conspecifics that may detect and intercept signals not directed to them. There is
      evidence that the presence of these bystanders modulates the signaling behavior
      of interacting individuals, a phenomenon that has been named audience effect.
      Research on the audience effect has predominantly focused on its function rather
      than on its proximate mechanisms. Here, we have investigated the physiological
      and neuromolecular correlates of the audience effect in a cichlid fish
      (Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus). A male was exposed to a
      territorial intrusion in the presence or absence of a female audience. Results
      showed that the presence of the female audience increased territorial defense,
      but elicited a lower androgen and cortisol response to the territorial intrusion.
      Furthermore, analysis of the expression of immediate early genes, used as markers
      of neuronal activity, in brain areas belonging to the social decision-making
      network (SDMN) revealed different patterns of network activity and connectivity
      across the different social contexts (i.e., audience * intrusion). Overall, these
      results suggest that socially driven plasticity in the expression of territorial
      behavior is accommodated in the central nervous system by rapid changes in
      functional connectivity between nodes of relevant networks (SDMN) rather than by
      localized changes of activity in specific brain nuclei.

PMID- 28620284
TI  - Electrophysiological Measurements of Peripheral Vestibular Function-A Review of
      Electrovestibulography.
AB  - Electrocochleography (EcochG), incorporating the Cochlear Microphonic (CM), the
      Summating Potential (SP), and the cochlear Compound Action Potential (CAP), has
      been used to study cochlear function in humans and experimental animals since the
      1930s, providing a simple objective tool to assess both hair cell (HC) and nerve
      sensitivity. The vestibular equivalent of ECochG, termed here
      Electrovestibulography (EVestG), incorporates responses of the vestibular HCs and
      nerve. Few research groups have utilized EVestG to study vestibular function.
      Arguably, this is because stimulating the cochlea in isolation with sound is a
      trivial matter, whereas stimulating the vestibular system in isolation requires
      significantly more technical effort. That is, the vestibular system is sensitive
      to both high-level sound and bone-conducted vibrations, but so is the cochlea,
      and gross electrical responses of the inner ear to such stimuli can be difficult
      to interpret. Fortunately, several simple techniques can be employed to isolate
      vestibular electrical responses. Here, we review the literature underpinning
      gross vestibular nerve and HC responses, and we discuss the nomenclature used in
      this field. We also discuss techniques for recording EVestG in experimental
      animals and humans and highlight how EVestG is furthering our understanding of
      the vestibular system.

PMID- 28620287
TI  - Changes of EEG Spectra and Functional Connectivity during an Object-Location
      Memory Task in Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - Object-location memory is particularly fragile and specifically impaired in
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was utilized to
      objectively measure memory impairment for memory formation correlates of EEG
      oscillatory activities. We aimed to construct an object-location memory paradigm
      and explore EEG signs of it. Two groups of 20 probable mild AD patients and 19
      healthy older adults were included in a cross-sectional analysis. All subjects
      took an object-location memory task. EEG recordings performed during object
      location memory tasks were compared between the two groups in the two EEG
      parameters (spectral parameters and phase synchronization). The memory
      performance of AD patients was worse than that of healthy elderly adults The
      power of object-location memory of the AD group was significantly higher than the
      NC group (healthy elderly adults) in the alpha band in the encoding session, and
      alpha and theta bands in the retrieval session. The channels-pairs the phase lag
      index value of object-location memory in the AD group was clearly higher than the
      NC group in the delta, theta, and alpha bands in encoding sessions and delta and
      theta bands in retrieval sessions. The results provide support for the hypothesis
      that the AD patients may use compensation mechanisms to remember the items and
      episode.

PMID- 28620288
TI  - Age-Related Changes in Resting-State EEG Activity in Attention
      Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study.
AB  - Numerous studies indicate that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is
      related to some developmental trends, as its symptoms change widely over time.
      Nevertheless, the etiology of this phenomenon remains ambiguous. There is a
      disagreement whether ADHD is related to deviations in brain development or to a
      delay in brain maturation. The model of deviated brain development suggests that
      the ADHD brain matures in a fundamentally different way, and does not reach
      normal maturity at any developmental stage. On the contrary, the delayed brain
      maturation model assumes that the ADHD brain indeed matures in a different,
      delayed way in comparison to healthy age-matched controls, yet eventually reaches
      proper maturation. We investigated age-related changes in resting-state EEG
      activity to find evidence to support one of the alternative models. A total of
      141 children and teenagers participated in the study; 67 diagnosed with ADHD and
      74 healthy controls. The absolute power of delta, theta, alpha, and beta
      frequency bands was analyzed. We observed a significant developmental pattern of
      decreasing absolute EEG power in both groups. Nonetheless, ADHD was characterized
      by consistently lower absolute EGG power, mostly in the theta frequency band, in
      comparison to healthy controls. Our results are in line with the deviant brain
      maturation theory of ADHD, as the observed effects of age-related changes in EEG
      power are parallel but different in the two groups.

PMID- 28620289
TI  - Dazzled by the Mystery of Mentalism: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Mental
      Athletes.

PMID- 28620290
TI  - How Stable Are Human Aesthetic Preferences Across the Lifespan?
AB  - How stable are human aesthetic preferences, and how does stability change over
      the lifespan? Here we investigate the stability of aesthetic taste in a cross
      sectional study. We employed a simple rank-order preference task using paintings
      and photographs of faces and landscapes. In each of the four stimulus classes, we
      find that aesthetic stability generally follows an inverted U-shaped function,
      with the greatest degree of stability appearing in early to middle adulthood. We
      propose that one possible interpretation of this result is that it indicates a
      role for cognitive control (i.e., the ability to adapt cognition to current
      situations) in the construction of aesthetic taste, since cognitive control
      performance follows a generally similar trajectory across the lifespan. However,
      human aesthetic stability is on the whole rather low: even the most stable age
      groups show ranking changes of at least 1 rank per item over a 2-week span. We
      discuss possible implications for these findings in terms of existing theories of
      visual aesthetics and in terms of methodological considerations, though we
      acknowledge that other interpretations of our results are possible.

PMID- 28620291
TI  - Network-Wide Adaptive Burst Detection Depicts Neuronal Activity with Improved
      Accuracy.
AB  - Neuronal networks are often characterized by their spiking and bursting
      statistics. Previously, we introduced an adaptive burst analysis method which
      enhances the analysis power for neuronal networks with highly varying firing
      dynamics. The adaptation is based on single channels analyzing each element of a
      network separately. Such kind of analysis was adequate for the assessment of
      local behavior, where the analysis focuses on the neuronal activity in the
      vicinity of a single electrode. However, the assessment of the whole network may
      be hampered, if parts of the network are analyzed using different rules. Here, we
      test how using multiple channels and measurement time points affect adaptive
      burst detection. The main emphasis is, if network-wide adaptive burst detection
      can provide new insights into the assessment of network activity. Therefore, we
      propose a modification to the previously introduced inter-spike interval (ISI)
      histogram based cumulative moving average (CMA) algorithm to analyze multiple
      spike trains simultaneously. The network size can be freely defined, e.g., to
      include all the electrodes in a microelectrode array (MEA) recording.
      Additionally, the method can be applied on a series of measurements on the same
      network to pool the data for statistical analysis. Firstly, we apply both the
      original CMA-algorithm and our proposed network-wide CMA-algorithm on artificial
      spike trains to investigate how the modification changes the burst detection.
      Thereafter, we use the algorithms on MEA data of spontaneously active chemically
      manipulated in vitro rat cortical networks. Moreover, we compare the synchrony of
      the detected bursts introducing a new burst synchrony measure. Finally, we
      demonstrate how the bursting statistics can be used to classify networks by
      applying k-means clustering to the bursting statistics. The results show that the
      proposed network wide adaptive burst detection provides a method to unify the
      burst definition in the whole network and thus improves the assessment and
      classification of the neuronal activity, e.g., the effects of different
      pharmaceuticals. The results indicate that the novel method is adaptive enough to
      be usable on networks with different dynamics, and it is especially feasible when
      comparing the behavior of differently spiking networks, for example in developing
      networks.

PMID- 28620293
TI  - A Manual Segmentation Tool for Three-Dimensional Neuron Datasets.
AB  - To date, automated or semi-automated software and algorithms for segmentation of
      neurons from three-dimensional imaging datasets have had limited success. The
      gold standard for neural segmentation is considered to be the manual isolation
      performed by an expert. To facilitate the manual isolation of complex objects
      from image stacks, such as neurons in their native arrangement within the brain,
      a new Manual Segmentation Tool (ManSegTool) has been developed. ManSegTool allows
      user to load an image stack, scroll down the images and to manually draw the
      structures of interest stack-by-stack. Users can eliminate unwanted regions or
      split structures (i.e., branches from different neurons that are too close each
      other, but, to the experienced eye, clearly belong to a unique cell), to view the
      object in 3D and save the results obtained. The tool can be used for testing the
      performance of a single-neuron segmentation algorithm or to extract complex
      objects, where the available automated methods still fail. Here we describe the
      software's main features and then show an example of how ManSegTool can be used
      to segment neuron images acquired using a confocal microscope. In particular,
      expert neuroscientists were asked to segment different neurons from which
      morphometric variables were subsequently extracted as a benchmark for precision.
      In addition, a literature-defined index for evaluating the goodness of
      segmentation was used as a benchmark for accuracy. Neocortical layer axons from a
      DIADEM challenge dataset were also segmented with ManSegTool and compared with
      the manual "gold-standard" generated for the competition.

PMID- 28620292
TI  - Dynamic Responses in Brain Networks to Social Feedback: A Dual EEG Acquisition
      Study in Adolescent Couples.
AB  - Adolescence is a sensitive period for the development of romantic relationships.
      During this period the maturation of frontolimbic networks is particularly
      important for the capacity to regulate emotional experiences. In previous
      research, both functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and dense array
      electroencephalography (dEEG) measures have suggested that responses in limbic
      regions are enhanced in adolescents experiencing social rejection. In the present
      research, we examined social acceptance and rejection from romantic partners as
      they engaged in a Chatroom Interact Task. Dual 128-channel dEEG systems were used
      to record neural responses to acceptance and rejection from both adolescent
      romantic partners and unfamiliar peers (N = 75). We employed a two-step temporal
      principal component analysis (PCA) and spatial independent component analysis
      (ICA) approach to statistically identify the neural components related to social
      feedback. Results revealed that the early (288 ms) discrimination between
      acceptance and rejection reflected by the P3a component was significant for the
      romantic partner but not the unfamiliar peer. In contrast, the later (364 ms) P3b
      component discriminated between acceptance and rejection for both partners and
      peers. The two-step approach (PCA then ICA) was better able than either PCA or
      ICA alone in separating these components of the brain's electrical activity that
      reflected both temporal and spatial phases of the brain's processing of social
      feedback.

PMID- 28620294
TI  - Gestational Exposure to Air Pollution Alters Cortical Volume, Microglial
      Morphology, and Microglia-Neuron Interactions in a Sex-Specific Manner.
AB  - Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain, important for normal neural
      development in addition to host defense in response to inflammatory stimuli. Air
      pollution is one of the most pervasive and harmful environmental toxicants in the
      modern world, and several large scale epidemiological studies have recently
      linked prenatal air pollution exposure with an increased risk of
      neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Diesel
      exhaust particles (DEP) are a primary toxic component of air pollution, and
      markedly activate microglia in vitro and in vivo in adult rodents. We have
      demonstrated that prenatal exposure to DEP in mice, i.e., to the pregnant dams
      throughout gestation, results in a persistent vulnerability to behavioral
      deficits in adult offspring, especially in males, which is intriguing given the
      greater incidence of ASD in males to females (~4:1). Moreover, there is a
      striking upregulation of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 gene expression within the
      brains of the same mice, and this expression is primarily in microglia. Here we
      explored the impact of gestational exposure to DEP or vehicle on microglial
      morphology in the developing brains of male and female mice. DEP exposure
      increased inflammatory cytokine protein and altered the morphology of microglia,
      consistent with activation or a delay in maturation, only within the embryonic
      brains of male mice; and these effects were dependent on TLR4. DEP exposure also
      increased cortical volume at embryonic day (E)18, which switched to decreased
      volume by post-natal day (P)30 in males, suggesting an impact on the developing
      neural stem cell niche. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found increased
      microglial-neuronal interactions in male offspring that received DEP compared to
      all other groups. Taken together, these data suggest a mechanism by which
      prenatal exposure to environmental toxins may affect microglial development and
      long-term function, and thereby contribute to the risk of neurodevelopmental
      disorders.

PMID- 28620295
TI  - Slow and Fast Neocortical Oscillations in the Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Model
      SAMP8.
AB  - The senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) model is characterized by
      accelerated, progressive cognitive decline as well as Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      like neurodegenerative changes, and resembles the etiology of multicausal,
      sporadic late-onset/age-related AD in humans. Our aim was to find whether these
      AD-like pathological features, together with the cognitive deficits present in
      the SAMP8 strain, are accompanied by disturbances in cortical network activity
      with respect to control mice (SAM resistance 1, SAMR1) and, if so, how the
      alterations in cortical activity progress with age. For this purpose, we
      characterized the extracellular spontaneous oscillatory activity in different
      regions of the cerebral cortex of SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice under ketamine anesthesia
      at 5 and 7 months of age. Under these conditions, slow oscillations and fast
      rhythms generated in the cortical network were recorded and different parameters
      of these oscillations were quantified and compared between SAMP8 and their
      control, SAMR1 mice. The average frequency of slow oscillations in SAMP8 mice was
      decreased with respect to the control mice at both studied ages. An elongation of
      the silent periods or Down states was behind the decreased slow oscillatory
      frequency while the duration of active or Up states remained stable. SAMP8 mice
      also presented increased cycle variability and reduced high frequency components
      during Down states. During Up states, the power peak in the gamma range was
      displaced towards lower frequencies in all the cortical areas of SAMP8 with
      respect to control mice suggesting that the spectral profile of SAMP8 animals is
      shifted towards lower frequencies. This shift is reminiscent to one of the
      principal hallmarks of electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in patients
      with Alzheimer's disease, and adds evidence in support of the suitability of the
      SAMP8 mouse as a model of this disease. Although some of the differences between
      SAMP8 and control mice were emphasized with age, the evolution of the studied
      parameters as SAMR1 mice got older indicates that the SAMR1 phenotype tends to
      converge with that of SAMP8 animals. To our knowledge, this is the first
      systematic characterization of the cortical slow and fast rhythms in the SAMP8
      strain and it provides useful insights about the cellular and synaptic mechanisms
      underlying the reported alterations.

PMID- 28620296
TI  - Testosterone Propionate Exacerbates the Deficits of Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic
      System and Downregulates Nrf2 Expression in Reserpine-Treated Aged Male Rats.
AB  - There is a controversy over the effects of testosterone supplements on
      dopaminergic function. Both neuroprotective and toxic effects of testosterone
      supplements are reported. The status of oxidative stress seems to explain the
      neuroprotective or toxic properties of testosterone. To determine the efficacy of
      testosterone supplements in different status of oxidative stress, the present
      studies analyzed the dopamine (DA)-related behaviors and neurochemical indices,
      as well as markers of nigrostriatal dopaminergic (NSDA) system in reserpine
      treated aged male rats followed by testosterone propionate (TP) supplements. The
      status of oxidative stress of experimental animals was evaluated by analyzing
      oxidative stress parameters and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2
      (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling pathway in substantia nigra
      (SN). Consistent with our previous studies, TP supplements to 21-month old aged
      male rats had the beneficial effects on NSDA system and DA-related behaviors and
      enhanced the antioxidative capabilities in SN. However, the beneficial effects of
      TP supplements on NSDA system and DA-related behaviors in aged male rats were
      reversed by reserpine pretreatment to them. Reserpine treatment induced the
      severe oxidative stress and reduced the expressions of Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO
      1) and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO1) in the SN of aged male rats. The
      TP supplements to reserpine-pretreated aged male rats exacerbated the defects in
      NSDA system and DA-related behaviors, aggravated oxidative damages and
      downregulated the expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO1 in the SN. These results
      suggested that the efficacy of TP supplements on impaired NSDA system was related
      to the status of oxidative stress in experimental rats.

PMID- 28620297
TI  - Racial Differences in Insular Connectivity and Thickness and Related Cognitive
      Impairment in Hypertension.
AB  - Hypertensive African-Americans have a greater risk of cognitive impairment than
      hypertensive Caucasian-Americans. The neural basis of this increased risk is yet
      unknown. Neuroimaging investigations suggest that the normal neural activity
      comprises complex interactions between brain networks. Recent studies
      consistently demonstrate that the insula, part of the salience network, provides
      modulation effects (information flow) over the default-mode and central-executive
      networks in cognitively normal subjects, and argue that the modulation effect is
      declined in cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study is to examine the
      information flow at the nodes of three networks using resting state functional
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in cognitively impaired hypertensive
      individuals with the African-Americans and the Caucasian-Americans races, and to
      compare the thickness of impaired node between two racial groups. Granger
      causality methodology was used to calculate information flow between networks
      using resting state functional MRI data, and FreeSurfer was used to measure
      cortical thickness from T1-weighted structural images. We found that negative
      information flow of the insula in both African-Americans and Caucasian-Americans,
      which was in contrast with previously reported positive information flow in this
      region of normal individuals. Also, significantly greater negative information
      flow in insula was found in African-Americans than Caucasian-Americans (Wilcoxon
      rank sum; Z = 2.06; p < 0.05). Significantly, lower insula thickness was found in
      African-Americans compared with Caucasian-Americans (median = 2.797 mm vs. 2.897
      mm) (Wilcoxon rank sum; Z = 2.09; p < 0.05). Finally, the insula thickness
      correlated with the global cognitive testing measured by Montreal cognitive
      assessment (Spearman's correlation; r = 0.30; p < 0.05). These findings suggest
      that the insula is a potential biomarker for the racial disparity in cognitive
      impairment of hypertensive individuals.

PMID- 28620298
TI  - Anti-tumor Activity of Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists.
AB  - Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a class of pattern recognition receptors that play
      a bridging role in innate immunity and adaptive immunity. The activated TLRs not
      only induce inflammatory responses, but also elicit the development of antigen
      specific immunity. TLR7, a member of TLR family, is an intracellular receptor
      expressed on the membrane of endosomes. TLR7 can be triggered not only by ssRNA
      during viral infections, but also by immune modifiers that share a similar
      structure to nucleosides. Its powerful immune stimulatory action can be
      potentially used in the anti-tumor therapy. This article reviewed the anti-tumor
      activity and mechanism of TLR7 agonists that are frequently applied in
      preclinical and clinical investigations, and mainly focused on small synthetic
      molecules, including imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, and 852A, etc.

PMID- 28620299
TI  - The Alkamide trans-Pellitorine Targets PPARgamma via TRPV1 and TRPA1 to Reduce
      Lipid Accumulation in Developing 3T3-L1 Adipocytes.
AB  - Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ in the human body. However,
      pathological overgrowth is associated with chronic illness. Regulation of
      adipogenesis and maturation of adipocytes via bioactive compounds in our daily
      diet has been in focus of research in the past years and showed promising results
      for agonists of the ion channels transient receptor potential channel (TRP) V1
      and A1. Here, we investigated the anti-adipogenic potential and underlying
      mechanisms of the alkamide trans-pellitorine present in Piper nigrum via TRPV1
      and TRPA1 in 3T3-L1 cells. trans-pellitorine was found to suppress mean lipid
      accumulation, when applied during differentiation and maturation, but also during
      maturation phase solely of 3T3-L1 cells in a concentration range between 1 nM and
      1 MUM by up to 8.84 +/- 4.97 or 7.49 +/- 5.08%, respectively. Blockage of TRPV1
      using the specific inhibitor trans-tert-butyl-cyclohexanol demonstrated that the
      anti-adipogenic activity of trans-pellitorine depends on TRPV1. In addition,
      blockage of the TRPA1 channel using the antagonist AP-18 showed a TRPA1-dependent
      signaling in the early to intermediate stages of adipogenesis. On a mechanistic
      level, treatment with trans-pellitorine during adipogenesis led to reduced
      PPARgamma expression on gene and protein level via activation of TRPV1 and TRPA1,
      and increased expression of the microRNA mmu-let-7b, which has been associated
      with reduced PPARgamma levels. In addition, cells treated with trans-pellitorine
      showed decreased expression of the gene encoding for fatty acid synthase,
      increased expression of microRNA-103 and a decreased short-term fatty acid uptake
      on the functional level. In summary, these data point to an involvement of the
      TRPV1 and TRPA1 cation channels in the anti-adipogenic activity of trans
      pellitorine via microRNA-let7b and PPARgamma. Since trans-pellitorine does not
      directly activate TRPV1 or TRPA1, an indirect modulation of the channel activity
      is assumed and warrants further investigation.

PMID- 28620301
TI  - Chemopreventive Activity of Honokiol against 7, 12 - Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene
      Induced Mammary Cancer in Female Sprague Dawley Rats.
AB  - Breast cancer is a predominant cause of death in women across the globe.
      Chemoprevention by using natural, dietary or synthetic products has been
      appearing to be a fascinating approach to combat the growing burden of breast
      cancer. In the current study, we intended to explore the mechanisms of
      chemopreventive action of honokiol against 7, 12 - dimethylbenz[a]anthracene
      (DMBA)-induced mammary cancer in female Sprague Dawlely (SD) rats. We induced
      mammary cancer in SD rats by administering single dose of DMBA (80 mg/kg) through
      intra gastric route. Chemopreventive effects of honokiol (80 mg/kg, i.p.) were
      confirmed from its ameliorating effect on the DMBA-induced anomalies such as
      liver marker enzymes, Phases I and II metabolizing enzymes and oxidative stress
      markers. Further, honokiol reversed the DMBA-induced abnormalities in
      inflammatory cytokines levels and serum tumor markers. Additionally,
      histopathological examination of mammary tissue and protein expression analysis
      of NF-kappaB revealed that honokiol is effective against DMBA-induced mammary
      cancer. In summary, the results of our study support the chemopreventive feature
      of honokiol in mammary cancer.

PMID- 28620302
TI  - Adoption of Biosimilar Infliximab for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing
      Spondylitis, and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in the EU5: A Budget Impact Analysis
      Using a Delphi Panel.
AB  - Introduction: Introducing biosimilar infliximab for the treatment in rheumatology
      (rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis) and inflammatory bowel disease
      (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) may reduce treatment costs associated
      with biologics. This study aimed to investigate the budget impact of adopting
      biosimilar infliximab in five European countries, considering that the budget
      impact includes the adoption of biosimilar infliximab and the availability of
      biologic alternatives such as vedolizumab, biosimilar etanercept, biosimilar
      rituximab, and other relevant factors. Methods: An existing budget impact model
      was adapted to forecast the budget impact in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and
      Italy. Epidemiological parameters were derived from published literature reviewed
      in July 2015. Current market shares of biologics were derived from Therapy Watch
      (2012/2013 data). Respondents in a Delphi panel, conducted in 2015 and consisting
      of several leading rheumatologists and gastroenterologists from different
      nationalities, were asked to forecast uptake of biosimilar infliximab and
      estimate the proportion of patients eligible for a particular type of biological
      treatment, including biosimilar infliximab. Scenario analyses assessed the
      influence of various factors, including price reductions, on the budget. Results:
      Uptake of biosimilar infliximab was particularly expected for naive patients;
      switching patients that already received other biologics was not expected much.
      Market shares after 5 years of biosimilar infliximab were ~2% in rheumatology in
      all five countries and in gastroenterology ranged from 4% in France to over 30%
      in Italy. Except for France, budgets were expected to decrease for rheumatologic
      diseases. For gastroenterology, budgets were expected to decrease in Spain and
      Italy. Budgets were expected to increase substantially in the UK and Germany, due
      to the introduction of vedolizumab in the studied period. In France, budget was
      expected to slightly increase for ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's Disease, and
      ulcerative collitis. Savings in budget were expected in all countries, for all
      diseases, when larger price discounts on biosimilar infliximab were used.
      Discussion and Conclusion: This study has shown that only when price reductions
      are large enough (i.e., 50% or more), physicians indicated that they will
      prescribe biosimilars. Policy makers should ensure substantial price reductions
      and stimulate physicians to use biosimilar products, to obtain savings in
      healthcare budgets.

PMID- 28620303
TI  - Effect of Genetic Variability in the CYP4F2, CYP4F11, and CYP4F12 Genes on Liver
      mRNA Levels and Warfarin Response.
AB  - Genetic polymorphisms in the gene encoding cytochrome P450 (CYP) 4F2, a vitamin K
      oxidase, affect stable warfarin dose requirements and time to therapeutic INR.
      CYP4F2 is part of the CYP4F gene cluster, which is highly polymorphic and
      exhibits a high degree of linkage disequilibrium, making it difficult to define
      causal variants. Our objective was to examine the effect of genetic variability
      in the CYP4F gene cluster on expression of the individual CYP4F genes and
      warfarin response. mRNA levels of the CYP4F gene cluster were quantified in human
      liver samples (n = 149) obtained from a well-characterized liver bank and fine
      mapping of the CYP4F gene cluster encompassing CYP4F2, CYP4F11, and CYP4F12 was
      performed. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from a prospective cohort of
      warfarin-treated patients (n = 711) was also analyzed for genetic variations
      across the CYP4F gene cluster. In addition, SNP-gene expression in human liver
      tissues and interactions between CYP4F genes were explored in silico using
      publicly available data repositories. We found that SNPs in CYP4F2, CYP4F11, and
      CYP4F12 were associated with mRNA expression in the CYP4F gene cluster. In
      particular, CYP4F2 rs2108622 was associated with increased CYP4F2 expression
      while CYP4F11 rs1060467 was associated with decreased CYP4F2 expression.
      Interestingly, these CYP4F2 and CYP4F11 SNPs showed similar effects with warfarin
      stable dose where CYP4F11 rs1060467 was associated with a reduction in daily
      warfarin dose requirement (~1 mg/day, Pc = 0.017), an effect opposite to that
      previously reported with CYP4F2 (rs2108622). However, inclusion of either or both
      of these SNPs in a pharmacogenetic algorithm consisting of age, body mass index
      (BMI), gender, baseline clotting factor II level, CYP2C9*2 rs1799853, CYP2C9*3
      rs1057910, and VKORC1 rs9923231 improved warfarin dose variability only by 0.5
      0.7% with an improvement in dose prediction accuracy of ~1-2%. Although there is
      complex regulation across the CYP4F gene cluster, the opposing effects between
      the two SNPs in the CYP4F gene cluster appear to compensate for each other and
      their effect on warfarin dose requirement is unlikely to be clinically
      significant.

PMID- 28620300
TI  - Novel Anti-fibrotic Therapies.
AB  - Fibrosis is a major player in cardiovascular disease, both as a contributor to
      the development of disease, as well as a post-injury response that drives
      progression. Despite the identification of many mechanisms responsible for
      cardiovascular fibrosis, to date no treatments have emerged that have effectively
      reduced the excess deposition of extracellular matrix associated with fibrotic
      conditions. Novel treatments have recently been identified that hold promise as
      potential therapeutic agents for cardiovascular diseases associated with
      fibrosis, as well as other fibrotic conditions. The purpose of this review is to
      provide an overview of emerging antifibrotic agents that have shown encouraging
      results in preclinical or early clinical studies, but have not yet been approved
      for use in human disease. One of these agents is bone morphogenetic protein-7
      (BMP7), which has beneficial effects in multiple models of fibrotic disease.
      Another approach discussed involves altering the levels of micro-RNA (miR)
      species, including miR-29 and miR-101, which regulate the expression of fibrosis
      related gene targets. Further, the antifibrotic potential of agonists of the
      peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors will be discussed. Finally, evidence
      will be reviewed in support of the polypeptide hormone relaxin. Relaxin is long
      known for its extracellular remodeling properties in pregnancy, and is rapidly
      emerging as an effective antifibrotic agent in a number of organ systems.
      Moreover, relaxin has potent vascular and renal effects that make it a
      particularly attractive approach for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In
      each case, the mechanism of action and the applicability to various fibrotic
      diseases will be discussed.

PMID- 28620304
TI  - Pu-erh Tea Extract Ameliorates Ovariectomy-Induced Osteoporosis in Rats and
      Suppresses Osteoclastogenesis In Vitro.
AB  - Background and Objective: Tea drinking is associated with positive effects on
      bone health and may protect against osteoporosis, especially in elderly women. Pu
      erh tea has many beneficial effects on human health; however, whether Pu-erh tea
      has anti-osteoporotic potential remains unclear. Thus, we investigated the
      effects of Pu-erh tea extract (PTE) on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats
      and on osteoclastogenesis in vitro. Methods: Female Wistar rats were divided into
      six groups: the sham, model, and Xian-Ling-Gu-Bao capsule (XLGB) groups, and the
      low-, medium-, and high-dose PTE groups. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were used as
      an animal model of osteoporosis. The animals were intragastrically administered
      distilled water, XLGB, or different concentrations of PTE for 13 weeks. Body
      weight, blood biochemical indicators, relative organ coefficients, femoral bone
      mineral density (BMD), bone biomechanical properties, and bone microarchitecture
      were examined and analyzed. Additionally, the in vitro effects of PTE on
      osteoclastic activities were investigated using the RAW 264.7 cell line as an
      osteoclast differentiation model. The effects of PTE on osteoclast
      differentiation and the expression of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins were
      determined. Results: PTE reduced OVX-induced body weight gain after 6 weeks of
      treatment, and the high-dose exerted a significant effect. High-dose PTE
      significantly ameliorated OVX-induced estradiol (E2) deficiency. PTE treatment
      maintained calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and improved other blood
      biochemical parameters to various degrees. In addition, PTE treatment improved
      organ coefficients of the femur, uterus, and vagina and improved femoral BMD and
      bone biomechanical properties. PTE treatment strikingly ameliorated bone
      microarchitecture. Moreover, in the in vitro studies, osteoclast differentiation
      using the differentiation cell model was significantly inhibited by PTE without
      cytotoxic effects. Additionally, PTE efficaciously suppressed the expression of
      key osteoclast-specific genes and proteins. Conclusion: PTE can ameliorate
      ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats and suppress osteoclastogenesis in
      vitro.

PMID- 28620305
TI  - Comparative Effects of Chloride Channel Inhibitors on LRRC8/VRAC-Mediated
      Chloride Conductance.
AB  - Chloride channels play an essential role in a variety of physiological functions
      and in human diseases. Historically, the field of chloride channels has long been
      neglected owing to the lack of powerful selective pharmacological agents that are
      needed to overcome the technical challenge of characterizing the molecular
      identities of these channels. Recently, members of the LRRC8 family have been
      shown to be essential for generating the volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC)
      current, a chloride conductance that governs the regulatory volume decrease (RVD)
      process. The inhibitory effects of six commonly used chloride channel inhibitors
      on VRAC/LRRC8-mediated chloride transport were tested in wild-type HEK-293 cells
      expressing LRRC8 proteins and devoid of other types of chloride channels (CFTR
      and ANO1/2). We explored the effectiveness of the inhibitors using the patch
      clamp whole-cell approach and fluorescence-based quantification of cellular
      volume changes during hypotonic challenge. Both DCPIB and NFA inhibited VRAC
      current in a whole-cell configuration, with IC50 values of 5 +/- 1 MUM and 55 +/-
      2 MUM, respectively. Surprisingly, GlyH-101 and PPQ-102, two CFTR inhibitors,
      also inhibited VRAC conductance at concentrations in the range of their current
      use, with IC50 values of 10 +/- 1 MUM and 20 +/- 1 MUM, respectively. T16Ainh
      A01, a so-called specific inhibitor of calcium-activated Cl- conductance, blocked
      the chloride current triggered by hypo-osmotic challenge, with an IC50 of 6 +/- 1
      MUM. Moreover, RVD following hypotonic challenge was dramatically reduced by
      these inhibitors. CFTRinh-172 was the only inhibitor that had almost no effect on
      VRAC/LRRC8-mediated chloride conductance. All inhibitors tested except CFTRinh
      172 inhibited VRAC/LRRC8-mediated chloride conductance and cellular volume
      changes during hypotonic challenge. These results shed light on the apparent lack
      of chloride channel inhibitors specificity and raise the question of how these
      inhibitors actually block chloride conductances.

PMID- 28620306
TI  - Characterization of Antileishmanial Compounds from Lawsonia inermis L. Leaves
      Using Semi-High Resolution Antileishmanial Profiling Combined with HPLC-HRMS-SPE
      NMR.
AB  - This work describes an analytical platform based on semi-high-resolution
      antileishmanial profiling combined with hyphenation of high-performance liquid
      chromatography - high-resolution mass spectrometry - solid-phase extraction -
      nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, i.e., semiHR-antileishmanial assay/HPLC
      HRMS-SPE-NMR. The platform enables fast pinpointing of HPLC peaks representing
      Leishmania tropica inhibitors in complex matrices, with subsequent structural
      identification of targeted inhibitors. Active analytes were cumulatively trapped
      on SPE cartridges and the structures elucidated by analysis of NMR spectra
      obtained in the HPLC-HRMS-SPE-NMR mode. This led to the identification of six
      known compounds 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1),
      lalioside (2), luteolin-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), apigenin-4'-O-beta-D
      glucopyranoside (4), luteolin (5), and apigenin (6). IC50 of the active compounds
      were determined with luteolin being the most potent inhibitor with an IC50 value
      of 4.15 MUg/ml. The platform proved to be an efficient method for the
      identification of L. tropica inhibitors.

PMID- 28620307
TI  - Peri- and Postoperative Treatment with the Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist
      Anakinra Is Safe in Patients Undergoing Renal Transplantation: Case Series and
      Review of the Literature.
AB  - In patients undergoing solid organ transplantation, the presence of an
      interleukin-1 (IL-1) driven disease may require the addition of IL-1 inhibiting
      drugs to the standard immunosuppressive regimen to protect against inflammation
      and negative graft outcome. Three patients undergoing renal transplantation were
      treated perioperatively with the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist anakinra.
      Kidney function increased rapidly in all three and the only complications seen
      were minor infections. In vitro studies report associations between serum and
      urinary levels of IL-1beta and IL-1 receptor antagonist and negative graft
      outcome, and studies in animals and two small human trials illustrate a possible
      protective effect of anti-IL-1 therapy after solid organ transplantation. Peri-
      and postoperative use of anakinra is safe and effective in patients undergoing
      renal transplantation.

PMID- 28620308
TI  - The Effect of Interdialytic Combined Resistance and Aerobic Exercise Training on
      Health Related Outcomes in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients: The Tunisian Randomized
      Controlled Study.
AB  - Background: Tunisia has the highest prevalence of hemodialysis patients compared
      to the other countries in North Africa. Dialysis centers rarely offer an exercise
      program to prevent physiological and psychological dialysis therapy-related
      alterations in chronic hemodialysis patients. Aim: To examine the effect of
      combined endurance-resistance training program on physiological and psychological
      outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: We designed a single
      blinded, randomized, controlled study for a period of 4 months. Patients were
      randomized to intervention group or control group. Intervention group patients
      received 4 training sessions per week, held on non-hemodialysis days for a period
      of 4 months, whereas control group patients continued their regular lifestyle
      practice without direct intervention from the personnel of this investigation.
      Patients were evaluated at baseline (initial assessment) and after the four-month
      study period (final assessment) by the same investigator blinded to treatment
      group assignment using physical, physiological, and psychological measurements.
      Results: Compared with control group, intervention group showed significant
      improvement in physical performance during the sit-to-stand-to-sit tests (STS-10:
      -16.2%, ES = -1.65; STS-60: +23.43%, ES = 1.18), handgrip force task (+23.54%, ES
      = 1.16), timed up and go test (-13.86%, ES = -1.13), and 6-min walk test
      (+15.94%, ES = 2.09). Likewise, mini nutritional assessment long form scores
      after intervention period were significantly higher in the intervention group
      compared to the control group (ES = 1.43). Physical and mental component scores
      of SF-36 questionnaire increased significantly in the intervention group (ES =
      1.10 and ES = 2.06, respectively), whereas hospital anxiety and depression scale
      scores decreased significantly (ES = -1.65 and ES = -2.72, respectively).
      Regarding biological parameters, intervention group displayed improvement in
      systolic and diastolic blood pressures (ES = -2.77 and ES = -0.87, respectively),
      HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides systematic levels (ES = 1.15,
      ES = -0.98, and ES = -1.01, respectively); however no significant effect of
      intervention period was observed on C-reactive protein, hemoglobin, albumin, and
      total cholesterol levels (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The current study showed that
      combined endurance-resistance training program had a beneficial effect on
      physical capacity and quality of life in chronic hemodialysis patients.

PMID- 28620309
TI  - Inhibition of the TRPM2 and TRPV1 Channels through Hypericum perforatum in
      Sciatic Nerve Injury-induced Rats Demonstrates their Key Role in Apoptosis and
      Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress of Sciatic Nerve and Dorsal Root Ganglion.
AB  - Sciatic nerve injury (SNI) results in neuropathic pain, which is characterized by
      the excessive Ca2+ entry, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis processes
      although involvement of antioxidant Hypericum perforatum (HP) through TRPM2 and
      TRPV1 activation has not been clarified on the processes in SNI-induced rat, yet.
      We investigated the protective property of HP on the processes in the sciatic
      nerve and dorsal root ganglion neuron (DRGN) of SNI-induced rats. The rats were
      divided into five groups as control, sham, sham+HP, SNI, and SNI+HP. The HP
      groups received 30 mg/kg HP for 4 weeks after SNI induction. TRPM2 and TRPV1
      channels were activated in the neurons by ADP-ribose or cumene peroxide and
      capsaicin, respectively. The SNI-induced TRPM2 and TRPV1 currents and
      intracellular free Ca2+ and ROS concentrations were reduced by HP, N-(p
      amylcinnamoyl) anthranilic acid (ACA), and capsazepine (CapZ). SNI-induced
      increase in apoptosis and mitochondrial depolarization in sciatic nerve and DRGN
      of SNI group were decreased by HP, ACA, and CapZ treatments. PARP-1, caspase 3
      and 9 expressions in the sciatic nerve, DRGN, skin, and musculus piriformis of
      SNI group were also attenuated by HP treatment. In conclusion, increase of
      mitochondrial ROS, apoptosis, and Ca2+ entry through inhibition of TRPM2 and
      TRPV1 in the sciatic nerve and DRGN neurons were decreased by HP treatment. The
      results may be relevant to the etiology and treatment of SNI by HP.

PMID- 28620310
TI  - Abdominal Binding Improves Neuromuscular Efficiency of the Human Diaphragm during
      Exercise.
AB  - We tested the hypothesis that elastic binding of the abdomen (AB) would enhance
      neuromuscular efficiency of the human diaphragm during exercise. Twelve healthy
      non-obese men aged 24.8 +/- 1.7 years (mean +/- SE) completed a symptom-limited
      constant-load cycle endurance exercise test at 85% of their peak incremental
      power output with diaphragmatic electromyography (EMGdi) and respiratory pressure
      measurements under two randomly assigned conditions: unbound control (CTRL) and
      AB sufficient to increase end-expiratory gastric pressure (Pga,ee) by 5-8 cmH2O
      at rest. By design, AB increased Pga,ee by 6.6 +/- 0.6 cmH2O at rest. Compared to
      CTRL, AB significantly increased the transdiaphragmatic pressure swing-to-EMGdi
      ratio by 85-95% during exercise, reflecting enhanced neuromuscular efficiency of
      the diaphragm. By contrast, AB had no effect on spirometric parameters at rest,
      exercise endurance time or an effect on cardiac, metabolic, ventilatory,
      breathing pattern, dynamic operating lung volume, and perceptual responses during
      exercise. In conclusion, AB was associated with isolated and acute improvements
      in neuromuscular efficiency of the diaphragm during exercise in healthy men. The
      implications of our results are that AB may be an effective means of enhancing
      neuromuscular efficiency of the diaphragm in clinical populations with
      diaphragmatic weakness/dysfunction.

PMID- 28620311
TI  - Physiological Adaptations to Hypoxic vs. Normoxic Training during Intermittent
      Living High.
AB  - In the setting of "living high," it is unclear whether high-intensity interval
      training (HIIT) should be performed "low" or "high" to stimulate muscular and
      performance adaptations. Therefore, 10 physically active males participated in a
      5-week "live high-train low or high" program (TR), whilst eight subjects were not
      engaged in any altitude or training intervention (CON). Five days per week (~15.5
      h per day), TR was exposed to normobaric hypoxia simulating progressively
      increasing altitude of ~2,000-3,250 m. Three times per week, TR performed HIIT,
      administered as unilateral knee-extension training, with one leg in normobaric
      hypoxia (~4,300 m; TRHYP) and with the other leg in normoxia (TRNOR). "Living
      high" elicited a consistent elevation in serum erythropoietin concentrations
      which adequately predicted the increase in hemoglobin mass (r = 0.78, P < 0.05;
      TR: +2.6%, P < 0.05; CON: -0.7%, P > 0.05). Muscle oxygenation during training
      was lower in TRHYP vs. TRNOR (P < 0.05). Muscle homogenate buffering capacity and
      pH-regulating protein abundance were similar between pretest and posttest.
      Oscillations in muscle blood volume during repeated sprints, as estimated by
      oscillations in NIRS-derived tHb, increased from pretest to posttest in TRHYP
      (~80%, P < 0.01) but not in TRNOR (~50%, P = 0.08). Muscle capillarity (~15%) as
      well as repeated-sprint ability (~8%) and 3-min maximal performance (~10-15%)
      increased similarly in both legs (P < 0.05). Maximal isometric strength increased
      in TRHYP (~8%, P < 0.05) but not in TRNOR (~4%, P > 0.05). In conclusion,
      muscular and performance adaptations were largely similar following normoxic vs.
      hypoxic HIIT. However, hypoxic HIIT stimulated adaptations in isometric strength
      and muscle perfusion during intermittent sprinting.

PMID- 28620313
TI  - Digestive Physiology of Octopus maya and O. mimus: Temporality of Digestion and
      Assimilation Processes.
AB  - Digestive physiology is one of the bottlenecks of octopus aquaculture. Although,
      there are successful experimentally formulated feeds, knowledge of the digestive
      physiology of cephalopods is fragmented, and focused mainly on Octopus vulgaris.
      Considering that the digestive physiology could vary in tropical and sub-tropical
      species through temperature modulations of the digestive dynamics and nutritional
      requirements of different organisms, the present review was focused on the
      digestive physiology timing of Octopus maya and Octopus mimus, two promising
      aquaculture species living in tropical (22-30 degrees C) and sub-tropical (15-24
      degrees C) ecosystems, respectively. We provide a detailed description of how
      soluble and complex nutrients are digested, absorbed, and assimilated in these
      species, describing the digestive process and providing insight into how the
      environment can modulate the digestion and final use of nutrients for these and
      presumably other octopus species. To date, research on these octopus species has
      demonstrated that soluble protein and other nutrients flow through the digestive
      tract to the digestive gland in a similar manner in both species. However,
      differences in the use of nutrients were noted: in O. mimus, lipids were
      mobilized faster than protein, while in O. maya, the inverse process was
      observed, suggesting that lipid mobilization in species that live in relatively
      colder environments occurs differently to those in tropical ecosystems. Those
      differences are related to the particular adaptations of animals to their
      habitat, and indicate that this knowledge is important when formulating feed for
      octopus species.

PMID- 28620315
TI  - You Are What You Eat: A Genomic Analysis of the Gut Microbiome of Captive and
      Wild Octopus vulgaris Paralarvae and Their Zooplankton Prey.
AB  - The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is an attractive species for aquaculture,
      however, several challenges inhibit sustainable commercial production. Little is
      known about the early paralarval stages in the wild, including diet and
      intestinal microbiota, which likely play a significant role in development and
      vitality of this important life stage. High throughput sequencing was used to
      characterize the gastrointestinal microbiome of wild O. vulgaris paralarvae
      collected from two different upwelling regions off the coast of North West Spain
      (n = 41) and Morocco (n = 35). These were compared to that of paralarvae reared
      with Artemia for up to 25 days in captivity (n = 29). In addition, the
      gastrointestinal microbiome of zooplankton prey (crabs, copepod and krill) was
      also analyzed to determine if the microbial communities present in wild
      paralarvae are derived from their diet. Paralarvae reared in captivity with
      Artemia showed a depletion of bacterial diversity, particularly after day 5, when
      almost half the bacterial species present on day 0 were lost and two bacterial
      families (Mycoplasmataceae and Vibrionaceae) dominated the microbial community.
      In contrast, bacterial diversity increased in wild paralarvae as they developed
      in the oceanic realm of both upwelling systems, likely due to the exposure of new
      bacterial communities via ingestion of a wide diversity of prey. Remarkably, the
      bacterial diversity of recently hatched paralarvae in captivity was similar to
      that of wild paralarvae and zooplankton, thus suggesting a marked effect of the
      diet in both the microbial community species diversity and evenness. This study
      provides a comprehensive overview of the bacterial communities inhabiting the
      gastrointestinal tract of O. vulgaris paralarvae, and reveals new research lines
      to challenge the current bottlenecks preventing sustainable octopus aquaculture.

PMID- 28620312
TI  - Thermodynamics in Gliomas: Interactions between the Canonical WNT/Beta-Catenin
      Pathway and PPAR Gamma.
AB  - Gliomas cells are the site of numerous metabolic and thermodynamics abnormalities
      with an increasing entropy rate which is characteristic of irreversible processes
      driven by changes in Gibbs energy, heat production, intracellular acidity,
      membrane potential gradient, and ionic conductance. We focus our review on the
      opposing interactions observed in glioma between the canonical WNT/beta-catenin
      pathway and PPAR gamma and their metabolic and thermodynamic implications. In
      gliomas, WNT/beta-catenin pathway is upregulated while PPAR gamma is
      downregulated. Upregulation of WNT/beta-catenin signaling induces changes in key
      metabolic enzyme that modify their thermodynamics behavior. This leads to
      activation pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1(PDK-1) and monocarboxylate lactate
      transporter 1 (MCT-1). Consequently, phosphorylation of PDK-1 inhibits pyruvate
      dehydrogenase complex (PDH). Thus, a large part of pyruvate cannot be converted
      into acetyl-CoA in mitochondria and in TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle. This leads
      to aerobic glycolysis despite the availability of oxygen, named Warburg effect.
      Cytoplasmic pyruvate is, in major part, converted into lactate. The WNT/beta
      catenin pathway induces also the transcription of genes involved in cell
      proliferation, cell invasiveness, nucleotide synthesis, tumor growth, and
      angiogenesis, such as c-Myc, cyclin D1, PDK. In addition, in gliomas cells, PPAR
      gamma is downregulated, leading to a decrease in insulin sensitivity and an
      increase in neuroinflammation. Moreover, PPAR gamma contributes to regulate some
      key circadian genes. Abnormalities in the regulation of circadian rhythms and
      dysregulation in circadian clock genes are observed in gliomas. Circadian rhythms
      are dissipative structures, which play a key role in far-from-equilibrium
      thermodynamics through their interactions with WNT/beta-catenin pathway and PPAR
      gamma. In gliomas, metabolism, thermodynamics, and circadian rhythms are tightly
      interrelated.

PMID- 28620314
TI  - Orexin System: The Key for a Healthy Life.
AB  - The orexin-A/hypocretin-1 and orexin-B/hypocretin-2 are neuropeptides synthesized
      by a cluster of neurons in the lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area. Orexin
      neurons receive a variety of signals related to environmental, physiological and
      emotional stimuli, and project broadly to the entire CNS. Orexin neurons are
      "multi-tasking" neurons regulating a set of vital body functions, including
      sleep/wake states, feeding behavior, energy homeostasis, reward systems,
      cognition and mood. Furthermore, a dysfunction of orexinergic system may underlie
      different pathological conditions. A selective loss orexin neurons was found in
      narcolepsia, supporting the crucial role of orexins in maintaining wakefulness.
      In animal models, orexin deficiency lead to obesity even if the consume of
      calories is lower than wildtype counterpart. Reduced physical activity appears
      the main cause of weight gain in these models resulting in energy imbalance.
      Orexin signaling promotes obesity resistance via enhanced spontaneous physical
      activity and energy expenditure regulation and the deficiency/dysfunction in
      orexins system lead to obesity in animal models despite of lower calories intake
      than wildtype associated with reduced physical activity. Interestingly,
      orexinergic neurons show connections to regions involved in cognition and mood
      regulation, including hippocampus. Orexins enhance hippocampal neurogenesis and
      improve spatial learning and memory abilities, and mood. Conversely, orexin
      deficiency results in learning and memory deficits, and depression.

PMID- 28620316
TI  - Incidence and Antimicrobial Sensitivity Profiles of Normal Conjunctiva Bacterial
      Flora in the Central Area of China: A Hospital-Based Study.
AB  - Objective: To study the distribution and patterns of resistance to antimicrobial
      agents of normal conjunctival bacteria. Materials and Methods: Conjunctival
      specimens were collected from 8,224 patients and then cultured, which underwent
      antimicrobial susceptibility test following standard methods. Patients with
      infectious symptoms such as erythema or oedema and those using systemic or
      topical antibiotics within 1 month were excluded. Results: In this study, the
      incidence of isolated bacteria was 24.2%. The middle aged group of 41-65 years
      presented the lowest rate of bacterial isolation which was 19.4%, while the
      highest isolation rate (83.1%) was found in patients in the age range of 0-6
      years. In every age group, the incidence of bacterial isolation in men was higher
      than that in women. The top 3 most commonly isolated micro-organisms were
      Staphylococcus epidermidis (39.7%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (4.5%), and
      Staphylococcus aureus (2.7%), of which about 83.1% S. aureus were isolated in the
      group of 0-6 years. We found that coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS) were
      more resistant to penicillin, macrolides, clindamycin and sulfonamides with the
      rate ranging from 57.9 to 90.8%, which were highly susceptible to vancomycin,
      linezolid, rifampin, tetracyclines, and aminoglycosides. Contrasting to CONS, the
      general resistance rate of S. aureus was significantly lower. Additionally,
      Streptococcus was susceptible well to the majority of antimicrobial agents, while
      highly resistant to macrolides and tetracyclines with the rate >80%. Conclusions:
      In conclusion, our study revealed the incidence and antimicrobial sensitivity
      profiles of normal conjunctiva bacterial flora in the central area of China,
      which could be useful in the prevention of ocular infections. Importantly, our
      data could be used to guide the selection of appropriate prophylactic agents.

PMID- 28620317
TI  - Comparative and Experimental Studies on the Genes Altered by Chronic Hypoxia in
      Human Brain Microendothelial Cells.
AB  - Background : Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1A) is a master regulator of
      acute hypoxia; however, with chronic hypoxia, HIF1A levels return to the normoxic
      levels. Importantly, the genes that are involved in the cell survival and
      viability under chronic hypoxia are not known. Therefore, we tested the
      hypothesis that chronic hypoxia leads to the upregulation of a core group of
      genes with associated changes in the promoter DNA methylation that mediates the
      cell survival under hypoxia. Results : We examined the effect of chronic hypoxia
      (3 days; 0.5% oxygen) on human brain micro endothelial cells (HBMEC) viability
      and apoptosis. Hypoxia caused a significant reduction in cell viability and an
      increase in apoptosis. Next, we examined chronic hypoxia associated changes in
      transcriptome and genome-wide promoter methylation. The data obtained was
      compared with 16 other microarray studies on chronic hypoxia. Nine genes were
      altered in response to chronic hypoxia in all 17 studies. Interestingly, HIF1A
      was not altered with chronic hypoxia in any of the studies. Furthermore, we
      compared our data to three other studies that identified HIF-responsive genes by
      various approaches. Only two genes were found to be HIF dependent. We silenced
      each of these 9 genes using CRISPR/Cas9 system. Downregulation of EGLN3
      significantly increased the cell death under chronic hypoxia, whereas
      downregulation of ERO1L, ENO2, adrenomedullin, and spag4 reduced the cell death
      under hypoxia. Conclusions : We provide a core group of genes that regulates
      cellular acclimatization under chronic hypoxic stress, and most of them are HIF
      independent.

PMID- 28620318
TI  - Extraction Protocols for Individual Zebrafish's Ventricle Myosin and Skeletal
      Muscle Actin for In vitro Motility Assays.
AB  - The in vitro motility assay (IVMA) is a technique that enables the measurement of
      the interaction between actin and myosin providing a relatively simple model to
      understand the mechanical muscle function. For actin-myosin IVMA, myosin is
      immobilized in a measurement chamber, where it converts chemical energy provided
      by ATP hydrolysis into mechanical energy. The result is the movement of
      fluorescently labeled actin filaments that can be recorded microscopically and
      analyzed quantitatively. Resulting sliding speeds and patterns help to
      characterize the underlying actin-myosin interaction that can be affected by
      different factors such as mutations or active compounds. Additionally, modulatory
      actions of the regulatory proteins tropomyosin and troponin in the presence of
      calcium on actin-myosin interaction can be studied with the IVMA. Zebrafish is
      considered a suitable model organism for cardiovascular and skeletal muscle
      research. In this context, straightforward protocols for the isolation and use of
      zebrafish muscle proteins in the IVMA would provide a useful tool in molecular
      studies. Currently, there are no protocols available for the mentioned purpose.
      Therefore, we developed fast and easy protocols for characterization of zebrafish
      proteins in the IVMA. Our protocols enable the interested researcher to (i)
      isolate actin from zebrafish skeletal muscle and (ii) extract functionally intact
      myosin from cardiac and skeletal muscle of individual adult zebrafish. Zebrafish
      tail muscle actin is isolated after acetone powder preparation, polymerized, and
      labeled with Rhodamine-Phalloidin. Myosin from ventricles of adult zebrafish is
      extracted directly into IVMA flow-cells. The same extraction protocol is
      applicable for comparably small tissue pieces as from zebrafish tail, mouse and
      frog muscle. After addition of the fluorescently labeled F-actin from zebrafish
      or other origin-and ATP, sliding movement can be visualized using a fluorescence
      microscope and an intensified CCD camera. Taken together, we introduce a method
      for functional analysis in zebrafish cardiac and skeletal muscle research to
      study mutations at the molecular level of thick or thin filament proteins.
      Additionally, preliminary data indicate the usefulness of the presented method to
      perform the IVMA with myosin extracted from muscles of other animal models.

PMID- 28620319
TI  - Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-B Induces a Distinct Electrophysiological
      Phenotype in Mouse Heart.
AB  - Vascular endothelial growth factor B (VEGF-B) is a potent mediator of vascular,
      metabolic, growth, and stress responses in the heart, but the effects on cardiac
      muscle and cardiomyocyte function are not known. The purpose of this study was to
      assess the effects of VEGF-B on the energy metabolism, contractile, and
      electrophysiological properties of mouse cardiac muscle and cardiac muscle cells.
      In vivo and ex vivo analysis of cardiac-specific VEGF-B TG mice indicated that
      the contractile function of the TG hearts was normal. Neither the oxidative
      metabolism of isolated TG cardiomyocytes nor their energy substrate preference
      showed any difference to WT cardiomyocytes. Similarly, myocyte Ca2+ signaling
      showed only minor changes compared to WT myocytes. However, VEGF-B overexpression
      induced a distinct electrophysiological phenotype characterized by ECG changes
      such as an increase in QRSp time and decreases in S and R amplitudes. At the
      level of isolated TG cardiomyocytes, these changes were accompanied with
      decreased action potential upstroke velocity and increased duration (APD60-70).
      These changes were partly caused by downregulation of sodium current (INa) due to
      reduced expression of Nav1.5. Furthermore, TG myocytes had alterations in voltage
      gated K+ currents, namely decreased density of transient outward current (Ito)
      and total K+ current (Ipeak). At the level of transcription, these were
      accompanied by downregulation of Kv channel-interacting protein 2 (Kcnip2), a
      known modulatory subunit for Kv4.2/3 channel. Cardiac VEGF-B overexpression
      induces a distinct electrophysiological phenotype including remodeling of
      cardiomyocyte ion currents, which in turn induce changes in action potential
      waveform and ECG.

PMID- 28620320
TI  - Abnormal Haemodynamic Flow Patterns in Bicuspid Pulmonary Valve Disease.
AB  - Abnormal flow patterns in the aortas of those with bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs)
      are increasingly recognized as important in the pathogenesis of aortic dilatation
      but pulmonary flow patterns in bicuspid pulmonary valves have not been studied.
      Bicuspid pulmonary valve disease is rare and a small numbers of case reports
      describe concomitant pulmonary artery dilation similar to the dilation of the
      ascending aorta, which is often seen in BAVs disease. We examined three cases of
      bicuspid pulmonary valve disease, 10 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with BAV
      disease but a tricuspid pulmonary valve. All participants underwent anatomical
      and functional imaging of the pulmonary valve, pulmonary artery, and right
      ventricle as well as advanced time-resolved 3-dimensional cardiac magnetic
      resonance imaging (4D flow) to assess the flow pattern in the pulmonary artery.
      All patients with a bicuspid pulmonary valve had pulmonary artery dilation and
      showed distinct helical flow abnormalities with increased rotational flow and
      increased flow displacement compared to a mild left-handed flow pattern in the
      healthy volunteers. Additionally, there was marked asymmetry seen in the systolic
      wall shear stress (WSS) pattern, with the highest values in the anterior wall of
      the pulmonary artery. In comparison, patients with a BAV but a tricuspid
      pulmonary valve had normal flow patterns in the pulmonary artery. These
      haemodynamic findings are similar to recent studies in bicuspid aortic disease,
      and suggest the importance of flow patterns in the pathophysiology of vessel
      dilation in both aortic and pulmonary bicuspid valve disease.

PMID- 28620321
TI  - Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Female Victims of Trafficking Using
      Narrative Exposure Therapy: A Retrospective Audit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery that involves the
      forced movement of people internally within countries, or externally across
      borders. Victims who are trafficked for sexual exploitation are subject to
      repeated, multiple trauma, and high rates of mental health problems including
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been found. Narrative exposure therapy
      (NET) is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. METHODS: In this retrospective
      audit, we record the results of NET to treat 10 women who had been trafficked for
      sexual exploitation who were diagnosed with PTSD. RESULTS: All 10 women completed
      the therapy and experienced a reduction in PTSD severity scores at posttreatment,
      with improvements that were maintained or further improved at 3-month follow-up.
      General distress was also significantly reduced following treatment. CONCLUSION:
      Although limited by sample size and retrospective design, this audit demonstrates
      that NET is a feasible treatment for PTSD in this population and warrants further
      evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. Further adjunctive interventions may
      also be necessary to treat the additional psychological problems experienced by
      this population.

PMID- 28620322
TI  - The Relationship of Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Post-traumatic
      Stress Disorder in a Culturally Distinct, Conflict-Affected Population: A Study
      among West Papuan Refugees Displaced to Papua New Guinea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Controversy continues about the validity of the construct of complex
      post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). In particular, questions remain whether
      C-PTSD can be differentiated from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and,
      secondarily, other common mental disorders. The examination of these issues needs
      to be expanded to populations of diverse cultural backgrounds exposed to
      prolonged persecution. We undertake such an inquiry among a community sample of
      West Papuan refugees exposed to extensive persecution and trauma. METHODS: We
      interviewed over 300 West Papuan refugees using the Refugee-Mental Health
      Assessment Package to record symptoms of PTSD, C-PTSD, major depressive disorder
      (MDD), and complex grief (CG). We used first- and second-order confirmatory
      factor analysis (CFA) to test aspects of the convergent and discriminant validity
      of C-PTSD. RESULTS: The CFA analysis supported both a one-factor and two-factor
      model of PTSD and C-PTSD. Nested model comparison tests provide support for the
      parsimonious one-factor model solution. A second-order CFA model of PTSD and C
      PTSD produced a poor fit. The modified three-factor multi-disorder solution
      combining a traumatic stress (TS) factor (amalgamating PTSD and C-PTSD), MDD, and
      CG yielded a good fit only after removing three CG domains (estrangement,
      yearning, and behavioral change), a model that produced large standardized
      residuals (>0.20). CONCLUSION: The most parsimonious model yielded a single TS
      factor combining symptom domains of C-PTSD and PTSD in this culturally distinct
      community exposed to extensive persecution and conflict-related trauma. There may
      be grounds for expanding the scope of psychological treatments for refugees to
      encompass this wider TS response. Our findings are consistent with theoretical
      frameworks focusing on the wider TS reaction of refugees exposed to human rights
      related traumas of mass conflict, persecution, and displacement.

PMID- 28620323
TI  - Integrated Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress
      and Psychotic Symptoms: A Case-Series Study Using Imaginal Reprocessing
      Strategies.
AB  - Despite high rates of trauma in individuals with psychotic symptoms, post
      traumatic stress symptoms are frequently overlooked in clinical practice. There
      is also reluctance to treat post-traumatic symptoms in case the therapeutic
      procedure of reprocessing the trauma exacerbates psychotic symptoms. Recent
      evidence demonstrates that it is safe to use reprocessing strategies in this
      population. However, most published studies have been based on treating post
      traumatic symptoms in isolation from psychotic symptoms. The aims of the current
      case series were to assess the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary
      effectiveness of integrating cognitive-behavioural approaches for post-traumatic
      stress and psychotic symptoms into a single protocol. Nine participants reporting
      distressing psychotic and post-traumatic symptoms were recruited from a
      specialist psychological therapies service for psychosis. Clients were assessed
      at five time points (baseline, pre, mid, end of therapy, and at 6+ months of
      follow-up) by an independent assessor on measures of current symptoms of
      psychosis, post-traumatic stress, emotional problems, and well-being. Therapy was
      formulation based and individualised, depending on presenting symptoms and trauma
      type. It consisted of five broad, flexible phases, and included imaginal
      reprocessing strategies (reliving and/or rescripting). The intervention was well
      received, with positive post-therapy feedback and satisfaction ratings. Unusually
      for this population, no-one dropped out of therapy. Post therapy, all but one
      (88% of participants) achieved a reliable improvement compared to pre-therapy on
      at least one outcome measure: post-traumatic symptoms (63%), voices (25%),
      delusions (50%), depression (50%), anxiety (36%), and well-being (40%). Follow-up
      assessments were completed by 78% (n = 7) of whom 86% (n = 6) maintained at least
      one reliable improvement. Rates of improvements following therapy (average of 44%
      across measures post therapy; 32% at follow-up) were over twice those found
      during the waiting list period (19%). No participant indicated a reliable
      worsening of any symptoms during or after therapy. The study shows that an
      integrative therapy incorporating reprocessing strategies was an acceptable and
      feasible intervention for this small sample, with promising effectiveness. A
      randomised controlled trial is warranted to test the efficacy of the intervention
      for this population.

PMID- 28620324
TI  - Description of Various Factors Contributing to Traffic Accidents in Youth and
      Measures Proposed to Alleviate Recurrence.
AB  - Traffic accidents are the leading cause of hospitalization in adolescence, with
      the 18-24-year-old age group accounting for 23% of deaths by traffic accidents.
      Recurrence rate is also high. One in four teenagers will have a relapse within
      the year following the first accident. Cognitive impairments known in adolescence
      could cause risky behaviors, defined as repetitive engagement in dangerous
      situations such as road accidents. Two categories of factors seem to be
      associated with traffic accidents: (1) factors specific to the traffic
      environment and (2) "human" factors, which seem to be the most influential.
      Moreover, the establishment of a stronger relation to high speed driving
      increases traffic accident risks and can also be intensified by sensation
      seeking. Other factors such as substance use (alcohol, drugs, and "binge
      drinking") are also identified as risk factors. Furthermore, cell phone use while
      driving and attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity also seem to
      be important risk factors for car accidents. The family environment strongly
      influences a young person's driving behavior. Some interventional driving
      strategies and preventive measures have reduced the risk of traffic accidents
      among young people, such as the graduated driver licensing program and
      advertising campaigns. So far, few therapeutic approaches have been implemented.
      Reason why, we decided to set up an innovative strategy consisting of a
      therapeutic postaccident group intervention, entitled the ECARR2 protocol, to
      prevent recurrence among adolescents and young adults identified at risk, taking
      into account the multiple risk factors.

PMID- 28620325
TI  - Reduced Consolidation, Reinstatement, and Renewal of Conditioned Fear Memory by
      Repetitive Treatment of Radix Polygalae in Mice.
AB  - The therapeutic goal for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is
      to promote extinction and to prevent the relapse of fearful memories. Research
      has identified pharmacological treatments that may regulate the formation and
      extinction of fear memories, but not many reagents that block the relapse of
      extinguished fear are known. Radix Polygalae (RP) is an Asian herb used for
      sedation, and its ingredients have anxiolytic and antidepressant properties. As
      various neurological effects have been identified, we tested whether RP affects
      the relapse of fear. Freezing in response to a conditioned context and cues was
      used to measure the effects of RP in mice. In cohort 1 (n = 30), consolidation,
      extinction, and reinstatement were tested during the course of 18 days of
      treatment. In cohort 2 (n = 30), consolidation, extinction, and renewal were
      tested during 10 days of treatment. The consolidation, extinction, reinstatement,
      and possibly the renewal of context-induced freezing were inhibited due to the
      administration of RP in animal subjects. However, the effects of RP on the
      freezing responses of subjects elicited by conditioned auditory cues were less
      obvious. Because it effectively suppresses the consolidation of fear memories, RP
      may be used for primary and secondary prevention of symptoms in PTSD patients.
      Additionally, because it effectively suppresses the reinstatement and renewal of
      fear memories, RP may be applied for the prevention of fear relapse in PTSD
      patients who have undergone exposure therapy.

PMID- 28620326
TI  - Thought Control Ability Is Different from Rumination in Explaining the
      Association between Neuroticism and Depression: A Three-Study Replication.
AB  - Neuroticism is the most common vulnerability factor of depression. However, the
      mechanism underlying this vulnerability is still unclear. Previous studies
      suggested that rumination intensifies the negative effect of neuroticism on
      depression. However, whether cognitive control could explain the association
      between neuroticism and depression remains unclear to date. Therefore, this study
      evaluated the indirect effects of rumination and thought control on the
      relationship between neuroticism and depression. Seven self-report measures were
      employed among healthy and main depression disorder (MDD) participants. Three
      studies were used to examine the hypotheses. Results of the three studies showed
      significant correlations among neuroticism, rumination, thought control, and
      depression. Rumination mediated the link between neuroticism and depression among
      healthy young adults, and this finding replicated previous studies. This study
      provided new evidence that thought control mediates the association between
      neuroticism and depression in both healthy and MDD populations. In conclusion,
      rumination increases neuroticism risk for depression, but high-level thought
      control decreases the effect of neuroticism on depression. This study may serve
      as a reference to develop effective and focused interventions for MDD patients.

PMID- 28620327
TI  - Scale of Death Anxiety (SDA): Development and Validation.
AB  - This study developed and validated a new measure to assess the death anxiety
      (i.e., Scale of Death Anxiety, SDA) on an individual's somatic, cognitive,
      emotional, and behavioral reactions from a symptomatic perspective in Chinese
      youth samples. Following a systematic process, a four-factor structure of the SDA
      was identified through principle components analysis and confirmatory factor
      analysis that revealed four aspects of death anxiety: Dysphoria, Death Intrusion,
      Fear of Death, and Avoidance of Death. The results of this study indicate that
      the SDA has a clear factor structure and good psychometric properties. The SDA
      supports death anxiety as a multidimensional construct, and the foundational role
      of fear of death in the generation of death anxiety. This scale is valuable and
      beneficial to research on death anxiety. This study makes a significant
      contribution to the literature because the SDA is the first assessment of death
      anxiety to include the constructs of dysphoria and somatic symptoms. And the
      potential clinical practice of the SDA was discussed.

PMID- 28620328
TI  - Motivation Counts: Autonomous But Not Obligated Sharing Promotes Happiness in
      Preschoolers.
AB  - Research has demonstrated that prosocial sharing is emotionally rewarding, which
      leads to further prosocial actions; such a positive feedback loop suggests a
      proximal mechanism of human's tendency to act prosocially. However, it leaves
      open a question as to how the emotional benefits from sharing develop in young
      children and whether sharing under pressure promotes happiness as well. The
      current study directly compared 3- and 5-year-old Chinese children's happiness
      when sharing was autonomous (the recipient did not contribute to getting the
      reward) with when sharing was obligated (the recipient and the actor jointly
      earned the reward). We found that children shared more items overall when sharing
      was obligated than autonomous, demonstrating their conformity to social norms of
      merit-based sharing. In children who eventually shared with others, 5-year-olds
      gave out more stickers in the obligated sharing condition than in the autonomous
      sharing condition, but 3-year-olds shared the same amount between the conditions,
      suggesting that 5-year-olds adhered to the merit-based sharing norm more strictly
      than 3-year-olds. Moreover, in the autonomous sharing condition, children
      displayed greater happiness when they shared with the recipient than when they
      kept stickers for themselves, suggesting that costly prosocial giving benefited
      children with positive mood; however, children did not gain happiness when they
      shared with the recipient in the obligated sharing condition. These findings
      demonstrate that children's affective benefits depend on the motivation
      underlying their prosocial behavior, and further imply that normative force and
      emotional gains may independently drive preschoolers' prosocial behaviors.

PMID- 28620329
TI  - Job Satisfaction, Retirement Attitude and Intended Retirement Age: A Conditional
      Process Analysis across Workers' Level of Household Income.
AB  - In the contemporary workplace, insight into retirement behaviors is of crucial
      importance. Previous empirical evidence has found mixed results regarding the
      relationship between work attitudes, such as job satisfaction, and retirement
      behaviors, suggesting that further scholarly examination incorporating moderating
      and mediating variables into retirement models is needed. Drawing on comparative
      models of attitude to retirement, we hypothesized a direct relationship between
      job satisfaction and intended retirement age for workers with a high household
      income and an indirect relationship between job satisfaction and intended
      retirement age, via retirement attitude, for workers with a low or mean household
      income. We collected data from a sample of 590 United Kingdom workers aged 50+.
      Using conditional process analysis, we found that the underlying mechanisms in
      our research model differ according to socio-economic status. We found no direct
      effect between job satisfaction and intended retirement age. However, an indirect
      effect was observed between job satisfaction and intended retirement age, via
      retirement attitude, for both low- and mean-household income individuals.
      Specifically, the relationship between job satisfaction and retirement attitude
      differed according to socio-economic group: for high-household income older
      workers, there was no relationship between job satisfaction and retirement
      attitude. However, for low- and mean-household income older workers, we observed
      a negative relationship between job satisfaction and retirement attitude.
      Otherwise stated, increases in job satisfaction for mean and low household income
      workers are likely to make the prospect of retirement less attractive. Therefore,
      we argue that utmost care must be taken around the conditions under which lower
      income employees will continue their work when getting older in order to protect
      their sustainable employability.

PMID- 28620330
TI  - Can I Work with and Help Others in This Field? How Communal Goals Influence
      Interest and Participation in STEM Fields.
AB  - Although science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines as
      a whole have made advances in gender parity and greater inclusion for women,
      these increases have been smaller or nonexistent in computing and engineering
      compared to other fields. In this focused review, we discuss how stereotypic
      perceptions of computing and engineering influence who enters, stays, and excels
      in these fields. We focus on communal goal incongruity-the idea that some STEM
      disciplines like engineering and computing are perceived as less aligned with
      people's communal goals of collaboration and helping others. In Part 1, we review
      the empirical literature that demonstrates how perceptions that these disciplines
      are incongruent with communal goals can especially deter women and girls, who
      highly endorse communal goals. In Part 2, we extend this perspective by reviewing
      accumulating evidence that perceived communal goal incongruity can deter any
      individual who values communal goals. Communal opportunities within computing and
      engineering have the potential to benefit first generation college students,
      underrepresented minority students, and communally-oriented men (as well as
      communally-oriented women). We describe the implications of this body of
      literature: describing how opting out of STEM in order to pursue fields perceived
      to encourage the pursuit of communal goals leave the stereotypic (mis)perceptions
      of computing and engineering unchanged and exacerbate female underrepresentation.
      In Part 3, we close with recommendations for how communal opportunities in
      computing and engineering can be highlighted to increase interest and motivation.
      By better integrating and publically acknowledging communal opportunities, the
      stereotypic perceptions of these fields could gradually change, making computing
      and engineering more inclusive and welcoming to all.

PMID- 28620331
TI  - ViDa1: The Development and Validation of a New Questionnaire for Measuring Health
      Related Quality of Life in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes.
AB  - This study describes the development of a new questionnaire to measure health
      related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with type 1 diabetes (the ViDa1
      questionnaire) and provides information on its psychometric properties. For its
      development, open interviews with patients took place and topics relevant to
      patients' HRQoL were identified and items were generated. Qualitative analysis of
      items, expert review, and refinement of the questionnaire followed. A pilot study
      (N = 150) was conducted to explore the underlying structure of the 40-item ViDa1
      questionnaire. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed and six of the
      items that did not load on any of the factors were eliminated. The results
      supported a four-dimensional structure for ViDa1, the dimensions being
      Interference of diabetes in everyday life, Self-care, Well-being, and Worry about
      the disease. Subsequently, the PCA was repeated in a larger sample (N = 578) with
      the reduced 34-item version of the questionnaire, and a Confirmatory Factor
      Analysis (CFA) was performed (N = 428). Overall fit indices obtained presented
      adequate values which supported the four-factor model initially proposed
      [([Formula: see text] 2601.93) (p < 0.001); Root Mean Square Error of
      Approximation = 0.060 (CI = 0.056 -0.064)]. As regards reliability, the four
      dimensions of the ViDa1 demonstrated good internal consistency, with Cronbach's
      alphas ranging between 0.71 and 0.86. Evidence of convergent-discriminant
      validity in the form of high correlations with another specific HRQoL
      questionnaire for diabetes and low correlations with other constructs such as
      self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression were presented. The ViDa1 also
      discriminated between different aspects of clinical interest such as type of
      insulin treatment, presence of chronic complications, and glycemic control,
      temporal stability, and sensitivity to change after an intervention. In
      conclusion, the ViDa1 questionnaire presents adequate psychometric properties and
      may represent a good alternative for the evaluation of HRQoL in type 1 diabetes.

PMID- 28620332
TI  - Combinations of Personal Responsibility: Differences on Pre-service and
      Practicing Teachers' Efficacy, Engagement, Classroom Goal Structures and
      Wellbeing.
AB  - Pre-service and practicing teachers feel responsible for a range of educational
      activities. Four domains of personal responsibility emerging in the literature
      are: student achievement, student motivation, relationships with students, and
      responsibility for ones own teaching. To date, most research has used variable
      centered approaches to examining responsibilities even though the domains appear
      related. In two separate samples we used cluster analysis to explore how pre
      service (n = 130) and practicing (n = 105) teachers combined personal
      responsibilities and their impact on three professional cognitions and their
      wellbeing. Both groups had low and high responsibility clusters but the third
      cluster differed: Pre-service teachers combined responsibilities for
      relationships and their own teaching in a cluster we refer to as teacher-based
      responsibility; whereas, practicing teachers combined achievement and motivation
      in a cluster we refer to as student-outcome focused responsibility. These
      combinations affected outcomes for pre-service but not practicing teachers. Pre
      service teachers in the low responsibility cluster reported less engagement, less
      mastery approaches to instruction, and more performance goal structures than the
      other two clusters.

PMID- 28620333
TI  - The Role of Perceived In-group Moral Superiority in Reparative Intentions and
      Approach Motivation.
AB  - Three studies examined how members of a national group react to in-group
      wrongdoings. We expected that perceived in-group moral superiority would lead to
      unwillingness to repair the aggression. We also expected that internal-focused
      emotions such as group-based guilt and group-based shame would predict specific,
      misdeed-related reparative intentions but not general approach motivation toward
      the victim groups. In Study 1, facing the in-group's recent aggression,
      participants who believed that the Hungarians have been more moral throughout
      their history than members of other nations, used more exonerating cognitions,
      experienced less in-group critical emotions and showed less willingness to
      provide reparations for the members of the victim group. Study 2 and Study 3
      confirmed most findings of Study 1. Perceived in-group moral superiority directly
      or indirectly reduced willingness to provide either general or specific
      reparations, while internally focused in-group critical emotions predicted
      specific misdeed-related reparative intentions but not general approach
      motivation. The role of emotional attachment to the in-group is considered.

PMID- 28620334
TI  - Longitudinal Relationship between Self-efficacy and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
      8 Years after a Violent Assault: An Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Model.
AB  - Self-efficacy is assumed to promote posttraumatic adaption, and several cross
      sectional studies support this notion. However, there is a lack of prospective
      longitudinal studies to further illuminate the temporal relationship between self
      efficacy and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Thus, an important unresolved
      research question is whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms affect
      the level of self-efficacy or vice versa or whether they mutually influence each
      other. The present prospective longitudinal study investigated the reciprocal
      relationship between general self-efficacy (GSE) and posttraumatic stress
      symptoms in 143 physical assault victims. We used an autoregressive cross-lagged
      model across four assessment waves: within 4 months after the assault (T1) and
      then 3 months (T2), 12 months (T3) and 8 years (T4) after the first assessment.
      Stress symptoms at T1 and T2 predicted subsequent self-efficacy, while self
      efficacy at T1 and T2 was not related to subsequent stress symptoms. These
      relationships were reversed after T3; higher levels of self-efficacy at T3
      predicted lower levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms at T4, while
      posttraumatic tress symptoms at T3 did not predict self-efficacy at T4. In
      conclusion, posttraumatic stress symptoms may have a deteriorating effect on self
      efficacy in the early phase after physical assault, whereas self-efficacy may
      promote recovery from posttraumatic stress symptoms over the long term.

PMID- 28620335
TI  - A Different Way to Stay in Touch with 'Urban Nature': The Perceived Restorative
      Qualities of Botanical Gardens.
AB  - Botanical gardens represent interesting arenas for research in environmental
      psychology and environment-behavior relations. They can be considered a very
      particular type of restorative environment and also have a relevant social
      function for the promotion of a more sustainable lifestyle in current societies.
      In this paper, we present a study assessing the relationship between the
      perceived restorativeness, the psychological and physical benefits experienced,
      and the subjective well-being reported by visitors of botanical gardens in four
      different cities in Italy (N = 127). As expected, a bootstrapping mediation model
      supported the idea that perceived restorativeness of botanical gardens
      significantly predicts visitors' subjective well-being, both directly and
      indirectly through perceived physical and psychological benefits of the visit. A
      moderation model also revealed that the relationship between restorativeness and
      well-being varies across respondents with different socio-demographic
      characteristics, being stronger for singles as compared to couples with and
      without children, respectively. The theoretical and practical implications of
      these findings are discussed.

PMID- 28620336
TI  - How to Trick Your Opponent: A Review Article on Deceptive Actions in Interactive
      Sports.
AB  - Performing deceptive actions is a wide-spread phenomenon in sports and it is of
      considerable practical relevance to know whether or not a fake or a disguised
      action decreases the opponents' performance. Therefore, research on deceptive
      actions for various sport disciplines (e.g., cricket, rugby, martial arts,
      soccer, and basketball) has been conducted. This research is scattered, both
      across time and scientific disciplines. Here, we aim to systematically review the
      empirical work on deceptive actions in interactive sports and want to give an
      overview about several issues investigated in the last decades. Three main topics
      of the detected literature were discussed here: (1) the role of expertise for the
      recognition of deceptive actions, (2) the cognitive mechanisms underlying the
      processing of deceptive actions, and (3) the pros and cons of in situ research
      designs. None of these themes seems to be settled and therefore, they should be
      considered in future research agendas.

PMID- 28620337
TI  - The Acute Effects of Exercise Intensity on Inhibitory Cognitive Control in
      Adolescents.
AB  - Adolescence is an important stage for brain maturation. There are many studies of
      exercise-cognition relations, but there is still a lack of knowledge about the
      impact of combining different intensities of exercise on adolescents' cognitive
      responses. The main objective of this study was to analyze the effect of three
      physical education sessions (based on Zumba dance) of different intensities (no
      exercise, predominantly light intensity, and predominantly vigorous intensity) on
      the inhibition response (measured with the Stroop test) in adolescents. Forty
      four adolescent students (age 16.39 +/- 0.68) completed a Stroop test before and
      after the three different physical education sessions. The results show than the
      predominantly vigorous session represented the strongest stimulus to increase
      cognitive inhibitory control. This means that the cognitive effect of exercise
      can be conditioned by exercise intensity and implies the need to control exercise
      intensity in physical educational programs for adolescents.

PMID- 28620338
TI  - Worry and Metacognitions as Predictors of Anxiety Symptoms: A Prospective Study.
AB  - Both worry and metacognitive beliefs have been found to be related to the
      development of anxiety, but metacognitive theory (Wells and Matthews, 1994;
      Wells, 2009) suggest that metacognitive beliefs may play a more prominent role.
      The aim of the present prospective study was to examine whether worry,
      metacognitive beliefs or the interaction between worry and metacognitive beliefs,
      were the best predictor of anxiety over time, utilizing a longitudinal,
      prospective study design. An undergraduate student sample (N = 190) was assessed
      on measures of worry (PSWQ), metacognitive beliefs (MCQ-30) and anxiety (BAI) at
      three points in time over a 7-month period. A mixed-model analysis revealed that
      both worry and metacognitive beliefs predicted development of anxiety,
      independently of each other, with no indication of an interaction-effect (PSWQ *
      MCQ-30). Further, analyses of the MCQ-30 subscales indicated that negative
      metacognitive beliefs may be particularly important in the development of
      anxiety. While gender was correlated with worry, gender predicted anxiety beyond
      the effect of worry. Taken together, the results imply that both worry and
      metacognitive beliefs play a prominent role for the development of anxiety.

PMID- 28620340
TI  - A New Questionnaire for Estimating the Severity of Visual Height Intolerance and
      Acrophobia by a Metric Interval Scale.
AB  - AIMS: To construct and validate a short scale for the assessment of the severity
      of visual height intolerance (vHI) and acrophobia. METHODS: The questionnaire was
      developed from two earlier representative epidemiological studies (n = 5,529).
      Items were applied in a telephone survey of a representative population-based
      sample. RESULTS: A total of 1,960 persons were included. The life-time prevalence
      of vHI was 32.7% (f: 36.1%; m: 28.4%); 12% of these persons fulfilled the
      psychiatric criteria of acrophobia. Rasch analysis of 11 items on severity,
      symptoms, and triggers resulted in an 8-item scale with good fit to the model.
      The score differentiated well between persons with and without acrophobia. The
      distribution of the scores on the metric scale of the questionnaires of those
      individuals with acrophobia is separate and distinct from that of susceptibles
      without acrophobia, although there is some overlap. CONCLUSION: Our proposed
      short questionnaire (vHISS, see Table 1 and Supplementary Material) allows a
      continuous quantification of the severity of vHI within a metric interval scale
      from 0 to 13. The diagnosis of acrophobia can be established by including two
      additional questions.

PMID- 28620339
TI  - The Stress Acceleration Hypothesis of Nightmares.
AB  - Adverse childhood experiences can deleteriously affect future physical and mental
      health, increasing risk for many illnesses, including psychiatric problems, sleep
      disorders, and, according to the present hypothesis, idiopathic nightmares. Much
      like post-traumatic nightmares, which are triggered by trauma and lead to
      recurrent emotional dreaming about the trauma, idiopathic nightmares are
      hypothesized to originate in early adverse experiences that lead in later life to
      the expression of early memories and emotions in dream content. Accordingly, the
      objectives of this paper are to (1) review existing literature on sleep, dreaming
      and nightmares in relation to early adverse experiences, drawing upon both
      empirical studies of dreaming and nightmares and books and chapters by recognized
      nightmare experts and (2) propose a new approach to explaining nightmares that is
      based upon the Stress Acceleration Hypothesis of mental illness. The latter
      stipulates that susceptibility to mental illness is increased by adversity
      occurring during a developmentally sensitive window for emotional maturation-the
      infantile amnesia period-that ends around age 31/2. Early adversity accelerates
      the neural and behavioral maturation of emotional systems governing the
      expression, learning, and extinction of fear memories and may afford short-term
      adaptive value. But it also engenders long-term dysfunctional consequences
      including an increased risk for nightmares. Two mechanisms are proposed: (1)
      disruption of infantile amnesia allows normally forgotten early childhood
      memories to influence later emotions, cognitions and behavior, including the
      common expression of threats in nightmares; (2) alterations of normal emotion
      regulation processes of both waking and sleep lead to increased fear sensitivity
      and less effective fear extinction. These changes influence an affect network
      previously hypothesized to regulate fear extinction during REM sleep, disruption
      of which leads to nightmares. This network consists of a fear circuit that
      includes amygdala, hippocampus, and medial prefrontal cortex and whose
      substantial overlap with the stress acceleration findings allows the latter to be
      incorporated into a wider, more developmentally coherent framework.

PMID- 28620342
TI  - Challenges for Service Robots-Requirements of Elderly Adults with Cognitive
      Impairments.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We focused on identifying the requirements and needs of people
      suffering from Alzheimer disease and early dementia stages with relation to
      robotic assistants. METHODS: Based on focus groups performed in two centers
      (Poland and Spain), we created surveys for medical staff, patients, and
      caregivers, including: functional requirements; human-robot interaction, the
      design of the robotic assistant and user acceptance aspects. Using Likert scale
      and analysis made on the basis of the frequency of survey responses, we
      identified users' needs as high, medium, and low priority. RESULTS: We gathered
      264 completed surveys (100 from medical staff, 81 from caregivers, and 83 from
      potential users). Most of the respondents, almost at the same level in each of
      the three groups, accept robotic assistants and their support in everyday life.
      High level priority functional requirements were related to reacting in emergency
      situations (calling for help, detecting/removing obstacles) and to reminding
      about medication intake, about boiling water, turning off the gas and lights
      (almost 60% of answers). With reference to human-robot interaction, high priority
      was given to voice operated system and the capability of robotic assistants to
      reply to simple questions. CONCLUSION: Our results help in achieving better
      understanding of the needs of patients with cognitive impairments during home
      tasks in everyday life. This way of conducting the research, with considerations
      for the interests of three stakeholder groups in two autonomic centers with
      proven experience regarding the needs of our patient groups, highlights the
      importance of obtained results.

PMID- 28620343
TI  - International Differences in Multiple Sclerosis Health Outcomes and Associated
      Factors in a Cross-sectional Survey.
AB  - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a major cause of disability and poor quality of life
      (QOL). Previous studies have shown differences in MS health outcomes between
      countries. This study aimed to examine the associations between international
      regions and health outcomes in people with MS. Self-reported data were taken from
      the Health Outcomes and Lifestyle In a Sample of people with Multiple Sclerosis
      online survey collected in 2012. The 2,401 participants from 37 countries were
      categorized into three regions: Australasia, Europe, and North America.
      Differences were observed between regions in disability, physical and mental
      health QOL, fatigue, and depression, but most of these disappeared after
      adjusting for sociodemographic, disease, and lifestyle factors in multivariable
      regression models. However, adjusted odds for disability were higher in Europe
      [odds ratio (OR): 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28 to 3.67] and North
      America (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.28 to 2.51) compared to Australasia. There may be
      other unmeasured factors that vary between regions, including differences in
      access and quality of healthcare services, determining disability in MS. When
      assessing differences in MS health outcomes, lifestyle factors and medication use
      should be taken into consideration.

PMID- 28620344
TI  - The Role of Osteopontin and Its Gene on Glucocorticoid Response in Myasthenia
      Gravis.
AB  - Biomarkers that assess treatment response for patients with the autoimmune
      disorder, myasthenia gravis (MG), have not been evaluated to a significant
      extent. We hypothesized the pro-inflammatory cytokine, osteopontin (OPN), may be
      associated with variability of response to glucocorticoids (GCs) in patients with
      MG. A cohort of 250 MG patients treated with standardized protocol of GCs was
      recruited, and plasma OPN and polymorphisms of its gene, secreted phosphoprotein
      1 (SPP1), were evaluated. Mean OPN levels were higher in patients compared to
      healthy controls. Carriers of rs11728697*T allele (allele definition: one of two
      or more alternative forms of a gene) were more frequent in the poorly GC
      responsive group compared to the GC responsive group indicating an association of
      rs11728697*T allele with GC non-responsiveness. One risk haplotype (AGTACT) was
      identified associated with GC non-responsiveness compared with GC responsive MG
      group. Genetic variations of SPP1 were found associated with the response to GC
      among MG patients.

PMID- 28620345
TI  - Memory for Spatial Locations in a Patient with Near Space Neglect and Optic
      Ataxia: Involvement of the Occipitotemporal Stream.
AB  - Previous studies suggested that the occipitoparietal stream orients attention
      toward the near/lower space and is involved in immediate reaching, whereas the
      occipitotemporal stream orients attention toward the far/upper space and is
      involved in delayed reaching. In the present study, we investigated the role of
      the occipitotemporal stream in attention orienting and delayed reaching in a
      patient (GP) with bilateral damage to the occipitoparietal areas and optic
      ataxia. GP and healthy controls took part in three experiments. In the experiment
      1, the participants bisected lines oriented along radial, vertical, and
      horizontal axes. GP bisected radial lines farther, and vertical lines more above,
      than the controls, consistent with an attentional bias toward the far/upper space
      and near/lower space neglect. The experiment 2 consisted of two tasks: (1) an
      immediate reaching task, in which GP reached target locations under visual
      control and (2) a delayed visual reaching task, in which GP and controls were
      asked to reach remembered target locations visually presented. We measured
      constant and variable distance and direction errors. In immediate reaching task,
      GP accurately reached target locations. In delayed reaching task, GP overshot
      remembered target locations, whereas the controls undershot them. Furthermore,
      variable errors were greater in GP than in the controls. In the experiment 3, GP
      and controls performed a delayed proprioceptive reaching task. Constant reaching
      errors did not differ between GP and the controls. However, variable direction
      errors were greater in GP than in the controls. We suggest that the
      occipitoparietal damage, and the relatively intact occipitotemporal region,
      produced in GP an attentional orienting bias toward the far/upper space
      (experiment 1). In turns, the attentional bias selectively shifted toward the far
      space remembered visual (experiment 2), but not proprioceptive (experiment 3),
      target locations. As a whole, these findings further support the hypothesis of an
      involvement of the occipitotemporal stream in delayed reaching. Furthermore, the
      observation that in both delayed reaching tasks the variable errors were greater
      in GP than in the controls suggested that in optic ataxia is present not only a
      visuo- but also a proprioceptivo-motor integration deficit.

PMID- 28620341
TI  - The Intersection between Ocular and Manual Motor Control: Eye-Hand Coordination
      in Acquired Brain Injury.
AB  - Acute and chronic disease processes that lead to cerebral injury can often be
      clinically challenging diagnostically, prognostically, and therapeutically.
      Neurodegenerative processes are one such elusive diagnostic group, given their
      often diffuse and indolent nature, creating difficulties in pinpointing specific
      structural abnormalities that relate to functional limitations. A number of
      studies in recent years have focused on eye-hand coordination (EHC) in the
      setting of acquired brain injury (ABI), highlighting the important set of
      interconnected functions of the eye and hand and their relevance in neurological
      conditions. These experiments, which have concentrated on focal lesion-based
      models, have significantly improved our understanding of neurophysiology and
      underscored the sensitivity of biomarkers in acute and chronic neurological
      disease processes, especially when such biomarkers are combined synergistically.
      To better understand EHC and its connection with ABI, there is a need to clarify
      its definition and to delineate its neuroanatomical and computational
      underpinnings. Successful EHC relies on the complex feedback- and prediction
      mediated relationship between the visual, ocular motor, and manual motor systems
      and takes advantage of finely orchestrated synergies between these systems in
      both the spatial and temporal domains. Interactions of this type are
      representative of functional sensorimotor control, and their disruption
      constitutes one of the most frequent deficits secondary to brain injury. The
      present review describes the visually mediated planning and control of eye
      movements, hand movements, and their coordination, with a particular focus on
      deficits that occur following neurovascular, neurotraumatic, and
      neurodegenerative conditions. Following this review, we also discuss potential
      future research directions, highlighting objective EHC as a sensitive biomarker
      complement within acute and chronic neurological disease processes.

PMID- 28620346
TI  - Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis: Putting Together the Puzzle.
AB  - The focus of multiple sclerosis research has recently turned to the relatively
      rare and clearly more challenging condition of primary progressive multiple
      sclerosis (PPMS). Many risk factors such as genetic susceptibility, age, and
      Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection may interdepend on various levels, causing a
      complex pathophysiological cascade. Variable pathological mechanisms drive
      disease progression, including inflammation-associated axonal loss, continuous
      activation of central nervous system resident cells, such as astrocytes and
      microglia as well as mitochondrial dysfunction and iron accumulation.
      Histological studies revealed diffuse infiltration of the gray and white matter
      as well as of the meninges with inflammatory cells such as B-, T-, natural
      killer, and plasma cells. While numerous anti-inflammatory agents effective in
      relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis basically failed in treatment of PPMS, the
      B-cell-depleting monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab recently broke the dogma that
      PPMS cannot be treated by an anti-inflammatory approach by demonstrating efficacy
      in a phase 3 PPMS trial. Other treatments aiming at enhancing remyelination
      (MD1003) as well as EBV-directed treatment strategies may be promising agents on
      the horizon. In this article, we aim to summarize new advances in the
      understanding of risk factors, pathophysiology, and treatment of PPMS. Moreover,
      we introduce a novel concept to understand the nature of the disease and possible
      treatment strategies in the near future.

PMID- 28620348
TI  - The Utility of FDG-PET/CT in Clinically Suspected Paraneoplastic Neurological
      Syndrome: A Literature Review and Retrospective Case Series.
AB  - Paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS) describes a spectrum of rare,
      heterogeneous neurological conditions associated with an underlying malignancy.
      Diagnosis of PNS is inherently difficult, with frequent misdiagnosis and delay.
      The literature suggests an underlying immune-mediated pathophysiology, and
      patients are usually tested for the presence of onconeural antibodies. With
      direct tumor therapy being the most effective method of stabilizing patients,
      there is a strong emphasis on detecting underlying tumors. The sensitivity of
      conventional CT imaging is often inadequate in such patients. While FDG-PET
      imaging has already been shown to be effective at detecting these tumors, FDG
      PET/CT, combining both structural and functional imaging in a single study, is a
      more recent technique. To study the utility of FDG-PET/CT, we conducted a
      systematic literature review and a retrospective study. We identified 41 patients
      who underwent imaging for clinically suspected PNS at the regional PET-CT and
      neurosciences center based at the Royal Preston Hospital between 2007 and 2014
      and compared the results to conventional investigations. Five patients had FDG
      PET/CT tracer avidity suspicious of malignant disease, and four of these were
      subsequently diagnosed with cancer. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated
      to be 100 and 97.3%, respectively, with positive predictive value 80% and
      negative predictive value 100%. This compares to a sensitivity and specificity of
      50 and 100%, respectively, for CT and 50 and 89%, respectively, for onconeural
      antibodies. These findings are in line with previous studies and support the
      diagnostic accuracy of FDG-PET/CT for the detection of underlying malignancy.

PMID- 28620347
TI  - Neural Consequences of Chronic Short Sleep: Reversible or Lasting?
AB  - Approximately one-third of adolescents and adults in developed countries
      regularly experience insufficient sleep across the school and/or work week
      interspersed with weekend catch up sleep. This common practice of weekend
      recovery sleep reduces subjective sleepiness, yet recent studies demonstrate that
      one weekend of recovery sleep may not be sufficient in all persons to fully
      reverse all neurobehavioral impairments observed with chronic sleep loss,
      particularly vigilance. Moreover, recent studies in animal models demonstrate
      persistent injury to and loss of specific neuron types in response to chronic
      short sleep (CSS) with lasting effects on sleep/wake patterns. Here, we provide a
      comprehensive review of the effects of chronic sleep disruption on
      neurobehavioral performance and injury to neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and
      oligodendrocytes and discuss what is known and what is not yet established for
      reversibility of neural injury. Recent neurobehavioral findings in humans are
      integrated with animal model research examining long-term consequences of sleep
      loss on neurobehavioral performance, brain development, neurogenesis,
      neurodegeneration, and connectivity. While it is now clear that recovery of
      vigilance following short sleep requires longer than one weekend, less is known
      of the impact of CSS on cognitive function, mood, and brain health long term.
      From work performed in animal models, CSS in the young adult and short-term sleep
      loss in critical developmental windows can have lasting detrimental effects on
      neurobehavioral performance.

PMID- 28620349
TI  - Localization of Deep Brain Stimulation Contacts Using Corticospinal/Corticobulbar
      Tracts Stimulation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Successful deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD)
      requires optimal electrode placement. One technique of intraoperative electrode
      testing is determination of stimulation thresholds inducing
      corticospinal/corticobulbar tracts (CSBT) motor contractions. OBJECTIVE: This
      study aims to analyze correlations between DBS electrode distance to CSBT and
      contraction thresholds, with either visual or electromyography (EMG) detection,
      to establish an intraoperative tool devoted to ensure safe distance of the
      electrode to the CSBT. METHODS: Twelve PD patients with subthalamic nucleus DBS
      participated. Thresholds of muscular contractions were assessed clinically and
      with EMG, for three different sets of stimulation parameters, all monopolar: 130
      Hz high-frequency stimulation (HFS); 2 Hz low-frequency stimulation with either
      60 or 210 us (LFS-60, LFS-210). The anatomical distance of electrode contacts to
      CSBT was measured from fused CT-MRI. RESULTS: The best linear correlation was
      found for thresholds of visually detected contractions with HFS (r2 = 0.63, p <
      0.0001) when estimated stimulation currents rather than voltages were used. This
      correlation was found in agreement with an accepted model of electrical spatial
      extent of activation (r2 = 0.50). When using LFS, the correlation found remained
      lower than for HFS but increased when EMG was used. Indeed, the detection of
      contraction thresholds with EMG versus visual inspection did allow more frequent
      detection of face contractions, contributing to improve that correlation.
      CONCLUSION: The correlation between electrode distance to the CSBT and
      contraction thresholds was found better when estimated with currents rather than
      voltage, eliminating the variance due to electrode impedance. Using LFS did not
      improve the precision of that evaluation, but EMG did. This technique provides a
      prediction band to ensure minimum distance of the electrode contacts to the CSBT,
      integrating the variance that can be encountered between prediction of models and
      practice.

PMID- 28620351
TI  - Determining Causation from Observational Studies: A Challenge for Modern
      Neuroepidemiology.

PMID- 28620352
TI  - Efficacy of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Alone, FSH + Luteinizing Hormone,
      Human Menopausal Gonadotropin or FSH + Human Chorionic Gonadotropin on Assisted
      Reproductive Technology Outcomes in the "Personalized" Medicine Era: A Meta
      analysis.
AB  - SETTING: Luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) act on
      the same receptor, activating different signal transduction pathways. The role of
      LH or hCG addition to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) as well as menopausal
      gonadotropins (human menopausal gonadotropin; hMG) in controlled ovarian
      stimulation (COS) is debated. OBJECTIVE: To compare FSH + LH, or FSH + hCG or hMG
      vs. FSH alone on COS outcomes. DESIGN: A meta-analysis according to PRISMA
      statement and Cochrane Collaboration was performed, including prospective,
      controlled clinical trials published until July 2016, enrolling women treated
      with FSH alone or combined with other gonadotropins. Trials enrolling women with
      polycystic ovarian syndrome were excluded (PROSPERO registration no.
      CRD42016048404). RESULTS: Considering 70 studies, the administration of FSH alone
      resulted in higher number of oocytes retrieved than FSH + LH or hMG. The MII
      oocytes number did not change when FSH alone was compared to FSH + LH, FSH + hCG,
      or hMG. Embryo number and implantation rate were higher when hMG was used instead
      of FSH alone. Pregnancy rate was significantly higher in FSH + LH-treated group
      vs. others. Only 12 studies reported live birth rate, not providing protocol
      dependent differences. Patients' stratification by GnRH agonist/antagonist
      identified patient subgroups benefiting from specific drug combinations.
      CONCLUSION: In COS, FSH alone results in higher oocyte number. HMG improves the
      collection of mature oocytes, embryos, and increases implantation rate. On the
      other hand, LH addition leads to higher pregnancy rate. This study supports the
      concept of a different clinical action of gonadotropins in COS, reflecting
      previous in vitro data.

PMID- 28620350
TI  - Considerations for Experimental Animal Models of Concussion, Traumatic Brain
      Injury, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-These Matters Matter.
AB  - Animal models of concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and chronic traumatic
      encephalopathy (CTE) are widely available and routinely deployed in laboratories
      around the world. Effective animal modeling requires careful consideration of
      four basic principles. First, animal model use must be guided by clarity of
      definitions regarding the human disease or condition being modeled. Concussion,
      TBI, and CTE represent distinct clinical entities that require clear
      differentiation: concussion is a neurological syndrome, TBI is a neurological
      event, and CTE is a neurological disease. While these conditions are all
      associated with head injury, the pathophysiology, clinical course, and medical
      management of each are distinct. Investigators who use animal models of these
      conditions must take into account these clinical distinctions to avoid
      misinterpretation of results and category mistakes. Second, model selection must
      be grounded by clarity of purpose with respect to experimental questions and
      frame of reference of the investigation. Distinguishing injury context ("inputs")
      from injury consequences ("outputs") may be helpful during animal model
      selection, experimental design and execution, and interpretation of results.
      Vigilance is required to rout out, or rigorously control for, model artifacts
      with potential to interfere with primary endpoints. The widespread use of
      anesthetics in many animal models illustrates the many ways that model artifacts
      can confound preclinical results. Third, concordance between key features of the
      animal model and the human disease or condition being modeled is required to
      confirm model biofidelity. Fourth, experimental results observed in animals must
      be confirmed in human subjects for model validation. Adherence to these
      principles serves as a bulwark against flawed interpretation of results, study
      replication failure, and confusion in the field. Implementing these principles
      will advance basic science discovery and accelerate clinical translation to
      benefit people affected by concussion, TBI, and CTE.

PMID- 28620353
TI  - The Distribution of Stroma and Antral Follicles Differs between Insulin
      Resistance and Hyperandrogenism-Related Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Although insulin resistance plays an important pathogenetic role in
      polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), no correlation between ultrasound PCOS pattern
      and insulin resistance has yet been reported. The aim of this retrospective
      observational study was to assess whether the ovarian ultrasonographic parameter
      differed between PCOS women with insulin resistance and those with a
      hyperandrogenic profile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women who fulfilled the Rotterdam
      criteria for PCOS were retrospectively studied. Anthropometric, biochemical, and
      clinical data were recorded. Women were divided into two groups based on specific
      transvaginal ultrasound parameters: subjects with more than half of the follicles
      measuring between 5 and 9 mm in diameter, an ultrasonographic determined
      stroma/total area (S/A) > 0.34 and a "necklace" sign of antral follicles (Group
      A); and subjects with more than half of the antral follicles measuring between 2
      and 4 mm in diameter, an S/A <= 0.34; no "necklace" sign but ubiquitously
      distributed follicles determined by ultrasound (Group B). The association between
      these ultrasound patterns and the presence of insulin resistance was also
      evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were enrolled: 33 with ultrasound
      sound pattern A and 45 with pattern B. The latter pattern had a sensitivity of
      88% and a specificity of 78% in predicting PCOS women with insulin resistance.
      There were no differences in age, Ferriman-Gallwey score, and serum gonadotropin
      or androgen levels between the two groups. Body mass index, the waist-to-hip
      ratio, and homeostasis model assessment were significantly higher in group B than
      in group A (p < 0.05). Conversely, sex hormone binding globulin levels and
      ovarian volume were significantly higher in group A (p < 0.05). Insulin
      resistance was more frequent in group B than in group A (36/41, 87.8% versus
      7/32, 21.8%; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that insulin resistance
      could be associated with a specific ultrasound pattern in PCOS patients.

PMID- 28620354
TI  - Torpor: The Rise and Fall of 3-Monoiodothyronamine from Brain to Gut-From Gut to
      Brain?
AB  - 3-Monoiodothyronamine (T1AM), first isolated from rat brain, is reported to be an
      endogenous, rapidly acting metabolite of thyroxine. One of its numerous effects
      is the induction of a "torpor-like" state in experimental animals. A critical
      analysis of T1AM, to serve as an endogenous cryogen, is given. The proposed
      biosynthetic pathway for formation of T1AM, which includes deiodinases and
      ornithine decarboxylase in the upper intestinum, is an unusual one. To reach the
      brain via systemic circulation, enterohepatic recycling and passage through the
      liver may occur. The possible role of gut microbiota is discussed. T1AM
      concentrations in human serum, measured by a specific monoclonal assay are up to
      three orders of magnitude higher compared to values obtained by MS/MS technology.
      The difference is explained by the presence of a high-affinity binder for T1AM
      (Apolipoprotein B-100) in serum, which permits the immunoassay to measure the
      total concentration of the analyte but limits MS/MS technology to detect only the
      unbound (free) analyte, a view, which is contested here.

PMID- 28620356
TI  - Quantifying Biochemical Alterations in Brown and Subcutaneous White Adipose
      Tissues of Mice Using Fourier Transform Infrared Widefield Imaging.
AB  - Stimulating increased thermogenic activity in adipose tissue is an important
      biological target for obesity treatment, and label-free imaging techniques with
      the potential to quantify stimulation-associated biochemical changes to the
      adipose tissue are highly sought after. In this study, we used spatially resolved
      Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) imaging to quantify biochemical changes caused
      by cold exposure in the brown and subcutaneous white adipose tissues (BAT and s
      WAT) of 6 week-old C57BL6 mice exposed to 30 degrees C (N = 5), 24 degrees C (N =
      5), and 10 degrees C (N = 5) conditions for 10 days. Fat exposed to colder
      temperatures demonstrated greater thermogenic activity as indicated by increased
      messenger RNA expression levels of a panel of thermogenic marker genes including
      uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) and Dio2. Protein to lipid ratio, calculated from
      the ratio of the integrated area from 1,600 to 1,700 cm-1 (amide I) to the
      integrated area from 2,830 to 2,980 cm-1 (saturated lipids), was elevated in 10
      degrees C BAT and s-WAT compared to 24 degrees C (p = 0.004 and p < 0.0001) and
      30 degrees C (p = 0.0033 and p < 0.0001). Greater protein to lipid ratio was
      associated with greater UCP-1 expression level in the BAT (p = 0.021) and s-WAT
      (p = 0.032) and greater Dio2 expression in s-WAT (p = 0.033). The degree of
      unsaturation, calculated from the ratio of the integrated area from 2,992 to
      3,020 cm-1 (unsaturated lipids) to the integrated area from 2,830 to 2,980 cm-1
      (saturated lipids), showed stepwise decreases going from colder-exposed to warmer
      exposed BAT. Complementary 1H NMR measurements confirmed the findings from this
      ratio in BAT. Principal component analysis applied to FTIR spectra revealed
      pronounced differences in overall spectral characteristics between 30, 24, and 10
      degrees C BAT and s-WAT. Spatially resolved FTIR imaging is a promising technique
      to quantify cold-induced biochemical changes in BAT and s-WAT in a label-free
      manner.

PMID- 28620355
TI  - Role of the Vasopressin/Apelin Balance and Potential Use of Metabolically Stable
      Apelin Analogs in Water Metabolism Disorders.
AB  - Apelin, a (neuro)vasoactive peptide, plays a prominent role in controlling body
      fluid homeostasis and cardiovascular functions. In animal models, experimental
      data demonstrate that intracerebroventricular injection of apelin into lactating
      rats inhibits the phasic electrical activity of arginine vasopressin (AVP)
      neurons, reduces plasma AVP levels, and increases aqueous diuresis. In the
      kidney, apelin increases diuresis by increasing the renal microcirculation and by
      counteracting the antidiuretic effect of AVP at the tubular level. Moreover,
      after water deprivation or salt loading, in humans and in rodents, AVP and apelin
      are conversely regulated to facilitate systemic AVP release and to avoid
      additional water loss from the kidney. Furthermore, apelin and vasopressin
      secretion are significantly altered in various water metabolism disorders
      including hyponatremia and polyuria-polydipsia syndrome. Since the in vivo half
      life of apelin is in the minute range, metabolically stable apelin analogs were
      developed. The efficacy of these lead compounds for decreasing AVP release and
      increasing both renal blood flow and diuresis, make them promising candidates for
      the treatment of water retention and/or hyponatremic disorders.

PMID- 28620357
TI  - The Effectiveness of Nitrate-Mediated Control of the Oil Field Sulfur Cycle
      Depends on the Toluene Content of the Oil.
AB  - The injection of nitrate is one of the most commonly used technologies to impact
      the sulfur cycle in subsurface oil fields. Nitrate injection enhances the
      activity of nitrate-reducing bacteria, which produce nitrite inhibiting sulfate
      reducing bacteria (SRB). Subsequent reduction of nitrate to di-nitrogen (N2)
      alleviates the inhibition of SRB by nitrite. It has been shown for the Medicine
      Hat Glauconitic C (MHGC) field, that alkylbenzenes especially toluene are
      important electron donors for the reduction of nitrate to nitrite and N2.
      However, the rate and extent of reduction of nitrate to nitrite and of nitrite to
      nitrogen have not been studied for multiple oil fields. Samples of light oil
      (PNG, CPM, and Tundra), light/heavy oil (Gryphon and Obigbo), and of heavy oil
      (MHGC) were collected from locations around the world. The maximum concentration
      of nitrate in the aqueous phase, which could be reduced in microcosms inoculated
      with MHGC produced water, increased with the toluene concentration in the oil
      phase. PNG, Gryphon, CPM, Obigbo, MHGC, and Tundra oils had 77, 17, 5.9, 4.0,
      2.6, and 0.8 mM toluene, respectively. In incubations with 49 ml of aqueous phase
      and 1 ml of oil these were able to reduce 22.2, 12.3, 7.9, 4.6, 4.0, and 1.4 mM
      of nitrate, respectively. Nitrate reduced increased to 35 +/- 4 mM upon amendment
      of all these oils with 570 mM toluene prior to incubation. Souring control by
      nitrate injection requires that the nitrate is directed toward oxidation of
      sulfide, not toluene. Hence, the success of nitrate injections will be inversely
      proportional to the toluene content of the oil. Oil composition is therefore an
      important determinant of the success of nitrate injection to control souring in a
      particular field.

PMID- 28620358
TI  - The Transcriptional Regulators of the CRP Family Regulate Different Essential
      Bacterial Functions and Can Be Inherited Vertically and Horizontally.
AB  - One of the best-studied transcriptional regulatory proteins in bacteria is the
      Escherichia coli catabolite repressor protein (CRP) that when complexed with 3'
      5'-cyclic AMP (cAMP) changes its conformation and interacts with specific DNA
      sequences. CRP DNA-binding can result in positive or negative regulation of gene
      expression depending on the position of its interaction with respect to RNA
      polymerase binding site. The aim of this work is to review the biological role
      and phylogenetic relations that some members of the CRP family of transcriptional
      regulators (also known as cAMP receptor protein family) have in different
      bacterial species. This work is not intended to give an exhaustive revision of
      bacterial CRP-orthologs, but to provide examples of the role that these proteins
      play in the expression of genes that are fundamental for the life style of some
      bacterial species. We highlight the conservation of their structural
      characteristics and of their binding to conserved-DNA sequences, in contrast to
      their very diverse repertoire of gene activation. CRP activates a wide variety of
      fundamental genes for the biological characteristic of each bacterial species,
      which in several instances form part of their core-genome (defined as the gene
      sequences present in all members of a bacterial species). We present evidence
      that support the fact that some of the transcriptional regulators that belong to
      the CRP family in different bacterial species, and some of the genes that are
      regulated by them, can be inherited by horizontal gene transfer. These data are
      discussed in the framework of bacterial evolution models.

PMID- 28620359
TI  - Genome-Wide Search for Genes Required for Bifidobacterial Growth under Iron
      Limitation.
AB  - Bacteria evolved over millennia in the presence of the vital micronutrient iron.
      Iron is involved in numerous processes within the cell and is essential for
      nearly all living organisms. The importance of iron to the survival of bacteria
      is obvious from the large variety of mechanisms by which iron may be acquired
      from the environment. Random mutagenesis and global gene expression profiling led
      to the identification of a number of genes, which are essential for
      Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 survival under iron-restrictive conditions. These
      genes encode, among others, Fe-S cluster-associated proteins, a possible ferric
      iron reductase, a number of cell wall-associated proteins, and various DNA
      replication and repair proteins. In addition, our study identified several
      presumed iron uptake systems which were shown to be essential for B. breve
      UCC2003 growth under conditions of either ferric and/or ferrous iron chelation.
      Of these, two gene clusters encoding putative iron-uptake systems, bfeUO and
      sifABCDE, were further characterised, indicating that sifABCDE is involved in
      ferrous iron transport, while the bfeUO-encoded transport system imports both
      ferrous and ferric iron. Transcription studies showed that bfeUO and sifABCDE
      constitute two separate transcriptional units that are induced upon dipyridyl
      mediated iron limitation. In the anaerobic gastrointestinal environment ferrous
      iron is presumed to be of most relevance, though a mutation in the sifABCDE
      cluster does not affect B. breve UCC2003's ability to colonise the gut of a
      murine model.

PMID- 28620360
TI  - CytR Homolog of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum Controls Air-Liquid
      Biofilm Formation by Regulating Multiple Genes Involved in Cellulose Production,
      c-di-GMP Signaling, Motility, and Type III Secretion System in Response to
      Nutritional and Environmental Signals.
AB  - Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum [Pcc (formerly Erwinia carotovora
      subsp. carotovora)] PC1 causes soft-rot disease in a wide variety of plant
      species by secreting multiple pathogenicity-related traits. In this study,
      regulatory mechanism of air-liquid (AL) biofilm formation was studied using a
      cytR homolog gene deletion mutant (DeltacytR) of Pcc PC1. Compared to the wild
      type (Pcc PC1), the DeltacytR mutant produced fragile and significantly (P <
      0.001) lower amounts of AL biofilm on salt-optimized broth plus 2% glycerol
      (SOBG), yeast peptone dextrose adenine, and also on King's B at 27 degrees C
      after 72 h incubation in static condition. The wild type also produced
      significantly higher quantities of AL biofilm on SOBGMg- (magnesium deprived)
      containing Cupper (Cu2+), Zinc (Zn2+), Manganese (Mn2+), Magnesium (Mg2+), and
      Calcium (Ca2+) compared to the DeltacytR mutant. Moreover, the wild type was
      produced higher amounts of biofilms compared to the mutant while responding to pH
      and osmotic stresses. The DeltafliC (encoding flagellin), flhD::Tn5 (encoding a
      master regulator) and DeltamotA (a membrane protein essential for flagellar
      rotation) mutants produced a lighter and more fragile AL biofilm on SOBG compared
      to their wild counterpart. All these mutants resulted in having weak bonds with
      the cellulose specific dye (Calcofluor) producing lower quantities of cellulose
      compared to the wild type. Gene expression analysis using mRNA collected from the
      AL biofilms showed that DeltacytR mutant significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the
      expressions of multiple genes responsible for cellulose production (bcsA, bcsE,
      and adrA), motility (flhD, fliA, fliC, and motA) and type III secretion system
      (hrpX, hrpL, hrpA, and hrpN) compared to the wild type. The CytR homolog was
      therefore, argued to be able to regulate the AL biofilm formation by controlling
      cellulose production, motility and T3SS in Pcc PC1. In addition, all the mutants
      exhibited poorer attachment to radish sprouts and AL biofilm cells of the wild
      type was resistant than stationary-phase and planktonic cells to acidity and
      oxidative stress compared to the same cells of the DeltacytR mutant. The results
      of this study therefore suggest that CytR homolog is a major determinant of Pcc
      PC1's virulence, attachment and its survival mechanism.

PMID- 28620361
TI  - Genome Sequencing of Ralstonia solanacearum CQPS-1, a Phylotype I Strain
      Collected from a Highland Area with Continuous Cropping of Tobacco.
AB  - Ralstonia solanacearum, an agent of bacterial wilt, is a highly variable species
      with a broad host range and wide geographic distribution. As a species complex,
      it has extensive genetic diversity and its living environment is polymorphic like
      the lowland and the highland area, so more genomes are needed for studying
      population evolution and environment adaptation. In this paper, we reported the
      genome sequencing of R. solanacearum strain CQPS-1 isolated from wilted tobacco
      in Pengshui, Chongqing, China, a highland area with severely acidified soil and
      continuous cropping of tobacco more than 20 years. The comparative genomic
      analysis among different R. solanacearum strains was also performed. The
      completed genome size of CQPS-1 was 5.89 Mb and contained the chromosome (3.83
      Mb) and the megaplasmid (2.06 Mb). A total of 5229 coding sequences were
      predicted (the chromosome and megaplasmid encoded 3573 and 1656 genes,
      respectively). A comparative analysis with eight strains from four phylotypes
      showed that there was some variation among the species, e.g., a large set of
      specific genes in CQPS-1. Type III secretion system gene cluster (hrp gene
      cluster) was conserved in CQPS-1 compared with the reference strain GMI1000. In
      addition, most genes coding core type III effectors were also conserved with
      GMI1000, but significant gene variation was found in the gene ripAA: the identity
      compared with strain GMI1000 was 75% and the hrpII box promoter in the upstream
      had significantly mutated. This study provided a potential resource for further
      understanding of the relationship between variation of pathogenicity factors and
      adaptation to the host environment.

PMID- 28620362
TI  - Commentary: Communication between Viruses Guides Lysis-Lysogeny Decisions.

PMID- 28620363
TI  - Proteomic Analysis of Trichinella spiralis Adult Worm Excretory-Secretory
      Proteins Recognized by Sera of Patients with Early Trichinellosis.
AB  - The most commonly used serodiagnostic antigens for trichinellosis are the
      excretory-secretory (ES) antigens from T. spiralis muscle larvae (ML), but the
      specific antibodies against the ML ES antigens are usually negative during early
      stage of Trichinella infection. The recent studies demonstrated that T. spiralis
      adult worm (AW) antigens were recognized by mouse or swine infection sera on
      Western blot as early as 7-15 days post-infection (dpi), the AW antigens might
      contain the early diagnostic markers for trichinellosis. The purpose of this
      study was to screen early diagnostic antigens in T. spiralis AW ES proteins
      recognized by sera of early patients with trichinellosis. T. spiralis AW were
      collected at 72 h post-infection (hpi), and their ES antigens were analyzed by
      SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Our results showed that 5 protein bands (55, 48-50,
      45, 44, and 36 kDa) were recognized by sera of early patients with trichinellosis
      collected at 19 dpi, and were subjected to shotgun LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics
      analyses. A total of 185 proteins were identified from T. spiralis protein
      database, of which 116 (67.2%) proteins had molecular weights of 30~60 kDa, and
      125 (67.6%) proteins with pI 4-7. Bioinformatic analyses showed that the
      identified proteins have a wide diversity of biological functions (binding of
      nucleotides, proteins, ions, carbohydrates, and lipids; hydrolase, transferase,
      and oxidoreductase, etc.). Several enzymes (e.g., adult-specific DNase II, serine
      protease and serine protease inhibitor) could be the invasion-related proteins
      and early diagnostic markers for trichinellosis. Moreover, recombinant T.
      spiralis serine protease (rTsSP-ZH68) was expressed in E. coli and its
      antigenicity was analyzed by Western blot with the early infection sera. The
      rTsSP-ZH68 was recognized by sera of infected mice at 8-10 dpi and sera of early
      patients with trichinellosis at 19 dpi. T. spiralis AW proteins identified in
      this study, especially serine protease, are the promising early diagnostic
      antigens and vaccine candidates for trichinellosis.

PMID- 28620364
TI  - A Multiplex RT-PCR Assay for S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp.
      Detection in Raw Milk with Pre-enrichment.
AB  - This study firstly developed a multiplex real-time PCR (RT-PCR) technique
      combined with a pre-enrichment step to simultaneously detect Staphylococcus
      aureus (S. aureus), Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) and Salmonella spp.
      in raw milk and the dairy farm environment (feces, soil, feed, water) in one
      reaction. Brain heart infusion (BHI) broth was selected for the enrichment step
      to increase the density of the target bacteria by using an incubation of 4 h
      before multiplex RT-PCR. The results showed that the detection limit of the
      multiplex real-time assay was approximately 102 CFU/mL for pure cultures and
      artificially contaminated milk without enrichment, while 12, 14, and 10 CFU/25
      mL, respectively, for S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. after pre
      enrichment. The newly developed multiplex RT-PCR assay was applied to 46 dairy
      farm environmental samples and raw milk samples covering a wide variety of sample
      types. The results demonstrated that the multiplex RT-PCR assay coupled with the
      BHI enrichment broth was suitable for the simultaneous screening of S. aureus, L.
      monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. in the pasture environment and in raw milk.
      The multiplex RT-PCR assay clearly and successfully shortened the total detection
      time and reduced labor compared to conventional culture-based methods for testing
      natural samples.

PMID- 28620365
TI  - Metabolic Value Chemoattractants Are Preferentially Recognized at Broad Ligand
      Range Chemoreceptor of Pseudomonas putida KT2440.
AB  - Bacteria have evolved a wide range of chemoreceptors with different ligand
      specificities. Typically, chemoreceptors bind ligands with elevated specificity
      and ligands serve as growth substrates. However, there is a chemoreceptor family
      that has a broad ligand specificity including many compounds that are not of
      metabolic value. To advance the understanding of this family, we have used the
      PcaY_PP (PP2643) chemoreceptor of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as a model. Using
      Isothermal Titration Calorimetry we showed here that the recombinant ligand
      binding domain (LBD) of PcaY_PP recognizes 17 different C6-ring containing
      carboxylic acids with KD values between 3.7 and 138 MUM and chemoeffector
      affinity correlated with the magnitude of the chemotactic response. Mutation of
      the pcaY_PP gene abolished chemotaxis to these compounds; phenotype that was
      restored following gene complementation. Growth experiments using PcaY_PP ligands
      as sole C-sources revealed functional relationships between their metabolic
      potential and affinity for the chemoreceptor. Thus, only 7 PcaY_PP ligands
      supported growth and their KD values correlated with the length of the bacterial
      lag phase. Furthermore, PcaY_PP ligands that did not support growth had
      significantly higher KD values than those that did. The receptor has thus binds
      preferentially compounds that serve as C-sources and amongst them those that
      rapidly promote growth. Tightest binding compounds were quinate, shikimate, 3
      dehydroshikimate and protocatechuate, which are at the interception of the
      biosynthetic shikimate and catabolic quinate pathways. Analytical
      ultracentrifugation studies showed that ligand free PcaY_PP-LBD is present in a
      monomer-dimer equilibrium (KD = 57.5 MUM). Ligand binding caused a complete shift
      to the dimeric state, which appears to be a general feature of four-helix bundle
      LBDs. This study indicates that the metabolic potential of compounds is an
      important parameter in the molecular recognition by broad ligand range
      chemoreceptors.

PMID- 28620366
TI  - Vibrio vulnificus: An Environmental and Clinical Burden.
AB  - Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram negative, rod shaped bacterium that belongs to the
      family Vibrionaceae. It is a deadly, opportunistic human pathogen which is
      responsible for the majority of seafood-associated deaths worldwide. V.
      vulnificus infection can be fatal as it may cause severe wound infections
      potentially requiring amputation or lead to sepsis in susceptible individuals.
      Treatment is increasingly challenging as V. vulnificus has begun to develop
      resistance against certain antibiotics due to their indiscriminate use. This
      article aims to provide insight into the antibiotic resistance of V. vulnificus
      in different parts of the world as well as an overall review of its clinical
      manifestations, treatment, and prevention. Understanding the organism's
      antibiotic resistance profile is vital in order to select appropriate treatment
      and initiate appropriate prevention measures to treat and control V. vulnificus
      infections, which should eventually help lower the mortality rate associated with
      this pathogen worldwide.

PMID- 28620367
TI  - Mycobacterial F420H2-Dependent Reductases Promiscuously Reduce Diverse Compounds
      through a Common Mechanism.
AB  - An unusual aspect of actinobacterial metabolism is the use of the redox cofactor
      F420. Studies have shown that actinobacterial F420H2-dependent reductases
      promiscuously hydrogenate diverse organic compounds in biodegradative and
      biosynthetic processes. These enzymes therefore represent promising candidates
      for next-generation industrial biocatalysts. In this work, we undertook the first
      broad survey of these enzymes as potential industrial biocatalysts by exploring
      the extent, as well as mechanistic and structural bases, of their substrate
      promiscuity. We expressed and purified 11 enzymes from seven subgroups of the
      flavin/deazaflavin oxidoreductase (FDOR) superfamily (A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, B4)
      from the model soil actinobacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis. These enzymes
      reduced compounds from six chemical classes, including fundamental monocycles
      such as a cyclohexenone, a dihydropyran, and pyrones, as well as more complex
      quinone, coumarin, and arylmethane compounds. Substrate range and reduction rates
      varied between the enzymes, with the A1, A3, and B1 groups exhibiting greatest
      promiscuity. Molecular docking studies suggested that structurally diverse
      compounds are accommodated in the large substrate-binding pocket of the most
      promiscuous FDOR through hydrophobic interactions with conserved aromatic
      residues and the isoalloxazine headgroup of F420H2. Liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (LC/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of
      derivatized reaction products showed reduction occurred through a common
      mechanism involving hydride transfer from F420H- to the electron-deficient alkene
      groups of substrates. Reduction occurs when the hydride donor (C5 of F420H-) is
      proximal to the acceptor (electrophilic alkene of the substrate). These findings
      suggest that engineered actinobacterial F420H2-dependent reductases are promising
      novel biocatalysts for the facile transformation of a wide range of alpha,beta
      unsaturated compounds.

PMID- 28620368
TI  - An aroD Ochre Mutation Results in a Staphylococcus aureus Small Colony Variant
      That Can Undergo Phenotypic Switching via Two Alternative Mechanisms.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus can undergo phenotypic switching between a normal colony
      phenotype (NCP) and a small colony variant (SCV). The SCV phenotype confers
      increased antibiotic resistance and the capacity to persist within human tissues
      and cells, and because these cells can revert back to the NCP they cause chronic
      and/or recurrent infections that are very difficult to treat. A complete picture
      of the genetic events that can lead to phenotypic switching in S. aureus is
      currently lacking. We describe the selection of an SCV with a previously
      unreported genetic alteration leading to an ochre mutation of aroD. In addition
      to the known mechanisms of phenotypic switching between the SCV and the NCP we
      describe a previously unreported mechanism involving tRNA ochre suppressors
      arising. The ochre suppressor strains had wild-type growth rates and restored
      antibiotic sensitivity, similar to the wild-type strain. However, whilst they had
      increased virulence compared to the SCV parent strain, their virulence was not
      restored to that of the NCP parental strain. These findings establish that
      phenotypic switching between the NCP and SCV states can give rise to strains with
      different pathogenic potential.

PMID- 28620369
TI  - Characterization of Bile Salt Hydrolase from Lactobacillus gasseri FR4 and
      Demonstration of Its Substrate Specificity and Inhibitory Mechanism Using
      Molecular Docking Analysis.
AB  - Probiotic bacteria are beneficial to the health of poultry animals, thus are used
      as alternative candidates for antibiotics used as growth promoters (AGPs).
      However, they also reduce the body weight gain due to innate bile salt hydrolase
      (BSH) activity. Hence, the addition of a suitable BSH inhibitor along with the
      probiotic feed can decrease the BSH activity. In this study, a BSH gene (981 bp)
      encoding 326-amino acids was identified from the genome of Lactobacillus gasseri
      FR4 (LgBSH). The LgBSH-encoding gene was cloned and purified using an Escherichia
      coli BL21 (DE3) expression system, and its molecular weight (37 kDa) was
      confirmed by SDS-PAGE and a Western blot analysis. LgBSH exhibited greater
      hydrolysis toward glyco-conjugated bile salts compared to tauro-conjugated bile
      salts. LgBSH displayed optimal activity at 52 degrees C at a pH of 5.5, and
      activity was further increased by several reducing agents (DTT), surfactants
      (Triton X-100 and Tween 80), and organic solvents (isopropanol, butanol, and
      acetone). Riboflavin and penicillin V, respectively, inhibited LgBSH activity by
      98.31 and 97.84%. A homology model of LgBSH was predicted using EfBSH (4WL3) as a
      template. Molecular docking analysis revealed that the glycocholic acid had
      lowest binding energy of -8.46 kcal/mol; on the other hand, inhibitors, i.e.,
      riboflavin and penicillin V, had relatively higher binding energies of -6.25 and 
      7.38 kcal/mol, respectively. Our results suggest that L. gasseri FR4 along with
      riboflavin might be a potential alternative to AGPs for poultry animals.

PMID- 28620370
TI  - Environmental T4-Family Bacteriophages Evolve to Escape Abortive Infection via
      Multiple Routes in a Bacterial Host Employing "Altruistic Suicide" through Type
      III Toxin-Antitoxin Systems.
AB  - Abortive infection is an anti-phage mechanism employed by a bacterium to initiate
      its own death upon phage infection. This reduces, or eliminates, production of
      viral progeny and protects clonal siblings in the bacterial population by an act
      akin to an "altruistic suicide." Abortive infection can be mediated by a Type III
      toxin-antitoxin system called ToxINPa consisting of an endoribonuclease toxin and
      RNA antitoxin. ToxINPa is a heterohexameric quaternary complex in which
      pseudoknotted RNA inhibits the toxicity of the toxin until infection by certain
      phages causes destabilization of ToxINPa, leading to bacteriostasis and,
      eventually, lethality. However, it is still unknown why only certain phages are
      able to activate ToxINPa. To try to address this issue we first introduced
      ToxINPa into the Gram-negative enterobacterium, Serratia sp. ATCC 39006 (S 39006)
      and then isolated new environmental S 39006 phages that were scored for
      activation of ToxINPa and abortive infection capacity. We isolated three T4-like
      phages from a sewage treatment outflow point into the River Cam, each phage being
      isolated at least a year apart. These phages were susceptible to ToxINPa-mediated
      abortive infection but produced spontaneous "escape" mutants that were
      insensitive to ToxINPa. Analysis of these resistant mutants revealed three
      different routes of escaping ToxINPa, namely by mutating asiA (the product of
      which is a phage transcriptional co-activator); by mutating a conserved, yet
      functionally unknown, orf84; or by deleting a 6.5-10 kb region of the phage
      genome. Analysis of these evolved escape mutants may help uncover the nature of
      the corresponding phage product(s) involved in activation of ToxINPa.

PMID- 28620371
TI  - Variation in Soil Microbial Community Structure Associated with Different Legume
      Species Is Greater than that Associated with Different Grass Species.
AB  - Plants are the essential factors shaping soil microbial community (SMC)
      structure. When most studies focus on the difference in the SMC structure
      associated different plant species, the variation in the SMC structure associated
      with phylogenetically close species is less investigated. Legume (Fabaceae) and
      grass (Poaceae) are functionally important plant groups; however, their
      influences on the SMC structure are seldom compared, and the variation in the SMC
      structure among legume or grass species is largely unknown. In this study, we
      grew three legume species vs. three grass species in mesocosms, and monitored the
      soil chemical property, quantified the abundance of bacteria and fungi. The SMC
      structure was also characterized using PCR-DGGE and Miseq sequencing. Results
      showed that legume and grass differentially affected soil pH, dissolved organic
      C, total N content, and available P content, and that legume enriched fungi more
      greatly than grass. Both DGGE profiling and Miseq-sequencing indicated that the
      bacterial diversity associated with legume was higher than that associated with
      grass. When legume increased the abundance of Verrucomicrobia, grass decreased
      it, and furthermore, linear discriminant analysis identified some group-specific
      microbial taxa as potential biomarkers of legume or grass. These data suggest
      that legume and grass differentially select for the SMC. More importantly,
      clustering analysis based on both DGGE profiling and Miseq-sequencing
      demonstrated that the variation in the SMC structure associated with three legume
      species was greater than that associated with three grass species.

PMID- 28620372
TI  - Deep Sequencing in Infectious Diseases: Immune and Pathogen Repertoires for the
      Improvement of Patient Outcomes.
AB  - The inaugural workshop "Deep Sequencing in Infectious Diseases: Immune and
      Pathogen Repertoires for the Improvement of Patient Outcomes" was held in
      Singapore on 13-14 October 2016. The aim of the workshop was to discuss the
      latest trends in using high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics, and allied
      technologies to analyze immune and pathogen repertoires and their interplay
      within the host, bringing together key international players in the field and
      Singapore-based researchers and clinician-scientists. The focus was in particular
      on the application of these technologies for the improvement of patient
      diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, and for other broad public health outcomes.
      The presentations by scientists and clinicians showed the potential of deep
      sequencing technology to capture the coevolution of adaptive immunity and
      pathogens. For clinical applications, some key challenges remain, such as the
      long turnaround time and relatively high cost of deep sequencing for pathogen
      identification and characterization and the lack of international standardization
      in immune repertoire analysis.

PMID- 28620374
TI  - Canine Macrophage DH82 Cell Line As a Model to Study Susceptibility to
      Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.
AB  - Trypanosoma cruzi is an obligatory intracellular protozoan parasite, and it is
      the etiological agent of Chagas' disease that is endemic in the Americas. In
      addition to humans, a wide spectrum of mammals can be infected by T. cruzi,
      including dogs. Dogs develop acute and chronic disease, similar to human
      infection. T. cruzi can infect almost all cell types and after cell invasion, the
      metacyclics trypomastigotes localize in the cytoplasm, where they transform into
      amastigotes, the replicative form of T. cruzi in mammals. After amastigote
      multiplication and differentiation, parasites lyse host cells and spread through
      the body by blood circulation. In this work, we evaluated the in vitro ability of
      T. cruzi to infect a canine macrophage cell line DH82 compared with RAW264.7, a
      murine tissue culture macrophage. Our results have shown that the T. cruzi is
      able to infect, replicate and differentiate in DH82 cell line. We observed that
      following treatment with LPS and IFN-gamma DH82 cells were more resistant to
      infection and that resistance was not related reactive oxygen species production
      in our system. In this study, we also found that DH82 cells became more
      susceptible to T. cruzi infection when cocultured with apoptotic cells. The
      analysis of cytokine production has showed elevated levels of the TGF-beta, IL
      10, and TNF-alpha produced by T. cruzi-infected canine macrophages. Additionally,
      we demonstrated a reduced expression of the MHC class II and CD80 by infected
      DH82 cell line.

PMID- 28620375
TI  - Comparative Gene Expression Analysis of Lymphocytes Treated with Exosomes Derived
      from Ovarian Cancer and Ovarian Cysts.
AB  - Cancer cells employ many strategies to evade immune defense and to facilitate
      tumor growth and angiogenesis. As a novel mode of intercellular communication,
      cancer-derived exosomes contribute to the recruitment and mediation of
      lymphocytes within the tumor environment. However, the mechanisms and key
      molecules mediating the effect of exosomes on lymphocytes are unclear. We treated
      healthy peripheral blood lymphocytes with exosomes from ovarian cancer and
      ovarian cysts and screened for differentially expressed genes using the RT2
      Profiler Cancer Inflammation and Immunity Crosstalk PCR Array. A total of 26
      upregulated genes (mainly pro-inflammatory genes and immunostimulatory and
      immunosuppressive factor) and two downregulated genes (antigen presentation HLA
      A/B) were identified. Western blotting using lymphocytes from malignant ascites
      and peritoneal washings of benign ovarian cysts suggested that the interferon and
      NF-kappaB signaling pathway were involved in the immune regulation of malignant
      exosomes. Out of 28 differentially expressed genes detected using the array, 11
      were validated by real-time PCR using lymphocytes within ovarian cancer (n = 27)
      and ovarian cyst (n = 9) environments. In conclusion, our findings indicate that
      malignant cells secrete exosomes in the tumor microenvironment to recruit
      lymphocytes in order to suppress antitumor immunity (IL10, Foxp3, and HLA-A/B)
      and enhance tumor invasion, angiogenesis, and dissemination of proinflammatory
      cytokines (such as IL6 and VEGFA) via the interferon and NF-kappaB signaling
      pathways. These results clarify lymphocyte-cancer cell cross talk via exosomes
      and may facilitate the development of effective immunotherapeutic strategies for
      ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28620376
TI  - The N-Glycosylation of Mouse Immunoglobulin G (IgG)-Fragment Crystallizable
      Differs Between IgG Subclasses and Strains.
AB  - N-linked glycosylation of the fragment crystallizable (Fc)-region of
      immunoglobulin G (IgG) is known to have a large influence on the activity of the
      antibody, an effect reported to be IgG subclass specific. This situation applies
      both to humans and mice. The mouse is often used as experimental animal model to
      study the effects of Fc-glycosylation on IgG effector functions, and results are
      not uncommonly translated back to the human situation. However, while human IgG
      Fc-glycosylation has been extensively characterized in both health and disease,
      this is not the case for mice. To characterize the glycosylation profile of
      murine IgG-Fc and in addition evaluate the systematic glycosylation differences
      between mouse strains, sexes, and IgG subclasses, we used nanoliquid
      chromatography mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS(/MS)) to look at the subclass
      specific IgG Fc-glycopeptides of male and female mice from the strains BALB/c,
      C57BL/6, CD-1, and Swiss Webster. The structural analysis revealed the presence
      of predominantly fucosylated, diantennary glycans, with varying amounts of
      galactosylation and alpha2,6-sialylation. In addition, we report glycosylation
      features not previously reported in an Fc-specific way on murine IgG, including
      monoantennary, hybrid, and high mannose structures, as well as diantennary
      structures without a core fucose, with a bisecting N-acetylglucosamine, or with
      alpha1,3-galactosylation. Pronounced differences were detected between strains
      and the IgG subclasses within each strain. Especially the large spread in
      galactosylation and sialylation levels found between both strains and subclasses
      may vastly influence IgG effector functions. Mouse strain-based and subclass
      specific glycosylation differences should be taken into account when designing
      and interpreting immunological and glycobiological mouse studies involving IgG
      effector functions.

PMID- 28620377
TI  - Anti-Double-Stranded DNA IgG Participates in Renal Fibrosis through Suppressing
      the Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Signals.
AB  - Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) participates in renal fibrosis by
      downregulating Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of
      transcription 1 (STAT1)-mediated cytokine signaling. Recently, it was found that
      anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) IgG induces the synthesis of profibrotic
      cytokines by renal cells. To explore the potential effect of anti-dsDNA IgG on
      SOCS1-mediated renal fibrosis, kidney tissues were collected from patients with
      lupus nephritis (LN) as well as MRL/lpr lupus-prone mice. The SOCS1 expression
      was evaluated in tissue samples. In addition, SCID mice were injected with anti
      dsDNA IgG, followed by evaluation of SOCS1 levels. Renal resident cells were
      cultured in vitro, receiving the stimulation of anti-dsDNA IgG and then the
      measurement of SOCS1, JAK2, STAT1alpha, and profibrotic cytokines. Moreover, the
      binding of anti-dsDNA IgG to SOCS1 kinase inhibitory region (KIR) peptide was
      analyzed by surface plasmon resonance. We found that SOCS1 expression was
      inhibited, but JAK2/STAT1 activation was prominent in the kidney tissues of
      patients with LN, MRL/lpr mice, or anti-dsDNA IgG-injected SCID mice. The
      cultured renal cells also showed SOCS1 downregulation, JAK2/STAT1 activation, and
      profibrotic cytokine promotion upon anti-dsDNA IgG stimulation. Surprisingly,
      anti-dsDNA IgG showed high affinity to KIR peptide and competed with JAK2 loop
      for KIR. Additionally, a DNA-mimicking peptide (ALW) blocked the binding of anti
      dsDNA IgG to KIR, and even partially abrogated the activation of JAK2/STAT1alpha
      signals and the expression of profibrotic cytokines in SCID mice. In conclusion,
      anti-dsDNA IgG downregulates SOCS1 expression, activates JAK2/STAT1 signals, and
      contributes to renal fibrosis; its peptide blockade may restore the SOCS1
      inhibitory effect on the production of profibrotic cytokine, and finally
      ameliorate renal fibrosis in LN.

PMID- 28620378
TI  - Nature and Consequences of Biological Reductionism for the Immunological Study of
      Infectious Diseases.
AB  - Evolution has conserved "economic" systems that perform many functions, faster or
      better, with less. For example, three to five leukocyte types protect from
      thousands of pathogens. To achieve so much with so little, biological systems
      combine their limited elements, creating complex structures. Yet, the prevalent
      research paradigm is reductionist. Focusing on infectious diseases, reductionist
      and non-reductionist views are here described. The literature indicates that
      reductionism is associated with information loss and errors, while non
      reductionist operations can extract more information from the same data. When
      designed to capture one-to-many/many-to-one interactions-including the use of
      arrows that connect pairs of consecutive observations-non-reductionist (spatial
      temporal) constructs eliminate data variability from all dimensions, except along
      one line, while arrows describe the directionality of temporal changes that occur
      along the line. To validate the patterns detected by non-reductionist operations,
      reductionist procedures are needed. Integrated (non-reductionist and
      reductionist) methods can (i) distinguish data subsets that differ
      immunologically and statistically; (ii) differentiate false-negative from 
      positive errors; (iii) discriminate disease stages; (iv) capture in vivo,
      multilevel interactions that consider the patient, the microbe, and antibiotic
      mediated responses; and (v) assess dynamics. Integrated methods provide
      repeatable and biologically interpretable information.

PMID- 28620373
TI  - Mechanisms of Autoantibody-Induced Pathology.
AB  - Autoantibodies are frequently observed in healthy individuals. In a minority of
      these individuals, they lead to manifestation of autoimmune diseases, such as
      rheumatoid arthritis or Graves' disease. Overall, more than 2.5% of the
      population is affected by autoantibody-driven autoimmune disease. Pathways
      leading to autoantibody-induced pathology greatly differ among different
      diseases, and autoantibodies directed against the same antigen, depending on the
      targeted epitope, can have diverse effects. To foster knowledge in autoantibody
      induced pathology and to encourage development of urgently needed novel
      therapeutic strategies, we here categorized autoantibodies according to their
      effects. According to our algorithm, autoantibodies can be classified into the
      following categories: (1) mimic receptor stimulation, (2) blocking of neural
      transmission, (3) induction of altered signaling, triggering uncontrolled (4)
      microthrombosis, (5) cell lysis, (6) neutrophil activation, and (7) induction of
      inflammation. These mechanisms in relation to disease, as well as principles of
      autoantibody generation and detection, are reviewed herein.

PMID- 28620380
TI  - Human Immunodeficiency Virus Playing Hide-and-Seek: Understanding the TFH Cell
      Reservoir and Proposing Strategies to Overcome the Follicle Sanctuary.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects millions of people worldwide, and new
      cases continue to emerge. Once infected, the virus cannot be cleared by the
      immune system and causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Combination
      antiretroviral therapeutic regimen effectively suppresses viral replication and
      halts disease progression. The treatment, however, does not eliminate the virus
      infected cells, and interruption of treatment inevitably leads to viral rebound.
      The rebound virus originates from a group of virus-infected cells referred to as
      the cellular reservoir of HIV. Identifying and eliminating the HIV reservoir will
      prevent viral rebound and cure HIV infection. In this review, we focus on a
      recently discovered HIV reservoir in a subset of CD4+ T cells called the
      follicular helper T (TFH) cells. We describe the potential mechanisms for the
      emergence of reservoir in TFH cells, and the strategies to target and eliminate
      this viral reservoir.

PMID- 28620379
TI  - Neuroimmune Interactions in Schizophrenia: Focus on Vagus Nerve Stimulation and
      Activation of the Alpha-7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor.
AB  - Schizophrenia is one of the most debilitating mental disorders and is aggravated
      by the lack of efficacious treatment. Although its etiology is unclear,
      epidemiological studies indicate that infection and inflammation during
      development induces behavioral, morphological, neurochemical, and cognitive
      impairments, increasing the risk of developing schizophrenia. The inflammatory
      hypothesis of schizophrenia is also supported by clinical studies demonstrating
      systemic inflammation and microglia activation in schizophrenic patients.
      Although elucidating the mechanism that induces this inflammatory profile remains
      a challenge, mounting evidence suggests that neuroimmune interactions may provide
      therapeutic advantages to control inflammation and hence schizophrenia. Recent
      studies have indicated that vagus nerve stimulation controls both peripheral and
      central inflammation via alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (alpha7nAChR).
      Other findings have indicated that vagal stimulation and alpha7nAChR-agonists can
      provide therapeutic advantages for neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression
      and epilepsy. This review analyzes the latest results regarding: (I) the immune
      to-brain pathogenesis of schizophrenia; (II) the regulation of inflammation by
      the autonomic nervous system in psychiatric disorders; and (III) the role of the
      vagus nerve and alpha7nAChR in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28620381
TI  - FXYD5 Is an Essential Mediator of the Inflammatory Response during Lung Injury.
AB  - The alveolar epithelium secretes cytokines and chemokines that recruit immune
      cells to the lungs, which is essential for fighting infections but in excess can
      promote lung injury. Overexpression of FXYD5, a tissue-specific regulator of the
      Na,K-ATPase, in mice, impairs the alveolo-epithelial barrier, and FXYD5
      overexpression in renal cells increases C-C chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2) secretion
      in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The aim of this study was to determine
      whether FXYD5 contributes to the lung inflammation and injury. Exposure of
      alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) to LPS increased FXYD5 levels at the plasma
      membrane, and FXYD5 silencing prevented both the activation of NF-kappaB and the
      secretion of cytokines in response to LPS. Intratracheal instillation of LPS into
      mice increased FXYD5 levels in the lung. FXYD5 overexpression increased the
      recruitment of interstitial macrophages and classical monocytes to the lung in
      response to LPS. FXYD5 silencing decreased CCL2 levels, number of cells, and
      protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after LPS treatment,
      indicating that FXYD5 is required for the NF-kappaB-stimulated epithelial
      production of CCL2, the influx of immune cells, and the increase in alveolo
      epithelial permeability in response to LPS. Silencing of FXYD5 also prevented the
      activation of NF-kappaB and cytokine secretion in response to interferon alpha
      and TNF-alpha, suggesting that pro-inflammatory effects of FXYD5 are not limited
      to the LPS-induced pathway. Furthermore, in the absence of other stimuli, FXYD5
      overexpression in AEC activated NF-kappaB and increased cytokine production,
      while FXYD5 overexpression in mice increased cytokine levels in BALF, indicating
      that FXYD5 is sufficient to induce the NF-kappaB-stimulated cytokine secretion by
      the alveolar epithelium. The FXYD5 overexpression also increased cell counts in
      BALF, which was prevented by silencing the CCL2 receptor (CCR2), or by treating
      mice with a CCR2-blocking antibody, confirming that FXYD5-induced CCL2 production
      leads to the recruitment of monocytes to the lung. Taken together, the data
      demonstrate that FXYD5 is a key contributor to inflammatory lung injury.

PMID- 28620382
TI  - Phase II Study of Adjuvant Immunotherapy with the CSF-470 Vaccine Plus Bacillus
      Calmette-Guerin Plus Recombinant Human Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating
      Factor vs Medium-Dose Interferon Alpha 2B in Stages IIB, IIC, and III Cutaneous
      Melanoma Patients: A Single Institution, Randomized Study.
AB  - The irradiated, allogeneic, cellular CSF-470 vaccine plus Bacillus Calmette
      Guerin (BCG) and recombinant human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating
      factor (rhGM-CSF) is being tested against medium-dose IFN-alpha2b in stages IIB
      III cutaneous melanoma (CM) patients (pts) after surgery in an open, randomized,
      Phase II/III study. We present the results of the Phase II part of the ongoing
      CASVAC-0401 study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01729663). Thirty-one pts were
      randomized to the CSF-470 vaccine (n = 20) or to the IFN-alpha2b arm (n = 11).
      During the 2-year treatment, immunized pts should receive 13 vaccinations. On day
      1 of each visit, 1.6 * 107 irradiated CSF-470 cells plus 106 colony-forming units
      BCG plus 100 ug rhGM-CSF were administered intradermally, followed on days 2-4 by
      100 ug rhGM-CSF. IFN-alpha2b pts should receive 10 million units (MU)/day/5 days
      a week for 4 weeks; then 5 MU thrice weekly for 23 months. Toxicity and quality
      of life (QOL) were evaluated at each visit. With a mean and a maximum follow-up
      of 39.4 and 83 months, respectively, a significant benefit in the distant
      metastasis-free survival (DMFS) for CSF-470 was observed (p = 0.022). Immune
      monitoring showed an increase in antitumoral cellular and humoral response in
      vaccinated pts. CSF-470 was well tolerated; 20/20 pts presented grades 1-2 dermic
      reactions at the vaccination site; 3/20 pts presented grade 3 allergic reactions.
      Other adverse events (AEs) were grade 1. Pts in the IFN-alpha2b arm presented
      grades 2-3 hematological (7/11), hepatic (2/11), and cardiac (1/11) toxicity; AEs
      in 9/11 pts forced treatment interruptions. QOL was significantly superior in the
      vaccine arm (p < 0.0001). Our results suggest that CSF-470 vaccine plus BCG plus
      GM-CSF can significantly prolong, with lower toxicity, the DMFS of high-risk CM
      pts with respect to medium-dose IFN-alpha2b. The continuation of a Phase III part
      of the CASVAC-0401 study is encouraged.

PMID- 28620383
TI  - Ly6Chi Monocytes and Their Macrophage Descendants Regulate Neutrophil Function
      and Clearance in Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury.
AB  - Monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMF) play a pivotal role in the resolution of
      acetaminophen-induced liver injury (AILI). Timely termination of neutrophil
      activity and their clearance are essential for liver regeneration following
      injury. Here, we show that infiltrating Ly6Chi monocytes, their macrophage
      descendants, and neutrophils spatially and temporally overlap in the
      centrilobular necrotic areas during the necroinflammatory and resolution phases
      of AILI. At the necroinflammatory phase, inducible ablation of circulating Ly6Chi
      monocytes resulted in reduced numbers and fractions of reactive oxygen species
      (ROS)-producing neutrophils. In alignment with this, neutrophils sorted from
      monocyte-deficient livers exhibited reduced expression of NADPH oxidase 2.
      Moreover, human CD14+ monocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or hepatocyte
      apoptotic bodies directly induced ROS production by cocultured neutrophils. RNA
      seq-based transcriptome profiling of neutrophils from Ly6Chi monocyte-deficient
      versus normal livers revealed 449 genes that were differentially expressed with
      at least twofold change (p <= 0.05). In the absence of Ly6Chi monocytes,
      neutrophils displayed gene expression alterations associated with decreased
      innate immune activity and increased cell survival. At the early resolution
      phase, Ly6Chi monocytes differentiated into ephemeral Ly6Clo MoMF and their
      absence resulted in significant accumulation of late apoptotic neutrophils.
      Further gene expression analysis revealed the induced expression of a specific
      repertoire of bridging molecules and receptors involved with apoptotic cell
      clearance during the transition from Ly6Chi monocytes to MoMF. Collectively, our
      findings establish a phase-dependent task division between liver-infiltrating
      Ly6Chi monocytes and their MoMF descendants with the former regulating innate
      immune functions and cell survival of neutrophils and the later neutrophil
      clearance.

PMID- 28620384
TI  - Measuring Leukocyte Adhesion to (Primary) Endothelial Cells after Photon and
      Charged Particle Exposure with a Dedicated Laminar Flow Chamber.
AB  - The vascular endothelium interacts with all types of blood cells and is a key
      modulator of local and systemic inflammatory processes, for example, in the
      adhesion of blood leukocytes to endothelial cells (EC) and the following
      extravasation into the injured tissue. The endothelium is constantly exposed to
      mechanical forces caused by blood flow, and the resulting shear stress is
      essential for the maintenance of endothelial function. Changes in local
      hemodynamics are sensed by EC, leading to acute or persistent changes. Therefore,
      in vitro assessment of EC functionality should include shear stress as an
      essential parameter. Parallel-plate flow chambers with adjustable shear stress
      can be used to study EC properties. However, commercially available systems are
      not suitable for radiation experiments, especially with charged particles, which
      are increasingly used in radiotherapy of tumors. Therefore, research on charged
      particle-induced vascular side effects is needed. In addition, alpha-particle
      emitters (e.g., radon) are used to treat inflammatory diseases at low doses. In
      the present study, we established a flow chamber system, applicable for the
      investigation of radiation induced changes in the adhesion of lymphocytes to EC
      as readout for the onset of an inflammatory reaction or the modification of a pre
      existing inflammatory state. In this system, primary human EC are cultured under
      physiological laminar shear stress, subjected to a proinflammatory treatment
      and/or irradiation with X-rays or charged particles, followed by a coincubation
      with primary human lymphocytes (peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL)). Analysis is
      performed by semiautomated quantification of fluorescent staining in microscopic
      pictures. First results obtained after irradiation with X-rays or helium ions
      indicate decreased adhesion of PBL to EC under laminar conditions for both
      radiation qualities, whereas adhesion of PBL under static conditions is not
      clearly affected by irradiation. Under static conditions, no radiation-induced
      changes in surface expression of adhesion molecules and activation of nuclear
      factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling were observed after single cell-based high
      throughput analysis. In subsequent studies, these investigations will be extended
      to laminar conditions.

PMID- 28620385
TI  - The Antibody-Secreting Cell Response to Infection: Kinetics and Clinical
      Applications.
AB  - Despite the availability of advances in molecular diagnostic testing for
      infectious disease, there is still a need for tools that advance clinical care
      and public health. Current methods focus on pathogen detection with unprecedented
      precision, but often lack specificity. In contrast, the host immune response is
      highly specific for the infecting pathogen. Serological studies are rarely
      helpful in clinical settings, as they require acute and convalescent antibody
      testing. However, the B cell response is much more rapid and short-lived, making
      it an optimal target for determining disease aetiology in patients with
      infections. The performance of tests that aim to detect circulating antigen
      specific antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) has previously been unclear. Test
      performance is reliant on detecting the presence of ASCs in the peripheral blood.
      As such, the kinetics of the ASC response to infection, the antigen specificity
      of the ASC response, and the methods of ASC detection are all critical. In this
      review, we summarize previous studies that have used techniques to enumerate ASCs
      during infection. We describe the emergence, peak, and waning of these cells in
      peripheral blood during infection with a number of bacterial and viral pathogens,
      as well as malaria infection. We find that the timing of antigen-specific ASC
      appearance and disappearance is highly conserved across pathogens, with a peak
      response between day 7 and day 8 of illness and largely absent following day 14
      since onset of symptoms. Data show a sensitivity of ~90% and specificity >80% for
      pathogen detection using ASC-based methods. Overall, the summarised work
      indicates that ASC-based methods may be very sensitive and highly specific for
      determining the etiology of infection and have some advantages over current
      methods. Important areas of research remain, including more accurate definition
      of the timing of the ASC response to infection, the biological mechanisms
      underlying variability in its magnitude and the evolution and the B cell receptor
      in response to immune challenge. Nonetheless, there is potential of the ASC
      response to infection to be exploited as the basis for novel diagnostic tests to
      inform clinical care and public health priorities.

PMID- 28620387
TI  - Notch Regulates Macrophage-Mediated Inflammation in Diabetic Wound Healing.
AB  - Macrophages are essential immune cells necessary for regulated inflammation
      during wound healing. Recent studies have identified that Notch plays a role in
      macrophage-mediated inflammation. Thus, we investigated the role of Notch
      signaling on wound macrophage phenotype and function during normal and diabetic
      wound healing. We found that Notch receptor and ligand expression are dynamic in
      wound macrophages during normal healing. Mice with a myeloid-specific Notch
      signaling defect (DNMAMLfloxedLyz2Cre+ ) demonstrated delayed early healing (days
      1-3) and wound macrophages had decreased inflammatory gene expression. In our
      physiologic murine model of type 2 diabetes (T2D), Notch receptor expression was
      significantly increased in wound macrophages on day 6, following the initial
      inflammatory phase of wound healing, corresponding to increased inflammatory
      cytokine expression. This increase in Notch1 and Notch2 was also observed in
      human monocytes from patients with T2D. Further, in prediabetic mice with a
      genetic Notch signaling defect (DNMAMLfloxedLyz2Cre+ on a high-fat diet),
      improved wound healing was seen at late time points (days 6-7). These findings
      suggest that Notch is critical for the early inflammatory phase of wound healing
      and directs production of macrophage-dependent inflammatory mediators. These
      results identify that canonical Notch signaling is important in directing
      macrophage function in wound repair and define a translational target for the
      treatment of non-healing diabetic wounds.

PMID- 28620386
TI  - The Rise of Allogeneic Natural Killer Cells As a Platform for Cancer
      Immunotherapy: Recent Innovations and Future Developments.
AB  - Natural killer (NK) cells are critical immune effector cells in the fight against
      cancer. As NK cells in cancer patients are highly dysfunctional and reduced in
      number, adoptive transfer of large numbers of cytolytic NK cells and their
      potential to induce relevant antitumor responses are widely explored in cancer
      immunotherapy. Early studies from autologous NK cells have failed to demonstrate
      significant clinical benefit. In this review, the clinical benefits of adoptively
      transferred allogeneic NK cells in a transplant and non-transplant setting are
      compared and discussed in the context of relevant NK cell platforms that are
      being developed and optimized by various biotech industries with a special focus
      on augmenting NK cell functions.

PMID- 28620388
TI  - Trichinella spiralis Calreticulin Binds Human Complement C1q As an Immune Evasion
      Strategy.
AB  - As a multicellular parasitic nematode, Trichinella spiralis regulates host immune
      responses by producing a variety of immunomodulatory molecules to escape from
      host immune attack, but the mechanisms underlying the immune evasion are not well
      understood. Here, we identified that T. spiralis calreticulin (Ts-CRT), a Ca2+
      binding protein, facilitated T. spiralis immune evasion by interacting with the
      first component of human classical complement pathway, C1q. In the present study,
      Ts-CRT was found to be expressed on the surface of different developmental stages
      of T. spiralis as well as in the secreted products of adult and muscle larval
      worms. Functional analysis identified that Ts-CRT was able to bind to human C1q,
      resulting in the inhibition of C1q-initiated complement classical activation
      pathway reflected by reduced C4/C3 generation and C1q-dependent lysis of antibody
      sensitized sheep erythrocytes. Moreover, recombinant Ts-CRT (rTs-CRT) binding to
      C1q suppressed C1q-induced THP-1-derived macrophages chemotaxis and reduced
      monocyte-macrophages release of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs). Blocking Ts
      CRT on the surface of newborn larvae (NBL) of T. spiralis with anti-Ts-CRT
      antibody increased the C1q-mediated adherence of monocyte-macrophages to larvae
      and impaired larval infectivity. All of these results suggest that T. spiralis
      expressed Ts-CRT plays crucial roles in T. spiralis immune evasion and survival
      in host mostly by directly binding to host complement C1q, which not only reduces
      C1q-mediated activation of classical complement pathway but also inhibits the C1q
      induced non-complement activation of macrophages.

PMID- 28620389
TI  - 2-Deoxy-d-Glucose Treatment Decreases Anti-inflammatory M2 Macrophage
      Polarization in Mice with Tumor and Allergic Airway Inflammation.
AB  - As important effector cells in inflammation, macrophages can be functionally
      polarized into either inflammatory M1 or alternatively activated anti
      inflammatory M2 phenotype depending on surroundings. The key roles of glycolysis
      in M1 macrophage polarization have been well defined. However, the relationship
      between glycolysis and M2 polarized macrophages is still poorly understood. Here,
      we report that 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG), an inhibitor of the glycolytic pathway,
      markedly inhibited the expressions of Arg, Ym-1, Fizz1, and CD206 molecules, the
      hall-markers for M2 macrophages, during macrophages were stimulated with
      interleukin 4. The impacted M2 macrophage polarization by 2-DG is not due to cell
      death but caused by the impaired cellular glycolysis. Molecular mechanism studies
      indicate that the effect of 2-DG on M2 polarized macrophages relies on AMPK-Hif
      1alpha-dependent pathways. Importantly, 2-DG treatment significantly decreases
      anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage polarization and prevents disease progression in
      a series of mouse models with chitin administration, tumor, and allergic airway
      inflammation. Thus, the identification of the master role of glycolysis in M2
      macrophage polarization offers potential molecular targets for M2 macrophages
      mediated diseases. 2-DG therapy may have beneficial effects in patients with
      tumors or allergic airway inflammation by its negative regulation on M2
      macrophage polarization.

PMID- 28620390
TI  - Belatacept Does Not Inhibit Follicular T Cell-Dependent B-Cell Differentiation in
      Kidney Transplantation.
AB  - Humoral alloreactivity has been recognized as a common cause of kidney transplant
      dysfunction. B-cell activation, differentiation, and antibody production are
      dependent on IL-21+CXCR5+follicular T-helper (Tfh) cells. Here, we studied
      whether belatacept, an inhibitor of the costimulatory CD28-CD80/86-pathway,
      interrupts the crosstalk between Tfh- and B-cells more efficiently than the
      calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus. The suppressive effects of belatacept and
      tacrolimus on donor antigen-driven Tfh-B-cell interaction were functionally
      studied in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 40 kidney transplant patients
      randomized to a belatacept- or tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen. No
      significant differences in uncultured cells or donor antigen-stimulated cells
      were found between belatacept- and tacrolimus-treated patients in the CXCR5+Tfh
      cell generation and activation (upregulation of PD-1). Belatacept and tacrolimus
      in vitro minimally inhibited Tfh-cell generation (by ~6-7%) and partially
      prevented Tfh-cell activation (by ~30-50%). The proportion of IL-21+-activated
      Tfh-cells was partially decreased by in vitro addition of belatacept or
      tacrolimus (by ~60%). Baseline expressions and proportions of activated CD86+ B
      cells, plasmablasts, and transitional B-cells after donor antigen stimulation did
      not differ between belatacept- and tacrolimus-treated patients. Donor antigen
      driven CD86 upregulation on memory B-cells was not fully prevented by adding
      belatacept in vitro (~35%), even in supratherapeutic doses. In contrast to
      tacrolimus, belatacept failed to inhibit donor antigen-driven plasmablast
      formation (~50% inhibition vs. no inhibition, respectively, p < 0.0001). In
      summary, donor antigen-driven Tfh-B-cell crosstalk is similar in cells obtained
      from belatacept- and tacrolimus-treated patients. Belatacept is, however, less
      potent in vitro than tacrolimus in inhibiting Tfh-cell-dependent plasmablast
      formation.

PMID- 28620391
TI  - Toll-like Receptor-Dependent Negative Effects of Opioids: A Battle between
      Analgesia and Hyperalgesia.
AB  - Our understanding of the pathophysiology of the pathological pain and the
      pharmacology of analgesic treatments has progressed tremendously over the past
      two decades. Among the well-documented pro-algesic factors, glia and other toll
      like receptors (TLRs)-expressing cells in the neuroimmune interface have been
      recognized for their role in the development of neuropathic pain and for
      compromising the analgesic effects of opioids. Here, we comprehensively review
      the molecular mechanisms of pain initiation and progression, the role of TLRs in
      these processes, and the molecular mechanisms of morphine and morphine-3
      glucuronide in TLR-dependent central immune signaling. The data reviewed here
      suggest that, while targeting glia to treat neuropathic pain, both analgesic and
      analgesia-opposing effects of opioids must be considered by acknowledging their
      role in TLR-mediated signaling.

PMID- 28620392
TI  - Interleukin-25 Produced by Synoviocytes Has Anti-inflammatory Effects by Acting
      As a Receptor Antagonist for Interleukin-17A Function.
AB  - The production and function of cytokines are highly regulated. One mechanism is
      the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. As interleukin (IL)-17A
      and IL-25 share the IL-17RA receptor chain, we hypothesize that IL-25 acts as an
      IL-17A receptor antagonist and limits its pro-inflammatory effects. The
      production and expression kinetics of IL-25 and its receptor chains IL-17RA and
      RB were analyzed in rheumatoid synoviocytes alone or in coculture with peripheral
      blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The effects of autocrine or exogenous IL-25 on
      synoviocytes were investigated in the presence or not of an anti-IL-25 antibody.
      To study the regulatory effects of IL-25, synoviocytes and/or PBMCs were exposed
      to IL-25 before being treated with IL-17A and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha) alone or combined. IL-25, IL-6, and bioactive IL-17A were quantified in
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient plasma. Synoviocytes expressed and secreted IL
      25, and expressed the two chains of its receptor IL-17RA and IL-17RB. IL-17RB
      expression was increased by TNF-alpha. IL-25 production occurred at a delayed
      time point (5 days) after stimulation with IL-17A and TNF-alpha. Synoviocytes
      pretreated with IL-25 were less responsive to IL-17A and TNF-alpha. PBMCs exposed
      to IL-25 showed a decreased production of pro-inflammatory mediators, including
      IL-17A with a 57% decrease; p = 0.002. IL-25 levels were elevated in the plasma
      of RA patients compared to healthy subjects (p = 0.03). However, these levels are
      not high enough to inhibit the function of circulating IL-17A. In conclusion, it
      was shown for the first time that synoviocytes produce IL-25, specifically at
      late time points and that IL-25 acts as a regulator of IL-17A-driven
      inflammation, as indicated by in vitro results and in vivo, in a long-term RA
      patient follow-up. These results may be important when considering IL-17A
      inhibition.

PMID- 28620393
TI  - TWEAK/Fn14 Activation Participates in Ro52-Mediated Photosensitization in
      Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) binds to its
      sole receptor fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), participating in
      various inflammatory responses. Recently, TWEAK/Fn14 activation was found
      prominent in the lesions of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). This study was
      designed to further reveal the potential role of this pathway in Ro52-mediated
      photosensitization. TWEAK, Fn14, and Ro52 were determined in the skin lesions of
      patients with CLE. Murine keratinocytes received ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation
      or plus TWEAK stimulation and underwent detection for Ro52 and proinflammatory
      cytokines. The chemotaxis of J774.2 macrophages was evaluated on TWEAK
      stimulation of cocultured keratinocytes. We found that TWEAK, Fn14, and
      downstream cytokines were highly expressed in CLE lesions that overexpressed
      Ro52. Moreover, TWEAK enhanced the UVB-induced Ro52 upregulation in murine
      keratinocytes. Meanwhile, TWEAK stimulation of keratinocytes favored the
      migration of macrophages through promoting the production of chemokine C-C motif
      ligands 17 and 22. Furthermore, Fn14 siRNA transfection or nuclear factor-kappa B
      (NF-kappaB) inhibitor abrogated the TWEAK enhancement of Ro52 expression in
      keratinocytes. Similarly, TNF receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2) siRNA reduced
      the protein level of Ro52 in these cells upon TWEAK stimulation. Interestingly,
      UVB irradiation increased the expression of TNF receptor type 1 (TNFR1) but not
      affecting TNFR2 expression in keratinocytes. In conclusion, the TWEAK/Fn14
      signaling participates in Ro52-mediated photosensitization and involves the
      activation of NF-kappaB pathway as well as the function of the TRAF2/TNFR
      partners.

PMID- 28620394
TI  - Vitamin D Counteracts Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Induced Cathelicidin
      Downregulation in Dendritic Cells and Allows Th1 Differentiation and IFNgamma
      Secretion.
AB  - Tuberculosis (TB) presents a serious health problem with approximately one-third
      of the world's population infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a latent
      state. Experience from the pre-antibiotic era and more recent clinical studies
      have established a beneficial role of sunlight and vitamin D in patients with TB.
      At the same time, experimental data have shown that Th1 cells through production
      of IFNgamma are crucial for cathelicidin release by macrophages, bacterial
      killing, and containment of M. tuberculosis in granulomas. Paradoxically, vitamin
      D has repeatedly been ascribed an immune-suppressive function inhibiting Th1
      differentiation and production of IFNgamma in T cells. The aim of this study was
      to investigate this apparent paradox. We studied naive human CD4+ T cells
      activated either with CD3 and CD28 antibodies or with allogeneic dendritic cells
      (DC) stimulated with heat-killed M. tuberculosis (HKMT) or purified toll-like
      receptor (TLR) ligands. We show that vitamin D does not block differentiation of
      human CD4+ T cells to Th1 cells and that interleukin (IL)-12 partially
      counteracts vitamin D-mediated inhibition of IFNgamma production promoting
      production of equal amounts of IFNgamma in Th1 cells in the presence of vitamin D
      as in T cells activated in the absence of vitamin D and IL-12. Furthermore, we
      show that HKMT and TLR2 ligands strongly downregulate cathelicidin expression in
      DC and that vitamin D counteracts this by upregulating cathelicidin expression.
      In conclusion, we demonstrate that vitamin D counteracts M. tuberculosis-induced
      cathelicidin downregulation and allows Th1 differentiation and IFNgamma
      secretion.

PMID- 28620395
TI  - Genome-Wide Identification of Glyoxalase Genes in Medicago truncatula and Their
      Expression Profiling in Response to Various Developmental and Environmental
      Stimuli.
AB  - Glyoxalase is an evolutionary highly conserved pathway present in all organisms.
      Conventional glyoxalase pathway has two enzymes, glyoxalase I (GLYI) and
      glyoxalase II (GLYII) that act sequentially to detoxify a highly cytotoxic
      compound methylglyoxal (MG) to D-lactate with the help of reduced glutathione.
      Recently, proteins with DJ-1/PfpI domain have been reported to perform the same
      conversion in a single step without the help of any cofactor and thus termed as
      "unique glyoxalase III" enzyme. Genome-wide analysis of glyoxalase genes have
      been previously conducted in Arabidopsis, rice and Soybean plants, but no such
      study was performed for one of the agricultural important model legume species,
      Medicago truncatula. A comprehensive genome-wide analysis of Medicago identified
      a total of putative 29 GLYI, 14 GLYII genes, and 5 glyoxalase III (DJ-1) genes.
      All these identified genes and their corresponding proteins were analyzed in
      detail including their chromosomal distribution, gene duplication, phylogenetic
      relationship, and the presence of conserved domain(s). Expression of all these
      genes was analyzed in different tissues as well as under two devastating abiotic
      stresses- salinity and drought using publicly available transcript data. This
      study revealed that MtGLYI-4, MtGLYII-6, and MtDJ-1A are the constitutive members
      with a high level of expression at all 17 analyzed tissues; while MtGLYI-1,
      MtGLYI-11, MtGLYI-5, MtGLYI-7, and MtGLYII-13 showed tissue-specific expression.
      Moreover, most of the genes displayed similar pattern of expression in response
      to both salinity and drought stress, irrespective of stress duration and tissue
      type. MtGLYI-8, MtGLYI-11, MtGLYI-6, MtGLYI-16, MtGLYI-21, and MtGLYII-9 showed
      up-regulation, while MtGLYI-17 and MtGLYI-7/9 showed down-regulation in response
      to both stresses. Interestingly, MtGLYI-14/15 showed completely opposite pattern
      of expression in these two stresses. This study provides an initial basis about
      the physiological significance of glyoxalase genes in plant development and
      stress response of Medicago that could be explored further.

PMID- 28620396
TI  - Identification of a Potential ISR Determinant from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PM12
      against Fusarium Wilt in Tomato.
AB  - Biocontrol of plant diseases through induction of systemic resistance is an
      environmental friendly substitute to chemicals in crop protection measures.
      Different biotic and abiotic elicitors can trigger the plant for induced
      resistance. Present study was designed to explore the potential of Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa PM12 in inducing systemic resistance in tomato against Fusarium wilt.
      Initially the bioactive compound, responsible for ISR, was separated and
      identified from extracellular filtrate of P. aeruginosa PM12. After that
      purification and characterization of the bacterial crude extracts was carried out
      through a series of organic solvents. The fractions exhibiting ISR activity were
      further divided into sub-fractions through column chromatography. Sub fraction
      showing maximum ISR activity was subjected to Gas chromatography/mass
      spectrometry for the identification of compounds. Analytical result showed three
      compounds in the ISR active sub-fraction viz: 3-hydroxy-5-methoxy benzene
      methanol (HMB), eugenol and tyrosine. Subsequent bioassays proved that HMB is the
      potential ISR determinant that significantly ameliorated Fusarium wilt of tomato
      when applied as soil drench method at the rate of 10 mM. In the next step of this
      study, GC-MS analysis was performed to detect changes induced in primary and
      secondary metabolites of tomato plants by the ISR determinant. Plants were
      treated with HMB and Fusarium oxysporum in different combinations showing
      intensive re- modulations in defense related pathways. This work concludes that
      HMB is the potential elicitor involved in dynamic reprogramming of plant pathways
      which functionally contributes in defense responses. Furthermore the use of
      biocontrol agents as natural enemies of soil borne pathogens besides enhancing
      production potential of crop can provide a complementary tactic for sustainable
      integrated pest management.

PMID- 28620397
TI  - Metabolome Dynamics of Smutted Sugarcane Reveals Mechanisms Involved in Disease
      Progression and Whip Emission.
AB  - Sugarcane smut disease, caused by the biotrophic fungus Sporisorium scitamineum,
      is characterized by the development of a whip-like structure from the plant
      meristem. The disease causes negative effects on sucrose accumulation, fiber
      content and juice quality. The aim of this study was to exam whether the
      transcriptomic changes already described during the infection of sugarcane by S.
      scitamineum result in changes at the metabolomic level. To address this question,
      an analysis was conducted during the initial stage of the interaction and through
      disease progression in a susceptible sugarcane genotype. GC-TOF-MS allowed the
      identification of 73 primary metabolites. A set of these compounds was
      quantitatively altered at each analyzed point as compared with healthy plants.
      The results revealed that energetic pathways and amino acid pools were affected
      throughout the interaction. Raffinose levels increased shortly after infection
      but decreased remarkably after whip emission. Changes related to cell wall
      biosynthesis were characteristic of disease progression and suggested a loosening
      of its structure to allow whip growth. Lignin biosynthesis related to whip
      formation may rely on Tyr metabolism through the overexpression of a bifunctional
      PTAL. The altered levels of Met residues along with overexpression of SAM
      synthetase and ACC synthase genes suggested a role for ethylene in whip emission.
      Moreover, unique secondary metabolites antifungal-related were identified using
      LC-ESI-MS approach, which may have potential biomarker applications. Lastly, a
      putative toxin was the most important fungal metabolite identified whose role
      during infection remains to be established.

PMID- 28620398
TI  - Genome-Wide Association Study of Grain Architecture in Wild Wheat Aegilops
      tauschii.
AB  - Aegilops tauschii, the D-genome progenitor of Triticum aestivum, encompasses huge
      diversity for various traits of potential economic importance such as yield,
      biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, quality and nutrition. In the present study,
      variation for grain size in Ae. tauschii germplasm was studied and its genetic
      basis dissected using genome-wide association study (GWAS). Grain length, width,
      and weight evaluated in 177 Ae. tauschii accessions over 3 years showed near
      normal distribution with 1.74-, 1.75-, and 2.82-fold variation, respectively.
      These lines were genetically characterized using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS)
      protocol that produced 11,489 single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers.
      Genetic diversity analysis revealed the presence of two distinct subgroups
      (designated as lineage 1 and 2) in Ae. tauschii. Based on GBS markers, the
      genetic similarity was calculated between the accessions and GWAS was conducted
      using 114 non-redundant accessions and 5,249 SNP markers. A total of 17 SNPs
      associated with grain size traits distributed over all the seven chromosomes were
      revealed with 6D, 5D, and 2D harboring most significant marker-trait
      associations. Some of the chromosomal regions such as 6D_66.4-71.1 cM, 1D_143.5
      156.7 cM, and 2D_89.9-92.5 cM had associations with multiple traits. Candidate
      genes associated with cell division and differentiation were identified for some
      of the associated SNP markers. Further efforts to validate these loci will help
      to understand their role in determining grain size and allelic diversity in
      current germplasm and its effect on grain size upon transfer to bread wheat
      background.

PMID- 28620399
TI  - Timing Is Important: Unmanned Aircraft vs. Satellite Imagery in Plant Invasion
      Monitoring.
AB  - The rapid spread of invasive plants makes their management increasingly
      difficult. Remote sensing offers a means of fast and efficient monitoring, but
      still the optimal methodologies remain to be defined. The seasonal dynamics and
      spectral characteristics of the target invasive species are important factors,
      since, at certain time of the vegetation season (e.g., at flowering or
      senescing), plants are often more distinct (or more visible beneath the canopy).
      Our aim was to establish fast, repeatable and a cost-efficient, computer-assisted
      method applicable over larger areas, to reduce the costs of extensive field
      campaigns. To achieve this goal, we examined how the timing of monitoring affects
      the detection of noxious plant invaders in Central Europe, using two model
      herbaceous species with markedly different phenological, structural, and spectral
      characteristics. They are giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), a species
      with very distinct flowering phase, and the less distinct knotweeds (Fallopia
      japonica, F. sachalinensis, and their hybrid F. * bohemica). The variety of data
      generated, such as imagery from purposely-designed, unmanned aircraft vehicle
      (UAV), and VHR satellite, and aerial color orthophotos enabled us to assess the
      effects of spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution (i.e., the target species'
      phenological state) for successful recognition. The demands for both spatial and
      spectral resolution depended largely on the target plant species. In the case
      that a species was sampled at the most distinct phenological phase, high accuracy
      was achieved even with lower spectral resolution of our low-cost UAV. This
      demonstrates that proper timing can to some extent compensate for the lower
      spectral resolution. The results of our study could serve as a basis for
      identifying priorities for management, targeted at localities with the greatest
      risk of invasive species' spread and, once eradicated, to monitor over time any
      return. The best mapping strategy should reflect morphological and structural
      features of the target plant and choose appropriate spatial, spectral, and
      temporal resolution. The UAV enables flexible data acquisition for required time
      periods at low cost and is, therefore, well-suited for targeted monitoring; while
      satellite imagery provides the best solution for larger areas. Nonetheless, users
      must be aware of their limits.

PMID- 28620400
TI  - Comparing Pixel and Object-Based Approaches to Map an Understorey Invasive Shrub
      in Tropical Mixed Forests.
AB  - The establishment of invasive alien species in varied habitats across the world
      is now recognized as a genuine threat to the preservation of biodiversity.
      Specifically, plant invasions in understory tropical forests are detrimental to
      the persistence of healthy ecosystems. Monitoring such invasions using Very High
      Resolution (VHR) satellite remote sensing has been shown to be valuable in
      designing management interventions for conservation of native habitats. Object
      based classification methods are very helpful in identifying invasive plants in
      various habitats, by their inherent nature of imitating the ability of the human
      brain in pattern recognition. However, these methods have not been tested
      adequately in dense tropical mixed forests where invasion occurs in the
      understorey. This study compares a pixel-based and object-based classification
      method for mapping the understorey invasive shrub Lantana camara (Lantana) in a
      tropical mixed forest habitat in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India.
      Overall, a hierarchical approach of mapping top canopy at first, and then further
      processing for the understorey shrub, using measures such as texture and
      vegetation indices proved effective in separating out Lantana from other cover
      types. In the first method, we implement a simple parametric supervised
      classification for mapping cover types, and then process within these types for
      Lantana delineation. In the second method, we use an object-based segmentation
      algorithm to map cover types, and then perform further processing for separating
      Lantana. The improved ability of the object-based approach to delineate
      structurally distinct objects with characteristic spectral and spatial
      characteristics of their own, as well as with reference to their surroundings,
      allows for much flexibility in identifying invasive understorey shrubs among the
      complex vegetation of the tropical forest than that provided by the parametric
      classifier. Conservation practices in tropical mixed forests can benefit greatly
      by adopting methods which use high resolution remotely sensed data and advanced
      techniques to monitor the patterns and effective functioning of native ecosystems
      by periodically mapping disturbances such as invasion.

PMID- 28620401
TI  - Transcriptome Profiling of Tomato Uncovers an Involvement of Cytochrome P450s and
      Peroxidases in Stigma Color Formation.
AB  - Stigma is a crucial structure of female reproductive organ in plants. Stigma
      color is usually regarded as an important trait in variety identification in some
      species, but the molecular mechanism of stigma color formation remains elusive.
      Here, we characterized a tomato mutant, yellow stigma (ys), that shows yellow
      rather than typical green color in the stigma. Analysis of pigment contents
      revealed that the level of flavonoid naringenin chalcone was increased in the ys
      stigma, possibly as a result of higher accumulation of p-coumaric acid,
      suggesting that naringenin chalcone might play a vital role in yellow color
      control in tomato stigma. To understand the genes and gene networks that regulate
      tomato stigma color, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses were performed to compare
      the transcriptomes of stigmas between ys mutant and wild-type (WT). We obtained
      507 differentially expressed genes, in which, 84 and 423 genes were significantly
      up-regulated and down-regulated in the ys mutant, respectively. Two cytochrome
      P450 genes, SlC3H1 and SlC3H2 which encode p-coumarate 3-hydroxylases, and six
      peroxidase genes were identified to be dramatically inhibited in the yellow
      stigma. Further bioinformatic and biochemical analyses implied that the
      repression of the two SlC3Hs and six PODs may indirectly lead to higher
      naringenin chalcone level through inhibiting lignin biosynthesis, thereby
      contributing to yellow coloration in tomato stigma. Thus, our data suggest that
      two SlC3Hs and six PODs are involved in yellow stigma formation. This study
      provides valuable information for dissecting the molecular mechanism of stigma
      color control in tomato. Statement: This study reveals that two cytochrome P450s
      (SlC3H1 and SlC3H2) and six peroxidases potentially regulate the yellow stigma
      formation by indirectly enhancing biosynthesis of yellow-colored naringenin
      chalcone in the stigma of tomato.

PMID- 28620402
TI  - The xantha Marker Trait Is Associated with Altered Tetrapyrrole Biosynthesis and
      Deregulated Transcription of PhANGs in Rice.
AB  - The xantha marker trait, which is controlled by a down-regulating epi-mutation of
      OsGUN4, has been applied to the production of hybrid rice. However, the molecular
      basis for the ability of xantha mutants to attain high photosynthetic capacity
      even with decreased chlorophyll contents has not been characterized. In the
      present study, we observed that the total chlorophyll content of the xantha
      mutant was only 27.2% of that of the wild-type (WT) plants. However, the xantha
      mutant still accumulated 59.9% of the WT delta-aminolevulinic acid content, 72.8%
      of the WT Mg-protoporphyrin IX content, and 63.0% of the WT protochlorophyllide a
      content. Additionally, the protoporphyrin IX and heme contents in the mutant
      increased to 155.0 and 160.0%, respectively, of the WT levels. A search for
      homologs resulted in the identification of 124 rice genes involved in
      tetrapyrrole biosynthesis and photosynthesis. With the exception of OsGUN4, OsHO
      1, and OsHO-2, the expression levels of the genes involved in tetrapyrrole
      biosynthesis were significantly higher in the xantha mutant than in the WT
      plants, as were all 72 photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes. In contrast,
      there were no differences between the xantha mutant and WT plants regarding the
      expression of all 22 photosynthesis-associated chloroplast genes. Furthermore,
      the abundance of 1O2 and the expression levels of 1O2-related genes were lower in
      the xantha mutant than in the WT plants, indicating 1O2-mediated retrograde
      signaling was repressed in the mutant plants. These results suggested that the
      abundance of protoporphyrin IX used for chlorophyll synthesis decreased in the
      mutant, which ultimately decreased the amount of chlorophyll in the xantha
      mutant. Additionally, the up-regulated expression of photosynthesis-associated
      nuclear genes enabled the mutant to attain a high photosynthetic capacity. Our
      findings confirm that OsGUN4 plays an important role in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis
      and photosynthesis in rice. GUN4, chlorophyll synthesis pathways, and
      photosynthetic activities are highly conserved in plants and hence, novel traits
      (e.g., xantha marker trait) may be generated in other cereal crops by modifying
      the GUN4 gene.

PMID- 28620403
TI  - Genetic Mechanisms of the Devious Intruder Candidatus Liberibacter in Citrus.

PMID- 28620404
TI  - Oral Administration of a Seed-based Bivalent Rotavirus Vaccine Containing VP6 and
      NSP4 Induces Specific Immune Responses in Mice.
AB  - Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrheal disease among newborns. Plant
      based rotavirus vaccines have been developed in recent years and have been proven
      to be effective in animal models. In the present study, we report a bivalent
      vaccine candidate expressing rotavirus subunits VP6 and NSP4 fused with the
      adjuvant subunit B of E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LTB) in maize seeds. The
      RT-PCR and Western blot results showed that VP6 and LTB-NSP4 antigens were
      expressed and accumulated in maize seeds. The expression levels were as high as
      0.35 and 0.20% of the total soluble protein for VP6 and LTB-NSP4, respectively.
      Oral administration of transgenic maize seeds successfully stimulated systemic
      and mucosal responses, with high titers of serum IgG and mucosal IgA antibodies,
      even after long-term storage. This study is the first to use maize seeds as
      efficient generators for the development of a bivalent vaccine against rotavirus.

PMID- 28620405
TI  - LeafletAnalyzer, an Automated Software for Quantifying, Comparing and Classifying
      Blade and Serration Features of Compound Leaves during Development, and among
      Induced Mutants and Natural Variants in the Legume Medicago truncatula.
AB  - Diverse leaf forms ranging from simple to compound leaves are found in plants. It
      is known that the final leaf size and shape vary greatly in response to
      developmental and environmental changes. However, changes in leaf size and shape
      have been quantitatively characterized only in a limited number of species. Here,
      we report development of LeafletAnalyzer, an automated image analysis and
      classification software to analyze and classify blade and serration
      characteristics of trifoliate leaves in Medicago truncatula. The software
      processes high quality leaf images in an automated or manual fashion to generate
      size and shape parameters for both blades and serrations. In addition, it
      generates spectral components for each leaflets using elliptic Fourier
      transformation. Reconstruction studies show that the spectral components can be
      reliably used to rebuild the original leaflet images, with low, and middle and
      high frequency spectral components corresponding to the outline and serration of
      leaflets, respectively. The software uses artificial neutral network or k-means
      classification method to classify leaflet groups that are developed either on
      successive nodes of stems within a genotype or among genotypes such as natural
      variants and developmental mutants. The automated feature of the software allows
      analysis of thousands of leaf samples within a short period of time, thus
      facilitating identification, comparison and classification of leaf groups based
      on leaflet size, shape and tooth features during leaf development, and among
      induced mutants and natural variants.

PMID- 28620406
TI  - Next-Generation Sequencing from Bulked-Segregant Analysis Accelerates the
      Simultaneous Identification of Two Qualitative Genes in Soybean.
AB  - Next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based bulked-segregant analysis (BSA) approaches
      have been proven successful for rapidly mapping genes in plant species. However,
      most such methods are based on mutants and usually only one gene controlling the
      mutant phenotype is identified. In this study, NGS-based BSA was employed to map
      simultaneously two qualitative genes controlling cotyledon color of seed in
      soybean. Yellow-cotyledon (YC) and green-cotyledon (GC) bulks from progenies of a
      biparental population (Zhonghuang 30 * Jiyu 102) were sequenced. The SNP-index of
      each SNP locus in YC and GC bulks was calculated and two genomic regions on
      chromosomes 1 and 11 harboring, respectively, loci qCC1 and qCC2 were identified
      by Delta(SNP-index) analysis. These two BSA-seq-derived loci were further
      validated with SSR markers and fine-mapped. qCC1 was mapped to a 30.7-kb region
      containing four annotated genes and qCC2 was mapped to a 67.7-kb region with nine
      genes. These two regions contained, respectively, genes D1 and D2, which had
      previously been identified by homology-based cloning as being associated with
      cotyledon color. Sequence analysis of the NGS data also identified a frameshift
      deletion in the coding region of D1. These results suggested that BSA-seq could
      accelerate the mapping of loci controlling qualitative traits, even if a trait is
      controlled by more than one locus.

PMID- 28620407
TI  - Antioxidant Responses Induced by UVB Radiation in Deschampsia antarctica Desv.
AB  - Deschampsia antarctica Desv. is one of two vascular plants that live in the
      Maritime Antarctic Territory and is exposed to high levels of ultraviolet-B (UVB)
      radiation. In this work, antioxidant physiology of D. antarctica was studied in
      response to UVB induced oxidative changes. Samples were collected from Antarctica
      and maintained in vitro culture during 2 years. Plants were sub-cultured in a
      hydroponic system and exposed to 21.4 kJ m-2 day-1, emulating summer Antarctic
      conditions. Results showed rapid and significant increases in reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) at 3 h, which rapidly decreased. No dramatic changes were observed
      in photosynthetic efficiency, chlorophyll content, and level of thiobarbituric
      acid reactive species (MDA). The enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, SOD and total
      peroxidases, POD) and non-enzymatic antioxidant activity (total phenolic)
      increased significantly in response to UVB treatment. These findings suggest that
      tolerance of D. antarctica to UVB radiation could be attributed to its ability to
      activate both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems.

PMID- 28620408
TI  - Quality Control of the Traditional Patent Medicine Yimu Wan Based on SMRT
      Sequencing and DNA Barcoding.
AB  - Substandard traditional patent medicines may lead to global safety-related
      issues. Protecting consumers from the health risks associated with the integrity
      and authenticity of herbal preparations is of great concern. Of particular
      concern is quality control for traditional patent medicines. Here, we establish
      an effective approach for verifying the biological composition of traditional
      patent medicines based on single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and DNA
      barcoding. Yimu Wan (YMW), a classical herbal prescription recorded in the
      Chinese Pharmacopoeia, was chosen to test the method. Two reference YMW samples
      were used to establish a standard method for analysis, which was then applied to
      three different batches of commercial YMW samples. A total of 3703 and 4810
      circular-consensus sequencing (CCS) reads from two reference and three commercial
      YMW samples were mapped to the ITS2 and psbA-trnH regions, respectively.
      Moreover, comparison of intraspecific genetic distances based on SMRT sequencing
      data with reference data from Sanger sequencing revealed an ITS2 and psbA-trnH
      intergenic spacer that exhibited high intraspecific divergence, with the sites of
      variation showing significant differences within species. Using the CCS strategy
      for SMRT sequencing analysis was adequate to guarantee the accuracy of
      identification. This study demonstrates the application of SMRT sequencing to
      detect the biological ingredients of herbal preparations. SMRT sequencing
      provides an affordable way to monitor the legality and safety of traditional
      patent medicines.

PMID- 28620409
TI  - Real-Time Determination of Photosynthesis, Transpiration, Water-Use Efficiency
      and Gene Expression of Two Sorghum bicolor (Moench) Genotypes Subjected to Dry
      Down.
AB  - Plant growth and productivity are strongly affected by limited water availability
      in drought prone environments. The current climate change scenario, characterized
      by long periods without precipitations followed by short but intense rainfall,
      forces plants to implement different strategies to cope with drought stress.
      Understanding how plants use water during periods of limited water availability
      is of primary importance to identify and select the best adapted genotypes to a
      certain environment. Two sorghum genotypes IS22330 and IS20351, previously
      characterized as drought tolerant and drought sensitive genotypes, were subjected
      to progressive drought stress through a dry-down experiment. A whole-canopy multi
      chamber system was used to determine the in vivo water use efficiency (WUE). This
      system records whole-canopy net photosynthetic and transpiration rate of 12
      chambers five times per hour allowing the calculation of whole-canopy
      instantaneous WUE daily trends. Daily net photosynthesis and transpiration rates
      were coupled with gene expression dynamics of five drought related genes. Under
      drought stress, the tolerant genotype increased expression level for all the
      genes analyzed, whilst the opposite trend was highlighted by the drought
      sensitive genotype. Correlation between gene expression dynamics and gas exchange
      measurements allowed to identify three genes as valuable candidate to assess
      drought tolerance in sorghum.

PMID- 28620410
TI  - Transcriptome Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes Induced by Low and High
      Potassium Levels Provides Insight into Fruit Sugar Metabolism of Pear.
AB  - Potassium (K) deficiency is a common abiotic stress that can inhibit the growth
      of fruit and thus reduce crop yields. Little research has been conducted on pear
      transcriptional changes under low and high K conditions. Here, we performed an
      experiment with 7-year-old pot-grown "Huangguan" pear trees treated with low,
      Control or high K levels (0, 0.4, or 0.8 g.K2O/kg soil, respectively) during
      fruit enlargement and mature stages. We identified 36,444 transcripts from leaves
      and fruit using transcriptome sequencing technology. From 105 days after full
      blooming (DAB) to 129 DAB, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in
      leaves and fruit in response to low K increased, while in response to high K, the
      number of DEGs in leaves and fruit decreased. We selected 17 of these DEGs for
      qRT-PCR analysis to confirm the RNA sequencing results. Based on GO enrichment
      and KEGG pathway analysis, we found that low-K treatment significantly reduced K
      nutrient and carbohydrate metabolism of the leaves and fruit compared with the
      Control treatment. During the fruit development stages, AKT1 (gene39320) played
      an important role on K+ transport of the leaves and fruit response to K stress.
      At maturity, sucrose and acid metabolic pathways were inhibited by low K. The up
      regulation of the expression of three SDH and two S6PDH genes involved in
      sorbitol metabolism was induced by low K, promoting the fructose accumulation.
      Simultaneously, higher expression was found for genes encoding amylase under low
      K, promoting the decomposition of the starch and leading the glucose
      accumulation. High K could enhance leaf photosynthesis, and improve the
      distribution of the nutrient and carbohydrate from leaf to fruit. Sugar
      components of the leaves and fruit under low K were regulated by the expression
      of genes encoding 8 types of hormone signals and reactive oxygen species (ROS).
      Our data revealed the gene expression patterns of leaves and fruit in response to
      different K levels during the middle and late stages of fruit development as well
      as the molecular mechanism of improvement of fruit sugar levels by K and provided
      a scientific basis for improving fruit quality with supplemental K fertilizers.

PMID- 28620411
TI  - ViCAR: An Adaptive and Landmark-Free Registration of Time Lapse Image Data from
      Microfluidics Experiments.
AB  - In order to understand gene function in bacterial life cycles, time lapse
      bioimaging is applied in combination with different marker protocols in so called
      microfluidics chambers (i.e., a multi-well plate). In one experiment, a series of
      T images is recorded for one visual field, with a pixel resolution of 60 nm/px.
      Any (semi-)automatic analysis of the data is hampered by a strong image noise,
      low contrast and, last but not least, considerable irregular shifts during the
      acquisition. Image registration corrects such shifts enabling next steps of the
      analysis (e.g., feature extraction or tracking). Image alignment faces two
      obstacles in this microscopic context: (a) highly dynamic structural changes in
      the sample (i.e., colony growth) and (b) an individual data set-specific sample
      environment which makes the application of landmarks-based alignments almost
      impossible. We present a computational image registration solution, we refer to
      as ViCAR: (Vi)sual (C)ues based (A)daptive (R)egistration, for such microfluidics
      experiments, consisting of (1) the detection of particular polygons (outlined and
      segmented ones, referred to as visual cues), (2) the adaptive retrieval of three
      coordinates throughout different sets of frames, and finally (3) an image
      registration based on the relation of these points correcting both rotation and
      translation. We tested ViCAR with different data sets and have found that it
      provides an effective spatial alignment thereby paving the way to extract
      temporal features pertinent to each resulting bacterial colony. By using ViCAR,
      we achieved an image registration with 99.9% of image closeness, based on the
      average rmsd of 4.10-2 pixels, and superior results compared to a state of the
      art algorithm.

PMID- 28620413
TI  - The Effect of a Synthetic Heparan Sulfate on the Healing of Colonic Anastomoses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The mimetic compound OTR4120 may replace endogenous-degraded heparan
      sulfates that normally maintain the bioactivity of growth factors that are
      important for tissue repair. Herein, we investigated the effect of OTR4120 on the
      healing of normal colonic anastomoses. METHODS: We evaluated the following two
      treatment groups of male Sprague Dawley rats (220-256 g): control-treated colonic
      anastomoses (n = 25) and OTR4120-treated colonic anastomoses (n = 25). We
      resected 10 mm of the left colon and then applied either saline alone (control)
      or OTR4120 (100 MUg/mL) in saline to the colonic ends before an end-to-end single
      layer anastomosis was constructed and again on the anastomosis before the abdomen
      and skin were closed. RESULTS: On postoperative day 3, the anastomotic breaking
      strengths were 1.47 +/- 0.32 N (mean +/- SD) in the control group and 1.52 +/-
      0.27 N in the OTR4120-treated animals (P = 0.622). We also found that the
      hydroxyproline concentration (indicator of collagen) in the anastomotic wounds
      did not differ (P = 0.571) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data
      demonstrate that a single local application of OTR4120 intraoperatively did not
      increase the biomechanical strength of colonic anastomoses at the critical
      postoperative day 3 when the anastomoses are the weakest.

PMID- 28620412
TI  - Single-Cell mRNA Sequencing in Cancer Research: Integrating the Genomic
      Fingerprint.
AB  - Critical cancer mutations are often regional and mosaic, confounding the efficacy
      of targeted therapeutics. Single cell mRNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has enabled
      unprecedented studies of intra-tumor heterogeneity and its role in cancer
      progression, metastasis, and treatment resistance. When coupled with DNA
      sequencing, scRNA-seq allows one to infer the in vivo impact of genomic
      alterations on gene expression. This combination can be used to reliably
      distinguish neoplastic from non-neoplastic cells, to correlate paracrine
      signaling pathways between neoplastic cells and stroma, and to map expression
      signatures to inferred clones and phylogenies. Here we review recent advances in
      scRNA-seq, with a special focus on cancer. We discuss the challenges and
      prospects of combining scRNA-seq with DNA sequencing to assess intra-tumor
      heterogeneity.

PMID- 28620414
TI  - Immunological Aspects of Gastrointestinal Diseases.

PMID- 28620415
TI  - A Novel Surgical Technique for Fixation of Recurrent Acromioclavicular
      Dislocations: AC Dog Bone Technique in Combination with Autogenous Semitendinosus
      Tendon Graft.
AB  - Various surgical techniques have been described for the fixation of
      acromioclavicular (AC) dislocations. However, recurrent dislocation is one of the
      main complications associated with the majority of these techniques. We report a
      case of postoperative AC joint redislocation. In order to overcome recurrent
      dislocation after revision surgery, a reconstruction of the conoid and trapezoid
      ligament with the use of a free tendon graft in combination with a FiberTape was
      provided within a novel surgical technique. After 12 months, the patient was very
      satisfied with the functional outcome. The patient achieved excellent results in
      the Constant (98 points), SPADI (0 points), and QuickDASH score (0 points). The
      described technique results in an anatomic reconstruction of the AC joint. The
      nonrigid nature of the intervention seems to restore the normal arthrokinematics
      by reconstructing the coracoclavicular ligaments with an autograft which is then
      protected by the AC Dog Bone artificial ligaments during the healing period. The
      arthroscopic approach to the AC joint with minimal exposure reduces the risks and
      complications of the intervention. This is the first case in literature that
      utilizes the artificial dog bone ligament securing the autograft in an anatomic
      AC reconstruction.

PMID- 28620416
TI  - Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Multiple Manifestations in a Single Patient-A High
      Suspicion Is Still Needed.
AB  - Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder with clinical and
      laboratory features of vascular thrombosis, pregnancy loss, and persistent
      antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs). The pathophysiology is thought to involve the
      activation of endothelial cells, monocytes, platelets, and complement by aPLs.
      Disease can range from asymptomatic to rapidly fatal catastrophic APS. We present
      a case of a 34-year-old male referred for pancytopenia and splenomegaly. On
      examination, he had decreased sensation and 4/5 power in the left upper
      extremity. A lacy, purplish rash was noted on the trunk and upper extremity. MRI
      of brain showed acute/subacute lacunar infarctions. Laboratory studies revealed
      an elevated lactate dehydrogenase level, bilirubin and ferritin, decreased
      haptoglobin, and positive Coombs test. Antinuclear antibody test was negative and
      antiphospholipid antibody panel revealed positivity for anti-cardiolipin IgG and
      IgM, antiphosphatidylserine IgG, and anti-beta2-glycoprotein IgG. The patient was
      diagnosed with primary APS. Pancytopenia is relatively rare in primary APS and is
      more often seen in secondary APS. Our patient demonstrated involvement of
      multiple organ systems as well as livedo reticularis and autoimmune-related
      findings such as Raynaud phenomenon and Coombs positive hemolytic anemia. We
      discuss the various clinical and laboratory findings in patients with APS that
      aid in diagnosis, as well as important management considerations.

PMID- 28620417
TI  - Molecular Targets and Associated Potential Pathways of Danlu Capsules in
      Hyperplasia of Mammary Glands Based on Systems Pharmacology.
AB  - Hyperplasia of mammary glands (HMG) is common in middle-aged women. Danlu
      capsules (DLCs) can effectively relieve pain and improve clinical symptoms and
      are safe for treating HMG. However, the active substances in DLCs and the
      molecular mechanisms of DLCs in HMG remain unclear. This study identified the
      bioactive compounds and delineated the molecular targets and potential pathways
      of DLCs by using a systems pharmacology approach. The candidate compounds were
      retrieved from the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP)
      database and analysis platform. Each candidate's druggability was analyzed
      according to its oral bioavailability and drug-likeness indices. The candidate
      proteins and genes were extracted in the TCMSP and UniProt Knowledgebase,
      respectively. The potential pathways associated with the genes were identified by
      performing gene enrichment analysis with DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 6.7. A
      total of 603 compounds were obtained from DLCs, and 39 compounds and 66 targets
      associated with HMG were obtained. Gene enrichment analysis yielded 10
      significant pathways with 34 targets. The integrated HMG pathway revealed that
      DLCs probably act in patients with HMG through multiple mechanisms of anti
      inflammation, analgesic effects, and hormonal regulation. This study provides
      novel insights into the mechanisms of DLCs in HMG, from the molecular level to
      the pathway level.

PMID- 28620418
TI  - The Changes in Rats with Sciatic Nerve Crush Injury Supplemented with Evening
      Primrose Oil: Behavioural, Morphologic, and Morphometric Analysis.
AB  - Nerve crush injuries are commonly used models for axonotmesis to examine
      peripheral nerve regeneration. As evening primrose oil (EPO) is rich in omega-6
      essential fatty acid component and gamma-linolenic acid, studies have shown the
      potential role of EPO in myelination. Seventy-two healthy adult Sprague-Dawley
      rats were classified into three groups: normal group, control group, and
      experimental group. The result indicates that there was significant difference in
      toe-spreading reflex between the normal and the control groups (1.9 +/- 0.031, p
      < 0.05) and the normal and the EPO groups (0.4 +/- 0.031, p < 0.05) and
      significant difference between EPO and the control groups (1.5 +/- 0.031, p <
      0.05). Regeneration of axons and myelin in nerve fibre in the EPO-treated group
      developed better and faster than in the control group. In the control group, the
      shape of the axon was irregular with a thinner myelin sheath. In the experimental
      group, the shape of the axons, the thickness of the myelin sheath, and the
      diameter of the axons were almost the same as in the normal group. In conclusion,
      EPO supplementation may be beneficial as a therapeutic option for disturbances of
      nerve interaction.

PMID- 28620419
TI  - Periplaneta americana Extracts Promote Skin Wound Healing via Nuclear Factor
      Kappa B Canonical Pathway and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Signaling.
AB  - Periplaneta americana extracts (PAEs) exhibit wound healing properties. However,
      the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we treated
      human skin fibroblasts (HSF) with PAE and the proliferation was determined by 3
      (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The wound
      healing and transwell migration assays were used to detect cell migration.
      Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase
      (ERK) pathways were analyzed by Western blot (WB). Immunofluorescence staining
      was used to detect the key molecular localization in the cells. The results
      showed that PAE enhanced the proliferation and migration of HSF cells. The
      expression and activation of key proteins such as RelA and p-ERK were increased
      in NF-kappaB and ERK pathways followed by nuclear translocation. In vivo, both WB
      and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining showed that PAE enhanced p-IkappaBalpha
      and p-ERK activation and the nuclear translocation of RelA. Our study suggests
      that the protective function of PAE is mediated via enhanced NF-kappaB and ERK
      signaling.

PMID- 28620420
TI  - Pharmacokinetic Comparison of 20(R)- and 20(S)-Ginsenoside Rh1 and 20(R)- and
      20(S)-Ginsenoside Rg3 in Rat Plasma following Oral Administration of Radix
      Ginseng Rubra and Sheng-Mai-San Extracts.
AB  - Ginsenosides Rh1 and Rg3, as the main bioactive components from Ginseng, are
      effective for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Sheng-Mai-San
      (SMS), a classical complex prescription of traditional Chinese medicines, is
      composed of Radix Ginseng Rubra, Fructus Schisandrae, and Radix Ophiopogonis. In
      this research, a sensitive and specific liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric
      method was developed and validated for stereoselective determination and
      pharmacokinetic studies of 20(R)- and 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh1 and 20(R)- and 20(S)
      ginsenoside Rg3 epimers in rat plasma after oral administration of Radix Ginseng
      Rubra or SMS extracts. The main pharmacokinetic parameters including Tmax, Cmax,
      t1/2, and AUC were calculated by noncompartment model. Compared with Radix
      Ginseng Rubra, SMS could significantly increase the content of ginsenosides Rh1
      and Rg3 in the decocting process. Ginsenosides Rh1 and Rg3 following SMS
      treatment displayed higher Cmax, AUC(0-t), and AUC(0-infinity) and longer t1/2
      and tmax except for 20(R)-Rh1 in rat plasma. The results indicated SMS compound
      compatibility could influence the dissolution in vitro and the pharmacokinetic
      behaviors in vivo of ginsenosides Rh1 and Rg3, suggesting pharmacokinetic drug
      drug interactions between ginsenosides Rh1 and Rg3 and other ingredients from
      Fructus Schisandrae and Radix Ophiopogonis. This study would provide valuable
      information for drug development and clinical application of SMS.

PMID- 28620421
TI  - Is there role for vitamin D in the treatment of chronic pain?
AB  - Chronic pain is highly prevalent in the developed world, and levels of vitamin D
      are often lower among those with chronic pain conditions than those without.
      Supplementation of vitamin D has been investigated as a potential independent
      treatment for chronic pain. This paper presents an overview of the scientific
      evidence and provides recommendations for use of vitamin D in clinical practice
      with chronic pain patients.

PMID- 28620422
TI  - Special considerations for vitamin D in the south Asian population in the UK.
AB  - The human requirement for vitamin D is achieved primarily through the synthesis
      of this prehormone in the skin during exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation,
      with only a minor contribution from the diet, year round. Achieving optimal
      vitamin D status is therefore largely dependent upon adequate exposure of the
      skin to sunlight, however, the length of exposure required varies with latitude
      and season, and is also dependent upon skin pigmentation, with darker skin
      requiring greater exposure than fair skin due to the protective effects of
      melanin against UVB radiation. In northern European latitudes, where UVB
      radiation between the months of October and March is of insufficient intensity
      for the synthesis of vitamin D via this route, vitamin D deficiency is a public
      health concern, particularly for south Asian diaspora and other dark-skinned
      ethnic minority communities. The consequences of vitamin D deficiency include
      poor bone health, including rickets and osteomalacia. In addition, there is
      increasing awareness of an important role for vitamin D in the development and
      progression of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, which is prevalent in
      south Asian populations. The aim of this review is to examine some of the most
      recent reports of vitamin D status in south Asian diaspora communities, and to
      explore its impact on bone health. In addition, we will examine the putative
      association between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D deficiency in south Asian
      populations and the current guidelines for treatment of vitamin D deficiency of
      south Asians in primary care settings.

PMID- 28620425
TI  - Breathe: biomedical engineering in respiratory disorders.
AB  - The June issue of Breathe looks at biomedical engineering in respiratory
      disorders http://ow.ly/rn7N30c2qvg.

PMID- 28620426
TI  - Re-certification of respiratory professionals: current practice and the future -
      educational forum report.
AB  - Re-certification of respiratory professionals: a report of an @ERStalk education
      forum held at #ERSLDN16 http://ow.ly/pUKY30bzcrK.

PMID- 28620423
TI  - Vitamin D in pregnancy: current perspectives and future directions.
AB  - As neonatal vitamin D status is determined by circulating maternal 25
      hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, prevention of maternal vitamin D
      deficiency during pregnancy is essential for the avoidance of neonatal
      deficiency. However, a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been
      extensively reported among gravidae and neonates from ethnic minorities and white
      populations resident at high latitude. Currently, regulatory authorities
      recommend vitamin D intakes for pregnant women that are similar to non-pregnant
      adults of the same age, at 10-15 ug/day (400-600 IU), to meet 25(OH)D thresholds
      of 25-50 nmol/liter. The lack of pregnancy-specific dietary recommendations is
      due to inadequate data indicating whether nutritional requirements for vitamin D
      during pregnancy differ from the non-pregnant state. In addition, there are few
      dose-response studies to determine the maternal 25(OH)D response to vitamin D
      intake throughout pregnancy at high latitude. These data are also required to
      determine vitamin D requirements during pregnancy for prevention of neonatal
      deficiency, an outcome which is likely to require a higher maternal 25(OH)D
      concentration than prevention of maternal deficiency only. With regard to the
      impact of vitamin D on perinatal health outcomes, which could guide pregnancy
      specific 25(OH)D thresholds, dietary intervention studies to date have been
      inconsistent and recent systematic reviews have highlighted issues of low quality
      and a high risk of bias as drawbacks in the trial evidence to date. Many
      observational studies have been hampered by a reliance on retrospective data,
      unclear reporting, suboptimal clinical phenotyping and incomplete subject
      characterization. Current investigations of vitamin D metabolism during pregnancy
      have potentially exciting implications for clinical research. This paper provides
      an update of current dietary recommendations for vitamin D in pregnant women and
      a synopsis of the evidence relating vitamin D status with maternal and infant
      health.

PMID- 28620427
TI  - ERS noninvasive ventilation course: basic concepts.
AB  - Faculty and delegates of the @ERStalk course on basic concepts in NIV describe
      their experiences http://ow.ly/zUPn30b7jLb.

PMID- 28620429
TI  - Novel approaches to ultrasonography of the lung and pleural space: where are we
      now?
AB  - : This review article is an update of what should be known for practicing basic
      lung ultrasound in the critically ill (LUCI) and is also of interest for less
      critical disciplines (e.g. pulmonology). It pinpoints on the necessity of a
      professional machine (not necessarily a sophisticated one) and probe. It lists
      the 10 main signs of LUCI and some of the main protocols made possible using
      LUCI: the BLUE protocol for a respiratory failure, the FALLS protocol for a
      circulatory failure, the SESAME protocol for a cardiac arrest and the
      investigation of a ventilated acute respiratory distress syndrome patient, etc.
      It shows how the field has been fully standardised to avoid confusion. KEY
      POINTS: A simple ultrasonography unit is fully adequate, with minimal filters,
      and provides a unique probe for integrating the lung into a holistic, whole-body
      approach to the critically ill.Interstitial syndrome is strictly defined. Its
      clinical relevance in the critically ill is standardised for defining
      haemodynamic pulmonary oedema, pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.Pneumothorax is
      strictly and sequentially defined by the A'-profile (at the anterior wall in a
      supine or semirecumbent patient, abolished lung siding plus the A-line sign) and
      then the lung point.The BLUE protocol integrates lung and venous ultrasound
      findings for expediting the diagnosis of acute respiratory failure, following
      pathophysiology, allowing prompt diagnosis of pneumonia, haemodynamic pulmonary
      oedema, exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, pulmonary
      embolism or pneumothorax, even in clinically challenging presentations.
      EDUCATIONAL AIMS: To understand that the use of lung ultrasound, although long
      standardised, still needs educational efforts for its best use, a suitable
      machine, a suitable universal probe and an appropriate culture.To be able to use
      a terminology that has been fully standardised to avoid any confusion of useless
      wording.To understand the logic of the BLUE points, three points of interest
      enabling expedition of a lung ultrasound examination in acute respiratory
      failure.To be able to cite, in the correct hierarchy, the seven criteria of the B
      line, then those of interstitial syndrome.To understand the sequential thinking
      when making ultrasound diagnosis of pneumothorax.To be able to use the BLUE
      protocol for building profiles of pneumonia (or acute respiratory distress
      syndrome) and understand their limitations.To understand that lung ultrasound can
      be used for the direct analysis of an acute respiratory failure (the BLUE
      protocol), an acute circulatory failure (the FALLS protocol) and even a cardiac
      arrest (SESAME protocol), following a pathophysiological approach.To understand
      that the first sequential target in the SESAME protocol (search first for
      pneumothorax in cardiac arrest) can also be used in countless more quiet settings
      of countless disciplines, making lung ultrasound in the critically ill cost-,
      time- and radiation-saving.To be able to perform a BLUE protocol in challenging
      patients, understanding how the best lung ultrasound can be obtained from
      bariatric or agitated, dyspnoeic patients.

PMID- 28620428
TI  - Trends in mechanical ventilation: are we ventilating our patients in the best
      possible way?
AB  - : This review addresses how the combination of physiology, medicine and
      engineering principles contributed to the development and advancement of
      mechanical ventilation, emphasising the most urgent needs for improvement and the
      most promising directions of future development. Several aspects of mechanical
      ventilation are introduced, highlighting on one side the importance of
      interdisciplinary research for further development and, on the other, the
      importance of training physicians sufficiently on the technological aspects of
      modern devices to exploit properly the great complexity and potentials of this
      treatment. EDUCATIONAL AIMS: To learn how mechanical ventilation developed in
      recent decades and to provide a better understanding of the actual technology and
      practice.To learn how and why interdisciplinary research and competences are
      necessary for providing the best ventilation treatment to patients.To understand
      which are the most relevant technical limitations in modern mechanical
      ventilators that can affect their performance in delivery of the treatment.To
      better understand and classify ventilation modes.To learn the classification,
      benefits, drawbacks and future perspectives of automatic ventilation tailoring
      algorithms.

PMID- 28620430
TI  - Does sildenafil improve ventilatory function in asthmatic subjects?
AB  - Can sildenafil be used to treat asthma? http://ow.ly/13Y830bgExG.

PMID- 28620431
TI  - A 44-year-old, Caucasian, male nonsmoker with worsening difficulty in breathing
      and decreased exercise tolerance.
AB  - Can you diagnose this patient and identify the uncommon cause of his illness?
      http://ow.ly/t4nX30bzJFz.

PMID- 28620432
TI  - The curious incident of groaning in the night-time.
AB  - The first report of catathrenia in a child who has been symptomatic from birth
      http://ow.ly/XcY830bevOH.

PMID- 28620433
TI  - Opportunities for early career members.
AB  - Read about upcoming opportunities for @ERStalk Early Career Members
      http://ow.ly/QFyb30b7iKq.

PMID- 28620434
TI  - Top tips to deal with challenging situations: doctor-patient interactions.
AB  - When challenging situations arise in doctor-patient interactions, how can we best
      manage them? http://ow.ly/J1GI30bD5wp.

PMID- 28620435
TI  - To sleep, or not to sleep - that is the question, for polysomnography.
AB  - Have we reached the point where respiratory polygraphy can replace
      polysomnography in the assessment of OSAS? http://ow.ly/UxCU30bNopq.

PMID- 28620436
TI  - Hot topics from the Assemblies.
AB  - Pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnostic criteria are currently defined as a mean
      pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) >=25 mmHg measured during a resting right
      heart catheterisation (RHC). However, the upper limit of normal for mPAP is
      believed to be around 20 mmHg. Patients with mPAP >20 mmHg but <25 mmHg are
      considered as having "borderline" PH. The clinical and prognostic relevance of
      this population is not completely understood.

PMID- 28620437
TI  - Radiology corner.

PMID- 28620439
TI  - Living well with COPD.
AB  - COPD is a group of conditions that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

PMID- 28620438
TI  - Assembly 2: respiratory intensive care.
AB  - Meet @ERStalk Assembly 2: respiratory intensive care http://ow.ly/PnnB30b7nLU.

PMID- 28620440
TI  - Feeling cold and other underestimated symptoms in breast cancer: anecdotes or
      individual profiles for advanced patient stratification?
AB  - Breast cancer (BC) epidemic is recognised as being characteristic for the early
      twenty-first century. BC is a multifactorial disease, and a spectrum of
      modifiable (preventable) factors significantly increasing risks has been
      described. This article highlights a series of underestimated symptoms for
      consequent BC risk assessment and patient stratification. Phenomena of the
      deficient thermoregulation, altered sensitivity to different stimuli (pain,
      thirst, smell, light, stress provocation), dehydration, altered circadian and
      sleep patterns, tendency towards headache, migraine attacks and dizziness, as
      well as local and systemic hypoxic effects are discussed for BC patients
      providing functional links and proposing new approaches in the overall BC
      management.

PMID- 28620442
TI  - Efficacy of nanoceria for periodontal tissues alteration in glutamate-induced
      obese rats-multidisciplinary considerations for personalized dentistry and
      prevention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nowadays, we face the global epidemic of obesity, that is known to
      contribute to the development of many diseases, such as the oral cavity
      pathologies. Dental and oral pathologies are frequently caused by and overlapped
      with systemic multifactorial diseases such as obesity being its early indicators
      and risk factors. The aim was to study the influence of nanoceria on periodontal
      tissues alteration in glutamate (MSG)-induced obese rats. METHODS: We included 52
      Wistar rats of both genders and divided into four groups: newborn rats in group 1
      (control) received subcutaneously 8 MUl/g saline. Group 2 received 3 to 4 mg/g
      MSG subcutaneously on the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth day of life;
      group 3-intragastric administration of nanocrystalline cerium dioxide at a dose
      of 1 mg/kg volume of 2.9 ml/kg against the background of glutamate-induced
      obesity; the fourth group of animals was treated with a solution of sodium
      citrate intragastric volume of 2.9 ml/kg (solvent of nanocrystalline cerium). We
      determined the total proteolytic activity, the total antitrypsin activity, the
      content-free fucose and glycosaminoglycanes (GAG), content of TBA-active of
      products, the content of oxidation-modified proteins (OMB), and catalase activity
      in the homogenate of soft periodontal tissues of rats. RESULTS: Intragastric
      injection of nanoceria prevents activation of proteolytic processes, reducing the
      catabolism of glycoproteins and proteoglycans of periodontal tissue in MSG
      induced obese rats. Injection of nanoceria prevents activation of proteolytic
      processes, significantly decreases the total proteolytic activity, and inhibits
      the activation of free radical oxidation in periodontal tissues of rats compared
      with MSG-induced obesity model without corrections. Further, it significantly
      increases the total antitrypsin activity in periodontal tissues by 1.7 times, TBA
      reagents by 1.7 times, and content of OMB by 1.4 times compared with glutamate
      induced obese animals. CONCLUSIONS: MSG-induced obesity triggers periodontal
      tissue alterations in the rat model. Nanoceria contributes to the corrections of
      pathological changes in periodontal tissues in glutamate-induced obese rats via
      balancing protein-inhibitory capacity and reducing the depolymerization of
      fucosylated proteins and proteoglycans and antioxidative activity.

PMID- 28620441
TI  - Impaired wound healing: facts and hypotheses for multi-professional
      considerations in predictive, preventive and personalised medicine.
AB  - Whereas the physiologic wound healing (WH) successfully proceeds through the
      clearly defined sequence of the individual phases of wound healing, chronic non
      healing wounds/ulcers fail to complete the individual stages and the entire
      healing process. There are many risk factors both modifiable (such as stress,
      smoking, inappropriate alcohol consumption, malnutrition, obesity, diabetes,
      cardio-vascular disease, etc.) and non-modifiable (such as genetic diseases and
      ageing) strongly contributing to the impaired WH. Current statistics demonstrate
      that both categories are increasingly presented in the populations, which causes
      dramatic socio-economic burden to the healthcare sector and society at large.
      Consequently, innovative concepts by predictive, preventive and personalised
      medicine are crucial to be implemented in the area. Individual risk factors,
      causality, functional interrelationships, molecular signature, predictive
      diagnosis, and primary and secondary prevention are thoroughly analysed followed
      by the expert recommendations in this paper.

PMID- 28620443
TI  - Pattern recognition for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine in
      cancer.
AB  - Predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM) is the hot spot and
      future direction in the field of cancer. Cancer is a complex, whole-body disease
      that involved multi-factors, multi-processes, and multi-consequences. A series of
      molecular alterations at different levels of genes (genome), RNAs
      (transcriptome), proteins (proteome), peptides (peptidome), metabolites
      (metabolome), and imaging characteristics (radiome) that resulted from exogenous
      and endogenous carcinogens are involved in tumorigenesis and mutually associate
      and function in a network system, thus determines the difficulty in the use of a
      single molecule as biomarker for personalized prediction, prevention, diagnosis,
      and treatment for cancer. A key molecule-panel is necessary for accurate PPPM
      practice. Pattern recognition is an effective methodology to discover key
      molecule-panel for cancer. The modern omics, computation biology, and systems
      biology technologies lead to the possibility in recognizing really reliable
      molecular pattern for PPPM practice in cancer. The present article reviewed the
      pathophysiological basis, methodology, and perspective usages of pattern
      recognition for PPPM in cancer so that our previous opinion on multi-parameter
      strategies for PPPM in cancer is translated into real research and development of
      PPPM or precision medicine (PM) in cancer.

PMID- 28620444
TI  - Clinical utility of pretreatment prediction of chemoradiotherapy response in
      rectal cancer: a review.
AB  - Approximately 20% of all patients with locally advanced rectal cancer experience
      pathologically complete responses following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT)
      and standard surgery. The utility of radical surgery for patients exhibiting good
      CRT responses has been challenged. Organ-sparing strategies for selected patients
      exhibiting complete clinical responses include local excision or no immediate
      surgery. The subjects of this tailored management are patients whose presenting
      disease corresponds to current indications of neoadjuvant CRT, and their post-CRT
      tumor response is assessed by clinical and radiological examinations. However, a
      model predictive of the CRT response, applied before any treatment commenced,
      would be valuable to facilitate such a personalized approach. This would increase
      organ preservation, particularly in patients for whom upfront CRT is not
      generally prescribed. Molecular biomarkers hold the greatest promise for
      development of a pretreatment predictive model of CRT response. A combination of
      clinicopathological, radiological, and molecular markers will be necessary to
      render the model robust. Molecular research will also contribute to the
      development of drugs that can overcome the radioresistance of rectal tumors.
      Current treatments for rectal cancer are based on the expected prognosis given
      the presenting disease extent. In the future, treatment schemes may be modified
      by including the predicted CRT response evaluated at presentation.

PMID- 28620446
TI  - Canadian Urological Association: 72nd Annual Meeting - Toronto, ON - June 24-27,
      2017.

PMID- 28620445
TI  - Unusual gastrointestinal and cutaneous toxicities by bleomycin, etoposide, and
      cisplatin: a case report with pharmacogenetic analysis to personalize treatment.
AB  - The standard treatment of testicular germ cell tumors is based on the combination
      of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (PEB). However, this treatment may be
      associated with severe adverse reactions, such as hematological and non
      hematological toxicities. Here, we report a case of a patient suffering from
      severe PEB-related toxicities, to whom pharmacogenetic analyses were performed,
      comprising a panel of genes involved in PEB metabolism. The analysis revealed the
      presence of a complex pattern of polymorphisms in GSTP1, UGT1A1 (TA)6/7, UGT1A7,
      and ABCB1. The present case shows that a pharmacogenetic approach can help in the
      management of adverse drug reactions in order to predict, prevent, and
      personalize treatments.

PMID- 28620447
TI  - Photoelectrochemistry by Design: Tailoring the Nanoscale Structure of Pt/NiO
      Composites Leads to Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Performance.
AB  - Photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution is a promising avenue to store the energy
      of sunlight in the form of chemical bonds. The recent rapid development of new
      synthetic approaches enables the nanoscale engineering of semiconductor
      photoelectrodes, thus tailoring their physicochemical properties toward efficient
      H2 formation. In this work, we carried out the parallel optimization of the
      morphological features of the semiconductor light absorber (NiO) and the
      cocatalyst (Pt). While nanoporous NiO films were obtained by electrochemical
      anodization, the monodisperse Pt nanoparticles were synthesized using wet
      chemical methods. The Pt/NiO nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM,
      ED, TEM, cyclic voltammetry, photovoltammetry, EIS, etc. The relative enhancement
      of the photocurrent was demonstrated as a function of the nanoparticle size and
      loading. For mass-specific surface activity the smallest nanoparticles (2.0 and
      4.8 nm) showed the best performance. After deconvoluting the trivial geometrical
      effects (stemming from the variation of Pt particle size and thus the
      electroactive surface area), however, the intermediate particle sizes (4.8 and
      7.2 nm) were found to be optimal. Under optimized conditions, a 20-fold increase
      in the photocurrent (and thus the H2 evolution rates) was observed for the
      nanostructured Pt/NiO composite, compared to the benchmark nanoparticulate NiO
      film.

PMID- 28620448
TI  - Influence of Film and Substrate Structure on Photoelectron Momentum Maps of
      Coronene Thin Films on Ag(111).
AB  - Angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (ARUPS) was measured for
      one-monolayer coronene films deposited on Ag(111). The (kx ,ky )-dependent
      photoelectron momentum maps (PMMs), which were extracted from the ARUPS data by
      cuts at fixed binding energies, show finely structured patterns for the highest
      and the second-highest occupied molecular orbitals. While the substructure of the
      PMM main features is related to the 4 * 4 commensurate film structure, various
      features with three-fold symmetry imply an additional influence of the substrate.
      PMM simulations on the basis of both free-standing coronene assemblies and
      coronene monolayers on the Ag(111) substrate confirm a sizable molecule-molecule
      interaction because no substructure was observed for PMM simulations using free
      coronene molecules.

PMID- 28620449
TI  - Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease in
      Adult Patients with Cardiac Myxomas.
AB  - Background: Studies have reported varied prevalence estimates of coronary artery
      disease (CAD) in cardiac myxoma patients. We performed a systematic review and
      meta-analysis of observational studies to summarize the point prevalence of CAD
      in adults with cardiac myxomas. Methods and Results: Two independent
      investigators searched MEDLINE and LILACS databases using the terms " Myxoma", "
      Coronary Angiography" and " Coronary Disease" from inception through December
      2014 for all relevant studies. We included 6 observational studies. Publication
      bias was evaluated through Egger's test and Trim and Fill method. A pooled
      estimate of CAD prevalence with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was
      calculated based on a random-effects model. The pooled CAD prevalence in adult
      cardiac myxoma patients was 20.7% with low heterogeneity (I 2 = 14.86%).
      Conclusions: It is a matter of debate if preoperative coronary angiography must
      be done as a routine procedure. Although coronary disease and angiographically
      detectable neovascularity can alter surgical management, more studies are needed
      to evaluate this question.

PMID- 28620451
TI  - The refined biomimetic NeuroDigm GELTM  Model of neuropathic pain in the mature
      rat.
AB  - Background: Many humans suffering with chronic pain have no clinical evidence of
      a lesion or disease. They are managed with a morass of drugs and invasive
      procedures. Opiates usually become less effective over time. In many, their
      persistent pain occurs after the healing of a soft tissue injury. Current animal
      models of neuropathic pain typically create direct neural damage with open
      surgeries using ligatures, neurectomies, chemicals or other forms of deliberate
      trauma. However, we have observed clinically that after an injury in humans, the
      naturally occurring process of tissue repair can cause chronic neural pain.
      Methods: We demonstrate how the refined biomimetic NeuroDigm GELTM Model, in the
      mature male rat, gradually induces neuropathic pain behavior with a nonsurgical
      percutaneous implant of tissue-derived hydrogel in the musculo-fascial tunnel of
      the distal tibial nerve. Morphine, Celecoxib, Gabapentin and Duloxetine were each
      screened in the model three times each over 5 months after pain behaviors
      developed. A pilot study followed in which recombinant human erythropoietin was
      applied to the GEL neural procedure site. Results: The GEL Model gradually
      developed neuropathic pain behavior lasting months. Morphine, initially
      effective, had less analgesia over time. Celecoxib produced no analgesia, while
      gabapentin and duloxetine at low doses had profound analgesia at all times
      tested. The injected erythropoietin markedly decreased bilateral pain behavior
      that had been present for over 4 months. Histology revealed a site of focal
      neural remodeling, with neural regeneration, as in human biopsies. Conclusion:
      The refined NeuroDigm GELTM Model induces localized neural remodeling resulting
      in robust neuropathic pain behavior. The analgesics responses in this model
      reflect known responses of humans with neuropathic pain. The targeted recombinant
      human erythropoietin appears to heal the ectopic focal neural site, as
      demonstrated by the extinguishing of neuropathic pain behavior present for over 4
      months.

PMID- 28620450
TI  - Predicting Outcomes of Hormone and Chemotherapy in the Molecular Taxonomy of
      Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) Study by Biochemically-inspired
      Machine Learning.
AB  - Genomic aberrations and gene expression-defined subtypes in the large METABRIC
      patient cohort have been used to stratify and predict survival. The present study
      used normalized gene expression signatures of paclitaxel drug response to predict
      outcome for different survival times in METABRIC patients receiving hormone (HT)
      and, in some cases, chemotherapy (CT) agents. This machine learning method, which
      distinguishes sensitivity vs. resistance in breast cancer cell lines and
      validates predictions in patients, was also used to derive gene signatures of
      other HT  (tamoxifen) and CT agents (methotrexate, epirubicin, doxorubicin, and 5
      fluorouracil) used in METABRIC. Paclitaxel gene signatures exhibited the best
      performance, however the other agents also predicted survival with acceptable
      accuracies. A support vector machine (SVM) model of paclitaxel response
      containing the ABCB1, ABCB11, ABCC1, ABCC10, BAD, BBC3, BCL2, BCL2L1, BMF,
      CYP2C8, CYP3A4, MAP2, MAP4, MAPT, NR1I2, SLCO1B3, TUBB1, TUBB4A, TUBB4B genes was
      78.6% accurate in 84 patients treated with both HT and CT (median survival >= 4.4
      yr). Accuracy was lower (73.4%) in 304 untreated patients. The performance of
      other machine learning approaches were also evaluated at different survival
      thresholds. Minimum redundancy maximum relevance feature selection of a
      paclitaxel-based SVM classifier based on expression of ABCB11, ABCC1, BAD, BBC3
      and BCL2L1 was 79% accurate in 53 CT patients. A random forest (RF) classifier
      produced a gene signature ( ABCB11, ABCC1, BAD, BCL2, CYP2C8, CYP3A4, MAP4, MAPT,
      NR1I2, TUBB1, GBP1, OPRK1) that predicted >3 year survival with 82.4% accuracy in
      420 HT patients. A similar RF gene signature showed 79.6% accuracy in 504
      patients treated with CT and/or HT. These results suggest that tumor gene
      expression signatures refined by machine learning techniques can be useful for
      predicting survival after drug therapies.

PMID- 28620452
TI  - Metabolic reprogramming during the Trypanosoma brucei life cycle.
AB  - Cellular metabolic activity is a highly complex, dynamic, regulated process that
      is influenced by numerous factors, including extracellular environmental signals,
      nutrient availability and the physiological and developmental status of the cell.
      The causative agent of sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei, is an exclusively
      extracellular protozoan parasite that encounters very different extracellular
      environments during its life cycle within the mammalian host and tsetse fly
      insect vector. In order to meet these challenges, there are significant
      alterations in the major energetic and metabolic pathways of these highly
      adaptable parasites. This review highlights some of these metabolic changes in
      this early divergent eukaryotic model organism.

PMID- 28620453
TI  - Parallel pathways in the biosynthesis of aminoglycoside antibiotics.
AB  - Despite their inherent toxicity and the global spread of bacterial resistance,
      aminoglycosides (AGs), an old class of microbial drugs, remain a valuable
      component of the antibiotic arsenal. Recent studies have continued to reveal the
      fascinating biochemistry of AG biosynthesis and the rich potential in their
      pathway engineering. In particular, parallel pathways have been shown to be
      common and widespread in AG biosynthesis, highlighting nature's ingenuity in
      accessing diverse natural products from a limited set of genes. In this review,
      we discuss the parallel biosynthetic pathways of three representative AG
      antibiotics-kanamycin, gentamicin, and apramycin-as well as future directions
      towards the discovery and development of novel AGs.

PMID- 28620454
TI  - ELIXIR pilot action: Marine metagenomics - towards a domain specific set of
      sustainable services.
AB  - Metagenomics, the study of genetic material recovered directly from environmental
      samples, has the potential to provide insight into the structure and function of
      heterogeneous microbial communities.  There has been an increased use of
      metagenomics to discover and understand the diverse biosynthetic capacities of
      marine microbes, thereby allowing them to be exploited for industrial, food, and
      health care products. This ELIXIR pilot action was motivated by the need to
      establish dedicated data resources and harmonized metagenomics pipelines for the
      marine domain, in order to enhance the exploration and exploitation of marine
      genetic resources. In this paper, we summarize some of the results from the
      ELIXIR pilot action "Marine metagenomics - towards user centric services".

PMID- 28620455
TI  - haploR: an R-package for querying web-based annotation tools.
AB  - There exists a set of web-based tools for integration and exploring information
      linked to annotated genetic variants. We developed haploR, an R-package for
      querying such web-based genome annotation tools (currently implementing on
      HaploReg and RegulomeDB) and gathering information in a format suitable for
      downstream bioinformatic analyses. This will facilitate post-genome wide
      association studies streamline analysis for rapid discovery and interpretation of
      genetic associations.

PMID- 28620456
TI  - Effects of physical activity on the link between PGC-1a and FNDC5 in muscle,
      circulating Iotarisin and UCP1 of white adipocytes in humans: A systematic
      review.
AB  - Background: Exercise may activate a brown adipose-like phenotype in white adipose
      tissue. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the effects of physical
      activity on the link between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma
      coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1a) and fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5
      (FNDC5) in muscle, circulating Irisin and uncoupling protein one (UCP1) of white
      adipocytes in humans. Methods: Two databases (PubMed 1966 to 08/2016 and EMBASE
      1974 to 08/2016) were searched using an appropriate algorithm. We included
      articles that examined physical activity and/or exercise in humans that met the
      following criteria: a) PGC-1a in conjunction with FNDC5 measurements, and b)
      FNDC5 and/or circulating Irisin and/or UCP1 levels in white adipocytes. Results:
      We included 51 studies (12 randomised controlled trials) with 2474 participants.
      Out of the 51 studies, 16 examined PGC-1a and FNDC5 in response to exercise, and
      only four found increases in both PGC-1a and FNDC5 mRNA and one showed increased
      FNDC5 mRNA. In total, 22 out of 45 studies that examined circulating Irisin in
      response to exercise showed increased concentrations when ELISA techniques were
      used; two studies also revealed increased Irisin levels measured via mass
      spectrometry. Three studies showed a positive association of circulating Irisin
      with physical activity levels. One study found no exercise effects on UCP1 mRNA
      in white adipocytes. Conclusions: The effects of physical activity on the link
      between PGC-1a, FNDC5 mRNA in muscle and UCP1 in white human adipocytes has
      attracted little scientific attention. Current methods for Irisin identification
      lack precision and, therefore, the existing evidence does not allow for
      conclusions to be made regarding Irisin responses to physical activity. We found
      a contrast between standardised review methods and accuracy of the measurements
      used. This should be considered in future systematic reviews.

PMID- 28620457
TI  - Early fruiting in Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach. & Thonn.) Daniell juveniles
      induced by water and inorganic nutrient management.
AB  - Background. The miracle plant, Synsepalum dulcificum (Schumach. & Thonn.) Daniell
      is a native African orphan crop species that has recently received increased
      attention due to its promise as a sweetener and source of antioxidants in both
      the food and pharmaceutical industries. However, a major obstacle to the species'
      widespread utilization is its relatively slow growth rate and prolonged juvenile
      period. Method. In this study, we tested twelve treatments made up of various
      watering regimes and exogenous nutrient application (nitrogen, phosphorus and
      potassium, at varying dosages) on the relative survival, growth, and reproductive
      development of 15-months-old S. dulcificum juveniles. Results. While the plants
      survived under most tested growing conditions, nitrogen application at doses
      higher than 1.5 g [seedling] -1 was found to be highly detrimental, reducing
      survival to 0%. The treatment was found to affect all growth traits, and
      juveniles that received a combination of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
      (each at a rate of 1.5 g [seedling] -1), in addition to daily watering, exhibited
      the most vegetative growth. The simple daily provision of adequate water was
      found to greatly accelerate the transition to reproductive maturity in the
      species (from >36 months to an average of 23 months), whereas nutrient
      application affected the length of the reproductive phase within a season, as
      well as the fruiting intensity. Conclusions. This study highlights the beneficial
      effect of water supply and fertilization on both vegetative and reproductive
      growth in S. dulcificum. Water supply appeared to be the most important factor
      unlocking flowering in the species, while the combination of nitrogen, phosphorus
      and potassium at the dose of 1.5 g (for all) consistently exhibited the highest
      performance for all growth and yield traits. These findings will help intensify
      S. dulcificum's breeding and horticultural development.

PMID- 28620459
TI  - On the origin of nonequivalent states: How we can talk about preprints.
AB  - Increasingly, preprints are at the center of conversations across the research
      ecosystem. But disagreements remain about the role they play. Do they "count" for
      research assessment? Is it ok to post preprints in more than one place? In this
      paper, we argue that these discussions often conflate two separate issues, the
      history of the manuscript and the status granted it by different communities. In
      this paper, we propose a new model that distinguishes the characteristics of the
      object, its "state", from the subjective "standing" granted to it by different
      communities. This provides a way to discuss the difference in practices between
      communities, which will deliver more productive conversations and facilitate
      negotiation, as well as sharpening our focus on the role of different
      stakeholders on how to collectively improve the process of scholarly
      communications not only for preprints, but other forms of scholarly
      contributions.

PMID- 28620458
TI  - Reproducibility2020: Progress and priorities.
AB  - The preclinical research process is a cycle of idea generation, experimentation,
      and reporting of results. The biomedical research community relies on the
      reproducibility of published discoveries to create new lines of research and to
      translate research findings into therapeutic applications. Since 2012, when
      scientists from Amgen reported that they were able to reproduce only 6 of 53
      "landmark" preclinical studies, the biomedical research community began
      discussing the scale of the reproducibility problem and developing initiatives to
      address critical challenges. Global Biological Standards Institute (GBSI)
      released the "Case for Standards" in 2013, one of the first comprehensive reports
      to address the rising concern of irreproducible biomedical research. Further
      attention was drawn to issues that limit scientific self-correction, including
      reporting and publication bias, underpowered studies, lack of open access to
      methods and data, and lack of clearly defined standards and guidelines in areas
      such as reagent validation. To evaluate the progress made towards reproducibility
      since 2013, GBSI identified and examined initiatives designed to advance quality
      and reproducibility. Through this process, we identified key roles for funders,
      journals, researchers and other stakeholders and recommended actions for future
      progress. This paper describes our findings and conclusions.

PMID- 28620460
TI  - A putative antiviral role of plant cytidine deaminases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A mechanism of innate antiviral immunity operating against viruses
      infecting mammalian cells has been described during the last decade.  Host
      cytidine deaminases ( e.g., APOBEC3 proteins) edit viral genomes, giving rise to
      hypermutated nonfunctional viruses; consequently, viral fitness is reduced
      through lethal mutagenesis.  By contrast, sub-lethal hypermutagenesis may
      contribute to virus evolvability by increasing population diversity.  To prevent
      genome editing, some viruses have evolved proteins that mediate APOBEC3
      degradation.  The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes nine cytidine
      deaminases ( AtCDAs), raising the question of whether deamination is an antiviral
      mechanism in plants as well. METHODS: Here we tested the effects of expression of
      AtCDAs on the pararetrovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). Two different
      experiments were carried out. First, we transiently overexpressed each one of the
      nine A. thalianaAtCDA genes in Nicotianabigelovii plants infected with CaMV, and
      characterized the resulting mutational spectra, comparing them with those
      generated under normal conditions.  Secondly, we created A. thaliana transgenic
      plants expressing an artificial microRNA designed to knock-out the expression of
      up to six AtCDA genes.  This and control plants were then infected with CaMV. 
      Virus accumulation and mutational spectra where characterized in both types of
      plants. RESULTS:  We have shown that the A. thalianaAtCDA1 gene product exerts a
      mutagenic activity, significantly increasing the number of G to A mutations in
      vivo, with a concomitant reduction in the amount of CaMV genomes accumulated. 
      Furthermore, the magnitude of this mutagenic effect on CaMV accumulation is
      positively correlated with the level of AtCDA1 mRNA expression in the plant.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that deamination of viral genomes may also work
      as an antiviral mechanism in plants.

PMID- 28620461
TI  - The "enemies within": regions of the genome that are inherently difficult to
      replicate.
AB  - An unusual feature of many eukaryotic genomes is the presence of regions that
      appear intrinsically difficult to copy during the process of DNA replication.
      Curiously, the location of these difficult-to-replicate regions is often
      conserved between species, implying a valuable role in some aspect of genome
      organization or maintenance. The most prominent class of these regions in
      mammalian cells is defined as chromosome fragile sites, which acquired their name
      because of a propensity to form visible gaps/breaks on otherwise-condensed
      chromosomes in mitosis. This fragility is particularly apparent following
      perturbation of DNA replication-a phenomenon often referred to as "replication
      stress". Here, we review recent data on the molecular basis for chromosome
      fragility and the role of fragile sites in the etiology of cancer. In particular,
      we highlight how studies on fragile sites have provided unexpected insights into
      how the DNA repair machinery assists in the completion of DNA replication.

PMID- 28620462
TI  - Immunoprofiling of human uterine mast cells identifies three phenotypes and
      expression of ERbeta and glucocorticoid receptor.
AB  - Background: Human mast cells (MCs) are long-lived tissue-resident immune cells
      characterised by granules containing the proteases chymase and/or tryptase. Their
      phenotype is modulated by their tissue microenvironment. The human uterus has an
      outer muscular layer (the myometrium) surrounding the endometrium, both of which
      play an important role in supporting a pregnancy. The endometrium is a sex
      steroid target tissue consisting of epithelial cells (luminal, glandular)
      surrounded by a multicellular stroma, with the latter containing an extensive
      vascular compartment as well as fluctuating populations of immune cells that play
      an important role in regulating tissue function. The role of MCs in the human
      uterus is poorly understood with little known about their regulation or the
      impact of steroids on their differentiation status. The current study had two
      aims: 1) To investigate the spatial and temporal location of uterine MCs and
      determine their phenotype; 2) To determine whether MCs express receptors for
      steroids implicated in uterine function, including oestrogen (ERalpha, ERbeta),
      progesterone (PR) and glucocorticoids (GR). Methods: Tissue samples from women
      (n=46) were used for RNA extraction or fixed for immunohistochemistry. Results:
      Messenger RNAs encoded by TPSAB1 (tryptase) and CMA1 (chymase) were detected in
      endometrial tissue homogenates. Immunohistochemistry revealed the relative
      abundance of tryptase MCs was myometrium>basal endometrium>functional
      endometrium. We show for the first time that uterine MCs are predominantly of the
      classical MC subtypes: (positive, +; negative, -) tryptase+/chymase- and
      tryptase+/chymase+, but a third subtype was also identified (tryptase-/chymase+).
      Tryptase+ MCs were of an ERbeta+/ERalpha-/PR-/GR+ phenotype mirroring other
      uterine immune cell populations, including natural killer cells. Conclusions:
      Endometrial tissue resident immune MCs have three protease-specific phenotypes.
      Expression of both ERbeta and GR in MCs mirrors that of other immune cells in the
      endometrium and suggests that MC function may be altered by the local steroid
      microenvironment.

PMID- 28620463
TI  - Recent advances in the management of Wilms' tumor.
AB  - The objective of this article is to present an overview of recent trends in the
      management of Wilms' tumor. With improved survival rates in the past few decades,
      critical long-term adverse therapy effects (such as renal insufficiency,
      secondary malignancies, and heart failure) and prevention measures (i.e. nephron
      sparing surgery and minimizing the use of radiotherapy) have gained worldwide
      attention. Specific disease biomarkers that could help stratify high-risk from
      low-risk patients, and therefore fine-tune management, are in great demand.
      Ultimately, we aim to enhance clinical outcomes and maintain or improve current
      survival rates while avoiding undesirable treatment side effects and minimizing
      the exposure and intensity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

PMID- 28620464
TI  - Recent insights on principles of synaptic protein degradation.
AB  - Maintaining synaptic integrity and function depends on the continuous removal and
      degradation of aged or damaged proteins. Synaptic protein degradation has
      received considerable attention in the context of synaptic plasticity and growing
      interest in relation to neurodegenerative and other disorders. Conversely, less
      attention has been given to constitutive, ongoing synaptic protein degradation
      and the roles canonical degradation pathways play in these processes. Here we
      briefly review recent progress on this topic and new experimental approaches
      which have expedited such progress and highlight several emerging principles.
      These include the realization that synaptic proteins typically have unusually
      long lifetimes, as might be expected from the remote locations of most synaptic
      sites; the possibility that degradation pathways can change with time from
      synthesis, cellular context, and physiological input; and that degradation
      pathways, other than ubiquitin-proteasomal-mediated degradation, might play key
      roles in constitutive protein degradation at synaptic sites. Finally, we point to
      the importance of careful experimental design and sufficiently sensitive
      techniques for studying synaptic protein degradation, which bring into account
      their slow turnover rates and complex life cycles.

PMID- 28620465
TI  - Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems: What can they really do in vivo?
AB  - In the past few decades, there has been explosive growth in the construction of
      nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs), namely nanomedicines, owing to
      their unique properties compared with traditional drug formulations. However,
      because of a variety of challenges, few nanomedicines are on sale in the market
      or undergoing clinical trial at present. Thus, it is essential to look back and
      re-evaluate what these NDDSs can really do in vivo, why nanomedicines are
      regarded as potential candidates for next-generation drugs, and what the future
      of nanomedicine is. Here, we focus mainly on the properties of NDDSs that extend
      blood circulation, enhance penetration into deep tumor tissue, enable
      controllable release of the payload into the cytoplasm, and overcome multi-drug
      resistance. We further discuss how to promote the translation of nanomedicines
      into reality. This review may help to identify the functions of NDDSs that are
      really necessary before they are designed and to reduce the gap between basic
      research and clinical application.

PMID- 28620466
TI  - Harnessing the immune response to target tumors.
AB  - Development of "immune-based targeted therapy" in oncology has limited experience
      with signal pathway modulation. However, as we have become better versed in
      understanding immune function related to anticancer response, "hints" of specific
      targets associated with sensitivity and resistance have been identified with
      targeted immune therapy. This brief review summarizes the relationship of several
      targeted immune therapeutics and activity associated clinical responsiveness.

PMID- 28620468
TI  - Development of a food-based diet quality score for Japanese: associations of the
      score with nutrient intakes in young, middle-aged and older Japanese women.
AB  - Several previous studies have shown that a diet score based on the Japanese food
      guide Spinning Top (the original score) is associated with both favourable and
      unfavourable dietary intake patterns. We developed a food-based diet quality
      score (the modified score) and examined associations with nutrient intakes.
      Subjects were 3963 young (all aged 18 years), 3800 middle-aged (mean age 47.7 (sd
      3.9) years) and 2211 older (mean age 74.4 (sd 5.2) years) Japanese women. Dietary
      intakes were assessed using comprehensive (for the young and middle-aged) and
      brief-type (for the older) diet history questionnaires. The original score was
      calculated based on intakes of grains, vegetables, fish/meat, milk, fruits, and
      snacks/alcoholic beverages. The modified score was similarly calculated, but
      included Na from seasonings and without applying the upper cut-off values for
      dietary components where increased consumption is advocated for Japanese women
      (grains, vegetables, fish/meat, milk, and fruits). The original score was
      positively associated with intakes of carbohydrate, dietary fibre, and all the
      vitamins and minerals examined including Na and inversely with intakes of fats
      and alcohol in young and middle-aged women. In older women, the original score
      was inversely associated with intakes of all nutrients except for carbohydrate
      and vitamin C. However, the modified score was associated positively with intakes
      of protein, carbohydrate, dietary fibre, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, vitamins A, C and E, and
      folate and inversely with intakes of fats, alcohol and Na in all generations. In
      conclusion, the modified diet score was positively associated with favourable
      nutrient intake patterns in Japanese women.

PMID- 28620467
TI  - Recent advances in understanding lung function development.
AB  - Recent years have witnessed critical contributions to our understanding of the
      determinants and long-term implications of lung function development. In this
      article, we review studies that have contributed to advances in understanding
      lung function development and its critical importance for lung health into adult
      life. In particular, we have focused on early life determinants that include
      genetic factors, perinatal events, environmental exposures, lifestyle, infancy
      lower respiratory tract infections, and persistent asthma phenotypes.
      Longitudinal studies have conclusively demonstrated that lung function deficits
      that are established by school age may track into adult life and increase the
      risk of adult lung obstructive diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease. Furthermore, these contributions have provided initial evidence in
      support of a direct influence by early life events on an accelerated decline of
      lung function and an increased susceptibility to its environmental determinants
      well into adult life. As such, we argue that future health-care programs based on
      precision medicine approaches that integrate deep phenotyping with tailored
      medication and advice to patients should also foster optimal lung function growth
      to be fully effective.

PMID- 28620469
TI  - Infant formula containing galacto-and fructo-oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium
      breve M-16V supports adequate growth and tolerance in healthy infants in a
      randomised, controlled, double-blind, prospective, multicentre study.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth and tolerance in
      healthy, term infants consuming a synbiotic formula with daily weight gain as the
      primary outcome. In a randomised, controlled, double-blind, multicentre,
      intervention study infants were assigned to an extensively hydrolysed formula
      containing a specific combination of Bifidobacterium breve M-16V and a prebiotic
      mixture (short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides and long-chain fructo
      oligosaccharides in a 9:1 ratio; scGOS/lcFOS; synbiotic group), or the same
      formula without this synbiotic concept for 13 weeks (control group).
      Anthropometry, formula intake, tolerance, stool characteristics, blood
      parameters, faecal microbiota and metabolic faecal profile were assessed.
      Medically confirmed adverse events were recorded throughout the study.
      Equivalence in daily weight gain was demonstrated for the intention-to-treat
      (ITT) population (n 211). In the per-protocol (PP) population (n 102), the 90 %
      CI of the difference in daily weight gain slightly crossed the lower equivalence
      margin. During the intervention period, the mean weight-for-age and length-for
      age values were close to the median of the WHO growth standards in both groups,
      indicating adequate growth. The number of adverse events was not different
      between both groups. No relevant differences were observed in blood parameters
      indicative for liver and renal function. At 13 weeks, an increased percentage of
      faecal bifidobacteria (60 v. 48 %) and a reduced percentage of Clostridium
      lituseburense/C. histolyticum (0.2 v. 2.6 %) were observed in the synbiotic group
      (n 19) compared with the control group (n 27). In conclusion, this study
      demonstrates that an extensively hydrolysed formula with B. breve M-16V and the
      prebiotic mixture scGOS/lcFOS (9:1) supports an adequate infant growth.

PMID- 28620470
TI  - Bioavailability of n-3 fatty acids from n-3-enriched foods and fish oil with
      different oxidative quality in healthy human subjects: a randomised single-meal
      cross-over study.
AB  - Regular consumption of long-chain n-3 fatty acids (LC n-3 FA) reduces
      postprandial triacylglycerolaemia. Functional foods and supplements are
      alternative sources of LC n-3 FA; however, emulsification technologies, food
      matrices and altered lipid oxidation levels affect their bioavailability.
      Moreover, which functional foods are optimal LC n-3 FA carriers is unknown. The
      aim of the study was to determine the bioavailability of LC n-3 FA and the
      postprandial TAG response after the intake of oxidised or non-oxidised cod liver
      oil and after the intake of emulsified or non-emulsified LC n-3 FA using novel
      functional food items as LC n-3 FA carriers in a randomised cross-over acute
      study. A total of twenty-four healthy subjects completed the study in which
      subjects consumed one of four different test meals containing 1.5 g LC n-3 FA, or
      a control meal with no LC n-3 FA. Postprandial TAG-rich lipoproteins were
      isolated and their fatty acid composition was measured. The LC n-3 FA from
      emulsified foods were more rapidly incorporated into TAG-rich lipoproteins
      compared with non-emulsified foods. The incorporation of LC n-3 FA was similar
      for oils emulsified in yogurt or juice and was unaffected by the oxidative status
      of the oil. Postprandial TAG levels did not differ among the various test meals.
      In conclusion, emulsification increases the bioavailability of LC n-3 FA through
      a more rapid incorporation into TAG-rich lipoproteins, and juice and yogurt are
      equally suited as LC n-3 FA carriers. The acute intake of oxidised cod liver oil
      does not influence the incorporation of LC n-3 FA into TAG-rich lipoproteins.

PMID- 28620471
TI  - Effect of a plant sterol-enriched spread on biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction
      and low-grade inflammation in hypercholesterolaemic subjects.
AB  - Plant sterols (PS) lower LDL-cholesterol, an established risk factor for CHD.
      Endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation are two important features in
      the development of atherosclerosis. Whether PS affect biomarkers of endothelial
      function and low-grade inflammation is not well studied. The aim of the present
      study was to investigate the effect of regular intake of PS on biomarkers of
      endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation. In a double-blind,
      randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, which was primarily
      designed to investigate the effect of PS intake on vascular function
      (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01803178), 240 hypercholesterolaemic but otherwise
      healthy men and women consumed a low-fat spread with added PS (3 g/d) or a
      placebo spread for 12 weeks. Endothelial dysfunction biomarkers (both vascular
      and intracellular adhesion molecules 1 and soluble endothelial-selectin) and low
      grade inflammation biomarkers (C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, IL-6, IL-8,
      TNF-alpha and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1) were measured using a
      multi-array detection system based on electrochemiluminescence technology.
      Biomarkers were combined using z-scores. Differences in changes from baseline
      between the PS and the placebo groups were assessed. The intake of PS did not
      significantly change the individual biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and low
      grade inflammation. The z-scores for endothelial dysfunction (-0.02; 95 % CI 
      0.15, 0.11) and low-grade inflammation (-0.04; 95 % CI -0.16, 0.07) were also not
      significantly changed after PS intake compared with placebo. In conclusion,
      biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation were not
      affected by regular intake of 3 g/d PS for 12 weeks in hypercholesterolaemic men
      and women.

PMID- 28620472
TI  - A randomised, controlled, crossover study of the effect of diet on angiopoietin
      like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) through modification of the gut microbiome.
AB  - Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) is a lipoprotein lipase inhibitor that is
      involved in lipid metabolism and angiogenesis. Animal studies have suggested that
      the ANGPTL4 protein is modulated by the gut microbiota, possibly through
      increased concentrations of SCFA, such as C4, found in whole-fat milk or as a
      result of fermentation of inulin. This study investigated whether a standardised
      diet either high in fat content or supplemented with inulin powder would increase
      plasma ANGPTL4 in overweight men and whether this increase was mediated through a
      compositional change of the gut microbiota. The study had a crossover design with
      three arms, where participants were given a standardised isoenergetic diet
      supplemented with inulin powder, whole-fat milk or water (control). Plasma and
      urine samples were collected before and after each intervention period. Faecal
      samples and adipose tissue biopsies were collected after each intervention
      period. The study included twenty-one participants of whom eighteen completed the
      study. The dietary interventions did not change ANGPTL4 plasma concentration, nor
      was plasma ANGPTL4 associated with plasma lipids, TAG or NEFA concentration. The
      relative abundance of bifidobacteria following the inulin diet was higher,
      compared with the control diet. However, the changes in microbiota were not
      associated with plasma ANGPTL4 and the overall composition of the microbiota did
      not change between the dietary periods. Although weight was maintained throughout
      the dietary periods, weight was negatively associated with plasma ANGPTL4
      concentration. In the adipose tissue, ANGPTL4 expression was correlated with
      leptin expression, but not with hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha)
      expression.

PMID- 28620473
TI  - Micronutrient deficiencies among children and women in Bangladesh: progress and
      challenges.
AB  - This paper provides a comprehensive review of the current situation regarding
      micronutrient deficiencies among children and women in Bangladesh. This review
      also discusses the successes and current challenges of existing intervention
      programmes. Data from nationally representative and selected small surveys since
      the 1980s that have reported on the status of at least one micronutrient in
      children and/or women have been examined. National policy documents/reports on
      existing interventions have been analysed. While the severity of various
      micronutrient deficiencies has declined since the 1980s, a significant proportion
      of preschool-age children remains with deficiencies in vitamin A (20.5 %), Zn
      (44.5 %) and vitamin D (39.6 %); about one-third of these children are anaemic,
      and 10.7 % of the children are Fe deficient. A high proportion of non-pregnant
      and non-lactating women is deficient in Zn (57 %) and I (42 %), while one-quarter
      of women live with anaemia and vitamin B12 and vitamin D (21 %) deficiencies.
      Nearly one-half of the pregnant and lactating women are anaemic. Suboptimal
      diets, poor hygiene, infection and infestation are identified as some of the key
      factors associated with high levels of deficiencies. Multiple approaches and
      interventions are being supported, and while some notable progress has been
      achieved, significant challenges continue, including those related to coverage,
      quality and compliance. It is concluded that although current intervention
      programmes have made some progress in controlling the severe deficiencies,
      micronutrient deficiencies in Bangladesh remain a considerable problem. More well
      integrated approaches for strengthening the existing intervention programmes are
      needed. In addition, new intervention strategies for alleviating and preventing
      specific micronutrient deficiencies are recommended.

PMID- 28620475
TI  - Plasma phylloquinone, menaquinone-4 and menaquinone-7 levels and coronary artery
      calcification.
AB  - Vitamin K is considered to be involved in the pathological mechanisms of coronary
      artery calcification (CAC). Correlation between CAC and plasma vitamin K levels
      was studied. A total of 103 patients, with at least one coronary risk factor,
      were studied. CAC was measured using 64-slice multislice computed tomography
      (MSCT) and divided into three groups: none (CAC score = 0; n 25), mild to
      moderate (0 < CAC score < 400; n 52) and severe (CAC score > 400; n 26).
      Phylloquinone (PK) and menaquinone (MK)-4 and MK-7 were measured by HPLC-tandem
      MS. Mean age of patients was 64 (sd 13) years, of which 57 % were male. Median
      CAC score was 57.2. Median levels of PK, MK-4 and MK-7 were 1.33, 0 and 6.99
      ng/ml, showing that MK-7 was the dominant vitamin K in this population. MK-7
      showed a significant inverse correlation with uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC, P
      = 0.014), protein induced by vitamin K absence of antagonist-2 (PIVKA-2, P =
      0.013), intact parathyroid hormone (P = 0.007) and bone-specific alkaline
      phosphatase (P = 0.018). CAC showed an inverse correlation with total circulating
      uncarboxylated matrix Gla protein (t-ucMGP, P = 0.018) and Hb (P = 0.05), and a
      positive correlation with age (P < 0.001), creatinine, collagen type 1 cross
      linked N-terminal telopeptide (NTX, P = 0.03), pulse wave velocity (P < 0.001)
      and osteoprotegerin (P < 0.001). However, CAC did not have a significant
      correlation with plasma levels of PK, MK-4 or MK-7. In conclusion, plasma MK-7,
      MK-4 or PK level did not show significant correlation with CAC despite the
      association between plasma vitamin K levels and vitamin K-dependent proteins such
      as ucOC or PIVKA-2.

PMID- 28620474
TI  - Flavonoids: an overview.
AB  - Flavonoids, a group of natural substances with variable phenolic structures, are
      found in fruits, vegetables, grains, bark, roots, stems, flowers, tea and wine.
      These natural products are well known for their beneficial effects on health and
      efforts are being made to isolate the ingredients so called flavonoids.
      Flavonoids are now considered as an indispensable component in a variety of
      nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, medicinal and cosmetic applications. This is
      attributed to their anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic and anti
      carcinogenic properties coupled with their capacity to modulate key cellular
      enzyme function. Research on flavonoids received an added impulse with the
      discovery of the low cardiovascular mortality rate and also prevention of CHD.
      Information on the working mechanisms of flavonoids is still not understood
      properly. However, it has widely been known for centuries that derivatives of
      plant origin possess a broad spectrum of biological activity. Current trends of
      research and development activities on flavonoids relate to isolation,
      identification, characterisation and functions of flavonoids and finally their
      applications on health benefits. Molecular docking and knowledge of
      bioinformatics are also being used to predict potential applications and
      manufacturing by industry. In the present review, attempts have been made to
      discuss the current trends of research and development on flavonoids, working
      mechanisms of flavonoids, flavonoid functions and applications, prediction of
      flavonoids as potential drugs in preventing chronic diseases and future research
      directions.

PMID- 28620476
TI  - Vitamin D and inflammatory markers: cross-sectional analyses using data from the
      English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).
AB  - Recent evidence suggests that low vitamin D concentrations are associated with
      increased levels of inflammatory markers. However, there are limited studies
      investigating associations between vitamin D levels and inflammatory markers in
      the general population and much of this evidence in older adults is inconclusive.
      Therefore, this study investigates the cross-sectional association of serum 25
      hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with inflammatory markers in 5870 older English
      adults from wave 6 (2012-2013) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
      (ELSA). ELSA is a large prospective observational study of community-dwelling
      people aged 50 years and over in England. Serum 25(OH)D levels, C-reactive
      protein (CRP) levels, plasma fibrinogen levels, white blood cell count (WBC),
      age, season of blood collection, waist circumference, total non-pension household
      wealth, measures of health and health behaviours that included depression, number
      of cardiovascular, non-cardiovascular conditions and difficulties in activities
      of daily living, smoking, and physical activity were measured. There was a
      significant negative association between low 25(OH)D levels (<=30 nmol/l) and CRP
      (OR 1.23, 95 % CI 1.00, 1.51) and WBC (OR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.13, 1.60) that remained
      after adjustment for a wide range of covariates of clinical significance.
      However, for fibrinogen, the association did not remain significant when waist
      circumference was entered in the final model. Our findings showed that 25(OH)D
      levels were associated with two out the three inflammatory markers investigated.
      The independent and inverse association between serum 25(OH)D levels and
      inflammation suggests a potential anti-inflammatory role for vitamin D in older
      English individuals from the general population.

PMID- 28620477
TI  - Micronutrient deficiencies in the elderly - could ready meals be part of the
      solution?
AB  - Micronutrient deficiencies contribute to many age-related disorders. One group at
      particular risk of micronutrient deficiencies is the elderly. Many elderly, such
      as the frail and those living in institutions, rely on ready meals of variable,
      often poor, nutritional quality for a significant part of their daily nutritional
      needs. New policies are needed to ensure that micronutrients (vitamins and
      minerals) and phytochemicals of known nutritional value are retained during the
      manufacture of ready meals. This together with increased awareness of the
      importance of micronutrients for health, and simple, clear labelling of the
      micronutrient content of ready meals would help in the choice of healthier
      products. Professionally prepared ready meals monitored by nutritionists and
      dietitians can help achieve these goals so that ready meals become part of the
      solution to poor nutrition in the elderly, rather than being viewed as part of
      the problem.

PMID- 28620478
TI  - A hot water extract of turmeric (Curcuma longa) suppresses acute ethanol-induced
      liver injury in mice by inhibiting hepatic oxidative stress and inflammatory
      cytokine production.
AB  - Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a widely used spice that has various biological
      effects, and aqueous extracts of turmeric exhibit potent antioxidant activity and
      anti-inflammatory activity. Bisacurone, a component of turmeric extract, is known
      to have similar effects. Oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines play an
      important role in ethanol-induced liver injury. This study was performed to
      evaluate the influence of a hot water extract of C. longa (WEC) or bisacurone on
      acute ethanol-induced liver injury. C57BL/6 mice were orally administered WEC (20
      mg/kg body weight; BW) or bisacurone (60 ug/kg BW) at 30 min before a single dose
      of ethanol was given by oral administration (3.0 g/kg BW). Plasma levels of
      aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were markedly increased
      in ethanol-treated mice, while the increase of these enzymes was significantly
      suppressed by prior administration of WEC. The increase of alanine
      aminotransferase was also significantly suppressed by pretreatment with
      bisacurone. Compared with control mice, animals given WEC had higher hepatic
      tissue levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione, as well as lower hepatic
      tissue levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TNF-alpha protein and
      IL-6 mRNA. These results suggest that oral administration of WEC may have a
      protective effect against ethanol-induced liver injury by suppressing hepatic
      oxidation and inflammation, at least partly through the effects of bisacurone.

PMID- 28620479
TI  - Postprandial glycaemic response to berry nectars containing inverted sucrose.
AB  - Sucrose is commonly used for sweetening berry products. During processing and
      storage of berry products containing added sucrose, sucrose is inverted to
      glucose and fructose. We have previously shown that postprandial glycaemic
      response induced by intact sucrose is attenuated when sucrose is consumed with
      berries rich in polyphenols. It is not known how inversion of sucrose affects
      glycaemic response. We investigated postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic
      responses to blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
      nectars and a reference drink (water) sweetened with glucose and fructose,
      representing completely inverted sucrose. The nectars and reference drink (300
      ml) contained 17.5 g glucose and 17.5 g fructose. Polyphenol composition of the
      nectars was analysed. A total of eighteen healthy volunteers participated in a
      randomised, controlled, cross-over study. Blood samples were collected at fasting
      and six times postprandially during 120 min. Inverted sucrose in the reference
      drink induced glycaemic and insulinaemic responses similar to those previously
      observed for intact sucrose. In comparison with the reference, the blackcurrant
      nectar attenuated the early glycaemic response and improved glycaemic profile,
      and the lingonberry nectar reduced the insulinaemic response. The responses
      induced by inverted sucrose in the berry nectars are similar to those previously
      observed for berry nectars containing intact sucrose, suggesting that inversion
      has no major impact on glycaemic response to sucrose-sweetened berry products.
      The attenuated glycaemic response after the blackcurrant nectar may be explained
      by inhibition of intestinal absorption of glucose by blackcurrant anthocyanins.

PMID- 28620480
TI  - Reduction of HbA1c levels by fucoxanthin-enriched akamoku oil possibly involves
      the thrifty allele of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1): a randomised controlled trial
      in normal-weight and obese Japanese adults.
AB  - Lifestyle-related problems are becoming a major health threat in East Asian
      countries. Therefore, finding an efficacious nutraceutical for this population is
      important. One candidate is fucoxanthin (Fx), a carotenoid abundantly found in
      edible brown seaweed that has been associated with a number of valuable health
      promoting benefits. Unfortunately, clinical studies of Fx are limited. In the
      present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of Fx on obesity-related
      parameters in Japanese subjects harbouring an SNP associated with lifestyle
      related problems. In all, sixty normal-weight and obese Japanese adults with BMI
      over 22 kg/m2 were single-blinded and randomly assigned to three Fx-dose cohorts
      and administered Fx-enriched akamoku oil containing Fx at 0, 1 or 2 mg/d for 8
      weeks (n 20 per group). Parameters relating to obesity and serum Fx metabolites
      were measured before and after intervention, but no significant differences were
      observed between and within the groups. Despite no changes in visceral fat areas
      and resting energy expenditures after intervention, we observed a significant
      decline in HbA1c levels in the 2 mg/d Fx group compared with that in the 0 mg/d
      group (P < 0.05), which was correlated with an increase in serum fucoxanthinol
      (Fx metabolite) levels. In addition, HbA1c levels declined more significantly in
      subjects with G/G alleles of the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) gene than in those
      with the A/A and A/G alleles (P < 0.05). We conclude that although Fx
      supplementation does not affect visceral fat areas, it may reduce HbA1c levels in
      those harbouring the thrifty allele of UCP1-3826A/G.

PMID- 28620481
TI  - Tolerability and safety of the intake of bovine milk oligosaccharides extracted
      from cheese whey in healthy human adults.
AB  - Mechanistic research suggests a unique evolutionary relationship between complex
      milk oligosaccharides and cognate bifidobacteria enriched in breast-fed infants.
      Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMO) were recently identified as structurally and
      functionally similar to human milk oligosaccharides. The present single-blind
      three-way crossover study is the first to determine the safety and tolerability
      of BMO consumption by healthy human participants (n 12) and its effects on faecal
      microbiota and microbial metabolism. Participants consumed each supplement
      (placebo-control; low- and high-BMO doses) for eleven consecutive days, followed
      by a 2-week washout period prior to initiating the next supplement arm. Low and
      high BMO doses were consumed as 25 and 35 % of each individual's daily fibre
      intake, respectively. Safety and tolerability were measured using standardised
      questionnaires on gut and stomach discomfort and stool consistency. Faecal
      extracts were profiled for bacterial populations by next-generation sequencing
      (NGS) and bifidobacteria presence was confirmed using quantitative PCR. Urine was
      analysed for changes in microbial metabolism using nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (1H-NMR). Consumption of both the low and high BMO doses was well
      tolerated and did not change stool consistency from baseline. Multivariate
      analysis of the NGS results demonstrated no change in faecal microbiota phyla
      among the placebo-control and BMO supplement groups. In conclusion, BMO
      supplementation was well tolerated in healthy adults and has the potential to
      shift faecal microbiota toward beneficial strains as part of a synbiotic
      treatment with probiotic cultures that selectively metabolise oligosaccharides.

PMID- 28620482
TI  - Naturally occurring and added sugar in relation to macronutrient intake and food
      consumption: results from a population-based study in adults.
AB  - Associations between sugar intake and the remaining diet are poorly described in
      modern food environments. We aimed at exploring associations of high naturally
      occurring and added sugar intakes with sociodemographic characteristics, intake
      of macronutrients, fibre and selected food groups. Our data comprised 4842
      Finnish adults aged 25-74 years, who participated in the population-based
      DIetary, Lifestyle and Genetic determinants of Obesity and Metabolic syndrome
      (DILGOM) study. Diet was assessed by a validated 131-item FFQ. The food item
      disaggregation approach was used to estimate sucrose and fructose intakes from
      natural sources (naturally occurring sugar) and all other sources (added sugar).
      Sex-specific trends in macronutrient, fibre and food group intakes across sugar
      type quartiles were determined with general linear modelling adjusting for age,
      energy intake, leisure-time physical activity, smoking, education and BMI.
      Overall, results were similar across sexes. Young age was found to be a
      determinant of higher added sugar and lower naturally occurring sugar intakes (P
      < 0.0001). High added sugar intake was associated with low fibre intake (P <
      0.0001) accompanied with lower fruit (P < 0.0001 women; P = 0.022 men) and
      vegetable consumption (P < 0.0001) and higher wheat consumption (P = 0.0003
      women; P < 0.0001 men). Opposite results were found for naturally occurring
      sugar. Butter consumption increased by 28-32 % (P < 0.0001) when shifting from
      the lowest to the highest added sugar intake quartile, while a decrease of 26-38
      % (P < 0.0001) was found for naturally occurring sugar. Therefore, the
      associations of sugar types with dietary carbohydrate and fat quality seem
      opposing. Proper adjustments with dietary variables are needed when studying
      independent relationships between sugar and health.

PMID- 28620484
TI  - The effect of changing the moisture levels of dry extruded and wet canned diets
      on physical activity in cats.
AB  - Obesity levels in cats are increasing and the main causative factor is higher
      energy intake v. energy expenditure over time. Therefore, altering energy
      expenditure by enhancing physical activity of the cat could be a strategy to
      reduce obesity. Hydrating commercial dry diets with water increased activity in
      cats; however, no study has compared this approach with feeding high-moisture
      canned diets. Eight healthy male neutered domestic shorthair cats were fed four
      different dietary treatments in a Latin square design. Treatments were a canned
      diet 'as is' (82 % moisture) and freeze-dried (4 %), a dry diet 'as is' (3 %) and
      with added water (70 %). Cat activity was measured continuously using Actical(r)
      accelerometers. Cats were group housed during the first 14 d of each period and
      then moved to individual cages for 7 d with faecal and urine production measured
      over the final 4 d. Intake was similar for each diet. The average activity over
      24 h was not different between treatments (P > 0.05). However, the ratio between
      average activity during the day v. at night was higher when cats were fed the dry
      diet (P = 0.030). Total water intake and urine volume increased when the canned
      diet was fed (P < 0.001). The similarity in total activity of the cats on the
      treatments indicates that dietary moisture or diet type did not have a major
      effect on these cats. However, the stronger diurnal activity patterns observed in
      the cats when they were fed the dry diet are intriguing and require further
      study.

PMID- 28620483
TI  - Utilisation of supplemented l-carnitine for fuel efficiency, as an antioxidant,
      and for muscle recovery in Labrador retrievers.
AB  - The primary goal was to investigate the effects of l-carnitine on fuel
      efficiency, as an antioxidant, and for muscle recovery in Labrador retrievers.
      Dogs were split into two groups, with one group being supplemented with 250 mg/d
      of CarnikingTM l-carnitine powder. Two experiments (Expt 1 and Expt 2) were
      performed over a 2-year period which included running programmes, activity
      monitoring, body composition scans and evaluation of recovery using biomarkers.
      Each experiment differed slightly in dog number and design: fifty-six v. forty
      dogs; one endurance and two sprint runs per week v. two endurance runs; and
      differing blood collection time points. All dogs were fed a low-carnitine diet in
      which a fixed amount was offered based on maintaining the minimum starting
      weight. Results from Expt 1 found that the carnitine dogs produced approximately
      4000 more activity points per km compared with the control group during sprint (P
      = 0.052) and endurance runs (P = 0.0001). Male carnitine dogs produced half the
      creatine phosphokinase (CPK) following exercise compared with male control dogs
      (P = 0.05). Carnitine dogs had lower myoglobin at 6.69 ng/ml following intensive
      exercise compared with controls at 24.02 ng/ml (P = 0.0295). Total antioxidant
      capacity (TAC) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) results were
      not considered significant. In Expt 2, body composition scans indicated that the
      carnitine group gained more total tissue mass while controls lost tissue mass (P
      = 0.0006) and also gained lean mass while the control group lost lean mass (P <
      0.0001). Carnitine dogs had lower CPK secretion at 23.06 v. control at 28.37
      mU/ml 24 h after post-run (P = 0.003). Myoglobin levels were lower in carnitine
      v. control dogs both 1 h post-run (P = 0.0157; 23.83 v. 37.91 ng/ml) and 24 h
      post-run (P = 0.0189; 6.25 v.13.5 ng/ml). TAC indicated more antioxidant activity
      in carnitine dogs at 0.16 mm v. control at 0.13 mm (P = 0.0496). TBARS were also
      significantly lower in carnitine dogs both pre-run (P = 0.0013; 15.36 v. 23.42
      um) and 1 h post-run (P = 0.056; 16.45 v. 20.65 um). Supplementing l-carnitine in
      the form of CarnikingTM had positive benefits in Labrador retrievers for activity
      intensity, body composition, muscle recovery and oxidative capacity.

PMID- 28620485
TI  - Variation in activity levels amongst dogs of different breeds: results of a large
      online survey of dog owners from the UK.
AB  - Regular physical activity is an important means of promoting health, both in
      people and their pets. Walking is the most common method used for dogs, but there
      is a lack of clarity on how much daily activity different breeds of dog require.
      Data from an online survey of UK dog owners were collected between June and
      August in 2014. The University of Liverpool Ethics Committee approved the
      project, and owners consented to data use. The initial dataset (17 028 dogs) was
      first cleaned to remove erroneous data, and then edited to remove mixed breed
      dogs, leaving a total of 12 314 dogs from known pedigree breeds. Other
      information collected included sex, age, neuter status, breed, and amount and
      frequency of exercise. Exercise frequency and duration were estimated across
      different breeds, and compared with Kennel Club recommendations, using chi2 tests
      and binary logistic regression. The online survey data indicated differences
      amongst breeds in the amount of walking reported (P < 0.001). Afghan hounds were
      the least exercised breed, whilst breeds reportedly exercised most included:
      English setter, foxhound, Irish setter and Old English sheepdog. Gundogs were
      most likely to be walked once per d or more (P < 0.001), whilst smaller dogs were
      more likely to meet their UK Kennel Club guidelines for dog walking (P < 0.001).
      The frequency of dog walking varies both within and amongst breeds, and many do
      not currently receive the recommended amount of exercise. This may constitute a
      canine welfare problem and also have an impact on the physical activity levels of
      their owners.

PMID- 28620486
TI  - Overweight dogs exercise less frequently and for shorter periods: results of a
      large online survey of dog owners from the UK.
AB  - Canine obesity is now the number one health concern in dogs worldwide. Regular
      physical activity can improve health, and owners are advised to exercise their
      dogs on a regular basis. However, limited information exists about associations
      between overweight status of dogs and walking activity. An online survey was
      conducted between June and August in 2014, coinciding with the broadcast of a
      national UK television programme, exploring dog behaviour. Information gathered
      included signalment, overweight status, and owner-reported information on
      duration and frequency of dog walking. The University of Liverpool Ethics
      Committee approved the project, and owners consented to data use. Simple and
      multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine associations between
      overweight status and dog walking activity. Data were available from 11 154 adult
      dogs, and 1801 (16.1 %) of these were reported as overweight by their owners.
      Dogs reported to be overweight dogs were more likely to be neutered (P < 0.0001)
      and older (P < 0.0001). Various breeds were over-represented including beagle,
      Cavalier King Charles spaniel, golden retriever, Labrador retriever and pug (P <
      0.0001 for all). Both frequency and duration of walking were negatively
      associated with overweight status (P < 0.0001 for both). On multiple regression
      analysis, duration and frequency were independently and negatively associated
      with the odds of being overweight, along with a range of other factors including
      age, neuter status and breed. This study has identified associations between
      overweight status and exercise. In the future, studies should determine the
      reason for this association, and whether changes in walking activity can
      influence weight status.

PMID- 28620487
TI  - Effect of enzyme supplements on macronutrient digestibility by healthy adult
      dogs.
AB  - Some enzyme supplement products claim benefits for healthy dogs to compensate for
      alleged suboptimal production of endogenous enzymes and the loss of enzymes in
      commercial pet foods secondary to processing. The objective of the current study
      was to determine macronutrient and energy digestibility by healthy adult dogs fed
      a commercial maintenance diet with or without supplementation with plant- and
      animal-origin enzyme products at the dosage recommended by their respective
      manufacturers. A group of fourteen healthy neutered adult Beagle dogs (average
      age 8 years) was divided into two equal groups and fed the basal diet alone and
      then with either the plant- or animal-origin enzyme supplement in three
      consecutive 10-d periods; the treatment groups received the opposite enzyme
      supplement in the third period. Digestibility in each period was performed by the
      total faecal collection method. Serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI) was
      measured at the end of each trial. Data were analysed by repeated measures and
      the alpha level of significance was set at 0.05. There were no differences in
      energy and nutrient digestibility between enzyme treatments. When comparing basal
      with enzyme supplementation, fat digestibility was higher for the basal diet
      compared with the animal-origin enzyme treatment, which could be a period effect
      and was not biologically significant (94.7 v. 93.5 %). Serum TLI was not affected
      by supplementation with either enzyme product. Exogenous enzyme supplementation
      did not significantly increase digestibility of a typical commercial dry diet in
      healthy adult dogs and routine use of such products is not recommended.

PMID- 28620488
TI  - Impact of faecal DM excretion on faecal calcium losses in dogs eating complete
      moist and dry pet foods - food digestibility is a major determinant of calcium
      requirements.
AB  - The recommendations for the Ca supply for maintenance of dogs have been reduced
      by about 75 % in the last decades. An important factor for Ca requirements is
      faecal Ca losses. In previous studies with experimental diets faecal Ca losses
      depended on Ca intake and on faecal DM excretion. A predictive equation for
      faecal Ca losses in mg/kg body weight (BW) developed in a fibre model is: faecal
      losses = -33.8 + (13.6 faecal DM excretion (g/kg BW)) + (0.78 Ca intake (mg/kg
      BW)). The present study aimed at testing this equation in pet food with material
      from trials carried out for other purposes. Digestion trials with twenty-five dry
      and fifteen moist foods (326 observations in total) were evaluated
      retrospectively. Faecal DM excretion and faecal Ca losses were significantly
      correlated (r2 0.86; P < 0.001). There was a highly significant correlation (r2
      0.87; P < 0.001) between the experimentally determined faecal Ca excretion and
      the faecal Ca excretion predicted by the equation of Kienzle et al. The data from
      the previous fibre model study could be transferred to prepared moist and dry dog
      food. Faecal DM excretion has a considerable impact on faecal Ca losses in a
      practical feeding situation. In conclusion, Ca requirements for maintenance may
      vary with food DM intake and digestibility.

PMID- 28620489
TI  - Organizational knowledge and capabilities in healthcare: Deconstructing and
      integrating diverse perspectives.
AB  - Diverse concepts and bodies of work exist in the academic literature to guide
      research and practice on organizational knowledge and capabilities. However,
      these concepts have largely developed in parallel with minimal cross
      fertilization, particularly in the healthcare domain. This contributes to
      confusion regarding conceptual boundaries and relationships, and to a lack of
      application of potentially useful evidence. The aim of this article is to assess
      three concepts associated with organizational knowledge content-intellectual
      capital, organizational core competencies, and dynamic capabilities-and to
      propose an agenda for future research. We conducted a literature review to
      identify and synthesize papers that apply the concepts of intellectual capital,
      organizational core competencies, and dynamic capabilities in healthcare
      settings. We explore the meaning of these concepts, summarize and critique
      associated healthcare research, and propose a high-level framework for
      conceptualizing how the concepts are related to each other. To support
      application of the concepts in practice, we conducted a case study of a
      healthcare organization. Through document review and interviews with current and
      former leaders, we identify and describe the organization's intellectual capital,
      organizational core competencies, and dynamic capabilities. The review
      demonstrates that efforts to identify, understand, and improve organizational
      knowledge have been limited in health services research. In the literature on
      healthcare, we identified 38 papers on intellectual capital, 4 on core
      competencies, and 5 on dynamic capabilities. We link these disparate fields of
      inquiry by conceptualizing the three concepts as distinct, but overlapping
      concepts influenced by broader organizational learning and knowledge management
      processes. To aid healthcare researchers in studying and applying a knowledge
      based view of organizational performance, we propose an agenda for future
      research involving longitudinal comparative case studies.

PMID- 28620490
TI  - Ketogenic diet: Predictors of seizure control.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ketogenic diet is an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for
      medically resistant epilepsy. The aim of this study was to identify any
      predictors that may influence the response of ketogenic diet. METHODS: A
      retrospective chart review for all patients with medically resistant epilepsy was
      performed at a tertiary care epilepsy center from 1996 to 2012. Patient- and diet
      related variables were evaluated with respect to seizure reduction at 1, 3, 6, 9
      and 12-month intervals and divided into four possible outcome classes. RESULTS:
      Sixty-three patients met inclusion. Thirty-seven (59%) reported >50% seizure
      reduction at 3 months with 44% and 37% patients benefiting at 6-month and 12
      month follow up, respectively. A trend toward significant seizure improvement was
      noted in 48% patients with seizure onset >1 year at 12-month (p = 0.09) interval
      and in 62% patients with >10 seizure/day at 6-month interval (p = 0.054). An
      ordinal logistic regression showed later age of seizure to have higher odds of
      favorable response at 1-month (p = 0.005) and 3-month (p = 0.013) follow up.
      Patients with non-fasting diet induction were more likely to have a favorable
      outcome at 6 months (p = 0.008) as do females (p = 0.037) and those treated with
      higher fat ratio diet (p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Our study reports the
      effectiveness of ketogenic diet in children with medically resistant epilepsy.
      Later age of seizure onset, female gender, higher ketogenic diet ratio and non
      fasting induction were associated with better odds of improved seizure outcome. A
      larger cohort is required to confirm these findings.

PMID- 28620491
TI  - Pseudo-thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura presenting as multi-organ dysfunction
      syndrome: A rare complication of pernicious anemia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We present a rare case of pernicious anemia presented as multi-organ
      dysfunction syndrome, later found to have pseudo-thrombotic thrombocytopenic
      purpura. METHODS: An 86-year-old female presented with respiratory distress,
      altered mental status, acute renal failure and was intubated in emergency room.
      She was found to have severe anemia, thrombocytopenia, high lactate, high lactate
      dehydrogenase and low haptoglobin. Peripheral smear revealed multilobulated
      neutrophils with schistocytes, poikilocytes and anisocytes. RESULTS: She was
      admitted to intensive care unit for altered mental status, multi-organ
      dysfunction syndrome with severe metabolic acidosis in setting of hemolysis. She
      was intubated and managed with intravenous antibiotics and blood transfusion.
      Patient improved significantly after blood transfusion. Lactic acid normalized,
      acute kidney injury resolved and mentation improved after transfusion. Laboratory
      investigation revealed low vitamin B12, high methylmalonic acid, high
      homocysteine, high lactate dehydrogenase, low haptoglobin, high anti-parietal
      antibody and high anti-intrinsic factor antibody. Patient was diagnosed with
      pernicious anemia and pseudo-thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with concomitant
      intramedullary hemolysis. Her hematological parameters and her clinical condition
      improved significantly after starting therapy with cyanocobalamin. CONCLUSION:
      Pernicious anemia is a chronic disease with subtle presentation but may present
      as life-threatening complications. Hemolysis and pseudo-thrombotic
      thrombocytopenic purpura may present as multi-organ dysfunction syndrome which
      has dramatic response to appropriate therapy.

PMID- 28620492
TI  - Tinnitus after administration of sublingual immunotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Sublingual immunotherapy was first described in 1986.
      Since then, its use has been increased as an alternative to subcutaneously
      administered immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The most common
      side effects are of oropharyngeal and gastrointestinal in nature, for example,
      itching, swelling, irritation, ulceration of the oropharynx and nausea, abdominal
      pain, diarrhoea, and vomiting. More severe side effects are dominated by systemic
      and respiratory tract manifestations. RESULTS: In this clinical case, the author
      reports a right-sided transient tinnitus lasting for 48 h after administration of
      sublingual immunotherapy for house dust mite in allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSIONS:
      This case provide important insights for clinical practice, as tinnitus has not
      been previously reported as a side effect of sublingual immunotherapy with house
      dust mite allergens.

PMID- 28620493
TI  - A bronchoscopic approach to benign subglottic stenosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Subglottic stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the tracheal lumen at
      the level of subglottis (the area in between the vocal cords and the cricoid
      cartilage). It can cause significant symptoms due to severe attenuation of
      airflow. We describe our experience in alleviating symptoms by addressing the
      stenosis using fibreoptic bronchoscopic methods. METHODS: We report all
      concurrent cases performed between September 2015 and July 2016. We use a
      combination of balloon dilation, electro-surgery knife to dilate and incise
      stenotic segments followed by steroid injection to modulate healing. RESULTS: We
      treated 10 patients in the study period, 8 of which were women. A total of 39
      procedures were performed on these patients during this period. Gastro-esophageal
      reflux was the most common comorbidity associated with stenosis. The majority of
      the patients required more than 2 therapeutic procedures, but none required more
      than 4 procedures. There were no complications. CONCLUSION: Tracheal stenosis and
      in particular subglottic stenosis is a recurrent process and its management
      requires extensive collaboration amongst treating specialties. Our technique of
      steroid injection after dilation of the stenosis was effective in symptom control
      and decreased the number of repeat procedures.

PMID- 28620494
TI  - Endemic goitre and hypothyroidism in an adult female patient dependent on total
      parenteral nutrition.
AB  - : We present the case of a thirty-year-old female patient who was referred to the
      endocrinology team with an enlarging goitre and biochemical hypothyroidism. She
      had been dependent on total parenteral nutrition for the previous six years as a
      result of intestinal failure thought to be caused by possible underlying
      mitochondrial disease. The patient also suffers from a Desmin myopathy, and at
      present, the exact aetiology behind her intestinal failure is not certain. The
      goitre was smooth and had been enlarging slowly over the previous few months.
      Thyroid peroxidase antibodies were found to be within normal range. Further
      analysis of the case showed that twelve months earlier the patients total
      parenteral nutrition (TPN) feed had been altered as a result of manganese
      toxicity. The current feeding regimen did not contain a trace element additive
      which had previously supplied iodine supplementation. A little detective work
      established that iodine content to the TPN had been reduced, the trace element
      additive (Additrace) was recommenced providing 1 umol of iodine per day, equating
      to 130 ug of iodine. Following this change, thyroid-stimulating hormone levels
      returned to normal and the goitre quickly reduced in size. We present a rare case
      of endemic goitre and hypothyroidism in a patient receiving inadequate iodine
      supplementation through total parenteral nutrition. LEARNING POINTS: Endemic
      goitre and hypothyroidism secondary to iodine deficiency are rare in the
      developed world. However, the diagnosis should be considered in the setting of a
      diffuse goitre and negative thyroid antibodies.Although rare, endemic goitre
      should be considered in patients who present with hypothyroidism and who are
      dependent on total parenteral nutrition.Treatment with levothyroxine is not
      required in endemic goitre as thyroid function tests generally normalise with the
      addition of iodine to the diet/total parenteral nutrition regimen.Iodine
      supplementation at a level recommended by the European Society for Clinical
      Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) was observed to quickly normalise this patient's
      thyroid function tests.

PMID- 28620495
TI  - Familial partial lipodystrophy and proteinuric renal disease due to a missense
      c.1045C > T LMNA mutation.
AB  - : Proteinuric renal disease is prevalent in congenital or acquired forms of
      generalized lipodystrophy. In contrast, an association between familial partial
      lipodystrophy (FPLD) and renal disease has been documented in very few cases. A
      22-year-old female patient presented with impaired glucose tolerance,
      hyperinsulinemia, hirsutism and oligomenorrhea. On examination, there was partial
      loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue in the face, upper and lower limbs, bird-like
      facies with micrognathia and low set ears and mild acanthosis nigricans.
      Laboratory investigations revealed hyperandrogenism, hyperlipidemia, elevated
      serum creatine kinase and mild proteinuria. A clinical diagnosis of FPLD of the
      non-Dunnigan variety was made; genetic testing revealed a heterozygous c.1045C >
      T mutation in exon 6 of the LMNA gene, predicted to result in an abnormal LMNA
      protein (p.R349W). Electromyography and muscle biopsy were suggestive of non
      specific myopathy. Treatment with metformin and later with pioglitazone was
      initiated. Due to worsening proteinuria, a renal biopsy was performed;
      histological findings were consistent with mild focal glomerular
      mesangioproliferative changes, and the patient was started on angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. This is the fourth report of FPLD associated
      with the c.1045C > T missense LMNA mutation and the second with co-existent
      proteinuric renal disease. Patients carrying this specific mutation may exhibit a
      phenotype that includes partial lipodystrophy, proteinuric nephropathy,
      cardiomyopathy and atypical myopathy. LEARNING POINTS: Lipodystrophy is a rare
      disorder characterized by the complete or partial loss of subcutaneous adipose
      tissue, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia.Proteinuric
      renal disease is a prevalent feature of generalized lipodystrophy but rare in
      familial partial lipodystrophy.Patients carrying the c.1045C > T missense LMNA
      mutation (p.R349W) may present with familial partial lipodystrophy, proteinuric
      nephropathy, cardiomyopathy and atypical myopathy.

PMID- 28620496
TI  - Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 affect the severity of Graves'
      disease.
AB  - : Graves' disease, the most common form of hyperthyroidism in iodine-replete
      countries, is associated with the presence of immunoglobulins G (IgGs) that are
      responsible for thyroid growth and hyperfunction. In this article, we report the
      unusual case of a patient with acromegaly and a severe form of Graves' disease.
      Here, we address the issue concerning the role of growth hormone (GH) and insulin
      like growth factor 1 (IGF1) in influencing thyroid function. Severity of Graves'
      disease is exacerbated by coexistent acromegaly and both activity indexes and
      symptoms and signs of Graves' disease improve after the surgical remission of
      acromegaly. We also discuss by which signaling pathways GH and IGF1 may play an
      integrating role in regulating the function of the immune system in Graves'
      disease and synergize the stimulatory activity of Graves' IgGs. LEARNING POINTS:
      Clinical observations have demonstrated an increased prevalence of euthyroid and
      hyperthyroid goiters in patients with acromegaly.The coexistence of acromegaly
      and Graves' disease is a very unusual event, the prevalence being <1%.Previous in
      vitro studies have showed that IGF1 synergizes the TSH-induced thyroid cell
      growth-activating pathways independent of TSH/cAMP/PKA cascade.We report the
      first case of a severe form of Graves' disease associated with acromegaly and
      show that surgical remission of acromegaly leads to a better control of symptoms
      of Graves' disease.

PMID- 28620497
TI  - Painful ovulation in a 46,XX SRY -ve adult male with SOX9 duplication.
AB  - : 46,XX disorders of sexual development (DSDs) occur rarely and result from
      disruptions of the genetic pathways underlying gonadal development and
      differentiation. We present a case of a young phenotypic male with 46,XX SRY
      negative ovotesticular DSD resulting from a duplication upstream of SOX9
      presenting with a painful testicular mass resulting from ovulation into an
      ovotestis. We present a literature review of ovulation in phenotypic men and
      discuss the role of SRY and SOX9 in testicular development, including the role of
      SOX9 upstream enhancer region duplication in female-to-male sex reversal.
      LEARNING POINTS: In mammals, the early gonad is bipotent and can differentiate
      into either a testis or an ovary. SRY is the master switch in testis
      determination, responsible for differentiation of the bipotent gonad into
      testis.SRY activates SOX9 gene, SOX9 as a transcription factor is the second
      major gene involved in male sex determination. SOX9 drives the proliferation of
      Sertoli cells and activates AMH/MIS repressing the ovary. SOX9 is sufficient to
      induce testis formation and can substitute for SRY function.Assessing karyotype
      and then determination of the presence or absence of Mullerian structures are
      necessary serial investigations in any case of DSD, except for mixed gonadal
      dysgenesis identified by karyotype alone.Treatment is ideal in a
      multidisciplinary setting with considerations to genetic (implications to family
      and reproductive recurrence risk), psychological aspects (sensitive
      individualized counseling including patient gender identity and preference),
      endocrinological (hormone replacement), surgical (cosmetic, prophylactic
      gonadectomy) fertility preservation and reproductive opportunities and metabolic
      health (cardiovascular and bones).

PMID- 28620498
TI  - Diabetes insipidus and hypopituitarism in HIV: an unexpected cause.
AB  - : Central diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare clinical entity characterized by low
      circulating levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) presenting with polyuria and
      volume depletion. Pituitary surgery is the most common cause of central DI in
      adults. Pituitary and hypothalamic disease, particularly invasive neoplasms,
      rarely cause DI, being idiopathic cases responsible for the majority of non
      surgical cases. HIV patients, especially those with poor virulogical control, are
      prone to the development of CNS neoplasms, particularly lymphomas. These
      neoplasms usually become manifest with mass effects and seizures. Central DI and
      hypopituitarism are uncommon initial manifestations of primary CNS lymphomas. The
      authors describe the case of 29-year-old female, HIV-positive patient whose CNS
      lymphoma presented with DI. LEARNING POINTS: Central diabetes insipidus has
      multiple causes and central nervous system lymphomas are not often considered in
      the differential diagnosis due to their low prevalence.Accurate biochemical
      diagnosis should always be followed by etiological investigation.The HIV
      population is at risk for many neoplasms, especially CNS lymphomas.New-onset
      polyuria in an HIV-positive patient in the absence of focal neurological signs
      should raise the suspicion for a central nervous system process of neoplastic
      nature.This clinical entity usually constitutes a therapeutical challenge, often
      requiring a multidisciplinary approach for optimal outcome.

PMID- 28620499
TI  - Intrauterine death following intraamniotic triiodothyronine and thyroxine therapy
      for fetal goitrous hypothyroidism associated with polyhydramnios and caused by a
      thyroglobulin mutation.
AB  - : In the absence of maternal thyroid disease or iodine deficiency, fetal goitre
      is rare and usually attributable to dyshormonogenesis, for which genetic
      ascertainment is not always undertaken in the UK. Mechanical complications
      include tracheal and oesophageal compression with resultant polyhydramnios,
      malpresentation at delivery and neonatal respiratory distress. We report an
      Indian kindred in which the proband (first-born son) had congenital
      hypothyroidism (CH) without obvious neonatal goitre. His mother's second
      pregnancy was complicated by fetal hypothyroid goitre and polyhydramnios,
      prompting amniotic fluid drainage and intraamniotic therapy (with liothyronine,
      T3 and levothyroxine, T4). Sadly, intrauterine death occurred at 31 weeks.
      Genetic studies in the proband demonstrated compound heterozygous novel
      (c.5178delT, p.A1727Hfs*26) and previously described (c.7123G > A, p.G2375R)
      thyroglobulin (TG) mutations which are the likely cause of fetal goitre in the
      deceased sibling. TG mutations rarely cause fetal goitre, and management remains
      controversial due to the potential complications of intrauterine therapy however
      an amelioration in goitre size may be achieved with intraamniotic T4, and
      intraamniotic T3/T4 combination has achieved a favourable outcome in one case. A
      conservative approach, with surveillance, elective delivery and commencement of
      levothyroxine neonatally may also be justified, although intubation may be
      required post delivery for respiratory obstruction. Our observations highlight
      the lethality which may be associated with fetal goitre. Additionally, although
      this complication may recur in successive pregnancies, our case highlights the
      possibility of discordance for fetal goitre in siblings harbouring the same
      dyshormonogenesis-associated genetic mutations. Genetic ascertainment may
      facilitate prenatal diagnosis and assist management in familial cases. LEARNING
      POINTS: CH due to biallelic, loss-of-function TG mutations is well-described and
      readily treatable in childhood however mechanical complications from associated
      fetal goitre may include polyhydramnios, neonatal respiratory compromise and neck
      hyperextension with dystocia complicating delivery.CH due to TG mutations may
      manifest with variable phenotypes, even within the same kindred.Treatment options
      for hypothyroid dyshormogenic fetal goitre in a euthyroid mother include
      intraamniotic thyroid hormone replacement in cases with polyhydramnios or
      significant tracheal obstruction. Alternatively, cases may be managed
      conservatively with radiological surveillance, elective delivery and neonatal
      levothyroxine treatment, although intubation and ventilation may be required to
      support neonatal respiratory compromise.Genetic ascertainment in such kindreds
      may enable prenatal diagnosis and anticipatory planning for antenatal management
      of further affected offspring.

PMID- 28620500
TI  - Lugol's solution-induced painless thyroiditis.
AB  - : Lugol's solution is usually employed for a limited period for thyroidectomy
      preparation in patients with Graves' disease and for the control of severe
      thyrotoxicosis and thyroid storm. We describe a rare case of Lugol's solution
      induced painless thyroiditis. In November 2014, a 59-year-old woman was
      prescribed Lugol's solution four drops per day for the alleviation of menopausal
      symptoms. She was referred to our clinic in June 2015 for fatigue, hair loss, and
      a 20-lb weight loss without thyroid pain or discomfort. Physical examination
      revealed a normal thyroid gland. On 7 May 2015, laboratory tests revealed a
      suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 0.01 U/L with elevated free T4 3.31
      ng/dL (42.54 pmol/L). Repeat testing on 25 May 2015 showed spontaneous
      normalization of the free thyroid hormone levels with persistently low TSH 0.10
      U/L. Following these results, a family physician prescribed methimazole 10 mg PO
      TID and very soon after, the TSH concentration rose to >100 U/L along with
      subnormal free T4 and T3 levels. Methimazole was promptly discontinued, namely
      within 18 days of its initiation. Over the course of the next few months, the
      patient spontaneously achieved clinical and biochemical euthyroidism. To our
      knowledge, this is a unique case of painless thyroiditis induced by Lugol's
      solution, which has not been reported before. Lugol's solution is a short-term
      medication given for the preparation of thyroidectomy in patients with Graves'
      disease and for the control of severe thyrotoxicosis. Iodine excess can cause
      both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Rarely, Lugol's solution can cause acute
      painless thyroiditis. LEARNING POINTS: Lugol's solution is used for thyroidectomy
      preparation in patients with Graves' disease and for the control of severe
      thyrotoxicosis and thyroid storm.Iodine excess can cause both hypothyroidism and
      thyrotoxicosis. Thyroid glands with an underlying pathology are particularly
      susceptible to the adverse effect of iodine.The prolonged off-label use of
      Lugol's solution can be harmful. Rarely, Lugol's solution can cause acute painful
      thyroiditis.

PMID- 28620501
TI  - Efficacy of lenvatinib in a patient with anaplastic thyroid cancer.
AB  - : We experienced a case of an 82-year-old woman who presented to our hospital
      with a 1-month history of dysphagia and dyspnea. Cervical contrast-enhanced
      computed tomography revealed diffuse thyroid neoplasms causing significant
      tracheal stenosis with tumors, particularly of the superior mediastinum, which
      were associated with an embolism of the brachiocephalic vein and suspected
      invasion to the bilateral common carotid arteries. Anaplastic thyroid cancer
      (ATC) was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration; thus, emergency tracheostomy and
      gastrostomy were performed. We made a definitive diagnosis of ATC (T4bN0M0 Stage
      IVB) and initiated continuous lenvatinib administration at 24 mg/day. Although
      several adverse events occurred, the tumor size reduced remarkably over a short
      period. However, the patient died from rupture of the common carotid artery 30
      days after treatment initiation. Here, we report our experience with lenvatinib
      therapy for ATC and include a literature review. LEARNING POINTS: Lenvatinib is
      extremely effective for ATC.Lenvatinib has a much greater cytoreductive effect
      than traditional therapies, but it needs dose reduction or withdrawal because of
      treatment-related side effects.Lenvatinib may cause treatment-related carotid
      blowout syndrome, resulting in death for patients with invasion to the carotid
      artery.

PMID- 28620502
TI  - Balanitis xerotica obliterans: has its diagnostic accuracy improved with time?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We observed whether general practitioners are referring more
      appropriately for balanitis xerotica obliterans in regards to circumcision,
      especially at a time of clinical concern, and whether their discriminative
      abilities were affected by age. We also aimed to explore if balanitis xerotica
      obliterans was over-diagnosed by surgeons potentially leading to unnecessary
      circumcisions of healthy foreskins. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study.
      SETTING: Leicester Royal Infirmary. PARTICIPANTS: All children less than 16 years
      of age were included and were subsequently split into two categories: those less
      than or equal to five years and those above five years. Circumcision was
      justified if surgeon found pathology under foreskin commissioning guidelines set
      by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. After clinical diagnosis of
      balanitis xerotica obliterans, the pathological database was searched for
      histological confirmation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Has diagnostic accuracy
      improved amongst general practitioners for balanitis xerotica obliterans and is
      there a high clinical to histological confirmation. RESULTS: Of the total
      patients, 14.5% were diagnosed clinically with balanitis xerotica obliterans.
      Only 66.7% of cases were histologically confirmed with chronic inflammation found
      in the rest; 5.5% of all boys referred had balanitis xerotica obliterans on
      histology; and 8.2% of children <5 had clinical balanitis xerotica obliterans
      with 1.7% confirmed histologically. This was in contrast with 18.1% and 9.2%
      found in the older cohort. CONCLUSION: There remains a high diagnostic inaccuracy
      amongst general practitioners when referring for balanitis xerotica obliterans.
      This is greatest in those under five years. Although balanitis xerotica
      obliterans was over-diagnosed, no healthy foreskin underwent unnecessary
      circumcision.

PMID- 28620503
TI  - General practice views of managing childhood obesity in primary care: a
      qualitative analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore general practice staff views of managing childhood obesity
      in primary care. DESIGN: A qualitative study to elicit the views of clinical and
      non-clinical general practice staff on managing childhood obesity. SETTING:
      Interviews were conducted at 30 general practices across England. These practices
      were interviewed as part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework Pilot Study.
      PARTICIPANTS: A total of 52 staff from 30 practices took part in a semi
      structured interview. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Key themes were identified through
      thematic analysis of transcripts using an inductive approach. RESULTS: Three
      themes were identified: lack of contact with well children, sensitivity of the
      issue, and the potential impact of general practice. Identifying overweight
      children was challenging because well children rarely attended the practice.
      Interviewees felt ill equipped to solve the issue because they lacked influence
      over the environmental, economic and lifestyle factors underpinning obesity. They
      described little evidence to support general practice intervention and seemed
      unaware of other services. Raising the issue was described as sensitive.
      CONCLUSION: General practice staff were unconvinced that they could have a
      significant role in managing childhood obesity on a large scale. Participants
      believed schools have more contact with children and should coordinate the
      identification and management of overweight children. Future policy could
      recommend a minor role for general practice involving opportunistically
      identifying overweight children and signposting to obesity services.

PMID- 28620504
TI  - Atlantoaxial TB with paralysis: posterior-only cervical approach with good
      results.
AB  - Early posterior cervical approach is an effective strategy for patients with
      cervical tuberculosis in the appropriate circumstances.

PMID- 28620505
TI  - World medical schools: The sum also rises.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is a worldwide shortage of doctors, which is true in most
      countries and on most continents. To enumerate the number of medical schools in
      the world at two different times, showing the trends and relating this to
      population is a beginning. The number is actually going up and has done so for
      some time; this has increased the supply of physicians and broadened healthcare
      delivery. DESIGN: The number to count for geographic and regional information
      about the medical schools relates directly to the supply of doctors. Regions were
      chosen from WHO and Foundation for the Advancement of International Medical
      Education and Research data to illustrate geographic distributions, physicians
      per patient and kinetics. SETTING: The number of medical schools has consistently
      been rising around the world. However, world order is reverting to disorder,
      considering wars, disease and beleaguered stand-offs. PARTICIPANTS: None. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Eight countries contain 40% of medical schools; however,
      several locations are rising faster than the rest. Some regions are stable, but
      sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, South Asia and South America have increased
      the most in percentage recently, but not uniformly. RESULTS: Medical schools are
      related not only by geography, political boundaries and population but are
      concentrated in some regions. Graduate Medical Education positions appear to be
      short on a worldwide basis, as well as in some regions and countries.
      CONCLUSIONS: The number of medical schools is increasing worldwide and the
      identification of rapidly rising geographic areas is useful in exploring,
      planning and comparing regions. Controversy continues in a variety of locations,
      especially concerning Graduate Medical Education. In addition to funding, faculty
      candidates and accreditation, new schools are confronting a variety of choices in
      standards and quality, sizing and regional concerns.

PMID- 28620506
TI  - An unusual manifestation of diabetic ketoacidosis and acute colonic pseudo
      obstruction.
AB  - Patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis and acute colonic pseudo
      obstruction should undergo a focused evaluation to identify underlying
      precipitants.

PMID- 28620507
TI  - Laparoscopic uteroovarian ligament truncation and uterosacral oophoropexy for
      idiopathic recurrent ovarian torsion: case report and review of literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unilateral recurrent ovarian torsion in adults is unusual following
      treatment of common underlying risk factors (e.g. benign cysts). Subtle anatomic
      etiologies, such as an elongated uteroovarian ligament and robust ovarian volume,
      are commonly underappreciated and may contribute to idiopathic recurrent
      unilateral torsion in adults. As seen in this case, combined surgical procedures
      may be required to prevent recurrence. CASE: 28 year old nulligravid woman with
      seven episodes of right ovarian torsion (without adnexal pathology)-six of those
      within 18 months-refractory to a series of previous surgical interventions.
      Laparoscopic uteroovarian ligament truncation with interval uterosacral ligament
      oophoropexy was employed. Ovarian torsion has not occurred in 45 months.
      CONCLUSION: Uteroovarian ligament truncation and uterosacral ligament oophoropexy
      is a feasible and effective combined surgical approach for the prevention of
      recurrent idiopathic ovarian torsion in adults without obvious risk factors.

PMID- 28620508
TI  - Pelvic pedicled omental flaps and autologous free omental grafts in a rabbit
      model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a need to identify an inexpensive, effective method to
      prevent postoperative adhesion formation. The objective of this study was to
      create a novel model for studying omentum as a pelvic adhesion barrier.
      Randomized, prospective, controlled surgical intervention with serial follow-up
      in 16 female rabbits at a University-based Center for Comparative Medicine.
      Interventions included bilateral hysterotomy incision and repair. The left
      hysterotomy was randomized into coverage with an omental flap or graft; the right
      hysterotomy remained uncovered. Adhesions were scored via laparoscopy on
      postoperative days 2, 4, 8, and 12; postmortem evaluation and scoring took place
      on postoperative day 16. Statistical tests consisted of Kappa tests of agreement
      between adhesion scorers and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests for the
      comparison of adhesion scores by intervention arm and by uterine horn. RESULTS:
      All omental flaps and grafts survived. The only significant difference in mean
      adhesion scores was seen in non-hysterotomy-associated adhesions, where grafts
      had a lower score than flaps (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Survival of all omental
      flaps and grafts demonstrates that this is a practical model for studying omentum
      as a pelvic adhesion barrier. Determining the efficacy of omentum as a pelvic
      adhesion barrier will require further investigation.

PMID- 28620509
TI  - Explaining fertility transition of a developing country: an analysis of quantum
      and tempo effect.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is defined as the average number of
      births a woman would have if she were to live throughout the reproductive span
      and bear children at each age at the rates observed in a particular year or
      period. The current demographic explanation for decline in TFR is primarily
      attributed to an increase in postponement in pregnancy. Being cross-sectional,
      fertility measures can be confounded by changes in the timing of births across
      women's lifetimes (tempo) and by changes in the numbers of children that they
      have by the time they end their childbearing (quantum). After a sharp fall in the
      last two decades, TFR of Bangladesh is now 2.3; whereas the TFR was greater than
      3 in the last decade. However, mean age at childbearing showed decreasing trend
      in the last decade. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from the three
      consecutive Bangladesh Demographic Health Surveys; BDHS-2004, 2007 and 2011. The
      method of Bongaarts and Feeney has been applied to estimate the tempo of
      fertility. Life Table analyses were applied on birth intervals to explain the
      tempo effect. RESULTS: There was a sustained decline of the fertility quantum
      (the number of births per woman) as estimated by the conventional TFR; due to
      tempo effects during the last three BDHS surveys. Mean age at childbearing also
      showed decreasing trend in the last decade. CONCLUSIONS: The current study shows
      the presence of a significant tempo effect with variability of timing in having
      first or higher order births. If this trend continues, Bangladesh will be able to
      achieve below replacement level of fertility soon.

PMID- 28620510
TI  - Time to next pregnancy in spontaneous pregnancies versus treatment cycles in
      fertile patients with recurrent pregnancy loss.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The current standard of care for management of patients with
      recurrent pregnancy loss is expectant management. However, the emotional impact
      of pregnancy losses and the urgency to conceive often leads couples to consider a
      variety of fertility treatments. The objective of this study is to report the
      time to next pregnancy and subsequent live birth and miscarriage rates in fertile
      patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) who choose to attempt spontaneous
      conception compared to those that opt to pursue fertility treatment. METHODS:
      Retrospective cohort study of one hundred and fifty-eight fertile RPL patients
      treated at a university-based fertility center. Patients were followed for a
      minimum of 6 months. Patients were encouraged to attempt spontaneous conception,
      but allowed to initiate fertility treatments (ovarian stimulation, insemination,
      IVF or PGS) according to their preferences. Main outcome measures were time to
      next pregnancy and pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: For those patients who achieved a
      spontaneous conception, 88% conceived within 6 months, with a median time of 2
      months and range of 1-10 months. Patients using IUI, IVF and PGS conceived in a
      median of 3, 4 and 5 months, respectively. The live birth rate and clinical
      miscarriage rate was not improved with any fertility treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In
      the fertile RPL patient population, there does not appear to be a benefit to
      proceeding directly with fertility treatment. Patients should be encouraged to
      attempt spontaneous conception for at least 6 months.

PMID- 28620511
TI  - Worldwide research productivity in emergency contraception: a bibliometric
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The main goal of this study was to assess worldwide research activity
      in emergency contraception (EC) using bibliometric indicators. METHODS: Data in
      SciVerse Scopus were searched for documents pertaining to emergency
      contraception. Data obtained were then exported to Microsoft Excel and analyzed
      using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. RESULTS: A total of 2142 documents
      were published about EC worldwide. Documents were written in 27 different
      languages and were published from 78 countries. Publications in EC started on
      late 1960s. Total number of citations for published EC documents was 30154 while
      median citation per document was six. The h-index of the retrieved documents was
      58. The leading country in EC research was United States of America with a total
      of 559 documents (26.10%). One hundred and ninety five (9.10%) documents were
      published in Contraception journal. The leading institution in EC research and
      publications was Princeton University (50; 2.33%) followed by University of
      California, San Francisco (34; 1.59%). CONCLUSIONS: The present data revealed
      that there is a worldwide increasing interest in EC research. Willingness of
      health policy makers to make EC accessible to the public will determine the
      future of EC research activity and future of EC as a contraceptive method.

PMID- 28620512
TI  - Hyperandrogenism in menopause: a case report and literature review.
AB  - Hyperandrogenism is an uncommon diagnosis in postmenopausal women. In this case,
      we report on a 69-year-old postmenopausal woman who presented with several months
      of worsening hirsutism of the face, neck, and chin, which was confirmed on
      examination. Laboratory testing revealed markedly elevated testosterone levels
      and typical post-menopausal gonadotropin levels. Transvaginal ultrasonography and
      pelvic and abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) failed to reveal an ovarian
      or adrenal abnormality. The patient was a poor surgical candidate and was
      counseled to start on gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy.
      Administration of leuprolide resulted in a dramatic decline in testosterone
      levels. The patient reported significant "hot flashes", difficulty sleeping,
      anxiety, and depression secondary to treatment, and patient discontinued
      leuprolide therapy 3 months after initiation. To our knowledge, this is the first
      case that describes a woman being treated with a GnRH agonist for
      hyperandrogenism subsequently discontinuing GnRH agonist treatment due to
      significant side-effects. This case also highlights the difficulty of prescribing
      appropriate but off-label use of expensive medications not covered by insurance
      in a senior population of limited income.

PMID- 28620513
TI  - The CROWN Initiative: journal editors invite researchers to develop core outcomes
      in women's health.

PMID- 28620514
TI  - Hysterosalpingographic findings among Ghanaian women undergoing infertility work
      up: a study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is one of the commonly used radiological
      modalities for investigating infertility in women. In developing countries such
      as Ghana it remains the main tool for investigating some of the underlying causes
      of female infertility. The purpose of this study was to determine the
      predominance of various hysterosalpingographic results in patients that went
      through infertility work-up at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital between January
      2011 and December, 2014. This is to help plan for preventive measures for the
      communities. RESULTS: This study collected retrospectively, 1140 consecutive
      radiologic reports from January 2011 to December, 2014 from the Department of
      Radiology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. These reports were reviewed and diagnoses
      made were evaluated with Microsoft Excel. Secondary infertility was 52.4 %
      prevalent and primary infertility was 41 % prevalent. While 453 (39.7 %) patients
      presented with normal findings, 153 (13.4 %) had hydrosalpinx, 498 (43.6 %) had
      tubal blockage, and 290 (25.4 %) had fibroids. Also there were 10 (0.9 %) cases
      of patulous cervices, 8 (0.8 %) cases of uterine synechiae, 62 (5.4 %) of
      irregular uterine outline, 15 (1.3 %) of irregular cervical outline, 3 (0.3 %) of
      arcuate uteri, and 5 (0.4 %) cases of retroverted uteri. CONCLUSION: Tubal
      blockage which presented in 43.6 % of patients was the most common abnormal
      finding at HSG examinations carried out between January 2011 and December, 2014
      at the KBTH. This was followed by fibroids with 25.4 % and hydrosalpinx with 13.4
      %. Factors such as chronic pelvic inflammatory disease or pelvic infection
      following STIs, mismanaged pregnancies and septic abortions, may have accounted
      for this since the majority of the women presented with secondary infertility.

PMID- 28620515
TI  - Self-reported effects of infertility on marital relationships among fertility
      clients at a public health facility in Accra, Ghana.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is little empirical literature on the effects of infertility on
      marital relationships in Ghana. This study sought to examine the effects of
      infertility on marital relationship among fertility clients at a Public Hospital
      in Accra, Ghana. RESULTS: The study revealed that infertility negatively affected
      the sexual life of participants as they generally reported that even though they
      still had regular sexual intercourse with their partners after realising they
      were infertile (61.6 %), sex was only for the purpose of reproduction and not for
      mutual sexual satisfaction (68.8 %). Sexual intercourse was reported to be
      unfulfilling as well as unenjoyable (64.3 %). The psychological well-being of
      participants (87.5 %) and stability within marital unions were also negatively
      affected by infertility, resulting in quarrels (72.3 %). CONCLUSIONS: Infertility
      has numerous negative implications for marital relationship. Thus, infertile
      persons should not be only physically examined and treated for infertility, but
      should also be given counselling to lessen the psychological trauma attached to
      infertility.

PMID- 28620517
TI  - Potential causes of subfertility in patients with intramural fibroids.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intramural leiomyomas have been long debated as a potential cause of
      infertility and pregnancy loss. FINDINGS: Previous research has linked intramural
      fibroids to defective implantation, as well as to abnormal peristaltic events of
      the uterine smooth muscle. Previous reports describe the effects of intramural
      fibroids on normal human fertility and early pregnancy loss, specifically in
      regards to implantation failure. CONCLUSION: A thorough understanding of prior
      research may direct new research focus, leading to better understanding of
      leiomyoma-associated infertility.

PMID- 28620516
TI  - The impact of lifestyle modifications, diet, and vitamin supplementation on
      natural fertility.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infertility is a relatively common condition. When patients are
      confronted with this diagnosis, there are medical, psychological, and financial
      sequelae. Patients often wonder if there is anything they can do to optimize
      their natural fertility or increase the effectiveness of infertility treatments.
      FINDINGS: If there is a clear impact on fertility, such as with smoking and
      alcohol, cessation should be advised. Similarly, weight loss should be
      recommended if the BMI is in the overweight and obese category, and weight gain
      should be recommended for an underweight BMI. The evidence surrounding other
      lifestyle modifications is less clear. There are conflicting data regarding an
      optimal fertility diet and consumption of vitamins and supplements. Antioxidants
      seem to improve semen parameters in men, but the effect on female fertility is
      less clear. If conflicting evidence exists, such as with caffeine consumption or
      exercise, moderation should be emphasized. Finally, the diagnosis of infertility
      and subsequent fertility treatments are stressful for both partners. The
      psychological aspects should not be ignored and methods such as yoga and
      cognitive behavioral therapy may be beneficial. CONCLUSION: Continued research
      will determine the optimal lifestyle modifications to achieve pregnancy.

PMID- 28620518
TI  - Fertility and pregnancy in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are
      disorders that commonly impact reproductive aged women. FINDINGS: Both women with
      RA and SLE have smaller sized families than do controls. In the case of RA
      factors other than fertility contribute, while in women with SLE there may be
      diminished ovarian reserve due to cyclophosphamide therapy and advanced maternal
      age. RA pregnancies can be complicated by preterm birth and small-for-gestational
      aged infants. SLE pregnancies have higher rates of fetal loss, in particular in
      those patients with co-existing antiphospholipid syndrome. SLE pregnancies are
      also more likely to be complicated by pre-eclampsia and hypertension and to
      result in preterm birth and small-for-gestational aged infants. CONCLUSION:
      Appropriate fertility evaluation and careful pregnancy planning with coordinated
      obstetrical care help ensure better outcomes in these patient populations.

PMID- 28620521
TI  - The contribution of contraception, marriage and postpartum insusceptibility to
      fertility levels in Uganda: an application of the aggregate fertility model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While recent studies have indicated that fertility has remained high
      in Uganda, no systematic attempt has been made to identify the factors
      responsible for this persistent trend and to quantify these factors. This paper
      uses the Uganda Demographic and Health Surveys (UDHS) of 2006 and 2011, to
      examine the contribution contraceptive use, marriage and postpartum
      infecundability on one hand and Total Fertility Rate (TFR) on the other. We
      constructed a database using the Woman's Questionnaire from the UDHS 2006 and
      2011. We then apply Bongaarts aggregate fertility model procedures to derive
      estimates of total fertility rate for the different socioeconomic groups.
      RESULTS: The findings indicate that a woman's contraceptive behavior; marriage
      status and postpartum infecundability (also referred to as postpartum
      insusceptibility due to postpartum amenorrhea, which is intended to measure the
      effects on fertility breastfeeding), are important predictors of fertility
      outcomes. The results also show that higher education levels and urban residence
      are consistently associated with lower fertility rates and are positively
      associated with contraceptive use. Other key predictors of fertility include:
      wealth status, and region of residence. CONCLUSION: The country needs to scale-up
      target interventions that are aimed at uplifting the education status of women
      and improving their economic wellbeing, because such interventions have a
      positive impact on fertility reduction and on improving maternal and reproductive
      health outcomes.

PMID- 28620523
TI  - The level and patterns of fertility among women in Kersa Demographic Surveillance
      and Health Research Center (KDS-HRC) Field site, Kersa District, East Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fertility is one of the three principal components of population
      dynamics. High fertility and rapid population growth exert negative influences on
      economic and social development. This study was aimed to estimate the level and
      trends of fertility among (15-49 years) old women in kersa demographic
      surveillance and health research center, kersa district Eastern Ethiopia.
      METHODS: The study was conducted at kersa demographic surveillance and health
      research center in kersa district, Eastern Ethiopia. The study utilized five
      years follow up data (2008-2012). All women (15 to 49 years old) who have been
      living at kersa demographic surveillance and health research center in kersa
      district from 2008 to 2012 were included in the analysis to estimate the level
      and pattern of fertility. Descriptive statistics was computed to determine level
      and pattern of fertility. RESULTS: Age specific fertility rate was highest in
      women of the age group 25-29 years old (233.2 per 1000 women in 2008; 205.8 per
      1000 women in 2009; 279.0 per 1000 women in 2010; 186.6 per 1000 women in 2011
      and 198.5 per 1000 women in 2012) in five consecutive years from 2008 to 2012.
      Total fertility rate didn't show any significant decline during the study period,
      i.e., 4.3, 4.5, 4.9, 3.5, 4.0 live births per woman throughout her reproductive
      period (15-49) years old in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. On the
      other hand, general fertility rate declined from 110.3 births per 1000 women in
      2008 to 95.9 per 1000 women in the reproductive age in 2012. CONCLUSION: The
      total fertility rate was found to be relatively high. Fertility rate is higher in
      rural residents and illiterate women than in urban residents and literate women.
      Strong information, education, communication and behavior change communication on
      family planning should be designed and implemented to prevent unwanted fertility.

PMID- 28620520
TI  - Incidence, diagnosis and management of tubal and nontubal ectopic pregnancies: a
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ectopic pregnancy is a potentially life-threatening condition
      occurring in 1-2 % of all pregnancies. The most common ectopic implantation site
      is the fallopian tube, though 10 % of ectopic pregnancies implant in the cervix,
      ovary, myometrium, interstitial portion of the fallopian tube, abdominal cavity
      or within a cesarean section scar. FINDINGS: Diagnosis involves a combination of
      clinical symptoms, serology, and ultrasound. Medical management is a safe and
      effective option in most clinically stable patients. Patients who have failed
      medical management, are ineligible, or present with ruptured ectopic pregnancy or
      heterotopic pregnancy are most often managed with excision by laparoscopy or,
      less commonly, laparotomy. Management of nontubal ectopic pregnancies may involve
      medical or surgical treatment, or a combination, as dictated by ectopic pregnancy
      location and the patient's clinical stability. Following tubal ectopic pregnancy,
      the rate of subsequent intrauterine pregnancy is high and independent of
      treatment modality. CONCLUSION: This review describes the incidence, risk
      factors, diagnosis, and management of tubal and non-tubal ectopic and heterotopic
      pregnancies, and reviews the existing data regarding recurrence and future
      fertility.

PMID- 28620522
TI  - Functional glycosylation in the human and mammalian uterus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Glycosylation is the most common and structurally diverse of all the
      post-translational modifications of proteins. Lipids and extracellular matrices
      are also often glycosylated. The mammalian uterus is highly enriched in
      glycoconjugates that are associated with the apical surfaces of epithelial cells
      and the secretions released by both epithelial and stromal cells. These
      glycoconjugates interact primarily with sperm, the implanting embryo, the fetus,
      and any pathogen that happens to gain entry into the uterus. Secretions of the
      endometrial glands increase substantially during the luteal phase of the
      menstrual cycle. These secretions are highly enriched in glycoproteins and mucins
      that promote specific uterine functions. FINDINGS: Lectins and antibodies have
      been employed in the majority of the studies focused on uterine glycosylation
      have employed to define the expression of carbohydrate sequences. However, while
      these studies provide insight about potential glycosylation, precise information
      about glycan structure is lacking. Direct sequencing studies that employ
      biochemical or mass spectrometric methods are far more definitive, but have
      rarely been employed with uterine glycoproteins. Both lectin/antibody binding and
      direct carbohydrate sequencing studies that have been focused on the mammalian
      uterus are reviewed. The primary functional role of the eutherian uterus is to
      facilitate fertilization and nurture the developing embryo/fetus. Trophoblasts
      are the primary cells that mediate the binding of the embryo and placenta to the
      uterine lining. In mammals that utilize hemochorial placentation, they invade the
      decidua, the specialized endometrial lining that forms during pregnancy.
      Trophoblasts have also been analyzed for their lectin/antibody binding as a
      complement to the analysis of the uterine cells and tissues. They will also be
      reviewed here. CONCLUSIONS: The functional roles of the glycans linked to uterine
      and trophoblast glycoconjugates remain enigmatic. Another major question in the
      human is whether defects in placental or uterine glycosylation play a role in the
      development the Great Obstetrical Syndromes. More recent findings indicate that
      changes in glycosylation occur in trophoblasts obtained from patients that
      develop preeclampsia and preterm birth. The functional significance of these
      changes remain to be defined. Whether such shifts happen during the development
      of other types of obstetrical syndromes remains to be determined.

PMID- 28620524
TI  - Robotic single-site excision of ovarian endometrioma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conventional single-incision laparoscopic surgery has been
      successfully employed for treatment of ovarian endometriomas. However, this
      technique presents surgeons with formidable ergonomic challenges, that make its
      widespread adoption unlikely. Robotic assistance in single-incision laparoscopic
      surgery provides adequate instrument triangulation through a single fulcrum,
      while eliminating ergonomic challenges to the surgeon. The objective of this
      video is to describe a novel technique of laparoscopic excision and ablation of
      ovarian endometriomas with single-site robotic assistance. Footage from a single
      surgical case is shown in our video. The da Vinci Si surgical system with da
      Vinci Single-Site platform was utilized. A flexible CO2 laser fiber was employed
      as the main energy tool. To describe a technique of single-incision laparoscopic
      excision and ablation of endometriomas with robotic assistance. Footage from a
      single surgical case is shown in this video. The da Vinci Si surgical system with
      da Vinci Single-Site platform was utilized. A flexible CO2 laser fiber was
      employed as the main energy tool. RESULTS: Our technique achieved excellent
      surgical, clinical and cosmetic results, with complete excision and ablation of
      the endometriomas and no complications. The procedure was completed in day
      surgery setting. CONCLUSION: Our step-by-step video tutorial shows how the
      dedicated single incision laparoscopy technology for the da Vinci Si surgical
      system can be safely and effectively applied to the excision and ablation of
      ovarian endometriomas.

PMID- 28620525
TI  - Comparison of uterine and tubal pathology identified by transvaginal sonography,
      hysterosalpingography, and hysteroscopy in female patients with infertility.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The causes of female infertility are multifactorial and necessitate
      comprehensive evaluation including physical examination, hormonal testing, and
      imaging. Given the associated psychological and financial stress that imaging can
      cause, infertility patients benefit from a structured and streamlined evaluation.
      The goal of such a work up is to evaluate the uterus, endometrium, and fallopian
      tubes for anomalies or abnormalities potentially preventing normal conception. To
      date, the standard method for assessing these structures typically involves some
      combination of transvaginal sonography (TVS), hysterosalpingography (HSG), and
      hysteroscopy (HSC). The goal of this review is to compare the diagnostic accuracy
      of TVS, HSG, and HSC for diagnosing abnormalities in infertility patients to
      determine if all studies are necessary for pre-treatment evaluation. RESULTS: We
      identified infertility patients prior to initiation of assisted reproductive
      technology who had baseline TVS, HSG, and HSC within 180 days of each other. From
      medical record review, we compared frequencies of each finding between
      modalities. Of the 1274 patients who received a baseline TVS over 2 years, 327
      had TVS and HSG within 180 days and 55 patients had TVS, HSG and HSC. Of the 327,
      TVS detected fibroids more often than HSG (74 vs. 5, p < .0001), and adenomyosis
      more often than HSG (7 vs. 2, p = .02). HSG detected tubal obstruction more often
      than TVS (56 vs. 8, p = .002). Four (1.2 %) patients had endometrial polyps on
      both HSG and TVS. In the 55 patients with HSG, TVS, and HSC, HSC identified
      endometrial polyps more often than TVS (10 vs. 1, p = .0001) and HSG (10 vs. 2, p
      = .0007). TVS detected more fibroids than HSC (17 vs. 5, p < .0001). Tubal
      obstruction was identified more often by HSG than HSC (19 vs. 5, p < .0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: TVS is superior for evaluation of myometrial pathology. HSG is
      superior for evaluation of tubal pathologies. Endometrial pathologies are best
      identified with HSC.

PMID- 28620526
TI  - Promoting the use of elective single embryo transfer in clinical practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The transfer of multiple embryos after in vitro fertilization (IVF)
      increases the risk of twins and higher-order births. Multiple births are
      associated with significant health risks and maternal and neonatal complications,
      as well as physical, emotional, and financial stresses that can strain families
      and increase the incidence of depression and anxiety disorders in parents.
      Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) is among the most effective methods to
      reduce the risk of multiple births with IVF. MAIN BODY: Current societal
      guidelines recommend eSET for patients <35 years of age with a good prognosis,
      yet even this approach is not widely applied. Many patients and clinicians have
      been reluctant to adopt eSET due to studies reporting higher live birth rates
      with the transfer of two or more embryos rather than eSET. Additional barriers to
      eSET include risk of treatment dropout after embryo transfer failure, patient
      preference for twins, a lack of knowledge about the risks and complications
      associated with multiple births, and the high costs of multiple IVF cycles. This
      review provides a comprehensive summary of strategies to increase the rate of
      eSET, including personalized counseling, access to educational information
      regarding the risks of multiple pregnancies and births, financial incentives, and
      tools to help predict the chances of IVF success. The use of comprehensive
      chromosomal screening to improve embryo selection has been shown to improve eSET
      outcomes and may increase acceptance of eSET. CONCLUSIONS: eSET is an effective
      method for reducing multiple pregnancies resulting from IVF. Although several
      factors may impede the adoption of eSET, there are a number of strategies and
      tools that may encourage the more widespread adoption of eSET in clinical
      practice.

PMID- 28620527
TI  - In-vitro fertilization and spontaneous pregnancies: matching outcomes in Douala,
      Cameroon.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Couples are considered infertile if they do not conceive over a 12
      month period of unprotected intercourse. Studies have shown that female causes
      accounted for between 25 to 37 percent of infertility worldwide (with larger
      proportions in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia) and male causes accounted
      for between 8 to 22 percent. Both male and female causes accounted for between 21
      to 38 percent. Although the majority of ART children are normal, there are
      concerns about the increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. More than 30 %
      of ART pregnancies are twins or higher-order multiple gestations (triplets or
      greater) and more than one half of all ART neonates are the products of
      multifetal gestations, with an attendant increase in prematurity complications.
      The aim of this study was to evaiuate the outcome of pregnancies conceived by In
      vitro fertilisation compared to those conceived naturally in two hospitals in
      Douala, Cameroon. METHODS: This was a prospective study carried out from October
      1, 2011 to September 30, 2012. Participants were recruited from two hospitals:
      the Douala General Hospital (DGH) and the Clinique de l' Aeroport (CDA), also in
      Douala. A total of 102 women were recruited for study: 51 who conceived by IVF
      (cases) and 51 who conceived naturally (controls). Of the 102 women, 52.9 % were
      between 31 - 39 years of age, while 21.6 % were above 40. RESULTS: Participants
      who conceived through IVF-ET were 4.1 times more likely to undergo cesarean
      delivery than those who conceived naturally [OR 4.10, 95 % CI 1.78-9.42].
      Similarly, a higher percentage of patients in the IVF group than those in the
      control group have never given birth (33.3 % vs 2.0 %) (P < 0.0001). The
      percentage of multiple pregnancies was 7.5 times higher in the IVF group than in
      the control group (14.7 % vs.1.96 %) (P = 0.000). The leading indication for
      cesarean delivery was advanced maternal age (27.3 %) followed by IVF or precious
      pregnancy (18.2 %). CONCLUSIONS: Cesarean delivery was more frequent amongst the
      IVF group than in the control group. The leading indications for cesarean
      delivery were advanced maternal age and IVF or precious pregnancy. The long-term
      neonatal outcomes of IVF babies beyond 5-min Apgar scores should be studied in
      Cameroon and follow-up beyond 1 year encouraged.

PMID- 28620528
TI  - Efficiency of metaphase II oocytes following minimal/mild ovarian stimulation in
      vitro fertilization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An inverse relationship between oocyte efficiency and ovarian
      response was reported in conventional IVF. The purpose of this study was to
      report metaphase II (MII) oocyte efficiency according to oocyte yield in
      minimal/mild stimulation IVF (mIVF) and to assess whether oocyte yield affects
      live birth rate (LBR). METHODS: Infertile women (n = 264) aged < 39 years old
      with normal ovarian reserve who had mIVF were recruited. All participants
      received the same protocol for ovarian stimulation. All the embryos were cultured
      to the blastocyst stage and vitrified using a freeze-all approach. This was
      followed by a single blastocyst transferred to each participant in subsequent
      cycles over a 6-month period. Ovarian response was categorized according to the
      number of MII oocyte yield (low: 1-2, intermediate: 3-6 and high >= 7 MII
      oocytes). MII oocyte utilization rate was calculated as the number of live births
      divided by the number of MII oocytes produced after only one oocyte retrieval and
      subsequent transfers of vitrified/warmed blastocysts. The main outcome measure
      was cumulative LBR over a 6-month period. RESULTS: Among all the participants,
      1173 total retrieved oocytes (4.4 +/- 0.2 per patient) resulted in 1019 (3.9 +/-
      0.2 per patient) total MII oocytes, a clinical pregnancy rate of 48.1 % and a LBR
      of 41.2 %. Oocyte utilization rate was inversely related to ovarian response
      where it was 30.3 % in the "low" vs. 9.3 % in the "intermediate" vs. 4.3 % in the
      "high" oocyte yield groups (p < 0.05). Implantation rate significantly dropped as
      the number of MII oocytes increased and was highest in the "low" oocyte yield
      group (p < 0.0001). Cumulative LBR was similar in "low," "intermediate," and
      "high" oocyte yield groups (p > 0.05). The number of MII oocytes had poor
      sensitivity and specificity for predicting a live birth. CONCLUSION: These data
      extend the hypothesis of oocyte efficiency reported in conventional IVF protocols
      to mIVF protocols. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration clinicaltrials.gov:
      NCT00799929.

PMID- 28620529
TI  - Transferring embryos with indeterminate PGD results: the ethical implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In vitro fertilization (IVF) and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis
      (PGD) are becoming increasingly common techniques to select embryos that are
      unaffected by a known genetic disorder. Though IVF-PGD has high success rates,
      7.5 % of blastocysts have inconclusive results after testing. A recent case
      involving a known BRCA-1 carrier was brought before our Assisted Reproductive
      Technology Ethics Committee in order to gain a better appreciation for the
      ethical implications surrounding the transfer of embryos with indeterminate
      testing. THE CASE PRESENTATION: Thirty-nine year old G0 BRCA-1 carrier requiring
      IVF for male factor infertility. The couple elected for PGD to select against
      BRCA-1 gene carrier embryos. However, several embryos were returned with
      inconclusive results. The couple wished to proceed with the transfer of embryos
      with an unknown carrier status. The case was presented before our Assisted
      Reproductive Technology Ethics Committee. CONCLUSION: Many considerations were
      explored, including the physician's duty to protect patient autonomy, the
      physician's duty to act in the best interest of the future child, and the
      physician's duty towards society. Transferring both embryos with unknown carrier
      status and known-carrier status was debated. Ultimately, the transfer of
      inconclusive embryos was felt to be ethically permissible in most cases if
      patients had been adequately counseled. However, the re-biopsy of embryos with
      inconclusive testing results was encouraged. The transfer of known-carrier
      embryos was felt to be unethical for certain disease-states, depending on the
      severity of illness and timing of disease onset. We strongly encourage physicians
      to create an action plan in advance with their patients, prior to testing, in the
      event that embryos are returned with inconclusive PGD results. The committee's
      decision, though helpful in guiding practice, should not overshadow the
      individual physician-patient relationship, and the need for thorough counseling.

PMID- 28620530
TI  - Candidate gene analysis in a case of congenital absence of the endometrium.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary amenorrhea usually result from a genetic or anatomic
      abnormality. We present the first reported patient with the absence of
      endometrium and lumen in a small bicornuate uterus in a patient with primary
      amenorrhea. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41-year-old woman presented for evaluation of
      primary amenorrhea and infertility. She did develop normal secondary sexual
      characteristics but never had menses. Physical examination, hormone analyses, and
      karyotype analysis were normal. Transvaginal ultrasonography revealed a small
      uterus with absent endometrial stripe. Ovaries were normal in size. Pathology
      from hysterectomy for abnormal Pap smears revealed a hypoplastic bicornuate
      uterus with absence of lumen and absent endometrium. DNA analyses for mutations
      in the coding sequences of three members of HOXA gene family was performed, but
      no variants in the coding sequence of these genes were found. These findings
      support the hypothesis that mutations in the coding sequence of HOXA10, HOXA11,
      and HOXA13 are not responsible for congenital endometrial absence with bicornuate
      hypoplastic uterus. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital absence of the endometrium is an
      uncommon etiology for primary amenorrhea, and nonvisualization of the endometrial
      stripe on ultrasound imaging in association with primary amenorrhea should raise
      suspicion of this rare disorder in this case.

PMID- 28620531
TI  - Clinical vignettes and global health considerations of infertility care in under
      resourced patients.
AB  - The ability to receive standard of care for a diagnosis of infertility is a
      factor of one's financial state and educational level, which are often
      correlated. Providing infertility care in an under-resourced tertiary care
      environment provides challenges but also opportunities for unique successes in
      creating a family. Among the under-represented populations are recent immigrants
      and refugees. Challenges arise when the infertility treatment is futile or when
      the standard of care is inaccessible due to cost and scheduling. Unique
      accomplishments are noted when families are built and hope is restored for
      couples fleeing from genocide and war-inflicted countries. This article will
      highlight two clinical vignettes from the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology
      and Infertility clinic at Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical
      Center. Thereafter, the article will summarize the barriers to care in the United
      States among those with low socioeconomic status, with non-dominant racial status
      (non-Caucasian), and with refugee status. All identifiers have been removed and
      names altered in the patient vignettes.

PMID- 28620533
TI  - Satisfaction with in vitro fertilization treatment: patients' experiences and
      professionals' perceptions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This paper investigates patients' satisfaction with various aspects
      of fertility care and seeks to determine to what extent fertility specialists are
      able to assess patient satisfaction. Patients' experiences with in-vitro
      fertilization (IVF) services and facilities have been compiled and examined in
      order to discover whether patients' satisfaction is correlated to psychological
      factors and demographic, socio-economic, and health characteristics, and whether
      patients' satisfaction has an influence on the willingness to pay (WTP) for IVF
      treatment. METHODS: The study was carried out on 204 patients and 19 fertility
      professionals from 8 public IVF units in Israel. RESULTS: The study found that,
      overall, infertile patients are satisfied with the care they received. Several
      demographic variables (age; education; income; number of fertility treatments)
      and psychological factors ('Pessimism' and 'Activeness'), were found to be
      significantly correlated with patient satisfaction with IVF. The results yielded
      a negative correlation between the WTP for IVF treatment and the satisfaction
      with access to care and physical conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Patient satisfaction is
      an important component in the evaluation of fertility treatments as well as other
      medical interventions. Insights into the quality of care as seen from the
      patients' perspective may help healthcare staff better meet patients' needs,
      wishes, and priorities.

PMID- 28620534
TI  - Selective use of percutaneous testis biopsy to optimize IVF-ICSI outcomes: a case
      series.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sperm quality may degrade during transit through the male
      reproductive tract in some individuals. In this setting surgically retrieved
      testicular sperm may outperform ejaculated samples for use with in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI). We sought to
      describe one center's experience with the use of fresh testicular sperm after
      prior failed IVF-ICSI with ejaculated samples. RESULTS: A retrospective review
      was conducted evaluating IVF-ICSI cycles performed at a tertiary IVF unit between
      2009 and 2014. Couples who were managed with percutaneous testis biopsy to obtain
      sperm, despite availability of ejaculated sperm, were included. Four couples who
      underwent a total of 6 percutaneous testis biopsy/IVF-ICSI cycles were
      identified. Collectively, the couples had undergone 9 prior IVF-ICSI cycles using
      fresh ejaculated sperm without successful pregnancy. From the six cycles that
      used fresh testicular sperm four live births resulted (1 twin gestation, 3
      singletons). Only 1 of the 4 couples remained childless. CONCLUSIONS: For
      patients who have had prior failed IVF-ICSI attempts, this small case series
      demonstrates a possible therapeutic benefit when freshly procured testicular
      sperm are used in lieu of ejaculated samples.

PMID- 28620535
TI  - Heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea are improved by Magnetic Resonance
      Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) of adenomyosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To assess reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea
      following MRI guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) of focal and diffuse
      adenomyosis up to 12 months post-treatment a retrospective cohort study was done
      at a tertiary care academic medical center for obstetrics, gynecology and
      infertility. METHODS: MRgFUS for adenomyosis uterus was done for thirty-seven
      patients presenting with symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea
      with MRI-suspected adenomyosis. The main outcome measure, was reduction in heavy
      menstrual bleeding, dysmenorrhea and Symptom Severity Scoring (SSS) over a 3, 6
      and 12 month period. Secondary outcome was evidence of fertility preservation
      post procedure. D'Agostino & Pearson omnibus normality test, one-way Ananova,
      Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis was performed on the data. Statistical
      significances, p-value and r-value were determined. RESULTS: Out of 37 patients
      who were treated by MRgFUS, 26 had sufficient follow-up to be included in the
      analysis. SSS calculated at 3, 6 and 12 months was significantly over the
      baseline. Both heavy menstrual bleeding and dysmenorrhea, which were assessed
      separately, were found to significantly improve over time with a positive
      correlation between the two. No other intervention was required. CONCLUSION:
      MRgFUS provides immediate and sustained relief for patients with focal and
      diffuse adenomyosis.

PMID- 28620536
TI  - Factors associated with uterine fibroid in Ghanaian women undergoing pelvic scans
      with suspected uterine fibroid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumours affecting
      premenopausal women and are often associated with considerable hospitalization
      and morbidity. Literature shows virtually no study concerning the quantification
      of the main factors associated with uterine fibroids in Ghanaian women. The
      purpose of this study was to assess the main factors associated with uterine
      fibroid among Ghanaian women presenting for ultrasound. METHOD: A prospective
      cross-sectional study design was employed in this study. A total of two hundred
      and forty-four (244) women were consecutively evaluated from November 2011 to
      February 2012 using a 2-5 MHz curvilinear probe of Philips HD3 ultrasound
      machines at three centres in Accra using a trans-abdominal pelvic approach. Data
      was analysed with (SPSS) version 20.0 for windows, 2010; Chicago. The Pearson's
      Chi-square test was used to determine associations between selected demographic
      and gynaecological characteristics and uterine fibroid appearance. All tests were
      two-tailed and p-value of less than 0.05 was interpreted as significant. RESULTS:
      The range, mean and standard deviation (SD) of the patients' age were 14-54
      years, 31.89 years and +/- 7.92 respectively. Factors that associated
      significantly with uterine fibroid in Ghanaian women included obesity (X2 = 17.3,
      p-value = 0.001), participant's age range (X2 = 47.4, p-value = 0.001), parity
      (X2 = -10.169, p-value = 0.001), and age at last delivery (X2 = 34.579, p-value =
      0.001). CONCLUSION: Uterine fibroid was mainly associated with women of older age
      group of the reproductive age than the younger age categories and also associated
      more with women with without children compared to those with more children.
      Moreover, it associated more with obese patients and patient with late age at
      last delivery.

PMID- 28620537
TI  - Fertility is below replacement in Harar Health and Demographic Surveillance
      System (Harar HDSS), Harar town, Eastern Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Population growth is determined by fertility, mortality and migration
      rates. Fertility is the prime determinant of population growth, which is highly
      associated with family planning, literacy, urbanization, and expansion of health
      system. In many part of Africa, its level is more than twice the replacement
      level. In Ethiopia, a significant decline in fertility mainly in the urban
      setting has been reported over the past decade, yet there is a paucity of
      information on the level of the decline. Therefore, this analysis aims to assess
      the level of fertility in Harar Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Harar
      HDSS) Eastern Ethiopia. METHODS: Harar HDSS is an urban HDSS located in the city
      of Harar, eastern Ethiopia. It was established in 2011. All the population under
      surveillance are followed regularly and updated every six month for any change in
      the population demographic characteristics. Data were collected on a face-to-face
      interview to record demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Data were
      entered into customized HRS-2 software used for capturing longitudinal data and
      exported to computational software for analysis. For this analysis fertility data
      of the year 2013 were used. Fertility levels were analyzed using descriptive
      statistics. RESULTS: The total population of Harar HDSS in 2013 was 30,055. Of
      these, 15,701 (52.2 %) were females and 14, 354 (47.8 %) were males. The crude
      birth rate and general fertility rate for the year 2013 were 20.3 and 64 births
      per 1000, respectively. In 2013, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) was 1.9 births
      per women of reproductive age. The 25 to 29 age group has the highest age
      specific fertility rates (128.1 births per 1000 women), followed by the 20 to 24
      year old women (89.3 births per 1000 women). CONCLUSION: Total fertility rate was
      relatively low. However, there were a significant number of births among
      adolescent women. Improving and sustaining access for reproductive health care
      for young women is highly recommended.

PMID- 28620538
TI  - Lifestyle and in vitro fertilization: what do patients believe?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients have many beliefs regarding lifestyle factors and IVF
      outcomes. METHODS: Observational study of 208 IVF patients at an academic
      infertility center. Main outcome measures were perceived influence of various
      lifestyle factors assessed by multivariable logistic regression and p-value tests
      for linear trend (Pt). RESULTS: A majority of participants believed that there
      were many women's lifestyle choices that were influential, compared to fewer male
      factors (cessation of tobacco (72 %), alcohol (69 %), caffeine (62 %), and use of
      vitamins (88 %)). Compared to participants with less education, participants with
      a higher education level were less likely to believe vitamins were helpful and
      some alcohol use was not harmful. As income decreased, participants were less
      likely to consider dietary factors contributory to IVF success, such as women (p
      trend, p = 0.02) and men (p-trend, p = 0.009) consuming a full-fat dairy diet.
      Participants' beliefs were most commonly influenced by physicians (84 %) and the
      internet (71 %). CONCLUSIONS: Patients believed many lifestyle factors are
      associated with IVF success. Understanding patients' assumptions regarding the
      effect of lifestyle factors on IVF success may better allow physicians to counsel
      patients about IVF outcomes.

PMID- 28620539
TI  - Successful pregnancy with donor eggs in-vitro fertilization after premature
      ovarian insufficiency in a tertiary hospital in a low-income setting: a case
      report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) is classically defined as 4-6
      months of cessation of menses (amenorrhea) in women under 40, associated with
      menopausal level of serum gonadotropins FSH > 40 IU/L and hypo-estrogenism and is
      also referred to as hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. This disorder can manifest as
      primary amenorrhea without the onset of menses (menarche), or as secondary
      amenorrhea after menarche and pubertal development. The diagnosis of this
      condition in Cameroon is sometimes difficult because of the high cost of hormonal
      assays and the few laboratories offering these services. CASE PRESENTATION: The
      patient was a 38-year-old G2P0020, blood group O Rh positive, genotype AA and BMI
      19 kg/m2 who came to our service because of secondary amenorrhea and infertility
      of 2 years' duration. She has a history of pulmonary tuberculosis that was
      treated in Cameroon. After laparoscopy and hormonal profile, the diagnosis of
      premature ovarian insufficiency was reached. The woman underwent a successful
      donor egg in-vitro fertilization cycle and delivered a female fetus. Two years
      later YE requested IVF with autologous eggs, which was not possible, and since
      then she has remained with one child. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of premature
      ovarian insufficiency is difficult in Cameroon because of the high cost of
      laboratory investigations and difficult access to the tests. In-vitro
      fertilization with donor egg is a better treatment option. Unfortunately, it is
      not accessible to most Cameroonians because of lack of technical ability and the
      existence of cultural and financial barriers.

PMID- 28620540
TI  - A simple, less invasive stripper micropipetter-based technique for day 3 embryo
      biopsy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is an important procedure for
      in vitro fertilization (IVF). A key step of PGS, blastomere removal, is abundant
      with many technical issues. The aim of this study was to compare a more simple
      procedure based on the Stipper Micropipetter, named S-biopsy, to the conventional
      aspiration method. METHODS: On Day 3, 368 high-quality embryos (>7 cells on Day3
      with <10% fragmentation) were collected from 38 women. For each patient, their
      embryos were equally separated between the conventional method (n = 188) and S
      biopsy method (n = 180). The conventional method was performed using a
      standardized protocol. For the S-biopsy method, a laser was used to remove a
      significantly smaller portion of the zona pellucida. Afterwards, the complete
      embryo was aspirated with a Stripper Micropipetter, forcing the removal of the
      blastomere. Selected blastomeres went to PGS using CGH microarrays. Embryo
      integrity and blastocyst formation were assessed on Day 5. Differences between
      groups were assessed by either the Mann-Whitney test or Fisher Exact test.
      RESULTS: Both methods resulted in the removal of only one blastomere. The S
      biopsy and the conventional method did not differ in terms of affecting embryo
      integrity (95.0% vs. 95.7%) or blastocyst formation (72.7% vs. 70.7%). PGS
      analysis indicated that aneuploidy rate were similar between the two methods
      (63.1% vs. 65.2%). However, the time required to perform the S-biopsy method
      (179.2 +/- 17.5 s) was significantly shorter (5-fold) than the conventional
      method. CONCLUSION: The S-biopsy method is comparable to the conventional method
      that is used to remove a blastomere for PGS, but requires less time. Furthermore,
      due to the simplicity of the S-biopsy technique, this method is more ideal for
      IVF laboratories.

PMID- 28620542
TI  - Preconception consultations with Maternal Fetal Medicine for obese women: a
      retrospective chart review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with impaired fertility and pregnancy
      complications, and preconception weight loss may improve some of these outcomes.
      The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of
      Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) preconception consults for obese women. METHODS: We
      performed a retrospective chart review examining 162 consults at an academic
      medical center from 2008 to 2014. The main outcome measures included consultation
      content - e.g. discussion of obesity-related pregnancy complications, screening
      for comorbidities, and referrals for weight loss interventions - and weight loss.
      RESULTS: Screening for diabetes and hypertension occurred in 48% and 51% of
      consults, respectively. Discussion of obesity-related pregnancy complications was
      documented in 96% of consults. During follow-up (median 11 months), 27% of
      patients saw a nutritionist, 6% saw a provider for a medically supervised weight
      loss program, and 6% underwent bariatric surgery. The median weight change was a
      loss of 0.6% body weight. CONCLUSIONS: In this discovery cohort, a large
      proportion of MFM preconception consultations lacked appropriate screening for
      obesity-related comorbidities. While the vast majority of consultations included
      a discussion of potential pregnancy complications, relatively few patients
      achieved significant weight loss. More emphasis is needed on weight loss
      resources and delaying pregnancy to achieve weight loss goals.

PMID- 28620543
TI  - Tablet terminals: a useful tool to explain in vitro fertilization treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Explanations that involve medical care treatment take time. This also
      applies to explanations of in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the field of
      infertility treatment. This is because the cause of infertility differs from
      couple to couple, and because the explanations must begin with the mechanism of
      pregnancy. Recently, explanations facilitated by tablet terminals have been used
      in the field of medicine. In the present study, the efficacy and problems of
      explanations facilitated by tablet terminals were evaluated and compared with the
      explanations of IVF facilitated by paper-based pamphlets. METHODS: A total of 249
      couples were asked to read a paper-based pamphlet explaining IVF treatment, while
      252 couples were asked to view an explanation on a tablet terminal. The patients
      then answered a seven-item questionnaire. The answers to the questionnaire were
      based on a three-point scale, and statistical analysis was performed with the
      Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Patients responded that the explanation facilitated
      by the tablet terminal was significantly easier to understand for all seven
      questionnaire items (p <0.05). The answer 'I did not understand' was selected for
      the items related to 'The treatment fees' (4.8% of answers) and 'Things to take
      note of, such as consultation times' (6.7% of answers). CONCLUSION: While
      patients generally did not understand the mechanism of pregnancy, explanations of
      IVF treatment facilitated by a tablet terminal were found to be more effective
      than paper-based explanations, although there is room for improvement.

PMID- 28620541
TI  - Polycystic ovary syndrome and risk of endometrial, ovarian, and breast cancer: a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder with
      an estimated prevalence of 4-21% in reproductive aged women. The altered
      metabolic and hormonal environment among women with PCOS may increase their risk
      of some types of cancer. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive review of the
      literature using numerous search terms for all studies examining the associations
      between polycystic ovary syndrome and related characteristics and cancer
      published in English through October 2016. This review summarizes the
      epidemiological findings on the associations between PCOS and endometrial,
      ovarian, and breast cancers and discusses the methodological issues,
      complexities, and underlying mechanisms of these associations. RESULTS: We
      identified 11 individual studies and 3 meta-analyses on the associations between
      PCOS and endometrial cancer, 8 studies and 1 meta-analysis for ovarian cancer,
      and 10 studies and 1 meta-analysis for breast cancer. Multiple studies reported
      that women with PCOS were at a higher risk for endometrial cancer; however, many
      did not take into account body mass index (BMI), a strong and well-established
      risk factor for endometrial cancer. The association with ovarian cancer was less
      clear, but a potentially increased risk of the borderline serous subtype was
      reported by two studies. No consistent association between PCOS risk and breast
      cancer was observed. CONCLUSION: The associations between PCOS and endometrial,
      ovarian, and breast cancer are complex, with the need to consider many
      methodological issues in future analyses. Larger well-designed studies, or pooled
      analyses, may help clarify these complex associations.

PMID- 28620544
TI  - "I am anxious and desperate": psychological experiences of women with infertility
      in The Greater Accra Region, Ghana.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Research has shown that infertility affects millions of couples
      worldwide. Infertility is considered one of the most difficult life experiences
      and can result in psychological consequences for couples, especially for women.
      The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological experiences of women
      with infertility. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory descriptive approach was
      used to conduct in-depth interviews. The psychological component of the bio
      psychosocial model was used as a guiding framework to understand the experiences
      of women with infertility. Fourteen women were selected based on the purpose of
      the study and provided their informed consent, and were interviewed between
      November 2015 and January 2016. All the women were recruited from the Greater
      Accra Region of Ghana. Each interview lasted for 30 to 40 min. All interviews
      were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content
      analysis. RESULTS: The findings from the study showed that women with fertility
      problems experienced many emotional difficulties such as loneliness, anxiety,
      depression, lack of concentration, worrying, and reduced sexual satisfaction.
      CONCLUSIONS: Women in this study encountered psychological challenges and
      experienced emotional distress. Such women would benefit from psychological
      support such as counseling to help alleviate their psychological problems. These
      findings have implications for the care of women with infertility in Ghana.

PMID- 28620545
TI  - Cardiovascular risk factors among women with self-reported infertility.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amongst women with certain types of ovulatory disorder infertility,
      the studies are conflicting whether there is an increased risk of long-term
      cardiovascular disease risk. This paper evaluates the associations of several CVD
      risk factors among Framingham women with self-reported infertility. METHODS:
      Women who completed the Framingham Heart Study Third Generation and Omni Cohort 2
      Exam 2 (2008-2011), and reported on past history of infertility and current
      cardiovascular disease status were included in this cross-sectional study.
      Directly measured CVD risk factors were: resting blood pressure, fasting lipid
      levels, fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI).
      Multivariable models adjusted for age, smoking, physical activity, and cohort.
      Generalized estimating equations adjusted for family correlations. We performed
      sensitivity analyses to determine whether the association between infertility and
      CVD risk factors is modified by menopausal status and menstrual cycle length.
      RESULTS: Comparing women who self-reported infertility to those who did not,
      there was an average increase in BMI (beta = 1.03 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.18, 1.89),
      waist circumference (beta = 3.08 in., 95% CI: 1.06, 5.09), triglycerides (beta =
      4.47 mg/dl, 95% CI:-1.54, 10.49), and a decrease in HDL cholesterol (beta = -1.60
      mg/dl, 95% CI: -3.76, 0.56). We estimated that infertile premenopausal women have
      an increased odds of obesity (BMI >= 30 kg/m2) (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.11, 4.49)
      and diabetes (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 0.86, 4.49). CONCLUSIONS: BMI and waist
      circumference were the most strongly correlated CVD risk factors amongst women
      reporting a history of infertility.

PMID- 28620547
TI  - JFMS Open Reports gains seal of approval from PubMed Central.

PMID- 28620546
TI  - Ovarian morphology is associated with insulin resistance in women with polycystic
      ovary syndrome: a cross sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common disorder well known
      to be associated with insulin resistance and metabolic disease. Insulin
      resistance is likely involved in the promotion of the PCOS reproductive phenotype
      and may mediate some of the ovarian morphology seen in the disorder. The
      phenotype of each individual woman with PCOS can vary widely as can her metabolic
      risk. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of patients seen in a
      multidisciplinary PCOS clinic at the University of California at San Francisco
      between 2006 and 2014. All participants underwent systematic evaluation with
      anthropometric measurements, comprehensive skin exam, transvaginal ultrasound and
      laboratory studies at the time of their initial visit to the clinic. Serum
      samples were stored and androgen studies were carried out on all stored samples
      at the University of Virginia. Logistic regression was employed to evaluate the
      association between ovarian volume or follicle number and metabolic parameters
      (fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, fasting glucose, 2 h glucose, waist circumference) and
      hyperandrogenism (free testosterone, total testosterone, DHEAS, acanthosis
      nigricans), controlling for age. RESULTS: Three-hundred thirteen patients seen
      during the study period met Rotterdam criteria for PCOS and had sufficient
      measurements for inclusion in our analysis. The odds ratio of elevated HOMA-IR
      for patients with a maximum ovarian volume >10 cc was 1.9 compared to those with
      a maximum ovarian volume of <=10 cc (95% CI 1.0-3.4). The odds ratio of abnormal
      fasting insulin for patients with higher ovarian volume was 1.8 (95% CI 1.0-3.4)
      compared with those with lower ovarian volume. Follicle number was not
      significantly associated with any metabolic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Increased
      ovarian volume is associated with markers of insulin resistance in PCOS. In
      concordance with prior studies, we did not find follicle number to be predictive
      of metabolic risk. Ovarian volume may serve as a useful tool to aid clinicians in
      their risk stratification and counseling of patients with PCOS.

PMID- 28620548
TI  - Small intestinal peripheral nerve sheath tumour in a cat.
AB  - CASE SUMMARY: A 5-year-old female spayed Chinchilla cat presented with a 4 week
      history of weight loss and inappetence. A thorough clinical investigation
      confirmed the presence of a distal jejunal mass. Histopathological and
      immunohistochemical analysis was consistent with a small intestinal peripheral
      nerve sheath tumour. RELEVANCE AND NOVEL INFORMATION: To the best of our
      knowledge, this is the first reported case of a small intestinal peripheral nerve
      sheath tumour in a cat. This case report demonstrates the use of
      immunohistochemistry in differentiating this entity from other mesenchymal
      neoplasms. The veterinary literature available in this field is very limited and
      this report adds a new differential diagnosis to feline patients presenting with
      an intestinal mass.

PMID- 28620549
TI  - Lamination of microfibrous PLGA fabric by electrospinning a layer of collagen
      hydroxyapatite composite nanofibers for bone tissue engineering.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To mimic the muscle inspired cells adhesion through proteins
      secretion, the lamination of collagen-hydroxyapatite nanorod (nHA) composite
      nanofibers has been carried out successfully on polydopamine (PDA)-coated
      microfibrous polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) fabrics. The lamination of collagen
      hydroxyapatite composite nanofibers on polydopamine-coated microfibrous PLGA
      fabrics was carried through electrospinning the solution of collagen containing L
      glutamic acid-grafted hydroxyapatite nanorods (nHA-GA) at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/h
      and an applied voltage of 15 kV. RESULTS: In comparison to pristine PLGA,
      dopamine-coated PLGA and collagen-hydroxyapatite composite nanofiber lamination
      has produced more wettable surfaces and surface wettability is found to higher
      with dopamine-coated PLGA fabrics then pristine PLGA. The SEM micrographs have
      clearly indicated that the lamination of polydopamine-coated PLGA fabric with
      collagen-hydroxyapatite composite nanofibers has shown increased adhesion of
      MC3T3E1 cells in comparison to pristine PLGA fabrics. CONCLUSION: The results of
      these studies have clearly demonstrated that collagen-nHA composites fibers may
      be used to create bioactive 3D scaffolds using PLGA as an architectural support
      agent.

PMID- 28620550
TI  - Generation of Recombinant Antibodies against the beta-(1,6)-Branched beta-(1,3)-D
      Glucan Schizophyllan from Immunized Mice via Phage Display.
AB  - beta-(1,6)-Branched beta-(1,3)-D-glucans like schizophyllan from the
      basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune excite various immunostimulatory effects and
      have been clinically tested as adjuvants. Some of the glucans are also applicable
      in food or petrol industry due to their viscosity and temperature stability in
      aqueous solution. Antibodies against these glucans could be used as tool for
      analysis of glucan preparations or for further research of its bioactivity.
      Therefore, an immune phage display library was constructed from mice immunized
      with schizophyllan. Three recombinant monoclonal antibodies were isolated from
      this library by affinity selection (panning) on schizophyllan. The half-maximal
      effective concentration (EC50) values for those antibodies varied between 16.4 ng
      mL-1 and 21.3 ng mL-1. The clones showed binding specificity not only for
      schizophyllan but also for other beta-(1,6)-branched beta-(1,3)-D-glucans of
      similar macromolecular structure. Denaturation of the secondary structure led to
      a reduced antibody binding, indicating an epitope requiring the correct
      conformation of the triple helical structure of the glucans.

PMID- 28620551
TI  - Mitochondrial Cardiomyopathy Presenting as Dilated Phase of Hypertrophic
      Cardiomyopathy Diagnosed with Histological and Genetic Analyses.
AB  - We report a case with 46-year-old man diagnosed with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy
      in the dilated phase of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Since cardiac magnetic
      resonance imaging, beta-methyl-p-123I-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic myocardial
      scintigraphy, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography revealed no
      remarkable findings, we performed electron microscopic examination, which aided
      in diagnosing mitochondrial cardiomyopathy. Muscle biopsy was also compatible
      with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes
      and DNA analysis also concluded it. Since muscle biopsy is less invasive for
      patients compared to endomyocardial biopsy, cardiologists need to consider it.
      The diagnosis of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy is helpful because it is a genetic
      condition and also for consideration of device therapy, as well as management for
      acute crisis.

PMID- 28620552
TI  - Refractory Lactic Acidosis in Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elevated lactate levels in critically ill patients are most often
      thought to be indicative of relative tissue hypoxia or type A lactic acidosis.
      Shock, severe anemia, and thromboembolic events can all cause elevated lactate
      due to tissue hypoperfusion, as well as the mitochondrial dysfunction thought to
      occur in sepsis and other critically ill states. Malignancy can also lead to
      elevation in lactate, a phenomenon described as type B lactic acidosis, which is
      much less commonly encountered in the critically ill. CASE PRESENTATION: We
      present the case of a 73-year-old Caucasian woman with type 2 diabetes and
      hypertension who presented with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, nonbloody
      diarrhea, and weight loss over five weeks and was found to have unexplained
      refractory lactic acidosis despite fluids and antibiotics. She was later
      diagnosed with small cell carcinoma of the lung. CONCLUSIONS: In this case
      report, we describe a critically ill patient whose elevated lactate was
      incorrectly attributed to her acute illness, when in truth it was an indicator of
      an underlying, as yet undiagnosed, malignancy. We believe this case is
      instructive to the critical care clinician as a reminder of the importance of
      considering malignancy on the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with
      elevated lactate out of proportion to their critical illness.

PMID- 28620553
TI  - Unusual Case of Extraction of Maxillary Lateral Incisors and Mandibular Central
      Incisors.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This article's purpose is to report a case where maxillary lateral
      incisors and mandibular central incisors are extracted and a canine substitution
      was performed as the best therapeutic option in order to obtain symmetry in a
      malocclusion with an upper lateral incisor with poor prognostic, solve moderate
      crowding, get enough space for the permanent dentition, and provide stability to
      the results. CASE REPORT: An 11-year-old boy with straight profile with acute-to
      normal nasolabial angle and protruded lips, mixed dentition, lower and upper
      severe crowding, and a bilateral molar angle Class I. The left maxillary lateral
      incisor failed endodontic treatment secondary to an intrusive traumatic lesion in
      the primary and permanent dentition. The treatment of choice was the extraction
      of both upper lateral incisors and both central lower incisors. The patient
      finished with molar and canine angle Class I and coincident midlines and was
      functionally stable; both lateral and protrusive jaw movements were effectively
      made by the first premolars and central incisors and canines without improper
      contacts of the rest of the teeth. Overbite of one-third and correct overjet were
      also achieved, and the esthetic outcome was satisfactory due to the composed
      material restorations of both the central and lateral incisors, as well as
      recontouring of the first maxillary premolars.

PMID- 28620554
TI  - Clinical Phenotype in a Toddler with a Novel Heterozygous Mutation of the Vitamin
      D Receptor.
AB  - We present the clinical phenotype of a toddler who presented with vitamin D
      resistant rickets, with one of the highest initial levels of alkaline phosphatase
      and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels reported in the literature. The toddler had
      novel compound heterozygous mutations in the ligand-binding site of the vitamin D
      receptor and had an excellent response to calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D).

PMID- 28620555
TI  - A Discussion of High-Risk HPV in a 6-Year-Old Female Survivor of Child Sexual
      Abuse.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) cause a variety of clinical
      manifestations in children including skin warts, laryngeal papillomas, and
      condyloma acuminatum. Whereas the mode of transmission is well understood and
      management of HPV infection is clearly defined by guidelines in adults, less is
      known about the mode of transmission, natural history of disease, and appropriate
      management of high-risk anogenital HPV infections in children. CASE: The patient
      is a previously healthy 6-year-old female who presented with multiple vaginal
      lesions causing pain and discomfort and was diagnosed with HPV 18 positive CIN I.
      SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: Children infected with high-risk HPV subtypes remain a
      vulnerable patient population, and there is minimal literature on the natural
      history of disease and effects of overtreatment. Based on a literature review,
      conservative management, HPV vaccination, and consideration of the cervical
      cancer screening guidelines for adolescent females are an appropriate treatment
      course until more studies are reported on cervical cancer screening in survivors
      of child sexual abuse.

PMID- 28620556
TI  - Tracheal Chondrosarcoma: Systematic Review of Tumor Characteristics, Diagnosis,
      and Treatment Outcomes with Case Report.
AB  - To our knowledge this is the first systematic review of tracheal chondrosarcoma
      treatment outcomes. Management insights are thoroughly discussed. Men constitute
      93.8% of cases, and most of these occur in the distal trachea. The most common
      symptom, dyspnea, occurs in virtually all patients. Extratracheal extension had
      occurred in 78.6% of patients. Definitive treatment with tracheal resection
      showed no recurrences in 10 patients with mean follow-up of 3.1 years. Adjuvant
      radiotherapy may be utilized for improving local control when open complete
      resection cannot be performed, but only after endoscopic excision of gross tumor.

PMID- 28620557
TI  - Suprascapular Nerve Entrapment Caused by Protrusion of an Intraosseous Ganglion
      of the Glenoid into the Spinoglenoid Notch: A Rare Cause of Posterior Shoulder
      Pain.
AB  - We describe a case of suprascapular nerve entrapment caused by protrusion of an
      intraosseous ganglion of the glenoid into the spinoglenoid notch. A 47-year-old
      man with left shoulder pain developed an intraosseous cyst in the left glenoid,
      which came into contact with the suprascapular nerve. The area at which the
      patient experienced spontaneous shoulder pain was innervated by the suprascapular
      nerve, and 1% xylocaine injection into the spinoglenoid notch under
      ultrasonographic guidance relieved the pain. Therefore, we concluded that the
      protrusion of an intraosseous cyst of the glenoid into the spinoglenoid notch was
      a cause of the pain, and performed curettage. Consequently, the shoulder pain was
      resolved promptly without suprascapular nerve complications, and the cyst was
      histologically diagnosed as an intraosseous ganglion. This case demonstrated that
      the intraosseous ganglion of the glenoid was a benign lesion but could be a cause
      of suprascapular nerve entrapment syndrome. Curettage is a useful treatment
      option for a ganglion inside bone and very close to the suprascapular nerve.

PMID- 28620558
TI  - Primary Renal Carcinoid with Bilateral Multiple Clear Cell Papillary Renal Cell
      Carcinomas.
AB  - Clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma (CCPRCC) is a newly recognized entity
      in the 2016 WHO classification and usually presents as a small, circumscribed,
      solitary mass of indolent nature. CCPRCCs could seldom occur in conjunction with
      other synchronous or metachronous kidney tumors and even less frequently as
      bilateral masses. To our knowledge, multiple bilateral CCPRCCs have never been
      described with the existence of a synchronous well-differentiated neuroendocrine
      tumor of the kidney and hence reported here as a unique case. This case report
      highlights the importance in considering this entity and its unusual presentation
      in the differential diagnosis as a possible mimicker of Von Hippel-Lindau
      syndrome.

PMID- 28620559
TI  - IVIG Associated Aseptic Meningitis in a Renal Transplant Patient.
AB  - The management of antibody-mediated rejection in renal transplant recipients
      involves plasmapheresis with IVIG. Aseptic meningitis is a rare adverse effect of
      IVIG therapy and is a diagnosis of exclusion. We report a case of a renal
      transplant patient who developed IVIG associated aseptic meningitis in the
      context of management of antibody-mediated rejection, four years after
      transplantation.

PMID- 28620560
TI  - Propionibacterium acnes Is an Unusual Cause of Acute Scrotal Abscess in a Preterm
      Infant.
AB  - Acute scrotal abscess is an extremely rare condition in neonates and may mimic
      testicular torsion. Most of these abscesses have reportedly been due to
      Staphylococcus and Salmonella spp. infections. We herein report a unilateral
      acute scrotal abscess in a preterm infant born at 26 weeks in whom
      Propionibacterium acnes was isolated from the collected scrotal fluid culture. To
      our knowledge, this is the first case report implicating P. acnes as a causative
      agent of neonatal scrotal abscess. Based on such findings, P. acnes infection
      should be considered in differential diagnosis of acute scrotal abscess in
      neonates, particularly in preterm infants.

PMID- 28620561
TI  - Patient-Specific QA of Spot-Scanning Proton Beams using Radiochromic Film.
AB  - Radiochromic film for spot-scanning QA provides high spatial resolution and
      efficiency gains from one-shot irradiation for multiple depths. However,
      calibration can be a tedious procedure which may limit widespread use. Moreover,
      since there may be an energy dependence, which manifests as a depth dependence,
      this may require additional measurements for each patient. We present a one-scan
      protocol to simplify the procedure. A calibration using an EBT3 film, exposed by
      a 6-level step-wedge plan on a Proteus(r)PLUS proton system (IBA, Belgium), was
      performed at depths of 18, 20, 24cm using Plastic Water(r) (CIRS, Norfolk, VA).
      The calibration doses ranged from 65-250 cGy(RBE) (relative biological
      effectiveness) for proton energies of 170-200 MeV. A clinical prostate+nodes plan
      was used for validation. The planar doses at selected depths were measured with
      EBT3 films and analyzed using One-scan protocol (one-scan digitization of QA film
      and at least one film exposed to a known dose). The gamma passing rates, dose
      difference maps, and profiles of 2D planar doses measured with EBT3 film and IBA
      MatriXX-PT, versus the RayStation TPS calculations were analyzed and compared.
      The EBT3 film measurement results matched well with the TPS calculation data with
      an average passing rate of ~95% for 2%/2mm and slightly lower passing rates were
      obtained from an ion chamber array detector. We were able to demonstrate that the
      use of a proton step-wedge provided clinically acceptable results and minimized
      variations between film-scanner orientation, inter-scan, and scanning conditions.
      Furthermore, for relative dosimetry (calibration is not done at the time of
      experiment) it could be derived from no more than two films exposed to known
      doses (one could be zero) for rescaling the master calibration curve at each
      depth. The sensitivity of the calibration to depth variations has been explored.
      One-scan protocol results appear to be comparable to that of the ion chamber
      array detector. The use of a proton step-wedge for calibration of EBT3 film
      potentially increases efficiency in patient-specific QA of proton beams.

PMID- 28620562
TI  - Delayed Chyle Leak Following Anterior Cervical Spinal Surgery: A Case Report and
      Management Algorithm.
AB  - Injury to the thoracic duct during anterior cervical spine surgery is a rare
      occurrence. A delayed chyle leak following an elective anterior cervical spinal
      surgery has not been reported in the literature. We present a report of a 59-year
      old female with multiple prior neck surgeries who underwent an anterior cervical
      corpectomy and fusion (ACCF). The patient developed a delayed thoracic duct
      injury on postoperative day (POD) one, as no injury was noted intraoperatively.
      She was managed with conservative care involving a low-fat diet along with
      octreotide which led to the resolution of her symptoms. We present this case
      report because of its unique presentation and to assist spine surgeons with
      initial management. Surgeons should have increased awareness when performing
      anterior cervical approaches to the lower cervical and upper thoracic levels from
      the left side.

PMID- 28620563
TI  - Pharmacological Threat to Lungs: A Case Series and Literature Review.
AB  - Drug-induced organ damage stands as a prevalent yet much-neglected issue
      globally. Keeping in view it's rising frequency, health care providers stand
      obliged to be well versed with the de-merits of the agents they prescribe. Drug
      therapies causing damage present with a non-specific clinical presentation,
      histological findings or radiology, which further elaborates on the necessity of
      a conscientious diagnosis. Pulmonary architecture ranging from the airways, lung
      parenchyma, mediastinum, pleura, pulmonary vasculature or the neuromuscular
      system, all can fall victim to the dreaded outcomes of this menace. In order to
      establish successful diagnosis, the definite temporal relation between initiation
      of drug therapy and the development of the respiratory symptoms needs to be
      drawn. The most common form of pharmacologically arising lung toxicity is drug
      induced pneumonitis or interstitial lung disease. Unfortunately, there is no
      adequate data available to review the extensiveness of this medication-associated
      risk in Pakistan which further highlights the necessity of carefully monitoring
      this overlooked yet assessable malady. Furthermore, identification and
      surveillance of this drug attributed peril shall help diminish burden on
      healthcare resources of the country. We present three recent cases of different
      types of drug-induced lung damage under treatment at our University Hospital.

PMID- 28620564
TI  - Moyamoya Syndrome in a Child with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Magnetic Resonance
      Imaging as a Tool for Clinical Decision Making.
AB  - Moyamoya syndrome is a rare cerebrovasculopathy of unknown etiology which is
      associated with multiple risk factors. Moyamoya was first discovered in Japan and
      is reported to have an increased prevalence in the Japanese population. The term
      "Moyamoya" translates into "puff of smoke" and is named after the finding of the
      collateral cerebral vasculature that develops secondary to occlusion of an
      internal carotid artery at the entrance into the circle of Willis. This
      collateral vasculature characterizes the disease. Moyamoya should be included in
      the differential diagnosis in the pediatric population when a patient presents
      with stroke or stroke-like symptoms. Diagnosis can be made with catheter
      angiogram or magnetic resonance angiogram. Recent use of magnetic resonance
      perfusion imaging has been shown to be useful in clinical decision making while
      assessing the need for revascularization surgery. We present the case of a 15
      year-old with comorbid psychiatric illness, neurofibromatosis type I with
      brainstem glioma, and Moyamoya syndrome. Considering our patient's complex
      medical history of psychiatric illness and previously diagnosed
      neurofibromatosis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance
      angiogram (MRA) and magnetic resonance perfusion proved instrumental in helping
      rule out the progression of arteriopathy as the cause of his worsening seizures
      and behavior. In our patient, it was determined that the relative perfusion for
      each hemisphere of the patient's brain quantitatively lacked significant
      differences and he was therefore not a candidate for surgical revascularization.
      These modalities proved instrumental in surgical decision-making and clinical
      management of the patient.

PMID- 28620565
TI  - Pattern and Predictors of Unmet Supportive Care Needs in Cancer Patients.
AB  - The incidence of cancers is increasing and this is associated with an increase in
      the burden of the disease. Patients with cancer have to deal with reduced
      physical functioning, emotional instability, difficulty in concentrating, and an
      overall diminished feeling of well-being. This creates deficits that have not
      been well catered for by traditional cancer care, leading to an overall
      dissatisfaction with care and a reduced quality of life. This review aims at
      assessing the pattern of unmet needs in cancer patients and to provide
      information as to the factors that influence the perception of unmet needs.
      Studies directly focused on unmet needs in cancer patients which were retrieved
      from Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE),
      Public/Publisher Medline (PubMed), PsychINFO, Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE),
      and Google Scholar; from the earliest records till 2016. Unmet needs in cancer
      patients have been measured with a wide variety of tools, with the supportive
      care needs survey (SCNS) being the most commonly used as a result of its strong
      psychometric properties, ease of use, responsiveness, and its coverage of the
      major domains of unmet needs. The most common unmet needs were in the domains of
      health system and information, psychological, and physical and daily living.
      These needs are influenced by sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, marital
      status, income level; and clinical factors such as location of cancer, stage of
      disease, and tumor size. It is clear that cancer patients experience a wide range
      of unmet supportive needs, for which solutions need to be devised in order to
      improve the supportive care services for these patients and their overall quality
      of life.

PMID- 28620566
TI  - Leukemia Cutis Associated with Secondary Plasma Cell Leukemia.
AB  - Plasma cell leukemia is an uncommon, aggressive variant of leukemia that may
      occur de novo or in association with multiple myeloma. Leukemia cutis is the
      cutaneous manifestation of leukemia, and indicates an infiltration of the skin by
      malignant leukocytes or their precursors. Plasma cell leukemia cutis is a rare
      clinical presentation of leukemia. We present a man who developed plasma cell
      leukemia cutis in association with multiple myeloma. Cutaneous nodules developed
      on his arms and legs 50 days following an autologous stem cell transplant.
      Histopathologic examination showed CD138-positive nodular aggregates of atypical
      plasma cells with kappa light chain restriction, similar to the phenotype of his
      myeloma. In spite of systemic treatment of his underlying disease, he died 25
      days after the presentation of leukemia cutis. Pub-Med was searched for the
      following terms: cutaneous plasmacytomas, leukemia cutis, plasma cell leukemia
      nodules, plasma cell leukemia cutis, and secondary cutaneous plasmacytoma. Papers
      were reviewed and appropriate references evaluated. Leukemia cutis in plasma cell
      leukemia patients is an infrequent occurrence. New skin lesions in patients with
      plasma cell leukemia should be biopsied for pathology and for tissue cultures to
      evaluate for cancer or infection, respectively. The diagnosis plasma cell
      leukemia cutis is associated with a very poor prognosis.

PMID- 28620567
TI  - A Retrospective Cohort Study to Assess Patient and Physician Reported Outcome
      Measures After Decompressive Hemicraniectomy for Malignant Middle Cerebral Artery
      Stroke.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Decompressive hemicraniectomy for malignant middle cerebral artery
      (MCA) infarction is known to reduce mortality. However, there are on-going
      concerns in terms of the quality of life in survivors. We aimed to examine the
      correlation between patient and physician reported outcome measures in
      decompressive hemicraniectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed outcomes in 21
      patients who underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy for malignant MCA infarction
      between September 2003 and August 2013 within a regional health system. Patient
      and physician reported outcome measures were collected at follow-up. These were
      Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) Version 3, modified Rankin Scale (mRS), National
      Hospital Seizure Severity Scale, Headache Impact Test and Patient Health
      Questionnaire for depression. RESULTS: There was a good correlation between
      physician and patient reported outcome measures. The Spearman's rank correlation
      coefficient between mRS and structured SIS Version 3 was -0.887 (p < 0.001); with
      unstructured SIS results, the correlation coefficient was -0.663 (p = 0.001).
      There was no statistically significant correlation between life worth and
      modified Rankin Scale: r = -0.3383 (p = 0.087). DISCUSSION: Our findings of a
      statistically significant correlation between mRS and SIS have not previously
      been reported in patients with this condition. These findings provide further
      information to inform patient and next of kin discussions regarding outcomes from
      decompressive hemicraniectomy in malignant MCA infarction.

PMID- 28620568
TI  - Bilateral Myelomatous Pleural Effusion in a Patient with IgA Kappa Multiple
      Myeloma.
AB  - Multiple myelomas is a neoplastic plasma cell disorder that accounts for one
      percent of all cancers and 13% of hematologic malignancies. Although primarily
      known to be a bone marrow disorder, it can metastasize to extramedullary sites or
      it can present as a solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma. Primary pleural
      effusion from myeloma is rare, occurring in less than one percent of the
      patients. The following case report highlights a case of bilateral pleural
      effusion, directly attributable to multiple myeloma after other causes were ruled
      out. The diagnosis was made using cytology and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining
      of the pleural fluid. Myelomatous pleural effusion (MPE) is a poor prognostic
      feature heralding an aggressive underlying disease state, as represented in this
      case.

PMID- 28620569
TI  - The Optimal Pain Management Approach for a Laboring Patient: A Review of Current
      Literature.
AB  - There is a general agreement that a patient in labor should be given the option
      to have an epidural block for pain management. Despite this consensus, there are
      differences in practice patterns as to when to initiate an epidural and how to
      minimize its impact on the duration and outcome of a patient's labor. A review of
      the literature suggests epidural analgesia does prolong stages one and two of
      labor, but not significantly. Cesarean delivery rates are not affected by the
      early initiation of epidural analgesia. The use of various adjuvants such as
      opioids, clonidine, and neostigmine in conjunction with local anesthetics
      solution can significantly reduce the severity of motor blockade and the need for
      assisted vaginal delivery.

PMID- 28620570
TI  - Perforated Bladder as a Cause of Abdominal Ascites in a Patient Presenting with
      Acute Onset Abdominal Pain.
AB  - Bladder perforation, especially when atraumatic, is a rare cause of ascites and
      is often difficult to differentiate from other causes of abdominal pain and
      ascites in the acute setting.  A 43-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of
      multiple sclerosis presented with acute abdominal pain. A computed tomography
      (CT) scan of her abdomen and pelvis without contrast revealed ascites, acute
      kidney injury (AKI) was noted on laboratory workup, and very little urine was
      drained by Foley catheter. Over the next several days, the patient's clinical
      condition deteriorated with no definitive diagnosis. A repeat CT of her abdomen
      and pelvis without contrast showed worsening ascites. She underwent paracentesis,
      which revealed a markedly elevated ascitic fluid creatinine consistent with
      bladder rupture. She then underwent an urgent cystogram to confirm the diagnosis,
      and the urologic consultant recommended conservative management with a Foley
      catheter to allow for bladder healing. Conservative treatment failed however, and
      she underwent a surgical repair with drain placement which was followed by an
      improvement in her clinical condition. This case illustrates a unique
      presentation of a young woman with multiple sclerosis whose bladder perforation
      presented as abdominal pain and ascites. The multidisciplinary approach required
      here highlights the difficulty in reaching this diagnosis which is often
      undermined in patients who lack a history of traumatic injury. Such delays led to
      a complicated hospital course for our patient. Maintaining a broad differential
      for abdominal pain and ascites is essential.

PMID- 28620571
TI  - Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis in Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Case
      Report and Review of Current Treatment Modalities.
AB  - Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC) is an uncommon sequelae of non-small cell lung
      cancer. The treatment modalities for LC have historically been limited with an
      overall poor prognosis. This case report outlines a 76-year-old female who
      presented with recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer as LC. LC is difficult to
      treat, and options include radiation, chemotherapy (systemic and intrathecal), as
      well as targeted therapies. This case outlines a unique approach and reviews the
      current literature on the effectiveness of these options in non-small cell lung
      cancer.

PMID- 28620572
TI  - Unexpected Seed Migration in Prostate Brachytherapy Implants Coincident with
      Change in Seed Stranding Product.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine if significant seed migration
      occurred when our institution changed seed products by comparing patterns of seed
      migration in implants containing different stranding material. METHODS AND
      MATERIALS: Day 0 and Day 30 CT scans were registered by the contoured prostate
      center of mass. An implant reconstruction program identified seeds on CT
      according to the pre-plan, enabling one-to-one correspondence between Day 0 and
      Day 30 seeds. Significant seed migration was defined by review of seeds that
      migrated > 2 cm outside the prostate or appearance in unexpected locations.  
      Results: Twenty-five (149, 16.8%) new strands displayed movement > 2 cm between
      Day 0 and Day 30 compared with just 2/118 (1.7%) of the standard strands. Six out
      of 26 (23%) patients with new strands displayed significant migration compared
      with 2/13 (14%) of patients with standard strands. In the six patients with new
      strands and significant migration, a mean of four strands (17%, range: 2-8 per
      patient) migrated significantly with 65% due to whole strand migration, 25% due
      to strand breakage, and 10% strand clumping. In the control group, only two
      strands (2%) migrated significantly, both due to strand breakage. Despite the
      greater seed movement with the new strands, Day 0 and Day 30 dosimetry was
      acceptable. CONCLUSION: In this short report, we identified that a change to a
      new strand type was associated with unexpected significant seed movement compared
      to our typical strands. Since seed movement can arise from unexpected causes, it
      is important to maintain quality assurance practices when a change in technique
      or infrastructure is instituted.

PMID- 28620573
TI  - Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Ischemic and Non-Ischemic
      Complete Heart Block.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Third degree or complete heart block (CHB) is a medical emergency
      and usually requires permanent pacemaker placement. CHB can be caused by cardiac
      ischemia or non-ischemic conditions such as infiltrative diseases or fibrosis.
      The purpose of this study is to identify the baseline clinical characteristics
      associated with ischemic versus non-ischemic causes of complete heart block and
      compare their outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional review broad
      approval was granted by the Cleveland Clinic Health System. In our study, 216
      patients with CHB presenting to Fairview Hospital between January 2014 and June
      2016 were initially identified using the International Classification of Disease
      (ICD) codes at discharge. Only the patients with a new diagnosis of complete
      heart block (CHB) were included in the study (total N=62), which led to the
      exclusion of 154 patients. The patients were characterized into non-ischemic and
      ischemic groups based on cardiac marker elevation, electrocardiogram changes
      and/or cardiac catheterization findings. In all the patients, data including the
      following was collected: demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity and body
      mass index; pre-existing comorbidities such as hypertension, chronic kidney
      disease, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, previous coronary artery disease,
      history of cancer; use of nodal blocking agents, electrolyte abnormalities on
      admission, echocardiographic parameters such as ejection fraction (EF), right
      ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), left ventricular end diastolic and systolic
      volumes (LVEDV and LVESV, respectively). The primary outcome was all-cause
      mortality and the secondary outcome was pacemaker placement. Categorical
      variables were analyzed using chi-square and continuous variables using ANOVA.
      RESULTS: Out of 62 patients (N=62), 48 had non-ischemic and 14 had ischemic CHB.
      The mean age was 67 years (95% CI, 60.55-74.73) in the ischemic group and 75
      years (95% CI, 71.52-78.80) in the non-ischemic group, p=0.04. Patients with
      ischemic CHB had a lower mean EF of 49.6% (95% CI, 42.04%-57.23%) compared to
      57.42% in non-ischemic CHB patients (95% CI, 53.97%-60.87%), p=0.05. History of
      coronary artery disease was present in 71.4% (10/14) patients with ischemic CHB
      compared to 37.5% (18/48) patients with non-ischemic CHB, p=0.02. There was no
      statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender,
      diabetes, hypertension, thyroid dysfunction, chronic kidney disease, nodal
      blocking agents, electrolyte abnormalities or smoking status. For outcomes, 6/48
      (12.5%) of patients with non-ischemic CHB had died compared to 3/14 (21.4%)
      ischemic CHB (p=0.327). Permanent pacemaker was implanted in 45/48 patients
      (93.75%) of the non-ischemic CHB compared to 6/14 (42.83%) in the ischemic group
      (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ischemic CHB are younger, and they have a
      lower ejection fraction but they are less likely to get a pacemaker compared to
      non-ischemic CHB. Further studies with a bigger sample size are required to
      understand the long term mortality outcomes of patients with CHB.

PMID- 28620574
TI  - Complications of Advanced Kadish Stage Esthesioneuroblastoma: Single Institution
      Experience and Literature Review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In esthesioneuroblastoma, greater disease extent and Kadish staging
      correlate with greater recurrence, complications, and mortality. These advanced
      stage malignancies require extensive resections and aggressive adjuvant therapy.
      This increases the risk of complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leak,
      neurologic deficits, and osteomyelitis. We present our case series and then
      analyze the literature to ascertain whether advanced stage tumors corresponds to
      greater rates of complications. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive
      patients with histologically-proven esthesioneuroblastoma who were aggressively
      managed at our institution was performed. This was followed by an extensive
      literature search of published original data, in large series from 2006-2016,
      where both surgery and adjuvant therapy were used for the treatment of
      esthesioneuroblastoma. RESULTS : Single institution review revealed eight
      patients with esthesioneuroblastoma, half with advanced Kadish staging. All
      Kadish A patients ( Kadish A: confined to nasal cavity) underwent endoscopic
      approaches alone, while Kadish C patients (Kadish C: extends beyond nasal cavity
      and paranasal sinuses) and D patients (Kadish D: lymph node or distant
      metastases) underwent craniofacial approaches, while all patients received post
      operative adjuvant therapies. Complications such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
      leak, seizures, meningitis, and abscess only occurred in high Kadish stage
      patients. Literature review demonstrated a higher proportion of advanced Kadish
      stage cases correlated with increasing rates of pneumocephalus, infection, and
      recurrence. A higher proportion of Kadish C and D tumors was inversely correlated
      with CSF leak rate and overall survival. DISCUSSION: Advanced stage tumors are
      often associated with a higher incidence of adverse events up to 33%, both due to
      disease burden and treatment effect. There is increasing use of endoscopy and
      neoadjuvant therapy, which have the potential to decrease complication rates.
      CONCLUSION : Advanced Kadish stage esthesioneuroblastoma necessitates meticulous
      surgical resection and aggressive adjuvant therapies, together, these increase
      the likelihood of adverse events, including CSF leak, neurologic deficits, and
      infections, and may represent the real morbidity cost of radically treating these
      tumors to achieve an improvement in overall survival. In selected patients, less
      invasive approaches or neo-adjuvant therapies can be used without compromising on
      a curative resection.

PMID- 28620575
TI  - Osteoporosis Management in Ankylosing Spondylitis.
AB  - Low bone mineral density (BMD) is increasingly recognized as a common comorbid
      condition in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). As low BMD increases fracture risk, it
      is important to identify and treat low BMD in patients with AS who have been
      shown to be at increased risk for fractures above the population normal. Since
      low BMD occurs early in disease, we screen during the first year of diagnosis
      with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). If patients are found to have
      osteoporosis by T-score of less than -2.5 or if their Z-score on DXA is more than
      two standard deviations below the mean, we initiate therapy with bisphosphonates
      in males and in females who are not planning any future pregnancies. While
      reduction in fracture risk with bisphosphonate therapy has not been clearly
      defined in patients with AS, reduction in vertebral and hip fractures has been
      well established in primary osteoporosis and thus it is our first line treatment.
      If there are contraindications to the use of bisphosphonates in the treatment of
      low BMD, we will consider the use of denosumab. If the patient is not receiving a
      TNF-alpha inhibitor (TNFi) and has active disease, we also favor early initiation
      of TNFi due to their positive effects on BMD though the outcome on reduction in
      vertebral fractures remains unclear. We counsel all patients regarding the
      importance of adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium per the Institute of
      Medicine guidelines. All patients should be encouraged to participate in weight
      bearing activities with a focus on core strength and gait training.

PMID- 28620576
TI  - Polish Experience of Implementing Vision Zero.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this study is to present an outline and the
      principles of Poland's road safety strategic programming as it has developed over
      the last 25 years since the first Integrated Road Safety System with a strong
      focus on Sweden's "Vision Zero". RECENT FINDINGS: Countries that have
      successfully improved road safety have done so by following strategies centred
      around the idea that people are not infallible and will make mistakes. The human
      body can only take a limited amount of energy upon impact, so roads, vehicles and
      road safety programmes must be designed to address this. SUMMARY: The article
      gives a summary of Poland's experience of programming preventative measures that
      have "Vision Zero" as their basis. It evaluates the effectiveness of relevant
      programmes.

PMID- 28620577
TI  - Population structure of the soft tick Ornithodoros maritimus and its associated
      infectious agents within a colony of its seabird host Larus michahellis.
AB  - The epidemiology of vector-borne zoonoses depends on the movement of both hosts
      and vectors, which can differ greatly in intensity across spatial scales. Because
      of their life history traits and small size, vector dispersal may be frequent,
      but limited in distance. However, little information is available on vector
      movement patterns at local spatial scales, and particularly for ticks,
      transmitting the greatest diversity of recognized infectious agents. To test the
      degree to which ticks can disperse and disseminate pathogens at local scales, we
      investigated the temporal dynamics and population structure of the soft tick
      Ornithodoros maritimus within a colony of its seabird host, the Yellow-legged
      gull Larus michahellis. Ticks were repeatedly sampled at a series of nests during
      the host breeding season. In half of the nests, ticks were collected (removal
      sampling), in the other half, ticks were counted and returned to the nest. A
      subsample of ticks was screened for known bacteria, viruses and parasites using a
      high throughput real-time PCR system to examine their distribution within the
      colony. The results indicate a temporal dynamic in the presence of tick life
      stages over the season, with the simultaneous appearance of juvenile ticks and
      hatched chicks, but no among-nest spatial structure in tick abundance. Removal
      sampling significantly reduced tick numbers, but only from the fourth visit
      onward. Seven bacterial isolates, one parasite species and one viral isolate were
      detected but no spatial structure in their presence within the colony was found.
      These results suggest weak isolation among nests and that tick dispersal is
      likely frequent enough to quickly recolonize locally-emptied patches and
      disseminate pathogens across the colony. Vector-mediated movements at local
      scales may therefore play a key role in pathogen emergence and needs to be
      considered in conjunction with host movements for predicting pathogen circulation
      and for establishing effective control strategies.

PMID- 28620579
TI  - Delineation of the Prostate Bed: The "Invisible Target" Is Still an Issue?
AB  - For pathological high-risk prostate cancer, adjuvant irradiation has shown a
      survival benefit. Phase III studies have highlighted that half men would face
      biochemical relapse and would be candidate for radiotherapy at adjuvant or
      salvage times. Despite at least four published international contouring
      guidelines from different collaborative groups, discrepancies remain for volumes,
      delineation, and margins to be considered in order to optimize radiotherapy
      planning. This article from "Groupe d'Etude des Tumeurs UroGenitales (GETUG)"
      members will focus on controversies to help clinicians to create best volume
      delineation for adjuvant or salvage post prostatectomy radiotherapy.

PMID- 28620578
TI  - Surgical Management of Advanced and Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A
      Multidisciplinary Approach.
AB  - The past decade has seen a rapid proliferation in the number and types of
      systemic therapies available for renal cell carcinoma. However, surgery remains
      an integral component of the therapeutic armamentarium for advanced and
      metastatic kidney cancer. Cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant cytokine
      based immunotherapy (predominantly high-dose interleukin 2) has largely given way
      to systemic-targeted therapies. Metastasectomy also has a role in carefully
      selected patients. Additionally, neoadjuvant systemic therapy may increase the
      feasibility of resecting the primary tumor, which may be beneficial for patients
      with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Several prospective trials examining
      the role of adjuvant therapy are underway. Lastly, the first immune checkpoint
      inhibitor was approved for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) in 2015,
      providing a new treatment mechanism and new opportunities for combining systemic
      therapy with surgery. This review discusses current and historical literature
      regarding the surgical management of patients with advanced and mRCC and explores
      approaches for optimizing patient selection.

PMID- 28620580
TI  - The Human NADPH Oxidase, Nox4, Regulates Cytoskeletal Organization in Two Cancer
      Cell Lines, HepG2 and SH-SY5Y.
AB  - NADPH oxidases of human cells are not only functional in defense against invading
      microorganisms and for oxidative reactions needed for specialized biosynthetic
      pathways but also during the past few years have been established as signaling
      modules. It has been shown that human Nox4 is expressed in most somatic cell
      types and produces hydrogen peroxide, which signals to remodel the actin
      cytoskeleton. This correlates well with the function of Yno1, the only NADPH
      oxidase of yeast cells. Using two established tumor cell lines, which are derived
      from hepatic and neuroblastoma tumors, respectively, we are showing here that in
      both tumor models Nox4 is expressed in the ER (like the yeast NADPH oxidase),
      where according to published literature, it produces hydrogen peroxide. Reducing
      this biochemical activity by downregulating Nox4 transcription leads to loss of F
      actin stress fibers. This phenotype is reversible by adding hydrogen peroxide to
      the cells. The effect of the Nox4 silencer RNA is specific for this gene as it
      does not influence the expression of Nox2. In the case of the SH-SY5Y neuronal
      cell line, Nox4 inhibition leads to loss of cell mobility as measured in scratch
      assays. We propose that inhibition of Nox4 (which is known to be strongly
      expressed in many tumors) could be studied as a new target for cancer treatment,
      in particular for inhibition of metastasis.

PMID- 28620581
TI  - Third-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Targeting Epidermal Growth Factor
      Receptor Mutations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - Sensitizing mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) predict
      response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and both first- and second
      generation TKIs are available as first-line treatment options in patients with
      advanced EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Eventual resistance develops
      with multiple mechanisms identifiable both upon repeat biopsy and in plasma
      circulating tumor DNA. The T790M gatekeeper mutation is responsible for almost
      60% of cases. A number of third-generation TKIs are in clinical development, and
      osimertinib has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the
      treatment of patients with EGFR T790M mutant lung cancer after failure of initial
      EGFR kinase therapy. Resistance mechanisms are being identified to these novel
      agents, and the treatment landscape of EGFR-mutant lung cancer continues to
      evolve. The sequence of EGFR TKIs may change in the future and combination
      therapies targeting resistance appear highly promising.

PMID- 28620582
TI  - Physicochemical and Nutritional Requirements for Axenic Replication Suggest
      Physiological Basis for Coxiella burnetii Niche Restriction.
AB  - Bacterial obligate intracellular parasites are clinically significant animal and
      human pathogens. Central to the biology of these organisms is their level of
      adaptation to intracellular replication niches associated with physicochemical
      and nutritional constraints. While most bacterial pathogens can adapt to a wide
      range of environments, severe niche restriction-an inability to thrive in diverse
      environments-is a hallmark of bacterial obligate intracellular parasites. Herein
      the physicochemical and nutritional factors underlying the physiological basis
      for niche restriction in the zoonotic bacterial obligate intracellular parasite
      and Q fever agent Coxiella burnetii are characterized. Additionally, these
      factors are reviewed in the context of C. burnetii evolution and continued
      (patho) adaptation. C. burnetii replication was strictly dependent on a
      combination of moderately acidic pH, reduced oxygen tension, and presence of
      carbon dioxide. Of macronutrients, amino acids alone support replication under
      physicochemically favorable conditions. In addition to utilizing gluconeogenic
      substrates for replication, C. burnetii can also utilize glucose to generate
      biomass. A mutant with a disruption in the gene pckA, encoding
      phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), the first committed step in
      gluconeogenesis, could be complemented chemically by the addition of glucose.
      Disruption of pckA resulted in a moderate glucose-dependent growth defect during
      infection of cultured host cells. Although, C. burnetii has the theoretical
      capacity to synthesize essential core metabolites via glycolysis and
      gluconeogenesis, amino acid auxotrophy essentially restricts C. burnetii
      replication to a niche providing ample access to amino acids. Overall, the
      described combination of physiochemical and nutritional growth requirements are
      strong indicators for why C. burnetii favors an acidified phagolysosome-derived
      vacuole in respiring tissue for replication.

PMID- 28620584
TI  - IFN-gamma, IL-2, IP-10, and MIG as Biomarkers of Exposure to Leishmania spp., and
      of Cure in Human Visceral Leishmaniasis.
AB  - New biomarkers are needed for monitoring the effectiveness of treatment for
      visceral leishmaniasis (VL). They might also improve the detection of the
      asymptomatic population in Leishmania-endemic areas. This paper examines the IL
      2, IFN-gamma, IFN-gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10), and monokine-induced-by-IFN
      gamma (MIG) levels in whole blood-stimulated in vitro with soluble Leishmania
      antigen (SLA)-taken from asymptomatic individuals and patients treated for VL
      living in a post-outbreak (Leishmania infantum) area in Spain, and in an endemic
      (Leishmania donovani) area of Bangladesh. IP-10 was found to be an accurate
      global marker of asymptomatic subjects with positive cellular/humoral tests,
      while MIG was found to be a better marker of contact with L. donovani than IL-2
      but no for those with L. infantum. Determining IP-10, MIG, and IFN-gamma levels
      proved useful in monitoring the cellular immune response following treatment for
      active disease caused by L. infantum.

PMID- 28620583
TI  - Engineering of Genetically Arrested Parasites (GAPs) For a Precision Malaria
      Vaccine.
AB  - Continuous stage conversion and swift changes in the antigenic repertoire in
      response to acquired immunity are hallmarks of complex eukaryotic pathogens,
      including Plasmodium species, the causative agents of malaria. Efficient
      elimination of Plasmodium liver stages prior to blood infection is one of the
      most promising malaria vaccine strategies. Here, we describe different
      genetically arrested parasites (GAPs) that have been engineered in Plasmodium
      berghei, P. yoelii and P. falciparum and compare their vaccine potential. A
      better understanding of the immunological mechanisms of prime and boost by
      arrested sporozoites and experimental strategies to enhance vaccine efficacy by
      further engineering existing GAPs into a more immunogenic form hold promise for
      continuous improvements of GAP-based vaccines. A critical hurdle for vaccines
      that elicit long-lasting protection against malaria, such as GAPs, is safety and
      efficacy in vulnerable populations. Vaccine research should focus on solutions
      toward turning malaria into a vaccine-preventable disease, which would offer an
      exciting new path of malaria control.

PMID- 28620585
TI  - Identification of a Large Family of Slam-Dependent Surface Lipoproteins in Gram
      Negative Bacteria.
AB  - The surfaces of many Gram-negative bacteria are decorated with soluble proteins
      anchored to the outer membrane via an acylated N-terminus; these proteins are
      referred to as surface lipoproteins or SLPs. In Neisseria meningitidis, SLPs such
      as transferrin-binding protein B (TbpB) and factor-H binding protein (fHbp) are
      essential for host colonization and infection because of their essential roles in
      iron acquisition and immune evasion, respectively. Recently, we identified a
      family of outer membrane proteins called Slam (Surface lipoprotein assembly
      modulator) that are essential for surface display of neisserial SLPs. In the
      present study, we performed a bioinformatics analysis to identify 832 Slam
      related sequences in 638 Gram-negative bacterial species. The list included
      several known human pathogens, many of which were not previously reported to
      possess SLPs. Hypothesizing that genes encoding SLP substrates of Slams may be
      present in the same gene cluster as the Slam genes, we manually curated
      neighboring genes for 353 putative Slam homologs. From our analysis, we found
      that 185 (~52%) of the 353 putative Slam homologs are located adjacent to genes
      that encode a protein with an N-terminal lipobox motif. This list included genes
      encoding previously reported SLPs in Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella
      catarrhalis, for which we were able to show that the neighboring Slams are
      necessary and sufficient to display these lipoproteins on the surface of
      Escherichia coli. To further verify the authenticity of the list of predicted
      SLPs, we tested the surface display of one such Slam-adjacent protein from
      Pasteurella multocida, a zoonotic pathogen. A robust Slam-dependent display of
      the P. multocida protein was observed in the E. coli translocation assay
      indicating that the protein is a Slam-dependent SLP. Based on multiple sequence
      alignments and domain annotations, we found that an eight-stranded beta-barrel
      domain is common to all the predicted Slam-dependent SLPs. These findings suggest
      that SLPs with a TbpB-like fold are found widely in Proteobacteria where they
      exist with their interaction partner Slam. In the future, SLPs found in
      pathogenic bacteria can be investigated for their role in virulence and may also
      serve as candidates for vaccine development.

PMID- 28620586
TI  - Tracking Proteins Secreted by Bacteria: What's in the Toolbox?
AB  - Bacteria have acquired multiple systems to expose proteins on their surface,
      release them in the extracellular environment or even inject them into a
      neighboring cell. Protein secretion has a high adaptive value and secreted
      proteins are implicated in many functions, which are often essential for
      bacterial fitness. Several secreted proteins or secretion machineries have been
      extensively studied as potential drug targets. It is therefore important to
      identify the secretion substrates, to understand how they are specifically
      recognized by the secretion machineries, and how transport through these
      machineries occurs. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the
      biochemical, genetic and imaging tools that have been developed to evaluate
      protein secretion in a qualitative or quantitative manner. After a brief overview
      of the different tools available, we will illustrate their advantages and
      limitations through a discussion of some of the current open questions related to
      protein secretion. We will start with the question of the identification of
      secreted proteins, which for many bacteria remains a critical initial step toward
      a better understanding of their interactions with the environment. We will then
      illustrate our toolbox by reporting how these tools have been applied to better
      understand how substrates are recognized by their cognate machinery, and how
      secretion proceeds. Finally, we will highlight recent approaches that aim at
      investigating secretion in real time, and in complex environments such as a
      tissue or an organism.

PMID- 28620587
TI  - A Dual Luciferase Reporter System for B. burgdorferi Measures Transcriptional
      Activity during Tick-Pathogen Interactions.
AB  - Knowledge of the transcriptional responses of vector-borne pathogens at the
      vector-pathogen interface is critical for understanding disease transmission.
      Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in the
      United States, is transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes sp. ticks. It is
      known that B. burgdorferi has altered patterns of gene expression during tick
      acquisition, persistence and transmission. Recently, we and others have
      discovered in vitro expression of RNAs found internal, overlapping, and antisense
      to annotated open reading frames in the B. burgdorferi genome. However, there is
      a lack of molecular genetic tools for B. burgdorferi for quantitative, strand
      specific, comparative analysis of these transcripts in distinct environments such
      as the arthropod vector. To address this need, we have developed a dual
      luciferase reporter system to quantify B. burgdorferi promoter activities in a
      strand-specific manner. We demonstrate that constitutive expression of a B.
      burgdorferi codon-optimized Renilla reniformis luciferase gene (rlucBb ) allows
      normalization of the activity of a promoter of interest when fused to the B.
      burgdorferi codon-optimized Photinus pyralis luciferase gene (flucBb) on the same
      plasmid. Using the well characterized, differentially regulated, promoters for
      flagellin (flaBp), outer surface protein A (ospAp) and outer surface protein C
      (ospCp), we document the efficacy of the dual luciferase system for quantitation
      of promoter activities during in vitro growth and in infected ticks.
      Cumulatively, the dual luciferase method outlined herein is the first dual
      reporter system for B. burgdorferi, providing a novel and highly versatile
      approach for strand-specific molecular genetic analyses.

PMID- 28620588
TI  - Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of a Fusion Protein Tuberculosis Vaccine
      Combining Five Esx Family Proteins.
AB  - One strategy to develop the next generation of tuberculosis vaccines is to
      construct subunit vaccines based on T cell antigens. In this study, we have
      evaluated the vaccine potential of a fusion protein combining EsxB, EsxD, EsxG,
      EsxU, and EsxM of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). This recombinant protein,
      named BM, was expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli. Immunization of
      C57BL/6 mice with purified BM protein formulated in Freund's incomplete adjuvant
      induced the production of Th1 cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF, and IL-2) and
      multifunctional CD4+ T cells. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with BM protein followed
      by intravenous challenge with Mycobacterium bovis BCG resulted in better levels
      of protection than the two leading antigens, Ag85A and PPE18. Taken together,
      these results indicate that BM is a protective antigen. Future studies to combine
      BM with other antigens and evaluate its effectiveness as a booster of BCG or as a
      therapeutic vaccine are warranted.

PMID- 28620591
TI  - The BrainHealthRegistry.org: Using the Internet for identification, assessment,
      screening, recruitment, and longitudinal monitoring of subjects for neuroscience
      and Alzheimer's disease studies.

PMID- 28620590
TI  - Functional Redundancy and Ecological Innovation Shape the Circulation of Tick
      Transmitted Pathogens.
AB  - Ticks are vectors of pathogens affecting human and animal health worldwide.
      Nevertheless, the ecological and evolutionary interactions between ticks, hosts,
      and pathogens are largely unknown. Here, we integrated a framework to evaluate
      the associations of the tick Ixodes ricinus with its hosts and environmental
      niches that impact pathogen circulation. The analysis of tick-hosts association
      suggested that mammals and lizards were the ancestral hosts of this tick species,
      and that a leap to Aves occurred around 120 M years ago. The signature of the
      environmental variables over the host's phylogeny revealed the existence of two
      clades of vertebrates diverging along a temperature and vegetation split. This is
      a robust proof that the tick probably experienced a colonization of new niches by
      adapting to a large set of new hosts, Aves. Interestingly, the colonization of
      Aves as hosts did not increase significantly the ecological niche of I. ricinus,
      but remarkably Aves are super-spreaders of pathogens. The disparate contribution
      of Aves to the tick-host-pathogen networks revealed that I. ricinus evolved to
      maximize habitat overlap with some hosts that are super-spreaders of pathogens.
      These results supported the hypothesis that large host networks are not a
      requirement of tick survival but pathogen circulation. The biological cost of
      tick adaptation to non-optimal environmental conditions might be balanced by
      molecular mechanisms triggered by the pathogens that we have only begun to
      understand.

PMID- 28620589
TI  - Transcriptomic Profiling of High-Density Giardia Foci Encysting in the Murine
      Proximal Intestine.
AB  - Giardia is a highly prevalent, understudied protistan parasite causing
      significant diarrheal disease worldwide. Its life cycle consists of two stages:
      infectious cysts ingested from contaminated food or water sources, and motile
      trophozoites that colonize and attach to the gut epithelium, later encysting to
      form new cysts that are excreted into the environment. Current understanding of
      parasite physiology in the host is largely inferred from transcriptomic studies
      using Giardia grown axenically or in co-culture with mammalian cell lines. The
      dearth of information about the diversity of host-parasite interactions occurring
      within distinct regions of the gastrointestinal tract has been exacerbated by a
      lack of methods to directly and non-invasively interrogate disease progression
      and parasite physiology in live animal hosts. By visualizing Giardia infections
      in the mouse gastrointestinal tract using bioluminescent imaging (BLI) of tagged
      parasites, we recently showed that parasites colonize the gut in high-density
      foci. Encystation is initiated in these foci throughout the entire course of
      infection, yet how the physiology of parasites within high-density foci in the
      host gut differs from that of cells in laboratory culture is unclear. Here we use
      BLI to precisely select parasite samples from high-density foci in the proximal
      intestine to interrogate in vivo Giardia gene expression in the host. Relative to
      axenic culture, we noted significantly higher expression (>10-fold) of oxidative
      stress, membrane transporter, and metabolic and structural genes associated with
      encystation in the high-density foci. These differences in gene expression within
      parasite foci in the host may reflect physiological changes associated with high
      density growth in localized regions of the gut. We also identified and verified
      six novel cyst-specific proteins, including new components of the cyst wall that
      were highly expressed in these foci. Our in vivo transcriptome data support an
      emerging view that parasites encyst early in localized regions in the gut,
      possibly as a consequence of nutrient limitation, and also impact local
      metabolism and physiology.

PMID- 28620592
TI  - The Role of Fibular Fixation in the Treatment of Combined Distal Tibia and Fibula
      Fracture: A Randomized, Control Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This randomized, parallel-group, non-blinded study was designed to
      determine the role of fibular fixation in the treatment outcomes of combined
      distal tibia and fibula fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with
      distal tibial and fibular fractures were randomly divided in two groups of case
      and controls. In the case group, fibula was fixed prior to the fixation of tibia.
      In the control group, tibia was fixed without fibular fixation. Primary outcomes
      were varus-valgus angulation, anterior-posterior angulation, union and side
      effects. Follow-up visit and radiographs were taken 2 and 4 weeks as well as 3, 6
      and 9 months after surgery. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 11 out of 60 patients
      in case and control groups were excluded. We recruited 24 and 25 patients in the
      case and control group, respectively. Intramedullary nailing was used in 8
      patients of case and 11 patients of control group. Plate and screw were used in
      16 patients in the case and 14 patients in the control group. Varus/valgus and
      anterior-posterior angulation were not statistically significant between two
      groups (P >= 0.05). The frequency of tibial and fibula union after 1, 3, 6 and 9
      months in case and controls groups were not statistically significant (P >=
      0.05). The frequency of nonunion of tibia and fibula, infection and nerve injury
      in studied groups were not statistically significant (P >= 0.05). CONCLUSION: We
      did not observe any significant improvement using fibular fixation in the
      treatment outcomes of tibia distal fractures.

PMID- 28620593
TI  - Phenotypic and Molecular Identification of Nocardia in Brain Abscess.

PMID- 28620594
TI  - Hypokalemia at the Time of Admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Increases
      the Need for Mechanical Ventilation and Time of Ventilation in Critically Ill
      Trauma Patients.

PMID- 28620595
TI  - The Predicting Ability of Serum Phosphorus to Assess the Duration of Mechanical
      Ventilation in Critically Ill Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No previous study exists to evaluate serum phosphorus (Ph) level as a
      predictor of the need to mechanical ventilation (MV). This study was designed to
      determine the predictive ability of admission serum Ph level on MV in patients
      admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective
      study was conducted on 100 patients (>16 years old), admitted to our ICU over 1
      year. Patients were classified into two groups according to the days of the need
      to MV. Group A: Patients who required equal or <5 days MV, and Group B: Patients
      who required more than 5 days of MV. We measured total serum Ph concentrations at
      the times of ICU admission, connecting to the ventilator and weaning from the
      ventilator. RESULTS: There were significant differences between serum Ph
      concentration on admission to ICU (Group A: 3.39 +/- 0.39 mg/dl, Group B: 2.89 +/
      0.31 mg/dl, P < 0.001), at the time of connecting to ventilator (Group A: 2.49
      +/- 0.38 mg/dl, Group B: 2.25 +/- 0.26 mg/dl, P = 0.004) and weaning from
      ventilator (Group A: 3.42 +/- 0.33 mg/dl, Group B: 2.98 +/- 0.34 mg/dl, P <
      0.001) between two groups. Duration of ICU stay in Group A was 6.08 +/- 1.48 days
      and in Group B was 15.35 +/- 6.45, this difference was significant (P < 0.001).
      We found the best cut-off point of 3.07 for serum Ph concentration to predict the
      longer duration of MV. CONCLUSION: According to the results of our study,
      hypophosphatemia may increase the need to MV. Therefore, monitoring serum Ph
      level is a good prognostic factor to predict the need to ventilation.

PMID- 28620596
TI  - Optimal Length of Follow-up for the Detection of Unsuccessful Pediatric
      Pyeloplasty: A Single-Center Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the optimal length of follow-up for patients undergoing
      both open and minimally invasive pyeloplasties to ensure prompt detection of a
      recurrent obstruction. There are no standard guidelines on ideal follow-up and
      imaging post-pediatric pyeloplasty currently. METHODS: A retrospective chart
      review identified 264 patients (<18 years old) who underwent pyeloplasty for
      ureteropelvic junction obstruction between April 2002 and December 2014.
      Ultrasound was obtained every 3-4 months for the first year following pyeloplasty
      and thereafter at discretion of treating physician. Patient characteristics
      including symptoms and imaging were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 264 patients, 72%
      were male with mean age of 51 months and follow-up of 26.8 months. Approximately
      73% followed up to 3 years. Fourteen patients (5.3%) had a recurrent obstruction.
      Among the failures, 85% were diagnosed and underwent successful redo pyeloplasty
      within 3 years. Six infants had a recurrence (43% of all unsuccessful surgeries)
      and were diagnosed within 3 years of the initial surgery. Patients undergoing a
      minimally invasive procedure were less likely to be followed for more than 3
      years compared to an open procedure (p < 0.001). Patients with severe
      hydronephrosis preoperatively were followed longer (p = 0.031). Age at surgery
      and type of surgical approach (p < 0.01) were significant predictors of length of
      follow-up in a negative binomial regression. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, a
      minimum of 3 years of follow-up is necessary to detect the majority of recurrent
      obstructions. Those patients who have higher than average lengths of follow-up
      tend to be younger and/or underwent an open surgical approach.

PMID- 28620598
TI  - Editorial: Ventricular Mechanics in Congenital Heart Disease.

PMID- 28620597
TI  - Feeding Problems and Their Underlying Mechanisms in the Esophageal Atresia
      Tracheoesophageal Fistula Patient.
AB  - Feeding difficulties such as dysphagia, coughing, choking, or vomiting during
      meals, slow eating, oral aversion, food refusal, and stressful mealtimes are
      common in children with repaired esophageal atresia (EA) and the reasons for this
      are often multifactorial. The aim of this review is to describe the possible
      underlying mechanisms contributing to feeding difficulties in patients with EA
      and approaches to management. Underlying mechanisms for these feeding
      difficulties include esophageal dysphagia, oropharyngeal dysphagia and
      aspiration, and aversions related to prolonged gastrostomy tube feeding. The
      initial diagnostic evaluation for feeding difficulties in a patient with EA may
      involve an esophagram, videofluoroscopic imaging or fiberoptic endoscopic
      evaluation during swallowing, upper endoscopy with biopsies, pH-impedance
      testing, and/or esophageal motility studies. The main goal of management is to
      reduce the factors contributing to feeding difficulties and may include reducing
      esophageal stasis, maximizing reflux therapies, treating underlying lung disease,
      dilating strictures, and altering feeding methods, routes, or schedules.

PMID- 28620599
TI  - Dysmotility in Esophageal Atresia: Pathophysiology, Characterization, and
      Treatment.
AB  - Esophageal dysmotility is almost universal after esophageal atresia (EA) repair
      and is mainly related to the developmental anomaly of the esophagus. Esophageal
      dysmotility is involved in the pathophysiology of numerous symptoms and
      comorbidities associated with EA such as gastroesophageal reflux disease,
      aspiration and respiratory complications, and symptoms of dysphagia and feeding
      disorders. High-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) has facilitated the
      characterization of the dysmotility, but there is an incomplete correlation
      between symptoms and manometrical patterns. Impedance coupled to HREM should help
      to predict the clinical outcome and therefore personalize patient management.
      Nowadays, the management of esophageal dysmotility in patients with EA is
      essentially based on treatment of associated inflammation related to peptic or
      eosinophilic esophagitis.

PMID- 28620600
TI  - Biosafety and Biosecurity in European Containment Level 3 Laboratories: Focus on
      French Recent Progress and Essential Requirements.
AB  - Even if European Union (EU) Member States are obliged to implement EU Directives
      2000/54/EC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to
      biological agents at work, national biosafety regulations and practices varied
      from country to country. In fact, EU legislation on biological agents and
      genetically modified microorganisms is often not specific enough to ensure
      harmonization leading to difficulties in implementation for most laboratories. In
      the same way, biosecurity is a relatively new concept and a few EU Member States
      are known to have introduced national laboratory biosecurity legislation. In
      France, recent regulations have reinforced biosafety/biosecurity in containment
      level 3 (CL-3) laboratories but they concern a specific list of pathogens with no
      correlation in other European Members States. The objective of this review was to
      summarize European biosafety/biosecurity measures concerning CL-3 facilities
      focusing on French specificities. Essential requirements needed to preserve
      efficient biosafety measures when manipulating risk group 3 biological agents are
      highlighted. In addition, International, European and French standards related to
      containment laboratory planning, operation or biosafety equipment are described
      to clarify optimal biosafety and biosecurity requirements.

PMID- 28620601
TI  - The Deaths of 94 Mental Health-care Users in Gauteng, South Africa.

PMID- 28620602
TI  - Caprylate Salts Based on Amines as Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors for Metallic
      Zinc: Theoretical and Experimental Studies.
AB  - The interaction of volatile corrosion inhibitors (VCI), caprylate salt
      derivatives from amines, with zinc metallic surfaces is assessed by density
      functional theory (DFT) computer simulations, electrochemical impedance (EIS)
      measurements and humid chamber tests. The results obtained by the different
      methods were compared, and linear correlations were obtained between theoretical
      and experimental data. The correlations between experimental and theoretical
      results showed that the molecular size is the determining factor in the
      inhibition efficiency. The models used and experimental results indicated that
      dicyclohexylamine caprylate is the most efficient inhibitor.

PMID- 28620604
TI  - Medical Students' Knowledge of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of Family
      Planning.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Traditional medical school curricula have not addressed fertility
      awareness-based methods (FABMs) of family planning. The objective of this study
      was to assess (1) 3-year medical students' knowledge of FABMs of family planning,
      (2) their confidence in utilizing that knowledge in patient care, and (3) to
      implement focused education on FABMs to improve knowledge and confidence.
      METHODS: Third-year medical students at one institution in the United States were
      given a 10-question assessment at the beginning of their OB-GYN rotation. Two
      lectures about FABMs and their clinical applications were given during the
      rotation. Students were given the same questions at the end of the rotation. Each
      questionnaire consisted of eight questions to assess a student's knowledge of
      FABMs and two questions to assess the student's confidence in sharing and
      utilizing that information in a clinical setting. McNemar's test was used to
      analyze the data. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-seven students completed a pretest
      questionnaire and 196 students completed the posttest questionnaire. Medical
      knowledge improved from an initial test score of 38.99% to final test score of
      53.57% (p < 0.05). Confidence in sharing FABM information with patients (0 = very
      uncomfortable; 5 = very comfortable) improved from 1.51 to 3.00 (p < 0.05).
      Confidence in utilizing FABM to diagnose and treat gynecologic/reproductive
      problems (0 = not very confident and 5 = very confident) improved from 1.01 to
      3.15 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Medical schools may not include FABMs in OB-GYN
      curriculum; however, to patients, these methods remain a sought after and valid
      form of family planning. This study shows that brief, focused education can
      increase medical students' knowledge of and confidence with FABMs of family
      planning.

PMID- 28620606
TI  - Editorial: Hip Arthroscopy.

PMID- 28620603
TI  - Advances in the Knowledge about Kidney Decellularization and Repopulation.
AB  - End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is characterized by the progressive deterioration
      of renal function that may compromise different tissues and organs. The major
      treatment indicated for patients with ESRD is kidney transplantation. However,
      the shortage of available organs, as well as the high rate of organ rejection,
      supports the need for new therapies. Thus, the implementation of tissue
      bioengineering to organ regeneration has emerged as an alternative to traditional
      organ transplantation. Decellularization of organs with chemical, physical,
      and/or biological agents generates natural scaffolds, which can serve as basis
      for tissue reconstruction. The recellularization of these scaffolds with
      different cell sources, such as stem cells or adult differentiated cells, can
      provide an organ with functionality and no immune response after in vivo
      transplantation on the host. Several studies have focused on improving these
      techniques, but until now, there is no optimal decellularization method for the
      kidney available yet. Herein, an overview of the current literature for kidney
      decellularization and whole-organ recellularization is presented, addressing the
      pros and cons of the actual techniques already developed, the methods adopted to
      evaluate the efficacy of the procedures, and the challenges to be overcome in
      order to achieve an optimal protocol.

PMID- 28620605
TI  - Regulation of Eosinophil Recruitment and Activation by Galectins in Allergic
      Asthma.
AB  - Eosinophils are differentiated granulocytes that are recruited from the bone
      marrow to sites of inflammation via the vascular system. Allergic asthma is
      characterized by the presence of large numbers of eosinophils in the lungs and
      airways. Due to their capacity to rapidly release inflammatory mediators such as
      cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, and cytotoxic granule proteins upon
      stimulation, eosinophils play a critical role in pro-inflammatory processes in
      allergen-exposed lungs. Identifying key players and understanding the molecular
      mechanisms directing eosinophil trafficking and recruitment to inflamed airways
      is a key to developing therapeutic strategies to limit their influx. Recent
      studies have brought to light the important role of glycans and glycan binding
      proteins in regulating recruitment of eosinophils. In addition to the role of
      previously identified eosinophil- and endothelial-expressed adhesion molecules in
      mediating eosinophil trafficking and recruitment to the inflamed airways, studies
      have also indicated a role for galectins (galectin-3) in this process. Galectins
      are mammalian lectins expressed by various cell types including eosinophils.
      Intracellularly, they can regulate biological processes such as cell motility.
      Extracellularly, galectins interact with beta-galactosides in cell surface
      expressed glycans to regulate cellular responses like production of inflammatory
      mediators, cell adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. Eosinophils express galectins
      intracellularly or on the cell surface where they interact with cell surface
      glycoconjugate receptors. Depending on the type (galectin-1, -3, etc.) and
      location (extracellular or intracellular, endogenous or exogenously delivered),
      galectins differentially regulate eosinophil recruitment, activation, and
      apoptosis and thus exert a pro- or anti-inflammatory outcome. Here, we have
      reviewed information pertaining to galectins (galectin-1, -3 -9, and -10) that
      are expressed by eosinophils themselves and/or other cells that play a role in
      eosinophil recruitment and function in the context of allergic asthma and their
      potential use as disease biomarkers or therapeutic targets for immunomodulation.

PMID- 28620608
TI  - A Path to Implement Precision Child Health Cardiovascular Medicine.
AB  - Congenital heart defects (CHDs) affect approximately 1% of live births and are a
      major source of childhood morbidity and mortality even in countries with advanced
      healthcare systems. Along with phenotypic heterogeneity, the underlying etiology
      of CHDs is multifactorial, involving genetic, epigenetic, and/or environmental
      contributors. Clear dissection of the underlying mechanism is a powerful step to
      establish individualized therapies. However, the majority of CHDs are yet to be
      clearly diagnosed for the underlying genetic and environmental factors, and even
      less with effective therapies. Although the survival rate for CHDs is steadily
      improving, there is still a significant unmet need for refining diagnostic
      precision and establishing targeted therapies to optimize life quality and to
      minimize future complications. In particular, proper identification of disease
      associated genetic variants in humans has been challenging, and this greatly
      impedes our ability to delineate gene-environment interactions that contribute to
      the pathogenesis of CHDs. Implementing a systematic multileveled approach can
      establish a continuum from phenotypic characterization in the clinic to molecular
      dissection using combined next-generation sequencing platforms and validation
      studies in suitable models at the bench. Key elements necessary to advance the
      field are: first, proper delineation of the phenotypic spectrum of CHDs; second,
      defining the molecular genotype/phenotype by combining whole-exome sequencing and
      transcriptome analysis; third, integration of phenotypic, genotypic, and
      molecular datasets to identify molecular network contributing to CHDs; fourth,
      generation of relevant disease models and multileveled experimental
      investigations. In order to achieve all these goals, access to high-quality
      biological specimens from well-defined patient cohorts is a crucial step.
      Therefore, establishing a CHD BioCore is an essential infrastructure and a
      critical step on the path toward precision child health cardiovascular medicine.

PMID- 28620607
TI  - Metabolic and Biochemical Stressors in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.
AB  - Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) or diabetes-induced cardiac dysfunction is a direct
      consequence of uncontrolled metabolic syndrome and is widespread in US population
      and worldwide. Despite of the heterogeneous and distinct features of DCM, the
      clinical relevance of DCM is now becoming established. DCM progresses to
      pathological cardiac remodeling with the higher risk of heart attack and
      subsequent heart failure in diabetic patients. In this review, we emphasize lipid
      substrate quality and the phenotypic, metabolic, and biochemical stressors of DCM
      in the rodent and human pathophysiology. We discuss lipoxygenase signaling in the
      inflammatory pathway with multiple contributing and confounding factors leading
      to DCM. Additionally, emerging biochemical pathways are emphasized to make
      progress toward therapeutic advancement to treat DCM.

PMID- 28620609
TI  - Antibiotic Resistances in Livestock: A Comparative Approach to Identify an
      Appropriate Regression Model for Count Data.
AB  - Antimicrobial resistance in livestock is a matter of general concern. To develop
      hygiene measures and methods for resistance prevention and control,
      epidemiological studies on a population level are needed to detect factors
      associated with antimicrobial resistance in livestock holdings. In general,
      regression models are used to describe these relationships between environmental
      factors and resistance outcome. Besides the study design, the correlation
      structures of the different outcomes of antibiotic resistance and structural zero
      measurements on the resistance outcome as well as on the exposure side are
      challenges for the epidemiological model building process. The use of appropriate
      regression models that acknowledge these complexities is essential to assure
      valid epidemiological interpretations. The aims of this paper are (i) to explain
      the model building process comparing several competing models for count data
      (negative binomial model, quasi-Poisson model, zero-inflated model, and hurdle
      model) and (ii) to compare these models using data from a cross-sectional study
      on antibiotic resistance in animal husbandry. These goals are essential to
      evaluate which model is most suitable to identify potential prevention measures.
      The dataset used as an example in our analyses was generated initially to study
      the prevalence and associated factors for the appearance of cefotaxime-resistant
      Escherichia coli in 48 German fattening pig farms. For each farm, the outcome was
      the count of samples with resistant bacteria. There was almost no overdispersion
      and only moderate evidence of excess zeros in the data. Our analyses show that it
      is essential to evaluate regression models in studies analyzing the relationship
      between environmental factors and antibiotic resistances in livestock. After
      model comparison based on evaluation of model predictions, Akaike information
      criterion, and Pearson residuals, here the hurdle model was judged to be the most
      appropriate model.

PMID- 28620610
TI  - Molecular Detection of Tick-Borne Pathogen Diversities in Ticks from Livestock
      and Reptiles along the Shores and Adjacent Islands of Lake Victoria and Lake
      Baringo, Kenya.
AB  - Although diverse tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are endemic to East Africa, with
      recognized impact on human and livestock health, their diversity and specific
      interactions with tick and vertebrate host species remain poorly understood in
      the region. In particular, the role of reptiles in TBP epidemiology remains
      unknown, despite having been implicated with TBPs of livestock among exported
      tortoises and lizards. Understanding TBP ecologies, and the potential role of
      common reptiles, is critical for the development of targeted transmission control
      strategies for these neglected tropical disease agents. During the wet months
      (April-May; October-December) of 2012-2013, we surveyed TBP diversity among 4,126
      ticks parasitizing livestock and reptiles at homesteads along the shores and
      islands of Lake Baringo and Lake Victoria in Kenya, regions endemic to diverse
      neglected tick-borne diseases. After morphological identification of 13 distinct
      Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma, and Hyalomma tick species, ticks were pooled (<=8
      individuals) by species, host, sampling site, and collection date into 585 tick
      pools. By supplementing previously established molecular assays for TBP detection
      with high-resolution melting analysis of PCR products before sequencing, we
      identified high frequencies of potential disease agents of ehrlichiosis (12.48%
      Ehrlichia ruminantium, 9.06% Ehrlichia canis), anaplasmosis (6.32% Anaplasma
      ovis, 14.36% Anaplasma platys, and 3.08% Anaplasma bovis,), and rickettsiosis
      (6.15% Rickettsia africae, 2.22% Rickettsia aeschlimannii, 4.27% Rickettsia
      rhipicephali, and 4.95% Rickettsia spp.), as well as Paracoccus sp. and
      apicomplexan hemoparasites (0.51% Theileria sp., 2.56% Hepatozoon fitzsimonsi,
      and 1.37% Babesia caballi) among tick pools. Notably, we identified E.
      ruminantium in both Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus pools of ticks sampled from
      livestock in both study areas as well as in Amblyomma falsomarmoreum (66.7%) and
      Amblyomma nuttalli (100%) sampled from tortoises and Amblyomma sparsum (63.6%)
      sampled in both cattle and tortoises at Lake Baringo. Similarly, we identified E.
      canis in rhipicephaline ticks sampled from livestock and dogs in both regions and
      Amblyomma latum (75%) sampled from monitor lizards at Lake Victoria. These novel
      tick-host-pathogen interactions have implications on the risk of disease
      transmission to humans and domestic animals and highlight the complexity of TBP
      ecologies, which may include reptiles as reservoir species, in sub-Saharan
      Africa.

PMID- 28620611
TI  - Dogs with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Have Clonal Rearrangements in T and B Cell
      Receptors.
AB  - Clonality testing for rearrangements in the complementarity-determining region 3
      of the immunoglobulin heavy chain of B lymphocytes (B cell receptor) and the T
      cell receptor of T lymphocytes helps distinguish between clonal and non-clonal
      expansions of lymphocytes. There are rare reports of clonally rearranged T and B
      cell receptors in dogs with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Our objective was to
      determine the frequency of clonally rearranged T and B cell receptors in dogs
      with AML. Archived slides from historical cases of AML (from January 2010 to June
      2013) and slides or liquid specimens [blood, bone marrow (BM), body cavity fluid,
      or tissue aspirates] from cases of AML diagnosed between June 2013 and February
      2017 were used in the study. A diagnosis of AML was made on the basis of more
      than 20% immature neoplastic cells ("blasts") in blood, BM, or extramedullary
      tissues, displaying features of myeloid differentiation. Myeloid differentiation
      was based on a combination of morphologic criteria, positive flow cytometric
      labeling for surface antigens typical of myeloid origin (e.g., CD11b, CD11c, CD14
      with a general lack of expression of T or B cell markers), or positive
      cytochemical staining reactions for myeloid-associated enzymes (e.g., alkaline
      phosphatase, chloroacetate esterase). There were 63 cases of AML diagnosed during
      this period; however, slides or liquid specimens with sufficient DNA for testing
      were only obtained from 25 dogs. Affected dogs represented various breeds and
      were a median of 8 years old, with more male (64%) than female (36%) dogs. Common
      clinical signs were peripheral or internal lymphadenopathy (10/25 dogs, 40%) and
      hepatomegaly or splenomegaly (10/25 dogs combined, 40%). Typical hematologic
      findings were bi- or pancytopenia (23/25 dogs, 92%), with circulating blasts
      (21/25, 84%). Solitary clonal (4 B cell, 6 T cell) and biclonal (6 B and T cell)
      rearrangements in B or T cell receptors were found in 16 dogs (64%). Our results
      indicate that dogs with AML can have a high frequency of clonally rearranged T or
      B cell receptors, including biclonality, and clonality testing should not be used
      as a tool to distinguish between acute leukemia of myeloid or lymphoid origin.

PMID- 28620612
TI  - Potential Role of Pet Cats As a Sentinel Species for Human Exposure to Flame
      Retardants.
AB  - Flame retardants are a wide group of chemicals used by the industry to avoid
      combustion of materials. These substances are commonly found in plastics,
      electronic equipment, fabrics, and in many other everyday articles. Subsequently,
      ubiquitous environmental contamination by these common chemical is frequently
      reported. In the present study, we have evaluated the level of exposure to
      polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs), and
      organophosphorous flame retardants (OPFRs) in pet cats through the analysis of
      their serum. We also analyzed the level exposure to such chemicals in a series of
      20 cat owners, trying to disclose the role of pet cats as sentinel species of
      human exposure to FRs. Our results showed that PCBs, banned 40 years ago, showed
      the lowest levels of exposure, followed by BDEs-banned recently. Congeners PCB
      138 and PCB-180 were detected in >=50% of the series, while BDE-47 was detected
      in near 90% of the pet cats. On the other hand, the highest levels were that of
      OPFRs, whose pattern of detection was similar to that observed in humans, thus
      suggesting a potential role of cats as a sentinel species for human exposure to
      these currently used FRs. Six out of 11 OPFRs determined [2-ethylhexyldiphenyl
      phosphate, tributylphosphate, triisobutylphosphate, triphenylphosphate, tris (2
      chloroethyl) phosphate, and tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate] were detected in
      100% of the samples. It will be interesting to perform future studied aimed to
      elucidating the potential toxicological effects of these highly detected
      chemicals both, in cats and humans.

PMID- 28620613
TI  - Evidence of Divergent Amino Acid Usage in Comparative Analyses of R5- and X4
      Associated HIV-1 Vpr Sequences.
AB  - Vpr is an HIV-1 accessory protein that plays numerous roles during viral
      replication, and some of which are cell type dependent. To test the hypothesis
      that HIV-1 tropism extends beyond the envelope into the vpr gene, studies were
      performed to identify the associations between coreceptor usage and Vpr variation
      in HIV-1-infected patients. Colinear HIV-1 Env-V3 and Vpr amino acid sequences
      were obtained from the LANL HIV-1 sequence database and from well-suppressed
      patients in the Drexel/Temple Medicine CNS AIDS Research and Eradication Study
      (CARES) Cohort. Genotypic classification of Env-V3 sequences as X4 (CXCR4
      utilizing) or R5 (CCR5-utilizing) was used to group colinear Vpr sequences. To
      reveal the sequences associated with a specific coreceptor usage genotype, Vpr
      amino acid sequences were assessed for amino acid diversity and Jensen-Shannon
      divergence between the two groups. Five amino acid alphabets were used to
      comprehensively examine the impact of amino acid substitutions involving side
      chains with similar physiochemical properties. Positions 36, 37, 41, 89, and 96
      of Vpr were characterized by statistically significant divergence across multiple
      alphabets when X4 and R5 sequence groups were compared. In addition, consensus
      amino acid switches were found at positions 37 and 41 in comparisons of the R5
      and X4 sequence populations. These results suggest an evolutionary link between
      Vpr and gp120 in HIV-1-infected patients.

PMID- 28620614
TI  - Postmenopausal Iron Overload Exacerbated Bone Loss by Promoting the Degradation
      of Type I Collagen.
AB  - 117 postmenopausal women were divided into Normal, Bone loss (BL), and
      Osteoporosis group. Compared with Normal group (120.96 +/- 43.18 MUg/L), the
      serum ferritin (Fer) in BL (223.37 +/- 130.27 MUg/L) and Osteoporosis group
      (307.50 +/- 161.48 MUg/L) was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Fer level was
      negatively correlated with BMD (p < 0.01). TRACP levels in Osteoporosis group
      (4.37 +/- 1.69 U/L) were significantly higher than Normal group (4.10 +/- 1.60
      U/L, p < 0.05). ALP levels in Osteoporosis group (112.06 +/- 62.05 U/L) were
      significantly upregulated compared with Normal group (80.22 +/- 14.94 U/L, p <
      0.05). beta-CTX and PINP were the degradation products of type I collagen. beta
      CTX levels in Osteoporosis group (667.90 +/- 316.55 ng/L) were significantly
      increased compared with Normal group (406.06 +/- 112.12 ng/L, p < 0.05). PINP
      levels in Osteoporosis group (78.03 +/- 37.31 MUg/L) were significantly higher
      than Normal group (37.60 +/- 13.17 MUg/L, p < 0.01). More importantly, there was
      a positive correlation between serum Fer and PINP (p < 0.01). Serum Fer showed a
      positive correlation of serum beta-CTX (p < 0.01). The overloaded iron improved
      the degradation of type I collagen.

PMID- 28620615
TI  - Component Release and Mechanical Properties of Endodontic Sealers following
      Incorporation of Antimicrobial Agents.
AB  - Root canal sealers with antimicrobial activity are highly beneficial; therefore,
      their antimicrobial properties could be improved by incorporation of
      antimicrobial agents. In the present study, the release of the quaternary
      ammonium compounds from endodontic sealers admixed with either benzalkonium
      chloride (BC) or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) at loadings of 2% wt was
      monitored. The effect of these additives on the compressive strengths and their
      release from the sealers was determined after 1 and 4 weeks. All of the materials
      studied were found to be capable of releasing antimicrobial additive in useful
      quantities. The release of CPC occurred to a statistically significant greater
      extent than BC for all materials. The addition of both BC and CPC generally
      decreased the compressive strength of all the endodontic sealers, with the
      exception of CPC in AH Plus, where the compressive strength was significantly
      increased. This suggests that, for these endodontic sealers, the antimicrobial
      additives alter the setting chemistry. AH Plus is an epoxy-based material cured
      with an amine, and in this case the increase in compressive strength with CPC is
      attributed to an enhanced cure reaction with this system. In all other cases, the
      additive inhibited the cure reaction to a greater or lesser extent.

PMID- 28620617
TI  - Application of Biotechnology for the Production of Biomass-Based Fuels.

PMID- 28620616
TI  - The Impact of Combining a Low-Tube Voltage Acquisition with Iterative
      Reconstruction on Total Iodine Dose in Coronary CT Angiography.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of combining low-tube voltage acquisition with
      iterative reconstruction (IR) techniques on the iodine dose in coronary CTA.
      METHODS: Three minipigs underwent CCTA to compare a standard of care protocol
      with two alternative study protocols combining low-tube voltage and low iodine
      dose with IR. Image quality was evaluated objectively by the CT value, signal-to
      noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the main coronary
      arteries and aorta and subjectively by expert reading. Statistics were performed
      by Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square analysis. RESULTS: Despite reduced iodine
      dose, both study protocols maintained CT values, SNR, and CNR compared to the
      standard of care protocol. Expert readings confirmed these findings; all scans
      were perceived to be of at least diagnostically acceptable quality on all
      evaluated parameters allowing image interpretation. No statistical differences
      were observed (all p values > 0.11), except for streak artifacts (p = 0.02) which
      were considered to be more severe, although acceptable, with the 80 kVp protocol.
      CONCLUSIONS: Reduced tube voltage in combination with IR allows a total iodine
      dose reduction between 37 and 50%, by using contrast media with low iodine
      concentrations of 200 and 160 mg I/mL, while maintaining image quality.

PMID- 28620618
TI  - Histopathological and Reproductive Evaluation in Male Rats Fed Jatropha curcas
      Seed Cake with or without Alkaline Hydrolysis and Subjected to Heat Treatment.
AB  - Jatropha curcas cake, a by-product of biodiesel production, is rich in protein
      and has potential to be used in livestock feed; however, the presence of
      antinutritional factors and phorbol esters limits its use. Thus, this study
      investigated toxicological and reproductive effects in male Wistar rats after
      subchronic exposure to J. curcas cake subjected to detoxification procedures.
      Rats were divided into seven groups (n = 10) and treated for 60 days. The control
      group received commercial feed, while experimental groups received a diet
      containing 5% J. curcas cake nonhydrolyzed or hydrolyzed with 5 M NaOH. The cakes
      were unwashed or washed with ethanol or water and were autoclaved at 121 degrees
      C for 30 minutes. Alkaline hydrolysis combined with ethanol washing decreased the
      phorbol ester concentration in the cake by 98%. Histopathological findings
      included diffuse degeneration of the liver and edema around the pulmonary vessels
      in the nonhydrolyzed groups. In addition, nontreated females mated with males of
      nonhydrolyzed unwashed group showed a decreased number of live fetuses and an
      increased placental weight. There were no signs of toxicity in rats given
      hydrolyzed cakes washed and unwashed, indicating that alkaline hydrolysis
      associated with heat treatment is an efficient method for detoxification of the
      J. curcas cake.

PMID- 28620619
TI  - Effects of (1E,4E)-2-Methyl-1,5-bis(4-nitrophenyl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one on
      Trypanosoma cruzi and Its Combinational Effect with Benznidazole, Ketoconazole,
      or Fluconazole.
AB  - This study reports the activity induced by (1E,4E)-2-methyl-1,5-bis(4
      nitrophenyl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one (A3K2A3) against Trypanosoma cruzi. This
      compound showed trypanocidal activity against the multiplicative epimastigote and
      amastigote forms of this protozoan, with IC50 values of 1.99 +/- 0.17 and 1.20 +/
      0.16 MUM, respectively, and EC50 value of 15.57 +/- 0.34 MUM against
      trypomastigotes. The combination of A3K2A3 with benznidazole or ketoconazole
      demonstrated strong synergism, increasing effectiveness against trypomastigotes
      or epimastigotes of T. cruzi. In addition, the drug combination of A3K2A3 with
      benznidazole or ketoconazole on LLCMK2 cells demonstrated an antagonist effect,
      which resulted in greater protection of the cells from drug damage. The
      combination of the compound with fluconazole was not effective. Transmission and
      scanning electron micrographs showed changes on parasites, mainly in the
      cytoplasmatic membrane, nucleus, mitochondrion, and Golgi complex, and a large
      increase in the number of autophagosome-like structures and lipid-storage bodies,
      accompanied by volume reduction and rounding of the parasite. A3K2A3 might be a
      promising compound against T. cruzi.

PMID- 28620620
TI  - NGAL as an Early Predictive Marker of Diabetic Nephropathy in Children and Young
      Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - AIMS: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is often associated with early microvascular
      complications. Previous studies demonstrated that increased systolic (SAP) and
      diastolic arterial blood pressures (DAP) are linked to microvascular morbidity in
      T1D. The aim of the study was to investigate the predictive role of neutrophil
      gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in unravelling early cardio-renal
      dysfunction in T1D. METHODS: Two T1D patient groups participating in two-centre
      prospective cohorts were studied. Group A consisted of 57 participants aged 13.9
      years (SD: 3.1) and group B consisted of 59 patients aged 28.0 years (SD: 4.4).
      Forty-nine healthy children [age: 10.5 years (SD: 6.6)] and 18 healthy adults
      [age 27.7 years (SD: 4.2)] served as controls. Serum concentrations of NGAL
      (ELISA) were determined, and SAP and DAP were examined (SAP and DAP also
      expressed as z-scores in the younger group). RESULTS: NGAL correlated positively
      with SAP in both patient groups (P = 0.020 and P = 0.031, resp.) and SAP z-score
      (P = 0.009) (group A) and negatively with eGFR in both groups (P < 0.001 and P <
      0.001, resp.). CONCLUSIONS: NGAL may be proposed as a biomarker of early renal
      dysfunction even in nonalbuminuric T1D patients, since it was strongly associated
      with renal function decline and increasing systolic arterial pressure even at
      prehypertensive range in people with T1D, in a broad age range.

PMID- 28620621
TI  - Matrix-Assisted Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation in the Knee: A Systematic
      Review of Mid- to Long-Term Clinical Outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) is a
      surgical treatment option for articular cartilage lesions of the knee joint.
      PURPOSE: To investigate mid- to long-term clinical outcomes of MACT in the
      patellofemoral (PF) and tibiofemoral (TF) joints. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic
      review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A systematic review was performed by
      searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to find studies evaluating
      minimum 5-year clinical outcomes of patients undergoing MACT in the knee joint.
      Search terms used were knee, matrix, and autologous chondrocyte. Patients were
      evaluated based on treatment failure rates, magnetic resonance imaging, and
      subjective outcome scores. Study methodology was assessed using the Modified
      Coleman Methodology Score (MCMS). RESULTS: Ten studies (two level 1, one level 2,
      one level 3, and six level 4 evidence) were identified that met inclusion and
      exclusion criteria, for a total of 442 TF patients and 136 PF patients. Treatment
      failure occurred in 9.7% of all patients, including 4.7% of PF patients and 12.4%
      of TF patients (P = .037). Weighted averages of subjective outcome scores,
      including Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Short Form-36 Health
      Survey, and Tegner scores, improved from baseline to latest follow-up in both TF
      and PF patients. The mean MCMS was found to be 57.4, with a standard deviation of
      18.5. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing MACT in the knee show favorable mid- to
      long-term clinical outcomes. A significantly higher treatment failure rate was
      found in patients undergoing MACT in the TF joint compared with the PF joint.

PMID- 28620622
TI  - Intrahepatic Migration of Gastrostomy Tube after Inadvertent Transhepatic PEG
      Placement.

PMID- 28620623
TI  - Resolution of Diffuse Intrahepatic Biliary Strictures after Chemotherapy for
      Metastatic Ovarian Cancer.
AB  - Sclerosing cholangitis and cholestatic jaundice secondary to metastatic disease
      is a rare complication. We report a rare case of secondary sclerosing cholangitis
      (SSC) due to lymphatic spread from ovarian cancer with complete resolution after
      chemotherapy. The diagnosis of SSC from metastatic ovarian cancer was clinically
      challenging, as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed irregular
      hepatic ducts consistent with sclerosing cholangitis, but it did not identify any
      malignant cells. The final diagnosis was made with liver biopsy revealing high
      grade metastatic Mullerian carcinoma. The patient responded well to chemotherapy
      and is in remission. A timely diagnosis is important and can lead to complete
      resolution of the disease.

PMID- 28620624
TI  - Early Gastric Cancer Associated with a Gastric Lipoma.

PMID- 28620625
TI  - Hematopoietic Aging Biomarkers in Peromyscus leucopus Mice.
AB  - We analyzed hematopoietic phenotypes in Peromyscus leucopus (PL) mice at young (2
      9 months), middle (22-23 months) and old (33-46 months) ages aimed at
      characterizing age-associated changes in this unique rodent species. We found a
      significantly higher number of monocytes in old PL mice in peripheral blood, and
      higher proportions of CD44+ cells in blood, spleen and bone marrow in old PL mice
      than in middle and young counterparts. We conclude that elevated blood monocyte
      counts and up-regulated hematopoietic cell CD44 expression are two useful aging
      biomarkers for PL mice.

PMID- 28620626
TI  - Tobacco Smoke Constituents Trigger Cytoplasmic Calcium Release.
AB  - Cytosolic Ca2+ is a universal second messenger that is involved in many processes
      throughout the body, including the regulation of cell growth/cell division,
      apoptosis, and the secretion of both ions, and macromolecules. Tobacco smoke
      exerts multiple effects on airway epithelia and we have previously shown that
      Kentucky reference cigarette smoke exposure elevated the second messenger Ca2+,
      leading to dysfunctional ion secretion. In this study, we tested whether little
      cigar and commercial cigarette smoke exposure exerts similar effects on
      intracellular Ca2+ levels. Indeed, Swisher Sweets, Captain Black, and Cheyenne
      little cigars, as well as Camel, Marlboro, and Newport cigarettes, triggered a
      comparable increase in intracellular Ca2+ as seen with Kentucky reference
      cigarettes in human bronchial epithelia. We also found that Kentucky reference
      cigarette smoke exposure caused increases in Ca2+ in HEK293T cells and that
      similar increases in Ca2+ were seen with the tobacco smoke metabolites 1-NH2
      naphthalene, formaldehyde, nicotine, and nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone.
      Given the large number of physiological processes governed by changes in
      cytosolic Ca2+, our data suggest that Ca2+ signaling is a useful and reproducible
      assay that can be used to probe the propensity of tobacco products and their
      constituents to cause toxicity.

PMID- 28620628
TI  - Reduction of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Elementary School Students
      Using an Educational Curriculum of Beverage Sugar Content.
AB  - Introduction: Given the known association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB)
      intake and poorer health, we instituted an educational curriculum to reduce
      student consumption of SSBs. Methods: The program included third- to fifth-grade
      students. A simple demonstration using teaspoons of sugar or small candies showed
      students the quantity of added sugar in common beverages. This amount of sugar
      was compared to the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association.
      Key principles were reinforced over a 4-month period. Anonymous beverage recall
      surveys were distributed to 213 students at baseline and 211 students 6 months
      after exposure to the curriculum. Primary endpoints included evaluation of SSB,
      real fruit juice (RFJ), diet soda, and water servings in the last 24 hours.
      Results: The proportion of children consuming 2 or more beverages daily decreased
      from 8.9% to 4.3% (P = .0546) for diet soda, from 70.0% to 58.3% (P = .0123) for
      SSB + RFJ, and from 60.1% to 47.4% (P = .0087) for SSB. At baseline, students
      reported an average consumption of 3.5 SSB, 4.5 SSB + RFJ, 0.4 diet soda, and 3.3
      water servings per day. At 6 months after exposure, the average daily beverage
      consumption decreased to 2.7 servings per day for SSB (P = .014), 3.8 for SSB +
      RFJ (P = .039), and 0.2 for diet soda (P = .027). Water consumption increased
      from 3.3 to 3.6 servings per day (P = .075). Discussion: Our data suggest grade
      school students are receptive to information about the adverse effects of SSBs on
      health. Adding similar educational programs to elementary school curriculum may
      help reduce long-term SSB consumption.

PMID- 28620627
TI  - Perspectives on Living With Fibromyalgia.
AB  - Perceptions of people living with chronic illness change over time, contributing
      to health-related stress that necessitates coping skills. Paterson's shifting
      perspectives model provides an explanation of chronically ill people's variations
      in attention to their symptoms. In this qualitative study, 20 people with
      fibromyalgia living in a rural setting were interviewed in 2013 with the aim of
      gaining insight into their experiences and the meaning-making associated with
      their chronic condition. Analysis of the interview data categorized five
      recurrent, or common, themes: experiences of loss, feelings of fear and
      uncertainty, influence of stress, stigmatization of the disease, and coping
      through courage. Difficulties attendant to losses, distress, and stigma
      associated with this chronic condition led the participants to report poor health
      related quality of life. The study findings can be useful across clinical
      settings to nurses and other health care providers in understanding those
      diagnosed with fibromyalgia and their care needs.

PMID- 28620629
TI  - Pediatric Hypertension: Provider Perspectives.
AB  - Pediatric hypertension is a risk for adult cardiovascular disease, making early
      detection important. The prevalence of pediatric essential hypertension is rising
      due to the increased prevalence of obesity. Though guidelines for screening,
      diagnosis, evaluation, and management are available, there are barriers to
      accurate diagnosis of pediatric hypertension, including lack of knowledge and
      complexity of blood pressure standards. We aimed to gain insights into reasons
      for low rates of diagnosis and treatment from primary care providers. As part of
      a multisite randomized controlled trial, we interviewed 8 providers in a
      community health center network. We used a grounded theoretical approach to
      analyze transcripts. Providers reflected on numerous barriers to diagnosis,
      management, and follow-up; recommendations for educational content; and how
      community health center systems can be improved. Findings informed development of
      a multifaceted intervention. Despite lack of training on essential hypertension,
      providers were comfortable recommending lifestyle changes to promote healthier
      weight and reduced blood pressure.

PMID- 28620630
TI  - Etiology, Diagnosis and Management of Oromandibular Dystonia: an Update for
      Stomatologists.
AB  - Oromandibular dystonia (OMD) is a rare focal neurological disorder that affects
      mouth, face, and jaws. This comprehensive literature review aimed to summarize
      the current evidence for etiology, diagnosis, and management of OMD and assess
      the possibility of dental origin of the disease and dental treatment plans for
      these patients. Different online databases namely PubMed, Google scholar, and
      Scopus were searched. The keywords "oromandibular dystonia", "orofaciomandibular
      dystonia", "orofacial-buccal dystonia", "lingual dystonia", "jaw dystonia",
      "cranial dystonia", and "adult-onset facial dystonia" were searched in the title
      and abstract of publications from 1970 to 2016. The inclusion criterion was the
      dental etiology and/or dental treatment. Out of 1260 articles, only 37 articles
      met the inclusion criteria. OMD can be caused or exacerbated through different
      dental treatments within which anyone is likely to be involved due to various
      reasons. Some novel methods employed to relieve this syndrome have led to certain
      cure or improvement of symptoms in several cases. OMD patients may refer to
      dentists with involuntary jaw movements and intraoral presentations. Thus, the
      dentists should be aware of the symptoms and signs and refer the suspicious
      cases. Dentists should also be familiar with special considerations when managing
      OMD patients.

PMID- 28620632
TI  - Prevalence of Soft Tissue Calcifications in CBCT Images of Mandibular Region.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Most of the soft tissue calcifications within the head
      and neck region might not be accompanied by clinical symptoms but may indicate
      some pathological conditions. PURPOSE: The aim of this research was to determine
      the prevalence of soft tissue calcifications in cone beam computed tomography
      (CBCT) images of mandibular region. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this cross sectional
      study the CBCT images of 602 patients including 294 men and 308 women with mean
      age 41.38+/-15.18 years were evaluated regarding the presence, anatomical
      location; type (single or multiple) and size of soft tissue calcification in
      mandibular region. All CBCT images were acquired by NewTom VGi scanner. Odds
      ratio and chi-square tests were used for data analysis and p< 0.05 was considered
      to be statistically significant. RESULTS: 156 out of 602 patients had at least
      one soft tissue calcification in their mandibular region (25.9%. of studied
      population with mean age 51.7+/-18.03 years). Men showed significantly higher
      rate of soft tissue calcification than women (30.3% vs. 21.8%). Soft tissue
      calcification was predominantly seen at posterior region of the mandible (88%)
      and most of them were single (60.7%). The prevalence of soft tissue calcification
      increased with age. Most of the detected soft tissue calcifications were smaller
      than 3mm (90%). CONCLUSION: Soft tissue calcifications in mandibular area were a
      relatively common finding especially in posterior region and more likely to
      happen in men and in older age group.

PMID- 28620631
TI  - The Effect of Titanium Tetrafluoride and Sodium Hypochlorite on the Shear Bond
      Strength of Methacrylate and Silorane Based Composite Resins: an In-Vitro Study.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: The bond strength of composites with different adhesive
      systems with dentin is an important factor in long term durability of composite
      restorations. The effect of titanium tetrafluoride (TiF4) as anti caries agent
      and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as disinfectant on the shear bond of nanofilled
      and silorane based composite resins have not been investigated in previous
      studies. PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine bond strength between
      dentin and two composite systems, by means of shear bond test using TiF4 and
      NaOCl. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Middle dentin of 60 intact extracted maxillary
      premolar teeth were exposed by sectioning the crowns at a depth of 2mm from
      central groove and parallel to the occlusal surface. Standardized smear layer was
      created using a 600-grit silicon carbide paper and then samples were embedded in
      acrylic resin blocks. Then the samples were randomly divided into 6 ?groups
      summarized as Group I: Z350, Group II: Z350+ NaOCl, Group III: Z350+ TiF4, Group
      IV: P90, Group V: P90+ NaOCl, Group VI: P90+ TiF4 according to manufacturer's
      instruction. Then samples were subjected to shear bond strength (SBS) test using
      universal testing machine and data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey tests (p<
      0.05). RESULTS: Application of 5% NaOCl caused a significant decrease in SBS of
      nanofilled composite resin (p= 0.004), and also silorane based composite resin
      (p= 0.006). Application of 4% TiF4 caused a significant increase in SBS of
      silorane based composite resin (p= 0.001). The effect of TiF4 on nanofilled
      composite was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Using TiF4 has a
      positive effect on increasing the shear bond while NaOCl has negative effect on
      bond strength.

PMID- 28620633
TI  - Efficacy of Human Umbilical Stem Cells Cultured on Polylactic/ Polyglycolic Acid
      Membrane in the Treatment of Multiple Gingival Recession Defects: a Randomized
      Controlled Clinical Study.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Recently allogenic mesenchymal stem cells are proposed
      to have multipotential progenitor cell capabilities to differentiate into
      cementoblasts, osteoblasts, and periodontal ligament fibroblasts. PURPOSE: The
      aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of human umbilical stem
      cells cultured on polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA) membrane with
      PLA/PGA membrane alone in the treatment of multiple gingival recession defects.
      MATERIALS AND METHOD: A total number of 14 cases of multiple gingival recession
      (Miller's Class I or II) located in the anterior region were randomly selected
      and divided into test (stem cells in combination with PLA/PGA membrane) and
      control group (PLA/PGA membrane alone). Clinical parameters including gingival
      recession, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, and width of
      keratinized gingiva were recorded at baseline, and at 6 months postoperative.
      RESULTS: At baseline, there was 2.28 mm and 2.14mm mean gingival recession at 16
      sites and 14 sites in test and control groups respectively. At 6 months post
      surgery, test group showed 1.57 mm mean reduction of gingival recession
      indicating 66% root coverage, while the control group showed 1.24mm mean
      reduction of gingival recession indicating 57% root coverage. CONCLUSION: In the
      present study, the stem cell with PLA/PGA membrane showed significantly higher
      mean root coverage compared to only PLA/PGA membrane group.

PMID- 28620634
TI  - Dental Caries and Associated Factors in Children Aged 2-4 Years Old in Mbeya
      City, Tanzania.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Dental caries in infants and young children is
      prevalent worldwide; its magnitude and associated factors vary between
      communities because of cultural and social economic differences. No such
      information was available for pre-school children in Mbeya city. PURPOSE: To
      determine dental caries status and associated factors in 2 to 4-year-old children
      in Mbeya city. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A cross sectional study was conducted among
      525 children aged 2-4 years and their parents/caregivers. Caries was assessed
      using caries assessment spectrum and treatment index, oral hygiene by visual
      inspection for visible plaque on index teeth, and dietary and oral hygiene habits
      by a questionnaire. Kappa statistics was used to test reliability of study
      instruments, chi2-test and logistic regression was employed for studying
      associations. RESULTS: Caries free children for dmft1, dmft2 and dmft3 were
      79.8%, 83.8% and 94.7% and caries experience was 0.49 (1.23), 0.4 (1.14) and 0.10
      (0.53) respectively. Older age [(OR =2.722 (1.617-4.582) p=< 0.001)]; and
      frequent consumption of factory made sugary foods/snacks at age 1-2 years
      [(OR=3.061 (1.188-7.887) p=0.021] were associated with caries. Prolonged
      breastfeeding for more than 1 year and breastfeeding at night had no association
      with dental caries. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dental caries was very low.
      Older age and frequent consumption of factory made sugary foods at age 1-2 years
      were associated with higher odds of developing dental caries. Prolonged
      breasfeeding and breastfeeding at night had no association with dental caries.
      Prevention of dental caries should be instituted as soon as primary teeth start
      erupting, especially through discouraging consumption of factory made sugary
      foods/snacks.

PMID- 28620635
TI  - Pioneering Strategies for Relieving Dental Anxiety in Hearing Impaired Children:
      a Randomized Controlled Clinical Study.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Hearing impaired children have a problem in
      understanding and comprehending with dental treatments. Visual language is the
      sensible answer of how to improve communication with them. PURPOSE: To evaluate
      the applicability of dental sign language in Hearing impaired children in
      relieving anxiety during stressful dental treatment by improving their means of
      communication. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This randomized clinical trial was carried
      out in the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry which included 40
      Hearing Impaired children meeting inclusion criteria. The selected children were
      randomly divided into the study and control group comprising of 20 each. In the
      control group, initial oral examination and dental treatment (oral prophylaxis
      and class I restoration) were performed without the use of dental sign language.
      In the study group, the dental sign language specific to dental treatment was
      educated and during their subsequent visit to the dental clinic after dental sign
      language reinforcement, oral prophylaxis and class I restoration were done.
      Subjective and objective measurements of anxiety were recorded for both groups
      using facial image scale (FIS), pulse oximeter and electronic blood pressure
      apparatus to compare for correlation. The obtained data were subjected to
      statistical analysis using unpaired t-test. RESULTS: There was a statistically
      significant reduction in the anxiety levels (p< 0.05) in the study group compared
      to the control group. CONCLUSION: Dental sign language was effective in reducing
      the level of anxiety in children who are hard of hearing. Dental sign language
      was able to improve behavior positively during dental treatment and may also aid
      in developing a positive dental attitude among children who are hard of hearing.

PMID- 28620636
TI  - A Scanning Electron Microscopic Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Etidronic
      Acid, SmearClear and MTAD in Removing the Intracanal Smear Layer.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Root canal therapy should not simply be the extirpation
      of the pulp and widening of the canal. But one should also focus on how to
      completely remove the loosely-attached smear layer because it has adverse effects
      on the final outcome of the treatment. PURPOSE: This study compared the efficacy
      of Etidronic acid, SmearClear and MTAD to remove the smear layer created during
      instrumentation in different regions of the root canal. MATERIALS AND METHOD:
      Fifty single-rooted mandibular premolars were decoronated from the cementoenamel
      junction and instrumented using the ProTaper universal rotary file system along
      with copious irrigation by 1.0% sodium hypochlorite and distilled water. On the
      basis of the type of chelating agent used for irrigation, samples (n=10) were
      then randomized into five groups as: Group I- 9% etidronic acid, Group II- 18%
      etidronic acid, Group III- SmearClear, Group IV- MTAD and Group V- normal saline.
      Subsequent to irrigation, all samples were rinsed, dried and sectioned
      longitudinally for evaluation of the smear layer removal under scanning electron
      microscope (2000X). Data were statistically analyzed by two-way analysis of
      variance and Tukey's post hoc test with statistical significance set at p< 0.5.
      RESULTS: The result showed that SmearClear was the most efficient in removing the
      smear layer. However, etidronic acid was found inferior than both SmearClear and
      MTAD. CONCLUSION: Chelators are essential for complete smear layer removal in
      association with organic solvent.

PMID- 28620638
TI  - Evaluation of the Color Stability of Methyl Methacrylate and Nylon Base Polymer.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Evaluation of the color stability of materials used for
      the fabrication of the base of complete and partial removable dentures provides
      important information in relation to their clinical service. The color stability
      of nylon-based polymers as denture bases, compared to that of acrylic resins, has
      not been extensively evaluated since to date. PURPOSE: The aim of the present in
      vitro study was to evaluate the color stability of conventional polymethyl
      methacrylate and nylon-based polymer materials used for the fabrication of the
      base of complete and partial removable dentures. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Twenty
      samples were evaluated in the present in vitro study. One nylon-based polymer and
      one heat-cured acrylic resin were seleted for the purpose of the study. Ten disk
      samples, measuring 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness, were prepared from
      each material according to the manufacturers' instructions. The samples were
      evaluted with the CIELAB sysem using spectrophtometery at baseline and after
      irradiation with UV light for 100 and 200 hours and thermocycling. One-way ANOVA
      and post hoc paired t-test were used to compare the color stability of the two
      groups. Statistical significance was set at p< 0.05. RESULTS: After 100 hours of
      irradiation with UV light and thermocycling, color changes were tangible in both
      materials. After 200 hours of irradiation with UV light and thermocycling, both
      materials exhibited a decrease in glaze. In general, chromatic changes in the
      acrylic resin were more noticeable. CONCLUSION: Accelerated aging affected the
      color stability of the acrylic resin and nylon-based polymer, p< 0.05 for
      Deltaa200 and Deltab200 and DeltaL100; however, at the end of the study both
      materials exhibited clinically acceptable color stability (DeltaE<3.7).

PMID- 28620637
TI  - Evaluation of the Effects of Three Plant Species (Myrtus Communis L., Camellia
      Sinensis L., Zataria Multiflora Boiss.) on the Healing Process of Intraoral
      Ulcers in Rats.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Use of traditional medicine to relieve human sufferings
      has a very long history. The effects of these plants in wound curing and
      subsequently making the best mucosa patch for treatment of oral ulcers is still
      under investigation. PURPOSE: The main goal of present research work is to assess
      the efficacy of Myrtus communis L., Camellia sinensis L. and Zataria multiflora
      Boiss. on oral ulcer recovery process in rats. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this
      study, 60 healthy adult male rats in 5 groups were investigated. A wound with 2
      mm diameter was punched into the hard palate of each rat. For topical
      application, a mucosa patch of materials or blank was packed into the wound.
      Histological samples were harvested on post injury days 2, 4, 6, and 8. RESULTS:
      This study showed that there were no significant differences between groups in
      the reduction of weight. Comparison of clinical wound size showed that group
      Myrtus communis L had the greatest reduction in wound size on days 4, 6 and 8,
      which was significantly different from the other groups. The highest thickness of
      epithelium was observed in groups Myrtus communis L and Camellia sinensis L on
      days 6 and 8. Group Myrtus communis L showed the highest values on days 6 and 8.
      This study showed a lower mononuclear cell counts in group Myrtus communis L on
      days 6 and 8 compared to other groups which was statistically significant.
      CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that Myrtus communis L. has
      significant effects on oral wound healing processes. These favorable results
      might introduce a new group of material or medicine derived from this plant.

PMID- 28620639
TI  - Prevalence of Human Papilloma Virus in Sinonasal Papilloma in Southern Iranian
      Population.
AB  - STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Sinonasal papilloma (SNP) is a rare benign lesion
      characterized by high recurrence rate and malignant transformation. PURPOSE: This
      study aimed to investigate the prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV)
      infection in these lesions in South of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHOD: In this cross
      sectional retrospective study, a total of 41 patients, 38 SNP and 3 SNP/Squamous
      cell carcinoma cases, from 2007 to 2014 were studied. Human papilloma virus (HPV)
      DNA detection was performed by nested PCR method and positive cases were analyzed
      for high risk HPV-16 and HPV-18. RESULTS: HPV was detected in 31.7%; HPV- 16 in
      4.9% and HPV 18 was not detected at all. Dysplastic epithelium was detected in
      53% that was not associated with HPV. Three cases were accompanied with malignant
      transformation that HPV genome was detected in only one case and none of them
      were positive for HPV16 /18 genomic DNA. CONCLUSION: Current research suggests
      that HPV may be involved in the development of SNP. But the high risk HPV is not
      important in malignant transformation. More studies are needed to elucidate the
      possible etiologic mechanism between HPV, inverted papilloma, and squamous cell
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28620640
TI  - Solitary Fibrous Tumor of Retromolar Pad; a Rare Challenging Case.
AB  - Solitary fibrous tumor has a wide spectrum of histopathologic features and many
      tumors show similar microscopic features. This similarity poses diagnostic
      challenges to the pathologists and immunohistochemical analysis is required in
      many cases. Moreover, it is a rare entity in orofacial region which consequently
      would make its diagnosis more challenging in oral cavity. The knowledge of
      various microscopic patterns of this tumor contributes to a proper diagnosis and
      prevents unnecessary treatment. This study reports a case of solitary fibrous
      tumor in the retromolar pad area and discusses its various histological features
      and differential diagnoses.

PMID- 28620641
TI  - A Rare Condition of Bimaxillary Primary Molar Taurodontism.
AB  - Taurodontism is a relatively rare variance with a very low incidence in primary
      dentition and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. It stands a
      challenge when these teeth require pulp therapy. This case report illustrates the
      oral rehabilitation of multiple primary molars with taurodontism involving both
      the maxillary and mandibular arches, which is a rare occurrence.

PMID- 28620642
TI  - Early Intervention With Live Donor Liver Transplantation Reduces Resource
      Utilization in NASH: The Toronto Experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In parallel with the obesity epidemic, liver transplantation for
      nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is increasing dramatically in North America.
      Although survival outcomes are similar to other etiologies, liver transplantation
      in the NASH population has been associated with significantly increased resource
      utilization. We sought to compare outcomes between live donor liver
      transplantation (LDLT) and deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) at a high
      volume North American transplant center, with a particular focus on resource
      utilization. METHODS: The study population consists of primary liver transplants
      performed for NASH at Toronto General Hospital from 2000 to 2014. Recipient
      characteristics, perioperative outcomes, graft and patient survivals, and
      resource utilization were compared for LDLT versus DDLT. RESULTS: A total of 176
      patients were included in the study (48 LDLT vs 128 DDLT). LDLT recipients had a
      lower model for end-stage liver disease score and were less frequently
      hospitalized prior to transplant. Estimated blood loss and early markers of graft
      injury were lower for LDLT. LDLT recipients had a significantly shorter
      hospitalization (intensive care unit, postoperative, and total hospitalization).
      CONCLUSIONS: LDLT for NASH facilitates transplantation of patients at a less
      severe stage of disease, which appears to promote a faster postoperative recovery
      with less resource utilization.

PMID- 28620643
TI  - Activin Biology After Lung Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Activins A and B, members of the TGF-beta superfamily, are produced
      as part of the physiological response to tissue damage and the resulting
      proinflammatory response. Given that lung allograft reperfusion results in an
      inflammatory response, it is likely that the activins and their binding protein
      follistatin will form part of the regulatory response. There is a need to
      document the response of these proteins to allograft reperfusion to determine if
      there is a role for the use of follistatin to control the biological actions of
      the activins because some of these are potentially damaging. METHODS: Serum from
      48 consecutive patients undergoing lung transplantation (LTx) was collected at 2,
      6, 12, and 26 weeks post-LTx. The serum levels of activin A and B and follistatin
      were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and specific radioimmunoassays
      and compared with clinical events. RESULTS: Serum activin A and B levels were at
      the upper limit of the normal ranges at 2 weeks post-LTx decreasing thereafter to
      12 weeks post-LTx (P < 0.05). In contrast, serum follistatin levels were
      unchanged between 2 and 12 weeks, with a late significant increase at 24 week
      post-LTx (P < 0.01). Patients with primary graft dysfunction had lower serum
      follistatin levels (7.7 vs 9.5 ng/mL; P = 0.04) and a higher activin
      A/follistatin ratio (13.1 vs 10.4; P = 0.02) at 2 weeks post-LTx. CONCLUSIONS:
      Activin and follistatin levels vary with time form LTX and reflect a
      proinflammatory environment. Future studies will elucidate associations with
      chronic lung allograft dysfunction and the therapeutic potential of exogenous
      follistatin administration.

PMID- 28620644
TI  - Topical Application of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Ameliorated Liver Parenchyma
      Damage After Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in an Animal Model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is commonly encountered after liver
      surgery. This study evaluated the hepatoprotective effects of topically applied
      adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADMSCs) on hepatic IRI in a rat model.
      METHODS: ADMSCs from transgenic green fluorescent protein Sprague-Dawley rats
      were topically applied to the liver surface of Sprague-Dawley rats after hepatic
      IRI and fixed in position by fibrin glue (group A, n = 24). An equivalent amount
      of ADMSCs were administered through the portal (group B, n = 24) or tail vein
      (group C, n = 24). In the control group (group D, n = 20), no treatment was given
      to the IRI liver. RESULTS: All the rats in group A and group D survived. Within 2
      days after hepatic IRI, only 50% of rats survived in group B, and ADMSCs were
      detected in thromboemboli within large vessels. 62.5% of the rats died in group C
      because most of the ADMSCs were trapped in the lungs. ADMSCs migrated across the
      liver capsule and homed to the injured liver parenchyma 3 days after topical
      application in group A. The homed ADMSCs expressed hepatocyte nuclear factor
      4alpha and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1. Compared with group D, the rate of
      hepatic regeneration in group A was enhanced with less inflammation, smaller
      necrotic areas, and improved liver function. Proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL
      21, and CD70 were significantly downregulated in group A by 6.3-, 2.7-, and 12.7
      fold, respectively (P < 0.05). The neurogenic locus NOTCH homolog protein pathway
      was activated in the topical ADMSCs. CONCLUSIONS: Topically applied adipose
      derived mesenchymal stromal cells demonstrated hepatoprotective effects on
      hepatic IRI in an animal model.

PMID- 28620645
TI  - Alloimmunity But Not Viral Immunity Promotes Allograft Loss in a Mouse Model of
      Polyomavirus-Associated Allograft Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The interplay between viral infection and alloimmunity is known to
      influence the fate of transplanted organs. Clarifying how local virus-associated
      inflammation/injury and antiviral immunity can alter host alloimmune responses in
      transplantation remains a critical question. METHODS: We used a mouse model of
      polyomavirus (PyV) infection and kidney transplantation to investigate the roles
      of direct viral pathology, the antiviral immune response, and alloimmunity in the
      pathogenesis of PyV-associated allograft injury. We have previously shown that an
      effective primary T cell response is required in PyV-associated graft injury.
      RESULTS: Here we show that the transfer of primed antidonor, but not antiviral, T
      cells results in PyV-associated allograft injury. In further studies, we use a
      surrogate minor antigen model (ovalbumin) and show that only antidonor specific T
      cells and not antiviral specific T cells are sufficient to mediate injury.
      Lastly, we demonstrate that local but not systemic virus-mediated inflammation
      and injury within the graft itself are required. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest
      that in this mouse model, the predominant mechanism of allograft injury in PyV
      associated injury is due to an augmented alloimmune T cell response driven by
      virus-induced inflammation/injury within the graft. These studies highlight the
      important interplay between viral infection and alloimmunity in a model system.

PMID- 28620646
TI  - Kidney Transplant Recipients' Perspectives on Cardiovascular Disease and Related
      Risk Factors After Transplantation: A Qualitative Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality among
      kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). These patients have a high prevalence of
      risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Despite regular
      medical care, few of them reach the recommended therapeutic targets. The
      objective of this study is to describe KTRs' perspectives on CVD and related risk
      factors, as well as their priorities for posttransplant care. METHODS: Twenty-six
      KTRs participated in a semistructured interview about their personal experience
      and offered their perspectives on CVD risk factors posttransplant. The interview
      was digitally recorded and the transcripts were analyzed using a thematic and
      content methodology. RESULTS: CVD and related risk factors appear to be
      underestimated and trivialized. Only 2 of 26 patients identified CVD prevention
      and treatment as a priority. The most important posttransplant priorities
      identified by patients were related to immunosuppressive drugs (13 of 26),
      posttransplant follow-up (10) and graft survival (9). However, 21 of 26 patients
      stated they wanted to be better informed about posttransplant CVD risk factors.
      CONCLUSIONS: CVD and related risk factors are not a priority for KTRs, and the
      importance of CVD is underestimated and trivialized. KTRs did recommend that
      tailored information be provided by various professionals and at several points
      in the transplantation process. This knowledge will help us develop a new
      approach to increase awareness of posttransplant CVD and related risk factors.

PMID- 28620647
TI  - The Effect and Safety of Prostaglandin Administration in Pediatric Liver
      Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prostaglandins are often administered after liver transplantation
      (LT) to diminish ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), to favor liver recovery and
      to prevent vascular thrombosis. Possible beneficial effects in adult liver
      recipients are controversial, but the single existing pediatric small case series
      shows no significant impact of prostaglandin administration after LT. The purpose
      of this study was to analyze the effect of the prostaglandin dinoprostone in
      pediatric liver recipients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 41 children (<16
      years) who underwent LT between March 2008 and December 2013 was performed.
      Dinoprostone was administered at a rate from 0.1 to a maximum of 0.6 MUg/kg per
      hour immediately after LT and for a maximum of 5 days. Effect of dinoprostone on
      post-LT IRI and hepatic function up to 60 postoperative days and number of
      hypotensive episodes were analyzed. RESULTS: The median cumulative dose of
      dinoprostone was 28 MUg/kg (interquartile range, 23.2). Dinoprostone had no
      significant effect on post-LT liver function tests and factor V levels at any of
      the administered dosages. There was no significant association between the total
      quantity of vasopressor given and the number of hypotensive episodes observed in
      8 patients. One patient showed a short-lasting hypotension, possibly related to
      the administration of dinoprostone. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not show, at any
      dosage between 0.1 and 0.6 MUg/kg per hour, any differences in beneficial or
      harmful effects of high- or low-dose dinoprostone administered immediately after
      pediatric LT on markers of IRI, hepatic function, or hypotension.

PMID- 28620648
TI  - Effect of Fc-gamma Receptor Polymorphism on Rituximab-Mediated B Cell Depletion
      in ABO-Incompatible Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The affinity of IgG Fc receptor (FcgammaR) for rituximab, an anti
      CD20 IgG1, differs based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FcgammaRs.
      This study aimed to explore the effect of such SNPs on clinical response to
      rituximab and outcomes in patients of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) living donor liver
      transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: SNPs of FCGR2A[131H/R] and FCGR3A[158F/V],
      alleles encoding FcgammaR, were identified in 20 patients desensitized with
      rituximab before ABOi LDLT. The effect of these SNPs on B cell elimination and
      outcomes was analyzed in the patients. RESULTS: The isoform encoded by
      FCGR2A[131H/H] had a higher affinity for IgG1, and accordingly, the effects of
      rituximab on B cells were more profound in individuals with FCGR2A[131H/H] than
      in individuals with FCGR2A[131H/R or R/R]. Specifically, the time to B-cell
      reappearance in the peripheral blood was significantly delayed, and total serum
      IgM levels were significantly lower early after LDLT in individuals with
      FCGR2A[131H/H], even though these SNPs did not significantly affect the reduction
      of antiblood group A/B antibodies. The incidence of blood stream infection was
      also significantly higher in individuals with FCGR2A[131H/H], and this SNP was
      associated with poor prognosis. Despite no significant effect of FCGR3A[158F/V]
      on survival after ABOi liver grafts, the incidence of infection was significantly
      higher in individuals with FCGR3A[158F/V or F/F] than in individuals with
      FCGR3A[158V/V]. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate FCGR SNPs influence the effect
      of rituximab on B-cell depletion and are possibly predisposing factors for
      infectious complications after ABOi LDLT. This study will be a good foundation
      for further studies on larger cohorts.

PMID- 28620649
TI  - Hepatoblastoma: Transplant Versus Resection Experience in a Latin American
      Transplant Center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatoblastoma is the most common primary malignant liver tumor in
      children and is usually diagnosed during the first 3 years of life. Overall
      survival has increased 50% due to chemotherapeutic schemes, expertise surgery
      centers, and liver transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective collection of data
      was performed from pediatric patients with diagnosis of hepatoblastoma. Variables
      included demographic, diagnostic tools and histological classification;
      chemotherapy and surgical treatment; and outcomes and patient survival. The
      PRETEXT classification was applied, which included the risk evaluation, and
      according to the medical criterion in an individualized way, underwent resection
      or transplant. The morbidity of patients was evaluated by the Clavien-Dindo
      classification. Statistical analysis was performed according to the distribution
      of data and the survival analysis was carried out using the Kaplan-Meier method.
      RESULTS: The patients (n = 16) were divided in a resection group (n = 8) and a
      transplant group (n = 8). The median age at the time of diagnosis was 13.5
      months. The motive for the initial consultation was the discovery of a mass; all
      patients had high levels of alpha-fetoprotein and an imaging study. Ten of 16
      patients required chemotherapy before the surgical procedure. In the resection
      group, 5 of 8 patients were classified as Clavien I and 4 of 8 patients of the
      transplant group were classified as Clavien II. Patient survival at 30 months was
      100% in the resection group and 65% in the liver transplantation group.
      CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first case report of pediatric
      patients with hepatoblastoma and liver resection or transplant in Colombia and
      Latin America. Our results are comparable with the series worldwide, showing that
      resection and transplant increase the survival of the pediatric patients with
      hepatoblastoma. It is important to advocate for an increase of reporting in the
      scientific literature in Latin America.

PMID- 28620650
TI  - Graft Function and Intermediate-Term Outcomes of Kidney Transplants Improved in
      the Last Decade: Analysis of the United States Kidney Transplant Database.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous analyses of the United States transplant database regarding
      long-term outcomes in kidney transplantation have shown minimal improvement in
      the rate of long-term graft loss. This study sought to analyze intermediate-term
      outcomes and graft function at 6 months in kidney transplantation in adult living
      and deceased donor recipients in the last decade. METHODS: Survival analysis was
      performed based on the year of transplant between 6 months and 3 years'
      posttransplant. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration estimated
      glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was determined at 6 months. RESULTS: The
      unadjusted graft survival between 6 months and 3 years improved significantly in
      the latter half of the decade in both deceased and living donor kidney
      recipients. Cox analysis showed a 33% reduction in the rate of graft loss and
      that the improvement in graft survival was due to similar improvements in both
      death-censored graft and death with graft function survival. A 10% improvement in
      median eGFR occurred despite worsening donor demographics over time in both donor
      types. This improvement in eGFR and graft survival occurred in association with a
      consolidation of chronic discharge immunosuppression from a variety of
      combinations to over 85% of recipients receiving tacrolimus and mycophenolate
      derivative immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS: In the latter half of last decade
      graft survival improved in adult kidney transplant recipients. The improvement in
      graft survival occurred in temporal association with an improvement in median
      eGFR at 6 months and consolidation of discharge immunosuppression in most
      patients to tacrolimus and mycophenolate derivatives.

PMID- 28620651
TI  - Role of an adenylyl cyclase isoform in ethanol's effect on cAMP regulated gene
      expression in NIH 3T3 cells.
AB  - Previous research has indicated that the cyclic AMP (cAMP) signal transduction
      system plays an important role in the predisposition to and development of
      ethanol abuse in humans. Our laboratory has demonstrated that ethanol is capable
      of enhancing adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity. This effect is AC isoform-specific;
      type 7 AC (AC7) is most enhanced by ethanol. Therefore, we hypothesized that the
      expression of a specific AC isoform will play a role on the effect of ethanol on
      cAMP regulated gene expression. We employed NIH 3T3 cells transfected with AC7 or
      AC3 as a model system. To evaluate ethanol's effects on cAMP regulated gene
      expression, a luciferase reporter gene driven by a cAMP inducing artificial
      promoter was utilized. Stimulation of AC activity leads to an increase in the
      reporter gene activity. This increase was enhanced in the presence of ethanol in
      cells expressing AC7, while cells expressing AC3 did not respond to ethanol. cAMP
      reporter gene expression was increased in the presence of 8-bromo-cAMP; this
      expression was not enhanced by ethanol. These observations are consistent with
      our hypothesis. The basal level of CREB phosphorylation was high and did not
      change by cAMP stimulation or in the presence of ethanol. However, there were
      significant changes in the TORC3 amount in nuclei depending on stimulation
      conditions. The results suggest that nuclear translocation of TORC3 plays a more
      important role than CREB phosphorylation in the observed changes in the cAMP
      driven reporter gene activity.

PMID- 28620652
TI  - Visual and Morphologic Outcomes in Eyes with Hard Exudate in the Comparison of
      Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare baseline characteristics, visual acuity (VA) and
      morphological outcomes between eyes with baseline hard exudates (HE) and all
      other eyes among patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration
      (NVAMD) treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factors (anti-VEGF).
      DESIGN: Prospective cohort study within the Comparison of Age-Related Macular
      Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT). PARTICIPANTS: Patients with NVAMD.
      METHODS: Readers evaluated baseline and follow-up morphology on digital color
      images, fluorescein angiography (FA), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in
      eyes with NVAMD that were randomly assigned to treatment with either ranibizumab
      or bevacizumab. Ophthalmologists identified HE on color images in the study eye.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: VA; scar; geographic atrophy; retinal thickness, fluid;
      and number of anti-VEGF injections. RESULTS: HE was present in 128 of 1185 (11%)
      study eyes at baseline, 77% within 1 disc diameter of the foveal center. Patients
      with study eye HE were more likely female (81% vs 60%; p<0.001) and non-smokers
      (53% vs 42%; p=0.004). Both groups had similar proportions of
      hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. At baseline, eyes with HE had
      worse VA (mean 57 vs 61 letters; p=0.003), larger total lesion size (3.3 vs 2.4
      DA; p <0.001), greater total foveal thickness (522um vs 452um; p<0.001), more
      retinal angiomatous proliferation (18% vs 10%; p=0.009) and sub-RPE fluid (65% vs
      47%; p<0.001). At 1 year, VA was similar in both groups; more eyes with baseline
      HE had no fluid (45% vs 29%; p<0.001) and greater reduction in total foveal
      thickness (-266um vs -158u; p<0.001). VA at year 2 was similar but retinas of
      eyes with baseline HE were thinner (267um vs 299um; p=0.03) and fewer eyes had
      sub-retinal fluid (23% vs 36%; p=0.008). HE was present in 19% of eyes at 1 year
      and 5% of eyes at 2 years. LIPC promoter SNP rs10468017 was not associated with
      NVAMD HE. CONCLUSION: Eyes with HE have larger CNV lesions and more RAP. Their
      initially thicker retina rapidly becomes thinner on anti-VEGF treatment. HE is
      not significantly associated with hyperlipidemia. HE at baseline does not
      significantly influence VA, scar and GA outcomes in eyes with NVAMD treated with
      anti-VEGF. Few eyes have HE at year 2.

PMID- 28620653
TI  - Successive annual influenza vaccination induces a recurrent oligoclonotypic
      memory response in circulating T follicular helper cells.
AB  - T follicular helper (Tfh) CD4 cells are crucial providers of B cell help during
      adaptive immune responses. A circulating population of CD4 T cells, termed cTfh,
      have similarity to lymphoid Tfh, can provide B cell help, and responded to
      influenza vaccination. However, it is unclear whether human vaccination-induced
      cTfh respond in an antigen-specific manner and whether they form long-lasting
      memory. Here, we identified a cTfh population that expressed multiple T cell
      activation markers and could be readily identified by coexpression of ICOS and
      CD38. This subset expressed more Bcl-6, c-Maf, and IL-21 than other blood CD4
      subsets. Influenza vaccination induced a strong response in the ICOS+CD38+ cTfh
      at day 7, and this population included hemagglutinin-specific cells by tetramer
      staining and antigen-stimulated Activation Induced Marker (AIM) expression.
      Moreover, TCRB sequencing identified a clonal response in ICOS+CD38+ cTfh that
      correlated strongly with the increased circulating ICOS+CD38+ cTfh frequency and
      the circulating plasmablast response. In subjects who received successive annual
      vaccinations, a recurrent oligoclonal response was identified in the ICOS+CD38+
      cTfh subset at 7 days after every vaccination. These oligoclonal responses in
      ICOS+CD38+ cTfh after vaccination persisted in the ICOS-CD38- cTfh repertoire in
      subsequent years, suggesting clonal maintenance in a memory reservoir in the more
      stable ICOS-CD38- cTfh subset. These data highlight the antigen-specificity,
      lineage relationships and memory properties of human cTfh responses to
      vaccination, providing new avenues for tracking and monitoring cTfh responses
      during infection and vaccination in humans.

PMID- 28620655
TI  - A Commentary on Attitudes Towards Deep Brain Stimulation for Addiction.
AB  - Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has proven to be an effective treatment for
      neurologic disorders such as Parkinson's disease, and is currently being
      investigated as a therapy for psychiatric diseases such as addiction, major
      depressive disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. In this commentary, we
      review and discuss the findings presented in the Letter to the Editor entitled
      "Attitudes towards treating addiction with deep brain stimulation," written by
      Ali et al1. The survey presented in this Letter reported general approval for
      examining the effects of DBS on addictive disorders in a clinical trial, but
      highlighted critical areas of concern including informed consent, patient
      autonomy, appropriate medical practice, passing of clinical trial milestones, and
      implications on law enforcement.

PMID- 28620656
TI  - Oxidative T Cell Modifications in Lupus and Sjogren's Syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Lupus flares are triggered by environmental agents that cause
      oxidative stress, but the mechanisms involved are unclear. The flares are
      characterized by oxidative modifications of proteins by 4-hydroxynonenals,
      malondialdehydes, carbonyls and nitration. These modifications have been proposed
      to induce and perpetuate lupus flares by "altered self" mechanisms. An
      epigenetically altered CD4+CD28+ T cell subset, caused at least in part by
      nitration of T cell signaling molecules, is found in patients with active lupus,
      and nitrated T cells are sufficient to cause lupus-like autoimmunity in animal
      models. The relation of protein 4-hydroxynonenals, malondialdehydes, carbonyls
      and nitration to lupus flares though, is unknown. We tested if the size of the
      epigenetically altered subset is related to disease activity and one or more of
      these oxidative modifications in lupus patients. We also tested the relationship
      between subset size, disease activity and the same oxidative modifications in
      Sjogren's syndrome, another autoimmune disease also associated with oxidative
      stress and characterized by anti-nuclear antibodies and the presence of the
      subset. METHODS: Lupus flare severity was quantitated using the Systemic Lupus
      Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, and Sjogren's flare severity using the
      European Sjogren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index. Subset size was determined by
      flow cytometry. Protein modifications were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Only
      protein nitration correlated with the size of the subset in lupus and Sjogren's
      syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: These results support a role for protein nitration in
      subset size and lupus flare severity. Protein nitration may also contribute to
      autoantibody formation in Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 28620654
TI  - Insights into the Brain: Neuroimaging of Brain Development and Maturation.
AB  - The study of how the human brain develops has always been a challenge and an
      interest to the scientific community. In recent years, new evidence has suggested
      that many neuropsychiatric disorders may originate from aberrations early in
      development. This discovery necessitates the application of methodologies that
      make possible the investigation of human brain development in vivo and across the
      lifespan. In this commentary, we present evidence that the advent of structural
      neuroimaging has specifically and significantly contributed critical information
      about the developmental trajectories of postnatal human brain development that
      would otherwise not have been possible. We believe that this is particularly
      relevant to present day research as it has become increasingly clear that growth
      trajectories within the brain might serve as an endophenotype for a number of
      factors, ranging from IQ to psychiatric illness. We highlight seminal early works
      that helped to jumpstart the field of developmental neuroimaging and which
      inspired incredible new advances in neuroimaging methodologies that are being
      developed and applied in the field today.

PMID- 28620657
TI  - Exfoliation of two-dimensional zeolites in liquid polybutadienes.
AB  - Layered zeolite precursors were successfully exfoliated by brief shearing or
      sonication with the assistance of commercially available telechelic liquid
      polybutadienes at room temperature. The exfoliated zeolite nanosheets can form a
      stable suspension in an organic solvent, providing exciting potential for the
      fabrication of zeolite membranes, composite materials and hierarchical zeolites.

PMID- 28620658
TI  - Band gap modulation of SrTiO3 upon CO2 adsorption.
AB  - Herein, CO2 chemisorption on SrTiO3(001) surfaces is studied using ab initio
      calculations to establish new chemical sensing mechanisms. It was found that CO2
      adsorption opens the band gap of the material. However, the mechanisms are
      different: the CO2 adsorption on the TiO2-terminated surface neutralizes the
      surface states at the valence band (VB) maximum, whereas for the SrO-terminated
      surface it suppresses the conduction band (CB) minimum. For the TiO2-terminated
      surface, the effect is explained by the passivation of dangling bonds, whereas
      for the SrO-terminated surface, the suppression is caused by surface relaxation.
      Modulation of the VB states implies a more direct change in charge distribution,
      and thus, the induced change in the band gap is more prominent at the TiO2
      termination. Further, it has been shown that both CO2 adsorption energy and
      surface band gap are strongly dependent on CO2 coverage, suggesting that the
      observed effect can be utilized in sensing applications for a wide range of CO2
      concentrations.

PMID- 28620659
TI  - Regioselective addition of C(sp3)-H bonds of alkyl pyridines to olefins catalysed
      by cationic zirconium complexes.
AB  - In situ generated cationic zirconium complexes stabilized by amine-bridged
      bis(phenolato) ligands have been developed to catalyse C(sp3)-H addition of alkyl
      pyridines to olefins, which are the first examples of group 4 metal based
      catalysts in this transformation. Ligand-controlled regioselectivity was
      observed, which was verified by DFT study.

PMID- 28620660
TI  - Carpatizine, a novel bridged oxazine derivative generated by non-enzymatic
      reactions.
AB  - Carpatizine (1), a new bridged oxazine derivative, was isolated from a marine
      derived Streptomyces strain SNE-011. The structure was fully determined by
      spectroscopic analysis, ECD calculations and chemical methods. A plausible non
      enzymatic reaction mechanism from daryamide D leading to carpatizine was
      presented, which was confirmed by chemical transformation.

PMID- 28620662
TI  - Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets as a multifunctional background-free matrix to
      detect small molecules and complicated samples by MALDI mass spectrometry.
AB  - Here we report the innovation of using hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanosheets
      as the first background-free matrix among the full laser pulse energy range for
      the analysis and imaging of small molecule metabolites and as an adsorbent for
      the enrichment of samples. Due to its totally free background and high efficiency
      as an adsorbent and matrix, h-BN has promising prospects in metabolomics, MALDI
      imaging, and environmental analysis.

PMID- 28620663
TI  - Reductive dissolution of supergrowth carbon nanotubes for tougher nanocomposites
      by reactive coagulation spinning.
AB  - Long single-walled carbon nanotubes, with lengths >10 MUm, can be spontaneously
      dissolved by stirring in a sodium naphthalide N,N-dimethylacetamide solution,
      yielding solutions of individualised nanotubide ions at concentrations up to 0.74
      mg mL-1. This process was directly compared to ultrasonication and found to be
      less damaging while maintaining greater intrinsic length, with increased
      individualisation, yield, and concentration. Nanotubide solutions were spun into
      fibres using a new reactive coagulation process, which covalently grafts a
      poly(vinyl chloride) matrix to the nanotubes directly at the point of fibre
      formation. The grafting process insulated the nanotubes electrically,
      significantly enhancing the dielectric constant to 340% of the bulk polymer. For
      comparison, samples were prepared using both Supergrowth nanotubes and
      conventional shorter commercial single-walled carbon nanotubes. The resulting
      nanocomposites showed similar, high loadings (ca. 20 wt%), but the fibres formed
      with Supergrowth nanotubes showed significantly greater failure strain (up to
      ~25%), and hence more than double the toughness (30.8 MJ m-3), compared to
      composites containing typical ~1 MUm SWCNTs.

PMID- 28620661
TI  - BRUTUS and its paralogs, BTS LIKE1 and BTS LIKE2, encode important negative
      regulators of the iron deficiency response in Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - Iron (Fe) is required for plant health, but it can also be toxic when present in
      excess. Therefore, Fe levels must be tightly controlled. The Arabidopsis thaliana
      E3 ligase BRUTUS (BTS) is involved in the negative regulation of the Fe
      deficiency response and we show here that the two A. thaliana BTS paralogs, BTS
      LIKE1 (BTSL1) and BTS LIKE2 (BTSL2) encode proteins that act redundantly as
      negative regulators of the Fe deficiency response. Loss of both of these E3
      ligases enhances tolerance to Fe deficiency. We further generated a triple mutant
      with loss of both BTS paralogs and a partial loss of BTS expression that exhibits
      even greater tolerance to Fe-deficient conditions and increased Fe accumulation
      without any resulting Fe toxicity effects. Finally, we identified a mutant
      carrying a novel missense mutation of BTS that exhibits an Fe deficiency response
      in the root when grown under both Fe-deficient and Fe-sufficient conditions,
      leading to Fe toxicity when plants are grown under Fe-sufficient conditions.

PMID- 28620664
TI  - Development of an RNA aptamer that acquires binding capacity against HIV-1 Tat
      protein via G-quadruplex formation in response to potassium ions.
AB  - For the development of K+-responsive RNA aptamers, we proposed a new general
      strategy that makes use of a G-quadruplex formation in response to K+. This is
      the first report of developing an RNA aptamer that demonstrates ON/OFF switching
      of its target-binding activity by sensing the addition/removal of K+.

PMID- 28620666
TI  - Exfoliation of a two-dimensional cationic inorganic network as a new paradigm for
      high-capacity CrVI-anion capture.
AB  - We have discovered a rare example of a non-LDH cationic inorganic layered
      material [Cu4(OH)6][O3S(CH2)4SO3]. Its in situ exfoliation achieves record high
      adsorption capacities for chromate and dichromate. This phenomenon is ascribed to
      the combination of the strong host-anion electrostatic interactions and the high
      surface area of our cuprate material, which overcomes the memory effect problem
      of LDHs. Moreover, our material also selectively captures CrVI with a negligible
      decrease in capacity when non-toxic, monovalent anions are present.

PMID- 28620667
TI  - Amorphous-amorphous transition in a porous coordination polymer.
AB  - The amorphous state plays a key role in porous coordination polymer and metal
      organic framework phase transitions. We investigate a crystalline-to-amorphous-to
      amorphous-to-crystalline (CAAC) phase transition in a Zn based coordination
      polymer, by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and X-ray pair distribution
      function (PDF) analysis. We show that the system shows two distinct amorphous
      phases upon heating. The first involves a reversible transition to a desolvated
      form of the original network, followed by an irreversible transition to an
      intermediate phase which has elongated Zn-I bonds.

PMID- 28620668
TI  - Nanoscale spectroscopic and mechanical characterization of individual aerosol
      particles using peak force infrared microscopy.
AB  - Atmospheric aerosol particles of sizes less than 2.5 microns affect public health
      in cities. Understanding the fine structures of aerosol particles is important to
      decipher their source. Here, we use a novel spectroscopic and mechanical
      microscopy technique of 10 nm spatial resolution to reveal the nanoscale
      structures of individual aerosol particles.

PMID- 28620665
TI  - Influence of iron metabolism on manganese transport and toxicity.
AB  - Although manganese (Mn) is critical for the proper functioning of various
      metabolic enzymes and cofactors, excess Mn in the brain causes neurotoxicity.
      While the exact transport mechanism of Mn has not been fully understood, several
      importers and exporters for Mn have been identified over the past decade. In
      addition to Mn-specific transporters, it has been demonstrated that iron
      transporters can mediate Mn transport in the brain and peripheral tissues.
      However, while the expression of iron transporters is regulated by body iron
      stores, whether or not disorders of iron metabolism modify Mn homeostasis has not
      been systematically discussed. The present review will provide an update on the
      role of altered iron status in the transport and toxicity of Mn.

PMID- 28620669
TI  - Linear and orthogonal peptide templating of silicified protein fibres.
AB  - Biomineralisation is essential for biology. Specialist proteins use peptide
      motifs that catalyse mineral deposition into nano-to-microscale inorganic
      materials. Unlike in native proteins, the motifs incorporated into self-assembled
      fibres can persistently propagate on the microscopic scale enabling empirically
      defined silica nanostructures. Herein we show that the two main modes of motif
      templating - linear and orthogonal - in self-assembling, fibre-forming peptide
      sequences effectively silicify protein fibres. We show that the mere charge and
      morphology of protein fibres are not sufficient for silica deposition, but it is
      the synergy between fibrillogenesis and silica-specific motifs regularly spaced
      in fibres that ensures silica templating, regardless of the relative orientation
      of the motifs.

PMID- 28620670
TI  - Pesticide vapor sensing using an aptamer, nanopore, and agarose gel on a chip.
AB  - A pesticide vapor sensor was developed using an agarose gel-based chip containing
      a nanopore sensing system. Vaporized omethoate was detected by the absorption
      into the gel, the complex formation with a DNA aptamer, and its obstruction at
      the nanopore. This strategy is applicable to other vapors, expanding the
      versatility of nanopore sensors.

PMID- 28620672
TI  - Re: Tarazona et al. (2017): Glyphosate toxicity and carcinogenicity: a review of
      the scientific basis of the European Union assessment and its differences with
      IARC. doi: 10.1007/s00204-017-1962-5.

PMID- 28620671
TI  - An oligodeoxynucleotide with AAAG repeats significantly attenuates burn-induced
      systemic inflammatory responses via inhibiting interferon regulatory factor 5
      pathway.
AB  - Previously, we showed that an oligodeoxynucleotide with AAAG repeats (AAAG ODN)
      rescued mice from fatal acute lung injury (ALI) induced by influenza virus and
      inhibited production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the injured
      lungs. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Upon the
      bioinformatic analysis revealing that the AAAG ODN is consensus to interferon
      regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) binding site in the cis-regulatory elements of
      proinflammatory cytokines, we tried to explore whether the AAAG ODN could
      attenuate burn injury induced systemic inflammatory responses via inhibiting IRF5
      pathway. Using the mouse model with sterile systemic inflammation induced by burn
      injury, we found that AAAG ODN prolonged the life span of the mice, decreased the
      expression of IRF5 at injured skin, reduced the production of TNF-alpha and IL-6
      in blood and injured skin, and attenuated the ALI. Furthermore, AAAG ODN could
      bind IRF5 and inhibit the nuclear translocation of IRF5 in THP-1 cells. The data
      suggested that the AAAG ODN could act as a cytoplasmic decoy capable of
      interfering the function of IRF5, and be developed as a drug candidate for the
      treatment of inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28620673
TI  - First evidence of pyrrolizidine alkaloid N-oxide-induced hepatic sinusoidal
      obstruction syndrome in humans.
AB  - Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are among the most potent phytotoxins widely
      distributed in plant species around the world. PA is one of the major causes
      responsible for the development of hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS)
      and exerts hepatotoxicity via metabolic activation to form the reactive
      metabolites, which bind with cellular proteins to generate pyrrole-protein
      adducts, leading to hepatotoxicity. PA N-oxides coexist with their corresponding
      PAs in plants with varied quantities, sometimes even higher than that of PAs, but
      the toxicity of PA N-oxides remains unclear. The current study unequivocally
      identified PA N-oxides as the sole or predominant form of PAs in 18 Gynura
      segetum herbal samples ingested by patients with liver damage. For the first
      time, PA N-oxides were recorded to induce HSOS in human. PA N-oxide-induced
      hepatotoxicity was further confirmed on mice orally dosed of herbal extract
      containing 170 MUmol PA N-oxides/kg/day, with its hepatotoxicity similar to but
      potency much lower than the corresponding PAs. Furthermore, toxicokinetic study
      after a single oral dose of senecionine N-oxide (55 MUmol/kg) on rats revealed
      the toxic mechanism that PA N-oxides induced hepatotoxicity via their
      biotransformation to the corresponding PAs followed by the metabolic activation
      to form pyrrole-protein adducts. The remarkable differences in toxicokinetic
      profiles of PAs and PA N-oxides were found and attributed to their significantly
      different hepatotoxic potency. The findings of PA N-oxide-induced hepatotoxicity
      in humans and rodents suggested that the contents of both PAs and PA N-oxides
      present in herbs and foods should be regulated and controlled in use.

PMID- 28620674
TI  - Organ Dysfunction and Failure Following Brain Death Do Not Preclude Successful
      Donation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Organ dysfunction is common after neurologic determination of death
      (NDD) but before organ collection. Reliable markers for graft success following
      transplant of these organs would be useful. We sought to determine the
      relationship between the donor after neurologic determination of death (DNDD)
      pathophysiology and successful organ donation. METHODS: Donor information was
      obtained through the local organ procurement organization. Donor demographics and
      clinical data points for cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, hepatic,
      hematological and neuroendocrine systems were reviewed 12 h before and 12 h after
      neurologic determination of death was declared. The worst values were utilized
      for analysis and generation of the organ-specific Sequential Organ Failure
      Assessment (SOFA) scores. SOFA scores were calculated and used to quantify the
      degree of organ dysfunction. The NDD non-donors for a specific organ were used as
      a comparison control group. The control group refers to DNDD patients whose
      specific organs were not transplanted. Lack of use was mostly due to discard by
      the transplant team as a result of unsuitability of the organ caused by
      deterioration or possible donor-specific pathology. RESULTS: One hundred and five
      organ donors were analyzed. Mean age was 35.0 (+/- 13.6), 78.1% male, median GCS
      3, interquartile range (IQR) 3-4 and median injury severity score 32 (IQR 25-43).
      Of the successful donors, organ-specific severe dysfunction (SOFA 3 or 4)
      occurred in 96, 27.5 and 3.3% of cardiac, lung and liver donors, respectively.
      There was no significant difference between the levels of organ dysfunction in
      donors versus non-donors except lung donors, in which the median lowest partial
      pressure of arterial oxygen-to-fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F) ratio in the non
      donor was 194 (IQR 121.8-308.3) compared to the median lowest P/F ratio in the
      donor which was 287 (IQR 180-383.5), p = 0.02. In the recipients, graft failure 6
      months after transplantation was reported in one kidney recipient (0.74%) (peak
      donor creatinine = 1 mg/dL) and in five pancreas recipients (11.4%). The median
      peak glucose of the pancreas donors in failed recipients was 178 mg/dL (IQR 157
      213), whereas in the functioning recipients, the median glucose of their donors
      was not different (185 mg/dL, IQR 157-216), p = 0.394. CONCLUSION: Current
      measures of organ failure and dysfunction do not predict the success of organ
      donation. Successful donor management in the face of severe organ dysfunction and
      failure can result in lives saved.

PMID- 28620675
TI  - Sphincter-Preserving Surgery for Low Rectal Cancers: Incidence and Risk Factors
      for Permanent Stoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Advances in surgical techniques and paradigm changes in rectal cancer
      treatment have led to a drastic decline in the abdominoperineal resection rate,
      and sphincter-preserving operation is possible in distal rectal cancer.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term incidence of
      permanent stoma after sphincter-preserving surgery for low rectal cancer and its
      corresponding risk factors. METHOD: From 2000 to 2014, patients who underwent
      sphincter-preserving low anterior resection for low rectal cancer (within 5 cm
      from the anal verge) were included. The occurrence of permanent stoma over time
      and its risk factors were investigated by using a Cox proportional hazards
      regression model. RESULTS: This study included 194 patients who underwent ultra
      low anterior resection for distal rectal cancer, and the median follow-up period
      was 77 months for the surviving patients. Forty-six (23.7%) patients required a
      permanent stoma eventfully. Anastomotic-related complications and disease
      progression were the main reasons for permanent stoma. Clinical anastomotic
      leakage (HR 5.72; 95% CI 2.31-14.12; p < 0.001) and neoadjuvant chemoradiation
      (HR 2.34; 95% CI 1.12-4.90; p = 0.024) were predictors for permanent primary
      stoma. Local recurrence (HR 16.09; 95% CI 5.88-44.03; p < 0.001) and T4 disease
      (HR 11.28; 95% CI 2.99-42.49; p < 0.001) were predictors for permanent secondary
      stoma. The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidence for permanent stoma was 24.1 and
      28.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Advanced disease, prior chemoradiation,
      anastomotic leakage and local recurrence predispose patients to permanent stoma
      should be taken into consideration when contemplating sphincter-preserving
      surgery.

PMID- 28620676
TI  - Retrospective Study of the Correlation Between Pathological Tumor Size and
      Survival After Curative Resection of T3 Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Proposal for
      Reclassification of the Tumor Extending Beyond the Pancreas Based on Tumor Size.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Even though most patients who undergo resection of pancreatic
      adenocarcinoma have T3 disease with extra-pancreatic tumor extension, T3 disease
      is not currently classified by tumor size. The aim of this study was to modify
      the current TNM classification of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to reflect the
      influence of tumor size. METHODS: A total of 847 consecutive pancreatectomy
      patients were recruited from multiple centers. Optimum tumor size cutoff values
      were calculated by receiver operating characteristics analysis for tumors limited
      to the pancreas (T1/2) and for T3 tumors. In our modified TNM classification,
      stage II was divided into stages IIA (T3aN0M0), IIB (T3bN0M0), and IIC (T1
      3bN1M0) using tumor size cutoff values. The usefulness of the new classification
      was compared with that of the current classification using Akaike's information
      criterion (AIC). RESULTS: The optimum tumor size cutoff value distinguishing T1
      and T2 was 2 cm, while T3 was divided into T3a and T3b at a tumor size of 3 cm.
      The median survival time of the stages IIA, IIB, and IIC were 44.7, 27.6, and
      20.3 months, respectively. There were significant differences of survival between
      stages IIA and IIB (P = 0.02) and between stages IIB and IIC (P = 0.03). The new
      classification showed better performance compared with the current classification
      based on the AIC value. CONCLUSIONS: This proposed new TNM classification
      reflects the influence of tumor size in patients with extra-pancreatic tumor
      extension (T3 disease), and the classification is useful for predicting
      mortality.

PMID- 28620677
TI  - Efficacy of peloid therapy in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis: a
      randomized, controlled, single blind study.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess the effect of peloid on pain, functionality,
      daily life activities, and quality of life of lateral epicondylitis (LE)
      patients. In this randomized, controlled, single-blind study, 75 patients who
      were diagnosed with chronic LE were enrolled to the study. Patients were
      randomized into two groups using the random number table. The patients in the
      first group (group 1) (n = 33), were given lateral epicondylitis band (LEB)
      (during the day for 6 weeks) + peloid therapy (five consecutive days a week for 2
      weeks), and the second group (group 2) (n = 32), received LEB treatment alone.
      The patients were assessed by using Patient Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE)
      and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The data were obtained before treatment
      (W0), immediately after treatment (W2), and 1 month after treatment (W6). In
      analysis of the collected data, the Wilcoxon signed rank test for intra-group
      comparisons and Mann-Whitney U test for comparisons between groups were used.
      Both in groups 1 and 2, there was a statistically significant improvement in all
      the evaluation parameters at W2 and W6 when compared to W0 (p < 0.05). In
      comparison of difference scores between groups, although there was no
      statistically significant difference between the two groups at W2 when compared
      to W0 (p > 0.05), a statistically significant difference was found in favor of
      group 1 for all the evaluation parameters at W6 (p < 0.05). Our results have
      shown that peloid treatment could be effective in providing improvement in pain
      relief, function, daily life activities, and quality of life in LE patients.

PMID- 28620678
TI  - Effect of lifestyle improvement program on the biomarkers of adiposity,
      inflammation and gut hormones in overweight/obese Asian Indians with prediabetes.
AB  - AIMS: While lifestyle modification is known to offer several metabolic benefits,
      there is paucity of comprehensive data on changes in biomarkers of adiposity,
      inflammation as well as gut hormones. We investigated these biomarkers in
      overweight/obese individuals with prediabetes randomized to either 4 months of a
      lifestyle improvement program or standard care and followed them up for a year.
      METHODS: Participants [standard care and intervention arm (n = 75 each)] were
      randomly selected from the Diabetes Community Lifestyle Improvement Program
      trial. Glycemic and lipid control and anthropometric measurements were assessed
      by standard protocols. Adipokines, inflammatory markers and gut hormones were
      measured using multiplex and standard ELISA kits. RESULTS: Along with modest
      benefits in primary outcomes (glycemic and lipid control and weight reduction),
      participants in the intervention group showed significant reductions (p < 0.001)
      in plasma levels of leptin (17.6%), TNF-alpha (35%), IL-6 (33.3%), MCP-1 (22.3%)
      and PYY (28.3%) and increased levels of adiponectin (33.1%) and ghrelin (23.6%)
      at the end of 4 months of lifestyle intervention. The changes were independent of
      weight and persisted even at 1 year of follow-up. In contrast, participants from
      the standard care arm did not show any statistically significant improvements on
      the above parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Participants who underwent an intensive
      lifestyle improvement program showed metabolic benefits as well as favorable
      beneficial changes in systemic levels of adipokines, cytokines and gut hormones,
      not only during the intervention period, but also during 12-month follow-up
      period.

PMID- 28620679
TI  - Are Poultry or Wild Birds the Main Reservoirs for Avian Influenza in Bangladesh?
AB  - Avian influenza viruses (AIV) are of great socioeconomic and health concern,
      notably in Southeast Asia where highly pathogenic strains, such as highly
      pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 and other H5 and H7 AIVs, continue to
      occur. Wild bird migrants are often implicated in the maintenance and spread of
      AIV. However, little systematic surveillance of wild birds has been conducted in
      Southeast Asia to evaluate whether the prevalence of AIV in wild birds is higher
      than in other parts of the world where HPAI outbreaks occur less frequently.
      Across Bangladesh, we randomly sampled a total of 3585 wild and domestic birds to
      assess the prevalence of AIV and antibodies against AIV and compared these with
      prevalence levels found in other endemic and non-endemic countries. Our study
      showed that both resident and migratory wild birds in Bangladesh do not have a
      particularly elevated AIV prevalence and AIV sero-prevalence compared to wild
      birds from regions in the world where H5N1 is not endemic and fewer AIV outbreaks
      in poultry occur. Like elsewhere, notably wild birds of the orders Anseriformes
      were identified as the main wild bird reservoir, although we found exceptionally
      high sero-prevalence in one representative of the order Passeriformes, the house
      crow (Corvus splendens), importantly living on offal from live bird markets. This
      finding, together with high sero- and viral prevalence levels of AIV in domestic
      birds, suggests that wild birds are not at the base of the perpetuation of AIV
      problems in the local poultry sector, but may easily become victim to AIV spill
      back from poultry into some species of wild birds, potentially assisting in
      further spread of the virus.

PMID- 28620680
TI  - Landscape, Climate and Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome Outbreaks.
AB  - We performed a literature review in order to improve our understanding of how
      landscape and climate drivers affect HCPS outbreaks. Anthropogenic landscape
      changes such as forest loss, fragmentation and agricultural land uses are related
      with a boost in hantavirus reservoir species abundance and hantavirus prevalence
      in tropical areas, increasing HCPS risk. Additionally, higher precipitation,
      especially in arid regions, favors an increase in vegetational biomass, which
      augments the resources for reservoir rodents, also increasing HCPS risk. Although
      these relationships were observed, few studies described it so far, and the ones
      that did it are concentrated in few places. To guide future research on this
      issue, we build a conceptual model relating landscape and climate variables with
      HCPS outbreaks and identified research opportunities. We point out the need for
      studies addressing the effects of landscape configuration, temperature and the
      interaction between climate and landscape variables. Critical landscape
      thresholds are also highly relevant, once HCPS risk transmission can increase
      rapidly above a certain degree of landscape degradation. These studies could be
      relevant to implement preventive measures, creating landscapes that can mitigate
      disease spread risk.

PMID- 28620682
TI  - Infectious bursal disease: outbreak investigation, molecular characterization,
      and vaccine immunogenicity trial in Ethiopia.
AB  - The study was conducted with the objective of isolation and molecular
      characterization of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) circulating in
      Ethiopia and to assess the immunogenicity of different commercially available
      live attenuated IBD vaccines and finally to select the appropriate vaccine strain
      for the existing IBDV. Outbreak samples collected from different poultry farms
      with IBD infection between 2013 and 2015 were used for the virus isolation and
      molecular characterization. IBD vaccine immunogenicity test was conducted using
      four different commercially available live attenuated IBD vaccine strains: namely
      D78, B2K, LC75, and EXTREM. Day-old Bowman brown chickens purchased from
      commercial farm in Debre Zeit were used for the experiment. Serum samples were
      collected at days 14 and 21 and screened for the presence of maternal IBDv
      antibodies. The screening test result revealed that most of the chickens from
      vaccinated progeny were positive at the age of day 14 with mean antibody titer of
      .42, but declined at day 21 to 0.049 below cut-off point (S/P < 0.3). Chickens
      were divided into five different groups (four vaccinal and one control) and
      vaccinated at the age of day 21 and boosted after 14 days. Serum samples were
      collected and all of them were challenged at their 42 days of age with locally
      isolated very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV). From four of the
      vaccine strains used for immunogenicity study, the intermediate plus strains
      (LC75 and EXTREM) found to be superior and efficiently cross protect against the
      challenge with locally isolated vvIBDV. The development of clinical signs was
      studied and post-mortem examinations were conducted both on dead and sacrificed
      birds. From a total of 25 tissue samples processed for virus isolation on chicken
      fibroblast cell culture, 95% (18/20) of bursa and 80% (4/5) of the spleen samples
      showed visible cytopathic effect (CPE). The positive samples were tested by PCR
      and 19 of them had the expected band (643 bp). Further 11 representative samples
      were sequenced and confirmed that the circulating virus among poultry population
      in the country is vvIBDV. The study has recommended to produce vaccine using
      intermediate plus strains to prevent and control currently circulating vvIBDV.

PMID- 28620681
TI  - Cardiac T1 mapping in congenital heart disease: bolus vs. infusion protocols for
      measurements of myocardial extracellular volume fraction.
AB  - Myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) reflecting diffuse myocardial
      fibrosis can be measured with T1 mapping cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)
      before and after the application of a gadolinium-based extracellular contrast
      agent. The equilibrium between blood and myocardium contrast concentration
      required for ECV measurements can be obtained with a primed contrast infusion
      (equilibrium contrast-CMR). We hypothesized that equilibrium can also be achieved
      with a single contrast bolus to accurately measure diffuse myocardial fibrosis in
      patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Healthy controls (n = 17; median
      age 24.0 years) and patients with CHD (n = 19; 25.0 years) were prospectively
      enrolled. Using modified Look-Locker inversion recovery T1 mapping before, 15 min
      after bolus injection, and during constant infusion of gadolinium-DOTA, T1 values
      were obtained for blood pool and myocardium of the left ventricle (LV), the
      interventricular septum (IVS), and the right ventricle (RV) in a single
      midventricular plane in short axis or in transverse orientation. ECV of LV, IVS
      and RV by bolus-only and bolus-infusion correlated significantly in CHD patients
      (r = 0.94, 0.95, and 0.74; p < 0.01, respectively) and healthy controls (r =
      0.96, 0.89, and 0.64; p < 0.05, respectively). Bland-Altman plots revealed no
      significant bias between the techniques for any of the analyzed regions. ECV of
      LV and RV myocardium measured by bolus-only T1 mapping agrees well with bolus
      infusion measurements in patients with CHD. The use of a bolus-only approach
      facilitates the integration of ECV measurements into existing CMR imaging
      protocols, allowing for assessment of diffuse myocardial fibrosis in CHD in
      clinical routine.

PMID- 28620683
TI  - Modeling production functions and economic weights in intensive meat production
      of guinea pigs.
AB  - A profit function for a typical commercial farm of intensive guinea pig
      production was designed. The simulated farm contained 86 cages with a ratio of
      7:1 females/males, with continuous mating. Kits were weaned at 15 days of age and
      slaughtered for meat production at 90 days of age. The absolute (EW) and relative
      economic weights of the main traits were calculated. The highest EW were kits
      produced per kindling (US$25), kits weaned per kindling (US$22), kits born alive
      per kindling (US$20), and the number of kindlings per female and year (US$12).
      Profit, returns, and costs per female and year were US$15, 68, and 53,
      respectively. Returns came from the production of young guinea pigs and discarded
      reproductive adults for meat production, 90 and 10% of the total returns. The
      highest costs were feeding and labor, 44 and 23% of the total cost. The EW and
      profit did not substantially change when simulating variations of +/-20% in the
      prices of kilograms of fattening feed and kilograms of live weight of guinea pig,
      showing their robustness to future variations in market prices or to variations
      in prices between countries. The results obtained highlight the importance of the
      feeding costs in the guinea pig meat production.

PMID- 28620684
TI  - Response to "Men and women show similar survival rates after breast cancer", Yin
      Pan, Ze-Zhou Song.

PMID- 28620685
TI  - The efficacy of a new high intensity focused ultrasound therapy for locally
      advanced pancreatic cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the survival benefit and safety of the low power cumulative
      and traditional high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for locally advanced
      pancreatic cancer. METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed 38 patients with locally
      advanced, inoperable, stage III pancreatic patients received HIFU treatment
      between January 2008 and April 2014 in the Department of Surgery, the Second
      Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine. 11 of them received
      the low power cumulative HIFU treatment, while other 27 received the traditional
      HIFU treatment. The HIFU device used was the FEP-BY02 (Yuande Biomedical
      Engineering Co. Ltd, Beijing, China). Serum biochemistry and adverse events were
      assessed before and after treatment. All the patients were followed up until
      death. The survival rate and adverse events of two groups were compared. RESULTS:
      In 38 patients, the baseline characteristics including gender, age, Karnofsky
      performance status (KPS) score, tumor location of two groups were generally well
      balanced (P > 0.05). The median overall survival (OS) for low power cumulative
      HIFU group was 10.3 months (95% CI, 6.3-14.3 months), which is significantly
      longer than traditional HIFU group with 6.0 months (95% CI, 5.2-6.8 months) (P =
      0.018). In low power cumulative HIFU group, the 6-month and 12-month survival
      rates were higher than traditional group, 100% v.s 44.4%, 11.1% v.s 36.4%,
      respectively. The adverse events in both groups include abdominal pain, fever, C
      reactive protein (CRP) elevated. The incidence was lower in low power cumulative
      HIFU group, however, without statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The low power
      cumulative HIFU treatment showed a statistical significance in survival benefit
      with better safety profile compared to the traditional HIFU treatment in patients
      with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28620686
TI  - Evaluation and optimization of PCR primers for selective and quantitative
      detection of marine ANME subclusters involved in sulfate-dependent anaerobic
      methane oxidation.
AB  - Since the discovery that anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) are involved in
      the anaerobic oxidation of methane coupled to sulfate reduction in marine
      sediments, different primers and probes specifically targeting the 16S rRNA gene
      of these archaea have been developed. Microbial investigation of the different
      ANME subtypes (ANME-1; ANME-2a, b, and c; and ANME-3) was mainly done in
      sediments where specific subtypes of ANME were highly enriched and methanogenic
      cell numbers were low. In different sediments with higher archaeal diversity and
      abundance, it is important that primers and probes targeting different ANME
      subtypes are very specific and do not detect other ANME subtypes or methanogens
      that are also present. In this study, primers and probes that were regularly used
      in AOM studies were tested in silico on coverage and specificity. Most of the
      previously developed primers and probes were not specific for the ANME subtypes,
      thereby not reflecting the actual ANME population in complex samples. Selected
      primers that showed good coverage and high specificity for the subclades ANME-1,
      ANME-2a/b, and ANME-2c were thoroughly validated using quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction (qPCR). From these qPCR tests, only certain combinations seemed
      suitable for selective amplification. After optimization of these primer sets, we
      obtained valid primer combinations for the selective detection and quantification
      of ANME-1, ANME-2a/b, and ANME-2c in samples where different ANME subtypes and
      possibly methanogens could be present. As a result of this work, we propose a
      standard workflow to facilitate selection of suitable primers for qPCR
      experiments on novel environmental samples.

PMID- 28620687
TI  - Identification and characterization of a biosynthetic gene cluster for tryptophan
      dimers in deep sea-derived Streptomyces sp. SCSIO 03032.
AB  - Tryptophan dimers (TDs) are an important class of natural products with diverse
      bioactivities and share conserved biosynthetic pathways. We report the
      identification of a partial gene cluster (spm) responsible for the biosynthesis
      of a class of unusual TDs with non-planar skeletons including spiroindimicins
      (SPMs), indimicins (IDMs), and lynamicins (LNMs) from the deep-sea derived
      Streptomyces sp. SCSIO 03032. Bioinformatics analysis, targeted gene disruptions,
      and heterologous expression studies confirmed the involvement of the spm gene
      cluster in the biosynthesis of SPM/IDM/LNMs, and revealed the indispensable roles
      for the halogenase/reductase pair SpmHF, the amino acid oxidase SpmO, and the
      chromopyrrolic acid (CPA) synthase SpmD, as well as the positive regulator SpmR
      and the putative transporter SpmA. However, the spm gene cluster was unable to
      confer a heterologous host the ability to produce SPM/IDM/LNMs. In addition, the
      P450 enzyme SpmP and the monooxygenase SpmX2 were found to be non-relevant to the
      biosynthesis of SPM/IDM/LNMs. Sequence alignment and structure modeling suggested
      the lack of key conserved amino acid residues in the substrate-binding pocket of
      SpmP. Furthermore, feeding experiments in the non-producing DeltaspmO mutant
      revealed several biosynthetic precursors en route to SPMs, indicating that key
      enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of SPMs should be encoded by genes
      outside of the identified spm gene cluster. Finally, the biosynthetic pathways of
      SPM/IDM/LNMs are proposed to lay a basis for further insights into their
      intriguing biosynthetic machinery.

PMID- 28620688
TI  - Controlling microbial PHB synthesis via CRISPRi.
AB  - Microbial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a family of biopolyesters with
      properties similar to petroleum plastics such as polyethylene (PE) or
      polypropylene (PP). Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is the most common PHA known so
      far. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats interference
      (CRISPRi), a technology recently developed to control gene expression levels in
      eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes, was employed to regulate PHB synthase
      activity influencing PHB synthesis. Recombinant Escherichia coli harboring an
      operon of three PHB synthesis genes phaCAB cloned from Ralstonia eutropha, was
      transformed with various single guided RNA (sgRNA with its guide sequence of 20
      23 bases) able to bind to various locations of the PHB synthase PhaC,
      respectively. Depending on the binding location and the number of sgRNA on phaC,
      CRISPRi was able to control the phaC transcription and thus PhaC activity. It was
      found that PHB content, molecular weight, and polydispersity were approximately
      in direct and reverse proportion to the PhaC activity, respectively. The higher
      the PhaC activity, the more the intracellular PHB accumulation, yet the less the
      PHB molecular weights and the wider the polydispersity. This study allowed the
      PHB contents to be controlled in the ranges of 1.47-75.21% cell dry weights,
      molecular weights from 2 to 6 millions Dalton and polydispersity of 1.2 to 1.43
      in 48 h shake flask studies. This result will be very important for future
      development of ultrahigh molecular weight PHA useful to meet high strength
      application requirements.

PMID- 28620689
TI  - Silencing of a second dimethylallyltryptophan synthase of Penicillium roqueforti
      reveals a novel clavine alkaloid gene cluster.
AB  - Penicillium roqueforti produces several prenylated indole alkaloids, including
      roquefortine C and clavine alkaloids. The first step in the biosynthesis of
      roquefortine C is the prenylation of tryptophan-derived dipeptides by a
      dimethylallyltryptophan synthase, specific for roquefortine biosynthesis
      (roquefortine prenyltransferase). A second dimethylallyltryptophan synthase,
      DmaW2, different from the roquefortine prenyltransferase, has been studied in
      this article. Silencing the gene encoding this second dimethylallyltryptophan
      synthase, dmaW2, proved that inactivation of this gene does not prevent the
      production of roquefortine C, but suppresses the formation of other indole
      alkaloids. Mass spectrometry studies have identified these compounds as
      isofumigaclavine A, the pathway final product and prenylated intermediates. The
      silencing does not affect the production of mycophenolic acid and andrastin A. A
      bioinformatic study of the genome of P. roqueforti revealed that DmaW2 (renamed
      IfgA) is a prenyltransferase involved in isofumigaclavine A biosynthesis encoded
      by a gene located in a six genes cluster (cluster A). A second three genes
      cluster (cluster B) encodes the so-called yellow enzyme and enzymes for the late
      steps for the conversion of festuclavine to isofumigaclavine A. The yellow enzyme
      contains a tyrosine-181 at its active center, as occurs in Neosartorya fumigata,
      but in contrast to the Clavicipitaceae fungi. A complete isofumigaclavines A and
      B biosynthetic pathway is proposed based on the finding of these studies on the
      biosynthesis of clavine alkaloids.

PMID- 28620690
TI  - Acquired Resistance to Erlotinib in EGFR Mutation-Positive Lung Adenocarcinoma
      among Hispanics (CLICaP).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lung cancer harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
      mutations and treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) all eventually
      develop acquired resistance to the treatment, with half of the patients
      developing EGFR T790M resistance mutations. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study
      was to assess histological and clinical characteristics and survival outcomes in
      Hispanic EGFR mutated lung cancer patients after disease progression. PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: EGFR mutation-positive lung cancer patients (n = 34) with acquired
      resistance to the EGFR-TKI erlotinib were identified from 2011 to 2015. Post
      progression tumor specimens were collected for molecular analysis. Post
      progression interventions, response to treatment, and survival were assessed and
      compared among all patients and those with and without T790M mutations. RESULTS:
      Mean age was 59.4 +/- 13.9 years, 65% were never-smokers, and 53% had a
      performance status 0-1. All patients received erlotinib as first-line treatment.
      Identified mutations included: 60% DelE19 (Del746-750) and 40% L858R. First-line
      erlotinib overall response rate (ORR) was 61.8% and progression free survival
      (PFS) was 16.8 months (95% CI: 13.7-19.9). Acquired resistance mutations
      identified were T790M mutation (47.1%); PI3K mutations (14.7%); EGFR
      amplification (14.7%); KRAS mutation (5.9%); MET amplification (8.8%); HER2
      alterations (5.9%, deletions/insertions in e20); and SCLC transformation (2.9%).
      Of patients, 79.4% received treatment after progression. ORR for post-erlotinib
      treatment was 47.1% (CR 2/PR 14) and median PFS was 8.3 months (95% CI: 2.2
      36.6). Median overall survival (OS) from treatment initiation was 32.9 months
      (95% CI: 30.4-35.3), and only the use of post-progression therapy affected OS in
      a multivariate analysis (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic patients with acquired
      resistance to erlotinib continued to be sensitive to other treatments after
      progression. The proportion of T790M+ patients appears to be similar to that
      previously reported in Caucasians.

PMID- 28620691
TI  - Biomarkers for the Management of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: We Are Not
      There Yet.
AB  - In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of approved
      therapies that increase survival of patients with castration-resistant prostate
      cancer. Current treatment guidelines provide therapeutic management
      recommendations, but these are primarily based on clinical factors such as
      performance status or site of metastasis (bone vs. visceral), and not on
      underlying molecular or cellular features of disease that may predict response.
      The ability to tailor treatment based on molecular or cellular features of
      disease could potentially reduce the occurrence of unnecessary side effects and
      ineffective treatments, and thereby reduce both direct and indirect medical
      costs. As such, it is important to identify and validate new prognostic and
      predictive molecular biomarkers that can be used to direct cancer treatment. This
      review will focus on existing and potential biomarkers in the context of
      castration-resistant prostate cancer management and discuss the need for
      continued discovery and validation of new biomarkers and biomarker panels for
      prostate cancer.

PMID- 28620692
TI  - The enteric nervous system is a potential autoimmune target in multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous
      system (CNS) in young adults that has serious negative socioeconomic effects. In
      addition to symptoms caused by CNS pathology, the majority of MS patients
      frequently exhibit gastrointestinal dysfunction, which was previously either
      explained by the presence of spinal cord lesions or not directly linked to the
      autoimmune etiology of the disease. Here, we studied the enteric nervous system
      (ENS) in a B cell- and antibody-dependent mouse model of MS by
      immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy at different stages of the disease.
      ENS degeneration was evident prior to the development of CNS lesions and the
      onset of neurological deficits in mice. The pathology was antibody mediated and
      caused a significant decrease in gastrointestinal motility, which was associated
      with ENS gliosis and neuronal loss. We identified autoantibodies against four
      potential target antigens derived from enteric glia and/or neurons by
      immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry. Antibodies against three of the target
      antigens were also present in the plasma of MS patients as confirmed by ELISA.
      The analysis of human colon resectates provided evidence of gliosis and ENS
      degeneration in MS patients compared to non-MS controls. For the first time, this
      study establishes a pathomechanistic link between the well-established autoimmune
      attack on the CNS and ENS pathology in MS, which might provide a paradigm shift
      in our current understanding of the immunopathogenesis of the disease with broad
      diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

PMID- 28620693
TI  - Comparative studies of reaction of cobalamin (II) and cobinamide (II) with sulfur
      dioxide.
AB  - The kinetics of reactions of cobalamin (II) and cobinamide (II) with sulfur
      dioxide was studied by UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Reaction results in
      oxidation of Co(II) center and involves two aquated SO2 moieties. The final
      product is suggested to be complex Co(III)-S2O 4*- . The absence of corrin ring
      modifications during the reactions was proved.

PMID- 28620694
TI  - Results of day-case ureterorenoscopy (DC-URS) for stone disease: prospective
      outcomes over 4.5 years.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the prospective outcomes of day-case ureterorenoscopy (DC
      URS) for stone disease. With the rising prevalence of stone disease in the face
      of finite resources, there is increasing pressure to undertake procedures as a
      day case avoiding in-patient stay. There are a limited number of studies
      reporting on the feasibility of ureteroscopy as a day-case procedure. This study
      aimed to investigate the prospective outcomes and predictors precluding to DC-URS
      for stone disease in patients treated in our university teaching hospital.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 2012 and July 2016, consecutive cases of
      adult stone ureteroscopy performed or supervised by a single surgeon were
      recorded in a prospective database. Patients underwent pre-operative counselling
      in a specialist stone clinic and were admitted to a dedicated 'Surgical day unit'
      on the day of surgery. A standardised anaesthetic protocol was adhered to in all
      cases. Data on patient demographics, stone parameters, pre-operative assessment,
      operative details, length of stay, stone-free rate and complication rates were
      collected and analysed. RESULTS: A total of 544 consecutive adult ureteroscopy
      for stone disease were conducted over the study period with a day-case rate of
      77.7%. Thirty-nine percent of failed day-case ureteroscopy were due to late
      completion of ureteroscopy and due to associated social circumstances of
      patients. The mean stone size, operating time duration and post-operative stent
      insertion rates for DC-URS patients were 14 mm, 46 min and 96.5%, respectively.
      Post-operatively, the mean stone-free rate (SFR), unplanned re-admissions and
      complications for DC-URS patients were 95, 4 and 4%, respectively. A higher
      failure of DC-URS was related to patient's age (p = 0.003), positive pre
      operative urine culture (p < 0.001), elevated pre-operative serum creatinine (p <
      0.001) and higher mean operating time (p < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Based on our
      results, a day-case ureteroscopy rate of nearly 78% can be achieved. With its
      acceptable complication rate, and low re-admission rates, DC-URS is a safe and
      feasible option in a majority of patients with stone disease.

PMID- 28620695
TI  - Liposomes modified by mono- and bis-phthalocyanines: A comprehensive EPR study.
AB  - The impact of selected metallophthalocyanines, featuring diverse molecular
      structure, upon the fluidity of liposome membranes was studied using the spin
      label EPR technique. The "mono"-type MPc's (M = Zn, Sn; Pc = C32H16N8 is the
      phthalocyanine ligand) and sandwich LnPc2 complexes (Ln = Nd, Sm, Gd) were
      explored. Liposomes were obtained in a sonication process, from egg yolk lecithin
      (EYL) in water. TEMPO and 16-DOXYL spin labels were used to monitor the
      peripheral and central part of the lipid double layer, respectively, which
      allowed to localize the phthalocyanine additive within the bilayer, as well as to
      perform independent measurements of changes in fluidity upon addition thereof.
      All the complexes tested were found to increase the fluidity in the middle of the
      lipid bilayer. However, at the water-lipid interface the LnPc2 compounds showed a
      relative small effect upon the phospholipids' arrangement, whereas in the case of
      ZnPc and SnPc it was found much more pronounced. EPR results were supplemented by
      measurements of static electrical charge, the investigated phthalocyanines may
      potentially feed into the membrane thus affecting its stability.

PMID- 28620696
TI  - Tuning ubiquinone position in biomimetic monolayer membranes.
AB  - Artificial lipid bilayers have been extensively studied as models that mimic
      natural membranes (biomimetic membranes). Several attempts of biomimetic
      membranes inserting ubiquinone (UQ) have been performed to enlighten which the
      position of UQ in the lipid layer is, although obtaining contradictory results.
      In this work, pure components (DPPC and UQ) and DPPC:UQ mixtures have been
      studied using surface pressure-area isotherms and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of
      the same compounds have been transferred onto solid substrates being
      topographically characterized on mica using atomic force microscopy and
      electrochemically on indium tin oxide slides. DPPC:UQ mixtures present less solid
      like physical state than pure DPPC indicating a higher-order degree for the
      latter. UQ influences considerably DPPC during the fluid state, but it is mainly
      expelled after the phase transition at [Formula: see text] 26 mN.m^-1 for the 5:1
      ratio and at [Formula: see text] 21 mN.m^-1 for lower UQ content. The
      thermodynamic studies confirm the stability of the DPPC:UQ mixtures before that
      event, although presenting a non-ideal behaviour. The results indicate that UQ
      position can be tuned by means of the surface pressure applied to obtain LB films
      and the UQ initial content. The UQ positions in the biomimetic membrane are
      distinguished by their formal potential: UQ located in "diving" position with the
      UQ placed in the DPPC matrix in direct contact with the electrode surface ( 
      0.04+/-0.02 V), inserted between lipid chains without contact to the substrate (
      0.00+/-0.01 V) and parallel to the substrate, above the lipid chains ( 0.09+/
      0.02 V).

PMID- 28620697
TI  - Calreticulin localizes to plant intra/extracellular peripheries of highly
      specialized cells involved in pollen-pistil interactions.
AB  - Calcium (Ca2+) plays essential roles in generative reproduction of angiosperms,
      but the sites and mechanisms of Ca2+ storage and mobilization during pollen
      pistil interactions have not been fully defined. Both external and internal Ca2+
      stores are likely important during male gametophyte communication with the
      sporophytic and gametophytic cells within the pistil. Given that calreticulin
      (CRT), a Ca2+-buffering protein, is able to bind Ca2+ reversibly, it can serve as
      a mobile store of easily releasable Ca2+ (so called an exchangeable Ca2+) in
      eukaryotic cells. CRT has typical endoplasmic reticulum (ER) targeting and
      retention signals and resides primarily in the ER. However, localization of this
      protein outside the ER has also been revealed in both animal and plant cells,
      including Golgi/dictyosomes, nucleus, plasma membrane/cell surface,
      plasmodesmata, and even extracellular matrix. These findings indicate that CRT
      may function in a variety of different cell compartments and specialized
      structures. We have recently shown that CRT is highly expressed and accumulated
      in the ER of plant cells involved in pollen-pistil interactions in Petunia, and
      we proposed an essential role for CRT in intracellular Ca2+ storage and
      mobilization during the key reproductive events. Here, we demonstrate that both
      CRT and exchangeable Ca2+ are localized in the intra/extracellular peripheries of
      highly specialized plant cells, such as the pistil transmitting tract cells,
      pollen tubes, nucellus cells surrounding the embryo sac, and synergids. Based on
      our present results, we propose that extracellularly located CRT is also involved
      in Ca2+ storage and mobilization during sexual reproduction of angiosperms.

PMID- 28620698
TI  - Potential disease biomarkers: dipeptidyl peptidase 4 and fibroblast activation
      protein.
AB  - The importance of the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) gene family in regulating
      critical biochemical pathways continues to emerge. The two most well-studied
      members of the family, DPP4 and fibroblast activation protein (FAP), have been
      investigated both as therapeutic targets for disease and as diagnostic
      biomarkers. The interest in DPP4 and FAP as potential disease biomarkers has been
      driven primarily by observations of altered expression profiles in inflammatory
      diseases and cancer. Furthermore, the stability and persistence of soluble DPP4
      and FAP in the serum make them attractive candidate serology markers. This review
      summarises investigations into DPP4 and FAP as biomarkers of autoimmune disease,
      gut inflammation, psychosomatic disorders and malignancy and discusses their
      potential likelihood as clinically useful tools.

PMID- 28620699
TI  - Evolution of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii ferredoxins and their interactions with
      [FeFe]-hydrogenases.
AB  - Ferredoxins are soluble iron sulphur proteins which function as electron donors
      in a number of metabolic pathways in a broad range of organisms. In
      photosynthetic organisms, PETF, or ferredoxin 1 (FDX1), is the most studied
      ferredoxin due to its essential role in photosynthesis, where it transfers
      electrons from photosystem I to ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase. However, PETF
      can also transfer electrons to a large number of other proteins. One important
      PETF electron acceptor found in green microalgae is the biologically and
      biotechnologically important [FeFe]-hydrogenase HYDA, which catalyses the
      production of molecular hydrogen (H2) from protons and electrons. The interaction
      between PETF and HYDA is of considerable interest, as PETF is the primary
      electron donor to HYDA and electron supply is one of the main limiting factors
      for H2 production on a commercial scale. Although there is no three dimensional
      structure of the PETF-HYDA complex available, protein variants, nuclear magnetic
      resonance titration studies, molecular dynamics and modelling have provided
      considerable insight into the residues essential for forming and maintaining the
      interaction. In this review, we discuss the most recent findings with regard to
      ferredoxin-HYDA interactions and the evolution of the various Chlamydomonas
      reinhardtii ferredoxin isoforms. Finally, we provide an outlook on new PETF-based
      biotechnological approaches for improved H2 production efficiencies.

PMID- 28620700
TI  - Gender-varying associations between physical activity intensity and mental
      quality of life in older cancer survivors.
AB  - PURPOSE: Physical activity can enhance quality of life in cancer survivors, but
      this conclusion is based largely on research linking moderate-to-vigorous
      physical activity with quality of life. Light-intensity physical activity may be
      more feasible than more strenuous exercise for many older cancer survivors. This
      study reports a secondary analysis of baseline data from a lifestyle behavior
      intervention trial and examines the hypothesis that older cancer survivors who
      engage in more light-intensity physical activity, independent of moderate-to
      vigorous activity, will report better mental quality of life. METHODS: Older
      (>=65 years), overweight or obese breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer
      survivors (n = 641, 54% female) self-reported their physical activity and mental
      quality of life (i.e., mental health, emotional role functioning, vitality, and
      social role functioning from the Short-Form 36 Health Status Survey) as a part of
      the RENEW trial baseline assessment. Analysis of covariance was used to test
      hypotheses. RESULTS: For older women (but not men), light physical activity was
      positively associated with mental quality of life after adjusting for moderate-to
      vigorous physical activity. Light physical activity that involved social
      participation appeared to be responsible for this association. For older men (but
      not women), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was positively associated with
      mental quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Some activity appears to be better than none
      for important dimensions of mental quality of life. Experimental research is
      needed to test the hypothesis that older cancer survivors should strive to avoid
      inactivity regardless of whether they are able to engage in moderate-to-vigorous
      physical activity.

PMID- 28620702
TI  - Optic neuropathy due to nutritional deficiency in a male adolescent with
      Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder: a case report.

PMID- 28620701
TI  - Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion Induced Synaptic Proteome Changes in the rat
      Cerebral Cortex.
AB  - Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) evokes mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and
      contributes to the progression of vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
      How CCH induces these neurodegenerative processes that may spread along the
      synaptic network and whether they are detectable at the synaptic proteome level
      of the cerebral cortex remains to be established. In the present study, we report
      the synaptic protein changes in the cerebral cortex after stepwise bilateral
      common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) induced CCH in the rat. The occlusions
      were confirmed with magnetic resonance angiography 5 weeks after the surgery.
      Synaptosome fractions were prepared using sucrose gradient centrifugation from
      cerebral cortex dissected 7 weeks after the occlusion. The synaptic protein
      differences between the sham operated and CCH groups were analyzed with label
      free nanoUHPLC-MS/MS. We identified 46 proteins showing altered abundance due to
      CCH. In particular, synaptic protein and lipid metabolism, as well as GABA shunt
      related proteins showed increased while neurotransmission and synaptic assembly
      related proteins showed decreased protein level changes in CCH rats. Protein
      network analysis of CCH-induced protein alterations suggested the importance of
      increased synaptic apolipoprotein E (APOE) level as a consequence of CCH.
      Therefore, the change in APOE level was confirmed with Western blotting. The
      identified synaptic protein changes would precede the onset of dementia-like
      symptoms in the CCH model, suggesting their importance in the development of
      vascular dementia.

PMID- 28620703
TI  - Epidemiology and biology of physical activity and cancer recurrence.
AB  - Physical activity is emerging from epidemiologic research as a lifestyle factor
      that may improve survival from colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. However,
      there is considerably less evidence relating physical activity to cancer
      recurrence and the biologic mechanisms underlying this association remain
      unclear. Cancer patients are surviving longer than ever before, and fear of
      cancer recurrence is an important concern. Herein, we provide an overview of the
      current epidemiologic evidence relating physical activity to cancer recurrence.
      We review the biologic mechanisms most commonly researched in the context of
      physical activity and cancer outcomes, and, using the example of colorectal
      cancer, we explore hypothesized mechanisms through which physical activity might
      intervene in the colorectal recurrence pathway. Our review highlights the
      importance of considering pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis activity, as well as
      cancer stage and timing of recurrence, in epidemiologic studies. In addition,
      more epidemiologic research is needed with cancer recurrence as a consistently
      defined outcome studied separately from survival. Future mechanistic research
      using randomized controlled trials, specifically those demonstrating the exercise
      responsiveness of hypothesized mechanisms in early stages of carcinogenesis, are
      needed to inform recommendations about when to exercise and to anticipate
      additive or synergistic effects with other preventive behaviors or treatments.

PMID- 28620704
TI  - Ranibizumab versus dexamethasone implant for central retinal vein occlusion: the
      RANIDEX study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare intravitreal ranibizumab and dexamethasone implant in
      patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to central retinal vein occlusion
      (CRVO). METHODS: Participants were 42 treatment naive patients with ME due to
      CRVO, who received either intravitreal 0.5 mg ranibizumab (n = 25) or
      intravitreal 0.7 mg dexamethasone implant (n = 17). The main outcomes included
      the mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield
      thickness (CST) at month 12 compared to baseline in the two groups. RESULTS: At
      month 12, there was no statistically significant difference in BCVA and CST
      change between the two groups. However, there was recurrence in ME at month 5 in
      the dexamethasone group. CONCLUSIONS: Both ranibizumab and dexamethasone implant
      were found to be safe and effective at the 12-month follow-up in patients with ME
      secondary to CRVO. Since there was a recurrence in ME at month 5 in the
      dexamethasone group, we suggested that intravitreal injection of dexamethasone
      implant should be potentially administered sooner than 6 months.

PMID- 28620705
TI  - Topical bevacizumab treatment in aniridia.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report the results of long-term topical treatment with bevacizumab
      (Avastin) 5 mg/mL eyedrops in a case of aniridia-related neovacularization of the
      cornea. METHODS: Interventional case report. A female patient with aniridia had a
      decrease in the best corrected visual acuity from 0.32 to 0.02 in the OS over the
      course of 4 years, secondary to central corneal neovascularization and epithelial
      breakdown. Vision in the OD was 0.2. In 2008, at age 28, a shared decision was
      made to start off-label treatment with bevacizumab eyedrops 0.5% in both eyes.
      After 9 years, the visual acuity in the OD remained stable, with stability of the
      macropannus and maintenance of central corneal clarity. In the OS, the central
      corneal neovascularization regressed, the epithelium regained its clarity, and
      after cataract surgery visual acuity was regained to 0.32. RESULTS: After 9 years
      of treatment with topical bevacizumab, vision acuity is comparable to the
      situation of 12 years previously: Visual acuity remained stable in the ODS.
      CONCLUSION: In a young patient with progressive corneal neovascularization
      secondary to aniridia, stability of central corneal neovascularization was
      obtained and corneal clarity was preserved by adding a daily drop of bevacizumab
      5 mg/mL. No adverse events occurred. Vessel growth was inhibited, and as such,
      the progression of the natural history of the patient's disease was halted. More
      clinical study with longer follow-up is needed to investigate the applicability
      of treatment with topical VEGF inhibitors in aniridia.

PMID- 28620706
TI  - Complete corneal ring (MyoRing) implantation versus MyoRing implantation combined
      with corneal collagen crosslinking for keratoconus: 3-year follow-up.
AB  - PURPOSE: To estimate the effectiveness of complete corneal ring (MyoRing)
      implantation compared with MyoRing implantation combined with corneal collagen
      crosslinking (CXL) for keratoconus treatment for 36 months follow-up. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MyoRing implantation was
      performed in a series of 78 patients (80 eyes) with keratoconus II-III Amsler
      classification, of these 39 eyes had MyoRing implantation combined with CXL.
      Implantation of a MyoRing in the corneal pocket was performed using a PocketMaker
      microkeratome and corneal intrastromal implantation system. During CXL,
      riboflavin solution 0.1% was injected into the corneal pocket through the
      incision tunnel and standard surface UVA irradiation (370 nm, 3 mW/cm2) was then
      applied from 5-cm distance for 30 min. RESULTS: Significant improvements in
      uncorrected distance visual acuity and corrected distance visual acuity were
      observed for both groups, which was relatively better 12 months after procedure
      in MyoRing alone group; however, in 36 months there was no difference between
      groups. Keratometry was reduced in both groups; after MyoRing implantation for
      8.45 D and MyoRing + CXL for 9.43 D, the spherical equivalent decreased from 8.45
      to 7.72 D and from 9.43 to 6.25 D, respectively. The cylinder decreased to 3.33 D
      with MyoRing alone and to 3.31 D with MyoRing + CXL. Corneal thickness remained
      nearly unchanged (from 433.69 +/- 38.76 to 434.21 +/- 34.98) in MyoRing group and
      decreased from baseline (from 426.93 +/- 46.58 to 401.24 +/- 39.12 um) in MyoRing
      + CXL group 36 months postoperatively, which corresponds with pachymetry
      reduction after conventional CXL. CONCLUSION: Both MyoRing implantation and
      MyoRing combined with CXL were effective for treating keratoconus. At 36 months,
      there were slightly better outcomes in MyoRing + CXL group; however, in MyoRing
      alone group visual and refractive outcomes were stable overtime.

PMID- 28620707
TI  - Treatment of patients with neurotrophic keratitis stages 2 and 3 with plasma rich
      in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret) eye-drops.
AB  - PURPOSE: To provide preliminary data about efficacy and safety of plasma rich in
      growth factors (PRGF) eye-drops in neurotrophic keratitis (NK) and to analyze the
      possible influence of certain variables on treatment outcomes. METHODS: This
      retrospective study included patients with stages 2-3 of NK treated with PRGF eye
      drops. Primary endpoint was the resolution time of corneal ulcer defect. Outcome
      measures including percentage of ulcer closure at 4 weeks, Ocular Surface Disease
      Index (OSDI), Best-Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
      were also evaluated before and after treatment with PRGF. The influence of some
      patients' clinical variables on results was assessed. Safety assessment was also
      performed reporting all adverse events. RESULTS: Thirty-eight treated eyes in a
      total of thirty-one patients were evaluated, of which five cases had no prior
      response to autologous serum treatment. Most cases (97.4%) achieved the complete
      resolution of corneal defect/ulcer. Mean resolution time was 11.4 weeks (SD =
      13.7). A statistical significant (p < 0.05) reduction in OSDI (60.9%), VAS
      frequency (59.9%), VAS severity (57.0%) and improvement in BCVA (52.8%) was
      observed. The results were stratified according to the pathology stage and to the
      identified potential effect modifiers variables. Only one adverse event was
      reported in one patient (2.6%). CONCLUSIONS: PRGF eye-drops could be a safe and
      effective therapeutic option for patients with stages 2-3 of NK, showing high
      rates of corneal defect/ulcer resolution in short times, either in reducing signs
      and symptoms of NK, and therefore preventing the progression of NK to greater
      ocular complications.

PMID- 28620709
TI  - Artificial hearts-recent progress: republication of the article published in the
      Japanese Journal of Artificial Organs.
AB  - This review was created based on a translation of the Japanese review written in
      the Japanese Journal of Artificial Organs in 2015 (Vol.44, No. 3, pp.130-135),
      with some modifications regarding several references published in 2015 or later.

PMID- 28620708
TI  - Validation of Fourier analysis of videokeratographic data.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim was to assess the repeatability of Fourier transfom analysis of
      videokeratographic data using Pentacam in normal (CG), keratoconic (KC) and post
      CXL (CXL) corneas. METHODS: This was a prospective, clinic-based, observational
      study. One randomly selected eye from all study participants was included in the
      analysis: 62 normal eyes (CG group), 33 keratoconus eyes (KC group), while 34
      eyes, which had already received CXL treatment, formed the CXL group. Fourier
      analysis of keratometric data were obtained using Pentacam, by two different
      operators within each of two sessions. Precision, repeatability and Intraclass
      Correlation Coefficient (ICC), were calculated for evaluating intrassesion and
      intersession repeatability for the following parameters: Spherical Component
      (SphRmin, SphEcc), Maximum Decentration (Max Dec), Regular Astigmatism, and
      Irregularitiy (Irr). Bland-Altman analysis was used for assessing interobserver
      repeatability. RESULTS: All parameters were presented to be repeatable, reliable
      and reproductible in all groups. Best intrasession and intersession repeatability
      and reliability were detected for parameters SphRmin, SphEcc and Max Dec
      parameters for both operators using ICC (intrasession: ICC > 98%, intersession:
      ICC > 94.7%) and within subject standard deviation. Best precision and lowest
      range of agreement was found for the SphRmin parameter (CG: 0.05, KC: 0.16, and
      CXL: 0.2) in all groups, while the lowest repeatability, reliability and
      reproducibility was detected for the Irr parameter. CONCLUSIONS: The Pentacam
      system provides accurate measurements of Fourier tranform keratometric data. A
      single Pentacam scan will be sufficient for most clinical applications.

PMID- 28620710
TI  - Investigation of some disinfection chemicals and water quality parameters in
      swimming pools in the city center and districts of Canakkale, Turkey.
AB  - In this study, the variations in concentrations of some disinfection chemicals
      such as cyanuric acid (CyA), free chlorine (FC), and residual chlorine (RC),
      which affect human health, were investigated in the water of swimming pools. In
      addition, quality parameters such as temperature, pH, and total alkalinity (TA)
      in 44 swimming pools located in the city center and districts of Canakkale,
      Turkey, were examined in the summer period. While FC and RC amounts were analyzed
      using tablet tests with N-N-diethyl phenylenediamine (DPD 1) and potassium iodine
      (DPD 3) using the colorimetric method in the comparator, TA and CyA levels were
      measured with a photometric method. Temperature and pH were measured using YSI
      556 MPS. Levels of CyA, FC, RC, pH, temperature, and TA varied between 0.00 and
      725.0 mg L-1 (108.0 +/- 111.4 mg L-1), 0.00 and 5.00 mg L-1 (1.60 +/- 0.962 mg L
      1), 0 and 0.55 mg L-1 (0.087 +/- 0.059), 6.40 and 8.20 mg L-1 (7.30 +/- 0.038 mg
      L-1), 22.0 and 32.0  degrees C (27.6 +/- 1.45  degrees C), and 0.00 and 391.0 mg
      L-1 (129.3 +/- 89.0), respectively. The findings were compared to standard limit
      values of the Ministry of Health of the Turkish Republic and other countries. Not
      only maximum concentrations of CyA but also the average concentrations exceeded
      the standard limit values of different countries in July and August with high
      tourism activity in Turkey. Although there is no problem in view of average
      values of other quality parameters, there are some problems in view of the
      maximum values in pool waters compared to standard limit values.

PMID- 28620712
TI  - Challenges in the Provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care to Refugee and
      Migrant Women: A Q Methodological Study of Health Professional Perspectives.
AB  - This Q methodological study was conducted to examine the perspectives of health
      professionals in providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care to refugee
      and migrant women. Forty-seven health professionals rank-ordered 42 statements
      and commented on their rankings in subsequent open-ended questions. A bi-person
      factor analysis was performed and factors were extracted according to the
      centroid method with a varimax rotation. Seven factors each with a distinct and
      meaningful viewpoint were identified. These factors are: "Communication
      difficulties-hurdles to counselling", "Lack of access to culturally appropriate
      care", "Navigating SRH care", "Cultural constraints on effective communication",
      "Effects of the lack of cultural competency", "Impacts of low income and language
      barrier" and "SRH services are accessible, but not culturally relevant". A more
      culturally adaptive healthcare model that considers refugee and migrant women's
      linguistic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds; and engages health
      professionals on an ongoing process of building cultural competency is central to
      improve SRH access to these women.

PMID- 28620711
TI  - Evaluating expected outcomes of acid remediation in an intensively mined
      Appalachian watershed.
AB  - Assessments of watershed-based restoration efforts are rare but are essential for
      the science of stream restoration to advance. We conducted a watershed scale
      assessment of Abram Creek before and after implementation of a watershed-based
      plan designed to maximize ecological recovery from acid mine drainage (AMD)
      impairment. We surveyed water chemistry, physical habitat, benthic
      macroinvertebrates, and fish community structure in three stream types: AMD
      impacted (14 streams), AMD-treated (13 streams), and unimpaired reference (4
      streams). We used in-stream measurements to quantify ecological loss from AMD,
      the amount of ecological recovery expected through remediation, and the observed
      degree of post-treatment recovery. Sites impaired by AMD improved in water
      quality with AMD treatment. Dissolved metals and acidity declined significantly
      in treated streams, but sulfate and specific conductance did not. Likewise, sites
      impaired by AMD improved in bio-condition scores with AMD treatment. EPT genera
      increased significantly but were lower compared to unimpaired streams. We found
      fish at nine treated sites that had none before treatment. Community-level
      analyses indicated improved but altered assemblages with AMD treatment. Analysis
      of pre-treatment conditions indicated that only 30% of the historic fishery
      remained. Remediation was expected to recover 66% of the historic fishery value,
      and assessment of post-treatment conditions indicates that 52% of the historic
      fishery has been recovered after 3 years. Developing expected endpoints for
      restoration outcomes provides a tool to objectively evaluate successes and can
      guide adaptive management strategies.

PMID- 28620713
TI  - Angiopoietin receptor TEK interacts with CYP1B1 in primary congenital glaucoma.
AB  - Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) is a severe autosomal recessive ocular disorder
      associated with considerable clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Recently, rare
      heterozygous alleles in the angiopoietin receptor-encoding gene TEK were
      implicated in PCG. We undertook this study to ascertain the second mutant allele
      in a large cohort (n = 337) of autosomal recessive PCG cases that carried
      heterozygous TEK mutations. Our investigations revealed 12 rare heterozygous
      missense mutations in TEK by targeted sequencing. Interestingly, four of these
      TEK mutations (p.E103D, p.I148T, p.Q214P, and p.G743A) co-occurred with three
      heterozygous mutations in another major PCG gene CYP1B1 (p.A115P, p.E229K, and
      p.R368H) in five families. The parents of these probands harbored either of the
      heterozygous TEK or CYP1B1 alleles and were asymptomatic, indicating a potential
      digenic mode of inheritance. Furthermore, we ascertained the interactions of TEK
      and CYP1B1 by co-transfection and pull-down assays in HEK293 cells. Ligand
      responsiveness of the wild-type and mutant TEK proteins was assessed in HUVECs
      using immunofluorescence analysis. We observed that recombinant TEK and CYP1B1
      proteins interact with each other, while the disease-associated allelic
      combinations of TEK (p.E103D)::CYP1B1 (p.A115P), TEK (p.Q214P)::CYP1B1 (p.E229K),
      and TEK (p.I148T)::CYP1B1 (p.R368H) exhibit perturbed interaction. The mutations
      also diminished the ability of TEK to respond to ligand stimulation, indicating
      perturbed TEK signaling. Overall, our data suggest that interaction of TEK and
      CYP1B1 contributes to PCG pathogenesis and argue that TEK-CYP1B1 may perform
      overlapping as well as distinct functions in manifesting the disease etiology.

PMID- 28620714
TI  - The outcome of I-131 ablation therapy for intermediate and high-risk
      differentiated thyroid cancer using a strict definition of successful ablation.
AB  - PURPOSE: This article examines the outcome of radioactive iodine ablation therapy
      for thyroid cancer in high-risk patients and investigates background factors
      influencing ablation failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included 91 patients in
      this retrospective analysis and evaluated the ablation success rate. Successful
      ablation was defined as the absence of visible iodine-131 (I-131) accumulation in
      the thyroid bed after whole-body scans and thyroglobulin levels <2 ng/ml in a TSH
      stimulated state after ablation. We extracted data on patients' age, sex, I-131
      dose, pathology, resection stump findings, tumor T category and thyroglobulin
      levels, which could affect ablation outcome. RESULTS: Successful ablation was
      achieved in only 14 patients (15.4%). Pre-ablation serum thyroglobulin levels
      were significantly higher in the ablation failure group than in the success group
      (P < 0.001), while no significant differences were found for other factors
      between the groups. Furthermore, thyroglobulin levels >10 ng/ml were
      significantly related to ablation failure after multivariate analysis (odds ratio
      27.2; 95% confidence interval 2.469-299.7; P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The ablation
      success rate was very low because of high thyroglobulin levels, even with high
      dose I-131. High-risk patients, especially those with high thyroglobulin levels
      (>10 ng/ml), are unlikely to reach levels low enough to meet successful ablation
      criteria.

PMID- 28620715
TI  - Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension: the very basics.

PMID- 28620716
TI  - Factors affecting responsiveness to hepatitis B immunization in dialysis
      patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are
      widespread health problems all over the world and have high morbidity and
      mortality. Hemodialysis patients are more frequently exposed to these viruses as
      they have poor immune system and frequently undergo parenteral interventions. The
      vaccination against HBV prevents infection and it has been recommended for the
      prevention of HBV infection in all susceptible dialysis patients. This study
      aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infections and analyzed the
      factors affecting inadequate response to HBV vaccine in dialysis patients.
      METHODS: The data for 584 dialysis patients that were followed up at seven
      dialysis centers were analyzed. The patients received four doses of 40 MUg
      recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at 0, 1, 2, and 6 months and were tested for anti
      HBs titer after one month of completion of vaccination. If patients showed a
      titer of anti-HBs <10 IU/mL, an additional 40 MUg in four vaccine doses was
      administered immediately and they were retested for the anti-HBs following the
      same schedule. The patients were divided into two groups: responders and non
      responders. RESULTS: HBsAg and anti-HCV seroprevalence was 3.4% and 10.3%,
      respectively. After vaccination schedule, 264 (83.5%) patients had antibody
      response to HBV vaccine and 52 (16.5%) had no response. Hepatitis B vaccine
      unresponsiveness is more common in the patients with hepatitis C positivity (p =
      0.011), BMI >30 (p = 0.019), over the age of 65 years (p = 0.009), and duration
      of dialysis treatment >5 years (p = 0.001). There was no statistically
      significant difference between gender, causes of renal disease, erythropoietin
      treatment, and the type of dialysis. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis C infection, obesity,
      being elderly, and having long hemodialysis period reduced the hepatitis B
      vaccination response in hemodialysis patients.

PMID- 28620717
TI  - Multiple variants in families with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and
      frontotemporal dementia related to C9orf72 repeat expansion: further observations
      on their oligogenic nature.
AB  - The C9orf72 repeat expansion (RE) is one of the most frequent causative mutations
      of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
      However, it is still unclear how the C9orf72 RE can lead to a heterogeneous
      phenotype. Several reports have shown the coexistence of mutations in multiple
      ALS/FTD causative genes in the same family, suggesting an oligogenic etiology for
      ALS and FTD. Our aim was to investigate this phenomenon in an Italian group of
      ALS/FTD pedigrees carrying the C9orf72 RE. We included 11 subjects from 11
      pedigrees with ALS/FTD and the C9orf72 RE. Mutation screening of FUS, SOD1 and
      TARDBP genes was performed by direct sequencing. A dementia-specific custom
      designed targeted next-generation sequencing panel was used for screening
      dementia-associated genes mutations. We found genetic variants in additional ALS
      or dementia-related genes in four pedigrees, including the p.V47A variant in the
      TYROBP gene. As a group, double mutation carriers displayed a tendency toward a
      younger age at onset and a higher frequency of positive familiar history and of
      parkinsonism. Our observation supports the hypothesis that the co-presence of
      mutations in different genes may be relevant for the clinical expression of
      ALS/FTD and of their oligogenic nature.

PMID- 28620718
TI  - The phenotypic spectrum of ARHGEF9 includes intellectual disability, focal
      epilepsy and febrile seizures.
AB  - Mutations or structural genomic alterations of the X-chromosomal gene ARHGEF9
      have been described in male and female patients with intellectual disability.
      Hyperekplexia and epilepsy were observed to a variable degree, but incompletely
      described. Here, we expand the phenotypic spectrum of ARHGEF9 by describing a
      large Ethiopian-Jewish family with epilepsy and intellectual disability. The four
      affected male siblings, their unaffected parents and two unaffected female
      siblings were recruited and phenotyped. Parametric linkage analysis was performed
      using SNP microarrays. Variants from exome sequencing in two affected individuals
      were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. All affected male siblings had febrile
      seizures from age 2-3 years and intellectual disability. Three developed afebrile
      seizures between age 7-17 years. Three showed focal seizure semiology. None had
      hyperekplexia. A novel ARHGEF9 variant (c.967G>A, p.G323R, NM_015185.2) was
      hemizygous in all affected male siblings and heterozygous in the mother. This
      family reveals that the phenotypic spectrum of ARHGEF9 is broader than commonly
      assumed and includes febrile seizures and focal epilepsy with intellectual
      disability in the absence of hyperekplexia or other clinically distinguishing
      features. Our findings suggest that pathogenic variants in ARHGEF9 may be more
      common than previously assumed in patients with intellectual disability and mild
      epilepsy.

PMID- 28620719
TI  - Large coverage MR neurography in CIDP: diagnostic accuracy and
      electrophysiological correlation.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate large coverage magnetic resonance
      neurography (MRN) in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). In
      this prospective study, 18 patients with CIDP and 18 healthy controls were
      examined by a standardized MRN protocol at 3 T. Lumbosacral plexus was imaged by
      a T2-weighted 3D sequence and peripheral nerves of the upper and lower extremity
      by axial T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequences. Lesions were characterized by
      nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) and T2-weighted signal (nT2). Additionally, T2
      relaxometry of the sciatic nerve was performed using a multi-spin-echo sequence.
      All patients received a complementary electrophysiological exam. Patients with
      CIDP exhibited increased nerve CSA and nT2 compared to controls (p < 0.05) in a
      proximally predominating pattern. Receiver operating characteristic analysis
      revealed the best diagnostic accuracy for CSA of the lumbosacral plexus (AUC =
      0.88) and nT2 of the sciatic nerve (AUC = 0.88). CSA correlated with multiple
      electrophysiological parameters of demyelinating neuropathy (F wave latency,
      nerve conduction velocity) of sciatic and median nerve, while nT2 only correlated
      with F wave latency of sciatic and not median nerve. T2 relaxometry indicated
      that MR signal increase in CIDP was due to an increase in proton-spin-density (p
      < 0.05), and not due to the increase in T2 relaxation time. Both nT2 and CSA
      might aid in the diagnosis of CIDP, but CSA correlates more robustly with
      established electrophysiological parameters for CIDP. Since the best diagnostic
      accuracy was shown for proximal nerve locations, MRN may be a useful
      complementary tool in selected CIDP cases.

PMID- 28620720
TI  - Lower medulla hypoplasia in Friedreich ataxia: MR Imaging confirmation 140 years
      later.

PMID- 28620721
TI  - A novel gain-of-function mutation in the ITPR1 suppressor domain causes
      spinocerebellar ataxia with altered Ca2+ signal patterns.
AB  - We report three affected members, a mother and her two children, of a non
      consanguineous Irish family who presented with a suspected autosomal dominant
      spinocerebellar ataxia characterized by early motor delay, poor coordination,
      gait ataxia, and dysarthria. Whole exome sequencing identified a novel missense
      variant (c.106C>T; p.[Arg36Cys]) in the suppressor domain of type 1 inositol
      1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor gene (ITPR1) as the cause of the disorder, resulting
      in a molecular diagnosis of spinocerebellar ataxia type 29. In the absence of
      grandparental DNA, microsatellite genotyping of healthy family members was used
      to confirm the de novo status of the ITPR1 variant in the affected mother, which
      supported pathogenicity. The Arg36Cys variant exhibited a significantly higher
      IP3-binding affinity than wild-type (WT) ITPR1 and drastically changed the
      property of the intracellular Ca2+ signal from a transient to a sigmoidal
      pattern, supporting a gain-of-function disease mechanism. To date, ITPR1 mutation
      has been associated with a loss-of-function effect, likely due to reduced Ca2+
      release. This is the first gain-of-function mechanism to be associated with ITPR1
      related SCA29, providing novel insights into how enhanced Ca2+ release can also
      contribute to the pathogenesis of this neurological disorder.

PMID- 28620722
TI  - Testing the Amotivational Syndrome: Marijuana Use Longitudinally Predicts Lower
      Self-Efficacy Even After Controlling for Demographics, Personality, and Alcohol
      and Cigarette Use.
AB  - The marijuana amotivational syndrome posits that cannabis use fosters apathy
      through the depletion of motivation-based constructs such as self-efficacy. The
      current study pursued a two-round design to rule out concomitant risk factors
      responsible for the connection from marijuana intake to lower general self
      efficacy. College students (N = 505) completed measures of marijuana use,
      demographics (age, gender, and race), personality (extraversion, agreeableness,
      conscientiousness, openness, and neuroticism), other substance use (alcohol and
      tobacco), and general self-efficacy (initiative, effort, and persistence) in two
      assessments separated by a month. Hierarchical regression models found that
      marijuana use forecasted lower initiative and persistence, even after
      statistically ruling out 13 pertinent baseline covariates including demographics,
      personality traits, alcohol use, tobacco use, and self-efficacy subscales. A
      cross-lagged panel model involving initiative, effort, persistence, alcohol use,
      cigarette use, and marijuana use sought to unravel the temporal precedence of
      processes. Results showed that only marijuana (but not alcohol or tobacco) intake
      significantly and longitudinally prompted lower initiative and persistence.
      Furthermore, in the same model, the opposite temporal direction of events from
      lower general self-efficacy subscales to marijuana use was untenable. Findings
      provide partial support for the marijuana amotivational syndrome, underscore
      marijuana as a risk factor for decreased general self-efficacy, and offer
      implications and insights for marijuana prevention and future research.

PMID- 28620723
TI  - Advances in EBI Development for Diverse Populations: Towards a Science of
      Intervention Adaptation.
AB  - This introduction examines major issues and challenges as presented in this
      special issue of Prevention Science, "Challenges to the Dissemination and
      Implementation of Evidence Based Prevention Interventions for Diverse
      Populations." We describe the Fidelity-Adaptation Dilemma that became the origin
      of dynamic tensions in prevention science. It generated controversies and debates
      and new perspectives on the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based
      interventions (EBIs) within diverse populations. The five articles in this
      special issue address many of these challenges. These dynamic tensions have
      culminated in a reframing of this dilemma that now argues that fidelity and
      adaptation are both equally important imperatives. These five articles also
      examine the abiding challenges of engagement and sustainability. Also, two
      commentaries from expert research investigators reflect on these five articles
      and their contributions to prevention science. The current introduction describes
      this "second generation" of EBIs as they may contribute towards a reduction of
      the health disparities and inequities that disproportionately affect sectors of
      the major ethnocultural populations in the USA. We also present a systems
      analysis of approaches and challenges in the dissemination and implementation of
      EBIs within the contemporary integrative care environment. Finally, we mention an
      initiative for, "building a science of intervention adaptation," that proposes
      systematic research and the creation of an archive of scientific data on the
      benefits and problems of intervention adaptation. Collectively, these new
      directions can integrate scientific rigor and sensitivity to cultural factors,
      for enhancing the effectiveness and reach of this second generation of evidence
      based interventions with diverse ethnocultural populations.

PMID- 28620724
TI  - European perspective: Comparing the AHA/ACC and ESC guidelines for the management
      of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac
      death.

PMID- 28620725
TI  - Understanding adaptations to patient-centered medical home activities: The PCMH
      adaptations model.
AB  - Primary care practices have increasingly adopted the patient-centered medical
      home (PCMH) model and often adapted quality improvement efforts to fit local
      context. This paper implemented a modified framework for understanding
      adaptations in the context of primary care PCMH transformation efforts. We
      combined an adaptations model by Stirman et al. that categorized adaptations to
      evidence-based interventions in research studies with dimensions from the RE-AIM
      framework, as well as items specific to PCMH. The resulting constructs were
      translated into a "plain English" adaptations interview. We conducted interviews
      with 27 practices and used resulting descriptive categories to inform exploratory
      analyses of the relationships between adaptation characteristics and improvement
      outcomes in PCMH domains of team-based care and data capacity. Practices most
      commonly focused on development and use of disease registries and enhancements to
      team-based care (not disease-specific outcomes). Adaptations were common, with
      practices most frequently making changes to format or personnel. Adaptations were
      most often intended to increase effectiveness and based on pragmatic
      considerations. Generally similar adaptation themes emerged across different
      content topics (registry and quality improvement team). Adaptations initiated or
      carried out by the entire team or made in early to middle stages of the project
      were most related to outcome measures of team-based care and data capacity. This
      paper extends adaptation models from specific interventions in research studies
      to PCMH quality improvement efforts. Despite limitations, the PCMH Adaptations
      Model provided a useful framework to understand adaptations in this context.

PMID- 28620726
TI  - Determination of the Cadmium, Chromium, Nickel, and Lead Ions Relays in Selected
      Polish Medicinal Plants and Their Infusion.
AB  - Concentration of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were determined in peppermint leaves (Folium
      Menthae piperitae), chamomile blossom (Anthodium Chamomillae), and their
      infusions by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) after microwave digestion of
      plants samples. Peppermint and chamomile preparations by five different producers
      were purchased at various pharmacies in Poland. Infusions were made from herbs
      according to prescription for patients, provided by the producer of medicine on
      the package. Results show that in exam of medicinal plants the content of cadmium
      exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) standards. The highest level of
      extraction was observed for Ni (50-70% of the total content in herb), Cr (28
      36%), Cd (14-16%), and the lowest for Pb (about 6%). The calculated daily intake
      all analyzed elements was very low. Phytotherapy with using of these herbs is
      safe for health of patient even in case of long time therapy.

PMID- 28620727
TI  - Investigation of Trace Element Content in the Seeds, Pulp, and Peel of Mashui
      Oranges Using Microwave Digestion and ICP-MS Analysis.
AB  - Fresh Mashui orange samples were pretreated with microwave digestion using an
      HNO3-H2O2 system. The levels of Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb in the
      seeds, pulp, and peel were then determined using inductively coupled plasma mass
      spectrometry (ICP-MS) combined with collision cell technology (CCT) and kinetic
      energy discrimination (KED). The standard curve coefficient of determinations of
      the ten tested elements were between 0.9995 and 0.9999. The instrument detection
      limit was between 0.112 ng/L and 3.05 ng/mL. The method detection limit was
      between 0.0281 and 763 ng/g. The average recovery rate was between 85.0 and 117%.
      The current results showed that Mashui oranges are rich in three elements, namely
      Mg, K, and Ca. The concentrations of K and Ca were significantly higher than that
      of Mg in the peel. The content of K was the highest in the seeds. Fe, Mn, Cu, and
      Zn had the second highest concentrations, and Fe was the highest in the seeds,
      while Cu was the lowest in the peel. As, Cd, and Pb (hazardous elements) had the
      lowest concentrations of all the tested elements.

PMID- 28620728
TI  - Contents of Heavy Metals in Chinese Edible Herbs: Evidence from a Case Study of
      Epimedii Folium.
AB  - Toxic heavy metal contamination in Chinese edible herbs has raised a worldwide
      concern. In this study, heavy metals in Epimedii Folium, an edible medicinal
      plant in China, were quantitatively analyzed. Variations of heavy metals in
      different species, in various organs (i.e., leaves, stems, and roots), in wild
      growing and cultivated plants, and in 35 market samples of Epimedii Folium, were
      systematically investigated. In all of Epimedium samples, Hg (mercury) was not
      detectable (0.00 MUg/g). Four species, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium sagittatum,
      Epimedium brevicornu, and Epimedium wushanense, were found to contain Cu (copper)
      and Pb (lead). And contents of Cu and Pb in E. brevicornu were significantly
      higher than those in other species (P < 0.01). In wild-growing and cultivated
      Epimedium plants, Cd (cadmium) and As (arsenic) were not detectable, and
      concentrations of Cu and Pb in wild-growing plants were significantly higher than
      those in cultivated plants (P < 0.01). Cd was not detectable in leaves, roots,
      and stems, while organ specificity was apparent in the distribution of Cu, As,
      and Pb. And the highest levels of Cu and Pb were observed in roots and leaves,
      respectively. In Chinese markets, several samples of Epimedii Folium contained
      excessive Cu, Cd, As, and Pb beyond the national permissible limits. In summary,
      there was a large variation of heavy metals among Epimedii Folium samples, and Cu
      and Pb were the most important heavy metals contaminating the edible medicinal
      plant. Application of Epimedii Folium to drug and food industries will need to
      focus more on toxic heavy metal contamination.

PMID- 28620729
TI  - Subchronic Arsenism Disorders mRNA Expression of Cytokines and Immunoglobulins in
      the Intestinal Tract of the Cock.
AB  - Provision of feed containing arsenic may cause intestinal flora imbalance and
      consequently, the dysfunction of immunological protection of the cock. To
      understand the intricate tuning of immune responses in the intestinal tract
      elicited by subchronic arsenism, a cock model (1-day-old Hy-line cocks) was
      established by subjecting cocks to different environmentally relevant
      concentrations of arsenic in the diet for 90 days. Intestinal cytokine and
      immunoglobulin (Ig) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels were determined using
      real-time PCR on days 30, 60, and 90. Results showed that, compared to those of
      the control groups, the mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, and
      interferon (IFN)-gamma displayed increases on day 30 then decreases on days 60
      and 90 dose-dependently in every tissue. Except for the decrease in the jejunum,
      the mRNA levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were increased in the duodenum, ileum, cecum,
      and rectum. However, the mRNA levels of IL-12beta decreased in every tissue and
      every time point compared to those of the control groups. In contrast, chicks
      showed considerably higher expression levels of IgA, IgM, and IgG after exposure
      to arsenic. These results demonstrated that immune strategies of cocks were
      disturbed when suffered from subchronic arsenism, at least on the intestinal
      level.

PMID- 28620730
TI  - Advances Towards Painless Vaccination and Newer Modes of Vaccine Delivery.
AB  - Vaccines have been successful in reducing the mortality and morbidity, but most
      of them are delivered by intramuscular or intravenous route. They are associated
      with pain to the baby and bring lot of anxiety for the parents. There has been a
      marked increase in the number of injections required in first two years of life
      for completing the vaccination schedule. Hence, there is a need to have a
      painless vaccine delivery system. Numerous new routes of vaccination like, oral,
      nasal and transdermal routes are being tried. Oral polio and intranasal influenza
      have already been a success. Other newer approaches like edible vaccines, nasal
      sprays, dry powder preparations, jet injectors, microneedles and nanopatches are
      promising in delivering painless vaccines. Many of them are under clinical
      trials. These vaccine delivery systems will not only be painless but also cost
      effective, safe and easy to administer in mass population. They may be devoid of
      the need of cold chain. Painless delivery system will ensure better compliance to
      vaccination schedule.

PMID- 28620732
TI  - Mucolipidosis Type IV Due to Novel MCOLN1 Mutation.

PMID- 28620731
TI  - Retinoblastoma.
AB  - Retinoblastoma represents 3% of all childhood cancers, and is the most common
      intraocular malignancy of childhood. It is fatal, if untreated. White eye reflex,
      also known as leukocoria, is the commonest sign, followed by strabismus. The
      pediatricians have a very important role to play in the diagnosis of this
      relatively rare, but easily detectable tumor. Early diagnosis yields better
      results. The management of retinoblastoma has gradually evolved over the past few
      decades, with an aim to not only preserve life and eye, but also optimize
      residual vision. The treatment of retinoblastoma is multimodal, with
      chemotherapy, focal treatment including trans-pupillary thermotherapy,
      cryotherapy and laser photocoagulation, radiation therapy and surgery, all
      playing a vital role. Intravenous chemotherapy has been the mainstay of treatment
      for the past two decades, and still continues to be the most extensively used eye
      saving modality of treatment. Periocular and intravitreal chemotherapy have
      specific indications in the management of retinoblastoma. Intra-arterial
      chemotherapy has emerged as a promising alternative for advanced and refractory
      retinoblastoma, both as a primary and secondary therapy. Recent advances in
      genetics of retinoblastoma have also helped in improving the overall clinical
      management of this malignancy.

PMID- 28620733
TI  - Management of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia in Newborn - Paradigm Shift and
      Ethical Issues.
AB  - Management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) begins soon after it is
      detected, whether antenatally or postnatally. Assessment of the severity of the
      condition, associated congenital anomalies, maternal health and related issues,
      weight of the fetus/baby, mode of delivery, timing of delivery, immediate
      appropriate management of the baby with CDH at birth, appropriate utilization of
      available treatment modalities as well as infrastructure of the treating
      institute have an impact on the outcome of the neonate. Survival without
      significant long-term/permanent morbidity is considered as good outcome. With
      advances in antenatal diagnosis, several legal and ethical considerations have
      cropped up. While on one hand there are proponents of early antenatal diagnosis
      and medical termination of pregnancy (MTP), on the other hand there are several
      socio-cultural groups who look upon human life as precious and argue against MTP.
      There is an ongoing ethical battle between maternal vs. fetal rights; there is no
      way to put a lid on the controversy whether the mother be allowed to choose in
      favor of MTP after being aware of the anomalous fetus or, we must attempt to save
      every fetus irrespective of the antenatal diagnosis of life-threatening
      anomalies. Notwithstanding, appropriate assessment of the condition, thorough
      counseling and sound evidence-based decisions could avert ethical dilemma in most
      cases. This review article provides information about the various choices
      available in the diagnostic and treatment armamentarium, though it should be kept
      in mind that the entire spectrum of management strategies may not be universally
      available.

PMID- 28620734
TI  - Erratum to: A best practice position statement on pregnancy in chronic kidney
      disease: the Italian Study Group on Kidney and Pregnancy.

PMID- 28620735
TI  - Meningocele manque: a comprehensive review of this enigmatic finding in occult
      spinal dysraphism.
AB  - The term meningocele manque (MM) was coined in 1972 to describe a broad range of
      surgical findings characterized by intradural bands tethering neural structures
      to the dorsal dura. Over the following decades, reports continued to lump
      intradural tethering bands associated with a variety of comorbidities under the
      umbrella term MM. In more recent years, disorders previously called MM have been
      identified as embryologically distinct and were reclassified. While this
      sectioning continues, there remains a set of intradural tethering disorders for
      which no better term than MM exists. Herein, we comprehensively review the
      literature surrounding MM, including embryological disorders, clinical,
      radiographic, and surgical presentation, as well as alternative classification
      methods and MM treatment.

PMID- 28620736
TI  - Revisiting Prostate Cancer Screening Practices Among Vermont Primary Care
      Physicians.
AB  - The objective of this study was to assess the prostate cancer screening practices
      of Vermont primary care physicians and compare them with a prior study in 2001.
      An electronic survey was created and emailed to all currently practicing primary
      care physicians in Vermont. Data was stratified by practice length, practice
      location, university affiliation, and internal medicine versus family practice.
      Surveys were received from 123 (27.2%) primary care physicians. 27.7% of
      physicians in practice <10 years recommended prostate specific antigen (PSA)
      testing, compared with 55.9% of those practicing >=10 years (p = 0.006). Of those
      who modified their recommendations in the past 5 years, 96.1% reported that the
      United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) 2012 statement influenced
      them. Respondents who continued to use PSA testing were less likely to stop
      screening after age 80 compared with those surveyed in 2001 (51% in 2014 vs. 74%
      in 2001; p <0.001). Primary care physicians in practice for 10 or more years were
      more likely to recommend PSA-based screening than those in practice for less
      time. The USPSTF statement discouraging PSA-based screening for prostate cancer
      has had significant penetrance among Vermont primary care physicians.

PMID- 28620737
TI  - Analysis of BMAA enantiomers in cycads, cyanobacteria, and mammals: in vivo
      formation and toxicity of D-BMAA.
AB  - Chronic dietary exposure to the cyanobacterial toxin beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine
      (BMAA) triggers neuropathology in non-human primates, providing support for the
      theory that BMAA causes a fatal neurodegenerative illness among the indigenous
      Chamorro people of Guam. However, since there are two stereoisomers of BMAA, it
      is important to know if both can occur in nature, and if so, what role they might
      play in disease causation. As a first step, we analysed both BMAA enantiomers in
      cyanobacteria, cycads, and in mammals orally dosed with L-BMAA, to determine if
      enantiomeric changes could occur in vivo. BMAA in cyanobacteria and cycads was
      found only as the L-enantiomer. However, while the L-enantiomer in mammals was
      little changed after digestion, we detected a small pool of D-BMAA in the liver
      (12.5%) of mice and in the blood plasma of vervets (3.6%). Chiral analysis of
      cerebrospinal fluid of vervets and hindbrain of mice showed that the free BMAA in
      the central nervous system was the D-enantiomer. In vitro toxicity investigations
      with D-BMAA showed toxicity, mediated through AMPA rather than NMDA receptors.
      These findings raise important considerations concerning the neurotoxicity of
      BMAA and its relationship to neurodegenerative disease.

PMID- 28620738
TI  - Variation in sex pheromone emission does not reflect immunocompetence but affects
      attractiveness of male burying beetles-a combination of laboratory and field
      experiments.
AB  - Life history theory predicts a trade-off between male sexual trait expression and
      immunocompetence. Using burying beetles, Nicrophorus vespilloides, as a model, we
      investigated the relationship between male immune function, sex pheromone
      emission, and attractiveness under field conditions. In the first experiment, we
      tested whether there is a positive correlation between immune capacity, sex
      pheromone characteristics (quantity, relative composition, and time invested in
      pheromone emission), and male attractiveness. As a measurement of immune
      capacity, we used an individual's encapsulation ability against a novel antigen.
      In the second experiment, we specifically examined whether a trade-off between
      chemical trait expression and immune function existed. To this end, we challenged
      the immune system and measured the subsequent investment in sex pheromone
      emission and the attractiveness of the male under field conditions. We found that
      a male's immunocompetence was neither related to the emission of the male's sex
      pheromone nor to its attractiveness in the field. Furthermore, none of the immune
      challenge treatments affected the subsequent investment in pheromone emission or
      number of females attracted. However, we showed that the same males that emitted
      a high quantity of their sex pheromone in the laboratory were able to attract
      more females in the field. Our data suggest that the chemical signal is not a
      reliable predictor of a male's immunocompetence but rather is a general important
      fitness-related trait, with a higher emission of the sex pheromone measured in
      the laboratory directly affecting the attractiveness of a male under field
      conditions.

PMID- 28620739
TI  - Injuries of the spine and of the spinal cord in the Hippocratic Corpus of
      medicine.
AB  - The purpose of this review article is to summarize the views presented in the
      Hippocratic Corpus of Medicine regarding injuries of the spine, their effect on
      the spinal cord and the optimal treatment modulus. It is shown that the treatment
      dilemmas of ancient times in these injuries remain modern since Hippocrates
      suggested that conservative treatment and letting nature take its course is
      preferable over a devastating surgical treatment if the spinal cord structural
      integrity is not compromised. There is also a detailed account of the
      conservative treatment suggested in the Hippocratic Corpus concerning devices and
      method of closed spinal relocations.

PMID- 28620740
TI  - CORR Insights(r): Combined Administration of ASCs and BMP-12 Promotes an M2
      Macrophage Phenotype and Enhances Tendon Healing.

PMID- 28620741
TI  - A potential new, stable state of the E-cadherin strand-swapped dimer in solution.
AB  - E-cadherin is a transmembrane glycoprotein that facilitates inter-cellular
      adhesion in the epithelium. The ectodomain of the native structure is comprised
      of five repeated immunoglobulin-like domains. All E-cadherin crystal structures
      show the protein in one of three alternative conformations: a monomer, a strand
      swapped trans homodimer and the so-called X-dimer, which is proposed to be a
      kinetic intermediate to forming the strand-swapped trans homodimer. However,
      previous studies have indicated that even once the trans strand-swapped dimer is
      formed, the complex is highly dynamic and the E-cadherin monomers may reorient
      relative to each other. Here, molecular dynamics simulations have been used to
      investigate the stability and conformational flexibility of the human E-cadherin
      trans strand-swapped dimer. In four independent, 100 ns simulations, the dimer
      moved away from the starting structure and converged to a previously unreported
      structure, which we call the Y-dimer. The Y-dimer was present for over 90% of the
      combined simulation time, suggesting that it represents a stable conformation of
      the E-cadherin dimer in solution. The Y-dimer conformation is stabilised by
      interactions present in both the trans strand-swapped dimer and X-dimer crystal
      structures, as well as additional interactions not found in any E-cadherin dimer
      crystal structures. The Y-dimer represents a previously unreported, stable
      conformation of the human E-cadherin trans strand-swapped dimer and suggests that
      the available crystal structures do not fully capture the conformations that the
      human E-cadherin trans homodimer adopts in solution.

PMID- 28620742
TI  - Multireflection propagation of conformational kinks in a two-component model of
      DNA as the transfer mode of the transcriptional replication fork.
AB  - The propagation, or movement, of a conformational kink along a linear structure
      can occur in capture, transfer, or multireflection modes. Here we use a model for
      two-component bistable polymer molecules with energetically non-equivalent stable
      states to model the propagation of the DNA transcription bubble via movement of a
      non-linear longitudinal stretching region along the DNA chain. We show that under
      certain conditions the longitudinal excitation can act as a reflector for a
      conformational kink and, furthermore, that conformational switching may propagate
      in a multireflection mode alongside conformational kink transition and
      conformational kink trapping.

PMID- 28620743
TI  - Understanding the interactions of human follicle stimulating hormone with single
      walled carbon nanotubes by molecular dynamics simulation and free energy
      analysis.
AB  - Interactions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and blood proteins are of interest for
      nanotoxicology and nanomedicine. It is believed that the interactions of blood
      proteins and glycoproteins with CNTs may have important biological effects. In
      spite of many experimental studies of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and
      glycoproteins with different methods, little is known about the atomistic details
      of their association process or of structural alterations occurring in adsorbed
      glycoproteins. In this study, we have applied molecular dynamics simulation to
      investigate the interaction of follicle stimulating hormone (hFSH) with SWCNT.
      The aim of this work is to investigate possible mechanisms of nanotoxicity at a
      molecular level. We present details of the molecular dynamics, structure, and
      free energy of binding of hFSH on the surface of SWCNT. We find that hFSH in
      aqueous solution strongly adsorbs onto SWCNT via their concave surface as
      evidenced by high binding free energies for residues in both protein subunits. It
      was found that hydrophobic, pi-cation, and pi-pi stacking interactions are the
      main driving forces for the adsorption of the protein at the nanotube surface.

PMID- 28620744
TI  - Introduction to the Special Issue: Myocardial Imaging in Heart Failure.

PMID- 28620745
TI  - Strain imaging using cardiac magnetic resonance.
AB  - The objective assessments of left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV)
      ejection fractions (EFs) are the main important tasks of routine cardiovascular
      magnetic resonance (CMR). Over the years, CMR has emerged as the reference
      standard for the evaluation of biventricular morphology and function. However,
      changes in EF may occur in the late stages of the majority of cardiac diseases,
      and being a measure of global function, it has limited sensitivity for
      identifying regional myocardial impairment. On the other hand, current wall
      motion evaluation is done on a subjective basis and subjective, qualitative
      analysis has a substantial error rate. In an attempt to better quantify global
      and regional LV function; several techniques, to assess myocardial deformation,
      have been developed, over the past years. The aim of this review is to provide a
      comprehensive compendium of all the CMR techniques to assess myocardial
      deformation parameters as well as the application in different clinical
      scenarios.

PMID- 28620746
TI  - Uniparental disomy as an unexpected cause of Meckel-Gruber syndrome: report of a
      case.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS, OMIM #607361) is a rare pre- or
      perinatal lethal autosomal recessive ciliopathy caused by mutations in at least
      12 known genes. It has a clinical and genetic overlap with other viable
      ciliopathies, especially Joubert syndrome and Joubert syndrome-related disorders.
      MKS is characterized by multicystic kidney dysplasia, central nervous system
      malformations (usually occipital encephalocele), ductal plate malformation of the
      liver, and postaxial polydactyly. CASE DIAGNOSIS: We identified a homozygous
      mutation in TMEM67 (MKS3) in a fetus affected by MKS; however, only the mother
      was a carrier of the respective mutation. Genotyping with polymorphic
      microsatellite markers and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array revealed a
      maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) of the entire chromosome 8 (upd(8)mat),
      harboring TMEM67. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first reported case of UPD as a cause
      of MKS. The possible underlying mechanisms for uniparental disomy (UPD) are
      reviewed. Even if rare, awareness of UPD and comprehensive work-up in the case of
      unexpected homozygosity for a recessive mutation is essential for accurate
      genetic counseling and assessment of the risk of recurrence.

PMID- 28620747
TI  - Amniotic fluid cells: current progress and emerging challenges in renal
      regeneration.
AB  - Amniotic fluid (AF) contains a heterogeneous population of cells that have been
      identified to possess pluripotent and progenitor-like characteristics. These
      cells have been applied in various regenerative medicine applications ranging
      from in vitro cell differentiation to tissue engineering to cellular therapies
      for different organs including the heart, the liver, the lung, and the kidneys.
      In this review, we examine the different methodologies used for the derivation of
      amniotic fluid stem cells and renal progenitors, and their application in renal
      repair and regeneration. Moreover, we discuss the recent achievements and newly
      emerging challenges in our understanding of their biology, their immunoregulatory
      characteristics, and their paracrine-mediated therapeutic potential for the
      treatment of acute and chronic kidney diseases.

PMID- 28620748
TI  - Diversity of the Most Commonly Reported Facultative Symbionts in Two Closely
      Related Aphids with Different Host Ranges.
AB  - Richness and abundance of facultative symbionts vary strongly with aphid species
      and genotype, symbiont strain, host plant, biogeography, and a number of abiotic
      factors. Despite indications that aphids in the same ecological niche show
      similar levels of facultative symbiont richness, existing reports do not consider
      the potential role of host plants on aphid microbial community. Little is known
      about how oligophagy and polyphagy may be influenced by secondary symbiont
      distribution, mainly because studies on secondary symbiont diversity are biased
      towards polyphagous aphids from the Northern Hemisphere. Here, we demonstrate the
      richness and abundance of the most common aphid-associated facultative symbionts
      in two tropical aphid species, the oligophagous Aphis (Toxoptera) citricidus
      (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the polyphagous Aphis aurantii (Boyer de
      Fonscolombe) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Aphis citricidus is restricted to Citrus sp.
      host plants and closely related genera, whereas A. aurantii successfully exploits
      a wide variety of host plants from different families. Both were collected in the
      same ecological niche and our data basically indicated the same richness of
      secondary symbionts, but the abundance at which secondary symbionts occurred was
      very distinct between the two species. Spiroplasma was the most abundant
      facultative symbiont associated with A. citricidus and A. aurantii in the
      ecological niche studied. Single and multiple secondary symbiont infections were
      observed, but diversity of multiple infections was particularly high in A.
      citricidus. We discuss our findings and suggest hypotheses to explain causes and
      consequences of the differences in secondary symbiont diversity observed between
      these two aphid species.

PMID- 28620749
TI  - Bundles Prevent Surgical Site Infections After Colorectal Surgery: Meta-analysis
      and Systematic Review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Colorectal surgeries (CRS) have one of the highest rates of
      surgical site infections (SSIs) with rates 15 to >30%. Prevention "bundles" or
      sets of evidence-based interventions are structured ways to improve patient
      outcomes. The aim sof this study is to evaluate CRS SSI prevention bundles,
      bundle components, and implementation and compliance strategies. METHODS: A meta
      analysis of studies with pre- and post-implementation data was conducted to
      assess the impact of bundles on SSI rates (superficial, deep, and organ/space).
      Subgroup analysis of bundle components identified optimal bundle designs.
      RESULTS: Thirty-five studies (51,413 patients) were identified and 23 (17,557
      patients) were included in the meta-analysis. A SSI risk reduction of 40% (p <
      0.001) was noted with 44% for superficial SSI (p < 0.001) and 34% for organ/space
      (p = 0.048). Bundles with sterile closure trays (58.6 vs 33.1%), MBP with oral
      antibiotics (55.4 vs 31.8%), and pre-closure glove changes (56.9 vs 28.5%) had
      significantly greater SSI risk reduction. CONCLUSION: Bundles can effectively
      reduce the risk of SSIs after CRS, by fostering a cohesive environment,
      standardization, and reduction in operative variance. If implemented successfully
      and complied with, bundles can become vital to improving patients' surgical
      quality of care.

PMID- 28620750
TI  - High-precision radiotherapy for meningiomas : Long-term results and patient
      reported outcome (PRO).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term outcome after high-precision radiotherapy (RT)
      of meningioma patients in terms of survival and side effects. METHODS: We
      analyzed 275 meningioma cases: 147 low-grade and 43 high-grade meningiomas (WHO
      II: n = 40, III: n = 3). In all, 85 patients had no pathologically confirmed
      histology but were determined as low-grade based on multimodal imaging. Surgery
      was performed in 183 cases. RT was delivered as either radiosurgery (RS, n = 16),
      fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT, n = 241), or intensity-modulated
      radiation therapy (IMRT, n = 18). Of 218 patients contacted for patient-reported
      outcome (PRO), 207 responded (95%). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 7.2 years. For
      low-grade meningioma the survival rate (OS) was 97% at 3 years, 85% at 10 years,
      and 64% at 15 years, for atypical meningioma 91% at 3 years, 62% at 10 years, and
      50% at 15 years. Local control rate (PFS) for low-grade meningioma was 91% at 3
      years, 87% at 5 years, and 86% at 10 years, for atypical cases 67% at 3 years and
      55% at 5 years. Of all, 3.0% of patients reported worsened or new symptoms grade
      >=3 during RT and the first 6 months thereafter; 17.5% reported a deterioration
      after more than 2 years. We found the prognostic factors tumor volume and age
      significantly influencing OS and PFS. CONCLUSION: Complemented by PRO, we found
      long-term low toxicity rates in addition to excellent local control. Thus, due to
      the beneficial risk-benefit profile of benign and high-risk meningiomas, RT
      should be performed as adjuvant treatment and should not be postponed until tumor
      progression.

PMID- 28620751
TI  - Impact of a rectal and bladder preparation protocol on prostate cancer outcome in
      patients treated with external beam radiotherapy.
AB  - PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that a rectal and bladder
      preparation protocol is associated with an increase in prostate cancer specific
      survival (PCSS), clinical disease free survival (CDFS) and biochemical disease
      free survival (BDFS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1999 to 2012, 1080 prostate
      cancer (PCa) patients were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy
      (3DCRT). Of these patients, 761 were treated with an empty rectum and comfortably
      full bladder (RBP) preparation protocol, while for 319 patients no rectal/bladder
      preparation (NRBP) protocol was adopted. RESULTS: Compared with NRBP patients,
      patients with RBP had significantly higher BDFS (64% vs 48% at 10 years,
      respectively), CDFS (81% vs 70.5% at 10 years, respectively) and PCSS (95% vs 88%
      at 10 years, respectively) (log-rank test p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis (MVA)
      indicated for all treated patients and intermediate high-risk patients that the
      Gleason score (GS) and the rectal and bladder preparation were the most important
      prognostic factors for PCSS, CDFS and BDFS. With regard to high- and very high
      risk patients, GS, RBP, prostate cancer staging and RT dose were predictors of
      PCSS, CDFS and BDFS in univariate analysis (UVA). CONCLUSION: We found strong
      evidence that rectal and bladder preparation significantly decreases biochemical
      and clinical failures and the probability of death from PCa in patients treated
      without daily image-guided prostate localization, presumably since patients with
      RBP are able to maintain a reproducibly empty rectum and comfortably full bladder
      across the whole treatment compared with NRPB patients.

PMID- 28620752
TI  - Fatty metaplasia quantification and impact on regional myocardial function as
      assessed by advanced cardiac MR imaging.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the advantages of recently developed
      cardiac imaging techniques of fat-water separation and feature tracking to
      characterize better individuals with chronic myocardial infarction (MI).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients who had a previous MI underwent CMR
      imaging. The study protocol included routine cine and late gadolinium enhancement
      (LGE) technique. In addition, mDixon LGE imaging was performed in every patient.
      Left ventricular (LV) circumferential (EccLV) and radial (ErrLV) strain were
      calculated using dedicated software (CMR42, Circle, Calgary, Canada). The extent
      of global scar was measured in LGE and fat-water separated images to compare
      conventional and recent CMR imaging techniques. RESULTS: The infarct size derived
      from conventional LGE and fat-water separated images was similar. However,
      detection of lipomatous metaplasia was only possible with mDixon imaging.
      Subjects with fat deposition demonstrated a significantly smaller percentage of
      fibrosis than those without fat (10.68 +/- 5.07% vs. 13.83 +/- 6.30%; p = 0.005).
      There was no significant difference in EccLV or ErrLV between myocardial segments
      containing fibrosis only and fibrosis with fat. However, EccLV and ErrLV values
      were significantly higher in myocardial segments adjacent to fibrosis with fat
      deposition than in those adjacent to LGE only. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced CMR imaging
      ensures more detailed tissue characterization in patients with chronic MI without
      a relevant increase in imaging and post-processing time. Fatty metaplasia may
      influence regional myocardial deformation especially in the myocardial segments
      adjacent to scar tissue. A simplified and shortened myocardial viability CMR
      protocol might be useful to better characterize and stratify patients with
      chronic MI.

PMID- 28620753
TI  - Population pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine A in Japanese renal transplant
      patients: comprehensive analysis in a single center.
AB  - PURPOSE: Cyclosporine A (CyA), a potent immunosuppressive agent used in renal
      transplantation, has a narrow therapeutic window and a large variability in blood
      concentrations. This study aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PPK)
      model of CyA in living-donor renal transplant patients at a single center and
      identify factors influencing CyA pharmacokinetics (PK). METHODS: A total of 660
      points (preoperative) and 4785 points (postoperative) of blood concentration data
      from 98 patients who underwent renal transplantation were used. Pre- and
      postoperative CyA model structure and PPK parameters were separately estimated
      with a non-linear mixed-effect model, and subsequently, covariate analysis of
      postoperative data were comprehensively estimated, including preoperative PK
      parameters. RESULTS: A two-compartment model with first-order absorption and
      absorption lag time was selected in this study. Aspartate aminotransferase, body
      surface area (BSA), pretransplant area under the whole blood concentration-time
      curve/dose, and postoperative days were identified as the covariates on oral
      clearance. BSA was selected as a covariate of the distribution volume of the
      central compartment. In addition, diabetes mellitus was selected as a covariate
      of the first-order absorption rate. CONCLUSIONS: This PPK study used the largest
      number of blood concentration data among previous reports of living-donor renal
      transplant patients. Moreover, all patients received the same immunosuppressive
      regimen in a single center. Therefore, the validity of the selected covariates is
      reliable with high precision. The developed PPK model and selected covariates
      provide useful information about factors influencing CyA PK and greatly
      contributes to the identification of the most suitable dosing regimen for CyA.

PMID- 28620754
TI  - Variation in Pediatric Post-Ablation Care: A Survey of the Pediatric and
      Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES).
AB  - Although catheter ablation is a standard treatment for pediatric arrhythmias,
      there are no consensus guidelines for follow-up care. This study describes the
      variation in post-ablation practices identified through a survey of the pediatric
      and congenital electrophysiology society (PACES). Pediatric and congenital
      electrophysiology society members were invited to participate in an online survey
      of post-ablation practices in September 2014. Survey questions targeted routine
      post-ablation practices for three common arrhythmia substrates: atrioventricular
      nodal reentry tachycardia, concealed accessory pathways (AP), and manifest APs.
      Significant practice variation was defined as <90% concordance among respondents.
      There were 70 respondents from 67 centers, 29 (41%) in practice for <10 years.
      Uniform practices included aspirin after left side ablation by 65 (93%),
      immediate post-procedure ECG by 63 (90%), and performance of outpatient follow-up
      in 69 (99%) including ECG in 97-100% depending on substrate. The majority, 57
      (81%), have standardized follow-up independent of substrate. Post-procedural
      observation is highly variable, with 25 (36%) discharging patients on the day of
      ablation, 22 (33%) observing patients in hospital overnight, and 21 (30%) basing
      hospitalization on pre-defined criteria. Immediate post-procedure echo is
      performed after all ablations in only 16 (23%). Discharge from outpatient care
      occurs at a median time of 12 months for each arrhythmia substrate. Common post
      ablation practices are evident among pediatric electrophysiologists. However,
      they report significant variation in post-procedure monitoring practices and
      testing. The rationale for these variances, and their impact on costs and
      outcomes, should be defined.

PMID- 28620755
TI  - Predictive Value of Mean Platelet Volume for Pulmonary Embolism Recurrence.
AB  - PURPOSE: Recurrence is a major clinical problem in patients with pulmonary
      embolism and can affect mortality. The decision to discontinue treatment is
      important for recurrence and is based on patients' clinical features as well as
      certain blood parameters. Our aim in this study was to evaluate whether mean
      platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) have utility as new
      predictive parameters for recurrence and mortality in pulmonary embolism.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 440 patients with pulmonary embolism underwent
      computed tomography, Doppler ultrasonography, and echocardiography before and at
      the conclusion of treatment. Thrombocyte count, MPV, PDW, and D-dimer parameters
      were also evaluated at the same time points. RESULTS: MPV and PDW were
      significantly higher in deceased patients (8.8 +/- 1.2 fl and 17.4 +/- 0.8)
      compared to surviving patients (7.7 +/- 0.9 fl and 17 +/- 0.9) (p < 0.0001).
      Initial MPV and PDW were also significantly higher in patients with recurrence
      (8.4 +/- 0.7 vs 7.6 +/- 0.8 fl, p < 0.0001 and 17.3 +/- 0.8 vs 16.9 +/- 0.9, p =
      0.002, respectively) than in patients without recurrence. At the end of
      treatment, MPV was still higher in patients with recurrence compared to patients
      without recurrence (8.7 +/- 0.5 and 7.5 +/- 0.7 fl, respectively, p < 0.0001).
      MPV values over 8.05 fl at the end of treatment predicted recurrence with 91%
      sensitivity and 77% specificity. CONCLUSION: MPV seems to be an indicator of
      recurrence in pulmonary embolism and may have utility in the prediction of
      recurrence. Elevated MPV can also be used to predict mortality in pulmonary
      embolism.

PMID- 28620756
TI  - Preliminary data on utility of subcutaneous unfractionated heparin in patients
      with deep cerebral venous thrombosis.
AB  - Subcutaneous unfractionated heparin (SCUFH) has been proved effective in
      puerperal cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), but its efficacy in the more serious
      form of the disease such as deep CVT patients (DCVT) unreported. We describe the
      outcomes of 37 (isolated:combined: 11:26) patients of DCVT diagnosed by MRI,
      treated with SCUFH in a tertiary care stroke unit. It was a prospective
      observational cohort study using 5000 U of SCUFH every 6 hourly for 10 days with
      oral Acenocoumarol started on day 7, with monitoring. The outcome was assessed by
      modified Rankin scale (mRS), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)
      and Barthel's activities of daily life (BADL) at 3 months. The mean age of the
      cohort was 27.9 +/- 9.7 years, females (n = 24) outnumbering the males (n = 13).
      Mean duration of symptoms being 10.2 +/- 15.9 days. MRI showed vein of Galen and
      straight sinus involvement in 36 (97.3%) patients, with sparing of the basal vein
      of Rosenthal in 28 (75%). Thalamus 27 (73%) basal ganglia 21 (56.7%) were
      commonly involved areas with hemorrhagic lesions in 18 (48.6%) patients. The
      median NIHSS score at presentation was 11 (1-21). Mean duration of SCUFH
      treatment was 9.3 +/- 1.3 days and the mean aPTT on day 7 was 49.3 +/- 9.8 s
      (control 32-39 s), mean PT INR on day 13 was 1.5 +/- 0.45. All the patients
      improved with no mortality in the study group. At 3 months, good functional
      outcome (mRS: 0-2) was observed in 94.6% (n = 35) of patients. Two patients had
      mRS-3. The median mRS (3{1-5} to 0{0-3}) and BADL (8{0-20} to 20{8-20}) improved
      at 3 months. Complications seen were thrombocytopenia-1, infection-6 and deep
      vein thrombosis of leg-4. Our preliminary data suggests that SCUFH is safe,
      effective treatment option in patients with DCVT in a stroke unit with minimal
      monitoring.

PMID- 28620757
TI  - A novel homozygous complex deletion in CFTR caused cystic fibrosis in a Chinese
      patient.
AB  - Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most frequent lethal genetic disorder among
      Caucasians, but is considered to be a very rare disease in Chinese population.
      Here, we present an 11-year-old Chinese CF patient with disseminated
      bronchiectasis and salty sweat, for whom exon sequencing followed by multiplex
      ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis of the CFTR gene was applied for
      mutation screening. A homozygous deletion involving exon 20 of CFTR was observed
      in the patient's genome. Molecular characterization of the breakpoints indicated
      that both alleles of this locus had an identical novel complex rearrangement
      (c.3140-454_c.3367+249del931ins13, p.R1048_G1123del), leading to an in-frame
      removal of 76 amino acid residues in the second transmembrane domains of the CFTR
      protein. Although a same haplotype containing this complex rearrangement was
      observed on both of the maternal and paternal alleles, the parents denied any
      blood relationship as far as they know. Genome-wide homozygosity mapping was
      performed through SNP microarray and only a single homozygous interval of ~14.1
      Mb at chromosome 7 containing the CFTR gene was observed, indicating the possible
      origin of the deletion from a common ancestor many generations ago. This study
      expands the mutation spectrum of CFTR in patients of Chinese origin and further
      emphasizes the necessity of MLPA analysis in mutation screening for CF patients.

PMID- 28620759
TI  - Participative Spatial Scenario Analysis for Alpine Ecosystems.
AB  - Land use and land cover patterns are shaped by the interplay of human and
      ecological processes. Thus, heterogeneous cultural landscapes have developed,
      delivering multiple ecosystem services. To guarantee human well-being, the
      development of land use types has to be evaluated. Scenario development and land
      use and land cover change models are well-known tools for assessing future
      landscape changes. However, as social and ecological systems are inextricably
      linked, land use-related management decisions are difficult to identify. The
      concept of social-ecological resilience can thereby provide a framework for
      understanding complex interlinkages on multiple scales and from different
      disciplines. In our study site (Stubai Valley, Tyrol/Austria), we applied a
      sequence of steps including the characterization of the social-ecological system
      and identification of key drivers that influence farmers' management decisions.
      We then developed three scenarios, i.e., "trend", "positive" and "negative"
      future development of farming conditions and assessed respective future land use
      changes. Results indicate that within the "trend" and "positive" scenarios pluri
      activity (various sources of income) prevents considerable changes in land use
      and land cover and promotes the resilience of farming systems. Contrarily,
      reductions in subsidies and changes in consumer behavior are the most important
      key drivers in the negative scenario and lead to distinct abandonment of
      grassland, predominantly in the sub-alpine zone of our study site. Our conceptual
      approach, i.e., the combination of social and ecological methods and the
      integration of local stakeholders' knowledge into spatial scenario analysis,
      resulted in highly detailed and spatially explicit results that can provide a
      basis for further community development recommendations.

PMID- 28620758
TI  - Transcriptome analysis of drought-responsive genes regulated by hydrogen sulfide
      in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) leaves.
AB  - Drought is an environmental factor that deeply impacts wheat yield and quality.
      Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a known regulator of drought resistance in plants. To
      preliminarily elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of H2S on drought tolerance,
      the effects of H2S on drought-responsive genes were investigated by transcriptome
      analysis. As a result, a total of 7552 transcripts not only responded to drought
      stress but also exhibited differential expression relative to the polyethylene
      glycol (PEG) treatment (P) and the NaHS pretreatment with PEG treatment (SP). GO
      categories of 'transport' were especially enriched under the SP treatment and ion
      transport categories (especially 'iron ion transport') were more significantly
      enriched among up-regulated transcripts in SP versus P treatments (SP.vs.P).
      Indeed, a higher translocation of iron from root to shoot and iron availability
      in shoots was detected in SP compared to P. The KEGG pathway of 'ribosome
      biogenesis in eukaryotes', 'protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum', 'fatty
      acid degradation', and 'cyanoamino acid metabolism' was induced by H2S under
      drought stress. Further, H2S was involved in plant hormones signal transduction,
      and drought-induced transcription factors, protein kinases, and functional genes
      exhibited higher expression levels under SP relative to P. Additionally, several
      effectors or master regulatory genes of H2S were identified genome-wide.
      Summarily, these results showed that H2S alleviated drought damage probably
      related to transport systems, plant hormones signal transduction, protein
      processing pathway, fatty acids and amino acids metabolism, which provides a
      guide for future experimentation to analyze hydrogen sulfide-dependent drought
      tolerance mechanisms in wheat.

PMID- 28620760
TI  - Notch: an interactive player in neurogenesis and disease.
AB  - Notch signaling is evolutionarily conserved from Drosophila to human. It plays
      critical roles in neural stem cell maintenance and neurogenesis in the embryonic
      brain as well as in the adult brain. Notch functions greatly depend on careful
      regulation and cross-talk with other regulatory mechanisms. Deregulation of Notch
      signaling is involved in many neurodegenerative diseases and brain disorders.
      Here, we summarize the fundamental role of Notch in neuronal development and
      specification and discuss how epigenetic regulation and pathway cross-talk
      contribute to Notch function. In addition, we cover aberrant alterations of Notch
      signaling in the diseased brain. The aim of this review is to provide an insight
      into how Notch signaling works in different contexts to control neurogenesis and
      its potential effects in diagnoses and therapies of neurodegeneration, brain
      tumors and disorders.

PMID- 28620761
TI  - Medicinal Chemistry of sigma1 Receptor Ligands: Pharmacophore Models, Synthesis,
      Structure Affinity Relationships, and Pharmacological Applications.
AB  - In the first part of this chapter, we summarize the various pharmacophore models
      for sigma1 receptor ligands. Common to all of them is a basic amine flanked by
      two hydrophobic regions, representing the pharmacophoric elements. The
      development of computer-based models like the 3D homology model is described as
      well as the first crystal structure of the sigma1 receptor. The second part
      focuses on the synthesis and biological properties of different sigma1 receptor
      ligands, identified as 1-9. Monocyclic piperazines 1 and bicyclic piperazines 2
      and 3 were developed as cytotoxic compounds, thus the IC50 values of cell growth
      and survival inhibition studies are given for all derivatives. The mechanism of
      cell survival inhibition, induction of time-dependent apoptosis, of compound ent
      2a is discussed. Experimentally determined sigma1 affinity shows good correlation
      with the results from molecular dynamics simulations based on a 3D homology
      model. Spirocyclic compounds 4 and 5 represent well-established sigma1 receptor
      ligands. The homologous fluoroalkyl derivatives 4 have favorable pharmacological
      properties for use as fluorinated PET tracers. The (S)-configured fluoroethyl
      substituted compound (S)-4b is under investigation as PET tracer for imaging of
      sigma1 receptors in the brain of patients affected by major depression. 1,3
      Dioxanes 6c and 6d display a very potent sigma1 antagonist profile and the
      racemic 1,3-dioxane 6c has high anti-allodynic activity at low doses. The
      arylpropenylamines 7 are very potent sigma1 receptor ligands with high
      sigma1/sigma2 selectivity. The top compound 7g acts as an agonist as defined by
      its ability to potentiate neurite outgrowth at low concentrations. Among the
      morpholinoethoxypyrazoles 8, 8c (known as S1RA) reveals the most promising
      pharmacokinetic and physicochemical properties. Due to its good safety profile,
      8c is currently being investigated in a phase II clinical trial for the treatment
      of neuropathic pain. The most potent ligand 9e of 3,4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinolones 9
      shows promising anti-nociceptive activity in the formalin test.

PMID- 28620762
TI  - Using Raman Spectroscopy in Studying the Effect of Propylene Glycol, Oleic Acid,
      and Their Combination on the Rat Skin.
AB  - The permeability enhancement effect of oleic acid (OA) and propylene glycol (PG)
      as well as their (1:1 v/v) combined mixture was studied using rat skin. The
      percutaneous drug administration is a challenge and an opportunity for drug
      delivery. To date, there is limited research that illustrates the mechanism of
      penetration enhancers and their combinations on the skin. This project aims to
      explore the skin diffusion and penetration enhancement of PG, OA, and a
      combination of PG-OA (1:1 v/v) on rat skin and to identify the potential
      synergistic effect of the two enhancers utilizing Raman spectroscopy. Dissected
      dorsal skin was treated with either PG or OA or their combination for
      predetermined time intervals after which the Raman spectra of the treated skin
      were collected with the enhancer. A spectrum of the wiped and the washed skin
      were also collected. The skin integrity was tested before and after exposure to
      PG. The skin histology proved that the skin integrity has been maintained during
      experiments and the results indicated that OA disrupted rat skin lipid as evident
      by changes in the lipid peak. The results also showed that PG and OA improved the
      diffusion of each other and created faster, yet reversible changes of the skin
      peaks. In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy is a potential tool for ex vivo skin
      diffusion studies. We also concluded that PG and OA have potential synergistic
      reversible effect on the skin.

PMID- 28620763
TI  - Anticancer Efficacy of Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System of Sunitinib
      Malate.
AB  - Sunitinib malate (SM) is reported as a weakly soluble drug in water due to its
      poor dissolution rate and oral bioavailability. Hence, in the current study,
      various "self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS)" of SM were
      prepared, characterized and evaluated for the enhancement of its in vitro
      dissolution rate and anticancer efficacy. On the basis of solubilization
      potential of SM in various excipients, "Lauroglycol-90 (oil), Triton-X100
      (surfactant) and Transcutol-P (cosurfactant)" were selected for the preparation
      of SM SNEDDS. SM-loaded SNEDDS were developed by spontaneous emulsification
      method, characterized and evaluated for "thermodynamic stability, self
      nanoemulsification efficiency, droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta
      potential (ZP), surface morphology, refractive index (RI), the percent of
      transmittance (% T) and drug release profile." In vitro dissolution rate of SM
      was significantly enhanced from an optimized SNEDDS in comparison with SM
      suspension. The optimized SNEDDS of SM with droplet size of 42.3 nm, PDI value of
      0.174, ZP value of -36.4 mV, RI value of 1.339, % T value of 97.3%, and drug
      release profile of 95.4% (after 24 h via dialysis membrane) was selected for in
      vitro anticancer efficacy in human colon cancer cells (HT-29) by MTT assay. MTT
      assay indicated significant anticancer efficacy of optimized SM SNEDDS against HT
      29 cells in comparison with free SM. The results of this study showed the great
      potential of SNEDDS in the enhancement of in vitro dissolution rate and
      anticancer efficacy of poorly soluble drug such as SM.

PMID- 28620764
TI  - Health-related quality of life associated with bullying and aggression: a cross
      sectional study in English secondary schools.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Associations between adolescent health-related quality of life
      (HRQoL), bullying, and aggression are not well understood. We used baseline data
      from a large-cluster randomized school trial to study the relationship between
      HRQoL, bullying experience, and other demographic factors. METHODS: Cross
      sectional self-reported questionnaires collected pre-randomization from the on
      going INCLUSIVE trial. The questionnaires were completed in the classroom. The
      Gatehouse Bullying Scale measured bullying victimization and the Edinburgh Study
      of Youth Transitions and Crime school misbehavior subscale (ESYTC) measured
      aggressive behaviors. HRQoL was assessed using the Child Health Utility 9
      Dimensions (CHU-9D) and general quality of life using the Pediatric Quality of
      Life Inventory (PedsQL). Participants were a cohort of year 7 students (age 11-12
      years) from 40 state secondary schools in England. Descriptive statistics for the
      CHU-9D and PedsQL were calculated using standard methods with tests for
      differences in median scores by sex assessed using quantile regression.
      Correlation between HRQoL measures was conducted using Spearman's rank
      correlation coefficients. Predictors of HRQoL were identified using univariate
      and multiple regressions. RESULTS: A total of 6667 students filled out the
      questionnaire. The CHU-9D was correlated with the PedsQL (0.63, p < 0.001). The
      multivariable regression results suggest that if students were bullied frequently
      and upset it resulted in a decrement in CHU-9D scores of (-0.108) and fall in
      PedsQL score of (-16.2). The impact of the antisocial/aggressive behavior on the
      ESYTC scale resulted in a utility decrement of -0.004 and fall of -.5 on the
      PedsQL. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents' involvement in bullying and aggression is a
      strong correlate of HRQoL. These data have important implications for the
      potential cost-effectiveness of reducing bullying and aggression in schools.

PMID- 28620765
TI  - Autonomy and performance in the public sector: the experience of English NHS
      hospitals.
AB  - Since 2004, English NHS hospitals have been given the opportunity to acquire a
      more autonomous status known as a Foundation Trust (FT), whereby regulations and
      restrictions over financial, management, and organizational matters were reduced
      in order to create incentives to deliver higher-quality services in the most
      efficient way. Using difference-in-difference models, we test whether achieving
      greater autonomy (FT status) improved hospital performance, as proxied by
      measures of financial management, quality of care, and staff satisfaction.
      Results provide little evidence that the FT policy per se has made any difference
      to the performance of hospitals in most of these domains. Our findings have
      implications for health policy and inform the trend towards granting greater
      autonomy to public-sector organizations.

PMID- 28620766
TI  - Phenotype Transformation of Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells Due to Applied Shear
      Stresses Within a Microfluidic Chip.
AB  - Despite valvular heart diseases constituting a significant medical problem, the
      acquisition of information describing their pathophysiology remains difficult.
      Due to valvular size, role and location within the body, there is a need for in
      vitro systems that can recapitulate disease onset and progression. This study
      combines the development of an in vitro model and its application in the
      mechanical stimulation of valvular cell transformation. Specifically, porcine
      aortic valvular interstitial cells (PAVIC) were cultured on polydimethylsiloxane
      microfluidic devices with or without exposure to shear stresses.
      Mechanobiological responses of valvular interstitial cells were evaluated at
      shear stresses ranging from 0 to 4.26 dyn/cm2. When flow rates were higher than
      0.78 dyn/cm2, cells elongated and aligned with the flow direction. In addition,
      we found that shear stress enhanced the formation of focal adhesions and up
      regulated PAVIC transformation, assessed by increased expression of alpha-smooth
      muscle actin and transforming growth factor beta. This study reveals a link
      between the action of shear forces, cell phenotype transformation and focal
      adhesion formation. This constitutes the first step towards the development of co
      cultures (interstitial-endothelial cells) on organ-on-a-chip devices, which will
      enable studies of the signaling pathways regulating force-induced valvular
      degeneration in microtissues and potential discovery of valvular degeneration
      therapies.

PMID- 28620767
TI  - A Novel Method for Mouse Retinal Temperature Determination Based on ERG
      Photoresponses.
AB  - This study introduces a novel retinal temperature determination method based on
      the temperature dependent properties of photoresponses recorded by
      electroretinography (ERG). The kinetics and amplitudes of ERG photoresponses
      depend on retinal temperature. Additionally, raising retinal temperature
      increases the probability of long-wavelength photon absorption, which manifests
      as temperature dependence of photoreceptor sensitivity. In this study we extract
      a number of features that represent these properties from the a- and b-waves of
      mouse ex vivo ERG flash responses and construct three multivariable regression
      models between temperature and the selected features. The performance of these
      models was evaluated against a separate test dataset and for two of the models,
      an RMS temperature determination error of less than 0.50  degrees C could be
      reached. Our results demonstrate that the method can be successfully used for
      reliable retinal temperature determination ex vivo. The method, reflecting the
      temperature of distal retina, can be applied also in the estimation of retinal
      pigment epithelium temperature.

PMID- 28620768
TI  - Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Collagen/Hydroxyapatite Scaffolds Improve Bone Tissue
      Formation In Vitro and In Vivo.
AB  - Current bone regeneration strategies faced major challenges in fabricating the
      bionic scaffolds with nano-structure, constituents and mechanical features of
      native bone. In this study, we developed a new porous scaffold by adding the
      multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) into collagen (Col)/hydroxyapatite (HA)
      composites. Data showed that 0.5%CNT/Col/HA (0.5%CNT) group was approximately
      tenfolds stiffer than Col-HA, and it was superior in promoting bone marrow
      mesenchymal stem proliferation and spreading, mRNA and protein expressions of
      bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteocalcin (OCN) than Col-HA group. Moreover, we
      utilized 0.5%CNT composite to repair the rat calvarial defects (8 mm diameter) in
      vivo, and observed the new bone formation by 3D reconstruction of micro CT, HE
      and Masson staining, and BSP, OCN by immunohistochemical analysis. Results showed
      that newly formed bone in 0.5%CNT group was significantly higher than that in Col
      HA group at 12 weeks. These findings highlighted a promising strategy in healing
      of large area bone defect with MWCNT added into the Col-HA scaffold as they
      possessed the combined effects of mechanical strength and osteogenicity.

PMID- 28620770
TI  - Access to information on home- and community-based services and functional
      status.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine differences in access to home- and community-based service
      (HCBS) information among older adults of different functional status. METHODS:
      Cross-sectional survey of 5435 out of 11,000 randomly selected Swiss older
      community dwellers from the state of Vaud. Analyses stratified by functional
      status examined characteristics associated with limited access to HCBS
      information, based on self-reported knowledge on where to find information on 13
      HCBS. RESULTS: Proportionally, more individuals did not know where to look for
      information in the functionally vulnerable group than in the robust and dependent
      ones for virtually each service. Among robust individuals, males and persons with
      low financial status had increased odds of limited access. Low financial status
      was also negatively associated with access to information among vulnerable
      people. Belonging to the youngest group increased the odds of limited access for
      dependent individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts should be made to improve elders'
      access to HCBS information by developing specific strategies relevant to each
      functional status group. Further studies on access to HCBS information should be
      conducted using complex conceptual frameworks as it has been done for HCBS use.

PMID- 28620771
TI  - Oviposition Preference for Young Plants by the Large Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris
      brassicae ) Does not Strongly Correlate with Caterpillar Performance.
AB  - The effects of temporal variation in the quality of short-lived annual plants on
      oviposition preference and larval performance of insect herbivores has thus far
      received little attention. This study examines the effects of plant age on female
      oviposition preference and offspring performance in the large cabbage white
      butterfly Pieris brassicae. Adult female butterflies lay variable clusters of
      eggs on the underside of short-lived annual species in the family Brassicaceae,
      including the short-lived annuals Brassica nigra and Sinapis arvensis, which are
      important food plants for P. brassicae in The Netherlands. Here, we compared
      oviposition preference and larval performance of P. brassicae on three age
      classes (young, mature, and pre-senescing) of B. nigra and S. arvensis plants.
      Oviposition preference of P. brassicae declined with plant age in both plant
      species. Whereas larvae performed similarly on all three age classes in B. nigra,
      preference and performance were weakly correlated in S. arvensis. Analysis of
      primary (sugars and amino acids) and secondary (glucosinolates) chemistry in the
      plant shoots revealed that differences in their quality and quantity were more
      pronounced with respect to tissue type (leaves vs. flowers) than among different
      developmental stages of both plant species. Butterflies of P. brassicae may
      prefer younger and smaller plants for oviposition anticipating that future plant
      growth and size is optimally synchronized with the final larval instar, which
      contributes >80% of larval growth before pupation.

PMID- 28620773
TI  - Antioxidant uric acid in treated and untreated subjects with major depressive
      disorder: a meta-analysis and meta-regression.
AB  - Pathophysiological mechanisms of major depressive disorder (MDD) seem to be
      associated with oxidative stress pathways and altered purinergic metabolism. We
      conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate if subjects with MDD
      might have reduced levels of antioxidant uric acid, considering also potential
      influence of antidepressant treatment. We searched the main Electronic Databases,
      identifying 14 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were
      carried out generating pooled Hedges' g and mean differences (MDs), using random
      effects models. Heterogeneity across studies and risk of publication bias were
      estimated using standard methods. Relevant sensitivity and meta-regression
      analyses were conducted. Subjects with MDD had levels of uric acid lower than
      healthy controls (Hedges' g = -0.30; p = 0.003). Overall between-study
      heterogeneity was high (I 2 = 76.3%). The effect was significant among studies
      including drug naive/free MDD individuals (Hedges' g = -0.55; p = 0.023), but not
      among those involving treated subjects (Hedges' g = -0.15; p = 0.062). Relevant
      quality- and heterogeneity-based sensitivity analyses, as well as meta
      regressions, confirmed these findings. In addition, uric acid levels
      significantly, though inconsistently (I 2 = 79.2%), increased after treatment (MD
      = +0.71 mg/dL; p < 0.001), regardless of follow-up duration (p = 0.518). Our meta
      analysis shows that subjects with MDD have lower levels of uric acid. Since
      antidepressant treatment seems to influence this association, our findings
      support the hypothesis that uric acid levels may represent a state marker of MDD.
      Nevertheless, the potential role of additional factors that might clarify the
      nature of this association deserves further research.

PMID- 28620774
TI  - "In My Culture, We Don't Know Anything About That": Sexual and Reproductive
      Health of Migrant and Refugee Women.
AB  - PURPOSE: Migrant and refugee women are at risk of negative sexual and
      reproductive health (SRH) outcomes due to low utilisation of SRH services. SRH is
      shaped by socio-cultural factors which can act as barriers to knowledge and
      influence access to healthcare. Research is needed to examine constructions and
      experiences of SRH in non-English-speaking migrant and refugee women, across a
      range of cultural groups. METHOD: This qualitative study examined the
      constructions and experiences of SRH among recent migrant and refugee women
      living in Sydney, Australia, and Vancouver, Canada. A total of 169 women from
      Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, India, Sri Lanka and South
      America participated in the study, through 84 individual interviews, and 16 focus
      groups comprised of 85 participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the
      data. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: "women's assessments of inadequate
      knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and preventative screening
      practices", "barriers to sexual and reproductive health" and "negative sexual and
      reproductive health outcomes". Across all cultural groups, many women had
      inadequate knowledge of SRH, due to taboos associated with constructions and
      experiences of menstruation and sexuality. This has implications for migrant and
      refugee women's ability to access SRH education and information, including
      contraception, and sexual health screening, making them vulnerable to SRH
      difficulties, such as sexually transmissible infections and unplanned
      pregnancies. CONCLUSION: It is essential for researchers and health service
      providers to understand socio-cultural constraints which may impede SRH knowledge
      and behaviour of recent migrant and refugee women, in order to provide culturally
      safe SRH education and services that are accessible to all women at resettlement
      irrespective of ethnicity or migration category.

PMID- 28620775
TI  - Normalization as a Strategy for Maintaining Quality of Life While Coping with
      Infertility in a Pronatalist Culture.
AB  - PURPOSE: Infertility could be highly stressful, particularly in a pronatalist
      culture. We aimed to develop the concept and a measure of normalization
      (maintaining normal life routines and feeling "normal") as a strategy that could
      enable women with infertility maintain their quality of life (QoL) while coping
      with this condition. We tested its associations with women's well-being, distress
      and QoL in Israel, where being childless is socially unacceptable and highly
      stigmatized. METHODS: One-hundred and eighty Israeli women undergoing infertility
      treatment at a fertility community clinic filled in questionnaires assessing
      normalization-related coping strategies, QoL, and psychological adjustment
      (distress, wellbeing). Eight months later, 55 women conceived; 55 women who had
      not conceived completed a second questionnaire. RESULTS: At baseline,
      normalization was related to higher QoL and better adjustment. Structural
      equation modeling showed that QoL was impaired mainly among women who felt
      different than others, compared, and blamed themselves. Over time, normalization
      was overall unrelated to conception or to changes in adjustment yet was
      protective against decrease in well-being among women who already had a child.
      CONCLUSIONS: Infertility is highly stressful in a pronatalist culture like
      Israel. It requires treatment yet is not disabling. Patients who manage to
      maintain normal routines and not feel different than other people their age may
      experience better QoL and psychological adjustment.

PMID- 28620776
TI  - Quantity discrimination in angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) is maintained after a
      30-s retention interval in the large but not in the small number range.
AB  - The ability to discriminate between sets that differ in the number of elements
      can be useful in different contexts and may have survival and fitness
      consequences. As such, numerical/quantity discrimination has been demonstrated in
      a diversity of animal species. In the laboratory, this ability has been analyzed,
      for example, using binary choice tests. Furthermore, when the different number of
      items first presented to the subjects are subsequently obscured, i.e., are not
      visible at the moment of making a choice, the task requires memory for the size
      of the sets. In previous work, angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) have been found
      to be able to discriminate shoals differing in the number of shoal members both
      in the small (less than 4) and the large (4 or more) number range, and they were
      able to perform well even when a short memory retention interval (2-15 s) was
      imposed. In the current study, we increased the retention interval to 30 s during
      which the shoals to choose between were obscured, and investigated whether
      angelfish could show preference for the larger shoal they saw before this
      interval. Subjects were faced with a discrimination between numerically small
      shoals (<=4 fish) and also between numerically large (>=4 fish) shoals of
      conspecifics. We found angelfish not to be able to remember the location of
      larger versus smaller shoals in the small number range, but to exhibit
      significant memory for the larger shoal in the large number range as long as the
      ratio between these shoals was at least 2:1. These results, together with prior
      findings, suggest the existence of two separate quantity estimation systems, the
      object file system for small number of items that does not work with the longer
      retention interval and the analogue magnitude system for larger number of items
      that does.

PMID- 28620778
TI  - Intracecal appendix: an extremely rare anatomical variation. A case report and
      review of literature.
AB  - Appendicitis is the most common surgical abdominal emergency in the developed
      world. Most of the surprises encountered during an appendectomy are usually due
      to the various positions of the appendix tip. Anatomical variations are an
      extremely rare phenomenon, with only a few case reports scattered among volumes
      of literature on the vermiform appendix. A new variation is described in which
      the appendix was intracecal and cause for surprise during surgery. A review of
      literature of rare anatomical variations of the appendix is also presented.

PMID- 28620777
TI  - Concentrations of lead and other elements in the liver of the white-tailed eagle
      (Haliaeetus albicilla), a European flagship species, wintering in Eastern Poland.
AB  - As a top predator, the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) may serve as a
      good indicator species, providing information about the bioavailability of
      contaminants and their transfer within the food chain. In this study, we aimed to
      determine the common sources of origin of 17 metals and other elements in the
      liver of white-tailed eagles, and to compare the variations in their hepatic
      concentrations by age (adults vs immatures) and sex (males vs females) in groups
      of white-tailed eagles wintering in Eastern Poland. The element concentrations
      followed the pattern of S > K > Na > Fe > Mg > Ca > Zn > Cu > Mn > Se > Pb > Hg >
      Cd > Cr > Sr > V > Sc. We found significant age-related differences in the
      hepatic concentrations of some of the elements. Adults showed higher
      concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ca, Fe, and Zn and lower concentrations of Cu and Se
      than immatures. These differences may be explained by age-related differences in
      wintering strategy (adults are sedentary, and immatures are migratory) and
      hunting skills (adults are more successful when hunting for agile prey). Our
      study indicates that ingested Pb ammunition poses a serious threat to the health
      and lives of white-tailed eagles in Poland (32% of the studied individuals had
      acute lead poisoning). Our study also indicates a serious need for banning the
      use of lead hunting ammunition in the parts of Europe (including Poland) where it
      is still allowed.

PMID- 28620779
TI  - The cost of a patient activation intervention for achieving successful outcomes:
      results from the PAADRN randomized controlled trial.
AB  - : In a large, pragmatic clinical trial, we calculated the costs of achieving four
      successful patient-centered outcomes using a tailored patient activation DXA
      result letter accompanied by a bone health brochure. The cost to achieve one
      successful outcome (e.g., a 0.5 standard deviation improvement in care
      satisfaction) ranged from $127.41 to $222.75. INTRODUCTION: Pragmatic randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) should focus on patient-centered outcomes and report the
      costs for achieving those outcomes. We calculated per person incremental
      intervention costs, the number-needed-to-treat (NNT), and incremental per patient
      costs (cost per NNT) for four patient-centered outcomes in a direct-to-patient
      bone healthcare intervention. METHODS: The Patient Activation after DXA Result
      Notification (PAADRN) pragmatic RCT enrolled 7749 patients presenting for DXA at
      three health centers between February 2012 and August 2014. Interviews occurred
      at baseline and 52 weeks post-DXA. Intervention subjects received an individually
      tailored DXA result letter accompanied by an educational bone health brochure 4
      weeks post-DXA, while the usual care subjects did not. Outcomes focused on
      patients (a) correctly identifying their results, (b) contacting their providers,
      (c) discussing their results with their providers, and (d) satisfaction with
      their bone healthcare. NNTs were determined using intention-to-treat linear
      probability models, per person incremental intervention costs were calculated,
      and costs per NNT were computed. RESULTS: Mean age was 66.6 years old, 83.8% were
      women, and 75.3% were non-Hispanic whites. The incremental per patient cost
      (costs per NNT) to increase the ability of a patient to (a) correctly identify
      their DXA result was $171.07; (b) contact their provider about their DXA result
      was $222.75; (c) discuss their DXA result with their provider was $193.55; and
      (d) achieve a 0.5 SD improvement in satisfaction with their bone healthcare was
      $127.41. CONCLUSION: An individually tailored DXA result letter accompanied by an
      educational brochure can improve four patient-centered outcomes at a modest cost.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01507662.

PMID- 28620781
TI  - Psychopathology and socioeconomic position: what can be done to break the vicious
      circle?

PMID- 28620780
TI  - A novel large fragment deletion in PLS3 causes rare X-linked early-onset
      osteoporosis and response to zoledronic acid.
AB  - : We identified a novel large fragment deletion from intron 9 to 3'UTR in PLS3
      (E10-E16del) in one Chinese boy with X-linked early-onset osteoporosis and
      vertebral fractures, which expanded the pathogenic spectrum of X-linked early
      onset osteoporosis. Treatment with zoledronic acid was beneficial for increasing
      BMD and reshaping the vertebral bodies of this patient. INTRODUCTION: X-linked
      early-onset osteoporosis is a rare disease, which is characterized by low bone
      mineral density (BMD), vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), and/or long bone
      fractures. We aimed to detect the phenotype and the underlying pathogenic
      mutation of X-linked early-onset osteoporosis in a boy from a nonconsanguineous
      Chinese family. METHODS: We investigated the pathogenic mutation of the patient
      with X-linked early-onset osteoporosis by targeted next-generation sequencing and
      confirmed it by Sanger sequencing. We also observed the effects of zoledronic
      acid on fracture frequency and BMD of the patient. RESULTS: Low BMD and multiple
      VCFs were the main phenotypes of X-linked early-onset osteoporosis. We identified
      a total of 12,229 bp deletion in PLS3, involving intron 9 to the 3'UTR (E10-E16
      del). This large fragment deletion might be mediated by Alu repeats and
      microhomology of 26 bp at each breakpoint junction. Zoledronic acid treatment
      could significantly increase the Z-score of BMD and reshape the compressed
      vertebral bodies. CONCLUSION: We identified a large fragment deletion mutation in
      PLS3 for the first time and elucidated the possible mechanism of the deletion,
      which led to X-linked early-onset osteoporosis and multiple vertebral fractures.
      Our findings would enrich the etiology spectrum of this rare disease.

PMID- 28620782
TI  - Role of key genetic mutations on increasing migration of brain cancer cells
      through confinement.
AB  - Uncontrolled invasive cancer cell migration is among the major challenges for the
      treatment and management of brain cancer. Although the genetic profiles of brain
      cancer cells have been well characterized, the relationship between the genetic
      mutations and the cells' mobility has not been clearly understood. In this study,
      using microfluidic devices that provide a wide range of physical confinements
      from 20 * 5 MUm2 to 3 * 5 MUm2 in cross sections, we studied the effect of
      physical confinement on the migratory capacity of cell lines with different types
      of mutations. Human glioblastoma and genetically modified mouse astrocytes were
      used. Human glioblastoma cells with EGFRvIII mutation were found to exhibit high
      degree of migratory capacity in narrow confinement. From mouse astrocytes, cells
      with triple mutations (p53-/- PTEN-/- BRAF) were found to exhibit the highest
      level of migratory capacity in narrow confinement compared to both double (p53-/-
      PTEN-/-) and single (p53-/-) mutant cells. Furthermore, when treating the triple
      mutant astrocytes with AZD-6244, an inhibitor of the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway, we
      found significant reduction in migration through the confined channels when
      compared to that of controls (83% decrease in 5 * 5 MUm2 and 86% in 3 * 5 MUm2
      channels). Our data correlate genetic mutations from different cell lines to
      their motility in different degrees of confinement. Our results also suggest a
      potential therapeutic target such as BRAF oncogene for inhibition of brain cancer
      invasion.

PMID- 28620783
TI  - Advanced Neuroimaging of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease.
AB  - OPINION STATEMENT: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is characterised by damage
      to deep grey and white matter structures of the brain and is responsible for a
      diverse range of clinical problems that include stroke and dementia. In this
      review, we describe advances in neuroimaging published since January 2015, mainly
      with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), that, in general, are improving
      quantification, observation and investigation of SVD focussing on three areas:
      quantifying the total SVD burden, imaging brain microstructural integrity and
      imaging vascular malfunction. Methods to capture 'whole brain SVD burden' across
      the spectrum of SVD imaging changes will be useful for patient stratification in
      clinical trials, an approach that we are already testing. More sophisticated
      imaging measures of SVD microstructural damage are allowing the disease to be
      studied at earlier stages, will help identify specific factors that are important
      in development of overt SVD imaging features and in understanding why specific
      clinical consequences may occur. Imaging vascular function will help establish
      the precise blood vessel and blood flow alterations at early disease stages and,
      together with microstructural integrity measures, may provide important surrogate
      endpoints in clinical trials testing new interventions. Better knowledge of SVD
      pathophysiology will help identify new treatment targets, improve patient
      stratification and may in future increase efficiency of clinical trials through
      smaller sample sizes or shorter follow-up periods. However, most of these methods
      are not yet sufficiently mature to use with confidence in clinical trials,
      although rapid advances in the field suggest that reliable quantification of SVD
      lesion burden, tissue microstructural integrity and vascular dysfunction are
      imminent.

PMID- 28620784
TI  - Inhibitory Effect of Taurine on Biofilm Formation During Alkane Degradation in
      Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1.
AB  - Taurine, 2-aminoethanesulfonate, is known to function as an antioxidant or
      membrane stabilizer in eukaryotic cells, but its role in bacteria has been poorly
      characterized. Biofilm formation of Acinetobacter oleivorans DR1 was
      significantly reduced by taurine only during alkane degradation, suggesting that
      taurine affects alkane-induced cell surface. Structurally similar compounds
      harboring an amine group such as hypotaurine or ethylenediamine have a similar
      effect, which was not observed with sulfonate-containing chemicals such as
      ethanesulfonic acid, hexanesulfonic acid. Our biochemical assays and
      physiological tests demonstrate that taurine reduced cell surface hydrophobicity,
      which resulted in interruption of the interactions between cells and oily
      substrate surfaces, such that cells utilized alkanes less effectively.
      Interestingly, taurine-mediated reduction of quorum sensing (QS) signal
      production and QS-control sapA gene expression indicated that membrane
      permeability of quorum signals was also interfered by taurine. Composition and
      biomass of extracellular polymeric saccharides were changed in taurine-amended
      conditions. Taken together, our data provide evidence that amine-containing
      taurine can inhibit biofilm formation of DR1 cells during alkane degradation by
      (i) changing cell surface charge and (ii) reducing membrane hydrophobicity and QS
      sensing.

PMID- 28620785
TI  - Microbial Interspecies Interactions Affect Arsenic Fate in the Presence of MnII.
AB  - Biotransformation of arsenic (As) plays an important role in its environmental
      fate. However, the impact of direct microbial interspecies interactions on
      valence state and migration of As is rarely reported and cognized. Here, by co
      cultivating two aerobic AsV-reducing bacteria (Arthrobacter sp. QXT-31 and
      Sphingopyxis sp. QXT-31) in a culture medium containing initial AsV (10 MUM) and
      bivalent manganese (MnII, 175 MUM), we demonstrated how the interactions between
      strains affect valence state and partition of As. The results showed that both
      the strains first reduced AsV to AsIII via a detoxification mechanism during
      aerobic growth, with participation of AsV-reducing gene arsC; the expression of a
      MnII-oxidizing gene of Arthrobacter sp. QXT-31 was then triggered in the presence
      of Sphingopyxis sp. QXT-31, and emerging MnII-oxidizing activity oxidized 90% of
      MnII to Mn oxides; the formed Mn oxides oxidized AsIII to AsV and adsorbed AsV;
      MnII-oxidizing activity decreased significantly in the later stage, resulting to
      desorption of AsV from Mn oxides and subsequent bioreduction in aqueous phase.
      Considering the universality of the two bacterial genera and the interspecies
      interactions, our study hints at the pervasive impact of direct microbial
      interspecies interactions on the environmental fate of As in an aquatic ecosystem
      containing Mn.

PMID- 28620786
TI  - Langerhans and Merkel: a nervous epidermal dispute.

PMID- 28620787
TI  - Do position and size matter? An analysis of cage and placement variables for
      optimum lordosis in PLIF reconstruction.
AB  - PURPOSE: To examine monosegmental lordosis after posterior lumbar interbody
      fusion (PLIF) surgery and relate lordosis to cage size, shape, and placement.
      METHODS: Eighty-three consecutive patients underwent single-level PLIF with
      paired identical lordotic cages involving a wide decompression and bilateral
      facetectomies. Cage parameters relating to size (height, lordosis, and length)
      and placement (expressed as a ratio relative to the length of the inferior
      vertebral endplate) were recorded. Centre point ratio (CPR) was the distance to
      the centre of both cages and indicated mean position of both cages. Posterior gap
      ratio (PGR) was the distance to the most posterior cage and indicated position
      and cage length indirectly. Relationships between lordosis and cage parameters
      were explored. RESULTS: Mean lordosis increased by 5.98 degrees  (SD 6.86 degrees
      ). The cages used varied in length from 20 to 27 mm, in lordosis from 10 degrees 
      to 18 degrees , and in anterior cage height from 10 to 17 mm. The mean cage
      placement as determined by CPR was 0.54 and by PGR was 0.16. The significant
      correlations were: both CPR and PGR with lordosis gain at surgery (r = 0.597 and
      0.537, respectively, p < 0.001 both), cage lordosis with the final lordosis (r =
      0.234, p < 0.05), and anterior cage height was negatively correlated with a
      change in lordosis (r = -0.297, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Cage size, shape, and
      position, in addition to surgical technique, determine lordosis during PLIF
      surgery. Anterior placement with sufficient "clear space" behind the cages is
      recommended. In addition, cages should be of moderate height and length, so that
      they act as an effective pivot for lordosis.

PMID- 28620788
TI  - Comparison of intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring outcomes between
      cervical and thoracic spine surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: The objective is to compare the intraoperative monitoring (IOM) outcomes
      between degenerative cervical and thoracic spine decompression surgery. METHOD: A
      total of 97 patients with cervical compression myelopathy (CCM) and 75 patients
      with thoracic compression myelopathy (TCM) were prospectively collected between
      December 2012 and June 2015 in our spine center. Somatosensory-evoked potentials
      (SSEP) and motor-evoked potentials (MEP) were used for IOM. The postoperative
      neurologic status of each patient was assessed immediately after surgery. And the
      IOM and neurological outcomes were mainly analyzed in this study. RESULTS: Under
      the same alarm criteria, the IOM changes present significant difference between
      the cervical and thoracic surgery. During the patients with monitoring alerts,
      the MEPs usually manifest as sudden loss in TCM whereas the gradual loss in CCM.
      And there were three permanent neurologic injuries in the thoracic cases, but
      none in cervical cases. CONCLUSION: The IOM loss between CCM and TCM patients
      present obvious difference and the sudden MEPs loss associated with spinal
      decompression need to be taken seriously especially in TCM.

PMID- 28620789
TI  - Reply to the Letter to the Editor of C. Brembilla et al. concerning "Spinal
      metallosis: a systematic review" by Goldenberg Y, Tee JW, Salinas-La Rosa CM,
      Murphy M (Eur Spine J; 2016, 25:1467-1473).

PMID- 28620790
TI  - Female double incontinence: prevalence, incidence, and risk factors from the SABE
      (Health, Wellbeing and Aging) study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Double Incontinence (DI) is incontinence of urine
      and stool and is an extreme manifestation of pelvic floor dysfunction. The
      objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and incidence of DI and
      the risk factors in elderly women in Sao Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: This was a
      prospective study in women aged 65 years or older evaluated in 2006 and re
      evaluated in 2010. The sample was selected by two-phase stratified sampling with
      replacement and probability proportional to size. The likelihood ratio test was
      performed and Cox regression curves were generated to evaluate the equality of
      survival. Poisson's regression was used to evaluate risk factors. RESULTS: This
      is the first study on the incidence of DI in elderly women. A total of 864
      elderly women were interviewed in 2006. The prevalence rate of DI was 4.9%. The
      incidence rate of DI in the period between 2006 and 2010 was 13.8/1,000 person
      years. Associated factors were the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease, hypertension, difficulty with basic activities of daily living (BADL)
      and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), polypharmacy and falls in the
      last year. Poisson's regression analysis showed that falls in the last year and
      difficulty with at least three IADL were risk factors for DI. CONCLUSIONS: The
      incidence of DI seems to be high in this population. Falls in the last year and
      difficulty with at least three IADL were identified as risk factors. Preventive
      measures must be implemented with public health policies to prevent increases in
      DI.

PMID- 28620791
TI  - A prospective, double-blind, randomized, two-period crossover, multicenter study
      to evaluate tolerability and patient preference between mirabegron and
      tolterodine in patients with overactive bladder (PREFER study).
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective of this study was to assess the
      tolerability and treatment preference in patients with overactive bladder (OAB)
      treated with mirabegron or tolterodine. METHODS: This was a two-period, 8-week
      crossover, double-blind, phase IV study (PREFER; NCT02138747) in treatment-naive
      adults with OAB for 3 months or longer randomized to one of four treatment
      sequences in a 5:5:1:1 ratio (mirabegron/tolterodine, tolterodine/mirabegron,
      mirabegron/mirabegron, or tolterodine/tolterodine), separated by a washout period
      of 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was drug tolerability using the Medication
      Tolerability scale of the OAB Treatment Satisfaction (OAB-S) questionnaire at end
      of treatment (EoT). Period-by-treatment interactions were analyzed to determine
      any effect of drug order. Patient preference, change from baseline in OAB
      symptoms, and treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed. RESULTS: A
      total of 358 randomized patients completed the OAB-S Medication Tolerability
      scale questionnaire at one or more visits after the baseline evaluation. The mean
      (95% CI) OAB-S Medication Tolerability scores were significantly higher (better
      tolerability) for mirabegron (86.29 [83.50, 89.08]) than for tolterodine (83.40
      [80.59, 86.20]; p = 0.004). The period-by-treatment interaction was not
      significant (p = 0.955). Improvements in OAB-S Medication Tolerability scores at
      EoT were more evident in women, patients aged >=65 years, and in patients without
      baseline incontinence, and were greater with mirabegron than with tolterodine
      extended release. There were no significant differences in patient preference or
      improvements in OAB symptoms. Significant differences in favor of mirabegron were
      observed for anticholinergic TEAEs (20.4% vs. 27.4%; p = 0.042) and specifically
      for gastrointestinal disorders (14.7% vs. 22.5%; p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS:
      Tolerability of mirabegron was significantly higher than that of tolterodine, and
      patient preference and improvements in OAB symptoms were comparable. Both
      treatments were well tolerated; however, anticholinergic side effects were higher
      with tolterodine.

PMID- 28620792
TI  - Evaluation of coital incontinence by electronic questionnaire: prevalence,
      associations and outcomes in women attending a urogynaecology clinic.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Coital incontinence is the involuntary leakage of
      urine during sexual intercourse and is divided into that occurring with
      penetration and that occurring with orgasm. Mechanisms of coital incontinence are
      poorly understood. The aim of this retrospective study was to measure the
      prevalence of coital incontinence and evaluate the association among various
      types of coital incontinence with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), overactive
      bladder (OAB) and impact on quality-of-life in women attending a urogynaecology
      clinic. METHODS: A total of 2,312 women completed the electronic Personal
      Assessment Questionnaire-Pelvic Floor (ePAQ-PF) in advance of their
      urogynaecology consultation. Logistic regression and Spearman's rank-order
      correlation evaluated associations between types of coital incontinence and OAB
      and SUI. The Mann-Whitney test evaluated the relationship between coital
      incontinence and self-reported quality of sex life and self-avoidance and partner
      avoidance of sex. Subgroup analysis analysed outcomes in 84 women with coital
      incontinence undergoing treatment with tension-free vaginal tape (TVT). RESULTS:
      Prevalence of coital incontinence in the cohort was 30%. Symptoms of OAB (p <
      0.005) and SUI (p < 0.005) were significantly and independently associated with
      both types of coital incontinence (orgasm and penetration). In women with coital
      incontinence compared with those without, there was significant self-avoidance of
      sex (p < 0.0005), partner avoidance of sex (p < 0.0005) and impaired quality of
      sex life due to sexual problems (p < 0.005). The impact of this was significant
      in each group. Subgroup analysis of 84 women undergoing TVT showed significant
      improvement in all coital incontinence symptoms 3 months post-operatively.
      CONCLUSION: Using an electronic questionnaire before consultation has identified
      coital incontinence to be a prevalent symptom, having a significant impact on the
      patient's sex life. Coital incontinence at orgasm and penetration are both
      significantly associated with SUI and OAB.

PMID- 28620793
TI  - Response to comment on the IUGA/ICS joint report on the terminology for the
      conservative and nonpharmacological management of female pelvic floor
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28620794
TI  - Evidence to justify retention of transvaginal mesh: comparison between
      laparoscopic sacral colpopexy and transvaginal ElevateTM mesh.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To determine if laparoscopic sacral colpopexy (LSC)
      offers better apical support with a lower exposure rate than transvaginal mesh
      surgery with ElevateTM. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study comparing
      patients with apical prolapse (POP-Q point C >= -1) who underwent ElevateTM mesh
      repair (n = 146) with patients who underwent laparoscopic sacral colpopexy (n =
      267). RESULTS: The sacral colpopexy group had a mean age of 59 years and a BMI of
      25.7. Patients in the ElevateTM group were older, with a mean age of 63 and a BMI
      of 26.3. Most of the patients of both groups presented with pelvic organ prolapse
      stage III (LSC 73.8% and ElevateTM 87.0%) and their mean POP-Q point C were not
      significantly different (LSC 1.4 vs ElevateTM 1.2 cm). Operative time was longer
      in the LSC group (113 vs 91 min, p < 0.001), but estimated blood loss was lower
      (75 cm3 vs 137 cm3, p < 0.001). No difference in mesh exposure rate could be
      found between the two groups at one year (ElevateTM 0.7% vs LSC 2.6%, OR 0.26,
      95% CI 0.03 to 2.10, p = 0.21). One-year objective cure rate, defined as no
      descent beyond the hymen, was 97.0% in the LSC group and 96.6% in the ElevateTM
      group (p = .81). The overall recurrence (objective, subjective recurrence or
      reoperation) was also not different between the groups (LSC 4.5% vs Elevate 4.8%,
      p = 0.89). CONCLUSION: Transvaginal ElevateTM mesh delivers comparable apical
      support with a low exposure rate similar to that of laparoscopic sacral
      colpopexy.

PMID- 28620795
TI  - Levator ani defects and the severity of symptoms in women with anterior
      compartment pelvic organ prolapse.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The aims of this study were to evaluate the
      prevalence of levator ani muscle (LAM) avulsions in a selected cohort of patients
      with primary anterior compartment pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and to assess
      whether LAM avulsions, as an independent factor, affect the degree of POP
      symptoms and sexual dysfunction. Additionally, clinical and demographic variables
      of women with and those without avulsions were compared. METHODS: We carried out
      a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort study including 197 women
      scheduled for anterior compartment POP surgery. LAM avulsions were diagnosed on
      transperineal 4D ultrasound. Preoperative symptom severity and sexual dysfunction
      were evaluated using validated questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Disability Index
      [PFDI-20] and Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire
      Short Form 12 [PISQ-12]). Linear regression was performed with avulsion as the
      main independent variable against total PFDI-20 and domain scores, bulge
      symptoms, and PISQ-12 score. Clinical and demographic variables for women with
      and without avulsions were compared using independent samples t test, Mann
      Whitney U test or Chi-squared test. RESULTS: The prevalence of LAM avulsions was
      50.3%. Avulsions were not associated with symptom severity or sexual dysfunction.
      "Chronic disease causing pain, fatigue or increased intra-abdominal pressure" was
      the only independent factor associated with all domains of the PFDI-20. Women
      with avulsions were younger at presentation, older at their first delivery, had
      lower BMI, and more often had a history of forceps delivery (p < 0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: LAM avulsions were highly prevalent in this preoperative POP cohort.
      Avulsions were not associated with the severity of POP symptoms or sexual
      dysfunction. Women with avulsions seem to require fewer additional cofactors for
      developing POP.

PMID- 28620796
TI  - Antioxidant Capacity of Beetroot: Traditional vs Novel Approaches.
AB  - Red beetroot has been ranked among the 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables,
      although only extraction-based methods have been used to evaluate its total
      antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the present study aims at comparing the
      traditional extraction-based method with two more recent approaches (QUENCHER 
      QUick, Easy, New, CHEap and Reproducible- and GAR -global antioxidant response
      method), in order to establish their suitability in the case of beetroot. Our
      results indicate that the total antioxidant capacity of beetroot would be
      underestimated when using extraction-based procedures, since both QUENCHER and
      GAR methods resulted in a higher total antioxidant capacity. The effect of a
      thermal treatment on the total antioxidant capacity of beetroot varies among the
      methods evaluated and our findings suggest different compounds responsible for
      the total antioxidant capacity detected in each pre-processing method.
      Remarkably, the present study demonstrates that the traditional extraction-based
      method seems useful to screen for (changes in) the "bioavailable" antioxidant
      potential of the root.

PMID- 28620800
TI  - Non-uniform sampling in biomolecular NMR.

PMID- 28620798
TI  - "Inflammatory skin march" in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Comorbidities of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), metabolic syndrome
      and autoimmune diseases with systemic inflammation are recent topics in medicine.
      Inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are an active
      source of diverse proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which are readily
      detectable in the circulation and are likely to be involved in developing
      comorbidities. EVIDENCE: Both atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are frequently
      comorbid with CVD, metabolic syndrome and autoimmune diseases, the consequence of
      which is called "inflammatory skin march", "psoriatic march" or "march of
      psoriasis". CONCLUSION: In this review, we summarize the epidemiological evidence
      and pathogenetic concepts regarding inflammatory skin march in atopic dermatitis
      and psoriasis.

PMID- 28620799
TI  - Changes of fatty infiltration according to the immediate postoperative time point
      in magnetic resonance imaging after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.
AB  - PURPOSE: Fatty infiltration (FI) is known to be an irreversible change which
      continues degeneration after rotator cuff repair. Previous studies evaluated
      postoperative changes in FI using a preoperative baseline. This study aimed to
      investigate the changes in FI using an immediate postoperative baseline. We
      hypothesized that FI was progressed more when measured relative to an immediate
      postoperative baseline than to a preoperative baseline. METHODS: From 2008 to
      2010, 77 patients who met the following criteria were included in this study:
      arthroscopic rotator cuff repair of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear and
      presence of preoperative (approximately 1 month before surgery), immediate
      postoperative (approximately 3 days after surgery), and 1-year postoperative (at
      least 9 months to 1 year after surgery) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      undertaken. The exclusion criteria were: absence of any of the three MRIs,
      isolated subscapularis repair, and rotator cuff repair with margin convergence
      only. The MRIs were examined to assess the Goutallier grade of the rotator cuff
      muscles for the assessment of FI. Structural integrity was evaluated using the
      Sugaya classification. Measurements 1 year after surgery were compared with those
      at the preoperative and immediate postoperative time points according to the
      integrity. RESULTS: In the total and retear group, FI in the supraspinatus and
      infraspinatus 1 year after surgery did not change significantly relative to the
      preoperative baseline (all n.s.), but progressed compared to the immediate
      postoperative baseline (all p < 0.001). In the retear group, FI in the
      supraspinatus and infraspinatus reduced for seven and two of 20 patients,
      respectively, compared with the preoperative baseline; however, no patients
      showed a reduced FI compared with the immediate postoperative baseline.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study showed that the changes in FI reduced,
      remained or progressed in accordance with the baseline and structural integrity.
      FI progressed when compared with the immediate postoperative baseline than with
      the preoperative baseline. The immediate postoperative time point would be
      considered as the baseline to monitor the true changes of FI after repair. LEVEL
      OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective comparative study, Level III.

PMID- 28620802
TI  - At-Risk Alcohol Use Among HIV-Positive Patients and the Completion of Patient
      Reported Outcomes.
AB  - Heavy drinking is prevalent among people living with HIV. Studies use tools like
      patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to quantify alcohol use in a detailed, timely
      manner. However, if alcohol misuse influences PRO completion, selection bias may
      result. Our study included 14,145 adult HIV patients (133,036 visits) from CNICS
      who were eligible to complete PROs at an HIV primary care visit. We compared PRO
      completion proportions between patients with and without a clinical diagnosis of
      at-risk alcohol use in the prior year. We accounted for confounding by baseline
      and visit-specific covariates. PROs were completed at 20.8% of assessed visits.
      The adjusted difference in PRO completion proportions was -3.2% (95% CI -5.6 to 
      0.8%). The small association between receipt of an at-risk alcohol use diagnosis
      and decreased PRO completion suggests there could be modest selection bias in
      studies using the PRO alcohol measure.

PMID- 28620801
TI  - FTY720 Attenuates Infection-Induced Enhancement of Abeta Accumulation in APP/PS1
      Mice by Modulating Astrocytic Activation.
AB  - It is well established that infection has a significant detrimental effect on
      patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), accelerating cognitive decline and, even
      in healthy ageing individuals, increasing amyloid-beta (Abeta) accumulation in
      the brain. In animal models of AD infection can also cause damage, with evidence
      of increased neuroinflammation, amyloid pathology and deterioration of cognitive
      function. These changes are against a backdrop of an age- and AD-related increase
      in susceptibility to infection. Here we set out to determine whether FTY720, a
      molecule that binds sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors and with known
      immunosuppressant effects mediating its therapeutic action in multiple sclerosis
      (MS), might modulate the impact of infection in a mouse model of AD. Transgenic
      mice that overexpress amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1;
      APP/PS1 mice) and their littermates were/were not infected with Bordetella
      pertussis and were treated orally with FTY720 or vehicle beginning 3 days before
      infection. Infection increased astrocytic activation and enhanced blood brain
      barrier (BBB) permeability and these changes were attenuated in FTY720-treated B.
      pertussis-infected mice. Significantly, infection increased Abeta containing
      plaques and soluble Abeta and these infection-related changes were also
      attenuated in FTY720-treated B. pertussis-infected mice. The data suggest that
      this effect results from an FTY720-induced increase in Abeta phagocytosis by
      astrocytes. FTY720 did not impact on genotype-related changes in the absence of
      an infection indicating that its potential usefulness is restricted to reducing
      the impact of acute inflammatory stimuli in AD.

PMID- 28620803
TI  - Impact of Pharmacy Proximity and Delivery Services on HIV Viral Suppression Among
      Low Income Urban Patients.
AB  - Adherence to antiretrovirals is essential to achieve viral suppression in HIV
      patients. Unfortunately, numerous barriers to adherence and subsequent viral
      suppression still exist. This study examines the association between pharmacy
      location and viral suppression for low income HIV patients. We evaluated whether
      home delivery services or closer proximity to in-store pharmacies was associated
      with viral suppression. Patients utilizing delivery pharmacy had increased
      likelihood of sustained viral suppression compared to in-store pharmacy patients
      (aOR = 3.430). For patients traveling to pharmacies, there were no differences in
      proximity for suppressed and non-suppressed patients. Home delivery may aid
      adherence and improve viral suppression.

PMID- 28620804
TI  - Core elements of general supportive care for patients with sepsis and septic
      shock in resource-limited settings.

PMID- 28620805
TI  - Action effect features, but not anatomical features, determine the Backward
      Crosstalk Effect: evidence from crossed-hands experiments.
AB  - The Backward Crosstalk Effect (BCE) indicates that response features of Task 2 in
      a dual-task paradigm influence even Task 1 performance. However, it can be
      assumed that responses are represented with multiple features in the cognitive
      system. In this regard, Ideomotor Theory suggests action effects as one central
      response feature in human action control and an earlier study by Janczyk,
      Pfister, Hommel, and Kunde (Cognition 132: 30-43, 2014) already provided some
      evidence that action effects are a crucial determinant of the BCE. The present
      study aimed to further investigate which response features are critical for the
      BCE. Therefore, a crossed-hands manipulation was implemented in two experiments
      to examine whether the spatial position of the actual response and thus its
      associated action effects or the body-side of the effectors' anatomical
      connection determine the BCE. Analyses revealed that even when participants press
      a left response key with the right hand and vice versa, the usual BCE occurs.
      These results indicate that the BCE depends on spatial features of the action
      effects rather than on anatomical features and thus provide additional support
      for the assumption that action effects have an important influence on the BCE and
      on action control in general.

PMID- 28620806
TI  - Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia type 1 due to a novel homozygous mutation of
      the calcium-sensing receptor gene.

PMID- 28620807
TI  - Predictive factors of maternal hypothermia during Cesarean delivery: a
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although perioperative hypothermia may increase maternal morbidity,
      active warming is infrequently performed to maintain normothermia during Cesarean
      delivery (CD). The aim of this prospective observational study was to determine
      the factors associated with maternal hypothermia in this setting. METHODS: Women
      scheduled for elective or emergency CD were consecutively included in this study
      from November 2014 to October 2015. Maternal temperature was measured using an
      infrared tympanic thermometer on the patient's arrival in the operating room, at
      skin incision, and at the end of skin suture. Maternal hypothermia was defined by
      tympanic temperature < 36 degrees C at the end of skin suture. Univariate
      analysis was performed, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis, in
      order to determine the factors associated with maternal hypothermia at the end of
      the surgery. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-nine women were included and analyzed
      during this study. The incidence of hypothermia was 23% (95% confidence interval,
      18 to 27) among the total population included. According to multivariate
      analysis, obesity, oxytocin augmentation of labour, and use of active forced-air
      warming were associated with a decreased risk of maternal hypothermia, while
      maternal temperature < 37.1 degrees C on arrival in the operating room, maternal
      temperature < 36.6 degrees C at skin incision, and an infused volume of fluids >
      650 mL were significantly associated with maternal hypothermia. Both goodness of
      fit and predictive value of multivariate analysis were high. CONCLUSION: Several
      predictive factors for maternal hypothermia during CD were identified. These
      factors should be taken into account to help prevent maternal hypothermia during
      CD.

PMID- 28620808
TI  - Expression of CD44 variant 6 and its prognostic value in benign and malignant
      endometrial tissue.
AB  - PURPOSE: CD44 expression in both the early and metastatic phases of many
      epithelial and non-epithelial cancers is strongly prognostic. The objective of
      the study is to evaluate whether there is any relationship between the expression
      of CDD44v6 and endometrial cancer (EC) staging and prognosis. METHODS: This
      retrospective study included 60 EC patients for whom surgical staging was
      performed between 2000 and 2006. Twenty-eight randomly selected patients with
      normal endometria served as the control group. We immunohistochemically evaluated
      membranous and cytoplasmic CD44v6 staining in tissue paraffin blocks. The results
      were graded as positive or negative. RESULTS: Membranous staining in both
      advanced and early stage EC patients was significantly higher than that in the
      control group (p = 0.002). The extent of either membranous or cytoplasmic
      staining in both advanced- and early stage patients did not differ significantly
      by age, tumor grade, stage, extent of myometrial invasion, lymph node
      involvement, cytology, adnexal involvement, or omental spreading. In advanced
      stage patients, neither papillary serous not clear cell cancers exhibited
      cytoplasmic staining. CONCLUSIONS: CD44v6 membranous staining can be useful for
      differentiating malignant from benign endometrial tissue. However, staining is
      not associated with EC staging or prognosis.

PMID- 28620809
TI  - Single gene reassortment of highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N1 in the low
      pathogenic H9N2 backbone and its impact on pathogenicity and infectivity of novel
      reassortant viruses.
AB  - Avian influenza A H5N1 and H9N2 viruses have been extensively circulating in
      various avian species and frequently infect mammals, including humans. The
      synchronous circulation of both viruses in Egypt provides an opportunity for
      possible genetic assortment, posing a probable threat to global public health. To
      assess the potential risk of the IAV reassortants derived from co-circulation of
      these two AI subtypes, reverse genetics technology was used to generate a set of
      IAV reassortants carrying single genetic segments of clade 2.2.1.2 virus
      A/duck/Egypt/Q4596D/2012 (H5N1), a representative of the most prevalent H5N1
      clade in Egypt, in the genetic backbone of A/chicken/Egypt/S4456B/2011 (H9N2), a
      representative of G1-like H9N2 lineage which is widely circulating in Egypt.
      Furthermore, the genetic compatibility, growth kinetics and virulence were
      evaluated in vitro in mammalian systems using the MDCK cell line and avian system
      using SPF embryonated chicken eggs. Pathogenicity and virus shedding were further
      tested using SPF chickens. Out of the eight desired H9-reassortants, we could
      rescue only 5 reassortant viruses, either due to difficulty in cloning (PB1 of
      H5N1 virus) or genetic incompatibility (NP-H5/H9 and NA-H5/H9). Results revealed
      higher replication rates for the H9N2 virus having the NS segment of H5N1 virus.
      The lowest survival rate in both SPF eggs and SPF chickens was associated with
      the H5N1 parent virus infection, followed by the HA-H5/H9 virus. Our findings
      also suggest that all other reassortant viruses were of lower pathogenicity than
      the wild type H5N1 virus.

PMID- 28620810
TI  - c-Jun integrates signals from both MEK/ERK and MKK/JNK pathways upon vaccinia
      virus infection.
AB  - Usurpation of the host's signalling pathways is a common strategy employed by
      viruses to promote their successful replication. Here we show that infection with
      the orthopoxvirus vaccinia virus (VACV) leads to sustained stimulation of c-Jun
      activity during the entire infective cycle. This stimulation is temporally
      regulated through MEK/ERK or MKK/JNK pathways, i.e. during the early/mid phase (1
      to 6 hpi) and in the late phase (9 to 24 hpi) of the infective cycle,
      respectively. As a transcriptional regulator, upon infection with VACV, c-Jun is
      translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, where it binds to the AP-1 DNA
      sequence found at the promoter region of its target genes. To investigate the
      role played by c-Jun during VACV replication cycle, we generated cell lines that
      stably express a c-Jun-dominant negative (DNc-Jun) mutation. Our data revealed
      that c-Jun is required during early infection to assist with viral DNA
      replication, as demonstrated by the decreased amount of viral DNA found in the
      DNc-Jun cells. We also demonstrated that c-Jun regulates the expression of the
      early growth response gene (egr-1), a gene previously shown to affect VACV
      replication mediated by MEK/ERK signalling. VACV-induced stimulation of the
      MKK/JNK/JUN pathway impacts viral dissemination, as we observed a significant
      reduction in both viral yield, during late stages of infection, and virus plaque
      size. Collectively, our data suggest that, by modulating the host's signalling
      pathways through a common target such as c-Jun, VACV temporally regulates its
      infective cycle in order to successfully replicate and subsequently spread.

PMID- 28620811
TI  - Serological, molecular and clinical correlates of dengue from a tertiary care
      centre in Chennai, India.
AB  - Dengue disease is caused by dengue viruses 1-4 and has been ranked by the World
      Health Organisation (WHO) as the fastest spreading vector-borne viral disease.
      Dengue is often underreported and misdiagnosed due to a wide spectrum of clinical
      manifestations. Diagnosis of dengue is based on clinical case definitions and
      laboratory methods. Newer case definitions of dengue have been formulated by
      clinical studies in order to improve case detection. Owing to its epidemic
      potential, mortality and morbidity, there is a need for a rapid and accurate
      diagnostic assay for dengue in order to help the clinician in the early detection
      of cases and to prevent disease progression. A duplex real time PCR targeting the
      3'UTR region for rapid and simultaneous detection of all dengue viruses serotypes
      (1-4) was standardized based on published literature. About 150 patients with
      acute undifferentiated febrile illness classified based on the 2009 WHO dengue
      case definition were tested using the duplex real time dengue PCR. Sequencing
      based PCR was performed on selected PCR positive samples for partial nucleotide
      sequence of the CprM gene and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Statistical
      analysis was done using the MedCalc software. Out of the 126 patients classified
      as dengue disease positive, according to the 2009 WHO dengue case definition, 54%
      had "probable dengue", 43% had "dengue with warning signs" and 3% had "severe
      dengue". The performance of the duplex real time PCR was assessed among the
      various clinical groups of dengue and it was found that in the "dengue with
      warning signs group" PCR had a positive predictive value of 85.29% (range -
      68.94% to 95.05%) when compared with dengue NS1 ELISA. The average time for PCR
      positivity was found to be four days from the onset of illness. The cycling
      threshold values obtained from real time PCR were used as a semi quantitative
      measure of viremia. Accordingly, there was a relatively low CT value among the
      "warning signs dengue group" when compared to the "probable dengue group". The
      use of the duplex PCR is suggested in the early diagnosis of dengue, especially
      in the 'warning signs' group of patients as they showed a higher positivity rate.
      Also, the use of the resultant CT value as a semi-quantitative measure of viremia
      will assist the clinician in early diagnosis and prevention of disease
      development.

PMID- 28620797
TI  - Asia-Pacific clinical practice guidelines on the management of hepatocellular
      carcinoma: a 2017 update.
AB  - There is great geographical variation in the distribution of hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC), with the majority of all cases worldwide found in the Asia
      Pacific region, where HCC is one of the leading public health problems. Since the
      "Toward Revision of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver
      (APASL) HCC Guidelines" meeting held at the 25th annual conference of the APASL
      in Tokyo, the newest guidelines for the treatment of HCC published by the APASL
      has been discussed. This latest guidelines recommend evidence-based management of
      HCC and are considered suitable for universal use in the Asia-Pacific region,
      which has a diversity of medical environments.

PMID- 28620812
TI  - Case study of first episode schizophrenia in pregnancy and postpartum.
AB  - Patients with first-episode psychosis of peripartum onset commonly prove to have
      a mood-disorder diathesis; however, a proportion of cases represent first-episode
      schizophrenia. We present such a case and discuss the clinical relevance of
      recognizing this small but important population of new mothers. These patients
      are at considerable risk of misdiagnosis, resulting in ineffective maintenance
      therapy, poorer recovery of function, and development of treatment resistance.
      Accurate diagnosis in the peripartum period will impact treatment decisions and
      long-term therapy. Clinicians need to be vigilant, especially during maintenance
      therapy, to identify these patients and ensure appropriate antipsychotic therapy
      is provided.

PMID- 28620813
TI  - An in-silico insight into the substrate binding characteristics of the active
      site of amorpha-4, 11-diene synthase, a key enzyme in artemisinin biosynthesis.
AB  - The enzyme amorphadiene synthase (ADS) conducts the first committed step in the
      biosynthetic conversion of the substrate farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to
      artemisinin, which is a highly effective natural product against multidrug
      resistant strains of malaria. Due to the either low abundance or low turn-over
      rate of the enzyme, obtaining artemisinin from both natural and synthetic sources
      is costly and laborious. In this in silico study, we strived to elucidate the
      substrate binding site specificities of the ADS, with the rational that
      unraveling enzyme features paves the way for enzyme engineering to increase
      synthesis rate. A homology model of the ADS from Artemisia annua L. was
      constructed based on the available crystal structure of the 5-epiaristolochene
      synthase (TEAS) and further analyzed with molecular dynamic simulations to
      determine residues forming the substrate recognition pocket. We also investigated
      the structural aspects of Mg2+ binding. Results revealed DDYTD and NDLMT as metal
      binding motifs in the putative active site gorge, which is composed of the D and
      H helixes and one loop region (aa519-532). Moreover, several representative
      residues including Tyr519, Asp444, Trp271, Asn443, Thr399, Arg262, Val292, Gly400
      and Leu405, determine the FPP binding mode and its fate in terms of
      stereochemistry as well as the enzyme fidelity for the specific end product.
      These findings lead to inferences concerning key components of the ADS catalytic
      cavity, and provide evidence for the spatial localization of the FPP and Mg2+.
      Such detailed understanding will probably help to design an improved enzyme.

PMID- 28620814
TI  - Oil palm fiber biodegradation: physico-chemical and structural relationships.
AB  - MAIN CONCLUSION: X-ray microtomography results revealed that delignification
      process damaged the oil palm fibers, which correlated well with reduction of
      lignin components and increase of the phenolic content. Biodegradation
      investigation of natural fibers normally focuses on physico-chemical analysis,
      with less emphasis on physical aspect like fiber structures affect from microbial
      activity. In this work, the performance of Pycnoporus sanguineus to delignify oil
      palm empty fruit bunch fibers through solid-state fermentation utilizing various
      ratio of POME sludge was reported. In addition to tensile testing, physico
      chemical and X-ray microtomography (u-CT) analyses on the oil palm fibers were
      conducted to determine the effectiveness of the degradation process. The best
      ratio of fiber to fungi (60:40) was chosen based on the highest lignin loss and
      total phenolic content values and further investigation was performed to obtain
      fermentation kinetics data of both laccase and manganese peroxidase. u-CT results
      revealed that delignification process damaged the pre-treated and untreated
      fibers structure, as evident from volume reduction after degradation process.
      This is correlated with reduction of lignin component and increase of the
      phenolic content, as well as lower stress-strain curves of the pre-treated fibers
      compared to the untreated ones (from tensile testing). It is suggested that P.
      sanguineus preferred to consume the outer layer of the fiber, before it
      penetrates through the cellular structure of the inner fiber.

PMID- 28620815
TI  - Radiation-related toxicities and outcomes in endometrial cancer: are obese women
      at a disadvantage?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of body mass index (BMI) on radiotherapy
      toxicities in endometrial cancer patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective
      cohort study of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer between January 2006 and
      December 2014 at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust. Women who received
      radiotherapy as part of their treatment, including external beam radiotherapy
      (EBRT) and/or vaginal brachytherapy were included. Radiation-related toxicities
      were graded according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) guidelines.
      Toxicity outcomes were compared across BMI groups-non-obese (BMI <30 kg/m2) and
      obese (BMI >=30 kg/m2)-according to radiotherapy treatment received (EBRT,
      brachytherapy or a combination). RESULTS: Of a total of 159 women who received
      radiotherapy, 110 were eligible for inclusion in the study. Sixty-three women had
      a BMI <30 kg/m2 and 47 women were obese. Obese women had poorer Eastern
      Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (P = 0.021) and more comorbidities
      (P < 0.001) compared to the non-obese group. Total (any) toxicity rates were
      60.3, 72.7 and 52.0% for EBRT and brachytherapy (N = 63), single-mode EBRT (N =
      22) and brachytherapy (N = 25), respectively. BMI was not associated with the
      incidence of acute and late radiation toxicities in the different radiotherapy
      groups, and there were no differences in individual complications between the BMI
      groups. CONCLUSION: When comparing obese to non-obese women, obesity does not
      negatively impact the incidence of radiation toxicities in endometrial cancer.
      However, toxicities remain an important challenge as they are common and
      negatively influence the quality of life (QoL) of survivors. Future studies need
      to further explore the role of BMI and possible interventions to improve
      toxicities and QoL.

PMID- 28620816
TI  - Bioaccessibility of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn in mine waste, urban soil, and road dust
      in the historical mining village of Kank, Czech Republic.
AB  - Historical mining activities in the village of Kank (in the northern part of the
      Kutna Hora ore district, Czech Republic) produced large amounts of mine wastes
      which contain significant amounts of metal(loid) contaminants such as As, Cu, Pb,
      and Zn. Given the proximity of residential communities to these mining residues,
      we investigated samples of mine waste (n = 5), urban soil (n = 6), and road dust
      (n = 5) with a special focus on the solid speciation of As, Cu, Pb, and Zn using
      a combination of methods (XRD, SEM/EDS, oxalate extractions), as well as on in
      vitro bioaccessibility in simulated gastric and lung fluids to assess the
      potential exposure risks for humans. Bulk chemical analyses indicated that As is
      the most important contaminant in the mine wastes (~1.15 wt%), urban soils (~2900
      mg/kg) and road dusts (~440 mg/kg). Bioaccessible fractions of As were quite low
      (4-13%) in both the simulated gastric and lung fluids, while the bioaccessibility
      of metals ranged between <0.01% (Pb) and 68% (Zn). The bioaccessibilities of the
      metal(loid)s were dependent on the mineralogy and different adsorption properties
      of the metal(loid)s. Based on our results, a potential health risk, especially
      for children, was recognized from the ingestion of mine waste materials and
      highly contaminated urban soil. Based on the risk assessment, arsenic was found
      to be the element posing the greatest risk.

PMID- 28620817
TI  - Effect of biosolid hydrochar on toxicity to earthworms and brine shrimp.
AB  - The hydrothermal carbonization of sewage sludge has been studied as an
      alternative technique for the conversion of sewage sludge into value-added
      products, such as soil amendments. We tested the toxicity of biosolid hydrochar
      (Sewchar) to earthworms. Additionally, the toxicity of Sewchar process water
      filtrate with and without pH adjustment was assessed, using brine shrimps as a
      model organism. For a Sewchar application of 40 Mg ha-1, the earthworms
      significantly preferred the side of the vessel with the reference soil (control)
      over side of the vessel with the Sewchar treatments. There was no acute toxicity
      of Sewchar to earthworms within the studied concentration range (up to 80 Mg ha
      1). Regarding the Sewchar process water filtrate, the median lethal concentration
      (LC50) to the shrimps was 8.1% for the treatments in which the pH was not
      adjusted and 54.8% for the treatments in which the pH was adjusted to 8.5. The
      lethality to the shrimps significantly increased as the amount of Sewchar process
      water filtrate increased. In the future, specific toxic substances in Sewchar and
      its process water filtrate, as well as their interactions with soil properties
      and their impacts on organisms, should be elucidated. Additionally, it should be
      identified whether the amount of the toxic compounds satisfies the corresponding
      legal requirements for the safe application of Sewchar and its process water
      filtrate.

PMID- 28620818
TI  - Effects of atorvastatin and simvastatin on oxidative stress in diet-induced
      hyperhomocysteinemia in Wistar albino rats: a comparative study.
AB  - Considering the well-known antioxidant properties of statins, it seems important
      to assess their impact on major markers of oxidative stress (superoxide anion
      radical, nitric oxide, and index of lipid peroxidation) to compare the
      antioxidative potentials of atorvastatin and simvastatin during the different
      degrees of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in rats. This study was conducted on adult
      male Wistar albino rats (n = 90; 4 weeks old; 100 +/- 15 g body mass) in which
      HHcy was achieved by dietary manipulation. For 4 weeks, the animals were fed with
      one of the following diets: standard rodent chow, diet enriched in methionine
      with no deficiency in B vitamins (folic acid, B6, and B12), or diet enriched in
      methionine and deficient in B vitamins (folic acid, B6, and B12). At the same
      time, animals were treated with atorvastatin at doses of 3 mg/kg/day i.p. or
      simvastatin at doses of 5 mg/kg/day i.p. Levels of superoxide anion radical and
      TBARS were significantly decreased by administration of simvastatin in normal and
      high-homocysteine (Hcy) groups (p < 0.05). At 4 weeks after feeding with purified
      diets, the concentrations of the GSH, CAT, and SOD antioxidants were
      significantly affected among all groups (p < 0.05). Our results indicated that
      statin therapy had variable effects on the redox status in hyperhomocysteinemic
      rats, and simvastatin demonstrated stronger antioxidant effects than did
      atorvastatin.

PMID- 28620819
TI  - Cellular growth and tube formation of HTR8/SVneo trophoblast: effects of
      exogenously added fatty acid-binding protein-4 and its inhibitor.
AB  - Adequate placental angiogenesis is critical for the establishment of the
      placental circulation and thus for normal feto-placental growth and development.
      Fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4) plays a pro-angiogenic role in endothelial
      cells; however, very little information is available in placental first trimester
      trophoblast cells. Here we report that exogenously added FABP4 (exo-FABP4)
      stimulated tube formation (as a measure of in vitro angiogenesis) in HTR8/SVneo
      trophoblastic cells. HTR-8/SVneo cells were incubated in the presence of
      exogenously added FABP4 at different concentrations and time points. Cellular
      growth, proliferation, in vitro tube formation, expression of growth stimulatory
      , fatty acid transporters, and angiogenic genes were investigated.
      Internalization of exo-FABP4 was carried out using immunocytochemistry.
      Radioactive fatty acid uptake was determined in the presence and absence of FABP4
      metabolic inhibitor. Exo-FABP4 (10-100 ng/ml) stimulated proliferation of
      HTR8/SVneo cells as compared to control. Exo-FABP4 dose dependently increased
      growth and viability of the cells to the similar extent as done by 50 uM of
      arachidonic acid. Exo-FABP4-induced tube formation and proliferation were
      significantly inhibited by FABP4 (BMS309403) inhibitor. Exo-FABP4 stimulated the
      expression of growth stimulatory genes such as tissue inhibitor of matrix
      metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP1), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and also
      prokineticin 2 (PROK2), the pro-angiogenic mediators in these cells. In addition,
      expressions of genes associated with proliferation and differentiation such as
      sonic hedgehog (SHH) and WNT1 inducible signalling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) were
      significantly expressed when cells were exposed to exo-FABP4. Our findings reveal
      a pro-angiogenic role of FABP4 in first trimester placental trophoblast cells and
      its regulation may have impact in placental physiology.

PMID- 28620820
TI  - Cytoglobin inhibits migration through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in fibroblast cells.
AB  - Cell proliferation and migration are crucial in many physiological processes
      including development, cancer, tissue repair, and wound healing. Cell migration
      is regulated by several signaling molecules. Identification of genes related to
      cell migration is required to understand molecular mechanism of non-healing
      chronic wounds which is a major concern in clinics. In the current study, the
      role of cytoglobin (CYGB) gene in fibroblast cell migration and proliferation was
      described. L929 mouse fibroblast cells were transduced with lentiviral particles
      for CYGB and GFP, and analyzed for cell proliferation and migration ability.
      Fibroblast cells overexpressing CYGB displayed decreased cell proliferation,
      colony formation capacity, and cell migration. Phosphorylation levels of mTOR and
      two downstream effectors S6 and 4E-BP1 which take part in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling
      declined in CYGB-overexpressing cells. Microarray analysis indicated that CYGB
      overexpression leads to downregulation of cell proliferation, migration, and
      tumor growth associated genes in L929 cell line. This study demonstrated the role
      of CYGB in fibroblast cell motility and proliferation. CYGB could be a promising
      candidate for further studies as a potential target for diseases related to cell
      migration such as cancer and chronic wound treatment.

PMID- 28620821
TI  - Administration of Exogenous Melatonin After the Onset of Systemic Inflammation Is
      Hardly Beneficial.
AB  - Melatonin improves survival and functional impairment including hemolysis,
      thrombocytopenia, and hypotension when administered in a prophylactic manner or
      early after initiation of sepsis or endotoxemia. In the present study, melatonin
      was given not before first symptoms of systemic inflammation became manifest.
      Lipopolysaccharide was infused at a rate of 0.5 mg/kg * h to induce systemic
      inflammation in male Wistar rats. Melatonin (single dose 3 mg/kg * 15 min) was
      intravenously administered 180 and 270 min after starting of the
      lipopolysaccharide infusion. Systemic and vital parameters (e.g., systemic blood
      pressure and breathing rate) as well as blood and plasma parameters (acid-base
      parameters; electrolytes; parameters of tissue injury such as glucose
      concentration, lactate concentration, hemolysis, and aminotransferase activities;
      parameters of thromboelastometry; and platelet count) were determined in regular
      intervals. Infusion of lipopolysaccharide led to characteristic symptoms of
      severe systemic inflammation including hypotension, metabolic acidosis and
      hypoglycemia, electrolyte and hemostatic disturbances, thrombocytopenia, and
      hemolysis. Melatonin neither decreased mortality nor reduced lipopolysaccharide
      dependent changes to vital, blood, and plasma parameters. Even though melatonin
      may have a beneficial effect in early stages of systemic inflammation, it can
      hardly be an option in therapy of manifest sepsis or endotoxemia in an intensive
      care unit.

PMID- 28620822
TI  - Digital imaging information technology for biospeckle activity assessment
      relative to bacteria and parasites.
AB  - This paper reports on the biospeckle processing of biological activity using a
      visualization scheme based upon the digital imaging information technology.
      Activity relative to bacterial growth in agar plates and to parasites affected by
      a drug is monitored via the speckle patterns generated by a coherent source
      incident on the microorganisms. We present experimental results to demonstrate
      the potential application of this methodology for following the activity in time.
      The digital imaging information technology is an alternative visualization
      enabling the study of speckle dynamics, which is correlated to the activity of
      bacteria and parasites. In this method, the changes in Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color
      component density are considered as markers of the growth of bacteria and
      parasites motility in presence of a drug. The RGB data was used to generate a two
      dimensional surface plot allowing an analysis of color distribution on the
      speckle images. The proposed visualization is compared to the outcomes of the
      generalized differences and the temporal difference. A quantification of the
      activity is performed using a parameterization of the temporal difference method.
      The adopted digital image processing technique has been found suitable to monitor
      motility and morphological changes in the bacterial population over time and to
      detect and distinguish a short term drug action on parasites.

PMID- 28620823
TI  - The VEGF-A inhibitor sFLT-1 improves renal function by reducing endothelial
      activation and inflammation in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes.
AB  - AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Animal models of diabetic nephropathy show increased levels of
      glomerular vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, and several studies have
      shown that inhibiting VEGF-A in animal models of diabetes can prevent albuminuria
      and glomerular hypertrophy. However, in those studies, treatment was initiated
      before the onset of kidney damage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to
      investigate whether transfecting mice with the VEGF-A inhibitor sFlt-1 (encoding
      soluble fms-related tyrosine kinase 1) can reverse pre-existing kidney damage in
      a mouse model of type 1 diabetes. In addition, we investigated whether
      transfection with sFlt-1 can reduce endothelial activation and inflammation in
      these mice. METHODS: Subgroups of untreated 8-week-old female C57BL/6J control (n
      = 5) and diabetic mice (n = 7) were euthanised 5 weeks after the start of the
      experiment in order to determine the degree of kidney damage prior to treatment
      with sFLT-1. Diabetes was induced with three i.p. injections of streptozotocin
      (75 mg/kg) administered at 2 day intervals. Diabetic nephropathy was then
      investigated in diabetic mice transfected with sFlt-1 (n = 6); non-diabetic, non
      transfected control mice (n = 5); non-diabetic control mice transfected with sFlt
      1(n = 10); and non-transfected diabetic mice (n = 6). These mice were euthanised
      at the end of week 15. Transfection with sFlt-1 was performed in week 6. RESULTS:
      We found that transfection with sFlt-1 significantly reduced kidney damage by
      normalising albuminuria, glomerular hypertrophy and mesangial matrix content
      (i.e. glomerular collagen type IV protein levels) (p < 0.001). We also found that
      transfection with sFlt-1 reduced endothelial activation (p < 0.001), glomerular
      macrophage infiltration (p < 0.001) and glomerular TNF-alpha protein levels (p <
      0.001). Finally, sFLT-1 decreased VEGF-A-induced endothelial activation in vitro
      (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These results suggest that sFLT-1 might
      be beneficial in treating diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting VEGF-A, thereby
      reducing endothelial activation and glomerular inflammation, and ultimately
      reversing kidney damage.

PMID- 28620824
TI  - L-3-n-Butylphthalide Activates Akt/mTOR Signaling, Inhibits Neuronal Apoptosis
      and Autophagy and Improves Cognitive Impairment in Mice with Repeated Cerebral
      Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.
AB  - L-3-n-Butylphthalide (L-NBP) exerts neuroprotective effects in animal models of
      cerebral ischemia, but its potential benefits in repeated cerebral ischemia
      reperfusion (RCIR) injury remain unknown. We investigated the effect of L-NBP on
      cognitive impairment induced by RCIR in mice. Male C57Bl/6 mice received sham
      surgery or bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (3 times, 20 min each) and
      were orally administered preoperative L-NBP (30 mg/kg/day, 7 days), postoperative
      L-NBP (30 or 60 mg/kg/day, 28 days) or postoperative vehicle (28 days). Learning
      and memory were assessed by the Morris water maze task and step-down passive
      avoidance test. Nissl staining was used to identify pathologic changes in the
      hippocampal CA1 region. The expressions of proteins associated with signaling,
      apoptosis and autophagy were assessed by quantitative PCR and western blot. RCIR
      induced deficits in learning and memory that were alleviated by preoperative or
      postoperative L-NBP administration. Pathologic lesions in the hippocampal CA1
      region induced by RCIR were less severe in mice treated with L-NBP. Preoperative
      or postoperative L-NBP administration in mice receiving RCIR promoted hippocampal
      expression of phospho-Akt and phospho-mTOR (suggesting activation of Akt/mTOR
      signaling), increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio (indicating suppression of apoptosis)
      and reduced the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio (implying inhibition of autophagy).
      Preoperative or postoperative L-NBP administration also depressed hippocampal
      levels of beclin-1 mRNA (indicating suppression of autophagy). These findings
      suggest that the effect of L-NBP to alleviate learning and memory deficits in
      mice following RCIR may involve activation of Akt/mTOR signaling and regulation
      of the expressions of proteins related to apoptosis and autophagy.

PMID- 28620825
TI  - Flow Cytometric Characterization of T Cell Subsets and Microglia After Repetitive
      Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats.
AB  - Although, there is growing awareness in the progressive neurodegeneration of
      chronic traumatic encephalopathy, changes of immune reactions remain equivocal at
      best. Thus, in a clinically relevant rat repetitive mild traumatic brain injury
      (rmTBI) model, some immunologic cells (T cell subsets, microglia) in the injured
      brain and peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry and
      immunofluorescence. In the injured brain, CD3+ T cells showed a bimodal increase
      during 42 days post-injury (dpi). CD3+CD4+ T cells firstly increased and then
      decreased, while CD3+CD8+ T cells had reversed tendency. CD86+/CD11b+ M1-like
      microglia increased at 42 dpi and CD206+/CD11b+ M2-like microglia peaked at 7
      dpi. In addition, peripheral immune suppression was implicated in the chronic
      phase after rmTBI. Taken together, the study provided useful information on long
      term dynamic changes of some immune cells after rmTBI in rats.

PMID- 28620827
TI  - Asthma, Foot Drop, and Palpable Purpura in a Young Woman.

PMID- 28620828
TI  - Capsule Commentary on Timbie et al., Association Between Patient-Centered Medical
      Home Capabilities and Outcomes for Medicare Beneficiaries Seeking Care from
      Federally Qualified Health Centers.

PMID- 28620826
TI  - Individual Amino Acid Supplementation Can Improve Energy Metabolism and Decrease
      ROS Production in Neuronal Cells Overexpressing Alpha-Synuclein.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by alpha
      synuclein accumulation and loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra
      (SN) region of the brain. Increased levels of alpha-synuclein have been shown to
      result in loss of mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I activity
      leading to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. WT alpha-synuclein
      was stably overexpressed in human BE(2)-M17 neuroblastoma cells resulting in
      increased levels of an alpha-synuclein multimer, but no increase in alpha
      synuclein monomer levels. Oxygen consumption was decreased by alpha-synuclein
      overexpression, but ATP levels did not decrease and ROS levels did not increase.
      Treatment with ferrous sulfate, a ROS generator, resulted in decreased oxygen
      consumption in both control and alpha-synuclein overexpressing cells. However,
      this treatment only decreased ATP levels and increased ROS production in the
      cells overexpressing alpha-synuclein. Similarly, paraquat, another ROS generator,
      decreased ATP levels in the alpha-synuclein overexpressing cells, but not in the
      control cells, further demonstrating how alpha-synuclein sensitized the cells to
      oxidative insult. Proteomic analysis yielded molecular insights into the cellular
      adaptations to alpha-synuclein overexpression, such as the increased abundance of
      many mitochondrial proteins. Many amino acids and citric acid cycle intermediates
      and their ester forms were individually supplemented to the cells with L-serine,
      L-proline, L-aspartate, or L-glutamine decreasing ROS production in oxidatively
      stressed alpha-synuclein overexpressing cells, while diethyl oxaloacetate or L
      valine supplementation increased ATP levels. These results suggest that dietary
      supplementation with individual metabolites could yield bioenergetic improvements
      in PD patients to delay loss of dopaminergic neurons.

PMID- 28620829
TI  - Appearance of cell-adhesion factor in osteoblast proliferation and
      differentiation of apatite coating titanium by blast coating method.
AB  - We have already reported that the apatite coating of titanium by the blast
      coating (BC) method could show a higher rate of bone contact from the early
      stages in vivo, when compared to the pure titanium (Ti) and the apatite coating
      of titanium by the flame spraying (FS) method. However, the detailed mechanism by
      which BC resulted in satisfactory bone contact is still unknown. In the present
      study, we investigated the importance of various factors including cell adhesion
      factor in osteoblast proliferation and differentiation that could affect the
      osteoconductivity of the BC disks. Cell proliferation assay revealed that Saos-2
      could grow fastest on BC disks, and that a spectrophotometric method using a
      LabAssayTM ALP kit showed that ALP activity was increased in cells on BC disks
      compared to Ti disks and FS disks. In addition, higher expression of E-cadherin
      and Fibronectin was observed in cells on BC disks than Ti disks and FS disks by
      relative qPCR as well as Western blotting. These results suggested that the
      expression of cell-adhesion factors, proliferation and differentiation of
      osteoblast might be enhanced on BC disks, which might result higher
      osteoconductivity.

PMID- 28620830
TI  - Anatomy-driven multiple trajectory planning (ADMTP) of intracranial electrodes
      for epilepsy surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: Epilepsy is potentially curable with resective surgery if the
      epileptogenic zone (EZ) can be identified. If non-invasive imaging is unable to
      elucidate the EZ, intracranial electrodes may be implanted to identify the EZ as
      well as map cortical function. In current clinical practice, each electrode
      trajectory is determined by time-consuming manual inspection of preoperative
      imaging to find a path that avoids blood vessels while traversing appropriate
      deep and superficial regions of interest (ROIs). We present anatomy-driven
      multiple trajectory planning (ADMTP) to find safe trajectories from a list of
      user-defined ROIs within minutes rather than the hours required for manual
      planning. METHODS: Electrode trajectories are automatically computed in three
      steps: (1) Target Point Selection to identify appropriate target points within
      each ROI; (2) Trajectory Risk Scoring to quantify the cumulative distance to
      critical structures (blood vessels) along each trajectory, defined as the skull
      entry point to target point. (3) Implantation Plan Computation: to determine a
      feasible combination of low-risk trajectories for all electrodes. RESULTS: ADMTP
      was evaluated on 20 patients (190 electrodes). ADMTP lowered the quantitative
      risk score in 83% of electrodes. Qualitative results show ADMTP found suitable
      trajectories for 70% of electrodes; a similar portion of manual trajectories were
      considered suitable. Trajectory suitability for ADMTP was 95% if traversing sulci
      was not included in the safety criteria. ADMTP is computationally efficient,
      computing between 7 and 12 trajectories in 54.5 (17.3-191.9) s. CONCLUSIONS:
      ADMTP efficiently compute safe and surgically feasible electrode trajectories.

PMID- 28620831
TI  - Cephalopod biology and care, a COST FA1301 (CephsInAction) training school:
      anaesthesia and scientific procedures.
AB  - Cephalopods are the sole invertebrates included in the list of regulated species
      following the Directive 2010/63/EU. According to the Directive, achieving
      competence through adequate training is a requisite for people having a role in
      the different functions (article 23) as such carrying out procedures on animals,
      designing procedures and projects, taking care of animals, killing animals.
      Cephalopod Biology and Care Training Program is specifically designed to comply
      with the requirements of the "working document on the development of a common
      education and training framework to fulfil the requirements under the Directive
      2010/63/EU". The training event occurred at the ICM-CSIC in Barcelona (Spain)
      where people coming from Europe, America and Asia were instructed on how to cope
      with regulations for the use of cephalopod molluscs for scientific purposes. The
      training encompasses discussion on the guidelines for the use and care of animals
      and their welfare with particular reference to procedures that may be of interest
      for neuroscience. Intensive discussion has been carried out during the training
      sessions with focus on behavioural studies and paradigms, welfare assessment,
      levels of severity of scientific procedures, animal care, handling, transport,
      individual identification and marking, substance administration, anaesthesia,
      analgesia and humane killing.

PMID- 28620833
TI  - Assessment of serum uric acid as risk factor for tauopathies.
AB  - Low levels of serum uric acid (UA) are a risk factor for many neurodegenerative
      diseases but the role of UA in tauopathies has not been yet fully evaluated. In
      this study, we assessed the risk associated with serum UA levels in a large group
      of patients with tauopathies, either primary or secondary. The mean serum UA
      concentrations of 111 patients with tauopathies (TAU), including 41 with
      progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), 45 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 25
      with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) were compared to that of 130 controls (CTL).
      The association between serum UA and TAU condition, PSP, AD and FTD was
      calculated as odd ratio (OR) adjusted for age and gender. A cut-off value of
      serum UA was finally obtained to predict subjects at risk for TAU. The serum UA
      levels in TAU and PSP, AD and FTD subgroups were similar, and significantly lower
      than CTL. Linear regression revealed inverse relationships between UA and TAU (OR
      = 0.610), PSP (OR = 0.626), AD (OR = 0.685) and FTD (OR = 0.577). The cut-off
      value of 4.35 mg/dl (AUC = 0.655) discriminates TAU from CTL, although with poor
      specificity and sensitivity. Low concentrations of serum UA represent a common
      risk factor for different tauopathies (PSP, FTD and AD). These findings may
      represent a starting point for preventive strategies or novel therapeutic
      approaches in this group of severe neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28620832
TI  - The (pro)renin receptor and its interaction partners.
AB  - The prorenin receptor was originally discovered as a receptor that binds renin
      and prorenin, thereby inducing pro-fibrotic intracellular signal cascades. These
      effects are partially mediated in vitro by angiotensin (ANG) and partially
      independent of ANG. Consequently, inhibitors of the interaction between the
      prorenin and the (pro)renin receptor (PRR) were designed hoping that they may
      prevent fibrotic tissue damage, for instance, in the kidney. However, this
      concept was challenged by the fact that overexpression of the PRR was not harmful
      at all, whereas depletion of the PRR was lethal or markedly detrimental.
      Furthermore, the high levels of prorenin needed to activate the PRR may not be
      reached in vivo. As it turned out, the PRR instead exhibited a variety of
      important functions that has nothing to do with the name given to the protein.
      Thus, the PRR was identified as an accessory subunit of vesicular (v)-ATPases,
      representing an essential chaperon for the assembly of v-ATPase subunits. In this
      respect, the gene encoding the PRR was also named ATP6AP2. Finally, the PRR is an
      essential component of the canonical and non-canonical PCP Wnt pathways. Thus,
      the PRR is essential for lysosomal functions, such as endocytosis, secretion, and
      autophagy as well as for cell division and differentiation, embryonic
      development, organogenesis, and stem cell biology.

PMID- 28620834
TI  - Dysregulation of striatal projection neurons in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - The loss of nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) is the primary cause of motor dysfunction
      in Parkinson's disease (PD), but the underlying striatal mechanisms remain
      unclear. In spite of abundant literature portraying structural, biochemical and
      plasticity changes of striatal projection neurons (SPNs), in the past there has
      been a data vacuum from the natural human disease and its close model in non
      human primates. Recently, single-cell recordings in advanced parkinsonian
      primates have generated new insights into the altered function of SPNs.
      Currently, there are also human data that provide direct evidence of profoundly
      dysregulated SPN activity in PD. Here, we review primate recordings that are
      impacting our understanding of the striatal dysfunction after DA loss,
      particularly through the analysis of physiologic correlates of parkinsonian motor
      behaviors. In contrast to recordings in rodents, data obtained in primates and
      patients demonstrate similar major abnormalities of the spontaneous SPN firing in
      the alert parkinsonian state. Furthermore, these studies also show altered SPN
      responses to DA replacement in the advanced parkinsonian state. Clearly, there is
      yet much to learn about the striatal discharges in PD, but studies using primate
      models are contributing unique information to advance our understanding of
      pathophysiologic mechanisms.

PMID- 28620835
TI  - Twenty years since the discovery of the parkin gene.
AB  - Nearly 20 years have passed since we identified the causative gene for a familial
      Parkinson's disease, parkin (now known as PARK2), in 1998. PARK2 is the most
      common gene responsible for young-onset Parkinson's disease. It codes for the
      protein Parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase (PARK2), which directly links to
      the ubiquitin-proteasome as a ubiquitin ligase. PARK2 is involved in mitophagy,
      which is a type of autophagy, in collaboration with PTEN-induced putative kinase
      1 (PINK1). The PINK1 gene (previously known as PARK6) is also a causative gene
      for young-onset Parkinson's disease. Both gene products may be involved in
      regulating quality control within the mitochondria. The discovery of PARK2 as a
      cause of young-onset Parkinson's disease has had a major impact on other
      neurodegenerative diseases. The involvement of protein degradation systems has
      been implicated as a common mechanism for neurodegenerative diseases in which
      inclusion body formation is observed. The discovery of the involvement of PARK2
      in Parkinson's disease focused attention on the involvement of protein
      degradation systems in neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we focus on
      the history of the discovery of PARK2, the clinical phenotypes of patients with
      PARK2 mutations, and its functional roles.

PMID- 28620837
TI  - Retraction Note to: Nucleolin Promotes TGF-beta Signaling Initiation via TGF-beta
      Receptor I in Glioblastoma.

PMID- 28620836
TI  - SOX2 immunity and tissue resident memory in children and young adults with
      glioma.
AB  - Therapies targeting immune checkpoints are effective in tumors with a high
      mutation burden that express multiple neo-antigens. However, glial tumors
      including those seen in children carry fewer mutations and there is an unmet need
      to identify new antigenic targets of anti-tumor immunity. SOX2 is an embryonal
      stem cell antigen implicated in the biology of glioma initiating cells.
      Expression of SOX2 by pediatric glial tumors and the capacity of the immune
      system in these patients to recognize SOX2 has not been previously studied. We
      examined the expression of SOX2 on archived paraffin-embedded tissue from
      pediatric glial tumors. The presence of T-cell immunity to SOX2 was examined in
      both blood and tumor-infiltrating T-cells in children and young adults with
      glioma. The nature of tumor-infiltrating immune cells was analyzed with a 37
      marker panel using single-cell mass cytometry. SOX2 is expressed by tumor cells
      but not surrounding normal tissue in pediatric gliomas of all grades. T-cells
      against this antigen can be detected in blood and tumor tissue in glioma
      patients. Glial tumors are enriched for CD8/CD4 T-cells with tissue resident
      memory (TRM; CD45RO+, CD69+, CCR7-) phenotype, which co-express multiple
      inhibitory checkpoints including PD-1, PD-L1 and TIGIT. Tumors also contain
      natural killer cells with reduced expression of lytic granzyme. Our data
      demonstrate immunogenicity of SOX2, which is specifically overexpressed on
      pediatric glial tumor cells. Harnessing tumor immunity in glioma will likely
      require the combined targeting of multiple inhibitory checkpoints.

PMID- 28620839
TI  - Probability density distribution of delta RR intervals: a novel method for the
      detection of atrial fibrillation.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation (AF) monitoring and diagnosis require automatic AF detection
      methods. In this paper, a novel image-based AF detection method was proposed. The
      map was constructed by plotting changes of RR intervals (?RR) into grid panes.
      First, the map was divided into grid panes with 20 ms fixed resolution in y-axes
      and 15-60 s step length in x-axes. Next, the blank pane ratio (BPR), the entropy
      and the probability density distribution were processed using linear support
      vector machine (LSVM) to classify AF and non-AF episodes. The performance was
      evaluated based on four public physiological databases. The Cohen's Kappa
      coefficients were 0.87, 0.91 and 0.64 at 50 s step length for the long-term AF
      database, the MIT-BIH AF database and the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database,
      respectively. Best results were achieved as follows: (1) an accuracy of 93.7%, a
      sensitivity of 95.1%, a specificity of 92.0% and a positive predictive value
      (PPV) of 93.5% were obtained for the long-term AF database at 60 s step length.
      (2) An accuracy of 95.9%, a sensitivity of 95.3%, a specificity of 96.3% and a
      PPV of 94.1% were obtained for the MIT-BIH AF database at 40 s step length. (3)
      An accuracy of 90.6%, a sensitivity of 94.5%, a specificity of 90.0% and a PPV of
      55.0% were achieved for the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database at 60 s step length. (4)
      Both accuracy and specificity were 96.0% for the MIT-BIH normal sinus rhythm
      database at 40 s step length. In conclusion, the intuitive grid map of delta RR
      intervals offers a new approach to achieving comparable performance with
      previously published AF detection methods.

PMID- 28620838
TI  - Modelling FUS Mislocalisation in an In Vitro Model of Innervated Human Muscle.
AB  - Degeneration of distal axons and neuromuscular junctions is an early feature in
      the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which culminates in motor
      neuron loss due to axon retraction and muscle atrophy. The complex interactions
      in the pathogenesis of ALS between motor neurons, muscle cells and accompanying
      glia require an appropriate experimental model. Here, we have defined a co
      culture model based on human myotubes innervated by neurons from embryonic rat
      spinal cord explants to investigate the pathology and treatment of ALS. This
      model was first characterised for endogenous expression and distribution of ALS
      related proteins TDP-43 and FUS. Then, wild-type FUS and its mutants were
      introduced into these co-cultures to determine how FUS defects in nuclear
      transport modulate the pathological conditions. FUS-bearing plasmids were
      introduced by classical transfection and electroporation, as novel approaches to
      deliver plasmids into explants, and their cellular distributions were
      characterised. Endogenous nuclear expression of TDP-43 and FUS was observed in
      explants and myoblasts/myotubes. After transfection, wild-type FUS was expressed
      in nuclei of myoblasts, myotubes and explants, although with low transfection
      rates. Following successful electrotransfection into explants, the localisation
      of wild-type FUS was nuclear, and it was detected in neurons, astrocytes, Schwann
      cells and oligodendrocyte precursors, whereas the FUS?Y, FUSY526A and FUSY526E
      mutants were cytoplasmic, and the FUSY526F mutant was nuclear and cytoplasmic.
      This co-culture model is applicable to the study of neuronal and non-neuronal
      cell contributions to ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, and it can be
      used to investigate drug targets amenable to intervention.

PMID- 28620840
TI  - Quality of life impairment in Behcet's disease and relationship with disease
      activity: a prospective study.
AB  - Our aim was to prospectively investigate the impact of Behcet's disease (BD),
      disease activity, and clinical and demographic characteristics on different
      aspects of quality of life (QoL) measured by the short-form (SF)-36 QoL scale. We
      administered the SF-36 to 37 consecutive BD patients in different moments of
      disease activity, and to 23 healthy controls (HC). The eight subcategories of the
      SF-36 underwent statistical analysis for identifying differences and
      correlations. Compared to HC, BD patients showed significantly lower mean scores
      in all SF-36 QoL subscales except mental health and role-emotional. Females
      showed a poorer QoL compared to males. Disease activity evaluated by the BD
      Current Activity Form inversely correlated with physical functioning (rho = 
      0.68, p < 0.0001), bodily pain (rho = -0.68, p < 0.0001), role-physical (rho = 
      0.64, p < 0.0001), vitality (rho = -0.64, p < 0.0001), general health (rho = 
      0.64, p < 0.0001), social functioning (rho = -0.50, p = 0.0002), mental health
      (rho = -0.48, p = 0.0004), and role-emotional (rho = -0.40, p = 0.003). Mucosal,
      central nervous system (CNS), musculoskeletal and ocular manifestations were the
      main factors that negatively affected QoL in BD. For ocular disease, physical
      functioning was significantly impaired in patients with panuveitis compared to
      other ocular manifestations (p = 0.0002). Best-corrected visual acuity was
      inversely correlated with social functioning (rho = -0.53, p < 0.0001), role
      physical (rho = -0.48, p < 0.0001), bodily pain (rho = -0.46, p = 0.02), and
      mental health (rho = -0.43, p < 0.0001). Patients with BD have a poorer QoL
      compared to HC, particularly for women, while the decline of QoL is closely
      related to the overall disease activity of BD. Single organ involvements may
      affect independently specific SF-36 subscales, especially mucosal, CNS,
      musculoskeletal, and ocular manifestations.

PMID- 28620842
TI  - Over-the-counter medications containing diphenhydramine and doxylamine used by
      older adults to improve sleep, a Letter.

PMID- 28620841
TI  - Device-Based Approaches for the Treatment of Arterial Hypertension.
AB  - Device-based antihypertensive treatments have primarily been developed and
      clinically tested for patients with hypertension refractory to pharmacological
      treatment. Most but not all device-based treatments target the sympathetic
      nervous system and provided important new insight in the mechanisms of human
      hypertension. This review provides an overview on the scientific rational and
      clinical data on recent device-based antihypertensive treatment approaches.
      Device-based treatments targeting the sympathetic nervous system include catheter
      based renal nerve ablation, electrical carotid sinus stimulation, modulation of
      baroreflex transduction through a dedicated carotid stent, carotid body
      denervation, and deep brain stimulation. Creation of a defined arteriovenous
      stent with a coupler device and removal of stimulatory antibodies against alpha
      adrenoreceptors have also been tested. The clinical evidence differs from therapy
      to therapy with the largest dataset for renal nerve ablation followed by
      electrical carotid sinus stimulation. Yet, none has been proven efficacious in
      sham-controlled clinical trials, and none has been shown to reduce cardiovascular
      morbidity or mortality. Before efficacy is proven, these treatments should not be
      part of routine medical care and only be applied in the setting of clinical
      studies.

PMID- 28620843
TI  - The coevolution of play and the cortico-cerebellar system in primates.
AB  - Primates are some of the most playful animals in the natural world, yet the
      reason for this remains unclear. One hypothesis posits that primates are so
      playful because playful activity functions to help develop the sophisticated
      cognitive and behavioural abilities that they are also renowned for. If this
      hypothesis were true, then play might be expected to have coevolved with the
      neural substrates underlying these abilities in primates. Here, we tested this
      prediction by conducting phylogenetic comparative analyses to determine whether
      play has coevolved with the cortico-cerebellar system, a neural system known to
      be involved in complex cognition and the production of complex behaviour. We used
      phylogenetic generalised least squares analyses to compare the relative volume of
      the largest constituent parts of the primate cortico-cerebellar system
      (prefrontal cortex, non-prefrontal heteromodal cortical association areas, and
      posterior cerebellar hemispheres) to the mean percentage of time budget spent in
      play by a sample of primate species. Using a second categorical data set on play,
      we also used phylogenetic analysis of covariance to test for significant
      differences in the volume of the components of the cortico-cerebellar system
      among primate species exhibiting one of three different levels of adult-adult
      social play. Our results suggest that, in general, a positive association exists
      between the amount of play exhibited and the relative size of the main components
      of the cortico-cerebellar system in our sample of primate species. Although the
      explanatory power of this study is limited by the correlational nature of its
      analyses and by the quantity and quality of the data currently available, this
      finding nevertheless lends support to the hypothesis that play functions to aid
      the development of cognitive and behavioural abilities in primates.

PMID- 28620844
TI  - Comparison of the characteristics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from
      sputum and lung lesions in chronic tuberculosis patients.
AB  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in sputum originates from lung cavities in
      tuberculosis (TB) patients. But drug susceptibility testing (DST) of sputum Mtb
      can not be conducted the same as in the lung because mutagenesis of bacilli may
      be happening in the lung during treatment and result in the possibility of the
      presence of heterogeneous drug-resistant subpopulations in the different lung
      lesions. This could be one of the reasons for low cure rates for multi-drug
      resistant (MDR)-TB. We studied the resected lungs of nine surgery patients with
      chronic TB. The isolates isolated from the sputum and different lung lesions of
      each patient were tested for phenotypic DST and genotyped using restriction
      fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing method. Genetic analysis to resistance
      to first and second line drugs was also performed. Five of nine patients were MDR
      TB and three XDR-TB. DST results for ten anti-TB drugs were in accordance among
      different lung lesions in eight patients. However, only three of these eight
      patients showed the concordance of DST with sputum. Even though the isolates were
      heteroresistant, genotyping them by RFLP showed the clonal population in each
      individual patient. Six of eight followed-up patients achieved successful cure.
      In conclusion, the heteroresistance between sputum and lung lesions and a clonal
      population without mixed infection might provide useful information in
      establishing treatment regimen and surgery decision for MDR- and XDR-TB.

PMID- 28620845
TI  - Cross-resistance between voriconazole and fluconazole for non-albicans Candida
      infection: a case-case-control study.
AB  - Cross-resistance (CR) between voriconazole and fluconazole for non-albicans
      Candida (NAC) species is not uncommon, but little is known about the risk factors
      and clinical consequences associated with this resistance phenotype. A case-case
      control study was performed at a university-affiliated hospital in China between
      November 2012 and April 2016. The two case groups respectively comprised patients
      with a mono-resistance (MR) NAC infection (fluconazole or voriconazole
      resistance) and patients with a CR NAC infection (fluconazole and voriconazole
      resistance). Patients with a no-resistance (NR) NAC infection were included as
      the control group. Models were adjusted for demographic and clinical risk
      factors, and the risk of resistance associated with exposure to specific
      antibiotics or non-antibiotics were assessed. Of 259 episodes, 33 (12.7%) and 27
      (10.4%) were identified as MR and CR NAC infections, respectively. The broad use
      of azoles was strongly associated with the emergence of MR and CR NAC infections
      (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 2.69 [1.10-6.58] and 2.53 [1.02
      6.28], respectively). The time at risk (1.02 [1.00-1.03]) with 12 days as a
      breakpoint was also an independent risk factor for CR NAC infection. The number
      of species associated with a high minimum inhibitory concentration (>=128 MUg/mL)
      of fluconazole was higher for CR NAC infections than for MR NAC infections.
      Different resistance phenotypes (CR vs. MR vs. NR) were associated with all-cause
      mortality rates. These findings indicate a worrisome propensity of CR NAC
      infections and emphasize the need for strict antifungal stewardship.

PMID- 28620846
TI  - The Role of Mast Cells in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.
AB  - Mast cells are first responders to intracerebral hemorrhage. They release potent
      mediators that can disrupt the blood-brain barrier promoting injury, vasogenic
      edema formation, and hematoma exacerbation. Also, mast cells recruit other
      inflammatory cells that maintain and amplify brain damage. Given their early role
      in the cascade of events in intracerebral hemorrhage, mast cells may offer an
      alternative target for antichemotactic interventions.

PMID- 28620847
TI  - Faster, More Reproducible DESI-MS for Biological Tissue Imaging.
AB  - A new, more robust sprayer for desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) mass
      spectrometry imaging is presented. The main source of variability in DESI is
      thought to be the uncontrolled variability of various geometric parameters of the
      sprayer, primarily the position of the solvent capillary, or more specifically,
      its positioning within the gas capillary or nozzle. If the solvent capillary is
      off-center, the sprayer becomes asymmetrical, making the geometry difficult to
      control and compromising reproducibility. If the stiffness, tip quality, and
      positioning of the capillary are improved, sprayer reproducibility can be
      improved by an order of magnitude. The quality of the improved sprayer and its
      potential for high spatial resolution imaging are demonstrated on human
      colorectal tissue samples by acquisition of images at pixel sizes of 100, 50, and
      20 MUm, which corresponds to a lateral resolution of 40-60 MUm, similar to the
      best values published in the literature. The high sensitivity of the sprayer also
      allows combination with a fast scanning quadrupole time-of-flight mass
      spectrometer. This provides up to 30 times faster DESI acquisition, reducing the
      overall acquisition time for a 10 mm * 10 mm rat brain sample to approximately 1
      h. Although some spectral information is lost with increasing analysis speed, the
      resulting data can still be used to classify tissue types on the basis of a
      previously constructed model. This is particularly interesting for clinical
      applications, where fast, reliable diagnosis is required. Graphical Abstract ?.

PMID- 28620848
TI  - Cost Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab vs. Standard-of-Care Chemotherapy as First
      Line Treatment for Metastatic NSCLC that Expresses High Levels of PD-L1 in the
      United States.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to evaluate the cost effectiveness of
      pembrolizumab compared with standard-of-care (SoC) platinum-based chemotherapy as
      first-line treatment in patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) that expresses high levels of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) [tumour
      proportion score (TPS) >=50%], from a US third-party public healthcare payer
      perspective. METHODS: We conducted a partitioned-survival model with a cycle
      length of 1 week and a base-case time horizon of 20 years. Parametric models were
      fitted to Kaplan-Meier estimates of time on treatment, progression-free survival
      and overall survival from the KEYNOTE-024 randomized clinical trial (patients
      aged >=18 years with stage IV NSCLC, TPS >=50%, without epidermal growth factor
      receptor (EGFR)-activating mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)
      translocations who received no prior systemic chemotherapy) and validated with
      long-term registry data. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were calculated
      based on EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) utility data collected in the trial. Costs
      ($US, year 2016 values) for drug acquisition/administration, adverse events and
      clinical management were included. Costs and outcomes were discounted at 3% per
      year. A series of deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were
      performed to test the robustness of the results. RESULTS: In the base-case
      scenario, pembrolizumab resulted in an expected gain of 1.31 life-years (LYs) and
      1.05 QALYs and an incremental cost of $US102,439 compared with SoC. The
      incremental cost per QALY gain was $US97,621/QALY and the incremental cost per LY
      gain was $US78,344/LY. CONCLUSIONS: Pembrolizumab is projected to be a cost
      effective option compared with SoC platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line
      treatment in adults with metastatic NSCLC expressing high levels of PD-L1.

PMID- 28620850
TI  - The colloid hematite particle migration through the unsaturated porous bed at the
      presence of biosurfactants.
AB  - Colloidal particles have an ability to sorb heavy metals, metalloids, and organic
      compounds (e.g. biosurfactants) present in soil and groundwater. The pH and ionic
      strength changes may promote release of such particles causing potential
      contaminant transport. Therefore, it is very important to know how a colloid
      particle-mineral particle and colloid-mineral-biosurfactant system behaves in the
      natural environment. They can have negative impact on the environment and human
      health. This study highlighted the influence of biosurfactants produced by
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the transport of colloidal hematite (alpha-Fe2O3)
      through porous bed (materials collected from the Szklary and Zloty Stok solid
      waste heaps from Lower Silesia, Poland). Experiments were conducted using column
      set in two variants: colloid solution with porous bed and porous bed with
      adsorbed biosurfactants, in the ionic strengths of 5 * 10-4 and 5 * 10-3 M KCl.
      The zeta potential of mineral materials and colloidal hematite, before and after
      adsorption of biosurfactant, was determined. Obtained results showed that
      reduction in ionic strength facilitates colloidal hematite transport through the
      porous bed. The mobility of colloidal hematite was higher when the rhamnolipid
      adsorbed on the surface of mineral grain.

PMID- 28620849
TI  - Clinical Management of Dystonia in Childhood.
AB  - Dystonia is one of the most frequent movement disorders in childhood. It can
      impede normal motor development and cause significant motor disability. The
      diagnostic evaluation of childhood dystonia is challenging due to the phenotypic
      variability and heterogeneous etiologies. Evidence to guide the diagnostic
      evaluation and treatment is limited. Assessment is primarily directed by clinical
      history and distinctive examination findings. Neuroimaging is typically necessary
      to evaluate for acquired or complex inherited dystonias. A trial of levodopa can
      be both diagnostic and therapeutic in children with dopa-responsive dystonia.
      However, for the majority of children with early-onset dystonia, treatment is
      symptomatic with varying efficacy. There is a paucity of therapeutic trials for
      childhood dystonia and most treatment recommendations are consensus or expert
      opinion driven. This review summarizes the available evidence and guidelines on
      the diagnostic evaluation and pharmacological treatment of childhood-onset
      dystonia and provides practical frameworks to approach both issues based on best
      evidence.

PMID- 28620851
TI  - Changes of erythrocyte-metric parameters in Pelophylax ridibundus (Amphibia:
      Anura: Ranidae) inhabiting water bodies with different types of anthropogenic
      pollution in Southern Bulgaria.
AB  - The article presents the basic erythrocyte-metric parameters: cell length (EL)
      and width (EW), EL/EW, erythrocyte size (ES), nucleus length (NL) and width (NW),
      NL/NW, nucleus size (NS) and nucleocytoplasmic ratio (NS/ES) in the wild
      populations of marsh frogs Pelophylax ridibundus from five water bodies in
      Southern Bulgaria (two rivers and three reservoirs) with different degrees and
      types of anthropogenic pollution (less disrupted water basins, domestic sewage
      pollution and heavy metal pollution). The changes in erythrocyte-metric
      parameters depend on concentrations and types of toxicant and, to a lesser
      extent, on the type of water basin. We found that when P. ridibundus populations
      live in conditions of domestic sewage pollution, EL, EW and ES increase in
      comparison with the control samples, with regard to an elongated elliptical cell
      shape. Simultaneously, NL, NW and NS did not undergo any significant changes when
      compared with the control samples. The nuclei had elliptical shape. In the
      populations from the water basins with heavy metal pollution, EL, EW, ES, NL, NW
      and NS decreased. The cells and nuclei had a circular shape. NS/ES decreased when
      compared with the control sample, regardless of the type of toxicants.

PMID- 28620852
TI  - The generation of biogenic manganese oxides and its application in the removal of
      As(III) in groundwater.
AB  - The generation of biogenic manganese oxides (BMnOx) by Microbacterium sp. CSA40,
      and As(III) removal efficiency and mechanism by BMnOx were investigated in this
      study. The propagation and growth of Microbacterium sp. CSA40 was conducted in
      half-strength Luria Broth with 10 mg/L Mn(II), then high concentration of
      Microbacterium sp. CSA40 was added to PYG medium making its OD600 = 0.9 +/- 0.05
      for BMnOx generation. The initial Mn(II) concentrations, excessively oligotrophic
      condition, and pH had great influence on generation of BMnOx by Microbacterium
      sp. CSA40. An appropriate Mn(II) concentration (50 mg/L) was obtained for
      generation of BMnOx, and higher or lower Mn(II) concentration would interfere
      Mn(II) oxidization performance. Mn(II) oxidation ability performed best in weak
      alkaline conditions and would be restricted in an excessively oligotrophic
      condition. As(III) oxidization and As(V) adsorption proceed simultaneously by
      BMnOx, what is more, more than 90% of total As was removed by 0.5 g/L BMnOx.
      During the application process, no Mn(II) was released in the solution, that is,
      BMnOx retained its ability for Mn(II) oxidization caused by activity of
      Microbacterium sp. CSA40. Therefore, BMnOx would be a pollution-free, cost
      effective, and high-efficiency material for As(III) treatment in groundwater.

PMID- 28620853
TI  - Effects of ozonation, powdered activated carbon adsorption, and coagulation on
      the removal of disinfection by-product precursors in reservoir water.
AB  - Effects of ozonation and powdered activated carbon on removal of dissolved
      organic matter (DOM) and disinfection by-product (DBP) in reservoir water were
      intensively investigated in this study. Both the formation of carbonaceous DBP (C
      DBP) and nitrogenous DBP (N-DBP) as well as their speciation were analyzed.
      Results exhibited that the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) greatly
      improved the removal of aromatic protein. Trihalomethanes (THMs) and
      haloacetonitriles (HANs) were the dominant species in C-DBP and N-DBP. The
      integrated coagulation and PAC processes could remove more than 70% of THMs and
      93% of HANs precursors, while only 10.5 and 45% of capture were achieved by the
      single coagulation. The added ozone lowered the yields of HANs but synchronously
      increased the more toxic bromine-containing THMs from 78.5 to 128.1 MUg/L.
      Kinetics parameters for THM formation indicated that the precursor creating the
      THMs fast could be easily removed by both the coagulation and PAC adsorption.

PMID- 28620854
TI  - Renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sectors of European
      Union member states: a panel data analysis.
AB  - In the last two decades, there has been a rich debate about the environmental
      degradation that results from exposure to solid urban waste. Growing public
      concern with environmental issues has led to the implementation of various
      strategic plans for waste management in several developed countries, especially
      in the European Union. In this paper, the relationships were assessed between
      economic growth, renewable energy extraction and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
      in the waste sector. The Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis was analysed for
      the member states of the European Union, in the presence of electricity
      generation, landfill and GHG emissions for the period 1995 to 2012. The results
      revealed that there is no inverted-U-shaped relationship between income and GHG
      emissions in European Union countries. The renewable fuel extracted from waste
      contributes to a reduction in GHG, and although the electricity produced also
      increases emissions somewhat, they would be far greater if the waste-based
      generation of renewable energy did not take place. The waste sector needs to
      strengthen its political, economic, institutional and social communication
      instruments to meet its aims for mitigating the levels of pollutants generated by
      European economies. To achieve the objectives of the Horizon 2020 programme,
      currently in force in the countries of the European Union, it will be necessary
      to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix.

PMID- 28620855
TI  - Physicochemical characteristics, mutagenicity and genotoxicity of airborne
      particles under industrial and rural influences in Northern Lebanon.
AB  - In this work, the main objectives were to assess the mutagenic and genotoxic
      effects of fine particulate matter collected in an industrial influenced site in
      comparison with a non-industrial influenced one (rural site) and to relate the
      particulate matter (PM) composition to the observed genotoxic effects. At the
      industrial influenced site, higher concentrations of phosphates, trace metals,
      and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in particles could be related to the
      contributions of quarries, fertilizer producer, cement plants, and tires burning.
      Gasoline and diesel combustion contributions were evidenced in particles
      collected at both sites. Particles collected under industrial influence showed a
      higher mutagenic potential on three tested strains of Salmonella typhimurium
      (TA98, YG1041, and TA102), and especially on the YG1041, compared to particles
      from the rural site. Furthermore, only particles collected in the vicinity of the
      industrial site showed a tendency to activate the SOS responses in Escherichia
      coli PQ37, which is indicative of DNA damage as a result of exposure of the
      bacteria cells to the action of mutagenic samples. The mutagenicity and
      genotoxicity of the industrial PM2.5-0.3 particulates may be attributed to its
      composition especially in organic compounds. This study showed that proximity of
      industries can affect local PM composition as well as PM genotoxic and mutagenic
      potential.

PMID- 28620856
TI  - Investigation on the effect of sintering temperature on kaolin hollow fibre
      membrane for dye filtration.
AB  - Despite its extraordinary price, ceramic membrane can still be able to surpass
      polymeric membrane in the applications that require high temperature and pressure
      conditions, as well as harsh chemical environment. In order to alleviate the high
      cost of ceramic material that still becomes one of the major factors that
      contributes to the high production cost of ceramic membrane, various attempts
      have been made to use low cost ceramic materials as alternatives to well-known
      expensive ceramic materials such as alumina, silica, and zirconia in the
      fabrication of ceramic membrane. Thus, local Malaysian kaolin has been chosen as
      the ceramic material in this study for the preparation of kaolin hollow fibre
      membrane since it is inexpensive and naturally abundant in Malaysia. Due to the
      fact that the sintering process plays a prominent role in obtaining the desired
      morphology, properties, and performances of prepared ceramic membrane, the aim of
      this work was to study the effect of different sintering temperatures applied
      (ranging from 1200 to 1500  degrees C) in the preparation of kaolin hollow fibre
      membrane via dry/wet phase inversion-based spinning technique and sintering
      process. The morphology and properties of membrane were then characterised by
      SEM, AFM, FTIR, XRD, and three-point bending test, while the performances of
      membrane were investigated by conducting water permeation and Reactive Black 5
      (RB5) dye rejection tests. From the experimental results obtained, the sintering
      temperature of 1400  degrees C could be selected as the optimum sintering
      temperature in preparing the kaolin hollow fibre membrane with the dense sponge
      like structure of separation layer that resulted in the good mechanical strength
      of 70 MPa with the appreciable water permeation of 75 L/h m2 bar and RB5
      rejection of 68%.

PMID- 28620857
TI  - Distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in tailings, soils, and plants
      around Gol-E-Gohar iron mine, a case study in Iran.
AB  - This study investigated the concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs)
      including Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, V, and Zn in 102
      soils (in the Near and Far areas of the mine), 7 tailings, and 60 plant samples
      (shoots and roots of Artemisia sieberi and Zygophylum species) collected at the
      Gol-E-Gohar iron ore mine in Iran. The elemental concentrations in tailings and
      soil samples (in Near and Far areas) varied between 7.4 and 35.8 mg kg-1 for As
      (with a mean of 25.39 mg kg-1 for tailings), 7.9 and 261.5 mg kg-1 (mean 189.83
      mg kg-1 for tailings) for Co, 17.7 and 885.03 mg kg-1 (mean 472.77 mg kg-1 for
      tailings) for Cu, 12,500 and 400,000 mg kg-1 (mean 120,642.86 mg kg-1 for
      tailings) for Fe, and 28.1 and 278.1 mg kg-1 (mean 150.29 mg kg-1 for tailings)
      for Ni. A number of physicochemical parameters and pollution index for soils were
      determined around the mine. Sequential extractions of tailings and soil samples
      indicated that Fe, Cr, and Co were the least mobile and that Mn, Zn, Cu, and As
      were potentially available for plants uptake. Similar to soil, the concentration
      of Al, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, and Zn in plant samples decreased with the
      distance from the mining/processing areas. Data on plants showed that metal
      concentrations in shoots usually exceeded those in roots and varied significantly
      between the two investigated species (Artemisia sieberi > Zygophylum). All the
      reported results suggest that the soil and plants near the iron ore mine are
      contaminated with PTEs and that they can be potentially dispersed in the
      environment via aerosol transport and deposition.

PMID- 28620858
TI  - Toxicity assessment of five emerging pollutants, alone and in binary or ternary
      mixtures, towards three aquatic organisms.
AB  - Despite a growing scientific attention on ecological impact of emerging
      pollutants (EPs) such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides,
      knowledge gaps remain regarding mixture toxicity and effects on aquatic
      organisms. Several EPs were screened in seawater (Normandy, France), and the
      ecotoxicity of five compounds, chosen on their occurrence in ecosystems and use
      worldwide, was assessed and were the biocides methylparaben (MP) and triclosan
      (TCS), a pesticide degradation product (AMPA), and the pharmaceuticals
      venlafaxine (VEN) and carbamazepine (CBZ). The acute or sub-chronic toxicity,
      alone or in binary/ternary mixtures of three of them (CBZ, AMPA, and MP), was
      assessed on one marine and two freshwater organisms: Crassostrea gigas,
      Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, and Daphnia magna. TCS and AMPA were,
      respectively, the most (EC50 < 1 mg L-1) and the least (EC50 > 50 mg L-1) toxic
      chemicals for the four endpoints (algal growth inhibition, daphnia
      immobilization, oyster embryotoxicity, and metamorphosis). The anxiolytic VEN
      (EC50 < 1 mg L-1) was particularly toxic to oyster larvae showing sensitivity
      difference between freshwater and marine organisms. If all the mixtures appeared
      to be in the same range of toxicity, the joint-toxic effects mainly led to
      synergistic or antagonistic interactions compared to single-compound toxicity.
      The data also highlighted species-dependent differing models of toxicity and
      underscored the need for an awareness of cocktail effects for better ecological
      risk assessment.

PMID- 28620859
TI  - Perception and practices of tobacco smoking among medical students in the Nile
      Delta, Egypt.
AB  - This study was conducted to identify medical students' perception and practices
      towards tobacco smoking, as well as to identify factors affecting their adoption
      to smoking habit, among medical students in the Nile Delta. From December 2014 to
      February 2015, a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the
      four faculties of medicine in the Nile Delta. A total of 1715 students were
      targeted from the 2nd to 6th academic years to represent different levels of
      knowledge, awareness, and the influence of medical education on their attitude
      towards smoking. 5.6 and 1.2% of the students reported being smokers and ex
      smokers, respectively, with a higher prevalence among 6th-year students, 40% of
      them reported to be involved with substance abuse. In general, medical students
      had positive antismoking attitude. The prevalence of smoking among medicine
      students was not high. However, there is a need to address smoking cessation
      programs during their study.

PMID- 28620861
TI  - Testing a ratio of photosynthesis to O3 uptake as an index for assessing O3
      induced foliar visible injury in poplar trees.
AB  - Visible foliar injury by ozone (ozone visible injury) is known as a biomarker to
      assess potential phytotoxicity of ozone. We investigated ozone visible injury in
      an ozone-sensitive poplar (Oxford clone) under a 2-year free-air controlled
      exposure (FACE) experiment and calculated three ozone indices (i.e., accumulative
      ozone exposure over 40 ppb during daylight hours (AOT40), phytotoxic ozone dose
      above a flux threshold of 0 nmol m-2 s-1 (POD0), and the cumulative value of the
      ratio of hourly ozone uptake to net photosynthesis (SigmaU/P n ) to assess the
      critical level (CL) at the time of the first symptom onset of ozone visible
      injury. We tested the hypothesis that ozone injury depends both on the amount of
      ozone entering a leaf and on the capacity for biochemical detoxification or
      repair with photosynthesis as a proxy. The CLs at the time of the first symptom
      onset of ozone visible injury were 19 ppm h for AOT40, 26 mmol m-2 for POD0, and
      1.2 mol mol-1 for SigmaU/P n in Oxford clone at the ozone FACE experiment. Our
      findings were then verified by 4-year observation-based data in central Italy on
      Oxford clone and white poplar (Populus alba L.). These observation-based data
      indicated that we found ozone visible injury in Oxford clone even though AOT40
      was relatively low (11.7 ppm h). On the other hand, when values of POD0 and
      SigmaU/P n exceeded over the CLs, the occurrence of initial symptoms in Oxford
      clone was shown. White poplar did not show ozone visible injury. SigmaU/P n of
      white poplar at the field sites reached ~1.0 mol mol-1 (less than the CL = 1.2
      mol mol-1, which was obtained from O3 FACE) during May-September, although the
      values of POD0 were relatively high in white poplar (44-47 mmol m-2 during May
      September). The result implies that ozone injury may have occurred in poplars
      when stomatal ozone flux exceeded the critical range of tolerance due to the
      assimilate shortage for repair and defense against ozone stress.

PMID- 28620862
TI  - Palladium-catalyzed acid-free Fujiwara-Moritani alkenylation of 4
      thiazolidinones.
AB  - Herein, we report a facile method for the alkenylation of a 4-thiazolidinone
      motif without using external acid and high-pressure gas, which are required in
      conventional Fujiwara-Moritani reactions. Mild reaction conditions, one-pot
      synthesis, and utilization of an oxidant made this process more feasible in
      comparison with previously reported methods. Functionalization of the slightly
      more acidic [Formula: see text] C-H bond with the less acidic [Formula: see text]
      C-H bond yielded the alkenylated motif. This pathway opens new possibilities for
      organic synthesis.

PMID- 28620860
TI  - Currently used organophosphate and brominated flame retardants in the environment
      of China and other developing countries (2000-2016).
AB  - This review summarizes the environmental occurrence of new brominated flame
      retardants (NBFRs) and organophosphate compounds (OPs) in the environment of
      developing countries since 2000. The ban on the production and use of commercial
      formulations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have paved the way for the
      high use of NBFRs and OPs in consumer products to fulfill the fire safety
      regulations. Recent studies have shown that the ever increasing production
      volumes and extensive use of these chemicals as additive FRs and plasticizers
      have resulted into their ubiquitous occurrence in all environmental compartments.
      Although presumed to be safe for use and the environment, recent studies on their
      occurrence and persistence in the environment have raised questions. Due to the
      lack of awareness, research interest, and availability of technical facilities,
      limited scientific data is available on the occurrence of these chemicals in
      developing countries. In this study, we collected reported data and provide an
      overview of environmental occurrence of NBFRs and OPs in abiotic and biotic
      matrices of different developing countries. Finally, research gaps were
      identified with recommendations for future research work and would be useful
      towards the environmental management of these toxic chemicals.

PMID- 28620863
TI  - Effect of ligamentum teres tear on the development of joint instability and
      articular cartilage damage: an in vivo rabbit study.
AB  - The contribution of the ligamentum teres to the stabilization of the hip joint
      and the clinical influence of a compromised ligamentum teres are not well known.
      This study aimed to investigate joint stability and cartilage damage in a rabbit
      model by surgically inducing a complete ligamentum teres tear. Twenty adult New
      Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Rabbits were divided into complete
      ligamentum teres tear with capsulotomy (n = 9, group I) and capsulotomy only (n =
      10, group II) groups. Unilateral surgery was performed on the left hip. Joint
      instability was assessed by measuring the preoperative and postoperative
      acetabulofemoral (A-F) distances. Rabbits were euthanized to assess cartilage
      damage at 24 weeks postoperatively. The median postoperative A-F distance of the
      operated side in group I [0.68 cm (0.37-1.04 cm)] was larger than that in group
      II [0.50 cm (0.30-0.65 cm)] (p = 0.041). The median postoperative A-F distance
      was larger in the operated side [0.68 cm (0.37-1.04 cm)] compared to the
      nonoperated side [0.45 cm (0.30-0.75 cm)] in group I; it also was larger in the
      operated side [0.50 cm (0.30-0.65 cm)] compared to the nonoperated side [0.44 cm
      (0.32-0.67 cm)] in group II, but only group I showed a significant difference (p
      = 0.016 and 0.395, respectively). Articular cartilage damage was detected at the
      apex of the femoral head in two rabbits (22.2%) in group I only. Rabbits with a
      complete ligamentum teres tear showed significant instability at the hip joint
      and articular cartilage damage in our rabbit model, supporting the potential
      clinical importance of ligamentum teres as a hip joint stabilizer.

PMID- 28620864
TI  - Adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSC) express oligodendrocyte and myelin
      markers, but they do not function as oligodendrocytes.
AB  - Mesenchymal cells cultured from the vasculo-stromal fraction of adipose tissue
      (ADSC) show adult stem cell characteristics and several groups have claimed
      generating neural cells from them. However, we have observed that many markers
      commonly used for the identification of neural cells are spontaneously expressed
      by ADSC in culture. In the present study, we have examined the expression of
      characteristic oligodendrocyte molecules in cultured ADSC, aiming to test if
      myelinating cells could be generated from accessible non-neural adult tissues. In
      basal growth conditions, rat ADSC spontaneously expressed CNPase, MBP, MOG,
      protein zero, GAP43, Sox10, and Olig2, as shown by immunocytrochemistry and
      western blot. A small population of cultured ADSC expressed membrane
      galactocerebroside (O1 antibody), but no cell stained with O4 antibody. RT-PCR
      analyses showed the expression of CNPase, MBP, DM20, and low levels of Olig2,
      Sox10, and Sox2 mRNA by rat ADSC. When rat ADSC were treated with combinations of
      factors commonly used in neural-inducing media (retinoic acid, dbcAMP, EGF, basic
      FGF, NT3, and/or PDGF), the number of O1-positive cells changed, but in no case,
      mRNA expression of Sox10 and Olig2 transcription factors approached CNS
      oligodendrocyte levels. In co-culture with rat dorsal root ganglion neurons, no
      sign of axonal myelination by rat ADSC was observed. These studies show that the
      expression of oligodendrocyte traits by cultured ADSC is not a proof of
      functional competence as oligodendroglia and suggest that in culture conditions,
      ADSC acquire intermediate, uncommitted phenotypes.

PMID- 28620865
TI  - Involvement of Atm and Trp53 in neural cell loss due to Terf2 inactivation during
      mouse brain development.
AB  - Maintenance of genomic integrity is one of the critical features for proper
      neurodevelopment and inhibition of neurological diseases. The signals from both
      ATM and ATR to TP53 are well-known mechanisms to remove neural cells with DNA
      damage during neurogenesis. Here we examined the involvement of Atm and Atr in
      genomic instability due to Terf2 inactivation during mouse brain development.
      Selective inactivation of Terf2 in neural progenitors induced apoptosis,
      resulting in a complete loss of the brain structure. This neural loss was rescued
      partially in both Atm and Trp53 deficiency, but not in an Atr-deficient
      background in the mouse. Atm inactivation resulted in incomplete brain
      structures, whereas p53 deficiency led to the formation of multinucleated giant
      neural cells and the disruption of the brain structure. These giant neural cells
      disappeared in Lig4 deficiency. These data demonstrate ATM and TP53 are important
      for the maintenance of telomere homeostasis and the surveillance of telomere
      dysfunction during neurogenesis.

PMID- 28620866
TI  - High levels of IGF-1 predict difficult intubation of patients with acromegaly.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the characteristics of difficult intubation and identify
      novel efficient predictors in patients with acromegaly. METHODS: Patients with
      either untreated acromegaly or non-functional pituitary adenomas were enrolled.
      Patients with acromegaly underwent hormone assays, upper airway computed
      tomography and magnetic resonance imaging examinations and preoperative overnight
      polysomnography. The modified Mallampati classification, mouth opening, neck
      circumference, and neck extension were assessed, and the Cormack-Lehane grades
      and the time of tracheal intubation were recorded. RESULTS: Patients with
      acromegaly had a higher incidence of difficult intubation (62.5%). The time of
      tracheal intubation was prolonged, the neck circumference was enlarged, and the
      neck extension was confined. In patients with acromegaly and difficult
      intubation, the insulin-like growth factor 1 levels and apnea/hypoxia index were
      significantly higher compared to patients without difficult intubation (1115.40
      +/- 253.73 vs. 791.67 +/- 206.62 ng/ml, P = 0.020; 22.17 +/- 23.25 vs. 2.47 +/-
      2.84, P = 0.026, respectively). The bilateral regression analysis revealed that
      high levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 were an independent risk factor for
      developing difficult intubation (p = 0.042, Exp B = 1.006). The modified
      Mallampati classification was positively correlated with apnea/hypoxia index and
      could be calculated using the following logarithmic equation: MMC = 0.2982 * ln
      (AHI) + 2.1836. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acromegaly, neck movement is
      confined, the time of tracheal intubation is prolonged, and the neck
      circumference is enlarged, and these patients suffer from an increased incidence
      of difficult intubation (62.5%) during anesthesia induction. The apnea/hypoxia
      index and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels are both increased in acromegalic
      patients with difficult intubation, and elevated insulin-like growth factor 1
      levels are an independent risk factor of difficult intubation in acromegalic
      patients.

PMID- 28620867
TI  - Gut Microbiome and Bone: to Build, Destroy, or Both?
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The gut microbiota can be considered a hidden organ that plays
      essential roles in host homeostasis. Exploration of the effects of microbiota on
      bone has just begun. Complimentary studies using germ-free mice, antibiotic, and
      probiotic treatments reveal a complicated relationship between microbiota and
      bone. Here, we review recent reports addressing the effect of gut microbiota on
      bone health, discuss potential reasons for discrepant findings, and explore
      potential mechanisms for these effects. RECENT FINDINGS: Manipulation of
      microbiota by colonization of germ-free mice, antibiotics, or probiotic
      supplementation significantly alters bone remodeling, bone development and
      growth, as well as bone mechanical strength. Different experimental models reveal
      context-dependent effects of gut microbiota on bone. By examining phenotypic
      effects, experimental context, and proposed mechanisms, revealed by recent
      reports, we hope to provide comprehensive and fresh insights into the many facets
      of microbiota and bone interactions.

PMID- 28620869
TI  - Right heart thrombus in transit: a series of two cases.
AB  - Right heart thrombus in transit is an increasingly recognized medical emergency
      with very high mortality rate. Echocardiography helps to establish the diagnosis
      and can differentiate between right heart thrombi that result from atrial
      fibrillation and those originating from deep venous thrombosis. We present two
      cases of right heart thrombus in transit diagnosed with echocardiography that
      were managed with different approaches.

PMID- 28620868
TI  - Osteoporosis in Children with Chronic Illnesses: Diagnosis, Monitoring, and
      Treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Osteoporosis is an under-recognized complication of chronic
      illness in childhood. This review will summarize recent literature addressing the
      risk factors, evaluation, and treatment for early bone fragility. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Criteria for the diagnosis of pediatric osteoporosis include the
      presence of low trauma vertebral fractures alone or the combination of low bone
      mineral density and several long bone fractures. Monitoring for bone health may
      include screening for vertebral fractures that are common but often asymptomatic.
      Pharmacologic agents should be offered to those with fragility fractures
      especially when spontaneous recovery is unlikely. Controversies persist about the
      optimal bisphosphonate agent, dose, and duration. Newer osteoporosis drugs have
      not yet been adequately tested in pediatrics, though clinical trials are
      underway. The prevalence of osteoporosis is increased in children with chronic
      illness. To reduce the frequency of fragility fractures requires increased
      attention to risk factors, early intervention, and additional research to
      optimize therapy and potentially prevent their occurrence.

PMID- 28620870
TI  - Severe growth deficiency, microcephaly, intellectual disability, and
      characteristic facial features are due to a homozygous QARS mutation.
AB  - Glutaminyl tRNA synthase is highly expressed in the developing fetal human brain.
      Mutations in the glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (QARS) gene have been reported in
      patients with progressive microcephaly, cerebral-cerebellar atrophy, and
      intractable seizures. We have previously reported a new recessive syndrome of
      severe linear growth retardation, poor weight gain, microcephaly, characteristic
      facial features, cutaneous syndactyly of the toes, high myopia, and intellectual
      disability in two sisters of Ashkenazi-Jewish origin (Eur J Med Genet
      2014;57(6):288-92). Homozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing revealed a
      homozygous missense (V476I) mutation in the QARS gene, located in the catalytic
      domain. The patient's fibroblasts demonstrated markedly reduced QARS amino
      acylation activity in vitro. Furthermore, the same homozygous mutation was found
      in an unrelated girl of Ashkenazi origin with the same phenotype. The clinical
      presentation of our patients differs from the original QARS-associated syndrome
      in the severe postnatal growth failure, absence of epilepsy, and minor MRI
      findings, thus further expanding the phenotypic spectrum of the glutaminyl-tRNA
      synthetase deficiency syndromes.

PMID- 28620871
TI  - Lipophilic Statins and the Risk of Intracranial Hemorrhage Following Ischemic
      Stroke: A Population-Based Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Statins are commonly prescribed for the secondary prevention of
      ischemic stroke, but there is conflicting evidence as to whether they increase
      the risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Lipophilic statins cross the blood-brain
      barrier more freely than hydrophilic statins and may therefore increase the risk
      of intracranial hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether, in older patients
      following ischemic stroke, receipt of lipophilic statins was associated with
      differences in the risk of intracranial hemorrhage. METHODS: We conducted a
      population-based nested case-control study linking multiple healthcare databases
      between 1 April, 2001 and 31 March, 2015 in Ontario, Canada. Cases were Ontarians
      aged 66 years or older receiving a statin within 100 days preceding the
      development of intracranial hemorrhage within 1 year following ischemic stroke.
      Each case was matched with up to four controls who experienced ischemic stroke
      not complicated by intracranial hemorrhage but who also received a statin. We
      classified statins as lipophilic (atorvastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin,
      fluvastatin, and cerivastatin) or hydrophilic (pravastatin and rosuvastatin)
      based on their octanol/water partition coefficients. We calculated the odds ratio
      for the association between intracranial hemorrhage and receipt of lipophilic
      statins, with hydrophilic statins as the reference group. RESULTS: We identified
      2766 individuals who experienced intracranial hemorrhage during statin therapy
      after ischemic stroke and 11,060 matched controls. Relative to hydrophilic
      statins, lipophilic statins were not associated with an increased risk of
      intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted odds ratio 1.07; 95% confidence interval 0.97
      1.19). CONCLUSION: Among patients treated with a statin following ischemic
      stroke, the risk of intracranial hemorrhage is not influenced by statin
      lipophilicity.

PMID- 28620872
TI  - Three New Pyridine Alkaloids from Vinca major Cultivated in Pakistan.
AB  - Three new pyridine type alkaloids, (-)-vinmajpyridines A-C (1-3), along with two
      known alkaloids, have been isolated from the aerial parts of Vinca major
      cultivated in Pakistan. Their structures have been elucidated by means of NMR and
      HRESIMS spectroscopic data. The new alkaloids were evaluated for their
      cytotoxicity against glioma initiating cell lines (GITC-3# and GITC-18#),
      glioblastoma cell lines (U-87MG and T98G), and lung cancer cell line A-549, but
      none of them was active at 20 MUg/mL concentration.

PMID- 28620873
TI  - Cytotoxic Acylphloroglucinol Derivatives from Callistemon salignus.
AB  - Callisalignenes G-I (1-3), three new meroterpenoids of beta-triketone and
      monoterpene, along with two known analogues (4 and 5), were isolated from
      Callistemon salignus. Their structures and absolute configurations were
      unambiguously established by a combination of NMR and MS analysis and electronic
      circular dichroism (ECD) evidence. Callisalignenes H (2) and I (3) have a rare
      sec-butyl moiety at C-7. Meroterpenoids 1-3 exhibited cytotoxicity against HCT116
      cells with IC50 values of 8.51 +/- 1.8, 9.12 +/- 0.3, and 16.33 +/- 3.3 MUM,
      respectively. Cytotoxic Acylphloroglucinol Derivatives from Callistemon salignus.

PMID- 28620874
TI  - Moving from significance to real-world meaning: methods for interpreting change
      in clinical outcome assessment scores.
AB  - PURPOSE: Clinical outcome assessments (COAs) require evidence not only of
      reliability, validity, and ability to detect change, but also a definition of
      what constitutes a meaningful change on the instrument. The responder definition
      specifies the amount of change on the COA that may be interpreted as a treatment
      benefit and is critical for interpreting what constitutes a meaningful change on
      the COA scores. However, the literature that describes methods for developing and
      applying responder definitions can be difficult to navigate. Clear and concise
      guidelines regarding which methods to apply under what circumstances and how to
      interpret the results are lacking. This article provides a guide to the variety
      of available methods and issues that should be considered when establishing
      responder definitions for interpreting meaningful changes in COA scores. METHODS:
      An overview is provided for selecting anchors, developing study designs, planning
      psychometric analyses, using psychometric results to set responder thresholds,
      and applying responder thresholds in demonstrating treatment efficacy. RESULTS:
      There are a variety of anchor-based methods for consideration, but they all rely
      on a preference for strongly related and easily interpretable anchors. The
      benefits of applying multiple anchors and multiple analytic methods are
      discussed. The process of triangulation can synthesize results across multiple
      sources to gain confidence in a proposed responder definition. Though a link to
      meaningfulness from the patient's perspective is absent, distribution-based
      methods provide lower bound estimates of score precision and have a role in
      triangulation. Responder definitions are typically required within regulatory
      review, but their application may differ across clinical trial programs.
      CONCLUSIONS: By careful planning of anchor selection, study design, and
      psychometric methods, COA researchers can establish defensible responder
      thresholds that ultimately aid patients and clinicians in making informed
      treatment decisions.

PMID- 28620875
TI  - Predictors of health-related quality of life in maltreated children and
      adolescents.
AB  - PURPOSE: Research on the consequences of child maltreatment has primarily focused
      on behavior and mental health; the children's overall well-being has not received
      the same attention. A number of studies have investigated health-related quality
      of life (HRQoL) among victims of child maltreatment, but there is still a lack of
      knowledge about predictors of HRQoL in maltreated children and adolescents. This
      study seeks to bridge the gap by drawing data from the German multi-site study
      Child Abuse and Neglect Case-Management (CANMANAGE). METHODS: Parents or
      caregivers of 350 children and adolescents completed a proxy version of the
      Kidscreen-10-Index, a multidimensional instrument measuring child HRQoL. An
      additional 249 children age 8 years and older completed a self-report version.
      Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify potential predictors for
      both self- and proxy-rated HRQoL. RESULTS: Comparisons with the reference group
      revealed a significantly lower mean proxy-rated HRQoL, the self-rated HRQoL of
      the study sample was not significantly impaired. Predictors of impaired self
      reported HRQoL were older age, self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms
      (PTSS), and self-reported emotional and behavioral symptoms. Predictors of
      impaired proxy-reported HRQoL again were older age, self-reported PTSS, and
      emotional and behavioral symptoms in the child/adolescent, as reported by the
      caregiver, as well as low socioeconomic status. Multivariate analysis explained
      20% and 38% of the variability in self-reported and proxy-rated HRQoL,
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to treat PTSS and emotional and
      behavioral symptoms in maltreated children, as these two phenomena are strong
      cross-sectional predictors of a child's HRQoL. Trauma-focused cognitive
      behavioral therapies are one possible option to address the needs of such
      children.

PMID- 28620876
TI  - English Orthographic Learning in Chinese-L1 Young EFL Beginners.
AB  - English orthographic learning, among Chinese-L1 children who were beginning to
      learn English as a foreign language, was documented when: (1) only visual memory
      was at their disposal, (2) visual memory and either some letter-sound knowledge
      or some semantic information was available, and (3) visual memory, some letter
      sound knowledge and some semantic information were all available. When only
      visual memory was available, orthographic learning (measured via an orthographic
      choice test) was meagre. Orthographic learning was significant when either
      semantic information or letter-sound knowledge supplemented visual memory, with
      letter-sound knowledge generating greater significance. Although the results
      suggest that letter-sound knowledge plays a more important role than semantic
      information, letter-sound knowledge alone does not suffice to achieve perfect
      orthographic learning, as orthographic learning was greatest when letter-sound
      knowledge and semantic information were both available. The present findings are
      congruent with a view that the orthography of a foreign language drives its
      orthographic learning more than L1 orthographic learning experience, thus
      extending Share's (Cognition 55:151-218, 1995) self-teaching hypothesis to
      include non-alphabetic L1 children's orthographic learning of an alphabetic
      foreign language. The little letter-sound knowledge development observed in the
      experiment-I control group indicates that very little letter-sound knowledge
      develops in the absence of dedicated letter-sound training. Given the important
      role of letter-sound knowledge in English orthographic learning, dedicated letter
      sound instruction is highly recommended.

PMID- 28620878
TI  - Incidental colorectal FDG uptake on PET/CT scan and lesions observed during
      subsequent colonoscopy: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Incidental colorectal fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake can be observed
      during a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan. For
      clinical and/or histological assessment of the cause, a colonoscopy is then
      performed. A systematic review was conducted to investigate the relationship
      between incidental colorectal FDG uptake and lesions observed during a subsequent
      colonoscopy. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and
      Web of Science with the keywords concerning PET/CT scan and colonoscopy. The
      studies were selected using inclusion criteria defined a priori and were
      described individually to examine the correlation between incidental colorectal
      FDG uptake and the lesions found at colonoscopy. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 1606
      studies found were included. In total, 108,578 patients underwent an FDG-PET/CT
      scan as part of a diagnostic work-up or cancer staging. In total, 2546 incidental
      colorectal FDG uptakes were described in 2121 patients (mean age 62.7 years SD +/
      5.1), of which 2045 uptakes in 1635 patients were examined by colonoscopy,
      within a mean of 37 days (SD +/- 28). The colonoscopic lesions included neoplasms
      (n = 1097; 322 cancers), benign lesions (n = 273), and inflammatory lesions (n =
      71). Colonoscopies were normal in 604 patients. In total, 82% of lesions were
      located in the same location as the FDG uptakes. The positive predictive value
      was 70% (95% CI [68-72]). CONCLUSIONS: Incidental colorectal FDG uptake, as
      evaluated by subsequent colonoscopy, often reveals neoplastic lesions.
      Predominantly, lesions were located at the same location as FDG uptake. Further
      investigation is warranted before recommending that incidental colorectal FDG
      uptake should always result in referral to diagnostic colonoscopy.

PMID- 28620879
TI  - Authors' reply to: Prophylactic mesh to prevent parastomal hernia: a meta
      analysis of randomized controlled studies (Tech Coloproctol (2017) 21:5-13).

PMID- 28620877
TI  - Pathogenesis and persistence of cryptoglandular anal fistula: a systematic
      review.
AB  - Anal fistulas continue to be a problem for patients and surgeons alike despite
      scientific advances. While patient and anatomical characteristics are important
      to surgeons who are evaluating patients with anal fistulas, their development and
      persistence likely involves a multifaceted interaction of histological,
      microbiological, and molecular factors. Histological studies have shown that anal
      fistulas are variably epithelialized and are surrounded by dense collagen tissue
      with pockets of inflammatory cells. Yet, it remains unknown if or how
      histological differences impact fistula healing. The presence of a perianal
      abscess that contains gut flora commonly leads to the development of anal
      fistula. This implies a microbiological component, but bacteria are infrequently
      found in chronic fistulas. Recent work has shown an increased expression of
      proinflammatory cytokines and epithelial to mesenchymal cell transition in both
      cryptoglandular and Crohn's perianal fistulas. This suggests that molecular
      mechanisms may also play a role in both fistula development and persistence. The
      aim of this study was to examine the histological, microbiological, molecular,
      and host factors that contribute to the development and persistence of anal
      fistulas.

PMID- 28620880
TI  - A preliminary study of the use of oral rehydration salts in decreasing ileostomy
      output.

PMID- 28620881
TI  - A Comparison of Methods for Calculating the Basic Reproductive Number for
      Periodic Epidemic Systems.
AB  - When using mathematics to study epidemics, oftentimes the goal is to determine
      when an infection can invade and persist within a population. The most common way
      to do so uses threshold quantities called reproductive numbers. An infection's
      basic reproductive number (BRN), typically denoted [Formula: see text], measures
      the infection's initial ability to reproduce in a naive population and is tied
      mathematically to the stability of the disease-free equilibrium. Next-generation
      methods have long been used to derive [Formula: see text] for autonomous
      continuous-time systems; however, many diseases exhibit seasonal behavior.
      Incorporating seasonality into models may improve accuracy in important ways, but
      the resulting non-autonomous systems are much more difficult to analyze. In the
      literature, two principal methods have been used to derive BRNs for periodic
      epidemic models. One, based on time-averages, is simple to apply but does not
      always describe the correct threshold behavior. The other, based on linear
      operator theory, is more general but also more complicated, and no detailed
      explanations of the necessary computations have yet been laid out. This paper
      reconciles the two methods by laying out an explicit procedure for the second and
      then identifying conditions (and some important classes of models) under which
      the two methods agree. This allows the use of the simpler method, which yields
      interpretable closed-form expressions, when appropriate, and illustrates in
      detail the simplest possible case where they disagree. Results show that
      seasonality alone cannot affect disease persistence, but must act in conjunction
      with non-hierarchical heterogeneity in the infected population, in order to do
      so.

PMID- 28620882
TI  - Intermediates and Generic Convergence to Equilibria.
AB  - Known graphical conditions for the generic and global convergence to equilibria
      of the dynamical system arising from a reaction network are shown to be invariant
      under the so-called successive removal of intermediates, a systematic procedure
      to simplify the network, making the graphical conditions considerably easier to
      check.

PMID- 28620883
TI  - Extended adjuvant endocrine therapy in early breast cancer: a meta-analysis of
      published randomized trials.
AB  - Adjuvant endocrine therapy for 5 years is the standard adjuvant treatment for
      estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer while the benefits of extended adjuvant
      endocrine therapy (EAET) beyond 5 years are still controversial. That controversy
      prompted this meta-analysis to compare 5 years of adjuvant endocrine therapy only
      versus EAET. Eligible 11 randomized, controlled trials comprising 29,000 women
      were included. EAET showed no advantage in overall survival (OS) from all causes
      mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-1.09); P =
      0.67). On the other hand, compared with standard therapy, the pooled effects
      showed that EAET was associated with improvement in breast cancer-specific
      survival (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.79-0.96; P = 0.004), disease-free survival (DFS)
      (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.75-0.99; P = 0.002), disease recurrence (OR = 0.76; 95% CI
      0.64-0.90; P = 0.001), and contralateral breast recurrence (OR = 0.74; 95% CI
      0.59-0.93; P = 0.008). Improvement in DFS or disease recurrence was not shown in
      studies that compared 5 years of tamoxifen versus tamoxifen beyond 5 years.
      Subgroup analysis showed that EAET conferred more benefit for patients with
      positive lymph nodes. Rates of positive lymph nodes, the study size, and the
      median duration of follow-up were identified as variables that explained most of
      the demonstrated data heterogeneity. EAET should be considered as a preferred
      strategy for high-risk hormone-positive early breast cancer patients with
      positive lymph nodes; however, the benefit on OS could not be demonstrated.

PMID- 28620885
TI  - Modulatory Effect of Aerobic Exercise Training on Doxorubicin-Induced
      Cardiotoxicity in Rats with Different Ages.
AB  - We tested the hypothesis that aerobic exercise training (AET) would modulate
      doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats of various ages. Wistar male rats (n =
      72) were assigned to three groups (young, adult, and elderly) with three
      subgroups for each age: doxorubicin (DG, n = 8), AET + doxorubicin (AETDG, n =
      8), AET + Saline (AETSG, n = 8). Following the AET intervention, rats were
      anesthetized and killed to collect heart tissues in order to determine heat shock
      protein 70 (HSP70), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA),
      interleukin-10 (IL10), and c-reactive protein (CRP). Greater levels of SOD and
      lower levels of MDA were found in young as compared to elderly rats (P < 0.05).
      CRP was significantly lower in young as compared to adult and elderly rats,
      respectively (P < 0.05). IL10 also was significantly lower in young as compared
      to elderly rats (P < 0.05). Furthermore, lower HSP70 and SOD levels were found in
      DG as compared to AETDG and AETSG (P < 0.05). Conversely, MDA and CRP were
      significantly higher in DG as compared to other groups (P < 0.05). A significant
      higher IL10 was noted in DG as compared to AETDG (P < 0.05). Our findings suggest
      that AET prior to doxorubicin treatment could be useful in minimizing toxicity
      after chemotherapy with doxorubicin mainly up-regulating of antioxidant defense
      capacity, with greatest benefit in the young group. Future studies examining the
      exercise-induced changes and age-related differences following chemotherapy are
      necessary in human.

PMID- 28620884
TI  - Kinetic-Pharmacodynamic Model of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in
      Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Treated with Paclitaxel, Nab-Paclitaxel,
      or Ixabepilone: CALGB 40502 (Alliance).
AB  - Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a dose-limiting toxicity
      caused by several chemotherapeutic agents. Currently, CIPN is managed by
      empirical dose modifications at the discretion of the treating physician. The
      goal of this research is to quantitate the dose-CIPN relationship to inform the
      optimal strategies for dose modification. Data were obtained from the Cancer and
      Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 40502 trial, a randomized phase III trial of paclitaxel
      vs. nab-paclitaxel vs. ixabepilone as first-line chemotherapy for locally
      recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. CIPN was measured using a subset of the
      Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Gynecologic Oncology Group Neurotoxicity
      (FACT-GOG-NTX) scale. A kinetic-pharmacodynamic (K-PD) model was utilized to
      quantitate the dose-CIPN relationship simultaneously for the three drugs.
      Indirect response models with linear and Smax drug effects were evaluated. The
      model was evaluated by comparing the predicted proportion of patients with CIPN
      (score >=8 or score >=12) to the observed proportion. An indirect response model
      with linear drug effect was able to describe the longitudinal CIPN data
      reasonably well. The proportion of patients that were falsely predicted to have
      CIPN or were falsely predicted not to have CIPN was 20% or less at any cycle. The
      model will be utilized to identify an early time point that can predict CIPN at
      later time points. This strategy will be utilized to inform dose adjustments to
      prospectively manage CIPN. Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT00785291.

PMID- 28620886
TI  - To Improve Translational Research in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

PMID- 28620887
TI  - Controlled Suspensions Enable Rapid Determinations of Intrinsic Dissolution Rate
      and Apparent Solubility of Poorly Water-Soluble Compounds.
AB  - PURPOSE: To develop a small-scale set-up to rapidly and accurately determine the
      intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR) and apparent solubility of poorly water-soluble
      compounds. METHODS: The IDR and apparent solubility (Sapp) were measured in
      fasted state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF) for six model compounds using
      wet-milled controlled suspensions (1.0% (w/w) PVP and 0.2% (w/w) SDS) and the
      MUDISS Profiler. Particle size distribution was measured using a Zetasizer and
      the total surface area was calculated making use of the density of the compound.
      Powder and disc dissolution were performed and compared to the IDR of the
      controlled suspensions. RESULTS: The IDR values obtained from the controlled
      suspensions were in excellent agreement with IDR from disc measurements. The
      method used low amount of compound (MUg-scale) and the experiments were completed
      within a few minutes. The IDR values ranged from 0.2-70.6 MUg/min/cm2 and the
      IDR/Sapp ratio ranged from 0.015 to 0.23. This ratio was used to indicate
      particle size sensitivity on intestinal concentrations reached for poorly water
      soluble compounds. CONCLUSIONS: The established method is a new, desirable tool
      that provides the means for rapid and highly accurate measurements of the IDR and
      apparent solubility in biorelevant dissolution media. The IDR/Sapp is proposed as
      a measure of particle size sensitivity when significant solubilization may occur.

PMID- 28620888
TI  - Design of Isoniazid Smart Nanogel by Gamma Radiation-Induced Template
      Polymerization for Biomedical Application.
AB  - PURPOSE: Preparation of Isoniazid (INH) loaded nanogel particles using gamma
      radiation as safe, simple, cheap and reproducible technique for promoting
      mycobacterial killing in a lower-dose system aiming in developing of drug
      resistance. METHODS: Polymeric pH-sensitive nanogels were prepared by gamma
      radiation-induced polymerization of Acrylic acid (AAc) or Itaconic acid (IA), in
      aqueous solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), as template polymer. The prepared
      nanogels were utilized for encapsulation of INH. 31X22 factorial design was
      employed for optimization and exploring the effect of radiation dose (X1) (30
      50kGy), ratio of PVP: acid (X2) (50:50-30:70) and type of acid (X3) on the
      prepared nanogel characterization RESULTS: The optimized levels of X1, X2 and X3
      were (50 KGy, 30:70 and Itaconic acid, respectively), with a desirability of
      0.959. In-vitro INH release rate from the prepared nanogels decreased with
      increasing gamma radiation doses, with the predominance of the diffusion
      mechanism for drug release pattern. In addition, it was perceived that the
      minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of INH loaded PVP/PIA nanogels on
      Mycobacteria Tuberculosis was 8 folds lower than that of INH solution.
      CONCLUSION: The prospective of PVP-K90/PIA was recommended as a smart candidate
      for delivery of INH with promising achievements against tuberculosis than free
      drug. Graphical abstract Mechanism of formation and loading of Isoniazid PVP/PIA
      nanogel.

PMID- 28620889
TI  - Levels of MicroRNA Heterogeneity in Cancer Biology.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression,
      involved in the silencing of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation. The importance of
      miRNA signatures in disease screening, prognosis, and progression of different
      tumor types and subtypes is increasing. miRNA expression levels change depending
      on numerous factors. In this review, we are describing the circumstances under
      which miRNA levels can change, these are named 'levels' of heterogeneity of
      miRNAs. miRNAs can have oncogenic, tumor suppressive, or both roles depending on
      tumor type and target mRNA whose translation they silence. The expression levels
      of a single miRNA may vary across different cancer types and subtypes, indicating
      that a miRNA signature may be tissue specific. miRNA levels of expression also
      vary during disease formation and propagation, indicating the presence of a time
      profile for their expression. The complexity of the miRNA-mRNA interference
      network mirrors different genetic and epigenetic changes that influence miRNA and
      mRNA availability to each other, and hence, their binding ability. The potential
      role of miRNAs as biomarkers is two-fold; first, for monitoring of the phases of
      cancer pathogenesis, and second, to characterize the particular type/subtype of
      cancer. It is important that a particular miRNA should be characterized by
      examining as many types and subtypes of cancers as are available, as well as
      being extracted from different types of samples, in order to obtain a complete
      picture of its behavior and importance in the disease pathology.

PMID- 28620890
TI  - Identification and Characterization of a New BRCA2 Rearrangement in an Italian
      Family with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Many studies document the involvement of BRCA1/2 gene
      rearrangements in genetic predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. Large
      genomic rearrangements (LGRs) of BRCA1 account for 0-27% of all disease-causing
      mutations in various populations, while LGRs in BRCA2 are rarer. Here, we
      describe a novel BRCA2 LGR, involving the duplication of exons 4-26, in an
      Italian family with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) syndrome.
      OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to provide an effective characterization of this
      variant using a combination of different methods able to establish the exact
      breakpoints of the duplication. METHODS: A multiplex amplicon quantification
      (MAQ) assay was used as the primary screening method in the detection of LGRs.
      Array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), reverse transcriptase polymerase
      chain reaction (RT-PCR) and long-range PCR were used for the careful
      characterization of the rearrangement and breakpoint regions. The Repeat Masker
      program was employed to identify Alu sequences at breakpoint junctions. RESULTS:
      Array CGH and long-range PCR strategies revealed that the BRCA2 exons 4-26
      duplication (g.12016_87170dup) involved exactly 75,154 bp nucleotides between
      intron 3 and intron 26 of the gene. Given that no Alu repeats were found at the
      junction sites, we support the hypothesis that the new duplication could be the
      result of a microhomology-mediated event (MH) involving very short homologous
      sequences at an upstream breakpoint. DISCUSSION: LGR investigation is mandatory
      in BRCA1/2 routine testing in order to provide a complete result for a targeted
      therapeutic decision. Nevertheless, the characterization and classification of
      novel BRCA1/2 variants represents a crucial step in the support of genetic
      counselling. Our results, including a comprehensive co-segregation analysis,
      indicate that the novel duplication identifed has a pathogenic role and would be
      considered a causing-disease variant in genetic and oncologic counselling.

PMID- 28620891
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Olaratumab, an Anti-PDGFRalpha Human
      Monoclonal Antibody, in Patients with Advanced and/or Metastatic Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Olaratumab is a recombinant human monoclonal antibody
      that binds to platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRalpha). In a
      randomized phase II study, olaratumab plus doxorubicin met its predefined primary
      endpoint for progression-free survival and achieved a highly significant
      improvement in overall survival versus doxorubicin alone in patients with
      advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). In this study, we characterize
      the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of olaratumab in a cancer patient population. METHODS:
      Olaratumab was tested at 15 or 20 mg/kg in four phase II studies (in patients
      with nonsmall cell lung cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, STS, and
      gastrointestinal stromal tumors) as a single agent or in combination with
      chemotherapy. PK sampling was performed to measure olaratumab serum levels. PK
      data were analyzed by nonlinear mixed-effect modeling techniques using NONMEM(r).
      RESULTS: The PKs of olaratumab were best described by a two-compartment PK model
      with linear clearance (CL). Patient body weight was found to have a significant
      effect on both CL and central volume of distribution (V 1), whereas tumor size
      significantly affected CL. A small subset of patients developed treatment
      emergent anti-drug antibodies (TE-ADAs); however, TE-ADAs did not have any effect
      on CL or PK time course of olaratumab. There was no difference in the PKs of
      olaratumab between patients who received olaratumab as a single agent or in
      combination with chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: The PKs of olaratumab were best
      described by a model with linear disposition. Patient body weight and tumor size
      were found to be significant covariates. The PKs of olaratumab were not affected
      by immunogenicity or chemotherapeutic agents.

PMID- 28620892
TI  - A Prospective Study of the Concordance of DSM-IV and DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
      for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - The transition from DSM-IV to DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
      sparked considerable concern about the potential implications of these changes.
      This study was designed to address limitations of prior studies by prospectively
      examining the concordance of DSM-IV and final DSM-5 criteria on a consecutive
      sample of 439 children referred for autism diagnostic evaluations. Concordance
      and discordance were assessed using a consistent diagnostic battery. DSM-5
      criteria demonstrated excellent overall specificity and good sensitivity relative
      to DSM-IV criteria. Sensitivity and specificity were strongest for children
      meeting DSM-IV criteria for autistic disorder, but poor for those meeting
      criteria for Asperger's disorder and pervasive developmental disorder. Higher IQ,
      older age, female sex, and less pronounced ASD symptoms were associated with
      greater discordance.

PMID- 28620893
TI  - Systemic antibiotics for preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in comatose
      patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (EO-VAP) is the leading
      cause of morbidity and mortality in comatose patients. However, VAP prevention
      bundles focus mainly on late-onset VAP and may be less effective in preventing EO
      VAP in comatose patients. Systemic antibiotic administration at the time of
      intubation may have a role in preventing EO-VAP. Therefore, we evaluated the
      effectiveness of systemic antibiotic administration in VAP prevention in comatose
      patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched for
      studies published through December 2015 that evaluated systemic antibiotic
      prophylaxis in comatose patients. Two authors independently selected and
      evaluated full-length reports of randomized clinical trials or prospective
      cohorts in patients aged >16 years that evaluated the impact of systemic
      antibiotics at the time of intubation on EO-VAP compared to placebo or no
      prophylaxis. The outcome variables were the incidence of EO-VAP, the duration of
      mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. RESULTS: We
      identified 10,988 citations, yielding 26 articles for further analysis; three
      studies with 267 patients were finally analyzed. Most patients (n = 135) were
      comatose due to head trauma. Systemic antibiotic administration was associated
      with decreased incidence of EO-VAP (RR 0.32; 95% CI 0.19-0.54) and shorter ICU
      LOS (standardized mean difference -0.32; 95% CI -0.56 to -0.08), but had no
      effect on mortality (RR 1.03; 95% CI 0.7-1.53) or duration of mechanical
      ventilation (standardized mean difference -0.16; 95% CI -0.41 to 0.08).
      CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis in comatose patients reduced the incidence of
      EO-VAP and decreased the ICU stay slightly. Future trials are needed to confirm
      these results.

PMID- 28620894
TI  - Three-Trocar Sleeve Gastrectomy vs Standard Five-Trocar Technique: a Randomized
      Controlled Trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: Bariatric surgery is a treatment for morbid obesity. Different surgical
      procedures have been described in order to obtain excess weight loss (EWL), but
      currently laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is the most commonly performed
      procedure throughout the world. Reducing abdominal wall trauma and increasing the
      aesthetic result are important goals for all bariatric surgeons. We conducted a
      randomized, controlled trial in order to assess if the three-trocar sleeve
      gastrectomy can be safely carried out or should be abandoned. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: From September 2016 to February 2017, 90 patients were enrolled in our
      trial. Each patients was evaluated by a multidisciplinary team before surgery.
      Two groups were created after application of the inclusion and exclusion
      criteria. The primary endpoint was to define the features of early post-operative
      complications of patients in group 1 (the three-trocar technique-the experimental
      group) compared to group 2 (five-trocar technique-the control group). The
      secondary endpoints were to evaluate any differences between the two groups
      concerning post-operative pain and patients' satisfaction with the aesthetic
      results. RESULTS: There was no difference between the two groups concerning age,
      sex distribution, weight, and BMI. The rate of co-morbidities was similar in both
      groups. Operative time was inferior in the control group, but patient
      satisfaction was better in the three-trocar sleeve gastrectomy group.
      CONCLUSIONS: The three-trocar sleeve gastrectomy can be safely carried out with a
      modest increase in operative time, without additional early surgical
      complications and with a greater patient aesthetic satisfaction. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: researchregistry2386.

PMID- 28620895
TI  - The Standardized Postoperative Checklist for Bariatric Surgery; a Tool for Safe
      Early Discharge?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Morbidly obese patients are at higher risk of complications after
      surgery. In bariatric surgery, pre- and intra-operative checklists are commonly
      used to identify high-risk patients preoperatively, to decrease the number of
      postoperative complications. This pilot study evaluates the effect of a
      postoperative checklist in bariatric surgery, addressing regularly measured
      parameters, on the occurrence and early recognition of complications. METHODS: An
      in-house developed postoperative checklist was used on the first postoperative
      day after bariatric surgery and included information on nausea, pain,
      temperature, heart rate, and laboratory markers. Complications were scored using
      the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification, and three groups were formed: no
      complications (CD0), minor complications (CD1 and 2), and major complications
      (>=CD3a). Differences between groups were analyzed using nonparametric tests.
      RESULTS: Six hundred ninety-four subjects were included (79.5% female, age 42.6
      +/- 10.8 years, BMI 43.8 +/- 5.8 kg/m2). Twenty-nine subjects developed major
      complications within 30 days postoperatively. There were no significant
      differences in baseline characteristics between groups. Subjects with major
      complications were less willing to be discharged due to complaints, compared to
      subjects with no or minor complications (14.8 vs. 3.6 and 4.6%, respectively) and
      had a higher decrease of hemoglobin level (0.8 vs. 0.6 and 0.65 mmol/l,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: The patient's willingness for discharge, in
      combination with hemoglobin decrease, may be the best early predictors of major
      complications after bariatric surgery. This postoperative checklist may be an
      adequate instrument to identify patients who can be safely discharged home on the
      first postoperative day and thereby play a part in patient management after
      bariatric surgery.

PMID- 28620896
TI  - Video-assisted endocrine neck surgery: state of the art.
AB  - During the last two decades, several minimally invasive approaches for endocrine
      neck surgery have been developed. Minimally invasive video-assisted approaches
      (minimally invasive video-assisted parathyroidectomy and minimally invasive video
      assisted thyroidectomy) gained a quite large worldwide diffusion, maybe because
      these techniques combine the advantages related to the endoscopic magnification
      with those due to the close similarity with the conventional surgery that makes
      these surgical approaches reproducible and feasible in different surgical
      settings. Several comparative studies have demonstrated the advantages of
      minimally invasive video-assisted neck surgery in terms of reduced postoperative
      pain, better cosmetic result, and higher patients' satisfaction over the
      conventional endocrine neck surgery. An accurate patients' selection plays a key
      role to ensure the success of minimally invasive video-assisted approaches. To
      date, in selected cases and in experienced Center, minimally invasive video
      assisted endocrine neck surgery could be considered the standard treatment or at
      least a safe and effective surgical option.

PMID- 28620898
TI  - Managing Glioblastoma in the Elderly Patient: New Opportunities.
AB  - Managing elderly patients with glioblastoma presents a unique set of challenges,
      including a scarcity of available data, which limits evidence-based
      recommendations. Nearly half of patients with a new diagnosis of glioblastoma are
      over 65 years of age, a common cutoff point in the medical literature for
      identifying an elderly population. The current standard of care for glioblastoma
      patients younger than 70 years of age with satisfactory performance status is
      maximal safe resection, followed by radiation therapy of 60 Gy (delivered in 30
      fractions over a 6-week period) with concurrent temozolomide chemotherapy,
      followed by adjuvant temozolomide. There is no consensus recommendation regarding
      the best available treatment for patients over age 70 with glioblastoma; however,
      multiple studies have shown molecular characterization of glioblastoma in this
      group-particularly MGMT promoter methylation status-to be valuable in treatment
      decision making. Results of the phase III CE6 study by the Canadian Cancer Trials
      Group challenge the existing treatment paradigms for glioblastoma in the elderly.
      This review discusses best practices for the treatment of glioblastoma in
      patients older than 65 years, and highlights management concerns in caring for
      this particular patient population.

PMID- 28620899
TI  - Heather Wakelee on the Role of Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Lung Cancer.

PMID- 28620897
TI  - Enhanced recovery pathway in elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery: is
      there an effect of increasing ages? Results from the perioperative Italian
      Society Registry.
AB  - Previous studies reported that enhanced recovery pathway (ERP) is safe in elderly
      who did not require a specifically tailored protocol. In previous studies,
      elderly have been considered as a homogeneous cohort and the cut-off value to
      identify them was different. The aim of the present study is to assess the
      compliance to ERP and its impact on postoperative outcome in three subgroups of
      elderly patients with increasing ages. Prospectively collected data entered in an
      electronic Italian registry specifically designed for ERP were reviewed. 315
      elderly patients undergoing elective colorectal resection were divided into three
      groups. Group 1: 71-75 years (n = 105), Group 2: 76-80 years (n = 117), Group 3:
      over 80 years (n = 93). Primary endpoints of the study were adherence to ERP and
      time to readiness for discharge (TRD). Compliance to ERP was similar in the three
      groups. No difference among groups was found for mortality, overall morbidity,
      major complications, reoperation rate and readmission rate. Median TRD and length
      of hospital stay (LOS) were progressively longer with increasing age (p = 0.018
      and p = 0.078, respectively). Increasing age did not impact on adherence to ERP
      and postoperative morbidity, but delayed both TRD and LOS.

PMID- 28620900
TI  - New Treatment Options and Management Considerations in Borderline Resectable
      Pancreatic Cancer.
AB  - In the United States, cancer of the pancreas accounts for nearly 40,000 deaths
      annually and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The vast
      majority of patients present with metastatic or unresectable disease. Only 20% of
      patients are candidates for surgery, and therefore curable. The 5-year survival
      rate for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma is only 6%, with surgical
      resection being essential for long-term survival. Recent research has identified
      a precise subset of patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer for
      whom resection yielding durable survival is possible. This population is being
      actively studied to identify optimal treatment strategies for long-term survival.
      In this article we will discuss the definitions of resectability, describe the
      current diagnostic tests for pancreatic cancer, and review strategies for
      maximizing treatment outcomes in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28620901
TI  - Point/Counterpoint: Primary Debulking Surgery vs Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for
      Newly Diagnosed Advanced Ovarian Cancer.

PMID- 28620903
TI  - Emerging Categories of Disease in Advanced Prostate Cancer and Their Therapeutic
      Implications.
AB  - The treatment of advanced prostate cancer has changed significantly in the last
      decade, as a result of the introduction of multiple new systemic therapies that
      have had a positive impact on treatment outcomes. The increasing number of
      therapies, along with new insights into the biological underpinnings of prostate
      cancer, have led to a growing appreciation for the heterogeneity of the disease
      and an awareness of emerging subcategories that have direct therapeutic
      implications for the practicing clinician. In the metastatic hormone-naive
      setting, the extent of metastatic disease visible on scans can serve as a useful
      measure to guide treatment decisions; the addition of docetaxel chemotherapy to
      hormonal therapy has significant benefit in patients whose scans show more
      extensive disease. In the castration-resistant setting, abiraterone and
      enzalutamide have both had a transformative impact; however, the emergence of
      resistance to these therapies often heralds a more aggressive phenotype. Emerging
      clinically relevant subcategories include disease that demonstrates treatment
      emergent neuroendocrine differentiation, as well as tumors with somatic and/or
      germline alterations in the DNA repair pathway. Identification of these subtypes
      has direct clinical relevance with regard to the potential benefit of platinum
      based chemotherapy, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, and likely further
      therapies as new therapeutic targets are identified in these groups.

PMID- 28620904
TI  - Nonpalpable Intratesticular Mass in a Young Man With a History of Contralateral
      Retractile Testis.

PMID- 28620905
TI  - Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy as an Alternative to Surgery in Early-Stage
      Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a novel radiation technique that
      allows a high dose of radiation to be delivered to a tumor with relatively low
      dose to the surrounding normal tissue. SBRT has achieved extraordinary clinical
      success in patients with inoperable early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC). Local control of approximately 90% at 2 to 5 years has been demonstrated
      in multiple trials. In comparisons with surgical resection (in patients who are
      fit candidates for surgery), SBRT has provided similar local control, but was
      associated with worse survival, probably due to differences in the underlying
      patient populations. Three randomized trials of SBRT vs surgical resection closed
      due to poor accrual, but an analysis of patients treated in these trials
      suggested that SBRT might even be superior to surgery. New randomized trials are
      underway to further assess the question of whether SBRT can be the definitive
      treatment for early-stage NSCLC instead of surgery.

PMID- 28620906
TI  - Management of Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma and Gray Zone Lymphoma.
AB  - Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma is a distinct clinicopathologic entity that
      has a predilection for young women. It is clinically and molecularly different
      from other subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and has a unique paradigm of
      management. While the cure rate for patients with primary mediastinal B-cell
      lymphoma is high, approaches have historically included mediastinal radiation; in
      moving therapeutics forward, strategies that obviate the need for radiation while
      maintaining high cure rates are critical. Mediastinal gray zone lymphoma is a
      closely related disease that is exceedingly rare and more common in men. Over
      recent years, there has been much progress in elucidating the biology of these
      lymphomas, and this has paved the way for novel therapies that are currently
      under investigation in clinical trials.

PMID- 28620907
TI  - Stability of astaxanthin-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers in beverage
      systems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) offer many potential benefits
      for incorporating lipophilic molecules into clear to opaque food systems. This
      study examined the stability of astaxanthin-loaded NLCs (Ax-NLCs) in model
      (solutions with 0 or 12% sucrose; pH 3, 7), semi-actual (whey) and actual (non
      alcoholic beer) beverages during 30-60 days storage at 6 or 20  degrees C.
      RESULTS: Ax-NLCs (Z-average size: 94 nm), containing alpha-tocopherol and EDTA as
      antioxidants, were stabilised with Tween 80 and lecithin, and mixed with the
      aforementioned beverages at the volume ratio of 3:97. The presence of sucrose,
      improved the physical stability of Ax-NLCs in acidic model beverage. No
      astaxanthin loss and particle size growth were observed for Ax-NLCs-added whey.
      Carbonation and/or thermal pasteurisation of NLCs-added beer led to a major
      increase in its particles size and astaxanthin loss. Stability of Ax-NLCs in non
      pasteurised CO2 -free beer improved at low storage temperature. The organoleptic
      quality of NLCs-added beers was still acceptable. CONCLUSION: These results
      indicate that NLCs containing hydrophobic nutraceuticals have potential to be
      used for functional beverages/foods development. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical
      Industry.

PMID- 28620908
TI  - A Dirichlet process mixture model for clustering longitudinal gene expression
      data.
AB  - Subgroup identification (clustering) is an important problem in biomedical
      research. Gene expression profiles are commonly utilized to define subgroups.
      Longitudinal gene expression profiles might provide additional information on
      disease progression than what is captured by baseline profiles alone. Therefore,
      subgroup identification could be more accurate and effective with the aid of
      longitudinal gene expression data. However, existing statistical methods are
      unable to fully utilize these data for patient clustering. In this article, we
      introduce a novel clustering method in the Bayesian setting based on longitudinal
      gene expression profiles. This method, called BClustLonG, adopts a linear mixed
      effects framework to model the trajectory of genes over time, while clustering is
      jointly conducted based on the regression coefficients obtained from all genes.
      In order to account for the correlations among genes and alleviate the high
      dimensionality challenges, we adopt a factor analysis model for the regression
      coefficients. The Dirichlet process prior distribution is utilized for the means
      of the regression coefficients to induce clustering. Through extensive simulation
      studies, we show that BClustLonG has improved performance over other clustering
      methods. When applied to a dataset of severely injured (burn or trauma) patients,
      our model is able to identify interesting subgroups. Copyright (c) 2017 John
      Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28620910
TI  - Rational Engineering of a Dynamic, Entropy-Driven DNA Nanomachine for
      Intracellular MicroRNA Imaging.
AB  - We rationally engineered an elegant entropy-driven DNA nanomachine with three
      dimensional track and applied it for intracellular miRNAs imaging. The proposed
      nanomachine is activated by target miRNA binding to drive a walking leg tethered
      to gold nanoparticle with a high density of DNA substrates. The autonomous and
      progressive walk on the DNA track via the entropy-driven catalytic reaction of
      intramolecular toehold-mediated strand migration leads to continuous disassembly
      of DNA substrates, accompanied by the recovery of fluorescence signal due to the
      specific release of a dye-labeled substrate from DNA track. Our nanomachine
      outperforms the conventional intermolecular reaction-based gold nanoparticle
      design in the context of an improved sensitivity and kinetics, attributed to the
      enhanced local effective concentrations of working DNA components from the
      proximity-induced intramolecular reaction. Moreover, the nanomachine was applied
      for miRNA imaging inside living cells.

PMID- 28620911
TI  - Distortion of DNA Origami on Graphene Imaged with Advanced TEM Techniques.
AB  - While graphene may appear to be the ultimate support membrane for transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of DNA nanostructures, very little is known if
      it poses an advantage over conventional carbon supports in terms of resolution
      and contrast. Microscopic investigations are carried out on DNA origami
      nanoplates that are supported onto freestanding graphene, using advanced TEM
      techniques, including a new dark-field technique that is recently developed in
      our lab. TEM images of stained and unstained DNA origami are presented with high
      contrast on both graphene and amorphous carbon membranes. On graphene, the images
      of the origami plates show severe unwanted distortions, where the rectangular
      shape of the nanoplates is significantly distorted. From a number of comparative
      control experiments, it is demonstrated that neither staining agents, nor
      screening ions, nor the level of electron-beam irradiation cause this distortion.
      Instead, it is suggested that origami nanoplates are distorted due to hydrophobic
      interaction of the DNA bases with graphene upon adsorption of the DNA origami
      nanoplates.

PMID- 28620909
TI  - Pregabalin and heart failure: A population-based study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The anticonvulsant pregabalin is increasingly prescribed for pain,
      seizures, and psychiatric disorders. Although evidence suggests pregabalin can
      cause edema and heart failure, its cardiac safety profile in clinical practice is
      unknown. We sought to examine the risk of heart failure among older patients
      receiving pregabalin compared to those receiving gabapentin. METHODS: We
      conducted a population-based cohort study of Ontarians aged 66 and older with a
      history of seizure who received pregabalin or gabapentin between April 2013 and
      March 2014. We used propensity scores to match patients commencing pregabalin to
      those commencing gabapentin. The primary outcome was an emergency department
      visit or hospitalization for heart failure within 90 days. RESULTS: We studied
      9855 patients who initiated pregabalin and an equal number treated with
      gabapentin. In the primary analysis, we found no difference in the risk of heart
      failure with pregabalin compared to gabapentin (1.2% versus 1.3%, hazard ratio of
      0.77; 95% CI 0.58-1.03). Secondary analyses stratified for baseline history of
      heart failure yielded similar findings. CONCLUSION: In a large cohort of older
      patients with a seizure disorder, pregabalin was not associated with an increased
      risk of heart failure relative to gabapentin.

PMID- 28620912
TI  - Oesophageal epidermal naevi as a feature of systematised epidermal naevus
      syndrome.
AB  - Systematised epidermal naevi are hamartomas developing from neural ectoderm that
      can be quite extensive, typically with involvement of the face, neck, scalp,
      arms, legs and trunk. Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is rare. We
      report on a 38-year-old Caucasian woman with systematised epidermal naevus
      syndrome who presented with previously undescribed involvement of the oesophagus,
      as well as the right side of her scalp, forehead, cheeks, chin, oral mucosa,
      neck, arms and trunk.

PMID- 28620913
TI  - Efficacy of oral lipid-based formulations of apomorphine and its diester in a
      Parkinson's disease rat model.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Apomorphine is used to symptomatically treat Parkinson's disease
      (PD). Oral delivery of apomorphine is generally limited by its short plasma half
      life and a hepatic first-pass metabolism. This study was aimed at evaluating the
      behavioural response of apomorphine and its prodrug administered in oral lipid
      based formulations. METHODS: The behavioural response of apomorphine and its
      prodrug administered in oral lipid-based formulations was evaluated using a 6
      hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat model simulating PD symptomatology. Apomorphine or
      dipalmitoyl apomorphine (DPA) was incorporated into different lipid-based
      formulations and orally administered (0.24 mmol/kg) to the PD rat model. The
      rotations by the rats were counted. KEY FINDINGS: The duration of response lasted
      to about 2.5 h with oral apomorphine- and DPA-loaded o/w emulsion, while it was
      increased to 6 h when DPA was incorporated in self-emulsifying drug delivery
      systems compared to s.c. apomorphine (1 h). This suggests that the lipid-based
      formulations provide a sustained drug release allowing for a steady exposure to
      the brain. CONCLUSIONS: Oral lipid-based apomorphine delivery has a potential in
      achieving a steady response, though at a higher dose possibly eliminating the
      need for frequent s.c. apomorphine administration.

PMID- 28620914
TI  - Post-traumatic stress disorder and health-related quality of life in the siblings
      of the pediatric bone marrow transplantation survivors and post-traumatic stress
      disorder in their mothers.
AB  - Although BMT is lifesaving in many childhood diseases, it was found to be related
      to anxiety, depression, and PTSD in parents, and PTSD, anxiety and overall low
      self-esteem in siblings. Research on siblings' HRQoL is limited. The aim of this
      study was to investigate PTSD and HRQoL in siblings (donor and non-donor) of
      pediatric BMT survivors and PTSD in their mothers, compared to the healthy
      controls. Thirty-five siblings and their mothers and 35 healthy peers and their
      mothers were recruited as the study group and as the comparison group,
      respectively. In children, Child PTSD-Reaction Index for PTSD and PedsQL for
      HRQoL were used. PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version was used for PTSD in mothers.
      The study group, both children and mothers, obtained significantly higher PTSD
      rates than the control group. Children in the study group also reported
      significantly poorer HRQoL than the control group in all scales. As a novel
      finding, there was a significant negative correlation between siblings' and
      mothers' PTSD scores and siblings' PedsQL scores, indicating that PTSD symptoms
      in siblings and mothers significantly led to impairment in siblings' HRQoL or
      vice versa. Thus, the identification and treatment of siblings and mothers with
      PTSD seems imperative.

PMID- 28620915
TI  - Gas exchange recovery following natural drought is rapid unless limited by loss
      of leaf hydraulic conductance: evidence from an evergreen woodland.
AB  - Drought can cause major damage to plant communities, but species damage
      thresholds and postdrought recovery of forest productivity are not yet
      predictable. We used an El Nino drought event as a natural experiment to test
      whether postdrought recovery of gas exchange could be predicted by properties of
      the water transport system, or if metabolism, primarily high abscisic acid
      concentration, might delay recovery. We monitored detailed physiological
      responses, including shoot sapflow, leaf gas exchange, leaf water potential and
      foliar abscisic acid (ABA), during drought and through the subsequent rehydration
      period for a sample of eight canopy and understory species. Severe drought caused
      major declines in leaf water potential, elevated foliar ABA concentrations and
      reduced stomatal conductance and assimilation rates in our eight sample species.
      Leaf water potential surpassed levels associated with incipient loss of leaf
      hydraulic conductance in four species. Following heavy rainfall gas exchange in
      all species, except those trees predicted to have suffered hydraulic impairment,
      recovered to prestressed rates within 1 d. Recovery of plant gas exchange was
      rapid and could be predicted by the hydraulic safety margin, providing strong
      support for leaf vulnerability to water deficit as an index of damage under
      natural drought conditions.

PMID- 28620916
TI  - Ketamine does not enhance the quality of recovery following laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ketamine has been used as part of the multimodal analgesia technique
      in the acute perioperative period. The effect of perioperative intravenous small
      dose ketamine on the quality of recovery from the patient point-of-view has not
      been assessed. We hypothesized that low-dose ketamine would enhance recovery
      following laparoscopic cholecystectomy under total intravenous anesthesia.
      METHODS: One hundred thirty five patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy
      were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Subjects
      were randomly assigned to one of three groups: saline, ketamine 0.2 mg/kg, or
      ketamine 0.4 mg/kg immediately following the induction of anesthesia and before
      skin incision. The primary endpoint was assessed using the Quality of Recovery
      Questionnaire (QoR-40), a 40-item quality of recovery scoring system. In
      addition, early clinical recovery variables, such as time to eye opening,
      occurrence of nausea and vomiting, pain score, analgesic use, and length of PACU
      stay were assessed. RESULTS: No differences were detected in the total or
      individual dimension scores of the QoR-40 questionnaire. The incidence of nausea,
      vomiting, and other complications did not differ among the three groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Small doses of ketamine do not improve the quality of recovery after
      remifentanil-based anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 28620918
TI  - Development of a H2 O2 -sensitive quantum dots-based fluorescent sandwich ELISA
      for sensitive detection of bovine beta-lactoglobulin by monoclonal antibody.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bovine beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) is the major allergen in cows' milk,
      and the specific epitope plays a key role in food allergy. Developing a method
      specifically bind to the IgE epitope is necessary for testing BLG and its
      allergenic residues. RESULTS: The monoclonal antibody (1G9) specific to the IgE
      linear epitope for BLG was identified as high affinity and specificity. Based on
      1G9, a sensitive fluorescent sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (sELISA)
      was successfully developed using catalase-mediated fluorescence quenching of
      thiolated CdTe quantum dots in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as fluorescent
      signal output. The fluorescent sELISA showed high sensitivity and specificity,
      the limit of detection was 0.49 ng mL-1 , which was 16-fold lower than
      horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-based sELISA. The linear range for BLG detection
      were 125-4000 ng mL-1 (r = 0.9939) and 0.48-62.5 ng mL-1 (r = 0.9919). The
      recoveries and coefficients of variation were 94.25-109.83% and 4.38-20.29%,
      respectively. Allergenic residues were also detected in hydrolysed infant
      formulas. The results of fluorescent sELISA showed good performance as HRP-based
      sELISA and commercial sELISA kit. CONCLUSION: This proposed fluorescent sELISA
      could be employed to detect BLG and its allergenic residues in food with highly
      sensitivity, reliability, and recovery. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28620917
TI  - 2017 American College of Rheumatology/American Association of Hip and Knee
      Surgeons Guideline for the Perioperative Management of Antirheumatic Medication
      in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases Undergoing Elective Total Hip or Total Knee
      Arthroplasty.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This collaboration between the American College of Rheumatology and
      the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons developed an evidence-based
      guideline for the perioperative management of antirheumatic drug therapy for
      adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) including
      ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis
      (JIA), or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) undergoing elective total hip (THA)
      or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A panel of rheumatologists, orthopedic
      surgeons specializing in hip and knee arthroplasty, and methodologists was
      convened to construct the key clinical questions to be answered in the guideline.
      A multi-step systematic literature review was then conducted, from which evidence
      was synthesized for continuing versus withholding antirheumatic drug therapy and
      for optimal glucocorticoid management in the perioperative period. A Patient
      Panel was convened to determine patient values and preferences, and the Grading
      of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to
      rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations, using a group
      consensus process through a convened Voting Panel of rheumatologists and
      orthopedic surgeons. The strength of the recommendation reflects the degree of
      certainty that benefits outweigh harms of the intervention, or vice versa,
      considering the quality of available evidence and the variability in patient
      values and preferences. RESULTS: The guideline addresses the perioperative use of
      antirheumatic drug therapy including traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic
      drugs, biologic agents, tofacitinib, and glucocorticoids in adults with RA, SpA,
      JIA, or SLE who are undergoing elective THA or TKA. It provides recommendations
      regarding when to continue, when to withhold, and when to restart these
      medications, and the optimal perioperative dosing of glucocorticoids. The
      guideline includes 7 recommendations, all of which are conditional and based on
      low- or moderate-quality evidence. CONCLUSION: This guideline should help
      decision-making by clinicians and patients regarding perioperative antirheumatic
      medication management at the time of elective THA or TKA. These conditional
      recommendations reflect the paucity of high-quality direct randomized controlled
      trial data.

PMID- 28620919
TI  - Meaningful use of computers has a potential therapeutic and preventative role in
      dementia care: A systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Personal computers provide an increasingly accessible resource for
      leisure, social engagement and activities of daily living. This systematic review
      aimed to explore preventative or therapeutic benefits of such technology in
      people at risk of, or living with, dementia. METHODS: A systematic search of
      health databases combined key concepts of dementia and computer use. Inclusion
      criteria were applied, studies appraised for quality and results synthesised
      descriptively. RESULTS: Nine studies met inclusion criteria: Four population
      based studies and five small observational/intervention studies. Findings show an
      association between computer use in older age and decreased risk of dementia and
      provide preliminary evidence that computer-based activity interventions are
      feasible and enjoyable for people with dementia. CONCLUSION: Early findings are
      promising, but more rigorous studies are required to examine the nature of the
      relationship between computer use and dementia risk, and the potential of
      computer activities to improve outcomes for people experiencing cognitive
      decline.

PMID- 28620921
TI  - Consistency of total body surface area assessment in severe burns: Implications
      for practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paediatric burn injury is common and often serious. Injuries occur
      across New South Wales (NSW), with specialised treatment provided in a
      centralised burns unit. Early management prior to transfer is essential but
      variation is seen. OBJECTIVES: To determine if differences exist between
      referring hospital estimates of the total body surface area (TBSA) of burns, and
      estimates for the same burns by the Burns Unit. To consider if differences in
      estimations influence initial and ongoing management, and decisions regarding
      transfer/retrieval. METHODS: A retrospective record review of all patients
      referred to NSW Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS) with
      burn injury between January 2009 and January 2011. Both NETS and NSW Burns Unit
      records were analysed. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients were referred to NETS
      with burn injury. Approximately half (55/123 = 45%) were referred with a TBSA
      >10% and transferred to the NSW Burns Unit, where just over half (33/55 = 60%)
      were assessed as >10%. This means 40% of cases received an initial overestimation
      of TBSA by referring hospitals. NETS medical teams transferred 34 patients to the
      Burns Unit, eight (24%) of which on retrospective review did not meet the NSW
      Burn Transfer Guidelines criteria for a medical team transfer. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      review demonstrated significant differences between the TBSA assessment of
      referring hospitals and the NSW Burns Unit. These inconsistencies may have
      resulted in children receiving treatment and transport not indicated based on
      accurate TBSA assessment. Potentially unnecessary transfers have implications for
      the displacement of children and families but also impact overall health costs
      and resource availability.

PMID- 28620920
TI  - Diet-induced early-stage atherosclerosis in baboons: Lipoproteins, atherogenesis,
      and arterial compliance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine whether dietary
      manipulation can reliably induce early-stage atherosclerosis and clinically
      relevant changes in vascular function in an established, well-characterized non
      human primate model. METHODS: We fed 112 baboons a high-cholesterol, high-fat
      challenge diet for two years. We assayed circulating biomarkers of cardiovascular
      disease (CVD) risk, at 0, 7, and 104 weeks into the challenge; assessed arterial
      compliance noninvasively at 104 weeks; and measured atherosclerotic lesions in
      three major arteries at necropsy. RESULTS: We observed evidence of
      atherosclerosis in all but one baboon fed the two-year challenge diet. CVD risk
      biomarkers, the prevalence, size, and complexity of arterial lesions, plus
      consequent arterial stiffness, were increased in comparison with dietary control
      animals. CONCLUSIONS: Feeding baboons a high-cholesterol, high-fat diet for two
      years reliably induces atherosclerosis, with risk factor profiles, arterial
      lesions, and changes in vascular function also seen in humans.

PMID- 28620922
TI  - Supraspinal inhibitory effects of chimeric peptide MCRT on gastrointestinal
      motility in mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Chimeric peptide MCRT, based on morphiceptin and PFRTic-NH2 , was a
      bifunctional ligand of MU- and delta-opioid receptors (MOR-DOR) and produced
      potent analgesia in tail-withdrawal test. The study focused on the supraspinal
      effects of morphiceptin, PFRTic-NH2 and MCRT on gastrointestinal motility.
      Moreover, opioid receptor antagonists, naloxone (non-selective), cyprodime (MOR
      selective) and naltrindole (DOR selective) were utilized to explore the
      mechanisms. METHODS: Intracerebroventricular administration was achieved via the
      implanted cannula. Gastric emptying and intestinal transit were measured to
      evaluate gastrointestinal motility. KEY FINDINGS: (1) At supraspinal level,
      morphiceptin, PFRTic-NH2 and MCRT significantly decreased gastric emptying and
      intestinal transit; (2) MCRT at 1 nmol/mouse, far higher than its analgesic dose
      (ED50  = 29.8 pmol/mouse), failed to regulate the gastrointestinal motility; (3)
      MCRT-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction could be completely blocked by naloxone
      and naltrindole, but not affected by cyprodime. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Morphiceptin and
      PFRTic-NH2 played important roles in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility;
      (2) MCRT possessed higher bioactivity of pain relief than gastrointestinal
      regulation, suggesting its promising analgesic property; (3) MCRT-induced
      motility disorders were sensitive to DOR but not to MOR blockade, indicating the
      pain-relieving specificity of speculated MOR subtype or splice variant or MOR-DOR
      heterodimer.

PMID- 28620923
TI  - Home phototherapy in vitiligo.
AB  - Vitiligo is a disorder characterized by the development of depigmented macules
      and patches. Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy is a standard of care
      treatment and is used both as monotherapy and in combination with other treatment
      modalities to induce repigmentation. Although phototherapy is safe and effective,
      its use is limited due to the significant time commitment required and associated
      costs. Home phototherapy is a safe and effective alternative to make phototherapy
      more accessible to patients. However, it is often underutilized due to lack of
      physician experience and comfort as well as misconceptions regarding its safety
      and efficacy. This article provides a brief overview of the use of phototherapy
      in vitiligo with a focus on home phototherapy in order to increase awareness and
      use of this treatment modality.

PMID- 28620924
TI  - Childhood preoperative anxiolysis: Is sedation and distraction better than either
      alone? A prospective randomized study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preoperative anxiety management receives special attention in
      pediatric anesthesia. Different pharmacological and nonpharmacological techniques
      can be employed. This study was designed to assess three different strategies for
      childhood preoperative anxiolysis: midazolam premedication, midazolam in
      combination with portable Digital Video-Disk player, or video distraction
      strategy alone. METHODS: In this prospective randomized study, children aged 2-12
      years were assigned to one of the three study groups. The primary outcome was a
      change in preoperative children's anxiety, from baseline (before transfer to the
      preanesthetic holding area) to separation from parents, assessed by the Modified
      Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) and the Visual Analog Anxiety Scale (VAS
      Anxiety). Delirium emergence, postoperative pain, and parental satisfaction were
      also collected. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-five patients were enrolled. The
      three preventive strategies allowed control of preoperative distress. Within the
      three study groups, no significant change was objectified in the anxiety level
      from baseline to separation from parents (mean change in mYPAS midazolam group:
      2.4 95% CI [-1.7 to 6.3]; midazolam+Digital Video-Disk group: -1.0 95% CI [-5.9
      to 3]; and Digital Video-Disk group: 1.4 95% CI [-4 to 6.7]). Comparison of
      change in preoperative children's anxiety between the groups did not show any
      difference. Emergence delirium, postoperative pain scores, and analgesic
      consumption were similar between the groups and parents' satisfaction was
      excellent. CONCLUSION: Both pharmacological premedication and video distraction
      are effective strategies for controlling preoperative childhood anxiety. The
      combination of midazolam and Digital Video-Disk player was not better than either
      alone.

PMID- 28620925
TI  - Validity of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional
      Assessment Tool and Mini-Mental State Examination for detecting the incidence of
      dementia in older Japanese adults.
AB  - AIM: Numerous neuropsychological tests are implemented in the clinical setting.
      However, a readily available cognitive test is required to detect the risk of
      dementia in the community setting. METHODS: A total of 4151 persons aged >=65
      years participated in the present prospective cohort study. We assessed cognitive
      performance using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the National Center for
      Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool. The National Center for
      Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool includes tests of story and
      word list memory, attention and executive function, processing speed, and
      visuospatial skill to screen for cognitive impairment. All measurements were
      transformed to Z-scores to compare among the cognitive tests. The incidence of
      dementia was determined using data collected by the Japanese Health Insurance
      System over 36 months. RESULTS: After an average of 43 months, 180 (4.3%)
      participants were diagnosed with dementia. Survival analyses showed that the
      probability of dementia was significantly associated with all cognitive tests,
      except for visuospatial skill. The processing speed test showed the highest
      hazard ratios for the incidence of dementia (Z-score: hazard ratio 0.61, 95%
      confidence interval 0.50-0.75, P < 0.01). In subgroup analysis, there were no
      significant relationships between cognitive tests and the incidence of dementia
      in participants without global cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude
      that the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment
      Tool, as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination, play an important role in
      detecting the risk of dementia in the community setting. Further analysis is
      required to identify the risk of dementia in older people without global
      cognitive impairment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2383-2388.

PMID- 28620926
TI  - Human papillomavirus infection and lymphoma incidence using cervical conization
      as a surrogate marker: a Danish nationwide cohort study.
AB  - Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may promote carcinogenesis by
      hyperactivation of the immune system. We, therefore, explored the associations
      between HPV infection and risk of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a
      nationwide cohort study using conization as a surrogate marker. We identified all
      Danish women who underwent conization between 1978 and 2011. We computed
      standardized incidence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for Hodgkin and non
      Hodgkin lymphoma based on national cancer incidence rates. Among 87 435 women who
      underwent conization, we noted an increased incidence of Hodgkin (standardized
      incidence ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.02) but only a slight
      increase for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (standardized incidence ratio 1.10, 95%
      confidence interval 0.97-1.25). As measured by conization, HPV infection is
      associated with an increased risk of lymphoma. This association may be
      attributable to a chronic immune activation induced by persistent HPV infection
      and/or failure of the immune system both to clear HPV infection and to control
      lymphoma development. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28620927
TI  - Bendamustine for relapsed blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell leukaemia.
AB  - Optimal treatment of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a rare
      entity of dismal prognosis previously described as CD4+/CD56+ hematodermic
      malignancies, is not defined. We report five cases of relapsed BPDCN treated with
      bendamustine hydrochloride, a well-tolerated bifunctional drug acting as an
      alkylating and antimetabolite agent. All patients were above the age of 50 years
      and in advanced disease (early first relapse in two, subsequent relapse in three;
      multi-organ involvement in four; previous intensive chemotherapy in five; and
      stem cell transplantation in four). Four patients were evaluable for response.
      Two failed therapy, one died from tumor lysis syndrome after rapid blast
      clearance from blood, and one reached and maintained complete remission for 7
      months. Bendamustine should be further evaluated in BPDCN. Copyright (c) 2015
      John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28620928
TI  - The importance of the number of transplanted cells with dipeptidyl peptidase-4
      expression on the haematopoietic recovery and lymphocyte reconstitution in
      patients with multiple myeloma after autologous haematopoietic stem-cell
      transplantation.
AB  - Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) remains recommended
      treatment in the first remission in multiple myeloma (MM). In earlier research it
      has been suggested that there is an influence of the expression of dipeptidyl
      peptidase-4 (CD26) on both the homing and lymphocyte reconstitution after AHSCT.
      The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of transplanted cells CD26+
      on the haematopoietic recovery and lymphocyte reconstitution after AHSCT in MM.
      Forty eight patients with MM underwent AHSCT in our centre. Number of all CD26+
      cells, CD26+ lymphocytes, CD26+ monocytes and CD26+ and CD34+ cells were measured
      in the harvested material. Number of lymphocyte's subpopulations (all lymphocytes
      CD3+, helpers, suppressors, natural killer (NK), cytotoxic NK and lymphocytes B)
      were measured in peripheral blood during regeneration after AHSCT. In both flow
      cytometry was used. On the basis of the analysis there was, as regards
      regeneration of haematopoietic cells after AHSCT, it was shown that a higher
      number of monocytes CD26+ improves the reconstitution of helper, suppressor and
      NK lymphocytes. A higher number of transplanted CD26+ lymphocytes accelerates the
      reconstitution of NK lymphocytes, whereas a higher number of all the cells CD26+
      has a positive impact on the regeneration of cytotoxic NK lymphocytes. Copyright
      (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28620929
TI  - Cartilage canals in the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia of fetuses and
      foals are surrounded by different types of collagen.
AB  - Some epiphyseal growth cartilage canals are surrounded by a ring of
      hypereosinophilic matrix consisting of collagen type I. Absence of the collagen
      type I ring may predispose canal vessels to failure and osteochondrosis, which
      can lead to fragments in joints (osteochondrosis dissecans). It is not known
      whether the ring develops in response to programming or biomechanical force. The
      distribution that may reveal the function of the ring has only been described in
      the distal femur of a limited number of foals. It is also not known which cells
      are responsible for producing the collagen ring. The aims of the current study
      were to examine fetuses and foals to infer whether the ring forms in response to
      biomechanical force or programming, to describe distribution and to investigate
      which cell type produces the ring. The material consisted of 46 fetuses and foals
      from 293 days of gestation to 142 days old, of both sexes and different breeds,
      divided into three groups, designated the naive group up to and including the day
      of birth, the adapting group from 2 days up to and including 14 days old, and the
      loaded group from 15 days and older. The distal tibia was sawn into parasagittal
      slabs and the cranial half of the central slab from the intermediate ridge was
      examined by light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining for collagen type
      I. Presence, completeness and location of the collagen ring was compared, as was
      the quantity of perivascular mesenchymal cells. An eosinophilic ring present on
      HE-stained sections was seen in every single fetus and foal examined, which
      corresponded to collagen type I in immunostained sections. A higher proportion of
      cartilage canals were surrounded by an eosinophilic ring in the naive and
      adapting groups at 73 and 76%, respectively, compared with the loaded group at
      51%. When considering only patent canals, the proportion of canals with an
      eosinophilic ring was higher in the adapting and loaded than the naive group of
      foals. The ring was present around 90 and 81% of patent canals in the deep and
      middle layers, respectively, compared with 58% in the superficial layer, and the
      ring was more often complete around deep compared with superficial canals. The
      ring was absent or partial around chondrifying canals. When an eosinophilic ring
      was present around patent canals, it was more common for the canal to contain one
      or more layers of perivascular mesenchymal cells rather than few to no layers. It
      was also more common for the collagen ring to be more complete around canals that
      contained many as opposed to few mesenchymal cells. In conclusion, the proportion
      of cartilage canals that had an eosinophilic ring was similar in all three groups
      of fetuses and foals, indicating that the presence of the collagen ring was
      mostly programmed, although some adaptation was evident. The ring was more often
      present around deep, compared with superficial canals, indicating a role in
      preparation for ossification. The collagen ring appeared to be produced by
      perivascular mesenchymal cells.

PMID- 28620931
TI  - Assault at the workplace in 147 patients resulting in cochleovestibular
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28620930
TI  - PRospective Imaging of CErvical cancer and neoadjuvant treatment (PRICE) study:
      role of ultrasound to predict partial response in locally advanced cervical
      cancer patients undergoing chemoradiation and radical surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Chemoradiation-based neoadjuvant treatment followed by radical surgery
      is an alternative therapeutic strategy for locally advanced cervical cancer
      (LACC), but ultrasound variables used to predict partial response to neoadjuvant
      treatment are not well defined. Our goal was to analyze prospectively the
      potential role of transvaginal ultrasound in early prediction of partial
      pathological response, assessed in terms of residual disease at histology, in a
      large, single-institution series of LACC patients triaged to neoadjuvant
      treatment followed by radical surgery. METHODS: Between October 2010 and June
      2014, we screened 108 women with histologically documented LACC Stage IB2-IVA, of
      whom 88 were included in the final analysis. Tumor volume, three-dimensional (3D)
      power Doppler indices and contrast parameters were obtained before (baseline
      examination) and after 2 weeks of treatment. The pathological response was
      defined as complete (absence of any residual tumor after treatment) or partial
      (microscopic and/or macroscopic residual tumor at pathological examination).
      Complete-response and partial-response groups were compared and receiver
      operating characteristics (ROC) curves were generated for ultrasound variables
      that were statistically significant on univariate analysis to evaluate their
      diagnostic ability to predict partial pathological response. RESULTS: There was a
      complete pathological response to neoadjuvant therapy in 40 (45.5%) patients and
      a partial response in 48 (54.5%). At baseline examination, tumor volume did not
      differ between the two groups. However, after 2 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment,
      the tumor volume was significantly greater in patients with partial response than
      it was in those with complete response (P = 0.019). Among the 3D vascular
      indices, the vascularization index (VI) was significantly lower in the partial
      response compared with the complete-response group, both before and after 2 weeks
      of treatment (P = 0.037 and P = 0.024, respectively). At baseline examination in
      the contrast analysis, women with partial response had lower tumor peak
      enhancement (PE) as well as lower tumor wash-in rate (WiR) and longer tumor rise
      time (RT) compared with complete responders (P = 0.006, P = 0.003, P = 0.038,
      respectively). There was no difference in terms of contrast parameters after 2
      weeks of treatment. ROC-curve analysis of baseline parameters showed that the
      best cut-offs for predicting partial pathological response were 41.5% for VI
      (sensitivity, 63.6%; specificity, 66.7%); 16123.5 auxiliary units for tumor PE
      (sensitivity, 47.9%; specificity, 84.2%); 7.8 s for tumor RT (sensitivity, 68.8%;
      specificity, 57.9%); and 4902 for tumor WiR (sensitivity, 77.1%; specificity,
      60.5%). ROC curves of parameters after 2 weeks of treatment showed that the best
      cut-off for predicting partial pathological response was 18.1 cm3 for tumor
      volume (sensitivity, 70.8%; specificity 60.0%) and 39.5% for VI (sensitivity;
      62.5%; specificity, 73.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound and contrast parameters
      differ between LACC patients with complete response and those with partial
      response before and after 2 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment. However, neither
      ultrasound parameters before treatment nor those after 2 weeks of treatment had
      cut-off values with acceptable sensitivity and specificity for predicting partial
      pathological response to neoadjuvant therapy. Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG. Published
      by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28620932
TI  - Fiber type composition of the palmaris brevis muscle: implications for palmar
      function.
AB  - The palmaris brevis (PB) is a small muscle of variant morphology located on the
      ulnar aspect of the palm, superficial to the hypothenar eminence. Functionally,
      the PB has been proposed to protect the neurovasculature of the ulnar canal from
      compressive forces during repetitive or intermittent trauma associated with
      grasping. Although PB function has been inferred from cadaveric observations, it
      is unknown whether it has the contractile capacity and fatigue-resistance
      necessary to withstand these functional demands. Insight into the functional
      specialization of the PB can be provided through investigating the proportions of
      type I and type II muscle fibers by staining for myosin heavy chain (MHC)
      isoforms using immunohistochemical methods. Therefore, the purpose of this study
      was to quantify the proportion of type I and type II muscle fibers to provide
      insight into the role of the PB in palmar function based on its gross
      histological structure. Sixteen PB specimens were harvested from the hands (eight
      right, eight left) of eight formalin-embalmed cadavers (mean age: 75 +/- 14
      years; three males, five females). PB muscle composition was determined by
      labeling serial cross-sections with MHC type I and type II monoclonal antibodies.
      The results indicate that the PB is primarily composed of type I muscle fibers
      (72.2 +/- 13.7%), with no significant differences between left and right hands.
      Given the predominance of type I muscle fibers, our findings indicate the PB may
      be fatigue-resistant and thus, capable of contracting for prolonged durations.
      This supports cadaveric observations indicating that the PB functions to protect
      the ulnar neurovasculature of the palm by providing a muscular barrier in
      addition to serving as a functional anchor to the hypothenar fat pad when objects
      are firmly compressed into the palm.

PMID- 28620933
TI  - Recollections of former editors of Clinical and Experimental Optometry.

PMID- 28620934
TI  - Fairness in cost-benefit analysis: A methodology for health technology
      assessment.
AB  - We evaluate the introduction of various forms of antihypertensive treatments in
      France with a distribution-sensitive cost-benefit analysis. Compared to
      traditional cost-benefit analysis, we implement distributional weighting based on
      equivalent incomes, a new concept of individual well-being that does respect
      individual preferences but is not subjectively welfarist. Individual preferences
      are estimated on the basis of a contingent valuation question, introduced into a
      representative survey of the French population. Compared to traditional cost
      effectiveness analysis in health technology assessment, we show that it is
      feasible to go beyond a narrow evaluation of health outcomes while still fully
      exploiting the sophistication of medical information. Sensitivity analysis
      illustrates the relevancy of this richer welfare framework, the importance of the
      distinction between an ex ante and an ex post approach, and the need to consider
      distributional effects in a broader institutional setting.

PMID- 28620935
TI  - Fast precision estimation in high-dimensional multivariate joint models.
AB  - A fast way is proposed based on the multiple outputation idea (Hoffman et al., ;
      Follmann et al., ) to calculate the precision of parameter estimates for high
      dimensional multivariate joint models using a pairwise approach (Fieuws and
      Verbeke, ; Fieuws et al., ). Simulation results as well as data analysis shows
      possibly more than 2500 times faster computations using the proposed method. In
      our real data illustration, the time gain is more than 330 times.

PMID- 28620936
TI  - Measuring pregnancy planning: A psychometric evaluation and comparison of two
      scales.
AB  - AIMS: To psychometrically test the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy and
      compare it with the Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale. BACKGROUND: The incidence
      of unplanned pregnancies is an important indicator of reproductive health. The
      London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy measures pregnancy planning by taking
      contraceptive use, timing, intention to become pregnant, desire for pregnancy,
      partner agreement, and pre-conceptual preparations into account. It has, however,
      previously not been psychometrically evaluated using confirmatory factor
      analysis. The Likert-scored single-item Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale has been
      developed to measure the woman's own view of pregnancy planning level. DESIGN:
      Cross-sectional design. METHODS: In 2012-2013, 5493 pregnant women living in
      Sweden were invited to participate in the Swedish Pregnancy Planning study, of
      whom 3327 (61%) agreed to participate and answered a questionnaire. A test-retest
      pilot study was conducted in 2011-2012. Thirty-two participants responded to the
      questionnaire on two occasions 14 days apart. Data were analysed using
      confirmatory factor analysis, Cohen's weighted kappa and Spearman's correlation.
      RESULTS: All items of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy contributed to
      measuring pregnancy planning, but four items had low item-reliability. The London
      Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy and Swedish Pregnancy Planning Scale corresponded
      reasonably well with each other and both showed good test-retest reliability.
      CONCLUSION: The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy may benefit from item
      reduction and its usefulness may be questioned. The Swedish Pregnancy Planning
      Scale is time-efficient and shows acceptable reliability and construct validity,
      which makes it more useful for measuring pregnancy planning.

PMID- 28620937
TI  - Testing for bioequivalence of highly variable drugs from TR-RT crossover designs
      with heterogeneous residual variances.
AB  - Traditional bioavailability studies assess average bioequivalence (ABE) between
      the test (T) and reference (R) products under the crossover design with TR and RT
      sequences. With highly variable (HV) drugs whose intrasubject coefficient of
      variation in pharmacokinetic measures is 30% or greater, assertion of ABE becomes
      difficult due to the large sample sizes needed to achieve adequate power. In
      2011, the FDA adopted a more relaxed, yet complex, ABE criterion and supplied a
      procedure to assess this criterion exclusively under TRR-RTR-RRT and TRTR-RTRT
      designs. However, designs with more than 2 periods are not always feasible. This
      present work investigates how to evaluate HV drugs under TR-RT designs. A mixed
      model with heterogeneous residual variances is used to fit data from TR-RT
      designs. Under the assumption of zero subject-by-formulation interaction, this
      basic model is comparable to the FDA-recommended model for TRR-RTR-RRT and TRTR
      RTRT designs, suggesting the conceptual plausibility of our approach. To overcome
      the distributional dependency among summary statistics of model parameters, we
      develop statistical tests via the generalized pivotal quantity (GPQ). A real
      world data example is given to illustrate the utility of the resulting
      procedures. Our simulation study identifies a GPQ-based testing procedure that
      evaluates HV drugs under practical TR-RT designs with desirable type I error rate
      and reasonable power. In comparison to the FDA's approach, this GPQ-based
      procedure gives similar performance when the product's intersubject standard
      deviation is low (<=0.4) and is most useful when practical considerations
      restrict the crossover design to 2 periods.

PMID- 28620938
TI  - Anisotropic Metal Deposition on TiO2 Particles by Electric-Field-Induced Charge
      Separation.
AB  - Deposition of metals on TiO2 semiconductor particles (M-TiO2 ) results in hybrid
      Janus objects combining the properties of both materials. One of the techniques
      proposed to generate Janus particles is bipolar electrochemistry (BPE). The
      concept can be applied in a straightforward way for the site-selective
      modification of conducting particles, but is much less obvious to use for
      semiconductors. Herein we report the bulk synthesis of anisotropic M-TiO2
      particles based on the synergy of BPE and photochemistry, allowing the intrinsic
      limitations, when they are used separately, to be overcome. When applying
      electric fields during irradiation, electrons and holes can be efficiently
      separated, thus breaking the symmetry of particles by modifying them selectively
      and in a wireless way on one side with either gold or platinum. Such hybrid
      materials are an important first step towards high-performance designer catalyst
      particles, for example for photosplitting of water.

PMID- 28620939
TI  - Engineering Novel Targeted Boron-10-Enriched Theranostic Nanomedicine to Combat
      against Murine Brain Tumors via MR Imaging-Guided Boron Neutron Capture Therapy.
AB  - Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a very common type of "incurable" malignant
      brain tumor. Although many treatment options are currently available, most of
      them eventually fail due to its recurrence. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT)
      emerges as an alternative noninvasive therapeutic treatment modality. The major
      challenge in treating GBMs using BNCT is to achieve selective imaging, targeting,
      and sufficient accumulation of boron-containing drug at the tumor site so that
      effective destruction of tumor cells can be achieved without harming the normal
      brain cells. To tackle this challenge, this study demonstrates for the first time
      that an unprecedented 10 B-enriched (96% 10 B enrichment) boron nanoparticle
      nanomedicine (10 BSGRF NPs) surface-modified with a Fluorescein isothiocyanate
      (FITC)-labeled RGD-K peptide can pass through the brain blood barrier,
      selectively target at GBM brain tumor sites, and deliver high therapeutic dosage
      (50.5 ug 10 B g-1 cells) of boron atoms to tumor cells with a good tumor-to-blood
      boron ratio of 2.8. The 10 BSGRF NPs not only can enhance the contrast of
      magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to help diagnose the location/size/progress of
      brain tumor, but also effectively suppress murine brain tumors via MR imaging
      guided BNCT, prolonging the half-life of mice from 22 d (untreated group) to 39
      d.

PMID- 28620940
TI  - Young children discover how to deceive in 10 days: a microgenetic study.
AB  - We investigated how the ability to deceive emerges in early childhood among a
      sample of young preschoolers (Mean age = 34.7 months). We did this via a 10
      session microgenetic method that took place over a 10-day period. In each
      session, children played a zero-sum game against an adult to win treats. In the
      game, children hid the treats and had opportunities (10 trials) to win them by
      providing deceptive information about their whereabouts to the adult. Although
      children initially showed little or no ability to deceive, most spontaneously
      discovered deception and systematically used it to win the game by the tenth day.
      Both theory of mind and executive function skills were predictive of relatively
      faster patterns of discovery. These results are the first to provide evidence for
      the importance of cognitive skills and social experience in the discovery of
      deception over time in early childhood.

PMID- 28620942
TI  - A dose-escalation study of combretastatin A4-phosphate in healthy dogs.
AB  - Combretastatin A4-Phosphate (CA4P) is a vascular disrupting agent revealing
      promising results in cancer treatments for humans. The aim of this study was to
      investigate the safety and adverse events of CA4P in healthy dogs as a
      prerequisite to application of CA4P in dogs with cancer. Ten healthy dogs were
      included. The effects of escalating doses of CA4P on physical, haematological and
      biochemical parameters, systolic arterial blood pressure, electrocardiogram,
      echocardiographic variables and general wellbeing were characterised. Three
      different doses were tested: 50, 75 and 100 mg m-2 . At all 3 CA4P doses, nausea,
      abdominal discomfort as well as diarrhoea were observed for several hours
      following administration. Likewise, a low-grade neutropenia was observed in all
      dogs. Doses of 75 and 100 mg m-2 additionally induced vomiting and elevation of
      serum cardiac troponine I levels. At 100 mg m-2 , low-grade hypertension and high
      grade neurotoxicity were also observed. In healthy dogs, doses up to 75 mg m-2
      seem to be well tolerated. The severity of the neurotoxicity observed at 100 mg m
      2 , although transient, does not invite to use this dose in canine oncology
      patients.

PMID- 28620941
TI  - Endothelial mechanotransduction proteins and vascular function are altered by
      dietary sucrose supplementation in healthy young male subjects.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Mechanotransduction in endothelial cells is a central mechanism in
      the regulation of vascular tone and vascular remodelling Mechanotransduction and
      vascular function may be affected by high sugar levels in plasma because of a
      resulting increase in oxidative stress and increased levels of advanced glycation
      end-products (AGE). In healthy young subjects, 2 weeks of daily supplementation
      with 3 * 75 g of sucrose was found to reduce blood flow in response to passive
      lower leg movement and in response to 12 W of knee extensor exercise. This
      vascular impairment was paralleled by up-regulation of platelet endothelial cell
      adhesion molecule (PECAM)-1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, NADPH oxidase and
      Rho family GTPase Rac1 protein expression, an increased basal phosphorylation
      status of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and a reduced
      phosphorylation status of PECAM-1. There were no measurable changes in AGE
      levels. The findings of the present study demonstrate that daily high sucrose
      intake markedly affects mechanotransduction proteins and has a detrimental effect
      on vascular function. ABSTRACT: Endothelial mechanotransduction is important for
      vascular function but alterations and activation of vascular mechanosensory
      proteins have not been investigated in humans. In endothelial cell culture,
      simple sugars effectively impair mechanosensor proteins. To study mechanosensor-
      and vascular function in humans, 12 young healthy male subjects supplemented
      their diet with 3 * 75 g sucrose day-1 for 14 days in a randomized cross-over
      design. Before and after the intervention period, the hyperaemic response to
      passive lower leg movement and active knee extensor exercise was determined by
      ultrasound doppler. A muscle biopsy was obtained from the thigh muscle before and
      after acute passive leg movement to allow assessment of protein amounts and the
      phosphorylation status of mechanosensory proteins and NADPH oxidase. The sucrose
      intervention led to a reduced flow response to passive movement (by 17 +/- 2%)
      and to 12 W of active exercise (by 9 +/- 1%), indicating impaired vascular
      function. A reduced flow response to passive and active exercise was paralleled
      by a significant up-regulation of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule
      (PECAM-1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase, NADPH oxidase and the Rho family
      GTPase Rac1 protein expression in the muscle tissue, as well as an increased
      basal phosphorylation status of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and
      a reduced phosphorylation status of PECAM-1. The phosphorylation status was not
      acutely altered with passive leg movement. These findings indicate that a regular
      intake of high levels of sucrose can impair vascular mechanotransduction and
      increase the oxidative stress potential, and suggest that dietary excessive sugar
      intake may contribute to the development of vascular disease.

PMID- 28620943
TI  - Drug repurposing for aging research using model organisms.
AB  - Many increasingly prevalent diseases share a common risk factor: age. However,
      little is known about pharmaceutical interventions against aging, despite many
      genes and pathways shown to be important in the aging process and numerous
      studies demonstrating that genetic interventions can lead to a healthier aging
      phenotype. An important challenge is to assess the potential to repurpose
      existing drugs for initial testing on model organisms, where such experiments are
      possible. To this end, we present a new approach to rank drug-like compounds with
      known mammalian targets according to their likelihood to modulate aging in the
      invertebrates Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila. Our approach combines
      information on genetic effects on aging, orthology relationships and sequence
      conservation, 3D protein structures, drug binding and bioavailability. Overall,
      we rank 743 different drug-like compounds for their likelihood to modulate aging.
      We provide various lines of evidence for the successful enrichment of our ranking
      for compounds modulating aging, despite sparse public data suitable for
      validation. The top ranked compounds are thus prime candidates for in vivo
      testing of their effects on lifespan in C. elegans or Drosophila. As such, these
      compounds are promising as research tools and ultimately a step towards
      identifying drugs for a healthier human aging.

PMID- 28620944
TI  - Independent housing and support for people with severe mental illness: systematic
      review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To systematically explore the outcomes of Independent Housing and
      Support (IHS) for people with severe mental disorders when compared to other
      residential settings. METHOD: Systematic review of Randomised and Non-Randomised
      Controlled Trials of publications that analyse the outcomes of living in
      independent settings versus institutionalised accommodation. Risk of bias
      assessment was adapted from the Cochrane Collaboration's ACROBAT-Tool. The
      analysis was conducted separately for publications with homeless and non-homeless
      people. RESULTS: Twenty-four publications from studies with homeless people and
      eight publications from studies with non-homeless people were included. Risk of
      bias was much lower in studies with the homeless. No RCT was found in the sample
      of publications with the non-homeless. Overall, results from Independent Housing
      and Support-settings are not inferior to results from institutionalised settings.
      CONCLUSION: The results indicate that Independent Housing and Support-settings
      provide at least similar outcomes than residential care. We propose that clients'
      preferences should determine the choice of housing setting.

PMID- 28620945
TI  - Measuring the statistical validity of summary meta-analysis and meta-regression
      results for use in clinical practice.
AB  - An important question for clinicians appraising a meta-analysis is: are the
      findings likely to be valid in their own practice-does the reported effect
      accurately represent the effect that would occur in their own clinical
      population? To this end we advance the concept of statistical validity-where the
      parameter being estimated equals the corresponding parameter for a new
      independent study. Using a simple ('leave-one-out') cross-validation technique,
      we demonstrate how we may test meta-analysis estimates for statistical validity
      using a new validation statistic, Vn, and derive its distribution. We compare
      this with the usual approach of investigating heterogeneity in meta-analyses and
      demonstrate the link between statistical validity and homogeneity. Using a
      simulation study, the properties of Vn and the Q statistic are compared for
      univariate random effects meta-analysis and a tailored meta-regression model,
      where information from the setting (included as model covariates) is used to
      calibrate the summary estimate to the setting of application. Their properties
      are found to be similar when there are 50 studies or more, but for fewer studies
      Vn has greater power but a higher type 1 error rate than Q. The power and type 1
      error rate of Vn are also shown to depend on the within-study variance, between
      study variance, study sample size, and the number of studies in the meta
      analysis. Finally, we apply Vn to two published meta-analyses and conclude that
      it usefully augments standard methods when deciding upon the likely validity of
      summary meta-analysis estimates in clinical practice. (c) 2017 The Authors.
      Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28620946
TI  - Incidental detection of asymptomatic migration of Hem-o-lok clip into the bladder
      after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
AB  - Hem-o-lok clips have been widely used in laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgery.
      We report a case of an incidentally discovered Hem-o-lok migration into the
      bladder after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The patient was a 75-year-old
      man with localized prostate cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical
      prostatectomy in July 2009. At 3 postoperative years, follow-up ultrasonography
      revealed a small round mass in the bladder. No lower urinary tract symptoms were
      reported, and urinalysis results had never indicated hematuria or pyuria.
      Cystoscopy revealed a Hem-o-lok clip in the bladder, near the vesicourethral
      anastomotic site. We could not remove it with forceps in the outpatient clinic,
      so we performed the procedure again under general anesthesia and successfully
      removed the Hem-o-lok clip. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an
      asymptomatic Hem-o-lok migration into the bladder.

PMID- 28620947
TI  - Effect of applying cinnamaldehyde incorporated in wax on green mould decay in
      citrus fruits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Green mould caused by Penicillium digitatum is the most damaging
      postharvest diseases of citrus fruit. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is a food additive that
      has potential use in controlling postharvest disease of fruits and vegetables. In
      this study, the effectiveness of wax with CA (WCA) in controlling Ponkan (Citrus
      reticulata Blanco) green mould was investigated. RESULTS: The mycelial growth of
      P. digitatum was inhibited by CA in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum
      inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were both
      0.50 mL L-1 . In vivo tests demonstrated that WCA (1 * and 10 * MFC) applied to
      Ponkan fruits inoculated with P. digitatum could significantly decrease the
      incidence of green mould for up to 5 days. The WCA treatment increased the
      activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia
      lyase, polyphenol oxidase, as well as the total phenols and flavonoids contents.
      Meanwhile, the treatment remarkably decreased the weight loss rate of fruits and
      maintained fruit quality. These results indicated that WCA treatment might induce
      defence responses against green mould in citrus fruit. CONCLUSION: Our findings
      suggest that WCA might be a promising approach in controlling green mould of
      citrus fruits. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28620949
TI  - Nonintravenous rescue medications for pediatric status epilepticus: A cost
      effectiveness analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To quantify the cost-effectiveness of rescue medications for pediatric
      status epilepticus: rectal diazepam, nasal midazolam, buccal midazolam,
      intramuscular midazolam, and nasal lorazepam. METHODS: Decision analysis model
      populated with effectiveness data from the literature and cost data from publicly
      available market prices. The primary outcome was cost per seizure stopped ($/SS).
      One-way sensitivity analyses and second-order Monte Carlo simulations evaluated
      the robustness of the results across wide variations of the input parameters.
      RESULTS: The most cost-effective rescue medication was buccal midazolam
      (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio ([ICER]: $13.16/SS) followed by nasal
      midazolam (ICER: $38.19/SS). Nasal lorazepam (ICER: -$3.8/SS), intramuscular
      midazolam (ICER: -$64/SS), and rectal diazepam (ICER: -$2,246.21/SS) are never
      more cost-effective than the other options at any willingness to pay. One-way
      sensitivity analysis showed the following: (1) at its current effectiveness,
      rectal diazepam would become the most cost-effective option only if its cost was
      $6 or less, and (2) at its current cost, rectal diazepam would become the most
      cost-effective option only if effectiveness was higher than 0.89 (and only with
      very high willingness to pay of $2,859/SS to $31,447/SS). Second-order Monte
      Carlo simulations showed the following: (1) nasal midazolam and intramuscular
      midazolam were the more effective options; (2) the more cost-effective option was
      buccal midazolam for a willingness to pay from $14/SS to $41/SS and nasal
      midazolam for a willingness to pay above $41/SS; (3) cost-effectiveness
      overlapped for buccal midazolam, nasal lorazepam, intramuscular midazolam, and
      nasal midazolam; and (4) rectal diazepam was not cost-effective at any
      willingness to pay, and this conclusion remained extremely robust to wide
      variations of the input parameters. SIGNIFICANCE: For pediatric status
      epilepticus, buccal midazolam and nasal midazolam are the most cost-effective
      nonintravenous rescue medications in the United States. Rectal diazepam is not a
      cost-effective alternative, and this conclusion remains extremely robust to wide
      variations of the input parameters.

PMID- 28620948
TI  - 2017 American College of Rheumatology/American Association of Hip and Knee
      Surgeons Guideline for the Perioperative Management of Antirheumatic Medication
      in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases Undergoing Elective Total Hip or Total Knee
      Arthroplasty.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This collaboration between the American College of Rheumatology and
      the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons developed an evidence-based
      guideline for the perioperative management of antirheumatic drug therapy for
      adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) including
      ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis
      (JIA), or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) undergoing elective total hip (THA)
      or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A panel of rheumatologists, orthopedic
      surgeons specializing in hip and knee arthroplasty, and methodologists was
      convened to construct the key clinical questions to be answered in the guideline.
      A multi-step systematic literature review was then conducted, from which evidence
      was synthesized for continuing versus withholding antirheumatic drug therapy and
      for optimal glucocorticoid management in the perioperative period. A Patient
      Panel was convened to determine patient values and preferences, and the Grading
      of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to
      rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations, using a group
      consensus process through a convened Voting Panel of rheumatologists and
      orthopedic surgeons. The strength of the recommendation reflects the degree of
      certainty that benefits outweigh harms of the intervention, or vice versa,
      considering the quality of available evidence and the variability in patient
      values and preferences. RESULTS: The guideline addresses the perioperative use of
      antirheumatic drug therapy including traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic
      drugs, biologic agents, tofacitinib, and glucocorticoids in adults with RA, SpA,
      JIA, or SLE who are undergoing elective THA or TKA. It provides recommendations
      regarding when to continue, when to withhold, and when to restart these
      medications, and the optimal perioperative dosing of glucocorticoids. The
      guideline includes 7 recommendations, all of which are conditional and based on
      low- or moderate-quality evidence. CONCLUSION: This guideline should help
      decision-making by clinicians and patients regarding perioperative antirheumatic
      medication management at the time of elective THA or TKA. These conditional
      recommendations reflect the paucity of high-quality direct randomized controlled
      trial data.

PMID- 28620950
TI  - The risk typology of healthcare access and its association with unmet healthcare
      needs in Asian Americans.
AB  - Using data from the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life Survey (N = 2,609),
      latent profile analysis was conducted on general (health insurance, usual place
      for care and income) and immigrant-specific (nativity, length of stay in the
      U.S., English proficiency and acculturation) risk factors of healthcare access.
      Latent profile analysis identified a three-cluster model (low-risk, moderate-risk
      and high-risk groups). Compared with the low-risk group, the odds of having an
      unmet healthcare need was 1.52 times greater in the moderate-risk group and 2.24
      times greater in the high-risk group. Challenging the myth of model minority, the
      present sample of Asian Americans demonstrates its vulnerability in access to
      healthcare. Findings also show the heterogeneity in healthcare access risk
      profiles.

PMID- 28620952
TI  - Operando 3D Visualization of Migration and Degradation of a Platinum Cathode
      Catalyst in a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell.
AB  - The three-dimensional (3D) distribution and oxidation state of a Pt cathode
      catalyst in a practical membrane electrode assembly (MEA) were visualized in a
      practical polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) under fuel-cell operating
      conditions. Operando 3D computed-tomography imaging with X-ray absorption near
      edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy (CT-XANES) clearly revealed the heterogeneous
      migration and degradation of Pt cathode catalyst in an MEA during accelerated
      degradation test (ADT) of PEFC. The degradative Pt migration proceeded over the
      entire cathode catalyst layer and spread to MEA depth direction into the Nafion
      membrane.

PMID- 28620951
TI  - Persistent negative temperature response of mesophyll conductance in red
      raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) leaves under both high and low vapour pressure
      deficits: a role for abscisic acid?
AB  - The temperature dependence of mesophyll conductance (gm ) was measured in well
      watered red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plants acclimated to leaf-to-air vapour
      pressure deficit (VPDL) daytime differentials of contrasting amplitude, keeping a
      fixed diurnal leaf temperature (Tleaf ) rise from 20 to 35  degrees C. Contrary
      to the great majority of gm temperature responses published to date, we found a
      pronounced reduction of gm with increasing Tleaf irrespective of leaf chamber O2
      level and diurnal VPDL regime. Leaf hydraulic conductance was greatly enhanced
      during the warmer afternoon periods under both low (0.75 to 1.5 kPa) and high
      (0.75 to 3.5 kPa) diurnal VPDL regimes, unlike stomatal conductance (gs ), which
      decreased in the afternoon. Consequently, the leaf water status remained largely
      isohydric throughout the day, and therefore cannot be evoked to explain the
      diurnal decrease of gm . However, the concerted diurnal reductions of gm and gs
      were well correlated with increases in leaf abscisic acid (ABA) content, thus
      suggesting that ABA can induce a significant depression of gm under favourable
      leaf water status. Our results challenge the view that the temperature dependence
      of gm can be explained solely from dynamic leaf anatomical adjustments and/or
      from the known thermodynamic properties of aqueous solutions and lipid
      membranes..

PMID- 28620953
TI  - Molecular Characterisation of alpha- and beta-Thalassaemia among Indigenous Senoi
      Orang Asli Communities in Peninsular Malaysia.
AB  - Thalassaemia is a public health problem in Malaysia, with each ethnic group
      having their own common mutations. However, there is a lack on data on the
      prevalence and common mutations among the indigenous people. This cross-sectional
      study was performed to determine the common mutations of alpha- and beta
      thalassaemia among the subethnic groups of Senoi, the largest Orang Asli group in
      Peninsular Malaysia. Blood samples collected from six Senoi subethnic groups were
      analysed for full blood count and haemoglobin analysis (HbAn). Samples with
      abnormal findings were then screened for alpha- and beta-globin gene mutations.
      Out of the 752 samples collected, 255 showed abnormal HbAn results, and 122 cases
      showing abnormal red cell indices with normal HbAn findings were subjected to
      molecular screening. DNA analysis revealed a mixture of alpha- and beta-globin
      gene mutations with 25 concomitant cases. The types of gene abnormalities
      detected for alpha-thalassaemia were termination codon (T>C) Hb CS (alphaCS
      alpha), Cd59 (G>A) haemoglobin Adana (Hb Adana) (alphaCd59 alpha), initiation
      codon (ATG>A-G) (alphaIniCd alpha), two-gene deletion (-SEA ), and single-gene
      3.7-kb deletion (-alpha3.7 ). For beta-thalassaemia, there were Cd26 (G>A) Hb E
      (betaE ), Cd19 (A>G) Haemoglobin Malay (Hb Malay) (betaCd19 ), and IVS 1-5 (G>C)
      (betaIVS 1-5 ).

PMID- 28620954
TI  - Propentofylline, phosphodiesterase and adenosine reuptake inhibitor modulates
      lymphocyte subsets and lymphocyte activity after in-vivo administration in non
      immunized and SRBC-immunized mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate immunomodulatory effect of in
      vivo administered propentofylline on the subsets and activity of murine
      lymphocytes. METHODS: Propentofylline (3 mg/kg) was administered orally to 8-week
      old Balb/c mice, once or six times at 12-h intervals. The lymphocyte subsets,
      regulatory T cells, IL-5 and TNF levels were determined 12 h and 24 h after a
      single dose or after the sixth dose of the drug in non-immunized mice. Humoral
      immune response in sheep red blood cells (SRBC)-immunized mice was determined 4,
      7 and 14 days after immunization. KEY FINDINGS: Propentofylline inhibited
      thymocyte maturation (increase in CD4- CD8- thymocyte subset and decrease in the
      percentage of CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes) and modulated the lymphocyte subsets in
      spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. An increase in the absolute count and
      percentage of splenic regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ cells) was noticed 24
      h after single administration of the drug. Propentofylline lowered serum level of
      IL-5 and did not affect TNF concentration. Only a weak inhibitory effect on anti
      SRBC humoral immune response was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Propentofylline
      administration induced inhibition of thymocyte maturation and an increase in Treg
      subset that might be beneficial for an inhibition of immune response.

PMID- 28620955
TI  - Editorial Comment from Dr Teishima and Dr Matsubara to Estimated glomerular
      filtration rate on postoperative day 1 is associated with renal functional
      outcome after percutaneous renal cryoablation for renal tumors.

PMID- 28620956
TI  - Functional characterization of two half-size ABC transporter genes in aluminium
      accumulating buckwheat.
AB  - Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is able to detoxify high aluminium (Al)
      internally by sequestering it to the vacuoles in the leaves; however, the
      molecular mechanisms underlying this sequestration are unknown. We performed
      proteomic analysis with the leaf tonoplast-rich fraction and identified two half
      size ABC transporters; FeASL1.1 and FeALS1.2. We investigated the gene expression
      patterns and subcellular localization. To demonstrate their physiological role,
      we expressed FeALS1.1 or FeALS1.2 in the Arabidopsis atals1 mutant under the
      control of AtALS1 promoter. FeALS1.1 expression was upregulated by Al in both the
      leaves and the roots, and its expression level in the roots was six times higher
      than its homologous gene (AtALS1) of Arabidopsis. FeALS1.2 expression, however,
      was not affected by Al but showed a 39 times higher expression level than AtALS1
      in the leaves. When FeALS1.1 or FeALS1.2 was expressed in atals1, both of them
      recovered their Al tolerance through altering the subcellular localization of Al
      in root cells. Taken together, our results indicate that FeALS1.1 and FeALS1.2
      are involved in the internal detoxification of Al in the roots and leaves,
      respectively, by sequestering Al into the vacuoles. Their high expression is
      probably required for high Al tolerance in buckwheat.

PMID- 28620957
TI  - Perceived social support and psychosocial adjustment in patients with coronary
      heart disease.
AB  - AIM: This study was performed to assess perceived social support and psychosocial
      adjustment in patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS: Participants were
      250 patients referred to the cardiology outpatient clinic of a university
      hospital in Ankara, Turkey, between December 2013 and March 2014. Data were
      collected using a participant information form, the Multidimensional Scale of
      Perceived Social Support, and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self
      Report. Data were analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and
      Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Patients' mean perceived social
      support scores were relatively low and patients' mean scores for psychosocial
      adjustment considered to be poor. Subgroups in the psychosocial adjustment and
      social support scales were significantly associated. CONCLUSION: This study's
      results indicate that patients' social support is linked to their psychosocial
      adjustment to coronary heart disease. As psychosocial adjustment is inhibited in
      patients who lack sufficient social support, sources of social support of
      patients should be identified and facilitated.

PMID- 28620958
TI  - A network meta-analysis of primary prophylaxis for invasive fungal infection in
      haematological patients.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Antifungal prophylaxis is an option to reduce the
      incidence of invasive fungal infection (IFI) in haematological patients. To date,
      no network meta-analysis (NMA) of high-quality evidence (double-blind randomized
      controlled trials) has been performed on this subject. This systematic review and
      NMA aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of different antifungal agents used
      for prophylaxis of IFI in patients with haematological disorders. METHODS: A
      systematic review was performed according to PRISMA and Cochrane recommendations.
      The search for articles was conducted on PubMed, Scopus and the Web of Science.
      We searched for double-blind randomized clinical trials comparing antifungal
      agents for IFI prophylaxis head-to-head vs placebo in patients with any blood
      cancer. Network meta-analyses were conducted using Addis version 1.16.6.
      Evaluation of the quality of included RCTs was also performed. RESULTS: Twenty
      five trials were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses.
      Posaconazole stood out as the best IFI prophylaxis option and for avoiding IFI
      related mortality. For the incidence of candidiasis outcome, the azoles were
      superior to placebo. Voriconazole and posaconazole were, respectively, the first
      and second best options. For the incidence of aspergillosis outcome, the
      probability rank suggested that voriconazole followed by liposomal amphotericin B
      is, possibly, the best choice. The quality of studies was considered good, with a
      mean Jadad score of 4.0. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The results of our work
      support prophylaxis with antifungal agents as reducing the risk of IFI in
      haematological patients. Overall, the second-generation azoles were found to be
      the best option for preventing IFI in this population.

PMID- 28620959
TI  - Parental disease prevention health beliefs and triggers for keeping children home
      from childcare-a qualitative study in Sydney, Australia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases cause considerable morbidity and mortality in
      children less than 5 years of age. Children attending childcare centres are at
      increased risk of contracting infections. It is of public health interest to
      understand what triggers and underpins parental decisions to send an unwell child
      to childcare, with the obvious attendant risks to other children and childcare
      staff as well as the affected child. This study aimed to examine parents' disease
      prevention health beliefs and practices with a particular focus on how these
      factors influence childcare attendance decisions. METHODS: Semistructured, in
      depth interviews were conducted between June 2009 and May 2011 with parents who
      had at least one child under 5 years of age enrolled in a childcare centre. Six
      centres in the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia, were selected to include
      parents from a range of demographic and socio-economic backgrounds. RESULTS:
      Forty-two interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed. Themes emerging
      from the data included "vitamin dirt," contagion, and contagion prevention and
      control. These interacted with parents' decision-making about childcare
      attendance, and parents made choices in a complex context of obligations to their
      child, social contract obligations to others, peer expectations, and the need to
      work. Vaccination received only scant mention as a preventive health measure.
      Decision-making by parents concerning childcare attendance was made without
      reference to any external guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights
      into parental disease prevention beliefs, behaviours, and decision-making. It
      reveals a need for policies to support parents with unwell children. In addition,
      resources and educative efforts to raise awareness of vaccination as a preventive
      health measure, and awareness of infectious disease contagion more broadly, would
      assist in providing parents with a greater evidence base for making decisions
      about childcare attendance when their child is unwell.

PMID- 28620960
TI  - Prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in independent community
      dwelling older adults: The Fujiwara-kyo study.
AB  - AIM: As the Japanese population ages, the number of older patients with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is expected to increase, but the prevalence
      of COPD in patients aged >=80 years remains unclear. The purpose of the present
      study was to determine the prevalence of COPD in independent community-dwelling
      older adults aged >=80 years. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of COPD in
      2862 independent community-dwelling older adults (1504 men, 1358 women, mean age
      77.7 +/- 7.0 years) who underwent spirometry in the Fujiwara-kyo study, a study
      of successful aging in older adults. Those participants with airflow limitation
      (forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity <0.7) who indicated on a
      self-administered questionnaire that they had a history of smoking and did not
      have bronchial asthma were considered to have COPD. RESULTS: The prevalence of
      COPD was 16.9% among all participants and 37.4% among smokers. The prevalence
      among individuals aged >=80 years (19.7%) was significantly higher than that
      among those aged <80 years (16.0%; P < 0.05). When forced expiratory volume in 1
      s/forced vital capacity lower limit of normal was used as the criterion for
      airflow limitation, the prevalence fell to 11.0%. Patients with mild-to-moderate
      airflow limitation (stage I/stage II) accounted for the great majority (91.2%) of
      COPD patients aged >=80 years. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of mild-to-moderate
      COPD was observed even in the independent community-dwelling older adults aged
      >=80 years. However, the benefits of the spirometric screening and treatment for
      these patients needs to be determined. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2421-2426.

PMID- 28620961
TI  - Normal ATXN2 alleles influences on the age at onset in spinocerebellar ataxia
      type 2.

PMID- 28620962
TI  - Isotretinoin and tattooing: a cautionary tale.

PMID- 28620963
TI  - Skeletal muscle characteristics and mitochondrial function in Huntington's
      disease patients.

PMID- 28620964
TI  - Does gene expression in laryngeal subsites differ between patients with
      laryngopharyngeal reflux and controls?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify laryngeal mRNA gene changes in patients with
      laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). METHOD: Laryngeal biopsies from non-smoking LPR
      patients (n=10; Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) >12 and a Reflux Finding Score (RFS)
      >6) and controls (n=9; RSI <12 and RFS <6) were collected from four subsites
      (true vocal cord, false vocal cord, medial arytenoid and posterior commissure) of
      the larynx. qRT-PCR analyses were conducted on 20 reflux- and inflammation
      related genes, including interleukins 6 and 8, cytokeratins 8 and 14, mucin genes
      MUC1, MUC2, MUC3B, MUC4, MUC5B, MUC6 and MUC7 and carbonic anhydrase III.
      Statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney U test) compared gene expression levels
      between LPR and control groups at each subsite. RESULTS: Site-specific
      differences in squamous metaplasia and gene expression were noted in LPR
      patients, with the majority present in the medial arytenoid region.
      Significant.differences were noted in genes related to mucosal defence and
      inflammation, including CRNN, CD1d, TGFbeta-1, MUC2, MUC5B and CDH1. CONCLUSION:
      Whilst the posterior commissure is commonly identified as the area demonstrating
      the most significant macroscopic change in LPR, the histological changes and
      genes assessed here showed more pronounced LPR associated differences in the
      medial arytenoid. We identified differences in expression of mucin genes,
      cytokeratin-14 and molecular markers of inflammation. Whilst some of these
      changes may be metaplasia-related, further evaluation of the mRNA expression of
      these genes may provide a useful biomarker panel for diagnosis and therapeutic
      monitoring of LPR.

PMID- 28620965
TI  - Determination of retinal surface area.
AB  - Previous attempts at determining retinal surface area and surface area of the
      whole eye have been based upon mathematical calculations derived from retinal
      photographs, schematic eyes and retinal biopsies of donor eyes. 3-dimensional (3
      D) ocular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows a more direct measurement, it
      can be used to image the eye in vivo, and there is no risk of tissue shrinkage.
      The primary purpose of this study is to compare, using T2-weighted 3D MRI,
      retinal surface areas for superior-temporal (ST), inferior-temporal (IT),
      superior-nasal (SN) and inferior-nasal (IN) retinal quadrants. An ancillary aim
      is to examine whether inter-quadrant variations in area are concordant with
      reported inter-quadrant patterns of susceptibility to retinal breaks associated
      with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). Seventy-three adult participants
      presenting without retinal pathology (mean age 26.25 +/- 6.06 years) were scanned
      using a Siemens 3-Tesla MRI scanner to provide T2-weighted MR images that
      demarcate fluid-filled internal structures for the whole eye and provide high
      contrast delineation of the vitreous-retina interface. Integrated MRI software
      generated total internal ocular surface area (TSA). The second nodal point was
      used to demarcate the origin of the peripheral retina in order to calculate total
      retinal surface area (RSA) and quadrant retinal surface areas (QRSA) for ST, IT,
      SN, and IN quadrants. Mean spherical error (MSE) was -2.50 +/- 4.03D and mean
      axial length (AL) 24.51 +/- 1.57 mm. Mean TSA and RSA for the RE were 2058 +/-
      189 and 1363 +/- 160 mm2 , respectively. Repeated measures anova for QRSA data
      indicated a significant difference within-quadrants (P < 0.01) which, contrasted
      with ST (365 +/- 43 mm2 ), was significant for IT (340 +/- 40 mm2 P < 0.01), SN
      (337 +/- 40 mm2 P < 0.01) and IN (321 +/- 39 mm2 P < 0.01) quadrants. For all
      quadrants, QRSA was significantly correlated with AL (P < 0.01) and exhibited
      equivalent increases in retinal area/mm increase in AL. Although the differences
      between QRSAs are relatively small, there was evidence of concordance with
      reported inter-quadrant patterns of susceptibility to retinal breaks associated
      with PVD. The data allow AL to be converted to QRSAs, which will assist further
      work on inter-quadrant structural variation.

PMID- 28620966
TI  - The embodied nurse: Interdisciplinary knowledge exchange between compassionate
      nursing and recent developments in embodied leadership studies.
AB  - AIMS: To report a potential knowledge exchange between nursing studies and the
      results obtained from a study conducted into the attributes of embodied
      leadership. BACKGROUND: Leadership theories have been applied to evaluate,
      improve, and train nursing practitioners in several previous studies. However,
      leadership research has entered a new phase where the focus is to produce
      sustainable leaders through authenticity and compassion, the same two
      characteristics identified as being of most success in emergent nursing practice.
      There are few studies that have indicated a knowledge exchange between the latest
      developments in leadership studies and nursing. DESIGN: An exploratory and
      qualitative study. METHODS: Between February 2012 - July 2012, a focused sample
      of 14 medical care professionals was interviewed across a chain of hospitals. The
      aim was to evaluate embodied leadership characteristics and understand the
      factors that contribute to the manifestation of these characteristics. The
      transcribed interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Several
      factors that contribute to the characteristics of embodied leadership have been
      identified in the interviews and in subsequent literature searches on the
      characteristics and contributing factors found to be associated with nursing
      research. These could prompt a knowledge exchange. CONCLUSION: The results
      suggest common ground between nursing and contemporary leadership research in the
      exposition of behaviours; namely, being non-judgmental, listening actively,
      reflective practice and embracing uncertainty. Several implications can therefore
      be expected through the exchange of knowledge resulting from collaboration
      between researchers in the two disciplines.

PMID- 28620968
TI  - Clinical Practice Guidelines: Incorporating Input From a Patient Panel.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the integral role of a Patient Panel in the development of
      the 2017 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/American Association of Hip and
      Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) clinical practice guideline. METHODS: We convened a Panel
      of 11 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, all
      of whom had undergone 1 or more arthroplasties, to review the evidence and
      provide guidance on recommendations for the 2017 ACR/AAHKS guideline to address
      the perioperative management of antirheumatic medication in patients with
      rheumatic diseases undergoing elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty. The
      guideline used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and
      Evaluation methodology that acknowledges the critical role of patient values and
      preferences when the quality of the evidence base is low or when there are
      important trade-offs between benefits and harms. The Patient Panel considered the
      relative importance of complications including perioperative infection versus
      rheumatic disease flare and voted on the recommendations. Before the Voting
      Panel's own discussion of the recommendations, they reviewed a summary of the
      Patient Panel's discussion, including their perioperative experience, the
      relative importance they placed on infections versus flares in the perioperative
      period, and their votes on the recommendations. RESULTS: The Patient Panel placed
      higher importance on avoiding an infection than a disease flare despite the far
      greater frequency of flares than infections. The decisions of the Voting Panel
      were concordant with those of the Patient Panel. For the 7 recommendations that
      both Panels voted on, the Panels agreed on the direction as well as the strength
      of recommendation (which was conditional for all recommendations). CONCLUSION:
      The Voting Panel considered the importance that the patients placed on risk of
      infection. The Patient Panel's values informed the direction and strength of the
      recommendations in the final 2017 ACR/AAHKS guideline.

PMID- 28620967
TI  - Contribution of CARD9-mediated signalling to wound healing in skin.
AB  - The inflammatory response after skin injury involves the secretion of a variety
      of cytokines and growth factors that are necessary for tissue repair. Caspase
      recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (CARD9) is an essential signalling
      adaptor molecule for NF-kappaB activation upon triggering through C-type lectin
      receptors (CLRs), which are expressed in macrophages and dendritic cells.
      However, the role of CARD9 in inflammatory responses at the wound site has not
      been elucidated. In this study, we analysed the role of CARD9 in the healing
      process of skin wounds. Wounds were created on the backs of wild-type (WT)
      C57BL/6 mice and CARD9 gene-disrupted (knockout [KO]) mice. We analysed per cent
      wound closure, and the wound tissues were harvested for analysis of leucocyte
      accumulation and cytokine and chemokine expressions. CARD9KO mice exhibited
      significant attenuation of wound closure compared with WT mice on days 5, 7 and
      10 postwounding, which was associated with decreased macrophage accumulation and
      reduced TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, CCL3 and CCL4 expressions. These results suggest
      that CARD9 may be involved in the wound-healing process through the regulation of
      macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses.

PMID- 28620969
TI  - Black and White Parents' Willingness to Seek Help for Children's Internalizing
      and Externalizing Symptoms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Understanding social and environmental factors that contribute to
      parental help-seeking intentions is an important step in addressing service
      underutilization for children in need of treatment. This study examined factors
      that contribute to parents' intentions to seek formal and informal help for child
      psychopathology (anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]).
      METHOD: A total of 251 parents (N = 128 mothers, N = 123 fathers; 49% Black, 51%
      White) read 3 vignettes describing children with anxiety, ADHD, and no diagnosis.
      Measures of problem recognition, perceived barriers, and formal (pediatricians,
      psychologists, teachers) and informal (religious leaders, family/friends, self
      help) help seeking were completed. Four separate hierarchical logistic regression
      models were used to examine parental help-seeking likelihood from formal and
      informal sources for internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Predictors were
      socioeconomic status, parent race, age, and sex, parent problem recognition (via
      study vignettes), and perceived barriers to mental health service utilization.
      RESULT: Mothers were more likely than fathers to seek help from pediatricians,
      psychologists, teachers, and religious leaders for child anxiety and
      pediatricians, religious leaders, and self-help resources for child ADHD. Black
      parents were more likely to seek help from religious leaders and White parents
      were more likely to use self-help resources. Problem recognition was associated
      with greater intentions to seek help from almost all formal and informal sources
      (except from friends/family). CONCLUSION: Understanding factors that contribute
      to parental help seeking for child psychopathology is critical for increasing
      service utilization and reducing the negative effects of mental health problems.
      This study highlights the importance of decreasing help-seeking barriers and
      increasing problem recognition to improve health equity.

PMID- 28620970
TI  - A Coating-Free Nonfouling Polymeric Elastomer.
AB  - Medical devices face nonspecific biofouling from proteins, cells, and
      microorganisms, which significantly contributes to complications and device
      failure. Imparting these devices with nonfouling capabilities remains a major
      challenge, particularly for those made from elastomeric polymers. Current
      strategies, including surface coating and copolymerization/physical blending,
      necessitate compromise among nonfouling properties, durability, and mechanical
      strength. Here, a new strategy is reported to achieve both high bulk mechanical
      strength and excellent surface nonfouling properties, which are typically
      contradictory, in one material. This is realized through a nonfouling polymeric
      elastomer based on zwitterionic polycarboxybetaine derivatives. By hiding both
      charged moieties of the zwitterionic compounds with hydrocarbon ester and
      tertiary amine groups, the bulk polymer itself is elastomeric and hydrophobic
      while its superhydrophilic surface properties are restored upon hydrolysis. This
      coating-free nonfouling elastomer is a highly promising biomaterial for
      biomedical and engineering applications.

PMID- 28620971
TI  - The adipokinetic hormone of the coleopteran suborder Adephaga: Structure,
      function, and comparison of distribution in other insects.
AB  - The aim of the current study is to identify the adipokinetic hormone(s) (AKHs) of
      a basal suborder of the species-rich Coleoptera, the Adephaga, and possibly learn
      more about the ancestral AKH of beetles. Moreover, we wanted to compare the
      ancestral AKH with AKHs of more advanced beetles, of which a number are pest
      insects. This would allow us to assess whether AKH mimetics would be suitable as
      insecticides, that is, be harmful to the pest species but not to the beneficial
      species. Nine species of the Adephaga were investigated and all synthesize only
      one octapeptide in the corpus cardiacum, as revealed by Edman degradation
      sequencing techniques or by mass spectrometry. The amino acid sequence pGlu-Leu
      Asn-Phe-Ser-Thr-Gly-Trp corresponds to Schgr-AKH-II that was first identified in
      the desert locust. It is assumed that Schgr-AKH-II-the peptide of a basal beetle
      clade-is the ancestral AKH for beetles. Some other beetle families, as well as
      some Hymenoptera (including honey bees) also contain this peptide, whereas most
      of the pest beetle species have different AKHs. This argues that those peptides
      and their receptors should be explored for developing mimetics with insecticidal
      properties. A scenario where Schgr-AKH-II (the only AKH of Adephaga) is used as
      basic molecular structure to derive almost all other known beetle AKHs via single
      step mutations is very likely, and supports the interpretation that Schgr-AKH-II
      is the ancestral AKH of Coleoptera.

PMID- 28620972
TI  - Structure-Property Relationships of Organic Electrolytes and Their Effects on
      Li/S Battery Performance.
AB  - Electrolytes, which are a key component in electrochemical devices, transport
      ions between the sulfur/carbon composite cathode and the lithium anode in lithium
      sulfur batteries (LSBs). The performance of a LSB mostly depends on the
      electrolyte due to the dissolution of polysulfides into the electrolyte, along
      with the formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase. The selection of the
      electrolyte and its functionality during charging and discharging is intricate
      and involves multiple reactions and processes. The selection of the proper
      electrolyte, including solvents and salts, for LSBs strongly depends on its
      physical and chemical properties, which is heavily controlled by its molecular
      structure. In this review, the fundamental properties of organic electrolytes for
      LSBs are presented, and an attempt is made to determine the relationship between
      the molecular structure and the properties of common organic electrolytes, along
      with their effects on the LSB performance.

PMID- 28620973
TI  - The effectiveness of strategies similar to the Magnet model to create positive
      work environments on nurse satisfaction.
AB  - AIM: The objective of this study was to identify the satisfaction levels of
      nurses with positive environment initiatives and positive management strategies.
      METHOD: In total, 235 and 259 nurses participated in the study before and after
      the application of the initiatives and strategies, respectively. Strategies
      adopted from the magnet model to create positive work environments and management
      styles were executed according to the forces of magnetism. Data related to
      satisfaction were collected twice, once before and once after the strategies to
      create positive working environments were implemented. RESULTS: The rates of
      working environment satisfaction in the nurses' department were 57.07% in 2011
      and 69.01% in 2013. The rate of satisfaction with governance differed
      significantly between 2011 and 2013, especially in terms of the merit system,
      equity and equality, information flow between the administration and the
      employees, and the influence of the nursing managers on institutional decision
      making. CONCLUSION: This study showed that 24 months after the implementation of
      these strategies, nurse satisfaction with their work environment and management
      style increased significantly.

PMID- 28620974
TI  - Evaluation of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) Program.
AB  - Gaps remain in understanding whether family planning (FP) programs can change
      urban women's FP behaviors. Even less is known about what works among poor urban
      women. This article presents results of the impact evaluation of the Nigerian
      Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI). Findings are based on recently
      collected longitudinal data from women and facilities in six cities in Nigeria.
      Over the four-year follow-up period, there was an increase of about ten
      percentage points in modern method use. Impact evaluation analyses using fixed
      effects regression methods indicate that both demand- and supply-side program
      activities increased modern method use. Radio, television, community events, and
      living near program-enrolled health facilities all significantly increased modern
      method use or were related to a desire for no more children among all women and
      among poor women. Results are discussed with an eye toward the design and scale
      up of future family planning programs in urban Nigeria and elsewhere in sub
      Saharan Africa.

PMID- 28620975
TI  - Decision heuristic or preference? Attribute non-attendance in discrete choice
      problems.
AB  - This paper investigates if respondents' choice to not consider all
      characteristics of a multiattribute health service may represent preferences.
      Over the last decade, an increasing number of studies account for attribute non
      attendance (ANA) when using discrete choice experiments to elicit individuals'
      preferences. Most studies assume such behaviour is a heuristic and therefore
      uninformative. This assumption may result in misleading welfare estimates if ANA
      reflects preferences. This is the first paper to assess if ANA is a heuristic or
      genuine preference without relying on respondents' self-stated motivation and the
      first study to explore this question within a health context. Based on findings
      from cognitive psychology, we expect that familiar respondents are less likely to
      use a decision heuristic to simplify choices than unfamiliar respondents. We
      employ a latent class model of discrete choice experiment data concerned with
      National Health Service managers' preferences for support services that assist
      with performance concerns. We present quantitative and qualitative evidence that
      in our study ANA mostly represents preferences. We also show that wrong
      assumptions about ANA result in inadequate welfare measures that can result in
      suboptimal policy advice. Future research should proceed with caution when
      assuming that ANA is a heuristic.

PMID- 28620977
TI  - 2016 ASE undergraduate essay competition candidate information.
AB  - The aim of this review is to discuss the role of medicaments and materials used
      in teeth undergoing root canal treatment and how they affect the overall
      prognosis of root canal treated teeth. Irrigants, medicaments and materials play
      a vital role in RCT. They reduce the overall microbial load within the root canal
      system, help reduce inter-appointment pain, and induce apexification during RCT
      of permanent teeth with immature apices. In addition, they also help create a
      hermetic coronal and periradicular seal to entomb any residual microorganisms
      within the canals and prevent future ingress of contaminants into the root canal
      system and subsequent reinfection. Whilst the role of various materials in RCT
      has been thoroughly investigated, the available literature and longitudinal
      clinical studies evaluating the affect of such materials on the prognosis of RCT
      is scarce, and requires further investigation.

PMID- 28620976
TI  - Oral nutritional supplement use in relation to length of stay in heart failure
      patients at a regional medical center.
AB  - RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: Improving the nutritional status of hospitalized
      patients has been shown to reduce length of stay (LOS), hospital costs,
      readmission rates, complication rates, and mortality. Provision of nutrient-rich,
      liquid, oral nutrition supplements (ONS) is one approach to improve nutritional
      status. Little information is available on ONS use and LOS among heart failure
      patients. METHODS: This study used a retrospective design to examine whether
      routine ONS use was associated with hospital LOS among 570 heart failure
      inpatients (89 ONS = yes; 481 ONS = no) at a regional medical center, adjusting
      for significant personal, locational, and time variables using multiple logistic
      regression analysis. RESULTS: Oral nutrition supplement use was associated with
      high LOS in this sample (odds ratio = 2.43). High LOS was also associated with
      higher Charlson comorbidity index values, discharge destination, hospital room
      location, and dietitian consults. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that ONS orders
      alone are not adequate to reduce LOS among heart failure patients. Continued
      research is needed on ways to improve care to reduce LOS among hospitalized
      patients.

PMID- 28620978
TI  - Comparison of healthcare utilization and life-sustaining interventions between
      elderly patients with dementia and those with cancer near the end of life: A
      nationwide, population-based study in Taiwan.
AB  - AIM: Little is known about the pattern of healthcare services for end-of-life
      patients with dementia (PwD) in East Asia. We compared this pattern between PwD
      and cancer patients in their last year of life in Taiwan. METHODS: Taiwan's
      National Health Insurance Research Database was applied for this case-control
      analysis. The records of patients who had dementia and died between 2002 and 2011
      were reviewed. The control group was decedents with cancer. The utilization of
      hospitalization, emergency department visits and life-sustaining interventions
      during the last year of life between the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Of
      the 2724 patients enrolled, 908 had dementia and 1816 had cancer. PwD were more
      likely to have a higher frequency of admission to hospital and intensive care
      unit, and longer stays compared with cancer patients. PwD had a higher risk of
      enteral tube insertion and feeding, endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy,
      mechanical ventilation, hemodialysis and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (OR 4.36,
      95% CI 3.51-5.41), which was the highest among the selected procedures.
      CONCLUSIONS: PwD in their last year of life in Taiwan underwent aggressive
      interventions significantly more frequently than did their counterparts in
      Western countries. Providing comfort-centered care for better quality of life for
      end-of-life PwD is a priority of Taiwan's national health policy. Geriatr
      Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2545-2551.

PMID- 28620979
TI  - An application of CIFAP for predicting the binding affinity of Chk1 inhibitors
      derived from 2-aminothiazole-4-carboxamide.
AB  - Investigation of protein-ligand interactions obtained from experiments has a
      crucial part in the design of newly discovered and effective drugs. Analyzing the
      data extracted from known interactions could help scientists to predict the
      binding affinities of promising ligands before conducting experiments. The
      objective of this study is to advance the CIFAP (compressed images for affinity
      prediction) method, which is relevant to a protein-ligand model, identifying 2D
      electrostatic potential images by separating the binding site of protein-ligand
      complexes and using the images for predicting the computational affinity
      information represented by pIC50 values. The CIFAP method has 2 phases, namely,
      data modeling and prediction. In data modeling phase, the separated 3D structure
      of the binding pocket with the ligand inside is fitted into an electrostatic
      potential grid box, which is then compressed through 3 orthogonal directions into
      three 2D images for each protein-ligand complex. Sequential floating forward
      selection technique is performed for acquiring prediction patterns from the
      images. In the prediction phase, support vector regression (SVR) and partial
      least squares regression are used for testing the quality of the CIFAP method for
      predicting the binding affinity of 45 CHK1 inhibitors derived from 2
      aminothiazole-4-carboxamide. The results show that the CIFAP method using both
      support vector regression and partial least squares regression is very effective
      for predicting the binding affinities of CHK1-ligand complexes with low-error
      values and high correlation. As a future work, the results could be improved by
      working on the pose of the ligands inside the grid.

PMID- 28620980
TI  - Case of autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy manifesting anhidrosis.
AB  - Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy (AAG), clinically characterized by
      gastrointestinal dysmotility, orthostatic hypotension and tonic pupils, is an
      idiopathic acquired disorder of the autonomic nervous system elicited by
      antibodies against ganglionic acetylcholine receptor (gAChR). We encountered a 60
      year-old man who presented with severe anhidrosis, difficulty in
      thermoregulation, orthostatic hypotension, gastrointestinal dysmotility, tonic
      pupils and ptosis. Histologically, an anhidrotic skin sample was normal. Routine
      laboratory examinations of blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid returned no
      abnormal findings. Serological examination revealed antibodies against alpha3 and
      beta4 subunits of gAChR. The diagnosis was AAG. As sudomotor dysfunction reflects
      ganglionic neuropathy in AAG, we concluded that his anhidrosis was attributable
      to AAG. Anhidrosis is an important clue for the diagnosis of AAG, a rare
      neurological disorder.

PMID- 28620981
TI  - Practical Alkoxythiocarbonyl Auxiliaries for Iridium(I)-Catalyzed C-H Alkylation
      of Azacycles.
AB  - The development of new and practical 3-pentoxythiocarbonyl auxiliaries for IrI 
      catalyzed C-H alkylation of azacycles is described. This method allows for the
      alpha-C-H alkylation of a variety of substituted pyrrolidines, piperidines, and
      tetrahydroisoquinolines through alkylation with alkenes. While the practicality
      of these simple carbamate-type auxiliaries is underscored by the ease of
      installation and removal, the method's utility is demonstrated in its ability to
      functionalize biologically relevant l-proline and l-trans-hydroxyproline,
      delivering unique 2,5-dialkylated amino acid analogues that are not accessible by
      other C-H functionalization methods.

PMID- 28620982
TI  - Novice students navigating the clinical environment in an early medical
      clerkship.
AB  - CONTEXT: The black box that is student learning in clinical environments is an
      ongoing research project. Our previous research showed that despite the time that
      students are given to learn with, about and from patients, some lack confidence
      for those encounters and see few patients. The study reported here investigated
      individual and environmental factors affecting medical students' self-directed
      learning time in hospital. METHODS: We studied second year students in the four
      year postgraduate Melbourne Medical School programme as they undertook the first
      of their four 9-week hospital placements in medical wards. Each week
      approximately 10 hours of structured teaching is offered; the remaining time is
      spent in self-directed learning. Over six weeks, we observed 31 medical students
      and interviewed 17 of them. The interviews were subjected to content analysis
      procedures and the observation notes added contextual information to what was
      said in interviews. We considered the findings through the Experience-based
      Learning framework. RESULTS: We found four main themes in the data: finding and
      contacting patients challenges all students and overwhelms some; the educational
      design of the placement is a flawed navigational device providing inadequate
      clarity and security; the physical and social terrain of a large tertiary
      hospital is replete with obstacles making it easy for some students to stumble
      and retreat; finally, any positive connection with peers, staff and patients is
      empowering. CONCLUSIONS: This study throws light on to the uncertain path of the
      novice clinical learner illuminating both the intractable aspects of hospital
      environments and opportunities for pedagogical and affective supports that can
      compensate. The processes and conditions for self-directed learning time need
      attention in order to provide for a safe, efficient or successful clerkship
      experience for all students. Particular effort is needed to sensitively identify
      those individuals who struggle and suffer on the journey, and provide appropriate
      support.

PMID- 28620983
TI  - Effects of glycolic acid peeling on the cutaneous manifestation of generalized
      acanthosis nigricans caused by FGFR3 mutation: A report of one sporadic and two
      familial cases.

PMID- 28620984
TI  - Saliva testing for human papilloma virus in oropharyngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma: A diagnostic accuracy study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: New cases of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) are
      routinely tested for HPV. HPV in saliva can be detected with PCR, but its
      clinical applicability in the context of OPSCC remains unknown. METHODS: Forty
      six consecutive patients diagnosed with OPSCC had pre-treatment saliva specimens
      collected. PCR for HPV on saliva was compared to p16 IHC and HPV DNA in situ
      hybridisation (ISH) on surgical biopsies. RESULTS: The sensitivity and
      specificity of saliva testing when compared to the reference test of p16 IHC and
      HPV DNA ISH were 72.2% and 90%, and positive and negative predictive values were
      96.3% and 47.4%. There were no adverse events. Time from last meal, smoking,
      alcohol drinking and physical exercise did not impact on results. CONCLUSIONS:
      Saliva testing is a promising test to detect HPV in patients with OPSCC. A
      positive result could avoid the need for surgical biopsies, thereby reducing
      costs, patient morbidity and expedite treatment.

PMID- 28620985
TI  - Development of a patient and institutional-based model for estimation of
      operative times for robot-assisted radical cystectomy: results from the
      International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To design a methodology to predict operative times for robot-assisted
      radical cystectomy (RARC) based on variation in institutional, patient, and
      disease characteristics to help in operating room scheduling and quality control.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: The model included preoperative variables and therefore can
      be used for prediction of surgical times: institutional volume, age, gender, body
      mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, history of prior surgery
      and radiation, clinical stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, type, technique of
      diversion, and the extent of lymph node dissection. A conditional inference tree
      method was used to fit a binary decision tree predicting operative time.
      Permutation tests were performed to determine the variables having the strongest
      association with surgical time. The data were split at the value of this variable
      resulting in the largest difference in means for the surgical time across the
      split. This process was repeated recursively on the resultant data sets until the
      permutation tests showed no significant association with operative time. RESULTS:
      In all, 2 134 procedures were included. The variable most strongly associated
      with surgical time was type of diversion, with ileal conduits being 70 min
      shorter (P < 0.001). Amongst patients who received neobladders, the type of lymph
      node dissection was also strongly associated with surgical time. Amongst ileal
      conduit patients, institutional surgeon volume (>66 RARCs) was important, with
      those with a higher volume being 55 min shorter (P < 0.001). The regression tree
      output was in the form of box plots that show the median and ranges of surgical
      times according to the patient, disease, and institutional characteristics.
      CONCLUSION: We developed a method to estimate operative times for RARC based on
      patient, disease, and institutional metrics that can help operating room
      scheduling for RARC.

PMID- 28620986
TI  - Conversion from wide to narrow QRS complex ventricular tachycardia: What is the
      mechanism?

PMID- 28620987
TI  - E3 M3+ (E=C-Pb, M=Li-Cs) Clusters: The Smallest Molecular Stars.
AB  - Extensive potential energy surface explorations of twenty-five clusters with the
      formula E3 M3+ (E=Group 14 element and M=Group 1 element) through density
      functional theory and high-level ab initio computations reveal that the lowest
      energy isomer for all these systems corresponds to a non-classical D3h star-like
      structure in the singlet state, where three M atoms interact electrostatically
      with the triangular E3 core, occupying three bridging positions around it. More
      than 18 200 calculations were done in the search for the minima structures,
      starting with a first phase at the PBE0/LANL2DZ level and ending with an analysis
      of the most representative clusters at the CCSD(T)/def2-TZVP//PBE0/def2-TZVP
      level. The title clusters represent the smallest molecular stars with three
      planar tetracoordinate E atoms (E=Group 14 element). All these E3 M3+ clusters
      behave like superalkali cations with small vertical electron affinities (smaller
      than Cs), large vertical electron detachment energies, and HOMO-LUMO energy gaps.
      Their energetics, bonding, and electron delocalization are discussed in detail.
      The high stability of these clusters is reflected from the large dissociation
      energy needed for different dissociation channels. The electron delocalization is
      confirmed by the presence of two delocalized pi electrons over the E3 core and
      strong diatropic responses.

PMID- 28620988
TI  - When do predatory mites (Phytoseiidae) attack? Understanding their diel and
      seasonal predation patterns.
AB  - Predatory mites of the Phytoseiidae family are considered one of the most
      important groups of natural enemies used in biological control. The behavioral
      patterns of arthropods can differ greatly daily and seasonally; however, there is
      a lack of literature related to Phytoseiidae diel and seasonal predation
      patterns. The predatory activity of three phytoseiid species (two Tetranychidae
      specialists, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus, and one
      omnivore, Euseius stipulatus) that occur naturally in Spanish citrus orchards was
      observed under laboratory conditions in winter and summer. The temperature and
      photoperiod of the climatic chamber where the mites were reared did not change
      during the experiment. Our study demonstrates that phytoseiids can exhibit diel
      and seasonal predatory patterns when feeding on Tetranychus urticae (Acari:
      Tetranychidae). Neoseiulus californicus was revealed to be a nocturnal predator
      in summer but diurnal in winter. In contrast, P. persimilis activity was maximal
      during the daytime, and E. stipulatus showed no clear daily predation patterns.
      The predatory patterns described in this study should be taken into account when
      designing laboratory studies and also in field samplings, especially when
      applying molecular techniques to unveil trophic relationships.

PMID- 28620989
TI  - Recurrent angular cheilitis after secukinumab injections.

PMID- 28620990
TI  - Association Patterns of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene (NOS3) Variant
      Glu298Asp with Blood Pressure and Serum Lipid Levels in Subjects with Coronary
      Artery Disease from Pakistan.
AB  - Nitric oxide is an important antiatherosclerotic agent. The main determinant of
      nitric oxide levels is enzyme nitric oxide synthase encoded by the NOS3 gene, the
      common variants in this gene may be responsible for variations in plasma enzyme
      levels. The association of NOS3 variants with coronary artery disease (CAD)
      varies in different ethnicities. The current study aimed to determine the
      association of NOS3 Glu298Asp (rs1799983) with CAD and blood lipid levels in
      Pakistani subjects. Six hundred thirty-six samples (412 cases, 224 controls) were
      genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay and serum total cholesterol, and
      High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)/Low Density Lipoprotein cholesterol
      (LDL-C) and triglycerides were measured. The genotype frequency was Glu/Glu =
      64.6%, Glu/Asp = 30.1%, and Asp/Asp = 5.3% in cases, and Glu/Glu = 68.8%, Glu/Asp
      = 26.7%, and Asp/Asp = 4.5% in controls. The Asp298 (T) frequency was not
      significantly higher in cases than controls (20.4% vs 17.9%, P = 0.28) and risk
      allele was not associated with CAD (OR 1.15 (0.86-1.54), P = 0.33) and the tested
      lipid traits but had a strong association with blood pressure (for systolic and
      diastolic P = 1.9*10--56 and 4*10--40 , respectively). In conclusion, although
      Glu298Asp did not show association with CAD and lipid profile in the studied
      cohort, it may exert its effect through blood pressure; however, the mechanism of
      this effect needs to be explored in the future.

PMID- 28620991
TI  - Potential Positive Association between Cytochrome P450 1A1 Gene Polymorphisms and
      Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: a Meta-Analysis.
AB  - In order to discover the potential genetic risks associated with recurrent
      pregnancy loss (RPL), this meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association
      between CYP1A1 gene polymorphism and RPL. Studies were retrieved from the
      databases PubMed, Embase, HuGENet, and CNKI. Four models were then applied. Seven
      studies, including three datasets for the rs1048943 and five for the rs4646903
      single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), were included in this analysis, involving
      613 cases and 398 controls for the rs1048943; and 864 cases and 842 controls for
      the rs4646903 SNP. After comprehensive analysis, we found that rs4646903 was
      significantly associated with RPL [recessive (OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.13-2.61);
      codominant (CC vs TT; OR = 1.74, 95%CI: 1.12-2.71), (CC vs CT; OR = 1.67, 95%CI:
      1.07-2.62) and allele analysis (OR = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.07-1.50)]. In the following
      subgroup analysis, a positive association was also discovered among people of
      Asian descent, especially South Asians. However, there was no obvious association
      between rs1048943 and RPL. In summary, our results suggest that CYP1A1 gene
      polymorphism (particularly for rs4646903) might be associated with RPL risk,
      especially among South Asians. Further studies are required to confirm this
      association.

PMID- 28620992
TI  - Detection of Imprinting Effects for Quantitative Traits on X Chromosome Using
      Nuclear Families with Multiple Daughters.
AB  - Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon in which the expression of an
      allele copy depends on its parental origin. This mechanism has been found to play
      an important role in many complex diseases. Statistical tests for imprinting
      effects have been developed for more than 15 years, but they are only suitable
      for autosomes. It was not until recently that the parental-asymmetry test on the
      X chromosome (XPAT) was proposed to test for imprinting effects. However, this
      test can only be used for qualitative traits. Therefore, in this article, we
      propose a class of PAT-type tests to test for imprinting for quantitative traits
      on the X chromosome in the presence of association, namely, Q-XPAT(c), Q-1
      XPAT(c) and Q-C-XPAT(c), where c is a constant. These methods can accommodate
      complete and incomplete nuclear families with an arbitrary number of daughters.
      Extensive simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed tests control the size
      well under the null hypothesis of no imprinting effects and are powerful under
      various family structures. Moreover, by setting the inbreeding coefficient in
      females to be nonzero and using the assortative mating pattern in simulations,
      the proposed tests are shown to be valid under Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium.

PMID- 28620993
TI  - The Role of TLR4, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Development
      within a North Indian Population.
AB  - This study investigated the role of IL-1beta-511 (rs16944), TLR4-896 (rs4986790)
      and TNF-alpha-308 (rs1800629) polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
      among an endogamous Northern Indian population. Four hundred fourteen
      participants (204 T2DM patients and 210 nondiabetic controls) were genotyped for
      IL-1beta-511, TLR4-896 and TNF-alpha-308 loci. The C allele of IL-1beta-511 was
      shown to increase T2DM susceptibility by 75% (OR: 1.75 [CI 1.32-2.33]). Having
      two parents affected by T2DM increased susceptibility by 5.7 times (OR: 5.693 [CI
      1.431-22.648]). In this study, we have demonstrated a conclusive association with
      IL-1beta-511 locus and IL-1beta-511-TLR4-896 diplotype (CC-AA) and T2DM, which
      warrants further comprehensive analyses in larger cohorts.

PMID- 28620994
TI  - Amphiphilic naproxen prodrugs: differential scanning calorimetry study on their
      interaction with phospholipid bilayers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Naproxen, a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug studied for Alzheimer's
      disease, was conjugated with lipoamino acids (LAA) directly or through a
      diethylamine (EDA) spacer to improve the drug lipophilicity and the interaction
      with phospholipid bilayers. METHODS: The interaction of naproxen and its prodrugs
      with biomembrane models consisting of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine
      multilamellar vesicles was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The
      transfer of prodrugs from a lipophilic carrier to a biomembrane model was also
      studied. KEY FINDINGS: Naproxen conjugation to lipoamino acids improves its
      interaction with biomembrane models and affects the transfer from a lipophilic
      carrier to biomembrane model. LAA portion may localize between the phospholipid
      chains; the entity of the interaction depends not only on the presence of the
      spacer but also on the LAA chain length. CONCLUSIONS: Variation of LAA portion
      can modulate the naproxen prodrugs affinity towards the biological membrane as
      well as towards the lipophilic carrier.

PMID- 28620995
TI  - Effects of Tilianin on Proliferation, Migration and TGF-beta/Smad Signaling in
      Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Induced with Angiotensin II.
AB  - Flavonoid Tilianin was isolated from Dracocephalum moldavica, and its
      pharmacological mechanism on proliferation, migration and the TGF-beta/Smad
      signaling pathway in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced with
      Angiotensin II (Ang II) was systematically evaluated. Primary rat VSMCs were
      stimulated with Ang II to induce proliferation. The cells were then treated with
      Tilianin for 24 or 48 h. MTT assay and Transwell assays were used to evaluate the
      effects of Tilianin on proliferation and migration. The expression of
      intracellular proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), intercellular adhesion
      molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were measured
      by immunohistochemistry as verification of effects on proliferation and
      migration. The expression of TGF-beta1, Smad2 and Smad3 mRNA was measured by qRT
      PCR, and the expression of TGF-beta1 and P-Smad2/3 protein was measured by
      Western blotting. The results show that Tilianin can inhibit proliferation and
      expression of intracellular PCNA in VSMCs induced with Ang II, in a dose
      dependent manner. Tilianin also mediates a dose-dependent inhibition of migration
      and the expression of intracellular ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9. Furthermore,
      TGF-beta1, Smad2, Smad3, Smad2/3 and P-Smad2/3 in Ang II-induced VSMCs are
      suppressed by Tilianin. The inhibitory effects of Tilianin support its use in the
      suppression and treatment of atherosclerosis. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley &
      Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28620996
TI  - Feasibility of Collecting Patient-Reported Outcomes for Inpatient Rehabilitation
      Quality Reporting.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate rehabilitation inpatients' willingness and ability to
      complete patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and the burden of completion on
      patients and staff. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Two inpatient rehabilitation
      facilities. STUDY DESIGN: Patients with neurological disorders were assigned
      randomly to receive a nominal monetary incentive during or 1 month after the
      stay. DATA COLLECTION: Patients responded using a tablet computer or paper.
      PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Of the 1,055 admissions, 74 percent were eligible, and 51
      percent of eligible patients completed the survey. Most answered without
      assistance. A majority completed the survey 1 month after discharge; incentive
      timing was unrelated to postdischarge completion. Half of the 285 follow-up
      respondents required at least two reminder calls. CONCLUSIONS: Collection of PROs
      from rehabilitation patients is feasible. Results inform policy makers regarding
      feasibility of PRO data in evaluating rehabilitation quality.

PMID- 28620997
TI  - Morphology and evolution of the oral shield in marsupial neonates including the
      newborn monito del monte (Dromiciops gliroides, Marsupialia Microbiotheria) pouch
      young.
AB  - Newborn marsupials can be arranged into three grades of developmental complexity
      based on their external form, as well as based on their organ systems and their
      cytology. The dasyurids are considered the least developed marsupials at birth,
      while didelphids and peramelids are intermediate, and macropods are the most
      developed. Currently there is still little information on caenolestid and
      microbiotherid development at birth. Developmental stages can be graded as G1, G2
      and G3, with G1 being the least developed at birth, and G3 the most developed.
      Marsupials are also characterized by having an extremely developed craniofacial
      region at birth compared with placentals. However, the facial region is also
      observed to vary in development between different marsupial groups at birth. The
      oral shield is a morphological structure observed in the oral region of the head
      during late embryological development, which will diminish shortly after birth.
      Morphological variation of the oral shield is observed and can be arranged by
      developmental complexity from greatly developed, reduced to vestigial. In its
      most developed state, the lips are fused, forming together with the rhinarium, a
      flattened ring around the buccal opening. In this study, we examine the external
      oral shield morphology in different species of newborn marsupials (dasyurids,
      peramelids, macropods and didelphids), including the newborn monito del monte
      young (Dromiciops gliroides - the sole survivor of the order Microbiotheria). The
      adaptive value of the oral shield structure is reviewed, and we discuss if this
      structure may be influenced by developmental stage of newborn, pouch cover,
      species relatedness, or other reproductive features. We observe that the oral
      shield structure is present in most species of Marsupialia and appears to be
      exclusively present in this infraclass. It has never been described in
      Monotremata or Eutherians. It is present in unrelated taxa (e.g. didelphids,
      dasyurids and microbiotherids). We observe that a well-developed oral shield may
      be related to ultra altricial development at birth, large litter size (more than
      two), and is present in most species that lack a pouch in reproductive adult
      females or have a less prominent or less developed pouch with some exceptions. We
      try to explore the evolution of the oral shield structure using existing
      databases and our own observations to reconstruct likely ancestral character
      states that can then be used to estimate the evolutionary origin of this
      structure and if it was present in early mammals. We find that a simple to
      develop oral shield structure (type 2-3) may have been present in marsupial
      ancestors as well as in early therians, even though this structure is not present
      in the extant monotremes. This in turn may suggest that early marsupials may have
      had a very simple pouch or lacked a pouch as seen in some living marsupials, such
      as some dasyurids, didelphids and caenolestids. The study's results also suggest
      that different morphological stages of the oral shield and hindlimb development
      may be influenced by species size and reproductive strategy, and possibly by yet
      unknown species-specific adaptations.

PMID- 28620998
TI  - A survey of speech-language therapy provision for people with post-stroke
      dysarthria in the UK.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A large number of people who experience a stroke are affected by
      dysarthria. This may be in isolation or in association with aphasia and/or
      dysphagia. Despite evidence highlighting the psychological and social impact of
      having post-stroke dysarthria and a number of clinical guidelines that make
      recommendations for appropriate management, little is known currently about UK
      service delivery issues relating to speech and language therapy (SLT) assessment
      and treatment for this group. Such evidence is necessary in order to plan,
      develop and research services for people with post-stroke dysarthria. AIMS: To
      gain an overview of SLT practices in the management of people with dysarthria
      after stroke in the UK. METHODS & PROCEDURES: SLTs in the UK were asked to
      complete an online survey addressing referral patterns, caseload profiles, and
      their assessment and intervention methods for post-stroke dysarthria. In the
      absence of a national register of clinicians working with people with acquired
      dysarthria, a snowballing method was used to facilitate participant recruitment.
      Results were analysed using descriptive statistics. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: A total
      of 146 SLTs responded. The majority were employed by the National Health Service
      (NHS). Most patients were referred within 1 week post-stroke. Almost half the
      respondents did not regularly use formal assessments and the use of
      instrumentation was rare, including the use of video recording. The focus of
      therapy for mild, moderate and severe dysarthria did not differ significantly for
      clinicians. A little under half the respondents endorsed non-verbal oral
      exercises in rehabilitation. The survey demonstrated some appreciation of the
      centrality of regular intensive practice to effect change, but this was in a
      minority. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: Through this research it became clear that
      basic information regarding post-stroke dysarthria incidence, prevalence and core
      demographics is currently unavailable. More embedded NHS SLT reporting systems
      would make a significant contribution to this area. A more in-depth examination
      is required of the natural history of dysarthria over the months and years
      following stroke, of SLT practices in relation to post-stroke dysarthria, with
      investigations to understand more fully the choices SLTs make and how this
      relates to available evidence to support their clinical decision-making.

PMID- 28621000
TI  - How serious is bias in effect estimation in randomised trials with survival data
      given risk heterogeneity and informative censoring?
AB  - It is often assumed that randomisation will prevent bias in estimation of
      treatment effects from clinical trials, but this is not true of the
      semiparametric Proportional Hazards model for survival data when there is
      underlying risk heterogeneity. Here, a new formula is proposed for estimation of
      this bias, improving on a previous formula through ease of use and clarity
      regarding the role of the mid-study cumulative hazard rate, shown to be an
      important factor for the bias magnitude. Informative censoring (IC) is recognised
      as a source of bias. Here, work on selection effects among survivors due to risk
      heterogeneity is extended to include IC. A new formula shows that bias in causal
      effect estimation under IC has two sources: one consequent on heterogeneity and
      one from the additional impact of IC. The formula provides new insights not
      previously shown: there may less bias under IC than when there is no IC and even,
      in principle, zero bias. When tested against simulated data, the new formulae are
      shown to be very accurate for prediction of bias in Proportional Hazards and
      accelerated failure time analyses which ignore heterogeneity. These data are also
      used to investigate the performance of accelerated failure time models which
      explicitly model risk heterogeneity ('frailty models') and G estimation. These
      methods remove bias when there is simple censoring but not with informative
      censoring when they may lead to overestimation of treatment effects. The new
      formulae may be used to help researchers judge the possible extent of bias in
      past studies. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28620999
TI  - Two Silene vulgaris copper transporters residing in different cellular
      compartments confer copper hypertolerance by distinct mechanisms when expressed
      in Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - Silene vulgaris is a metallophyte of calamine, cupriferous and serpentine soils
      all over Europe. Its metallicolous populations are hypertolerant to zinc (Zn),
      cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) or nickel (Ni), compared with conspecific
      nonmetallicolous populations. These hypertolerances are metal-specific, but the
      underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We investigated the role of HMA5
      copper transporters in Cu-hypertolerance of a S. vulgaris copper mine population.
      Cu-hypertolerance in Silene is correlated and genetically linked with enhanced
      expression of two HMA5 paralogs, SvHMA5I and SvHMA5II, each of which increases Cu
      tolerance when expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana. Most Spermatophytes, except
      Brassicaceae, possess homologs of SvHMA5I and SvHMA5II, which originate from an
      ancient duplication predating the appearance of spermatophytes. SvHMA5II and the
      A. thaliana homolog AtHMA5 localize in the endoplasmic reticulum and upon Cu
      exposure move to the plasma membrane, from where they are internalized and
      degraded in the vacuole. This resembles trafficking of mammalian homologs and is
      apparently an extremely ancient mechanism. SvHMA5I, instead, neofunctionalized
      and always resides on the tonoplast, likely sequestering Cu in the vacuole.
      Adaption of Silene to a Cu-polluted soil is at least in part due to upregulation
      of two distinct HMA5 transporters, which contribute to Cu hypertolerance by
      distinct mechanisms.

PMID- 28621001
TI  - Early vocabulary development in children with bilateral cochlear implants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Children with unilateral cochlear implants (CIs) may have delayed
      vocabulary development for an extended period after implantation. Bilateral
      cochlear implantation is reported to be associated with improved sound
      localization and enhanced speech perception in noise. This study proposed that
      bilateral implantation might also promote early vocabulary development. Knowledge
      regarding vocabulary growth and composition in children with bilateral CIs and
      factors associated with it may lead to improvements in the content of early
      speech and language intervention and family counselling. AIMS: To analyse the
      growth of early vocabulary and its composition during the first year after CI
      activation and to investigate factors associated with vocabulary growth. METHODS
      & PROCEDURES: The participants were 20 children with bilateral CIs (12 boys;
      eight girls; mean age at CI activation = 12.9 months). Vocabulary size was
      assessed with the Finnish version of the MacArthur Communicative Development
      Inventories (CDI) Infant Form and compared with normative data. Vocabulary
      composition was analysed in relation to vocabulary size. Growth curve modelling
      was implemented using a linear mixed model to analyse the effects of the
      following variables on early vocabulary growth: time, gender, maternal education,
      residual hearing with hearing aids, age at first hearing aid fitting and age at
      CI activation. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Despite clear vocabulary growth over time,
      children with bilateral CIs lagged behind their age norms in receptive vocabulary
      during the first 12 months after CI activation. In expressive vocabulary, 35% of
      the children were able to catch up with their age norms, but 55% of the children
      lagged behind them. In receptive and expressive vocabularies of 1-20 words,
      analysis of different semantic categories indicated that social terms constituted
      the highest proportion. Nouns constituted the highest proportion in vocabularies
      of 101-400 words. The proportion of verbs remained below 20% and the proportion
      of function words and adjectives remained below 10% in the vocabularies of 1-400
      words. There was a significant main effect of time, gender, maternal education
      and residual hearing with hearing aids before implantation on early receptive
      vocabulary growth. Time and residual hearing with hearing aids had a significant
      main effect also on expressive vocabulary growth. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS:
      Vocabulary development of children with bilateral CIs may be delayed. Thus, early
      vocabulary development needs to be assessed carefully in order to provide
      children and families with timely and targeted early intervention for vocabulary
      acquisition.

PMID- 28621002
TI  - Real-world, single-centre experience of apremilast for the treatment of moderate
      to severe psoriasis.

PMID- 28621004
TI  - Epirubicin in the treatment of canine histiocytic sarcoma: sequential,
      alternating and rescue chemotherapy.
AB  - The aims of this study were to report treatment outcomes for dogs with
      histiocytic sarcoma (HS) treated with both lomustine and epirubicin, and to
      report response rates to epirubicin as a rescue therapy in dogs previously
      treated with lomustine. Medical records of dogs with a diagnosis of HS that were
      treated with both lomustine and epirubicin were retrospectively evaluated. Of 29
      dogs receiving epirubicin alternating with, or subsequent to lomustine treatment,
      including in a rescue setting, response to epirubicin could be assessed in 20
      with an overall response rate (ORR) of 29% and biological response rate (BRR) of
      71%. Median time to progression (TTP) in 12 of these 20 dogs in which it was
      assessable was 69 days (range: 40-125 days). For dogs treated in the rescue
      setting epirubicin specific ORR was 19% and BRR 63%. Median TTP in the 9 of these
      16 dogs in which it was assessable was 62 days (range: 40-125 days). Median
      survival time for all dogs treated with both epirubicin and lomustine was 185
      days (range: 27-500 days). Some dogs with HS respond to epirubicin and dogs
      treated with combinations of epirubicin and lomustine have modestly improved
      survival times compared with single agent studies, and similar to dogs with HS
      treated with alternating lomustine and doxorubicin. Single agent epirubicin is
      also a valid short term rescue therapy for canine HS.

PMID- 28621003
TI  - Effect of periodontal therapy with systemic antimicrobials on parameters of
      metabolic syndrome: A randomized clinical trial.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the effect of basic periodontal therapy (BPT) with
      antimicrobials (AM) on the parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS) (waist
      circumference, systolic/diastolic blood pressure [BP], HDL-cholesterol,
      triglycerides, glucose). METHODS: One hundred and ten periodontitis patients
      without known comorbidities and unaware of possible MetS were randomly assigned
      to BPT (n = 56) or BPT+AM (n = 54) and followed for 12 months post-therapy.
      Number of patients with undiagnosed MetS was also determined. RESULTS: In all
      patients, the periodontal condition improved; however, the BTP+AM group showed
      greater pocket depth reduction than the BPT group. Post-therapy, systolic BP (p <
      .05) and triglycerides (p < .05) reduced significantly during the follow-up
      period. No significant differences could be assessed between the BPT+AM and BPT
      group. Despite the absence of self-reported comorbidities, 27.2% (n = 30)
      periodontitis patients fulfilled the criteria of MetS at baseline. After therapy,
      this proportion changed to 14.5% at 3 months (p = .007), to 17.3% at 6 months (p
      = .017) and to 21.8% at 12-month follow-up (p = .383). CONCLUSION: Although a
      reduction in systolic BP and triglycerides and a temporarily improvement in the
      whole metabolic status were observed, the use of antimicrobials in conjunction
      with BTP does not yield any additional improvement in the parameters of MetS.

PMID- 28621005
TI  - Follow-up reply to Dr Paul Lawton's "A response to an expanded nationwide view of
      chronic kidney disease in Aboriginal Australians, Nephrology, 21 (2016), 916
      922".

PMID- 28621006
TI  - Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis: A glomerular disease or a non
      specific morphological change?

PMID- 28621007
TI  - Effectiveness of a fixed combination formula of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir
      for hepatitis C virus infection in patients on maintenance haemodialysis.
AB  - A fixed-dose formula that combines Ombitasvir (OBV), Paritaprevir (PTV) and
      Ritonavir (RTV) has been launched into the field of anti-HCV therapy in Japan for
      patients infected with HCV genotypes 1 and 2 in 2015. However, little is yet
      known as to the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy in patients on
      maintenance haemodialysis (HD). The present report describes a preliminary
      experience in 10 patients (five males and five females) who underwent maintenance
      HD. All of them had HCV genotype 1b, without having the resistance-associated
      variants at Y93 or L31 in the nonstructural proteins 5A (NS5A) region. After the
      treatment, eight patients successfully achieved virus eradication and sustained a
      virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12). In addition, mac-2 binding protein
      glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi), a biomarker for liver fibrosis, was reduced after
      the therapy. Two patients withdrew from the therapy due to the development of
      erythema multiforme and a strong drowsiness, respectively. These results suggest
      that triple therapy combining OBV, PTV and RTV is effective in achieving SVR12 in
      most of the HCV-infected patients on HD. In addition, this combination therapy
      contributed to retard the progression of liver fibrosis. However, we suggest that
      further trial will be required to establish its clinical efficacy and safety.

PMID- 28621008
TI  - Hypercalcaemia-induced acute kidney injury in an older patient with osteoporosis
      treated with alfacalcidol for denosumab-induced hypocalcaemia.

PMID- 28621009
TI  - Acute thyroiditis: An under-recognized complication of parathyroidectomy in end
      stage renal failure patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

PMID- 28621011
TI  - Yoga for the management of pain and sleep in rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the feasibility of a
      relaxation-based yoga intervention for rheumatoid arthritis, designed and
      reported in accordance with Delphi recommendations for yoga interventions for
      musculoskeletal conditions. METHODS: Participants were recruited from a hospital
      database, and randomized to either eight weekly 75-min yoga classes or a usual
      care control. Feasibility was determined by recruitment rates, retention,
      protocol adherence, participant satisfaction and adverse events. Secondary
      physical and psychosocial outcomes were assessed using self-reported
      questionnaires at baseline (week 0), week 9 (primary time point) and week 12
      (follow-up). RESULTS: Over a 3-month period, 26 participants with mild pain, mild
      to moderate functional disability and moderate disease activity were recruited
      into the study (25% recruitment rate). Retention rates were 100% for yoga
      participants and 92% for usual care participants at both weeks 9 and 12. Protocol
      adherence and participant satisfaction were high. Yoga participants attended a
      median of seven classes; additionally, seven of the yoga participants (54%)
      reported continuing yoga at home during the follow-up period. No serious adverse
      events were related to the study. Secondary outcomes showed no group effects of
      yoga compared with usual care. CONCLUSIONS: A relaxation-based yoga programme was
      found to be feasible and safe for participants with rheumatoid arthritis-related
      pain and functional disability. Adverse events were minor, and not unexpected
      from an intervention including physical components. This pilot provides a
      framework for larger intervention studies, and supports further exploration of
      yoga as a complex intervention to assist with the management of rheumatoid
      arthritis.

PMID- 28621010
TI  - Diversity of renal phenotypes in patients with WDR19 mutations: Two case reports.
AB  - WDR19 has been reported as a causative gene of nephronophthisis-related
      ciliopathies. Patients with WDR19 mutations can show various extrarenal
      manifestations such as skeletal disorders, Caroli disease, and retinal dystrophy,
      and typically display nephronophthisis as a renal phenotype. However, there is
      limited information on the renal phenotypes of patients with WDR19 mutations. We
      report two Japanese infants with Sensenbrenner syndrome caused by WDR19 mutations
      who demonstrated different features in renal ultrasound and histopathological
      results, despite several common extrarenal manifestations. Patient 1 had normal
      sized and hyperechogenic kidneys with several small cysts and histopathological
      findings compatible with infantile nephronophthisis. Renal ultrasound of Patient
      2 showed enlarged kidneys with diffuse microcysts resembling those of autosomal
      recessive polycystic kidney disease. Her renal histopathology revealed dysplastic
      kidney with diffuse glomerular cysts. Genetic testing identified compound
      heterozygous mutations in WDR19 in both patients (Patient 1: c.953delA, c.3533G >
      A, Patient 2: c.2645 + 1G > T, c.3533G > A). Our patients suggest that WDR19
      mutations can cause dysplastic kidney in addition to nephronophthisis
      pathologically. In addition, differences in pathology of the kidneys from WDR19
      mutations may result in heterogeneous features in renal ultrasound findings.
      Renal phenotypes from WDR19 mutations may thus be more diverse than previously
      reported. Extrarenal manifestations and genetic testing can therefore help to
      diagnosis this disease more precisely.

PMID- 28621012
TI  - Supporting people with aphasia to 'settle into a new way to be': speech and
      language therapists' views on providing psychosocial support.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with aphasia are at risk of becoming depressed and isolated.
      Online surveys have found that the majority of speech and language therapists
      (SLTs) lack confidence in addressing the psychological needs of people with
      aphasia. AIMS: To explore how SLTs conceptualize the scope of their role;
      barriers and facilitators to SLTs addressing psychosocial needs; and SLTs'
      experiences of specialist training and support, and working with mental health
      professionals (MHPs). METHODS & PROCEDURES: Focus groups were conducted in stroke
      healthcare settings. Purposive sampling was used when selecting sites so as to
      capture a range of experiences. Results were analysed using framework analysis.
      OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Twenty-three SLTs took part in six focus groups.
      Participants' psychosocial work included counselling-type interactions, psycho
      education, working with families, facilitating peer support and training other
      healthcare professionals. There was lack of consensus on the scope of the SLT
      role. Many expressed a sense of conflict, both perceiving it as valuable to spend
      time addressing psychological well-being, while simultaneously feeling uneasy if
      they deviated from 'direct SLT' work. Barriers to addressing psychosocial well
      being were: emotionally challenging nature of this work, particularly for those
      who felt unsupported; caseload and time pressures; attitudes of senior managers
      and commissioners; difficulties measuring and documenting more 'fluid'
      psychosocial work; and the complexity of the needs and backgrounds of some
      patients. Enabling factors were: specialist ongoing support; peer support from
      colleagues; experience; support of management; and personal belief. Specialist
      training was valued. It changed how participants viewed the therapist-client
      relationship (more client led); the assessment and goal-setting process; and gave
      them more confidence to acknowledge client emotions. However, many felt that
      there was a need for ongoing specialist advice, and to be able to see approaches
      modelled for this client group. In terms of MHPs, a subset of stroke-specialist
      clinical psychologists worked directly with people with marked aphasia and
      families, as well as supporting the multidisciplinary team to provide holistic
      care. However, a main theme was that participants perceived many MHPs did not
      consider people with aphasia as 'appropriate candidates' for psychological input.
      CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: All participants cared about the emotional well-being
      of their clients; however, they identified a number of barriers to people with
      aphasia receiving appropriate psychological support. A cultural shift, whereby
      psychological care for people with aphasia is seen as valuable, feasible and
      necessary, delivered collaboratively by SLTs, MHPs and the wider team, may
      improve services.

PMID- 28621013
TI  - Daily Events for Clinical Couples: Examining Therapy Interventions, Positive
      Events, Arguments, and Exercise in the Beginning Stage of Therapy.
AB  - This study examined the daily association of several events within the beginning
      phase of couple therapy. Events examined were as follows: trying something from
      therapy, an argument, a positive event, and physical exercise. Participants were
      33 couples in a treatment-as-usual setting who completed the Daily Diary of
      Events in Couple Therapy (DDECT). A dyadic multilevel model was used to explore
      the daily associations between predictor and outcome variables. Results showed
      when male partners tried something from therapy at rates greater than the average
      their female partners reported a more positive relationship while when female
      partners tried something from therapy at rates greater than the average it
      contributed to a more negative relationship. In addition, results showed that
      clients in couple therapy rarely try things from therapy on a daily basis.
      Finally, relative to other predictors trying something from therapy had a
      smaller, but significant relationship with outcomes.

PMID- 28621014
TI  - Cell-specific alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor
      antagonism reveals new insights in the development of parkinson's disease.

PMID- 28621015
TI  - Perturbation-based balance training for falls reduction among older adults:
      Current evidence and implications for clinical practice.
AB  - Falls are a leading cause of injury, hospitalization and even death among older
      adults. Although various strength and balance exercise interventions have shown
      moderate reductions in falls incidence among healthy older adults, no significant
      falls incidence improvements have been consistently seen in frail older adults or
      in patient groups with an increased falls risk (e.g. people with Parkinson's
      disease and stroke). This might be due to a lack of task specificity of previous
      exercise interventions to the recovery actions required to prevent a fall.
      Perturbation-based balance training (PBT) is an emerging task-specific
      intervention that aims to improve reactive balance control after destabilizing
      perturbations in a safe and controlled environment. Although early studies were
      carried out predominantly in research laboratory settings, work in clinical
      settings with various patient groups has been proliferating. A systematic search
      of recent PBT studies showed a significant reduction of falls incidence among
      healthy older adults and certain patient groups (e.g. people with Parkinson's
      disease and stroke), with clinically relevant reductions in frail older adults.
      The most practical methods in clinical settings might be treadmill-based systems
      and therapist-applied perturbations, and PBT that incorporates multiple
      perturbation types and directions might be of most benefit. Although more
      controlled studies with long-term follow-up periods are required to better
      elucidate the effects of PBT on falls incidence, PBT appears to be a feasible and
      effective approach to falls reduction among older adults in clinical settings.
      Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2294-2303..

PMID- 28621016
TI  - Acute effects of phenylbutyrate on glutamine, branched-chain amino acid and
      protein metabolism in skeletal muscles of rats.
AB  - Phenylbutyrate (PB) acts as chemical chaperone and histone deacetylase inhibitor,
      which is used to decrease ammonia in urea cycle disorders and has been
      investigated for use in the treatment of a number of lethal illnesses. We
      performed in vivo and in vitro experiments to examine the effects of PB on
      glutamine (GLN), branched-chain amino acid (BCAA; valine, leucine and isoleucine)
      and protein metabolism in rats. In the first study, animals were sacrificed one
      hour after three injections of PB (300mg/kg b.w.) or saline. In the second study,
      soleus (SOL, slow twitch) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL, fast twitch)
      muscles were incubated in a medium with or without PB (5 mM). L-[1-14 C] leucine
      was used to estimate protein synthesis and leucine oxidation, and 3
      methylhistidine release was used to evaluate myofibrillar protein breakdown. PB
      treatment decreased GLN, BCAA and branched-chain keto acids (BCKAs) in blood
      plasma, decreased BCAA and increased GLN concentrations in muscles, and increased
      GLN synthetase activities in muscles. Addition of PB to incubation medium
      increased leucine oxidation (55% in EDL, 29% in SOL), decreased BCKA and
      increased GLN in medium of both muscles, increased GLN in muscles, decreased
      protein synthesis in SOL and increased proteolysis in EDL. It is concluded that
      PB decreases BCAA, BCKA and GLN in blood plasma, activates BCAA catabolism and
      GLN synthesis in muscle and exerts adverse effects on protein metabolism. The
      results indicate that BCAA and GLN supplementation is needed when PB is used
      therapeutically and that PB may be a useful prospective agent which could be
      effective in management of maple syrup urine disease.

PMID- 28621017
TI  - Overview of systematic reviews: Effective home support in dementia care,
      components and impacts-Stage 1, psychosocial interventions for dementia.
AB  - AIM: To synthesize evidence to identify the components of effective psychosocial
      interventions in dementia care to inform clinical practice, policy and research.
      BACKGROUND: With population ageing, dementia represents a significant care
      challenge with 60% of people with dementia living at home. DESIGN: Overview of
      systematic reviews with narrative summary. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches of
      published systematic reviews in English using Cochrane Database of Systematic
      Reviews, DARE and EPPI-Centre, between September 2013 - April 2014. REVIEW
      METHODS: Systematic reviews were appraised against Cochrane Collaboration levels
      of effectiveness. Components of psychosocial interventions were identified with
      their theoretical rationale. Findings were explored with a Patient, Public and
      Carer Involvement group. RESULTS: Thirty-six systematic reviews were included.
      From interventions, 14 components were identified, nine for people with dementia
      and five for carers, mostly undertaken in nursing/care homes. For people with
      dementia, there was evidence of effectiveness for cognitive stimulation and
      cognitive training, but less evidence for sensory stimulation, reminiscence,
      staff education, behavioural therapy and ADL training. For carers, there was
      evidence of effectiveness for education and training, psychotherapy and
      counselling. CONCLUSION: There was a lack of definitive evidence of effectiveness
      for most psychosocial interventions. Further studies with stronger methodology or
      replication of existing studies would strengthen the evidence base. Few
      interventions were undertaken with people with dementia and their carers living
      at home. Further work will investigate the extent to which components identified
      here are present in models of home support for people with dementia and carers
      and their effectiveness.

PMID- 28621018
TI  - Sleep structure in blindness is influenced by circadian desynchrony.
AB  - We examined the structure, duration and quality of sleep, including non-rapid eye
      movement sleep and rapid eye movement sleep, in 11 blind individuals without
      conscious light perception and 11 age- and sex-matched sighted controls. Because
      blindness is associated with a greater incidence of free-running circadian
      rhythms, we controlled for circadian phase by a measure of melatonin onset
      timing. When circadian rhythm was entrained and melatonin onset occurred at
      normal times, sleep structure did not differ between blind and sighted
      individuals. On the other hand, an abnormal timing of the circadian phase,
      including delayed, shifted and unclassifiable melatonin onsets, led to larger
      rapid eye movement sleep latencies and increased wake times. No differences were
      observed for stages of non-rapid eye movement sleep, either between congenital
      and late blind and sighted individuals, or across the different circadian phases.
      Moreover, abnormal circadian phases were more common in the blind (n = 5) than
      the sighted (n = 2) sample. Our findings suggest that the sleep structure of
      blind individuals depends on entrainment of circadian phase, rather than on the
      absence of vision.

PMID- 28621019
TI  - One minute sit-to-stand test is an alternative to 6MWT to measure functional
      exercise performance in COPD patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is frequently
      associated with a reduced functional exercise performance. Even if this parameter
      is routinely evaluated using 6-minute walking test (6MWT), new field tests are
      regularly investigated as alternative tests. The aim of this study was to compare
      functional exercise performance evaluation by sit-to-stand test (STST) and 6MWT
      and to evaluate reliability and repeatability of the STST in COPD patients.
      METHOD: Forty-two COPD patients performed randomly two tests: 6MWT and STST. Each
      test was repeated two times. Distance (6MWD) and number of repetitions were
      measured. Cardiorespiratory parameters, dyspnea and lower limb fatigue (Borg)
      were recorded before and after the tests. RESULTS: Sit-to-stand repetitions (19
      +/- 6) and 6MWD (441 +/- 104 m) were correlated (r = .716; P < .001). Good
      repeatability was found for STST and 6MWT. Good reliability was observed for STST
      (ICC = 0.902). Variations of heart rate and pulsed oxygen saturation were
      significantly different between these two tests (23% +/- 17% vs 13% +/- 11%; P =
      .022 and -7.6% +/- 4.6% vs -0.7% +/- 2.7%; P < .001 for 6MWT and STST,
      respectively). Variations of dyspnea and lower limb fatigue were similar between
      both tests (P = .827 and P = .467). CONCLUSION: The one minute sit-to-stand test
      is a valuable alternative to 6MWT to estimate functional exercise performance in
      COPD patients. The cardiorespiratory demand is different between both tests
      although the variation of dypsnea is similar. No learning effect was observed for
      STST.

PMID- 28621020
TI  - Conservation of alternative splicing in sodium channels reveals evolutionary
      focus on release from inactivation and structural insights into gating.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Sodium channels are critical for supporting fast action potentials in
      neurons; even mutations which cause small changes in sodium channel activity can
      have devastating consequences for the function of the nervous system. Alternative
      splicing also changes the activity of sodium channels, and while it is highly
      conserved, it is not known whether the functional role of this splicing is also
      conserved. Our data reveal that splicing has a highly conserved impact on the
      availability of sodium channels during trains of rapid stimulations, and suggest
      that in one mammalian channel, Nav1.1 encoded by SCN1A, the increased
      availability of one splice variant is detrimental. A model reproducing the
      effects of splicing on channel behaviour suggests that the voltage sensor in the
      first domain is a rate limiting step for release of the inactivation domain, and
      highlights the functional specialization of channel domains. ABSTRACT: Voltage
      gated sodium channels are critical for neuronal activity, and highly intolerant
      to variation. Even mutations that cause subtle changes in the activity these
      channels are sufficient to cause devastating inherited neurological diseases,
      such as epilepsy and pain. However, these channels do vary in healthy tissue.
      Alternative splicing modifies sodium channels, but the functional relevance and
      adaptive significance of this splicing remain poorly understood. Here we use a
      conserved alternate exon encoding part of the first domain of sodium channels to
      compare how splicing modifies different channels, and to ask whether the
      functional consequences of this splicing have been preserved in different genes.
      Although the splicing event is highly conserved, one splice variant has been
      selectively removed from Nav1.1 in multiple mammalian species, suggesting that
      the functional variation in Nav1.1 is less well tolerated. We show for three
      human channels (Nav1.1, Nav1.2 and Nav1.7) that splicing modifies the return from
      inactivated to deactivated states, and the differences between splice variants
      are occluded by antiepileptic drugs that bind to and stabilize inactivated
      states. A model based on structural data can replicate these changes, and
      indicates that splicing may exploit a distinct role of the first domain to change
      channel availability, and that the first domain of all three sodium channels
      plays a role in determining the rate at which the inactivation domain
      dissociates. Taken together, our data suggest that the stability of inactivated
      states is under tight evolutionary control, but that in Nav1.1 faster recovery
      from inactivation is associated with negative selection in mammals.

PMID- 28621021
TI  - Three-Dimensional Binder-Free Nanoarchitectures for Advanced Pseudocapacitors.
AB  - The ever-increasing energy demands for electrification of transportation and
      powering of portable electronics are driving the pursuit of energy-storage
      technologies beyond the current horizon. Pseudocapacitors have emerged as one of
      the favored contenders to fill in this technology gap, owing to their potential
      to deliver both high power and energy densities. The high specific capacitance of
      pseudocapacitive materials is rooted in the various available oxidation states
      for fast surface or near-surface redox charge transfer. However, the practical
      implementation of pseudocapacitors is plagued by the insulating nature of most
      pseudocapacitive materials. The wealth of the research dedicated to addressing
      these critical issues has grown exponentially in the past decade. Here, we
      briefly survey the current progress in the development of pseudocapacitive
      electrodes with a focus on the discussion of the recent most exciting advances in
      the design of three-dimensional binder-free nanoarchitectures, including porous
      metal/graphene-based electrodes, as well as metal-atom/ion-doping-enhanced
      systems, for advanced supercapacitors with comparable energy density to
      batteries, and high power density.

PMID- 28621022
TI  - Electrothermal Control of Graphene Plasmon-Phonon Polaritons.
AB  - Graphene plasmons are known to offer an unprecedented level of confinement and
      enhancement of electromagnetic field. They are hence amenable to interacting
      strongly with various other excitations (for example, phonons) in their
      surroundings and are an ideal platform to study the properties of hybrid optical
      modes. Conversely, the thermally induced motion of particles and quasiparticles
      can in turn interact with electronic degrees of freedom in graphene, including
      the collective plasmon modes via the Coulomb interaction, which opens up new
      pathways to manipulate and control the behavior of these modes. This study
      demonstrates tunable electrothermal control of coupling between graphene mid
      infrared (mid-IR) plasmons and IR active optical phonons in silicon nitride. This
      study utilizes graphene nanoribbons functioning as both localized plasmonic
      resonators and local Joule heaters upon application of an external bias. In the
      latter role, they achieve up to ~100 K of temperature variation within the device
      area. This study observes increased modal splitting of two plasmon-phonon
      polariton hybrid modes with temperature, which is a manifestation of increased
      plasmon-phonon coupling strength. Additionally, this study also reports on the
      existence of a thermally excited hybrid plasmon-phonon mode. This work can open
      the door for future optoelectronic devices such as electrically switchable
      graphene mid-infrared plasmon sources.

PMID- 28621023
TI  - Pediatric liver transplantation for fulminant hepatic failure secondary to
      intentional iron overdose.
AB  - Acute iron poisoning may lead to life-threatening hepatotoxicity. We present the
      cases of two pediatric patients with hepatotoxicity following intentional iron
      ingestion that progressed rapidly to fulminant hepatic failure despite treatment
      with deferoxamine. Liver transplantation was lifesaving in both patients. These
      cases emphasize the need for a high index of suspicion for iron ingestion, close
      monitoring for liver toxicity, and timely consideration for liver
      transplantation.

PMID- 28621024
TI  - The validity of nasal endoscopy in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis-An inter
      rater agreement study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Nasal endoscopy is a cornerstone in diagnosing sinonasal disease, but
      different raters might generate different results using the technique. Our study
      aims to evaluate the agreement between multiple raters to assess the validity of
      nasal endoscopy. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS: Three independent and blinded raters
      evaluated 28 patients (56 nasal cavities) diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis
      according to the European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps. The
      ratings were compared using unweighted Fleiss' kappa coefficients (Kf ) for each
      objective parameter. SETTING: The department of Otorhinolaryngology, Odense
      University Hospital, Denmark. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The ratings were quantified
      in a modified Lund-Kennedy endoscopy score and focused on the objective
      parameters specified in the diagnostic criteria: polyps, oedema and discharge.
      RESULTS: The raters agreed on the findings concerning polyps and discharge but
      not regarding oedema with the inter-rater agreement for the different parameters
      being: polyps Kf =.66 (SE .07, P<.001), oedema Kf =.05 (SE .07, P=.21), discharge
      Kf =.35 (SE .08, P<.001), oedema exclusively in middle meatus Kf =-.07 (SE .04,
      P=.8) and discharge exclusively in middle meatus Kf =.16 (SE .07, P=.01).
      CONCLUSION: Using nasal endoscopy, the evaluation of polyps by multiple raters
      showed sufficient reliability indicating an acceptable objective evaluation. The
      evaluation of discharge achieved a fair level of agreement while the assessment
      of oedema could not achieve a sufficient reliability questioning the inclusion of
      oedema in the criteria for diagnosing sinonasal disease.

PMID- 28621025
TI  - Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation as a Salvage Treatment for Complex Regional Pain
      Syndrome Refractory to Dorsal Column Spinal Cord Stimulation: A Case Series.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of traditional spinal cord stimulation (t-SCS) tends to
      decay over time in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). While it
      has been shown that dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation is extremely effective
      in t-SCS-naive patients with CRPS, its efficacy in patients who had previously
      failed t-SCS is unknown. Given that DRG-SCS and t-SCS target different spinal
      pathways, a failure with t-SCS should not automatically preclude a patient from
      attempting DRG-SCS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two patients with lower extremity
      CRPS, previously implanted with t-SCS systems, experienced relapses in the pain
      despite exhaustive reprogramming. Both patients were offered DRG stimulation as a
      means to salvage treatment. RESULTS: Patient 1 reported 90% pain reduction with
      significant gait improvement during the DRG stimulation trial. The patient
      subsequently proceeded to implant and have the t-SCS implantable pulse generator
      explanted. Patient 2 was unable to undergo a trial with DRG-SCS because of health
      insurance constraints, so she elected to undergo a surgical revision of her
      existing system whereby a DRG-SCS system was added to the existing t-SCS to
      create a hybrid system with two implantable pulse generators. The patient
      reported an immediate improvement in pain because of the introduction of the DRG
      SCS. Additionally, she was instructed to document her pain scores with each
      system on individually, as well as with both on-her pain scores were at the
      lowest with the DRG-SCS on by itself. At eight-month follow-up, both patients
      reported sustained pain improvement and retained their functional gains.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our case series demonstrates that a failure of t-SCS is not
      necessarily a failure of neurostimulation as a whole. The efficacy of DRG-SCS is
      independent of prior t-SCS therapy outcomes in these two patients and a history
      of t-SCS failure serves no predictive value in these two patients for future DRG
      stimulation success. Therefore, DRG-SCS can be considered as a reasonable next
      step to salvage patients with CRPS who had failed other SCS treatments.

PMID- 28621026
TI  - Low-Density Open Cellular Sponges as Functional Materials.
AB  - Low-density macroporous sponges with densities less than 100 mg cm-3 are both a
      challenge and an opportunity for advanced chemistry and material science. The
      challenge lies in the precise preparation of the sponges with property
      combinations that lead to novel applications. Bottom-up and top-down chemical and
      engineering methods for the preparation of sponges are a major focus of this
      Review, with an emphasis on carbon and polymer materials. The light weight,
      sustainability, breathability, special wetting characteristics, large mass
      transfer, mechanical stability, and large pore volume are typical characteristics
      of sponges made of advanced materials and could lead to novel applications. Some
      selected sponge properties and potential applications are discussed.

PMID- 28621028
TI  - Climate change and temperature-linked hatchling mortality at a globally important
      sea turtle nesting site.
AB  - The study of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in vertebrates has
      attracted major scientific interest. Recently, concerns for species with TSD in a
      warming world have increased because imbalanced sex ratios could potentially
      threaten population viability. In contrast, relatively little attention has been
      given to the direct effects of increased temperatures on successful embryonic
      development. Using 6603 days of sand temperature data recorded across 6 years at
      a globally important loggerhead sea turtle rookery-the Cape Verde Islands-we show
      the effects of warming incubation temperatures on the survival of hatchlings in
      nests. Incorporating published data (n = 110 data points for three species across
      12 sites globally), we show the generality of relationships between hatchling
      mortality and incubation temperature and hence the broad applicability of our
      findings to sea turtles in general. We use a mechanistic approach supplemented by
      empirical data to consider the linked effects of warming temperatures on
      hatchling output and on sex ratios for these species that exhibit TSD. Our
      results show that higher temperatures increase the natural growth rate of the
      population as more females are produced. As a result, we project that numbers of
      nests at this globally important site will increase by approximately 30% by the
      year 2100. However, as incubation temperatures near lethal levels, the natural
      growth rate of the population decreases and the long-term survival of this turtle
      population is threatened. Our results highlight concerns for species with TSD in
      a warming world and underline the need for research to extend from a focus on
      temperature-dependent sex determination to a focus on temperature-linked
      hatchling mortalities.

PMID- 28621027
TI  - Aromatic amino acids and their relevance in the specificity of the PH domain.
AB  - Phosphoinositides are phosphatidylinositol derived, well known to be second
      messengers in various cell signaling pathways as well as in processes such as
      cell differentiation, cellular stress response, gene transcription, and chromatin
      remodeling. The pleckstrin homology domain of phospholipase C-delta 1 is
      responsible for recognizing and binding to PI(4,5)P2 and for this reason has been
      widely used to study this phosphoinositide as a biosensor when it is conjugated
      to a fluorescent tag. In this work, we modified the primary structure of
      pleckstrin homology domain by site-specific mutagenesis to change the specificity
      for phosphoinositides. We obtained 3 mutants: K30A, W36F, and W36Y with different
      specificity to phosphoinositides. Mutant domain K30A recognized PI(4,5)P2 ,
      PI(3,4,5)P3 , phosphatidic acid (PA), and weakly PI(3,5)P2 . Mutant domain W36F
      recognized all the phosphoinositides studied and the PA. Finally, mutant domain
      W36Y seemed to interact with PA and all the other phosphoinositides studied,
      except PI(3)P. The changes in recognition argue against a simple charge and
      nonpolar region model for these interactions and more in favor of a specific
      docking region with a specific recognition site. We conducted in silico modeling
      that explains the mechanisms behind the observed changes and showed that aromatic
      amino acids appear to play more important role, than previously thought, in the
      specificity of phospholipids' binding domains.

PMID- 28621029
TI  - Urinary tract infection in patients with hip fracture: An underestimated event?
AB  - AIM: Urinary tract infections (UTI) represent a common perioperative complication
      among elderly patients with hip fracture. To determine the impact of UTI on the
      perioperative course of elderly patients with hip fractures, a prospective study
      was carried out. METHODS: A total of 402 surgically-treated geriatric hip
      fracture patients were consecutively enrolled at a level 1 trauma center. On
      admission, all patients received an indwelling urinary catheter. Clinically
      symptomatic patients were screened more closely for UTI. Patients diagnosed with
      UTI were compared with asymptomatic patients. Outcomes in both patient groups
      were measured using in-hospital mortality, overall length of hospital stay, wound
      infection, functional results and mobility at discharge. Multivariate regression
      analysis was carried out to control for influencing factors. RESULTS: A total of
      97 patients (24%) sustained a UTI during in-hospital treatment. UTI were
      independently associated with inferior functional outcomes as assessed by the
      Barthel Index (beta = -0.091; P = 0.031), Timed Up and Go test (beta = 0.364; P =
      0.001) and Tinetti test (beta = -0.169; P = 0.001) at discharge. Additionally,
      length of hospital stay was significantly longer for patients with a UTI
      diagnosis (beta = 0.123; P = 0.029) after controlling for all other variables. No
      differences were observed in the rate of wound infection (odds ratio 1.185; P =
      0.898) or in-hospital mortality (P < 0.997). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with UTI seem
      to be at risk of inferior functional outcomes. In addition to an early detection
      of symptomatic UTI and a targeted antibiotic therapy, perioperative care should
      focus on preserving functional ability to protect these patients from further
      loss of independence and prolonged clinical courses. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017;
      17: 2369-2376.

PMID- 28621030
TI  - Plugging the patient evidence gap: what patients with swallowing disorders post
      stroke say about thickened liquids.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oropharyngeal dysphagia post-stroke is well known, with its presence
      increasing the risk of poor outcomes in particular aspiration and aspiration
      pneumonia. Management to minimize the risk of aspiration and improve swallow
      safety post-stroke includes the treatment of thickened liquids (TL), an
      established bolus modification intervention. Despite widespread use, there is a
      lack of robust empirical evidence and minimal patient evidence as to the
      experience and acceptability of using thickeners by people who experience
      dysphagia after a stroke. AIMS: To explore people with swallowing disorders post
      stroke experiences of and acceptability regarding the bolus modification
      treatment of thickened liquids. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A qualitative, descriptive
      study exploring the experiences of individuals given TL after their stroke. A
      purposive sample of 14 adults was obtained with data collection and generation
      through the medium of individual semi-structured interviews. Inductive thematic
      analysis was used to analyse the data. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Three overarching
      themes of 'uncertainty', 'an unpleasant experience' and 'a trade-off' were
      identified. These themes highlight that participants disliked TL and this dislike
      may have impacted clinically in terms of adherence, hydration and quality of
      life. Lack of sensory appeal was important in framing patient dislike.
      Participants' involvement in and understanding of reasons for prescription of TL
      was poor leading to uncertainty regarding the treatment. Notwithstanding, some
      participants felt it was necessary for their stroke recovery. CONCLUSIONS &
      IMPLICATIONS: TL can be considered a burdensome treatment from multiple
      perspectives including product palatability, treatment uncertainty and treatment
      adherence issues. Despite intensely disliking this treatment, some patients
      ultimately understand why the treatment is prescribed. Improvements in product
      palatability are required in order to improve adherence and patient quality of
      life. Consideration of other treatment options and newer products to manage
      aspiration post-stroke is also warranted.

PMID- 28621031
TI  - Article submission is the true obstacle of publishing.

PMID- 28621032
TI  - Applied genetic toxicology: From principles to practice.

PMID- 28621033
TI  - Dicephalic Parapagus Conjoined Twins in a Large Fruit-eating Bat, Genus Artibeus
      (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae).
AB  - Conjoined twinning is an embryological anomaly rarely reported in wild mammals
      and with only two previous records in Chiroptera. Here, we report a case of
      dicephalic parapagus conjoined twins in the Neotropical phyllostomid genus
      Artibeus. These twins are males and present separated heads and necks, but a
      conjoined trunk with an expanded upper thoracic region. They developed two
      complete forelimbs and two complete hindlimbs, all laterally to the trunk. There
      is a volume in the upper midback and between the heads that resembles a third
      rudimentary medial forelimb, but X-ray images only suggest the presence of medial
      skeletal elements of the pectoral girdle (clavicle and scapulae) in this region.
      The X-ray images also show that vertebral columns run separated from head until
      the base of lumbar region, where they form a single structure. Using ultrasound
      images, we detected the presence of two similarly sized and apparently separated
      hearts. The accumulation of study cases like this will help in the understanding
      of patterns and process behind this phenomena, and collection material plays a
      key role in this context.

PMID- 28621034
TI  - Depletion of FoxP3+ Tregs improves control of larval Echinococcus multilocularis
      infection by promoting co-stimulation and Th1/17 immunity.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The growth potential of the tumor-like Echinococcus multilocularis
      metacestode (causing alveolar echinococcosis, AE) is directly linked to the
      nature/function of the periparasitic host immune-mediated processes. Previous
      studies had shown that regulatory T cells (Tregs) become gradually up-regulated
      in the course of both chronic human and murine AE. Thus we now tackled the role
      of FoxP3+ Tregs and FoxP3+ -Treg-regulated immune response in contributing to the
      control of this helminthic infection. METHODS: The infection outcome in E.
      multilocularis-infected DEREG mice was measured upon determining parasite load
      (wet weight of parasitic metacestode tissue). Flow cytometry and qRT-PCR were
      used to assess Treg, Th17-, Th1-, Th2-type immune responses and antigen
      presenting cell activation. RESULTS: We showed that E. multilocularis-infected
      DEREG-mice treated with DT (as compared to infected control DEREG-mice without DT
      application) exhibited a significantly lower parasite load, associated with a
      persisting capacity of co-stimulation, and an increased Th1/Th17-polarization.
      CONCLUSIONS: FoxP3+ Tregs appear as one of the key players in immune regulatory
      processes favoring (i) metacestode survival by inhibiting the maturation
      potential of co-stimulatory activity and (ii) T cell exhaustion (suppressing
      Th1/Th17-type immune responses). We showed as well that prospectively, targeting
      FoxP3+ Tregs could be an option to develop an immunotherapy against AE.

PMID- 28621035
TI  - Cyberchondria: Examining relations with problematic Internet use and
      metacognitive beliefs.
AB  - Cyberchondria refers to the repeated use of the Internet to search for health
      related information, which leads to negative consequences. This two-part study
      provides the first known examination of how cyberchondria relates to (a)
      problematic Internet use and (b) metacognitive beliefs. Participants were U.S.
      community adults who reported using the Internet to search for health-related
      information (Study 1: N = 337, Study 2: N = 260). In Study 1, cyberchondria
      shared a strong association with problematic Internet use, and that association
      was unaccounted for by age, gender, current reported medical status, negative
      affect, or health anxiety. In Study 2, cyberchondria was found to share moderate
      to strong associations with metacognitive beliefs. The association between
      cyberchondria and metacognitive beliefs about the uncontrollability of thoughts
      remained intact after accounting for the Study 1 covariates, as well as anxiety
      sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. Neither anxiety sensitivity nor
      intolerance of uncertainty shared unique associations with cyberchondria. These
      results provide a preliminary indication that a metacognitive conceptualization
      of problematic Internet use may be applicable to cyberchondria.

PMID- 28621036
TI  - Coupling of Magnetic and Elastic Domains in the Organic-Inorganic Layered
      Perovskite-Like (C6 H5 C2 H4 NH3 )2 FeII Cl4 Crystal.
AB  - Multiferroic materials coupling ferroelasticity and ferromagnetism show strong
      magnetoelastic effects as magnetization is induced by mechanical stress or
      alternately strain induced by applying a magnetic field. These effects were
      reported for inorganic multiferroics such as LaCox Sr1-x O3 . (C6 H5 C2 H4 NH3 )2
      FeII Cl4 is the first example of an organic-inorganic perovskite to exhibit such
      effects below the canted antiferromagnetism at TC =98 K and ferroelasticity at TC
      =433 K. This is shown by switching the magnetic hysteresis on and off by uniaxial
      pressure through the strong coupling of the magnetic and elastic domains. The
      spin-canting direction was controlled by mechanical stress in the heating and
      cooling cycles. This unique observation gives additional impetus in the search
      for coupled hysteretic effect in organic-inorganic multiferroics.

PMID- 28621037
TI  - Gingival morphology-controlled design of the complete denture baseplate.
AB  - A removable complete denture is still the main selection for edentulous patients.
      Over the last 5 years, digital technologies for producing complete dentures have
      rapidly developed. Nevertheless, the design method for the baseplate has become
      the bottleneck of digital complete denture technology development. In this study,
      we report a novel method for the generation of esthetic gingiva and polished
      surfaces of complete dentures that are driven by the feature curve, which can be
      conveniently modified using the gingival shape factor. A solid modeling method
      based on Poisson surface reconstruction is used to generate a high-quality
      baseplate solid. This method can aid dentists to realize the rapid design process
      of personalized esthetic baseplate. Finally, the experimental results verify that
      the method of digital design for the baseplate proposed is efficient and accurate
      (standard deviation <0.01 mm).

PMID- 28621038
TI  - Aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor and aflibercept concentrations after
      bimonthly intravitreal injections of aflibercept for age-related macular
      degeneration.
AB  - IMPORTANCE: Clinical evidence supports the efficacy of bimonthly aflibercept
      injection for age-related macular degeneration. BACKGROUND: The study aimed to
      evaluate aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor and aflibercept
      concentrations and the efficacy of bimonthly aflibercept in patients with age
      related macular degeneration. DESIGN: This study is a prospective, interventional
      case series. PARTICIPANTS: Enrolled were 35 eyes with exudative age-related
      macular degeneration from 35 patients. METHODS: Patients received three bimonthly
      intravitreal aflibercept without loading doses. We collected the aqueous humor
      just before each injection, measured vascular endothelial growth factor and
      aflibercept concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and measured best
      corrected visual acuity and central retinal subfield thickness before and after
      the injections. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor
      and aflibercept concentrations were measured. RESULTS: The vascular endothelial
      growth factor concentration was 135.4 +/- 60.5 pg/mL (mean +/- standard
      deviation, range 60.6-323.4) at baseline and below the lowest detectable limit in
      all eyes at month 2 and in 32 eyes at month 4 (P < 0.001 [month 2] and P < 0.001
      [month 4]). The mean aflibercept concentration was 20.3 ng/mL at month 2 and 28.0
      ng/mL at month 4. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual
      acuity improved from 0.50 +/- 0.36 at baseline to 0.36 +/- 0.40 at month 6 (P <
      0.001). The mean central retinal subfield thickness decreased from 353 +/- 100
      MUm at baseline to 236 +/- 45 MUm at month 6 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND
      RELEVANCE: Bimonthly aflibercept injections without loading doses may be
      considered a treatment option for age-related macular degeneration.

PMID- 28621039
TI  - wblA, a pleiotropic regulatory gene modulating morphogenesis and daptomycin
      production in Streptomyces roseosporus.
AB  - AIMS: The wblA gene, encoding a homologue of the WhiB family protein, was
      identified in the sequenced genome of daptomycin producer Streptomyces
      roseosporus. To explore the function of wblA, we construct wblA disruption
      strains, complemented strains and overexpression strains to test whether it can
      affect the production of secondary metabolites and morphogenesis. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We constructed disruption strains by homologous recombination in S.
      roseosporus. The disruption mutant of wblA could block aerial mycelium
      sporulation and enhance the production of daptomycin by 51%. In contrast,
      overexpression of wblA resulted in significantly decreased the yield of
      daptomycin. In agreement with it, the transcription of key daptomycin regulatory
      genes atrA, dptR2 and dptR3 and structural gene dptE remarkably increased in the
      wblA disruption mutant. CONCLUSIONS: wblA plays a key role in control of
      daptomycin biosynthesis and is essential for sporulation. The disruption of wblA
      could accumulate the transcription level of some key genes involving in
      daptomycin biosynthesis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Daptomycin is an
      important antibiotic with potent activity against a variety of Gram-positive
      pathogens. This study demonstrates that valuable improvement in the yield of
      daptomycin can be achieved through modulating the expression of wblA
      transcription regulator.

PMID- 28621040
TI  - Bioactive Neolignans and Other Compounds from Magnolia grandiflora L.: Isolation
      and Antiplasmodial Activity.
AB  - Bioassay-guided fractionation of a methanol extract of Magnolia grandiflora
      against Plasmodium falciparum yielded two new (1 and 2) and six known (3 - 8)
      bioactive compounds. The structures of the new compounds were assigned by mass
      spectrometric and 1D- and 2D-NMR data. Known compounds were identified by
      comparison of 1 H-NMR and MS data with literature data. The two known neolignans
      3 and 4 showed moderate antiplasmodial activity with the IC50 values of 2.8 +/-
      0.1 and 3.4 +/- 0.1 MUm, respectively. Weak antiplasmodial activity was recorded
      for compounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8, with the IC50 values of 38 +/- 2, 23 +/- 2,
      16.5 +/- 0.2, 86 +/- 1, 44 +/- 4, and 114 +/- 9 MUm, respectively.

PMID- 28621042
TI  - Clinical evaluation of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA).
AB  - The clinical evaluation of patients with an anomalous aortic origin of a coronary
      artery (AAOCA), a congenital abnormality of the origin or course of a coronary
      artery that arises from the aorta, is challenging given its first presentation
      being sudden cardiac arrest in about half of the patients. Symptoms of chest
      pain, shortness of breath and syncope during exertion should be of concern in
      evaluating young athletes and nonathletes. The lack of abnormal signs on the
      physical exam and electrocardiogram further adds to the difficulty in
      establishing the diagnosis. Additional imaging with echocardiography, computed
      tomography angiography and/or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often
      needed and establishes the diagnosis. High-risk lesions include origin of the
      coronary artery from the opposite sinus of Valsalva, intramural course and ostial
      abnormalities (stenosis, hypoplasia). Functional studies should be performed to
      assess myocardial perfusion at rest and during stress, such as nuclear imaging,
      stress echocardiography and stress cardiac MRI.

PMID- 28621041
TI  - Extraordinarily Stretchable All-Carbon Collaborative Nanoarchitectures for
      Epidermal Sensors.
AB  - Multifunctional microelectronic components featuring large stretchability, high
      sensitivity, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and broad sensing range have
      attracted a huge surge of interest with the fast developing epidermal electronic
      systems. Here, the epidermal sensors based on all-carbon collaborative
      percolation network are demonstrated, which consist 3D graphene foam and carbon
      nanotubes (CNTs) obtained by two-step chemical vapor deposition processes. The
      nanoscaled CNT networks largely enhance the stretchability and SNR of the 3D
      microarchitectural graphene foams, endowing the strain sensor with a gauge factor
      as high as 35, a wide reliable sensing range up to 85%, and excellent cyclic
      stability (>5000 cycles). The flexible and reversible strain sensor can be easily
      mounted on human skin as a wearable electronic device for real-time and high
      accuracy detecting of electrophysiological stimuli and even for acoustic
      vibration recognition. The rationally designed all-carbon nanoarchitectures are
      scalable, low cost, and promising in practical applications requiring
      extraordinary stretchability and ultrahigh SNRs.

PMID- 28621043
TI  - Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction into Syngas Boosted by a Partially Delocalized
      Charge in Molybdenum Sulfide Selenide Alloy Monolayers.
AB  - Structural parameters of ternary transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) alloy
      usually obey Vegard law well, while interestingly it often exhibits boosted
      electrocatalytic performances relative to its two pristine binary TMDs. To unveil
      the underlying reasons, we propose an ideal model of ternary TMDs alloy
      monolayer. As a prototype, MoSeS alloy monolayers are successfully synthesized,
      in which X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy manifests their shortened
      Mo-S and lengthened Mo-Se bonds, helping to tailor the d-band electronic
      structure of Mo atoms. Density functional theory calculations illustrate an
      increased density of states near their conduction band edge, which ensures faster
      electron transfer confirmed by their lower work function and smaller charge
      transfer resistance. Energy calculations show the off-center charge around Mo
      atoms not only benefits for stabilizing COOH* intermediate confirmed by its most
      negative formation energy, but also facilitates the rate-limiting CO desorption
      step verified by CO temperature programmed desorption and electro-stripping
      tests. As a result, MoSeS alloy monolayers attain the highest 45.2 % Faradaic
      efficiency for CO production, much larger than that of MoS2 monolayers (16.6 %)
      and MoSe2 monolayers (30.5 %) at -1.15 V vs. RHE. This work discloses how the
      partially delocalized charge in ternary TMDs alloys accelerates electrocatalytic
      performances at atomic level, opening new horizons for manipulating CO2
      electroreduction properties.

PMID- 28621044
TI  - Haemophilus influenzae vulvovaginitis associated with rhinitis caused by the same
      clone in a prepubertal girl.
AB  - Vulvovaginitis caused by upper respiratory flora is generally considered to be
      the most common gynecological problem in prepubertal girls. To date, however, no
      direct evidence has been obtained for the underlying mechanism of transmission.
      This report describes a case of non-capsulate Haemophilus influenzae
      vulvovaginitis in a 6-year-old girl with a history of foreign bodies (cotton
      wool) in her vagina. Moreover, this girl had recurrent rhinitis for approximately
      3 years. On Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis the H. influenzae
      strain isolated from vaginal secretions and the H. influenzae strain isolated
      from nasal secretions were derived from the same clone. The patient was
      successfully treated with appropriate antibiotics. The present case might provide
      the first direct evidence of the nose-hand-vagina method of transmission.

PMID- 28621045
TI  - Post-partum podocyturia following pre-eclamptic pregnancy.
AB  - AIM: Urine podocin mRNA expression and urine podocin : nephrin mRNA expression
      ratio (PNR) increase with increasing proteinuria during pregnancy complicated
      with pre-eclampsia (PE). This suggests that urine podocytes with reduced nephrin
      mRNA expression are abundant in pathological podocyturia. The aim of this study
      was therefore to determine post-partum changes in podocyturia and PNR in relation
      to proteinuria after pre-eclampsia (PE). METHODS: A total of 137 peripartum urine
      specimens, consisting of 72 and 65 from 24 and 30 women with PE and normotensive
      control pregnancies (NCP), respectively, were studied. Determination of urine
      protein and creatinine concentration and quantitative analysis of podocyte
      specific podocin and nephrin mRNA expression were carried out using reverse
      transcription-polymerase chain reaction in pelleted urine samples. Podocyturia
      was monitored via urine podocin mRNA expression. Podocyturia and proteinuria were
      normalized by urine creatinine concentration. RESULTS: Podocyturia and urine PNR
      decreased with decreasing proteinuria as well as with increasing time after
      delivery in the urine from PE women. In physiological proteinuria (i.e. protein :
      creatinine ratio [P/Cr] 0.005-0.1 mg/mg), however, both podocyturia and PNR were
      significantly greater in the urine from PE women compared with NPC women,
      although P/Cr was similar between the groups (median, 0.037 mg/mg for PE vs 0.029
      mg/mg for NCP). CONCLUSIONS: Podocyturia decreases with decreasing proteinuria in
      PE women after childbirth. In PE women, however, pathological podocyturia
      consisting of podocytes with decreased nephrin mRNA expression persisted even
      after proteinuria decreased to a level similar to that in NCP women.

PMID- 28621046
TI  - Impact of borderline-subclinical hypothyroidism on subsequent pregnancy outcome
      in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss.
AB  - AIM: Because subclinical hypothyroidism (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] > 4.5
      IU/mL) is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome, including early pregnancy
      loss, TSH is recommended to be titrated to <=2.5 mIU/L in levothyroxine-treated
      women before pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether
      borderline-subclinical hypothyroidism (borderline-SCH; 2.5 < TSH <= 4.5 IU/mL)
      affects the outcome of subsequent pregnancies in women with unexplained recurrent
      pregnancy loss (uRPL). METHODS: After workup for antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti
      phospholipid syndrome, thrombophilia, uterine abnormalities, hormone disorders,
      and/or chromosomal abnormalities, 317 women with a history of uRPL were enrolled.
      The women were classified into two groups: borderline-SCH, and euthyroidism (0.3
      <= TSH <= 2.5 IU/mL). All women had normal serum free thyroxine (T4) and did not
      receive levothyroxine before or during the subsequent pregnancy. RESULTS: There
      were no significant differences in age, number of previous pregnancy losses,
      number of live births, or body mass index between the borderline-SCH (n = 56) and
      the euthyroid (n = 261) groups, but the rate of ANA positivity differed
      significantly (53.6% vs 33.7%, respectively; P = 0.005). The subsequent pregnancy
      rate did not differ between the two groups (55.4%, 31/56 vs 51.3%, 134/261,
      respectively). The pregnancy loss rate (<22 weeks of gestation) tended to be
      higher in the borderline-SCH than the euthyroid group (29.0%, 9/31 vs 17.9%,
      24/134), although not significantly so (P = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: Although some
      subset of uRPL is though to be due to as-yet-unidentified cause(s), borderline
      SCH is unlikely to be involved in uRPL.

PMID- 28621047
TI  - Clinical value of polymerase chain reaction in detecting group B streptococcus
      during labor.
AB  - AIM: To reduce the intrapartum use of antibiotics in women with prolonged rupture
      of the membranes (PROM) by restriction of antibiotics to women who are colonized
      with group B streptococci (GBS), as identified with the Cepheid Gene Xpert
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detecting GBS. METHODS: We conducted a
      randomized controlled trial among full-term delivering women with PROM. Fifty
      four women were enrolled, based on a power calculation with a significance level
      of 5% and a power of 95%. Twenty-seven women received the standard treatment
      (rectovaginal swab [RVS] for bacterial culture and antibiotics). For another 27
      women PCR was performed on the RVS and antibiotics were used only when the PCR
      was positive. The primary outcome was reduction in antibiotic use, defined as the
      percentage of women who received antibiotics during labor. RESULTS: 54 Women were
      enrolled in the study between 1 May and 18 November 2014. There were no
      significant differences in baseline characteristics. In total, 10 of the 54 women
      were GBS positive (18.5%). Of those 10 women, three were identified on bacterial
      culture and seven on PCR. In the bacterial culture group all the women received
      antibiotics. In the PCR group 10 women (37%) received antibiotics (P = 0.002).
      Two false-positive PCR tests were identified. There were no false-negative PCR
      tests. CONCLUSION: Real-time identification of GBS on PCR reduces the intrapartum
      use of antibiotics in women with PROM.

PMID- 28621048
TI  - Exploring the impact of endometriosis on partners.
AB  - AIM: This study aimed to determine how endometriosis affects the quality of life
      of partners of women who suffer from this disease and how it impacts their
      relationships, finances, mental states, and daily living. METHODS: This was a
      questionnaire-based cohort study that took place at a large tertiary hospital
      gynecology unit, which covered two sites. Fifty-one partners of women who had
      surgically diagnosed endometriosis agreed to participate in the study and
      returned completed surveys. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent (n = 46) of partners
      reported negative feelings about the diagnosis of endometriosis. Seventy percent
      (n = 35) reported that endometriosis affected their day-to-day life either
      moderately or severely. Over half (52%) also felt that their finances were
      affected. Only 34% (n = 17) of partners felt that health professionals had
      engaged them in decision-making processes and had been supportive of them. Eighty
      percent (n = 40) of partners reported that they had received no information about
      the impact of endometriosis on couples. Partners reported a significant affect on
      their sex life (74%) and their relationship as a whole (56%). Participants whose
      relationships had been affected by endometriosis had also more likely had their
      day-to-day life (P = 0.027), sex life (P = 0.001), and finances (P = 0.002)
      affected. CONCLUSION: Overall, our findings suggest that endometriosis can have a
      significant impact on partners with respect to day-to-day living, finances, sex
      lives, and relationships. Improvements can be made to engage partners in the
      treatment process, and to provide better education, support, and holistic
      management to women and families who suffer with endometriosis.

PMID- 28621049
TI  - Lower FOXO3 mRNA expression in granulosa cells is involved in unexplained
      infertility.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate whether FOXO1 and FOXO3 mRNA
      expression in granulosa cells is the cause of unexplained infertility. METHODS:
      Thirty-one patients aged <40 years (13 with unexplained infertility and 18 with
      male partner infertility as a control group) whose serum anti-Mullerian hormone
      level was >0.5 ng/MUL were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent oocyte
      retrieval under a short protocol from June 2012 to October 2013. Real-time PCR
      was carried out using mRNA extracted from granulosa cells retrieved from mature
      follicles. We compared FOXO1 and FOXO3 mRNA expression ratios in granulosa cells
      between the unexplained infertility group and the male infertility group. The
      relation between FOXO1 and FOXO3 mRNA expression ratios in granulosa cells and
      assisted reproduction technology clinical outcome was also examined. RESULTS:
      FOXO3 mRNA expression ratio was significantly lower in the unexplained
      infertility group than in the male infertility group. Moreover, FOXO3 mRNA
      expression ratio showed a positive correlation with both the number of retrieved
      oocytes and serum anti-Mullerian hormone level. A positive correlation was also
      identified between FOXO1 mRNA expression and total dose of hMG. As well, the
      number of retrieved oocytes in the unexplained infertility group was
      statistically lower than that in the male infertility group. CONCLUSION: A lower
      FOXO3 mRNA expression in granulosa cells leads to poor oocyte development in
      patients with unexplained infertility undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation
      for in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

PMID- 28621050
TI  - Maternal morbidity and associated factors at a tertiary care Centre in Karachi: A
      critical analysis.
AB  - AIM: The study was conducted to identify maternal morbidity and associated
      factors such intensive care unit admission and surgical intervention. METHODS:
      Pregnant and six-week post-partum women without any other comorbidy were
      recruited from January 2014 to December 2015 from the Department of Gynaecology
      and Obstetrics at Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi. A structurally designed
      questionnaire was used to record demographic data and factors related to the
      management and intervention of maternal conclusions. RESULTS: A total of 213
      patients were included in the study, with an average age of 27.87 +/- 5.26 years,
      mean parity of 2.02 +/- 1.88 and mean gestational period of 32.48 +/- 7.93. The
      details of 186 neonatal cases were also recorded: 47 neonates were admitted to
      the intensive care unit, while 23 were kept on ventilation. The primary
      complication was post-partum hemorrhage. The most common intervention methods
      used was lower segment cesarean section. CONCLUSION: The concept of maternal
      morbidity is developing as a new indicator for the assessment of maternal
      healthcare services. Public health awareness programs should be conducted for
      health professionals to combat the high incidence of maternal morbidity.

PMID- 28621051
TI  - Plasma microRNA-16-5p, -17-5p and -20a-5p: Novel diagnostic biomarkers for
      gestational diabetes mellitus.
AB  - AIM: To explore whether plasma microRNA-16-5p, -17-5p and -20a-5p can be used as
      diagnostic biomarkers in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to investigate
      the relationship between those microRNAs and the risk factors of GDM (body mass
      index [BMI], insulin resistance [IR] and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha)). METHODS: A total of 85 pregnant women with GDM and 72 pregnant women
      without GDM were enrolled in this study. The plasma concentration of microRNAs
      (microRNA-16-5p, -17-5p, -19a-3p, -19b-3p, -20a-5p) was measured using
      quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
      Spearman's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between
      those microRNAs and the risk factors of GDM, and receiver operating
      characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate diagnostic sensitivity and
      specificity. RESULTS: Compared with non-GDM women, the relative and absolute
      expression of plasma microRNA-16-5p, -17-5p, -20a-5p from GDM women were
      significantly upregulated, when those women were diagnosed as GDM. During
      pregnancy, the expression of those microRNAs from GDM women also were
      significantly upregulated. The expression of those microRNAs was also positively
      correlated with IR, a risk factor of GDM. Plasma microRNA-16-5p, -17-5p, -20a-5p
      reflected an obvious separation between GDM women and non-GDM women, with areas
      under the curve of 0.92 (95%CI: 0.871-0.984), 0.88 (95%CI: 0.798-0.962), and 0.74
      (95%CI: 0.618-0.870), respectively, cut-offs >2554, 1820, 3886 copies/MUL,
      respectively; sensitivity 41.6%, 21.4% and 17.8%, respectively; and specificity
      95.8%, 95.4% and 95.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Plasma microRNA-16-5p, -17-5p
      and -20a-5p are potential diagnostic biomarkers in GDM.

PMID- 28621052
TI  - 10p15.3p13 duplication inherited from paternal balance translocation
      (46,XY,t(5;10)(q35.1;p13)) identified on non-invasive prenatal testing.
AB  - Balanced reciprocal translocations are relatively common human genetic
      abnormalities that involve the exchange of the terminal segments between
      different chromosomes and have an approximately 5-80% chance of generating an
      embryo with chromosomal abnormalities. Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has
      been increasingly used in clinical practice to detect fetal trisomies 21, 18 and
      13 with a sensitivity and specificity of up to 99%. In this report, we describe a
      duplication on chromosome 10 and a deletion on chromosome 5 that were first
      detected on NIPT. Multiple follow-up invasive tests, such as prenatal BACs-on
      Beads (BoBs), GTG banding and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array,
      confirmed the NIPT results. Furthermore, GTG banding identified a normal maternal
      karyotype and a paternal karyotype with a balanced translocation of 46, XY,
      t(5;10)(q35.1;p13), inherited by the child. Therefore, NIPT could be a new method
      for the prenatal diagnosis of fetal chromosomal abnormalities, which, in the
      present study, were confirmed on multiple clinical and molecular methods as being
      derived from paternal balanced chromosomal rearrangements.

PMID- 28621053
TI  - Factors affecting aging cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults.
AB  - AIM: The study purpose was to determine factors affecting aging cognitive
      function of 3,645 community-dwelling older adults in Korea. METHODS: The Hasegawa
      Dementia Scale assessed aging cognitive function, blood analyses and
      anthropometrics assessed cardio-metabolic risk factors, and the Geriatric
      Depression Scale Short Form Korean Version assessed depressive symptoms. RESULTS:
      Participants with poor aging cognitive function were more likely to be in the
      late age group (>=75 y) and currently smoking and have a medical history of
      stroke, high body mass index, and high level of depressive symptoms; they were
      also less likely to engage in regular meals and physical activities. CONCLUSION:
      Regular meals and physical activities may be primary factors for clinical
      assessment to identify older adults at risk for aging cognitive function. With
      aging, depressive symptoms and other unhealthy lifestyle behaviours should be
      managed to prevent cognitive function disorders.

PMID- 28621054
TI  - Delivery mode and breastfeeding outcomes among new mothers in Nicaragua.
AB  - Breastfeeding has been shown to benefit infants and mothers. Women who have
      caesarean deliveries (C-sections) are expected to be less likely to initiate and
      continue breastfeeding than those who have vaginal deliveries. Given the high
      rate of C-sections in Nicaragua, the importance of breastfeeding, and the
      centrality of culture in choices about breastfeeding, this study sought to
      examine if mode of delivery relates with breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity
      in Nicaragua. Two hundred fifty mothers were surveyed about birth experiences and
      breastfeeding behaviour in 3 public clinics in Leon, Nicaragua, between June and
      August 2015. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the
      association of mode of delivery with initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hr of
      birth (early initiation) and exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months post-partum.
      The rate of early initiation was 68.8% and that of exclusively breastfeeding for
      6 months was 12.7%. Mode of delivery was not significantly associated with early
      initiation (p = .383) or exclusive breastfeeding (p = .518). Early initiation was
      negatively associated with prelacteal feeding, AOR = 0.30, 95% CI [0.16, 0.58]; p
      = .001. Mothers who had perceived their infants as large at birth were
      significantly less likely to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months, AOR (95%CI) =
      0.25 (0.06-0.97); p = 0.046. Mode of delivery was not significantly associated
      with optimal breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity among mothers in Nicaragua.
      The 2 risk factors identified for delayed initiation of breastfeeding and lack of
      exclusive breastfeeding were prelacteal feeding and maternal perception of a
      large infant at birth, respectively.

PMID- 28621055
TI  - Impact of diagnostic ureteroscopy on intravesical recurrence in patients
      undergoing radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial cancer: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Aim of this study was to analyse the association between the use of diagnostic
      ureteroscopy (URS) and the development of intravesical recurrence (IVR) in
      patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for high-risk upper tract
      urothelial carcinoma. A systematic review of the published data was performed up
      to December 2016, using multiple search engines to identify eligible studies. A
      formal meta-analysis was conducted of studies comparing patients who underwent
      URS before RNU with those who did not. Hazard ratios (HRs), with their 95%
      confidence intervals (CIs), from each study were used to calculate pooled HRs.
      Pooled estimates were calculated using a fixed-effects or random-effects model
      according to heterogeneity. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan,
      version 5. Seven studies were included in the systematic review, but only six of
      these were deemed fully eligible for meta-analysis. Among the 2 382 patients
      included in the meta-analysis, 765 underwent diagnostic URS prior to RNU. All
      examined studies were retrospective, and the majority examined Asian populations.
      The IVR rate ranged from 39.2% to 60.7% and from 16.7% to 46% in patients with
      and without prior URS, respectively. In the pooled analysis, a statistically
      significant association was found between performance of URS prior to RNU and IVR
      (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.33-1.88; P < 0.001). There was no heterogeneity in the
      observed outcomes, according to the I2 statistic of 2% (P = 0.40). Within the
      intrinsic limitations of this type of analysis, these findings suggest a
      significant association between the use of diagnostic URS and higher risk of
      developing IVR after RNU. Further research in this area should be encouraged to
      further investigate the possible causality behind this association and it
      potential clinical implications.

PMID- 28621056
TI  - Denervation effectively aggravates rat experimental periodontitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nerve and its related factors in the occurrence and development of
      periodontitis are worthy of further study. Denervation research is a useful
      addition to nerve and innervation studies. The aim of this study is to establish
      a rat model of inferior alveolar nerve transection combined with ligature-induced
      periodontitis to elucidate the effects of denervation on ligature-induced rat
      periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-four Wistar rats were distributed to
      the four groups randomly: ligation (L); denervation (D); ligation+denervation
      (LD); and normal (N) as control. A ligation-inducing rat experimental
      periodontitis model was established in the L and LD groups. Rats in the D and LD
      groups also underwent the transection of the right inferior alveolar nerve
      simultaneously. Four weeks after the operation, the mandibles were taken out for
      micro-computed tomography analysis. Osteoclast number was observed through TRAP
      staining. The gingival tissues around the first molars were homogenized and
      measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for interleukin (IL)-1beta and
      tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Collagen fibers were observed using Picro
      Sirius Red staining. Nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB p65 and IkappaBalpha
      phosphorylation and osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand
      (RANKL) ratio in the gingival tissues were detected by western blotting. RESULTS:
      Denervation strongly promoted ligature-induced alveolar bone loss in the LD
      group. The alveolar bone loss of the LD group was significantly increased
      compared with the L group. Furthermore, denervation aggravated trabecular bone
      breakdown in the bone specific parameters, including percentage bone area,
      trabecular thickness and bone mineral density. Increased TRAP-positive
      osteoclasts were detected in alveolar bone of the LD group. More serious collagen
      fiber destructions and increased expressions of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were found
      in the LD group. NF-kappaB p65 and IkappaBalpha phosphorylation were also
      significantly upregulated in the LD group. OPG/RANKL ratio in the gingival
      extracts was markedly decreased in the LD group compared with the L group.
      Decreased OPG/RANKL ratio was observed in the D group, compared with the N group.
      CONCLUSION: Denervation effectively aggravates ligature-induced rat periodontitis
      by the NF-kappaB signaling pathway for excessive production of IL-1beta and TNF
      alpha and increased osteoclasts for decreased OPG/RANKL ratio. The rat model of
      inferior alveolar nerve transection that combined ligature-induced periodontitis
      provides an animal model to observe further the change of nerve-related factors
      in the occurrence and development of periodontitis, so as to select positive
      nerve-related factors to regulate inflammation and promote periodontal
      regeneration in the future.

PMID- 28621057
TI  - Prospective evaluation of toceranib phosphate in metastatic canine osteosarcoma.
AB  - Efficacious therapies for measurable metastatic canine osteosarcoma (OSA) are
      generally lacking. Preliminary retrospective studies suggested that approximately
      50% of dogs with measurable metastatic OSA experienced clinical benefit
      (objective response or clinically meaningful disease stabilisation) following
      toceranib (TOC) treatment. The purpose of this clinical trial was to
      prospectively evaluate the clinical outcome following TOC treatment in dogs with
      measurable pulmonary metastatic OSA. A secondary goal was to identify potential
      biomarkers of clinical benefit by measuring changes in plasma vascular
      endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and circulating regulatory T-cell (Treg)
      percentage. Twenty-two dogs with pulmonary metastasis from appendicular OSA
      having undergone previous amputation were treated prospectively with TOC. Adverse
      events (AEs) were common but predominantly low grade. Nine patients were
      withdrawn from the study prior to the week 8 assessment of response either due to
      progressive disease (PD), decreased quality of life or owner perceived
      unacceptable AEs. Of the patients evaluable for disease progression at week 8 (or
      earlier), 3/17 (17.6 %) had stable disease with the remainder having PD. The
      median progression-free survival time for all patients was 57 days (range 7-176
      days) with a median overall survival time of 89 days (range 7-574 days). Plasma
      VEGF concentrations were significantly elevated in patients after 4 weeks of TOC
      treatment, but no changes were observed in percentage of Treg in peripheral
      blood. Overall, the results of this clinical trial do not support the use of TOC
      as single agent therapy for canine metastatic OSA.

PMID- 28621058
TI  - Shift from protocol-based to personalized medicine in active surveillance:
      beginning of a new era.

PMID- 28621059
TI  - Biomarkers in chronic pelvic pain syndrome: did we find the Holy Grail?

PMID- 28621060
TI  - Prostate-specific membrane antigen radioguided surgery: a promising utility.

PMID- 28621061
TI  - Biomarkers for urological chronic pelvic pain: is there light at the end of the
      tunnel?

PMID- 28621062
TI  - Active surveillance in prostate cancer: new efforts, new voices, new hope.

PMID- 28621063
TI  - Pre-stenting and the risk of postoperative sepsis: a shorter dwell time is
      better.

PMID- 28621064
TI  - Sustainable Separations of C4 -Hydrocarbons by Using Microporous Materials.
AB  - Petrochemical refineries must separate hydrocarbon mixtures on a large scale for
      the production of fuels and chemicals. Typically, these hydrocarbons are
      separated by distillation, which is extremely energy intensive. This high energy
      cost can be mitigated by developing materials that can enable efficient
      adsorptive separation. In this critical review, the principles of adsorptive
      separation are outlined, and then the case for C4 separations by using zeolites
      and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is examined. By analyzing both experimental
      and theoretical studies, the challenges and opportunities in C4 separation are
      outlined, with a focus on the separation mechanisms and structure-selectivity
      correlations. Zeolites are commonly used as adsorbents and, in some cases, can
      separate C4 mixtures well. The pore sizes of eight-membered-ring zeolites, for
      example, are in the order of the kinetic diameters of C4 isomers. Although
      zeolites have the advantage of a rigid and highly stable structure, this is often
      difficult to functionalize. MOFs are attractive candidates for hydrocarbon
      separation because their pores can be tailored to optimize the adsorbate
      adsorbent interactions. MOF-5 and ZIF-7 show promising results in separating all
      C4 isomers, but breakthrough experiments under industrial conditions are needed
      to confirm these results. Moreover, the flexibility of the MOF structures could
      hamper their application under industrial conditions. Adsorptive separation is a
      promising viable alternative and it is likely to play an increasingly important
      role in tomorrow's refineries.

PMID- 28621065
TI  - Editorial: yoga for QoL in ulcerative colitis-any better than other supportive
      activities? Authors' reply.

PMID- 28621066
TI  - Editorial: which iron preparation for patients with IBD?

PMID- 28621067
TI  - Letter: the influence of direct acting agents for hepatitis C, on hepatitis B
      reactivation.

PMID- 28621068
TI  - Letter: HBV/HCV coinfection in the era of direct-acting antivirals.

PMID- 28621069
TI  - Editorial: lower gastrointestinal bleeding and low-dose aspirin-authors' reply.

PMID- 28621070
TI  - Editorial: food for thought-the low-FODMAP diet and IBS in perspective.

PMID- 28621071
TI  - Editorial: refractory GERD-good drug, wrong patients? Authors' reply.

PMID- 28621072
TI  - Letter: the efficacy of oltipraz in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver
      disease has not been confirmed.

PMID- 28621073
TI  - Editorial: yoga for QoL in ulcerative colitis-any better than other supportive
      activities?

PMID- 28621074
TI  - Editorial: which iron preparation for patients with IBD? Authors' reply.

PMID- 28621075
TI  - Editorial: is ribavirin needed in the treatment of post-transplant hepatitis C
      recurrence?

PMID- 28621076
TI  - Editorial: lower gastrointestinal bleeding and low-dose aspirin.

PMID- 28621077
TI  - Editorial: does disease extension lead to disease progression in proctitis?

PMID- 28621078
TI  - Editorial: refractory GERD-good drug, wrong patients?

PMID- 28621079
TI  - Editorial: when to be suspicious of malignancy-associated pseudoachalasia.

PMID- 28621080
TI  - Letter: the efficacy of oltipraz in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver
      disease has not been confirmed-authors' reply.

PMID- 28621081
TI  - Letter: anti-TNF dose de-escalation in Crohn's disease-a case-by-case decision.

PMID- 28621082
TI  - Editorial: tackling hepatorenal syndrome-terlipressin for all, or time for a
      stratified approach?

PMID- 28621083
TI  - Metacognition in speech and language therapy for children with social (pragmatic)
      communication disorders: implications for a theory of therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metacognition is a significant component of complex interventions for
      children who have developmental language disorders. Research into how
      metacognition operates in the content or process of developmental language
      therapy delivery is limited. Identification and description of proposed active
      therapy components, such as metacognition, may contribute to our understanding of
      how to deliver complex communication interventions in an optimal manner. AIMS: To
      analyse aspects of metacognition during therapy derived from a manualized speech
      and language intervention (the Social Communication Intervention Programme-SCIP)
      as delivered to children who have social (pragmatic) communication disorder
      (SPCD) and to examine the dynamic process of delivering therapy. METHODS &
      PROCEDURES: A purposive sample of eight filmed therapy sessions was selected from
      the video data corpus of intervention-arm participants within a randomized
      controlled trial. The child-therapist interactions during therapy sessions from
      five children (aged between 5;11 and 10;3) in the SCIP trial were transcribed.
      Filmed sessions represented a variety of communication profiles and SCIP therapy
      content. Starting from existing theory on metacognition, cycles of iterative
      analysis were performed using a mixed inductive-deductive qualitative analysis. A
      preliminary list of metacognitive content embedded in the intervention was
      developed into a metacognitive coding framework (MCF). A thematic analysis of the
      identified metacognitive content of the intervention was then carried out across
      the whole sample. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Thematic analysis revealed the presence of
      metacognition in the content and delivery of SCIP intervention. Four main themes
      of metacognitive person, task and strategy knowledge, and monitoring/control were
      identified. Metacognition was a feature of how children's ability to monitor
      language, pragmatic and social interaction skills, in themselves and other
      people, was developed. Task design and delivery methods were found to play a
      particular role in adjusting the metacognitive content of the therapy activities.
      CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: This study makes explicit the metacognitive content
      and delivery within a complex developmental communication intervention.
      Discussion of the findings about metacognitive content provides an explanation of
      how the skilled speech and language therapist manipulates task demands, person
      knowledge and therapy methods towards the therapy goal. Clinical applications of
      the metacognitive framework are discussed. We suggest that the process of making
      the tacit knowledge of the therapist explicit can contribute to the
      implementation of complex evidence-based interventions.

PMID- 28621084
TI  - Coregulation of the cyclic lipopeptides orfamide and sessilin in the biocontrol
      strain Pseudomonas sp. CMR12a.
AB  - Cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) are synthesized by nonribosomal peptide synthetases
      (NRPS), which are often flanked by LuxR-type transcriptional regulators.
      Pseudomonas sp. CMR12a, an effective biocontrol strain, produces two different
      classes of CLPs namely sessilins and orfamides. The orfamide biosynthesis gene
      cluster is flanked up- and downstream by LuxR-type regulatory genes designated
      ofaR1 and ofaR2, respectively, whereas the sessilin biosynthesis gene cluster has
      one LuxR-type regulatory gene which is situated upstream of the cluster and is
      designated sesR. Our study investigated the role of these three regulators in the
      biosynthesis of orfamides and sessilins. Phylogenetic analyses positioned OfaR1
      and OfaR2 with LuxR regulatory proteins of similar orfamide-producing Pseudomonas
      strains and the SesR with that of the tolaasin producer, Pseudomonas tolaasii. LC
      ESI-MS analyses revealed that sessilins and orfamides are coproduced and that
      production starts in the late exponential phase. However, sessilins are secreted
      earlier and in large amounts, while orfamides are predominantly retained in the
      cell. Deletion mutants in ofaR1 and ofaR2 lost the capacity to produce both
      orfamides and sessilins, whereas the sesR mutant showed no clear phenotype.
      Additionally, RT-PCR analysis showed that in the sessilin cluster, a mutation in
      either ofaR1 or ofaR2 led to weaker transcripts of the biosynthesis genes,
      sesABC, and putative transporter genes, macA1B1. In the orfamide cluster, mainly
      the biosynthesis genes ofaBC were affected, while the first biosynthesis gene
      ofaA and putative macA2B2 transport genes were still transcribed. A mutation in
      either ofaR1, ofaR2, or sesR genes did not abolish the transcription of any of
      the other two.

PMID- 28621085
TI  - Factors affecting survival in neonatal surgery unit in a tertiary care university
      hospital during 26 years.
AB  - This clinical study was designed to evaluate mortality rate and the factors that
      may affect survival in neonatal surgery unit. Randomly chosen 300 (beta: 0.20)
      patients among 1,439 patients treated in neonatal surgery unit during years 1983
      to 2009, were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were separated into three
      groups according to date of treatment; Group A: 1983 - 1995, Group B: 1996 - 2005
      and Group C: 2005 - 2009. M/F ratios did not differ between non-survived and
      survived patient populations. Mortality rates were 37%, 22% and 13% in Group A,
      B, and C respectively (p < 0.001). Parenteral nutrition, maternal age, time until
      admission and gestational age did not affect mortality rate, however median age
      of newborn was lower in non-survived cases (1 day vs. 3 days, p < 0.001).
      Associating abnormality, low birth weight ( < 1,500 g), associating sepsis, need
      of globulin and requirement of respiratory support were determinants of lower
      survival (p < 0.001). The mortality rate for patients that underwent thoracotomy
      (42%) and laparotomy (41%) were higher than patients that underwent other
      operations (8%) and observation (10%) (p < 0.001). Diaphragmatic hernia had
      higher mortality rates than the other pathologies (p < 0.001). Survival rate is
      increasing to date in newborn pediatric surgery unit; it is independent from
      parenteral nutrition, maternal age, time to admission and gestational age however
      it is affected adversely by the age of patient, associating abnormality, low
      birth weight, presence of sepsis and requirement of respiratory support. Increase
      in survival could be related to various additional factors such as development of
      delicate respiratory support machines, broad spectrum antibiotics, hospital
      infection control teams, central venous catheters, use of TPN by central route,
      volume adjustable infusion pumps, monitoring devices, neonatal surgical
      techniques, prenatal diagnosis of pediatric surgical conditions and developments
      of environmental control methods in neonatal surgical units.

PMID- 28621086
TI  - Asthma control test and pediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire
      association in children with poor asthma control.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between Pediatric Asthma
      Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) and Asthma Control Test (ACT) in patients
      with poor asthma control. Children between 7-17 years of age with diagnosis of
      persistent asthma who are not on daily inhaler corticosteroid therapy were
      involved. At enrollment, sociodemographic and asthmatic characteristics were
      investigated and pulmonary function test (PFT), ACT and PAQLQ were administered.
      Patients were reevaluated following six week regular inhaler therapy and ACT,
      PAQLQ and PFT were performed. Out of 77 patients, 35 (45%) were female. The mean
      age was 11.62 +/- 2.35 years. Following 6 weeks daily inhaler therapy, the scores
      of ACT, all the parameters of PAQLQ and all the parameters of PFT except FEV1/FVC
      were significantly increased (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation
      between ACT and PAQLQ scores (r < 0.5, p=0.001). In conclusion, there is a
      correlation between ACT and PAQLQ.

PMID- 28621087
TI  - The efficacy and safety of naproxen in acute rheumatic fever: The comparative
      results of 11-year experience with acetylsalicylic acid and naproxen.
AB  - The objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of naproxen (NXN) to
      acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the treatment of acute rheumatic fever (ARF). The
      data of 338 children were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were grouped
      according to joint and valve involvement and also drug chosen [methyl
      prednisolone (mPSL), ASA or NXN]. The treatment results and adverse events in
      each group were compared. The mean age was 10.3 years and the median follow-up
      was 62 months. Median time for normalization of acute phase reactants was 1 week
      in patients given steroids and 2 weeks in patients given ASA or NXN. ASA was
      replaced with NXN in 18 patients (10.2%) due to hepatic toxicity. The rate of
      rebound, recurrence and the prevalence of rheumatic valve disease were not
      different in patients given NXN, ASA or mPSL. In conclusion, NXN is a safe and
      effective alternative to ASA in the treatment of ARF in children.

PMID- 28621088
TI  - Hepatitis A virus epidemiology in Turkey as universal childhood vaccination
      begins: seroprevalence and endemicity by region.
AB  - This paper presents the results of a comprehensive examination of current
      distribution of Hepatitis A virus (HAV) seroprevalence and endemicity in Turkey
      and the possible links between HAV endemicity and socioeconomic development. We
      performed a systematic search in online resources published between January 2000
      and August 2015. The 22 provinces were able to be assigned a hepatitis A
      endemicity level based on this systematic review. The incidence rates for
      symptomatic hepatitis A infection are higher in the eastern part of Turkey than
      in the western and central region. These differences in socioeconomic indicators
      by region suggest the likelihood of lower seroprevalence rates in the western
      parts of the country and higher rates in the eastern region. Turkey's current
      policy of recommending hepatitis A immunization for all children without
      contraindications is an appropriate one and is likely to remain the best option
      for at least the next decade or two.

PMID- 28621089
TI  - A new emerging problem in pediatric emergency units: Synthetic cannabinoids.
AB  - Synthetic cannabinoids or synthetic marijuana derivatives known as "Bonzai" in
      Turkey are addictive substances that affect the brain and have serious side
      effects. In recent years, the use of these substances has also been increasing in
      our country as well as all over the world. These substances present with various
      names and brands, the most common names in Turkey are "Bonzai" and "Jamaika". In
      this study, we aimed to evaluate the demographic and clinical findings of these
      patients. We retrospectively evaluated patients admitted to our pediatric
      emergency department between March 2013 and March 2015 due to the complaints
      developing after the use of "Bonzai" in terms of age, gender, admission date,
      complaint, clinical findings, laboratory findings, consuming method of the
      substance, additional substance use, observation durations, hospitalization
      status and mortality rates. The most common complaint was faintness and
      drowsiness. Changes in the state of consciousness, tachycardia, hypertension were
      the most common clinical findings. Most common consuming method of the drug was
      in the form of smoking. The rate of "Bonzai" use among adolescents is increasing
      every day. Physicians in emergency departments should be educated on this issue
      and it must be kept in mind that most of the patients admitted are with
      complaints related to changes in the cognitive state (of consciousness) but they
      can also apply with complaints about all other systems.

PMID- 28621090
TI  - Cardiac nodal and cardiac autonomic functions in children with vasovagal syncope.
AB  - In the present study, cardiac nodal (sinoatrial node and atrioventricular node)
      and cardiac autonomic functions have been investigated in children with vasovagal
      syncope (VVS). Thus, the effect of existing autonomic status on the
      characteristics of cardiac conduction system has been demonstrated in children
      with VVS. The study included 51 pediatric patients (the mean age was 14.01+/-2.79
      years, range 7 to 18 years; 30 females), who were evaluated for syncope using
      ECG, Holter monitoring, and echocardiography, all of which showed normal
      findings. All patients underwent head-up tilt testing (HUTT), and the parameters
      of heart rate variability (HRV) (SDNN, SDANN, SDANNi, rMSSD, pNN50, HF, LF, VLF)
      were evaluated with the analysis of 24-hour Holter testing. Corrected sinus node
      recovery time (CNRT) and Wenckebach point (WP) were measured in all patients
      using transesophageal atrial stimulation. The patients were divided into groups
      according to HUTT results and evaluated accordingly. Cardiac nodal functions were
      normal in all patients. HRV parameters (HF, rMSSD, pNN50) indicating
      parasympathetic effect were higher in patients with positive HUTT results. CNRT
      did not differ significantly between patients with positive HUTT results and
      patients with negative HUTT results. However, WP was found to be higher in
      patients with positive HUTT results. The studies evaluating the parameters of HRV
      has demonstrated increased parasympathetic tonus in children with VVS. Impairment
      in cardiac nodal functions may not be expected in children with VVS. However,
      these patients may exhibit prolonged WP due to increased autonomic tonus in favor
      of parasympathetic activity.

PMID- 28621091
TI  - Increased mean platelet volume in children with sepsis as a predictor of
      mortality.
AB  - Our aim is to investigate the correlation between the mean platelet volume (MPV)
      levels and platelet counts of the septic children with 28-day mortality risk. MPV
      at admission (MPV < sub > adm < /sub > ), MPV at 72 < sup > nd < /sup > hour (MPV
      < sub > 72h < /sub > ) and the difference between these two parameters (DeltaMPV
      < sub > 72h-adm < /sub > ) and platelet counts were recorded retrospectively. The
      control group consisted of 100 healthy children matched for age, gender, and
      ethnicity. One hundred eighty six children were enrolled into the study. The
      study group had significant higher MPV values than those of control group. There
      were 156 survivors and 32 nonsurvivors in study group with a mortality rate of
      17%. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher MPV < sub > adm < /sub > (p: 0.001),
      MPV < sub > 72h < /sub > (p: 0.001), DeltaMPV < sub > 72h-adm < /sub > (p <
      0.001) and lower platelet count (p: 0.002) than survivors. MPVadm (OR 2.39), MPV
      < sub > 72h < /sub > (OR 4.23), DeltaMPV < sub > 72h-adm < /sub > (OR 6.4),
      platelet count (OR 7.3), and need for mechanical ventilation support (OR 9.76)
      had significant effect on 28-day mortality risk at logistic regression analysis.
      At the receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) the cutoff values for MPV
      < sub > adm < /sub > , MPV < sub > 72h < /sub > , and DeltaMPV < sub > 72h-adm <
      /sub > were found to be 9 fL, 9.86 fL, and 0.79, respectively. Kaplan-Meier
      analysis and log-rank test proved that these cutoff values were significantly
      associated with the time of survival. Septic children who had high MPV levels at
      admission and whose MPV levels increased during follow up had higher risk of
      mortality. With the results of further researches targetting large groups of
      pediatric patients, MPV < sub > adm < /sub > , MPV < sub > 72h < /sub > , and
      DeltaMPV < sub > 72h-adm < /sub > values can be fast and reliable markers for
      early diagnosis of sepsis and mortality prediction.

PMID- 28621092
TI  - Comparison of risk scoring systems in congenital heart surgery.
AB  - Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Department of Cardiovascular Surgery;
      data of 413 patients under 18 years old who had congenital heart surgery were
      evaluated between 01.01.2011-30.10.2012 and risk scorings were made by "RACHS-1
      (Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery)", "Aristotle Basic Complexity Score
      (ABS)" and "Aristotle Comprehensive Complexity Score (ACS)" systems used in
      evaluation of the risk of mortality and morbidity in (ACS)" systems used in
      evaluation of the risk of mortality and morbidity in congenital heart surgery.
      Data obtained were compared by Mann-Whitney U test and how effective these
      systems were in evaluating mortality and morbidity and their superiorities over
      each other were examined. Following the research, it was observed that all three
      systems were effective in evaluating mortality and morbidity; the most successful
      of them in foreseeing the event was the ACS system, ACS system was followed by
      RACHS-1 system and ABS system was the most incapable of these in foreseeing the
      event. It was seen that in detecting time related mortality, rating of these
      tests changed, RACHS-1 system detected the time related mortality best. It was
      also seen that with RACHS-1 system, a previously evaluated concept, it was
      possible to determine morbidity.

PMID- 28621093
TI  - Waist to height ratio: a simple screening tool for nonalcoholic fatty liver
      disease in obese children.
AB  - Simple predictors are needed for the screening of nonalcoholic fatty liver
      disease (NAFLD) in obese children. We aimed to assess the role of anthropometric
      parameters in the prediction of NAFLD. Three hundred and thirty two obese
      children (152 male, 180 female) aged 4.6-17.0 years were included in this study.
      Weight, height, waist (WC), and hip circumference were measured. Body mass index
      (BMI), waist-hip-ratio (WHR), and waist-height-ratio (WHtR) were calculated.
      Obesity was defined as BMI for age and sex >= 95th percentile. NAFLD was
      diagnosed using ultrasonography (US). NAFLD was present in 60.8% of obese
      children. Fatty liver prevalence differed significantly by gender and puberty
      (55.0% of girls vs 67.7% of boys, and 28.7% in prepubertal vs 71.3% in pubertal
      children; p < 0.05). Significantly higher BMI, BMI standard deviation score
      (SDS), WC, and WHtR were found in obese children with NAFLD compared to obese
      children without NAFLD (p < 0.05). Only WHtR was found to be an independent
      predictor for NAFLD in a logistic regression analysis (p < 0.001, B:1.096, 95% CI
      1.047-1.148). Fatty liver is common among obese children, particularly in obese
      boys. WHtR is a simple and easy index for predicting of NAFLD in obese children
      and can be used for mass screening in public health.

PMID- 28621094
TI  - Detection of gastroesophageal reflux in children with cerebral palsy using
      combined multichannel intraluminal impedance-ph procedure.
AB  - Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a very common condition in children with
      neurological impairment and this can influence nutritional and respiratory
      outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of GER in
      children with cerebral palsy (CP) using multiple intraluminal impedance (MII)-pH
      monitoring. The use of combined MII-pH allows for the detection of both acid and
      non-acid reflux episodes. A total of 29 CP patients with symptoms suggesting GER,
      aged 2 to 10 years old, underwent 24-hour combined MII-pH monitoring. There were
      a total of 3899 reflux episodes, of which 29% were acid, 60% were weakly acid and
      11% were alkaline. The number of non-acid reflux episodes was statistically
      significantly greater (p < 0.01). These findings confirm that GER disease is seen
      frequently in children with cerebral palsy and most of the reflux episodes are
      not acidic. Non-acid reflux can also influence the morbidity in patients with
      cerebral palsy. It can be concluded that 70% of the reflux episodes would not
      have been recognized by pH measurement alone.

PMID- 28621095
TI  - Primary intrarenal neuroblastoma in a 13-month-old girl presenting as a Wilms'
      tumor with pulmonary metastasis.
AB  - We report a 13-month-old girl with primary intrarenal neuroblastoma initially
      diagnosed as Wilms' tumor. Intrarenal neuroblastoma is exceedingly rare in
      pediatric age that may masquerade as Wilms' tumor clinically and radiographically
      and it is important to differentiate for management.

PMID- 28621096
TI  - Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: an unusual cause of recurrent intussusception in a 7-year
      old boy.
AB  - Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder
      characterized by intestinal hamartomatous polyps in association with
      mucocutaneous pigmentations. Main symptoms of PJS in childhood are abdominal
      pain, obstruction, intussusception, and bleeding from hamartomatous polyps. PJS
      carries a high risk of gastrointestinal cancer with advancing years. Although,
      intussusception has been reported as a well-known complication of PJS, recurrent
      intussusception as an alarming finding in a patient with normal gastrointestinal
      endoscopy is uncommon. A 7-year-old boy who had recurrent intussusception
      episodes and diagnosed with PJS histopathological confirmation after surgical
      excision of involved bowel segments is presented to discuss the clinical features
      and treatment options of recurrent intussusception as a presenting finding of
      PJS.

PMID- 28621097
TI  - Gonadoblastoma in a patient with 46, XY complete gonadal dysgenesis.
AB  - 46, XY complete gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer syndrome) is a rare cause of 46, XY
      sexual development disorder. The patient presented to our clinic with absence of
      breast development and lack of periods at the age of 17 years. Her history and
      familial history involved no relevant conditions. She had Tanner stage 1
      thelarche, and Tanner stage 2 pubic hair development with no axillary hair
      development. External genital structure appearance was consistent with female
      phenotype and the patient had no palpable gonad. The patient diagnosed as 46, XY
      complete gonadal dysgenesis after evaluation of laboratory analyses, radiological
      methods and karyotype. The Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee
      concluded that gonadectomy should be performed. Histopathologic analysis
      demonstrated gonadoblastoma. Gonad structures should be sought laparoscopically
      and once diagnosed, streak gonads should be removed prophylactically in patients
      with 46, XY complete gonadal dysgenesis.

PMID- 28621098
TI  - Seizures and diagnostic difficulties in hyperinsulinism-hyperammonemia syndrome.
AB  - Hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia (HI/HA) syndrome is a rare disorder presented with
      recurrent hypoglycemia and elevated serum ammonia, which may lead to development
      delays, permanent neurologic damages, if it remains underdiagnosed. It is caused
      by activating mutations in the GLUD1 gene which encodes the intra-mitochondrial
      enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). HI/HA syndrome is considered the second
      most common form of hyperinsulinism (HI), and usually associated with epileptic
      seizures, mental retardation and generalized dystonia. We reported a patient who
      was diagnosed as HI/HA with multiple episodes of seizures; and previously had
      been diagnosed and treated for epilepsy. She has heterozygous mutation in GLUD1
      gene. Treatment with diazoxide enabled complete resolution of the seizures. One
      year later, when her brother was six months old, he was also diagnosed with
      HI/HA. Later, the same mutation of GLUD1 was detected in both her father and
      brother too.

PMID- 28621099
TI  - Coexistence of early onset sarcoidosis and partial interferon-gamma receptor 1
      deficiency.
AB  - Pediatric sarcoidosis comprises a spectrum of childhood granulomatous
      inflammatory conditions. Pathological hallmark of the disease is granuloma
      formation that is seen in the affected tissues and almost any organ or system can
      be involved. There are two forms of pediatric sarcoidosis. One is seen in older
      children and the clinical picture is very similar to that of adult sarcoidosis
      and the other one is seen in early childhood. Sarcoidosis in early childhood can
      be divided as Blau syndrome (familial form) and early onset sarcoidosis (sporadic
      form). In both of the diseases there is a defect in the NOD2/CARD15 gene. The
      typical triad of early onset sarcoidosis is polyarthritis, dermatitis and
      uveitis. Interferon-gamma receptor 1 deficiency is caused by defects in the
      IFNgammaR1 gene and non-tuberculosis mycobacterial pathogens are the leading
      causes of infections that start in early childhood. Herein we report a patient
      who presented with the symptoms of early onset sarcoidosis and also had partial
      interferon-gamma receptor 1 deficiency that presented with BCG-osis. In addition
      to anti-mycobacterial treatment, methotrexate and prednisolone were used in
      therapy.

PMID- 28621100
TI  - Paracetamol infusion-related severe hypotension and cardiac arrest in a child.
AB  - Paracetamol (also known as Acetaminophen) is an antipyretic, non-opioid
      analgesic, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and is one of the
      most commonly used medications worldwide. In recent years, IV paracetamol has
      been frequently used in hospitalized patients to reduce fever and pain.
      Significant adverse reactions associated with intravenous paracetamol are
      extremely rare. Typically reported adverse events include hypotension, malaise,
      hypersensitivity reaction, liver enzyme elevation, and thrombocytopenia. We
      present herein a case of IV paracetamol infusion-related severe hypotension and
      cardiac arrest.

PMID- 28621101
TI  - Cerebrovascular complication of infective endocarditis complicated with abdominal
      trauma.
AB  - A 9-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with blunt abdominal
      trauma. Initial assessment was normal except for abdominal tenderness. On day 3,
      patient was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for
      hemodynamic instability, and persistent fever despite antibiotic therapy. On PICU
      admission, his body temperature was 40 0C, heart rate was 160/min, respiratory
      rate was 36/min, blood pressure was 85/40 mmHg, and impaired consciousness was
      noticed. Complete blood count revealed hemoglobin of 11.5 g/dl, white blood cell
      count of 22,500/mm3 and platelet count of 145,000/mm3. Serum C-reactive protein
      and procalcitonin were 139 mg/dl and 8.80 ng/ml, respectively. Renal and liver
      function test results were normal. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was
      planned because of impaired consciousness and fever. On cranial MRI, multiple
      infarct areas were detected in both hemispheres and minimal hemorrhagic focus was
      found in the left temporal region. Because of the cranial MRI findings and fever
      echocardiographic examination was planned to exclude infective endocarditis.
      Transthoracic echocardiography successfully visualized mitral valve prolapse,
      14x8 mm mobile vegetation on the atrial side of the posterior leaflet of the
      mitral valve, and severe mitral regurgitation. The left chambers were dilated.
      There was no evidence of a perivalvular abscess. On control transthoracic
      echocardiography, after 6 weeks of parenteral antibiotic treatment, there was no
      significant reduction of the visible vegetation therefore surgery was planned.
      Infective endocarditis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of
      fever of unknown origin. Especially during the early stage of disease, cranial
      MRI may be more useful to prevent fatal complications for patients with
      neurologic examination findings.

PMID- 28621102
TI  - Corynebacterium propinquum bronchopneumonia in a child with ataxia
      telangiectasia.
AB  - Nondiphtherial Corynebacterium species isolated from clinical specimens are
      usually considered as contaminants by many clinicians when reported by
      microbiologists. However, an increasing number of studies have confirmed the
      importance of Corynebacterium spp. in the etiology of a variety of infectious
      processes. In this report, we present a case of bronchopneumonia caused by
      Corynebacterium propinquum. The infection occurred in a seven-year-old child who
      had a history of immunosuppression due to ataxia telangiectasia. The purulent
      sputum of the patient yielded a large number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes with
      abundant gram-positive coryneform bacilli in gram staining and pure growth of
      coryneform bacteria in culture. Definitive identification as C. propinquum was
      made by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass
      spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. C. propinquum should be
      recognized as a potential pathogen and included in the etiologic diagnostic
      algorithm, particularly in patients with immunosuppressive conditions.

PMID- 28621103
TI  - Bone marrow aspiration complications: Iliopsoas abscess and sacroiliac
      osteomyelitis.
AB  - After bone marrow aspiration procedure; some complications like pain and bleeding
      at the puncture site may be expected but some serious complications like
      osteomyelitis and soft tissue infections may also rarely occur. In this case we
      present a boy with recurrent fever. During etiologic investigation, familial
      Mediterranean fever (FMF) gene M694V mutation was +/+. Patient was treated with
      oral colchicine however fever persisted. The patient was considered as colchicine
      resistant FMF and steroid treatment was planned. Bone marrow aspiration procedure
      was executed to rule out malignancy. Three months after bone marrow aspiration,
      he was readmitted with complaint of left pelvic pain, difficulty in walking
      without support and standing on his left foot. Radiological imaging demonstrated
      left iliopsoas abscess and left sacroiliac osteomyelitis. Patient was
      successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam and clindamycin
      treatment for 6 weeks. Then oral amoxicillin-clavulanic acid treatment was
      continued for 2 weeks. Patient was discharged without any surgical procedure. On
      1-year follow-up he could walk without any support.

PMID- 28621104
TI  - Rosai-Dorfman disease of vertebra: Case report and literature review.
AB  - Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare benign histiocytic disorder that arises
      predominantly in lymph nodes with fever and malaise, but can affect various
      organs, with or without lymphadenopathy. Solitary extranodal skeletal lesions are
      extremely rare. Herein, we describe a case of isolated disease of thoracic spine,
      with vertebral body fracture. A 14-year-old girl presented with cervical back
      pain for about one month as the only symptom. There was no lymphadenopathy.
      Results of laboratory tests were within reference ranges. The radiological
      examinations revealed collapse, osteolytic lesion and compressive fracture, which
      reduced vertical diameter of C4 vertebral body. The patient made a complete
      recovery after a limited C4 laminectomy, spondylodesis C3/C5 vertebra and biopsy
      of the lesion. Histologically, nonspecific cellular milieu and atypical
      histiocytic proliferation with emperipolesis, with CD68 and S100 positivity,
      confirmed a diagnosis of Rosai-Dorfman disease. Isolated extranodal skeletal
      Rosai-Dorfman disease should be considered among the differential diagnoses of
      similar changes, such as Langerhans cell histiocytosis, Erdheim-Cheister disease,
      eosinophilic granuloma, osteomyelitis, metastasis and lymphoma.

PMID- 28621105
TI  - Isolation, Purification, and Identification of Taxol and Related Taxanes from
      Taxol-Producing Fungus Aspergillus niger subsp. taxi.
AB  - The content of taxol in the bark of yews is very low, and this is not affordable
      from the environmental point of view. Thus, it is a necessity to look for
      alternative sources of taxol production to solve its supply. Currently, a large
      portion of the taxol in the market comes from chemical semi-synthesis, but the
      semi-synthetic precursors such as baccatin III and 10-deacetyl-baccatin III are
      extracted from needles and twigs of yew trees. Taxol-producing fungi as a
      renewable resource is a very promising way to increase the scale of taxol
      production. Our group has obtained a taxol-producing endophytic fungus,
      Aspergillus niger subsp. taxi HD86-9, to examine if A. niger can produce the
      taxanes. Six compounds from the fermentation broth of strain HD86-9 were isolated
      and identified by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and ESI-MS. The results showed that the six
      compounds included four taxane diterpenoids (taxol, cephalomannine, baccatin III,
      and 10-deacetyl-baccatin III) and two non-taxane compounds (beta-sitosterol and
      flavonoid isovitexin). The study verified that the taxanes can be produced by the
      A. niger, which is very important to taxol production via chemical semi
      synthesis. Additionally, the finding is potentially very significant to solve the
      taxol semi-synthetic precursors extracted from needles and twigs of yew trees,
      and the precursor production can be easily increased through the culture
      condition optimization, genetic breeding, and metabolic engineering of the A.
      niger.

PMID- 28621106
TI  - A Rapid and Efficient Screening Method for Antibacterial Compound-Producing
      Bacteria.
AB  - Antibacterial compounds are widely used in the treatment of human and animal
      diseases. The overuse of antibiotics has led to a rapid rise in the prevalence of
      drug-resistant bacteria, making the development of new antibacterial compounds
      essential. This study focused on developing a fast and easy method for
      identifying marine bacteria that produce antibiotic compounds. Eight randomly
      selected marine target bacterial species (Agrococcus terreus, Bacillus algicola,
      Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens, Pseudoalteromonas flavipulchra, P.
      peptidolytica, P. piscicida, P. rubra, and Zunongwangia atlantica) were tested
      for production of antibacterial compounds against four strains of test bacteria
      (B. cereus, B. subtilis, Halomonas smyrnensis, and Vibrio alginolyticus). Colony
      picking was used as the primary screening method. Clear zones were observed
      around colonies of P. flavipulchra, P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida, and P. rubra
      tested against B. cereus, B. subtilis, and H. smyrnensis. The efficiency of
      colony scraping and broth culture methods for antimicrobial compound extraction
      was also compared using a disk diffusion assay. P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida,
      and P. rubra showed antagonistic activity against H. smyrnensis, B. cereus, and
      B. subtilis, respectively, only in the colony scraping method. Our results show
      that colony picking and colony scraping are effective, quick, and easy methods of
      screening for antibacterial compound-producing bacteria.

PMID- 28621107
TI  - Bioconversion of Pinoresinol Diglucoside from Glucose Using Resting and Freeze
      Dried Phomopsis sp. XP-8 Cells.
AB  - Phomopsis sp. XP-8 (an endophytic fungus) was previously found to produce
      pinoresinol diglucoside (PDG), a major antihypertensive compound of Tu-Chung (the
      bark of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.), which is widely used in Chinese traditional
      medicines. In the present study, two bioconversion systems were developed for the
      production of PDG in Tris-HCl buffer containing glucose and Phomopsis sp. XP-8
      cells (both resting and freeze-dried). When other factors remained unchanged, the
      bioconversion time, glucose concentration, cell ages, cell dosage, pH,
      temperature, and stirring speed influenced PDG production in a similar and
      decreasing manner after an initial increase with increasing levels for each
      factor. Considering the simultaneous change of various factors, the optimal
      conditions for PDG production were established as 70 g/l cells (8-day-old), 14
      g/l glucose, 28 degrees C, pH 7.5, and 180 rpm for systems employing resting
      cells, and 3.87 g/l cells, 14.67 g/l glucose, 28 degrees C, pH 7.5, and 180 rpm
      for systems employing freeze-dried cells. The systems employing freeze-dried
      cells showed lower peak PDG production (110.28 MUg/l), but at a much shorter time
      (12.65 h) compared with resting cells (23.62 mg/l, 91.5 h). The specific PDG
      production levels were 1.92 and 24 MUg per gram cells per gram glucose for freeze
      dried cells and resting cells, respectively. Both systems indicated a new and
      potentially efficient way to produce PDG independent of microbial cell growth.

PMID- 28621109
TI  - Comparative Genomic Analysis of Lactobacillus plantarum GB-LP1 Isolated from
      Traditional Korean Fermented Food.
AB  - As probiotics play an important role in maintaining a healthy gut flora
      environment through antitoxin activity and inhibition of pathogen colonization,
      they have been of interest to the medical research community for quite some time
      now. Probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum, which can be found in
      fermented food, are of particular interest given their easy accessibility. We
      performed whole-genome sequencing and genomic analysis on a GB-LP1 strain of L.
      plantarum isolated from Korean traditional fermented food; this strain is well
      known for its functions in immune response, suppression of pathogen growth, and
      antitoxin effects. The complete genome sequence of GB-LP1 is a single chromosome
      of 3,040,388 bp with 2,899 predicted open reading frames. Genomic analysis of GB
      LP1 revealed two CRISPR regions and genes showing accelerated evolution, which
      may have antibiotic and antitoxin functions. The aim of the present study was to
      predict strain specific-genomic characteristics and assess the potential of this
      new strain as lactic acid bacteria at the genomic level using in silico analysis.
      These results provide insight into the L. plantarum species as well as confirm
      the possibility of its utility as a candidate probiotic.

PMID- 28621108
TI  - Inhibitory Effects of Flavonoids from Spatholobus suberectus on Sortase A and
      Sortase A-Mediated Aggregation of Streptococcus mutans.
AB  - Seven flavonoids were isolated from Spatholobus suberectus via repetitive column
      chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The chemical
      structures of these compounds were identified by spectroscopic analysis and
      comparison with values reported in the literature. Among the flavonoids tested, 7
      hydroxy-6-methoxyflavanone (1) and formononetin (4) exhibited strong inhibitory
      activity against Streptococcus mutans SrtA, with IC50 values of 46.1 and 41.8 uM,
      respectively, but did not affect cell viability. The onset and magnitude of
      inhibition of saliva-induced aggregation in S. mutans treated with compounds 1
      and 4 were comparable to the behavior of a srtA-deletion mutant without
      treatment.

PMID- 28621110
TI  - Characterization of Microbial Communities in Chinese Rice Wine Collected at
      Yichang City and Suzhou City in China.
AB  - Two typical microbial communities from Chinese rice wine fermentation collected
      in Yichang city and Suzhou city in China were investigated. Both communities
      could ferment glutinous rice to rice wine in 2 days. The sugar and ethanol
      contents were 198.67 and 14.47 mg/g, respectively, for rice wine from Yichang
      city, and 292.50 and 12.31 mg/g, respectively, for rice wine from Suzhou city.
      Acetic acid and lactic acid were the most abundant organic acids. Abundant fungi
      and bacteria were detected in both communities by high-throughput sequencing.
      Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Rhizopus oryzae were the dominant fungi in rice
      wine from Suzhou city, compared with R. oryzae, Wickerhamomyces anomalus,
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Mucor indicus, and Rhizopus microsporus in rice wine
      from Yichang city. Bacterial diversity was greater than fungal diversity in both
      communities. Citrobacter was the most abundant genus. Furthermore,
      Exiguobacterium, Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Bacillus,
      and Lactococcus were highly abundant in both communities.

PMID- 28621111
TI  - Antiamoebic Activity of Petiveria alliacea Leaves and Their Main Component,
      Isoarborinol.
AB  - Petiveria alliacea L. (Phytolacaceae) is a medicinal plant with a broad range of
      traditional therapeutic properties, including the treatment of dysentery and
      intestinal infections caused by protozoan parasites. However, its effects against
      Entamoeba histolytica have not been reported yet. We investigated the antiamoebic
      activity present in the leaves of P. alliacea Antiamoebic activity was evaluated
      in methanolic and aqueous extracts, as well as in the hexanic, methanolic, and
      EtOAc fractions. The P. alliacea methanolic extract showed a better antiamoebic
      activity than the aqueous extract with an IC50 = 0.51 mg/ml. Likewise, the
      hexanic fraction was the most effective fraction, showing a dose-dependent
      activity against E. histolytica, with an IC50 = 0.68 mg/ml. Hexanic subfraction
      12-19 showed the highest antiamoebic activity at 0.8 mg/ml, producing 74.3%
      growth inhibition without any toxicity in mammal cells. A major component in
      subfraction 12-19 was identified as isoarborinol, which produced 51.4% E.
      histolytica growth inhibition at 0.05 mg/ml without affecting mammal cells. The
      P. alliacea leaf extract has antiamoebic activity that can be attributed to a
      major metabolite known as isoarborinol.

PMID- 28621112
TI  - Increased Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of a P. aeruginosa Vaccine in
      Mice Using an Alum and De-O-Acylated Lipooligosaccharide Adjuvant System.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen that commonly
      causes fatal infections in cystic fibrosis and burn patients as well as in
      patients who are hospitalized or have impaired immune systems. P. aeruginosa
      infections are difficult to treat owing to the high resistance of the pathogen to
      conventional antibiotics. Despite several efforts, no effective prophylactic
      vaccines against P. aeruginosa are currently available. In this study, we
      investigated the activity of the CIA06 adjuvant system, which is composed of alum
      and de-O-acylated lipooligosaccharide, on a P. aeruginosa outer membrane protein
      (OMP) antigen vaccine in mice. The results indicated that CIA06 significantly
      increased the antigen-specific IgG titers and opsonophagocytic activity of immune
      sera against P. aeruginosa. In addition, the antibodies induced by the CIA06
      adjuvanted vaccine exhibited higher cross-reactivity with heterologous P.
      aeruginosa strains. Finally, mice immunized with the CIA06-adjuvanted vaccine
      were effectively protected from lethal P. aeruginosa challenge. Based on these
      data, we suggest that the CIA06 adjuvant system might be used to promote the
      immunogenicity and protective efficacy of the P. aeruginosa OMP vaccine.

PMID- 28621113
TI  - Alteration of DNA Methylation in Gastric Cancer with Chemotherapy.
AB  - Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and
      chromatin remodeling can control gene expression by regulating gene
      transcription. DNA methylation is one of the frequent epigenetic events that play
      important roles in cancer development. Cancer cells can gain significant
      resistance to anticancer drugs and escape programmed cell death through major
      epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation. To date, several research groups
      have identified instances of both (i) hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes,
      and (ii) global hypomethylation of oncogenes. These changes in DNA methylation
      status could be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer
      patients undergoing chemotherapies or other clinical therapies. Herein, we
      describe genes for which methylation is dependent upon anticancer drug resistance
      in patients with gastric cancer; we then suggest a significant epigenetic target
      to focus on for overcoming anticancer drug resistance.

PMID- 28621114
TI  - Investigating the potential for protective effect against non-melanoma skin
      cancer in cancer patients receiving oral niacin.

PMID- 28621115
TI  - Is there an association between neurofibromatosis type I and vitiligo?

PMID- 28621116
TI  - Tinea faciei incognito.

PMID- 28621117
TI  - Subungual squamous cell carcinoma: a common pitfall in clinical practice.

PMID- 28621118
TI  - Concurrent Sweet's Syndrome and erythema nodosum in a patient with bilio
      pancreatic diversion.

PMID- 28621119
TI  - Eruptive xanthomas and pancretitis: clinical, dermatoscopy, confocal and
      pathological correlation.

PMID- 28621120
TI  - Self-inflicted skin lesions and trichotillomania due to rolled hair.

PMID- 28621121
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum and burns: a special pathergy phenomenon.

PMID- 28621122
TI  - The intralesional interleukin-2 is an adequate palliative treatment in cutaneous
      metastases of melanoma.

PMID- 28621123
TI  - Focus on pemphigoid associated with malignancies.

PMID- 28621124
TI  - Duration of response in vitiligo lesions after narrowband UVB phototherapy
      combined with tacrolimus ointment.

PMID- 28621125
TI  - Superficial acral fibromyxoma with CD10 expression: an underrecognized feature.

PMID- 28621126
TI  - Identification of Organic Iodine Compounds and Their Transformation Products in
      Edible Iodized Salt Using Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass
      Spectrometry.
AB  - The consumption of edible iodized salt is a key strategy to control and eliminate
      iodine deficiency disorders worldwide. We herein report the identification of the
      organic iodine compounds present in different edible iodized salt products using
      liquid chromatography combined with high resolution mass spectrometry. A total of
      38 organic iodine compounds and their transformation products (TPs) were
      identified in seaweed iodine salt from China. Our experiments confirmed that the
      TPs were generated by the replacement of I atoms from organic iodine compounds
      with Cl atoms. Furthermore, the organic iodine compound contents in 4 seaweed
      iodine salt samples obtained from different manufacturers were measured, with
      significant differences in content being observed. We expect that the
      identification of organic iodine compounds in salt will be important for
      estimating the validity and safety of edible iodized salt products.

PMID- 28621127
TI  - Understanding the Charge Transfer at the Interface of Electron Donors and
      Acceptors: TTF-TCNQ as an Example.
AB  - Charge transfer between an electron donor and an electron acceptor is widely
      accepted as being independent of their relative configurations if the interaction
      between them is weak; however, the limit of this concept for an interacting
      system has not yet been well established. Our study of prototypical electron
      donor-acceptor molecules, tetrathiafulvalene-tetracyanoquinodimethane, using
      density functional theory based on an advanced functional, clearly demonstrates
      that for interacting molecules, their configurational arrangement is as important
      as their individual electronic properties in the asymptotic limit to determine
      the charge transfer direction. For the first time, we demonstrate that by
      changing their relative orientation, one can reverse the charge transfer
      direction of the pair, causing the molecules to exchange roles as donor and
      acceptor. Our theory has important implications for understanding the interfacial
      charge-transfer mechanism of hybrid systems and related phenomena.

PMID- 28621128
TI  - Nitrogen-Doped Graphene on Transition Metal Substrates as Efficient Bifunctional
      Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions.
AB  - Composites of transition metal and carbon-based materials are promising
      bifunctional catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen
      evolution reaction (OER), and are widely used in rechargeable metal-air
      batteries. However, the mechanism of their enhanced bicatalytic activities
      remains elusive. Herein, we construct N-doped graphene supported by Co(111) and
      Fe(110) substrates as bifunctional catalysts for ORR and OER in alkaline media.
      First-principles calculations show that these heterostructures possess a large
      number of active sites for ORR and OER with overpotentials comparable to those of
      noble metal benchmark catalysts. The catalytic activity is modulated by the
      coupling strength between graphene and the metal substrates, as well as the
      charge distribution in the graphitic sheet, which is delicately mediated by N
      dopants. These theoretical results uncover the key parameters that govern the
      bicatalytic properties of hybrid materials and help prescribe the principles for
      designing multifunctional electrocatalysts of high performance.

PMID- 28621129
TI  - Multiscale Shear-Lag Analysis of Stiffness Enhancement in Polymer-Graphene
      Nanocomposites.
AB  - Graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials are of emerging interest as
      functional fillers in polymer-matrix composites. In this study, we present a
      multiscale atomistic-to-continuum approach for modeling interfacial stress
      transfer in graphene-high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposites. Via
      detailed characterization of atomic-level stress profiles in submicron graphene
      fillers, we develop a modified shear-lag model for short fillers. A key feature
      of our approach lies in the correct accounting of stress concentration at the
      ends of fillers that exhibits a power-law dependence on filler ("flaw") size,
      determined explicitly from atomistic simulations, without any ad hoc modeling
      assumptions. In addition to two parameters that quantify the end stress
      concentration, only one additional shear-lag parameter is required to quantify
      the atomic-level stress profiles in graphene fillers. This three-parameter model
      is found to be reliable for fillers with dimensions as small as ~10 nm. Our model
      predicts accurately the elastic response of aligned graphene-HDPE composites and
      provides appropriate upper bounds for the elastic moduli of nanocomposites with
      more realistic randomly distributed and oriented fillers. This study provides a
      systematic approach for developing hierarchical multiscale models of 2D material
      based nanocomposites and is of particular relevance for short fillers, which are,
      currently, typical of solution-processed 2D materials.

PMID- 28621130
TI  - Loading Cd0.5Zn0.5S Quantum Dots onto Onion-Like Carbon Nanoparticles to Boost
      Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation.
AB  - Carbon dots (C dots, size < 10 nm) have been conventionally decorated onto
      semiconductor matrixes for photocatalytic H2 evolution, but the efficiency is
      largely limited by the low loading ratio of the C dots on the photocatalyst.
      Here, we propose an inverse structure of Cd0.5Zn0.5S quantum dots (QDs) loaded
      onto the onionlike carbon (OLC) matrix for noble metal-free photocatalytic H2
      evolution. Cd0.5Zn0.5S QDs (6.9 nm) were uniformly distributed on an OLC (30 nm)
      matrix with both upconverted and downconverted photoluminescence property. Such
      an inverse structure allows the full optimization of the QD/OLC interfaces for
      effective energy transfer and charge separation, both of which contribute to
      efficient H2 generation. An optimized H2 generation rate of 2018 MUmol/h/g (under
      the irradiation of visible light) and 58.6 MUmol/h/g (under the irradiation of
      550-900 nm light) was achieved in the Cd0.5Zn0.5S/OLC composite samples. The
      present work shows that using the OLC matrix in such a reverse construction is a
      promising strategy for noble metal-free solar hydrogen production.

PMID- 28621132
TI  - One-Pot Consecutive Sulfonamidation/ipso-Cyclization Strategy for the
      Construction of Azaspirocyclohexadienones.
AB  - Harnessing of Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates of acetylenic aldehydes as
      handy synthons has allowed a facile synthesis of azaspirocyclohexadienones by
      sequential DABCO-promoted sulfonamidation/ICl-mediated ipso-iodocyclization
      reactions. A variety of MBH-carbonates having aryl or heteroaryl groups on the
      alkyne functionality fruitfully participated in the one-pot ipso-annulation
      reaction to provide the corresponding 3-iodo spirocyclohexadienones. The
      sulphonamide functionality was further utilized to construct the tricyclic fused
      sultam framework.

PMID- 28621131
TI  - NHC Ligands Tailored for Simultaneous Regio- and Enantiocontrol in Nickel
      Catalyzed Reductive Couplings.
AB  - An exceptionally hindered class of enantiopure NHC ligands has been developed.
      While racemic forms had previously been utilized, a scalable and practical route
      to the enantiopure form of this ligand class is described utilizing a Buchwald
      Hartwig N,N-diarylation in a highly sterically demanding environment. Using this
      newly accessible ligand class, nickel-catalyzed enantioselective reductive
      coupling reactions of aldehydes and alkynes have been developed. These studies
      illustrate that the newly available NHC ligands are well suited for simultaneous
      control of regio- and enantioselectivity, even in cases with internal alkynes
      possessing only very subtle steric differences between two aliphatic
      substituents. The steric demand of the new ligand class enables a complementary
      regiochemical outcome compared with previously described enantioselective
      processes. Using this method, a number of allylic alcohol derivatives were
      efficiently obtained with high regioselectivity (up to >95:5) and high
      enantioselectivity (up to 94% ee). The reaction conditions can also be extended
      to the reaction of aldehydes and allenes, providing silyl-protected allylic
      alcohol derivatives possessing a terminal methylene substituent. Computational
      studies have explained the origin of the exceptional steric demand of this ligand
      class, the basis for enantioselectivity, and the cooperative relationship of the
      aldehyde, alkyne, and ligand in influencing enantioselectivity.

PMID- 28621133
TI  - Development of a beta-C-H Bromination Approach toward the Synthesis of
      Jerantinine E.
AB  - The development of an asymmetric and highly convergent three-component synthesis
      of the functionalized ABC ring system of the Aspidosperma alkaloid jerantinine E
      is reported. The presented synthetic strategy relies on our recently developed
      method for the one-pot beta-C-H bromination of enones, which allows for rapid
      construction of the tricyclic tetrahydrocarbazolone core via a palladium
      catalyzed amination and oxidative indole formation. Moreover, a secondary amine
      building block that contains all carbon atoms of the D and E ring of the natural
      product could be installed in three additional steps.

PMID- 28621134
TI  - Surfactant- and Binder-Free Hierarchical Platinum Nanoarrays Directly Grown onto
      a Carbon Felt Electrode for Efficient Electrocatalysis.
AB  - The future of fuel cells that convert chemical energy to electricity relies
      mostly on the efficiency of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to its sluggish
      kinetics. By effectively bypassing the use of organic surfactants, the
      postsynthesis steps for immobilization onto electrodes, catalytic ink preparation
      using binders, and the common problem of nanoparticles (NPs) detachment from the
      supports involved in traditional methodologies, we demonstrate a versatile
      electrodeposition method for growing anisotropic microstructures directly onto a
      three-dimensional (3D) carbon felt electrode, using platinum NPs as the
      elementary building blocks. The as-synthesized materials were extensively
      characterized by integrating methods of physical (thermogravimetric analysis, X
      ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma, and X
      ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and electroanalytical (voltammetry,
      electrochemical impedance spectrometry) chemistry to examine the intricate
      relationship of material-to-performance and select the best-performing
      electrocatalyst to be applied in the model reaction of ORR for its practical
      integration into a microbial fuel cell (MFC). A tightly optimized procedure
      enables decorating an electrochemically activated carbon felt electrode by 40-60
      nm ultrathin 3D-interconnected platinum nanoarrays leading to a hierarchical
      framework of ca. 500 nm. Half-cell reactions reveal that the highly rough
      metallic surface exhibits improved activity and stability toward ORR (Eonset ~
      1.1 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode, p(HO2-) < 0.1%) and the hydrogen
      evolution reaction (-10 mA cm-2 for only 75 mV overpotential). Owing to its
      unique features, the developed material showed distinguished performance as an
      air-breathing cathode in a garden compost MFC, exhibiting better current and
      faster power generation than those of its equivalent classical double chamber.
      The enhanced performance of the material obtained herein is explained by the
      absence of any organic surfactants on the surface of the nanoarrays, the good
      metal-support interaction, particular morphology of the nanoarrays, and the
      reduced aggregation/detachment of particles. It promises a radical improvement in
      current surface reactions and paves a new way toward electrodes with regulated
      surface roughness, allowing for their successful application in heterogeneous
      catalysis.

PMID- 28621135
TI  - (E)- and (Z)-Stereodefined Enol Sulfate Esters Derived from alpha-Aryl Aldehydes:
      Stereocomplementary Synthesis of Styryl Sulfate Natural Products.
AB  - A method for the stereoselective formation of enol sulfate esters from alpha-aryl
      aldehydes is described. This method involved the stereocontrolled enolization of
      a carbonyl group with DBU or t-BuOK followed by trapping with a reactive sulfuryl
      imidazolium salt, providing the corresponding styryl enol sulfate esters in good
      to excellent yields and stereoselectivities. This method was applied to the first
      total synthesis of the enol sulfate natural products in a stereocomplementary
      manner.

PMID- 28621136
TI  - Three-Dimensional Morphology Control Yielding Enhanced Hole Mobility in Air
      Processed Organic Photovoltaics: Demonstration with Grazing-Incidence Wide-Angle
      X-ray Scattering.
AB  - Polymer organic photovoltaic (OPV) device performance is defined by the three
      dimensional morphology of the phase-separated domains in the active layer. Here,
      we determine the evolution of morphology through different stages of tailored
      solvent vapor and thermal annealing techniques in air-processed poly(3
      hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl)/phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester-based OPV blends. A
      comparative evaluation of the effect of solvent type used for vapor annealing was
      performed using grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force
      microscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy to probe the active-layer morphology. A
      nonhalogenated orthogonal solvent was found to impart controlled morphological
      features within the exciton diffusion length scales, enhanced absorbance, greater
      crystallinity, increased paracrystalline disorder, and improved charge-carrier
      mobility. Low-boiling, fast-diffusing isopropanol allowed the greatest control
      over the nanoscale structure of the solvents evaluated and yielded a cocontinuous
      morphology with narrowed domains and enhanced paths for the charge carrier to
      reach the anode.

PMID- 28621137
TI  - Enantioselective Copper-Catalyzed Oxy-Alkynylation of Diazo Compounds.
AB  - Enantioselective catalytic methods allowing the addition of both a nucleophile
      and an electrophile onto diazo compounds give a fast access into important
      building blocks. Herein, we report the highly enantioselective oxyalkynylation of
      diazo compounds using ethynylbenziodoxol-(on)e reagents and a simple copper
      bisoxazoline catalyst. The obtained alpha-benzoyloxy propargylic esters are
      useful building blocks, which are difficult to synthesize in enantiopure form
      using other methods. The obtained products could be efficiently transformed into
      vicinal diols and alpha-hydroxy propargylic esters without loss in enantiopurity.

PMID- 28621138
TI  - Divergent Synthesis of Solanidine and 22-epi-Solanidine.
AB  - A divergent synthesis of solanidine and 22-epi-solanidine, two 25S natural
      steroidal alkaloids, from 25R-configured diosgenin acetate, is described.
      Initially, solanidine was synthesized through a series of transformations
      including a cascade ring-switching process of furostan-26-acid, an epimerization
      of C25 controlled by the conformation of six-membered lactone ring, an
      intramolecular Schmidt reaction, and an imine reduction/intramolecular aminolysis
      process. To address the epimerization issue during Schmidt reaction, an improved
      synthesis was developed, which also led to a synthesis of 22-epi-solanidine. In
      this synthesis, selective transformation of azido lactone to azido diol and amino
      diol was realized through a reduction relay tactic. The azido diol was
      transformed to solanidine via an intramolecular Schmidt reaction/N
      alkylation/reduction process and to 22-epi-solanidine via an intramolecular
      double N-alkylation process.

PMID- 28621139
TI  - Coupling Urinary Trihalomethanes and Metabolomic Profiles of Type II Diabetes: A
      Case-Control Study.
AB  - Abiding by the exposome paradigm, incorporation of external and internal exposure
      metrics using metabolomics tools is warranted to refine the etiology of type II
      diabetes (T2D). A small (n = 51) age- and sex-matched case-control study was
      conducted in Cyprus coupling urinary trihalomethanes (THMs) with T2D. The
      objectives were to (i) perform a comparative assessment of different
      deconvolution parameters in compound identification and (ii) evaluate the
      association between differentially expressed metabolites and either urinary THM
      or T2D status. Untargeted urinary metabolomics was performed with a GC-MS triple
      quadrupole mass spectrometry system. Results of three deconvolution searches each
      yielding >130 metabolites were used in subsequent analyses. The number of
      differentially expressed compounds by T2D status or the urinary THM levels (above
      or below median) differed among the three searches. The identity of these
      compounds was also confirmed using known standards (level 1 identification). In
      multivariate logistic regression, 3-aminoisobutyric acid was an important
      predictor of lower odds of T2D after adjusting for known risk factors. The
      widespread incorporation of metabolomics in population studies accounting for
      environmental exposures will eventually pave the way for the exposome
      characterization, also improving our understanding of the disease process.

PMID- 28621140
TI  - Long-Lived Photoinduced Polarons in Organohalide Perovskites.
AB  - The long diffusion length of charge carriers in the CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite is one
      of the most relevant properties for explaining the high photovoltaic efficiency
      of perovskite solar cells. As a possible mechanism for the large diffusion length
      of electrons and holes, several authors suggested a reduced coulomb attraction of
      the carriers due to the formation of polarons. Here we performed continuous wave
      far-infrared photoinduced absorption (PIA) experiments on CH3NH3PbI3; spectral
      changes are associated with local deformation of the lattice around the
      photogenerated long-lived charges, a typical signature of photoinduced polarons.
      Ab initio calculations show confinement of charge carriers at the interface
      between structural domains characterized by a different tilting of the PbI6
      octahedra. The differential IR spectrum between unperturbed and perturbed
      simulated structures shows a close pattern to the experimental PIA. Positive and
      negative charges are confined in different varieties of the perovskites coherent
      with the low recombination and long diffusion length of photogenerated carriers.

PMID- 28621142
TI  - Androgen deprivation therapy and cardiovascular complications.
AB  - Cardiovascular complications associated with the use of antiandrogens have
      already been known for some time. Based on the results of the latest meta
      analyses and clinical studies published in the last few years, the attention of
      the scientific community is focused on the deleterious cardiovascular effects of
      gonadotropine-releasing hormon agonists in context of the androgen deprivating
      therapy. The cardiac toxicity is a problem especially in patients with
      preexisting cardiovascular comorbidities. Increased arterial wall thickening
      along with endothelial dysfunction has been observed in patients with descreased
      androgens levels in the peripheral blood. The treatment with gonadotropine
      releasing hormon agonists may disrupt the intracellular concentration of calcium
      ions and the contractile process and potentially result in pathological
      remodelling of heart. Here, we give several possible mechanisms of action of
      gonadotropine-releasing hormon agonists on the cardiovascular system that may be
      a potential explanation of the clinical observations (Ref. 44).

PMID- 28621145
TI  - Evaluating the Hierarchical Structure of ADHD Symptoms and Invariance Across Age
      and Gender.
AB  - The bifactor model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been
      extensively explored, yet the tendency of the bifactor model to overfit data
      necessitates investigation of alternative, more parsimonious models, such as a
      modified bifactor structure. The present study used item response theory to
      compare unidimensional, correlated factors, bifactor, and modified bifactor
      models of ADHD symptoms in a clinical sample of youth ( N = 1,612) and examined
      differential item functioning (DIF) by age (<11 and >=11 years) and gender.
      Results suggested that two restricted bifactor models showed superior fit
      compared with alternative models, and support strong general and inattention
      dimensions, with unreliable hyperactivity and impulsivity dimensions. No DIF was
      found across gender or age. The present study confirms that the general dimension
      (i.e., inhibition) and one specific dimension (i.e., sustained attention)
      represent distinct variability in ADHD symptoms that may improve prediction of
      symptom persistence, treatment response, or functional outcomes.

PMID- 28621146
TI  - Dissociation of Executive and Attentional Elements of the Digit Span Task in a
      Population of Older Adults: A Latent Class Analysis.
AB  - The prevailing model for working memory proposes the existence of a "central
      executive" responsible for coordinating and prioritizing incoming information
      from sensory and association cortices. The Digit Span task is commonly used by
      clinicians to parse attentional and executive components of working memory;
      however, the interrelatedness of these constructs in the context of advanced age
      and neurodegenerative disease remains an area of active investigation. The
      current study details a procedure and rationale for the use of latent class
      analysis, a data-driven, person-centered method, in the investigation of older
      adults and dementia. Class analysis of digit span performance in older adults ( n
      = 874) drawn from a specialty clinic revealed four classes with distinct
      performance across task subcomponents. In three of the classes, attentional and
      executive elements demonstrated similar performance. The fourth class and
      implications of class structure are discussed in the context of aging.

PMID- 28621147
TI  - Confirmatory factor analysis of the revised version of the Thai multidimensional
      scale of perceived social support among the elderly with depression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Difficulties in modeling the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived
      Social Support (MSPSS) have occurred, and these were corrected in the revised
      version of the Thai MSPSS. However, the revised version has not been tested in
      elderly populations. The present study aimed at confirming the factor structure
      of the revised version of the MSPSS among the elderly with depressive disorders,
      in populations with or without depressive disorders. METHODS: Eight hundred and
      three elderly patients were recruited from four tertiary hospitals; 190 (23.7%)
      had depressive disorders. All completed the revised Thai MSPSS consisting of 12
      items, using a 7-point Likert scale. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the
      MSPSS was conducted in both groups. RESULTS: The mean age was 69.24 years (SD
      6.88), and 70% of the sample was female. There were no significant difference in
      demographic data between two groups. The revised version of the Thai MSPSS
      provided excellent internal consistency. The three-factor model was clearly
      superior to other alternative models in both depressed and non-depressed groups.
      CFA for the whole group revealed an acceptable model fit: chi2 = 147.44, df = 45,
      p < 0.001; Tucker-Lewis Index 0.975; Comparative Fit Index 0.982; Good Fit Index
      0.966; and root-mean-square error of approximation 0.056. The fit statistics in
      the depressed group was better than in the non-depressed group across all models.
      CONCLUSIONS: Due to its robust factor structure, these data support the use of
      the revised MSPSS as a brief instrument for assessing perceived social support in
      the elderly with or without depressive disorders.

PMID- 28621148
TI  - Association between cognitive vulnerability to depression - dysfunctional
      attitudes and glycaemic control among in-patients with type 2 diabetes in a
      hospital in Beijing: a multivariate regression analysis.
AB  - This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between
      glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and cognitive vulnerability to depression
      (dysfunctional attitudes) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of
      245 valid records from June 2016 to December 2016 were collected from a hospital
      in Beijing. Participants were asked to complete four questionnaires
      (Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, Zung Self
      rating Depression Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument
      Short Form) to assess mental health and quality of life. Multivariate regression
      analysis was conducted to determine the correlations between HbA1c, mental
      health, quality of life and other clinical variables. The results showed that
      dysfunctional attitudes were associated with HbA1c, with a standardized
      regression coefficient (beta) of .13 (p = .01), although 1 h C-peptide (beta = 
      .75, p < .0001) was the most significant predictor of HbA1c in the regression
      model. The results indicated that dysfunctional attitudes, as a cognitive
      vulnerability to depression, were a relevant factor in HbA1c, although further
      studies are needed to establish the nature of the connection between
      dysfunctional attitudes and glycaemic control in diabetes patients.

PMID- 28621150
TI  - Caregiving Burden and Life Satisfaction Among Caregivers of Cancer Patients
      Admitted to the Emergency Department.
AB  - This descriptive and cross-sectional study aimed to determine caregiving burden
      and life satisfaction among caregivers of cancer patients admitted to the
      emergency department. The study included 272 caregivers. Data were collected
      using an information form, the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and the Satisfaction
      With Life Scale (SWLS). Among the patients, 19.1% were diagnosed with lung
      cancer; 44.1% were in the fourth stage of their disease; and 52% had metastasis.
      The mean ZBI total score was 41.2 +/- 9.7, while the mean SWLS total score of
      caregivers was 17.6 +/- 4.0. It was concluded that the mean ZBI and SWLS scores
      of patients' caregivers were moderately and negatively correlated ( p < .001, r =
      -.485). There was a negative and significant relationship between caregiving
      burden and quality of life.

PMID- 28621149
TI  - Identification and evaluation of lncRNA and mRNA integrative modules in human
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
AB  - AIM: To identify sets of functionally related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and
      mRNAs and to evaluate the importance of lncRNAs in an lncRNA-mRNA network.
      METHODS: We carried out weighted gene co-expression network analysis and
      enrichment analyses to identify functional modules of co-expressed lncRNAs and
      mRNAs in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 43 females. RESULTS: We
      identified seven modules and found hub lncRNAs in each module. Four of the seven
      modules had significant gene ontology enrichments. Some of the hub lncRNAs (e.g.,
      SSX8, UCA1, HOXA-AS2, STARD4-AS1 and PCBP1-AS1) have known functions related with
      diseases such as cancers. CONCLUSION: We identified seven biologically important
      lncRNA and mRNA integrative modules in females and showed that lncRNAs might play
      important roles in lncRNA-mRNA co-expression modules.

PMID- 28621151
TI  - Case report and literature review on contrast-induced encephalopathy.
AB  - Contrast-induced encephalopathy (CIE) is a rare neurological complication
      following the administration of injectable intravascular contrast media. Patients
      with CIE present a wide spectrum of symptoms such as headache, transient cortical
      blindness, seizure and focal neurological deficits. The diagnosis of CIE requires
      a high index of suspicion. Its early recognition is of paramount importance in
      instituting the appropriate supportive treatment in the form of intravenous
      fluids and also in avoiding unnecessary potentially harmful treatment such as
      intravenous thrombolysis for suspected ischemic stroke. Here, we report the case
      of a 62-year-old male patient with a typical presentation of CIE immediately
      following coronary angiography. We then continue to briefly review the relevant
      literature on CIE to date.

PMID- 28621152
TI  - Racial Disparities in Health Service Utilization Among Medicare Fee-for-Service
      Beneficiaries Adjusting for Multiple Chronic Conditions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine racial disparities in health services utilization in Hawaii
      among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 years and above. METHOD: All
      cause utilization of inpatient, outpatient, emergency, home health agency, and
      skilled nursing facility admissions were investigated using 2012 Medicare data.
      For each type of service, multivariable logistic regression model was used to
      investigate racial disparities adjusting for sociodemographic factors and
      multiple chronic conditions. RESULTS: Of the 84,212 beneficiaries, 27.8% were
      White, 27.4% were Asian, 27.3% were Pacific Islanders; 70.3% had two or more
      chronic conditions and 10.5% had six or more. Compared with Whites, all racial
      groups experienced underutilization across all types of services. As the number
      of chronic conditions increased, the utilization of inpatient, home health care,
      and skilled nursing facility dramatically increased. DISCUSSION: Disparities
      persist among Asians and Pacific Islanders who encounter the problem of
      underutilization of various health services compared with Whites.

PMID- 28621153
TI  - Depression in primary Sjogren's syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - There is substantial uncertainty regarding the prevalence of depression in
      Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). We conducted a systematic review aiming to
      evaluate the association of pSS with depression. PubMed, Web of Science, VIP,
      CNKI and Wanfang database were searched to find the published literatures (from
      these databases established to October 2016). Studies were screened according to
      inclusion and exclusion criteria and the qualities of included studies were
      evaluated. The data was analyzed using Revman5.2 software. A total of 12 studies
      including 1917 patients were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review and
      meta-analysis. In this meta-analysis, Severity of depression was assessed using
      psychometric measures, such as PHQ-9; HADS; CES-D; Zung depression scale and BDI.
      The result revealed that pSS was associated with an increased prevalence of
      depression (summary odds ratio (OR) = 5.36, 95% CI: 4.05-7.09, P < 0.01). The
      depression score in pSS patients (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.47, 95%
      CI: 0.81-2.12, P < 0.01) were higher than in the control group. Depression is
      highly prevalent in pSS than in healthy controls. Early recognition and
      appropriate intervention are therefore essential to reduce the negative impact of
      depression on the patient's quality of life and outcome of their disease.

PMID- 28621154
TI  - Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Changes in Successful Aging in Spain: A
      Follow-Up Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Successful aging (SA) refers to maintaining well-being in old age.
      Several definitions or models of SA exist (biomedical, psychosocial, and mixed).
      We examined the longitudinal association between various SA models and
      sociodemographic factors, and analyzed the patterns of change within these
      models. METHOD: This was a nationally representative follow-up in Spain including
      3,625 individuals aged >=50 years. Some 1,970 individuals were interviewed after
      3 years. Linear regression models were used to analyze the survey data. RESULTS:
      Age, sex, and occupation predicted SA in the biomedical model, while marital
      status, educational level, and urbanicity predicted SA in the psychosocial model.
      The remaining models included different sets of these predictors as significant.
      In the psychosocial model, individuals tended to improve over time but this was
      not the case in the biomedical model. CONCLUSION: The biomedical and psychosocial
      components of SA need to be addressed specifically to achieve the best aging
      trajectories.

PMID- 28621155
TI  - The role of telemedicine in obstructive sleep apnea management.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease that leads in
      notorious symptoms and comorbidities. Although general measures are important,
      continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the best treatment option. However,
      compliance can be suboptimal and telemedicine may play a role to improve it.
      Areas covered: Review authors searched EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane data bases
      using the following keywords: continuous positive airway pressure, Obstructive
      sleep apnea, telemedicine, respiratory telemedicine, information and
      communication technology. Papers published between 2000 and 2016 in English
      language were considered. Expert commentary: To improve OSA management, there is
      a pressing need to develop new cost-effective strategies, particularly those
      related to OSA treatment, from measures such as lifestyle changes to CPAP use.
      Two broad strategies should be implemented: 1) adequate pre-, peri-, and post
      titration measures to ensure correct diagnosis, adequate training, and
      appropriate support during follow up; and 2) the use of technological advances
      including both the optimization of CPAP devices and the use of telemedicine,
      specially focused on the first days or weeks of treatment. Telemedicine can help
      with these processes, especially when it is personalized to the needs of each
      patient group.

PMID- 28621156
TI  - Pilot study: use of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in feline renal transplant
      recipients.
AB  - Objectives The study aims were to evaluate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced
      ultrasonography in feline renal transplant recipients in the post-transplantation
      period and to report findings in a case with presumptive delayed allograft
      ischemia. Methods Cats were imaged postoperatively using contrast harmonic
      ultrasonography after a bolus injection of a microbubble contrast medium.
      Time/mean pixel intensity curves were generated for cortical and medullary
      regions of interest in the renal allograft in each cat. Arrival time, time to
      peak, wash-in slope, wash-out slope, mean transit time and renal blood flow were
      calculated for each area. Results Within the renal cortices of cats without
      ureteral obstruction 1 day post-transplantation, arrival time was 2.0-6.3 s, time
      to peak was 3.6-30.1 s, wash-in rate was 2.45-41.14 mean pixel intensity (MPI)/s,
      wash-out rate was -2.01 to -0.47 MPI/s and blood flow was 6.1-106.5 MPI/s. Ratio
      mean transit time was 0.29-1.29. Typical cortical and medullary perfusion
      patterns were observed in these cats. In one cat with delayed graft ischemia
      followed by presumptive acute transplant rejection, dynamic and heterogeneous
      cortical and medullary perfusion was demonstrated. Decreases in cortical blood
      flow were paralleled by elevated serum creatinine. Conclusions and relevance
      Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can be used in feline renal transplant
      recipients and provides both qualitative and quantitative data regarding renal
      allograft perfusion.

PMID- 28621157
TI  - Predicting Individual Differences in Reading and Spelling Skill With Artificial
      Script-Based Letter-Speech Sound Training.
AB  - In this study, we examined the learning of letter-speech sound correspondences
      within an artificial script and performed an experimental analysis of letter
      speech sound learning among dyslexic and normal readers vis-a-vis phonological
      awareness, rapid automatized naming, reading, and spelling. Participants were
      provided with 20 min of training aimed at learning eight new basic letter-speech
      sound correspondences, followed by a short assessment of mastery of the
      correspondences and word-reading ability in this unfamiliar script. Our results
      demonstrated that brief training is moderately successful in differentiating
      dyslexic readers from normal readers in their ability to learn letter-speech
      sound correspondences. The normal readers outperformed the dyslexic readers for
      accuracy and speed on a letter-speech sound matching task, as well as on a word
      reading task containing familiar words written in the artificial orthography.
      Importantly, the new artificial script-related measures were related to
      phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming and made a unique
      contribution in predicting individual differences in reading and spelling
      ability. Our results are consistent with the view that a fundamental letter
      speech sound learning deficit is a key factor in dyslexia.

PMID- 28621158
TI  - Signaling pathway profiling using reverse-phase protein array and its clinical
      applications.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Increased accessibility to next-generation sequencing within the
      last decade has led to a paradigm shift in cancer treatment from one-size-fits
      all medicine to precision medicine providing therapeutic strategies tailored to
      the requirements of individual patients. However, the effect of even the most
      successful agent yet tested is only transient, and durable efficacy has yet to be
      achieved. Genome- and transcriptome-based approaches cannot fully predict the
      diversity of protein expression patterns or post-translational modifications that
      directly contribute to cancer pathogenesis and physiology. This underscores the
      need for concordant proteomic analysis in the next stage of precision medicine.
      Areas covered: This review begins with an overview of the recent advances and
      trends in precision medicine that currently rely on genomics, and highlights the
      utility of antibody-based reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) technology as a
      proteomic tool in this context. Expert commentary: RPPA is well suited for
      pharmacodynamics analysis in view of its ability to precisely map signaling
      status using limited amounts of clinical samples. In addition, the cost
      effectiveness and rapid turn-around time of the RPPA platform offer a substantial
      advantage over existing molecular profiling technologies in clinical settings.

PMID- 28621159
TI  - Dual antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: For two decades, triple combinations of antiretrovirals have been
      the standard treatment for HIV infection. The challenges of such lifelong therapy
      include long-term side effects, high costs and reduced drug adherence. The recent
      advent of more potent and safer antiretrovirals has renewed the interest for
      simpler HIV regimens. Areas covered: We discuss the pros and cons of dual
      antiretroviral therapies in both drug-naive and in treatment-experienced patients
      with viral suppression (switch strategy). Expert opinion: Some dual
      antiretroviral regimens are safe and efficacious, particularly as maintenance
      therapy. At this time, combinations of dolutegravir plus rilpivirine represent
      the best dual regimen. Longer follow-up and larger study populations are needed
      before supporting dolutegravir plus lamivudine. In contrast, dual therapy based
      on maraviroc is less effective. Although dual regimens with boosted protease
      inhibitors plus either lamivudine or raltegravir may be effective, they are
      penalized by metabolic side effects and risk for drug interactions. The newest
      dual regimens could save money, reduce toxicity and spare drug options for the
      future. For the first time in HIV therapeutics, less can be more. Dual therapy
      switching has set up a new paradigm in HIV treatment that uses induction
      maintenance.

PMID- 28621161
TI  - DNA methylation patterns in ulcerative colitis-associated cancer: a systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence points to the role of DNA methylation in ulcerative colitis
      (UC)-associated cancer (UCC), the most serious complication of ulcerative
      colitis. A better understanding of the etiology of UCC may facilitate the
      development of new therapeutic targets and help to identify biomarkers of the
      disease risk. METHODS: A search was performed in three databases following PRISMA
      protocol. DNA methylation in UCC was compared with sporadic colorectal cancer
      (SCRC), and individual genes differently methylated in UCC identified. RESULTS:
      While there were some similarities in the methylation patterns of UCC compared
      with SCRC, generally lower levels of hypermethylation in promoter regions of
      individual genes was evident in UCC. Certain individual genes are, however,
      highly methylated in colitis-associated cancer: RUNX3, MINT1, MYOD and p16 exon1
      and the promoter regions of EYA4 and ESR. CONCLUSION: Patterns of DNA methylation
      differ between UCC and SCRC. Seven genes appear to be promising putative
      biomarkers.

PMID- 28621160
TI  - Epigenome-wide association study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
      lung function in Koreans.
AB  - AIM: To identify differentially methylated probes (DMPs) and regions (DMRs) in
      relation to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung function
      traits. METHODS: We performed an epigenome-wide association study of COPD and
      spirometric parameters, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced
      vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC, in blood DNA using the Infinium
      HumanMethylation450 (n = 100, a Korean COPD cohort). RESULTS: We found one
      significant DMP (cg03559389, DIP2C) and 104 significant DMRs after multiple
      testing correction. Of these, 34 DMRs mapped to genes differential expressed with
      respect to the same trait. Five of the genes were associated with more than two
      traits: CTU2, USP36, ZNF516, KLK10 and CPT1B. CONCLUSION: We identified novel
      differential methylation loci related to COPD and lung function in blood DNA in
      Koreans and confirmed previous findings in non-Asians. Epigenetic modification
      could contribute to the etiology of these phenotypes.

PMID- 28621162
TI  - Single-centre experience of STENTYS Xposition S in treatment of left main stem
      lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The second generation STENTYS Xposition S self-expanding stent with a
      novel balloon delivery system was launched in May 2015. The stents unique
      properties are well suited for the treatment of left main stem disease where
      large diameters, coverage of diameter differences and precise positioning are
      required. We report the first consecutive experience of using this device in the
      treatment of left main stem lesions. METHODS: 20 consecutive patients with a mean
      age of 73.9+/-10.1 years were treated over a period of 8 months at our
      institution and were assessed on the parameters of technical, angiographic and
      procedural success. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 95% of cases and
      angiographic success in 80% of cases. There was no incidence of geographical
      miss. Side branch access was straightforward, with no failure to recross stent
      struts, dilate or deploy a second stent if required. In this unselected clinical
      cohort, 2 critically ill patients with cardiogenic shock on presentation died
      despite successful revascularisation. There was no incidence of early stent
      related complications up to 30-day follow up. CONCLUSION: This first consecutive
      series of left main lesions treated with STENTYS Xposition S documents high acute
      technical and procedural success rates.

PMID- 28621163
TI  - Eribulin in advanced liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The heterogeneity of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) presents a
      formidable management challenge. Consequently, one of the main research goals is
      to define specific tailored therapy for each histological subtype and to develop
      a more personalised approach to treatment. The standard first line chemotherapy
      for advanced STS is doxorubicin, with or without ifosfamide, however, a number of
      different drugs are emerging as active therapies beyond first-line. Areas
      covered: Eribulin has recently been approved for advanced liposarcoma, after an
      anthracycline-containing regimen, demonstrating an overall survival (OS)
      advantage in liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma in a randomised Phase III clinical
      trial. In this manuscript, an overview of the efficacy and safety of eribulin in
      STS is presented, highlighting different clinical outcomes between histological
      subtypes and comparing data with other effective drugs used in the treatment of
      sarcomas. The potential mechanisms of action of eribulin are also described,
      including its activity as potent microtubule-destabilizing anticancer agent,
      which has other antitumor biological effects. Expert commentary: Eribulin is
      highly effective in some STS populations and also has an acceptable toxicity
      profile. Further studies are required to better understand the precise mechanism
      of action of this agent and potential role in combination schedules.

PMID- 28621165
TI  - Prolactin levels in risperidone treatment of first-episode schizophrenia.
AB  - OBJECTS: To evaluate the risperidone effect on prolactin (PRL) levels and to
      analyse the relation between PRL change and treatment response in first-episode
      schizophrenia patients. METHOD: Patients with a first-episode of schizophrenia
      who were consecutively admitted for hospitalisation participated in a
      longitudinal follow-up study that included clinical evaluation (PANSS) and PRL
      assessment. All patients were treated under open conditions with risperidone.
      RESULTS: Risperidone in an average dose lower than 4 mg significantly improved
      both positive and negative symptoms. Co-operating responders undergoing
      maintenance therapy showed a mild trend towards further long-term improvement. At
      the end of acute treatment the average elevation of PRL levels almost doubled the
      baseline value. There was a trend among responders to return to their initial
      values during long-term therapy. Three-quarters of the subjects had
      hyperprolactinaemia at the end of acute treatment (44 days), and after 1 year
      about one-quarter had hyperprolactinaemia. No significant correlation between PRL
      change and PANSS score change was found. CONCLUSION: There is a considerable
      variation of PRL elevation among subjects. In some patients the development of
      tolerance of the PRL-elevating effect was observed. Risperidone-induced changes
      of PRL levels may not be associated with treatment response.

PMID- 28621164
TI  - Effect of psoriasis activity and topical treatment on plasma epidermal growth
      factor (EGF) and its soluble receptor (sEGFR).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pathogenesis of psoriasis involves epidermal growth factor (EGF) that
      participates in keratinocyte proliferation, angiogenesis and cell differentiation
      through binding to soluble epidermal growth factor receptor (sEGFR). It is
      synthesised by, among others, keratinocytes, especially within psoriatic skin.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate EGF and sEGFR plasma concentrations during topical
      psoriatic treatment. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 51 patients with
      plaque psoriasis. EGF and sEGFR plasma concentrations were examined with
      immunoenzymatic method prior and 14 days after topical treatment. The outcomes
      were analyzed with respect to PASI. RESULTS: Mean EGF concentration was higher in
      the plasma of psoriatic patients compared to the control group (p = .401) while
      mean sEGFR concentration was over twofold lower compared to the control group (p
      < .001). After the therapy, an insignificant decrease in EGF plasma concentration
      (p = .835) and a significant increase in sEGFR concentration (p = .017) compared
      to initial values were observed. The coefficient of EGF/sEGFR concentration
      calculated for each individual had similar values before and after the treatment
      (p = .009), both of which were significantly higher compared to control group
      (respectively p < .001, p < .008). CONCLUSION: Epidermal growth factor and its
      soluble receptor may be a useful markers in monitoring clinical course of
      psoriasis and the effectiveness of therapy.

PMID- 28621166
TI  - L-Asparaginase for newly diagnosed extra-nodal NK/T-cell lymphoma: systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to compare the efficacy of asparaginase
      (ASP)-containing vs ASP-absent regimens in the first-line treatment of ENKTL
      patients. METHODS: The PRISMA protocol was used to search PubMed and Embase for
      both controlled and uncontrolled studies of ASP or alternative chemotherapy (CT)
      for newly diagnosed ENKTL, published in English by March 2017. The regimens were
      compared to calculate relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of the
      overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) or partial response (PR).
      RESULTS: Out of 38 studies included, eight were controlled trials, with the
      pooled RR of ORR in stage I-II 1.54 (95% CI 1.34-1.77); stage I-IV 1.34 (95% CI
      1.09-1.64). In stage III-IV CT combined with radiotherapy (RT), RR of ORR was
      2.30 (95% CI 1.66-3.18). ASP was also superior in achieving CR. When all single
      arms combined, RR of ORR after CT with ASP was 1.52 (95% CI 1.38-1.67) in stage I
      II (15 studies); 1.44 (95% CI 1.32-1.57) in all stages (29 studies); 1.31 (95% CI
      1.24-1.38) and 1.66 (95% CI 1.18-2.34) in stages I-II and III-IV combined with
      RT, correspondingly. CONCLUSIONS: ASP-based CT significantly improved ORR and CR
      in patients with newly diagnosed both early-stage and advanced-stage ENKTL.

PMID- 28621167
TI  - Interview with Darrell Kotton.
AB  - Dr Kotton is the David Seldin Professor of Medicine and the founding Director of
      the Center for Regenerative Medicine of Boston University and Boston Medical
      Center. He conducts basic stem cell research as an NIH-funded Principle
      Investigator in the Kotton Laboratory (focused on stem cell biology and gene
      therapy related to lung injury and repair). In addition, he attends in the
      Medical Intensive Care Unit, the Pulmonary Consultation Service, the Alpha-1
      Center and the Pulmonary Outpatient Clinic, all at Boston Medical Center.

PMID- 28621169
TI  - Reducing the risks for relapse of heart failure in a subsequent pregnancy after
      peripartum cardiomyopathy?

PMID- 28621168
TI  - Detection of Hb Rothschild HBB: c.[112T>A or 112T>C], Through High Index of
      Suspicion on Abnormal Pulse Oximetry.
AB  - We describe a case with a low oxygen affinity hemoglobin (Hb) variant who
      presented with cyanosis in the absence of cardiopulmonary disease. The patient, a
      27-year-old pregnant female (P1G2), complained of a productive cough and bluish
      discoloration of the lips that started 3 days prior to seeking attention. She had
      no previous episodes and has generally been in good health. A positive family
      history of cyanosis was obtained in one sibling. Systematic examination, notably
      the cardiorespiratory system, revealed no abnormalities. The arterial Hb oxygen
      saturation (SpO2) on pulse oximetry was 81.0% and Hb separation studies revealed
      an Hb variant identified as Hb Rothschild [beta37(C3)Trp->Arg] (HBB: c.[112 T>A
      or 112 T>C]) by gene sequencing. The amino acid substitution (Trp->Arg) is an
      important contact point at the alpha1beta2 interface and favors a T-quaternary
      state of the Hb tetramer. This leads to a low oxygen affinity state, which
      results in premature release of oxygen and drop in oxygen saturation. In the
      absence of cardiopulmonary disease, a decreased oxygen saturation reading, with
      or without cyanosis, should arouse suspicion for a possible dysHb.

PMID- 28621170
TI  - Therapeutic efficacy of multipotent adult progenitor cells versus mesenchymal
      stem cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
AB  - AIM: In this study, we have evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of mouse
      multipotent adult progenitor cells (mMAPCs) in experimental autoimmune
      encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis, and compared it
      with mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSCs). MATERIALS & METHODS: We administered
      PKH26-labeled mMAPC and mMSC into EAE mice and evaluated their therapeutic
      efficacy. RESULTS: The mMAPC-treated mice in comparison with the mMSC group
      exhibited a higher suppression of EAE (p < 0.05), and a higher fold expression of
      neuronal genes GAP43, NG2, PDGFR, Nestin, SMI 32, BDNF and NT 3 in spinal cord (p
      < 0.05), suggesting a better neuroprotective and regenerative potential of mMAPC
      than mMSC. CONCLUSION: MAPC may be a potential cell type, which is superior to
      mesenchymal stem cell for the treatment of EAE/multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 28621171
TI  - Boundary cap neural crest stem cell transplants contribute Mts1/S100A4-expressing
      cells in the glial scar.
AB  - AIM: During development, boundary cap neural crest stem cells (bNCSCs) assist
      sensory axon growth into the spinal cord. Here we repositioned them to test if
      they assist regeneration of sensory axons in adult mice after dorsal root
      avulsion injury. MATERIALS & METHODS: Avulsed mice received bNCSC or human neural
      progenitor (hNP) cell transplants and their contributions to glial scar formation
      and sensory axon regeneration were analyzed with immunohistochemistry and
      transganglionic tracing. RESULTS: hNPs and bNCSCs form similar gaps in the glial
      scar, but unlike hNPs, bNCSCs contribute Mts1/S100A4 (calcium-binding protein)
      expression to the scar and do not assist sensory axon regeneration. CONCLUSION:
      bNCSC transplants contribute nonpermissive Mts1/S100A4-expressing cells to the
      glial scar after dorsal root avulsion.

PMID- 28621172
TI  - Direct reprogramming into endothelial cells: a new source for vascular
      regeneration.

PMID- 28621174
TI  - Associations between family and clinician ratings of child mental health: A study
      of UK CAMHS assessments and outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The rated severity of child mental health problems depends on who is
      doing the rating, whether child, carer or clinician. It is important to know how
      these ratings relate to each other. AIMS: To investigate to what extent
      clinicians' views are associated with carers' and young people's views in routine
      care in the United Kingdom. METHOD: Ratings of clinician and parent/child
      viewpoints from a large Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
      sample ( ns 1773-47,299), as measured by the Children's Global Assessment Scale
      (CGAS) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) respectively, were
      analysed. The parent SDQ added value score (AVS), which adjusts for regression to
      the mean and other non-treatment change, was also included in the analyses.
      RESULTS: Small-to-medium correlations were found between family and clinician
      ratings; however, ratings diverged for the lowest-function CGAS bands. Regression
      analyses showed that pro-social ratings from both child and parent contributed to
      clinician ratings. Knowing child-reported emotional problem severity made parent
      ratings of emotions irrelevant to clinician judgements. There was a positive
      association between SDQ AVS and CGAS; as hypothesised, CGAS showed more change
      than the SDQ AVS, suggesting that clinicians over-estimate change. CONCLUSION:
      This study shows the importance of multi-informant data gathering and the
      integration of multiple views by clinicians when monitoring outcomes.

PMID- 28621173
TI  - Evaluation and management approaches for scleroderma lung disease.
AB  - Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are
      leading causes of morbidity and mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc). As
      symptoms are often under-reported in SSc, early screening of ILD and PAH is of
      paramount importance, and early treatment may be associated with better clinical
      outcomes. Serologies are particularly helpful in identifying patients at risk for
      pulmonary involvement. Pulmonary function testing, high-resolution computed
      tomography of the chest and echocardiography are important tools in the initial
      screening of these patients. Extensive research has also led to an improved
      understanding of the mediators involved in the pathogenesis of ILD and PAH. As a
      result, there have been significant advances in the development of novel targeted
      therapeutics and an increase in the number of early-phase clinical trials in SSc.

PMID- 28621175
TI  - In vivo investigation of tissue-engineered periosteum for the repair of
      allogeneic critical size bone defects in rabbits.
AB  - AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of tissue-engineered
      periosteum (TEP) in repairing allogenic bone defects in the long term. MATERIALS
      & METHODS: TEP was biofabricated with osteoinduced rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal
      stem cells and porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS). A total of 24 critical
      sized defects were created bilaterally in radii of 12 New Zealand White rabbits.
      TEP/SIS was implanted into the defect site. Bone defect repair was evaluated with
      radiographic and histological examination at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. RESULTS: Bone
      defects were structurally reconstructed in the TEP group with mature cortical
      bone and medullary canals, however this was not observed in the SIS group at 12
      weeks. CONCLUSION: The TEP approach can effectively restore allogenic critical
      sized defects, and achieve maturity of long-bone structure in 12 weeks in rabbit
      models.

PMID- 28621176
TI  - Women's decision-making about self-protection during sexual activity in the deep
      south of the USA: a grounded theory study.
AB  - Many women continue to become infected with HIV, particularly in the Southeastern
      USA, despite widespread knowledge about methods to prevent its sexual
      transmission. This grounded theory investigation examined the decision-making
      process women use to guide their use or non-use of self-protective measures when
      engaging in sexual activity. Participants included women in the Mississippi
      cohort of the Women's Interagency HIV Study who were infected with or at high
      risk for HIV. Theoretical sampling was used to recruit a sample of 20 primarily
      African American women aged between 26 and 56 years, living in rural and urban
      areas. Data were analysed using constant comparative method to generate a theory
      of the process that guided women's self-protective decisions. Three key themes
      were identified: (1) sexual silence, an overall context of silence around
      sexuality in their communities and relationships; (2) the importance of
      relationships with male partners, including concepts of 'love and trust',
      'filling the void' and 'don't rock the boat'; and (3) perceptions of risk,
      including 'it never crossed my mind', 'it couldn't happen to me' and 'assumptions
      about HIV'. These themes impacted on women's understandings of HIV-related risk,
      making it difficult to put self-protection above other interests and diminishing
      their motivation to protect themselves.

PMID- 28621177
TI  - Gender bias in reproductive behaviour in Georgia, Indonesia, and Vietnam: An
      application of the own-children method.
AB  - I present a method for estimating indicators of gender bias in reproductive
      behaviour, using microdata based on the own-children method. The method is first
      tested on a large sample from India with both birth history and household
      records. I then apply the method to Georgia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. My estimates
      demonstrate that the proportion of Georgian couples expressing a preference for
      sons in their fertility behaviour closely corresponds to the proportion resorting
      to sex selection at high parities. I show how individual Indonesian provinces
      provide examples of both son and daughter preference. The method also allows me
      to date the onset of sex imbalances at birth in Vietnam. The approach based on
      the own-children method therefore provides a unique tool for estimating the
      diversity and intensity of gender bias in reproductive behaviour.

PMID- 28621178
TI  - Interview with Bernard Siegel.
AB  - Bernard Siegel is the Founder and full-time Executive Director of the nonprofit
      Regenerative Medicine Foundation (FL, USA). He is the Founder and the Co-chair of
      the World Stem Cell Summit series of global conferences and Editor-in-Chief of
      the World Stem Cell Report. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from
      the University of Miami (BA, 1972; JD, 1975) and has been a member of the Florida
      Bar since 1975. As a recognized policy expert relating to stem cell research,
      regenerative medicine and cloning, Bernard works with the world's leading stem
      cell researchers and advocates. He is also a frequent panelist and keynote
      speaker on the subject of stem cells, public policy and the societal implications
      of longevity.

PMID- 28621179
TI  - An integrated experimental and economic evaluation of cell therapy affinity
      purification technologies.
AB  - AIM: To present an integrated techno-economic analysis assessing the feasibility
      of affinity purification technologies using the manufacture of induced
      pluripotent stem cell-derived progenitor photoreceptors for retinal dystrophies
      as a case study. MATERIALS & METHODS: Sort purity, progenitor yield and viable
      cell recovery were investigated for three cell sorting techniques: fluorescent
      activated cell sorting (FACS); magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS); and a
      novel technology SpheriTech beads. Experimentally derived metrics were
      incorporated into an advanced bioprocess economics tool to determine cost of
      goods per dose for each technology. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Technical and
      bioprocess benefits were noted with SpheriTech beads which, unlike FACS and MACS,
      require no cell labeling. This simplifies the bioprocess, reduces cell loss and
      leaves target cells label free. The economic tool predicted cost drivers and a
      critical dose (7 * 107 cells per dose) shifting the most cost-effective
      technology from FACS to MACS. Process optimization is required for SpheriTech to
      compete economically.

PMID- 28621180
TI  - Interview with Derek Connolly.
AB  - Dr Derek Connolly speaks to Adam Price-Evans, Commissioning Editor of Future
      Cardiology: Derek Leslie Connolly is a Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at
      Birmingham City Hospital (UK). He qualified from the University of Edinburgh (UK)
      summa cum laude in Pharmacology in 1985 and in Medicine in 1988 where he was the
      Brunton Medalist. As a Carnegie scholar at the University of California, San
      Diego (CA, USA) he saw the early promise of angioplasty and changed his career
      plan from cardiac surgery to coronary intervention. He then spent a decade
      training in Cardiology in Cambridge (UK) where he held a British Heart Foundation
      PhD Fellowship at the University of Cambridge. His main clinical and research
      interest is the detection and treatment of atherosclerosis. He was appointed to
      his current role in 2000 and has been integral to the early development of both
      primary angioplasty and cardiac CT programs. He was UK Chief Investigator for the
      FOURIER trial.

PMID- 28621181
TI  - [Advantages of transanal approach in low rectal cancer resections].
AB  - Laparoscopic surgery is proven equal technique to open rectal surgery. Despite
      advantages, some problems in case of low rectal surgery are existing:
      visualization of the pelvis, securing safe distal resection margin, preparing
      single stapled rectal stump with safe conjunction to the colorectal anastomosis.
      Approximately 500 procedures have been performed worldwide until today by
      applying Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (TaTME) technique, which evolved
      from a combination of laparoscopy and transanal approach. TaTME presents a
      solution to the low and mid-level rectal cases. The transanal path provides a
      better opportunity for preparing safe distal resection margin, an easier way for
      making a secure distal stump closure, and also offers perfect visualization even
      in the most difficult area, supporting the aim of nerve-sparing. We present a
      case, where we performed a synchronous laparoscopic and transanal TaTME resection
      of a down-sized low rectal tumor at 5 cm, after neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy.
      To the best of our knowledge, this was the first case in Hungary, when TaTME was
      administered in a synchronous way.

PMID- 28621182
TI  - [Non-intubated, uniportal, video assisted thoracic surgery [VATS] lobectomy, as a
      new procedure in our department].
AB  - AIM: Due to the emerging experience in VATS (video assisted thoracic surgery)
      lobectomies, in some centers the so called "non-intubated" VATS lobectomies (NITS
      - non-intubated thoracic surgery) gained increased authority, during which
      endotracheal intubation and muscle relaxation of the patient is not carried out,
      thus surgery is being performed with the patient breathing spontaneously. The
      recent study deals with our initial experience gained during uniportal NITS VATS
      lobectomies. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between 24.01.2017 and 10.03.2017, 16 patients
      (female: 8; male: 8) with lung cancer underwent NITS VATS uniportal lobectomy.
      Mean age was 59.6 years (42-73 years). Mean FEV1 was 87.7% (62-109). Mean BMI was
      27.1 (18.8-32.8). Prior to surgery, the patients received benzodiazepine
      premedication, local anesthetic (Lidocaine) for incision and Bupivacaine for
      intercostal and vagus nerve blockage. Besides routine monitoring Bispectoral
      Index (BIS) guided target-controlled infusion (TCI) Propofol sedation was carried
      out, with the help of laryngeal mask anesthesia. Skin and soft tissue incision
      was performed at the fifth intercostal space, in the axillary line. This single
      incision sight was the only one needed for the introduction of the camera,
      together with the instruments needed for dissection and resection of the lobe and
      placement of the chest tube. Complete atelectasis can develop. The following
      lobes were removed: 7 right upper lobes, 2 mid-lobes, 1 right lower lobe, 1 right
      lower lobe + right upper lobe wedge resection, 5 left lower lobes. After the
      resections, extended mediastinal sampling or block dissection was performed.
      RESULTS: There was no perioperative mortality. Conversion to endotracheal
      intubation was needed in non of the cases. Mean operative time was 96,5 minutes
      (80-120 min.), mean drainage periode was 2.9 days (2-8 days). Prolonged air leak
      was 1/16 (6.25%). Postoperative fever occurred in 1 patient and subcutaneous
      emphysema in 1 case, and 1 pneumonia. Because of a recurrent pneumothorax, a re
      drainage was necessary in 1 case. Pathology of the resected lobes were as
      follows: 1 endobronchial hamartochondroma causing complete atelectasis of the
      lobe, 1 chronic pneumonia, and 10 adenocarcinomas, 2 squamous cell carcinomas, 1
      carcinosarcoma, and 1 typical carcinoid. Staging of the 14 malignant cases were
      as follows: 8 IA, 2 IB, 1 IIA, 2 IIB, and 1 IIIA. The average number of the
      removed mediastinal lymph nodes is 12 (7-20). CONCLUSION: Non-intubated (NITS)
      VATS lobectomy is considered a safe procedure, satisfying all aspects of
      oncological guidelines. The postoperative drainage period was shorter caused by
      the complete atelectasis during the surgery.

PMID- 28621183
TI  - [Colon reconstruction after the Hartmann procedure. Laparoscopy or laparotomy?]
AB  - The Hartmann procedure - primarily - was introduced for the treatment of
      cancerous diseases of sigmoid colon and rectum. In the last few years it was
      performed in cases with complicated inflammation of the left colon, colon cancers
      with bowel obstruction or perforation, or in the case of insufficiency of the
      anastomoses, or in urgent operations after traumatics bowel injuries, when making
      the anastomosis is at very high risk. Later on the restoration of the continuity
      of the GI tract can be done traditionally (by laparotomy) or laparoscopically. We
      present our experiences with the above technique, and also compare our results
      with traditional open surgeries in our patients.

PMID- 28621184
TI  - ?

PMID- 28621185
TI  - [Acute abdominal syndrome caused by benign ovarian tumors].
AB  - The acute abdomen is a life threatening condition, its proper diagnosis and
      treatment is a great challenge until today in surgery. The authors aim to present
      the diagnostic difficulties in four cases of acute abdomen caused by large benign
      ovarian tumors. Vast majority of benign ovarian tumors are recognized
      accidentally through physical examination, X-ray and ultrasonography of the
      pelvis, abdominal operation is carried out for other reasons or investigations
      for acute abdominal pain. The case history, physical examination and radiological
      procedures do not always lead to the correct diagnosis. The authors diagnosed the
      disease through laparotomy, and an adequate operation was carried out
      subsequently. Following the operation, all four patients left the hospital in
      good condition.

PMID- 28621186
TI  - [1st National Congress of the Oncosurgery Section of the Hungarian Surgical
      Society, Szeged, March 23-25, 2017].

PMID- 28621187
TI  - [Gastrointestinal lipomas - report of three cases and a short review of the
      literature].
AB  - Lipoma in the alimentary tract is a rare entity, it can usually be found in the
      subcutaneous tissue. Generally, lipomas are asymptomatic. Gastrointestinal lipoma
      must be removed only in case of bleeding or obstruction. We report 3 successfully
      operated cases of gastrointestinal lipomas: one duodenal (a 4 cm in diameter
      lipoma was enucleated from the bulb), one in the small bowel (ileal lipoma
      causing intususception; due to the unusual masroscopical appearance, segmental
      resection was performed), and one in the large bowel (colonic lipoma located at
      47 cm from the anus, causing intermittent obstruction was remowed by colotomy).

PMID- 28621189
TI  - ?

PMID- 28621188
TI  - [Investigation of laparoscopic bimanual technic education with laparoscopic
      training box].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In some surgical wards residents start to do laparoscopic
      operations using both hands, while in other places they only use their dominant
      hand, and only start to use both hands later. There are no data at the moment
      about which method is more effective. METHODS: We divided 20 students with no
      laparoscopic experience into 2 groups: one group practised one hand at a time
      (1K), the other group used both hands (2K) during the 5 days. On the last day
      both groups had to do every exercise with one hand and two hands as well, then
      they had to do 3 new exercises, which needed both hands. We measured the time
      taken, and gave points for the videos taken inside the training box based on
      OSATS. For statistical analysis we used t-tests, p < 0.05 being significant.
      RESULTS: On the first day, there was no significant difference between the 1K and
      2K groups considering the time taken (518/500 s) and the OSATS points (87/84;
      54/55 points). Both groups improved in the mean time and points (1K: 52%, 77% 2K:
      50%, 70%) as well, but there was no significant difference between them. In the
      case of new exercises on the last day, there was no difference between mean time
      (1K: 425 s, 2K: 411 s) and points (53/59 and 56/52), but there was a significant
      difference considering the points given for bimanuality. CONCLUSION: Based on our
      study, we cannot exactly state that the bimanuality needed for expert
      laparoscopic surgery would be easier to learn with immediately practising with
      both hands.

PMID- 28621190
TI  - ["Watermelon stomach" can be the cause of severe gastrointestinal bleeding].
AB  - Irregular vascular dilatation in the antrum or the cardia of the stomach can be
      the cause of severe gastrointestinal bleeding. The first term for it - in the
      beginning of the 50's of the previous century - was GAVE (Gastric Antral Vascular
      Ectasia) since at that time no similar phenomenon had been registered before. A
      quarter of a century later, after publishing a few cases, a witty internist
      described it as "watermelon stomach" because the macroscopic picture is similarly
      looking as the aforesaid fruit's appearing. This rare condition occured in one of
      our patient with many comorbid diseases.

PMID- 28621191
TI  - ?

PMID- 28621193
TI  - ?

PMID- 28621192
TI  - [Reconstruction of the inguinal ligament with fascia lata sling. First reported
      case in Hungary].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A technique of reconstructing the inguinal ligament using pedicled
      fascia lata flap is described. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 66-year-old woman was
      referred with massive incarcerated left inguinal hernia, following acute surgery
      on a femoral vein leasion and numerous attempts at repair and subsequent
      recurrences. There was complete absence of the left inguinal ligament. The
      inguinal ligament was reconstructed using a strip of fascia lata, pedicled on the
      anterior superior iliac spine. This was transposed to cover the external iliac
      vessels, and sutured to the pubic tubercle. The musculoaponeurotic abdominal wall
      was reconstructed with 15*13 cm sheet of polypropylene mesh, placed preperitoneal
      and sutured to the remaining abdominal wall muscles and to the neo-Pouoart
      ligament. DISCUSSION: Complete destruction of the inguinal ligament is rare but
      can occur following multiple operative procedures or trauma. Published reports of
      inguinal ligament reconstruction have been performed using synthetic mesh. The
      use of autologous tissue should reduce the risk of erosion into the neurovascular
      bundle, seroma formation, and enhance integration into surrounding tissues.
      CONCLUSION: This new technique for autologous reconstruction of the inguinal
      ligament provides a safe alternative to the use of synthetic mesh in the
      operative armamentarium of plastic and general surgeons. This is the first
      reported case in Hungary.

PMID- 28621195
TI  - ?

PMID- 28621194
TI  - [Breast reconstruction surgery with endoscopic assisted latissimus dorsi muscle
      flap].
AB  - The results obtaining with breast reconstruction surgery are not always
      satisfactory for the patients. Reconstruction with pure latissimus dorsi flap is
      useful option and due to endoscopic harvest large scar on the back can be
      avoided. The skin sparing mastectomy and even the sentinel lymph node biopsy or
      lymphadenectomy can be performed using a single incision in the axilla. Also the
      immediate reconstruction with endoscopically assisted harvest of the latissimus
      dorsi muscle flap in selective cases can be done using the same incision. The
      patient reported high satisfaction with the aesthetic and functional results due
      to preservation the breast shape and the absence of any scarring on the back.

PMID- 28621196
TI  - [Correction].

PMID- 28621197
TI  - ?

PMID- 28621198
TI  - [News of the Society].

PMID- 28621199
TI  - Sciatic nerve regeneration by transplantation of in vitro differentiated nucleus
      pulposus progenitor cells.
AB  - AIM: To assess the applicability of mouse intervertebral disc-derived nucleus
      pulposus (NP) progenitor cells as a cell source for sciatic nerve regeneration.
      MATERIALS & METHODS: P0-Cre/Floxed-EGFP-transgenic mouse-derived NP progenitor
      cells were differentiated to Schwann-like cells in conventional induction medium.
      Schwann-like cells were subsequently transplanted into a mouse model of sciatic
      nerve transection, and nerve regeneration assessed by immunohistochemistry,
      electron microscopy and functional walking track analysis and heat stimulus
      reflex. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: NP progenitor cells differentiated into Schwann
      like cells. Transplantation of these cells promoted myelinated axon formation,
      morphology restoration and nerve function improvement. NP progenitor cells have
      the capacity to differentiate into neuronal cells and are candidates for
      peripheral nerve regeneration therapy.

PMID- 28621200
TI  - Muscle-derived stem cells in peripheral nerve regeneration: reality or illusion?
AB  - Owing to the complicated and time-consuming regenerative process, the repair of
      injured peripheral nerves depends largely on ongoing stem-cell therapy. Decades
      ago, researchers successfully isolated and identified muscle-derived stem cells
      (MDSCs) and discovered their potential for multidifferentiation. MDSCs play an
      important role in trauma repair associated with neuromuscular and vascular injury
      by simultaneously promoting tissue regrowth via direct differentiation and
      systematic secretion under physiological conditions. However, the isolation,
      culture, induction and application of MDSCs require further methodological
      analysis before clinical application. In this review, we comprehensively discuss
      the challenges associated with neural regeneration and reviewed the progress of
      stem cell based regenerative medicine, in an effort to realize the potential of
      MDSCs in nerve regeneration.

PMID- 28621201
TI  - Effectiveness of antenatal care services in reducing neonatal mortality in Kenya:
      analysis of national survey data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although global neonatal mortality declined by about 40 percent from
      1990 to 2013, it still accounted for about 2.6 million deaths globally and
      constituted 42 percent of global under-five deaths. Most of these deaths occur in
      developing countries. Antenatal care (ANC) is a globally recommended strategy
      used to prevent neonatal deaths. In Kenya, over 90 percent of pregnant women
      attend at least one ANC visit during pregnancy. However, Kenya is currently among
      the 10 countries that contribute the most neonatal deaths globally. OBJECTIVE:
      The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of ANC services in reducing
      neonatal mortality in Kenya. METHODS: We used binary logistic regression to
      analyse cross-sectional data from the 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey to
      investigate the effectiveness of ANC services in reducing neonatal mortality in
      Kenya. We determined the population attributable neonatal mortality fraction for
      the lack of selected antenatal interventions. RESULTS: The highest odds of
      neonatal mortality were among neonates whose mothers did not attend any ANC visit
      (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-9.1) and whose
      mothers lacked skilled ANC attendance during pregnancy (aOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.4-6.1).
      Lack of tetanus injection relative to one tetanus injection was significantly
      associated with neonatal mortality (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.0-6.0). About 38 percent of
      all neonatal deaths in Kenya were attributable to lack of check-ups for pregnancy
      complications. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of check-ups for pregnancy complications,
      unskilled ANC provision and lack of tetanus injection were associated with
      neonatal mortality in Kenya. Integrating community ANC outreach programmes in the
      national policy strategy and training geared towards early detection of
      complications can have positive implications for neonatal survival.

PMID- 28621202
TI  - Is cognitive behavioural therapy effective in reducing suicidal ideation and
      behaviour when delivered face-to-face or via e-health? A systematic review and
      meta-analysis.
AB  - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a widely used psychotherapeutic
      intervention for suicide prevention despite its efficacy for suicide prevention
      in adults remaining ambiguous. Reluctance or inability to access face-to-face
      help suggests that e-health delivery may be a valuable resource for suicidal
      people. The aim of this study was to systematically review and conduct meta
      analysis on research assessing the efficacy of CBT delivered via face-to-face and
      e-health for suicidal ideation and behaviour. A comprehensive literature search
      of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed and The Cochrane Central Register of
      Controlled Trials was conducted. From 764 identified articles, 26 met the
      inclusion criteria for investigating CBT for suicidal ideation and behaviours in
      adult populations. Data were extracted on study characteristics and meta-analysis
      was performed where possible. There was a statistically significant, small to
      medium effect for face-to-face delivered CBT in reducing suicidal ideation and
      behaviour although there was significant heterogeneity between the included
      studies. CBT delivered via e-health was not found to be efficacious for reducing
      suicidal ideation and behaviour in adults though the number of studies reviewed
      was small.

PMID- 28621203
TI  - Soluble TNF inhibition leads to remyelination.

PMID- 28621204
TI  - A Pilot Study of Sleep, Work Practices, Visual Processing Speed, and 5-Year Motor
      Vehicle Crash Risk Among Truck Drivers.
AB  - The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the relationships between sleep,
      work practices, speed of processing, and 5-year motor vehicle crash risk among a
      group of older truck drivers. Anthropometric, demographic, and psychological data
      were recorded, along with health, sleep, and work histories from a sample of 23
      truck drivers. Results from this pilot study suggest that physical fatigue may
      play a role in processing speed. Future studies should be designed with adequate
      power and include objective measures of sleep and repeated measures over time to
      determine 5-year MVC rates. Implications for occupational health nursing
      research, practice, and education are presented.

PMID- 28621205
TI  - Neurocognitive dysfunction in children with beta thalassemia major: psychometric,
      neurophysiologic and radiologic evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of iron chelating drugs and serum ferritin on
      the neurocognitive functions of patients with beta thalassemia major (beta-TM),
      using psychometric, neurophysiologic and radiologic tests. METHODS: Eighty
      children with beta-TM were enrolled into the study and were compared to 40
      healthy controls. All participants were evaluated by measuring serum ferritin,
      neurocognitive assessment by Benton Visual Retention Test, Wechsler Intelligence
      Scale for Children, Wisconsin Card Sort Test, P300 and magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (MRS). RESULTS: WISC in our study showed that 40% of cases were
      borderline mental function as regards total IQ. Neurophysiologic tests were
      significantly impaired in patients compared to control group, with significant
      impairment in those receiving desferrioxamine (DFO). P300 amplitude was
      significantly lower in cases compared to controls (2.24 and 4.66 uv,
      respectively), recording the shortest amplitude in patients receiving DFO.
      Altered metabolic markers in the brain were detected by MRS in the form of
      reduced N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio in 78.3% of our cases. There were
      significant correlations between psychometric tests and both neurophysiologic
      (P300) and radiologic (MRS) tests. CONCLUSION: beta-TM is associated with
      neurocognitive impairment that can be assessed by psychometric, neurophysiologic
      and radiologic tests. The role of hemosiderosis and iron chelation therapy on
      cognitive functioning still need more research. ABBREVIATIONS: beta-TM: beta
      thalassemia major; DFO: Dysferal; DFP: Deferiprone; DFX: Deferasirox; WISC:
      Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; VIQ: verbal IQ; PIQ: performance IQ;
      TIQ: total IQ; BVRT: Benton Visual Retention Test; WCST: Wisconsin Card Sort
      Test; MRS: Magnetic resonant spectroscopy; NAA/Cr ratio: N-acetylaspartate to
      creatine ratio.

PMID- 28621206
TI  - Baseline population health conditions ahead of a health system strengthening
      program in rural Madagascar.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A model health district was initiated through a program of health
      system strengthening (HSS) in Ifanadiana District of southeastern Madagascar in
      2014. We report population health indicators prior to initiation of the program.
      METHODS: A representative household survey based on the Demographic Health Survey
      was conducted using a two-stage cluster sampling design in two strata - the
      initial program catchment area and the future catchment area. Chi-squared and t
      tests were used to compare data by stratum, using appropriate sampling weights.
      Madagascar data for comparison were taken from a 2013 national study. RESULTS:
      1522 households were surveyed, representing 8310 individuals including 1635 women
      ages 15-49, 1685 men ages 15-59 and 1251 children under age 5. Maternal mortality
      rates in the district are 1044/100,000. 81% of women's last childbirth deliveries
      were in the home; only 20% of deliveries were attended by a doctor or
      nurse/midwife (not different by stratum). 9.3% of women had their first birth by
      age 15, and 29.5% by age 18. Under-5 mortality rate is high: 145/1000 live births
      vs. 62/1000 nationally. 34.6% of children received all recommended vaccines by
      age 12 months (compared to 51.5% in Madagascar overall). In the 2 weeks prior to
      interview, approximately 28% of children under age 5 had acute respiratory
      infections of whom 34.7% were taken for care, and 14% of children had diarrhea of
      whom 56.6% were taken for care. Under-5 mortality, illness, care-seeking and
      vaccination rates were not significantly different between strata. CONCLUSIONS:
      Indicators of population health and health care-seeking reveal low use of the
      formal health system, which could benefit from HSS. Data from this survey and
      from a longitudinal follow-up study will be used to target needed interventions,
      to assess change in the district and the impact of HSS on individual households
      and the population of the district.

PMID- 28621207
TI  - Glycosaminoglycan-based resorbable polymer composites in tissue refurbishment.
AB  - Regeneration of tissue structure with the aid of bioactive polymer
      matrices/composites and scaffolds for respective applications is one of the
      emerging areas of biomedical engineering. Recent advances in conjugated
      glycosaminoglycan (GAG) hybrids using natural and synthetic polymers have opened
      new avenues for producing a wide variety of resorbable polymer matrices. These
      hybrid scaffolds are low-immunogenic, highly biocompatible and biodegradable with
      incredible mechanical and tensile properties. GAG-based resorbable polymeric
      matrices are being exploited in migration of stem cells, cartilage and bone
      replacement/regeneration and production of scaffolds for various tissue
      engineering applications. In the current review, we will discuss the role of GAG
      based resorbable polymer matrices in the field of regenerative medicine.

PMID- 28621208
TI  - Stem cells in court: historical trends in US legal cases related to stem cells.
AB  - Using two legal research platforms, we identified 193 stem-cell-related legal
      cases that were decided in US courts. Classifying the cases by category, we
      examined historical trends in the types of legal cases related to stem cells.
      Major types of cases involved plaintiffs seeking to overturn denial of health
      insurance coverage decisions, disputes related to intellectual property, false
      advertising, breaches of contract, exposure to hazardous agents, regulatory
      decisions, stem cell procedures and professional standard of care, use of stems
      cells in research, and public funding of embryonic stem cell research. Analysis
      of court decisions provides insight into contemporary and historical legal issues
      related to stem cells and reveals the breadth of stem-cell-related cases now
      being decided by US courts.

PMID- 28621209
TI  - Habits and self-assessed quality of life, negative intrusive thoughts and
      depressed mood in patients with prostate cancer: a longitudinal study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of self-assessed
      preoperative physical activity, alcohol consumption and smoking with self
      assessed quality of life, negative intrusive thoughts and depressed mood after
      radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
      Robot Open (LAPPRO) trial was a prospective, controlled, non-randomized
      longitudinal trial of patients (n = 4003) undergoing radical prostatectomy at 14
      centers in Sweden. Validated patient questionnaires were collected at baseline,
      and 3, 12 and 24 months after surgery. RESULTS: Preoperative medium or high
      physical activity or low alcohol consumption or non-smoking was associated with a
      lower risk of depressed mood. High alcohol consumption was associated with
      increased risk of negative intrusive thoughts. Postoperatively, quality of life
      and negative intrusive thoughts improved gradually in all groups. Depressed mood
      appeared to be relatively unaffected. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of preoperative
      physical activity, tobacco and alcohol consumption habits can be used to identify
      patients with a depressed mood in need of psychological support before and
      immediately after surgery. Quality of life and intrusive thoughts improved
      postoperatively.

PMID- 28621210
TI  - Effects of Lucilia sericata on wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic
      rats and analysis of its secretome at the proteome level.
AB  - The use of Lucilia sericata larvae on the healing of wounds in diabetics has been
      reported. However, the role of the excretion/secretion (ES) products of the
      larvae in treatment of diabetic wounds remains unknown. This study investigated
      whether application of the ES products of L. sericata on the wound surface could
      improve the impaired wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
      Additional analysis was performed to understand proteome content of L. sericata
      secretome to understand ES contribution at the molecular level. For this purpose,
      full-thickness skin wounds were created on the backs of diabetic and control
      rats. A study was conducted to assess the levels of the ES-induced collagen I/III
      expression and to assay nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) (p65) activity in wound
      biopsies and ES-treated wounds of diabetic rat skin in comparison to the
      controls. The expression levels of collagen I/III and NF-kappaB (p65) activity
      were determined at days 3, 7, and 14 after wounding using immunohistological
      analyses and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results indicated
      that treatment with the ES extract increased collagen I expressions of the wound
      control and diabetic tissue. But the increase in collagen I expression in the
      controls was higher than the one in the diabetics. NF-kappaB (p65) activity was
      also increased in diabetic wounds compared to the controls, whereas it was
      decreased in third and seventh days upon ES treatment. The results indicated that
      ES products of L. sericata may enhance the process of wound healing by
      influencing phases such as inflammation, NF-kappaB (p65) activity, collagen
      synthesis, and wound contraction. These findings may provide new insights into
      understanding of therapeutic potential of ES in wound healing in diabetics.

PMID- 28621211
TI  - Copper doping enhanced the oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of TiO2
      nanoparticles in A549 cells.
AB  - Physicochemical properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) can be
      tuned by doping with metals or nonmetals. Copper (Cu) doping improved the
      photocatalytic behavior of TiO2 NPs that can be applied in various fields such as
      environmental remediation and nanomedicine. However, interaction of Cu-doped TiO2
      NPs with human cells is scarce. This study was designed to explore the role of Cu
      doping in cytotoxic response of TiO2 NPs in human lung epithelial (A549) cells.
      Characterization data demonstrated the presence of both TiO2 and Cu in Cu-doped
      TiO2 NPs with high-quality lattice fringes without any distortion. The size of Cu
      doped TiO2 NPs (24 nm) was lower than pure TiO2 NPs (30 nm). Biological results
      showed that both pure and Cu-doped TiO2 NPs induced cytotoxicity and oxidative
      stress in a dose-dependent manner. Low mitochondrial membrane potential and
      higher caspase-3 enzyme (apoptotic markers) activity were also observed in A549
      cells exposed to pure and Cu-doped TiO2 NPs. We further observed that
      cytotoxicity caused by Cu-doped TiO2 NPs was higher than pure TiO2 NPs. Moreover,
      antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine effectively prevented the reactive oxygen species
      generation, glutathione depletion, and cell viability reduction caused by Cu
      doped TiO2 NPs. This is the first report showing that Cu-doped TiO2 NPs induced
      cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in A549 cells. This study warranted further
      research to explore the role of Cu doping in toxicity mechanisms of TiO2 NPs.

PMID- 28621212
TI  - Methamphetamine causes neurotoxicity by promoting polarization of macrophages and
      inflammatory response.
AB  - Macrophages, especially their activation state, are closely related to the
      progression of neurotoxicity. Classically activated macrophages (M1) are
      proinflammatory effectors, while alternatively activated macrophages (M2) exhibit
      anti-inflammatory properties. As a powerful addictive psychostimulant drug,
      coupled with its neurotoxicity, methamphetamine (Meth) abuse may lead to long
      lasting abnormalities in the neuronal system. The present study investigated the
      effect of Meth at subtoxic concentration on macrophage activation state and its
      underlying toxicity to neuronal cells. PC12 and Murine RAW264.7 cells were
      coincubated with Meth to test its toxicity. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium-bromide, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time
      polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot assays were performed to evaluate the
      toxicity, cytokine secretion, gene, and protein expression. Results showed that
      cytotoxicity was enhanced on PC12 cells after coculturing with RAW264.7
      stimulated with Meth. RAW264.7 macrophages tended to switch to the M1 phenotype,
      releasing more nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor
      necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin (IL)-12, and IL-1beta, while
      decreasing the release of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 after treatment with
      Meth. Meth upregulated the gene expression of IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNFalpha and
      downregulated the expression of Arg-1, IL-10, and KLF4. Meth could also
      upregulate the protein expression of IL-1beta and TNF alpha and downregulate the
      expression of Arg-1 and KLF4. However, the abovementioned effects induced by Meth
      were abolished by the addition of dopamine receptor D3 antagonist. In conclusion,
      our study demonstrated that Meth promoted macrophage polarization from M0 to M1
      and enhanced inflammatory response, which provided the scientific rationale for
      the neurotoxicity caused by the chronic use of Meth.

PMID- 28621217
TI  - Occupational Therapists With Oncology Exposure: Perceived Needs on Adults and
      Older Adults With Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments.
AB  - Cancer-related cognitive impairments (CRCI) can limit participation in meaningful
      activities before, during, and after cancer treatment. This study explored
      occupational therapists' perceived knowledge gaps and needs regarding CRCI in
      adults and older adults. An online survey was sent to a convenience sample of 60
      practitioners at facilities throughout the continuum of care and 176 directors
      and faculty in accredited occupational therapy programs. Using a snowball
      sampling approach, recipients were asked to forward the survey to other
      occupational therapists. One hundred seven occupational therapists participated.
      The majority (92%) responded that it would be beneficial to attend a face-to-face
      continuing education program; preferences for the content and design of a
      continuing competency seminar are described. These findings support the
      development and delivery of continuing competence programs tailored toward
      occupational therapists' CRCI knowledge needs.

PMID- 28621218
TI  - Measuring Disability in Patients With Cervical Dystonia According to the
      International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.
AB  - Cervical Dystonia (CD) is a rare movement disorder characterized by an abnormal
      head position. This cross-sectional study describes the health status and
      severity of disability using an internationally agreed language by applying the
      International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Two
      disease-specific rating scales were administered to 30 patients with CD. By
      linking the individual answers to the ICF model, the frequency and severity of
      reported impairments and restrictions were estimated using a count-based method.
      Results showed that patients most frequently reported impairments linked to
      "neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions" and "mental functions."
      Most restrictions in activities were related to "interpersonal interactions and
      relations," "major life areas," and "community, social, and civic life." One
      third of the reported impairments can be labeled as severe disability. The
      findings show that CD causes disability in multiple levels of a patients'
      functioning in life, well beyond the cervical area.

PMID- 28621219
TI  - Manualization of Occupational Therapy Using Ayres Sensory Integration(r) for
      Autism.
AB  - This article reports on the development of a Stage 3 manual (following pilot
      effectiveness study) for implementing occupational therapy using Ayres Sensory
      Integration(r) (OT/ASI) for children with autism spectrum disorders to enhance
      participation in daily occupations. Three stakeholder groups were surveyed to aid
      in translation of manual from research to practice (i.e., Stage 3 manual) and an
      expert consensus meeting was held to finalize recommendations. Data indicated
      that the manuals usability could be improved by including a section on frequently
      encountered problems and solutions, and by including video case examples. Also
      recommended were greater chapter uniformity, improved clarity of forms and
      charts, and inclusion of a glossary. Changes were made and subject to expert
      review and consensus using modified Delphi process. The Stage 3 manual has been
      rigorously vetted and is ready for practice and research replication.

PMID- 28621220
TI  - 2016-17 Pi Theta Epsilon Honor Society Inductees.

PMID- 28621221
TI  - Sexuality and Spinal Cord Injury: The Lived Experiences of Intimate Partners.
AB  - Although sexuality is an integral aspect of the human experience, individuals who
      sustain a spinal cord injury (SCI) often receive inadequate education to
      facilitate successful participation in sexual activities. Intimate partners are
      often not included in discussions related to sexuality during the rehabilitative
      process. The purpose of this study was to identify the lived experiences of
      intimate partners of individuals with SCI related to sexuality. Four intimate
      partners were selected to participate in semistructured interviews related to
      their lived experiences of sexuality. Participants identified aspects of SCI,
      extreme discomfort due to self-perceived sexual norms, and a lack of education as
      contributors to unsuccessful participation in sexual activity. Coupled sexual
      activity is a complex phenomenon which includes factors that influence both the
      injured individuals as well as their intimate partners. To provide effective
      interventions in addressing sexuality, practitioners should consider the entire
      issue, the couple.

PMID- 28621222
TI  - Latest developments in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine
      compiled from publicly available information and press releases from nonacademic
      institutions, 1 January-28 February 2017.

PMID- 28621223
TI  - A generation at risk: a cross-sectional study on HIV/AIDS knowledge, exposure to
      mass media, and stigmatizing behaviors among young women aged 15-24 years in
      Ghana.
AB  - HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors are a huge barrier to early detection and
      treatment of individuals with the AIDS virus. HIV/AIDS stigma and related
      consequences are debilitating, especially for vulnerable populations. This study
      sought to assess whether young women's HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and exposure to
      mass media (television and radio) have an influence on their stigmatizing
      behaviors and role as agents of stigma towards individuals living with HIV and
      AIDS. The data used for this study originated from the Ghana Multiple Indicator
      Cluster Survey 2011. Binary and multiple (stepwise) logistic regression analyses
      were used to examine the associations between HIV/AIDS knowledge, frequency of
      exposure to mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing behaviors among young women
      aged 15-24 years in Ghana. Of the 3573 young women, 80% of 15-19-year-olds and
      76% of 20-24-year-olds had at least one stigmatizing behavior towards persons
      living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA). Young women with increased knowledge regarding
      HIV/AIDS and frequent exposure to mass media (television and radio) had lesser
      tendency to stigmatize or act as agents of stigma towards PLHA (proportion with
      at least one stigmatizing behavior per subgroup - HIV/AIDS knowledge: those with
      highest knowledge score 579 [70.1%], those with lowest knowledge score 28
      [90.3%]; mass media: those with daily exposure 562 [73.4%], those not exposed at
      all 249 [89.2%]). There was a graded negative 'exposure-response' association
      between the ranked variables: HIV/AIDS knowledge, mass media, and HIV/AIDS
      stigmatizing behaviors. The significant inverse association between HIV/AIDS
      knowledge, frequency of exposure to mass media, and HIV/AIDS stigmatizing
      behaviors persisted even after adjusting for all other covariates in the multiple
      logistic regression models. It is extremely important to increase HIV/AIDS
      related knowledge and reduce stigma among young women in Ghana through targeted
      HIV/AIDS factual knowledge transfer. The use of mass media for communication of
      issues regarding HIV/AIDS, its mode of transmission, and associated stigma should
      be emphasized among women in Ghana.

PMID- 28621224
TI  - Hypermethylation of adjacent CpG sites is negatively correlated with the
      expression of lineage oncogene ASCL1 in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors.
AB  - Achaete-scute homolog 1 is a lineage oncogene of high-grade pulmonary
      neuroendocrine tumors. Due to the relatively few studies investigating the
      epigenetic regulation of achaete-scute homolog 1 expression, we wanted to address
      whether DNA methylation of the achaete-scute homolog 1 CpG island is associated
      with clinicopathological features in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors and to
      investigate its effect on the expression of this gene. Here, We performed
      multiplex immunohistochemistry (PerkinElmer, Waltham, MA, USA) to check for
      achaete-scute homolog 1 and Notch homolog 1 expression in 139 pulmonary
      neuroendocrine tumor samples. Quantitative measurements of achaete-scute homolog
      1 CpG island methylation were conducted using the MassARRAY EpiTYPER (Sequenom,
      San Diego, CA, USA). The correlation between immunohistochemistry data,
      methylation data, and clinicopathological information was analyzed. Achaete-scute
      homolog 1 methylation levels were increased in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors
      compared to those in normal controls (0.107 vs 0.061, p < 0.001), and among the
      achaete-scute homolog 1 CpG island, only CpG_6 and CpG_7.8 showed higher
      methylation levels in pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (0.208 and 0.135,
      respectively) compared to those in normal lung tissues (0.072 and 0.087,
      respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, the methylation level of CpG_6.7.8 was higher
      in patients with stage I pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors than in patients with
      stage II/III pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (0.19 +/- 0.16 vs 0.14 +/- 0.07, p =
      0.012). The hypermethylation of CpG_6.7.8 showed an inverse correlation with
      achaete-scute homolog 1 protein expression (r = -0.408, p = 0.007, Spearman
      test). Finally, we found that CpG_6.7.8 of the achaete-scute homolog 1 CpG island
      is frequently hypermethylated in early-stage pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors, and
      this aberrant hypermethylation is negatively correlated with achaete-scute
      homolog 1 expression in this tumor spectrum.

PMID- 28621225
TI  - Decreased expression of MGMT in correlation with aberrant DNA methylation in
      esophageal cancer patients from North India.
AB  - O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, DNA repair gene, has been found to be
      involved with the pathogenesis of the esophageal cancer. DNA hypermethylation and
      other factors have been suggested to downregulate O-6-methylguanine-DNA
      methyltransferase. In this communication, the methylation status of O-6
      methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene and the corresponding O-6-methylguanine
      DNA methyltransferase protein expression in esophageal cancer from North India
      has been studied. In all, 80 samples of tumor tissue along with adjacent normal
      tissue as controls were analyzed for messenger RNA level of O-6-methylguanine-DNA
      methyltransferase gene, protein expression, and subcellular localization. The
      messenger RNA expression was studied using real-time quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction, protein expression, and its subcellular localization by Western
      blotting and immunohistochemistry. DNA methylation was assessed through
      methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Clinicopathological parameters
      were recorded and correlated with the O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase
      expression. O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase messenger RNA expression was
      found to be downregulated in 65% cases (52/80). The expression of O-6
      methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase at the protein level was also found to be
      absent in 65% (52/80) cases. In all, 52 cases had low or no expression of the
      protein, whereas out of those 28 remaining cases, 11.25% (09/80) cases had high O
      6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase protein expression. The absence of O-6
      methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase protein coincided with the methylated cases
      in 84% (38/45), whereas in 07 cases, out of the 45 methylated, O-6-methylguanine
      DNA methyltransferase protein was present. The aggressive esophageal cancer
      patients having methylated O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase had more than
      50% cases with no/mild expression of the O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase
      protein ( p > 0.001). Loss of O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase protein was
      very frequent in the incidence of esophageal cancer from North Indian patients,
      and methylation of the promoter region of O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase
      was significantly associated in its downregulation.

PMID- 28621226
TI  - PTEN: A potential prognostic marker in virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - PTEN is the second most frequently mutated tumor suppresser gene in cancers after
      p53. Genetic and epigenetic alterations in the PTEN gene and its regulatory
      regions have been reported in various studies. PTEN is a crucial downregulator of
      the pro-survival phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin
      pathway and also suppresses insulin signaling. Failure to regulate these pathways
      leads to increase in cell proliferation and migration which in turn promotes
      tumorigenesis. PTEN underexpression is mediated by a variety of cytokines and
      stress kinases which seem to collectively induce the RAS/mitogen-activated
      protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. In the
      context of hepatocellular carcinoma, reduced expression of PTEN is seen in nearly
      half of the cases on average. In some cases, PTEN has been observed to be either
      mutated or methylated which can also lead to reduced expression or in some cases,
      complete loss of expression. On the cellular level, PTEN is also a target in the
      pathogenic pathway of hepatitis C virus core protein and hepatitis B virus X
      protein. These viruses appear to alter PTEN regulation and pro-apoptotic ability
      to enhance the process of tumor formation. In perspective of the crucial role
      PTEN plays in balancing proliferation and apoptosis, we propose PTEN as a
      valuable marker in the diagnosis, assessment of tumor grade, and disease stage in
      hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28621227
TI  - Expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition driver brachyury and status of
      tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and FOXP3+ lymphocytes in predicting treatment responses
      to neoadjuvant chemotherapy of breast cancer.
AB  - Brachyury has been characterized as a driver of epithelial-mesenchymal transition
      process which is regarded as an important mechanism of cancer cell invasion and
      metastatic progression. The status of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has been
      proposed to predict response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. We
      investigated the clinical significance and value of tumor-infiltrating
      lymphocytes and brachyury as biomarkers to predict treatment responses to
      neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. We also examined the correlation of
      the Neo-Bioscore with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and brachyury to indirectly
      predict long-term outcome. This retrospective study included a series of 44
      consecutive patients treated between January 2011 and December 2015. All patient
      samples were obtained using core needle biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
      The relationship of expression of Brachyury and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte
      subsets (CD8+, forkhead box protein 3 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) with
      clinicopathological factors was assessed to identify its predictive role with
      respect to tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the outcome. Of 44
      patients, 6 showed no response, 31 had partial response, and 7 demonstrated
      pathological complete response. Forkhead box protein 3 was significantly higher
      in the response group than in the no response group (no response = 2.6, partial
      response = 7.0, complete response = 9.7, p = 0.020). Brachyury expression was
      inversely associated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but the
      difference was not statistically significant ( p = 0.62). We also observed a
      significant association between forkhead box protein 3 ( p = 0.001) and the Neo
      Bioscore, while only a marginal difference was observed with CD8+ expression ( p
      = 0.074). This study demonstrated that forkhead box protein 3 expression has
      value as the only independent marker that predicts a good response to neoadjuvant
      chemotherapy and that it is related with a good prognosis according to the Neo
      Bioscore. Brachyury was significantly associated with estrogen receptor positive
      and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative status; further study would
      be needed to clarify how it affects treatment prognosis.

PMID- 28621228
TI  - Diagnostic performance of tumor markers AFP and PIVKA-II in Chinese
      hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
AB  - Alpha-fetoprotein is an effective biomarker as an aid in hepatocellular carcinoma
      detection in many countries. However, alpha-fetoprotein has its limitations,
      especially in early hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis. Protein induced by
      vitamin K absence or antagonist-II is another biomarker that is used for
      hepatocellular carcinoma detection. The aim of this study is to compare the
      diagnostic performance of alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K
      absence or antagonist-II alone and in combination to explore improving biomarker
      performance as an aid in early hepatocellular carcinoma detection. In this study
      a total of 582 serum samples including 132 hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 250
      non-hepatocellular carcinoma patients, and 200 healthy volunteers were collected.
      Alpha-fetoprotein and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II
      levels were measured by both chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay on LUMIPULSE
      platform and by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay on ARCHITECT platform.
      Receiver operation characteristic curve analyses were performed for each
      biomarker and in combination. The results showed that Alpha-fetoprotein and
      protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II in combination have shown
      higher area under the curve compared to alpha-fetoprotein alone for diagnosis in
      whole patients (0.906 vs 0.870) in hepatocellular carcinoma early-stage patients
      (0.809 vs 0.77) and in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma
      patients (0.851 vs 0.788) with ARCHITECT platform. Protein induced by vitamin K
      absence or antagonist-II showed higher area under the curve than alpha
      fetoprotein for diagnosis of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma
      patients (0.901 vs 0.788).We conclude that Combining alpha-fetoprotein and
      protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II may improve the diagnostic
      value for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma. Protein induced by vitamin
      K absence or antagonist-II performs better than alpha-fetoprotein in diagnosis of
      hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28621229
TI  - The role of Nrf2-Keap1 axis in colorectal cancer, progression, and
      chemoresistance.
AB  - Colorectal cancer is the third common cancer after lung and genital cancers
      worldwide with more than 1.2 million new cases diagnosed annually. Although
      extensive progress has been made in the treatment of colorectal cancer, finding
      novel targets for early diagnosis and effective treatment of these patients is an
      urgent need. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1
      signaling pathway plays a key role in protecting cells from the damage of
      intracellular oxidative stress and extracellular oxidizing agents. Nuclear factor
      erythroid 2 is a transcription factor that creates intracellular redox
      homeostasis via transcriptional activity and interaction with kelch-like ECH
      associated protein 1. Furthermore, it contributes to survival and chemoresistance
      of colorectal cancer cells which is mediated by overexpression of cytoprotective
      and multidrug resistance genes. In this review, the dual role of nuclear factor
      erythroid 2 signaling in induction of colorectal cancer cell survival and death
      as well as the possibility of targeting nuclear factor-erythroid 2-kelch-like ECH
      associated protein 1 axis as an advanced strategy in prevention and effective
      treatment of colorectal cancer patients have been discussed.

PMID- 28621230
TI  - LncRNA CRNDE triggers inflammation through the TLR3-NF-kappaB-Cytokine signaling
      pathway.
AB  - Colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE), an oncogene, is highly
      expressed in many tumor cells and affects cellular proliferation, migration,
      invasion, and apoptosis. Its function and mechanism of action is a research
      hotspot. In this study, microarray analysis was performed to discover the
      differentially expressed genes in CRNDE over-expression cells. RT2 Profiler PCR
      Array was used to study the expression of genes related to the toll-like receptor
      (TLR) pathway. We found that over-expression of CRNDE in astrocytes increased the
      expression of key factors in the toll-like receptor signaling pathway, especially
      toll-like receptor-3-mediated MyD88-independent pathway. Furthermore, it up
      regulated expression levels of downstream transcription factor such as nuclear
      factor kappa B and numerous cytokines. In contrast, CRNDE knockdown in glioma
      U87MG cell line showed an opposite trend in the expression of the above-mentioned
      genes. We speculated that CRNDE might trigger inflammation to regulate
      tumorigenesis and tumor development through the toll-like receptor pathway.

PMID- 28621231
TI  - DCAMKL1 is associated with the malignant status and poor outcome in bladder
      cancer.
AB  - DCAMKL1 (doublecortin and CaM kinase-like 1) has been found to be overexpressed
      and function as an oncogene in several types of cancer, but there are limited
      reports on the role of DCAMKL1 in bladder cancer. The messenger RNA and protein
      expression of DCAMKL1 in bladder cancer tissues and cell lines was measured by
      quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting,
      or immunohistochemistry. The correlation between DCAMKL1 protein expression and
      clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox
      regression models were adopted to evaluate prognostic significance of DCAMKL1 in
      bladder cancer patients. In our results, DCAMKL1 messenger RNA and protein were
      overexpressed in bladder cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues.
      DCAMKL1 protein overexpression was positively associated with clinical stage,
      muscularis invasion, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. The
      univariate and multivariate analyses suggested DCAMKL1 protein overexpression was
      an unfavorable prognostic factor in bladder cancer patients. In conclusion,
      DCAMKL1 is an independent poor prognostic factor for bladder cancer patients.

PMID- 28621232
TI  - Paving the path for invasion: The polyedric role of LASP1 in cancer.
AB  - Although usually referred to as a structural actin-binding protein, LIM and SH3
      domain-containing protein may actually be dynamically involved in the control of
      a wide spectrum of cellular processes, by virtue of its interaction with several
      molecular partners. Alongside being ubiquitously expressed in physiological
      conditions, LIM and SH3 domain-containing protein is overexpressed in a growing
      number of human cancers, in which it may actively contribute to their
      aggressiveness by promoting cell proliferation and migration. In view of the
      recent findings, implicating the protein in cancer progression, we discuss here
      the most relevant discoveries highlighting the role of this versatile protein in
      various human tumors. The correlation between LIM and SH3 domain-containing
      protein expression levels in cancer and the poor outcome and metastatic behavior
      of tumors denotes the clinical significance of this protein and hints its
      potential value as a new cancer prognostic or even diagnostic biomarker. This may
      be decisive not only to optimize existing pharmacological regimes but also to
      delineate novel, more efficacious therapeutic and/or preventive approaches.

PMID- 28621233
TI  - Plasma fibrinogen level may be a possible marker for the clinical response and
      prognosis of patients with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
AB  - Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been established as standard treatments for advanced
      breast cancer among multidisciplinary therapies. A simple and instructive
      biomarker for the postoperative recurrence and metastasis is needed to evaluate
      the therapeutic effect. Plasma fibrinogen level has been shown to be associated
      with tumor progression and poor outcomes in breast cancer patients. This study
      aims to further evaluate the clinical and prognostic value of plasma fibrinogen
      level as a biomarker in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant
      chemotherapy. In this study, data of 67 patients were retrospectively collected
      and analyzed to identify the relationship between the plasma fibrinogen level and
      the clinical progression and outcome of these patients. Patients with increased
      plasma fibrinogen level after neoadjuvant chemotherapy had significantly shorter
      disease-free survival and overall survival (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001,
      respectively). In a univariate survival analysis, molecular type (p = 0.0004/p =
      0.005), clinical response (p = 0.008/p = 0.015), and changes in plasma fibrinogen
      level (p = 0.012/p = 0.007) were associated with disease-free survival and
      overall survival, and all of them, molecular type (p = 0.0003/p = 0.005),
      clinical response (p = 0.027/p = 0.021), and changes in plasma fibrinogen level
      (p = 0.035/p = 0.025), were associated with disease-free survival and overall
      survival in a multivariate survival analysis, respectively. The plasma fibrinogen
      level was found to be a possible biomarker for clinical response to chemotherapy
      and postoperative metastasis or death in advanced breast cancer patients who
      received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

PMID- 28621234
TI  - Icarisid II inhibits the proliferation of human osteosarcoma cells by inducing
      apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
AB  - Icarisid II, one of the main active components of Herba Epimedii extracts, shows
      potent antitumor activity in various cancer cell lines, including osteosarcoma
      cells. However, the anticancer mechanism of icarisid II against osteosarcoma U2OS
      needs further exploration. This study aims to investigate further antitumor
      effects of icarisid II on human osteosarcoma cells and elucidate the underlying
      mechanism. We cultivated human osteosarcoma USO2 cells in vitro using different
      concentrations of icarisid II (0-30 uM). Cell viability was detected at 24, 48,
      and 72 h using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide
      analysis. Cell cycle was tested by flow cytometry after treatment with icarisid
      II for 48 h. Annexin V-allophycocyanin and 7-aminoactinomycin D staining were
      conducted to detect cell apoptosis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain
      reaction and Western blot assay were performed to measure the levels of genes and
      proteins related to cell cycle and apoptosis. Results showed that icarisid II
      significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of human
      osteosarcoma U2OS cells. The half maximal inhibitory concentration values were
      14.44, 11.02, and 7.37 uM at 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively. Cell cycle was
      arrested in the G2/M phase in vitro. In addition, icarisid II upregulated the
      expression levels of P21 and CyclinB1 whereas downregulated the expression levels
      of CyclinD1, CDC2, and P-Cdc25C, which were related to cell cycle arrest in U2OS
      cells. The cell apoptotic rate increased in a dose-dependent manner after
      treatment with icarisid II for 48 h. Icarisid II induced apoptosis by
      upregulating Bax, downregulating Bcl-2, and activating apoptosis-related
      proteins, including cleaved caspase-3, caspase-7, caspase-9, and poly (ADP
      ribose) polymerase. These data indicate that icarisid II exhibits an
      antiproliferation effect on human osteosarcoma cells and induces apoptosis by
      activating the caspase family in a time- and dose-dependent manner in vitro.
      Therefore, icarisid II may be used as a candidate agent for the clinical
      treatment of osteosarcoma in the future.

PMID- 28621235
TI  - MMP-2 together with MMP-9 overexpression correlated with lymph node metastasis
      and poor prognosis in early gastric carcinoma.
AB  - The aim of this study was to correlate matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix
      metalloproteinase-9 expression with the clinicopathological features and outcome
      of patients with early gastric cancer and to clinically elucidate more
      information on the role of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix
      metalloproteinase-9 protein overexpression with regard to lymph node metastasis
      of early gastric cancer. The levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix
      metalloproteinase-9 protein expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry. An
      association was observed between matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix
      metalloproteinase-9, and matrix metalloproteinase-2/matrix metalloproteinase-9
      overexpression and clinicopathological factors, such as ulceration and lymph node
      metastasis. Furthermore, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and matrix metalloproteinase
      2/matrix metalloproteinase-9 overexpression both were strongly correlated with
      histological grade. In addition, matrix metalloproteinase-2/matrix
      metalloproteinase-9 overexpression correlated with deep invasion. Multivariate
      Cox regression analysis revealed that matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix
      metalloproteinase-9 expression were both independent factors of overall survival
      in patients with early gastric cancer. In novelty, we found that matrix
      metalloproteinase-2/matrix metalloproteinase-9 overexpression was an independent
      indicator of lymph node metastasis in early gastric cancer which will be helpful
      in clinic to select the appropriate treatment of these patients.

PMID- 28621236
TI  - Dynamic soluble changes in sVEGFR1, HGF, and VEGF promote chemotherapy and
      bevacizumab resistance: A prospective translational study in the BECOX (GEMCAD 09
      01) trial.
AB  - Despite initial responsiveness, acquired resistance to both bevacizumab and
      chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer is universal. We have recently
      published that in vitro, chronically oxaliplatin resistance upregulates soluble
      vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, downregulates vascular endothelial
      growth factor, and also promotes c-MET, b-catenin/transcription factor 4, and AKT
      activation. We tested whether variation in three serum biomarkers such as the
      natural c-MET ligand (hepatocyte growth factor), soluble vascular endothelial
      growth factor receptor 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor-A was associated
      with efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated in the prospective
      BECOX study. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A165, soluble
      vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, and hepatocyte growth factor were
      assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method basally and every 3 cycles
      (at the time of computed tomography evaluation) in a preplanned translational
      study in the first-line BECOX trial in metastatic colorectal cancer patients
      treated with CAPOX plus bevacizumab. Response was evaluated by routine contrast
      enhanced computed tomography by RECIST 1.1 by investigator assessment and by
      three blinded independent radiologists. Ratios between soluble vascular
      endothelial growth factor receptor 1/vascular endothelial growth factor-A and
      hepatocyte growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-A were established
      and variations through time were related to RECIST 1.1 by investigator assessment
      and independent radiologist. The BECOX trial included 68 patients, and 27
      patients were analyzed in the translational trial. A total of 80 RECIST 1.1
      evaluations were done by investigator assessment and 56 by independent
      radiologist. We found that a 3.22-fold increase in soluble vascular endothelial
      growth factor receptor 1/vascular endothelial growth factor-A by investigator
      assessment and a 3.06-fold increase in soluble vascular endothelial growth factor
      receptor 1/vascular endothelial growth factor-A by independent radiologist from
      previous determination were associated with responses compared with 1.38-fold
      increase by investigator assessment and 1.59 by independent radiologist in non
      responders (p = 0.0009 and p = 0.03, respectively). Responders had a 3.36-fold
      increase in hepatocyte growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-A from
      previous determination by investigator assessment and 3.66-fold increase in
      hepatocyte growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-A by independent
      radiologist compared with 1.43-fold increase by investigator assessment and 1.53
      by independent radiologist for non-responders (p = 0.002 and 0.003,
      respectively). In conclusion, a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor-A
      and an increase in soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 during
      chemotherapy and bevacizumab exposure can contribute to both chemotherapy (due to
      c-MET/b-catenin activation) and bevacizumab (due to low vascular endothelial
      growth factor requirements) resistance. Because hepatocyte growth factor levels
      decrease also during acquired resistance, alternative strategies to hepatocyte
      growth factor-ligand inhibition should be investigated.

PMID- 28621237
TI  - Role of CXCR4 and SDF1 as prognostic factors for survival and the association
      with clinicopathology in colorectal cancer: A systematic meta-analysis.
AB  - C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 and stromal cell-derived factor-1 were proven to
      play important roles in several types of cancer and in many biological processes
      connected with tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. However, the
      clinical significance of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 and stromal cell-derived
      factor-1 expression in colorectal cancer remains inaccurate. The purpose of this
      systematic meta-analysis is to investigate the role of C-X-C chemokine receptor
      type 4 and stromal cell-derived factor-1 as prognostic factors for survival and
      the association between C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4/ stromal cell-derived
      factor-1 and clinicopathology in colorectal cancer. Databases including PubMed,
      EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant literatures updated till
      January 2017. Review Manager 5.3 was used for data analysis. In our meta
      analysis, C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 expression is related to tumor-node
      metastasis stage, tumor differentiation, liver metastasis, lymph node metastasis,
      distant metastasis, and diagnosis, and no correlation of C-X-C chemokine receptor
      type 4 expression with tumor size, gender, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen,
      age, or vascular invasion has been observed. Stromal cell-derived factor-1
      expression has no relationship with tumor-node-metastasis stage, lymph node
      metastasis, vascular invasion, age, gender, distant metastasis, or diagnosis. The
      expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 has association with tumor
      differentiation. Moreover, the pooled hazard ratio for disease-free
      survival/overall survival showed that overexpression of C-X-C chemokine receptor
      type 4/stromal cell-derived factor-1 reduced disease-free survival/overall
      survival in colorectal cancer. Therefore, High expression of C-X-C chemokine
      receptor type 4/stromal cell-derived factor-1 which is essential in tumor
      progression can predict poor survival that may provide more advance prognostic
      clues to colorectal cancer patients.

PMID- 28621238
TI  - Long non-coding RNA CASC2 regulates cell biological behaviour through the MAPK
      signalling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs have previously been demonstrated to play important roles in
      regulating human diseases, especially cancer. However, the biological functions
      and molecular mechanisms of long non-coding RNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma have
      not been extensively studied. The long non-coding RNA CASC2 (cancer
      susceptibility candidate 2) has been characterised as a tumour suppressor in
      endometrial cancer and gliomas. However, the role and function of CASC2 in
      hepatocellular carcinoma remain unknown. In this study, using quantitative real
      time polymerase chain reaction, we confirmed that CASC2 expression was
      downregulated in 50 hepatocellular carcinoma cases (62%) and in hepatocellular
      carcinoma cell lines compared with the paired adjacent tissues and normal liver
      cells. In vitro experiments further demonstrated that overexpressed CASC2
      decreased hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion as
      well as promoted apoptosis via inactivating the mitogen-activated protein kinase
      signalling pathway. Our findings demonstrate that CASC2 could be a useful tumour
      suppressor factor and a promising therapeutic target for hepatocellular
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28621239
TI  - A microRNA signature associated with pathological complete response to novel
      neoadjuvant therapy regimen in triple-negative breast cancer.
AB  - Neoadjuvant chemotherapy aims to improve the outcome of breast cancer patients,
      but only few would benefit from this treatment. Pathological complete response
      has been proposed as a surrogate marker for the prediction of long-term clinical
      benefits; however, 50%-85% patients have an unfavorable pathological complete
      response to chemotherapy. MicroRNAs are known biomarkers of breast cancer
      progression; nevertheless, their potential to identify patients with pathological
      complete response remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether a
      microRNA profile could be associated with pathological complete response in
      triple-negative breast cancer patients receiving 5-fluorouracil, adriamycin,
      cyclophosphamide-cisplatin/paclitaxel as a novel neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In the
      discovery cohort, the expression of 754 microRNAs was examined in tumors from 10
      triple-negative breast cancer patients who achieved pathological complete
      response and 8 without pathological complete response using TaqMan Low-Density
      Arrays. Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis identified 11 microRNAs with
      significant differences between responder and no-responder patients (fold change
      >= 1.5; p < 0.05). The differential expression of miR-30a, miR-9-3p, miR-770, and
      miR-143-5p was validated in an independent group of 17 patients with or without
      pathological complete response. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that
      expression of these four microRNAs was associated with an increased disease-free
      survival. Gene ontology classification of predicted microRNA targets indicated
      that numerous genes are involved in pathways related to chemoresistance, such as
      vascular endothelial growth factor, focal adhesion kinase, WNT, ERbB,
      phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and AKT signaling. In summary, we identified a novel
      microRNA expression signature associated with pathological complete response in
      breast cancer. We propose that the four validated microRNAs could be used as
      molecular biomarkers of clinical response in triple-negative breast cancer
      patients with pathological complete response to neoadjuvant therapy.

PMID- 28621240
TI  - IL-36alpha suppresses proliferation of ovarian cancer cells.
AB  - Interleukin-36alpha (IL-36alpha), also formerly known as IL-1F6, is pertaining to
      IL-1 family members that has been shown to play an important pro-inflammatory
      role in chronic immune disorders. However, the role IL-36alpha in the setting of
      cancer remains unknown. Here, in our study, to investigate the clinical relevance
      of IL-36alpha in ovarian cancer, clinicopathological significance as well as
      expression level of IL-36alpha were analyzed in epithelial ovarian cancer
      clinical tissues and paired normal control. To explore the biological role of IL
      36alpha in vitro in epithelial ovarian cancer cells, both overexpression and
      knockdown of IL-36alpha were performed. Based on the successful re-expression and
      silencing of IL-36alpha, proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated
      using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, wound
      healing, and Transwell assays, respectively. To further confirm the effect over
      proliferation in vivo, nude mice xenografted with epithelial ovarian cancer cells
      whose endogenous IL-36alpha was stably upregulated or downregulated were
      employed. It was found that IL-36alpha was shown to be markedly downregulated in
      epithelial ovarian cancer tissues relative to paired normal control and that
      reduced IL-36alpha expression was significantly associated with poor overall
      prognosis. In addition, IL-36alpha was observed to be able to suppress the growth
      of epithelial ovarian cancer cells both in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, IL
      36alpha was displayed to be able to suppress the growth of epithelial ovarian
      cancer cells in our setting, which is suggestive of its druggable potential in
      curing the epithelial ovarian cancer and that upregulation of IL-36alpha was
      found to be capable of inhibiting the growth of epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

PMID- 28621241
TI  - Hedgehog signaling pathway as a potential target in the treatment of advanced
      gastric cancer.
AB  - The sonic hedgehog signaling pathway is critical for cell proliferation, cell
      differentiation, and organ development during embryogenesis. Aberrant activation
      of the sonic hedgehog pathway has been associated with a variety of human
      cancers. Currently, there is no target molecular drug that clinically affects
      sonic hedgehog activation in patients with gastric cancer. In this review, we
      will focus on the current clinical treatment options for advanced gastric cancer
      and discuss the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway. We also review our
      understanding of the role of sonic hedgehog signaling in advanced gastric cancer
      progression. Finally, we will describe current known molecular pathways that
      crosstalk with the sonic hedgehog pathway in cancer stem cells.

PMID- 28621242
TI  - The gap between medical faculty's perceptions and use of e-learning resources.
AB  - BACKGROUND: e-Learning resources have become increasingly popular in medical
      education; however, there has been scant research on faculty perceptions and use
      of these resources. OBJECTIVE: To investigate medical faculty's use of e-learning
      resources and to draw on practical implications for fostering their use of such
      resources. DESIGN: Approximately 500 full-time faculty members in 35 medical
      schools across the nation in South Korea were invited to participate in a 30-item
      questionnaire on their perceptions and use of e-learning resources in medical
      education. The questionnaires were distributed in both online and paper formats.
      Descriptive analysis and reliability analysis were conducted of the data.
      RESULTS: Eighty faculty members from 28 medical schools returned the
      questionnaires. Twenty-two percent of respondents were female and 78% were male,
      and their rank, disciplines, and years of teaching experience all varied.
      Participants had positive perceptions of e-learning resources in terms of
      usefulness for student learning and usability; still, only 39% of them
      incorporated those resources in their teaching. The most frequently selected
      reasons for not using e-learning resources in their teaching were 'lack of
      resources relevant to my lectures,' 'lack of time to use them during lectures,'
      and 'was not aware of their availability.' CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates a gap
      between medical faculty's positive perceptions of e-learning resources and their
      low use of such resources. Our findings highlight the needs for further study of
      individual and institutional barriers to faculty adoption of e-learning resources
      to bridge this gap.

PMID- 28621243
TI  - Retrospective evaluation of patients with organizing pneumonia: is cryptogenic
      organizing pneumonia different from secondary organizing pneumonia?
AB  - Introduction: Organizing pneumonia (OP) is an uncommon clinic opathological
      situation among lung diseases. If no underlying cause can be detected, it is
      named as cryptogenic OP (COP). In this study, the etiologic and clinical
      characteristics of patients diagnosed as OP in our hospital in the last ten years
      were evaluated retrospectively. It was also aimed to make a comparison between
      COP and secondary OP patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred sixty-five
      patients diagnosed as OP pathologically in the 10 year period from August 2003 to
      August 2013 were included into that study. Patients' data were evaluated
      retrospectively from the medical records. Result: One hundred sixty five patients
      pathologically diagnosed as OP were included. Diagnostic methods were trans
      thoracic fine-needle biopsy (TTFNB) in 89 (53.9%) patients, open lung biopsy
      (lobectomy, wedge resection, segmentectomy) in 52 (31.5%) patients and
      transbronchial biyopsy (TBB) in 24 (14.5%) patients. One hundred (60.6%) of the
      patients were defined as COP and 65 (39.4%) as secondary OP. Cough, fatigue and
      dyspnea were the most common symptoms on admission. We detected OP cases
      secondary to anthracosis and cyst hydatic besides other well known etiologies. In
      61 patients, the main radiologic manifestation was multiple bilateral patchy
      consolidation typical for OP. In 76 patients focal lesions (solid mass,
      cavitating mass lesion) and in 6 patients infiltrative opacities were detected
      radiologically. Conclusions: There is no difference between properties of OP from
      clinical, laboratory and radiologic finding sin the criptogenic and seconder form
      of OP. Although it is not asserted, cyst hidatic and anthracosis could be kept in
      mind for the list of underlying ethiologies for secondary OP.

PMID- 28621244
TI  - [Evaluation of physians, patients, relatives and society of opinions on the told
      lung cancer diagnosis].
AB  - Introduction: In our country, this is usually done by patient relatives. In this
      study, we aimed to investigate the thought of doctors who done the diagnosis,
      doctors who arrange the treatment, first degree relatives of patients with lung
      cancer, and population as a control. Materials and Methods: 310 subjects (100
      doctors, 110 first degree realtives of patients, and 100 subjects as a control)
      were included to the study. The mean age was 39.77 +/- 11.44 years and there was
      170 females. 46% of doctors were giving cancer treatment
      (chemotheraphy/radiotheraphy). Result: 84.5% of subjects were answered the
      question (Do you want to know the diagnosis of lung cancer if you are lung
      cancer?) as "yes" and the answers were not different between groups (p> 0.05). 72
      of doctors were giving information about diagnosis of patients. This ratio was
      89.1% in doctors who arrange lung cancer treatment whereas it was 57.4% in
      doctors who do not arrange cancer treatment. The percent age of learning of
      diagnosis of lung cancer throughout the time in doctors, population, and
      patient's relatives were 19%, 34%, and 59% respectively (p< 0.05). Information
      about quality of life was more important in relatives of patients (87%) than
      population (65%) and doctors (63%) (p< 0.05). Quality of life was more important
      for doctors who arrange lung cancer treatment (76.7)% than doctors who did not
      (48.8%) (p< 0.05). Patients who were more children wanted to stay with their
      family at end stage of disease (p< 0.05). Conclusions: According to this study we
      think that doctors should say the diagnosis of lung cancer in the form of they
      understand, inform the patients and relatives about treatment, and quality of
      life and this can increase patient trust to doctor and compliance of patients to
      the treatment.

PMID- 28621245
TI  - Evaluation of school teachers' sociodemographic characteristics and quality of
      life according to their cigarette smoking status: a cross-sectional study from
      the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey.
AB  - Introduction: Smoking related health disorders are particularly common after long
      term cigarette use and accordingly cumulative side effects of smoking usually do
      not appear in younger individuals. Therefore, for evaluating the contemporary
      effects of smoking in healthy individuals quality of life has become a
      fundamental criterion. In this study our aims are evaluating factors affecting
      school teachers' smoking status and comparing quality of life them according to
      their cigarette smoking status. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional
      study, conducted between March 1 and June 30, 2015, included all government
      school teachers in Hopa. A sociodemographic data form and World Health
      Organisation Quality of Life-bref (WHOQL-bref) questionnaire were used.
      Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS 20. To evaluate the reliability of
      the WHOQOL-bref questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha co-efficiency was calculated for
      each domain separately. Result: Statistical analysis was performed on 327
      participants' data. The mean age of the teachers was 34.2 +/- 8.73 and 50.2% of
      them were female. Most of the teachers were never smokers (67.8%) and current
      smokers' made up 20.1% of the population. Mean Fagerstrom score of current
      smokers was 4.1+/-1.96. Multinominal logistic regression analysis showed that
      there was a positive association between male gender and current smoking (OR=
      2.25; 95% CI: 1.17-4.32; p< 0.05). Perception of quality of life and perception
      of health status scores were lower in the current smoker group as compared to
      never smokers (p< 0.05). However, other quality of life domains were not
      significantly different among smoking groups. Also, none of the quality of life
      domains differed significantly according to current smokers' nicotine dependence
      level. Conclusions: This study reflected a decrease in current smoking prevalence
      among school teachers compared to previous years. Also, the perception of quality
      of life and perception of health status scores were lower in the current smoker
      group as compared to never smokers.

PMID- 28621246
TI  - Association between admission neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and outcomes in
      patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - Introduction: The prognostic significance of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio
      (NLR), derived-neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (d-NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte
      ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) have been shown in many
      diseases. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published report evaluation
      of those parameters in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (AECOPD). The aims of this study are to evaluate the parameters in
      predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with AECOPD. Materials and Methods:
      This is a retrospective study in two referral hospitals in Tabriz and Urmia,
      Iran. NLRs, PLR, LMR, and d-NLR were calculated from the admission day complete
      blood count of patients with AECOPD. Comparison was made between patients who
      died in hospital and those discharged alive. Result: Of 315 patients, 70 (22.2%)
      died in the hospital and 245 (77.8%) were discharged alive. The mortality rate
      was higher in patients with NLR >= 4 than with NLR < 4 (24% vs. 9.5% p value <
      0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed NLR (p= 0.001) were independently
      associated with in-hospital mortality. NLR had the highest odds ratio for death
      both in univariate (OR= 3.80) and multivariate (OR= 3.50) analyses. The area
      under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for NLR in predicting in
      hospital death was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.81; p< 0.001). PLR and LMR did not show
      significant relation to in-hospital death in AECOPD. Conclusions: This study
      shows for the first time that higher NLR is positively associated with in
      hospital mortality in AECOPD.

PMID- 28621247
TI  - [ARIA 2016 executive summary: integrated care pathways for predictive medicine
      across the life cycle].
AB  - The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) initiative commenced during
      a World Health Organization (WHO) workshop in 1999. The initial goals were (i) to
      propose a new allergic rhinitis classification, (ii) to promote the concept of
      multi-morbidity in asthma and rhinitis and (iii) to develop guidelines with all
      stakeholders for global use in all countries and populations. ARIA- disseminated
      and implemented in over 70 countries globally- is now focusing on the
      implementation of emerging technologies for individualized and predictive
      medicine. MASK (MACVIA (Contre les MAladies Chroniques pour un VIeillissement
      Actif)-ARIA Sentinel NetworK) uses mobile technology to develop care pathways in
      order to enable the management of rhinitis and asthma by a multi-disciplinary
      group or by patients themselves. An App (Android and iOS) is available in 20
      countries and 15 languages. It uses a visual analogue scale to assess symptom
      control and work productivity as well as a clinical decision support system. It
      is associated with an inter-operable tablet for physicians and other health care
      professionals. The scaling up strategy uses the recommendations of the European
      Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. The aim of the novel ARIA
      approach is to provide an active and healthy life to rhinitis sufferers, whatever
      their age, sex or socio-economic status, in order to reduce health and social
      inequalities incurred by the disease.

PMID- 28621248
TI  - [Imaging of pleural diseases: evaluation of imaging methods based on chest
      radiography].
AB  - The most commonly employed radiologic method in diagnosis of pleural diseases is
      conventional chest radiograph. The commonest chest- X-Ray findings are the
      presence of pleural effusion and thickening. Small pleural effusions are not
      readily identified on posteroanterior chest radiograph. However, lateral
      decubitus chest radiograph and chest ultrasonography may show small pleural
      effusions. These are more efficient methods than posteroanterior chest radiograph
      in the erect position for demonstrating small amounts of free pleural effusions.
      Chest ultrasonograph may be able to help in distinguishing the pleural
      pathologies from parenchymal lesions. On chest radiograph pleural effusions or
      pleural thickening may obscure the visibility of the underlying disease or
      parenchymal abnormality. Thus, computed tomography (CT) may provide additional
      information of determining the extent and severity of pleural disease and may
      help to differentiate malign pleural lesions from the benign ones. Moreover, CT
      may provide the differentiation of parenchmal abnormalities from pleural
      pathologies. CT (coronal and sagittal reformatted images) that also show invasion
      of chest wall, mediastinum and diaphragm, as well as enlarged hilar or
      mediastinal lymph nodes. Standart non-invasive imaging techniques may be
      supplemented with magnetic resonans imaging (MRI).

PMID- 28621249
TI  - Tuberculosis masked by immunodeficiency: a review of two cases diagnosed with
      chronic granulomatous disease.
AB  - Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a genetically heterogeneous primary
      immunodeficiency that is characterized by recurrent and life-threatening
      infections resulting from defects in phagocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
      phosphate (NADPH) oxidase system and granuloma formation due to increased
      inflammatory response. The most commonly involved organs are the lungs, skin,
      lymph nodes, and liver due to infection. It may present with recurrent pneumonia,
      hilar lymphadenopathy, empyema, abscess, reticulonodular patterns, and granulomas
      due to lung involvement. In recent years, mycobacterial disease susceptibility
      has been reported in CGD cases. This article presents two male cases, one of whom
      is aged 18 months and the other is aged 5 years, who were diagnosed with CGD and
      tuberculosis during examination due to extended pneumonia. This report is
      presented because CGD should be considered not only in the presence of skin
      abscesses and Aspergillus infections, but also in the differential diagnosis for
      cases with BCG-itis and/or tuberculosis. It should be kept in mind that
      mycobacterial infections can occur during the course of the disease.

PMID- 28621250
TI  - Tuberculous bronchoesophageal fistula presenting as intractable cough.
AB  - Intractable cough is one of the debilitating conditions, which warrants immediate
      investigation to find out the underlying cause. There are numerous causes of
      intractable cough. We present one such young immunocompromised post renal
      transplant patient with pulmonary tuberculosis and severe uncontrolled cough due
      to bronchoesophageal fistula. Bronchoesophageal fistula representing abnormal
      communication between bronchus and esophagus is an uncommon condition. We
      emphasize the role of CT in such cases.

PMID- 28621251
TI  - Hemoptysis in a serum ANCA-positive elderly patient.

PMID- 28621252
TI  - Clinical course of community-acquired respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia in
      newborns hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit.

PMID- 28621253
TI  - [Turkish translation and transcultural adaptation of Severe Respiratory
      Insufficiency (SRI) questionnaire].

PMID- 28621256
TI  - Detection and Analysis of Microbes, Bioanalytes, and Micropollutants, Focusing on
      Food and Environmental Samples, Using Nanoparticle-Based Detection Systems,
      Microfluidic Analytical Devices, and Related Techniques.

PMID- 28621259
TI  - Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted podiatry
      intervention for falls prevention in older people: a multicentre cohort
      randomised controlled trial (the REducing Falls with ORthoses and a Multifaceted
      podiatry intervention trial).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Falls are a serious cause of morbidity and cost to individuals and
      society. Evidence suggests that foot problems and inappropriate footwear may
      increase the risk of falling. Podiatric interventions could help reduce falls;
      however, there is limited evidence regarding their clinical effectiveness and
      cost-effectiveness. OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost
      effectiveness of a multifaceted podiatry intervention for preventing falls in
      community-dwelling older people at risk of falling, relative to usual care.
      DESIGN: A pragmatic, multicentred, cohort randomised controlled trial with an
      economic evaluation and qualitative study. SETTING: Nine NHS trusts in the UK and
      one site in Ireland. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 1010 participants aged >= 65 years
      were randomised (intervention, n = 493; usual care, n = 517) via a secure, remote
      service. Blinding was not possible. INTERVENTIONS: All participants received a
      falls prevention leaflet and routine care from their podiatrist and general
      practitioner. The intervention also consisted of footwear advice, footwear
      provision if required, foot orthoses and foot- and ankle-strengthening exercises.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incidence rate of falls per
      participant in the 12 months following randomisation. The secondary outcomes
      included the proportion of fallers and multiple fallers, time to first fall, fear
      of falling, fracture rate, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cost
      effectiveness. RESULTS: The primary analysis consisted of 484 (98.2%)
      intervention and 507 (98.1%) usual-care participants. There was a non
      statistically significant reduction in the incidence rate of falls in the
      intervention group [adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) 0.73 to 1.05; p = 0.16]. The proportion of participants experiencing a fall
      was lower (50% vs. 55%, adjusted odds ratio 0.78, 95% CI 0.60 to 1.00; p = 0.05).
      No differences were observed in key secondary outcomes. No serious, unexpected
      and related adverse events were reported. The intervention costs L252.17 more per
      participant (95% CI -L69.48 to L589.38) than usual care, was marginally more
      beneficial in terms of HRQoL measured via the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions [mean quality
      adjusted life-year (QALY) difference 0.0129, 95% CI -0.0050 to 0.0314 QALYs] and
      had a 65% probability of being cost-effective at the National Institute for
      Health and Care Excellence threshold of L30,000 per QALY gained. The intervention
      was generally acceptable to podiatrists and trial participants. LIMITATIONS:
      Owing to the difficulty in calculating a sample size for a count outcome, the
      sample size was based on detecting a difference in the proportion of participants
      experiencing at least one fall, and not the primary outcome. We are therefore
      unable to confirm if the trial was sufficiently powered for the primary outcome.
      The findings are not generalisable to patients who are not receiving podiatry
      care. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was safe and potentially effective. Although
      the primary outcome measure did not reach significance, a lower fall rate was
      observed in the intervention group. The reduction in the proportion of older
      adults who experienced a fall was of borderline statistical significance. The
      economic evaluation suggests that the intervention could be cost-effective.
      FUTURE WORK: Further research could examine whether or not the intervention could
      be delivered in group sessions, by physiotherapists, or in high-risk patients.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68240461. FUNDING: This
      project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health
      Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health
      Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 24. See the NIHR Journals Library website for
      further project information.

PMID- 28621267
TI  - Site-specific Oral Cancers are different Biological Entities.
AB  - One of the imperative features of the oral cavity is the presence of different
      areas, which are characterized by unique sets of tissue organization. These
      regions are divided into lining mucosa (buccal mucosa, labial mucosa, alveolar
      mucosa, mucosa lining the ventral surface of the tongue, floor of the mouth, and
      soft palate) and masticatory mucosa (hard palate, attached gingiva, and dorsal
      surface of the tongue).1.

PMID- 28621268
TI  - Assessment of Oral Hygiene Knowledge, Practices, and Concepts of Tobacco Usage
      among Engineering Students in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
AB  - AIM: This study aimed to assess oral hygiene-related knowledge and practices
      among engineering students of Bhubaneswar city and also to evaluate the concepts
      about the side effects of tobacco usage among those students. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The study was conducted using a self-administered, close-ended
      questionnaire to assess the oral hygiene knowledge and practices and study the
      concepts on tobacco usage among 362 engineering students of Bhubaneswar city,
      Odisha, India. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using Statistical
      Package for the Social Sciences software version 20.0. RESULTS: This survey found
      that 26.51% of the students had never visited a dentist. Nearly 43.64% of the
      participants were cognizant of the fact that improper brushing is the reason of
      tooth decay. About 47% of the participants consumed alcohol and 32.6% had the
      habit of chewing tobacco, though 80% were aware that use of smokeless tobacco can
      impair oral health and cause cancer and use of alcohol has detrimental effect on
      oral health. CONCLUSION: Knowledge with respect to oral health among engineering
      students of Bhubaneswar city is adequate regarding using fluoridated toothpaste
      and flosses. However, an unhealthy snacking habit, overusage of toothbrushes,
      consumption of alcohol, and practicing tobacco habit show the lack of oral health
      knowledge in these students. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Our study provides an idea
      about the present scenario in terms of oral hygiene and tobacco usage in young
      individuals. This can form the basis for oral health education and tobacco
      cessation program. Moreover, as the habit of tobacco usage starts early during
      college life, adequate knowledge about its ill-effects would prevent deadly
      diseases, such as potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer.

PMID- 28621269
TI  - Tooth Wear Patterns among Khat and Shammah Users in Jazan City, Kingdom of Saudi
      Arabia: A Cross-sectional Survey.
AB  - AIM: The effect of Khat and Shammah habits, with the para-functional jaw
      activities that accompany them, on the structure and integrity of the natural
      dentition has not yet been investigated. The literature lacks studies that
      identify the patterns of tooth wear among Khat and Shammah users. Therefore, this
      study is the first attempt to address this concern in Jazan City population,
      Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study
      was conducted among 300 recruits among dental clinics in Jazan City, Kingdom of
      Saudi Arabia from October 1, 2015, to April 30, 2016. Questionnaires were used
      for data collection on oral habits (Khat and Shammah use), age, gender, intake of
      acidic food or beverages, food habits (intake of fruits, grains, and vegetables),
      systemic diseases, oral hygiene habits (brushing frequency, technique, and type
      of toothbrush), parafunctional habits, stress, and acid reflux. Clinical
      examination was performed to assess the grade of tooth wear. Bivariate analysis
      was performed to determine the empirical relationship between the independent
      variables and outcomes. In addition, binary logistic regressions were used to
      measure the relationship between the independent variables and each of the
      dependent variables (presence of occlusal wear, tooth wear grade 0 through 4).
      RESULTS: Khat and Shammah use was statistically significantly associated with
      tooth wear (p < 0.05). A significant association of tooth wear was observed with
      age, gender, intake of acidic food and beverages, oral hygiene habits, and
      stress. CONCLUSION: Consumption of Khat and Shammah may be attributed as one of
      the major reasons associated with tooth wear among the Saudi population. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: The habitual use of Khat and Shammah causes tooth wear of varying
      severity, which may negatively affect esthetics, phonetics, and function and
      necessitate a complex restorative treatment.

PMID- 28621270
TI  - Influence of Hand Instrumentation and Ultrasonic Scaling on the Microleakage of
      various Cervical Restorations: An in vitro Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In cervical lesions, various restorative materials can be inserted,
      which can be affected by the application of periodontal scalers. This study
      evaluated and compared the marginal seal of class V glass ionomer, composite
      resin, and amalgam restorations after subjecting them to hand instrumentation and
      ultrasonic scaling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, 30 sound
      human first premolars were selected. In each tooth, buccal and lingual cavities
      (4 mm mesiodistal width, 3 mm occlusogingival height, and 2 mm depth) were made.
      The teeth were randomly assigned to three groups of 10 teeth: (1) Glass ionomer
      group, (2) composite group, and (3) amalgam group. Teeth were subjected to
      thermocycling procedure for 1,000 cycles between 5 and 55 degrees C water baths
      and a 1-minute dwell time. Then, each group was randomly subdivided: (1) Margins
      of 30 restorations were exposed to hand instrumentation procedures by applying 10
      working strokes, (2) margins of 30 restorations were exposed to a periodontal tip
      mounted on a piezoelectric ultrasonic handpiece working at 25 kHz for 10 seconds.
      The specimens were serially sectioned mesiodistally. Each section was examined
      under a stereomicroscope. The extent of microleakage was ranked using a 0 to 4
      scale at both occlusal and cervical margins of the restorations. Data were
      analyzed initially using the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by multiple
      comparisons using the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: The type of
      restorative material had a significant influence on dye penetration, whether in
      the enamel margin or in the dentinal margin (p < 0.001). The microleakage of
      glass ionomer group was the highest. No statistical differences were found in dye
      penetration between scaling groups (hand instrumentation and ultrasonic scaling)
      (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Type of restorative material had a significant influence
      on microleakage. No statistical differences were found in dye penetration between
      scaling groups. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The microleakage of glass ionomer
      restoration is greater than amalgam and composite restorations after subjecting
      them to hand instrumentation and ultrasonic scaling.

PMID- 28621271
TI  - Effect of Sandblasting Angle and Distance on Biaxial Flexural Strength of
      Zirconia-based Ceramics.
AB  - AIM: Surface treatment is necessarily required for bonding of zirconia to the
      veneering porcelain and luting cements. Sandblasting is the most common and
      probably the most efficient surface treatment method. Sandblasting roughens the
      surface and may affect the flexural strength of zirconia. Different sandblasting
      protocols may yield variable results. This study sought to assess the effect of
      sandblasting angle and distance on the biaxial flexural strength of zirconia
      based ceramics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This in vitro experimental study was
      conducted on 50 zirconia discs measuring 1.2 +/- 0.2 mm in thickness and 15 +/-
      0.2 mm in diameter, which were randomly divided into five groups (n = 10) of one
      control and four experimental groups subjected to sandblasting with 110 MUm
      aluminum oxide particles under 2 bar pressure for 10 seconds at 15 and 25 mm
      distances and 45 and 90 degrees  angles (between the nozzle head and zirconia
      surface). Surface roughness was measured by a roughness tester and samples were
      subjected to thermocycling followed by biaxial flexural strength testing
      according to ISO6872. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance
      (p < 0.05). RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was noted in the
      mean biaxial flexural strength of the five groups (p = 0.40). Different
      sandblasting protocols yielded significantly different surface roughness values
      (p < 0.001). The highest and the lowest mean surface roughness belonged to 15
      mm/90 degrees  (0.51 MUm) and control (0.001 MUm) groups respectively.
      CONCLUSION: Change in sandblasting angle and distance had no significant effect
      on the biaxial flexural strength of zirconia-based ceramic, but surface roughness
      was significantly different in the study groups. Clinical significances:
      Regardless of sandblasting angle, increasing distance to 25 mm significantly
      decreases surface roughness that may negatively affect zirconia bond strength.

PMID- 28621272
TI  - Radiopacity of Mineral Trioxide Aggregate with and without Inclusion of Silver
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the inclusion of silver
      nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in the mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) composition to
      know which changes will result in the radiopacity of the material. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The experiment was performed according to the American National Standard
      Institute/American Dental Association specification no. 57/2000 and ISO
      6876/2001. Five plates with five holes measuring 1 mm in depth and 5 mm in
      internal diameter were filled according to the different experimental groups as
      follows: white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) + NP50 - W MTA with liquid Ag NP
      50 ppm, WMTA + NP30 - W MTA with liquid Ag NP 30 ppm, WMTA + NP22 - W MTA with
      liquid Ag NP 22 ppm, WMTA + NPP - white MTA with liquid Ag NP and powder 1%, WMTA
      (control). After filling the plates, they were kept in an incubator at 37 degrees
      C in relative humidity for setting. Each sample was positioned along an aluminum
      step-wedge placed above the Opteo digital sensor system. The image was divided
      into four quadrants, and three readings were made for each quadrant to render the
      average of each quadrant. The resulting data were submitted to Kruskal-Wallis and
      Dunn's tests. RESULTS: The results showed statistically significant differences
      between WMTA + NP30, WMTA + NP22, and WMTA + NPP interactions compared with WMTA
      (control) (p < 0.05). The radiopacity was in descending order: WMTA + NPP, WMTA +
      NP22, WMTA + NP30, MTA + NP50, and WMTA. CONCLUSION: Silver NPs changed the
      radiopacity of WMTA, being more evident in WMTA + NP powder at 1% weight.
      CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The low radiopacity of MTA makes it difficult for any
      radiographic observation. The Ag NPs appear as an alternative, being an excellent
      radiopacifier as they have excellent antimicrobial property and relatively low
      toxicity.

PMID- 28621273
TI  - Choice of Endodontic Fiber Posts and its Influence on Dental Malpractice: An in
      vitro Evaluation.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The fiber post type used in restoring endodontically treated
      teeth may affect the dental expert decision in the case of dental malpractice.
      The aim of this study was to evaluate the low-cost commercial fiber post in
      comparison with a higher cost or well-known documented fiber post system.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 premolars were selected for the study;
      following endodontic treatment, specimens were randomly divided into two groups
      of 10 specimens each according to the type of fiber post used: (1) Low-cost
      commercial fiber post (OYAPost, Taper Lucent, OYARICOM) and (2) higher cost well
      known fiber post (Rely X Fiber post, 3M ESPE). Both fiber posts were cemented
      using self-adhesive cement (Rely X Unicem). Samples were subjected to push-out
      bond strength and to failure analysis. One-way analysis of variance was used (p <
      0.005). RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the bond strength of
      the two tested groups (p > 0.05), while statistically significant difference (p <
      0.05) was noted between the different post space regions (cervical, middle, and
      apical). CONCLUSION: Based on the evidence from the study, it can be concluded
      that the type of fiber post should not affect the dental expert decision in the
      case of dental malpractice/lawsuit. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: All types of low-cost
      fiber posts may behave similarly to other higher cost or well-documented fiber
      posts.

PMID- 28621274
TI  - Evaluation to prevent the Physical Changes in Colored Elastomeric Modules when
      exposed to various Dietary Media.
AB  - AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to analyze and compare the variation
      of lumen size and thickness of the elastomeric colored modules when immersed in
      four selected dietary media. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sample size of 40 modules on
      each color - such as red, blue, green, and black - was taken and immersed in four
      dietary media (artificial saliva, coke mixed with artificial saliva, turmeric
      mixed with artificial saliva, and coffee mixed with artificial saliva). Beakers
      containing different dietary media and color modules are kept in the incubator at
      37 degrees C for 72 hours. After incubation period, all the segments of module
      strips removed from the dietary media were placed under the electric lamp and
      photographs were taken using Canon camera (SX400 IS). Photographs were
      transferred to GIMP software, and lumen size and thickness variation in the
      modules was measured. RESULTS: Statistical analysis were performed using analysis
      of variance and t-test in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software.
      It showed significant difference in thickness of black module in all dietary
      media. Significant difference existed between all the lumen sizes of four color
      modules in four dietary media. CONCLUSION: This study was done to identify the
      material that has more changes in physical properties when exposed to various
      dietary media. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: According to the results obtained, black
      color modules have increased in lumen size in all dietary media. In thickness,
      red color module showed less variation and black color module exhibited more
      variation.

PMID- 28621275
TI  - Measure and compare the Degree of Root Canal Transportation and Canal-centering
      ability of Twisted, ProTaper, and Conventional Stainless Steel K Files using
      Spiral Computed Tomography: An in vitro Study.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to compare canal transportation and centering
      ability of Twisted files (TF) and ProTaper (PT) files with conventional stainless
      steel (SS) K files. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty mandibular premolar teeth with
      root curvature of 25 to 35 degrees  were selected. The samples were randomly
      divided into three groups of 10 each according to the type of files used for
      instrumentation. Group I was instrumented using TF, group II with PT files
      according to the manufacturer's recommendations, and group III with samples
      prepared with pre-curved SS K files using a step-back technique. After
      preparation, the samples were assessed using spiral computed tomography. Three
      sections were recorded at coronal, middle, and apical levels. Amount of
      transportation was assessed comparing with preinstrumentation images. Centering
      ability was calculated using Gambill's formula. The three groups were
      statistically compared using Student's t-test. RESULTS: Twisted files showed the
      least canal transportation and the best centering ability followed by PT file
      system. Stainless steel K files showed the highest transportation and least
      centering ability. CONCLUSION: Twisted files showed the least amount of
      transportation and better centering compared with the other file systems.
      CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The study gives information of TF, a recently introduced
      rotary system (2008) with regard to its efficacy in preparing curved root canals.
      This study has shown that the centering ratio of rotary nickel titanium was
      better than that of SS files.

PMID- 28621276
TI  - Association of Palatal Rugae Pattern in Gender Identification: An Exploratory
      Study.
AB  - AIM: The present study's aim was to assess the pattern of palatine ridges/rugae
      to identify gender. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study consists of a total of 50
      participants (25 males and 25 females). Participants of the age range of 20 to 50
      years were selected from the outpatient department. According to the shape and
      size of the patient's arches, maxillary impression trays were selected using
      alginate, and casts were poured subsequently. With the help of a sharp graphite
      pencil, the palatine ridges were delineated to make it prominent, and on either
      side of the midline, the number of rugae was counted and the length measured.
      Using these parameters, the pattern of rugae was determined. Data were analyzed
      using independent sample t-test. The level of significance was set at 5%.
      RESULTS: Males had more number of palatal rugae (mean 5.96 +/- 0.88) compared
      with females (5.24 +/- 0.77), and there was a statistically significant
      association between them. The mean length of palatal rugae was more in males
      (6.25 +/- 1.15 mm) than females (5.16 +/- 1.40 mm), and it was found to be a
      statistically significant association. The straight pattern was more common in
      both males and females (2.56 +/- 1.08, 2.32 +/- 0.85 respectively) than other
      patterns. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that straight rugae pattern has been
      found to be the most common pattern in both genders. However, the mean number of
      straight rugae pattern and length is slightly more in males than females.
      CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The most challenging tasks in forensic medicine is human
      identification. Dental records, dactylogram, and comparing deoxyribonucleic acid
      are the widely used techniques in mass disasters, but these techniques have their
      own drawbacks and hence cannot be applied always. In such cases, less known
      techniques like rugoscopy will be helpful.

PMID- 28621277
TI  - Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Gummv Smile.
AB  - AIM: The aim was to evaluate the effect of botulinum toxin (Botox) injections as
      a conservative treatment for gummy smile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An experimental
      in vivo study was conducted at a dermatology clinic in Riyadh in January 2016.
      The study included 23 female patients who ranged from 20 to 50 years and were
      treated with Botox injections due to excessive maxillary gingival display. The
      patients with short clinical crowns or long maxilla, those who were pregnant or
      breastfeeding, and patients with neuromuscular disorders were excluded. Patients
      received Botox type I, injected 3 mm lateral to the alar-fascial groove at the
      level of the nostril opening at the insertion of the levator labii superioris
      alaeque nasi muscle. Photos were taken of the patient's smile before and after
      the treatment and were then uploaded to the SketchUp program to calculate
      improvements in gingival display. The distance from the lower margin of the upper
      lip to the gingival margin was calculated pre- and posttreatment. The amount of
      improvement was calculated as (pre-Botox treatment - post-Botox treatment/pre
      Botox treatment * 100). The mean percentage of the total improvement was
      analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 23 female patients received treatment to improve
      their gummy smile. Improvement was clear 2 weeks after Botox injection. The mean
      percentage of improvement in the gingival display was 99.6%. CONCLUSION: Botox
      type I is an effective conservative technique to improve gummy smile caused by
      muscular hyperfunction. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Patients' retention highly
      indicated that they were satisfied with the provided treatment by Botox
      injections. Improving the quality of life with least painful experience and
      immediate results was the major advantage for Botox type I.

PMID- 28621278
TI  - Assessment of Root Resorption and Root Shape by Periapical and Panoramic
      Radiographs: A Comparative Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: One of the common findings encountered by the clinician at the end
      of orthodontic treatment is the apical root resorption. Root resorption occurs to
      various degrees. A severe form of root resorption is characterized by shortening
      of root for more than 4 mm or more than one-third of the total tooth length. A
      low incidence rate of resorption is observed based on radiographic findings for
      the diagnosis of root resorption, panoramic radiography, and periapical
      radiography. Hence, we evaluated the accuracy of panoramic radiographic films for
      assessing the root resorption in comparison with the periapical films. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: This study included the assessment of all the cases in which pre-
      and post-treatment radiographs were available for analysis of the assessment of
      the amount of root resorption. Complete records of 80 patients were analyzed.
      Examination of a total of 900 teeth was done. Mean age of the patients in this
      study was 21 years ranging from 11 to 38 years. The majority of the patients in
      the present study were females. All the treatments were carried out by registered
      experienced orthodontists having minimum experience of more than 10 years. All
      the cases were divided into two study groups. Group I comprised panoramic
      radiographic findings, while group II consisted of periapical radiographic
      findings. For the measurement of crown portion, root portion, and the complete
      root length, magnification loops of over 100 powers with parallax correction with
      inbuilt grids were used. Assessment of the tooth length and the crown length was
      done by the same observers. All the results were analyzed by Statistical Package
      for the Social Sciences software version 6.0. RESULTS: Maximum amount of root
      resorption was observed in case of maxillary central incisors and canines among
      group I and II cases respectively. However, nonsignificant difference was
      obtained while comparing the mean root resorption in relation to maxillary
      incisors and canines among the two study groups. While comparing the overall
      value of root resorption among the two study groups, a significant difference was
      obtained. The maximum value of tooth length in both the groups was observed in
      cases of maxillary canines. Significant differences were observed while comparing
      the tooth length of various teeth among the two study groups. Among the deviated
      forms of root shape, dilacera-tion was the most common form of root shape
      detected in both the study groups. CONCLUSION: Periapical radiographs are more
      efficient in the assessment of the shape and resorption of the root. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Thorough evaluation of periapical radiographs is necessary for
      detection of even minute levels of root resorption.

PMID- 28621279
TI  - Comparative Evaluation of Stress developed on Rotary Retreatment Instruments
      during Retrieval of Gutta-percha.
AB  - AIM: The aim of the study is to compare the maximum stress distribution on the
      rotary retreatment instruments within the root canal at cervical, middle, and the
      apical one-third during retreatment of gutta-percha. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      human mandibular premolar was scanned, and three-dimensional geometry of the root
      was reconstructed using finite element analysis (FEA) software package (ANSYS).
      The basic model was kept unchanged; tooth models were created using the same
      dimensions and divided into two groups as follows: Group I: ProTaper Universal
      retreatment system and group II: Mtwo rotary retreatment system. The stress
      distribution on the surface and within the retreatment files was analyzed
      numerically in the FEA package (ANSYS). RESULTS: The FEA analysis revealed that
      the retreatment instruments received the greatest stress in the cervical third,
      followed by the apical third and the middle third. The stress generated on the
      ProTaper Universal retreatment system was less when compared with the Mtwo
      retreatment files. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that the retreatment
      instruments undergo higher stress in the cervical third region, and further in
      vivo and in vitro studies are necessary to evaluate the relationship between
      instrument designs, stress distribution, residual stresses after use, and the
      torsional fracture of the retreatment instrument. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The
      stress developed on the rotary retreatment instruments during retrieval of gutta
      percha makes the instrument to get separated. There is no instrument system,
      i.e., suitable for all clinical situations and it is important to understand how
      the structural characteristics could influence the magnitude of stresses on the
      instrument to prevent its fracture in use.

PMID- 28621280
TI  - Utility of Dermatoglyphic Pattern in Prediction of Caries in Children of
      Telangana Region, India.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Dermatoglyphics is an extremely useful tool as a preliminary
      investigation method for diagnosing suspected genetic disorders. Caries being a
      multifactorial disease with the influence of genetic pattern, early
      identification of caries risk children with dermatoglyphics can help in using
      effective and efficient caries preventive measures. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The
      study was undertaken to record and know the frequency of occurrence of
      fingerprint patterns among children with caries and in children without caries.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 400 schoolchildren in the age group of 5 to 12
      years were selected from a private school, Warangal, Telangana, India. Of 400
      schoolchildren, 200 children were with caries group and 200 children were in
      caries-free group. Children with dental caries in five or more teeth based on the
      decayed, missing, filled teeth index performed were considered as study group,
      and the control group was normal healthy children without any dental caries. The
      fingerprints of each child were recorded using stamp pad method, and type of
      dermatoglyphic pattern of each digit was recorded based on Cummins and Midlo
      method. Data obtained were put for statistical analysis; p < 0.001 was considered
      statistically significant. RESULTS: Although the frequency of whorl pattern was
      more prevalent in caries group, it was statistically significant on the left hand
      third digit of females and on the right hand third digit and the left hand fourth
      digit of males. Fingerprints of female caries-free group showed maximum of ulnar
      loop and males showed maximum of arches. There was a decrease in total ridge
      count in caries group, especially in males. CONCLUSION: Dermatoglyphics could be
      an appropriate method to explore the possibility of a noninvasive and an early
      predictor for dental caries. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Dermatoglyphics has a future
      role in identifying people with or at increased risk for dental caries so that
      risk reduction measures or earlier therapy may be instituted.

PMID- 28621281
TI  - Evaluation of Microleakage in Class V Restorations with Three different Adhesive
      Systems.
AB  - AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the microleakage of class V cavities
      restored with composite resin and different adhesive systems. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: In this experimental epidemiological investigation, a total of 75
      freshly extracted human teeth were collected. The teeth were randomly divided
      into three groups (n = 25). Three different intermediate adhesive materials
      (Clearfil SE Bond, Single Bond, and Xeno III) were used for each group. RESULTS:
      On testing without the application of occlusal load, the maximum microleakage was
      seen for group III (Xeno III) followed by group I (Clearfil SE) and then group II
      (Single Bond). On application of occlusal load, the maximum micro-leakage was
      seen for group III (Xeno III) followed by group II (Single Bond) and then group I
      (Clearfil SE Bond). The data were analyzed statistically using Kruskal-Wallis and
      Mann-Whitney U test. CONCLUSION: Group III showed the maximum amount of micro
      leakage both with and without occlusal load. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: All adhesives
      under investigation exhibited a certain amount of microleakage in enamel and
      dentin.

PMID- 28621282
TI  - Radiographic Screening of Patients in a Dental School using the Prosthodontic
      Diagnostic Index.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Organization of the findings associated with various diagnostic
      aids plays a key role in formulating the treatment plan of the patients
      undergoing dental and medical treatment. Enhanced consistency in diagnosing and
      classifying prosthodontic patients is the basic purpose of various classification
      systems. Hence, we planned this study to classify partially edentulous patients
      and completely dentate patients at the undergraduate clinics using the
      prosthodontic diagnostic index (PDI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included
      classification of 13,599 edentulous patients who attended the clinics of
      undergraduate students of all the levels. Screening of all the patients was done
      radiographically with a digital orthopantomograph (OPG), and the data were saved
      in the computer system. The intraoral periapical radiographs (IOPA) taken for all
      the affected areas were also saved in the system. Based on the OPG and IOPA, the
      patients were classified into various classes. All the data of the patients were
      recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Total number of patients screened was 17,220, out
      of which 3,621 were under 18 years of age and were excluded from the study. Most
      of the patients belonged to the age group of 31 to 45 years: 5,360 (39.4%)
      patients (3,817 [43.0%] males and 1,543 [32.5%] females) were class I; 2,730
      (20.0%) patients (1,729 [19.5%] males and 1,001 [21.1%] females) were class II;
      4,576 (33.7%) patients (2,835 [32.0%] males and 1,741 [36.8%] females) were class
      III; and 933 (6.9%) patients (483 [5.5%] males and 450 [9.5%] females) were class
      IV. CONCLUSION: There is a need to introduce PDI as a screening tool during the
      initial examination of the patient and to achieve a proper distribution of the
      patients among various levels of students, interns, and postgraduates. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Introduction of PDI will improve the treatment planning and
      prognosis of edentulous patients.

PMID- 28621283
TI  - Assessment of Levels of Glycosylated Hemoglobin in Patients with Periodontal
      Pathologies: A Comparative Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: One of the potential sources for the occurrence of various systemic
      pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and
      respiratory diseases is periodontitis. Testing of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA)
      is a highly standardized procedure and is becoming increasingly popular these
      days due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of use. Literature quotes numerous
      studies associating the peri-odontal diseases with various hemoglobin markers in
      diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Hence, we planned the present study to assess
      the levels of HbA in patients with periodontitis among nondiabetic patients.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the present study, a total of 50 nondiabetic subjects
      who reported to the department with the chief complaint of periodontitis were
      included. Another set of 50 nondiabetic individuals were included in the present
      study of comparable age in whom no periodontitis was detected clinically.
      Clinical examination and radiographic evaluation was performed for the selection
      of the cases for the study group. The patients were sent to the laboratory after
      the clinical examination, for the testing of HbA. Testing of the hemoglobin A1c
      (HbA1c) levels of all the subjects and controls was performed and values were
      noted and evaluated. RESULTS: Nonsignificant results were obtained while
      comparing the mean HbA1c concentrations among the study group and the control
      group. Nonsignificant results were obtained while comparing the mean HbA1c levels
      among males and females. While comparing the mean HbA1c levels between the study
      group and the control group divided on the basis of body mass index,
      nonsignificant results were obtained. CONCLUSION: In nondiabetic subjects, no
      significant correlation could be observed between periodontitis and HbA1c levels.
      CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The HbA1c cannot be used as a reliable maker for
      differentiation of patients with periodontal pathologies from patients free of
      periodontal pathologies.

PMID- 28621284
TI  - Comparison of Platform Switched and Sloping Shoulder Implants on Stress Reduction
      in various Bone Densities: Finite Element Analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Comparison of platform switched (PS), sloping shoulder, and regular
      implants on stress reduction in various bone densities with finite element
      analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 12 three-dimensional finite element
      models were built to analyze the stress distribution model. Nobel Biocare 4.3 * 8
      mm regular platform replace select implant with matching diameter easy abutment,
      Nobel Biocare 4.3 * 8 mm replace select implant PS with 3.5 mm diameter easy
      abutment, Bicon 4 * 8 mm implant with 4 mm diameter sloping shoulder abutments
      were created virtually in compact bone density using software. The 130 N axial
      force and a 90 N oblique loading force were applied to the abutment to analyze
      the stress. RESULTS: Under horizontal and vertical loading, the sloping shoulder
      implant had lesser stresses in cancellous bone when compared with PS and regular
      implants. Sloping shoulder implant showed more stress distribution at implant
      abutment interface and at crestal area, whereas with regular implants, the
      stresses were distributed at cortical area. CONCLUSION: Sloping shoulder implant
      in subcrestal position is much favorable for bone growth, stress distribution,
      and preservation of remaining bone. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Use of sloping
      shoulder implant design distributes the stress apically and creates lesser
      stresses when compared with PS implants.

PMID- 28621285
TI  - Assessment of C-reactive Proteins, Cytokines, and Plasma Protein Levels in
      Hypertensive Patients with Apical Periodontitis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Chronic apical periodontitis (CAP) manifests mostly as periapical
      radiolucency. Various inflammatory mediators play a significant role in the
      pathogenesis of apical periodontitis. In acute inflammatory conditions, C
      reactive proteins (CRP) and fibrinogen show a rise in their concentrations. In
      chronic diseases with high inflammatory components, an increased prevalence of
      hypertension has been observed. Hence, we assessed the association of CAP and
      plasma levels of various inflammatory markers (CRP, interleukin 6 [IL-6], and
      fibrinogen) in severely hypertensive patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study
      was conducted in the conservative wing of the institute and included assessment
      of 250 hypertensive patients with apical periodontitis. With the help of
      periapical radiographs and clinical examination, the assessment of following
      parameters was done: Amount of teeth present, visible plaque index, periodontal
      pocket probing depth, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing,
      presence/absence of carious lesions, which included assessment of caries in crown
      portion, in the root portion, and residual tooth roots (RR), presence of CAP from
      each patient; 8 mm of venous blood was collected in the morning for the
      assessment of plasma levels of IL-6, CRP, and fibrinogen levels. Immediate
      collection and processing of the samples were done in the hospital laboratory.
      All the results were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
      software. RESULTS: Out of 250, 155 patients were females. Mean plasma levels of
      CRP observed in our study were 0.8 mg/dL. Mean plasma levels of IL-6 and
      fibrinogen were found to be 3.3 and 337.1 mg/dL respectively. A significant
      correlation was observed while comparing mean body mass index (BMI), RR, and CAP
      in hypertensive patients. While comparing the mean plasma IL-6 levels, mean BMI,
      and CAP in the patients, significant results were obtained. Significant
      correlation was observed while comparing the mean BMI and CAP in hypertensive
      patients. CONCLUSION: Systemic levels of CRP, IL-6, and fibrinogen levels are
      influenced by the presence of CAP in hypertensive patients. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: In hypertensive patients, CAP alters the systemic levels of various
      inflammatory markers.

PMID- 28621286
TI  - Endodontic Management of Dilacerated Maxillary Central Incisor fused to a
      Supernumerary Tooth using Cone Beam Computed Tomography: An Unusual Clinical
      Presentation.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this report is to present a case of endodontic management of
      a dilacerated maxillary central incisor fused to supernumerary tooth unusually
      appearing as a labial tubercle using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) as a
      diagnostic aid. BACKGROUND: Anterior teeth are commonly encountered with aberrant
      anatomical variations in the crown, number of roots, and root canals. Fusion is
      an infrequent developmental abnormality in shape of the tooth caused by the union
      of two adjacent tooth germs. A complete knowledge of such complex anatomies is
      mandatory for a successful root canal treatment. It highlights the endodontic and
      restorative approach in the functional and esthetic rehabilitation of the
      involved tooth. CASE REPORT: Three-dimensional imaging using CBCT was used in
      this case to differentiate single labial canal and palatal C-shaped canal. The
      endodontic treatment was performed with the aid of dental operating microscope,
      and the root canals were obturated with a combination of single cone, carrier
      based, and cold flowable gutta-percha obturation system. The tooth remained
      asymptomatic without reinfection and symptoms of failure for 18 months.
      CONCLUSION: Cone beam computed tomography is indispensable in treatment planning
      for cases where the radiographs cannot reveal useful information regarding the
      root canal shape. Postobturation CBCT has helped in avoiding further retreatment
      of the tooth, which otherwise is a challenging task. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The
      use of sophisticated equipment, such as dental operating microscope and CBCT has
      helped in accurate diagnosis and treatment planning of fused central incisor
      respectively.

PMID- 28621287
TI  - Ibuprofen and Low-level Laser Therapy for Pain Control during Fixed Orthodontic
      Therapy: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials and Meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To systematically review high-quality randomized controlled trials
      (RCTs) and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of use of ibuprofen and low-level
      laser therapy (LLLT) for pain control during fixed orthodontic appliance therapy.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A web-based systematic search of PubMed and Medline
      database using relevant keywords was performed in August 2016 limited to the
      English language studies. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, RCTs
      utilizing blind approach were selected. The quality of studies was analyzed and
      only high-quality studies were included. Following data extraction, meta-analysis
      was performed by standardized mean difference Hedges' (adjusted) g with 95%
      confidence interval. RESULTS: A total number of six studies (four ibuprofen and
      two LLLT) comprising 315 patients were included. Heterogeneity among ibuprofen
      studies was small, while large heterogeneity was found among LLLT studies. The
      results showed that both ibuprofen and LLLT could reduce pain intensity during
      fixed orthodontic therapy and during 17 days follow-up period. However, this
      reduction was statistically significant only at 6 to 24 hours postoperatively for
      ibuprofen and 2 hours and 3 to 7 days for LLLT (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION:
      Considering the limitations of the current meta-analysis, ibuprofen could
      alleviate orthodontic archwire activation pain during the 1st day with relatively
      high level of evidence. Low-level laser therapy could reduce this pain in the
      long term with limited evidence. Further well-designed RCTs are required to
      provide more evidence.

PMID- 28621288
TI  - Photodvnamic Therapy in Endodontics.
AB  - : Commonly used irrigants do not always eradicate the entire microbial flora in
      infected root canals. Therefore, several other strategies, such as photodynamic
      therapy (PDT) have been developed. Photoactivated disinfection is based on the
      interaction of a photosensitive antibacterial agent and a light source. It uses a
      nontoxic dye named photosensitizer (PS) and low-intensity visible light. In
      oxygen presentation, these combine to produce some cytotoxic species. The PS
      molecules attach to bacteria membrane. Irradiation with a specific wavelength of
      the light may lead to the production of singlet oxygen, resulting in rupture of
      the microbial cell wall. There are several applications for PDT in dentistry. A
      successful periodontal treatment is based on elimination of bacteria from the
      infected area. Phenothiazinium PSs have been shown to be highly effective and
      safe for this purpose. However, scaling/root planing should be performed before
      the PDT. While performing the PDT, PS should be first injected in the periodontal
      pocket and allowed to pigment. Then, the special fiber should be inserted 1 mm
      short of the pocket base and lased. Photodynamic therapy has also been used to
      disinfect caries dentin before restoration, disinfecting oral tissues before or
      during surgical procedures, treating denture stomatitis, and treating oral
      candidiasis in immunocompromised patients. Photodynamic therapy can be used in
      combination with mechanical instrumentation and chemical antimicrobial agents,
      such as sodium hypochlo-rite, too. The purpose of this study was to review
      historical perspective, mechanism of action, and applications of PDT in dentistry
      and especially in endodontics was reviewed. Furthermore, the effects of PDT on
      dentin bonding and endo-toxin are discussed. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Photodynamic
      therapy has been advocated to increase the disinfection level of the root canal
      system.

PMID- 28621289
TI  - Nobody really knows how to perform endoscopic necrosectomy.

PMID- 28621290
TI  - Efficacy of laparoscopic ultrasonography in laparoscopic resection of insulinoma.
AB  - Insulinoma is the most common functioning islet cell tumor of the pancreas, with
      an annual incidence of 4 cases/1 million individuals. It is treated by surgical
      methods. Open surgery was once considered the standard approach for the treatment
      of insulinoma. However, the procedure is traumatic and requires a large incision,
      which does not satisfy the growing expectations of minimally invasive management
      of small-sized tumors. Insulinomas are usually benign solitary tumors and mostly
      occur sporadically, which makes them suitable candidates for laparoscopic
      management. The potential advantages of laparoscopic management of insulinoma
      over open surgery include shorter duration of hospitalization, quicker recovery,
      and better cosmetic effect. However, because of the small tumor size as well as
      the depth and uncertainty of the location of the tumor, laparoscopic localization
      of the lesion without tactile sensation is difficult. Laparoscopic
      ultrasonography can detect about 90% of insulinomas, and its sensitivity is
      comparable to that of manual palpation along with intraoperative ultrasonography
      during open surgery; thus, it ensures the feasibility of laparoscopic management
      of insulinoma and reinforces its advantage as a minimally invasive procedure.
      Laparoscopic ultrasonography is vital for the localization of insulinomas and
      characterization of the surrounding pancreatic structure and should, therefore,
      be considered an integral part of the laparoscopic management of insulinoma.

PMID- 28621291
TI  - Role of endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic-ultrasound-guided fine-needle
      aspiration in endoscopic biopsy negative gastrointestinal lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many cases of gastrointestinal (GI) tumors as
      lymphoma, adenocarcinoma, and most of submucosal tumors (SMT) such as
      gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and leiomyoma are difficult to diagnose as
      they frequently yield negative endoscopic biopsies. We evaluated the accuracy of
      endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in
      the diagnosis of endoscopic biopsy negative GI tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One
      hundred and nine patients with biopsy negative GI tumors were included in this
      prospective study. EUS and EUS-FNA were performed to all patients with
      cytopathologic examination. RESULTS: There were 109 patients with endoscopic
      biopsy negative GI lesions, including 61 males (56%) and 48 females (44%), with
      the mean age of 54 years. Sixty-three cases (57.8%) were proved to have malignant
      lesions, among them there were 15 cases with high-risk GIST as proved by FNA and
      excision biopsy. Forty-six cases (42.2%) were proved to be benign; among them
      there were 21 cases presented with non-high-risk GIST. Endoscopic ultrasound had
      a sensitivity of 96.8%, specificity of 89.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) of
      92.4%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 95.3%, and accuracy of 93.6%. EUS-FNA
      had a sensitivity of 87.3%, specificity of 100%, PPV of 100%, NPV of 85.2%, and
      accuracy of 92.7%. CONCLUSION: EUS with EUS-FNA is an accurate procedure in the
      diagnosis of GI tumors with negative endoscopic biopsies.

PMID- 28621292
TI  - Is endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration an effective
      diagnostic procedure in restaging of non-small cell lung cancer patients?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Selecting the diagnostic procedure for mediastinal
      restaging after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in Stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC) patients remains a problem. The aim of the study was to
      determine the efficacy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle
      aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes in the
      restaging of NSCLC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present multicentric
      study retrospectively analyzed the results of Stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC patients who
      had undergone EBUS for mediastinal restaging after preoperative chemotherapy or
      radiotherapy or both. RESULTS: In 44 patients with 73 N2 nodes, malignant cells
      were identified in EBUS-TBNA from 23 patients (57.5%) and 25 lymph nodes (34.2%).
      Twenty-one patients (42.5%) and 48 lymph nodes (65.8%) were negative for nodal
      metastasis. All of these patients with negative results subsequently underwent
      mediastinoscopy or surgery (n = 9 and n = 12, respectively). Metastasis was
      detected in 5 (23.8%) of 21 patients and 6 (12.5%) of 48 lymph nodes. The
      diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative
      predicted value and accuracy of EBUS-TBNA based on number of patients were 82.1%,
      100%, 100%, 76.2%, and 88.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA should be done
      before invasive procedures in restaging of the mediastinum in patients previously
      treated with neoadjuvant therapy because of high diagnostic accuracy rate.
      However, negative results should be confirmed with invasive procedures such as
      mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy.

PMID- 28621293
TI  - Yield of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for subcentimetric
      lymph nodes: A comparison to larger nodes.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Subcentimetric (defined as <1 cm at short axis) lymph
      nodes are considered benign and there is limited literature on the results of
      fine needle aspiration (FNA) of these nodes. METHODS: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
      guided FNA was done on 189 lymph nodes in 166 patients with pyrexia of unknown
      origin (n = 113) or malignancy (n = 53). Subcentimetric lymph nodes (Group A)
      were compared to nodes with short axis diameter >=1 cm (Group B). Data are shown
      as number, percentage, and median (25-75 interquartile range). RESULTS: There was
      no significant difference between Group A and Group B regarding site of lymph
      nodes (mediastinal in 73.6 and 72.5%, abdominal in 26.3 vs. 27.4%), number of
      slides (median 14 vs. 15), needle passes (median 2), and needle used (22 G needle
      in 85.5% vs. 69.9%). Group A had significantly lesser long axis diameter (1.5
      [1.2-2] vs. 2.1 [1.6-2.9] cm) and short axis diameter (0.7 [0.6-0.8) vs. 1.4 [1.1
      1.6] cm). A diagnosis (pathologic or reactive) could not be made in 2 (2.6%) and
      11 (9.7%) lymph nodes in Group A and Group B, respectively (P = 0.078), due to
      inadequate material. Respective diagnoses in Group A and Group B were reactive
      lymphadenopathy (51.3% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.000), granulomatous lymphadenopathy
      (34.2% vs. 53%, P = 0.011), and malignancy (11.8% vs. 18.5%, P = 0.231). The
      lymph nodes with granulomatous and malignant change were significantly larger and
      had higher chances of having sharply demarcated borders as compared to reactive
      nodes. CONCLUSION: EUS-guided FNA of subcentimetric lymph nodes have comparable
      results to larger nodes. Almost half of the subcentimetric lymph nodes are
      pathologic.

PMID- 28621294
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasound with tissue sampling is accurate in the diagnosis and
      subclassification of gastrointestinal spindle cell neoplasms.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mesenchymal (spindle cell) neoplasms (SCN) of the
      gastrointestinal (GI) tract are an important subtype of subepithelial lesions
      that need subclassification to assess their malignant potential. Reported success
      rates of accurate subclassification with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided
      biopsies are variable. Our goal was to analyze our experience using EUS-guided
      TruCut biopsy (EUS-TCB) in the majority of patients. METHODS: Retrospective
      analysis in patients who underwent EUS with biopsies for suspected SCN at our
      tertiary referral center between 2004 and 2013. RESULTS: A total of 146 patients
      with suspected SCN underwent EUS with tissue acquisition. Thirteen patients were
      excluded from analysis because tissue acquisition established a definite
      diagnosis other than SCN. In the remaining 133 patients, tissue acquisition was
      diagnostic of SCN in 118 (88.7%) and nondiagnostic in 15 (11.3%).
      Subclassification based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) was possible in 109 of the
      133 cases (81.9%). The final diagnosis was GI stromal tumor in 64, leiomyoma in
      39, and schwannoma in 6 cases. The percentage of patients who were subclassified
      by the various EUS-guided techniques together was 72.18%, and the percentage of
      patients who were subclassified specifically with EUS-TCB was 61.65%. Tissue
      specimens that enabled a specific diagnosis based on histological or cytological
      characteristics in conjunctions with IHC were obtained with EUS core biopsy in 83
      (TCB in 82 and ProCore needle biopsy in 1), fine-needle aspiration in 13, mucosal
      resection in 10, and forceps biopsies (bite-on-bite) in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: EUS
      with endoscopic tissue acquisition is accurate in the diagnosis and
      subclassification of SCN. In experienced hands, the EUS-TruCut needle is a
      valuable tool with a high success rate for this indication.

PMID- 28621295
TI  - Efficacy and safety in case of technical success of endoscopic ultrasound-guided
      transhepatic antegrade biliary drainage: A report of a monocentric study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biliary drainage
      techniques are alternative procedures in cases of obstructive jaundice with
      altered anatomy or failed ERCP. Complications related to EUS-guided antegrade
      drainage (EUS-AD) are still present in up to 10% of cases, and combination of
      procedures is sometimes suggested to avoid adverse events. The purpose of our
      study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EUS-AD with transhepatic access
      in case of technical success. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who
      underwent EUS-AD in a single, tertiary care center. RESULTS: Twenty patients were
      included (mean age 68), malignant stenosis in 95%. The reasons for EUS-AD were
      failed ERCP in 13/20, duodenal stenosis in 4/20, and altered anatomy after
      surgery in 3/20. A cystostome 6 Fr was always used to create the hepaticogastric
      tract, without puncture site closure. Self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) was
      transpapillary in 95%. Drainage was completed in intraoperative stage by a EUS
      hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) in 1/20 and by percutaneous drainage of the right
      liver (percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage) in one out of 20. Overall
      clinical success was 17/20 (85%). One out of 20 presented a persistent
      obstructive cholangitis treated by another SEMS through ERCP. Two out of 20
      patients died of infectious complications with incomplete drainage, in case of
      advanced neoplastic disease. One of these two patients was treated by EUS-AD and
      EUS-HGS at the same time. None of the 20 patients developed bilioma or bile
      leakage. CONCLUSION: EUS-AD by transhepatic way is clinically effective and safe.
      Closure of the gastric puncture site is not mandatory and complementary methods
      for biliary decompression should be combined in case of incomplete drainage and
      not to prevent potential adverse events.

PMID- 28621296
TI  - Accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration of solid lesions over
      time: Experience from a new endoscopic ultrasound program at a Canadian community
      hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A Canadian Community Hospital launched a new
      Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) Program in 2011. The aim of this study was to report
      the accuracy of EUS-fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of solid lesions over time
      as it pertains to cytotechnologists' involvement and learning curves. METHODS:
      The electronic medical records of patients that had a EUS from July 2011 to
      January 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Only solid lesions with FNA sampling
      were included in the study. The primary outcome assessed was the accuracy of
      specimen acquisition for pathological review. The secondary outcome was
      diagnostic accuracy. Cases were separated by chronological order into thirds for
      the assessment of learning curves. Cytotechnologists' involvement was correlated
      to determine its impact on accuracy. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-one EUS-FNA
      procedures were completed for solid lesions. Cytotechnologists' involvement
      resulted in a specimen acquisition accuracy of 82.6%, compared with 68.8% without
      a cytotechnologist (P = 0.009; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2%-25.0%).
      Diagnostic accuracy was 74.2% with a cytotechnologist while 62.4% without a
      cytotechnologist (P = 0.038; 95% CI 0.3%-23.7%). The specimen acquisition
      accuracy increased from 73.2% from the first third of cases to 92.3% for the last
      third with a cytotechnologist (P = 0.004; 95% CI 6%-33.0%). Without a
      cytotechnologist, the specimen accuracy was 67.6% for the first third while 57.7%
      for the last third of cases (P = 0.434; 95% CI - 33.9-14.4%). In the
      multivariable regression analysis, after adjusting for other predictors, a
      present cytotechnologist (P = 0.022) and lesion size 21 mm-30 mm (P = 0.039) and
      >30 mm (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with increased specimen
      acquisition accuracy. Only a present cytotechnologist (P = 0.046) was
      significantly associated with increased diagnostic accuracy. INTERPRETATION:
      Cytotechnologists' involvement significantly improved the accuracy of specimen
      acquisition. Although accuracy was impacted by a cytotechnologist learning curve,
      our results highlight the importance of a cytotechnologist being present for EUS
      FNA sampling of solid lesions.

PMID- 28621297
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasound with or without fine-needle aspiration has a meaningful
      impact on clinical care in the pediatric population.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The safety and utility of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)
      for the evaluation and management of gastrointestinal (GI) tract disorders among
      adults has been established. The literature on safety and efficacy in a pediatric
      referral population (under 21 years of age) is limited. We hypothesized that EUS
      is safe and useful in the pediatric population. We reviewed the pediatric EUS
      experience at a single tertiary-care system. We describe the indications,
      findings, safety, technical success rate, and impact on clinical outcomes.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients 21 years of age or younger referred for EUS
      between 5, 2007 and 11, 2012 were identified from our electronic medical record
      databases. Retrospective chart review was then conducted to document
      demographics, procedure indications, procedure type (diagnostic or therapeutic),
      type of anesthesia used, EUS findings, and the clinical impact of EUS on the
      subsequent management of the patients. RESULTS: Seventy EUS procedures were
      attempted in 58 patients during the study. Of these, two EUS procedures were
      aborted due to inadequate moderate sedation and 68 were successfully completed.
      The median age at initial endoscopy was 18 years (range 6-21 years), 50% were
      male and 65% were Caucasian. Four patients underwent EUS-guided pseudocyst
      drainage. Among the remaining 54 patients, the indications for EUS were the
      evaluation of GI mucosal/submucosal lesions (n = 14), acute or recurrent
      pancreatitis (n = 10), localization of suspected insulinoma (n = 8), evaluation
      of pancreatic abnormalities seen on prior imaging (n = 6), surveillance of tumors
      or evaluation of luminal lesions in hereditary syndromes (n = 6), abdominal pain
      of suspected pancreatobiliary origin (n = 5), and other rare indications (n = 5).
      Fine-needle aspiration was performed in 13 (9 diagnostic, 4 therapeutic) and
      trans-gastric fine-needle contrast injection of the pancreatic duct was performed
      in one patient without any complications. Sedation (data available for 66
      procedures) included general endotracheal anesthesia in 38 (57%), monitored
      anesthesia care (MAC) in 19 (29%), and moderate sedation in 9 (14%). There were 4
      minor intra-procedural anesthesia-related complications (laryngospasm in 2 and
      hypoxemia from airway obstruction and secretions in 2) in MAC and general
      endotracheal anesthesia (GA) cases, and 1 postprocedural complication (fever
      after pseudocyst drainage). EUS can achieve the diagnostic or therapeutic goal
      and ruled out suspected pathology in 88% of cases precluding need for additional
      testing. CONCLUSIONS: (1) EUS in the pediatric population is technically
      successful and efficacious. (2) Therapeutic and diagnostic EUS impacted clinical
      care decisions. (3) There is a low risk of immediate significant complications.
      (4) The overall efficacy and safety support the performance of EUS in a pediatric
      population by experienced endoscopists.

PMID- 28621298
TI  - Is the StellaTM 5L system an effective cold sterilization technique for needle
      based confocal miniprobes?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) under
      endoscopic ultrasound guidance is a newly developed imaging technique for
      pancreatic lesions and lymph nodes, enabling a subcellular level of resolution.
      The confocal miniprobe is an invasive instrument designed to be reused up to 10
      times. Therefore, a method that ensures the complete elimination of microbial
      contaminants on the device is necessary. We studied the bactericidal efficacy of
      the StellaTM system, which purports to achieve this objective. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The surfaces of three nCLE miniprobes were contaminated with suspensions
      of Bacillus atrophaeus (ATCC9372). One probe was randomly selected to count the
      bacterial load on the surface. The other two probes were manually cleaned and
      rinsed. One probe was randomly selected to count bacteria on the surface, and the
      other probe was sterilized using the StellaTM 5L endoscopic sterilization system
      before obtaining the bacterial count. The process was repeated for 20 cycles to
      evaluate the microbicidal efficacy of the StellaTM 5L endoscopic sterilization
      system. These miniprobes were immersed in the Stella Fuse disinfectant for 72 h.
      After the 72 h of immersion, the weight loss of probes was determined using a
      high precision electronic scale to examine corrosion following disinfection. The
      change in image quality was evaluated by an endoscopist. RESULTS: From an initial
      contamination level of 4.48 * 106 +/- 1.57 * 106 cfu/mL on the surface of the
      probes, the bacterial count was reduced to 4.25 * 102 +/- 1.95 * 102 cfu/mL after
      manual cleaning (including enzyme washing), and no microorganisms were recovered
      after 20 cycles with the StellaTM 5L system. The probe weights before and after
      72 h of immersion were 45.769 (45.768-45.771) g and 45.762 (45.752-45.768) g,
      respectively. No change in image quality was observed. CONCLUSION: This study
      shows that the StellaTM 5L system is capable of the complete elimination of
      microorganism contamination in a short period and avoids the toxicity of typical
      disinfectants. It is a safe, cheap, and efficient sterilization approach that
      provides a new option for nCLE miniprobe sterilization.

PMID- 28621299
TI  - Conversion of transpapillary drainage to endoscopic ultrasound-guided
      hepaticogastrostomy and gallbladder drainage in a case of malignant biliary
      obstruction with recurrent cholangitis and cholecystitis (with videos).
AB  - Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has been increasingly
      reported as an alternative to percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in
      failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Moreover, conversion to
      EUS-BD can be a good alternative when transpapillary biliary drainage is
      technically possible but complicated by cholangitis because EUS-BD enables one
      step internal drainage not traversing the tumor. Herein, we report a case of
      recurrent cholangitis due to hemobilia and cholecystitis due to tumor involvement
      to the cystic duct after transpapillary stent placement, which was successfully
      managed by conversion to EUS-BD and EUS-guided gallbladder drainage in one
      session.

PMID- 28621300
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasound of bile duct ascariasis (with video).

PMID- 28621301
TI  - Esophageal diagnosis of a malignant aspergilloma.

PMID- 28621302
TI  - Gastric bulging confirmed as a pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumor by
      endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration.

PMID- 28621303
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst after
      gastrogastric anastomosis in patient with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: The dream
      becomes reality!

PMID- 28621304
TI  - Epigenetic and gene expression analysis of ankylosing spondylitis-associated loci
      implicate immune cells and the gut in the disease pathogenesis.
AB  - Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common immune-mediated arthropathy primarily
      affecting the spine and pelvis. Most AS patients have subclinical intestinal
      inflammation, suggesting the gut microbiome and the immune response play a role
      in pathogenesis. Susceptibility to AS is primarily genetic, and at least 114
      susceptibility variants have been identified to date. We applied bioinformatic
      methods utilizing epigenetic and gene and protein expression data to identify the
      cell types through which AS-associated variants operate. Variants were enriched
      in transcriptionally regulated regions in monocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells,
      natural killer cells, regulatory T cells and B cells and mucosa from the small
      intestine, sigmoid colon and rectum. Weak signals were detected in bone cells,
      consistent with bone disease being a secondary manifestation. RNA sequencing of
      blood cells from AS patients and controls identified differentially expressed
      genes. Interrogation of expression databases showed that the upregulated genes
      were enriched in monocytes and downregulated genes were enriched in CD8+ T cells
      and natural killer cells. Gene Ontology term enrichment analysis identified
      microbes and the gut in the aetiology of AS. These findings identify the key
      immune cell types that drive the disease, and further highlight the involvement
      of the gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of AS.

PMID- 28621305
TI  - Structural insights into the function of ZRANB3 in replication stress response.
AB  - Strategies to resolve replication blocks are critical for the maintenance of
      genome stability. Among the factors implicated in the replication stress response
      is the ATP-dependent endonuclease ZRANB3. Here, we present the structure of the
      ZRANB3 HNH (His-Asn-His) endonuclease domain and provide a detailed analysis of
      its activity. We further define PCNA as a key regulator of ZRANB3 function, which
      recruits ZRANB3 to stalled replication forks and stimulates its endonuclease
      activity. Finally, we present the co-crystal structures of PCNA with two specific
      motifs in ZRANB3: the PIP box and the APIM motif. Our data provide important
      structural insights into the PCNA-APIM interaction, and reveal unexpected
      similarities between the PIP box and the APIM motif. We propose that PCNA and ATP
      dependency serve as a multi-layered regulatory mechanism that modulates ZRANB3
      activity at replication forks. Importantly, our findings allow us to interpret
      the functional significance of cancer associated ZRANB3 mutations.

PMID- 28621306
TI  - Targeted two-photon chemical apoptotic ablation of defined cell types in vivo.
AB  - A major bottleneck limiting understanding of mechanisms and consequences of cell
      death in complex organisms is the inability to induce and visualize this process
      with spatial and temporal precision in living animals. Here we report a technique
      termed two-photon chemical apoptotic targeted ablation (2Phatal) that uses focal
      illumination with a femtosecond-pulsed laser to bleach a nucleic acid-binding dye
      causing dose-dependent apoptosis of individual cells without collateral damage.
      Using 2Phatal, we achieve precise ablation of distinct populations of neurons,
      glia and pericytes in the mouse brain and in zebrafish. When combined with
      organelle-targeted fluorescent proteins and biosensors, we uncover previously
      unrecognized cell-type differences in patterns of apoptosis and associated
      dynamics of ribosomal disassembly, calcium overload and mitochondrial fission.
      2Phatal provides a powerful and rapidly adoptable platform to investigate in vivo
      functional consequences and neural plasticity following cell death as well as
      apoptosis, cell clearance and tissue remodelling in diverse organs and species.

PMID- 28621307
TI  - Bending strain engineering in quantum spin hall system for controlling spin
      currents.
AB  - Quantum spin Hall system can exhibit exotic spin transport phenomena, mediated by
      its topological edge states. Here the concept of bending strain engineering to
      tune the spin transport properties of a quantum spin Hall system is demonstrated.
      We show that bending strain can be used to control the spin orientation of
      counter-propagating edge states of a quantum spin system to generate a non-zero
      spin current. This physics mechanism can be applied to effectively tune the spin
      current and pure spin current decoupled from charge current in a quantum spin
      Hall system by control of its bending curvature. Furthermore, the curved quantum
      spin Hall system can be achieved by the concept of topological nanomechanical
      architecture in a controllable way, as demonstrated by the material example of
      Bi/Cl/Si(111) nanofilm. This concept of bending strain engineering of spins via
      topological nanomechanical architecture affords a promising route towards the
      realization of topological nano-mechanospintronics.

PMID- 28621309
TI  - Corrigendum: Adenylate kinase hCINAP determines self-renewal of colorectal cancer
      stem cells by facilitating LDHA phosphorylation.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15308.

PMID- 28621308
TI  - Inhalation toxicity of indoor air pollutants in Drosophila melanogaster using
      integrated transcriptomics and computational behavior analyses.
AB  - We conducted an inhalation toxicity test on the alternative animal model,
      Drosophila melanogaster, to investigate potential hazards of indoor air
      pollution. The inhalation toxicity of toluene and formaldehyde was investigated
      using comprehensive transcriptomics and computational behavior analyses. The
      ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) based on microarray data suggests the
      involvement of pathways related to immune response, stress response, and
      metabolism in formaldehyde and toluene exposure based on hub molecules. We
      conducted a toxicity test using mutants of the representative genes in these
      pathways to explore the toxicological consequences of alterations of these
      pathways. Furthermore, extensive computational behavior analysis showed that
      exposure to either toluene or formaldehyde reduced most of the behavioral
      parameters of both wild-type and mutants. Interestingly, behavioral alteration
      caused by toluene or formaldehyde exposure was most severe in the p38b mutant,
      suggesting that the defects in the p38 pathway underlie behavioral alteration.
      Overall, the results indicate that exposure to toluene and formaldehyde via
      inhalation causes severe toxicity in Drosophila, by inducing significant
      alterations in gene expression and behavior, suggesting that Drosophila can be
      used as a potential alternative model in inhalation toxicity screening.

PMID- 28621310
TI  - Single-cell profiling reveals heterogeneity and functional patterning of GPCR
      expression in the vascular system.
AB  - G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) expression is extensively studied in bulk cDNA,
      but heterogeneity and functional patterning of GPCR expression in individual
      vascular cells is poorly understood. Here, we perform a microfluidic-based single
      cell GPCR expression analysis in primary smooth muscle cells (SMC) and
      endothelial cells (EC). GPCR expression is highly heterogeneous in all cell
      types, which is confirmed in reporter mice, on the protein level and in human
      cells. Inflammatory activation in murine models of sepsis or atherosclerosis
      results in characteristic changes in the GPCR repertoire, and we identify
      functionally relevant subgroups of cells that are characterized by specific GPCR
      patterns. We further show that dedifferentiating SMC upregulate GPCRs such as
      Gpr39, Gprc5b, Gprc5c or Gpr124, and that selective targeting of Gprc5b modulates
      their differentiation state. Taken together, single-cell profiling identifies
      receptors expressed on pathologically relevant subpopulations and provides a
      basis for the development of new therapeutic strategies in vascular diseases.

PMID- 28621311
TI  - Dependence of the shape of graphene nanobubbles on trapped substance.
AB  - Van der Waals (vdW) interaction between two-dimensional crystals (2D) can trap
      substances in high pressurized (of order 1 GPa) on nanobubbles. Increasing the
      adhesion between the 2D crystals further enhances the pressure and can lead to a
      phase transition of the trapped material. We found that the shape of the
      nanobubble can depend critically on the properties of the trapped substance. In
      the absence of any residual strain in the top 2D crystal, flat nanobubbles can be
      formed by trapped long hydrocarbons (that is, hexadecane). For large nanobubbles
      with radius 130 nm, our atomic force microscopy measurements show nanobubbles
      filled with hydrocarbons (water) have a cylindrical symmetry (asymmetric) shape
      which is in good agreement with our molecular dynamics simulations. This study
      provides insights into the effects of the specific material and the vdW pressure
      on the microscopic details of graphene bubbles.

PMID- 28621312
TI  - Adaptive self-assembly and induced-fit transformations of anion-binding metal
      organic macrocycles.
AB  - Container-molecules are attractive to chemists due to their unique structural
      characteristics comparable to enzymes and receptors in nature. We report here a
      family of artificial self-assembled macrocyclic containers that feature induced
      fit transformations in response to different anionic guests. Five metal-organic
      macrocycles with empirical formula of MnL2n (M=Metal; L=Ligand; n=3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
      are selectively obtained starting from one simple benzimidazole-based ligand and
      square-planar palladium(II) ions, either by direct anion-adaptive self-assembly
      or induced-fit transformations. Hydrogen-bonding interactions between the inner
      surface of the macrocycles and the anionic guests dictate the shape and size of
      the product. A comprehensive induced-fit transformation map across all the MnL2n
      species is drawn, with a representative reconstitution process from Pd7L14 to
      Pd3L6 traced in detail, revealing a gradual ring-shrinking mechanism. We envisage
      that these macrocyclic molecules with adjustable well-defined hydrogen-bonding
      pockets will find wide applications in molecular sensing or catalysis.

PMID- 28621314
TI  - Directed self-assembly of liquid crystalline blue-phases into ideal single
      crystals.
AB  - Chiral nematic liquid crystals are known to form blue phases-liquid states of
      matter that exhibit ordered cubic arrangements of topological defects. Blue-phase
      specimens, however, are generally polycrystalline, consisting of randomly
      oriented domains that limit their performance in applications. A strategy that
      relies on nano-patterned substrates is presented here for preparation of stable,
      macroscopic single-crystal blue-phase materials. Different template designs are
      conceived to exert control over different planes of the blue-phase lattice
      orientation with respect to the underlying substrate. Experiments are then used
      to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to create stable single-crystal blue
      phase domains with the desired orientation over large regions. These results
      provide a potential avenue to fully exploit the electro-optical properties of
      blue phases, which have been hindered by the existence of grain boundaries.

PMID- 28621313
TI  - Lkb1 maintains Treg cell lineage identity.
AB  - Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a distinct T-cell lineage characterized by
      sustained Foxp3 expression and potent suppressor function, but the upstream
      dominant factors that preserve Treg lineage-specific features are mostly unknown.
      Here, we show that Lkb1 maintains Treg cell lineage identity by stabilizing Foxp3
      expression and enforcing suppressor function. Upon T-cell receptor (TCR)
      stimulation Lkb1 protein expression is upregulated in Treg cells but not in
      conventional T cells. Mice with Treg cell-specific deletion of Lkb1 develop a
      fatal early-onset autoimmune disease, with no Foxp3 expression in most Treg
      cells. Lkb1 stabilizes Foxp3 expression by preventing STAT4-mediated methylation
      of the conserved noncoding sequence 2 (CNS2) in the Foxp3 locus. Independent of
      maintaining Foxp3 expression, Lkb1 programs the expression of a wide spectrum of
      immunosuppressive genes, through mechanisms involving the augmentation of TGF
      beta signalling. These findings identify a critical function of Lkb1 in
      maintaining Treg cell lineage identity.

PMID- 28621315
TI  - Research on miRNA-195 and target gene CDK6 in oral verrucous carcinoma.
AB  - Oral verrucous carcinoma (OVC) is a verrucous variant of oral cavity squamous
      carcinoma (OSCC). The expression of miRNA from OVC and OSCC including their
      matched normal oral mucosa tissues was profiled through the Affymetrix GeneChip
      miRNA Arrays. TargetScan and miRanda databases were used to predict the target
      gene of miRNA-195. The quantitative real-time PCR was applied to validate the
      expression of miRNA-195. The expression of CDK6 was investigated by the
      quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. In this study, a total of 23
      and 35 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in OVC and OSCC,
      respectively. Moreover, 44 miRNAs were differentially expressed between OSCC and
      OVC. In addition, miRNA-195 was significantly decreased in both OVC and OSCC
      compared to normal oral mucosa. Target gene prediction demonstrated that CDK6 was
      a potential target gene of miRNA-195. In the quantitative real-time PCR, miR-195
      was decreased in OVC and OSCC, which was consistent with the result of miRNA chip
      analysis. CDK6 was increased in OVC and OSCC, which was opposite to the
      expression of miRNA-195. In conclusion, miRNA-195 could be the potential
      diagnosis biomarker and therapy target of OVC.

PMID- 28621316
TI  - Combination of p53-DC vaccine and rAd-p53 gene therapy induced CTLs cytotoxic
      against p53-deleted human prostate cancer cells in vitro.
AB  - Recently, the US FDA approved sipuleucel-T, which is composed of autologous DCs
      stimulated with a recombinant fusion protein of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP)
      and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as the first
      immunotherapeutic agent for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer
      (mCRPC). However, sipuleucel-T demonstrated only modest efficacy in mCPRC
      patients. Researchers are now investigating the potential of p53 protein as a
      tumor-associated antigen (TAA) loaded in DC-based cancer vaccine. Approximately
      half of all tumors overexpress p53, and up to 20% of prostate cancer cells
      overexpresses p53. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of combining p53
      DC vaccine and rAd-p53 gene therapy, using the p53-overexpressing and non
      expressing prostate cancer cells in vitro. We successfully generated the p53-DC
      vaccine by culturing autologous DCs infected with rAd-p53. This p53-DC vaccine
      can differentiate CTLs specifically cytotoxic to p53-overexpressing prostate
      cancer cells. In addition, rAd-p53 infection can induce overexpression of p53 and
      thus the cytotoxicity of CTLs differentiated by the p53-DC vaccine in p53 non
      expressing prostate cancer cells. These findings suggest that this combination
      therapy using p53-DC vaccine and rAd-p53 gene therapy together may represent a
      new paradigm for the treatment of mCRPC.

PMID- 28621317
TI  - p16 immunohistochemistry in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a comparison
      of antibody clones using patient outcomes and high-risk human papillomavirus RNA
      status.
AB  - High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell
      carcinomas have a more favorable prognosis than HPV-negative ones. p16
      immunohistochemistry has been recommended as a prognostic test in clinical
      practice. Several p16 antibodies are available, and their performance has not
      been directly compared. We evaluated three commercially available p16 antibody
      clones (E6H4, JC8 and G175-405) utilizing 199 cases of oropharyngeal squamous
      cell carcinoma from a tissue microarray, read by three pathologists with three
      different cutoffs for positivity: any staining, >50% and >75%. Positive
      predictive values for high-risk HPV status by RNA in situ hybridization for the
      E6H4, JC8 and G175-405 clones were 98%, 100% and 99% at the 75% cutoff, but
      negative predictive values were much more variable at 86%, 69% and 56%,
      respectively. These improved using the 50% cutoff, becoming similar for all three
      antibodies. Intensity varied substantially, with 85% of E6H4, 72% of JC8 and 67%
      of G175-405 showing strong (3+) intensity. With Kaplan-Meier survival plots at
      the 75% cutoff, the E6H4 clone showed the largest differential in disease
      specific and overall survival between p16-positive and -negative results.
      Decreasing the cutoff to 50% increased correlation with HPV in situ hybridization
      and improved the survival differential for the JC8 and G175-405 clones without
      worsening of performance for the E6H4 clone. Interobserver agreement was also
      assessed by kappa scores and was highest for the E6H4 clone. Overall, these study
      results show modest but important performance differences between the three
      different p16 antibody clones, suggesting that the E6H4 clone performs best
      because of strongest staining intensity, greatest differential in outcomes
      between positive and negative results, lowest interobserver variability, and
      lowest background, nonspecific staining. The results also suggest that a 75%
      cutoff is very functional but that, in this patient population with high HPV
      incidence, 50% and any staining cutoffs may be more effective, particularly for
      the non-E6H4 clones.

PMID- 28621318
TI  - Natural killer-like signature observed post therapy in locally advanced rectal
      cancer is a determinant of pathological response and improved survival.
AB  - Around 12-15% of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergo a
      pathologically complete response (tumor regression grade 4) to long-course
      preoperative chemoradiotherapy; the remainder exhibit a spectrum of tumor
      regression (tumor regression grade 1-3). Understanding therapy-related
      transcriptional alterations may enable better prediction of response as measured
      by progression-free and overall survival, in addition to aiding the development
      of improved strategies based on the underlying biology of the disease. To this
      end, we performed high-throughput gene expression profiling in 40 pairs of
      formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded rectal cancer biopsies and matched resections
      following long-course preoperative chemoradiotherapy (discovery cohort).
      Differential gene expression analysis was performed contrasting tumor regression
      grades in resections. Enumeration of the tumor microenvironment cell population
      was undertaken using in silico analysis of the transcriptional data, and real
      time PCR validation of NCR1 undertaken. Immunohistochemistry and survival
      analysis was used to measure CD56+ cell populations in an independent cohort
      (n=150). Gene expression traits observed following long-course preoperative
      chemoradiotherapy in the discovery cohort suggested an increased abundance of
      natural killer cells in tumors that displayed a clinical response to CRT in a
      tumor regression grade-dependent manner. CD56+ natural killer-cell populations
      were measured by immunohistochemistry and found to be significantly higher in
      tumor regression grade 3 patients compared with tumor regression grade 1-2 in the
      validation cohort. Furthermore, it was observed that patients positive for CD56
      cells after therapy had a better overall survival (HR=0.282, 95% CI=0.109-0.729,
      chi2=7.854, P=0.005). In conclusion, we have identified a novel post-therapeutic
      natural killer-like transcription signature in patients responding to long-course
      preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Furthermore, patients with a higher abundance of
      CD56-positive natural killer cells post long-course preoperative
      chemoradiotherapy had better overall survival. Therefore, harnessing a natural
      killer-like response after therapy may improve outcomes for locally advanced
      rectal cancer patients. Finally, we hypothesize that future assessment of this
      natural killer-like response in on-treatment biopsy material may inform clinical
      decision-making for treatment duration.

PMID- 28621319
TI  - FOXA2 is a sensitive and specific marker for small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
      of the prostate.
AB  - The median survival of patients with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is
      significantly shorter than that of patients with classic acinar-type
      adenocarcinoma. Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is traditionally diagnosed
      based on histologic features because expression of current immunohistochemical
      markers is inconsistent. This is a challenging diagnosis even for expert
      pathologists and particularly so for pathologists who do not specialize in
      prostate cancer. New biomarkers to aid in the diagnosis of small cell
      neuroendocrine carcinoma are therefore urgently needed. We discovered that FOXA2,
      a pioneer transcription factor, is frequently and specifically expressed in small
      cell neuroendocrine carcinoma compared with prostate adenocarcinoma from
      published mRNA-sequencing data of a wide range of human prostate cancers. We
      verified the expression of FOXA2 in human prostate cancer cell lines and
      xenografts, patient biopsy specimens, tissue microarrays of prostate cancers with
      lymph node metastasis, primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and
      metastatic treatment-related small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and cases from a
      rapid autopsy program. FOXA2 expression was present in NCI-H660 and PC3
      neuroendocrine cell lines, but not in LNCAP and CWR22 adenocarcinoma cell lines.
      Of the human prostate cancer specimens, 20 of 235 specimens (8.5%) showed
      diagnostic histologic features of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma as judged
      histologically. Fifteen of 20 small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma tissues (75%)
      showed strong expression of FOXA2 (staining intensity 2 or 3). FOXA2 expression
      was also detected in 9 of 215 prostate cancer tissues (4.2%) that were
      histologically defined as adenocarcinoma. Our findings demonstrate that FOXA2 is
      a sensitive and specific molecular marker that may be extremely valuable in the
      pathologic diagnosis of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.

PMID- 28621320
TI  - Genomic analysis of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma by molecular inversion
      probe array reveals tumor suppressor-driven biology.
AB  - Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm of dendritic cell
      origin that is currently poorly characterized by genetic studies. To investigate
      whether recurrent genomic alterations may underlie the biology of follicular
      dendritic cell sarcoma and to identify potential contributory regions and genes,
      molecular inversion probe array analysis was performed on 14 independent formalin
      fixed, paraffin-embedded samples. Abnormal genomic profiles were observed in 11
      out of 14 (79%) cases. The majority showed extensive genomic complexity that was
      predominantly represented by hemizygous losses affecting multiple chromosomes.
      Alterations of chromosomal regions 1p (55%), 2p (55%), 3p (82%), 3q (45%), 6q
      (55%), 7q (73%), 8p (45%), 9p (64%), 11q (64%), 13q (91%), 14q (82%), 15q (64%),
      17p (55%), 18q (64%), and 22q (55%) were recurrent across the 11 samples showing
      abnormal genomic profiles. Many recurrent genomic alterations in follicular
      dendritic cell sarcoma overlap deletions that are frequently observed across
      human cancers, suggesting selection, or an active role for these alterations in
      follicular dendritic cell sarcoma pathogenesis. In support of a tumor suppressor
      driven biology, homozygous deletions involving tumor suppressor genes CDKN2A,
      RB1, BIRC3, and CYLD were also observed. Neither recurrent gains nor
      amplifications were observed. This genomic characterization provides new
      information regarding follicular dendritic cell sarcoma biology that may improve
      understanding about the underlying pathophysiology, provide better
      prognostication, and identify potential therapeutic markers for this rare
      disease.

PMID- 28621321
TI  - BCOR is a robust diagnostic immunohistochemical marker of genetically diverse
      high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma, including tumors exhibiting variant
      morphology.
AB  - Recognition of high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma is important because of its
      aggressive clinical behavior. Morphologic features of YWHAE-NUTM2 high-grade
      endometrial stromal sarcoma may overlap with other uterine sarcoma types. BCOR
      immunoexpression was studied in these tumors and their morphologic mimics to
      assess its diagnostic utility. BCOR immunohistochemical staining was performed on
      archival tissue from 28 high-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas with classic
      morphology (20 YWHAE-NUTM2, 5 ZC3H7B-BCOR, 3 BCOR-ZC3H7B), 3 high-grade
      endometrial stromal sarcomas with unusual morphology and unknown gene
      rearrangement status, 66 low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas, 21 endometrial
      stromal nodules, 38 uterine leiomyosarcomas, and 19 uterine leiomyomas. Intensity
      of nuclear staining and percentage of positive tumor cells were recorded. Strong
      diffuse nuclear BCOR staining (defined as >95% of tumor cells) was seen in the
      round cell component of all 20 (100%) classic YWHAE-NUTM2 high-grade endometrial
      stromal sarcomas and the 3 unusual high-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas which
      prompted FISH studies confirming YWHAE rearrangement in 2 tumors. Genomic PCR
      confirmed the presence of BCOR exon 16 internal tandem duplication in the third
      case. Diffuse BCOR staining was strong in three and weak in one BCOR-rearranged
      high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma while absent in the remaining four BCOR
      rearranged tumors. BCOR staining was weakly positive in <5% of tumor cells in 4
      of 66 (6%) low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas and 1 of 18 (6%) endometrial
      stromal nodules and weakly to moderately positive in <5-40% of tumor cells in 6
      of 31 (19%) leiomyosarcomas. No BCOR staining was seen in the remaining low-grade
      endometrial stromal sarcomas, endometrial stromal nodules, leiomyosarcomas, or
      any of the leiomyomas. BCOR immunohistochemical staining is a highly sensitive
      marker for YWHAE-NUTM2 high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma with both classic
      and unusual morphology and identifies a subset of high-grade endometrial stromal
      sarcoma with BCOR alterations, including BCOR rearrangement and internal tandem
      duplication.

PMID- 28621322
TI  - Reliability of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte and tertiary lymphoid structure
      assessment in human breast cancer.
AB  - The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), reflecting host immune
      activity, is frequently correlated with better clinical outcomes, particularly in
      HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer. Recent findings suggest that
      organization of immune infiltrates in tertiary lymphoid structures also has a
      beneficial effect on survival. This study investigated inter- and intra-observer
      variation in TIL assessment using conventional hematoxylin-eosin versus
      immunohistochemical staining to identify immune cells. Global, intratumoral, and
      stromal TIL, as well as tertiary lymphoid structures were scored independently by
      experienced pathologists on full-face tumor sections (n=124). The fidelity of
      scoring infiltrates in core biopsies compared to surgical specimens, and
      pathological assessment compared to quantitative digital analysis was also
      evaluated. The inter-observer concordance correlation coefficient was 0.80 for
      global, 0.72 for intratumoral, and 0.71 for stromal TIL, while the intra-observer
      concordance correlation coefficient was 0.90 for global, 0.77 for intratumoral,
      and 0.89 for stromal TIL using immunohistochemical stains. Correlations were
      lower with hematoxylin-eosin stains, particularly for intratumoral TIL, while
      global scores had the highest concordance correlation coefficients. Our study
      concluded that tertiary lymphoid structures are accurately and consistently
      scored using immunohistochemical but not hematoxylin-eosin stains. A strong
      association was observed between TIL in core biopsies and surgical samples
      (R2=0.74) but this did not extend to tertiary lymphoid structures (R2=0.26). TIL
      scored by pathologists and digital analysis were correlated but our analysis
      reveals a constant bias between these methods. These data challenge current
      criteria for TIL and tertiary lymphoid structure assessment in breast cancer and
      recommend that how pathologists evaluate immune infiltrates be reexamined for
      future studies.

PMID- 28621323
TI  - A robust methodology for the quantitative assessment of the rat jawbone
      microstructure.
AB  - Micro-computed tomography can be applied for the assessment of the micro
      architectural characteristics of the cortical and trabecular bones in either
      physiological or disease conditions. However, reports often lack a detailed
      description of the methodological steps used to analyse these images, such as the
      volumes of interest, the algorithms used for image filtration, the approach used
      for image segmentation, and the bone parameters quantified, thereby making it
      difficult to compare or reproduce the studies. This study addresses this critical
      need and aims to provide standardized assessment and consistent parameter
      reporting related to quantitative jawbone image analysis. Various regions of the
      rat jawbones were screened for their potential for standardized micro-computed
      tomography analysis. Furthermore, the volumes of interest that were anticipated
      to be most susceptible to bone structural changes in response to experimental
      interventions were defined. In the mandible, two volumes of interest were
      selected, namely, the condyle and the trabecular bone surrounding the three
      molars. In the maxilla, the maxillary tuberosity region and the inter-radicular
      septum of the second molar were considered as volumes of interest. The presented
      protocol provides a standardized and reproducible methodology for the analysis of
      relevant jawbone volumes of interest and is intended to ensure global, accurate,
      and consistent reporting of its morphometry. Furthermore, the proposed
      methodology has potential, as a variety of rodent animal models would benefit
      from its implementation.

PMID- 28621324
TI  - Marginal bone loss around non-submerged implants is associated with salivary
      microbiome during bone healing.
AB  - Marginal bone loss during bone healing exists around non-submerged dental
      implants. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between
      different degrees of marginal bone loss during bone healing and the salivary
      microbiome. One hundred patients were recruited, and marginal bone loss around
      their implants was measured using cone beam computed tomography during a 3-month
      healing period. The patients were divided into three groups according to the
      severity of marginal bone loss. Saliva samples were collected from all subjected
      and were analysed using 16S MiSeq sequencing. Although the overall structure of
      the microbial community was not dramatically altered, the relative abundance of
      several taxonomic groups noticeably changed. The abundance of species in the
      phyla Spirochaeta and Synergistetes increased significantly as the bone loss
      became more severe. Species within the genus Treponema also exhibited increased
      abundance, whereas Veillonella, Haemophilus and Leptotrichia exhibited reduced
      abundances, in groups with more bone loss. Porphyromonasgingivalis,
      Treponemadenticola and Streptococcus intermedius were significantly more abundant
      in the moderate group and/or severe group. The severity of marginal bone loss
      around the non-submerged implant was associated with dissimilar taxonomic
      compositions. An increased severity of marginal bone loss was related to
      increased proportions of periodontal pathogenic species. These data suggest a
      potential role of microbes in the progression of marginal bone loss during bone
      healing.

PMID- 28621325
TI  - The oral commensal Streptococcus mitis activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in
      human oral epithelial cells.
AB  - Streptococcus mitis (S. mitis) is a pioneer commensal bacterial species
      colonizing many of the surfaces of the oral cavity in healthy individuals. Yet,
      not much information is available regarding its interaction with the host. We
      used examination of its transcriptional regulation in oral keratinocytes to
      elucidate some of its potential roles in the oral cavity. Transcription factor
      analysis of oral keratinocytes predicted S. mitis-mediated activation of aryl
      hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Activation and functionality of AhR was confirmed
      through nuclear translocation determined by immunofluorescence microscopy and
      real-time polymerase chain reaction with reverse transcription analysis of
      CYP1A1, the hallmark gene for AhR activation. Addition of Streptococcus mutans or
      Streptococcus gordonii did not induce CYP1A1 transcription in the keratinocyte
      cultures. Introduction of an AhR-specific inhibitor revealed that S. mitis
      mediated transcription of CXCL2 and CXCL8 was regulated by AhR. Elevated levels
      of prostaglandin E2 (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in supernatants from S.
      mitis-treated oral epithelial cells were also attenuated by inhibition of AhR
      activity. The observed AhR-regulated activities point to a contribution of S.
      mitis in the regulation of inflammatory responses and thereby to wound healing in
      the oral cavity. The concept that the oral commensal microbiota can induce AhR
      activation is important, also in view of the role that AhR has in modulation of T
      cell differentiation and as an anti-inflammatory factor in macrophages.

PMID- 28621326
TI  - Resin infiltration of deproteinised natural occlusal subsurface lesions improves
      initial quality of fissure sealing.
AB  - The aim of this ex vivo study was to evaluate the infiltration capability and
      rate of microleakage of a low-viscous resin infiltrant combined with a flowable
      composite resin (RI/CR) when used with deproteinised and etched occlusal
      subsurface lesions (International Caries Detection and Assessment System code 2).
      This combined treatment procedure was compared with the exclusive use of flowable
      composite resin (CR) for fissure sealing. Twenty premolars and 20 molars
      revealing non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions were randomly divided into two
      groups and were meticulously cleaned and deproteinised using NaOCl (2%). After
      etching with HCl (15%), 10 premolar and 10 molar lesions were infiltrated
      (Icon/DMG; rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC)-labelled) followed by fissure
      sealing (G-aenial Flo/GC; experimental group, RI/CR). In the control group (CR),
      the carious fissures were only sealed. Specimens were cut perpendicular to the
      occlusal surface and through the area of the highest demineralisation (DIAGNOdent
      pen, KaVo). Using confocal laser-scanning microscopy, the specimens were assessed
      with regard to the percentage of caries infiltration, marginal adaption and
      internal integrity. Within the CR group, the carious lesions were not
      infiltrated. Both premolar (57.9%+/-23.1%) and molar lesions (35.3%+/-22.1%) of
      the RI/CR group were uniformly infiltrated to a substantial extent, albeit with
      significant differences (P=0.034). Moreover, microleakage (n=1) and the
      occurrence of voids (n=2) were reduced in the RI/CR group compared with the CR
      group (5 and 17 specimens, respectively). The RI/CR approach increases the
      initial quality of fissure sealing and is recommended for the clinical control of
      occlusal caries.

PMID- 28621327
TI  - Dimeric structure of the uracil:proton symporter UraA provides mechanistic
      insights into the SLC4/23/26 transporters.
AB  - The Escherichia coli uracil:proton symporter UraA is a prototypical member of the
      nucleobase/ascorbate transporter (NAT) or nucleobase/cation symporter 2 (NCS2)
      family, which corresponds to the human solute carrier family SLC23. UraA consists
      of 14 transmembrane segments (TMs) that are organized into two distinct domains,
      the core domain and the gate domain, a structural fold that is also shared by the
      SLC4 and SLC26 transporters. Here we present the crystal structure of UraA bound
      to uracil in an occluded state at 2.5 A resolution. Structural comparison with
      the previously reported inward-open UraA reveals pronounced relative motions
      between the core domain and the gate domain as well as intra-domain rearrangement
      of the gate domain. The occluded UraA forms a dimer in the structure wherein the
      gate domains are sandwiched by two core domains. In vitro and in vivo biochemical
      characterizations show that UraA is at equilibrium between dimer and monomer in
      all tested detergent micelles, while dimer formation is necessary for the
      transport activity. Structural comparison between the dimeric UraA and the
      recently reported inward-facing dimeric UapA provides important insight into the
      transport mechanism of SLC23 transporters.

PMID- 28621328
TI  - Live cell screening platform identifies PPARdelta as a regulator of cardiomyocyte
      proliferation and cardiac repair.
AB  - Zebrafish can efficiently regenerate their heart through cardiomyocyte
      proliferation. In contrast, mammalian cardiomyocytes stop proliferating shortly
      after birth, limiting the regenerative capacity of the postnatal mammalian heart.
      Therefore, if the endogenous potential of postnatal cardiomyocyte proliferation
      could be enhanced, it could offer a promising future therapy for heart failure
      patients. Here, we set out to systematically identify small molecules triggering
      postnatal cardiomyocyte proliferation. By screening chemical compound libraries
      utilizing a Fucci-based system for assessing cell cycle stages, we identified
      carbacyclin as an inducer of postnatal cardiomyocyte proliferation. In vitro,
      carbacyclin induced proliferation of neonatal and adult mononuclear rat
      cardiomyocytes via a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta
      (PPARdelta)/PDK1/p308Akt/GSK3beta/beta-catenin pathway. Inhibition of PPARdelta
      reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation during zebrafish heart regeneration. Notably,
      inducible cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of constitutively active
      PPARdelta as well as treatment with PPARdelta agonist after myocardial infarction
      in mice induced cell cycle progression in cardiomyocytes, reduced scarring, and
      improved cardiac function. Collectively, we established a cardiomyocyte
      proliferation screening system and present a new drugable target with promise for
      the treatment of cardiac pathologies caused by cardiomyocyte loss.

PMID- 28621330
TI  - Erratum: SWIM: a computational tool to unveiling crucial nodes in complex
      biological networks.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep44797.

PMID- 28621329
TI  - Single-cell multi-omics sequencing of mouse early embryos and embryonic stem
      cells.
AB  - Single-cell epigenome sequencing techniques have recently been developed.
      However, the combination of different layers of epigenome sequencing in an
      individual cell has not yet been achieved. Here, we developed a single-cell multi
      omics sequencing technology (single-cell COOL-seq) that can analyze the chromatin
      state/nucleosome positioning, DNA methylation, copy number variation and ploidy
      simultaneously from the same individual mammalian cell. We used this method to
      analyze the reprogramming of the chromatin state and DNA methylation in mouse
      preimplantation embryos. We found that within < 12 h of fertilization, each
      individual cell undergoes global genome demethylation together with the rapid and
      global reprogramming of both maternal and paternal genomes to a highly opened
      chromatin state. This was followed by decreased openness after the late zygote
      stage. Furthermore, from the late zygote to the 4-cell stage, the residual DNA
      methylation is preferentially preserved on intergenic regions of the paternal
      alleles and intragenic regions of maternal alleles in each individual blastomere.
      However, chromatin accessibility is similar between paternal and maternal alleles
      in each individual cell from the late zygote to the blastocyst stage. The binding
      motifs of several pluripotency regulators are enriched at distal nucleosome
      depleted regions from as early as the 2-cell stage. This indicates that the cis
      regulatory elements of such target genes have been primed to an open state from
      the 2-cell stage onward, long before pluripotency is eventually established in
      the ICM of the blastocyst. Genes may be classified into homogeneously open,
      homogeneously closed and divergent states based on the chromatin accessibility of
      their promoter regions among individual cells. This can be traced to step-wise
      transitions during preimplantation development. Our study offers the first single
      cell and parental allele-specific analysis of the genome-scale chromatin state
      and DNA methylation dynamics at single-base resolution in early mouse embryos and
      provides new insights into the heterogeneous yet highly ordered features of
      epigenomic reprogramming during this process.

PMID- 28621331
TI  - Corrigendum: Hepatic p63 regulates steatosis via IKKbeta/ER stress.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15111.

PMID- 28621332
TI  - Observing electron localization in a dissociating H2+ molecule in real time.
AB  - Dissociation of diatomic molecules with odd number of electrons always causes the
      unpaired electron to localize on one of the two resulting atomic fragments. In
      the simplest diatomic molecule H2+ dissociation yields a hydrogen atom and a
      proton with the sole electron ending up on one of the two nuclei. That is
      equivalent to breaking of a chemical bond-the most fundamental chemical process.
      Here we observe such electron localization in real time by performing a pump
      probe experiment. We demonstrate that in H2+ electron localization is complete in
      just 15 fs when the molecule's internuclear distance reaches 8 atomic units. The
      measurement is supported by a theoretical simulation based on numerical solution
      of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. This observation advances our
      understanding of detailed dynamics of molecular dissociation.

PMID- 28621333
TI  - Francisella requires dynamic type VI secretion system and ClpB to deliver
      effectors for phagosomal escape.
AB  - Francisella tularensis is an intracellular pathogen that causes the fatal
      zoonotic disease tularaemia. Critical for its pathogenesis is the ability of the
      phagocytosed bacteria to escape into the cell cytosol. For this, the bacteria use
      a non-canonical type VI secretion system (T6SS) encoded on the Francisella
      pathogenicity island (FPI). Here we show that in F. novicida T6SS assembly
      initiates at the bacterial poles both in vitro and within infected macrophages.
      T6SS dynamics and function depends on the general purpose ClpB unfoldase, which
      specifically colocalizes with contracted sheaths and is required for their
      disassembly. T6SS assembly depends on iglF, iglG, iglI and iglJ, whereas pdpC,
      pdpD, pdpE and anmK are dispensable. Importantly, strains lacking pdpC and pdpD
      are unable to escape from phagosome, activate AIM2 inflammasome or cause disease
      in mice. This suggests that PdpC and PdpD are T6SS effectors involved in
      phagosome rupture.

PMID- 28621335
TI  - In the news: ECE2017 - highlights from the meeting.

PMID- 28621334
TI  - Telomere Length and Bipolar Disorder.
AB  - Variation in telomere length is heritable and is currently considered a promising
      biomarker of susceptibility for neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly because
      of its association with memory function and hippocampal morphology. Here, we
      investigate telomere length in connection to familial risk and disease expression
      in bipolar disorder (BD). We used quantitative PCRs and a telomere-sequence to
      single-copy-gene-sequence ratio method to determine telomere length in genomic
      DNA extracted from buccal smears from 63 patients with BD, 74 first-degree
      relatives (49 relatives had no lifetime psychopathology and 25 had a non-BD mood
      disorder), and 80 unrelated healthy individuals. Participants also underwent
      magnetic resonance imaging to determine hippocampal volumes and cognitive
      assessment to evaluate episodic memory using the verbal paired associates test.
      Telomere length was shorter in psychiatrically well relatives (p=0.007) compared
      with unrelated healthy participants. Telomere length was also shorter in
      relatives (regardless of psychiatric status; p<0.01) and patients with BD not on
      lithium (p=0.02) compared with lithium-treated patients with BD. In the entire
      sample, telomere length was positively associated with left and right hippocampal
      volume and with delayed recall. This study provides evidence that shortened
      telomere length is associated with familial risk for BD. Lithium may have
      neuroprotective properties that require further investigation using prospective
      designs.

PMID- 28621336
TI  - Obesity: Sweetener associated with increased adiposity in young adults.

PMID- 28621337
TI  - Diabetes: SGLT2 inhibitors and diabetic ketoacidosis - a growing concern.

PMID- 28621338
TI  - Adipose tissue: Crosstalk between adipocytes and neurons.

PMID- 28621339
TI  - Hepatokines: linking nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance.
AB  - Hepatic steatosis is an underlying feature of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
      (NAFLD), which is the most common form of liver disease and is present in up to
      ~70% of individuals who are overweight. NAFLD is also associated with
      hypertriglyceridaemia and low levels of HDL, glucose intolerance, insulin
      resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hepatic steatosis is a strong predictor
      of the development of insulin resistance and often precedes the onset of other
      known mediators of insulin resistance. This sequence of events suggests that
      hepatic steatosis has a causal role in the development of insulin resistance in
      other tissues, such as skeletal muscle. Hepatokines are proteins that are
      secreted by hepatocytes, and many hepatokines have been linked to the induction
      of metabolic dysfunction, including fetuin A, fetuin B, retinol-binding protein 4
      (RBP4) and selenoprotein P. In this Review, we describe the factors that
      influence the development of hepatic steatosis, provide evidence of strong links
      between hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in non-hepatic tissues, and
      discuss recent advances in our understanding of how steatosis alters hepatokine
      secretion to influence metabolic phenotypes through inter-organ communication.

PMID- 28621340
TI  - Reproductive endocrinology: Elagolix in endometriosis.

PMID- 28621341
TI  - The gentle art of saying NO: how nitric oxide gets things done in the
      hypothalamus.
AB  - The chemical signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO), which freely diffuses through
      aqueous and lipid environments, subserves an array of functions in the mammalian
      central nervous system, such as the regulation of synaptic plasticity, blood flow
      and neurohormone secretion. In this Review, we consider the cellular and
      molecular mechanisms by which NO evokes short-term and long-term changes in
      neuronal activity. We also highlight recent studies showing that discrete
      populations of neurons that synthesize NO in the hypothalamus constitute
      integrative systems that support life by relaying metabolic and gonadal signals
      to the neuroendocrine brain, and thus gate the onset of puberty and adult
      fertility. The putative involvement and therapeutic potential of NO in the
      pathophysiology of brain diseases, for which hormonal imbalances during postnatal
      development could be risk factors, is also discussed.

PMID- 28621342
TI  - Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and association with cardiovascular risk
      factors among teachers in Cape Town, South Africa.
AB  - Background: There is a need to determine the feasibility of conducting studies of
      chronic diseases among large cohorts of African patients. One aim of the South
      African feasibility study was to determine the prevalence of chronic kidney
      disease (CKD) and its association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors
      among school teachers. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey of 489 teachers we
      captured data on demographics, CVD risk factors, anthropometry and blood
      pressure. Serum glucose, creatinine, cholesterol and urine protein/creatinine
      ratio was measured. Glomerular filtration rate was estimated using the Chronic
      Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and the Modification of Diet
      in Renal Disease study equations. Results: The mean (+/- standard deviation) age
      of the participants was 46.3 +/- 8.5 years, with 70.3% being female and 74.6% of
      mixed ethnicity. The crude prevalence of CKD using the CKD-EPI equation was 6.1%
      while the age-adjusted prevalence was 6.4% (95% confidence interval 3.2-9.7%).
      CKD was associated with the presence of diabetes and higher diastolic blood
      pressures. Conclusions: In our study population of relatively young, working
      individuals CKD was common, clinically silent and associated with cardiovascular
      risk factors. The long-term complications of CKD are serious and expensive to
      manage and this, therefore, constitutes an important public health problem for
      South Africa.

PMID- 28621344
TI  - Metal-organic frameworks meet metal nanoparticles: synergistic effect for
      enhanced catalysis.
AB  - Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), established as a relatively new class of
      crystalline porous materials with high surface area, structural diversity, and
      tailorability, attract extensive interest and exhibit a variety of applications,
      especially in catalysis. Their permanent porosity enables their inherent
      superiority in confining guest species, particularly small metal nanoparticles
      (MNPs), for improved catalytic performance and/or the expansion of reaction
      scope. This is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary research field. In this
      review, we provide an overview of significant progress in the development of
      MNP/MOF composites, including various preparation strategies and characterization
      methods as well as catalytic applications. Special emphasis is placed on
      synergistic effects between the two components that result in an enhanced
      performance in heterogeneous catalysis. Finally, the prospects of MNP/MOF
      composites in catalysis and remaining issues in this field have been indicated.

PMID- 28621343
TI  - Current evidence on the discontinuation of eculizumab in patients with atypical
      haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
AB  - Background. Atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare, life
      threatening disorder for which eculizumab is the only approved treatment. Life
      long treatment is indicated; however, eculizumab discontinuation has been
      reported. Methods. Unpublished authors' cases and published cases of eculizumab
      discontinuation are reviewed. We also report eculizumab discontinuation data from
      five clinical trials, plus long-term extensions and the global aHUS Registry.
      Results. Of six unpublished authors' cases, four patients had a subsequent
      thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) manifestation within 12 months of
      discontinuation. Case reports of 52 patients discontinuing eculizumab were
      identified; 16 (31%) had a subsequent TMA manifestation. In eculizumab clinical
      trials, 61/130 patients discontinued treatment between 2008 and 2015. Median
      follow-up post-discontinuation was 24 weeks and during this time 12 patients
      experienced 15 severe TMA complications and 9 of the 12 patients restarted
      eculizumab. TMA complications occurred irrespective of identified genetic
      mutation, high risk polymorphism or auto-antibody. In the global aHUS Registry,
      76/296 patients (26%) discontinued, 12 (16%) of whom restarted. Conclusions. The
      currently available evidence suggests TMA manifestations following
      discontinuation are unpredictable in both severity and timing. For evidence-based
      decision making, better risk stratification and valid monitoring strategies are
      required. Until these exist, the risk versus benefit of eculizumab
      discontinuation, either in specific clinical situations or at selected time
      points, should include consideration of the risk of further TMA manifestations.

PMID- 28621347
TI  - Nonlinear optical properties, upconversion and lasing in metal-organic
      frameworks.
AB  - The building block modular approach that lies behind coordination polymers (CPs)
      and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) results not only in a plethora of materials
      that can be obtained but also in a vast array of material properties that could
      be aimed at. Optical properties appear to be particularly predetermined by the
      character of individual structural units and by the intricate interplay between
      them. Indeed, the "design principles" shaping the optical properties of these
      materials seem to be well explored for luminescence and second-harmonic
      generation (SHG) phenomena; these have been covered in numerous previous reviews.
      Herein, we shine light on CPs and MOFs as optical media for state-of-the-art
      photonic phenomena such as multi-photon absorption, triplet-triplet annihilation
      (TTA) and stimulated emission. In the first part of this review we focus on the
      nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of CPs and MOFs, with a closer look at the two
      photon absorption property. We discuss the scope of applicability of most
      commonly used measurement techniques (Z-scan and two-photon excited fluorescence
      (TPEF)) that can be applied for proper determination of the NLO properties of
      these materials; in particular, we suggest recommendations for their use, along
      with a discussion of the best reporting practices of NLO parameters. We also
      outline design principles, employing both intramolecular and intermolecular
      strategies, that are necessary for maximizing the NLO response. A review of
      recent literature on two-, three- and multi-photon absorption in CPs and MOFs is
      further supplemented with application-oriented processes such as two-photon 3D
      patterning and data storage. Additionally, we provide an overview of the latest
      achievements in the field of frequency doubling (SHG) and tripling (third
      harmonic generation, THG) in these materials. Apart from nonlinear processes, in
      the next sections we also target the photonic properties of MOFs that benefit
      from their porosity, and resulting from this their ability to serve as containers
      for optically-active molecules. Thus, we survey dye@MOF composites as novel media
      in which efficient upconversion via triplet energy migration (TEM) occurs as well
      as materials for stimulated emission and multi-photon pumped lasing. Prospects
      for producing lasing as an intrinsic property of MOFs has also been discussed.
      Overall, further development of the optical processes highlighted herein should
      allow for realization of various photonic, data storage, biomedical and
      optoelectronic applications.

PMID- 28621350
TI  - Photoinduced structural distortions and singlet-triplet intersystem crossing in
      Cu(i) MLCT excited states monitored by optically gated fluorescence spectroscopy.
AB  - Copper(i) phenanthroline complexes represent viable earth-abundant alternatives
      to the ubiquitous Ru(ii) tris-bipyridine photosensitizers owing to their similar
      metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) properties. A well-established
      complication of Cu(i) phenanthroline complexes is that they can undergo
      significant photo-induced structural rearrangements, leading to excited states
      that are highly susceptible to exciplex formation and short-lived. In this work,
      a comprehensive analysis of the photo-induced structural distortions and singlet
      triplet intersystem crossing dynamics of a series of four sterically encumbered
      Cu(i) phenanthroline chromophores has been conducted, namely, [Cu(dsbp)2]+ (dsbp
      = 2,9-di-sec-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline), [Cu(dsbtmp)2]+ (dsbtmp = 2,9-di-sec
      butyl-3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline), [Cu(dipp)2]+ (dipp = 2,9-di
      isopropyl-1,10-phenanthroline), and [Cu(diptmp)2]+ (diptmp = 2,9-di-isopropyl
      3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline). Upconverted fluorescence decay kinetics
      were measured at wavelengths along the blue side of the photoluminescence
      spectrum. The experimental results displayed strong wavelength dependence of the
      singlet emission, with rapid sub-picosecond decay dominating at higher energies.
      At lower emission energies, increasing contribution of a longer decay component
      was revealed. This wavelength dependence is a signature of the excited state
      structural rearrangement of the phenanthroline ligands which concomitantly lower
      the excited state energy. The obtained time constants were in excellent agreement
      with those measured in the complementary ultrafast transient absorption
      experiments. The sub-picosecond component (prompt fluorescence) is associated
      with the photo-induced structural rearrangement that lowers the energy of the
      singlet excited state. The longer decay component represents the lifetime of the
      S1 excited state, and thus the time-scale of singlet-triplet intersystem
      crossing. Lastly, the observed dual emission was further characterized by
      constructing picosecond time-resolved emission spectra from the measured kinetic
      data. These qualitative luminescence spectra capture the resulting emission from
      both the S1 initial state and the S1 flattened state, providing further insight
      into the energy-lowering excited state distortion across the series.

PMID- 28621351
TI  - Ethylene tri-/tetramerization catalysts supported by diphosphinothiophene
      ligands.
AB  - Cr(iii) catalysts supported by a series of diphosphinothiophene ligands have been
      developed, all of which, upon activation with MMAO-3A, are active for ethylene
      tri-/tetramerization. The effect of ligand substitution on the catalytic
      performance has been examined. The Cr precatalyst supported by the
      diphosphinothiophene ligand containing one trimethylsilyl group at the C2
      position achieved a high activity of up to 686 kg (g Cr h-1)-1 with a total
      selectivity of up to 69% toward 1-hexene (29.5%) and 1-octene (39.5%). Two
      representative Cr complexes bearing the diphosphinothiophene ligand were
      synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
      Comparison of the coordination structure data of the two Cr complexes with those
      of an analogous diphosphine Cr complex reveals a direct correlation between the
      bond length of two adjacent bridging carbon atoms and catalytic activity: a
      shorter bond length and hence smaller ligand bite angle lead to higher catalytic
      activity. These diphosphinothiophene ligands featuring a fine-tuned backbone
      provide a model for the precise understanding of the impact of ligand variations
      on the catalytic performance.

PMID- 28621352
TI  - Effects of oxygenation on the intercalation of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6/4,7-dione
      between DNA base pairs: a computational study.
AB  - The effects of oxygen in positions 4,7 and 5,6 of phenanthroline when this ligand
      intercalates between guanine-cytosine and adenine-thymine DNA base pairs (GC/CG
      and AT/TA) have been studied at the M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p) level of calculation. We
      focused on the changes in the structure, stabilization and energy contributions
      in the analysis of the interaction. The obtained trends in stabilization are
      explained by a model including repulsive Pauli (DeltaEPauli) contributions, and
      attractive dispersion (DeltaEdisp), orbital (DeltaEorb) and electrostatic
      (DeltaEelstat) contributions to energy. When no solvation is considered, the
      intrinsic DeltaEelstat contribution results are crucial for the stabilization of
      the system. However, the inclusion of the solvation energy DeltaEsolv can reverse
      the final stability trend of the systems becoming, thus, the driving force of the
      process. Therefore, the solvent will have a relevant influence in the potential
      cytotoxicity of the intercalation drugs.

PMID- 28621353
TI  - Ternary gradient metal-organic frameworks.
AB  - Gradient MOFs contain directional gradients of either structure or functionality.
      We have successfully prepared two ternary gradient MOFs based on bMOF-100
      analogues, namely bMOF-100/102/106 and bMOF-110/100/102, via cascade ligand
      exchange reactions. The cubic unit cell parameter discrepancy within an
      individual ternary gradient MOF crystal is as large as ~1 nm, demonstrating the
      impressive compatibility and flexibility of the component MOF materials. Because
      of the presence of a continuum of unit cells, the pore diameters within
      individual crystals also change in a gradient fashion from ~2.5 nm to ~3.0 nm for
      bMOF-100/102/106, and from ~2.2 nm to ~2.7 nm for bMOF-110/100/102, indicating
      significant porosity gradients. Like previously reported binary gradient MOFs,
      the composition of the ternary gradient MOFs can be easily controlled by
      adjusting the reaction conditions. Finally, X-ray diffraction and
      microspectrophotometry were used to analyse fractured gradient MOF crystals by
      comparing unit cell parameters and absorbance spectra at different locations,
      thus revealing the profile of heterogeneity (i.e. gradient distribution of
      properties) and further confirming the formation of ternary gradient MOFs.

PMID- 28621354
TI  - Density functional theory calculations for the band gap and formation energy of
      Pr4-xCaxSi12O3+xN18-x; a highly disordered compound with low symmetry and a large
      cell size.
AB  - A novel oxynitride compound, Pr4-xCaxSi12O3+xN18-x, synthesized using a solid
      state route has been characterized as a monoclinic structure in the C2 space
      group using Rietveld refinement on synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. The
      crystal structure of this compound was disordered due to the random distribution
      of Ca/Pr and N/O ions at various Wyckoff sites. A pragmatic approach for an ab
      initio calculation based on density function theory (DFT) for this disordered
      compound has been implemented to calculate an acceptable value of the band gap
      and formation energy. In general, for the DFT calculation of a disordered
      compound, a sufficiently large super cell and infinite variety of ensemble
      configurations is adopted to simulate the random distribution of ions; however,
      such an approach is time consuming and cost ineffective. Even a single unit cell
      model gave rise to 43 008 independent configurations as an input model for the
      DFT calculations. Since it was nearly impossible to calculate the formation
      energy and the band gap energy for all 43 008 configurations, an elitist non
      dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was employed to find the plausible
      configurations. In the NSGA-II, all 43 008 configurations were mathematically
      treated as genomes and the calculated band gap and the formation energy as the
      objective (fitness) function. Generalized gradient approximation (GGA) was first
      employed in the preliminary screening using NSGA-II, and thereafter a hybrid
      functional calculation (HSE06) was executed only for the most plausible GGA
      relaxed configurations with lower formation and higher band gap energies. The
      final band gap energy (3.62 eV) obtained after averaging over the selected
      configurations, resembles closely the experimental band gap value (4.11 eV).

PMID- 28621355
TI  - Penta- and hexaorganostannate(iv) complexes based on O-heterocyclic ligands.
AB  - In the present study, the synthesis of homoleptic five- and six-coordinate
      heteroaryl tin(iv) compounds using two O-heterocyclic substituents, 2-furyl (2
      fu) and 2-benzofuryl (2-fuBz) ligands is described. The compounds were obtained
      as their lithium salts [Li2(OEt2)2Sn(2-fu)6] (1), [Li(tmeda)2][Sn(2-fu)5] (tmeda
      = N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine) (2) and [Li(thf)4][Sn(2-fuBz)5] (3),
      featuring both an intramolecular coordination of the counterions by the anionic
      hypercoordinate tin(iv) species found in 1 as well as solvent separated
      cation/anion pairs for compounds 2 and 3. In addition, the co-crystalline complex
      [K2(thf)6Sn(2-fuBz)6].[K2(thf)4Sn(2-fuBz)6] (4a.4b) was achieved. The
      characterization of all compounds by various spectroscopic methods and X-ray
      structural analysis complemented by density functional computations provided
      insights into the diversity of complex formation.

PMID- 28621356
TI  - Dye-sensitized lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles.
AB  - Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising for
      applications as wide as biological imaging, multimodal imaging, photodynamic
      therapy, volumetric displays, and solar cells. Yet, the weak and narrow
      absorption of lanthanide ions poses a fundamental limit of UCNPs to withhold
      their brightness, creating a long-standing hurdle for the field. Dye-sensitized
      UCNPs are emerging to address this performance-limiting problem, yielding up to
      thousands-fold brighter luminescence than conventional UCNPs without dye
      sensitization. In their configuration, organic dyes with spectrally broad and
      intense absorption are anchored to the surface of UCNPs to harvest the excitation
      light energy, which is then transferred via Forster and/or Dexter mechanisms
      across the organic/inorganic interface to the lanthanides incorporated in UCNPs
      (with or devoid of a shell) to empower efficient upconversion. This tutorial
      review highlights recent progress in the development of dye sensitized UCNPs,
      with an emphasis on the theory of energy transfer, the geometric classification
      of the dye sensitized core and core/shell nanocrystals, and their emerging
      photonic and biophotonic applications. Opportunities and challenges offered by
      dye sensitized UCNPs are also discussed.

PMID- 28621357
TI  - Computational investigation of the human SOD1 mutant, Cys146Arg, that directs
      familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - The genetic substitution mutation of Cys146Arg in the SOD1 protein is
      predominantly found in the Japanese population suffering from familial
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). A complete study of the biophysical aspects
      of this particular missense mutation through conformational analysis and
      producing free energy landscapes could provide an insight into the pathogenic
      mechanism of ALS disease. In this study, we utilized general molecular dynamics
      simulations along with computational predictions to assess the structural
      characterization of the protein as well as the conformational preferences of
      monomeric wild type and mutant SOD1. Our static analysis, accomplished through
      multiple programs, predicted the deleterious and destabilizing effect of mutant
      SOD1. Subsequently, comparative molecular dynamic studies performed on the wild
      type and mutant SOD1 indicated a loss in the protein conformational stability and
      flexibility. We observed the mutational consequences not only in local but also
      in long-range variations in the structural properties of the SOD1 protein. Long
      range intramolecular protein interactions decrease upon mutation, resulting in
      less compact structures in the mutant protein rather than in the wild type,
      suggesting that the mutant structures are less stable than the wild type SOD1. We
      also presented the free energy landscape to study the collective motion of
      protein conformations through principal component analysis for the wild type and
      mutant SOD1. Overall, the study assisted in revealing the cause of the structural
      destabilization and protein misfolding via structural characterization, secondary
      structure composition and free energy landscapes. Hence, the computational
      framework in our study provides a valuable direction for the search for the cure
      against fatal FALS.

PMID- 28621358
TI  - Photoswitchable and pH responsive organoplatinum(ii) complexes with azopyridine
      ligands.
AB  - Several platinum(ii) complexes with ligands containing azo groups have been
      prepared and structurally characterised, and their photoswitching between trans
      and cis azo group isomers has been studied. The azo groups in the cationic
      complexes [PtMe(bipy)(4-NC5H4-N[double bond, length as m-dash]N-4-C6H4X)][PF6], X
      = H, OH or NMe2, and in the dicationic complex [Pt(bipy)(4-H2NC6H4-N[double bond,
      length as m-dash]N-C6H5)2][OTf]2 undergo trans to cis photoswitching on
      irradiation at 365 nm. The complex [PtMe(bipy)(4-NC5H4-N[double bond, length as m
      dash]N-4-C6H4NMe)2][PF6] also exhibits a reversible halochromic effect on
      protonation to give the dicationic complex [PtMe(bipy)(4-NC5H4-NH[double bond,
      length as m-dash]N-4-C6H4NMe2]2+. The nature of the frontier orbitals in the
      platinum(ii) complexes depends on the charge on the complex and on the degree of
      metal-ligand pi-bonding.

PMID- 28621359
TI  - Low temperature synthesis study of metal-organic framework CPO-27: investigating
      metal, solvent and base effects down to -78  degrees C.
AB  - CPO-27-M (M = Co, Mg, Ni, Zn) metal-organic frameworks have been successfully
      synthesized at temperatures down to -78  degrees C in a range of solvent systems
      and their crystallinity and morphology analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction and
      scanning electron microscopy. CPO-27-Mg and -Zn could be synthesized at lower
      temperatures using MeOH-NaOH as the solvent with CPO-27-Zn showing the most
      crystalline material at -78  degrees C. CPO-27-Zn afforded the most crystalline
      samples of all studies in MeOH-TEA. However, in MeOH a non-porous monomeric
      [Zn(H2dhtp)(H2O)2] complex was formed when no base was present. In THF with base
      (NaOH, TEA) the reaction produced crystalline MOFs in a controlled and stable
      manner at low temperatures, whilst the reagents were insoluble in THF at low
      temperature when no base was present. SEM was used to analyze the morphologies of
      the products.

PMID- 28621360
TI  - An unprecedented antimonato-polyoxovanadate (SbPOV) based on both alpha
      [V14Sb8O42]4- and beta-[V14Sb8O42]4- isomers.
AB  - An unprecedented antimonato-polyoxovanadate (SbPOV) based on both alpha
      [V14Sb8O42]4- and beta-[V14Sb8O42]4- isomers has been hydrothermally synthesized.

PMID- 28621361
TI  - Single site silica supported tetramethyl niobium by the SOMC strategy: synthesis,
      characterization and structure-activity relationship in the ethylene
      oligomerization reaction.
AB  - A silica supported tetramethyl niobium complex [([triple bond, length as m
      dash]SiO)NbMe4] 2 has been isolated by the surface alkylation of [([triple bond,
      length as m-dash]SiO-)NbCl3Me] 1 with dimethyl zinc in pentane. 1 can be easily
      synthesized by grafting NbCl3Me2 onto the surface of partially dehydroxylated
      silica by the SOMC strategy. Precise structural analysis was carried out using
      FTIR, advanced solid state NMR, elemental analysis and mass balance techniques
      (gas quantification after treating 2 with degassed water). Complex 1 was found to
      be active in the ethylene oligomerization reaction, producing up to C30, whereas
      to our surprise complex 2 selectively dimerized ethylene into 1-butene in the
      absence of a co-catalyst at the same conversion level.

PMID- 28621362
TI  - Self-assembled mesoscopic surface domains of fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon diblocks
      can form at zero surface pressure: tilting of solid-like hydrocarbon moieties
      compensates for cross-section mismatch with fluorocarbon moieties.
AB  - At low molecular areas, fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon diblocks (CnF2n+1CmH2m+1, FnHm),
      when spread as Langmuir monolayers on water, form organized monodisperse circular
      self-assembled domains, one molecule high and tens of nanometers in diameter.
      Whether such domains form at high molecular areas (low surface pressures) could
      until now not be established. Furthermore, the common assumption was that the
      inner core hydrocarbon chains within these domains were in the liquid state in
      order to compensate for the difference in the cross-section area between the
      perfluoroalkyl (~30 A2) and alkyl (~20 A2) chains. Our IRRAS investigation of
      F8H16 now establishes (1) that these diblock surface domains do exist at the
      air/water interface at large molecular areas (zero surface pressure), (2) that
      they remain essentially unchanged throughout film compression, and (3) that the
      H16 moieties are actually stretched in an all-trans configuration and tilted by
      ~30 degrees  with respect to the normal to the monolayer in order to satisfy the
      greater space requirement of the F8 moieties. Consequently, the core of the
      domains is in an ordered, crystalline-like state, and the domains can be
      visualized as solid particles at the air/water interface.

PMID- 28621363
TI  - CO2 reduction or HCO2- oxidation? Solvent-dependent thermochemistry of a nickel
      hydride complex.
AB  - The hydricity (DeltaGH-) of a newly synthesized nickel hydride was experimentally
      determined in acetonitrile (50.6 kcal mol-1), dimethyl sulfoxide (47.1 kcal mol
      1), and water (22.8 kcal mol-1). The hydricity values indicate hydride transfer
      from [HNi(TMEPE)2][BF4] (TMEPE = 1,2-bis[di(methoxyethyl)phosphino]ethane) to CO2
      is exergonic in water and endergonic in the organic solvents.

PMID- 28621365
TI  - Bio-inspired intelligent evaporation modulation in a thermo-sensitive nanogel
      colloid solution for self-thermoregulation.
AB  - Intelligent evaporation and temperature modulation plays an important role in
      self-regulation of living organisms and many industrial applications. Here we
      demonstrate that a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogel colloid solution
      can spontaneously and intelligently modulate its evaporation rate with
      temperature variation, which has a larger evaporation rate than distilled water
      at a temperature higher than its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and a
      smaller evaporation rate at a temperature lower than its LCST. It performs just
      like human skin. Theoretical analysis based on the thermodynamic derivation
      reveals that the evaporation rate transition around the LCST may originate from
      the saturated vapor pressure transition caused by the status transformation of
      the PNIPAM additives. An intelligent thermoregulation system based on the PNIPAM
      colloid solution is also demonstrated, illustrating its potential for intelligent
      temperature control and acting as an artificial skin.

PMID- 28621364
TI  - Single-molecule probing of amyloid nano-ensembles using the polymer nanoarray
      approach.
AB  - Soluble amyloid-beta (Abeta) oligomers are the prime causative agents of
      cognitive deficits during early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The transient
      nature of the oligomers makes them difficult to characterize by traditional
      techniques, suggesting that advanced approaches are necessary. Previously
      developed fluorescence-based tethered approach for probing intermolecular
      interactions (TAPIN) and AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy are capable
      of probing dimers of Abeta peptides. In this paper, a novel polymer nanoarray
      approach to probe trimers and tetramers formed by the Abeta(14-23) segment of
      Abeta protein at the single-molecule level is applied. By using this approach
      combined with TAPIN and AFM force spectroscopy, the impact of pH on the assembly
      of these oligomers was characterized. Experimental results reveal that pH affects
      the oligomer assembly process. At neutral pH, trimers and tetramers assemble into
      structures with a similar stability, while at acidic conditions (pH 3.7), the
      oligomers adopt a set of structures with different lifetimes and strengths.
      Models for the assembly of Abeta(14-23) trimers and tetramers based on the
      results obtained is proposed.

PMID- 28621368
TI  - Vaporization of protic ionic liquids derived from organic superbases and short
      carboxylic acids.
AB  - This work presents a comprehensive evaluation of the phase behaviour and cohesive
      enthalpy of protic ionic liquids (PILs) composed of 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]non-5
      ene (DBN) or 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) organic superbases with
      short-chain length (acetic, propionic and butyric) carboxylic acids. Glass
      transition temperatures, Tg, and enthalpies of vaporization, DeltaHvap, were
      measured for six [BH][A] (1 : 1) PILs (B = DBN, DBU; A = MeCOO, EtCOO, nPrCOO),
      revealing more significant changes upon increasing the number of -CH2- groups in
      the base than in the acid. The magnitude of DeltaHvap evidences that liquid PILs
      have a high proportion of ions, although the results also indicate that in DBN
      PILs the concentration of neutral species is not negligible. In the gas phase,
      these PILs exist as a distribution of ion pairs and isolated neutral species,
      with speciation being dependent on the temperature and pressure conditions - at
      high temperatures and low pressures the separated neutral species dominate. The
      higher Tg and DeltaHvap of the DBU PILs are explained by the stronger basicity of
      DBU (as supported by NMR and computational calculations), which increases the
      extent of proton exchange and the ionic character of the corresponding PILs,
      resulting in stronger intermolecular interactions in condensed phases.

PMID- 28621366
TI  - Cation distribution: a key to ascertain the magnetic interactions in a cobalt
      substituted Mg-Mn nanoferrite matrix.
AB  - The effect of Co2+ substitution into nanocrystalline Mg-Mn ferrite synthesized by
      a solution combustion technique has been studied. The cation distribution has
      been inferred from X-ray diffraction, the magnetization technique, and Mossbauer
      spectroscopy. The X-ray analysis and cation distribution data have been used to
      investigate the detailed structural parameters such as hopping lengths, ionic
      radii of tetrahedral and octahedral sites, oxygen positional parameter, site bond
      as well as edge lengths, bond lengths, and bond angles. The variation in the
      theoretically predicted bond angles suggested the strengthening of the A-B super
      exchange interactions, and the same has been supported by M-H and M-T, as well as
      by Mossbauer studies. The ZFC-FC study revealed that anisotropy increases with
      the incorporation of cobalt ions. The values of magneton number, theoretical
      lattice parameter, and Curie temperature that have been calculated by using the
      cation distribution are found to match well with the experimentally obtained
      values.

PMID- 28621369
TI  - Transport of nanoparticles across pulmonary surfactant monolayer: a molecular
      dynamics study.
AB  - Pulmonary nanodrug delivery is an emerging concept, especially for targeted lung
      cancer therapy. Once inhaled, the nanoparticles (NPs) acting as drug carriers
      need to efficiently cross the pulmonary surfactant monolayer (PSM) of lung
      alveoli, which act as the first barrier for external particles entering the lung.
      Herein, by performing molecular dynamics simulations, we study how inhaled NPs
      interact with the PSM, particularly focusing on the transport of NPs with
      different properties across the PSM. While hydrophilic NPs translocate directly
      across the PSM, transport of hydrophobic NPs is achieved as the PSM wraps them.
      Intriguingly, when hydrophilic NPs are decorated with lipid molecules (LCNPs),
      they are wrapped by the PSM efficiently with mild PSM perturbation. Moreover, the
      structure formed is like a vesicle, which will likely fuse with cell membranes to
      accomplish the transport of hydrophilic NPs into secondary organs. This behavior
      makes the LCNP a prospective candidate for pulmonary nanodrug delivery. Herein,
      the effects of the physical properties of LCNPs on their transport are
      investigated. Increasing the LCNP size promotes its wrapping by reducing the PSM
      bending energy. The binding energy that drives transport can be strengthened by
      increasing the lipid coating density and the lipid tail length, both of which
      also reduce the risk of PSM rupture during transport. These results should help
      researchers understand how to better use surface decorations to achieve efficient
      pulmonary entry, which may provide useful guidance for the design of nano-based
      platforms for inhaled drug delivery.

PMID- 28621370
TI  - Ion dynamics in halogen-free phosphonium bis(salicylato)borate ionic liquid
      electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries.
AB  - This study was focused on the investigation of ion dynamics in halogen-free,
      hydrophobic, and hydrolytically stable phosphonium bis(salicylato)borate
      [P4,4,4,8][BScB] ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. The
      structure and purity of the synthesized ionic liquid and lithium
      bis(salicylato)borate Li[BScB] salt were characterized using 1H, 13C, 31P, and
      11B NMR spectroscopy. The Li[BScB] salt was mixed with an ionic liquid at the
      concentrations ranging from 2.5 mol% to 20 mol%. The physicochemical properties
      of the resulting electrolytes were characterized using thermal analysis (TGA and
      DSC), electrical impedance spectroscopy, and pulsed-field gradient (PFG) NMR and
      ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The apparent transfer numbers of the individual ions were
      calculated from the diffusion coefficients of the cation and anion as determined
      via the PFG NMR spectroscopy. NMR and ATR-FTIR spectroscopic techniques revealed
      dynamic interactions between the lithium cation and bis(salicylato)borate anion
      in the electrolytes. The ion-ion interactions were found to increase with the
      increasing concentration of the Li[BScB] salt, which resulted in ionic clustering
      at the concentrations higher than 15 mol% of Li salt in the ionic liquid.

PMID- 28621371
TI  - Does Z' equal 1 or 2? Enhanced powder NMR crystallography verification of a
      disordered room temperature crystal structure of a p38 inhibitor for chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - The crystal structure of the Form A polymorph of N-cyclopropyl-3-fluoro-4-methyl
      5-[3-[[1-[2-[2-(methylamino)ethoxy]phenyl]cyclopropyl]amino]-2-oxo-pyrazin-1
      yl]benzamide (i.e., AZD7624), determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction
      (scXRD) at 100 K, contains two molecules in the asymmetric unit (Z' = 2) and has
      regions of local static disorder. This substance has been in phase IIa drug
      development trials for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a
      disease which affects over 300 million people and contributes to nearly 3 million
      deaths annually. While attempting to verify the crystal structure using nuclear
      magnetic resonance crystallography (NMRX), we measured 13C solid-state NMR
      (SSNMR) spectra at 295 K that appeared consistent with Z' = 1 rather than Z' = 2.
      To understand this surprising observation, we used multinuclear SSNMR (1H, 13C,
      15N), gauge-including projector augmented-wave density functional theory (GIPAW
      DFT) calculations, crystal structure prediction (CSP), and powder XRD (pXRD) to
      determine the room temperature crystal structure. Due to the large size of
      AZD7624 (ca. 500 amu, 54 distinct 13C environments for Z' = 2), static disorder
      at 100 K, and (as we show) dynamic disorder at ambient temperatures, NMR spectral
      assignment was a challenge. We introduce a method to enhance confidence in NMR
      assignments by comparing experimental 13C isotropic chemical shifts against site
      specific DFT-calculated shift distributions established using CSP-generated
      crystal structures. The assignment and room temperature NMRX structure
      determination process also included measurements of 13C shift tensors and the
      observation of residual dipolar coupling between 13C and 14N. CSP generated ca.
      90 reasonable candidate structures (Z' = 1 and Z' = 2), which when coupled with
      GIPAW DFT results, room temperature pXRD, and the assigned SSNMR data, establish
      Z' = 2 at room temperature. We find that the polymorphic Form A of AZD7624 is
      maintained at room temperature, although dynamic disorder is present on the NMR
      timescale. Of the CSP-generated structures, 2 are found to be fully consistent
      with the SSNMR and pXRD data; within this pair, they are found to be structurally
      very similar (RMSD16 = 0.30 A). We establish that the CSP structure in best
      agreement with the NMR data possesses the highest degree of structural similarity
      with the scXRD-determined structure (RMSD16 = 0.17 A), and has the lowest DFT
      calculated energy amongst all CSP-generated structures with Z' = 2.

PMID- 28621372
TI  - Molecular dynamics simulation of the local concentration and structure in
      multicomponent aerosol nanoparticles under atmospheric conditions.
AB  - Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the local
      structure and local concentration in atmospheric nanoparticles consisting of an
      organic compound (cis-pinonic acid or n-C30H62), sulfate and ammonium ions, and
      water. Simulations in the isothermal-isobaric (NPT) statistical ensemble under
      atmospheric conditions with a prespecified number of molecules of the
      abovementioned compounds led to the formation of a nanoparticle. Calculations of
      the density profiles of all the chemical species in the nanoparticle, the
      corresponding radial pair distribution functions, and their mobility inside the
      nanoparticle revealed strong interactions developing between sulfate and ammonium
      ions. However, sulfate and ammonium ions prefer to populate the central part of
      the nanoparticle under the simulated conditions, whereas organic molecules like
      to reside at its outer surface. Sulfate and ammonium ions were practically
      immobile; in contrast, the organic molecules exhibited appreciable mobility at
      the outer surface of the nanoparticle. When the organic compound was a normal
      alkane (e.g. n-C30H62), a well-organized (crystalline-like) phase was rapidly
      formed at the free surface of the nanoparticle and remained separate from the
      rest of the species.

PMID- 28621374
TI  - Linker functionalisation triggers an alternative 3D-topology for Zn-isophthalate
      4,4'-bipyridine frameworks.
AB  - A series of four Zn2+ metal-organic frameworks containing functionalised
      isophthalate linkers and 4,4'-bipyridine pillars have been prepared and
      characterised. Isophthalates which contain -OC3H2n+1 alkoxy side chains (with n =
      1, 2 or 3) form frameworks with a 3D pillared-layer topology instead of the
      typical 2D layer topology of the renowned coordination polymers with an
      interdigitated structure (CIDs), which is found for shorter -OC2H5 side chains.
      The gas adsorption properties of the materials were analysed using N2, CO2 and O2
      adsorption measurements at low temperatures.

PMID- 28621375
TI  - Roles of phenol groups and auxiliary ligand of copper(ii) complexes with
      tetradentate ligands in the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol.
AB  - Herein, six copper(ii) complexes with multidentate ligands, [Cu(HL1)(OAc)(HOAc)]
      (1), [Cu(HL2)(OAc)] (2), [Cu(HL3)(OAc)] (3), [CuL4(OAc)] (4), [Cu(HL2)Cl] (5),
      and [Cu(HL3)Cl] (6) {H2L1 = [bis(3-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)](2
      pyridylmethyl)amine, H2L2 = [(3-tert-butyl-2-hydoxybenzyl)(3-trifluoromethyl-2
      hydroxybenzyl) (2-pyridylmethyl)]amine, H2L3 = [bis(3-trifluoromethyl-2
      hydroxybenzyl)] (2-pyridylmethyl)amine, and HL4 = [bis(2-pyridylmethyl)] (3-tert
      butyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)amine}, are reported. The complexes were characterized by
      UV-vis spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, X-ray single-crystal
      diffraction analysis and electrochemistry. These copper(ii) complexes have been
      investigated as catalysts for the aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to
      benzaldehyde mediated by TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl) radical in
      water at ambient temperature. Mechanistic investigations have revealed that the
      phenolate/phenol is involved in the intramolecular proton transfer with a bound
      substrate in catalysis. Hence, the presence of the trifluoromethyl group on the
      phenol ring significantly affects the catalysis process since the substituent
      affects the acidity of phenol, and subsequently, the intramolecular proton
      transfer from the bound substrate. During catalysis, the dissociation of the
      auxiliary ligand (Cl- or OAc-) occurred in the SN1 pathway, and it is necessary
      for the substrate to bind. To complete the catalytic cycle, the cleaved auxiliary
      ligand rebinds to the metal center to regenerate the catalyst.

PMID- 28621376
TI  - Current and future directions in electron transfer chemistry of graphene.
AB  - The participation of graphene in electron transfer chemistry, where an electron
      is transferred between graphene and other species, encompasses many important
      processes that have shown versatility and potential for use in important
      applications. Examples of these processes range from covalent functionalization
      of graphene to modify its properties and incorporate different functional groups,
      to electrochemical reactions and selective etching. In this paper, we review
      recent developments in these areas of the electron transfer chemistry of
      graphene. We address recent progress on controlling covalent functionalization
      through chemical and physical methods, and how carefully functionalized graphene
      can be incorporated into composite materials with enhanced properties. We review
      the selective etching of graphene to form edges and nanopores, which have unique
      chemical and physical properties. Nanoporous graphene is promising for new
      membrane and filtration applications. We also discuss the electrochemistry of
      graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition in two-dimensional and three
      dimensional geometries, which enables large surface areas and control over the
      distribution and concentration of edge and basal plane sites. We discuss the
      potential for each of these areas to have an impact in future applications such
      as filtration membranes, electronic devices, electrochemical electrodes,
      composite materials, and chemical sensors.

PMID- 28621377
TI  - Controlling the oxidation of bis-tridentate cobalt(ii) complexes having bis(2
      pyridylalkyl)amines: ligand vs. metal oxidation.
AB  - Two bis-tridentate chelated cobalt(ii) complexes, which differ in the ligand
      structure by a methylene group, activate molecular oxygen (O2), and give
      different oxidation products. The O2 reaction of [CoII(pepma)2]2+ (1) with
      unsymmetrical 2-(2-pyridyl)-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)ethanamine (pepma) results in
      ligand oxidation, to the corresponding Co(ii) imine complex [CoII(pepmi)2]2+ (2).
      Contrastingly, the Co(ii) complex [CoII(bpma)2]2+ (3) of similar symmetrical
      bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (bpma), undergoes metal oxidation, yielding a
      cobalt(iii) complex, [CoIII(bpma)2]2+ (4). The reversibility of the amine to
      imine conversion and the stability of the Co(ii) imine complex (2) are
      investigated. Furthermore, the solution dynamics of Co(ii) complexes are
      highlighted with the help of paramagnetic 1H-NMR spectroscopy.

PMID- 28621378
TI  - The hypothiocyanite radical OSCN and its isomers.
AB  - A biologically relevant reactive sulfur species (RSS), the hypothiocyanite
      radical OSCN, is generated in the gas phase through flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP)
      of trifluoromethyl sulfinyl cyanide CF3S(O)CN at ca. 1000 K. Upon UV light
      irradiation (365 nm), OSCN rearranges to novel isomers OSNC and SOCN, and further
      visible light irradiation (400 +/- 20 nm) leads to reverse isomerization. The
      identification of OSCN, OSNC, and SOCN in cryogenic matrices (Ar and N2, 2.8 K)
      with IR spectroscopy is supported by quantum chemical calculations up to the
      CCSD(T)-F12/VTZ-F12 level. The potential energy surface for the interconversion
      of OSCN isomers and their bonding properties are computationally explored by
      using the CCSD(T)-F12/VTZ-F12 and EDA-NOCV methods, respectively.

PMID- 28621379
TI  - Designing porous electronic thin-film devices: band offsets and heteroepitaxy.
AB  - Increasing numbers of electrically active porous framework materials are being
      reported, with conductivities that make them attractive for technological
      applications. As design strategies for efficient carrier transport emerge, the
      next challenge is to incorporate the materials into a functioning device. In thin
      film devices interface effects are of critical importance to overall function. In
      this article we present a method to identify compatible materials combinations to
      achieve mechanically robust, electronically optimal pairings. The computational
      screening is based on a two-step procedure: (i) matching of lattice constants to
      ensure interfaces with minimal epitaxial strain and therefore maximal mechanical
      and chemical stability; (ii) matching of absolute electron energies to construct
      energy-band-alignment diagrams, which can be used to screen for particular
      electronic applications. We apply the methodology to search for zeolitic
      imidazolate framework (ZIF) type materials that are compatible with native metal
      electrodes. The procedure allows us to predict simple routes for electrochemical
      deposition of ZIFs for application as conductive porous electrodes.

PMID- 28621380
TI  - Theoretical Investigation of Electrophilic Transannular Addition Reactions of
      Bromine to Face-to-Face (Juxtaposed) Double Bonds in Strained Polycyclic
      Hydrocarbons.
AB  - Transannular electrophilic addition reaction of halogens to face-to
      face(juxtaposed) double bonded strained alkenes were theoretically investigated.
      General rules that allow us to stipulate the factors that direct the main steps
      of the energy hypersurface of reactions as well as the products were established.
      Direction of the reaction flow is determined by direction of intramolecular
      skeletal isomerisation of cyclic-bridged halogenium cation and isomerisation
      takes place to create a more stable skeletal structure. Stability of resultant
      skeletal structure is determined by the number of sigma bonds between isolated
      double bonds of the alkene and bonding-type of double bonds (N- and U-type). When
      the number of sigma bonds between double bonds of the alkene is three (m = 3),
      the reaction takes place to predominantly give an N-type product, and when four
      (m = 4), N- and U-type products are formed. Structure and stability of cation
      intermediates (bridged, N- and U-type cations) of electrophilic addition reaction
      of homohipostrofen molecule, whose double bonds were linked by three sigma bonds,
      with bromine were investigated by DFT methods in detail. Also the addition
      reaction of endo,endo-tetracyclo[6.2.2.23,6.02,7]tetradeca-4,9-dien molecule,
      whose double bonds were linked by four sigma bonds, with bromine were
      investigated by quantum chemistry.

PMID- 28621381
TI  - The Methodology Applied in DPPH, ABTS and Folin-Ciocalteau Assays Has a Large
      Influence on the Determined Antioxidant Potential.
AB  - Antioxidant potential (AOP) is not only the property of the matrix analyzed but
      also depends greatly on the methodology used. The chromogenic radicals 2,2'-azino
      bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS*+), 2,2-diphenyl-1
      picrylhydrazyl (DPPH*) and Folin-Ciocalteu (FC) assay were applied to estimate
      how the method and the composition of the assay solvent influence the AOP
      determined for coffee, tea, beer, apple juice and dietary supplements. Large
      differences between the AOP values depending on the reaction medium were
      observed, with the highest AOP determined mostly in the FC assay. In reactions
      with chromogenic radicals several fold higher values of AOP were obtained in
      buffer pH 7.4 than in water or methanol. The type of assay and solvent
      composition have similar influences on the reactivity of a particular
      antioxidant, either pure or as part of a complex matrix. The reaction kinetics of
      radicals with antioxidants in samples reveals that AOP depends strongly on
      incubation time, yet differently for each sample analyzed and the assay applied.

PMID- 28621382
TI  - Poly(N-methylpyrrole) Film on ZnNi Plated Carbon Steel Electrode.
AB  - In this study, zinc-nickel (ZnNi) particles were electrochemically deposited on
      carbon steel (CS) electrode applying constant current of 1 mA with
      chronopotentiometry technique. Poly(N-methylpyrrole) (PNMP) film on CS/ZnNi
      electrode was synthesized with cyclic voltammetry technique from 0.10 M N
      methylpyrrole containing 0.20 M sodium oxalate solution. The corrosion
      performances of coated and uncoated electrodes in 3.5% NaCl solution were
      evaluated with the help of AC impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and anodic
      polarisation curves. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and linear sweep
      voltammetry (LSV) were used to characterization of coatings. It was shown that
      the ZnNi particles exhibited important barrier effect on CS substrate. The
      highest 298350 ohm value of polarization resistance showed that PNMP film on the
      CS/ZnNi electrode exhibited an effective barrier property and electrocatalytic
      behaviour protection of substrate for longer exposure time.

PMID- 28621383
TI  - Peach and Cherry Agroindustrial Wastes: New and Economic Sources for the
      Production of Lignocellulolytic Enzymes.
AB  - Pleurotus eryngii was incubated on both peach and cherry agroindustrial wastes by
      solid state fermentation for 30 days without/with pretreatment conditions. The
      lignocellulosic substrates were pretreated with dilute acid and alkaline
      solutions, hot water before incubation. The maximum carboxymethyl cellulase and
      xylanase activities peaked on 3rd and 5th days under control conditions of both
      wastes, respectively. The highest laccase and manganese peroxidase activities
      reached to their maximum on 17th day as 2193.06 +/- 50.4 UL-1 and 732.73 +/- 19.8
      UL-1, respectively. The highest aryl alcohol oxidase activity was obtained as
      239.25 +/- 7.3 UL-1 in control condition of peach cultures. The used pretreatment
      methods had generally negative effects on lignocellulolytic enzyme production.
      The highest lignocellulolytic activities were detected using peach wastes. To
      results, these wastes could.

PMID- 28621384
TI  - Stability Indicating UHPLC-PDA Assay for Simultaneous Determination of Antazoline
      Hydrochloride and Naphazoline Hydrochloride in Ophthalmic Formulations.
AB  - In the present study, a newly developed method based on ultrahigh performance
      liquid chromatography (UHPLC) was optimized for the simultaneous determination of
      antazoline hydrochloride (ANZ) and naphazoline hydrochloride (NFZ) in ophthalmic
      formulations. Isocratic separation of ANZ and NFZ was performed at 40  degrees C
      with an ACE Excel 2 C18-PFP column (2 MUm, 2.1 * 100 mm) at a flow rate of 0.6 mL
      min-1 whereas the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile/phosphate buffer (60:40,
      v/v, pH 3.0) containing 0.5% triethylamine. Both analytes were detected at a
      wavelength of 285 nm and the injection volume was 1.0 MUL. The overall run time
      per sample was 4.5 min with retention time of 0.92 and 1.86 min for NFZ and ANZ,
      respectively. The calibration curve was linear from 0.500-100 MUg mL-1 for ANZ
      and NFZ with a correlation coefficient >= 0.9981 while repeatability and
      reproducibility (expressed as relative standard deviation) were lower than 1.28
      and 2.14%, respectively. In comparison with high-performance liquid
      chromatography (HPLC), the developed UHPLC method had remarkable advantages over
      HPLC as the run time was significantly reduced by 3.4-fold with a 5-fold
      decreased solvent consumption. Forced degradation studies indicated a complete
      separation of the analytes in the presence of their degradation products
      providing high degree of method specificity. The proposed UHPLC method was
      demonstrated to be simple and rapid for the determination of ANZ and NFZ in
      commercially available ophthalmic formulations providing recoveries between 99.6
      and 100.4%.

PMID- 28621385
TI  - Electroanalytical Determination of Escitalopram Oxalate Using Nickel
      Nanoparticles Modified Carbon Paste Sensor.
AB  - A sensitive voltammetric method was described for the determination of
      escitalopram oxalate based on electrocatalytic oxidation at nickel nanoparticles
      modified chloranil carbon paste sensor in Britton-Robinson buffer (pH range from
      2 to 10). The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron
      microscopy, electrochemical impedance and cyclic voltammetry. The investigation
      of electrochemical behavior of escitalopram oxalate was performed using cyclic
      voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The anodic peak current showed a
      linear range from 1.0 * 10-6 to 7.0 * 10-5 mol L-1. The detection limit is below
      2.0 * 10-7 mol L-1. The proposed method is rapid, economical, simple, precise and
      sensitive voltammetric method for the determination of escitalopram oxalate in
      bulk, dosage form and urine.

PMID- 28621386
TI  - Functionalization of Graphene Oxide with 9-aminoanthracene for the Adsorptive
      Removal of Persistent Aromatic Pollutants from Aqueous Solution.
AB  - A novel modified graphene oxide nanocomposite was fabricated via a facial
      procedure, aiming to removal of the aromatic pollutants from aqueous solution.
      The graphene oxide (GO) was functionalized with 9-aminoanthracene and produced
      graphene oxide-9-aminoanthracene (GO-9-AA). FTIR, XRD, TGA, TEM and Raman
      spectroscopy techniques were used for characterization of the adsorbents.
      Adsorption of naphthalene (NAP), acenaphthylene (ACN), and phenanthrene (PHN) as
      a model of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated by GO-9-AA.
      The adsorbent showed excellent removal efficiency towards PAHs from aqueous
      solution. Equilibrium data of the adsorption process were successfully fitted
      with Freundlich model from single solute system, and the maximum adsorption
      capacities followed the order of NAP > ACN >PHN. The kinetic analysis revealed
      that the overall adsorption process was fast and successfully fitted with the
      pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The anthracene ring makes GO-9-AA pi-electron
      rich, thus facilitating pi-pi EDA interaction between NAP, ACN and PHN with GO-9
      AA.

PMID- 28621387
TI  - Synthesis of MnO2 on Activated Carbon and its Potential Application in the
      Adsorption of As(V) and Pb(II) in Aqueous Solutions.
AB  - The conditions for the synthesis of a material with MnO2 (OMD) on activated
      carbon (AC) were studied. These conditions were: reaction time, temperature,
      stirring speed, concentrations of AC, H2SO4, and O3 in solution, and particle
      size. Agglomerates on AC were observed by means of scanning electron microscopy
      (SEM) and microanalysis by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and revealed the
      presence of OMD deposited on the surface. The activation energy and the factor of
      frequency for the reaction were determined as Ea = 1.2 kcal/mol and A = 2.2. The
      value of Ea indicates that the precipitation of OMD on the AC was controlled by
      mass transfer in aqueous solution and the order of reaction was zero. The
      adsorption capacities of AC were q = 14 mg Pb(II)/g AC and q = 9.1 mg As(V)/g AC.
      Whereas, for the OMD/AC obtained in the following conditions: [AC] 1 or 2 g/L,
      particle size of AC of +0.59 mm, [H2SO4] 1 or 2 mol/L, 25  degrees C, stirring
      speed 600 rpm, and [O3] 1.35 mol/L, the adsorption capacities were q = 90.5 mg
      Pb(II)/g OMD/AC and 25.4 mg As(V)/g OMD/AC. Therefore, the fixing of OMD on the
      surface of the AC greatly improved the removal of both Pb(II) and As(V) from
      aqueous solutions.

PMID- 28621388
TI  - First Direct Isolation of Stable alpha-Form Crystals of Mirabegron, a Selective
      beta3-Adrenoceptor Agonist.
AB  - An efficient and scalable method for the direct isolation of stable alpha-form
      crystals of Mirabegron (1) is developed. The developed method negates
      transformation of metastable beta-form crystals into alpha-form crystals thereby
      overcoming the limitations of reported methods and avoids additional processing
      steps during its manufacture. The developed method directly provides stable alpha
      form crystals of Mirabegron (1) with yield of around 84% and purity of >99.77% by
      HPLC in a single step.

PMID- 28621389
TI  - Adsorptive Removal of Malachite Green from Model Aqueous Solutions by Chemically
      Modified Waste Green Tea Biomass.
AB  - The adsorption of malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution by waste green tea
      (WGT) biomass was investigated. A series of experiments in batch conditions were
      conducted in order to assess the MG removal on WGT, following adsorbent quantity
      and temperature influences. Maximum removal efficiency for untreated WGT was 89%
      (4 g biomass, 100 mL solution of 94 mg/L, 316 K). It was found that the
      adsorption of MG increased by increasing temperature from 296 to 316 K.
      Thermodynamic parameters (DeltaH degrees , DeltaS degrees , DeltaG degrees ) were
      calculated, and indicated that dye adsorption onto the studied biomass was
      endothermic and non-spontaneous. Six chemical treatments were tested (four acidic
      - H3PO4, H2SO4, HCl, and tartaric acid, one oxidant - H2O2, and one basic - NaOH)
      in order to study the chemical groups responsible for MG adsorption onto WGT
      biomass. The alkali and acidic treatments led to an increase of adsorption
      efficiency up to 92% and 95% (H2SO4) respectively. The FTIR spectroscopy results
      emphasized the modifications of the biomass surface and how these are influencing
      the adsorption process.

PMID- 28621390
TI  - [Chemical Laboratory of Celje Queen (at 580th Anniversary of Bohemian coronation
      of Queen Barbara of Celje)].
AB  - Barbara Celjska je bila gotovo najbogatejsa alkimistka vseh casov. Prispevek
      skusa pojasniti kaksni poskusi so potekali v njenem laboratoriju in nakazati,
      katere tehniske kemijske naprave je utegnila pri tem uporabljati. Ker je bila
      vecina leteh iz zlahka lomljivih snovi, bi bilo njihovo iskanje brskone brez
      haska, saj ni veliko upanja za njihovo ohranitev. Barbara of Cilli was certainly
      the richest female alchemist of all times. The article tries to explain what kind
      of experiments she carried out in her laboratory and indicate which technical
      chemical plant she likely has used. The major part of her expensive tools was
      made from easily breakable materials, therefore any contemporary pursuit to
      locate them will be probably in vain, because there is not much hope for their
      preservation.

PMID- 28621391
TI  - Trace Determination of Hg(II) in Human Saliva Using Disposable Electrochemically
      Pretreated Graphite Pencil Electrode Surfaces.
AB  - An electrochemically pretreated graphite pencil electrode (PGPE) was designed to
      assay trace levels of Hg(II) in human saliva. The GPE was pretreated in 0.1 mol/L
      nitric acid by cycling the potential between -1.6 and -0.6 V for 60 cycles at a
      scan rate of 50 mV/s. The effects of pretreatment conditions, including media
      constituents, pH, and various electrochemical techniques and parameters, were
      analyzed and optimum conditions determined. Square wave anodic stripping
      voltammetry (SWASV) was used for the determination of Hg(II). The calibration
      curve obtained under optimum conditions showed that the linear range of the PGPE
      was from 10.0 * 10-9 mol/L to 175.0 * 10-9 mol/L with a detection limit of 3.0 *
      10-9 mol/L (S/N = 3). Relative to non-pretreated GPE surfaces, electrochemical
      pretreatment improved the electrochemical performance of GPE surfaces in
      detecting Hg(II). The present analytical method was used to measure Hg(II)
      released from dental amalgam in human saliva.

PMID- 28621392
TI  - A Natural Based Method for Hydrophobic Treatment of Natural Fiber Material.
AB  - A treatment for hydrophobic functionalization of natural fiber materials is
      developed. This hydrophobic treatment is based mainly on natural products. As
      hydrophobic component the natural Tung Oil is used, which is originally a
      compound used for wood conservation purposes. The application on textile is done
      in a padding process under presence of an oxidative agent. For the current
      investigations a fiber felt from linen was used. The hydrophobic effect is
      determined by the concentration of Tung Oil and the duration of a thermal drying
      process. The hydrophobic effect is investigated by capillary rise tests and
      contact angle measurements. Scanning electron microscopy SEM is used to
      investigate the surface topography of the fiber material and the deposited
      hydrophobic material. Altogether, an interesting and promising method for
      hydrophobisation of natural fibers is developed, which could especially be used
      as part of a production process of a fiber reinforced composite material, mainly
      based on natural products.

PMID- 28621393
TI  - Synthesis, Crystal Structures and Catalytic Oxidation of Manganese(III) Complexes
      Derived from Salen-Type Schiff Base N,N'-Bis(5-nitrosalicylidene)ethane-1,2
      diamine.
AB  - Two mononuclear Schiff base manganese(III) complexes, [MnL(N3)(OH2)].CH3OH (1)
      and [MnL(NCS)(OH2)] . H2O (2), where L is the dianionic form of N,N'-bis(5
      nitrosalicylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine, have been prepared and characterized by
      elemental analysis, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray
      diffraction. The Mn atom in each complex is in an octahedral coordination.
      Molecules of the complexes are linked through intermolecular hydrogen bonds.
      Catalytic properties for epoxidation of styrene by the complexes using PhIO and
      NaOCl as oxidant have been studied.

PMID- 28621394
TI  - Influence of Various Soluble Carbonates on the Hydration of Portland Cement
      studied by X-ray Diffraction.
AB  - The effect of limestone on the hydration of Portland cement has been studied by
      many researchers. However, a possible influence of adding more soluble carbonates
      was not explained. Therefore we executed a qualitative and quantitative research
      on the influence of slightly soluble (CaCO3, MgCO3, dolomite), medium soluble
      (Li2CO3) and highly soluble (K2CO3 and KHCO3) carbonates on the hydration.
      Blending of Portland cement with differently soluble carbonates was found to
      influence the hydrate assemblage of the hydrated cement. With the help of the
      Rietveld analysis, the study indicated that the amount of reacted carbonate in
      cement hydration at a 15% addition of slightly or medium soluble carbonates does
      not exceed 5% and is not affected by their solubility; at a 15% addition of the
      highly soluble carbonate K2CO3 the amount of reacted carbonate was around 6%. An
      increase in temperature (25 to 40  degrees C) gradually affects the rate of
      hydration and the quantity of stable phase assemblage.

PMID- 28621395
TI  - Anti-inflammatory and Anti-ulcer Activities of New Fused Thiazole Derivatives
      Derived from 2-(2-Oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl)thiazol-4(5H)-one.
AB  - The reaction of the 2-(4-oxo-4,5-dihydrothiazol-2-yl)acetonitrile (1) with
      salicylaldehyde (2) in 1,4-dioxane containing a catalytic amount of piperidine
      gave the coumarin derivative 3. The latter reacted with different reagents to
      give pyrano[4,5-b]thiazole, pyrido[4,5-b]thiazole and thieno[5,4-b]thiazole
      dereivatives. The anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer activities of the newly
      synthesized products were evaluated and the results showed that compounds 7a, 8a,
      10b, 13b, 15b, 18a, 19b, 19c, and 19d showed higher activity compared to the rest
      of the compounds. In addition to this, toxicity of such active compounds was
      studied against shrimp larvae where compounds 10b, 18a, 19c and 19d showed to be
      non-toxic against the tested organisms.

PMID- 28621396
TI  - Sodium Saccharin as an Effective Catalyst for Rapid One-pot Pseudo-five Component
      Synthesis of Dihydropyrano[2,3-g]chromenes under Microwave Irradiation.
AB  - One-pot microwave-assisted synthesis of dihydropyrano[2,3-g]chromenes catalyzed
      by sodium saccharin as an efficient, mild and green catalyst was studied. The
      method presented is a safe and eco-friendly approach for the multicomponent
      synthesis of dihydropyrano[2,3-g]chromene derivatives with many merits including
      short reaction times (in comparison with other reported results), high yields and
      easy work up.

PMID- 28621397
TI  - New Bioactive Heteroleptic Copper(II) Carboxylates: Structure, Enzymatic and DNA
      Binding Studies.
AB  - Two new binuclear O-bridged copper(II) carboxylates with chemical formulas [Cu2(3
      ClC6H4CH2COO)4(phen)2] (1) and [Cu2(3-ClC6H4CH2COO)4(bipy)2] (2) where phen =
      1,10-phenanthroline and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine have been synthesized and
      characterized by FT-IR, UV-Visible spectroscopy, CHN analysis and single crystal
      XRD. The results revealed distorted square pyramidal geometry around each copper
      atom of 1 and 2. The DNA interaction studies showed strong binding with Kb = 5.07
      * 103 and 4.62 * 103 M-1 for 1 and 2, respectively. Both complexes showed strong
      enzyme inhibition, i.e., 70% and 90% for alpha-glucosidase with IC50 = 34.6 and
      30.1 MUM for 1 and 2, respectively, where acarbose was employed as control.
      However, both the complexes were found inactive against alpha-amylase. Using
      galantamine hydrobromide as control, 1 showed moderate inhibition activity (47%)
      with IC50 = 179.4 MUM for acetylcholine esterase whereas 2 showed strong
      inhibition activity (76%) with IC50 = 95.8 MUM for butyrylcholine esterase. The
      data reflects active anti-diabetic and anti-Alzheimer's nature of the synthesized
      complexes.

PMID- 28621398
TI  - AB Initio Prediction of Stable Confomeric Polymorphs of Benzocaine Molecule- a
      Local Anaesthatic Molecule.
AB  - An ab initio methodology to predict the crystal structures of thermodynamically
      stable polymorphs of benzocaine within the least energy region of energy
      landscape by analyzing the local minima from the initial gas phase optimization
      initiated through the flexible torsion using MP2/6-31G(d,p) method. The global
      search for the hypothetical dense packing for the structures within the energy
      penalty region of the local minima have revealed the possible stable conformers
      under a repulsion alone potential field. The generated hypothetical dense
      packings from the global search were selected for lattice minimization using the
      repulsion - dispersion potential field to authenticate the stability. The
      stability and the characteristics of the generated structures were analyzed from
      the comparative hydrogen bond analysis and second derivative properties with the
      known experimental polymorphs. The morphological studies of the global minima of
      benzocaine molecule from the valid lattice energy landscape was studied in detail
      to find the morphological important lattice.

PMID- 28621399
TI  - [MII(NCS)2(nia)2(OH2)2]: Preparation, Crystal Structure and Thermal Properties
      (MII = Mn, Fe; nia = nicotinamide).
AB  - Two novel isostructural coordination compounds of manganese(II) (1) and iron(II)
      (2) with common formulae [MII(NCS)2(nia)2(OH2)2] have been prepared from water
      solution of appropriate metal salt, nicotinamide and KSCN. Their crystal
      structures were determined by means of X-ray diffraction on single crystals. The
      mononuclear title compounds crystallize in a triclinic P-1 space group with six
      monodentate octahedrally arranged ligands around the metal centre. The
      coordination molecules are self-assembled with an extended network of hydrogen
      bonds into a three-dimensional structure. Additionally, 1 and 2 were
      characterized with infrared spectroscopy, magnetic measurements and thermal
      analysis.

PMID- 28621400
TI  - Study on the Equilibria of the Complex Formation of the Ion-pair of Germanium(IV)
      with 4-Nitrocatechol and 1,4-Diphenyl-3-(phenylamino)-1H-1,2,4-triazole.
AB  - The complex formation of the ion-pair formed between the anionic chelate of
      Ge(IV)-4-nitrocatechol (4-NC) and the cation of 1,4-diphenyl-3-(phenylamino)-1H
      1,2,4-triazole (Nitron, Nt) in the liquid-liquid extraction system Ge(IV)-4-NC-Nt
      H2O-CHCl3 was studied by spectrophotometry. The optimum extraction
      spectrophotometric conditions for the complex formation were established. The
      validity of Beer's law was checked and some analytical characteristics of the
      system were calculated. The effect of co-existing ions and reagents on the
      process of complex formation was investigated. The association process in aqueous
      phase and the extraction equilibria were studied and quantitatively
      characterized. The following key constants of the processes were calculated:
      association constant, distribution constant, extraction constant and recovery
      factor. The molar ratio of the reagents was determined by independent methods. A
      reaction scheme and a general formula of the complex were suggested.

PMID- 28621401
TI  - Encapsulation of Sour Cherry Pomace Extract by Freeze Drying: Characterization
      and Storage Stability.
AB  - In this study sour cherry pomace was extracted with food-grade solvent (50%
      ethanol), concentrated and stabilized in whey and soy proteins by encapsulation.
      Soy proteins exhibited higher encapsulation efficiency (94.90%), but not
      significantly (p < 0.05), from whey (90.10%). Storage properties of whey (WP) and
      soy protein (SP) encapsulates in terms of total polyphenols, anthocyanins and
      antioxidant activity were tested for 6 weeks. At the end of storage period the
      retention of polyphenols in SP and WP was similar (67.33 and 69.30%,
      respectively), while the content of anthocyanins has increased in SP (for 47.97%)
      and decreased in WP (for 1.45%). The decrease in antioxidant activity in SP
      (12.22%) was lower than in WP (35.04%). Colour parameters of encapsulates have
      followed the similar trend as anthocyanin change during storage. The technique
      reported herewith can be used for obtaining quality encapsulates for their use as
      functional food additives, as a way of fruit waste valorization.

PMID- 28621403
TI  - Mixed Metal Oxides of the Type CoxZn1-xFe2O4 as Photocatalysts for Malachite
      Green Degradation Under UV Light Irradiation.
AB  - A combination of thermal and mechanical (high energy ball milling) treatment was
      applied in an attempt to obtain polycrystalline mixed metal binary and ternary
      oxides of the type CoxZn1-xFe2O4 (x = 0; 0.25; 0.5; 0.75; 1). The synthetic
      procedure used successfully produced single-phased, homogeneous ZnFe2O4, CoFe2O4,
      and Co0.75Zn0.25Fe2O4, as well as mixed oxides, whose composition depended both
      on the duration of the high energy ball milling and the ratio Zn(II)/Co(II). The
      formation of spinel-like structures was proved by XRD, Mossbauer spectroscopy and
      Raman spectroscopy. For the characterization of the samples low-temperature N2
      adsorption, UV/Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were
      applied. The energy band gap of the samples was calculated, suggesting they are
      promising photocatalysts. The decomposition of the Malachite Green in model water
      solutions under UV-light irradiation was successfully achieved in the presence of
      the samples as photocatalysts. The highest rate constant was obtained for the
      sample synthesized at longer milling time in combination with higher
      Zn(II)/Co(II) ratio. The photocatalytic activity of the ternary mixed oxides was
      compared with the pure hematite, alpha-Fe2O3, and the binary ZnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4
      ferrites with spinel structure that were treated in the same way. A synergetic
      effect of alpha-Fe2O3 and the spinel-like structure on the photocatalytic
      properties of ternary mixed metal oxides was detected.

PMID- 28621402
TI  - Microwave-assisted Synthesis of Hybrid Heterocycles as Potential Anticancer
      Agents.
AB  - In a one pot procedure, a series of novel hybrid heterocycles 6a-g and 7a-g were
      prepared by condensation of (3aS,4S,6S,6aS)-6-((1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-1,2,3
      triazol-4-yl)methoxy)-2,2-dimethyltetrahydrofuro[3,4-d][1,3]dioxole-4
      carbaldehyde 5 with mercapto acids and primary amines in the presence of ZnCl2
      under both microwave irradiation and conventional heating conditions. Compound 5
      was prepared from di-acetone D-mannose via a click reaction, primary acetonide
      deprotection and oxidative cleavage. Characterization of new compounds has been
      done by IR, NMR, MS and elemental analysis. Anticancer activity of the compounds
      has also been evaluated.

PMID- 28621404
TI  - Adsorption Kinetics of Malachite Green and Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions
      Using Surfactant-modified Organoclays.
AB  - The main objective of this research is to study the adsorption behaviour of
      malachite green and methylene blue dyes onto the surfactant modified natural
      clays. The results of SEM, XRD, IR, and thermal analysis confirms the
      intercalation of organic moiety in to the clay. The adsorption results show that
      pseudo-first order kinetics best fitted for both the dyes adsorbed on organo
      clay. The data also reveals that both dyes are in a good agreement with Langmuir
      isotherm in both types of modified clays. The value of separation factor, RL,
      from Langmuir equation and Freundlich constant, n, give an indication of
      favourable adsorption. The maximum adsorption capacity qm based on Langmuir model
      was found to be 294-303 mg/g at 25  degrees C, is in good agreement with the
      experimental values.

PMID- 28621405
TI  - Synthesis and Structural Characterization of a Double Helical Dinuclear
      Copper(II) Complex With Tetradentate Biacetyl Bis(benzoylhydrazone).
AB  - The reaction of tetradentate hydrazone ligand H2babh with Cu(CH3COO)2 in methanol
      solvent leads to the formation of the mono-nuclear complex [Cu(babh)]. However,
      on being dissolved in dichloromethane solvent and on addition of ethanol solvent,
      a dinuclear complex of [Cu2(MU1,3-babh)2(C2H5OH)2] is obtained. The X-ray
      crystallography indicates that the dinuclear helical complex formation is caused
      due to the unsymmetrical twisting of the H2babh ligand. One oxygen and two
      nitrogen atoms from the ligand and one oxygen atom from the other ligand
      coordinate to each copper(II) center. Both the copper(II) centers in a dinuclear
      unit are penta-coordinate with a slightly distorted square pyramidal geometry.
      The IR spectra of mono- and dinuclear copper(II) complexes have different bands.
      The absorption spectra of mono- and di-nuclear complexes are quite similar in
      methanol solvent. However, the electronic absorption spectra of the two complexes
      are basically different in the solid state.

PMID- 28621406
TI  - 2D Frameworks Self-assembled From a Hydrazone Ligand and Azide Salts: Synthesis,
      Structures, and Luminescent Property.
AB  - Three metal-organic coordination polymers [Cu(L)(N3)].(H2O)0.25n (1),
      [Zn(L)(N3)].(H2O)0.5n (2) and [Cd2(L)2(N3)2(H2O)]n (3) have been synthesized from
      hydrazone ligand N'-(1-(pyrazin-2-yl)ethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (HL), NaN3
      and corresponding metal nitrates. Complexes were characterized by elemental
      analysis, IR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All three
      complexes feature 2D coordination network in which L1- acts as NNON tetradentate
      ligand and azide acts as end-on bridging ligand. In complexes 1 and 2, only intra
      sheet hydrogen bonding interactions are found, while the hydrogen bonding
      interactions between water molecules and host framework result in 3D network for
      3. In addition, complexes 2 and 3 exhibited intense fluorescent emissions in the
      solid state at room temperature.

PMID- 28621407
TI  - Determination of Microelements in Human Milk and Infant Formula Without Digestion
      by ICP-OES.
AB  - The concentrations of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) in both human milk and
      infant formula were determined using a new sample preparation method, by
      inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectometry (ICP-OES) and flame
      atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Human milk samples were diluted in
      ultrapure water. The infant formula of powder samples (suitable for an infant 1-6
      months of age) and standard reference material (SRM-1849) were analyzed in
      parallel. The results have shown that FAAS method was more sensitive for Fe
      determination in human milk while ICP-OES was more sensitive for both Zn and Cu
      detection. The limit of quantification for both Zn and Cu was 5 MUg L-1 and 10
      MUg L-1 for Fe and the recovery for Zn, Fe and Cu was ranged from 90% to 94%, 97%
      to 103% and 90% to 102%, respectively. Mean concentrations of Zn, Fe, and Cu in
      human milk samples were 5.35, 0.47 and 0.83 mg L-1, respectively while these
      values in infant formula were ranged from 3.52-4.75 mg L-1, 3.37-4.56 mg L-1 and
      0.28-0.41 mg L-1, respectively. Despite the sample complexity, the proposed
      method using dilution of milk samples with water was simple, rapid, effective and
      accurate. ICP-OES was a better method for Zn determination while FAAS was a
      better method for Fe determination. In the case of Cu both methods were
      comparable.

PMID- 28621408
TI  - A "Brief History" of Developmental Biology in Israel.
AB  - While the history of developmental biology in Israel is relatively short, its
      impact is far-reaching, so we wanted to present a concise perspective on the
      Israeli developmental biology community, past-present-future. This community has
      undergone a wonderful, nearly exponential growth over the last three decades. How
      exactly did this happen? There are approximately fifty research groups that focus
      on developmental biology questions in Israel today that are members of the Israel
      Society of Developmental Biology (IsSDB; http://issdb.org/). The community has
      representative groups in a plethora of model systems, such as Nematostella, C.
      elegans, Drosophila, sea urchin, ascidians, zebrafish, Xenopus, chick and mouse,
      as well as plants, representing all the major universities and their branches,
      which include Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, The Hebrew
      University of Jerusalem, The University of Haifa, Technion - Israel Institute of
      Technology, Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

PMID- 28621409
TI  - Hefzibah Eyal-Giladi (1925-2017): over fifty years of embryological research in
      Israel.
AB  - Hefzibah Eyal-Giladi was a creative and innovative pioneering scientist in the
      creation of the field of early chick embryo development. She had a sharp thinking
      and enthusiastic attitude, which enabled her to make a deep impression that was
      highly valued by the general scientific community. Notably, she was a highly
      successful female researcher in an era which was dominated by male scientists.
      Her unique personality and keen intellect enabled her to break these borders in a
      most successful manner. The experiments conducted by her personally, her students
      and her collaborators served to provide the basic knowledge and paradigms for
      future scientists in the field, also paving the way for discoveries in other
      vertebrate model systems. The experimental embryology assays she performed were
      "old school", examining embryos and explants at a precise morphological level of
      tissue interactions. In recent years, most of the experimentation in embryology
      has shifted to molecular and genetic levels. However, the results obtained with
      these technologically advanced research tools still re-confirm the fundamental
      findings obtained by Eyal-Giladi using "classic" experimental embryology
      techniques. Finally, Hefzibah Eyal-Giladi was an outstanding teacher and
      lecturer. For five decades, she trained and taught generations of undergraduate
      and graduate students in Israel, exposing them to the field of embryology and
      developmental biology in the most exciting and enthusiastic way.

PMID- 28621410
TI  - The Leo Sachs' legacy: a pioneer's journey through hematopoiesis.
AB  - Leo Sachs spent almost his entire scientific career in Israel, at the Weizmann
      Institute of Science, and became a worldwide renowned scientist for his
      pioneering studies in normal hematopoiesis, its breakdown in leukemia and the
      suppression of malignancy by inducing differentiation, thereby bypassing genetic
      defects that give rise to malignancy. The cell culture system he established in
      the early 1960s for the clonal development of normal hematopoietic cells, made it
      possible to discover the proteins that regulate the viability, proliferation and
      differentiation of different blood cell lineages, the molecular basis of normal
      hematopoiesis and the changes that drive leukemia. His studies established
      significant general concepts including: a) the value of a multi-gene cytokine
      network in regulating the viability, number and development of different cell
      types; b) the existence of alternative pathways that give flexibility to
      development in both normal and cancer cells; c) the response of some cancer cells
      to normal regulators of development; d) suppression of myeloid leukemia by
      inducing differentiation, bypassing malignancy-driving genetic defects; e)
      identification of chromosomes that control tumor suppression; f) discovering
      apoptosis as a major mechanism by which WT-p53 suppresses malignancy and g) the
      ability of hematopoietic cytokines to suppress apoptosis in both normal and
      leukemic cells. It is gratifying that Leo had the good fortune to witness his
      pioneering discoveries and ideas move from the basic science stage to effective
      clinical applications, augmenting normal hematopoiesis in patients with various
      hematopoietic deficiencies, in patients requiring hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation and in the suppression of malignancy by inducing differentiation
      and apoptosis.

PMID- 28621411
TI  - Annotating the genome by DNA methylation.
AB  - DNA methylation plays a prominent role in setting up and stabilizing the
      molecular design of gene regulation and by understanding this process one gains
      profound insight into the underlying biology of mammals. In this article, we
      trace the discoveries that provided the foundations of this field, starting with
      the mapping of methyl groups in the genome and the experiments that helped
      clarify how methylation patterns are maintained through cell division. We then
      address the basic relationship between methyl groups and gene repression, as well
      as the molecular rules involved in controlling this process during development in
      vivo. Finally, we describe ongoing work aimed at defining the role of this
      modification in disease and deciphering how it may serve as a mechanism for
      sensing the environment.

PMID- 28621412
TI  - The not-so-long history of zebrafish research in Israel.
AB  - The zebrafish has become a model of choice in fundamental and applied life
      sciences and is widely used in various fields of biomedical research as a human
      disease model for cancer, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases, and
      regenerative medicine. The transparency of the zebrafish embryo allows real-time
      visualization of the development and morphogenesis of practically all of its
      tissues and organs. Zebrafish are amenable to genetic manipulation, for which
      innovative genetic and molecular techniques are constantly being introduced.
      These include the study of gene function and regulation using gene knockdown,
      knockout and knock-in, as well as transgenesis and tissue-specific genetic
      perturbations. Complementing this genetic toolbox, the zebrafish exhibits
      measurable behavioral and hormonal responses already at the larval stages,
      providing a viable vertebrate animal model for high-throughput drug screening and
      chemical genetics. With the available tools of the genomic era and the abundance
      of disease-associated human genes yet to be explored, the zebrafish model is
      becoming the preferred choice in many studies. Its advantages and potential are
      being increasingly recognized within the Israeli scientific community, and its
      use as a model system for basic and applied science has expanded in Israel in
      recent years. Since the first zebrafish-focused laboratory was introduced at Tel
      Aviv University 16 years ago, seven more zebrafish-centric research groups have
      been established, along with more than two dozen academic research groups and
      three bio-medical companies that are now utilizing this model.

PMID- 28621413
TI  - The SUMO system in Caenorhabditis elegans development.
AB  - SUMO, a small ubiquitin-like modifier, is a highly conserved post translational
      modification and a central regulatory system in eukaryotes. Sumoylation modulates
      the activities of multiple proteins, mainly in the nucleus, such as transcription
      factors, chromatin modifiers, and proteins involved in DNA replication and
      repair. However, SUMO also modifies substrates in the cytoplasm, mitochondria,
      plasma and ER membrane. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the
      functions of sumoylation in C. elegans development. SUMO modification is highly
      reversible and several examples described here establish its function as a
      molecular switch during embryogenesis and postembryonic organogenesis.

PMID- 28621414
TI  - microRNAs in Drosophila regulate cell fate by repressing single mRNA targets.
AB  - Regulation of gene expression governs all aspects of the lifespan of the
      organism, such as embryonic development, stem cell differentiation, reproduction
      and aging. Among the most important regulators of these extremely complex
      processes are microRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that repress gene
      expression by binding to primary sequences on the mRNA of their target.
      Theoretically, the mere existence of a miRNA recognition sequence on a given mRNA
      is sufficient to generate a functional response. Since these short sequences are
      abundant, one miRNA can potentially bind to multiple targets, thus generating
      endless possible biological outcomes. However, is this really the case?
      Bioinformatics and molecular biology tools provide theoretical interaction
      predictions, but the data obtained by these methods is often too general and is
      impaired by false identifications. Therefore, a better understanding of the
      biological role of miRNAs requires mapping of the exact miRNA-mRNA interactions
      that occur in vivo. Drosophila melanogaster provides several unique advantages
      over other model organisms in the study of miRNA functional targeting. The
      majority of its miRNAs are evolutionarily conserved up to humans, suggesting that
      they regulate similar pathways across organisms. Complete genome-wide collections
      make Drosophila the only organism that enables constitutive and inducible gain
      and loss-of function manipulations of all annotated miRNAs. These powerful tools
      led to several groundbreaking discoveries of the role that miRNAs play in
      regulation of development, stem-cell function and aging, and proved that although
      many outcomes are possible, most Drosophila miRNAs regulate a single phenotype
      through downregulation of a single major mRNA target.

PMID- 28621415
TI  - Building functional units of movement-generation and movement-sensation in the
      embryo.
AB  - The musculoskeletal and proprioceptive sensory systems exhibit intricate
      crosstalk between force generation, force sensation and force transmission, all
      of which are critical for coordinated animal locomotion. Recent developmental
      studies of the musculoskeletal and proprioceptive units of the invertebrate
      Drosophila embryo, have revealed several common molecular and structural
      principles mediating the formation of each of these systems. These common
      principles, as well as the differences between the developmental programs of the
      two systems, are discussed. Interestingly, a molecular pathway triggered by the
      Neuregulin/Vein ligand-dependent activation of the epidermal growth factor
      receptor (EGFR) pathway, which upregulates the early growth response (EGR)-like
      transcription factor Stripe, is utilized not only by the Drosophila muscle-tendon
      and proprioceptive organ-ectoderm attachment, but also by their vertebrate
      counterparts. An additional theme that has been observed during the development
      of the musculoskeletal system in both invertebrates and vertebrates is the
      functional importance of the extracellular matrix and its adhesion receptors. The
      contribution of mechanical forces to proper junction formation between muscles
      and tendons and between the sensory cap/ligament cells and their epidermal
      attachment cells is discussed. The structural and genetic similarities between
      the musculoskeletal and the proprioceptive systems offer new perspectives as to
      their common developmental nature.

PMID- 28621416
TI  - All in one - integrating cell polarity, meiosis, mitosis and mechanical forces in
      early oocyte differentiation in vertebrates.
AB  - While the differentiation of oocytes is key for embryonic development, and its
      investigation is crucial for advancing our understanding of human reproduction
      and fertility, many fundamental questions in oogenesis have been long standing.
      However, recent technical advances have led to several breakthroughs mainly in
      mice and zebrafish. Here I review these recent findings, including regulation and
      organization of the germline cyst, the mechanistics of chromosomal pairing,
      establishment of cell polarity, and formation of a universal mRNA-protein (mRNP)
      granule called the Balbiani body. I discuss common themes in oogenesis from
      frogs, fish and mouse and compare them to findings from C. elegans and
      Drosophila. The zebrafish juvenile ovary is an attractive model where these
      individual processes can be investigated, but also revealing how they are inter
      coordinated in oocyte differentiation. A conserved cellular organizer was
      discovered in the zebrafish oocyte that seems to function at a nexus of oocyte
      differentiation. This organizer, termed the Meiotic Vegetal Center (MVC), is
      composed of the oocyte centrosome, and couples meiotic chromosomal pairing with
      oocyte polarization and Balbiani body formation. The MVC breaks the oocyte
      symmetry, is regulated by upstream mitotic division in the cyst and nucleates
      Balbiani body mRNPs prion-like aggregation downstream. These processes can shed
      new light on broad questions in biology, such as how mitosis contributes to cell
      polarity, and how prion aggregation which lead to neurodegenerative disease when
      awry, is regulated in a physiological context. Furthermore, novel cytoskeletal
      structures can unravel cytoplasmic mechanical functions in chromosomal pairing.
      Finally, together with recently developed tools, genome editing technology now
      enables a robust genetic analysis of these fundamental processes in the
      zebrafish, paving the way for a comprehensive cell and developmental view of
      vertebrate oogenesis.

PMID- 28621417
TI  - Cell fate decisions during neural crest ontogeny.
AB  - The neural crest (NC) originates in the central nervous system (CNS) primordium.
      Born as an epithelium, NC progenitors undergo an epithelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition that generates cellular movement away from the CNS. Mesenchymal NC
      progenitors then migrate through stereotypic pathways characteristic of various
      axial levels until homing to distinct primordia where phenotypic differentiation
      takes place. Being the source of most of the peripheral nervous system, pigment
      cells and ectomesenchyme, the embryonic NC is considered to be a multipotent
      population of precursors. In spite of numerous recent studies, an essential and
      still unsolved question is when during ontogeny do the different lineages
      segregate from putative homogeneous and multipotent progenitors. Evidence
      suggests that the premigratory NC still resident in the dorsal neural tube
      epithelium is composed both of multipotent as well as of fate-restricted
      precursors, supporting the notion of an early appearance of cellular
      heterogeneity. Understanding these changing states of commitment is a
      prerequisite for deciphering molecular mechanisms that regulate fate segregation
      of the embryonic NC. In this review, we present data illustrating the existence
      of progenitors harboring different states of specification and their emergence as
      a function of time and space.

PMID- 28621419
TI  - TAM receptor signaling in development.
AB  - TYRO3, AXL and MERTK comprise the TAM family of receptor protein tyrosine
      kinases. Activated by their ligands, protein S (PROS1) and growth-arrest-specific
      6 (GAS6), they mediate numerous cellular functions throughout development and
      adulthood. Expressed by a myriad of cell types and tissues, they have been
      implicated in homeostatic regulation of the immune, nervous, vascular, bone and
      reproductive systems. The loss-of-function of TAM signaling in adult tissues
      culminates in the destruction of tissue homeostasis and diseased states, while
      TAM gain-of-function in various tumors promotes cancer phenotypes. Combinatorial
      ligand-receptor interactions may elicit different molecular and cellular
      responses. Many of the TAM regulatory functions are essentially developmental,
      taking place both during embryogenesis and postnatally. This review highlights
      current knowledge on the role of TAM receptors and their ligands during these
      developmental processes in the immune, nervous, vascular and reproductive
      systems.

PMID- 28621420
TI  - The retinal pigmented epithelium - from basic developmental biology research to
      translational approaches.
AB  - The development of the eye has been a topic of extensive investigation, from the
      early studies on tissue induction to more recent breakthroughs in resolving the
      mechanism regulating progenitor patterning and their gradual and coordinated
      differentiation into diverse tissue types that function together throughout life.
      Among the ocular tissue types, the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) is at the
      forefront of developmental biology and stem cell research. The growing interest
      in this lineage stems from its importance for photoreceptor function as well as
      from its requirement during embryogenesis for the development of the
      photoreceptors and the choroid. Indeed mutations in RPE genes and epigenetic
      changes that occur during aging are the cause of monogenic as well as
      multifactorial retinal diseases. Importantly, the RPE is readily generated from
      stem cells, and these stem cell-derived RPE cells are currently being tested in
      clinical trials for transplantation in cases of retinal dystrophies; they also
      constitute an important model to study developmental processes in vitro. This
      review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of RPE development and its
      requirement for the development of photoreceptors and choroidal vasculature. We
      discuss the contribution of basic findings to therapeutic applications and the
      future challenges in uncovering developmental processes and mimicking them ex
      vivo to further advance research and therapy of retinal disorders.

PMID- 28621418
TI  - Single cell analysis of the inner ear sensory organs.
AB  - The inner ear is composed of a complex mixture of cells, which together allow
      organisms to hear and maintain balance. The cells in the inner ear, which undergo
      an extraordinary process of development, have only recently begun to be studied
      on an individual level. As it has recently become clear that individual cells,
      previously considered to be of uniform character, may differ dramatically from
      each other, the need to study cell-to-cell variation, along with distinct
      transcriptional and regulatory signatures, has taken hold in the scientific
      community. In conjunction with high-throughput technologies, attempts are
      underway to dissect the inter- and intra-cellular variability of different cell
      types and developmental states of the inner ear from a novel perspective. Single
      cell analysis of the inner ear sensory organs holds the promise of providing a
      significant boost in building an omics network that translates into a
      comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of hearing and balance. These
      networks may uncover critical elements for trans-differentiation, regeneration
      and/or reprogramming, providing entry points for therapeutics of deafness and
      vestibular pathologies.

PMID- 28621421
TI  - Roles of DSCAM in axonal decussation and fasciculation of chick spinal
      interneurons.
AB  - The ventral midline of the embryonic neural tube, the floor plate, has a profound
      role in guiding axons during embryonic development. Floor plate-derived guidance
      cues attract or repel axons, depending on the neuronal subtype and developmental
      stage. Netrin-1 and its receptor, Deleted in Colon Carcinoma (DCC), are the key
      constituents of commissurral axons guidance cues toward the floor plate. Recent
      studies have implicated Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (Dscam) as an
      additional Netrin-1 receptor. In this study, we examined the role of Dscam in
      guiding defined spinal dorsal interneuron populations. In vivo knockdown and
      ectopic expression of Dscam were performed in the dorsal dI1, dI2 and dI3
      interneurons of chick embryos, by separately increasing or decreasing Dscam
      expression in each of these three specific interneuronal populations. Neuron
      specific gain and loss of function of Dscam had no effect on the axonal
      trajectories of dI1-3 neurons. The commissural neurons, dI1c and dI2, crossed the
      midline, and the ipsilaterally projecting neurons, dI1i and dI3, projected
      ipsilaterally. However, the fasciculation of dI1 axons was diminished when Dscam
      expression was attenuated. Dscam is not required for either attraction to or
      repulsion from the floor plate. In contrast, Dscam is required for the
      fasciculation of axons, probably via homophilic interaction.

PMID- 28621422
TI  - A new role of the membrane-type matrix metalloproteinase 16 (MMP16/MT3-MMP) in
      neural crest cell migration.
AB  - Neural crest cells (NCCs) are a transient population of neuroectodermal
      originated cells that populate the dorsal neural tube (dNT), before migrating and
      giving rise to multiple cell lineages in the developing embryo. Prior to their
      migration, NCCs undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) through which
      they lose cell contacts and detach from the dNT to invade their surrounding
      environment. Multiple signals and transcription factors have been identified to
      regulate these events. Yet, less is known regarding effectors that act downstream
      to execute the actual NCC separation and migration. Matrix metalloproteinases
      (MMPs) are a family of proteases that degrade the extracellular matrix as well as
      other pericellular proteins during processes of tissue remodeling, angiogenesis
      and metastasis. Previously, we and others have demonstrated the role of the
      gelatinases MMP2 and MMP9 during the onset of NCC migration. Several evidences
      link the cleavage and activation of these secreted gelatinases to the activity of
      membrane-type MMPs (MT-MMP), such as MMP14 and MMP16, which are tethered to
      plasma membrane and affect various cellular behaviors. The aim of this study was
      to investigate whether MMP16 acts in NCCs. Here we demonstrate the expression of
      MMP16 mRNA and protein in cranial NCCs in avian embryos. Knockdown of MMP16
      inhibited NCC migration. This inhibition was rescued by the addition of
      recombinant MMP16, which was also sufficient to increase proper NCC migration.
      Furthermore, excess MMP16 caused enhanced NCC EMT, concomitant with degradation
      of dNT-related proteins, laminin and N-cadherin. Altogether, these results
      uncover MMP16 as a new effector participating in EMT and in the migration of
      NCCs.

PMID- 28621423
TI  - Roles of the cilium-associated gene CCDC11 in left-right patterning and in
      laterality disorders in humans.
AB  - Axial determination occurs during early stages of embryogenesis. Flaws in
      laterality patterning result in abnormal positioning of visceral organs, as
      manifested in heterotaxy syndrome, or complete left-right inversion as in situs
      inversus totalis. These malformations are often associated with ciliopathies, as
      seen in primary ciliary dyskinesia. We have recently described a novel mutation
      in the Coiled-Coil Domain-Containing 11 (CCDC11) gene associated with laterality
      disorders in a consanguineous family of Arab-Muslim origin with two affected
      siblings presenting with diverse phenotypes, one with heterotaxy syndrome and the
      other with non-primary ciliary dyskinesia situs inversus totalis. This study
      further characterizes the roles of CCDC11 and the implications of the identified
      mutation on left-right axial patterning in patient-derived cells and in the frog
      embryo as a model organism. We analyzed patient-derived cells and manipulated
      Ccdc11 levels in Xenopus laevis frog embryos. Cilia length in patient cells was
      longer than in controls, and CCDC11 was localized to the centriole and the actin
      cytoskeleton. Mutated truncated protein accumulated and was also localized to the
      centriole and actin cytoskeleton. In frog embryos, Ccdc11 was regulated
      downstream of FoxJ1, and overexpression of the full-length or truncated protein,
      or downregulation of the gene resulted in severe disruption of embryonic left
      right axial patterning. Taken together, our initial description of the
      deleterious mutation in CCDC11 in patients, the current results and more recent
      supportive studies highlight the important role of CCDC11 in axial patterning.

PMID- 28621424
TI  - Ocular vessel patterning in zebrafish is indirectly regulated by Hedgehog
      signaling.
AB  - The superficial ocular vasculature of the embryonic zebrafish develops in a
      highly stereotypic manner and hence provides a convenient model for studying
      molecular mechanisms that regulate vascular patterning. We have used transgenic
      zebrafish embryos in which all endothelial cells express enhanced Green
      Fluorescent Protein and small molecule inhibitors to examine the contribution of
      two signaling pathways, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Hedgehog
      (Hh) pathways, to the development of the superficial system. We find that most,
      but not all vessels of the superficial system depend on VEGF signaling for their
      growth. Hh signaling appears to limit superficial vessel growth over the dorsal
      eye and is required to promote superficial vessel growth over the ventral eye.
      These effects of Hh signaling are indirect. Our initial analyses of factors that
      regulate growth and patterning of superficial ocular vessels suggest that early
      patterning events in the embryo during organogenesis stages could influence
      vascular patterning later on. By studying development of specific vascular
      systems it should be possible to identify new roles for signaling pathways in
      regulating vascular development.

PMID- 28621425
TI  - Epigenetic mechanism of FMR1 inactivation in Fragile X syndrome.
AB  - Fragile X syndrome is the most frequent cause of inherited intellectual
      disability. The primary molecular defect in this disease is the expansion of a
      CGG repeat in the 5' region of the fragile X mental retardation1 (FMR1) gene,
      leading to de novo methylation of the promoter and inactivation of this otherwise
      normal gene, but little is known about how these epigenetic changes occur during
      development. In order to gain insight into the nature of this process, we have
      used cell fusion technology to recapitulate the events that occur during early
      embryogenesis. These experiments suggest that the naturally occurring Fragile
      XFMR1 5' region undergoes inactivation post implantation in a Dicer/Ago-dependent
      targeted process which involves local SUV39H-mediated tri-methylation of histone
      H3K9. It thus appears that Fragile X syndrome may come about through inadvertent
      siRNA-mediated heterochromatinization.

PMID- 28621426
TI  - FoxD1 protein interacts with Wnt and BMP signaling to differentially pattern
      mesoderm and neural tissue.
AB  - The foxd1 gene (previously known as Brain Factor 2/BF2) is expressed during early
      Xenopus laevis development. At gastrula stages, foxd1 is expressed in dorsal
      mesoderm regions fated for muscle and notochord, while at neurula stages, foxd1
      is expressed in the forebrain region. Previous studies in the neural plate showed
      that FoxD1 protein acts as transcriptional repressor downstream of BMP
      antagonism, neuralizing the embryo to control anterior neural cell fates. FoxD1
      mesoderm function was not rigorously analyzed, but ectopic FoxD1 levels increased
      muscle marker expression in embryos. Using a FoxD1-specific antisense morpholino
      oligonucleotide, we knocked down endogenous FoxD1 protein activity in developing
      Xenopus embryos. In this present study, we show that FoxD1 is crucial for dorsal
      mesoderm formation. Analogous to neural tissue, FoxD1 acts downstream of BMP
      antagonism to induce dorsal mesoderm cell fates, such as muscle and notochord.
      FoxD1 is sensitive to its local signaling environment, having differential
      transcription factor activity in the presence or absence of Wnt or BMP signaling.
      FoxD1 induces posterior neural tissue in the presence of Wnt or BMP activities,
      but its activity is restricted to "normal" anterior neural tissue induction when
      BMP and Wnt activities are repressed. In dorsal mesoderm, FoxD1 interacts with
      Wnt signaling and BMP antagonism to induce muscle and notochord, while
      simultaneously repressing more anterior and ventral mesoderm cell fates. FoxD1
      protein has multiple activities that are masked or released in the different germ
      layers as a function of the local signaling environment.

PMID- 28621427
TI  - ADHFe1: a novel enzyme involved in retinoic acid-dependent Hox activation.
AB  - Retinoic acid (RA) signaling is a central pathway regulating anterior-posterior
      patterning of the embryo through its targets, the Hox genes. RA is produced by
      two sequential oxidations from vitamin A (retinol) and this biosynthesis has to
      be regulated temporally, spatially and quantitatively. Mining Xenopus embryonic
      expression databases identified a novel component of the RA metabolic network,
      ADHFe1. Using Xenopus laevis embryos as our experimental system we determined the
      temporal and spatial pattern of AdhFe1 expression. Gain- and loss-of-function of
      ADHFe1 were induced to study its function and the regulation of the AdhFe1 gene
      by RA was studied. Expression analysis localized the ADHFe1 protein to the late
      Spemann's organizer, the trunk organizer. Subsequently, ADHFe1 can be detected in
      the prechordal mesoderm, the notochord and the lateral plate mesoderm.
      Manipulation of ADHFe1 levels affects the normal Hox gene expression. The effects
      of ADHFe1 manipulation can by rescued by increasing the levels of RA or its
      biosynthesis. Expression of the AdhFe1 gene is regulated by RA itself. ADHFe1 is
      an enzyme active already during gastrula stages and the protein is still present
      during neurula stages. ADHFe1 regulates the expression of the Hox genes during
      the early patterning of the trunk. The effect of ADHFe1 on Hox expression is
      mediated through regulation of RA levels. ADHFe1 probably reduces retinaldehyde
      to retinol thereby restricting the availability of retinaldehyde, the substrate
      needed by retinaldehyde dehydrogenases to produce RA making it a novel regulator
      of RA concentrations in the embryo and RA homeostasis.

PMID- 28621428
TI  - Loss of thrombospondin reveals a possible role for the extracellular matrix in
      chordotonal cap cell elongation.
AB  - In the Drosophila larva, major proprioceptive input is provided to the brain by
      sub-epidermal stretch receptors called chordotonal organs (ChO). Similarly to the
      body wall muscle that needs to be attached on both of its sides to the larval
      exoskeleton in order to generate movement, the sensory unit of a ChO must be
      stably anchored to the cuticle on both of its sides in order to sense the
      relative displacement of body parts. Through an RNAi screen we have identified
      thrombospondin (Tsp), a secreted calcium binding glycoprotein, as a critical
      component in the anchoring of ChOs to the cuticle. We show that the Tsp protein
      starts to accumulate in the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the ChO
      attachment cells towards the end of embryogenesis and that it becomes highly
      concentrated at the attachment junction during larval stages. In the absence of
      Tsp, the ChO's accessory cells fail to form a stable junction with their
      epidermal attachment cells and organ integrity is not maintained. Tsp is a known
      player in the establishment of the myotendinous junctions in both invertebrates
      and vertebrates. Thus, our findings extend the known similarities between muscle
      attachment and ChO-attachment cells. In addition to its role in establishing the
      ChO attachment junctions, Tsp was found to affect ligament cell migration and cap
      cell elongation. Most interestingly, the Tsp protein was found to decorate the
      ChO cap cells along their entire length, suggesting that the elongated cap cells
      are supported by the ECM to which they attach via integrin-based, Tsp-dependent,
      adhesion plaques. The ECM enwrapping the cap cells is probably important for
      keeping the cap cells fasciculate and may also provide mechanical support that
      allows the extremely elongated cells to maintain tension.

PMID- 28621429
TI  - The SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase, Dgrn, is essential for Drosophila innate
      immunity.
AB  - The ability of metazoans to combat pathogenic infection involves both systemic
      and local responses to the invading pathogens. Ubiquitin and SUMO pathways
      molecularly regulate the response to infection, immune signaling and gene
      expression. Here, we report that Degringolade (Dgrn, CG10981), a SUMO-targeted
      ubiquitin ligase connecting the two pathways, is essential for the innate
      immunity response in Drosophila. dgrnDK null and heterozygous mutant adult flies
      are severely immune-compromised and succumb rapidly to both pathogenic bacteria
      and fungi infections. The sensitivity to infection stems from the inability to
      produce multiple anti-microbial peptides, and transcriptional analyses suggest
      that the overexpression of Dgrn enhances the transcriptional output of the NF
      &kgreen;B related Toll and immune deficiency (IMD)-pathways. Moreover, expression
      of Dgrn alleviated the inhibitory impact of the cytoplasmic NF-&kgreen;B
      inhibitor Cactus and the nuclear co-repressor Groucho/TLE (Gro). Additionally, we
      found that Dgrn is required for the local regenerative response of the mid-gut
      following infection. Upon oral infection, dgrn mutant flies fail to activate the
      Delta-Notch pathway in stem cells and enteroblasts, and are unable to regenerate
      and replace the damaged and dying enterocytes. Interestingly, the ubiquitin
      specific protease CG8334 (dUSP32/dUSP11) antagonizes Dgrn activity in the gut,
      and halving the dose of CG8334 restores Delta-Notch signaling and rescues the
      lethality observed in dgrn mutants. Collectively, our data suggest that Dgrn is
      essential for both systemic and local tissue response to infection.

PMID- 28621431
TI  - Adhesion molecule Kirrel3/Neph2 is required for the elongated shape of myocytes
      during skeletal muscle differentiation.
AB  - Kirrel/Neph proteins are evolutionarily conserved members of the immunoglobulin
      superfamily of adhesion proteins. Kirrel3 is the mouse orthologue of Dumbfounded
      (Duf), a family member that regulates myoblast pre-fusion events in Drosophila.
      Yet, the role of Kirrel3 in mammalian myogenesis has not been demonstrated.
      Experiments performed here indicate that the mouse Kirrel3 protein regulates
      morphological changes of myoblasts that are required for their subsequent fusion
      into multinucleated myotubes. We show that Kirrel3 is transiently expressed at
      the tips of myocytes during early myoblast differentiation and that its
      expression is dependent on the myogenic transcription factor, MyoD. Kirrel3 is
      transported in vesicles into the plasma membrane and its extracellular domain is
      cleaved in a proteasome-dependent manner. C-terminal deletion mutant lacking most
      of the intracellular domain accumulates at cellular extensions, does not undergo
      extracellular cleavage and induces the formation of large cell aggregates. This
      result suggests that the processing of the extracellular domain is regulated by
      the receptor's intracellular region. Knock-down of Kirrel3 in primary muscle
      progenitor cells (MPCs) prevented spindle shape myocyte formation, and
      significantly reduced their fusion with other myocytes to form multinucleated
      myotubes. In addition, migration of Kirrel3-deficient MPCs was randomized
      relative to the directed migration of control MPCs. We conclude that mouse
      Kirrel3 is a myobast adhesion molecule which promotes the morphological change of
      rounded MPC to a spindle shaped myocyte that migrates in a directed fashion and
      participates in the tight interactions between myocytes prior to their fusion.

PMID- 28621430
TI  - Disruption of the aortic wall by coelomic lining-derived mesenchymal cells
      accompanies the onset of aortic hematopoiesis.
AB  - In vertebrates, definitive hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) first emerge in the
      ventral wall of the aorta in the Aorta-Gonad-Mesonephros (AGM) region of the
      embryo, where they differentiate from a specialized type of endothelium termed
      Hemogenic Endothelium (HE). While the transition from HE to hematopoietic tissue
      has received much experimental attention, much less is known regarding generation
      of HE itself. The current study investigates the emergence of the HE in the chick
      embryo aorta. Using the HE marker Runx1 as well as a new chicken-reactive
      antibody to the endothelial marker VE-Cadherin, we document the relationship
      between the emerging HE and surrounding tissues, particularly the coelomic
      epithelium (CE) and CE-derived sub-aortic mesenchyme. In addition, the fate of
      the CE cells was traced by electroporation of a GFP-expressing plasmid into the
      CE, followed by analysis using immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization. We
      make the novel observation that CE-derived mesenchyme transiently invades through
      the ventral wall of the aorta during the period of establishment of HE and just
      prior to the emergence of hematopoietic cell clusters in the ventral aortic wall.
      These observations emphasize a hitherto unappreciated dynamism in the aortic wall
      during the period of HE generation, and open the door to future studies regarding
      the role of invasive CE-derived cells during aortic hematopoiesis.

PMID- 28621432
TI  - Regulatory heterochronies and loose temporal scaling between sea star and sea
      urchin regulatory circuits.
AB  - It has long been argued that heterochrony, a change in relative timing of a
      developmental process, is a major source of evolutionary innovation.
      Heterochronic changes of regulatory gene activation could be the underlying
      molecular mechanism driving heterochronic changes through evolution. Here, we
      compare the temporal expression profiles of key regulatory circuits between sea
      urchin and sea star, representative of two classes of Echinoderms that shared a
      common ancestor about 500 million years ago. The morphologies of the sea urchin
      and sea star embryos are largely comparable, yet, differences in certain
      mesodermal cell types and ectodermal patterning result in distinct larval body
      plans. We generated high resolution temporal profiles of 17 mesodermally-,
      endodermally- and ectodermally-expressed regulatory genes in the sea star,
      Patiria miniata, and compared these to their orthologs in the Mediterranean sea
      urchin, Paracentrotus lividus. We found that the maternal to zygotic transition
      is delayed in the sea star compared to the sea urchin, in agreement with the
      longer cleavage stage in the sea star. Interestingly, the order of gene
      activation shows the highest variation in the relatively diverged mesodermal
      circuit, while the correlations of expression dynamics are the highest in the
      strongly conserved endodermal circuit. We detected loose scaling of the
      developmental rates of these species and observed interspecies heterochronies
      within all studied regulatory circuits. Thus, after 500 million years of parallel
      evolution, mild heterochronies between the species are frequently observed and
      the tight temporal scaling observed for closely related species no longer holds.

PMID- 28621433
TI  - Stability and reliability of error-related electromyography over the corrugator
      supercilii with increasing trials.
AB  - Electromyographic activity over the corrugator supercilii (cEMG), the primary
      facial muscle involved in negative emotions, is increased during the commission
      of errors on speeded reaction-time tasks. In the present paper, data from two
      previously published studies were reanalyzed to investigate the reliability and
      stability of error-related, correct-related, and difference cEMG across
      increasing numbers of trials. For a modified go/no-go and a flanker task, we
      found that error-related cEMG was highly stable and reliable in 14 trials, and
      correct-related cEMG between 56 and 82 trials, respectively. Given the typical
      number of trials used in studies of cognitive control, these findings suggest
      that many investigations of error monitoring are already sufficient to obtain
      acceptable error- and correct-related cEMG signals. Error-related cEMG activity
      is relatively easy to measure and, as such, it shows great promise for future
      research investigating the cognitive and affective mechanisms of error
      monitoring.

PMID- 28621435
TI  - Reduction of acrylamide content in bread crust by starch coating.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A technique of starch coating to reduce acrylamide content in bread
      crust was proposed. Bread was prepared in accordance with a conventional
      procedure and corn or potato starch coating was brushed on the surface of the
      fermented dough prior to baking. RESULTS: Corn starch coating caused a decrease
      in acrylamide of 66.7% and 77.1% for the outer and inner crust, respectively. The
      decrease caused by the potato starch coating was 68.4% and 77.4%, respectively.
      Starch coating reduced asparagine content significantly (43.4-82.9%; P < 0.01)in
      both the outer and inner crust. A lower temperature (difference of 10-20  degrees
      C) in combination with a higher moisture content (maximum difference of 8%) of
      bread crust were a result of starch coating, which effectively shortened the time
      span (4-8 min) over which acrylamide could form and accumulate. CONCLUSION: The
      present study demonstrates that starch coating could be a simple, effective and
      practical application for reducing acrylamide levels in bread crust without
      changing the texture and crust color of bread. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical
      Industry.

PMID- 28621434
TI  - EEA1 restores homeostatic synaptic plasticity in hippocampal neurons from Rett
      syndrome mice.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by loss-of
      function mutations in MECP2, the gene encoding the transcriptional regulator
      methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Mecp2 deletion in mice results in an
      imbalance of excitation and inhibition in hippocampal neurons, which affects
      'Hebbian' synaptic plasticity. We show that Mecp2-deficient neurons also lack
      homeostatic synaptic plasticity, likely due to reduced levels of EEA1, a protein
      involved in AMPA receptor endocytosis. Expression of EEA1 restored homeostatic
      synaptic plasticity in Mecp2-deficient neurons, providing novel targets of
      intervention in Rett syndrome. ABSTRACT: Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental
      disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in MECP2, the gene encoding the
      transcriptional regulator methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Deletion of Mecp2
      in mice results in an imbalance of synaptic excitation and inhibition in
      hippocampal pyramidal neurons, which affects 'Hebbian' long-term synaptic
      plasticity. Since the excitatory-inhibitory balance is maintained by homeostatic
      mechanisms, we examined the role of MeCP2 in homeostatic synaptic plasticity
      (HSP) at excitatory synapses. Negative feedback HSP, also known as synaptic
      scaling, maintains the global synaptic strength of individual neurons in response
      to sustained alterations in neuronal activity. Hippocampal neurons from Mecp2
      knockout (KO) mice do not show the characteristic homeostatic scaling up of the
      amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) and of synaptic
      levels of the GluA1 subunit of AMPA-type glutamate receptors after 48 h silencing
      with the Na+ channel blocker tetrodotoxin. This deficit in HSP is bidirectional
      because Mecp2 KO neurons also failed to scale down mEPSC amplitudes and GluA1
      synaptic levels after 48 h blockade of type A GABA receptor (GABAA R)-mediated
      inhibition with bicuculline. Consistent with the role of synaptic trafficking of
      AMPA-type of glutamate receptors in HSP, Mecp2 KO neurons have lower levels of
      early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1), a protein involved in AMPA-type glutamate
      receptor endocytosis. In addition, expression of EEA1 in Mecp2 KO neurons reduced
      mEPSC amplitudes to wild-type levels, and restored synaptic scaling down of mEPSC
      amplitudes after 48 h blockade of GABAA R-mediated inhibition with bicuculline.
      The identification of a molecular deficit in HSP in Mecp2 KO neurons provides
      potentially novel targets of intervention for improving hippocampal function in
      Rett syndrome individuals.

PMID- 28621436
TI  - Development of a Cell-Based Gene Therapy Approach to Selectively Turn Off Bone
      Formation.
AB  - Cell and gene therapy approaches are safer when they possess a system that
      enables the therapy to be rapidly halted. Human mesenchymal stem cells were
      transduced with an adenoviral vector containing the cDNA for bone morphogenetic
      protein 2 (AdBMP2) to induce bone formation. To make this method safer, a system
      to quickly kill these virally transduced cells was designed and evaluated. Cells
      were encapsulated inside poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-Da) hydrogels that
      are able to shield the cells from immunological destruction. The system involves
      an inducible caspase-9 (iCasp9) activated using a specific chemical inducer of
      dimerization (CID). Delivering AdBMP2-transduced human mesenchymal stem cells
      encapsulated in PEG-Da hydrogel promoted ectopic ossification in vivo, and the
      iCasp9 system allowed direct control of the timing of apoptosis of the injected
      cells. The iCasp9-CID system enhances the safety of delivering AdBMP2-transduced
      cells, making it a more compelling therapeutic for bone repair and spine fusion.
      J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 3627-3634, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28621437
TI  - Hepatitis A virus strains circulating during 1997-2015 in Campania, a Southern
      Italy region with periodic outbreaks.
AB  - In Italy, the incidence of hepatitis A has progressively declined over the last
      30 years, though not homogeneously throughout the country. In Campania, Southern
      Italy, high annual incidence rates have been reported and several periodic
      outbreaks have occurred. To investigate the phylogenetic and epidemiologic
      relationships among HAV strains circulating in Campania over the period 1997
      2015, 87 hepatitis A cases were investigated. The most frequent risk factor was
      the consumption of raw/undercooked shellfish (75/87, 86.2%). During 1997-2002
      most viral strains were subtype IA (16/23, 70%); the phylogenetic pattern
      suggests that the incidence peaks observed in 2000-2001 had likely been caused by
      multiple strains. During a large 2004 outbreak, almost all viral variants were
      subtype IB (38/41, 93%); most of them (22/38, 58%) were recognized to be one of
      two main strains (differing for just a single nucleotide), the remaining
      sequences were strictly related variants. In 2014/2015, only IA strains were
      observed; two phylogenetically related but distinct strains were responsible,
      respectively, for a small cluster in 2014 and an outbreak in 2015. In each
      outbreak, several strains unrelated to those responsible for most cases were
      detected in a minority of patients, documenting a background of sporadic cases
      occurring even in the course of outbreaks; some of them proved to be identical to
      strains detected 11-14 years previously. Overall, the data suggest that several
      related and unrelated HAV strains have endemically circulated over the last 15
      years in Campania, with some strains gaining epidemic transmission likely because
      of a local combination of multiple factors, including inadequate waste water
      purification and dietary habits.

PMID- 28621438
TI  - Moderate Alcoholic Beer Consumption: The Effects on the Lipid Profile and Insulin
      Sensitivity of Adult Men.
AB  - Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. The purpose was to
      compare the effects of consuming alcoholic beer (AB) and nonalcoholic beer (NAB)
      on the biochemical blood parameters. Two beers were produced under known and
      controlled conditions from the same raw material, NAB (0.6%, v/v) and AB with the
      addition of 6% grain alcohol. Fifteen healthy adult men (aged 20 to 57 y)
      underwent 3 treatments (30 d per treatment). In Treatment 1 (Baseline), they
      followed their usual diet without drinking any alcoholic beverage; in Treatment
      2, they added the daily consumption of 330 mL NAB; and in Treatment 3, they added
      the daily consumption of 330 mL AB. It was found that the use of AB for 30 d (16
      g alcohol/d) reduced the blood insulin and fasting glucose, reducing insulin
      resistance. These data suggest that the daily intake of 330 mL AB could
      statistically change the lipid profile and insulin sensitivity of adult men. The
      volunteers were healthy before and remained so after the intervention, with no
      change in their clinical status.

PMID- 28621439
TI  - Cloning and functional identification of moricins from the diamondback moth,
      Plutella xylostella (L.).
AB  - Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small-molecule peptides that play crucial roles
      in insect innate immune responses. To better understand the function of AMPs in
      Plutella xylostella, one of the main pests of cruciferous vegetables, three full
      length cDNAs encoding moricins were cloned from Pl. xylostella. Two variants of
      the moricin named PxMor2 and PxMor3 were heterologously expressed and purified. A
      secondary structure analysis using circular dichroism demonstrated that the two
      peptides adopted an alpha-helical structure in the membrane-like environment, but
      in aqueous solution, they were present in random coiled conformation.
      Antimicrobial activity assays demonstrated that PxMor2 exhibited high activity
      against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli;
      however, PxMor3 only demonstrated high activity against E. coli. Scanning
      electron microscopy and confocal laser-scanning microscopy analyses suggest that
      PxMors can lead to the disruption of bacterial membrane, which might be the
      mechanism by which PxMors inhibit bacterial growth. This study contributes to the
      understanding of Pl. xylostella AMPs and immune responses, and also enriches the
      knowledge of insect moricin.

PMID- 28621440
TI  - T lymphocytes dominate local leukocyte infiltration in response to intradermal
      injection of functionalized graphene-based nanomaterial.
AB  - Graphene-based nanomaterials (GBN) have many potential biomedical applications.
      However, information regarding their biological properties and interactions with
      cells and/or soluble factors within a complex tissue is limited. The objective of
      this study was to use the growing feather (GF) of chickens as a minimally
      invasive cutaneous test-site to assess and monitor leukocyte recruitment in
      response to intradermal GBN injection. Specifically, the dermis of 20 GFs per
      chicken was injected with 10 MUl of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-vehicle or 10
      MUl of 300 MUg ml-1 oxygen-functionalized (f) GBN (6 chickens/treatment). GFs
      were collected before- (0) and at 0.25, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 days post-injection
      and used for leukocyte-population analysis of immunofluorescently stained pulp
      cell suspensions or histological examination. Based on flow-cytometric cell
      population analysis, lymphocytes and macrophages were the major leukocyte
      populations infiltrating GFs in response to f-GBN presence. Compared with PBS
      controls, levels of T cells (gammadelta-, alphabeta-, CD4- and CD8-T cells) were
      greatly elevated in f-GBN-injected GFs within 6 h and remained elevated
      throughout the 7-day examination period. f-GBN's effects on local tissue
      leukocyte recruitment were not reflected in the blood, except for a higher
      percentage of lymphocytes on 7 days. These observations together with a visual
      examination of f-GBN-injected GF tissue-sections suggest a delayed-type
      hypersensitivity-like, inflammatory cell-mediated response to the non
      biodegradable f-GBN. The GF 'in vivo test-tube'system together with blood
      sampling provided unique insight into the time-course, qualitative, and
      quantitative aspects of immune system activities initiated by the presence of f
      GBN in a complex tissue of a living animal. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons,
      Ltd.

PMID- 28621441
TI  - Exuberant granulation tissue successfully treated with ingenol mebutate. Two
      cases report.

PMID- 28621442
TI  - Dendritic-cell-based immunotherapy evokes potent anti-tumor immune responses in
      CD105+ human renal cancer stem cells.
AB  - Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for tumor initiation, progression, and
      resistance to therapeutic agents; they are usually less sensitive to conventional
      cancer therapies, and could cause tumor relapse. An ideal therapeutic strategy
      would therefore be to selectively target and destroy CSCs, thereby preventing
      tumor relapse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of
      dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with antigen derived from CD105+ human renal cell
      carcinoma (RCC) CSCs against renal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We
      identified "stem-like" characteristics of CD105+ cells in two human RCC cell
      lines: A498 and SK-RC-39. Loading with cell lysates did not change the
      characteristics of the DCs. However, DCs loaded with lysates derived from CD105+
      CSCs induced more functionally specific active T cells and specific antibodies
      against CSCs, and clearly depressed the tumor growth in mice. Our results could
      form the basis for a novel strategy to improve the efficacy of DC-based
      immunotherapy for human RCC.

PMID- 28621444
TI  - Implementation of electron-induced dissociation mass spectrometry technique for
      differentiation of isomeric metabolites of diclofenac.

PMID- 28621443
TI  - Noninvasive treatment of keloid using customized Re-188 skin patch.
AB  - Keloids are developed as fibrotic scar at the site of surgery or trauma and often
      enlarge beyond the original scar margins. Re-188 colloid coated customized patch
      was superficially fixed onto the lesion for 3 hrs. The same patch was reapplied
      on the lesion on third day for 3 hrs. The patients were followed up at 1, 3,6 and
      12 months post treatment. The size and elevation of the keloid lesion was reduced
      after treatment. The total radiation dose from the patch (day-1 and day-3) was
      100 Gy/mCi of Re-188. The radioactive patch treatment of keloids is noninvasive,
      painless and safe with prolonged outcome.

PMID- 28621445
TI  - Nutritional and Functional Bioactivity Value of Selected Azorean Macroalgae: Ulva
      compressa, Ulva rigida, Gelidium microdon, and Pterocladiella capillacea.
AB  - This study presents information on the biochemical composition (dry weight
      basis), nutritional aspects, and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory
      properties of selected macroalgae (Ulva compressa, Ulva rigida, Gelidium
      microdon, and Pterocladiella capillacea) from Azores. Moisture content was very
      high (83.2% to 90.0% of fresh weight). Total dietary fiber (33.7% to 41.0%) that
      presented a good balance of both soluble and insoluble fibers (15.5% to 19.2% and
      18.2% to 21.8%, respectively) was the most abundant component in these
      macroalgae. Protein and ash (ranged from 15.7% to 23.4% and 10.7% to 20.7%,
      respectively) were the 2nd most abundant components in red and green macroalgae,
      respectively. Moderate soluble carbohydrate contents (14.5% to 19.8%) were found
      in all species. Lipid contents were low (1.0% to 4.3%), particularly in Ulva
      species (1.0% to 1.7%), but contained higher unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) (7.5%
      to 32.9% and 29.6% to 69.2% of total FA for monounsaturated fatty acid and
      polyunsaturated fatty acid groups, respectively) than saturated fatty acid (23.3%
      to 46.8% of total FA) contents. All the macroalgal proteins had high
      digestibility in vitro (82.2% to 89.4%, relatively to sodium caseinate),
      contained high quantity of essential amino acids (45.3% to 58.1% of total amino
      acids), but in different proportions, and were rich in aspartic and glutamic
      acids that together account for 17.2% to 36.2% of the total amino acids. These
      results suggested that regular consumption of the selected macroalgae may improve
      human health and revealed that they can be used for producing food supplements
      for human and animal nutrition and/or pharmaceuticals with potential effect on
      the regional economy. Furthermore, the ACE-inhibitory IC50 values of 0.095 to
      0.695 mg/mL for the <1 kDa protein hydrolysate fraction revealed a potential
      impact on hypertension disorder.

PMID- 28621446
TI  - The long and winding road for selective androgen receptor modulators.
AB  - Numerous selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) with differing chemical
      structures and nearly ideal pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties have
      been developed that are well tolerated and selectively increase lean body mass in
      humans. However, definitive demonstration of the linkage between lean body mass
      and physical function in a relevant, large patient population has remained
      elusive for a SARM. The clinical endpoints serving as their basis of approval
      have shifted with time and clinical indication and are likely to continue to do
      so as the field matures with additional safety and efficacy data pertaining to
      the relationship between lean body mass and physical function, regulatory
      decisions with SARMs and other agents, and yet unexplored clinical indications.

PMID- 28621447
TI  - Metformin prevents vascular prostanoid release alterations induced by a high-fat
      diet in rats.
AB  - Perivascular adipose tissue dysfunction induced by high-fat feeding leads to
      alterations in the modulation of inflammation, contractile activity of the
      vascular smooth muscle and endothelial function, all risk factors in the
      development of hypertension. Metformin, an activator of AMP-activated protein
      kinase (AMPK), is currently the first-line drug treatment for type 2 diabetes
      (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome. Besides its glucose-lowering effect, there is an
      interest in actions of this drug with potential relevance in cardiovascular
      diseases. The high-fat (HF) diet is an experimental model that resembles human
      metabolic syndrome. We have previously reported an altered pattern of prostanoid
      release in mesenteric vessels in this model. The aim of this study was to analyse
      the effects of metformin on mesenteric vascular bed prostanoid release, adiposity
      index and its relation to blood pressure in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a HF diet for
      8 and 12 weeks. Eight groups were used: control (C8, C1), HF diet (HF8, HF12, 50%
      w/w bovine fat), metformin-treated (CMf8, CMf12, 500 mg/kg/day) and metformin
      treated HF diet (HFMf8, HFMf12, both treatments). HF diet increased mesenteric
      vascular bed adiposity index (%, HF8: 1.7+/-0.1 vs C8: 0.9+/-0.04 and HF12: 1.8+/
      0.1 vs C12: 0.8+/-0.1, P<.001); systolic blood pressure (SBP, mm Hg, HF8: 145+/-6
      vs C8: 118+/-4, P<.01 and HF12: 151+/-1 vs C12: 121+/-3, P<.001). We found a
      positive correlation between these two parameters. Moreover HF diet increased the
      release of vasoconstrictor prostanoids such as thromboxane (TX) B2 (ng PR/mg of
      tissue, HF8: 117+/-6 vs C8: 66+/-2 and HF12: 123+/-6 vs C12: 62+/-5, P<.001) and
      prostaglandin (PG) F2alpha (ng/mg, HF8: 153+/-9 vs C8: 88+/-3 and HF12: 160+/-11
      vs C12: 83+/-5, P<.001). We also found that this increase in the release of
      vasoconstrictor prostanoids positively correlates with the elevation of SBP. In
      addition, HF diet increases the release of PGE2 and decreases the prostacyclin
      (PGI2 )/TXA2 release ratio at 8 and 12 weeks of treatment compared to control
      groups. In the HFMf group, metformin treatment prevented all these increases in
      mesenteric vascular bed adiposity index (%, HFMf8: 1.3+/-0.2 vs HF8 and HFMf12:
      1.3+/-0.1 vs HF12, P<.05); SBP (mm Hg, HFMf8: 127+/-2 vs HF8 and HFMf12: 132+/-1
      vs HF12, P<.001); TXB2 release (ng PR/mg of tissue, HFMf8: 65+/-12 vs HF8, P<.05
      and HFMf12: 53+/-3 vs HF12, P<.001) and PGF2 alpha (ng PR/mg of tissue, HFMf8:
      99+/-13 vs HF8, P<.01 and HFMf12: 77+/-8 vs HF12, P<.001). Meanwhile metformin
      prevented the increment in PGE2 release only at 12 weeks. On the other hand,
      metformin improved the PGI2 /TXA2 ratio in both periods studied. In conclusion,
      metformin could exert beneficial effects on adipose tissue and the vascular
      system by improving endothelial dysfunction induced by an imbalance of vasoactive
      substances in mesenteric perivascular adipose tissue in this model.

PMID- 28621448
TI  - Mastocytosis: a case series of 107 consecutive patients.

PMID- 28621449
TI  - A flexible e-learning resource promoting the critical reading of scientific
      papers for science undergraduates.
AB  - An important aim of undergraduate science education is to develop student skills
      in reading and evaluating research papers. We have designed, developed, and
      implemented an on-line interactive resource entitled "Evaluating Scientific
      Research literature" (ESRL) aimed at students from the first 2 years of the
      undergraduate program. In this article, we describe the resource, then use
      student data collected from questionnaire surveys to evaluate the resource within
      2 years of its launch. Our results add to those reported previously and indicate
      that ESRL can enable students to start evaluating research articles when used
      during their undergraduate program. We conclude maximal learning is likely to
      occur when the resource can be embedded in the curriculum such that students have
      a clearly articulated context for the resource's activities, can see their
      relevance in relation to assessed assignments and can be encouraged to think
      deeply about the activities in conversation with one another and/or with staff.
      (c) 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
      45(6):483-490, 2017.

PMID- 28621451
TI  - Knockdown of a metathoracic scent gland desaturase enhances the production of (E)
      4-oxo-2-hexenal and suppresses female sexual attractiveness in the plant bug
      Adelphocoris suturalis.
AB  - Insect sex pheromones (SPs) are central to mate-finding behaviour, and play an
      essential role in the survival and reproduction of organisms. Understanding the
      roles, biosynthetic pathways and evolution of insect chemical communication
      systems has been an exciting challenge for biologists. Compared with Lepidoptera,
      little is known about the mechanisms underlying pheromone biosynthesis in
      Hemiptera. In this study, we isolated and characterized two new desaturase-like
      genes, termed Asutdes1 and Asutdes2, from Adelphocoris suturalis, an important
      agricultural pest in China. Although the two genes encode an identical protein,
      Southern blot analysis revealed that they are duplicated genes. The Asutdes2
      transcript is more abundant than Asutdes1 in the tissues tested, in particular
      the metathoracic scent gland and fat body. Silencing Asutdes expression in
      females by injecting double-stranded RNA (dsAsutdes) against a portion of the
      coding sequence shared by the two genes enhanced the production of (E)-4-oxo-2
      hexenal, a component of the A. suturalis SP blend, and dramatically suppressed
      the sexual attractiveness of A. suturalis females. We conclude that dsAsutdes is
      associated with the SP biosynthetic pathway in A. suturalis.

PMID- 28621452
TI  - Osteogenic commitment and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells by low
      intensity pulsed ultrasound stimulation.
AB  - Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) as an adjuvant therapy in in vitro and in
      vivo bone engineering has proven to be extremely useful. The present study aimed
      at investigating the effect of 30 mW/cm2 LIPUS stimulation on commercially
      available human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured in basal or osteogenic
      medium at different experimental time points (7, 14, 21 days). The hypothesis was
      that LIPUS would improve the osteogenic differentiation of hMSC and guarantying
      the maintenance of osteogenic committed fraction, as demonstrated by cell
      vitality and proteomic analysis. LIPUS stimulation (a) regulated the balance
      between osteoblast commitment and differentiation by specific networks
      (activations of RhoA/ROCK signaling and upregulation of Ribosome
      constituent/Protein metabolic process, Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis, RNA metabolic
      process/Splicing and Tubulins); (b) allowed the maintenance of a few percentage
      of osteoblast precursors (21 days CD73+/CD90+: 6%; OCT-3/4+/NANOG+/SOX2+: 10%);
      (c) induced the activation of osteogenic specific pathways shown by gene
      expression (early: ALPL, COL1A1, late: RUNX2, BGLAP, MAPK1/6) and related protein
      release (COL1a1, OPN, OC), in particular in the presence of osteogenic soluble
      factors able to mimic bone microenvironment. To summarize, LIPUS might be able to
      improve the osteogenic commitment of hMSCs in vitro, and, at the same time,
      enhance their osteogenic differentiation.

PMID- 28621453
TI  - The pinhole method using an erbium: YAG laser for the treatment of papular acne
      scars.
AB  - Papular acne scars are skin-colored or hypopigmented, soft and elevated lesions
      of the chin and trunk. Papular scars are one of the most difficult acne scars to
      treat. Herein, we reported two patients with papular acne scars on the chin that
      were successfully treated by the pinhole method using an Erbium (ER):YAG laser.
      Good cosmetic results were achieved in both patients. The side effects included
      mild, intra-, and post-procedural pain and erythema that resolved spontaneously
      within 2 weeks. The pinhole method with an Er:YAG laser could potentially be used
      as a safe and effective treatment for papular acne scars.

PMID- 28621454
TI  - Adult males with haemophilia have a different macrovascular and microvascular
      endothelial function profile compared with healthy controls.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Endothelial function has been identified as an independent
      predictor of cardiovascular risk in the general population. It is unclear if the
      haemophilia population has a different endothelial function profile compared to
      the healthy population. AIM: This prospective study aims to assess if there is a
      difference in endothelial function between haemophilia patients and healthy
      controls, and the impact of endothelial function on vascular outcomes in the
      haemophilia population. Baseline cardiovascular risk factors and endothelial
      function were presented. METHODS: Adult males with haemophilia A or B recruited
      from the British Columbia and Southern Alberta haemophilia treatment centres were
      matched to healthy male controls by age and cardiovascular risk factors.
      Macrovascular endothelial function was assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated
      dilation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NMD), and microvascular
      endothelial function was assessed by hyperaemic velocity time integral (VTI).
      Multivariable linear regression was used to assess the association between
      haemophilia and endothelial function. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients with
      haemophilia and 243 controls were included. Patients with haemophilia had a
      similar FMD and NMD compared to controls, although haemophilia was associated
      with higher FMD on multivariable analysis. Haemophilia was associated with
      significantly lower VTI on univariate and multivariable analyses, regardless of
      haemophilia type and severity. CONCLUSIONS: Adult males with haemophilia appear
      to have lower microvascular endothelial function compared to healthy controls.
      Future studies to assess the impact of endothelial dysfunction on cardiovascular
      events in the haemophilia population are needed.

PMID- 28621455
TI  - Addition of Rifampicin to Bolton Broth to Inhibit Extended-Spectrum beta
      Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli for the Detection of Campylobacter.
AB  - Exponential growth of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing
      Escherichia coli in Campylobacter media has become a common problem for the
      detection of Campylobacter in chicken meats. We investigated the minimum
      inhibitory concentration of 40 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from meats
      obtained from various countries against antibacterial agents in Bolton broth
      (cefoperazone, vancomycin, and trimethoprim). All ESBL-producing E. coli strains
      were resistant to cefoperazone and vancomycin, whereas 50% of them were resistant
      to trimethoprim and grew in Bolton broth. We found that 20 MUg/mL of rifampicin
      inhibited the growth of trimethoprim-resistant E. coli strains. Hence, we added
      20 MUg/mL of rifampicin to Bolton broth to improve the isolation of Campylobacter
      from chicken carcass rinses. The isolation rate of Campylobacter was
      significantly higher in the modified broth (44 out of 58, 75.9%, P < 0.05) than
      in the normal broth (0 out of 58, 0%). Furthermore, the number of agar plates
      with non-Campylobacter spp. was much lower after enrichment in the modified broth
      (4 out of 58, 6.9%, P < 0.05) than in the normal broth (58 out of 58, 100%).

PMID- 28621456
TI  - Absorption, Distribution and Excretion of Four Forms of Titanium Dioxide Pigment
      in the Rat.
AB  - Titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) is a white color additive that has a long history of
      global approval and use in food. There is, however, considerable confusion
      regarding the applicability of the biological effects of novel, engineered, nano
      sized forms of TiO2 developed for nonpigmentary applications to the safety of
      oral exposure to food grade TiO2 pigment. The objective of this study was to
      assess the absorption, distribution, and routes of excretion in rats after oral
      exposure to food grade TiO2 . Four different grades of TiO2 (200 ppm) or control
      (0 ppm) diets were fed to rats for 7 consecutive days, followed by control diet
      only for 1, 24, or 72 h. Concentrations of titanium in liver, kidney and muscle
      were mainly below the limit of detection (<0.1 to < 0.2 mg/kg wet weight); tissue
      concentrations of titanium above the LOD were in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg
      wet weight for all groups. Whole blood concentrations of titanium were <0.04 mg/L
      for all groups. Urinary excretion of titanium was equivalent to <2% daily dose/L
      of urine for all groups and was generally below the limit of quantification
      (<0.04 mg/L). Feces represented the predominant route of excretion. These results
      demonstrate that there is no accumulation of titanium in tissues following
      consumption of diets containing 200 ppm food grade TiO2 . No differences in
      systemic absorption of the 4 forms of TiO2 were observed indicating that the
      bioavailability of TiO2 is consistently low for the range of particle sizes and
      morphologies examined in this study.

PMID- 28621457
TI  - Core outcome research measures in anal cancer.

PMID- 28621458
TI  - What did the "Unossified zone" of the non-mammalian therapsid braincase house?
AB  - Most nonmammalian synapsids possess a mid-dorsal depression in the brain cavity
      known as the "unossified zone." It remains obscure which structures this zone
      contained, and, as candidates, the vermis of the cerebellum, the superior
      sagittal sinus, a junction of several blood vessels, the pineal gland or other
      midbrain structures were considered. Neutron tomography of a skull of Diictodon
      feliceps (Therapsida, Anomodontia) revealed some clear impressions of canals in
      this region of the brain cavity. Furthermore, the prootic sinus probably ran on
      the internal surface of the pila antotica and had a similar course in anomodonts
      as it has been proposed for cynodonts and Mesozoic mammals. Comparisons with the
      vascular systems of nonmammalian synapsids and mammals suggest that the
      unossified zone is best interpreted as a terminal chamber of the anterior segment
      of the medial head vein, which housed the junction of the superior sagittal sinus
      and the transverse sinuses. Consequently, the system of cranial vessels in
      Diictodon reveals a partial division of the medial head vein system into an
      anterior and a posterior segment at an early stage of synapsid evolution, which
      is consistent with the well-known common pattern of early ontogenetic development
      in amniotes. J. Morphol., 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28621459
TI  - Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 promotes osteoblast differentiation by
      promoting beta-catenin/TCF1/Runx2 signaling axis.
AB  - Osteoblast differentiation is a multistep process delicately regulated by many
      factors, including cytoskeletal dynamics and signaling pathways. Microtubule
      actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1), a key cytoskeletal linker, has been shown to
      play key roles in signal transduction and in diverse cellular processes; however,
      its role in regulating osteoblast differentiation is still needed to be
      elucidated. To further uncover the functions and mechanisms of action of MACF1 in
      osteoblast differentiation, we examined effects of MACF1 knockdown (MACF1-KD) in
      MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells on their osteoblast differentiation and associated
      molecular mechanisms. The results showed that knockdown of MACF1 significantly
      suppressed mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells, down-regulated the expression of key
      osteogenic genes alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2
      (Runx2) and type I collagen alpha1 (Col Ialpha1). Knockdown of MACF1 dramatically
      reduced the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin, decreased the transcriptional
      activation of T cell factor 1 (TCF1), and down-regulated the expression of TCF1,
      lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1), and Runx2, a target gene of beta
      catenin/TCF1. In addition, MACF1-KD increased the active level of glycogen
      synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta), which is a key regulator for beta-catenin
      signal transduction. Moreover, the reduction of nuclear beta-catenin amount and
      decreased expression of TCF1 and Runx2 were significantly reversed in MACF1-KD
      cells when treated with lithium chloride, an agonist for beta-catenin by
      inhibiting GSK-3beta activity. Taken together, these findings suggest that
      knockdown of MACF1 in osteoblastic cells inhibits osteoblast differentiation
      through suppressing the beta-catenin/TCF1-Runx2 axis. Thus, a novel role of MACF1
      in and a new mechanistic insight of osteoblast differentiation are uncovered.

PMID- 28621460
TI  - Older adults display diminished error processing and response in a continuous
      tracking task.
AB  - Advancing age is often accompanied by a decline in motor control that results in
      a decreased ability to successfully perform motor tasks. While there are multiple
      factors that contribute to age-related deficits in motor control, one unexplored
      possibility is that age-related deficits in our ability to evaluate motor output
      result in an increase in motor errors. In line with this, previous work from our
      laboratory demonstrated that motor errors evoked an error-related negativity
      (ERN)-a component of the human ERP associated with error evaluation originating
      within the human medial-frontal cortex. In the present study, we examined whether
      or not deficits in the medial-frontal error evaluation system contribute to age
      related deficits in motor control. Two groups of participants (young, old)
      performed a computer-based tracking task that paralleled driving while EEG data
      were recorded. Our results show that older adults committed more behavioral
      errors than young adults during performance of the tracking task. An analysis of
      our ERP data revealed that the amplitude of the ERN was reduced in older adults
      relative to young adults following motor errors. Our results make an important
      extension from previous work demonstrating age-related reductions in the ERN
      during performance of cognitive tasks. Importantly, our results imply the
      possibility of understanding motor deficits in older age.

PMID- 28621461
TI  - The Use of Eptifibatide Alone or in Combination With Heparin or Argatroban for
      Suspected Thrombosis in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.
AB  - Pump thrombosis and hemolysis in patients with left ventricular assist devices
      (LVADs) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Intensification
      of anticoagulation has been suggested as potential therapy, with mixed results.
      The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of adding eptifibatide
      with or without an anticoagulation agent in managing patients with LVAD
      presenting with hemolysis and suspected pump thrombosis. This retrospective
      single center study included all patients who presented with their first episode
      of suspected pump thrombosis and were treated with eptifibatide with or without
      an anticoagulant between March 1, 2011 and July 30, 2015. A total of 27 patients
      (23 HeartMate II, 4 HeartWare) were identified. The average age was 55 years
      (range 19-75) and time from implant to event averaged 513 days (range 35-1760).
      The average lactate dehydrogenase on presentation was 1111 and 63% of patients
      had power elevations. The average international normalized ratio (INR) on
      admission was 2.4, with INR of >=2 in 21/27 patients. All patients received
      eptifibatide: 10 received eptifibatide only, 9 received eptifibatide and
      argatroban, and 8 received eptifibatide and heparin. Warfarin was continued in
      25/27 patients. Overall, 21 patients (77.8%) were successfully treated medically,
      5 (18.5%) underwent pump exchange, and 1 (3.7%) died. There were no differences
      in outcomes or complications between the three treatment groups. Despite initial
      success, 12/21 patients developed repeat episodes of hemolysis at 1 year. The 1
      year survival in the patients treated medically was 90% and surgically was 60%.
      Our experience indicates that medical therapy for hemolysis and suspected LVAD
      thrombosis with warfarin and eptifibatide alone or in combination with argatroban
      or heparin appears safe and may be effective, although the episodes of recurrent
      hemolysis after medical management remain high.

PMID- 28621462
TI  - Evidence for convergent evolution of a neocortex-like structure in a late Permian
      therapsid.
AB  - The special sensory, motor, and cognitive capabilities of mammals mainly depend
      upon the neocortex, which is the six-layered cover of the mammalian forebrain.
      The origin of the neocortex is still controversial and the current view is that
      larger brains with neocortex first evolved in late Triassic Mammaliaformes. Here,
      we report the earliest evidence of a structure analogous to the mammalian
      neocortex in a forerunner of mammals, the fossorial anomodont Kawingasaurus
      fossilis from the late Permian of Tanzania. The endocranial cavity of
      Kawingasaurus is almost completely ossified, which allowed a less hypothetical
      virtual reconstruction of the brain endocast to be generated. A parietal foramen
      is absent. A small pit between the cerebral hemispheres is interpreted as a
      pineal body. The inflated cerebral hemispheres are demarcated from each other by
      a median sulcus and by a possible rhinal fissure from the rest of the endocast.
      The encephalization quotient estimated by using the method of Eisenberg is 0.52,
      which is 2-3 times larger than in other nonmammalian synapsids. Another
      remarkable feature are the extremely ramified infraorbital canals in the snout.
      The shape of the brain endocast, the extremely ramified maxillary canals as well
      as the small frontally placed eyes suggest that special sensory adaptations to
      the subterranean habitat such as a well developed sense of touch and binocular
      vision may have driven the parallel evolution of an equivalent of the mammalian
      neocortex and a mammal-like lemnothalamic visual system in Kawingasaurus. The
      gross anatomy of the brain endocast of Kawingasaurus supports the Outgroup
      Hypothesis, according to which the neocortex evolved from the dorsal pallium of
      an amphibian-like ancestor, which receives sensory projections from the
      lemnothalamic pathway. The enlarged brain as well as the absence of a parietal
      foramen may be an indication for a higher metabolic rate of Kawingasaurus
      compared to other nonmammalian synapsids.

PMID- 28621464
TI  - Differences in excitability properties between medial gastrocnemius, tibialis
      anterior, and abductor pollicis brevis motor axons.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Excitability properties of motor nerves to different muscles are
      different, but the explanation is uncertain. We characterized motor axon
      excitability properties to the medial gastrocnemius (MG) in 27 adults, and made
      comparisons with the peroneal nerve to the tibialis anterior (TA) and median
      nerve to the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) in 10 subjects. METHODS: Recordings
      of multiple excitability properties were made using threshold tracking,
      stimulating the nerves at the wrist or knee. RESULTS: Threshold electrotonus and
      superexcitability differed between nerves (APB>MG>TA axons) that may reflect
      differences in fast K+ conductance. APB axons had larger S2 accommodation and
      undershoot than TA and MG axons, indicating greater slow K+ conductance. TA axons
      demonstrated greater accommodation during hyperpolarizing currents than MG and
      APB axons, suggestive of greater inwardly rectifying current. DISCUSSION:
      Inherent differences in several conductances underlie nerve differences in
      excitability, presumably related to muscle or motoneuron properties. Muscle Nerve
      57: E60-E69, 2018.

PMID- 28621463
TI  - Can the Apgar Score be Used for International Comparisons of Newborn Health?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Apgar score has been shown to be predictive of neonatal mortality
      in clinical and population studies, but has not been used for international
      comparisons. We examined population-level distributions in Apgar scores and
      associations with neonatal mortality in Europe. METHODS: Aggregate data on the 5
      minute Apgar score for live births and neonatal mortality rates from countries
      participating in the Euro-Peristat project in 2004 and 2010 were analysed.
      Country level associations between the Apgar score and neonatal mortality were
      assessed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Twenty-three
      countries or regions provided data on Apgar at 5 minutes, covering 2 183 472 live
      births. Scores <7 ranged from 0.3% to 2.4% across countries in 2004 and 2010 and
      were correlated over time (rho = 0.88, P < 0.01). There were large differences in
      healthy baby scores: scores of 10 ranged from 8.8% to 92.7% whereas scores of 9
      or 10 ranged from 72.9% to 96.8%. Countries more likely to score 10 s, as opposed
      to 9 s, for healthy babies had lower proportions of Apgar <7 (rho = -0.43, P =
      0.04). Neonatal mortality rates were weakly correlated with Apgar score <7 (rho =
      -0.06, P = 0.61), but differences over time in these two indicators were
      correlated (rho =0.56, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Large variations in the
      distribution of Apgar scores likely due to national scoring practices make the
      Apgar score an unsuitable indicator for benchmarking newborn health across
      countries. However, country-level trends over time in the Apgar score may reflect
      real changes and merit further investigation.

PMID- 28621465
TI  - Structural Phase Transitions and Dielectric Switching in a Series of Organic
      Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites ABX3 (X=ClO4- or BF4- ).
AB  - A series of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites ABX3 (A=diprotonated 1,4
      diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane or piperazine; B=Na+ or K+ ; X=ClO4- or BF4- ) has been
      synthesized. They feature a cubic cage-like host-guest structures of which A is
      the cationic guest residing in the anionic cage B8 X12 , B is the vertex of the
      cage with variable coordination numbers between six and twelve, and X is the
      bridging ligand with mono- and/or bidentate coordination modes. The extended
      Goldschmidt tolerance factor t is used to describe the phase stability of the
      compounds. Differential scanning calorimetry, variable-temperature structural
      analyses, and dielectric measurements reveal that order-disorder transitions of
      the A guest and/or X bridging ligand are supposed to be responsible for
      structural phase transitions and dielectric switching in the compounds.

PMID- 28621466
TI  - Integrative Pericyclic Cascade: An Atom Economic, Multi C-C Bond-Forming Strategy
      for the Construction of Molecular Complexity.
AB  - An all-pericyclic manifold is developed for the construction of topologically
      diverse, structurally complex and natural product-like polycyclic chemotypes. The
      manifold uses readily accessible tertiary propargyl vinyl ethers as substrates
      and imidazole as a catalyst to form up to two new rings, three new C-C bonds, six
      stereogenic centers and one transannular oxo-bridge. The manifold is efficient,
      scalable and instrumentally simple to perform and entails a propargyl Claisen
      rearrangement-[1,3]H shift, an oxa-6pi-electrocyclization, and an intramolecular
      Diels-Alder reaction.

PMID- 28621467
TI  - Critical role of CREBH-mediated induction of transforming growth factor beta2 by
      hepatitis C virus infection in fibrogenic responses in hepatic stellate cells.
AB  - : Mechanisms of hepatic fibrogenesis induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV), one of
      the leading causes of liver fibrosis, are not fully understood. We studied
      transcriptional up-regulation of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta),
      especially TGF-beta2, which is mediated by activation of liver-enriched
      transcription factor cAMP-responsive element-binding protein, hepatocyte specific
      (CREBH) triggered by HCV infection and its functional significance for induction
      of profibrogenic phenotypes by interaction of HCV-infected cells with hepatic
      stellate cells (HSCs). Compared to TGF-beta1, expression of TGF-beta2 mRNA was
      induced faster and to a higher level upon HCV infection. Serum TGF-beta2 levels
      in hepatitis C patients were higher compared to those in healthy individuals and
      were positively correlated with hepatic fibrosis stages F0-F2. TGF-beta2 promoter
      activity was decreased and increased, respectively, by silencing and
      overexpression of CREBH. CREBH recognition sites were identified in the TGF-beta2
      promoter. CREBH binding to the promoter and its increase in cells expressing HCV
      Core-NS2 were shown by gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation,
      respectively. The active form of CREBH was detectable in HCV-infected chimeric
      mice with human livers and cells expressing HCV proteins. Involvement of CREBH in
      HCV-induced fibrogenic response was further demonstrated in the CREBH null-mutant
      mouse model. Fibrogenic phenotypes were assessed using co-cultures of HCV
      infected cells and HSCs. Expressions of fibrogenic factors and TGF-beta1
      increasing in the co-cultures was prevented by TGF-beta2- or CREBH silencing.
      CONCLUSION: CREBH was identified as a key positive regulator of TGF-beta2
      transcription in HCV-infected cells. TGF-beta2 released from infected cells
      potentially contributes to cross-induction of TGF-beta in an autocrine manner
      through its own signaling pathway, leading to an increase in fibrogenic responses
      in adjacent HSCs. (Hepatology 2017;66:1430-1443).

PMID- 28621468
TI  - Characteristics of regional bone quality in cervical vertebrae considering BMD:
      Determining a safe trajectory for cervical pedicle screw fixation.
AB  - This study aimed to report the mechanical strength and characteristics of the
      lateral mass and pedicle considering BMD for the safe insertion of pedicle screws
      in the subaxial cervical level. We evaluated BMD and Hounsfield unit (HU) values
      of cortical bones at the lateral mass and pedicle of C3-7 from CT images in 99
      patients. Patients were divided into three groups (Group A, T-score >= -1; Group
      B, -2.5 < T-score < -1.0; Group C, T-score <= -2.5). The HU numbers of cortical
      bone in the vertebral canal (medial wall of the lateral mass; cHU), posterior
      wall of the transverse foramen (fHU), and medial wall, lateral wall, and
      trabecular area of the pedicle (mHU, lHU, and pHU, respectively) were measured on
      the CT images in the middle of the pedicle. A mechanical study was also performed
      to measure cortical bone strength using 10 fresh cadavers. The cHU and mHU values
      in Group C were higher than lHU and fHU in Groups A and B, and there was a wide
      gap between the pHU value and other areas. The penetrating force also had a close
      correlation with HU number. The mean penetrating force of the medial wall of the
      lateral mass and the posterior wall of the transverse foramen were 210.08 +/-
      110.46 and 50.51 +/- 46.09 N, respectively. The cortical bones in the vertebral
      canal and medial wall of the pedicle were stronger than the lateral wall and the
      trabecular area. The cHU and mHU in the osteoporotic group were higher than fHU
      and pHU in the normal group. (c) 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:217-223, 2018.

PMID- 28621469
TI  - Solitary fibrous tumor of the breast: A case report and the review of the
      literature.
AB  - Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms. They were first
      described as spindle-cell tumors originating from the pleura, but they may arise
      in any anatomical site. SFT of the breast is an exceedingly rare clinical entity.
      Our literature review yielded only 21 cases reported so far. We describe a case
      of a SFT of the breast in a premenopausal patient who presented with a gradually
      enlarging palpable breast mass. Diagnostic evaluation and management are
      discussed along with a review of the relevant literature. There are no
      pathognomonic imaging findings of SFT of the breast. Complete surgical resection
      with clear margins is the gold standard of treatment. Thorough
      immunohistochemical analysis is crucial to obtain a definitive diagnosis.
      Although most SFTs run an indolent course, in some cases the clinical behavior
      can be unpredictable and a long-term follow-up for all patients is therefore
      mandatory.

PMID- 28621470
TI  - The POU homeodomain transcription factor POUM2 and broad complex isoform 2
      transcription factor induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone collaboratively regulate
      vitellogenin gene expression and egg formation in the silkworm Bombyx mori.
AB  - Vitellogenin (Vg) is a source of nutrition for embryo development. Our previous
      study showed that the silkworm (Bombyx mori) transcription factor broad complex
      isoform 2 (BmBrC-Z2) regulates gene expression of the Vg gene (BmVg) by induction
      with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). However, the mechanism by which 20E regulates BmVg
      expression was not clarified. In this study, cell transfection experiments showed
      that the BmVg promoter containing the POU homeodomain transcription factor POUM2
      (POUM2) and BrC-Z2 cis-response elements (CREs) showed a more significant
      response to 20E than that harbouring only the BrC-Z2 or POUM2 CRE. An
      electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay
      showed that BmPOUM2 could bind to the POUM2 CRE of the BmVg promoter. Over
      expression of BmPOUM2 and BmBrC-Z2 in B. mori embryo-derived cell line (BmE)
      could enhance the activity of the BmVg promoter carrying both the POUM2 and BrC
      Z2 CREs following 20E induction. Quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence
      histochemistry showed that the expression pattern and tissue localization of
      BmPOUM2 correspond to those of BmVg. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down and co
      immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that BmPOUM2 interacts only with BmBrC-Z2 to
      regulate BmVg expression. Down-regulation of BmPOUM2 in female silkworm by RNA
      interference significantly reduced BmVg expression, leading to abnormal egg
      formation. In summary, these results indicate that BmPOUM2 binds only to BmBrC-Z2
      to collaboratively regulate BmVg expression by 20E induction to control
      vitellogenesis and egg formation in the silkworm. Moreover, these findings
      suggest that homeodomain protein POUM2 plays a novel role in regulating insect
      vitellogenesis.

PMID- 28621471
TI  - Tuberculosis breast and its coexistence with carcinoma breast: A retrospective
      analysis at a tertiary care hospital in India.

PMID- 28621472
TI  - The Role of Multiword Building Blocks in Explaining L1-L2 Differences.
AB  - Why are children better language learners than adults despite being worse at a
      range of other cognitive tasks? Here, we explore the role of multiword sequences
      in explaining L1-L2 differences in learning. In particular, we propose that
      children and adults differ in their reliance on such multiword units (MWUs) in
      learning, and that this difference affects learning strategies and outcomes, and
      leads to difficulty in learning certain grammatical relations. In the first part,
      we review recent findings that suggest that MWUs play a facilitative role in
      learning. We then discuss the implications of these findings for L1-L2
      differences: We hypothesize that adults are both less likely to extract MWUs and
      less capable of benefiting from them in the process of learning. In the next
      section, we draw on psycholinguistic, developmental, and computational findings
      to support these predictions. We end with a discussion of the relation between
      this proposal and other accounts of L1-L2 difficulty.

PMID- 28621475
TI  - In Memoriam.

PMID- 28621480
TI  - Analogy and Abstraction.
AB  - A central question in human development is how young children gain knowledge so
      fast. We propose that analogical generalization drives much of this early
      learning and allows children to generate new abstractions from experience. In
      this paper, we review evidence for analogical generalization in both children and
      adults. We discuss how analogical processes interact with the child's changing
      knowledge base to predict the course of learning, from conservative to domain
      general understanding. This line of research leads to challenges to existing
      assumptions about learning. It shows that (a) it is not enough to consider the
      distribution of examples given to learners; one must consider the processes
      learners are applying; (b) contrary to the general assumption, maximizing
      variability is not always the best route for maximizing generalization and
      transfer.

PMID- 28621481
TI  - Metal-Free, Room-Temperature Oxygen-Atom Transfer in the N2 O/CO Redox Couple as
      Catalyzed by [Si2 Ox ].+ (x=2-5).
AB  - The thermal reduction of N2 O by CO mediated by the metal-free cluster cations
      [Si2 Ox ].+ (x=2-5) has been examined in the gas phase using Fourier transform
      ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry in conjunction with quantum
      chemical calculations. Three successive oxidation/reduction steps occur starting
      from [Si2 O2 ].+ and N2 O to form eventually [Si2 O5 ].+ ; the latter as well as
      the intermediate oxide cluster ions react sequentially with CO molecules to
      regenerate [Si2 O2 ].+ . Thus, full catalytic cycles occur at ambient conditions
      in the gas phase. Mechanistic aspects of these sequential redox processes have
      been addressed to reveal the electronic origins of these unparalleled reactions.

PMID- 28621482
TI  - Identification of 400 novel alleles at the HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQB1 loci from
      China Marrow Donor Program.
AB  - Four hundred novel human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles were identified in
      Chinese individuals: 100 HLA-A alleles, 100 HLA-B alleles, 101 HLA-C alleles, 28
      HLA-DRB1 alleles and 71 HLA-DQB1 alleles. Comparing novel alleles with their most
      homologous allele, we found 72.73% non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions,
      21.13% silent mutations, 3.90% nonsense mutations and 3.25% frameshift mutation.
      352 (88%) of the 400 novel alleles are single nucleotide substitution variants
      when compared with their most homologous alleles and other novel alleles differ
      from their most similar allele by more than 1 nucleotide substitutions, such as
      2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and so on. Some of the novel alleles are characterized by long
      deletions or insertions, for example there is 23 bp deletion in the B*58:31N
      allele when compared to its most homologous allele B*58:01:01:01.

PMID- 28621483
TI  - Glycodendrimers as Chondroitin Sulfate Mimetics: Synthesis and Binding to Growth
      Factor Midkine.
AB  - Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a member of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) family, a
      class of polysaccharides implicated in relevant biological functions. The
      structural complexity of these carbohydrates demands the development of simple
      glycomimetics as useful tools to study the biological processes in which GAGs are
      involved. In this work we described the synthesis of the disaccharide unit of the
      CS-E (GlcA-GalNAc(4,6-di-OSO3 )), in a multivalent presentation. Using a
      fluorescence polarization competition assay we have demonstrated that a
      hexavalent dendrimer of this disaccharide interact with midkine, in the low
      micromolar range. This result highlights the potency of these disaccharide
      displaying multivalent systems as interesting mimetics of longer and
      synthetically more complex GAG oligosaccharides.

PMID- 28621484
TI  - Janusarene: A Homoditopic Molecular Host.
AB  - A homoditopic molecular host, janusarene, is presented that has two back-to-back
      compactly arranged nanocavities for guest complexation. The unique two-face
      structural feature of janusarene allows it to bind and align various guest
      compounds concurrently, which include spherical pristine fullerene C60 and planar
      polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as pyrene, perylene, and 9,10
      dimethylanthracene. The host-guest interactions were characterized by single
      crystal X-ray diffraction. A pairwise encapsulation of the PAH guests by
      janusarene enables PAH dimers to be obtained that deliver spectroscopic
      properties distinct from those of PAHs dissolved in solution, or in the bulk
      state. A monotopic control host was also synthesized and used to characterize the
      host-guest complexing behavior in solution.

PMID- 28621485
TI  - The conundrums of human development - implications for the study of child and
      adolescent disorder.
AB  - The conundrums inherent in the study of child and adolescent development are
      likely never far from the minds of the readers of JCPP. The complexity of
      development is flagged clearly in this issue. Included papers remind us that the
      link between associations (here maternal depression and child internalising
      problems) can change over short time periods. Even when the magnitude of
      associations stay consistent over time (here between the home environment and
      depression), there may be different aetiological processes underlying these
      links. Going forward, we should not lose sight of the significance of small
      changes in study designs, whether concerning the age range of participants,
      stipulated reporting periods and data analysis decisions (such as combining data
      from different age groups). The value of longitudinal data in addressing these
      questions remains paramount.

PMID- 28621486
TI  - Editorial Perspective: The use of person-first language in scholarly writing may
      accentuate stigma.
AB  - Numerous style guides, including those issued by the American Psychological and
      the American Psychiatric Associations, prescribe that writers use only person
      first language so that nouns referring to persons (e.g. children) always precede
      phrases referring to characteristics (e.g. children with typical development).
      Person-first language is based on the premise that everyone, regardless of
      whether they have a disability, is a person-first, and therefore everyone should
      be referred to with person-first language. However, my analysis of scholarly
      writing suggests that person-first language is used more frequently to refer to
      children with disabilities than to refer to children without disabilities; person
      first language is more frequently used to refer to children with disabilities
      than adults with disabilities; and person-first language is most frequently used
      to refer to children with the most stigmatized disabilities. Therefore, the use
      of person-first language in scholarly writing may actually accentuate stigma
      rather than attenuate it. Recommendations are forwarded for language use that may
      reduce stigma.

PMID- 28621487
TI  - Simultaneous quantification of imatinib and its main metabolite N-demethyl
      imatinib in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and
      its application to therapeutic drug monitoring in patients with gastrointestinal
      stromal tumor.
AB  - The aim of this study was to improve and validate a more stable and less time
      consuming method based on liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-
      MS/MS) for the quantitative measurement of imatinib and its metabolite N-demethyl
      imatinib (NDI) in human plasma. Separation of analytes was performed on a Waters
      XTerra RP18 column (50 * 2.1 mm i.d., 3.5 MUm) with a mobile phase consisting of
      methanol-acetonitrile-water (65:20:15, v/v/v) with 0.05% formic acid at a flow
      rate of 0.2 mL/min. The Quattro MicroTM triple quadruple mass spectrometer was
      operated in the multiple-reaction-monitoring mode via positive electrospray
      ionization interface using the transitions m/z 494.0 -> 394.0 for imatinib, m/z
      479.6 -> 394.0 for NDI and m/z 488.2 -> 394.0 for IS. The method was linear over
      0.01-10 MUg/mL for imatinib and NDI. The intra- and inter-day precisions were all
      <15% in terms of relative standard deviation, and the accuracy was within +/-15%
      in terms of relative error for both imatinib and NDI. The lower limit of
      quantification was identifiable and reproducible at 10 ng/mL. The method was
      sensitive, specific and less time-consuming and it was successfully applied in
      gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients treated with imatinib.

PMID- 28621488
TI  - Effects of Intradialytic Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Strength and
      Muscle Architecture in Patients With Chronic Kidney Failure: Randomized Clinical
      Trial.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation
      (NMES) on muscle strength and architecture, functional capacity, and endothelial
      function in patients with chronic kidney failure (CKF) on hemodialysis (HD).
      Twenty-one patients with CKF on HD were randomized into a control group (CG; n =
      10) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation group (NMESG; n = 11) who received
      NMES in the quadriceps muscle for 8 weeks, 3 times/week (20-34 min) during HD
      sessions. The muscle strength of the lower limbs was evaluated by dynamometry and
      sit-and-stand test (SST); muscle architecture through ultrasonography; functional
      capacity by the distance covered in a 6-min walk test and the endothelial
      function by flow-mediated dilatation technique of the brachial artery. There was
      an increase in the strength of the lower limbs in the NMESG compared to the CG
      (dynamometry: 43.28 +/- 16.94 vs. 35.84 +/- 16.89, P = 0.006; SST: 16.10 +/- 6.51
      vs. 12.50 +/- 4.7, P = 0.029). There was a significant reduction in pennation
      angles of the right vastus lateralis (RVL) and left vastus lateralis (LVL) in the
      CG when compared to the NMESG (RVL: 11.93 [10.70-15.11] vs. 13.57 [11.81-15.96],
      P = 0.039; LVL: 11.62 [9.00-14.20] vs. 15.52 [12.86-20.02], P = 0.042). There was
      no change in functional capacity and in the endothelial function for CG and
      NMESG, respectively. In conclusion, NMES increases muscle strength and has a
      protective effect against muscle atrophy of the lower limbs of patients with
      chronic kidney failure on HD.

PMID- 28621490
TI  - Dissecting the benefits of long-term non-invasive ventilation in patients with
      distinct neuromuscular disorders.

PMID- 28621489
TI  - Validation and comparison of quality-of-life measures for topical 5-fluorouracil
      treatment: results from a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is commonly used for high-risk patients
      with keratinocyte carcinoma (KC). Skindex and Skin Cancer Index (SCI) are
      validated instruments to measure quality of life (QoL) of patients with KC and
      those who have had surgical treatment of KCs. AIM: To validate Skindex and SCI
      for topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) application and to compare the two QoL
      instruments. METHODS: We randomized 932 veterans at high risk for developing a KC
      to either topical 5-FU or vehicle control cream applied to the face and ears for
      up to 1 month. We collected their Skindex-29 and SCI scores at baseline and
      follow-up visits. RESULTS: Compared with controls, 5-FU reduced QoL, measured by
      the Skindex symptom, Skindex function and SCI social subscales (P < 0.001, P <
      0.01, P = 0.02, respectively). At 1 month, significant changes in QoL in the 5-FU
      group were observed in the Skindex symptom (10.1, 95% CI 0.36-12.6), Skindex
      function (6.0, 95% CI 4.0-8.0) and SCI social (-3.5, 95% CI -6.2 to -0.8)
      subscales, while the other subscales of Skindex and SCI did not show significant
      changes. All three Skindex subscales at 1 month correlated with patient-reported
      symptom score and photograph-based toxicity score, whereas social subscale was
      the only one of the SCI subscales that correlated with patient-reported symptom
      and photograph-based toxicity scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our study validated Skindex
      symptom, Skindex function and SCI social subscales for QoL measurement during
      treatment with topical 5-FU. The study could not provide evidence for construct
      validity of the other subscales. Skindex was more responsive than SCI in the
      context of 5-FU treatment.

PMID- 28621491
TI  - Outcome of patients older than 80 years with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
      (DLBCL) treated with "standard" immunochemotherapy: A large retrospective study
      from 4 institutions.
AB  - Little information is available on the very elderly patients with diffuse large B
      cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We performed a retrospective analysis of 281 patients >80
      years old with newly diagnosed DLBCL treated in 4 referral institutions in
      Switzerland and Northern Italy. Primary end points were overall survival,
      progression-free survival, and cause-specific survival. Systemic chemotherapy was
      given to 239 patients, and 119 of them received rituximab in their initial
      treatment. At a median follow-up of 5.5 years, 5-year progression-free survival
      was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20-32%), 5-year overall survival was 31%
      (95% CI, 25-37%), and 5-year cause-specific survival was 48% (95% CI, 41-55%) for
      the entire cohort. Rituximab and/or anthracyclines as part of initial treatment
      were associated with improved outcome. Cause-specific survival in patients
      receiving both agents approximated 60% at 5 years. At multivariate analysis,
      rituximab use maintained a significant prognostic impact after controlling for
      age, performance status, stage, haemoglobin, and lactate dehydrogenase levels.
      The International Prognostic Index as well as the more recently proposed revised
      International Prognostic Index and National Comprehensive Cancer Center Network
      International Prognostic Index could discriminate patients with significantly
      different outcomes. Albeit very elderly and potentially frail, there may be a
      potential for cure in fit DLBCL patients >=80 years old. Accurate selection of
      patients able to tolerate proper immunochemotherapy is crucial.

PMID- 28621493
TI  - Bioelectronic medicine: technology targeting molecular mechanisms for therapy.

PMID- 28621492
TI  - Tendons and Ligaments: Connecting Developmental Biology to Musculoskeletal
      Disease Pathogenesis.
AB  - Tendons and ligaments provide connections between muscle and bone or bone and
      bone to enable locomotion. Damage to tendons and ligaments caused by acute or
      chronic injury or associated with aging and arthritis is a prevalent cause of
      disability. Improvements in approaches for the treatment of these conditions
      depend on a better understanding of tendon and ligament development, cell
      biology, and pathophysiology. This review focuses on recent advances in the
      discovery of transcription factors that control ligament and tendon cell
      differentiation, how cell and extracellular matrix homeostasis are altered in
      disease, and how this new insight can lead to novel therapeutic approaches. (c)
      2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

PMID- 28621494
TI  - An analysis of blood donor deferrals among repeat donors.

PMID- 28621495
TI  - The spectrum of pre-dementia stages: cognitive profile of motoric cognitive risk
      syndrome and relationship with mild cognitive impairment.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome is a pre-dementia
      syndrome. There is little information on the cognitive profile of individuals
      with MCR syndrome and its overlap with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) syndrome.
      This study aimed to examine and compare the cognitive performance of non-demented
      older community dwellers with and without MCR and MCI syndromes. METHODS: A total
      of 291 non-demented individuals were selected from the Gait and Alzheimer
      Interactions Tracking study, which is a cross-sectional study. All participants
      were referred to a memory clinic. Individuals with and without MCR were separated
      into those with and without MCI. Cognitive performance was measured using the
      scores of the Mini Mental Status Examination, Frontal Assessment Battery, Free
      and Cued Selective Reminding Test, Trail Making Test part A and B, and Stroop
      test. RESULTS: The prevalence of MCI was 40.1% and that of MCR was 18.2%, with a
      higher prevalence of MCI in MCR group compared with the non-MCR group (47.2% vs.
      39.5%). Individuals with MCR and MCI syndromes had poorer cognitive performance
      in all domains compared with those without MCR (P < 0.005), except for the ratio
      part III: part I of the Stroop test (P = 0.345). The association between
      cognitive performance and MCR syndrome was worse on the Mini Mental Status
      Examination score [effect size, -0.57 (95% confidence interval, -1.02 to -0.12)]
      and Trail Making Test part B [effect size, 0.59 (95% confidence interval, 0.14
      1.04)] in individuals with MCR and MCI syndromes. CONCLUSIONS: Motoric cognitive
      risk syndrome is associated with low global cognitive performance. Association of
      MCR and MCI syndromes is characterized by a worse cognitive performance.

PMID- 28621496
TI  - Adrenomedullin regulates the speed of oviductal fluid flow in cattle.
AB  - Unidirectional flow of oviductal fluid from the ovarian to uterine side of the
      ampulla plays a significant role in successful pregnancy, and is produced by
      ciliary beating. Various systems regulate ciliary beating, such as paracrine,
      autocrine, and endocrine. We hypothesized that Adrenomedullin (ADM)-a peptide
      hormone that acts via its receptors, which are complexes of Calcitonin receptor
      like receptor (CRLR) and Receptor activity-modifying protein (RAMP) 2 or 3 -
      promotes oviductal fluid flow in the ampulla of bovine oviducts. First, we
      examined the expression of ADM, CRLR, RAMP2, and RAMP3 mRNAs in isolated
      epithelial cells throughout the estrous cycle, and the localization of ADM
      receptor protein constituents in the ampulla. RAMP2 expression was significantly
      higher in the follicular phase. Furthermore, RAMP2 protein was detected only in
      ciliated cells, whereas CRLR and RAMP3 were detected in all epithelial cells. The
      effects of ADM and an ADM antagonist on fluid-flow speed were examined using
      microbeads in ampullary tissue. ADM antagonist decreased bead transport speed,
      and this decrease was reversed by ADM. In addition, ADM recovered the bead
      transport speed that decreased in the absence of calcium. Overall, our results
      suggest that ADM contributes to the regulation of oviductal fluid flow in
      ampulla.

PMID- 28621497
TI  - Werner Reutter: A Visionary Pioneer in Molecular Glycobiology.
AB  - A creative pioneer: Werner Reutter (1937-2016) was a scientist who both made
      fundamental discoveries in glycobiology and reached out to disciplines beyond his
      core field. Many of his former colleagues and students will remember his desire
      to exchange research ideas, which ultimately contributed to the birth of new
      research fields.

PMID- 28621499
TI  - Dyslipidemia in patients with androgenetic alopecia. Statins, finasteride or
      both?

PMID- 28621498
TI  - Sustainable Production of o-Xylene from Biomass-Derived Pinacol and Acrolein.
AB  - o-Xylene (OX) is a large-volume commodity chemical that is conventionally
      produced from fossil fuels. In this study, an efficient and sustainable two-step
      route is used to produce OX from biomass-derived pinacol and acrolein. In the
      first step, the phosphotungstic acid (HPW)-catalyzed pinacol dehydration in 1
      ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([emim]Cl) selectively affords 2,3
      dimethylbutadiene. The high selectivity of this reaction can be ascribed to the H
      bonding interaction between Cl- and the hydroxy group of pinacol. The
      stabilization of the carbocation intermediate by the surrounding anion Cl- may be
      another reason for the high selectivity. Notably, the good reusability of the
      HPW/[emim]Cl system can reduce the waste output and production cost. In the
      second step, OX is selectively produced by a Diels-Alder reaction of 2,3
      dimethylbutadiene and acrolein, followed by a Pd/C-catalyzed
      decarbonylation/aromatization cascade in a one-pot fashion. The sustainable two
      step process efficiently produces renewable OX in 79 % overall yield.
      Analogously, biomass-derived crotonaldehyde and pinacol can also serve as the
      feedstocks for the production of 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene.

PMID- 28621500
TI  - Occupational skin disease - a major health problem in Europe.

PMID- 28621501
TI  - Medication non-adherence: the hidden problem in clinical practice.

PMID- 28621502
TI  - Amniotic membrane stimulates cell migration by modulating transforming growth
      factor-beta signalling.
AB  - Keratinocyte migration is a mandatory aspect of wound healing. We have previously
      shown that amniotic membrane (AM) applied to chronic wounds assists healing
      through a process resulting in the overexpression of c-Jun at the wound's leading
      edge. We have also demonstrated that AM modifies the genetic programme induced by
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in chronic wounds. Here we used a
      scratch assay of mink lung epithelial cells (Mv1Lu) and a spontaneously
      immortalized human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) cells to examine the influence
      of AM application on the underlying signalling during scratch closure. AM
      application induced c-Jun phosphorylation at the leading edge of scratch wounds
      in a process dependent on MAPK and JNK signalling. Strikingly, when the TGF-beta
      dependent Smad-activation inhibitor SB431542 was used together with AM, migration
      improvement was partially restrained, whereas the addition of TGF-beta had a
      synergistic effect on the AM-induced cell migration. Moreover, antagonizing TGF
      beta with specific antibodies in both cell lines or knocking out TGF-beta
      receptors in Mv1Lu cells had similar effects on cell migration as using SB431542.
      Furthermore, we found that AM was able to attenuate TGF-beta-Smad signalling
      specifically at the migrating edge; AM treatment abated Smad2 and Smad3 nuclear
      localization in response to TGF-beta in a process dependent on mitogen-activated
      protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) activation but independent of EGF receptor or JNK
      activation. The involvement of Smad signalling on AM effects on HaCaT
      keratinocytes was further corroborated by overexpression of either Smad2 or Smad3
      and the use of Smad phosphorylation-specific inhibitors, revealing a differential
      influence on AM-induced migration for each Smad. Thus, AM TGF-beta-Smad
      signalling abating is essential for optimal cell migration and wound closure.

PMID- 28621503
TI  - pH-Responsive Fluorescence Enhancement in Graphene Oxide-Naphthalimide
      Nanoconjugates: A Fluorescence Turn-On Sensor for Acetylcholine.
AB  - A pH-sensitive, fluorescence "turn-on" sensor based on a graphene oxide
      naphthalimide (GO-NI) nanoconjugate for the detection of acetylcholine (ACh) by
      monitoring the enzymatic activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in aqueous
      solution is reported. These nanoconjugates were synthesized by covalently
      anchoring picolyl-substituted NI derivatives on the GO/reduced GO surface through
      a 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide coupling
      strategy, and the morphological and photophysical properties were studied in
      detail. Synergistic effects of pi-pi interactions between GO and the NI
      chromophore, and efficient photoinduced electron- and energy-transfer processes,
      were responsible for the strong quenching of fluorescence of these
      nanoconjugates, which were perturbed under acidic pH conditions, leading to
      significant enhancement of fluorescence emission. This nanoconjugate was
      successfully employed for the efficient sensing of pH changes caused by the
      enzymatic activity of AChE, thereby demonstrating its utility as a fluorescence
      turn-on sensor for ACh in the neurophysiological range.

PMID- 28621506
TI  - Cover Image, Volume 175C, Number 2, June 2017.
AB  - The cover image, by Louise Pyle and Katherine Nathanson, is based on the Research
      Review A practical guide for evaluating gonadal germ cell tumor predisposition in
      differences of sex development, DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31562.

PMID- 28621507
TI  - Incorporating the joint toxicity of co-applied pesticides into the ecological
      risk assessment process.
AB  - Pesticides are frequently formulated as mixtures of active ingredients. Although
      traditionally ecological risk assessments (ERAs) have focused on individual
      active ingredients, there is an ongoing effort in many jurisdictions to more
      formally include assessment of mixtures. The overall goal of this project was to
      describe an approach for conducting ERA of jointly applied pesticides. We suggest
      that standard testing of formulation mixtures is not warranted due to the low
      probability of synergy occurring at a high-enough magnitude to be measurable
      above experimental variability. Thus, empirical testing should focus on
      formulations for which there is a greater likelihood of synergy due to known
      toxicological interactions of the pesticide class or a priori knowledge of
      synergy, such as intellectual property claims. Additionally, empirical testing
      should focus on species that are above levels of concern and limit testing on
      species for which it is unlikely that synergy would significantly change the
      outcome of the ERA. If empirical testing is warranted, we suggest that results be
      compared to the concentration addition model (CA). If the empirical data deviates
      from the model by a factor of greater than 5, then synergy is considered likely
      and the ERA is based on the empirical data. Otherwise, the ERA may use CA to
      calculate risk quotients or be based on the most toxic active ingredient. To
      evaluate the approach, we reviewed formulation mixtures for which data were
      available. Only 3 of 24 mixture studies were found to deviate from CA by more
      than 5. The majority of the studies had a single component that dominated
      toxicity, suggesting that the ERA for these formulations will not be meaningfully
      different if based on the most toxic active ingredient. Overall, this approach
      balances risk assessment conservatism and reduces testing that would likely not
      result in improvement of the ERA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:79-91. (c)
      2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28621508
TI  - Avoidance of parasitized host by female wasps of Aphidius gifuensis (Hymenoptera:
      Braconidae): The role of natal rearing effects and host availability?
AB  - Natal rearing experience of animals may affect their behaviors, such as habitat
      selection and oviposition decision. As part of the overall fitness of insect
      parasitoids, successful host discrimination (distinguishing parasitized hosts
      from unparasitized hosts) is of paramount importance. In this study we examined
      whether and how parasitoids' natal rearing experience would affect their host
      discrimination ability according to host availability. We established separate
      colonies of Aphidius gifuensis Ashmead by continual rearing on two hosts,
      Sitobion avenae F. and Myzus persicae (Suzler), and quantified self
      superparasitism and self superparasitism versus parasitism ratio for the four
      combinations of parasitoid colonies and host species (S. aveane and M. persicae)
      at four host densities (30, 50, 100 or 150 per plant). Results showed that self
      superparasitism of M. persicae by A. gifuensis reared on S. avenae was
      significantly higher than by those reared on M. persicae, no matter whether the
      host densities were 30, 50, 100 or 150. Aphidius gifuensis reared on M. persicae
      significantly superparasitized more S. avenae than those reared on S. aveane only
      when host density was 30. Self superparasitism versus parasitism ratio of A.
      gifuensis from both colonies was always lower on natal hosts than on new hosts,
      and the difference was more pronounced as the host density decreased. These
      results suggested that natal rearing effects is important on host discrimination
      and oviposition decision of the parasitoid A. gifuensis. These effects promoted
      the parasitoid's host adaptation and made them confer greater fitness.

PMID- 28621509
TI  - The risk of anastomotic leakage after anterior resection: retrospective analysis
      of 501 rectal cancer patients operated without protective stoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to verify the accuracy of the existing
      scoring system for the assessment of anastomotic leakage risk after anterior
      resection and to identify additional risk factors that were not included in this
      classification. METHODS: The study included 501 consecutive rectal cancer
      patients who underwent anterior resection without formation of protective stoma.
      The risk for anastomotic leakage was determined using a previously proposed
      scoring system based on three factors: male sex, intraoperative blood loss and
      level of anastomosis. RESULTS: Symptomatic leakage occurred in 12.2% (61/501) of
      our patients. Lower level of anastomosis (P<0.001) and longer duration of surgery
      (P=0.018) were identified as independent risk factors for the leakage.
      Anastomotic dehiscence occurred in 7.3% (24/327), 20.1% (29/144) and 26.7% (8/30)
      of patients at low, intermediate and high risk of leakage according to the
      previously proposed scoring system. No differences were found in the leakage
      rates of patients from the intermediate and high risk groups (20.1% vs. 26.7%,
      P=0.427, RR=0.755 (95% CI: 0.384-1.486). CONCLUSIONS: The new scoring system is
      necessary for the identification of patients at increased risk of anastomotic
      leakage after anterior resection.

PMID- 28621510
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis: an analysis of early versus
      delayed cholecystectomy and predictive factors for conversion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is an increasing preference for early laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy (ELC) as compared to delayed LC (DLC) in the management of acute
      cholecystitis (AC). Conversion to open cholecystectomy (LOC) remains an important
      outcome. We aim to compare ELC and DLC outcomes and identify LOC predictors.
      METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 466 patients who underwent LC for AC from June
      2010 to June 2015 was performed. Patients were divided into ELC and DLC groups,
      defined as LC performed within 7 days and between 4 to 24 weeks of symptom onset,
      respectively. Peri-operative outcomes and predictors for LOC were analyzed.
      RESULTS: Conversion rates were comparable [ELC, 8.6% vs. DLC, 8.0%] (P=0.867).
      While median operative time was longer in ELC (101.5 min [83.0-130.1]) than DLC
      (88.0 min [62.3-118.8]) (P<0.001), intraoperative (ELC, 1.9% vs. DLC, 3.0%;
      P=0.541) and postoperative morbidity (ELC, 13.5% vs. DLC, 12.5%; P=0.688) was
      comparable. Median total length of stay (LOS) was shorter in ELC (4 days [3-6])
      than DLC (5 days [4-9]) (P<0.001). Univariate analysis showed increased age (LC,
      57 [45-66] vs. LOC, 60 [56-72]; P=0.016), presence of comorbidities (LC, 69.0%
      vs. LOC, 87.8%; P=0.009), previous abdominal surgery (LC, 6.1% vs. LOC, 17.1%;
      P=0.014), fever (P=0.001), Murphy's sign (P=0.005) and lower albumin (LC, 42.0
      [39.0-45.0] vs. LOC, 40.0 [36.0-43.0]; P=0.003) to be predictors for LOC.
      CONCLUSIONS: ELC provides shorter LOS and eliminates the risk of gallstone
      related morbidity while awaiting surgery. It should be advocated for patients
      with AC. The presence of comorbidities, increased age, previous abdominal surgery
      and low albumin are predictors for conversion.

PMID- 28621511
TI  - Pregnancy and bariatric surgery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A large number of women experience pregnancy after bariatric
      surgery. The purpose of this review was to understand the evidence base in this
      area to come up with practical, evidence-based recommendations. EVIDENCE
      ACQUISITION: We examined PubMed for all published articles on pregnancy in
      patients who have previously undergone a bariatric surgery. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS:
      There is an increasing body of evidence pointing towards a beneficial effect of
      weight loss induced by bariatric surgery on female and male fertility prompting
      calls for recognition of infertility as a qualifying co-morbidity for patients
      between the Body Mass Index of 35.0 kg/m2 and 40.0 kg/m2. Women in childbearing
      age group should be routinely offered contraceptive advice after bariatric
      surgery and advised to avoid pregnancy until their weight has stabilized. Until
      more focused studies are available, the advice to wait for 12 months or 2 months
      after the weight loss has stabilized, whichever is latter, seems reasonable.
      Patients should be advised to seek clearance from their bariatric teams prior to
      conception and looked after by a multi-disciplinary team of women health
      professionals, bariatric surgeons, and dietitians during pregnancy. The main
      objective of care is to ensure adequate nutritional state to allow for a
      satisfactory weight gain and fetal growth. CONCLUSIONS: There is a relative lack
      of studies and complete lack of Level 1 evidence to inform practice in this area.
      This review summarizes current literature and makes a number of practical
      suggestions for routine care of these women while we develop evidence to better
      inform future practice.

PMID- 28621512
TI  - Endovascular redo aortic surgery.
AB  - Endovascular redo aortic operations are a challenging undertaking. Techniques for
      treatment date almost as far back as the original open repair itself. Risk
      factors for failure following aortic repair include larger abdominal aortic
      aneurysm necks, severe neck angulation, as well as clinical variables such as
      age, family history, obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The
      armamentarium of endovascular treatments is vast and increasing. Aside from
      provisional embolization of endoleaks or deferment to open repair conversion,
      attention should be directed toward obtaining adequate proximal and distal
      sealing. This can be achieved with Palmaz stents, endoanchors, and extension with
      fenestrated or branched endovascular repair. Thoracic aortic coverage may be
      required, and revascularization of the left subclavian artery should be
      considered. Technical issues such as these, as well as target vessel cannulation
      and accommodation of the new graft within the previous implanted graft, require
      experience and careful planning. Distal extension can likewise resolve a failing
      repair, and this may require the use of internal iliac artery embolization or
      iliac-branch devices. Redo aortic operations are technically demanding and are
      carried out with increased risks. Improving technology, such as fusion imaging,
      should mitigate some of this risk and are recommended.

PMID- 28621513
TI  - Topological Insulator Bi2Se3/Si-Nanowire-Based p-n Junction Diode for High
      Performance Near-Infrared Photodetector.
AB  - Chemically derived topological insulator Bi2Se3 nanoflake/Si nanowire (SiNWs)
      heterojunctions were fabricated employing all eco-friendly cost-effective
      chemical route for the first time. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed proper
      phase formation of Bi2Se3 nanoflakes. The morphological features of the
      individual components and time-evolved hybrid structures were studied using field
      emission scanning electron microscope. High resolution transmission electron
      microscopic studies were performed to investigate the actual nature of junction
      whereas elemental distributions at junction, along with overall stoichiometry of
      the samples were analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray studies. Temperature
      dependent current-voltage characteristics and variation of barrier height and
      ideality factor was studied between 50 and 300 K. An increase in barrier height
      and decrease in the ideality factor were observed with increasing temperature for
      the sample. The rectification ratio (I+/I-) for SiNWs substrate over pristine Si
      substrate under dark and near-infrared (NIR) irradiation of 890 nm was found to
      be 3.63 and 10.44, respectively. Furthermore, opto-electrical characterizations
      were performed for different light power intensities and highest photo
      responsivity and detectivity were determined to be 934.1 A/W and 2.30 * 1013
      Jones, respectively. Those values are appreciably higher than previous reports
      for topological insulator based devices. Thus, this work establishes a hybrid
      system based on topological insulator Bi2Se3 nanoflake and Si nanowire as the
      newest efficient candidate for advanced optoelectronic materials.

PMID- 28621514
TI  - In Vitro and in Vivo Analysis of Mineralized Collagen-Based Sponges Prepared by a
      Plasma- and Precursor-Assisted Biomimetic Process.
AB  - Three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds for supporting cell adhesion and growth
      play a vital role in tissue engineering applications. In the present study, three
      different collagen-based 3D sponges were functionalized by apatite coating. The
      sponges were coated with apatite on their outer and inner surfaces while
      retaining their interconnecting pores. To achieve this, we employed a vacuum
      degassing system in our plasma- and precursor-assisted biomimetic process using a
      supersaturated calcium phosphate solution. The resulting apatite-coated sponges
      (mineralized sponges) showed better cell adhesion properties in vitro for
      osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells compared to that of uncoated sponges. The three
      mineralized sponges were implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Upon
      histological evaluation after 10 days, the mineralized sponges showed cell in
      growth rates that were approximately 4-fold greater than those of the untreated
      sponges without any notable inflammatory reactions. As these sponges are composed
      of clinically approved collagen-based frameworks and possess a 3D porous
      structure with a mineralized surface appropriate for cell adhesion and
      internalization, further in vitro and in vivo studies should be conducted
      regarding tissue engineering applications.

PMID- 28621515
TI  - On-Demand Capture and Release of Organic Droplets Using Surfactant-Doped
      Polypyrrole Surfaces.
AB  - In this paper, we demonstrate the controlled capture and release of
      dichloromethane (DCM) droplets on dodecylbenzenesulfonate-doped polypyrrole
      (PPy(DBS)) surfaces in an aqueous environment. The droplets captured on oxidized
      PPy(DBS) surfaces were released on-demand via a reduction process at ~0.9 V, with
      controlled release time and droplet morphology. The release time of an entire
      droplet (2 +/- 1 MUL) was proportional to the thickness of the PPy(DBS) coating,
      increasing from 11.5 to 26.3 s for thicknesses ranging from 0.6 to 5.1 MUm. The
      droplet-release time was also affected by the redox voltages, and among the
      tested redox voltages, the fastest release was achieved at -0.9/0.1 V. The
      PPy(DBS) surfaces with larger thicknesses were more durable for the droplet
      capture and release. The droplets were more rapidly released from PPy(DBS)
      surfaces with increased surface roughness ratios, such as 6.0 s on a
      micropillared surface and 10.3 s on a meshed surface, as compared to 14.6 s on
      the 1.8 MUm thick PPy(DBS) surfaces coated on frosted-glass substrates (i.e.,
      with random microstructures). The release of a single droplet was achieved by
      increasing the underwater oleophobicity of PPy(DBS) surface via O2 plasma
      treatment.

PMID- 28621516
TI  - Proton Conductivity of Proton Exchange Membrane Synergistically Promoted by
      Different Functionalized Metal-Organic Frameworks.
AB  - In this study, two functionalized metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66-SO3H
      and UiO-66-NH2, were synthesized. Then, different composite proton exchange
      membranes (PEMs) were prepared by single doping and codoping of these two MOFs,
      respectively. It was found that codoping of these two MOFs with suitable sizes
      was more conducive to the proton conductivity enhancement of the composite PEM. A
      synergistic effect between these two MOFs led to the the formation of more
      consecutive hydration channels in the composite PEM. It further greatly promoted
      the proton conductivity of the composite PEM. The proton conductivity of the
      codoped PEM reached up to 0.256 S/cm under 90  degrees C, 95% RH, which was ~1.17
      times higher than that of the recast Nafion (0.118 S/cm). Besides, the methanol
      permeability of the codoped PEM was prominently decreased owing to the methanol
      trapping effect of the pores of these two MOFs. Meanwhile, the high water and
      thermal stabilities of these two MOFs were beneficial to the high proton
      conductivity stability of the codoped PEM under high humidity and high
      temperature. The proton conductivity of the codoped PEM was almost unchanged
      throughout 3000 min of testing under 90  degrees C, 95% RH. This work provides a
      valuable reference for designing different functionalized MOFs to synergistically
      promote the proton conductivities of PEMs.

PMID- 28621517
TI  - Simultaneous Measurements of Mass and Collisional Cross-Section of Single Ions
      with Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - The masses and mobilities of single multiply charged ions of cytochrome c,
      ubiquitin, myoglobin, and bovine serum albumin formed by electrospray ionization
      are measured using charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS). Single ions are
      trapped and repeatedly measured as they oscillate inside an electrostatic ion
      trap with cone electrodes for up to the maximum trapping time set at 500 ms. The
      histograms of the many single ion oscillation frequencies have resolved peaks
      that correspond to the different charge states of each protein. The m/z of each
      ion is determined from the initial oscillation frequency histogram, and the
      evolution of the ion energy with time is obtained from the changing frequency. A
      short-time Fourier transform of the time-domain data indicates that the increase
      in ion frequency occurs gradually with time with occasional sudden jumps in
      frequency. The frequency jumps are similar for each protein and may be caused by
      collision-induced changes in the ion trajectory. The rate of the gradual
      frequency shift increases with protein mass and charge state. This gradual
      frequency change is due to ion energy loss from collisions with the background
      gas. The total energy lost by an ion is determined from the latter frequency
      shifts normalized to a 500 ms lifetime, and these values increase nearly linearly
      with measured collisional cross-sections for these protein ions. These results
      show that the mass and collisional cross-section of single multiply charged ions
      can be obtained from these CDMS measurements by using proteins with known
      collisional cross-sections for calibration.

PMID- 28621518
TI  - Photoelectrochemical Bioanalysis Platform for Cells Monitoring Based on Dual
      Signal Amplification Using in Situ Generation of Electron Acceptor Coupled with
      Heterojunction.
AB  - By using in situ generation of electron acceptor coupled with heterojunction as
      dual signal amplification, a simple photoelectrochemical (PEC) bioanalysis
      platform was designed. The synergic effect between the photoelectrochemical (PEC)
      activities of carbon nitride (C3N4) nanosheets and PbS quantum dots (QDs)
      achieved almost nine-fold photocurrent intensity increment compared with the C3N4
      alone. After the G-quadruplex/hemin/Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with catalase-like
      activity toward H2O2 were introduced, oxygen was in situ generated and acted as
      electron donor by improving charge separation efficiency and further enhancing
      photocurrent response. The dually amplified signal made enough sensitivity for
      monitoring H2O2 released from live cells. The photocathode was prepared by the
      stepwise assembly of C3N4 nanosheets and PbS QDs on indium tin oxide (ITO)
      electrode, which was characterized by scanning electron microscope. A signal-on
      protocol was achieved for H2O2 detection in vitro due to the relevance of
      photocurrent on the concentration of H2O2. Under the optimized condition, the
      fabricated PEC bioanalysis platform exhibited a linear range of 10-7000 MUM with
      a detection limit of 1.05 MUM at S/N of 3. Besides, the bioanalysis platform
      displayed good selectivity against other reductive biological species. By using
      HepG2 cells as a model, a dual signal amplifying PEC bioanalysis platform for
      monitoring cells was developed. The bioanalysis platform was successfully applied
      to the detection of H2O2 release from live cells, which provided a novel method
      for cells monitoring and would have prospect in clinical assay.

PMID- 28621519
TI  - Mildred S. Dresselhaus (1930-2017): A Pinnacle of Scholarship.

PMID- 28621520
TI  - Homogeneously Sensitive Detection of Multiple DNA Glycosylases with Intrinsically
      Fluorescent Nucleotides.
AB  - DNA glycosylases are responsible for recognition and excision of the damaged
      bases in the base excision repair pathway, and all mammals express multiple DNA
      glycosylases to maintain genome stability. However, simultaneous detection of
      multiple DNA glycosylase still remains a great challenge. Here, we develop a
      rapid and sensitive fluorescent method for simultaneous detection of human 8-oxoG
      DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) and uracil DNA glycolase (UDG) using exonuclease
      assisted recycling signal amplification in combination with fluorescent bases 2
      aminopurine (2-AP) and pyrrolo-dC (P-dC) as the fluorophores. We design a
      bifunctional DNA probe modified with one 8-oxoG and five uracil bases, which can
      hybridize with the trigger probes to form a sandwiched DNA substrate for hOGG1
      and UDG. In addition, we design 2-AP and P-dC signal probes as the hairpin
      structures with 2-AP and P-dC in the stems. The presence of hOGG1 and UDG may
      initiate the signal amplification process by the recycling lambda exonuclease
      digestion and generates distinct fluorescence signals, with 2-AP indicating the
      presence of hOGG1 and P-dC indicating the presence of UDG. This method can
      simultaneously detect multiple DNA glycosylases with the detection limits of
      0.0035 U/mL for hOGG1 and 0.0025 U/mL for UDG, and it can even measure DNA
      glycosylases at the single-cell level. Moreover, this method can be applied for
      the measurement of enzyme kinetic parameters and the screening of DNA glycosylase
      inhibitors, holding great potential for further applications in biomedical
      research and clinical diagnosis.

PMID- 28621521
TI  - In Situ Live-Cell Nucleus Fluorescence Labeling with Bioinspired Fluorescent
      Probes.
AB  - Fluorescent imaging techniques for visualization of nuclear structure and
      function in live cells are fundamentally important for exploring major cellular
      events. The ideal cellular labeling method is capable of realizing label-free, in
      situ, real-time, and long-term nucleus labeling in live cells, which can fully
      obtain the nucleus-relative information and effectively alleviate negative
      effects of alien probes on cellular metabolism. However, current established
      fluorescent probes-based strategies (e.g., fluorescent proteins-, organic dyes-,
      fluorescent organic/inorganic nanoparticles-based imaging techniques) are unable
      to simultaneously realize label-free, in situ, long-term, and real-time nucleus
      labeling, resulting in inevitable difficulties in fully visualizing nuclear
      structure and function in live cells. To this end, we present a type of
      bioinspired fluorescent probes, which are highly efficacious for in situ and
      label-free tracking of nucleus in long-term and real-time manners. Typically, the
      bioinspired polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles, served as fluorescent probes, can
      be readily synthesized in situ within live cell nucleus without any further
      modifications under physiological conditions (37  degrees C, pH ~7.4). Compared
      with other conventional nuclear dyes (e.g., propidium iodide (PI), Hoechst),
      superior spectroscopic properties (e.g., quantum yield of ~35.8% and high
      photostability) and low cytotoxicity of PDA-based probes enable long-term (e.g.,
      3 h) fluorescence tracking of nucleus. We also demonstrate the generality of this
      type of bioinspired fluorescent probes in different cell lines and complex
      biological samples.

PMID- 28621523
TI  - Mussel-Inspired Hyaluronic Acid Derivative Nanostructures for Improved Tumor
      Targeting and Penetration.
AB  - An amphiphilic hyaluronic acid-ceramide-dopamine (HACE-d) conjugate was prepared,
      and HACE-d-based nanoparticles (NPs) including phloretin (as an inhibitor of
      glucose transporter (GLUT1)) were fabricated. Mussel-inspired property of d was
      introduced to HACE NPs, and it may improve tumor targetability and penetration in
      addition to passive (based on enhanced permeability and retention effect) and
      active (interaction between HA and CD44 receptor) tumor targeting effects. HACE
      d/phloretin NPs with 279 nm mean diameter, ~0.2 polydispersity index, and -18 mV
      zeta potential were successfully fabricated, and a sustained drug release pattern
      was observed. HACE-d/phloretin NPs exhibited enhanced cellular accumulation
      efficiency and antiproliferation property, compared with HACE/phloretin NPs, in
      MDA-MB-231 cells (GLUT1 and CD44 receptor-expressed human breast adenocarcinoma
      cells). In a MDA-MB-231 spheroid model, HACE-d NPs group showed better tumor
      penetration efficiency and spheroid growth inhibitory effect rather than HACE NPs
      group. According to the optical imaging test in MDA-MB-231 tumor-xenografted
      mouse, HACE-d NPs group exhibited more selective distribution in tumor region and
      deeper infiltration into the inner part of tumor compared with HACE NPs group.
      After intravenous injection, HACE-d/phloretin NPs group also exhibited improved
      antitumor efficacies rather than the other experimental groups in MDA-MB-231
      tumor-xenografted mouse. All these findings suggested that HACE-d/phloretin NP
      may be a promising tumor targetable and penetrable nanosystem for the therapy and
      imaging of GLUT1 and CD44 receptor-expressed cancers.

PMID- 28621522
TI  - Formation and Structure of Wild Type Huntingtin Exon-1 Fibrils.
AB  - The fact that the heritable neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD)
      is autosomal dominant means that there is one wild type and one mutant allele in
      most HD patients. The CAG repeat expansion in the exon 1 of the protein
      huntingtin (HTTex1) that causes the disease leads to the formation of HTT fibrils
      in vitro and vivo. An important question for understanding the molecular
      mechanism of HD is which role wild type HTT plays for the formation, propagation,
      and structure of these HTT fibrils. Here we report that fibrils of mutant HTTex1
      are able to seed the aggregation of wild type HTTex1 into amyloid fibrils, which
      in turn can seed the fibril formation of mutant HTTex1. Solid-state NMR and
      electron paramagnetic resonance data showed that wild type HTTex1 fibrils closely
      resemble the structure of mutant fibrils, with small differences indicating a
      less extended fibril core. These data suggest that wild type fibrils can
      faithfully perpetuate the structure of mutant fibrils in HD. However, wild type
      HTTex1 monomers have a much higher equilibrium solubility compared to mutant
      HTTex1, and only a small fraction incorporates into fibrils.

PMID- 28621524
TI  - Harnessing the Power of Nanotechnology for Enhanced Radiation Therapy.
AB  - Radiotherapy has emerged as one of the first lines of treatment in oncology. The
      past few decades have seen dramatic changes in the delivery of radiation therapy,
      with dose fractionation and treatment planning being the major focuses of
      research. Although effective, such empirical approaches are hardly optimal, and
      instances of patient mortality and tumor relapse are not rare. In this
      Perspective, we review the emerging technologies for optimization of
      radiosensitization, hypoxia modulation, and combinatorial therapeutic regimes for
      improved treatment outcomes in preclinical tumor models, with a focus on
      nanotechnology-mediated approaches. Such an approach is expected to open more
      productive avenues in the advancement of radiation therapy compared to simply
      modulating the radiation dose delivered to the tumor.

PMID- 28621525
TI  - Correction to Bond Fission and Non-Radiative Decay in Iridium(III) Complexes.

PMID- 28621526
TI  - Orthogonal Mass Spectrometry-Based Footprinting for Epitope Mapping and
      Structural Characterization: The IL-6 Receptor upon Binding of Protein
      Therapeutics.
AB  - Higher-order structure (HOS) is a crucial determinant for the biological
      functions and quality attributes of protein therapeutics. Mass spectrometry (MS)
      based protein footprinting approaches play an important role in elucidating the
      relationship between protein biophysical properties and structure. Here, we
      describe the use of a combined method including hydrogen-deuterium exchange
      (HDX), fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP), and site-specific
      carboxyl group footprinting to investigate the HOS of protein and protein
      complexes. The work focuses on implementing complementary solution-phase
      footprinting approaches that differ in time scale, specificity for protein
      residue side chains vs backbone as well as selectivity for different residue
      types to map integratively the epitope of human interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R)
      for two adnectins with distinct affinities (Kd, Adnectin1 ~ 6.2 pM vs Kd,
      Adnectin2 ~ 46 nM). Furthermore, the study evaluates the resultant
      conformation/dynamic change of IL-6R. The suggested epitope, which is conserved
      for adnectin1 and adnectin2 binding, is a flexible loop that connects two beta
      strands in the cytokine-binding domain (DII) of IL-6R. We also found that
      adnectin1, the more strongly binding ligand, induces structural perturbations on
      two unstructured loops that are distally located beyond the epitope. Those
      changes are either attenuated or not detected for the case of adnectin2 binding.
      In addition to providing credibility in epitope determination, utilization of
      those combined approaches reveals the structural effects that can differentiate
      protein therapeutics with apparently similar biophysical properties.

PMID- 28621527
TI  - Dielectrophoretic-Assembled Single and Parallel-Aligned Ag Nanowire-ZnO-Branched
      Nanorod Heteronanowire Ultraviolet Photodetectors.
AB  - The branched hierarchical heteronanowires have been widely studied for
      optoelectronics application because of their unique electronic and photonic
      performances. Here, we successfully synthesized Ag nanowire-ZnO-branched nanorod
      heteronanowires based on an improved hydrothermal method. Then we fabricated
      single heteronanowire across a Au electrode pair with different gap widths and
      parallel-aligned heteronanowires on a Au interdigitated electrode with a
      dielectrophoresis method, indicating the flexibility and operability of the
      dielectrophoresis assembly method. Increased photocurrent and shortened response
      time could be obtained by air-annealing and Ar-plasma post-treatments. A large
      responsivity of 2.5 A W-1 and a linear dynamic range of 74 dB could be obtained,
      indicating stable responsivity for both weak and strong illumination. The
      excellent photoresponse performance is attributed to the structure superiority of
      heteronanowires. The proposed strategy of dielectrophoresis-assembled
      heteronanowires provides a new opportunity to design and fabricate hierarchical
      nanostructure photodetectors.

PMID- 28621529
TI  - Domino Direct Arylation and Cross-Aldol for Rapid Construction of Extended
      Polycyclic pi-Scaffolds.
AB  - Five-membered aromatic heterocycles are a ubiquitous skeleton of pi-conjugated
      organic compounds, and their incorporation requires synthetic protocols that are
      not easily industrially sustainable or scalable. Improved methodologies for their
      insertion into pi-scaffolds are therefore necessary. We report an efficient and
      scalable protocol involving a one-pot cross-Aldol direct arylation reaction
      protocol for the rapid construction of thiophene- and furan-based pi-extended
      organic materials.

PMID- 28621528
TI  - Unsupervised Discovery and Comparison of Structural Families Across Multiple
      Samples in Untargeted Metabolomics.
AB  - In untargeted metabolomics approaches, the inability to structurally annotate
      relevant features and map them to biochemical pathways is hampering the full
      exploitation of many metabolomics experiments. Furthermore, variable metabolic
      content across samples result in sparse feature matrices that are statistically
      hard to handle. Here, we introduce MS2LDA+ that tackles both above-mentioned
      problems. Previously, we presented MS2LDA, which extracts biochemically relevant
      molecular substructures ("Mass2Motifs") from a collection of fragmentation
      spectra as sets of co-occurring molecular fragments and neutral losses, thereby
      recognizing building blocks of metabolomics. Here, we extend MS2LDA to handle
      multiple metabolomics experiments in one analysis, resulting in MS2LDA+. By
      linking Mass2Motifs across samples, we expose the variability in prevalence of
      structurally related metabolite families. We validate the differential prevalence
      of substructures between two distinct samples groups and apply it to fecal
      samples. Subsequently, within one sample group of urines, we rank the Mass2Motifs
      based on their variance to assess whether xenobiotic-derived substructures are
      among the most-variant Mass2Motifs. Indeed, we could ascribe 22 out of the 30
      most-variant Mass2Motifs to xenobiotic-derived substructures including
      paracetamol/acetaminophen mercapturate and dimethylpyrogallol. In total, we
      structurally characterized 101 Mass2Motifs with biochemically or chemically
      relevant substructures. Finally, we combined the discovered metabolite families
      with full scan feature intensity information to obtain insight into core
      metabolites present in most samples and rare metabolites present in small subsets
      now linked through their common substructures. We conclude that by biochemical
      grouping of metabolites across samples MS2LDA+ aids in structural annotation of
      metabolites and guides prioritization of analysis by using Mass2Motif prevalence.

PMID- 28621530
TI  - Tailoring the Oxygen Reduction Activity of Hemoglobin through Immobilization
      within Microporous Organic Polymer-Graphene Composite.
AB  - A facile one-pot, bottom-up approach to construct composite materials of graphene
      and a pyrimidine-based porous-organic polymer (PyPOP), as host for immobilizing
      human hemoglobin (Hb) biofunctional molecules, is reported. The graphene was
      selected because of its excellent electrical conductivity, while the PyPOP was
      utilized because of its pronounced permanent microporosity and chemical
      functionality. This approach enabled enclathration of the hemoglobin within the
      microporous composite through a ship-in-a-bottle process, where the composite of
      the PyPOP@G was constructed from its molecular precursors, under mild reaction
      conditions. The composite-enclathrated Fe-protoporphyrin-IX demonstrated
      electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction, as a functional
      metallocomplex, yet with a distinct microenvironment provided by the globin
      protein. This approach delineates a pathway for platform microporous functional
      solids, where fine-tuning of functionality is facilitated by judicious choice of
      the active host molecules or complexes, targeting specific application.

PMID- 28621531
TI  - Parallels and Distinctions in FGFR, VEGFR, and EGFR Mechanisms of Transmembrane
      Signaling.
AB  - Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signal transduction is essential in human
      skeletal, nervous, and vascular development, in homeostasis, and in disease. RTKs
      are activated by dimerization in the plasma membrane. The mechanisms of receptor
      dimerization and activation are multifaceted and complex, and unraveling them
      remains challenging. Most studies of RTKs have been devoted to crystallographic
      analysis of their isolated extracellular domain and biochemical analysis of the
      catalytic domain. However, the past few years have seen direct biophysical
      studies of (intact) RTK dimerization in native membranes lead to significant
      progress in our fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of their signal
      transduction across the plasma membrane. This perspective focuses on recent
      insights into the mechanisms of fibroblast growth factor receptor and vascular
      endothelial growth factor receptor transmembrane signaling, derived from studies
      of wild-type and mutant RTKs in a number of environments, including plasma
      membrane-derived vesicles. These insights reveal distinct steps in and factors of
      RTK signaling across the plasma membrane that can guide the drug discovery
      process for RTK targeting therapeutics.

PMID- 28621532
TI  - Synthesis of Luminescent Platinum(II) 2,6-Bis(N-dodecylbenzimidazol-2'
      yl)pyridine Foldamers and Their Supramolecular Assembly and Metallogel Formation.
AB  - Dinuclear alkynylplatinum(II) metallofoldamers with an oligomeric m
      phenyleneethynylene backbone have been designed with the incorporation of a
      sterically undemanding, pi-conjugated, and hydrophobic 2,6-bis(N
      dodecylbenzimidazol-2'-yl)pyridine pincer ligand. The complex with the optimal
      chain length has been found to exhibit gelation behavior via stabilization by
      noncovalent Pt...Pt and pi-pi stacking interactions in the hierarchical
      architecture constructed from the single-turn helix. The chain lengths of the
      complexes have been found to be a critical determinant for their gelation
      behavior, conformations, and morphologies. Such a gelation process has been found
      to undergo a cooperative assembly mechanism according to the nucleation
      elongation model. Their self-assembly via the Pt...Pt and pi-pi stacking
      interactions has been studied by 1H NMR, 2D ROESY NMR (ROESY = rotating-frame
      Overhauser spectroscopy), electronic absorption, and emission spectroscopy, and
      density functional theory calculations have provided further insights into the
      folded state geometry of this class of metallofoldamers.

PMID- 28621533
TI  - Regioselective Rh-Catalyzed Hydroformylation of 1,1,3-Trisubstituted Allenes
      Using BisDiazaPhos Ligand.
AB  - The efficient hydroformylation of 1,1,3-trisubstituted allenes is accomplished
      with low loadings of a Rh catalyst supported by a BisDiazaPhos (BDP) ligand. The
      ligand identity is key to achieving high regioselectivity, while the mild
      reaction conditions minimize competing isomerization and hydrogenation to produce
      beta,gamma-unsaturated aldehydes and their derivatives in excellent yields.

PMID- 28621534
TI  - Construction of an Immunized Rabbit Phage Display Library for Selecting High
      Activity against Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1F Toxin Single-Chain Antibodies.
AB  - In the present study, a Cry1F-immunized rabbit phage display library (6.96 * 108
      cfu/mL) was constructed for selecting high activity of anti-Cry1F toxin single
      chain antibody (a single-chain variable fragment, scFv) by biopanning. A total of
      16 positive monoclonal phage scFv's were obtained after 4 rounds of panning,
      which were identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), polymerized
      chain reaction, and DNA sequencing. The most positive phage scFv (named RF4) was
      expressed in Escherichia coli HB2151, and a soluble protein of approximately 30
      kDa was purified with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
      An indirect competitive ELISA (IC-ELISA) was established on the basis of purified
      soluble RF4-scFv for Cry1F toxin. It indicated the 50% inhibition of the control
      (IC50) was 11.56 ng/mL and the detection limit (IC10) was 0.18 ng/mL and showed
      weak cross-reactivities for Cry1Ab (2.8%), Cry1Ac (1.3%), and Cry1B, Cry1C,
      Cry1Ie, and Cry2A (less than 0.1%). It was found that IC-ELISA detected Cry1F
      toxin spiked in rice, wheat, corn, and soil samples with good accuracy,
      stability, and repeatability. The recoveries were in the range of 80.2-99.6%, and
      the coefficients of variation were in the range of 2.5-10.0%. These results
      showed that IC-ELISA based on scFv from the immunized rabbit phage display
      library was promising for specific detection of Cry1F toxin in agroproducts and
      environmental samples.

PMID- 28621535
TI  - Effects of Frothers and Oil at Saltwater-Air Interfaces for Oil Separation:
      Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Experimental Measurements.
AB  - Separating oil from saltwater is a process relevant to some industries and may be
      aided by bubble and froth generation. Simulating saltwater-air interfaces
      adsorbed with surfactants and oil molecules can assist in understanding froth
      stability to improve separation. Combining with surface tension experimental
      measurements, in this work we employ molecular dynamics with a united-atom force
      field to linear alkane oil and three surfactant frothers, methyl isobutyl
      carbinol (MIBC), terpineol, and ethyl glycol butyl ether (EGBE), to investigate
      their synergistic behaviors for oil separation. The interfacial phenomena were
      measured for a range of frother surface coverages on saltwater. Density profiles
      of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions of the frothers show an expected
      orientation of alcohol groups adsorbing to the polar water. A decrease in surface
      tension with increasing surface coverage of MIBC and terpineol was observed and
      reflected in experiments where the frother concentration increased. Relations
      between surface coverage and bulk concentration were observed by comparing the
      surface tension decreases. Additionally, a range of oil surface coverages was
      explored when the interface has a thin layer of adsorbed frother molecules. The
      obtained results indicate that an increase in surface coverage of oil molecules
      led to an increase in surface tension for all frother types and the pair
      correlation functions depicted MIBC and terpineol as having higher distributions
      with water at closer distances than with oil.

PMID- 28621536
TI  - Substituent Effect on the sigma- and pi-Electron Structure of the Nitro Group and
      the Ring in Meta- and Para-Substituted Nitrobenzenes.
AB  - An application of quantum chemical modeling allowed us to investigate a
      substituent effect on a sigma and pi electron structure of a ring and the nitro
      group in a series of meta- and para-X-substituted nitrobenzene derivatives (X =
      NMe2, NHMe, NH2, OH, OMe, Me, H, F, Cl, CF3, CN, CHO, COMe, CONH2, COOH, NO2, and
      NO). The obtained pEDA and sEDA parameters (the pi- and sigma-electron structure
      characteristics of a given planar fragment of the system obtained by the
      summation of pi- and sigma-orbital occupancies, respectively) of the NO2 group
      and the benzene ring allowed us to reveal the impact of the substituents on their
      mutual relations as well as to analyze them from the viewpoint of substituent
      characteristics. The decisive factor for dependence of pEDA on sEDA of the ring
      is electronegativity of the atom linking the substituent with the ring; in
      subgroups an increase of sEDA is associated with a decrease of pEDA. The obtained
      mutual relation between pEDA(NO2) and pEDA(ring) characteristics documents strong
      resonance interactions for electron-donating substituents in the para position.
      The observed substituent effect on the sigma-electron structure of the nitro
      group, sEDA(NO2), is significantly greater (~1.6 times) for meta derivatives than
      for the para ones.

PMID- 28621537
TI  - Electrochemical Deposition of Conformal and Functional Layers on High Aspect
      Ratio Silicon Micro/Nanowires.
AB  - Development of new synthetic methods for the modification of nanostructures has
      accelerated materials design advances to furnish complex architectures.
      Structures based on one-dimensional (1D) silicon (Si) structures synthesized
      using top-down and bottom-up methods are especially prominent for diverse
      applications in chemistry, physics, and medicine. Yet further elaboration of
      these structures with distinct metal-based and polymeric materials, which could
      open up new opportunities, has been difficult. We present a general
      electrochemical method for the deposition of conformal layers of various
      materials onto high aspect ratio Si micro- and nanowire arrays. The
      electrochemical deposition of a library of coaxial layers comprising metals,
      metal oxides, and organic/inorganic semiconductors demonstrate the materials
      generality of the synthesis technique. Depositions may be performed on wire
      arrays with varying diameter (70 nm to 4 MUm), pitch (5 MU to 15 MU), aspect
      ratio (4:1 to 75:1), shape (cylindrical, conical, hourglass), resistivity (0.001
      0.01 to 1-10 ohm/cm2), and substrate orientation. Anisotropic physical etching of
      wires with one or more coaxial shells yields 1D structures with exposed tips that
      can be further site-specifically modified by an electrochemical deposition
      approach. The electrochemical deposition methodology described herein features a
      wafer-scale synthesis platform for the preparation of multifunctional nanoscale
      devices based on a 1D Si substrate.

PMID- 28621539
TI  - Dual Role of H2O2 in Palladium-Catalyzed Dioxygenation of Terminal Alkenes.
AB  - A palladium-catalyzed, environmentally friendly dioxygenation reaction of simple
      alkenes has been developed that enabled rapid assembly of valuable alpha-hydroxy
      ketones with high atom economy. Notably, control experiments and 18O isotope
      labeling experiments established that H2O2 played a dominant dual role in this
      transformation.

PMID- 28621538
TI  - Discovery of Highly Potent and Selective Small-Molecule Reversible Factor D
      Inhibitors Demonstrating Alternative Complement Pathway Inhibition in Vivo.
AB  - The highly specific S1 serine protease factor D (FD) plays a central role in the
      amplification of the complement alternative pathway (AP) of the innate immune
      system. Genetic associations in humans have implicated AP activation in age
      related macular degeneration (AMD), and AP dysfunction predisposes individuals to
      disorders such as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical
      hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). The combination of structure-based hit
      identification and subsequent optimization of the center (S)-proline-based lead 7
      has led to the discovery of noncovalent reversible and selective human factor D
      (FD) inhibitors with drug-like properties. The orally bioavailable compound 2
      exerted excellent potency in 50% human whole blood in vitro and blocked AP
      activity ex vivo after oral administration to monkeys as demonstrated by
      inhibition of membrane attack complex (MAC) formation. Inhibitor 2 demonstrated
      sustained oral and ocular efficacy in a model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced
      systemic AP activation in mice expressing human FD.

PMID- 28621540
TI  - Accurate Prediction of the Hydration Free Energies of 20 Salts through Adaptive
      Force Matching and the Proper Comparison with Experimental References.
AB  - Simple pairwise potentials for five alkali ions and four halide ions were
      developed by only fitting to ab initio MP2 forces with the adaptive force
      matching (AFM) method. Without fitting to any experimental information, the AFM
      models predict the hydration free energies of all 10 fluoride and chloride salts
      formed by these ions within 1.5% of experimental references. The predicted
      hydration free energies for the 10 bromide and iodide salts are within 5-6% of
      experimental references with the larger error likely due to the neglect of
      explicit treatment of polarization and charge transfer. An inconsistency in the
      treatment of the gas phase entropy term between experimental and theoretical
      approaches is discussed. A new simplified hydration free energy for the ions is
      reported for use as a more appropriate experimental reference for further
      theoretical studies. The simulations show different dipole alignments for the
      hydration waters of cations and anions. While hydration waters of small cations
      tend to align their molecular dipole toward the ion, the dipole of one of the
      water OH bonds is aligned with the field of an anion.

PMID- 28621541
TI  - Expanding the Scope of Electrophiles Capable of Targeting K-Ras Oncogenes.
AB  - There is growing interest in reversible and irreversible covalent inhibitors that
      target noncatalytic amino acids in target proteins. With a goal of targeting
      oncogenic K-Ras variants (e.g., G12D) by expanding the types of amino acids that
      can be targeted by covalent inhibitors, we survey a set of electrophiles for
      their ability to label carboxylates. We functionalized an optimized ligand for
      the K-Ras switch II pocket with a set of electrophiles previously reported to
      react with carboxylates and characterized the ability of these compounds to react
      with model nucleophiles and oncogenic K-Ras proteins. Here, we report that
      aziridines and stabilized diazo groups preferentially react with free
      carboxylates over thiols. Although we did not identify a warhead that potently
      labels K-Ras G12D, we were able to study the interactions of many electrophiles
      with K-Ras, as most of the electrophiles rapidly label K-Ras G12C. We
      characterized the resulting complexes by crystallography, hydrogen/deuterium
      exchange, and differential scanning fluorimetry. Our results both demonstrate the
      ability of a noncatalytic cysteine to react with a diverse set of electrophiles
      and emphasize the importance of proper spatial arrangements between a covalent
      inhibitor and its intended nucleophile. We hope that these results can expand the
      range of electrophiles and nucleophiles of use in covalent protein modulation.

PMID- 28621542
TI  - Bonding Properties of Aluminum Nitride at High Pressure.
AB  - Exploring the bonding properties and polymerization mechanism of stable polymeric
      nitrogen phases is the main goal of our high-pressure study. The pressure versus
      composition phase diagram of the Al-N system is established. In addition to the
      known Fm3m phase of AlN, a notable monoclinic phase with N66- anion polymeric
      nitrogen chains for AlN3 in the pressure range from 43 to 85 GPa is predicted.
      Its energy density is up to 2.75 kJ.g-1, and the weight ratio of nitrogen is
      nearly 61%, which make it potentially interesting for the industrial applications
      as a high energy density material. The high-pressure studies of atomic and
      electronic structures in this predicted phase reveal that the formation of N66-
      anion is driven by the sp2 hybridization of nitrogen atoms. The resonance effect
      between alternating pi-bonds and sigma-bonds in polymeric nitrogen chains are all
      responsible for the structural stability. Because of the electrons transfer from
      aluminums to polymeric nitrogen chains, there is a pseudogap in the electronic
      structures of AlN3. The N_p electrons form pi-type chemical bonds with the
      neighboring atoms, resulting in the delocalization of pi electrons and charge
      transfer in polymeric nitrogen chains. Furthermore, disparities of charge density
      distribution between nitrogen atoms in polymeric nitrogen chains are the
      principal reason for the metallicity.

PMID- 28621544
TI  - Interrogating Charge Storage on Redox Active Colloids via Combined Raman
      Spectroscopy and Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy.
AB  - Redox active colloids (RACs) are dispersible, cross-linked polymeric materials
      that incorporate a high concentration of redox-active motifs, making them
      attractive for next-generation size-exclusion redox flow batteries. In order to
      tap into their full potential for energy storage, it is essential to understand
      their internal charge mobility, capacity, and cyclability. Here we focus on using
      a combined suite of Raman spectroscopy and scanning electrochemical microscopy
      (SECM) tools for evaluating three important parameters that govern charge storage
      in viologen-RACs: their intraparticle redox active concentration, their
      reduction/oxidation mechanism, and their charge transfer rate. We addressed RACs
      using SECM imaging and single-particle experiments, from which the intraparticle
      diffusion and concentration parameters were elucidated. By using Raman
      spectroscopy coupled to surface interrogation SECM, we further evaluated their
      reversible redox properties within monolayer films of 80- and 135-nm-sized RACs.
      Most notably we have confirmed that the concentration and redox mechanisms are
      essentially unchanged when varying the RAC size. As expected, we see that larger
      particles inherently require longer times for electrolysis independent of the
      methodology used for their study. Our simulations further verify the internal
      concentration of RACs and suggest that their porosity enables solution redox
      active mediators to penetrate and titrate charge in their interior. The combined
      methodology presented here sets an important analytical precedent in decoupling
      the charge storage properties of new bulk materials for polymer batteries
      starting from probing low-dimensional assemblies and single particles using nano-
      and spectroelectrochemical approaches.

PMID- 28621545
TI  - Rh(III)-Catalyzed Carboamination of Propargyl Cycloalkanols with Arylamines via
      Csp2-H/Csp3-Csp3 Activation.
AB  - A Rh(III)-catalyzed carboamination of alkynyl cycloalkanols with arylamines has
      been developed. This transformation involves a novel Csp2-H/Csp3-Csp3 activation
      relay and provides an efficient approach to versatile 1,2,3-trisubstituted
      indoles with a broad range of functional group tolerance.

PMID- 28621543
TI  - Estimating Particulate Exposure from Modern Municipal Waste Incinerators in Great
      Britain.
AB  - Municipal Waste Incineration (MWI) is regulated through the European Union
      Directive on Industrial Emissions (IED), but there is ongoing public concern
      regarding potential hazards to health. Using dispersion modeling, we estimated
      spatial variability in PM10 concentrations arising from MWIs at postcodes
      (average 12 households) within 10 km of MWIs in Great Britain (GB) in 2003-2010.
      We also investigated change points in PM10 emissions in relation to introduction
      of EU Waste Incineration Directive (EU-WID) (subsequently transposed into IED)
      and correlations of PM10 with SO2, NOx, heavy metals, polychlorinated dibenzo-p
      dioxins/furan (PCDD/F), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and polychlorinated
      biphenyl (PCB) emissions. Yearly average modeled PM10 concentrations were 1.00 *
      10-5 to 5.53 * 10-2 MUg m-3, a small contribution to ambient background levels
      which were typically 6.59-2.68 * 101 MUg m-3, 3-5 orders of magnitude higher.
      While low, concentration surfaces are likely to represent a spatial proxy of
      other relevant pollutants. There were statistically significant correlations
      between PM10 and heavy metal compounds (other heavy metals (r = 0.43, p =
      <0.001)), PAHs (r = 0.20, p = 0.050), and PCBs (r = 0.19, p = 0.022). No clear
      change points were detected following EU-WID implementation, possibly as
      incinerators were operating to EU-WID standards before the implementation date.
      Results will be used in an epidemiological analysis examining potential
      associations between MWIs and health outcomes.

PMID- 28621546
TI  - Application of a novel phyco-composite biosorbent for the biotreatment of aqueous
      medium polluted with manganese ions.
AB  - A composite phyco-biomass including four different marine macroalgae species
      (Chaetomorpha sp., Polysiphonia sp., Ulva sp., and Cystoseira sp.) was evaluated
      as a novel biosorbent for the biosorption of manganese ions from aqueous
      solution. The experimental studies were performed to optimize the operational
      factors including solution pH, biosorbent amount, initial manganese
      concentration, and reaction time in a batch-mode biosorption system. The removal
      yield of the biosorbent for manganese ions increased with increasing pH,
      manganese ion concentration, and reaction time, while it decreased as the
      biosorbent dose increased. The obtained kinetic data indicated that the removal
      of manganese ions by the biosorbent was best described by the pseudo-second-order
      model and the pore diffusion also contributed to the biosorption process. The
      results of isotherm and thermodynamic studies showed that the Freundlich model
      represented the biosorption equilibrium data well and this biotreatment system
      was feasible, spontaneous, and physical. The maximum manganese uptake capacity of
      used biosorbent was found to be 55.874 mg g-1. Finally, a single-stage batch
      manganese biosorption system was designed and its kinetic performance was
      evaluated. All these findings revealed that the prepared composite macroalgae
      biosorbent has a fairly good potential for the removal of manganese ions from the
      aqueous medium.

PMID- 28621547
TI  - Endophytic bacteria enhance remediation of tannery effluent in constructed
      wetlands vegetated with Leptochloa fusca.
AB  - The use of constructed wetlands (CWs) is a promising approach for the remediation
      of wastewater. The present study aims to develop a plant-bacteria system within
      CWs for the efficient remediation of tannery effluent. In a vertical-flow CW
      vegetated with Leptochloa fusca (Kallar grass), a consortium of three different
      endophytic bacteria, Pantoea stewartii ASI11, Microbacterium arborescens HU33,
      and Enterobacter sp. HU38, was used for bioaugmentation. CWs vegetated with only
      L. fusca had the potential to remediate tannery effluent, but augmentation with
      endophytic bacteria enhanced the growth of L. fusca while aiding in the removal
      of both organic and inorganic pollutants from the tannery effluent. Moreover, the
      bacterial augmentation decreased toxicity in the effluent as well. A higher
      number of chromium (Cr)-resistant bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere and
      endosphere of L. fusca inoculated with the endophytes than from uninoculated
      plants. Due to promising bioremediation and detoxification potential of L. fusca,
      it is reported for the first time as a potential candidate to develop effective
      CWs for the remediation of polluted effluents in combination with pollutant
      degrading endophytic bacteria.

PMID- 28621548
TI  - An investigation into the mammographic appearances of missed breast cancers when
      recall rates are reduced.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether certain mammographic appearances of
      breast cancer are missed when radiologists read at lower recall rates. METHODS: 5
      radiologists read 1 identical test set of 200 mammographic (180 normal cases and
      20 abnormal cases) 3 times and were requested to adhere to 3 different recall
      rate conditions: free recall, 15% and 10%. The radiologists were asked to mark
      the locations of suspicious lesions and provide a confidence rating for each
      decision. An independent expert radiologist identified the various types of
      cancers in the test set, including the presence of calcifications and the lesion
      location, including specific mammographic density. RESULTS: Radiologists
      demonstrated lower sensitivity and receiver operating characteristic area under
      the curve for non-specific density/asymmetric density (H = 6.27, p = 0.04 and H =
      7.35, p = 0.03, respectively) and mixed features (H = 9.97, p = 0.01 and H =
      6.50, p = 0.04, respectively) when reading at 15% and 10% recall rates. No
      significant change was observed on cancer characterized with stellate masses (H =
      3.43, p = 0.18 and H = 1.23, p = 0.54, respectively) and architectural distortion
      (H = 0.00, p = 1.00 and H = 2.00, p = 0.37, respectively). Across all recall
      conditions, stellate masses were likely to be recalled (90.0%), whereas non
      specific densities were likely to be missed (45.6%). CONCLUSION: Cancers with a
      stellate mass were more easily detected and were more likely to continue to be
      recalled, even at lower recall rates. Cancers with non-specific density and mixed
      features were most likely to be missed at reduced recall rates. Advances in
      knowledge: Internationally, recall rates vary within screening mammography
      programs considerably, with a range between 1% and 15%, and very little is known
      about the type of breast cancer appearances found when radiologists interpret
      screening mammograms at these various recall rates. Therefore, understanding the
      lesion types and the mammographic appearances of breast cancers that are affected
      by readers' recall decisions should be investigated.

PMID- 28621549
TI  - Age-appropriate services for people diagnosed with young onset dementia (YOD): a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Literature agrees that post-diagnostic services for people living
      with young onset dementia (YOD) need to be age-appropriate, but there is
      insufficient evidence of 'what works' to inform service design and delivery.
      OBJECTIVE: To provide an evidence base of age-appropriate services and to review
      the perceived effectiveness of current interventions. METHODS: We undertook a
      systematic review including all types of research relating to interventions for
      YOD. We searched PubMed, CINHAL Plus, SCOPUS, EBSCO Host EJS, Social Care Online
      and Google Scholar, hand-searched journals and carried out lateral searches (July
      October 2016). Included papers were synthesised qualitatively. Primary studies
      were critically appraised. RESULTS: Twenty articles (peer-reviewed [n = 10],
      descriptive accounts [n = 10]) discussing 195 participants (persons diagnosed
      with YOD [n = 94], caregivers [n = 91] and other [n = 10]) were identified for
      inclusion. Services enabled people with YOD to remain living at home for longer.
      However, service continuity was compromised by short-term project-based
      commissioning and ad-hoc service delivery. CONCLUSION: The evidence on the
      experience of living with YOD is not matched by research and the innovation
      needed to mitigate the impact of YOD. The inclusion of people with YOD and their
      caregivers in service design is critical when planning support in order to delay
      institutional care.

PMID- 28621550
TI  - The use of digital technologies to collect patient data in outcomes research.

PMID- 28621551
TI  - Strengthening stakeholder-engaged research and research on stakeholder
      engagement.
AB  - Stakeholder engagement is an emerging field with little evidence to inform best
      practices. Guidelines are needed to improve the quality of research on
      stakeholder engagement through more intentional planning, evaluation and
      reporting. We developed a preliminary framework for planning, evaluating and
      reporting stakeholder engagement, informed by published conceptual models and
      recommendations and then refined through our own stakeholder engagement
      experience. Our proposed exploratory framework highlights contexts and processes
      to be addressed in planning stakeholder engagement, and potential immediate,
      intermediate and long-term outcomes that warrant evaluation. We use this
      framework to illustrate both the minimum information needed for reporting
      stakeholder-engaged research and the comprehensive detail needed for reporting
      research on stakeholder engagement.

PMID- 28621552
TI  - Complete isolation of right subclavian artery supplied by the thoracic aorta and
      bilateral patent ductus arteriosus.
AB  - Disconnection of the subclavian artery from the aortic arch, defined as
      isolation, is a rare aortic arch anomaly. In this anomaly, loss of continuity
      between one subclavian artery and the aorta with persistent connection to the
      homocollateral pulmonary artery through a patent or remnant ductus arteriosus is
      present. This isolation is almost always seen on the side contralateral to the
      aortic arch position. Complex cardiac and genetic anomalies are frequently
      associated with the isolation of a subclavian artery. We report a rare case of
      right subclavian artery originating from right pulmonary artery with bilateral
      patent ductus arteriosus in an otherwise normal infant.

PMID- 28621553
TI  - Attitudes toward comparative effectiveness research and patient engagement among
      reproductive health clinicians.
AB  - AIM: To assess reproductive health clinicians' knowledge of and attitudes toward
      comparative effectiveness research (CER), patient-centered outcomes research
      (PCOR) and patient engagement in research. MATERIALS & METHODS: Web-based survey
      of reproductive health clinicians. RESULTS: Among 103 responding clinicians,
      familiarity with CER and PCOR was moderate (35 and 44%, respectively). Once
      definitions were provided, most respondents agreed with the potential positive
      impacts of CER and patient engagement (65-87%), the importance of PCOR (95-99%)
      and that their patients might be interested in engaging in research as more than
      subjects (93%). CONCLUSION: We found positive attitudes toward PCOR and CER, and
      a range of experiences with patient engagement in research. There may be untapped
      potential for PCOR and CER in the reproductive health field.

PMID- 28621554
TI  - Gut microbiota changes and chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem with
      150 million infected people worldwide. Liver can be greatly affected by changes
      in gut microbiota due to increased intestinal permeability with passage of
      microbial antigens into the liver through the portal circulation. The concept of
      'gut-liver' axis is important to understand the pathophysiology of several liver
      diseases. Several recent studies also revealed that an altered gut microbiota can
      be implicated in the pathogenesis of HCV-induced chronic liver disease (CHC).
      Areas covered: An overview of intestinal microflora composition, host reaction
      during CHC, and a description of relevant clinical trials on the use of
      probiotics in this field. Expert commentary: HCV patients gut microbiota
      composition is stable over liver disease stages. This is a unique example of gut
      disbiosis stability vs. NAFLD, HBV, HIV, and HCV co-infected patients. The impact
      of HCV infection on intestinal permeability allows gut disbiosis starting,
      maintenance and its proinflammatory effect until liver cirrhosis and HCC
      development. HCV eradication has unraveled the strong impact of gut microbiota
      unbalance on liver disease development with possible future implications for
      probiotics use to change the natural history of cirrhosis progression.

PMID- 28621555
TI  - SLC28A3 rs7853758 as a new biomarker of tacrolimus elimination and new-onset
      hypertension in Chinese liver transplantation patients.
AB  - AIM: The effect of SLC28A3 on tacrolimus disposition and new-onset hypertension
      (NOHP) after liver transplantation (LT) remains unclear. Methodology & results: A
      total of 169 patients in two cohorts from the China Liver Transplant Registry
      database were included. Rs7853758 in recipients'SLC28A3 could predict tacrolimus
      pharmacokinetics in two sets. The model of donors' CYP3A5 rs776746 and
      recipients' CYP3A4 rs2242480 could predict tacrolimus metabolism at week 1 and
      the model of donors' CYP3A5 rs776746, recipients' CYP3A4 rs2242480, recipients'
      SLC28A3 rs7853758 and hemoglobin could predict tacrolimus disposition at weeks 2,
      3 and 4. Besides, recipients' SLC28A3 rs7853758 was a new risk factor of NOHP
      after LT. CONCLUSION: Rs7853758 in recipients' SLC28A3 has a correlation with
      tacrolimus pharmacokinetics and the risk of NOHP in Chinese LT patients.

PMID- 28621556
TI  - Exposure to Sexual Stimuli Induces Greater Discounting Leading to Increased
      Involvement in Cyber Delinquency Among Men.
AB  - People frequently encounter sexual stimuli during Internet use. Research has
      shown that stimuli inducing sexual motivation can lead to greater impulsivity in
      men, as manifested in greater temporal discounting (i.e., a tendency to prefer
      smaller, immediate gains to larger, future ones). Extant findings in crime
      research suggest that delinquents tend to focus on short-term gains while failing
      to adequately think through the longer-term consequences of delinquent behavior.
      We experimentally tested the possibility that exposure to sexual stimuli is
      associated with the tendency to engage in cyber delinquency among men, as a
      result of their overly discounting remote consequences. In Experiment 1,
      participants exposed to pictures of "sexy" women were more likely to discount the
      future and were more inclined to make cyber-delinquent choices (e.g.,
      cyberbullying, cyber fraud, cyber theft, and illegal downloading), compared with
      male participants who rated the sex appeal of less sexy opposite-sex pictures.
      However, these relationships were not observed in female participants exposed to
      either highly or less sexy pictures of men. In Experiment 2, male participants
      exposed to sexual primes showed a greater willingness to purchase a wide range of
      counterfeit rather than authentic products online and experienced a higher
      likelihood of logging into the other person's Facebook webpage (i.e., invading
      online privacy). The discounting tendency mediated the link between exposure to
      sexual primes and the inclination to engage in cyber-delinquent behavior. These
      findings provide insight into a strategy for reducing men's involvement in cyber
      delinquency; that is, through less exposure to sexual stimuli and promotion of
      delayed gratification. The current results suggest that the high availability of
      sexual stimuli in cyberspace may be more closely associated with men's cyber
      delinquent behavior than previously thought.

PMID- 28621557
TI  - A positive association between the human tissue kallikerin gene A2233C
      polymorphism and blood pressure response to benazepril.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is generally believed that essential hypertension is influenced by
      both genetic and environmental factors, as well as their interactions. Tissue
      kallikrein encoded by the tissue kallikrein gene (KLK1) is a key serine
      proteinase of kallikrein-kinin system, which is capable of generating potent
      vasactive peptides, kinins, by selective cleavage of the kininogen substrate. It
      was reported that the A2233 -> C polymorphism in KLK1 gene is associated with
      essential hypertension. The aim of this study was to examine whether the
      molecular variations of KLK1 play role in determining the therapeutic response to
      benazepril, an ACE inhibitor. METHODS: A total of 331 hypertensive individuals
      were recruited and treated with benazepril for 15 days. A variant impact of KLK1
      A2233C was revealed. Chi-square analysis showed that the hypertensive subjects
      with the mutation genotype (AC + CC) had a higher proportion in systolic blood
      pressure (SBP, 88.1% vs. 79.0%, chi2 = 4.141, p = 0.042) and diastolic blood
      pressure (DBP, 91.1% vs. 79.2%, chi2 = 9.336, p = 0.002), respectively, to
      benazepril medication in good responders than in poor responders. Logistic
      regression analysis indicated that the hypertensive subjects with AC + CC
      genotype were more sensitive to the benazepril therapy in SBP (OR=1.97, 95% CI:
      1.02-3.80, p = 0.044) and DBP (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 2.69-5.16, p = 0.003), as
      compared with those hypertensive subjects with AA genotype. CONCLUSION: Our
      findings suggest that the A2233C polymorphism of KLK1 may be a marker of
      evaluation of hypertensive subjects' responses to angiotensin I converting enzyme
      inhibitors benazepril.

PMID- 28621558
TI  - Patient engagement in patient-centered outcomes research: challenges,
      facilitators and actions to strengthen the field.
AB  - AIM: To describe challenges to and facilitators of patient engagement to inform
      future strategies and suggested actions to strengthen engagement. METHODS:
      Interviews with 19 principal investigators of projects funded by the Patient
      Centered Outcomes Research Institute and with 33 patients from 18 of the 19
      projects. RESULTS: Facilitators included using existing resources, having clear
      goals, educating patients and treating patients respectfully. Logistical
      challenges included extra time and work, institutional barriers and difficulty
      having meetings. Substantive challenges to selecting, educating and engaging
      patients, and incorporating feedback were also reported. CONCLUSION: To bolster
      the infrastructure for engagement, we suggest funders, institutions and
      researchers focus on resources and training for researchers and patients,
      networks and programs to connect stakeholders and model policies.

PMID- 28621559
TI  - Psychosocial risk factors: Time for action in the lifelong prevention of coronary
      heart disease.

PMID- 28621560
TI  - The risks associated with prenatal antidepressant exposure: time for a precision
      medicine approach.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of depression in pregnancy is over 10% and a
      significant proportion of pregnant women use antidepressant medication. The
      safety of antidepressants in pregnancy is controversial, partly due to
      methodological challenges. The conflicting results in the literature may,
      however, also be due to differences in risks between the study populations
      related to variations in e.g. degree of depression, type of antidepressant, and
      lifestyle. Areas covered: The literature on the safety of antidepressants in
      pregnancy is vast and thousands of papers have been published mainly in the last
      decades. This paper summarizes the evidence on important outcomes, including
      malformations, obstetric and neonatal outcomes, and long-term effects. It further
      describes results indicating that genetic variations in e.g. metabolism need to
      be taken into account. Expert opinion: Use of antidepressants during pregnancy
      must balance between the risks related to the underlying disease and the risks of
      antidepressant use. This balance needs to include information on a number of
      factors, including degree of depression and life-style. More data are required on
      how to include genetic information in the counseling. Overall, emerging evidence
      points to the need for a precision medicine approach to the treatment of pregnant
      women with depression.

PMID- 28621561
TI  - A patent review of two fruitful decades (1997-2016) of Isocoumarin research.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Isocoumarins comprise a six-membered oxygen heterocycle (alpha
      pyranone) along with one aromatic ring and are known to possess interesting
      biological properties. During the last two decade (1997-2016), isocoumarin
      chemistry has attracted attention due to its biological and pharmaceutical
      effects viz., anticancer, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antimalarial, and
      fungicidal effects. Areas covered: This review covers the patents on the
      therapeutic activities of natural and synthetic isocoumarins over the last two
      decades (1997-2016). Moreover a number of international patents related to
      natural and synthetic isocoumarins along with their biological effects will be
      presented and discussed. Although a large number of patents have been published
      during the period of the review, the aim of this review is to focus on those
      important patents specifically related to microbial diseases, cancer, malaria,
      and diabetes. Expert opinion: Isocoumarin and its synthetic analogs display a
      wide range of important pharmaceutical properties. Furthermore, isocoumarins have
      the potential to conjugate with other anticancer drugs which will synergistically
      increase the delivery and thus anticancer effects. Moreover, in order to get lead
      compounds, scientists should focus on the synthesis of halo and functionalized
      heterocyclic ring containing derivatives of isocoumarins as more potent drugs.

PMID- 28621562
TI  - Association between alcohol consumption trajectories and clinical profiles among
      women and men living with HIV.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is common among persons living with HIV (PLWH). It is
      unclear how alcohol consumption changes over time and if these changes are
      associated with clinical profiles. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the
      association between longitudinal patterns of alcohol consumption and the clinical
      profiles of PLWH. METHODS: Data from the Women's Interagency HIV Study (n = 1123
      women) and Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (n = 597 men) from 2004 to 2013 were
      utilized. Group-based trajectory models were used to assess alcohol consumption
      patterns across 10 years. Generalized estimating equations were used to identify
      associations between clinical factors and alcohol consumption. All analyses were
      stratified by sex. RESULTS: Four trajectories of alcohol use were identified in
      women and men (women: abstinent 38%, low: 25%, moderate: 30%, heavy: 7%; men:
      abstinent 16%, low: 69%, moderate: 9%, heavy: 5%). The Framingham Risk Score
      (women: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.09),
      years on ART (women: AOR 1.02, CI 1.00-1.05; men: AOR 1.05, CI 1.01-1.09),
      suboptimal ART adherence (men: AOR 1.23, CI 1.07-1.42), and unsuppressed viral
      load (women: AOR 1.82, CI 1.56-2.13; men: AOR 1.36, CI 1.17-1.58) were associated
      with increased odds for moderate drinking. The Framingham Risk Score (women: AOR
      1.10, CI 1.07-1.14; men: AOR 1.12, CI 1.06-1.20), suboptimal adherence (women:
      AOR 1.25, CI 1.04-1.51), and unsuppressed viral load (women: AOR 1.78, CI 1.42
      2.24) were associated with increased odds for heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS:
      Clinicians should consider screening patients for alcohol consumption,
      particularly if patients have comorbid medical conditions, suboptimal
      antiretroviral adherence, and/or detectable viral load.

PMID- 28621563
TI  - Reduced Mastication Impairs Memory Function.
AB  - Mastication is an indispensable oral function related to physical, mental, and
      social health throughout life. The elderly tend to have a masticatory dysfunction
      due to tooth loss and fragility in the masticatory muscles with aging,
      potentially resulting in impaired cognitive function. Masticatory stimulation has
      influence on the development of the central nervous system (CNS) as well as the
      growth of maxillofacial tissue in children. Although the relationship between
      mastication and cognitive function is potentially important in the growth period,
      the cellular and molecular mechanisms have not been sufficiently elucidated.
      Here, we show that the reduced mastication resulted in impaired spatial memory
      and learning function owing to the morphological change and decreased activity in
      the hippocampus. We used an in vivo model for reduced masticatory stimuli, in
      which juvenile mice were fed with powder diet and found that masticatory
      stimulation during the growth period positively regulated long-term spatial
      memory to promote cognitive function. The functional linkage between mastication
      and brain was validated by the decrease in neurons, neurogenesis, neuronal
      activity, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the
      hippocampus. These findings taken together provide in vivo evidence for a
      functional linkage between mastication and cognitive function in the growth
      period, suggesting a need for novel therapeutic strategies in masticatory
      function-related cognitive dysfunction.

PMID- 28621564
TI  - The emerging role of anamorelin hydrochloride in the management of patients with
      cancer anorexia-cachexia.
AB  - Cancer cachexia affects many patients with advanced cancer. This multifactorial
      syndrome, which involves loss of muscle mass and body weight, profoundly affects
      patients' physical functioning and quality of life. Pharmacologic interventions
      that target weight loss and also improve patient-reported measures are required.
      Anamorelin hydrochloride is an oral ghrelin receptor agonist for the treatment of
      cancer anorexia-cachexia that stimulates release of growth hormone and insulin
      like growth factor 1, and improves food intake and body weight. Phase II and III
      trials have demonstrated that anamorelin increases body muscle and fat
      composition, and improves patient-reported appetite and quality of life.
      Anamorelin shows promise as an anabolic agent with benefits maintained over time,
      without the virilizing side effects of other anabolic medications.

PMID- 28621565
TI  - Light-Emitting Diode at 460 +/- 20 nm Increases the Production of IL-12 and IL-6
      in Murine Dendritic Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND DATA: Light emitting diode (LED) therapy has been proposed as an
      option for the treatment of many skin inflammatory processes. Dendritic cells
      (DCs) are important cells of skin that participate in the initiation and
      activation of skin immunity. The modulation of these cells by LED could explain
      much of its effects. OBJECTIVE: Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the
      effects of LED at 460 +/- 20 nm on cytokine production and the expression of
      surface markers on DCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DCs were obtained from mouse bone
      marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). The LED was applied giving a fluence of
      3.3, 8.2, or 16.5 J/cm2 on BMDCs or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-matured BMDCs. The
      production of cytokine was analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA)
      and the expression of DC co- and stimulatory was analyzed markers by cytometry.
      RESULTS: LED increases IL-12p40 and IL-6 production in both nonstimulated BMDCs
      and LPS-matured BMDCs. The expression of MHC-II molecule was inhibited and the
      expression of the CD86 molecule was increased in nonstimulated BMDCs but not in
      LPS-matured BMDCs. The production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and
      interleukin-10 (IL-10) and the expression of CD40 were not altered. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results demonstrate that LED stimulated cytokine production in BMDCs,
      suggesting a proinflammatory role in the tested conditions and maybe it can
      increase DC maturation.

PMID- 28621566
TI  - Glutamate dehydrogenase is essential to sustain neuronal oxidative energy
      metabolism during stimulation.
AB  - The enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; Glud1) catalyzes the (reversible)
      oxidative deamination of glutamate to alpha-ketoglutarate accompanied by a
      reduction of NAD+ to NADH. GDH connects amino acid, carbohydrate,
      neurotransmitter and oxidative energy metabolism. Glutamine is a neurotransmitter
      precursor used by neurons to sustain the pool of glutamate, but glutamine is also
      vividly oxidized for support of energy metabolism. This study investigates the
      role of GDH in neuronal metabolism by employing the Cns- Glud1-/- mouse, lacking
      GDH in the brain (GDH KO) and metabolic mapping using 13C-labelled glutamine and
      glucose. We observed a severely reduced oxidative glutamine metabolism during
      glucose deprivation in synaptosomes and cultured neurons not expressing GDH. In
      contrast, in the presence of glucose, glutamine metabolism was not affected by
      the lack of GDH expression. Respiration fuelled by glutamate was significantly
      lower in brain mitochondria from GDH KO mice and synaptosomes were not able to
      increase their respiration upon an elevated energy demand. The role of GDH for
      metabolism of glutamine and the respiratory capacity underscore the importance of
      GDH for neurons particularly during an elevated energy demand, and it may reflect
      the large allosteric activation of GDH by ADP.

PMID- 28621567
TI  - 68Ga-radiolabeled AGuIX nanoparticles as dual-modality imaging agents for PET/MRI
      guided radiation therapy.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to develop a dual-modality positron emission
      tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging probe by radiolabeling gadolinium
      containing AGuIX derivatives with the positron-emitter Gallium-68 (68Ga).
      MATERIALS & METHODS: AGuIX@NODAGA nanoparticles were labeled with 68Ga at high
      efficiency. Tumor accumulation in an appropriate disease model was assessed by ex
      vivo biodistribution and in vivo PET/MR imaging. RESULTS:  68Ga-AGuIX@NODAGA was
      proven to passively accumulate in U87MG human glioblastoma tumor xenografts.
      Metabolite assessment in serum, urine and tumor samples showed that 68Ga
      AGuIX@NODAGA remains unmetabolized up to at least 60 min postinjection.
      CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that 68Ga-AGuIX@NODAGA can be used as a dual
      modality PET/MR imaging agent with passive accumulation in the diseased area,
      thus showing great potential for PET/MR image-guided radiation therapy.

PMID- 28621568
TI  - Presenting a Method to Improve Bone Quality Through Stimulation of Osteoporotic
      Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Low-Level Laser Therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This review aims to present a method to improve bone quality through
      stimulation of osteoporotic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by low-level laser
      therapy (LLLT). BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis (OP) is characterized by decreased bone
      mass and bone strength, which results in an increased incidence of bone
      fractures. These fractures often lead to additional disability and mortality.
      Osteoporotic MSCs have reduced osteogenic differentiation when cultured in their
      standard differentiation media. LLLT has a biostimulatory effect on fibroblasts
      and osteoblasts. MSCs have the ability to generate cells of connective tissue
      lineages, which includes the bones. Recently, transplantation of in vitro
      cultured bone marrow (BM) MSCs into sites at risk for development of osteoporotic
      bone has resulted in improved bone structure. METHODS: Comprehensive research was
      performed using PubMed, and biostimulatory effect of LLLT on bony cells and MSCs
      were studied. RESULTS: LLLT can stimulate growth, proliferation, and
      differentiation of SCs in vitro and in vivo. This ability of LLLT is an essential
      prerequisite for performing experiments related to disease control in humans.
      Thus, laser-treated osteoporotic autologous BMMSCs may represent a promising
      therapeutic method to protect the bones in patients with OP and prevent fractures
      in these patients. Therefore, researchers hypothesize that transplantation of in
      vitro laser-treated autologous cultured osteoporotic BMMSCs that have the
      appropriate osteogenic phenotype into sites at risk for development of
      osteoporotic bone may result in improved bone structure. In this respect,
      investigators have successfully used LLLT to restore autologous osteoporotic MSCs
      in vitro. Subsequently, these cells have been differentiated into osteoblast cell
      lines with the use of laser treatment after which they were transplanted into
      osteoporotic animal models. CONCLUSIONS: This technique might improve bone
      quality and structure. However, additional research must be undertaken to
      understand the underlying mechanisms of this treatment, validate its
      effectiveness, and assess the feasibility for clinical application of LLLT to
      treat MSCs in regeneration of osteoporotic bone.

PMID- 28621570
TI  - Forensic science and forensic pathology: Quality standards and risks.

PMID- 28621569
TI  - Down-regulation of SlCyp1 in the phloem reduces auxin response and photosynthetic
      rate in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants.
AB  - The tomato dgt mutant, containing a single mutation in the Cyclophilin1 (SlCyp1)
      gene, is auxin insensitive and exhibits a pleotropic phenotype that includes lack
      of lateral roots, malformed xylem structure and reduced root-to-shoot ratio.
      Recently, we found that the SlCyp1 protein is phloem-mobile and traffic from
      shoot to root to induce lateral root formation. These processes are achieved
      through activation of auxin-mediated developmental programs. Inhibition of the
      trafficked SlCyp1 activity at the target site resulted in inhibition of the auxin
      response, supporting the hypothesis that this protein is indeed a mobile signal.
      Here, we show that partial silencing of SlCyp1 in the phloem only resulted in
      perturbed auxin response in the roots and reduced photosynthetic and
      transpiration rates. The presented data suggests that expression of SlCyp1 in the
      phloem is essential for proper auxin response at the whole plant level. We,
      therefore, propose that this protein acts as a long-distance signaling molecule
      acting as coordinator between roots and shoot activities.

PMID- 28621571
TI  - Targeted nanotechnologies for cancer intervention: a patent review (2010-2016).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In recent years, several active targeting nanostrategies have been
      patented for application in cancer theranostics. The versatility of
      nanostructures in terms of composition, manufacturability, functionalization, and
      matrix formation make them ideal for carrying large dose of bioactive contents,
      high density of targeting ligands on their surface, efficient delivery to the
      site of interest, and capable of forming multicomponent platforms. Areas covered:
      The patents were classified into polymeric and non-polymeric nanostructures and
      their applicability in addressing the targeting paradigm related to cancer
      intervention was explored. Specialized platforms such as nanoparticles,
      nanomicelles, nanocomposites, nanotubes, quantum dots, metal/silica particles,
      and dendrimers were cited as targeted nanostructures along with ligands such as
      antibody fragments, synthetic peptides, aptamers, small molecules, and folates.
      Here, we focused on patented targeted nanotechnological advances in recent years
      (2010-2016). Expert opinion: The formulation and performance prerequisites,
      available nanomaterial options, fabrication feasibility, and challenges and
      issues related with regulatory approval and patenting of cancer targeted
      nanocarriers are reviewed. Future research in this area should focus on
      clinically relevant bioactive combinations, better metastasis control,
      integration of imaging and theranostic techniques, predictive animal/pre-clinical
      models, maximal utilisation of extra- and intracellular tumor microenvironment
      for drug delivery, and exploring the metabolomic-, proteomic-, and genomic-based
      personalization of cancer nanomedicine.

PMID- 28621572
TI  - Changes to International Nonproprietary Names for antibody therapeutics 2017 and
      beyond: of mice, men and more.
AB  - Active pharmaceutical substances require an International Nonproprietary Name
      (INN) assigned by the World Health Organization (WHO) to obtain market
      authorization as a medicinal product. INNs are selected to represent a unique,
      generic name for a drug enabling unambiguous identification by stakeholders
      worldwide. INNs may be requested after initiating clinical development of an
      investigational drug. Pharmaceutical classes are indicated by a common stem or
      suffix. Currently, INNs for monoclonal antibody-based drugs are recognized by the
      suffix, -mab, preceded by a source infix such as -xi- (chimeric), -zu-
      (humanized) or -u- (human) designating the species from which the antibody was
      derived. However, many technological advances have made it increasingly difficult
      to accurately capture an antibody's source in its name. In 2014, the WHO and the
      United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council approached this challenge by
      implementing changes to antibody source infix definitions. Unfortunately, gaps
      and ambiguities in the definitions and procedures resulted in inconsistent source
      category assignments and widespread confusion. The Antibody Society, extensively
      supported by academic and industry scientists, voiced concerns leading to
      constructive dialog during scheduled consultations with WHO and USAN Council
      representatives. In June 2017, the WHO announced that use of the source infix
      will be discontinued for new antibody INNs effective immediately. We fully
      support this change as it better aligns antibody INNs with current and
      foreseeable future innovations in antibody therapeutics. Here we review the
      changes implemented. Additionally, we analyzed antibody INNs recently assigned
      under the previous 2014 definitions and provide recommendations for further
      alignment.

PMID- 28621573
TI  - Update on the diagnostic value and safety of stereotactic biopsy for pediatric
      brainstem tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 735 cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Recent studies have shed light on the molecular makeup of diffuse
      intrinsic pontine gliomas and led to the identification of potential treatment
      targets for these lesions, which account for the majority of pediatric brainstem
      tumors (pedBSTs). Therefore, stereotactic biopsy-driven molecular
      characterization of pedBSTs may become an important prerequisite for the
      management of these fatal brain tumors. The authors conducted a systemic review
      and meta-analysis to precisely determine the safety and diagnostic success of
      stereotactic biopsy of pedBSTs. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE,
      and the Web of Science yielded 944 potentially eligible abstracts. Meta-analysis
      was conducted on 18 studies (including the authors' own institutional series),
      describing a total of 735 biopsy procedures for pedBSTs. The primary outcome
      measures were diagnostic success and procedure-related complications. Pooled
      estimates were calculated based on the Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine
      transformation and DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. Heterogeneity,
      sensitivity, and meta-regression analyses were also conducted. RESULTS The
      weighted average proportions across the analyzed studies were 96.1% (95% CI 93.5%
      98.1%) for diagnostic success, 6.7% (95% CI 4.2%-9.6%) for overall morbidity,
      0.6% (95% CI 0.2%-1.4%) for permanent morbidity, and 0.6% (95% CI 0.2%-1.3%) for
      mortality. Subgroup analyses at the study level identified no significant
      correlation between the outcome measures and the distribution of the chosen
      biopsy trajectories (transfrontal vs transcerebellar), age, year of publication,
      or the number of biopsy procedures annually performed in each center. CONCLUSION
      Stereotactic biopsy of pedBSTs is safe and allows successful tissue sampling as a
      prerequisite for the molecular characterization and the identification of
      potentially druggable targets toward more individualized treatment concepts to
      improve the outcome for children harboring such lesions.

PMID- 28621574
TI  - Endovascular plug for internal carotid artery occlusion in the management of a
      cavernous pseudoaneurysm with bifrontal subdural empyema: technical note.
AB  - The authors demonstrate the use of an endovascular plug in securing a carotid
      artery pseudoaneurysm in an emergent setting requiring craniotomy for a
      concurrent subdural empyema. They describe the case of a 14-year-old boy with
      sinusitis and bifrontal subdural empyema who underwent transsphenoidal
      exploration at an outside hospital. An injury to the right cavernous segment of
      the ICA caused torrential epistaxis. Bleeding was successfully controlled by
      inflating a Foley balloon catheter within the sphenoid sinus, and the patient was
      transferred to the authors' institution. Emergent angiography showed a dissection
      of the right cavernous carotid artery, with a large pseudoaneurysm projecting
      into the sphenoid sinus at the site of arterial injury. The right internal
      carotid artery was obliterated using pushable coils distally and an endovascular
      plug proximally. The endovascular plug enabled the authors to successfully
      exclude the pseudoaneurysm from the circulation. The patient subsequently
      underwent an emergent bifrontal craniotomy for evacuation of a left
      frontotemporal subdural empyema and exenteration of both frontal sinuses. He made
      a complete neurological recovery. Endovascular large-vessel sacrifice, obviating
      the need for numerous coils and antiplatelet therapy, has a role in the setting
      of selected acute neurosurgical emergencies necessitating craniotomy. The
      endovascular plug is a useful adjunct in such circumstances as the device can be
      deployed rapidly, safely, and effectively.

PMID- 28621575
TI  - Analysis of radio-sensitization patents in China from 2006 to 2015.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Radiotherapy is by means of ionizing radiation to kill tumor cells,
      inhibit and control the growth, metastasis and diffusion of tumor cells. During
      the last few decades, application of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy and
      surgery are clinical mainstream treatments. However, little is known what radio
      sensitization agents have been patented in China and what the potential drug
      candidates for patents are in China. Areas covered: This reviews covers research
      and patent literature of the last 10 years dealing with the discovery and
      development of novel radio-sensitization patents in China. Expert opinion: The 94
      radio-sensitization patents granted from 2006 to 2015 mainly focus on six types
      of products. They are: traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), synthetic compounds,
      combinations of synthetic compounds and TCM, biological products, medical
      apparatus and others. In the course of tumor treatment, radiotherapy occupies an
      irreplaceable position. Previously believed that due to the prevalence of hypoxic
      cells in solid tumors, most of the tumor exist a certain degree of radiation
      resistance. To find effective ways to improve the sensitivity of tumor cells to
      radiation therapy has become a focus in scientific research and clinical
      treatment. So radiation sensitivity has been proposed and widely studied.

PMID- 28621576
TI  - Tethering of Lsh at the Oct4 locus promotes gene repression associated with
      epigenetic changes.
AB  - Lsh is a chromatin remodeling factor that regulates DNA methylation and chromatin
      function in mammals. The dynamics of these chromatin changes and whether they are
      directly controlled by Lsh remain unclear. To understand the molecular mechanisms
      of Lsh chromatin controlled regulation of gene expression, we established a
      tethering system that recruits a Gal4-Lsh fusion protein to an engineered Oct4
      locus through Gal4 binding sites in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells. We examined
      the molecular epigenetic events induced by Lsh binding including: histone
      modification, DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility to determine nucleosome
      occupancy before and after embryonic stem cell differentiation. Our results
      indicate that Lsh assists gene repression upon binding to the Oct4 promoter
      region. Furthermore, we detected less chromatin accessibility and reduced active
      histone modifications at the tethered site in undifferentiated ES, while GFP
      reporter gene expression and DNA methylation patterns remained unchanged at this
      stage. Upon differentiation, association of Lsh promotes transcriptional
      repression of the reporter gene accompanied by the increase of repressive histone
      marks and a gain of DNA methylation at distal and proximal Oct4 enhancer sites.
      Taken together, this approach allowed us to examine Lsh mediated epigenetic
      regulation as a dynamic process and revealed chromatin accessibility changes as
      the primary consequence of Lsh function.

PMID- 28621577
TI  - Fatigue-free operation of most body-powered prostheses not feasible for majority
      of users with trans-radial deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Body-powered prostheses require cable operation forces between 33 and
      131 N. The accepted upper limit for fatigue-free long-duration operation is 20%
      of a users' maximum cable operation force. However, no information is available
      on users' maximum force. OBJECTIVES: To quantify users' maximum cable operation
      force and to relate this to the fatigue-free force range for the use of body
      powered prostheses. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental trial. METHODS: In total, 23
      subjects with trans-radial deficiencies used a bypass prosthesis to exert maximum
      cable force three times during 3 s and reported discomfort or pain on a body map.
      Additionally, subjects' anthropometric measures were taken to relate to maximum
      force. RESULTS: Subjects generated forces ranging from 87 to 538 N. Of the 23
      subjects, 12 generated insufficient maximum cable force to operate 8 of the 10
      body-powered prostheses fatigue free. Discomfort or pain did not correlate with
      the magnitude of maximum force achieved by the subjects. Nine subjects indicated
      discomfort or pain. No relationships between anthropometry and maximal forces
      were found except for maximum cable forces and the affected upper-arm
      circumference for females. CONCLUSION: For a majority of subjects, the maximal
      cable force was lower than acceptable for fatigue-free prosthesis use. Discomfort
      or pain occurred in ~40% of the subjects, suggesting a suboptimal force
      transmission mechanism. Clinical relevance The physical strength of users
      determines whether a body-powered prosthesis is suitable for comfortable, fatigue
      free long-duration use on a daily basis. High cable operation forces can provoke
      discomfort and pain for some users, mainly in the armpit. Prediction of the
      users' strength by anthropometric measures might assist the choice of a suitable
      prosthesis.

PMID- 28621578
TI  - The effect of nanoparticle size on the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier:
      an in vivo study.
AB  - AIM: Our goal was to develop an efficient nanoparticle-based system that can
      overcome the restrictive mechanism of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by targeting
      insulin receptors and would thus enable drug delivery to the brain. METHODS:
      Insulin-coated gold nanoparticles (INS-GNPs) were synthesized to serve as a BBB
      transport system. The effect of nanoparticle size (20, 50 and 70 nm) on their
      ability to cross the BBB was quantitatively investigated in Balb/C mice. RESULTS:
      The most widespread biodistribution and highest accumulation within the brain
      were observed using 20 nm INS-GNPs, 2 h post injection. In vivo CT imaging
      revealed that particles migrated to specific brain regions, which are involved in
      neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: These findings
      promote the optimization of nanovehicles for transport of drugs through the BBB.
      The insulin coating of the particles enabled targeting of specific brain regions,
      suggesting the potential use of INS-GNPs for delivery of various treatments for
      brain-related disorders.

PMID- 28621579
TI  - Optimization of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in Biofilms by Inhibiting
      Efflux Pump.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One of the main mechanisms of microbial resistance is given by efflux
      pumps, which reduce the effectiveness of antimicrobials by decreasing their
      intracellular concentration. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: Considering that efflux pump
      inhibitors are promising adjuvant molecules for antibiotics in infections, in
      this study, using XTT test and colony forming unit (CFU) counting, we evaluated
      the association between the pump inhibitor verapamil (VP) and the antimicrobial
      photodynamic therapy (aPDT) mediated by methylene blue (MB) in biofilms of
      Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus to optimize the bacterial reduction.
      RESULTS: By applying 44 J/cm2, 215 MUg/mL of VP, and 200 MUg/mL of MB, we
      obtained 80% of metabolism reduction and 3.4 log10 CFU/mL decrease for E. coli.
      Biofilm of S. aureus presented 80% of metabolism reduction and 3.65 log10 CFU/mL
      decrease when 22 J/cm2, 312 MUg/mL of VP, and 200 MUg/mL of MB was used. Applying
      200 MUg/mL of MB, the E. coli biofilm required a higher dose of light, while the
      S. aureus biofilm required a higher concentration of VP to obtain the same
      reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The VP optimized the efficiency of aPDT and showed no
      toxicity when used alone in both strains, proving that inhibiting efflux pumps in
      combination with aPDT has great potential for clinical application.

PMID- 28621580
TI  - VEGFR-2 inhibitors and the therapeutic applications thereof: a patent review
      (2012-2016).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Angiogenesis is an important component of certain normal
      physiological processes, but aberrant angiogenesis contributes to some
      pathological disorders and in particular to tumor growth. Activation of vascular
      endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) by vascular endothelial growth
      factor (VEGF) is a critical step in the signal transduction pathway that
      initiates tumor angiogenesis. Inhibition of angiogenesis via blocking VEGF/VEGFR
      2 signaling pathway has emerged as a potential approach to anticancer therapy.
      Indeed, this approach has recently been clinically validated with the approvals
      of VEGFR-2 inhibitors. Areas covered: This review accounts for small-molecule
      inhibitors and antibodies of VEGFR-2 reported in the patent literature covering
      between January 2012 and June 2016, and their potential use as therapeutics for
      cancers, angiogenesis-related disorders and inflammatory diseases. Expert
      opinion: Despite the attractiveness of anti-angiogenic therapy by VEGF inhibition
      alone, several issues may limit this approach. VEGF expression levels can be
      elevated by numerous diverse stimuli such as the activation of other RTK
      signaling transduction pathway. Therefore, the development of multi-targeted
      tyrosine kinase inhibitors and the strategy of using these agents in conjunction
      with other anti-cancer agents are recent interesting therapeutic approaches that
      could give promising results.

PMID- 28621581
TI  - Self-assembling protein nanoparticles: a promising tool against lethal influenza?

PMID- 28621582
TI  - Assessment of pulmonary arterial compliance evaluated using harmonic oscillator
      kinematics.
AB  - We hypothesized that KPA, a harmonic oscillator kinematics-derived spring
      constant parameter of the pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) profile, reflects PA
      compliance in pediatric patients. In this prospective study of 33 children (age
      range = 0.5-20 years) with various cardiac diseases, we assessed the novel
      parameter designated as KPA calculated using the pressure phase plane and the
      equation KPA = (dP/dt_max)2/([Pmax - Pmin])/2)2, where dP/dt_max is the peak
      derivative of PAP, and Pmax - Pmin is the difference between the minimum and
      maximum PAP. PA compliance was also calculated using two conventional methods:
      systolic PA compliance (sPAC) was expressed as the stroke volume/Pmax - Pmin; and
      diastolic PA compliance (dPAC) was determined according to a two-element
      Windkessel model of PA diastolic pressure decay. In addition, data were recorded
      during abdominal compression to determine the influence of preload on KPA. A
      significant correlation was observed between KPA and sPAC (r = 0.52, P = 0.0018),
      but not dPAC. Significant correlations were also seen with the time constant
      (tau) of diastolic PAP (r = -0.51, P = 0.0026) and the pulmonary vascular
      resistance index (r = -0.39, P = 0.0242). No significant difference in KPA was
      seen between before and after abdominal compression. KPA had a higher intraclass
      correlation coefficient than other compliance and resistance parameters for both
      intra-observer and inter-observer variability (0.998 and 0.997, respectively).
      These results suggest that KPA can provide insight into the underlying mechanisms
      and facilitate the quantification of PA compliance.

PMID- 28621583
TI  - Effect of a Publicly Accessible Disclosure System on Food Safety Inspection
      Scores in Retail and Food Service Establishments.
AB  - The increased frequency with which people are dining out coupled with an increase
      in the publicity of foodborne disease outbreaks has led the public to an
      increased awareness of food safety issues associated with food service
      establishments. To accommodate consumer needs, local health departments have
      increasingly publicized food establishments' health inspection scores. The
      objective of this study was to estimate the effect of the color-coded inspection
      score disclosure system in place since 2006 in Columbus, OH, by controlling for
      several confounding factors. This study incorporated cross-sectional time series
      data from food safety inspections performed from the Columbus Public Health
      Department. An ordinary least squares regression was used to assess the effect of
      the new inspection regime. The introduction of the new color-coded food safety
      inspection disclosure system increased inspection scores for all types of
      establishments and for most types of inspections, although significant
      differences were found in the degree of improvement. Overall, scores increased
      significantly by 1.14 points (of 100 possible). An exception to the positive
      results was found for inspections in response to foodborne disease complaints.
      Scores for these inspections declined significantly by 10.2 points. These results
      should be useful for both food safety researchers and public health decision
      makers.

PMID- 28621584
TI  - Inactivation of Nondesiccated and Desiccated Cronobacter sakazakii in
      Reconstituted Infant Formula by Combination of Citral and Mild Heat.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined effect of citral plus
      mild heat on nondesiccated and desiccated Cronobacter sakazakii in reconstituted
      infant formula. Various concentrations of citral (0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9%) combined
      with various temperatures (25, 45, 50, and 55 degrees C) were applied to
      nondesiccated and desiccated cocktails of three C. sakazakii strains
      (approximately 6.0 log CFU mL-1) in reconstituted infant formula, and the
      bacterial populations were assayed periodically. The combined treatments had
      marked antimicrobial effects on C. sakazakii compared with the control.
      Desiccated cells were more susceptible to citral than were nondesiccated cells in
      reconstituted infant formula. These findings suggest there is a potential
      application of citral in combination with mild heat to control C. sakazakii
      during preparation of reconstituted infant formula.

PMID- 28621585
TI  - Inactivation of Nonpathogenic Escherichia coli, Escherichia coli O157:H7,
      Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in Ice Using a UVC
      Light-Emitting Diode.
AB  - Ice, widely used in the food industry, is a potential cause of food poisoning
      resulting from microbial contamination. Direct microbial inactivation of ice is
      necessary because microorganisms may have been present in the source water used
      to make it and/or may have been introduced due to poor hygiene during production
      or handling of the ice. Nonthermal and nondestructive microbial inactivation
      technologies are needed to control microorganisms in ice. We evaluated the
      applicability of a UVC light-emitting diode (UVC-LED) for microbial inactivation
      in ice. The effects of UV intensity and UV dose of the UVC-LED on Escherichia
      coli ATCC 25922 and a comparison of UVC-LED with a conventional UV lamp for
      effective bacterial inactivation in distilled water and ice cubes were
      investigated to evaluate the performance of the UVC-LED. Finally, we assessed the
      effects of the UVC-LED on pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella
      Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes in ice cubes. The results indicated that
      UVC-LED effectiveness depended on the UV dose at all UV intensity conditions
      (0.084, 0.025, 0.013, 0.007, and 0.005 mW/cm2) in ice and that UVC-LED could more
      efficiently inactivate E. coli ATCC 25922 in distilled water and ice than the UV
      lamp. At a UV dose of 2.64 mJ/cm2, E. coli in distilled water was decreased by
      0.90 log CFU/mL (UV lamp) and by more than 7.0 log CFU/mL (UVC-LED). At 15.2
      mJ/cm2, E. coli in ice was decreased by 3.18 log CFU/mL (UV lamp) and by 4.45
      CFU/mL (UVC-LED). Furthermore, UVC-LED irradiation reduced the viable number of
      pathogens by 6 to 7 log cycles at 160 mJ/cm2, although the bactericidal effect
      was somewhat dependent on the type of bacteria. L. monocytogenes in ice was
      relatively more sensitive to UVC irradiation than were E. coli O157:H7 and
      Salmonella Typhimurium. These results demonstrate that UVC-LED irradiation could
      contribute to the safety of ice in the food industry.

PMID- 28621586
TI  - The COOLER Code: A Novel Analytical Approach to Calculate Subcellular Energy
      Deposition by Internal Electron Emitters.
AB  - COmputation Of Local Electron Release (COOLER), a software program has been
      designed for dosimetry assessment at the cellular/subcellular scale, with a given
      distribution of administered low-energy electron-emitting radionuclides in
      cellular compartments, which remains a critical step in risk/benefit analysis for
      advancements in internal radiotherapy. The software is intended to overcome the
      main limitations of the medical internal radiation dose (MIRD) formalism for
      calculations of cellular S-values (i.e., dose to a target region in the cell per
      decay in a given source region), namely, the use of the continuous slowing down
      approximation (CSDA) and the assumption of a spherical cell geometry. To this
      aim, we developed an analytical approach, entrusted to a MATLAB-based program,
      using as input simulated data for electron spatial energy deposition directly
      derived from full Monte Carlo track structure calculations with PARTRAC. Results
      from PARTRAC calculations on electron range, stopping power and residual energy
      versus traveled distance curves are presented and, when useful for implementation
      in COOLER, analytical fit functions are given. Example configurations for cells
      in different culture conditions (V79 cells in suspension or adherent culture)
      with realistic geometrical parameters are implemented for use in the tool.
      Finally, cellular S-value predictions by the newly developed code are presented
      for different cellular geometries and activity distributions (uniform activity in
      the nucleus, in the entire cell or on the cell surface), validated against full
      Monte Carlo calculations with PARTRAC, and compared to MIRD standards, as well as
      results based on different track structure calculations (Geant4-DNA). The largest
      discrepancies between COOLER and MIRD predictions were generally found for
      electrons between 25 and 30 keV, where the magnitude of disagreement in S-values
      can vary from 50 to 100%, depending on the activity distribution. In calculations
      for activity distribution on the cell surface, MIRD predictions appeared to fail
      the most. The proposed method is suitable for Auger-cascade electrons, but can be
      extended to any energy of interest and to beta spectra; as an example, the 3H
      case is also discussed. COOLER is intended to be accessible to everyone
      (preclinical and clinical researchers included), and may provide important
      information for the selection of radionuclides, the interpretation of
      radiobiological or preclinical results, and the general establishment of doses in
      any scenario, e.g., with cultured cells in the laboratory or with therapeutic or
      diagnostic applications. The software will be made available for download from
      the DTU-Nutech website: http://www.nutech.dtu.dk/ .

PMID- 28621587
TI  - Treatment of severe hypertension in a 14-year-old child: Successful blood
      pressure control with additive administration of captopril, an angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibitor, in a patient with bilateral renovascular
      hypertension.
AB  - We report a 14-year-old boy with recurrent episodes of headache caused by
      uncontrolled hypertension. The diagnosis of renovascular hypertension due to
      Takaysu arteritis (TA) was made based on an increase in erythrocyte sedimentation
      rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and computed tomography (CT) image of
      bilateral renal artery stenosis was taken. Renal scintigraphy revealed normal
      perfusion and function of the right kidney and severe reduction of the perfusion
      and function of the left kidney. Careful drug adjustments significantly improved
      but did not fully control the blood pressure (BP); further, angioplasty, which
      showed almost occlusion of the left renal artery opening and the minor narrowing
      of the right renal artery, failed to regain sufficient BP control. The addition
      of captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, to conventional
      antihypertensive drugs successfully and safely lowered BP and preserved the renal
      function. This unique case suggested that ACE inhibitors achieved better control
      of BP in a patient with bilateral renal stenosis and that the patient may have
      hemodynamically significant stenosis caused by unilateral renal artery.

PMID- 28621588
TI  - Perioperative single-site veno-venous extracorporeal CO2 removal for minimally
      invasive giant bulla resection.
AB  - Giant pulmonary bullae are rare and surgical management of patients with severe
      emphysema and advanced chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) presenting with
      giant bullae can be very challenging. Previously, perioperative, two-site, high
      flow, veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was successfully
      utilized during giant bulla resection. Here we report the perioperative
      application of single-site, low-flow extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) for
      minimally invasive thoracoscopic giant bulla resection. This approach of low
      flow, veno-venous ECCO2R, which is less invasive than conventional ECLS
      approaches, has enabled the safe performance of surgery and facilitated
      protective intraoperative single-lung ventilation while avoiding possible
      complications of aggressive mechanical ventilation.

PMID- 28621589
TI  - Effect of hospitalization on gastrointestinal motility and pH in dogs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of hospitalization on gastrointestinal motility
      and pH in healthy dogs. DESIGN Experimental study. ANIMALS 12 healthy adult dogs.
      PROCEDURES A wireless motility capsule (WMC) that measured pressure, transit
      time, and pH within the gastrointestinal tract was administered orally to dogs in
      2 phases. In the first phase, dogs received the WMC at the hospital and then
      returned to their home to follow their daily routine. In the second phase, dogs
      were hospitalized, housed individually, had abdominal radiography performed
      daily, and were leash exercised 4 to 6 times/d until the WMC passed in the feces.
      All dogs received the same diet twice per day in both phases. Data were compared
      between phases with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS Data were collected
      from 11 dogs; 1 dog was excluded because the WMC failed to exit the stomach.
      Median gastric emptying time during hospitalization (71.8 hours; range, 10.7 to
      163.0 hours) was significantly longer than at home (17.6 hours; range, 9.7 to
      80.8 hours). Values of all other gastric, small bowel, and large bowel parameters
      (motility index, motility pattern, pH, and transit time) were similar between
      phases. No change in gastric pH was detected over the hospitalization period.
      High interdog variability was evident for all measured parameters. CONCLUSIONS
      AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Hospitalization of dogs may result in a prolonged gastric
      emptying time, which could adversely affect gastric emptying of meals, transit of
      orally administered drugs, or assessments of underlying motility disorders.

PMID- 28621590
TI  - Cystoscopic diagnosis of polypoid cystitis in two pet rabbits.
AB  - CASE DESCRIPTION AS-year-old male Dwarf rabbit and 4-year-old female Mini-Rex
      rabbit were evaluated because of anorexia and urine scalding of the perineum.
      CLINICAL FINDINGS Abdominal radiography revealed a diffuse increase in the
      opacity of the urinary bladder attributable to urinary sludge. In 1 rabbit,
      abdominal ultrasonography revealed several mass-like lesions protruding from the
      mucosal surface into the lumen of the urinary bladder. Rabbits were anesthetized,
      and cystoscopy was performed with a rigid 2.7-mm, 30 degrees  endoscope.
      Histologic analysis of tissue samples obtained through the cystoscope operating
      channel revealed findings consistent with polypoid cystitis. TREATMENT AND
      OUTCOME To remove the urinary sludge from each rabbit, the urinary bladder was
      filled with sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution and emptied with a gentle massage
      several times until the ejected fluid was transparent. Rabbits were treated with
      NSAIDs, antimicrobials (chosen following microbial culture of urine and
      antimicrobial susceptibility testing), bathing of the perineum, and a low-calcium
      diet. The male rabbit died of unrelated causes 18 months later; postmortem
      examination findings confirmed the polypoid cystitis. The female rabbit remained
      disease free through to last follow-up (12 months after initial evaluation).
      CLINICAL RELEVANCE This was the first report of polypoid cystitis in pet rabbits.
      Although ultrasonographic findings supported this diagnosis, a definitive
      diagnosis was achieved through cystoscopy and lesion biopsy. Treatments
      administered were intended to reduce the potential sources of irritation.
      Research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of the applied interventions
      and the association between excessive urinary calcium excretion and polyploid
      cystitis in rabbits.

PMID- 28621592
TI  - What Is Your Neurologic Diagnosis? Lipomas.

PMID- 28621591
TI  - Rates of intraoperative complications and conversion to laparotomy during
      laparoscopic ovariectomy performed by veterinary students: 161 cases (2010-2014).
AB  - OBJECTIVE To assess rates of intraoperative complications and conversion to
      laparotomy associated with supervised veterinary students performing laparoscopic
      ovariectomy in dogs. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 161 female shelter
      dogs for which elective laparoscopic ovariectomy had been performed by supervised
      senior (fourth-year) veterinary students from 2010 through 2014. PROCEDURES
      Medical records of all dogs were reviewed and data collected regarding duration
      of surgery, surgical complications and other characteristics, and whether
      conversion to laparotomy was required. RESULTS Laparoscopic ovariectomy was
      performed with a 2-cannula technique and a 10-mm vessel-sealing device for
      hemostasis in all dogs. A Veress needle was used for initial insufflation in 144
      (89.4%) dogs; method of insufflation was not reported for the remaining 17
      (10.6%) dogs. Mean +/- SD duration of surgery was 114.90 +/- 33.40 minutes.
      Surgical complications, all classified as minor blood loss, occurred in 24
      (14.9%) dogs. These included splenic puncture during insertion of the Veress
      needle (n = 20 [12.4%]) and minor bleeding from the ovarian pedicle (4 [2.5%]).
      Splenic puncture required no intervention, and ovarian pedicle bleeding required
      application of the vessel-sealing device an additional time to control the
      bleeding. Two ovaries were dropped in the abdominal cavity at the time of
      removal. Both were retrieved without complication. Conversion to laparotomy was
      not required for any dog. All dogs were discharged from the hospital within 24
      hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Laparoscopic ovariectomy
      in dogs was performed safely by closely supervised novice surgeons, with only
      minor intraoperative complications encountered and no need for conversion to
      laparotomy.

PMID- 28621593
TI  - Pathology in Practice. Cutaneous leishmaniasis.

PMID- 28621594
TI  - ECG of the Month.

PMID- 28621595
TI  - Optimizing client and student learning from the brain's perspective.

PMID- 28621596
TI  - In This Issue * July 1, 2017.

PMID- 28621598
TI  - Leading our profession into the future: some final thoughts.

PMID- 28621597
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol base after oral administration in adult
      horses.
AB  - OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol base after PO
      administration at a dose of SO mg/kg (22.7 mg/lb) in adult horses from which food
      was not withheld. DESIGN Prospective crossover study. ANIMALS 5 adult mares.
      PROCEDURES Chloramphenicol base (SO mg/kg) was administered PO to each horse, and
      blood samples were collected prior to administration (0 minutes) and at 5, 10,
      15, and 30 minutes and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours thereafter. Following a washout
      period, chloramphenicol sodium succinate (25 mg/kg [11.4 mg/lb]) was administered
      IV to each horse, and blood samples were collected prior to administration (0
      minutes) and at 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45 minutes and 1, 2, 4, and 8 hours
      thereafter. RESULTS In horses, plasma half-life, volume of distribution at steady
      state, clearance, and area under the plasma concentration-time curve for
      chloramphenicol after IV administration ranged from 0.65 to 1.20 hours, 0.51 to
      0.78 L/kg, 0.78 to 1.22 L/h/kg, and 20.5 to 32.1 h.MUg/mL, respectively. The
      elimination half-life, time to maximum plasma concentration, maximum plasma
      concentration, and area under the plasma concentration-time curve after PO
      administration ranged from 1.7 to 7.4 hours, 0.25 to 2.00 hours, 1.52 to 5.45
      MUg/mL, and 10.3 to 21.6 h.MUg/mL, respectively. Mean +/- SD chloramphenicol
      bioavailability was 28 +/- 10% and terminal half-life was 2.85 +/- 1.32 hours
      following PO administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Given that the
      maximum plasma chloramphenicol concentration in this study was lower than
      previously reported values, it is recommended to determine the drug's MIC for
      target bacteria before administration of chloramphenicol in adult horses.

PMID- 28621599
TI  - Comparison of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging to arthroscopy for
      diagnosing medial meniscal lesions in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament
      deficiency.
AB  - OBJECTIVE To compare the accuracy of ultrasonography and MRI for diagnosing
      medial meniscal lesions in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) deficiency.
      DESIGN Diagnostic test evaluation. ANIMALS 26 dogs (31 stifle joints) with CCL
      deficiency. PROCEDURES A single surgeon physically examined each dog and
      performed ultrasonography and arthroscopy of affected stifle joints to identify
      medial meniscal lesions. Video recordings of the arthroscopic procedure were
      saved and subsequently reviewed by the same surgeon and by a second surgeon
      working independently and blinded to results of all examinations. A radiologist
      blinded to results of all examinations evaluated MRI scans of the affected
      joints. Correct classification rate (CCR), sensitivity, and specificity of
      ultrasonography and MRI were calculated twice, with each of the 2 surgeons'
      arthroscopic assessments used as the reference standard. RESULTS Compared with
      arthroscopic examination by the unblinded surgeon, ultrasonography had a CCR of
      90%, sensitivity of 95% (95% confidence interval [CI], 73% to 100%), and
      specificity of 82% (95% CI, 48% to 97%). For MRI, these values were 84%, 75% (51%
      to 90%), and 100% (68% to 100%), respectively. Compared with arthroscopic
      assessment by the blinded surgeon, ultrasonography had a CCR of 84%, sensitivity
      of 86% (95% CI, 64% to 96%), and specificity of 78% (95% CI, 40% to 96%). For
      MRI, these values were 77%, 68% (45% to 82%), and 100% (63% to 100%),
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These data suggested imperfect
      performance but clinical usefulness of both ultrasonography and MRI for
      diagnosing medial meniscal lesions in dogs.

PMID- 28621600
TI  - Pathology in Practice. Pneumonia and hepatitis associated with ascarid larval
      migration.

PMID- 28621602
TI  - Resolution of nonurine transudative pleural effusion in a cat after removal of a
      hydronephrotic kidney.
AB  - CASE DESCRIPTION A 3-year-old spayed female Bengal cat was evaluated because of a
      history of bilateral pleural effusion and hydronephrosis of the right kidney.
      CLINICAL FINDINGS Cytologic analysis of a pleural fluid sample revealed
      characteristics of a pure transudate with a high percentage of lymphocytes.
      Results of fluid biochemical testing were not consistent with urine or chyle.
      Serum biochemical analysis and echocardiography yielded no evidence of
      hypoalbuminemia or high hydrostatic pressure secondary to cardiac disease.
      Abdominal ultrasonography revealed hydronephrosis of the right kidney and
      hydroureter of the right ureter. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Exploratory laparotomy
      with nephrectomy of the right kidney was performed. At the time of surgery, there
      was no evidence of communication between the retroperitoneal space and thoracic
      cavity. No other treatments were performed. No evidence of pleural fluid
      accumulation was detected 1 week after surgery, and no recurrence of clinical
      signs associated with pleural effusion was observed for > 1 year after surgery.
      CLINICAL RELEVANCE Transudative, or nonchylous lymphatic, pleural effusion
      secondary to intra-abdominal disease, but independent of a low plasma protein
      concentration, is uncommon in veterinary medicine. This case emphasized that
      urinary tract obstruction should be considered as a differential diagnosis for
      cats with pleural effusion when more common disorders are not identified. Even
      without evidence of direct communication between the abnormal kidney or
      retroperitoneal space and the pleural space, removal of the hydronephrotic kidney
      appeared curative.

PMID- 28621603
TI  - Letters to the Editor.

PMID- 28621604
TI  - What Is Your Diagnosis? Gastrointestinal pneumatosis.

PMID- 28621605
TI  - Anesthesia Case of the Month.

PMID- 28621607
TI  - Novel proteomic biomarkers for skeletal muscle diseases.

PMID- 28621606
TI  - Nano-targeting of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule-1 identifies bowel
      inflammation foci in murine model.
AB  - AIM: We investigate MAdCAM-1 as a reliable target to detect active bowel
      inflammation for selective noninvasive nanodiagnostics. MATERIALS & METHODS: We
      coupled anti-MAdCAM-1 antibodies to manganese oxide nanoparticles, and analyzed
      nanoconjugate biodistribution and safety in murine model of inflammatory bowel
      disease by imaging and histology. RESULTS: Nanoparticles were stable and
      nontoxic. Upon administration in colitic mice, anti-MAdCAM-1 functionalized
      nanoparticles preferentially localized in the inflamed bowel, whereas untargeted
      nanoparticles were more rapidly washed out. Nanoparticles did not induce lesions
      in nontarget organs. CONCLUSION: Anti-MAdCAM-1 functionalized nanoparticles
      detected active bowel inflammation foci, accurately following MAdCAM-1 expression
      pattern. These nanoconjugates could be a promising noninvasive imaging system for
      an early and accurate follow-up in patients affected by acute colitis.

PMID- 28621608
TI  - Glycosylation change of alpha-1-acid glycoprotein as a serum biomarker for
      hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis.
AB  - AIM: This research is to explore the glycosylation change of alpha-1-acid
      glycoprotein (AGP) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhosis and controls.
      METHODS: The affinity chromatography and lectin affinity techniques were used to
      separate and enrich glycosylated AGP, and combined with mass spectrometry to
      identify and relatively quantify the glycopeptides from AGP. RESULTS: The
      sialylation and fucosylation of AGP were different among HCC, cirrhosis and
      controls. The highly sialylated and fucosylated peptides from AGP were found in
      HCC and cirrhosis compared with controls. These glycopeptides showed excellent
      diagnostic ability to differentiate HCC from cirrhosis (area under the curve
      >0.9). In addition, these glycopeptides showed significantly different among four
      HCC stages. CONCLUSION: The sialylation and fucosylation change of AGP may serve
      as serum biomarker for HCC and cirrhosis.

PMID- 28621609
TI  - Preoperative serum TMAO level is a new prognostic marker for colorectal cancer.
AB  - AIM: This study is aimed to determine whether trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is a
      predictor of prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: Pretreatment
      TMAO serum levels were determined in 108 patients with colorectal cancer and 30
      healthy controls. RESULTS: Median serum TMAO level was significantly higher in
      colorectal cancer patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.01). No correlation
      was observed between the disease-free survival and the type of chemotherapy
      regimen used, tumor location or lymphovascular invasion. Patients with high serum
      TMAO level had significantly shorter disease-free survival than patients with low
      serum TMAO level. Multivariate analysis showed that serum TMAO level and distant
      metastases were independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment serum
      TMAO level is identified as a new independent prognostic biomarker in patients
      with colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28621610
TI  - Gamma-glutamyltransferase activity as a surrogate biomarker of metabolic health
      status in young nondiabetic obese women.
AB  - AIM: We investigated the association of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity
      with atherogenic risk factors and metabolic health status in young nondiabetic
      obese women. METHODS & RESULTS: In 140 obese women GGT activity was independently
      associated with BMI, triglyceride to high-density cholesterol ratio and
      homeostasis model assessment. Metabolically healthy but obese women had
      significantly lower GGT activity, associated with a normal insulin sensitivity,
      favorable lipid profile and apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein AI ratio. GGT
      activity showed good diagnostic accuracy to distinguish between metabolically
      healthy but obese and obese women at risk (77.8% sensitivity and 60%
      specificity). GGT activity >17 U/l can predict atherogenic risk and insulin
      resistance. CONCLUSION: GGT activity may serve as a potential surrogate biomarker
      of atherogenic risk and metabolic health status.

PMID- 28621611
TI  - Plasma microRNA-19a as a potential biomarker for esophageal squamous cell
      carcinoma diagnosis and prognosis.
AB  - AIM: To investigate whether plasma miR-19a can serve as a biomarker for
      esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) diagnosis and prognosis. MATERIALS &
      METHODS: Plasma samples from 89 ESCC, 45 benign lesion patients and 80 healthy
      controls were subjected to RT-qPCR analyses for miR-19a. In addition, plasma
      samples from 30 patients were collected before and after surgery for the same
      analyses. RESULTS: Plasma miR-19a was significantly increased in ESCC patients
      compared with healthy controls. The sensitivity of miR-19a for early stages of
      ESCC was 68.09%. Combination of miR-19a and cytokeratin 19 fragment 21-1 (Cyfra21
      1) further improved the sensitivity to 78.70%. Moreover, plasma miR-19a level was
      decreased in patients after surgery. CONCLUSION: Plasma miR-19a may serve as a
      potential biomarker that complements Cyfra21-1 in detecting early stages of ESCC.

PMID- 28621612
TI  - Association of ANRIL gene polymorphisms with prostate cancer and benign prostatic
      hyperplasia in an Iranian population.
AB  - AIM: Prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) are heterogeneous
      disorders with high prevalence among men. The antisense noncoding RNA in the INK4
      locus codes for a long noncoding RNA whose participation in cancer has been
      elucidated. METHOD: We analyzed rs1333045, rs4977574, rs1333048 and rs10757278
      genotypes from this locus in 125 prostate cancer patients, 125 BPH patients as
      well as 220 normal age-matched subjects by means of tetra-primer amplification
      refractory mutation system PCR method. RESULTS: The rs1333045 showed no
      significant difference in allele or genotype frequencies between three groups.
      However, the other three single nucleotide polymorphisms have been shown to be
      associated with BPH and prostate cancer risk. CONCLUSION: Antisense noncoding RNA
      in the INK4 locus possibly participates in the pathogenesis of these disorders.

PMID- 28621613
TI  - Relationship of IL-17A and IL-17F genetic variations to cervical cancer risk: a
      meta-analysis.
AB  - AIM: We performed a meta-analysis to determine a more precise relationship of IL
      17A and IL-17F polymorphisms with cervical cancer risk. MATERIALS & METHODS:
      PubMed, CNKI and Wan Fang databases were searched for studies on these
      associations using STATA version 10.0 software. RESULTS: Five studies were
      included. The AG and AA genotypes and A allele of IL-17A rs2275913 were
      correlated with an elevated risk of cervical cancer. The TT genotype and T allele
      of IL-17A rs3748067 and the CC genotype and C allele of IL-17F rs763780 carried a
      moderate risk of cervical cancer, when compared with the wild-type genotype.
      CONCLUSION: IL-17A and IL-17F polymorphisms therefore have the potential to act
      as predictive biomarkers for cervical cancer risk.

PMID- 28621614
TI  - Biomarkers in the accurate subclassification of non-small-cell lung carcinoma for
      targeted therapy: issues and prospects.

PMID- 28621615
TI  - Molecular determinants for cyclo-oligosaccharide-based nanoparticle-mediated
      effective siRNA transfection.
AB  - AIM: To study the structural requirements that a cyclooligosaccharide-based
      nanoparticle must fulfill to be an efficient siRNA transfection vector. MATERIALS
      & METHODS: siRNA protection from degradation by RNAses, transfection efficiency
      and the thermodynamic parameters of the nanoparticle/siRNA interactions were
      studied on pairs of amphiphilic molecules using biochemical techniques and
      molecular dynamics. RESULTS: The lower the siRNA solvent accessible surface area
      in the presence of the nanoparticle, higher the protection from RNAse-mediated
      degradation in the corresponding nanocomplex; a moderate nanoparticle/siRNA
      binding energy value further facilitates reversible complexation and binding to
      the target cellular mRNA. CONCLUSION: The use, in advance, of these parameters
      will provide a useful indication of the potential of a molecular nanoparticle as
      siRNA transfecting vector.

PMID- 28621616
TI  - Prevalence of foramen arcuale and its clinical significance: a meta-analysis of
      55,985 subjects.
AB  - OBJECTIVE The foramen arcuale (FA) is a bony bridge located over the vertebral
      artery on the posterior arch of the atlas. The presence of an FA can pose a risk
      during neurosurgery by providing a false impression of a broader posterior arch.
      The aim of this study was to provide the most comprehensive investigation on the
      prevalence of the FA and its clinically important anatomical features. METHODS
      Major electronic databases were searched to identify all studies that reported
      relevant data on the FA and the data were pooled into a meta-analysis. RESULTS A
      total of 127 studies (involving 55,985 subjects) were included. The overall
      pooled prevalence of a complete FA was 9.1% (95% CI 8.2%-10.1%) versus an
      incomplete FA, which was 13.6% (95% CI 11.2%-16.2%). The complete FA was found to
      be most prevalent in North Americans (11.3%) and Europeans (11.2%), and least
      prevalent among Asians (7.5%). In males (10.4%) the complete FA was more common
      than in females (7.3%) but an incomplete FA was more commonly seen in females
      (18.5%) than in males (16.7%). In the presence of a complete FA, a contralateral
      FA (complete or incomplete) was found in 53.1% of cases. CONCLUSIONS Surgeons
      should consider the risk for the presence of an FA prior to procedures on the
      atlas in each patient according to sex and ethnic group. We suggest preoperative
      screening with computerized tomography as the gold standard for detecting the
      presence of an FA.

PMID- 28621617
TI  - Intrathoracic meningocele associated with neurofibromatosis Type 1 and a novel
      technique for surgical repair: case report.
AB  - Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a neurocutaneous disorder that can have
      associated spinal abnormalities related to both bone and dural dysplasia.
      Thoracic meningoceles are one spine anomaly associated with NF1, although they
      are a fairly uncommon pathology. Surgical techniques to treat these meningoceles,
      usually undertaken only when the patient is symptomatic, are targeted at
      decreasing the size of the protrusion and improving lung capacity. Surgical
      interventions discussed in the literature include shunting the pseudomeningocele,
      primary repair with laminectomy, thoracoscopic plication, and reinforcement of
      the closure with cement, muscle, or fascia. Authors here report the case of a 43
      year-old woman with NF1 with worsening pulmonary function tests and in whom
      shunting of the pseudomeningocele failed. Subsequently, a posterolateral
      thoracotomy was performed. The dura mater was reconstructed and primarily closed.
      On this closure a Gore-Tex soft-tissue patch was placed along with polypropylene
      mesh and Evicel fibrin sealant, followed by titanium mesh. At the end of the
      procedure, a chest tube was left in place and therapeutic pneumoperitoneum was
      performed to decrease the dead space as the lung did not fully expand with
      positive-pressure ventilation. The patient's pulmonary function tests improved
      after the procedure. Thoracic meningoceles are uncommon and difficult pathologies
      to treat surgically. Although shunting is arguably the least invasive surgical
      option, it can fail in some patients. When it does fail, there are other options
      that require a multidisciplinary approach and careful attention to the dural
      closure and reinforcing layers.

PMID- 28621619
TI  - Histopathological prognostic factors of recurrence following definitive therapy
      for atypical and malignant meningiomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Patients with atypical and malignant (WHO Grade II and III) meningiomas
      have a worse prognosis than patients with benign (WHO Grade I) meningiomas.
      However, there is limited understanding of the pathological risk factors that
      affect long-term tumor control following combined treatment with surgery and
      radiation therapy. Here, the authors identify clinical and histopathological risk
      factors for the progression and/or recurrence (P/R) of high-grade meningiomas
      based on the largest series of patients with atypical and malignant meningiomas,
      as defined by the 2007 WHO classification. METHODS Patients diagnosed with WHO
      Grade II and III meningiomas between 2007 and 2014 per the WHO 2007 criteria and
      treated with both surgery and external beam radiation therapy were
      retrospectively reviewed for clinical and histopathological factors at the time
      of diagnosis and assessed for P/R outcomes at the last available follow-up.
      RESULTS A total of 76 patients met the inclusion criteria (66 Grade II
      meningiomas, 10 Grade III meningiomas). Median follow-up from the time of
      pathological diagnosis was 52.6 months. Three factors were found to predict P/R:
      Grade III histology, brain and/or bone invasion, and a Ki-67 proliferation rate
      at or above 3%. The crude P/R rate was 80% for patients with Grade III histology,
      40% for those with brain and/or bone involvement (regardless of WHO tumor grade),
      and 20% for those with a proliferative index >= 3% (regardless of WHO tumor
      grade). The median proliferation index was significantly different between
      patients in whom treatment failed and those in whom it did not fail (11% and 1%,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS In patients with atypical or malignant meningiomas,
      the presence of Grade III histology, brain and/or bone involvement, and a high
      mitotic index significantly predicted an increased risk of treatment failure
      despite combination therapy. These patients can be stratified into risk groups
      predicting P/R. Patients with high-risk features may benefit from more treatment
      and counseling than is typically offered currently.

PMID- 28621618
TI  - Placental imprinting variation associated with assisted reproductive technologies
      and subfertility.
AB  - Infertility affects one in 6 couples in developed nations, resulting in an
      increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Both ART and
      subfertility appear to be linked to lower birth weight outcomes, setting infants
      up for poor long-term health. Prenatal growth is, in part, regulated via
      epigenetically-controlled imprinted genes in the placenta. Although differences
      in DNA methylation between ART and control infants have been found, it remains
      unclear whether these differences are due to the ART procedures or to the
      underlying parental subfertility and how these methylation differences affect
      imprinted gene expression. In this study, we examined the expression of 108
      imprinted genes in placental tissues from infants born to subfertile parents (n =
      79), matched naturally-conceived controls (n = 158), and infants conceived using
      in vitro fertilization (IVF, n = 18). Forty-five genes were identified as having
      significantly different expression between the subfertile infants and controls,
      whereas no significant differences were identified between the IVF and control
      groups. The expression of 4 genes-IGF2, NAPIL5, PAX8-AS1, and TUBGCP5-was
      significantly downregulated in the IVF compared with the subfertile group. Three
      of the 45 genes significantly dysregulated between subfertile and control
      placentae-GRB10, NDN, and CD44 -were found to have a significant positive
      correlation between expression and birth weight. Methylation levels for these 3
      genes and 4 others-MKRN3, WRB, DHCR24, and CYR61-were significantly correlated
      with expression. Our findings indicate that epigenetic differences in placentas
      resulting from IVF pregnancies may be related to the underlying subfertility in
      parents using IVF rather than the IVF procedure itself.

PMID- 28621620
TI  - Deep brain stimulation for the early treatment of the minimally conscious state
      and vegetative state: experience in 14 patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE An effective treatment of patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS)
      or vegetative state (VS) caused by hypoxic encephalopathy or traumatic brain
      injury (TBI) is not yet available. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the thalamic
      reticular nuclei has been attempted as a therapeutic procedure mainly in patients
      with TBI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic use of DBS
      for patients in VS or MCS. METHODS Fourteen of 49 patients in VS or MCS qualified
      for inclusion in this study and underwent DBS. Of these 14 patients, 4 were in
      MCS and 10 were in VS. The etiology of VS or MCS was TBI in 4 cases and hypoxic
      encephalopathy due to cardiac arrest in 10. The selection criteria for DBS,
      evaluating the status of the cerebral cortex and thalamocortical reticular
      formation, included: neurological evaluation, electrophysiological evaluation,
      and the results of positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI examinations. The
      target for DBS was the centromedian-parafascicular (CM-pf) complex. The duration
      of follow-up ranged from 38 to 60 months. RESULTS Two MCS patients regained
      consciousness and regained their ability to walk, speak fluently, and live
      independently. One MCS patient reached the level of consciousness, but was still
      in a wheelchair at the time the article was written. One VS patient (who had
      suffered a cerebral ischemic lesion) improved to the level of consciousness and
      currently responds to simple commands. Three VS patients died of respiratory
      infection, sepsis, or cerebrovascular insult (1 of each). The other 7 patients
      remained without substantial improvement of consciousness. CONCLUSIONS
      Spontaneous recovery from MCS/VS to the level of consciousness with no or minimal
      need for assistance in everyday life is very rare. Therefore, if a patient in VS
      or MCS fulfills the selection criteria (presence of somatosensory evoked
      potentials from upper extremities, motor and brainstem auditory evoked
      potentials, with cerebral glucose metabolism affected not more than the level of
      hypometabolism, which is judged using PET), DBS could be a treatment option.

PMID- 28621621
TI  - Indications, technique, and safety profile of insular
      stereoelectroencephalography electrode implantation in medically intractable
      epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Insular epilepsy is relatively rare; however, exploring the insular
      cortex when preoperative workup raises the suspicion of insular epilepsy is of
      paramount importance for accurate localization of the epileptogenic zone and
      achievement of seizure freedom. The authors review their clinical experience with
      stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) electrode implantation in patients with
      medically intractable epilepsy and suspected insular involvement. METHODS A total
      of 198 consecutive cases in which patients underwent SEEG implantation with a
      total of 1556 electrodes between June 2009 and April 2013 were reviewed. The
      authors identified patients with suspected insular involvement based on seizure
      semiology, scalp EEG data, and preoperative imaging (MRI, PET, and SPECT or
      magnetoencephalography [MEG]). Patients with at least 1 insular electrode based
      on the postoperative 3D reconstruction of CT fused with the preoperative MRI were
      included. RESULTS One hundred thirty-five patients with suspected insular
      epilepsy underwent insular implantation of a total of 303 electrodes (1-6 insular
      electrodes per patient) with a total of 562 contacts. Two hundred sixty-eight
      electrodes (88.5%) were implanted orthogonally through the frontoparietal or
      temporal operculum (420 contacts). Thirty-five electrodes (11.5%) were implanted
      by means of an oblique trajectory either through a frontal or a parietal entry
      point (142 contacts). Nineteen patients (14.07%) had insular electrodes placed
      bilaterally. Twenty-three patients (17.04% of the insular implantation group and
      11.6% of the whole SEEG cohort) were confirmed by SEEG to have ictal onset zones
      in the insula. None of the patients experienced any intracerebral hemorrhage
      related to the insular electrodes. After insular resection, 5 patients (33.3%)
      had Engel Class I outcomes, 6 patients (40%) had Engel Class II, 3 patients (20%)
      had Engel Class III, and 1 patient (6.66%) had Engel Class IV. CONCLUSIONS Insula
      exploration with stereotactically placed depth electrodes is a safe technique.
      Orthogonal electrodes are implanted when the hypothesis suggests opercular
      involvement; however, oblique electrodes allow a higher insular sampling rate.

PMID- 28621622
TI  - Glossopharyngeal neuralgia treated by Gamma Knife radiosurgery: safety and
      efficacy through long-term follow-up.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a rare and disabling condition.
      Just as for trigeminal neuralgia, Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is increasingly
      proposed as a therapeutic option for GPN. The purpose of this study was to assess
      long-term safety and efficacy of GKRS for this indication. METHODS From 2007 to
      2015, 9 patients (4 male and 5 female) underwent a total of 10 GKRS procedures.
      All of the patients presented with GPN that was refractory to all medical
      treatment, and all had a long history of pain. One patient had previously
      undergone surgical microvascular decompression. In 5 cases, a neurovascular
      conflict had been identified on MRI. For the GKRS procedure, the glossopharyngeal
      nerve was localized on MRI and CT under stereotactic conditions. The target was
      located at the glossopharyngeal meatus of the jugular foramen. The dose
      administered to the nerve was 80 Gy in 3 procedures and 90 Gy in the others.
      Follow-up was planned for 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure and annually
      thereafter. RESULTS Eight patients experienced an improvement in their pain. The
      median length of time from GKRS to symptom improvement in this group was 7 weeks
      (range 2-12 months). At the first follow-up, 6 patients were pain-free (pain
      intensity scores of I-III, based on an adaptation of the Barrow Neurological
      Institute scoring system for trigeminal neuralgia), including 4 patients who were
      also medication-free (I). One patient had partial improvement (IV) and 2 patients
      had no change. The mean duration of follow-up was 46 months (range 10-90 months).
      At the last follow-up 6 patients remained pain-free (pain scores of I-III),
      including 4 patients who were pain free with no medication (I). No side effect
      was observed. CONCLUSIONS Because of its safety and efficacy, GKRS appears to be
      a useful tool for treatment of GPN, including first-line treatment.

PMID- 28621623
TI  - Patterns of care and outcomes in gliosarcoma: an analysis of the National Cancer
      Database.
AB  - OBJECTIVE The authors compared presenting characteristics and survival for
      patients with gliosarcoma (GS) and glioblastoma (GBM). Additionally, they
      performed a survival analysis for patients who underwent GS treatments with the
      hypothesis that trimodality therapy (surgery followed by radiation and
      chemotherapy) would be superior to nontrimodality therapy (surgery alone or
      surgery followed by chemotherapy or radiation). METHODS Adults diagnosed with GS
      and GBM between the years 2004 and 2013 were queried from the National Cancer
      Database. Chi-square analysis was used to compare presenting characteristics.
      Kaplan-Meier, Cox regression, and propensity score analyses were employed for
      survival analyses. RESULTS In total, data from 1102 patients with GS and 36,658
      patients with GBM were analyzed. Gliosarcoma had an increased rate of gross-total
      resection (GTR) compared with GBM (19% vs 15%, p < 0.001). Survival was not
      different for patients with GBM (p = 0.068) compared with those with GS. After
      propensity score analysis for GS, patients receiving trimodality therapy (surgery
      followed by radiation and chemotherapy) had improved survival (12.9 months)
      compared with those not receiving trimodality therapy (5.5 months). In
      multivariate analysis, GTR, female sex, fewer comorbidities, trimodality therapy,
      and age < 65 years were associated with improved survival. There was a trend
      toward improved survival with MGMT promoter methylation (p = 0.117). CONCLUSIONS
      In this large registry study, there was no difference in survival in patients
      with GBM compared with GS. Among GS patients, trimodality therapy significantly
      improved survival compared with nontrimodality therapy. Gross-total resection
      also improved survival, and there was a trend toward increased survival with MGMT
      promoter methylation in GS. The major potential confounder in this study is that
      patients with poor functional status may not have received aggressive radiation
      or chemotherapy treatments, leading to the observed outcome. This study should be
      considered hypothesis-generating; however, due to its rarity, conducting a
      clinical trial with GS patients alone may prove difficult.

PMID- 28621624
TI  - Use of telomerase promoter mutations to mark specific molecular subsets with
      reciprocal clinical behavior in IDH mutant and IDH wild-type diffuse gliomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Recent studies have established that hemispheric diffuse gliomas may be
      grouped into subsets on the basis of molecular markers; these subsets are loosely
      correlated with the histopathological diagnosis but are strong predictors of
      clinical tumor behavior. Based on an analysis of molecular and clinical
      parameters, the authors hypothesized that mutations of the telomerase promoter
      (TERTp-mut) mark separate oncogenic programs among isocitrate dehydrogenase 1
      and/or 2 (IDH) mutant (IDH-mut) and IDH wild-type (IDH-wt) diffuse gliomas
      independent of histopathology or WHO grade. METHODS Four molecular subsets of the
      combined statuses of IDH and TERT-promoter mutations (double mutant, IDH only,
      TERT only, and double negative) were defined. Differences in age, anatomical
      location, molecular genetics, and survival rates in a surgical cohort of 299
      patients with a total of 356 hemispheric diffuse gliomas (WHO Grade II, III, or
      IV) were analyzed. RESULTS TERTp-mut were present in 38.8% of IDH-mut and 70.2%
      of IDH-wt gliomas. The mutational status was stable in each patient at 57
      recurrence events over a 2645-month cumulative follow-up period. Among patients
      with IDH-mut gliomas, those in the double-mutant subset had better survival and a
      lower incidence of malignant degeneration than those in the IDH-only subset. Of
      patients in the double-mutant subset, 96.3% were also positive for 1p/19q
      codeletions. All patients with 1p/19q codeletions had TERTp-mut. In patients with
      IDH-mut glioma, epidermal growth factor receptor or phosphatase and tensin
      homolog mutations were not observed, and copy-number variations were uncommon.
      Among IDH-wt gliomas, the TERT-only subset was associated with significantly
      higher age, higher Ki-67 labeling index, primary glioblastoma-specific oncogenic
      changes, and poor survival. The double-negative subset was genetically and
      biologically heterogeneous. Survival analyses (Kaplan-Meier, multivariate, and
      regression-tree analyses) confirmed that patients in the 4 molecular subsets had
      distinct prognoses. CONCLUSIONS Molecular subsets result in different tumor
      biology and clinical behaviors in hemispheric diffuse gliomas.

PMID- 28621625
TI  - Editorial. Thalamic stimulation in vegetative or minimally conscious patients.

PMID- 28621626
TI  - A multimodal concept for invasive diagnostics and surgery based on neuronavigated
      voxel-based morphometric MRI postprocessing data in previously nonlesional
      epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Diagnosis and surgical treatment of refractory and apparent nonlesional
      focal epilepsy is challenging. Morphometric MRI voxel-based and other
      postprocessing methods can help to localize the epileptogenic zone and thereby
      support the planning of further invasive electroencephalography (EEG)
      diagnostics, and maybe resective epilepsy surgery. METHODS The authors developed
      an algorithm to implement regions of interest (ROI), based on postprocessed MRI
      data, into a neuronavigation tool. This was followed by stereotactic ROI-guided
      implantation of depth electrodes and ROI-navigated resective surgery. Data on
      diagnostic yield, histology, and seizure outcome were collected and evaluated.
      RESULTS Fourteen consecutive patients with apparently nonlesional epilepsy were
      included in this study. Reevaluation of the MR images with the help of MRI
      postprocessing analysis led to the identification of probable subtle lesions in
      11 patients. Additional information obtained by SPECT imaging and MRI
      reevaluation suggested possible lesions in the remaining 3 patients. The ROI
      guided invasive implantation of EEG yielded interictal and ictal activity in 13
      patients who were consequently referred to resective surgery. Despite the
      apparently negative MRI findings, focal cortical dysplasia was found in 64% of
      the patients (n = 9). At the last available outcome, 8 patients (57%) were
      completely seizure free (International League Against Epilepsy Class 1).
      CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of a robust
      and straightforward algorithm for implementation of MRI postprocessing-based
      targets into the neuronavigation system. This approach allowed the stereotactic
      implantation of a low number of depth electrodes only, which confirmed the
      seizure-onset hypothesis in 90% of the cases without causing any complications.
      Furthermore, the neuronavigated ROI-guided lesionectomy helped to perform
      resective surgery in this rather challenging subgroup of patients with apparent
      nonlesional epilepsy.

PMID- 28621627
TI  - Factors associated with shunt-dependent hydrocephalus after decompressive
      craniectomy for traumatic brain injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) affects 11.9%-36% of patients
      undergoing decompressive craniectomy (DC) and is an important cause of morbidity
      after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early diagnosis and treatment of PTH can
      prevent further neurological compromise in patients who are recovering from TBI.
      There is limited data on predictors of shunting for PTH after DC for TBI. METHODS
      Prospectively collected data from the erythropoietin severe TBI randomized
      controlled trial were studied. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data were
      analyzed for enrolled patients who underwent a DC. All head CT scans during
      admission were reviewed and assessed for PTH by the Gudeman criteria or the
      modified Frontal Horn Index >= 33%. The presence of subdural hygromas was
      categorized as unilateral/bilateral hemispheric or interhemispheric. Using L1
      regularized logistic regression to select variables, a multiple logistic
      regression model was created with ventriculoperitoneal shunting as the binary
      outcome. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS A total of 60
      patients who underwent DC were studied. Fifteen patients (25%) underwent
      placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for PTH. The majority of patients
      underwent unilateral decompressive hemicraniectomy (n = 46, 77%). Seven patients
      (12%) underwent bifrontal DC. Unilateral and bilateral hemispheric hygromas were
      noted in 31 (52%) and 7 (11%) patients, respectively. Interhemispheric hygromas
      were observed in 19 patients (32%). The mean duration from injury to first CT
      scan showing hemispheric subdural hygroma and interhemispheric hygroma was 7.9 +/
      6.5 days and 14.9 +/- 11.7 days, respectively. The median duration from injury
      to shunt placement was 43.7 days. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence
      of interhemispheric hygroma (OR 63.6, p = 0.001) and younger age (OR 0.78, p =
      0.009) were significantly associated with the need for a shunt after DC.
      CONCLUSIONS The presence of interhemispheric subdural hygromas and younger age
      were associated with shunt-dependent hydrocephalus after DC in patients with
      severe TBI.

PMID- 28621628
TI  - Gamma Knife surgery for clival epidural-osseous dural arteriovenous fistulas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Clival epidural-osseous dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is often
      associated with a large nidus, multiple arterial feeders, and complex venous
      drainage. In this study the authors report the outcomes of clival epidural
      osseous DAVFs treated using Gamma Knife surgery (GKS). METHODS Thirteen patients
      with 13 clival epidural-osseous DAVFs were treated with GKS at the authors'
      institution between 1993 and 2015. Patient age at the time of GKS ranged from 38
      to 76 years (median 55 years). Eight DAVFs were classified as Cognard Type I, 4
      as Type IIa, and 1 as Type IIa+b. The median treatment volume was 17.6 cm3 (range
      6.2-40.3 cm3). The median prescribed margin dose was 16.5 Gy (range 15-18 Gy).
      Clinical and radiological follow-ups were performed at 6-month intervals. Patient
      outcomes after GKS were categorized as 1) complete improvement, 2) partial
      improvement, 3) stationary, and 4) progression. RESULTS All 13 patients
      demonstrated symptomatic improvement, and on catheter angiography 12 of the 13
      patients had complete obliteration and 1 patient had partial obliteration. The
      median follow-up period was 26 months (range 14-186 months). The median latency
      period from GKS to obliteration was 21 months (range 8-186 months). There was no
      intracranial hemorrhage during the follow-up period, and no deaths occurred. Two
      adverse events were observed following treatment, and 2 patients required repeat
      GKS treatment with eventual complete obliteration. CONCLUSIONS Gamma Knife
      surgery offers a safe and effective primary or adjuvant treatment modality for
      complex clival epidural-osseous DAVFs. All patients in this case series
      demonstrated symptomatic improvement, and almost all patients attained complete
      obliteration.

PMID- 28621629
TI  - Endoscopic endonasal odontoid resection with real-time intraoperative image
      guided computed tomography: report of 4 cases.
AB  - The authors present 4 cases in which they used intraoperative CT (iCT) scanning
      to provide real-time image guidance during endonasal odontoid resection. While
      intraoperative CT has previously been used as a confirmatory test after
      resection, to the authors' knowledge this is the first time it has been used to
      provide real-time image guidance during endonasal odontoid resection. The
      operating room setup, as well as the advantages and pitfalls of this approach,
      are discussed. A mobile intraoperative CT scanner was used in conjunction with
      real-time craniospinal neuronavigation in 4 patients who underwent endoscopic
      endonasal odontoidectomy for basilar invagination. All patients underwent a
      successful decompression. In 3 of the 4 patients, real-time intraoperative CT
      image guidance was instrumental in achieving a comprehensive decompression. In 3
      (75%) cases in which the right nostril was the predominant working channel, there
      was a tendency for asymmetrical decompression toward the right side, meaning that
      residual bone was seen on the left, which was subsequently removed prior to
      completion of the surgery. Endoscopic endonasal odontoid resection with real-time
      intraoperative image-guided CT scanning is feasible and provides accurate
      intraoperative localization of pathology, thereby increasing the chance of a
      complete odontoidectomy. For right-handed surgeons operating predominantly
      through the right nostril, special attention should be paid to the contralateral
      side of the resection, where there is often a tendency for residual pathology.

PMID- 28621630
TI  - Evaluation of surgical treatment for neuropathic pain from neuroma in patients
      with injured peripheral nerves.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Chronic neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury is a major
      clinical problem. Its management is difficult, and therapeutic approaches vary
      and include oral medication, neurostimulation, and surgery. The aim of this study
      was to assess the adequacy of surgical nerve revision in a large series of
      patients with long-term follow-up. METHODS The authors reviewed the charts of 231
      patients (335 nerve injuries) who experienced neuropathic pain after peripheral
      nerve injury and underwent surgery for nerve revision at the authors' institution
      between 1997 and 2012. The following parameters were recorded for each patient:
      history, location, duration, and severity of the pain and details of nerve
      revision surgery. In addition, patients were invited to participate in a follow
      up consultation and were asked to score their pain at that time. Current
      medications and examination findings were also documented. RESULTS Elective
      surgery was the source of nerve injury for 55.4% of the patients. The lower
      extremity was the most commonly involved anatomical region (54.3%), followed by
      the lower abdomen (16.4%) and the thoracic region (13%). The mean time between
      the onset of injury and revision surgery was 48 months. On average, 1.3 injured
      nerves per patient were explored, and surgery was performed 1.2 times per
      patient. Each nerve underwent revision 1.1 times on average. Neuromas-in
      continuity and scar-tethered nerves were observed in 205 nerves (61%) and
      terminal neuromas were observed in 130 nerves (39%). The authors performed 186
      (56%) neurolyses and 149 (44%) neuroma resections and translocations. The mean
      follow-up of the 127 (55%) patients who agreed to come back for a consultation
      was 68 months. These patients indicated an average pain decrease of 4 points in
      the visual analog scale (VAS) score. Pain relief greater than a 2-point decrease
      on the VAS, a criterion for a successful treatment according to the European
      Federation of Neurological Societies guidelines, was encountered in 80% of
      patients. Pain relief did not vary in a statistically significant way with regard
      to surgical technique, age and sex of the patient, affected nerve, or time
      between trauma and surgery. Before surgery, 76% of the patients were on a regimen
      of paracetamol and/or NSAIDs and 44% received opiates, while after nerve revision
      only 37% still required simple analgesia and 14% needed opiates. CONCLUSIONS
      Bearing in mind that medication achieves satisfying pain relief in only 30%-40%
      of patients with neuropathic pain, surgery must be considered as an effective
      alternative therapy. No objective criteria were shown to be factors of poor
      prognosis. Systematic preoperative clinical mapping of the injured nerves and
      diagnostic nerve blocks could improve the primary success rate of the surgery.

PMID- 28621631
TI  - Comparative analysis of monotherapy versus duotherapy antiseizure drug management
      for postoperative seizure control in patients undergoing an awake craniotomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Postoperative seizures are a common complication in patients undergoing
      an awake craniotomy, given the cortical manipulation during tumor resection and
      the electrical cortical stimulation for brain mapping. However, little evidence
      exists about the efficacy of postoperative seizure prophylaxis. This study aims
      to determine the most appropriate antiseizure drug (ASD) management regimen
      following an awake craniotomy. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective
      analysis of data pertaining to patients who underwent an awake craniotomy for
      brain tumor from 2007 to 2015 performed by a single surgeon. Patients were
      divided into 2 groups, those who received a single ASD (the monotherapy group)
      and those who received 2 types of ASDs (the duotherapy group). Patient
      demographics, symptoms, tumor characteristics, hospitalization details, and
      seizure outcome were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to
      evaluate numerous clinical variables associated with postoperative seizures.
      RESULTS A total of 81 patients underwent an awake craniotomy for tumor resection
      of an eloquent brain lesion. Preoperative baseline characteristics were
      comparable between the 2 groups. The postoperative seizure rate was 21.7% in the
      monotherapy group and 5.7% in the duotherapy group (p = 0.044). Seizure outcome
      at 6 months' follow-up was assessed with the Engel classification scale. The
      duotherapy group had a significantly higher proportion of seizure-free (Engel
      Class I) patients than the monotherapy group (90% vs 60%, p = 0.027). The length
      of stay was similar, 4.02 days in the monotherapy group and 4.51 days in the
      duotherapy group (p = 0.193). The 90-day readmission rate was higher for the
      monotherapy group (26.1% vs 8.5% in the duotherapy group, p = 0.044).
      Multivariate logistic regression showed that preoperative seizure history was a
      significant predictor for postoperative seizures following an awake craniotomy
      (OR 2.08, 95% CI 0.56-0.90, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Patients with a preoperative
      seizure history may be at a higher risk for postoperative seizures following an
      awake craniotomy and may benefit from better postoperative seizure control with
      postoperative ASD duotherapy.

PMID- 28621632
TI  - How can nanoparticles be used in sentinel node detection?

PMID- 28621633
TI  - Fatigue After Liver Transplant and Combined Liver and Kidney Transplant.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To date, fatigue is still poorly understood in recipients of
      orthotopic liver transplant and simultaneous/sequential liver and kidney
      transplant procedures. The present study examined the appearance of fatigue in
      patients who received orthotopic liver and sequential liver and kidney transplant
      procedures compared with the general population and the influence of various
      clinical and socioeconomic factors on fatigue levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory survey was sent to all patients with a history
      of orthotopic liver and simultaneous/sequential liver and kidney transplant. The
      results were compared to data from a reference population. RESULTS: Our survey
      included 276 eligible patients: 256 recipients (92.7%) of orthotopic liver
      transplant and 20 recipients (7.3%) of simultaneous/sequential liver and kidney
      transplant. Significantly lower fatigue scores were found in the general
      population compared with both transplant groups (P < .001). There were also no
      significant differences between the transplant groups. Among the clinical and
      socioeconomic factors, history of hepatocellular carcinoma, chronic kidney
      disease, age, family status, and education had a significant impact on fatigue
      levels. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to compare fatigue in recipients of
      orthotopic liver and simultaneous/sequential liver and kidney transplant. We
      found that fatigue is an important but still poorly understood outcome after
      transplant.

PMID- 28621634
TI  - The Utility of Screening Colonoscopy During Kidney Transplant Evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Transplant centers often recommend, but not necessarily require,
      screening colonoscopies for people over 50 years of age in accordance with the US
      Preventative Services Task Force guidelines for the general population. We sought
      to identify risk factors affecting colonoscopy results in renal failure patients
      undergoing kidney transplant evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      retrospectively examined patients undergoing kidney transplant evaluation from
      2009 to 2012 (n = 469 patients). Comparisons were made between colonoscopy
      reports categorized as normal (no finding or hyperplastic polyp) or abnormal
      (adenomatous polyp or carcinoma). RESULTS: Of 469 patients who met the study
      criteria, 303 (64.6%) had normal colonoscopies and 166 (35.4%) had abnormal
      colonoscopies. Logistic regression analysis showed that male sex (odds ratio =
      2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-3.20; P = .001) and increasing age (odds
      ratio = 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.08; P = .019) were more likely to
      correspond to abnormal findings. Those with dialysis vintage (length of time on
      dialysis) up to 3 years (odds ratio = 2.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-4.06; P
      = .027) and hypertension as the cause of renal failure (odds ratio = 1.79; 95%
      confidence interval, 1.05-2.87; P = .002) had more abnormal findings. No
      differences in length of evaluation, rate of being listed for transplant, and
      rate of transplant were shown. CONCLUSIONS: The overall rate of adenomatous
      findings on colonoscopy was higher among patients with pretransplant end-stage
      renal disease than in the general population, as shown in other studies. Age,
      sex, dialysis vintage up to 3 years, and hypertensive renal failure were
      associated with adenomatous polyps of the colon in this study population. Because
      adenomatous polyp rates are high in patients with chronic kidney disease who are
      undergoing transplant evaluation and colonoscopic findings do not appear to delay
      transplant evaluations or listing rates, screening colonoscopies should be
      encouraged.

PMID- 28621635
TI  - Clinical Impact and Risk Factors of Portal Vein Thrombosis for Patients on Wait
      List for Liver Transplant.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The effect of portal vein thrombosis on the progression of liver
      disease is controversial, with no consensus on optimal treatment. We aimed to
      assess how portal vein thrombosis affects wait list outcomes, identify risk
      factors associated with its development while on a wait list, and assess its
      effects on patient and graft survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This US-based
      retrospective cohort study analyzed 134 109 adult patients on wait lists for or
      undergoing primary orthotopic liver transplant between January 2002 and June
      2014. Rate of portal vein thrombosis development, time from entry on wait list to
      transplant, comparisons of wait list drop-off rates between patients with versus
      those without portal vein thrombosis, risk factors associated with its
      development while on a wait list, and its effects on patient and graft survival
      were analyzed. RESULTS: We found that the rate of portal vein thrombosis at
      listing increased. Patients with the disease at listing were more likely to be
      removed from wait lists because of being too sick. Portal vein thrombosis at
      listing was an independent risk factor for being removed from a wait list. Of 63
      265 patients who underwent primary orthotopic liver transplant, those with the
      disease were more likely to have higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores
      and incidence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and diabetes mellitus. Portal vein
      thrombosis had a negative effect on patient and graft survival. Nonalcoholic
      steatohepatitis, body mass index, diabetes, and hepatocellular carcinoma were
      identified as risk factors for its development. CONCLUSIONS: Portal vein
      thrombosis represents an increasing management and outcome burden in liver
      transplant. Having this disease at listing and/or at time of transplant is
      associated with worse patient and graft survival. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
      and hepatocellular carcinoma are among the biggest risk factors for its
      development while on a wait list.

PMID- 28621637
TI  - Surgical Techniques and Procedures for Kidney Transplant Recipients With Severe
      Atherosclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Atherosclerosis is becoming a more common problem for dialysis
      patients. Therefore, transplant surgeons are faced with the need to develop
      surgical techniques and procedures for severe atherosclerosis. This study aimed
      to clarify the clinical features, the usefulness of examinations, and operative
      procedures for kidney transplant recipients with the complication of severe
      atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among 220 kidney transplant candidates,
      13 patients (severe atherosclerosis group) were predicted complications due to
      arterial calcification in the bilateral iliac arterial system using a computed
      tomographic scan. They were compared with the remaining 207 patients (mild
      atherosclerosis group) based on patient characteristics. The severe
      atherosclerosis group was evaluated by additional examination, anastomosis
      procedure of the graft artery, and patient outcome. RESULTS: The severe
      atherosclerosis group had significantly higher rates of mean recipient age,
      glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, past smoking, and administration of antithrombotics.
      Past vascular surgery related to atherosclerosis in the aortoiliac region had
      been performed in 8 patients from the severe atherosclerosis group. A three
      dimensional computed tomography angiography and an intraoperative periarterial
      echography were useful to determine the kidney transplant site. A balloon
      catheter effectively blocked blood flow. A polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft
      was used for bypass between the graft artery and abdominal aorta. All kidney
      grafts of the severe atherosclerosis group were functioning well. CONCLUSIONS:
      Kidney transplant for patients with severe atherosclerosis can be achieved
      successfully by additional examinations and vascular surgical techniques.

PMID- 28621638
TI  - Urologic Complications After Renal Transplant: A Single-Center Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Urologic complications after kidney transplant are associated with
      significant morbidity, mortality, and prolonged hospital stay. An intervention or
      second surgical procedure is frequently required. Here, we report urologic
      complications in adult kidney recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 2006, 171
      adult kidney transplant procedures have been performed at the Gazi University
      Transplantation Center (Ankara, Turkey). Among these patients, there were 65
      adult female (38%) and 106 adult male (62%) recipients. Donor source included 61
      deceased donations (36%) and 110 living related donations (64%). The Haberal
      corner-saving technique was used for ureteroneocystostomy anastomosis. All
      recipients received a calcineurin-based triple immunosuppression regimen. All
      recipients also received trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis for 3 months
      after transplant. RESULTS: In the 171 adult kidney recipients analyzed for
      urologic complications, mean age was 32.5 +/- 14.1 years (median: 32.5 y; range,
      18-67 y); mean donor age was 41 +/- 14.2 years (median: 42 y). We focused on 3
      specific urologic complications: urine leak, ureteric stenosis, and symptomatic
      vesicoureteral reflux. In our study group, urologic complications were
      encountered in 7 patients (4%), with 5 complications detected in the early period
      and 2 complications detected in the late period. No symptomatic vesicoureteral
      reflux complications were shown in this study group. Urologic complications did
      not result in any patient deaths or graft loss. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the
      Haberal corner-saving suture technique with double J stent seemed to have a
      protective effect for development of urologic complications.

PMID- 28621636
TI  - Is Brain-Dead Donor Fluid Therapy With Colloids Associated With Better Kidney
      Grafts?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Fluid therapy is required to maintain perfusion to donor organs.
      Recent reviews on the choices of fluids have emphasized the safety of using
      crystalloids, as opposed to fluid therapy with colloids, which has been reported
      to be either unequivocally or potentially harmful in a number of studies on
      various patient populations. We aimed to analyze whether the type of fluid
      administered to donors is connected with kidney transplant outcomes. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: A total of 100 consecutive brain-dead multiorgan donors and their
      respective 181 kidney recipients were studied retrospectively. Data concerning
      donor fluid therapy, the characteristics of the donors and the recipients, and
      outcomes after kidney transplant were extracted from organ retrieval and patient
      records. Cases with early graft function were compared with cases with delayed
      graft function. RESULTS: Donors had received both crystalloids and colloids in
      most cases (84%). Fluid therapy with crystalloids alone was more common among the
      40 recipients with delayed (30%) than in the 103 recipients with early graft
      function (11%) (P = .005). Donor age, time on renal replacement therapy before
      transplant, and donor fluid therapy with crystalloids alone were independent risk
      factors for delayed graft function in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results suggest that donor fluid therapy including colloids could be beneficial
      instead of harmful compared with treatment with crystalloids alone. This finding
      needs to be evaluated in prospective studies.

PMID- 28621639
TI  - Outcome of the Double-J Stent Placement in Pediatric Kidney Transplant: A Single
      Center Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Double J stent placement at kidney transplant may reduce stenosis or
      leakage complication rates. However, placement may also increase risk for early
      urinary tract infection (ie, < 3 mo after transplant). In children, the
      usefulness of double J stent placement is not well defined. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: We analyzed retrospective data from children who received transplants at
      the Gazi University Transplantation Center and Pediatric Nephrology (Ankara,
      Turkey) for outcomes related to double J stents. At our center, double J stent
      placement decision is made by the transplant surgery team during operation.
      Placements were routinely performed in all transplant recipients. Stent removal
      occurs within 6 week after transplant. RESULTS: Among 42 transplants since 2006,
      early urinary tract infection was seen in 7% and stenosis in 3.6% of patients,
      with no leakage reported. Mean stent removal time was 6 +/- 0.5 weeks. Early
      urinary tract infection was seen in 3 recipients with posterior urethral valve
      and neurogenic bladder (2 recipients) and meningoma cells and neurogenic bladder
      (1 recipient). All 3 recipients with early urinary tract infection received clean
      intermittent catheterization after transplant for adequate emptying of the
      bladder. In our study group, stent complications such as migration (2 patients)
      and hematuria (1 patient) were seen, but crusting, breakage, and stone formation
      were not seen. The 3 patients with urinary tract infection had neurogenic bladder
      types, complicating the urine outflow system. Stent placement was not a
      significant risk factor for early urinary tract infection and but had a
      protective effect. CONCLUSIONS: In our study group, we observed no risk factors
      for routine double J stent placement in pediatric renal transplant procedures.
      Stent placement was not a risk factor for early urinary tract infection. However,
      regardless of stent placement, when a recipient had complicated urologic outflow
      problems, infection became a long-term hurdle.

PMID- 28621640
TI  - Clinical and Biochemical Characteristics of Brain-Dead Donors as Predictors of
      Early- and Long-Term Renal Function After Transplant.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Organs from brain-dead donors are the main source of allografts for
      transplant. Comparisons between living-donor and brain-dead donor kidneys show
      that the latter are more likely to demonstrate delayed graft function and lower
      long-term survival. This study aimed to assess the effects of various clinical
      and biochemical factors of donors on early- and long-term renal function after
      transplant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from kidney recipients
      treated between 2006 and 2008 who received organs from brain-dead donors. Data
      from 54 donors and 89 recipients were analyzed. RESULTS: No relation was observed
      between donor sodium concentration and the presence of delayed graft function.
      Donor height was positively correlated with creatinine clearance in recipients in
      the 1 to 3 months after renal transplant. Donor diastolic blood pressure was
      negatively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate throughout the
      observation period. Donor age was negatively correlated with the allograft
      recipient's estimated glomerular filtration rate throughout 4 years of
      observation. Donor estimated glomerular filtration rate was positively correlated
      with that of the recipient throughout 3 years of observation. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results of this study indicate that various factors associated with allograft
      donors may influence graft function.

PMID- 28621641
TI  - Colistin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that is not linked to arnB.
AB  - PURPOSE: It is known that the arnB (or pmrH) gene encoding uridine 5'-(beta-1
      threo-pentapyranosyl-4-ulose diphosphate) aminotransferase plays a critical role
      in colistin resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the addition of 4-amino
      4-deoxy-l-arabinose (l-Ara4N) to lipid A. In this study, we attempted to obtain a
      colistin-resistant mutant from an arnB-deleted mutant through exposure to
      colistin. METHODOLOGY: We constructed an arnB deletion mutant (P5DeltaarnB ::
      nptIII) from a colistin-susceptible strain (P5) by allelic replacement
      mutagenesis, and colistin-resistant mutants were selected in vitro using P5 and
      P5DeltaarnB :: nptIII. The growth rate, lipid A structure, biofilm-forming
      activity and cell viability in diverse stressful conditions (osmotic, oxidative,
      acidic and heat stress) were investigated. Expression of phoP, pmrA, parR, and
      cprR was evaluated by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: An arnB deletion mutant was shown to
      develop colistin resistance through the addition of l-Ara4N to lipid A, despite a
      low survival rate (over 1000-fold lower than that of the wild-type strain) in the
      media with colistin. Two colistin-resistant mutants showed higher survival rates
      than colistin-susceptible strains against 5 % NaCl. In the presence of acidic and
      heat stress, P5DeltaarnB :: nptIII-CstR exhibited higher survival rates during
      conditions of 1 % HCl and 42  degrees C than the other strains. Both phoP and
      pmrA genes were overexpressed significantly in both colistin-resistant mutants,
      but parR and cprR genes were not. CONCLUSION: We revealed that colistin
      resistance could be developed despite arnB deletion in P. aeruginosa through the
      addition of l-Ara4N to lipid A, which was accompanied by diverse physiological
      changes.

PMID- 28621642
TI  - Spectrum and antibiotic resistance of uropathogens between 2004 and 2015 in a
      tertiary care hospital in Hungary.
AB  - PURPOSE: Surveillance of the bacterial spectrum and antibiotic-resistance
      patterns of locally occurring uropathogens is essential to serve as a basis for
      empirical treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs), as antibiotic-resistance
      rates may vary geographically with significant differences between countries and
      regions, and with time. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively analysed all urine
      samples taken in the department of urology in a tertiary care hospital in Hungary
      from January 2004 to December 2015.Results/Key findings. The five most commonly
      occurring bacteria were Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella
      pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus mirabilis. Resistance of
      Escherichia coli to ciprofloxacin increased significantly from 19 to 25 %.
      Although the resistance of Escherichia coli against cephalosporins showed an
      increasing trend, it still remained generally low. However, resistance rates of
      K. pneumoniae to cephalosporins were very high, reaching 60 %, due to the high
      rate of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-positive Klebsiella strains. We observed
      a significant increase in the rate of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa. CONCLUSION: Fluoroquinolones cannot be recommended for empirical
      treatment in our region. Cephalosporins can be a good empirical choice for
      treating Gram-negative UTIs, but should be avoided when multi-drug resistant
      (MDR) bacteria are suspected. Increases in the rate of carbapenem-resistant
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and in the general rate of MDR bacteria, are both a very
      alarming trend. We recommend practising prudent antibiotic policy, preferably
      using antibiotics with the narrowest possible spectrum.

PMID- 28621643
TI  - The clinical effectiveness of different surveillance strategies to prevent
      colorectal cancer in people with intermediate-grade colorectal adenomas: a
      retrospective cohort analysis, and psychological and economic evaluations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The UK guideline recommends 3-yearly surveillance for patients with
      intermediate-risk (IR) adenomas. No study has examined whether or not this group
      has heterogeneity in surveillance needs. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of
      surveillance on colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence; assess heterogeneity in risk;
      and identify the optimum frequency of surveillance, the psychological impact of
      surveillance, and the cost-effectiveness of alternative follow-up strategies.
      DESIGN: Retrospective multicentre cohort study. SETTING: Routine endoscopy and
      pathology data from 17 UK hospitals (n = 11,944), and a screening data set
      comprising three pooled cohorts (n = 2352), followed up using cancer registries.
      SUBJECTS: Patients with IR adenoma(s) (three or four small adenomas or one or two
      large adenomas). PRIMARY OUTCOMES: Advanced adenoma (AA) and CRC detected at
      follow-up visits, and CRC incidence after baseline and first follow-up. METHODS:
      The effects of surveillance on long-term CRC incidence and of interval length on
      findings at follow-up were examined using proportional hazards and logistic
      regression, adjusting for patient, procedural and polyp characteristics. Lower
      intermediate-risk (LIR) subgroups and higher-intermediate-risk (HIR) subgroups
      were defined, based on predictors of CRC risk. A model-based cost-utility
      analysis compared 13 surveillance strategies. Between-group analyses of variance
      were used to test for differences in bowel cancer worry between screening outcome
      groups (n = 35,700). A limitation of using routine hospital data is the potential
      for missed examinations and underestimation of the effect of interval and
      surveillance. RESULTS: In the hospital data set, 168 CRCs occurred during 81,442
      person-years (pys) of follow-up [206 per 100,000 pys, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) 177 to 240 pys]. One surveillance significantly lowered CRC incidence, both
      overall [hazard ratio (HR) 0.51, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.77] and in the HIR subgroup (n
      = 9265; HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.76). In the LIR subgroup (n = 2679) the benefit
      of surveillance was less clear (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.16 to 2.43). Additional
      surveillance lowered CRC risk in the HIR subgroup by a further 15% (HR 0.36, 95%
      CI 0.20 to 0.62). The odds of detecting AA and CRC at first follow-up (FUV1)
      increased by 18% [odds ratio (OR) 1.18, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.24] and 32% (OR 1.32,
      95% CI 1.20 to 1.46) per year increase in interval, respectively, and the odds of
      advanced neoplasia at second follow-up increased by 22% (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09 to
      1.36), after adjustment. Detection rates of AA and CRC remained below 10% and 1%,
      respectively, with intervals to 3 years. In the screening data set, 32 CRCs
      occurred during 25,745 pys of follow-up (124 per 100,000 pys, 95% CI 88 to 176
      pys). One follow-up conferred a significant 73% reduction in CRC incidence (HR
      0.27, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.71). Owing to the small number of end points in this data
      set, no other outcome was significant. Although post-screening bowel cancer worry
      was higher in people who were offered surveillance, worry was due to polyp
      detection rather than surveillance. The economic evaluation, using data from the
      hospital data set, suggested that 3-yearly colonoscopic surveillance without an
      age cut-off would produce the greatest health gain. CONCLUSIONS: A single
      surveillance benefited all IR patients by lowering their CRC risk. We identified
      a higher-risk subgroup that benefited from further surveillance, and a lower-risk
      subgroup that may require only one follow-up. A surveillance interval of 3 years
      seems suitable for most IR patients. These findings should be validated in other
      studies to confirm whether or not one surveillance visit provides adequate
      protection for the lower-risk subgroup of intermediate-risk patients. STUDY
      REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN15213649. FUNDING: The National
      Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

PMID- 28621644
TI  - Farewell Mark.

PMID- 28621645
TI  - Patterns and factors of problematic marijuana use in the Canadian population:
      Evidence from three cross-sectional surveys.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study are to describe marijuana use in Canada
      and explore factors associated with problematic use. METHODS: Data from the 2010
      2012 circulations of the Canadian Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey were
      used to create three logistic regression models for the purposes of identifying
      and comparing factors associated with the degree of marijuana use, as determined
      via the WHO Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Abuse Involvement Screening Test (non
      problematic, problematic) and European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
      Addiction (experiential, recent, current) methods. RESULTS: Canadians aged 15-24
      years are 15 times (p < 0.001) more likely to be current users than Canadians
      aged 65 or older, with the odds of exhibiting problematic marijuana use being 10
      times (p < 0.001) greater. The odds of a male exhibiting problematic marijuana
      use are 2.46 times (p < 0.001) greater than for females. The odds of exhibiting
      problematic marijuana use are 41.0% (p = 0.031) and 53.0% (p = 0.008) greater for
      marijuana users with household incomes $40,000-$80,000 and less than $40,000
      respectively compared to those with household income over $80,000. An earlier age
      of first marijuana use is associated with problematic use but not necessarily
      with being a current user. CONCLUSION: The majority of our findings are
      consistent with the literature, showing that Canadians who are: male, adolescent
      or young adult, smokers, heavy drinkers, other illicit drug users, and who have
      poorer mental health status are more likely to engage in any marijuana use,
      particularly higher levels of marijuana use. These findings can be used to inform
      the development of policy in Canada to address problematic marijuana use and
      prepare for its possible legalization.

PMID- 28621646
TI  - The contribution of excise cigarette taxes on the decline in youth smoking in
      Canada during the time of the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (2002-2012).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of changes in cigarette taxes on smoking for
      youths aged 15-18 in Canada during the time of the Federal Tobacco Control
      Strategy (FTCS). METHODS: We used a difference-in-differences framework and
      leveraged the variation in cigarette taxes across Canada and over time. We used
      regression models with province and year fixed effects, and individual-level and
      provincial-level covariates on 2002-2012 data from the Canadian Tobacco Use
      Monitoring Survey. RESULTS: Tax increases generally did not affect smoking
      outcomes. Each increase of CAD $1.00 (adjusted to year 2000 dollars) in excise
      cigarette taxes per package of 20 was associated with a 0.2 percentage point (95%
      CI: -1.8; 2.2) change in smoking prevalence, and a change of 0.3 in mean
      cigarettes smoked in the past week (95% CI: -1.2; 1.8). CONCLUSION: From 2002 to
      2012, smoking prevalence and mean smoking frequency were in steady decline among
      youths in Canada. This decline, however, was evident even among provinces with
      stable or decreasing cigarette tax levels. Tobacco taxes have mostly increased
      since the 1980s, and so, tax levels were already quite high by the launch of the
      FTCS. Province fixed effects and common temporal changes accounted for 83.7% of
      the variation in smoking prevalence. We derived similar results for smoking
      frequency. The cumulative tax increase during our study period was at least $1.00
      for only three provinces. Thus, our findings suggest that factors driving down
      tobacco use among youths in all provinces appear to outweigh any impact of small
      tax increases at already high tax levels.

PMID- 28621647
TI  - Timeliness and completeness of routine childhood vaccinations in children by two
      years of age in Alberta, Canada.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Assessing timeliness and completeness of vaccine administration is
      important for evaluating the effectiveness of immunization programs. Few studies
      have reported timeliness, particularly in Canada. The objective of this study was
      to examine timeliness of the receipt of vaccination for each routine childhood
      recommended vaccine by 24 months of age among children in a community-based
      pregnancy cohort in Calgary, Alberta. METHODS: Survey data from a community-based
      pregnancy cohort in Alberta were linked to Public Health vaccination records of
      children (n = 2763). The proportion of children receiving early, timely, delayed,
      or no vaccination was calculated. A dose was considered early if it was
      administered before the recommended age in days as per the vaccination schedule,
      timely if administered at any time from start of recommended age in days to age
      in days when delay counts were initiated, and delayed if it was administered on
      or after age in days when delay counts were initiated. Series completion rates
      were also calculated. RESULTS: For multi-dose vaccines, over 80% of children had
      timely doses at 2, 4 and 6 months. By 12 months, this proportion decreased to 65%
      (95% CI: 63%-66%) for meningococcal conjugate group C, 61% (95% CI: 59%-62%) for
      measles antigen-containing vaccines and 64% (95% CI: 62%-65%) for varicella
      antigen-containing vaccines. At 18 months, only 55% (95% CI: 53%-56%) of the
      children had a timely 4th dose of diphtheria, acellular pertussis, tetanus,
      polio, and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine. Eventual series completion rate
      for all recommended vaccines was 77% (95% CI: 75%-79%). CONCLUSION: The
      timeliness and completeness of routine childhood vaccination in preschool
      children in this community-based pregnancy cohort is lower than provincial
      targets. Data on timeliness of vaccination can inform further work on barriers
      and enablers to vaccination in order to meet provincial targets.

PMID- 28621648
TI  - High vulnerability to household food insecurity in a sample of Canadian renter
      households in government-subsidized housing.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and severity of household food insecurity
      and examine household material circumstances related to food insecurity in a
      sample of renter households in government-subsidized housing. METHODS: Cross
      sectional data from the 2010 Survey of Household Spending were used to determine
      the food insecurity status of 455 renter households living in the 10 provinces
      and receiving a government housing subsidy. Multivariable logistic regressions
      were conducted to examine the relationship between household characteristics
      describing material circumstances and food insecurity. RESULTS: One in two
      households was food insecure. Marginal, moderate and severe food insecurity
      affected 9.0%, 23.3% and 18.5% of households respectively. Household economic
      resources, as captured with after-tax income, after-rent income, or total
      expenditure, had an independent, inverse relationship with food insecurity. Among
      the other characteristics examined, more adults or children in the household,
      presence of a member with disability, and receipt of social assistance increased
      the odds of food insecurity, but receipt of social assistance lost statistical
      significance when controlling for total expenditure. Presence of a senior in the
      household was independently associated with lower odds of food insecurity.
      CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that more effective income-based interventions
      are needed to address food insecurity among low-income households receiving
      government housing subsidies. A better integration of housing and income-based
      policies is necessary to support household food security among government
      subsidized renter households.

PMID- 28621649
TI  - A natural experimental study of the protective effect of home ownership on
      household food insecurity in Canada before and after a recession (2008-2009).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Home ownership as opposed to renting is associated with lower rates
      of food insecurity, the latter being a marker of household economic deprivation
      associated with adverse health outcomes. It is unclear whether this relationship
      persists during a major economic decline, or whether different subgroups of home
      owners are equally protected. The 2008-2009 recession in Canada was tied to
      events in the United States related to inappropriate mortgage financing; the
      impact of the recession on food insecurity among home owners may identify
      policies to mitigate recessionary outcomes. METHODS: We used a before-and-after
      natural experimental design using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey
      (CCHS) cycles 2007/2008 (pre-recession) and 2009/2010 (post-recession) with
      information on household food insecurity, home ownership versus renting, and
      socio-demographics. Applying multivariable logistic regression, we examined
      changes in household food insecurity by housing tenure and sex over the period.
      RESULTS: Pre-recession, food insecurity affected 3.3% of home owners and 17.1% of
      renter households. Among home owners, the risk of food insecurity increased post
      recession by 10%, which was not statistically significant. Post-recession, and
      with adjustment, although renters' higher absolute risk of food insecurity
      persisted, male-respondent home owners experienced the highest rate of increase
      in food insecurity prevalence by subgroup (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.06-1.50) versus
      renters (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05-1.29). CONCLUSION: Housing policies in Canada
      protected most home owners from precarity during the 2008-2009 economic
      recession; however, male-respondent home owners exhibited a unique economic
      vulnerability during this time. Implications of Canadian home ownership policies
      are discussed in light of differential vulnerability of home owner groups.

PMID- 28621650
TI  - Socio-economic status and fruit juice consumption in Canada.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The role of socio-economic status (SES) in fruit juice and fruit
      drink consumption is not well understood in a Canadian context. This study
      examines the relationship between SES and Canadian fruit juice and fruit drink
      consumption. METHODS: The Canadian Community Health Survey (2011-2012), a cross
      sectional survey that employs multistage cluster sampling, provided relevant data
      for a sample of 103 125 Canadians, aged 12 and older, living in the 10 provinces.
      Household income level decile, ranked at the health region level, was used as a
      surrogate measure of SES. Fruit juice and fruit drink consumption data were
      collected via self-report in telephone/in-person interviews. Multivariable gamma
      regression was used to model the relationship between SES and frequency of fruit
      juice and fruit drink consumption, adjusting for age, sex, diabetes status, daily
      fruit and vegetable consumption, education level, racial identity and physical
      activity. RESULTS: A negative relationship was found, with a decreasing daily
      rate of fruit juice and fruit drink consumption associated with increasing SES.
      In the adjusted model, Canadians in the lowest SES category consumed fruit juice
      and fruit drinks at an average daily rate 1.18 times (95% CI: 1.14-1.23) that of
      Canadians in the highest SES category. CONCLUSION: The negative association
      between health region-adjusted SES and fruit juice and fruit drink consumption
      highlights the potentially important role of socio-economic factors at a local
      level. Canadian policy that aims to lower fruit juice and fruit drink
      consumption, and thus sugar intake, should target financial avenues (such as
      making fruit juice less financially attractive by lowering the cost of whole
      fruit and vegetables) in addition to communicating health benefits.

PMID- 28621651
TI  - The economic benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption in Canada.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of the
      population that meets or exceeds Canada's Food Guide (CFG) recommendations
      regarding the number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables (F/V), to assess
      trends in this proportion between 2000 and 2013, to estimate the annual economic
      burden attributable to inadequate F/V consumption within the context of other
      important risk factors, and to estimate the short- and long-term costs that could
      be avoided if modest improvements were made to F/V consumption in Canada.
      METHODS: We used a previously developed methodology based on population
      attributable fractions and a prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach to
      estimate the economic burden associated with low F/V consumption. RESULTS: Over
      three quarters of Canadians are not meeting CFG recommendations regarding the
      number of daily servings of F/V, leading to an annual economic burden of $4.39
      billion. If a 1% relative increase in F/V consumption occurred annually between
      2013 and 2036, the cumulative reduction in economic burden over the 23-year
      period would reach $8.4 billion. Consumption levels of F/V, and the resulting
      economic burden, varied by sex, age and province. CONCLUSION: A significant
      majority of Canadians are not consuming the recommended daily servings of F/V,
      with important consequences to their health and the Canadian economy. Programs
      and policies are required to encourage F/V consumption in Canada.

PMID- 28621652
TI  - Region-level obesity projections and an examination of its correlates in Quebec.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Regional public health policy-makers frequently adopt obesity
      programs and objectives that have been established at global, provincial/state or
      national levels. However, the presence of substantial inter-regional disparities
      could render this practice inefficient. Studies that collectively assess obesity
      prevalence, temporal trends and their heterogeneity at the region level are rare,
      though they could be used to support better regional surveillance and planning.
      To address this gap, our study projected obesity prevalence time series to 2023
      for 16 health regions in Quebec. We also compared the extent to which yearly
      rates of increase (or slope) versus cross-sectional prevalence drove regional
      heterogeneity and correlated with obesity-related sociodemographic and
      behavioural characteristics. METHODS: Projections were done using weighted
      compositional regression to fit and extrapolate obesity prevalence time series
      (1987-2012). Heterogeneity in obesity prevalence as a function of time and
      obesity slope were characterized using standard deviation. The correlation of
      region-level obesity prevalence and slope with 14 area-level obesity-related
      characteristics was assessed. RESULTS: Obesity prevalence is projected to
      increase in all regions. Region-level heterogeneity in prevalence in 2012 (sigma
      = 2.2%) is projected to increase to (sigma = 3.1%) by 2023. The increase in
      prevalence heterogeneity appeared to be driven by region-level heterogeneity in
      slope (beta = 0.22%-0.51%/year). Obesity-related characteristics were found to be
      more strongly correlated with slope than with prevalence. CONCLUSION: Large area
      obesity trends mask substantial and increasing region-level disparities. Obesity
      slope appears to drive region-level heterogeneity and correlate strongly with
      explanatory factors, and may represent a pertinent metric for public health
      monitoring.

PMID- 28621653
TI  - Increased mortality among Indigenous persons in a multisite cohort of people
      living with HIV in Canada.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Compare all-cause mortality between Indigenous participants and
      participants of other ethnicities living with HIV initiating combination
      antiretroviral therapy (cART) in an interprovincial multi-site cohort. METHODS:
      The Canadian Observational Cohort is a collaboration of 8 cohorts of treatment
      naive persons with HIV initiating cART after January 1, 2000. Participants were
      followed from the cART initiation date until death or last viral load (VL) test
      date on or before December 31, 2012. Cox proportional hazard models were used to
      estimate the effect of ethnicity on time until death after adjusting for age,
      gender, injection drug use, being a man who has sex with men, hepatitis C,
      province of origin, baseline VL and CD4 count, year of cART initiation and class
      of antiretroviral medication. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 7080
      participants (497 Indigenous, 2471 Caucasian, 787 African/Caribbean/Black (ACB),
      629 other, and 2696 unknown ethnicity). Most Indigenous persons were from British
      Columbia (BC) (83%), with smaller numbers from Ontario (13%) and Quebec (4%).
      During the study period, 714 (10%) participants died. The five-year survival
      probability was lower for Indigenous persons (0.77) than for Caucasian (0.94),
      ACB (0.98), other ethnicities (0.96) and unknown ethnicities (0.85) (p < 0.0001).
      In an adjusted proportional hazard model for which missing data were imputed,
      Indigenous persons were more likely to die than Caucasian participants (hazard
      ratio = 2.69, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The mortality rate for Indigenous persons
      was higher than for other ethnicities and is largely reflective of the BC
      population. Addressing treatment challenges and identifying HIV- and non-HIV
      related causes for mortality among Indigenous persons is required to optimize
      their clinical management.

PMID- 28621654
TI  - Diabetes risk reduction in primary care: Evaluation of the Ontario Primary Care
      Diabetes Prevention Program.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Lifestyle interventions can reduce type 2 diabetes risk. The Primary
      Care Diabetes Prevention Program (PCDPP) was implemented by the Government of
      Ontario to lower diabetes risk. This study first evaluated the program, and
      second used a validated tool to estimate a potential population impact if the
      program were implemented more broadly in the province. METHODS: PCDPP was
      implemented in six primary care settings serving communities with high mortality
      risk due to chronic diseases. In total, 1916 adults with prediabetes or metabolic
      syndrome were enrolled from January 2011 to December 2012. Body weight was the
      primary outcome variable, and was modeled using four time periods (i.e.,
      baseline, 3rd, 6th and 9th month). The intervention effect was estimated using
      multilevel mixed-effects linear regression, and was stratified by gender and age.
      In the population impact analysis, a number needed to treat (NNT) for the
      intervention to prevent one case of diabetes and an absolute number of diabetes
      cases averted were estimated. RESULTS: Weight loss over 9 months was 7.5% (or 6.8
      kg), with 7.4% (or 6.4 kg) in females and 8.6% (or 8.6 kg) in males. When
      modeled, changes in weight were all statistically significant. The models for
      male participants predicted, however, some gains in weight in the last 3 months
      of the program. Dropout rates were 26.8%, 46.8% and 63.0% at 3rd, 6th and 9th
      month respectively. Scaling up the program would produce an NNT of approximately
      36 and would avert 6401 cases of diabetes in five years. CONCLUSION: PCDPP may
      represent a potentially effective tool for population-level diabetes risk
      reduction.

PMID- 28621656
TI  - Pathways to policy: Lessons learned in multisectoral collaboration for physical
      activity and built environment policy development from the Coalitions Linking
      Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP) initiative.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer funded 12 large-scale
      knowledge to action cancer and chronic disease prevention projects between 2009
      and 2016 through the Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP)
      initiative. Two projects, Healthy Canada by Design (HCBD) and Children's
      Mobility, Health and Happiness (CMHH), developed policies to address physical
      activity and the built environment through a multisectoral approach. A
      qualitative analysis involving a review of 183 knowledge products and 8 key
      informant interviews was conducted to understand what policy changes occurred,
      and the underlying critical success factors, through these projects. SETTING:
      Both projects worked at the local level to change physical activity and built
      environment policy in 203 sites, including municipalities and schools. Both
      projects brought multisectoral expertise (e.g., public health, land use planning,
      transportation engineering, education, etc.) together to inform the development
      of local healthy public policy in the areas of land use, transportation and
      school travel planning. INTERVENTION: Through the qualitative analysis of the
      knowledge products and key informant interviews, 163 policies were attributed to
      HCBD and CMHH work. OUTCOMES: Fourteen "pathways to policy" were identified as
      critical success factors facilitating and accelerating the development and
      implementation of physical activity and built environment policy. Of the 14
      pathways to policy, 8 had a focus on multisectoral collaboration. IMPLICATIONS:
      The lessons learned from the CLASP experience could support enhanced
      multisectoral collaborations to accelerate the development and implementation of
      physical activity and built environment policy in new jurisdictions across Canada
      and internationally.

PMID- 28621655
TI  - Trends in the leading causes of injury mortality, Australia, Canada, and the
      United States, 2000-2014.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to highlight the differences in injury
      rates between populations through a descriptive epidemiological study of
      population-level trends in injury mortality for the high-income countries of
      Australia, Canada and the United States. METHODS: Mortality data were available
      for the US from 2000 to 2014, and for Canada and Australia from 2000 to 2012.
      Injury causes were defined using the International Classification of Diseases,
      Tenth Revision external cause codes, and were grouped into major causes. Rates
      were direct-method age-adjusted using the US 2000 projected population as the
      standard age distribution. RESULTS: US motor vehicle injury mortality rates
      declined from 2000 to 2014 but remained markedly higher than those of Australia
      or Canada. In all three countries, fall injury mortality rates increased from
      2000 to 2014. US homicide mortality rates declined, but remained higher than
      those of Australia and Canada. While the US had the lowest suicide rate in 2000,
      it increased by 24% during 2000-2014, and by 2012 was about 14% higher than that
      in Australia and Canada. The poisoning mortality rate in the US increased
      dramatically from 2000 to 2014. CONCLUSION: Results show marked differences and
      striking similarities in injury mortality between the countries and within
      countries over time. The observed trends differed by injury cause category. The
      substantial differences in injury rates between similarly resourced populations
      raises important questions about the role of societal-level factors as underlying
      causes of the differential distribution of injury in our communities.

PMID- 28621657
TI  - A surgical intervention for the body politic: Generation Squeeze applies the
      Advocacy Coalition Framework to social determinants of health knowledge
      translation.
AB  - SETTING: The World Health Organization Commission on the Social Determinants of
      Health (SDoH) observes that building political will is central to all its
      recommendations, because governments respond to those who organize and show up.
      Since younger Canadians are less likely to vote or to organize in between
      elections, they are less effective at building political will than their older
      counterparts. This results in an age gap between SDoH research and government
      budget priorities. Whereas Global AgeWatch ranks Canada among the top countries
      for aging, UNICEF ranks Canada among the least generous OECD (Organisation for
      Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for the generations raising
      young children. INTERVENTION: A surgical intervention into the body politic.
      Guided by the "health political science" literature, the intervention builds a
      non-profit coalition to perform science-based, non-partisan democratic engagement
      to increase incentives for policy-makers to translate SDoH research about younger
      generations into government budget investments. OUTCOMES: All four national
      parties integrated policy recommendations from the intervention into their 2015
      election platforms. Three referred to, or consulted with, the intervention during
      the election. The intervention coincided with all parties committing to the
      single largest annual increase in spending on families with children in over a
      decade. IMPLICATIONS: Since many population-level decisions are made in political
      venues, the concept of population health interventions should be broadened to
      include activities designed to mobilize SDoH science in the world of politics.
      Such interventions must engage with the power dynamics, values, interests and
      institutional factors that mediate the path by which science shapes government
      budgets.

PMID- 28621658
TI  - Zoning out methadone and rising opioid-related deaths in Ontario: Reforms and
      municipal government actions.
AB  - In this commentary, we argue that the use of amendments to bylaws by Ontario
      cities and municipalities to restrict where and how methadone maintenance
      treatment (MMT) clinics and pharmacies operate may run counter to efforts to
      prevent record high rates of opioid-related overdoses. As the province of Ontario
      seeks to reform the opioid treatment system, it is crucial to understand the
      structural (e.g., stigma) and treatment system organization factors that drive
      the actions of municipalities such as those described above. Changes that
      exacerbate these factors may lead to increased use of bylaws to curtail access at
      a time when efforts are underway to reduce alarming rates of opioid-related
      overdose.

PMID- 28621659
TI  - Reclaiming Indigenous identities: Culture as strength against suicide among
      Indigenous youth in Canada.
AB  - In Canada, Indigenous youth suicide represents one of several health disparities
      burdening Indigenous populations, and like many other of these disparities, can
      be understood as an expression of societal, historical, cultural and familial
      trauma. As the number of Indigenous youth who take their own lives every year in
      Canada continues to far exceed national averages, it appears that conventional
      suicide prevention efforts remain ineffective among this population. A growing
      body of research argues that conventional interventions, largely rooted in
      Western individual-level behavioural change frameworks, are culturally discordant
      with Indigenous paradigms. In response, some Indigenous communities are turning
      to cultural revitalization as a holistic community-driven response to suicide
      prevention and treatment. The following commentary explores the emerging evidence
      base for "culture as treatment" - a novel approach to suicide that emphasizes the
      significance of interconnectedness in healing, alongside the revitalization of
      traditional values to reclaim community wellness. In doing so, we seek to
      contribute to a changing discourse surrounding Indigenous youth suicide by
      acknowledging culture as strength against this national crisis.

PMID- 28621660
TI  - Promoting children's health: Toward a consensus statement on food literacy.
AB  - This consensus statement reflects the views of a diverse group of stakeholders
      convened to explore the concept of "food literacy" as it relates to children's
      health. Evidence-based conceptions of food literacy are needed in light of the
      term's popularity in health promotion and educational interventions designed to
      increase food skills and knowledge that contribute to overall health. Informed by
      a comprehensive scoping review that identified seven main themes of food
      literacy, meeting participants ranked those themes in terms of importance.
      Discussions highlighted two key points in conceptualizing food literacy: the need
      to recognize varying food skill and knowledge levels, and the need to recognize
      critical food contexts. From these discussions, meeting participants created two
      working definitions of food literacy, as well as the alternative conception of
      "radical food literacy". We conclude that multiple literacies in relation to food
      skills and knowledge are needed, and underline the importance of ongoing dialogue
      in this emergent area of research.

PMID- 28621661
TI  - Prevalence of non-food allergies among British Columbia residents from different
      countries of origin.

PMID- 28621662
TI  - Chronic lithium treatment elicits its antimanic effects via BDNF-TrkB dependent
      synaptic downscaling.
AB  - Lithium is widely used as a treatment for Bipolar Disorder although the molecular
      mechanisms that underlie its therapeutic effects are under debate. In this study,
      we show brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is required for the antimanic
      like effects of lithium but not the antidepressant-like effects in mice. We
      performed whole cell patch clamp recordings of hippocampal neurons to determine
      the impact of lithium on synaptic transmission that may underlie the behavioral
      effects. Lithium produced a significant decrease in alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5
      methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated miniature excitatory
      postsynaptic current (mEPSC) amplitudes due to postsynaptic homeostatic
      plasticity that was dependent on BDNF and its receptor tropomyosin receptor
      kinase B (TrkB). The decrease in AMPAR function was due to reduced surface
      expression of GluA1 subunits through dynamin-dependent endocytosis. Collectively,
      these findings demonstrate a requirement for BDNF in the antimanic action of
      lithium and identify enhanced dynamin-dependent endocytosis of AMPARs as a
      potential mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of lithium.

PMID- 28621663
TI  - Ionotropic Receptor-dependent moist and dry cells control hygrosensation in
      Drosophila.
AB  - Insects use hygrosensation (humidity sensing) to avoid desiccation and, in
      vectors such as mosquitoes, to locate vertebrate hosts. Sensory neurons activated
      by either dry or moist air ('dry cells' and 'moist cells') have been described in
      many insects, but their behavioral roles and the molecular basis of their
      hygrosensitivity remain unclear. We recently reported that Drosophila
      hygrosensation relies on three Ionotropic Receptors (IRs) required for dry cell
      function: IR25a, IR93a and IR40a (Knecht et al., 2016). Here, we discover
      Drosophila moist cells and show that they require IR25a and IR93a together with
      IR68a, a conserved, but orphan IR. Both IR68a- and IR40a-dependent pathways drive
      hygrosensory behavior: each is important for dry-seeking by hydrated flies and
      together they underlie moist-seeking by dehydrated flies. These studies reveal
      that humidity sensing in Drosophila, and likely other insects, involves the
      combined activity of two molecularly related but neuronally distinct hygrosensing
      systems.

PMID- 28621664
TI  - Post-meiotic DNA double-strand breaks occur in Tetrahymena, and require
      Topoisomerase II and Spo11.
AB  - Based on observations of markers for DNA lesions, such as phosphorylated histone
      H2AX (gammaH2AX) and open DNA ends, it has been suggested that post-meiotic DNA
      double-strand breaks (PM-DSBs) enable chromatin remodeling during animal
      spermiogenesis. However, the existence of PM-DSBs is unconfirmed, and the
      mechanism responsible for their formation is unclear. Here, we report the first
      direct observation of programmed PM-DSBs via the electrophoretic separation of
      DSB-generated DNA fragments in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. These PM-DSBs
      are accompanied by switching from a heterochromatic to euchromatic chromatin
      structure in the haploid pronucleus. Both a topoisomerase II paralog with
      exclusive pronuclear expression and Spo11 are prerequisites for PM-DSB induction.
      Reduced PM-DSB induction blocks euchromatin formation, characterized by histone
      H3K56 acetylation, leading to a failure in gametic nuclei production. We propose
      that PM-DSBs are responsible for histone replacement during the reprogramming of
      generative to undifferentiated progeny nuclei.

PMID- 28621665
TI  - Neural mechanisms of social learning in the female mouse.
AB  - Social interactions are often powerful drivers of learning. In female mice,
      mating creates a long-lasting sensory memory for the pheromones of the stud male
      that alters neuroendocrine responses to his chemosignals for many weeks. The
      cellular and synaptic correlates of pheromonal learning, however, remain unclear.
      We examined local circuit changes in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) using
      targeted ex vivo recordings of mating-activated neurons tagged with a fluorescent
      reporter. Imprinting led to striking plasticity in the intrinsic membrane
      excitability of projection neurons (mitral cells, MCs) that dramatically
      curtailed their responsiveness, suggesting a novel cellular substrate for
      pheromonal learning. Plasticity was selectively expressed in the MC ensembles
      activated by the stud male, consistent with formation of memories for specific
      individuals. Finally, MC excitability gained atypical activity-dependence whose
      slow dynamics strongly attenuated firing on timescales of several minutes. This
      unusual form of AOB plasticity may act to filter sustained or repetitive sensory
      signals.

PMID- 28621666
TI  - 9A structure of the COPI coat reveals that the Arf1 GTPase occupies two
      contrasting molecular environments.
AB  - COPI coated vesicles mediate trafficking within the Golgi apparatus and between
      the Golgi and the endoplasmic reticulum. Assembly of a COPI coated vesicle is
      initiated by the small GTPase Arf1 that recruits the coatomer complex to the
      membrane, triggering polymerization and budding. The vesicle uncoats before
      fusion with a target membrane. Coat components are structurally conserved between
      COPI and clathrin/adaptor proteins. Using cryo-electron tomography and
      subtomogram averaging, we determined the structure of the COPI coat assembled on
      membranes in vitro at 9 A resolution. We also obtained a 2.57 A resolution
      crystal structure of betadelta-COP. By combining these structures we built a
      molecular model of the coat. We additionally determined the coat structure in the
      presence of ArfGAP proteins that regulate coat dissociation. We found that Arf1
      occupies contrasting molecular environments within the coat, leading us to
      hypothesize that some Arf1 molecules may regulate vesicle assembly while others
      regulate coat disassembly.

PMID- 28621677
TI  - Genome-wide methylome and chromatin interactome identify abnormal enhancer to be
      risk factor of breast cancer.
AB  - Enhancer is critical cis regulatory elements in gene expression. To understand
      whether and how the aberrant enhancer activation may contribute to cancer risk,
      the differentially methylated enhancers (eDMRs) in normal and malignant breast
      tissues were identified and analyzed. By incorporating genome-wide chromatin
      interaction, integrated analysis of eDMRs and target gene expression identified
      1,272 enhancer-promoter pairs. Surprisingly, two functionally distinct groups of
      genes were identified in these pairs, one showing better correlation to enhancer
      methylation (eRGs) and the other showing better correlation to promoter
      methylation (pRGs), and the former group is functionally enriched with cancer
      related genes. Moreover, enhancer methylation based clustering of breast cancer
      samples is capable of discriminating basal breast cancer from other subtypes. By
      correlating enhancer methylation status to patient survival, 345 enhancers show
      the impact on the disease outcome and the majority of their target genes are
      important regulators of cell survival pathways including known cancer related
      genes. Together, these results suggest reactivation of enhancers in cancer cells
      has the add-on effect and contributes to cancer risk in combination.

PMID- 28621693
TI  - Abnormalities of Cortical Neural Synchronization Mechanisms in Subjects with Mild
      Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases: An EEG Study.
AB  - The aim of this retrospective and exploratory study was that the cortical sources
      of resting state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms might reveal
      different abnormalities in cortical neural synchronization in groups of patients
      with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (ADMCI) and Parkinson's
      disease (PDMCI) as compared to healthy subjects. Clinical and rsEEG data of 75
      ADMCI, 75 PDMCI, and 75 cognitively normal elderly (Nold) subjects were available
      in an international archive. Age, gender, and education were carefully matched in
      the three groups. The Mini-Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) was matched between the
      ADMCI and PDMCI groups. Individual alpha frequency peak (IAF) was used to
      determine the delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, and alpha3 frequency band ranges.
      Fixed beta1, beta2, and gamma bands were also considered. eLORETA estimated the
      rsEEG cortical sources. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) classified
      these sources across individuals. Results showed that compared to the Nold group,
      the posterior alpha2 and alpha3 source activities were more abnormal in the ADMCI
      than the PDMCI group, while the parietal delta source activities were more
      abnormal in the PDMCI than the ADMCI group. The parietal delta and alpha sources
      correlated with MMSE score and correctly classified the Nold and diseased
      individuals (area under the ROC = 0.77-0.79). In conclusion, the PDMCI and ADMCI
      patients showed different features of cortical neural synchronization at delta
      and alpha frequencies underpinning brain arousal and vigilance in the quiet
      wakefulness. Future prospective cross-validation studies will have to test these
      rsEEG markers for clinical applications and drug discovery.

PMID- 28621694
TI  - Ergonomics as a tool to improve the sustainability of the workforce.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The sustainability of the workforce is threatened due to working
      conditions. One of the reasons for this is an imbalance between the working
      conditions and the capacity of the workers. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the
      paper, based on a literature review, is to explore the relationship between two
      main concepts, beginning with sustainability, and finished with ergonomics. Based
      on that relationship, determine if ergonomics could be helpful to improve the
      sustainability of the workforce. METHODS: Literature review was based on two
      keywords: sustainability and ergonomics. The focus was on create a theoretical
      path between these two concepts. The literature review draws on 100 journal
      articles, books, conference proceedings, thesis and reports. RESULTS: The results
      of the literature review highlights that an ergonomics approach is helpful and
      appropriate to determine the mismatch between people capacity and system demand.
      In that sense, the literature review reveals that both disciplines, ergonomics
      and sustainability, share the same principles and that the mix of both has
      significant potential. However, the literature also shows a lack of empirical
      information that proves that potential. CONCLUSION: The review first posits that
      sustainability principles could be helpful to improve the working conditions, and
      second, that an ergonomics approach provides information related with working
      conditions, organizations' problems and the needs of workers that would be
      helpful to create a sustainability workforce.

PMID- 28621695
TI  - Learning challenges and sustainable development: A methodological perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sustainable development requires learning, but the contents of
      learning are often complex and ambiguous. This requires new integrated approaches
      from research. It is argued that investigation of people's learning challenges in
      every-day work is beneficial for research on sustainable development. OBJECTIVE:
      The aim of the paper is to describe a research method for examining learning
      challenges in promoting sustainable development. This method is illustrated with
      a case example from organic vegetable farming in Finland. METHODS: The method,
      based on Activity Theory, combines historical analysis with qualitative analysis
      of need expressions in discourse data. RESULTS: The method linking local and
      subjective need expressions with general historical analysis is a promising way
      to overcome the gap between the individual and society, so much needed in
      research for sustainable development. CONCLUSIONS: Dialectically informed
      historical frameworks have practical value as tools in collaborative negotiations
      and participatory designs for sustainable development. The simultaneous use of
      systemic and subjective perspectives allows researchers to manage the complexity
      of practical work activities and to avoid too simplistic presumptions about
      sustainable development.

PMID- 28621696
TI  - Professional transitions towards sustainable farming systems: The development of
      farmers' professional worlds.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While farming in France and generally in Europe is continuing to
      intensify, at the expense of its environmental sustainability, promising
      alternatives are emerging. OBJECTIVE: The processes whereby farmers change and
      transform their own work, to shift from an intensive mode of production to a self
      sufficient and autonomous one, need to be formalized if we are to further our
      understanding of why and how these forms of sustainable farming activity emerge.
      METHODS: We use the development of professional worlds theory, a systemic
      representation of workers' activity, whereby their experience is formalized. This
      can be explained as the praxis1, conceptual and axiological underpinnings form a
      system with the object of the action. The development of a professional world is
      analyzed according to the evolution of its components and the search for
      pragmatic coherence within it. We analyzed professional transitions towards self
      sufficient and autonomous mixed farming through a case study. RESULTS: Our
      findings showed that the transition is initiated by the discovery of the
      unthinkable, awareness of a discrepancy between what the farmers think and what
      they do, the appearance of problems, and the response to external constraints.
      Professional transition is a non-teleological and non-incremental process; it
      corresponds to a comparison with reality, and a resolution of difficulties. This
      process is stimulated by the use of artifacts instrumented by the farmers.
      CONCLUSION: New perspectives are opened up by this formalization of transitions,
      in terms of (i) support towards sustainable farming and (ii) the design of
      sustainable farming systems.

PMID- 28621697
TI  - Innovation, systemic appropriation and prevention in the granite mining sector:
      The case of humidification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This research was conducted in the Brazilian granite mining sector.
      After epidemiological studies, it was established that professional
      pneumoconiosis is related to the inhalation of dust. Therefore, the Brazilian
      mining health and safety regulatory standard made it compulsory to provide
      humidification throughout the extraction and mineral treatment processes.
      OBJECTIVE: To develop the concept of systemic appropriation of the technological
      innovations that aim to protect the worker's health. Until now, appropriation has
      usually been presented in its individual dimensions. In this article, the focus
      is placed on the collective and organizational aspects of this appropriation.
      METHODS: Two methodological approaches were used: interviews with the different
      individuals involved in order to report the history of the implementation of
      technical devices which meet the humidification norm; and ergonomic analysis of
      the work of the operators who used these devices. RESULTS: The appropriation of
      the technical devices occurred at two distinct levels: 1) Individual, related to
      the direct contact of the operator with the instrument; 2) Systemic, as the
      effects of the innovation propagated through the system affecting interdependent
      tasks, adaptation of the work organization and new production strategies.
      CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of prevention norms require innovations which are
      necessarily accompanied by transformations in the companies' techniques, work and
      management.

PMID- 28621698
TI  - From the past to the future: Integrating work experience into the design process.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Integrating work activity issues into design process is a broadly
      discussed theme in ergonomics. Participation is presented as the main means for
      such integration. However, a late participation can limit the development of both
      project solutions and future work activity. OBJECTIVE: This article presents the
      concept of construction of experience aiming at the articulated development of
      future activities and project solutions. It is a non-teleological approach where
      the initial concepts will be transformed by the experience built up throughout
      the design process. METHODS: The method applied was a case study of an ergonomic
      participation during the design of a new laboratory complex for biotechnology
      research. Data was obtained through analysis of records in a simulation process
      using a Lego scale model and interviews with project participants. RESULTS: The
      simulation process allowed for developing new ways of working and generating
      changes in the initial design solutions, which enable workers to adopt their own
      developed strategies for conducting work more safely and efficiently in the
      future work system. CONCLUSIONS: Each project decision either opens or closes a
      window of opportunities for developing a future activity. Construction of
      experience in a non-teleological design process allows for understanding the
      consequences of project solutions for future work.

PMID- 28621699
TI  - Diagnostic value of single-source dual-energy spectral computed tomography for
      papillary thyroid microcarcinomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) are common diagnostic
      imaging methods for detecting and diagnosing papillary thyroid microcarcinoma
      (PTMC). However, single-source dual-energy spectral computed tomography (spectral
      CT) reduces beam hardening artefacts and optimizes contrast, which may add value
      in detecting PTMC. OBJECTIVE: To investigate values of applying single-source
      dual-energy spectral CT for diagnosing PTMCs, in comparison with high frequency
      ultrasound and conventional polychromatic images. METHODS: Thirty-one patients
      with suspected PTMC underwent contrast-enhanced dual-energy spectral CT. The
      images were analyzed by two experienced radiologists. Noise and contrast-noise
      ratio (CNR) were compared between conventional CT and spectral CT.
      Ultrasonography was also performed by an experienced radiologist with a 7 to 12
      MHz linear array transducer. Detection and diagnostic sensitivity were determined
      and compared. RESULTS: Forty-six pathologically-confirmed PTMC lesions were
      detected in 31 patients. Spectral CT had lower noise and higher CNR than
      conventional CT (P < 0.05). US detected more tumors (45/46 [97.8%] than
      conventional CT images (40/46 [87.0%]) or spectral CT images (44/46 [95.7%]).
      Among them, 30 (65.2%), 36 (78.3%), and 40 (87.0%) lesions were diagnosed
      correctly by conventional CT, spectral CT and US, respectively. Spectral CT had
      higher sensitivity than conventional CT (P = 0.031). However, there was no
      significant difference between spectral CT and US diagnostic sensitivities (P =
      0.125). CONCLUSION: Single-source dual-energy spectral CT was superior to
      conventional polychromatic images and similar to high frequency ultrasound in
      detecting and diagnosing for PTMCs. CT had advantages in detecting level VI and
      VII lymph nodes. Spectral CT and US provided good results for PTMC, and aid
      preoperative diagnosis.

PMID- 28621700
TI  - Impact of Parent-Targeted eHealth on Parent and Infant Health Outcomes: A Scoping
      Review.
AB  - Improved communication, education, and parental involvement in infant care have
      been demonstrated to enhance parental well-being and neonatal health outcomes.
      eHealth has the potential to increase parental presence in the neonatal intensive
      care unit (NICU). There has been no synthesized review on the direct impact of
      eHealth use on parental and neonatal health outcomes. The aim of this scoping
      review is to explore eHealth utilization by families of high-risk newborn infants
      in the NICU and/or postdischarge on health outcomes. PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE
      were searched from 1980 to October 2015 using key terms for "neonatal,"
      "parents," "eHealth," and "patient education." Criteria of peer-reviewed
      empirical studies published in English, targeting parents of NICU infants
      regardless of diagnosis, and eHealth utilization during NICU stay or
      postdischarge yielded 2218 studies. Extracted data were synthesized using
      thematic content analysis. Ten studies met inclusion, and 5 themes emerged:
      usability and feasibility, parental perceived benefits, infant's hospital length
      of stay, knowledge uptake, and predictors of variations in use. eHealth
      utilization was found to be desired by parents and promotes positive change in
      parental experience in the NICU. Actual and perceived benefits of eHealth for
      parents included ease of use, higher confidence in infant care, satisfaction, and
      knowledge uptake.

PMID- 28621701
TI  - Epigenetics insights into chronic pain: DNA hypomethylation in fibromyalgia-a
      controlled pilot-study.
AB  - To evaluate changes in DNA methylation profiles in patients with fibromyalgia
      (FM) compared to matched healthy controls (HCs). All individuals underwent full
      clinical and neurophysiological assessment by cortical excitability (CE)
      parameters measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation. DNA from the peripheral
      blood of patients with FM (n = 24) and HC (n = 24) were assessed using the
      Illumina-HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. We identified 1610 differentially
      methylated positions (DMPs) in patients with FM displaying a nonrandom
      distribution in regions of the genome. Sixty-nine percent of DMP in FM were
      hypomethylated compared to HC. Differentially methylated positions were enriched
      in 5 genomic regions (1p34; 6p21; 10q26; 17q25; 19q13). The functional
      characterization of 960 genes related to DMPs revealed an enrichment for MAPK
      signaling pathway (n = 18 genes), regulation of actin cytoskeleton (n = 15
      genes), and focal adhesion (n = 13 genes). A gene-gene interaction network
      enrichment analysis revealed the participation of DNA repair pathways,
      mitochondria-related processes, and synaptic signaling. Even though DNA was
      extracted from peripheral blood, this set of genes was enriched for disorders
      such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, bulimia, hyperphagia, and obesity.
      Remarkably, the hierarchical clusterization based on the methylation levels of
      the 1610 DMPs showed an association with neurophysiological measurements of CE in
      FM and HC. Fibromyalgia has a hypomethylation DNA pattern, which is enriched in
      genes implicated in stress response and DNA repair/free radical clearance. These
      changes occurred parallel to changes in CE parameters. New epigenetic insights
      into the pathophysiology of FM may provide the basis for the development of
      biomarkers of this disorder.

PMID- 28621702
TI  - Short-duration physical activity prevents the development of activity-induced
      hyperalgesia through opioid and serotoninergic mechanisms.
AB  - Regular physical activity prevents the development of chronic muscle pain through
      the modulation of central mechanisms that involve rostral ventromedial medulla
      (RVM). We tested if pharmacological blockade or genetic deletion of mu-opioid
      receptors in physically active mice modulates excitatory and inhibitory systems
      in the RVM in an activity-induced hyperalgesia model. We examined response
      frequency to mechanical stimulation of the paw, muscle withdrawal thresholds, and
      expression of phosphorylation of the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate
      receptor (p-NR1) and serotonin transporter (SERT) in the RVM. Mice that had
      performed 5 days of voluntary wheel running prior to the induction of the model
      were compared with sedentary mice. Sedentary mice showed significant increases in
      mechanical paw withdrawal frequency and a reduction in muscle withdrawal
      threshold; wheel running prevented the increase in paw withdrawal frequency.
      Naloxone-treated and MOR mice had increases in withdrawal frequency that were
      significantly greater than that in physically active control mice and similar to
      sedentary mice. Immunohistochemistry in the RVM showed increases in p-NR1 and
      SERT expression in sedentary mice 24 hours after the induction of the model.
      Wheel running prevented the increase in SERT, but not p-NR1. Physically active,
      naloxone-treated, and MOR mice showed significant increases in SERT
      immunoreactivity when compared with wild-type physically active control mice.
      Blockade of SERT in the RVM in sedentary mice reversed the activity-induced
      hyperalgesia of the paw and muscle. These results suggest that analgesia induced
      by 5 days of wheel running is mediated by mu-opioid receptors through the
      modulation of SERT, but not p-NR1, in RVM.

PMID- 28621703
TI  - Pain sensation in human osteoarthritic knee joints is strongly enhanced by
      diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The major burden of knee joint osteoarthritis (OA) is pain. Since in elder
      patients diabetes mellitus is an important comorbidity of OA, we explored whether
      the presence of diabetes mellitus has a significant influence on pain intensity
      at the end stage of knee OA, and we aimed to identify factors possibly related to
      changes of pain intensity in diabetic patients. In 23 diabetic and 47 nondiabetic
      patients with OA undergoing total knee arthroplasty, we assessed the pain
      intensity before the operation using the "Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome
      Score". Furthermore, synovial tissue, synovial fluid (SF), cartilage, and blood
      were obtained. We determined the synovitis score, the concentrations of
      prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the SF and serum, and of C-reactive
      protein and HbA1c and other metabolic parameters in the serum. We performed
      multivariate regression analyses to study the association of pain with several
      parameters. Diabetic patients had on average a higher Knee Injury and
      Osteoarthritis Outcome Score pain score than nondiabetic patients (P < 0.001).
      Knee joints from diabetic patients exhibited on average higher synovitis scores
      (P = 0.024) and higher concentrations of IL-6 in the SF (P = 0.003) than knee
      joints from nondiabetic patients. Multivariate regression analysis showed that
      patients with higher synovitis scores had more intense pain independent of all
      investigated confounders, and that the positive association between pain
      intensities and IL-6 levels was dependent on diabetes mellitus and/or synovitis.
      These data suggest that diabetes mellitus significantly increases pain intensity
      of knee OA, and that in diabetic patients higher pain intensities were determined
      by stronger synovitis.

PMID- 28621704
TI  - Sensitization of TRPV1 and TRPA1 via peripheral mGluR5 signaling contributes to
      thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity.
AB  - Peripheral tissue inflammation or injury causes glutamate release from
      nociceptive axons, keratinocytes, and Schwann cells, resulting in thermal
      hypersensitivity. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying glutamate
      induced thermal hypersensitivity are unknown. The aim of this study was to
      clarify the involvement of peripheral transient receptor potential (TRP) TRP
      vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), TRP ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), and protein kinase C epsilon
      (PKCepsilon) in glutamate-induced pain hypersensitivity. The amount of glutamate
      in the facial tissue was significantly increased 3 days after facial Complete
      Freund's adjuvant injection. The head-withdrawal reflex threshold to heat, cold,
      or mechanical stimulation was significantly decreased on day 7 after continuous
      glutamate or metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) agonist (CHPG) injection
      into the facial skin compared with vehicle-injected rats, and glutamate-induced
      hypersensitivity was significantly recovered by mGluR5 antagonist MTEP, TRPA1
      antagonist HC-030031, TRPV1 antagonist SB366791, or PKCepsilon translocation
      inhibitor administration into the facial skin. TRPV1 and TRPA1 were expressed in
      mGluR5-immunoreactive (IR) trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons innervating the
      facial skin, and mGluR5-IR TG neurons expressed PKCepsilon. There was no
      significant difference in the number of GluR5-IR TG neurons among glutamate
      injected, saline-injected, and naive rats, whereas that of TRPV1- or TRPA1-IR TG
      neurons was significantly increased 7 days after continuous glutamate injection
      into the facial skin compared with vehicle injection. PKCepsilon phosphorylation
      in TG was significantly enhanced following glutamate injection into the facial
      skin. Moreover, neuronal activity of TG neurons was significantly increased
      following facial glutamate treatment. The present findings suggest that
      sensitization of TRPA1 and/or TRPV1 through mGluR5 signaling via PKCepsilon is
      involved in facial thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity.

PMID- 28621705
TI  - Hyperspectral IASI L1C Data Compression.
AB  - The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), implemented on the MetOp
      satellite series, represents a significant step forward in atmospheric forecast
      and weather understanding. The instrument provides infrared soundings of
      unprecedented accuracy and spectral resolution to derive humidity and atmospheric
      temperature profiles, as well as some of the chemical components playing a key
      role in climate monitoring. IASI collects rich spectral information, which
      results in large amounts of data (about 16 Gigabytes per day). Efficient
      compression techniques are requested for both transmission and storage of such
      huge data. This study reviews the performance of several state of the art coding
      standards and techniques for IASI L1C data compression. Discussion embraces
      lossless, near-lossless and lossy compression. Several spectral transforms,
      essential to achieve improved coding performance due to the high spectral
      redundancy inherent to IASI products, are also discussed. Illustrative results
      are reported for a set of 96 IASI L1C orbits acquired over a full year (4 orbits
      per month for each IASI-A and IASI-B from July 2013 to June 2014) . Further, this
      survey provides organized data and facts to assist future research and the
      atmospheric scientific community.

PMID- 28621706
TI  - NADA Ear Acupuncture: An Adjunctive Therapy to Improve and Maintain Positive
      Outcomes in Substance Abuse Treatment.
AB  - The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol (NADA) is an
      adjunctive therapy using 1 to 5 invariant ear acupuncture/acupressure points.
      This is a randomized prospective study to determine if NADA plus traditional
      treatment enhance outcomes: quality of life, depression, anxiety and abstinence
      from substance abuse. There were 100 patients enrolled in the Keystone Substance
      Abuse Services-Winthrop University Department of Sociology and Anthropology NADA
      study. All patients completed Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), Patient
      Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction
      Questionnaire (Q-LES) prior to starting the program and at program completion.
      Patients self-reported alcohol, tobacco, and drug use prior to starting the
      program at program completion and at 3 and 6 month follow- up. Patient
      characteristics are predictive of completion versus non-completion when race,
      criminal history and initial drug test is considered. Those identified as
      nonwhite, (p < 0.05) and patients with positive initial drug test, (p < 0.01)
      were more likely to complete treatment in the NADA group. Also, among patients
      with criminal history a higher percentage failed to complete the program in the
      control group (p < 0.05). Participation in NADA positively associated with Q-LES
      score (p < 0.05), feeling better about oneself and improved energy (p < 0.05),
      likelihood of employment upon discharge (p < 0.05), and decreased alcohol use at
      3 month follow up (p < 0.05) and 6-month follow-up (p < 0.01). NADA group
      reported less tobacco use at 6 months (p < 0.05).

PMID- 28621707
TI  - Antioxidant Potential and Antibacterial Efficiency of Caffeic Acid-Functionalized
      ZnO Nanoparticles.
AB  - We report a novel zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle with antioxidant properties,
      prepared by immobilizing the antioxidant 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid
      (caffeic acid, CA) on the surfaces of micro-dielectric barrier discharge (DBD)
      plasma-treated ZnO nanoparticles. The microstructure and physical properties of
      ZnO@CA nanoparticles were characterized by field emission scanning electron
      microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared
      spectroscopy, and steady state spectroscopic methods. The antioxidant activity of
      ZnO@CA nanoparticles was evaluated using an ABTS (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6
      sulfonic acid) radical cation decolorization assay. ZnO@CA nanoparticles
      exhibited robust antioxidant activity. Moreover, ZnO@CA nanoparticles showed
      strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus
      aureus) including resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus and
      against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). Although Gram-negative
      bacteria appeared to be more resistant to ZnO@CA nanoparticles than Gram-positive
      bacteria, the antibacterial activity of ZnO@CA nanoparticles was dependent on
      particle concentration. The antioxidant and antibacterial activity of ZnO@CA may
      be useful for various biomedical and nanoindustrial applications.

PMID- 28621708
TI  - Breathing Analysis Using Thermal and Depth Imaging Camera Video Records.
AB  - The paper is devoted to the study of facial region temperature changes using a
      simple thermal imaging camera and to the comparison of their time evolution with
      the pectoral area motion recorded by the MS Kinect depth sensor. The goal of this
      research is to propose the use of video records as alternative diagnostics of
      breathing disorders allowing their analysis in the home environment as well. The
      methods proposed include (i) specific image processing algorithms for detecting
      facial parts with periodic temperature changes; (ii) computational intelligence
      tools for analysing the associated videosequences; and (iii) digital filters and
      spectral estimation tools for processing the depth matrices. Machine learning
      applied to thermal imaging camera calibration allowed the recognition of its
      digital information with an accuracy close to 100% for the classification of
      individual temperature values. The proposed detection of breathing features was
      used for monitoring of physical activities by the home exercise bike. The results
      include a decrease of breathing temperature and its frequency after a load, with
      mean values -0.16  degrees C/min and -0.72 bpm respectively, for the given set of
      experiments. The proposed methods verify that thermal and depth cameras can be
      used as additional tools for multimodal detection of breathing patterns.

PMID- 28621709
TI  - An Unobtrusive Fall Detection and Alerting System Based on Kalman Filter and
      Bayes Network Classifier.
AB  - Falls are one of the main health risks among the elderly. A fall detection system
      based on inertial sensors can automatically detect fall event and alert a
      caregiver for immediate assistance, so as to reduce injuries causing by falls.
      Nevertheless, most inertial sensor-based fall detection technologies have focused
      on the accuracy of detection while neglecting quantization noise caused by
      inertial sensor. In this paper, an activity model based on tri-axial acceleration
      and gyroscope is proposed, and the difference between activities of daily living
      (ADLs) and falls is analyzed. Meanwhile, a Kalman filter is proposed to
      preprocess the raw data so as to reduce noise. A sliding window and Bayes network
      classifier are introduced to develop a wearable fall detection system, which is
      composed of a wearable motion sensor and a smart phone. The experiment shows that
      the proposed system distinguishes simulated falls from ADLs with a high accuracy
      of 95.67%, while sensitivity and specificity are 99.0% and 95.0%, respectively.
      Furthermore, the smart phone can issue an alarm to caregivers so as to provide
      timely and accurate help for the elderly, as soon as the system detects a fall.

PMID- 28621710
TI  - A Recyclable Cu-MOF-74 Catalyst for the Ligand-Free O-Arylation Reaction of 4
      Nitrobenzaldehyde and Phenol.
AB  - The activity and recyclability of Cu-MOF-74 as a catalyst was studied for the
      ligand-free C-O cross-coupling reaction of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde (NB) with phenol
      (Ph) to form 4-formyldiphenyl ether (FDE). Cu-MOF-74 is characterized by having
      unsaturated copper sites in a highly porous metal-organic framework. The
      influence of solvent, reaction temperature, NB/Ph ratio, catalyst concentration,
      and basic agent (type and concentration) were evaluated. High conversions were
      achieved at 120  degrees C, 5 mol % of catalyst, NB/Ph ratio of 1:2, DMF as
      solvent, and 1 equivalent of K2CO3 base. The activity of Cu-MOF-74 material was
      higher than other ligand-free copper catalytic systems tested in this study. This
      catalyst was easily separated and reused in five successive runs, achieving a
      remarkable performance without significant porous framework degradation. The
      leaching of copper species in the reaction medium was negligible. The O-arylation
      between NB and Ph took place only in the presence of Cu-MOF-74 material, being
      negligible without the solid catalyst. The catalytic advantages of using
      nanostructured Cu-MOF-74 catalyst were also proven.

PMID- 28621711
TI  - Indigenous Probiotic Lactobacillus Isolates Presenting Antibiotic like Activity
      against Human Pathogenic Bacteria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Indigenous lactic acid bacteria are well known probiotics having
      antibacterial activity against potentially pathogenic bacteria. This study aims
      to characterize the curd lactobacilli for their probiotic potentiality and
      antagonistic activity against clinical bacteria. METHODS: Four curd samples were
      processed microbiologically for the isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The
      LAB strains obtained were identified by conventional methods: cultural aspect,
      gram-staining, biochemical and sugar fermentation tests. The probiotic properties
      were justified with tolerance to low-pH, bile salt and sodium chloride, and the
      antagonistic activity of the lactobacilli against human pathogenic bacteria
      (Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Acinetobacter baumannii and Salmonella
      enterica serovar Typhi) was assessed. Hemolytic activity and antibiotic
      susceptibility were determined for the lactobacilli isolates, and the cumulative
      probiotic potential (CPP) values were recorded. RESULT: Four lactobacilli
      isolates, L. animalis LMEM6, L. plantarum LMEM7, L. acidophilus LMEM8 and L.
      rhamnosus LMEM9, procured from the curd samples, survived in low-pH and high bile
      salt conditions, and showed growth inhibitory activity against the indicator
      bacteria by agar-well (zone diameter of inhibition; ZDIs: 13.67 +/- 0.58-29.50 +/
      2.10 mm) and agar overlay (ZDIs: 11.33 +/- 0.58-35.67 +/- 2.52 mm) methods; the
      average growth inhibitory activity of lactobacilli ranged 233.34 +/- 45.54-280.56
      +/- 83.67 AU/mL, against the test bacterial pathogens. All the lactobacilli were
      non-hemolytic and sensitive to most of the test antibiotics. The CPP values of
      the isolated LAB were recorded as 80-100%. CONCLUSION: The curd lactobacilli
      procured might be used as the valid candidates of probiotics, and bio
      therapeutics against bacterial infection to humans.

PMID- 28621712
TI  - Targeting Autophagy in Cancer: Update on Clinical Trials and Novel Inhibitors.
AB  - Eukaryotes use autophagy as a mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis by
      degrading and recycling organelles and proteins. This process assists in the
      proliferation and survival of advanced cancers. There is mounting preclinical
      evidence that targeting autophagy can enhance the efficacy of many cancer
      therapies. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is the only clinically-approved autophagy
      inhibitor, and this systematic review focuses on HCQ use in cancer clinical
      trials. Preclinical trials have shown that HCQ alone and in combination therapy
      leads to enhancement of tumor shrinkage. This has provided the base for multiple
      ongoing clinical trials involving HCQ alone and in combination with other
      treatments. However, due to its potency, there is still a need for more potent
      and specific autophagy inhibitors. There are multiple autophagy inhibitors in the
      pre-clinical stage at various stages of development. Additional studies on the
      mechanism of HCQ and other autophagy inhibitors are still required to answer
      questions surrounding how these agents will eventually be used in the clinic.

PMID- 28621713
TI  - GPE Promotes the Proliferation and Migration of Mouse Embryonic Neural Stem Cells
      and Their Progeny In Vitro.
AB  - This study was designed to investigate a possible role of the N-terminal
      tripeptide of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I), Gly-Pro-Glu (GPE),
      physiologically generated in neurons following IGF-I-specific cleavage, in
      promoting neural regeneration after an injury. Primary cultures of mouse neural
      stem cells (NSCs), obtained from 13.5 Days post-conception (dpc) mouse embryos,
      were challenged with either GPE, growth hormone (GH), or GPE + GH and the effects
      on cell proliferation, migration, and survival were evaluated both under basal
      conditions and in response to a wound healing assay. The cellular pathways
      activated by GPE were also investigated by using specific chemical inhibitors.
      The results of the study indicate that GPE treatment promotes the proliferation
      and the migration of neural stem cells in vitro through a mechanism that involves
      the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and
      phosphoinositide 3-kinase PI3K-Akt pathways. Intriguingly, both GPE effects and
      the signaling pathways activated were similar to those observed after GH
      treatment. Based upon the results obtained from this study, GPE, as well as GH,
      may be useful in promoting neural protection and/or regeneration after an injury.

PMID- 28621714
TI  - Acute Effect of Metformin on Postprandial Hypertriglyceridemia through Delayed
      Gastric Emptying.
AB  - Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia is a potential target for cardiovascular
      disease prevention in patients with diabetic dyslipidemia. Metformin has been
      reported to reduce plasma triglyceride concentrations in the postprandial states.
      However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the triglyceride
      lowering effect of metformin. Here, we examined the effects of metformin on lipid
      metabolism after olive oil-loading in 129S mice fed a high fat diet for three
      weeks. Metformin administration (250 mg/kg) for one week decreased postprandial
      plasma triglycerides. Pre-administration (250 mg/kg) of metformin resulted in a
      stronger triglyceride-lowering effect (approximately 45% lower area under the
      curve) than post-administration. A single administration (250 mg/kg) of metformin
      lowered plasma postprandial triglycerides comparably to administration for one
      week, suggesting an acute effect of metformin on postprandial
      hypertriglyceridemia. To explore whole body lipid metabolism after fat-loading,
      stomach size, fat absorption in the intestine, and fat oxidation (13C/12C ratio
      in expired CO2 after administration of glyceryl-1-13C tripalmitate) were measured
      with and without metformin (250 mg/kg) pre-treatment. In metformin-treated mice,
      larger stomach size, lower fat oxidation, and no change in lipid absorption were
      observed. In conclusion, metformin administration before fat loading reduced
      postprandial hypertriglyceridemia, most likely by delaying gastric emptying.

PMID- 28621715
TI  - Neuropsychiatric Burden in Huntington's Disease.
AB  - Huntington's disease is a disorder that results in motor, cognitive, and
      psychiatric problems. The symptoms often take different forms and the presence of
      disturbances of the psychic sphere reduces patients' autonomy and quality of
      life, also impacting patients' social life. It is estimated that a prevalence
      between 33% and 76% of the main psychiatric syndromes may arise in different
      phases of the disease, often in atypical form, even 20 years before the onset of
      chorea and dementia. We present a narrative review of the literature describing
      the main psychopathological patterns that may be found in Huntington's disease,
      searching for a related article in the main database sources (Medline, ISI Web of
      Knowledge, Scopus, and Medscape). Psychiatric conditions were classified into two
      main categories: affective and nonaffective disorders/symptoms; and anxiety and
      neuropsychiatric features such as apathy and irritability. Though the literature
      is extensive, it is not always convergent, probably due to the high heterogeneity
      of methods used. We summarize main papers for pathology and sample size, in order
      to present a synoptic vision of the argument. Since the association between
      Huntington's disease and psychiatric symptoms was demonstrated, we argue that the
      prevalent and more invalidating psychiatric components should be recognized as
      early as possible during the disease course in order to best address
      psychopharmacological therapy, improve quality of life, and also reduce burden on
      caregivers.

PMID- 28621717
TI  - Poly(vinylbenzylchloride) Based Anion-Exchange Blend Membranes (AEBMs): Influence
      of PEG Additive on Conductivity and Stability.
AB  - In view of the many possible applications such as fuel cells and electrolysers,
      recent interest in novel anion exchange membranes (AEMs) has increased
      significantly. However, their low conductivity and chemical stability limits
      their current suitability. In this study, the synthesis and characterization of
      several three- and four-component anion exchange blend membranes (AEBMs) is
      described, where the compositions have been systematically varied to study the
      influence of the AEBM's composition on the anion conductivities as well as
      chemical and thermal stabilities under strongly alkaline conditions. It was shown
      that the epoxide-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)s that were introduced into
      the four-component AEBMs resulted in increased conductivity as well as a marked
      improvement in the stability of the AEBMs in an alkaline environment. In
      addition, the thermal stability of the novel AEBMs was excellent showing the
      suitability of these membranes for several electrochemical applications.

PMID- 28621716
TI  - Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Spices.
AB  - Infectious diseases caused by pathogens and food poisoning caused by spoilage
      microorganisms are threatening human health all over the world. The efficacies of
      some antimicrobial agents, which are currently used to extend shelf-life and
      increase the safety of food products in food industry and to inhibit disease
      causing microorganisms in medicine, have been weakened by microbial resistance.
      Therefore, new antimicrobial agents that could overcome this resistance need to
      be discovered. Many spices-such as clove, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and cumin
      possessed significant antibacterial and antifungal activities against food
      spoilage bacteria like Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens, pathogens
      like Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, harmful fungi like
      Aspergillus flavus, even antibiotic resistant microorganisms such as methicillin
      resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, spices have a great potential to be
      developed as new and safe antimicrobial agents. This review summarizes scientific
      studies on the antibacterial and antifungal activities of several spices and
      their derivatives.

PMID- 28621718
TI  - Using Small RNA-seq Data to Detect siRNA Duplexes Induced by Plant Viruses.
AB  - Small interfering RNA (siRNA) duplexes are short (usually 21 to 24 bp) double
      stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) with several overhanging nucleotides at both 5'- and 3'
      ends. It has been found that siRNA duplexes bind the RNA-induced silencing
      complex (RISC) and cleave the sense strands with endonucleases. In this study,
      for the first time, we detected siRNA duplexes induced by plant viruses on a
      large scale using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. In addition, we used the
      detected 21 nucleotide (nt) siRNA duplexes with 2 nt overhangs to construct a
      dataset for future data mining. The analytical results of the features in the
      detected siRNA duplexes were consistent with those from previous studies. The
      investigation of siRNA duplexes is useful for a better understanding of the RNA
      interference (RNAi) mechanism. It can also help to improve the virus detection
      based on the small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) technologies and to rationally
      design siRNAs for RNAi experiments.

PMID- 28621719
TI  - The Ability of Extracellular Vesicles to Induce a Pro-Inflammatory Host Response.
AB  - Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can modulate the host immune response, executing
      both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects. As EVs increasingly gain attention as
      potential carriers for targeted gene and drug delivery, knowledge on the effects
      of EVs on the host immune response is important. This review will focus on the
      ability of EVs to trigger a pro-inflammatory host response by activating target
      cells. The overall view is that EVs can augment an inflammatory response, thereby
      potentially contributing to organ injury. This pro-inflammatory potential of EVs
      may hamper its use for therapeutic drug delivery. Whether removal of EVs as a
      means to reduce a pro-inflammatory or pro-coagulant response during hyper
      inflammatory conditions is beneficial remains to be determined. Prior to any
      proposed therapeutic application, there is a need for further studies on the role
      of EVs in physiology and pathophysiology using improved detection and
      characterization methods to elucidate the roles of EVs in inflammatory
      conditions.

PMID- 28621720
TI  - Know Your Noodles! Assessing Variations in Sodium Content of Instant Noodles
      across Countries.
AB  - Reducing salt intake is a cost-effective public health intervention to reduce the
      global burden of non-communicable disease (NCDs). Ultra-processed foods
      contribute ~80% of dietary salt in high income countries, and are becoming
      prominent in low-middle income countries. Instant noodle consumption is
      particularly high in the Asia Pacific region. The aim of this study was to
      compare the sodium content of instant noodles sold worldwide to identify
      potential for reformulation. Analysis was undertaken for 765 instant noodle
      products from 10 countries using packaged food composition databases of ultra
      processed foods compiled by the Global Food Monitoring Group (GFMG) and national
      shop survey data. Sodium levels were high and variable, within and between
      countries. Instant noodles in China had the highest mean sodium content (1944
      mg/100 g; range: 397-3678/100 g) compared to New Zealand (798 mg/100 g; range:
      249-2380 mg/100 g). Average pack size ranged from 57 g (Costa Rica) to 98 g
      (China). The average packet contributed 35% to 95% of the World Health
      Organization recommended daily salt intake of <5 g. Forty-one percent of products
      met the Pacific Island (PICs) regional sodium targets, 37% met the South Africa
      2016 targets, and 62% met the UK 2017 targets. This study emphasises a need for
      stronger regulation and closer monitoring to drive rigorous reformulation of salt
      in ultra-processed foods.

PMID- 28621721
TI  - Perceived Health and Nutrition Concerns as Predictors of Dietary Patterns among
      Polish Females Aged 13-21 Years (GEBaHealth Project).
AB  - Health-related concerns can often be factors influencing health-related
      behaviours. It remains unclear whether a high level of concerns is associated
      with pro-healthy or unhealthy dietary behaviours and whether any associations
      between nutrition-related concerns and dietary behaviours exist in a population
      of girls and young women. The aim of the study was to investigate the
      associations between perceived health and nutrition concerns and dietary patterns
      in a representative sample of Polish young females. Data was collected in 2012
      through a cross-sectional quantitative survey within the GEBaHealth (Girls Eating
      Behaviours and Health) project in a group of 1107 Polish girls aged 13-21 years
      old. Dietary patterns were identified by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based
      on dietary data collected with Food Frequency Questionnaires (FFQs). Nutrition
      and health concerns were assessed separately by two indices: Health Concern Index
      (HCI) and Nutrition Concern Index (NCI); both based on the Health Concern Scale
      (HCS). The associations between perceived health and nutrition concerns and each
      dietary pattern were investigated using logistic regression analysis. Displaying
      a higher level of health concerns increased the chances of adherence to the upper
      tertile of 'Fruit & vegetables' pattern (adjusted odds ratio [adj. ORs]: 1.46,
      95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]: 1.02-2.10). Displaying a lower level of health
      concerns increased the chances of the adherence to the upper tertiles of
      'Traditional Polish', 'Dairy & fats', 'Fruit and vegetables' and 'Fast food &
      sweets' patterns (adj. ORs: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.31-2.67; 1.66, 95% CI: 1.18-2.34;
      1.57, 95% CI: 1.11-2.22; 1.52, 95% CI: 1.08-2.13; respectively). No significant
      associations were found between levels of nutrition concerns and dietary patterns
      in the adjusted model. We found associations between self-perceived health
      concerns and dietary patterns in our study sample, suggesting health concerns can
      be an important predictor of dietary behaviours in girls and young women. To
      increase the effectiveness of healthy eating, an emphasis should be laid on
      health, reinforced with awareness of nutrition, when advising on food-related
      decisions.

PMID- 28621722
TI  - Comparative Analysis of Genome Wide DNA Methylation Profiles for the Genic Male
      Sterile Cabbage Line 01-20S and Its Maintainer Line.
AB  - Methylation modifications play an important role in multiple biological
      processes. Several studies have reported altered methylation patterns in male
      sterile plants such as rice and wheat, but little is known about the global
      methylation profiles and their possible roles in the cabbage (Brassicaoleracea)
      male sterile line. In this study, single-base-resolution bisulfite sequencing (BS
      Seq) was adopted to identify the pattern and degree of cytosine methylation in
      the male sterile line 01-20S and its near-isogenic fertile line 01-20F. Similar
      methylation patterns were profiled, with some changes observed in local
      positions. In total, 505 differentially methylated genomic regions (DMRs) and 106
      DMR-associated genes were detected. Nine genes related to pollen development were
      discovered and further validated by a quantitative reverse-transcription
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Among these, four were downregulated in 01
      20S. In particular, Bol039180 (an invertase/pectin methylesterase inhibitor
      family protein) is likely involved in pectin degradation, and might play an
      important role in the pollen separation defects of 01-20S. This study facilitates
      a better understanding of DNA methylation alterations and their possible roles in
      genic male sterility in cabbages.

PMID- 28621723
TI  - A Quantile Mapping Bias Correction Method Based on Hydroclimatic Classification
      of the Guiana Shield.
AB  - Satellite precipitation products (SPPs) provide alternative precipitation data
      for regions with sparse rain gauge measurements. However, SPPs are subject to
      different types of error that need correction. Most SPP bias correction methods
      use the statistical properties of the rain gauge data to adjust the corresponding
      SPP data. The statistical adjustment does not make it possible to correct the
      pixels of SPP data for which there is no rain gauge data. The solution proposed
      in this article is to correct the daily SPP data for the Guiana Shield using a
      novel two set approach, without taking into account the daily gauge data of the
      pixel to be corrected, but the daily gauge data from surrounding pixels. In this
      case, a spatial analysis must be involved. The first step defines hydroclimatic
      areas using a spatial classification that considers precipitation data with the
      same temporal distributions. The second step uses the Quantile Mapping bias
      correction method to correct the daily SPP data contained within each
      hydroclimatic area. We validate the results by comparing the corrected SPP data
      and daily rain gauge measurements using relative RMSE and relative bias
      statistical errors. The results show that analysis scale variation reduces rBIAS
      and rRMSE significantly. The spatial classification avoids mixing rainfall data
      with different temporal characteristics in each hydroclimatic area, and the
      defined bias correction parameters are more realistic and appropriate. This study
      demonstrates that hydroclimatic classification is relevant for implementing bias
      correction methods at the local scale.

PMID- 28621724
TI  - Erratum: Intake of Marine-Derived Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and
      Mortality in Renal Transplant Recipients; Nutrients 2017, 9, 363.

PMID- 28621725
TI  - How Environmental Factors Affect the Production of Guanidine Alkaloids by the
      Mediterranean Sponge Crambe crambe.
AB  - Most marine sponges are known to produce a large array of low molecular-weight
      metabolites which have applications in the pharmaceutical industry. The
      production of so-called specialized metabolites may be closely related to
      environmental factors. In this context, assessing the contribution of factors
      like temperature, nutrients or light to the metabolomes of sponges provides
      relevant insights into their chemical ecology as well as the supply issue of
      natural sponge products. The sponge Crambe crambe was chosen as a model due to
      its high content of specialized metabolites belonging to polycyclic guanidine
      alkaloids (PGA). First results were obtained with field data of both wild and
      farmed specimens collected in two seasons and geographic areas of the North
      Western Mediterranean. Then, further insights into factors responsible for
      changes in the metabolism were gained with sponges cultivated under controlled
      conditions in an aquarium. Comparative metabolomics showed a clear influence of
      the seasons and to a lesser extent of the geography while no effect of depth or
      farming was observed. Interestingly, sponge farming did not limit the production
      of PGA, while ex situ experiments did not show significant effects of several
      abiotic factors on the specialized metabolome at a one-month time scale. Some
      hypotheses were finally proposed to explain the very limited variations of PGA in
      C. crambe placed under different environmental conditions.

PMID- 28621727
TI  - Insights into the Experiences of Treatment for An Eating Disorder in Men: A
      Qualitative Study of Autobiographies.
AB  - Eating disorders are increasingly recognized as a problem for men but help
      seeking is low and little is known about their treatment experiences. This paper
      sought to determine the treatment experiences of men who have suffered from an
      eating disorder using autobiographical data. Inclusion criteria were
      autobiographies of men who had experienced an eating disorder and sought any form
      of treatment for this, written in the English language, published between 1995
      and 2015, and available for purchase in 2016. The search resulted in six books
      that were thematically analyzed. Analysis of data resulted in two broad themes
      (1. Positive experiences; 2. Negative experiences) with sub-themes. With regards
      to the first theme, factors such as concern of staff members, therapist's
      expertise (in treating eating disorders in men), and a collaborative treatment
      approach were considered favorable for treatment. In contrast to the first theme,
      apathy of staff members, the authors' own negative preconceptions, treatment
      providers being perceived as prioritizing financial concerns, perceived as
      incompetent and judgmental behavior of therapist(s), and time limitations of
      sessions were considered unfavorable treatment experiences. In this study, the
      perceived success of treatment depended on therapist's features and the form of
      treatment provided. Further research examining these is indicated.

PMID- 28621726
TI  - Microbiota and Probiotics in Health and HIV Infection.
AB  - Microbiota play a key role in various body functions, as well as in
      physiological, metabolic, and immunological processes, through different
      mechanisms such as the regulation of the development and/or functions of
      different types of immune cells in the intestines. Evidence indicates that
      alteration in the gut microbiota can influence infectious and non-infectious
      diseases. Bacteria that reside on the mucosal surface or within the mucus layer
      interact with the host immune system, thus, a healthy gut microbiota is essential
      for the development of mucosal immunity. In patients with human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV), including those who control their disease with antiretroviral drugs
      (ART), the gut microbiome is very different than the microbiome of those not
      infected with HIV. Recent data suggests that, for these patients, dysbiosis may
      lead to a breakdown in the gut's immunologic activity, causing systemic bacteria
      diffusion and inflammation. Since in HIV-infected patients in this state,
      including those in ART therapy, the treatment of gastrointestinal tract disorders
      is frustrating, many studies are in progress to investigate the ability of
      probiotics to modulate epithelial barrier functions, microbiota composition, and
      microbial translocation. This mini-review analyzed the use of probiotics to
      prevent and attenuate several gastrointestinal manifestations and to improve gut
      associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) immunity in HIV infection.

PMID- 28621729
TI  - Correction: Rachel Brown and Sheila Skeaff. Nutrition Society of New Zealand
      Annual Conference Held in Christchurch, New Zealand, 8-9 December 2016. Nutrients
      2017, 9, 348.
AB  - n/a.

PMID- 28621728
TI  - Determination of Sulfonamide Residues in Food by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis
      with On-Line Chemiluminescence Detection Based on an Ag(III) Complex.
AB  - The presence of sulfonamide (SA) residues in foods is largely due to the raising
      of animals with sulfonamide antibiotics added or polluted feedstuff. In this
      paper, a sensitive method was developed for the determination of the residues of
      three sulfonamides in animal-derived food; the SAs include sulfadimidine (SDD),
      sulfadiazine (SDZ), and sulfathiazole (STZ). The method is based on capillary
      zone electrophoresis (CE) with online chemiluminescence (CL) detection, using an
      Ag(III) complex as an oxidant. These SAs have an inhibiting effect on the Ag(III)
      luminol CL reaction. The electrophoretic buffer is 12.0 mM sodium borate. Under a
      set of optimized conditions, the linear ranges for the detections were found to
      be 10.0-200 ug.mL-1 for SDD and SDZ, and 2.0-50.0 ug.mL-1 for STZ. The detection
      limits were 2.75, 3.14, and 0.65 ug.mL-1 for SDD, SDZ, and STZ, respectively.
      Relative standard deviations (RSD) for the peak heights were between 2.1% and
      2.8% (n = 7). The proposed method was used in the analysis of the SAs in samples
      from pork meat, chicken meat, and milk, showing satisfactory detection results. A
      reaction mechanism was also proposed for the Ag(III)-luminol-SA CL reactions. The
      method has potential applications for the monitoring of residue levels of the
      three SAs in food, providing food safety data.

PMID- 28621730
TI  - Hydronopylformamides: Modification of the Naturally Occurring Compound (-)-beta
      Pinene to Produce Insect Repellent Candidates against Blattella germanica.
AB  - The development of a novel repellent plays an important role in the integrated
      control of Blattella germanica. A series of novel hydronopylformamides
      derivatives were synthesized from a naturally occurring compound (-)-beta-pinene.
      The structures of these hydronopylformamides derivatives were characterized by
      Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (1H-NMR and 13C-NMR), and electron impact mass spectrometry (EI-MS).
      Repellency of these hydronopylformamides derivatives against Blattella germanica
      was evaluated by the using petri dish arena method. The results showed that four
      derivatives (compounds 8a, 8b, 8c and 8e) exhibited repellency against Blattella
      germanica at a concentration of 20 mg/mL. Compound 8a was the most active
      compound among these derivatives, where the repelling ratios of compound 8a
      against Blattella germanica were 66.10%, 50.46%, 48.26%, at concentrations of 20
      mg/mL, 10 mg/mL, and 5 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, compound 8a showed
      better repellency than the traditional insect repellent N, N-diethyl-3
      methylbenzamide (DEET), which indicated that compound 8a had a good application
      prospect in the prevention of Blattella germanica. This research hopes to promote
      the value-added utilization of (-)-beta-pinene and the development of novel
      German cockroach repellents.

PMID- 28621731
TI  - The Therapeutic Benefit of Bacterial Membrane Vesicles.
AB  - The therapeutic potential of extracellular vesicles from eukaryotes has gained
      strong interest in recent years. However, research into the therapeutic
      application of their bacterial counterparts, known as bacterial membrane
      vesicles, is only just beginning to be appreciated. Membrane vesicles (MVs) from
      both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria offer significant advantages in
      therapeutic development, including large-scale, cost effective production and
      ease of molecular manipulation to display foreign antigens. The nanoparticle size
      of MVs enables their dissemination through numerous tissue types, and their
      natural immunogenicity and self-adjuvanting capability can be harnessed to induce
      both cell-mediated and humoral immunity in vaccine design. Moreover, the ability
      to target MVs to specific tissues through the display of surface receptors raises
      their potential use as targeted MV-based anti-cancer therapy. This review
      discusses recent advances in MV research with particular emphasis on exciting new
      possibilities for the application of MVs in therapeutic design.

PMID- 28621732
TI  - Lipid Accumulation in HepG2 Cells Is Attenuated by Strawberry Extract through
      AMPK Activation.
AB  - Regulation of lipid metabolism is essential for treatment and prevention of
      several chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases,
      which are responsible for most deaths worldwide. It has been demonstrated that
      the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has a direct impact on lipid metabolism
      by modulating several downstream-signaling components. The main objective of the
      present work was to evaluate the in vitro effect of a methanolic strawberry
      extract on AMPK and its possible repercussion on lipid metabolism in human
      hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). For such purpose, the lipid profile and
      the expression of proteins metabolically related to AMPK were determined on cells
      lysates. The results demonstrated that strawberry methanolic extract decreased
      total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and triglycerides
      levels (up to 0.50-, 0.30-, and 0.40-fold, respectively) while it stimulated the
      p-AMPK/AMPK expression (up to 3.06-fold), compared to the control. AMPK
      stimulation led to the phosphorylation and consequent inactivation of acetyl
      coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) and inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA
      reductase (HMGCR), the major regulators of fatty acids and cholesterol synthesis,
      respectively. Strawberry treatment also entailed a 4.34-, 2.37-, and 2.47-fold
      overexpression of LDL receptor, sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), and the peroxisome
      proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1alpha),
      respectively, compared to control. The observed results were counteracted by
      treatment with compound C, an AMPK pharmacological inhibitor, confirming that
      multiple effects of strawberries on lipid metabolism are mediated by the
      activation of this protein.

PMID- 28621733
TI  - Discovery of Indeno[1,2-c]quinoline Derivatives as Potent Dual Antituberculosis
      and Anti-Inflammatory Agents.
AB  - A series of indeno[1,2-c]quinoline derivatives were designed, synthesized and
      evaluated for their anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) and anti-inflammatory activities.
      The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the newly synthesized compound was
      tested against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37RV. Among the tested compounds, (E)
      N'-[6-(4-hydroxypiperidin-1-yl)-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin-11-ylidene]isonicotino
      hydrazide (12), exhibited significant activities against the growth of M.
      tuberculosis (MIC values of 0.96 MUg/mL) with a potency approximately equal to
      that of isoniazid (INH), an anti-TB drug. Important structure features were
      analyzed by quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis to give
      better insights into the structure determinants for predicting the anti-TB
      activity. The anti-inflammatory activity was induced by superoxide anion
      generation and neutrophil elastase (NE) release using the formyl-l-methionyl-l
      leucyl-l-phenylalanine (fMLF)-activated human neutrophils method. Results
      indicated that compound 12 demonstrated a potent dual inhibitory effect on NE
      release and superoxide anion generation with IC50 values of 1.76 and 1.72 MUM,
      respectively. Our results indicated that compound 12 is a potential lead compound
      for the discovery of dual anti-TB and anti-inflammatory drug candidates. In
      addition, 6-[3-(hydroxymethyl)piperidin-1-yl]-9-methoxy-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin
      11-one (4g) showed a potent dual inhibitory effect on NE release and superoxide
      anion generation with IC50 values of 0.46 and 0.68 MUM, respectively, and is a
      potential lead compound for the discovery of anti-inflammatory drug candidates.

PMID- 28621734
TI  - The Roles of Spinochromes in Four Shallow Water Tropical Sea Urchins and Their
      Potential as Bioactive Pharmacological Agents.
AB  - Spinochromes are principally known to be involved in sea urchin pigmentation as
      well as for their potentially interesting pharmacological properties. To assess
      their biological role in sea urchin physiology, experiments are undertaken on
      crude extracts from four species and on four isolated spinochromes in order to
      test their antibacterial, antioxidant, inflammatory and cytotoxic activities.
      First, the antibacterial assays show that the use of crude extracts as
      representatives of antibacterial effects of spinochromes are inaccurate. The
      assays on purified spinochromes showed a decrease in the growth of four strains
      with an intensity depending on the spinochromes/bacteria system, revealing the
      participation of spinochromes in the defense system against microorganisms.
      Secondly, in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl antioxidant assays, spinochromes
      show an enhanced activity compared to the positive control. This latter
      observation suggests their involvement in ultraviolet radiation protection.
      Third, spinochromes present a pro-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide
      stimulated macrophages, highlighting their possible implication in the sea urchin
      immune system. Finally, cytotoxicity assays based on Trypan blue exclusion,
      performed in view of their possible future applications as drugs, show a weak
      cytotoxicity of these compounds against human cells. In conclusion, all results
      confirm the implication of spinochromes in sea urchin defense mechanisms against
      their external environment and reveal their potential for pharmacological and
      agronomical industries.

PMID- 28621735
TI  - Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Potential of the Root Extract and Constituents
      of Doronicum austriacum.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Doronicum austriacum Jacq., Asteraceae, is a plant which is used in
      traditional alpine medicine. Historical sources describe the medical use of the
      root, but up until now only a few studies evaluated its pharmacological
      properties. The evaluation of the dichloromethane extract, and its major
      compounds for their anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant potential was performed in
      macrophages J774A.1 and C6 astrocytes. Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) release, as well as nitrotyrosine formation, were evaluated.
      Moreover, in order to evaluate the potential anti-proliferative activity, under
      the same experimental conditions, 3-(4,5-dimethyltiazol-2yl)-2,5-phenyl-2H
      tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was also performed. Our results indicate that
      Doronicum austriacum has a significant effect in inhibiting both pro-inflammatory
      and pro-oxidative mediators. All isolated compounds were able to significantly
      inhibit NO and ROS release both in macrophage and in astrocytes cells, even if
      the effect was more pronounced in macrophage. In particular, among the tested
      compounds, 6,12-dihydroxy-(-)-2S-tremetone exerted stronger activity. Both
      extract and single compounds did not affect cellular viability. This study
      provides evidence for the pharmacological anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant
      potential of Doronicum austriacum extract. These effects could be due to the
      activity of its major constituents and subsequent identification of benzofurans
      as a promising compound class to combat inflammation and related diseases.

PMID- 28621736
TI  - A Panel of MicroRNAs as Diagnostic Biomarkers for the Identification of Prostate
      Cancer.
AB  - Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancer among men; yet, current
      diagnostic methods are insufficient, and more reliable diagnostic markers need to
      be developed. One answer that can bridge this gap may lie in microRNAs. These
      small RNA molecules impact protein expression at the translational level,
      regulating important cellular pathways, the dysregulation of which can exert
      tumorigenic effects contributing to cancer. In this study, high throughput
      sequencing of small RNAs extracted from blood from 28 prostate cancer patients at
      initial stages of diagnosis and prior to treatment was used to identify microRNAs
      that could be utilized as diagnostic biomarkers for prostate cancer compared to
      12 healthy controls. In addition, a group of four microRNAs (miR-1468-3p, miR
      146a-5p, miR-1538 and miR-197-3p) was identified as normalization standards for
      subsequent qRT-PCR confirmation. qRT-PCR analysis corroborated microRNA
      sequencing results for the seven top dysregulated microRNAs. The abundance of
      four microRNAs (miR-127-3p, miR-204-5p, miR-329-3p and miR-487b-3p) was
      upregulated in blood, whereas the levels of three microRNAs (miR-32-5p, miR-20a
      5p and miR-454-3p) were downregulated. Data analysis of the receiver operating
      curves for these selected microRNAs exhibited a better correlation with prostate
      cancer than PSA (prostate-specific antigen), the current gold standard for
      prostate cancer detection. In summary, a panel of seven microRNAs is proposed,
      many of which have prostate-specific targets, which may represent a significant
      improvement over current testing methods.

PMID- 28621739
TI  - Root System Water Consumption Pattern Identification on Time Series Data.
AB  - In agriculture, soil and meteorological sensors are used along low power networks
      to capture data, which allows for optimal resource usage and minimizing
      environmental impact. This study uses time series analysis methods for outliers'
      detection and pattern recognition on soil moisture sensor data to identify
      irrigation and consumption patterns and to improve a soil moisture prediction and
      irrigation system. This study compares three new algorithms with the current
      detection technique in the project; the results greatly decrease the number of
      false positives detected. The best result is obtained by the Series Strings
      Comparison (SSC) algorithm averaging a precision of 0.872 on the testing sets,
      vastly improving the current system's 0.348 precision.

PMID- 28621738
TI  - Integration of P-CuO Thin Sputtered Layers onto Microsensor Platforms for Gas
      Sensing.
AB  - P-type semiconducting copper oxide (CuO) thin films deposited by radio-frequency
      (RF) sputtering were integrated onto microsensors using classical
      photolithography technologies. The integration of the 50-nm-thick layer could be
      successfully carried out using the lift-off process. The microsensors were tested
      with variable thermal sequences under carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH3),
      acetaldehyde (C2H4O), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which are among the main
      pollutant gases measured by metal-oxide (MOS) gas sensors for air quality control
      systems in automotive cabins. Because the microheaters were designed on a
      membrane, it was then possible to generate very rapid temperature variations
      (from room temperature to 550  degrees C in only 50 ms) and a rapid temperature
      cycling mode could be applied. This measurement mode allowed a significant
      improvement of the sensor response under 2 and 5 ppm of acetaldehyde.

PMID- 28621737
TI  - Comprehensive Identification of Guan-Xin-Shu-Tong Capsule via a Mass Defect and
      Fragment Filtering Approach by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry: In Vitro and In
      Vivo Study.
AB  - The Guan-Xin-Shu-Tong capsule (GXSTC) is a well-known traditional Chinese
      medicine that is used for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Despite its
      common use in China, basic pharmacological research on its active components is
      limited. A comprehensive analytical method using quadrupole-time-of-flight mass
      spectrometry (Q-TOF/MS), specifically with the Triple TOF 5600 platform, was
      developed to characterize the compounds in the GXSTC powder itself (in vitro) as
      well as the active components in healthy and heart disease model rats after its
      oral administration (in vivo). The 5600 platform was operated in both positive
      and negative ion modes, before the raw data were processed using the extracted
      ion chromatography (EIC), mass defect filtering (MDF) and fragment filtering (FF)
      techniques. With the aid of reference compounds for retention time and fragment
      ion comparisons, 18 compounds were unambiguously identified in vitro. An
      additional 56 other compounds were tentatively characterized using the accurate
      quasi-molecular ion mass and Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) fragmentation
      pattern strategies. Among them, 30 compounds were characterized based on the MDF
      and FF approaches. Normal rats in addition to hyperlipidemic (HL) and acute blood
      stasis (ABS) model rats were given a single oral dose of GXSTC solution for
      subsequent blood analysis at 1 and 2 h after administration. A total of 24
      prototypecomponents and 20 metabolites derived from GXSTC were differentially
      detected across the three animal groups, including the absence of four phase II
      phenolic acid metabolites in the ABS group and the presence of three diterpenoid
      related metabolites exclusive to the HL group. The use of reference compounds as
      well as the mass defect and fragment-filtering strategies were critical to
      identify GXSTC compounds in vitro and in vivo. This can be used for further
      quality control and pharmacological studies aimed at characterizing the active
      and potential beneficial compounds of this ancient medicine.

PMID- 28621740
TI  - A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Remote Sensing through Low-Cost UAVs.
AB  - The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) based on remote sensing has generated
      low cost monitoring, since the data can be acquired quickly and easily. This
      paper reports the experience related to agave crop analysis with a low cost UAV.
      The data were processed by traditional photogrammetric flow and data extraction
      techniques were applied to extract new layers and separate the agave plants from
      weeds and other elements of the environment. Our proposal combines elements of
      photogrammetry, computer vision, data mining, geomatics and computer science.
      This fusion leads to very interesting results in agave control. This paper aims
      to demonstrate the potential of UAV monitoring in agave crops and the importance
      of information processing with reliable data flow.

PMID- 28621741
TI  - Iron Deficiency Anemia as a Risk Factor for Osteoporosis in Taiwan: A Nationwide
      Population-Based Study.
AB  - The cause-effect relationship between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and
      osteoporosis has not been established in the general population. Thus, the
      current longitudinal study determined the role of IDA as a risk factor for
      osteoporosis by analyzing a large nationwide population-based sample. In a sample
      of 1,000,000 randomly sampled individuals from the 1998-2012. Taiwan National
      Health Insurance Research Database, patients with IDA (case group (n = 35,751))
      and individuals without IDA (control group (n = 178,755)) were compared. Patients
      who were <20 years of age and who had pre-existing osteoporosis prior to the
      diagnosis of IDA were excluded. Each patient with IDA was age- and gender-matched
      to five individuals without IDA. The diagnoses of IDA and osteoporosis (coded
      using ICD-9CM) were further confirmed with blood test results and X-ray bone
      densitometry to ensure the accuracy of the diagnoses. Osteoporosis occurred more
      often among patients with IDA compared to individuals without IDA (2.27% vs.
      1.32%, p < 0.001). Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the risk for
      osteoporosis was significantly higher in the case than the control group (hazard
      ratio (HR) = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.61-1.88) and remained similar after adjustment for
      covariates (adjusted HR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.67-1.97). Compared with individuals
      without IDA, the risk for osteoporosis was even higher for patients with IDA who
      received intravenous ferrum therapy (adjusted HR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.85-2.63). In
      contrast, the risk for osteoporosis was reduced for patients with IDA who
      received a blood transfusion (adjusted HR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.20-1.80). As a
      predictor, prior IDA is a significant and independent risk factor for development
      of osteoporosis.

PMID- 28621742
TI  - High Sensitivity Refractometer Based on Reflective Smf-Small Diameter No Core
      Fiber Structure.
AB  - A high sensitivity refractive index sensor based on a single mode-small diameter
      no core fiber structure is proposed. In this structure, a small diameter no core
      fiber (SDNCF) used as a sensor probe, was fusion spliced to the end face of a
      traditional single mode fiber (SMF) and the end face of the SDNCF was coated with
      a thin film of gold to provide reflective light. The influence of SDNCF diameter
      and length on the refractive index sensitivity of the sensor has been
      investigated by both simulations and experiments, where results show that the
      diameter of SDNCF has significant influence. However, SDNCF length has limited
      influence on the sensitivity. Experimental results show that a sensitivity of 327
      nm/RIU (refractive index unit) has been achieved for refractive indices ranging
      from 1.33 to 1.38, which agrees well with the simulated results with a
      sensitivity of 349.5 nm/RIU at refractive indices ranging from 1.33 to 1.38.

PMID- 28621743
TI  - Long-Term In-Service Monitoring and Performance Assessment of the Main Cables of
      Long-Span Suspension Bridges.
AB  - Despite the recent developments in structural health monitoring, there remain
      great challenges for accurately, conveniently, and economically assessing the in
      service performance of the main cables for long-span suspension bridges. A long
      term structural health monitoring technique is developed to measure the tension
      force with a conventional sensing technology and further provide the in-service
      performance assessment strategy of the main cable. The monitoring system adopts
      conventional vibrating strings transducers to monitor the tension forces of
      separate cable strands of the main cable in the anchor span. The performance
      evaluation of the main cable is conducted based on the collected health
      monitoring data: (1) the measured strand forces are used to derive the overall
      tension force of a main cable, which is further translated into load bearing
      capacity assessment using the concept of safety factor; and (2) the proposed
      technique can also evaluate the uniformity of tension forces from different cable
      strands. The assessment of uniformity of strand forces of a main cable offers
      critical information in terms of potential risks of partial damage and
      performance deterioration of the main cable. The results suggest the proposed low
      cost monitoring system is an option to provide approximate estimation of tension
      forces of main cables for suspension bridges. With the long-term monitoring data,
      the proposed monitoring-based evaluation methods can further provide critical
      information to assess the safety and serviceability performance of main cables.

PMID- 28621744
TI  - In Vitro Comparative Study of the Inhibitory Effects of Mangiferin and Its
      Aglycone Norathyriol towards UDP-Glucuronosyl Transferase (UGT) Isoforms.
AB  - Mangiferin (MGF), the predominant constituent of extracts of the mango plant
      Mangifera Indica L., has been investigated extensively because of its remarkable
      pharmacological effects. In vitro recombinant UGTs-catalyzed glucuronidation of 4
      methylumbelliferone (4-MU) was used to investigate the inhibition of mangiferin
      and aglycone norathyriol towards various isoforms of UGTs in our study, which
      evaluated the inhibitory capacity of MGF and its aglycone norathyriol (NTR)
      towards UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms. Initial screening experiment
      showed that deglycosylation of MGF into NTR strongly increased the inhibitory
      effects towards almost all the tested UGT isoforms at a concentration of 100 MUM.
      Kinetic experiments were performed to further characterize the inhibition of
      UGT1A3, UGT1A7 and UGT1A9 by NTR. NTR competitively inhibited UGT1A3, UGT1A7 and
      UGT1A9, with an IC50 value of 8.2, 4.4, and 12.3 MUM, and a Ki value of 1.6, 2.0,
      and 2.8 MUM, respectively. In silico docking showed that only NTR could dock into
      the activity cavity of UGT1A3, UGT1A7 and UGT1A9. The binding free energy of NTR
      to UGT1A3, 1A7, 1A9 were -7.4, -7.9 and -4.0 kcal/mol, respectively. Based on the
      inhibition evaluation standard ([I]/Ki < 0.1, low possibility; 0.1 < [I]/Ki < 1,
      medium possibility; [I]/Ki > 1, high possibility), an in vivo herb-drug
      interaction between MGF/NTR and drugs mainly undergoing UGT1A3-, UGT1A7- or
      UGT1A9-catalyzed metabolism might occur when the plasma concentration of NTR is
      above 1.6, 2.0 and 2.8 MUM, respectively.

PMID- 28621745
TI  - System Proposal for Mass Transit Service Quality Control Based on GPS Data.
AB  - Quality is an essential aspect of public transport. In the case of regular public
      passenger transport by road, punctuality and regularity are criteria used to
      assess quality of service. Calculating metrics related to these criteria
      continuously over time and comprehensively across the entire transport network
      requires the handling of large amounts of data. This article describes a system
      for continuously and comprehensively monitoring punctuality and regularity. The
      system uses location data acquired continuously in the vehicles and automatically
      transferred for analysis. These data are processed intelligently by elements that
      are commonly used by transport operators: GPS-based tracking system, onboard
      computer and wireless networks for mobile data communications. The system was
      tested on a transport company, for which we measured the punctuality of one of
      the routes that it operates; the results are presented in this article.

PMID- 28621746
TI  - Biocompatibility Analyses of Al2O3-Treated Titanium Plates Tested with Osteocyte
      and Fibroblast Cell Lines.
AB  - Osseointegration of a titanium implant is still an issue in dental/orthopedic
      implants durable over time. The good integration of these implants is mainly due
      to their surface and topography. We obtained an innovative titanium surface by
      shooting different-in-size particles of Al2O3 against the titanium scaffolds
      which seems to be ideal for bone integration. To corroborate that, we used two
      different cell lines: MLO-Y4 (murine osteocytes) and 293 (human fibroblasts) and
      tested the titanium scaffolds untreated and treated (i.e., Al2O3 shot-peened
      titanium surfaces). Distribution, density, and expression of adhesion molecules
      (fibronectin and vitronectin) were evaluated under scanning electron microscope
      (SEM) and confocal microscope (CM). DAPI and fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies
      were used to highlight nuclei, fibronectin, and vitronectin, under CM; cell
      distribution was analyzed after gold-palladium sputtering of samples by SEM. The
      engineered biomaterial surfaces showed under SEM irregular morphology displaying
      variously-shaped spicules. Both SEM and CM observations showed better outcome in
      terms of cell adhesion and distribution in treated titanium surfaces with respect
      to the untreated ones. The results obtained clearly showed that this kind of
      surface-treated titanium, used to manufacture devices for dental implantology:
      (i) is very suitable for cell colonization, essential prerequisite for the best
      osseointegration, and (ii) represents an excellent solution for the development
      of further engineered implants with the target to obtain recovery of stable
      dental function over time.

PMID- 28621748
TI  - Identification of Onosma visianii Roots Extract and Purified Shikonin Derivatives
      as Potential Acaricidal Agents against Tetranychus urticae.
AB  - There is an increasing need for the discovery of reliable and eco-friendly
      pesticides and natural plant-derived products may play a crucial role as source
      of new active compounds. In this research, a lipophilic extract of Onosma
      visianii roots extract containing 12% of shikonin derivatives demonstrated
      significant toxicity and inhibition of oviposition against Tetranychus urticae
      mites. Extensive chromatographic separation allowed the isolation of 11
      naphthoquinone derivatives that were identified by spectral techniques and were
      tested against Tetranychus urticae. All the isolated compounds presented effects
      against the considered mite and isobutylshikonin (1) and isovalerylshikonin (2)
      were the most active, being valuable model compounds for the study of new anti
      mite agents.

PMID- 28621749
TI  - Surface Acoustic Wave Sensors for Hydrogen and Deuterium Detection.
AB  - A delay-line-type surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor based on a zinc oxide (ZnO)
      sensitive layer was developed. Two types of sensitive layers were obtained: ZnO
      nanowires and ZnO thin films, both deposited using laser methods (VLS-PLD and
      PLD, respectively) onto quartz substrates. The responses of sensors with two
      different nanowire lengths (300 and 600 nm) were compared with those of sensors
      with thin films of different thicknesses (ca. 100 and 200 nm) to different
      concentrations of hydrogen and deuterium. The experimental results revealed a
      high response at low concentrations and a rapid saturated response for nanowires,
      but a low response at low concentrations and a linear response to much higher gas
      concentrations for the thin-film-based SAW sensors.

PMID- 28621747
TI  - Novel Tacrine-Scutellarin Hybrids as Multipotent Anti-Alzheimer's Agents: Design,
      Synthesis and Biological Evaluation.
AB  - A novel series of 6-chlorotacrine-scutellarin hybrids was designed, synthesized
      and the biological activity as potential anti-Alzheimer's agents was assessed.
      Their inhibitory activity towards human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE) and human
      butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE), antioxidant activity, ability to cross the blood
      brain barrier (BBB) and hepatotoxic profile were evaluated in vitro. Among these
      compounds, hybrid K1383, bearing two methylene tether between two basic
      scaffolds, was found to be very potent hAChE inhibitor (IC50 = 1.63 nM).
      Unfortunately, none of the hybrids displayed any antioxidant activity (EC50 >=
      500 MUM). Preliminary data also suggests a comparable hepatotoxic profile with 6
      Cl-THA (established on a HepG2 cell line). Kinetic studies performed on hAChE
      with the most active compound in the study, K1383, pointed out to a mixed, non
      competitive enzyme inhibition. These findings were further corroborated by
      docking studies.

PMID- 28621750
TI  - Initial Alignment for SINS Based on Pseudo-Earth Frame in Polar Regions.
AB  - An accurate initial alignment must be required for inertial navigation system
      (INS). The performance of initial alignment directly affects the following
      navigation accuracy. However, the rapid convergence of meridians and the small
      horizontalcomponent of rotation of Earth make the traditional alignment methods
      ineffective in polar regions. In this paper, from the perspective of global
      inertial navigation, a novel alignment algorithm based on pseudo-Earth frame and
      backward process is proposed to implement the initial alignment in polar regions.
      Considering that an accurate coarse alignment of azimuth is difficult to obtain
      in polar regions, the dynamic error modeling with large azimuth misalignment
      angle is designed. At the end of alignment phase, the strapdown attitude matrix
      relative to local geographic frame is obtained without influence of position
      errors and cumbersome computation. As a result, it would be more convenient to
      access the following polar navigation system. Then, it is also expected to unify
      the polar alignment algorithm as much as possible, thereby further unifying the
      form of external reference information. Finally, semi-physical static simulation
      and in-motion tests with large azimuth misalignment angle assisted by unscented
      Kalman filter (UKF) validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

PMID- 28621751
TI  - Geographic Variations in Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Luxembourg.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated behavioural and metabolic risk
      factors constitute a major public health concern at a global level. Many reports
      worldwide have documented different risk profiles for populations with
      demographic variations. The objective of this study was to examine geographic
      variations in the top leading cardio metabolic and behavioural risk factors in
      Luxembourg, in order to provide an overall picture of CVD burden across the
      country. The analysis conducted was based on data from the nationwide ORISCAV-LUX
      survey, including 1432 subjects, aged 18-69 years. A self-reported questionnaire,
      physical examination and blood sampling were performed. Age and sex-adjusted risk
      profile maps were generated using multivariate Bayesian geo-additive regression
      models, based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo techniques and were used to evaluate
      the significance of the spatial effects on the distribution of a range of cardio
      metabolic risk factors, namely smoking, high body mass index (BMI), high blood
      pressure, high fasting plasma glucose, alcohol use, high total cholesterol, low
      glomerular filtration rate, and physical inactivity. Higher prevalence of smoking
      was observed in the northern regions, higher overweight/obesity and abdominal
      obesity clustered in the central belt, whereas hypertension was spotted
      particularly in the southern part of the country. Maps revealed that subjects
      residing in Luxembourg canton were significantly less likely to be hypertensive
      or overweight/obese, whereas they were less likely to practice physical activity
      of >=8000 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET)-min/week. These patterns were also
      observed at the municipality level in Luxembourg. Statistically, there were non
      significant spatial patterns regarding smoking, diabetes, total serum cholesterol
      and low glomerular filtration rate risk distribution. This comprehensive risk
      profile mapping showed remarkable geographic variations in cardio metabolic and
      behavioural risk factors. Considering the prominent burden of CVD this research
      provides opportunities for tailored interventions and may help to better fight
      against this escalating public health problem.

PMID- 28621752
TI  - The Impact of Service Dogs on Engagement in Occupation among Females with
      Mobility Impairments: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.
AB  - It is becoming more common for people with disabilities to procure service dogs
      as a form of assistive technology (AT). However, there is little qualitative
      research examining the impact of service dogs on engagement in valued daily
      activities (occupations) among persons with mobility impairments. This study used
      a qualitative descriptive methodology to learn about the experiences of four
      female service dog owners with mobility impairments, with a focus on the impact
      of service dog use on the performance of daily occupations and participation in
      social activities, and their experiences utilizing a service dog as a form of AT.
      Data analysis indicated that each participant's service dog made a significant
      impact on their everyday lives and their ability to independently perform
      everyday activities; however, there are also unique challenges associated with
      service dog ownership that must be considered when evaluating benefits of service
      dog partnership. Overall, the positive outcomes reported by participants indicate
      that service dogs can be considered a beneficial, adaptable form of AT for some
      persons with mobility impairments.

PMID- 28621753
TI  - Media Coverage of Alcohol Issues: A Critical Political Economy Framework-A Case
      Study from Ireland.
AB  - There is a growing literature on news media representations of alcohol-related
      issues. However, current scholarship has neglected critical political economic
      frameworks to interpret media coverage of alcohol. This paper presents such a
      framework that conceives of news organisations as corporations that share the
      values and interests of political and economic elites. The media are thus
      expected to present viewpoints that are more aligned with the alcohol industry
      than the scientific consensus on public health policy would warrant. The media
      are also expected, but to a lesser extent, to present a certain amount of support
      for public health perspectives because these are supported by a few socioeconomic
      elite groups (the medical professions, progressive politicians). The case of
      Ireland from 2012 to 2017 illustrates the framework empirically. Four main
      newspapers' coverage of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and related policies is
      examined. Results show that, overall, 44.0% of articles support public health
      measures and 56.0% are opposed or remain neutral. It is argued that the media are
      not strong proponents of public health for multiple reasons: there are more
      articles opposed to or neutral toward public health measures than supporting
      them; the number of supportive articles remains relatively small and there are
      still many pieces presenting drinks industry views; there are virtually no calls
      in the media for stronger measures; supportive coverage is partially explained by
      the pub owners lobby's support for minimum unit pricing; the media often downplay
      or ignore the negative consequences of alcohol, such as its role in accidents;
      many news articles normalise drinking and promote events sponsored by the
      industry; there is not a single Irish journalist covering alcohol issues
      systematically; and other policy issues that are prioritised by elites receive
      multiple times more media coverage than public health measures. In short, the
      media reflect the views of the political and economic establishment on public
      health measures: there is some support from the medical professions and
      progressive politicians, but overall, there is a clear reluctance to support
      strong public health strategies. One main recommendation for public health
      advocates to promote their perspectives is to diversify the mass media and make
      them less commercial in nature, as well as to engage with non-corporate, so
      called progressive "alternative media" outlets.

PMID- 28621754
TI  - Environmental, Human Health and Socio-Economic Effects of Cement Powders: The
      Multicriteria Analysis as Decisional Methodology.
AB  - The attention to sustainability-related issues has grown fast in recent decades.
      The experience gained with these themes reveals the importance of considering
      this topic in the construction industry, which represents an important sector
      throughout the world. This work consists on conducting a multicriteria analysis
      of four cement powders, with the objective of calculating and analysing the
      environmental, human health and socio-economic effects of their production
      processes. The economic, technical, environmental and safety performances of the
      examined powders result from official, both internal and public, documents
      prepared by the producers. The Analytic Hierarchy Process permitted to consider
      several indicators (i.e., environmental, human health related and socio-economic
      parameters) and to conduct comprehensive and unbiased analyses which gave the
      best, most sustainable cement powder. As assumed in this study, the contribution
      of each considered parameter to the overall sustainability has a different
      incidence, therefore the procedure could be used to support on-going
      sustainability efforts under different conditions. The results also prove that it
      is not appropriate to regard only one parameter to identify the 'best' cement
      powder, but several impact categories should be considered and analysed if there
      is an interest for pursuing different, often conflicting interests.

PMID- 28621755
TI  - Biophysical Mode-of-Action and Selectivity Analysis of Allosteric Inhibitors of
      Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Polymerase.
AB  - Allosteric inhibitors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) non-structural protein 5B (NS5B)
      polymerase are effective for treatment of genotype 1, although their mode of
      action and potential to inhibit other isolates and genotypes are not well
      established. We have used biophysical techniques and a novel biosensor-based real
      time polymerase assay to investigate the mode-of-action and selectivity of four
      inhibitors against enzyme from genotypes 1b (BK and Con1) and 3a. Two thumb
      inhibitors (lomibuvir and filibuvir) interacted with all three NS5B variants,
      although the affinities for the 3a enzyme were low. Of the two tested palm
      inhibitors (dasabuvir and nesbuvir), only dasabuvir interacted with the 1b
      variant, and nesbuvir interacted with NS5B 3a. Lomibuvir, filibuvir and dasabuvir
      stabilized the structure of the two 1b variants, but not the 3a enzyme. The thumb
      compounds interfered with the interaction between the enzyme and RNA and blocked
      the transition from initiation to elongation. The two allosteric inhibitor types
      have different inhibition mechanisms. Sequence and structure analysis revealed
      differences in the binding sites for 1b and 3a variants, explaining the poor
      effect against genotype 3a NS5B. The indirect mode-of-action needs to be
      considered when designing allosteric compounds. The current approach provides an
      efficient strategy for identifying and optimizing allosteric inhibitors targeting
      HCV genotype 3a.

PMID- 28621756
TI  - p53 Expression as a Diagnostic Biomarker in Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Cancer.
AB  - Ulcerative colitis (UC) is defined as an idiopathic inflammatory disorder
      primarily involving the mucosa and submucosa of the colon. UC-associated colon
      cancers (also known as colitic cancers) develop through the inflammation
      dysplasia sequence, which is a major problem affecting the prognosis of patients
      with UC. It is therefore very important to detect malignancy from UC at an early
      stage. As precancerous lesions arising in UC, there are pathological adenomatous
      changes, basal cell changes, in situ anaplasia, clear cell changes, and pan
      cellular change. It is considered that the mutation of the p53 gene plays a
      crucial role, and the protein expression of p53 in dysplastic crypts may serve as
      a good biomarker in the early stages of UC-associated colon carcinogenesis.
      Immunohistochemistry for p53 is a very valuable diagnostic tool in UC-associated
      colon cancers. However, protein expression of p53 is not always universal, and
      additional methods may be required to assess p53 status in UC-associated colon
      cancers.

PMID- 28621757
TI  - Impact of Virtual Touch Quantification in Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse for
      Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss in Chronic Liver Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We sought to clarify the relationship between virtual touch
      quantification (VTQ) in acoustic radiation force impulse and skeletal muscle mass
      as assessed by bio-electronic impedance analysis in patients with chronic liver
      diseases (CLDs, n = 468, 222 males and 246 females, median age = 62 years).
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Decreased skeletal muscle index (D-SMI) was defined as
      skeletal muscle index (SMI) <7.0 kg/m2 for males and as SMI <5.7 kg/m2 for
      females, according to the recommendations in current Japanese guidelines. We
      examined the correlation between SMI and VTQ levels and investigated factors
      linked to D-SMI in the univariate and multivariate analyses. The area under the
      receiver operating curve (AUROC) for the presence of D-SMI was also calculated.
      RESULTS: In patients with D-SMI, the median VTQ level was 1.64 meters/second
      (m/s) (range, 0.93-4.32 m/s), while in patients without D-SMI, the median VTQ
      level was 1.11 m/s (range, 0.67-4.09 m/s) (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate
      analysis, higher VTQ was found to be an independent predictor linked to the
      presence of D-SMI (p < 0.0001). In receiver operating characteristic analysis,
      body mass index had the highest AUROC (0.805), followed by age (0.721) and VTQ
      (0.706). CONCLUSION: VTQ levels can be useful for predicting D-SMI in patients
      with CLDs.

PMID- 28621758
TI  - Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as a Potential Biomarker for Parkinson's
      Disease (PD).
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential to serve as a biomarker for
      Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the type or types of biomarker it could
      provide remain to be determined. At this time there is not sufficient sensitivity
      or specificity for MRI to serve as an early diagnostic biomarker, i.e., it is
      unproven in its ability to determine if a single individual is normal, has mild
      PD, or has some other forms of degenerative parkinsonism. However there is
      accumulating evidence that MRI may be useful in staging and monitoring disease
      progression (staging biomarker), and also possibly as a means to monitor
      pathophysiological aspects of disease and associated response to treatments,
      i.e., theranostic marker. As there are increasing numbers of manuscripts that are
      dedicated to diffusion- and neuromelanin-based imaging methods, this review will
      focus on these topics cursorily and will delve into pharmacodynamic imaging as a
      means to get at theranostic aspects of PD.

PMID- 28621759
TI  - A High-Fructose-High-Coconut Oil Diet Induces Dysregulating Expressions of
      Hippocampal Leptin and Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase, and Spatial Memory Deficits in
      Rats.
AB  - We investigated the effects of high-fructose-high-fat diets with different fat
      compositions on metabolic parameters, hippocampal-dependent cognitive function,
      and brain leptin (as well as stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) mRNA expressions).
      Thirty-two male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups, a control group (n = 8),
      a high-fructose soybean oil group (37.5% of fat calories, n = 12), and a high
      fructose coconut oil group (37.5% of fat calories, n = 12) for 20 weeks. By the
      end of the study, the coconut oil group exhibited significantly higher serum
      fasting glucose, fructosamine, insulin, leptin, and triglyceride levels compared
      to those of the control and soybean oil groups. However, hippocampal leptin
      expression and leptin receptor mRNA levels were significantly lower, while SCD1
      mRNA was significantly higher in rats fed the high-fructose-high-coconut oil diet
      than in rats fed the other experimental diets. In addition, the coconut oil group
      spent significantly less time in the target quadrant on the probe test in the
      Morris water maze (MWM) task. Rats fed the high-fructose-high-coconut oil diet
      for 20 weeks were prone to develop hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia,
      hyperleptinemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. These metabolic consequences may
      contribute to hippocampal-dependent memory impairment, accompanied by a lower
      central leptin level, and a higher SCD1 gene expression in the brain.

PMID- 28621761
TI  - Production of Chitin from Penaeus vannamei By-Products to Pilot Plant Scale Using
      a Combination of Enzymatic and Chemical Processes and Subsequent Optimization of
      the Chemical Production of Chitosan by Response Surface Methodology.
AB  - The waste generated from shrimp processing contains valuable materials such as
      protein, carotenoids, and chitin. The present study describes a process at pilot
      plant scale to recover chitin from the cephalothorax of Penaeus vannamei using
      mild conditions. The application of a sequential enzymatic-acid-alkaline
      treatment yields 30% chitin of comparable purity to commercial sources. Effluents
      from the process are rich in protein and astaxanthin, and represent inputs for
      further by-product recovery. As a last step, chitin is deacetylated to produce
      chitosan; the optimal conditions are established by applying a response surface
      methodology (RSM). Under these conditions, deacetylation reaches 92% as
      determined by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR), and the molecular
      weight (Mw) of chitosan is estimated at 82 KDa by gel permeation chromatography
      (GPC). Chitin and chitosan microstructures are characterized by Scanning Electron
      Microscopy (SEM).

PMID- 28621760
TI  - Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Association between Ambient Nitrogen
      Dioxide and Respiratory Disease in China.
AB  - Objective: This study aimed to assess the quantitative effects of short-term
      exposure of ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on respiratory disease (RD) mortality
      and RD hospital admission in China through systematic review and meta-analysis.
      Methods: A total of 29 publications were finally selected from searches in
      PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI and Wanfang databases. Generic inverse variance
      method was used to pool effect estimates. Pooled estimates were used to represent
      the increased risk of RD mortality and RD hospital admission per 10 MUg/m3
      increase in NO2 concentration. Results: Positive correlations were found between
      short-term NO2 exposure and RD in China. RD mortality and RD hospital admission
      respectively increased by 1.4% (95% CI: 1.1%, 1.7%) and 1.0% (95% CI: 0.5%, 1.5%)
      per 10 MUg/m3 increase in NO2 concentration. Differences were observed across
      geographic regions of China. The risk of RD mortality due to NO2 was higher in
      the southern region (1.7%) than in the north (0.7%). Conclusions: Evidence was
      found that short-term exposure to NO2 was associated with an increased risk of RD
      mortality and RD hospital admission in China and these risks were more pronounced
      in the southern regions of the country, due in part to a larger proportion of
      elderly persons with increased susceptibility to NO2 in the population compared
      with the north.

PMID- 28621762
TI  - The Landscape of the Emergence of Life.
AB  - This paper reports on the various nuances of the origins of life on Earth and
      highlights the latest findings in that arena as reported at the Network of
      Researchers on Horizontal Gene Transfer and the Last Universal Common Ancestor
      (NoR HGT and LUCA) which was held from the 3-4th November 2016 at the Open
      University, UK. Although the answers to the question of the origin of life on
      Earth will not be fathomable anytime soon, a wide variety of subject matter was
      able to be covered, ranging from examining what constitutes a LUCA, looking at
      viral connections and "from RNA to DNA", i.e., could DNA have been formed
      simultaneously with RNA, rather than RNA first and then describing the emergence
      of DNA from RNA. Also discussed are proteins and the origins of genomes as well
      as various ideas that purport to explain the origin of life here on Earth and
      potentially further afield elsewhere on other planets.

PMID- 28621764
TI  - Neuroimmunology: B cells and variant BAFF in autoimmune disease.

PMID- 28621763
TI  - Why Don't More Smokers Switch to Using E-Cigarettes: The Views of Confirmed
      Smokers.
AB  - Whilst e-cigarettes have been characterised by Public Health England as being
      around 95% less harmful than combustible tobacco products, only a minority of
      current smokers (around 16% within the UK) are using these devices. In this paper
      we report the results of an online survey of 650 smokers in contact with a
      smokers' rights group in the UK. A total of 91% of the smokers surveyed were
      smoking on a daily basis. Fifty nine percent reported having used electronic
      nicotine delivery systems, the majority of whom reported having used e
      cigarettes. Those smokers that had not used these devices principally explained
      this in terms of the pleasure they derived from smoking. The features smokers'
      liked most about e-cigarette had to do with the range of settings in which they
      could be used, the lack of an offensive smell associated with their use, the
      available flavours and the reduced level of harm. The elements which smokers
      liked least about e-cigarettes had to do with the vaping experience, the
      technology, the chemical nature of e-liquids and the complex technology that was
      associated with these devices. If a greater number of smokers are to be
      encouraged to take up e-cigarettes, it will be necessary not only to convey
      accurate information on the relative harm of these devices (compared to
      combustible tobacco products), but to ensure that they are able to be used in a
      wider range of settings than those within which smoking can currently occur and
      that the vaping experience more closely resembles the smoking experience.

PMID- 28621765
TI  - Epilepsy: Cannabidiol reduces seizure frequency in Dravet syndrome.

PMID- 28621767
TI  - Neuroimmunology: Complement is no bystander in CNS degeneration.

PMID- 28621766
TI  - Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for treatment of multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a multistep
      procedure that enables destruction of the immune system and its reconstitution
      from haematopoietic stem cells. Originally developed for the treatment of
      haematological malignancies, the procedure has been adapted for the treatment of
      severe immune-mediated disorders. Results from ~20 years of research make a
      compelling case for selective use of AHSCT in patients with highly active
      multiple sclerosis (MS), and for controlled trials. Immunological studies support
      the notion that AHSCT causes qualitative immune resetting, and have provided
      insight into the mechanisms that might underlie the powerful treatment effects
      that last well beyond recovery of immune cell numbers. Indeed, studies have
      demonstrated that AHSCT can entirely suppress MS disease activity for 4-5 years
      in 70-80% of patients, a rate that is higher than those achieved with any other
      therapies for MS. Treatment-related mortality, which was 3.6% in studies before
      2005, has decreased to 0.3% in studies since 2005. Current evidence indicates
      that the patients who are most likely to benefit from and tolerate AHSCT are
      young, ambulatory and have inflammatory MS activity. Clinical trials are required
      to rigorously test the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of AHSCT against
      highly active MS drugs.

PMID- 28621769
TI  - Alzheimer disease: Sniffing out a marker of early Alzheimer disease.

PMID- 28621770
TI  - Epilepsy: A new guideline on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

PMID- 28621771
TI  - Repeat expansion disorders: New evidence for RNA gelation in repeat expansion
      disorders.

PMID- 28621768
TI  - Imaging and fluid biomarkers in frontotemporal dementia.
AB  - Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the second most common type of presenile dementia,
      is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive
      behavioural and/or language problems, and includes a range of clinical, genetic
      and pathological subtypes. The diagnostic process is hampered by this
      heterogeneity, and correct diagnosis is becoming increasingly important to enable
      future clinical trials of disease-modifying treatments. Reliable biomarkers will
      enable us to better discriminate between FTD and other forms of dementia and to
      predict disease progression in the clinical setting. Given that different
      underlying pathologies probably require specific pharmacological interventions,
      robust biomarkers are essential for the selection of patients with specific FTD
      subtypes. This Review emphasizes the increasing availability and potential
      applications of structural and functional imaging biomarkers, and cerebrospinal
      fluid and blood fluid biomarkers in sporadic and genetic FTD. The relevance of
      new MRI modalities - such as voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging
      and arterial spin labelling - in the early stages of FTD is discussed, together
      with the ability of these modalities to classify FTD subtypes. We highlight
      promising new fluid biomarkers for staging and monitoring of FTD, and underline
      the importance of large, multicentre studies of individuals with presymptomatic
      FTD. Harmonization in the collection and analysis of data across different
      centres is crucial for the implementation of new biomarkers in clinical practice,
      and will become a great challenge in the next few years.

PMID- 28621772
TI  - High temperature spin-glass-like transition in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 nanofibers near
      the Curie point.
AB  - The glassy transition of superparamagnetic (SPM) (r < r0) nanoparticle systems
      usually occurs at a very low temperature that greatly limits its application to
      high temperatures. In this work, we report a spin-glass-like (SGL) behavior near
      the Curie point (TC), i.e., T0 = 330 K, in La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) nanofibers
      (NFs) composed of nanoparticles beyond the SPM size (r ? r0), resulting in a
      significant increase of the glass transition temperature. This SGL transition
      near the TC of bulk LSMO can be explained to be the scenario of locally ordered
      clusters embedded in a disordered host, in which the assembly of nanoparticles
      has a magnetic core-shell model driven by surface spin glass. The presence of a
      surface spin glass of nanoparticles was proved by the Almeida-Thouless line
      deltaTf ? H2/3, exchange bias, and reduced saturation magnetization of the NF
      system. Composite dynamics were found - that is, both the SPM and the super-spin
      glass (SSG) behavior are found in such an NF system. The bifurcation of the zero
      field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetization vs. temperature curves at
      the ZFC peak, and the flatness of FC magnetization involve SSG, while the
      frequency-dependent ac susceptibility anomaly follows the Vogel-Fulcher law that
      implies weak dipole interactions of the SPM model. This finding can help us to
      find a way to search for high temperature spin glass materials.

PMID- 28621773
TI  - An all-inkjet-printed flexible UV photodetector.
AB  - In this work, a novel concept of the all-inkjet-printed flexible photodetectors
      based on ZnO nanocrystals with high performance was proposed and demonstrated
      with emphasis on the influence of different post-treatments including UV light
      irradiation and high temperature annealing. The photodetectors based on UV
      treated ZnO nanocrystal films exhibit a responsivity and an on/off ratio as high
      as 0.14 A W-1 and >103, respectively, which are better than the thermally treated
      devices. The high performance of ZnO nanocrystal-based photodetectors originates
      from unique band-edge modulation among the nanoparticles, where the existence of
      Schottky barriers leads to a low dark current and gives rise to a fast
      photoelectric response. The photodetector is capable of 500 bending cycles, and
      almost no degradation is observed. The as-obtained all-printable devices open up
      the possibility of fabricating a low-cost, solution processed, flexible, and
      large-area integrated optoelectronic sensor circuitry for future practical
      applications.

PMID- 28621774
TI  - Mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles with co-delivery function for overcoming
      multidrug resistance via synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy.
AB  - Theranostic agents for combined chemo-photothermal therapy have attracted
      intensive interest in the treatment of multi-drug resistance (MDR) in cancer
      therapy. However, the development of simple theranostic agents as dual hosts for
      both heat and a high payload of chemotherapeutic agents remains a big challenge.
      Herein, mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (MPDA) were successfully developed
      with properties of a high payload of DOX (up to 2000 MUg mg-1) and the drug
      efflux inhibitor TPGS (d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate), as
      well as strong near-infrared absorption. Particularly, DOX and TPGS were
      sequentially loaded in the pore space and on the external particle surface of
      MPDA via pi-pi stacking and hydrophobic interactions, resulting in a MPDA
      DOX@TPGS complex. The DOX release observably relies on the pH value and
      glutathione (GSH). Furthermore, it is possible to accelerate the rate of drug
      release by NIR irradiation. Importantly, the MPDA-DOX@TPGS complex was found to
      escape from endosomes after cellular uptake and release the loaded drugs into the
      cytosol. By TPGS mediated MDR reversal, the delivered DOX induced significant
      cytotoxicity to MCF-7/ADR cells. Besides, MPDA can absorb the NIR light and
      convert it into fatal heat to kill the cancer cells. As a consequence, the
      combined therapy in our system yields a synergistic effect with high therapeutic
      efficacy.

PMID- 28621775
TI  - 3D cellular invasion platforms: how do paper-based cultures stack up?
AB  - Cellular invasion is the gateway to metastasis, which is the leading cause of
      cancer-related deaths. Invasion is driven by a number of chemical and mechanical
      stresses that arise in the tumor microenvironment. In vitro assays are needed for
      the systematic study of cancer progress. To be truly predictive, these assays
      must generate tissue-like environments that can be experimentally controlled and
      manipulated. While two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures are easily assembled
      and evaluated, they lack the extracellular components needed to assess invasion.
      Three-dimensional (3D) cultures are better suited for invasion studies because
      they generate cellular phenotypes that are more representative of those found in
      vivo. This feature article provides an overview of four invasion platforms. We
      focus on paper-based cultures, an emerging 3D culture platform capable of
      generating tissue-like structures and quantifying cellular invasion. Paper-based
      cultures are as easily assembled and analyzed as monolayers, but provide an
      experimentally powerful platform capable of supporting: co-cultures and
      representative extracellular environments; experimentally controlled gradients;
      readouts capable of quantifying, discerning, and separating cells based on their
      invasiveness. With a series of examples we highlight the potential of paper-based
      cultures, and discuss how they stack up against other invasion platforms.

PMID- 28621776
TI  - Tuning Pt and Cu sites population inside functionalized UiO-67 MOF by controlling
      activation conditions.
AB  - The exceptional thermal and chemical stability of the UiO-66, -67 and -68 classes
      of isostructural MOFs [J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2008, 130, 13850] makes them ideal
      materials for functionalization purposes aimed at introducing active centres for
      potential application in heterogeneous catalysis. We previously demonstrated that
      a small fraction (up to 10%) of the linkers in the UiO-67 MOF can be replaced by
      bipyridine-dicarboxylate (bpydc) moieties exhibiting metal-chelating ability and
      enabling the grafting of Pt(ii) and Pt(iv) ions in the MOF framework [Chem.
      Mater., 2015, 27, 1042] upon interaction with PtCl2 or PtCl4 precursors. Herein
      we extend this functionalization approach in two directions. First, we show that
      by controlling the activation of the UiO-67-Pt we can move from a material
      hosting isolated Pt(ii) sites anchored to the MOF framework with Pt(ii)
      exhibiting two coordination vacancies (potentially interesting for C-H bond
      activation) to the formation of very small Pt nanoparticles hosted inside the MOF
      cavities (potentially interesting for hydrogenation reactions). The second
      direction consists of the extension of the approach to the insertion of Cu(ii),
      obtained via interaction with CuCl2, and exhibiting interesting redox properties.
      All materials have been characterized by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy at
      the Pt L3- and Cu K-edges.

PMID- 28621777
TI  - Polar metal-formate frameworks templated with 1,2-diaminoethane-water assemblies
      showing ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties.
AB  - A set of five novel formate frameworks templated with assemblies comprising
      diprotonated 1,2-diaminoethane (DAE) and a water molecule of the formula:
      [NH3(CH2)2NH3]M2(HCOO)6.H2O, where M = Mg, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, has been synthesized.
      Four compounds crystallize in the polar R3 space group and one in the chiral
      P6322 space group (Ni-analog) at room temperature. The polyammonium-water
      assemblies, mutually joined by hydrogen bonds, fill the cavities of the
      frameworks and are disordered in the three latter compounds. Additional disorder
      is found in the Ni-sample as the DAE2+-H2O couple is placed in a special position
      on the 63 screw axis. IR spectroscopy provides evidence of proton dynamic
      disorder within the assemblies, which turns into a static one at low
      temperatures. The crystals preserve their arrangement up to approximately 370 K
      as shown by differential calorimetric measurements and temperature-dependent IR
      spectroscopy. The ferroelectric nature of a representative of the family, DAEMgF,
      at room temperature has been confirmed by pyroelectric measurements. It has been
      found that the spontaneous polarization may be changed by an external electric
      field. The magnetic studies reveal a weak ferromagnetic behavior within 8.5-35 K
      for magnetically active ions: Mn, Co, and Ni.

PMID- 28621778
TI  - Synthesis of functionalized alkyl substituted benzoquinones by Rh-catalyzed
      additions of boronic acids.
AB  - A general synthetic route to gamma-oxo alkyl or alpha-hydroxy benzyl 2
      substituted benzoquinones has been developed through a one-pot Rh-catalyzed C-C
      bond formation/oxidative demethylation sequence from 2,5-dimethoxy aryl boronic
      acids and several electron deficient alkenes or aldehydes. The process allows
      rapid access to functionalized benzoquinones under very mild conditions and good
      yields. We disclose the first example of a Rh-catalyzed 1,4-addition reaction of
      benzoquinonyl boronic acid to methyl vinyl ketone and other conjugate acceptors,
      which allows the direct synthesis of 2-(gamma-functionalized alkyl) substituted
      benzoquinones.

PMID- 28621779
TI  - The effective determination of Cd(ii) and Pb(ii) simultaneously based on an
      aluminum silicon carbide-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite electrode.
AB  - A platform for the simultaneous determination of Cd(ii) and Pb(ii) in aqueous
      solution has been applied based on an aluminum silicon carbide-reduced graphene
      oxide nanocomposite (Al4SiC4-RGO) modified bismuth film glassy carbon electrode
      (GCE) using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) for the first time.
      The Al4SiC4-RGO nanocomposite electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry
      (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Compared with the Al4SiC4
      modified GCE and bare GCE, the electrochemical performance of the Al4SiC4-RGO
      nanocomposite electrode is obviously enhanced resulting from the synergistic
      effects of Al4SiC4, RGO and bismuth film. The chemical and electrochemical
      parameters that exert an influence on the deposition and stripping of metal ions,
      such as supporting electrolytes, pH values, concentrations of Bi3+, deposition
      potentials and deposition times, were carefully studied. Under optimal
      conditions, a linear relationship exists between the currents and the
      concentrations of Cd(ii) and Pb(ii) in the range of 50 to 2700 MUg L-1. The
      limits of detection (S/N = 3) are estimated to be 1.30 MUg L-1 for Pb(ii) and
      2.15 MUg L-1 for Cd(ii). Compared with the related work reported in the
      literature, the analytical performance in this work has a lower determination
      limit and a wider detection linear range. In addition, this electrode also
      exhibits good stability and reproducibility. These results imply that the Al4SiC4
      RGO nanocomposite might be a promising candidate for practical applications in
      the electrochemical detection of metal ions.

PMID- 28621780
TI  - Structure-property relationship of blue solid state emissive phenanthroimidazole
      derivatives.
AB  - Seven new derivatives of phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole having differenet
      substituents at the 1st and the 2nd positions of the phenanthroimidazole moiety
      were synthesized and characterized. The comparative study of their properties was
      performed employing thermal, optical, electrochemical and photoelectrical
      measurements. The properties of the newly synthesized compounds were compared
      with those of earlier reported derivatives of phenanthroimidazole and several
      interesting new findings were disclosed. Density functional theory calculations
      accompanied by optical spectroscopy measurements have shown the possibility of
      tuning the emission properties (excited-stated decay rate, fluorescence quantum
      yield, etc.) of phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole derivatives via attachment of
      different substituents to the 1st and the 2nd positions. The most polar and bulky
      substituents linked to the 2nd position were found to have the greatest impact on
      the emissive properties of compounds causing (i) fluorescence quantum yield
      enhancement of dilute liquid and solid solutions (up to 97%), (ii) suppression of
      intramolecular torsion-induced nonradiative excited-state relaxation in rigid
      polymer films as well as (iii) inhibition of aggregation-promoted emission
      quenching in the neat films. Most of the studied compunds exhibited ambipolar
      charge transport character with comparable drift mobilities of holes and
      electrons. The highest hole and electron mobilities approaching 10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1
      were observed for the derivative having a triphenylamino group at the 1st
      position of the imidazole ring and the phenyl group at the 2nd position. The
      estimated triplet energies of phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole compounds were found to
      be in the range of 2.4-2.6 eV, which is sufficiently high to ensure effective
      energy transfer to yellow/red emitters.

PMID- 28621781
TI  - The relevance of structural features of cellulose and its interactions to
      dissolution, regeneration, gelation and plasticization phenomena.
AB  - Cellulose is the most abundant polymer and a very important renewable resource.
      Since cellulose cannot be shaped by melting, a major route for its use for novel
      materials, new chemical compounds and renewable energy must go via the solution
      state. Investigations during several decades have led to the identification of
      several solvents of notably different character. The mechanisms of dissolution in
      terms of intermolecular interactions have been discussed from early work but,
      even on fundamental aspects, conflicting and opposite views appear. In view of
      this, strategies for developing new solvent systems for various applications have
      remained obscure. There is for example a strong need for using forest products
      for higher value materials and for environmental and cost reasons to use water
      based solvents. Several new water-based solvents have been developed recently but
      there is no consensus regarding the underlying mechanisms. Here we wish to
      address the most important mechanisms described in the literature and confront
      them with experimental observations. A broadened view is helpful for improving
      the current picture and thus cellulose derivatives and phenomena such as fiber
      dissolution, swelling, regeneration, plasticization and dispersion are
      considered. In addition to the matter of hydrogen bonding versus hydrophobic
      interactions, the role of ionization as well as some applications of new
      knowledge gained are highlighted.

PMID- 28621782
TI  - Stereodivergent synthesis of all the four stereoisomers of antidepressant
      reboxetine.
AB  - Chiral amino alcohol-copper(ii) catalysts Cu-L1c and Cu-ent-L1c were utilized to
      promote the diastereoselective nitroaldol reactions of chiral aldehydes (S)-3 or
      (R)-3 with nitromethane, which respectively led to the preferential formation of
      certain stereoisomer for nitro diol derivatives 4. Using this catalytic protocol,
      all the four stereoisomers of the antidepressant reboxetine were divergently
      prepared. The highest overall yield of this synthetic route reached up to 30.5%
      from aldehyde (S)-3.

PMID- 28621783
TI  - Liquid-phase oxidation of alkylaromatics to aromatic ketones with molecular
      oxygen over a Mn-based metal-organic framework.
AB  - Liquid-phase oxidation of alkylaromatics with molecular O2 was examined using a
      microporous Mn-based metal-organic framework (Mn-MOF-74). Mn-MOF-74 consisting of
      trimeric Mn clusters and 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate (dhtp) linkers exhibits
      superior catalytic activity with good ketone selectivity compared to conventional
      oxide-supported Mn catalysts without showing any lengthy induction period.
      Combined analyses by means of XRD, FE-SEM, N2 physisorption and Mn K-edge XAFS
      reveal that the superior catalytic performance is attributed to the inherently
      formed Mn(iii)2(dhtp) moieties embedded in the Mn-MOF-74 framework rather than
      structural factors associated with the MOF. The catalyst is reusable over
      multiple catalytic runs along with retaining its original catalytic activity due
      to the ability of the dhtp ligand to stabilize active Mn(iii) atoms. Owing to
      high activity, reusability and nontoxicity, Mn-MOF-74 can offer a simple,
      inexpensive and efficient protocol for the oxidation of some important
      alkylaromatics, such as ethylbenzene and diphenylmethane to produce the
      corresponding aromatic ketones.

PMID- 28621784
TI  - Dynamic reconfiguration of van der Waals gaps within GeTe-Sb2Te3 based
      superlattices.
AB  - Phase-change materials based on GeSbTe show unique switchable optoelectronic
      properties and are an important contender for next-generation non-volatile
      memories. Moreover, they recently received considerable scientific interest,
      because it is found that a vacancy ordering process is responsible for both an
      electronic metal-insulator transition and a structural cubic-to-trigonal
      transition. GeTe-Sb2Te3 based superlattices, or specifically their interfaces,
      provide an interesting platform for the study of GeSbTe alloys. In this work such
      superlattices have been grown with molecular beam epitaxy and they have been
      characterized extensively with transmission electron microscopy and X-ray
      diffraction. It is shown that the van der Waals gaps in these superlattices,
      which result from vacancy ordering, are mobile and reconfigure through the film
      using bi-layer defects and Ge diffusion upon annealing. Moreover, it is shown
      that for an average composition that is close to GeSb2Te4 a large portion of 9
      layered van der Waals systems is formed, suggesting that still a substantial
      amount of random vacancies must be present within the trigonal GeSbTe layers.
      Overall these results illuminate the structural organization of van der Waals
      gaps commonly encountered in GeSbTe alloys, which are intimately related to their
      electronic properties and the metal-insulator transition.

PMID- 28621785
TI  - Three-dimensional atomic models from a single projection using Z-contrast
      imaging: verification by electron tomography and opportunities.
AB  - In order to fully exploit structure-property relations of nanomaterials, three
      dimensional (3D) characterization at the atomic scale is often required. In
      recent years, the resolution of electron tomography has reached the atomic scale.
      However, such tomography typically requires several projection images demanding
      substantial electron dose. A newly developed alternative circumvents this by
      counting the number of atoms across a single projection. These atom counts can be
      used to create an initial atomic model with which an energy minimization can be
      applied to obtain a relaxed 3D reconstruction of the nanoparticle. Here, we
      compare, at the atomic scale, this single projection reconstruction approach with
      tomography and find an excellent agreement. This new approach allows for the
      characterization of beam-sensitive materials or where the acquisition of a tilt
      series is impossible. As an example, the utility is illustrated by the 3D atomic
      scale characterization of a nanodumbbell on an in situ heating holder of limited
      tilt range.

PMID- 28621786
TI  - Alkali and alkaline earth metal salts of tetrazolone: structurally interesting
      and excellently thermostable.
AB  - Tetrazolone (5-oxotetrazole) was synthesized by a moderate strategy through three
      steps (addition, cyclization and catalytic hydrogenation) avoiding the unstable
      intermediate diazonium, as reported during the previous preparation. Alkali and
      alkaline earth metal salts with lithium (1), sodium (2), potassium (3), rubidium
      (4) caesium (5), magnesium (6), calcium (7), strontium (8) and barium (9) were
      prepared and fully characterized using elemental analysis, IR and NMR
      spectroscopy, DSC and TG analysis. All metal salts were characterized via single
      crystal X-ray diffraction. They crystallize in common space groups with high
      densities ranging from 1.479 (1) to 3.060 g cm-3 (5). Furthermore, the crystal
      structures of 7, 8 and 9 reveal interesting porous energetic coordination
      polymers with strong hydrogen bond interactions. All new salts have good thermal
      stabilities with decomposition temperature between 215.0  degrees C (4) and 328.2
      degrees C (7), significantly higher than that of the reported nitrogen-rich salt
      neutral tetrazolone. The sensitivities towards impact and friction were tested
      using standard methods, and all the tetrazolone-based compounds investigated can
      be classified into insensitive. The flame test of these metal salts supports
      their potential use as perchlorate-free pyrotechnics or eco-friendly insensitive
      energetic materials.

PMID- 28621787
TI  - Cascade energy transfer and tunable emission from nanosheet hybrids: locating
      acceptor molecules through chiral doping.
AB  - Light harvesting donor-acceptor assemblies are indispensable to efficiently tap
      photons. In an attempt to improve the light harvesting efficiency of an acceptor
      doped assembly, we design and synthesize a donor-acceptor-donor triad which
      exhibits an exceptional intramolecular energy transfer with excellent efficiency.
      Moreover, a facile cascade energy transfer (energy funnelling) is observed in the
      presence of a series of second acceptors (63-91% efficiency) with tunable
      emission colours. Self-assembled nanosheets formed by the triad in the presence
      of acceptors exhibit cascade energy transfer assisted tunable emission. In
      addition, use of chiral acceptors induces chirality to the triad and results in
      the formation of chiral nanosheets along with cascade energy transfer. Here
      chiral induction, nanosheet formation and cascade energy transfer in the presence
      of chiral acceptors are used as tools to probe the intercalation of acceptor
      molecules in the donor scaffold.

PMID- 28621788
TI  - Graphene on h-BN: to align or not to align?
AB  - The contact strength, adhesion and friction, between graphene and an
      incommensurate crystalline substrate such as h-BN depends on their relative
      alignment angle theta. The well-established Novaco-McTague (NM) theory predicts
      for a monolayer graphene on a hard bulk h-BN crystal face a small spontaneous
      misalignment, here thetaNM ? 0.45 degrees which if realized would be relevant to
      a host of electronic properties besides the mechanical ones. Because experimental
      equilibrium is hard to achieve, we inquire theoretically about alignment or
      misalignment by simulations based on dependable state-of-the-art interatomic
      force fields. Surprisingly at first, we find compelling evidence for theta = 0,
      i.e., full energy-driven alignment in the equilibrium state of graphene on h-BN.
      Two factors drive this deviation from the NM theory. First, graphene is not flat,
      developing on h-BN a long-wavelength out-of-plane corrugation. Second, h-BN is
      not hard, releasing its contact stress by planar contractions/expansions that
      accompany the interface moire structure. Repeated simulations by artificially
      forcing graphene to keep flat, and h-BN to keep rigid, indeed yield an
      equilibrium misalignment similar to thetaNM as expected. Subsequent sliding
      simulations show that friction of graphene on h-BN, small and essentially
      independent of misalignments in the artificial frozen state, strongly increases
      in the more realistic corrugated, strain-modulated, aligned state.

PMID- 28621789
TI  - Display of functional proteins on supramolecular peptide nanofibrils using a
      split-protein strategy.
AB  - The display of functional proteins on self-assembled peptide nanofibrils is
      challenging since the steric bulk of proteins attached to simple self-assembling
      peptides often impedes incorporation into nanofibrils. Herein is described a
      split-protein strategy to tether functional proteins to preassembled peptide
      nanofibrils. In this strategy, a short affinity motif peptide derived from a
      split protein system is appended to a self-assembly motif (the amphipathic Ac
      (FKFE)2-NH2 peptide) to form an affinity-assembly fusion peptide. The small size
      of the affinity motif allows the affinity-assembly fusion peptide to be readily
      incorporated into peptide nanofibrils that display the affinity motif when the
      affinity-assembly peptide is coassembled with Ac-(FKFE)2-NH2. Introduction of the
      split-protein that is complementary to the affinity motif to the assembled
      nanofibrils results in efficient, multivalent attachment of functional proteins
      to the peptide nanofibrils. This strategy is demonstrated with two split-protein
      systems, ribonuclease S' (RNase S') and split green fluorescent protein (GFP).

PMID- 28621790
TI  - Molecular interactions and thermal transport in ionic liquids with carbon
      nanomaterials.
AB  - We used molecular dynamics simulation to study the effect of suspended carbon
      nanomaterials, nanotubes and graphene sheets, on the thermal conductivity of
      ionic liquids, an issue related to understanding the properties of nanofluids.
      One important aspect that we developed is an atomistic model of the interactions
      between the organic ions and carbon nanomaterials, so we did not rely on existing
      force fields for small organic molecules or assume simple combining rules to
      describe the interactions at the liquid/material interface. Instead, we used
      quantum calculations with a density functional suitable for non-covalent
      interactions to parameterize an interaction model, including van der Waals terms
      and also atomic partial charges on the materials. We fitted a n-m interaction
      potential function with n values of 9 or 10 and m values between 5 and 8, so a 12
      6 Lennard-Jones function would not fit the quantum calculations. For the atoms of
      ionic liquids and carbon nanomaterials interacting among themselves, we adopted
      existing models from the literature. We studied the imidazolium ionic liquids
      [C4C1im][SCN], [C4C1im][N(CN)2], [C4C1im][C(CN)3] and [C4C1im][(CF3SO2)2N].
      Attraction is stronger for cations (than for anions) above and below the pi
      system of the nanomaterials, whereas anions show stronger attraction for the
      hydrogenated edges. The ordering of ions around and inside (7,7) and (10,10)
      single-walled nanotubes, and near a stack of graphene sheets, was analysed in
      terms of density distribution functions. We verified that anions are found, as
      well as cations, in the first interfacial layer interacting with the materials,
      which is surprising given the interaction potential surfaces. The thermal
      conductivity of the ionic liquids and of composite systems containing one
      nanotube or one graphene stack in suspension was calculated using non-equilibrium
      molecular dynamics. Thermal conductivity was calculated along the axis of the
      nanotube and across the planes of graphene, in order to see the anisotropy. In
      the composite systems containing the nanotube, there is an enhancement of the
      overall thermal conductivity, with calculated values comparing well with
      experiments on nanotube suspensions, namely in terms of the order of the
      different ionic liquids. In the systems containing the graphene stack, the
      interfacial region of the ionic liquid near the surface of the material has an
      enhanced thermal conductivity with respect to the bulk liquid, but no significant
      discontinuity in the temperature profiles were observed. This is important
      information for models of thermal conduction in nanofluids.

PMID- 28621791
TI  - N-Hydroxy sulfonamides as new sulfenylating agents for the functionalization of
      aromatic compounds.
AB  - An unprecedented use of N-hydroxy sulfonamides as sulfenylating agents has been
      established. In the presence of catalytic amounts of iodine and N
      hydroxysuccinimide, N-hydroxy sulfonamides participated in sulfenylation with
      indoles, 7-azaindole, N-methyl pyrrole, and 2-naphthol to afford structurally
      diverse thioethers in moderate to excellent yields with very high
      regioselectivity.

PMID- 28621792
TI  - Ruthenium-catalyzed site-selective C-H arylation of 2-pyridones and 1
      isoquinolinones.
AB  - An efficient Ru(ii)-catalyzed site-selective C-H arylation of 2-pyridones and 1
      isoquinolinones was achieved with boronic acids by using pyridine as a directing
      group. The developed protocol is general and provides rapid access to an array of
      C6-arylated 2-pyridones and C3-arylated 1-isoquinolinones in excellent yields.
      These designed arylated 2-pyridones and 1-isoquinolinones can serve as key
      structural motifs for accessing functionalized pyridines and isoquinolines.

PMID- 28621794
TI  - Exploring surface landscapes with molecules: rotationally induced diffraction of
      H2 on LiF(001) under fast grazing incidence conditions.
AB  - Atomic diffraction by surfaces under fast grazing incidence conditions has been
      used for almost a decade to characterize surface properties with more accuracy
      than with more traditional atomic diffraction methods. From six-dimensional
      solutions of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation, we show that diffraction of
      H2 molecules under fast grazing incidence conditions could be even more
      informative for the characterization of ionic surfaces, due to the large
      anisotropic electrostatic interaction between the quadrupole moment of the
      molecule and the electric field created by the ionic crystal. Using the LiF(001)
      surface as a benchmark, we show that fast grazing incidence diffraction of H2
      strongly depends on the initial rotational state of the molecule, while
      rotationally inelastic processes are irrelevant. We demonstrate that, as a result
      of the anisotropy of the impinging projectile, initial rotational excitation
      leads to an increase in intensity of high-order diffraction peaks at incidence
      directions that satisfy precise symmetry constraints, thus providing a more
      detailed information on the surface characteristics than that obtained from low
      order atomic diffraction peaks under fast grazing incidence conditions. As
      quadrupole-ion surface potentials are expected to accurately represent the
      interaction between H2 and any surface with a marked ionic character, our
      analysis should be of general applicability to any of such surfaces. Finally, we
      show that a density functional theory description of the molecule-ion surface
      potential catches the main features observed experimentally.

PMID- 28621793
TI  - Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of the anti-tubercular prodrug isoniazid and
      its analog by iridium(iv) as models for biological redox systems.
AB  - A complex reaction mechanism of oxidation of the anti-tubercular prodrug
      isoniazid (isonicotinic hydrazide, INH) by [IrCl6]2- as a model for redox
      processes of such drugs in biological systems has been studied in aqueous
      solution as a function of pH between 0 and 8.5. Similar experiments have been
      performed with its isomer nicotinic hydrazide (NH). All reactions are overall
      second-order, first-order in [IrCl6]2- and hydrazide, and the observed second
      order rate constants k' have been determined as a function of pH.
      Spectrophotometric titrations indicate a stoichiometry of [Ir(iv)] : [hydrazide]
      = 4 : 1. HPLC analysis shows that the oxidation product of INH is isonicotinic
      acid. The derived reaction mechanism, based on rate law, time-resolved spectra
      and stoichiometry, involves parallel attacks by [IrCl6]2- on all four protolytic
      species of INH and NH as rate-determining steps, depending on pH. These steps are
      proposed to generate two types of hydrazyl free radicals. These radicals react
      further in three rapid consecutive processes, leading to the final oxidation
      products. Rate constants for the rate-determining steps have been determined for
      all protolytic species I-IV of INH and NH. They are used to calculate reactivity
      pH diagrams. These diagrams demonstrate that for both systems, species IV is ca.
      105 times more reactive in the redox process than the predominant species III at
      the physiological pH of 7.4. Thus, species IV will be the main reactant, in spite
      of the fact that its concentration at this pH is extremely low, a fact that has
      not been considered in previous work. The results indicate that pH changes might
      be an important factor in the activation process of INH in biological systems
      also, and that in such systems this process most likely is more complicated than
      previously assumed.

PMID- 28621795
TI  - Machine learning for autonomous crystal structure identification.
AB  - We present a machine learning technique to discover and distinguish relevant
      ordered structures from molecular simulation snapshots or particle tracking data.
      Unlike other popular methods for structural identification, our technique
      requires no a priori description of the target structures. Instead, we use
      nonlinear manifold learning to infer structural relationships between particles
      according to the topology of their local environment. This graph-based approach
      yields unbiased structural information which allows us to quantify the
      crystalline character of particles near defects, grain boundaries, and
      interfaces. We demonstrate the method by classifying particles in a simulation of
      colloidal crystallization, and show that our method identifies structural
      features that are missed by standard techniques.

PMID- 28621796
TI  - Reply to Dietary isoflavone intake and all-cause mortality in breast cancer
      survivors: The Breast Cancer Family Registry-methodological issues.

PMID- 28621797
TI  - A better angel of our nature: Hanna Michel "Jean" Khoury, MD (April 24, 1967-May
      22, 2017).

PMID- 28621798
TI  - The relationship of serum adipokines with malnutrition inflammation score in
      haemodialysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Protein-energy wasting is a prevalent disorder in haemodialysis. Zinc
      alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) are novel
      adipokines with recognized lipolytic effects and proposed role in metabolic
      homoeostasis. This study was conducted to investigate the association of ZAG and
      ATGL concentrations with malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) and metabolic
      profile of patients with haemodialysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-eight
      patients under regular haemodialysis were divided based on MIS to normal to mild
      wasting (NMW; n = 35) or moderate wasting (MW; n = 53) group. Anthropometric
      measurements along with fasting serum concentrations of ZAG, ATGL, free fatty
      acids (FFAs), albumin, transferrin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), hs-CRP,
      lipid profile and glucose metabolism were assessed. RESULTS: Adipose triglyceride
      lipase concentration was significantly higher in MW than NMW group (10.89 +/- 5.7
      vs. 8.02 +/- 3.37 mIU/mL; P = 0.008). The ZAG and FFAs were not significantly
      different between two groups. ATGL was directly correlated with FFAs in all of
      the patients (r = 0.284, P = 0.007) and MW (r = 0.32, P = 0.021), and marginally
      in NMW (r = 0.31, P = 0.057) groups. ATGL and odds of having mild or moderate
      wasting were significantly correlated (OR = 1.21, P = 0.033). A positive
      association was observed between ATGL with TG (r = 0.31, P = 0.049) and also with
      transferrin and TIBC (r = 0.44, P = 0.001) only in MW group. An inverse
      relationship was observed between ATGL and HDL in all of the participants (r=
      0.222, P = 0.04). No significant correlation was observed between ZAG and other
      parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The serum concentrations of ATGL, but not ZAG, were
      significantly higher in MW compared to NMW group. Each unit increase in ATGL
      concentrations was correlated with 21% increase in the odds of wasting severity.
      ATGL might play a role in wasting pathogenesis and metabolic profile in
      haemodialysis.

PMID- 28621799
TI  - Clinical guideline for the management of odontogenic infections in the tertiary
      setting.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Odontogenic infections are a common presentation to emergency
      departments of Australian hospitals. Due to the limited training in diagnosis and
      treatment of dental conditions, these patients can present a challenge for the
      medical practitioner. The objective of this study was to provide an evidence
      based approach to the management of odontogenic infections in adults presenting
      to Royal Perth Hospital. METHODS: A literature search was conducted to identify
      evidence-based guidelines for the management of odontogenic infections in the
      tertiary hospital setting. Keywords 'dental', 'infections' and 'management' were
      used to search PubMed, DynaMed and Embase databases. RESULTS: Recommendations
      were drawn from existing literature including coroner reports with respect to
      clinical assessment, investigations, medical and surgical management, and
      postoperative care. A flow chart, incorporating these recommendations, was
      created to allow for appropriate disposition of patients presenting with
      odontogenic infections to Royal Perth Hospital. CONCLUSIONS: A clinical guideline
      is needed to appropriately manage patients presenting with odontogenic
      infections. We recommend the guideline be submitted to intradepartmental
      committees for assessment.

PMID- 28621801
TI  - Effect of velaglucerase alfa enzyme replacement therapy on red blood cell
      properties in Gaucher disease.

PMID- 28621800
TI  - A consensus review on malignancy-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in
      adults.
AB  - Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome of severe immune
      activation and dysregulation resulting in extreme and often life-threatening
      inflammation. HLH has been well recognized in pediatric populations, and most
      current diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines are based on pediatric HLH.
      Recently there has been recognition of HLH in adults, especially secondary to
      immune deregulation by an underlying rheumatologic, infectious, or malignant
      condition. This review is focused on malignancy-associated HLH (M-HLH), in which
      possible mechanisms of pathogenesis include severe inflammation, persistent
      antigen stimulation by the tumor cells, and loss of immune homeostasis because of
      chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, or infection. Previously
      considered rare, M-HLH may occur in up to 1% of patients with hematologic
      malignancies. M-HLH is often missed or diagnosed late in most published studies,
      and it has been associated with a poor median survival of less than 2 months.
      Identification of the clinical and laboratory features specific to M-HLH in
      adults may allow early detection, consultation with HLH experts, and
      intervention. Improved management of adult M-HLH with optimal combinations of T
      lympholytic and immunosuppressive agents and the incorporation of novel agents
      based on the pediatric experience hopefully will improve outcomes in adults with
      M-HLH. Cancer 2017;123:3229-40. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28621802
TI  - Glypican-3: A promising biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and
      treatment.
AB  - Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type. Therefore, molecular
      targets are urgently required for the early detection of HCC and the development
      of novel therapeutic approaches. Glypican-3 (GPC3), an oncofetal proteoglycan
      anchored to the cell membrane, is normally detected in the fetal liver but not in
      the healthy adult liver. However, in HCC patients, GPC3 is overexpressed at both
      the gene and protein levels, and its expression predicts a poor prognosis.
      Mechanistic studies have revealed that GPC3 functions in HCC progression by
      binding to molecules such as Wnt signaling proteins and growth factors. Moreover,
      GPC3 has been used as a target for molecular imaging and therapeutic intervention
      in HCC. To date, GPC3-targeted magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission
      tomography, and near-infrared imaging have been investigated for early HCC
      detection, and various immunotherapeutic protocols targeting GPC3 have been
      developed, including the use of humanized anti-GPC3 cytotoxic antibodies,
      treatment with peptide/DNA vaccines, immunotoxin therapies, and genetic
      therapies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the
      structure, function, and biology of GPC3 with a focus on its clinical potential
      as a diagnostic molecule and a therapeutic target in HCC immunotherapy.

PMID- 28621803
TI  - Absent pulmonary valve syndrome - diagnosis, associations, and outcome in 71
      prenatally diagnosed cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze the spectrum of prenatally
      diagnosed absent pulmonary valve syndrome (APVS) and the outcome from diagnosis
      onwards. Fetuses with APVS and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF/APVS) and with APVS and
      intact ventricular septum (APVS/IVS) were included. METHOD: Multicenter
      retrospective study of the International Prenatal Cardiology Collaboration Group.
      Clinical and echocardiographic databases of nine referral centers were reviewed
      from 2012-2016. RESULTS: The cohort included 71 cases, 59 with TOF/APVS and 12
      with APVS/IVS. In 18.3% of cases, diagnosis was achieved within first trimester.
      Association with hydrops fetalis was high within first trimester (69%). No fetus
      with known outcome survived after first trimester diagnosis. Karyotype anomalies
      occurred in 45% of cases with known karyotype. Intrauterine fetal demise occurred
      in 14.3%. Overall survival after initial diagnosis in the total cohort was 28.1%
      (28.8% TOF/APVS and 25.0% APVS/IVS). Survival to birth was 50% in TOF/APVS and
      44.4% in APVS/IVS. Survival of subjects born alive beyond neonatal period was
      84.6% in TOF/APVS and 100% in APVS/IVS. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of APVS is feasible
      within first trimester. Outcomes remain guarded, especially if first trimester
      diagnosis is included into the analysis because of associated karyotypic
      anomalies, the presence of hydrops fetalis, and patent ductus arteriosus. (c)
      2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28621804
TI  - Long-term evolution of viruses: A Janus-faced balance.
AB  - The popular textbook image of viruses as noxious and selfish genetic parasites
      greatly underestimates the beneficial contributions of viruses to the biosphere.
      Given the crucial dependency of viruses to reproduce in an intracellular
      environment, viruses that engage in excessive killing (lysis) can drive their
      cellular hosts to extinction and will not survive. The lytic mode of virus
      propagation must, therefore, be tempered and balanced by non-lytic modes of virus
      latency and symbiosis. Here, we review recent bioinformatics and metagenomic
      studies to argue that viral endogenization and domestication may be more frequent
      mechanisms of virus persistence than lysis. We use a triangle diagram to explain
      the three major virus persistence strategies that explain the global scope of
      virus-cell interactions including lysis, latency and virus-cell symbiosis. This
      paradigm can help identify novel directions in virology research where scientists
      could artificially gain control over switching lytic and beneficial viral
      lifestyles. Also see the Video Abstract: http://youtu.be/GwXWz4N8o8.

PMID- 28621805
TI  - Noninvasive screening test for detecting early stage lymphedema using follow-up
      computed tomography imaging after cancer treatment and results of treatment with
      lymphaticovenular anastomosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although early detection is valuable for secondary lymphedema
      treatment, existing screening tests are not popular. This study aimed to propose
      a novel method of screening lymphedema patients based on the thickness of the
      subcutaneous fat measured with perioperative computed tomography (CT) and present
      the results from evaluation of patients who underwent those examinations was
      performed. METHOD: The medical records of 96 gynecological cancer patients and
      189 breast cancer patients, whose lymphatic function was assessed with
      indocyanine green lymphography, were reviewed. In gynecological cancer patients,
      the perioperative temporal subcutaneous fat thickness index (T-SFTI) was
      calculated from presurgical and follow-up CT data, and in breast cancer patients,
      the postoperative crosswise subcutaneous fat thickness index (C-SFTI) was
      calculated. In lower extremity lymphedema patients, the effect of
      lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) was also evaluated using T-SFTI. RESULTS:
      Perioperative T-SFTI was assessed in 180 lower extremities, and it was
      significantly higher in 46 lymphatic dysfunction limbs (1.21 +/- 0.08) than in
      134 normal lymphatic function limbs (1.03 +/- 0.08), (P < .01). Postoperative C
      SFTI was assessed in 53 upper extremity, and it was significantly higher in 11
      lymphatic dysfunction limbs (1.31 +/- 0.21) than in 42 normal lymphatic function
      limbs (1.01 +/- 0.06), (P < .01). In lower extremity lymphedema patients, T-SFTI
      improved significantly after planned conservative treatments and LVA (P = .04).
      CONCLUSION: Assessment of subcutaneous fat thickness using CT is useful for
      screening early stage lymphedema. If the efficacy of this method is validated,
      patients worldwide may be assessed using the same criterion.

PMID- 28621806
TI  - Inequalities in uptake of prenatal screening according to ethnicity and socio
      economic status in the four largest cities of the Netherlands (2011-2013).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In the Netherlands, all women are claimed to have equal access to
      prenatal screening (PS). Prior research demonstrated substantial inequalities in
      PS uptake associated with socioeconomic status (SES) and ethnic background. The
      suggested pathway was a lack of intention to participate in PS among these
      subgroups. We studied the background of inequalities in PS participation,
      challenging intention heterogeneity as the single explanation. METHODS:
      Multivariable logistic regression analyses of the national PS registry, focusing
      on the four largest cities in the Netherlands (n = 4578, years 2011-2013),
      stratified by SES. OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) any uptake of PS (yes/no) and (2) uptake
      (one/two tests) for women who intended to participate in two tests. Determinants
      included intention, ethnicity, practice, and age. RESULTS: Of non-Western women,
      85.7% were screened versus 89.7% of Western women. Intention was an important
      explanatory factor in all models. However, after correction for intention,
      ethnicity remained a significant determinant for differences in uptake. Ethnicity
      and SES also interacted, indicating that non-Western women in low SES areas had
      the lowest uptake (corrected for intention). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE:
      Socioeconomic status and ethnicity related inequalities in PS uptake are only
      partially explained by intention heterogeneity; other pathways, in particular
      provider-related determinants, may play a role. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28621807
TI  - Cellular compartmentation follows rules: The Schnepf theorem, its consequences
      and exceptions: A biological membrane separates a plasmatic from a non-plasmatic
      phase.
AB  - Is the spatial organization of membranes and compartments within cells subjected
      to any rules? Cellular compartmentation differs between prokaryotic and
      eukaryotic life, because it is present to a high degree only in eukaryotes. In
      1964, Prof. Eberhard Schnepf formulated the compartmentation rule (Schnepf
      theorem), which posits that a biological membrane, the main physical structure
      responsible for cellular compartmentation, usually separates a plasmatic form a
      non-plasmatic phase. Here we review and re-investigate the Schnepf theorem by
      applying the theorem to different cellular structures, from bacterial cells to
      eukaryotes with their organelles and compartments. In conclusion, we can confirm
      the general correctness of the Schnepf theorem, noting explicit exceptions only
      in special cases such as endosymbiosis and parasitism.

PMID- 28621808
TI  - Primary care interventions to reduce childhood obesity and sugar-sweetened
      beverage consumption: Food for thought for oral health professionals.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Childhood obesity remains a significant threat to America's children.
      Health care leaders have increasingly called upon oral health professionals to
      integrate healthy weight promotion and enhanced sugar-sweetened beverage
      counseling into their professional practices. The aim of this scoping review is
      to examine recent evidence regarding the effectiveness of primary care childhood
      obesity interventions that have potential for adoption by oral health
      professionals. METHODS: Medine, and PubMed were searched from 2010 to 2016 for
      review articles and studies reporting patient outcomes or policy outcomes
      relevant to primary care childhood obesity interventions for children ages 2-11
      years. Additional articles were accessed through relevant websites, journals, and
      references. Our screening criteria included interventions that could be adopted
      by oral health professionals. RESULTS: Forty-two articles met inclusion criteria.
      Effective interventions fell into four domains: family-based programs,
      motivational interviewing, office-based practice tools, and policy interventions.
      Despite strong evidence linking the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to
      childhood obesity, our review did not find evidence of primary care programs
      effectively targeting and reducing childhood sugary drinks. CONCLUSIONS:
      Effective primary care interventions for addressing childhood obesity have been
      identified, although only short-term effectiveness has been demonstrated.
      Dissemination of these practices as well as further research and advocacy are
      needed. Childhood obesity and poor oral health share many common risk factors.
      Additional research should focus on the benefits and feasibility of widespread
      interdisciplinary medical-oral health collaboration in addressing the two most
      prevalent diseases of childhood.

PMID- 28621809
TI  - Primary care visit use after positive fecal immunochemical test for colorectal
      cancer screening.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For some patients, positive cancer screening test results can be a
      stressful experience that can affect future screening compliance and increase the
      use of health care services unrelated to medically indicated follow-up. METHODS:
      Among 483,216 individuals aged 50 to 75 years who completed a fecal
      immunochemical test to screen for colorectal cancer at a large integrated health
      care setting between 2007 and 2011, the authors evaluated whether a positive test
      was associated with a net change in outpatient primary care visit use within the
      year after screening. Multivariable regression models were used to evaluate the
      relationship between test result group and net changes in primary care visits
      after fecal immunochemical testing. RESULTS: In the year after the fecal
      immunochemical test, use increased by 0.60 clinic visits for patients with true
      positive results. The absolute change in visits was largest (3.00) among
      individuals with positive test results who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer,
      but significant small increases also were found for patients treated with
      polypectomy and who had no neoplasia (0.36) and those with a normal examination
      and no polypectomy performed (0.17). Groups of patients who demonstrated an
      increase in net visit use compared with the true-negative group included patients
      with true-positive results (odds ratio [OR], 1.60; 95% confidence interval [95%
      CI], 1.54-1.66), and positive groups with a colorectal cancer diagnosis (OR,
      7.19; 95% CI, 6.12-8.44), polypectomy/no neoplasia (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.27-1.48),
      and normal examination/no polypectomy (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.18-1.30). CONCLUSIONS:
      Given the large size of outreach programs, these small changes can cumulatively
      generate thousands of excess visits and have a substantial impact on total health
      care use. Therefore, these changes should be included in colorectal cancer
      screening cost models and their causes investigated further. Cancer 2017;123:3744
      3753. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28621810
TI  - Adherence to Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy in Emergency Medicine
      Research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diagnostic tests are used frequently in the emergency department (ED)
      to guide clinical decision making and, hence, influence clinical outcomes. The
      Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) criteria were developed to
      ensure that diagnostic test studies are performed and reported to best inform
      clinical decision making in the ED. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the
      extent to which diagnostic studies published in emergency medicine journals
      adhered to STARD 2003 criteria. METHODS: Diagnostic studies published in eight
      MEDLINE-listed, peer-reviewed, emergency medicine journals over a 5-year period
      were reviewed for compliance to STARD criteria. RESULTS: A total of 12,649
      articles were screened and 114 studies were included in our study. Twenty percent
      of these were randomly selected for assessment using STARD 2003 criteria.
      Adherence to STARD 2003 reporting standards for each criteria ranged from 8.7%
      adherence (criteria-reporting adverse events from performing index test or
      reference standard) to 100% (multiple criteria). CONCLUSION: Just over half of
      STARD criteria are reported in more than 80% studies. As poorly reported studies
      may negatively impact their clinical usefulness, it is essential that studies of
      diagnostic test accuracy be performed and reported adequately. Future studies
      should assess whether studies have improved compliance with the STARD 2015
      criteria amendment.

PMID- 28621811
TI  - Multisensory neural integration of chemical and mechanical signals.
AB  - Chemosensation and mechanosensation cover an enormous spectrum of processes by
      which animals use information from the environment to adapt their behavior. For
      pragmatic reasons, these sensory modalities are commonly investigated
      independently. Recent advances, however, have revealed numerous situations in
      which they function together to control animals' actions. Highlighting examples
      from diverse vertebrates and invertebrates, we first discuss sensory receptors
      and neurons that have dual roles in the detection of chemical and mechanical
      stimuli. Next we present cases where peripheral chemosensory and mechanosensory
      pathways are discrete but intimately packaged to permit coordinated reception of
      external cues. Finally, we consider how chemical and mechanical signals converge
      in central neural circuitry to enable multisensory integration. These insights
      demonstrate how investigation of the interplay between different sensory
      modalities is key to a more holistic and realistic understanding of sensory
      guided behaviors.

PMID- 28621812
TI  - TCDD induces UbcH7 expression and synphilin-1 protein degradation in the mouse
      ventral midbrain.
AB  - UbcH7 is an ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme that interacts with parkin, an E3
      ligase. The UbcH7-parkin complex promotes the ubiquitination and degradation of
      several proteins via the 26S proteasome. Cellular accumulation of the UbcH7
      parkin targets alpha-synuclein and synphilin-1 has been associated with Parkinson
      disease. In mouse liver, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, an aryl hydrocarbon
      receptor ligand, induces UbcH7 expression. Therefore, the aim of the present
      study was to determine whether 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induces Ubch7
      mRNA and UbcH7 protein expression in the mouse brain, to characterize the
      molecular mechanism, and the effect on synphilin-1 half-life. We found that
      2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin promotes the aryl hydrocarbon receptor
      binding to Ubch7 gene promoter as well as its transactivation, resulting in an
      induction of UbcH7 levels in the olfactory bulb, ventral midbrain, hippocampus,
      striatum, cerebral cortex, brain stem, and medulla oblongata. In parallel,
      2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin promoted synphilin-1 degradation in an aryl
      hydrocarbon receptor-dependent way.

PMID- 28621813
TI  - Legacy effects of drought on plant-soil feedbacks and plant-plant interactions.
AB  - Interactions between aboveground and belowground biota have the potential to
      modify ecosystem responses to climate change, yet little is known about how
      drought influences plant-soil feedbacks with respect to microbial mediation of
      plant community dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that drought modifies plant
      soil feedback with consequences for plant competition. We measured net pairwise
      plant-soil feedbacks for two grassland plant species grown in monoculture and
      competition in soils that had or had not been subjected to a previous drought;
      these were then exposed to a subsequent drought. To investigate the mechanisms
      involved, we assessed treatment responses of soil microbial communities and
      nutrient availability. We found that previous drought had a legacy effect on
      bacterial and fungal community composition that decreased plant growth in
      conspecific soils and had knock-on effects for plant competitive interactions.
      Moreover, plant and microbial responses to subsequent drought were dependent on a
      legacy effect of the previous drought on plant-soil interactions. We show that
      drought has lasting effects on belowground communities with consequences for
      plant-soil feedbacks and plant-plant interactions. This suggests that drought,
      which is predicted to increase in frequency with climate change, may change soil
      functioning and plant community composition via the modification of plant-soil
      feedbacks.

PMID- 28621815
TI  - Liquid chromatographic enantioseparation of limonene-based carbocyclic beta-amino
      acids on zwitterionic Cinchona alkaloid-based chiral stationary phases.
AB  - The eight stereoisomers of limonene-based carbocyclic beta-amino acids containing
      three chiral centers have been directly separated on chiral stationary phases
      containing Cinchona alkaloid-based zwitterionic selectors. The effects of bulk
      solvent composition of the mobile phase, the nature of base additives, counterion
      concentration, and the structure of selector on the enantiorecognition were
      studied. Experiments were performed at constant mobile phase composition in the
      temperature range 5-40 degrees C to study the effect of temperature.
      Thermodynamic parameters were calculated on the basis of the plots of ln alpha
      versus 1/T curves. The enthalpically or entropically driven enantioseparations
      were found to depend strongly on the structures of analyte and selector. The
      eight stereoisomers of limonene-based carbocyclic beta-amino acids could be
      differentiated as well-separated peaks in a traditional 1D chromatographic system
      in two runs by applying the two complementary ZWIX(+)TM and ZWIX(-)TM columns.

PMID- 28621814
TI  - Identification and characterization of the zebrafish glutathione S-transferase Pi
      1.
AB  - Zebrafish has in recent years emerged as a popular vertebrate model for use in
      pharmacological and toxicological studies. While there have been sporadic studies
      on the zebrafish glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), the zebrafish GST gene
      superfamily still awaits to be fully elucidated. We report here the
      identification of 15 zebrafish cytosolic GST genes in NCBI GenBank database and
      the expression, purification, and enzymatic characterization of the zebrafish
      cytosolic GST Pi-1 (GSTP1). The cDNA encoding the zebrafish GSTP1 was cloned from
      a 3-month-old female zebrafish, expressed in Eschelichia coli host cells, and
      purified. Purified GSTP1 displayed glutathione-conjugating activity toward 1
      chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as a representative substrate. The enzymatic
      characteristics of the zebrafish GSTP1, including pH-dependency, effects of metal
      cations, and kinetic parameters, were studied. Moreover, the expression of
      zebrafish GSTP1 at different developmental stages during embryogenesis,
      throughout larval development, onto maturity was examined.

PMID- 28621816
TI  - Control of a Pediatric Pulsatile Ventricular Assist Device: A Hybrid
      Cardiovascular Model Study.
AB  - The aim of this work is to study pediatric pneumatic ventricle (PVAD)
      performance, versus VAD rate (VADR) and native heart rate (HR) ratio Rr
      (VADR/HR). The study uses a hybrid model of the cardiovascular system (HCS). HCS
      consists of a computational part (a lumped parameter model including left and
      right ventricles, systemic and pulmonary arterial and venous circulation)
      interfaced to a physical part. This permits the connection of a VAD (15 mL PVAD).
      Echocardiographic and hemodynamic data of a pediatric patient (average weight
      14.3 kg, HR 100 bpm, systemic pressure 75/44 mm Hg, CO 1.5 L/min) assisted
      apically with asynchronous PVAD were used to set up a basal condition in the
      model. After model tuning, the assistance was started, setting VAD parameters
      (ejection and filling pressures, systole duration) to completely fill and empty
      the PVAD. The study was conducted with constant HR and variable VADR (50-120,
      step 10, bpm). Experiments were repeated for two additional patients' HRs, 90 and
      110 bpm and for two values of systemic arterial resistance (Ras ) and Emax .
      Experimental data were collected and stored on disk. Analyzed data include
      average left and right ventricular volumes (LVV, RVV), left ventricular flow
      (LVF), VAD flow (VADF), and total cardiac output (COt). Data were analyzed versus
      Rr. LVV and RVV are sensitive to Rr and a left ventricular unloading corresponds
      in general to a right ventricular loading. In the case of asynchronous
      assistance, frequency beats are always present and the beat rate is equal to the
      difference between HR and VADR. In the case of pulsatile asynchronous LVAD
      assistance, VADR should be chosen to minimize frequency beat effects and right
      ventricular loading and to maximize left ventricular unloading.

PMID- 28621817
TI  - Gas phase basicities of polyfunctional molecules. Part 6: Cyanides and
      isocyanides.
AB  - This paper gathers structural and thermochemical informations related to the gas
      phase basicity of molecules containing cyanides (nitriles) and isocyanides
      (isonitriles) functional groups. It constitutes the sixth part of a general
      review devoted to gas-phase basicities of polyfunctional compounds. A large
      corpus of cyanides and isocyanides molecules is examined under seven major
      chapters. In the first one, a rapid overview of the definitions and methods
      leading to gas-phase basicity, GB, proton affinity, PA, and protonation entropy,
      Deltap S degrees , is given. In the same chapter, several aspects of the gas
      phase chemistry of protonated cyanides and isocyanides are also presented.
      Chapters II-VI detail the protonation energetics of aliphatic, unsaturated, and
      heteroatom substituted (halogens, O, S, N, P) cyanides. A seventh chapter is
      devoted to isocyanides. Experimental data available in the literature (120
      references) were reevaluated according to the presently adopted basicity scale
      that is the NIST database anchored to PA(NH3 ) = 853.6 kJ/mol and GB (NH3 ) = 819
      kJ/mol. In this latter source, however, several erroneous values have been
      identified which were corrected in the present review. Structural and energetic
      information given by G4MP2 quantum chemistry computations on ca. 60 typical
      systems are presented. The present review includes the GB, PA, and Deltap S
      degrees  values of ca. 110 cyanides and isocyanides, and, for selected examples,
      is completed by a set of computed heats of formation (Deltaf H degrees ) at 0 and
      298 K.

PMID- 28621818
TI  - Healthy Futures: Engaging the oral health community in childhood obesity
      prevention - Conference summary and recommendations.
AB  - Childhood obesity is a major public health problem. An association between
      obesity and dental caries, the most prevalent disease of childhood, has been
      identified. One explanation for the association is that consumption of sugar
      sweetened beverages and frequent snacking on carbohydrate-rich foods are common
      risk factors for development of both obesity and caries. The Robert Wood Johnson
      Foundation (RWJF) has been at the forefront of national efforts to promote
      healthy weight in children. As part of these efforts, RWJF sponsored the Healthy
      Futures: Engaging the Oral Health Community in Childhood Obesity Prevention
      National Conference, held on November 3-4, 2016, at Georgetown University in
      Washington, DC. The aim of the conference was to increase awareness of evidence
      based recommendations; identify strategies; and promote collaborative efforts
      that oral health professionals, oral-health-related organizations, and others can
      employ to prevent childhood obesity. This report summarizes the findings
      presented at the conference and discusses their implications. The report also
      reviews recommendations made in the areas of research, education, and policy that
      resulted from the conference.

PMID- 28621819
TI  - Dietary isoflavone intake and all-cause mortality in breast cancer survivors: The
      Breast Cancer Family Registry-methodological issues.

PMID- 28621820
TI  - The efficacy of Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for severely fatigued
      survivors of breast cancer compared with care as usual: A randomized controlled
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe fatigue is a common and distressing symptom affecting
      approximately one in four survivors of breast cancer. The current study examined
      the efficacy of Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) for severe
      fatigue in survivors of breast cancer compared with care as usual (CAU). METHODS:
      The authors conducted a parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Severely
      fatigued, disease-free survivors of breast cancer who had completed cancer
      treatment at least 3 months previously were eligible. Participants were randomly
      allocated to ICBT or CAU using computer-generated stratified block randomization.
      The primary outcome of fatigue severity was assessed at baseline and after 6
      months, as were the secondary outcomes of functional impairment, psychological
      distress, and quality of life. Statistical effects were tested with analyses of
      covariance (intention-to-treat analysis). RESULTS: Participants were recruited
      between January 2014 and March 2016 and assigned to ICBT (66 patients) or CAU (66
      patients). Compared with the participants who had received CAU, those who had
      received ICBT reported lower fatigue scores at 6 months (mean difference [Delta],
      11.5; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 7.7-15.3) and a large effect size (Cohen
      d = 1.0), with the majority of patients (73%) demonstrating clinically
      significant improvement. ICBT also was found to lead to lower functional
      impairment (Delta, 297.8; 95% CI, 145.5-450.1) and psychological distress scores
      (Delta, 5.7; 95% CI, 3.4-7.9) and higher quality-of-life scores (Delta, 11.7; 95%
      CI, 5.8-17.7) compared with CAU, with medium to large effect sizes (Cohen d = 0.6
      0.8). CONCLUSIONS: ICBT appears to be effective in reducing severe fatigue and
      related symptoms and meets the current need for easy accessible and more
      efficient evidence-based treatment options for severely fatigued survivors of
      breast cancer. Cancer 2017;123:3825-34. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28621821
TI  - An unusual case of dental infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa causing a brain
      abscess: case report.
AB  - A brain abscess may result when dental infection reaches the brain through
      contiguous anatomic cavities such as the maxillary sinus, the ethmoid sinus and
      the orbital cavity. It is an important complication and should be treated
      aggressively. Such treatment would include the excision of the etiological
      factor, drainage and adjuvant antibiotic therapy. The present case concerns a 23
      year old woman who presented at the General Hospital of Nova Iguacu with
      complaints of pain in the right side of the face and was diagnosed with acute
      sinusitis. Antibiotics and analgesics were prescribed to treat the disease.
      However, after 10 days, she returned to the emergency room, presenting with
      proptosis of the right eyeball, subconjunctival haemorrhage, ophthalmoplegia and
      intense pain in the right orbit, in addition to headaches. After computed
      tomography was performed, she was diagnosed with a brain abscess in the frontal
      lobe with the involvement of the maxillary right first molar, the maxillary
      sinus, the ethmoid sinus and the orbital cavity. With culturing of the secretion,
      the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonies was evident. Treatment consisted of
      a craniotomy to drain the brain abscess, a Caldwell-Luc procedure to drain the
      right maxillary sinus, dental extraction and aggressive antibiotic therapy. After
      6 weeks, the patient was discharged with no neurological sequelae.

PMID- 28621823
TI  - Raw material procurement for termite fishing tools by wild chimpanzees in the
      Issa valley, Western Tanzania.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Chimpanzee termite fishing has been studied for decades, yet the
      selective processes preceding the manufacture of fishing tools remain largely
      unexplored. We investigate raw material selection and potential evidence of
      forward planning in the chimpanzees of Issa valley, western Tanzania. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Using traditional archaeological methods, we surveyed the location
      of plants from where chimpanzees sourced raw material to manufacture termite
      fishing tools, relative to targeted mounds. We measured raw material abundance to
      test for availability and selection. Statistics included Chi-Squared, two-tailed
      Wilcoxon, and Kruskall-Wallace tests. RESULTS: Issa chimpanzees manufactured
      extraction tools only from bark, despite availability of other suitable materials
      (e.g., twigs), and selected particular plant species as raw material sources,
      which they often also exploit for food. Most plants were sourced 1-16 m away from
      the mound, with a maximum of 33 m. The line of sight from the targeted mound was
      obscured for a quarter of these plants. DISCUSSION: The exclusive use of bark
      tools despite availability of other suitable materials indicates a possible
      cultural preference. The fact that Issa chimpanzees select specific plant species
      and travel some distance to source them suggests some degree of selectivity and,
      potentially, forward planning. Our results have implications for the
      reconstruction of early hominin behaviors, particularly with regard to the use of
      perishable tools, which remain archaeologically invisible.

PMID- 28621822
TI  - cDNA microarray analysis identifies NR4A2 as a novel molecule involved in the
      pathogenesis of Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - To examine genes expressed specifically in labial salivary glands (LSGs) of
      patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS) in comparison with those of patients with
      immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), and to identify the genes
      involved in the pathogenesis of SS. Gene expression in LSGs of SS patients, IgG4
      RD patients and healthy controls (HC) was analysed by cDNA microarray.
      Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to validate the up
      regulation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SS. Protein production of
      the validated gene in LSGs was examined by immunofluorescence (IF) assay. The
      association of molecular functions of the gene with the pathological conditions
      in SS was examined using peripheral blood lymphocytes. Among 1320 DEGs up
      regulated in SS, qPCR confirmed the up-regulation of NR4A2 in LSGs of SS compared
      with IgG4-RD. IF staining showed higher production of NR4A2 in nuclei of CD4+ T
      cells and interleukin (IL)-17-producing cells in LSGs of SS, compared with IgG4
      RD. Over-expression of NR4A2 mRNA was observed in peripheral CD4+ T cells of SS
      patients, compared with HC. Nuclear NR4A2 expression in T helper type 17 (Th17)
      polarized CD4+ T cells determined by cellular IF was significantly higher in SS
      than in HC. Importazole, an inhibitor of importin-beta, inhibited nuclear
      transport of NR4A2 and Th17 polarization along with IL-21 expression in naive
      CD4+ T cells under Th17-polarizing conditions, but did not alter retinoic acid
      receptor-related orphan receptor C (RORC) expression. NR4A2 seems to promote Th17
      polarization via increased expression and intranuclear localization in CD4+ T
      cells of SS patients, which could play a critical role in the pathogenesis of SS.

PMID- 28621825
TI  - 13th World Congress of Pediatric Dermatology, Chicago, IL, July 6-9, 2017.

PMID- 28621824
TI  - Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Novel Tyrosine-Based DNA Gyrase B
      Inhibitors.
AB  - The discovery and synthesis of new tyrosine-based inhibitors of DNA gyrase B
      (GyrB), which target its ATPase subunit, is reported. Twenty-four compounds were
      synthesized and evaluated for activity against DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase
      IV. The antibacterial properties of selected GyrB inhibitors were demonstrated by
      their activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis in the low
      micromolar range. The most promising compounds, 8a and 13e, inhibited Escherichia
      coli and S. aureus GyrB with IC50 values of 40 and 30 uM. The same compound also
      inhibited the growth of S. aureus and E. faecalis with minimal inhibitory
      concentrations (MIC90 ) of 14 and 28 ug/mL, respectively.

PMID- 28621826
TI  - Cerebral metabolic alterations and cognitive dysfunction in children with chronic
      kidney disease using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Wechsler intelligence
      scale.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many studies described Impaired intelligence, attention, memory and
      executive function in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) dialyzed and non
      dialyzed, but there is still lacking the early and sensitive method of detection
      of these deficits. The purpose of this study is to investigate relation between
      the brain metabolic alteration [measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy
      (MRS)] and cognitive dysfunction in CKD children (detected by psychometric
      analysis). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty patients with CKD were
      included [ 40 patients with stage 5 CKD on dialysis, 30 patients with stage 4 to
      5 CKD without dialysis, and 70 patients with stage 1 to 3 CKD]. All patients with
      previous neurological disorders were excluded. Conventional MRI, MRS and
      psychometric assessment by using Wechsler intelligence scale for children third
      edition was done in all subjects. RESULTS: We found a significant negative
      correlation between MRS abnormalities and Wechsler IQ Test scores. But there was
      a significantly positive correlation between the CKD stages and MRS abnormalities
      in patients with CKD and negative significant correlation between CKD stages and
      Wechsler IQ test scores in patients with CKD. There were correlations between
      "the electrolyte disturbance, blood hemoglobin and hypertension" and "the CKD
      staging, cognitive functions IQ scores and MRS parameter changes". CONCLUSION: We
      concluded that both MRS and psychometric tests are sensitive methods for
      detection of cognitive function affection in CKD children, particularly in
      dialyzed group and these findings appears before the clinical diagnosis.

PMID- 28621827
TI  - Maize (Zea mays) consumption in the southern andes (30 degrees -31 degrees  S.
      Lat): Stable isotope evidence (2000 BCE-1540 CE).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The timing and dietary role of maize agriculture is central to
      archaeological discussions in the Andean region. In the semi-arid region of
      northern Chile (SARNC), archaeological models propose that maize was adopted
      during the Early Ceramic period in tandem with pottery and sedentism. Through
      stable isotope (SI) analyses, of bone collagen and apatite, this study assesses
      the timing of maize introduction, diachronic changes (2,000 BCE to 1,540 CE.),
      and synchronic dietary variability in the prehistoric SARNC. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Fifty-two prehistoric individuals from SARNC were analyzed for delta13
      Cap , delta13 Ccol, and delta15 N. Descriptive statistics were used to
      characterize the results by period and location (inland and coast). Between
      periods (ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests), and synchronic comparisons (inland vs.
      coast; Student's t-tests), were conducted. A SIAR model was run to further
      evaluate dietary changes. Dietary interpretations are based on food web data.
      RESULTS: Coastal groups show significant changes in the diet during the Middle
      (900-1,000CE; enrichment in delta13 C), and Late Intermediate periods (100
      1450CE; when the Delta13 Cap-col is above 5.20/00). In the inland, significant
      changes in SI occurred in the Late Intermediate period (delta13 C enrichment). In
      the Late period, the inland diet became enriched for delta15 N. Synchronic
      comparisons showed coastal individuals to have higher delta15 N. DISCUSSION: The
      popularization of maize in the SARNC was not associated with the appearance of
      pottery and/or sedentism, and its role as a dietary staple was a late phenomenon
      (c.a. 1,000CE). The results obtained in this study show that the adoption and
      consumption of maize varied dramatically in the Southern Andes.

PMID- 28621829
TI  - Heterogeneous Sodium-Manganese Oxide Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Cleavage of 1,2
      Diols.
AB  - The aerobic oxidative cleavage of 1,2-diols using a heterogeneous catalyst only
      based on earth-abundant metals manganese and sodium is reported for the first
      time. This reusable catalyst cleaves a variety of substrates into aldehydes or
      ketones with high selectivity. The reaction requires small catalytic loadings and
      is performed under mild conditions using ambient pressure O2 or air as the
      oxidant while producing water as the only by-product. Mechanistic investigations
      reveal a monodentate, two-electron oxidative fragmentation process involving a
      MnIV species. The eco-friendly, innocuous catalyst is compatible with a wide
      range of functional groups and conditions, making it highly competitive with
      classical reagents, such as periodic acid or lead tetraacetate, as a preferred
      method for activated 1,2-diols.

PMID- 28621830
TI  - Phytochelatin synthase OsPCS1 plays a crucial role in reducing arsenic levels in
      rice grains.
AB  - Reduction of the level of arsenic (As) in rice grains is an important challenge
      for agriculture. A recent study reported that the OsABCC1 transporter prevents
      the accumulation of As in grains by sequestering As-phytochelatin complexes into
      vacuoles in the upper nodes. However, how phytochelatins are provided in response
      to As remains unclear. Here, we show that the phytochelatin synthase OsPCS1 plays
      a crucial role in reducing As levels in rice grains. Using a forward genetic
      approach, we isolated two rice mutants (has1 and has2) in which As levels were
      much higher in grains but significantly lower in node I compared with the wild
      type. Map-based cloning identified the genes responsible as OsABCC1 in has1 and
      OsPCS1 in has2. The levels of As in grains and node I were similar between the
      two mutants, suggesting that OsABCC1 preferentially cooperates with OsPCS1 to
      sequester As, although rice has another phytochelatin synthase, OsPCS2. An in
      vitro phytochelatin synthesis assay indicated that OsPCS1 was more sensitive to
      activation by As than by cadmium, whereas OsPCS2 was more weakly activated by As
      than by cadmium. Transgenic plants highly expressing OsPCS1 showed significantly
      lower As levels in grains than did wild-type plants. Our results provide new
      knowledge of the relative contribution of rice PCS paralogs to As sequestration
      and suggest a good candidate tool to reduce As levels in rice grains.

PMID- 28621828
TI  - Progress in the synthesis and biological evaluation of lipid A and its
      derivatives.
AB  - Lipid A is one of the core structures of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPSs),
      and it is mainly responsible for the strong immunostimulatory activities of LPS
      through interactions with the Toll-like receptors and other molecules in the
      human immune system. To obtain structurally homogeneous and well-defined lipid As
      and its derivatives in quantities meaningful for various biological studies and
      applications, their chemical synthesis has become a focal point. This review has
      provided a survey of significant progresses made in the synthesis of lipid A, and
      its derivatives that carry diverse saturated and unsaturated lipids, have the
      phosphate group at its reducing end replaced with a more stable phosphate or
      carboxyl group, or lack the reducing end phosphate or both phosphate groups, as
      well as progresses in the synthesis of LPS analogs and other lipid A conjugates.
      These synthetic molecules have facilitated the elucidation of the structure
      activity relationships of lipid A useful for the design and development of lipid
      A based therapeutics, such as those utilized to treat sepsis, and other medical
      applications, for example the use of monophosphoryl lipid A as a carrier molecule
      for the study of fully synthetic self-adjuvanting conjugate vaccines. These
      topics are also briefly covered in the current review.

PMID- 28621831
TI  - A New Rat Model of Seizures Suitable for Screening Antiepileptic Electrical
      Stimulation Therapies.
AB  - The antiepileptic effects of the electrical stimulation therapies developed for
      patients with intractable epilepsies depend critically on the stimulation
      parameters, including the pulse duration, current, and frequency. Consequently,
      optimization of such therapies requires many animals for testing each of the
      stimulation parameters alone or in combination, which is costly and time
      consuming. This drawback could be reduced by testing several stimulation
      paradigms in each animal, but this requires an animal model of long-lasting
      seizures allowing such repetitive tests. This study was performed to validate
      such a model of long-lasting seizures. The present analysis was performed on
      electrocorticogram and intracortical signals collected from the somatosensory
      cortex of 11 Sprague Dawley rats. A protocol of controlled intravenous infusion
      of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) was developed to induce spike-and-wave (SW) seizures
      and maintain stable those seizures for the whole experimental time. SW discharges
      were induced and maintained stable for 2 h in all rats through a two-stage
      infusion of PTZ. During the first stage, the SW discharges were induced by 2.5
      min infusion of 10 mg/kg/min PTZ. During the second stage, the SW discharges were
      maintained at a stable level of frequency and power for 2 h via a 0.21 mg/kg/min
      PTZ infusion rate. The proposed animal model of seizures is characterized by SW
      discharges which remain stable for 2 h. This 2-h long time interval allows
      repetitive tests with different stimulation parameters in each animal, which may
      lead to a significant reduction of the number of animals necessary for optimizing
      electrical stimulation therapies developed to inhibit seizures.

PMID- 28621833
TI  - Multiple external cervical root resorptions after home whitening treatment: a
      case report.
AB  - Invasive multiple cervical root resorptions after vital tooth bleaching is a rare
      condition. The aim of this article is to present a case of multiple external
      cervical root resorptions (ECRR) after a misguided home whitening treatment. A 34
      year old male patient presented with slight sensitivity and mobility in several
      teeth. Despite the manufacturer's recommendations, the patient used a 22%
      carbamide peroxide-based tooth bleaching gel at home for 4 days consecutively, at
      night, on the upper and lower arches. Clinical examination revealed gingival
      swelling, probing depths ranging 5-7 mm on the buccal and proximal surfaces, and
      grade 2 mobility of the teeth affected by ECRR. Radiographs revealed presence of
      ECRR in several teeth during initial examination, and development of multiple new
      lesions 6 months later. The teeth were subsequently extracted. Histological
      analysis showed multiple dentine lacunae and areas of dentine reparation. The
      careful use of these products can prevent sequelae such as those reported in this
      clinical case. As the vital bleaching has a variable success rate, patients
      should be informed through a consent form of the benefits and risks of tooth
      bleaching treatment.

PMID- 28621832
TI  - Break-induced replication links microsatellite expansion to complex genome
      rearrangements.
AB  - The instability of microsatellite DNA repeats is responsible for at least 40
      neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, Mirkin and co-workers presented a novel
      mechanism for microsatellite expansions based on break-induced replication (BIR)
      at sites of microsatellite-induced replication stalling and fork collapse. The
      BIR model aims to explain single-step, large expansions of CAG/CTG trinucleotide
      repeats in dividing cells. BIR has been characterized extensively in
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a mechanism to repair broken DNA replication forks
      (single-ended DSBs) and degraded telomeric DNA. However, the structural
      footprints of BIR-like DSB repair have been recognized in human genomic
      instability and tied to the etiology of diverse developmental diseases; thus, the
      implications of the paper by Kim et al. (Kim JC, Harris ST, Dinter T, Shah KA, et
      al., Nat Struct Mol Biol 24: 55-60) extend beyond trinucleotide repeat expansion
      in yeast and microsatellite instability in human neurological disorders.
      Significantly, insight into BIR-like repair can explain certain pathways of
      complex genome rearrangements (CGRs) initiated at non-B form microsatellite DNA
      in human cancers.

PMID- 28621835
TI  - Exogenously applied dsRNA molecules deriving from the Zucchini yellow mosaic
      virus (ZYMV) genome move systemically and protect cucurbits against ZYMV.
AB  - Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) causes serious damage in a large number of
      cucurbits, and control measures are necessary. Transgenic cucurbits expressing
      parts of the ZYMV genome have been shown to be resistant to the cognate virus. A
      non-transgenic approach involving the exogenous application of double-stranded
      RNA (dsRNA) has also been shown to induce resistance in tobacco against Cucumber
      mosaic virus (CMV) and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). In the present study, dsRNA
      molecules derived from the helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) and coat protein
      (CP) genes of the ZYMV_DE_2014 isolate were produced in vitro. On exogenous dsRNA
      application in cucumber, watermelon and squash plants, dsRNA HC-Pro conferred
      resistance of 82%, 50% and 18%, and dsRNA CP molecules of 70%, 43% and 16%,
      respectively. On deep sequencing analysis of ZYMV-infected watermelon, hot-spot
      regions for viral small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) in the genome of ZYMV were
      identified. Stem-loop reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
      detection of selected 21-nucleotide-long vsiRNAs in plants that received only
      dsRNA molecules suggested that the dsRNAs exogenously applied onto plants were
      successfully diced, thus initiating RNA silencing. dsRNA molecules were found to
      be progressively degraded in planta, and strongly detected by semi-quantitative
      RT-PCR for at least 9 days after exogenous application. Moreover, dsRNA molecules
      were detected in systemic tissue of watermelon and squash, showing that dsRNA is
      transported long distances in these plants.

PMID- 28621834
TI  - From intricate to integrated: Biofabrication of articulating joints.
AB  - Articulating joints owe their function to the specialized architecture and the
      complex interplay between multiple tissues including cartilage, bone and
      synovium. Especially the cartilage component has limited self-healing capacity
      and damage often leads to the onset of osteoarthritis, eventually resulting in
      failure of the joint as an organ. Although in its infancy, biofabrication has
      emerged as a promising technology to reproduce the intricate organization of the
      joint, thus enabling the introduction of novel surgical treatments, regenerative
      therapies, and new sets of tools to enhance our understanding of joint physiology
      and pathology. Herein, we address the current challenges to recapitulate the
      complexity of articulating joints and how biofabrication could overcome them. The
      combination of multiple materials, biological cues and cells in a layer-by-layer
      fashion, can assist in reproducing both the zonal organization of cartilage and
      the gradual transition from resilient cartilage toward the subchondral bone in
      biofabricated osteochondral grafts. In this way, optimal integration of
      engineered constructs with the natural surrounding tissues can be obtained.
      Mechanical characteristics, including the smoothness and low friction that are
      hallmarks of the articular surface, can be tuned with multi-head or hybrid
      printers by controlling the spatial patterning of printed structures. Moreover,
      biofabrication can use digital medical images as blueprints for printing patient
      specific implants. Finally, the current rapid advances in biofabrication hold
      significant potential for developing joint-on-a-chip models for personalized
      medicine and drug testing or even for the creation of implants that may be used
      to treat larger parts of the articulating joint. (c) 2017 The Authors. Journal of
      Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the
      Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res 35:2089-2097, 2017.

PMID- 28621836
TI  - Dietary advanced glycation end products modify gut microbial composition and
      partially increase colon permeability in rats.
AB  - SCOPE: The adverse impacts of dietary advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on
      health are currently of interest. These compounds are inevitably formed during
      thermal food processing and make foods less digestible because of protein cross
      linking. This study examined not only whether dietary AGEs alter cecal microbiota
      and their metabolites but also their effects on colon permeability. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a high-AGEs diet (AGEs content was
      increased by heating food at 125 degrees C/3 h) for 6, 12, or 18 weeks. Cecal
      microbiota was analyzed by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Colon permeability was
      assessed through histopathology, immunohistochemistry and endotoxin testing.
      Microbial metabolites (e.g. ammonia and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)) were
      also measured. AGEs treatment reduced the diversity and richness of the
      microbiota, especially saccharolytic bacteria such as Ruminococcaceae and
      Alloprevotella, which can produce SCFAs, whereas some putatively harmful bacteria
      (Desulfovibrio and Bacteroides) were increased. Protein fermentation was
      enhanced, supported by elevated ammonia and branched-chain fatty acid levels (p <
      0.05). Additionally, the colonocytes structure changed and the expression of
      tight junction proteins in colon were decreased. CONCLUSION: Dietary AGEs
      detrimentally modulate gut microbial ecology and may partially increase colon
      permeability, which can adversely impact host health.

PMID- 28621837
TI  - Paediatric follicular thyroid carcinoma - indolent cancer with low prevalence of
      RAS mutations and absence of PAX8-PPARG fusion in a Japanese population.
AB  - AIMS: Paediatric follicular thyroid carcinomas are uncommon, and their
      clinicopathological features and molecular profiles are still unknown. In the
      present study, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathological aspects of a large
      series of follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs) in paediatric patients and to
      analyse the point mutations in codons 12, 13 and 61 of NRAS, HRAS and KRAS genes
      and the rearrangements of PAX8-PPARG. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 41
      paediatric FTCs less than 21 years of age were enrolled into the present study.
      We used direct sequencing and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT
      PCR) to detect RAS mutations and PAX8-PPARG fusions, respectively. The paediatric
      FTCs were 6:1 in a female to male ratio, with a mean tumour size of 52.7 mm.
      Distant metastasis was found in one case at the time of presentation. During a
      median follow-up time of 69 months, two cases had lung metastasis and all
      patients were alive. Histologically, all cases were minimally invasive FTCs and
      varied in growth patterns: microfollicular (39%), follicular (14.6%),
      solid/trabecular (6%), oncocytic (4.9%) and mixed patterns (26.8%). The mean Ki67
      index was 5.7% and it was not statistically different among the growth patterns.
      NRAS mutations were found in five cases (12.2%) and associated significantly with
      small tumour size (P = 0.014). PAX8-PPARG fusion was not detected in our series.
      CONCLUSION: Paediatric FTCs are indolent in clinical course in spite of their
      large tumour size and have a distinct genetic background. RAS mutations and PAX8
      PPARG fusions may not play major roles in the tumorigenesis of paediatric FTCs.

PMID- 28621838
TI  - The Effect of Compliant Inflow Cannulae on the Hemocompatibility of Rotary Blood
      Pump Circuits in an In Vitro Model.
AB  - Rotary blood pumps (RBPs) are used for mechanical circulatory support in heart
      failure patients but exhibit a reduced response to preload changes, which can
      lead to ventricular suction events. A passive control system, in the form of a
      compliant inflow cannula (IC), has been developed to mitigate suction, although
      this device may cause significant hemolysis. This study compared the incidence of
      mechanically induced hemolysis of two compliant IC designs (strutted and
      nonstrutted) with a rigid IC (control) in a blood circulation loop over 90 min.
      The nonstrutted compliant IC introduced high frequency and high amplitude
      oscillations in RBP inlet pressure and RBP IC resistance. These oscillations were
      correlated with a significant increase in plasma-free hemoglobin (pfHb) and
      hemolysis: pfHb increased to 2.005 +/- 0.665 g/L, while normalized index of
      hemolysis (NIH) and modified index of hemolysis (MIH) increased to 0.04945 +/-
      0.01276 g/100 L and 4.0505 +/- 0.6589 after 90 min (P < 0.05). In contrast, the
      strutted compliant IC performed similar to the clinically utilized rigid IC and
      did not increase pfHb (0.300 +/- 0.090 and 0.320 +/- 0.171 g/L, respectively) and
      rate of hemolysis (NIH 0.00435 +/- 0.00155 and 0.00543 +/- 0.00371 g/100 L; MIH
      0.3896 +/- 0.1749 and 0.4261 +/- 0.2792, respectively) within the RBP circuit.
      These data indicated that strutted, compliant ICs meet the hemocompatibility of
      clinically used rigid ICs while also offering a potential solution to prevent
      ventricular suction events.

PMID- 28621839
TI  - Evaluation of Hemodynamic Performance of a Combined ECLS and CRRT Circuit in
      Seven Positions With a Simulated Neonatal Patient.
AB  - As it is common for patients treated with extracorporeal life support (ECLS) to
      subsequently require continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and neonatal
      patients encounter limitations due to lack of access points, inclusion of CRRT in
      the ECLS circuit could provide advanced treatment for this population. The
      objective of this study was to evaluate an alternative neonatal ECLS circuit
      containing either a Maquet RotaFlow centrifugal pump or Maquet HL20 roller pump
      with one of seven configurations of CRRT using the Prismaflex 2000 System. All
      ECLS circuit setups included a Quadrox-iD Pediatric diffusion membrane
      oxygenator, a Better Bladder, an 8-Fr arterial cannula, a 10-Fr venous cannula,
      and 6 feet of 1/4-inch diameter arterial and venous tubing. The circuit was
      primed with lactated Ringer's solution and packed human red blood cells resulting
      in a total priming volume of 700 mL for both the circuit and the 3-kg
      pseudopatient. Hemodynamic data were recorded for ECLS flow rates of 200, 400,
      and 600 mL/min and a CRRT flow rate of 50 mL/min. When a centrifugal pump is
      used, the hemodynamic performance of any combined ECLS and CRRT circuit was not
      significantly different than that of the circuit without CRRT, thus any
      configuration could potentially be used. However, introduction of CRRT to a
      circuit containing a roller pump does affect performance properties for some CRRT
      positions. The circuits with CRRT positions B and G demonstrated decreased total
      hemodynamic energy (THE) levels at the post-arterial cannula site, while
      positions D and E demonstrated increased post-arterial cannula THE levels
      compared to the circuit without CRRT. CRRT positions A, C, and F did not have
      significant changes with respect to pre-arterial cannula flow and THE levels,
      compared to the circuit without CRRT. Considering hemodynamic performance, for
      neonatal combined extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and CRRT circuits
      with both blood pumps, we recommend the use of CRRT position A due to its
      hemodynamic similarities to the ECMO circuit without CRRT.

PMID- 28621840
TI  - Association of disease-specific causes of visual impairment and 10-year mortality
      amongst Indigenous Australians: the Central Australian Ocular Health Study.
AB  - IMPORTANCE: Visual impairment significantly impairs the length and quality of
      life, but little is known of its impact in Indigenous Australians. BACKGROUND: To
      investigate the association of disease-specific causes of visual impairment with
      all-cause mortality. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort analysis. PARTICIPANTS: A
      total of 1347 Indigenous Australians aged over 40 years. METHODS: Participants
      visiting remote medical clinics underwent clinical examinations including visual
      acuity, subjective refraction and slit-lamp examination of the anterior and
      posterior segments. The major ocular cause of visual impairment was determined.
      Patients were assessed periodically in these remote clinics for the succeeding 10
      years after recruitment. Mortality rates were obtained from relevant departments.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause 10-year mortality and its association with
      disease-specific causes of visual impairment. RESULTS: The all-cause mortality
      rate for the entire cohort was 29.3% at the 10-year completion of follow-up. Of
      those with visual impairment, the overall mortality rate was 44.9%. The mortality
      rates differed for those with visual impairment due to cataract (59.8%), diabetic
      retinopathy (48.4%), trachoma (46.6%), 'other' (36.2%) and refractive error
      (33.4%) (P < 0.0001). Only those with visual impairment from diabetic retinopathy
      were any more likely to die during the 10 years of follow-up when compared with
      those without visual impairment (HR 1.70; 95% CI, 1.00-2.87; P = 0.049).
      CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Visual impairment was associated with all-cause
      mortality in a cohort of Indigenous Australians. However, diabetic retinopathy
      was the only ocular disease that significantly increased the risk of mortality.
      Visual impairment secondary to diabetic retinopathy may be an important predictor
      of mortality.

PMID- 28621841
TI  - Hypomethylating agent therapy use and survival in older patients with chronic
      myelomonocytic leukemia in the United States: A large population-based study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the approval of azacitidine in 2004 and the approval of
      decitabine in 2006 in the United States for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia
      (CMML), the overall survival (OS) benefit with hypomethylating agent (HMA)
      therapy is unclear. METHODS: Older adults (age >= 66 years) who had been
      diagnosed with CMML from 2001 to 2011 were selected from the Surveillance,
      Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database, and propensity score matching
      was used to match patients who had been diagnosed after HMA approval (2007-2011)
      and had received HMA treatment with patients diagnosed before HMA approval (2001
      2003). Cox proportional hazards models with the matched sample were used to
      assess the change in OS. A second matched cohort of patients who did not receive
      HMA after approval and patients diagnosed before HMA approval was used to
      evaluate survival change attributable to other potential differences between the
      2 time periods, such as improved supportive care. RESULTS: Among 1378 older
      adults diagnosed with CMML, the median OS was 13 months, and 18.8% received HMAs.
      In the primary matched analysis, with 225 HMA users diagnosed in 2007-2011 and
      395 patients diagnosed in 2001-2003, the median OS times were 17 and 11 months,
      respectively (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.91; P =
      .005). In a secondary analysis, the risk of death did not differ between 395
      propensity score-matched HMA nonusers diagnosed in 2007-2011 and 484 patients
      diagnosed in 2001-2003 (hazard ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.91-1.32; P = .34).
      CONCLUSIONS: Despite limited evidence, HMAs are commonly used to treat older CMML
      patients. The use of HMAs was associated with a 28% reduction in the risk of
      death in adjusted analyses. Improvements in supportive care do not appear to
      account for temporal improvements in OS. Cancer 2017;123:3754-3762. (c) 2017
      American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28621842
TI  - Study on morphological characteristics and microscopic structure of medicinal
      organs of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel.
AB  - Modern clinical studies have found that Pulsatilla radix contains a variety of
      active ingredients; however, its medicinal parts and microstructure have been
      controversial. Based on morphological observation and microscopic identification
      of different structures, we chose Anhui, Henan, Jilin, and Shanxi Province to
      study Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel populations. We specifically addressed
      different diameters and anatomical structures of different parts of underground
      organs. We also found that P. chinensis (Bunge) Regel had a "joint point"
      structure in its underground organ. Above the "joint point" is the rhizome, below
      the "joint point" is the root. The main medicinal organ is the rhizome. The
      protective tissues of the endothelial layer of P. chinensis (Bunge) Regel changed
      in the process of its development. The protective tissues were replaced by
      epidermis, cortex, endodermis, and phloem. With the secondary growth, the
      endothelial cells have been radial division. This study showed that morphology
      and microscopic identification was an important mean of medicinal material
      identifications, and it had the characteristics of a convenient, fast, and
      intuitive method to identify the composition and structural characteristics of P.
      chinensis (Bunge) Regel medicinal parts.

PMID- 28621865
TI  - A Miniature Gamma Cameraa.

PMID- 28621843
TI  - Metabolic reprogramming in the tumour microenvironment: a hallmark shared by
      cancer cells and T lymphocytes.
AB  - Altered metabolism is a hallmark of cancers, including shifting oxidative
      phosphorylation to glycolysis and up-regulating glutaminolysis to divert carbon
      sources into biosynthetic pathways that promote proliferation and survival.
      Therefore, metabolic inhibitors represent promising anti-cancer drugs. However, T
      cells must rapidly divide and survive in harsh microenvironments to mediate anti
      cancer effects. Metabolic profiles of cancer cells and activated T lymphocytes
      are similar, raising the risk of metabolic inhibitors impairing the immune
      system. Immune checkpoint blockade provides an example of how metabolism can be
      differentially impacted to impair cancer cells but support T cells. Implications
      for research with metabolic inhibitors are discussed.

PMID- 28621866
TI  - What Can Management Do?

PMID- 28621874
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28621875
TI  - Retransplantation After a Failed Donation After Circulatory Determination of
      Death Liver Transplant: MELD Exception Priority and Second Chances.

PMID- 28621876
TI  - Social, health and ocular factors associated with primary open-angle glaucoma
      amongst Chinese Singaporeans.
AB  - IMPORTANCE: There is limited literature on lifestyle and health factors related
      to primary open-angle glaucoma amongst Asians. BACKGROUND: This study evaluated
      the association of primary open-angle glaucoma with smoking, health and ocular
      factors amongst Chinese Singaporeans. DESIGN: Case-control study. PARTICIPANTS:
      The study used 711 primary open-angle glaucoma patients from a Singapore hospital
      and 2788 population-based controls. METHODS: Subjects underwent clinical
      examination and completed a questionnaire with details on family history of
      glaucoma, comorbidities, smoking and alcohol consumption. Glaucoma cases were
      subclassified as normal or high-tension glaucoma according to their untreated
      intraocular pressures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The association of various health
      and lifestyle factors, with normal-tension and high-tension glaucoma was
      evaluated. RESULTS: Using multiple logistic regression, primary open-angle
      glaucoma was associated with older age (odds ratio 1.12 per year older; 95%
      confidence interval 1.10-1.15; P < 0.001), family history of glaucoma (odds ratio
      7.86; 95% confidence interval 4.48-13.79; P < 0.001), higher intraocular pressure
      (odds ratio 1.75 per 1 mmHg; 95% confidence interval 1.64-1.87; P < 0.001) and
      thinner central corneal thickness (odds ratio 1.01; 95% confidence interval 1.01
      1.02; P < 0.001). Myopes were more likely to have primary open-angle glaucoma (P
      < 0.001). A current smoking habit was protective against normal-tension glaucoma
      (odds ratio 0.30; 95% confidence interval 0.10-0.92; P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS AND
      RELEVANCE: Older age, family history of glaucoma, higher intraocular pressure,
      thinner central corneal thickness and myopia were significantly associated with
      primary open-angle glaucoma amongst Chinese Singaporeans.

PMID- 28621877
TI  - Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in solid organ transplantation-The role of
      immunosuppression.
AB  - Hemolysis after solid organ transplantation can be caused by both immune and non
      immune-mediated mechanisms, and the evaluation must take into account issues
      distinctive to the post-transplant period. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia usually
      occurs within the first year and has been attributed to immunosuppressive
      treatment, infections, or underlying post-transplant lymphoproliferative
      disorder. Review of the literature revealed 59 cases with autoimmune hemolytic
      anemia mostly in children after liver transplantation. Almost all of the patients
      at the time of diagnosis received immunosuppression with tacrolimus, and first
      line treatment with steroids and/or intravenous immunoglobulin was ineffective
      for complete remission. Rituximab was used as second-line treatment especially in
      patients with underlying lymphoproliferative disorders whereas sirolimus showed
      encouraging results.

PMID- 28621878
TI  - Isolation and chemical characterization of agelaiatoxin8 (AvTx8) from Agelaia
      vicina wasp venom and its biological effects on GABA neurotransmission.
AB  - Arthropod venoms are sources of molecules that may be useful tools to investigate
      molecular mechanisms of putative new medicines and laboratory drugs. Here we show
      the effects of the compound agelaiatoxin-8 (AVTx8), isolated from Agelaia vicina
      venom, on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in rat brain
      synaptosomes. Analysis reveals that AvTx8 is composed by 14 amino acid residues
      with a molecular weight (MW) of 1567 Da. AvTx8 increased GABA release and
      inhibited GABA uptake in synaptosomes from rat cerebral cortex. AvTx8 inhibited
      GABA uptake and increased GABA release in the presence of Ca+ , Na+ , and K+
      channel blockers, suggesting that it acts directly on GABA transporters. In
      addition, AvTx8 significantly decreases GABA binding in synaptic membranes from
      rat brain cortex, suggesting that it also modulates the activity of GABA
      receptors. Moreover, AvTx8 decreased GAT-1- and GAT-3-mediated GABA uptake in
      transfected COS-7 cells. Accordingly, we suggest that AvTx8 modulates GABA
      neurotransmission and might provide a novel entry point for identifying a new
      class of GABA-modulating neuroprotective drugs.

PMID- 28621880
TI  - Response to 'Letter to the Editor' regarding the article 'The seasonal importance
      of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D for bone mineral density in older women'.

PMID- 28621879
TI  - Bactericidal peptidoglycan recognition protein induces oxidative stress in
      Escherichia coli through a block in respiratory chain and increase in central
      carbon catabolism.
AB  - Mammalian Peptidoglycan Recognition Proteins (PGRPs) kill both Gram-positive and
      Gram-negative bacteria through simultaneous induction of oxidative, thiol and
      metal stress responses in bacteria. However, metabolic pathways through which
      PGRPs induce these bactericidal stress responses are unknown. We screened Keio
      collection of Escherichia coli deletion mutants and revealed that deleting genes
      for respiratory chain flavoproteins or for tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle
      resulted in increased resistance of E. coli to PGRP killing. PGRP-induced killing
      depended on the production of hydrogen peroxide, which required increased supply
      of NADH for respiratory chain oxidoreductases from central carbon catabolism
      (glycolysis and TCA cycle), and was controlled by cAMP-Crp. Bactericidal PGRP
      induced a rapid decrease in respiration, which suggested that the main source of
      increased production of hydrogen peroxide was a block in respiratory chain and
      diversion of electrons from NADH oxidoreductases to oxygen. CpxRA two-component
      system was a negative regulator of PGRP-induced oxidative stress. By contrast,
      PGRP-induced thiol stress (depletion of thiols) and metal stress (increase in
      intracellular free Zn2+ through influx of extracellular Zn2+ ) were mostly
      independent of oxidative stress. Thus, manipulating pathways that induce
      oxidative, thiol and metal stress in bacteria could be a useful strategy to
      design new approaches to antibacterial therapy.

PMID- 28621881
TI  - Hodgkin lymphoma classification: Are we at a crossroads?

PMID- 28621882
TI  - Exercise Capacity and Functional Performance in Heart Failure Patients Supported
      by a Left Ventricular Assist Device at Discharge From Inpatient Rehabilitation.
AB  - Adequate physical and functional performance is an important prerequisite for
      renewed participation and integration in self-determined private and (where
      appropriate) professional lives following left ventricular assist device (LVAD)
      implantation. During cardiac rehabilitation (CR), individually adapted exercise
      programs aim to increase exercise capacity and functional performance. A
      retrospective analysis of cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and functional
      performance in LVAD patients at discharge from a cardiac rehabilitation program
      was conducted. The results from 68 LVAD patients (59 males, 9 females; 55.9 +/-
      11.7 years; 47 HVAD, 2 MVAD, 15 HeartMate II, 4 HeartMate 3, and 4 different
      implanting centers) were included in the analysis. Exercise capacity was assessed
      using a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a bicycle ergometer (ramp protocol; 10
      W/min). The 6-min walk test was used to determine functional performance. At
      discharge from CR (53 +/- 17 days after implantation), the mean peak work load
      achieved was 62.2 +/- 19.3 W (38% of predicted values) or 0.79 +/- 0.25 W/kg body
      weight. The mean cardiopulmonary exercise capacity (relative peak oxygen uptake)
      was 10.6 +/- 5.3 mL/kg/min (37% of predicted values). The 6-min walk distance
      improved significantly during CR (325 +/- 106 to 405 +/- 77 m; P < 0.01). No
      adverse events were documented during CR. The results show that, even following
      LVAD implantation, cardiopulmonary exercise capacity remains considerably
      restricted. In contrast, functional performance, measured by the 6-min walk
      distance, reaches an acceptable level. Light everyday tasks seem to be
      realistically surmountable for patients, making discharge from inpatient
      rehabilitation possible. Long-term monitoring is required in order to evaluate
      the situation and how it develops further.

PMID- 28621883
TI  - Determination of the serine palmitoyl transferase inhibitor myriocin by
      electrospray and Q-trap mass spectrometry.
AB  - Myriocin is a potent inhibitor of serine-palmitoyl-transferase, the first and
      rate-determining enzyme in the sphingolipids biosynthetic pathway. This study
      developed, validated and applied a LC-MS/MS method to measure myriocin in minute
      specimens of animal tissue. The chemical analog 14-OH-myriocin was used as the
      internal standard. The two molecules were extracted from the tissue homogenate by
      solid-phase extraction, separated by gradient reversed-phase liquid
      chromatography and measured by negative ion electrospray mass spectrometry in the
      triple quadrupole. Detection was accomplished by multiple reaction monitoring,
      employing the most representative transitions, 400@104 and 402@104 for myriocin
      and 14-OH-myriocin, respectively. The typical limit of detection and lower limit
      of quantitation of the optimized method were 0.9 pmol/mL (~0.016 pmol injected)
      and 2.3 pmol/mL, respectively, and the method was linear up to 250 pmol/mL range
      (r2  = 0.9996). The intra- and between-day repeatability afforded a coefficient
      of variation <=7.0%. Applications included quantification of myriocin in mouse
      lungs after 24 h from administration of ~4 nmol by intra-tracheal delivery.
      Measured levels ranged from 4.11 (median; 2.3-7.4 IQR, n = 4) to 11.7 (median;
      7.6-22.7 interquartile range (IQR), n = 6) pmol/lung depending on the different
      formulations used. Myriocin was also measured in retinas of mice treated by
      intravitreal injection and ranged from 0.045 (less than the limit of detection)
      to 0.35 pmol/retina.

PMID- 28621884
TI  - Young athletes with ventricular premature beats: Continuing or not intense
      training and competition?
AB  - Isolated ventricular premature beats (VPBs) are commonly found during pre
      participation screening in athletes. Currently, the debate about the role of
      detraining in reducing the number of VPBs is still open. This study evaluated the
      arrhythmic risk in a population of young competitive athletes who showed VPBs
      during eligibility evaluation and that did not undergo detraining but continued
      practicing competitive sports. 3746 consecutive subjects underwent pre
      participation screening. Athletes who showed VPBs were selected and underwent
      second level evaluation (Echocardiogram, 24 hour Holter ECG and Exercise test).
      Athletes were re-evaluated after a follow-up period (6-48 months) while they
      continued practicing competitive sports. 5.3% of the whole population showed
      ventricular arrhythmias. 73% of the subjects showed isolated VPBs. 88% of the
      subjects showed monomorphic VPBs, and 12% of athletes showed polymorphic VPBs. At
      echocardiogram, there was not any pathology which contraindicated competitive
      sport activity. At 24 hour Holter ECG recording, mean number of daily VPBs was
      1592+/-3217 (range 0-16678). At holter ECG follow-up (16+/-12 months), the median
      number of VPBs decreased from 93 (IQR 20-3065) to a new value of 72 (IQR 2-1299).
      Continuing competitive sport in subjects with ventricular arrhythmias even though
      frequent but with a low grade of complexity and without structural cardiomyopathy
      does not increase sudden death risk.

PMID- 28621885
TI  - Multiagent induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation is associated with
      improved survival in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced pancreatic
      cancer (LAPC) is uncertain after multiple randomized clinical trials have yielded
      mixed results. The authors used the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to determine
      whether CRT yields a survival benefit compared with chemotherapy alone (CT).
      METHODS: Patients with nonmetastatic LAPC diagnosed during 2004 through 2014 were
      identified in the NCDB. Patients who received CT were compared with those who
      received CRT using chi-square analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox
      regression analyses were used to compare demographic, clinical, and treatment
      characteristics that were predictive of survival. Propensity score matching and
      shared frailty analysis were done. Subgroup analyses were undertaken to examine
      patients who underwent pancreatectomy and cohorts of patients who received
      different CT or CRT regimens. RESULTS: In total, 8689 patients with LAPC were
      identified. CRT was associated with improved survival (median survival [MS], 13.5
      months) compared with CT (MS, 10.6 months) on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio
      [HR], 0.80; P < .001). Induction chemotherapy before CRT (HR, 0.67; P < .001) and
      multiagent chemotherapy (HR, 0.72; P < .001) were also identified as independent
      predictors of survival compared with concurrent CRT and single-agent CT,
      respectively. Patients in the CRT group who received multiagent induction
      chemotherapy had superior MS and pancreatectomy rates (MS, 17.5 months; HR, 0.70;
      P < .001; pancreatectomy rate, 10%) compared with those who received multiagent
      CT alone (MS, 12.4 months; pancreatectomy rate, 3.3%). Patients who underwent
      pancreatectomy experienced improved survival (MS, 22 vs 10.6 months; HR, 0.39; P
      < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In this NCDB analysis, maximizing systemic chemotherapy
      before CRT improved survival compared with CT alone in patients with LAPC.
      Continued analysis of CRT in properly selected patients after maximized systemic
      therapy is needed. Cancer 2017;123:3816-24. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28621886
TI  - Review of emerging metabolomic tools and resources: 2015-2016.
AB  - Data processing and analysis are major bottlenecks in high-throughput metabolomic
      experiments. Recent advancements in data acquisition platforms are driving trends
      toward increasing data size (e.g., petabyte scale) and complexity (multiple omic
      platforms). Improvements in data analysis software and in silico methods are
      similarly required to effectively utilize these advancements and link the
      acquired data with biological interpretations. Herein, we provide an overview of
      recently developed and freely available metabolomic tools, algorithms, databases,
      and data analysis frameworks. This overview of popular tools for MS and NMR-based
      metabolomics is organized into the following sections: data processing,
      annotation, analysis, and visualization. The following overview of newly
      developed tools helps to better inform researchers to support the emergence of
      metabolomics as an integral tool for the study of biochemistry, systems biology,
      environmental analysis, health, and personalized medicine.

PMID- 28621887
TI  - Programmed death-ligand 1 testing in patients with non-small cell lung cancer:
      Ready for prime time?

PMID- 28621888
TI  - WIDE AND THICK GRAIN 1, which encodes an otubain-like protease with
      deubiquitination activity, influences grain size and shape in rice.
AB  - Grain size and shape are two crucial traits that influence grain yield and grain
      appearance in rice. Although several factors that affect grain size have been
      described in rice, the molecular mechanisms underlying the determination of grain
      size and shape are still elusive. In this study we report that WIDE AND THICK
      GRAIN 1 (WTG1) functions as an important factor determining grain size and shape
      in rice. The wtg1-1 mutant exhibits wide, thick, short and heavy grains and also
      shows an increased number of grains per panicle. WTG1 determines grain size and
      shape mainly by influencing cell expansion. WTG1 encodes an otubain-like
      protease, which shares similarity with human OTUB1. Biochemical analyses indicate
      that WTG1 is a functional deubiquitinating enzyme, and the mutant protein (wtg1
      1) loses this deubiquitinating activity. WTG1 is expressed in developing grains
      and panicles, and the GFP-WTG1 fusion protein is present in the nucleus and
      cytoplasm. Overexpression of WTG1 results in narrow, thin, long grains due to
      narrow and long cells, further supporting the role of WTG1 in determining grain
      size and shape. Thus, our findings identify the otubain-like protease WTG1 to be
      an important factor that determines grain size and shape, suggesting that WTG1
      has the potential to improve grain size and shape in rice.

PMID- 28621889
TI  - Enhanced Skin Regeneration by Herbal Extract-Coated Poly-L-Lactic Acid
      Nanofibrous Scaffold.
AB  - The wound healing process is directly related to the type of treatment. Existing
      methods of treatment are not responsive enough for severe wounds. The aim of this
      study was the potential capacity investigation of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)
      nanofibrous scaffolds coated by aloe vera gel for wound dressing applications. In
      this study, electrospinning method was used for preparing PLLA nanofibers, and
      after characterization by SEM and MTT, its influence on the wound healing process
      was investigated with and without aloe vera gel as a wound dressing in full
      thickness skin defect in mice. Band-Aids were used as a positive control and
      vaseline gauze as a negative control. SEM and MTT assays confirmed the nanometer
      size and biocompatibility of fabricated nanofibers. Macroscopic and
      histopathological characteristics were evaluated at the end of days 7, 12, and 17
      and their results showed that the gel-coated scaffold accelerated the wound
      healing process compared with other groups. At the end of the experiment, it was
      shown that during the whole time of study, gel-coated scaffold had the highest
      overall repair score. Therefore, gel-coated PLLA scaffold would be an ideal
      construct for wound healing and skin regenerative medicine application.

PMID- 28621890
TI  - Reference data for BabyBody-plethysmographic measurements in Chinese neonates and
      infants.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Population-specific pulmonary function reference data
      are essential to identify the nature and severity of respiratory diseases.
      However, there is a lack of reference data for Chinese neonates and infants. The
      objective of this study was to develop reference data for tidal breathing and
      plethysmographic measurements for Chinese subjects during the first 2 years of
      life. METHODS: Data of tidal breathing and plethysmography from healthy Chinese
      neonates (<=28 days) and infants (1-24 months) using the Jaeger MasterScreen
      BabyBody were collated. All subjects were sedated for the tests. Multivariable
      analyses were performed to determine predictive variables for the pulmonary
      function parameters. Reference equations for outcomes were constructed using
      multilevel modelling and the LMS (lambda-mu-sigma) method was used for
      establishing smoothed reference percentiles. RESULTS: Four hundred and ten
      healthy subjects were tested. Acceptable measurements of tidal breathing analysis
      and plethysmography outcomes were obtained in 396 (96.6%) and 370 (90.4%)
      subjects, respectively. Normal reference percentiles and equations for the main
      parameters of tidal breathing and plethysmography were derived from test
      occasions of 211 neonates and 185 infants. Body weight, crown-heel length and age
      were significantly associated with lung function, of which length was the
      strongest predictor. CONCLUSION: This study provides reference data of BabyBody
      plethysmographic measurements for healthy Chinese subjects in their first 2 years
      of life. Weight and length are the strongest predictors for neonatal and infant
      lung function, respectively.

PMID- 28621891
TI  - Sugar metabolism by mutans streptococci.

PMID- 28621892
TI  - Regulation of energy source metabolism in streptococci.

PMID- 28621894
TI  - Pyogenic streptococci of Lancefield groups C and G as pathogens in man.

PMID- 28621893
TI  - Group A streptococcal infections in humans.

PMID- 28621895
TI  - Classification and overview of the genera Streptococcus and Enterococcus.

PMID- 28621896
TI  - Faecal streptococci as indicators of faecal contamination in water.

PMID- 28621897
TI  - Horizontal gene transfer and the evolution of resistance and virulence
      determinants in Streptococcus.

PMID- 28621898
TI  - Streptococci and enterococci as animal pathogens.

PMID- 28621899
TI  - Regulation of competence for genetic transformation in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

PMID- 28621900
TI  - Enterococci as emerging pathogens of humans.

PMID- 28621901
TI  - Biology of streptococcal capsular polysaccharides.

PMID- 28621902
TI  - Molecular analysis of virulence factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

PMID- 28621903
TI  - Histological assessment of beta-amyloid precursor protein immunolabelled rectal
      biopsies aids diagnosis of equine grass sickness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An accurate, minimally invasive, ante-mortem diagnostic test for
      equine grass sickness (EGS) is currently lacking. Although histological
      examination of haematoxylin and eosin-stained rectal biopsies for chromatolytic
      neurons is insensitive as a diagnostic test for EGS, we hypothesised that its
      diagnostic accuracy could be improved by immunolabelling for beta-amyloid
      precursor protein (beta-APP), which has increased expression in cranial cervical
      ganglia (CCG) neuronal perikarya in EGS. OBJECTIVES: To develop a grading scheme
      for assessing the distribution and intensity of beta-APP immunoreactivity within
      individual rectal submucosal neurons and subsequently to determine the value of
      the distribution of different grades of neurons in EGS diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN:
      Retrospective case-control diagnostic accuracy study. METHODS: Initially, a
      standardised grading scheme was developed and beta-APP immunoreactivity in
      individual neuronal perikarya and axons was compared in sections of CCG and ileum
      from EGS and control horses. The grading scheme was then refined before being
      blindly applied to submucosal neurons in rectal biopsies derived from 21 EGS and
      23 control horses. RESULTS: beta-APP immunoreactivity was increased in neuronal
      perikarya and axons in sections of CCG, ileum and rectum from EGS horses compared
      with controls. For rectal biopsies, a mean immunoreactivity grade exceeding 1.1
      was 100% specific and sensitive for EGS, and the presence of at least one neuron
      with diffuse labelling of the entire cytoplasm (grade 3) was 95% sensitive and
      100% specific for EGS. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Although the diagnostic criteria
      facilitated the discrimination of the EGS and control biopsies evaluated in this
      study, further prospective validation using a larger sample set is required.
      CONCLUSIONS: Histological assessment of beta-APP immunolabelled rectal biopsies
      is more sensitive than conventional histological examination in EGS diagnosis.
      Further validation is required before this technique can be advocated for use in
      clinical decision making.

PMID- 28621904
TI  - Anxiety and depression may contribute to an increased risk of death in some
      cancers.

PMID- 28621905
TI  - Expert panel issues new global cervical cancer screening guideline.

PMID- 28621906
TI  - Perkins P, Cooksley CD and Cox JD. Breast cancer: Is ethnicity an independent
      prognostic factor for survival? Cancer. 1996;78:1241-1247.

PMID- 28621907
TI  - Role of cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 100: anchoring poly(A)
      sites and modulating transcription termination.
AB  - CPSF100 is a core component of the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity
      factor (CPSF) complex for 3'-end formation of mRNA, but it still has no clear
      functional assignment. CPSF100 was reported to play a role in RNA silencing and
      promote flowering in Arabidopsis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying
      these phenomena are not fully understood. Our genetics analyses indicate that
      plants with a hypomorphic mutant of CPSF100 (esp5) show defects in embryogenesis,
      reduced seed production or altered root morphology. To unravel this puzzle, we
      employed a poly(A) tag sequencing protocol and uncovered a different poly(A)
      profile in esp5. This transcriptome-wide analysis revealed alternative
      polyadenylation of thousands of genes, most of which result in transcriptional
      read-through in protein-coding genes. AtCPSF100 also affects poly(A) signal
      recognition on the far-upstream elements; in particular it prefers less U-rich
      sequences. Importantly, AtCPSF100 was found to exert its functions through the
      change of poly(A) sites on genes encoding binding proteins, such as nucleotide
      binding, RNA-binding and poly(U)-binding proteins. In addition, through its
      interaction with RNA Polymerase II C-terminal domain (CTD) and affecting the
      expression level of CTD phosphatase-like 3 (CPL3), AtCPSF100 is shown to
      potentially ensure transcriptional termination by dephosphorylation of Ser2 on
      the CTD. These data suggest a key role for CPSF100 in locating poly(A) sites and
      affecting transcription termination.

PMID- 28621909
TI  - Systemic therapy of ocular and cutaneous rosacea in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In paediatric rosacea, ocular symptoms are often predominant.
      Literature about systemic therapy of paediatric ocular rosacea is sparse, though.
      OBJECTIVE: Analysis of children with ocular rosacea treated systemically,
      particularly addressing remission and recurrence rates. METHODS: Retrospective
      study reviewing the medical records of children with ocular rosacea treated with
      systemic antibiotic therapy. Nine of 19 patients were chosen for detailed
      analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first study in paediatric ocular rosacea
      requiring systemic therapy with a larger patient group and a longer follow-up
      (mean follow-up = 30.2 months). RESULTS: 17 patients (89.5%) suffered from
      blepharitis, 15 patients (78.9%) from conjunctivitis, twelve patients (63.2%)
      from chalazia/styes and nine female patients (47.4%) from corneal involvement. We
      used erythromycin (n = 9) or roxithromycin (n = 1) in patients younger than 8
      years and doxycycline (n = 8) or minocycline (n = 1) in patients older than 8
      years. Seven of nine patients treated with erythromycin, one of eight patients
      treated with doxycycline and the patient treated with minocycline achieved a
      complete remission of ocular and cutaneous symptoms. Two of nine patients treated
      with erythromycin, seven of eight patients treated with doxycycline and the
      patient treated with roxithromycin achieved a partial remission. Relapses
      occurred in the patient treated with minocycline (cutaneous), two of eight
      patients treated with doxycycline (ocular and cutaneous) and one of nine patients
      treated with erythromycin (cutaneous). CONCLUSION: To achieve a complete
      remission of cutaneous and ocular rosacea, a long-term anti-inflammatory
      treatment of at least 6 months is necessary. The relapse rates seem to be lower
      than in adults especially in the patients treated with erythromycin.

PMID- 28621910
TI  - Allospecific Memory B Cell Responses Are Dependent on Autophagy.
AB  - Long-lived, donor-reactive memory B cells (Bmems) can produce alloantibodies that
      mediate transplant injury. Autophagy, an intrinsic mechanism of cell
      organelle/component recycling, is required for Bmem survival in infectious and
      model antigen systems, but whether autophagy affects alloreactive Bmem is
      unknown. We studied mice with an inducible yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)
      reporter expressed under the activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) promoter
      active in B cells undergoing germinal center reactions. Up to 12 months after
      allogeneic sensitization, splenic YFP+ B cells were predominantly IgD- IgM- IgG+
      and expressed CD73, CD80, and PD-L2, consistent with Bmems. Labeled cells
      contained significantly more cells with autophagosomes and more autophagosomes
      per cell than unlabeled, naive B cells. To test for a functional link, we
      quantified alloantibody formation in mice with B cells conditionally deficient in
      the requisite autophagy gene ATG7. These experiments revealed absent B cell ATG7
      (1) prevented B cell autophagy, (2) inhibited secondary alloantibody responses
      without altering primary alloantibody formation, and (3) diminished frequencies
      of alloreactive Bmems. Pharmacological autophagy inhibition with 3-methyladenine
      had similar effects on wild-type mice. Together with new documentation of
      increased autophagosomes within human Bmems, our data indicate that targeting
      autophagy has potential for eliminating donor-reactive Bmems in transplant
      recipients.

PMID- 28621911
TI  - Different roles of CD4, CD8 and gammadelta T-lymphocytes in naive and vaccinated
      chickens during Salmonella Enteritidis infection.
AB  - Lymphocytes represent the key antigen-specific leukocyte subpopulation. Despite
      their importance in mounting an immune response, an unbiased description of
      proteins expressed by chicken lymphocytes has not been presented. In this study,
      we therefore intravenously infected chickens with Salmonella Enteritidis, sorted
      CD4, CD8 and gammadelta T-lymphocytes from the spleen by flow cytometry and
      determined the proteome of each population by LC-MS/MS. CD4 T-lymphocyte
      characteristic proteins included ubiquitin SUMO-like domain and BAR domain
      containing proteins. CD8 T-lymphocyte specific proteins were characterized by
      purine ribonucleoside triphosphate binding and were involved in cell
      differentiation, cell activation and regulation of programmed cell death.
      gammadelta T-lymphocyte specific proteins exhibited enrichment of small GTPase of
      Rab type and GTP binding. Following infection, inducible proteins in CD4
      lymphocytes included ribosomal proteins and downregulated proteins localized to
      the lysosome. CD8 T-lymphocytes induced MCM complex proteins, proteins required
      for DNA replication and machinery for protein processing in the endoplasmic
      reticulum. Proteins inducible in gammadelta T-lymphocytes belonged to immune
      system response, oxidative phosphorylation and the spliceosome. In this study, we
      predicted the likely events in lymphocyte response to systemic bacterial
      infection and identified proteins which can be used as markers specific for each
      lymphocyte subpopulation.

PMID- 28621912
TI  - Use of Estradiol Promotes Graft-Bone Healing in Rabbit Model of Anterior Cruciate
      Ligament Reconstruction With a Polyethylene Terephthalate Ligament.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the local use of estradiol
      after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with a polyethylene
      terephthalate (PET) artificial ligament graft could promote graft-bone healing. A
      total of 45 New Zealand white rabbits underwent ACL reconstruction with a PET
      ligament graft. The experimental groups were administered a local estradiol
      injection at either a low dose after surgery or a high dose after surgery, and
      the control group did not receive an injection. Computed tomography (CT) scans
      and blood sample collection were routinely performed in all three groups. Over
      time, the serum estradiol levels increased in both experimental groups, and the
      CT images revealed a trend of a shrinking bone tunnel area in all three groups.
      The rabbits were randomly sacrificed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery. The load
      to failure and stiffness of the experimental groups were significantly higher
      than those of the control group at 4 and 8 weeks. The histological study
      identified more bone mineralization in the experimental groups at 4 weeks after
      surgery compared to the control group. This study showed that the use of
      estradiol is a promising approach in promoting graft-bone healing in rabbits
      undergoing ACL reconstruction with a PET ligament graft.

PMID- 28621913
TI  - Visible-Light-Promoted Generation of alpha-Ketoradicals from Vinyl-bromides and
      Molecular Oxygen: Synthesis of Indenones and Dihydroindeno[1,2-c]chromenes.
AB  - Ortho-alkynylated alpha-bromocinnamates can be converted by a visible-light
      mediated photocascade reaction with molecular oxygen into either indenones or
      dihydroindeno[1,2-c]chromenes. The one-step process features key photochemical
      steps, that is, the initial activation of vinyl bromides through energy transfer
      to give alpha-ketoradicals in a reaction with molecular oxygen, followed by alpha
      oxidation of an arene moiety by 6-pi electrocyclization, and subsequent
      hydroxylation by an electron-transfer process from the same photocatalyst leads
      to the dihydroindeno[1,2-c]chromenes.

PMID- 28621914
TI  - Distinguishing parathyroid and thyroid lesions on ultrasound-guided fine-needle
      aspiration: A correlation of clinical data, ancillary studies, and molecular
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Differentiating parathyroid and thyroid lesions can be challenging
      because of considerable morphologic overlap and anatomic proximity. Therefore,
      the authors sought to identify characteristic morphologic patterns and useful
      adjunct tests to distinguish these 2 entities. METHODS: A search was conducted in
      the study institution database for clinically indeterminate thyroid nodules from
      2000 through 2016 with an emphasis on confirmed parathyroid nodules. Pathology
      reports, slides, ancillary studies, molecular analysis, and clinical and
      radiologic data were retrieved. RESULTS: A total of 143 cases of clinically
      indeterminate thyroid nodules were identified; 34 of these were confirmed
      parathyroid nodules. Three cytologic patterns were identified: 1) oncocytic cell
      pattern (9 cases; 26%); 2) follicular lesion of undetermined significance
      like/papillary-like pattern (14 cases; 41%); and 3) nonspecific endocrine cell
      clusters (11 cases; 32%). Bare oval nuclei (100%), nuclear overlap (88%), crowded
      sheets (88%), and intracytoplasmic vacuoles (62%) were observed. Ten cases (29%)
      demonstrated positive immunostaining for parathyroid hormone (PTH), 7 cases (21%)
      demonstrated a positive PTH assay, and 9 cases (26%) had PTH detected by ThyroSeq
      v.2. The remaining 8 cases were morphologically either indeterminate or
      suggestive of parathyroid origin. The cytologic diagnosis was confirmed
      clinically (20 cases) or surgically (14 cases). Based on cytology alone, 8 cases
      initially were diagnosed as thyroid tissue and amended to parathyroid lesion
      after ancillary studies were performed, including 5 cases based on ThyroSeq v.2
      results alone. CONCLUSIONS: Lesions with follicular lesion of undetermined
      significance-like or oncocytic features are prone to misdiagnosis. The current
      study identified distinct cytologic patterns in parathyroid lesions suggestive of
      parathyroid origin, which, together with PTH immunostains or assay, molecular
      studies, or sestamibi scans, aid in distinguishing parathyroid from thyroid
      lesions. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:674-82. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28621915
TI  - Wounding of Arabidopsis leaves induces indole-3-carbinol-dependent autophagy in
      roots of Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - In cruciferous plants insect attack or physical damage induce the synthesis of
      the glucosinolate breakdown product indole-3-carbinol, which plays a key role in
      the defense against attackers. Indole-3-carbinol also affects plant growth and
      development, acting as an auxin antagonist by binding to the TIR1 auxin receptor.
      Other potential functions of indole-3-carbinol and the underlying mechanisms in
      plant biology are unknown. Here we show that an indole-3-carbinol-dependent
      signal induces specific autophagy in root cells. Leaf treatment with exogenous
      indole-3-carbinol or leaf-wounding induced autophagy and inhibited auxin response
      in the root. This induction is lost in glucosinolate-defective mutants,
      indicating that the effect of indole-3-carbinol is transported in the plants.
      Thus, indole-3-carbinol is not only a defensive metabolite that repels insects,
      but is also involved in long-distance communication regulating growth and
      development in plants.

PMID- 28621916
TI  - Construction of Anterior Hemi-Corneal Equivalents Using Nontransfected Human
      Corneal Cells and Transplantation in Dog Models.
AB  - Tissue-engineered human anterior hemi-cornea (TE-aHC) is a promising equivalent
      for treating anterior lamellar keratopathy to surmount the severe shortage of
      donated corneas. This study was intended to construct a functional TE-aHC with
      nontransfected human corneal stromal (ntHCS) and epithelial (ntHCEP) cells using
      acellular porcine corneal stromata (aPCS) as a carrier scaffold, and evaluate its
      biological functions in a dog model. To construct a TE-aHC, ntHCS cells were
      injected into an aPCS scaffold and cultured for 3 days; then, ntHCEP cells were
      inoculated onto the Bowman's membrane of the scaffold and cultured for 5 days
      under air-liquid interface condition. After its morphology and histological
      structure were characterized, the constructed TE-aHC was transplanted into dog
      eyes via lamellar keratoplasty. The corneal transparency, thickness, intraocular
      pressure, epithelial integrity, and corneal regeneration were monitored in vivo,
      and the histological structure and histochemical property were examined ex vivo
      360 days after surgery, respectively. The results showed that the constructed TE
      aHC was highly transparent and composed of a corneal epithelium of 7-8 layer
      ntHCEP cells and a corneal stroma of regularly aligned collagen fibers and well
      preserved glycosaminoglycans with sparsely distributed ntHCS cells, mimicking a
      normal anterior hemi-cornea (aHC). Moreover, both ntHCEP and ntHCS cells
      maintained positive expression of their marker and functional proteins. After
      transplantation into dog eyes, the constructed TE-aHC acted naturally in terms of
      morphology, structure and inherent property, and functioned well in maintaining
      corneal clarity, thickness, normal histological structure, and composition in dog
      models by reconstructing a normal aHC, which could be used as a promising aHC
      equivalent in corneal regenerative medicine and aHC disorder therapy.

PMID- 28621917
TI  - Molecules Designed to Contain Two Weakly Coupled Spins with a Photoswitchable
      Spacer.
AB  - Controlling the charges and spins of molecules lies at the heart of spintronics.
      A photoswitchable molecule consisting of two independent spins separated by a
      photoswitchable moiety was designed in the form of new ligand H4 L, which
      features a dithienylethene photochromic unit and two lateral coordinating
      moieties, and yields molecules with [MM???MM] topology. Compounds [M4 L2 (py)6 ]
      (M=Cu, 1; Co, 2; Ni, 3; Zn, 4) were prepared and studied by single-crystal X-ray
      diffraction (SCXRD). Different metal centers can be selectively distributed among
      the two chemically distinct sites of the ligand, and this enables the preparation
      of many double-spin systems. Heterometallic [MM'???M'M] analogues with formulas
      [Cu2 Ni2 L2 (py)6 ] (5), [Co2 Ni2 L2 (py)6 ] (6), [Co2 Cu2 L2 (py)6 ] (7), [Cu2
      Zn2 L2 (py)6 ] (8), and [Ni2 Zn2 L2 (py)6 ] (9) were prepared and analyzed by
      SCXRD. Their composition was established unambiguously. All complexes exhibit two
      weakly interacting [MM'] moieties, some of which embody two-level quantum
      systems. Compounds 5 and 8 each exhibit a pair of weakly coupled S=1/2 spins that
      show quantum coherence in pulsed Q-band EPR spectroscopy, as required for quantum
      computing, with good phase memory times (TM =3.59 and 6.03 MUs at 7 K).
      Reversible photoswitching of all the molecules was confirmed in solution. DFT
      calculations on 5 indicate that the interaction between the two spins of the
      molecule can be switched on and off on photocyclization.

PMID- 28621918
TI  - Identification of Protonated Sulfone and Aromatic Carboxylic Acid Functionalities
      in Organic Molecules by Using Ion-Molecule Reactions Followed by Collisionally
      Activated Dissociation in a Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer.
AB  - Gas-phase reactivity of protonated model compounds with different functional
      groups toward trimethoxymethylsilane (TMMS) was studied to explore the utility of
      this reagent in mass spectrometric identification of specific functionalities for
      potentially rapid characterization of drug metabolites. Only protonated analytes
      with a carboxylic acid, a sulfone, or a sulfonamide functionality formed
      diagnostic adducts that had lost a methanol molecule upon reactions with TMMS.
      Collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) of these methanol-eliminated adduct
      ions (MS3 experiments) produced characteristic fragment ions of m/z 75, 105, and
      123 for sulfones, while an additional methanol elimination was observed for
      carboxylic acids and sulfonamides. CAD of latter products (MS4 experiments)
      resulted in elimination of diagnostic neutral molecules CO2 (44 Da) and C2H6O2Si
      (90 Da) for aromatic carboxylic acids. Both aliphatic carboxylic acids and
      sulfonamides yield several fragment ions in these MS4 experiments that are
      different from those observed for sulfones or aromatic carboxylic acids.
      Potential energy surfaces were calculated (at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of
      theory) to explore the mechanisms of various reactions. In summary, sulfones and
      aromatic carboxylic acids can be differentiated from each other and also from
      sulfonamides and aliphatic carboxylic acids based on reactions with TMMS and one
      or two CAD experiments. Aliphatic carboxylic acids and sulfonamides could not be
      differentiated from each other.

PMID- 28621919
TI  - Insights on Tuning the Nanostructure of rGO Laminate Membranes for Low Pressure
      Osmosis Process.
AB  - In this research, rGO laminates were prepared by a controlled partial reduction
      step, aimed to avoid aggregation and tune the interlayer spacing (d) between the
      rGO layers. The mild reducing agent vitamin C (l-AA) and cross-linker
      poly(carboxylic acid)s were used to improve the stability of the assembled rGO
      laminate membranes. AFM was used for the first time to further investigate the
      statistical size distribution of spacing between rGO layers. Topographical images
      of the edges of the rGO layers were obtained with an AFM instrument; interlayer
      spacing profiles were extracted, and then the data was plotted and fitted with
      Gaussian curves. We confirmed that the differently sized spacing coexisted, and
      their size distribution was affected by the reduction degree of rGO. At greater
      levels of reduction, more interlayer spacing was formed in the smaller size
      range, while few large gaps were still present. The obtained rGO laminate
      composite membranes were evaluated in a low pressure osmosis process such as
      forward osmosis (FO). The water permeation was higher in the rGO membrane
      prepared with a medium reduction degree (1.2-R) than the sample prepared by
      higher reduction degree (2.0-R) due to well-balanced nanochannels in hydrophilic
      regions and hydrophobic walls for fast transport of water molecules. The solute
      flux of the FO membrane was inversely correlated to the reduction degree. These
      findings helped in developing future strategies for designing high water flux and
      low reverse solute flux rGO membranes that are ideal for an FO process.

PMID- 28621920
TI  - Hydroxide Ion Oxidation in Aqueous Solutions Using Boron-Doped Diamond
      Electrodes.
AB  - The electrochemical oxidation behavior of hydroxide ions at the surface of boron
      doped diamond (BDD) electrodes is presented. The hydroxide ion oxidation behavior
      was found to be affected by the surface conditions of the BDD electrode. Over the
      NaOH concentration range of 0.5-10 mM, a well-defined voltammetric wave
      attributed to hydroxide ion oxidation was observed at ~1.25 V versus a Ag/AgCl
      reference electrode when using an anodically oxidized BDD (AO-BDD) electrode,
      while it was observed at around ~1.15 V when a cathodically reduced BDD (CR-BDD)
      electrode was used. Although the hydroxide ion oxidation profiles were slightly
      different for the AO-BDD and CR-BDD electrodes, the peak currents was each found
      to have linear relationships with the NaOH concentration over the same range.

PMID- 28621921
TI  - Novel Polymer Aerogel toward High Dimensional Stability, Mechanical Property, and
      Fire Safety.
AB  - Inorganc silica-based aerogels, the earliest and widely used aerogels, have
      poorer mechanical properties than their organic substitutes, which are flammable.
      In this study, a novel polymeric aerogel with high strength, inherent flame
      retardancy, and cost-effectiveness, which is based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)
      cross-linked with melamine-formaldehyde (MF), was prepared under aqueous
      condition with an ecofriendly freeze-drying and postcuring process. Combined with
      the additional rigid MF network and benifited from the resulting unique
      infrastructure of inter-cross-linked flexible PVA segments and rigid MF segments,
      PVA-based aerogels exibited a significantly decreased degradation rate and
      sharply decreased peak heat release rate (PHRR) in cone calorimeter tests (by as
      much as 83%) compared with neat PVA. The polymer aerogels have a limiting oxygen
      index (LOI) as high as 36.5% and V-0 rating in UL-94 test. Furthermore, the
      aerogel samples exposured to harsh temperatures maintain their dimensions (<10%
      change), original mechanical strength and fire safety. Therefore, this work
      provides a novel stragegy for preparing pure organic polymeric aerogel materials
      with high mechanical strength, dimensional stability, and fire safety.

PMID- 28621922
TI  - Selective Organic Contacts for Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide (MAPI) Perovskite
      Solar Cells: Influence of Layer Thickness on Carriers Extraction and Carriers
      Lifetime.
AB  - We have fabricated MAPI solar cells using as selective contacts PEDOT:PSS polymer
      for holes and PCBM-C70 fullerene derivative for electrons. The thickness of MAPI,
      PCBM-C70, and PEDOT:PSS layers has been varied in order to evaluate the
      contribution of each layer to the final device performance. We have measured the
      devices capacitance under illumination and the charge carrier's lifetime using
      photoinduced time-resolved techniques. The results show that in this kind of
      devices the limiting layer is the PCBM-C70 due to its relative reduced mobility
      compared to PEDOT:PSS that makes the control of the fullerene thickness crucial
      for device optimization. Moreover, capacitive measurements show differences for
      the devices having different PCBM-C70 layer thicknesses in contrast with the
      measurements on the different PEDOT:PSS thickness. These give indications about
      holes and electrons storage and their distribution.

PMID- 28621924
TI  - Revealing the Crystalline Integrity of Wafer-Scale Graphene on SiO2/Si: An
      Azimuthal RHEED Approach.
AB  - The symmetry of graphene is usually determined by a low-energy electron
      diffraction (LEED) method when the graphene is on the conductive substrates, but
      LEED cannot handle graphene transferred to SiO2/Si substrates due to the charging
      effect. While transmission electron microscopy can generate electron diffraction
      on post-transferred graphene, this method is too localized. Herein, we employed
      an azimuthal reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) method to
      construct the reciprocal space mapping and determine the symmetry of wafer-size
      graphene both pre- and post-transfer. In this work, single-crystalline Cu(111)
      films were prepared on sapphire(0001) and spinel(111) substrates with sputtering.
      Then the graphene was epitaxially grown on single-crystalline Cu(111) films with
      a low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The reciprocal space mapping using
      azimuthal RHEED confirmed that the graphene grown on Cu(111) films was single
      crystalline, no matter the form of the monolayer or multilayer structure. While
      the Cu(111) film grown on sapphire(0001) may occasionally consist of 60 degrees 
      in-plane rotational twinning, the reciprocal space mapping revealed that the in
      plane orientation of graphene grown atop was not affected. The proposed method
      for checking the crystalline integrity of the post-transferred graphene sheets is
      an important step in the realization of the graphene as a platform to fabricate
      electronic and optoelectronic devices.

PMID- 28621925
TI  - KPIC2: An Effective Framework for Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics Using Pure
      Ion Chromatograms.
AB  - Distilling accurate quantitation information on metabolites from liquid
      chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data sets is crucial for
      further statistical analysis and biomarker identification. However, it is still
      challenging due to the complexity of biological systems. The concept of pure ion
      chromatograms (PICs) is an effective way of extracting meaningful ions, but few
      toolboxes provide a full processing workflow for LC-MS data sets based on PICs.
      In this study, an integrated framework, KPIC2, has been developed for
      metabolomics studies, which can detect pure ions accurately, align PICs across
      samples, group PICs to identify isotope and potential adducts, fill missing peaks
      and do multivariate pattern recognition. To evaluate its performance, MM48,
      metabolomics quantitation, and Soybean seeds data sets have been analyzed using
      KPIC2, XCMS, and MZmine2. KPIC2 can extract more true ions with fewer detecting
      features, have good quantification ability on a metabolomics quantitation data
      set, and achieve satisfactory classification on a soybean seeds data set through
      kernel-based OPLS-DA and random forest. It is implemented in R programming
      language, and the software, user guide, as well as example scripts and data sets
      are available as an open source package at https://github.com/hcji/KPIC2 .

PMID- 28621923
TI  - Capture and Release of tRNA by the T-Loop Receptor in the Function of the T-Box
      Riboswitch.
AB  - In Gram-positive bacteria, the tRNA-dependent T-box riboswitch system regulates
      expression of amino acid biosynthetic and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes through
      a transcription attenuation mechanism. Binding of uncharged tRNA "closes" the
      switch, allowing transcription read-through. Structural studies of the 100
      nucleotide stem I domain reveal tRNA utilizes base pairing and stacking
      interactions to bind the stem, but little is known structurally about the 180
      nucleotide riboswitch core (stem I, stem III, and antiterminator stem) in complex
      with tRNA or the mechanism of coupling of the intermolecular binding domains
      crucial to T-box function. Here we utilize solution structural and biophysical
      methods to characterize the interplay of the different riboswitch-tRNA contact
      points using Bacillus subtilis and Oceanobacillus iheyensis glycyl T-box and T
      box:tRNA constructs. The data reveal that tRNA:riboswitch core binding at
      equilibrium involves only Specifier-anticodon and antiterminator-acceptor stem
      pairing. The elbow:platform stacking interaction observed in studies of the T-box
      stem I domain is released after pairing between the acceptor stem and the bulge
      in the antiterminator helix. The results are consistent with the model of T-box
      riboswitch:tRNA function in which tRNA is captured by stem I of the nascent mRNA
      followed by stabilization of the antiterminator helix and the paused
      transcription complex.

PMID- 28621926
TI  - Mimicking the Active Sites of Organophosphorus Hydrolase on the Backbone of
      Graphene Oxide to Destroy Nerve Agent Simulants.
AB  - Recent global military events, such as the conflict in Syria, have emphasized the
      need to find effective strategies to rapidly destroy organophosphorus-based nerve
      agents. In this work, we designed active site-engineered graphene oxide (GO) via
      polymerization (polymer bead-GOs) as organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) mimetic
      hotspots for the rapid degradation of nerve agents. This hybrid catalyst has a
      high total turnover frequency value of 0.65 s-1 and good stability (94.8%
      activity maintained after 5 cycles). Mechanism investigations suggested that the
      high catalytic performance could be attributed to the synergistic effect among
      the clusters of imidazole and the presence of - COOH groups on the GO surface and
      Zn2+.

PMID- 28621927
TI  - Hemocompatibility of Degrading Polymeric Biomaterials: Degradable Polar
      Hydrophobic Ionic Polyurethane versus Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) Acid.
AB  - The use of degradable polymers in vascular tissue regeneration has sparked the
      need to characterize polymer biocompatibility during degradation. While tissue
      compatibility has been frequently addressed, studies on polymer hemocompatibility
      during degradation are limited. The current study evaluated the differences in
      hemocompatibility (platelet response, complement activation, and coagulation
      cascade initiation) between as-made and hydrolyzed poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid
      (PLGA) and degradable polar hydrophobic ionic polyurethane (D-PHI). Platelet
      activation decreased (in whole blood) and platelet adhesion decreased (in blood
      without leukocytes) for degraded versus as-made PLGA. D-PHI showed minimal
      hemocompatibility changes over degradation. Leukocytes played a major role in
      mediating platelet activation for samples and controls, as well as influencing
      platelet-polymer adhesion on the degraded materials. This study demonstrates the
      importance of assessing the blood compatibility of biomaterials over the course
      of degradation since the associated changes in surface chemistry and physical
      state could significantly change biomaterial hemocompatibility.

PMID- 28621928
TI  - Aluminum (Oxy)Hydroxide Nanosticks Synthesized in Bicontinuous Reverse
      Microemulsion Have Potent Vaccine Adjuvant Activity.
AB  - Insoluble aluminum salts such as aluminum (oxy)hydroxide are commonly used as
      vaccine adjuvants. Recently, there is evidence suggesting that the adjuvant
      activity of aluminum salt-based materials is tightly related to their
      physicochemical properties, including nanometer-scale size, shape with long
      aspect ratio, and low degree of crystallinity. Herein, for the first time, the
      bicontinuous reverse microemulsion (RM) technique was utilized to synthesize
      stick-like monodisperse aluminum (oxy)hydroxide nanoparticles with a long aspect
      ratio of ~10, length of ~80 nm, and low degree of crystallinity (denoted as Al
      nanosticks). Moreover, the relationship between the physicochemical properties of
      Al-nanosticks and the bicontinuous RM was discussed. Compared to the commercial
      Alhydrogel, which contains micrometer-scale aluminum oxyhydroxide particular
      aggregates with moderate degree of crystallinity, the Al-nanosticks are more
      effective in adsorbing and delivering antigens (e.g., ovalbumin, OVA) into
      antigen-presenting cells, activating inflammasomes, and potentiating OVA-specific
      antibody responses in a mouse model. It is concluded that the aluminum
      (oxy)hydroxide nanosticks synthesized in the bicontinuous RM are promising new
      aluminum salt-based vaccine adjuvants.

PMID- 28621930
TI  - In Situ Monitoring of the Deposition of Flame-Made Chemoresistive Gas-Sensing
      Films.
AB  - Flame-deposited semiconducting nanomaterials on microelectronic circuitry exhibit
      exceptional performance as chemoresistive gas sensors. Current manufacturing
      technology, however, does not monitor in situ the formation of such
      nanostructured films, even though this can facilitate the controlled and economic
      synthesis of these sensors. Here, the resistance of such growing films is
      measured in situ during fabrication to monitor the creation of a semiconducting
      nanoparticle network for gas sensors. Upon formation of that network, the film
      resistance drops drastically to an asymptotic value that depends largely on the
      film structure or morphology rather than on its thickness and size of
      nanoparticle building blocks. Precursor solutions of various concentrations
      enable the flame deposition of Sb-doped SnO2 sensing films of different
      morphologies, each of which exhibit a characteristic in situ resistance pattern.
      Low precursor concentrations (1 mM) lead to thin (ca. 0.16 MUm) films with
      slender columnar structures of increasing diameter (up to 25 nm) after prolonged
      deposition (up to 6 min) and show an oscillating in situ resistance during their
      fabrication. On the other extreme, high precursor concentrations (100 mM) lead to
      thick (up to 80 MUm) dendritic and porous films consisting of nanoparticles with
      relatively small primary particle diameter (around 7 nm) that remain invariant of
      deposition duration, which is in agreement with the stable in situ resistance.
      Such dendritic films exhibit a sensor recovery time that is an order of magnitude
      longer than that of those made at lower concentrations. The above understanding
      enables the rapid and economic flame synthesis of thin gas sensors consisting of
      minimal semiconducting nanomaterial mass possessing a tuned baseline resistance
      and exhibiting excellent response to ethanol vapor.

PMID- 28621929
TI  - Kinetic Analysis Reveals the Identity of Abeta-Metal Complex Responsible for the
      Initial Aggregation of Abeta in the Synapse.
AB  - The mechanism of Abeta aggregation in the absence of metal ions is well
      established, yet the role that Zn2+ and Cu2+, the two most studied metal ions,
      released during neurotransmission, paly in promoting Abeta aggregation in the
      vicinity of neuronal synapses remains elusive. Here we report the kinetics of
      Zn2+ binding to Abeta and Zn2+/Cu2+ binding to Abeta-Cu to form ternary complexes
      under near physiological conditions (nM Abeta, MUM metal ions). We find that
      these reactions are several orders of magnitude slower than Cu2+ binding to
      Abeta. Coupled reaction-diffusion simulations of the interactions of synaptically
      released metal ions with Abeta show that up to a third of Abeta is Cu2+-bound
      under repetitive metal ion release, while any other Abeta-metal complexes
      (including Abeta-Zn) are insignificant. We therefore conclude that Zn2+ is
      unlikely to play an important role in the very early stages (i.e., dimer
      formation) of Abeta aggregation, contrary to a widely held view in the subject.
      We propose that targeting the specific interactions between Cu2+ and Abeta may be
      a viable option in drug development efforts for early stages of AD.

PMID- 28621932
TI  - High Efficiency Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Direct Adsorption of
      Quantum Dots on Photoanodes.
AB  - Unambiguously direct adsorption (DA) of initial oil-soluble quantum dots (QDs) on
      TiO2 film electrode is a convenient and simple approach in the construction of
      quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Regrettably, low QD loading amount
      and poor reproducibility shadow the advantages of DA route and constrain its
      practical application. Herein, the influence of experimental variables in DA
      process on QD loading amount as well as on the photovoltaic performance of the
      resultant QDSCs was investigated and optimized systematically, including the
      choice of solvent, purification of QDs, and sensitization time, as well as QD
      concentration. Experimental results demonstrated that it is essential to choose
      appropriate solvent as well as control purification cycles of original QD
      suspensions so as to realize satisfactory QD loading amount and ensure the high
      reproducibility. In addition, DA mode renders efficient electron injection from
      QD to TiO2, yet low QD loading amount and adverse QD agglomeration in comparison
      with the well-developed capping ligand induced self-assembly (CLIS) deposition
      approach. Mg2+ treatment on TiO2 photoanodes can promote the QD loading amount in
      DA mode. The optimized QDSCs based on DA mode exhibited efficiencies of 6.90% and
      9.02% for CdSe and Zn-Cu-In-Se QDSCs, respectively, which were comparable to the
      best results based on CLIS mode (6.88% and 9.56%, respectively).

PMID- 28621931
TI  - Tunable Surface Repellency Maintains Stemness and Redox Capacity of Human
      Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
AB  - Human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) hold great promise for
      regenerative medicine due to their multipotent differentiation capacity and
      immunomodulatory capabilities. Substantial research has elucidated mechanisms by
      which extracellular cues regulate hMSC fate decisions, but considerably less work
      has addressed how material properties can be leveraged to maintain
      undifferentiated stem cells. Here, we show that synthetic culture substrates
      designed to exhibit moderate cell-repellency promote high stemness and low
      oxidative stress-two indicators of naive, healthy stem cells-in commercial and
      patient-derived hMSCs. Furthermore, the material-mediated effect on cell behavior
      can be tuned by altering the molar percentage (mol %) and/or chain length of
      poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), the repellant block linked to hydrophobic
      poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) in the copolymer backbone. Nano- and angstrom
      scale characterization of the cell-material interface reveals that PEG interrupts
      the adhesive PCL domains in a chain-length-dependent manner; this prevents hMSCs
      from forming mature focal adhesions and subsequently promotes cell-cell adhesions
      that require connexin-43. This study is the first to demonstrate that intrinsic
      properties of synthetic materials can be tuned to regulate the stemness and redox
      capacity of hMSCs and provides new insight for designing highly scalable,
      programmable culture platforms for clinical translation.

PMID- 28621933
TI  - Structural Flexibility of an Inhibitor Overcomes Drug Resistance Mutations in
      Staphylococcus aureus FtsZ.
AB  - In the effort to combat antibiotic resistance, inhibitors of the essential
      bacterial protein FtsZ have emerged as a promising new class of compounds with
      clinical potential. One such FtsZ inhibitor (TXA707) is associated with potent
      activity against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      (MRSA) that are resistant to current standard-of-care antibiotics. However,
      mutations in S. aureus FtsZ (SaFtsZ) that confer resistance to TXA707 have been
      observed, with mutations in the Gly196 and Gly193 residues being among the most
      prevalent. Here, we describe structural studies of an FtsZ inhibitor, TXA6101,
      which retains activity against MRSA isolates that express either G196S or G193D
      mutant FtsZ. We present the crystal structures of TXA6101 in complex with both
      wild-type SaFtsZ and G196S mutant SaFtsZ, as well the crystal structure of TXA707
      in complex with wild-type SaFtsZ. Comparison of the three structures reveals a
      molecular basis for the differential targeting abilities of TXA6101 and TXA707.
      The greater structural flexibility of TXA6101 relative to TXA707 enables TXA6101
      to avoid steric clashes with Ser196 and Asp193. Our structures also demonstrate
      that the binding of TXA6101 induces previously unobserved conformational
      rearrangements of SaFtsZ residues in the binding pocket. In aggregate, the
      structures reported in this work reveal key factors for overcoming drug
      resistance mutations in SaFtsZ and offer a structural basis for the design of
      FtsZ inhibitors with enhanced antibacterial potency and reduced susceptibility to
      mutational resistance.

PMID- 28621934
TI  - TQOPEN (N,N,N',N'-Tetrakis(2-quinolylmethyl)-3-oxa-1,5-pentanediamine) Family as
      Heptadentate Fluorescent Cd2+ Sensors.
AB  - A quinoline-based heptadentate ligand, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-quinolylmethyl)-3-oxa
      1,5-pentanediamine (TQOPEN), exhibits a fluorescence increase (ICd/I0 = 25, phiCd
      = 0.017) at 428 nm upon addition of 1 equiv of Cd2+. In contrast, 1 equiv of Zn2+
      induces a negligible fluorescence change due to weak interaction (IZn/I0 = 2.5,
      IZn/ICd = 10%). In comparison with TQOPEN, the thia and aza derivatives TQSPEN
      and TQNPEN exhibit improved Cd2+/Zn2+ selectivity and higher Cd2+-binding
      affinity, respectively. The solid-state structures of mononuclear Cd2+ and
      hydroxide-bridged dinuclear Zn2+ complexes of TQOPEN were elucidated by X-ray
      crystallography. Although the crystal structure of the TQOPEN-Cd2+ complex
      exhibits a six-coordinate metal center, in which one quinoline weakly interacts
      with the Cd center (Cd...Nquinoline = 3.303(3) A), a 1H NMR study at 233 K
      suggests that all quinolines interact with the Cd center to form a symmetrical
      seven-coordinate structure in solution. Theoretical calculations (TDDFT) support
      the flexible coordination environment around the Cd center, leading to
      intramolecular excimer formation with two quinoline moieties in the excited
      state. The importance of a heptadentate structure was further demonstrated by the
      lack of Cd2+ specificity with hexadentate ligands TriQOPEN (N,N,N'-tris(2
      quinolylmethyl)-3-oxa-1,5-pentanediamine) and TQCPEN (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2
      quinolylmethyl)-1,5-pentanediamine).

PMID- 28621935
TI  - Computational Implementation of Nudged Elastic Band, Rigid Rotation, and
      Corresponding Force Optimization.
AB  - The nudged elastic band (NEB) algorithm is the leading method of calculating
      transition states in chemical systems. However, the current literature lacks
      adequate guidance for users wishing to implement a key part of NEB, namely, the
      optimization method. Here, we provide details of this implementation for the
      following six gradient descent algorithms: steepest descent, quick-min Verlet,
      FIRE, conjugate gradient, Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS), and limited
      memory BFGS (LBFGS). We also construct and implement a new, accelerated
      backtracking line search method in concert with a partial Procrustes
      superimposition to improve upon existing methods. Validation is achieved through
      benchmark calculations of two test cases, the isomerization of CNX and BOX (where
      X ? {H, Li, Na}) and the study of a conformational change within an alanine
      dipeptide. We also make direct comparisons to the well-established codebase known
      as the atomic simulation environment.

PMID- 28621936
TI  - C-H Alkenylation of Heteroarenes: Mechanism, Rate, and Selectivity Changes
      Enabled by Thioether Ligands.
AB  - Thioether ancillary ligands have been identified that can greatly accelerate the
      C-H alkenylation of O-, S-, and N-heteroarenes. Kinetic data suggest thioether-Pd
      catalyzed reactions can be as much as 800* faster than classic ligandless
      systems. Furthermore, mechanistic studies revealed C-H bond cleavage as the
      turnover-limiting step, and that rate acceleration upon thioether coordination is
      correlated to a change from a neutral to a cationic pathway for this key step.
      The formation of a cationic, low-coordinate catalytic intermediate in these
      reactions may also account for unusual catalyst-controlled site selectivity
      wherein C-H alkenylation of five-atom heteroarenes can occur under electronic
      control with thioether ligands even when this necessarily involves reaction at a
      more hindered C-H bond. The thioether effect also enables short reaction times
      under mild conditions for many O-, S-, and N-heteroarenes (55 examples),
      including examples of late-stage drug derivatization.

PMID- 28621937
TI  - Surface Termination of Fe3O4(111) Films Studied by CO Adsorption Revisited.
AB  - Although the (111) surface of Fe3O4 (magnetite) has been investigated for more
      than 20 years, substantial controversy remains in the literature regarding the
      surface termination proposed based on structural and adsorption studies. The
      present article provides density functional theory results that allow to
      rationalize experimental results of infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy
      and temperature-programmed desorption studies on CO adsorption, thus leading to a
      unified picture in which the Fe3O4(111) surface is terminated by a 1/4 monolayer
      of tetrahedrally coordinated Fe3+ ions on top of a close-packed oxygen layer as
      previously determined by low energy electron diffraction. However, surface
      defects play a crucial role in adsorption properties and may dominate chemical
      reactions on Fe3O4(111) when exposed to the ambient.

PMID- 28621938
TI  - Inhibition of Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by Cucurbitanes from
      Momordica charantia.
AB  - The cucurbitaceous plant Momordica charantia L., named "bitter melon", inhabits
      Asia, Africa, and South America and has been used as a traditional medicine. The
      atypical proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important
      role in triggering the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Platelet-derived
      growth factor (PDGF) is regarded as the most powerful growth factor in promoting
      the intimal accumulation of VSMCs. The current study features the identification
      of six new cucurbitane-type triterpenoids (1-6) from the fruits of M.  charantia,
      utilizing diverse chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. In particular,
      the 2D structure of 1 was confirmed utilizing the long-range HSQMBC NMR pulse,
      capable of measuring heteronuclear long-range correlations (4-6JCH). The
      cucurbitanes were also assessed for their inhibitory activity against PDGF
      induced VSMC proliferation. This current study may constitute a basis for
      developing those chemotypes into sensible pharmacophores alleviating
      cardiovascular disorders.

PMID- 28621939
TI  - [2]Rotaxane Formation by Transition State Stabilization.
AB  - We report on the synthesis of [2]rotaxanes driven by stabilization of the axle
      forming transition state. A bifunctional macrocycle, with hydrogen bond donors at
      one end and acceptors at the other, is used to stabilize the charges that develop
      during the addition of a primary amine to a cyclic sulfate.

PMID- 28621940
TI  - Solvation and Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Reduction Potential of 2NO* to
      1HNO in Aqueous Solution: A Theoretical Investigation.
AB  - In this work, quantum mechanical calculations and Monte Carlo statistical
      mechanical simulations were carried out to investigate the solvation properties
      of HNO in aqueous solution and to evaluate the proton-coupled one electron
      reduction potential of 2NO to 1HNO, which is essential missing information to
      understand the fate of 2NO in the biological medium. Our results showed that the
      1HNO molecule acts mainly as a hydrogen bond donor in aqueous solution with an
      average energy of -5.5 +/- 1.3 kcal/mol. The solvation free energy of 1HNO in
      aqueous solution, computed using three approaches based on the linear response
      theory, revealed that the current prediction of the hydration free energy of HNO
      is, at least, 2 times underestimated. We proposed two pathways for the production
      of HNO through reduction of NO. The first pathway is the direct reduction of NO
      through proton-coupled electron transfer to produce HNO, and the second path is
      the reduction of the radical anion HONO*-, which is involved in equilibrium with
      NO in aqueous solution. We have shown that both pathways are viable processes
      under physiological conditions, having reduction potentials of E degrees ' = 
      0.161 V and E degrees ' ~ 1 V for the first and second pathways, respectively.
      The results shows that both processes can be promoted by well-known biological
      reductants such as NADH, ascorbate, vitamin E (tocopherol), cysteine, and
      glutathione, for which the reduction potential at physiological pH is around -0.3
      to -0.5 V. The computed reduction potential of NO through the radical anion HONO*
      can also explain the recent experimental findings on the formation of HNO
      through the reduction of NO, promoted by H2S, vitamin C, and aromatic alcohols.
      Therefore, these results contribute to shed some light into the question of
      whether and how HNO is produced in vivo and also for the understanding of the
      biochemical and physiological effects of NO.

PMID- 28621941
TI  - Sulawesins A-C, Furanosesterterpene Tetronic Acids That Inhibit USP7, from a
      Psammocinia sp. Marine Sponge.
AB  - Three new furanosesterterpene tetronic acids, sulawesins A-C (1-3), were isolated
      from a Psammocinia sp. marine sponge, along with the known compounds ircinins-1
      (4) and -2 (5). Although ircinins-1 and -2 were previously isolated as (+)- or (
      )-enantiomers from marine sponges, we isolated them as enantiomeric mixtures.
      Sulawesins A and B possess a new carbon skeleton with a 5-(furan-3-yl)-4
      hydroxycyclopent-2-enone moiety and were also found to be diastereomeric mixtures
      of four isomers by an HPLC analysis with a chiral-phase column. Sulawesin C has a
      dimeric structure of ircinin-1 and is the first dimer in this family. USP7, a
      deubiquitinating enzyme, is an emergent target of cancer therapy, and the
      isolated compounds inhibited USP7 with IC50 values in the range of 2.7-4.6 MUM.

PMID- 28621942
TI  - Hygroscopicity of Organic Compounds as a Function of Carbon Chain Length and
      Carboxyl, Hydroperoxy, and Carbonyl Functional Groups.
AB  - The albedo and microphysical properties of clouds are controlled in part by the
      hygroscopicity of particles serving as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN).
      Hygroscopicity of complex organic mixtures in the atmosphere varies widely and
      remains challenging to predict. Here we present new measurements characterizing
      the CCN activity of pure compounds in which carbon chain length and the numbers
      of hydroperoxy, carboxyl, and carbonyl functional groups were systematically
      varied to establish the contributions of these groups to organic aerosol apparent
      hygroscopicity. Apparent hygroscopicity decreased with carbon chain length and
      increased with polar functional groups in the order carboxyl > hydroperoxy >
      carbonyl. Activation diameters at different supersaturations deviated from the 
      3/2 slope in log-log space predicted by Kohler theory, suggesting that water
      solubility limits CCN activity of particles composed of weakly functionalized
      organic compounds. Results are compared to a functional group contribution model
      that predicts CCN activity of organic compounds. The model performed well for
      most compounds but underpredicted the CCN activity of hydroperoxy groups. New
      best-fit hydroperoxy group/water interaction parameters were derived from the
      available CCN data. These results may help improve estimates of the CCN activity
      of ambient organic aerosols from composition data.

PMID- 28621944
TI  - Mechanism and Product Distribution of the O3-Initiated Degradation of (E)-2
      Heptenal, (E)-2-Octenal, and (E)-2-Nonenal.
AB  - The O3-molecule initiated degradation of three 2-alkenals (E)-2-heptenal, (E)-2
      octenal, and (E)-2-nonenal has been investigated in a 1080 L quartz-glass
      environmental chamber at 298 +/- 2 K and atmospheric pressure of synthetic air
      using in situ FTIR spectroscopy to monitor the reactants and products. The
      experiments were performed in the absence of an OH scavenger. The molar yields of
      the primary products formed were glyoxal (49 +/- 4) % and pentanal (34 +/- 3) %
      from the reaction of (E)-2-heptenal with O3, glyoxal (41 +/- 3) % and hexanal (39
      +/- 3) % from the reaction of (E)-2-octenal with O3, and glyoxal (45 +/- 3) % and
      heptanal (46 +/- 3) % from the reaction of (E)-2-nonenal with O3. The residual
      bands in the infrared product spectra for each of the studied reactions are
      attributed to 2-oxoaldehyde compounds. Based on the observed products, a general
      mechanism for the ozonolysis reaction of long chain unsaturated aldehydes is
      proposed, and the results are compared with the available literature data.

PMID- 28621945
TI  - Concentration-Driven Selectivity of Energy Transfer Channels and Color Tunability
      in Ba3La(PO4)3:Tb3+, Sm3+ for Warm White LEDs.
AB  - Here, we report the large-scale emission color tunability in Ba3La(PO4)3:Tb3+,
      Sm3+ (BLPO:TS) system based on the detailed discussion on the concentration
      driven selectivity of energy transfer (ET) channels from Tb3+ to Sm3+. It is
      induced by the concentration-dependent 5D3 and 5D4 emissions of Tb3+ and the
      different interaction mechanisms of ET from Tb3+ to Sm3+ via 5D3 and 5D4
      channels. In the diluted Tb3+ scenario, the red emission of Sm3+ is efficiently
      sensitized via the 5D3 channel, while in the concentrated Tb3+ case, the
      contribution of 5D4 channel is dominant. Therefore, by simply adjusting the
      doping concentrations of Tb3+ and Sm3+, the emission color of the phosphors can
      be tuned from green to red. In view of the phosphors with red emissions are
      critical to the warm white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs), an orange-red Tb3+,
      Sm3+ coactivated phosphor Ba3La0.90Tb0.05Sm0.05(PO4)3 (BLPO:5T5S) with good
      thermal and chromaticity stability and internal quantum efficiency ~67% is
      developed in the system. Then, a near-UV WLED (CCT ~ 4500 K, Ra ~ 81) is
      fabricated using this phosphor. These findings not only indicate that the orange
      red phosphor BLPO:5T5S is available for near-UV warm white LEDs but also deliver
      new insights into the ET processes in Tb3+ and Sm3+ activated phosphors.

PMID- 28621943
TI  - Natural Products Discovered in a High-Throughput Screen Identified as Inhibitors
      of RGS17 and as Cytostatic and Cytotoxic Agents for Lung and Prostate Cancer Cell
      Lines.
AB  - Regulator of G Protein Signaling (RGS) 17 is an overexpressed promoter of cancer
      survival in lung and prostate tumors, the knockdown of which results in decreased
      tumor cell proliferation in vitro. Identification of drug-like molecules
      inhibiting this protein could ameliorate the RGS17's pro-tumorigenic effect.
      Using high-throughput screening, a chemical library containing natural products
      was interrogated for inhibition of the RGS17-Galphao interaction. Initial hits
      were verified in control and counter screens. Leads were characterized via
      biochemical, mass spectrometric, Western blot, microscopic, and cytotoxicity
      measures. Four known compounds (1-4) were identified with IC50 values ranging
      from high nanomolar to low micromolar. Three compounds were extensively
      characterized biologically, demonstrating cellular activity determined by
      confocal microscopy, and two compounds were assessed via ITC exhibiting high
      nanomolar to low micromolar dissociation constants. The compounds were found to
      have a cysteine-dependent mechanism of binding, verified through site-directed
      mutagenesis and cysteine reactivity assessment. Two compounds, sanguinarine (1)
      and celastrol (2), were found to be cytostatic against lung and prostate cancer
      cell lines and cytotoxic against prostate cancer cell lines in vitro, although
      the dependence of RGS17 on these phenomena remains elusive, a result that is
      perhaps not surprising given the multimodal cytostatic and cytotoxic activities
      of many natural products.

PMID- 28621946
TI  - The Acute Effects of Fine Particulate Matter Constituents on Blood Inflammation
      and Coagulation.
AB  - Limited evidence is available on the effects of various fine particulate matter
      (PM2.5) constituents on blood inflammation and coagulation. We examined the
      associations between 10 constituents and 10 circulating biomarkers in a panel of
      28 urban residents with four repeated measurements in Shanghai, China. Based on
      the linear mixed-effect models, we fitted the single-constituent models, the
      constituent-PM2.5 joint models, and the constituent-residual models to evaluate
      the associations between PM2.5 constituents and eight inflammatory biomarkers
      (fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1b, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, P
      selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) and two coagulation biomarkers
      (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and soluble CD40 ligand). We found robust
      associations of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), nitrate (NO3-), and
      ammonium (NH4+) with at least 1 of 8 inflammatory markers. On average, an
      interquartile range increase in the four constituents corresponded to increments
      of 50%, 37%, 25%, and 26% in inflammatory biomarkers, respectively. Only sulfate
      (SO42-) or NH4+ was robustly associated with coagulation markers (corresponding
      increments: 23% and 20%). Our results provided evidence that some constituents in
      PM2.5 (OC, EC, NO3-, SO42-, and NH4+) might play crucial roles in inducing
      systematic inflammation and coagulation, but their roles varied by the selected
      biomarkers.

PMID- 28621948
TI  - Insight into the Am-O Phase Equilibria: A Thermodynamic Study Coupling High
      Temperature XRD and CALPHAD Modeling.
AB  - In the frame of minor actinide transmutation, americium can be diluted in UO2 and
      (U, Pu)O2 fuels burned in fast neutron reactors. The first mandatory step to
      foresee the influence of Am on the in-reactor behavior of transmutation targets
      or fuel is to have fundamental knowledge of the Am-O binary system and, in
      particular, of the AmO2-x phase. In this study, we coupled HT-XRD (high
      temperature X-ray diffraction) experiments with CALPHAD thermodynamic modeling to
      provide new insights into the structural properties and phase equilibria in the
      AmO2-x-AmO1.61+x-Am2O3 domain. Because of this approach, we were able for the
      first time to assess the relationships between temperature, lattice parameter,
      and hypostoichiometry for fcc AmO2-x. We showed the presence of a
      hyperstoichiometric existence domain for the bcc AmO1.61+x phase and the absence
      of a miscibility gap in the fcc AmO2-x phase, contrary to previous
      representations of the phase diagram. Finally, with the new experimental data, a
      new CALPHAD thermodynamic model of the Am-O system was developed, and an improved
      version of the phase diagram is presented.

PMID- 28621947
TI  - Cucurbit[7]uril Enables Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Release from the Self-Assembled
      Hydrophobic Phase of a Metal Organic Polyhedron.
AB  - Mixed self-assembly of ligands 1, 2, 1,6-hexanediamine (HDA), and Pd(NO3)2
      afforded Fujita-type metal organic polyhedron MOP1 (diameter ~ 8.2 nm), which is
      covalently functionalized with an average of 18 cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) units, as
      evidenced by 1H NMR, diffusion-ordered spectroscopy NMR, and transmission
      electron microscopy measurements. By virtue of the host-guest properties of
      CB[7], the inner cavity of MOP can be rendered hydrophobic by using octadecyl HDA
      (3) as guest during the self-assembly process. The hydrophobic cavity was
      successfully utilized to trap the hydrophobic dye Nile Red (NR) and the
      anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The stimuli-responsive release of encapsulated
      NR or DOX occurs (1) upon addition of a competitive binder (e.g., adamantane
      ammonium (ADA)) for CB[7], (2) by a dual pH-chemical stimulus involving the
      protonation state change of adamantane carboxylate at pH 5.8, and (3) by a dual
      pH-photochemical stimulus involving photoisomerization of trans-6 to cis-6 at pH
      5.8. NR is released from NR@MOP2 within HeLa cancer cells. This body of work
      suggests that the covalent attachment of cucurbit[n]uril to metal organic
      polyhedra constitutes a promising vehicle for the development of both diagnostic
      and therapeutic nanoparticles.

PMID- 28621949
TI  - Cyclotides from the Indian Medicinal Plant Viola odorata (Banafsha):
      Identification and Characterization.
AB  - Cyclotides are cyclic cystine knotted macrocyclic plant peptides that have
      several promising applications. This study was undertaken to detect and identify
      known and new cyclotides in Viola odorata, a commercially important medicinal
      plant, from three geographical locations in India. The number of cyclotides in
      the plant varied with the tissue (leaves, petioles, flowers, runners, and roots)
      and with geographical locations in India. Using liquid chromatography coupled to
      Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS), 166 cyclotide-like masses were
      observed to display cyclotide-diagnostic mass shifts following reduction,
      alkylation, and digestion, and 71 of these were positively identified based on
      automated spectrum matching. Of the remaining 95 putative cyclotides observed, de
      novo peptide sequencing of three new cyclotides, namely, vodo I1 (1), vodo I2
      (2), and vodo I3 (3), was carried out with tandem mass spectrometry.

PMID- 28621950
TI  - Direct Observation of the Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Protonation States in
      Molecular Crystals.
AB  - The symmetrical and asymmetrical protonation states are realized via the
      formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds inside 9,10-bis((E)-2-(pyridin-4
      yl)vinyl)anthracene (BP4VA) molecular crystals. With the protonation of H2SO4,
      BP4VA molecules are protonated symmetrically, while the molecules are
      asymmetrically protonated by introducing HCl. The different protonation states of
      BP4VA crystals result in various supramolecular interactions, aggregation states,
      and even tunable optical properties. It provides a fundamental principle to
      understand the effect of protonation in organic conjugated molecules and an
      approach to expanding the scope of organic functional materials.

PMID- 28621951
TI  - Bioinspired Total Synthesis and Stereochemical Revision of the Fungal Metabolite
      Pestalospirane B.
AB  - The total synthesis of both enantiomers of pestalospirane B, 2, has been achieved
      using a bioinspired tandem dimerization-spiroketalization reaction. Electronic
      circular dichroism (ECD) and X-ray analysis were used to revise the absolute
      stereochemistry of the natural product pestalospirane B from 3S, 3'S, 12R, 12'R
      to its enantiomer 3R, 3'R, 12S, 12'S.

PMID- 28621952
TI  - Gastrointestinal and Systemic Disposition of Diclofenac under Fasted and Fed
      State Conditions Supporting the Evaluation of in Vitro Predictive Tools.
AB  - This study aimed to gain further insight into the gastrointestinal disposition of
      the weakly acidic BCS class II drug diclofenac and the implications for systemic
      drug exposure in humans under fasted and fed state conditions. For this purpose,
      gastrointestinal and blood samples were collected from healthy volunteers after
      oral intake of a commercially available tablet of the potassium salt of
      diclofenac (i.e., Cataflam) in different prandial states. Subsequently, these in
      vivo data served as a reference for the evaluation of in vitro tools with
      different levels of complexity, i.e., a conventional USP II dissolution
      apparatus, a modified version of the dynamic open flow through test apparatus,
      and the TNO gastrointestinal model equipped with the recently developed advanced
      gastric compartment (TIMagc). In vivo data suggested impaired drug dissolution
      and/or immediate precipitation in the fasted stomach, linked to the acidity of
      the gastric environment. Similarly, a vast presence of solid drug material in the
      stomach was observed under fed state conditions, which could be attributed to a
      marked delay in intragastric tablet disintegration after drug intake with a meal.
      Emptying of solid drug from the stomach into the duodenum generally resulted in
      rapid intestinal drug (re)dissolution in both test conditions, explaining the
      absence of a food effect on the extent of overall systemic exposure for
      diclofenac. In vitro tools were found to be capable of predicting in vivo
      intraluminal (and systemic) disposition of this compound, the extent of which
      depended on the degree to which the dynamic nature of the gastrointestinal
      process(es) to be investigated was simulated.

PMID- 28621953
TI  - Observation of Exciton Redshift-Blueshift Crossover in Monolayer WS2.
AB  - We report a rare atom-like interaction between excitons in monolayer WS2,
      measured using ultrafast absorption spectroscopy. At increasing excitation
      density, the exciton resonance energy exhibits a pronounced redshift followed by
      an anomalous blueshift. Using both material-realistic computation and
      phenomenological modeling, we attribute this observation to plasma effects and an
      attraction-repulsion crossover of the exciton-exciton interaction that mimics the
      Lennard-Jones potential between atoms. Our experiment demonstrates a strong
      analogy between excitons and atoms with respect to interparticle interaction,
      which holds promise to pursue the predicted liquid and crystalline phases of
      excitons in two-dimensional materials.

PMID- 28621954
TI  - van der Waals Contribution to the Relative Stability of Aqueous Zn(2+)
      Coordination States.
AB  - Many properties of aqueous cations depend on their coordination state. However,
      the lack of long-range order and the dynamic character of aqueous solutions make
      it difficult to obtain information beyond average coordination parameters. A
      thorough understanding of the molecular-scale environment of aqueous cations
      usually requires a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. In the
      case of Zn2+, significant discrepancies occur among theoretical investigations
      based on first-principles molecular dynamics (FPMD) or free-energy calculations,
      although experimental data consistently point to a dominant hexaaquo-zinc complex
      (Zn[H2O]6)2+ in pure water. In the present study, the aqueous speciation of zinc
      is theoretically investigated by combining FPMD simulations and free-energy
      calculations based on metadynamics and umbrella-sampling strategies. The
      simulations are carried out within the density functional theory (DFT) framework
      using for the exchange-correlation functional either a standard generalized
      gradient approximation (GGA) or a nonlocal functional (vdw-DF2) which includes
      van der Waals interactions. The theoretical environment of Zn is confronted to
      experiment by comparing calculated and measured X-ray absorption spectra. It is
      shown that the inclusion of van der Waals interactions is crucial for the correct
      modeling of zinc aqueous speciation, whereas GGA incorrectly favors tetraaquo-
      (Zn[H2O]4)2+ and pentaaquo-zinc (Zn[H2O]5)2+ complexes, results obtained with the
      vdW-DF2 functional show that the hexaaquo-zinc complex is more stable than the
      tetraaquo and pentaaquo-zinc complexes by 13 and by 4 kJ mol-1, respectively.
      These results highlight the critical importance of even subtle interactions for
      the correct balance of different coordination states in aqueous solutions.
      However, for a given coordination state, GGA leads to a reasonable description of
      the geometry of the aqueous complex.

PMID- 28621955
TI  - Regioselective Three-Component Reaction of Pyridine N-Oxides, Acyl Chlorides, and
      Cyclic Ethers.
AB  - A novel three-component reaction of pyridine N-oxides, acyl chlorides, and cyclic
      ethers is described. Treatment of an electron-deficient pyridine N-oxide with an
      acyl chloride in the presence of a cyclic ether at 25-50  degrees C leads to a
      substituted pyridine as a single regioisomer in up to 58% isolated yield.
      Isotopic-labeling experiments and substrate scope support the reaction proceeding
      through a carbene intermediate.

PMID- 28621956
TI  - Controlled Terahertz Birefringence in Stretched Poly(lactic acid) Films
      Investigated by Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy and Wide-Angle X-ray
      Scattering.
AB  - We report a correlation between the dielectric property and structure of
      stretched poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films, revealed by polarization-sensitive
      terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and two-dimensional (2D) wide-angle X-ray
      scattering (WAXS). The experiments evidence that the dielectric function of the
      PLA film becomes more anisotropic with increasing draw ratio (DR). This behavior
      is explained by a classical Lorentz oscillator model assuming polarization
      dependent absorption. The birefringence can be systematically altered from 0 to
      0.13 by controlling DR. The combination of terahertz spectroscopy and 2D WAXS
      measurement reveals a clear correlation between the birefringence in the
      terahertz frequency domain and the degree of orientation of the PLA molecular
      chains. These findings imply that the birefringence is a result of the
      orientation of the PLA chains with anisotropic macromolecular vibration modes.
      Because of a good controllability of the birefringence, polymer-based materials
      will provide an attractive materials system for phase retarders in the terahertz
      frequency range.

PMID- 28621957
TI  - [Editor's Note: Maternity, its Value and Sense as Core of the Bioethical Debate
      on Surrogated Motherhood].

PMID- 28621958
TI  - [Biomedical Perspective of the Surrogate Motherhood].
AB  - The subrogated motherhood takes place when an embryo created by in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) technology is implanted in a surrogate, sometimes called a
      gestational mother, by means a contract with her. It can imply to natural
      families (woman and man) with or without infertility problems, or to monoparental
      or biparental families of the same sex. Concerning the origin of the gametes used
      in the IVF emerges different implications on the genetic relationship of the
      resulting child with the surrogate and the future parents. The subrogated
      motherhood was initially considered an option to solve infertility problems.
      Nevertheless this practice has become a possible and attractive option as a
      source of economic resources for poor women. The cases of benefit of a pregnancy
      without mediating a contract are exceptional and they are not properly cases of
      "subrogated maternity" but of "altruistic maternity" and must be considered as
      heterologous in vitro fertilization. In this article are analyzed the medical,
      genetic and bioethics aspects of this new derivation of the fertilization in
      vitro. As points of special attention are considered the following questions: Is
      it the surrogate motherhood used preferably to solve infertility problems? Is not
      this actually a new form of exploitation of the woman? Does not suppose an attack
      to the natural family? Does not suppose in addition an attack to the dignity of
      the human being?

PMID- 28621959
TI  - [Surrogate Motherhood and Woman Dignity].
AB  - Motherhood by subrogation is an issue that directly affects human rights and,
      ultimately, human dignity. Therefore, if we want to give an adequate response to
      this issue, it is essential to reflect on how this practice affects the dignity
      and rights of the people involved in it and, more specifically, the pregnant
      mother. This study tries to show how in relation to the latter, maternity by
      subrogation directly contradicts some basic requirements of human dignity, since
      it reifies, instrumentalizes, convert into an object of commerce, and disregards
      the personal uniqueness of pregnant women.

PMID- 28621960
TI  - [The Reproductive Exploitation of Women and the Myth of Altruistic Surrogacy: An
      Overview of the Phenomenon of Gestation by Substitution].
AB  - The article approaches the issue of surrogacy from a global point of view.
      Surrogacy is analysed from international and comparative law perspective, as well
      as the effects of the legalization of altruistic surrogacy in the first-world
      countries on vulnerable women in other parts of the world. The paper concludes
      extrapolating the conclusions of this analysis to the current debate about
      legalization of altruistic surrogacy in Spain.

PMID- 28621961
TI  - [Economic Dimension of Surrogacy Maternity ("Rooms For Rent")].
AB  - Maternity by subrogation has an important economic dimension that, in the last
      years, has been even more potentiated. It is a multimillion-dollar industry that,
      on the other hand, takes advantage of women with low economic resources. Faced
      with this, there is an important criticism, carried out by different groups, that
      refer to this sector with such questionable terms as "uterine rental industry",
      "baby farms", "children's factories", etc. These criticisms are being strongly
      counteracted by maternity centers by subrogation. To this they dedicate enormous
      budgets with strategies that, based on great doses of sentimentality, manage to
      transmit a positive image of the process. The objective is to provide tranquility
      to users and to society in general. To this end they distort the ethical and
      legal implications of the process; in particular, deny the exploitation of women
      and the instrumentalization of the children that, necessarily, implies this
      technique.

PMID- 28621962
TI  - [Language Manipulation, Surrogacy, Altruism].
AB  - The Newspeak propitiates a change of the sense of the words and next to the
      double thinking forms the picture of totalitarianism described by Orwell in 1984.
      The purpose of the Newspeak is to make all other forms of thought impossible. In
      bioethics the Newspeak is applied, not because Bioethics is a new science but by
      the manipulative intention. The twentieth-century political language has,
      according to Orwell, the intention to remove the "mental image " of what really
      happens. This is clear in the terms "surrogacy ". On the one hand, the mother is
      deprived of her child. On the other, there is no legal subrogation. As has been
      said the technique reduces a woman to the condition of a vessel. The excuse of
      gratuity does not change the exploitative relationship, since gratuitousness in
      the provision of women is not the altruism of all those involved in surrogacy.

PMID- 28621963
TI  - [Taking Altruistic Surrogacy Seriously].
AB  - Since two years ago Spanish public opinion is living an intense debate on the
      ethical and legal aspects about surrogacy. There is a shared concern about the
      risks of exploitation for women related to commercial surrogacy. To get rid of
      them, and make possible at the same time that people who is not able to gestate
      could become father/mother, it has been proposed to regulate altruistic
      surrogacy. In order to defend this proposal it is said that there is an analogy
      between altruistic organ donation and altruistic surrogacy: you can help a person
      in need giving an organ or your ability to gestate. In this paper I confront both
      considerations. First, there is not a real analogy between organ donation and
      altruistic surrogacy. And second, if we think seriously a possible regulation for
      altruistic surrogacy we will find many problems with difficult or impossible
      solutions.

PMID- 28621964
TI  - [The Best Interest of the Child in the Case of Surrogate Maternity].
AB  - This article claims to analyze the situation of children born by means of
      surrogate maternity contract since these babies are one of the most vulnerable
      parts of this agreement, so their rights and interests could be affected in many
      ways. In order to study that situation, in the first place, has been accomplished
      a brief analysis of the concept of the best interest of the child. Afterwards it
      is examined the possible violation of the best interest of the child in the cases
      that have already been examined by Doctrine and Jurisprudence, that is, first the
      case of registration of these children in the country of origin Civil Registry of
      the intentional parents, and, in second place, the case of maternity benefit for
      intentional mothers. The article concludes with a reflection about other
      situations in where the best interest of children can be affected , such as their
      right to know their biological origins or the cases of identity problems.

PMID- 28621965
TI  - [Ethical Dilemas in Pediatrics].

PMID- 28621967
TI  - Mott Transition in a Metallic Liquid: Gutzwiller Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
AB  - We present a formulation of quantum molecular dynamics that includes electron
      correlation effects via the Gutzwiller method. Our new scheme enables the study
      of the dynamical behavior of atoms and molecules with strong electron
      interactions. The Gutzwiller approach goes beyond the conventional mean-field
      treatment of the intra-atomic electron repulsion and captures crucial correlation
      effects such as band narrowing and electron localization. We use Gutzwiller
      quantum molecular dynamics to investigate the Mott transition in the liquid phase
      of a single-band metal and uncover intriguing structural and transport properties
      of the atoms.

PMID- 28621968
TI  - Direct Lattice Shaking of Bose Condensates: Finite Momentum Superfluids.
AB  - We address band engineering in the presence of periodic driving by numerically
      shaking a lattice containing a bosonic condensate. By not restricting to
      simplified band structure models we are able to address arbitrary values of the
      shaking frequency, amplitude, and interaction strengths g. For "near-resonant"
      shaking frequencies with moderate g, a quantum phase transition to a finite
      momentum superfluid is obtained with Kibble-Zurek scaling and quantitative
      agreement with experiment. We use this successful calibration as a platform to
      support a more general investigation of the interplay between (one particle)
      Floquet theory and the effects associated with arbitrary g. Band crossings lead
      to superfluid destabilization, but where this occurs depends on g in a
      complicated fashion.

PMID- 28621969
TI  - Statistics of Fractionalized Excitations through Threshold Spectroscopy.
AB  - We show that neutral anyonic excitations have a signature in spectroscopic
      measurements of materials: The low-energy onset of spectral functions near the
      threshold follows universal power laws with an exponent that depends only on the
      statistics of the anyons. This provides a route, using experimental techniques
      such as neutron scattering and tunneling spectroscopy, for detecting anyonic
      statistics in topologically ordered states such as gapped quantum spin liquids
      and hypothesized fractional Chern insulators. Our calculations also explain some
      recent theoretical results in spin systems.

PMID- 28621971
TI  - Universality of the Turbulent Velocity Profile.
AB  - For nearly a century, the universal logarithmic law of the mean velocity profile
      has been a mainstay of turbulent fluid mechanics and its teaching. Yet many
      experiments and numerical simulations are not fit exceedingly well by it, and the
      question whether the logarithmic law is indeed universal keeps turning up in
      discussion and in writing. Large experiments have been set up in various parts of
      the world to confirm or deny the logarithmic law and accurately estimate von
      Karman's constant, the coefficient that governs it. Here, we show that the
      discrepancy among flows in different (circular or plane) geometries can be
      ascribed to the effect of the pressure gradient. When this effect is accounted
      for in the form of a higher-order perturbation, universal agreement emerges
      beyond doubt and a satisfactorily simple formulation is established.

PMID- 28621966
TI  - Rosenbluth Separation of the pi^{0} Electroproduction Cross Section Off the
      Neutron.
AB  - We report the first longitudinal-transverse separation of the deeply virtual
      exclusive pi^{0} electroproduction cross section off the neutron and coherent
      deuteron. The corresponding four structure functions dsigma_{L}/dt,
      dsigma_{T}/dt, dsigma_{LT}/dt, and dsigma_{TT}/dt are extracted as a function of
      the momentum transfer to the recoil system at Q^{2}=1.75  GeV^{2} and x_{B}=0.36.
      The ed->edpi^{0} cross sections are found compatible with the small values
      expected from theoretical models. The en->enpi^{0} cross sections show a
      dominance from the response to transversely polarized photons, and are in good
      agreement with calculations based on the transversity generalized parton
      distributions of the nucleon. By combining these results with previous
      measurements of pi^{0} electroproduction off the proton, we present a flavor
      decomposition of the u and d quark contributions to the cross section.

PMID- 28621970
TI  - Anomalies in the Charge Yields of Fission Fragments from the ^{238}U(n,f)
      Reaction.
AB  - Fast-neutron-induced fission of ^{238}U at an energy just above the fission
      threshold is studied with a novel technique which involves the coupling of a high
      efficiency gamma-ray spectrometer (MINIBALL) to an inverse-kinematics neutron
      source (LICORNE) to extract charge yields of fission fragments via gamma-gamma
      coincidence spectroscopy. Experimental data and fission models are compared and
      found to be in reasonable agreement for many nuclei; however, significant
      discrepancies of up to 600% are observed, particularly for isotopes of Sn and Mo.
      This indicates that these models significantly overestimate the standard 1
      fission mode and suggests that spherical shell effects in the nascent fission
      fragments are less important for low-energy fast-neutron-induced fission than for
      thermal neutron-induced fission. This has consequences for understanding and
      modeling the fission process, for experimental nuclear structure studies of the
      most neutron-rich nuclei, for future energy applications (e.g., Generation IV
      reactors which use fast-neutron spectra), and for the reactor antineutrino
      anomaly.

PMID- 28621972
TI  - Warm Dense Matter Demonstrating Non-Drude Conductivity from Observations of
      Nonlinear Plasmon Damping.
AB  - We present simulations using finite-temperature density-functional-theory
      molecular dynamics to calculate the dynamic electrical conductivity in warm dense
      aluminum. The comparison between exchange-correlation functionals in the Perdew
      Burke-Enzerhof and Heyd-Scuseria-Enzerhof (HSE) approximation indicates evident
      differences in the density of states and the dc conductivity. The HSE
      calculations show excellent agreement with experimental Linac Coherent Light
      Source x-ray plasmon scattering spectra revealing plasmon damping below the
      widely used random phase approximation. These findings demonstrate non-Drude-like
      behavior of the dynamic conductivity that needs to be taken into account to
      determine the optical properties of warm dense matter.

PMID- 28621974
TI  - Continuous Matrix Product States for Quantum Fields: An Energy Minimization
      Algorithm.
AB  - The generalization of matrix product states (MPS) to continuous systems, as
      proposed in the breakthrough Letter of Verstraete and Cirac [Phys. Rev. Lett.
      104, 190405 (2010).PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.104.190405], provides a
      powerful variational ansatz for the ground state of strongly interacting quantum
      field theories in one spatial dimension. A continuous MPS (cMPS) approximation to
      the ground state can be obtained by simulating a Euclidean time evolution. In
      this Letter we propose a cMPS optimization algorithm based instead on energy
      minimization by gradient methods and demonstrate its performance by applying it
      to the Lieb-Liniger model (an integrable model of an interacting bosonic field)
      directly in the thermodynamic limit. We observe a very significant computational
      speed-up, of more than 2 orders of magnitude, with respect to simulating a
      Euclidean time evolution. As a result, a much larger cMPS bond dimension D can be
      reached (e.g., D=256 with moderate computational resources), thus helping unlock
      the full potential of the cMPS representation for ground state studies.

PMID- 28621975
TI  - Gas Marbles: Much Stronger than Liquid Marbles.
AB  - Enwrapping liquid droplets with hydrophobic particles allows the manufacture of
      so-called "liquid marbles" [Aussillous and Quere Nature (London) 411, 924 (2001);
      NATUAS0028-083610.1038/35082026Mahadevan Nature (London)411, 895 (2001)NATUAS0028
      083610.1038/35082164]. The recent intensive research devoted to liquid marbles is
      justified by their very unusual physical and chemical properties and by their
      potential for various applications, from microreactors to water storage,
      including water pollution sensors [Bormashenko Curr. Opin. Colloid Interface Sci.
      16, 266 (2011)COCSFL1359-029410.1016/j.cocis.2010.12.002]. Here we demonstrate
      that this concept can be successfully applied for encapsulating and protecting
      small gas pockets within an air environment. Similarly to their liquid
      counterparts, those new soft-matter objects, that we call "gas marbles," can
      sustain external forces. We show that gas marbles are surprisingly tenfold
      stronger than liquid marbles and, more importantly, they can sustain both
      positive and negative pressure differences. This magnified strength is shown to
      originate from the strong cohesive nature of the shell. Those interesting
      properties could be exploited for imprisoning valuable or polluted gases or for
      designing new aerated materials.

PMID- 28621976
TI  - Dark Vibronic Polaritons and the Spectroscopy of Organic Microcavities.
AB  - Organic microcavities are photonic nanostructures that strongly confine the
      electromagnetic field, allowing exotic quantum regimes of light-matter
      interaction with disordered organic semiconductors. The unambiguous
      interpretation of the spectra of organic microcavities has been a long-standing
      challenge due to several competing effects involving electrons, vibrations, and
      cavity photons. Here we present a theoretical framework that is able to describe
      the main spectroscopic features of organic microcavities consistently. We
      introduce a class of light-matter excitations called dark vibronic polaritons,
      which strongly emit but only weakly absorb light in the same frequency region of
      the bare electronic transition. A successful comparison with experimental data
      demonstrates the applicability of our theory. The proposed microscopic
      understanding of organic microcavities paves the way for the development of
      optoelectronic devices enhanced by quantum optics.

PMID- 28621977
TI  - Photostrictive Two-Dimensional Materials in the Monochalcogenide Family.
AB  - Photostriction is predicted for group-IV monochalcogenide monolayers, two
      dimensional ferroelectrics with rectangular unit cells (the lattice vector a_{1}
      is larger than a_{2}) and an intrinsic dipole moment parallel to a_{1}.
      Photostriction is found to be related to the structural change induced by a
      screened electric polarization (i.e., a converse piezoelectric effect) in
      photoexcited electronic states with either p_{x} or p_{y} (in-plane) orbital
      symmetry that leads to a compression of a_{1} and a comparatively smaller
      increase of a_{2} for a reduced unit cell area. The structural change documented
      here is 10 times larger than that observed in BiFeO_{3}, making monochalcogenide
      monolayers an ultimate platform for this effect. This structural modification
      should be observable under experimentally feasible densities of photexcited
      carriers on samples that have been grown already, having a potential usefulness
      for light-induced, remote mechano-optoelectronic applications.

PMID- 28621978
TI  - Self-Similar Nanocavity Design with Ultrasmall Mode Volume for Single-Photon
      Nonlinearities.
AB  - We propose a photonic crystal nanocavity design with self-similar electromagnetic
      boundary conditions, achieving ultrasmall mode volume (V_{eff}). The electric
      energy density of a cavity mode can be maximized in the air or dielectric region,
      depending on the choice of boundary conditions. We illustrate the design concept
      with a silicon-air one-dimensional photon crystal cavity that reaches an
      ultrasmall mode volume of V_{eff}~7.01*10^{-5}lambda^{3} at lambda~1550  nm. We
      show that the extreme light concentration in our design can enable ultrastrong
      Kerr nonlinearities, even at the single-photon level. These features open new
      directions in cavity quantum electrodynamics, spectroscopy, and quantum nonlinear
      optics.

PMID- 28621979
TI  - Model of Cell Crawling Controlled by Mechanosensitive Adhesion.
AB  - We study the motility of model cells and biomimetic soft objects crawling over a
      substrate covered with adhesive linkers. The cell exerts traction forces on the
      substrate through the active periodic motion of molecular complexes to which the
      linkers bind and unbind stochastically. We first show that the diffusion
      coefficient of a force dipole (unable by symmetry to perform directed motion) is
      maximal for a finite ratio of the unbinding to binding rates, highlighting the
      role of adhesion kinetics on cell translocation. We next show that cells exerting
      more complex traction force distributions may exhibit directed motion only if the
      linkers are mechanosensitive, i.e., if the bonds' lifetime decreases (slip bonds)
      or increases (catch bonds) under stress. The average migration speed is higher in
      the catch-bond regime but so are the fluctuations, yielding a biased diffusive
      motion characterized by a Peclet number smaller than in the slip-bond regime.

PMID- 28621980
TI  - Converting Quasiclassical States into Arbitrary Fock State Superpositions in a
      Superconducting Circuit.
AB  - We propose and experimentally demonstrate a new method to generate arbitrary Fock
      state superpositions in a superconducting quantum circuit, where a qubit is
      dispersively coupled to a microwave cavity mode. Here, the qubit is used to
      conditionally modulate the probability amplitudes of the Fock state components of
      a coherent state to those of the desired superposition state, instead of pumping
      photons one by one into the cavity as in previous schemes. Our method does not
      require the adjustment of the qubit frequency during the cavity state preparation
      and is more robust to noise and accumulation of experimental errors compared to
      previous ones. Using the method, we experimentally generate phase eigenstates
      under various Hilbert-space dimensions and squeezed states, which are useful for
      the quantum walk and high-precision measurement.

PMID- 28621981
TI  - Adatom Extraction from Pristine Metal Terraces by Dissociative Oxygen Adsorption:
      Combined STM and Density Functional Theory Investigation of O/Ag(110).
AB  - The reconstruction and modification of metal surfaces upon O_{2} adsorption plays
      an important role in oxidation processes and in gauging their catalytic activity.
      Here, we show by employing scanning tunneling microscopy and the ab initio
      density functional theory that Ag atoms are extracted from pristine (110)
      terraces upon O_{2} dissociation, resulting in vacancies and in Ag-O complexes.
      The substrate roughening generates undercoordinated atoms and opens pathways to
      the Ag subsurface layer. With increasing O coverage, multiple vacancies give rise
      to remarkable structures. The mechanism is expected to be very general depending
      on the delicate interplay of energy and entropy, so that it may be active for
      other materials at different temperatures.

PMID- 28621982
TI  - Quantum Nonlinear Optics with a Germanium-Vacancy Color Center in a Nanoscale
      Diamond Waveguide.
AB  - We demonstrate a quantum nanophotonics platform based on germanium-vacancy (GeV)
      color centers in fiber-coupled diamond nanophotonic waveguides. We show that GeV
      optical transitions have a high quantum efficiency and are nearly lifetime
      broadened in such nanophotonic structures. These properties yield an efficient
      interface between waveguide photons and a single GeV center without the use of a
      cavity or slow-light waveguide. As a result, a single GeV center reduces
      waveguide transmission by 18+/-1% on resonance in a single pass. We use a
      nanophotonic interferometer to perform homodyne detection of GeV resonance
      fluorescence. By probing the photon statistics of the output field, we
      demonstrate that the GeV-waveguide system is nonlinear at the single-photon
      level.

PMID- 28621984
TI  - Lattice Effects on Nematic Quantum Criticality in Metals.
AB  - Theoretically, it is commonly held that in metals near a nematic quantum critical
      point the electronic excitations become incoherent on the entire "hot" Fermi
      surface, triggering non-Fermi-liquid behavior. However, such conclusions are
      based on electron-only theories, ignoring a symmetry-allowed coupling between the
      electronic nematic variable and a suitable crystalline lattice strain. Here, we
      show that including this coupling leads to entirely different conclusions because
      the critical fluctuations are mostly cut off by the noncritical lattice shear
      modes. At sufficiently low temperatures the thermodynamics remain Fermi-liquid
      type, while, depending on the Fermi surface geometry, either the entire Fermi
      surface stays cold, or at most there are hot spots. In particular, our
      predictions are relevant for the iron-based superconductors.

PMID- 28621983
TI  - Test of Special Relativity Using a Fiber Network of Optical Clocks.
AB  - Phase compensated optical fiber links enable high accuracy atomic clocks
      separated by thousands of kilometers to be compared with unprecedented
      statistical resolution. By searching for a daily variation of the frequency
      difference between four strontium optical lattice clocks in different locations
      throughout Europe connected by such links, we improve upon previous tests of time
      dilation predicted by special relativity. We obtain a constraint on the Robertson
      Mansouri-Sexl parameter |alpha|?1.1*10^{-8}, quantifying a violation of time
      dilation, thus improving by a factor of around 2 the best known constraint
      obtained with Ives-Stilwell type experiments, and by 2 orders of magnitude the
      best constraint obtained by comparing atomic clocks. This work is the first of a
      new generation of tests of fundamental physics using optical clocks and fiber
      links. As clocks improve, and as fiber links are routinely operated, we expect
      that the tests initiated in this Letter will improve by orders of magnitude in
      the near future.

PMID- 28621985
TI  - Quantum Secure Direct Communication with Quantum Memory.
AB  - Quantum communication provides an absolute security advantage, and it has been
      widely developed over the past 30 years. As an important branch of quantum
      communication, quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) promotes high security
      and instantaneousness in communication through directly transmitting messages
      over a quantum channel. The full implementation of a quantum protocol always
      requires the ability to control the transfer of a message effectively in the time
      domain; thus, it is essential to combine QSDC with quantum memory to accomplish
      the communication task. In this Letter, we report the experimental demonstration
      of QSDC with state-of-the-art atomic quantum memory for the first time in
      principle. We use the polarization degrees of freedom of photons as the
      information carrier, and the fidelity of entanglement decoding is verified as
      approximately 90%. Our work completes a fundamental step toward practical QSDC
      and demonstrates a potential application for long-distance quantum communication
      in a quantum network.

PMID- 28621986
TI  - Wigner Entropy Production Rate.
AB  - The characterization of irreversibility in general quantum processes is an open
      problem of increasing technological relevance. Yet, the tools currently available
      to this aim are mostly limited to the assessment of dynamics induced by
      equilibrium environments, a situation that often does not match the reality of
      experiments at the microscopic and mesoscopic scale. We propose a theory of
      irreversible entropy production that is suited for quantum systems exposed to
      general, nonequilibrium reservoirs. We illustrate our framework by addressing a
      set of physically relevant situations that clarify both the features and the
      potential of our proposal.

PMID- 28621987
TI  - Photoassociation of Trilobite Rydberg Molecules via Resonant Spin-Orbit Coupling.
AB  - We report on a novel method for the photoassociation of strongly polar trilobite
      Rydberg molecules. This exotic ultralong-range dimer, consisting of a ground
      state atom bound to the Rydberg electron via electron-neutral scattering,
      inherits its polar character from the admixture of high-angular-momentum
      electronic orbitals. The absence of low-L character hinders standard
      photoassociation techniques. Here, we show that for suitable principal quantum
      numbers the resonant coupling of the orbital motion with the nuclear spin of the
      perturber, mediated by electron-neutral scattering, hybridizes the trilobite
      molecular potential with the more conventional S-type molecular state. This
      provides a general path to associate trilobite molecules with large electric
      dipole moments, as demonstrated via high-resolution spectroscopy. We find a
      dipole moment of 135(45) D for the trilobite state. Our results are compared to
      theoretical predictions based on a Fermi model.

PMID- 28621988
TI  - Relaxation Decoupling in Metallic Glasses at Low Temperatures.
AB  - Upon cooling, glass-forming liquids experience a dynamic decoupling in the fast
      beta and slow alpha process, which has greatly influenced glass physics. By
      exploring an extremely wide temporal and temperature range, we find a surprising
      gradual change of the relaxation profile from a single-step to a two-step decay
      upon cooling in various metallic glasses. This behavior implies a decoupling of
      the relaxation in two different processes in a glass state: a faster one likely
      related to the anomalous stress-dominated microscopic dynamics, and a slower one
      associated with subdiffusive motion at larger scales with a broader distribution
      of relaxation times.

PMID- 28621990
TI  - Global Phase Diagram of a Three-Dimensional Dirty Topological Superconductor.
AB  - We investigate the phase diagram of a three-dimensional, time-reversal symmetric
      topological superconductor in the presence of charge impurities and random s-wave
      pairing. Combining complimentary field theoretic and numerical methods, we show
      that the quantum phase transition between two topologically distinct paired
      states (or thermal insulators), described by thermal Dirac semimetal, remains
      unaffected in the presence of sufficiently weak generic randomness. At stronger
      disorder, however, these two phases are separated by an intervening thermal
      metallic phase of diffusive Majorana fermions. We show that across the insulator
      insulator and metal-insulator transitions, normalized thermal conductance
      displays single parameter scaling, allowing us to numerically extract the
      critical exponents across them. The pertinence of our study in strong spin-orbit
      coupled, three-dimensional doped narrow gap semiconductors, such as
      Cu_{x}Bi_{2}Se_{3}, is discussed.

PMID- 28621991
TI  - New Approaches to Coding Information using Inverse Scattering Transform.
AB  - Remarkable mathematical properties of the integrable nonlinear Schrodinger
      equation (NLSE) can offer advanced solutions for the mitigation of nonlinear
      signal distortions in optical fiber links. Fundamental optical soliton,
      continuous, and discrete eigenvalues of the nonlinear spectrum have already been
      considered for the transmission of information in fiber-optic channels. Here, we
      propose to apply signal modulation to the kernel of the Gelfand-Levitan-Marchenko
      equations that offers the advantage of a relatively simple decoder design. First,
      we describe an approach based on exploiting the general N-soliton solution of the
      NLSE for simultaneous coding of N symbols involving 4*N coding parameters. As a
      specific elegant subclass of the general schemes, we introduce a soliton
      orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (SOFDM) method. This method is based
      on the choice of identical imaginary parts of the N-soliton solution eigenvalues,
      corresponding to equidistant soliton frequencies, making it similar to the
      conventional OFDM scheme, thus, allowing for the use of the efficient fast
      Fourier transform algorithm to recover the data. Then, we demonstrate how to use
      this new approach to control signal parameters in the case of the continuous
      spectrum.

PMID- 28621992
TI  - Chaotic Model for Levy Walks in Swarming Bacteria.
AB  - We describe a new mechanism for Levy walks, explaining the recently observed
      superdiffusion of swarming bacteria. The model hinges on several key physical
      properties of bacteria, such as an elongated cell shape, self-propulsion, and a
      collectively generated regular vortexlike flow. In particular, chaos and Levy
      walking are a consequence of group dynamics. The model explains how cells can
      fine-tune the geometric properties of their trajectories. Experiments confirm the
      spectrum of these patterns in fluorescently labeled swarming Bacillus subtilis.

PMID- 28621994
TI  - Nonmaximal theta_{23} Mixing at NOvA from Neutrino Decoherence.
AB  - In a study of a muon-neutrino disappearance at 810 km, the NOvA experiment finds
      flavor mixing of the atmospheric sector to deviate from maximal
      (sin^{2}theta_{23}=0.5) by 2.6sigma. The result is in tension with the 295-km
      baseline measurements of T2K, which are consistent with maximal mixing. We
      propose that theta_{23} is in fact maximal, and that the disagreement is a
      harbinger of environmentally induced decoherence. The departure from maximal
      mixing can be accounted for by an energy-independent decoherence of strength
      Gamma=(2.3+/-1.1)*10^{-23}  GeV.

PMID- 28621993
TI  - Dark Matter Search in a Proton Beam Dump with MiniBooNE.
AB  - The MiniBooNE-DM Collaboration searched for vector-boson mediated production of
      dark matter using the Fermilab 8-GeV Booster proton beam in a dedicated run with
      1.86*10^{20} protons delivered to a steel beam dump. The MiniBooNE detector, 490
      m downstream, is sensitive to dark matter via elastic scattering with nucleons in
      the detector mineral oil. Analysis methods developed for previous MiniBooNE
      scattering results were employed, and several constraining data sets were
      simultaneously analyzed to minimize systematic errors from neutrino flux and
      interaction rates. No excess of events over background was observed, leading to a
      90% confidence limit on the dark matter cross section parameter,
      Y=epsilon^{2}alpha_{D}(m_{chi}/m_{V})^{4}?10^{-8}, for alpha_{D}=0.5 and for dark
      matter masses of 0.01<m_{chi}<0.3  GeV in a vector portal model of dark matter.
      This is the best limit from a dedicated proton beam dump search in this mass and
      coupling range and extends below the mass range of direct dark matter searches.
      These results demonstrate a novel and powerful approach to dark matter searches
      with beam dump experiments.

PMID- 28621995
TI  - Two- and Three-Dimensional Probes of Parity in Primordial Gravity Waves.
AB  - We show that three-dimensional information is critical to discerning the effects
      of parity violation in the primordial gravity-wave background. If present,
      helical gravity waves induce parity-violating correlations in the cosmic
      microwave background (CMB) between parity-odd polarization B modes and parity
      even temperature anisotropies (T) or polarization E modes. Unfortunately, EB
      correlations are much weaker than would be naively expected, which we show is due
      to an approximate symmetry resulting from the two-dimensional nature of the CMB.
      The detectability of parity-violating correlations is exacerbated by the fact
      that the handedness of individual modes cannot be discerned in the two
      dimensional CMB, leading to a noise contribution from scalar matter
      perturbations. In contrast, the tidal imprints of primordial gravity waves
      fossilized into the large-scale structure of the Universe are a three-dimensional
      probe of parity violation. Using such fossils the handedness of gravity waves may
      be determined on a mode-by-mode basis, permitting future surveys to probe
      helicity at the percent level if the amplitude of primordial gravity waves is
      near current observational upper limits.

PMID- 28621996
TI  - Transient Dissipation and Structural Costs of Physical Information Transduction.
AB  - A central result that arose in applying information theory to the stochastic
      thermodynamics of nonlinear dynamical systems is the information-processing
      second law (IPSL): the physical entropy of the Universe can decrease if
      compensated by the Shannon-Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy change of appropriate
      information-carrying degrees of freedom. In particular, the asymptotic-rate IPSL
      precisely delineates the thermodynamic functioning of autonomous Maxwellian
      demons and information engines. How do these systems begin to function as
      engines, Landauer erasers, and error correctors? We identify a minimal, and thus
      inescapable, transient dissipation of physical information processing, which is
      not captured by asymptotic rates, but is critical to adaptive thermodynamic
      processes such as those found in biological systems. A component of transient
      dissipation, we also identify an implementation-dependent cost that varies from
      one physical substrate to another for the same information processing task.
      Applying these results to producing structured patterns from a structureless
      information reservoir, we show that "retrodictive" generators achieve the minimal
      costs. The results establish the thermodynamic toll imposed by a physical
      system's structure as it comes to optimally transduce information.

PMID- 28621997
TI  - Cooling a Harmonic Oscillator by Optomechanical Modification of Its Bath.
AB  - Optomechanical systems show tremendous promise for the high-sensitivity sensing
      of forces and modification of mechanical properties via light. For example,
      similar to neutral atoms and trapped ions, laser cooling of mechanical motion by
      radiation pressure can take single mechanical modes to their ground state.
      Conventional optomechanical cooling is able to introduce an additional damping
      channel to mechanical motion while keeping its thermal noise at the same level,
      and, as a consequence, the effective temperature of the mechanical mode is
      lowered. However, the ratio of the temperature to the quality factor remains
      roughly constant, preventing dramatic advances in quantum sensing using this
      approach. Here we propose an approach for simultaneously reducing the thermal
      load on a mechanical resonator while improving its quality factor. In essence, we
      use the optical interaction to dynamically modify the dominant damping mechanism,
      providing an optomechanically induced effect analogous to a phononic band gap.
      The mechanical mode of interest is assumed to be weakly coupled to its heat bath
      but strongly coupled to a second mechanical mode, which is cooled by radiation
      pressure coupling to a red-detuned cavity field. We also identify a realistic
      optomechanical design that has the potential to realize this novel cooling
      scheme.

PMID- 28621998
TI  - Hydrodynamic Electron Flow and Hall Viscosity.
AB  - In metallic samples of small enough size and sufficiently strong momentum
      conserving scattering, the viscosity of the electron gas can become the dominant
      process governing transport. In this regime, momentum is a long-lived quantity
      whose evolution is described by an emergent hydrodynamical theory. Furthermore,
      breaking time-reversal symmetry leads to the appearance of an odd component to
      the viscosity called the Hall viscosity, which has attracted considerable
      attention recently due to its quantized nature in gapped systems but still eludes
      experimental confirmation. Based on microscopic calculations, we discuss how to
      measure the effects of both the even and odd components of the viscosity using
      hydrodynamic electronic transport in mesoscopic samples under applied magnetic
      fields.

PMID- 28621999
TI  - Laboratory Observation of a Plasma-Flow-State Transition from Diverging to
      Stretching a Magnetic Nozzle.
AB  - An axial magnetic field induced by a plasma flow in a divergent magnetic nozzle
      is measured when injecting the plasma flow from a radio frequency (rf) plasma
      source located upstream of the nozzle. The source is operated with a pulsed rf
      power of 5 kW, and the high density plasma flow is sustained only for the initial
      ~100  MUsec of the discharge. The measurement shows a decrease in the axial
      magnetic field near the source exit, whereas an increase in the field is detected
      at the downstream side of the magnetic nozzle. These results demonstrate a
      spatial transition of the plasma-flow state from diverging to stretching the
      magnetic nozzle, where the importance of both the Alfven and ion Mach numbers is
      shown.

PMID- 28622001
TI  - Odd-Parity Superconductivity near an Inversion Breaking Quantum Critical Point in
      One Dimension.
AB  - We study how an inversion-breaking quantum critical point affects the ground
      state of a one-dimensional electronic liquid with repulsive interaction and spin
      orbit coupling. We find that regardless of the interaction strength, the critical
      fluctuations always lead to a gap in the electronic spin sector. The origin of
      the gap is a two-particle backscattering process, which becomes relevant due to
      renormalization of the Luttinger parameter near the critical point. The resulting
      spin-gapped state is topological and can be considered as a one-dimensional
      version of a spin-triplet superconductor. Interestingly, in the case of a
      ferromagnetic critical point, the Luttinger parameter is renormalized in the
      opposite manner, such that the system remains nonsuperconducting.

PMID- 28622002
TI  - Direct Photon Production at Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order.
AB  - We present the first calculation of direct photon production at next-to-next-to
      leading order (NNLO) accuracy in QCD. For this process, although the final-state
      cuts mandate only the presence of a single electroweak boson, the underlying
      kinematics resembles that of a generic vector boson plus jet topology. In order
      to regulate the infrared singularities present at this order, we use the N
      jettiness slicing procedure, applied for the first time to a final state that at
      the Born level includes colored partons but no required jet. We compare our
      predictions to ATLAS 8 TeV data and find that the inclusion of the NNLO terms in
      the perturbative expansion, supplemented by electroweak corrections, provides an
      excellent description of the data with greatly reduced theoretical uncertainties.

PMID- 28622003
TI  - The Effect of Campaign-Generated Interpersonal Communication on Campaign-Targeted
      Health Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - This study examined the effect of mass media campaign-generated conversations on
      campaign-targeted health outcomes, via a systematic meta-analysis of 28 studies
      (including 124 sub-studies and a total of 138,898 participants). The study also
      conducted a series of moderation analyses to examine the conditions under which
      interpersonal communication has larger effects on bringing about the desired
      outcomes. The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that campaign-generated
      conversations have a positive effect on inducing campaign-targeted outcomes (OR =
      1.28) and show that this effect is moderated by health topic addressed by the
      campaign, the type of outcome being targeted by the campaign, and with whom
      people converse, along with several other campaign-relevant and study-relevant
      variables. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

PMID- 28622005
TI  - Patients' Perspectives of Oral Healthcare Providers' Communication: Considering
      the Impact of Message Source and Content.
AB  - This study explores patients' perceptions of positive and negative communication
      experiences with dentists and dental hygienists using a sample of 267 individuals
      who reported having a general dental provider. Patients' oral health literacy,
      dental mistrust, use of dental health services, anxiety, and provider
      satisfaction are examined on the basis of reported communication experiences in
      the dental context. When comparing participants who had or had not experienced
      positive communication with a dentist, individuals with positive experiences
      demonstrated significantly higher levels of oral health literacy and provider
      satisfaction, as well as lower levels of dental mistrust. Participants who had
      experienced negative communication with a dentist reported significantly higher
      levels of anxiety and dental mistrust, as well as greater likelihood of ever
      leaving a dental practice, as compared to those without negative communication
      experiences. By contrast, positive and negative communication experiences with
      hygienists had limited impact on patient outcomes. Information derived from this
      investigation can be used by dental providers to guide communicative actions with
      patients, as well as by scholars to enhance existing theoretical explanations of
      the function of communication in dentistry.

PMID- 28622006
TI  - Using the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction to Understand College
      Students' Hookup Sex Beliefs, Intentions, and Behaviors.
AB  - Guided by the integrated model of behavioral prediction, this study explored the
      attitudinal, normative, and perceived control beliefs that predict college
      student hookup intentions and behavior. We first conducted elicitation research
      with six focus groups of undergraduate students to identify salient beliefs to
      inform questionnaire development, and then we collected and analyzed
      questionnaire data from 268 undergraduate students to explore the direct and
      indirect determinants that drive hookup behaviors. We compared proposed models
      that tested separate paths from determinants to intention and behavior to
      theoretical models that treated intention as a mediator of the determinant
      behavior relationship. The results indicate that in both the proposed and
      theoretical models, direct and indirect attitudes were the strongest predictors
      of intentions and behavior. Positive attitude beliefs were consistently and
      significantly correlated with both intention and behavior, while only select
      normative and control beliefs were so correlated. Finally, although the data fit
      both the proposed and theoretical models, the proposed models provided a more
      accurate fit. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of our results,
      and we offer directions for future research.

PMID- 28622004
TI  - Six-Month Morbidity and Mortality among Intensive Care Unit Patients Receiving
      Life-Sustaining Therapy. A Prospective Cohort Study.
AB  - RATIONALE: Understanding long-term outcomes of critically ill patients may inform
      shared decision-making in the intensive care unit (ICU). OBJECTIVES: To quantify
      6-month functional outcomes of general ICU patients, and develop a multivariable
      model comprising factors present during the first ICU day to predict which
      patients will return to their baseline function 6 months later. METHODS: We
      conducted a prospective cohort study in three medical ICUs and two surgical ICUs
      in three hospitals. We enrolled patients who spent at least 3 days in the ICU and
      received mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours and/or vasoactive
      infusions for more than 24 hours. RESULTS: We measured 6-month outcomes including
      survival, return to original place of residence, and physical and cognitive
      function. Of 303 enrolled patients, 299 (98.7%) had complete follow-up at 6
      months. Among the 169 patients (56.5%) who survived to 6 months, 82.8% returned
      home, 81.9% were able to toilet, 71.3% were able to ambulate 10 stairs, and 62.4%
      reported normal cognition. Overall, 31.1% of patients returned to their baseline
      status on these measures. Factors associated with not returning to baseline
      included higher APACHE III score, being a medical patient, older age, nonwhite
      race, recent hospitalization, prior transplantation, and a history of cancer or
      of neurologic or liver disease. A model including only these Day 1 factors had
      good discrimination (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.778;
      95% confidence interval, 0.724-0.832) and calibration (difference between
      observed and expected P value, 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients spending at
      least 3 days in an ICU and requiring even brief periods of life-sustaining
      therapy, nearly one-half will be dead and less than one-third will have returned
      to their baseline status at 6 months. Of those who survive, the majority of
      patients will be back at home at 6 months. Future research is needed to validate
      this multivariable model, including readily available patient characteristics
      available on the first ICU day, that seems to identify patients who will return
      to baseline at 6 months.

PMID- 28622007
TI  - Starting Off on the Best Foot: A Review of Message Framing and Message Tailoring,
      and Recommendations for the Comprehensive Messaging Strategy for Sustained
      Behavior Change.
AB  - Health promotion programs represent a salient means through which physical
      activity promoters can cultivate positive health behavior change and maintenance.
      The messages communicated within these programs serve as an essential component
      as they are often used to convey valuable information, resources, or tools that
      facilitate health behavior initiation and sustained engagement. Identifying the
      most effective way to communicate health promotion information is, therefore, of
      considerable importance to ensuring that people not only attend to these
      messages, but also connect with and internalize the information conveyed within
      them. This paper was written to (1) summarize and evaluate the most prominent
      reviewed research approaches of message framing and tailoring to message design;
      and (2) offer a comprehensive messaging strategy to promote sustained health
      behavior change. A review of the literature demonstrated that a messaging
      strategy that has consistently led to healthy behavior change has yet to be
      identified. Furthermore, scholars have articulated that a multi-theoretical
      approach that places emphasis on facilitating motivation and healthy behavior
      change needs to be employed. Thus, this paper proposes and provides
      recommendations for employing the Comprehensive Messaging Strategy for Sustained
      Behavior Change (CMSSBC), which advocates tailoring messages to peoples' stage of
      change and framing them to focus on self-determined motives and intrinsic goals.

PMID- 28622008
TI  - Sharing Tobacco and E-Cigarette Information: Predicting its Occurrence and
      Valence among Youth and Young Adults.
AB  - While interpersonal communication has been shown to influence smoking-related
      outcomes, mostly in the context of interventions, there is not much research
      showing what drives young people to talk about tobacco or e-cigarettes.
      Additionally, the changing media environment calls for research that expands the
      scope of what is included as interpersonal communication to include not just
      conversations but also online forms of communicating information. This study puts
      forth sharing as such a concept, and examines its prevalence and predictors in
      the context of tobacco and e-cigarette information. Using a nationally
      representative rolling cross-sectional (N = 9,115) and recontact (N = 2,413)
      survey of 13-25-year olds, this study found that most young people shared
      negatively about tobacco (56% of 1,514 tobacco sharers at Time 1) and mixed
      information about e-cigarettes (41% of 968 e-cigarette sharers). Sharing
      occurrence was predicted by topical relevance and recent exposure to information,
      while pro-tobacco and pro-e-cigarette sharing (compared to no sharing) were
      predicted by relevance, and descriptive and injunctive norms. Significant
      moderation analyses showed that perceived norms undermined the effect of
      relevance on the valence in which one shared about tobacco and e-cigarettes.
      These findings provide a foundation upon which to build subsequent research on
      the impact of sharing, which could help inform future tobacco and e-cigarette
      control efforts.

PMID- 28622009
TI  - miR-139-5p Represses BMSC Osteogenesis via Targeting Wnt/beta-Catenin Signaling
      Pathway.
AB  - Osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has played a necessary role in the
      repair of bone. According to some reports, microRNAs participate in different
      physiological activity of the cells, including cell differentiation. This study
      investigated the function that miR-139-5p plays in the osteogenic differentiation
      of human bone marrow MSCs (hBMSCs). In addition to miR-139-5p, the effects of
      alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a membrane-bound metalloenzyme that is considered an
      early osteogenic differentiation marker, have also been investigated. Calcium
      rich deposit (mineralization) is also a typical osteogenic differentiation marker
      that could be visualized by alizarin red S (ARS) staining. Inhibiting miR-139-5p
      notably promotes the hBMSC osteoblast differentiation, which, however, will be
      reduced by overexpressed miR-139-5p. This result has been made based on the
      alternations of ALP activity, ARS staining, as well as expression of osteogenic
      genes, including runt-related gene-2 (Runx2), collagen I (Col-1), and osteocalcin
      (OCN). miR-139-5p exerts its role in BMSC osteogenesis most probably through the
      Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, by direct targeting CTNNB1 and frizzled 4 (FZD4),
      essential factors of Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. In conclusion, according to the
      present study, inhibiting miR-139-5p could be a promising strategy in hBMSC
      osteogenesis.

PMID- 28622010
TI  - "Are You In or Are You Out?!" Moral Appeals to the Public in Organ Donation
      Poster Campaigns: A Multimodal and Ethical Analysis.
AB  - Organ transplantation is a well-established practice in modern medicine. However,
      many countries, especially those with an opt-in regulation, face the problem of
      low donation numbers. Respective public campaigns attempt to increase the number
      of donors by swaying public opinion with the use of carefully selected bits of
      information. Germany serves as a case study for an opt-in country investing
      approximately ?7.5 million/year in the distribution of respective campaigns. To
      address diverse populations, large-scale posters in various public spaces still
      display a multitude of moral messages for organ donation. We developed a detailed
      multimodal approach for the analysis of health communication by focusing
      exemplarily on such organ donation poster campaigns as a common mean since the
      1990s. In all, we identified 13 campaigns with 83 posters from 1996 to 2016.
      Here, we focus on both the textual and visual elements of such material to
      analyze how morally relevant principles and virtues are interwoven. Six
      categories of moral appeals were identified in the complete sample: altruism,
      being a decisive person, family responsibility, minimizing suffering, social
      conformity, and complete reciprocity. Overall, visual items were used to create a
      variety of social, moral, and epistemic claims with respect to organ donation.
      Our analysis reveals critical aspects highlighting the potential conflicts that
      arise from the ambiguity and wrong information of some messages as well as the
      risk of inappropriate blaming driven by these campaigns.

PMID- 28622011
TI  - Breaking Bad News in Veterinary Medicine.
AB  - The patient-provider relationship in the context of veterinary medicine
      represents a unique opportunity for studying how bad news is communicated to pet
      owners by conducting structured interviews with veterinarians. A sample of 44
      veterinarians' responses was recorded and content-analyzed in an effort to
      identify themes among providers in their clinical experience of breaking bad news
      (BBN). Two coders revealed several themes in the data that were organized by
      three overarching areas: (1) breaking bad news in general, (2) euthanasia, and
      (3) social support. The findings from interviews indicated the COMFORT model
      (Villagran, Goldsmith, Wittenberg-Lyles, & Baldwin, 2010) in medical education
      provided a useful framework to organize the communication of BBN in veterinary
      medicine. Results were discussed in relation to future research in patient
      provider communication and COMFORT's potential value for training students in
      veterinarian education.

PMID- 28622012
TI  - Tracheobronchomalacia Is Associated with Increased Morbidity in Bronchopulmonary
      Dysplasia.
AB  - RATIONALE: Tracheobronchomalacia is a common comorbidity in neonates with
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia. However, the effect of tracheobronchomalacia on the
      clinical course of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is not well-understood. OBJECTIVE:
      We sought to assess the impact of tracheobronchomalacia on outcomes in neonates
      with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in a large, multi-center cohort. METHODS: We
      preformed a cohort study of 974 neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia admitted
      to 27 neonatal intensive care units participating in the Children's Hospital
      Neonatal Database who had undergone bronchoscopy. In hospital morbidity for
      neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and tracheobronchomalacia (N=353, 36.2%)
      was compared to those without tracheobronchomalacia (N=621, 63.8%) using mixed
      effects multivariate regression. RESULTS: Neonates with tracheobronchomalacia and
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia had more comorbidities, such as gastroesophageal
      reflux (OR=1.65, 95%CI 1.23- 2.29, P=0.001) and pneumonia (OR=1.68, 95%CI 1.21
      2.33, P=0.002) and more commonly required surgeries such as tracheostomy
      (OR=1.55, 95%CI 1.15-2.11, P=0.005) and gastrostomy (OR=1.38, 95%CI 1.03-1.85,
      P=0.03) compared with those without tracheobronchomalacia. Neonates with
      tracheobronchomalacia were hospitalitized (118 +/- 93 vs 105 +/- 83 days, P=0.02)
      and ventilated (83.1 +/- 91.1 vs 67.2 +/- 71.9 days, P=0.003) longer than those
      without tracheobronchomalacia. Upon discharge, neonates with
      tracheobronchomalacia and BPD were more likely to be mechanically ventilated
      (OR=1.37, 95CI 1.01-1.87 P=0.045) and possibly less likely to receive oral
      nutrition (OR=0.69, 95%CI 0.47-1.01, P=0.058). CONCLUSIONS: Tracheobronchomalacia
      is common in neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia who undergo bronchoscopy
      and is associated with longer and more complicated hospitalizations.

PMID- 28622013
TI  - Acetazolamide Use in Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Pros and Cons.
AB  - Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitor sometimes used as a
      respiratory stimulant for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) with the goal of improving oxygenation, reducing carbon dioxide retention,
      and aiding liberation from mechanical ventilation and/or attempting to correct a
      metabolic alkalosis. However, the net effect of CA inhibition is multifactorial
      and complex, because CA is inhibited in many tissues that may negatively affect
      the patient with lung disease. The full impact of acetazolamide and other CA
      inhibitors depends critically on dosing, age, and pulmonary, renal, hepatic,
      hematological, and respiratory muscle function and reserves. This review examines
      the literature and indications for acetazolamide use in patients with COPD dating
      back to its initial release 6 decades ago. There are very few studies
      specifically designed to address the population with severe COPD, as such
      patients were frequently excluded from trials. We therefore discuss the
      complexity of CA inhibition and its potential benefits and dangers and describe
      ways in which the pathophysiology of patients with severe COPD puts them at
      considerable risk for serious adverse consequences. We offer guidance on the
      careful and rational use of acetazolamide in patients with respiratory disorders.

PMID- 28622014
TI  - Relationship between anterior occlusion and frontal sinus size.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between anterior occlusion and frontal
      sinus size. METHODS: The patient database at the Eastman Institute for Oral
      Health, University of Rochester, was searched for male patients older than 15
      years and females older than 13 years of age. After applying inclusion and
      exclusion criteria, participants' photos and lateral cephalometric and
      posteroanterior radiographs were examined then classified into a control class I
      group (n = 20, 15.7 +/- 2.7 years) and eight malocclusion groups (n = 136, 16.1
      +/- 2.1 years). The frontal sinus area on the lateral cephalometric radiograph
      and on the posteroanterior radiograph were measured and compared between groups.
      RESULTS: One-way analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference among
      all nine groups (P = .0001). Pairwise comparison showed a significant difference
      between the class I group and all other malocclusion groups (P < .05) except the
      edge-to-edge group for both radiographs and except the bimaxillary protrusion
      group for the lateral cephalometric radiographs. Tukey's method was not able to
      demonstrate a significant difference among the subgroups of skeletal
      malocclusions (P > .05). Linear regression analyses with stepwise model selection
      demonstrated that anterior cranial base, mandibular plane angle, and upper
      incisor inclination commonly have a significant effect on frontal sinus size.
      CONCLUSION: The frontal sinus size could be used as an indicator of harmonious
      anterior occlusion. There were no differences among the subgroups of each
      skeletal malocclusion. The anterior cranial base, facial height, and maxillary
      incisor inclination appear to have a significant effect on frontal sinus size.

PMID- 28622000
TI  - Observation of psi(3686)->e^{+}e^{-}chi_{cJ} and chi_{cJ}->e^{+}e^{-}J/psi.
AB  - Using 4.479*10^{8}  psi(3686) events collected with the BESIII detector, we
      search for the decays psi(3686)->e^{+}e^{-}chi_{cJ} and chi_{cJ}->e^{+}e^{
      }J/psi, where J=0, 1, 2. The decays psi(3686)->e^{+}e^{-}chi_{cJ} and chi_{cJ}
      >e^{+}e^{-}J/psi are observed for the first time. The measured branching
      fractions are B(psi(3686)->e^{+}e^{-}chi_{cJ})=(11.7+/-2.5+/-1.0)*10^{-4}, (8.6+/
      0.3+/-0.6)*10^{-4}, (6.9+/-0.5+/-0.6)*10^{-4} for J=0, 1, 2, and B(chi_{cJ}
      >e^{+}e^{-}J/psi)=(1.51+/-0.30+/-0.13)*10^{-4}, (3.73+/-0.09+/-0.25)*10^{-3},
      (2.48+/-0.08+/-0.16)*10^{-3} for J=0, 1, 2, respectively. The ratios of the
      branching fractions B(psi(3686)->e^{+}e^{-}chi_{cJ})/B(psi(3686)->gammachi_{cJ})
      and B(chi_{cJ}->e^{+}e^{-}J/psi)/B(chi_{cJ}->gammaJ/psi) are also reported. Also,
      the alpha values of helicity angular distributions of the e^{+}e^{-} pair are
      determined for psi(3686)->e^{+}e^{-}chi_{c1,2} and chi_{c1,2}->e^{+}e^{-}J/psi.

PMID- 28622015
TI  - The first whole genome sequence and pathogenicity characterization of a fowl
      adenovirus 4 isolated from ducks associated with inclusion body hepatitis and
      hydropericardium syndrome.
AB  - In June 2015, an infectious disease with high prevalence causing severe
      hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) first appeared in duck farms of northeast China.
      The disease showed high morbidity of 35% and mortality of 15% in a commercial
      duck farm with 200,000 45-day-old ducks. One strain of hypervirulent fowl
      adenovirus serotype 4 was identified and designated as HLJDAd15. The whole genome
      of the duck isolate was sequenced and found to contain the same large deletions
      as a genotype that has become prevalent in chickens in China recently, indicating
      that this disease might be transmitted from chickens to ducks. The pathogenicity
      of HLJDAd15 was evaluated in SPF chickens and ducks. The results showed that
      chickens were more susceptible to this new genotype of fowl adenovirus, and it
      was more difficult to infect ducks than chickens with the duck origin virus.
      Thus, it appears that this severe HPS in ducks is far more likely to have been
      transmitted from chickens to ducks than from ducks to ducks. Therefore,
      transmission from chickens to ducks constitutes a threat to the duck farming
      industry, and this transmission route is a very important consideration for the
      prevention and control of the new genotype of fowl adenovirus. This is the first
      whole genome sequence of a FAdV-4 isolated from ducks, and this information is
      important for understanding the molecular characteristics and evolution of
      aviadenoviruses. The potential risks of infection with this new hypervirulent
      FAdV-4 genotype in chickens and ducks urgently require an effective vaccine.

PMID- 28622016
TI  - Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Is Involved in Nucleus Pulposus Degeneration and
      Attenuates Low pH-Induced Apoptosis of Rat Nucleus Pulposus Cells.
AB  - The microenvironment of degenerative intervertebral disk (IVD) is characteristic
      of a high concentration of lactic acid and low pH levels, whereas the underlying
      mechanism has not been clearly defined. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the hub of
      interactions between environmental signals and cellular biological functions, the
      malfunction of which is closely involved in the pathogenesis of multiple
      disorders, including IVD degeneration (IVDD). This research mainly aims at
      exploring what role ER stress plays in the natural process of IVDD and pH-induced
      apoptosis of rat nucleus pulposus (NP) cells (NPCs). The IVD of Sprague-Dawley
      rats at different ages was stained by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining to visualize the
      histocytological changes during the nature process of IVDD. Immunohistochemical
      staining was performed to evaluate the expression of ER stress markers within
      normal and degenerated NP. The ER stress markers were also quantified by
      quantitative real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting
      analysis, respectively. NPCs were exposed to the culturing media with acidity of
      pH 7.4, 7.0, 6.5, or 6.0 for 24-72 h, with or without the supplement of 4
      phenylbutyrayte (4-PBA, the blocker of ER stress pathways). Changes in cell
      viability were evaluated by CCK-8 assay and neutral red assay, whereas apoptosis
      was stained by Annexin-V/PI staining and quantified by flow cytometry analysis.
      The acidity-induced changes in the expression of ER stress markers were studied
      by immunofluorescent staining, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting analysis. In vivo,
      the expression of GRP78 and XBP1 was downregulated whereas CHOP and Caspase12
      were upregulated in natural degeneration. In vitro, low pH induced apoptosis of
      rat NPCs; prolonged exposure of acid reduced cell viability and caused
      upregulation of ER stress markers. 4-PBA was used to alleviate ER stress, and it
      promoted acid-induced apoptosis of NPCs. ER stress is involved in NP natural
      degeneration and attenuates low-pH-induced apoptosis of NPCs.

PMID- 28622017
TI  - "Less Is More" Approach for Management of Intrapleural Sepsis.

PMID- 28622018
TI  - Reply: "Less Is More" Approach for Management of Intrapleural Sepsis.

PMID- 28622019
TI  - Patient Perceptions of Illness Identity in Cancer Clinical Trial Decision-Making.
AB  - When patients are diagnosed with cancer, they begin to negotiate their illness
      identity in relation to their past and future selves, their relationships, and
      their group memberships. Thus, how patients view their cancer in relation to
      their other identities may affect how and why they make particular decisions
      about treatment options. Using the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), the
      current study explores: (1) how and why illness identity is framed across
      identity layers in relation to one particular cancer treatment: participation in
      a cancer clinical trial (CT); and (2) how and why patients experience identity
      conflicts while making their treatment decisions. Semi-structured, in-depth
      interviews were analyzed for 46 cancer patients who were offered a CT. Results of
      a grounded theory analysis indicated that patients expressed separate identity
      frames (e.g., personal, relational, and communal), aligned identity frames (e.g.,
      personal and communal), and identity conflicts (e.g., personal-personal). This
      study theoretically shows how and why patient illness identity relates to cancer
      treatment decision-making as well as how and why patients relate (and conflict)
      with the cancer communal identity frame. Practical implications include how
      healthcare providers and family members can support patient decision-making
      through awareness of and accommodating to identity shifts.

PMID- 28622020
TI  - The effect of direct and indirect force transmission on peri-implant bone stress 
      a contact finite element analysis.
AB  - In almost all finite element (FE) studies in dentistry, virtual forces are
      applied directly to dentures. The purpose of this study was to develop a FE model
      with non-linear contact simulation using an antagonist as force transmitter and
      to compare this with a similar model that uses direct force transmission.
      Furthermore, five contact situations were created in order to examine their
      influence on the peri-implant bone stresses, which are relevant to the survival
      rate of implants. It was found that the peri-implant bone stresses were strongly
      influenced by the kind of force transmission and contact number.

PMID- 28622021
TI  - Source Credibility and E-Cigarette Attitudes: Implications for Tobacco
      Communication.
AB  - As there are many conflicting sources of e-cigarette information, research is
      needed to determine the impact of these sources on e-cigarette attitudes to
      inform future communication campaigns. Source credibility is important in shaping
      attitudes toward other health topics; however, no study has examined its role in
      influencing e-cigarette attitudes. Data from the 2015 Health Information National
      Trends Survey-FDA (HINTS-FDA) were utilized to assess differences in trust in
      different sources by e-cigarette user status and to investigate the associations
      between trust in sources and e-cigarette attitudes (n = 3,738). Differences in
      trust in sources were examined using weighted linear regression. Associations
      between trust in sources of e-cigarette health effects and attitudes toward e
      cigarettes were assessed using weighted logistic regression. Overall, e-cigarette
      ever users reported significantly lower trust in governmental agencies as
      compared to never users. Trust in e-cigarette companies was negatively associated
      with perceived addictiveness of e-cigarettes (AOR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.58, 1.00),
      while trust in doctors/pharmacists/healthcare providers was negatively associated
      with harm perceptions of e-cigarettes relative to conventional cigarettes (AOR =
      0.72, 95% CI = 0.55, 0.95). Trust in tobacco companies and trust in e-cigarette
      companies were negatively associated with absolute perceived harm of e-cigarettes
      (AOR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.51, 0.95; AOR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.46, 0.79, respectively).
      Results from this study indicate that the associations between trust in sources
      of e-cigarette health effects and e-cigarette attitudes differ both by source and
      specific attitude assessed. Ultimately, future campaigns should incorporate
      messaging to discredit industry sources of information and utilize non
      governmental sources to effectively influence e-cigarette attitudes.

PMID- 28622022
TI  - Comparison of Clinical and Radiological Results in the Arthroscopic Repair of
      Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears With and Without the Anterior Attachment of the
      Rotator Cable.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The anterior rotator cable is critical in force transmission of the
      rotator cuff. However, few clinical studies have examined the correlation between
      the integrity of the anterior supraspinatus tendon and surgical outcomes in
      patients with rotator cuff tears. PURPOSE: To compare the clinical and structural
      outcomes of the arthroscopic repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears with and
      without anterior disruption of the supraspinatus tendon. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort
      study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: One hundred eighty-one shoulders available
      for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at least 6 months after arthroscopic rotator
      cuff repair, with a minimum 1-year follow-up, were enrolled. The anterior
      attachment of the rotator cable was disrupted in 113 shoulders (group A) and
      intact in 68 shoulders (group B). The mean age at the time of surgery in groups A
      and B was 59.6 and 59.2 years, respectively, and the mean follow-up period was
      24.2 and 25.1 months, respectively. RESULTS: There were statistically significant
      differences in the preoperative tear size and pattern and muscle fatty
      degeneration between the 2 groups ( P = .004, P = .008, and P < .001,
      respectively). At final follow-up, the mean visual analog scale (VAS) for pain
      score during motion was 1.31 +/- 0.98 and 1.24 +/- 0.90 in groups A and B,
      respectively ( P = .587). The mean Constant score was 77.5 +/- 11.2 and 78.0 +/-
      11.9 points in groups A and B, respectively ( P = .875). The mean University of
      California, Los Angeles score was 30.5 +/- 4.1 and 31.0 +/- 3.0 points in groups
      A and B, respectively ( P = .652). In assessing the repair integrity on
      postoperative MRI, the retear rate was 23.9% and 14.7% in groups A and B,
      respectively ( P = .029). CONCLUSION: Irrespective of involvement in the anterior
      attachment of the rotator cable, the mean 24-month follow-up demonstrated
      excellent pain relief and improvement in the ability to perform activities of
      daily living after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. However, tears with anterior
      disruption of the rotator cable showed a significantly larger and more complex
      tear pattern and more advanced fatty degeneration. Additionally, the retear rate
      was significantly higher in patients with a tear involving the anterior
      attachment of the rotator cable.

PMID- 28622023
TI  - Ending as Intended: The Educational Effects of an Epilogue to a TV Show Episode
      about Bipolar Disorder.
AB  - Entertainment persuasion theory was applied to investigate how an epilogue to a
      dramatic episode with an educational subtext about bipolar disorder affected
      viewer processing and response. In an experiment, viewers (N = 89) were randomly
      assigned to watch the episode either with or without an epilogue. Exposure to the
      epilogue increased recognition of the subtext. It also increased counterarguing
      against the subtext, but only among viewers less involved with the episode's
      story. The epilogue decreased social distance for people with bipolar disorder
      and decreased their belief that bipolar disorder is not treatable. These findings
      speak to the utility of epilogues as a tool to both reinforce intended
      entertainment-education messages and to combat misinformation. This function is
      particularly useful for entertainment portrayals of stigmatized conditions, which
      are at greater risk of being misunderstood. To avoid viewer reactance, epilogues
      should be paired with highly involving narratives.

PMID- 28621973
TI  - GW170104: Observation of a 50-Solar-Mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence at
      Redshift 0.2.
AB  - We describe the observation of GW170104, a gravitational-wave signal produced by
      the coalescence of a pair of stellar-mass black holes. The signal was measured on
      January 4, 2017 at 10?11:58.6 UTC by the twin advanced detectors of the Laser
      Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory during their second observing run,
      with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 13 and a false alarm rate less than 1 in
      70 000 years. The inferred component black hole masses are 31.2_{
      6.0}^{+8.4}M_{?} and 19.4_{-5.9}^{+5.3}M_{?} (at the 90% credible level). The
      black hole spins are best constrained through measurement of the effective
      inspiral spin parameter, a mass-weighted combination of the spin components
      perpendicular to the orbital plane, chi_{eff}=-0.12_{-0.30}^{+0.21}. This result
      implies that spin configurations with both component spins positively aligned
      with the orbital angular momentum are disfavored. The source luminosity distance
      is 880_{-390}^{+450}  Mpc corresponding to a redshift of z=0.18_{-0.07}^{+0.08}.
      We constrain the magnitude of modifications to the gravitational-wave dispersion
      relation and perform null tests of general relativity. Assuming that gravitons
      are dispersed in vacuum like massive particles, we bound the graviton mass to
      m_{g}<=7.7*10^{-23}  eV/c^{2}. In all cases, we find that GW170104 is consistent
      with general relativity.

PMID- 28622024
TI  - Comparison of Radiation Exposure from Fixed Table Fluoroscopy to a Portable C-Arm
      During Ureteroscopy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Current treatment practices within the field of endourology require
      the routine use of radiation exposure to provide adequate imaging during urologic
      procedures. One such procedure requiring repeated radiation exposure during
      treatment is ureteroscopy. We set out to compare estimated fluoroscopic radiation
      exposures employing fixed table and portable C-arm fluoroscopy. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A cross-sectional dosimetry phantom model was placed supine on both
      fixed fluoroscopy and standard operating room tables. The models were then
      exposed to three separate 5-minute runs of fluoroscopic exposure. Metal oxide
      semiconductor field effect transistor dosimeters were utilized in organ-specific
      locations to determine specific radiation exposure dosages. Absorbed radiation
      was determined for each organ location for both fluoroscopy units. Organ dose
      volumetric corrections were performed for skin and red bone marrow, to correct
      for the nonirradiated portion. Organ dose rate (ODR, mGy/s) and effective dose
      rate (EDR, mSv/s) were calculated, with values reported as mean +/- standard
      deviation. RESULTS: There were found to be statistically significant elevations
      for both total EDR and organ-specific dose rates with the use of fixed table
      fluoroscopy compared with C-arm fluoroscopy. EDR was found to be 0.0240 +/-
      0.0019 mSv/s for the fixed table unit and 0.0029 +/- 0.0005 mSv/s for the C-arm
      unit (p = 0.0024). Internal organs exposed to the most radiation during fixed
      table fluoroscopy included the gall bladder and stomach in comparison to C-arm
      fluoroscopy, which found elevated exposure in the kidneys, pancreas, and spleen.
      CONCLUSION: The routine use of fixed table fluoroscopy results in significantly
      elevated estimated organ doses and EDR when directly compared with C-arm
      fluoroscopy in model trials. This difference should be taken into consideration
      by practicing urologists when patient treatment requires the use of fluoroscopy
      to maintain radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable.

PMID- 28622026
TI  - The Moderating Effects of Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy on Responses to Graphic
      Health Warnings on Cigarette Packages: A Comparison of Smokers and Nonsmokers.
AB  - Do graphic pictorial health warnings (GPHWs) on cigarette packaging work better
      for some people than others? According to the Extended Parallel Process Model
      (EPPM), fear appeals should heighten positive change only if a person believes he
      or she is capable of change (i.e., self-efficacy). We exposed 242 smokers and 241
      nonsmokers (aged 18-29) in the Republic of Korea to either a GPHW or a text-only
      warning in a between-subjects experiment. Results indicated that the GPHW
      increased intentions and motivations to quit smoking (for smokers) and intentions
      and motivations to not start smoking (for nonsmokers). However, these effects
      were moderated by self-efficacy related to quitting or not starting smoking. For
      smokers, a GPHW was especially effective in increasing desires and intentions to
      quit for people high in self-efficacy and high in self-esteem. However, for
      nonsmokers, a GPHW was effective only when self-efficacy was high, regardless of
      self-esteem level. For smokers and nonsmokers, results were mediated by
      heightened perceived health estimation. Implications for understanding the
      effectiveness of warning labels on cigarettes, for the introduction of GPHWs in
      the Republic of Korea, and for the Extended Parallel Process Model, are
      discussed.

PMID- 28622025
TI  - Comparison of Concussion Rates Between NCAA Division I and Division III Men's and
      Women's Ice Hockey Players.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Examinations related to divisional differences in the incidence of
      sports-related concussions (SRC) in collegiate ice hockey are limited. PURPOSE:
      To compare the epidemiologic patterns of concussion in National Collegiate
      Athletic Association (NCAA) ice hockey by sex and division. STUDY DESIGN:
      Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: A convenience sample of men's and
      women's ice hockey teams in Divisions I and III provided SRC data via the NCAA
      Injury Surveillance Program during the 2009-2010 to 2014-2015 academic years.
      Concussion counts, rates, and distributions were examined by factors including
      injury activity and position. Injury rate ratios (IRRs) and injury proportion
      ratios (IPRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare concussion
      rates and distributions, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, 415 concussions were
      reported for men's and women's ice hockey combined. The highest concussion rate
      was found in Division I men (0.83 per 1000 athlete-exposures [AEs]), followed by
      Division III women (0.78/1000 AEs), Division I women (0.65/1000 AEs), and
      Division III men (0.64/1000 AEs). However, the only significant IRR was that the
      concussion rate was higher in Division I men than Division III men (IRR = 1.29;
      95% CI, 1.02-1.65). The proportion of concussions from checking was higher in men
      than women (28.5% vs 9.4%; IPR = 3.02; 95% CI, 1.63-5.59); however, this
      proportion was higher in Division I women than Division III women (18.4% vs 1.8%;
      IPR = 10.47; 95% CI, 1.37-79.75). The proportion of concussions sustained by
      goalkeepers was higher in women than men (14.2% vs 2.9%; IPR = 4.86; 95% CI, 2.19
      10.77), with findings consistent within each division. CONCLUSION: Concussion
      rates did not vary by sex but differed by division among men. Checking-related
      concussions were less common in women than men overall but more common in
      Division I women than Division III women. Findings highlight the need to better
      understand the reasons underlying divisional differences within men's and women's
      ice hockey and the need to develop concussion prevention strategies specific to
      each athlete population.

PMID- 28622027
TI  - Communicating with Sensation Seekers: An fMRI Study of Neural Responses to
      Antidrug Public Service Announcements.
AB  - This study examined the neural basis of processing high- and low-message
      sensation value (MSV) antidrug public service announcements (PSAs) in high (HSS)
      and low sensation seekers (LSS) using fMRI. HSS more strongly engaged the
      salience network when processing PSAs (versus LSS), suggesting that high-MSV PSAs
      attracted their attention. HSS and LSS participants who engaged higher level
      cognitive processing regions reported that the PSAs were more convincing and
      believable and recalled the PSAs better immediately after testing. In contrast,
      HSS and LSS participants who strongly engaged visual attention regions for
      viewing PSAs reported lower personal relevance. These findings provide
      neurobiological evidence that high-MSV content is salient to HSS, a primary
      target group for antidrug messages, and additional cognitive processing is
      associated with higher perceived message effectiveness.

PMID- 28622028
TI  - Prefrontal Activation During Executive Tasks Emerges Over Early Childhood:
      Evidence From Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy.
AB  - Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a brain imaging technique that
      is well-suited for use in young children, making it particularly useful for
      investigating the neural bases of the development of executive functions. In the
      present study, children (ages 4-10) underwent fNIRS while completing response
      inhibition and working memory tasks. While both tasks were associated with
      increases in oxyhemoglobin and decreases in deoxyhemoglobin, we found that
      strength of activation increased with age and with improvements in task
      performance. These findings support the relation between emerging executive
      functions and maturation of the prefrontal cortex.

PMID- 28622030
TI  - Age of Initiation and Internet Gaming Disorder: The Role of Self-Esteem.
AB  - The link between early initiation and problematic use has been observed for
      substance use disorders; however, this link has not been as clearly established
      for Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Available studies indicate that individuals
      who initiate Internet use at younger ages exhibit an increased risk for general
      Internet addiction. Prior research also suggests unique cognitive processes in
      online gaming, such that an individual's overall sense of self-worth can become
      contingent upon self-esteem derived from the gaming environment. The current
      research examines the mediational role of self-esteem variables in the
      relationship between age of initiation and IGD symptomatology. Data were analyzed
      from 1,044 adult participants (mean age = 30.90; standard deviation: 9.28; 35.0%
      female) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk who reported playing massively
      multiplayer online role-playing games. Age of gaming initiation is directly
      linked to IGD, as earlier age predicted overall IGD symptom severity (b = -0.10,
      95% confidence interval [CI: -0.17, -0.03]), controlling for self-esteem factors.
      In addition, self-esteem factors emerged as mediators of the effect, where global
      self-esteem served as a protective factor (b = -0.05, 95% CI: [-0.07, -0.02]) and
      high gaming-contingent self-worth (GCSW; b = -0.10, 95% CI: [-0.15, -0.04]) was
      associated with more negative outcomes. Earlier age of gaming initiation is
      associated with IGD symptomatology. Although risks of screen time are often
      referred to in terms of physical consequences, the present study provides support
      regarding the inclusion of self-esteem factors in the link between early use and
      IGD.

PMID- 28622031
TI  - Time Spent on Social Network Sites and Psychological Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - This meta-analysis examines the relationship between time spent on social
      networking sites and psychological well-being factors, namely self-esteem, life
      satisfaction, loneliness, and depression. Sixty-one studies consisting of 67
      independent samples involving 19,652 participants were identified. The mean
      correlation between time spent on social networking sites and psychological well
      being was low at r = -0.07. The correlations between time spent on social
      networking sites and positive indicators (self-esteem and life satisfaction) were
      close to 0, whereas those between time spent on social networking sites and
      negative indicators (depression and loneliness) were weak. The effects of
      publication outlet, site on which users spent time, scale of time spent, and
      participant age and gender were not significant. As most included studies used
      student samples, future research should be conducted to examine this relationship
      for adults.

PMID- 28622033
TI  - Adolescents' Perceptions of Popularity-Motivated Behaviors, Characteristics, and
      Relationships in Cyberspace and Cyber Aggression: The Role of Gender.
AB  - Research is increasingly revealing that adolescents utilize electronic
      technologies to promote and/or maintain their social standing among their peer
      group. Little is known about whether adolescents' perceptions of popularity
      motivated behaviors, characteristics, and relationships in cyberspace are
      associated with popularity-motivated cyber relational aggression. It is also
      unclear how gender might impact these associations, especially considering that
      adolescent girls and boys differ in regard to the type of behaviors,
      characteristics, and relationships they believe contribute to popularity. To this
      end, this study examined the potential moderating effect of gender on the
      association between adolescents' perceptions of popularity-motivated behaviors,
      characteristics, and relationships in cyberspace and their engagement in
      popularity-motivated cyber relational aggression over 1 year, from seventh to
      eighth grade. There were 217 eighth graders (51 percent female; M age = 12.13)
      from three middle schools in a large Midwestern city in the United States
      included in this research. They completed questionnaires on their popularity
      motivated behaviors, characteristics, and relationships in cyberspace and their
      perpetration of popularity-motivated cyber relational aggression during the
      seventh grade. One year later, they completed the perpetration of popularity
      motivated cyber relational aggression questionnaire. The results revealed that
      the association between popularity-motivated behaviors, characteristics, and
      relationships in cyberspace and the perpetration of popularity-motivated cyber
      relational aggression was stronger for girls, while such an association was not
      found for boys. These findings indicate the importance of considering cyberspace
      as an environment in which adolescents can enhance their social standing among
      peers from their school.

PMID- 28622035
TI  - Being Authentic on Facebook Has Same Health Benefits as In-Person Authentic
      Behavior.

PMID- 28622034
TI  - The Experiences of Newly Diagnosed Men Who Have Sex with Men Entering the HIV
      Care Cascade in Lima, Peru, 2015-2016: A Qualitative Analysis of Counselor
      Participant Text Message Exchanges.
AB  - Mobile phone technology (mHealth) is a promising tool that has been used to
      improve HIV care in high-risk populations worldwide. Understanding patient
      perspectives of newly diagnosed men who have sex with men (MSM) in Lima, Peru
      during linkage and engagement in the HIV care continuum can help close the gaps
      in care following initial HIV diagnosis and ensure retention in continuous care.
      From June 2015 to March 2016, as part of a randomized controlled trial, 40 MSM
      participants were linked to care with an mHealth intervention within 3 months of
      HIV diagnosis at Via Libre clinic. For 12 weeks, participants agreed to receive
      weekly predetermined, standardized short message service (SMS), WhatsApp(c),
      and/or Facebook(c) messages from an assigned HIV counselor. Text messaging was bi
      directional, meaning participants could also send messages to their counselor at
      any time. In this qualitative study, we coded and thematically analyzed 947 SMS,
      918 WhatsApp, and 2,694 Facebook bi-directional messages. Mean age of
      participants was 29.8 years (20-50); with 70 percent reporting some post-high
      school education and 73 percent self-identifying as homosexual. We identified six
      recurring themes that emerged from the data: (a) mental health symptoms; (b)
      coping behaviors; (c) interpersonal support; (d) physical symptoms; (e) HIV
      knowledge; and (f) care coordination. Participants sent text messages describing
      depressive symptoms and seeking mental health services during this initial stage
      of HIV care. For newly diagnosed MSM entering the HIV care continuum, a bi
      directional mHealth intervention provided support to facilitate care while
      eliciting deeply personal mental and emotional states. Future interventions could
      benefit from using mHealth interventions as ancillary support for clinicians.

PMID- 28622036
TI  - Molecular Targeted Drugs and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: Recent Progress and
      Future Perspectives.
AB  - Nowadays, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of tumor all over the
      world. When diagnosed, ~50%-60% of tumors have metastasized, thus resulting in a
      grim prognosis. Chemotherapy is regarded as standard treatment for patients with
      colorectal cancer, however, limitations of chemotherapy cannot be ignored, such
      as low selectivity, insufficient concentrations in tumor tissues, and systemic
      toxicity. Recently, six targeted drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and
      Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC),
      including bevacizumab, aflibercept, regorafenib, cetuximab, and panitumumab. The
      development of these drugs marked significant advancement in the field of mCRC
      therapy. The addition of biologic agents to chemotherapy has prolonged the median
      overall survival. Now, many investigational drugs are under clinical trials, of
      which programmed death (PD)-1/L1 has drawn much attention. In this review, new
      biologic agents under clinical trials such as MEK/MET/RAS/RAF/PD-1 inhibitors
      with potentials for mCRC treatment are concluded by describing targeted drugs
      approved by FDA, to offer new insights into global trends and future development.

PMID- 28622037
TI  - Inhibition of the AKT/mTOR Pathway Augments the Anticancer Effects of Sorafenib
      in Thyroid Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that has been approved for the
      treatment of patients with advanced 131iodine (131I) refractory differentiated
      thyroid cancer (DTC). However, the progression-free survival of patients with
      advanced 131I refractory DTC is short, and most DTC patients eventually acquire
      resistance to sorafenib. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies need to be
      developed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The thyroid cancer cell lines 8505C and FTC133
      were treated with sorafenib in the presence or absence of BEZ235 or small
      interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against AKT. A CCK8 kit was used to evaluate
      cell viability. Protein expression levels of relevant genes were determined by
      Western blotting analysis, whereas messenger RNA expression levels were
      determined by real-time PCR analysis. Flow cytometry was performed to assess the
      number of apoptotic cells. RESULTS: The results indicate that sorafenib
      simultaneously inhibited the activities of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in
      thyroid cancer cells. Treatment of 8505C and FTC133 cells with NVP-BEZ235, siRNA
      against AKT, or sorafenib induced tumor cell apoptosis and led to reduced tumor
      cell proliferation. Sorafenib in combination with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibition by NVP
      BEZ235 or AKT siRNA enhanced apoptosis and proliferation suppression.
      CONCLUSIONS: The evidence of this study suggests that a combinatorial approach
      that inhibits both the MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways exerts a greater antitumor
      effect than sorafenib alone in thyroid cancer cell lines.

PMID- 28622038
TI  - See Something, Say Something: Correction of Global Health Misinformation on
      Social Media.
AB  - Social media are often criticized for being a conduit for misinformation on
      global health issues, but may also serve as a corrective to false information. To
      investigate this possibility, an experiment was conducted exposing users to a
      simulated Facebook News Feed featuring misinformation and different correction
      mechanisms (one in which news stories featuring correct information were produced
      by an algorithm and another where the corrective news stories were posted by
      other Facebook users) about the Zika virus, a current global health threat.
      Results show that algorithmic and social corrections are equally effective in
      limiting misperceptions, and correction occurs for both high and low conspiracy
      belief individuals. Recommendations for social media campaigns to correct global
      health misinformation, including encouraging users to refute false or misleading
      health information, and providing them appropriate sources to accompany their
      refutation, are discussed.

PMID- 28622039
TI  - Determinants for craniofacial pains in children 6-8 years of age: the PANIC
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Determinants for orofacial pain, headache, morning headache and
      painful signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) were investigated in
      prepubertal children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The participants were a population
      sample of 439 children aged 6-8 years. Craniofacial pains, eating meals and
      snacks, sleep bruxism, sleep quality, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB),
      psychological well-being, parental education and household income were assessed
      by questionnaires filled out by the parents. Sleep duration was assessed using a
      combined heart rate and movement sensor and clinical signs of TMD and dental
      occlusion by a dentist. The determinants of pain conditions were analyzed using
      logistic regression. RESULTS: Of all 439 children, 26% had experienced orofacial
      pain and 31% headache during the past 3 months, 17% had suffered morning headache
      weekly and 13% had painful signs of TMD in a clinical examination. Restless sleep
      was associated with increased risk of orofacial pain, the painful signs of TMD
      and restless sleep with increased risk of headache and restless sleep, sleep
      bruxism and skipping meals with increased risk of morning headache after
      adjustment for other independent determinants of these pain conditions. Headache
      was associated with increased risk for painful signs of TMD. CONCLUSIONS:
      Craniofacial pains are common among prepubertal children. Prepubertal children
      with sleep bruxism, restless sleep and skipping meals have increased likelihood
      of craniofacial pains.

PMID- 28621989
TI  - Azimuthally Differential Pion Femtoscopy in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76
      TeV.
AB  - We present the first azimuthally differential measurements of the pion source
      size relative to the second harmonic event plane in Pb-Pb collisions at a center
      of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76  TeV. The
      measurements have been performed in the centrality range 0%-50% and for pion pair
      transverse momenta 0.2<k_{T}<0.7  GeV/c. We find that the R_{side} and R_{out}
      radii, which characterize the pion source size in the directions perpendicular
      and parallel to the pion transverse momentum, oscillate out of phase, similar to
      what was observed at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The final-state source
      eccentricity, estimated via R_{side} oscillations, is found to be significantly
      smaller than the initial-state source eccentricity, but remains positive
      indicating that even after a stronger expansion in the in-plane direction, the
      pion source at the freeze-out is still elongated in the out-of-plane direction.
      The 3+1D hydrodynamic calculations are in qualitative agreement with observed
      centrality and transverse momentum R_{side} oscillations, but systematically
      underestimate the oscillation magnitude.

PMID- 28622040
TI  - Analysis of differential genetic expression in endometrial polyps of
      postmenopausal women.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the expression of four genetic markers (PTEN, BCL2, MLH1,
      and CTNNB1), linked to endometrial carcinogenesis, in endometrial polyps of
      patients with and without postmenopausal bleeding in order to determine whether
      symptomatic endometrial polyps have a genetic phenotype similar to that of
      endometrial cancer. METHODS: Samples were obtained hysteroscopically from
      endometrial polyps of postmenopausal patients, and the expression of genetic
      markers involved in the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer (PTEN, BCL2, MLH1, and
      CTNNB1) was analyzed. The expression of these markers was then compared between
      patients with and without symptoms, which was characterized as postmenopausal
      bleeding. Other clinical characteristics of the patients, such as duration of
      menopause, polyp size, presence of systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and
      smoking habits were also analyzed. RESULTS: Samples from a total of 60 patients
      were obtained, as calculated for a test power of 0.80. No statistical differences
      (p > 0.05) were observed between the two groups concerning the expression of the
      studied endometrial cancer risk factor genes, or with regard to the clinical
      aspects evaluated. CONCLUSION: The study found no evidence that symptomatic
      endometrial polyps have a similar phenotype to type 1 endometrial cancer; further
      studies are needed in order to establish whether endometrial polyps are in fact
      true cancer precursors, or simply raise cancer incidence due to a detection bias.

PMID- 28622041
TI  - The effects of low-level laser therapy on the healing of bone defects in
      streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats: A histological and morphometric evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of low-level
      laser therapy (LLLT) on the healing of bone defects in rats with streptozotocin
      (STZ)-induced DM. METHODS: 28 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study.
      14 animals received a single dose of STZ intraperitoneally (65 mg/kg) to induce
      Type I DM, whereas others were injected only with sterile saline solution. Four
      weeks later, standard bone defects were created in the tibiae of rats. Surgical
      wounds in one group from each of the diabetic and non-diabetic animals were
      irradiated with diode laser for every other day for 4 weeks and they were
      described as DM + LLLT and CONT + LLLT groups, respectively. Remaining two groups
      received no laser treatment. New bone formation, osteoblast and blood vessel
      counts were calculated in histologic sections. RESULTS: DM group had
      significantly smaller bone area and lower blood vessel count when compared to DM
      + LLLT, CONT and CONT + LLLT groups (p < 0.05 for each). CONT and CONT + LLLT
      groups had significantly larger bone area than DM + LLLT group (p < 0.05 for
      both). CONCLUSIONS: LLLT application promoted vascularization and new bone
      formation in animals with DM to a limited extent, since it was unable to support
      the healing process up to the level of non-diabetic animals.

PMID- 28622042
TI  - The Relationship between the 24-hour Fluctuations in Schlemm's Canal and
      Intraocular Pressure: An Observational Study using High-Frequency Ultrasound
      Biomicroscopy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess 24-hour fluctuations in Schlemm's canal (SC) parameters (cross
      sectional area, perimeter) and intraocular pressure (IOP) and the relationship
      between these fluctuations in healthy individuals. METHODS: SC and IOP were
      examined in 29 participants at 2:30, 5:30, 11:30, 17:30, and 23:30 within one
      day. The superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal SC quadrants were evaluated
      using 80-MHz ultrasound biomicroscopy. RESULTS: SC parameters and IOP fluctuated
      significantly within 24 hours (all P < 0.05). After age, gender, axial length,
      and central corneal thickness were adjusted, compared with the baseline (23:30)
      value, the change in SC cross-sectional area was negatively associated with the
      change in IOP at 2:30, 5:30, 11:30, and 17:30 (beta = -0.072[-0.094, -0.049], 
      0.070[-0.102, -0.038], -0.046[-0.079, -0.013], and -0.033[-0.062, -0.004],
      respectively; P < 0.001, < 0.001, = 0.009, and = 0.028, respectively). The nasal
      (175.6 +/- 36.0 pixels) and inferior (174.8 +/- 36.0 pixels) SC cross-sectional
      areas were significantly larger than the superior area (156.2 +/- 27.1 pixels) (P
      = 0.018 and 0.048, respectively) at 23:30. The observable SC proportion did not
      change among the quadrants or measurement time points (all P > 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: SC cross-sectional area fluctuated throughout the day and was
      negatively associated with changes in IOP.

PMID- 28622043
TI  - Anterior Segment Injury by a High-Power Handheld Blue Laser Device.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report a case of severe anterior segment inflammation secondary to
      exposure to a high-power blue laser device. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 14
      year-old male presented with redness, pain and decreased vision in his left eye
      after exposure to blue laser. Examination indicated severe conjunctival injection
      associated with 4+ cells in the anterior chamber with fibrinous reaction. The
      posterior pole was normal. CONCLUSION: Blue laser devices are easily available
      through the Internet. These devices can cause devastating ocular injuries.
      National safety guidelines are required to regulate use.

PMID- 28622044
TI  - Effects of Notch signalling pathway on the relationship between vascular
      endothelial dysfunction and endothelial stromal transformation in
      atherosclerosis.
AB  - At present, with the improvement of living standards and population aging, the
      incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease is on the rise and has
      been a serious threat to human health. Statistics show that the current death
      caused by cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease has become the first cause
      of death has been increasing year by year. Therefore, studies on coronary heart
      disease and atherosclerosis (AS) have become a hot topic in clinical and basic
      research. In this study, the question of the effect of Notch signalling pathway
      on the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and endothelial stromal
      transformation in AS was studied in depth. Based on our results, we drew
      conclusions as follows. First, the Notch signalling pathway was activated in the
      atherosclerotic model; secondly, the Notch signalling pathway was demonstrated to
      enhance AS by promoting vascular endothelial dysfunction; thirdly, it was
      demonstrated that the Notch signalling pathway was mediated by promoting
      endothelial and to enhance AS; finally, we confirmed the endothelial function
      through the Notch signalling pathway to affect the transformation of endothelial
      stroma to achieve synergistic AS effect. The results of this study have a good
      guiding significance for the important role of Notch signalling in AS and
      indicate the ability to influence endothelial function and endothelial stromal
      transformation by intervening Notch signalling pathway and can affect the
      relationship between them, and thus eventually achieve the treatment of AS.

PMID- 28622045
TI  - Age-related characteristics of outpatients with anxiety disorders: the Leiden
      routine outcome monitoring study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: It has been hypothesised that clinically important age-related
      differences between adults with anxiety disorders exist; this study aims to
      elucidate these differences. METHODS: We analysed data from 1950 outpatients
      diagnosed with DSM-IV-TR anxiety disorders treated at a Dutch hospital or
      affiliated mental healthcare centres. Three age-groups (young- (18-25; n = 435),
      mid- (26-40; n = 788) and older adult (41-65; n = 727)) were compared with regard
      to social demographic characteristics, diagnostic characteristics, anxiety
      symptom profile, general psychiatric symptom profile and generic health status,
      in addition, linear analyses were carried out with age as a continuous variable.
      RESULTS: Average age was 36.48 years (SD 11.71), 62.8% were female. Significant
      associations with age emerged for gender, employment, education level, living
      situation, observed depression, agoraphobia (AP), social phobia, aches and pains,
      inner tension, sleep, interpersonal sensitivity, observed hostility, physical
      functioning, role limitations due to physical problems, vitality and bodily pain
      in categorical and continuous analyses. Self reported hostility was only
      significant in group-wise comparisons; role limitations due to emotional problems
      were only significant in linear analyses (all at p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This
      study identified clinically relevant differences between younger and older adult
      outpatients with anxiety disorders. Clinicians should take these findings into
      account, as they may support treatment.

PMID- 28622046
TI  - Online Research Club: A mentoring program for undergraduate students.

PMID- 28622047
TI  - Repositionable and retrievable Lotus Valve System for the treatment of bicuspid
      aortic stenosis: is it time to treat all valves?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: For a long time, a bicuspid valve has been considered a
      contraindication to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) due to worse
      procedural results. Currently available technologies are changing the scenario,
      with initial experiences reporting much better results with second-generation
      devices. Areas covered: This review will analyze the risk and potential pitfalls
      of TAVI on bicuspid valves and will try ascertain how the use of a new-generation
      fully repositionable device, the Lotus Valve System (LVS), could improve
      procedural and clinical results in bicuspid anatomies. Expert commentary: The LVS
      offers relevant potential advantages that could be helpful in bicuspid anatomies:
      its mechanical controlled expansion can reduce the risk of elliptical deployment;
      its adaptive seal may reduce final paravalvular leak and give the possibility of
      checking the final result before final deployment, with the opportunity of fully
      resheating or repositioning, which is crucial to minimize malpositioning and
      abolish final residual gradients. Although limited in population, preliminary
      data show good outcomes with LVS on bicuspid anatomies. Future studies are to be
      encouraged to confirm whether this device could be considered the first choice in
      this challenging anatomy and whether clinical outcomes, in presence of an
      excellent procedural result, could be ever compared to those obtained with
      surgery.

PMID- 28622048
TI  - A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, phase III study of shortening the
      dosing interval of subcutaneous tocilizumab monotherapy in patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to subcutaneous tocilizumab every
      other week: Results of the 12-week double-blind period.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous tocilizumab (TCZ
      SC) monotherapy every week (qw) versus every other week (q2w) in patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis who had an inadequate response to TCZ-SC q2w. METHODS: Adult
      patients in Japan with inadequate response to TCZ-SC q2w were randomized to
      either TCZ-SC 162 mg qw monotherapy or TCZ-SC 162 mg q2w monotherapy for 12 weeks
      (double-blind). The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in adjusted
      Disease Activity Score 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) at week 12.
      Efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics were assessed. RESULTS: TCZ-SC qw was
      superior to TCZ-SC q2w for adjusted mean change in DAS28-ESR from baseline to
      week 12. The difference in the change in DAS28-ESR between TCZ-SC qw and q2w was 
      1.21 (95%CI: -2.13, -0.30, p = .0108). A higher proportion of patients receiving
      TCZ-SC qw achieved DAS28-ESR remission/low disease activity than TCZ-SC q2w.
      Adverse events were 71.4% and 66.7% for TCZ-SC qw and q2w, respectively;
      infection was the most common event with one fatal case with TCZ-SC qw.
      CONCLUSIONS: In patients with inadequate response to TCZ-SC q2w, shortening the
      dosing interval to qw improved efficacy with acceptable tolerability. Occurrence
      of infection for both TCZ q2w and qw is important and needs careful attention.

PMID- 28622049
TI  - The efficacy and safety of estriol to treat vulvovaginal atrophy in
      postmenopausal women: a systematic literature review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of estriol for the treatment of
      vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women. METHODS: A systematic literature
      review was performed. We searched the following electronic databases: Medline,
      Cochrane, Embase, Lilacs, CINHAL and Google Scholar. The studies selected
      included controlled clinical trials and quasi-experimental studies. Selections
      were made in pairs and independently, first by title and abstract and then
      complete texts. RESULTS: We identified 188 studies, 22 of which met the inclusion
      criteria; 13 were controlled clinical trials and nine were quasi-experimental,
      and 1217 women were included. These studies confirmed the efficacy of local
      estrogens to treat symptoms of vulvovaginal atrophy with few adverse effects
      reported. Following treatment, serum estriol levels rose, peaking at 1 h. At the
      6-month follow-up, there was no increase in serum estriol in treated women.
      CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence (of low and moderate quality) shows that,
      when administered vaginally, estriol preparations appear to be safe for women who
      have risk factors related to systemic estrogen therapy.

PMID- 28622050
TI  - Serum and Aqueous Humor Levels of Fetuin-A in Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate serum and aqueous humor levels of fetuin-A in patients with
      pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEXS) in comparison with those of age- and sex
      matched healthy subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included
      25 patients with PEXS and 25 control subjects who were undergoing cataract
      surgery without any systemic or ocular disease. Aqueous humor and serum fetuin-A
      levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. RESULTS: The
      mean age of the PEXS group (14 males, 11 females, n = 25) was 57.7 +/- 6.9 years,
      and the control group (13 males, 12 females, n = 25) was 58.1 +/- 5.7 years.
      There was no difference between the groups in terms of age (p = 0.77) and sex (p
      = 0.83). The mean serum fetuin-A level of the PEXS group did not differ from that
      of the control group (p = 0.53). The mean aqueous humor level of the PEXS group
      was significantly higher than that of the control group (p = 0.032). There were
      no significant correlations between aqueous humor and serum fetuin-A levels among
      patients with PEXS and control group (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of
      fetuin-A in aqueous humor of patients with PEXS may show the local effect of
      fetuin-A on the anterior segment. With considering the wide range of possible
      biological functions of fetuin-A in the pathogenesis of PEXS, further studies are
      needed to clarify the clinical relevance of these findings.

PMID- 28622051
TI  - Time-of-day variation in sustained attentional control.
AB  - Sustained attention is a fundamental cognitive function underlying many
      activities in daily life including workplace safety, but its natural variation
      throughout the day is incompletely characterized. To examine time-of-day
      variation, we collected a large online data set (N = 6,363) with participation
      throughout the day and around the world on the gradual-onset continuous
      performance task, a sensitive measure of sustained attention. This allowed us to
      examine accuracy, attentional stability, and strategy. Results show that both
      accuracy and attentional stability peak between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. and
      progressively decline throughout the day, whereas strategy is more stable.

PMID- 28622052
TI  - Biologic treatment eligibility for real-world patients with severe asthma: The
      IDEAL study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Severe asthma comprises several distinct phenotypes. Consequently,
      patients with severe asthma can be eligible for more than one biologic treatment
      targeting Th2 inflammation, such as anti-interleukin (IL)-5 and anti
      immunoglobulin (Ig) E. The objective of this study was to describe treatment
      eligibility and overlap in treatment eligibility for mepolizumab (anti-IL-5),
      omalizumab (anti-IgE) and reslizumab (anti-IL-5) in patients with severe asthma,
      who were recruited from clinical practice. METHODS: This cross-sectional, single
      visit, observational study in six countries enrolled patients with severe asthma
      (defined by American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society guidelines).
      Assessable patients were analysed as a total cohort and a sub-cohort, who were
      not currently receiving omalizumab. Treatment eligibility was defined according
      to the local prescribing information or protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion
      criteria. Patients currently receiving omalizumab were automatically categorised
      as omalizumab-eligible. RESULTS: The total cohort comprised 670 patients who met
      the analysis criteria, of whom 20% were eligible for mepolizumab, 31-41% were
      eligible for omalizumab (depending on eligibility criteria used), and 5% were
      eligible for reslizumab. In patients not currently receiving omalizumab (n =
      502), proportions eligible for each biologic were similar (mepolizumab: 20%,
      reslizumab 6%) or lower (omalizumab 7-21%) than those for the total cohort.
      Overlap in treatment eligibility varied; in mepolizumab-eligible patients not
      currently receiving omalizumab (n = 101), 27-37% were omalizumab-eligible and 18%
      were reslizumab-eligible. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment eligibility for mepolizumab and
      omalizumab was higher than that for reslizumab. Although there was some overlap
      in treatment eligibility, the patient groups eligible for treatment with anti-IL
      5 or anti-IgE therapies were often distinct, emphasising the different phenotypes
      and endotypes in severe asthma.

PMID- 28622053
TI  - Importance of sandy bottoms in coral reefs to the oscillation of daily rhythms in
      the tropical wrasse Halichoeres trimaculatus.
AB  - Most wrasse species swim during the day and bury themselves in the sandy bottoms
      of shallow reefs at night. This study aimed to evaluate the importance of sandy
      bottoms to the day-active/night-inactive rhythmicity of the tropical wrasse
      Halichoeres trimaculatus. Actogram analysis revealed that fish were active during
      the photophase and inactive during the scotophase in aquariums with both sandy
      and bare bottoms. When fish were kept in aquariums with bare bottoms, rhythmicity
      was maintained under constant dark conditions (DD) but became obscured under
      constant light conditions (LL), suggesting that a day-active/night-inactive
      rhythmicity is regulated by the circadian system. Robust fluctuations in Period1
      (wPer1) and Period2 (wPer2) expression were observed in the pectoral fin tissue
      under light-dark conditions (LD). Similar fluctuations in wPer1 expression
      persisted under DD. When fish were kept under LD conditions for 7 days and then
      DD for 20 days, the emergence of fish from the sandy bottom was delayed
      gradually. At the same time, the peak time of wPer1 expression under DD was
      retarded from 06:00 to 10:00. Although wPer2 expression was dampened under DD, it
      increased after exposing fish to light. These results suggest that wPer1 and
      wPer2 are differentially involved in the day-active/night-inactive rhythmicity,
      and that blocking light with a sandy bed at night and exposing fish to light
      during emergence in the morning play important roles in maintaining consistent
      activities in wrasse species.

PMID- 28622054
TI  - Down-regulation of liver-intestine cadherin enhances noscapine-induced apoptosis
      in human colon cancer cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to explore the signaling pathway of
      noscapine which induces apoptosis by blocking liver-intestine cadherin (CDH17)
      gene in colon cancer SW480 cells. METHODS: Human colon cancer SW480 cells were
      transfected with CDH17 interference vector and treatment with 10 umol/L
      noscapine. The proliferation and apoptosis of SW480 cells were detected by MTT
      assay and AnnexinV-FITC/PI flow cytometry kit (BD), respectively. Cell invasion
      were assessed by transwell assays. Apoptosis related proteins (Cyt-c, Bax, Bcl-2
      and Bcl-xL) levels were evaluated by western blot. RESULTS: Compared to the
      noscapine group, the proliferation was decreased significantly and the apoptosis
      was increased significantly in SW480 cells of the siCDH17+noscapine group. Cyt-c
      and Bax protein levels in siCDH17+noscapine group was higher than that of the
      noscapine group, but Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL protein levels in siCDH17+noscapine group
      were lower than that of the noscapine group. Moreover, up-expression of CDH17
      inhibited the efficacy of noscapine-induced apoptosis in SW480 cells.
      CONCLUSIONS: We inferred that down-expression of extrinsic CDH17 gene can
      conspicuously promote apoptosis-inducing effects of noscapine on human colon
      cancer SW480 cells, which is a novel strategy to improve chemotherapeutic effects
      on colon cancer.

PMID- 28622055
TI  - Factors related to uncomfortable loudness levels for patients seen in a tinnitus
      and hyperacusis clinic.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aims were as follows: (1) to explore patterns of uncomfortable
      loudness levels (ULLs) across frequency and their associated factors for patients
      with tinnitus and hyperacusis, and (2) to re-evaluate the criteria for diagnosing
      hyperacusis based on ULLs and scores for the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ).
      DESIGN: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE: 573
      consecutive patients for whom ULLs had been measured were included. RESULTS: A
      good correspondence between the diagnosis of hyperacusis based on the across
      frequency average ULL for the ear with the lowest ULLs (ULLmin) and hyperacusis
      handicap based on HQ scores was obtained with cut-off values of ULLmin <=77 dB HL
      and HQ score >= 22. A regression model showed significant relationships between
      ULLmin and the score on the HQ and age. The mean HQ score for patients with a
      large interaural asymmetry in ULLs was significantly higher than for the
      remainder. Hyperacusis handicap was associated with strong across-frequency
      variations in ULLs. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate cut-off values for diagnosing
      hyperacusis are ULLmin <=77 dB HL and HQ score >=22. Large interaural asymmetry
      and large across-frequency variations in ULLs are associated with higher HQ
      scores.

PMID- 28622056
TI  - Two-Part Predictors in Regression Models.
AB  - Researchers often build regression models to relate a response to a set of
      predictor variables. In some cases, there are predictors that apply to some
      participants, or to some measurement occasions, but not others. For example, a
      romantic partner's substance use may be a key predictor of one's own substance
      use. However, not all participants have a partner, and in a longitudinal study,
      participants may have a partner during only some occasions. This could be viewed
      as missing data, but of a very distinctive type: the values are not just unknown
      but also undefined. In this paper, we present a simple method to accommodate this
      situation, along with a motivating example, the algebraic justification, a
      simulation study, and examples on how to carry out the technique.

PMID- 28622057
TI  - Sending messages: How faculty influence professionalism teaching and learning.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ambiguity in understanding what "professionalism" means, and
      uncertainty in how best to teach it, remains. This study aimed to explore
      experiences of senior faculty in their endeavor to develop and include
      professionalism within a curriculum reform (CR), and illuminate challenges
      encountered. METHODS: Using a qualitative case study approach, data were
      collected from interviews with faculty who were involved in a major CR, plus
      archived document analysis to provide context, and aid triangulation. Data coding
      and analysis were inductive, using thematic analysis to generate initial coding
      scheme; exploring themes in the data. RESULTS: Seventeen interviews were
      undertaken and approximately 90 documents were reviewed. Analysis revealed:
      faculty may unintentionally influence, through mixed messages and hidden
      meanings, the content and processes of professionalism teaching and learning. We
      identified several intersecting tensions related to the nature of the existing
      curriculum, staff knowledge, resources, and lack of clear guidance about the
      "what and how" to teach professionalism. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates,
      hidden messages and contextual factors can enable or inhibit the translation of
      professionalism into curricula. Those involved in implementing professionalism
      must be reflective, keep the "hidden curriculum" in the spotlight to consider how
      presuppositions and prejudices of their cultural milieu may shape curricular
      outcomes.

PMID- 28622058
TI  - Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus with Orbital Apex Syndrome-Difference in Outcomes and
      Literature Review.

PMID- 28622059
TI  - Author's Reply: Zika Virus Infection and Ophthalmic Examination in Newborn.

PMID- 28622060
TI  - Parental occupations and risk for Crohn's disease in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Lacunae exist on the identity of specific
      environmental risk factors that associate with Crohn's disease (CD). We
      hypothesized that indirect exposures acquired via the parents' occupation may
      confer susceptibility. METHODS: A case-control study based on children diagnosed
      with CD (prior to age 20) at a tertiary care gastroenterology clinic in Montreal,
      Canada was carried out. Population- and hospital-based controls without IBD were
      selected. Information on occupations held by the parents was acquired from
      interview. Jobs were coded using the Canadian National Occupational
      Classification for Statistics. Associations were examined using logistic
      regression accounting for potential confounders. Odds ratios (OR) and
      corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. RESULTS: A total of
      466 cases and 335 controls were studied. The mean (+/-SD) age of the cases (12.4
      +/- 3.2) was slightly higher than controls (10.5 +/- 4.9). Gender and ethnicity
      were equally distributed between the groups. Logistic regression analysis
      suggested that children whose fathers worked as retail salespersons/sales clerks
      [odds ratio (OR) 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-11.1], and whose mothers
      worked as administrative secretaries (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6-6.4), were more likely
      to be at risk for CD. Mothers who worked as either early childhood educators (OR
      2.3, 95% CI 0.85-6.2) or as clerks (OR 2.8, 95% CI 0.8-9.9) also appeared to
      confer risks, but these associations were statistically not significant.
      CONCLUSION: Parental occupations related to 'social mixing' that can potentially
      enhance exposure to infectious agents, appear to confer higher risk for CD in
      children.

PMID- 28622061
TI  - Formulation and in vitro evaluation of curcumin-lactoferrin conjugated
      nanostructures for cancerous cells.
AB  - Curcumin, a natural polyphenol, exhibits anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti
      neoplastic and chemopreventive properties. In fact, targeting of this natural
      anticancer agent has received a great deal of attention during the recent years.
      In this study, we proposed that curcumin conjugation with lactoferrin molecules
      may lead to a potential drug delivery system targeted toward cancerous cells
      through both active and passive targeting. In this regard, curcumin conjugated
      lactoferrin was developed via a carbodiimide-based coupling reaction and the
      resulting conjugates were appraised for their molecular properties as a potential
      targeted drug delivery system. The mean diameter of the designed nanostructure
      was about 165 +/- 26 nm with a PDI of 0.308 +/- 0.045. The conjugated
      nanostructures showed a considerably improved cytotoxicity on HCT116 cells as
      illustrated by MTT assay along with a higher level of cellular uptake. Cellular
      uptake and targeting capability of conjugated samples were further investigated
      by confocal microscopy and the conjugated curcumin nanostructures showed an
      enhanced efficacy compared to curcumin. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis
      proved that early apoptosis occurred in HCT116 cell line, after 24 h incubation
      with conjugated curcumin.

PMID- 28622062
TI  - Novel Zinc Finger Protein Gene 469 (ZNF469) Variants in Advanced Keratoconus.
AB  - PURPOSE: Common polymorphic variants upstream of Zinc finger protein gene 469
      (ZNF469) have been associated with central corneal thickness. Rare ZNF469
      variants have been shown in keratoconus patients. The aim of the current study
      was to investigate the frequency of ZNF 469 gene variants in rapidly progressive
      advance keratoconus patients who underwent corneal transplant surgery by the age
      of 30, compared to their frequency in the normal Turkish population. METHODS: A
      search in a patient database was performed to identify patients with a rapidly
      progressive keratoconus requiring corneal transplant surgery by the age of 30 in
      at least one eye. Twenty-six advance keratoconus patients (study group) and 109
      health subjects (control group) were included in the study. Blood samples were
      donated, and genomic DNA was extracted. The entire coding sequence of the ZNF469
      gene including the 84 bp of the putative intron was amplified using PCR primers
      and analyzed using next generation sequencing (NGS). RESULTS: Fifteen single
      nucleotide polymorphisms previously reported and registered to the dbSNP database
      were detected in the study group. The allele frequencies of these polymorphisms
      were higher in the keratoconus group compared to the control group and to the
      ExAC genome database. Three new missense heterozygote variants and one new
      synonym variant were detected in keratoconus group. According to prediction
      software, the P873T and Q2188H variants were shown to be non-tolerated, whereas
      G3424S could be tolerated. The synonymous variant R1060R is not predicted to lead
      to abnormal splicing by Human Splicing Finder in silico analysis. CONCLUSION: New
      detected ZNF 469 P873T and Q2188H heterozygote coding variants in isolated
      advance keratoconus patients may be associated with the disease pathogenesis.

PMID- 28622063
TI  - Characteristic Profiles of Inflammatory Cytokines in the Aqueous Humor of
      Glaucomatous Eyes.
AB  - PURPOSE: To analyze cytokine profiles of the aqueous humor of eyes with primary
      open-angle glaucoma (POAG), neovascular glaucoma (NVG), and cataract (as
      controls). METHODS: A multiplex bead assay was used to measure concentrations of
      27 cytokines in aqueous humor samples from 54 eyes. RESULTS: Detection rates were
      as follows: IL-7: NVG higher than POAG; IL-10: POAG lower than cataract or NVG;
      and GM-CSF: cataract higher than POAG or NVG. Concentrations were as follows: IL
      8, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1beta: POAG and NVG higher than cataract; IL-9: POAG
      lower than NVG; IL-12: POAG lower than cataract or NVG; and VEGF: NVG higher than
      cataract or POAG and POAG lower than cataract. Further analysis showed that IL-8,
      IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1beta were correlated with intraocular pressure and age.
      CONCLUSIONS: The detection rates and levels of various cytokines had different
      patterns in POAG and NVG patients, suggesting distinctive alterations in the
      microenvironment in different types of glaucoma.

PMID- 28622064
TI  - Re: "Comparison of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Transport Types and
      Delays on Patient Outcomes at Two Level I Trauma Centers".

PMID- 28622065
TI  - Leptin Gene Transfer Improves Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetic Mice by Regulating
      Leptin Signaling Pathway and Insulin Resistance of Peripheral Tissues.
AB  - The leptin gene was transferred into the liver of streptozocin- and high fat diet
      induced type 2 diabetic (T2D) mice by hydrodynamic-based gene delivery. The food
      intake, water consumption, glucose concentration, and triglyceride and total
      cholesterol levels of T2D mice were significantly decreased. Meanwhile, plasma
      leptin was remarkably increased after gene transfer for 2, 3, 5, and 7 days,
      while plasma adiponectin was also significantly increased at day 2. To understand
      the mechanism of action of leptin on T2D mice, gene expressions related to
      glycometabolism and energy metabolism in the liver, epididymal adipose tissue,
      hypothalamus, and muscle were measured. The mRNA expression levels of adiponectin
      receptor 1 (ADR1), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), glucose-6-phosphase, and
      peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma in the liver, leptin,
      adiponectin, and hormone-sensitive lipase in adipose tissue, leptin, leptin
      receptor, ADR1 in the hypothalamus, and ADR1, GLUT4, and insulin 1 in the
      gastrocnemius significantly increased. Moreover, the hepatic glycogen of the
      leptin-gene-treated group was significantly increased in comparison to the
      control group. Meanwhile, the significant decrease of forkhead box O1,
      adiponectin receptor 2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha in
      the liver, and agouti-related protein and proopiomelanocortin genes in the
      hypothalamus were also observed. In fat tissue and hypothalamus, leptin and
      adiponectin protein levels were also significantly increased, whereas the
      neuropeptide Y protein level was significantly decreased. These results indicated
      that the leptin gene transfer could improve the symptoms of T2D mice by
      regulating the leptin-hypothalamus signaling pathway and improving the insulin
      resistance of the peripheral tissues of T2D mice.

PMID- 28622066
TI  - Vascular-Associated Muc4/Vwf Co-Localization in Human Conjunctival Malignant
      Melanoma Specimens-Tumor Metastasis by Migration?
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate whether vascular differentiation marker von Willebrand
      factor (vWf) and proliferation marker KI67 expression correlate with MUC4
      localization around stromal tumor vascularization in human conjunctival malignant
      melanoma (CMM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the purposes of this study, we
      analyzed samples from human CMMs (n = 4), conjunctival compound nevi (n = 7), and
      samples from healthy conjunctiva (n = 7) for MUC1, 4, and 16 by
      immunohistochemistry. To test CMM vessel association of MUC4, we investigated the
      co-localization of MUC4 with vWf or KI67 in human CMM specimens (n = 10) by
      immunohistochemistry. Also, we investigated the MUC4 localization around vessels
      of healthy conjunctiva (n = 10). RESULTS: The immunohistochemical analysis
      demonstrated membrane-associated mucin expression in epithelia of CMM, nevi and
      healthy conjunctiva, whereas only MUC4 was localized perivascular in CMM tissue
      in this preliminary analysis. Co-staining analysis with vWf and KI67 demonstrated
      MUC4 localization around stromal vessels in human CMM specimens. In contrast, no
      MUC4 localization has been seen around healthy conjunctiva stroma vessels.
      CONCLUSIONS: MUC4 was detected around vWf/KI67-positive CMM stromal vascular
      tissue, but not around healthy conjunctival stroma vessels. Therefore, we assume
      that MUC4 might play a role in tumor cell migration toward vessels inducing
      metastasis.

PMID- 28622067
TI  - Opioid-Involved Overdose Among Male Afghanistan/Iraq-Era U.S. Military Veterans:
      A Multidimensional Perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mirroring nationwide trends in a broad range of U.S. populations, an
      alarming number of Afghanistan/Iraq-era U.S. Military veterans have experienced
      opioid-related overdoses. A growing body of research has examined the proximal
      behaviors that can precipitate an overdose; considerably less is known about more
      distal physiological, psychosocial and structural influences on these risk
      behaviors. OBJECTIVES: This study adopts a multidimensional approach to better
      understand opioid-related overdose among U.S. Military veterans, and seeks to
      explore not only the proximal behavioral precipitants of overdose events, but
      also the complex nexus of physiological, psychological, and sociological
      influences that undergird overdose events. METHODS: This qualitative examination
      is based on interview data from 36 male veterans who were discharged from the
      military after September 2001 and experienced at least one opioid-related
      overdose during or after military service. Participants were recruited in New
      York City during 2014 to share narrative accounts of their overdoses. RESULTS:
      Veterans' accounts indicate that background experiences, such as self-medication
      for social and psychological pain, trauma, social alienation and isolation, and
      histories of illicit drug use, precondition the more immediate factors and
      behaviors that precipitate overdose (including bingeing on drugs, mixing drugs,
      naivete about dosage, and ambivalence about life/death). CONCLUSIONS: Findings
      suggest the need for comprehensive drug safety and overdose education that is
      sensitive to veterans' physiological, psychological, and sociological conditions.
      A multidimensional understanding of the distal and proximal overdose risks faced
      by veterans and other vulnerable groups may help lay a foundation for more
      inclusive/holistic approaches to overdose prevention and education.

PMID- 28622069
TI  - Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in a Woman with a Past Medical History of
      Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Case Report.
AB  - Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an uncommon disease. We report
      the case of a 50 year-old woman with a past medical history of aneurysmal
      subarachnoid hemorrhage, presenting with acute chest pain and diffuse ST segment
      elevation on ECG. Coronary angiogram revealed a SCAD of the left anterior
      descending coronary artery. The association between cerebral aneurysms and SCAD
      should trigger providers concern for fibromuscular dysplasia. We hereby report on
      a rare and atypical case involving the relationship between fibromuscular
      dysplasia and SCAD.

PMID- 28622068
TI  - Salmonella typhimurium A1-R targeting of a chemotherapy-resistant BRAF-V600E
      melanoma in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model is enhanced in
      combination with either vemurafenib or temozolomide.
AB  - A metastatic melanoma obtained from the right chest wall of a patient was
      previously established orthotopically in the right chest wall of nude mice as a
      patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model. We previously showed that the
      combination of tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R)
      and chemotherapy was highly effective against the melanoma PDOX. In the present
      study, we investigated the mechanism of the high efficacy of this combination.
      Two weeks after implantation, 40 PDOX mouse models were randomized into 4 groups
      of 10 mice each: untreated control (n = 10); treated with S. typhimurium A1-R (5
      * 107 CFU/100 MUl, i.v., once a week for 2 weeks, n = 10); treated with
      temozolomide (TEM) (25 mg/kg, p.o. for 14 consecutive days) combined with S.
      typhimurium A1-R (5 * 107 CFU/100 MUl, i.v., once a week for 2 weeks, n = 10);
      treated with vemurafenib (VEM) (30 mg/kg, p.o., for 14 consecutive days) combined
      with S. typhimurium A1-R (5 * 107 CFU/100 MUl, i.v., once a week for 2 weeks) (n
      = 10). On day 14 from initiation, all treatments significantly inhibited tumor
      growth compared with untreated control (S. typhimurium A1-R: p < 0.01; TEM
      combined with S. typhimurium A1-R: p < 0.01; VEM combined with S. typhimurium A1
      R: p < 0.01). Combination therapy with S. typhimurium A1-R was significantly more
      effective on tumor growth than S. typhimurium A1-R alone (with TEM: p < 0.01;
      with VEM: p < 0.01). Combination therapy significantly increased S. typhimurium
      A1-R tumor targeting alone (S. typhimurium A1-R + TEM: p < 0.01, S. typhimurium
      A1-R + VEM: p < 0.01), relative to S. typhimurium A1-R alone, respectively. In
      conclusion, chemotherapy drugs promoted targeting of S. typhimurium A1-R of
      melanoma, thereby enhancing efficacy against the melanoma PDOX.

PMID- 28622071
TI  - Survival in Out-of-hospital Rapid Sequence Intubation of Non-Traumatic Brain
      Pathologies.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is not only used in traumatic brain
      injuries in the out-of-hospital setting, but also for non-traumatic brain
      pathologies (NTBP) such as brain tumors, meningitis, encephalitis, hypoxic/anoxic
      brain injury, stroke, arteriovenous malformations, tumors, aneurysms, brain
      hemorrhage, as well as brain injury due to diabetes, seizures and toxicity,
      metabolic conditions, and alcohol and drug overdose. Previous research suggests
      that RSI is common in non-traumatic coma, but with an unknown prevalence of NTBP
      in those that receive RSI. If NTBP is common and if brain trauma RSI evidence is
      not valid for NTBP then a sizable proportion of NTBP receive this treatment
      without evidence of benefit. This study calculated the out-of-hospital NTBP
      prevalence in patients that had received RSI and explored factors that predicted
      survival. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study based on data collected from an
      ambulance service and seven hospitals based in Melbourne, Australia. Non
      traumatic brain pathologies were defined using ICD10-AM codes for the calculation
      of NTBP prevalence. Logistic regression modelled out-of-hospital predictors of
      survival to hospital discharge after adjustment for comorbidities. RESULTS: The
      seven participating hospitals treated 2,277 patients that received paramedic RSI
      for all illnesses and indications from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2015, with
      survival data available for 1,940 (85%). Of the 1,940, 1,125 (58%) patients had
      at least one hospital-diagnosed NTBP. Sixty-nine percent all of NTBP survived to
      hospital discharge, compared to 65% for traumatic intracranial injury. Strokes
      were the most common and had poor survival to discharge (37%) compared to the
      second most common NTBP toxicity/toxic encephalopathy that had very high survival
      (98%). No out-of-hospital clinical intervention or prehospital time interval
      predicted survival. Factors that did predict survival include Glasgow Coma Scale
      (GCS), duration of mechanical ventilation, age, ICU length of stay, and
      comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Non-traumatic brain pathologies are seven times more
      prevalent than traumatic brain injuries in patients that underwent out-of
      hospital RSI in Victoria, Australia. Since the mechanisms through which RSI
      impacts mortality might differ between traumatic brain injuries and NTBP, and
      given that NTBP is very prevalent, it follows that the use of RSI in NTBP could
      be unsupported.

PMID- 28622070
TI  - Loop ileostomy-mediated fecal stream diversion is associated with microbial
      dysbiosis.
AB  - Loop ileostomy is an effective procedure to protect downstream intestinal
      anastomoses. Ileostomy reversal surgery is often performed within 12 months of
      formation but is associated with substantial morbidity due to severe post
      surgical complications. Distal ileum is deprived of enteral nutrition and
      rendered inactive, often becoming atrophied and fibrotic. This study aimed to
      investigate the microbial and morphological changes that occur in the
      defunctioned ileum following loop ileostomy-mediated fecal stream diversion.
      Functional and defunctioned ileal resection tissue was obtained at the time of
      loop-ileostomy closure. Intrapatient comparisons, including histological
      assessment of morphology and epithelial cell proliferation, were performed on
      paired samples using the functional limb as control. Mucosal-associated
      microflora was quantified via determination of 16S rRNA gene copy number using
      qPCR analysis. DGGE with Sanger sequencing and qPCR methods profiled microflora
      to genus and phylum level, respectively. Reduced villous height and proliferation
      confirmed atrophy of the defunctioned ileum. DGGE analysis revealed that the
      microflora within defunctioned ileum is less diverse and convergence between
      defunctioned microbiota profiles was observed. Candidate Genera, notably
      Clostridia and Streptococcus, reduced in relative terms in defunctioned ileum. We
      conclude that Ileostomy-associated nutrient deprivation results in dysbiosis and
      impaired intestinal renewal in the defunctioned ileum. Altered host-microbial
      interactions at the mucosal surface likely contribute to the deterioration in
      homeostasis and thus may underpin numerous postoperative complications.
      Strategies to sustain the microflora before reanastomosis should be investigated.

PMID- 28622072
TI  - New model for the interaction of IQGAP1 with CDC42 and RAC1.
AB  - The specific and rapid formation of protein complexes, involving IQGAP family
      proteins, is essential for diverse cellular processes, such as adhesion,
      polarization, and directional migration. Although CDC42 and RAC1, prominent
      members of the RHO GTPase family, have been implicated in binding to and
      activating IQGAP1, the exact nature of this protein-protein recognition process
      has remained obscure. Here, we propose a mechanistic framework model that is
      based on a multiple-step binding process, which is a prerequisite for the dynamic
      functions of IQGAP1 as a scaffolding protein and a critical mechanism in temporal
      regulation and integration of cellular pathways.

PMID- 28622073
TI  - Neighborhood Poverty and 9-1-1 Ambulance Contacts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neighborhood poverty is positively associated with frequency of 9-1-1
      ambulance utilization, but it is unclear whether this association remains
      significant when accounting for variations in the severities and types of
      ambulance contacts. METHODS: We merged EMS ambulance contact records in a single
      California county (n = 88,027) with data from the American Community Survey at
      the census tract level (n = 300). Using tract as a proxy for neighborhood and
      negative binomial regression as an analytical tool, we predicted 16 outcomes: any
      ambulance contacts, ambulance contacts stratified by three intervention
      severities, and ambulance contacts varied by 12 primary impression categories.
      For each model, we estimated the incident rate ratios for 10 percentage point
      increases in tract-level poverty while controlling for geographic patterns in
      race, citizenship, gender, age, emergency department proximity, population
      density, and population size. RESULTS: Our study produced three major findings.
      First, tract-level poverty was positively associated with ambulance contacts
      (incident rate ratio [IRR] 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 1.57).
      Second, poverty was positively associated with low severity contacts (IRR 1.48;
      95% CI 1.35 to 1.61), medium severity contacts (IRR 1.38; 95% CI 1.28 to 1.49),
      and high severity contacts (IRR 1.40; 95% CI 1.30 to 1.51). Third, poverty was
      positively associated with 12 primary impression categories: abdominal (IRR 1.48;
      95% CI 1.36 to 1.61), altered level of consciousness (IRR 1.37; 95% CI 1.25 to
      1.50), cardiac (IRR 1.28; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.42), overdose/intoxication (IRR 1.59;
      95% CI 1.40 to 1.81), pain (IRR 1.56; 95% CI 1.41 to 1.73), psych/behavioral (IRR
      1.50; 95% CI 1.34 to 1.67), respiratory (IRR 1.42; 95% CI 1.29 to 1.56) seizure
      (IRR 1.52; 95% CI 1.38 to 1.68), stroke (IRR 1.14; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.28),
      syncope/near syncope (IRR 1.23; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.36), trauma (IRR 1.44; 95% CI
      1.31 to 1.58), and general weakness (IRR 1.31; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.42). CONCLUSION:
      Our study suggests poverty is a positive, strong, and enduring predictor of
      ambulance contacts at the neighborhood level. The relationship between
      neighborhood poverty and ambulance utilization should be considered at multiple
      levels of EMS decision making.

PMID- 28622074
TI  - Disparities in Feedback Provision to Emergency Medical Services Professionals.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Feedback to EMS professionals is a critical component for
      optimizing patient care and outcomes in the prehospital setting. There is a
      paucity of data concerning the feedback received by prehospital providers.
      OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of
      feedback received by EMS professionals in the past 30 days including the types,
      sources, modes, and utility of feedback. The secondary objective was to identify
      factors associated with receiving any feedback and, specifically, feedback
      regarding medical care provided. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey
      examining currently practicing nationally certified EMS patient care providers
      (EMT or higher) in non-military and non-tribal settings. Data were collected on
      provider characteristics along with feedback received. Descriptive statistics
      were calculated, and multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to
      assess the relationship between EMS provider characteristics and receiving
      feedback. A non-respondent survey was administered to assess for non-response
      bias. RESULTS: Responses from 32,314 EMS providers were received (response rate =
      10.4%) with 15,766 meeting inclusion criteria. In the 30 days preceding the
      survey, 69.4% (n = 10,924) of respondents received at least one type of feedback
      with 54.7% (n = 8,592) reporting receiving medical care feedback. Multivariable
      logistic regression modeling indicated that higher certification level, fewer
      years of experience in EMS, working for a hospital-based agency, air medical
      service, and higher weekly call volumes were significantly associated with
      increased odds of having received at least one type of feedback, and specifically
      medical care feedback. Additionally, providing primarily medical/convalescent
      transport and more years of EMS experience were significantly associated with
      decreased odds of receiving feedback. CONCLUSION: Feedback to EMS providers is
      critical to improving prehospital care. In this study, nearly a third of
      providers did not receive any feedback in a 30-day period, and nearly half
      reported not receiving medical care feedback. Disparities in the frequency of
      feedback exist between different provider levels and service settings, while
      reported feedback decreased with years of experience in the profession. Future
      work is needed to assess the content of feedback and role in improving patient
      care and safety.

PMID- 28622075
TI  - Meaningful Interventions in Prehospital and Retrieval Medicine.

PMID- 28622077
TI  - A Comparative Study of the Effects of Sodium Selenite and Glutathione Mono Ethyl
      Ester on Aged Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: The Telomerase and Cellular Responses.
AB  - The proliferation and differentiation potential of adipose-derived stem cells
      (ADSCs) decline with aging. Moreover, Alzheimer's disease is associated with
      progressive decline in cholinergic neurons. The purpose of this study is to
      enhance the proliferation potential of aged rat ADSCs and their differentiation
      into cholinergic neurons. The ADSCs were collected from aged male rats cultured
      and treated with different concentrations of sodium selenite for 3 days or
      glutathione mono ethyl ester (GSH-MEE) for 1 day. Incubating the ADSCs with 27 nM
      sodium selenite for 3 days significantly increased the relative cell
      proliferation, compared with the control, without any change in the telomerase
      activity, the related telomerase gene expression, and the telomere length, but it
      does improve differentiation of the aged ADSCs to cholinergic neuron-like cells.
      GSH-MEE at a concentration of 2 mM for 1 day resulted in increased relative cell
      proliferation, but it did not change the telomerase activity, the related
      telomerase gene expression, the telomere length, and differentiation potential.
      Sodium selenite is more effective than GSH-MEE in improving the aged ADSCs'
      properties. However, both did not have any effect on telomerase activity.

PMID- 28622078
TI  - A Feasibility Study and Technical Tips for the Use of an Articulating Bipolar
      Vessel Sealer in da Vinci Robot-Assisted Gastrectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a
      new articulating bipolar energy device, the EndoWrist(r) OneTM Vessel Sealer
      (VS), in da Vinci(r) robot-assisted gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients
      (n = 17) with cT1/2 gastric cancer who underwent robotic gastrectomy using the VS
      were prospectively enrolled in the study group (VS group). The
      clinicopathological outcomes, including operative time, intraoperative blood
      loss, amount of postoperative drainage, postoperative biochemical analysis
      results, and complication rates, were prospectively collected and compared with
      those of patients who underwent robotic gastrectomy using conventional ultrasonic
      shear force ([US] group, n = 52) during the same time period. RESULTS: Although
      the VS provided a good direction for dissection because of the articulating
      function, the ancillary use of conventional bipolar coagulation was occasionally
      needed due to the blunt, nonactive end tip of the VS. The operative time,
      intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, and absence of complication
      rates did not differ between the VS and US groups, but the C-reactive protein
      levels on the second postoperative day (8.06 versus 11.7, P = .002) and serum
      albumin levels on the fifth postoperative day (3.51 versus 3.32, P = .019) were
      superior in the VS group. CONCLUSION: Use of the VS in robotic gastrectomy was
      feasible and provided good configuration in the direction of dissection. The
      learning process for use of the VS in the initial series was relatively rapid,
      resulting in comparable results between the VS and US groups. Reduced
      inflammation and albumin loss were identified as possible benefits of the VS.

PMID- 28622076
TI  - Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Endothelial Cells for Three
      Dimensional Microphysiological Systems.
AB  - Microphysiological systems (MPS), or "organ-on-a-chip" platforms, aim to
      recapitulate in vivo physiology using small-scale in vitro tissue models of human
      physiology. While significant efforts have been made to create vascularized
      tissues, most reports utilize primary endothelial cells that hinder
      reproducibility. In this study, we report the use of human induced pluripotent
      stem cell-derived endothelial cells (iPS-ECs) in developing three-dimensional
      (3D) microvascular networks. We established a CDH5-mCherry reporter iPS cell
      line, which expresses the vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin fused to mCherry.
      The iPS-ECs demonstrate physiological functions characteristic of primary
      endothelial cells in a series of in vitro assays, including permeability,
      response to shear stress, and the expression of endothelial markers (CD31, von
      Willibrand factor, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase). The iPS-ECs form
      stable, perfusable microvessels over the course of 14 days when cultured within
      3D microfluidic devices. We also demonstrate that inhibition of TGF-beta
      signaling improves vascular network formation by the iPS-ECs. We conclude that
      iPS-ECs can be a source of endothelial cells in MPS providing opportunities for
      human disease modeling and improving the reproducibility of 3D vascular networks.

PMID- 28622079
TI  - Use of an Automated Mobile Phone Messaging Robot in Postoperative Patient
      Monitoring.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mobile phone messaging software robots allow clinicians and
      healthcare systems to communicate with patients without the need for human
      intervention. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe a method for
      communicating with patients postoperatively outside of the traditional healthcare
      setting by utilizing an automated software and mobile phone messaging platform
      and to (2) evaluate the first week of postoperative pain and opioid use after
      common ambulatory hand surgery procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      investigation was a prospective, multicenter investigation of patient-reported
      pain and opioid usage after ambulatory hand surgery. Inclusion criteria included
      any adult with a mobile phone capable of text messaging, who was undergoing a
      common ambulatory hand surgical procedure at one of three tertiary care
      institutions. Participants received daily, automated text messages inquiring
      about their pain level and how many tablets of prescription pain medication they
      had taken in the past 24 h. Initial 1-week response rate was assessed and
      compared between different patient demographics. Patient-reported pain and opioid
      use were also quantified for the first postoperative week. Statistical
      significance was set as p < 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-seven (n = 47) patients were
      enrolled in this investigation. Total response rate of both pain and opioid
      medication questions through 7 days was 88.3%. Pain trended down on a daily basis
      for the first postoperative week, with the highest levels of pain being reported
      in the first 48 h after surgery. Patients reported an average use of 15.9 +/-
      14.8 tablets of prescription opioid pain medication. CONCLUSIONS: We find that a
      mobile phone messaging software robot allows for effective data collection of
      postoperative pain and pain medication use. Patients undergoing common ambulatory
      hand procedures utilized an average of 16 tablets of opioid medication in the
      first postoperative week.

PMID- 28622080
TI  - Differences in glucose yield of residues from among varieties of rice, wheat, and
      sorghum after dilute acid pretreatment.
AB  - Bio-refinery processes require use of the most suitable lignocellulosic biomass
      for enzymatic saccharification and microbial fermentation. Glucose yield from
      biomass solid fractions obtained after dilute sulfuric acid (1%) pretreatment (at
      180  degrees C) was investigated using 14, 8, and 16 varieties of rice, wheat,
      and sorghum, respectively. Biomass solid fractions of each crop showed similar
      cellulose content. However, glucose yield after enzymatic hydrolysis (cellulase
      loading at 6.6 filter paper unit/g-biomass) was different among the varieties of
      each crop, indicating genotypic differences for rice, wheat, and sorghum. Nuclear
      magnetic resonance method revealed that the high residual level of lignin
      aromatic regions decreased glucose yield from solid fraction of sorghum.

PMID- 28622081
TI  - Effects of inspiratory muscle training in professional women football players: a
      randomized sham-controlled trial.
AB  - This study was conducted to determine the effects of inspiratory muscle training
      (IMT) on respiratory and peripheral muscles oxygenation during a maximal exercise
      tolerance test and on repeated-sprint ability (RSA) performance in professional
      women football players. Eighteen athletes were randomly assigned to one of the
      following groups: SHAM (n = 8) or IMT (n = 10). After a maximal incremental
      exercise test, all participants performed (on a different day) a time-to
      exhaustion (Tlim) test. Peripheral and respiratory muscles oxygenation by near
      infrared spectroscopy, breath-by-breath ventilatory and metabolic variables, and
      blood lactate concentration were measured. The RSA test was performed on a grass
      field. After a 6 week intervention, all athletes were reevaluated. Both groups
      showed increases in inspiratory muscles strength, exercise tolerance and RSA
      performance, however only the IMT group presented lower deoxyhemoglobin and total
      hemoglobin blood concentrations on intercostal muscles concomitantly to an
      increased oxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin blood concentrations on vastus
      lateralis muscle during Tlim. In conclusion, these results may indicate the
      potential role of IMT to attenuate inspiratory muscles metaboreflex and
      consequently improve oxygen and blood supply to limb muscles during high
      intensity exercise, with a potential impact on inspiratory muscle strength,
      exercise tolerance and sprints performance in professional women football
      players.

PMID- 28622082
TI  - Comparing the Effectiveness of Fractional CO2 Laser and the Combination Therapy
      with Micro-Needling and Topical 10% Trichloroacetic Acid to Remove Infra-Orbital
      Dark Circles in Tehran Women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infra-orbital dark circles in now identified as a cosmetic problem
      which should be considered in treatment issue. The present study aimed to assess
      and compare the clinical efficiency of the combination of micro-needling and 10%
      trichloroacetic acid (TCA) cream as well as carbon dioxide laser in the
      management of infra-orbital dark circles. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial
      was performed on women ranged 28 to 62 years that complained of infra-orbital
      dark circles. The patients were randomly assigned to treat with micro-needling
      combined, using TCA 10% cream topically or CO2 laser. The treatment period in
      each group included three sessions with an interval of one month between
      sessions. The assessment was based on both subjective and objective methods.
      RESULTS: the mean of DeltaE (the difference in the intensity of darkening at
      infra-orbital point and other points of the face) was significantly higher in
      laser group than in another group in all visit sessions. The patients who treated
      with the laser were specified to have a higher level of satisfaction in fifth
      visit when compared to those who received another treatment method. CONCLUSION:
      Regarding clinical effectiveness and the patients' compliance, fractional CO2
      laser was more preferred in the combination therapy with micro-needling and
      topical TCA for removing infra-orbital dark circles.

PMID- 28622083
TI  - The Importance of Considering Differences in Study Design in Network Meta
      analysis: An Application Using Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Drugs for Ulcerative
      Colitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Adaptive trial designs present a methodological challenge
      when performing network meta-analysis (NMA), as data from such adaptive trial
      designs differ from conventional parallel design randomized controlled trials
      (RCTs). We aim to illustrate the importance of considering study design when
      conducting an NMA. METHODS: Three NMAs comparing anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs
      for ulcerative colitis were compared and the analyses replicated using Bayesian
      NMA. The NMA comprised 3 RCTs comparing 4 treatments (adalimumab 40 mg, golimumab
      50 mg, golimumab 100 mg, infliximab 5 mg/kg) and placebo. We investigated the
      impact of incorporating differences in the study design among the 3 RCTs and
      presented 3 alternative methods on how to convert outcome data derived from one
      form of adaptive design to more conventional parallel RCTs. RESULTS: Combining
      RCT results without considering variations in study design resulted in effect
      estimates that were biased against golimumab. In contrast, using the 3
      alternative methods to convert outcome data from one form of adaptive design to a
      format more consistent with conventional parallel RCTs facilitated more
      transparent consideration of differences in study design. This approach is more
      likely to yield appropriate estimates of comparative efficacy when conducting an
      NMA, which includes treatments that use an alternative study design. CONCLUSIONS:
      RCTs based on adaptive study designs should not be combined with traditional
      parallel RCT designs in NMA. We have presented potential approaches to convert
      data from one form of adaptive design to more conventional parallel RCTs to
      facilitate transparent and less-biased comparisons.

PMID- 28622084
TI  - The Streptococcus suis factor H-binding protein: A key to unlocking the blood
      brain barrier and access the central nervous system?

PMID- 28622085
TI  - C-Reactive Protein as a Predictor of Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in
      Patients with Acute Calculous Cholecystitis: A Multivariate Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the treatment of choice for mild
      and moderate acute cholecystitis. The aim of this study was to analyze the
      utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) as a predictor of difficult laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy (DLC) in patients with acute cholecystitis. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: We conducted a prospective study. All patients included were treated
      with emergency LC. Patients were analyzed as DLC and nondifficult laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy (NDLC). Multiple logistic regression and receiver-operating
      characteristic curve analysis were employed to explore which variables were
      statistically significant in predicting a DLC. Two different models were
      analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients were included (37.9% DLC versus 62.1%
      NDLC). Ideal cutoff point for CRP was calculated as 11 mg/dL, with sensitivity,
      specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV)
      for predicting DLC being 92% (95% CI 75-97.8), 82.9% (95% CI 68.7-91.5), 76.7%,
      and 94.4%, respectively. In the first model multivariate analysis, age >45 years,
      male sex, gallbladder wall thickness >=5 mm, and pericholecystic fluid collection
      were significant predictors of DLC, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.89.
      In the second model multivariate analysis, only CRP >=11 (odds ratio, OR = 17.9,
      P = .013) was significant predictor of presenting DLC, with an AUC of 0.96.
      CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative CRP with values >=11 mg/dL was associated with the
      highest odds (OR = 17.9) of presenting DLC in our study. This value possesses
      good sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for predicting DLC in our population
      with acute calculous cholecystitis.

PMID- 28622086
TI  - Naringenin Ameliorates Behavioral Dysfunction and Neurological Deficits in a d
      Galactose-Induced Aging Mouse Model Through Activation of PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 Pathway.
AB  - In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of naringenin on aging mice
      induced by d-galactose (d-gal). Open field test and Morris water maze test were
      performed to evaluate the effect of naringenin on behavioral dysfunction.
      Hematoxylin-eosin staining, TUNEL staining, and Nissl staining were used to
      estimate the effect of naringenin on neurological deficits. Furthermore,
      naringenin markedly activated PI3K/Akt signaling, eventually promoted the nuclear
      translocation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2, and induced the
      expression of heme oxygenase 1 and NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase 1. Superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances
      (TBARS) assays were conducted to evaluate oxidative stress in d-gal-induced aging
      mice. Our finding demonstrated that naringenin was a promising agent for
      attenuating the aging process, and enhancing endogenous antioxidant defense
      capacity was a reliable strategy to delay the senescence process.

PMID- 28622087
TI  - Body physique and proportionality of Brazilian female artistic gymnasts.
AB  - This study aimed to identify physique characteristics (anthropometry, somatotype,
      body proportionality) of Brazilian female artistic gymnasts, and to compare them
      across competitive levels (sub-elite versus non-elite) within competitive age
      categories. Two hundred forty-nine female gymnasts (68 sub-elite; 181 non-elite)
      from 26 Brazilian gymnastics clubs, aged 9-20 years and split into four age
      categories, were sampled. Gymnasts were assessed for 16 anthropometric traits
      (height, weight, lengths, widths, girths, and skinfolds); somatotype was
      determined according to Heath-Carter method, body fat was estimated by
      bioimpedance, and proportionality was computed based on the z-phantom strategy.
      Non-elite and sub-elite gymnasts had similar values in anthropometric
      characteristics, however non-elite had higher fat folds in all age-categories (P
      < 0.01). In general, mesomorphy was the salient somatotype component in all age
      categories, and an increase in endomorphy, followed by a decrease in ectomorphy
      across age was observed. Regarding proportionality, profile similarity was found
      between sub-elite and non-elite within age-categories. In conclusion results
      suggest the presence of a typical gymnast's physical prototype across age and
      competitive level, which can be useful to coaches during their selection
      processes in clubs and regional/national teams.

PMID- 28622088
TI  - * Engineering Osteoinductive Biomaterials by Bioinspired Synthesis of Apatite
      Coatings on Collagen Hydrogels with Varied Pore Microarchitectures.
AB  - Biomaterial controlled osteoinduction is influenced by the porous
      microenvironment and the composition of incorporated calcium orthophosphate
      (CaPi) polymorphs, however, for the design of materials that rival the efficacies
      of natural grafts a systematic approach to assessing the physicochemical
      properties that affects cellular differentiation is needed. In this research, we
      introduce a bioinspired synthetic approach to the mineralization of preformed
      porous collagen hydrogel scaffolds with tunable apatite coatings. Initially,
      collagen scaffolds are mineralized with dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) by
      alternate immersion in Ca2+ and HPO42- salt solutions. Utilizing classic DCPD
      conversion chemistry, the surface coatings are selectively transformed to apatite
      by immersion of the DCPD-collagen substrate in Tris buffer at pH 7.4, 37 degrees
      C, for 5 days. The composition and morphology of the deposited mineral coatings
      are characterized by XRD, SEM, and AFM. Variations in the porous
      microarchitecture of the collagen hydrogel substrate, pore size (9.5 +/- 5 MUm,
      165 +/- 50 MUm) and pore alignment altered the morphology of the deposited
      apatite particles. Intrafibrillar and extrafibrillar mineralization of the
      collagen templates were observed for both investigated pore sizes. However,
      templates with aligned pores of both sizes were observed to restrict
      intrafibrillar mineralization resulting in the exclusive deposition of surface
      coatings. The osteoinductive activity of the apatite-collagen materials with
      varied pore microarchitectures was evaluated by in vitro culture of human
      mesenchymal stem cells for 28 days based on cellular proliferation, alkaline
      phosphatase activity, and the expression of RUNX2. The combined effects of
      apatite coatings, reduced pore size, and pore alignment contributed to reductions
      in cellular proliferation. However, the apatite mineral coating was determined to
      induce high levels of RUNX2 expression in the absence of additional
      osteoinductive agents, indicative of biomaterial-induced osteogenesis. This work
      establishes a versatile synthetic platform for the preparation of bone-like
      apatite collagen materials with osteoinductive activity.

PMID- 28622089
TI  - Large Animal Models of Meniscus Repair and Regeneration: A Systematic Review of
      the State of the Field.
AB  - Injury to the meniscus is common, but few viable strategies exist for its repair
      or regeneration. To address this, animal models have been developed to translate
      new treatment strategies toward the clinic. However, there is not yet a
      regulatory document guiding such studies. The purpose of this study was to carry
      out a systematic review of the literature on meniscus treatment methods and
      outcomes to define the state of the field. Public databases were queried by using
      search terms related to animal models and meniscus injury and/or repair over the
      years 1980-2015. Identified peer-reviewed manuscripts were screened by using
      Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)
      guidelines. One of nine reviewers read each manuscript and scored them based on
      whether the publication described a series of predefined study descriptors and
      outcome measures. Additional data were extracted to identify common assays used.
      A total of 128 full-length peer-reviewed manuscripts were identified. The number
      of publications increased over the time frame analyzed, with 48% focused on
      augmented repair. Rabbit was, by far, the most prevalent species utilized (46%),
      with dog (21%) and sheep (20%) being the next most common. Analysis of study
      descriptors revealed that most studies appropriately documented details of the
      animal used, the surgical approach, and defect and implant characteristics (e.g.,
      63% of studies identified clearly the defect size). In terms of outcome
      parameters, most studies carried out macroscopic (85%), histologic (90%), and
      healing/integration (83%) analyses of the meniscus. However, many studies did not
      provide further analysis beyond these fundamental measures, and less than 40%
      reported on the adjacent cartilage and synovium, as well as joint function. There
      is intense interest in the field of meniscus repair. However, given the current
      lack of guidance documentation in this area, preclinical animal models are not
      performed in a standardized fashion. The development of a "Best Practices"
      document would increase reproducibility and external validity of experiments,
      while accelerating advancements in translational research. Advancement is of
      paramount importance given the high prevalence of meniscal injuries and the
      paucity of effective repair or regenerative strategies.

PMID- 28622091
TI  - Differences by age and sex in the sedentary time of adults in Scotland.
AB  - Previous nationally-representative research in Scotland found a j-shaped
      relationship between age and leisure sedentary time (ST): a decrease from young
      to middle-age, before rising steeply in older-age. This study investigated the
      effects of age and sex on weekday (including work) ST for all adults and
      stratified by work-status, and on weekend day ST. Differences in the relative
      contributions of component behaviours were also investigated. Responses from
      14,367 adult (>=16 years) 2012-14 Scottish Health Survey participants were
      analysed using linear regressions. We found no j-shaped relationship between age
      and weekday ST. Instead, only 16-24 year olds reported lower levels than those
      over 75 years (6.6 (95% CI: 6.3-6.9) compared to 7.4 (95% CI: 7.2-7.6) hours/day;
      p < 0001). The j-shape was only evident in the stratified analysis amongst women
      not in work, and for weekend day ST for all groups. For those in work, work ST
      accounted for 45% of weekday ST. Television/screen ST made up over half of
      leisure ST on weekdays and weekend days, regardless of sex, age, or work-status.
      These results challenge our understanding of how ST varies by age. Interventions
      to reduce ST should consider differences in the relative contributions of ST
      behaviours by age and work-status.

PMID- 28622090
TI  - Assembly and Function of the Bacillus anthracis S-Layer.
AB  - Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax agent, is a member of the Bacillus cereus sensu
      lato group, which includes invasive pathogens of mammals or insects as well as
      nonpathogenic environmental strains. The genes for anthrax pathogenesis are
      located on two large virulence plasmids. Similar virulence plasmids have been
      acquired by other B. cereus strains and enable the pathogenesis of anthrax-like
      diseases. Among the virulence factors of B. anthracis is the S-layer-associated
      protein BslA, which endows bacilli with invasive attributes for mammalian hosts.
      BslA surface display and function are dependent on the bacterial S-layer, whose
      constituents assemble by binding to the secondary cell wall polysaccharide (SCWP)
      via S-layer homology (SLH) domains. B. anthracis and other pathogenic B. cereus
      isolates harbor genes for the secretion of S-layer proteins, for S-layer
      assembly, and for synthesis of the SCWP. We review here recent insights into the
      assembly and function of the S-layer and the SCWP.

PMID- 28622092
TI  - Exogenous proline enhances the sensitivity of Tobacco BY-2 cells to arsenate.
AB  - Arsenic causes physiological and structural disorders in plants. Proline is
      accumulated as a compatible solute in plants under various stress conditions and
      mitigates stresses. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous proline on
      tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cultured cells under [Formula: see text] stress.
      Arsenate did not inhibit BY-2 cell growth at 40 and 50 MUM but did it at 60 MUM.
      Proline at 0.5 to 10 mM did not affect the cell growth but delayed it at 20 mM.
      At 40 MUM [Formula: see text], neither 0.5 mM nor 1 mM proline affected the cell
      growth but 10 mM proline inhibited it. In the presence of [Formula: see text], 10
      mM proline increased the number of Evans Blue-stained (dead) cells and decreased
      the number of total cells. Together, our results suggest that exogenous proline
      does not alleviate arsenate toxicity but enhances the sensitivity of BY-2 cells
      to arsenate.

PMID- 28622093
TI  - Suppressive effect of dengue virus envelope protein domain III on
      megakaryopoiesis.
AB  - Dengue virus (DENV) infection can cause severe, life-threatening events, and no
      specific treatments of DENV infection are currently approved. Although
      thrombocytopenia is frequently observed in dengue patients, its pathogenesis is
      still not fully understood. Previous studies have suggested that DENV-induced
      thrombocytopenia occurs through viral-replication-mediated megakaryopoiesis
      inhibition in the bone marrow; however, the exact mechanism for megakaryopoiesis
      suppression remains elusive. In this study, a reductionist approach was applied,
      in which C57B/6J mice were inoculated with recombinant DENV-envelope protein
      domain III (DENV-EIII) instead of the full viral particle. Our results
      demonstrated that DENV-EIII-suppressed megakaryopoiesis is similar to those
      observed with DENV infection. Furthermore, in agreement with our in vivo
      analyses, DENV-EIII sufficiently suppressed the megakaryopoiesis of progenitor
      cells from murine bone marrow and human cord blood in vitro. Additional analyses
      suggested that autophagy impairment and apoptosis are involved in DENV-EIII
      mediated suppression of megakaryopoiesis. These data suggest that, even without
      viral replication, the binding of DENV-EIII to the cell surface is sufficient to
      suppress megakaryopoiesis.

PMID- 28622094
TI  - Self-care behavior change and depression among low-income predominantly Hispanic
      patients in safety-net clinics.
AB  - This study examined whether changes in self-care behaviors during a 12-month
      period predicted the likelihood of screening positive for depression concurrently
      and prospectively among low-income Hispanic patients with diabetes. Secondary
      analyses were conducted with longitudinal data collected from a randomized
      controlled trial that had tested effectiveness of collaborative depression care.
      We examined whether changes in self-care behaviors observed during the 12 months
      after baseline predicted the likelihood of screening positive for depression at
      12-, 18-, and 24-month follow-up. Self-care behaviors included healthy diet,
      exercise, self-blood glucose monitoring, and foot care, which were measured by a
      validated self-reported instrument. Logistic regression analyses indicated that
      patients with more frequent healthy diet during the 12 months after baseline had
      significantly lower likelihood of depression. Patients with more frequent
      exercise had a lower likelihood of screening for depression at 18- and 24-month
      follow-up. No significant association was found with self-blood glucose
      monitoring and foot care. These findings suggest the importance of integrated
      care that emphasizes healthy diet and exercise, together with traditional
      depression treatment, when helping low-income Hispanic patients with diabetes and
      comorbid depression.

PMID- 28622095
TI  - Black and White Lies: Race-Based Biases in Deception Judgments.
AB  - In six studies ( N = 605), participants made deception judgments about videos of
      Black and White targets who told truths and lies about interpersonal
      relationships. In Studies 1a, 1b, 1c, and 2, White participants judged that Black
      targets were telling the truth more often than they judged that White targets
      were telling the truth. This truth bias was predicted by Whites' motivation to
      respond without prejudice. For Black participants, however, motives to respond
      without prejudice did not moderate responses (Study 2). In Study 3, we found
      similar effects with a manipulation of the targets' apparent race. Finally, in
      Study 4, we used eye-tracking techniques to demonstrate that Whites' truth bias
      for Black targets is likely the result of late-stage correction processes:
      Despite ultimately judging that Black targets were telling the truth more often
      than White targets, Whites were faster to fixate on the on-screen "lie" response
      box when targets were Black than when targets were White. These systematic race
      based biases have important theoretical implications (e.g., for lie detection and
      improving intergroup communication and relations) and practical implications
      (e.g., for reducing racial bias in law enforcement).

PMID- 28622096
TI  - Practical considerations for managing Helicobacter pylori in college health.

PMID- 28622097
TI  - Evolution of cytokines and inflammatory biomarkers during infliximab induction
      therapy and the impact of inflammatory burden on primary response in patients
      with Crohn's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Primary non-response to infliximab in Crohn's disease is still
      incompletely understood. Our aim was to further characterize the role of
      inflammatory burden during infliximab induction therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      We studied a well-characterized cohort of 201 anti-TNF naive Crohn's disease
      patients treated with infliximab 5mg/kg at week 0, 2, 6 and 14 who had serum
      samples drawn just before every infusion. All serum samples were analyzed for
      CRP, albumin, TNF, IFN-gamma, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, infliximab trough concentrations
      (in-house-developed ELISA) and antibodies to infliximab (HMSA, Prometheus
      Laboratories Inc., San Diego, CA). Primary non-response was defined as the
      absence of clinical improvement at week 14. RESULTS: The incidence of primary non
      response to infliximab was 8% (n = 16). IL-8 concentrations at baseline were
      higher (p = .01) and albumin at week 6 was lower in primary non-responders (p =
      .01) compared to responders. During induction, IFN-gamma and IL-6 concentrations
      decreased significantly at week 2 and week 6 in responders compared to primary
      non-responders (p < .05). Serum TNF increased significantly after each infliximab
      infusion and this increase from week 0 to week 14 was more pronounced in
      responders (p = .03). Multiple logistic regression identified TNF/CRP ratio at
      baseline as predictive for primary non-response to infliximab at week 14 (OR 2.8
      (95% CI 1.4-5.5; p = .003)). CONCLUSIONS: In this intensively sampled cohort of
      Crohn's disease patients, we demonstrate that inflammatory burden is more
      determining for primary non-response than drug exposure or immunogenicity. Our
      findings furthermore suggest that the contribution of TNF in inflammation might
      be higher in primary non-response, contradicting the non-TNF-driven concept.

PMID- 28622098
TI  - Influence of Session Context on Physical Activity Levels Among Russian Girls
      During a Summer Camp.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of summer camp session context on
      Russian girls' physical activity (PA). METHOD: Girls (n = 32, Mage = 10.7 years,
      SD = 0.6 years) from a resident summer camp taking place in the Vologda Region of
      Russia were exposed to 1 session context/day (i.e., free play, organized with no
      choice, organized with choice) on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for 3 weeks,
      with the context order counterbalanced across the 3 weeks. The organized session
      sport/game changed weekly. The primary outcome was accelerometer-assessed PA.
      Repeated-measures mixed models were used to analyze all outcome data. RESULTS:
      Findings showed that girls spent a greater percentage of session time (%time) in
      moderate-to-vigorous PA (p < .001; effect sizes between free play and organized
      with no choice and organized with choice, respectively = .60, .42) and moderate
      PA (p < .001; effect size = .57, .39) and a lower %time in light PA (p < .001;
      effect size = .55, .52) in organized PA contexts compared with free play.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel findings in a Russian setting, suggesting
      that a well-planned, organized camp session can elicit higher PA levels in girls,
      relative to a free-play session.

PMID- 28622099
TI  - Energy drinks and alcohol-related risk among young adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Energy drink consumption, with or without concurrent alcohol use, is
      common among young adults. This study sought to clarify risk for negative alcohol
      outcomes related to the timing of energy drink use. METHODS: The authors
      interviewed a community sample of 481 young adults, aged 18-25, who drank alcohol
      in the last month. Past-30-day energy drink use was operationalized as no-use,
      use without concurrent alcohol, and concurrent use of energy drinks with alcohol
      ("within a couple of hours"). Negative alcohol outcomes included past-30-day
      binge drinking, past-30-day alcohol use disorder, and drinking-related
      consequences. RESULTS: Just over half (50.5%) reported no use of energy
      drinks,18.3% reported using energy drinks without concurrent alcohol use, and
      31.2% reported concurrent use of energy drinks and alcohol. Relative to those who
      reported concurrent use of energy drinks with alcohol, and controlling for
      background characteristics and frequency of alcohol consumption, those who didn't
      use energy drinks and those who used without concurrent alcohol use had
      significantly lower binge drinking, negative consequences, and rates of alcohol
      use disorder (P < .05 for all outcomes). There were no significant differences
      between the no-use and energy drink without concurrent alcohol groups on any
      alcohol-related measure (P > .10 for all outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent
      energy drink and alcohol use is associated with increased risk for negative
      alcohol consequences in young adults. Clinicians providing care to young adults
      could consider asking patients about concurrent energy drink and alcohol use as a
      way to begin a conversation about risky alcohol consumption while addressing 2
      substances commonly used by this population.

PMID- 28622100
TI  - Prevalence of substance use among middle school-aged e-cigarette users compared
      with cigarette smokers, nonusers, and dual users: Implications for primary
      prevention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of
      substance use in e-cigarette (EC)-only users with combustible cigarette (CC)-only
      users, dual users, and nonusers in a large sample of middle school-aged
      adolescents. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional school survey conducted in
      15 middle schools in 3 counties in West Virginia in the United States between
      October and December of 2015 (N = 6547, girls = 49.6%; response rate 84.7%).
      RESULTS: Approximately 4.3% of participants had used EC only, 4.5% had used CC
      only, and around 5.5% were dual users. Nonusers had the lowest prevalence of all
      9 forms of substance use assessed in the study (i.e., chewing tobacco, any
      alcohol, drunkenness, marijuana, sniffing, prescription drugs, hallucinogens,
      synthetic marijuana, and bath salts), followed by EC and CC users. Dual users had
      the highest prevalence of 8 of 9 forms of substance use. Multinomial logistic
      regression models showed that EC-only users had significantly greater odds over
      nonusers of using 8 of 9 types of substances included in the study. Conversely,
      EC-only users had significantly lower odds of using 7 of 9 types of substances
      when compared with dual users. However, EC-only users did not differ from CC-only
      users in odds of use in any of the 9 substances included in this analysis.
      CONCLUSIONS: Among middle school-aged adolescents, EC-only users do not differ
      from CC-only users in odds for other forms of substance use. Primary prevention
      programs should consider EC use initiation as a pathway to greater risk of other
      licit and illicit substances among young adolescents.

PMID- 28622102
TI  - Suicide Screening Tools for use in Incarcerated Offenders: A Systematic Review.
AB  - Self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales, recently reported as the
      highest in over a decade, are a significant cause of mortality. A lack of
      guidelines surrounding the screening and identification of suicide risk of new
      prisoners along with a dearth of effective screening tools indicate the need for
      review. Our aims are to examine findings on the effectiveness of prison specific
      suicide screening tools used with adult prisoners. Papers were identified via
      systematic searches of databases, scanning grey literature, and reference
      checking. Included studies were published over the period between 2000-2016.
      PRISMA guidelines were followed. Studies were selected based on population -
      adult imprisoned offenders; intervention - suicide screening tool; comparators -
      participants screened vs. not screened outcome - suicide or attempted suicide.
      Data was extracted manually. A narrative synthesis presented the findings between
      different screening tools. Eight screening tools were critically appraised.
      Evidence suggested that the VISCI and Dutch screening tools are most effective in
      identifying those at risk and reducing suicide and/or self-harm behavior.
      Variance in methodological quality and associated factors indicate the need for
      further development of prospective studies to develop robust screening tools.
      This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42016035471).

PMID- 28622101
TI  - Hepatitis C Virus in Pakistan: Community Education Is an Effective Weapon Against
      the Killer.

PMID- 28622103
TI  - The t-test: An Influential Inferential Tool in Chaplaincy and Other Healthcare
      Research.
AB  - The t-test developed by William S. Gosset (also known as Student's t-test and the
      two-sample t-test) is commonly used to compare one sample mean on a measure with
      another sample mean on the same measure. The outcome of the t-test is used to
      draw inferences about how different the samples are from each other. It is
      probably one of the most frequently relied upon statistics in inferential
      research. It is easy to use: a researcher can calculate the statistic with three
      simple tools: paper, pen, and a calculator. A computer program can quickly
      calculate the t-test for large samples. The ease of use can result in the misuse
      of the t-test. This article discusses the development of the original t-test,
      basic principles of the t-test, two additional types of t-tests (the one-sample t
      test and the paired t-test), and recommendations about what to consider when
      using the t-test to draw inferences in research.

PMID- 28622104
TI  - Disease and injury trends among evacuees in a shelter located at the epicenter of
      the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, Japan.
AB  - Two huge earthquakes struck Kumamoto, Japan, in April 2016, forcing residents to
      evacuate. Few studies have reported early-phase disease and injury trends among
      evacuees following major inland earthquakes. We evaluated the trends among
      evacuees who visited a medical clinic in a shelter located at the epicenter of
      the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. The clinic opened on April 15, the day after the
      foreshock, and closed 3 weeks later. We reviewed medical charts related to 929
      outpatient visits and conducted descriptive analyses. The evacuees experienced
      mild injuries and common diseases. The types of diseases changed weekly. Elderly
      people needed medical support for longer than other age groups. Future
      earthquakes may be inevitable, but establishing arrangements for medical needs or
      making precautions for infectious diseases in shelters could reduce the effects
      of earthquake-related health problems.

PMID- 28622105
TI  - Physically strenuous work during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth.
AB  - The aim of the study was to examine the risk of preterm birth following
      physically strenuous work during pregnancy. We included 343 pregnant women
      referred to an occupational medical clinic. Data on preterm birth and covariates
      were retrieved from the Danish Birth Registry. Risk estimates were computed by
      logistic regression using a population sample of gainfully employed women as
      reference (n = 345,915). The risk of preterm birth was increased in women lifting
      heavy loads during pregnancy (OR 1.40, 95% CI [0.88, 2.23]) but not in women with
      physically strenuous work (OR 0.98, 95% CI [0.66, 1.46]). The mean gestational
      age in the heavy-lifting group compared to the reference group was 2.4 days
      shorter (95% CI [0.36, 4.41]). The study challenges earlier reassuring findings
      as heavy-lifting pregnant women had a reduced gestational age, indicating a
      possibility of increased risk of preterm birth.

PMID- 28622106
TI  - Parent Support for Children's Physical Activity: A Qualitative Investigation of
      Barriers and Strategies.
AB  - PURPOSE: Parents play an important role in supporting children's physical
      activity (PA) behavior. Parent PA support is a behavior unto itself that has been
      examined within the framework of an adapted theory of planned behavior (TPB). The
      primary purpose of this research was to identify key barriers to parent PA
      support to understand perceptions of control in relation to parent PA support.
      The second purpose of this research was to identify potential strategies to
      enhance parent PA support via enhanced perceived behavioral control. METHOD:
      Focus groups were conducted with parents (N = 21) of children aged 5 to 11 years
      old. A deductive content analysis was employed to analyze the data guided by an
      adapted TPB. RESULTS: Themes related to barriers included parents' motivation,
      affective experiences in providing PA support, and control factors (e.g., cost,
      time, safety concerns, screen). Themes related to potential strategies included
      opportunities for participation and improved affective experiences for parents,
      community parenting, and self-regulatory strategies. CONCLUSION: The
      identification of specific barriers to parent PA support can guide the
      development of interventions to facilitate parent PA support. Informational,
      programming, and self-regulatory training interventions may be useful in
      enhancing parent support.

PMID- 28622108
TI  - Fluctuations of pol I and fibrillarin contents of the nucleoli.
AB  - Nucleoli are formed on the basis of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clusters called
      Nucleolus Organizer Regions (NORs). Each NOR contains multiple genes coding for
      RNAs of the ribosomal particles. The prominent components of the nucleolar
      ultrastructure, fibrillar centers (FC) and dense fibrillar components (DFC),
      together compose FC/DFC units. These units are centers of rDNA transcription by
      RNA polymerase I (pol I), as well as the early processing events, in which an
      essential role belongs to fibrillarin. Each FC/DFC unit probably corresponds to a
      single transcriptionally active gene. In this work, we transfected human-derived
      cells with GFP-RPA43 (subunit of pol I) and RFP-fibrillarin. Following changes of
      the fluorescent signals in individual FC/DFC units, we found two kinds of
      kinetics: 1) the rapid fluctuations with periods of 2-3 min, when the pol I and
      fibrillarin signals oscillated in anti-phase manner, and the intensities of pol I
      in the neighboring FC/DFC units did not correlate. 2) fluctuations with periods
      of 10 to 60 min, in which pol I and fibrillarin signals measured in the same unit
      did not correlate, but pol I signals in the units belonging to different nucleoli
      were synchronized. Our data indicate that a complex pulsing activity of
      transcription as well as early processing is common for ribosomal genes.

PMID- 28622109
TI  - Farmworker and nonfarmworker Latino immigrant men in North Carolina have high
      levels of specific pesticide urinary metabolites.
AB  - This article compares detections and concentrations of specific organophosphate
      (OP), bis-dithiocarbamate, and pyrethroid pesticide urinary metabolites among
      Latino male farmworkers and nonfarmworkers in North Carolina. Data are from
      interviews and urine samples collected in 2012 and 2013. Farmworkers and
      nonfarmworkers frequently had detections for OP and pyrethroid pesticide urinary
      metabolites. Detection of bis-dithiocarbamate urinary metabolites was less
      frequent, but substantial among the nonfarmworkers. The concentrations of
      organophosphate, bis-dithiocarbamate, and pyrethroid pesticide urinary
      metabolites were high for farmworkers and nonfarmworkers compared to National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey results. Pesticide urinary metabolite
      detection was not associated with occupation in nonfarmworkers. Research for
      reducing pesticide exposure among farmworkers remains important; research is also
      needed to determine pesticide exposure pathways among Latino nonfarmworkers.

PMID- 28622110
TI  - Pavlov and Cajal: Two different pathways to a Nobel Prize.
AB  - Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) and Santiago Ramon y Cajal (1852-1934) were two
      contemporary scientists who not only had a great impact on Russian and Spanish
      science but also on the international stage. Both shared several common features
      in their life and work, yet they followed fundamentally different paths during
      their training as scientists. While Pavlov received his laboratory training under
      the guidance of Ilya Tsion (1843-1912), Cajal did not receive any formal training
      within a particular laboratory nor did he have a mentor in the traditional sense,
      rather he was mainly self-taught, although he was supported by key figures like
      Maestre de San Juan (1828-1890) and Luis Simarro (1851-1921). In this article, we
      compare the scientific training of these two Nobel Prize laureates and the
      influences they received during their scientific lives.

PMID- 28622111
TI  - Caregiving for the Elderly Person: Discourses Embedded in the Brazilian Practical
      Guide for the Caregiver.
AB  - It is estimated that in 2025, Brazil will have the sixth largest elderly
      population in the world. Beyond the economic consequences of this projection,
      this changing demographic portends significant changes in the social realm. The
      aim of this study was to review and consider a range of government documents,
      developed during the past thirty years and directed toward elderly Brazilian
      citizens, to explore the ways that caregivers of older persons are positioned in
      daily care practices through the discourses such documents deploy. The analysis
      draws on Foucault's genealogical approach, and begins with a review of the
      historicity of policies, regulations, and legislation related to older people,
      followed by an analysis of the discourses embedded in the Practical Guide for the
      Caregiver, a document created by the Brazilian Ministry of Health to provide
      guidance to informal caregivers in the actual provision of care to elders. The
      analysis shows that throughout the Guide, caregivers are portrayed as
      multifaceted subjects; yet at the same time, three primary positionings for the
      caregiver and her or his work are emphasized: the almost-angel, the almost
      healthcare professional, and the almost-household professional.

PMID- 28622112
TI  - You Can Clinically Diagnose "Bursitis": You Probably Don't Need to Order That
      Ultrasound or MRI To Do It.

PMID- 28622113
TI  - Seafarers' perceptions of job demand: A cross-sectional study.
AB  - This study offers an insight regarding seafarers' perceptions of factors of
      psychological distress on shipboard. To identify stressors on maritime workers, a
      cross-sectional survey was conducted targeting a population of workers of Italian
      shipping companies sailing across the world. The research aimed to investigate
      workers' demographic and professional characteristics and the ways they influence
      perception of job fatigue, using an Italian version of the Karasek questionnaire.
      Of the involved seafarers, 80.1% returned the questionnaire, yielding a mean
      level of perceived job demand of 32.8 points and a mean level of perceived
      decision latitude of 65.5 points; 37.2% of interviewees stated having a scarce
      level of decision latitude. The results of the multivariate logistic regression
      models allowed assessment of the seafarers' characteristics related to their
      perception of job strain. These results confirm the need for measures that
      prevent stress factors in maritime workers.

PMID- 28622114
TI  - The role of age and setting in adolescents' first drinking experience for
      predicting college problem drinking.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of
      longitudinally reporting age at first drink (AFD), and to test AFD and setting of
      first drink (SFD) as predictors of collegiate problem drinking. PARTICIPANTS: 338
      first-year college students were interviewed multiple times during their first
      academic year, from May 2011 through August 2012. METHODS: AFD, SFD, and problem
      drinking were measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
      (AUDIT) during the first year of college. Bivariate analysis and parsimonious
      multivariate linear regression model were conducted. RESULTS: 62% of respondents
      were inconsistent in reporting AFD over time. Social SFD was the strongest
      independent predictor for higher AUDIT scores (b = 4.74, 95% confidence interval;
      1.91, 7.57; p = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest caution should be used in
      relying upon using AFD as a sole predictor of problem drinking. SFD may be a
      complementary measure to identify students at high risk of collegiate problem
      drinking.

PMID- 28622115
TI  - PPARgamma2 C1431T Polymorphism Interacts with the Antiobesogenic Effects of
      Kochujang, a Korean Fermented, Soybean-Based Red Pepper Paste, in
      Overweight/Obese Subjects: A 12-Week, Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - Kochujang, a Korean fermented soybean-based red pepper paste, has been reported
      to have beneficial health effects. The aim of this study was to examine the
      antiobesity effects of Kochujang as a supplement in overweight/obese subjects
      according polymorphisms in the obesity-linked gene, peroxisome proliferator
      activator receptor gamma (PPARgamma2). Sixty overweight/obese subjects, who had
      body mass indexes (BMI, kg/m2) >=23 or waist/hip ratios (WHR) >=0.90 for males or
      >=0.85 for females, were randomly assigned to either taking 32 g/day of placebo
      or Kochujang for 12 weeks. Before and after the intervention, anthropometric and
      metabolic parameters and body fat distribution (by computed tomography) were
      measured. After PPARgamma2 C1431T polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-restriction
      fragment length polymorphism, the differences among the four groups (wild and
      mutant alleles in Kochujang and placebo groups) were determined. Between the
      Kochujang (n = 26) and placebo (n = 27) groups, there were no differences in body
      composition, insulin resistance, or antioxidant biomarkers before and after
      intervention. Compared to placebo, Kochujang significantly decreased plasma
      triglyceride (TG), TG/high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and dietary intakes of
      protein, sodium, and potassium after age, sex, and BMI were adjusted. The
      beneficial effects of Kochujang on lowering of TG and TG/HDL were weakened in
      subjects with the PPARgamma2 mutant T allele with increasing subcutaneous fat
      area. However, the interaction between Kochujang and the PPARgamma2 T allele
      improved insulin sensitivity. The obesogenic variables affected by the T mutant
      allele of PPARgamma2 C1431T SNP were different in overweight/obese subjects in
      response to Kochujang.

PMID- 28622116
TI  - A General Theory for "Post" Systems Biology: Iatromics and the Environtome.

PMID- 28622117
TI  - Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures in the Emergency Department: What the Orthopedic
      Surgeon Wants to Know.
AB  - Femoral fracture in the setting of a hip arthroplasty is an increasingly common
      complication encountered in the emergency department (ED). Diagnosis and
      management of periprosthetic fractures are complicated, and orthopedic surgeons
      rely on imaging findings to guide the appropriate management approach to the
      injury. Delay in identification and appropriate definitive management of
      periprosthetic fractures is associated with high morbidity and mortality. At
      present, the Vancouver classification system for periprosthetic hip fractures is
      the most common classification system used by orthopedic surgeons. It relies on
      three radiographic criteria-fracture location, prosthesis stability, and quality
      of the femoral bone stock-to characterize these fractures and to help guide
      management decisions. Familiarly with the Vancouver classification system allows
      radiologists to both recognize and communicate the most clinically relevant
      imaging findings to the treating orthopedic surgeon. This article reviews the
      imaging workup for hip pain in patients with a femoral prosthesis, risk factors
      for periprosthetic fracture, and the expected normal appearance of the most
      commonly encountered types of femoral prostheses. Fracture terminology and the
      Vancouver classification system are reviewed in a simplified algorithm with
      emphasis on the most common patterns of periprosthetic fractures, the radiologic
      determinants of prosthesis stability and bone quality, and the management
      implications of these imaging findings. Finally, multiple instructive clinical
      cases are used to demonstrate critical application of the classification system
      and to highlight the clinical implications of the imaging findings. (c)RSNA,
      2017.

PMID- 28622118
TI  - Imaging Spectrum of Invasive Fungal and Fungal-like Infections.
AB  - Invasive fungal and fungal-like infections contribute to substantial morbidity
      and mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The incidence of these infections
      is increasing-largely because of rising numbers of immunocompromised patients,
      including those with neutropenia, human immunodeficiency virus, chronic
      immunosuppression, indwelling prostheses, burns, and diabetes mellitus, and those
      taking broad-spectrum antibiotics. Invasive fungal pathogens include primary
      mycotic organisms such as Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis,
      Blastomyces dermatitidis, and Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, which are true
      pathogens and inherently virulent. Secondary mycotic organisms such as Candida
      and Aspergillus species, Cryptococcus neoformans, Pneumocystis jirovecii, and
      Mucorales fungi are opportunistic, less virulent pathogens. Nocardia and
      Actinomyces species are gram-positive bacteria that behave like fungi in terms of
      their growth pattern and cause fungal-like invasive indolent infections; thus,
      these organisms are included in this review. Fungal and fungal-like infections
      can affect a variety of organ systems and include conditions such as meningitis,
      sinusitis, osteomyelitis, and enteritis. As awareness of these infections
      increases, timely diagnosis and treatment will become even more important.
      Imaging has a critical role in the evaluation of disease activity, therapy
      response, and related complications. Using an organ-based approach with computed
      tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography to gain familiarity
      with the appearances of these infections enables timely and accurate diagnoses.
      (c)RSNA, 2017.

PMID- 28622119
TI  - Caffeine adsorption of montmorillonite in coffee extracts.
AB  - The growth in health-conscious consumers continues to drive the demand for a wide
      variety of decaffeinated beverages. We previously developed a new technology
      using montmorillonite (MMT) in selective decaffeination of tea extract. This
      study evaluated and compared decaffeination of coffee extract using MMT and
      activated carbon (AC). MMT adsorbed caffeine without significant adsorption of
      caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), feruloylquinic acids (FQAs), dicaffeoylquinic acids
      (di-CQAs), or caffeoylquinic lactones (CQLs). AC adsorbed caffeine, chlorogenic
      acids (CGAs) and CQLs simultaneously. The results suggested that the adsorption
      selectivity for caffeine in coffee extract is higher in MMT than AC. The caffeine
      adsorption isotherms of MMT in coffee extract fitted well to the Langmuir
      adsorption model. The adsorption properties in coffee extracts from the same
      species were comparable, regardless of roasting level and locality of growth. Our
      findings suggest that MMT is a useful adsorbent in the decaffeination of a wide
      range of coffee extracts.

PMID- 28622120
TI  - Trends in Pap test practices and results: An 11-year review of the annual ACHA
      Pap Test and STI Survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To conduct a trend analysis of Pap test practices, Pap test results
      and related women's services and guidelines of college health centers.
      PARTICIPANTS: College health centers who participated in the annual ACHA Pap Test
      and STI (sexually transmitted infection) Survey years 2004-2014 (n ranged from
      127 to 181 depending on year). METHODS: Descriptive analyses are presented with
      ANOVAs (Analysis of Variance) and chi-square tests calculated to examine trends
      over time. RESULTS: The number of Pap tests significantly decreased over time;
      however, the percentage of normal and HSIL (high-grade squamous intraepithelial
      lesion) results did not vary. Availability of conventional cytology slides and
      cryotherapy were significantly associated with year. Over time, college health
      centers' guidelines related to initiation of Pap testing evolved to consistently
      conform to national recommendations for cervical screening. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results indicate most college health centers are following the current national
      guidelines regarding Pap testing for young adult women.

PMID- 28622121
TI  - Student and faculty perceptions about mandatory influenza vaccinations on a
      health sciences campus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the perceptions among faculty and health professional
      students regarding mandatory vaccination policies on a health sciences campus.
      PARTICIPANTS: A total of 296 faculty and 244 students completed surveys during
      Fall 2015. METHODS: The online survey administered to individuals who received
      the influenza vaccine during the fall 2015 influenza vaccination clinic season
      included five items evaluating perceptions of employer mandatory vaccination
      requirements. RESULTS: Chi-square analysis indicated that although faculty and
      students agree mandatory vaccinations in a health care environment are
      appropriate, faculty are more likely than students to get vaccinated in the
      absence of a mandate. Additionally, a small fraction of faculty would consider
      employment elsewhere when facing this mandate. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, faculty and
      students had favorable perceptions about mandatory influenza vaccine policies.
      Since students were less likely to be vaccinated in the absence of a mandate,
      education of students should be improved to support the importance of
      vaccinations in a health care environment.

PMID- 28622122
TI  - Exploding Head Syndrome in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit: Case Report and
      Literature Review.
AB  - Diagnosis of paroxysmal events in epilepsy patients is often made through video
      telemetry electroencephalography in the epilepsy monitoring unit. This case
      report describes the first-ever diagnosis of exploding head syndrome in a patient
      with longstanding epilepsy and novel nocturnal events. In this report, we
      describe the presentation of exploding head syndrome and its prevalence and risk
      factors. In addition, the prevalence of newly diagnosed sleep disorders through
      video-telemetry electroencephalography in the epilepsy monitoring unit is briefly
      reviewed. This report also illustrates the novel use of clobazam for the
      treatment of exploding head syndrome.

PMID- 28622123
TI  - Review of "Atlas of Neonatal Electroencephalography, Fourth Edition," by Eli M.
      Mizrahi and Richard A. Hrachovy.

PMID- 28622124
TI  - Waveform Window #39: Deep Brain Stimulator Artifact on EEG Recording.

PMID- 28622126
TI  - Review of "Pocket EMG," by Eric Wisotsky, Victor Tseng, and Dane Pohlman.

PMID- 28622125
TI  - Early-Onset Shapiro Syndrome Variant Treated with Pizotifen: A Case Report.
AB  - Shapiro Syndrome is a rare entity defined by the triad of recurrent spontaneous
      hypothermia, hyperhidrosis, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. Fewer than 100
      cases have been reported so far and there are only few cases without a complete
      agenesis of corpus callosum ("Shapiro Syndrome Variant"). In this article, we
      report the clinical, electroencephalographic, and neuroimaging data of a patient
      with early-onset Shapiro Syndrome Variant. The case study describes a 4-year-old
      patient with episodes characterized by generalized hyperhidrosis, hypotonia,
      impaired consciousness, and hypothermia with onset before the first year of age.
      We captured an event during which the EEG showed rhythmic low- to medium-voltage
      theta waves without clear epileptiform activity. Brain MRI was normal and Shapiro
      Syndrome Variant was hypothesized. We started treatment with pizotifen, and after
      2 years, the patient showed a reduction in frequency and duration of episodes.
      Shapiro Syndrome, although rare, should be considered in the differential
      diagnosis in patients with neurovegetative symptoms which suggest epileptic
      attacks at first. Our case is of particular interest to specialists because
      Shapiro SyndromeVariant is a rare syndrome and our patient had a very early onset
      of symptoms.In addition, we report our experience with pizotifen therapy, which
      produced a good response.

PMID- 28622127
TI  - Prevalence of Sleep-Disordered Breathing During Routine Electroencephalogram
      (EEG): A Hospital-Based Descriptive Study.
AB  - Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in adults is a common condition that is
      associated with a range of medical problems including hypertension,
      cardiovascular complications, and increase of seizure frequency in susceptible
      individuals. Polysomnography (PSG) is considered the gold standard measure in the
      diagnosis of SDB. This is an observational study on the frequency of SDB in adult
      patients referred for routine EEG. We found that routine EEG was capable of
      detecting moderate to severe symptoms of SDB in 14% of adult patients (95%
      confidence interval = 8.1-19.9%). The state of sleep during a routine EEG
      recording could help in assessing a SDB pattern and could provide an opportunity
      for further diagnostic sleep consultation if the patient has not previously
      reported problems with sleep or if SDB was not considered by the referring
      physician. This study underscores the need for a practice approach to ensure that
      patients suffering from SDB are properly referred to a sleep specialist. In the
      context of this report, some training and experience in PSG can be an added
      advantage for EEG technologists in the detection of SDB.

PMID- 28622128
TI  - Credentialing Organizations.

PMID- 28622130
TI  - Waveform Window #40: Stimulus-induced Rhythmic, Periodic, or Ictal Discharges
      (SIRPIDs).

PMID- 28622129
TI  - Ellen Grass Memorial Lecture: The Utility of Neurodiagnostics-It's Never Too Late
      to Make a Difference: Epilepsy and Seizures as a Continuum through Case Studies.

PMID- 28622132
TI  - ASET-CEU Quiz.

PMID- 28622133
TI  - Mirror Image Video Artifact: An Under-Reported Digital Video-EEG Artifact.
AB  - Synchronous video recording can be helpful in EEG recordings, especially in
      recognition of seizures and in rejection of artifacts. However, video recordings
      themselves are also subject to the risk of contamination by artifacts. We report
      a unique case in which a digital video artifact was identified, occurring during
      synchronous video-EEG recording, albeit independently of the EEG tracing itself.
      A synchronous digital video-EEG recording was performed on a 67-year-old male who
      presented in focal motor status epilepticus. During the initial review of the
      data, right-sided abnormalities on EEG apparently corresponded with (ipsilateral)
      right arm motor activity on video, suggesting a nonsensical anatomical
      localization. However, review of the patient's chart and discussion with the EEG
      technologist led to the recognition that the video data recorded a mirror image
      of the true findings of left arm motor activity. Review of the software settings
      led to the discovery that the video recording was inverted along the vertical
      axis, leading to mirror image video artifact. Recognition of this video artifact
      allowed for accurate interpretation of the study-that right hemispheric EEG
      abnormalities correlated appropriately with (contralateral) left arm twitching.
      Effective communication between the EEG reading physician, the treating team, and
      the EEG technologist is critical for recognition of such artifacts, for proper
      EEG interpretation, and for appropriate patient management. Mirror image video
      artifact affirms that bedside evaluation, astute technologists, and attentive EEG
      reading physicians remain important, even in the presence of video recording.

PMID- 28622134
TI  - Review of "Neurocritical Care, Second Edition," edited by Eelco F. M. Wijdicks,
      Alejandro A. Rabinstein, Sara E. Hocker, and Jennifer E. Fugate.

PMID- 28622135
TI  - The case for implementing the levels of prevention model: Opiate abuse on
      American college campuses.
AB  - Opiate abuse in the United States is on the rise among the college student
      population. This public health crisis requires immediate action from
      professionals and stakeholders who are committed to addressing the needs of
      prospective, current, and recovering opiate users using comprehensive prevention
      methods. Such approaches have been used to deliver primary, secondary, and
      tertiary intervention to alcohol and other drug users but are underutilized in
      the case of opiate abuse among college students in the United States. There is a
      definite need for involving college campus faculty, staff, students, and others
      in efforts to prevent opiate abuse at all levels. Our recommendations include
      specific strategies to address this imminent issue using an innovative
      application of the traditional Levels of Prevention Model.

PMID- 28622136
TI  - Exploring medical students' conceptions of substance use: A follow-up evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the devastating impact of alcohol and other drug involvement
      and misuse within society, medical students still receive very limited exposure
      to these issues. The Scaife Advanced Medical Student Fellowship in Alcohol and
      Other Drug Dependency, offered by the Institute for Research, Education and
      Training in Addictions for over 10 years, offers a unique, 3-week intensive
      educational experience, including didactic, observation, and experiential
      learning in these topics to first-year medical students. The goal of this project
      was to evaluate the impact of the Scaife Fellowship on medical students'
      attitudes toward patients with alcohol and other drug involvement 1 to 5 years
      after completion of the experience. METHODS: Past Scaife students and individuals
      who applied but did not attend were located and recruited to participate in an
      online attitude survey. RESULTS: Results indicated that Scaife Fellowship
      students largely retain their sense of role security around working with patients
      with alcohol and other drug involvement at the follow-up time point. Although
      therapeutic commitment or the motivation to work with these patients decreased
      for drug use, the decrease was smaller than that typically noted in the
      literature. The group of comparison students showed lower scores on both
      subscales at the evaluation time point compared with Scaife students.
      CONCLUSIONS: A three-week experiential program significantly improved medical
      students' Role Security and Therapeutic Commitment toward working with patients
      with substance use disorders. Moreover, the positive effects gained from the
      program were sustained over time.

PMID- 28622137
TI  - Editor's Note.

PMID- 28622138
TI  - Cellular and plasma nitrite levels in myeloid leukemia: a pathogenetic decrease.
AB  - Nitric oxide (NO) has a contributory role in hemopoietic cell growth and
      differentiation. The effects of NO on leukemic cell growth have been
      predominantly studied in in vitro settings. This study was done to assess the
      alterations in nitrite level in myeloid leukemias. Thirty-six newly diagnosed
      cases of myeloid leukemia (16 AML and 20 CML) were enrolled in the study.
      Neutrophil precursors from the marrow aspirate and peripheral blood were
      separated into cell bands using the Percoll density gradient method of Borregard
      and Cowland. The blood plasma and marrow fluid was also collected. Nitrite
      (stable non-volatile end product of NO) was estimated in the cell bands, blood
      plasma and marrow fluid using Griess reagent. The mean nitrite level in all cell
      bands from peripheral blood, bone marrow, blood plasma, and marrow fluid of cases
      was significantly lower as compared to corresponding value in the controls. No
      significant difference between AML and CML was seen. On follow-up, analysis of 13
      CML patients higher nitrite levels were seen (p>0.05). The significant decrease
      in nitrite levels in myeloid leukemia suggests a decrease in nitric oxide
      synthase (NOS) activity. Further work may unfold molecular targets for
      therapeutic role of NO modulators.

PMID- 28622139
TI  - Immune-regulation and -functions of eicosanoid lipid mediators.
AB  - Bioactive lipids regulate most physiological processes, from digestion to blood
      flow and from hemostasis to labor. Lipid mediators are also involved in multiple
      pathologies including cancer, autoimmunity or asthma. The pathological roles of
      lipid mediators are based on their intricate involvement in the immune system,
      which comprises source and target cells of these mediators. Based on their
      biosynthetic origin, bioactive lipids can be grouped into different classes [e.g.
      sphingolipids, formed from sphingosine or eicosanoids, formed from arachidonic
      acid (AA)]. Owing to the complexity of different mediator classes and the
      prominent immunological roles of eicosanoids, this review will focus solely on
      the immune-regulation of eicosanoids. Eicosanoids do not only control key immune
      responses (e.g. chemotaxis, antigen presentation, phagocytosis), but they are
      also subject to reciprocal control by the immune system. Particularly, key
      immunoregulatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IFN-gamma shape the cellular
      eicosanoid profile, thus providing efficient feedback regulation between cytokine
      and eicosanoid networks. For the purpose of this review, I will first provide a
      short overview of the most important immunological functions of eicosanoids with
      a focus on prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs). Second, I will summarize
      the current knowledge on immunological factors that regulate eicosanoid
      production during infection and inflammation.

PMID- 28622140
TI  - Reactive nitrogen species (RNS)-resistant microbes: adaptation and medical
      implications.
AB  - Nitrosative stress results from an increase in reactive nitrogen species (RNS)
      within the cell. Though the RNS - nitric oxide (.NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-) -
      play pivotal physiological roles, at elevated concentrations, these moieties can
      be poisonous to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells alike due to their capacity
      to disrupt a variety of essential biological processes. Numerous microbes are
      known to adapt to nitrosative stress by elaborating intricate strategies aimed at
      neutralizing RNS. In this review, we will discuss both the enzymatic systems
      dedicated to the elimination of RNS as well as the metabolic networks that are
      tailored to generate RNS-detoxifying metabolites - alpha-keto-acids. The latter
      has been demonstrated to nullify RNS via non-enzymatic decarboxylation resulting
      in the production of a carboxylic acid, many of which are potent signaling
      molecules. Furthermore, as aerobic energy production is severely impeded during
      nitrosative stress, alternative ATP-generating modules will be explored. To that
      end, a holistic understanding of the molecular adaptation to nitrosative stress,
      reinforces the notion that neutralization of toxicants necessitates significant
      metabolic reconfiguration to facilitate cell survival. As the alarming rise in
      antimicrobial resistant pathogens continues unabated, this review will also
      discuss the potential for developing therapies that target the alternative ATP
      generating machinery of bacteria.

PMID- 28622141
TI  - Analysis of structural brain MRI and multi-parameter classification for
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Incorporating with machine learning technology, neuroimaging markers which
      extracted from structural Magnetic Resonance Images (sMRI), can help distinguish
      Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients from Healthy Controls (HC). In the present
      study, we aim to investigate differences in atrophic regions between HC and AD
      and apply machine learning methods to classify these two groups. T1-weighted sMRI
      scans of 158 patients with AD and 145 age-matched HC were acquired from the ADNI
      database. Five kinds of parameters (i.e. cortical thickness, surface area, gray
      matter volume, curvature and sulcal depth) were obtained through the
      preprocessing steps. The recursive feature elimination (RFE) method for support
      vector machine (SVM) and leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) were applied to
      determine the optimal feature dimensions. Each kind of parameter was trained by
      SVM algorithm to acquire a classifier, which was used to classify HC and AD
      ultimately. Moreover, the ROC curves were depicted for testing the classifiers'
      performance and the SVM classifiers of two-dimensional spaces took the top two
      important features as classification features for separating HC and AD to the
      maximum extent. The results showed that the decreased cortical thickness and gray
      matter volume dramatically exhibited the trend of atrophy. The key differences
      between AD and HC existed in the cortical thickness and gray matter volume of the
      entorhinal cortex and medial orbitofrontal cortex. In terms of classification
      results, an optimal accuracy of 90.76% was obtained via multi-parameter
      combination (i.e. cortical thickness, gray matter volume and surface area).
      Meanwhile, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the
      curve (AUC) were also verified multi-parameter combination could reach a better
      classification performance (AUC=0.94) after the SVM-RFE method. The results could
      be well prove that multi-parameter combination could provide more useful
      classified features from multivariate anatomical structure than single parameter.
      In addition, as cortical thickness and multi-parameter combination contained more
      important classified information with fewer feature dimensions after feature
      selection, it could be optimum to separate HC from AD to take the top two
      important features of them to construct SVM classifiers in two-dimensional space.
      The proposed work is a promising approach suggesting an important role for
      machine-learning based diagnostic image analysis for clinical practice.

PMID- 28622142
TI  - Birth weight discordance and adverse perinatal outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to examine the association between discordant growth
      and perinatal mortality and morbidity among twins with careful adjustment for
      maternal confounding factors. STUDY DESIGN: Two cohorts with and without
      chorionicity data were compared using generalized estimating modeling. RESULTS:
      Our population-based dataset consisted of 12,656 individual twins from whom 4%
      (452/12,656) had>=30% growth discordance. A subgroup of this population with
      chorionicity information had an incidence of 7.3%>=30% growth discordance. In
      growth-discordant twins, perinatal mortality and morbidity were higher than
      concordant pairs (P<0.01). Low Apgar score and perinatal mortality were more
      frequent in growth-discordant twins compared with growth-concordant ones (all
      P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Birth weight discordance (BWD) places twins at increased
      risk of perinatal mortality. Growth discordance was also an independent risk
      factor for lower Apgar score of 5 min less than 5.

PMID- 28622143
TI  - Epidural analgesia at trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC): a significant
      adjunct to successful vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Epidural analgesia has been considered a risk factor for labor
      dystocia at trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) and uterine rupture. We
      evaluated the association between exposure to epidural during TOLAC and mode of
      delivery and maternal-neonatal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single center
      retrospective study of women that consented to TOLAC within a strict protocol
      between 2006 and 2013. Epidural "users" were compared to "non-users". Primary
      outcome was the mode of delivery: repeat in-labor cesarean or vaginal birth after
      cesarean (VBAC). Secondary outcomes were maternal/neonatal morbidities.
      Univariate/multivariate analyses for associations between epidural and mode of
      delivery were adjusted for significant covariates/mediators. RESULTS: Of a total
      of 105,471 births registered, 9464 (9.0%) were eligible for TOLAC; 7149 (75.5%)
      women consented to TOLAC, among which 4081 (57.1%) had epidural analgesia. The in
      labor cesarean rate was significantly lower for the epidural "users" 8.7% vs.
      "non-users" 11.8%, P<0.0001, with a parallel increased rate of instrumental
      delivery. Uterine rupture rates were comparable: 0.4% and 0.29%, respectively
      (P=0.31). The adjusted multivariate model showed that epidural "users" were more
      likely to experience a VBAC, odds ratio (OR) 4.58 [3.67; 5.70]; P<0.0001 with a
      similar rate of adverse maternal-neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: Epidural
      analgesia at TOLAC may emerge as a safe and significant adjunct for VBAC.

PMID- 28622144
TI  - A technological advance for 21st century obstetricians: the electronically
      controlled vacuum extractor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe an innovative electronically-controlled vacuum extractor
      (VE) in detail and to illustrate its performance characteristics, as observed in
      a laboratory study. DESIGN: Thirty simulated, vacuum-assisted deliveries. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURE(S): (1) The ability to measure in real-time of the pull applied
      and to sound an alert, when the traction approaches the negative pressure under
      the cup, to prevent its detachment. (2) The recording and printing of a graphic
      representation of the pull applied (vacuum delivery graph). (3) The emission of a
      warning signal when the 15-min time limit of continuous cup application on the
      fetal scalp, is reached. RESULTS: No cup detachment occurred in any of the 15
      vacuum-assisted deliveries, in which traction was kept below the adhesive force
      of the cup [44 lb (20 kg)], except in three cases, due to loss of negative
      pressure. In the remaining 15 tests, in which traction was greater than the
      adhesive force of the cup, "pull-offs" inevitably occurred. Furthermore, upon
      reaching the 15-min time limit of continuous cup application on the fetal
      cephalic model, a warning signal was emitted, as programmed. Conclusions We
      demonstrated that the electronically-controlled VE, with its distinctive pull
      sensing handle, performs suitably for its intended purposes. The ability of the
      modernized device to decrease the incidence of cup detachment, secondary to the
      inadvertent application of excessive traction, may result in considerable safety,
      medico-legal and didactic advantages.

PMID- 28622145
TI  - Clinical analyses of 383 cases with maternal cardiac diseases.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of women with heart disease. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 383 pregnant women with cardiac
      diseases were examined. The cases were classified according to the World Health
      Organization (WHO) classification. The distribution of the cases according to
      class, congenital heart diseases, mean birthweight, mean gestational week at
      delivery, type of delivery [cesarean section (CS) or vaginal delivery], and
      cardivascular events (during pregnancy and puerperium) were evaluated. RESULTS:
      Of the 383 patients, 25 were in Class I; 39, Class II; 255, Class II or III; 31,
      Class III; and 33, Class IV cardiac diseases. The neonatal birth weights were
      significantly lower in Class III than in Classes II, and II or III. The preterm
      delivery rate was higher in Class III than in the other classes. Delivery was
      performed by CS due to cardiac indications in the high-risk classes, however,
      only obstetric indications were considered in the low-risk classes. Only one case
      of maternal death occurred during the postpartum period, in a patient with
      Eisenmenger's syndrome. DISCUSSION: Cardiovascular diseases are an important
      cause of mortality and morbidity in pregnancy. The adverse impact of
      cardiovascular disorders on pregnancy outcomes should be the main concern during
      the management of these women.

PMID- 28622146
TI  - Relationship between various maternal conditions and lactic acid dehydrogenase
      activity in umbilical cord blood at birth.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) is a valuable marker for some of the
      most important diseases in newborns and the plasma LDH activity in newborns
      correlates well with conditions such as asphyxia. If LDH should be considered as
      a useful tool also in obstetric care, key factors associated with maternal health
      before and during pregnancy which could affect umbilical cord LDH activity need
      to be known. The aims of this study were to explore relationships between
      selected maternal conditions and arterial lactic acid dehydrogenase activity
      (aLDH) in umbilical cord blood at delivery. METHODS: A prospective observational
      study was conducted at Sodersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden. Included in the study
      were 1247 deliveries, and cord blood samples from each were analyzed for aLDH.
      Background, delivery and neonatal data were collected from the medical records.
      RESULTS: Higher median values of aLDH were found (P=0.001) among women with
      chronic disorders not related to pregnancy but there was no increased frequency
      of high aLDH levels (>612 MU/L, P=0.30). No difference in aLDH was identified
      between infants born to women with pregnancy-related disorders compared with
      healthy women, neither in median values, nor in high values (>612 MU/L, P=0.95).
      CONCLUSION: Newborn infants born to women with non-pregnancy-related chronic
      disorders had a somewhat higher median value of aLDH in cord blood at delivery.
      The influence of common maternal conditions and diseases on umbilical cord
      arterial LDH levels is small compared to the increase reported in fetal distress
      and several other critical conditions in the newborn.

PMID- 28622147
TI  - Brachiocephalic Vein Perforation During Cannulation of Internal Jugular Vein: A
      Case Report.
AB  - We report a rare complication of right brachiocephalic vein perforation during
      ultrasound-guided cannulation of the right internal jugular vein (IJV) in a
      patient with a tortuous common carotid artery (CCA). We suspect that the tortuous
      CCA displaced the IJV, which caused misplacement of the J-tip guidewire into the
      subclavian vein. The stiff dilator sheath introduced over the guidewire then
      perforated the wall of the brachiocephalic vein, causing massive hemothorax. This
      was diagnosed by videothoracoscopy. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the
      possibility of guidewire malposition during IJV catheterization in patients with
      a tortuous CCA.

PMID- 28622148
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28622149
TI  - Definitive Airway Management in the Presence of a Laryngeal Tube Supraglottic
      Airway: "There's More Than One Way to Skin a Cat".

PMID- 28622150
TI  - Intraoperative Hyperkalemia and Ventricular Arrhythmia During Parathyroidectomy:
      A Case Report.
AB  - We present a case of acute hyperkalemia and ventricular arrhythmia during
      parathyroidectomy in a patient with end-stage renal disease. This case highlights
      the under-recognized alterations in potassium homeostasis associated with
      parathyroidectomy and underscores the importance of preoperative optimization.

PMID- 28622151
TI  - Two Consecutive Preoperative Cardiac Arrests Involving Vancomycin in a Patient
      Presenting for Hip Disarticulation: A Case Report.
AB  - While an abundance of literature exists describing adverse reactions to
      vancomycin (eg, nausea, vomiting, red man syndrome, acute kidney injury), there
      is scarce evidence demonstrating vancomycin anaphylactic reactions requiring
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We report a case of a patient who had 2 separate
      preoperative episodes of cardiac arrest following vancomycin that occurred 4
      weeks apart. Both episodes of anaphylaxis required cardiopulmonary resuscitation,
      which led to a successful patient outcome. We discuss identification and
      treatment of vancomycin-induced anaphylaxis.

PMID- 28622152
TI  - Use of Transnasal Humidified Rapid-Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange for Emergent
      Surgical Tracheostomy: A Case Report.
AB  - Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE) is a novel
      airway technique that utilizes high-flow humidified nasal oxygen. It can extend
      apnea time and maintain oxygen saturation. Here we report the use of THRIVE in a
      35-year-old man who required emergent surgical tracheostomy for a clinically
      relevant compromised airway secondary to acute supraglottic and glottic
      pathology. Intravenous sedation resulted in hypoventilation close to apnea.
      THRIVE maintained oxygen saturation for 40 minutes until transient desaturation
      developed after complete airway obstruction.

PMID- 28622153
TI  - Extraskeletal Osteosarcoma: Outcomes and the Role of Chemotherapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Extraskeletal osteosarcoma (EO) is a malignant neoplasm that produces
      osteoid, bone, and chondroid material without direct attachment to bone or
      periosteum. Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment; the role of
      chemotherapy is not well defined. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of
      chemotherapy in the survival of patients with EO. METHODS: All EO patients seen
      at Mayo Clinic between 1990 and 2014 were assessed. Forty-three patients were
      included after all archived pathology slides were reviewed to confirm the
      diagnosis of EO. RESULTS: Of 43 patients, 37 patients had localized disease and 6
      patients had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Chemotherapy was used in 73% and
      75% of patients, respectively. Chemotherapy was predominantly anthracycline
      based, and included platinum in 22 patients (84%).Median overall survival (OS)
      and progression-free survival (PFS) were 50 months (95% confidence interval, 25
      99), and 21 months (95% confidence interval, 13-not reached), respectively. There
      was a trend towards longer OS and PFS in patients who received chemotherapy.
      Those who received platinum-based therapy had remarkably prolonged OS (median,
      182 vs. 18 mo; 5-year, 61% vs. 0%; P=0.01) and PFS (median, not reached vs. 10
      mo; 5-year, 56% vs. 0%; P=0.005). Baseline characteristics were similar in the
      platinum and nonplatinum group.In patients who received chemotherapy,
      relapse/recurrence rate was lower in the platinum-based group (41%) as opposed to
      the nonplatinum-based group (100%; P=0.02). In the neoadjuvant setting, the
      overall response rate of platinum-containing regimens was 27%. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results suggest a clinical benefit when platinum-based chemotherapy is
      incorporated in the management of patients with EO. We plan to validate this
      further with an expanded multicenter analysis.

PMID- 28622154
TI  - Operative Treatment of 2-Part Surgical Neck Fracture of the Humerus:
      Intramedullary Nail Versus Locking Compression Plate With Technical
      Consideration.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of patients who underwent either open
      reduction internal fixation with a locking plate and screws or closed reduction
      internal fixation with an antegrade intramedullary nail (IMN) for displaced
      surgical neck fracture of the humerus. DESIGN: Retrospective comparative study.
      SETTING: Single institute, Level-I academic trauma center. PATIENTS AND
      INTERVENTION: Sixty-nine patients with 2-part surgical neck fracture of the
      humerus underwent either an IMN (38 patients group A) or a locked plate fixation
      (31 patients group B). OUTCOMES MEASUREMENT: Pain on a visual analog scale,
      University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Score, American Shoulder and
      Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and active range of motion (ROM). RESULTS: At the 2
      year follow-up, there were no significant differences in the visual analog scale
      pain score (1.3 in group A; 0.9 in group B), ASES score (90.2 in group A; 91.9 in
      group B), and UCLA Shoulder Score (30.7 in group A; 31.8 in group B) between
      groups. Active ROM did not differ significantly between groups. There were 3
      complications in the IMN group, 1 nonunion requiring autogenous iliac crest bone
      graft, and 2 cases of screw loosening. CONCLUSIONS: For displaced surgical neck
      fractures of the humerus, both IM nailing and locked plate fixation in patients
      yielded satisfactory outcomes at the 2-year follow-up with no significant
      differences in pain or ROM between groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level
      III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of
      evidence.

PMID- 28622155
TI  - TRIAD IX: Can a Patient Testimonial Safely Help Ensure Prehospital Appropriate
      Critical Versus End-of-Life Care?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study sought to assess the clarity of Physician Orders for
      Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) or Living Will (LW) documents alone or in
      combination with a video message/testimonial (VM). METHODS: Emergency medical
      services (EMS) personnel responded to survey questions about the meaning of stand
      alone POLST and LW documents and those used in conjunction with emergent care
      scenarios. Personnel were randomized to receive documents only or documents with
      VM. Questions sought a code status for each scenario and a resuscitation
      decision. Code status responses were analyzed for consensus (95% response rate),
      resuscitation responses for correct treatment decisions. RESULTS: The survey
      response rate was 85%. Approximately half of emergency medical technician (EMT)
      respondents were EMT basic, and half EMT respondents were paramedic, with an
      average age of 42 years. Less than half had previous POLST/LW training averaging
      2 hours. Consensus failed to be reached for stand-alone documents. For clinical
      scenarios, responses to POLST documents specifying do not resuscitate/comfort
      measures only or cardiopulmonary resuscitation/full treatment exceeded 80% for
      code status designation and correct resuscitation decisions. Other POLST
      resuscitation/treatment combinations showed more disparate responses, and most
      benefited from VM with changes in responses of 20% or more (P <= 0.025). Code
      status responses to LW-based scenarios evidenced a nonconsensus majority (79%
      83%) that was significantly affected with VMs (>=12%, P <= 0.004); half evidenced
      large changes in resuscitation decisions (49%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Document
      clarity, judged by consensus response, was rarely evidenced. video
      message/testimonial seems to be a helpful aid to both POLST and LWs. Standardized
      education and training reveal opportunities to improve patient safety to ensure
      patient wishes.

PMID- 28622156
TI  - Aerobic versus isometric handgrip exercise in hypertension: a randomized
      controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Aerobic dynamic exercise reduces blood pressure (BP) and is broadly
      recommended by current American and European hypertension guidelines. Isometric
      exercise is currently not recommended, since data from only a few studies are
      available. We compare for the first time the effects of isometric handgrip
      training and aerobic exercise in a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: A total
      of 75 hypertensive patients were randomized to one of the following 12-week
      programmes: Isometric handgrip training five times weekly (two contractions of 2
      min at 30% of maximal power with each arm); 'Sham-handgrip training' five times
      weekly (two contractions of 2 min at 5% of maximal power with each arm); Aerobic
      exercise training of 30 min three to five times per week. All patients underwent
      office BP measurement, 24-h ambulatory BP measurement and noninvasive assessment
      of arterial compliance and systemic vascular resistance at baseline and after 12
      weeks. RESULTS: Baseline epidemiological and hemodynamic characteristics did not
      differ between groups. Aerobic exercise led to a significant reduction of
      systolic 24-h BP (P = 0.025), office SBP (P = 0.03), systemic vascular resistance
      (P = 0.001) and small artery elasticity index (P = 0.005). There were no
      statistical significant changes of these parameters in the isometric exercise and
      the 'sham exercise' groups (P > 0.05 each). CONCLUSION: Isometric handgrip
      training, performed according to a typical protocol, did not reduce BP in
      hypertensive patients. Aerobic exercise, even as an uncontrolled and unsupervised
      exercise regimen, led to a significant reduction of ambulatory and office BP.

PMID- 28622157
TI  - Predictors of 5-year outcomes in malignant phase hypertension: the West
      Birmingham Malignant Hypertension Registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Malignant hypertension represents a high-risk condition and there are
      scarce data on current clinical patterns of this condition. The aim of the study
      is to identify the clinical and demographic factors associated with poor outcome.
      METHODS: The data collected from 1958 to May 2016 included a total of 351
      patients whose 5-year survival status was known: 221 white Caucasians (63%, age
      51 +/- 13 years, 64% male), 83 African-Caribbeans (24%, 45 +/- 11 years, 61%
      male), and 47 South Asians (13%, 42 +/- 11 years, 74% male). RESULTS: During the
      5-year follow-up 119 (34%) patients suffered a primary outcome, defined as the
      composite endpoint of death or dialysis. The 5-year mortality ranged from 76% in
      patients diagnosed before 1967 to 7% in patients diagnosed between 1997 and 2006.
      The independent predictors of outcome were advanced age (vs. a reference group of
      < 40-year-old; P = 0.01 for age at presentation 51-60 years, P < 0.001 for age >
      60 years), prior use of antihypertensive medications (P = 0.002), higher serum
      creatinine (P = 0.006), and proteinuria (P < 0.01). Also, white Caucasian (odds
      ratio12.02, 95% confidence interval 1.64-88.15, P = 0.01) and African-Caribbean
      (odds ratio 15.55, 95% confidence interval 2.06-117.29, P = 0.008) origins were
      associated with higher mortality vs. South Asians. The years of the diagnosis
      after 1977 were significantly associated with lower composite endpoint of death
      or dialysis, all P < 0.01. CONCLUSION: There has been a major improvement in 5
      year survival in patients with malignant hypertension over recent decades.
      Abnormal renal function at presentation still predicts worse outcome. South Asian
      ethnicity is also associated with better outcome, although mechanisms involved
      are yet to be established.

PMID- 28622160
TI  - History of Neuro-Ophthalmology in Argentina.

PMID- 28622159
TI  - Weeding Out the Justification for Marijuana Treatment in Patients with
      Developmental and Behavioral Conditions.
AB  - CASE: Alex is a 13-year-old adolescent with high-functioning autism spectrum
      disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-combined type, anxiety,
      and depression. He has been resistant to engaging in therapy and treatment with
      various medications has been unsuccessful. Alex's parents are concerned about his
      anxiety, isolation, oppositional behaviors, academic underachievement, truancy,
      and substance use. A recent altercation with his stepfather led to a police
      intervention and a brief removal of Alex from the home. Alex previously used
      alcohol and other drugs; at present, he reports that his current drug use
      consists of frequently smoking pot. Alex states that he uses marijuana to relieve
      his anxiety and does not understand why this is problematic as marijuana is now
      legal in his state.Kevin is a 24-year-old adult man with diagnoses of autism
      spectrum disorder, mild intellectual disability, and schizoaffective disorder. He
      has a long history of challenging and problematic behaviors including aggression
      toward self and others, property destruction, inappropriate sexual behaviors,
      elopement, emotional outbursts, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Past diagnoses
      include bipolar affective disorder, depression, and intermittent explosive
      disorder. Kevin is notably obese and somnolent. His current medications include 8
      psychotropic medications, 3 antiallergy medications, levothyroxine, and a fish
      oil supplement. His father reports that medications have gradually been added and
      dosages increased over time. Two weeks ago, his new psychiatrist initiated a
      trial of medical marijuana. His father hopes that the marijuana will allow
      Kevin's other medications to be decreased or discontinued.Linda is an 11-year-old
      girl with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, and ADHD
      inattentive subtype. Anxiety has been her most impairing condition, and Linda has
      been responding well to a treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy and a
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. She is also working with her therapist on
      strategies to address her symptoms of ADHD. Linda has had no side effects from
      her medication and she and her family have been pleased with her progress. At a
      follow-up appointment, her mother brings an article from the lay press authored
      by a parent who claims that marijuana "saved" her autistic son. Linda's mother
      asks if marijuana should be considered for her daughter.

PMID- 28622158
TI  - General Anesthesia and Young Brain: What is New?
AB  - Considering that growing population of very young children is exposed to general
      anesthesia every year, it is of utmost importance to understand how and whether
      such practice may affect the development and growth of their very immature and
      vulnerable brains. Compelling evidence from animal studies suggests that an early
      exposure to general anesthesia is detrimental to normal brain development leading
      to structural and functional impairments of neurons and glia, and long-lasting
      impairments in normal emotional and cognitive development. Although the evidence
      from animal studies is overwhelming and confirmed across species examined from
      rodents to non-human primates, the evidence from human studies is inconsistent
      and not conclusive at present. In this review we focus on new developments in
      animal studies of anesthesia-induced developmental neurotoxicity and summarize
      recent clinical studies while focusing on outcome measures and exposure variables
      in terms of their utility for assessing cognitive and behavioral development in
      children.

PMID- 28622161
TI  - Antipsychotic Use Among Adult Outpatients and Venous Thromboembolic Disease: A
      Retrospective Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Treatment with antipsychotic (AP) agents is associated with incident
      thromboembolic events. However, the underpinnings of this association remain
      unknown. We sought to evaluate the effect of AP agents-categorized by their
      metabolic/sedative and hyperprolactinemia adverse effect profile-on the risk of
      venous thromboembolic disease during long-term follow-up. METHODS: A
      retrospective cohort study of adult patients initiating AP treatment for the
      first time was conducted. Primary outcome was defined as the time to venous
      thromboembolism (VTE) (either deep venous thrombosis or acute pulmonary
      embolism). Antipsychotic agents were categorized by their risk (high vs low) of
      either drug-induced (a) sedation/metabolic adverse event or (b)
      hyperprolactinemia. We used a propensity score-adjusted Cox proportional hazards
      model to control for confounding. FINDINGS: One thousand eight patients (mean
      age, 72.4 y) were followed for a median of 36 months. Incident VTE occurred in
      6.25% of patients, corresponding to an incidence rate of 184 cases per 10,000
      person-years. We found no difference in the hazard of VTE during follow-up
      between high- and low-risk groups (hazard ratio, 1.23 [95% confidence interval,
      0.74-2.04] for drug-induced sedation/metabolic adverse event risk categories, and
      hazard ratio 0.81 [95% confidence interval, 0.50-1.35] for high versus low
      hyperprolactinemia risk). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the risk of
      thromboembolic events in older adults who started AP treatment for the first time
      does not seem to be related to these drugs' risk of either sedation/metabolic
      adverse events or hyperprolactinemia. However, VTE remains a common problem in
      this subgroup of patients.

PMID- 28622164
TI  - Measuring Left Ventricular Size in Non-Electrocardiographic-gated Chest Computed
      Tomography: What Radiologists Should Know.
AB  - Non-electrocardiographic (ECG)-gated computed tomography (CT) of the chest is one
      of the most commonly performed imaging studies. Although the heart is included in
      every CT study, cardiac findings are commonly underreported in radiology reports.
      Left ventricular size is one of the most important prognostic markers in multiple
      cardiac diseases and can be measured on almost all non-ECG-gated multidetector
      chest CT studies. This review will discuss the available evidence on different
      measurements of left ventricular size obtained on non-ECG-gated CT of the chest.
      Measurement thresholds, technical issues, and potential problems are emphasized,
      with practical recommendations.

PMID- 28622165
TI  - Thoracic Imaging After Bariatric Surgery.
AB  - Obesity and its association with long-term health problems constitutes one of the
      major challenges in medicine. Though diet regulation and exercise are the primary
      treatment strategies, surgery is the most reliable long-term solution. Although
      bariatric surgical complications continue to decline, prompt recognition is
      essential to optimize patient outcomes. Despite their relative rarity, it is
      important to recognize thoracic complications, as several of these can result in
      severe morbidity and mortality. This article describes common bariatric surgical
      procedures performed, their expected postoperative appearances, and intrathoracic
      complications.

PMID- 28622163
TI  - Novel roles for mucin 1 in the kidney.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent studies in the kidney have revealed that the well
      characterized tumor antigen mucin 1 (MUC1/Muc1) also has numerous functions in
      the normal and injured kidney. RECENT FINDINGS: Mucin 1 is a transmembrane mucin
      with a robust glycan-dependent apical targeting signal and efficient recycling
      from endosomes. It was recently reported that the TRPV5 calcium channel is
      stabilized on the cell surface by galectin-dependent cross-linking to mucin 1,
      providing a novel mechanism for regulation of ion channels and normal electrolyte
      balance.Our recent studies in mice show that Muc 1 is induced after ischemia,
      stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1)alpha and beta-catenin levels, and
      transactivating the HIF-1 and beta-catenin protective pathways. However,
      prolonged induction of either pathway in the injured kidney can proceed from
      apparent full recovery to chronic kidney disease. A very recent report indicates
      that aberrant activation of mucin 1 signaling after ischemic injury in mice and
      humans is associated with development of chronic kidney disease and fibrosis. A
      frameshift mutation in MUC1 was recently identified as the genetic lesion causing
      medullary cystic kidney disease type 1, now appropriately renamed MUC1 Kidney
      Disease. SUMMARY: Studies of mucin 1 in the kidney now reveal significant
      functions for the extracellular mucin-like domain and signaling through the
      cytoplasmic tail.

PMID- 28622166
TI  - Quantitative Analysis of Iodine Image of Dual-energy Computed Tomography at Rest:
      Comparison With 99mTc-Tetrofosmin Stress-rest Single-photon Emission Computed
      Tomography Myocardial Perfusion Imaging as the Reference Standard.
AB  - PURPOSE: Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) can be used for visual
      determination of iodine distribution in the myocardium (iodine image); however,
      the accuracy and reproducibility of the process remains debatable. Because of the
      low contrast-to-noise ratio of CT, we hypothesized that quantitative measurement
      may be more accurate for detecting myocardial ischemia. In this study, we
      evaluated our quantitative method by comparing it with visual analysis using Tc
      tetrofosmin (TF) stress-rest single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
      myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Forty-three patients who had a significant stenosis on cardiac rest DECT
      and had received Tc-TF stress-rest SPECT MPI within 1 month were retrospectively
      analyzed. The regions of interest were set on iodine images in accordance with
      the American Heart Association (AHA) 17-segment model (a total of 731 segments).
      The regions of interest values were divided by the amount of iodine (mg) per unit
      weight (kg) and defined as perfusion value (perfusion value analysis). All
      segments were also visually analyzed and receiver operating characteristic curve
      analysis performed to identify the superior analysis. RESULTS: The receiver
      operating characteristic curve analysis showed that perfusion value analysis is
      significantly superior to visual analysis [the area under the curve: 0.921 (95%
      confidence interval, 0.860-0.981) versus 0.685 (95% confidence interval, 0.580
      0.791), respectively, P<0.05], with 93.8% sensitivity, 99.1% specificity, 98.9%
      accuracy, 83.3% positive predictive value, and 99.7% negative predictive value
      (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative analysis of the iodine image of rest DECT,
      called perfusion value analysis, is more accurate than visual analysis when
      compared with Tc-TF SPECT MPI as the reference standard.

PMID- 28622167
TI  - Statin and Its Association With Delirium in the Medical ICU.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between statin use and the risk of
      delirium in hospitalized patients with an admission to the medical ICU. DESIGN:
      Retrospective propensity-matched cohort analysis with accrual from September 1,
      2012, to September 30, 2015. SETTING: Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT. PATIENTS:
      An initial population of patients with an admission to a medical ICU totaling
      10,216 visits were screened for delirium by means of the Confusion Assessment
      Method. After exclusions, a population of 6,664 was used to match statin users
      and nonstatin users. The propensity-matched cohort resulted in a sample of 1,475
      patients receiving statin matched 1:1 with control patients not using statin.
      INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Delirium defined as a
      positive Confusion Assessment Method assessment was the primary end point. The
      prevalence of delirium was 22.3% in the unmatched cohort and 22.8% in the
      propensity-matched cohort. Statin use was associated with a significant decrease
      in the risk of delirium (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.38-0.56). Considering the
      type of statin used, atorvastatin (0.51; 0.41-0.64), pravastatin (0.40; 0.28
      0.58), and simvastatin (0.33; 0.21-0.52) were all significantly associated with a
      reduced frequency of delirium. CONCLUSIONS: The use of statins was independently
      associated with a reduction in the risk of delirium in hospitalized patients.
      When considering types of statins used, this reduction was significant in
      patients using atorvastatin, pravastatin, and simvastatin. Randomized trials of
      various statin types in hospitalized patients prone to delirium should validate
      their use in protection from delirium.

PMID- 28622168
TI  - ICU Telemedicine: Financial Analyses of a Complex Intervention.

PMID- 28622170
TI  - Skin allergy.

PMID- 28622171
TI  - Reactions to cytostatic agents in children.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current review will focus on drug hypersensitivity
      reactions to chemotherapy specifically to those drugs most used in children. We
      know that potentially all chemotherapeutic agents can cause infusion reactions,
      generally defined as adverse drug reactions. Of these, some are Type A, defined
      as expected and described in the characteristics of the drug and others, and Type
      B, defined as unexpected reactions which cannot be explained by the known
      toxicity profile of the drug. When an unexpected reaction occurs, drugs we can
      refer as hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs). Some of these (HSRs) are allergic
      reactions as they have an underlying immunologic mechanism. In general, the
      cytotoxic agents most commonly associated with HSRs are the platinum salts
      derivatives, taxanes, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, L-asparaginase,
      procarbazine, etoposide, bleomycin, and cytarabin. RECENT FINDINGS: HSRs may also
      occur in children with cancer, during the treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs.
      The most used drugs of this group in children to cause HSRs are: carboplatin, L
      asparaginase, and methothrexate. The aim of this review is to summarize the
      incidence and the clinical features of HSRs occurring with these drugs in
      children. SUMMARY: The aim of this review is to summarize the incidence and the
      clinical features of HSRs occurring with these drugs in children. The current
      review will focus on the most involved drugs in children, the type of reactions,
      the mechanisms involved, and the best way to manage them.

PMID- 28622172
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28622169
TI  - Molecular aspects of allergens in atopic dermatitis.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Molecular allergology uses pure, mainly recombinant and
      structurally defined allergen molecules and allergen-derived epitopes to study
      mechanisms of IgE-associated allergy, to diagnose, and even predict the
      development of allergic manifestations and to treat and prevent IgE-associated
      allergies. Atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease is almost
      always associated with IgE sensitization to allergens. However, also non-IgE
      mediated pathomechanisms seem to be operative in atopic dermatitis and it is
      often difficult to identify the disease-causing allergens. Here we review recent
      work showing the usefulness of molecular allergology to study mechanisms of
      atopic dermatitis, for diagnosis and eventually for treatment and prevention of
      atopic dermatitis. RECENT FINDINGS: IgE sensitization to airborne, food-derived,
      microbial allergens, and autoallergens has been found to be associated with
      atopic dermatitis. Using defined allergen molecules and non-IgE-reactive allergen
      derivatives, evidence could be provided for the existence of IgE- and non-IgE
      mediated mechanisms of inflammation in atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, effects of
      epicutaneous allergen administration on systemic allergen-specific immune
      responses have been studied. Multi-allergen tests containing micro-arrayed
      allergen molecules have been shown to be useful for the identification of culprit
      allergens in atopic dermatitis and may improve the management of atopic
      dermatitis by allergen-specific immunotherapy, allergen avoidance, and IgE
      targeting therapies in a personalized medicine approach. SUMMARY: Molecular
      allergology allows for dissection of the pathomechanisms of atopic dermatitis,
      provides new forms of allergy diagnosis for identification of disease-causing
      allergens, and opens the door to new forms of management by allergen-specific and
      T cells-targeting or IgE-targeting interventions in a personalized medicine
      approach.

PMID- 28622173
TI  - Does Memory Consolidation by Anesthetics Relate to a Time Window of Age?

PMID- 28622175
TI  - Predictors, Prognosis, and Management of New Clinically Important Atrial
      Fibrillation After Noncardiac Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the frequency of new clinically important atrial fibrillation
      (AF) after noncardiac surgery and its increased association with the risk of
      stroke at 30 days, there are limited data informing their prediction, association
      with outcomes, and management. METHODS: We used the data from the PeriOperative
      ISchemic Evaluation trial to determine, in patients undergoing noncardiac
      surgery, the association of new clinically important AF with 30-day outcomes, and
      to assess management of these patients. We also aimed to derive a clinical
      prediction rule for new clinically important AF in this population. We defined
      new clinically important AF as new AF that resulted in symptoms or required
      treatment. We recorded an electrocardiogram 6 to 12 hours postoperatively and on
      the 1st, 2nd, and 30th days after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 211 (2.5% [8351
      patients]; 95% confidence interval, 2.2%-2.9%) patients developed new clinically
      important AF within 30 days of randomization (8140 did not develop new AF). AF
      was independently associated with an increased length of hospital stay by 6.0
      days (95% confidence interval, 3.5-8.5 days) and vascular complications (eg,
      stroke or congestive heart failure). The usage of an oral anticoagulant at the
      time of hospital discharge among patients with new AF and a CHADS2 score of 0, 1,
      2, 3, and >=4 was 6.9%, 10.2%, 23.0%, 9.4%, and 33.3%, respectively. Two
      independent predictors of patients developing new clinically important AF were
      identified (ie, age and surgery). The prediction rule included the following
      factors and assigned weights: age >=85 years (4 points), age 75 to 84 years (3
      points), age 65 to 74 years (2 points), intrathoracic surgery (3 points), major
      vascular surgery (2 points), and intra-abdominal surgery (1 point). The incidence
      of new AF based on scores of 0 to 1, 2, 3 to 4, and 5 to 6 was 0.5%, 1.0%, 3.1%,
      and 5.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Age and surgery are independent predictors
      of new clinically important AF in the perioperative setting. A minority of
      patients developing new clinically important AF with high CHADS2 scores are
      discharged on an oral anticoagulant. There is a need to develop effective and
      safe interventions to prevent this outcome and to optimize the management of this
      event when it occurs.

PMID- 28622176
TI  - Impact of Sternotomy and Pericardial Opening in Patients With Ventricular Septal
      Defects: Assess Before Sawing!

PMID- 28622174
TI  - Insufficient Astrocyte-Derived Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Contributes to
      Propofol-Induced Neuron Death Through Akt/Glycogen Synthase Kinase
      3beta/Mitochondrial Fission Pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Growing animal evidence demonstrates that prolonged exposure to
      propofol during brain development induces widespread neuronal cell death, but
      there is little information on the role of astrocytes. Astrocytes can release
      neurotrophic growth factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),
      which can exert the protective effect on neurons in paracrine fashion. We
      hypothesize that during propofol anesthesia, BDNF released from developing
      astrocytes may not be sufficient to prevent propofol-induced neurotoxicity.
      METHODS: Hippocampal astrocytes and neurons isolated from neonatal Sprague Dawley
      rats were exposed to propofol at a clinically relevant dose of 30 MUM or dimethyl
      sulfoxide as control for 6 hours. Propofol-induced cell death was determined by
      propidium iodide (PI) staining in astrocyte-alone cultures, neuron-alone
      cultures, or cocultures containing either low or high density of astrocytes (1:9
      or 1:1 ratio of astrocytes to neurons ratio [ANR], respectively). The astrocyte
      conditioned medium was collected 12 hours after propofol exposure and measured by
      protein array assay. BDNF concentration in astrocyte-conditioned medium was
      quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neuron-alone cultures were
      treated with BDNF, tyrosine receptor kinase B inhibitor cyclotraxin-B, glycogen
      synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta) inhibitor CHIR99021, or mitochondrial fission
      inhibitor Mdivi-1 before propofol exposure. Western blot was performed for
      quantification of the level of protein kinase B and GSK3beta. Mitochondrial shape
      was visualized through translocase of the outer membrane 20 staining. RESULTS:
      Propofol increased cell death in neurons by 1.8-fold (% of PI-positive cells
      [PI%] = 18.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15.2-21.9, P < .05) but did not
      influence astrocyte viability. The neuronal death was attenuated by a high ANR
      (1:1 cocultures; fold change [FC] = 1.17, 95% CI, 0.96-1.38, P < .05), but not
      with a low ANR [1:9 cocultures; FC = 1.87, 95% CI, 1.48-2.26, P > .05]).
      Astrocytes secreted BDNF in a cell density-dependent way and propofol decreased
      BDNF secretion from astrocytes. Administration of BDNF, CHIR99021, or Mdivi-1
      significantly attenuated the propofol-induced neuronal death and aberrant
      mitochondria in neuron-alone cultures (FC = 0.8, 95% CI, 0.62-0.98; FC = 1.22,
      95% CI, 1.11-1.32; FC = 1.35, 95% CI, 1.16-1.54, respectively, P < .05) and the
      cocultures with a low ANR (1:9; FC = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.74-0.97; FC = 1.08, 95% CI,
      0.84-1.32; FC = 1.25, 95% CI, 1.1-1.39, respectively, P < .05). Blocking BDNF
      receptor or protein kinase B activity abolished astrocyte-induced neuroprotection
      in the cocultures with a high ANR (1:1). CONCLUSIONS: Astrocytes attenuate
      propofol-induced neurotoxicity through BDNF-mediated cell survival pathway
      suggesting multiple neuroprotective strategies such as administration of BDNF,
      astrocyte-conditioned medium, decreasing mitochondrial fission, or inhibition of
      GSK3beta.

PMID- 28622177
TI  - Postoperative Respiratory Complications in Patients at Risk for Obstructive Sleep
      Apnea: A Single-Institution Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent condition that is
      associated with early postoperative respiratory complications (PRCs). As the
      majority of patients with OSA are undiagnosed, preoperative screening remains the
      most efficient method to identify suspected OSA. METHODS: This retrospective
      study was performed on patients undergoing anesthesia in a single academic
      medical center. We assigned OSA risk class retrospectively to all patients in the
      study by using the Perioperative Sleep Apnea Prediction (PSAP) score. We
      evaluated the relationship between PSAP categories and early postoperative
      invasive airway placement after adjusting for several preoperative and
      intraoperative factors (including surgical risk) previously associated with PRC
      occurrence. RESULTS: A total of 108,479 patients were included in the final
      analysis with an incidence of PRC was 0.3% (n = 280). High PSAP score was
      associated with postoperative intubation (adjusted odds ratio, 2.3; 95%
      confidence interval, 1.5-3.7). Several risk factors reflecting anesthetic agents,
      neuromuscular blocking agents, and opioids were also independently associated
      with early PRC. CONCLUSIONS: We report that suspected OSA based on the PSAP score
      is independently associated with increased risk of early PRC. Specific anesthetic
      agents are independently associated with early PRC, pointing to the potential for
      examining risk modification through these exposures in future studies.

PMID- 28622178
TI  - Labor Analgesia Onset With Dural Puncture Epidural Versus Traditional Epidural
      Using a 26-Gauge Whitacre Needle and 0.125% Bupivacaine Bolus: A Randomized
      Clinical Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lumbar epidurals (LEs) provide excellent analgesia. Combined spinal
      epidural and dural puncture epidural (DPE) are 2 techniques to expedite neuraxial
      analgesia onset. In DPE, dura is punctured but medication is not administered in
      the cerebrospinal fluid. Expedited analgesia onset has been demonstrated with
      DPE, using 0.25% bupivacaine; however, this concentration may impede an
      unassisted vaginal birth and is not currently used for induction and maintenance
      of labor analgesia. The primary goal of this study was to compare the percentage
      of patients who achieved adequate labor analgesia following DPE or LE with an
      epidural bolus of 0.125% bupivacaine. Adequate labor analgesia was defined as
      Visual Analog Scale (VAS) measurement <= 10 mm on a 100-mm scale during active
      contractions, measured 10 minutes after epidural bolus initiation. METHODS:
      Laboring patients were randomly assigned to receive LE or DPE. Immediately before
      epidural placement, subjects marked a VAS score during an active contraction and
      parturients with VAS < 50 mm were excluded. The epidural space was identified by
      a loss of resistance technique to saline (17G Tuohy needle [Arrow International,
      Inc, Redding, PA]). In the DPE group, dura was punctured with a 26G Whitacre
      needle (Arrow International, Inc). In all participants, a 19G epidural catheter
      (Arrow International, Inc) was inserted. An epidural bolus was then administered
      over 3 minutes (12 mL, 0.125% bupivacaine, 50 MUg fentanyl) followed by infusion
      (0.1% bupivacaine, 2 MUg/mL fentanyl). After initiation of epidural bolus (time
      zero), VAS measurements were collected at 2-minute intervals for up to 20
      minutes. Median time to achieve adequate analgesia by treatment group was
      assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Time to achieving adequate analgesia was
      evaluated using a Cox regression model. All analyses were conducted in SAS
      version 9.4. (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) RESULTS:: Data were analyzed from 80
      participants (40 per group). Adequate analgesia at 10 minutes did not differ by
      neuraxial technique (DPE = 55.3% vs LE = 44.7%; P= .256). However, parturients
      receiving DPE had shorter median times to adequate analgesia (median [95%
      confidence interval], 8 minutes [6-10] vs 10 minutes [8-14]) and a 67% increase
      in the relative risk of achieving adequate analgesia compared to LE (relative
      risk = 1.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.64; P= .042). CONCLUSIONS: Although
      the percentage of parturients achieving adequate labor analgesia at 10 minutes
      after epidural bolus did not differ by technique, DPE was associated with faster
      time to VAS <= 10 mm compared with LE.

PMID- 28622179
TI  - Paucicellular Fibrointimal Proliferation Characterizes Pediatric Pulmonary Vein
      Stenosis: Clinicopathologic Analysis of 213 Samples From 97 Patients.
AB  - Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a luminal narrowing of extrapulmonary pulmonary
      veins. In pediatric patients, it arises following repair of congenital heart
      disease, particularly anomalous pulmonary venous return; in lung disease,
      especially prematurity; and rarely in isolation. The etiology is unknown and the
      course often fatal without lung transplantation. We hypothesized that systematic
      clinicopathologic review of pediatric PVS could provide further pathogenic
      insight. We included patients who underwent first resection of pulmonary venous
      tissue for symptomatic PVS at our pediatric referral center from 1995 to 2014.
      Clinical records and hematoxylin and eosin slides were reviewed. Subsets were
      immunostained for smooth muscle actin, Ki-67, beta-catenin, estrogen receptor,
      and other markers and analyzed for USP6 gene rearrangement. A total of 97
      patients (57% male; median age: 6 mo) were identified. Overall, 59 (61%) had
      prior congenital heart disease repair, 35 involving pulmonary vein manipulation.
      Samples included 213 separate anatomic sites (median: 2/patient). Histologically,
      all showed sparsely cellular intimal expansion composed of haphazardly arranged
      fibroblasts with slender nuclei in myxoid matrix. This tissue merged with
      underlying collagen. Most samples had a variably continuous sheath of
      cardiomyocytes. Ancillary tests supported a reactive fibroblastic proliferation;
      in particular, fibroblasts showed cytoplasmic beta-catenin localization, no
      estrogen receptor expression, and no USP6 rearrangement. At last follow-up (mean:
      2.3 y), 46% of patients had died of disease. Pediatric PVS uniformly consists of
      a paucicellular fibrointimal proliferation, irrespective of clinical scenario. It
      may be best conceived of as a form of reactive hyperplasia. As with other forms
      of vascular remodeling, trauma (iatrogenic or occult) is likely an inciting
      factor. A comprehensive understanding of the surgical pathology of PVS may
      further inform therapeutic strategies in this lethal disease.

PMID- 28622180
TI  - A Prospective Study of Loose Tissue Fragments in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
      Resection Specimens: An Alternative View to "Spread Through Air Spaces".
AB  - The World Health Organization Classification of Lung Tumors considers "Spread
      Through Air Spaces" a form of invasion in lung adenocarcinoma. The recently
      described spread of free-floating cell clusters during lung specimen sectioning,
      otherwise known as "Spread Through A Knife Surface," represents an ex vivo
      artifact. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the presence
      and frequency of these free-floating tumor cell clusters in surgically resected
      lung cancer specimens and their possible relation to gross examination
      procedures. A prospective, multi-institutional study of non-small cell lung
      cancer resection specimen was undertaken. At prosection the first cut was made
      with a clean knife; the second cut was made in a parallel plane to the first.
      Four tissue blocks were taken from upper and lower parts of first and second
      cuts. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides were examined for displaced benign
      and/or malignant tissue fragments. Forty-four resection specimens were studied.
      The mean number of tumor clusters for blocks 1 to 4 was 0.36, 1.44, 1.86, and
      1.95, respectively, and for benign fragments was 0.11, 0.11, 0.13, and 0.25,
      respectively. Almost all cell clusters were intra-alveolar. Comparison of tumor
      cell clusters in block 1 with blocks 2 to 4 was significant with P-values
      (Friedman test for repeated measures 0.03) 0.031, 0.02, and 0.05, respectively.
      Overall 93% of the loose tissue fragments could be explained by mechanical forces
      associated with tissue handling. While the 2015 World Health Organization
      Classification of Lung Tumors recognizes Spread Through Air Spaces as a form of
      lung cancer invasion, such is debatable and in many instances likely represents
      mechanical artifact, including dissemination along the prosecting knife blade.

PMID- 28622181
TI  - Validation of a Mitotic Index Cutoff as a Prognostic Marker in Undifferentiated
      Uterine Sarcomas.
AB  - Undifferentiated uterine sarcomas (UUS) are a heterogenous group of high-grade
      mesenchymal tumors. Although these tumors are highly aggressive, a subset of
      patients may experience long-term survival. These tumors have previously been
      divided morphologically into uniform and pleomorphic types. A previous study
      demonstrated that a mitotic index cutoff of 25 mitoses/10 high-power fields
      (corresponding to 11.16 mitotic figures/mm) could successfully divide tumors into
      2 prognostic groups with significantly different overall survival. The goals of
      the current study were to (1) validate this mitotic index cutoff in an
      independent, multicenter cohort and (2) explore the prognostic value of the
      mitotic index groups in relation to other clinicopathologic variables. Cases were
      included from 3 independent institutions: The Norwegian Radium Hospital, The Mayo
      Clinic, and Skane University Hospital. A total of 40 tumors were included after
      central review. All cases were negative for the YWHAE-FAM22A/B and JAZF1-JJAZ1
      translocations. Survival data were available on all patients. In this study, one
      third of patients with UUS survived beyond 5 years. The crude (unadjusted) Cox
      Proportional Hazards model revealed a number of parameters that significantly
      impacted overall survival, including mitotic index group, patient age, stage, and
      the presence of tumor necrosis. Classification into the uniform and pleomorphic
      types was not prognostic. Combining these parameters into an adjusted model
      revealed that only the mitotic index group and stage were prognostic. On the
      basis of these findings, it is proposed that UUS be subdivided into "mitogenic"
      and "not otherwise specified" types.

PMID- 28622182
TI  - Reflux-Associated Cholecystopathy: Analysis of 76 Gallbladders From Patients With
      Supra-Oddi Union of the Pancreatic Duct and Common Bile Duct (Pancreatobiliary
      Maljunction) Elucidates a Specific Diagnostic Pattern of Mucosal Hyperplasia as a
      Prelude to Carcinoma.
AB  - Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) is the anomalous union of the main
      pancreatic duct and common bile duct outside the Oddi-sphincter, allowing the
      reflux of pancreatic juice to the gallbladder. There is only limited awareness
      and understanding of the pathologic correlates of this condition, mostly from
      Japan; this entity is largely unrecognized in the West. In this study, 76
      gallbladders from patients with PBM (64 from Japan; 12 from the United States)
      were analyzed and contrasted with 66 from non-PBM patients. These were
      predominantly females (54 vs. 22), mean age, 53 (range: 14 to 81). Cholelithiasis
      was uncommon (16% vs. 80% in non-PBM, P<0.01) whereas cholesterolosis was more
      common (49% vs. 29%, P=0.02) suggesting an altered chemical milieu. There was a
      distinctive diffuse mucosal hyperplasia (82% vs. 42%, P<0.01) with markedly
      elongated folds (mean: 1.1 vs. 0.7 mm, P<0.01) composed of compact villoglandular
      proliferation, often showing broad-based pushing into muscle, accompanied by
      prominent and more complex Rokitansky-Aschoff sinus formation (2.0 vs. 1.0/cm,
      P<0.01) at the base. At the tips, this villiform hyperplasia displayed frequent
      horizontal bridging of the folds (68% vs. 47%, P=0.01), bulbous dilatation (52%
      vs. 21%, P<0.01) as well as deposition of a peculiar amyloid-like hyaline
      material (56% vs. 15%, P<0.01). Despite paucity of inflammation and gallstones,
      findings attributed to mucosal injury were common including: pyloric gland
      metaplasia (70% vs. 48%, P=0.01) and intestinal metaplasia (24% vs. 6%, P<0.01).
      Invasive gallbladder carcinoma was present in 22 (29%) of the cases with 6 of
      these (27%) arising in association with intracholecystic papillary tubular
      neoplasm. Five cases had bile duct carcinoma at the time of cholecystectomy and 1
      developed it 4 years after. In conclusion, gallbladders with patients with PBM
      display a distinctive pattern of mucosal hyperplasia with distinguishing
      features, which in constellation render it a microscopically diagnosable specific
      entity. We propose to refer to this entity as "reflux-associated
      cholecystopathy." Recognition of the pathologic characteristics of this entity is
      important so that investigation for, as well as treatment and prevention of, PBM
      associated complications (biliary tract cancers and pancreatitis) can be
      instituted. This group also offers a distinct model of carcinogenesis (chemical
      rather than inflammatory) in the gallbladder for cancer researchers to
      scrutinize.

PMID- 28622183
TI  - Cyclin D1 Is Expressed in Neoplastic Cells of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis but
      Not Reactive Langerhans Cell Proliferations.
AB  - Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is characterized by frequent activating
      mutations involving the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway.
      Therefore, downstream markers of MAPK pathway activation such as cyclin D1 may be
      useful as novel diagnostic markers of neoplasia in LCH. The goal of this study
      was to investigate cyclin D1 expression in LCH and reactive Langerhans cell
      accumulations using immunohistochemistry on archival tissue. All LCH cases tested
      (39/39) showed cyclin D1 expression in CD1a/Langerin cells. Most cases (22/39;
      56%) showed strong cyclin D1 expression in the majority (>=50%) of lesional
      cells. Only a few cases (6/39; 15%) showed cyclin D1 expression in a small subset
      (<20%). Nearly all LCH cases (26/27; 96%) showed p-ERK expression by
      immunohistochemistry, parallel to cyclin D1 expression. CD1a Langerhans cells in
      all cases of florid dermatopathic lymphadenopathy and normal skin were negative
      for cyclin D1, as demonstrated by CD1a/cyclin D1 double staining. The majority of
      skin specimens (14/18; 78%) with dermatitis-related changes did not show cyclin
      D1 expression in the CD1a epidermal Langerhans cell aggregates. A minority (4/18;
      22%) showed weak cyclin D1 staining in a small subset (5% to 10%) of CD1a
      Langerhans cells. We conclude that cyclin D1 is ubiquitously expressed in LCH, in
      keeping with the known near universal MAPK activation in this disease. Further,
      it is not significantly expressed in reactive Langerhans cell proliferations in
      lymph node or skin. Therefore, cyclin D1 immunohistochemistry may be useful in
      excluding non-neoplastic mimics of LCH.

PMID- 28622184
TI  - Does Age Influence the Efficacy of Demineralized Bone Matrix Enriched with
      Concentrated Bone Marrow Aspirate in Lumbar Fusions?
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effect of age on the
      efficacy of allograft/demineralized bone matrix (DBM) enriched with concentrated
      bone marrow aspirate (BMA) in posterolateral lumbar fusions (PLFs). SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: Cell-based therapies such as concentrated BMA have been
      developed as a potential alternative to iliac crest bone graft (ICBG). BMA
      contains mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and growth factors that can confer
      osteogenic and osteoinductive potential to osteoconductive scaffolds such as
      DBM/allograft. To date, no studies have examined the role of age on fusion
      outcomes when BMA is utilized despite the well-established deleterious effects of
      advanced age on bone marrow and MSC potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-one
      patients that underwent PLF were divided into 3 groups. Group A (n=14) composed
      of patients age 65 years and older who received BMA with DBM. Group B (n=17)
      consisted of patients younger than 65 years of age who received BMA with DBM.
      Group C (n=20) composed of patients age 65 years and older who received ICBG.
      Fusion rates and clinical outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Fusion was
      significantly lower in group A (35.7%) compared with both groups B (76.4%) and C
      (80%) (A vs. B, P=0.03; A vs. C, P=0.01). There were no differences in clinical
      outcomes among all groups except for pseudarthrosis which occurred in 28.6% of
      patients in group A compared with none and 5% of patients in groups B and C,
      respectively (A vs. B, P=0.03; A vs. C, P=0.13). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients
      undergoing PLF using DBM enriched with BMA achieved lower radiographic fusion
      success compared with their nonelderly counterparts and compared with elderly
      patients that had fusion with ICBG. This may be partly due to the effect of
      advanced age on MSC potential.

PMID- 28622185
TI  - A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of the Adjacent Segment Parameters in Cervical Disk
      Arthroplasty Versus Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: This is a meta-analysis of controlled trials. OBJECTIVE: To assess
      the overall condition of adjacent segment of cervical disk arthroplasty (CDA)
      compared with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: With the increase in CDA and ACDF, surgeons are taking more
      attention to adjacent segment degeneration (ASDeg) and adjacent segment disease
      (ASDis). There are more and more meta-analyses comparing the efficacy of CDA with
      ACDF, however, there are few meta-analyses referring to adjacent segment
      parameters, and investigators are still unable to arrive at the same conclusion.
      METHODS: Several important databases were searched for controlled trials
      comparing CDA and ACDF before February 2016 according to PRISMA guidelines. The
      analysis parameters included follow-up time, operative segments, cervical range
      of motion (ROM), adjacent segment motion, ASDeg, ASDis and adjacent segment
      reoperation. The risk of bias scale and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used to
      assess the papers. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to
      analyze the reason for high heterogeneity. RESULTS: Forty-one controlled trials
      fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 36 English papers and 5 Chinese. The
      average follow-up time of all included patients was 39 months. Compared with
      ACDF, the rate of adjacent segment reoperation in the CDA group was significantly
      lower (P<0.01), and the advantage of CDA group increased with the increasing of
      follow-up time according to subgroup analysis. The rate of ASDeg in CDA was
      significantly lower than that of ACDF (P<0.01). There was no statistical
      difference between upper and lower ASDeg using the same surgical method (P>0.05).
      CDA provided a greater cervical ROM than did ACDF (P<0.01). There was a lower
      adjacent segment ROM and the rate of ASDis in CDA compared with ACDF (P<0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ACDF, the advantages of CDA were lower ASDeg, ASDis,
      adjacent segment reoperation and adjacent segment motion; and higher cervical
      ROM. However, there was no statistical difference between upper and lower
      adjacent segment ROM/ASDeg using the same surgery.

PMID- 28622186
TI  - A 90-day Bundled Payment for Primary Single-level Lumbar
      Discectomy/Decompression: What Does "Big Data" Say?
AB  - Episode-based bundling may become the major form of reimbursement for many
      elective spine procedures. As the amount for a 90-day episode of care is not
      known for a lumbar discectomy, we analyzed the previous reimbursements from
      Commercial payers (2007-Q2 2015), Medicare Advantage (2007-Q2 2015), and Medicare
      (2005-2012) for a primary single-level lumbar discectomy/decompression.
      Distribution of payments among various service providers was studied and a 90-day
      bundle was simulated. Depending on the payer type, the average facility costs
      constituted 59.7% to 73.6% of total payments, followed by surgeon's fees, which
      accounted for 13.7% to 18.5%. Postacute services made up 8.8% to 15.8% of the
      total reimbursement. Surgeries performed in the inpatient setting were
      significantly more expensive as compared with surgeries performed in the
      outpatient setting (P<0.01). The average 90-day bundle amount was estimated at
      $11,091, $6571, and $6239 for Commercial payers, Medicare Advantage, and
      Medicare, respectively. Overall, service providers in the Southern region were
      reimbursed the lowest from Commercial payers and Medicare, compared with other
      regions. Postacute services are not as major cost drivers after discectomy as
      after total joint arthroplasty or hip fracture repair.

PMID- 28622187
TI  - Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes of Anterior and Transforaminal Lumbar
      Interbody Fusions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: Compare the
      radiographic and clinical outcomes of anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) to
      transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: ALIF
      and TLIF are 2 methods of achieving spinal arthrodesis. There are conflicting
      reports with no consensus on the optimal interbody technique to achieve
      successful radiographic and clinical outcomes. The goal of this systematic review
      and meta-analysis was to compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes of ALIF
      to TLIF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search of multiple medical reference
      databases was conducted for studies comparing ALIF to TLIF. Studies that included
      stand-alone ALIFs were excluded. Meta-analysis was performed using the random
      effects model for heterogeneity. Radiographic outcome measures included segmental
      and overall lumbar lordosis, and fusion rates. Clinical outcomes measures
      included Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) score for
      back pain. RESULTS: The search yielded 7 studies totaling 811 patients (ALIF=448,
      TLIF=363). ALIF was superior to TLIF in restoring segmental lumbar lordosis at L4
      L5 and L5-S1 (L4-L5; P=0.013, L5-S1; P<0.001). ALIF was also superior to TLIF in
      restoring overall lumbar lordosis (P<0.001). However, no significant differences
      in fusion rates were noted between both techniques [odds ratio=0.905; 95%
      confidence interval, 0.458-1.789; P=0.775]. In addition, ALIF and TLIF were
      comparable with regards to ODI and VAS scores (ODI; P=0.184, VAS; P=0.983).
      CONCLUSIONS: For the restoration of lumbar lordosis, ALIF is superior to TLIF.
      However, TLIF is comparable to ALIF with regards to fusion rate and clinical
      outcomes.

PMID- 28622188
TI  - Differences in Fundamental Sagittal Pelvic Parameters Based on Age, Sex, and
      Race.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To determine
      whether age, sex, and race have independent effects on sagittal pelvic
      parameters. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pelvic parameters and sagittal balance
      correlate with health-related quality of life and are important for patient
      assessment and surgical planning. Age, sex, and race are 3 unalterable patient
      factors that may influence pelvic morphology. METHODS: We conducted a
      retrospective review of consecutive adult patients who presented to our radiology
      practice between 2010 and 2015 and had a standing, lateral lumbosacral
      radiograph. Any patients without both femoral heads and L1-S1 visible on the
      radiograph, and any patients presenting with traumatic injury, coronal deformity,
      prior instrumentation, spondylolisthesis, or neoplasm of the spine were excluded.
      Univariate analysis determined differences in measurements among African
      American, white, and Hispanic races, as well as between male and female sexes.
      Correlation analysis between age and different measurements was also conducted.
      Multivariable regression was then used to determine the independent effect of
      age, sex, and race on pelvic parameters. RESULTS: We investigated 1801 adults
      (older than 18 y) and 1246 had a recorded race. There were 1165 women, 636 men,
      525 whites, 404 African Americans, and 317 Hispanics. Multivariable regression
      demonstrated a statistically significant increase in pelvic tilt (PT), pelvic
      incidence (PI), and pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) with aging, and
      statistically significant decrease in sacral slope (SS) and LL with aging. Women
      had a statistically greater LL than men. African Americans had a statistically
      smaller PT and greater SS and PI-LL relative to whites, while Hispanics had a
      statistically smaller PT and PI-LL, and a statistically greater SS and LL
      relative to whites. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic parameters were different between sexes,
      among races, and changed with age. These findings are important for patient
      assessment and preoperative planning to obtain optimal sagittal balance. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Level 3.

PMID- 28622189
TI  - Subsidizing the Sick: How Community Rating Works.
AB  - Insurance premium rates have typically been calculated using a variety of rating
      algorithms. Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandated
      that all individual and small group plans must use the community rating method.
      This method gives the same insurance rate to all members of a community, with
      adjustments only being allowed based on age, geography, and tobacco use. This
      effectively raises rates on low-risk individuals to subsidize high-risk
      individuals. With President Trump and Congressional Republicans vowing to repeal
      the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, this lesser-known but
      controversial portion of the law may be abolished. This paper will review the
      various rating methods used by insurance companies in determining premiums.

PMID- 28622190
TI  - Are Exercise Benefits in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Due to Increased
      Autophagy?

PMID- 28622191
TI  - Interval Walking Training for Older People: No Pain and Lots of Gain.

PMID- 28622192
TI  - Editorial: 'Old tools, new insights': assessment of nutritional and metabolic
      status.

PMID- 28622193
TI  - The Lifestyle Information and Intervention Preferences of Teenage and Young Adult
      Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is currently known about how best to promote healthy lifestyle
      choices among teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer survivors. Such data gathered
      from a patient-centered perspective are instrumental for the development of
      health behavior change interventions for young people with cancer. OBJECTIVE:
      This study aimed to explore the lifestyle information needs of TYA cancer
      survivors and their preferences regarding lifestyle information and intervention
      delivery. Lifestyle behaviors of interest were physical activity, diet, smoking,
      alcohol consumption, and sun safety. METHODS: A total of 13 TYA cancer survivors
      (mean age, 22.9 years) participated in 10 individual interviews and 1 focus group
      (n = 3). Each interview and focus group followed the same semistructured
      interview guide, which was designed to explore young peoples' motivation behind
      leading a healthy lifestyle, their past experience of searching for lifestyle
      information, and their preferences relating to lifestyle information delivery.
      RESULTS: Three core themes emerged: cancer as a catalyst to lifestyle behavior
      change, factors influencing health behavior change, and health behavior
      information preferences. Social support emerged as facilitator of both health
      behavior change and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Young people with cancer want age
      appropriate lifestyle information on a range of topics delivered in multiple
      formats at various time points. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Health professionals
      working with TYA cancer survivors should address young peoples' lifestyle
      information needs throughout the cancer care pathway and support young people to
      foster the confidence to make, and sustain, positive lifestyle behavior changes.

PMID- 28622194
TI  - Population-based Cancer Screening: Measurement of Coordination and Continuity of
      Care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: European guidelines for the quality of screening programs for breast
      and colorectal cancer describe process, structure, and outcome indicators.
      However, none of them specifically evaluate coordination and continuity of care
      during the cancer screening process. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to
      identify and adapt care quality indicators related to the coordination and
      continuity of the cancer screening process to assess nursing care in cancer
      screening programs. METHODS: The indicators proposed in this study were selected
      in 2 phases. The first consisted of a literature review, and the second was made
      by consensus of an expert group. An electronic literature search was conducted,
      through June 2016. From a total of 225 articles retrieved, 14 studies met
      inclusion criteria, and these 14 documents were delivered to the group of experts
      for evaluation and to propose a final list of agreed-upon indicators. RESULTS:
      The group of experts selected 7 indicators: adequacy and waiting time derivation
      of participants, delivery and availability of the report of the process,
      understanding professionals involved in the process, and satisfaction and
      understanding of participants. CONCLUSIONS: These indicators should help identify
      areas for improvement and measure the outcome of coordination and continuity of
      care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results provided a common set of indicators
      to evaluate the coordination and continuity of care for cancer screening and to
      consequently assess the contribution of nursing care in cancer screening
      programs. The identification and adaptation of these quality indicators will help
      to identify areas for improvement and measure the effect of coordination and
      continuity of care.

PMID- 28622195
TI  - Financial Toxicity Among Patients With Cancer-Where to From Here?

PMID- 28622196
TI  - Spinal Cord Stimulation for Cancer-Related Pain in Adults.

PMID- 28622197
TI  - Bilateral HPV Positive Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Situ of Conjunctiva.
AB  - A 45 year-old woman presented with blurred vision and irritation of the left eye.
      Clinical examination revealed a superior palpebral conjunctival lesion consistent
      with a diagnosis of papilloma. She was lost to follow up despite repeated
      attempts to schedule a biopsy, and presented again after an extended period with
      bilateral disease. Subsequent biopsy confirmed bilateral squamous cell carcinoma
      in situ which was human papilloma virus-16 positive by molecular testing. She
      declined further treatment; during the subsequent year, the lesions extended
      across the bulbar conjunctiva bilaterally.

PMID- 28622199
TI  - Antifibrotic drugs as treatment of nonidiopathic pulmonary fibrosis interstitial
      pneumonias: the time is now (?).
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Therapeutic advances in the management of idiopathic pulmonary
      fibrosis (IPF) has led to improved outcomes with the use of the antifibrotic
      agents pirfenidone and nintedanib, with a number of randomized studies
      demonstrating benefits in slowing disease progression in IPF. However, treatment
      of other fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILD) remains challenging. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Observational and uncontrolled studies investigating pirfenidone and
      nintedanib in non-IPF ILDs suggest potential benefits, although the data is weak.
      A number of randomized controlled trials evaluating pirfenidone and nintedanib in
      a variety of fibrosing ILDs are currently enrolling or planned. SUMMARY: The
      review will discuss the rationale for use of established antifibrotic drugs
      approved for IPF for use in non-IPF ILD, describe supportive data from
      observational studies and ongoing clinical trials.

PMID- 28622198
TI  - Ocular sarcoidosis: new diagnostic modalities and treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ocular involvement in sarcoidosis is present in up to 80% of
      patients and is frequently manifested before diagnosis of the underlying systemic
      disease. Considering the therapeutic consequences, early diagnosis of the
      underlying disease is advantageous in patients presenting with ocular
      inflammation. There are several ocular findings suggestive of underlying
      sarcoidosis, such as granulomatous keratic precipitates, iris nodules, cells in
      the vitreous humor known as snowballs and snowbanks, and retinal periphlebitis.
      High suspicion is crucial for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. This review on ocular
      sarcoidosis will mainly focus on new diagnostic and treatment modalities. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Recent studies found possible new diagnostic indicators for the
      diagnosis of ocular sarcoidosis which include not only serum profiles but also
      vitreous sample analysis. Ophthalmologic imaging techniques have improved to
      investigate the ocular structure in detail. Results from recent uveitis clinical
      trials have included sarcoidosis as an underlying cause and have reported
      positive results. SUMMARY: The diagnosis of ocular sarcoidosis can be challenging
      in some cases. High suspicion is important to diagnose ocular sarcoidosis with
      various laboratory and ophthalmic tools. There are many possible options for the
      treatment of ocular sarcoidosis including various biologic agents.

PMID- 28622200
TI  - Service line structure and decision-maker attention in three health systems:
      Implications for patient-centered care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scholars have noted a disconnect between the level at which structure
      is typically examined (the organization) and the level at which the relevant
      coordination takes place (service delivery). Accordingly, our understanding of
      the role structure plays in care coordination is limited. PURPOSE: In this
      article, we explore service line structure, with an aim of advancing our
      understanding of the role service line structure plays in producing coordinated,
      patient-centered care. We do so by giving special attention to the cognitive
      roots of patient-centeredness. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Our exploratory study relied
      on comparative case studies of the breast cancer service lines in three health
      systems. Nonprobability discriminative snowball sampling was used to identify the
      final sample of key informants. We employed a grounded approach to analyzing and
      interpreting the data. RESULTS: We found substantial variation across the three
      service lines in terms of their structure. We also found corresponding variation
      across the three case sites in terms of where informant attention was primarily
      focused in the process of coordinating care. Drawing on the attention-based view
      of the firm, our results draw a clear connection between structural
      characteristics and the dominant focus of attention (operational tactics,
      provider roles and relationships, or patient needs and engagement) in health care
      service lines. CONCLUSION: Our exploratory results suggest that service line
      structures influence attention in two ways: (a) by regulating the type and
      intensity of the problems facing service line participants and (b) by encouraging
      (or discouraging) a shared purpose around patient needs. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS:
      Patient-centered attention-a precursor to coordinated, patient-centered care
      depends on the internal choices organizations make around service line structure.
      Moreover, a key task for organizational and service line leaders is to structure
      service lines to create a context that minimizes distractions and enables care
      providers to focus their attention on the needs of their patients.

PMID- 28622201
TI  - Improper Assessment of the Effect of Ad Libitum Drinking on Cycling Performance.

PMID- 28622202
TI  - Response.

PMID- 28622203
TI  - Crucial Points for Analysis of Ischemic Preconditioning in Sports and Exercise.

PMID- 28622204
TI  - Response.

PMID- 28622205
TI  - Effect of Excessive Coffee Consumption on the Clinical Course of a Patient With
      Bipolar Disorder: A Case Report and Literature Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of excessive caffeine
      consumption on therapeutic outcomes in bipolar disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS: We
      report on a case of a patient with bipolar disorder whose psychiatric symptoms
      were ameliorated with the elevation of lithium concentrations after the reduction
      of excessive daily coffee consumption, and we review the relevant literatures.
      CONCLUSIONS: Excessive coffee consumption may exacerbate the therapeutic course
      of bipolar disorder through its effects on the mechanisms underlying bipolar
      disorder itself, as well as by affecting the blood concentration of lithium.

PMID- 28622206
TI  - Bupropion Augmentation in a Case of Compulsive Buying Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compulsive buying disorder (CBD) is a condition characterized by
      excessive preoccupations, impulses, and behaviors regarding buying, resulting in
      serious psychological, social, and financial problems. Even though it has not
      been included in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth
      Edition, "behavioral addictions" section, CBD is a hot topic in current clinical
      psychiatry, because of its relevant prevalence (at least 5% in adult populations)
      and severe effect on quality of life.The CBD shares some clinical features with
      substance-related and behavioral addictions, impulse control disorders, and
      obsessive compulsive disorder, and it is often comorbid with other psychiatric
      illnesses (especially depressive and anxiety disorders). The treatment of CBD is
      therefore difficult, and clear therapeutic guidelines are not yet available.
      Treating the comorbid disorders as the first-line approach, or combining drugs
      with different pharmacodynamic profiles, has been suggested to address this
      challenging condition. CASE: A 60-year-old woman affected by a severe form of CBD
      with comorbid major depressive disorder, resistant/intolerant to previous
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatments and only partially responder to
      mirtazapine, achieved a good clinical improvement adding bupropion. CONCLUSIONS:
      Combining 2 agents with different pharmacological profiles and mechanisms of
      action, such as bupropion and mirtazapine, could be a useful strategy in the
      management of complex CBD cases.

PMID- 28622207
TI  - Sleep Disturbance as a Precursor of Severe Regression in Kleefstra Syndrome
      Suggests a Need for Firm and Rapid Pharmacological Treatment.
AB  - Intellectual disability is frequently accompanied by psychiatric symptoms that
      require pharmacological interventions. Treatment guidelines often provide a
      general treatment approach for these symptoms in intellectual disability.
      However, this may not always be the best strategy, as illustrated here in
      Kleefstra syndrome. We present 3 patients showing severe regression after sleep
      disturbances. If these are treated with care as usual (eg, behavioral programs
      and sleep medication) deterioration is likely to follow. It is observed that
      rapid treatment with relatively high dosages of antipsychotics contributes to
      restore sleep, halt further regression, and improve daily life functioning.

PMID- 28622208
TI  - Duloxetine Plasma Concentrations and Its Effectiveness in the Treatment of
      Nonorganic Chronic Pain in the Orofacial Region.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the
      pain-relieving effects of duloxetine and its plasma concentrations in patients
      with burning mouth syndrome and atypical odontalgia characterized by chronic
      nonorganic pain in the orofacial region. METHODS: We administered duloxetine to
      77 patients diagnosed as having burning mouth syndrome or atypical odontalgia for
      12 weeks. The initial dose of duloxetine was established as 20 mg/d and was
      increased to 40 mg/d after week 2. We evaluated pain using the visual analog
      scale and depressive symptoms using the Structured Interview Guide for the
      Hamilton Depression Rating Scale at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 and measured
      plasma concentrations of duloxetine 12 weeks after the start of its
      administration. RESULTS: Visual analog scale scores were significantly lower 12
      weeks after than at the start of the administration of duloxetine (paired t test,
      t = 6.65, P < 0.0001). We examined the relationship between the rate of decreases
      in visual analog scale scores and plasma concentrations of duloxetine. There was
      no significant linear regression or quadratic regression. CONCLUSIONS: Duloxetine
      significantly relieved pain in patients with chronic nonorganic pain in the
      orofacial region. However, no relationship was observed between its pain
      relieving effects and plasma concentrations.

PMID- 28622209
TI  - The "Forgotten" Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium With Electroconvulsive
      Therapy: Successful Use in a Very Prolonged and Severe Case.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Alcohol withdrawal delirium (AWD) is a notorious complication in
      alcohol withdrawal. Usually, the symptomatic treatment is efficacious; however,
      some patients show treatment resistance or a prolonged course of AWD. METHOD: We
      report the case of a patient with a prolonged and severest form of AWD. Even 11
      weeks after admission, he received approximately 100 mg diazepam per week to
      manage the symptoms of withdrawal delirium. RESULTS: A treatment course of
      electroconvulsive therapy was initiated, which allowed a complete tapering off of
      benzodiazepines during electroconvulsive therapy without adverse effects.
      CONCLUSIONS: The reported case might contribute to alternative approaches
      reserved for severest forms of prolonged AWD.

PMID- 28622210
TI  - Serotonin Syndrome Following Combined Administration of Dopaminergic and
      Noradrenergic Agents in a Patient With Akinetic Mutism After Frontal
      Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Serotonin syndrome (SS) is a potentially life-threatening condition
      that can be caused by use of proserotonergic drugs. Several studies have reported
      that combined administration of various medications may induce SS. We report a
      case of SS in a patient who was being treated with dopaminergic and noradrenergic
      drugs. CASE PRESENTATION: A 55-year-old man with a right frontal intracerebral
      hemorrhage extending to the left cerebral hemisphere presented with clinical
      features of akinetic mutism. Three months after onset, dopaminergic
      (methylphenidate, levodopa/benserazide) and noradrenergic (atomoxetine) drugs
      were administered to enhance his cognitive function. His cognitive function
      gradually improved during 8 weeks of dose escalation. One day after the dose of
      atomoxetine was increased from 40 mg/d to 60 mg/d, the patient developed
      inducible clonus, rigidity, diarrhea, tachycardia, and hyperthermia, in keeping
      with a diagnosis of SS. The symptoms and signs suggestive of SS resolved on the
      day following cessation of all dopaminergic and noradrenergic drugs. CONCLUSIONS:
      This case demonstrates that medications generally known as dopaminergic or
      noradrenergic agents could have serotonergic effects via a mechanism that is yet
      to be fully elucidated. The clinical manifestations of SS can be diverse, ranging
      from mild to severe and potentially fatal symptoms. When administering a
      combination of catecholaminergic agents, clinicians should carefully monitor the
      patient's neurologic status for unexpected adverse reactions.

PMID- 28622211
TI  - Aripiprazole-Related Diurnal Enuresis in Children: 2 Cases (Aripiprazole-Related
      Enuresis).
AB  - Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic with dopaminergic and serotonergic
      effects. Enuresis as an adverse effect has been reported with aripiprazole use in
      children with autism spectrum disorders. Here, we report 2 cases without autism
      spectrum disorders who developed diurnal enuresis after starting aripiprazole and
      ceased after discontinuation of the medication.

PMID- 28622212
TI  - A Retrospective Study of Pimavanserin Use in a Movement Disorders Clinic.
AB  - Pimavanserin, a 5-HT2A inverse agonist, was commercially released in the United
      States in April 2016 for the treatment of Parkinson disease psychosis. No
      "naturalistic" treatment results have yet been published. Charts from the
      movement disorders clinic were reviewed for all patients who received this drug
      as treatment for psychosis associated with primary parkinsonism due to alpha
      synucleinopathies. Data of 10 patients with idiopathic Parkinson disease,
      including 1 with a long history of schizophrenia, 4 with dementia with Lewy
      bodies, and 1 with multiple-system atrophy, were reviewed. There were no adverse
      events reported. Ten patients improved and continue on the drug, whereas 5
      stopped because of lack of benefit.

PMID- 28622213
TI  - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor-Induced Hyponatremia: Clinical
      Implications and Therapeutic Alternatives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely prescribed
      among the general population. Despite their benign side effect profile, these
      drugs can cause significant adverse effects in elderly patients, including severe
      hyponatremia. We report 1 case of SSRI-induced hyponatremia and review
      therapeutic alternatives. CASE: We present an 81-year-old male patient treated
      with sertraline and furosemide who presented with a recent-onset symptomatic
      hyponatremia. Low sodium levels persisted for more than 1 week after furosemide
      had been discontinued. Sertraline was then replaced with a nonserotonergic
      antidepressant (bupropion), leading to a full recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Although
      SSRIs are the first treatment option for elderly depressed patients, they should
      be prescribed cautiously in this population because of the risk of potentially
      severe adverse effects such as hyponatremia. Particularly vulnerable patients
      could benefit from being prescribed nonserotonergic antidepressants from the
      start.

PMID- 28622214
TI  - Acute Care Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Critical Care:
      Transforming Education and Practice.

PMID- 28622215
TI  - Influence of Gender on the Performance of Cardiopulmonary Rescue Teams: A
      Randomized, Prospective Simulator Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the influence of gender on resuscitation
      performance which may improve future education in resuscitation. The aim of this
      study was to compare female and male rescuers in regard to cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation and leadership performance. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized
      simulator study. SETTING: High-fidelity patient simulator center of the medical
      ICU, University Hospitals Basel (Switzerland). SUBJECTS: Two hundred sixteen
      volunteer medical students (108 females and 108 males) of two Swiss universities
      in teams of three. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We
      analyzed data on the group and the individual level separately. The primary
      outcome on the group level was the hands-on time within the first 180 seconds
      after the onset of the cardiac arrest. Compared with male-only teams, female-only
      teams showed less hands-on time (mean +/- SD) (87 +/- 41 vs 109 +/- 33 s; p =
      0.037) and a longer delay before the start of chest compressions (109 +/- 77 vs
      70 +/- 56 s; p = 0.038). Additionally, female-only teams showed a lower
      leadership performance in different domains and fewer unsolicited cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation measures compared with male-only teams. On the individual level,
      which was assessed in mixed teams only, female gender was associated with a lower
      number of secure leadership statements (3 +/- 2 vs 5 +/- 3; p = 0.027). Results
      were confirmed in regression analysis adjusted for team composition. CONCLUSIONS:
      We found important gender differences, with female rescuers showing inferior
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance, which can partially be explained by
      fewer unsolicited cardiopulmonary resuscitation measures and inferior female
      leadership. Future education of rescuers should take gender differences into
      account.

PMID- 28622217
TI  - An Ejection Fraction Measurement for the Masses.

PMID- 28622218
TI  - Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis-Friend or Foe?

PMID- 28622219
TI  - Penalizing Readmissions After Sepsis Could Do More Harm Than Good.

PMID- 28622220
TI  - Hypothermia for the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome? Cool It.

PMID- 28622221
TI  - Can the Treatment Approach of Sepsis With Balanced Crystalloid Fluids Translate
      Into Therapy for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome if Considered as "Lung
      Limited Sepsis"?

PMID- 28622216
TI  - The Clinical Picture of Severe Systemic Capillary-Leak Syndrome Episodes
      Requiring ICU Admission.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Systemic capillary-leak syndrome is a very rare cause of recurrent
      hypovolemic shock. Few data are available on its clinical manifestations,
      laboratory findings, and outcomes of those patients requiring ICU admission. This
      study was undertaken to describe the clinical pictures and ICU management of
      severe systemic capillary-leak syndrome episodes. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS: This
      multicenter retrospective analysis concerned patients entered in the European
      Clarkson's disease (EureClark) Registry and admitted to ICUs between May 1992 and
      February 2016. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-nine attacks occurring in 37
      patients (male-to-female sex ratio, 1.05; mean +/- SD age, 51 +/- 11.4 yr) were
      included. Among 34 patients (91.9%) with monoclonal immunoglobulin G gammopathy,
      20 (58.8%) had kappa light chains. ICU-admission hemoglobin and proteinemia were
      respectively median (interquartile range) 20.2 g/dL (17.9-22 g/dL) and 50 g/L
      (36.5-58.5 g/L). IV immunoglobulins were infused (IV immunoglobulin) during 15
      episodes (25.4%). A compartment syndrome developed during 12 episodes (20.3%).
      Eleven (18.6%) in-ICU deaths occurred. Bivariable analyses (the 37 patients' last
      episodes) retained Sequential Organ-Failure Assessment score greater than 10
      (odds ratio, 12.9 [95% CI, 1.2-140]; p = 0.04) and cumulated fluid-therapy volume
      greater than 10.7 L (odds ratio, 16.8 [1.6-180]; p = 0.02) as independent
      predictors of hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: We described the largest cohort of
      severe systemic capillary-leak syndrome flares requiring ICU admission. High
      volume fluid therapy was independently associated with poorer outcomes. IV
      immunoglobulin use was not associated with improved survival; hence, their use
      should be considered prudently and needs further evaluation in future studies.

PMID- 28622222
TI  - Rocky Versus Drago, Luke Versus Vader...Chest Radiograph Versus Ultrasound?

PMID- 28622223
TI  - Managing Safely the Complexity in Critical Care: Are Protocols for Artificial
      Ventilation in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Beneficial in
      Searching for Reliable Biomarkers?

PMID- 28622224
TI  - Too Much Too Soon or Too Little Too Late: The Challenge of Preventing
      Acinetobacter Transmissions.

PMID- 28622225
TI  - A Climate Change in Mechanical Ventilation?

PMID- 28622226
TI  - Early Electroencephalography for Neurologic Prognostication After Cardiac Arrest:
      More Optimization Before Generalization?

PMID- 28622227
TI  - Getting to Patients' Heads Through Their Hearts.

PMID- 28622228
TI  - A Chamber With a View: The Size of the Right Ventricle During Cardiopulmonary
      Resuscitation.

PMID- 28622229
TI  - Shields Up-Systemic Protection Provided by microRNA-21 During Sepsis?

PMID- 28622230
TI  - Claims-Based ICU Research: Learning From Imperfect Data.

PMID- 28622231
TI  - Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection in Jugular Versus Subclavian Central
      Catheterization.

PMID- 28622232
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622233
TI  - Human Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells From Human Umbilical Cord Ameliorate Acute
      Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Rats: Factors to Consider.

PMID- 28622234
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622235
TI  - Central Venous Pressure and Mean Airway Pressure Back for Outcome in Mechanically
      Ventilated Patients? Still More Consideration for Cardiopulmonary Interactions at
      the Bedside.

PMID- 28622236
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622237
TI  - There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, Than Are Dreamt of in Our
      Philosophy.

PMID- 28622238
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622239
TI  - The Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts...?

PMID- 28622240
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622241
TI  - Greater Protein and Energy Intake for Improving Mortality in Higher Risk
      Critically Ill Patients: Useful or Useless?

PMID- 28622242
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622243
TI  - Fulminant or Early Severe Acute Pancreatitis Is Overlooked by Classifications of
      Severity.

PMID- 28622244
TI  - The author replies.

PMID- 28622245
TI  - Iodinated Contrast Medium Renal Toxicity: The Phantom Menace or Much Ado About
      Nothing?

PMID- 28622246
TI  - The authors reply.

PMID- 28622247
TI  - Effects of Portal Hypertension on Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced Liver Magnetic
      Resonance: Diagnostic and Prognostic Implications.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of portal
      hypertension (PH) on gadoxetic acid-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) and assess diagnostic and prognostic implications in comparison to
      established imaging features of PH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review
      board-approved retrospective study of 178 patients (142 men; median age, 59.4
      years) with chronic liver disease undergoing MRI and hepatic venous pressure
      gradient (HVPG) measurement between January 2008 and April 2015. Magnetic
      resonance imaging was assessed for established features of PH (splenic and portal
      vein diameters, portosystemic collaterals, ascites) and for features on 20
      minutes delayed T1-weighted gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, that is, relative liver
      enhancement (RLE), biliary contrast excretion, or portal vein hyperintensity or
      isointensity (ie, portal vein hyperintensity sign, PVHS). Statistics encompassed
      linear regression, logistic regression, and survival analysis. RESULTS: There was
      an inverse correlation between HVPG and RLE (r = 0.18, P < 0.0001). On univariate
      analysis, clinically significant PH (ie, HVPG >= 10 mm Hg, n = 109) and severe PH
      (ie, HVPG >= 12 mm Hg, n = 99) were associated with delayed biliary contrast
      excretion (n = 33) and the PVHS (n = 74) (P < 0.01 for all). Multivariate
      analysis demonstrated significant associations between the PVHS and severe PH
      (odds ratio [OR], 3.33; P = 0.008), independently of spleen size (OR, 1.26; P =
      0.002), portosystemic collaterals (n = 81; OR, 5.46; P = 0.0001), and ascites (n
      = 88; OR, 3.24; P = 0.006). Lower RLE and the PVHS were associated with lower 3
      year, transplantation-free survival (hazards ratios, 0.98 and 3.99, respectively,
      P = 0.002 for all), independently of the Child-Pugh and Model for End-Stage Liver
      Disease scores. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of the PVHS on gadoxetic acid-enhanced
      MRI is an independent indicator of severe PH and may enable more accurate
      diagnosis. This feature and decreased hepatic contrast uptake may also comprise
      prognostic information.

PMID- 28622248
TI  - Quantitative Perfusion Analysis of the Rectum Using Golden-Angle Radial Sparse
      Parallel Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Initial Experience and Comparison to Time
      Resolved Angiography With Interleaved Stochastic Trajectories.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Purpose of this study was to compare the quality of perfusion maps
      obtained from prototypical free-breathing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with
      continuous golden-angle radial sampling and iterative reconstruction (GRASP) to
      conventional acquisition using time-resolved angiography with interleaved
      stochastic trajectories (TWIST) in patients with rectal cancer. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Forty cases were included for retrospective analysis. Twenty of the
      patients received routine multiparametric MRI at 3 T for rectal cancer staging,
      including perfusion measurement with GRASP or TWIST (10 patients for each
      technique, including 5 prechemoradiation and 5 postchemoradiation). Twenty
      patients without history of rectal disease served as control group (10 GRASP, 10
      TWIST). GRASP images were reconstructed at temporal resolution of 3.45 seconds
      (21 spokes/frame). A voxel-by-voxel deconvolution approach was used to determine
      rectal plasma flow (mL/100 mL per minute). Regions of interest were placed at 3
      levels within the tumor and normal rectum (lower, middle, and upper part). The
      quality of morphologic images, perfusion maps, and arterial input function were
      scored by 2 blinded radiologists. Independent t tests were applied. RESULTS:
      Three patients of the TWIST control group had to be excluded due to technical
      failure of the sequence. Significantly higher scores for the perfusion maps and
      arterial input functions (total cohort) were obtained using GRASP (P < 0.05).
      Artifacts in the perfusion maps were rated significantly lower than for TWIST (P
      < 0.05). In the healthy rectum cohort, the average plasma flow of normal rectal
      wall was 31.78 +/- 7.39 mL/100 mL per minute with GRASP, compared with 77.62 +/-
      34.08 mL/100 mL per minute with TWIST, indicating much lower variance for GRASP.
      Plasma flow values obtained with both methods enabled distinguishing between
      normal rectal wall and rectal cancer, both before and after chemoradiation.
      Morphologic image quality was generally higher with GRASP (P < 0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: GRASP perfusion imaging can distinguish between normal rectum and
      rectal cancers with higher image quality and less variance than TWIST. Additional
      morphologic assessment with high spatial resolution from the GRASP acquisition
      may increase the accuracy and diagnostic confidence of the examination.

PMID- 28622250
TI  - Nocturnal patterns.

PMID- 28622249
TI  - Dynamic Liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Free-Breathing: Feasibility of a
      Cartesian T1-Weighted Acquisition Technique With Compressed Sensing and
      Additional Self-Navigation Signal for Hard-Gated and Motion-Resolved
      Reconstruction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a free
      breathing dynamic liver imaging technique using a prototype Cartesian T1-weighted
      volumetric interpolated breathhold examination (VIBE) sequence with compressed
      sensing and simultaneous acquisition of a navigation signal for hard-gated and
      motion state-resolved reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 43
      consecutive oncologic patients (mean age, 66 +/- 11 years; 44% female) underwent
      free-breathing dynamic liver imaging for the evaluation of liver metastases from
      colorectal cancer using a prototype Cartesian VIBE sequence (field of view, 380 *
      345 mm; image matrix, 320 * 218; echo time/repetition time, 1.8/3.76
      milliseconds; flip angle, 10 degrees; slice thickness, 3.0 mm; acquisition time,
      188 seconds) with continuous data sampling and additionally acquired self
      navigation signal. Data were iteratively reconstructed using 2 different
      approaches: first, a hard-gated reconstruction only using data associated to the
      dominating motion state (CS VIBE, Compressed Sensing VIBE), and second, a motion
      resolved reconstruction with 6 different motion states as additional image
      dimension (XD VIBE, eXtended dimension VIBE). Continuous acquired data were
      grouped in 16 subsequent time increments with 11.57 seconds each to resolve
      arterial and venous contrast phases. For image quality assessment, both CS VIBE
      and XD VIBE were compared with the patient's last staging dynamic liver magnetic
      resonance imaging including a breathhold (BH) VIBE as reference standard 4.5 +/-
      1.2 months before. Representative quality parameters including respiratory
      artifacts were evaluated for arterial and venous phase images independently,
      retrospectively and blindly by 3 experienced radiologists, with higher scores
      indicating better examination quality. To assess diagnostic accuracy, same
      readers evaluated the presence of metastatic lesions for XD VIBE and CS VIBE
      compared with reference BH examination in a second session. RESULTS: Compared
      with CS VIBE, XD VIBE showed significantly higher overall image quality for both
      arterial phase (4.2 +/- 0.6 vs 3.8 +/- 0.7, P = 0.008) and venous phase (4.7 +/-
      0.4 vs 4.3 +/- 0.7, P < 0.001) imaging. There was no significant difference
      between XD VIBE and BH VIBE for overall image quality in the venous phase (4.7 +/
      0.4 vs 4.8 +/- 0.4, P = 0.834), whereas arterial phase images were scored
      slightly lower for XD VIBE (4.5 +/- 0.6 vs 4.2 +/- 0.6, P = 0.024). Both XD VIBE
      and BH VIBE were characterized by a very low level of respiratory artifacts with
      no significant difference between BH and motion-resolved free-breathing strategy
      (P = 0.505 for arterial phase; P = 0.496 for venous phase). Compared with CS
      VIBE, obvious quality improvement could be achieved for the extended XD VIBE
      reconstruction with significantly reduced motion artifacts for venous phase
      images (P = 0.007). Generally, arterial phase images were scored slightly lower
      compared with venous phase images when using the free-breathing protocol.
      Overall, 98% of all metastatic lesions were identified on XD VIBE images and 92%
      of all metastases were found on CS VIBE. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic liver imaging using
      the proposed free-breathing Cartesian strategy is feasible in oncologic patients
      with excellent image quality, high respiratory motion robustness, and accurate
      lesion detection. Overall, XD VIBE was superior to CS VIBE in our study.

PMID- 28622251
TI  - Treating relapsing multiple sclerosis with dimethyl fumarate.

PMID- 28622252
TI  - Assessing hip pain: Could it be femoroacetabular impingement?

PMID- 28622255
TI  - Constipation in children: Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
AB  - Deviation from normal bowel function in the pediatric population is often a cause
      for concern for parents and caregivers, prompting numerous visits to a primary
      care provider. Constipation is a common and challenging issue in children that
      can have an adverse impact on their psychosocial and emotional well-being as well
      as quality of life. This article provides practical strategies for diagnosing,
      treating, and preventing constipation in children.

PMID- 28622256
TI  - Psoriasis & psoriatic therapies.
AB  - Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the skin. This
      article discusses the presentation, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of psoriasis
      as well as a brief consideration of psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis treatment
      options include topical agents, phototherapy, conventional systemic therapies,
      and biologics.

PMID- 28622257
TI  - NCNP Spring 2017: Poster presentation winner.

PMID- 28622258
TI  - Tuberculosis: Still an emerging threat.
AB  - Primary care providers must be aggressive in their assessment and screening of
      tuberculosis (TB) infection, which is still a major cause of mortality and
      morbidity worldwide. This article highlights the overall management of TB
      infection including the appropriate screening, diagnosis, and treatment of both
      latent and active infection.

PMID- 28622259
TI  - Urosepsis: A simple infection turns toxic.

PMID- 28622261
TI  - Pelvic pain in transgender men taking testosterone: Assessing the risk of ovarian
      cancer.
AB  - Some guidelines on care for transgender men taking testosterone recommend
      oophorectomy to prevent ovarian cancer, while others recommend following
      guidelines for females. A review of the literature finds no strong evidence that
      transgender men are at increased risk for ovarian cancer. In transgender men
      taking testosterone without other risk factors, oophorectomy to prevent cancer is
      unnecessary.

PMID- 28622262
TI  - Distracted Nursing: Strategies to Teach Nursing Students About Mobile Devices.

PMID- 28622263
TI  - Targeting the Tactile Learner in the Classroom.

PMID- 28622264
TI  - Staunching the Faculty Nursing Shortage.

PMID- 28622265
TI  - Thinking Like a Nurse, Revisited.

PMID- 28622266
TI  - An Integrative Literature Review of Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies for Nurse
      Educators.
AB  - AIM: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the best available
      literature on evidence-based teaching strategies that can be used by nurse
      educators. BACKGROUND: Evidence-based teaching strategies in nursing education
      are fundamental to promote an in-depth understanding of information. Although
      some teaching strategies for nurse educators were identified, no integrative
      literature review was found summarizing the best teaching strategies for nurse
      educators. METHOD: Integrative literature review. RESULTS: Sixteen studies were
      included encompassing eight teaching strategies (e-learning, concept mapping,
      Internet-based learning, web-based learning, gaming, problem-based learning, case
      studies, and evidence-based learning). Of these, three (concept mapping, Internet
      based learning, and evidence-based learning) significantly increased student
      knowledge. CONCLUSION: All teaching strategies increased knowledge in some way,
      indicating that faculties should use a variety of teaching strategies. However,
      more research is needed to compare the impact of a variety of teaching strategies
      and the best use of different teaching strategies.

PMID- 28622267
TI  - The Potential of Blockchain in Education and Health Care.

PMID- 28622268
TI  - NLN Biennial Survey of Schools of Nursing Academic Year 2015-2016: Executive
      Summary.

PMID- 28622271
TI  - Bubble-Wiping Technique for Clearing the Condensation on Intraocular Lenses.

PMID- 28622270
TI  - DEXAMETHASONE INTRAVITREAL IMPLANT FOR THE TREATMENT OF RECALCITRANT MACULAR
      EDEMA AFTER RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT REPAIR.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of the intravitreal dexamethasone implant as
      the treatment for recalcitrant macular edema after successful rhegmatogenous
      retinal detachment repair. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records
      was performed on 17 consecutive patients (17 eyes) with recalcitrant macular
      edema associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair who were treated
      with a single or multiple injections of an intravitreal dexamethasone 0.7-mg
      implant (Ozurdex; Allergan Inc) at two centers. Main outcomes of the study were
      change in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity, measurement
      of central foveal thickness, and macular cube volume as measured by spectral
      domain optical coherence tomography and frequency of complications. RESULTS: The
      mean age was 67 years (range, 51-78 years). All 17 patients received previous
      topical therapy and 12 of them had previous administration of intravitreal
      triamcinolone with persistence of macular edema. Baseline mean best-corrected
      visual acuity was 20/100 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution 0.75;
      range, 0.18-1.3 +/-0.37) in the affected eyes. There was a statistically
      significant improvement in best-corrected visual acuity at 1 month (P < 0.001)
      and 3 months (P = 0.01). Mean baseline central foveal thickness was 505 MUm, and
      mean macular cube volume was 10.62 mm. There was a statistically significant
      decrease in central foveal thickness and macular cube volume at 1 month (505-290
      MUm, P = 0.013 and 10.62-9.13 mm, P < 0.0001) and 3 months (P = 0.01). All
      patients developed recurrence of macular edema at 3 months, which required
      retreatment. The average number of implants was 4 (range, 1-14). No adverse
      effects such as retinal detachment or endophthalmitis occurred. Two patients
      experienced an increase in intraocular pressure that was controlled with topical
      therapy. CONCLUSION: Macular edema that occurs in eyes after successful repair of
      rhegmatogenous retinal detachment can be chronic and recalcitrant, and may be
      successfully and safely treated with the dexamethasone intravitreal implant.

PMID- 28622272
TI  - NK Cell-derived Exosomes From NK Cells Previously Exposed to Neuroblastoma Cells
      Augment the Antitumor Activity of Cytokine-activated NK Cells.
AB  - Immune cell-derived exosomes can increase immunity against tumors. In contrast,
      tumor-derived exosomes can reduce the immunity and can change the tumor
      microenvironment to further develop and provide metastasis. These effects take
      place by an alteration in the innate and adaptive immune cell functions. In this
      experiment, we studied the natural killer (NK) cells' effectiveness on tumor
      cells after expansion and thereafter incubated it with exosomes. The exosomes
      were derived from 2 populations of NK cells: (1) naive NK cells and, (2) NK cells
      previously exposed to neuroblastoma (NB) cells. Moreover, we have studied the NB
      derived exosomes on NK cell function. The molecular load of the characterized
      exosomes (by means of nanoparticle-tracking analysis, flow cytometry, scanning
      electron microscopy, and western blot) from NK cells exposed to the NB cell
      revealed their expression of natural killer cell receptors in addition to CD56,
      NKG2D, and KIR2DL2 receptors. These exosomes were used to treat NK cells and
      thereafter administered to NB tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our results
      showed some kind of NK cells' education by the exosomes. This education from NK
      cells previously exposed to NB cell-derived exosomes caused efficient and greater
      cytotoxicity against NB tumors, but NB-derived exosomes act as tumor promoters by
      providing a tumor supporting niche. Hence, this method of preparing the exosomes
      has a dramatic effect on activation of anti-NK cells against NB cells.

PMID- 28622273
TI  - Using magnetic resonance imaging to visualize the brain in chronic pain.

PMID- 28622274
TI  - A role for neurokinin-1 receptor neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla in
      the development of chronic postthoracotomy pain.
AB  - Thoracotomy results in chronic postoperative pain (CPTP) in half of the cases.
      Earlier findings in rat models of persistent post-surgical pain suggest that
      spinal pathways are critical for pain onset but not its maintenance. Descending
      systems from the brain stem modulate nociceptive transmission in the spinal cord
      and contribute to persistent pain, but their role in chronic postoperative pain
      has not been studied. Here, we ablated pronociceptive neurokinin-1 receptor (NK
      1R)-expressing neurons in the rat rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) to identify
      their role in CPTP. Cells were ablated by microinjection of the neurotoxin Sar,
      Met(O2)-Substance P (SSP-SAP), either 2 to 3 weeks before ("Prevention"
      condition) or 10 days after ("Reversal" condition) thoracotomy with rib
      retraction. Inactive Blank-SAP was the control. Tactile hypersensitivity was
      defined by lowered force thresholds for nocifensive responses to von Frey
      filaments applied over the dorsal trunk, and pain-like behavior assessed by the
      Qualitative Hyperalgesia Profile; both were followed for 5 weeks after surgery.
      SSP-SAP injection before surgery resulted in ~95% loss of NK-1R neurons in RVM
      and prevented postoperative mechano-hypersensitivity. Blank-SAP was ineffective.
      SSP-SAP given at postoperative day 10 was equally effective in ablating NK-1R
      neurons but fully reversed mechano-hypersensitivity in only 3 of 9 hypersensitive
      rats. Fewer rats showed intense pain-like behavior, by Qualitative Hyperalgesia
      Profile analysis, in the Prevention than in the Control conditions, and the more
      intense pain behaviors declined along with SSP-SAP-induced Reversal of
      hypersensitivity. Neurokinin-1 receptor-expressing neurons in RVM appear
      essential for the development but contribute only partially to the maintenance of
      CPTP.

PMID- 28622275
TI  - Support for extended classification of pain states.

PMID- 28622276
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28622277
TI  - Assessment of physical function: considerations in chronic pain populations.

PMID- 28622278
TI  - Corrigendum to: Effectiveness of psychological interventions for chronic pain on
      health care use and work absence: systematic review and meta-analysis, by Pike et
      al. PAIN 2016;157: 777-785.

PMID- 28622279
TI  - Hydrogen Sulfide in Exhaled Gases From Ventilated Septic Neonates and Children: A
      Preliminary Report.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: There is increasing interest in hydrogen sulfide as a marker of
      pathologic conditions or predictors of outcome. We speculate that as hydrogen
      sulfide is a diffusible molecule, if there is an increase in plasma hydrogen
      sulfide in sepsis, it may accumulate in the alveolar space and be detected in
      exhaled gas. We wished to determine whether we could detect hydrogen sulfide in
      exhaled gases of ventilated children and neonates and if the levels changed in
      sepsis. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: The study was
      conducted across three intensive care units, pediatric, neonatal and cardiac in a
      large tertiary children's hospital. PATIENTS: We studied ventilated children and
      neonates with sepsis, defined by having two or more systemic inflammatory
      response syndrome criteria and one organ failure or suspected infection. A
      control group of ventilated non-septic patients was also included. INTERVENTION:
      A portable gas chromatograph (OralChroma; Envin Scientific, Chester, United
      Kingdom) was used to measure H2S in parts per billion. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: A 1-2 mL sample of expired gas was taken from the endotracheal tube and
      analyzed. A repeat sample was taken after 30 minutes and a further single daily
      sample up to a maximum of 5 days or until the patient was extubated. WBC and C
      reactive protein were measured around the time of gas sampling. Each group
      contained 20 subjects. Levels of H2S were significantly higher in septic patients
      (Mann Whitney U-test; p < 0.0001) and trended to control levels over five days. C
      reactive protein levels were also significantly raised (p < 0.001) and mirrored
      the decrease in H2S levels. CONCLUSION: Hydrogen sulfide can be detected in
      expired pulmonary gases in very low concentrations of parts per billion.
      Significantly higher levels are seen in septic patients compared with controls.
      The pattern of response was similar to that of C-reactive protein.

PMID- 28622280
TI  - Elevated Central Venous to Arterial CO2 Difference Is Not Associated With Poor
      Clinical Outcomes After Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether elevated central venous to arterial CO2
      difference is associated with delayed extubation and prolonged ICU stay in
      children after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. DESIGN: Retrospective
      review of medical records. SETTING: PICU in a tertiary children's hospital.
      PATIENTS: Pediatric patients younger than 18 years old who underwent cardiac
      surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between January 2014 and December 2014.
      INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In total, 114 patients were
      included in this study. On ICU admission, blood samples were obtained
      simultaneously from an arterial line and a central venous line. There were no
      strong correlations between central venous to arterial CO2 difference (median,
      11.1 [8.4-13] mm Hg) and other commonly used variables for the assessment of
      oxygen delivery including arteriovenous oxyhemoglobin saturation difference (R =
      0.16) and blood lactate concentration (R = 0.02). When the patients were divided
      into two groups, based on the CO2 difference, the high group (difference >= 6 mm
      Hg; n = 103 [90%]) and the low group (difference < 6 mm Hg; n = 11 [10%]) showed
      no difference in the time to extubation (6 vs 5 hr, respectively; p = 0.80) or in
      the time to discharge from ICU (4 vs 5 d, respectively; p = 0.49). There was no
      mortality within 30 days of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Elevation of central venous to
      arterial CO2 difference on ICU admission in children after cardiac surgery with
      cardiopulmonary bypass does not appear to be associated with delayed extubation
      or prolonged ICU stay.

PMID- 28622281
TI  - Effects of Baicalin on Blood Pressure and Left Ventricular Remodeling in Rats
      with Renovascular Hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND This study aimed to explore the effect of baicalin, which is a kind of
      bioactive flavonoid, on blood pressure and left ventricular remodeling in rats
      with renovascular hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 40 male Wistar
      rats were randomly assigned into sham-operation (n=10) and renal hypertension
      model groups (2-kidney-1 clip; 2K-1C, n=30). The rats in the renal hypertension
      model group were randomly subdivided into 2K-1C (n=13) and 2K-1C/Baicalin groups
      (n=14). The cardiac function indexes were determined after 4 weeks. The
      morphological changes in the myocardial tissue were observed using hematoxylin
      and eosin and Masson staining. The myocardial apoptosis was detected using the
      terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling
      method, and the expression of C/EBP homologous protein and caspase-3 was
      monitored by Western blot. The expression of GRP78 and GRP94 in myocardial cells
      of rats was detected by qPCR and Western blot technology. RESULTS No significant
      change in blood pressure was observed in the 2K-1C/Baicalin group compared with
      the 2K-1C group, but the indexes of left ventricular remodeling significantly
      improved. Pathological myocardial fibrosis and expression of fibrosis-related
      factors significantly decreased in the 2K-1C/Baicalin group compared with the 2K
      1C group. The expression of glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78, GRP94, CHOP, and
      caspase-3, and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes also decreased in the 2K-1C/Baicalin
      group. CONCLUSIONS Baicalin has no significant antihypertensive effect, but
      reduced pathological changes in the myocardium, alleviated endoplasmic reticulum
      stress, and reduced myocardial apoptosis, reverting left ventricular remodeling
      in rats with renovascular hypertension.

PMID- 28622282
TI  - Towards a neurobiological understanding of alexithymia.
AB  - Although the specialized literature on the etiology of alexithymia is
      controversial, neurobiological research has shown relevant advances. The aim of
      this review is to analyze the available evidence regarding the neurophysiological
      bases of alexithymia. A comprehensive review of available articles from
      Medline/PubMed, EBSCO and SciELO was conducted. Previously, alexithymia was
      linked to a reduced interhemispheric brain connection. From a childhood traumatic
      perspective, the right prefrontal cortex and the default mode network would
      experience alterations, first hypermetabolic (dopaminergic and glutamatergic
      dysregulation) and then hypometabolic-dissociative (serotonergic and opioid
      dysregulation), resulting in a distorted interoceptive and emotional awareness.
      Mirror neurons are the essential neurobiological substrate of theory of mind and
      social cognition, intrinsically linked to alexithymia, involving parietal,
      temporal, premotor, and cingulate cortices, and inferior frontal gyrus. Other
      structures involved are the amygdala (facial expression and emotional
      reactivity), the insula (interoception, emotional integration and empathy) and
      the cerebellum (limbic cerebellum and somatosensory awareness). Molecular
      genetics has detected polymorphisms in genes of the serotonin transporter, in the
      enzyme genes of dopaminergic metabolism and brain-derived neurotrophic factor,
      while the role of oxytocin is controversial. To sum up, we found several studies
      demonstrating the overwhelming evidence of a neurobiological basis underlying
      alexithymia; nevertheless, research is still inconclusive and must include
      environmental, traumatic, social, and psychological factors that contribute to
      the origin of the alexithymia.

PMID- 28622283
TI  - Are cannabinoids effective for Parkinson?s disease?
AB  - It is postulated cannabinoids may have benefits in Parkinson's disease. However,
      its actual clinical effectiveness is still discussed. To answer this question, we
      used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which
      is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE,
      EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We identified six systematic reviews including
      eight studies overall, of which four were randomized trials relevant for the
      question of interest. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed
      data of primary studies included in these reviews, conducted a meta-analysis and
      generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. We concluded
      cannabinoids probably do not decrease symptoms in Parkinson?s disease or
      dyskinesia, and probably are associated to frequent adverse effects in patients
      with Parkinson?s disease.

PMID- 28622284
TI  - Alternative, traditional, or complementary medicine: A perspective of
      intercultural therapeutic adherence.

PMID- 28622285
TI  - What is the effectiveness of systemic corticosteroids in children with croup?
AB  - Systemic corticosteroids constitute standard treatment in children with acute
      obstructive laryngitis (croup). However, there is some uncertainty in relation
      with the magnitude of the benefits and risks associated with their use. To answer
      this question, we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews
      in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources,
      including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We identified six systematic
      reviews including 25 randomized trials relevant for the question of interest. We
      extracted data from the systematic reviews, reananalysed data of primary studies,
      conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the
      GRADE approach. We concluded the use of systemic corticosteroids increases the
      number of patients with clinical improvement at 12 hours and reduces the risk of
      readmission.

PMID- 28622286
TI  - Are cannabinoids an effective treatment for chronic non-cancer pain?
AB  - The use of cannabinoids has been proposed as an analgesic for different painful
      conditions, especially for chronic pain refractory to usual treatment. However,
      its real efficacy and safety remains controversial. We sought to determine
      whether cannabinoids are an effective treatment for chronic non-cancer pain. To
      answer this question, we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic
      reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources,
      including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We identified 37 systematic
      reviews including 41 studies overall, of which 32 were randomized trials relevant
      for the question of interest. We extracted data from the systematic reviews,
      reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a
      summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. We concluded it is not clear
      whether cannabinoids decrease pain in patients with chronic non-cancer pain
      because the certainty of available evidence is very low. On the other hand, they
      are associated with significant adverse effects.

PMID- 28622287
TI  - A niche for cyanobacteria producing chlorophyll f within a microbial mat.
AB  - Acquisition of additional photosynthetic pigments enables photosynthetic
      organisms to survive in particular niches. To reveal the ecological significance
      of chlorophyll (Chl) f, we investigated the distribution of Chl and cyanobacteria
      within two microbial mats. In a 7-mm-thick microbial mat beneath the running
      water of the Nakabusa hot spring, Japan, Chl f was only distributed 4.0-6.5 mm
      below the surface, where the intensity of far-red light (FR) was higher than that
      of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). In the same mat, two ecotypes of
      Synechococcus and two ecotypes of Chl f-producing Leptolyngbya were detected in
      the upper and deeper layers, respectively. Only the Leptolyngbya strains could
      grow when FR was the sole light source. These results suggest that the deeper
      layer of the microbial mat was a habitat for Chl f-producing cyanobacteria, and
      Chl f enabled them to survive in a habitat with little PAR.

PMID- 28622288
TI  - Optimization of design and production strategies for novel adeno-associated viral
      display peptide libraries.
AB  - Libraries displaying random peptides on the surface of adeno-associated virus
      (AAV) are powerful tools for the generation of target-specific gene therapy
      vectors. However, for unknown reasons the success rate of AAV library screenings
      is variable and the influence of the production procedure has not been thoroughly
      evaluated. During library screenings, the capsid variants with the most favorable
      tropism are enriched over several selection rounds on a target of choice and
      identified by subsequent sequencing of the encapsidated viral genomes encoding
      the library capsids with targeting peptide insertions. Thus, a high capsid-genome
      correlation is crucial to obtain the correct information about the selected
      capsid variants. Producing AAV libraries by a two-step protocol with pseudotyped
      library transfer shuttles has been proposed as one way to ensure such a
      correlation. Here we show that AAV2 libraries produced by such a protocol via
      transfer shuttles display an unexpected additional bias in the amino-acid
      composition which confers increased heparin affinity and thus similarity to
      wildtype AAV2 tropism. This bias may fundamentally impair the intended use of AAV
      libraries, discouraging the use of transfer shuttles for the production of AAV
      libraries in the future.

PMID- 28622291
TI  - Predicting lung cancer recurrence from circulating tumour DNA. Commentary on
      'Phylogenetic ctDNA analysis depicts early-stage lung cancer evolution'.

PMID- 28622290
TI  - Structural basis for the regulatory interactions of proapoptotic Par-4.
AB  - Par-4 is a unique proapoptotic protein with the ability to induce apoptosis
      selectively in cancer cells. The X-ray crystal structure of the C-terminal domain
      of Par-4 (Par-4CC), which regulates its apoptotic function, was obtained by MAD
      phasing. Par-4 homodimerizes by forming a parallel coiled-coil structure. The N
      terminal half of Par-4CC contains the homodimerization subdomain. This structure
      includes a nuclear export signal (Par-4NES) sequence, which is masked upon
      dimerization indicating a potential mechanism for nuclear localization. The
      heteromeric-interaction models specifically showed that charge interaction is an
      important factor in the stability of heteromers of the C-terminal leucine zipper
      subdomain of Par-4 (Par-4LZ). These heteromer models also displayed NES masking
      capacity and therefore the ability to influence intracellular localization.

PMID- 28622289
TI  - MicroRNA-26a and -26b inhibit lens fibrosis and cataract by negatively regulating
      Jagged-1/Notch signaling pathway.
AB  - Fibrosis is a chronic process involving development and progression of multiple
      diseases in various organs and is responsible for almost half of all known
      deaths. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the vital process in organ
      fibrosis. Lens is an elegant biological tool to investigate the fibrosis process
      because of its unique biological properties. Using gain- and loss-of-function
      assays, and different lens fibrosis models, here we demonstrated that microRNA
      (miR)-26a and miR-26b, members of the miR-26 family have key roles in EMT and
      fibrosis. They can significantly inhibit proliferation, migration, EMT of lens
      epithelial cells and lens fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, we
      revealed that the mechanisms of anti-EMT effects of miR-26a and -26b are via
      directly targeting Jagged-1 and suppressing Jagged-1/Notch signaling.
      Furthermore, we provided in vitro and in vivo evidence that Jagged-1/Notch
      signaling is activated in TGFbeta2-stimulated EMT, and blockade of Notch
      signaling can reverse lens epithelial cells (LECs) EMT and lens fibrosis. Given
      the general involvement of EMT in most fibrotic diseases, cancer metastasis and
      recurrence, miR-26 family and Notch pathway may have therapeutic uses in treating
      fibrotic diseases and cancers.

PMID- 28622292
TI  - The potential of erythrocytes as cellular aging models.

PMID- 28622293
TI  - SUMO-triggered ubiquitination of NR4A1 controls macrophage cell death.
AB  - Nuclear receptor NR4A1 has been implicated as a key regulator in a wide range of
      pathophysiological responses. As an immediate early response gene, NR4A1 can be
      rapidly and potently induced by a variety of stimuli. Its induction is followed
      by its rapid degradation, but the mechanism by which NR4A1 is degraded remains
      poorly understood. Here we show that nuclear receptor NR4A1 is sumoylated by
      SUMO2/3. Upon poly-SUMO modification, NR4A1 can be targeted by the SUMO-dependent
      E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF4 for polyubiquitination and subsequent degradation. The
      SUMO E3 ligase PIAS3 promotes SUMOylation and polyubiquitination of NR4A1, while
      the SUMO protease SENP1 acts to de-conjugate SUMO. We demonstrate that this
      pathway is important for rapid degradation of NR4A1 after induced by stress.
      Moreover, we identify two SUMO modification sites in NR4A1 that are critical for
      maintaining low levels of NR4A1 expression. Mutation of these two NR4A1 SUMO
      modification sites enhances the stability of NR4A1. Importantly, we show that
      SUMOylation is critical in controlling NR4A1 function in inflammatory cytokine
      signaling and controlling macrophage cell death. SUMOylation and subsequent
      ubiquitination on NR4A1 mitigates its inhibition of innate immune signaling, such
      as TNF-alpha- and IL-1beta-induced NF-kappaB activation. This mechanism of
      sequential SUMOylation and ubiquitination, which together control the degradation
      of NR4A1, could be exploited for the therapeutic treatment of diseases with NR4A1
      involvement.

PMID- 28622294
TI  - Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1b is a novel negative regulator of white adipocyte
      differentiation.
AB  - Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1b (HNF1b) is a transcription factor belonging to the
      HNF family. We aimed to investigate the role of HNF1b in white adipocyte
      differentiation. The expression of HNF1b was reduced in white adipose tissue
      (WAT) of both diet-induced and genetic obese mice and decreased during the
      process of 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation. Downregulation of HNF1b enhanced 3T3
      L1 adipocyte differentiation and upregulation of HNF1b inhibited this process.
      Upregulation of HNF1b inhibited peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma
      (PPARgamma) and its target gene expression, while downregulation of HNF1b
      increased those genes expression. Overexpression of PPARgamma suppressed HNF1b
      upregulation-induced inhibition of adipocyte differentiation. HNF1b can directly
      bind with the promoter of PPARgamma in 3T3-L1 cells, which was decreased after
      adipogenic differentiation. HNF1b promoted apoptotic and autophagic cell death in
      early differentiated adipocytes through regulation of cell cycle progress and
      cell death-related factors, and thus inhibited the process of mitotic clonal
      expansion (MCE). HNF1b acted as an antioxidant regulator through regulating
      various antioxidant enzymes via binding with antioxidant response element.
      Oxidant treatment suppressed HNF1b upregulation-induced inhibition of adipocyte
      differentiation. Overall, our results suggest that HNF1b is a novel negative
      regulator of adipocyte differentiation through regulation of PPARgamma signaling,
      MCE and redox state.

PMID- 28622295
TI  - High autophagic flux guards ESC identity through coordinating autophagy machinery
      gene program by FOXO1.
AB  - Although much is known about transcriptional networks that control embryonic stem
      cell (ESC) self-renewal and differentiation, the metabolic regulation of ESC is
      less clear. Autophagy is a catabolic process that is activated under both stress
      and normal conditions to degrade damaged organelles and aggregated proteins, and
      thus plays pivotal roles in somatic and adult stem cell function. However, if and
      how ESCs harness autophagy to regulate stemness remains largely unknown.
      Recently, we have defined that autophagy is essential for mitochondrial
      homeostasis regulation in pluripotency acquirement and maintenance. Here we
      identified high autophagic flux as an essential mechanism to maintain ESC
      identity. We show that mouse ESCs exhibit a high autophagic flux that is
      maintained by coordinating expression of autophagy core molecular machinery genes
      through FOXO1, a forkhead family transcription factor. Tapering autophagic flux
      by manipulating either Atg3 or Foxo1 expression compromised ESC self-renewal,
      pluripotency, and differentiation that could be restored by gain of wild-type but
      not function-deficient Atg3 or Foxo1 mutants, respectively. Our results define a
      newly recognized role of autophagic flux in mouse ESC identity maintenance that
      links cellular catabolism to ESC fate regulation.

PMID- 28622297
TI  - p53-mediated suppression of BiP triggers BIK-induced apoptosis during prolonged
      endoplasmic reticulum stress.
AB  - Physiological and pathological conditions that affect the folding capacity of the
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER) provoke ER stress and trigger the unfolded protein
      response (UPR). The UPR aims to either restore the balance between newly
      synthesized and misfolded proteins or if the damage is severe, to trigger cell
      death. However, the molecular events underlying the switch between repair and
      cell death are not well understood. The ER-resident chaperone BiP governs the UPR
      by sensing misfolded proteins and thereby releasing and activating the three
      mediators of the UPR: PERK, IRE1 and ATF6. PERK promotes G2 cell cycle arrest and
      cellular repair by inducing the alternative translated p53 isoform p53DeltaN40
      (p53/47), which activates 14-3-3sigma via suppression of p21CDKN1A. Here we show
      that prolonged ER stress promotes apoptosis via a p53-dependent inhibition of BiP
      expression. This leads to the release of the pro-apoptotic BH3-only BIK from BiP
      and activation of apoptosis. Suppression of bip mRNA translation is mediated via
      the specific binding of p53 to the first 346-nt of the bip mRNA and via a p53
      trans-suppression domain located within the first seven N-terminal amino acids of
      p53DeltaN40. This work shows how p53 targets BiP to promote apoptosis during
      severe ER stress and further illustrates how regulation of mRNA translation has a
      key role in p53-mediated regulation of gene expression during the UPR.

PMID- 28622296
TI  - BCL-2 family: integrating stress responses at the ER to control cell demise.
AB  - In the last decade, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has emerged as a central
      organelle regulating the core mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. At the ER
      membrane, a variety of stress signals are integrated toward determining cell
      fate, involving a complex cross talk between key homeostatic pathways including
      the unfolded protein response, autophagy, calcium signaling and mitochondrial
      bioenergetics. In this context, key regulators of cell death of the BCL-2 and
      TMBIM/BI-1 family of proteins have relevant functions as stress rheostats
      mediated by the formation of distinct protein complexes that regulate the switch
      between adaptive and proapoptotic phases under stress. Here, we overview recent
      advances on our molecular understanding of how the apoptotic machinery integrates
      stress signals toward cell fate decisions upstream of the mitochondrial gateway
      of death.

PMID- 28622298
TI  - TGFbeta pathway limits dedifferentiation following WNT and MAPK pathway
      activation to suppress intestinal tumourigenesis.
AB  - Recent studies have suggested increased plasticity of differentiated cells within
      the intestine to act both as intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and tumour-initiating
      cells. However, little is known of the processes that regulate this plasticity.
      Our previous work has shown that activating mutations of Kras or the NF-kappaB
      pathway can drive dedifferentiation of intestinal cells lacking Apc. To
      investigate this process further, we profiled both cells undergoing
      dedifferentiation in vitro and tumours generated from these cells in vivo by gene
      expression analysis. Remarkably, no clear differences were observed in the
      tumours; however, during dedifferentiation in vitro we found a marked
      upregulation of TGFbeta signalling, a pathway commonly mutated in colorectal
      cancer (CRC). Genetic inactivation of TGFbeta type 1 receptor (Tgfbr1/Alk5)
      enhanced the ability of KrasG12D/+ mutation to drive dedifferentiation and
      markedly accelerated tumourigenesis. Mechanistically this is associated with a
      marked activation of MAPK signalling. Tumourigenesis from differentiated
      compartments is potently inhibited by MEK inhibition. Taken together, we show
      that tumours arising in differentiated compartments will be exposed to different
      suppressive signals, for example, TGFbeta and blockade of these makes
      tumourigenesis more efficient from this compartment.

PMID- 28622299
TI  - A circular RNA promotes tumorigenesis by inducing c-myc nuclear translocation.
AB  - Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a subclass of noncoding RNAs widely expressed in
      mammalian cells. We report here the tumorigenic capacity of a circRNA derived
      from angiomotin-like1 (circ-Amotl1). Circ-Amotl1 is highly expressed in patient
      tumor samples and cancer cell lines. Single-cell inoculations using circ-Amotl1
      transfected tumor cells showed a 30-fold increase in proliferative capacity
      relative to control. Agarose colony-formation assays similarly revealed a 142
      fold increase. Tumor-take rate in nude mouse xenografts using 6-day (219 cells)
      and 3-day (9 cells) colonies were 100%, suggesting tumor-forming potential of
      every cell. Subcutaneous single-cell injections led to the formation of palpable
      tumors in 41% of mice, with tumor sizes >1 cm3 in 1 month. We further found that
      this potent tumorigenicity was triggered through interactions between circ-Amotl1
      and c-myc. A putative binding site was identified in silico and tested
      experimentally. Ectopic expression of circ-Amotl1 increased retention of nuclear
      c-myc, appearing to promote c-myc stability and upregulate c-myc targets.
      Expression of circ-Amotl1 also increased the affinity of c-myc binding to a
      number of promoters. Our study therefore reveals a novel function of circRNAs in
      tumorigenesis, and this subclass of noncoding RNAs may represent a potential
      target in cancer therapy.

PMID- 28622300
TI  - The ALS-linked E102Q mutation in Sigma receptor-1 leads to ER stress-mediated
      defects in protein homeostasis and dysregulation of RNA-binding proteins.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the selective
      degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) and their target muscles. Misfolded proteins
      which often form intracellular aggregates are a pathological hallmark of ALS.
      Disruption of the functional interplay between protein degradation (ubiquitin
      proteasome system and autophagy) and RNA-binding protein homeostasis has recently
      been suggested as an integrated model that merges several ALS-associated proteins
      into a common pathophysiological pathway. The E102Q mutation in one such
      candidate gene, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone Sigma receptor-1
      (SigR1), has been reported to cause juvenile ALS. Although loss of SigR1 protein
      contributes to neurodegeneration in several ways, the molecular mechanisms
      underlying E102Q-SigR1-mediated neurodegeneration are still unclear. In the
      present study, we showed that the E102Q-SigR1 protein rapidly aggregates and
      accumulates in the ER and associated compartments in transfected cells, leading
      to structural alterations of the ER, nuclear envelope and mitochondria and to
      subsequent defects in proteasomal degradation and calcium homeostasis. ER defects
      and proteotoxic stress generated by E102Q-SigR1 aggregates further induce
      autophagy impairment, accumulation of stress granules and cytoplasmic aggregation
      of the ALS-linked RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) matrin-3, FUS, and TDP-43. Similar
      ultrastructural abnormalities as well as altered protein degradation and
      misregulated RBP homeostasis were observed in primary lymphoblastoid cells (PLCs)
      derived from E102Q-SigR1 fALS patients. Consistent with these findings, lumbar
      alpha-MNs of both sALS as well as fALS patients showed cytoplasmic matrin-3
      aggregates which were not co-localized with pTDP-43 aggregates. Taken together,
      our results support the notion that E102Q-SigR1-mediated ALS pathogenesis
      comprises a synergistic mechanism of both toxic gain and loss of function
      involving a vicious circle of altered ER function, impaired protein homeostasis
      and defective RBPs.

PMID- 28622302
TI  - Evaluation of coagulopathy before and during induction chemotherapy for acute
      lymphoblastic leukaemia, including assessment of global clotting tests.

PMID- 28622301
TI  - Assessing the effect of obesity-related traits on multiple myeloma using a
      Mendelian randomisation approach.

PMID- 28622303
TI  - Addition of cyclophosphamide and higher doses of dexamethasone do not improve
      outcomes of patients with AL amyloidosis treated with bortezomib.
AB  - Bortezomib, in combination with dexamethasone (VD) or with the addition of
      cyclophosphamide (VCD), is highly effective in patients with amyloid light-chain
      (AL) amyloidosis. Currently, VCD is considered as a primary regimen for patients
      with AL, but it is not clear whether the addition of cyclophosphamide to VD
      further and significantly improves efficacy, given the substantial activity of
      bortezomib itself. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of 101 patients with
      AL amyloidosis who received VD (n=59) or VCD (n=42) in two consecutive periods.
      Early mortality after adjustment for Mayo stage was similar. On intent to treat,
      a hematologic response rate was 68% for patients treated with VD and 78% for VCD
      (P=0.26), while complete response+very good partial response (CR+VGPR) rate was
      47.5% and 35%, respectively. Higher doses of dexamethasone or twice-weekly
      bortezomib were not associated with significantly higher CR+VGPR rates. Organ
      responses occurred in similar rates between the two groups. Median survival was
      similar (33 vs 36 months, P=0.45) even after adjustment for Mayo stage and dose
      and schedule of bortezomib and dexamethasone. In conclusion, bortezomib even with
      low doses of dexamethasone is effective for the treatment of AL amyloidosis;
      higher doses of dexamethasone and addition of cyclophosphamide do not seem to
      have a profound effect on efficacy and survival.

PMID- 28622304
TI  - Outcomes of newly diagnosed myeloma patients requiring dialysis: renal recovery,
      importance of rapid response and survival benefit.

PMID- 28622305
TI  - The thrombopoietin/MPL axis is activated in the Gata1low mouse model of
      myelofibrosis and is associated with a defective RPS14 signature.
AB  - Myelofibrosis (MF) is characterized by hyperactivation of thrombopoietin (TPO)
      signaling, which induces a RPS14 deficiency that de-regulates GATA1 in
      megakaryocytes by hampering its mRNA translation. As mice carrying the
      hypomorphic Gata1low mutation, which reduces the levels of Gata1 mRNA in
      megakaryocytes, develop MF, we investigated whether the TPO axis is hyperactive
      in this model. Gata1low mice contained two times more Tpo mRNA in liver and TPO
      in plasma than wild-type littermates. Furthermore, Gata1low LSKs expressed levels
      of Mpl mRNA (five times greater than normal) and protein (two times lower than
      normal) similar to those expressed by LSKs from TPO-treated wild-type mice.
      Gata1low marrow and spleen contained more JAK2/STAT5 than wild-type tissues, an
      indication that these organs were reach of TPO-responsive cells. Moreover,
      treatment of Gata1low mice with the JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib reduced their
      splenomegaly. Also in Gata1low mice activation of the TPO/MPL axis was associated
      with a RSP14 deficiency and a discordant microarray ribosome signature (reduced
      RPS24, RPS26 and SBDS expression). Finally, electron microscopy revealed that
      Gata1low megakaryocytes contained poorly developed endoplasmic reticulum with
      rare polysomes. In summary, Gata1low mice are a bona fide model of MF, which
      recapitulates the hyperactivation of the TPO/MPL/JAK2 axis observed in
      megakaryocytes from myelofibrotic patients.

PMID- 28622306
TI  - Changes in uninvolved immunoglobulins during induction therapy for newly
      diagnosed multiple myeloma.
AB  - Little is known about the impact of multiple myeloma (MM) treatment on uninvolved
      immunoglobulins (Ig). We identified 448 patients who received high-dose
      dexamethasone (HD-DEX), lenalidomide and dexamethasone (RD), bortezomib and
      dexamethasone (VD), bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (VCD) or
      bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (VRD) for newly diagnosed MM at our
      institution between 2000 and 2013, and who had available data on absolute
      lymphocyte count (ALC) and quantitative uninvolved Ig at baseline and at the end
      of four cycles of therapy. Changes in ALC and uninvolved Ig were significantly
      different across treatments, with VCD and HD-DEX producing reductions in
      uninvolved Ig, and RD, VD and VRD leading to increases in uninvolved Ig. In
      addition, treatment with RD, VD and VRD was independently associated with higher
      odds of achieving a ?25% increase in or normalization of the primary uninvolved
      Ig on multivariate analysis. Although achievement of a humoral response in the
      primary uninvolved Ig was associated with a higher odds of achieving VGPR or
      better after four cycles of therapy, it was not associated with improved overall
      survival. These data highlight the different mechanisms of action of MM drugs and
      point toward a possible role for the use of VCD in treating antibody-mediated
      autoimmune disease.

PMID- 28622307
TI  - Beta-atrophy in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28622308
TI  - Response to 'Functional and anatomical outcomes of punctoplasty with Kelly
      punch'.

PMID- 28622309
TI  - Eyelid and fornix reconstruction in abortive cryptophthalmos: a single-center
      experience over 12 years.
AB  - PurposeAbortive cryptophthalmos is a rare congenital eyelid anomaly with poor
      prognosis for vision and cosmesis. The study aims to present its varied
      manifestations and surgical outcomes.Patients and methodsThe medical records of
      patients with abortive cryptophthalmos treated at the Oculoplastic Clinic of
      Beijing Tongren Hospital between January 2004 and May 2016 were reviewed. Early
      surgical intervention was performed when exposure keratopathy occurs. Upper
      eyelid and superior fornix were mainly reconstructed with sliding myocutaneous
      flap and scleral and amniotic grafts. Post-operative upper eyelid contour,
      recurrence of symblepharon, and ability to retain prosthesis were
      evaluated.ResultsThe study included 41 eyes of 28 patients. The median age at
      first presentation was 5 years (ranging from 1 month to 58 years). The majority
      (79%) with concurrent craniofacial abnormalities tended to be associated with
      more severe cryptophthalmos. Nine eyes of 9 patients had recurrence of
      symblepharon. Acceptable functional and cosmetic outcomes were achieved in 20 of
      the 24 patients receiving repair procedures during the follow-up
      period.ConclusionOne-stage reconstruction of eyelid and fornix with scleral and
      amniotic grafts is an effective strategy to correct abortive cryptophthalmos.

PMID- 28622311
TI  - An alternative method for upper and lower conjunctival fornix measurement.

PMID- 28622310
TI  - How to defuse a demographic time bomb: the way forward?

PMID- 28622312
TI  - Clinical features and prognostic factors of Klebsiella endophthalmitis-10-year
      experience in an endemic region.
AB  - AimsTo identify the clinical features and prognostic factors of endogenous
      endophthalmitis caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.MethodsThis is a retrospective
      case series of all patients with Klebsiella endophthalmitis managed from January
      2006 to December 2015 by Kowloon East Ophthalmic Service. Statistical analysis
      involved hypothesis testing on the SPSS 18.0 software (SPSS). A significance
      level of P<0.05 was taken.ResultsIn the 10-year period, K. pneumoniae accounted
      for 19 out of 39 cases of endogenous endophthalmitis (48.7%). The mean age of
      patients was 67.9 years. Bilateral involvement occurred in five patients (26.3%).
      More than half of the patients (10/19, 52.6%) had underlying diabetes mellitus.
      Most patients had concurrent liver abscess (18/19, 94.74%). Ten patients (52.6%)
      had disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Eight patients (42.1%) were in
      shock. The overall mortality was 21.1% (4/19). Septic shock was associated with a
      significantly higher mortality (50.0 vs 0%, P=0.018). Among the 15 survivors,
      nine patients (60.0%) required evisceration and three patients (20.0%) had no
      light perception in an involved eye. Eyes with diffuse posterior involvement were
      less likely to have a final visual acuity of logMAR 0.30 or better than those
      with focal posterior involvement (4.76 vs 100% 4.76%, P=0.002). Patients with
      hypopyon were more likely to require evisceration (85.71 vs 25.00%,
      P=0.02).ConclusionsKlebsiella endophthalmitis is associated with a high incidence
      of diabetes mellitus and liver abscess. Prognosis remains poor. Universal ocular
      screening and systemic control in patients with Klebsiella sepsis are
      recommended.

PMID- 28622313
TI  - Optical coherence tomography analysis of evolution of Bruch's membrane features
      in angioid streaks.
AB  - PurposeTo describe optical coherence tomography (OCT) features in the Bruch's
      membrane (BM) of eyes with angioid streaks (AS) and evaluate their evolution over
      the follow-up.Patients and methodsPatients with AS presenting between March 2016
      and September 2016 at two tertiary referral centers were consecutively recruited
      in this study. Eligibility criteria included prior spectral domain (SD)-OCT
      images, taken at least 3 months before at the same referral center, with
      automated eye tracking and image alignment modules. Alterations of BM were
      described and compared to previous scans over the follow-up. Multimodal imaging
      was used to identify alteration of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and
      choroid.ResultsThirty-two eyes of 16 consecutive patients with AS were included.
      BM undulations, mostly observed around the optic nerve head, were found in 19
      (59.4%) of 32 eyes. BM breaks were found in 31 (96.9%) out of 32 eyes. Evolution
      of BM undulations into BM breaks was observed in 5 eyes (15.6%). Choroidal
      neovascularization (CNV) was observed in 12 eyes (37.5%) during follow-up,
      typically in areas of BM interruption.ConclusionsBM undulations, probably caused
      by high stretching forces exerted on the BM around the optic nerve head, seem to
      precede some BM breaks. BM interruptions may be a preferred way for the growth of
      CNV, which was identified in one-third of our cases.

PMID- 28622314
TI  - Development of a simple computerized torsion test to quantify subjective ocular
      torsion.
AB  - PurposeThe double Maddox-rod test (DMRT) and Lancaster red-green test (LRGT) are
      the most widely used tests worldwide to assess subjective ocular torsion.
      However, these tests require equipment and the quantified results of ocular
      torsion are only provided in rough values. Here we developed a novel computerized
      torsion test (CTT) for individual assessment of subjective ocular torsion and
      validated the reliability and accuracy of the test compared with those of the
      DMRT and LRGT.MethodsA total of 30 patients with cyclovertical strabismus and 30
      controls were recruited. The CTT was designed using Microsoft Office PowerPoint.
      Subjects wore red-green filter spectacles and viewed gradually tilted red and
      cyan lines on an LCD monitor and pressed the keyboard to go through the slides,
      until both lines seemed parallel. All subjects underwent the CTT, DMRT, and LRGT.
      Intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were analyzed to
      assess the acceptability of the CTT compared with that of the DMRT.ResultsBoth
      the DMRT and CTT showed no significant test-retest differences in the strabismus
      and control groups. The DMRT and CTT results demonstrated an acceptable
      agreement. The reliability of the CTT was better than that of the DMRT. The LRGT
      showed low sensitivity for the detection of ocular torsion compared with the DMRT
      (40.0%) and CTT (39.1%).ConclusionOur results suggest that the assessment of
      subjective ocular torsion using the CTT based on PowerPoint software is simple,
      reproducible, and accurate and can be applied in clinical practice.

PMID- 28622315
TI  - Developing a children's glaucoma passport: mapping innovations in healthcare.

PMID- 28622316
TI  - Corneal densitometry after photorefractive keratectomy, laser-assisted in situ
      keratomileusis, and small-incision lenticule extraction.
AB  - PurposeThe aim of this study was to gain greater insight into the corneal
      densitometry changes occurring as a result of refractive surgery and to compare
      these changes across three widely used surgical techniques, namely,
      photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis with a
      femtosecond laser (LASIK-FS), or ReLEx small-incision lenticule extraction (ReLEx
      SMILE).Patients and methodsThree hundred and thirty-six patients (184 male and
      152 female patients) participated in this study. They were split into three
      groups according to the refractive surgery technique they had undergone: LASIK-FS
      (74 patients), PRK (153 patients), and ReLEx SMILE (109 patients). All
      participants underwent an exhaustive eye examination both before and after
      surgery. Pre- and postoperative corneal densitometry was measured using an Oculus
      Pentacam system.ResultsThe mean postoperative total corneal densitometry values
      were 16.53+/-1.94 for the LASIK-FS group, 15.53+/-1.65 for PRK, and 16.10+/-1.54
      for ReLEx SMILE. When corneal densitometry was analyzed for specific corneal
      areas, the values corresponding to the 0-2, 2-6, and 6-10 mm annuli were similar
      across the three surgical techniques. The only region in which differences were
      found was the peripheral area (P<0.05), but these variations across techniques
      were not statistically significant.ConclusionsCorneal densitometry can be used as
      an objective metric to assess corneal response to refractive surgery, and to
      monitor patients over time. Corneal densitometry was not negatively affected by
      any of the refractive surgical procedures under evaluation.

PMID- 28622317
TI  - Assessment of patient-reported outcome and quality of life improvement following
      surgery for epiphora.
AB  - PurposeTo assess and compare the subjective improvement in symptoms and quality
      of life in adult patients who underwent commonly performed oculoplastic surgical
      interventions to treat epiphora.Materials and methodsA prospective study was
      undertaken involving all adult patients undergoing dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR),
      lid tightening (lateral tarsal strip or lateral wedge resection), and
      punctoplasty surgery at our institution. We assessed severity of epiphora
      preoperatively using the Munk score. At 3 months postoperatively, all patients
      were sent postal questionnaires comprising of Munk score, 'social impact score'
      from validated Lac-Q questionnaire ranging from 0 (no impact) to 5 (maximal
      negative impact) and Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) score, ranging from -100
      (maximal detriment) to +100 (maximal benefit).ResultsA total of 134
      questionnaires were sent with an overall response rate of 74.6%. For the purpose
      of data analysis, patients were divided into four groups: DCR, lid tightening,
      punctoplasty, and combined group (lid tightening plus punctoplasty). There was
      statistically significant improvement in subjective epiphora postoperatively, as
      assessed by Munk score (P<0.001) in all groups. The total GBI scores were +42.67
      (95% CI: 33.42-51.91) for DCR, +19.65 (95% CI: 10.33-28.97) for lid tightening,
      +16.06 (95% CI: 2.65-29.48) for punctoplasty, and +26.53 (95% CI: 13.15-39.90)
      for the combined group, demonstrating a positive change in health status for all
      groups. There was negative correlation between total GBI and post-operative Munk
      scores (r=-0.58, P<0.001), and positive correlation between Lac-Q and Munk scores
      (r=0.65, P<0.001).ConclusionPatients derived significant improvement in symptoms
      and health-related quality of life benefit following all surgical interventions
      for epiphora.

PMID- 28622318
TI  - Characteristics of symptoms experienced by persons with dry eye disease while
      driving in China.
AB  - PurposeTo assess the vision-related quality of life and self-reported driving
      performance of patients with dry eye disease (DED).Patients and methodsThe study
      was performed in the eye centre of Peking University Third Hospital, China. In
      total, 87 dry eye patients and 42 controls were enroled, including 49 patients
      without any treatment (group A), 38 patients treated with artificial tears (group
      B) and 42 controls without DED (group C). The participants had no eye disease
      other than DED. Scores of a vision-related quality-of-life questionnaire (Ocular
      Surface Disease Index (OSDI)), a daily life-related visual function questionnaire
      and a questionnaire about performance during driving were collected. Data were
      compared among the groups and analysed.ResultsSignificant differences in all
      clinical characteristics and OSDI scores were found between DED patients and
      normal controls (P<0.05). While subjects in group A felt more uncomfortable than
      those in group B, the functional limitations related to dry eye were significant
      in all DED patients, especially for daily work and using a computer. DED was
      correlated with unsafe driving habits and performance, which may increase the
      risk of dangerous driving (P<0.01). For patients with DED, the rate of accidents
      and near-accidents was 10.33%, and the rate of missed targets totalled
      32.17%.ConclusionsDED can lead to many inconveniences in daily life, including
      driving. The frequencies of unsafe driving habits and performance were increased
      in patients with DED.

PMID- 28622319
TI  - Flicker electroretinograms recorded with mydriasis-free RETeval system before and
      after cataract surgery.
AB  - PurposeThe purpose of this study is to compare the amplitudes and peak times of
      the flicker electroretinograms (ERGs) recorded before and after cataract surgery
      with the RETeval system (LKC Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD, USA) from eyes
      without dilation.Patients and methodsThirty-two eyes of 32 patients (77.3+/-6.5
      years) that had grade 2 Emery-Little nuclear or cortical cataract without any
      other abnormalities were studied. Flicker ERGs were recorded with the RETeval
      system under mydriatic-free conditions. Skin electrodes were used to pick-up the
      ERGs that were elicited by white light delivered at a rate of 28.3 Hz and
      intensity of 2, 8, and 32 Td-s. The amplitudes and peak times of the flicker ERGs
      before and after cataract surgery were compared.ResultsThe mean amplitudes were
      significantly increased after the removal of the cataractous lenses at the three
      stimulus intensities (2 Td-s, P<0.0001; 8 Td-s, P<0.0001; and 32 Td-s, P<0.0001).
      The mean peak times of the flicker ERGs elicited by 2 and 8 Td-s were
      significantly shortened after the surgery (2 td-s, P<0.0001 and 8 td-s, P=0.0127)
      but not at 32 td-s (P=0.595).ConclusionsThese results indicate that the presence
      of cataracts will affect both the amplitudes and the peak times of the flicker
      ERGs even if the cataract is mild. In addition, the results indicate that as
      stimulus intensity increases, the peak times is less affected by a cataract. The
      clarity of the crystalline lens should be considered when interpreting the
      flicker ERGs recorded with the RETeval system.

PMID- 28622320
TI  - A novel graft option after pterygium excision: platelet-rich fibrin for
      conjunctivoplasty.
AB  - PurposeTo compare the surgical results, complications, and recurrence rates of
      primary pterygium excision with conjunctival autografts (CA) vs platelet-rich
      fibrin (PRF) grafts.Patients and methodsA total of 35 eyes of 35 patients with
      primary pterygium were included in the study. The patients underwent excision of
      pterygium followed by closure of the bare sclera by CA (group 1, n=20) vs PRF
      grafts (group 2, n=15). The PRF was generated from the patients' own whole-blood
      sample by centrifugation and pressing. The surgery times, intra/postoperative
      complications, recurrence rates of pterygium, and changes in visual acuity (VA)
      were evaluated and compared within groups.ResultsThe mean follow-up period was
      14.3+/-6.5 months (6-24 months). The mean preoperative and postoperative VAs were
      same (20/25) (P=0.204). The mean surgery time was shorter in group 2 (22.1+/-1.9
      min) compared to group 1 (33.8+/-7.8 min) (P=0.001). The recurrence was observed
      only in one (6.6%) case of group 2, while none of the cases showed recurrence in
      group 1. Graft loss was observed in 2 (10%) cases in group 1, and 1 (6.6%) case
      in group 2. No other intra/postoperative complications such as tear in the graft,
      excessive bleeding, scleral necrosis, graft necrosis, pannus formation, or
      symblepharon occurred in both groups.ConclusionsThis preliminary study showed
      encouraging results of the application of PRF for conjuntivoplasty after
      pterygium excision. The use of PRF in pterygium surgery is a simple, easily
      applicable, and a promising method with low rates of recurrence and
      complications.

PMID- 28622321
TI  - Identification of time point to best define 'sub-optimal response' following
      intravitreal ranibizumab therapy for diabetic macular edema based on real-life
      data.
AB  - PurposeTo determine the average time-point at which it is best to define 'sub
      optimal response' after ranibizumab treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME)
      based on the data obtained from real-life clinical practice.MethodsIn this
      retrospective observational study, 322 consecutive treatment naive eyes with DME
      were treated with three loading doses of intravitreal ranibizumab followed by re
      treatment based on decision of the treating physician on a case-by-case basis.
      The demographic data, clinic-based visual acuity measurements and central
      subfield thickness (CST) assessed on spectral domain optical coherence tomography
      (OCT) were evaluated at baseline (month 0), 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months.ResultsOn
      an average, the improvement in visual acuity and CST was first seen after the
      loading dose. However, the maximal response in terms of proportion of patients
      with improvement in visual acuity and/ or CST in this cohort was observed at 12
      months. Patients who presented with low visual acuity at baseline (<37 ETDRS
      letters) were unlikely to attain driving vision with ranibizumab
      therapy.ConclusionsOn an average, a 'sub-optimal response' after ranibizumab
      therapy is best defined at month 12 as patients may continue to improve with
      treatment.

PMID- 28622322
TI  - The urgent need to develop emergency EYE care in the UK: the way forward?

PMID- 28622323
TI  - UK ophthalmology electronic medical records, databases, big data, and Robert L
      Johnston!

PMID- 28622324
TI  - Postoperative change in lateral rectus muscle insertion measured by anterior
      segment optical coherence tomography.
AB  - AimsThe aims of this study were to investigate the longitudinal change in lateral
      rectus (LR) muscle insertion after recession surgery, and to evaluate a
      relationship between insertion distance and postoperative amount of
      deviation.MethodsWe recruited 31 patients who underwent primary LR recession
      surgery with normal anterior segment structures. An AS-OCT scan of the LR muscle
      was performed at every visit. Data on sex, age, degree of deviation (prism
      diopter), and spur-LR insertion distance using AS-OCT were collected at
      preoperatively and postoperative months 1, 3, and 6. Spur-LR insertion was
      defined as the shortest distance between the insertion of the LR muscle and the
      scleral spur was measured using the caliper function in the AS-OCT
      software.ResultsThe mean distance of spur-LR insertion measured with AS-OCT was
      5.5+/-0.7 mm preoperatively, and 11.1+/-0.9 mm at 1 month, 11.5+/-0.8 mm at 3
      months, and 11.0+/-0.7 mm at 6 months postoperatively. There were significant
      differences in spur-LR insertion between postoperative 1 and 3 months, and
      between 3 and 6 months (generalized estimating equation, all P<0.001). The
      overall spur-LR insertion measurement has a significantly negative correlation
      with postoperative amount of deviation (Pearson's correlation, P=0.035, r=
      0.218).ConclusionsAS-OCT is a useful instrument for understanding postoperative
      changes in EOM after tissue swelling subsides.

PMID- 28622326
TI  - Clinical real-world results of switching treatment from ranibizumab to
      aflibercept in patients with diabetic macular oedema.

PMID- 28622325
TI  - Fingerprick autologous blood: a novel treatment for dry eye syndrome.
AB  - PurposeDry eye syndrome (DES) causes significant morbidity. Trials of blood
      derived products in treatment of the condition show promising results. However,
      their production is expensive and time-consuming. We investigate fingerprick
      autologous blood (FAB) as an alternative low-cost, readily accessible treatment
      for DES.Patients and methodsProspective, non-comparative, interventional case
      series. In total, 29 eyes of 16 DES patients (2 males and 14 females) from two
      NHS sites in the United Kingdom. Patients instructed to clean a finger, prick
      with a blood lancet, and apply a drop of blood to the lower fornix of the
      affected eye(s), 4 times daily for 8 weeks then stop and review 4 weeks later.
      Follow-up visits occurred ~3 days, 2, 4, 8 weeks into therapy, and 4 weeks post
      cessation. At each visit, visual acuity, corneal staining, Schirmer's test, tear
      break-up time (TBUT), and ocular comfort index (OCI) were measured, and
      photographs taken. Results were analysed using Student's paired t-test.ResultsAt
      8 weeks, there was improvement in mean Oxford corneal staining grade (3.31 to
      2.07 (P<0.0001)), TBUT (5.00 to 7.80 s (P<0.05)), visual acuity (0.08 to 0.01
      LogMAR equivalent (P<0.05)), and OCI score (56.03 to 39.72 (P<0.0001)). There was
      no statistically significant change in Schirmer's test results. Four weeks post
      cessation versus immediately after completion of FAB therapy, mean staining grade
      worsened from 2.07 to 2.86 (P<0.0001). OCI score worsened from 39.72 to 44.67
      (P<0.05).ConclusionsIn our limited case series FAB appears to be a safe and
      effective treatment for DES.

PMID- 28622327
TI  - Response to: 'An alternative method for upper and lower conjunctival fornix
      measurement'.

PMID- 28622328
TI  - Second-year visual acuity outcomes of nAMD patients treated with aflibercept:
      data analysis from the UK Aflibercept Users Group.
AB  - PurposeTo audit the visual acuity (VA) outcomes achieved at the end of year two
      in 17 UK centres, which followed the year 1 VIEW protocol in year 1, but a
      variable approach in year 2 for aflibercept for neovascular macular degeneration
      (nAMD).Patients and methodsRetrospective data analysis, from an electronic
      medical record, of a consecutive series of treatment-naive nAMD patients who
      received aflibercept for 2 consecutive years, having followed the VIEW protocol
      in year one, defined as eyes having received 7 or 8 injections from
      baseline.ResultsThe mean number of intravitreal injections (IVI)s during year 2
      was 3.7 in 1180 eyes (1083 patients). The mean baseline VA of the whole cohort
      was 56.3 ETDRS letters, improving to 61.3 at 1 year (+5) and 59.1 (+2.8) at the
      end of year 2. The mean VA letter score at the end of year 2, stratified by
      number of IVIs into three groups was as follows: group A, 57.3 (gain of +1.7)
      (44% of eyes (</=3 IVIs)); group B, 59.8 (+3.8) (34% of eyes (4-5 IVIs)); group
      C, 61.7 (+3.7) (22% of eyes (>/=6 IVIs)). Even though there were VA gains in the
      three groups over the 2-years, there was a drop in VA in year one to two. Eyes
      that received >/=6 IVIs (group C) had a smaller reduction of VA during year 2
      than those which received </=3 IVIs (group A) (P=0.0014).ConclusionsProviding a
      higher number of injections after a Q8 regime in year 1 results in higher VA
      gains in year 2 of treatment.

PMID- 28622329
TI  - Plastic modification of the cornea by pneumatic force corrects myopia: Pneumatic
      keratology.
AB  - PurposeThe eyeball and, in particular, the cornea deform in vitro by the
      application of a distending force like other visco-elastic tissue. If the force
      is large enough, the cornea strains beyond the elastic range, and a permanent
      deformation occurs. Such permanent strain is referred to as 'plastic' strain. The
      phenomenon, however, has never been observed or produced on living tissue. This
      report seeks to demonstrate that the central radius of a patient's cornea can be
      altered in a controlled manner designed to correct refractive errors.MethodsTo
      plastically deform the living cornea, we applied a vacuum to the cornea of eight
      rabbits and five human eyes with a novel device. This device consists of a
      chamber of 11 mm in diameter. The chamber is radially divided into four
      interconnected sub-chambers.ResultsHere we show that a strain can be achieved in
      vivo with a force produced by the application of the specially designed chamber
      where air is evacuated. An anatomical modification of the cornea of humans and
      rabbits was achieved. The deformation of the cornea was plastic, and therefore
      permanent.ConclusionsThe method described here-Pneumatic Keratology- can be used
      to alter the cornea by non-invasive means. A vacuum chamber with radial openings
      alters the collagen fibers in the stroma and flattens the cornea. A flatter
      cornea corrects or reduces myopia.

PMID- 28622330
TI  - Sensory noise predicts divisive reshaping of receptive fields.
AB  - In order to respond reliably to specific features of their environment, sensory
      neurons need to integrate multiple incoming noisy signals. Crucially, they also
      need to compete for the interpretation of those signals with other neurons
      representing similar features. The form that this competition should take depends
      critically on the noise corrupting these signals. In this study we show that for
      the type of noise commonly observed in sensory systems, whose variance scales
      with the mean signal, sensory neurons should selectively divide their input
      signals by their predictions, suppressing ambiguous cues while amplifying others.
      Any change in the stimulus context alters which inputs are suppressed, leading to
      a deep dynamic reshaping of neural receptive fields going far beyond simple
      surround suppression. Paradoxically, these highly variable receptive fields go
      alongside and are in fact required for an invariant representation of external
      sensory features. In addition to offering a normative account of context
      dependent changes in sensory responses, perceptual inference in the presence of
      signal-dependent noise accounts for ubiquitous features of sensory neurons such
      as divisive normalization, gain control and contrast dependent temporal dynamics.

PMID- 28622331
TI  - In silico assessment of genetic variation in KCNA5 reveals multiple mechanisms of
      human atrial arrhythmogenesis.
AB  - A recent experimental study investigating patients with lone atrial fibrillation
      identified six novel mutations in the KCNA5 gene. The mutants exhibited both gain
      and loss-of-function of the atrial specific ultra-rapid delayed rectifier K+
      current, IKur. The aim of this study is to elucidate and quantify the functional
      impact of these KCNA5 mutations on atrial electrical activity. A multi-scale
      model of the human atria was updated to incorporate detailed experimental data on
      IKur from both wild-type and mutants. The effects of the mutations on human
      atrial action potential and rate dependence were investigated at the cellular
      level. In tissue, we assessed the effects of the mutations on the vulnerability
      to unidirectional conduction patterns and dynamics of re-entrant excitation
      waves. Gain-of-function mutations shortened the action potential duration in
      single cells, and stabilised and accelerated re-entrant excitation in tissue.
      Loss-of-function mutations had heterogeneous effects on action potential duration
      and promoted early-after-depolarisations following beta-adrenergic stimulation.
      In the tissue model, loss-of-function mutations facilitated breakdown of
      excitation waves at more physiological excitation rates than the wild-type, and
      the generation of early-after-depolarisations promoted unidirectional patterns of
      excitation. Gain- and loss-of-function IKur mutations produced multiple
      mechanisms of atrial arrhythmogenesis, with significant differences between the
      two groups of mutations. This study provides new insights into understanding the
      mechanisms by which mutant IKur contributes to atrial arrhythmias. In addition,
      as IKur is an atrial-specific channel and a number of IKur-selective blockers
      have been developed as anti-AF agents, this study also helps to understand some
      contradictory results on both pro- and anti-arrhythmic effects of blocking IKur.

PMID- 28622332
TI  - Comparison of monocyte gene expression among patients with neurocysticercosis
      associated epilepsy, Idiopathic Epilepsy and idiopathic headaches in India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neurocysticercosis (NCC), a neglected tropical disease, inflicts
      substantial health and economic costs on people living in endemic areas such as
      India. Nevertheless, accurate diagnosis using brain imaging remains poorly
      accessible and too costly in endemic countries. The goal of this study was to
      test if blood monocyte gene expression could distinguish patients with NCC
      associated epilepsy, from NCC-negative imaging lesion-free patients presenting
      with idiopathic epilepsy or idiopathic headaches. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
      Patients aged 18 to 51 were recruited from the Department of Neurological
      Sciences, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India, between January
      2013 and October 2014. mRNA from CD14+ blood monocytes was isolated from 76
      patients with NCC, 10 Recovered NCC (RNCC), 29 idiopathic epilepsy and 17
      idiopathic headaches patients. A preliminary microarray analysis was performed on
      six NCC, six idiopathic epilepsy and four idiopathic headaches patients to
      identify genes differentially expressed in NCC-associated epilepsy compared with
      other groups. This analysis identified 1411 upregulated and 733 downregulated
      genes in patients with NCC compared to Idiopathic Epilepsy. Fifteen genes up
      regulated in NCC patients compared with other groups were selected based on
      possible relevance to NCC, and analyzed by qPCR in all patients' samples.
      Differential gene expression among patients was assessed using linear regression
      models. qPCR analysis of 15 selected genes showed generally higher gene
      expression among NCC patients, followed by RNCC, idiopathic headaches and
      Idiopathic Epilepsy. Gene expression was also generally higher among NCC patients
      with single cyst granulomas, followed by mixed lesions and single calcifications.
      CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Expression of certain genes in blood monocytes can
      distinguish patients with NCC-related epilepsy from patients with active
      Idiopathic Epilepsy and idiopathic headaches. These findings are significant
      because they may lead to the development of new tools to screen for and monitor
      NCC patients without brain imaging.

PMID- 28622333
TI  - Acute 40% exchange-transfusion with hemoglobin-vesicles in a mouse pneumonectomy
      model.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Hemoglobin vesicles (HbVs) function as a red blood cell (RBC)
      substitute and are composed of purified hemoglobin encapsulated in a phospholipid
      bilayer membrane. The performance of HbVs as a substitute for RBC transfusions
      was examined in a mouse model of pneumonectomy following acute 40% exchange
      transfusion with HbVs. METHODS: Before performing left pneumonectomies, 40% of
      the blood volume of mice was replaced with a) lactated Ringer's solution
      (control), b) 5% recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA), c) mouse RBCs shed in
      rHSA (mRBCs/rHSA), or d) HbV suspended in rHSA (HbV/rHSA). We compared
      postoperative a) survival, b) functional recovery, and c) histopathological,
      immunohistochemical, and inflammatory responses among the study groups. RESULTS:
      In the HbV/rHSA and mRBC/rHSA groups, all mice survived >=7 days after
      pneumonectomy, whereas 100% of the control mice died within a few h and 50% of
      mice in the rHSA group died within 24 h after pneumonectomy. Immunohistochemical
      staining for hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha showed that hepatic and renal
      hypoxic injuries were prominently mitigated by HbV and mRBCs. CONCLUSIONS: The
      oxygen-carrying performance of HbV was similar to that of mRBCs, even with
      impaired lung functions following pneumonectomy. HbV infusion did not interfere
      with the recovery from surgical injury. In the near future, HbVs could be used
      clinically as a substitute for the perioperative transfusion of RBCs, when or
      where donated RBCs are not immediately available.

PMID- 28622334
TI  - Sterol 14alpha-demethylase mutation leads to amphotericin B resistance in
      Leishmania mexicana.
AB  - Amphotericin B has emerged as the therapy of choice for use against the
      leishmaniases. Administration of the drug in its liposomal formulation as a
      single injection is being promoted in a campaign to bring the leishmaniases under
      control. Understanding the risks and mechanisms of resistance is therefore of
      great importance. Here we select amphotericin B-resistant Leishmania mexicana
      parasites with relative ease. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that ergosterol,
      the sterol known to bind the drug, is prevalent in wild-type cells, but
      diminished in the resistant line, where alternative sterols become prevalent.
      This indicates that the resistance phenotype is related to loss of drug binding.
      Comparing sequences of the parasites' genomes revealed a plethora of single
      nucleotide polymorphisms that distinguish wild-type and resistant cells, but only
      one of these was found to be homozygous and associated with a gene encoding an
      enzyme in the sterol biosynthetic pathway, sterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51).
      The mutation, N176I, is found outside of the enzyme's active site, consistent
      with the fact that the resistant line continues to produce the enzyme's product.
      Expression of wild-type sterol 14alpha-demethylase in the resistant cells caused
      reversion to drug sensitivity and a restoration of ergosterol synthesis, showing
      that the mutation is indeed responsible for resistance. The amphotericin B
      resistant parasites become hypersensitive to pentamidine and also agents that
      induce oxidative stress. This work reveals the power of combining polyomics
      approaches, to discover the mechanism underlying drug resistance as well as
      offering novel insights into the selection of resistance to amphotericin B
      itself.

PMID- 28622335
TI  - Psychotic symptoms in older people without dementia from a Brazilian community
      based sample: A seven years' follow-up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies of the incidence of psychotic symptoms in elderly people at
      risk of dementia are scarce. This is a seven year follow up study aiming to
      determine the incidence of psychotic symptoms and their correlation with other
      clinical aspects, in particular the rate of development of cognitive impairment.
      METHODS: Cohort study of a community-based sample of elderly subjects. At study
      entry in 2004, the sample was composed of 1,125 individuals aged 60 years and
      older. Of this total, 547 subjects were re-evaluated in 2011 and submitted to the
      original study protocol. Of these, 199 showed no psychotic symptoms at phase I,
      while 64 already had psychotic symptoms in 2004. RESULTS: The incidence of at
      least one psychotic symptom in the 7 year period was 8.0% (Visual/tactile
      hallucinations: 4.5%; Persecutory delusions: 3.0%; Auditory hallucinations:
      2.5%). Development of psychotic symptoms was associated with epilepsy (OR: 7.75
      and 15.83), lower MMSE (OR: 0.72) and reported depression (OR: 6.48). A total of
      57.8% of individuals with psychotic symptoms developed cognitive impairment after
      7 years. Visual/tactile hallucinations were the only psychotic symptom predictive
      of this impairment, which was related to lower MMSE and greater functional
      impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of psychotic symptoms and the conversion
      rate to cognitive impairment was in the upper range when compared with previous
      reports. Visual/tactile hallucinations were the most frequent symptoms and were
      predictive of cognitive impairment over the 7 year period. A significant
      relationship was found between the incidence of psychotic symptoms and low MMSE
      scores, as well as clinical comorbities such as epilepsy, reported depression,
      diabetes and syphilis.

PMID- 28622337
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of posterolateral plica of the elbow joint:
      Asymptomatic vs. symptomatic subjects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be useful to diagnose a
      posterolateral plica syndrome of the elbow joint because this syndrome has less
      clear clinical features. The purposes of this study were to document mediolateral
      and sagittal dimensions of a posterolateral synovial fold and to determine the
      proportion of subjects with the posterolateral plica in asymptomatic elbows. We
      also aimed to determine whether the dimensions of the posterolateral synovial
      fold and the prevalence of the plica differ between symptomatic and asymptomatic
      subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective review of prospectively
      collected data included 50 asymptomatic elbows (asymptomatic group) and 14 elbows
      with arthroscopically confirmed posterolateral plicae (plica group). The
      mediolateral and sagittal dimensions of the posterolateral synovial fold were
      measured. In addition, the criteria for the prevalence of posterolateral plica
      was determined with conventional MRI as synovial fold dimension >= 3 mm and
      coverage of radial head by synovial fold >= 30%. RESULTS: The plica group showed
      larger posterolateral synovial fold dimensions compared to the asymptomatic
      group. The median mediolateral and sagittal dimensions of the synovial fold in
      the asymptomatic group were 3.8 mm and 4.7 mm, respectively. Dimensions in the
      plica group were 7.0 mm and 7.4 mm, respectively. When the presence of
      posterolateral plica was determined using the dimension criteria, there was no
      difference in the prevalence of the plica between the asymptomatic and the plica
      group. However, using the coverage criteria, the prevalence of posterolateral
      elbow plica was significantly greater in the plica group than the asymptomatic
      group (64% vs. 18%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The patients who underwent
      arthroscopic surgery for posterolateral plica syndrome had larger dimensions of
      the posterolateral synovial fold and higher prevalence of the posterolateral
      plica on conventional MRI compared to the asymptomatic subjects.

PMID- 28622336
TI  - A knowledge-based T2-statistic to perform pathway analysis for quantitative
      proteomic data.
AB  - Approaches to identify significant pathways from high-throughput quantitative
      data have been developed in recent years. Still, the analysis of proteomic data
      stays difficult because of limited sample size. This limitation also leads to the
      practice of using a competitive null as common approach; which fundamentally
      implies genes or proteins as independent units. The independent assumption
      ignores the associations among biomolecules with similar functions or cellular
      localization, as well as the interactions among them manifested as changes in
      expression ratios. Consequently, these methods often underestimate the
      associations among biomolecules and cause false positives in practice. Some
      studies incorporate the sample covariance matrix into the calculation to address
      this issue. However, sample covariance may not be a precise estimation if the
      sample size is very limited, which is usually the case for the data produced by
      mass spectrometry. In this study, we introduce a multivariate test under a self
      contained null to perform pathway analysis for quantitative proteomic data. The
      covariance matrix used in the test statistic is constructed by the confidence
      scores retrieved from the STRING database or the HitPredict database. We also
      design an integrating procedure to retain pathways of sufficient evidence as a
      pathway group. The performance of the proposed T2-statistic is demonstrated using
      five published experimental datasets: the T-cell activation, the cAMP/PKA
      signaling, the myoblast differentiation, and the effect of dasatinib on the BCR
      ABL pathway are proteomic datasets produced by mass spectrometry; and the
      protective effect of myocilin via the MAPK signaling pathway is a gene expression
      dataset of limited sample size. Compared with other popular statistics, the
      proposed T2-statistic yields more accurate descriptions in agreement with the
      discussion of the original publication. We implemented the T2-statistic into an R
      package T2GA, which is available at https://github.com/roqe/T2GA.

PMID- 28622338
TI  - Multi-phase simultaneous segmentation of tumor in lung 4D-CT data with context
      information.
AB  - Lung 4D computed tomography (4D-CT) plays an important role in high-precision
      radiotherapy because it characterizes respiratory motion, which is crucial for
      accurate target definition. However, the manual segmentation of a lung tumor is a
      heavy workload for doctors because of the large number of lung 4D-CT data slices.
      Meanwhile, tumor segmentation is still a notoriously challenging problem in
      computer-aided diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a new method based on an
      improved graph cut algorithm with context information constraint to find a
      convenient and robust approach of lung 4D-CT tumor segmentation. We combine all
      phases of the lung 4D-CT into a global graph, and construct a global energy
      function accordingly. The sub-graph is first constructed for each phase. A
      context cost term is enforced to achieve segmentation results in every phase by
      adding a context constraint between neighboring phases. A global energy function
      is finally constructed by combining all cost terms. The optimization is achieved
      by solving a max-flow/min-cut problem, which leads to simultaneous and robust
      segmentation of the tumor in all the lung 4D-CT phases. The effectiveness of our
      approach is validated through experiments on 10 different lung 4D-CT cases. The
      comparison with the graph cut without context constraint, the level set method
      and the graph cut with star shape prior demonstrates that the proposed method
      obtains more accurate and robust segmentation results.

PMID- 28622339
TI  - The Chlamydia trachomatis type III secretion substrates CT142, CT143, and CT144
      are secreted into the lumen of the inclusion.
AB  - Chlamydia trachomatis is a human bacterial pathogen causing ocular and genital
      infections. It multiplies exclusively within an intracellular membrane-bound
      vacuole, the inclusion, and uses a type III secretion system to manipulate host
      cells by injecting them with bacterially-encoded effector proteins. In this work,
      we characterized the expression and subcellular localization in infected host
      cells of the C. trachomatis CT142, CT143, and CT144 proteins, which we previously
      showed to be type III secretion substrates. Transcriptional analyses in C.
      trachomatis confirmed the prediction that ct142, ct143 and ct144 are organized in
      an operon and revealed that their expression is likely driven by the main sigma
      factor, sigma66. In host cells infected by C. trachomatis, production of CT142
      and CT143 could be detected by immunoblotting from 20-26 h post-infection.
      Immunofluorescence microscopy of infected cells revealed that from 20 h post
      infection CT143 appeared mostly as globular structures outside of the bacterial
      cells but within the lumen of the inclusion. Furthermore, immunofluorescence
      microscopy of cells infected by C. trachomatis strains carrying plasmids
      producing CT142, CT143, or CT144 under the control of the ct142 promoter and with
      a C-terminal double hemagglutinin (2HA) epitope tag revealed that CT142-2HA,
      CT143-2HA or CT144-2HA showed an identical localization to chromosomally-encoded
      CT143. Moreover, CT142-2HA or CT144-2HA and CT143 produced by the same bacteria
      co-localized in the lumen of the inclusion. Overall, these data suggest that the
      CT142, CT143, and CT144 type III secretion substrates are secreted into the lumen
      of the inclusion where they might form a protein complex.

PMID- 28622341
TI  - Hygienic and grooming behaviors in African and European honeybees-New damage
      categories in Varroa destructor.
AB  - Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic pest of honeybees, and a threat to the
      survival of the apiculture industry. Several studies have shown that unlike
      European honeybees, African honeybee populations appear to be minimally affected
      when attacked by this mite. However, little is known about the underlying drivers
      contributing to survival of African honeybee populations against the mite. We
      hypothesized that resistant behavioral defenses are responsible for the survival
      of African honeybees against the ectoparasite. We tested this hypothesis by
      comparing grooming and hygienic behaviors in the African savannah honeybee Apis
      mellifera scutellata in Kenya and A. mellifera hybrids of European origin in
      Florida, USA against the mite. Grooming behavior was assessed by determining
      adult mite infestation levels, daily mite fall per colony and percentage mite
      damage (as an indicator of adult grooming rate), while hygienic behavior was
      assessed by determining the brood removal rate after freeze killing a section of
      the brood. Our results identified two additional undescribed damaged mite
      categories along with the six previously known damage categories associated with
      the grooming behavior of both honeybee subspecies. Adult mite infestation level
      was approximately three-fold higher in A. mellifera hybrids of European origin
      than in A. m. scutellata, however, brood removal rate, adult grooming rate and
      daily natural mite fall were similar in both honeybee subspecies. Unlike A.
      mellifera hybrids of European origin, adult grooming rate and brood removal rate
      did not correlate with mite infestation levels on adult worker honeybee of A. m.
      scutellata though they were more aggressive towards the mites than their European
      counterparts. Our results provide valuable insights into the tolerance mechanisms
      that contribute to the survival of A. m. scutellata against the mite.

PMID- 28622340
TI  - Antibiotic prophylaxis for surgical site infections as a risk factor for
      infection with Clostridium difficile.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to measure the association between 2013 guideline concordant
      prophylactic antibiotic use prior to surgery and infection with Clostridium
      difficile. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective case-control study by selecting
      patients who underwent a surgical procedure between January 1, 2012 and December
      31, 2013. SETTING: Large urban community hospital. PATIENTS: Cases and controls
      were patients age 18+ years who underwent an eligible surgery (i.e., colorectal,
      neurosurgery, vascular/cardiac/thoracic, hysterectomy, abdominal/pelvic and
      orthopedic surgical procedures) within six months prior to infection diagnosis.
      Cases were diagnosed with C. difficile infection while controls were not.
      METHODS: The primary exposure was receiving (vs. not receiving) the recommended
      prophylactic antibiotic regimen, based on type and duration. Potential
      confounders included age, sex, length of hospital stay, comorbidities, type of
      surgery, and prior antibiotic use. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95%
      confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS: We
      enrolled 68 cases and 220 controls. The adjusted OR among surgical patients
      between developing C. difficile infection and not receiving the recommended
      prophylactic antibiotic regimen (usually receiving antimicrobial prophylaxis for
      more than 24 hours) was 6.7 (95% CI: 2.9-15.5). Independent risk factors for
      developing C. difficile infection included having severe comorbidities, receiving
      antibiotics within the previous 6 months, and undergoing orthopedic surgery.
      CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to the recommended prophylactic antibiotics among surgical
      patients likely reduces the probability of being case of C. difficile. Antibiotic
      stewardship should be a priority in strategies to decrease the morbidity,
      mortality, and costs associated with C. difficile infection.

PMID- 28622342
TI  - National survey of outcomes and practices in acute respiratory distress syndrome
      in Singapore.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the past 20 years, our understanding of acute respiratory
      distress syndrome (ARDS) management has improved, but the worldwide incidence and
      current outcomes are unclear. The reported incidence is highly variable, and no
      studies specifically characterise ARDS epidemiology in Asia. This observation
      study aims to determine the incidence, mortality and management practices of ARDS
      in a high income South East Asian country. METHODS: We conducted a prospective,
      population based observational study in 6 public hospitals. During a one month
      period, we identified all ARDS patients admitted to public hospital intensive
      care units (ICU) in Singapore, according to the Berlin definition. Demographic
      information, clinical management data and ICU outcome data was collected.
      RESULTS: A total of 904 adult patients were admitted to ICU during the study
      period and 15 patients met ARDS criteria. The unadjusted incidence of ARDS was
      4.5 cases per 100,000 population, accounting for 1.25% of all ICU patients. Most
      patients were male (75%), Chinese (62%), had pneumonia (73%), and were admitted
      to a Medical ICU (56%). Management strategies varied across all ICUs. In-hospital
      mortality was 40% and median length of ICU stay was 7 days. CONCLUSION: The
      incidence of ARDS in a developed S.E Asia country is comparable to reported rates
      in European studies.

PMID- 28622344
TI  - Protecting an island nation from extreme pandemic threats: Proof-of-concept
      around border closure as an intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Countries are well advised to prepare for future pandemic risks
      (e.g., pandemic influenza, novel emerging agents or synthetic bioweapons). These
      preparations do not typically include planning for complete border closure. Even
      though border closure may not be instituted in time, and can fail, there might
      still plausible chances of success for well organized island nations. OBJECTIVE:
      To estimate costs and benefits of complete border closure in response to new
      pandemic threats, at an initial proof-of-concept level. New Zealand was used as a
      case-study for an island country. METHODS: An Excel spreadsheet model was
      developed to estimate costs and benefits. Case-study specific epidemiological
      data was sourced from past influenza pandemics. Country-specific healthcare cost
      data, valuation of life, and lost tourism revenue were imputed (with lost trade
      also in scenario analyses). RESULTS: For a new pandemic equivalent to the 1918
      influenza pandemic (albeit with half the mortality rate, "Scenario A"), it was
      estimated that successful border closure for 26 weeks provided a net societal
      benefit (e.g., of NZ$11.0 billion, USD$7.3 billion). Even in the face of a
      complete end to trade, a net benefit was estimated for scenarios where the
      mortality rate was high (e.g., at 10 times the mortality impact of "Scenario A",
      or 2.75% of the country's population dying) giving a net benefit of NZ$54 billion
      (USD$36 billion). But for some other pandemic scenarios where trade ceased,
      border closure resulted in a net negative societal value (e.g., for "Scenario A"
      times three for 26 weeks of border closure-but not for only 12 weeks of closure
      when it would still be beneficial). CONCLUSIONS: This "proof-of-concept" work
      indicates that more detailed cost-benefit analysis of border closure in very
      severe pandemic situations for some island nations is probably warranted, as this
      course of action might sometimes be worthwhile from a societal perspective.

PMID- 28622343
TI  - Association of Alzhemier's disease with hepatitis C among patients with bipolar
      disorder.
AB  - Associations of hepatitis C virus infection with Alzheimer's disease have not
      been studied among higher risk, bipolar disorder patients. This population-based
      case-control study investigated the risks of hepatitis C virus infection among
      Alzheimer's disease patients with bipolar disorder in the years preceding their
      Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. We used 2000-2013 data from the Longitudinal
      Health Insurance Database in Taiwan. Among patients with bipolar disorder, 73
      were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (cases), who were compared with 365
      individuals with bipolar disorder but without Alzheimer's disease (randomly
      selected controls matched on sex, age, and index year with cases). Prior claims
      (before the diagnosis year/index year for controls) were screened for a diagnosis
      of hepatitis C virus infection. Conditional logistic regression models were used
      for analysis. We found that 23 (31.51%) and 60 (16.44%) patients with bipolar
      disease were identified with a hepatitis C diagnosis among those with and without
      Alzheimer's disease, respectively. Compared to controls, patients with
      Alzheimer's disease showed 2.31-fold (95% confidence interval = 1.28-4.16)
      increased risk of hepatitis C infections adjusted for demographics and socio
      economic status. Findings suggest an association of Alzheimer's disease with a
      preceding diagnosis of hepatitis C infection among patients with bipolar
      disorder. Findings may suggest a need for increased awareness of and appropriate
      surveillance for Alzheimer's disease in patients with bipolar disorder diagnosed
      with hepatitis C infection.

PMID- 28622345
TI  - The infection staging and profile of genotypic distribution and drug resistance
      mutation among the human immunodeficiency virus-1 infected blood donors from five
      Chinese blood centers, 2012-2014.
AB  - The increasing complexity and diversity of the human immunodeficiency virus-1
      (HIV-1) infections challenge the disease control and anti-retrovirus treatment in
      China. The infection stages and molecular characteristics of HIV-1 from infected
      Chinese blood donors were examined to shed light on the HIV genotype distribution
      and the status of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in the changing HIV epidemic
      in China. Western blot (WB) confirmed HIV-1 positive plasma samples were
      collected from blood donors at five Chinese blood centers from April 16, 2012,
      through June 30, 2014. The HIV infection stages were determined using the Lag
      avidity assay. HIV Pol regions including whole protease and partial reverse
      transcriptase (RT) were amplified and sequenced to establish the profile of
      genotype distribution and drug resistance mutations (DRMs). Viral loads were
      determined using the ROCHE COBAS system. Of the 259 HIV-1 positive samples tested
      by the Lag-avidity assay, 23.6% (61/259) were identified as recent infections. A
      total of 205 amplified sequences displayed the following genotype distributions:
      circulating recombinant form (CRF) 07_BC (61.5%), CRF08_BC (8.3%), CRF01_AE
      (20%), B (6.3%), and 01B (3.9%). There was no significant difference in genotype
      distribution between recent and long-term infections. 31 DRMs were identified
      from 27 samples including four protease inhibitors (PIs) accessory DRMs, two PIs
      major DRMs (M46I), two nucleoside RT inhibitors DRMs (K219R and K70Q), and 23
      nonnucleoside RT inhibitors DRMs. 27 samples had DRMs, yielding a drug resistance
      prevalence of 13.2% (27/205). Our findings provide important information for
      developing strategies for comprehensive HIV control and improving anti-retroviral
      treatment in China.

PMID- 28622346
TI  - Flavivirus and Filovirus EvoPrinters: New alignment tools for the comparative
      analysis of viral evolution.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Flavivirus and Filovirus infections are serious epidemic threats to
      human populations. Multi-genome comparative analysis of these evolving pathogens
      affords a view of their essential, conserved sequence elements as well as
      progressive evolutionary changes. While phylogenetic analysis has yielded
      important insights, the growing number of available genomic sequences makes
      comparisons between hundreds of viral strains challenging. We report here a new
      approach for the comparative analysis of these hemorrhagic fever viruses that can
      superimpose an unlimited number of one-on-one alignments to identify important
      features within genomes of interest. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: We have
      adapted EvoPrinter alignment algorithms for the rapid comparative analysis of
      Flavivirus or Filovirus sequences including Zika and Ebola strains. The user can
      input a full genome or partial viral sequence and then view either individual
      comparisons or generate color-coded readouts that superimpose hundreds of one-on
      one alignments to identify unique or shared identity SNPs that reveal ancestral
      relationships between strains. The user can also opt to select a database genome
      in order to access a library of pre-aligned genomes of either 1,094 Flaviviruses
      or 460 Filoviruses for rapid comparative analysis with all database entries or a
      select subset. Using EvoPrinter search and alignment programs, we show the
      following: 1) superimposing alignment data from many related strains identifies
      lineage identity SNPs, which enable the assessment of sublineage complexity
      within viral outbreaks; 2) whole-genome SNP profile screens uncover novel Dengue2
      and Zika recombinant strains and their parental lineages; 3) differential SNP
      profiling identifies host cell A-to-I hyper-editing within Ebola and Marburg
      viruses, and 4) hundreds of superimposed one-on-one Ebola genome alignments
      highlight ultra-conserved regulatory sequences, invariant amino acid codons and
      evolutionarily variable protein-encoding domains within a single genome.
      CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: EvoPrinter allows for the assessment of lineage
      complexity within Flavivirus or Filovirus outbreaks, identification of
      recombinant strains, highlights sequences that have undergone host cell A-to-I
      editing, and identifies unique input and database SNPs within highly conserved
      sequences. EvoPrinter's ability to superimpose alignment data from hundreds of
      strains onto a single genome has allowed us to identify unique Zika virus
      sublineages that are currently spreading in South, Central and North America, the
      Caribbean, and in China. This new set of integrated alignment programs should
      serve as a useful addition to existing tools for the comparative analysis of
      these viruses.

PMID- 28622347
TI  - RNA-guided transcriptional activation via CRISPR/dCas9 mimics overexpression
      phenotypes in Arabidopsis.
AB  - Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and the CRISPR
      associated protein 9 (Cas9) system allows effective gene modification through RNA
      guided DNA targeting. The Cas9 has undergone a series of functional alterations
      from the original active endonuclease to partially or completely deactivated
      Cas9. The catalytically deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) offers a platform to regulate
      transcriptional expression with the addition of activator or repressor domains.
      We redesigned a CRISPR/Cas9 activation system by adding the p65 transactivating
      subunit of NF-kappa B and a heat-shock factor 1 (HSF) activation domain to dCas9
      bound with the VP64 (tetramer of VP16) activation domain for application in
      plants. The redesigned CRISPR/Cas9 activation system was tested in Arabidopsis to
      increase endogenous transcriptional levels of production of anthocyanin pigment 1
      (PAP1) and Arabidopsis thaliana vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (AVP1). The
      expression of PAP1 was increased two- to three-fold and the activated plants
      exhibited purple leaves similar to that of PAP1 overexpressors. The AVP1 gene
      expression was increased two- to five-fold in transgenic plants. In comparison to
      the wild type, AVP1 activated plants had increased leaf numbers, larger single
      leaf areas and improved tolerance to drought stress. The AVP1 activated plants
      showed similar phenotypes to AVP1 overexpressors. Therefore, the redesigned
      CRISPR/Cas9 activation system containing modified p65-HSF provides a simple
      approach for producing activated plants by upregulating endogenous
      transcriptional levels.

PMID- 28622348
TI  - Factors influencing practitioner adoption of carer-led assessment in palliative
      homecare: A qualitative study of the use of the Carer Support Needs Assessment
      Tool (CSNAT).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Informal caregivers play a pivotal role in supporting patients
      approaching the end of life. The Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool (CSNAT) is
      designed to facilitate person-centred assessment and support through a process
      that is practitioner-facilitated, but carer-led. This study explored
      practitioners' experiences of implementing the CSNAT in palliative homecare.
      METHODS: We conducted qualitative interviews/focus groups with 20 practitioners
      in one UK hospice homecare service (18 nurses, two healthcare assistants) before
      and after the implementation of the CSNAT. Thematic analysis of the data was
      underpinned by framework analysis. RESULTS: Not all practitioners appreciated
      that using the CSNAT required a shift towards a more person-centred approach to
      assessment; consequently they tagged the tool onto their existing practitioner
      led practice. Practitioners who did use the CSNAT as intended were able to act as
      role models and support their colleagues in making this transition.
      Practitioners' comments revealed a number of contradictions: 1) Most felt that
      they 'already do' identify carer support needs, but feared using the CSNAT could
      increase their workload; 2) some worried about introducing the CSNAT 'too soon',
      but recognised that it was 'too late' once patients were close to the end of
      life; 3) whilst practitioners stated 'they were there for the family as well as
      the patient', care provision was overtly centred around patients. CONCLUSION:
      This study provides vital insights into barriers and facilitators to implementing
      the CSNAT as part of a person-centred approach to assessment. The findings
      identified the training and support required to help practitioners make this
      transition to this new way of working.

PMID- 28622349
TI  - A randomized cross-over study of the acute effects of running 5 km on glucose,
      insulin, metabolic rate, cortisol and Troponin T.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to study the impact by running 5 km, at maximal speed, on
      the normal variations of metabolic variables related to glucose, insulin, insulin
      sensitivity, cortisol, glucagon, Troponin T and metabolic rate. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Five women and 12 men 25.7+/-5.2 years of age with a body-mass-index of
      22.5+/-2.3 kg/m2 where recruited to run 5 km at individual maximal speed in the
      morning, and to a corresponding day of rest, followed by standardized breakfast
      and lunch meals. Blood sampling and measurement of indirect calorimetry were done
      before and after meals. The participants were randomized regarding the order of
      the two trial-days in this cross-over study. RESULTS: Insulin and cortisol levels
      were higher, and insulin sensitivity was lower, on the race-day compared with the
      day of rest (linear mixed model: p<0.0001 for all three analyses). However,
      glucose levels and metabolic rate did not differ between the two trial days (p =
      0.29 and p = 0.53, respectively). When analyzing specific time-points we found
      that glucose increased from 5.01+/-0.37 mmol/l to 6.36 +/- 1.3 mmol/l, p<0.0001,
      by running, while serum insulin concomitantly increased from 42+/-21 to 90+/-54
      pmol/l, p<0.0001. In accordance, the QUICKI index of serum sensitivity,
      1/(log10insulin+log10glucose), was lowered post-race, p<0.0001. Serum cortisol
      levels increased from 408+/-137 nmol/l to 644+/-171 nmol/l, p<0.0001, post-race
      while serum glucagon levels were unaffected. Troponin T was detectable in serum
      post-race in 12 out of the 17 participants and reached or surpassed the clinical
      reference level of 15 ng/l in three subjects. Post-race electrocardiograms
      displayed no pathologies. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively short running-races can
      apparently induce a reduction in insulin sensitivity that is not fully
      compensated by concomitantly increased insulin secretion intended to ensure
      euglycemia. Since also Troponin T was detected in plasma in a majority of the
      participants, our data suggest that it is possible to induce considerable
      metabolic stress by running merely 5 km, when striving for maximal speed.

PMID- 28622350
TI  - Significance of likes: Analysing passive interactions on Facebook during
      campaigning.
AB  - With more and more political candidates using social media for campaigning,
      researchers are looking at measuring the effectiveness of this medium. Most
      research, however, concentrates on the bare count of likes (or twitter mentions)
      in an attempt to correlate social media presence and winning. In this paper, we
      propose a novel method, Interaction Strength Plot (IntS) to measure the passive
      interactions between a candidate's posts on Facebook and the users (liking the
      posts). Using this method on original Malaysian General Election (MGE13) and
      Australian Federal Elections (AFE13) Facebook Pages (FP) campaign data, we label
      an FP as performing well if both the posting frequency and the likes gathered are
      above average. Our method shows that over 60% of the MGE13 candidates and 85% of
      the AFE13 candidates studied in this paper had under-performing FP. Some of these
      FP owners would have been identified as popular based on bare count. Thus our
      performance chart is a vital step forward in measuring the effectiveness of
      online campaigning.

PMID- 28622352
TI  - Volunteer trials of a novel improvised dry decontamination protocol for use
      during mass casualty incidents as part of the UK'S Initial Operational Response
      (IOR).
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that rapid evacuation, disrobing and emergency
      decontamination can enhance the ability of emergency services and acute hospitals
      to effectively manage chemically-contaminated casualties. The purpose of this
      human volunteer study was to further optimise such an "Initial Operational
      Response" by (1) identifying an appropriate method for performing improvised skin
      decontamination and (2) providing guidance for use by first responders and
      casualties. The study was performed using two readily available, absorbent
      materials (paper towels and incontinence pads). The decontamination effectiveness
      of the test materials was measured by quantifying the amount of a chemical
      warfare agent simulant (methyl salicylate) removed from each volunteer's forearm
      skin. Results from the first study demonstrated that simulant recovery was lower
      in all of the dry decontamination conditions when compared to matched controls,
      suggesting that dry decontamination serves to reduce chemical exposure. Blotting
      in combination with rubbing was the most effective form of decontamination. There
      was no difference in effectiveness between the two absorbent materials. In the
      following study, volunteers performed improvised dry decontamination, either with
      or without draft guidelines. Volunteers who received the guidance were able to
      carry out improvised dry decontamination more effectively, using more of the
      absorbent product (blue roll) to ensure that all areas of the body were
      decontaminated and avoiding cross-contamination of other body areas by working
      systematically from the head downwards. Collectively, these two studies suggest
      that absorbent products that are available on ambulances and in acute healthcare
      settings may have generic applicability for improvised dry decontamination.
      Wherever possible, emergency responders and healthcare workers should guide
      casualties through decontamination steps; in the absence of explicit guidance and
      instructions, improvised dry decontamination may not be performed correctly or
      safely.

PMID- 28622351
TI  - DNA extraction replicates improve diversity and compositional dissimilarity in
      metabarcoding of eukaryotes in marine sediments.
AB  - Human impact on marine benthic communities has traditionally been assessed using
      visible morphological traits and has focused on the macrobenthos, whereas the
      ecologically important organisms of the meio- and microbenthos have received less
      attention. DNA metabarcoding offers an alternative to this approach and enables a
      larger fraction of the biodiversity in marine sediments to be monitored in a cost
      efficient manner. Although this methodology remains poorly standardised and
      challenged by biases inherent to rRNA copy number variation, DNA extraction, PCR,
      and limitations related to taxonomic identification, it has been shown to be semi
      quantitative and useful for comparing taxon abundances between samples. Here, we
      evaluate the effect of replicating genomic DNA extraction in order to counteract
      small scale spatial heterogeneity and improve diversity and community structure
      estimates in metabarcoding-based monitoring. For this purpose, we used ten
      technical replicates from three different marine sediment samples. The effect of
      sequence depth was also assessed, and in silico pooling of DNA extraction
      replicates carried out in order to maintain the number of reads constant. Our
      analyses demonstrated that both sequencing depth and DNA extraction replicates
      could improve diversity estimates as well as the ability to separate samples with
      different characteristics. We could not identify a "sufficient" replicate number
      or sequence depth, where further improvements had a less significant effect.
      Based on these results, we consider replication an attractive alternative to
      directly increasing the amount of sample used for DNA extraction and strongly
      recommend it for future metabarcoding studies and routine assessments of sediment
      biodiversity.

PMID- 28622353
TI  - Transmission electron microscopic observation of body cuticle structures of
      phoretic and parasitic stages of Parasitaphelenchinae nematodes.
AB  - Using transmission electron microscopy, we examined the body cuticle
      ultrastructures of phoretic and parasitic stages of the parasitaphelenchid
      nematodes Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, B. conicaudatus, B. luxuriosae, B.
      rainulfi; an unidentified Bursaphelenchus species, and an unidentified
      Parasitaphelenchus species. Nematode body cuticles usually consist of three
      zones, a cortical zone, a median zone, and a basal zone. The phoretic stages of
      Bursaphelenchus spp., isolated from the tracheal systems of longhorn beetles or
      the elytra of bark beetles, have a thick and radially striated basal zone. In
      contrast, the parasitic stage of Parasitaphelenchus sp., isolated from bark
      beetle hemocoel, has no radial striations in the basal zone. This difference
      probably reflects the peculiar ecological characteristics of the phoretic stage.
      A well-developed basal radially striated zone, composed of very closely linked
      proteins, is the zone closest to the body wall muscle. Therefore, the striation
      is necessary for the phoretic species to be able to seek, enter, and depart from
      host/carrier insects, but is not essential for internal parasites in
      parasitaphelenchid nematodes. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from near-full
      length small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences suggest that the cuticle structures
      of parasitic species have apomorphic characters, e.g., lack of striation in the
      basal zone, concurrent with the evolution of insect parasitism from a phoretic
      life history.

PMID- 28622354
TI  - Awareness of knowledge and practice regarding physical activity: A population
      based prospective, observational study among students in Nanjing, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) promotion has proven effectiveness in
      preventing childhood obesity. Increasing children's health knowledge is the most
      frequently used approach in PA intervention programs targeting childhood obesity
      prevention. However, little is known about the specific association between the
      change in a child's knowledge awareness and their PA practice. METHODS: A one
      year follow-up study was conducted among primary and junior high school students
      in Nanjing, China. At baseline students' knowledge of healthy behavior, and their
      PA levels, were assessed. Students who were unaware of the association between PA
      and obesity were followed for one academic year. After nine-months their
      knowledge and PA levels were re-measured using the same validated questionnaire.
      Mixed effects regression models were used to estimate the relationship between
      awareness of knowledge about the link between PA and obesity and PA changes.
      RESULTS: Of the 1899 students who were unaware of the association between PA and
      obesity at baseline, 1859 (follow-up rate = 97.9%) were successfully followed-up.
      After nine months 1318 (70.9%) participants had become aware of PA-obesity
      association. Compared to their counterparts who remained unaware, students who
      became aware of the PA-obesity association were more likely to increase both the
      frequency (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.09, 1.64) and duration (OR = 1.34,
      95%CI = 1.09, 1.65) of PA, after adjusting for potentially confounding variables.
      CONCLUSION: Becoming aware of the known link between PA and obesity led to
      positive behavior modification regarding PA in this cohort of Chinese students.
      This is of particular importance that knowledge disimination and health education
      may be a useful approach for population-based physical activity promotion aiming
      at childhood obesity prevention in China.

PMID- 28622355
TI  - Anesthetic action on the transmission delay between cortex and thalamus explains
      the beta-buzz observed under propofol anesthesia.
AB  - In recent years, more and more surgeries under general anesthesia have been
      performed with the assistance of electroencephalogram (EEG) monitors. An increase
      in anesthetic concentration leads to characteristic changes in the power spectra
      of the EEG. Although tracking the anesthetic-induced changes in EEG rhythms can
      be employed to estimate the depth of anesthesia, their precise underlying
      mechanisms are still unknown. A prominent feature in the EEG of some patients is
      the emergence of a strong power peak in the beta-frequency band, which moves to
      the alpha-frequency band while increasing the anesthetic concentration. This
      feature is called the beta-buzz. In the present study, we use a thalamo-cortical
      neural population feedback model to reproduce observed characteristic features in
      frontal EEG power obtained experimentally during propofol general anesthesia,
      such as this beta-buzz. First, we find that the spectral power peak in the alpha-
      and delta-frequency ranges depend on the decay rate constant of excitatory and
      inhibitory synapses, but the anesthetic action on synapses does not explain the
      beta-buzz. Moreover, considering the action of propofol on the transmission delay
      between cortex and thalamus, the model reveals that the beta-buzz may result from
      a prolongation of the transmission delay by increasing propofol concentration. A
      corresponding relationship between transmission delay and anesthetic blood
      concentration is derived. Finally, an analytical stability study demonstrates
      that increasing propofol concentration moves the systems resting state towards
      its stability threshold.

PMID- 28622356
TI  - Elevated C-reactive protein level during clinical remission can predict poor
      outcomes in patients with Crohn's disease.
AB  - Intestinal inflammation and mucosal damage in Crohn's disease (CD) are believed
      to progress even during clinical remission. We investigated the long-term
      prognosis of CD patients in clinical remission according to serum C-reactive
      protein (CRP) levels. This study included 339 CD patients in clinical remission
      (Crohn's disease activity index < 150) for more than 6 months between January
      2008 and December 2010. Clinical outcomes were compared between patients with
      normal and elevated CRP levels during clinical remission. During clinical
      remission, 150 patients had normal CRP consistently and 189 had elevated CRP at
      least once. During follow-up (median, 7.9 years [interquartile range, 6.8-8.0]),
      the Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test showed that normal CRP group had
      a longer CD-related hospitalization-free survival (P = 0.007) and a longer CD
      related intestinal resection-free survival (P = 0.046) than elevated CRP group.
      In multivariate analysis, elevated CRP was significantly and independently
      associated with an increased risk of subsequent CD-related hospitalization
      (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.787, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.245-2.565, P
      = 0.002) and of subsequent CD-related intestinal resection (aHR 1.726, 95% CI:
      1.003-2.969, P = 0.049). The most common reason for CD-related hospitalization
      was penetrating complications (35.6%). Even when CD patients are in clinical
      remission, elevated CRP is significantly associated with subsequent CD-related
      hospitalization and CD-related intestinal resection during follow-up. CD patients
      in clinical remission but elevated CRP should receive more careful attention and
      timely interventions to improve long-term outcomes.

PMID- 28622357
TI  - Protective effect of aplysin on liver tissue and the gut microbiota in alcohol
      fed rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study investigated the protective effect of aplysin on the liver
      and its influence on inflammation and the gut microbiota in rats with ethanol
      induced liver injury. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to
      an alcohol-containing liquid diet, control liquid diet or treatment with aplysin
      for 8 weeks. Hepatic and intestinal histopathological analysis was performed, and
      cytokine levels and the intestinal mucosal barrier were assessed. Enterobacterial
      repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) and 16S rDNA
      high-throughput sequencing were performed to provide an overview of the gut
      microbiota composition. RESULTS: Chronic alcohol exposure caused liver damage in
      rats. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline
      phosphatase (ALP) and triglyceride (TG) activities in liver tissue were higher
      than in the control group. Alcohol administration elevated the levels of serum
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha) and reduced interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels compared with those of control
      rats. In addition, the levels of plasma endotoxin, diamine oxidase (DAO), and
      fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2) in the alcohol group were higher than in the
      control group. The results of ERIC-PCR indicated that aplysin treatment shifted
      the overall structure of the ethanol-disrupted gut microbiota toward that of the
      control group. One hundred twenty to 190 genera of bacteria were detected by high
      throughput sequencing. Alcohol-induced changes in the gut microbial composition
      were detected at the genus level. These alcohol-induced effects could be reversed
      with aplysin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that aplysin exerts a
      protective effect on ethanol-induced hepatic injury in rats by normalizing fecal
      microbiota composition and repairing intestinal barrier function.

PMID- 28622358
TI  - Rotavirus replication is correlated with S/G2 interphase arrest of the host cell
      cycle.
AB  - In infected cells rotavirus (RV) replicates in viroplasms, cytosolic structures
      that require a stabilized microtubule (MT) network for their assembly,
      maintenance of the structure and perinuclear localization. Therefore, we
      hypothesized that RV could interfere with the MT-breakdown that takes place in
      mitosis during cell division. Using synchronized RV-permissive cells, we show
      that RV infection arrests the cell cycle in S/G2 phase, thus favoring replication
      by improving viroplasms formation, viral protein translation, and viral assembly.
      The arrest in S/G2 phase is independent of the host or viral strain and relies on
      active RV replication. RV infection causes cyclin B1 down-regulation, consistent
      with blocking entry into mitosis. With the aid of chemical inhibitors, the
      cytoskeleton network was linked to specific signaling pathways of the RV-induced
      cell cycle arrest. We found that upon RV infection Eg5 kinesin was delocalized
      from the pericentriolar region to the viroplasms. We used a MA104-Fucci system to
      identify three RV proteins (NSP3, NSP5, and VP2) involved in cell cycle arrest in
      the S-phase. Our data indicate that there is a strong correlation between the
      cell cycle arrest and RV replication.

PMID- 28622359
TI  - Aerobic exercise protects against pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction
      and hypertrophy via beta3-AR-nNOS-NO activation.
AB  - Aerobic exercise confers sustainable protection against cardiac hypertrophy and
      heart failure (HF). Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and nitric oxide (NO) are known
      to play an important role in exercise-mediated cardioprotection, but the
      mechanism of NOS/NO stimulation during exercise remains unclear. The aim of this
      study is to determine the role of beta3-adrenergic receptors (beta3-ARs), NOS
      activation, and NO metabolites (nitrite and nitrosothiols) in the sustained
      cardioprotective effects of aerobic exercise. An HF model was constructed by
      transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Animals were treated with either moderate
      aerobic exercise by swimming for 9 weeks and/or the beta3-AR-specific inhibitor
      SR59230A at 0.1 mg/kg/hour one day after TAC operation. Myocardial fibrosis,
      myocyte size, plasma catecholamine (CA) level, cardiac function and geometry were
      assessed using Masson's trichrome staining, FITC-labeled wheat germ agglutinin
      staining, enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) and echocardiography,
      respectively. Western blot analysis was performed to elucidate the expression of
      target proteins. The concentration of myocardial NO production was evaluated
      using the nitrate reductase method. Myocardial oxidative stress was assessed by
      detecting the concentration of myocardial super oxidative dismutase (SOD),
      malonyldialdehyde (MDA), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Aerobic exercise
      training improved dilated left ventricular function and partially attenuated the
      degree of cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in TAC mice. Moreover, the increased
      expression of beta3-AR, activation of neuronal NOS (nNOS), and production of NO
      were detected after aerobic exercise training in TAC mice. However, selective
      inhibition of beta3-AR by SR59230A abolished the upregulation and activation of
      nNOS induced NO production. Furthermore, aerobic exercise training decreased the
      myocardial ROS and MDA contents and increased myocardial levels of SOD; both
      effects were partially attenuated by SR59230A. Our study suggested that aerobic
      exercise training could improve cardiac systolic function and alleviate LV
      chamber dilation, cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy in HF mice. The mechanism
      responsible for the protective effects of aerobic exercise is associated with the
      activation of the beta3-AR-nNOS-NO pathway.

PMID- 28622360
TI  - The seroprevalence of West Nile Virus in Israel: A nationwide cross sectional
      study.
AB  - West Nile Virus (WNV) is endemic in Israel, affecting yearly 40-160 individuals.
      Israel is located on a central migratory path between Africa and Eurasia and most
      West Nile Fever (WNF) cases reported in recent years were among residents of the
      coastal plain. The aim of the study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of WNV
      among the Israeli population and to assess correlates for WNV infection. A cross
      sectional nationwide serologic survey was conducted using 3,145 serum samples
      collected by the national Israeli serum bank during 2011-2014, representing all
      age and population groups in Israel. Prevalence rates of WNV IgG antibodies were
      determined. Logistic regressions models were applied to assess the associations
      between demographic characteristics and WNV seropositivity. 350 samples were
      positive to WNV (11.1%; 95%CI: 10.0-12.3%). In the multivariable analysis, there
      was a significant association between seropositivity and the Arab population
      group vs. Jews and others (OR = 1.86, 95%CI: 1.37-2.52), the time lived in Israel
      [50-59 years vs. 0-9 years; OR = 10.80 (95%CI: 1.03-113.46) and >=60 years vs. 0
      9 years; OR = 14.00 (1.32-148.31)] residence area] Coastal Plain, Inland Plain
      (Shfela) and Great Rift Valley vs. Upper Galilee; OR = 2.24 (95%CI: 1.37-3.65),
      OR = 2.18 (95%CI: 1.18-4.03), OR = 1.90 (95%CI: 1.10-3.30), respectively [and
      rural vs. urban settlement (OR = 1.65, 95%CI: 1.26-2.16). People, who reside in
      the Coastal Plain, Inland Plain and Great Rift Valley, should be aware of the
      risk of contracting WNV and reduce exposure to mosquito bites, using insect
      repellents, and wearing protective clothing. The Ministry of Environmental
      Protection should be active in reducing the mosquito population by eliminating
      sources of standing water, a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

PMID- 28622361
TI  - Prevalence, trend and risk factors for antiretroviral therapy discontinuation
      among HIV-infected adults in Ethiopia in 2003-2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is well acknowledged that antiretroviral therapy (ART)
      discontinuation hampers the progress towards achieving the UNAIDS treatment
      targets that aim to treat 90% of HIV diagnosed patients and achieve viral
      suppression for 90% of those on treatment. Nevertheless, the magnitude, trend and
      risk factors for ART discontinuation have not been explored extensively. We
      carried out a retrospective data analysis to assess prevalence, trend and risk
      factors for ART discontinuation among adults in Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: 12
      years retrospective cohort analysis was performed with 4900 HIV-infected adult
      patients between 21 June 2003 and 15 March 2015 registered at the ART clinic at
      Jimma University Teaching Hospital. ART discontinuation could be loss to follow
      up, defaulting and/or stopping medication while remaining in care. Because data
      for 2003 and 2015 were incomplete, the 10 years data were used to describe trends
      for ART discontinuation using a line graph. We used binary logistic regression to
      identify factors that were correlated with ART discontinuation. To handle missing
      data, we applied multiple imputations assuming missing at random pattern.
      RESULTS: In total, 4900 adult patients enrolled on ART, of whom 1090 (22.3%) had
      discontinued, 954 (19.5%) had transferred out, 300 (6.1%) had died, 2517 (51.4%)
      were alive and on ART, and the remaining 39 (0.8%) had unknown outcome status.
      The trend of ART discontinuation showed an upward direction in the recent times
      and reached a peak, accounting for a magnitude of 10%, in 2004 and 2005. Being a
      female (AOR = 2.1, 95%CI: 1.7-2.8), having an immunological failure (AOR = 2.3,
      1.9-8.2), having tuberculosis/HIV co-infection (AOR = 1.5, 1.1-2.1) and no
      previous history of HIV testing (AOR = 1.8, 1.4-2.9) were the risk factors for
      ART discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: One out of five adults had discontinued from
      ART, and the trend of ART discontinuation increased recently. Discontinued adults
      were more likely to be females, tuberculosis/HIV co-infected, with immunological
      failure and no history of HIV testing. Therefore, it is vital to implement
      effective programs such as community ART distribution and linkage-case-management
      to enhance ART linkage and retention.

PMID- 28622362
TI  - The complete mitochondrial genome of Sesarmops sinensis reveals gene
      rearrangements and phylogenetic relationships in Brachyura.
AB  - Mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) is very important to understand molecular
      evolution and phylogenetics. Herein, in this study, the complete mitogenome of
      Sesarmops sinensis was reported. The mitogenome was 15,905 bp in size, and
      contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22
      transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region (CR). The AT skew and the GC skew
      are both negative in the mitogenomes of S. sinensis. The nucleotide composition
      of the S. sinensis mitogenome was also biased toward A + T nucleotides (75.7%).
      All tRNA genes displayed a typical mitochondrial tRNA cloverleaf structure,
      except for the trnS1 gene, which lacked a dihydroxyuridine arm. S. sinensis
      exhibits a novel rearrangement compared with the Pancrustacean ground pattern and
      other Brachyura species. Based on the 13 PCGs, the phylogenetic analysis showed
      that S. sinensis and Sesarma neglectum were clustered on one branch with high
      nodal support values, indicating that S. sinensis and S. neglectum have a sister
      group relationship. The group (S. sinensis + S. neglectum) was sister to
      (Parasesarmops tripectinis + Metopaulias depressus), suggesting that S. sinensis
      belongs to Grapsoidea, Sesarmidae. Phylogenetic trees based on amino acid
      sequences and nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial 13 PCGs using BI and ML
      respectively indicate that section Eubrachyura consists of four groups clearly.
      The resulting phylogeny supports the establishment of a separate subsection
      Potamoida. These four groups correspond to four subsections of Raninoida,
      Heterotremata, Potamoida, and Thoracotremata.

PMID- 28622364
TI  - IpiRId: Integrative approach for piRNA prediction using genomic and epigenomic
      data.
AB  - Many computational tools have been proposed during the two last decades for
      predicting piRNAs, which are molecules with important role in post
      transcriptional gene regulation. However, these tools are mostly based on only
      one feature that is generally related to the sequence. Discoveries in the domain
      of piRNAs are still in their beginning stages, and recent publications have shown
      many new properties. Here, we propose an integrative approach for piRNA
      prediction in which several types of genomic and epigenomic properties that can
      be used to characterize these molecules are examined. We reviewed and extracted a
      large number of piRNA features from the literature that have been observed
      experimentally in several species. These features are represented by different
      kernels, in a Multiple Kernel Learning based approach, implemented within an
      object-oriented framework. The obtained tool, called IpiRId, shows prediction
      results that attain more than 90% of accuracy on different tested species (human,
      mouse and fly), outperforming all existing tools. Besides, our method makes it
      possible to study the validity of each given feature in a given species. Finally,
      the developed tool is modular and easily extensible, and can be adapted for
      predicting other types of ncRNAs. The IpiRId software and the user-friendly web
      based server of our tool are now freely available to academic users at:
      https://evryrna.ibisc.univ-evry.fr/evryrna/.

PMID- 28622363
TI  - Acyloxyacyl hydrolase promotes the resolution of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute
      lung injury.
AB  - Pulmonary infection is the most common risk factor for acute lung injury (ALI).
      Innate immune responses induced by Microbe-Associated Molecular Pattern (MAMP)
      molecules are essential for lung defense but can lead to tissue injury. Little is
      known about how MAMP molecules are degraded in the lung or how MAMP
      degradation/inactivation helps prevent or ameliorate the harmful inflammation
      that produces ALI. Acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH) is a host lipase that inactivates
      Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, or LPS). We report here
      that alveolar macrophages increase AOAH expression upon exposure to LPS and that
      Aoah+/+ mice recover more rapidly than do Aoah-/- mice from ALI induced by
      nasally instilled LPS or Klebsiella pneumoniae. Aoah-/- mouse lungs had more
      prolonged leukocyte infiltration, greater pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine
      expression, and longer-lasting alveolar barrier damage. We also describe evidence
      that the persistently bioactive LPS in Aoah-/- alveoli can stimulate alveolar
      macrophages directly and epithelial cells indirectly to produce chemoattractants
      that recruit neutrophils to the lung and may prevent their clearance. Distinct
      from the prolonged tolerance observed in LPS-exposed Aoah-/- peritoneal
      macrophages, alveolar macrophages that lacked AOAH maintained or increased their
      responses to bioactive LPS and sustained inflammation. Inactivation of LPS by
      AOAH is a previously unappreciated mechanism for promoting resolution of
      pulmonary inflammation/injury induced by Gram-negative bacterial infection.

PMID- 28622365
TI  - Association between socioeconomic deprivation and colorectal cancer screening
      outcomes: Low uptake rates among the most and least deprived people.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Screening with faecal occult blood tests reduces colorectal cancer
      related mortality; however, age, sex and socioeconomic factors affect screening
      outcomes and could lead to unequal mortality benefits. The aim of this study was
      to describe the main outcomes of the population-based Barcelona colorectal cancer
      screening programme (BCRCSP) by deprivation. METHODS: Retrospective study of the
      eligible population of the first round of the BCRCSP. Participants' postal
      addresses were linked with the MEDEA database to obtain the deprivation quintiles
      (Dq). Chi-squared tests were used to compare proportions across variables and
      logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted effects of age, sex and
      deprivation on uptake, FIT positivity, colonoscopy adherence and advanced
      neoplasia detection rate. RESULTS: Overall uptake was 44.7%, higher in Dq2, 3 and
      4 (OR 1.251, 1.250 and 1.276, respectively) than in the least deprived quintile
      (Dq 1), and lowest in Dq5 (OR 0.84). Faecal immunochemical test (FIT) positivity
      and the percentage of people with detectable faecal haemoglobin below the
      positivity threshold increased with deprivation. The advanced neoplasia detection
      rate was highest in Dq4. CONCLUSION: Unlike most regions where inequalities are
      graded along the socioeconomic continuum, inequalities in the uptake of
      colorectal cancer screening in Spain seem to be concentrated first in the most
      disadvantaged group and second in the least deprived group. The correlation of
      deprivation with FIT-positivity and faecal haemoglobin below the positivity
      threshold is worrying due to its association with colorectal cancer and overall
      mortality.

PMID- 28622366
TI  - Decomposition of recalcitrant carbon under experimental warming in boreal forest.
AB  - Over the long term, soil carbon (C) storage is partly determined by decomposition
      rate of carbon that is slow to decompose (i.e., recalcitrant C). According to
      thermodynamic theory, decomposition rates of recalcitrant C might differ from
      those of non-recalcitrant C in their sensitivities to global warming. We
      decomposed leaf litter in a warming experiment in Alaskan boreal forest, and
      measured mass loss of recalcitrant C (lignin) vs. non-recalcitrant C (cellulose,
      hemicellulose, and sugars) throughout 16 months. We found that these C fractions
      responded differently to warming. Specifically, after one year of decomposition,
      the ratio of recalcitrant C to non-recalcitrant C remaining in litter declined in
      the warmed plots compared to control. Consistent with this pattern, potential
      activities of enzymes targeting recalcitrant C increased with warming, relative
      to those targeting non-recalcitrant C. Even so, mass loss of individual C
      fractions showed that non-recalcitrant C is preferentially decomposed under
      control conditions whereas recalcitrant C losses remain unchanged between control
      and warmed plots. Moreover, overall mass loss was greater under control
      conditions. Our results imply that direct warming effects, as well as indirect
      warming effects (e.g. drying), may serve to maintain decomposition rates of
      recalcitrant C compared to non-recalcitrant C despite negative effects on overall
      decomposition.

PMID- 28622367
TI  - Role of serum ferritin level on overall survival in patients with myelodysplastic
      syndromes: Results of a meta-analysis of observational studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of serum ferritin (SF) as a prognostic factor has been
      analyzed in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) who have undergone
      hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but the prognostic role of
      elevated SF levels is still controversial in lower risk MDS patients. Therefore,
      we performed a meta-analysis of all available published literature to evaluate
      whether elevated SF levels are associated with a worse overall survival (OS)
      among patients with low risk MDS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic
      bibliographic search of relevant studies was undertaken in accordance with
      guidelines for meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology. Electronic
      databases were searched through July 2016 for studies examining the level of SF
      as a prognostic factor in the adults affected by MDS. RESULTS: Six articles were
      included in the meta-analysis. A significant association between OS and SF was
      achieved for the threshold of SF>=1000 ng/mL, when the only study that used SF
      cut-off >=2000 ng/mL was not included in the meta-analysis (RR = 1.33; 95% CI =
      1.06-1.67). The estimated risk was 2.58 (95% CI = 1.41-4.74) when a SF cut
      off>=500 ng/mL was considered. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underlined a worse
      survival in patients with MDS who had higher SF levels. The association was
      stronger and achieved statistical significance after stratification of analyses
      in which we excluded cut-offs of SF level considered as outliers. These results
      suggest that negative impact on OS already exist at SF level >=500 ng/mL.
      Prospective studies, are needed to better understand this relationship and, above
      all, to clarify whether earlier iron chelation therapy could improve patients'
      OS.

PMID- 28622368
TI  - Minimal genetic change in Vibrio cholerae in Mozambique over time: Multilocus
      variable number tandem repeat analysis and whole genome sequencing.
AB  - Although cholera is a major public health concern in Mozambique, its transmission
      patterns remain unknown. We surveyed the genetic relatedness of 75 Vibrio
      cholerae isolates from patients at Manhica District Hospital between 2002-2012
      and 3 isolates from river using multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis
      (MLVA) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). MLVA revealed 22 genotypes in two
      clonal complexes and four unrelated genotypes. WGS revealed i) the presence of
      recombination, ii) 67 isolates descended monophyletically from a single source
      connected to Wave 3 of the Seventh Pandemic, and iii) four clinical isolates
      lacking the cholera toxin gene. This Wave 3 strain persisted for at least eight
      years in either an environmental reservoir or circulating within the human
      population. Our data raises important questions related to where these isolates
      persist and how identical isolates can be collected years apart despite our
      understanding of high change rate of MLVA loci and the V. cholerae molecular
      clock.

PMID- 28622370
TI  - Evaluation of the performance of Abbott m2000 and Roche COBAS Ampliprep/COBAS
      Taqman assays for HIV-1 viral load determination using dried blood spots and
      dried plasma spots in Kenya.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Routine HIV viral load testing is not widely accessible in most
      resource-limited settings, including Kenya. To increase access to viral load
      testing, alternative sample types like dried blood spots (DBS), which overcome
      the logistic barriers associated with plasma separation and cold chain shipment
      need to be considered and evaluated. The current study evaluated matched dried
      blood spots (DBS) and dried plasma spots (DPS) against plasma using the Abbott M
      2000 (Abbott) and Roche Cobas Ampliprep/Cobas TaqMan (CAP/CTM) quantitative viral
      load assays in western Kenya. METHODS: Matched plasma DBS and DPS were obtained
      from 200 HIV-1 infected antiretroviral treatment (ART)-experienced patients
      attending patient support centers in Western Kenya. Standard quantitative assay
      performance parameters with accompanying 95% confidence intervals (CI) were
      assessed at the assays lower detection limit (400cps/ml for CAP/CTM and 550cps/ml
      for Abbott) using SAS version 9.2. Receiver operating curves (ROC) were further
      used to assess viral-load thresholds with best assay performance (reference assay
      CAP/CTM plasma). RESULTS: Using the Abbott test, the sensitivity and specificity,
      respectively, for DPS were (97.3%, [95%CI: 93.2-99.2] and 98.1% [95%CI: 89.7
      100]) and those for DBS (93.9% [95%CI: 88.8-97.2] and 88.0% [95%CI: 82.2-92.4]).
      The correlation and agreement using paired plasma and DPS/DBS were strong, with
      r2 = 90.5 and rc = 68.1. The Bland-Altman relative percent change was 95.3 for
      DPS, (95%CI: 90.4-97.7) and 73.6 (95%CI: 51.6-86.5) for DBS. Using the CAP/CTM
      assay, the sensitivity for DBS was significantly higher compared to DPS (100.0%
      [95% CI: 97.6-100.0] vs. 94.7% [95%CI: 89.8-97.7]), while the specificity for DBS
      was lower: 4%, [95% CI: 0.4-13.7] compared to DPS: 94.0%, [95% CI: 83.5-98.7].
      When compared under different clinical relevant thresholds, the accuracy for the
      Abbott assay was 95% at the 1000cps/ml cut-off with a sensitivity and specificity
      of 96.6% [95% CI 91.8-98.7] and 90.4% [95% CI 78.2-96.4] respectively. The
      optimum threshold was at 3000 cps/ml with an accuracy of 95.5%, sensitivity and
      specificity of 94.6% [95%CI 89.3-97.5] and 98.1% [95%CI 88.4-99.9]) respectively.
      The best threshold for CAP/CTM was at 4000 copies /mL, with 92.5% accuracy
      (sensitivity of 96.0% [95%CI 91.0-98.3] and specificity of 82.7% [95%CI 69.2
      91.3]). CONCLUSIONS: There was similar performance between matched DBS, DPS and
      plasma using the Abbott test, and good correlation for matched DPS and plasma
      using the CAPCTM test. The findings suggest that DBS and DPS may be reliably used
      as alternative specimens to plasma to measure HIV-1 VL using Abbott, and DPS may
      be reliably used with CAP/CTM in resource-limited settings.

PMID- 28622369
TI  - Comparative sequence analysis reveals regulation of genes in developing
      schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni exposed to host portal serum.
AB  - Once inside a vertebrate host after infection, individual schistosomula of the
      parasite Schistosoma mansoni find a new and complex environment, which requires
      quick adjustments for survival, such as those that allow it to avoid the innate
      immune response of the host. Thus, it is very important for the parasite to
      remain within the skin after entering the host for a period of about 3 days, at
      which time it can then reach the venous system, migrate to the lungs and, by the
      end of eighth day post-infection, it reach the portal venous system, while
      undergoing minimal changes in morphology. However, after just a few days in the
      portal blood system, the parasite experiences an extraordinary increase in
      biomass and significant morphological alterations. Therefore, determining the
      constituents of the portal venous system that may trigger these changes that
      causes the parasite to consolidate its development inside the vertebrate host,
      thus causing the disease schistosomiasis, is essential. The present work
      simulated the conditions found in the portal venous system of the vertebrate host
      by exposing schistosomula of S. mansoni to in vitro culture in the presence of
      portal serum of the hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. Two different incubation
      periods were evaluated, one of 3 hours and one of 12 hours. These time periods
      were used to mimic the early contact of the parasite with portal serum during the
      course of natural infection. As a control, parasites were incubated in presence
      of hamster peripheral serum, in order to compare gene expression signatures
      between the two conditions. The mRNA obtained from parasites cultured under both
      conditions were submitted to a whole transcriptome library preparation and
      sequenced with a next generation platform. On average, nearly 15 million reads
      were produced per sample and, for the purpose of gene expression quantification,
      only reads mapped to one location of the transcriptome were considered. After
      statistical analysis, we found 103 genes differentially expressed by
      schistosomula cultured for 3 hours and 12 hours in the presence of hamster portal
      serum. After the subtraction of a second list of genes, also differentially
      expressed between schistosomula cultured for 3 hours and 12 hours in presence of
      peripheral serum, a set of 58 genes was finally established. This pattern was
      further validated for a subset of 17 genes, by measuring gene expression through
      quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Processes that were
      activated by the portal serum stimulus include response to stress, membrane
      transport, protein synthesis and folding/degradation, signaling, cytoskeleton
      arrangement, cell adhesion and nucleotide synthesis. Additionally, a smaller
      number of genes down-regulated under the same condition act on cholinergic
      signaling, inorganic cation and organic anion membrane transport, cell adhesion
      and cytoskeleton arrangement. Considering the role of these genes in triggering
      processes that allow the parasite to quickly adapt, escape the immune response of
      the host and start maturation into an adult worm after contact with the portal
      serum, this work may point to unexplored molecular targets for drug discovery and
      vaccine development against schistosomiasis.

PMID- 28622371
TI  - High tolerance to temperature and salinity change should enable scleractinian
      coral Platygyra acuta from marginal environments to persist under future climate
      change.
AB  - With projected changes in the marine environment under global climate change, the
      effects of single stressors on corals have been relatively well studied. However,
      more focus should be placed on the interactive effects of multiple stressors if
      their impacts upon corals are to be assessed more realistically. Elevation of sea
      surface temperature is projected under global climate change, and future
      increases in precipitation extremes related to the monsoon are also expected.
      Thus, the lowering of salinity could become a more common phenomenon and its
      impact on corals could be significant as extreme precipitation usually occurs
      during the coral spawning season. Here, we investigated the interactive effects
      of temperature [24, 27 (ambient), 30, 32 degrees C] and salinity [33 psu
      (ambient), 30, 26, 22, 18, 14 psu] on larval settlement, post-settlement survival
      and early growth of the dominant coral Platygyra acuta from Hong Kong, a marginal
      environment for coral growth. The results indicate that elevated temperatures (+3
      degrees C and +5 degrees C above ambient) did not have any significant effects on
      larval settlement success and post-settlement survival for up to 56 days of
      prolonged exposure. Such thermal tolerance was markedly higher than that reported
      in the literature for other coral species. Moreover, there was a positive effect
      of these elevated temperatures in reducing the negative effects of lowered
      salinity (26 psu) on settlement success. The enhanced settlement success brought
      about by elevated temperatures, together with the high post-settlement survival
      recorded up to 44 and 8 days of exposure under +3 degrees C and +5 degrees C
      ambient respectively, resulted in the overall positive effects of elevated
      temperatures on recruitment success. These results suggest that projected
      elevation in temperature over the next century should not pose any major problem
      for the recruitment success of P. acuta. The combined effects of higher
      temperatures and lowered salinity (26 psu) could even be beneficial. Therefore,
      corals that are currently present in marginal environments like Hong Kong, as
      exemplified by the dominant P. acuta, are likely to persist in a warmer and
      intermittently less saline, future ocean.

PMID- 28622372
TI  - Vitrectomy with or without internal limiting membrane peeling for idiopathic
      epiretinal membrane: A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies on vitrectomy with and without internal limiting membrane
      (ILM) peeling for idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) have yielded uncertain
      results regarding clinical outcomes and recurrence rates. OBJECTIVE: To compare
      the clinical outcomes of vitrectomy with and without ILM peeling for idiopathic
      ERM. METHODS: Databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science,
      Google Scholar, CNKI databases, FDA.gov, and ClinicalTrials.gov, published until
      July 2016, were searched to identify studies comparing the clinical outcomes
      following vitrectomy with ERM and ILM peeling and with only ERM peeling, for
      treating idiopathic ERM. Studies with sufficient data were selected. Pooled
      results were expressed as mean differences (MDs) and risk ratios (RRs) with
      corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for vitrectomy with and without ILM
      peeling with regard to postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central
      retinal thickness (CRT), and ERM recurrence rate. RESULTS: Eleven retrospective
      studies and one randomized controlled trial involving 756 eyes were identified.
      This demonstrated that the postoperative BCVA within 12 months was significantly
      better in the non-ILM peeling group (MD = 0.04, 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.08; P =
      0.0460), but that the patients in the ILM peeling group had significantly better
      postoperative BCVA after 18 months (MD = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.23 to -0.04; P =
      0.0049) than did those in the non-ILM peeling group. The non-ILM peeling group
      exhibited a higher reduction in postoperative CRT (MD = 51.55, 95% CI:-84.23 to 
      18.88; P = 0.0020) and a higher recurrence rate of ERM (RR = 0.34, 95% CI:0.16 to
      0.72; P = 0.0048) than did the ILM peeling group. However, the improvement rates
      of BCVA (RR = 1.03, 95% CI:0.72 to 1.47; P = 0.8802) and postoperative CRTs (MD =
      18.15, 95% CI:-2.29 to 38.60; P = 0.0818) were similar between the two groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy with ILM peeling results in better visual improvement in
      long-term follow-ups and lower ERM recurrence rates, and vitrectomy with only ERM
      peeling is more efficacious in reduction of CRT than is vitrectomy with ILM
      peeling.

PMID- 28622373
TI  - A versatile and low-cost open source pipetting robot for automation of
      toxicological and ecotoxicological bioassays.
AB  - In the past decades, bioassays and whole-organism bioassay have become important
      tools not only in compliance testing of industrial chemicals and plant protection
      products, but also in the monitoring of environmental quality. With few
      exceptions, such test systems are discontinuous. They require exposure of the
      biological test material in small units, such as multiwell plates, during
      prolonged incubation periods, and do not allow online read-outs. It is mostly due
      to these shortcomings that applications in continuous monitoring of, e.g.,
      drinking or surface water quality are largely missing. We propose the use of
      pipetting robots that can be used to automatically exchange samples in multiwell
      plates with fresh samples in a semi-static manner, as a potential solution to
      overcome these limitations. In this study, we developed a simple and low-cost,
      versatile pipetting robot constructed partly using open-source hardware that has
      a small footprint and can be used for online monitoring of water quality by means
      of an automated whole-organism bioassay. We tested its precision in automated 2
      fold dilution series and used it for exposure of zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio)
      a common model species in ecotoxicology-to cadmium chloride and permethrin. We
      found that, compared to conventional static or semi-static exposure scenarios,
      effects of the two chemicals in zebrafish embryos generally occurred at lower
      concentrations, and analytically verified that the increased frequency of media
      exchange resulted in a greater availability of the chemical. In combination with
      advanced detection systems this custom-made pipetting robot has the potential to
      become a valuable tool in future monitoring strategies for drinking and surface
      water.

PMID- 28622375
TI  - Identification of benthic diatoms isolated from the eastern tidal flats of the
      Yellow Sea: Comparison between morphological and molecular approaches.
AB  - Benthic diatoms isolated from tidal flats in the west coast of Korea were
      identified through both traditional morphological method and molecular
      phylogenetic method for methodological comparison. For the molecular phylogenetic
      analyses, we sequenced the 18S rRNA and the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase
      large subunit coding gene, rbcL. Further, the comparative analysis allowed for
      the assessment of the suitability as a genetic marker for identification of
      closely related benthic diatom species and as potential barcode gene. Based on
      the traditional morphological identification system, the 61 isolated strains were
      classified into 52 previously known taxa from 13 genera. However, 17 strains
      could not be classified as known species by morphological analyses, suggesting a
      hidden diversity of benthic diatoms. The Blast search on NCBI's Genebank
      indicated that the reference sequences for most of the species were absent for
      the benthic diatoms. Of the two genetic markers, the rbcL genes were more
      divergent than the 18S rRNA genes. Furthermore, a long branch attraction artefact
      was found in the 18S rRNA phylogeny. These results suggest that the rbcL gene is
      a more appropriate genetic marker for identification and classification of
      benthic diatoms. Considering their high diversity and simple shapes, and thus the
      difficulty associated with morphological classification of benthic diatoms, a
      molecular approach could provide a relatively easy and reliable classification
      system. However, this study suggests that more effort should be made to construct
      a reliable database containing polyphasic taxonomic data for diatom
      classification.

PMID- 28622374
TI  - Large-scale modulation of reconstituted Min protein patterns and gradients by
      defined mutations in MinE's membrane targeting sequence.
AB  - The E. coli MinDE oscillator is a paradigm for protein self-organization and
      gradient formation. Previously, we reconstituted Min protein wave patterns on
      flat membranes as well as gradient-forming pole-to-pole oscillations in cell
      shaped PDMS microcompartments. These oscillations appeared to require direct
      membrane interaction of the ATPase activating protein MinE. However, it remained
      unclear how exactly Min protein dynamics are regulated by MinE membrane binding.
      Here, we dissect the role of MinE's membrane targeting sequence (MTS) by
      reconstituting various MinE mutants in 2D and 3D geometries. We demonstrate that
      the MTS defines the lower limit of the concentration-dependent wavelength of Min
      protein patterns while restraining MinE's ability to stimulate MinD's ATPase
      activity. Strikingly, a markedly reduced length scale-obtainable even by single
      mutations-is associated with a rich variety of multistable dynamic modes in cell
      shaped compartments. This dramatic remodeling in response to biochemical changes
      reveals a remarkable trade-off between robustness and versatility of the Min
      oscillator.

PMID- 28622376
TI  - Client and facility level determinants of quality of care in family planning
      services in Ethiopia: Multilevel modelling.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Over the last two decades, while contraceptive use has improved in
      Ethiopia, the contraceptive prevalence rate remains low. In addition to socio
      demographic and cultural factors, the quality of care in Family Planning (FP)
      services is an important determining factor of FP utilization. However, little
      research exists on the determinants of quality of care in FP services in
      Ethiopia. This study aims to identify the client and facility level determinants
      of quality of care in FP services in Ethiopia. METHODS: This study was based on
      the first Ethiopian Services Provision Assessment Plus (ESPA+) survey conducted
      in 2014. A total of 1247 clients nested in 374 health facilities were included in
      the analysis. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression modelling was
      conducted. The outcome variable, client satisfaction, was created using
      polychoric principal component analysis using eleven facets that reflect client
      satisfaction. RESULTS: The results showed that both client-level and facility
      level factors were associated with quality of care in FP services in Ethiopia. At
      the client-level; provision of information on potential side effects of
      contraceptive method (AOR = 5.22, 95% CI: 2.13-12.80), and number of history and
      physical assessments (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03-1.34) were positively associated
      with client satisfaction, whereas waiting times of 30 minutes to two hours (AOR =
      0.11, 95% CI: 0.03-0.33) was negatively associated with client satisfaction. At
      the facility-level; urban location (AOR = 4.61, 95% CI: 1.04-20.58), and
      availability of FP guidelines/protocols for providers (AOR = 4.90, 95% CI: 1.19
      20.19) had positive significant effect on client satisfaction. CONCLUSION:
      Quality improvement programs in FP services in Ethiopia should focus on
      shortening waiting times and provision of information about the potential side
      effects of contraceptive methods. It is also important to improve health
      providers' skills in thorough client history taking and physical assessment.
      Further distribution and implementation of best practice guidelines for providers
      working in the FP services must be a priority.

PMID- 28622377
TI  - Hemostatic function to regulate perioperative bleeding in patients undergoing
      spinal surgery: A prospective observational study.
AB  - Although bleeding is a common complication of surgery, routine laboratory tests
      have been demonstrated to have a low ability to predict perioperative bleeding.
      Better understanding of hemostatic function during surgery would lead to
      identification of high-risk patients for bleeding. Here, we aimed to elucidate
      hemostatic mechanisms to determine perioperative bleeding. We prospectively
      enrolled 104 patients undergoing cervical spinal surgery without bleeding
      diathesis. Blood sampling was performed just before the operation. Volumes of
      perioperative blood loss were compared with the results of detailed laboratory
      tests assessing primary hemostasis, secondary hemostasis, and fibrinolysis.
      Platelet aggregations induced by several agonists correlated with each other, and
      only two latent factors determined inter-individual difference. Platelet
      aggregability independently determined perioperative bleeding. We also identified
      low levels of plasminogen-activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and alpha2-plasmin
      inhibitor to be independent risk factors for intraoperative and postoperative
      bleeding, respectively. Most important independent factor to determine
      postoperative bleeding was body weight. Of note, obese patients with low levels
      of PAI-1 became high-risk patients for bleeding during surgery. Our data suggest
      that bleeding after surgical procedure may be influenced by inter-individual
      differences of hemostatic function including platelet function and fibrinolysis,
      even in the patients without bleeding diathesis.

PMID- 28622378
TI  - Gene modification of the acetate biosynthesis pathway in Escherichia coli and
      implementation of the cell recycling technology to increase L-tryptophan
      production.
AB  - The implementation of a novel cell recycling technology based on a special disk
      centrifuge during microbial fermentation process can continuously separate the
      product and harmful intermediates, while maintaining the cell viability owing to
      the installed cooling system. Acetate accumulation is an often encountered
      problem in L-tryptophan fermentation by Escherichia coli. To extend our previous
      studies, the current study deleted the key genes underlying acetate biosynthesis
      to improve l-tryptophan production. The deletion of the phosphotransacetylase
      (pta)-acetate kinase (ackA) pathway in a gltB (encoding glutamate synthase)
      mutant of E. coli TRTHB, led to the highest production of l-tryptophan (47.18
      g/L) and glucose conversion rate (17.83%), with a marked reduction in acetate
      accumulation (1.22 g/L). This strain, TRTHBPA, was then used to investigate the
      effects of the cell recycling process on L-tryptophan fermentation. Four
      different strategies were developed concerning two issues, the volume ratio of
      the concentrated cell solution and clear solution and the cell recycling period.
      With strategy I (concentrated cell solution: clear solution, 1: 1; cell recycling
      within 24-30 h), L-tryptophan production and the glucose conversion rate
      increased to 55.12 g/L and 19.75%, respectively, 17.55% and 10.77% higher than
      those without the cell recycling. In addition, the biomass increased by 13.52%
      and the fermentation period was shortened from 40 h to 32 h. These results
      indicated that the cell recycling technology significantly improved L-tryptophan
      production by E. coli.

PMID- 28622379
TI  - End of life care for people with dementia: The views of health professionals,
      social care service managers and frontline staff on key requirements for good
      practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence consistently shows that people with advanced dementia
      experience suboptimal end of life care compared to those with cancer; with
      increased hospitalisation, inadequate pain control and fewer palliative care
      interventions. Understanding the views of those service managers and frontline
      staff who organise and provide care is crucial in order to develop better end of
      life care for people with dementia. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Qualitative interviews
      and focus groups were conducted from 2013 to 2015 with 33 service managers and 54
      staff involved in frontline care, including doctors, nurses, nursing and care
      home managers, service development leads, senior managers/directors, care
      assistants and senior care assistants/team leads. All were audio recorded and
      transcribed verbatim. Participants represented a diverse range of service types
      and occupation. Transcripts were subject to coding and thematic analysis in data
      meetings. Analysis of the data led to the development of seven key themes:
      Recognising end of life (EOL) and tools to support end of life care (EOLC),
      Communicating with families about EOL, Collaborative working, Continuity of care,
      Ensuring comfort at EOL, Supporting families, Developing and supporting staff.
      Each is discussed in detail and comprise individual and collective views on
      approaches to good end of life care for people with dementia. CONCLUSIONS: The
      significant challenges of providing good end of life care for people with
      dementia requires that different forms of expertise should be recognised and
      used; including the skills and knowledge of care assistants. Successfully
      engaging with people with dementia and family members and helping them to
      recognise the dying trajectory requires a supportive integration of emotional and
      technical expertise. The study strengthens the existing evidence base in this
      area and will be used with a related set of studies (on the views of other
      stakeholders and observations and interviews conducted in four services) to
      develop an evidence-based intervention.

PMID- 28622380
TI  - Personality traits across countries: Support for similarities rather than
      differences.
AB  - In the current climate of migration and globalization, personality
      characteristics of individuals from different countries have received a growing
      interest. Previous research has established reliable differences in personality
      traits across countries. The present study extends this research by examining 30
      personality traits in 22 countries, based on an online survey in English with
      large national samples (NTotal = 130,602). The instrument used was a
      comprehensive, open-source measure of the Five Factor Model (FFM) (IPIP-NEO-120).
      We postulated that differences in personality traits between countries would be
      small, labeling this a Similarities Hypothesis. We found support for this in
      three stages. First, similarities across countries were observed for model fits
      for each of the five personality trait structures. Second, within-country sex
      differences for the five personality traits showed similar patterns across
      countries. Finally, the overall the contribution to personality traits from
      countries was less than 2%. In other words, the relationship between a country
      and an individual's personality traits, however interesting, are small. We
      conclude that the most parsimonious explanation for the current and past findings
      is a cross-country personality Similarities Hypothesis.

PMID- 28622381
TI  - Cell-free DNA release by mouse placental explants.
AB  - Although suggested that "fetal" cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is derived from trophoblast
      cells, the exact origin is unclear. The studies in this report sought to
      demonstrate that placental tissue releases cfDNA in parallel with cell death,
      that the size range of cfDNA is similar to that found in maternal plasma, and
      that the cfDNA fragments are able to stimulate a proinflammatory cytokine
      response. Placentas were harvested from near term pregnant CD-1 mice and cultured
      in DMEM/Ham's F12/FBS media in 8% or 21% O2. After centrifugation to remove cells
      and cellular debris, the cfDNA was extracted from the media and quantified by DNA
      spectrophotometry. The cfDNA fragments were sized using a 1.5% TAE gel. Cell
      death was quantified by lactate dehydrogenase assay; and tissue homogenates were
      used to quantify caspase activity and BAX expression. Cultured RAW-264.7
      macrophage cells were used to determine IL6 stimulation by cfDNA. The cfDNA
      levels released in 8% O2 (placental normoxia) were not significantly different
      from explants cultured in 21% O2 (placental hyperoxia). The cfDNA fragments
      ranged in size from < 100 -< 400 bp. The cfDNA release increased when cultured
      with LPS, whereas it decreased with trolox (vitamin E analog). Explant release of
      cfDNA increased in parallel with cell death. The cfDNA release and cell death of
      trophoblast appears to involve components of the apoptosis signaling pathway as
      suggested by LPS enhancement of placental caspase activity, suppression of cfDNA
      release by a pan-caspase inhibitor and the trend toward increased Bax protein
      expression. Studies with cultured macrophage cells confirmed the ability of cfDNA
      to stimulate an IL6 response. In summary, these studies have confirmed the
      ability of placental tissue to release significant amounts of cfDNA, a phenomenon
      that appears to be mediated, at least in part, by apoptosis; and that the cfDNA
      released by the placental explants is able to stimulate a significant
      proinflammatory response. Thus, these studies provide support for the hypothesis
      that cell-free fetal DNA released by placental tissue potentially plays a
      mechanistically important role during the events leading to the onset of
      parturition.

PMID- 28622382
TI  - Correction: Aberrant neuronal activity-induced signaling and gene expression in a
      mouse model of RASopathy.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006684.].

PMID- 28622383
TI  - Long-term trends in the prevalence of patients hospitalized with ischemic stroke
      from 1995 to 2010 in Sweden.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of stroke is expected to increase partly because of
      prolonged life expectancy in the general population. The objective of this study
      was to investigate trends in the prevalence of patients hospitalized with
      ischemic stroke (IS) in Sweden from 1995-2010. METHODS: The Swedish inpatient and
      cause-specific death registries were used to estimate the absolute numbers and
      prevalence of patients who were hospitalized with and survived an IS from 1995
      2010. RESULTS: The overall number of IS increased from 129,418 in 1995 to 148,778
      in 2010. In 1995, the prevalence of IS was 189 patients per 10,000 population. An
      increase in overall prevalence was observed until 2000, and then it remained
      stable, followed by a decline with an annual percentage change of (APC) -0.8%
      (95% CI -1.0 to 0.6) and with a final prevalence of 199 patients per 10,000
      population in 2010. The prevalence of IS in people aged <45 years increased from
      6.4 in 1995 to 7.6 patients per 10,000 population in 2010, with an APC of 2.1%
      (95% CI 0.9 to 3.4) from 1995-1998 and 0.7% (95% CI 0.6-0.9) from 1998-2010.
      Among those aged 45-54 years, the prevalence rose through the mid to late 1990s,
      followed by a slight decrease (APC: -0.7%, 95% CI-1.1 to -0.4) until 2006 and
      then remained stable with a prevalence of 43.8 patients per 10,000 population in
      2010. Among >=85 years, there was a minor decrease (APC: -0.3%, 95% CI -0.5 to 
      0.1) in overall prevalence after 2002 from 1481 to 1453 patients per 10,000
      population in 2010. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of IS increased until
      2000, but then remained stable followed by a slight decline. However, the
      prevalence of IS in the young increased through the study period. The absolute
      number of IS survivors has markedly increased, mainly because of demographic
      changes.

PMID- 28622384
TI  - Preventability of early vs. late readmissions in an academic medical center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is unclear if the 30-day unplanned hospital readmission rate is a
      plausible accountability metric. OBJECTIVE: Compare preventability of hospital
      readmissions, between an early period [0-7 days post-discharge] and a late period
      [8-30 days post-discharge]. Compare causes of readmission, and frequency of
      markers of clinical instability 24h prior to discharge between early and late
      readmissions. DESIGN, SETTING, PATIENTS: 120 patient readmissions in an academic
      medical center between 1/1/2009-12/31/2010. MEASURES: Sum-score based on a
      standard algorithm that assesses preventability of each readmission based on
      blinded hospitalist review; average causation score for seven types of adverse
      events; rates of markers of clinical instability within 24h prior to discharge.
      RESULTS: Readmissions were significantly more preventable in the early compared
      to the late period [median preventability sum score 8.5 vs. 8.0, p = 0.03]. There
      were significantly more management errors as causative events for the readmission
      in the early compared to the late period [mean causation score [scale 1-6, 6 most
      causal] 2.0 vs. 1.5, p = 0.04], and these errors were significantly more
      preventable in the early compared to the late period [mean preventability score
      1.9 vs 1.5, p = 0.03]. Patients readmitted in the early period were significantly
      more likely to have mental status changes documented 24h prior to hospital
      discharge than patients readmitted in the late period [12% vs. 0%, p = 0.01].
      CONCLUSIONS: Readmissions occurring in the early period were significantly more
      preventable. Early readmissions were associated with more management errors, and
      mental status changes 24h prior to discharge. Seven-day readmissions may be a
      better accountability measure.

PMID- 28622385
TI  - Effect of acute predation with bacteriophage on intermicrobial aggression by
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - In persons with structural lung disease, particularly those with cystic fibrosis
      (CF), chronic airway infections cause progressive loss of lung function. CF
      airways can be colonized by a variety of microorganisms; the most frequently
      encountered bacterial and fungal pathogens are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
      Aspergillus fumigatus, respectively. Co-infection with P. aeruginosa and A.
      fumigatus often results in a more rapid loss of lung function, indicating that
      interactions between these pathogens affect infection pathogenesis. There has
      been renewed interest in the use of viruses (bacteriophage, mycoviruses) as
      alternatives to antibiotics to treat these infections. In previous work, we found
      that filamentous Pf bacteriophage produced by P. aeruginosa directly inhibited
      the metabolic activity of A. fumigatus by binding to and sequestering iron. In
      the current study, we further examined how filamentous Pf bacteriophage affected
      interactions between P. aeruginosa and A. fumigatus. Here, we report that the
      antifungal properties of supernatants collected from P. aeruginosa cultures
      infected with Pf bacteriophage were substantially less inhibitory towards A.
      fumigatus biofilms. In particular, we found that acute infection of P. aeruginosa
      by Pf bacteriophage inhibited the production of the virulence factor pyoverdine.
      Our results raise the possibility that the reduced production of antimicrobials
      by P. aeruginosa infected by Pf bacteriophage may promote conditions in CF
      airways that allow co-infection with A. fumigatus to occur, exacerbating disease
      severity. Our results also highlight the importance of considering how the use of
      bacteriophage as therapeutic agents could affect the behavior and composition of
      polymicrobial communities colonizing sites of chronic infection.

PMID- 28622386
TI  - Alpha-defensin-dependent enhancement of enteric viral infection.
AB  - The small intestinal epithelium produces numerous antimicrobial peptides and
      proteins, including abundant enteric alpha-defensins. Although they most commonly
      function as potent antivirals in cell culture, enteric alpha-defensins have also
      been shown to enhance some viral infections in vitro. Efforts to determine the
      physiologic relevance of enhanced infection have been limited by the absence of a
      suitable cell culture system. To address this issue, here we use primary stem
      cell-derived small intestinal enteroids to examine the impact of naturally
      secreted alpha-defensins on infection by the enteric mouse pathogen, mouse
      adenovirus 2 (MAdV-2). MAdV-2 infection was increased when enteroids were
      inoculated across an alpha-defensin gradient in a manner that mimics oral
      infection but not when alpha-defensin levels were absent or bypassed through
      other routes of inoculation. This increased infection was a result of receptor
      independent binding of virus to the cell surface. The enteroid experiments
      accurately predicted increased MAdV-2 shedding in the feces of wild type mice
      compared to mice lacking functional alpha-defensins. Thus, our studies have shown
      that viral infection enhanced by enteric alpha-defensins may reflect the
      evolution of some viruses to utilize these host proteins to promote their own
      infection.

PMID- 28622387
TI  - Estimates and impact of lymphocyte division parameters from CFSE data using
      mathematical modelling.
AB  - Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) labelling has been widely
      used to track and study cell proliferation. Here we use mathematical modelling to
      describe the kinetics of immune cell proliferation after an in vitro polyclonal
      stimulation tracked with CFSE. This approach allows us to estimate a set of key
      parameters, including ones related to cell death and proliferation. We develop a
      three-phase model that distinguishes a latency phase, accounting for non-divided
      cell behaviour, a resting phase and the active phase of the division process.
      Parameter estimates are derived from model results, and numerical simulations are
      then compared to the dynamics of in vitro experiments, with different biological
      assumptions tested. Our model allows us to compare the dynamics of CD4+ and CD8+
      cells, and to highlight their kinetic differences. Finally we perform a
      sensitivity analysis to quantify the impact of each parameter on proliferation
      kinetics. Interestingly, we find that parameter sensitivity varies with time and
      with cell generation. Our approach can help biologists to understand cell
      proliferation mechanisms and to identify potential pathological division
      processes.

PMID- 28622388
TI  - Correlation of ultrasound bladder vibrometry assessment of bladder compliance
      with urodynamic study results.
AB  - PURPOSE OR OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess correlation
      between bladder wall mechanical properties obtained by ultrasound bladder
      vibrometry (UBV) and urodynamic study (UDS) measurements in a group of patients
      undergoing clinical UDS procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Concurrent UBV and UDS
      were performed on 70 patients with neurogenic bladders (56 male and 14 female).
      Bladder wall mechanical properties measured by UBV at different filling volumes
      were correlated with recorded detrusor pressure (Pdet) values. Mean, median and
      standard deviation of correlation values were calculated and the significance of
      these observations was tested. RESULTS: Bladder wall mechanical properties
      obtained by UBV as group velocity squared and elasticity showed high correlations
      with Pdet measured at different volumes (median correlation 0.73, CI: 0.64-0.80
      and 0.72, CI: 0.56-0.82 respectively). The correlation of group velocity squared
      and elasticity with Pdet were both significantly higher than 0.5. CONCLUSIONS:
      The results of this study suggest that UBV can closely monitor changes in bladder
      wall mechanical properties at different volumes in a group of patients undergoing
      UDS. The high correlation between UBV parameters and detrusor pressure
      measurements suggests that UBV can be utilized as a reliable and cost-effective
      tool for assessment of the bladder wall mechanical changes in a noninvasive
      fashion.

PMID- 28622389
TI  - 'Foraging' for a place to lay eggs: A genetic link between foraging behaviour and
      oviposition preferences.
AB  - Gravid female arthropods in search of egg-laying substrates embark on foraging
      like forays: they survey the environment assessing multiple patches, tasting each
      with their tarsi and proboscis, and then, if interested, they deposit an egg (or
      eggs). In fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, allelic variation in the foraging
      gene (for) underlies the rover/sitter foraging behaviour polymorphism. Rover
      flies (forR) are more active foragers (both within and between food patches)
      compared to sitters (fors). In nematodes, Caenorhabditis elegans, a mutation in
      egl-4, the ortholog of for, leads to aberrations in egg laying. Given this and
      the notion that females may 'forage' for a place to oviposit, we hypothesized
      that for may underlie egg-laying decisions in the fruit fly. Indeed, when given a
      choice between patches of low- and high-nutrient availability, rovers lay
      significantly more eggs on the low-nutrient patches than sitters and also a
      sitter mutant (fors2). We confirm the role of for by inducing rover-like
      oviposition preferences in a sitter fly using the transgenic overexpression of
      for-mRNA in the nervous system.

PMID- 28622390
TI  - Inhibiting DNA methylation activates cancer testis antigens and expression of the
      antigen processing and presentation machinery in colon and ovarian cancer cells.
AB  - Innovative therapies for solid tumors are urgently needed. Recently, therapies
      that harness the host immune system to fight cancer cells have successfully
      treated a subset of patients with solid tumors. These responses have been strong
      and durable but observed in subsets of patients. Work from our group and others
      has shown that epigenetic therapy, specifically inhibiting the silencing DNA
      methylation mark, activates immune signaling in tumor cells and can sensitize to
      immune therapy in murine models. Here we show that colon and ovarian cancer cell
      lines exhibit lower expression of transcripts involved in antigen processing and
      presentation to immune cells compared to normal tissues. In addition, treatment
      with clinically relevant low doses of DNMT inhibitors (that remove DNA
      methylation) increases expression of both antigen processing and presentation and
      Cancer Testis Antigens in these cell lines. We confirm that treatment with DNMT
      inhibitors upregulates expression of the antigen processing and presentation
      molecules B2M, CALR, CD58, PSMB8, PSMB9 at the RNA and protein level in a wider
      range of colon and ovarian cancer cell lines and treatment time points than had
      been described previously. In addition, we show that DNMTi treatment upregulates
      many Cancer Testis Antigens common to both colon and ovarian cancer. This
      increase of both antigens and antigen presentation by epigenetic therapy may be
      one mechanism to sensitize patients to immune therapies.

PMID- 28622391
TI  - Neuronal substrates underlying stress resilience and susceptibility in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stress and stressful life events have repeatedly been shown as
      causally related to depression. The Chronic Mild Stress rat model is a valid
      model of stress-induced depression. Like humans, rats display great heterogeneity
      in their response to stress and adversity. Hence some individuals are stress
      sensitive and prone to develop depression-like behaviour in response to modest
      stressors, while others are stress-resilient and remain essentially symptom free.
      OBJECTIVES: Compared to the large body of research, which describes stress
      induced maladaptive neurobiological changes, relatively little attention has been
      devoted to understand resiliency to stress. The aim of the present study was to
      identify changes in neuronal activity, associated with stress-resilient and
      stress-susceptible chronic mild stress endophenotypes, by examining c-Fos
      expression in 13 different brain areas. Changes in c-Fos expression have been
      reported as associated to stressful conditions. METHODS: Stress-induced
      modulation of neuronal activation patterns in response to the chronic mild stress
      paradigm was mapped using the immediate early gene expression c-Fos as a marker.
      Quantification of the c-Fos-like immunoreactivity responses was done by semi
      automated profile counting procedures and design-based stereology. RESULTS:
      Exposure to chronic mild stress significantly altered c-Fos expression in a total
      of 6 out of 13 investigated areas. Chronic mild stress was found to suppress the
      c-Fos response within the magnocellular ventral lateral geniculate nucleus of
      both stress subgroups. In the the lateral and ventral orbital cortices of stress
      resilient rats, the c-Fos like immunoreactivity response was also repressed by
      stress exposure. On the contrary the c-Fos response within the amygdala, medial
      habenula, and infralimbic cortex was increased selectively for the stress
      susceptible rats. CONCLUSIONS: The study was initiated to characterize neuronal
      substrates associated with stress-coping mechanisms. Six areas, all of which
      represents limbic structures, were found to be sensitive to stress exposure. The
      effects within these areas associate to the hedonic status of the rats. Hence,
      these areas might be associated to stress-coping mechanisms underlying the
      chronic mild stress induced segregation into stress-susceptible and stress
      resilient endophenotypes.

PMID- 28622392
TI  - Therapeutic efficacy of AAV8-mediated intrastriatal delivery of human cerebral
      dopamine neurotrophic factor in 6-OHDA-induced parkinsonian rat models with
      different disease progression.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive and age-associated neurodegenerative
      disorder. Patients at different stages of the disease course have distinguished
      features, mainly in the number of dopaminergic neurons. Cerebral dopamine
      neurotrophic factor (CDNF) is a recently discovered neurotrophic factor, being
      deemed as a hopeful candidate for PD treatment. Here, we evaluated the efficacy
      of CDNF in protecting dopaminergic function using the 6-OHDA-induced PD rat model
      suffering from different levels of neuronal loss and the recombinant adeno
      associated virus 8 (AAV8) as a carrier for the CDNF gene. The results showed that
      AAV8-CDNF administration significantly improved the motor function and increased
      the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels in PD rats with mild lesions (2 weeks post
      lesion), but it had limited therapeutic effects in rats with severe lesions (5
      weeks post lesion). To better improve the recovery of motor function in severely
      lesioned PD rats, we employed a strategy using the CDNF gene along with the
      aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene. This combination therapeutic
      strategy indeed showed an enhanced benefit in restoring the motor function of
      severely lesioned PD rats by providing the neuroprotective effect of CDNF and
      dopamine enhancing effect of AADC as expected. This study may provide a basis for
      future clinical application of CDNF in PD patients at different stages and offer
      a new alternative strategy of joint use of CDNF and AADC for advanced PD patients
      in clinical trials.

PMID- 28622393
TI  - Giardia co-infection promotes the secretion of antimicrobial peptides beta
      defensin 2 and trefoil factor 3 and attenuates attaching and effacing bacteria
      induced intestinal disease.
AB  - Our understanding of polymicrobial gastrointestinal infections and their effects
      on host biology remains incompletely understood. Giardia duodenalis is an
      ubiquitous intestinal protozoan parasite infecting animals and humans.
      Concomitant infections with Giardia and other gastrointestinal pathogens commonly
      occur. In countries with poor sanitation, Giardia infection has been associated
      with decreased incidence of diarrheal disease and fever, and reduced serum
      inflammatory markers release, via mechanisms that remain obscure. This study
      analyzed Giardia spp. co-infections with attaching and effacing (A/E) pathogens,
      and assessed whether and how the presence of Giardia modulates host responses to
      A/E enteropathogens, and alters intestinal disease outcome. In mice infected with
      the A/E pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, co-infection with Giardia muris
      significantly attenuated weight loss, macro- and microscopic signs of colitis,
      bacterial colonization and translocation, while concurrently enhancing the
      production and secretion of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) mouse beta-defensin 3
      and trefoil factor 3 (TFF3). Co-infection of human intestinal epithelial cells
      (Caco-2) monolayers with G. duodenalis trophozoites and enteropathogenic
      Escherichia coli (EPEC) enhanced the production of the AMPs human beta-defensin 2
      (HBD-2) and TFF3; this effect was inhibited with treatment of G. duodenalis with
      cysteine protease inhibitors. Collectively, these results suggest that Giardia
      infections are capable of reducing enteropathogen-induced colitis while
      increasing production of host AMPs. Additional studies also demonstrated that
      Giardia was able to directly inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. These
      results reveal novel mechanisms whereby Giardia may protect against
      gastrointestinal disease induced by a co-infecting A/E enteropathogen. Our
      findings shed new light on how microbial-microbial interactions in the gut may
      protect a host during concomitant infections.

PMID- 28622394
TI  - Y-chromosomal analysis of Greek Cypriots reveals a primarily common pre-Ottoman
      paternal ancestry with Turkish Cypriots.
AB  - Genetics can provide invaluable information on the ancestry of the current
      inhabitants of Cyprus. A Y-chromosome analysis was performed to (i) determine
      paternal ancestry among the Greek Cypriot (GCy) community in the context of the
      Central and Eastern Mediterranean and the Near East; and (ii) identify genetic
      similarities and differences between Greek Cypriots (GCy) and Turkish Cypriots
      (TCy). Our haplotype-based analysis has revealed that GCy and TCy patrilineages
      derive primarily from a single gene pool and show very close genetic affinity
      (low genetic differentiation) to Calabrian Italian and Lebanese patrilineages. In
      terms of more recent (past millennium) ancestry, as indicated by Y-haplotype
      sharing, GCy and TCy share much more haplotypes between them than with any
      surrounding population (7-8% of total haplotypes shared), while TCy also share
      around 3% of haplotypes with mainland Turks, and to a lesser extent with North
      Africans. In terms of Y-haplogroup frequencies, again GCy and TCy show very
      similar distributions, with the predominant haplogroups in both being J2a-M410, E
      M78, and G2-P287. Overall, GCy also have a similar Y-haplogroup distribution to
      non-Turkic Anatolian and Southwest Caucasian populations, as well as Cretan
      Greeks. TCy show a slight shift towards Turkish populations, due to the presence
      of Eastern Eurasian (some of which of possible Ottoman origin) Y-haplogroups.
      Overall, the Y-chromosome analysis performed, using both Y-STR haplotype and
      binary Y-haplogroup data puts Cypriot in the middle of a genetic continuum
      stretching from the Levant to Southeast Europe and reveals that despite some
      differences in haplotype sharing and haplogroup structure, Greek Cypriots and
      Turkish Cypriots share primarily a common pre-Ottoman paternal ancestry.

PMID- 28622395
TI  - Optical imaging of radiation-induced metabolic changes in radiation-sensitive and
      resistant cancer cells.
AB  - Radiation resistance remains a significant problem for cancer patients,
      especially due to the time required to definitively determine treatment outcome.
      For fractionated radiation therapy, nearly 7 to 8 weeks can elapse before a tumor
      is deemed to be radiation-resistant. We used the optical redox ratio of FAD / (
      FAD + NADH ) to identify early metabolic changes in radiation-resistant lung
      cancer cells. These radiation-resistant human A549 lung cancer cells were
      developed by exposing the parental A549 cells to repeated doses of radiation (2
      Gy). Although there were no significant differences in the optical redox ratio
      between the parental and resistant cell lines prior to radiation, there was a
      significant decrease in the optical redox ratio of the radiation-resistant cells
      24 h after a single radiation exposure ( p = 0.01 ). This change in the redox
      ratio was indicative of increased catabolism of glucose in the resistant cells
      after radiation and was associated with significantly greater protein content of
      hypoxia-inducible factor 1 ( HIF - 1 ? ), a key promoter of glycolytic
      metabolism. Our results demonstrate that the optical redox ratio could provide a
      rapid method of determining radiation resistance status based on early metabolic
      changes in cancer cells.

PMID- 28622396
TI  - Mutant Fibulin-3 Causes Proteoglycan Accumulation and Impaired Diffusion Across
      Bruch's Membrane.
AB  - Purpose: The mutation R345W in EFEMP1 (fibulin-3) causes macular degeneration.
      This study sought to determine whether proteoglycan content and diffusion across
      Bruch's membrane are altered in Efemp1ki/ki mice carrying this mutation or in
      Efemp1-/- mice. Methods: Proteoglycans in mouse Bruch's membranes were stained
      with Cupromeronic Blue (CB). Heparan sulfated proteoglycan (HSPG) and
      chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan (C/DSPG) distributions were visualized
      following treatments with chondroitinase ABC (C-ABC) or nitrous acid. Total
      sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) in Bruch's membrane/choroid (BrM/Ch) were
      measured with dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB). Matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-2, MMP
      9, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-3 were examined by
      immunofluorescence and quantified using Image J. Molecules with different Stokes
      radius (Rs) were allowed simultaneously to diffuse through mouse BrM/Ch mounted
      in a modified Ussing chamber. Samples were quantified using gel exclusion
      chromatography. Results: HSPGs and C/DSPGs were markedly increased in Efemp1ki/ki
      Bruch's membrane, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 were decreased, but TIMP-3 was increased.
      Diffusion across Efemp1ki/ki Bruch's membrane was impaired. In contrast, the
      proteoglycan amount in Efemp1-/- Bruch's membrane was not significantly
      different, but the size of proteoglycans was much larger. MMP-2, MMP-3, and TIMP
      3 levels were similar to that of Efemp1+/+ mice, but they were localized
      diffusely in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells instead of Bruch's membrane.
      Diffusion across Efemp1-/- Bruch's membrane was enhanced. Conclusions: Mutant
      fibulin-3 causes proteoglycan accumulation, reduction of MMP-2 and MMP-9, but
      increase of TIMP-3, and impairs diffusion across Bruch's membrane. Fibulin-3
      ablation results in altered sizes of proteoglycans, altered distributions of MMP
      2, MMP-9, and TIMP-3, and enhances diffusion across Bruch's membrane.

PMID- 28622397
TI  - Looking for the Most Suitable Orthotopic Retinoblastoma Mouse Model in Order to
      Characterize the Tumoral Development.
AB  - Purpose: Because retinoblastoma therapies have many adverse effects, new
      approaches must be developed and evaluated on animal models. We describe
      orthotopic xenograft models of retinoblastoma using different strains of mice,
      suitable for this purpose. Methods: Human retinoblastoma tumors were established
      on immunodeficient mice by subcutaneous engraftment of tumors from enucleated
      eyes. The orthotopic model was obtained by subretinal injections of suspension
      cells into the right eye of immunodeficient (Swiss-nude, severe combined
      immunodeficiency [SCID]) and immunocompetent mice (C57BL/6N, B6Albino). In vivo
      tumor growth was monitored by fundus and spectral-domain optical coherence
      tomography (SD-OCT) imaging and compared with histology. Results: Retinal and
      vitreal tumor growth was achieved both in immunocompetent and immunodeficient
      strains after the subretinal injection of tumor cells. The best tumor engraftment
      rate was obtained in the SCID mice (68.8%). No tumor growth was observed in the
      C57BL/6N strain. Chronic retinal detachment may occur in most strains after the
      subretinal injection, in particular the Swiss-nude strain, which exhibits retinal
      degeneration. Conclusions: The setting up of an orthotopic mouse model depends
      mainly on the choice of the engrafted cells (cell lines or patient-derived
      xenografts) but it can also depend on the xenografted mouse strain. Severe
      combined immunodeficiency mice (an immunodeficient strain) achieved the best
      tumor engraftment rate (68.8%). However, intraocular tumor growth was also
      satisfactory (50%) in the immunocompetent strain B6Albino, and this strain will
      allow to exploit the immune response after a tumor treatment. Both of these
      strains may therefore be recommended when setting up orthotopic retinoblastoma
      xenografts.

PMID- 28622398
TI  - Axial Length Variation Impacts on Superficial Retinal Vessel Density and Foveal
      Avascular Zone Area Measurements Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.
AB  - Purpose: To evaluate the impact of image magnification correction on superficial
      retinal vessel density (SRVD) and foveal avascular zone area (FAZA) measurements
      using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: Participants with
      healthy retinas were recruited for ocular biometry, refraction, and RTVue XR
      Avanti OCTA imaging with the 3 * 3-mm protocol. The foveal and parafoveal SRVD
      and FAZA were quantified with custom software before and after correction for
      magnification error using the Littman and the modified Bennett formulae. Relative
      changes between corrected and uncorrected SRVD and FAZA were calculated. Results:
      Forty subjects were enrolled and the median (range) age of the participants was
      30 (18-74) years. The mean (range) spherical equivalent refractive error was 
      1.65 (-8.00 to +4.88) diopters and mean (range) axial length was 24.42 mm (21.27
      28.85). Images from 13 eyes were excluded due to poor image quality leaving 67
      for analysis. Relative changes in foveal and parafoveal SRVD and FAZA after
      correction ranged from -20% to +10%, -3% to +2%, and -20% to +51%, respectively.
      Image size correction in measurements of foveal SRVD and FAZA was greater than 5%
      in 51% and 74% of eyes, respectively. In contrast, 100% of eyes had less than 5%
      correction in measurements of parafoveal SRVD. Conclusions: Ocular biometry
      should be performed with OCTA to correct image magnification error induced by
      axial length variation. We advise caution when interpreting interocular and
      interindividual comparisons of SRVD and FAZA derived from OCTA without image size
      correction.

PMID- 28622399
TI  - Comparative Longterm Mortality Trends in Cancer vs. Ischemic Heart Disease in
      Puerto Rico.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Although contemporary mortality data are important for health
      assessment and planning purposes, their availability lag several years.
      Statistical projection techniques can be employed to obtain current estimates.
      This study aimed to assess annual trends of mortality in Puerto Rico due to
      cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD), and to predict shorterm and longterm
      cancer and IHD mortality figures. METHODS: Age-adjusted mortality per 100,000
      population projections with a 50% interval probability were calculated utilizing
      a Bayesian statistical approach of Age-Period-Cohort dynamic model. Multiple
      cause-of-death annual files for years 1994-2010 for Puerto Rico were used to
      calculate shortterm (2011-2012) predictions. Longterm (2013-2022) predictions
      were based on quinquennial data. We also calculated gender differences in rates
      (men-women) for each study period. RESULTS: Mortality rates for women were
      similar for cancer and IHD in the 1994-1998 period, but changed substantially in
      the projected 2018-2022 period. Cancer mortality rates declined gradually
      overtime, and the gender difference remained constant throughout the historical
      and projected trends. A consistent declining trend for IHD historical annual
      mortality rate was observed for both genders, with a substantial changepoint
      around 2004-2005 for men. The initial gender difference of 33% (80/100,00 vs.
      60/100,000) in mortality rates observed between cancer and IHD in the 1994-1998
      period increased to 300% (60/100,000 vs. 20/100,000) for the 2018-2022 period.
      CONCLUSION: The APC projection model accurately projects shortterm and longterm
      mortality trends for cancer and IHD in this population: The steady historical and
      projected cancer mortality rates contrasts with the substantial decline in IHD
      mortality rates, especially in men.

PMID- 28622400
TI  - Prevalence of Malocclusion and Distribution of Occlusal Characteristics in 13- to
      18-year-old Adolescents Attending Selected High Schools in the Municipality of
      San Juan, PR (2012-2013).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional study was conducted (2012-2013) to evaluate the
      prevalence of 1) malocclusion and 2) occlusal characteristics in 13- to 18
      yearold adolescents in San Juan, Puerto Rico (PR) from selected high schools in
      the municipality of San Juan. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 155
      adolescents. The University of Puerto Rico's IRB approved the study and consent
      and assent were completed for or by each participant, as applicable. A calibrated
      dentist performed a single-visit dental evaluation at each school. Occlusal
      characteristics were measured and recorded according to the criteria reported in
      the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and included
      overjet, overbite, anterior and posterior crossbites, incisor irregularity,
      maxillary midline diastema and Angle's classification. Descriptive and
      inferential statistical analyses were performed using SAS statistical software.
      RESULTS: The mean age of the study subjects was 16 (+/-1.2) years; all subjects
      (100%) presented at least 1 abnormal occlusal trait. The most frequent anomaly
      noted was maxillary malalignment (83%), followed by lower incisor irregularity
      and excessive overbite (79%) and excessive overjet (63%); the least common
      occlusal trait was open bite (1.9%). Compared by gender, no statistically
      significant difference was observed for any variable (p = 0.05). Seventy-three
      percent (73%) of the subjects presented with Class I malocclusion, 7.1% with
      Class II malocclusion and 19.4% with Class III malocclusion. CONCLUSION: A high
      prevalence of malocclusion was observed in this group of adolescents,
      highlighting the need to implement preventive measures to improve oral health in
      this population.

PMID- 28622401
TI  - Impact of a Pharmacist Conducted Educational Program on Human Papilloma Virus
      Vaccination Rates in a Low Socioeconomic Population in the City of Lares, PR.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe whether local vaccination rates are improved by a patient
      and physician education program on the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in
      Farmacia San Jose, Lares. According to the Puerto Rico Immunization Registry, the
      HPV vaccine is currently underutilized. METHODS: Patients within the ages of 18
      and 26 years who are current patients of Farmacia San Jose were contacted by
      phone and approached in person at the pharmacy. Once contacted, patients were
      provided with educational materials and counseling regarding the risks and
      benefits of HPV vaccination. The primary outcome for this study is HPV
      vaccination rates at 4 months after starting the educational program. RESULTS:
      Only 79 of the 200 attempted patients who were candidates to receive the HPV
      vaccine were able to be reached by phone. Out of 79 patients, 24 reported they
      had previously been vaccinated against HPV. After all educational efforts, 4
      patients (all insured by government) received vaccination against HPV at the
      pharmacy. In addition, 16 physicians near the pharmacy were contacted and visited
      by the pharmacist resident. The physicians agreed to receive educational
      information regarding the ACIP recommendations for their patients. CONCLUSION:
      Although the total number of HPV vaccination administered at the pharmacy during
      the study period was low, we found an individual patient counseling approach to
      be much more successful than attempting to coordinate group educational
      interventions.

PMID- 28622402
TI  - Prevalence of Concurrent Prescribing of ACE-Is and ARBs among Beneficiaries of
      Puerto Rico's Government-Sponsored Health Care Plan During 2012 and 2013.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular conditions are the second cause of death in Puerto
      Rico. The individual use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) or
      angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is considered the first-line therapy for the
      treatment of several cardiovascular-related medical conditions. However, the
      concurrent use of these 2 therapeutic classes of drugs is not supported by
      treatment guidelines. Studies have shown that their concurrent use represents a
      potential health risk. The research described in this paper aimed to determine
      the prevalence of the concurrent prescription of ACE-Is and ARBs, either
      separately or as a combination product, in a group of beneficiaries of the Puerto
      Rico Health Services Administration (ASES, by its initials in Spanish). METHODS:
      A 2-year cross sectional study was conducted. All pharmacy claims from the years
      2012 and 2013 were provided by ASES and subsequently evaluated by the
      investigators to identify those involving the prescription of an ACE-I, an ARB,
      or a combination of drugs belonging to both therapeutic classes. Each pharmacy
      claim was complemented with sociodemographic and clinical data. The final dataset
      was analyzed at the person-month level using frequency, cumulative frequency,
      percentage, and cumulative percentage. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of
      361,841 beneficiaries. A total of 23,598 beneficiaries were excluded because of
      incomplete diagnostic information. Of the beneficiaries with complete
      information, 36,202 out of 338,243 (10.7%) had concurrent prescriptions for ACE
      Is and ARBs during the study period. We excluded 1,124 beneficiaries who had a
      primary diagnosis of HF, resulting in a final pool of 35,078 beneficiaries
      (10.4%) who had prescriptions for combination products. CONCLUSION: An
      unacceptable pattern of ACE-I and ARB co-prescribing during the years 2012 and
      2013 was observed in patients with diagnoses for which the combination is not
      clinically indicated.

PMID- 28622403
TI  - Using Network Sampling and Recruitment Data to Understand Social Structures
      Related to Community Health in a Population of People Who Inject Drugs in Rural
      Puerto Rico.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This research examined the social network and recruitment patterns of
      a sample of people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in rural Puerto Rico, in an attempt
      to uncover systematic clustering and between-group social boundaries that
      potentially influence disease spread. METHODS: Respondent driven sampling was
      utilized to obtain a sample of PWID in rural Puerto Rico. Through eight initial
      "seeds", 317 injection drug users were recruited. Using recruitment patterns of
      this sample, estimates of homophily and affiliation were calculated using RDSAT.
      RESULTS: Analyses showed clustering within the social network of PWID in rural
      Puerto Rico. In particular, females showed a very high tendency to recruit male
      PWID, which suggests low social cohesion among female PWID. Results for
      (believed) HCV status at the time of interview indicate that HCV+ individuals
      were less likely to interact with HCV- individuals or those who were unaware of
      their status, and may be acting as "gatekeepers" to prevent disease spread.
      Individuals who participated in a substance use program were more likely to
      affiliate with one another. The use of speedballs was related to clustering
      within the network, in which individuals who injected this mixture were more
      likely to affiliate with other speedball users. CONCLUSION: Social clustering
      based on several characteristics and behaviors were found within the IDU
      population in rural Puerto Rico. RDS was effective in not only garnering a sample
      of PWID in rural Puerto Rico, but also in uncovering social clustering that can
      potentially influence disease spread among this population.

PMID- 28622404
TI  - The Use of Community Engaged Research Principles to Improve Health: Community
      Academic Partnerships for Research.

PMID- 28622405
TI  - Implementing a Randomized Controlled Trial through a Community-Academia Partnered
      Participatory Research: Arte con Salud Research-Informed Intervention.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: "Arte con Salud" is an HIV/AIDS prevention intervention tailored for
      Puerto Rican women who have sex with men. The intervention curriculum was refined
      through a community-academic collaboration between Taller Salud, the UPRCayey
      Campus, and the UCC-School of Medicine, subsided in 2012-13 by PRCTRC. The
      collaboration has been crucial to validate the impact of using art as a tool to
      facilitate sexual negotiation skills and safer sexual practices among adult women
      have sex with men participating in HIV prevention education. METHODS: This
      article describes the vision, valley, victory phases endured to establish a
      community-academia partnership based on the CPPR framework as an effective mean
      to implement a randomized controlled trial intervention (RCT). We also discuss
      the barriers, outcomes, and lessons learned from this partnership. RESULTS: Some
      of the identified solutions include: setting goals to secure funding, regular
      meetings, and the inclusion of undergraduate level students to assist in the
      implementation of the intervention. These solutions helped to build trust among
      the community and academic partners. As a result of this collaboration, a total
      of 86 participants were enrolled and 5 competitive research grants have been
      submitted. CONCLUSION: The community-academic collaboration was essential in
      order to build a solid research infrastructure that addresses the complexities of
      HIV prevention education among groups of Puerto Rican women.

PMID- 28622406
TI  - Building Bridges to Address Health Disparities in Puerto Rico: the "Salud para
      Pinones" Project.
AB  - Over the past several decades, Puerto Ricans have faced increased health threats
      from chronic diseases, particularly diabetes and hypertension. The patient
      provider relationship is the main platform for individual disease management,
      whereas the community, as an agent of change for the community's health status,
      has been limited in its support of individual health. Likewise, traditional
      research approaches within communities have placed academic researchers at the
      center of the process, considering their knowledge was of greater value than that
      of the community. In this paradigm, the academic researcher frequently owns and
      controls the research process. The primary aim is contributing to the scientific
      knowledge, but not necessarily to improve the community's health status or
      empower communities for social change. In contrast, the community-based
      participatory research (CBPR) model brings community members and leaders together
      with researchers in a process that supports mutual learning and empowers the
      community to take a leadership role in its own health and well-being. This
      article describes the development of the community-campus partnership between the
      University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and Pinones, a semi-rural community,
      and the resulting CBPR project: "Salud para Pinones". This project represents a
      collaborative effort to understand and address the community's health needs and
      health disparities based on the community's participation as keystone of the
      process. This participatory approach represents a valuable ally in the
      development of long-term community-academy partnerships, thus providing
      opportunities to establish relevant and effective ways to translate evidence
      based interventions into concrete actions that impact the individual and
      community's wellbeing.

PMID- 28622407
TI  - Challenges and Lessons Learned in Implementing a Community-Academic Partnership
      for Drug Prevention in a Native Hawaiian Community.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The broad purpose of this project is to improve health in Native
      Hawaiian communities through the prevention of substance use. Our community
      academic partnership (CAP) team developed an intervention called Puni Ke Ola for
      this purpose. This paper provides a brief overview of the intervention, then
      describes challenges and lessons learned in piloting Puni Ke Ola. METHODS: A
      single module of the Puni Ke Ola intervention was implemented, after which the
      intervention leaders (N=3) convened for a debriefing meeting. The information
      shared was content analyzed to identify challenges in implementation. RESULTS:
      Five challenges were identified: 1) timeline and schedule, 2) participant
      recruitment and sample size, 3) place-based intervention intensity and
      transportation, 4) communication, and 5) staff time and funding. CONCLUSION:
      Challenges were reframed as lessons learned and organized under the overarching
      theme of Kapu Aloha. Kapu Aloha refers to the idea that practicing aloha (love
      and compassion) is sacred and extends to all of our interactions. By honoring
      this value, our CAP team managed a number of challenges throughout the
      implementation process, which also has implications for future implementation.

PMID- 28622408
TI  - Creation of the Quebrada Arriba Community and Academic Partnership: An Effective
      Coalition for Addressing Health Disparities in Older Puerto Ricans.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project was to develop a community-academic
      coalition partnership to conduct community-based participatory research (CBPR) to
      address health disparities in older adults with chronic conditions living in the
      Quebrada Arriba community. METHODS: We used the 'Developing and Sustaining CPPR
      Partnerships: A Skill-Building Curriculum', to create the Quebrada Arriba
      Community-Academic Partnership (QACAP). We assessed the meetings effectiveness
      and the CBPR experiences of the coalition members in the community-academic
      partnership. RESULTS: The stepwise process resulted in: the development of The
      Coalition for the Health and Wellbeing of Older People of Quebrada Arriba; the
      partnership's mission and vision; the operating procedures; the formulation of
      the research question, and; the action plan for obtaining funding resources. The
      mean levels of satisfaction for each of the items of the Meeting Effectiveness
      Evaluation tool were 100%. The mean agreement rating scores on variables related
      to having a positive experience with the coalition, members' representativeness
      of community interest, respectful contacts between members, the coalition's
      vision and mission, the participation of the members in establishing the
      prioritized community problem, and sharing of resources between the members was
      100%. CONCLUSION: The steps used to build the QACAP provided an effective
      structure to create the coalition and captured the results of coalition
      activities. Partners' time to build trust and developing a sufficient
      understanding of local issues, high interest of the community members,
      flexibility of the partners, capitalization on the partners' strengths, and the
      shared decision building process were key contributors of this coalition's
      success.

PMID- 28622409
TI  - Ultrasound-guided hydrodissection decreases gliding resistance of the median
      nerve within the carpal tunnel.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess alterations in median nerve
      (MN) biomechanics within the carpal tunnel resulting from ultrasound-guided
      hydrodissection in a cadaveric model. METHODS: Twelve fresh frozen human cadaver
      hands were used. MN gliding resistance was measured at baseline and
      posthydrodissection, by pulling the nerve proximally and then returning it to the
      origin. Six specimens were treated with hydrodissection, and 6 were used as
      controls. RESULTS: In the hydrodissection group there was a significant reduction
      in mean peak gliding resistance of 92.9 +/- 34.8 mN between baseline and
      immediately posthydrodissection (21.4% +/- 10.5%; P = 0.001). No significant
      reduction between baseline and the second cycle occurred in the control group:
      9.6 +/- 29.8 mN (0.4% +/- 5.3%; P = 0.467). DISCUSSION: Hydrodissection can
      decrease the gliding resistance of the MN within the carpal tunnel, at least in
      wrists unaffected by carpal tunnel syndrome. A clinical trial of hydrodissection
      seems justified. Muscle Nerve 57: 25-32, 2018.

PMID- 28622410
TI  - Accuracy of deformable image registration on magnetic resonance images in digital
      and physical phantoms.
AB  - PURPOSE: Accurate deformable image registration is necessary for longitudinal
      studies. The error associated with commercial systems has been evaluated using
      computed tomography (CT). Several in-house algorithms have been evaluated for use
      with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but there is still relatively little
      information about MRI deformable image registration. This work presents an
      evaluation of two deformable image registration systems, one commercial
      (Velocity) and one in-house (demons-based algorithm), with MRI using two
      different metrics to quantify the registration error. METHODS: The registration
      error was analyzed with synthetic MR images. These images were generated from
      interpatient and intrapatient variation models trained on 28 patients. Four
      synthetic post-treatment images were generated for each of four synthetic
      pretreatment images, resulting in 16 image registrations for both the T1- and T2
      weighted images. The synthetic post-treatment images were registered to their
      corresponding synthetic pretreatment image. The registration error was calculated
      between the known deformation vector field and the generated deformation vector
      field from the image registration system. The registration error was also
      analyzed using a porcine phantom with ten implanted 0.35-mm diameter gold
      markers. The markers were visible on CT but not MRI. CT, T1-weighted MR, and T2
      weighted MR images were taken in four different positions. The markers were
      contoured on the CT images and rigidly registered to their corresponding MR
      images. The MR images were deformably registered and the distance between the
      projected marker location and true marker location was measured as the
      registration error. RESULTS: The synthetic images were evaluated only on
      Velocity. Root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 0.76 mm in the left-right (LR)
      direction, 0.76 mm in the anteroposterior (AP) direction, and 0.69 mm in the
      superior-inferior (SI) direction were observed for the T1-weighted MR images.
      RMSEs of 1.1 mm in the LR direction, 0.75 mm in the AP direction, and 0.81 mm in
      the SI direction were observed for the T2-weighted MR images. The porcine phantom
      MR images, when evaluated with Velocity, had RMSEs of 1.8, 1.5, and 2.7 mm in the
      LR, AP, and SI directions for the T1-weighted images and 1.3, 1.2, and 1.6 mm in
      the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T2-weighted images. When the porcine
      phantom images were evaluated with the in-house demons-based algorithm, RMSEs
      were 1.2, 1.5, and 2.1 mm in the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T1-weighted
      images and 0.81, 1.1, and 1.1 mm in the LR, AP, and SI directions for the T2
      weighted images. CONCLUSIONS: The MRI registration error was low for both
      Velocity and the in-house demons-based algorithm according to both image
      evaluation methods, with all RMSEs below 3 mm. This implies that both image
      registration systems can be used for longitudinal studies using MRI.

PMID- 28622411
TI  - Using automated patch clamp electrophysiology platforms in pain-related ion
      channel research: insights from industry and academia.
AB  - : Automated patch clamp (APC) technology was first developed at the turn of the
      millennium. The increased throughput it afforded promised a new paradigm in ion
      channel recordings, offering the potential to overcome the time-consuming, low
      throughput bottleneck, arising from manual patch clamp investigations. This has
      relevance to the fast-paced development of novel therapies for chronic pain. This
      review highlights the advances in technology, using select examples that have
      facilitated APC usage in both industry and academia. It covers both first
      generation and the latest developments in second-generation platforms. In
      addition, it also provides an overview of the pain research field and how APC
      platforms have furthered our understanding of ion channel research and the
      development of pharmacological tools and therapeutics. APC platforms have much to
      offer to the ion channel research community, and this review highlights areas of
      best practice for both academia and industry. The impact of APC platforms and the
      prospects of ion channel research and improved therapeutics for chronic pain will
      be evaluated. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Recent
      Advances in Targeting Ion Channels to Treat Chronic Pain. To view the other
      articles in this section visit
      http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.12/issuetoc.

PMID- 28622412
TI  - Textural analysis of early-phase spatiotemporal changes in contrast enhancement
      of breast lesions imaged with an ultrafast DCE-MRI protocol.
AB  - PURPOSE: New ultrafast view-sharing sequences have enabled breast dynamic
      contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to be performed at high
      spatial and temporal resolution. The aim of this study is to evaluate the
      diagnostic potential of textural features that quantify the spatiotemporal
      changes of the contrast-agent uptake in computer-aided diagnosis of malignant and
      benign breast lesions imaged with high spatial and temporal resolution DCE-MRI.
      METHOD: The proposed approach is based on the textural analysis quantifying the
      spatial variation of six dynamic features of the early-phase contrast-agent
      uptake of a lesion's largest cross-sectional area. The textural analysis is
      performed by means of the second-order gray-level co-occurrence matrix, gray
      level run-length matrix and gray-level difference matrix. This yields 35 textural
      features to quantify the spatial variation of each of the six dynamic features,
      providing a feature set of 210 features in total. The proposed feature set is
      evaluated based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in a
      cross-validation scheme for random forests (RF) and two support vector machine
      classifiers, with linear and radial basis function (RBF) kernel. Evaluation is
      done on a dataset with 154 breast lesions (83 malignant and 71 benign) and
      compared to a previous approach based on 3D morphological features and the
      average and standard deviation of the same dynamic features over the entire
      lesion volume as well as their average for the smaller region of the strongest
      uptake rate. RESULT: The area under the ROC curve (AUC) obtained by the proposed
      approach with the RF classifier was 0.8997, which was significantly higher (P =
      0.0198) than the performance achieved by the previous approach (AUC = 0.8704) on
      the same dataset. Similarly, the proposed approach obtained a significantly
      higher result for both SVM classifiers with RBF (P = 0.0096) and linear kernel (P
      = 0.0417) obtaining AUC of 0.8876 and 0.8548, respectively, compared to AUC
      values of previous approach of 0.8562 and 0.8311, respectively. CONCLUSION: The
      proposed approach based on 2D textural features quantifying spatiotemporal
      changes of the contrast-agent uptake significantly outperforms the previous
      approach based on 3D morphology and dynamic analysis in differentiating the
      malignant and benign breast lesions, showing its potential to aid clinical
      decision making.

PMID- 28622413
TI  - Observations from our evaluation of bodyweight changes after initiation of a
      biologic therapy in the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR).

PMID- 28622414
TI  - Reflectance confocal microscopic presentation of basosquamous carcinoma.

PMID- 28622415
TI  - Is bisphenol A an environmental obesogen?
AB  - Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor with an oestrogenic activity that is
      widely produced for the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic, epoxy resin, and
      thermal paper. Its ubiquitous presence in the environment contributes to broad
      and continuous human exposure, which has been associated with deleterious health
      effects. Despite numerous controversial discussions and a lack of consensus about
      BPA's safety, growing evidence indicates that BPA exposure positively correlates
      with an increased risk of developing obesity. An updated analysis of the
      epidemiological, in vivo, and in vitro studies indicates that BPA should be
      considered an obesogenic environmental compound. Precisely, BPA exposure during
      all life stages correlates with increased body weight and/or body mass index.
      Developmental periods that include prenatal, infancy, and childhood appear to be
      critical windows with increased sensitivity to BPA effects. Finally, blood
      analysis and in vitro data clearly demonstrate that BPA promotes adipogenesis,
      lipid and glucose dysregulation, and adipose tissue inflammation, thus
      contributing to the pathophysiology of obesity. Future prevention efforts should
      now be employed to avoid BPA exposure, and more research to determine in depth
      the critical time windows, doses, and impact of long-term exposure of BPA is
      warranted in order to clarify its risk assessment.

PMID- 28622416
TI  - Rosacea and demodicidosis associated with gain-of-function mutation in STAT1.

PMID- 28622417
TI  - The anti-migraine component of butterbur extracts, isopetasin, desensitizes
      peptidergic nociceptors by acting on TRPA1 cation channel.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The mechanism of the anti-migraine action of extracts of
      butterbur [Petasites hybridus (L.) Gaertn.] is unknown. Here, we investigated the
      ability of isopetasin, a major constituent of these extracts, to specifically
      target TRPA1 channel and to affect functional responses relevant to migraine.
      EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Single-cell calcium imaging and patch-clamp recordings in
      human and rodent TRPA1-expressing cells, neurogenic motor responses in rodent
      isolated urinary bladder, release of CGRP from mouse spinal cord in vitro and
      facial rubbing in mice and meningeal blood flow in rats were examined. KEY
      RESULTS: Isopetasin induced (i) calcium responses and currents in rat/mouse
      trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons and in cells expressing the human TRPA1, (ii)
      substance P-mediated contractions of rat isolated urinary bladders and (iii) CGRP
      release from mouse dorsal spinal cord, responses that were selectively abolished
      by genetic deletion or pharmacological antagonism of TRPA1 channels. Pre-exposure
      to isopetasin produced marked desensitization of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC,
      TRPA1 channel agonist)- or capsaicin (TRPV1 channel agonist)-evoked currents in
      rat TG neurons, contractions of rat or mouse bladder and CGRP release from mouse
      central terminals of primary sensory neurons. Repeated intragastric
      administration of isopetasin attenuated mouse facial rubbing, evoked by local
      AITC or capsaicin, and dilation of rat meningeal arteries by acrolein or ethanol
      (TRPA1 and TRPV1 channel agonists respectively). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS:
      Activation of TRPA1 channels by isopetasin results in excitation of neuropeptide
      containing nociceptors, followed by marked heterologous neuronal desensitization.
      Such atten uation in pain and neurogenic inflammation may account for the anti
      migraine action of butterbur.

PMID- 28622418
TI  - Severe apparently isolated fetal ventriculomegaly and neurodevelopmental outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to assess the neurodevelopmental outcome of children with a
      prenatal diagnosis of apparently isolated severe ventriculomegaly (SVM). METHOD:
      This is a retrospective cohort study from 1994 to 2011. We included fetuses with
      unilateral or bilateral ventriculomegaly equal to or greater than 15 mm at
      prenatal ultrasound and confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, whose parents
      chose continuation of pregnancy past 22 weeks, and with no associated findings at
      diagnosis (i.e. no brain malformation or cerebral lesions, normal karyotype, no
      other congenital abnormalities by ultrasound, and negative toxoplasma, rubella,
      cytomegalovirus, and herpes test. Children were followed up for at least 2 years.
      Children were classified into three groups: normal, moderate, or severe
      abnormalities according to psychomotor developmental stages and/or a visual or
      hearing impairment and/or behavioral disorders. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients
      fulfilled the study criteria. SVM was diagnosed at an average gestational age of
      30 weeks (range 22-37 weeks). Head circumference was >95th centile in 39% of
      them. The etiology of SVM was intraventricular hemorrhage in 6 (29%), stenosis of
      the aqueduct of Sylvius in 3 (14%), and undetermined in 12 (57%). Neurosurgery
      was performed in four infants, and ventriculoperitoneal shunts were inserted in
      three. At a mean age at last follow-up of 8.4 years, neurodevelopmental outcome
      was normal in 62% and moderate and severely impaired in 14% and 24% of children,
      respectively. There was no association between neurologic outcome and severity of
      ventricular dilation at prenatal imaging, gestational age at initial diagnosis of
      SVM, or etiology of the ventricular dilatation. CONCLUSION: The majority of
      children with apparently isolated SVM show normal neurodevelopmental outcome. No
      prenatal risk factor identify cases at higher risk for severely abnormal
      neurologic outcome. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28622420
TI  - Technical Note: Comparison of megavoltage, dual-energy, and single-energy CT
      based MU-maps for a four-channel breast coil in PET/MRI.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate methods for
      calculating a megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT)-derived MR hardware
      attenuation map (MU-map) and dual-energy CT (DECT) for 511 keV photons. METHODS:
      Phantom measurements were acquired on a whole-body hybrid PET/MRI system, using a
      four-channel receive-only MR radiofrequency (RF) breast coil. Two acquisitions
      were performed: with the phantoms positioned in the four-channel RF breast coil,
      and without the breast coil. PET attenuation from the breast coil was corrected
      using three different CT-derived hardware MU-maps: (a) Single-energy CT (SECT),
      (b) DECT, and (c) MVCT. Each attenuation-corrected (AC) PET volume was evaluated
      and compared with the acquisition performed without the breast coil. RESULTS: The
      breast coil attenuated PET photons by 10% overall. Threshold values were applied
      to the SECT MU-map to reduce the effects of metal artifacts, but overcorrection
      occurred in more highly attenuated regions. The DECT-derived virtual
      monochromatic image reduced beam-hardening artifacts, but other metal artifacts
      remained. Despite the remaining metal artifacts in the DECT image, it led to an
      improvement in the more attenuated regions. The MVCT images appear to be free
      from metal artifacts leading to an artifact-free MU-map and a further improvement
      AC-PET images. CONCLUSIONS: Our MVCT-based approach for creating MU-maps for MR
      RF coils greatly reduces artifacts produced by metal in a SECT approach. This
      eliminates the need for other artifact reduction methods, including the
      application of a threshold of narrow beam attenuation coefficients, or
      disassembling hardware to remove high-Z components before imaging with a
      kilovoltage source.

PMID- 28622419
TI  - The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma decreases after the first 5 years of
      entecavir or tenofovir in Caucasians with chronic hepatitis B.
AB  - : Whether there is a change of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence in
      chronic hepatitis B patients under long-term therapy with potent nucleos(t)ide
      analogues is currently unclear. We therefore assessed the HCC incidence beyond
      year 5 of entecavir/tenofovir (ETV/TDF) therapy and tried to determine possible
      factors associated with late HCC occurrence. This European, 10-center, cohort
      study included 1,951 adult Caucasian chronic hepatitis B patients without HCC at
      baseline who received ETV/TDF for >=1 year. Of them, 1,205 (62%) patients without
      HCC within the first 5 years of therapy have been followed for 5-10 (median, 6.8)
      years. HCCs have been diagnosed in 101/1,951 (5.2%) patients within the first 5
      years and 17/1,205 (1.4%) patients within 5-10 years. The yearly HCC incidence
      rate was 1.22% within and 0.73% after the first 5 years (P = 0.050). The yearly
      HCC incidence rate did not differ within and after the first 5 years in patients
      without cirrhosis (0.49% versus 0.47%, P = 0.931), but it significantly declined
      in patients with cirrhosis (3.22% versus 1.57%, P = 0.039). All HCCs beyond year
      5 developed in patients older than 50 years at ETV/TDF onset. Older age, lower
      platelets at baseline and year 5, and liver stiffness >=12 kPa at year 5 were
      independently associated with more frequent HCC development beyond year 5 in
      multivariable analysis. No patient with low Platelets, Age, Gender-Hepatitis B
      score at baseline or year 5 developed HCC. CONCLUSION: The HCC risk decreases
      beyond year 5 of ETV/TDF therapy in Caucasian chronic hepatitis B patients,
      particularly in those with compensated cirrhosis; older age (especially >=50
      years), lower platelets, and liver stiffness >=12 kPa at year 5 represent the
      main risk factors for late HCC development. (Hepatology 2017;66:1444-1453).

PMID- 28622421
TI  - How to record high-frequency oscillations in epilepsy: A practical guideline.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Technology for localizing epileptogenic brain regions plays a central
      role in surgical planning. Recent improvements in acquisition and electrode
      technology have revealed that high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) within the 80
      500 Hz frequency range provide the neurophysiologist with new information about
      the extent of the epileptogenic tissue in addition to ictal and interictal lower
      frequency events. Nevertheless, two decades after their discovery there remain
      questions about HFOs as biomarkers of epileptogenic brain and there use in
      clinical practice. METHODS: In this review, we provide practical, technical
      guidance for epileptologists and clinical researchers on recording, evaluation,
      and interpretation of ripples, fast ripples, and very high-frequency
      oscillations. RESULTS: We emphasize the importance of low noise recording to
      minimize artifacts. HFO analysis, either visual or with automatic detection
      methods, of high fidelity recordings can still be challenging because of various
      artifacts including muscle, movement, and filtering. Magnetoencephalography and
      intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) recordings are subject to the same
      artifacts. SIGNIFICANCE: High-frequency oscillations are promising new biomarkers
      in epilepsy. This review provides interested researchers and clinicians with a
      review of current state of the art of recording and identification and potential
      challenges to clinical translation.

PMID- 28622422
TI  - Patient-reported outcome measures in oral lichen planus: A comprehensive review
      of the literature with focus on psychometric properties and interpretability.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the range of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) used
      in clinical studies of patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and to assess their
      psychometric properties and interpretability. METHODS: Literature searches were
      performed on MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science databases (1990-September 2016)
      to retrieve relevant studies related to the development, psychometric testing
      and/or use of PROMs assessing oral symptoms, psychosocial status and quality of
      life in individuals with OLP. The identified PROMs were then categorised by
      concept measured and assessed for instrument characteristics and evidence for
      psychometric properties and interpretability. RESULTS: We identified a total of
      41 PROMs used in clinical studies for the assessment of patient-reported outcomes
      in patients with OLP. There were three PROMs of oral symptoms, 30 PROMs of
      psychosocial status and eight PROMs of quality of life. Six instruments (Visual
      Analog Scale, Numerical Rating Scale, Change in Symptom Scale, Oral Health Impact
      Profile-14, Oral Health-related Quality of Life-UK and Chronic Oral Mucosal
      Disease Questionnaire) demonstrated some evidence of psychometric properties but
      no evidence for interpretability of their results in the OLP population.
      CONCLUSION: The range of PROMs used in clinical studies of patients with OLP is
      wide and include instruments for oral symptoms, psychosocial status and quality
      of life. The vast majority of these instruments have no evidence of psychometric
      properties and interpretability for patients with OLP. Further qualitative and
      validation studies are required to investigate whether these instruments are
      appropriate for use in this patient population.

PMID- 28622423
TI  - Congenital dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans clinically mimicking a melanocytic
      naevus treated with serial excisions.

PMID- 28622424
TI  - Migration of the distal catheter of the ventriculoperitoneal shunt in
      hydrocephalus: A Comprehensive Analytical Review from an Anatomical Perspective.
AB  - There have been many reports on migration of the distal catheter of the
      ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) since this phenomenon was recognized 50 years
      ago. However, there have been no attempts to analyze its different patterns or to
      assess these patterns in terms of potential risk to patients. We comprehensively
      reviewed all reports of distal VPS catheter migration indexed in PubMed and
      identified three different anatomical patterns of migration based on catheter
      extension and organs involved: (1) internal, when the catheter invades any viscus
      inside the thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic cavity; (2) external, when the catheter
      penetrates through the body wall either incompletely (subcutaneously) or
      completely (outside the body); and (3) compound, when the catheter penetrates a
      hollow viscus and protrudes through a pre-existing anatomical orifice. We also
      analyzed the association between each migration type and several key factors.
      External migration occurred mostly in infants. In contrast, internal migration
      occurred mostly in adults. A body wall weakness was not a risk factor for
      catheter protrusion. Shunt duration was a critical factor in the migration
      pattern, as most newly-replaced shunts tended to migrate externally. Clinicians
      must pay close attention to cases of large bowel perforation, since they were
      most often associated with intracranial infections. The organ involved in
      compound migration could determine the route of extrusion, as the bowel was
      involved in all trans-anal migrations and the stomach in most trans-oral cases.
      Clin. Anat. 30:821-830, 2017. (c) 2017Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28622425
TI  - Adalimumab use in patients with psoriasis and hepatitis B: a case series.

PMID- 28622426
TI  - Experimental study on the friction effect of plastic stents for biliary stone
      fragmentation (with video).
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: In patients with irretrievable or intractable bile duct
      stone, temporary insertion of a plastic stent (PS) followed by further endoscopic
      retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or surgery has been recommended as a
      'bridge' therapy. However, the exact mechanism of stone fragmentation has not
      been discovered. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether PS shape
      can facilitate stone fragmentation. METHODS: Using a new in vitro bile flow
      phantom model, we compared the friction effect among three different PS groups
      (straight PS group, double pigtail-shaped PS group, and screw-shaped PS group)
      and a control group. Each group had 10 silicon tube blocks that separately
      contained one stone and two PS. The control group had 10 blocks each with only a
      stone and no PS. We carried out analysis of the friction effect by stone weight
      and volume changes among the groups, excluding fragmented stones. RESULTS: After
      8 weeks, complete fragmentation was noted in one out of 34 cholesterol stones
      (2.9%) and in four out of six pigmented stones (66.7%). Fragmentation tended to
      be more prominent in the screw-shaped PS group than in the straight PS group,
      double pigtail-shaped group, and control group (volume change: -11.33%, 7.94%,
      4.43%, and 2.05%, respectively, P = 0.1390; weight change: -9.30%, 0.71%, -0.10%,
      and -1.23%, respectively, P = 0.3553). CONCLUSION: Stone fragmentation may be
      induced by PS friction effect. Also, screw-shaped plastic stents may improve
      friction effect. These results may help guide future PS development and clinical
      decisions.

PMID- 28622428
TI  - Cutaneous pseudomyogenic (epithelioid sarcoma-like) haemangioendothelioma FOSB
      immunohistochemistry demonstrating the SERPINE1-FOSB fusion gene.

PMID- 28622427
TI  - Feasibility study of personalized peptide vaccination for hepatocellular
      carcinoma patients refractory to locoregional therapies.
AB  - Overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) refractory to
      locoregional therapy is dismal, even following treatment with sorafenib, a
      multikinase inhibitor. To develop a more efficacious treatment, we undertook a
      feasibility study of personalized peptide vaccination (PPV) for HCC, in which the
      peptides were selected from 31 peptide candidates based on the pre-existing
      immunity. Twenty-six HCC patients refractory to locoregional therapies (cohort 1)
      and 30 patients refractory to both locoregional and systemic therapies (cohort 2)
      were entered into the study. There were no severe adverse events related to PPV
      except for one injection site reaction. At the end of the first cycle of six
      vaccinations, successful CTL or IgG boosting was observed in 57% or 46% of
      patients in cohort 1 and in 54% or 52% of patients in cohort 2, respectively.
      Successful IgG boosting at the end of the second cycle was observed in the
      majority of patients tested. Median overall survival was 18.7 months (95%
      confidence interval, 12.2-22.5 months) in cohort 1, and 8.5 months (95%
      confidence interval, 5.9-12.2 months) in cohort 2. Based on the higher rates of
      immune boosting and the safety profile of PPV, further clinical studies of PPV
      would be warranted for patients with HCC refractory to not only locoregional
      therapy but also both locoregional and systemic therapies. The protocol of this
      study was registered with the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000001882 and
      UMIN000003590).

PMID- 28622429
TI  - Synthesis and Antigenic Evaluation of Oligosaccharide Mimics of Vi Antigen from
      Salmonella typhi.
AB  - Salmonella typhi is responsible for typhoid fever, which is a serious health
      threat in developing countries. As a virulent factor of Salmonella typhi, the
      purified Vi polysaccharide (Vi PS) has become an effective vaccine to combat
      typhoid fever. The chemical synthesis can provide homogeneous and well-defined
      molecules for the development of Vi-based vaccines. However, the synthesis of Vi
      oligosaccharides in high yields and with exclusive alpha-stereoselectivities
      remains very challenging. In this paper, a series of Vi pseudooligosaccharides,
      including pseudo tetra-, hexa-, and octa-saccharides were efficiently
      synthesized. These oligosaccharide analogues were conjugated by carbon chain
      tether through olefin cross metathesis or by the 1,2,3-triazole moiety through
      copper (I)-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction (CuAAC). The binding
      affinities of these oligosaccharide mimics to anti-Vi antibodies were
      investigated. These results will be beneficial to the further development of Vi
      based oligosaccharide vaccines.

PMID- 28622430
TI  - Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli produces outer membrane vesicles as an active
      defence system against antimicrobial peptide LL-37.
AB  - Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are important components of the innate immune
      system. Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), a food-borne pathogen causing
      serious diarrheal diseases, must overcome attack by AMPs. Here, we show that
      resistance of EHEC against human cathelicidin LL-37, a primary AMP, was enhanced
      by butyrate, which has been shown to act as a stimulant for the expression of
      virulence genes. The increase of resistance depended on the activation of the
      ompT gene, which encodes the outer membrane protease OmpT for LL-37. The
      expression of the ompT gene was enhanced through the activation system for
      virulence genes. The increase in ompT expression did not result in an increase in
      OmpT protease in bacteria but in enhancement of the production of OmpT-loaded
      outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which primarily contributed to the increase in LL
      37-resistance. Furthermore, a sublethal dosage of LL-37 stimulated the production
      of OMVs. Finally, we showed that OMVs produced by OmpT-positive strains protect
      the OmpT-negative strain, which is susceptible to LL-37 by itself more
      efficiently than OMVs from the ompT mutant. These results indicate that EHEC
      enhances the secretion of OmpT-loaded OMVs in coordination with the activation of
      virulence genes during infection and blocks bacterial cell attack by LL-37.

PMID- 28622431
TI  - Loss of CDKC;2 increases both cell division and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis
      thaliana.
AB  - Drought stress is one of the abiotic stresses that limit plant growth and
      agricultural productivity. To further understand the mechanism of drought
      tolerance and identify the genes involved in this process, a genetic screen for
      altered drought response was conducted in Arabidopsis. One mutant with enhanced
      drought tolerance was isolated and named Arabidopsis drought tolerance mutant 1
      (atdtm1), which has larger lateral organs, prolonged growth duration, increased
      relative water content and a reduced leaf stomatal density compared with the wild
      type. The loss of AtDTM1 increases cell division during leaf development. The
      phenotype is caused by the loss of a T-DNA tagged gene encoding CYCLIN-DEPENDENT
      KINASE C;2 (CDKC;2), which functions in the regulation of transcription by
      influencing the phosphorylation status of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Here, we
      show that CDKC;2 affects the transcription of downstream genes such as cell cycle
      genes and genes involved in stomatal development, resulting in altered plant
      organ size as well as drought tolerance of the plant. These results reveal the
      crucial role of CDKC;2 in modulating both cell division and the drought response
      in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28622432
TI  - Pembrolizumab-induced lichen planus pemphigoides in a patient with metastatic
      melanoma.

PMID- 28622433
TI  - Research on genodermatoses using novel genome-editing tools.
AB  - Genodermatoses comprise a clinically heterogeneous group of mostly devastating
      disorders affecting the skin. To date, treatment options have in general been
      limited to symptom relief. However, the recent technical evolution in genome
      editing has ushered in a new era in the development of causal therapies for rare
      monogenetic diseases such as genodermatoses. The present review revisits the
      advantages and drawbacks of engineered nuclease tools currently available: zinc
      finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases
      (TALENs), meganucleases, and - the most innovative - clustered regularly
      interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated (Cas) nuclease 9
      (CRISPR/Cas9) system. A mechanistic overview of the different modes of action of
      these programmable nucleases as well as their significance for causal therapy of
      genodermatoses is presented. Remaining limitations and challenges such as
      efficient delivery and off-target activity are critically discussed, highlighting
      both the past and future of gene therapy in dermatology.

PMID- 28622435
TI  - Single port laparoscopic ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease: a multicentre
      comparison with multi-port laparoscopy.
AB  - AIM: Single port (SP) ileocaecal resection (ICR) is an established technique but
      there are no large studies comparing SP and multi-port (MP) laparoscopic surgery
      in Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to compare postoperative pain
      scores and analgesia requirements after SP and MP laparoscopic ICR for CD.
      METHOD: This was a retrospective study of patients undergoing SP or MP ICR for CD
      in three tertiary referral centres from February 1999 to October 2014. Baseline
      characteristics (age, sex, body mass index and indication for surgery) were
      compared. Primary end-points were postoperative pain scores, analgesia
      requirements and short-term postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: SP ICR (n = 101) and
      MP ICR (n = 156) patients were included in the study. Visual analogue scale
      scores were significantly lower after SP ICR on postoperative day 1 (P = 0.016)
      and day 2 (P = 0.04). Analgesia requirements were significantly reduced on
      postoperative day 2 in the SP group compared with the MP group (P = 0.007).
      Duration of surgery, conversion to open surgery and stoma rates were comparable
      between the two groups. Surgery was more complex in terms of additional
      procedures when MP was adopted (P = 0.001). There were no differences in
      postoperative complication rates, postoperative food intake, length of stay and
      readmissions. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that in comparison to standard
      laparoscopic surgery SP ICR might be less painful and patients might require less
      opioid analgesia.

PMID- 28622434
TI  - Magnetic-activated cell sorting before density gradient centrifugation improves
      recovery of high-quality spermatozoa.
AB  - Recent studies have evaluated the use of magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS)
      to reduce apoptotic spermatozoa and improve sperm quality. However, the
      efficiency of using MACS alone, before or after sperm processing by density
      gradient centrifugation (DGC) has not yet been established. The purpose of this
      study is to determine the optimal protocol of MACS in assisted reproduction
      techniques (ART). Thus, we compared sperm quality obtained by DGC alone (DGC),
      DGC followed by MACS (DGC-MACS), MACS followed by DGC (MACS-DGC), and MACS alone
      (MACS), and found that the combined methods (MACS-DGC and DGC-MACS) led to
      retrieval of less spermatozoa with fragmented DNA compared to the single
      protocols. However, MACS-DGC protocol led to a significantly higher percentage of
      spermatozoa with progressive motility and normal morphology than DGC-MACS
      protocol. These findings suggest the potential clinical value of using MACS-DGC
      to improve sperm quality in seminal preparation for ART.

PMID- 28622436
TI  - Mechanistic basis for increased human gene targeting by promoterless vectors
      roles of homology arms and Rad54 paralogs.
AB  - Gene targeting by homologous recombination provides the definitive tool for
      analyzing gene function. Promoterless vectors, which do not possess a promoter to
      drive marker gene expression, confer higher targeting efficiencies than
      conventional vectors due to the reduced number of drug-resistant clones. We here
      show that gene-targeting efficiency is typically >= 25% with the use of exon
      trapping-type promoterless vectors in a human diploid cell line, Nalm-6. The
      efficiency of exon-trapping gene targeting was correlated with the level of
      target gene expression when a 2A peptide sequence was linked to the marker gene.
      Intriguingly, total arm length was not necessarily a determinant of targeting
      efficiency, as longer arms tend to enhance both homologous (targeted) and
      nonhomologous (nontargeted) integration of the vector; rather, the presence of an
      exon in the 5' arm led to a decreased targeting efficiency. Strikingly, loss of
      Rad54 did not severely affect the targeting efficiency of exon-trap vectors.
      Moreover, additional deletion of the Rad54 paralog Rad54B had limited impact on
      the high-efficiency gene targeting. These results indicate that targeted
      integration occurs in human cells even when both Rad54 and Rad54B are missing.
      These studies provide additional important insight into the contribution of
      various DNA repair factors on the targeting mechanics.

PMID- 28622437
TI  - Detection of halitosis in breath: Between the past, present, and future.
AB  - To develop a new generation of diagnostics for halitosis, replacing the
      subjective organoleptic assessment, a series of exhaled breath analyzers has been
      developed and assessed. All three devices rely on the assessment of exhaled
      volatile sulfuric compounds (VSCs), which are mainly generated in and emitted
      from the oral cavity, contributing to the malodor. Portable, on-site and easy to
      use, these devices have potential for non-invasive diagnosis of halitosis.
      However, global assessment of exhaled VSCs alone has two main drawbacks: (i) the
      absence of VSCs does not rule out halitosis; (ii) non-sulfuric volatile compounds
      that could be biomarkers of systemic diseases, found in up to 15% of halitosis
      cases, are neglected. In this article, we review and discuss progress to date in
      the field of oral/exhaled volatile compounds as potential non-invasive
      diagnostics for halitosis. We will briefly describe the generation of these
      compounds both from local (oral) and distal (extra-oral) sources. In addition, we
      debate the different analytical approaches in use and discuss the potential value
      of bio-inspired artificially intelligent olfaction in diagnosing and classifying
      oral and systemic diseases by analyzing exhaled breath.

PMID- 28622438
TI  - GBF1 differentially regulates CAT2 and PAD4 transcription to promote pathogen
      defense in Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - G-BOX BINDING FACTOR 1 (GBF1) influences light-regulated seedling development in
      Arabidopsis, and inhibits CATALASE 2 (CAT2) expression during senescence. CAT2
      functions as a scavenger of hydrogen peroxide. The role of GBF1 in the defense
      response is not known. We report here that GBF1 positively influences the defense
      against virulent and avirulent strains of Pseudomonas syringae. The gbf1 mutants
      are susceptible, whereas GBF1 over-expresser transgenic plants are resistant to
      bacterial pathogens. GBF1 negatively regulates pathogen-induced CAT2 expression
      and thereby positively regulates the hypersensitive response. In addition to CAT2
      promoter, GBF1 binds to the G-box-like element present in the intron of
      PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4). This association of GBF1 with PAD4 intron is
      enhanced upon pathogenesis. GBF1 positively regulates PAD4 transcription in an
      intron-dependent manner. GBF1-mediated positive regulation of PAD4 expression is
      also evident in gbf1 mutant and GBF1 over-expression lines. Similar to pad4
      mutants, pathogen-induced camalexin and salicylic acid (SA) accumulation, and
      expression of SA-inducible PATHOGENESIS RELATED1 (PR1) gene are compromised in
      the gbf1 mutant. Exogenous application of SA rescues the loss-of-defense
      phenotypes of gbf1 mutant. Thus, altogether, our results demonstrate that GBF1 is
      an important component of the plant defense response that functions upstream of
      SA accumulation and, by oppositely regulating CAT2 and PAD4, promotes disease
      resistance in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28622439
TI  - Clinical effectiveness of a Bayesian algorithm for the diagnosis and management
      of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
AB  - : Essentials We previously published a diagnostic algorithm for heparin-induced
      thrombocytopenia (HIT). In this study, we validated the algorithm in an
      independent large healthcare system. The accuracy was 98%, sensitivity 82% and
      specificity 99%. The algorithm has potential to improve accuracy and efficiency
      in the diagnosis of HIT. SUMMARY: Background Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
      (HIT) is a life-threatening drug reaction caused by antiplatelet factor 4/heparin
      (anti-PF4/H) antibodies. Commercial tests to detect these antibodies have
      suboptimal operating characteristics. We previously developed a diagnostic
      algorithm for HIT that incorporated 'four Ts' (4Ts) scoring and a stratified
      interpretation of an anti-PF4/H enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and
      yielded a discriminant accuracy of 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93
      1.00). Objectives The purpose of this study was to validate the algorithm in an
      independent patient population and quantitate effects that algorithm adherence
      could have on clinical care. Methods A retrospective cohort comprised patients
      who had undergone anti-PF4/H ELISA and serotonin release assay (SRA) testing in
      our healthcare system from 2010 to 2014. We determined the algorithm
      recommendation for each patient, compared recommendations with the clinical care
      received, and enumerated consequences of discrepancies. Operating characteristics
      were calculated for algorithm recommendations using SRA as the reference
      standard. Results Analysis was performed on 181 patients, 10 of whom were ruled
      in for HIT. The algorithm accurately stratified 98% of patients (95% CI, 95-99%),
      ruling out HIT in 158, ruling in HIT in 10 and recommending an SRA in 13
      patients. Algorithm adherence would have obviated 165 SRAs and prevented 30
      courses of unnecessary antithrombotic therapy for HIT. Diagnostic sensitivity was
      0.82 (95% CI, 0.48-0.98), specificity 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-1.00), PPV 0.90 (95% CI,
      0.56-0.99) and NPV 0.99 (95% CI, 0.96-1.00). Conclusions An algorithm
      incorporating 4Ts scoring and a stratified interpretation of the anti-PF4/H ELISA
      has good operating characteristics and the potential to improve management of
      suspected HIT patients.

PMID- 28622440
TI  - Chemical Characterization and Biological Activities of Phenolic-Rich Fraction
      from Cauline Leaves of Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae) Growing in Sicily,
      Italy.
AB  - The present work focused on the evaluation of the antioxidant and cytotoxic
      activities of the phenolic-rich fraction (ItJ-EAF) obtained from cauline leaves
      collected in January from Isatis tinctoria L. (Brassicaceae) growing wild around
      Acireale (Sicily, Italy). The total phenolic, flavonoid, and condensed tannin
      contents of the fraction were determined spectrophotometrically, whereas the
      phenolic profile was assessed by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS analysis. A total of 20
      compounds were positively identified and twelve out of them were never previously
      reported in I. tinctoria leaves. The fraction exhibited good radical scavenging
      activity in DPPH test (IC50  = 0.6657 +/- 0.0024 mg/ml) and reducing power (3.87
      +/- 0.71 ASE/ml), whereas, it neither showed chelating activity nor was able to
      counteract H2 O2 induced oxidative stress damage in Escherichia coli. The
      antiproliferative effect was evaluated in vitro on two human anaplastic thyroid
      carcinoma cell lines (CAL-62 and 8505C) by MTT assay. At the highest tested
      concentration ItJ-EAF significantly reduced (80%) the growth of CAL-62 cells. No
      cytotoxicity against Artemia salina was observed. It can be concluded that I.
      tinctoria cauline leaves represent a source of phenolic compounds which could be
      potentially used as chemopreventive or adjuvant agents against cancer.

PMID- 28622442
TI  - Muscular Basis of Whisker Torsion in Mice and Rats.
AB  - Whisking mammals move their whiskers in the rostrocaudal and dorsoventral
      directions with simultaneous rolling about their long axes (torsion). Whereas
      muscular control of the first two types of whisker movement was already
      established, the anatomic muscular substrate of the whisker torsion remains
      unclear. Specifically, it was not clear whether torsion is induced by
      asymmetrical operation of known muscles or by other largely unknown muscles.
      Here, we report that mystacial pads of newborn and adult rats and mice contain
      oblique intrinsic muscles (OMs) that connect diagonally adjacent vibrissa
      follicles. Each of the OMs is supplied by a cluster of motor end plates. In rows
      A and B, OMs connect the ventral part of the rostral follicle with the dorsal
      part of the caudal follicle. In rows C-E, in contrast, OMs connect the dorsal
      part of the rostral follicle to the ventral part of the caudal follicle. This
      inverse architecture is consistent with previous behavioral observations [Knutsen
      et al.: Neuron 59 (2008) 35-42]. In newborn mice, torsion occurred in irregular
      single twitches. In adult anesthetized rats, microelectrode mediated electrical
      stimulation of an individual OM that is coupled with two adjacent whiskers was
      sufficient to induce a unidirectional torsion of both whiskers. Torsional
      movement was associated with protracting movement, indicating that in the
      vibrissal system, like in the ocular system, torsional movement is mechanically
      coupled to horizontal and vertical movements. This study shows that torsional
      whisker rotation is mediated by specific OMs whose morphology and attachment
      sites determine rotation direction and mechanical coupling, and motor innervation
      determines rotation dynamics. Anat Rec, 300:1643-1653, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28622441
TI  - Cardiovascular mortality among liver transplant recipients with nonalcoholic
      steatohepatitis in the United States-a retrospective study.
AB  - Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has become an increasingly important
      indication for liver transplantation (LT), and there has been a particular
      concern of excessive cardiovascular-related mortality in this group. Using the
      United Network for Organ Sharing-Standard Transplant Analysis and Research (UNOS
      STAR) dataset, we reviewed data on 56,995 adult transplants (January 2002 through
      June 2013). A total of 3,170 NASH liver-only recipients were identified and were
      matched with 3,012 non-NASH HCV+ and 3,159 non-NASH HCV- controls [matched 1:1
      based on gender, age at LT (+/-3 years), and MELD score (+/-3)]. Cox regression
      analysis revealed significantly lower hazard of all-cause (HR 0.669; P < 0.0001)
      and cardiovascular-related mortality (HR 0.648; P < 0.0001) in the NASH compared
      to the non-NASH group after adjusting for diabetes, BMI, and race. Relative to
      the non-NASH HCV-positive group, NASH group has lower hazard of all-cause (HR
      0.539; P < 0.0001) and cardiovascular-related mortality (HR 0.491; P < 0001). A
      lower hazard of all-cause mortality (HR 0.844; P = 0.0094) was also observed in
      NASH patients compared to non-NASH HCV-negative group, but cardiovascular
      mortality was similar (HR 0.892; P = 0.3276). LT recipients with NASH have either
      lower or similar risk of all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality compared
      to its non-NASH counterparts after adjusting for diabetes, BMI, and race.

PMID- 28622443
TI  - miR-2909 regulates ISGylation system via STAT1 signalling through negative
      regulation of SOCS3 in prostate cancer.
AB  - One of the well-document strategies adopted by tumour cells for progression is to
      evade immune surveillance mechanisms. An understanding of the tight interaction
      between immunity and progression of cancer can provide novel treatment options
      for different malignancies including prostate cancer (PCa). Here, we have shown
      that AATF genome encoded miR-2909, known to play role both in immunity and cancer
      upregulates various interferon stimulating genes (ISGs) including ISGylation
      system through STAT1. Our results revealed that miR-2909 up-regulates STAT1
      through negative regulation of SOCS3 and not through up-regulation of Type 1
      interferon (IFN) production. It was observed that inhibition of ISGylation
      reduced the proliferation potential of PCa cells. Furthermore, androgens were
      found to negatively regulate ISGylation in LNCaP cells through androgen receptor
      signalling independently of miR-2909. TGF-beta mediated SMAD3 signalling was also
      seen to be suppressed by miR-2909 through induction of SMAD7 via enhanced STAT1
      expression. Collectively, these studies suggest that miR-2909 could play a vital
      role in prostate carcinogenesis through modulation of ISGylation system and
      TGFbeta signalling via STAT1.

PMID- 28622444
TI  - Paraneoplastic pemphigus in two pairs of brothers.

PMID- 28622445
TI  - Palladium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Narasaka-Heck Reaction/Direct C-H Alkylation
      of Arenes: Iminoarylation of Alkenes.
AB  - A palladium-catalyzed reaction of gamma,delta-unsaturated oxime esters with
      oxadiazoles afforded dihydropyrroles in good to excellent yields through an
      intramolecular iminopalladation/intermolecular direct heteroarene C-H alkylation
      cascade. This unprecedented iminoarylation of alkenes was subsequently realized
      in an enantioselective manner in the presence of a chiral bidentate phosphine
      ligand (Synphos).

PMID- 28622446
TI  - Dermal melanoma arising in a congenital large plaque-type blue nevus.

PMID- 28622447
TI  - Does Sexual Selection Influence Ornamentation of Hemipenes in Old World Snakes?
AB  - In the present study, we investigated and documented the morphology of the male
      copulatory organs (hemipenes) in fifteen wide-ranging snake species. The species
      represent four families (Boidae, Colubridae, Lamprophiidae, and Viperidae) and
      ten genera. We applied the same preparation techniques for all species,
      successfully everting and expanding the organs completely. The detailed
      description of the general morphology of the male copulatory organs was based on
      31 specimens. Our data were compared with published observations and we point out
      some incorrectly described details in previous investigations. We provide the
      first description of the hemipenial morphology for three ophidian species (Elaphe
      sauromates, Telescopus fallax, and Malpolon insignitus). In addition to the
      morphological characteristics of the hemipenes presented in the research, we
      propose the adoption of a standardized index describing the hemipenial
      proportions. The immense variation in hemipenial morphology presupposes its
      dynamic evolution, but we suggest that many of the significant structures
      observed here may have escaped previous researchers due to differing
      methodologies. Some of the highly ornamented morphologies that we describe are
      consistent with a locking mechanism during copulation. However, other
      morphologies may relate to the variety of mating behaviors observed. As a result,
      we propose that sexual selection is the major driver affecting the hemipenial
      ornamentation in snakes. Anat Rec, 300:1680-1694, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28622449
TI  - Methods for cell volume measurement.
AB  - Volume is an essential characteristic of a cell, and this review describes the
      main methods of its measurement that have been used in the past several decades.
      The discussed methods include various implementations of light scattering,
      estimates based on one or two cell dimensions, surface scanning, fluorescence
      confocal and transmission slice-by-slice imaging, intracellular volume markers,
      displacement of extracellular solution, quantitative phase imaging, radioactive
      methods, and some others. Suitability of these methods to some typical samples
      and applications is discussed. (c) 2017 International Society for Advancement of
      Cytometry.

PMID- 28622448
TI  - Ileocaecal valve syndrome after surgery in adult patients: myth or reality?
AB  - AIM: The onset of symptoms after removal of the ileocaecal valve (ICV) may be
      perceived as an unwanted effect of surgery and induce patients to bring
      unnecessary litigation against surgeons. The aim of our study is to assess the
      real impact on the quality of life of patients whose ICV has been surgically
      removed, using three validated questionnaires. METHOD: In patients who had their
      ICV removed surgically, the Gastrointestinal Quality of life (GIQLI)
      questionnaire and those used by the European Organization for research and
      Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) were administered before and after surgery. The
      empirical rule effect size method was used to evaluate the clinical significance
      of the statistical data. RESULTS: We interviewed 225 patients. Data collected
      through the three questionnaires highlighted a trend towards postoperative
      improvement of the selected gastrointestinal symptoms compared with the baseline.
      The GIQLI questionnaire showed a statistically significant improvement in 'pain',
      'nausea' and 'constipation' during the follow-up. Constipation appeared more
      frequently in patients older than 70 years compared with younger ones. The EORTC
      QLQ-C30 questionnaire showed a significant correlation between diarrhoea and
      extended right colectomy at 3 months after surgery, which was not confirmed at 6
      months. The EORTC QLQ-CR29 questionnaire showed a slight deterioration of
      'leakage of stools from the anal opening' at 6 months after surgery, but this
      symptom was not deemed clinically significant. CONCLUSION: We found that bowel
      functions in most patients after surgical removal of the ICV were satisfactory.
      Providing patients with a comprehensive and exhaustive informed consent during
      preoperative consultations could promote patient trust and avoid
      misunderstandings.

PMID- 28622451
TI  - Clinical Images: Ochronotic arthropathy.

PMID- 28622450
TI  - Large oesophageal varice screening by a sequential algorithm using a cirrhosis
      blood test and optionally capsule endoscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Large oesophageal varice (LEV) screening is recommended in
      cirrhosis. We performed a prospective study to improve non-invasive LEV
      screening. DESIGN: 287 patients with cirrhosis had upper gastrointestinal
      endoscopy (LEV reference), oesophageal capsule endoscopy (ECE), liver
      elastography and blood marker analyses. CirrhoMeter (cirrhosis blood test), the
      most accurate non-invasive LEV test, was segmented for cirrhosis (reference
      comparator) or LEV. VariScreen, a sequential and partially minimally invasive
      diagnostic algorithm, was developed by multivariate analysis. It uses CirrhoMeter
      first, then ECE if CirrhoMeter cannot rule LEV out or in, and finally endoscopy
      if CirrhoMeter+ECE combination remains uninformative. RESULTS: Diagnostic
      effectiveness rates for LEV were: cirrhosis-segmented CirrhoMeter: 14.6%, LEV
      segmented CirrhoMeter: 34.6%, ECE: 60.6% and VariScreen: 66.4% (P <= .001 for
      overall or pair comparison). The respective missed LEV rates were: 2.8%, 5.6%,
      8.3% and 5.6% (P = .789). Spared endoscopy rates were, respectively: 15.6%,
      36.0%, 70.6% and 69%, (P < .001 for overall or paired comparison except ECE vs
      VariScreen: P = .743). VariScreen spared 38% of ECE and reduced missed LEV by 87%
      compared to classical ECE performed in all patients. Excepting cirrhosis
      segmented CirrhoMeter, these spared endoscopy rates were significantly higher
      than that of the Baveno VI recommendation (using platelets and Fibroscan): 18.4%
      (P < .001). Ascites and Child-Pugh class independently predicted endoscopy
      sparing by VariScreen: from 86.0% in compensated Child Pugh class A to 24.1% in
      Child-Pugh class C with ascites. CONCLUSION: VariScreen algorithm significantly
      reduced the missed LEV rate with ECE by 87%, ECE use by 38% and endoscopy
      requirement by 69%, and even 86% in compensated cirrhosis.

PMID- 28622452
TI  - A Seasonal and Age-Related Study of Interstitial Cells in the Pineal Gland of
      Male Viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus).
AB  - The pineal gland of viscacha exhibits histophysiological variations throughout
      the year, with periods of maximal activity in winter and minimal activity in
      summer. The aim of this work is to analyze the interstitial cells (IC) in the
      pineal gland of male viscachas in relation to season and age. The S-100 protein,
      glio-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and vimentin were detected in adult and
      immature animals by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Double-IHC was also performed.
      The S-100 protein was localized within both, IC nucleus and cytoplasm. GFAP was
      present only in the cytoplasm. Vimentin was expressed in some IC, besides
      endothelial cells, and perivascular spaces. In the adult males, the morphometric
      parameters analyzed for the S-100 protein and GFAP exhibited seasonal variations
      with higher values of immunopositive area percentage in winter and lower values
      in summer, whereas the immature ones showed the lowest values for all the adult
      animals studied. Colocalization of S-100 protein and GFAP was observed. The IC
      exhibited differential expression for the proteins studied, supporting the
      hypothesis of the neuroectodermal origin. The IC generate an intraglandular
      communication network, suggesting its participation in the glandular activity
      regulation processes. The results of double-IHC might indicate the presence of IC
      in different functional stages, probably related to the needs of the cellular
      microenvironment. The morphometric variations in the proteins analyzed between
      immature and adult viscachas probed to be more salient in the latter, suggesting
      a direct relationship between the expression of the S-100 protein and GFAP, and
      animal age. Anat Rec, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. Anat Rec, 300:1847
      1857, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28622453
TI  - Plasmablasts With a Mucosal Phenotype Contribute to Plasmacytosis in Systemic
      Lupus Erythematosus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the composition of known plasmacytosis in systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE) to obtain further insight into the nature of underlying
      mechanisms. METHODS: Plasmablasts from patients with active SLE, patients with
      inactive/treated SLE, and healthy controls were characterized by flow cytometry,
      enzyme-linked immunospot assay, and Transwell migration assays and compared to
      vaccination-induced plasmablasts. Serum cytokine levels were analyzed by Luminex
      assay, and histologic analysis of kidney biopsy specimens was performed. RESULTS:
      Circulating plasmablasts in SLE expressed markers of mucosal immune reactions.
      IgA, CCR10, and beta7 integrin were expressed by 48%, 40%, and 38% of
      plasmablasts, respectively, with varying coexpression patterns. Consistent with
      mucosal homing, some SLE plasmablasts migrated toward the mucosal chemokine CCL28
      and secreted polymeric IgA. SLE plasmablasts shared phenotypic characteristics
      with antigen-specific plasmablasts induced by oral, but not parenteral,
      vaccinations. Autoreactive antibody-secreting cells of the IgG and IgA isotypes
      were detectable, but only the emergence of phenotypically mucosal plasmablasts
      was positively associated with serum interleukin-2 and platelet-derived growth
      factor BB levels. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that distinct plasmablast
      differentiation pathways jointly contribute to peripheral plasmacytosis in SLE,
      i.e., a cytokine-amplified mucosal "steady-state" plasmablast response, and an
      autoreactive plasmablast response, representing conventional autoimmunity. Our
      results indicate an overly activated mucosal immune system in patients with SLE,
      with both immunologic and clinical implications.

PMID- 28622454
TI  - Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis With Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor or Tocilizumab
      Therapy as First Biologic Agent in a Global Comparative Observational Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical effectiveness between tocilizumab and tumor
      necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and
      inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic
      drugs initiating biologic therapy. METHODS: Patients prescribed tocilizumab
      (intravenous) or TNFi were prospectively observed in routine clinical practice
      for 52 weeks across 158 sites in 26 countries. The primary observation was the
      change from baseline in Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints using the
      erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) at week 24 using analysis of
      covariance for between-groups comparison. Secondary end points included Clinical
      Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and patient-reported outcomes at weeks 24 and 52.
      RESULTS: Of 1,216 patients, 35% initiated tocilizumab and 65% initiated TNFi. RA
      duration was shorter, and disease activity and corticosteroid use were higher in
      tocilizumab patients. Tocilizumab-treated patients had greater improvement in
      DAS28-ESR at weeks 24 and 52 (week 24 difference [95% confidence interval] in
      adjusted means: -0.831 [-1.086, -0.576]; P < 0.001). Change from baseline in CDAI
      was also greater with tocilizumab (adjusted means difference: week 24, -3.48;
      week 52, -4.60; both P < 0.001). Tocilizumab-treated patients had more
      improvement in the Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index than TNFi
      treated patients (P < 0.05). The cumulative probability of drug discontinuation
      at week 52 was lower with tocilizumab (15%) than TNFi (27%; P < 0.001, unadjusted
      analysis). Unadjusted frequencies (events per 100 patient-years) for tocilizumab
      and TNFi were 6.44 and 11.99 for serious adverse events, 1.98 and 5.03 for
      serious infections, and 0.74 and 0.77 for deaths, respectively. CONCLUSION:
      Patients initiating tocilizumab experienced greater effectiveness and drug
      survival than those initiating TNFi in an observational setting.

PMID- 28622456
TI  - Increased CCL25 and T Helper Cells Expressing CCR9 in the Salivary Glands of
      Patients With Primary Sjogren's Syndrome: Potential New Axis in Lymphoid
      Neogenesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells play a critical role in germinal
      center formation and B cell activation, both of which are hallmarks of primary
      Sjogren's syndrome (SS). CCR9-expressing T helper cells have "Tfh-like"
      characteristics and their numbers are increased at mucosa-associated sites in
      several inflammatory conditions. Because the characteristics of these cells are
      unique and evaluation has been limited, this study was undertaken to investigate
      the local and systemic CCL25/CCR9 axis in patients with primary SS. METHODS:
      Levels of CCL25 protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) and CCR9+ T helper cells were
      evaluated in the labial salivary glands (LSGs) of patients with primary SS and
      patients with sicca syndrome without a diagnosis of primary SS (non-SS sicca
      controls). CCL25 levels were assessed for correlation with parameters of
      inflammation and clinical features. Circulating CCR9+ and CXCR5+ T helper cells
      were compared on the basis of phenotypic and functional properties. RESULTS:
      CCL25 protein and mRNA levels were elevated in the LSGs of patients with primary
      SS as compared to non-SS sicca controls. Increased levels of CCL25 were
      associated with B cell hyperactivity, autoimmunity, and levels of interleukin-21
      (IL-21) and soluble IL-7 receptor alpha-chain (IL-7Ralpha). Furthermore, the
      frequency of CCR9-expressing cells in the LSGs was increased and levels of
      circulating CCR9+ T helper cells expressing programmed death 1 and inducible T
      cell costimulator were elevated in patients with primary SS. CCR9+ T helper cells
      displayed higher expression of IL-7Ralpha and secreted higher levels of
      interferon-gamma, IL-17, IL-4, and IL-21 as compared to CXCR5+ T helper cells, ex
      vivo and upon triggering with antigen or IL-7. Both CCR9+ and CXCR5+ T helper
      cells induced IgG production by B cells more potently than that induced in the
      cultures with CCR9-CXCR5- T helper cells. CONCLUSION: Enhanced expression of
      CCL25 in LSGs of patients with primary SS can facilitate attraction of CCR9+ T
      helper cells, and these cells secrete high levels of proinflammatory cytokines
      when triggered with antigen or IL-7. The observed associations with B cell
      hyperactivity, autoimmunity, and markers of lymphoid neogenesis indicate that the
      CCL25/CCR9 axis plays a significant role in the immunopathology of primary SS,
      suggesting that this axis could represent a novel therapeutic target for the
      disease.

PMID- 28622457
TI  - Social Role Participation and Satisfaction With Life: A Study Among Patients With
      Ankylosing Spondylitis and Population Controls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Participation in society of persons with chronic diseases receives
      increasing attention. However, little is known about which components of
      participation are most relevant to life satisfaction. This study examines the
      association between several aspects of social role participation and satisfaction
      with life (SWL) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared to
      population controls. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, participants completed
      the Social Role Participation Questionnaire (SRPQ) and SWL scale. The SRPQ
      assesses several dimensions of participation (importance, satisfaction with
      performance, and satisfaction with time and physical difficulty) in 11 roles
      representing 3 domains (interpersonal relations, leisure, and work). For
      individuals with AS and controls, the association between role domains and SWL
      was examined using linear regression for each participation dimension separately,
      in the total and the employed population, adjusting for age, sex, education, and
      income. RESULTS: A total of 246 AS patients (mean +/- SD age 51 +/- 12 years, 62%
      males, mean +/- SD disease duration 17 +/- 12 years) and 510 controls (mean +/-
      SD age 42 +/- 15 years, 70% males) were included. AS patients were more
      frequently (extremely) dissatisfied with life (17.9% versus 8.6%; P < 0.05). In
      the total and the employed population, less physical difficulty and higher
      satisfaction with interpersonal relations and leisure were associated with higher
      SWL, and this was somewhat stronger in patients than in controls (P < 0.1). In
      employed controls, but not in employed patients, satisfaction with work was
      independently associated with SWL. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the
      importance of supporting persons with AS in ameliorating social role
      participation, particularly in areas like close relationships and leisure
      activities, which are typically ignored when treating AS.

PMID- 28622455
TI  - Intestinal Metabolites Are Profoundly Altered in the Context of HLA-B27
      Expression and Functionally Modulate Disease in a Rat Model of Spondyloarthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: HLA-B27-associated spondyloarthritides are associated with an altered
      intestinal microbiota and bowel inflammation. We undertook this study to identify
      HLA-B27-dependent changes in both host and microbial metabolites in the HLA
      B27/beta2 -microglobulin (beta2 m)-transgenic rat and to determine whether
      microbiota-derived metabolites could impact disease in this major model of
      spondyloarthritis. METHODS: Cecal contents were collected from Fischer 344 33-3
      HLA-B27/beta2 m-transgenic rats and wild-type controls at 6 weeks (before
      disease) and 16 weeks (with active bowel inflammation). Metabolomic profiling was
      performed by high-throughput gas and liquid chromatography-based mass
      spectrometry. HLA-B27/beta2 m-transgenic rats were treated with the microbial
      metabolites propionate or butyrate in drinking water for 10 weeks, and disease
      activity was subsequently assessed. RESULTS: Our screen identified 582
      metabolites, of which more than half were significantly altered by HLA-B27
      expression at 16 weeks. Both microbial and host metabolites were altered, with
      multiple pathways affected, including those for amino acid, carbohydrate,
      xenobiotic, and medium-chain fatty acid metabolism. Differences were even
      observed at 6 weeks, with up-regulation of histidine, tyrosine, spermidine, N
      acetylmuramate, and glycerate in HLA-B27/beta2 m-transgenic rats. Administration
      of the short-chain fatty acid propionate significantly attenuated HLA-B27
      associated inflammatory disease, although this was not associated with increased
      FoxP3+ T cell induction or with altered expression of the immunomodulatory
      cytokines interleukin-10 (IL-10) or IL-33 or of the tight junction protein zonula
      occludens 1. HLA-B27 expression was also associated with altered host expression
      of messenger RNA for the microbial metabolite receptors free fatty acid receptor
      2 (FFAR2), FFAR3, and niacin receptor 1. CONCLUSION: HLA-B27 expression
      profoundly impacts the intestinal metabolome, with changes evident in rats even
      at age 6 weeks. Critically, we demonstrate that a microbial metabolite,
      propionate, attenuates development of HLA-B27-associated inflammatory disease.
      These and other microbiota-derived bioactive mediators may provide novel
      treatment modalities in HLA-B27-associated spondyloarthritides.

PMID- 28622458
TI  - Bullous pemphigoid associated with silicosis.

PMID- 28622459
TI  - Structural plasticity among glutathione transferase Phi members: natural
      combination of catalytic residues confers dual biochemical activities.
AB  - : The glutathione transferase (GST) gene family is divided into 14 classes in
      photosynthetic organisms. Among them, the Phi class (GSTF) is composed of a large
      number of genes that are often induced in response to environmental constraints
      due to their ability to detoxify xenobiotics, to their peroxidase activity and to
      their involvement in the biosynthesis and/or transport of secondary metabolites.
      However, the exact functions of GSTFs from many plants including Populus
      trichocarpa are unknown. Here, following GSTF1 characterization, we have
      performed a comparative analysis of the seven other GSTFs found in poplar by
      systematically evaluating the biochemical and enzymatic properties of the
      corresponding recombinant proteins and of variants mutated for active site
      residues and by determining the three-dimensional structures of several
      representatives. Owing to the presence of a cysteine with a pKa value around 5 in
      their active site, GSTF3, F7, and F8 displayed a thiol transferase activity in
      addition to the usual glutathione transferase and peroxidase activities. From
      structural analyses, it appeared that these dual biochemical properties originate
      from the existence of a certain variability in the beta1-alpha1 loop. This allows
      positioning of several active site residues at proximity of the glutathione
      molecule, which itself remains unchanged in GSTF three-dimensional structures.
      These results highlight the promiscuity of some GSTFs and that changes of active
      site residues in some isoforms during evolution generated functional diversity by
      modifying their activity profile. DATABASE: Structural data are available in the
      PDB under the accession numbers 5EY6, 5F05, 5F06, and 5F07.

PMID- 28622460
TI  - Antifungal activity of tyrosol and farnesol used in combination against Candida
      species in the planktonic state or forming biofilms.
AB  - AIM: This study examined the antifungal activity of the combination of tyrosol
      and farnesol against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata in the planktonic
      state or forming biofilms. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect of drug association
      against Candida planktonic cells was assessed by the fractional inhibitory
      concentration index. Mono- and dual-species biofilms were developed during 24 h
      and then treated with the compounds for 3 days, with two daily treatments of 1
      min each. After, the total biomass, metabolic activity and the number of
      cultivable cells were quantified. Planktonic cells of the two species showed a
      similar susceptibility to the drug combination, however, a synergistic effect was
      only verified for C. glabrata. Regarding biofilm susceptibility, significant
      reductions in C. glabrata biomass, metabolism of C. albicans and mixed biofilms,
      and cultivable cells of single biofilms were verified for the drug combination,
      indicating an additive effect. For all other experiments, the effects were
      classified as indifferent. CONCLUSION: The combined use of tyrosol and farnesol
      was advantageous for some of the analysed parameters against Candida species.
      SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These findings may contribute to the
      development of oral care products containing tyrosol and farnesol to combat oral
      infections caused by Candida species.

PMID- 28622461
TI  - Co-Occurrence and Characteristics of Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis Who
      Meet Criteria for Fibromyalgia: Results From a UK National Register.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the proportion of patients with axial spondyloarthritis
      (SpA) in a UK national biologics registry who met criteria for fibromyalgia (FM),
      and to delineate the characteristics of these patients. METHODS: Two cohorts of
      patients are prospectively recruited from across 83 centers in the UK for the
      British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register in Ankylosing Spondylitis
      (BSRBR-AS). All patients are required to meet Assessment of SpondyloArthritis
      international Society (ASAS) criteria for axial SpA. Patients are either newly
      starting biologic therapy (biologics cohort) or are naive to treatment with
      biologic agents (non-biologics cohort) at the time of recruitment, and all
      patients are followed up prospectively. At recruitment and follow-up, clinical
      information and measurements are recorded while patients complete the 2011
      research criteria for FM and assessments of the level of disease activity and
      work impact. RESULTS: Of the patients registered in the BSRBR-AS, 1,504 (68%
      male) were eligible for the current analysis, of whom 311 (20.7%) met the 2011
      research criteria for FM. Prevalence of FM was similar between patients who
      fulfilled the modified New York criteria for AS (19.7%) and those who fulfilled
      ASAS imaging criteria but not the modified New York criteria (25.2%); however,
      among those who fulfilled only the ASAS clinical criteria, the prevalence of FM
      was lower (9.5%). Patients who met FM criteria reported significantly worse
      disease activity, function, global severity scores, and quality of life, and were
      more likely to have moderate or severe levels of mood disorder and clinically
      important fatigue. Patients who met FM criteria reported experiencing work
      impairment around half their working time. Meeting FM criteria was not related to
      elevated C-reactive protein levels or most extraspinal manifestations, but was
      associated with a higher likelihood of having received biologic therapy.
      CONCLUSION: Developing management approaches that would address the significant
      unmet clinical needs of the 1 in 5 patients with axial SpA who meet criteria for
      FM should be a research priority.

PMID- 28622462
TI  - Determinants of Perceived Health Nonimprovement in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
      Patients With Favorable Treatment Outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between achieving favorable clinical
      outcomes and patients' perceived change in overall health status after 12 months
      of treat-to-target in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to
      identify determinants of subjective nonimprovement. METHODS: Baseline and 12
      month data of patients included in the Dutch Rheumatoid Arthritis Monitoring
      remission induction cohort study with at least a moderate response (by European
      League Against Rheumatism criteria) after 1 year were selected for analysis.
      Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with
      nonimproved perceived overall health status at 12 months. RESULTS: At 12 months,
      75 of 210 patients (35%) did not consider their health to have improved despite
      having achieved favorable clinical outcomes. Relative change from baseline in
      pain (Wald = 20.20; P < 0.01) and fatigue (Wald = 5.58; P = 0.02) was
      independently associated with nonimproved perceived overall health status. The
      results were similar when only patients with <=1 swollen joint were analyzed. An
      improvement of 55% in pain measured on a visual analog scale was found to
      discriminate reasonably well between patients who considered their health to have
      improved versus patients who did not, with an area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curve of 0.70 (95% confidence interval 0.61-0.78). CONCLUSION:
      These results demonstrate that clinical improvements do not equate with improved
      subjective health for all patients. The association of nonimprovement with
      changes in pain and fatigue suggest that it might be worthwhile to monitor and
      address pain and fatigue in addition to and independently of disease activity in
      early RA.

PMID- 28622463
TI  - Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of Filgotinib, a
      Selective JAK-1 Inhibitor, After Short-Term Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis:
      Results of Two Randomized Phase IIa Trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: JAK inhibitors have shown efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We
      undertook this study to test our hypothesis that selective inhibition of JAK-1
      would combine good efficacy with a better safety profile compared with less
      selective JAK inhibitors. METHODS: In two 4-week exploratory, double-blind,
      placebo-controlled phase IIa trials, 127 RA patients with an insufficient
      response to methotrexate (MTX) received filgotinib (GLPG0634, GS-6034) oral
      capsules (100 mg twice daily or 30, 75, 150, 200, or 300 mg once daily) or
      placebo, added onto a stable regimen of MTX, to evaluate safety, efficacy,
      pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of filgotinib. The primary
      efficacy end point was the number and percentage of patients in each treatment
      group meeting the American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement criteria
      (achieving an ACR20 response) at week 4. RESULTS: Treatment with filgotinib at 75
      300 mg met the primary end point and showed early onset of efficacy. ACR20
      response rates progressively increased to week 4, and the Disease Activity Score
      in 28 joints using the C-reactive protein (CRP) level decreased. Marked and
      sustained improvements were observed in serum CRP level and other PD markers. The
      PK of filgotinib and its major metabolite was dose proportional over the 30-300
      mg range. Early side effects seen with other less selective JAK inhibitors were
      not observed (e.g., there was no worsening of anemia [JAK-2 inhibition related],
      no effects on liver transaminases, and no increase in low-density lipoprotein or
      total cholesterol). A limited decrease in neutrophils without neutropenia was
      consistent with immunomodulatory effects through JAK-1 inhibition. There were no
      infections. Overall, filgotinib was well tolerated. Events related to study drug
      were mild or moderate and transient during therapy, and the most common such
      event was nausea. CONCLUSION: Selective inhibition of JAK-1 with filgotinib shows
      initial efficacy in RA with an encouraging safety profile in these exploratory
      studies.

PMID- 28622465
TI  - Validation of maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination in Equatorial Guinea,
      2016.

PMID- 28622464
TI  - The impact of drugs on male fertility: a review.
AB  - Beside cytotoxic drugs, other drugs can impact men's fertility through various
      mechanisms. Via the modification of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
      hormones or by non-hormonal mechanisms, drugs may directly and indirectly induce
      sexual dysfunction and spermatogenesis impairment and alteration of epididymal
      maturation. This systematic literature review summarizes existing data about the
      negative impact and associations of pharmacological treatments on male fertility
      (excluding cytotoxic drugs), with a view to making these data more readily
      available for medical staff. In most cases, these effects on
      spermatogenesis/sperm maturation/sexual function are reversible after the
      discontinuation of the drug. When a reprotoxic treatment cannot be stopped and/or
      when the impact on semen parameters/sperm DNA is potentially irreversible
      (Sulfasalazine Azathioprine, Mycophenolate mofetil and Methotrexate), the
      cryopreservation of spermatozoa before treatment must be proposed. Deleterious
      impacts on fertility of drugs with very good or good level of evidence
      (Testosterone, Sulfasalazine, Anabolic steroids, Cyproterone acetate, Opioids,
      Tramadol, GhRH analogues and Sartan) are developed.

PMID- 28622466
TI  - Dissolved CO2 Increases Breakthrough Porosity in Natural Porous Materials.
AB  - When reactive fluids flow through a dissolving porous medium, conductive channels
      form, leading to fluid breakthrough. This phenomenon is caused by the reactive
      infiltration instability and is important in geologic carbon storage where the
      dissolution of CO2 in flowing water increases fluid acidity. Using numerical
      simulations with high resolution digital models of North Sea chalk, we show that
      the breakthrough porosity is an important indicator of dissolution pattern.
      Dissolution patterns reflect the balance between the demand and supply of
      cumulative surface. The demand is determined by the reactive fluid composition
      while the supply relies on the flow field and the rock's microstructure. We
      tested three model scenarios and found that aqueous CO2 dissolves porous media
      homogeneously, leading to large breakthrough porosity. In contrast, solutions
      without CO2 develop elongated convective channels known as wormholes, with low
      breakthrough porosity. These different patterns are explained by the different
      apparent solubility of calcite in free drift systems. Our results indicate that
      CO2 increases the reactive subvolume of porous media and reduces the amount of
      solid residual before reactive fluid can be fully channelized. Consequently,
      dissolved CO2 may enhance contaminant mobilization near injection wellbores,
      undermine the mechanical sustainability of formation rocks and increase the
      likelihood of buoyance driven leakage through carbonate rich caprocks.

PMID- 28622467
TI  - H2O Adsorption on WO3 and WO3-x (001) Surfaces.
AB  - The nature of the interaction of water with the WO3 surface is of crucial
      importance for the use of this semiconductor oxide in photocatalysis. In this
      work, we investigate water adsorption and dissociation on both clean and O
      deficient (001) WO3 surfaces by means of an accurate DFT approach. The O vacancy
      formation energy (computed with respect to O2) has been evaluated for all
      possible surface configurations, and the removal of the terminal O atom along the
      c axis is found to be preferred, costing about half the corresponding energy in
      the bulk. The presence of oxygen vacancies leads to a semiconductor to metal
      transition, confirming the experimental evidence of n-type conductivity in
      defective WO3 films. H2O preferably adsorbs on WO3 in a molecular undissociated
      form, due to the presence of W ions at the surface that act as Lewis acid sites.
      This interaction, about -1 eV per H2O molecule, is not very strong. Contrary to
      what is usually expected, the presence of oxygen vacancies does not significantly
      affect H2O adsorption. Finally, we investigated the H2O desorption from a
      hydroxylated surface. This suggests that the exposure of WO3 to H2 directly
      results in a hydroxylated surface and the corresponding H2O desorption turns out
      to be a very efficient mechanism to generate a reduced oxide surface, with
      important consequences on the electronic structure of this oxide.

PMID- 28622468
TI  - Theoretical Evaluation of [VIV(alpha-C3S5)3]2- as Nuclear-Spin-Sensitive Single
      Molecule Spin Transistor.
AB  - In a straightforward application of molecular nanospintronics to quantum
      computing, single-molecule spin transistors can be used to measure nuclear spin
      qubits. Conductance jumps accompany electronic spin flips at the so-called
      anticrossings between energy levels, which take place only at specific magnetic
      fields determined by the nuclear spin state. To date, the only molecular hardware
      employed for this technique has been the terbium(III) bis(phthalocyaninato)
      complex. Here we explore theoretically whether a similar behavior is expected for
      a highly stable molecular spin qubit, the vanadium tris-dithiolate complex
      [VIV(alpha-C3S5)3]2-. We consider such a molecule between two gold electrodes and
      determine the spin-dependent conductance. We verify that the transport channel in
      experimental conditions does not overlap with the occupied spin orbitals,
      indicating that the spin states may survive in the conduction regime. We validate
      the robustness of the theoretical methodology by studying two chemically related
      vanadium complexes and offer some criteria to guide the experiments.

PMID- 28622469
TI  - Free Energy Calculations of Microcin J25 Variants Binding to the FhuA Receptor.
AB  - Computer simulations were performed to study the antimicrobial peptide microcin
      J25 (MJ25), a 21-mer peptide with an unusual lasso structure and high activity
      against Gram-negative bacteria. MJ25 has intracellular targets. The initial step
      of MJ25 acquisition in bacterial cells is binding to the outer-membrane receptor
      FhuA. Molecular dynamics simulations were implemented to study the binding
      mechanism of MJ25 to FhuA and to search for important binding residues. The
      absolute binding free energy calculated from combined free energy perturbation
      and thermodynamic integration methods agrees well with experimental data. In
      addition, computational mutation analysis revealed that His5 is the key residue
      responsible for MJ25 and FhuA association. We found that the number of hydrogen
      bonds is essential for binding of MJ25 to FhuA. This atomistic, quantitative
      insight sheds light on the mechanism of action of MJ25 and may pave a path for
      designing active MJ25 analogues.

PMID- 28622470
TI  - Patterned Photonic Nitrocellulose for Pseudopaper ELISA.
AB  - We report an enzyme-link immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on patterned
      pseudopaper that is made of photonic nitrocellulose for highly sensitive
      fluorescence bioanalysis. The pseudopaper is fabricated using self-assembled
      monodisperse SiO2 nanoparticles that are patterned on a polypropylene substrate
      as template. The self-assembled nanoparticles have a close-packed hexagonal
      (opal) structure, so the resulting nitrocellulose has a complementary (inverse
      opal) photonic structure. Owing to the slow-photon effect of the photonic
      structure, fluorescence emission for ELISA is enhanced by up to 57-fold without
      increasing the assay time or complexity. As the detection signal is significantly
      amplified, a simple smartphone camera suffices to serve as the detector for rapid
      and on-site analysis. As a demonstration, human IgG is quantitatively analyzed
      with a detection limit of 3.8 fg/mL, which is lower than that of conventional
      ELISA and paper-based ELISA. The consumption of sample and reagent is also
      reduced by 33 times compared with conventional ELISA. Therefore, the pseudopaper
      ELISA based on patterned photonic nitrocellulose is promising for sensitive, high
      throughput bioanalysis.

PMID- 28622471
TI  - Coacervate of Polyacrylamide and Cationic Gemini Surfactant for the Extraction of
      Methyl Orange from Aqueous Solution.
AB  - Coacervation in aqueous solution of the mixture of cationic ammonium surfactant
      hexamethylene-1,6-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium bromide) (12-6-12) and 10%
      hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (PAM) has been investigated. It was found that the 12-6
      12/PAM mixture forms coacervate with a large network structure over a wide
      concentration range of surfactant and polyelectrolyte and shows great efficiency
      in the extraction of Methyl Orange (MO) from water owing to the cooperation of
      hydrophobic, electrostatic, and pi-cation interactions. Meanwhile, the dye joins
      the coacervate and strengthens the network structure of the coacervate. In
      particular, benefiting from partial excess of 12-6-12 molecules, the coacervate
      phase presents selective adsorption behavior toward anionic dye MO in the
      presence of cationic dye methylene blue (MB). Furthermore, the coacervate phase
      is utilized to modify quartz sand and melamine foam, and the coacervate-treated
      adsorbents can adsorb MO efficiently. Moreover, the MO-loaded adsorbents are
      easily regenerated with hydrochloric acid, making this an inexpensive and
      environmentally benign process. These findings offer a simple and effective
      alternative for the treatment of dye contaminated water and the recovery of dyes.

PMID- 28622472
TI  - Describing a Strongly Correlated Model System with Density Functional Theory.
AB  - The linear chain of hydrogen atoms, a basic prototype for the transition from a
      metal to Mott insulator, is studied with a recent density functional theory model
      functional for nondynamic and strong correlation. The computed cohesive energy
      curve for the transition agrees well with accurate literature results. The
      variation of the electronic structure in this transition is characterized with a
      density functional descriptor that yields the atomic population of effectively
      localized electrons. These new methods are also applied to the study of the
      Peierls dimerization of the stretched even-spaced Mott insulator to a chain of H2
      molecules, a different insulator. The transitions among the two insulating states
      and the metallic state of the hydrogen chain system are depicted in a
      semiquantitative phase diagram. Overall, we demonstrate the capability of
      studying strongly correlated materials with a mean-field model at the fundamental
      level, in contrast to the general pessimistic view on such a feasibility.

PMID- 28622473
TI  - Nonculturability Might Underestimate the Occurrence of Campylobacter in Broiler
      Litter.
AB  - We investigated the contribution of litter to the occurrence of Campylobacter on
      three broiler farms, which were known to have low (LO) and high (HI-A and HI-B)
      Campylobacter prevalence. For this purpose, we collected litter samples (n = 288)
      during and after two rearing cycles from each farm. We evaluated the occurrence
      of Campylobacter (using selective enrichment and quantitative real-time
      polymerase chain reaction [q-PCR] analysis) in the litter samples as well as the
      litter's pH and moisture content. Ceca from each flock (n = 144) were harvested
      at slaughter age and used to quantify Campylobacter colony-forming units (CFUs).
      Campylobacter was only retrieved from 7 litter samples that were collected from
      HI-A and HI-B during the growing period, but no Campylobacter was isolated from
      LO farms. The q-PCR analysis detected Campylobacter in pooled litter samples from
      all three farms. However, in litter collected during the same rotation,
      Campylobacter levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in HI-A and HI-B litter
      samples in comparison to those in LO. Cecal samples from HI-A and HI-B yielded
      relatively high numbers of Campylobacter CFUs, which were undetectable in LO
      samples. Litter's pH and moisture did not affect the overall occurrence of
      Campylobacter in litter and ceca on any of the farms. Our data suggest that
      Campylobacter was generally more abundant in litter that was collected from farms
      with highly colonized flocks. Therefore, better approaches for assessing the
      occurrence of Campylobacter in litter might be warranted in order to reduce the
      dissemination of these pathogens on and off poultry farms.

PMID- 28622474
TI  - Larch Arabinogalactan Attenuates Myocardial Injury by Inhibiting Apoptotic
      Cascades in a Rat Model of Ischemia-Reperfusion.
AB  - We reported previously that supplementation with apple pectin, a dietary fiber,
      reduced myocardial injury in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion. In this study,
      we further investigated an arabinogalactan, one of the constituent
      polysaccharides of pectin, to determine which domains comprising pectin were
      responsible for the protection. In a rat model of 30-min ischemia followed by 3-h
      reperfusion, supplementation with larch arabinogalactan (LAG) over 50 mg/kg/day
      significantly reduced infarct size. Reverse transcription polymerase chain
      reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and immunoblot analyses showed that
      intake of LAG blocked the steps involved in apoptotic cascades through
      downregulation of gelsolin gene expression at the protein (Gelsolin) level,
      inhibition of p38 phosphorylation in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)
      pathways, decreased bax/bcl-2 ratio at the protein (Bax/Bcl-2) level, which was
      correlated with the ratio at the mRNA level, inhibition of the conversion of
      Procaspase protein to Caspase-3 protein, and consequently a decrease in apoptotic
      cells. In addition, the intake of LAG reduced the hif1-alpha gene expression at
      the protein (HIF1-alpha) level. These findings suggest that arabinogalactan is an
      active component of pectin for reducing myocardial injury by inhibiting apoptosis
      in postocclusion steps, possibly indicating that arabinogalactan can be developed
      as a cardioprotectant to prevent myocardial injury.

PMID- 28622475
TI  - Racial Differences in the Association Between Maternal Antenatal Depression and
      Preterm Birth Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the United States, racial/ethnic disparities in preterm birth
      (PTB) are well documented, but explanations for why the disparity persists remain
      to be fully explored. We examined racial/ethnic differences in the association of
      maternal antenatal depression with PTB (<37 completed weeks of gestation) risk.
      METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, participants (n = 2073) included non
      Hispanic (NH) black, NH white, Asian, and Hispanic women who received prenatal
      care at a university obstetric clinic January 2004-March 2010, and delivered at
      the university's hospital. We obtained data from self-reported questionnaires and
      electronic medical records. We assessed antenatal depression using the Patient
      Health Questionnaire-9 and self-reported antenatal antidepressant medication use.
      Poisson regression models were used to estimate the association between antenatal
      depression and PTB risk, within strata of race/ethnicity. RESULTS: NH black (risk
      ratio [RR] = 1.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94, 3.80), NH white (RR =
      1.58, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.39), and Asian (RR = 2.06; 95% CI: 0.69, 6.13) women with
      antenatal depression were at increased risk for delivering preterm infants,
      compared with women without antenatal depression, although the associations were
      statistically significant only among NH white women. There was no evidence of an
      association between antenatal depression and risk of PTB among Hispanic women (RR
      = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.28, 3.25); p-value for interaction = 0.81. CONCLUSION: Our
      findings suggest race-specific associations of antenatal depression with an
      increased risk of delivering a preterm infant, supporting the importance of
      considering race/ethnicity when examining risk factors for health outcomes.

PMID- 28622477
TI  - An Examination of Factors Affecting the Length of Stay in a Palliative Care
      Center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With the increase in elderly population, life-threatening chronic
      diseases are increasing, simultaneously increasing the need for palliative care
      centers (PCCs). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the factors affecting the length of stay
      (LOS) and discharge of patients from a PCC. METHODS: A retrospective scan was
      made of the records of patients followed up in the PCC between January 2013 and
      March 2016. A record was made of patient age, gender, diagnosis,
      conditions/comorbidities, Glasgow Coma Scale, Karnofsky Performance Scale, LOS,
      prognosis (exitus or surviving), percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG),
      tracheostomy, mechanical ventilator, nutrition (total parenteral nutrition [TPN]
      or enteral nutrition), and the results of cultures taken during stay in PCCs
      (blood, tracheal aspirate, urine, rectal swab, wound). Evaluation with regression
      analysis was made of the data related to factors thought to have a possible
      effect on the LOS in PCCs. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-five patients were
      included in the study, comprising 58.6% men and 41.4% women with a mean age of
      70.6 +/- 17.2 years. The LOS was 27.2 +/- 30.9 days. A total of 234 patients were
      discharged and 201 (46.2%) were lost to mortality in PCCs. The bacteria most
      isolated in cultures were Escherichia coli (28.5%) and methicillin resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (17%). According to the results of the regression
      analysis, cancer, hypoxic brain, and advanced age had a negative effect on LOS
      and PEG, TPN, hypertension, and E. coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter
      infections increased LOS. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed some
      basic factors that affect LOS in PCCs. However, there may be much variation in
      the data obtained with the various reasons for which this patient group is
      admitted to a PCC.

PMID- 28622476
TI  - The Effect of Transdermal Estrogen Patch Use on Cardiovascular Outcomes: A
      Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vasomotor symptoms are the most commonly reported menopausal
      symptoms. Hormone therapy has been widely used to relieve postmenopausal
      symptoms. With studies suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular events and
      breast cancer with oral hormone therapy use, there has been reluctance to use it.
      The transdermal estrogen patch provides relief from menopausal symptoms. However,
      there are limited data on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes, while on the
      transdermal estrogen patch. METHODS: An extensive search in Cochrane and PubMed
      databases was conducted up to February 2016. The selection criteria included
      healthy, peri-, and postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79 and should
      have received transdermal estrogen therapy. The relationship between estrogen
      patch use and cardiovascular outcomes was analyzed. Six articles met the criteria
      and were included. RESULTS: We found some evidence suggestive of protective
      cardiovascular effects with transdermal estrogen therapy with a decrease in the
      risk of stroke and no increase in the risk of coronary heart disease, death, or
      myocardial infarction. DISCUSSION: This is one of the first systematic reviews
      addressing the association of transdermal estrogen patch use on cardiovascular
      outcomes. We found some evidence suggestive of a possible protective
      cardiovascular effect with transdermal estrogen therapy. Further randomized
      controlled studies are needed with a longer duration of follow-up, to study the
      cardiovascular effects of transdermal estrogen patches.

PMID- 28622478
TI  - Novel Nonsurgical Endoscopic Approaches for the Treatment of Obesity.
AB  - Globally, obesity is a leading cause of preventable death and is associated with
      >60 comorbid medical conditions, including 10 types of cancer that are strongly
      associated with body mass index. There are a number of traditional obesity
      treatments-for example, lifestyle management (eg, decreased caloric intake and
      increased expenditure), pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. Recently,
      endoscopic approaches have emerged as a viable alternative for weight loss.
      Endoscopically placed intragastric balloons were introduced in the early 1980s
      for the treatment of medically complicated obesity but, unfortunately, had high
      rates of complications, such as premature deflation leading to obstruction.
      Despite these shortcomings, these devices have experienced a renewal, with a
      second generation of improved devices being approved for clinical use in 2015. In
      addition to the intragastric balloons, there are a number of other endoscopic
      approaches to weight loss that are either Food and Drug Administration approved
      or undergoing evaluation (aspiration therapy, duodenal jejunal bypass sleeve).
      The current review examines the literature available and discusses the practical
      clinical considerations involved.

PMID- 28622479
TI  - Making Use of Lasers in Periodontal Treatment: A New Gold Standard?

PMID- 28622480
TI  - Circadian Variation of Breast Milk Components and Implications for Care.
AB  - Several components of breast milk show circadian variability. It is likely that
      at least some of these macronutrients, hormones, and micronutrients produce
      circadian stimuli that enhance the well-being of breast-fed infants. Future
      research should determine whether high-risk infants benefit if breast milk is
      given during the same circadian phase as it was expressed.

PMID- 28622481
TI  - Hospice Visit Patterns in the Last Seven Days of Life and the Service Intensity
      Add-On Payment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hospice in-person visits in the last week of life are critical to
      ensure quality of care. In 2016, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
      (CMS) introduced a Service Intensity Add-on (SIA) payment for in-person routine
      home care (RHC) visits by a registered nurse or social worker in the last 7 days
      of life. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to examine visit patterns in the
      last week of life and provide SIA payment impact estimates. DESIGN/MEASUREMENTS:
      Hospice data from 42 volunteer hospice programs for the 6-year period of 2005
      2010 were examined. The data included information on the type and duration of
      visits/other care, the staff discipline, and patient demographics, diagnoses,
      date of death, and care setting (home, assisted living, nursing home). RESULTS:
      In their last week of life, 251,407 decedents received 2,818,695 visits during
      1,352,638 RHC days. Forty-four percent of the decedents had at least one SIA
      eligible visit (in-person direct care visit by a registered nurse (RN) or social
      worker (SW)); 6.6% had only phone contact, and 30.4% had no hospice contact.
      Rates of RHC days with SIA-eligible days varied considerably across hospices (31%
      to 60.9%). For the 86.3% decedents with any SIA-eligible visits, average SIA
      payment would have been $202.5 (Median = $177.2, inter quartile range [IQR] =
      $108.3-$275.6), which represents a 21.6% increase over the average regular RHC
      payments received during the last week of life. CONCLUSIONS: The relative size of
      the new SIA payment introduced by CMS has the potential to increase RN/SW visits
      and reduce disparities in visit patterns in the last week of life.

PMID- 28622482
TI  - Antidiabetic Properties of an Apple/Kale Extract In Vitro, In Situ, and in Mice
      Fed a Western-Type Diet.
AB  - Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common and increasingly prevalent metabolic
      disorder, and effective preventive strategies against this disease are needed.
      The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential antidiabetic
      properties of a dietary apple/kale extract (AKE), which was rich in phlorizin and
      flavonoids, in laboratory mice. Mice were fed a control diet, a Western-type high
      sugar, high-fat diet (WTD), or a WTD plus AKE for 10 weeks. Body weight, food and
      energy intake, body composition, and blood glucose level were recorded in
      addition to the postprandial rise in blood glucose concentration after a single
      administration of glucose (oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT). Furthermore,
      changes in glucose-induced short-circuit current (ISC) in response to AKE and
      phlorizin administration were evaluated in situ in intestinal tissues with Ussing
      chambers. In addition, the in vitro inhibition of alpha-glucosidase by AKE was
      determined. The present data suggest that supplementation of an AKE to a WTD
      significantly improved both blood glucose levels and OGTT in mice. Furthermore,
      in situ uptake of glucose was significantly inhibited by AKE. Finally, we showed
      that AKE significantly inhibits alpha-glucosidase activity in vitro. We conclude
      that AKE exhibits antidiabetic properties by a dual mechanism, including the
      inhibition of alpha-glucosidase and sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1
      (SGLT1). Thus, AKE has the potential to serve as a natural plant bioactive
      compound for dietary prevention strategies against T2DM.

PMID- 28622483
TI  - Human Milk Fortifiers Do Not Meet the Current Recommendation for Nutrients in
      Very Low Birth Weight Infants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Use of multinutrient fortifiers is standard of care for small preterm
      infants fed exclusively human milk. However, adequacy of human milk fortifiers
      (HMFs) to meet the recommended intake for macronutrients and micronutrients is
      now known. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nutrient content of human milk fortified
      according to manufacturer's recommendations was compared at isocaloric levels for
      1 human milk-based (HMF-A), 2 bovine milk protein-based (HMF-B, HMF-C), and 2
      preterm infant formulas (PTF-B, PTF-C). In addition, 4 multivitamin supplements
      were compared. RESULTS: At 130 kcal/kg, intake of macronutrients was similar to
      the recommendation, although deficient and excess intake of micronutrient
      occurred with all fortifiers. Four to 9 micronutrients were absent in HMF or PTF
      (biotin, choline, inositol, carnitine, taurine, molybdenum, iodine, selenium, or
      chromium). For the remainder, HMF resulted in deficient intake for 1-13
      micronutrients, occurring most frequently with HMF-A. Excess micronutrients (3-15
      at <50% and 1-3 at 109%-437%) occurred with all HMF and most frequently with HMF
      B and HMF-C. At 150 kcal/kg, deficient intake improved but generally remained
      below recommendation, while excess intake became exaggerated. PTF and
      multivitamin formulations do not fully compensate for the deficiencies and can
      result in extremely high micronutrient intake. CONCLUSIONS: At the recommended
      energy intake for very low birth weight infants, many micronutrients are absent
      or are present in grossly inadequate amounts, and several micronutrients are in
      excess. Reformulation of HMF is urgently needed since PTF or multivitamin
      supplement only partially corrects some deficiencies while providing some
      nutrients in excess.

PMID- 28622484
TI  - Bactericidal Effect of Er:YAG Laser-Activated Sodium Hypochlorite Irrigation
      Against Biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis Isolate from Canal of Root-Filled Teeth
      with Periapical Lesions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate the bactericidal effect of Er:YAG laser
      activated sodium hypochlorite irrigation (Er:YAG + NaOCl) on biofilms of
      Enterococcus faecalis clinical isolate. BACKGROUND DATA: It was reported that
      Er:YAG + NaOCl had effective bactericidal effect on laboratory-adapted E.
      faecalis strain, while no study has reported its effect on the clinical isolate.
      METHODS: Eighteen E. faecalis strains were isolated from 39 root-filled teeth
      with periapical lesions, and their biofilm formation abilities were evaluated
      using the crystal violet staining method. Extracted human root canals were
      prepared to a 40#/.04 K3 instrument and contaminated with the E. faecalis isolate
      that presented the strongest biofilm formation ability for 4 weeks. The infected
      canals then received treatments of syringe irrigation with normal saline (NS) or
      NaOCl, ultrasonic activated irrigations US + NS and US + NaOCl, and Er:YAG laser
      activated irrigations Er:YAG + NS and Er:YAG + NaOCl. The root canals were
      examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The bacterial reductions were
      evaluated using the cell count method. RESULTS: SEM results showed that biofilm
      like structures formed on the root canal walls after 4-week bacterial incubation.
      Er:YAG + NaOCl completely removed the E. faecalis biofilm from the root canal
      wall and made it the cleanest and most smooth surface among the treatment groups.
      Bacterial reductions in the treatment groups were presented in a descending order
      of Er:YAG + NaOCl (98.8%), US + NaOCl (98.6%) > NaOCl (94.0%) > Er:YAG + NS
      (91.9%) > US + NS (78.1%) > NS (51.1%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The Er:YAG +
      NaOCl showed an effective bactericidal effect on biofilms of E. faecalis isolate,
      which may be considered an effective protocol for root canal treatment.

PMID- 28622485
TI  - The Nature of Whiplash in a Compensable Environment: Injury, Disability,
      Rehabilitation, and Compensation Systems.
AB  - Synopsis Whiplash is a compensable injury in many jurisdictions, but there is
      considerable heterogeneity in the compensation arrangements that apply across
      jurisdictions, even within some countries. These compensation schemes have,
      however, been subject to a common set of interrelated concerns, chiefly
      concerning the incentives, behaviors, and outcomes that may arise when financial
      compensation for injuries is available to injured parties. This article provides
      a nontechnical overview of some of those concerns through the lens of economics:
      principally, insurance economics and health economics, including related subsets
      such as information economics and agency theory, as well as economics and the
      law. It notes that because it is generally infeasible to randomize the treatment
      (ie, compensation) via trials, analyses of observational data are necessary to
      discover more about the relationship between compensation and health outcomes.
      This poses the analytical challenge of discovering causal connections between
      phenomena from nonrandomized data sets. The present article calls for further
      research that would enable convincing causal interpretations of such
      relationships via the careful analysis of rich observational data sets using
      modern econometric methods. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(7):503-508. Epub 16
      Jun 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7533.

PMID- 28622486
TI  - The Physiological Basis of Cervical Facet-Mediated Persistent Pain: Basic Science
      and Clinical Challenges.
AB  - Synopsis Chronic neck pain is a common condition and a primary clinical symptom
      of whiplash and other spinal injuries. Loading-induced neck injuries produce
      abnormal kinematics between the vertebrae, with the potential to injure facet
      joints and the afferent fibers that innervate the specific joint tissues,
      including the capsular ligament. Mechanoreceptive and nociceptive afferents that
      innervate the facet have their peripheral terminals in the capsule, cell bodies
      in the dorsal root ganglia, and terminal processes in the spinal cord. As such,
      biomechanical loading of these afferents can initiate nociceptive signaling in
      the peripheral and central nervous systems. Their activation depends on the local
      mechanical environment of the joint and encodes the neural processes that
      initiate pain and lead to its persistence. This commentary reviews the complex
      anatomical, biomechanical, and physiological consequences of facet-mediated
      whiplash injury and pain. The clinical presentation of facet-mediated pain is
      complex in its sensory and emotional components. Yet, human studies are limited
      in their ability to elucidate the physiological mechanisms by which abnormal
      facet loading leads to pain. Over the past decade, however, in vivo models of
      cervical facet injury that reproduce clinical pain symptoms have been developed
      and used to define the complicated and multifaceted electrophysiological,
      inflammatory, and nociceptive signaling cascades that are involved in the
      pathophysiology of whiplash facet pain. Integrating the whiplash-like mechanics
      in vivo and in vitro allows transmission of pathophysiological mechanisms across
      scales, with the hope of informing clinical management. Yet, despite these
      advances, many challenges remain. This commentary further describes and
      highlights such challenges. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(7):450-461. Epub 16
      Jun 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7255.

PMID- 28622487
TI  - An Integrated Model of Chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorder.
AB  - Synopsis The development of persistent symptoms following whiplash injury from a
      motor vehicle collision is common and contributes substantially to societal and
      personal costs. The popular Quebec Task Force classification system of whiplash
      associated disorders (WADs) was meant to function as a prognostic and
      intervention decision aid, but its usefulness has been questioned. Emerging
      evidence highlights the heterogeneity of WAD by demonstrating physical and
      psychological impairments that are unique to those who develop persistent
      symptoms. These impairments are not recognized in the Quebec Task Force
      classification system. The purpose of this clinical commentary is to describe an
      integrated model that focuses on how psychological and neurobiological factors
      interact with, and are influenced by, existing personal and environmental factors
      to contribute to the development of chronic WAD. The model has been developed
      through more than 20 years of work in the field, consultation with experts, in
      depth synthesis of existing evidence, and new evidence from the authors' own
      research programs. A subtheme is that a point of convergence currently exists
      between the psychological, physiological, and social determinants of health
      literature that can further explain the complex presentation of WAD. The new
      model is proposed to orient future research toward more interdisciplinary efforts
      across nontraditional fields, including data scientists and consumers, to clarify
      the WAD condition. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(7):462-471. Epub 16 Jun
      2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7455.

PMID- 28622488
TI  - Dizziness, Unsteadiness, Visual Disturbances, and Sensorimotor Control in
      Traumatic Neck Pain.
AB  - Synopsis There is considerable evidence to support the importance of cervical
      afferent dysfunction in the development of dizziness, unsteadiness, visual
      disturbances, altered balance, and altered eye and head movement control
      following neck trauma, especially in those with persistent symptoms. However,
      there are other possible causes for these symptoms, and secondary adaptive
      changes should also be considered in differential diagnosis. Understanding the
      nature of these symptoms and differential diagnosis of their potential origin is
      important for rehabilitation. In addition to symptoms, the evaluation of
      potential impairments (altered cervical joint position and movement sense, static
      and dynamic balance, and ocular mobility and coordination) should become an
      essential part of the routine assessment of those with traumatic neck pain,
      including those with concomitant injuries such as concussion and vestibular or
      visual pathology or deficits. Once adequately assessed, appropriate tailored
      management should be implemented. Research to further assist differential
      diagnosis and to understand the most important contributing factors associated
      with abnormal cervical afferent input and subsequent disturbances to the
      sensorimotor control system, as well as the most efficacious management of such
      symptoms and impairments, is important for the future. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
      2017;47(7):492-502. Epub 16 Jun 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7052.

PMID- 28622489
TI  - The Role of Exercise and Patient Education in the Noninvasive Management of
      Whiplash.
AB  - Synopsis The majority of people with whiplash-associated disorder do not have
      neurological deficit or fracture and are therefore largely managed with
      nonsurgical interventions such as exercise, patient education, and behavioral
      based interventions. To date, clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, and the
      results of high-quality randomized controlled trials recommend exercise and
      patient education as the primary interventions for people in both acute and
      chronic stages after injury. However, the relatively weak evidence and small
      effect sizes in individual trials have led authors of some systematic reviews to
      reach equivocal recommendations for either exercise or patient education, and led
      policy makers and funders to question whether the more expensive intervention
      (exercise) should be funded at all. Physical therapists, one of the most commonly
      consulted professionals treating individuals with whiplash-associated disorder,
      need to look beyond the evidence for insights as to what role patient education
      and exercise should play in the future management of whiplash. This clinical
      commentary therefore will review the evidence for exercise, patient education,
      and behavioral-based interventions for whiplash and provide clinical insight as
      to the future role that exercise and patient education should play in the
      management of this complex condition. Possible subgroups of patients who may best
      respond to exercise will be explored using stratification based on impairments,
      treatment response, and risk/prognostic factors. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
      2017;47(7):481-491. Epub 16 Jun 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7138.

PMID- 28622490
TI  - Lawsonia intracellularis in Pigs: Progression of Lesions and Involvement of
      Apoptosis.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to follow the progression of gross and histologic
      lesions and apoptosis events in Lawsonia intracellularis-infected enterocytes
      through the course of the disease, proliferative enteropathy (PE). Thirty 5-week
      old pigs were divided into 2 groups: 20 challenged and 10 control animals. Groups
      of 3 pigs, 2 challenged and 1 control, were euthanized at 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, 15, 19,
      24, 29, and 35 days after inoculation. Complete necropsies were performed with
      gross evaluation. Tissue samples from different sites of the gastrointestinal
      tract and other visceral organs were collected for routine histologic staining
      and for immunohistochemistry (IHC) for L. intracellularis. In addition, caspase
      3, terminal deoxyuridine nick-end labeling assay, and electron microscopy were
      performed in ileum samples. Macroscopic and histologic lesions suggestive of PE
      were first detected 11 days after infection and continued through day 24. L.
      intracellularis antigen was first detected in the intestine by IHC on day 5 after
      inoculation, and the bacterium was first detected by transmission electron
      microscopy on day 15. Positive IHC staining for [L. intracellularis] and
      enterocyte proliferation, but no gross lesion, were detected on day 29. All 3
      pigs euthanized on day 35 were grossly and histologically normal and IHC
      negative. Hyperplastic crypts in challenge pigs had more apoptotic cells on days
      15, 19, and 24 postinfection ( P < .05) compared to control pigs. Our results
      demonstrated the progression of lesions and infection by L. intracellularis and
      that inhibition of enterocyte apoptosis is not involved in the pathogenesis of
      proliferative enteropathy.

PMID- 28622491
TI  - Putting the Idiopathic Back Into Porcine Idiopathic Vesicular Disease:: Setting
      the Record Straight on Reports of PIVD in New Zealand.

PMID- 28622493
TI  - The Evolving Significance and Future Relevance of the Impact Factor.

PMID- 28622494
TI  - Laryngeal Neuropathy in Adult Goats With Copper Deficiency.
AB  - The aim of this study was to elucidate the cause of a neurological syndrome
      characterized by stridor in adult goats with clinical signs of copper deficiency.
      The main clinical signs consisted of apathy, emaciation, pale mucous membranes,
      mucous nasal discharge, dyspnea, severe achromotrichia, diffuse alopecia, torpor,
      ataxia, and stridor. When the goats were forced to move, the stridor increased.
      In a herd of 194 Toggenburg goats, 10 adult goats with clinical signs of copper
      deficiency were removed from the herd and divided into 2 groups: group 1, which
      consisted of 4 nannies and 1 buck with stridor, and group 2, which consisted of 4
      nannies and 1 buck without stridor. Group 3, used as a control, consisted of 5
      adult goats from another flock without any clinical signs of disease. The mean
      serum copper concentrations were 1.3 +/- 0.3 MUmol/L in group 1, 8.1 +/- 1.1
      MUmol/L in group 2, and 11.3 +/- 2.2 MUmol/L in group 3. The mean serum iron
      concentrations were 42.3 +/- 14.2 MUmol/L in group 1, 39.1 +/- 8.2 MUmol/L in
      group 2, and 20.6 +/- 6.1 MUmol/L in group 3. The main histological lesions in
      goats from group 1 were axonal degeneration of the recurrent laryngeal nerves and
      atrophy of the muscles of vocal folds and of the dorsal cricoarytenoid and right
      and left cricothyroid muscles. Goats with ataxia had neuronal degeneration and
      necrosis of cerebellar Purkinje cells and of the cranial cervical ganglion. We
      concluded that the stridor was caused by axonal degeneration of the recurrent
      laryngeal nerves due to the severe copper deficiency.

PMID- 28622495
TI  - The ACVP/STP Coalition for Veterinary Pathology Fellows Celebrates 32 New
      Training Positions.

PMID- 28622496
TI  - Equine Hoof Canker: Cell Proliferation and Morphology.
AB  - Hoof canker is described as progressive pododermatitis of the equine hoof with
      absent epidermal cornification and extensive proliferation of the dermal
      papillary body; however, in-depth research on the type of proliferative activity
      has not yet been reported. The aim of the present study was to determine cell
      specific proliferation patterns together with morphological analysis of hoof
      canker tissue. Tissues removed during surgery from 19 horses presented for
      treatment of canker were compared with similar postmortem tissues of healthy
      hooves of 10 horses. Morphological alterations visible in light microscopy were
      assessed semiquantitatively and graded for severity. Proliferative activity was
      evaluated by means of anti-PCNA (proliferative cell nuclear antigen) and anti
      Ki67 immunohistochemistry. Histologically, canker tissue showed 5 major
      morphological alterations-the presence of lacunae, vacuoles, giant cells,
      hemorrhage, and inflammation-not seen in control tissue. Also, there was a
      notable koilocytotic appearance of keratinocytes in canker tissue.
      Immunohistochemistry revealed increased levels of PCNA protein expression in
      keratinocytes and fibroblasts of canker tissue compared with control tissue. In
      control tissue, keratinocytes showed higher levels of Ki67 compared with canker
      tissue, while the dermal fibroblasts of both groups showed similar levels of
      Ki67, indicating similar proliferative activity of less than 3% of total dermal
      fibroblasts. These results demonstrate that, in contrast to previous reports,
      there is no evidence for increased proliferative activity of the dermal papillary
      body associated with hoof canker. Increased levels of PCNA protein expression and
      morphological alterations indicate that dysregulation of keratinocyte
      differentiation constitutes a key event in equine hoof canker development.

PMID- 28622497
TI  - Feline Panleukopenia Virus Is Not Associated With Myocarditis or Endomyocardial
      Restrictive Cardiomyopathy in Cats.
AB  - Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) is nearly indistinguishable from feline panleukopenia
      virus (FPV) and is a well-known cause of viral myocarditis in young puppies;
      however, it is not known whether either FPV or CPV-2 naturally infects feline
      cardiomyocytes and causes myocarditis. Endomyocarditis (EMC) and left ventricular
      endomyocardial fibrosis (LVEF), clinically known as "endomyocardial restrictive
      cardiomyopathy," are important feline heart diseases suspected to have an
      infectious etiology. A continuum is suggested with EMC representing the acute
      reaction to an unknown infectious agent and LVEF the chronic manifestation of
      repair. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) whether there is natural
      parvovirus infection of the feline myocardium and (2) whether parvoviral
      infection is associated with feline EMC and/or LVEF. In a retrospective study,
      polymerase chain reaction and sequencing for the parvovirus VP1/2 gene was
      performed on archived heart tissue from cats with endomyocardial disease and
      controls. Similar methods were used prospectively on myocardial tissues from
      shelter-source kittens. Although 8 of 36 (22%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11%
      40%) shelter kittens had parvoviral DNA in myocardial tissue, VP1/2 DNA was not
      detected in 33 adult cases or 34 controls (95% CI, 0% to ~11%). These findings
      were confirmed by in situ hybridization: adult cats did not have detectable
      parvovirus DNA, although rare intranuclear signal was confirmed in 7 of 8 shelter
      source kittens. In kittens, parvovirus was not significantly associated with
      myocarditis, and in situ hybridization signal did not colocalize with
      inflammation. Although infection of cardiomyocytes was demonstrated in kittens,
      these data do not support a role for parvovirus in EMC-LVEF.

PMID- 28622498
TI  - Sorting Out Complex Thoughts and Messy Emotions.

PMID- 28622499
TI  - The Measure of a Man.
AB  - Moving beyond simple fitness tracking, wearable devices may soon offer
      opportunities for monitoring health and bring vast amounts of new data to the
      study of human diseases.

PMID- 28622500
TI  - Getting Surprising Answers to Unasked Questions.

PMID- 28622501
TI  - Microbiome and Longevity: Gut Microbes Send Signals to Host Mitochondria.
AB  - The microbiome has emerged as a major determinant of the functioning of host
      organisms, affecting both health and disease. Here, Han et al. use the workhorse
      of aging research, C. elegans, to identify specific mechanisms by which gut
      bacteria influence mitochondrial dynamics and aging, a first step toward
      analogous manipulations to modulate human aging.

PMID- 28622502
TI  - Just a Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Tolerance Go Up.
AB  - Survival of deleterious infections depends significantly on how much stress the
      affected organism can tolerate. In this issue, Weis et al. find that mice can
      survive sepsis by maintaining normoglycemia through ferritin's capacity to
      inactivate Fe2+ ions that otherwise induce free radicals impacting
      gluconeogenesis in the liver.

PMID- 28622503
TI  - DAMed in (Trem) 2 Steps.
AB  - The role of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases has been controversial. In
      this issue, Keren-Shaul et al. identify a unique population of disease-associated
      microglia (DAM) that develop in two steps and may help to restrict damage in
      Alzheimer and related diseases.

PMID- 28622504
TI  - Sex at Atomic Resolution.
AB  - Interspecies fertilization is rare, partly due to species separation enforced at
      the molecular level. In this issue, Raj et al. now reveal the crystal structures
      of mollusk egg coat protein, VERL, complexed with cognate sperm protein lysin.
      Given that VERL is structurally similar to mammalian ZP2, the mechanism
      elucidating species-specific gamete recognition likely exists in mammals.

PMID- 28622505
TI  - An Expanded View of Complex Traits: From Polygenic to Omnigenic.
AB  - A central goal of genetics is to understand the links between genetic variation
      and disease. Intuitively, one might expect disease-causing variants to cluster
      into key pathways that drive disease etiology. But for complex traits,
      association signals tend to be spread across most of the genome-including near
      many genes without an obvious connection to disease. We propose that gene
      regulatory networks are sufficiently interconnected such that all genes expressed
      in disease-relevant cells are liable to affect the functions of core disease
      related genes and that most heritability can be explained by effects on genes
      outside core pathways. We refer to this hypothesis as an "omnigenic" model.

PMID- 28622506
TI  - Dynamic RNA Modifications in Gene Expression Regulation.
AB  - Over 100 types of chemical modifications have been identified in cellular RNAs.
      While the 5' cap modification and the poly(A) tail of eukaryotic mRNA play key
      roles in regulation, internal modifications are gaining attention for their roles
      in mRNA metabolism. The most abundant internal mRNA modification is N6
      methyladenosine (m6A), and identification of proteins that install, recognize,
      and remove this and other marks have revealed roles for mRNA modification in
      nearly every aspect of the mRNA life cycle, as well as in various cellular,
      developmental, and disease processes. Abundant noncoding RNAs such as tRNAs,
      rRNAs, and spliceosomal RNAs are also heavily modified and depend on the
      modifications for their biogenesis and function. Our understanding of the
      biological contributions of these different chemical modifications is beginning
      to take shape, but it's clear that in both coding and noncoding RNAs, dynamic
      modifications represent a new layer of control of genetic information.

PMID- 28622507
TI  - Independent and Stochastic Action of DNA Polymerases in the Replisome.
AB  - It has been assumed that DNA synthesis by the leading- and lagging-strand
      polymerases in the replisome must be coordinated to avoid the formation of
      significant gaps in the nascent strands. Using real-time single-molecule
      analysis, we establish that leading- and lagging-strand DNA polymerases function
      independently within a single replisome. Although average rates of DNA synthesis
      on leading and lagging strands are similar, individual trajectories of both DNA
      polymerases display stochastically switchable rates of synthesis interspersed
      with distinct pauses. DNA unwinding by the replicative helicase may continue
      during such pauses, but a self-governing mechanism, where helicase speed is
      reduced by ~80%, permits recoupling of polymerase to helicase. These features
      imply a more dynamic, kinetically discontinuous replication process, wherein
      contacts within the replisome are continually broken and reformed. We conclude
      that the stochastic behavior of replisome components ensures complete DNA
      duplication without requiring coordination of leading- and lagging-strand
      synthesis. PAPERCLIP.

PMID- 28622508
TI  - SAF-A Regulates Interphase Chromosome Structure through Oligomerization with
      Chromatin-Associated RNAs.
AB  - Higher eukaryotic chromosomes are organized into topologically constrained
      functional domains; however, the molecular mechanisms required to sustain these
      complex interphase chromatin structures are unknown. A stable matrix underpinning
      nuclear organization was hypothesized, but the idea was abandoned as more dynamic
      models of chromatin behavior became prevalent. Here, we report that scaffold
      attachment factor A (SAF-A), originally identified as a structural nuclear
      protein, interacts with chromatin-associated RNAs (caRNAs) via its RGG domain to
      regulate human interphase chromatin structures in a transcription-dependent
      manner. Mechanistically, this is dependent on SAF-A's AAA+ ATPase domain, which
      mediates cycles of protein oligomerization with caRNAs, in response to ATP
      binding and hydrolysis. SAF-A oligomerization decompacts large-scale chromatin
      structure while SAF-A loss or monomerization promotes aberrant chromosome folding
      and accumulation of genome damage. Our results show that SAF-A and caRNAs form a
      dynamic, transcriptionally responsive chromatin mesh that organizes large-scale
      chromosome structures and protects the genome from instability.

PMID- 28622509
TI  - Antibacterial Nucleoside-Analog Inhibitor of Bacterial RNA Polymerase.
AB  - Drug-resistant bacterial pathogens pose an urgent public-health crisis. Here, we
      report the discovery, from microbial-extract screening, of a nucleoside-analog
      inhibitor that inhibits bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) and exhibits
      antibacterial activity against drug-resistant bacterial pathogens:
      pseudouridimycin (PUM). PUM is a natural product comprising a formamidinylated, N
      hydroxylated Gly-Gln dipeptide conjugated to 6'-amino-pseudouridine. PUM potently
      and selectively inhibits bacterial RNAP in vitro, inhibits bacterial growth in
      culture, and clears infection in a mouse model of Streptococcus pyogenes
      peritonitis. PUM inhibits RNAP through a binding site on RNAP (the NTP addition
      site) and mechanism (competition with UTP for occupancy of the NTP addition site)
      that differ from those of the RNAP inhibitor and current antibacterial drug
      rifampin (Rif). PUM exhibits additive antibacterial activity when co-administered
      with Rif, exhibits no cross-resistance with Rif, and exhibits a spontaneous
      resistance rate an order-of-magnitude lower than that of Rif. PUM is a highly
      promising lead for antibacterial therapy.

PMID- 28622510
TI  - Microbial Genetic Composition Tunes Host Longevity.
AB  - Homeostasis of the gut microbiota critically influences host health and aging.
      Developing genetically engineered probiotics holds great promise as a new
      therapeutic paradigm to promote healthy aging. Here, through screening 3,983
      Escherichia coli mutants, we discovered that 29 bacterial genes, when deleted,
      increase longevity in the host Caenorhabditis elegans. A dozen of these bacterial
      mutants also protect the host from age-related progression of tumor growth and
      amyloid-beta accumulation. Mechanistically, we discovered that five bacterial
      mutants promote longevity through increased secretion of the polysaccharide
      colanic acid (CA), which regulates mitochondrial dynamics and unfolded protein
      response (UPRmt) in the host. Purified CA polymers are sufficient to promote
      longevity via ATFS-1, the host UPRmt-responsive transcription factor.
      Furthermore, the mitochondrial changes and longevity effects induced by CA are
      conserved across different species. Together, our results identified molecular
      targets for developing pro-longevity microbes and a bacterial metabolite acting
      on host mitochondria to promote longevity.

PMID- 28622511
TI  - Metabolic Adaptation Establishes Disease Tolerance to Sepsis.
AB  - Sepsis is an often lethal syndrome resulting from maladaptive immune and
      metabolic responses to infection, compromising host homeostasis. Disease
      tolerance is a defense strategy against infection that preserves host homeostasis
      without exerting a direct negative impact on pathogens. Here, we demonstrate that
      induction of the iron-sequestering ferritin H chain (FTH) in response to
      polymicrobial infections is critical to establish disease tolerance to sepsis.
      The protective effect of FTH is exerted via a mechanism that counters iron-driven
      oxidative inhibition of the liver glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), and in doing
      so, sustains endogenous glucose production via liver gluconeogenesis. This is
      required to prevent the development of hypoglycemia that otherwise compromises
      disease tolerance to sepsis. FTH overexpression or ferritin administration
      establish disease tolerance therapeutically. In conclusion, disease tolerance to
      sepsis relies on a crosstalk between adaptive responses controlling iron and
      glucose metabolism, required to maintain blood glucose within a physiologic range
      compatible with host survival.

PMID- 28622512
TI  - Structural Basis of Egg Coat-Sperm Recognition at Fertilization.
AB  - Recognition between sperm and the egg surface marks the beginning of life in all
      sexually reproducing organisms. This fundamental biological event depends on the
      species-specific interaction between rapidly evolving counterpart molecules on
      the gametes. We report biochemical, crystallographic, and mutational studies of
      domain repeats 1-3 of invertebrate egg coat protein VERL and their interaction
      with cognate sperm protein lysin. VERL repeats fold like the functionally
      essential N-terminal repeat of mammalian sperm receptor ZP2, whose structure is
      also described here. Whereas sequence-divergent repeat 1 does not bind lysin,
      repeat 3 binds it non-species specifically via a high-affinity, largely
      hydrophobic interface. Due to its intermediate binding affinity, repeat 2
      selectively interacts with lysin from the same species. Exposure of a highly
      positively charged surface of VERL-bound lysin suggests that complex formation
      both disrupts the organization of egg coat filaments and triggers their
      electrostatic repulsion, thereby opening a hole for sperm penetration and fusion.

PMID- 28622514
TI  - Landscape of Infiltrating T Cells in Liver Cancer Revealed by Single-Cell
      Sequencing.
AB  - Systematic interrogation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes is key to the
      development of immunotherapies and the prediction of their clinical responses in
      cancers. Here, we perform deep single-cell RNA sequencing on 5,063 single T cells
      isolated from peripheral blood, tumor, and adjacent normal tissues from six
      hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The transcriptional profiles of these
      individual cells, coupled with assembled T cell receptor (TCR) sequences, enable
      us to identify 11 T cell subsets based on their molecular and functional
      properties and delineate their developmental trajectory. Specific subsets such as
      exhausted CD8+ T cells and Tregs are preferentially enriched and potentially
      clonally expanded in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and we identified signature
      genes for each subset. One of the genes, layilin, is upregulated on activated
      CD8+ T cells and Tregs and represses the CD8+ T cell functions in vitro. This
      compendium of transcriptome data provides valuable insights and a rich resource
      for understanding the immune landscape in cancers.

PMID- 28622515
TI  - A Mechanogenetic Toolkit for Interrogating Cell Signaling in Space and Time.

PMID- 28622516
TI  - SnapShot: Phosphoregulation of Mitosis.
AB  - During mitosis, a cell divides its duplicated genome into two identical daughter
      cells. This process must occur without errors to prevent proliferative diseases
      (e.g., cancer). A key mechanism controlling mitosis is the precise timing of more
      than 32,000 phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events by a network of kinases
      and counterbalancing phosphatases. The identity, magnitude, and temporal
      regulation of these events have emerged recently, largely from advances in mass
      spectrometry. Here, we show phosphoevents currently believed to be key regulators
      of mitosis. For an animated version of this SnapShot, please see
      http://www.cell.com/cell/enhanced/odonoghue2.

PMID- 28622517
TI  - ER Stress Promotes Inflammation through Re-wIREd Macrophages in Obesity.
AB  - A new mechanism linking ER dysfunction to metabolic inflammation is discovered in
      a recent study by Shan et al. (2017), which demonstrated ER stress-induced
      rewiring of adipose tissue macrophage polarization by IRE1alpha activation,
      leading to impaired systemic glucose homeostasis.

PMID- 28622518
TI  - Habits of Highly Effective Biofilms: Ion Signaling.
AB  - How do neighboring bacterial biofilms sense and communicate with each other? In a
      recent paper, Liu et al. (2017) demonstrate how electrical signaling allows
      communication of metabolic states between adjacent B. subtilis biofilms,
      providing a possible generalizable mechanism for communication in multispecies
      biofilms with interdependent metabolism.

PMID- 28622519
TI  - Replication Catastrophe: When a Checkpoint Fails because of Exhaustion.
AB  - Proliferating cells rely on the so-called DNA replication checkpoint to ensure
      orderly completion of genome duplication, and its malfunction may lead to
      catastrophic genome disruption, including unscheduled firing of replication
      origins, stalling and collapse of replication forks, massive DNA breakage, and,
      ultimately, cell death. Despite many years of intensive research into the
      molecular underpinnings of the eukaryotic replication checkpoint, the mechanisms
      underlying the dismal consequences of its failure remain enigmatic. A recent
      development offers a unifying model in which the replication checkpoint guards
      against global exhaustion of rate-limiting replication regulators. Here we
      discuss how such a mechanism can prevent catastrophic genome disruption and
      suggest how to harness this knowledge to advance therapeutic strategies to
      eliminate cancer cells that inherently proliferate under increased DNA
      replication stress.

PMID- 28622513
TI  - Comprehensive and Integrative Genomic Characterization of Hepatocellular
      Carcinoma.
AB  - Liver cancer has the second highest worldwide cancer mortality rate and has
      limited therapeutic options. We analyzed 363 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases
      by whole-exome sequencing and DNA copy number analyses, and we analyzed 196 HCC
      cases by DNA methylation, RNA, miRNA, and proteomic expression also. DNA
      sequencing and mutation analysis identified significantly mutated genes,
      including LZTR1, EEF1A1, SF3B1, and SMARCA4. Significant alterations by mutation
      or downregulation by hypermethylation in genes likely to result in HCC metabolic
      reprogramming (ALB, APOB, and CPS1) were observed. Integrative molecular HCC
      subtyping incorporating unsupervised clustering of five data platforms identified
      three subtypes, one of which was associated with poorer prognosis in three HCC
      cohorts. Integrated analyses enabled development of a p53 target gene expression
      signature correlating with poor survival. Potential therapeutic targets for which
      inhibitors exist include WNT signaling, MDM4, MET, VEGFA, MCL1, IDH1, TERT, and
      immune checkpoint proteins CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1.

PMID- 28622520
TI  - Innate Immune Receptors as Competitive Determinants of Cell Fate.
AB  - Infections can cause a multitude of stresses on the host and microbe. To detect
      potential infections, the mammalian immune system utilizes several families of
      pattern recognition receptors, which survey the intracellular and extracellular
      environments for microbial products. Members of each receptor family induce
      antimicrobial effector responses, which include inflammatory cytokine or
      interferon expression, downregulation of protein synthesis, or host cell death.
      In this review, we discuss the benefits of each of these innate immune responses.
      We highlight how non-infectious bacteria and viruses typically activate a single
      family of receptors, which results in a predictable host response. Infections
      with virulent pathogens, in contrast, may activate receptors from distinct
      families. As each receptor family may induce responses that antagonize or
      synergize with the activities of another family, cell fate decisions during
      pathogenic encounters are unpredictable. Understanding the antagonistic
      antimicrobial activities of the innate immune system should provide insight into
      how cell fate decisions are made during infections and potentially during other
      environmental stresses.

PMID- 28622521
TI  - The UPRER: Sensor and Coordinator of Organismal Homeostasis.
AB  - Life is stressful. Organisms are repeatedly exposed to stressors that disrupt
      protein homeostasis (proteostasis), resulting in protein misfolding and
      aggregation. To sense and respond to proteotoxic perturbations, cells have
      evolved compartment-specific stress responses, such as the unfolded protein
      response of the endoplasmic reticulum (UPRER). However, UPRER function is
      impaired with age, which, we propose, creates a permissive environment for
      protein aggregation, unresolved ER stress, and chronic inflammation.
      Understanding age-related changes to the UPRER will provide new avenues for
      therapeutic intervention in metabolic disease, neurodegeneration, and aging.

PMID- 28622522
TI  - The EGLN-HIF O2-Sensing System: Multiple Inputs and Feedbacks.
AB  - The EGLN (also called PHD) prolyl hydroxylase enzymes and their canonical
      targets, the HIFalpha subunits, represent the core of an ancient oxygen
      monitoring machinery used by metazoans. In this review, we highlight recent
      progress in understanding the overlapping versus specific roles of EGLN enzymes
      and HIF isoforms and discuss how feedback loops based on recently identified
      noncoding RNAs introduce additional layers of complexity to the hypoxic response.
      Based on novel interactions identified upstream and downstream of EGLNs, an
      integrated network connecting oxygen-sensing functions to metabolic and signaling
      pathways is gradually emerging with broad therapeutic implications.

PMID- 28622523
TI  - Intracellular Ca2+ Sensing: Its Role in Calcium Homeostasis and Signaling.
AB  - Ca2+ is a ubiquitous intracellular messenger that controls diverse cellular
      functions but can become toxic and cause cell death. Selective control of
      specific targets depends on spatiotemporal patterning of the calcium signal and
      decoding it by multiple, tunable, and often strategically positioned Ca2+-sensing
      elements. Ca2+ is detected by specialized motifs on proteins that have been
      biochemically characterized decades ago. However, the field of Ca2+ sensing has
      been reenergized by recent progress in fluorescent technology, genetics, and cryo
      EM. These approaches exposed local Ca2+-sensing mechanisms inside organelles and
      at the organellar interfaces, revealed how Ca2+ binding might work to open some
      channels, and identified human mutations and disorders linked to a variety of
      Ca2+-sensing proteins. Here we attempt to place these new developments in the
      context of intracellular calcium homeostasis and signaling.

PMID- 28622525
TI  - ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK: The Trinity at the Heart of the DNA Damage Response.
AB  - In vertebrate cells, the DNA damage response is controlled by three related
      kinases: ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK. It has been 20 years since the cloning of ATR, the
      last of the three to be identified. During this time, our understanding of how
      these kinases regulate DNA repair and associated events has grown profoundly,
      although major questions remain unanswered. Here, we provide a historical
      perspective of their discovery and discuss their established functions in sensing
      and responding to genotoxic stress. We also highlight what is known regarding
      their structural similarities and common mechanisms of regulation, as well as
      emerging non-canonical roles and how our knowledge of ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK is
      being translated to benefit human health.

PMID- 28622526
TI  - Extragastrointestinal stromal tumour of the lesser omentum: A case report and
      literature review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Extragastrointestinal stromal tumours (EGISTs) are very uncommon
      compared to their gastrointestinal counterparts. Most of them originate from the
      intestinal mesentery and the omentum. CASE REPORT: A 70 year-old Caucasian woman
      presented with a bulky abdominal mass which on laparotomy was found to originate
      from the lesser omentum and was completely resected. Histological examination
      revealed spindle cells with severe pleomorphism and high mitotic activity.
      Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells showed strong positivity for c-kit
      (CD117), DOG-1 and human haematopoietic progenitor cell antigen (CD34). An exon
      11 deleterious mutation was identified and thus regular dosing of 400mg imatinib
      mesylate was initiated. DISCUSSION: There have been only a few previous reports
      of EGISTs arising in the lesser omentum. Although EGISTs seem to have
      morphological and immunohistochemical similarities with GISTs, their
      pathogenesis, incidence, genetic background and prognosis are not completely
      known because they are extremely rare. It is strongly believed that such tumours
      originate from cells, which have similar pathological characteristics and
      biological behaviour as the intestinal cells of Cajal. In most series of EGISTs,
      a female predominance, a greater size and a higher mitotic index than GISTs were
      observed. CONCLUSION: EGISTs are very rare mesenchymal tumours which originate
      from cells outside the gastrointestinal tract and tend to have a more aggressive
      biological behaviour than their GI counterparts. Complete surgical resection is
      the most effective treatment associated with the use of imatinib in the presence
      of adverse prognostic factors. In any case a strict follow-up is necessary due to
      high recurrence rates.

PMID- 28622524
TI  - AMPK: Mechanisms of Cellular Energy Sensing and Restoration of Metabolic Balance.
AB  - AMPK is a highly conserved master regulator of metabolism, which restores energy
      balance during metabolic stress both at the cellular and physiological levels.
      The identification of numerous AMPK targets has helped explain how AMPK restores
      energy homeostasis. Recent advancements illustrate novel mechanisms of AMPK
      regulation, including changes in subcellular localization and phosphorylation by
      non-canonical upstream kinases. Notably, the therapeutic potential of AMPK is
      widely recognized and heavily pursued for treatment of metabolic diseases such as
      diabetes, but also obesity, inflammation, and cancer. Moreover, the recently
      solved crystal structure of AMPK has shed light both into how nucleotides
      activate AMPK and, importantly, also into the sites bound by small molecule
      activators, thus providing a path for improved drugs.

PMID- 28622527
TI  - Alzheimer's disease: The state of the art in resting-state
      magnetoencephalography.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is accompanied by functional brain changes that can be
      detected in imaging studies, including electromagnetic activity recorded with
      magnetoencephalography (MEG). Here, we systematically review the studies that
      have examined resting-state MEG changes in AD and identify areas that lack
      scientific or clinical progress. Three levels of MEG analysis will be covered:
      (i) single-channel signal analysis, (ii) pairwise analyses over time series,
      which includes the study of interdependencies between two time series and (iii)
      global network analyses. We discuss the findings in the light of other functional
      modalities, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic
      resonance imaging (fMRI). Overall, single-channel MEG results show consistent
      changes in AD that are in line with EEG studies, but the full potential of the
      high spatial resolution of MEG and advanced functional connectivity and network
      analysis has yet to be fully exploited. Adding these features to the current
      knowledge will potentially aid in uncovering organizational patterns of brain
      function in AD and thereby aid the understanding of neuronal mechanisms leading
      to cognitive deficits.

PMID- 28622528
TI  - Band-specific atypical functional connectivity pattern in childhood autism
      spectrum disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Altered brain connectivity has been theorized as a key neural
      underpinning of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but recent investigations have
      revealed conflicting patterns of connectivity, particularly hyper-connectivity
      and hypo-connectivity across age groups. The application of graph theory to
      neuroimaging data has become an effective approach for characterizing
      topographical patterns of large-scale functional networks. We used a graph
      approach to investigate alteration of functional networks in childhood ASD.
      METHOD: Magnetoencephalographic signals were quantified using graph-theoretic
      metrics with a phase lag index (PLI) for specific bands in 24 children with
      autism spectrum disorder and 24 typically developing controls. RESULTS: No
      significant group difference of PLI was found. Regarding topological
      organization, enhanced and reduced small-worldness, representing the efficiency
      of information processing, were observed respectively in ASD children,
      particularly in the gamma band and delta band. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses revealed
      frequency-dependent atypical neural network topologies in ASD children.
      SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings underscore the recently proposed atypical neural
      network theory of ASD during childhood. Graph theory with PLI applied to
      magnetoencephalographic signals might be a useful approach for characterizing the
      frequency-specific neurophysiological bases of ASD.

PMID- 28622529
TI  - Automatic multimodal detection for long-term seizure documentation in epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study investigated sensitivity and false detection rate of a
      multimodal automatic seizure detection algorithm and the applicability to reduced
      electrode montages for long-term seizure documentation in epilepsy patients.
      METHODS: An automatic seizure detection algorithm based on EEG, EMG, and ECG
      signals was developed. EEG/ECG recordings of 92 patients from two epilepsy
      monitoring units including 494 seizures were used to assess detection
      performance. EMG data were extracted by bandpass filtering of EEG signals.
      Sensitivity and false detection rate were evaluated for each signal modality and
      for reduced electrode montages. RESULTS: All focal seizures evolving to bilateral
      tonic-clonic (BTCS, n=50) and 89% of focal seizures (FS, n=139) were detected.
      Average sensitivity in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients was 94% and 74% in
      extratemporal lobe epilepsy (XTLE) patients. Overall detection sensitivity was
      86%. Average false detection rate was 12.8 false detections in 24h (FD/24h) for
      TLE and 22 FD/24h in XTLE patients. Utilization of 8 frontal and temporal
      electrodes reduced average sensitivity from 86% to 81%. CONCLUSION: Our automatic
      multimodal seizure detection algorithm shows high sensitivity with full and
      reduced electrode montages. SIGNIFICANCE: Evaluation of different signal
      modalities and electrode montages paces the way for semi-automatic seizure
      documentation systems.

PMID- 28622531
TI  - Explaining transgression in respiratory rate observation methods in the emergency
      department: A classic grounded theory analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Abnormal respiratory rates are one of the first indicators of
      clinical deterioration in emergency department(ED) patients. Despite the
      importance of respiratory rate observations, this vital sign is often
      inaccurately recorded on ED observation charts, compromising patient safety.
      Concurrently, there is a paucity of research reporting why this phenomenon
      occurs. OBJECTIVE: To develop a substantive theory explaining ED registered
      nurses' reasoning when they miss or misreport respiratory rate observations.
      DESIGN: This research project employed a classic grounded theory analysis of
      qualitative data. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-nine registered nurses currently working
      in EDs within Australia. Data collected included detailed responses from
      individual interviews and open-ended responses from an online questionnaire.
      METHODS: Classic grounded theory (CGT) research methods were utilised, therefore
      coding was central to the abstraction of data and its reintegration as theory.
      Constant comparison synonymous with CGT methods were employed to code data. This
      approach facilitated the identification of the main concern of the participants
      and aided in the generation of theory explaining how the participants processed
      this issue. RESULTS: The main concern identified is that ED registered nurses do
      not believe that collecting an accurate respiratory rate for ALL patients at
      EVERY round of observations is a requirement, and yet organizational requirements
      often dictate that a value for the respiratory rate be included each time vital
      signs are collected. The theory 'Rationalising Transgression', explains how
      participants continually resolve this problem. The study found that despite
      feeling professionally conflicted, nurses often erroneously record respiratory
      rate observations, and then rationalise this behaviour by employing strategies
      that adjust the significance of the organisational requirement. These strategies
      include; Compensating, when nurses believe they are compensating for errant
      behaviour by enhancing the patient's outcome; Minimalizing, when nurses believe
      that the patient's outcome would be no different if they recorded an accurate
      respiratory rate or not and; Trivialising, a strategy that sanctions negligent
      behaviour and occurs when nurses 'cut corners' to get the job done. Nurses' use
      these strategies to titrate the level ofemotional discomfort associated with
      erroneous behaviour, thereby rationalising transgression CONCLUSION: This
      research reveals that despite continuing education regarding gold standard
      guidelines for respiratory rate collection, suboptimal practice continues.
      Ideally, to combat this transgression, a culture shift must occur regarding
      nurses' understanding of acceptable practice methods. Nurses must receive
      education in a way that permeates their understanding of the relationship between
      the regular collection of accurate respiratory rate observations and optimal
      patient outcomes.

PMID- 28622530
TI  - Brain network dynamics in the human articulatory loop.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The articulatory loop is a fundamental component of language function,
      involved in the short-term buffer of auditory information followed by its vocal
      reproduction. We characterized the network dynamics of the human articulatory
      loop, using invasive recording and stimulation. METHODS: We measured high-gamma
      activity70-110 Hz recorded intracranially when patients with epilepsy either only
      listened to, or listened to and then reproduced two successive tones by humming.
      We also conducted network analyses, and analyzed behavioral responses to cortical
      stimulation. RESULTS: Presentation of the initial tone elicited high-gamma
      augmentation bilaterally in the superior-temporal gyrus (STG) within 40ms, and in
      the precentral and inferior-frontal gyri (PCG and IFG) within 160ms after sound
      onset. During presentation of the second tone, high-gamma augmentation was
      reduced in STG but enhanced in IFG. The task requiring tone reproduction further
      enhanced high-gamma augmentation in PCG during and after sound presentation.
      Event-related causality (ERC) analysis revealed dominant flows within STG
      immediately after sound onset, followed by reciprocal interactions involving PCG
      and IFG. Measurement of cortico-cortical evoked-potentials (CCEPs) confirmed
      connectivity between distant high-gamma sites in the articulatory loop. High
      frequency stimulation of precentral high-gamma sites in either hemisphere induced
      speech arrest, inability to control vocalization, or forced vocalization.
      Vocalization of tones was accompanied by high-gamma augmentation over larger
      extents of PCG. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral PCG rapidly and directly receives feed
      forward signals from STG, and may promptly initiate motor planning including sub
      vocal rehearsal for short-term buffering of auditory stimuli. Enhanced high-gamma
      augmentation in IFG during presentation of the second tone may reflect high-order
      processing of the tone sequence. SIGNIFICANCE: The articulatory loop employs
      sustained reciprocal propagation of neural activity across a network of cortical
      sites with strong neurophysiological connectivity.

PMID- 28622532
TI  - Evaluation of ALCAM, PECAM-1 and selectin levels in intracranial meningiomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cell adhesion molecules play a major role in various pathological
      states. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tissue levels of selectins (E-,
      L-, and P-Selectins), activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) and
      platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) in intracranial
      meningiomas and compare with the levels in control tissues. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      20 consecutive patients who were operated on meningiomas (grade-I: 17 and grade
      II: 3) and 15 cerebral tissues obtained during the autopsy procedures as a
      resource for the healthy controls were included in this study. RESULTS: All three
      selectins', ALCAM and PECAM-1 levels were found to be significantly higher in
      meningiomas when compared with the control tissues (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001,
      p<0.05, p<0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: According to our results, the
      adhesion molecules were found to be higher in meningiomas suggesting that they
      may be involved in the pathological process of this type of brain tumors. We
      conceive that developing alternate therapies such as immunotherapeutic approaches
      against brain tumors might be amendatory in the treatment. Since this is the
      first study performed in meningioma type brain tumors demonstrating and comparing
      the levels of various adhesion molecules with control tissues, further clinical
      and experimental studies are needed to support our current findings with higher
      number of patients.

PMID- 28622533
TI  - Intrathecal IgM index correlates with a severe disease course in multiple
      sclerosis: Clinical and MRI results.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Intrathecally synthesized IgM can be seen not only in the
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in infectious and inflammatory diseases of the central
      nervous system, but also in that of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
      Intrathecal IgM synthesis in MS seems to be correlated with an unfavorable
      disease course. In one cross-sectional study, intrathecal synthesis of IgM (IgM
      index) was found to be correlated with cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      parameters. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible relationship
      between the IgM index and MRI and clinical parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      Eighty-one patients with MS (58 female) undergoing lumbar puncture were included
      in the study. Fifty-one patients had a relapsing-remitting (RR) disease course,
      while 30 cases were secondary progressive MS (SPMS). IgM was detected in paired
      CSF and serum specimens using ELISA. The IgM index was calculated using the
      formula CSF IgM/serum IgM: CSF albumin/serum albumin. IgM indexes higher than 0.1
      were considered "increased". All patients underwent brain and whole spinal cord
      MRI. RESULTS: The IgM index was normal in 43 of the 81 patients (53.1%) and
      increased in 38 (46.9%). A significant correlation was determined between the IgM
      index and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (r=0.638, p=0.001). Most of the
      subjects with increased IgM indexes were SPMS patients, 28 having a SPMS course
      and 10 a RRMS course. Only two patients with SPMS courses had normal IgM indexes.
      EDSS scores were significantly higher in patients with increased IgM indexes
      (EDSS 4.3 vs EDSS 2.8, p=0.000). All patients with EDSS >3 had increased IgM
      indexes. All patients with IgM index values higher than 0.2 IgM had SPMS courses
      and EDSS >6. Time to onset of the secondary progressive phase of the disease was
      correlated with IgM index values (p=0.004). IgM index values were also correlated
      with T1 hypointense lesions (r=0.0431, p=0.008) and Gd enhancing lesions
      (r=0.0396, p=0.006). Patients with increased IgM indexes also had more spinal
      lesions (p=0.000). No relation was determined between an increased IgM index and
      an increased IgG index. No relation was determined with IgG oligoclonal band
      positivity. No correlation was also observed between IgM index and IgG index
      values. CONCLUSION: According to our findings, intrathecal IgM synthesis is
      associated with a worse long-term prognosis. It also correlates with a higher
      relapse rate, greater disability, and worse MRI outcomes. Early observation of
      increased IgM index values will be a helpful tool for clinicians in selecting
      patients for early immunomodulatory or immunosuppressant treatments.

PMID- 28622534
TI  - Increased expression of toll-like receptors 2 and 9 is associated with reduced
      DNA methylation in spontaneous preterm labor.
AB  - The cause of spontaneous preterm labor (sPTL) is not known, but it could be due
      to epigenetic alterations that increase the sensitivity of decidual tissue to
      inflammatory stimuli. We collected decidual tissue from women at term not in
      labor (TNL), women at term in labor (TL), and women with sPTL. Illumina Infinium
      HumanMethylation450 BeadChip analysis revealed significantly reduced DNA
      methylation for TLR-2 and TLR-9 in sPTL as compared to TL. Immunohistochemical
      staining documented significantly increased expression of TLR-2 and TLR-9 in
      decidual tissue of women with sPTL as compared to TL or TNL. TLR expression was
      not present in decidual cells, but localized to tissue leukocytes as revealed by
      staining for CD14, a macrophage antigen, and neutrophil elastase. Microarray
      analysis of inflammatory genes to assess innate immune response demonstrated
      marked increases in expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in women
      with TL as compared to TNL. However, when sPTL was compared to TL, there was a
      further increase in inflammatory cytokines, and a remarkable increase in
      neutrophil chemokines. These results suggest that epigenetic mechanisms could
      play a role in increasing leukocyte infiltration, and increasing the sensitivity
      of decidual tissue to inflammatory stimuli that could precipitate labor
      prematurely.

PMID- 28622536
TI  - Peer review in forensic science.
AB  - Peer review features prominently in the forensic sciences. Drawing on recent
      research and studies, this article examines different types of peer review,
      specifically: editorial peer review; peer review by the scientific community;
      technical and administrative review; and verification (and replication). The
      article reviews the different meanings of these quite disparate activities and
      their utility in relation to enhancing performance and reducing error. It
      explains how forensic practitioners should approach and use peer review, as well
      as how it should be described in expert reports and oral testimony. While peer
      review has considerable potential, and is a key component of modern quality
      management systems, its actual value in most forensic science settings has yet to
      be determined. In consequence, forensic practitioners should reflect on why they
      use specific review procedures and endeavour to make their actual practices and
      their potential value transparent to consumers; whether investigators, lawyers,
      jurors or judges. Claims that review increases the validity of a scientific
      technique or accuracy of opinions within a particular case should be avoided
      until empirical evidence is available to support such assertions.

PMID- 28622535
TI  - Vitamin D mediates the relationship between placental cathelicidin and group B
      streptococcus colonization during pregnancy.
AB  - Vitamin D is thought to modulate innate immune responses, and recent studies have
      highlighted the autocrine and paracrine functions of vitamin D in the placenta.
      Our objective was to determine the relationship between maternal vitamin D status
      and placental antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression in a group of racially and
      ethnically diverse pregnant adolescents. In this study, 158 pregnant adolescents
      were recruited from the Rochester Adolescent Maternity Program (RAMP) in
      Rochester, NY. Maternal serum concentrations of the vitamin D biomarkers, 25
      hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), were
      measured at mid-gestation (~26 weeks) and at delivery. At the placental level,
      vitamin D regulatory proteins (cubilin, megalin, 1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), 24
      hydroxylase (CYP24A1), vitamin D receptor (VDR)) and AMPs (cathelicidin and
      hepcidin) were analyzed using quantitative PCR and western blot techniques.
      Placental CYP27B1 mRNA expression was significantly positively associated with
      both placental cathelicidin mRNA expression (P<0.0001) and placental hepcidin
      mRNA expression (P=0.002). In teens with positive recto-vaginal group B
      streptococcus (GBS) colonization, placental mRNA expression of cathelicidin
      (P=0.007), cubilin (P=0.03), and CYP27B1 (P=0.04) were significantly lower
      compared to those who tested negative for this infection. A mediation analysis
      showed that the indirect relationship between GBS colonization and placental
      cathelicidin mRNA expression was mediated by the placental mRNA expression of the
      vitamin D proteins cubilin and CYP27B1 (P=0.02). Additional research is needed to
      identify the role and relative contributions of placental and systemic vitamin D
      metabolites in relation to potentially pathogenic microorganisms which may be
      present during pregnancy.

PMID- 28622538
TI  - Current psychiatric disorders in patients with epilepsy are predicted by
      maltreatment experiences during childhood.
AB  - PURPOSE: Childhood maltreatment has been shown to be a risk factor for the
      development of psychiatric disorders. Although the prevalence of psychiatric
      disorders is high in epilepsy patients, it is unknown if childhood maltreatment
      experiences are elevated compared to the normal population and if early
      maltreatment is a risk factor for current psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy
      patients. This is the main purpose of this study. METHODS: Structured interviews
      were used to assess current Axis I diagnoses in 120 epilepsy patients from a
      tertiary Epilepsy Center (34 TLE patients, 86 non-TLE patients). Childhood
      maltreatment in the family and peer victimization were assessed with validated
      questionnaires. Patients' maltreatment scores were compared with those of a
      representative matched control group. Logistic regression analysis was conducted
      to assess the potential impact of childhood maltreatment on current psychiatric
      comorbidity in epilepsy patients. RESULTS: Compared to a matched control group,
      epilepsy patients had higher emotional and sexual maltreatment scores. Patients
      with a current psychiatric diagnosis reported more family and peer maltreatment
      than patients without a psychiatric disorder. Family maltreatment scores
      predicted the likelihood of a current psychiatric disorder. TLE patients did not
      differ from non-TLE patients according to maltreatment experiences and rates of
      current psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that in epilepsy
      patients emotional and sexual childhood maltreatment is experienced more often
      than in the normal population and that early maltreatment is a general risk
      factor for psychiatric comorbidities in this group.

PMID- 28622537
TI  - Intravenous lacosamide in status epilepticus: Correlation between loading dose,
      serum levels, and clinical response.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intravenous lacosamide (LCM) is increasingly used in the treatment
      of status epilepticus (SE), but optimal loading dose and target serum levels are
      unclear. We analysed the correlation between LCM serum levels after intravenous
      loading dose and clinical response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective study in
      two centres from December 2014 to May 2016 including consecutive SE patients
      treated with LCM, in which trough serum levels after intravenous loading dose
      were available. Trough levels were correlated with the loading dose and the
      clinical response, defined as LCM introduction terminating SE without the need of
      further treatment. Correlations were adjusted for other SE characteristics.
      RESULTS: Among 40 patients, 16 (40%) responded to LCM. LCM serum concentrations
      within the reference interval (10-20mg/l) were associated with loading doses of
      >9mg/kg (p=0.003; chi2). However, we observed no difference between LCM serum
      levels in responders (median 10.4mg/l) versus non-responders (median 9.5mg/l;
      p=0.36; U test), even after adjusting for other predictors of clinical outcome
      (SE severity, aetiology, and number of previous treatment). DISCUSSION: High
      intravenous LCM loading doses (>9mg/kg) were associated with serum levels within
      the reference interval, there was however no correlation with the clinical
      response. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate the benefit of increasing
      the LCM loading dose in SE.

PMID- 28622539
TI  - Features of amygdala in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and
      hippocampal sclerosis: An MRI volumetric and histopathological study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: It is well-known that there is a correlation between the
      neuropathological grade of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and neuroradiological
      atrophy of the hippocampus in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) patients.
      However, there is no strict definition or criterion regarding neuron loss and
      atrophy of the amygdala neighboring the hippocampus. We examined the relationship
      between HS and neuronal loss in the amygdala. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen
      mTLE patients with neuropathological proof of HS were assigned to Group A, while
      seven mTLE patients without HS were assigned to Group B. We used FreeSurfer
      software to measure amygdala volume automatically based on pre-operation magnetic
      resonance images. Neurons observed using Kluver-Barrera (KB) staining in resected
      amygdala tissue were counted. and the extent of immunostaining with stress marker
      antibodies was semiquantitatively evaluated. RESULTS: There was no significant
      difference in amygdala volume between the two groups (Group A: 1.41+/-0.24; Group
      B: 1.41+/-0.29cm3; p=0.98), nor in the neuron cellularity of resected amygdala
      specimens (Group A: 3.98+/-0.97; Group B: 3.67+/-0.67 10*-4 number of
      neurons/MUm2; p=0.40). However, the HSP70 level, representing acute stress
      against epilepsy, in Group A patients was significantly larger than that in Group
      B. There was no significant difference in the level of Bcl-2, which is known as a
      protein that inhibits cell death, between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Neuronal
      loss and volume loss in the amygdala may not necessarily follow hippocampal
      sclerosis. From the analysis of stress proteins, epileptic attacks are as likely
      to damage the amygdala as the hippocampus but do not lead to neuronal death in
      the amygdala.

PMID- 28622540
TI  - Scattering of Airy elastic sheets by a cylindrical cavity in a solid.
AB  - The prediction of the elastic scattering by voids (and cracks) in materials is an
      important process in structural health monitoring, phononic crystals,
      metamaterials and non-destructive evaluation/imaging to name a few examples.
      Earlier analytical theories and numerical computations considered the elastic
      scattering by voids in plane waves of infinite extent. However, current research
      suggesting the use of (limited-diffracting, accelerating and self-healing) Airy
      acoustical-sheet beams for non-destructive evaluation or imaging applications in
      elastic solids requires the development of an improved analytical formalism to
      predict the scattering efficiency used as a priori information in quantitative
      material characterization. Based on the definition of the time-averaged scattered
      power flow density, an analytical expression for the scattering efficiency of a
      cylindrical empty cavity (i.e., void) encased in an elastic medium is derived for
      compressional and normally-polarized shear-wave Airy beams. The multipole
      expansion method using cylindrical wave functions is utilized. Numerical
      computations for the scattering energy efficiency factors for compressional and
      shear waves illustrate the analysis with particular emphasis on the Airy beam
      parameters and the non-dimensional frequency, for various elastic materials
      surrounding the cavity. The ratio of the compressional to the shear wave speed
      stimulates the generation of elastic resonances, which are manifested as a series
      of peaks in the scattering efficiency plots. The present analysis provides an
      improved method for the computations of the scattering energy efficiency factors
      using compressional and shear-wave Airy beams in elastic materials as opposed to
      plane waves of infinite extent.

PMID- 28622541
TI  - Transmission characteristics of the S0 and A0 Lamb waves at contacting edges of
      plates.
AB  - In order to gain basic insight into the interaction between ultrasonic guided
      waves and structural discontinuities with contacting surfaces, the transmission
      characteristics of Lamb waves at contacting edges of two plates are studied
      experimentally. The edges of two 2.5-mm thick aluminum alloy plates are mated
      together to constitute a contacting interface of plates and subjected to
      different levels of compressive loading. The transmission measurements of the
      lowest-order symmetric (S0) and antisymmetric (A0) Lamb modes across the
      contacting interface are performed in a frequency range below the cut-off
      frequencies of the higher-order modes. As a result, it is found that the
      transmission coefficient of the S0 mode increases monotonically with the applied
      contact pressure, but the transmission coefficient of the A0 mode exhibits non
      monotonic dependence on the contact pressure and the frequency showing a local
      minimum. For the incidence of the S0 mode, the resonance at the contacting
      interface is observed as a long-time oscillation tail in the transmission
      waveform. The resonance frequency is found to increase with the contact pressure.
      The experimental results are discussed in the light of the theoretical results
      based on the spring-type interface model. The normal and tangential stiffnesses
      of the contacting interface are identified from the transmission coefficients as
      well as from the resonance frequency. The estimated interfacial stiffnesses
      increase monotonically with the contact pressure, and indicate their dependence
      on the frequency. Implications of the present results to the Lamb-wave based
      characterization of the plate contact condition are discussed briefly.

PMID- 28622542
TI  - On the mechanism of non-radiative decay of blue fluorescent protein chromophore:
      New insight from the excited-state molecular dynamics simulations and potential
      energy calculations.
AB  - A detailed theoretical investigation based on the ab initio on-the-fly surface
      hopping dynamics simulations and potential energy surfaces calculations has been
      performed to unveil the mechanism of the photoinduced non-adiabatic relaxation
      process of the isolated blue fluorescent protein (BFP) chromophore in gas phase.
      The data analysis presents that the dominant reaction coordinate of the BFP
      chromophore is driven by a rotation motion around the CC double bridging bond,
      which is in remarkable difference with a previous result which supports a Hula
      Twist rotation pattern. Such behavior is consistent with the double bond rotation
      pattern of the GFP neutral chromophore. In addition, the dynamics simulations
      give an estimated decay time of 1.1ps for the S1 state, which is agrees well with
      the experimental values measured in proteins. The present work offers a
      straightforward understanding for the decay mechanism of the BFP chromophore and
      suggestions of the photochemical properties of analogous protein chromophores. We
      hope the current work would be helpful for further exploration of the BFP
      photochemical and photophysical properties in various environments, and can
      provide guidance and prediction for rational design of the fluorescent proteins
      catering for different demands.

PMID- 28622543
TI  - Quantitative analysis of anti-inflammatory drugs using FTIR-ATR spectrometry.
AB  - Four simple, accurate, sensitive and economic Attenuated Total Reflectance
      Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopic (ATR-FTIR) methods have been developed
      for the quantitative estimation of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
      The first method involves the determination of Etodolac by direct measurement of
      the absorbance at 1716cm-1. In the second method, the second derivative of the IR
      spectra of Tolfenamic acid and its reported degradation product (2-chlorobenzoic
      acid) was used and the amplitudes were measured at 1084.27cm-1 and 1056.02cm-1
      for Tolfenamic acid and 2-chlorobenzoic acid, respectively. The third method used
      the first derivative of the IR spectra of Bumadizone and its reported degradation
      product, N,N-diphenylhydrazine and the amplitudes were measured at 2874.98cm-1
      and 2160.32cm-1 for Bumadizone and N,N-diphenylhydrazine, respectively. The
      fourth method depends on measuring the amplitude of Diacerein at 1059.18cm-1 and
      of rhein, its reported degradation product, at 1079.32cm-1 in their first
      derivative spectra. The four methods were successfully applied on the
      pharmaceutical formulations by extracting the active constituent in chloroform
      and the extract was directly measured in liquid phase mode using a specific cell.
      Moreover, validation of these methods was carried out following International
      Conference of Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines.

PMID- 28622544
TI  - Conformational transition of kappa-casein in micellar environment: Insight from
      the tryptophan fluorescence.
AB  - Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are under intense analysis due to their
      structural flexibility and importance in biological functions. Minuscule
      modulation in the microenvironment induces significant conformational changes in
      IDPs, and these non-native conformations of the IDPs often induce aggregation and
      cause cell death. Changes in the membrane composition often change the
      microenvironment, which promote conformational change and aggregation of IDPs.
      kappa-Casein, an important milk protein, belongs to the class of IDPs containing
      net negative charges. In this present work, we have studied the interaction of
      kappa-casein with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), a positively charged
      surfactant, utilizing various steady state fluorescence, time-resolved
      fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Our results clearly indicate
      that kappa-casein undergoes at least two conformational transitions in presence
      of various concentrations of CTAB. The intrinsically disordered kappa-casein
      assumes a partially folded conformation at lower concentration of CTAB, which
      adopts an unstructured conformation at higher concentration of CTAB. The
      partially folded conformation of kappa-casein at a lower CTAB concentration might
      be induced by the favorable electrostatic interaction between the positively
      charged surfactant headgroup and net negative charges of the protein, whereas
      surfactant nature of CTAB is being pronounced at higher concentration of CTAB.

PMID- 28622545
TI  - Diagnosing psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Video-EEG monitoring, suggestive
      seizure induction and diagnostic certainty.
AB  - Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) can remain undiagnosed for many years,
      leading to unnecessary medication and delayed treatment. A recent report by the
      International League Against Epilepsy Nonepileptic Seizures Task Force recommends
      a staged approach to the diagnosis of PNES (LaFrance, et al., 2013). We aimed to
      investigate its practical utility, and to apply the proposed classification to
      evaluate the role of long-term video-EEG monitoring (VEEG) and suggestive seizure
      induction (SSI) in PNES workup. Using electronic medical records, 122 inpatients
      (mean age 36.0+/-12.9years; 68% women) who received the diagnosis of PNES at our
      epilepsy center during a 4.3-year time period were included. There was an 82.8%
      agreement between diagnostic certainty documented at discharge and that assigned
      retroactively using the Task Force recommendations. In a minority of cases,
      having used the Task Force criteria could have encouraged the clinicians to give
      more certain diagnoses, exemplifying the Task Force report's utility. Both VEEG
      and SSI were effective at supporting high level diagnostic certainty.
      Interestingly, about one in four patients (26.2%) had a non-diagnostic
      ("negative") VEEG but a positive SSI. On average, this subgroup did not have
      significantly shorter mean VEEG recording times than VEEG-positive patients.
      However, VEEG-negative/SSI-positive patients had a significantly lower habitual
      seizure frequency than their counterparts. This finding emphasizes the utility of
      SSI in ascertaining the diagnosis of PNES in patients who do not have a
      spontaneous habitual event during VEEG due to, for example, low seizure
      frequency.

PMID- 28622546
TI  - The semiology of febrile seizures: Focal features are frequent.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify the semiology of febrile seizures (FS) and to determine the
      frequency of FS with symptoms suggestive of focal onset. METHODS: FS symptoms in
      children were reported within 24h of seizure onset by the parents using a
      structured questionnaire consisting principally of closed-ended questions. We
      focused on events at seizure commencement, including changes in behavior and
      facial expression, and ocular and oral symptoms. We also investigated the
      autonomic and motor symptoms developing during seizures. The presence or absence
      of focal and limbic features was determined for each patient. The associations of
      certain focal and limbic features with patient characteristics were assessed.
      RESULTS: Information was obtained on FS in 106 children. Various events were
      recorded at seizure commencement. Behavioral changes were observed in 35
      children, changes in facial expression in 53, ocular symptoms in 78, and oral
      symptoms in 90. In terms of events during seizures, autonomic symptoms were
      recognized in 78, and convulsive motor symptoms were recognized in 68 children.
      Focal features were evident in 81 children; 38 children had two or more such
      features. Limbic features were observed in 44 children, 9 of whom had two or more
      such features. There was no significant relationship between any patient
      characteristic and the numbers of focal or limbic features. SIGNIFICANCE: The
      semiology of FS varied widely among children, and symptoms suggestive of focal
      onset were frequent. FS of focal onset may be more common than is generally
      thought.

PMID- 28622547
TI  - Co-morbidity and clinically significant interactions between antiepileptic drugs
      and other drugs in elderly patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy.
AB  - PURPOSE: A study was conducted to investigate the frequency of potential
      pharmacokinetic drug-to-drug interactions in elderly patients with newly
      diagnosed epilepsy. We also investigated co-morbid conditions associated with
      epilepsy. METHOD: From the register of Kuopio University Hospital (KUH) we
      identified community-dwelling patients aged 65 or above with newly diagnosed
      epilepsy and in whom use of the first individual antiepileptic drug (AED) began
      in 2000-2013 (n=529). Furthermore, register data of the Social Insurance
      Institution of Finland were used for assessing potential interactions in a
      nationwide cohort of elderly subjects with newly diagnosed epilepsy. We extracted
      all patients aged 65 or above who had received special reimbursement for the cost
      of AEDs prescribed on account of epilepsy in 2012 where their first AED was
      recorded in 2011-2012 as monotherapy (n=1081). Clinically relevant drug
      interactions (of class C or D) at the time of starting of the first AED, as
      assessed via the SFINX-PHARAO database, were analysed. RESULTS: Hypertension
      (67%), dyslipidemia (45%), and ischaemic stroke (32%) were the most common co
      morbid conditions in the hospital cohort of patients. In these patients,
      excessive polypharmacy (more than 10 concomitant drugs) was identified in 27% of
      cases. Of the patients started on carbamazepine, 52 subjects (32%) had one class
      C or class-D drug interaction and 51 (31%) had two or more C- or D-class
      interactions. Only 2% of the subjects started on valproate exhibited a class-C
      interaction. None of the subjects using oxcarbazepine displayed class-C or class
      D interactions. Patients with 3-5 (OR 4.22; p=0.05) or over six (OR 8.86;
      p=0.003) other drugs were more likely to have C- or D-class interaction. The most
      common drugs with potential interactions with carbamazepine were dihydropyridine
      calcium-blockers, statins, warfarin, and psychotropic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly
      patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy are at high risk of clinically relevant
      pharmacokinetic interactions with other drugs, especially if exposed to
      carbamazepine, but these interactions can be controlled via rational drug choices
      and with prediction of the possible drug-to-drug interactions. Patients on
      dihydropyridine calcium-channel blockers, statins, warfarin, and risperidone face
      the highest risk of interactions.

PMID- 28622548
TI  - Early bony changes associated with bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the
      jaws in rats: A longitudinal in vivo study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate early bony changes in an animal model of Medication
      Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ) at the side of the local trauma and at
      the contralateral side, comparing with a control group. Bony changes were
      evaluated by Microcomputed Tomography (MicroCT) at three times points: at
      baseline (T0), after drug administration (T1) and after dental extraction (T2).
      DESIGN: Two groups were compared: the experimental group in which zoledronic acid
      (ZA) was administered (17 rats) and the control group (13 rats). Dental
      extractions of the lower left first molars were performed in all animals. The
      left side was considered as the supposed affected area in the ZA group, and the
      right side was considered as the unaffected area. In these areas, the following
      structural microtomographic bone parameters were calculated: Bone Mineral Density
      (BMD), Trabecular Thickness (Tb.Th), and Bone Volume Proportion (BV/TV). The
      comparison of quantitative bone parameters among the different sides and
      experimental phases of both studied groups were performed by ANOVA-factorial.
      RESULTS: None of the animals of the control group developed MRONJ. In the ZA
      group, 76% presented bone exposure. From T0 to T1, Tb.Th and BV/TV increased, and
      in T2, the mean values were higher in ZA group than in the control group. BMD
      increased throughout the different phases of both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Structural
      bony changes occurred in the ZA group at both mandibular sides before the dental
      extraction (T1). Tb.Th and BV/TV should be further investigated as potential
      early bone markers of MRONJ.

PMID- 28622549
TI  - Immunological and epidemiological factors affecting candidiasis in HIV patients
      beginning antiretroviral therapy in an Asian clinic.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) is common in HIV patients beginning
      antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here we address the response to ART, and the roles
      of poor oral hygiene and defects in local innate immunity with a focus on
      salivary beta-defensins, as they are implicated in control of candidiasis but
      have not been investigated in this context. DESIGN: ART naive HIV-infected adults
      (n=82) with <200 CD4+ T-cells/mm3 attending clinics at Cipto Mangunkusumo
      Hospital, Jakarta, were examined at the commencement of ART, and 73 were re
      examined after 3 months. OPC was detected by clinical examination, and Candida
      albicans and fungal burdens were determined following culture on CHROMagar and
      saboroud-dextrose agar (resp). Salivary beta-defensins (-2 and -3) were
      quantified by ELISA. Healthy control subjects (n=40) matched the patients by age
      and gender. RESULTS: OPC was evident in 47 patients before ART, and associated
      with greater fingal burdens. No OPC was detected in healthy controls and culture
      positivity was rare. ART decreased the prevalence of OPC to 8/73 HIV patients re
      examined after 3 months, with reduced total fungal and C. albicans burdens. The
      incidence of OPC was independent of oral hygiene. Hyposalivation was more common
      in untreated HIV patients (16%) than after 3 months on ART and was rare in
      healthy controls. HIV patients were also more likely to have acidic saliva.
      Salivary beta-defensin-2 was elevated in the presence of C. albicans pseudohyphae
      and OPC after 3 months on ART, but beta-defensin-3 was not affected by OPC or
      ART. CONCLUSIONS: ART reduces the prevalence of OPC, and the total fungal and C.
      albicans burden. Levels of salivary beta-defensin-2 may associate with OPC in HIV
      patients responding to ART.

PMID- 28622550
TI  - Effect of gels containing chlorhexidine or epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the
      protein composition of the acquired enamel pellicle.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated changes in protein profile of the acquired enamel
      pellicle (AEP) formed in vivo, after application of gels containing chlorhexidine
      or EGCG and further challenge with citric acid. DESIGN: AEP was formed in 9
      volunteers for 2h and then treated with one of the following gels: placebo,
      400MUM EGCG or 0.012% chlorhexidine. A thin layer of gel was applied and after
      1min the excess was removed. One hour after gel application, the AEP was
      collected from the buccal surface (upper and lower jaw) of one of the sides with
      filter paper dipped in 3% citric acid. On the other side, erosive challenge was
      performed through gentle application of 1% citric acid (pH 2.5) for 20s (using a
      pipette) followed by washing with deionized water. The AEP was collected as
      mentioned before. Proteomic analysis was performed through liquid chromatography
      electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The MS/MS
      spectra obtained were compared with human protein databases (SWISS-PROT). Label
      free quantitation was done using the PLGS software. RESULTS: In total, 223
      proteins were identified. After treatment with EGCG and CHX gels, proteins with
      potential functions to protect against caries and erosion such as PRPs, calcium
      bind proteins and Statherin were increased. When EGCG and CHX-treated AEPs were
      challenged with citric acid, there was increase in cystatins and Profilin-1.
      CONCLUSION: CHX- and EGCG-treated AEPs, submitted to challenge with citric acid
      or not, had remarkable changes in their proteomic profiles.

PMID- 28622551
TI  - Tips and tricks to optimize MRI protocols for cutaneous vascular anomalies.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) serves as the principal imaging modality to
      diagnose and plan treatment for children with cutaneous vascular anomalies. While
      routine MRI protocols can lead to the correct diagnosis in the majority of cases,
      the imaging appearances can sometimes be nonspecific or confusing, yielding more
      than one possible diagnosis. This review highlights specific MRI sequence
      recommendations and scanning tips that can optimize the imaging protocol to
      increase diagnostic confidence.

PMID- 28622552
TI  - Fornix microalterations associated with early trauma in panic disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is well accepted that panic disorder (PD) is associated with early
      trauma, and that the limbic systems are one of the main structures involved in PD
      pathophysiology. However, previous studies have not addressed the relationship
      between early trauma and major limbic white-matter (WM) structures in PD.
      METHODS: Participants enrolled in the study consisted of 53 right-handed patients
      with PD and 21 healthy controls (HC). The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report
      Short Form (ETISR-SF), Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory-Revised (ASI-R), and the
      Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire (APPQ) were applied in the study. Tract
      based spatial statistics were used for diffusion tensor magnetic resonance
      imaging analysis. RESULTS: Among the patients with PD, the fractional anisotropy
      (FA) values of the fornix body in major limbic WM regions showed significant
      negative correlation with the ETISR-SF total score, while the scores of mean
      diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD) in the same
      region of fornix had significant positive correlation with those scores (p<0.05;
      FWE corrected). Further significant correlation was observed between these four
      scores and the measures of symptom severity in PD, such as that in ASI-R and APPQ
      in the same region. LIMITATIONS: Recall bias is possible in evaluating early
      trauma in the participants. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests a significant
      association of early trauma with the fornix body possibly through axons and
      myelin disruptions within major limbic structures in PD. A multi-centered large
      sample will be needed to confirm these findings.

PMID- 28622553
TI  - Toxic responses of cytochrome P450 sub-enzyme activities to heavy metals exposure
      in soil and correlation with their bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida.
AB  - The dose- and time- dependent responses of cytochrome P450 (CYP) sub-enzyme
      activities to heavy metals in soil, and the relationships between biomarker
      responses and metal bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida were evaluated. Earthworms
      were exposed to soils spiked with increasing doses of Cd, Cu, Pb or Zn for 21 d.
      Results demonstrated that EROD and CYP3A4 activities responded significantly with
      increasing dose and exposure duration. EROD activity significantly (P < 0.05)
      correlated with CYP3A4 activity exposed to Pb and Cu. The earthworm metal burdens
      had significant correlation with the total metal concentrations in soil (P <
      0.01). The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) decreased with the increasing metal
      concentration in soil. The order of metal bioavailability to E. fetida was Cd >
      Zn > Cu > Pb. CYP3A4 activity in Pb-exposed earthworms had a significant
      correlation with the accumulated metal (P < 0.05). Both EROD and CYP3A4
      activities in Cu-exposed worms negatively correlated with BAF (P < 0.05). Based
      on Discriminant Analysis (DA), CYPs activities were sensitive biomarkers of heavy
      metals exposure, and we also concluded that different biomarkers with multiple
      durations could be conducted in the eco-toxicological diagnosis of soil
      pollution.

PMID- 28622554
TI  - Evaluation of DNA damage induced by gamma radiation in gill and muscle tissues of
      Cyprinus carpio and their relative sensitivity.
AB  - The effect of radiation on the aquatic environment is of major concern in recent
      years. Limited data is available on the genotoxicity of gamma radiation on
      different tissues of aquatic organisms. Hence, the present investigation was
      carried out to study the DNA damage induced by gamma radiation in the gill and
      muscle tissues and their relative sensitivity using the comet assay in the
      freshwater teleost fish, common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The comet assay was
      optimized and validated in common carp using cyclophosphamide (CP), a reference
      genotoxic agent. The fish were exposed (acute) to various doses of gamma
      radiation (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10Gy) and samplings (gill and muscle tissue) were done
      at regular intervals (24, 48 and 72h) to assess the DNA damage. A significant
      increase in DNA damage was observed as indicated by an increase in % tail DNA for
      all doses of gamma radiation in both tissues. We also observed a dose-related
      increase and a time-dependent decrease of DNA damage. In comparison, DNA damage
      showed different sensitivity among the tissues at different doses. This shows
      that a particular dose may have different effects on different tissues which
      could be due to physiological factors of the particular tissue. Our study also
      suggests that the gills and muscle of fish are sensitive and reliable tissues for
      evaluating the genotoxic effects of reference and environmental agents, using the
      comet assay.

PMID- 28622555
TI  - Very sensitive electrochemical determination of diuron on glassy carbon electrode
      modified with reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticle-Nafion composite film.
AB  - In this work, a very sensitive electrochemical sensor based on glassy carbon
      electrode (GCE) modified with reduced graphene oxide-gold nanoparticles/Nafion
      (rGO-AuNPs/Nafion) composite film was applied to determine diuron. Synthesized GO
      was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-visible spectroscopy. The
      surface morphology of the rGO-AuNPs/Nafion film was also characterized using
      scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Cyclic
      voltammetry (CV) and adsorptive differential pulse voltammetry (AdDPV) were
      applied to investigate the electrochemical response of the diuron on the modified
      electrode. The electrode showed a linear response at 1.0*10-9-1.0*10-7 M and a
      detection limit of 0.3nM under the optimized conditions. The effect of some other
      species on the determination of diuron was investigated and the sensor showed
      good selectivity for determination of diuron. The constructed sensor was applied
      to determine diuron in enriched samples of orange juice, mineral and tap water
      which statistical t-test showed accuracy of method. Also the sensor was applied
      to obtain diuron content in the tea sample. The reliability of the proposed
      sensor was confirmed after comparing the results with those obtained using high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a comparative method.

PMID- 28622556
TI  - Early chemical and ecotoxicological responses of the Varano lagoon (SE Italy) to
      a flood event.
AB  - The effects on coastal lagoons of floods resulting from intense rainfall need to
      be assessed using a multidisciplinary approach, able to describe in real time the
      occurrence of changes in sediment quality, anticipating risk situations. In the
      present study the effectiveness as pre-screening tool of the MOT-test, an
      innovative bioassay that uses sperm motility as endpoint, has been evaluated; its
      response has been compared with the sediment chemical characterization, in order
      to determine the effects of a flood event occurred in the Varano lagoon, a poorly
      anthropized Mediterranean coastal lagoon. The MOT-test effect percentages ranged
      from 10% to 30%, fully reflecting data from chemical analyses. Organic pollutants
      showed concentrations always below the critical levels. The highest metal values
      were found in the south-eastern area; however, only for few metals (mainly Cd),
      and in few sites, they reached the limits defined by the sediment quality
      guidelines; consistently, these sites are located in the area where a higher
      stressors' impact was expected and the highest MOT-test effect percentages were
      recorded. In conclusion, even if results exclude the occurrence of serious
      contamination events as a consequence of the flood, the runoff resulting from the
      intense rainfall event has caused a pollutant load in the lagoon, consistent with
      the localization of the main anthropogenic activities in the catchment area.
      Moreover, preliminary data indicate the validity of the approach adopted for the
      post-flood quality assessment, proving the usefulness of the MOT-test as early
      screening tool in the case of extreme events.

PMID- 28622557
TI  - The executive profile of children with Benign Epilepsy of Childhood with
      Centrotemporal Spikes and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.
AB  - RATIONALE: Benign Epilepsy of Childhood with Centrotemporal Spikes (BECTS) and
      temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) represent two distinct models of focal epilepsy of
      childhood. In both, there is evidence of executive dysfunction. The purpose of
      the present study was to identify particular deficits in the executive function
      that would distinguish children with BECTS from children with TLE. METHODS: We
      prospectively evaluated 19 consecutive children and adolescents with TLE with
      hippocampal sclerosis (HS) (57.9% male; mean 11.74years [SD 2.05]; mean IQ 95.21
      [SD 15.09]), 19 with BECTS (36.8% male; mean 10.95years [SD 2.33]; mean IQ 107.40
      [SD 16.01]), and 21 age and gender-matched controls (33.3% male; mean 11.86years
      [SD 2.25]; mean IQ 108.67 [15.05]). All participants underwent a
      neuropsychological assessment with a comprehensive battery for executive and
      attentional functions. We used ANOVA and chi-square to evaluate differences on
      demographic aspects among groups (BECTS, TLE-HS, and control groups). Group
      comparisons on continuous variables were complemented by MANOVA and Bonferroni
      posthoc comparisons. RESULTS: Patients with BECTS had worse performance than
      controls in: Matching Familiar Figures Test, time (p=0.001); Matching Familiar
      Figures Test, time*errors index (p<0.001); Verbal Fluency for foods (p=0.038);
      Trail Making Test, part B time (p=0.030); Trail Making Test, part B number of
      errors (p=0.030); and WCST, number of categories achieved (p=0.043). Patients
      with BECTS had worse performance than patients with TLE-HS on Matching Familiar
      Figures Test, time (p=0.004), and Matching Familiar Figures Test, time*errors
      index (p<0.001). Patients with TLE-HS had worse performance than controls on the
      following tests: Verbal Fluency for foods (p=0.004); Wisconsin Card Sorting Test,
      the number of categories achieved (p<0.001); and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the
      number of perseverative errors (p=0.028). Patients with TLE-HS had worse
      performance than patients with BECTS on Digit Backward (p=0.002); and the
      Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the number of perseverative errors (p<0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with TLE and BECTS present distinct cognitive profiles.
      Patients with TLE-HS had worse performance in mental flexibility, concept
      formation, and working memory compared to BECTS. Patients with BECTS had worse
      inhibitory control compared to children with TLE-HS. Both TLE-HS and BECTS had a
      higher number of errors on an inhibitory control test. However, patients with
      BECTS had a slower mental processing even when compared to patients with TLE-HS.
      Rehabilitation programs for children with epilepsy must include children with
      benign epilepsies and must take into account the epileptic syndrome and its
      particular neurocognitive phenotype.

PMID- 28622558
TI  - Photodynamic Therapy treatment of onychomycosis with Aluminium-Phthalocyanine
      Chloride nanoemulsions: A proof of concept clinical trial.
AB  - The conventional treatment of onychomycosis, a common fungal infection, consists
      in the use of local and systemic drugs for 4-6 months. This long protocol is
      often ineffective due to patient compliance, and usually promotes important
      collateral effects such as liver and kidney failure. As the alternative,
      Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) has been used as a noninvasive alternative local
      treatment for onychomycosis due to the reduction of systemic side effects, fact
      indicates their use for patients undergoing other systemic treatments. In the
      present article, we evaluated the effectiveness, as well as the safety of PDT
      mediated by Aluminium-Phthalocyanine Chloride, entrapped in nanoemulsions, as a
      drug carrier, to treat onychomycosis in a proof of concept clinical trial. To the
      date, this is the first published clinical trial that uses PDT mediated by
      nanomedicines to treat onychomycosis. As main results, we can highlight the
      safety of the clinical protocol and the antifungal effectiveness similar to the
      conventional treatments. We observed the (1) clinical cure of 60% of treated
      lesions; (2) the absence of local and systemic adverse effects; (3) from these
      clinically healed lesions, 40% were negative for fungal infection in laboratorial
      exams; and (4) nails that presented negative fungal culture were kept without
      fungal infection for at least four weeks. The innovation of this approach is the
      absence of collateral effects, due to the local therapeutically treatment, and
      the possibility to repeat the treatment without inducing fungal resistance, a
      fact that indicates this approach as a possible alternative protocol for
      onychomycosis management.

PMID- 28622559
TI  - Controlling sunbathing safety during the summer holidays - The solar UV campaign
      at Baltic Sea coast in 2015.
AB  - Information regarding the intensity of surface UV radiation, provided for the
      public, is frequently given in terms of a daily maximum UV Index (UVI), based on
      a prognostic model. The quality of the UV forecast depends on the accuracy of
      column amount of ozone and cloudiness prediction. Daily variability of UVI is
      needed to determine the risk of the UV overexposure during outdoor activities.
      Various methods of estimating the temporary UVI and the maximum duration of UV
      exposures (received a dose equal to minimal erythemal dose - MED), at the site of
      sunbathing, were compared. The UV indices were obtained during a field experiment
      at the Baltic Sea coast in the period from 13th to 24th July 2015. The following
      UVI calculation models were considered: UVI measurements by simple hand-held
      biometers (Silver Crest, Oregon Scientific, or more advanced Solarmeter 6.5), our
      smartphone models based on cloud cover observations at the site and the cloudless
      sky UVI forecast (available for any site for all smartphone users) or measured
      UVI, and the 24h weather predictions by the ensemble set of 10 models (with
      various cloud parameterizations). The direct UV measurements, even by a simple
      biometer, provided useful UVI estimates. The smartphone applications yielded a
      good agreement with the UV measurements. The weather prediction models for
      cloudless-sky conditions could provide valuable information if almost cloudless
      sky conditions (cloudless-sky or slightly scattered clouds) were observed at the
      sunbathing site.

PMID- 28622560
TI  - Kinetic and isotherm studies on adsorption of toxic pollutants using porous
      ZnO@SiO2 monolith.
AB  - Removal of toxic effluents (like dyes and pesticides) by cost-effective and user
      friendly method is needed to provide sustaining the environment for civilization.
      Here, low-cost mesoporous silica monolith (SiO2) and silica supported metal-oxide
      (ZnO@SiO2) monolith were synthesized to reduce the solemn impact of toxic
      effluents. Batch experiments were performed to remove Alizarin (AZ), Paradol
      (PD), Acid blue-113 (AB) and Rhodamine-B (RD) from aqueous solution via
      synthesized monoliths. The influence of various parameters (like pH, contact
      time, temperature and adsorbate concentration) has been optimized. The maximum
      adsorption capacity of ZnO@SiO2 monolith is 625, 500, 714 and 555mg/g for AZ, RD,
      AB, and PD respectively. The adsorption for AZ, PD, AB, and RD is spontaneous and
      exothermic. The adsorption process can be well described by the pseudo-second
      order kinetic model (high regression coefficients) and the Freundlich isotherm
      model (R2=0.97-0.99).

PMID- 28622561
TI  - Dendrite-like PtAg alloyed nanocrystals: Highly active and durable advanced
      electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and ethylene glycol oxidation reactions.
AB  - In this work, well-defined dendrite-like PtAg alloyed nanocrystals were prepared
      by a facile one-pot l-hydroxyproline-assisted successive coreduction approach on
      a large scale, where no any template or seed involved. l-Hydroxyproline was
      employed as a green structuring director. The formation mechanism of the alloyed
      dendritic nanocrystals was investigated in details. The as-prepared frameworks
      exhibited boosted electrocatalytic activity, improved stability and enhanced
      tolerance toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and ethylene glycol oxidation
      reaction (EGOR) in alkaline media in contrast with commercial Pt black catalyst.
      The developed method provides novel strategy for preparing other shape-controlled
      nanocatalysts with superior catalytic activity and durability.

PMID- 28622562
TI  - Hierarchical flower-like nickel(II) oxide microspheres with high adsorption
      capacity of Congo red in water.
AB  - Monodispersed hierarchical flower-like nickel(II) oxide (NiO) microspheres were
      fabricated by a facile solvothermal reaction with the assistance of ethanolamine
      and a subsequent calcination process. The as-synthesized samples were
      characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission
      electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, zeta potential
      measurement and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Flower-like nickel(II)
      hydroxide microspheres with uniform diameters of approximate 6.3MUm were obtained
      after the solvothermal reaction. After heat treatment at 350 degrees C, the
      crystal phase transformed to NiO, but the hierarchical porous structure was
      maintained. The as-prepared microspheres exhibited outstanding performance for
      the adsorption of Congo red (CR), an anionic organic dye, from aqueous solution
      at circumneutral pH. The pseudo-second-order model can make a good description of
      the adsorption kinetics, while Langmuir model could well express the adsorption
      isotherms, with calculated maximum CR adsorption capacity of 534.8 and 384.6mgg
      1, respectively, for NiO and Ni(OH)2. The adsorption mechanism of CR onto the as
      synthesized samples can be mainly attributed to electrostatic interaction between
      the positively charged sample surface and the anionic CR molecules. The as
      prepared NiO microspheres are a promising adsorbent for CR removal in water
      treatment.

PMID- 28622563
TI  - Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets decorated with CuCr2O4 nanoparticles: Novel
      photocatalysts with high performances in visible light degradation of water
      pollutants.
AB  - In this paper, CuCr2O4 nanoparticles were decorated on the surface of g-C3N4
      nanosheets (g-C3N4-NS) by a facile refluxing process. The structure, composition,
      morphology, optical, textural, and thermal properties were characterized by XRD,
      EDX, SEM, TEM, UV-vis DRS, FT-IR, XPS, PL, BET, and TGA techniques. The
      photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4-NS/CuCr2O4 nanocomposites was assessed by
      degrading RhB and MB dyes and phenol under visible-light illumination. When the
      loading amount of CuCr2O4 was 10 wt%, the nanocomposite exhibited the highest
      activity. Activity of the g-C3N4-NS/CuCr2O4 (10%) nanocomposite refluxed for 3h
      and calcined at 520 degrees C for 4h was almost 11.8 and 4.8 times greater than
      those of the bulk g-C3N4 and g-C3N4-NS photocatalysts in degradation of RhB,
      respectively. In the prepared nanocomposites, nanosheets of g-C3N4 act not only
      as CuCr2O4 support, but also as co-catalyst. The novel visible-light-active
      photocatalyst has considerable stability and it can be reused for five times
      without obvious loss of its photocatalytic activity.

PMID- 28622564
TI  - Visible light photocatalytic performance and mechanism of highly efficient
      SnS/BiOI heterojunction.
AB  - Novel SnS/BiOI heterostructures with excellent photocatalytic degradation of
      methyl orange were successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal-coprecipitation
      method. The maximum methyl orange degradation activity under visible light
      irradiation (lambda>400nm) was found for 10wt% SnS/BiOI. The composite also
      showed better stability and good recyclability compared to BiOI. The energy band
      diagram and band offsets from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy investigation
      indicated that the novel composite was a type-II heterojunction where the
      photogenerated electron-hole can be efficiently separated and transferred.
      Results from UV-vis DRS, PL-TA and photocurrent response measurement suggested
      that the improved photodegradation efficiency of the SnS/BiOI heterojunction was
      mainly attributed to enhanced light absorption capability, strong ability to
      generate and transfer photoexcited charge carriers and high active species
      formation. Additionally, radical scavenging experiments demonstrated that holes
      and superoxide radicals are dominant active species, whereas hydroxyl radicals
      are of secondary importance in this system. A plausible photocatalytic mechanism
      of the SnS/BiOI composite was also discussed.

PMID- 28622565
TI  - A shear-induced network of aligned wormlike micelles in a sugar-based molecular
      gel. From gelation to biocompatibility assays.
AB  - A new low molecular weight hydrogelator with a saccharide (lactobionic) polar
      head linked by azide-alkyne click chemistry was prepared in three steps. It was
      obtained in high purity without chromatography, by phase separation and
      ultrafiltration of the aqueous gel. Gelation was not obtained reproducibly by
      conventional heating-cooling cycles and instead was obtained by shearing the
      aqueous solutions, from 2 wt% to 0.25 wt%. This method of preparation favored the
      formation of a quite unusual network of interconnected large but thin 2D-sheets
      (7nm-thick) formed by the association side-by-side of long and aligned 7nm
      diameter wormlike micelles. It was responsible for the reproducible gelation at
      the macroscopic scale. A second network made of helical fibres with a 10-13nm
      diameter, more or less intertwined was also formed but was scarcely able to
      sustain a macroscopic gel on its own. The gels were analysed by TEM (Transmission
      Electronic Microscopy), cryo-TEM and SAXS (Small Angle X-ray Scattering).
      Molecular modelling was also used to highlight the possible conformations the
      hydrogelator can take. The gels displayed a weak and reversible transition near
      20 degrees C, close to room temperature, ascribed to the wormlike micelles 2D
      sheets network. Heating over 30 degrees C led to the loss of the gel macroscopic
      integrity, but gel fragments were still observed in suspension. A second
      transition near 50 degrees C, ascribed to the network of helical fibres, finally
      dissolved completely these fragments. The gels showed thixotropic behaviour,
      recovering slowly their initial elastic modulus, in few hours, after injection
      through a needle. Stable gels were tested as scaffold for neural cell line
      culture, showing a reduced biocompatibility. This new gelator is a clear
      illustration of how controlling the pathway was critical for gel formation and
      how a new kind of self-assembly was obtained by shearing.

PMID- 28622566
TI  - Crosslinking hydroxylated reduced graphene oxide with RAFT-CTA: A nano-initiator
      for preparation of well-defined amino acid-based polymer nanohybrids.
AB  - Here, we demonstrate a novel reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer
      agent (RAFT-CTA)-modified reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (CTA-rGONSs) by
      crosslinking rGONSs with a RAFT-CTA via esterification reaction. These nano CTA
      rGONSs were used to polymerize a hydrophobic amino acid-based methacrylamide (N
      acryloyl-l-phenylalanine methyl ester) monomer with different monomer/initiator
      ratios. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the polymer-graphene composites
      were thermally more stable than GO itself. Mn of the polymers increased with
      increasing monomer/initiator ratio, while the polydispersity index decreased,
      indicating controlled polymerization. The composites were stable in DMF even
      after two months.

PMID- 28622567
TI  - The application of traffic-light food labelling in a worksite canteen
      intervention in Taiwan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated customer attitudes, perceptions, and utilisation
      of a traffic-light food labelling (TFL) programme before and after the TFL was
      implemented in a worksite canteen in Taiwan. STUDY DESIGN: A one-arm intervention
      was implemented in the canteen and buffet of a research park in Taiwan. Phase 1
      consisted of dissemination of information regarding the TFL, targeting the
      customers (June-July, 2014); phase 2 consisted of implementation of the TFL in
      the buffet starting in August 2014. The TFL included red, yellow and green
      labels, indicating 'unhealthy/stop', 'moderately unhealthy/wait' and
      'healthy/go', respectively. METHODS: The evaluation was based on two independent
      anonymous surveys in July 2014 (in phase 1) and April 2015 (in phase 2).
      Customers were invited to take a survey regarding the TFL programme, the food
      environment in the canteen, and their lunch choices. Logistic regression models
      examined the changes in customers' attention and attitudes towards the labelling
      and their food choices between the two surveys. RESULTS: The customers reported
      positive attitudes towards the TFL. The proportion of customers who reported
      choosing foods based on the recommendations increased from 38% to 50% (P < 0.01).
      The proportion of the buffet customers who chose green-light entrees and red
      light entrees changed from 13% and 63% to 36% and 21%, respectively (P < 0.001).
      The availability of green-light entrees in the buffet increased as well.
      CONCLUSIONS: This first report of a TFL intervention in an Asian worksite
      suggests that TFL is acceptable and well understood by this population and may
      assist customers in choosing healthier items when healthier choices are
      available.

PMID- 28622568
TI  - Per-protocol investigation of a best practice exercise referral scheme.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of an exercise referral scheme (ERS)
      aligned to the UK best practice guidelines on a range of outcomes including those
      associated with key health concerns of the Scottish population. STUDY DESIGN: A
      longitudinal design with data collection at three time points (baseline, midway
      and post) during a 12-week ERS intervention was employed. METHODS: Health-related
      physical fitness was assessed through measurement of resting heart rate, blood
      pressure, FEV1:FEV6 (ratio of forced expiratory volume over one [FEV1] and six
      [FEV6] seconds), body mass and peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), whilst functional
      capacity was assessed through the five times sit to stand test. Psychosocial well
      being and quality of life were measured using the World Health Organization
      Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Profile of Mood State
      questionnaires. Growth curve analyses were used to model each outcome variable
      across the three time periods. RESULTS: A range of effects were obtained with
      significant linear improvements in physical performance tests (P < 0.001) and
      psychosocial assessments (P <= 0.002). Additionally, significant quadratic
      effects of time were obtained for body composition variables and physical
      activity levels (P < 0.001) with the greatest improvements obtained between
      baseline and midway assessments. CONCLUSIONS: An ERS aligned to the UK best
      practice guidelines can positively influence a range of health outcomes including
      those associated with lung function and cardiovascular fitness which are
      prevalent medical conditions in Scotland. In addition, results indicate that ERS
      can positively affect outcomes related to functional capacity as well as mental
      well-being and perceptions of health. The findings of the study identify the need
      for further investigation including consideration of the initial health status of
      referred clients.

PMID- 28622569
TI  - Selective laser melting porous metallic implants with immobilized silver
      nanoparticles kill and prevent biofilm formation by methicillin-resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - Implant-associated infection and limited longevity are two major challenges that
      orthopedic devices need to simultaneously address. Additively manufactured porous
      implants have recently shown tremendous promise in improving bone regeneration
      and osseointegration, but, as any conventional implant, are threatened by
      infection. In this study, we therefore used rational design and additive
      manufacturing in the form of selective laser melting (SLM) to fabricate porous
      titanium implants with interconnected pores, resulting in a 3.75 times larger
      surface area than corresponding solid implants. The SLM implants were
      biofunctionalized by embedding silver nanoparticles in an oxide surface layer
      grown using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in Ca/P-based electrolytes. The
      PEO layer of the SLM implants released silver ions for at least 28 days. X-ray
      diffraction analysis detected hydroxyapatite on the SLM PEO implants but not on
      the corresponding solid implants. In vitro and ex vivo assays showed strong
      antimicrobial activity of these novel SLM PEO silver-releasing implants, without
      any signs of cytotoxicity. The rationally designed SLM porous implants
      outperformed solid implants with similar dimensions undergoing the same
      biofunctionalization treatment. This included four times larger amount of
      released silver ions, two times larger zone of inhibition, and one additional
      order of magnitude of reduction in numbers of CFU in an ex vivo mouse infection
      model.

PMID- 28622570
TI  - The role of premorbid personality and social cognition in suicidal behaviour in
      first-episode psychosis: A one-year follow-up study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High suicide attempt (SA) rates have been reported in first-episode
      psychosis (FEP) patients, particularly during the first year after the illness
      onset. Despite previous studies establishing several risk factors for suicidal
      behaviour in FEP, premorbid personality and social cognition have not been
      sufficiently investigated to date. OBJECTIVE: To test whether personality traits
      and social cognition are associated with SAs in FEP over a 12-month follow-up.
      METHOD: Sixty-five FEP patients were evaluated at first contact with mental
      health services. The presence of SAs was recorded at six and twelve months after
      first presentation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses explored the influence of
      a range of sociodemographic and clinical variables, including premorbid
      personality and social cognition-related Theory of Mind (ToM) measures, on SAs.
      RESULTS: SAs were associated with greater severity of symptoms at first
      hospitalization with psychotic symptoms (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.25-3.82), schizoid
      personality traits (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.02-2.57) and impairment in a first
      order false belief task (OR = 4.26, 95% CI = 1.05-17.31) in the multivariate
      models. CONCLUSIONS: Symptom severity at illness onset, premorbid schizoid
      personality traits and ToM impairment emerged as predictors of SA in this FEP
      sample, which, if replicated, may be useful in identifying high-risk groups and
      implementing more targeted suicide prevention programs in FEP.

PMID- 28622572
TI  - Differential predictive value of PTSD symptom clusters for mental health care
      among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans following PTSD diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Veterans from the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are being
      diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at high rates. This study
      examined characteristics associated with mental health service utilization,
      specifically psychotherapy, through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in a
      large cohort of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans newly diagnosed with PTSD. METHOD:
      This study utilized national VA administrative data from Iraq and Afghanistan
      veterans following an initial diagnosis of PTSD and completed a self-report
      measure of PTSD symptoms between Fiscal Years 2008-2012 (N=52,456; 91.7% male;
      59.7% Caucasian; mean age 30.6, SD=8.3). Regression analyses examined the
      relation between PTSD symptom cluster severity and treatment-related variables.
      RESULTS: Accounting for demographic/clinical variables, PTSD symptom clusters
      were related to psychotherapy initiation (re-experiencing, OR=1.23; numbing,
      OR=1.15), combination treatment (medication and psychotherapy; re-experiencing,
      OR=1.13; avoidance, OR=1.07; dysphoric arousal, OR=1.06), number of psychotherapy
      visits (re-experiencing, IRR= 1.08; numbing, IRR=1.09), and adequate dose of
      therapy (e.g., 8 visits/14 weeks; re-experiencing: OR= 1.07). CONCLUSIONS: When
      considering treatment approaches for trauma-exposed veterans, it is important to
      map the severity of unique PTSD symptoms clusters; this may have implications on
      the selection of treatment that best fits the veterans' needs and preferences
      (e.g., exposure therapy versus cognitive processing therapy).

PMID- 28622573
TI  - The specificity of public stigma: A comparison of suicide and depression-related
      stigma.
AB  - Each year, approximately 1.3 million Americans survive a suicide attempt. While
      stigma has been reported by suicide attempt survivors, limited research has
      examined how suicide stigma may differ from the stigma of mental illness. U.S.
      adults (n = 440) completed an online survey in which they were randomly assigned
      to one of four vignettes. Vignettes depicted a target individual with either past
      depression, past suicide attempt, death by suicide, or no information on suicide
      or mental illness (control). Participants completed a general measure of stigma,
      a suicide-specific stigma measure, and were surveyed on the recovery potential of
      individuals with mental illness and suicide attempt. While the general stigma
      measure failed to distinguish between groups, significant differences on the
      suicide stigma scale (SSAS-44) emerged between participants assigned in the
      depression and suicide conditions, especially for stereotype and prejudice
      subscales. Across conditions, participants believed that recovery was more
      realistic for someone described as having a mental illness than it was for
      someone described as having attempted suicide. These findings suggest that
      individuals who have attempted suicide are subject to differential stigma content
      from those with depression. Implications are discussed for combating stigma for
      suicide attempt survivors.

PMID- 28622571
TI  - Substantiated childhood maltreatment and young adulthood cannabis use disorders:
      A pre-birth cohort study.
AB  - This study investigates the association between exposure to prospectively
      substantiated childhood maltreatment between 0 and 14 years of age and lifetime
      cannabis use, abuse and dependence reported at 21 years. Data were taken from
      2526 (51.6% female) participants in the Mater Hospital-University of Queensland
      Study of Pregnancy, a pre-birth, prospective, cohort study. Prospectively
      substantiated cases of childhood maltreatment, reported to the government child
      protection agencies between 0 and 14 years of age, were linked to CIDI DSM-IV
      self-report data from the 21-year follow-up. Exposure to any childhood
      maltreatment, and childhood neglect in particular, predicted subsequent cannabis
      abuse with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of 1.79 and 2.62, respectively. Any
      childhood maltreatment, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect predicted
      cannabis dependence with AORs of 2.47, 2.81, 2.44 and 2.68, respectively. The
      associations for an early age of onset of cannabis abuse and dependence were
      significant and consistent for maltreated children. In addition, frequency of
      maltreatment substantiations predicted cannabis abuse, dependence and an early
      age of onset of these disorders. The AORs for cannabis ever use without any DSM
      IV cannabis disorder were 1.78 for any maltreatment and 2.15 for emotional abuse.
      Any childhood maltreatment and neglect predicted lifetime ever cannabis use, as
      well as cannabis use disorder. There was little evidence for any interaction
      between gender and different forms of childhood maltreatment and its association
      with cannabis use disorders. Physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, as well
      as multiple episodes of maltreatment independently predicted cannabis use
      disorders.

PMID- 28622574
TI  - Analysis of adipose tissue immune gene expression after vaccination of rainbow
      trout with adjuvanted bacterins reveals an association with side effects.
AB  - Most existing fish vaccines are presented in the form of oil-based emulsions
      delivered by intraperitoneal injection. Whilst very effective they are frequently
      associated with inflammatory responses that can result in clinically significant
      side-effects often involving the adipose tissue that is in direct contact with
      the vaccine. To explore the potential of immune gene expression changes in the
      adipose tissue of fish to be markers of vaccination efficacy or development of
      side-effects we have studied the response to a bacterial (Aeromonas salmonicida)
      vaccine administered with two different adjuvants. The first adjuvant was
      MontanideTM ISA 763A VG, thought to induce a mostly humoral response, and the
      second was MontanideTM ISA 761 VG that gives a more balanced humoral and cell
      mediated response. Following vaccination tissue samples were collected at days 3,
      14 and 28 for RTqPCR analysis. Fifty immune genes were studied with a focus on a)
      pro-inflammatory associated molecules and b) adaptive immune response related
      molecules linked with possible Th1, Th2, Th17 and T-regulatory pathways, with the
      expression data analysed for associations with Speilberg post-vaccination side
      effect scores. The results showed that the adipose tissue is a particularly
      sensitive and discriminatory tissue for studying adjuvant effects. A clear
      upregulation of many immune genes occurred in response to both vaccine groups,
      which persisted over time and overlapped with the appearance of visible
      adhesions. Our analysis revealed a relationship between adipose tissue immune
      function and the development of vaccine-induced adhesions giving the potential to
      use immune gene expression profiling in this tissue to predict the side-effects
      seen.

PMID- 28622576
TI  - Coordinating cell movements in vivo: junctional and cytoskeletal dynamics lead
      the way.
AB  - Collective cell movements drive embryonic development and tissue repair, and can
      cause disease. However, the mechanisms that coordinate the migration of groups of
      cells in vivo are unclear. Cells generate, transmit and sense mechanical forces
      to align their movements. Therefore, the machinery used by cells to generate
      force (cytoskeleton) and to transmit and sense mechanical signals (cell-cell
      adhesion) is critical for collective movement. Here, we review the components and
      organization of the cytoskeletal and cell-cell adhesive machineries, and how they
      are organized to promote collective cell movements in living animals. We discuss
      the signals that orchestrate molecular rearrangements necessary for coordinated
      cell motility, and we provide specific examples of movements both in the plane of
      the tissue (wound healing) and perpendicular to that plane (apical constriction).

PMID- 28622575
TI  - Protein nanoparticle vaccine based on flagellin carrier fused to influenza
      conserved epitopes confers full protection against influenza A virus challenge.
AB  - Currently marketed influenza vaccines only confer protection against matching
      influenza virus strains. The influenza A composition of these vaccines needs to
      be annually updated. Vaccines that target conserved epitopes of influenza viruses
      would in principle offer broad cross-protection against influenza A viruses. In
      our study, we investigated the specific immune responses and protective efficacy
      of protein nanoparticles based on fusion proteins of flagellin carrier linked to
      conserved influenza epitopes. We designed fusion proteins by replacing the
      hyperimmunogenic region of flagellin (FliC) with four tandem copies of the
      ectodomain of matrix protein 2 (f4M2e), H1 HA2 domain (fHApr8) or H3 HA2 domain
      (fHAaichi). Protein nanoparticles fabricated from these fusion proteins by using
      DTSSP crosslinking retained Toll-like receptor 5 agonist activity of FliC.
      Intranasal immunization with f4M2e, f4M2e/fHApr8 or f4M2e/fHAaichi nanoparticles
      induced vaccine antigen-specific humoral immune responses. It was also found that
      the incorporation of the H1 HA2 domain into f4M2e/fHApr8 nanoparticles boosted
      M2e specific antibody responses. Immunized mice were fully protected against
      lethal doses of virus challenge.

PMID- 28622577
TI  - Hyperoside inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in
      microglial cells via p38 and NFkappaB pathways.
AB  - Hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-beta-d-galactoside) is an active compound isolated from
      herbs. Neuroinflammation is a key mechanism involved in neurodegenerative
      disorders including Parkinson's disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate
      the potentiality of hyperoside in inhibiting microglia-mediated
      neuroinflammation. BV2 microglial cells were pretreated with hyperoside and
      stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that hyperoside
      significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide and pro
      inflammatory cytokines including IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, as well as the
      expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Similar results were observed in
      primary microglial cells isolated from neonatal mice. Analyses in MAPK and
      NFkappaB signaling combined with specific inhibitors suggested that hyperoside
      attenuated the LPS-induced inflammatory responses via p38 and NFkappaB pathways.
      Furthermore, hyperoside suppressed reactive microglia-mediated neurotoxicity as
      evidenced by conditioned media culture, but had no direct impact on MPP+-induced
      toxicity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Collectively, our data suggest that
      hyperoside may serve as a protective agent by alleviating microglia activation in
      disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 28622578
TI  - The progression of hallux valgus in the oriental Chinese population in Hong Kong.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus is the lateral deviation of the great toe at the MTPJ
      that has many attributing aetiologies. This study will aim to identify whether
      hallux valgus progresses over time in the oriental Chinese population in Hong
      Kong. METHODS: Patients with acquired symptomatic hallux valgus who presented to
      clinic between 2008 and 2013 were included. The deformities were analysed
      radiologically at presentation and pre-operative and angles were measured. These
      angles were analysed in relation to the waiting time from presentation to
      surgery. RESULTS: A sample of 43 cases from 38 patients (Mean age 63 years, range
      48-80 years) were included. Forty-one cases had a hallux valgus angle (HVA) >24
      degrees  at presentation (Mean 40.4 degrees ) and all had an intermetatarsal
      angle (IMA) >9 degrees . A significant difference is seen with HVA (p=0.040, t=
      2.128) at presentation and pre-op but not IMA (p=0.281, t=-1.095). The average
      wait for surgery was 705.7days which had shown significant correlation with
      progression in HVA (p=0.031). No significant difference was seen between IMA and
      waiting time to surgery (p=0.195). DISCUSSION: The findings suggests severe
      hallux valgus deformity does progress over time in Hong Kong. Shorter waiting
      times for surgery could be beneficial to this population. Level III,
      retrospective comparative series.

PMID- 28622579
TI  - Evidence of promising biological-pharmacological activities of the sertraline
      based copper complex: (SerH2)2[CuCl4].
AB  - In the current study the ability of copper complex to exert multiple biological
      activities is combined with the pharmacological action of sertraline (SerH2Cl,
      antidepressant drug). The hydrated and anhydrous forms of the
      tetrachlorocuprate(II) salts, namely (SerH2)2[CuCl4].1/2H2O and (SerH2)2[CuCl4],
      were synthesized and characterized by physicochemical methods. The crystal
      structures were determined by X-ray diffraction methods. The hydrate complex
      crystallizes in the monoclinic P21 space group with a=8.0807(2) A, b=36.2781(8)
      A, c=12.6576(3) A, beta=95.665(2) degrees , and Z=4 molecules per unit cell and
      the un-hydrate in P21 with a=13.8727(6) A, b=7.5090(3) A, c=18.618(1) A,
      beta=104.563(6) degrees , and Z=2. It has been suggested that Cu(II) ions might
      be critical in the development of mood disorders, showed potent biocidal
      activity, and also acted as analgesic adjuvant. To improve sertraline efficiency,
      the antidepressant and analgesic activities of the complex have been assessed in
      rats denoting a marked synergistic effect. Antithyroid and antimicrobial
      activities were also evaluated. Because depressive disorders and hyperthyroidism
      diseases led to an oxidative stress state, antioxidant capability has also been
      tested. The complex behaved as a good superoxide radical scavenger (IC50=6.3*10
      6M). The ability of the complex to act as bromoperoxidase mimic was assessed. A
      pseudo-first order constant of k=0.157+/-0.007min-1 has been determined. The
      complex evidences promising biological-pharmacological activities and the albumin
      binding studies showed a Kb of 2.90*103M-1 showing an improvement in the uptake
      of sertraline by albumin at 8h incubation (time required for effective
      interaction of sertraline with the protein).

PMID- 28622580
TI  - Combating breast cancer with non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors (NSAIs):
      Understanding the chemico-biological interactions through comparative SAR/QSAR
      study.
AB  - It is a challenging task to design target-specific and less toxic non-steroidal
      aromatase inhibitors (NSAIs) though the modeling studies for designing anti
      aromatase molecules have been continuing for more than two decades to fight the
      dreaded estrogen-dependent breast cancer. In this article, different validated
      QSAR models are developed and analyzed to understand important physicochemical
      and structural parameters modulating the aromatase inhibitory activity of NSAIs.
      Physicochemical properties such as molar refractivity and dipole moment are found
      to be the most important parameters for controlling aromatase inhibition. This
      indicates the characteristic of bulky, complex and steric properties as well as,
      the flexibility of molecules is playing pivotal roles for aromatase inhibition.
      In many cases, hydrophobicity also plays important contribution. Regarding the
      structural point of view, some important indicator parameters are also found to
      be important for aromatase inhibitory activity. Though azole function is playing
      a crucial role by coordinating the heme moiety of the aromatase enzyme, the
      imidazole or the imidazolylmethyl ring systems may be better NSAIs than triazole,
      tetrazole or other azoles. The 4-pyridylmethyl group containing compounds are
      also found to be better NSAIs. The QSAR study, in a nutshell, provides a detailed
      understanding of the effectivity of NSAIs which is dependent mainly on the shape
      and size as well as the steric features of molecules and the heme-coordinator
      azole functions. These findings may open up a new horizon for designing new
      potential NSAIs that can be effective to reduce the mortality rate of breast
      cancer in future.

PMID- 28622581
TI  - Assessment of atherosclerotic luminal narrowing of coronary arteries based on
      morphometrically generated visual guides.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Determination of the degree of stenosis of atherosclerotic
      coronary arteries is an important part of postmortem examination of the heart,
      but, unfortunately, estimation of the degree of luminal narrowing can be
      imprecise and tends to be approximations. Visual guides can be useful to assess
      this, but earlier attempts to develop such guides did not employ digital
      technology. Using this approach, we have developed two computer-generated
      morphometric guides to estimate the degree of luminal narrowing of
      atherosclerotic coronary arteries. The first is based on symmetric or eccentric
      circular or crescentic narrowing of the vessel lumen and the second on either
      slit-like or irregularly shaped narrowing of the vessel lumens. METHODS: Using
      the Aperio ScanScope XT at a magnification of 20* we created digital whole-slide
      images of 20 representative microscopic cross sections of the left anterior
      descending (LAD) coronary artery, stained with either hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)
      or Movat's pentachrome stain. These cross sections illustrated a variety of
      luminal profiles and degrees of stenosis. Three representative types of images
      were selected and a visual guide was constructed with Adobe Photoshop CS5. Using
      the "Scale" and "Measurement" tools, we created a series of representations of
      stenosis with luminal cross sections depicting 20%, 40%, 60%, 70%, 80%, and 90%
      occlusion of the LAD branch. Four pathologists independently reviewed and scored
      the degree of atherosclerotic luminal narrowing based on our visual guides. In
      addition, digital technology was employed to determine the degree of narrowing by
      measuring the cross-sectional area of the 20 microscopic sections of the vessels,
      first assuming no narrowing and then comparing this to the percent of narrowing
      determined by precise measurement. RESULTS: Two of the observers were very
      experienced general autopsy pathologists, one was a first-year pathology resident
      on his first rotation on the autopsy service, and the fourth observer was a
      highly experienced cardiovascular pathologist. Interobserver reliability was
      assessed by determination of the intraclass correlation coefficient. The degrees
      of agreement for two H&E- and Movat-stained sections of the LADs from each of 10
      decedents were 0.874 and 0.899, respectively, indicating strong interobserver
      agreement. On the average, the mean visual scores were ~8% less than the
      morphometric assessment (52.7 vs. 60.2), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The visual
      guides that we have generated for scoring atherosclerotic luminal narrowing of
      coronary arteries should be helpful for a broad group of pathologists, from
      beginning pathology residents to experienced cardiovascular pathologists.

PMID- 28622582
TI  - Porous Mn doped g-C3N4 photocatalysts for enhanced synergetic degradation under
      visible-light illumination.
AB  - Photocatalytic degradation by semiconductors is an ideal way to solve the
      environmental problem. Here, the porous Mn doped g-C3N4 photocatalyst was
      synthesized by the calcination-refluxing method. The as-prepared g-C3N4 exhibits
      the high activity of photocatalytic degradation under visible light irradiation (
      > 400nm) in the mixed system of Cr(VI) and organic pollutants. Especially, the
      photocatalytic activity of Cr(VI) reduction was increased from 9.5% to 76.5%,
      while that of Rhodamine B(RhB) degradation was enhanced from 15.3% to 88.9% after
      60min irradiation. The porous Mn doped g-C3N4 still keeps the high degradation
      efficiency of mixed pollutants in the 7th running. Based on the computational
      modeling, the Mn doping and carboxyl modification affect the atomic arrangement
      and molecular orbital distribution of the g-C3N4 semiconductor, leading to the
      enhancement of photo-induced carrier separation. Additionally, the active oxygen
      species and intermediates in the photoreaction process were discovered by ESR
      measurement and UV-vis test. The RhB degradation in synergistic photocatalysis
      not only inhibits the reverse reaction of Cr(VI) reduction, but also validly
      supply the photogenerated electrons by the photosensitization effect. This work
      may be useful for rationally designing photocatalysts and providing illuminating
      insights into the photocatalytic mechanism.

PMID- 28622583
TI  - PVP capped silver nanocubes assisted removal of glyphosate from water-A
      photoluminescence study.
AB  - Glyphosate [N-phosphono-methylglycine (PMG)] is the most used herbicide worldwide
      and it has been reported very recently that Glyphosate is very harmful and can
      produce lots of diseases such as alzheimer and parkinson's disease, depression,
      cancer, infertility including genotoxic effects. As it is mostly present in
      stable water body and ground water system, its detection and removal is very
      important. Here, we have shown a fluorescence technique for the removal of
      glyphosate from water using chemically synthesized polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)
      silver nanocrystals. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) study shows the
      average size of silver nanocrystals of 100nm approximately with a morphology of
      cubic shape. Glyphosate does not show absorption in the visible region. But both
      glyphosate and silver nanocrystals show strong fluorescence in the visible
      region. So, photoluminescence study has been successfully utilized to detect the
      glyphosate in water samples and on treating the glyphosate contaminated water
      sample with silver nanocrystals, the sample shows no emission peak of glyphosate
      at 458nm. Thus, this approach is a promising and very rapid method for the
      detection and removal of glyphosate from water samples on treatment with silver
      nanocubes. NMR spectra further confirms that the silver nanocrystals treated
      contaminated water samples are glyphosate free.

PMID- 28622584
TI  - STMN1 as a candidate gene associated with atypical meningioma progression.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Meningiomas are the most common type of primary intracranial tumor.
      Atypical meningiomas are especially difficult to manage due to frequent disease
      recurrence. This study aimed to examine the role of stathmin (coded by the gene
      STMN1) as a factor in atypical meningioma recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A
      total of 59 sporadic atypical meningioma formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE)
      samples were collected. The mRNA levels of the biomarker gene STMN1 were tested
      using quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: We observed significant up-regulation of
      STMN1 mRNA expression in recurrent tumors in comparison with primary tumors
      (p<0.05). Moreover, mRNA expression levels of STMN1 significantly correlated with
      Ki-67 score (r=0.93, p<0.01). Multivariate survival analyses indicated that high
      expression of STMN1, high Ki-67 score, and more advanced patient age at diagnosis
      (>60yrs) each act as independence prognostic factors for recurrence. Kaplan-Meier
      analysis revealed that STMN1 expression pattern could effectively predict
      prognosis of atypical meningioma in patients (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study
      indicates for the first time that an increased risk of sporadic atypical
      meningioma recurrence can be found in cases with elevated expression of STMN1.
      These results suggest that STMN1 expression might serve as a biomarker for
      determining patient atypical meningioma prognosis.

PMID- 28622585
TI  - The fading affect bias shows positive outcomes at the general but not the
      individual level of analysis in the context of social media.
AB  - Unpleasant affect fades faster than pleasant affect (e.g., Walker, Vogl, &
      Thompson, 1997); this effect is referred to as the Fading Affect Bias (FAB;
      Walker, Skowronski, Gibbons, Vogl, & Thompson, 2003a). Research shows that the
      FAB is consistently related to positive/healthy outcomes at a general but not at
      a specific level of analysis based on event types and individual differences
      (e.g., Gibbons et al., 2013). Based on the positive outcomes for FAB and negative
      outcomes for social media (Bolton et al., 2013; Huang, 2010), the current study
      examined FAB in the context of social media events along with related individual
      differences. General positive outcomes were shown in the form of robust FAB
      effects across social media and non-social media events, a larger FAB for non
      social media events than for social media events, negative correlations of FAB
      with depression, anxiety, and stress as well as a positive correlation of FAB
      with self-esteem. However, the lack of a negative correlation between FAB and
      anxiety for social media events in a 3-way interaction did not show positive
      outcomes at a specific level of analysis. Rehearsal ratings mediated the 3-way
      interaction. Implications are discussed.

PMID- 28622586
TI  - Outerwear through the ages: evolutionary cell biology of vesicle coats.
AB  - Vesicular transport was key to the evolution of eukaryotes, and is essential for
      eukaryotic life today. All modern eukaryotes have a set of vesicle coat proteins,
      which couple cargo selection to vesicle budding in the secretory and endocytic
      pathways. Although these coats share common features (e.g. recruitment via small
      GTPases, beta-propeller-alpha-solenoid proteins acting as scaffolds), the
      relationships between them are not always clear. Structural studies on the coats
      themselves, comparative genomics and cell biology in diverse eukaryotes, and the
      recent discovery of the Asgard archaea and their 'eukaryotic signature proteins'
      are helping us to piece together how coats may have evolved during the prokaryote
      to-eukaryote transition.

PMID- 28622587
TI  - Statistical characterization of noise for spatial standardization of CT scans:
      Enabling comparison with multiple kernels and doses.
AB  - Computerized tomography (CT) is a widely adopted modality for analyzing directly
      or indirectly functional, biological and morphological processes by means of the
      image characteristics. However, the potential utilization of the information
      obtained from CT images is often limited when considering the analysis of
      quantitative information involving different devices, acquisition protocols or
      reconstruction algorithms. Although CT scanners are calibrated as a part of the
      imaging workflow, the calibration is circumscribed to global reference values and
      does not circumvent problems that are inherent to the imaging modality. One of
      them is the lack of noise stationarity, which makes quantitative biomarkers
      extracted from the images less robust and stable. Some methodologies have been
      proposed for the assessment of non-stationary noise in reconstructed CT scans.
      However, those methods focused on the non-stationarity only due to the
      reconstruction geometry and are mainly based on the propagation of the variance
      of noise throughout the whole reconstruction process. Additionally, the
      philosophy followed in the state-of-the-art methods is based on the reduction of
      noise, but not in the standardization of it. This means that, even if the noise
      is reduced, the statistics of the signal remain non-stationary, which is
      insufficient to enable comparisons between different acquisitions with different
      statistical characteristics. In this work, we propose a statistical
      characterization of noise in reconstructed CT scans that leads to a versatile
      statistical model that effectively characterizes different doses, reconstruction
      kernels, and devices. The statistical model is generalized to deal with the
      partial volume effect via a localized mixture model that also describes the non
      stationarity of noise. Finally, we propose a stabilization scheme to achieve
      stationary variance. The validation of the proposed methodology was performed
      with a physical phantom and clinical CT scans acquired with different
      configurations (kernels, doses, algorithms including iterative reconstruction).
      The results confirmed its suitability to enable comparisons with different doses,
      and acquisition protocols.

PMID- 28622588
TI  - Attachment representations and socio-emotional difficulties in alternative care:
      A comparison between residential, foster and family based children in Chile.
AB  - Attachment has been assessed in children living in alternative care (AC)
      settings, such as Residential Homes (RC) and Foster Care (FC). However, no study
      has been conducted to compare attachment styles in residential, foster and
      parental care conducted as usual in the same country at the same point in time.
      There is also a lack of studies conducted in less developed countries. Therefore,
      the aim of this study was to compare outcomes for children living in three
      different types of care in Chile. Three groups of children (N=77), living in
      (RC), (FC) and with biological parents (PC) were compared. Attachment styles,
      Indiscriminate Friendliness (IF) and socio-emotional/behavioral difficulties were
      assessed. Higher rates of secure attachment were observed in the RC group (36.1%)
      when compared to studies in RC in other countries (mean 18%). However, children
      in both types of AC were significantly more likely to have insecure and/or
      disorganized attachment styles than PC children. Higher rates of socio-emotional
      and behavioral problems were observed in RC (55.6%) and FC (50%) compared to PC
      (10%). Within type of AC, no significant differences were found, for attachment
      styles or for socio-emotional/behavioral difficulties, the only difference were
      the levels of IF, with children in RC having higher levels. As a conclusion,
      impact of placement in AC can vary between different countries, other factors,
      rather than only type of AC could better explain differences in attachment
      security for children. Implications for research and practices are discussed.

PMID- 28622589
TI  - Improving outcomes for babies and toddlers in child welfare: A model for infant
      mental health intervention and collaboration.
AB  - Children under three comprise a sizable and growing proportion of foster care
      placements. Very young children who enter the child welfare system experience
      disruptions of critical attachments that are essential to this formative stage of
      brain development, as well as other traumatic events, leaving them at great risk
      for lifelong impairments. To reverse these concerning outcomes, babies who have
      been removed from their homes require intensive, relationship-based interventions
      that promote secure attachment to a primary caregiver and holistic attention the
      child's developmental needs. Child welfare decision-makers must be informed of
      infant brain development and knowledgeable about the particular needs and
      circumstances of each child. This article describes a model with these features
      that has been developed and tested in the Bronx, New York, one of the nation's
      poorest urban counties with high rates of foster care. The Project utilizes
      evidence-based Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) as its core intervention, and
      emphasizes collaboration and information sharing- driven by the CPP clinician-
      with judges, child welfare workers, attorneys and other social service and mental
      health providers, thereby encouraging developmentally and relationally informed
      case planning and permanency decisions. The model is evaluated using pre and post
      treatment psychosocial measures and program outcome data. Results indicate
      improvement in parenting interactions, positive child welfare outcomes (including
      increased rates of reunification, fewer returns to foster care), and improved
      safety and wellbeing. Results highlight the need for child welfare practices to
      be more closely aligned with the current science of infant brain development, and
      to incorporate a specialized approach to address the unique needs of infants.

PMID- 28622590
TI  - Can evolutionary theory explain the slow development of knowledge about the level
      of safety built into roads?
AB  - In several papers, Hauer (1988, 1989, 2000a, 2000b, 2016) has argued that the
      level of safety built into roads is unpremeditated, i.e. not the result of
      decisions based on knowledge of the safety impacts of design standards. Hauer has
      pointed out that the development of knowledge about the level of safety built
      into roads has been slow and remains incomplete even today. Based on these
      observations, this paper asks whether evolutionary theory can contribute to
      explaining the slow development of knowledge. A key proposition of evolutionary
      theory is that knowledge is discovered through a process of learning-by-doing; it
      is not necessarily produced intentionally by means of research or development. An
      unintentional discovery of knowledge is treacherous as far as road safety is
      concerned, since an apparently effective safety treatment may simply be the
      result of regression-to-the-mean. The importance of regression-to-the-mean was
      not fully understood until about 1980, and a substantial part of what was
      regarded as known at that time may have been based on studies not controlling for
      regression-to-the-mean. An attempt to provide an axiomatic foundation for
      designing a safe road system was made by Gunnarsson and Lindstrom (1970). This
      had the ambition of providing universal guidelines that would facilitate a
      preventive approach, rather than the reactive approach based on accident history
      (i.e. designing a system known to be safe, rather than reacting to events in a
      system of unknown safety). Three facts are notable about these principles. First,
      they are stated in very general terms and do not address many of the details of
      road design or traffic control. Second, they are not based on experience showing
      their effectiveness. Third, they are partial and do not address the interaction
      between elements of the road traffic system, in particular road user adaptation
      to system design. Another notable fact consistent with evolutionary theory, is
      that the safety margins built into various design elements have been continuously
      eroded by the development of bigger and faster motor vehicles, that can only be
      operated safely if roads are wider and straighter than they needed to be when
      motor vehicles were smaller and moved slower.

PMID- 28622591
TI  - Targeting proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, TGF-beta1 and STAT-3 by
      rosuvastatin and ubiquinone to ameliorate trastuzumab cardiotoxicity.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess the possible modulatory effects of
      rosuvastatin and/or ubiquinone on trastuzumab (TRZ)-induced cardiotoxicity in
      mice. One hundred and twenty mice were divided into six equal groups as follows:
      control group; TRZ group; TRZ+carboxymethyl cellulose group; TRZ+rosuvastatin
      group; TRZ+Ubiquinone group and TRZ+rosuvastatin+Ubiquinone group. Serum creatine
      kinase (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type
      natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) were measured. Also, tissue malondialdehyde
      (MDA), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), interleukin 6 (IL-6),
      transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) and signal transducers and
      activators of transcription-3 (STAT-3) were determined. Also, echocardiography
      was performed. Parts of the heart were subjected to histopathological,
      immunohistochemical and electron microscopic examination. Administration of
      rosuvastatin and/or ubiquinone to TRZ-treated mice induced significant increase
      in tissue GPx, CAT and STAT-3 with significant decrease in serum CK-MB, LDH,
      troponin I, NT-pro BNP, tissue MDA, TGF-beta1 and IL-6 and improved the
      histopathological, immunohistochemical, echocardiographic and electron
      microscopic changes compared to the group that received TRZ alone. These changes
      were significant in rosuvastatin/ubiquinone combination group compared to the use
      of each of these drugs alone. In conclusion, rosuvastatin/ubiquinone combination
      may represent a new therapeutic modality to ameliorate TRZ-induced
      cardiotoxicity.

PMID- 28622592
TI  - Second generation H1 - antihistamines interaction with food and alcohol-A
      systematic review.
AB  - Histamine is a mediator of many physiological processes. It plays an important
      role in modulating allergy reactions and immune system responses. H1 receptor is
      a therapeutic target for drugs applied in allergic diseases such as allergic
      rhinoconjunctivitis, urticarial, or atopic dermatitis. H1-antihistamines display
      different chemical structures, pharmacokinetics and a potential for drug-drug and
      drug-food interactions. Drug-food interactions are known to reduce therapeutic
      effects of the medicine, as well as to induce a potent adverse drug reactions.
      Considering it all, a systematic review was conducted to investigate the
      importance of drug-food interaction for H1-antihistamine drugs. As non-sedating
      second generation H1-antihistamines remain to be drugs of choice in treating
      allergic conditions, the review has been focused on this particular class of
      medicines. The aim of this paper is to examine the evidence of food-drug and food
      alcohol interactions for second generation H1-antihistamine drugs. A systematic
      literature queries were performed in the following databases: Medline (via
      PubMed), Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science (all from their inception
      date till October 2016). The queries covered nine specific names of second
      generation anthistamine drugs, namely bilastine, cetirizine, desloratadine,
      ebastine, fexofenadine, levocetirizine, loratadine, mizolastine, and rupatadine,
      in combinations with such terms as "food", "juice", "grapefruit", "fruits",
      "alcohol", "pharmacokinetics", and "meal". Additional publications were found by
      checking all the reference lists. Where none data on drug-food interaction could
      be found within the investigated databases, a specific drug prescribing
      information was used. 2326 publications were identified with the database
      queries. Articles were subjected to analysis by reviewing their title, abstract
      and full text; duplicated papers were removed. Having collected a complete set of
      data, a critical review was undertaken. For selected H1-antihistamines food,
      fruit juices or alcohol consumption may significantly impact the efficacy and
      safety of the therapy. This issue shall be well understood to educate patients
      properly, as it provides the major therapeutic element in allergic diseases.

PMID- 28622593
TI  - Long noncoding RNA linc00462 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents one of the most common
      malignancies worldwide. In two pubic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) profiling
      studies of HCC, linc00462 was consistently upregulated. We analyzed the clinical
      significance and biological role of linc00462 in HCC. METHODS: We performed
      quantitative real-time PCR analysis to determine the levels of linc00462 in HCC
      tissues from 49 patients. Functional analysis was performed in cell lines and in
      an animal model to support clinical findings. RESULTS: Our data showed that
      linc00462 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues compared with matched
      normal tissues. The knockdown of linc00462 in HCC cells resulted in a much less
      aggressive oncogenic phenotype, and linc00462 downregulation contribute to the
      inactivation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: linc00462 may be a
      potential therapeutic target in HCC.

PMID- 28622594
TI  - The role of apitoxin in alleviating propionic acid-induced neurobehavioral
      impairments in rat pups: The expression pattern of Reelin gene.
AB  - The efficacy of apitoxin (bee venom; BV) in ameliorating propionic acid (PPA) 
      induced neurobehavioral impacts was studied. Sixty rat pups were enrolled in a
      split litter design to six groups: a control group, a PPA-treated group, a BV
      treated group, a BV/PPA protective group, a PPA/BV therapeutic group, and a
      BV/PPA/BV protective and therapeutic group. Exploratory, social, locomotor, and
      repetitive/stereotype-like activities were assessed and prosocial, empathy, and
      acquired behavior were evaluated. Levels of neurotransmitter including serotonin,
      dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were determined and a quantitative
      analysis of Reelin gene expression was performed. PPA treatment induced several
      behavioral alterations, as reduced exploratory activity and social behaviors,
      increased repetitive/stereotypic behaviors, and hyperactivity. In addition, a
      marked decline of neurotransmitters and down-regulation of Reelin mRNA expression
      were observed. BV exhibited high efficiency in ameliorating the PPA-induced
      neurobehavioral alterations, particularly when applied both before and after PPA
      administration. Overall, the results implied that BV has merit as a candidate
      therapeutic treatment to alleviate PPA-induced neurobehavioral disorders.

PMID- 28622596
TI  - Synthesis of novel fenfuram-diarylether hybrids as potent succinate dehydrogenase
      inhibitors.
AB  - Twelve novel fenfuram-diarylether hybrids were designed, synthesized and
      characterized by 1H NMR and MS. Their in vitro antifungal activities were
      evaluated against five phytopathogenic fungi by mycelial growth inhibition
      method. Most compounds showed significant antifungal effect on Rhizoctonia solani
      and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Compound 1c exhibited the most potent antifungal
      effect on R. solani with an EC50 value of 0.242mg/L, superior to the commercial
      fungicide boscalid (EC50=1.758mg/L) and the lead fungicide fenfuram
      (EC50=7.691mg/L). Molecular docking revealed that compound 1c featured a higher
      affinity for succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) than fenfuram. Furthermore, it was
      shown that the 2-chlorophenyl group of compound 1c formed a pi-pi stacking with
      D/Tyr-128 and a Cl-pi interaction with B/His-249, which made compound 1c more
      active than fenfuram against SDH.

PMID- 28622595
TI  - Exogenous deoxyribonuclease has a protective effect in a mouse model of sepsis.
AB  - Sepsis is associated with the activation of white blood cells (WBCs) that leads
      to the production of extracellular traps. This process increases extracellular
      DNA (ecDNA) that can be recognized by the innate immune system and leads to
      inflammation. Previous studies have shown that by cleaving ecDNA
      deoxyribonuclease (DNase) prevents the antibacterial effects of extracellular
      traps, but also has beneficial effects in sepsis. The aim of our study was to
      analyze the effects of DNase on WBCs in vitro and on ecDNA in a mouse model of
      sepsis. Our results confirmed that DNase decreases ecDNA by 70% and prevents the
      antibacterial effects of WBCs in vitro. Sepsis was induced in mice by
      intraperitoneal injection of E. coli. DNase was subsequently administered
      intravenously. In comparison to untreated septic mice DNase treatment improved
      the survival of septic mice by 60%, reduced their weight loss as well as
      inflammatory markers. Increased plasma DNase activity led to ecDNA concentrations
      in plasma comparable with the control group. In conclusion, the study showed that
      intravenous DNase improves survival of septic mice by cleavage of ecDNA,
      especially of nuclear origin. Further mechanistic studies are needed to prove the
      potential of DNase in the treatment or prevention of septic complications.

PMID- 28622597
TI  - Investigation of RadFET response to X-ray and electron beams.
AB  - The irradiation response of Radiation Sensing Field Effect Transistor (RadFET),
      also known as MOSFET/pMOS dosimeter, to high energy X-rays and electron beams was
      investigated. The threshold voltages before and after irradiation were measured
      and the trap densities in the gate oxide and oxide/silicon interface of the
      RadFETs are evaluated. The RadFETs were irradiated with 6MV X-rays, and 10 and
      18MeV electron beams emitted from a Linear accelerator (LINAC). Linear and non
      linear fits to experimental results showed that after an initial linear response
      up to several Gy, deviation from the linearity occurred due to electric field
      screening by the radiation induced oxide trapped charges. The radiation-induced
      fixed traps (FTs) and switching traps (STs) were analysed and the FT density was
      found to be higher than the ST density for all beam types and doses. The
      radiation response, fading characteristics, and variation of the trapped charges
      of the RadFETs showed similar behaviour in tests.

PMID- 28622598
TI  - Utilization of GEANT to calculation of production yield for 89Zr by charge
      particles interaction on 89Y, natZr and natSr.
AB  - The 89Zr, is one of the radionuclide with near-ideal properties for PET due to
      its suitable half-life and decay properties. The cross-section of 89Zr via
      89Y(p,n)89Zr, 89Y(d,2n)89Zr, natSr(alpha,xn)89Zr and natZr(p,pxn)89Zr, were
      calculated by the TALYS-1.8 code to predict the optimum range of charge particle
      energy. The Monte Carlo code GEANT4 was used to simulate the formation of 89Zr in
      the target body. The simulated 89Zr yield was in good agreement with published
      experimental results in the optimum energy range. According to the calculations,
      the 89Y(p,n)89Zr was superior to the other reactions useful to medical
      application.

PMID- 28622599
TI  - Adrenergic regulation of cytoplasmic structures related to secretory processes in
      pig pinealocytes-an ultrastructural, quantitative study.
AB  - Two structures, considered as secretory in nature, are present in the
      pinealocytes in of the domestic pig show the presence of two structures, which
      are considered as secretory in nature - the dense core vesicles (DCV) and the
      membrane bounded (dense) bodies (MBB). The latter are extremely numerous in pig
      pinealocytes (they occupy 6-20% of the cytoplasm), and the number of MBB changes
      under different physiological and experimental conditions. Norepinephrine is the
      main neurotransmitter that regulates the secretion of pineal melatonin. The
      present study was carried out to 1) clarify whether the DCV and their source -
      the Golgi apparatus (GA) - as well as the MBB are controlled by norepinephrine,
      2) determine the effect of adrenergic stimulation on these structures, and 3)
      identify the receptors involved in the regulation of these structures. The
      studies were performed using a static organ culture of pig pineal explants. The
      explants were incubated in a control medium between 08:00 and 20:00 and in a
      medium with 10MUM norepinephrine or alpha- or beta-adrenoceptor agonists between
      20:00 and 08:00 on five consecutive days. The tissues were subsequently prepared
      for ultrastructural analysis. The results distinctly showed that the DCV, GA and
      MBB in pig pinealocytes are under adrenergic control. The stimulation of the beta
      adrenoceptors resulted in an increase in the numerical density of the DCV and a
      decrease in the relative volume of the GA in the perikarya, while the incubation
      with agonists of the alpha1-adrenoceptors was ineffective. The relative volume of
      the MBB in the perikarya significantly decreased after treatment with both beta
      agonists and alpha1-agonists, which suggested the involvement of two types of
      adrenoceptors in the regulation of these structures.

PMID- 28622600
TI  - Grain size quantification by optical microscopy, electron backscatter
      diffraction, and magnetic force microscopy.
AB  - Quantification of microstructure, especially grain size, in polycrystalline
      materials is a vital aspect to understand the structure-property relationships in
      these materials. In this paper, representative characterization techniques for
      determining the grain size, including optical microscopy (OM), electron
      backscatter diffraction (EBSD) in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and
      atomic force microscopy/magnetic force microscopy (AFM/MFM), are thoroughly
      evaluated in comparison, illustrated by rare-earth sintered Nd-Fe-B permanent
      magnets. Potential applications and additional information achieved by using
      aforementioned characterization techniques have been discussed and summarized.

PMID- 28622601
TI  - Immobilisation of barley aleurone layers enables parallelisation of assays and
      analysis of transient gene expression in single cells.
AB  - The barley aleurone layer is an established model system for studying
      phytohormone signalling, enzyme secretion and programmed cell death during seed
      germination. Most analyses performed on the aleurone layer are end-point assays
      based on cell extracts, meaning each sample is only analysed at a single time
      point. By immobilising barley aleurone layer tissue on polydimethylsiloxane
      pillars in the lid of a multiwell plate, continuous monitoring of living tissue
      is enabled using multiple non-destructive assays in parallel. Cell viability and
      menadione reducing capacity were monitored in the same aleurone layer samples
      over time, in the presence or absence of plant hormones and other effectors. The
      system is also amenable to transient gene expression by particle bombardment,
      with simultaneous monitoring of cell death. In conclusion, the easy to handle and
      efficient experimental setup developed here enables continuous monitoring of
      tissue samples, parallelisation of assays and single cell analysis, with
      potential for time course studies using any plant tissue that can be immobilised,
      for example leaves or epidermal peels.

PMID- 28622602
TI  - Assessment of the phenolic profile, antimicrobial activity and oxidative
      stability of transgenic Perilla frutescens L.overexpressing tocopherol
      methyltransferase (gamma-tmt) gene.
AB  - This study evaluated the effects of enhanced concentrations of alpha-tocopherol
      and phenolic compounds on the resistance and stability of Perilla oil in
      transgenic Perilla frutescens plants against various tested pathogenic bacteria
      by over-expressing the gamma-tmt gene. The concentration of phenolic compounds in
      the non-transgenic samples was 9313.198 +/- 18.887 MUg g-1 dry weight (DW),
      whereas the total concentration of the transgenic samples ranged from 9118.015 +/
      18.822 to 10527.612 +/- 20.411 MUg g-1 DW. The largest increases in phenolic
      compounds in the transgenic plants in comparison with the control plants were
      observed in gallic acid, pyrogallol, 5-sulfosalicylic acid, catechin, chlorogenic
      acid, vanillin, syringic acid, naringenin, salicylic acid, quercetin, o-coumaric
      acid, kaempferol, and hesperetin. o-coumaric and benzoic acid acid were the most
      abundant phenolic acids found in the transgenic plants. Gram-negative bacteria
      (Salmonella typhimurium) were the most susceptible microorganism against
      transgenic ethyl acetate extracts with lower measurement of minimum inhibitory
      concentration (MICs) (0.25 +/- 0.03 mg/ml) at an extract concentration of 2 mg/ml
      in dried plant material. The same extracts were more effective against gram
      positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) when compared to control plants with MICs
      values of 0.52 +/- 0.02 mg/ml. The suplementation of 20 MUg of alpha-tocopherol
      (1000 ppm) in combination with ethyl acetate extracts enhanced the antimicrobial
      activity against S. typhimurium and B. subtilis, compared to the non-transgenic
      plants. The acid value of transgenic Perilla oil improved by 91.2% and 35.54%
      relative to the non-transgenic control oil and commercial Perilla oil,
      respectively. The low acid value suggests that the oil will be less susceptible
      to lipase action, and more economically viable and thus, may also improve the oil
      quality for industrial purposes. In addition, extracts obtained from transgenic
      plants could be a potential source of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of
      bacterial infections.

PMID- 28622603
TI  - Probing supramolecular protein assembly using covalently attached fluorescent
      molecular rotors.
AB  - Changes in microscopic viscosity and macromolecular crowding accompany the
      transition of proteins from their monomeric forms into highly organised fibrillar
      states. Previously, we have demonstrated that viscosity sensitive fluorophores
      termed 'molecular rotors', when freely mixed with monomers of interest, are able
      to report on changes in microrheology accompanying amyloid formation, and
      measured an increase in rigidity of approximately three orders of magnitude
      during aggregation of lysozyme and insulin. Here we extend this strategy by
      covalently attaching molecular rotors to several proteins capable of assembly
      into fibrils, namely lysozyme, fibrinogen and amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta(1-42)).
      We demonstrate that upon covalent attachment the molecular rotors can
      successfully probe supramolecular assembly in vitro. Importantly, our new
      strategy has wider applications in cellulo and in vivo, since covalently attached
      molecular rotors can be successfully delivered in situ and will colocalise with
      the aggregating protein, for example inside live cells. This important advantage
      allowed us to follow the microscopic viscosity changes accompanying blood
      clotting and during Abeta(1-42) aggregation in live SH-SY5Y cells. Our results
      demonstrate that covalently attached molecular rotors are a widely applicable
      tool to study supramolecular protein assembly and can reveal microrheological
      features of aggregating protein systems both in vitro and in cellulo not
      observable through classical fluorescent probes operating in light switch mode.

PMID- 28622604
TI  - Tissue-engineered hypertrophic chondrocyte grafts enhanced long bone repair.
AB  - Bone has innate ability to regenerate following injury. However, large and
      complex fractures exceed bone's natural repair capacity and result in non-unions,
      requiring external intervention to facilitate regeneration. One potential
      treatment solution, tissue-engineered bone grafts, has been dominated by
      recapitulating intramembranous ossification (bone formation by osteoblasts),
      although most serious bone injuries heal by endochondral ossification (bone
      formation by remodeling of hypertrophic cartilaginous anlage). The field has
      demonstrated that using endochondral ossification-based strategies can lead to
      bone deposition. However, stem cell differentiated hypertrophic chondrocytes, the
      key cell type in endochondral ossification, have not been studied for long bone
      defect repair. With translation in mind, we created tissue-engineered grafts
      using human adipose stem cells (ASC), a clinically relevant stem cell source,
      differentiated into hypertrophic chondrocytes in decellularized bone scaffolds,
      and implanted these grafts into critical-size femoral defects in athymic rats.
      Over 12 weeks of implantation, these grafts were compared to acellular scaffolds
      and grafts engineered using ASC-derived osteoblasts. Grafts engineered using
      hypertrophic chnodrocytes recapitulated endochondral ossification, as evidenced
      by the expression of genes and proteins associated with bone formation. Markedly
      enhanced bone deposition was associated with extensive bone remodeling and the
      formation of bone marrow, and with the presence of pro-regenerative M2
      macrophages within the hypertrophic grafts. As a result, hypertrophic chondrocyte
      grafts bridged 7/8 defects, as compared to only 1/8 for osteoblast grafts and 3/8
      acellular scaffolds. These data suggest that ASC-derived hypertrophic
      chondrocytes in osteogenic scaffolds can improve long bone repair.

PMID- 28622605
TI  - Flexible nanofilms coated with aligned piezoelectric microfibers preserve the
      contractility of cardiomyocytes.
AB  - The use of engineered cardiac tissue for high-throughput drug
      screening/toxicology assessment remains largely unexplored. Here we propose a
      scaffold that mimics aspects of cardiac extracellular matrix while preserving the
      contractility of cardiomyocytes. The scaffold is based on a poly(caprolactone)
      (PCL) nanofilm with magnetic properties (MNF, standing for magnetic nanofilm)
      coated with a layer of piezoelectric (PIEZO) microfibers of poly(vinylidene
      fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (MNF+PIEZO). The nanofilm creates a flexible support
      for cell contraction and the aligned PIEZO microfibers deposited on top of the
      nanofilm creates conditions for cell alignment and electrical stimulation of the
      seeded cells. Our results indicate that MNF+PIEZO scaffold promotes rat and human
      cardiac cell attachment and alignment, maintains the ratio of cell populations
      overtime, promotes cell-cell communication and metabolic maturation, and
      preserves cardiomyocyte (CM) contractility for at least 12 days. The engineered
      cardiac construct showed high toxicity against doxorubicin, a cardiotoxic
      molecule, and responded to compounds that modulate CM contraction such as
      epinephrine, propranolol and heptanol.

PMID- 28622606
TI  - Dementia correlates with anticoagulation underuse in older patients with atrial
      fibrillation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Stroke prevention in older atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains
      a challenge. This study aimed to investigate whether a dementia diagnosis is an
      independent correlate of lower prescription rate of oral anticoagulant treatment
      (OAT) in a sample of older AF patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional retrospective
      study. Consecutive older community-dwelling AF patients referred for a
      comprehensive geriatric assessment, were considered. Evaluation of physical,
      social and mental health, and administration of the Cumulative Illness Rating
      Scale (CIRS) and Barthel Index were performed. Dementia cases were ascertained by
      consensus of 2 experienced geriatricians. Dementia severity was assessed using
      the Clinical Dementia Rating scale (CDR). RESULTS: 316 AF patients (ages 74.7+/
      7.0years, 55.7% women) with high stroke risk (77.5% had a CHA2DS2VASC score >=3),
      low bleeding and falling risk, and no neuropsychiatric/behavioral symptoms, were
      included. 60.1% were prescribed with OAT. Among patients with dementia (n=86,
      27.2%), 22.0% received inadequate antithrombotic prophylaxis (i.e. antiplatelet)
      and 38.5% no treatment. Proportion of those receiving inadequate or no
      prophylaxis increased at increasing CDR score. By multiple regression models,
      either dementia (yes vs no), OR=1.33, 95%CI=1.11-1.46, p<0.001, and dementia
      severity (CDR>1), OR=2.38, 95%CI=2.19-2.60, p<0.001, were associated with lack of
      OAT prescription independently of age, paroxysmal AF, and comorbidity burden.
      CONCLUSIONS: Dementia might be associated with underuse of OAT in older AF
      patients even in the absence of established contraindications. Future studies are
      needed to assess the real dimension of the problem and clinician's barriers to
      prescribing OAT in demented patients.

PMID- 28622607
TI  - Mammalian fibroblast cells avoid residual stress zone caused by nanosecond laser
      pulses.
AB  - This study investigates the effects of laser irradiation on crystalline silicon
      and its application in biomaterials. We used an analytical model to predict the
      ablation depth and pit size resulting from laser exposure of silicon samples. The
      temperatures generated are predicted correlate with laser power, and to result in
      the formation of a residual stress zone bordering the ablated groove. Different
      crystal orientations found in the substrate confirm that there was crystal
      distortion, which consequently induces these residual stress zones. Mouse
      embryonic fibroblasts avoid the stress areas and accumulate outside of these
      zones. Higher laser power results in broader residual stress zone and a larger
      zone of cellular exclusion. We argue that residual stress resulting from high
      energy laser ablation of silicon may be a promising avenue to explore as a method
      for patterning cell growth on these materials.

PMID- 28622608
TI  - A comparative study of the mechanical behaviour of thermally oxidised
      commercially pure titanium and zirconium.
AB  - The objective of this study is to compare the mechanical behaviour of thermally
      oxidised commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and commercially pure zirconium (CP
      Zr). For this purpose, these two bio-metals were thermally oxidised under the
      same condition (650 degrees C for 6h) and the oxidised specimens were
      characterised using various analytical and experimental techniques, including
      oxygen uptake analysis, layer thickness and hardness measurements, scratch tests,
      dry sliding friction and wear tests and tribocorrosion tests in Ringer's
      solution. The results show that under the present thermal oxidation condition, 4
      times more oxygen is introduced into CP-Zr than into CP-Ti and the oxide layer
      produced on CP-Zr is nearly 6 times thicker than that on CP-Ti. Thermally
      oxidised CP-Zr possesses a higher hardness, a deeper hardening depth and better
      scratch resistance than thermally oxidised CP-Ti. Under dry sliding and
      tribocorrosion conditions, thermally oxidised CP-Zr also possesses much better
      resistance to material removal and a higher load bearing capacity than thermally
      oxidised CP-Ti. Thus, thermally oxidised Zr possesses much better mechanical
      behaviour than thermally oxidised Ti.

PMID- 28622609
TI  - The strategic defense of physician autonomy: State public health agencies as
      countervailing powers.
AB  - Advances in genetic testing and the aggressive marketing of genetic tests by
      commercial diagnostic laboratories have driven both consumer demand and the need
      for unbiased information about how tests should guide healthcare delivery. This
      paper uses the countervailing powers framework to explore the role of state
      public health agencies as arbiters of quality and safety, specifically through
      their efforts to encourage physicians to follow evidence-based recommendations
      for screening for hereditary cancers. Social scientists have often viewed actions
      by the state to regulate cost, quality, or safety as a threat to physician
      autonomy. This paper draws on case studies from two US states-Michigan and
      Connecticut-to better understand the specific role of state public health
      agencies, and especially whether their activities to encourage adherence to
      evidence-based recommendations bolster or subvert the interests of other parties
      in the healthcare arena. We find that lacking authority to compel provider to
      follow evidence-based recommendations, they improvised ways to foster compliance
      voluntarily, for example, by emphasizing the role of the physician as gatekeeper,
      thus affirming the importance of physician autonomy and clinical judgment. Both
      states also used public health surveillance data to make rare diseases visible
      and illustrate gaps between recommendations and practice. Finally, they both
      showed that following evidence-based recommendations could align the professional
      and market interests of healthcare stakeholders. Both states employed similar
      strategies with similar effects, despite substantial differences in the
      regulatory climate and organizational capacity. Taken as a whole, their
      activities orchestrated a countervailing response that checked the profit-seeking
      motives of commercial laboratories. Our findings demonstrate that rather than
      eroding physician autonomy, state action to monitor healthcare quality and
      encourage adherence to evidence-based recommendations can actually reinforce
      physician authority.

PMID- 28622610
TI  - F1174V mutation alters the ALK active conformation in response to Crizotinib in
      NSCLC: Insight from molecular simulations.
AB  - Crizotinib is an efficient antineoplastic drug for treatment of non-small cell
      lung carcinoma (NSCLC), which is identified as an anaplastic lymphoma kinase
      (ALK) inhibitor. F1174V is a recently identified acquired point mutation relating
      to the Crizotinib resistance in NSCLC patients. The mechanism of Crizotinib
      resistance relating to F1174V mutation as a non-active site mutation remains
      unclear. In this study, the molecular dynamic simulation was used to investigate
      the possible mechanisms by which F1174V mutation may affect the structure and
      activity of ALK kinase domain. The results suggested that F1174V mutation could
      cause two important secondary structure alterations, which led to the local
      conformational change in ALK kinase domain. This causes more positive free energy
      in the mutant complex in comparison with the wild-type one. In addition, our
      structural analyses illustrated that F1174V mutation could result in some
      important interactions, which represent the key characteristics of the ALK active
      conformation. This study provided a molecular mechanism for ALK Crizotinib
      resistance caused by F1174V mutation,which could facilitate designing more
      efficient drugs.

PMID- 28622611
TI  - De novo transcriptome sequencing and comparative analysis to discover genes
      involved in ovarian maturity in Strongylocentrotus nudus.
AB  - Strongylocentrotus nudus is an edible sea urchin, mainly harvested in China.
      Correlation studies indicated that S. nudus with larger diameter have a prolonged
      marketing time and better palatability owing to their precocious gonads and
      extended maturation process. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this
      phenomenon is still unknown. Here, transcriptome sequencing was applied to study
      the ovaries of adult S. nudus with different shell diameters to explore the
      possible mechanism. In this study, four independent cDNA libraries were
      constructed, including two from the big size urchins and two from the small ones
      using a HiSeqTM2500 platform. A total of 88,581 unigenes were acquired with a
      mean length of 1354bp, of which 66,331 (74.88%) unigenes could be annotated using
      six major publicly available databases. Comparative analysis revealed that 353
      unigenes were differentially expressed (with log2(ratio)>=1, FDR<=0.001) between
      the two groups. Of these, 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected
      to confirm the accuracy of RNA-seq data by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.
      Furthermore, gene ontology and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed to
      find the putative genes and pathways related to ovarian maturity. Eight unigenes
      were identified as significant DEGs involved in reproduction related pathways;
      these included Mos, Cdc20, Rec8, YP30, cytochrome P450 2U1, ovoperoxidase,
      proteoliaisin, and rendezvin. Our research fills the gap in the studies on the S.
      nudus ovaries using transcriptome analysis.

PMID- 28622613
TI  - Dissociation of item and source memory in rhesus monkeys.
AB  - Source memory, or memory for the context in which a memory was formed, is a
      defining characteristic of human episodic memory and source memory errors are a
      debilitating symptom of memory dysfunction. Evidence for source memory in
      nonhuman primates is sparse despite considerable evidence for other types of
      sophisticated memory and the practical need for good models of episodic memory in
      nonhuman primates. A previous study showed that rhesus monkeys confused the
      identity of a monkey they saw with a monkey they heard, but only after an
      extended memory delay. This suggests that they initially remembered the source -
      visual or auditory - of the information but forgot the source as time passed.
      Here, we present a monkey model of source memory that is based on this previous
      study. In each trial, monkeys studied two images, one that they simply viewed and
      touched and the other that they classified as a bird, fish, flower, or person. In
      a subsequent memory test, they were required to select the image from one source
      but avoid the other. With training, monkeys learned to suppress responding to
      images from the to-be-avoided source. After longer memory intervals, monkeys
      continued to show reliable item memory, discriminating studied images from
      distractors, but made many source memory errors. Monkeys discriminated source
      based on study method, not study order, providing preliminary evidence that our
      manipulation of retention interval caused errors due to source forgetting instead
      of source confusion. Finally, some monkeys learned to select remembered images
      from either source on cue, showing that they did indeed remember both items and
      both sources. This paradigm potentially provides a new model to study a critical
      aspect of episodic memory in nonhuman primates.

PMID- 28622614
TI  - Desirable difficulties during the development of active inquiry skills.
AB  - This study explores developmental changes in the ability to ask informative
      questions, hypothesizing a link between the ability to update beliefs in light of
      evidence and the ability to ask informative questions. Five- to ten-year-old
      children played an iPad game asking them to identify a hidden insect. Learners
      could either ask about individual insects, or make a series of feature queries
      (e.g., "Does the hidden insect have antenna?") that could more efficiently narrow
      the hypothesis space. Critically, the task display either helped children
      integrate evidence with the hypothesis space or required them to perform this
      operation themselves. Our prediction was that assisting children with belief
      updating would help them formulate more informative queries. This assistance
      improved some aspects of children's active inquiry behavior; however, despite
      making some updating mistakes, children required to update their own beliefs
      asked questions that were more context-sensitive and thus informative. The
      results show how making a task more difficult can improve some aspects of
      children's active inquiry skills, thus illustrating a type of "desirable
      difficulty" for reasoning.

PMID- 28622612
TI  - Influence of age and comorbidity on prognosis and application of adjuvant
      chemotherapy in elderly Japanese patients with colorectal cancer: A retrospective
      multicentre study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients aged >=75
      years is supported by inadequate evidence, although such patients are increasing
      in number worldwide. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed the influence of age and
      comorbidities on the prognosis of CRC in elderly patients using pooled data by
      the Japanese Study Group for Postoperative Follow-up of Colorectal Cancer. In
      total, 4598 patients (3304 with colon cancer and 1294 with rectal cancer) who
      underwent curative surgery from 2004 to 2006 were analysed with respect to age,
      Charlson comorbidity score (CS), tumour marker positivity, adjuvant therapy and
      prognosis. RESULTS: The number of patients aged <64, 65-74 and >75 years was 2007
      (44%), 1614 (35%) and 977 (21%), respectively. Tumour location, tumour marker
      positivity, clinical stage, performance of adjuvant therapy, CS and overall
      survival (OS) were significantly different among these age groups (P < 0.0001).
      Among patients aged >=75 years with stage III CRC, 35% with colon cancer and 21%
      with rectal cancer received adjuvant therapy; these proportions were much lower
      than those in younger patients. Application of adjuvant therapy was dependent on
      the CS in patients aged <=74 years, but not in older patients. Sex, the
      carcinoembryonic antigen concentration and adjuvant therapy were significantly
      associated with OS in elderly patients with stage III CRC. CONCLUSION: Age and
      comorbidities worsened the OS of patients with CRC who underwent curative
      surgery. However, patients aged >=75 years were undertreated regardless of their
      CS despite the possibility of OS improvement by adjuvant therapy.

PMID- 28622615
TI  - Domain-general neural correlates of dependency formation: Using complex tones to
      simulate language.
AB  - There is an ongoing debate whether the P600 event-related potential component
      following syntactic anomalies reflects syntactic processes per se, or if it is an
      instance of the P300, a domain-general ERP component associated with attention
      and cognitive reorientation. A direct comparison of both components is
      challenging because of the huge discrepancy in experimental designs and stimulus
      choice between language and 'classic' P300 experiments. In the present study, we
      develop a new approach to mimic the interplay of sequential position as well as
      categorical and relational information in natural language syntax (word category
      and agreement) in a non-linguistic target detection paradigm using musical
      instruments. Participants were instructed to (covertly) detect target tones which
      were defined by instrument change and pitch rise between subsequent tones at the
      last two positions of four-tone sequences. We analysed the EEG using event
      related averaging and time-frequency decomposition. Our results show striking
      similarities to results obtained from linguistic experiments. We found a P300
      that showed sensitivity to sequential position and a late positivity sensitive to
      stimulus type and position. A time-frequency decomposition revealed significant
      effects of sequential position on the theta band and a significant influence of
      stimulus type on the delta band. Our results suggest that the detection of non
      linguistic targets defined via complex feature conjunctions in the present study
      and the detection of syntactic anomalies share the same underlying processes:
      attentional shift and memory based matching processes that act upon multi-feature
      conjunctions. We discuss the results as supporting domain-general accounts of the
      P600 during natural language comprehension.

PMID- 28622616
TI  - Treatment of substance use disorders: Effects on patients with higher or lower
      levels of PTSD symptoms.
AB  - While guidelines advise integrated treatment of patients with substance use
      disorder (SUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recent studies and
      reviews find no convincing evidence of different outcomes following treatment
      between non-trauma focused integrated programs and SUD treatment alone. In this
      study, we analyzed whether SUD patients with higher levels of PTSD symptoms
      receiving standard, non-integrated SUD treatment (N=145) differed in outcomes
      compared to patients with lower levels of PTSD symptoms (N=152). Patients with
      higher levels of PTSD symptoms showed no difference in days of substance use, but
      significantly more craving and psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety and
      stress) were measured at baseline. After 3 and 6months of SUD treatment, there
      was no difference between the groups in decreased days of substance use. After
      6months of SUD treatment, depression, anxiety and stress were significantly
      diminished in both groups. However, those with higher levels of PTSD symptoms at
      the start of the SUD treatment still reported significantly higher scores on
      depression, anxiety and stress after 6months of SUD treatment. These findings
      corroborate earlier studies that SUD patients with PTSD symptoms do not
      necessarily have poorer addiction treatment outcomes. However, as anxiety and
      PTSD symptoms predict relapse, future research should note the effect of higher
      symptom levels on long-term SUD treatment results. Additionally, more research is
      needed to determine which patients need additional treatment in conjunction with
      or following SUD treatment.

PMID- 28622617
TI  - Determination and pharmacokinetics of engeletin in rat plasma by ultra-high
      performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - Engeletin, a bioactive flavonoid, has attracted much attention recently by virtue
      of its multiple biological (anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory) activities.
      Despite signifying many therapeutic applications researches indicating
      quantification or pharmacokinetics of engeletin in biological matrix are still
      lacking. Here, a simple, sensitive, accurate and reliable ultra-high performance
      liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) approach for the
      quantification of engeletin in rat plasma was developed and fully validated for
      the first time. Plasma samples were processed with acetonitrile by a single step
      protein precipitation and the separation was achieved on a ZORBAX Eclipse Plus
      C18 Rapid Resolution High Definition column with a gradient acetonitrile-water
      mobile phase. Quantification of engeletin was carried out by electrospray
      ionization tandem mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode
      with negative ionization. Results revealed that the approach was linearity from 5
      to 5000ng/mL (r2=0.9937) and proved to be precise (better than 12.3%) and
      accurate (-3.3%-5.2%). The developed approach was successfully employed to
      pharmacokinetic study of engeletin following peroral and intravenous
      administration to rats. The results of pharmacokinetics demonstrated rapid
      engeletin absorption (Tmax of 15min) after oral administration, extensive
      distribution after three different dosages and an absolute bioavailability of
      ~1.53%. The developed method and pharmacokinetic data can provide a meaningful
      basis for further studies on engeletin.

PMID- 28622618
TI  - Recovery and purification of limonin from pummelo [Citrus grandis] peel using
      water extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation and resin adsorption.
AB  - Limonin is a bioactive compound that is traditionally extracted from citrus seeds
      using organic solvents or alkaline/metal ion solutions. In the present study,
      pummelo [Citrus grandis] peel was investigated for limonin preparation using a
      novel process consisting of water extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation and
      resin adsorption. The pummelo peel was determined to have 4.7mg/g limonin, which
      could be extracted by water and further recovered by ammonium sulfate
      precipitation with a yield of 2.4mg/g, which was similar to that of traditional
      process using ethanol extraction and vacuumed evaporation. The precipitated
      limonin was purified by resin adsorption and crystallization with a purity of
      96.4%. In addition, the limonin was identified via the analyses of retention
      time, infrared spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance. This study indicates a
      novel and eco-friendly process for recovering limonin, providing a new candidate
      for limonin preparation.

PMID- 28622619
TI  - Simultaneous quantification of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-sulfate and 25
      hydroxyvitamin D3-3-glucuronide in human serum and plasma using liquid
      chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled with DAPTAD-derivatization.
AB  - 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-sulfate (25-OHD3-S) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-3-glucuronide
      (25-OHD3-G) are major conjugative metabolites of vitamin D3 found in the systemic
      circulation and potentially important reservoirs for 25-hydroxyvitamin D3.
      Simultaneous and accurate quantification of these metabolites could advance
      assessment of the impact of vitamin D3 on health and disease. In this study, a
      highly sensitive and accurate liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC
      MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of 25
      OHD3-S and 25-OHD3-G in human serum or plasma. Following protein precipitation,
      the analytes of interest were partially purified by solid-phase extraction and
      subjected to derivatization with 4-(4'-dimethylaminophenyl)-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5
      dione (DAPTAD). Quantification of the analytes was based on multiple reaction
      monitoring (MRM) operated in the positive ion mode, and deuterated internal
      standards were used for each conjugative metabolite. Applying this method to the
      analysis of 25-OHD3-S and 25-OHD3-G concentrations in human serum or plasma
      samples achieved satisfactory reproducibility, accuracy and sensitivity. We
      subsequently used this method to simultaneously determine serum concentrations of
      the two metabolites in archived samples from a rifampin treatment study. Drug
      treatment had no effect on metabolite concentrations, but significantly increased
      the 25-OHD3-S/25-OHD3 concentration ratio (p=0.01). The availability of this new
      method should improve sample throughput and our ability to quantify and monitor
      circulating 25-OHD3-S and 25-OHD3-G concentrations.

PMID- 28622620
TI  - Simultaneous UHPLC-UV analysis of hydroxychloroquine, minocycline and doxycycline
      from serum samples for the therapeutic drug monitoring of Q fever and Whipple's
      disease.
AB  - A fast UHPLC-UV method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of
      Hydroxychloroquine, Minocycline and Doxycycline drugs from 100MUL of human serum
      samples. Serum samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and injected
      into a phenyl hexyl reverse phase column. Compounds were separated using a mobile
      phase linear gradient and monitored by UV detection at 343nm. Chloroquine and
      Oxytetracycline were used as internal standards. Lower and upper limits of
      quantifications, as well as the other levels of calibration, were validated with
      acceptable accuracy (<15% deviation) and precision (<15% coefficient of
      variation) according to the European Medicines Agency guidelines. This new method
      enables cost and time reduction and was considered suitable for the clinical
      laboratory. It is the first published assay for the therapeutic drug monitoring
      of patients diagnosed with Q fever or Whipple's disease.

PMID- 28622621
TI  - Development of an ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry
      method for simultaneous determination of seven flavonoids in rat plasma:
      Application to a comparative pharmacokinetic investigation of Ginkgo biloba
      extract and single pure ginkgo flavonoids after oral administration.
AB  - For deeper pharmacokinetic investigation and further curative application of
      ginkgo flavonoids, a delicate, efficient and precise UFLC-MS/MS technique for
      synchronous quantitation of seven flavonoids, apigenin, luteolin, naringenin,
      quercetin, diosmetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin in rat plasma has been
      established. After mixing with the internal standard (IS) linarin, bio-samples
      were pretreated via ethyl acetate for liquid-liquid extraction, then isolated at
      0.2ml/min flow rate on a Venusil MP C18 chromatographic column (100mm*2.1mm,
      3MUm) by means of gradient elution. 0.1% formic acid-water and methanol system
      was used as the mobile phase. Mass spectrometric inspection was conducted on a
      4000Q UFLC-MS/MS system with turbo ion spray source in patterns of negative ion
      and multiple reaction-monitoring (MRM). All calibration curves proved favorable
      linearity (R2>=0.9918) in linear ranges. Intra-day and inter-day precisions
      didn't exceed 14.0% for all the analytes, and the accuracy was within 6.9%.
      Extraction recoveries of analytes and IS were less than +/-15.0% of nominal
      concentrations. This method has been under thorough and firm verification for a
      comparative pharmacokinetic research after gavage between Ginkgo biloba extract
      and single pure ginkgo flavonoids. The results demonstrated that there're evident
      pharmacokinetic discrepancies, and possible structural influences were
      innovatively proposed. Generally, substitution with 3-hydroxylation, a double
      bond in ring C, ring B methoxylation often confer longer onset period. The
      existence of ring B catechol group gives rise to faster clearance.

PMID- 28622622
TI  - Characterization of drug load variants in a thiol linked antibody-drug conjugate
      using multidimensional chromatography.
AB  - The biological complexity associated with biotherapeutics such as antibody-drug
      conjugates (ADCs) requires extensive characterization to ensure product quality
      consistency, safety, and efficacy. ADCs generated via partial reduction of
      antibody interchain disulfide bonds result in a distribution of variants
      containing 0-8 conjugated drugs. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) is
      a key analytical technique used to separate drug load variants of thiol linked
      ADCs and to calculate the average drug-to-antibody molar ratio (DAR). Salts
      present in HIC separations are not amenable to mass spectrometry (MS) detection,
      therefore confirmation of HIC peak identities have historically required offline
      fraction collection and subsequent MS analysis. We present a workflow comprised
      of three MS compatible two-dimensional liquid chromatography methods for higher
      throughput characterization of HIC peaks without manual fractionation. These
      methods are complementary and together provide DAR confirmation, identification
      of drug-load isomers, and localization of post-translational modifications to
      specific subunits. The results demonstrate an efficient mechanism for
      characterization of ADC HIC peaks and provided unique insight into differential
      HIC retention times based on conjugation sites and glycan structure.

PMID- 28622623
TI  - A phase 2 study of momelotinib, a potent JAK1 and JAK2 inhibitor, in patients
      with polycythemia vera or essential thrombocythemia.
AB  - Momelotinib is a potent inhibitor of JAK1 and JAK2 that demonstrated efficacy in
      patients with primary and secondary myelofibrosis. This phase 2, open-label,
      randomized study evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral once-daily momelotinib
      (100mg and 200mg) for the treatment of polycythemia vera (PV) and essential
      thrombocythemia (ET). The primary endpoint for PV was overall response rate
      (ORR), defined as the proportion of patients with hematocrit <45%, white blood
      cell count <10*109/L, platelet count <=400*109/L, and resolution of palpable
      splenomegaly, each lasting >=4 weeks. The definition of ORR for ET excluded the
      hematocrit component. A total of 39 patients (28 PV, 11 ET) were enrolled, with
      28 patients receiving >=12 weeks of treatment. The study was terminated due to
      limited efficacy. Two patients (ORR 5.1%) met the primary efficacy endpoint (both
      PV 200mg). Predose plasma levels of momelotinib were stable over time. A total of
      31 (79.5%) patients experienced momelotinib-related adverse events (AEs), the
      most frequent being headache (23.1%), dizziness (18.0%), somnolence (15.4%),
      nausea (15.4%), and fatigue (15.4%). Three patients experienced serious AEs
      (7.7%), with 1 considered related to momelotinib (dyspnea). Peripheral neuropathy
      occurred in 7 (17.9%) patients (4 PV, 3 ET).

PMID- 28622624
TI  - Primary myelofibrosis: Older age and high JAK2V617F allele burden are associated
      with elevated plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and a phenotype
      of progressive disease.
AB  - We measured plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in 526
      subjects with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Thirty-eight percent had an elevated
      hs-CRP level (>=0.3mg/dL). Elevated hs-CRP levels were associated with a
      progressive disease phenotype, including anemia, high white blood cell count, low
      platelet count, increased splenomegaly, increased risk of blast transformation,
      and worse survival. Age>=52years, but no other demographic characteristics, was
      associated with an elevated hs-CRP level in multivariable logistic regression
      (odds ratio [OR], 4.29; 95% CI, 2.73-6.77; P <0.001). Subjects with JAK2V617F
      mutation and an allele burden>=50% had an age-independent higher incidence of
      elevated hs-CRP level (OR=1.97; 95% CI,1.21-3.22; P=0.006) compared with a
      combined cohort of subjects with JAK2V617F <50% allele burden, CALR, MPL
      mutations, or no detectable driver mutations. Neither ASXL1 or EZH2 sub-clonal
      mutations, nor JAK2 46/1 haplotype or the A3669G polymorphism of glucocorticoid
      receptor were significantly associated with increased hs-CRP levels. Subjects
      with age>=52years and JAK2V617F with>=50% allele burden had a phenotype of
      progressive disease. Our data indicate that older age and high JAK2V617 allele
      burden are major determinants of inflammation in PMF, and are associated with
      disease progression.

PMID- 28622625
TI  - Cigarette smoking is associated with amplified age-related volume loss in
      subcortical brain regions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging studies of cigarette smoking-related
      effects on human brain structure have primarily employed voxel-based morphometry,
      and the most consistently reported finding was smaller volumes or lower density
      in anterior frontal regions and the insula. Much less is known about the effects
      of smoking on subcortical regions. We compared smokers and non-smokers on
      regional subcortical volumes, and predicted that smokers demonstrate greater age
      related volume loss across subcortical regions than non-smokers. METHODS: Non
      smokers (n=43) and smokers (n=40), 22-70 years of age, completed a 4T MRI study.
      Bilateral total subcortical lobar white matter (WM) and subcortical nuclei
      volumes were quantitated via FreeSurfer. In smokers, associations between smoking
      severity measures and subcortical volumes were examined. RESULTS: Smokers
      demonstrated greater age-related volume loss than non-smokers in the bilateral
      subcortical lobar WM, thalamus, and cerebellar cortex, as well as in the corpus
      callosum and subdivisions. In smokers, higher pack-years were associated with
      smaller volumes of the bilateral amygdala, nucleus accumbens, total corpus
      callosum and subcortical WM. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide novel evidence that
      chronic smoking in adults is associated with accelerated age-related volume loss
      in subcortical WM and GM nuclei. Greater cigarette quantity/exposure was related
      to smaller volumes in regions that also showed greater age-related volume loss in
      smokers. Findings suggest smoking adversely affected the structural integrity of
      subcortical brain regions with increasing age and exposure. The greater age
      related volume loss in smokers may have implications for cortical-subcortical
      structural and/or functional connectivity, and response to available smoking
      cessation interventions.

PMID- 28622626
TI  - Age-related patterns in nonmedical prescription opioid use and disorder in the US
      population at ages 12-34 from 2002 to 2014.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To estimate age-related patterns in nonmedical prescription opioid
      (NMPO) use in the US population and disorder among past-year users at ages 12-34
      between 2002 and 2014, controlling for period and birth-cohort effects. METHODS:
      Data are from 13 consecutive cross-sectional National Surveys on Drug Use and
      Health (N=542,556). Synthetic longitudinal cohorts spanning ages 12-34 were
      created and an age-period-cohort analysis was implemented based on the Intrinsic
      Estimator algorithm. RESULTS: In every birth cohort, past-year NMPO use increases
      during adolescence, peaks at ages 18-21, decreases through ages 30-34; disorder
      among past-year users increases from ages 18-21 through 30-34. Use at ages 12-34
      decreased from the 1984-87 birth cohorts to more recently-born cohorts. Peak
      prevalence of use at ages 18-21 has also decreased, and the rates of increase
      from ages 14-17 to ages 18-21 are slowing down. Disorder at ages 18-34 increased
      from the 1976-79 to 1992-95 cohorts, but decreased at ages 12-17 from the 1992-95
      to the most recently-born 2000-02 cohorts. The years 2010-2014 were characterized
      by lower NMPO use but higher disorder than 2002-2009. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing
      NMPO disorder among users aged 18-34 warrants concern. However, declining NMPO
      use among 12-34 year-olds, a declining rate of increase from adolescence to early
      adulthood, and a suggestive decline in disorder among the most recent adolescent
      cohorts may forecast a potential reduction in the public health crisis associated
      with NMPO drugs.

PMID- 28622627
TI  - Changes in nonhuman primate brain function following chronic alcohol consumption
      in previously naive animals.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Chronic alcohol abuse is associated with neurophysiological changes
      in brain activity; however, these changes are not well localized in humans. Non
      human primate models of alcohol abuse enable control over many potential
      confounding variables associated with human studies. The present study utilized
      high-resolution magnetoencephalography (MEG) to quantify the effects of chronic
      EtOH self-administration on resting state (RS) brain function in vervet monkeys.
      METHODS: Adolescent male vervet monkeys were trained to self-administer ethanol
      (n=7) or an isocaloric malto-dextrin solution (n=3). Following training, animals
      received 12 months of free access to ethanol. Animals then underwent RS
      magnetoencephalography (MEG) and subsequent power spectral analysis of brain
      activity at 32 bilateral regions of interest associated with the chronic effects
      of alcohol use. RESULTS: demonstrate localized changes in brain activity in
      chronic heavy drinkers, including reduced power in the anterior cingulate cortex,
      hippocampus, and amygdala as well as increased power in the right medial orbital
      and parietal areas. DISCUSSION: The current study is the first demonstration of
      whole-head MEG acquisition in vervet monkeys. Changes in brain activity were
      consistent with human electroencephalographic studies; however, MEG was able to
      extend these findings by localizing the observed changes in power to specific
      brain regions. These regions are consistent with those previously found to
      exhibit volume loss following chronic heavy alcohol use. The ability to use MEG
      to evaluate changes in brain activity following chronic ethanol exposure provides
      a potentially powerful tool to better understand both the acute and chronic
      effects of alcohol on brain function.

PMID- 28622629
TI  - Bacterial community dynamics in a cooling tower with emphasis on pathogenic
      bacteria and Legionella species using universal and genus-specific deep
      sequencing.
AB  - Cooling towers are the major source of outbreaks of legionellosis in Europe and
      worldwide. These outbreaks are mostly associated with Legionella species,
      primarily L. pneumophila, and its surveillance in cooling tower environments is
      of high relevance to public health. In this study, a combined NGS-based approach
      was used to study the whole bacterial community, specific waterborne and water
      based bacterial pathogens, especially Legionella species, targeting the 16S rRNA
      gene. This approach was applied to water from a cooling tower obtained by monthly
      sampling during two years. The studied cooling tower was an open circuit cooling
      tower with lamellar cooling situated in Braunschweig, Germany. A highly diverse
      bacterial community was observed with 808 genera including 25 potentially
      pathogenic taxa using universal 16S rRNA primers. Sphingomonas and Legionella
      were the most abundant pathogenic genera. By applying genus-specific primers for
      Legionella, a diverse community with 85 phylotypes, and a representative core
      community with substantial temporal heterogeneity was observed. A high percentage
      of sequences (65%) could not be affiliated to an acknowledged species. L.
      pneumophila was part of the core community and the most abundant Legionella
      species reinforcing the importance of cooling towers as its environmental
      reservoir. Major temperature shifts (>10  degrees C) were the key environmental
      factor triggering the reduction or dominance of the Legionella species in the
      Legionella community dynamics. In addition, interventions by chlorine dioxide had
      a strong impact on the Legionella community composition but not on the whole
      bacterial community. Overall, the presented results demonstrated the value of a
      combined NGS approach for the molecular monitoring and surveillance of health
      related pathogens in man-made freshwater systems.

PMID- 28622630
TI  - Temporal-spatial patterns of three types of pesticide loadings in a middle-high
      latitude agricultural watershed.
AB  - Pesticide loadings to watersheds increase during agricultural development and may
      vary in accordance with different crop types and seasons. High pesticide loadings
      can potentially result in polluted stream water. The objective of this study was
      to determine the pesticide loadings and concentrations of three typical
      pesticides (atrazine, oxadiazon, and isoprothiolane) in river water from a middle
      high latitude agricultural watershed in northern China. During this study, we
      evaluated the watershed pesticide loss patterns for two crop types over three
      decades. For this purpose, we integrated data from field investigations,
      laboratory experiments, and modeling simulations involving a distributed
      hydrological solute transport model (Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT). SWAT
      was employed to compare the temporal-spatial fate and behaviors of atrazine,
      oxadiazon, and isoprothiolane from 1990 to 2014 in a watershed area amounting to
      141.5 km2. The results showed that the three pesticides could be detected at
      different locations throughout the watershed, and isoprothiolane was detected at
      the maximum value of 1.082 MUg/L in surface runoff of paddy land. The temporal
      trend for the yearly loading of atrazine decreased slightly over time, but the
      trends for oxadiazon and isoprothiolane increased markedly over an 18-year
      analysis period. In regard to the pesticide concentrations in water, atrazine was
      associated with the largest value of nearly 1.4 MUg/L. July and August were the
      found to be prime periods for pesticide loss from paddy land, and the biggest
      monthly loss of atrazine from dryland appeared in June. Under similar usage
      conditions, isoprothiolane loading from paddy fields ranked as the largest one
      among the three types of pesticides and reached up to 17 g/ha. Limited monitoring
      data were useful for validating the model, which yielded valuable temporal
      spatial data on the fate of pesticides in this watershed. With the expansion of
      paddy rice cultivation, risks for pesticide contamination of water bodies will
      increase. The results of this study should be valuable for future exposure and
      risk assessments aimed at protecting the environment and human health.

PMID- 28622631
TI  - Equilibria model for pH variations and ion adsorption in capacitive deionization
      electrodes.
AB  - Ion adsorption and equilibrium between electrolyte and microstructure of porous
      electrodes are at the heart of capacitive deionization (CDI) research. Surface
      functional groups are among the factors which fundamentally affect adsorption
      characteristics of the material and hence CDI system performance in general.
      Current CDI-based models for surface charge are mainly based on a fixed
      (constant) charge density, and do not treat acid-base equilibria of electrode
      microstructure including so-called micropores. We here expand current models by
      coupling the modified Donnan (mD) model with weak electrolyte acid-base
      equilibria theory. In our model, surface charge density can vary based on
      equilibrium constants (pK's) of individual surface groups as well as micropore
      and electrolyte pH environments. In this initial paper, we consider this
      equilibrium in the absence of Faradaic reactions. The model shows the
      preferential adsorption of cations versus anions to surfaces with respectively
      acidic or basic surface functional groups. We introduce a new parameter we term
      "chemical charge efficiency" to quantify efficiency of salt removal due to
      surface functional groups. We validate our model using well controlled titration
      experiments for an activated carbon cloth (ACC), and quantify initial and final
      pH of solution after adding the ACC sample. We also leverage inductively coupled
      plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ion chromatography (IC) to quantify the
      final background concentrations of individual ionic species. Our results show a
      very good agreement between experiments and model. The model is extendable to a
      wide variety of porous electrode systems and CDI systems with applied potential.

PMID- 28622632
TI  - Applying rheological analysis to better understand the mechanism of acid
      conditioning on activated sludge dewatering.
AB  - The pH value is a key parameter and affects sludge dewatering. Comprehensive
      understanding of the effects and mechanism of pH is important for sludge
      treatment process and sludge dewatering. The goal of this study was to evaluate
      the proposed mechanism of acid conditioning on sludge dewatering based on
      rheological analysis. At lower sludge pH, changes in floc structure, surface
      properties, and flocculation improved the performance of dewatering.
      Additionally, lower sludge pH caused the hydrolysis of EPS and intracellular
      materials, which released greater amounts of bound water. These changes resulted
      in altered rheological properties, weakening network strength and shrinking the
      linear viscoelastic regime, making the sludge system sensitive to shear. Thus,
      both the sludge dewatering rate and moisture reduction efficiency were improved
      by lowering the pH. These factors demonstrate that rheological analysis can
      understand the mechanism of acid conditioning on activated sludge dewatering
      better.

PMID- 28622628
TI  - Limitations and opportunities for immune checkpoint inhibitors in pediatric
      malignancies.
AB  - Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have shown great promise in a wide spectrum of
      adult solid and hematological malignancies, achieving objective tumor responses
      and prolonging survival. However, there is limited clinical success amongst
      pediatric patients. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of ICI
      and present an up-to-date overview of recent and ongoing clinical trials of ICI
      in pediatric malignancies. In addition, we will discuss immunologic and clinical
      difficulties in this young population, as well as future prospects for
      combination of ICI with other immune-based and conventional treatments.

PMID- 28622633
TI  - Generalized parameter estimation and calibration for biokinetic models using
      correlation and single variable optimisations: Application to sulfate reduction
      modelling in anaerobic digestion.
AB  - In this work, a generalized method for the estimation of biokinetic parameters in
      anaerobic digestion (AD) models is proposed. The method consists of a correlation
      based approach to estimate specific groups of parameters mechanistically,
      followed by a sensitivity-based hierarchical and sequential single parameter
      optimisation (SHSSPO) calibration method for the remaining groups of parameters.
      The method was evaluated to estimate and calibrate the parameter values for
      sulfate reduction processes when included into the IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model
      No. 1 (ADM1) and simulations were compared with experimental data from
      literature. Under the proposed method, a large number of biokinetic parameters,
      namely biomass yields, maximum specific uptake rates, and half saturation
      constants, can first be estimated using mechanistic correlations. This achieves a
      significant reduction in the number of parameters to be fitted to data. For the
      remaining parameters, a method is proposed based on the overall sensitivity and
      degree of ubiquity of each parameter to establish a hierarchy in a sequential
      single parameter optimisation against the experimental data. This approach aims
      at eliminating the uncertainty on optimality (and therefore parameter
      identification) associated to multivariable parameter calibration problems. The
      method was applied to the sulfate reduction related parameters and led to the
      hydrogen sulfide inhibition parameters as the only ones requiring optimisation
      against experimental data. Comparison of the proposed SHSSPO performance with
      that of multi-dimensional parameter optimisation methods shows a superior
      performance in terms of overall error and computation times. Also, final
      simulation results led to model predictions of similar, if not better, quality
      than those achieved by multivariable parameter optimisation methods. The
      experimental variables optimized for included liquid effluent concentrations of
      sulfur species and volatile fatty acids as well as effluent methane gas flow.
      Overall, the proposed parameter estimation and calibration method provides a
      deterministic step-by-step approach to parameter estimation that decreases
      identifiability uncertainty at a very low computational effort. The results
      obtained suggest that the method could be generically applied with similar
      success to other biokinetic models frequently used in wastewater treatment.

PMID- 28622634
TI  - Type of gonadotropin used during controlled ovarian stimulation induces
      differential gene expression in human cumulus cells: A randomized study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The cumulus-oocyte complex plays a central role in the regulation of
      folliculogenesis where it is important for the maturation, reprogramming, and
      fertilization of oocytes. Consequently, cumulus cell gene expression profiling is
      being explored as a promising method for assessing oocyte competence in the near
      future. Through DNA microarray technology, we analyzed the potential differences
      in the gene expression profiles of cumulus cells from preovulatory follicles
      after controlled ovarian stimulation using different types of gonadotropins.
      METHODS: A prospective, randomized study was performed among 90 women
      participating in an oocyte donation program. Subjects were assigned to receive
      recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), urinary FSH, or human menopausal
      gonadotropin (hMG). The gene expression profile in cumulus cells was analyzed
      according the type of gonadotropin received during ovarian stimulation.
      Furthermore, we also performed a gene ontology analysis to provide structural
      knowledge. RESULTS: Hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and
      gene enrichment analysis revealed greater differences between the urinary FSH and
      hMG groups compared to the rest of the pair-wise comparisons; recombinant FSH vs
      hMG and urinary FSH vs recombinant FSH. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that controlled
      ovarian stimulation induces specific gene expression profiles in human cumulus
      cells depending on the type of gonadotropin used. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered
      at clinicaltrials.gov; identifier NCT022437032.

PMID- 28622635
TI  - Management of parturients with Factor XI deficiency-10year case series and review
      of literature.
AB  - This is an article reviewing the management of pregnant women with factor XI
      (FXI) deficiency. Retrospective review of the electronic records of 67
      pregnancies in 25 women with FXI deficiency over a ten-year period was
      undertaken. All women received care at St Mary's Tertiary Referral
      Obstetric/Haematology Clinic for some or all of their pregnancies. Outcome
      measures included antenatal complications, mode of delivery, anaesthesia provided
      and postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) and management required. A positive bleeding
      history was identified in 50% of women prior to pregnancy. Fifteen pregnancies
      (22%) ended in first trimester miscarriage; there was 1 termination of pregnancy.
      Two pregnancies were complicated by Antepartum haemorrhage. Of the remaining 51
      pregnancies there were 50 live births - 2 preterm and 48 at term. There was one
      antenatal (34 weeks gestation) stillbirth of a growth restricted baby and one
      neonatal death secondary to severe prematurity (24 weeks gestation). Twenty -five
      babies delivered vaginally (20 spontaneous and 5 instrumental). The remaining 26
      were delivered by Caesarean section (9 elective and 17 emergency). A sub-analysis
      of 22 operative deliveries was reviewed; this suggested that regional anaesthesia
      was safe in selected women with FXI deficiency - a selection that was based on
      FXI level/range, presence/absence of bleeding history and intended operative
      intervention.Solvent detergent treated Fresh Frozen Plasma (SD-FFP/Octaplas) and
      Tranexamic Acid (TXA) were given to those considered vulnerable -an
      individualised decision made by the multidisciplinary team in accordance with
      BCSH guidance. Primary PPH complicated 10/51 (15%) deliveries. The commonest
      cause of PPH was due to atony. Secondary PPH was only seen in only one case.
      Bleeding in women with FXI deficiency is highly variable and, whilst it does not
      directly correlate with Factor XI levels, provision of replacement therapy is
      required if FXI levels are <15 IU/dL as per BCSH guidance. Women with Factor XI
      levels >40 IU/dL are considered safe for regional anaesthesia following
      prophylactic FFP as suggested by sub group analysis. Treatment of women with rare
      bleeding disorders during pregnancy should be by a multidisciplinary team of
      specialists, to include Haematologist, Anaesthetist and Obstetrician, all of whom
      have an interest in bleeding disorders in pregnancy. Decisions should then be
      individualised, based on the presence/absence of a bleeding history and the third
      trimester FXI levels. Delivery does not have to be by Elective Caesarean. With
      appropriate care both operative vaginal delivery and regional anaesthesia can be
      facilitated.

PMID- 28622636
TI  - CRISPR-based engineering of next-generation lactic acid bacteria.
AB  - The advent of CRISPR-based technologies has opened new avenues for the
      development of next-generation food microorganisms and probiotics with enhanced
      functionalities. Building off two decades of functional genomics studies
      unraveling the genetic basis for food fermentations and host-probiotic
      interactions, CRISPR technologies offer a wide range of opportunities to engineer
      commercially-relevant Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. Endogenous CRISPR-Cas
      systems can be repurposed to enhance gene expression or provide new features to
      improve host colonization and promote human health. Alternatively, engineered
      CRISPR-Cas systems can be harnessed to genetically modify probiotics and enhance
      their therapeutic potential to deliver vaccines or modulate the host immune
      response.

PMID- 28622637
TI  - Children benefit differently from night- and day-time sleep in motor learning.
AB  - Motor skill acquisition occurs while practicing (on-line) and when asleep or
      awake (off-line). However, developmental questions still remain about whether
      children of various ages benefit similarly or differentially from night- and day
      time sleeping. The likely circadian effects (time-of-day) and the possible
      between-test-interference (order effects) associated with children's off-line
      motor learning are currently unknown. Therefore, this study examines the
      contributions of over-night sleeping and mid-day napping to procedural skill
      learning. One hundred and eight children were instructed to practice a finger
      sequence task using computer keyboards. After an equivalent 11-h interval in one
      of the three states (sleep, nap, wakefulness), children performed the same
      sequence in retention tests and a novel sequence in transfer tests. Changes in
      the movement time and sequence accuracy were evaluated between ages (6-7, 8-9, 10
      11years) during practice, and from skill training to retrievals across three
      states. Results suggest that night-time sleeping and day-time napping improved
      the tapping speed, especially for the 6-year-olds. The circadian factor did not
      affect off-line motor learning in children. The interference between the two
      counter-balanced retrieval tests was not found for the off-line motor learning.
      This research offers possible evidence about the age-related motor learning
      characteristics in children and a potential means for enhancing developmental
      motor skills. The dynamics between age, experience, memory formation, and the
      theoretical implications of motor skill acquisition are discussed.

PMID- 28622638
TI  - Corrigendum to "The association of annual air pollution exposure with blood
      pressure among patients with sleep-disordered breathing"[Sci. Total Environ. 543
      (2016) 61-66].

PMID- 28622639
TI  - An investigation into the rapid removal of tetracycline using multilayered
      graphene-phase biochar derived from waste chicken feather.
AB  - This study investigated the removal of tetracycline (TC) using multilayered
      graphene-phase biochar (MGB) derived from waste chicken feather. MGB was produced
      through a two-stage carbonization and KOH-activation method. MGB was
      characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron
      microscope (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman spectra, Zeta
      potential and elemental analysis. Various chemical functional groups were
      demonstrated on the surface of MGB. MGB was featured by a very large BET surface
      area of 1838m2/g. A rapid equilibrium (within 30s) and an ultrahigh removal
      efficiency (up to 99.65%) were obtained when MGB was used in the adsorption of
      TCs. The adsorption processes were temperature-dependent and the maximum
      adsorption capacity of MGB was 388.33mg/g at 30 degrees C. The data of adsorption
      isotherms and kinetics were represented well by the Langmuir and Elovich models,
      respectively. The chemical monolayer adsorption could play an important role in
      this process. Furthermore, the adsorption of MGB was tolerant with wide pH, high
      ionic strength and even co-existing anions. Regeneration experiments indicated
      the removal efficiency was still satisfied (96.61%) even after four cycles. These
      results have important implications for the future application of animal waste
      derived adsorbents in the treatment of wastewater containing antibiotic residues.

PMID- 28622640
TI  - Clinical course and core variability in HBV infected patients without detectable
      anti-HBc antibodies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presence of anti-HBc antibodies indicates direct encounter of the
      immune system with hepatitis B virus (HBV). OBJECTIVES: Aim of our study was to
      seek for anti-HBc negative but HBV replicating patients and analyze their
      clinical course and preconditions. STUDY DESIGN: From 1568 HBV-DNA positive
      patients, 29 patients (1.85%) tested negative for anti-HBc. The absence of anti
      HBc could be confirmed in 19 patients using an alternative assay. In 16 of 19
      cases, a partial or full HBV genome analysis was performed with NGS sequencing to
      evaluate if specific mutations were associated with anti-HBc absence. As a
      control group samples from 32 matched HBV infected patients with detectable anti
      HBc were sequenced. RESULTS: Patients with detectable HBV-DNA and sequenced HBV
      core region in the confirmed absence of anti-HBc were diagnosed with acute HBV
      infection (n=3), HBV reactivation (n=9) and chronic hepatitis B (n=4). Most
      patients (12/16) were immunosuppressed: 3/16 patients had an HIV coinfection,
      7/16 patients suffered from a malignant disease and 4/16 patients underwent solid
      organ transplantation (from which 2/4 had a malignant disease). Compared to the
      control cohort, HBV variants from anti-HBc negative patients showed less
      variability in the core region. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of anti-HBc, HBV-DNA
      was most often found in immunocompromised hosts. Distinct mutations or deletions
      in the core region did not explain anti-HBc negativity. It would be advisable not
      to rely only on a single result of anti-HBc negativity to exclude HBV infection
      in immunocompromised hosts, but to measure anti-HBc repeatedly or with different
      methods.

PMID- 28622641
TI  - U.S. drug shortages for medications used in adult critical care (2001-2016).
AB  - PURPOSE: We describe trends in U.S. shortages impacting critical care drugs from
      2001 to 2016. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Shortages within the scope of critical care
      were identified using data from the University of Utah Drug Information Services.
      Shortage characteristics were described using standard descriptive statistics and
      regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 1969 shortages reported, 1004 (51%) were for
      drugs used in critical care. New shortages fell from 2001 to 2004, then
      increased, peaking in 2011 (116). For critical care shortages, 247 (24.6%)
      involved drugs used for high acuity conditions. The majority of drugs on shortage
      were parenteral, (720; 71.7%) and 393 (39.1%) were single source drugs.
      Alternatives were available for 887 (88.3%) drugs, although 250 (24.9%)
      alternatives were impacted by shortages. Infectious disease drugs were the most
      common drugs on shortage, with 200 (19.9%) shortages, with a median duration of
      7.7months (IQR=2.8-17.3). By the end of the study, 896 (89.2%) shortages were
      resolved and 108 (10.8%) remained active. The median duration for active
      shortages was 13.6months (IQR=5.8-58.4) while the duration for resolved shortages
      was 7.2months (IQR=2.8-17.3). CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of new shortages
      peaked in 2011 and is now declining, there remain a substantial number of active
      shortages impacting critical care drugs.

PMID- 28622642
TI  - Highly sensitive electrochemical thrombin aptasensor based on peptide-enhanced
      electrocatalysis of hemin/G-quadruplex and nanocomposite as nanocarrier.
AB  - In this work, we first conjugated a short peptide to thrombin binding aptamer
      (TBA) and bond hemin to the hybrid, effectively rendering hemin/G4-peptide more
      active over the original hemin/G4, so that a highly sensitive electrochemical
      thrombin (TB) aptasensor was developed based on it and PtNTs@rGO nanocomposite.
      It was the first report on the application of hemin/G4-peptide in electrochemical
      aptasensor. PtNTs@rGO with large surface area served as excellent nanocarrier for
      high loading of hemin/G4-peptide hybrids, resulting in the formation of hemin/G4
      peptide-PtNTs@rGO bioconjugate as the secondary aptamer and further signal
      enhancement. The specific affinity of aptamer for target TB made the secondary
      aptamer go into the sensing interface, and then a noticeable current signal was
      obtained from hemin without additional redox mediators. Due to the collaborative
      electrocatalysis of hemin/G4-peptide and PtNTs toward H2O2, which was formed in
      situ during the process of hemin/G4-peptide-catalyzed oxidation of NADH with
      dissolved O2, the current intensity increased dramatically. Such an
      electrochemical aptasensing system could be used to detect TB with a linear range
      of 0.05 pM-60nM and very lower detection limit of 15fM. Notably, this method
      exhibited a higher sensitivity than that of many hemin/G4-based electrochemical
      strategies for TB detection due to the improvement of the catalytic activity of
      hemin/G4-peptide. The present works opened a new way for expanding the
      application of hemin/G4 in biological detection. With the mediator-free,
      proteinous enzyme-free yet high-sensitivity advantages, this electrochemical
      aptasensor held great promise for other biomarker detections in clinical
      diagnostics.

PMID- 28622643
TI  - Simultaneously electrochemical detection of microRNAs based on multifunctional
      magnetic nanoparticles probe coupling with hybridization chain reaction.
AB  - We report a sensor combining two distinguishable magnetic nanoprobes (DNA1/Fe3O4
      NPs/Thi and DNA2/Fe3O4 NPs/Fc) with target-triggered hybridization chain reaction
      (HCR) strategy for the simultaneous detection of microRNA-141 (miR-141) and
      microRNA-21 (miR-21). In the presence of targets, the thiol-modified hairpin
      capture probes (HCP1 and HCP2) specifically hybridize with miR-141 and miR-21 on
      a gold electrode, leading to the conformation change of HCP1 and HCP2,
      respectively. The conformation change subsequently triggers HCR to generate
      plentiful bonding sequences of magnetic nanoprobes. Thus, numerous thionine (Thi)
      modified DNA1/Fe3O4 NPs/Thi and ferrocene carboxaldehyde (Fc-CHO) modified
      DNA2/Fe3O4 NPs/Fc are captured by the well-designed HCR, via DNA hybridization
      respectively, giving rise to the dual magnified response of currents. The
      increase in the electrochemical currents at different potentials of the two
      magnetic nanoprobes enables us to simultaneously and quantitatively detect miR
      141 and miR-21. Target-triggered HCR increases the amount of captured nanoprobes
      due to the increasing number of bonding sequences, greatly amplifying the
      currents of the two magnetic nanoprobes in the presence of targets, and
      ultimately realizing the dual signal amplification with increased sensitivity.
      The sensor can be applied for detecting miRNAs in cell lysates, thus, promising
      to be a clinic diagnosis of cancers by means of simultaneous detection of a
      variety of miRNA biomarkers.

PMID- 28622644
TI  - Study on the occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in milk and meat/fish
      based baby food available in Italy.
AB  - The study compared the profile of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, frequently
      occurred in food, in milk (N = 22) and meat/fish based (N = 18) baby foods
      available on the Italian market. PAH total levels, markers (Regulation
      EC/835/2011) and carcinogenic PAHs were determined by high- performance liquid
      chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD). The average of total PAHs
      was 52.25 MUg kg-1 in milk and 11.82 MUg kg-1 in meat/fish based baby foods. The
      levels of PAH markers were higher than the permissible EU limits of 1 MUg kg-1 in
      18.2% and 77.7% milk, and 5.6% and 44.4% meat/fish based baby foods. Milk based
      samples showed significant higher values (P < 0.05) of carcinogenic and possible
      carcinogenic hydrocarbons than meat/fish based products. The Margins of Exposure
      (MOE) value of milk based baby food samples indicated a potential concern for
      consumer health. Monitoring programs, and good agriculture and manufacture
      practices should be recommended.

PMID- 28622645
TI  - Statistical equivalence of prediction models of the soil sorption coefficient
      obtained using different log P algorithms.
AB  - The soil sorption coefficient normalized to the organic carbon content (Koc) is a
      physicochemical parameter used in environmental risk assessments and in
      determining the final fate of chemicals released into the environment. Several
      models for predicting this parameter have been proposed based on the relationship
      between log Koc and log P. The difficulty and cost of obtaining experimental log
      P values led to the development of algorithms to calculate these values, some of
      which are free to use. However, quantitative structure-property relationship
      (QSPR) studies did not detail how or why a particular algorithm was chosen. In
      this study, we evaluated several free algorithms for calculating log P in the
      modeling of log Koc, using a broad and diverse set of compounds (n = 639) that
      included several chemical classes. In addition, we propose the adoption of a
      simple test to verify if there is statistical equivalence between models obtained
      using different data sets. Our results showed that the ALOGPs, KOWWIN and XLOGP3
      algorithms generated the best models for modeling Koc, and these models are
      statistically equivalent. This finding shows that it is possible to use the
      different algorithms without compromising statistical quality and predictive
      capacity.

PMID- 28622647
TI  - Endocrine-disrupting activity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Exploring
      combined approaches of ligand and structure based modeling.
AB  - Exposure to perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFCs/PFASs), endocrine
      disrupting halogenated pollutants, has been linked to various diseases including
      thyroid toxicity in human populations across the globe. PFASs can compete with
      thyroxine (T4) for binding to the human thyroid hormone transport protein
      transthyretin (TTR) which may lead to reduce thyroid hormone levels leading to
      endocrine disrupting adverse effects. Environmental fate and endocrine-disrupting
      activity of PFASs has initiated several research projects, but the amount of
      experimental data available for these pollutants is limited. In this study,
      experimental data for T4-TTR competing potency of 24 PFASs obtained in a
      radioligand-binding assay were modeled using classification- and regression-based
      quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) tools with simple molecular
      descriptors obtained from chemical structure of these compounds in order to
      identify the responsible structural features and fragments of the studied PFASs
      for endocrine disruption activity. Additionally, docking studies were performed
      employing the crystal structure complex of TTR with bound 2', 6'-difluorobiphenyl
      4-carboxylic acid (PDB: 2F7I) in order to constitute the receptor model for human
      TTR. The results corroborate evidence for these binding interactions and indicate
      multiple high-affinity modes of binding. The developed in silico models therefore
      advance our understanding of important structural attributes of these chemicals
      and may provide important information for the design of future synthesis of PFASs
      as well as may serve as an efficient query tool for virtual screening of large
      PFAS databases to check their endocrine toxicity profile.

PMID- 28622646
TI  - Enhanced degradation of chlorpyrifos in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by five strains of
      endophytic bacteria and their plant growth promotional ability.
AB  - Endophytic bacteria reside in plant tissues, such as roots, stems, leaves and
      seeds. Most of them can stimulate plant growth or alleviate phytotoxicity of
      pollutants. There are handful species with dual functions stimulating plant
      growth and degrading pollutants have been reported. Five endophytic bacteria were
      isolated from chlorpyrifos (CP) treated rice plants and identified as Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa strain RRA, Bacillus megaterium strain RRB, Sphingobacterium
      siyangensis strain RSA, Stenotrophomonas pavanii strain RSB and Curtobacterium
      plantarum strain RSC according to morphological characteristics, physiological
      and biochemical tests, and 16S rDNA phylogeny. All of them possessed some plant
      growth promotional traits, including indole acetic acid and siderophore
      production, secretion of phosphate solubilization and 1-aminocyclopropane-1
      carboxylate deaminase. The bacteria were marked with the green fluorescent
      protein (gfp) gene and successfully colonized into rice plants. All isolates were
      able to degrade CP in vitro and in vivo. The five isolates degraded more than 90%
      of CP in 24 h when the initial concentration was lower than 5 mg/L. CP
      degradation was significantly enhanced in the infested rice plants and rice
      grains. The final CP residual was reduced up to 80% in the infested rice grains
      compared to the controls. The results indicate that these isolates are promising
      bio-inoculants for the removal or detoxification of CP residues in rice plants
      and grains.

PMID- 28622648
TI  - Long-term sustainability of microbial-induced CaCO3 precipitation in aqueous
      media.
AB  - Microbially induced CaCO3 precipitation (MICP) via urea hydrolysis is an emerging
      technique for soil amelioration, building materials rehabilitation and pollutants
      sequestration amongst other various environmental applications. The successful
      application of MICP requires the sustainability of the precipitated CaCO3; to
      which the fate of ammonia, the main by-product of ureolysis, is potentially
      significante. Ammonia volatilization and biological ammonia oxidation both induce
      a pH decrease, which, in turn, might cause CaCO3 dissolution. To examine the
      potential effect of accumulated ammonia on precipitated CaCO3, we conducted a
      long-term MICP batch experiment, using environmental enrichment cultures of
      ureolytic bacteria. Here we show that CaCO3 precipitation was completed within 15
      27 days, along with a rise in ammonium concentration. Following completion of
      ureolysis and precipitation, ammonium concentrations decreased, leading to a pH
      decrease. About 30 days after precipitation was completed, as much as 30% CaCO3
      dissolution, was observed. A two-step model, describing urea hydrolysis followed
      by the removal of ammonia from the precipitation solution, predicted CaCO3
      dissolution due to ammonia volatilization. We suggest that ureolytic MICP might
      result in ammonia volatilization, leading to significant CaCO3 dissolution. These
      results provide basic insights into the sustainability of ureolytic MICP and
      should further encourage removal of the accumulated ammonia from the treated
      site.

PMID- 28622649
TI  - Influence of surface chemistry of carbon materials on their interactions with
      inorganic nitrogen contaminants in soil and water.
AB  - Inorganic nitrogen contaminants (INC) (NH4+, NO3-, NO2-, NH3, NO, NO2, and N2O)
      pose a growing risk to the environment, and their remediation methods are highly
      sought after. Application of carbon materials (CM), such as biochar and activated
      carbon, to remediate INC from agricultural fields and wastewater treatment plants
      has gained a significant interest since past few years. Understanding the role of
      surface chemistry of CM in adsorption of various INC is highly critical to
      increase adsorption efficiency as well as to assess the long term impact of using
      these highly recalcitrant CM for remediation of INC. Critical reviews of
      adsorption studies related to INC have revealed that carbon surface chemistry
      (surface functional groups, pH, Eh, elemental composition, and mineral content)
      has significant influence on adsorption of INC. Compared to basic functional
      groups, oxygen containing surface functional groups have been found to be more
      influential for adsorption of INC. However, basic sites on carbon materials still
      play an important role in chemisorption of anionic INC. Apart from surface
      functional groups, pH, Eh and pHzpc of CM and elemental and mineral composition
      of its surface are important properties capable of altering INC interactions with
      CM. This review summarizes our current understanding of INC interactions with
      CM's surface through the known chemisorption mechanisms: electrostatic
      interaction, hydrogen bonding, electron donor-acceptor mechanism, hydrophobic and
      hydrophilic interaction, chemisorption aided by minerals, and interactions
      influenced by pH and elemental composition. Change in surface chemistry of CM in
      soil during aging is also discussed.

PMID- 28622650
TI  - The positive effect of phosphogypsum-supplemented composts on potato plant growth
      in the field and tuber yield.
AB  - The production of phosphoric acid from phosphate rock leads to an industrial by
      product called phosphogypsum (PG). One ton of phosphoric acid generates 5 tons of
      PG that is frequently stocked near the production units. Several attempts were
      made to test PG valorization via soil amendment because of its phosphate,
      sulphate and calcium content. In this study, the use of PG in composting was
      envisaged. Composts were produced by mixing olive oil wastes and spent coffee
      grounds. Two concentrations of PG, 10% (A10) and 30% (A30), were tested in
      composting substrate in addition to control compost without PG (AT). After 8
      months of fermentation, the resulting composts were used in field experiments
      using nine different treatments conducted to evaluate the potential use of these
      PG-containing composts in potato plant (cv. Spunta) cultivation. Plants were
      grown in the field and the different composts (AT, A10 and A30) were added as
      fertilizer and compared to commercial compost and cattle manure. During the
      culture period, a number of physiological (dry weight, chlorophyll content, tuber
      yield) and biochemical parameters (antioxidant activities, mineral content,
      starch and protein content) were followed. Similarly, chlorophyll content was
      measured in plants cultivated on commercial or PG supplemented composts. An
      increment of 55.17% in potato yield was recorded with the use of A30 the compost.
      Collectively, these data reveal the positive impact of the addition of PG in
      composting which may be adopted as a strategy for PG valorization and its use for
      the production of high quality edible products.

PMID- 28622651
TI  - Application of electroencephalographic techniques to the study of visual impact
      of renewable energies.
AB  - Much is currently being studied on the negative visual impact associated to the
      installation of large wind turbines or photovoltaic farms. However, methodologies
      for quantitatively assessing landscape impact are scarce. In this work we used
      electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings to investigate the brain activity of 14
      human volunteers when looking at the same landscapes with and without wind
      turbines, solar panels and nuclear power plants. Our results showed no
      significant differences for landscapes with solar power systems or without them,
      and the same happened for wind turbines, what was in agreement with their
      subjective scores. However, there were clear and significant differences when
      looking at landscapes with and without nuclear power plants. These differences
      were more pronounced around a time window of 376-407 msec and showed a clear
      right lateralization for the pictures containing nuclear power plants. Although
      more studies are still needed, these results suggest that EEG recordings can be a
      useful procedure for measuring visual impact.

PMID- 28622652
TI  - Deterioration pattern of six biodegradable, potentially low-environmental impact
      mulches in field conditions.
AB  - Polyethylene plastic mulches are widely used in agriculture due to the countless
      advantages they have. However, the environmental problems associated with their
      use have led us to look for alternative mulch materials which degrade naturally
      and quickly, impact the environment less and function satisfactorily. To this
      end, biodegradable plastics and paper mulches are being used, but aspects related
      to their degradation should be studied more in-depth. This work provides the
      deterioration pattern of six biodegradable mulch materials (i.e. vegetable
      starch, polylactic acid plastic films or paper mulches) in horticultural crop in
      the edaphoclimatic conditions of Central Spain in two situations: over the
      lifetime of the mulches and after being incorporated into the soil. In the first
      situation, the deterioration levels were evaluated by recording the puncture
      resistance, weight and area covered in the above-soil and the in-soil part, and
      after soil incorporation by the number of fragments, their surfaces and weight.
      In the above-soil part, biodegradable plastics experienced further deterioration,
      particularly with no crop, while the paper mulch remained practically intact.
      However, the in-soil paper experienced complete and rapid degradation. At 200
      days after soil incorporation, mulch residues were scarce, with the environmental
      effects it entails. These findings offer practical implications regarding the
      type of crop. The measurement of the surface covered, rather than the weight, was
      shown to be a more reliable indicator of the degradation of mulches. Furthermore,
      visual estimation was found to underestimate the functionality of mulches in
      comparison to that of the measurement of the surface covered.

PMID- 28622653
TI  - Surfactant coupled sonic pretreatment of waste activated sludge for energetically
      positive biogas generation.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dioctyl sodium
      sulphosuccinate (DOSS, a surfactant) on lysis rate of sludge and specific energy
      required for sonic pretreatment of waste activated sludge (WAS). Different
      ultrasonic power levels, WAS concentrations, DOSS dosages, and specific energy
      levels were used to compare pretreatment efficiencies. At an optimum time of
      10min with ultrasonic power level of 160W, DOSS coupled sonic pretreatment
      resulted in better lysis rate (24.7%) of sludge than sonic pretreatment (17.6%).
      Biodegradability estimation through non-linear regression modeling revealed that
      DOSS coupled ultrasound pretreatment of sludge showed better biodegradability
      with higher hydrolysis constant (about 0.25d-1) than sonic pretreatment (0.19d
      1). Nearly six times less energy was required for DOSS coupled ultrasound
      pretreatment compared to that required for sonic pretreatment. Therefore, DOSS
      coupled ultrasound pretreatment makes the pretreatment process energetically
      positive.

PMID- 28622654
TI  - Continuous production of biodiesel under supercritical methyl acetate conditions:
      Experimental investigation and kinetic model.
AB  - In this study, biodiesel production by using supercritical methyl acetate in a
      continuous flow reactor was investigated for the first time. The aim of this
      study was to elucidate the reaction kinetics of biodiesel production by using
      supercritical methyl. Experiments were conducted at various reaction temperatures
      (300-400 degrees C), residence times (5-30min), oil-to-methyl acetate molar ratio
      of 1:40, and a fixed pressure of 20MPa. Reaction kinetics of biodiesel production
      with supercritical methyl acetate was determined. Finally, biodiesel yield
      obtained from this method was compared to that obtained with supercritical
      methanol, ethanol, and MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether). The results showed
      that biodiesel yield with supercritical methyl acetate increased with temperature
      and time. The developed kinetic model was found to fit the experimental data
      well. The reactivity of supercritical methyl acetate was the lowest, followed by
      that of supercritical MTBE, ethanol, and methanol, under the same conditions.

PMID- 28622655
TI  - Effective cell trapping using PDMS microspheres in an acoustofluidic chip.
AB  - We present a facile particle-based cell manipulation method using acoustic
      radiation forces. In this work, we selected several representative particles
      including poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres, silica-coated
      magnetic microbeads, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microspheres and investigated
      the responses of these particle systems to ultrasonic standing waves (USWs) in a
      microfluidic chip. We show that depending on the nature (positive or negative
      acoustic contrast factors) of the particles, these particle systems display
      different alignment behaviors along the microfluidic channel under USWs.
      Specifically, PLGA microspheres and silica-coated magnetic microbeads are able to
      be aligned in the middle of the microfluidic channel, while PDMS microspheres are
      translocated to the side walls of the channel, which is beneficial for cell
      trapping and manipulation. Further results demonstrate that the functional PDMS
      microspheres with a negative acoustic contrast factor can be used to trap cells
      to the pressure antinodes in the acoustofluidic chip. Cell viability tests reveal
      that the ultrasonic manipulation does not exert any harmful effect to the cells.
      This acoustic-based particle and cell manipulation technique may hold a great
      promise for the development of rapid, noninvasive, continuous assays for
      detecting of cells and separation of biological samples.

PMID- 28622656
TI  - A combined experimental setup for OP and ODNMR.
AB  - Instrumentation for optically-pumped and optically-detected nuclear magnetic
      resonance (OPNMR and ODNMR) has been developed and implemented as a single
      experimental apparatus to study semiconductors such as GaAs and CdTe. These two
      measurement schemes use many of the same components for experiments. Here we
      describe, in two parts, the apparatus that can record such measurements and give
      examples of representative data. In Part 1, the radio-frequency probe and low
      temperature cryostat are described, including single-channel and two-channel
      static cryogenic probes that both incorporate a modified solenoid coil that
      permits better optical access. In Part 2, the optical bench is described in
      detail, which uses a set of experiments (magneto-photoluminescence,
      photoluminescence excitation, detection of polarized photoluminescence) as
      important input for ODNMR. We are able to portray a robust design that
      encompasses multiple measurement modalities, along with the ability to change
      many experimental parameters with ease.

PMID- 28622657
TI  - Patterns of multimorbidity in people with severe or profound intellectual and
      motor disabilities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with severe or profound intellectual and motor disabilities
      (SPIMD) experience multimorbidity and have complex health needs. Multimorbidity
      increases mortality, decreases functioning, and negatively influences quality of
      life. Information regarding patterns of multimorbidity in people with SPIMD may
      lead to proactive prevention, specifically detection and treatment of physical
      health problems at an early stage and prevention of secondary complications. AIM:
      The aim of this study was to explore patterns of multimorbidity in individuals
      with SPIMD. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Data from medical records and care plans on
      reported physical health problems of 99 adults with SPIMD were analysed. To
      explore the co-occurrence of physical health problems, cross tabulations and a 5
      set Venn Diagram were used. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The most common combination of
      two physical health problems comprise the most prevalent physical health
      problems, which included visual impairment, constipation, epilepsy, spasticity,
      and scoliosis. These five issues occurred as a multimorbidity combination in 37%
      of the participants. In 56% of the participants a multimorbidity combination of
      four health problems emerged, namely constipation, visual impairment, epilepsy,
      and spasticity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: People experiencing SPIMD have
      interrelated health problems. As a consequence, a broad variety of potential
      interactions between physical health problems and their treatments may occur.
      Identifying multimorbidity patterns can provide guidance for accurate monitoring
      of persistent health problems and, early detection of secondary complications.
      However, the results require confirmation with larger samples in further studies.

PMID- 28622658
TI  - How effectors promote beneficial interactions.
AB  - Beneficial microbes such as rhizobia possess effector proteins that are secreted
      into the host cytoplasm where they modulate host-signaling pathways. Among these
      effectors, type 3 secreted effectors (T3Es) of rhizobia play roles in promoting
      nitrogen-fixing nodule symbiosis, suppressing host defenses and directly
      activating symbiosis-related processes. Rhizobia use the same strategy as
      pathogenic bacteria to suppress host defenses such as targeting the MAPK cascade.
      In addition, rhizobial T3E can promote root nodule symbiosis by directly
      activating Nod factor signaling, which bypasses Nod factor perception. The
      various strategies employed by beneficial microbes to promote infection and
      maintain viability in the host are therefore crucial for plant endosymbiosis.

PMID- 28622660
TI  - Assessing the effects of the antidepressant venlafaxine to fathead minnows
      exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations over a full life cycle.
AB  - Venlafaxine is an antidepressant drug that has been detected in municipal
      wastewater effluents at low MUg/L concentrations. To assess the potential of this
      compound to affect the survival, development and reproductive capacity of fish,
      we exposed fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) over a full lifecycle in a flow
      through system to nominal venlafaxine concentrations of 0.88, 8.8, and 88 MUg/L.
      Mean measured venlafaxine concentrations in these treatments were 1.0, 9.3 and 75
      MUg/L. During the 167-168 d exposure, no significant changes were observed in
      survival, or the weights and lengths of fathead minnows. At maturity, there were
      no significant differences relative to controls in condition factor, liver
      somatic index, or secondary sex characteristics in the venlafaxine exposed male
      or female fish. Fathead minnows from the highest venlafaxine treatment (i.e. 88
      MUg/L) produced 46% more eggs per female than control fish (p = 0.031). Egg
      quality, % fertilization, % hatching, and % deformities in F1 fry were unaffected
      by exposure of the parent fish to venlafaxine at any of the test concentrations.
      Venlafaxine exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations (i.e. 0.88 and
      8.8 MUg/L) caused no adverse effects in fathead minnows. This study is the first
      to assess the potential for effects in fish exposed to the antidepressant
      venlafaxine over a full lifecycle.

PMID- 28622659
TI  - Understanding and exploiting plant beneficial microbes.
AB  - After a century of incremental research, technological advances, coupled with a
      need for sustainable crop yield increases, have reinvigorated the study of
      beneficial plant-microbe interactions with attention focused on how microbiomes
      alter plant phenotypes. We review recent advances in plant microbiome research,
      and describe potential applications for increasing crop productivity. The
      phylogenetic diversity of plant microbiomes is increasingly well characterized,
      and their functional diversity is becoming more accessible. Large culture
      collections are available for controlled experimentation, with more to come.
      Genetic resources are being brought to bear on questions of microbiome function.
      We expect that microbial amendments of varying complexities will expose rules
      governing beneficial plant-microbe interactions contributing to plant growth
      promotion and disease resistance, enabling more sustainable agriculture.

PMID- 28622661
TI  - Air pollution and genomic instability: The role of particulate matter in lung
      carcinogenesis.
AB  - In this review, we summarize and discuss the evidence regarding the interaction
      between air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), and genomic
      instability. PM has been widely studied in the context of several diseases, and
      its role in lung carcinogenesis gained relevance due to an increase in cancer
      cases for which smoking does not seem to represent the main risk factor.
      According to epidemiological and toxicological evidence, PM acts as a
      carcinogenic factor in humans, inducing high rates of genomic alterations. Here,
      we discuss not only how PM is capable of inducing genomic instability during the
      carcinogenic process but also how our genetic background influences the response
      to the sources of damage.

PMID- 28622662
TI  - The chronic effects of fullereneC60-associated sediments in the midge Chironomus
      riparius - Responses in the first and the second generation.
AB  - The life cycle parameters of the benthic invertebrate Chironomus riparius make it
      a relevant organism for use in multi-generation chronic ecotoxicology tests.
      Since studies on chronic exposures with fullerene carbon nanoparticles have
      revealed adverse effects at lower concentration ranges, it is crucial to gain
      understanding of the consequences in following generations. The aims of this
      study were to investigate whether sediment-associated fullereneC60 impacts on C.
      riparius emergence and breeding, thus affecting the growth of the second
      generation. Larvae were exposed to fullerene-spiked sediment at concentrations of
      0.5, 10 and 40 mg/kg sediment dw. Total emergence and breeding success were
      monitored after the first generation and the newly hatched larvae from the first
      generation exposure were transferred either to continuous exposure or to pristine
      sediment without fullerene. Findings indicate that the presence of fullerenes has
      major impacts on the first generation, mainly shown as delayed emergence time of
      females. Increased larval growth was observed in the second generation, and we
      conclude that the C. riparius response to fullerene exposure indicated
      significant signs of recovery in second-generation larval growth. The result
      shows the effects to be important for population dynamics, revealing delayed
      female emergence time, which leads to situation where adults' breeding is
      impaired.

PMID- 28622663
TI  - Sensitive immunoassay for simultaneous determination of tetrabromobisphenol A
      bis(2-hydroxyethyl) ether and tetrabromobisphenol A mono(hydroxyethyl) ether: An
      effective and reliable strategy to estimate the typical tetrabromobisphenol A
      derivative and byproduct in aquatic environments.
AB  - Tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2-hydroxyethyl) ether (TBBPA DHEE), as one of the TBBPA
      derivatives, is frequently applied as a flame retardant. To date, however, little
      evidence has been gathered regarding its environmental behavior and fate. This is
      mainly attributed to the lack of an analytical approach available to measure it.
      Mass spectrometry cannot determine levels of TBBPA DHEE. LC-MS could not ionize
      TBBPA DHEE to yield enough fragments, while GC-MS could not be applied for the
      analysis either, due to the thermal degradation of TBBPA DHEE. We here designed a
      novel hapten, then conjugated it with a carrier protein and produced a type of
      polyclonal antibody capable of recognizing TBBPA DHEE. Based on this approach, a
      sensitive and high-throughput indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) was established. The respective detection limit (LOD, based on 90%
      B/B0) and IC50 calculated from the standard curve were 0.702 and 9.868 ng/mL for
      TBBPA DHEE. And the established method showed good tolerance to various matrix
      interferents. Using our ELISA, we measured the concentrations of these substances
      from environmental water samples with no pretreatment other than filtration. We
      found the presence of TBBPA DHEE in environmental water samples collected in
      Jiangsu province, and the detected concentrations ranging from 1.5 to 7.7 ng/mL.
      Our proposed method here could be applied to completely and systematically
      investigate TBBPA DHEE and TBBPA MHEE concentrations in environmental samples.

PMID- 28622664
TI  - Mechanical Imaging of Soft Tissues With a Highly Compliant Tactile Sensing Array.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The mechanical imaging of lumps in tissues via surface measurements
      can permit the noninvasive detection of disease-related differences in body
      tissues. We present and evaluate sensing techniques for the mechanical imaging of
      soft tissues, using a highly compliant electronic sensing array. METHODS: We
      developed a mechanical imaging system for capturing tissue properties during
      automatic- or human-guided palpation. It combines extremely compliant capacitive
      tactile sensors based on soft polymers and microfluidic electrodes with custom
      electronic data acquisition hardware, and new algorithms for enhanced tactile
      imaging by reference to nominal tissue responses. RESULTS: We demonstrate that
      the system is able to image simulated tumors (lumps), yielding accurate estimates
      of cross-sectional area independent of embedding depth. In addition, as a proof
      of concept, we show that similar tactile images can be obtained when the sensor
      is worn on a palpating finger. CONCLUSION: Soft capacitive sensors can accurately
      image lumps in soft tissue provided that care is taken to control and compensate
      for electrical and mechanical background signals. SIGNIFICANCE: The results
      underline the utility of soft electronic sensors for applications in medical
      imaging or clinical practices of palpation.

PMID- 28622665
TI  - Noninvasive In-Situ Measurement of Blood Lactate Using Microwave Sensors.
AB  - GOAL: This paper reports a novel electromagnetic sensor technique for real-time
      noninvasive monitoring of blood lactate in human subjects. METHODS: The technique
      was demonstrated on 34 participants who undertook a cycling regime, with rest
      period before and after, to produce a rising and falling lactate response curve.
      Sensors attached to the arm and legs of participants gathered spectral data,
      blood samples were measured using a Lactate Pro V2; temperature and heart rate
      data was also collected. RESULTS: Pointwise mutual information and neural
      networks are used to produce a predictive model. The model shows a good
      correlation between the standard invasive and novel noninvasive electromagnetic
      wave based blood lactate measurements, with an error of 13.4% in the range of 0
      12 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: The work demonstrates that electromagnetic wave sensors
      are capable of determining blood lactate level without the need for invasive
      blood sampling. SIGNIFICANCE: Measurement of blood metabolites, such as blood
      lactate, in real-time and noninvasively in hospital environments will reduce the
      risk of infection, increase the frequency of measurement and ensure timely
      intervention only when necessary. In sports, such tools will enhance training of
      athletes, and enable more effecting training regimes to be prescribed.

PMID- 28622666
TI  - Real-Time Automatic Apneic Event Detection Using Nocturnal Pulse Oximetry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Nocturnal pulse oximetry has been proposed as a simpler alternative to
      polysomnography in diagnosing sleep apnea. However, existing techniques are
      limited in terms of inability to provide time information on sleep apnea
      occurrence. This study aimed to propose a new strategy for near real-time
      automatic detection of apneic events and reliable estimation of apnea-hypopnea
      index using nocturnal pulse oximetry. METHODS: Among 230 polysomnographic
      recordings with apnea-hypopnea index values ranging from 0 to 86.5 events/h, 138
      (60%) and the remaining 92 recordings (40%) were categorized as training and test
      sets, respectively. By extracting the quantitative characteristics caused by the
      apneic event for the amount and duration of the change in blood oxygen saturation
      value, we established the criteria to determine the occurrence of apneic event.
      Regression modeling was used to estimate the apnea-hypopnea index from the apneic
      event detection results. RESULTS: The minute-by-minute apneic segment detection
      exhibited an average accuracy of 91.0% and an average Cohen's kappa coefficient
      of 0.71. Between the apnea-hypopnea index estimations and reference values, the
      mean absolute error was 2.30 events/h. The average accuracy of our diagnosis of
      sleep apnea was 96.7% for apnea-hypopnea index cutoff values of >=5, 10, 15, and
      30 events/h. CONCLUSION: We developed an effective strategy to detect apneic
      events by using morphometric characteristics in the fluctuation of blood oxygen
      saturation values. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study could be potentially useful in home
      based multinight apneic event monitoring for purposes of therapeutic intervention
      and follow-up study on sleep apnea.

PMID- 28622668
TI  - A Bayesian Approach to Policy Recognition and State Representation Learning.
AB  - Learning from demonstration (LfD) is the process of building behavioral models of
      a task from demonstrations provided by an expert. These models can be used, e.g.,
      for system control by generalizing the expert demonstrations to previously
      unencountered situations. Most LfD methods, however, make strong assumptions
      about the expert behavior, e.g., they assume the existence of a deterministic
      optimal ground truth policy or require direct monitoring of the expert's
      controls, which limits their practical use as part of a general system
      identification framework. In this work, we consider the LfD problem in a more
      general setting where we allow for arbitrary stochastic expert policies, without
      reasoning about the optimality of the demonstrations. Following a Bayesian
      methodology, we model the full posterior distribution of possible expert
      controllers that explain the provided demonstration data. Moreover, we show that
      our methodology can be applied in a nonparametric context to infer the complexity
      of the state representation used by the expert, and to learn task-appropriate
      partitionings of the system state space.

PMID- 28622667
TI  - NetVLAD: CNN Architecture for Weakly Supervised Place Recognition.
AB  - We tackle the problem of large scale visual place recognition, where the task is
      to quickly and accurately recognize the location of a given query photograph. We
      present the following four principal contributions. First, we develop a
      convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture that is trainable in an end-to
      end manner directly for the place recognition task. The main component of this
      architecture, NetVLAD, is a new generalized VLAD layer, inspired by the "Vector
      of Locally Aggregated Descriptors" image representation commonly used in image
      retrieval. The layer is readily pluggable into any CNN architecture and amenable
      to training via backpropagation. Second, we create a new weakly supervised
      ranking loss, which enables end-to-end learning of the architecture's parameters
      from images depicting the same places over time downloaded from Google Street
      View Time Machine. Third, we develop an efficient training procedure which can be
      applied on very large-scale weakly labelled tasks. Finally, we show that the
      proposed architecture and training procedure significantly outperform non-learnt
      image representations and off-the-shelf CNN descriptors on challenging place
      recognition and image retrieval benchmarks.

PMID- 28622669
TI  - Matching by Monotonic Tone Mapping.
AB  - In this paper, a novel dissimilarity measure called Matching by Monotonic Tone
      Mapping (MMTM) is proposed. The MMTM technique allows matching under non-linear
      monotonic tone mappings and can be computed efficiently when the tone mappings
      are approximated by piecewise constant or piecewise linear functions. The
      proposed method is evaluated in various template matching scenarios involving
      simulated and real images, and compared to other measures developed to be
      invariant to monotonic intensity transformations. The results show that the MMTM
      technique is a highly competitive alternative of conventional measures in
      problems where possible tone mappings are close to monotonic.

PMID- 28622670
TI  - Adaptive Clutter Demodulation for Non-Contrast Ultrasound Perfusion Imaging.
AB  - Conventional Doppler ultrasound is useful for visualizing fast blood flow in
      large resolvable vessels. However, frame rate and tissue clutter caused by
      movement of the patient or sonographer make visualizing slow flow with ultrasound
      difficult. Patient and sonographer motion causes spectral broadening of the
      clutter signal, which limits ultrasound's sensitivity to velocities greater than
      5-10 mm/s for typical clinical imaging frequencies. To address this, we propose a
      clutter filtering technique that may increase the sensitivity of Doppler
      measurements to at least as low as 0.52 mm/s. The proposed technique uses plane
      wave imaging and an adaptive frequency and amplitude demodulation scheme to
      decrease the bandwidth of tissue clutter. To test the performance of the adaptive
      demodulation method at suppressing tissue clutter bandwidths due to sonographer
      hand motion alone, six volunteer subjects acquired data from a stationary
      phantom. Additionally, to test in vivo feasibility, arterial occlusion and muscle
      contraction studies were performed to assess the efficiency of the proposed
      filter at preserving signals from blood velocities 2 mm/s or greater at a 7.8 MHz
      center frequency. The hand motion study resulted in initial average bandwidths of
      175 Hz (8.60mm/s), which were decreased to 10.5 Hz (0.52 mm/s) at -60 dB using
      our approach. The in vivo power Doppler studies resulted in 4.73 dB and 4.80 dB
      dynamic ranges of the blood flow with the proposed filter and 0.15 dB and 0.16 dB
      dynamic ranges of the blood flow with a conventional 50 Hz high-pass filter for
      the occlusion and contraction studies, respectively.

PMID- 28622672
TI  - Physiological Effects of Single- and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Rice
      Seedlings.
AB  - In this paper, single-walled carbon nano- tubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon
      nano- tubes (MWCNTs) were found to accelerate leaf growth and development of rice
      seedlings at a low concentration (20 mg/L), accompanied with the increased
      chlorophyll content and net photosynthetic rate (PN). Quantitative real-time
      polymerase chain reaction results indicated that both SWCNTs and MWCNTs
      significantly increased expression of genes associated with chloroplast
      development and cell sizes. Further analysis revealed that the abscisic acid
      content decreased and the gibberellin content increased while the content of
      [Formula: see text] and H2O2 was slightly elevated and the activities of
      antioxidative enzymes (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1, and POD, EC 1.11.1.7) were differently
      modulated after treatment with the carbon nanotube (CNT). These results suggest a
      possible link between reactive oxygen species and plant hormones under CNTs
      treatment to promote rice seedlings growth.

PMID- 28622673
TI  - Exact Algorithms for Duplication-Transfer-Loss Reconciliation with Non-Binary
      Gene Trees.
AB  - Duplication-Transfer-Loss (DTL) reconciliation is a powerful method for studying
      gene family evolution in the presence of horizontal gene transfer. DTL
      reconciliation seeks to reconcile gene trees with species trees by postulating
      speciation, duplication, transfer, and loss events. Efficient algorithms exist
      for finding optimal DTL reconciliations when the gene tree is binary. In
      practice, however, gene trees are often non-binary due to uncertainty in the gene
      tree topologies, and DTL reconciliation with non-binary gene trees is known to be
      NP-hard. In this paper, we present the first exact algorithms for DTL
      reconciliation with non-binary gene trees. Specifically, we (i) show that the DTL
      reconciliation problem for non-binary gene trees is fixed-parameter tractable in
      the maximum degree of the gene tree, (ii) present an exponential-time, but in
      practice efficient, algorithm to track and enumerate all optimal binary
      resolutions of a non-binary input gene tree, and (iii) apply our algorithms to a
      large empirical data set of over 4700 gene trees from 100 species to study the
      impact of gene tree uncertainty on DTL-reconciliation and to demonstrate the
      applicability and utility of our algorithms. The new techniques and algorithms
      introduced in this paper will help biologists avoid incorrect evolutionary
      inferences caused by gene tree uncertainty.

PMID- 28622671
TI  - Low-Dose CT With a Residual Encoder-Decoder Convolutional Neural Network.
AB  - Given the potential risk of X-ray radiation to the patient, low-dose CT has
      attracted a considerable interest in the medical imaging field. Currently, the
      main stream low-dose CT methods include vendor-specific sinogram domain
      filtration and iterative reconstruction algorithms, but they need to access raw
      data, whose formats are not transparent to most users. Due to the difficulty of
      modeling the statistical characteristics in the image domain, the existing
      methods for directly processing reconstructed images cannot eliminate image noise
      very well while keeping structural details. Inspired by the idea of deep
      learning, here we combine the autoencoder, deconvolution network, and shortcut
      connections into the residual encoder-decoder convolutional neural network (RED
      CNN) for low-dose CT imaging. After patch-based training, the proposed RED-CNN
      achieves a competitive performance relative to the-state-of-art methods in both
      simulated and clinical cases. Especially, our method has been favorably evaluated
      in terms of noise suppression, structural preservation, and lesion detection.

PMID- 28622674
TI  - A Two-Stage Biomedical Event Trigger Detection Method Integrating Feature
      Selection and Word Embeddings.
AB  - Extracting biomedical events from biomedical literature plays an important role
      in the field of biomedical text mining, and the trigger detection is a key step
      in biomedical event extraction. We propose a two-stage method for trigger
      detection, which divides trigger detection into recognition stage and
      classification stage, and different features are selected in each stage. In the
      first stage, we select the features which are more suitable for recognition, and
      in the second stage, the features that are more helpful to classification are
      adopted. Furthermore, we integrate word embeddings to represent words
      semantically and syntactically. On the multi-level event extraction (MLEE) corpus
      test dataset, our method achieves an F-score of 79.75 percent, which outperforms
      the state-of-the-art systems.

PMID- 28622675
TI  - State-of-the-Art Methods for Brain Tissue Segmentation: A Review.
AB  - Brain tissue segmentation is one of the most sought after research areas in
      medical image processing. It provides detailed quantitative brain analysis for
      accurate disease diagnosis, detection, and classification of abnormalities. It
      plays an essential role in discriminating healthy tissues from lesion tissues.
      Therefore, accurate disease diagnosis and treatment planning depend merely on the
      performance of the segmentation method used. In this review, we have studied the
      recent advances in brain tissue segmentation methods and their state-of-the-art
      in neuroscience research. The review also highlights the major challenges faced
      during tissue segmentation of the brain. An effective comparison is made among
      state-of-the-art brain tissue segmentation methods. Moreover, a study of some of
      the validation measures to evaluate different segmentation methods is also
      discussed. The brain tissue segmentation, content in terms of methodologies, and
      experiments presented in this review are encouraging enough to attract
      researchers working in this field.

PMID- 28622676
TI  - Training DCNN by Combining Max-Margin, Max-Correlation Objectives, and
      Correntropy Loss for Multilabel Image Classification.
AB  - In this paper, we build a multilabel image classifier using a general deep
      convolutional neural network (DCNN). We propose a novel objective function that
      consists of three parts, i.e., max-margin objective, max-correlation objective,
      and correntropy loss. The max-margin objective explicitly enforces that the
      minimum score of positive labels must be larger than the maximum score of
      negative labels by a predefined margin, which not only improves accuracies of the
      multilabel classifier, but also eases the threshold determination. The max
      correlation objective can make the DCNN model learn a latent semantic space,
      which maximizes the correlations between the feature vectors of the training
      samples and their corresponding ground-truth label vectors projected into this
      space. Instead of using the traditional softmax loss, we adopt the correntropy
      loss from the information theory field to minimize the training errors of the
      DCNN model. The proposed framework can be end-to-end trained. Comprehensive
      experimental evaluations on Pascal VOC 2007 and MIR Flickr 25K multilabel
      benchmark data sets with four DCNN models, i.e., AlexNet, VGG-16, GoogLeNet, and
      ResNet demonstrate that the proposed objective function can remarkably improve
      the performance accuracies of a DCNN model for the task of multilabel image
      classification.

PMID- 28622677
TI  - Tree-Based Kernel for Graphs With Continuous Attributes.
AB  - The availability of graph data with node attributes that can be either discrete
      or real-valued is constantly increasing. While existing Kernel methods are
      effective techniques for dealing with graphs having discrete node labels, their
      adaptation to nondiscrete or continuous node attributes has been limited, mainly
      for computational issues. Recently, a few kernels especially tailored for this
      domain, and that trade predictive performance for computational efficiency, have
      been proposed. In this brief, we propose a graph kernel for complex and
      continuous nodes' attributes, whose features are tree structures extracted from
      specific graph visits. The kernel manages to keep the same complexity of the
      state-of-the-art kernels while implicitly using a larger feature space. We
      further present an approximated variant of the kernel, which reduces its
      complexity significantly. Experimental results obtained on six real-world data
      sets show that the kernel is the best performing one on most of them. Moreover,
      in most cases, the approximated version reaches comparable performances to the
      current state-of-the-art kernels in terms of classification accuracy while
      greatly shortening the running times.

PMID- 28622678
TI  - Robust Least-Squares Support Vector Machine With Minimization of Mean and
      Variance of Modeling Error.
AB  - The least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) is a popular data-driven
      modeling method and has been successfully applied to a wide range of
      applications. However, it has some disadvantages, including being ineffective at
      handling non-Gaussian noise as well as being sensitive to outliers. In this
      paper, a robust LS-SVM method is proposed and is shown to have more reliable
      performance when modeling a nonlinear system under conditions where Gaussian or
      non-Gaussian noise is present. The construction of a new objective function
      allows for a reduction of the mean of the modeling error as well as the
      minimization of its variance, and it does not constrain the mean of the modeling
      error to zero. This differs from the traditional LS-SVM, which uses a worst-case
      scenario approach in order to minimize the modeling error and constrains the mean
      of the modeling error to zero. In doing so, the proposed method takes the
      modeling error distribution information into consideration and is thus less
      conservative and more robust in regards to random noise. A solving method is then
      developed in order to determine the optimal parameters for the proposed robust LS
      SVM. An additional analysis indicates that the proposed LS-SVM gives a smaller
      weight to a large-error training sample and a larger weight to a small-error
      training sample, and is thus more robust than the traditional LS-SVM. The
      effectiveness of the proposed robust LS-SVM is demonstrated using both artificial
      and real life cases.

PMID- 28622679
TI  - Neighborhood Structural Similarity Mapping for the Classification of Masses in
      Mammograms.
AB  - In this paper, two novel feature extraction methods, using neighborhood
      structural similarity (NSS), are proposed for the characterization of
      mammographic masses as benign or malignant. Since gray-level distribution of
      pixels is different in benign and malignant masses, more regular and homogeneous
      patterns are visible in benign masses compared to malignant masses; the proposed
      method exploits the similarity between neighboring regions of masses by designing
      two new features, namely, NSS-I and NSS-II, which capture global similarity at
      different scales. Complementary to these global features, uniform local binary
      patterns are computed to enhance the classification efficiency by combining with
      the proposed features. The performance of the features are evaluated using the
      images from the mini-mammographic image analysis society (mini-MIAS) and digital
      database for screening mammography (DDSM) databases, where a tenfold cross
      validation technique is incorporated with Fisher linear discriminant analysis,
      after selecting the optimal set of features using stepwise logistic regression
      method. The best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.98
      with an accuracy of is achieved with the mini-MIAS database, while the same for
      the DDSM database is 0.93 with accuracy .

PMID- 28622680
TI  - Optimized Multistable Stochastic Resonance for the Enhancement of Pituitary
      Microadenoma in MRI.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the modality of choice as far as imaging
      diagnosis of pathologies in the pituitary gland is concerned. Furthermore, the
      advent of dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) has enhanced the capability of this
      modality in detecting minute benign but endocrinologically significant tumors
      called microadenoma. These lesions are visible with difficulty and a low
      confidence level in routine MRI sequences, even after administration of
      intravenous gadolinium. Techniques to enhance the visualization of such foci
      would be an asset in improving the overall accuracy of DCE-MRI for detection of
      pituitary microadenomas. The present study proposes an algorithm for
      postprocessing DCE-MRI data using multistable stochastic resonance (MSSR)
      technique. Multiobjective ant lion optimization optimizes the contrast
      enhancement factor (CEF) and anisotropy of an image by varying the parameters
      associated with the dynamics of MSSR. The marked regions of interest (ROIs) are
      labeled as normal and microadenoma of pituitary obtained with increased level of
      accuracy and confidence using proposed algorithm. The increased difference
      between the mean intensity curves obtained using these ROIs validated the
      obtained subjective results. Furthermore, the proposed MSSR-based algorithm has
      been evaluated on standard T1 and T2 weighted BrainWeb dataset images and
      quantified in terms of CEF, peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), structure
      similarity index measure (SSIM), and universal quality index (UQI). The obtained
      mean values of CEF 1.22, PSNR 27.68, SSIM 0.75, UQI 0.83 for twenty dataset
      images were highest among considered contrast enhancement algorithms for the
      comparison.

PMID- 28622681
TI  - A Mixed Representation-Based Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm for
      Overlapping Community Detection.
AB  - Designing multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) for community detection
      in complex networks has attracted much attention of researchers recently.
      However, most of the existing methods focus on addressing the task of
      nonoverlapping community detection, where each node must belong to one and only
      one community. In fact, communities are often overlapped with each other in many
      real-world networks, thus it is necessary to design overlapping community
      detection algorithms. To this end, this paper proposes a mixed representation
      based MOEA (MR-MOEA) for overlapping community detection. In MR-MOEA, a mixed
      individual representation scheme is proposed to fast encode and decode the
      overlapping divisions of complex networks. Specifically, this mixed
      representation consists of two parts: one represents all potential overlapping
      nodes and the other delegates all nonoverlapping nodes. These two parts evolve
      together to detect the overlapping communities of networks based on different
      updating strategies suggested in MR-MOEA. We verify the effectiveness of the
      proposed algorithm MR-MOEA on ten real-world complex networks and the
      experimental results demonstrate that MR-MOEA is superior over six representative
      algorithms for overlapping community detection.

PMID- 28622682
TI  - Audio Tracking in Noisy Environments by Acoustic Map and Spectral Signature.
AB  - A novel method is proposed for generic target tracking by audio measurements from
      a microphone array. To cope with noisy environments characterized by persistent
      and high energy interfering sources, a classification map (CM) based on spectral
      signatures is calculated by means of a machine learning algorithm. Next, the CM
      is combined with the acoustic map, describing the spatial distribution of sound
      energy, in order to obtain a cleaned joint map in which contributions from the
      disturbing sources are removed. A likelihood function is derived from this map
      and fed to a particle filter yielding the target location estimation on the
      acoustic image. The method is tested on two real environments, addressing both
      speaker and vehicle tracking. The comparison with a couple of trackers, relying
      on the acoustic map only, shows a sharp improvement in performance, paving the
      way to the application of audio tracking in real challenging environments.

PMID- 28622699
TI  - Corrections.

PMID- 28622701
TI  - Free Tissue Transfers for Head and Neck Reconstruction in Patients with End-Stage
      Renal Disease on Dialysis: Analysis of Outcomes Using the Taiwan National Health
      Insurance Research Database.

PMID- 28622702
TI  - Impact of Pregnancy on Maternal Cardiac Atria.

PMID- 28622700
TI  - Evidence for long-range spatiotemporal interactions in infant and adult visual
      cortex.
AB  - The development of spatiotemporal interactions giving rise to classical receptive
      field properties has been well studied in animal models, but little is known
      about the development of putative nonclassical mechanisms in any species. Here we
      used visual evoked potentials to study the developmental status of spatiotemporal
      interactions for stimuli that were biased to engage long-range spatiotemporal
      integration mechanisms. We compared responses to widely spaced stimuli presented
      either in temporal succession or at the same time. The former configuration
      elicits a percept of apparent motion in adults but the latter does not. Component
      flash responses were summed to make a linear prediction (no spatiotemporal
      interaction) for comparison with the measured evoked responses to sequential or
      simultaneous flash conditions. In adults, linear summation of the separate flash
      responses measured with 40% contrast stimuli predicted sequential flash responses
      twice as large as those measured, indicating that the response measured under
      apparent motion conditions is subadditive. Simultaneous-flash responses at the
      same spatial separation were also subadditive, but substantially less so. The
      subadditivity in both cases could be modeled as a simple multiplicative gain term
      across all electrodes and time points. In infants aged 3-8 months, responses to
      the stimuli used in adults were similar to their linear predictions at 40%, but
      the responses measured at 80% contrast resembled the subadditive responses of the
      adults for both sequential and simultaneous flash conditions. We interpret the
      developmental data as indicating that adult-like long-range spatiotemporal
      interactions can be demonstrated by 3-8 months, once stimulus contrast is high
      enough.

PMID- 28622703
TI  - Qualitative Determination of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Vaginal Washings for
      the Early Diagnosis of Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes.
AB  - Purpose This study aimed to evaluate and validate the qualitative human chorionic
      gonadotropin beta subunit (beta-hCG) test of the vaginal fluid washings of
      pregnant women with premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM). Methods Cross
      sectional study of pregnant women between gestational weeks 24 and 39 who
      underwent consultations in one of our institutions. They were divided into two
      groups: group A (pregnant women clinically diagnosed with PROM) and group B
      (pregnant women without loss of amniotic liquid). The patients were subjected to
      a vaginal fluid washing with 3 mL of saline solution, which was aspirated
      subsequently with the same syringe. The solution was immediately sent to the
      laboratory to perform the vaginal beta-hCG test with cut-off points of 10 mIU/mL
      (beta-hCG-10) and/or 25 mIU/mL (beta-hCG-25). Results The beta-hCG-10 test of the
      vaginal secretion was performed in 128 cases. The chi-squared test with Yates'
      correction showed a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (p
      = 0.0225). The sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV),
      negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy parameters were 77.1%, 43.6%,
      52.3%; 70.4%; and 58.6% respectively. The beta-hCG-25 test of the vaginal washing
      was performed in 49 cases. The analysis by Fisher's exact test showed a
      statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.0175). The
      sensibility, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy parameters were 44.4%, 87.1%,
      66.6%; 72.9%; and 71.4% respectively. Conclusions The beta-hCG-25 test showed
      better accuracy for the diagnosis of PROM, and can corroborate the early
      diagnosis of PROM because it is a simple and quick exam.

PMID- 28622704
TI  - Evaluation of Quality of life, Physical Activity and Nutritional Profile of
      Postmenopausal Women with and without Vitamin D Deficiency.
AB  - Introduction Vitamin D deficiency is associated with various diseases. Prevalent
      in Brazil, it can result from inadequate lifestyle habits. Objective To
      demonstrate that postmenopausal women with vitamin D deficiency have worse
      quality of health, expressed as worse quality of life, lower levels of physical
      activity, and worse nutritional profile. Methods Postmenopausal women answered
      questionnaires about physical activity and quality of life, provided a 24-hour
      food record, and had serum vitamin D levels measured. Results Among the more
      active women, those who perform a daily average of one hour of physical activity
      had vitamin D levels above 20 ng/mL (76.9%), and those, which expose themselves
      to sunlight, had vitamin D levels above 30 ng/mL (34.6%). Meanwhile the
      percentages for the women who are less physically active and less exposed to
      sunlight were 42.2% and 8.9% respectively. Being more active and more exposed to
      sunlight resulted in a lower fat percentage. Serum vitamin D levels were not
      correlated with quality of life. Conclusion Walking and gardening increased serum
      vitamin D levels and decreased the percentage of body fat. The limitations of the
      study prevented the impact of 25-hidroxyvitamin D on the quality of life and
      nutritional aspects of the women from being evaluated.

PMID- 28622705
TI  - PARVUS affects aluminium sensitivity by modulating the structure of
      glucuronoxylan in Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - Glucuronoxylan (GX), an important component of hemicellulose in the cell wall,
      appears to affect aluminium (Al) sensitivity in plants. To investigate the role
      of GX in cell-wall-localized xylan, we examined the Arabidopsis thaliana parvus
      mutant in detail. This mutant lacks alpha-D-glucuronic acid (GlcA) side chains in
      GX and has greater resistance to Al stress than wild-type (WT) plants. The parvus
      mutant accumulated lower levels of Al in its roots and cell walls than WT despite
      having cell wall pectin content and pectin methylesterase (PME) activity similar
      to those of WT. Our results suggest that the altered properties of hemicellulose
      in the mutant contribute to its decreased Al accumulation. Although we observed
      almost no differences in hemicellulose content between parvus and WT under
      control conditions, less Al was retained in parvus hemicellulose than in WT. This
      observation is consistent with the finding that GlcA substitutions in WT GX, but
      not mutant GX, were increased under Al stress. Taken together, these results
      suggest that the modulation of GlcA levels in GX affects Al resistance by
      influencing the Al binding capacity of the root cell wall in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28622706
TI  - Electrical stimulation of microengineered skeletal muscle tissue: Effect of
      stimulus parameters on myotube contractility and maturation.
AB  - Skeletal muscle tissues engineered in vitro are aneural, are short in the number
      of fibres required to function properly and degenerate rapidly. Electrical
      stimulation has been widely used to compensate for such a lack of neural
      activity, yet the relationship between the stimulation parameters and the tissue
      response is subject to debate. Here we studied the effect of overnight electrical
      stimulation (training) on the contractility and maturity of aligned C2C12
      myotubes developed on micropatterned gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) substrates.
      Bipolar rectangular pulse (BRP) trains with frequency, half-duration and applied
      pulse train amplitudes of f = 1 Hz, ton  = 0.5 ms and Vapp  = {3 V, 4 V, 4.5 V},
      respectively, were applied for 12 h to the myotubes formed on the microgrooved
      substrates. Aligned myotubes were contracting throughout the training period for
      Vapp  >= 4 V. Immediately after training, the samples were subjected to series of
      BRPs with 2 <= Vapp  <= 5 V and 0.2 <= ton  <= 0.9 ms, during which myotube
      contraction dynamics were recorded. Analysis of post-training contraction
      revealed that only the myotubes trained at Vapp  = 4 V displayed consistent and
      repeatable contraction profiles, showing the dynamics of myotube contractility as
      a function of triggering pulse voltage and current amplitudes, duration and
      imposed electrical energy. In addition, myotubes trained at Vapp  = 4 V displayed
      amplified expression levels of genes pertinent to sarcomere development
      correlated with myotube maturation. Our findings are imperative for a better
      understanding of the influence of electrical pulses on the maturation of
      microengineered myotubes.

PMID- 28622707
TI  - Coordination between leaf CO2 diffusion and Rubisco properties allows maximizing
      photosynthetic efficiency in Limonium species.
AB  - High photosynthetic efficiency intrinsically demands tight coordination between
      traits related to CO2 diffusion capacity and leaf biochemistry. Although this
      coordination constitutes the basis of existing mathematical models of leaf
      photosynthesis, it has been barely explored among closely related species, which
      could reveal rapid adaptation clues in the recent past. With this aim, we
      characterized the photosynthetic capacity of 12 species of Limonium, possessing
      contrasting Rubisco catalytic properties, grown under optimal (WW) and extreme
      drought conditions (WD). The availability of CO2 at the site of carboxylation (Cc
      ) determined the photosynthetic capacity of Limonium under WD, while both
      diffusional and biochemical components governed the photosynthetic performance
      under WW. The variation in the in vivo caboxylation efficiency correlated with
      both the concentration of active Rubisco sites and the in vitro-based properties
      of Rubisco, such as the maximum carboxylase turnover rate (kcatc ) and the
      Michaelis-Menten constant for CO2 (Kc ). Notably, the results confirmed the
      hypothesis of coordination between the CO2 offer and demand functions of
      photosynthesis: those Limonium species with high total leaf conductance to CO2
      have evolved towards increased velocity (i.e. higher kcatc ), at the penalty of
      lower affinity for CO2 (i.e. lower specificity factor, Sc/o ).

PMID- 28622708
TI  - Pharmacokinetic comparison of two phenolic acids after oral administration of
      Typhae pollen to normal rats and rats with acute cold blood stasis.
AB  - Typhae Pollen, dried pollen of Typha angustifolia L., Typha orientalis Presl or
      other plants of the same genus (Typhaeceae), has the effect of activating the
      circulation to cure blood stasis in traditional Chinese Medicine. The purpose of
      this study was to set up an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method
      that could determine p-hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid simultaneously in
      rat plasma, and to compare their pharmacokinetics in normal rats and rats with
      acute cold blood stasis, and further to investigate the influence of different
      dosages of oral administration. The pharmacokinetic parameters obtained showed
      that both of the phenolic acids had a higher bioavailability in rats with cold
      blood stasis than that in normal rats with a higher area under the concentration
      time curve and longer mean residence time, and the high dose oral administration
      group had a higher capacity in blood stasis rats than in normal rats. These
      results reminded us that changes in health condition could alter the absorption
      and elimination of both phenolic acids in vivo, and the pharmacokinetic study
      under pathological conditions provides important information for more rational
      drug use in clinical situations.

PMID- 28622710
TI  - Effect of Intravenous immunoglobulin on Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes and improvement
      of pregnancy outcome in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women with elevated natural killer (NK) cell frequency and function
      during pregnancy, suffer from recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). In the present
      study, the possible effect of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration on
      Th1 and Th2 cell frequency, cytokine secretion, and expression of transcription
      factors is compared between RPL patients and control group. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Totally, 44 women with a history of RPL (32 women as treated group and
      12 as control group) were enrolled in the study. The frequency of Th1 and Th2
      lymphocytes, the expression of transcription factors related to these cells and
      the serum levels of associated cytokines were assessed by flowcytometry, real
      time PCR and ELISA, respectively. All, assessments were performed both before and
      after treatment with IVIG. RESULTS: A significant reduction in Th1 lymphocyte
      frequency, transcription factor expression and cytokine levels were observed in
      IVIG-treated group, while all the above parameters indicated a significant
      increase for Th2 lymphocytes. Th1/Th2 ratio decreased significantly (p
      value<0.0001) at the end of treatment and 28 out of 32 (87.5%) women in IVIG
      treated group had live birth in comparison with 5 out of 12 (41.6%) in untreated
      group. CONCLUSION: IVIG administration proves to be an efficient therapeutic
      strategy which is able to enhance the success rate of pregnancy through a shift
      in Th2 responses. Furthermore, IVIG presents efficacy for the treatment of
      reproduction failures especially in subjects with immune cell abnormalities and
      increased NK cell level and function.

PMID- 28622709
TI  - Spirulina platensis prevents hyperglycemia in rats by modulating gluconeogenesis
      and apoptosis via modification of oxidative stress and MAPK-pathways.
AB  - Spirulina platensis (SP) is a microalga with antioxidant, antidiabetic and anti
      inflammatory properties. The present study explored the ability and potential
      mechanism(s) by which SP induced glucose lowering impact in diabetic rat model.
      Forty rats were allocated into four groups: control; streptozotocin (STZ)-induced
      diabetes (STZ, 45mg/kg b.w., intraperitoneally); SP (500mg/kg b.w., orally twice
      weekly for 2 months) and STZ-induced diabetes+SP group. In the STZ-induced
      diabetic rats, SP significantly decreased (P>0.05) serum glucose, glycated
      hemoglobin (HbA1c), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and significantly increased
      (P>0.05) serum insulin, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and normalized their
      mRNA gene expression. Furthermore, SP attenuates STZ-induced upregulation of the
      gluconeogenic enzyme pyruvate carboxylase (PC), the pro-apoptotic Bax and caspase
      3 (CASP-3), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) gene expression. The Western
      blot results revealed that, SP induced downregulation of mitogen activated
      protein kinase pathway (MAPK) protein expression in hepatic tissues of diabetic
      rats. Additionally, SP reestablished the typical histological structure of the
      liver and pancreas of diabetic rats. Acute toxicity study further shows that SP
      is relatively safe. This study demonstrates that SP is rich in antioxidant
      compounds and has powerful glucose lowering effect through the normalization of
      increased hepatic PC gene expression. Interestingly, SP induced recovery of
      damaged hepatocytes and pancreatic beta-cells via its anti-inflammatory,
      antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. The MAPK signaling cascade is a
      pivotal component of the proapoptotic signaling pathway induced by diabetes
      mellitus. MAPK activation may be dependent from ROS production, since SP which
      exhibited antioxidant activities did have a significant impact on MAPK activity.

PMID- 28622711
TI  - Curcumin accelerates the repair of sciatic nerve injury in rats through reducing
      Schwann cells apoptosis and promoting myelinization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Schwann cells (SCs) play an indispensable role in the repair and
      regeneration of injured peripheral nerve. Curcumin can reduce SCs apoptosis, and
      promote the regeneration and functional recovery of injured peripheral nerves.
      However, the corresponding mechanisms are not clear. OBJECTIVE: The article was
      aimed to explore the effect and corresponding mechanisms of curcumin on the
      repair of sciatic nerve injury in rats. METHODS: After surgery induced sciatic
      nerve injury, the model rats were divided into three groups and treated with
      curcumin, curcumin+PD98059 and curcumin+IGF-1 respectively for 4days. The
      phosphorylation of Erk1/2 and Akt, and the expression of LC3-II, Beclin 1 and p62
      were measured using western blotting. After treatment for 60days, myelination of
      the injured sciatic nerve was evaluated by MBP immunohistochemical staining and
      the expression of PMP22, Fibrin and S100 were determined using qRT-PCR and
      western blotting. In vitro, RSC96 cells were starved for 12h to induce autophagy,
      and received DMSO, curcumin, PD98059+curcumin, IGF-1+curcumin and BFA1
      respectively. The phosphorylation of Erk1/2,Akt and the expression of LC3-II,
      Beclin 1, p62, PMP22, Fibrin and S100 were measured using western blotting, and
      the cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Curcumin could
      promote injury-induced cell autophagy, remyelination and axon regeneration in
      sciatic nerve of rats. In vitro, curcumin could accelerate cell autophagy through
      regulating autophagy related Erk1/2 and Akt pathway, prevent cell apoptosis and
      promote expression of PMP22 and S100, and reduced deposition of Fibrin in
      cultured RSC96 SCs. CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin could accelerate injured sciatic nerve
      repair in rats through reducing SCs apoptosis and promoting myelinization.

PMID- 28622712
TI  - Evaluation of the antibacterial and modulatory potential of alpha-bisabolol, beta
      cyclodextrin and alpha-bisabolol/beta-cyclodextrin complex.
AB  - The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and modulatory potential of
      alpha-bisabolol, beta-cyclodextrin and alpha-bisabolol/beta-cyclodextrin complex.
      The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined through the broth
      microdilution technique using the bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus,
      Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The drugs norfloxacin, imipenem and
      gentamicin were used in the tests, and the compounds alpha-bisabolol and beta
      cyclodextrin; all the compounds were diluted in DMSO. To obtain the minimum
      inhibitory concentration (MIC) a serial microdilution of the substances in
      volumes corresponding to the sub-inhibitory concentration (MIC/8), and
      microdilution with the antibiotic until the penultimate well were performed. The
      results showed that beta-cyclodextrin did not present synergistic effects when
      combined with the antibiotics. It was found that alpha-bisabolol presented a
      synergistic effect against S. aureus, when combined with the antibiotic
      norfloxacin. Moreover, alpha-bisabolol presented synergism against E. coli when
      combined with gentamicin. The results of this study show that alpha-bisabolol
      presents a modulatory synergistic effect for some antibiotics, as gentamicin, and
      this is an interesting result against multidrug resistant bacteria (MDR). By
      other side, the complexation of alpha-bisabolol with beta-cyclodextrin apparently
      reduces the modulatory effect, maybe due the polarity enhancement of the polarity
      of alpha-bisabolol, affecting the interaction of this compound with the cell
      membrane bilayer. However, more studies are necessary to demonstrate or not these
      interactions.

PMID- 28622713
TI  - miR-142-5p promotes development of colorectal cancer through targeting SDHB and
      facilitating generation of aerobic glycolysis.
AB  - Aberrant expression of miRNAs contributes to the development of human
      malignancies. A recent study revealed that miR-142-5p is increased in the serum
      of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients compared to health people. Using starBase
      v2.0, we found that succinate dehydrogenase-B (SDHB) is a potential target of miR
      142-5p, while SDHB is negatively correlated to cancer development through
      regulating energetic metabolism. Based on these information, this study further
      examined the expression profiles of miR-142-5p and SDHB in CRC tissues and cell
      lines using PCR and Western blotting. Transfection experiment and luciferase
      assay were performed to identify relationship between miR-142-5p and SDHB. Oxygen
      intake, glucose consumption and production of lactic acid were used to evaluate
      the influence on energetic metabolism. CRC growth and proliferation were assessed
      by in vitro and in vivo studies. Results showed that miR-142-5p was up-regulated
      in CRC, but SDHB was down-regulated. SDHB was confirmed as a target of miR-142
      5p, and decreased SDHB in CRC was result from the abnormal up-regulation of miR
      142-5p. Lose of SDHB by miR-142-5p inhibited oxygen intake by CRC cells, but
      increased glucose consumption and lactate production. These suggest miR-142-5p up
      regulation in CRC probably facilitates generation of aerobic glycolysis by
      reducing SDHB. miR-142-5p promoted proliferation and colony formation of CRC, but
      inhibited apoptosis. SDHB overexpression abrogated these effect of miR-142-5p,
      which indicates that SDHB depletion mediates tumor-promoting actions of miR-142
      5p. This study added novel insight into the CRC development regulated by miR-142
      5p. It may be a promising therapy target in the future molecular therapy.

PMID- 28622714
TI  - NiCo2S4@NiMoO4 Core-Shell Heterostructure Nanotube Arrays Grown on Ni Foam as a
      Binder-Free Electrode Displayed High Electrochemical Performance with High
      Capacity.
AB  - Core-shell-structured system has been proved as one of the best architecture for
      clean energy products owing to its inherited superiorities from both the core and
      the shell part, which can provide better conductivity and high surface area.
      Herein, a hierarchical core-shell NiCo2S4@NiMoO4 heterostructure nanotube array
      on Ni foam (NF) (NiCo2S4@NiMoO4/NF) has been successfully fabricated. Because of
      its novel heterostructure, the capacitive performance has been enhanced. A
      specific capacitance up to 2006 F g-1 was obtained at a current density of 5 mA
      cm-2, which was far higher than that of pristine NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays (about
      1264 F g-1). More importantly, NiCo2S4@NiMoO4/NF and active carbon (AC) were
      congregated as positive electrode and negative electrode in an asymmetric
      supercapacitor. As-fabricated NiCo2S4@NiMoO4/NF//AC device has a good cyclic
      behavior with 78% capacitance retention over 2000 cycles, and exhibits a high
      energy density of 21.4 Wh kg-1 and power density of 58 W kg-1 at 2 mA cm-2. As
      displayed, the NiCo2S4@NiMoO4/NF core-shell herterostructure holds great promise
      for supercapacitors in energy storage.

PMID- 28622715
TI  - Nanotechniques Inactivate Cancer Stem Cells.
AB  - One of the tasks of current oncology is identification of cancer stem cells and
      search of therapeutic means capable of their specific inhibition. The paper
      presents the data on phenotype characteristics of Ehrlich carcinoma cells as
      convenient and easy-to-follow model of tumor growth. The evidence of cancer stem
      cells as a part of Ehrlich carcinoma and significance of CD44+ and CD44-
      subpopulations in maintaining the growth of this type of tumor were demonstrated.
      A high (tenfold) tumorigenic activity of the Ehrlich carcinoma CD44+ cells if
      compared to CD44- cells was proven. In this pair of comparison, the CD44+ cells
      had a higher potential of generating in peritoneal cavity of CD44high, CD44+CD24
      , CD44+CD24+ cell subpopulations, highlighting the presence of cancer stem cells
      in a pool of CD44+ cells.In this study, the ability of synthesized hybrid
      nanocomplexes, comprising the nanoparticles of rare earth orthovanadates
      GdYVO4:Eu3+ and cholesterol to inhibit the tumor growth and to increase the
      survival of the animals with tumors was established. A special contribution into
      tumor-inhibiting effect is made by each of its components. Treatment of Ehrlich
      carcinoma cells with two-component hybrid complex resulted in maximum reduction
      in the concentration of the most tumorigenic CD44high cells with simultaneous
      rise in the number of CD117+ cells that decreased an intensity of tumor growth by
      74.70 +/- 4.38% if compared with the control.

PMID- 28622716
TI  - A New Method Without Organic Solvent to Targeted Nanodrug for Enhanced Anticancer
      Efficacy.
AB  - Since the hydrophobic group is always essential to the synthesis of the drug
      loaded nanoparticles, a majority of the methods rely heavily on organic solvent,
      which may not be completely removed and might be a potential threat to the
      patients. In this study, we completely "green" synthesized 10
      hydroxycamptothecine (HCPT) loaded, folate (FA)-modified nanoneedles (HFNDs) for
      highly efficient cancer therapy with high drug loading, targeting property, and
      imaging capability. It should be noted that no organic solvent was used in the
      preparation process. In vitro cell uptake study and the in vivo distribution
      study showed that the HFNDs, with FA on the surface, revealed an obviously
      targeting property and entered the HeLa cells easier than the chitosan-HCPT
      nanoneedles without FA modified (NDs). The cytotoxicity tests illustrated that
      the HFNDs possessed better killing ability to HeLa cells than the individual drug
      or the NDs in the same dose, indicating its good anticancer effect. The in vivo
      anticancer experiment further revealed the pronounced anticancer effects and the
      lower side effects of the HFNDs. This new method without organic solvent will
      lead to a promising sustained drug delivery system for cancer diagnosis and
      treatment.

PMID- 28622717
TI  - Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathode Materials with
      Cr3+ and F- Composite Doping for Lithium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - A Cr3+ and F- composite-doped LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathode material was synthesized by
      the solid-state method, and the influence of the doping amount on the material's
      physical and electrochemical properties was investigated. The structure and
      morphology of the cathode material were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, and
      HRTEM, and the results revealed that the sample exhibited clear spinel features.
      No Cr3+ and F- impurity phases were found, and the spinel structure became more
      stable. The results of the charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and
      electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test results suggested that
      LiCr0.05Ni0.475Mn1.475O3.95F0.05 in which the Cr3+ and F- doping amounts were
      both 0.05, had the optimal electrochemical properties, with discharge rates of
      0.1, 0.5, 2, 5, and 10 C and specific capacities of 134.18, 128.70, 123.62,
      119.63, and 97.68 mAh g-1 , respectively. After 50 cycles at a rate of 2 C,
      LiCr0.05Ni0.475Mn1.475O3.95F0.05 showed extremely good cycling performance, with
      a discharge specific capacity of 121.02 mAh g-1 and a capacity retention rate of
      97.9%. EIS test revealed that the doping clearly decreased the charge-transfer
      resistance.

PMID- 28622718
TI  - Surface Effect on Oil Transportation in Nanochannel: a Molecular Dynamics Study.
AB  - In this work, we investigate the dynamics mechanism of oil transportation in
      nanochannel using molecular dynamics simulations. It is demonstrated that the
      interaction between oil molecules and nanochannel has a great effect on the
      transportation properties of oil in nanochannel. Because of different
      interactions between oil molecules and channel, the center of mass (COM)
      displacement of oil in a 6-nm channel is over 30 times larger than that in a 2-nm
      channel, and the diffusion coefficient of oil molecules at the center of a 6-nm
      channel is almost two times more than that near the channel surface. Besides, it
      is found that polarity of oil molecules has the effect on impeding oil
      transportation, because the electrostatic interaction between polar oil molecules
      and channel is far larger than that between nonpolar oil molecules and channel.
      In addition, channel component is found to play an important role in oil
      transportation in nanochannel, for example, the COM displacement of oil in gold
      channel is very few due to great interaction between oil and gold substrate. It
      is also found that nano-sized roughness of channel surface greatly influences the
      speed and flow pattern of oil. Our findings would contribute to revealing the
      mechanism of oil transportation in nanochannels and therefore are very important
      for design of oil extraction in nanochannels.

PMID- 28622719
TI  - Toward TiO2 Nanofluids-Part 1: Preparation and Properties.
AB  - As a new generation of working fluid, nanofluid has long been regarded as a hot
      research topic in the past three decades. Many review papers have provided
      comprehensive and systematic summaries on the development and state-of-the-art of
      nanofluids. As of today, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide a
      comprehensive review of all kinds of nanofluids owing to the huge amounts of the
      related literatures. And many controversies and inconsistencies in the reported
      arguments have been observed in various nanofluids. Meanwhile, the systematic or
      comprehensive reviews on a certain kind of nanofluid are insufficient. Therefore,
      this review focuses on the research about one of the hottest kinds viz. TiO2
      nanofluid, which has captured scientists' great attention because of its
      interesting and comprehensive properties such as sensational dispersivity,
      chemical stability, and non-toxicity. Due to the preparation of nanofluids is the
      prerequisite and physical properties are critical factors for further
      applications, this first part of the review summarizes recent research on
      preparation, stability, and physical properties of TiO2 nanofluids.

PMID- 28622720
TI  - A RRAM Integrated 4T SRAM with Self-Inhibit Resistive Switching Load by Pure CMOS
      Logic Process.
AB  - This paper reports a novel full logic compatible 4T2R non-volatile static random
      access memory (nv-SRAM) featuring its self-inhibit data storing mechanism for in
      low-power/high-speed SRAM application. With compact cell area and full logic
      compatibility, this new nv-SRAM incorporates two STI-ReRAMs embedded inside the
      4T SRAM. Data can be read/write through a cross-couple volatile structure for
      maintaining fast accessing speed. Data can be non-volatilely stored in new SRAM
      cell through a unique self-inhibit operation onto the resistive random access
      memory (RRAM) load, achieving zero static power during data hold.

PMID- 28622721
TI  - Control of Structural and Electrical Transitions of VO2 Thin Films.
AB  - Unstrained and defect-free VO2 single crystals undergo structural (from high
      temperature tetragonal to low-temperature monoclinic phase) and electronic phase
      transitions simultaneously. In thin films, however, in the presence of unrelaxed
      strains and defects, structural (Peierls) and electronic (Mott) transitions are
      affected differently, and are separated. In this paper, we have studied the
      temperature dependence of structural and electrical transitions in epitaxially
      grown vanadium dioxide films on (0001) sapphire substrates. These results are
      discussed using a combined kinetics and thermodynamics approach, where the
      velocity of phase transformation is controlled largely by kinetics, and the
      formation of intermediate phases is governed by thermodynamic considerations. We
      have grown (020) VO2 on (0001) sapphire with two (001) and (100) in-plane
      orientations rotated by 122 degrees . The (100)-oriented crystallites are fully
      relaxed by the paradigm of domain-matching epitaxy, whereas (001) crystallites
      are not relaxed and exhibit the formation of a few atomic layers of thin
      interfacial V2O3. We have studied the structural (Peierls) transition by
      temperature-dependent in situ X-ray diffraction measurements, and electronic
      (Mott) transition by electrical resistance measurements. A delay of 3  degrees C
      is found between the onset of structural (76  degrees C) and electrical (73 
      degrees C) transitions in the heating cycle. This temporal lag in the transition
      is attributed to the residual strain existing in the VO2 crystallites. With this
      study, we suggest that the control of structural and electrical transitions is
      possible by varying the transition activation barrier for atomic jumps through
      the strain engineering.

PMID- 28622722
TI  - Carbon Nanofibers Functionalized with Active Screen Plasma-Deposited Metal
      Nanoparticles for Electrical Energy Storage Devices.
AB  - Supercapacitors are energy storage devices with higher energy densities than
      conventional capacitors but lower than batteries or fuel cells. There is a strong
      interest in increasing the volumetric and gravimetric capacitance of these
      devices to meet the growing demands of the electrical and electronic sectors. The
      capacitance depends largely on the electrode material, and carbon nanofibers
      (CNFs) have attracted much attention because of their relatively low cost, large
      surface area, and good electrical conductivity as well as chemical and thermal
      stability. The deposition of metal nanoparticles on CNFs is a promising way to
      increase their surface properties and, ultimately, the capacitance of the
      devices. In this study, nickel and silver nanoparticles were deposited on CNFs
      using the active screen plasma technology. The CNFs were characterized, and their
      electrochemical performance was assessed in a three-electrode cell. The results
      show significant improvements over the untreated CNFs, particularly after
      functionalization with silver nanoparticles.

PMID- 28622723
TI  - Catalytic 1,3-Difunctionalization via Oxidative C-C Bond Activation.
AB  - Electronegative substituents arrayed in 1,3-relationships along saturated carbon
      frameworks can exert strong influence over molecular conformation due to dipole
      minimization effects. Simple and general methods for incorporation of such
      functional group relationships could thus provide a valuable tool for modulating
      molecular shape. Here, we describe a general strategy for the 1,3-oxidation of
      cyclopropanes using aryl iodine(I-III) catalysis, with emphasis on 1,3
      difluorination reactions. These reactions make use of practical, commercially
      available reagents and can engage a variety of substituted cyclopropane
      substrates. Analysis of crystal and solution structures of several of the
      products reveal the consistent effect of 1,3-difluorides in dictating molecular
      conformation. The generality of the 1,3-oxidation strategy is demonstrated
      through the catalytic oxidative ring-opening of cyclopropanes for the synthesis
      of 1,3-fluoroacetoxylated products, 1,3-diols, 1,3-amino alcohols, and 1,3
      diamines.

PMID- 28622724
TI  - Porphyrin Arch-Tapes: Synthesis, Contorted Structures, and Full Conjugation.
AB  - Porphyrin tapes possessing meso-meso beta-beta beta-beta triple direct linkages
      have been targets of extensive studies because of their fully conjugated
      characteristic pi-electronic networks. In this paper, we report porphyrin arch
      tapes that bear additional carbonyl group(s) or methylene group(s) inserted
      between one of the beta-beta linkage(s) of the porphyrin tapes. The carbonyl
      inserted porphyrin arch-tapes were efficiently synthesized by double fusion
      reactions of beta-to-beta carbonyl-bridged porphyrin oligomers with DDQ and
      Sc(OTf)3, and were converted to the methylene-bridged porphyrin arch-tapes via
      Luche reduction with NaBH4 and CeCl3 followed by ionic hydrogenation with
      HBF4.OEt2 and BH3.NEt3. While the conventional porphyrin tapes display rigid and
      planar structures and low solubilities, these porphyrin arch-tapes show
      remarkably contorted structures, flexible conformations, and improved
      solubilities because of the presence of the incorporated seven-membered ring(s).
      Interestingly, the methylene-inserted arch-tapes exhibited conjugative electronic
      interactions that were comparable to those of porphyrin tapes probably owing to
      through-space interaction in the contorted conformations. The carbonyl-inserted
      arch-tapes displayed distinctly larger conjugative interactions owing to an
      active involvement of the carbonyl group(s) in the electronic conjugation. A
      similar trend was observed in the nonlinear optical properties, as evidenced by
      their two-photon absorption cross sections. Furthermore, as a benefit of the
      contorted structures, these porphyrin arch-tapes can catch C60 fullerene
      effectively. Naturally, the electron-rich methylene-bridged arch-tapes exhibited
      larger association constants than the electron-deficient carbonyl-bridged arch
      tapes. Among these arch-tapes, a methylene-bridged syn-Ni(II) porphyrin trimer
      recorded the largest association constant of (1.5 +/- 0.4) * 107 M-1 in toluene
      at 25  degrees C.

PMID- 28622725
TI  - Self-Supported Biocarbon-Fiber Electrode Decorated with Molybdenum Carbide
      Nanoparticles for Highly Active Hydrogen-Evolution Reaction.
AB  - Devising and facilely synthesizing an efficient noble metal-free electrocatalyst
      for the acceleration of the sluggish kinetics in the hydrogen-evolution reaction
      (HER) is still a big challenge for electrolytic water splitting. Herein, we
      present a simple one-step approach for constructing self-supported biocarbon
      fiber cloth decorated with molybdenum carbide nanoparticles (BCF/Mo2C) electrodes
      by a direct annealing treatment of the Mo oxyanions loaded cotton T-shirt. The
      Mo2C nanoparticles not only serve as the catalytic active sites toward the HER
      but also enhance the hydrophilicity and conductivity of resultant electrodes. As
      an integrated three-dimensional HER cathode catalyst, the BCF/Mo2C exhibits
      outstanding electrocatalytic performance with extremely low overpotentials of 88
      and 115 mV to drive a current density of 20 mA cm-2 in alkaline and acidic media,
      respectively. In addition, it can continuously work for 50 h with little decrease
      in the cathodic current density in both alkaline and acidic solutions. Even
      better, self-supported tungsten carbide and vanadium carbide based electrodes
      also can be prepared by a similar synthesis process. This work will illuminate an
      entirely new avenue for the preparation of various self-supported three
      dimensional electrodes made of transition-metal carbides for various
      applications.

PMID- 28622726
TI  - Efficient Covalent Modification of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Diazotized
      Dyes in Water at Room Temperature.
AB  - Tetrafluoroborate salts of diazotized Azure A (AA-N2+), Neutral Red (NR-N2+) and
      Congo Red (CR-N2+) dyes were prepared and reacted with multiwalled carbon
      nanotubes (MWCNTs) at room temperature, in water without any reducing agent. The
      as-modified MWCNTs were examined by IRATR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TGA, TEM, and
      cyclic voltammetry. The diazonium band located at ~2350 cm-1 in the diazotized
      dye IR spectra vanished after attachment to the nanotubes whereas the Raman D/G
      peak ratio slightly increased after dye covalent attachment at a high initial
      diazonium/CNT mass ratio. XPS measurements show the loss of F 1s from the BF4-
      anion together with a clear change in the high-resolution C 1s region from the
      modified nanotubes. Thermogravimetric analyses proved substantial mass loadings
      of the organic grafts leveling off at 40.5, 34.3, and 50.7 wt % for AA, NR, and
      CR, respectively. High-resolution TEM pictures confirmed the presence of 1.5-7-nm
      thick continuous amorphous layers on the nanotubes assigned to the aryl layers
      from the dyes. Cyclic voltammetry studies in acetonitrile (ACN) confirmed the
      grafting of the dyes; the latter retain their electrochemical behavior in the
      grafted state. The experimental results correlate remarkably well with quantum
      chemical calculations that indicate high binding energies between the dyes and
      the CNTs accounting for true covalent bonding (140-185 kJ/mol with the CNT-aryl
      distance <1.6 nm), though attachment by pi stacking also contributes to obtaining
      stable hybrids. Finally, the pH-responsive character of the robust hybrids was
      demonstrated by a higher degree of protonation of Neutral Red-grafted CNTs at pH
      2 compared to that of the neutral aqueous medium. This work demonstrates that
      diazotized dyes can be employed for the surface modification of MWCNTs in a very
      simple and efficient manner in water and at room temperature. The hybrids could
      be employed for many purposes such as optically pH-responsive materials,
      biosensors, and optothermal composite actuators to name a few.

PMID- 28622727
TI  - Tetralogy of Fallot, left ventricular clot, aortic dissection: rare association.
AB  - Cases of uncorrected adult tetralogy of Fallot are rare and mostly manifest
      secondary to complications. A 30-year-old man presented with progressive
      breathlessness and severe chest discomfort. Echocardiography revealed tetralogy
      of Fallot with a left ventricular apical clot and DeBakey type I dissection of
      the aorta. The patient underwent successful surgical correction. The combination
      of preoperative complications in the setting of uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot,
      such as a left ventricular clot and DeBakey type I dissection of the aorta, is
      very rare.

PMID- 28622728
TI  - FESSH abstracts.

PMID- 28622730
TI  - Response to 2017-0288 by Kahriman et al.

PMID- 28622732
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of Memory Assessment Services for the diagnosis and early
      support of patients with dementia in England.
AB  - Background Policy makers in England advocate referral of patients with suspected
      dementia to Memory Assessment Services (MAS), but it is unclear how any
      improvement in patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL) compares with the
      associated costs. Aims To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of MAS for the
      diagnosis and follow-up care of patients with suspected dementia. Method We
      analysed observational data from 1318 patients referred to 69 MAS, and their lay
      carers (n = 944), who completed resource use and HRQL questionnaires at baseline,
      three and six months. We reported mean differences in HRQL (disease-specific
      DEMQOL and generic EQ-5D-3L), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs
      between baseline and six months after referral to MAS. We also assessed the cost
      effectiveness of MAS across different patient subgroups and clinic
      characteristics. Results Referral to MAS was associated with gains in DEMQOL
      (mean gain: 3.48, 95% confidence interval: 2.84 to 4.12), EQ-5D-3L (0.023, 0.008
      to 0.038) and QALYs (0.006, 0.002 to 0.01). Mean total cost over six months,
      assuming a societal perspective, was L1899 (L1277 to L2539). This yielded a
      negative incremental net monetary benefit of -L1724 (-L2388 to -L1085), assuming
      NICE's recommended willingness-to-pay threshold (L30,000 per QALY). These base
      case results were relatively robust to alternative assumptions about costs and
      HRQL. There was some evidence that patients aged 80 or older benefitted more from
      referral to MAS (p < 0.01 from adjusted mean differences in net benefits)
      compared to younger patients. MAS with over 75 new patients a month or cost per
      patient less than L2500 over six months were relatively more cost-effective (p <
      0.01) than MAS with fewer new monthly patients or higher cost per patient.
      Conclusions Diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care provided by MAS to patients
      with suspected dementia appears to be effective, but not cost-effective, in the
      six months after diagnosis. Longer term evidence is required before drawing
      conclusions about the cost-effectiveness of MAS.

PMID- 28622733
TI  - Suicide Trends According to Age, Gender, and Marital Status in South Korea.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to examine suicide trends in South Korea, which has
      one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The results show that the male
      suicide rate outweighs that of females, the likelihood of committing suicide
      increases with age, and that, in regard to marital status, nonmarried people are
      the most at risk. In addition, several methods of reducing suicide rates are
      identified: the wider use of social networks to reduce social burden, the
      development of a social atmosphere where aging is accepted as a natural process,
      and the development of protection factors within families.

PMID- 28622731
TI  - Navigating tissue chips from development to dissemination: A pharmaceutical
      industry perspective.
AB  - Tissue chips are poised to deliver a paradigm shift in drug discovery. By
      emulating human physiology, these chips have the potential to increase the
      predictive power of preclinical modeling, which in turn will move the
      pharmaceutical industry closer to its aspiration of clinically relevant and
      ultimately animal-free drug discovery. Despite the tremendous science and
      innovation invested in these tissue chips, significant challenges remain to be
      addressed to enable their routine adoption into the industrial laboratory. This
      article describes the main steps that need to be taken and highlights key
      considerations in order to transform tissue chip technology from the hands of the
      innovators into those of the industrial scientists. Written by scientists from 13
      pharmaceutical companies and partners at the National Institutes of Health, this
      article uniquely captures a consensus view on the progression strategy to
      facilitate and accelerate the adoption of this valuable technology. It concludes
      that success will be delivered by a partnership approach as well as a deep
      understanding of the context within which these chips will actually be used.
      Impact statement The rapid pace of scientific innovation in the tissue chip (TC)
      field requires a cohesive partnership between innovators and end users. Near term
      uptake of these human-relevant platforms will fill gaps in current capabilities
      for assessing important properties of disposition, efficacy and safety
      liabilities. Similarly, these platforms could support mechanistic studies which
      aim to resolve challenges later in development (e.g. assessing the human
      relevance of a liability identified in animal studies). Building confidence that
      novel capabilities of TCs can address real world challenges while they themselves
      are being developed will accelerate their application in the discovery and
      development of innovative medicines. This article outlines a strategic roadmap to
      unite innovators and end users thus making implementation smooth and rapid. With
      the collective contributions from multiple international pharmaceutical companies
      and partners at National Institutes of Health, this article should serve as an
      invaluable resource to the multi-disciplinary field of TC development.

PMID- 28622734
TI  - Epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains in Iran: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Acinetobacter baumannii is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes major
      public health concern especially in hospitalized patients due to the acquisition
      of multidrug resistance (MDR). The aim of this study was to systematically review
      published data about the prevalence rate of MDR-A. baumannii (MDR-AB) from
      different parts of Iran and provide an overall relative frequency (RF) using meta
      analysis. All available national and international databanks were searched to
      find published studies up to June 2016. Quality of studies was assessed by STROB
      and PRISMA forms. Because of the significant heterogeneity observed, random
      effects model was used to combine the results. STATA SE version 11.2 was used for
      statistical analysis. Out of the 9646 results, 37 suitable articles were
      extracted according to inclusion and exlusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of
      MDR-AB was estimated 72% annually. Relative frequency of MDR-AB in different
      studies varied from 22.8 to 100%. Since the prevalence of MDR-AB is higher than
      many other countries, measures should be taken to keep the emergence and
      transmission of these strains to a minimum.

PMID- 28622735
TI  - Rifampin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia in a Patient on Chronic
      Rifaximin.

PMID- 28622736
TI  - Vaxchora: A Single-Dose Oral Cholera Vaccine.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of Vaxchora, a
      reformulated, single-dose, oral, lyophilized Vibrio cholerae CVD 103-HgR vaccine
      for the prevention of travel-related cholera caused by V cholerae serogroup O1.
      DATA SOURCES: A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE (1946 to January
      week 3, 2017) and EMBASE (1996 to 2017 week 3). Keywords included oral cholera
      vaccine, single-dose, Vaxchora, and CVD 103-HgR. Limits included human, clinical
      trials published in English since 2010. ClinicalTrials.gov was used as a source
      for unpublished data. Additional data sources were obtained through bibliographic
      review of selected articles. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Studies that
      addressed the safety and efficacy of Vaxchora, the reformulated, single-dose oral
      CVD 103-HgR cholera vaccine, were selected for analysis. DATA SYNTHESIS: Approval
      of Vaxchora, was based on efficacy of the vaccine in human trials demonstrating
      90.3% protection among those challenged with V cholerae 10 days after vaccination
      and in immunogenicity studies with 90% systemic vibriocidal antibody conversion
      at 6 months after a single-dose of vaccine. Tolerability was acceptable, with the
      most common adverse effects reported to be fatigue, headache, and abdominal pain.
      CONCLUSION: Vaxchora is the only FDA-approved, single-dose oral vaccine for the
      prevention of cholera caused by V cholerae serogroup O1 in adult travelers from
      the United States going to cholera-affected areas. Safety and efficacy has not
      been established in children, immunocompromised persons, and pregnant or
      breastfeeding women or those living in cholera-endemic areas.

PMID- 28622737
TI  - A Mnemonic for Pharmacists to Ensure Optimal Monitoring and Safety of Total
      Parenteral Nutrition: I AM FULL.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present a guideline-derived mnemonic that provides a systematic
      monitoring process to increase pharmacists' confidence in total parenteral
      nutrition (TPN) monitoring and improve safety and efficacy of TPN use. DATA
      SOURCES: The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN)
      guidelines were reviewed. Additional resources included a literature search of
      PubMed (1980 to May 2016) using the search terms: total parenteral nutrition,
      mnemonic, indications, allergy, macronutrients, micronutrients, fluid,
      comorbidities, labs, peripheral line, and central line. Articles (English
      language only) were evaluated for content, and additional references were
      identified from a review of literature citations. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA
      EXTRACTION: All English-language observational studies, review articles, meta
      analyses, guidelines, and randomized trials assessing monitoring parameters of
      TPN were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS: The ASPEN guidelines were referenced to
      develop key components of the mnemonic. Review articles, observational trials,
      meta-analyses, and randomized trials were reviewed in cases where guidelines did
      not adequately address these components. CONCLUSIONS: A guideline-derived
      mnemonic was developed to systematically and safely manage TPN therapy. The
      mnemonic combines 7 essential components of TPN use and monitoring: Indications,
      Allergies, Macro/Micro nutrients, Fluid, Underlying comorbidities, Labs, and Line
      type.

PMID- 28622738
TI  - Assessment of the Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure With Dipeptidyl
      Peptidase-4 Inhibitors, Saxagliptin, Alogliptin, and Sitagliptin in Patients With
      Type 2 Diabetes, Using an Alternative Measure to the Hazard Ratio.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Saxagliptin statistically significantly increased the risk of
      hospitalization for heart failure compared with placebo in the clinical trial of
      SAVOR-TIMI 53. Neither the reason why only saxagliptin among several dipeptidyl
      peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors increased the risk, nor the clinical implication
      of the result has been explained. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of
      hospitalization for heart failure associated with DPP-4 inhibitors by using an
      alternative measure to the hazard ratio. METHODS: We used the difference in
      restricted mean survival time (RMST) between DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo to
      evaluate the risk of cardiovascular events, including hospitalization for heart
      failure associated with DPP-4 inhibitors. Three randomized clinical trials with
      cardiovascular events as a primary end point-EXAMINE (alogliptin), SAVOR-TIMI 53
      (saxagliptin), and TECOS (sitagliptin)-were reevaluated by estimating the RMSTs
      for the DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo based on the reconstructed individual
      patient data for each time-to-event outcome from publicly available information.
      RESULTS: The differences of RMSTs (DPP-4 inhibitors minus placebo) for
      hospitalization for heart failure were -4 days [-6, -2] in the SAVOR-TIMI 53 (720
      days follow-up), -3 days [-9, 3] in the EXAMINE (900 days follow-up), and 1 day [
      5, 7] in the TECOS (1440 days follow-up). There were no substantial differences
      in the risk of other cardiovascular outcomes between DPP-4 inhibitors and
      placebo. CONCLUSIONS: There are no substantial clinically relevant differences in
      the risk of cardiovascular events, including hospitalization for heart failure,
      between 3 of the DPP-4 inhibitors and placebo.

PMID- 28622739
TI  - Impact of A Collaborative Strategy to Reduce the Inappropriate Use of Acid
      Suppressive Therapy in Non-Intensive Care Unit Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) is inappropriately prescribed in more
      than 30% of non-intensive care unit (ICU) patients, leading to unnecessary
      adverse events as well as increases in economic burden. OBJECTIVE: There was an
      increasing trend in the prophylactic use of acid suppressive therapy (AST) in non
      critically ill patients at our institution, which prompted this initiative aimed
      at reducing the inappropriate use of AST in non-ICU patients. METHODS: This was a
      retrospective interventional study that consisted of formulation of a guideline,
      education to the hospitalist service, and intervention by clinical pharmacists.
      All adult non-ICU patients admitted to the hospitalist service who were newly
      initiated on AST were considered for inclusion. The primary outcome was a
      comparison of the proportion of inpatient days with inappropriate AST. Secondary
      outcomes included a comparison of patients discharged on inappropriate AST and
      drug acquisition costs, successful pharmacy interventions, hospitalist
      interventions, incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) or
      gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, and drug costs averted through pharmacy
      intervention. RESULTS: There were 61 patients in the historical group and 81
      patients in the interventional group. This intervention resulted in a 31%
      absolute reduction in inappropriate patient days of AST and a 24% absolute
      reduction in patients discharged on inappropriate AST. There were 23 successful
      interventions. There were no cases of CDI and 1 GI bleed. This intervention
      resulted in an 87% reduction in drug acquisition costs per patient. CONCLUSIONS:
      A collaboration between clinical pharmacists and a hospitalist service can
      significantly reduce the inappropriate use of AST in non-ICU patients.

PMID- 28622740
TI  - Impact of a Pharmacist-Managed Heart Failure Postdischarge (Bridge) Clinic for
      Veterans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hospitals that provide early postdischarge follow-up after heart
      failure (HF) hospitalization tend to have lower rates of readmission. However, HF
      postdischarge (bridge) clinics have not been extensively evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To
      assess the impact of a pharmacist-managed HF bridge clinic in a veteran
      population. METHODS: HF patients hospitalized from November 2010 to August 2013
      were identified. Retrospective chart review was conducted of 122 HF patients seen
      at bridge clinic compared with 122 randomly selected HF patients not seen at this
      clinic (usual care). Primary end point was 90-day all-cause readmission and
      death. Secondary outcomes were 30-day all-cause readmission and death, time to
      first postdischarge follow-up, first all-cause readmission. RESULTS: Bridge
      clinic patients were at higher baseline risk of readmission and death; other
      characteristics were similar. 90-day death and all-cause readmission trended
      lower in bridge clinic patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.40
      1.02; P = 0.06). Time to first follow-up was shorter in bridge clinic patients
      (11 +/- 6 vs 20 +/- 23 days; P < 0.001); time to first all-cause readmission
      trended longer (40 +/- 20 vs 33 +/- 25days; P = 0.11). 30-day death and all-cause
      readmission was significantly lower in bridge clinic patients (adjusted HR =
      0.44; 95% CI = 0.22-0.88; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In veteran patients
      hospitalized for HF, pharmacist-managed HF bridge clinic significantly reduced
      the time to initial follow-up compared with usual care. Improved short-term
      outcomes and trend toward improvement of longer-term outcomes in bridge clinic
      patients was shown.

PMID- 28622741
TI  - Characterization of Guideline Evidence for Off-label Medication Use in the
      Intensive Care Unit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or off-label medication
      prescribing occurs commonly in the intensive care unit (ICU). Off-label
      medication use creates a concern for untoward adverse effects; however, this
      worry may be alleviated by supportive literature. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the
      evidence behind off-label medication use by determining the presence of guideline
      support and compare graded recommendations to an online tertiary resource,
      DRUGDEX. METHODS: Off-label medication use was identified prospectively over 3
      months in medical ICUs in 3 academic medical centers. Literature searches were
      conducted in PubMed and the national guideline clearinghouse website to determine
      the presence of guideline support. DRUGDEX was also searched for strength-of
      evidence ratings to serve as a comparator. RESULTS: A total of 287 off-label
      medication indication searches resulted in 44% (126/287) without identified
      evidence; 253 guidelines were identified for 56% (161/287) of indications. Of the
      published guidelines, 89% (226/253) supported the off-label indication. In the
      DRUGDEX comparison, 67% (97/144) of guideline gradings disagree with DRUGDEX,
      whereas 33% (47/144) of the gradings matched the online database. CONCLUSION:
      Because more than half of off-label medication use has the benefit of supportive
      guidelines recommendations and a majority of gradings are inconsistent with
      DRUGDEX, clinicians should consider utilizing guidelines to inform off-label
      medication use in the ICU. Still, there is a considerable amount of off-label
      medication use in the ICU that lacks supporting evidence, and use remains
      concerning because it may lead to inappropriate treatment and adverse events.

PMID- 28622742
TI  - Intravenous Ferumoxytol in Pediatric Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is common in children. Limited data
      exist on the efficacy and safety of ferumoxytol in children. OBJECTIVE: To assess
      the efficacy of 10 mg/kg dose given over 15-60 minutes in correcting IDA and
      report any adverse drug reactions (ADRs). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective
      review of all patients who received ferumoxytol infusions for the management of
      IDA by the Pediatric Blood Management Program between October 2010 and March
      2015. RESULTS: A total of 110 infusions were given to 54 patients. Compared with
      baseline preinfusion hemoglobin (Hb; 9.2 +/- 1.9 g/dL), a significant rise was
      seen at 1 week and 4 weeks postinfusion (11.5 +/- 1.5 and 11.8 +/- 1.7 g/dL,
      respectively, P < 0.001). Also, a significant rise in serum ferritin at 1 week
      and 4 weeks postinfusion was seen (51 +/- 71 vs 192 +/- 148 and 89 +/- 135 ng/mL,
      P < 0.001 and <0.035, respectively). Patients who concomitantly received
      erythropoietin had a significantly larger Hb rise from baseline than those who
      did not at 4 weeks (2.7 +/- 2.2 vs 1.6 +/- 1.1 g/dL, P < 0.017). ADRs included
      pruritus (n = 1), urticaria (n = 1), and multisymptom episodes (n = 3) that
      included shortness of breath, chest tightness, back pain, and epigastric cramping
      that responded to therapy with IV diphenhydramine and methylprednisolone.
      CONCLUSION: Ferumoxytol was effective in treating IDA in our small study. Slow
      infusion rate and close monitoring allowed early detection of the infrequent
      ADRs.

PMID- 28622743
TI  - Endovascular treatment for chronic lower extremity ischaemia with sub-acute
      deterioration.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to report the efficacy of endovascular
      treatment for patients with sub-acute (14-day to 2-month) deterioration of
      chronic lower extremity ischaemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 2013 and
      May 2015, 26 consecutive patients (22 men, 4 women; mean age, 68.6 years; range,
      50-86 years) were treated for sub-acute deterioration of chronic lower extremity
      ischaemia in our hospital. All patients were treated with catheter-directed
      thrombolysis initially and then adjunctive percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
      and/or stenting was performed to correct underlying lesions. RESULTS: The 26
      intra-arterial thrombolysis procedures were all performed in native lower
      arteries including 8 iliac, 13 femoropopliteal and 5 diffuse occlusions involving
      the iliac and femoropopliteal segments. Lesion length decreased from 194 mm (70
      350 mm) to 92 mm (20-270 mm) after the thrombolytic procedures, and the residual
      lesions were corrected with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty alone in 4
      (15.4%) limbs and stenting in 22 (84.6%) patients. No cross-joint stenting was
      seen in the 22 affected limbs that used stents. Throughout the treatment process,
      nine patients with intermittent claudication achieved an unrestricted walking
      distance, and 17 patients with rest pain or foot ulcers showed significant
      symptom improvement. The mean ankle-brachial index increased from 0.42 +/- 0.16
      preoperatively to 0.81 +/- 0.25 postoperatively ( p < 0.01). CONCLUSION:
      Endovascular therapy with catheter-directed thrombolysis and percutaneous
      transluminal angioplasty/stenting is feasible for sub-acute deterioration of
      chronic lower extremity ischaemia patients with favourable midterm results.

PMID- 28622744
TI  - Effects of sedentary occupations on type 2 diabetes and hypertension in different
      ethnic groups in North West China.
AB  - This study investigated the effects of sedentary occupations on type 2 diabetes
      and hypertension in different ethnic groups in North West China. All subjects
      were civil servants who received health examinations in the First Affiliated
      Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from October 2010 to March 2014. A total
      of 46,612 participants (39,120 Han, 4148 Uygur, 2098 Hui, 877 Kazak and 369 other
      ethnicities) completed the examination. Overall, 16.4% of the Han, 14.4% of the
      Uygur, 15.9% of the Hui, 20.6% of the Kazak and 16.0% of other ethnicities had
      hypertension. Diabetes was found in 7.6% of the Han, 8.5% of the Uygur, 9.2% of
      the Hui, 7.4% of the Kazak, and 3.3% of other ethnicities. There was a
      significant difference between men and women in the prevalence of diabetes (4.3%
      in women vs 9.7% in men, p < 0.001) and hypertension (9.7% in women vs 21.0% in
      men, p < 0.001). Our results indicate that both diabetes and hypertension are
      highly prevalent in individuals with sedentary occupations.

PMID- 28622745
TI  - Sex differences in vascular stiffness and relationship to the risk of renal
      functional decline in patients with type 2 diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that the higher risk of end-stage renal disease
      in women compared with men is associated with waist circumference. We
      investigated whether vascular stiffness which is linked to visceral fat
      accumulation is gender specific and associated with a loss in renal function.
      METHODS: We studied 166 patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of progressive
      renal disease. A vascular stiffness index was derived from measurement of the
      peripheral arterial pulse waveform using infrared finger photoplethysmography.
      Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between
      vascular stiffness and traditional clinical and biochemical renal disease risk
      factors. RESULTS: Women were of similar mean (standard deviation) age [61.6 (6.8)
      vs 60.0 (8.3) years; p = 0.444] and duration of diabetes [9.8 (7.2) vs 10.9 (8.1)
      years; p = 0.885] compared to men. Waist circumference was significantly
      associated with vascular stiffness [regression coefficient B = 0.15 (95%
      confidence interval: 0.06-2.24); p = 0.001]. There was a negative slope parameter
      for the relationship between glomerular filtration rate and vascular stiffness [
      B = -0.15 (95% confidence interval: -0.22 to -0.09); p < 0.001] in women only.
      CONCLUSION: In this cohort, early renal functional decline in women is linked to
      increased vascular stiffness which may be associated with visceral fat
      accumulation as determined by waist circumference.

PMID- 28622746
TI  - Sol-gel derived lithium-releasing glass for cartilage regeneration.
AB  - Wnt-signalling cascade is one of the crucial pathways involved in the development
      and homeostasis of cartilage. Influencing this pathway can potentially contribute
      to improved cartilage repair or regeneration. One key molecular regulator of the
      Wnt pathway is the glycogen synthase kinase-3 enzyme, the inhibition of which
      allows initiation of the signalling pathway. This study aims to utilise a binary
      SiO2-Li2O sol-gel derived glass for controlled delivery of lithium, a known
      glycogen synthase kinase-3 antagonist. The effect of the dissolution products of
      the glass on chondrogenic differentiation in an in vitro 3D pellet culture model
      is reported. Dissolution products that contained 5 mM lithium and 3.5 mM silicon
      were capable of inducing chondrogenic differentiation and hyaline cartilaginous
      matrix formation without the presence of growth factors such as TGF-beta3. The
      results suggest that sol-gel derived glass has the potential to be used as a
      delivery vehicle for therapeutic lithium ions in cartilage regeneration
      applications.

PMID- 28622748
TI  - DNA barcoding of five species of groupers (Pisces: Serranidae) off Visakhapatnam,
      central eastern coast of India.
AB  - Grouper species of Epinephelus - E. epistictus, E. heniochus, E. latifasciatus,
      E. magniscuttis and E. radiatus exhibit overlapping colour pattern that often
      leads to misidentification in the field. Even the colour pattern of juveniles of
      these species in different size groups varies considerably with that of adults.
      DNA barcoding of these five species was carried out to reinforce our knowledge on
      existing taxonomic relationships derived based on morphological and biochemical
      genetic studies that were previously done from Indian waters. Mean interspecific
      genetic distance is in the range 0.079-0.164.The phylogeny tree revealed distinct
      clades for species that are in concurrence with previous taxonomic and allozyme
      electrophoretic studies carried out from central eastern coast of India. Barcode
      sequences generated for the first time for species E. heniochus from Indian
      waters for E. magniscuttis so far there are no reference sequences in GenBank.

PMID- 28622747
TI  - Reducing Stigma in Media Professionals: Is there Room for Improvement? Results
      from a Systematic Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The mass media may increase stigma against people with mental health
      problems by reinforcing common stereotypes. Media professionals thus represent a
      target group for antistigma interventions. This paper aims to review available
      literature on antistigma interventions for mass media professionals, seeking to
      clarify what kind of interventions have been found to be effective in reducing
      mental health stigma among mass media professionals. METHOD: Six electronic
      databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane Reviews Library and Cochrane
      Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Applied Social
      Sciences Index & Abstracts) were systematically searched through March 2017 for
      studies addressing antistigma interventions on mass media professionals. 
      Results: A total of 27 studies on antistigma interventions targeted to media
      professionals were found. Reviewed articles were classified into 3 categories:
      media-monitoring projects/reporting guidelines ( n = 23), interventions for
      educating journalists ( n = 2), and interventions for educating journalism
      students ( n = 2). Overall, antistigma interventions for media professionals seem
      to have some effect in improving reporting style, thus providing a more balanced
      portrayal of people with mental health problems: the most promising interventions
      are contact-based educational approaches and the provision of guidelines by
      authoritative institutions. CONCLUSION: It should be useful to promote and
      disseminate contact-based educational interventions targeted to journalists and
      to include specific modules on mental health topics in the training curricula of
      journalism students. However, as research in the field suffers from several
      limitations, high-quality studies exploring the long-term effect of antistigma
      interventions for media professionals are needed.

PMID- 28622749
TI  - General Exercise Does Not Improve Long-Term Pain and Disability in Individuals
      With Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Systematic Review.
AB  - Study Design Systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Background
      General exercise, defined as purposeful physical activity involving repetitive
      exercises and incorporating multiple muscle groups, is frequently used in the
      management of whiplash-associated disorders (WADs). Evidence supporting its
      efficacy is not well established. Objectives To determine whether general
      exercise is effective in reducing pain and disability in people with WAD. Methods
      Studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between January 1990 and
      May 2015 were eligible if they evaluated a general exercise intervention compared
      with a different intervention or control. Studies were required to evaluate pain
      and disability at medium-term (6-14 weeks) and long-term (52 weeks) follow-ups.
      The mean +/- SD and sample size were recorded for follow-up scores and for change
      scores from baseline to follow-up. Results Of the 3 high-quality studies that
      were eligible for inclusion, none investigated general exercise alone. There were
      no clinically meaningful differences between comprehensive exercise programs,
      which included general exercise, and minimal intervention controls in the medium
      and long term. No studies directly compared general exercise with a no-treatment
      control. All included studies used different control interventions, preventing
      meta-analysis. Conclusion A lack of significant long-term improvements from
      general exercise interventions in individuals with WAD was identified. This
      finding differs from the positive benefits of general exercise for other
      musculoskeletal conditions. This may, in part, relate to the complexity of
      whiplash conditions. This may also reflect the challenge of exercise prescription
      in this population, where the need for sufficient intensity is balanced against
      the impact that exercise has on pain. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 1a. J
      Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(7):472-480. Epub 16 Jun 2017.
      doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7081.

PMID- 28622751
TI  - Clinical Prediction Models for Patients With Nontraumatic Knee Pain in Primary
      Care: A Systematic Review and Internal Validation Study.
AB  - Study Design Systematic review and validation study. Background Many prognostic
      models of knee pain outcomes have been developed for use in primary care.
      Variability among published studies with regard to patient population, outcome
      measures, and relevant prognostic factors hampers the generalizability and
      implementation of these models. Objectives To summarize existing prognostic
      models in patients with knee pain in a primary care setting and to develop and
      internally validate new summary prognostic models. Methods After a sensitive
      search strategy, 2 reviewers independently selected prognostic models for
      patients with nontraumatic knee pain and assessed the methodological quality of
      the included studies. All predictors of the included studies were evaluated,
      summarized, and classified. The predictors assessed in multiple studies of
      sufficient quality are presented in this review. Using data from the
      Musculoskeletal System Study (BAS) cohort of patients with a new episode of knee
      pain, recruited consecutively by Dutch general medical practitioners (n = 372),
      we used predictors with a strong level of evidence to develop new prognostic
      models for each outcome measure and internally validated these models. Results
      Sixteen studies were eligible for inclusion. We considered 11 studies to be of
      sufficient quality. None of these studies validated their models. Five predictors
      with strong evidence were related to function and 6 to recovery, and were used to
      compose 2 prognostic models for patients with knee pain at 1 year. Running these
      new models in another data set showed explained variances (R2) of 0.36 (function)
      and 0.33 (recovery). The area under the curve of the recovery model was 0.79.
      After internal validation, the adjusted R2 values of the models were 0.30
      (function) and 0.20 (recovery), and the area under the curve was 0.73. Conclusion
      We developed 2 valid prognostic models for function and recovery for patients
      with nontraumatic knee pain, based on predictors with strong evidence. A longer
      duration of complaints predicted poorer function but did not adequately predict
      chance of recovery. Level of Evidence Prognosis, levels 1a and 1b. J Orthop
      Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(8):518-529. Epub 16 Jun 2017.
      doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.7142.

PMID- 28622750
TI  - Preparation and in vivo evaluation of a silicate-based composite bone cement.
AB  - Silicate-based cements have been developed as a class of bioactive and
      biodegradable bone cements owing to their good in vitro bioactivity and ability
      to dissolve in a simulated body fluid. Until recently, however, the in vivo
      evidence of their ability to support bone regeneration is still scarce. In the
      present study, a pilot in vivo evaluation of a silicate-based composite bone
      cement (CSC) was carried out in a rabbit femur defect model. The cement was
      composed of tricalcium silicate, 45S5 bioglass and calcium sulfate, and the self
      setting properties of the material were established. The in vivo bone integration
      and biodegradability of CSC were investigated and compared with those of
      bioactive glass particulates, and a calcium phosphate cement. The results showed
      that CSC underwent a relatively slower in vivo degradation as compared with
      bioactive glass and calcium phosphate cement. Histological observation
      demonstrated that bone contact area at the interface between the surrounding bone
      and CSC gradually increased with time proceeding. CSC kept its structural
      integrity during implantation in vivo because of its acceptable mechanical
      strength. These results provide evidence of effectiveness in vivo and suggest
      potential clinical applications of the silicate-based composite bone cements.

PMID- 28622752
TI  - Microvascular fluid exchange during CPB with deep hypothermia circulatory arrest
      or low flow.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Use of deep hypothermic low-flow (DHLF) cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)
      has been associated with higher fluid loading than the use of deep hypothermia
      circulatory arrest (DHCA). We evaluated whether these perfusion strategies
      influenced fluid extravasation rates and edema generation differently per
      operatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve anesthetized pigs, randomly allocated
      to DHLF (n = 6) or DHCA (n = 6), underwent 2.5 hours CPB with cooling to 20
      degrees C for 30 minutes (min), followed by 30 min arrested circulation (DHCA) or
      30 min low-flow circulation (DHLF) before 90 min rewarming to normothermia.
      Perfusion of tissues, fluid requirements, plasma volumes, colloid osmotic
      pressures and total tissue water contents were recorded and fluid extravasation
      rates calculated. During the experiments, cerebral microdialysis was performed in
      both groups. RESULTS: Microvascular fluid homeostasis was similar in both groups,
      with no between-group differences, reflected by similar fluid extravasation
      rates, plasma colloid osmotic pressures and total tissue water contents. Although
      extravasation rates increased dramatically from 0.10 (0.11) ml/kg/min (mean with
      standard deviation in parentheses) and 0.16 (0.02) ml/kg/min to 1.28 (0.58)
      ml/kg/min and 1.06 (0.41) ml/kg/min (DHCA and DHLF, respectively) after the
      initiation of CPB, fluid filtrations during both cardiac arrest and low flow were
      modest and close to baseline values. Cerebral microdialysis indicated anaerobic
      metabolism and ischemic brain injury in the DHCA group. CONCLUSION: No
      differences in microvascular fluid exchange could be demonstrated as a direct
      effect of DHCA compared with DHLF. Thirty minutes of DHCA was associated with
      anaerobic cerebral metabolism and possible brain injury.

PMID- 28622753
TI  - Re-randomization tests for unplanned changes in clinical trials.
AB  - Despite the best efforts of investigators, problems forcing design changes can
      occur in clinical trials. Changes are usually relatively minor, but sometimes
      not. The primary endpoint or analysis may need to be revised, for example. It is
      common to regard any conclusion from such a tarnished trial as hypothesis
      generating rather than definitive. This article reviews a very useful technique,
      re-randomization tests, for dealing with such anomalies. Re-randomization tests
      remain valid for testing a strong null hypothesis that treatment has no effect on
      the data that led to design changes. Another way of expressing this is that the
      data used to inform a design change must give no information about the treatment
      labels. This restriction has implications for limiting the amount of information
      examined by a committee deciding whether to make design alterations. While
      nothing can eliminate the pall cast by breaches of protocol, re-randomization
      tests following blinded and limited data examination go a long way toward
      amelioration.

PMID- 28622754
TI  - Prevalence of non-infectious comorbidities in the HIV-positive population in
      Belgium: a multicenter, retrospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In Belgium, eleven AIDS Reference Centers (ARCs) and seven AIDS
      Reference Laboratories diagnose and treat HIV-positive individuals and track
      patients under care. As AIDS-related deaths are avoided and the HIV-positive
      population ages, non-infectious comorbidities (NICMs), such as cardiovascular
      disease, renal disease and certain cancers, play a larger role in the quality and
      length of patients' lives. This study aims to characterize the HIV-positive
      population in Belgium in terms of the prevalence of key NICMs. METHODS: We
      performed a retrospective study of 5787 HIV-positive patients under follow-up at
      four ARCs across Belgium between 1st of June 2014 and 1st of July 2016. RESULTS:
      The mean age of patients under follow-up was 46.7 (SD = 11.6) years, and the mean
      nadir CD4 count was 268.8 cells/mm3 (SD = 189.5). The prevalence of diabetes
      mellitus, arterial hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were 5.9, 31 and
      7.8%, respectively. Cardiovascular events, defined as the occurrence of
      myocardial infarction, stroke or an invasive coronary procedure, occurred in 2.9%
      of patients. The highest age-adjusted mortality rates were observed among
      patients 51-55 years of age. Mortality rates were also higher among patients with
      CKD and patients with viremic hepatitis C virus (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Helping
      the aging HIV-positive population avoids premature morbidity and mortality from
      NICMs represents a key challenge to further improve patient outcomes. Belgium has
      an advanced system of HIV care and patient management; however, standardized data
      collection across ARCs is needed to improve knowledge sharing and to support
      future countrywide analyses.

PMID- 28622755
TI  - Cross-Sensory Correspondences: Heaviness is Dark and Low-Pitched.
AB  - Everyday language reveals how stimuli encoded in one sensory feature domain can
      possess qualities normally associated with a different domain (e.g., higher pitch
      sounds are bright, light in weight, sharp, and thin). Such cross-sensory
      associations appear to reflect crosstalk among aligned (corresponding) feature
      dimensions, including brightness, heaviness, and sharpness. Evidence for
      heaviness being one such dimension is very limited, with heaviness appearing
      primarily as a verbal associate of other feature contrasts (e.g., darker objects
      and lower pitch sounds are heavier than their opposites). Given the presumed
      bidirectionality of the crosstalk between corresponding dimensions, heaviness
      should itself induce the cross-sensory associations observed elsewhere, including
      with brightness and pitch. Taking care to dissociate effects arising from the
      size and mass of an object, this is confirmed. When hidden objects varying
      independently in size and mass are lifted, objects that feel heavier are judged
      to be darker and to make lower pitch sounds than objects feeling less heavy.
      These judgements track the changes in perceived heaviness induced by the size
      weight illusion. The potential involvement of language, natural scene statistics,
      and Bayesian processes in correspondences, and the effects they induce, is
      considered.

PMID- 28622756
TI  - Effects of Implied Motion and Facing Direction on Positional Preferences in
      Single-Object Pictures.
AB  - Palmer, Gardner, and Wickens studied aesthetic preferences for pictures of single
      objects and found a strong inward bias: Right-facing objects were preferred left
      of-center and left-facing objects right-of-center. They found no effect of object
      motion (people and cars showed the same inward bias as chairs and teapots), but
      the objects were not depicted as moving. Here we measured analogous inward biases
      with objects depicted as moving with an implied direction and speed by having
      participants drag-and-drop target objects into the most aesthetically pleasing
      position. In Experiment 1, human figures were shown diving or falling while
      moving forward or backward. Aesthetic biases were evident for both inward-facing
      and inward-moving figures, but the motion-based bias dominated so strongly that
      backward divers or fallers were preferred moving inward but facing outward.
      Experiment 2 investigated implied speed effects using images of humans, horses,
      and cars moving at different speeds (e.g., standing, walking, trotting, and
      galloping horses). Inward motion or facing biases were again present, and
      differences in their magnitude due to speed were evident. Unexpectedly, faster
      moving objects were generally preferred closer to frame center than slower moving
      objects. These results are discussed in terms of the combined effects of
      prospective, future-oriented biases, and retrospective, past-oriented biases.

PMID- 28622757
TI  - Stationary Objects Flashed Periodically Appear to Move During Smooth Pursuit Eye
      Movement.
AB  - We discovered that a white disc flashed twice at the same location appears to
      move during smooth pursuit eye tracking in the direction opposite to that of the
      eye movement. We called this novel phenomenon movement-induced apparent motion
      (MIAM). Using the method of constant stimuli, we measured the required
      displacement of the second appearance of the disc in the pursuit direction to
      null the effect during the closed-loop stage of smooth pursuit eye tracking. We
      observed a strong linear relationship between the points of subjective
      stationarity and the inter-stimuli intervals for four smooth pursuit eye movement
      speeds. The slopes and y-intercepts of these linear fits were well predicted by
      the hypothesis according to which subjects saw illusory motion from the first to
      the second retinal projections of the flashed disc during smooth pursuit eye
      movement, with no extra-retinal signal compensation.

PMID- 28622758
TI  - On the Ecological Validity of Computer Displays.

PMID- 28622759
TI  - Catching Audiovisual Interactions With a First-Person Fisherman Video Game.
AB  - The human brain is excellent at integrating information from different sources
      across multiple sensory modalities. To examine one particularly important form of
      multisensory interaction, we manipulated the temporal correlation between visual
      and auditory stimuli in a first-person fisherman video game. Subjects saw rapidly
      swimming fish whose size oscillated, either at 6 or 8 Hz. Subjects categorized
      each fish according to its rate of size oscillation, while trying to ignore a
      concurrent broadband sound seemingly emitted by the fish. In three experiments,
      categorization was faster and more accurate when the rate at which a fish
      oscillated in size matched the rate at which the accompanying, task-irrelevant
      sound was amplitude modulated. Control conditions showed that the difference
      between responses to matched and mismatched audiovisual signals reflected a
      performance gain in the matched condition, rather than a cost from the mismatched
      condition. The performance advantage with matched audiovisual signals was
      remarkably robust over changes in task demands between experiments. Performance
      with matched or unmatched audiovisual signals improved over successive trials at
      about the same rate, emblematic of perceptual learning in which visual
      oscillation rate becomes more discriminable with experience. Finally, analysis at
      the level of individual subjects' performance pointed to differences in the rates
      at which subjects can extract information from audiovisual stimuli.

PMID- 28622761
TI  - Dated tribe-wide whole chloroplast genome phylogeny indicates recurrent
      hybridizations within Triticeae.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Triticeae, the tribe of wheat grasses, harbours the cereals barley,
      rye and wheat and their wild relatives. Although economically important,
      relationships within the tribe are still not understood. We analysed the
      phylogeny of chloroplast lineages among nearly all monogenomic Triticeae taxa and
      polyploid wheat species aiming at a deeper understanding of the tribe's
      evolution. We used on- and off-target reads of a target-enrichment experiment
      followed by Illumina sequencing. RESULTS: The read data was used to assemble the
      plastid locus ndhF for 194 individuals and the whole chloroplast genome for 183
      individuals, representing 53 Triticeae species and 15 genera. We conducted
      Bayesian and multispecies coalescent analyses to infer relationships and estimate
      divergence times of the taxa. We present the most comprehensive dated Triticeae
      chloroplast phylogeny and review previous hypotheses in the framework of our
      results. Monophyly of Triticeae chloroplasts could not be confirmed, as either
      Bromus or Psathyrostachys captured a chloroplast from a lineage closely related
      to a Bromus-Triticeae ancestor. The most recent common ancestor of Triticeae
      occurred approximately between ten and 19 million years ago. CONCLUSIONS: The
      comparison of the chloroplast phylogeny with available nuclear data in several
      cases revealed incongruences indicating past hybridizations. Recent events of
      chloroplast capture were detected as individuals grouped apart from con-specific
      accessions in otherwise monopyhletic groups.

PMID- 28622762
TI  - The dose-response relationship between tobacco smoking and the risk of lymphomas:
      a case-control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have provided limited support to the association
      between tobacco smoking and lymphomas with weak evidence of a dose-response
      relationship. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between tobacco smoking
      and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) and Hodgkin lymphomas (HL) through
      logistic regression spline models. Data were derived from an Italian hospital
      based case-control study (1999-2014), which enrolled 571 NHLs, 188 HLs, and 1004
      cancer-free controls. Smoking habits and other lifestyle factors were assessed
      through a validated questionnaire. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals
      (CI) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders.
      RESULTS: Compared to never smokers, people smoking >=15 cigarettes/day showed
      increased risks of both NHL (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.97) and HL (OR = 2.47,
      95% CI: 1.25, 4.87); the risk was particularly elevated for follicular NHL (OR =
      2.43; 95% CI:1.31-4.51) and mixed cellularity HL (OR = 5.60, 95% CI: 1.31,
      23.97). No excess risk emerged for former smokers or people smoking <15
      cigarettes/day. Spline analyses showed a positive dose-response relationship with
      significant increases in NHL and HL risks starting from 15 and 21 cigarettes/day,
      respectively, with the most evident effects for follicular NHL and mixed
      cellularity HL. Smoking duration was significantly associated with the HL risk
      only (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.16, 3.99). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support a role
      of tobacco smoking in the etiology of both NHL and HL, providing evidence of a
      direct association of risk with smoking intensity.

PMID- 28622763
TI  - Treatment decisions and mortality in HIV-positive presumptive smear-negative TB
      in the XpertTM MTB/RIF era: a cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The XpertTM MTB/RIF (XP) has a higher sensitivity than sputum smear
      microscopy (70% versus 35%) for TB diagnosis and has been endorsed by the WHO for
      TB high burden countries to increase case finding among HIV co-infected
      presumptive TB patients. Its impact on the diagnosis of smear-negative TB in a
      routine care setting is unclear. We determined the change in diagnosis, treatment
      and mortality of smear-negative presumptive TB with routine use of Xpert MTB/RIF
      (XP). METHODS: Prospective cohort study of HIV-positive smear-negative
      presumptive TB patients during a 12-month period after XP implementation in a
      well-staffed and trained integrated TB/HIV clinic in Kampala, Uganda. Prior to
      testing clinicians were asked to decide whether they would treat empirically
      prior to Xpert result; actual treatment was decided upon receipt of the XP
      result. We compared empirical and XP-informed treatment decisions and all-cause
      mortality in the first year. RESULTS: Of 411 smear-negative presumptive TB
      patients, 175 (43%) received an XP; their baseline characteristics did not
      differ. XP positivity was similar in patients with a pre-XP empirical diagnosis
      and those without (9/29 [17%] versus 14/142 [10%], P = 0.23). Despite XP testing
      high levels of empirical treatment prevailed (18%), although XP results did
      change who ultimately was treated for TB. When adjusted for CD4 count, empirical
      treatment was not associated with higher mortality compared to no or
      microbiologically confirmed treatment. CONCLUSIONS: XP usage was lower than
      expected. The lower sensitivity of XP in smear-negative HIV-positive patients led
      experienced clinicians to use XP as a "rule-in" rather than "rule-out" test, with
      the majority of patients still treated empirically.

PMID- 28622764
TI  - "In the mood for ageing": determinants of subjective well-being in older men and
      women of the population-based KORA-Age study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate risk factors associated with low subjective well-being
      (SWB) in men and women (>=65 years) separately with a special focus on emotional
      distress. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted among 3602
      participants (50.6% women) aged 65-90 years (mean age 72.8 years, SD +/- 5.8)
      from the population-based KORA-Age study conducted in 2008/2009. SWB was assessed
      using the WHO-5 well-being index (score range: 0 to 100). SWB was dichotomized
      into "low" (score <= 50) and "high" (score > 50) SWB. The association between
      potential risk factors and SWB was assessed by logistic regressions analyses.
      Population-attributable risks (PARs) were calculated. RESULTS: Low SWB was
      significantly higher in women than in men (23.8% versus 18.2%; p < 0.0001). The
      logistic regressions analyses revealed low income, physical inactivity,
      multimorbidity, depression, anxiety and sleeping problems to be associated with
      low SWB in both sexes. Living alone increased the odds of having low SWB in
      women, but not in men. Depression and anxiety were the strongest risk factors of
      low SWB among men (depression: OR: 4.19, 95% CI: 1.33-13.17, p < 0.05; anxiety:
      8.45, 5.14-13.87, p < 0.0001) and women (depression: 6.83, 2.49-18.75 p < 0.05;
      anxiety: 7.31, 5.14-10.39, p < 0.0001). In both sexes, anxiety had the highest
      population-attributable risk (men: 27%, women: 41%). CONCLUSION: Our results call
      out for an increased focus on mental health interventions among older adults,
      especially for women living alone. Further research is needed to understand the
      paradoxical pattern of discrepant subjective well-being versus objective health
      in age.

PMID- 28622765
TI  - Unusual primary breast cancer - malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor: a case
      report and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sarcomas are a rare type of breast malignancies and malignant
      peripheral nerve sheath tumors of the breast are even rarer. There are no
      specific clinical and radiological features for the diagnosis of this tumor and
      histological features are also reported to be nonspecific. Therefore,
      immunohistochemistry is required for its diagnosis. A definitive treatment
      protocol is unavailable because of its rarity. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a
      case of a sporadic form of breast malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor found
      in a 16-year-old Asian Bangladeshi girl. She experienced local recurrence and she
      had multiple left breast lumps four times in a very short period after repeated
      surgeries. However, she was later managed successfully with chemotherapy and
      locoregional radiotherapy. A chemotherapy protocol with ifosfamide, vincristine,
      and actinomycin was used and radiotherapy was given with a total dose of 50 Gy
      given in 25 fractions of 2 Gy by a 6 MV photon linear accelerator followed by 10
      Gy boost given in 5 fractions of 2 Gy by 9 MeV electron energy. With more than 3
      years of periodic follow-up, she is still well without any locoregional and
      metastatic recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This report suggests proper
      immunohistochemical analysis whenever a breast sarcoma is found in order to find
      a rare histological variety. We believe that malignant peripheral nerve sheath
      tumor of the breast can be managed by total mastectomy followed by adjuvant
      chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Long-term meticulous follow-up is required to
      develop an optimum therapeutic strategy.

PMID- 28622766
TI  - Translational contributions to tissue specificity in rhythmic and constitutive
      gene expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The daily gene expression oscillations that underlie mammalian
      circadian rhythms show striking differences between tissues and involve post
      transcriptional regulation. Both aspects remain poorly understood. We have used
      ribosome profiling to explore the contribution of translation efficiency to
      temporal gene expression in kidney and contrasted our findings with liver data
      available from the same mice. RESULTS: Rhythmic translation of constantly
      abundant messenger RNAs (mRNAs) affects largely non-overlapping transcript sets
      with distinct phase clustering in the two organs. Moreover, tissue differences in
      translation efficiency modulate the timing and amount of protein biosynthesis
      from rhythmic mRNAs, consistent with organ specificity in clock output gene
      repertoires and rhythmicity parameters. Our comprehensive datasets provided
      insights into translational control beyond temporal regulation. Between tissues,
      many transcripts show differences in translation efficiency, which are, however,
      of markedly smaller scale than mRNA abundance differences. Tissue-specific
      changes in translation efficiency are associated with specific transcript
      features and, intriguingly, globally counteracted and compensated transcript
      abundance variations, leading to higher similarity at the level of protein
      biosynthesis between both tissues. CONCLUSIONS: We show that tissue specificity
      in rhythmic gene expression extends to the translatome and contributes to define
      the identities, the phases and the expression levels of rhythmic protein
      biosynthesis. Moreover, translational compensation of transcript abundance
      divergence leads to overall higher similarity at the level of protein production
      across organs. The unique resources provided through our study will serve to
      address fundamental questions of post-transcriptional control and differential
      gene expression in vivo.

PMID- 28622768
TI  - Erratum to: Social relationships, mental health and wellbeing in physical
      disability: a systematic review.

PMID- 28622769
TI  - Erratum to: Association between antibodies to carbamylated proteins and
      subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

PMID- 28622767
TI  - Praziquantel decreases fecundity in Schistosoma mansoni adult worms that survive
      treatment: evidence from a laboratory life-history trade-offs selection study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mass drug administration of praziquantel is the World Health
      Organization's endorsed control strategy for schistosomiasis. A decade of annual
      treatments across sub-Saharan Africa has resulted in significant reductions of
      infection prevalence and intensity levels, although 'hotspots' remain. Repeated
      drug treatments place strong selective pressures on parasites, which may affect
      life-history traits that impact transmission dynamics. Understanding drug
      treatment responses and the evolution of such traits can help inform on how to
      minimise the risk of drug resistance developing, maximise sustainable control
      programme success, and improve diagnostic protocols. METHODS: We performed a four
      generation Schistosoma mansoni praziquantel selection experiment in mice and
      snails. We used three S. mansoni lines: a praziquantel-resistant isolate (R), a
      praziquantel-susceptible isolate (S), and a co-infected line (RS), under three
      treatment regimens: untreated, 25 mg/kg praziquantel, or 50 mg/kg praziquantel.
      Life-history traits, including parasite adult-worm establishment, survival,
      reproduction (fecundity), and associated morbidity, were recorded in mice across
      all four generations. Predictor variables were tested in a series of generalized
      linear mixed effects models to determine which factors had a significant
      influence on parasite life-history traits in definitive hosts under different
      selection regimes. RESULTS: Praziquantel pressure significantly reduced adult
      worm burdens across all generations and isolates, including within R-lines.
      However, previous drug treatment resulted in an increase in adult-worm
      establishment with increasing generation from P1 to F3. The highest worm numbers
      were in the co-infected RS line. Praziquantel treatment decreased adult-worm
      burden, but had a larger negative impact on the mean daily number of miracidia, a
      proxy for fecundity, across all three parasite isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      predicted cost of resistance was not supported by the traits we measured within
      the murine host. We did not find evidence for negative adult worm density
      dependent effects on fecundity. In contrast, of the adult worms that survived
      treatment, even low doses of praziquantel significantly reduced adult-worm
      fecundity. Such reductions in worm fecundity post treatment suggest that egg -
      based measures of drug efficacy, such as Kato-Katz, may overestimate the short
      term effect of praziquantel on adult - worm burdens. These findings have
      important implications for S. mansoni transmission control, diagnostic protocols,
      and the potential for undetected selection toward drug resistance.

PMID- 28622772
TI  - Lorenz Poellinger.

PMID- 28622770
TI  - Intensity-modulated radiation therapy from 70Gy to 80Gy in prostate cancer: six-
      year outcomes and predictors of late toxicity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report grade >=2 overall late rectal and urinary toxicities in
      patients (pts) with prostate cancer treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy
      (IMRT) at 3 dose-levels. Identify predictors of radiation toxicity and report
      biochemical progression free survival (bPFS). METHODS: A total of 277 pts were
      treated with 70Gy (10.8%), 74Gy (63.9%) and 80 Gy (25.3%) using IMRT without
      pelvic irradiation were analyzed. Short or long-course androgen deprivation
      therapy (ADT) was allowed in 46.1% of pts. The toxicity was described using the
      Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0 scale. Cox regression
      models addressed demographics, disease and dosimetry characteristics as potential
      predictors of late grade >=2 toxicity after adjusting for other modifying
      factors. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 77 months (range 15; 150). There was
      no grade >=4 toxicity. The 5-year cumulative rate of grade >=2 late rectal and
      urinary toxicities was 6.3% (95% CI = 3.8%; 10.3%) and 25.3% (95% CI = 19.8%;
      31.8%) respectively. In multivariate analysis, only the dose (80Gy vs 74 and
      70Gy) was found to increase the risk of rectal toxicity (HR = 2.96 [1.07; 8.20]).
      For pts receiving 74 Gy, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at baseline
      >=8 (HR = 2.40 [1.08; 5.35]) and dose >=73Gy delivered in more than 2% of bladder
      (D2%) were found to be predictors of bladder toxicity (HR = 3.29 [1.36; 7.98]).
      The 5-year biochemical relapse free survival was 81.0% [74.5%; 86.0%] in the
      entire population, 97.5% [83.5%; 99.6%] in the low risk group, 84.9% [76.7%;
      90.3%] in the intermediate risk group and 66.4% [51.8%; 77.4%] in the high-risk
      group. D'Amico low (HR = 0.09 [0.01; 0.69]) and intermediate risk groups (HR =
      0.50 [0.28; 0.88]) as well as PSA nadir >=0.2 ng/ml (HR = 1.79 [1.01; 3.21]) were
      predictive of biochemical relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of late rectal toxicity
      increased with higher doses, while Dmax >=74Gy, D2% >= 73Gy for bladder wall and
      baseline IPSS >=8 increased late urinary toxicity.

PMID- 28622773
TI  - A new editorial project for Morphologie.

PMID- 28622774
TI  - Exam time.

PMID- 28622775
TI  - [Iron deficiency in childhood: recommendations of the French Pediatric Society].

PMID- 28622776
TI  - [Iron and susceptibility to infections].
AB  - Iron is essential for proper functioning of the host immune system as well as an
      essential nutrient for growth of various pathogens. Iron deficiency increases
      infection susceptibility, specially those due to intracellular pathogens. At the
      opposite, excess iron stores could increase the virulence of some pathogens.
      Hepcidin synthesis is increased during the acute inflammation phase; leading to
      decreased iron intestinal absorption and retention of the metal within
      macrophages. This is considered to result from a defense mechanism of the child
      to limit the availability of iron for extracellular pathogens. On the other hand,
      iron affect innate immune responses by influencing IFN-gamma or NF-kB pathways in
      macrophages. Consequently, iron enhances host resistance to intracellular
      pathogens but excess iron may alter immune system.

PMID- 28622777
TI  - [Iron and Neurodevelopment].
AB  - In the central nervous system, iron is a cofactor of many metabolic processes and
      synthesis of aminergic neurotransmitters. Iron plays an major function on brain
      development from the prenatal period to teenage years. The blood-brain barrier
      modulates concentration of iron in the brain. In case of iron deficiency in the
      child, the negative impact on the myelinogenesis and synaptogenesis are well
      proven, with negative effects on psychomotor and cognitive functions. Iron
      supplementation has a beneficial effect, even if there is no anemia. The
      consequences of iron deficiency are more harmful as deficiency is early. The main
      mechanisms involved about iron and brain are reviewed.

PMID- 28622778
TI  - [Causes of iron deficiency in children].
AB  - Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are common conditions worldwide
      affecting especially children. In developing countries, iron deficiency is caused
      by poor iron intake and parasitic infection. Poor iron intake linked to
      inadequate diets, low iron intestinal absorption, chronic blood losses and
      increased requirements are common causes in high-income countries.

PMID- 28622779
TI  - [Iron in nutrition].
AB  - Iron deficiency is the main nutritional disease worldwide. The multidisciplinary
      working group of the French Pediatric Society on iron assessed the following
      recommendations. Since iron is variably absorbed depending on foods, the group
      defined absorbed iron requirements instead of dietary iron requirements. Iron
      rich foods should be introduced at 4-months of age in some breast-fed infants.
      Between 7 and 11 month-old, formula-fed infants should drink at least 700ml per
      day of follow-on formula and partially or totally breast-fed infants should
      receive oral iron supplementation. Between 1 and 6 year-old, children should
      drink at least 300ml per day of growing-up milk until they become able to consume
      100 to 150 grams per day of meat products. From 7 year-old, consumption of 2
      portions per day of meat products is necessary in order to achieve daily iron
      requirements. Oral iron therapy from either increased iron-rich foods consumption
      or iron salts preparations is indicated when absorbed iron requirements are not
      achieved or when ferritin concentration is lower than age-specific limit values.

PMID- 28622780
TI  - [Iron metabolism].
AB  - Iron is an essential trace element ensuring many functions in the body. However,
      excess iron can be toxic with deleterious consequences on function and tissue
      integrity. The understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms allowing
      iron level to be kept at physiological concentration has greatly progressed in
      recent years, in particular with the identification of the iron-regulatory
      hormone, hepcidin and its receptor ferroportin, the sole iron exporter known to
      date. This discovery has improved our ability to diagnose and manage iron
      disorders and offered new therapeutic perspectives for an important class of
      human diseases. However many questions remain to be answered. With the
      development of high-throughput techniques and the "omics" strategies
      (transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, etc.), we should be able in the coming
      years to identify new iron regulatory pathways and to assign original roles for
      iron in normal cellular processes but also in diseases. A more complete iron
      regulatory network should be established with the identification of the crosstalk
      between intracellular and systemic iron homeostasis.

PMID- 28622781
TI  - [Iron requirements during the first 6 months of life].
AB  - Because of the postnatal redistribution of the iron store, the term infant born
      after an uneventful pregnancy virtually needs no iron during its first 6 months
      of life. On the other hand, several factors, such as duration of gestation,
      gender, mother's iron status, alteration of the iron placental transfer,
      significantly influence the iron store at birth. Because of their reduced body
      store at birth and their higher demand during catch-up growth, low birth weight
      infants should receive an iron supplement, which should be started earlier and
      given at a higher dose in the more premature infants. This preventive strategy
      can be given as enteral supplement, preterm formula, or enriched breast milk.
      Finally, because of its benefits on neonatal morbidity and iron status, delayed
      umbilical cord clamping is recommended for preterm infants.

PMID- 28622782
TI  - [Prevalence of iron deficiency].
AB  - Studies of prevalence in iron deficiency separate iron depletion (defined as
      decreased blood ferritin) and iron deficiency anemia (defined as blood decrease
      in both ferritin and hemoglobin). In Europe, most studies are outdated.
      Prevalence of iron depletion varies from 7 to 18 % and 24 to 36% in toddlers and
      adolescents, respectively. Prevalence of iron deficiency anemia varies from 2 to
      8.5% and 7 to 10% in toddlers and adolescents. In French speaking African
      countries, Demography Health Surveys show that 80% of children aged 0 to 2 years
      are anemic, severely for 5 to 9% of them.

PMID- 28622783
TI  - [Biological diagnosis of iron deficiency in children].
AB  - Measurement of serum ferritin (SF) is currently the laboratory test recommended
      for diagnosing iron deficiency. In the absence of an associated disease, a low SF
      value is an early and highly specific indicator of iron deficiency. The WHO
      criteria proposed to define depleted storage iron are 12MUg/L for children under
      5 years and 15MUg/L for those over 5 years. A higher threshold of 30MUg/L is used
      in the presence of infection or inflammation. Iron deficiency anemia, with
      typical low mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, is only
      present at the end stage of iron deficiency. Other diagnostic tests for iron
      deficiency including iron parameters (low serum iron, increased total iron
      binding capacity, low transferrin saturation) and erythrocyte traits (low mean
      corpuscular volume, increased zinc protoporphyrin) provide little additional
      diagnostic value over SF. In children, serum soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)
      has been reported to be a sensitive indicator of iron deficiency and is
      relatively unaffected by inflammation. On the other hand, sTfR is directly
      related to extent of erythroid activity and not commonly used in clinical
      practice. In population surveys, approaches based on combinations of markers have
      been explored to improve the specificity and sensitivity of diagnostic. In
      addition to Hb value determination, a combination of parameters (among
      transferrin saturation, zinc protoporphyrin, mean corpuscular volume or serum
      ferritin) was generally used to assess iron deficiency. More recently sTfR/
      ferritin index were evaluated, sTfR in conjunction with SF allowing to better
      distinguishing iron deficiency from inflammatory anemia. Also, hepcidin
      measurements appeared an interesting marker for diagnosing iron deficiency and
      identifying individuals in need of iron supplementation in populations where
      inflammatory or infectious diseases are frequently encountered. Reticulocyte Hb
      content (CHr) determination is an early parameter of iron deficiency
      erythropoiesis. CHr can be measured with several automated hematology analyzers
      and so, used for individual's iron status assessment. In addition to Hb
      concentration determination, individual's iron status is commonly assessed in the
      pediatric clinical practice by the SF measurement accompanied by the
      determination of C-reactive protein for detection of a simultaneous acute
      infection and/or inflammation.

PMID- 28622784
TI  - First-trimester inter- and intrafetal size discrepancies in bichorionic twins
      conceived by in vitro fertilization: can it predict pregnancy outcome?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between first-trimester inter- and
      intrafetal size discrepancies and pregnancy outcome, among bichorionic-biamniotic
      twins conceived by IVF. DESIGN: A retrospective study design was used. SETTING:
      Tertiary university-affiliated medical center. PATIENT(S): All women with a
      viable first-trimester bichorionic-biamniotic twin gestation, who conceived after
      IVF in 2007-2015. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The association
      between fetal size differences and pregnancy outcome was analyzed. Intrafetal
      size discordance was defined as a difference between the actual gestational age
      calculated by ovum pickup (OPU) date and the evaluated gestational age by crown
      rump length (CRL), for each twin. Intertwin size discrepancy was defined as a
      difference in CRL between the twins. The primary outcome was the number of live
      born fetuses; the secondary outcome measures were gestational age at birth, birth
      weight percentile, and birth weight discordancy. RESULT(S): A total of 277 women
      met the study criteria and were divided into three groups by outcome: 218 (78.7%)
      live-born twins, 41 (14.8%) live-born singleton, and 19 (6.5%) non-live-born
      pregnancy. Among the smaller than expected twin, the association of CRL-OPU
      differences with the primary outcome was significant for twin live-born delivery
      (-1.43 day), singleton live-born delivery (-4.12 days), and non-live-born
      pregnancy (-6.72 days). For the relatively larger twin, the association was
      significant for non-live-born pregnancy (-4.33 days) compared with any live-born
      delivery, either singleton (-0.95 days) or twin (-0.21 days). CONCLUSION(S):
      Among IVF conceived twin gestations, a CRL-OPU gap was associated with an
      increased risk of a negative pregnancy outcome.

PMID- 28622785
TI  - Comprehensive long non-coding RNA expression profiling reveals their potential
      roles in systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs can regulate gene transcription, modulate protein function,
      and act as competing endogenous RNA. Yet, their roles in systemic lupus
      erythematosus remain to be elucidated. We determined the expression profiles of
      lncRNAs in T cells of SLE patients and healthy controls using microarrays. Up to
      1935 lncRNAs and 1977 mRNAs were differentially expressed. QRT-PCR showed
      downregulated uc001ykl.1 and ENST00000448942 in SLE patients. Expression of
      uc001ykl.1 correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive
      protein, whereas ENST00000448942 level correlated with ESR and anti-Sm
      antibodies. Short time-series expression miner analysis revealed some lncRNAs
      whose expressions might correlate with disease activity of SLE patients. Coding
      non-coding gene coexpression analyses showed differential lncRNAs might operate
      via modulating expressions of their correlated, relevant mRNAs in SLE.
      Differential lncRNAs might also function through their ceRNAs. Our study
      established that the aberrant expression profiles of lncRNAs may play a role in
      SLE and thus warrant further investigation.

PMID- 28622786
TI  - Dairy cow disability weights.
AB  - Over the past 175 years, data related to human disease and death have progressed
      to a summary measure of population health, the Disability-Adjusted Life Year
      (DALY). As dairies have intensified there has been no equivalent measure of the
      impact of disease on the productive life and well-being of animals. The
      development of a disease-adjusted metric requires a consistent set of disability
      weights that reflect the relative severity of important diseases. The objective
      of this study was to use an international survey of dairy authorities to derive
      disability weights for primary disease categories recorded on dairies. National
      and international dairy health and management authorities were contacted through
      professional organizations, dairy industry publications and conferences, and
      industry contacts. Estimates of minimum, most likely, and maximum disability
      weights were derived for 12 common dairy cow diseases. Survey participants were
      asked to estimate the impact of each disease on overall health and milk
      production. Diseases were classified from 1 (minimal adverse effects) to 10
      (death). The data was modelled using BetaPERT distributions to demonstrate the
      variation in these dynamic disease processes, and to identify the most likely
      aggregated disability weights for each disease classification. A single
      disability weight was assigned to each disease using the average of the combined
      medians for the minimum, most likely, and maximum severity scores. A total of 96
      respondents provided estimates of disability weights. The final disability weight
      values resulted in the following order from least to most severe: retained
      placenta, diarrhea, ketosis, metritis, mastitis, milk fever, lame (hoof only),
      calving trauma, left displaced abomasum, pneumonia, musculoskeletal injury (leg,
      hip, back), and right displaced abomasum. The peaks of the probability density
      functions indicated that for certain disease states such as retained placenta
      there was a relatively narrow range of expected impact whereas other diseases
      elicited a wider breadth of impact. This was particularly apparent with respect
      to calving trauma, lameness and musculoskeletal injury, all of which could be
      redefined using gradients of severity or accounting for sequelae. These
      disability weight distributions serve as an initial step in the development of
      the disease-adjusted lactation (DALact) metric. They will be used to assess the
      time lost due to dynamic phases of dairy cow diseases and injuries. Prioritizing
      health interventions based on time expands the discussion of animal health to
      view profits and losses in light of the quality and length of life.

PMID- 28622787
TI  - Monitoring of the newborn dog and prediction of neonatal mortality.
AB  - Despite the high neonatal mortality rate in puppies, pertinent criteria for
      health evaluation of the newborns are not defined. This study was thus designed
      to measure and to characterize factors of variation of six health parameters in
      dog neonates, and to evaluate their value as predictors of neonatal mortality. A
      total of 347 purebred puppies under identical conditions of housing and
      management were examined within the first 8h after birth and then at Day 1. The
      first health evaluation included Apgar score, weight, blood glucose, lactate and
      beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration, rectal temperature and urine specific gravity
      (SG). The second evaluation at Day 1 included the same parameters, excluding
      Apgar score and weight. The mortality rate over the first 24h and over 21days of
      age was recorded. The early predictors of neonatal mortality in the dog were
      determined with generalized linear mixed models and receiver operating
      characteristic curves analyses. An Apgar score at or below 6 evaluated within the
      first 8h after birth was found associated with a higher risk of death during the
      first 24h. A reduced glucose concentration (<=92mg/dl) at Day 1 was found to be
      associated with higher mortality between 1 and 21days of age. Low-birth-weight
      puppies were characterized by both low viability (low Apgar score) and low blood
      glucose concentration, and thus were found indirectly at higher risk of neonatal
      mortality. This study promotes two low cost easy-to-use tests for health
      evaluation in puppies, i.e. Apgar scoring and blood glucose assay. Further
      investigation is necessary to establish if the strong relationship between blood
      glucose and neonatal survival reflects high energy requirements or other benefits
      from colostrum intake.

PMID- 28622788
TI  - A questionnaire study of associations between potential risk factors and
      salmonella status in Swedish dairy herds.
AB  - In this study associations between potential risk factors and salmonella status
      in Swedish dairy herds were investigated. A case-control study design was used,
      including existing as well as new cases. Herds were assigned a salmonella status
      on the basis of antibody analysis of bulk milk samples. Information on potential
      risk factors was collected from registry data and from farmers via a
      questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were
      used to investigate associations between salmonella status and potential risk
      factors. In addition, multivariate analysis with Additive Bayesian Network (ABN)
      modelling was performed to improve understanding of the complex relationship
      between all the variables. Because of the difficulty in identifying associations
      between potential risk factors and infections with low prevalence and a large
      regional variation, exposure of potential risk factors in the high-prevalence
      region (Oland) were compared to exposure in other regions in Sweden. In total 483
      of 996 (48%) farmers responded to the questionnaire, 69 herds had test-positive
      bulk milk samples. The strongest association with salmonella status was 'presence
      of salmonella test-positive herds <5 km' (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.0-9.4). Associations
      with salmonella status were also seen between 'feeding calves residue milk only'
      (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2-4.6), 'certified organic herds' (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-4.9) and
      'frequently seeing signs of rodents' (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.13-0.97). The ABN model
      showed associations between Oland and four of the variables: salmonella status,
      presence of test-positive herds <5km, shared pastures and providing protective
      clothing for visitors. The latter is probably a reflection of increased disease
      awareness in Oland. The ABN model showed associations between herd size and
      housing as well as several management procedures. This provides an explanation
      why herd size frequently has been identified as a risk factor for salmonella by
      other studies. The study confirms the importance of local transmission routes for
      salmonella, but does not identify specific components in this local spread.
      Therefore, it supports the use of a broad biosecurity approach in the prevention
      of salmonella. In Oland, some potential risk factors are more common than in
      other parts of Sweden. Theoretically these could contribute to the spread of
      salmonella, but this was not confirmed in the present study. The study also
      highlights the difficulty in identifying associations between potential risk
      factors and infections with low prevalence and large regional variation.

PMID- 28622789
TI  - Characterization of the epidemiology of bat-borne rabies in Chile between 2003
      and 2013.
AB  - Rabies is a zoonotic disease of great impact to public health. According to the
      World Health Organization, the country of Chile is currently declared free from
      human rabies transmitted by dogs. An epidemiological characterization and
      description was conducted using rabies data from 2003 to 2013 held by the
      National Program for Prevention and Control of Rabies from the Ministry of
      Health, consisting of bats samples reported as suspect and samples taken by
      active surveillance (bats brain tissue). Spatial autocorrelation analysis was
      performed using Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) statistics,
      particularly Moran's I index, for the detection of spatial clusters. Temporal
      descriptive analysis was also carried out. Nine hundred and twenty-seven positive
      cases were reported, presenting an average of 84 cases per year, mainly
      originated from passive surveillance (98.5%), whilst only 1.5% of cases were
      reported by active surveillance. Global positivity for the study period was 7.02%
      and 0.1% in passive and active surveillance respectively. Most of the cases were
      reported in the central zone of Chile (88.1%), followed by south zone (9.1%) and
      north zone (2.8%). At a regional level, Metropolitana (40.6%), Valparaiso (19.1%)
      and Maule (11.8%) regions reported the majority of the cases. Tadarida
      brasiliensis (92%) presented the majority of the cases reported, with viral
      variant 4 (82%) being most commonly diagnosed. Only two cases were detected in
      companion animals. The central zone presented a positive spatial autocorrelation
      (Moran's I index=0.1537, 95% CI=0.1141-0.1933; p-value=0.02); north and south
      zones returned non-significant results (Moran's I index=0.0517 and -0.0117, 95%
      CI=-0.0358-0.1392 and -0.0780-0.0546, and p-values=0.21 and 0.34 respectively).
      The number of rabies cases decreased between May and August (late fall and
      winter) and tended to increase during the hot season (December to March),
      confirmed with the evidence from Autocorrelation analysis and the Ljun-Box test
      (X2=234.85 and p-value<0.0001). Knowledge of animal rabies epidemiologic
      behaviour becomes relevant when designing prevention and control measures and
      surveillance programs. This is especially important considering the high impact
      to Public Health of this disease and that wildlife rabies in bats remains endemic
      in Chile.

PMID- 28622790
TI  - Early-life risk factors identified for owner-reported feline overweight and
      obesity at around two years of age.
AB  - Obesity is considered the second most common health problem in pet cats in
      developed countries. This study used prospective data from a longitudinal study
      of pet cats ('C.L.A.W.S.', www.bristol.ac.uk/vetscience/claws) to identify early
      life risk factors for feline overweight/obesity occurring at around two years of
      age. Data were collected via five owner-completed questionnaires (for cats aged
      two-six months, six months, 12 months, 18 months and two years respectively)
      completed between May 2011 and April 2015. Owner-reported body condition scores
      (BCS) of cats at age two years, assessed using images from the 9-point BCS system
      (Laflamme, 1997), were categorised into a dichotomous variable: overweight/obese
      (BCS 6-9) and not overweight (BCS 1-5) and used as the dependent variable. Of the
      375 cats with owner-reported BCS, 25.3% were overweight or obese at two years of
      age. Multivariable logistic regression models were built using stepwise forward
      selection. To account for potential hierarchical clustering due to multi-cat
      households two-level random intercept models were considered but clustering had
      no impact on the analysis. Models were compared using Wald tests. Six factors
      were significantly associated with overweight/obesity at two years of age: being
      overweight or obese at one year of age (OR=10.6, 95%CI 4.4-25.3); owner belief
      that BCS 7 was the ideal weight (OR=33.2, 95%CI 8.5-129.4), or that BCS
      represented overweight cats but they would not be concerned if their cat were
      classified in this category (OR=2.7, 95%CI 1.2-6.2), at questionnaire five
      completion; vets advising owners that the cat should lose weight, or making no
      comment on their weight, between one and two years of age (OR=12.1, 95%CI 3.2
      44.9 and OR=3.9, 95%CI 1.5-10.3 respectively); owners giving their cat treats
      when they "felt happy" with them at 18 months of age (OR=2.7, 95%CI 1.0 - 7.3);
      feeding >=250g wet food daily between two and six months of age (OR=2.7, 95%CI
      1.2-5.9), and feeding dry food as the only or major part (>50%) of the diet at
      two years of age (OR=2.1, 95%CI 1.0-4.2). These findings have the potential to
      reduce the current high prevalence of a widespread problem by informing
      preventive advice, and as such improving the health and welfare of pet cats.

PMID- 28622791
TI  - Prevalence and associated risk factors of haemoparasites, and their effects on
      hematological profile in domesticated chickens in District Layyah, Punjab,
      Pakistan.
AB  - Several haemoparasites commonly infect avian species, including chicken that
      significantly decline productivity and ultimately lead to high mortality rate.
      The current study was designed to assess the prevalence and associated risk
      factors of haemoparasites in domesticated chickens in and around District Layyah,
      Punjab Province, Pakistan. For this purpose, blood samples from a total of 384
      backyard chickens were collected from wing vein using sterile insulin syringe.
      The parasites were identified from Giemsa stained thin blood smears based on
      morphological features using standard keys. Results demonstrated that a total of
      265 backyard chickens (69%) were infected with haemoparasites in District Layyah.
      According to genus-wise distribution, 31.5%, 24.4% and 13% prevalence of genera
      Plasmodium/Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon and mixed species were recorded,
      respectively. Among associated risk factors, the prevalence was relatively higher
      in females, chicks, naked neck breeds, scavengers feeding patterns and chickens
      reared at fully open coops type. The information given in the study could be of
      much importance in planning of an effective haemoparasites control program at
      District and Provincial level.

PMID- 28622792
TI  - A cross-sectional field study on potential associations between feed quality
      measures and usage of antimicrobials in commercial mink (Neovison vison).
AB  - Feed quality is generally assumed to affect health status in animal production.
      In previous studies, the feed producer has been found to affect the occurrence of
      gastrointestinal disease and antimicrobial use in Mink (Neovison vison). Mink are
      fed with moist, freshly produced feed, based on perishable ingredients. The
      objective of this study was to investigate the potential effect of specific feed
      parameters on antimicrobial use on herd level. The study was cross-sectional,
      including 1472 mink herds, responsible for 97% of oral antimicrobials prescribed
      for Danish mink during the study period, 2012-2014. Data were obtained from the
      national veterinary prescription database (VetStat), Kopenhagen Fur database, and
      the Voluntary Feed Control (Mink producers Organization). All feed batches
      subject to feed control were included. A multi-variable variance analysis was
      carried out analysing the effect of the feed parameters total volatile nitrogen,
      dry matter, crude protein and fat; total bacterial count (21 degrees C), and
      counts of sulphite producing bacteria (21 degrees C), Clostridium spp., faecal
      cocci (FC) (44 degrees C), yeast, and mould; presence of Salmonella spp. and
      Clostridium perfringens (dichotome). Three outcome variables were applied:
      prescription of oral antimicrobial on herd level within time slots of 3, 5 or
      7days after feeding of an included batch. Two binomial models were developed,
      adjusting for significant effects (p<0.0001) of Ps. aeruginosa infection, herd
      size, month (season) and year. Antimicrobial prescription was significantly
      (p<0.0001) associated with FC (all time slots, both models). A negative
      association (p<0.0001) with crude protein on antimicrobial prescription within a
      7day slot suggested an association between low content of crude protein and
      antimicrobial use. The associations need to be confirmed in controlled studies,
      and ideally, potential causalities should be investigated. The perspective of
      such findings could be the development of tests for control of feed ingredients
      prior to use in the feed production.

PMID- 28622793
TI  - Comparison of bacterial culture and qPCR testing of rectal and pen floor samples
      as diagnostic approaches to detect enterotoxic Escherichia coli in nursery pigs.
AB  - : Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) are a major cause of diarrhoea in weaned pigs.
      The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement at pen level among
      three different diagnostic approaches for the detection of ETEC in groups of
      nursery pigs with diarrhoea. The diagnostic approaches used were: bacterial
      culturing of faecal samples from three pigs (per pen) with clinical diarrhoea and
      subsequent testing for virulence genes in E. coli isolates; bacterial culturing
      of pen floor samples and subsequent testing for virulence genes in E. coli
      isolates; qPCR testing of pen floor samples in order to determine the quantity of
      F18 and F4 genes. The study was carried out in three Danish pig herds and
      included 31 pens with a pen-level diarrhoea prevalence of > 25%, as well as
      samples from 93 diarrhoeic nursery pigs from these pens. All E. coli isolates
      were analysed by PCR and classified as ETEC when genes for one or more adhesin
      factors and one or more enterotoxins were detected. RESULTS: A total of 208 E.
      coli colonies from pig samples and 172 E. coli colonies from pen floor samples
      were isolated. Haemolytic activity was detected on blood agar plates in 111
      (29.2%) of the 380 colonies that were isolated. The only adhesin factor detected
      in this study was F18. When comparing bacterial culture or qPCR testing of pen
      floor samples with detection of ETEC-positive diarrhoeic pigs by culture,
      agreement was found in 26 (83.9%, Kappa = 0.665) and 23 (74.2%, Kappa = 0.488) of
      the pens, respectively. Agreement was observed between the detection of ETEC by
      bacterial culture and qPCR in the same pen floor sample in 26 (83.9%, Kappa =
      0.679) pens. CONCLUSION: We observed an acceptable agreement for the detection of
      ETEC-positive diarrhoeic nursery pigs in pen samples for both bacterial culture
      of pen floor samples and qPCR. This study showed that both bacterial culture and
      qPCR testing of pen floor samples can be used as a diagnostic approach for
      detecting groups of ETEC-positive diarrhoeic nursery pigs.

PMID- 28622794
TI  - Schmallenberg virus: Predicting within-herd seroprevalence using bulk-tank milk
      antibody titres and exploring individual animal antibody titres using empirical
      distribution functions (EDF).
AB  - Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges and can
      cause abortions and congenital malformations in ruminants and milk drop in dairy
      cattle. Estimating true within-herd seroprevalence is an essential component of
      efficient and cost-effective SBV surveillance programs. The objectives of this
      study were: (1) determine the correlation between bulk-tank milk (BTM)-ELISA
      results and within-herd seroprevalence, (2) evaluate the ability of BTM-ELISA
      results to predict within-herd seroprevalence and (3) explore the distributions
      of individual animal serology results using novel statistical methodology. BTM
      samples (n=24) and blood samples (n=4019) collected from all lactating cows
      contributing to the BTM in 26 Irish dairy herds (58-444 cows/herd) in 2014
      located in a region exposed to SBV in 2012/2013, were analysed for SBV-specific
      antibodies using IDVet(r) ELISA kits. The correlation between BTM-ELISA results
      and within-herd seroprevalence was determined by calculating Pearson's
      correlation coefficient. Linear regression models were used to assess the ability
      of BTM-ELISA results to predict within-herd seroprevalence. The distributions of
      individual animal serology results were explored by determining the empirical
      distribution functions (EDF) of the individual animal serum ELISA results in each
      herd. EDFs were compared pairwise across herds, using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov
      statistical test. Herds with similar BTM-ELISA results, herds with similar within
      herd seroprevalence and herds with similar mean-herd serology ELISA results were
      stratified in order to explore their respective paired-herd EDF comparisons.
      Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Twenty-two herds were BTM-ELISA
      positive (within-herd seroprevalence 30.6-100%) and two herds were BTM-ELISA
      negative (within-herd seroprevalence 10.7 and 16.2%) indicating BTM-ELISA
      negative herds can have seropositive animals present. BTM-ELISA results were
      highly correlated (r=0.807, p<0.0001) with, and predictive of (R2=0.832,
      p<0.0001) of within-herd seroprevalence. Predictions were most accurate for upper
      range BTM-ELISA antibody titres, while they were less accurate at higher and
      lower antibody titres. This is likely a result of the overall high within-herd
      seroprevalence. In herds with similar BTM-ELISA results 82% of the paired-herd
      EDF comparisons were significantly different. In herds with similar within-herd
      seroprevalence and in herds with similar mean-herd serology ELISA results, 46%
      and 47% of the paired-herd EDF comparisons were significantly different,
      respectively. These results demonstrate that BTM antibody titres are highly
      predictive of within-herd seroprevalence in an SBV exposed region. Furthermore,
      exploring the serum EDFs revealed that the variation observed in the predicted
      within-herd seroprevalence in the regression models is likely a result of
      individual animal variation in serum antibody titres in these herds.

PMID- 28622795
TI  - Desulfamplus magnetovallimortis gen. nov., sp. nov., a magnetotactic bacterium
      from a brackish desert spring able to biomineralize greigite and magnetite, that
      represents a novel lineage in the Desulfobacteraceae.
AB  - A magnetotactic bacterium, designated strain BW-1T, was isolated from a brackish
      spring in Death Valley National Park (California, USA) and cultivated in axenic
      culture. The Gram-negative cells of strain BW-1T are relatively large and rod
      shaped and possess a single polar flagellum (monotrichous). This strain is the
      first magnetotactic bacterium isolated in axenic culture capable of producing
      greigite and/or magnetite nanocrystals aligned in one or more chains per cell.
      Strain BW-1T is an obligate anaerobe that grows chemoorganoheterotrophically
      while reducing sulfate as a terminal electron acceptor. Optimal growth occurred
      at pH 7.0 and 28 degrees C with fumarate as electron donor and carbon source.
      Based on its genome sequence, the G+C content is 40.72mol %. Phylogenomic and
      phylogenetic analyses indicate that strain BW-1T belongs to the
      Desulfobacteraceae family within the Deltaproteobacteria class. Based on average
      amino acid identity, strain BW-1T can be considered as a novel species of a new
      genus, for which the name Desulfamplus magnetovallimortis is proposed. The type
      strain of D. magnetovallimortis is BW-1T (JCM 18010T-DSM 103535T).

PMID- 28622797
TI  - Making the best value of clinical radiology: iRefer Guidelines, 8th edition.
AB  - New uses of medical imaging as well as over-diagnosis and wasteful imaging have
      led to a 10% per annum growth in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI). Personalised value to the patient will be helped by referral
      guidelines for the best test first, adding evidence-based technical value to the
      investigation to answer the clinical question, thus providing allocative value to
      the commissioners of medical imaging. Appropriate imaging is driven by the need
      for effective decisions, radiation safety, and cost awareness. The eighth edition
      of The Royal College of Radiologists' iRefer guidelines addresses 270 common
      clinical settings providing imaging referral advice, particularly for primary
      care practitioners. There is a new section addressing asymptomatic individuals
      for screening and health assessment. Multiple formats, including print and web
      formats, will be augmented by a clinical decision support tool to bring guidance
      closer to referrers. Established evidence identified a reduction in requested
      examination numbers by typically 20%, with more recent studies showing
      appropriate imaging in 80-90% of cases, correctly allowing some flexibility for
      individual circumstances. The perceived value of referral guidance may be judged
      by the mandated use in the USA, the requirement for availability in Europe, and
      the wish by many elsewhere to avail their patients of best imaging practice.

PMID- 28622796
TI  - Cardiac magnetic resonance indices reflecting pulmonary regurgitation burden
      after tetralogy of Fallot repair.
AB  - AIM: To investigate cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived parameters to
      determine a convenient index reflecting the degree of pulmonary regurgitation
      (PR) after Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-three
      patients (age at CMR study, 23.6 [10.2-34.7] years, 55.6% male) underwent CMR
      after TOF repair. PR was quantified using ventricular stroke volume difference
      and phase-contrast mapping of the main pulmonary artery flow. In both approaches,
      the PRV index (PRVI) and the PR fraction (PRF) were calculated and correlated to
      the right ventricle end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and the right ventricle
      end-systolic volume index (RVESVI). RESULTS: No statistically significant
      difference was observed between the PR volumes and the PRF measured by the stroke
      volume difference or the phase-contrast method. The PRVI was better correlated to
      RVEDVI and RVESVI than the PRF. CONCLUSION: The PRVI exhibits more correlation to
      the RVEDVI than PRF. Thus, it could be a preferable parameter to reflect the PR
      burden.

PMID- 28622798
TI  - Singapore Malaria Network Meeting (SingMalNet) 2016.

PMID- 28622799
TI  - Quantitative NMR analysis of intra- and extracellular metabolism of mammalian
      cells: A tutorial.
AB  - Metabolomics analysis of body fluids as well as cells is depended on many
      factors. While several well-accepted standard operating procedures for the
      analysis of body fluids are available, the NMR based quantitative analysis of
      cellular metabolites is less well standardized. Experimental designs depend on
      the cell type, the quenching protocol and the applied post-acquisition workflow.
      Here, we provide a tutorial for the quantitative description of the metabolic
      phenotype of mammalian cells using NMR spectroscopy. We discuss all key steps of
      the process, starting from the selection of the appropriate culture medium,
      quenching techniques to arrest metabolism in a reproducible manner, the
      extraction of the intracellular components and the profiling of the culture
      medium. NMR data acquisition and methods for both qualitative and quantitative
      analysis are also provided. The suggested methods cover experiments for adherent
      cells and cells in suspension. We ultimately describe the application of the
      discussed workflow to a thyroid cancer cell line. Although this tutorial focuses
      on mammalian cells, the given guidelines and procedures may be adjusted for the
      analysis of other cell types.

PMID- 28622800
TI  - Analysis of stable isotope assisted metabolomics data acquired by GC-MS.
AB  - Stable isotope assisted metabolomics (SIAM) measures the abundance levels of
      metabolites in a particular pathway using stable isotope tracers (e.g., 13C, 18O
      and/or 15N). We report a method termed signature ion approach for analysis of
      SIAM data acquired on a GC-MS system equipped with an electron ionization (EI)
      ion source. The signature ion is a fragment ion in EI mass spectrum of a
      derivatized metabolite that contains all atoms of the underivatized metabolite,
      except the hydrogen atoms lost during derivatization. In this approach, GC-MS
      data of metabolite standards were used to recognize the signature ion from the EI
      mass spectra acquired from stable isotope labeled samples, and a linear
      regression model was used to deconvolute the intensity of overlapping
      isotopologues. A mixture score function was also employed for cross-sample
      chromatographic peak list alignment to recognize the chromatographic peaks
      generated by the same metabolite in different samples, by simultaneously
      evaluating the similarity of retention time and EI mass spectrum of two
      chromatographic peaks. Analysis of a mixture of 16 13C-labeled and 16 unlabeled
      amino acids showed that the signature ion approach accurately identified and
      quantified all isotopologues. Analysis of polar metabolite extracts from cells
      respectively fed with uniform 13C-glucose and 13C-glutamine further demonstrated
      that this method can also be used to analyze the complex data acquired from
      biological samples.

PMID- 28622801
TI  - Rapid determination of nitrate in vegetables by gas chromatography mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - In this study we present a novel isotope dilution gas chromatography method for
      the determination of nitrate in vegetables. The analyte was extracted in water at
      70?C and mixed with 15N isotopically enriched nitrate internal standard. The
      sample was centrifuged and the supernatant reacted with sulfamic acid for removal
      of nitrite, and with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate for converting nitrate
      into volatile EtONO2. This simple aqueous chemistry allowed for separation of
      analyte from sample matrix in the form of a gaseous derivative which could be
      sampled in the headspace before GC-MS analysis. This key-feature of the method
      made possible the collection of clean chromatograms within an elution time of
      only 1.8 min. Detection of EtONO2 could be performed using electron impact
      ionization with a standard GC-MS setup. The method was optimized and validated
      for the analysis of nitrate in fresh vegetables in the 10-10,000 MUg/g range with
      a detection limit of 2 MUg/g. Due to the use of primary isotope dilution
      quantitation, traceable results of high-precision were attained.

PMID- 28622802
TI  - Rapid multiplex DNA amplification on an inexpensive microdevice for human
      identification via short tandem repeat analysis.
AB  - Forensic DNA analysis requires several steps, including DNA extraction, PCR
      amplification, and separation of PCR fragments. Intuitively, there are numerous
      situations where it would be beneficial to speed up the overall DNA analysis
      process; in this work, we focus on the most time-consuming component in the
      analysis pipeline, namely the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Primers were
      specially designed to target 10 human genomic loci, all yielding amplicons
      shorter than 350 bases, for ease of downstream integration with on-board
      microchip electrophoresis. Primer concentrations were adjusted specifically for
      microdevice amplification, resulting in well-balanced short tandem repeat (STR)
      profiles. Furthermore, studies were performed to push the limits of the DNA
      polymerase to achieve rapid, multiplexed PCR on various substrates, including
      transparent and black polyethylene terephthalate (Pe), and with two distinct
      adhesives, toner and heat sensitive adhesive (HSA). Rapid STR-based multiplexed
      PCR amplification is demonstrated in 15 min on a Pe microdevice using a custom
      built system for fluid flow control and thermocycling for the full 10-plex, and
      in 10 min for a smaller multiplex consisting of six core CODIS loci plus
      Amelogenin with amplicons shorter than 200bp. Lastly, preliminary studies
      indicate the capability of this PCR microdevice platform to be integrated with
      both upstream DNA extraction, and downstream microchip electrophoresis. This,
      coupled to the use of reagents that are compatible with lyophilization (lyo
      compatible) for PCR, represents the potential for a fully integrated rotationally
      driven microdevice for complete forensic DNA analysis.

PMID- 28622803
TI  - Lab on paper chip integrated with Si@GNRs for electroanalysis of diazepam.
AB  - We describe herein the fabrication of an electrochemical microfluidic paper based
      device (EMUPAD) for the detection of diazepam, a sedative, anxiety-relieving and
      muscle-relaxing drug. To achieve it, silica coated gold nanorods (Si@GNRs) were
      synthesized and drop casted on an electrochemical microfluidic paper based device
      (EMUPAD) for the detection of diazepam. The synthesized composites were
      characterized by recording its images in scanning electron microscope (SEM) and
      transmission electron microscope (TEM). The experimental results confirmed that
      Si@GNRs had good electrocatalytic activity towards diazepam. The modified paper
      based electrode showed a stable electrochemical response for diazepam in the
      concentration range of 3.5 nM to 3.5 mM. EMUPAD offers many advantageous features
      such as facile approach, economical and have potential for commercialization.
      Si@GNRs modified EMUPAD was also employed for determination of diazepam in spiked
      human urine samples. Reported facile lab paper approach integrated with Si@GNRs
      could be well applied for the determination of serum metabolites.

PMID- 28622804
TI  - G-quadruplex based Exo III-assisted signal amplification aptasensor for the
      colorimetric detection of adenosine.
AB  - Adenosine is an endogenous nucleotide pivotally involved in nucleic acid and
      energy metabolism. Its excessive existence may indicate tumorigenesis, typically
      lung cancer. Encouraged by its significance as the clinical biomarker, sensitive
      assay methods towards adenosine have been popularized, with high cost and tedious
      procedures as the inevitable defects. Herein, we report a label-free aptamer
      based exonuclease III (Exo III) amplification colorimetric aptasensor for the
      highly sensitive and cost-effective detection of adenosine. The strategy employed
      two unlabeled hairpin DNA oligonucleotides (HP1 and HP2), where HP1 contained the
      aptamer towards adenosine and HP2 embedded the guanine-rich sequence (GRS). In
      the presence of adenosine, hairpin HP1 could form specific binding with adenosine
      and trigger the unfolding of HP1's hairpin structure. The resulting adenosine-HP1
      complex could hybridize with HP2, generating the Exo III recognition site. After
      Exo III-assisted degradation, the GRS was released from HP2, and the adenosine
      HP1 was released back to the solution to combine another HP2, inducing the
      cycling amplification. After multiple circulations, the released ample GRSs were
      induced to form G-quadruplex, further catalyzing the oxidation of TMB, yielding a
      color change which was finally mirrored in the absorbance change. On the
      contrary, the absence of adenosine failed to unfold HP1, remaining color
      unchanged eventually. Thanks to the amplification strategy, the limit of
      detection was lowered to 17 nM with a broad linear range from 50 nM to 6 MUM. The
      proposed method was successfully applied to the detection of adenosine in
      biological samples and satisfying recoveries were acquired.

PMID- 28622805
TI  - Nanomolar sensitive colorimetric assay for Mn2+ using cysteic acid-capped silver
      nanoparticles and theoretical investigation of its sensing mechanism.
AB  - A new facile, rapid, sensitive and selective colorimetric assay is proposed for
      the determination of manganese ions (Mn2+) utilizing cysteic acid (CA)-capped
      silver nanoparticles (CA-AgNPs) as colorimetric probes. The CA-AgNPs were
      prepared by reducing AgNO3 with NaBH4 in the presence of CA as the capping
      ligand. The presence of Mn2+ induces the quick aggregation of CA-AgNPs,
      associated with notable color changes of the CA-AgNPs solution from yellow to
      dark green. The Mn2+ can form a coordinated structure with CA capping on the
      AgNPs and leads to formation of large particles aggregation. We also used density
      functional theory (DFT) to calculate the change of the Gibbs free energy (DeltaG)
      of the interactions between the CA-AgNPs and various metal ions, which shows that
      CA-AgNPs have high specificity for Mn2+. The high sensitivity and selectivity for
      Mn2+ were achieved and the detection limit is as low as 5 nM. Furthermore, the
      proposed method was successfully applied in detecting Mn2+ in a rat model of
      focal ischemia and the results indicate that our proposed method has great
      potential for practical applications.

PMID- 28622806
TI  - Graphitic carbon nitride supported platinum nanocomposites for rapid and
      sensitive colorimetric detection of mercury ions.
AB  - In this study, graphitic carbon nitride supported platinum nanocomposites (g
      C3N4/PtNPs) have been synthesized for the first time by an ultrasonic-assisted
      chemical reduction method. By using g-C3N4 as the stabilizer, Pt ions could be
      reduced to PtNPs by NaBH4 and uniformly deposited on the surface of g-C3N4. The
      resulting g-C3N4/PtNPs exhibited enhanced catalytic activity for the oxidation of
      3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) compared to that of g-C3N4 or PtNPs alone.
      After interaction with Hg2+, the catalytic activity of g-C3N4/PtNPs was
      effectively inhibited due to the formation of HgPt amalgam. On the basis of this
      effect, a novel label free colorimetric sensor has been developed for sensitive
      detection of Hg2+ through the g-C3N4/PtNPs mediated catalytic reaction. A
      detection limit as low as 1.23 nM was achieved. This assay also exhibited
      excellent selectivity toward Hg2+ over other metal ions. In addition, it was
      successfully applied to the determination of Hg2+ in real water samples. In view
      of the advantages, such as simple operation, cost-effective, rapid response and
      naked-eye observation, the developed colorimetric sensor hold great potential for
      the detection of toxic Hg2+ in environmental and biological samples.

PMID- 28622808
TI  - Characterizing and predicting rates of delirium across general hospital settings.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To better understand variation in reported rates of delirium, this
      study characterized delirium occurrence rate by department of service and primary
      admitting diagnosis. METHOD: Nine consecutive years (2005-2013) of general
      hospital admissions (N=831,348) were identified across two academic medical
      centers using electronic health records. The primary admitting diagnosis and the
      treating clinical department were used to calculate occurrence rates of a
      previously published delirium definition composed of billing codes and natural
      language processing of discharge summaries. RESULTS: Delirium rates varied
      significantly across both admitting diagnosis group (X210=12786, p<0.001) and
      department of care (X26=12106, p<0.001). In both cases obstetrical admissions
      showed the lowest incidences of delirium (86/109764; 0.08%) and neurological
      admissions the greatest (2851/25450; 11.2%). Although the rate of delirium varied
      across the two hospitals the relative rates within departments (r=0.96, p<0.001)
      and diagnostic categories (r=0.98, p<0.001) were consistent across the two
      institutions. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of delirium varies significantly across
      admitting diagnosis and hospital department. Both admitting diagnosis and
      department of care are even stronger predictors of risk than age; as such, simple
      risk stratification may offer avenues for targeted prevention and treatment
      efforts.

PMID- 28622809
TI  - Racial and ethnic differences in mental healthcare utilization consistent with
      potentially effective care: The role of patient preferences.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Ethnic minorities are less likely than Whites to initiate and continue
      mental healthcare. Minorities also prefer non-medical approaches to address
      mental health issues. We evaluated sector-type as a modifier of the association
      of race/ethnicity with service utilization for mental health. We hypothesized
      that minorities utilize non-mental health sectors at rates consistent with
      guidelines and similar to Whites. METHODS: We examined data from the
      Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiologic Studies (CPES) (n=3803). We used logistic
      regression to assess the association of race/ethnicity with utilization
      consistent with potentially effective care across sectors-psychiatry, medical,
      non-medical mental health, human services, and spiritual. RESULTS: Asians [OR:
      0.56 CI: 0.39, 0.82] and Blacks [OR: 0.74 CI: 0.60, 0.92] had lower odds of
      having >=1 visit compared to Whites. Blacks also had lower odds of >=4 [OR: 0.66
      CI: 0.50, 0.87] and >=12 visits [OR: 0.58 CI: 0.41, 0.83]. Sector-type modified
      these associations. Compared to Whites, Asians [OR: 0.49 CI: 0.30, 0.82] and
      Blacks [OR: 0.71 CI: 0.54, 0.94] had lower odds of >=1 visit to the medical
      sector. Asians had lower odds of seeing psychiatrists for >=8 visits [OR: 0.15
      CI: 0.04, 0.54] and >=12 visits [OR: 0.21 CI: 0.06, 0.77]. Asians and Blacks
      demonstrated similar utilization to Whites in non-medical mental health and
      spiritual settings. CONCLUSION: Racial/ethnic differences in utilization
      consistent with treatment guidelines are ameliorated in sectors preferred by
      minorities.

PMID- 28622807
TI  - The comparison of the effects of a novel hydrogel compound and traditional
      hyaluronate following micro-fracture procedure in a rat full-thickness chondral
      defect model.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the impact of HA
      CS-NAG compound (hyaluronate, sodium chondroitin sulfate, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine)
      on the quality of repair tissue after micro-fracture and to compare it with HA
      (hyaluronat), in a rat full-thickness chondral defect model. METHODS: Full
      thickness chondral defects were created in a non-weight bearing area by using a
      handle 2.7-mm drill bit, in the right knees of 33 Sprague-Dawley rats. Each
      specimen then underwent micro-fracture using a needle. Two weeks after surgery, 3
      groups were randomly formed among the rats (n = 33). In Group 1, 0.2 mL of
      sterile saline solution (0.9%) was injected. In Group 2, 0.2 mL HA with a mean
      molecular weight of 1.2 Mda was injected. In Group 3, 0.2 mL of HA-CS-NAG
      compound (hyaluronate, sodium chondroitin sulfate, N-acetyl-d-glucosamine) was
      injected. The injections were applied on the 14th, the 21st and the 28th
      postoperative days. All rats were sacrificed on the 42nd postoperative day.
      Histological analysis of the repair tissue was performed for each specimen by two
      blinded observers using Wakitani scoring system. RESULTS: There was significantly
      improved repair tissue in both Group 3 and Group 2 when compared with Group 1.
      Group 3 showed statistically significant improvement in terms of 'cell
      morphology' and 'integration of donor with host' when compared to Group 2 (p <
      0.001). CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injection of HA-CS-NAG compound after micro
      fracture results in significantly improved repair tissue in rats' chondral
      defects when compared to HA regarding the donor integration and cell morphology.

PMID- 28622810
TI  - Exploratory examination of the utility of demoralization as a diagnostic
      specifier for adjustment disorder and major depression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Demoralization, a state of lowered morale and poor coping, has a
      prevalence of 13-18% among patients with advanced cancer. We surveyed clinicians'
      perspectives of the utility of "with demoralization" as a diagnostic specifier
      for adjustment and depressive disorders. METHOD: Using comparative clinical
      vignettes in a field survey, clinicians from a range of disciplines were asked
      their perception of the utility of diagnosis and treatment options. Response
      frequencies were compared using Cochran's Q and McNemar's tests, with sensitivity
      and specificity rated against expert rankings of diagnosis. Analysis of variance
      and paired t-tests examined significant differences in ratings of utility.
      RESULTS: Vignettes were assessed by 280 clinicians; 77% supported utility of the
      category 'adjustment disorder with demoralization' compared to 33% supporting
      'adjustment disorder with anxiety' (McNemar test, p<0.001), while 83% supported
      the utility of 'with demoralization' for major depressive episode, matching 83%
      perceiving utility for 'with melancholia.' Sensitivity and specificity ratings
      were 77% and 94% for adjustment disorder with demoralization and 83% and 91% for
      major depression with demoralization. CONCLUSION: Clinicians perceived the
      specifier 'with demoralization' to deepen diagnostic understanding, treatment
      choice, and ability to communicate with clinicians and patients, particularly for
      the category of adjustment disorder with demoralization.

PMID- 28622812
TI  - Clozapine induced gastrointestinal hypomotility: A potentially life threatening
      adverse event. A review of the literature.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The haematological and cardiac complications of clozapine have been
      well documented. Recent evidence from pharmacovigilance databases suggests that
      gastrointestinal (GI) complications are the leading cause of clozapine related
      deaths. This review aims to describe clinical features along with preventative
      and treatment options. METHOD: A review of MEDLINE via PubMed searching for all
      articles published up to February of 2016. Inclusion criteria were articles that
      provided clinical or epidemiological information relating to the diagnosis,
      outcome, management or pathophysiology of clozapine related gastrointestinal
      disorders in humans. RESULTS: Three large case series were identified with 104
      cases, 20 of these reported clinical details. A further 52 cases reports were
      included. Median age was 40, with 79% being male, mean daily clozapine dose was
      453 mg. Mortality was 38% with survivors being younger (39 vs. 42), on lower
      daily doses (400 mg vs. 532 mg), more likely to be female (32% vs. 6%). Four
      patients were re-challenged with clozapine following CIGH, two suffered a
      recurrence. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for CIGH appear to be older age, male
      gender, patients in the first four months of treatment, co-prescription of
      constipating agents, higher daily dose of clozapine, and previous CIGH. Risk
      factors for death were older age and male gender. Patients receiving clozapine
      should be counselled about the dangers of constipation and to report new GI
      symptoms. Once severe CIGH has occurred clozapine should be halted and reviewed
      with bowel symptoms managed promptly. Re-challenging with clozapine may present
      substantial risks due to the severity of CIGH and a paucity of evidence. From the
      available evidence a treatment strategy has been proposed. Further prospective
      data regarding CIGH are needed to allow a better assessment of the scale of the
      problem with the development and testing of treatment strategies.

PMID- 28622811
TI  - Development and preliminary performance of a risk factor screen to predict
      posttraumatic psychological disorder after trauma exposure.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We examined data from a prospective study of risk factors that
      increase vulnerability or resilience, exacerbate distress, or foster recovery to
      determine whether risk factors accurately predict which individuals will later
      have high posttraumatic (PT) symptom levels and whether brief measures of risk
      factors also accurately predict later symptom elevations. METHOD: Using data from
      129 adults exposed to traumatic injury of self or a loved one, we conducted
      receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses of 14 risk factors assessed by
      full-length measures, determined optimal cutoff scores, and calculated predictive
      performance for the nine that were most predictive. For five risk factors, we
      identified sets of items that accounted for 90% of variance in total scores and
      calculated predictive performance for sets of brief risk measures. RESULTS: A set
      of nine risk factors assessed by full measures identified 89% of those who later
      had elevated PT symptoms (sensitivity) and 78% of those who did not
      (specificity). A set of four brief risk factor measures assessed soon after
      injury identified 86% of those who later had elevated PT symptoms and 72% of
      those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Use of sets of brief risk factor measures shows
      promise of accurate prediction of PT psychological disorder and probable PTSD or
      depression. Replication of predictive accuracy is needed in a new and larger
      sample.

PMID- 28622813
TI  - Evaluation of drug use and medication compliance in adolescents admitted to a
      psychiatric facility from the pediatric emergency department.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Knowledge of drug use and medication compliance during mental health
      evaluation can help guide evaluation and treatment. The objective was to evaluate
      drug use and medication compliance in a pediatric emergency department (PED)
      psychiatric population by comparing medical history, standard urine drug screen
      (EIA), and expanded urine drug screen (HPLC-MS/MS). METHODS: A prospective cohort
      study of admitted psychiatric patients >=13years and <=18years in a tertiary-care
      children's hospital psychiatric ED from January 31, 2013 through April 16, 2014.
      RESULTS: 100 patients in our PED were enrolled. Marijuana was the most commonly
      admitted and detected substance; 43% had co-ingestions. HPLC-MS/MS revealed 36
      additional substance exposures than identified by history. All substances
      detected by EIA were also detected by HPLC-MS/MS. Combination of history and HPLC
      MS/MS revealed the most substances used. HPLC-MS/MS identified antidepressants in
      76% of patients prescribed a detectable antidepressant. CONCLUSION: Marijuana use
      was greater than nicotine use and was associated with concomitant polysubstance
      abuse. A combination of history and HPLC-MS/MS was the most thorough in obtaining
      history of drug use. Almost a quarter of patients did not have their prescribed
      antidepressant detected by HPLC-MS/MS. A rapid, affordable expanded drug screen
      should replace the more standard limited drug screen particularly for patients
      who are refractory to treatment.

PMID- 28622814
TI  - Identifying, treating, and advocating for human trafficking victims: A key role
      for psychiatric inpatient units.

PMID- 28622815
TI  - Effects of a brief ED-based alcohol and violence intervention on depressive
      symptoms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Depressive symptoms frequently co-exist in adolescents with alcohol
      use and peer violence. This paper's purpose was to examine the secondary effects
      of a brief alcohol-and-violence-focused ED intervention on depressive symptoms.
      METHOD: Adolescents (ages 14-18) presenting to an ED for any reason, reporting
      past year alcohol use and aggression, were enrolled in a randomized control trial
      (control, therapist-delivered brief intervention [TBI], or computer-delivered
      brief intervention [CBI]). Depressive symptoms were measured at baseline, 3, 6,
      and 12months using a modified 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies
      Depression Scale (CESD-10). Poisson regression was used (adjusting for baseline
      age, gender, and depressive symptoms) to compare depressive symptoms at follow
      up. RESULTS: Among 659 participants, higher baseline depressive symptoms, female
      gender, and age>=16 were associated with higher depressive symptoms over time. At
      3months, CBI and TBI groups had significantly lower CESD-10 scores than the
      control group; at 6months, intervention and control groups did not differ; at
      12months, only CBI had a significantly lower CESD-10 score than control.
      CONCLUSIONS: A single-session brief ED-based intervention focused on alcohol use
      and violence also reduces depressive symptoms among at-risk youth. Findings also
      point to the potential efficacy of using technology in future depression
      interventions.

PMID- 28622816
TI  - The association between posttraumatic stress symptoms, depression, and length of
      hospital stay following traumatic injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the relationship between posttraumatic
      stress symptoms (PTSS) and depression symptoms with hospital outcome measures to
      explore how psychiatric factors relate to hospital length of stay (LOS). METHOD:
      Participants were adults admitted to a large Level I Trauma Center for longer
      than 24h. Depression was assessed at hospitalization using the Patient Health
      Questionnaire (PHQ-8), and PTSS was measured by the Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC
      PTSD). Hospital outcome information was collected from the hospital's trauma
      registry. Pearson correlations were performed. RESULTS: 460 participants (mean
      age=44years, SD=16.8; 65.4% male) completed the study. Baseline PTSS and
      depression were significantly correlated with longer hospital LOS while
      controlling for demographics and injury severity (p=0.026; p=0.023). Both PTSS
      positive and depression-positive groups had an average increased hospital LOS of
      two days. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of individuals who are admitted
      to the hospital following trauma may be at risk for depression and PTSS, which
      may then increase hospital LOS. As national attention turns to reducing
      healthcare costs, early screenings and interventions may aid in minimizing
      psychiatric symptoms in trauma patients, in turn reducing the cost and outcomes
      associated with total hospital LOS.

PMID- 28622817
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors for postoperative delirium in total joint
      arthroplasty patients: A prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the incidence
      and clinical features of delirium after total joint arthroplasty, and to
      establish the potential risk factors for postoperative delirium. METHODS: A total
      of 212 consecutive patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty, who met the
      inclusion and exclusive criteria were enrolled. The general characteristics,
      preoperative and postoperative hematological variables were documented
      respectively. According to the presence of delirium, all patients were divided
      into the delirium group and non-delirium group. Univariate and multivariate
      logistic regression were performed to identify the possible predictors for
      postoperative delirium. RESULTS: At a minimum of 6months of follow-up, 35
      patients were observed with postoperative delirium at an estimated total
      incidence of 16.5%. The incidence of delirium was statistically higher in hip
      arthroplasty (22.8%) than that in knee arthroplasty (7.1%). The multivariate
      regression analysis identified older age (OR=1.590, P=0.023), a history of stroke
      (OR=190.23, P=0.036), preoperative PaO2 (OR=1.277, P=0.018) and equivalent
      fentanyl dose (OR=1.010, P=0.012) as the predictive factors for postoperative
      delirium after total joint arthroplasty. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of
      postoperative delirium after total joint arthroplasty is higher than expected.
      Based on our findings, we suggest that the surgeons should focus on those
      patients who have these risk factors and ensure the appropriate management to
      avoid postoperative delirium.

PMID- 28622818
TI  - Use of a smartphone application to screen for depression and suicide in South
      Korea.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This is a cross-sectional study using a free depression and suicide
      screening smartphone application, which contains the data from the Center for
      Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) and a Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire
      Revised (SBQ-R). METHOD: The free application was downloaded worldwide from
      Apple's App Store and Android Market, and the participants who downloaded the
      application were actively measured. RESULTS: The subjects totaled 208,683 men and
      women. 72.6% of the subjects were females, and 81.4% of the subjects were aged
      between 10 and 29years. In total, 25.7% of the participants were recorded CES-D
      positive, and there were differences among the groups based on sex (chi2=1065.82,
      p<0.001), age (chi2=1420.75, p<0.001), and psychiatric history (chi2=1502.21,
      p<0.001). The highest score of CES-D, 40.69+/-15.79 and that of SBQ-R, 13.68+/
      4.97 was reported by the participants with a history of schizophrenia. The
      characteristics associated with suicide were as follows: depression (OR 8.92, 95%
      CI: 8.71-9.13), female (OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.36-1.43), 30-49 age group (OR 2.51,
      95% CI: 2.29-2.72), 50 or older age group (OR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.35-1.61), and
      psychiatric history (OR 1.98, 95% CI: 1.89-2.06). CONCLUSION: The smartphone
      application may be a useful tool for screening depression and suicide.

PMID- 28622819
TI  - Systematic and organizational issues implicated in post-hospitalization suicides
      of medically hospitalized patients: A study of root-cause analysis reports.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Medical hospitalization is a high risk period for suicide. It is
      important to understand system-level factors that may be associated with suicide
      after a medical hospitalization. METHOD: Retrospective study of root-cause
      analysis (RCA) reports of suicide occurring within three months of Veterans
      Administration (VA) medical hospitalization, 2002-2015. We collected patient and
      system-level factors to characterize events. RESULTS: There were 96 RCA reports
      pertaining to suicide within three months of medical hospitalization. A total of
      168 root causes for suicide were identified and fell into three major themes
      including: management of known suicide risk (N=73, 43%), decision making to
      monitor suicide risk (N=48, 29%), and patient engagement in treatment (N=47,
      28%). RCA reports raised concerns that medical teams did not provide mental
      health treatment when indicated and lacked a standardized process for assessing
      psychological well-being in patients with a serious medical illness. In 25 cases,
      patients declined recommended treatment and in 15 cases, patients left against
      medical advice (AMA). CONCLUSIONS: Challenges with patient engagement in
      treatment and lack of standardized processes for assessing and managing suicide
      risk may play an important role in suicide risk after medical hospitalization.
      Additional high quality studies are needed to confirm our findings.

PMID- 28622820
TI  - Diabetes quality of care and outcomes: Comparison of individuals with and without
      schizophrenia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Individuals with schizophrenia are more likely to develop diabetes
      than individuals without schizophrenia. The objective of this study was to
      determine the quality of diabetes care and diabetes-related health outcomes among
      individuals with and without schizophrenia. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective
      cohort study. As of April 1, 2011, we identified all individuals with diabetes in
      Ontario with and without a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The main outcomes were
      quality of diabetes care (guideline-concordant testing for HbA1c, lipid testing,
      eye exams) and diabetes-related Emergency Department (ED) visits and
      hospitalizations between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2013. We compared quality of
      care and diabetes outcomes among those with and without schizophrenia, adjusting
      for demographic, illness severity, and health service utilization variables.
      RESULTS: We identified 1,131,375 individuals with diabetes, among whom 25,628
      (2.3%) had schizophrenia. Schizophrenia was associated with reduced likelihood of
      optimal diabetes care (all 3 of HbA1c, lipid testing, and eye exams) (adjusted OR
      (95% CI): 0.64 (0.61-0.67)) and increased likelihood of diabetes-related ED
      visits (adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.34 (1.28-1.41)) and hospitalizations (adjusted OR
      (95% CI): 1.36 (1.28-1.43)). CONCLUSION: Individuals with diabetes and
      schizophrenia have lower rates of recommended testing and higher rates of
      diabetes-related hospital visits than those with diabetes but without
      schizophrenia. Research is needed to understand patient, provider, and system
      factors underlying these disparities and test related interventions to close the
      gaps in quality of care.

PMID- 28622821
TI  - The therapeutic discharge: An approach to dealing with deceptive patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Patients with factitious disorder or malingering behaviors pose
      particular problems in acute care settings. We sought to describe a manner to
      effectively discharge these patients and keep further harm, iatrogenic or
      otherwise, from being inflicted. METHOD: Once an indication has been identified,
      the therapeutic discharge can be carried out in a stepwise fashion, resulting in
      a safe discharge. We outlined how to prepare for, and execute, the therapeutic
      discharge, along with preemptive consideration of complications that may arise.
      RESULTS: Consequences for the patient, physicians, and larger healthcare system
      are considered. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic discharge is a safe and effective
      procedure for patients with deception syndromes in acute care settings. Carrying
      it out is a necessary element of psychiatric residency and psychosomatic medicine
      fellowship training.

PMID- 28622822
TI  - The high price of depression: Family members' health conditions and health care
      costs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the health conditions and health care costs of family
      members of patients diagnosed with a Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) to family
      members of patients without an MDD diagnosis. METHODS: Using electronic health
      record data, we identified family members (n=201,914) of adult index patients
      (n=92,399) diagnosed with MDD between 2009 and 2014 and family members
      (n=187,011) of matched patients without MDD. Diagnoses, health care utilization
      and costs were extracted for each family member. Logistic regression and
      multivariate models were used to compare diagnosed health conditions, health
      services cost, and utilization of MDD and non-MDD family members. Analyses
      covered the 5years before and after the index patient's MDD diagnosis. RESULTS:
      MDD family members were more likely than non-MDD family members to be diagnosed
      with mood disorders, anxiety, substance use disorder, and numerous other
      conditions. MDD family members had higher health care costs than non-MDD family
      members in every period analyzed, with the highest difference being in the year
      before the index patient's MDD diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Family members of patients
      with MDD are more likely to have a number of health conditions compared to non
      MDD family members, and to have higher health care cost and utilization.

PMID- 28622823
TI  - Does behavioral health integration improve primary care providers' perceptions of
      health-care system functioning and their own knowledge?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of behavioral health integration (BHI) on
      primary care providers' (PCPs') (1) perceptions of behavioral health (BH)-primary
      care (PC) system functioning and (2) perceptions of their own knowledge regarding
      how to manage, triage, and access help in caring for patients with mental health
      conditions and substance use disorders. METHODS: We implemented BHI based on
      evidence-based models consisting of seven elements: (1)Screening for mental
      health and substance use disorders, (2)Training of PC teams, (3)Integration of BH
      providers into PC teams, (4)Roll-out of unlicensed mental health care managers
      and establishment of a BH registry, (5)Psychiatry consult service, (6)Site-based
      BHI meetings, and (7)Site self assessments. The intervention was rolled out in
      early integration sites during two years and late integration sites during the
      subsequent two years. In this observational pre-post study, we administered an
      anonymous online survey annually to PCPs; 381 PCPs at 11 primary care clinics
      participated. RESULTS: The proportion of PCPs with high perceived BH-PC systems
      functioning scores quadrupled from 14% to 55% (p<0.0001) and high perceived
      knowledge scores increased from 63 to 85% (p<0.001). Larger increases were
      demonstrated in early integration sites during the first two years and in late
      integration sites during the latter two years of the survey. Adjusting for
      participant and site level characteristics did not change these outcomes.
      CONCLUSIONS: BHI improves PCP perceptions of BH-PC system functioning and
      perceptions of knowledge.

PMID- 28622824
TI  - Toxicological assessment of nano and micron-sized tungsten oxide after 28days
      repeated oral administration to Wistar rats.
AB  - Tungsten oxide (WO3) nanoparticles (NPs) are being used in various applications.
      However, the health consequences of WO3 NPs exposure have not been explored
      extensively. Hence, the goal of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of WO3
      NPs and their microparticles (MPs) after 28days repeated oral administration in
      Wistar rats. The particles were characterised by transmission electron microscopy
      (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV), Brunner
      Emmett-Teller (BET), X- ray diffraction (XRD), and inductively coupled plasma
      optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Genotoxicity was determined using comet
      assay in blood and liver and micronucleus test in bone marrow. Biochemical
      parameters such as aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in
      serum and reduced glutathione content, catalase and lipid peroxidation in liver
      tissue were determined. Histopathological changes in tissues were documented.
      Biodistribution of tungsten (W) in rat's blood, urine, feces and tissues were
      analysed. The mean size of WO3 NPs and MPs by TEM was 52+/-2.97nm, and 5.73+/
      7.58MUm and morphology were spherical in both the particles. DLS of NPs was
      195.6nm. XRD and BET data of WO3 NPs and MPs showed a hexagonal and tetragonal
      crystal structure and surface area of 19.33 and 15.15(m2/g), respectively. The
      results revealed a significant increase in DNA damage and micronuclei, a
      difference in biochemical levels and histopathological alterations after exposure
      to 1000mg/kg dose of WO3 NPs. W biodistribution was detected in all the tissues
      in a dose and organ-dependent manner in both the particles. The highest amount of
      W was found in the liver and lowest in the brain of the treated rats. The tested
      NPs were found to have little toxicity hazard.

PMID- 28622825
TI  - Mutagenicity of omega-3 fatty acid peroxidation products in the Ames test.
AB  - Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) represent one of the main building blocks of
      cellular membranes and their varying composition impacts lifespan as well as
      susceptibility to cancer and other degenerative diseases. Increased intake of
      omega-3 PUFA is taught to compensate for the abundance of omega-6 PUFA in modern
      human diet and prevent cardiocirculatory diseases. However, highly unsaturated
      PUFA of marine and seed origin easily oxidize to aldehydic products which form
      DNA adducts. With increased PUFA consumption it is prudent to re-evaluate omega-3
      PUFA safety and the genotoxic hazards of their metabolites. We have used the
      standard Ames test to examine the mutagenicity of 2 hexenals derived from lipid
      peroxidation of the common omega-3 PUFA in human diet and tissues. Both 4
      hydroxyhexenal and 2-hexenal derived from the omega-3 docosahexaenoic and alpha
      linolenic acid, respectively, induced base substitutions in the TA104 and TA100
      Ames strains in a dose dependent manner. Their mutagenicity was dependent on the
      Y-family DNA polymerase RI and they did not induce other types of mutations such
      as the -2 and -1 frameshifts in the TA98 and TA97 strains. Our results expand
      previous findings about the mutagenicity of related omega-3 peroxidation product
      4-oxohexenal and raise alert that overuse of omega-3 rich oils may have adverse
      effect on genome stability.

PMID- 28622826
TI  - GSTP1 and XRCC1 polymorphisms and DNA damage in agricultural workers exposed to
      pesticides.
AB  - Pesticide exposure may be associated with increased risk of genotoxicity and
      carcinogenesis. These risks may be affected by polymorphisms of genes for
      glutathione transferase-dependent metabolism of pesticides and for DNA repair. We
      studied the prevalence of GSTP1 and XRCC1 polymorphisms and their possible
      correlation with DNA damage following prolonged pesticide exposure. DNA damage
      was estimated by the comet assay in peripheral blood samples from 51 pesticide
      exposed workers and 50 controls. GSTP1 (105) and XRCC1 (399 and 194) genotypes
      were identified by restriction fragment length analysis. Individuals carrying
      theGSTP1 Ile-Ile or XRCC1399 Arg-Arg genotypes showed greater DNA damage than
      observed for other alleles.

PMID- 28622827
TI  - Copaifera multijuga oleoresin and its constituent diterpene (-)-copalic acid:
      Genotoxicity and chemoprevention study.
AB  - Copaiba oleoresins are used in alternative medicine as anti-inflammatory,
      antitumoral, and antimicrobial treatments. (-)-Copalic acid (CA) is the major
      diterpene found in exudates from Copaifera species. We have examined the
      genotoxicity and the chemopreventive potential of Copaifera multijuga oleoresin
      (CM) and CA. Genotoxicity assessment was examined with the peripheral blood
      micronucleus test and the comet assay (male Swiss mouse hepatocytes). In the
      chemoprevention study, we evaluated the effects of CM and CA on the formation of
      1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in male Wistar rat
      colon. Neither agent caused a significant increase in micronucleus frequency
      relative to controls, but the highest CM dose tested (400mg/kg b.w.) caused DNA
      damage in the comet assay. Both agents significantly reduced the frequency of DMH
      induced ACF. Both CM and CA suppressed ACF formation and may have a protective
      effect against colon carcinogenesis.

PMID- 28622828
TI  - The index of ideality of correlation: A criterion of predictive potential of
      QSPR/QSAR models?
AB  - The index of ideality of correlation (IIC) is a new criterion of the predictive
      potential of quantitative structure-property/activity relationships
      (QSPRs/QSARs). This IIC is calculated with using of the correlation coefficient
      between experimental and calculated values of endpoint for the calibration set,
      with taking into account the positive and negative dispersions between
      experimental and calculated values. The mutagenicity is well-known important
      characteristic of substances from ecological point of view. Consequently, the
      estimation of the IIC for mutagenicity is well motivated. It is confirmed that
      the utilization of this criterion significantly improves the predictive potential
      of QSAR models of mutagenicity. The new criterion can be used for other
      endpoints.

PMID- 28622829
TI  - Investigation of J-shaped dose-responses induced by exposure to the alkylating
      agent N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.
AB  - Hormesis is defined as a biphasic dose-response where biological effects of low
      doses of a stressor demonstrate the opposite effect to high-dose effects of the
      same stressor. Hormetic, or J-shaped, dose-response relationships are relatively
      rarely observed in toxicology, resulting in a limited understanding and even some
      skepticism of the concept. Low dose-response studies for genotoxicity endpoints
      have been performed at Swansea University for over a decade. However, no
      statistically significant decreases below control genotoxicity levels have been
      detected until recently. A hormetic-style dose-response following a 24h exposure
      to the alkylating agent N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) was observed in a previous
      study for HPRT mutagenesis in the human lymphoblastoid cell line AHH-1. A second
      recent study demonstrated a J-shaped dose-response for the induction of
      micronuclei by MNU in a 24h treatment in a similar test system. Following
      mechanistic investigations, it was hypothesized that p53 may be responsible for
      the observed hormetic phenomenon. As genotoxic carcinogens are a major causative
      factor of many cancers, consideration of hormesis in carcinogenesis could be
      important in safety assessment. The data examined here offer possible insights
      into hormesis, including its estimated prevalence, underlying mechanisms and lack
      of generalizability.

PMID- 28622830
TI  - Corrigendum to "Involvement of autophagy in connexin 40 reduction in the late
      phase of traumatic brain injury in rats" [Brain Res. Bull. 131 (2017) 100-106].

PMID- 28622831
TI  - Impact of Postoperative Radiotherapy in Men with Persistently Elevated Prostate
      specific Antigen After Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer: A Long-term
      Survival Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
      persistence after radical prostatectomy (RP) are at increased risk of mortality,
      although the natural history of these men is heterogeneous and the optimal
      management has not been established. OBJECTIVE: To develop a model to predict
      cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and to test the impact of radiotherapy (RT) on
      survival in this setting. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We identified 496
      patients treated with RP and lymph node dissection at two referral centers
      between 1994 and 2014 who had PSA persistence, defined as a PSA level between 0.1
      and 2 ng/ml at 6-8 wk after RP. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSES: A
      multivariable model predicting CSM was developed. We assessed whether the impact
      of postoperative PSA levels on survival differed according to baseline CSM risk.
      The nonparametric curve fitting method was then used to explore the relationship
      between baseline CSM risk and 10-yr CSM rates according to postoperative RT.
      RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Median follow-up for survivors was 110 mo. Overall, 49
      patients experienced CSM. The 10-yr CSM-free survival was 88%. Pathologic grade
      group and pathologic stage were independent predictors of CSM (all p=0.01). The
      association between CSM-free survival and PSA at 6-8 wk differed by the baseline
      CSM risk, whereby the effect of increasing PSA was evident only in patients with
      a CSM risk of >=10%. Postoperative RT was beneficial when the predicted risk of
      CSM was >=30% (p=0.001 by an interaction test). Our study is limited by its
      retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing PSA levels should be considered as
      predictors of mortality exclusively in men with worse pathologic characteristics.
      Postoperative RT in this setting was associated with a survival benefit in
      patients with a CSM risk of >=30%. Conversely, individuals with a CSM risk of
      <30% should be initially managed expectantly. PATIENT SUMMARY: Not all patients
      with prostate-specific antigen persistence have a poor prognosis. Pathologic
      characteristics should be used to estimate the risk of cancer-specific mortality
      in these individuals and to identify patients who could benefit from
      postoperative radiotherapy.

PMID- 28622832
TI  - Management of war-related vascular wounds in French role 3 hospital during the
      Afghan campaign.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the management of war-related vascular injuries in the
      Kabul French military hospital. METHODS: From January 2009 to April 2013, in the
      Kabul French military hospital, we prospectively included all patients presenting
      with war-related vascular injuries. We collected the following data: site, type,
      and mechanism of vascular injury, associated trauma, type of vascular repair,
      amputation rate and complications. RESULTS: Out of the 922 soldiers admitted for
      emergency surgical care, we recorded 45 (5%) patients presenting with vascular
      injuries: 30 (67%) gunshot-related, 11 (24%) explosive device-related, and 4 (9%)
      due to road traffic accident. The majority of injuries (93%) involved limbs.
      Vascular injuries were associated with fractures in 71% of cases. Twelve (26.7%)
      had an early amputation performed before evacuation. Twenty (44.4%) patients
      underwent fasciotomy and three (6.6%) sustained a compartment syndrome.
      CONCLUSIONS: This was the first French reported series of war-related vascular
      injuries during the last decade's major conflicts. The majority of injuries
      occurred in the limbs. Autologous vein graft remains the treatment of choice for
      arterial repair. Functional severity of these injuries justifies specific
      training for military surgeons.

PMID- 28622833
TI  - Biomechanical evaluation of the tension band wiring principle. A comparison
      between two different techniques for transverse patella fracture fixation.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of the dynamic
      compression principle of tension band wiring in two techniques for patella
      fracture treatment. METHODS: Twelve human cadaveric knees with simulated
      transverse patella fractures were assigned to two groups for treatment with
      tension band wiring using either Kirschner (K-) wires or cannulated screws.
      Biomechanical testing was performed over three knee movement cycles between 90
      degrees  flexion and 0 degrees  full extension. Pressure distribution in the
      fracture gap and fracture site displacement were evaluated at the 3rd cycle in 15
      degrees  steps, namely 90 degrees -75 degrees -60 degrees -45 degrees -30 degrees
      -15 degrees -0 degrees  extension phase and 0 degrees -15 degrees -30 degrees -45
      degrees -60 degrees -75 degrees -90 degrees  flexion phase. RESULTS: Mean
      anterior / posterior interfragmentary pressure in the groups with K-wires and
      cannulated screws ranged within 0.16-0.40MPa / 0.12-0.35MPa and 0.37-0.59MPa /
      0.10-0.30MPa, respectively. These changes remained non-significant for both
      groups and loading phases (P>=0.171). Mean anterior / posterior fracture site
      displacement for K-wires and cannulated screws ranged within -0.01-0.53mm / 0.11
      0.74mm and 0.11-0.55mm / -0.10-0.50mm, respectively. Anterior displacement
      remained without significant changes for both groups and loading phases
      (P>=0.112). However, posterior displacement underwent a significant increase in
      the course of knee extension for K-wires (P<=0.047), but not for cannulated
      screws (P>=0.202). Significantly smaller displacement at the posterior fracture
      site was detected in the group with cannulated screws compared to K-wires at 60
      degrees  and 75 degrees  extension phase (P<=0.017), as well as at 45 degrees ,
      60 degrees  and 75 degrees  flexion phase (P<=0.018). The critical value of 2mm
      displacement at the posterior fracture site was not reached for any specimen and
      fixation technique. Knee extension was accompanied by synchronous increase in
      quadriceps pulling force. CONCLUSIONS: Tension band wiring fulfills from a
      biomechanical perspective the requirements for sufficient stability of transverse
      patella fracture fixation. It should, however, rather be considered as a static
      fixation principle than a dynamic one. Tension band wiring with cannulated screws
      was found advantageous over Kirschner wires in terms of interfragmentary
      movements at the posterior fracture site.

PMID- 28622834
TI  - Morbid obesity and functional status as predictors of surgical complication after
      renal transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the impact of body mass index (BMI) and patient
      functional status on the risk for surgical complications after kidney transplant.
      METHODS: This retrospective cohort study of adult kidney transplant recipients
      grouped patients by baseline Karnofsky status (low function <= 70%) and further
      stratified by morbid obesity (BMI >= 35 kg/m2) to assess surgical complication
      risk. RESULTS: 736 patients were included with surgical complications occurring
      in 25%. Logistic regression analysis with interaction terms demonstrated that
      morbid obesity and low functional status conditionally impact risk with an OR of
      2.8 [95% CI (1.1-7.3)]. Within the functional status cohort, BMI >=35 kg/m2 was
      associated with increased risk of surgical complication, superficial wound
      infection, and DGF. Independent predictors for surgical complications included
      diabetes and morbid obesity with low functional status. There was no significant
      difference in graft loss or death across the cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: While neither
      morbid obesity nor poor functional status alone predicts increased complications,
      the combined presence is associated with significant increase in risk for
      surgical complications after renal transplantation.

PMID- 28622835
TI  - Percutaneous drainage for giant pyogenic liver abscess-does size matter?

PMID- 28622836
TI  - Safety assessment of the use of ultrasonic energy in the proximity of the
      recurrent laryngeal nerve in a porcine model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Advanced bipolar and ultrasonic energy have demonstrated reduction of
      operating time and blood loss in thyroidectomy. However, these devices generate
      heat and thermal dispersion that may damage adjacent structures such as the
      recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). This study was designed to evaluate the safety
      profile of the Harmonic Focus+(r) (HF+) device through the evaluation of thermal
      injury to the RLN using different algorithms of distance and time with state of
      the art technology. METHODS: 25 Vietnamese pigs underwent activation of HF+ in
      the proximity of their RLN. They were divided into 4 groups according to
      activation distance (3 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm and on the RLN). Time of activation, time
      between tones of the ultrasonic generator, changes in the electromyographic
      signal using continuous nerve neuromonitoring, vocal fold mobility assessed by
      direct laryngoscopy and histological thermal damaged were evaluated. RESULTS:
      None of the pigs had loss of signal in the electromyography during the procedure;
      only one pig had isolated transient decrease in amplitude and one increase in
      latency. One pig had transient vocal fold paresis in the group with activation on
      the nerve. Evaluation of the nerves by histology and immunohistochemistry did not
      show significant changes attributed to thermal injury. CONCLUSIONS: The use of
      ultrasonic energy close to the RLN is safe, provided that activation time does
      not exceed the necessary time to safely transect the tissue.

PMID- 28622837
TI  - Risk assessment of the blunt trauma victim: The role of the quick Sequential
      Organ Failure Assessment Score (qSOFA).
AB  - BACKGROUND: A number or risk assessment tools are used in trauma victims. Because
      of its simplicity, we examined the ability of the recently described quick
      Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (qSOFA) to predict outcomes in blunt
      trauma patients presenting to the Emergency Department. METHODS: We queried the
      trauma registry at a Level 1 Trauma Center for all adult blunt trauma admissions
      between 1/1/10 and 9/30/15. qSOFA scores were the sum of binary scores for 3
      variables (RR >= 22, SBP<=100 mmHg, and GCS<=13). RESULTS: There were 7064
      admissions (5664 admissions had qSOFA = 0, 1164 had qSOFA = 1, 223 had qSOFA = 2,
      and 13 had qSOFA = 3). Higher qSOFA scores were associated with greater injury
      severity, increased ICU admission, and higher complication rates. qSOFA scores
      were associated with in-hospital mortality (1.7% with qSOFA = 0; 8.7% with qSOFA
      = 1; 22.4% with qSOFA = 2; 23.1% with qSOFA = 3; p < 0.001). On multivariate
      analysis, qSOFA score was an independent predictor of mortality. CONCLUSIONS:
      qSOFA scores are directly associated with adverse outcomes in blunt trauma
      victims.

PMID- 28622838
TI  - Do patients requiring a multivisceral resection for rectal cancer have worse
      oncologic outcomes than patients undergoing only abdominoperineal resection?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Abdominoperineal Resection (APR) remains an important option for
      patients with advanced rectal cancer though some may require multivisceral
      resection (MVR) in addition to APR. We hypothesized that oncological outcomes
      would be worse with MVR. METHODS: A retrospective review from 2006 to 2015 of 161
      patients undergoing APR or MVR for rectal cancer, of whom 118 underwent curative
      APR or APR with MVR. Perioperative, oncologic and survival metrics were
      evaluated. RESULTS: There were 82 patients who underwent APR and 36 who underwent
      MVR. Surgical approach and incidence of complications were similar (All P >
      0.05). There was 1 local recurrence in each of the APR and MVR groups at a mean
      follow-up of 34 and 32 months, respectively. Distant recurrences occurred in 3
      APR patients and 4 MVR patients. CONCLUSIONS: APR and APR with MVR can be
      performed with comparable morbidity and oncologic outcomes.

PMID- 28622840
TI  - Systematic review of randomized controlled trials on the role of coaching in
      surgery to improve learner outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical coaching, with the goal of improving operative performance,
      has been introduced into residency and fellowship programs. This is the first
      systematic review on surgical coaching limited to randomized controlled trials.
      The objective of this review is to synthesize the existing evidence that
      addresses the following question: "What are the effects of surgical coaching to
      improve learner outcomes?" METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was
      performed through the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, and Cochrane
      Central Register of Controlled Trials. The methodological quality of the selected
      randomized controlled trials was evaluated using the Cochrane Collaboration tool
      for assessing risk of bias. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials were
      included in our final analysis. All five RCTs showed improvement in technical
      surgical performance after coaching. Two studies provided further evidence that
      skills were retained and one described the high satisfaction of learners. The
      risk of bias was low in 3 trials. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical coaching is associated
      with high learner satisfaction and improvements of skills and knowledge. The
      current evidence for surgical coaching programs is overwhelmingly positive.

PMID- 28622839
TI  - Water lavage as an adjunct to cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic
      intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Water lavage (WL) during gastrointestinal cancer surgery has
      osmotically mediated lytic effects on tumor cells. We investigated the safety and
      efficacy of WL with CRS-HIPEC. METHODS: This is a retrospective review, 1/2003
      7/2014, of a single institution experience with CRS-HIPEC comparing patients who
      had WL (WL+) to those who did not (WL-). RESULTS: Of 157 CRS-HIPECs, 16 (10.2%)
      were WL+. WL+ had more PCI scores >20 compared to WL- (56.3% vs 19.4%,
      respectively, p = 0.003); however, the completeness of cytoreduction (CC) was
      similar. There were no differences in hospital length of stay or post-operative
      complications. The average POD 1 sodium (Na) level was statistically lower in the
      WL+ group (133.6 +/- 2.5 vs 135.5 +/- 3.2 mEq/L, p = 0.023); however, the average
      Na at discharge for each group was 140 mEq/L. There were no differences in 3-year
      OS (3WL+:0.63 vs WL-:0.68, p = 0.97) or RFS (WL+:0.32 vs WL-:0.39, p = 0.47). A
      subset analysis for patients with PCI >20 showed no difference between groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: WL offers a low cost, safe and theoretically efficacious method of
      tumor cell lysis for peritoneal malignancy.

PMID- 28622841
TI  - Do online prognostication tools represent a valid alternative to genomic
      profiling in the context of adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer? A
      systematic review of the literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Decision-making regarding adjuvant chemotherapy has been based on
      clinical and pathological features. However, such decisions are seldom
      consistent. Web-based predictive models have been developed using data from
      cancer registries to help determine the need for adjuvant therapy. More recently,
      with the recognition of the heterogenous nature of breast cancer, genomic assays
      have been developed to aid in the therapeutic decision-making. METHODS: We have
      carried out a comprehensive literature review regarding online prognostication
      tools and genomic assays to assess whether online tools could be used as valid
      alternatives to genomic profiling in decision-making regarding adjuvant therapy
      in early breast cancer. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer has been recently
      recognized as a heterogenous disease based on variations in molecular
      characteristics. Online tools are valuable in guiding adjuvant treatment,
      especially in resource constrained countries. However, in the era of personalized
      therapy, molecular profiling appears to be superior in predicting clinical
      outcome and guiding therapy.

PMID- 28622842
TI  - Two-stage knee arthrodesis with a modular intramedullary nail due to septic
      failure of revision total knee arthroplasty with extensor mechanism deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic joint infection is a serious complication and
      reconstruction after failed revision total knee arthroplasty with significant
      bone loss and compromised soft-tissues can be challenging. Objective of this
      study was to assess clinical and functional results, implant survival and
      infection recurrence rates in patients treated with two-stage arthrodesis after
      failed revision TKA with extensor mechanism deficiencies due to PJI, and to
      identify the factors that affect outcomes after surgery. METHODS: Thirty seven
      patients with PJI treated within a two-stage exchange and reimplantation of an
      arthrodesis nail between 2008 and 2014 were included. Systemic and local risk
      factors were graded preoperatively according to McPherson et al. All patients
      were treated according to a structured treatment algorithm. Clinical and
      functional evaluation was performed using the Oxford Knee Score and the Visual
      Analogue Scale. RESULTS: Thirty two of 37 patients (86.5%) were graded as free of
      infection. Five patients (13.5%) had recurrent infection after arthrodesis with
      the need of revision surgery. Mean leg-length discrepancy was 2.2cm. The mean VAS
      for pain was three, the mean Oxford Knee Score was 38+/-9. Total implant survival
      at a 74month follow-up was 74.3% (95% CI: 45.4 to 91.1%), as determined by Kaplan
      Meier survival curves. Local McPherson Score, as well as number of revisions was
      found to be of significant influence to the survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Septic
      failure of revision knee arthroplasty can be effectively treated with two-stage
      arthrodesis using a modular intramedullary nail, providing a stable and painless
      limb with satisfactory functional results and acceptable infection eradication
      rates.

PMID- 28622843
TI  - Fatal pulmonary embolism following elective total knee replacement using aspirin
      in multi-modal prophylaxis - A 12year study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has
      issued guidelines on which thromboprophylaxis regimens are suitable following
      lower limb arthroplasty. Aspirin is not a recommended agent despite being
      accepted in orthopaedic guidelines elsewhere. We assessed the incidence of fatal
      pulmonary embolism (PE) and all-cause mortality following elective primary total
      knee replacement (TKR) with a standardised multi-modal prophylaxis regime in a
      large teaching district general hospital. METHODS: We utilised a prospective
      audit database to identify those that had died within 42 and 90days
      postoperatively. Data from April 2000 to 2012 were analysed for 42 and 90day
      mortality rates. There were a total of 8277 elective primary TKR performed over
      the 12year period. The multi-modal prophylaxis regimen used unless
      contraindicated for all patients included 75mg aspirin once daily for four weeks.
      Case note review ascertained the causes of death. Where a patient had been
      referred to the coroner, they were contacted for post mortem results. RESULTS:
      The mortality rates at 42 and 90days were 0.36 and 0.46%. There was one fatal PE
      within 42days of surgery (0.01%) who was taking enoxaparin because of aspirin
      intolerance. Two fatal PE's occurred at 48 and 57days post-operatively (0.02%).
      The leading cause of death was myocardial infarction (0.13%). CONCLUSIONS: Fatal
      PE following elective TKR with a multi-modal prophylaxis regime is a very rare
      cause of mortality.

PMID- 28622845
TI  - Black Truffle, a Hermaphrodite with Forced Unisexual Behaviour.
AB  - The life cycle of the black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) includes a mating before
      sporulation: although the species is hermaphroditic, mating turns out to involve
      parents with very different features, that mostly behave as male or female only,
      suggesting that this species undergoes forced dioecism.

PMID- 28622844
TI  - Antimycobacterial Metabolism: Illuminating Mycobacterium tuberculosis Biology and
      Drug Discovery.
AB  - Bacteria are capable of performing a number of biotransformations that may
      activate or deactivate xenobiotics. Recent efforts have utilized metabolomics
      techniques to study the fate of small-molecule antibacterials within the targeted
      organism. Examples involving Mycobacterium tuberculosis are reviewed and analyzed
      with regard to the insights they provide as to both activation and deactivation
      of the antibacterial. The studies, in particular, shed light on biosynthetic
      transformations performed by M. tuberculosis while suggesting avenues for the
      evolution of chemical tools, highlighting potential areas for drug discovery, and
      mechanisms of approved drugs. A two-pronged approach investigating the metabolism
      of antibacterials within both the host and bacterium is outlined and will be of
      value to both the chemical biology and drug discovery fields.

PMID- 28622846
TI  - Comparison between resident and caged mussels: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon
      accumulation and biological response.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare the capability of "passive" and "active"
      biomonitoring to determine the environmental pressure. For this purpose, PAHs
      content and several biological responses in resident and caged mussels (Mytilus
      galloprovincialis) at five sampling sites (Rijeka Bay, Adriatic Sea) were
      analsed. Resident mussels were found better in reflecting the level of PAH loads
      at particular sites while only caged mussels could detect input of HMW PAHs. When
      data of each investigated parameter were compared separately, the majority of
      differences between resident and caged mussels' results were site-specific.
      Integration of biological response patterns expressed as Index of Biological
      Response (IBR) resulted with different sampling sites ranking for resident and
      caged mussels. Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) based on integration of tissue PAH
      concentration and biological response revealed resident mussels as more powerful
      for detection of environmental pressure. The use of resident mussels is
      recommended as appropriate and less costly approach for monitoring the effect of
      pollution.

PMID- 28622847
TI  - Historic scale and persistence of drill cuttings impacts on North Sea benthos.
AB  - Despite its long history of hydrocarbon exploitation, the United Kingdom lacks
      scientific protocols to monitor ecological impacts of drill cuttings (mixtures
      between rocky material excavated from wells and drilling mud). The present study
      used the UK Benthos industry database to apply standardised variance partitioning
      and measure the scale and persistence of these effects at 19 sites across the UK
      sector of the North Sea. Generally, effects were limited to within 1 km from the
      platform, but two platforms historically drilled with oil-based mud were impacted
      up to 1.2 km away. Impacts persisted for at least 6-8 years in the northern and
      central North Sea, but were undetectable in the south where cuttings piles do not
      accumulate. This study underpins new recommendations to implement regional, phase
      based approaches to drill cuttings monitoring, and to apply a precautionary
      approach in considering decommissioning options that will minimise disturbance to
      cuttings piles.

PMID- 28622848
TI  - Average male and female virtual dummy model (BioRID and EvaRID) simulations with
      two seat concepts in the Euro NCAP low severity rear impact test configuration.
AB  - Soft tissue neck injuries, also referred to as whiplash injuries, which can lead
      to long term suffering accounts for more than 60% of the cost of all injuries
      leading to permanent medical impairment for the insurance companies, with respect
      to injuries sustained in vehicle crashes. These injuries are sustained in all
      impact directions, however they are most common in rear impacts. Injury
      statistics have since the mid-1960s consistently shown that females are subject
      to a higher risk of sustaining this type of injury than males, on average twice
      the risk of injury. Furthermore, some recently developed anti-whiplash systems
      have revealed they provide less protection for females than males. The protection
      of both males and females should be addresses equally when designing and
      evaluating vehicle safety systems to ensure maximum safety for everyone. This is
      currently not the case. The norm for crash test dummies representing humans in
      crash test laboratories is an average male. The female part of the population is
      not represented in tests performed by consumer information organisations such as
      NCAP or in regulatory tests due to the absence of a physical dummy representing
      an average female. Recently, the world first virtual model of an average female
      crash test dummy was developed. In this study, simulations were run with both
      this model and an average male dummy model, seated in a simplified model of a
      vehicle seat. The results of the simulations were compared to earlier published
      results from simulations run in the same test set-up with a vehicle concepts
      seat. The three crash pulse severities of the Euro NCAP low severity rear impact
      test were applied. The motion of the neck, head and upper torso were analysed in
      addition to the accelerations and the Neck Injury Criterion (NIC). Furthermore,
      the response of the virtual models was compared to the response of volunteers as
      well as the average male model, to that of the response of a physical dummy
      model. Simulations with the virtual male and female dummy models revealed
      differences in dynamic response related to the crash severity, as well as between
      the two dummies in the two different seat models. For the comparison of the
      response of the virtual models to the response of the volunteers and the physical
      dummy model, the peak angular motion of the first thoracic vertebra as found in
      the volunteer tests and mimicked by the physical dummy were not of the same
      magnitude in the virtual models. The results of the study highlight the need for
      an extended test matrix that includes an average female dummy model to evaluate
      the level of occupant protection different seats provide in vehicle crashes. This
      would provide developers with an additional tool to ensure that both male and
      female occupants receive satisfactory protection and promote seat concepts that
      provide the best possible protection for the whole adult population. This study
      shows that using the mathematical models available today can provide insights
      suitable for future testing.

PMID- 28622849
TI  - The Sampling Brain.

PMID- 28622850
TI  - Infection of porcine precision cut intestinal slices by transmissible
      gastroenteritis coronavirus demonstrates the importance of the spike protein for
      enterotropism of different virus strains.
AB  - TGEV is a coronavirus that is still widely spread in pig farming. On molecular
      level this virus has been studied in detail. However, studying TGEV infection
      within the complexity of the porcine intestinal epithelium reveals difficulties
      due to limiting infection models. Here we established a new ex vivo model to
      analyze the enterotropism of TGEV in porcine intestinal tissue. Precision cut
      intestinal slices (PCIS) were produced and ATP level was measured to proof
      vitality of the slices. ATP measurements and HE staining revealed living tissue
      in culture for up to 24h. PCIS were infected with three different TGEV strains.
      TGEV PUR 46-MAD is a commonly used TGEV strain that is known to be attenuated.
      TGEV Miller was passaged in piglets several times to reveal high infection.
      Finally, TGEV GFP is a recombinant strain that obtained its main body from TGEV
      PUR 46-MAD, but its spike protein from TGEV PUR-C11 that showed high mortality in
      piglets in vivo. Our results were in complete consensus of these statements. TGEV
      Miller mildly and TGEV GFP extensively infected the cells in the jejunum based on
      the amount of positive stained epithelial cells. However, for TGEV PUR 46-MAD no
      nucleocapsid protein was detected in the epithelial cells of the tissue. This
      shows that differences in TGEV strains and their infectious potential are highly
      dependent on their S protein.

PMID- 28622851
TI  - Prevalence and zoonotic risks of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Cheyletiella
      spp. in guinea pigs and rabbits in Dutch pet shops.
AB  - Young rabbits and guinea pigs are often purchased as pets for children and may be
      infected with zoonotic skin infections. To assess the risk of acquiring such an
      infection from rabbits or guinea pigs, this study investigated the prevalence of
      the fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes and the fur mite Cheyletiella
      parasitovorax in asymptomatic rabbits and guinea pigs in Dutch pet shops. In 91
      pet shops a total of 213 rabbits and 179 guinea pigs were sampled using the
      Mackenzie technique and cultured. Clean cultures were examined microscopically
      and a PCR was performed on at least one sample from each pet shop. All animals
      were investigated for fur mite using a flea comb, a magnifying glass and white
      paper. From the fur of 3.8% (8/213) of the rabbits and 16.8% (30/179) of the
      guinea pigs, T. mentagrophytes was isolated. From 1 guinea pig (0,6%)
      Chrysosporium keratinophilum was isolated. Dermatophyte-positive rabbits and
      guinea pigs originated from 5.6% (5/90) and 27.3% (24/88) of the investigated pet
      shops, respectively. Fur mites were not found. Pet shops can play an important
      role in preventing transmission of zoonotic ringworm infections (dermatophytosis)
      and educating their customers. Specific preventive measures such as routine
      screening examinations and (prophylactic) treatment of rabbits and guinea pigs
      are recommended next to regular hygiene when handling animals.

PMID- 28622852
TI  - Efficacy of E2 glycoprotein fused to porcine CD154 as a novel chimeric subunit
      vaccine to prevent classical swine fever virus vertical transmission in pregnant
      sows.
AB  - Here we evaluated the effect of double vaccination with a novel subunit marker
      vaccine candidate based in the CSFV E2 glycoprotein fused to the porcine CD154 to
      prevent CSFV vertical transmission. A lentivirus-based gene delivery system was
      used to obtain a stable recombinant HEK 293 cell line for the expression of E2
      fused to porcine CD154 molecule. Six pregnant sows were distributed in two groups
      and at 64days of gestation animals numbered 1-4 (group 1) were vaccinated via
      intramuscular inoculation with 50MUg of E2-CD154 subunit vaccine. Animals from
      group 2 (numbered 5 and 6, control animals) were injected with PBS. Seventeen
      days later sows from group 1 were boosted with the same vaccine dose. Twenty
      seven days after the first immunization, the sows were challenged with a virulent
      CSFV Margarita strain and clinical signs were registered. Samples were collected
      during the experiment and at necropsy to evaluate immune response and virological
      protection. Between 14 and 18days after challenge, the sows were euthanized, the
      foetuses were obtained and samples of sera and tissues were collected. E2-CD154
      vaccinated animals remained clinically healthy until the end of the study; also,
      no adverse reaction was shown after vaccination. An effective boost effect in the
      neutralizing antibody response after the second immunization and viral challenge
      was observed and support the virological protection detected in these animals
      after vaccination. Protection against CSFV vertical transmission was found in the
      100% of serums samples from foetus of vaccinated sows. Only two out of 208
      samples (0.96%) were positive with Ct value about 36 corresponding to one tonsil
      and one thymus, which may be non-infective viral particles. Besides, its DIVA
      potential and protection from vertical transmission, the novel CSFV E2 bound to
      CD154 subunit vaccine, is a promising alternative to the live-attenuated vaccine
      for developing countries.

PMID- 28622853
TI  - Preexisting Salmonella-specific immunity interferes with the subsequent
      development of immune responses against the Salmonella strains delivering H9N2
      hemagglutinin.
AB  - Recombinant Salmonella strains expressing foreign heterologous antigens have been
      extensively studied as promising live vaccine delivery vehicles. In this study,
      we constructed attenuated smooth (S-HA) and rough (R-HA) Salmonella strains
      expressing hemagglutinin (HA) of H9N2, a low pathogenic avian influenza A virus.
      We then investigated the HA-specific immune responses following oral immunization
      with either S-HA or R-HA strain in chicken model. We further examined the effects
      of the preexisting anti-Salmonella immunity on the subsequent elicitation of the
      HA and the Salmonella ompA specific immune responses. Our results showed that
      primary immunization with either the S-HA or the R-HA strain elicited comparable
      HA-specific immune responses and the responses were significantly (p<0.05) higher
      compared to the Salmonella vector control. When chickens were pre-immunized with
      the smooth Salmonella carrier alone and then vaccinated with either S-HA or R-HA
      strain 3, 6 and 9 weeks later, respectively, significant reductions were seen for
      HA-specific immune responses at week 6, a point which corresponded to the peak of
      the primary Salmonella-specific antibody responses. No reductions were seen at
      week 3 and 9, albeit, the HA-specific immune responses were boosted at week 9, a
      point which corresponded to the lowest primary Salmonella-specific antibody
      responses. The ompA recall responses remain refractory at week 3 and 6 following
      deliberate immunization with the carrier strain, but were significantly (p<0.05)
      increased at week 9 post-primary immunization. We conclude that preexisting anti
      Salmonella immunity inhibits antigen-specific immune responses and this effect
      could be avoided by carefully selecting the time point when carrier-specific
      immune responses are relatively low.

PMID- 28622854
TI  - Linear DNA vaccine prepared by large-scale PCR provides protective immunity
      against H1N1 influenza virus infection in mice.
AB  - Linear DNA vaccines provide effective vaccination. However, their application is
      limited by high cost and small scale of the conventional polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) generally used to obtain sufficient amounts of DNA effective
      against epidemic diseases. In this study, a two-step, large-scale PCR was
      established using a low-cost DNA polymerase, RKOD, expressed in Pichia pastoris.
      Two linear DNA vaccines encoding influenza H1N1 hemagglutinin (HA) 1, LEC-HA, and
      PTO-LEC-HA (with phosphorothioate-modified primers), were produced by the two
      step PCR. Protective effects of the vaccines were evaluated in a mouse model.
      BALB/c mice were immunized three times with the vaccines or a control DNA
      fragment. All immunized animals were challenged by intranasal administration of a
      lethal dose of influenza H1N1 virus 2 weeks after the last immunization. Sera of
      the immunized animals were tested for the presence of HA-specific antibodies, and
      the total IFN-gamma responses induced by linear DNA vaccines were measured. The
      results showed that the DNA vaccines but not the control DNA induced strong
      antibody and IFN-gamma responses. Additionally, the PTO-LEC-HA vaccine
      effectively protected the mice against the lethal homologous mouse-adapted virus,
      with a survival rate of 100% versus 70% in the LEC-HA-vaccinated group, showing
      that the PTO-LEC-HA vaccine was more effective than LEC-HA. In conclusion, the
      results indicated that the linear H1N1 HA-coding DNA vaccines induced significant
      immune responses and protected mice against a lethal virus challenge. Thus, the
      low-cost, two-step, large-scale PCR can be considered a potential tool for rapid
      manufacturing of linear DNA vaccines against emerging infectious diseases.

PMID- 28622855
TI  - B cell cross-epitope of Propionibacterium acnes and Actinobacillus
      pleuropneumonia selected by phage display library can efficiently protect from
      Actinobacillus pleuropneumonia infection.
AB  - Contagious porcine pleuropneumonia (CPP), caused by Actinobacillus
      pleuropneumoniae (APP), is a highly transmissible and fatal respiratory illness
      that causes tremendous economic losses for the pig breeding industry worldwide.
      Propionibacterium acnes (PA) has a strong cross-reaction with anti-APP1 and anti
      APP5 serum and can efficiently prevent APP infection, which was fortuitously
      found in researching the differential gene between the different APP serotypes.
      There seems to be some natural cross-protection between PA and APP. To identify
      the common epitope, the phage display library of a PA whole genome was
      constructed, whose size is 105. The DNA sequence of the positive clone was
      determined after three rounds of biopanning, and ten common protein types were
      identified and the epitope was predicted by computer software. Six peptide
      epitopes were selected and synthesized for further analysis. Among these
      epitopes, Ba1, Bb5 and C1 could bind to anti-PA serum and anti-APP1 serum and
      vice versa. Furthermore, the IgG and IL-4 levels and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios in
      the Ba1, Bb5 and C1 groups were significantly higher than that in the control
      group, indicating that the epitopes could trigger an immune response, which was
      mainly humoral immunity. Moreover, Ba1 and Bb5 equally protected 80% of mice from
      a fatal dose of APP1 infection compared with the control group. Mice could resist
      APP1 and APP5 challenge after being treated with the combination of Ba1 and Bb5,
      with survival rates of 80% and 90%, respectively. These findings suggest that the
      PA epitope confers antigenicity and can heterologously resist to the APP
      infection. This finding provides a novel strategy for preventing APP infection.

PMID- 28622856
TI  - Survey for selected pathogens in wild pigs (Sus scrofa) from Guam, Marianna
      Islands, USA.
AB  - Pigs (Sus scrofa) were introduced to Guam in the 1600's and are now present in
      high densities throughout the island. Wild pigs are reservoirs for pathogens of
      concern to domestic animals and humans. Exposure to porcine parvovirus,
      transmissible gastroenteritis, and Leptospira interrogans has been documented in
      domestic swine but data from wild pigs are lacking. The close proximity of
      humans, domestic animals, and wild pigs, combined with the liberal hunting of
      wild pigs, results in frequent opportunities for pathogen transmission. From
      February-March 2015, blood, tissue and ectoparasite samples were collected from
      47 wild pigs. Serologic testing found exposure to Brucella spp. (2%), Toxoplasma
      gondii (11%), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (13%),
      porcine circovirus type 2 (36%), pseudorabies virus (64%), Actinobacillus
      pleuropneumoniae (93%), Lawsonia intracellularis (93%), and porcine parvovirus
      (94%). Eleven (24%) samples had low titers (1:100) to Leptospira interrogans
      serovars Bratislava (n=6), Icterohaemorrhagiae (n=6), Pomona (n=2), and Hardjo
      (n=1). Kidney samples from nine pigs with Leptospira antibodies were negative for
      Leptospira antigens. Numerous pigs had Metastrongylus lungworms and three had
      Stephanurus dentatus. Lice (Hematopinus suis) and ticks (Amblyomma breviscutatum)
      were also detected. No antibodies to Influenza A viruses were detected. In
      contrast to the previous domestic swine survey, we found evidence of numerous
      pathogens in wild pigs including new reports of pseudorabies virus, PRRS virus,
      Brucella, and Leptospira in pigs on Guam. These findings highlight that domestic
      swine-wild pig interactions should be prevented and precautions are needed when
      handling wild pigs to minimize the risk of pathogen transmission.

PMID- 28622857
TI  - Streptococcus suis serotype 9 strain GZ0565 contains a type VII secretion system
      putative substrate EsxA that contributes to bacterial virulence and a vanZ-like
      gene that confers resistance to teicoplanin and dalbavancin in Streptococcus
      agalactiae.
AB  - Streptococcus suis (SS), an important pathogen for pigs, is not only considered
      as a zoonotic agent for humans, but is also recognized as a major reservoir of
      antimicrobial resistance contributing to the spread of resistance genes to other
      pathogenic Streptococcus species. In addition to serotype 2 (SS2), serotype 9
      (SS9) is another prevalent serotype isolated from diseased pigs. Although many SS
      strains have been sequenced, the complete genome of a non-SS2 virulent strain has
      been unavailable to date. Here, we report the complete genome of GZ0565, a
      virulent strain of SS9, isolated from a pig with meningitis. Comparative genomic
      analysis revealed five new putative virulence or antimicrobial resistance
      associated genes in strain GZ0565 but not in SS2 virulent strains. These five
      genes encode a putative triacylglycerol lipase, a TipAS antibiotic-recognition
      domain protein, a putative TetR family transcriptional repressor, a protein
      containing a LPXTG domain and a G5 domain, and a type VII secretion system (T7SS)
      putative substrate (EsxA), respectively. Western blot analysis showed that strain
      GZ0565 can secrete EsxA. We generated an esxA deletion mutant and showed that
      EsxA contributes to SS virulence in a mouse infection model. Additionally, the
      antibiotic resistance gene vanZSS was identified and expression of vanZSS
      conferred resistance to teicoplanin and dalbavancin in Streptococcus agalactiae.
      We believe this is the first experimental demonstration of the existence of the
      T7SS putative substrate EsxA and its contribution to bacterial virulence in SS.
      Together, our results contribute to further understanding of the virulence and
      antimicrobial resistance characteristics of SS.

PMID- 28622858
TI  - A novel avian retrovirus associated with lymphocytoma isolated from a local
      Chinese flock induced significantly reduced growth and immune suppression in SPF
      chickens.
AB  - Avian Leukosis Viruses (ALVs) are associated with neoplasias, immune suppression
      and reduced performance in chicken flocks. In the present study, a naturally
      occurring recombinant strain of ALV (FJ15HT0) was isolated from an infected flock
      of Chinese "Hetian" chickens, and was subsequently identified as an exogenous ALV
      by immuno-fluorescence assay (IFA), PCR and following entire proviral DNA
      nucleotide sequencing. This isolate is revealed as a novel recombinant virus,
      lacking viral oncogenes, with the gp85 (93.4%) of subgroup B, the U3 (92.1%) and
      R (95.2%) region of subgroup J, the U5 (93.8%) region and 5'UTR (95.7%) of
      subgroup C, as well as the gp37 (90.6%) and 3' (92.2%) of ALV-E. The simulative
      congenital infection with this isolate in SPF chickens resulted in significant
      weight loss (P<0.05) and a significant reduction in the humoral immune response
      to the live NDV vaccine (P<0.05), but not to the inactive AIV-H5 vaccine
      (P>0.05). Foci of lymphocytomas were observed in tissues of congenitally infected
      chickens at 11 weeks post-hatch, demonstrating the acute oncogenicity of the
      isolate.

PMID- 28622859
TI  - Multilocus sequence analysis reveals extensive genetic variety within
      Tenacibaculum spp. associated with ulcers in sea-farmed fish in Norway.
AB  - Skin ulcer development in sea-reared salmonids, commonly associated with
      Tenacibaculum spp., is a significant fish welfare- and economical problem in
      Norwegian aquaculture. A collection of 89 Tenacibaculum isolates was subjected to
      multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA). The isolates were retrieved from outbreaks
      of clinical disease in farms spread along the Norwegian coast line from seven
      different fish species over a period of 19 years. MLSA analysis reveals
      considerable genetic diversity, but allows identification of four main clades.
      One clade encompasses isolates belonging to the species T. dicentrarchi, whereas
      three clades encompass bacteria that likely represent novel, as yet undescribed
      species. The study identified T. maritimum in lumpsucker, T. ovolyticum in
      halibut, and has extended the host and geographic range for T. soleae, isolated
      from wrasse. The overall lack of clonality and host specificity, with some
      indication of geographical range restriction argue for local epidemics involving
      multiple strains. The diversity of Tenacibaculum isolates from fish displaying
      ulcerative disease may complicate vaccine development.

PMID- 28622860
TI  - Immunogenicity of T7 bacteriophage nanoparticles displaying G-H loop of foot-and
      mouth disease virus (FMDV).
AB  - Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed
      animals that causes severe economic losses worldwide. The G-H loop of the FMDV
      VP1 structural protein is the major neutralizing antigenic site. However, a fully
      protective G-H loop peptide vaccine requires the addition of promiscuous Th sites
      from a source outside VP1. Thus, we demonstrated the potential of T7
      bacteriophage based nanoparticles displaying a genetically fused G-H loop peptide
      (T7-GH) as a FMDV vaccine candidate. Recombinant T7-GH phage was constructed by
      inserting the G-H loop coding region into the T7 Select 415-1b vector. Purified
      T7-GH phage nanoparticles were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, Western blot and Dot-ELISA.
      Pigs seronegative for FMDV exposure were immunized with T7-GH nanoparticles along
      with the adjuvant Montanide ISA206, and two commercially available FMDV vaccines
      (InactVac and PepVac). Humoral and cellular immune responses, as well as
      protection against virulent homologous virus challenge were assessed following
      single dose immunization. Pigs immunized T7-GH developed comparable anti-VP1
      antibody titers to PepVac, although lower LPBE titers than was induced by
      InactVac. Antigen specific lymphocyte proliferation was detected in T7-GH group
      similar to that of PepVac group, however, weaker than InactVac group. Pigs
      immunized with T7-GH developed a neutralizing antibody response stronger than
      PepVac, but weaker than InactVac. Furthermore, 80% (4/5) of T7-GH immunized pigs
      were protected from challenge with virulent homologous virus. These findings
      demonstrate that the T7-GH phage nanoparticles were effective in eliciting
      antigen specific immune responses in pigs, highlighting the value of such an
      approach in the research and development of FMDV vaccines.

PMID- 28622861
TI  - Antimicrobial susceptibility and genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus isolates
      collected between 1986 and 2015 from ovine mastitis.
AB  - In this research, 330 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, collected in Sardinia
      (Italy) in the period 1986-2015 from clinical ovine mastitis and used for the
      preparation of inactivated autogenous vaccines, were analyzed. Susceptibility to
      12 antimicrobial agents was tested by disk diffusion, according to CLSI
      recommendations. Resistance genes were detected by PCR assays. The most of
      isolates (85.2%) were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested, suggesting that
      did not exist change of resistance over time. Two isolates were multidrug
      resistant (MDR), one of them (isolate 1496) showed resistance to seven
      antibiotics including oxacillin and erythromycin. This MRSA harboured SCCmec type
      IV and the erm(C) gene. Isolates were characterized by spa typing and MLST.
      Isolates belonged to 29 spa types: t1773 (n=186), t2678 (n=53), t7754 (n=14),
      t1532 (n=5), t524 (n=5) and t6060 (n=4) were the most frequent spa types found in
      Sardinia. The majority of ovine isolates (t1773, t7754 and t1532) was grouped in
      MLST CC130 (n=205) followed by CC133 (n=57). MRSA 1496 was classified as t3896,
      ST1 and CC1, a clonal complex common in human and also reported in cattle and
      pig. This study suggests that the CC130/ST700/t1773 is the prevalent S. aureus
      lineage associated with ovine mastitis in Sardinia.

PMID- 28622862
TI  - Identification of Lawsonia intracellularis putative hemolysin protein A and
      characterization of its immunoreactivity.
AB  - Despite the recent global increase in fatal endemic outbreaks of proliferative
      enteropathy (PE) caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Lawsonia
      intracelluralis (LI) in the swine industry, development of effective prevention
      strategies or immunodiagnostic tests has been delayed due to the difficulty of
      cultivating this pathogen in vitro. Although several genetic analyses have been
      performed at the level of gene transcription after the complete genome sequence
      of LI was made available, the mechanism of LI infection and virulence genes
      remain unidentified. In the present study, we assessed the antigenic features of
      the LI0004 protein, which we putatively defined as Lawsonia hemolysin A (LhlyA),
      by employing bioinformatics tools and in vivo and in vitro protein-based
      molecular assays. The amino acid sequence of LhlyA showed approximately 60%
      homology to the hemolysin-like proteins of Bilophila wadsworthia and
      Desulfovibrio piger. Presence of computationally predicted linear antigenic B
      cell epitopes on the LhlyA protein was demonstrated by immunoblotting; a band
      with a molecular mass corresponding to the predicted size of the protein was
      strongly recognized by sera collected from artificially infected mice. Further,
      in an in vivo cytotoxicity assay, no splenomegaly was observed in mice inoculated
      with purified LhlyA. Collectively, the data presented here suggest that the LhlyA
      protein is a highly immuno-reactive antigen of L. intracellullaris and can
      potentially be used to develop effective protection strategies against PE.

PMID- 28622863
TI  - Down-regulating heat shock protein 27 is involved in porcine epidemic diarrhea
      virus escaping from host antiviral mechanism.
AB  - Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is the etiological agent of porcine
      epidemic diarrhea virus (PED), causes high mortality with severe vomiting,
      diarrhea, and dehydration in swine farms. In this study, the PEDV strain 85-7
      could be proliferated effectively in MARC-145 cells, and caused a distinct
      inhibition of the expression of interferon-beta (IFN-beta, encoded by IFNB1),
      which suggested that a full understanding how this virus manipulates the host
      immune responses is critical in the fight against the spread of PEDV. We found
      that, the infection of PEDV strain 85-7 significantly downregulated HSP27
      production in MARC-145 cells, and overexpression of HSP27 (encoded by HSPB1)
      decreased the virus titer by about 28-fold. Further study revealed that HSP27
      could significantly activate the NF-kappaB phosphorylation, and thus increase the
      mRNA level of IFNB1 and downstream interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in MARC-145
      cells. Indeed, treatment with IFN-beta and the ISGs, including murine myxovirus
      resistance 1 and 2 (Mx1 and Mx2), showed direct anti-PEDV activity. Notably, the
      antiviral activity and transcription of the antiviral effectors induced by
      overexpression of HSP27 could be counteracted by the knockdown of IFNB1 via RNA
      interference, indicating that HSP27 was an upstream regulator of the
      intracellular antiviral effect against PEDV infection. This study is the first to
      link HSP27 to PEDV replication via the innate immunity response, which
      contributed to further clarify the mechanism of PEDV infection and the
      development of novel antiviral therapies.

PMID- 28622864
TI  - Isolation and characterization of Avibacterium paragallinarum with different
      nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide requirements.
AB  - Twenty field isolates of Avibacterium paragallinarum were obtained from chickens
      in South Korea during 2011-2015. The isolates were identified by a HPG-2 PCR
      assay specific for A. paragallinarum and by biochemical tests. Growth
      requirements, Page serovars, carbohydrate fermentation patterns, and
      antimicrobial susceptibility were also examined. Most isolates (16/20) showed the
      typical requirement for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and an enriched
      CO2 atmosphere for growth. One isolate needed increased levels of NAD and serum
      for good growth. Three isolates showed NAD-independent growth on blood agar under
      aerobic conditions. In terms of carbohydrate fermentation patterns, three
      biochemical biovars were recognized; these varied with respect to acid production
      from maltose and D-xylose. The 16 typical NAD-dependent isolates were serovar A
      while the variants, both NAD-independent isolates and the isolate with increased
      NAD dependency were non-typeable. All isolates were sensitive to amoxicillin
      clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, gentamicin, and spectinomycin. High rates of
      resistance, including intermediate resistance, to lincomycin (100%), cloxacillin
      (75%), and erythromycin (70%) were observed. The four variant strains (the three
      NAD-independent isolates and the isolate showing unusual growth requirements)
      were more resistant to antibiotics than the typical NAD-dependent strains. The
      finding of NAD-independent forms of A. paragallinarum extends the known
      distribution of this form, previously only reported in South Africa, Mexico and
      Peru. There is clearly a need for increased caution in the diagnosis and,
      possibly, the control of infectious coryza.

PMID- 28622865
TI  - PA-X protein decreases replication and pathogenicity of swine influenza virus in
      cultured cells and mouse models.
AB  - Swine influenza viruses have been circulating in pigs throughout world and might
      be potential threats to human health. PA-X protein is a newly discovered protein
      produced from the PA gene by ribosomal frameshifting and the effects of PA-X on
      the 1918 H1N1, the pandemic 2009 H1N1, the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 and the
      avian H9N2 influenza viruses have been reported. However, the role of PA-X in the
      pathogenesis of swine influenza virus is still unknown. In this study, we rescued
      the H1N1 wild-type (WT) classical swine influenza virus (A/Swine/Guangdong/1/2011
      (H1N1)) and H1N1 PA-X deficient virus containing mutations at the frameshift
      motif, and compared their replication properties and pathogenicity of swine
      influenza virus in vitro and in vivo. Our results show that the expression of PA
      X inhibits virus replication and polymerase activity in cultured cells and
      decreases virulence in mouse models. Therefore, our study demonstrates that PA-X
      protein acts as a negative virulence regulator for classical H1N1 swine influenza
      virus and decreases virulence by inhibiting viral replication and polymerase
      activity, deepening our understanding of the pathogenesis of swine influenza
      virus.

PMID- 28622866
TI  - Pathology and genetic findings in a rare case of Mycobacterium caprae infection
      in a sow.
AB  - Bovine tuberculosis, a reemerging zoonosis in diverse ecological scenarios, has
      been reported in the autochthonous Nebrodi black pig breed population used for
      meat production in Italy. During a routine abattoir inspection in 2013, 24 of 299
      carcasses (8%) of Nebrodi black pigs presented tuberculosis-like lesions at
      pathologic examination. Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from 23 animals and M.
      caprae from a 3-year-old sow. The sow showed severe diffuse lesions involving the
      visceral organs, right coxofemoral joint, and mammary glands. Isolation of M.
      caprae from mammary glands is uncommon, with only one other case involving a sow
      reported so far; however, Mycobacteria infection of the mammary glands may be
      transmitted from lactating sows to piglets, contributing to the spread and
      maintenance of bovine tuberculosis in swine. Genotyping analysis showed M. caprae
      spoligotype SB0866 and profile 4,1,5,4,4,11,4,2,4,3,8,7 MIRU-VNTR (mycobacterial
      interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats). The worldwide
      prevalence of this spoligotype is very low. The finding of severe, diffuse
      tuberculous lesions strongly suggests that Nebrodi black pigs are susceptible for
      Mycobacterium spp. and that they might act as a distributor for these
      microorganisms. Since natural ecosystems with multiple contacts among different
      livestock species and wild animals are very common in Mediterranean regions,
      current surveillance and eradication plans for bovine tuberculosis will need to
      be extended to other potential reservoir species in regions where extensive and
      traditional breeding systems are operated.

PMID- 28622867
TI  - Evaluation of the involvement of mice (Mus musculus) in the epidemiology of
      porcine proliferative enteropathy.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the fecal-oral transmission of L.
      intracellularis between mice and pigs. The study was divided into two parts. The
      first part aimed to determine whether mice could be infected by feces from pigs
      that are experimentally infected with L. intracellularis. Thirty-four Swiss mice
      received L. intracellularis PCR-positive feces from experimentally infected pigs
      (M1) for four consecutive days. Twelve other mice received swine negative feces
      (M2). Pools of mice feces were collected on alternating days post-exposure (dpe).
      The second part of the study aimed to test whether pigs could be infected when
      exposed to L. intracellularis PCR-positive feces from experimentally infected
      mice. Twelve 5-week-old pigs received feed mixed with L. intracellularis PCR
      positive mice feces (P1), while the other two pigs received PCR-negative mice
      feces (P2) for four consecutive days. In the first study, the amount of L.
      intracellularis provided to M1 boxes per day was between 106 and 108. Mice shed,
      an average of 104 bacterial units every collection day. Three mice from M1 were
      positive for L. intracellularis by immunohistochemistry (IHC) at the end of the
      study. In the second part of the study, pigs in P1 received an average of 105
      bacterial units per day. Ten pigs were infected by L. intracellularis based on
      positive qPCR and/or immunohistochemistry and serology results. These pigs shed
      an average of 104L. intracellularis/g of feces. Mice and pigs experimentally
      infected with L. intracellularis can infect each other, therefore, rodents should
      be considered players in the epidemiology of this disease in pig farms.

PMID- 28622868
TI  - Vaccination against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)
      reduces the magnitude and duration of viremia following challenge with a virulent
      heterologous field strain.
AB  - Forty PRRS-negative, three week-old weaned pigs were randomized into two groups
      in separate rooms and inoculated with a modified live PRRS vaccine (Fostera(r)
      PRRS) or control (PBS). Four weeks after vaccination pigs were rehoused in a
      single room and challenged intranasally and intramuscularly with virulent PRRSV
      strain NADC20. Timed serum samples were collected and titrated for PRRS virus and
      anti-PRRS virus antibodies. The study concluded when >=80% of the pigs in the
      control group were determined to be virus negative (27days post-challenge). Mean
      duration of viremia was significantly lower (p=0.0327) for vaccinated pigs
      compared to non-vaccinated pigs. A significant reduction (p<=0.0053) in mean post
      challenge viremia titer was seen in vaccinates compared to non-vaccinates from
      days 8 through 22 post-challenge. At the individual pig level, no pigs in the
      vaccinated group had detectible PRRSV in serum at the end of the study (27days
      post-challenge), while 15% of non-vaccinated pigs remained positive for virus.

PMID- 28622869
TI  - Brucella lipopolysaccharide reinforced Salmonella delivering Brucella immunogens
      protects mice against virulent challenge.
AB  - Intracellular pathogen Salmonella exhibits natural infection broadly analogous to
      Brucella, this phenomenon makes Salmonella a pragmatic choice for an anti
      Brucella vaccine delivery platform. In this study we developed and formulated a
      combination of four attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium live vector strains
      delivering heterologous Brucella antigens (rBs), namely lumazine synthase,
      proline racemase subunit A, lipoprotein outer membrane protein-19, and Cu-Zn
      superoxide dismutase. With an aim to develop a cross-protecting vaccine, Brucella
      pan-species conserved rBs were selected. The present study compared the efficacy
      of smooth and rough variants of Salmonella delivery vector and also evaluated the
      inclusion of purified Brucella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the formulation.
      Immunization of SPF-BALB/c mice with the vaccine combinations significantly
      (P<=0.05) reduced splenic wild-type Brucella abortus 544 colonization as compared
      to non-immunized mice as well as Salmonella only immunized mice. Increased
      induction of Brucella specific-IgG, sIgA production, and antigen-specific
      splenocyte proliferative responses were observed in the mice immunized with the
      formulations as compared to naive or vector only immunized mice. Modulatory
      effects of rB and LPS on production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-12, and interferon
      gamma were detected in splenocytes of mice immunized with the formulation. Rough
      Salmonella variant in combination with LPS could further enhance the efficacy of
      the delivery when applied intraperitoneally. Taken together, it is compelling
      that Brucella LPS-augmented Salmonella vector delivering immunogenic Brucella
      proteins may be more suitable than the current non-ideal live Brucella abortus
      vaccine. The vaccine system also provides a basis for the development of cross
      protecting vaccine capable of preventing multispecies brucellosis.

PMID- 28622870
TI  - Molecular characterization of feline panleukopenia virus isolated from mink and
      its pathogenesis in mink.
AB  - Six feline panleukopenia viruses (FPV) were detected in the intestinal samples
      from the 176 mink collected in China during 2015 to 2016, named MEV-SD1, MEV-SD2,
      MEV-SD3, MEV-SD4, MEV-SD5 and MEV-SD6. The VP2 genes of the isolates shared 98.9%
      100% identity with the reference sequences. The substitution of residue V300A in
      VP2 protein differentiates the isolates from the reference MEVs, and A300 is a
      characteristic of FPV. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of VP2 genes indicated
      that the six isolates were clustered into the same branch of all the reference
      FPVs. The NS1 genes of the isolates shared 98.2%-100% identity with the reference
      sequences. The NS1 genes of the six isolates and the three reference FPVs formed
      one unique evolutionary branch. To clarify the pathogenicity of the isolates,
      animal experiments were performed on healthy mink, using MEV-SD1. As a result,
      the morbidity of the inoculated animals was 100% and the mortality was as high as
      38.9%. It was implied that the FPV infection caused a high morbidity and
      mortality in mink and the inoculation dose had an effect on pathogenicity of MEV
      SD1 in mink.

PMID- 28622871
TI  - A spike-specific whole-porcine antibody isolated from a porcine B cell that
      neutralizes both genogroup 1 and 2 PEDV strains.
AB  - Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), caused by an alpha coronavirus, is a highly
      contagious disease and causes high morbidity and mortality in suckling piglets.
      Isolating PEDV neutralizing antibodies from porcine B cells is critical to
      elucidate the development of PEDV neutralizing antibodies and the protective
      mechanism of PEDV infection. Here, we described the isolation of a PEDV
      neutralizing antibody from the B cell of a vaccinated pig. The antibody, named
      PC10, was demonstrated to target the conformational epitope of PEDV spike
      protein, specifically bind to the infected cells of PEDV genogroup 1 and 2
      strains, and potently neutralize PEDV infection. PC10 neutralized PEDV infection
      through interfering with the viral life stages after cellular attachment instead
      of blocking the attachment of PEDV to cells. These results suggest that PC10
      could be a promising candidate for passive protection and inform PEDV vaccine
      design because of its specificity and substantial neutralization potency.

PMID- 28622872
TI  - Processes of local alcohol policy-making in England: Does the theory of policy
      transfer provide useful insights into public health decision-making?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recent years have seen a rise in new and innovative policies
      to reduce alcohol consumption and related harm in England, which can be
      implemented by local, as opposed to national, policy-makers. The aim of this
      paper is to explore the processes that underpin the adoption of these alcohol
      policies within local authorities. In particular, it aims to assess whether the
      concept of policy transfer (i.e. a process through which knowledge about policies
      in one place is used in the development of policies in another time or place)
      provides a useful model for understanding local alcohol policy-making. METHODS:
      Qualitative data generated through in-depth interviews and focus groups from five
      case study sites across England were used to explore stakeholder experiences of
      alcohol policy transfer between local authorities. The purposive sample of policy
      actors included representatives from the police, trading standards, public
      health, licensing, and commissioning. Thematic analysis was used inductively to
      identify key features in the data. RESULTS: Themes from the policy transfer
      literature identified in the data were: policy copying, emulating, hybridization,
      and inspiration. Participants described a multitude of ways in which learning was
      shared between places, ranging from formal academic evaluation to opportunistic
      conversations in informal settings. Participants also described facilitators and
      constraints to policy transfer, such as the historical policy context and the
      local cultural, economic, and bureaucratic context, which influenced whether or
      not a policy that was perceived to work in one place might be transferred
      successfully to another context. CONCLUSIONS: Theories of policy transfer provide
      a promising framework for characterising processes of local alcohol policy-making
      in England, extending beyond debates regarding evidence-informed policy to
      account for a much wider range of considerations. Applying a policy transfer lens
      enables us to move beyond simple (but still important) questions of what is
      supported by 'robust' research evidence by paying greater attention to how policy
      making is carried out in practice and the multiple methods by which policies
      diffuse across jurisdictions.

PMID- 28622873
TI  - Novel FREM1 mutations are associated with severe hydrocephalus and shortened
      limbs in a prenatal case.

PMID- 28622874
TI  - Saved by its back : An amazing story of uterine rupture !

PMID- 28622876
TI  - Cultivating Competencies for Value-Based Care.

PMID- 28622875
TI  - Does the Severity of Overactive Bladder Symptoms Correlate With Risk for Female
      Sexual Dysfunction?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several studies have associated overactive bladder (OAB) with female
      sexual dysfunction (FSD); however, there are no reports using a quantitative
      approach to measure OAB severity and to relate OAB to the risk of FSD. AIM: To
      evaluate women with OAB and to correlate the severity of their urinary symptoms
      with their sexual function. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 267
      women older than 18 years with untreated OAB. All subjects completed the
      International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder (ICIQ
      OAB) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). OUTCOMES: Linear regression was
      used to analyze the association between variables and the numeric FSFI score, and
      categorical FSFI scores were analyzed using logistic regression. Spearman rank
      correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between ICIQ-OAB
      results and the different FSFI domains. The significance level was 5%. RESULTS:
      Subjects' mean age was 50.2 +/- 11.9 years. Most women were married, had at least
      three children, and were postmenopausal (54.3%). Mean FSFI total score was 19.2
      +/- 9.8. For menopausal status, 65.6% of premenopausal women had a risk for FSD
      vs 86.2% of postmenopausal women. Mean ICIQ-OAB score was 10 +/- 3.17.
      Postmenopausal women had the following risk factors statistically associated with
      sexual dysfunction: age, ICIQ score, and marital status. For these women, greater
      OAB severity, especially those with urgency and/or urge incontinence, was
      associated with worse scores in the arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and sexual pain
      domains. However, there was no statistically significant association for
      premenopausal women. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Health professionals have to pay
      attention to OAB in women because of the greater risk for FSD in these patients.
      STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The strength was using a quantitative approach to
      measure OAB severity in a larger population. Limitations include a convenience
      sample with no power calculation; exclusion of women who did not have sexual
      intercourse in the past month; unmeasured distress caused by sexual disorders;
      and the impossibility of establishing causality between OAB and sexual
      dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Women with OAB frequently have a risk for sexual
      dysfunction. In the postmenopausal group, women with scores indicating severe OAB
      had worse sexual function, mainly in the arousal, lubrication, orgasm, pain, and
      total domains. Juliato CRT, Melotti IGR, Junior LCS, et al. Does the Severity of
      Overactive Bladder Symptoms Correlate With Risk for Female Sexual Dysfunction? J
      Sex Med 2017;14:904-909.

PMID- 28622877
TI  - Author Reply.

PMID- 28622878
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28622879
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28622880
TI  - MALDI imaging.

PMID- 28622881
TI  - Discovery of beta-d-2'-deoxy-2'-dichlorouridine nucleotide prodrugs as potent
      inhibitors of hepatitis C virus replication.
AB  - Discovery of sofosbuvir has radically changed hepatitis C treatment and
      nucleoside/tide NS5B inhibitors are now viewed as one of the key components in
      combination therapies with other direct-acting antiviral agents. As part of our
      program to identify new nucleoside inhibitors of HCV replication, we now wish to
      report on the discovery of beta-d-2'-deoxy-2'-dichlorouridine nucleotide prodrugs
      as potent inhibitors of HCV replication. Although, cytidine analogues have long
      been recognized to be metabolized to both cytidine and uridine triphosphates
      through the action of cytidine deaminase, uridine analogues are generally
      believed to produce exclusively uridine triphosphate. Detailed investigation of
      the intracellular metabolism of our newly discovered uridine prodrugs, as well as
      of sofosbuvir, has now revealed the formation of both uridine and cytidine
      triphosphates. This occurs, not only in vitro in cell lines, but also in vivo
      upon oral dosing to dogs.

PMID- 28622882
TI  - Stent migration during EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy in a patient with massive
      ascites: Troubleshooting using additional EUS-guided antegrade stenting.
AB  - EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) is useful for treating obstructive
      jaundice. However, stent migration may sometimes occur both during and after the
      procedure. This report describes a patient with pancreatic cancer and massive
      ascites who underwent EUS-HGS combined with EUS-guided antegrade stenting (EUS
      AS), with additional EUS-AS playing a role in troubleshooting for stent migration
      during EUS-HGS.

PMID- 28622883
TI  - Health-related quality of life of Palestinian refugees inside and outside camps
      in Jordan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Jordan hosts more Palestinian refugees than any country in the world.
      Conditions under which people in a community live influence their health-related
      quality of life (HRQOL). PURPOSE: The purpose of this descriptive comparative
      cross-sectional study was to compare HRQOL of Palestinian refugees in Jordan who
      live inside camps with those who live outside camps. METHODS: Participants,
      recruited from inside the Baqa'a camp (n = 86) and the surrounding Abu Nsair
      community (n = 91), completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief
      questionnaire. FINDINGS: There were disparities in education and social relations
      and environment HRQOL related to income and residency, but not gender, among
      refugees. CONCLUSION: Refugees living inside camps, particularly if poorer, fared
      worse than refugees living outside camps. Enhanced programs and policies may be
      needed to improve HRQOL, education, and socioeconomics for camp refugees.
      Nursing's perspective on refugee health could make an important contribution to
      humanitarian efforts and health diplomacy.

PMID- 28622884
TI  - The effect of caloric restriction on the forelimb skeletal muscle fibers of the
      hypertrophic myostatin null mice.
AB  - Skeletal muscle mass loss has a broad impact on body performance and physical
      activity. Muscle wasting occurs due to genetic mutation as in muscular dystrophy,
      age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) as well as in chronic wasting disorders as
      in cancer cachexia. Food restriction reduces muscle mass underpinned by increased
      muscle protein break down. However the influence of dietary restriction on the
      morphometry and phenotype of forelimb muscles in a genetically modified myostatin
      null mice are not fully characterized. The effect of a five week dietary
      limitation on five anatomically and structurally different forelimb muscles was
      examined. C57/BL6 wild type (Mstn+/+) and myostatin null (Mstn-/-) mice were
      either given a standard rodent normal daily diet ad libitum (ND) or 60% food
      restriction (FR) for a 5 week period. M. triceps brachii Caput laterale
      (T.lateral), M. triceps brachii Caput longum (T.long), M. triceps brachii Caput
      mediale (T.medial), M. extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) and M. flexor carpi ulnaris
      (FCU) were dissected, weighted and processed for immunohistochemistry. Muscle
      mass, fibers cross sectional areas (CSA) and myosin heavy chain types IIB, IIX,
      IIA and type I were analyzed. We provide evidence that caloric restriction
      results in muscle specific weight reduction with the fast myofibers being more
      prone to atrophy. We show that slow fibers are less liable to dietary restriction
      induced muscle atrophy. The effect of dietary restriction was more pronounced in
      Mstn-/- muscles to implicate the oxidative fibers compared to Mstn+/+.
      Furthermore, peripherally located myofibers are more susceptible to dietary
      induced reduction compared to deep fibers. We additionally report that dietary
      restriction alters the glycolytic phenotype of the Mstn-/- into the oxidative
      form in a muscle dependent manner. In summary our study shows that calorie
      restriction alters muscle fiber profile of forelimb muscles of Myostatin null
      mice.

PMID- 28622885
TI  - The impact of prophylactic external carotid artery ligation on postoperative
      bleeding after transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for oropharyngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transoral robotic-assisted surgery (TORS) is increasingly utilized in
      the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). Postoperative
      bleeding is a significant and potentially fatal complication of TORS.
      Prophylactic ligation of ipsilateral external carotid artery (ECA) branches is a
      recognized strategy to reduce postoperative bleeding risk. We examined the
      incidence and sequelae of postoperative oropharyngeal bleeding with and without
      routine ECA ligation. METHODS: OPSCC patients treated with TORS between 2010 and
      2015 with minimum 30days follow up were included. Clinicopathological data,
      operative details, and postoperative course were abstracted for analysis. Cases
      of postoperative bleeding were classified as Minor, Intermediate, Major, and
      Severe. The incidence and severity of bleeding was compared between patients
      treated with and without prophylactic ECA ligation. RESULTS: Bleeding after TORS
      was documented in 13/201 (6.5%) patients. The majority of bleeding episodes were
      observed among anticoagulated or previously radiated patients. By surgeon
      preference, 52 patients had prophylactic ECA ligation during neck dissection
      while the remaining 149 patients did not. There was no significant difference in
      overall incidence of postoperative bleeding between patients with prophylactic
      ECA ligation (3/52, 5.8%) and patients without (10/149, 6.7%) [p=0.53]. However,
      severe bleeding complications (4, 2.0%) were only observed in patients without
      prophylactic ligation. CONCLUSION: A small but meaningful risk of bleeding after
      TORS for OPSCC exists, particularly among anticoagulated or previously radiated
      patients. Prophylactic ECA ligation did not significantly impact the overall
      incidence of postoperative bleeding but may reduce the risk of severe (life
      threatening) bleeding.

PMID- 28622886
TI  - Five-year outcomes of an oropharynx-directed treatment approach for unknown
      primary of the head and neck.
AB  - PURPOSE: Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (SCCHNUP) is commonly treated
      with comprehensive radiation to the laryngopharynx and bilateral necks. In 1998,
      we established a departmental policy to treat SCCHNUP with radiation directed to
      the oropharynx and bilateral neck. METHODS: From 1998-2011, 60 patients were
      treated - N1: 18%, N2: 75% and N3: 7%. 82% underwent neck dissection. 55%
      received IMRT and 62% underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. RESULTS: At median
      follow-up of 54months, 5 patients failed regionally and 4 emerged with a primary
      (tongue base, hypopharynx and thoracic esophagus). Five-year rates of regional
      control, primary emergence, distant metastasis, disease-free survival and overall
      survival were 90%, 10%, 20%, 72% and 79%, respectively. The 5year rate of primary
      emergence in a non-oropharynx site was 3%. CONCLUSION: This is the first
      demonstration that an oropharynx-directed approach yields low rates of primary
      emergence in SCCHNUP with excellent oncologic outcomes.

PMID- 28622887
TI  - Genetic etiology of oral cancer.
AB  - Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer
      worldwide. It accounts for 2.5% of all new cancer cases and 1.9% of all cancer
      deaths annually. More than 90% of oral cancers (occurring in the mouth, lip, and
      tongue) are oral squamous cell carcinoma. The incidence rate of oral cancer
      varies widely throughout the world, with an evident prevalence in South Asian
      countries. This high incidence occurs in correlation with oral cancer-associated
      behaviors such as alcohol, tobacco use. Researchers have reported that these
      behaviors lead to genetic variations in tumor suppressor genes (APC, p53), proto
      oncogenes (Myc), oncogene (Ras) and genes controlling normal cellular processes
      (EIF3E, GSTM1). Processes such as segregation of chromosomes, genomic copy
      number, loss of heterozygosity, telomere stabilities, regulations of cell-cycle
      checkpoints, DNA damage repairs and defects in notch signaling pathways are
      involved in causing oral cancer. In order to develop preventive and therapeutic
      options, it is necessary to comprehend the basic molecular mechanisms forcing
      oral tumorigenesis. This review examines, in detail, the mechanisms of genetic
      alteration which are considered to be responsible for the initiation of oral
      cancer.

PMID- 28622888
TI  - Validation of the pathological classification of lymph node metastasis for head
      and neck tumors according to the 8th edition of the TNM Classification of
      Malignant Tumors.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: One of the main changes in the 8th edition of the TNM Classification
      for head and neck tumors is the inclusion of extracapsular spread (ECS) as a
      criterion for evaluating the regional extension, both clinical (cN) and
      pathological (pN). The objective of our study is to evaluate the prognostic
      capacity derived from the inclusion of the ECS in the pathological classification
      of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients treated with a neck
      dissection, as established by the 8th edition TNM Classification. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Retrospective study of 1188 patients with HNSCC treated with a neck
      dissection between1990 and 2013. RESULTS: There were lymph node metastasis in
      50.1% of the neck dissections. The pathological record revealed ECS in 50.5% of
      the positive neck dissections. The implementation of the changes of the 8th
      edition TNM classification produced the upstaging of 20.9% of the patients
      classified as pN1 with the 7th edition TNM classification to pN2a  and the
      upstaging of 58.4% of the patients classified as pN2 with the 7th edition TNM
      classification to pN3b. We conducted an objective comparison of the quality of
      both classifications. The 8th TNM classification edition achieved better results
      regarding both the discrimination in cause-specific survival between pN
      categories and in the distribution in the number of cases between categories than
      the 7th edition TNM classification. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of ECS in the
      pathological classification (pN) of the neck nodes improves the prognostic
      capacity of the 8th TNM Classification edition.

PMID- 28622889
TI  - Turning the tide: Clinical utility of PD-L1 expression in squamous cell carcinoma
      of the head and neck.
AB  - The use of cytotoxic and/or targeted agents is the gold standard in first- and
      second-line treatment of metastatic head and neck cancer. Currently the focus of
      oncologic research is shifting to the implementation of immune checkpoint
      inhibitor regimens. Many trials are being performed evaluating the survival
      benefit of various PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies in both solid and
      haematological malignancies. Also, evaluation of the predictive value of PD-L1
      expression on tumour cells and immune cells is being explored. We first review
      the current knowledge and possible pitfalls for PD-L1 expression in squamous cell
      carcinoma of the head and neck. Next, we provide an update on the therapeutic use
      of PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies as treatment modality for patients with
      squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and we assess the predictive value
      of tumour PD-L1 positivity. Finally, we elaborate on other promising predictive
      biomarkers of interest in this patient population.

PMID- 28622890
TI  - Evaluation of type-specific antibodies to high risk-human papillomavirus (HPV)
      proteins in patients with oropharyngeal cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: High risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection leads to a subgroup
      of oropharyngeal cancer (OPSCC) characterized by improved treatment response.
      However an universally accepted definition of an HR-HPV-attributable cancer is
      lacking. METHODS: Detailed, type-specific HPV antibody responses were analyzed by
      multiplex serology in HR-HPV-attributable OPSCC patients, defined by p16INK4A
      overexpression and HR-HPV DNA detection by PCR amplification and sequencing.
      RESULTS: Fifty patients were prospectively enrolled. 26/50 (52%) tumor samples
      were positive for both p16INK4A expression and HR-HPV DNA (22 HPV16, 4 HPV33).
      Seropositivity was present in 26/26 HPV-attributable OPSCC and one p16INK4A
      positive/HPV DNA-negative case. The sensitivity and specificity to diagnose an HR
      HPV-attributable tumor was 100% and 96%, respectively for anti-E6 reactivity, 82%
      and 100%, respectively for anti-E2 reactivity, and clearly lower for anti-E7,
      anti-E1, anti-E4 and anti-L1-reactivity. 3yr-overall (OS) and disease specific
      survival (DSS) was higher in patients with HR-HPV-attributable tumors (OS 88% vs
      64%, p=0.02; DSS 90% vs 80%, p=0.07) and seropositive patients (OS 88% vs 62%,
      p=0.01; DSS 92% vs 78%, p=0.05) than HR-HPV-negative or seronegative patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Detection of HR-HPV type-specific antibodies highly correlated with
      HPV-attributable OPSCC and was associated with better survival. HR-HPV antibodies
      are promising diagnostic, prognostic and potentially screening markers in HR-HPV
      attributable OPSCC.

PMID- 28622891
TI  - Functional and cosmetic outcomes of robot-assisted neck dissection by a
      postauricular facelift approach for head and neck cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the functional and cosmetic
      outcomes of robot-assisted neck dissection with those of conventional neck
      dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 113 patients with
      head and neck cancer who underwent unilateral neck dissection by a robot-assisted
      postauricular facelift approach (38 patients) or conventional trans-cervical
      approach (75 patients). Postoperative functional outcomes such as edema, sensory
      loss, pain, and fibrosis in the neck, and limitations of neck and shoulder
      motion, and cosmetic satisfaction scored by questionnaire were evaluated serially
      up to 1year postoperatively, and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There
      were differences at baseline clinicopathologic characteristics including age, T
      classification and stage between the two groups. The mean score of neck edema was
      lower in the robotic group than that of the conventional group at 1day and 3days
      postoperatively, and sensory loss was also lower in the robotic group at 1day,
      3days and 1week postoperatively (P<0.05). The postoperative cosmetic satisfaction
      were significantly higher in the robotic group than the conventional group at
      1month, 3, 6, and 12months postoperatively. Transient marginal nerve palsy was
      higher in the robotic group than the conventional group (P=0.043). CONCLUSION:
      Postoperative neck edema and sensory loss were lower in the robotic group in the
      early postoperative period although its clinical significance is not clear.
      Cosmetic satisfaction was superior in the robotic group.

PMID- 28622892
TI  - A phase II trial of induction NAB-paclitaxel and cisplatin followed by concurrent
      chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (NAB-paclitaxel) was designed
      to avoid solvent-related toxicities, and improve anti-tumor efficacy via
      increasing paclitaxel's intratumoral concentration and its uptake by tumor cells.
      This trial aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of induction NAB-paclitaxel
      combined with cisplatin followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in
      patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Patients with stage III-IVb NPC received NAB-paclitaxel (260mg/m2)
      combined with cisplatin (80mg/m2) intravenously on days 1 and 22, followed by
      cisplatin (80mg/m2) on days 43 and 64, concomitant with intensity-modulated
      radiation therapy. This trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials
      Registry, number ChiCTR-ONC-12002615. RESULTS: From July 2010 to November 2013,
      36 eligible patients with nonmetastatic stage III-IVb NPC were enrolled. The
      objective response rates were 97.2% (eight complete responses [CRs] and 27
      partial responses [PRs]) and 100% (30 CRs and six PRs) after two cycles of
      induction chemotherapy (ICT) and CCRT, respectively. With a median follow-up time
      of 45months, the estimated 3-year progression-free survival and cancer-specific
      survival were 86.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69.8-99.8%) and 91.7% (95% CI,
      68.9-100.0%), respectively. The most frequent grade 3-4 toxicities were
      neutropenia (8.6%) and nausea (8.6%) after ICT and thrombocytopenia (34.3%) and
      leukopenia (28.6%) after CCRT. CONCLUSION: NAB-paclitaxel combined with cisplatin
      as an ICT regimen showed encouraging anti-tumor effects and manageable toxicities
      in LA-NPC. Further randomized controlled trials in phase III of NAB-paclitaxel in
      patients with LA-NPC are warranted.

PMID- 28622893
TI  - Outcomes of middle fossa craniotomy for the repair of superior semicircular canal
      dehiscence.
AB  - Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) is a rare defect of the arcuate
      eminence that causes an abnormal connection between the superior semicircular
      canal and middle cranial fossa. Patients often present with a variety of auditory
      and vestibular symptoms. Trigger avoidance is the initial strategy, but surgery
      may be necessary in debilitating cases. We retrospectively reviewed SSCD patients
      undergoing repair via a middle fossa craniotomy between March 2011 and September
      2015. Forty-nine patients undergoing 58 surgeries were identified. Autophony was
      the most common symptom at presentation (n=44; 90%). Mean follow-up was
      10.9months, with 100% of patients reporting resolution of at least one symptom.
      Aural fullness was the most commonly resolved symptom following surgical repair
      (n=19/22; 86%). Hearing loss (n=11/25; 44%) and tinnitus (n=11/38; 29%) were the
      most common symptoms to persist following surgery. The most common symptom to
      develop after surgery was disequilibrium (n=4/18; 22%). Upon comparing the
      overall pre-operative and post-operative groups, the number of patients with
      autophony (p<0.0001), aural fullness (p=0.0006), hearing loss (p=0.0119),
      disequilibrium (p=0.0002), sound- and pressure-induced vertigo (p<0.0001), and
      tinnitus (p<0.0001) were significantly different. Improved clinical outcomes were
      demonstrated in patients undergoing SSCD repair through a middle cranial fossa
      approach. The most common presenting symptom (autophony) was also most likely to
      resolve after surgery. Hearing loss is less amenable to surgical correction.
      Disequilibrium developed in a small number of patients after repair.

PMID- 28622894
TI  - Impact of stimulus-related factors and hearing impairment on listening effort as
      indicated by pupil dilation.
AB  - Previous research has reported effects of masker type and signal-to-noise ratio
      (SNR) on listening effort, as indicated by the peak pupil dilation (PPD) relative
      to baseline during speech recognition. At about 50% correct sentence recognition
      performance, increasing SNRs generally results in declining PPDs, indicating
      reduced effort. However, the decline in PPD over SNRs has been observed to be
      less pronounced for hearing-impaired (HI) compared to normal-hearing (NH)
      listeners. The presence of a competing talker during speech recognition generally
      resulted in larger PPDs as compared to the presence of a fluctuating or
      stationary background noise. The aim of the present study was to examine the
      interplay between hearing-status, a broad range of SNRs corresponding to sentence
      recognition performance varying from 0 to 100% correct, and different masker
      types (stationary noise and single-talker masker) on the PPD during speech
      perception. Twenty-five HI and 32 age-matched NH participants listened to
      sentences across a broad range of SNRs, masked with speech from a single talker (
      25 dB to +15 dB SNR) or with stationary noise (-12 dB to +16 dB). Correct
      sentence recognition scores and pupil responses were recorded during stimulus
      presentation. With a stationary masker, NH listeners show maximum PPD across a
      relatively narrow range of low SNRs, while HI listeners show relatively large PPD
      across a wide range of ecological SNRs. With the single-talker masker, maximum
      PPD was observed in the mid-range of SNRs around 50% correct sentence recognition
      performance, while smaller PPDs were observed at lower and higher SNRs. Mixed
      model ANOVAs revealed significant interactions between hearing-status and SNR on
      the PPD for both masker types. Our data show a different pattern of PPDs across
      SNRs between groups, which indicates that listening and the allocation of effort
      during listening in daily life environments may be different for NH and HI
      listeners.

PMID- 28622895
TI  - Cutting-edge approaches to unwrapping the mysteries of sleep.

PMID- 28622896
TI  - Biomechanical Modeling of Spine Flexibility and Its Relationship to Spinal Range
      of Motion and Idiopathic Scoliosis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between
      spine morphology, spine flexibility, and idiopathic scoliosis. BACKGROUND: Girls
      have a higher incidence of clinically significant scoliosis than boys, along with
      smaller vertebrae and greater flexibility. Based on biomechanical modeling, we
      hypothesized that smaller vertebral width relative to intervertebral disc (IVD)
      height would be associated with both greater lateral flexibility of the spine and
      with idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging was used to
      measure IVD height, vertebral width, and paraspinous musculature in 22 girls with
      mild and moderate idiopathic scoliosis and 29 girls without scoliosis ages 9-13
      years. Clinical measurement of maximum lateral bending was also performed in the
      girls without scoliosis. A simple biomechanical model was used to estimate
      bending angle from the ratio of IVD height to vertebral half-width for L1-L4. The
      average ratio (Ravg) and calculated total bending angle (alphatot) for L1-L4 were
      compared to the clinical measurements of lateral bending flexibility in the
      control group. These measures were also compared between the scoliosis and
      control groups. RESULTS: There was a significant positive relationship between
      clinical flexibility and both Ravg (p = .041) and alphatot (p = .042) adjusting
      for skeletal age, height, body mass index, and paraspinous muscle area as
      covariates. The ratio was significantly higher (Ravg = 0.45 vs. 0.38, p < .0001)
      and the bending angle was significantly greater (alphatot = 107 degrees  vs. 89
      degrees , p < .0001) for girls with scoliosis compared with controls. CONCLUSION:
      These results suggest that differences in spine morphology and corresponding
      changes in spine flexibility may be related to idiopathic scoliosis. If these
      relationships can be corroborated in larger prospective studies, these easily
      measured morphologic traits may contribute to a better understanding of the
      etiology of idiopathic scoliosis and an improved ability to predict scoliosis
      progression. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

PMID- 28622898
TI  - Trends in Attendance at Scoliosis Research Society Annual Meetings (SRS AM) and
      International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques (IMAST): Location, Location,
      Location.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive, respective. OBJECTIVE: Although overall membership in
      Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) has grown over the years, we were curious to see
      the effects of changing event venue location and timing on conference attendance.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Every year, the SRS hosts two major meetings: the
      Annual Meeting (SRS AM) in the autumn, and the International Meeting on Advanced
      Spine Techniques (IMAST) in the summer. Sites have alternated from within and
      outside North America. Often, these meetings have also overlapped with several
      holidays in certain countries. METHODS: This was an observational study of
      attendance from past SRS AM and IMAST meetings. Fourteen years of AM and 8 years
      of IMAST data were made available from the SRS. Participation based on delegate
      type and countries were tallied. Details from the 10 most represented nations and
      host nations per year were also tallied, and their national holidays were
      reviewed for overlaps with the AM. RESULTS: Membership in AM and IMAST increased
      from 820 in 2003 to 1,323 in 2016. Attendance at the AM has increased, whereas
      attendance at IMAST has declined, even after adjusting for membership size.
      Trends in participation were highly influenced by location. Participation by
      attendees from the host continent, and especially the host country, is generally
      high. The negative impact of distant meetings is profoundly seen with North
      Americans, whereas the positive impact of a nearby meeting was mostly clearly
      demonstrated by South Americans. Although SRS AM overlapped with holidays in
      China, Japan, or Korea nearly 50% of the time, this did not influence
      participation by delegates from these countries. CONCLUSION: Participation in the
      AM is highly influenced by location. Although North Americans represented the
      largest constituency, their presence was not needed to drive total attendance and
      was not sufficient to turn around the downturn in IMAST attendance. Choice of
      location can encourage the participation of delegates from the host and
      neighboring nations; through strategic selection of location, a balance can be
      reached between participation and global representation.

PMID- 28622897
TI  - The Efficacy of Local Autologous Bone Dust: A Systematic Review.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of bone dust as an autologous bone graft to
      encourage osseous fusion. OBJECTIVE: To identify and review studies that report
      on the therapeutic potential of bone dust. The research question was structured
      as follows: populations-animal and human sources of bone dust harvested using
      burrs; interventions-autologous bone dust compared with other clinically utilized
      bone graft options; outcomes assessed-(1) in vitro cell viability, cell
      differentiation, and osteogenic potential and (2) clinical efficacy in the form
      of fusion rates as assessed using plain radiographs; study designs-in vitro,
      preclinical in vivo and clinical studies investigating the therapeutic potential
      of bone dust, harvested by burring, are included in this systematic review.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Little is known about the efficacy of bone dust,
      generated during burring of local bone in spine surgery, as a bone graft to
      encourage osseous union. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in Medline,
      PubMed, OVID, Scopus, and Cochrane library. The following key words were used:
      bone dust, bone burring, bone paste, bone pate. RESULTS: A total of 285 studies
      were reviewed. Fourteen articles were identified as relevant for inclusion in
      this systematic review. Current evidence suggests that bone dust retains
      osteogenic properties, but limited information is available regarding the
      osteoinductive potential of bone dust. CONCLUSION: Bone dust represents a free
      source of autologous bone, which can be easily collected during the time of
      surgery and used as an augment to aid osseous fusion. Further research is
      required to evaluate the osteoinductive potential of bone dust. The retained
      growth factors in bone dust may potentially induce local osteoprogenitor cells to
      proliferate and mineralize to form new bone.

PMID- 28622899
TI  - A Novel Method for Estimating Three-Dimensional Apical Vertebral Rotation Using
      Two-Dimensional Coronal Cobb Angle and Thoracic Kyphosis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. OBJECTIVES: To use a large cohort of
      three-dimensional (3D) spinal reconstructions to create a simple mathematical
      formula capable of estimating 3D apical vertebral rotation (AVR) based on the
      correlation with routinely obtained two-dimensional (2D) measurements of
      scoliosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Quantification of vertebral rotation in
      AIS using 2-dimensional (2D) imaging is inherently challenging as the axial plane
      cannot be directly visualized. METHODS: A database of 279 3D spinal
      reconstructions was queried for patients with thoracic major adolescent
      idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). 2D thoracic Cobb angle, T5-T12 thoracic kyphosis,
      pelvic incidence, sacral slope, and pelvic tilt were recorded. 3D AVR was
      calculated for each patient from 3D reconstructions. Patients were divided into
      development (n = 186) and validation (n = 93) cohorts. Within the development
      cohort, univariate analysis was performed between 2D measurements and 3D AVR with
      significance set at p < .05 for inclusion in multivariate analysis. In
      multivariate analysis, significance was set at p < .01 for inclusion in the final
      model. Model performance was tested in development and validation cohorts.
      RESULTS: Only 2D thoracic Cobb and T5-T12 thoracic kyphosis had significance in
      univariate (p < .05) and multivariate analyses (p < .01), meriting inclusion in
      the final model. 3D AVR ( degrees ) = 0.26*(T5-T12 kyphosis) + 0.34*(coronal
      Cobb) - 5.38. In the development cohort, the model performed well (R = 0.739, r2
      = 0.54). In testing with the validation cohort, the model proved generalizability
      (R = 0.703) and had a mean absolute error <5 degrees . CONCLUSIONS: This model is
      capable of estimating 3D AVR given 2D thoracic Cobb and T5-T12 kyphosis. The
      accuracy of this method is comparable to previously reported methods of 2D axial
      rotation measurement. However, this model provides 3D axial rotation and requires
      no physical instruments, non-standard measurements, or software programs. Such a
      model is valuable for both routine evaluation of AIS and operative preparation.
      LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, diagnostic.

PMID- 28622900
TI  - The Risk of Curve Progression and Surgery in African Americans With Adolescent
      Idiopathic Scoliosis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective clinical cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To determine if
      certain risk factors (age, curve magnitude, skeletal maturity, gender, and curve
      pattern) traditionally associated with curve progression and surgical
      intervention in the general population apply equally to African Americans.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Currently, information is limited on the role that a
      patient's race plays in the risk of curve progression of adolescent idiopathic
      scoliosis (AIS), and existing studies have conflicting results. METHODS:
      Retrospective search of records identified patients who were African American,
      had been diagnosed with AIS, had a major curve Cobb angle of 10 degrees or more,
      and had at least two clinical visits with spinal radiographs at least 90 days
      apart to determine the risk factors for surgical treatment, and 2 years apart to
      determine the risk factors for curve progression. Patients with a medical
      condition likely to cause scoliosis were excluded. RESULTS: Of 738 African
      American patients with AIS, 223 were assessed for surgical risk factors, and 72
      were assessed for curve progression risk factors. Fifty-six (29.17%) had
      progression of the major coronal curve, and 38 (17.04%) underwent surgery. Age at
      presentation and curve magnitude at presentation were significant risk factors
      for surgical intervention. Curve magnitude at presentation was a significant risk
      factor for curve progression. No significant relationships were found for gender
      or curve type as they relate to surgical intervention or curve progression.
      CONCLUSION: Age and curve magnitude at presentation were significantly associated
      with surgery, as is true in other scoliosis populations. Curve magnitude at
      presentation was associated with curve progression. In contrast to studies in
      other populations, however, no significant association was observed between curve
      progression and age at presentation, curve type, or gender, or between surgery
      and curve type or gender. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic cohort study.

PMID- 28622901
TI  - Tridimensional Analysis of Rotatory Subluxation and Sagittal Spinopelvic
      Alignment in the Setting of Adult Spinal Deformity.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective single-center. OBJECTIVE: To investigate rotatory
      subluxation (RS) in adult spinal deformity (ASD) with three-dimensional (3D)
      stereoradiographic images and analyze relationships between RS, transverse plane
      parameters, spinopelvic parameters, and clinical outcomes. BACKGROUND: Recent
      research has demonstrated that sagittal plane malalignment and listhesis
      correlate with ASD patient-reported outcomes. However, there is still a lack of
      knowledge regarding the clinical impact of 3D evaluation and rotatory
      subluxation. Recent developments in stereoradiography allow clinicians to obtain
      full-body standing radiographs with low-dose radiation and 3D reconstruction.
      METHODS: One hundred thirty lumbar ASD patients underwent full-spine biplanar
      radiographs (EOS Imaging, Paris, France). Clinical outcomes were recorded. Using
      sterEOS software, spinopelvic parameters and lateral listhesis were measured. 3D
      transverse plane parameters included apical axial vertebral rotation, axial
      intervertebral rotation (AIR), and torsion index (sum of AIR in the curve). ASD
      patients were divided in three groups: AIR <5 degrees , 5 degrees < AIR <10
      degrees , AIR >10 degrees . Groups were compared with respect to radiographic and
      clinical data. Correlations were performed between the transverse and sagittal
      plane parameters and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Patients with AIR >10 degrees 
      were significantly older, with larger Cobb angle (39.5 degrees ) and greater
      sagittal plane deformity (pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis mismatch 11.7 degrees 
      and pelvic tilt 22.6 degrees ). The AIR >10 degrees  group had significantly
      greater apical vertebra axial rotation apex (24.8 degrees ), torsion index (45
      degrees ), and upper-level AIR (21.5 degrees ) than the two other groups.
      Overall, 27% of AIR patients did not have two-dimensional (2D) lateral listhesis.
      Patients with AIR >10 degrees  had significantly worse Oswestry Disability Index
      and more low back pain. CONCLUSION: For patients in which lateral listhesis was
      unreadable in 2D imaging, rotatory subluxation was revealed using
      stereoradiography and at an earlier disease stage. Moreover, different 3D
      transverse plane parameters are related to different patient-reported outcomes.
      Therefore, axial rotation can be considered in evaluation of lumbar degenerative
      scoliosis severity and prognosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

PMID- 28622902
TI  - A Critical Analysis of Sagittal Plane Deformity Correction With Minimally
      Invasive Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A 2-Year Follow-Up Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sagittal plane realignment is important to achieve desirable
      clinical outcomes after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. This study
      evaluates the impact of minimally invasive (MIS) techniques on sagittal plane
      alignment and clinical outcomes in ASD patients. METHODS: A retrospective, multi
      center review of ASD patients (age >=18 years, and with one of the following:
      coronal Cobb >=20 degrees , sagittal vertical axis [SVA] >5 cm, and/or pelvic
      tilt >25 degrees ), MIS surgery, and four or more levels instrumented. Patients
      were stratified by baseline SRS-Schwab global alignment modifier (GAM) into three
      groups: 0 (SVA <4 cm), + (SVA 4-9.5 cm), or ++ (SVA >9.5 cm). Radiographic and
      clinical outcomes measures were analyzed with a minimum of 2-year follow-up.
      RESULTS: A total of 96 ASD patients were identified, and 63 met the study's
      inclusion criteria of circumferential MIS or posterior MIS only, with four or
      more levels instrumented (n: Group 0 = 37, Group + = 15, and Group ++ = 11).
      Group 0 was younger than ++ (56.8 vs. 69.6 years), with a higher proportion of
      females than Group + or ++ (83.8% vs. 66.7% and 54.5%, respectively). Baseline
      HRQoL was similar. Postoperatively, Groups 0 and + had improved Oswestry
      Disability Index (ODI) and numeric rating scale (NRS) back and leg scores. Group
      ++ only had improvement in NRS scores. At the latest follow-up, Groups 0 and ++
      had similar sagittal measurements except for PT (21.6 vs. 23.6, p = .009). The +
      group had improvement in PI-LL (24.2 to 17; p = .015) and LL (30.9 to 38.3; p =
      .013). Eight of 27 (21.6%) Group 0 patients deteriorated (4 to Group +, 4 to
      Group ++). Three of 15 (20.0%) Group + patients deteriorated to Group ++, and 3
      improved to Group 0. Six of 11 (54.5%) Group ++ patients improved (3 to Group +
      and 3 to Group 0). CONCLUSIONS: MIS techniques successfully stabilized ASD
      patients with Group 0 and + deformities and improved HRQoL. This study suggests
      that severe sagittal imbalance is not adequately treated with MIS approaches.

PMID- 28622903
TI  - Cell Saver for Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery Reduces Cost.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. OBJECTIVES: To determine if the use of cell
      saver reduces overall blood costs in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Recent studies have questioned the clinical value of
      cell saver during spine procedures. METHODS: ASD patients enrolled in a
      prospective, multicenter surgical database who had complete preoperative and
      surgical data were identified. Patients were stratified into (1) cell saver
      available during surgery, but no intraoperative autologous infusion (No Infusion
      group), or (2) cell saver available and received autologous infusion (Infusion
      group). RESULTS: There were 427 patients in the Infusion group and 153 in the No
      infusion group. Patients in both groups had similar demographics. Mean autologous
      infusion volume was 698 mL. The Infusion group had a higher percentage of EBL
      relative to the estimated blood volume (42.2%) than the No Infusion group (19.6%,
      p < .000). Allogeneic transfusion was more common in the Infusion group (255/427,
      60%) than the No Infusion group (67/153, 44%, p = .001). The number of allogeneic
      blood units transfused was also higher in the Infusion group (2.4) than the No
      Infusion group (1.7, p = .009). Total blood costs ranged from $396 to $2,146 in
      the No Infusion group and from $1,262 to $5,088 in the Infusion group. If the
      cost of cell saver blood was transformed into costs of allogeneic blood, total
      blood costs for the Infusion group would range from $840 to $5,418. Thus, cell
      saver use yielded a mean cost savings ranging from $330 to $422 (allogeneic blood
      averted). Linear regression showed that after an EBL of 614 mL, cell saver
      becomes cost-efficient. CONCLUSION: Compared to transfusing allogeneic blood,
      cell saver autologous infusion did not reduce the proportion or the volume of
      allogeneic transfusion for patients undergoing surgery for adult spinal
      deformity. The use of cell saver becomes cost-efficient above an EBL of 614 mL,
      producing a cost savings of $330 to $422. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

PMID- 28622904
TI  - Radiographic Outcomes of Shilla Growth Guidance System and Traditional Growing
      Rods Through Definitive Treatment.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of a multicenter database. OBJECTIVES: To
      compare the radiographic outcomes of patients who had undergone the Shilla Growth
      Guidance System (SGGS) and traditional growing rod (GR) treatment for management
      of early-onset scoliosis (EOS) through definitive treatment. SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: The efficacy of surgical treatment of EOS can only be determined
      after definitive treatment has been completed. We wanted to review our experience
      with the SGGS and GR for management of EOS through definitive treatment. METHODS:
      Patients who had surgical treatment with SGGS or GR and had undergone definitive
      treatment were included. The patients were matched by age, preoperative curve
      magnitude, and diagnosis. The study population consisted of 36 patients (18 in
      each group) whose mean age at initial surgery was as follows: SGGS, 7.9 years;
      and GR, 7.7 years (not significant [NS]). Length of follow-up after initial
      surgery was 6.1 years for SGGS and 7.4 years for GR (NS). Definitive treatment
      was posterior spinal fusion (15 SGGS, 17 GR), implant removal (3 SGGS), or
      completion of lengthenings (1 GR). RESULTS: The preoperative curve was 61 degrees
      for SGGS and 65 degrees for GR (NS). After index surgery, the major curve
      decreased to 24 degrees (-37 degrees) for SGGS and 38 (-27 degrees) for GR (p <
      .05). At last follow-up, the major curve was 34 degrees (44%) for SGGS and 36
      degrees (45%) for GR (NS). The initial T1-T12 length for SGGS was 188 mm and for
      GR, 181 mm; at last follow-up, SGGS was 234 mm (46 mm increase) and GR was 233 mm
      (52 mm increase) (NS). CONCLUSION: Our analysis shows the final radiographic
      outcomes (and changes) and complications (implant-related and infection) between
      the SGGS and GR groups were not statistically different. The main difference
      between the two groups was the threefold difference in overall surgeries.

PMID- 28622905
TI  - Discovery of novel somatostatin receptor subtype 5 (SSTR5) antagonists:
      Pharmacological studies and design to improve pharmacokinetic profiles and human
      Ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) inhibition.
AB  - Somatostatin (SST) is a peptide hormone comprising 14 or 28 amino acids that
      inhibits endocrine and exocrine secretion via five distinct G-protein-coupled
      receptors (SSTR1-5). SSTR5 has an important role in inhibiting the secretion of
      pancreatic and gastrointestinal hormones (e.g., insulin, GLP-1, PYY) through the
      binding of SSTs; hence, SSTR5 antagonists are expected to be novel anti-diabetic
      drugs. In the course of our lead generation program of SSTR5 antagonists, we have
      discovered a novel spiroazetidine derivative 3a. However, pharmacological
      evaluation of 3a revealed that it had to be administered at a high dose
      (100mg/kg) to show a persistent glucose-lowering effect in an oral glucose
      tolerance test (OGTT). We therefore initiated an optimization study based on 3a
      aimed at improving the antagonistic activity and mean residence time (MRT),
      resulting in the identification of 2-cyclopropyl-5-methoxybiphenyl derivative 3k.
      However, 3k did not show a sufficient persistent glucose-lowering effect in an
      OGTT; moreover, hERG inhibition was observed. Hence, further optimization study
      of the biphenyl moiety of compound 3k, focused on improving the pharmacokinetic
      (PK) profile and hERG inhibition, was conducted. Consequently, the introduction
      of a chlorine atom at the 6-position on the biphenyl moiety addressed a putative
      metabolic soft spot and increased the dihedral angle of the biphenyl moiety,
      leading to the discovery of 3p with an improved PK profile and hERG inhibition.
      Furthermore, 3p successfully exhibited a persistent glucose-lowering effect in an
      OGTT at a dose of 3mg/kg.

PMID- 28622906
TI  - Discovery of novel quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione derivatives as potent PARP-2
      selective inhibitors.
AB  - The PARP-2 selective inhibitor is important for clarifying specific roles of PARP
      2 in the pathophysiological process and developing desired drugs with reduced off
      target side effects. In this work, a series of novel quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-dione
      derivatives was designed and synthesized to explore isoform selective PARP
      inhibitors. As a result, compound 11a (PARP-1 IC50=467nM, PARP-2 IC50=11.5nM,
      selectivity PARP-1/PARP-2=40.6) was disclosed as the most selective PARP-2
      inhibitor with high potency to date. The binding features of compound 11a within
      PARP-1 and PARP-2 were investigated respectively to provide useful insights for
      the further construction of new isoform selective inhibitors of PARP-1 and PARP-2
      by using CDOCKER program.

PMID- 28622907
TI  - Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine
      derivatives as potent antitubulin agents.
AB  - Two series of novel 5,7-diarylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-8-carbonitrile derivatives
      (3a-3q and 7a-7n) were designed by modification of CA-4 pharmacophore to develop
      colchicine targeted antitubulin agents. All compounds were efficiently
      synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five selected cancer
      cell lines (HT-29, H460, A549, MKN-45 and SMMC-7721) which got an insight in
      structure and activity relationships (SARs). Several molecules (7e, 7f, 7h-7j and
      7m) were disclosed to exhibit promising antiproliferative activity with IC50
      values in double-digit nanomolar degree. Optimization toward these compounds led
      to the discovery of a promising lead 7e, which showed noteworthy potency with
      IC50 value ranging from 0.01 to 3.2uM superior to CA-4 and Crolibulin.
      Importantly, immunofluorescence staining and colchcine competitive binding assay
      revealed that microtubule dynamics was disrupted by 7e by binding at the
      colchicine site of tubulin. Moreover, molecular docking studies suggested the
      binding of this mimic at colchcine-binding site is similar to Crolibulin, as was
      in conformity with the observed SARs for these compounds.

PMID- 28622908
TI  - Small Cell Lung Cancer. Methodology and Preliminary Results of the SMALL CELL
      Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is the most aggressive histologic
      type of lung cancer, and accounts for approximately 10%-15% of all cases. Few
      studies have analyzed the effect of residential radon. Our aim is to determine
      the risk factors of SCLC. METHODS: We designed a multicenter, hospital-based case
      control study with the participation of 11 hospitals in 4 autonomous communities.
      RESULTS: Results of the first 113 cases have been analyzed, 63 of which included
      residential radon measurements. Median age at diagnosis was 63 years; 11% of
      cases were younger than 50 years of age; 22% were women; 57% had extended
      disease; and 95% were smokers or former smokers. Median residential radon
      concentration was 128Bq/m3. Concentrations higher than 400Bq/m3 were found in 8%
      of cases. The only remarkable difference by gender was the percentage of never
      smokers, which was higher in women compared to men (P<.001). Radon concentration
      was higher in patients with stageIV disease (non-significant difference) and in
      individuals diagnosed at 63 years of age or older (P=.032). CONCLUSIONS: A high
      percentage of SCLC cases are diagnosed early and there is a predominance of
      disseminated disease at diagnosis. Residential radon seems to play an important
      role on the onset of this disease, with some cases having very high indoor radon
      concentrations.

PMID- 28622909
TI  - Biomechanical evaluation of a novel pedicle screw-based interspinous spacer: A
      finite element analysis.
AB  - Interspinous spacers have been designed to provide a minimally invasive surgical
      technique for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis. A novel
      pedicle screw-based interspinous spacer has been developed in this study, and the
      aim of this finite element experiment was to investigate the biomechanical
      differences between the pedicle screw-based interspinous spacer (M-rod system)
      and the typical interspinous spacer (Coflex-FTM). A validated finite element
      model of an intact lumbar spine was used to analyze the insertions of the Coflex
      FTM, titanium alloy M-rod (M-Ti), and polyetheretherketone M-rod (M-PEEK),
      independently. The range of motion (ROM) between each vertebrae, stiffness of the
      implanted level, the peak stress at the intervertebral discs, and the contact
      forces on spinous process were analyzed. Of all three devices, the Coflex-FTM
      provided the largest restrictions in extension, flexion and lateral bending. For
      intervertebral disc, the peak stress at the implanted segment decreased by 81% in
      the Coflex-FTM, 60.2% in the M-Ti and 46.7% in the M-PEEK when compared to the
      intact model. For the adjacent segments, while the Coflex-FTM caused considerable
      increases in the ROM and disc stress, the M-PEEK only had small changes.

PMID- 28622910
TI  - The link between morphology and complement in ocular disease.
AB  - The complement system is a vital component of the immune-priveliged human eye
      that is always active at a low-grade level, preventing harmful intraocular
      injuries caused by accumulation of turnover products and controlling pathogens to
      preserve eye homeostasis and vision. The complement system is a double-edged
      sword that is essential for protection but may also become harmful and contribute
      to eye pathology. Here, we review the evidence for the involvement of complement
      system dysregulation in age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, uveitis, and
      neuromyelitis optica, highlighting the relationship between morphogical changes
      and complement system protein expression and regulation in these diseases. The
      potential benefits of complement inhibition in age-related macular degeneration,
      glaucoma, uveitis, and neuromyelitis optica are abundant, as are those of further
      research to improve our understanding of complement-mediated injury in these
      diseases.

PMID- 28622911
TI  - Demyelination, strokes, and eculizumab: Lessons from the congenital CD59 gene
      mutations.
AB  - Neurological symptoms of patients with p.Cys89Tyr mutation in the CD59 gene
      include recurrent peripheral neuropathy resembling Guillain-Barre syndrome,
      characterized by sensory-motor demyelinating neuropathy with secondary axonal
      damage and moderate enhancement of the nerve roots on spine MRI, together with
      recurrent strokes and retinal involvement. Three additional mutations in CD59,
      leading to loss of function, have been described, and overall, 12/12 (100%) of
      patients with any mutation presented with neurological symptoms; 11/12 (92%)
      patients presented with recurrent peripheral neuropathy, 6/12 (50%) with
      recurrent strokes, and 1/12 (8%) with retinal involvement. We review the possible
      thrombophilic profile associated with the mutations. In these patients, excessive
      intravascular hemolysis saturates scavenger mechanisms resulting in free
      hemoglobin in plasma that irreversibly reacts with nitric oxide to form nitrate
      and methemoglobin, leading to arterial thrombosis. CD59 loss of function is also
      one of the major thrombophilic mechanisms in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal
      hemoglobinuria. We then describe the relationship with demyelination. The lack of
      CD59 allows uncontrolled complement amplification following low-level spontaneous
      , viral-, or post viral-induced complement activation, resulting in severe
      demyelination in the peripheral nervous system. It is interesting, and certainly
      encouraging, that after 3 years, following 4 patients with Cys89Tyr mutations who
      are treated with eculizumab, no strokes occurred and non-permanent neurological
      insults underwent resolution without any new neurological exacerbations.

PMID- 28622912
TI  - Clinical approaches to the development of a neuroprotective therapy for PD.
AB  - The development of a neuroprotective or disease-modifying therapy is the major
      unmet need in the management of Parkinson's Disease (PD) and the goal of much
      clinical and scientific research. However, despite enormous efforts and expense,
      no disease-modifying therapy for PD has been approved to date. Historically
      attempts to define such a therapy have been limited by confounding
      symptomatic/pharmacologic effects of the study intervention and the lack of a
      clear and well-defined regulatory and clinical development pathway that leads to
      a disease-modifying indication. Further, the costs of the development program
      average 1 billion dollars with a duration of 10 to 13years. As a consequence,
      many pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to test novel therapies despite the
      recent scientific advances and promising candidate targets and approaches. In the
      present review we describe previous studies aimed at defining a disease-modifying
      drug and discuss their limitations. We also consider some of the modern
      approaches and trial design for drug development that will hopefully pave the way
      toward identifying and gaining regulatory approval for a disease-modifying
      therapy in a relatively efficient and cost-effective manner.

PMID- 28622915
TI  - Turkish validity and reliability of Eustachian tube dysfunction questionnaire-7.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: During clinical evaluations, in order to interpret patients'
      complaints caused by Eustachian tube dysfunction and to monitor the success of
      the treatment, standardized and disease-related scales are necessary. OBJECTIVE:
      The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the
      Turkish version of Eustachian tube dysfunction questionnaire-7. METHODS: Forty
      patients diagnosed with Eustachian tube dysfunction and 40 healthy individuals
      were enrolled for the study. After language validation of the Eustachian tube
      dysfunction questionnaire-7 for Turkish, a scale was completed by the both
      Eustachian tube dysfunction and control groups. Two weeks after the first
      evaluation, 15 of the cases filled out the scale again without any treatment
      intervention. Known-groups method was used in validity analysis. Floor-ceiling
      effect, test-retest method, item-total score correlation and internal consistency
      analysis were used in reliability analyses. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha coefficient
      was 0.714 for the entire questionnaire. The test-retest reliability coefficient
      for the total scale was determined as 0.792, indicating correlation between the
      two questionnaires completed by the same patient over time. In the Eustachian
      tube dysfunction group, total and each item scores were found significantly
      higher than the control group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of
      Eustachian tube dysfunction questionnaire-7 was found to be highly valid and
      reliable. This scale is recommended to use for screening of Eustachian tube
      dysfunction and evaluating treatment outcome.

PMID- 28622914
TI  - Association of Resistance Exercise, Independent of and Combined With Aerobic
      Exercise, With the Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of resistance exercise, independent of
      and combined with aerobic exercise, with the risk of development of metabolic
      syndrome (MetS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study cohort included adults (mean +/-
      SD age, 46+/-9.5 years) who received comprehensive medical examinations at the
      Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas, between January 1, 1987, and December, 31, 2006.
      Exercise was assessed by self-reported frequency and minutes per week of
      resistance and aerobic exercise and meeting the US Physical Activity Guidelines
      (resistance exercise >=2 d/wk; aerobic exercise >=500 metabolic equivalent
      min/wk) at baseline. The incidence of MetS was based on the National Cholesterol
      Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. We used Cox regression to
      generate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: Among 7418 participants, 1147
      (15%) had development of MetS during a median follow-up of 4 years (maximum, 19
      years; minimum, 0.1 year). Meeting the resistance exercise guidelines was
      associated with a 17% lower risk of MetS (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73-0.96; P=.009)
      after adjusting for potential confounders and aerobic exercise. Further, less
      than 1 hour of weekly resistance exercise was associated with 29% lower risk of
      development of MetS (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.89; P=.003) compared with no
      resistance exercise. However, larger amounts of resistance exercise did not
      provide further benefits. Individuals meeting both recommended resistance and
      aerobic exercise guidelines had a 25% lower risk of development of MetS (HR,
      0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.89; P<.001) compared with meeting neither guideline.
      CONCLUSION: Participating in resistance exercise, even less than 1 hour per week,
      was associated with a lower risk of development of MetS, independent of aerobic
      exercise. Health professionals should recommend that patients perform resistance
      exercise along with aerobic exercise to reduce MetS.

PMID- 28622916
TI  - Osteogenic potential of platelet-rich plasma in dental stem-cell cultures.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to analyse the potential of platelet-rich plasma
      (PRP) culture media to induce osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament
      stem cells and dental pulp stem cells compared with four other methods of
      culture. Both types of cell were collected from 35 healthy patients and cultured
      in five different media (Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium (DMEM); DMEM and
      melatonin; DMEM and PRP; DMEM and ascorbic acid 200MUmol; DMEM and l-ascorbate 2
      phosphate 50MUmol). Cells were characterised by flow cytometry. Alizarin Red
      stain, alkaline phosphatase stain, and the expression of collagen type 1 (Col-1),
      runt-related transcription factor (RUNX2), osteoprotegerin, and osteopontin
      (quantified by qRT-PCR) were used to detect the osteogenic profile in each
      culture. Flow cytometry showed that both types of stem cell were a homogeneous
      mixture of CD90(+), CD105(+), STRO-1(+), CD34 (-), and CD45 (-) cells. Dental
      pulp stem cells that were cultured with PRP showed the best osteogenic profile
      (RUNX2 p=0.0002; osteoprotegerin p=0.001). The group of these stem cells that
      showed the best osteogenic profile was also cultured with PRP (osteoprotegerin
      p=0.001). Medium five (with l-ascorbate 2-phosphate 50MUmol added) showed an
      increase in all osteogenic markers for periodontal ligament stem cells after PRP,
      while the best culture conditions for osteogenic expression of dental pulp stem
      cells after PRP was in medium four (ascorbic acid 200MUmol added). These results
      suggested that culture in PRP induces osteogenic differentiation of both types of
      stem cell, modulating molecular pathways to promote bony formation.

PMID- 28622917
TI  - New Beginnings: Mitochondrial Renewal by Massive Mitochondrial Fusion.
AB  - Massive mitochondrial fusion (MMF) in germinating arabidopsis seeds, together
      with earlier studies, suggests a significant role for MMF in the life cycle of
      flowering plants. MMF is likely to facilitate nucleoid transmission,
      mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) recombination, and the homogenization of mitochondrial
      components, thus providing a type of quality control for mitochondrial
      populations in new generations.

PMID- 28622918
TI  - Angiosperm Plant Desiccation Tolerance: Hints from Transcriptomics and Genome
      Sequencing.
AB  - Desiccation tolerance (DT) in angiosperms is present in the small group of
      resurrection plants and in seeds. DT requires the presence of protective
      proteins, specific carbohydrates, restructuring of membrane lipids, and
      regulatory mechanisms directing a dedicated gene expression program. Many
      components are common to resurrection plants and seeds; however, some are
      specific for resurrection plants. Understanding how each component contributes to
      DT is challenging. Recent transcriptome analyses and genome sequencing indicate
      that increased expression is essential of genes encoding protective components,
      recently evolved, species-specific genes and non-protein-coding RNAs.
      Modification and reshuffling of existing cis-regulatory promoter elements seems
      to play a role in the rewiring of regulatory networks required for increased
      expression of DT-related genes in resurrection species.

PMID- 28622913
TI  - Targeting urate to reduce oxidative stress in Parkinson disease.
AB  - Oxidative stress has been implicated as a core contributor to the initiation and
      progression of multiple neurological diseases. Genetic and environmental factors
      can produce oxidative stress through mitochondrial dysfunction leading to the
      degeneration of dopaminergic and other neurons underlying Parkinson disease (PD).
      Although clinical trials of antioxidants have thus far failed to demonstrate
      slowed progression of PD, oxidative stress remains a compelling target. Rather
      than prompting abandonment of antioxidant strategies, these failures have raised
      the bar for justifying drug and dosing selections and for improving study designs
      to test for disease modification by antioxidants. Urate, the main antioxidant
      found in plasma as well as the end product of purine metabolism in humans, has
      emerged as a promising potential neuroprotectant with advantages that distinguish
      it from previously tested antioxidant agents. Uniquely, higher urate levels in
      plasma or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been linked to both a lower risk of
      developing PD and to a slower rate of its subsequent progression in numerous
      large prospective epidemiological and clinical cohorts. Laboratory evidence that
      urate confers neuroprotection in cellular and animal models of PD, possibly via
      the Nrf2 antioxidant response pathway, further strengthened its candidacy for
      rapid clinical translation. An early phase trial of the urate precursor inosine
      demonstrated its capacity to safely produce well tolerated, long-term elevation
      of plasma and CSF urate in early PD, supporting a phase 3 trial now underway to
      determine whether oral inosine dosed to elevate urate to concentrations
      predictive of favorable prognosis in PD slows clinical decline in people with
      recently diagnosed, dopamine transporter-deficient PD.

PMID- 28622919
TI  - Diet of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: Bread and Butter?
AB  - Most plants entertain mutualistic interactions known as arbuscular mycorrhiza
      (AM) with soil fungi (Glomeromycota) which provide them with mineral nutrients in
      exchange for reduced carbon from the plant. Mycorrhizal roots represent strong
      carbon sinks in which hexoses are transferred from the plant host to the fungus.
      However, most of the carbon in AM fungi is stored in the form of lipids. The
      absence of the type I fatty acid synthase (FAS-I) complex from the AM fungal
      model species Rhizophagus irregularis suggests that lipids may also have a role
      in nutrition of the fungal partner. This hypothesis is supported by the concerted
      induction of host genes involved in lipid metabolism. We explore the possible
      roles of lipids in the light of recent literature on AM symbiosis.

PMID- 28622921
TI  - Accurate prediction of coronary and cerebrovascular events: Adding small pieces
      to an emerging puzzle.

PMID- 28622920
TI  - Post-9/11 sarcoidosis in WTC-exposed firefighters and emergency medical service
      workers.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The World Trade Center (WTC) disaster released a huge quantity and
      variety of toxicants into the environment. To-date, studies from each of the
      three major cohorts of WTC-exposed workers have suggested "greater than expected"
      numbers of post-9/11 cases in some workers. We undertook this study to estimate
      the incidence of post-9/11 sarcoidosis in ~13,000 male firefighters and EMS
      workers enrolled in The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) WTC Health
      Program; to compare FDNY incidence to rates from unexposed, demographically
      similar men in the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP); and, to examine rates by
      level of WTC exposure. METHODS: We calculated incidence of sarcoidosis diagnosed
      from 9/12/2001 to 9/11/2015, and generated expected sex- and age-specific rates
      based on REP rates. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) based on REP rates, and
      95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Two sensitivity analyses
      limited cases to those with intra-thoracic symptoms or biopsy confirmation.
      RESULTS: We identified 68 post-9/11 cases in the FDNY cohort. Overall, FDNY rates
      were significantly higher than expected rates (SIR = 2.8; 95% CI = 2.2, 3.6).
      Including only symptomatic cases, the SIR decreased (SIR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.5,
      3.0), but remained significantly elevated. SIRs ranged from 2.7 (95% CI = 2.0,
      3.5) in the lower WTC exposure group to 4.2 (95% CI = 1.9, 8.0) in the most
      highly exposed. CONCLUSIONS: We found excess incident post-9/11 sarcoidosis in
      WTC-exposed workers. Continued surveillance, particularly of those most highly
      exposed, is necessary to identify those with sarcoidosis and to follow them for
      possible adverse effects including functional impairments and organ damage.

PMID- 28622922
TI  - Cross-sectional human study of soft tissue chin (STC) thickness in adult patients
      in relation to sex, facial pattern and skeletal class.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to study the relations between the soft tissue
      chin (STC) and sex, skeletal class, and facial pattern; and to describe the shape
      and behavior of the STC. METHODS: 385 non-growing patients were selected, 206
      women and 179 men, with a mean age of 28.8 years (SD 4.2). Patients were divided
      into groups by skeletal class (class I, II or III) and facial pattern
      (brachyfacial, mesofacial or dolichofacial). STC thicknesses were measured at
      pogonion (Pg), soft pogonion (Pg'), gnathion (Gn), soft gnathion (Gn'), menton
      (Me) and soft menton (Me') in the CBCTs. RESULTS: Sexual dimorphism was observed
      at Pg-Pg' and Me-Me'. STC thickness was not related to skeletal class but related
      to facial pattern. Pg-Pg' and Me-Me' measurements showed significant differences
      to the combination of skeletal class/facial pattern. STC thickness was not
      homogenous in terms of shape and behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide
      evidence of a strong but complex relationship between sex, facial pattern,
      skeletal class and STC thickness; for this reason, each patient must be evaluated
      individually before undergoing orthodontics or orthognathic surgery involving the
      mandible and the mandibular symphysis.

PMID- 28622923
TI  - Consistent C3 plant habitat of hominins during 400-300 ka at the Longyadong Cave
      site (Luonan Basin, central China) revealed by stable carbon isotope analyses of
      loess deposits.
AB  - The proportions of woody and grassland taxa in terrestrial ecosystems played an
      important role in the origin and evolution of early Palaeolithic hominins.
      However the influence of ecosystem changes on hominin behavior and adaptations in
      Asia has not been studied in detail. Hominins have exploited the Luonan Basin in
      the Eastern Qinling Mountains, central China, since the early Paleolithic. Dated
      sites, consisting of alternating loess and soil deposits with in situ artefacts,
      are common in the region, and provide a detailed record of Early to Middle
      Pleistocene hominin environments. Here, we present the results of measurements of
      the stable carbon isotopic composition of soil organic matter (delta13CSOM) in
      the loess-paleosol sequences from the Longyadong Cave site. Our analyses of
      delta13CSOM show that for at least 400 ka the Longyadong Cave site and its
      surroundings were dominated by C3 woody plants, whereas the nearby Liuwan site
      was dominated by C4 and C3 mixed grassland or woody grassland vegetation. These
      findings demonstrate that between 400 and 300 ka in the Luonan Basin, hominins
      occupied a habitat consisting of a mosaic of grassland and woodland/forest.
      Although the vegetation of the region changed in response to the glacial
      interglacial climatic cycles, patches of woody vegetation in landscapes such as
      at Longyadong Cave site persisted continuously. Such environments seem to be have
      been favored by hominins living in the Luonan Basin, possibly because they
      provided a diverse range of food resources during both glacial and interglacial
      intervals of the Middle Pleistocene, when most of northern China was experiencing
      an increasing trend of drying and cooling and steppe environments were expanding.
      Thus, the Luonan Basin would have served as a refugium for hominin occupation in
      China during the Middle Pleistocene.

PMID- 28622924
TI  - Functional associations between support use and forelimb shape in strepsirrhines
      and their relevance to inferring locomotor behavior in early primates.
AB  - The evolution of primates is intimately linked to their initial invasion of an
      arboreal environment. However, moving and foraging in this milieu creates
      significant mechanical challenges related to the presence of substrates differing
      in their size and orientation. It is widely assumed that primates are
      behaviorally and anatomically adapted to movement on specific substrates, but few
      explicit tests of this relationship in an evolutionary context have been
      conducted. Without direct tests of form-function relationships in living primates
      it is impossible to reliably infer behavior in fossil taxa. In this study, we
      test a hypothesis of co-variation between forelimb morphology and the type of
      substrates used by strepsirrhines. If associations between anatomy and substrate
      use exist, these can then be applied to better understand limb anatomy of extinct
      primates. The co-variation between each forelimb long bone and the type of
      substrate used was studied in a phylogenetic context. Our results show that
      despite the presence of significant phylogenetic signal for each long bone of the
      forelimb, clear support use associations are present. A strong co-variation was
      found between the type of substrate used and the shape of the radius, with and
      without taking phylogeny into account, whereas co-variation was significant for
      the ulna only when taking phylogeny into account. Species that use a thin branch
      milieu show radii that are gracile and straight and have a distal articular shape
      that allows for a wide range of movements. In contrast, extant species that
      commonly use large supports show a relatively robust and curved radius with an
      increased surface area available for forearm and hand muscles in pronated
      posture. These results, especially for the radius, support the idea that
      strepsirrhine primates exhibit specific skeletal adaptations associated with the
      supports that they habitually move on. With these robust associations in hand it
      will be possible to explore the same variables in extinct early primates and
      primate relatives and thus improve the reliability of inferences concerning
      substrate use in early primates.

PMID- 28622925
TI  - Subsistence strategies during the Late Pleistocene in the southern Cape of South
      Africa: Comparing the Still Bay of Blombos Cave with the Howiesons Poort of
      Klipdrift Shelter.
AB  - The Still Bay (SB) and Howiesons Poort (HP) were two significant techno-complexes
      in the Middle Stone Age and key periods in the expression of behavioral
      complexity. In this study, we compare the recently excavated fauna from the SB
      layers at Blombos Cave (BBC) with that from the HP levels at Klipdrift Shelter
      (KDS) in the southern Cape of South Africa. We consider our findings in the
      framework of recent models for early human subsistence behavior. In particular,
      we link our study with models involving resource intensification to examine
      whether foraging strategies in the HP were more or less intensive than those in
      the SB. Based on our criteria used to assess intensification-the exploitation of
      low-ranked prey, the processing of low-utility elements, transport decisions, and
      occupational intensity-intensive subsistence strategies are more evident at KDS
      than BBC. Our results suggest that low-ranked elements were processed more
      heavily and diet breath was broader at KDS than at BBC. However, foraging ranges
      may have been more extensive at BBC than at KDS. Taphonomic data also suggests
      that the SB at BBC was a low-intensity, sporadically occupied period in contrast
      to the high-intensity occupations during the HP at KDS. We argue that this may be
      related to differences in mobility and residential patterns between these techno
      complexes.

PMID- 28622926
TI  - Hominid visitation of the Moravian Karst during the Middle-Upper Paleolithic
      transition: New results from Pod Hradem Cave (Czech Republic).
AB  - In 1956-1958, excavations of Pod Hradem Cave in Moravia (eastern Czech Republic)
      revealed evidence for human activity during the Middle-Upper Paleolithic
      transition. This spanned 25,050-44,800 cal BP and contained artefacts attributed
      to the Aurignacian and Szeletian cultures, including those made from porcelanite
      (rarely used at Moravian Paleolithic sites). Coarse grained excavation techniques
      and major inversions in radiocarbon dates meant that site chronology could not be
      established adequately. This paper documents re-excavation of Pod Hradem in 2011
      2012. A comprehensive AMS dating program using ultrafiltration and ABOx-SC pre
      treatments provides new insights into human occupation at Pod Hradem Cave. Fine
      grained excavation reveals sedimentary units spanning approximately 20,000 years
      of the Early Upper Paleolithic and late Middle Paleolithic periods, thus making
      it the first archaeological cave site in the Czech Republic with such a
      sedimentary and archaeological record. Recent excavation confirms infrequent
      human visitation, including during the Early Aurignacian by people who brought
      with them portable art objects that have no parallel in the Czech Republic. Raw
      material diversity of lithics suggests long-distance imports and ephemeral visits
      by highly mobile populations throughout the EUP period.

PMID- 28622927
TI  - Evolution of the hominin knee and ankle.
AB  - The dispersal of the genus Homo out of Africa approximately 1.8 million years ago
      (Ma) has been understood within the context of changes in diet, behavior, and
      bipedal locomotor efficiency. While various morphological characteristics of the
      knee and ankle joints are considered part of a suite of traits indicative of, and
      functionally related to, habitual bipedal walking, the timing and phylogenetic
      details of these morphological changes remain unclear. To evaluate the timing of
      knee and ankle joint evolution, we apply geometric morphometric methods to three
      dimensional digital models of the proximal and distal tibiae of fossil hominins,
      Holocene Homo sapiens, and extant great apes. Two sets of landmarks and curve
      semilandmarks were defined on each specimen. Because some fossils were
      incomplete, digital reconstructions were carried out independently to estimate
      missing landmarks and semilandmarks. Group shape variation was evaluated through
      shape-and form-space principal component analysis and fossil specimens were
      projected to assess variation in the morphological space computed from the extant
      comparative sample. We show that a derived proximal tibia (knee) similar to that
      seen in living H. sapiens evolved with early Homo at ~2 Ma. In contrast, derived
      characteristics in the distal tibia appear later, probably with the arrival of
      Homo erectus. These results suggest a dissociation of the morphologies of the
      proximal and distal tibia, perhaps indicative of divergent functional demands
      and, consequently, selective pressures at these joints. It appears that longer
      distance dispersals that delivered the Dmanisi hominins to Georgia by 1.8 Ma and
      H. erectus to east-southeast Asia by 1.6 Ma were facilitated by the evolution of
      a morphologically derived knee complex comparable to that of recent humans and an
      ankle that was morphologically primitive. This research sets the foundation for
      additional paleontological, developmental, and functional research to better
      understand the mechanisms underlying the evolution of bipedalism.

PMID- 28622928
TI  - Dental development and age at death of the holotype of Anapithecus hernyaki (RUD
      9) using synchrotron virtual histology.
AB  - The chronology of dental development and life history of primitive catarrhines
      provides a crucial comparative framework for understanding the evolution of
      hominoids and Old World monkeys. Among the extinct groups of catarrhines are the
      pliopithecoids, with no known descendants. Anapithecus hernyaki is a medium-size
      stem catarrhine known from Austria, Hungary and Germany around 10 Ma, and
      represents a terminal lineage of a clade predating the divergence of hominoids
      and cercopithecoids, probably more than 30 Ma. In a previous study, Anapithecus
      was characterized as having fast dental development. Here, we used non
      destructive propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-tomography to image
      several dental microstructural features in the mixed mandibular dentition of RUD
      9, the holotype of A. hernyaki. We estimate its age at death to be 1.9 years and
      describe the pattern, sequence and timing of tooth mineralization. Our results do
      not support any simplistic correlation between body mass and striae periodicity,
      since RUD 9 has a 3-day periodicity, which was previously thought unlikely based
      on body mass estimates in Anapithecus. We demonstrate that the teeth in RUD 9
      grew even faster and initiated even earlier in development than suggested
      previously. Permanent first molars and the canine initiated 49 and 38 days
      prenatally, respectively. These results contribute to a better understanding of
      dental development in Anapithecus and may provide a window into the dental
      development of the last common ancestor of hominoids and cercopithecoids.

PMID- 28622929
TI  - Catarrhine hallucal metatarsals from the early Miocene site of Songhor, Kenya.
AB  - Songhor is an early Miocene fossil locality in Kenya known for its diverse
      primate assemblage that includes catarrhine species belonging to the genera
      Kalepithecus, Limnopithecus, Dendropithecus, Rangwapithecus, and Proconsul.
      Expeditions to Songhor since the 1930s have recovered unassociated catarrhine
      postcranial remains from both the fore- and hindlimbs, including multiple
      elements from the feet. In this study, we describe KNM-SO 31233, a complete left
      hallucal metatarsal (Mt1), along with several other fragmentary Mt1 specimens
      (KNM-SO 1080, 5129, 5141, 22235). These fossils were compared to extant
      catarrhines and platyrrhines, as well as available fossil Miocene catarrhine
      Mt1s. Morphometric data were obtained from 3D surface renderings and subjected to
      a number of analyses to assess their phenetic affinity with the comparative
      sample, make predictions of body mass, and to infer their functional morphology.
      The size and shape of the Songhor Mt1s are diverse, exhibiting a large robust
      morph (KNM-SO 5141) similar in size but not in shape to extant African apes,
      medium-sized morphs (KNM-SO 1080, 5129 and 22235), and a smaller, slender one
      (KNM-SO 31233) that has a shape resembling arboreal quadrupedal leaping monkeys
      and suspensory atelines and hylobatids. KNM-SO 31233 is unlike other known fossil
      Mt1s, and in general, none of the Songhor Mt1s resembled any single extant
      anthropoid clade or species. The morpho-functional diversity of Songhor Mt1s is
      consistent with an extensive morphological and phylogenetic catarrhine diversity
      in the early part of the Miocene epoch.

PMID- 28622930
TI  - The palaeoenvironment of the middle Miocene pliopithecid locality in Damiao,
      Inner Mongolia, China.
AB  - Damiao, Inner Mongolia, has three main fossil horizons representing the early,
      middle, and late Miocene. The middle Miocene locality DM01 is the only primate
      locality from the region and also represents the latest occurrence of
      pliopithecoids in northern China. The presence of pliopithecoid primates in
      central Asia after the middle Miocene climatic optimum seems to contradict the
      general trend of strengthening climatic zonality and increasing aridity. To
      investigate this enigma, we employ faunal similarity, ecometrics, and stable
      isotope analysis. Our results support previous inferences concerning the presence
      of locally humid environments within the increasingly arid surroundings that
      characterized central Asia. Hypsodonty, estimated mean annual precipitation
      (MAP), local sedimentology, and large mammal fossils suggest more humid and
      possibly more forested and wooded environments for the DM01 locality. We compared
      our results with the adjacent fossil-rich middle Miocene Tunggur localities.
      However, the small mammal fauna and isotope data are consistent with a mosaic of
      forest and grassland environment for all Damiao localities. Based on our results,
      Tunggur may have been too seasonal or not sufficiently humid for pliopithecids.
      This is supported by the higher mean hypsodonty and lower estimated MAP
      estimates, as well as slightly higher delta13C values. We suggest that DM01, the
      driest known Asian pliopithecid locality, may have been a more humid refugium
      within a generally drier regional context.

PMID- 28622931
TI  - Three-dimensional morphometrics of thoracic vertebrae in Neandertals and the
      fossil evidence from El Sidron (Asturias, Northern Spain).
AB  - Well preserved thoracic vertebrae of Neandertals are rare. However, such fossils
      are important as their three-dimensional (3D) spatial configuration can
      contribute to the understanding of the size and shape of the thoracic spine and
      the entire thorax. This is because the vertebral body and transverse processes
      provide the articulation and attachment sites for the ribs. Dorsal orientation of
      the transverse processes relative to the vertebral body also rotates the attached
      ribs in a way that could affect thorax width. Previous research indicates
      possible evidence for greater dorsal orientation of the transverse processes and
      small vertebral body heights in Neandertals, but their 3D vertebral structure has
      not yet been addressed. Here we present 15 new vertebral remains from the El
      Sidron Neandertals (Asturias, Northern Spain) and used 3D geometric morphometrics
      to address the above issues by comparing two particularly well preserved El
      Sidron remains (SD-1619, SD-1641) with thoracic vertebrae from other Neandertals
      and a sample of anatomically modern humans. Centroid sizes of El Sidron vertebrae
      are within the human range. Neandertals have larger T1 and probably also T2. The
      El Sidron vertebrae are similar in 3D shape to those of other Neandertals, which
      differ from Homo sapiens particularly in central-lower regions (T6-T10) of the
      thoracic spine. Differences include more dorsally and cranially oriented
      transverse processes, less caudally oriented spinous processes, and vertebral
      bodies that are anteroposteriorly and craniocaudally short. The results fit with
      current reconstructions of Neandertal thorax morphology.

PMID- 28622932
TI  - An evolutionary medicine perspective on Neandertal extinction.
AB  - The Eurasian sympatry of Neandertals and anatomically modern humans - beginning
      at least 45,000 years ago and possibly lasting for more than 5000 years - has
      sparked immense anthropological interest into the factors that potentially
      contributed to Neandertal extinction. Among many different hypotheses, the
      "differential pathogen resistance" extinction model posits that Neandertals were
      disproportionately affected by exposure to novel infectious diseases that were
      transmitted during the period of spatiotemporal sympatry with modern humans.
      Comparisons of new archaic hominin paleogenome sequences with modern human
      genomes have confirmed a history of genetic admixture - and thus direct contact -
      between humans and Neandertals. Analyses of these data have also shown that
      Neandertal nuclear genome genetic diversity was likely considerably lower than
      that of the Eurasian anatomically modern humans with whom they came into contact,
      perhaps leaving Neandertal innate immune systems relatively more susceptible to
      novel pathogens. In this study, we compared levels of genetic diversity in genes
      for which genetic variation is hypothesized to benefit pathogen defense among
      Neandertals and African, European, and Asian modern humans, using available exome
      sequencing data (three individuals, or six chromosomes, per population). We
      observed that Neandertals had only 31-39% as many nonsynonymous (amino acid
      changing) polymorphisms across 73 innate immune system genes compared to modern
      human populations. We also found that Neandertal genetic diversity was relatively
      low in an unbiased set of balancing selection candidate genes for primates, those
      genes with the highest 1% genetic diversity genome-wide in non-human hominoids
      (apes). In contrast, Neandertals had similar or higher levels of genetic
      diversity than humans in 12 major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes. Thus,
      while Neandertals may have been relatively more susceptible to some novel
      pathogens and differential pathogen resistance could be considered as one
      potential contributing factor in their extinction, the expectations of this model
      are not universally met.

PMID- 28622934
TI  - Selection to outsmart the germs: The evolution of disease recognition and social
      cognition.
AB  - The emergence of providing care to diseased conspecifics must have been a turning
      point during the evolution of hominin sociality. On a population level, care may
      have minimized the costs of socially transmitted diseases at a time of increasing
      social complexity, although individual care-givers probably incurred increased
      transmission risks. We propose that care-giving likely originated within kin
      networks, where the costs may have been balanced by fitness increases obtained
      through caring for ill kin. We test a novel hypothesis of hominin cognitive
      evolution in which disease may have selected for the cognitive ability to
      recognize when a conspecific is infected. Because diseases may produce symptoms
      that are likely detectable via the perceptual-cognitive pathways integral to
      social cognition, we suggest that disease recognition and social cognition may
      have evolved together. Using agent-based modeling, we test 1) under what
      conditions disease can select for increasing disease recognition and care-giving
      among kin, 2) whether providing care produces greater selection for cognition
      than an avoidance strategy, and 3) whether care-giving alters the progression of
      the disease through the population. The greatest selection was produced by
      diseases with lower risks to the care-giver and prevalences low enough not to
      disrupt the kin networks. When care-giving and avoidance strategies were
      compared, only care-giving reduced the severity of the disease outbreaks and
      subsequent population crashes. The greatest selection for increased cognitive
      abilities occurred early in the model runs when the outbreaks and population
      crashes were most severe. Therefore, over the course of human evolution, repeated
      introductions of novel diseases into naive populations could have produced
      sustained selection for increased disease recognition and care-giving behavior,
      leading to the evolution of increased cognition, social complexity, and,
      eventually, medical care in humans. Finally, we lay out predictions derived from
      our disease recognition hypothesis that we encourage paleoanthropologists,
      bioarchaeologists, primatologists, and paleogeneticists to test.

PMID- 28622933
TI  - Evaluating the potential for tactical hunting in the Middle Stone Age: Insights
      from a bonebed of the extinct bovid, Rusingoryx atopocranion.
AB  - The foraging behaviors of Middle Stone Age (MSA) early modern humans have largely
      been based on evidence from well-stratified cave sites in South Africa. Whereas
      these sites have provided an abundance of data for behavioral reconstruction that
      are unmatched elsewhere in Africa, they are unlikely to preserve evidence of the
      diversity of foraging strategies employed by MSA hunters who lived in a variety
      of ecological and landscape settings across the African continent. Here we
      describe the results of recent excavations at the open-air site of Bovid Hill at
      Wakondo, Rusinga Island, Kenya, which yielded 24 in situ MSA artifacts within an
      assemblage of bones comprised exclusively of the extinct alcelaphin bovid
      Rusingoryx atopocranion. The excavated faunal assemblage is characterized by a
      prime-age-dominated mortality profile and includes cut-marked specimens and an
      associated MSA Levallois blade-based artifact industry recovered from a channel
      deposit dated to 68 +/- 5 ka by optically stimulated luminescence. Taphonomic,
      geologic, and faunal evidence points to mass exploitation of Rusingoryx by humans
      at Bovid Hill, which likely represents an initial processing site that was
      altered post-depositionally by fluvial processes. This site highlights the
      importance of rivers and streams for mass procurement in an open and seasonal
      landscape, and provides important new insights into MSA behavioral variability
      with respect to environmental conditions, site function, and tactical foraging
      strategies in eastern Africa. Bovid Hill thus joins a growing number of MSA and
      Middle Paleolithic localities that are suggestive of tactical hunting behaviors
      and mass capture of gregarious ungulate prey.

PMID- 28622935
TI  - How to review a paper: suggestions from the editors of Surgery and the Journal of
      Surgical Research.

PMID- 28622936
TI  - Acoustic radiation force control: Pulsating spherical carriers.
AB  - The interaction between harmonic plane progressive acoustic beams and a pulsating
      spherical radiator is studied. The acoustic radiation force function exerted on
      the spherical body is derived as a function of the incident wave pressure and the
      monopole vibration characteristics (i.e., amplitude and phase) of the body. Two
      distinct strategies are presented in order to alter the radiation force effects
      (i.e., pushing and pulling states) by changing its magnitude and direction. In
      the first strategy, an incident wave field with known amplitude and phase is
      considered. It is analytically shown that the zero- radiation force state (i.e.,
      radiation force function cancellation) is achievable for specific pulsation
      characteristics belong to a frequency-dependent straight line equation in the
      plane of real-imaginary components (i.e., Nyquist Plane) of prescribed surface
      displacement. It is illustrated that these characteristic lines divide the
      mentioned displacement plane into two regions of positive (i.e., pushing) and
      negative (i.e., pulling) radiation forces. In the second strategy, the zero,
      negative and positive states of radiation force are obtained through adjusting
      the incident wave field characteristics (i.e., amplitude and phase) which
      insonifies the radiator with prescribed pulsation characteristics. It is proved
      that zero radiation force state occurs for incident wave pressure characteristics
      belong to specific frequency-dependent circles in Nyquist plane of incident wave
      pressure. These characteristic circles divide the Nyquist plane into two distinct
      regions corresponding to positive (out of circles) and negative (in the circles)
      values of radiation force function. It is analytically shown that the maximum
      amplitude of negative radiation force is exactly equal to the amplitude of the
      (positive) radiation force exerted upon the sphere in the passive state, by the
      same incident field. The developed concepts are much more deepened by considering
      the required power supply for distinct cases of zero, negative and positive
      radiation force states along with the frequency dependent asymmetry index. In
      addition, considering the effect of phase difference between the incident wave
      field and the pulsating object, and its possible variation with respect to
      spatial position of object, some practical points about the spatial average of
      generated radiation force, the optimal state of operation, the stability of zero
      radiation force states and the possibly of precise motion control are discussed.
      This work would extend the novel concept of smart carriers to and may be helpful
      for robust single-beam acoustic handling techniques. Furthermore, the shown
      capability of precise motion control may be considered as a new way toward smart
      acoustic driven micro-mechanisms and micro-machines.

PMID- 28622938
TI  - American Palaeontology and the reception of Darwinism.

PMID- 28622937
TI  - Antibodies under pressure: A Small-Angle X-ray Scattering study of Immunoglobulin
      G under high hydrostatic pressure.
AB  - In the present work two subclasses of the human antibody Immunoglobulin G (IgG)
      have been investigated by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering under high hydrostatic
      pressures up to 5kbar. It is shown that IgG adopts a symmetric T-shape in
      solution which differs significantly from available crystal structures. Moreover,
      high-pressure experiments verify the high stability of the IgG molecule. It is
      not unfolded by hydrostatic pressures of up to 5kbar but a slight increase of the
      radius of gyration was observed at elevated pressures.

PMID- 28622939
TI  - Social preferences for prioritizing the treatment of severely ill patients: The
      relevance of severity, expected benefit, past health and lifetime health.
AB  - The study examined the preferences of a sample of the Australian public and
      health professionals regarding the relative importance of four different criteria
      for prioritizing between patients: the severity of the condition, the size of the
      benefit from the intervention, past health losses and expected lifetime health. A
      discussion-group methodology was adopted to elicit social preferences. This
      allowed participants time to consider all of the alternatives fully, to seek
      clarification of the task, and to engage in open debate about the issues raised.
      Participants traded-off cost-effectiveness for priority to the more severely ill.
      They placed less importance on past health and the lifetime allocation of health
      in deciding priority for treatment, and more importance on improving the
      condition of those who will be left more severely ill or disabled in the absence
      of treatment. The results pose a challenge to studies reporting support for the
      "fair innings argument". They also support the Norwegian government's decision
      not to pursue a life-time health loss criterion as recommended by the Norheim
      Commission. The study question is important given current debate both in the
      health economics literature and at the policy level in several jurisdictions.

PMID- 28622940
TI  - Feasibility of performing non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography in pregnant
      subjects with familial aortopathies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of aortic pathology.
      We sought to assess the feasibility of performing non-contrast 3D steady-state
      free-precession (SSFP) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in pregnant subjects
      with inherited aortopathy. METHODS: Fifteen pregnant subjects (age 27+/-4yr) with
      positive genotyping for aortopathy (Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, Ehlers-Danlos) and/or a
      family history of aortic dissection underwent non-contrast 3D-SSFP MRA at 1.5T
      (Avanto, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) using a modified ECG-triggered
      orientated in a sagittal-oblique plane with a respiratory navigator at the
      diaphragmatic level (mean acquisition time 4.1+/-1.9min). Imaging was performed
      during the mid-trimester (21+/-5weeks). Image analysis was performed off-line
      using Cvi42 software (Circle Cardiovascular Imaging, Calgary, Canada). An
      assessment of image quality (score 0-3) was made before performing inner edge to
      inner edge measurements of the thoracic aorta at 7 levels from the multiplanar
      reconstructions by two independent blinded observers. RESULTS: Non-contrast 3D
      MRA was successfully acquired in all 15 subjects. Image quality was deemed
      excellent in 87% (13/15) of cases after a mean acquisition time of 4.1+/-1.9min.
      There was a high level of agreement for aortic measurements, with low intra- and
      inter-observer variability (ICC ranges; 0.95-0.99 and 0.92-0.98, respectively).
      All pregnancies reached term (>=37/40) with a mean gestation at delivery of
      38.0+/-0.5weeks. The mode of delivery was vaginal in 9 out of 15 subjects (60%).
      CONCLUSIONS: Non-contrast SSFP MRA imaging provides a quick and reproducible
      method of assessing the thoracic aorta in pregnancy.

PMID- 28622942
TI  - Arterial Hypertension after Coarctation-Repair in Long-term Follow-up (CoAFU):
      Predictive Value of Clinical Variables.

PMID- 28622941
TI  - Pre-hospital ticagrelor in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the
      French ATLANTIC population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: ATLANTIC was a randomized study comparing pre- and in-hospital
      treatment with a ticagrelor loading dose (LD) in ongoing ST-segment elevation
      myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to compare patient characteristics and
      clinical outcomes in France with other countries participating in ATLANTIC.
      METHODS: The population comprised 1862 patients, 660 (35.4%) from France and 1202
      from 12 other countries. The main endpoints were reperfusion (>=70% ST-segment
      elevation resolution) and TIMI flow grade 3 before (co-primary endpoints) and
      after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Other endpoints included a
      composite ischaemic endpoint (death/myocardial infarction/stroke/urgent
      revascularization/definite stent thrombosis) and bleeding events at 30days.
      RESULTS: In France, median times from first LD to angiography and between first
      and second LDs were 49 and 35min, respectively, and were similar to other
      countries. French patients were younger (mean 58.7 vs 61.9years, p<0.0001) and
      characterized by a higher rate of radial access (89.9% vs 54.8%, p<0.0001), more
      frequent use of pre-hospital glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors (14.1% vs
      3.1%, p<0.0001) and intravenous enoxaparin (57.3% vs 10.1%, p<0.0001). In France,
      as in other countries, the co-primary endpoints did not differ between the two
      randomization groups. The composite ischaemic endpoint was numerically lower in
      France (3.3% vs 5.1%, p=0.07), with a lower mortality (1.4% vs 3.3%, p=0.01).
      PLATO major bleeding was numerically less frequent in France (1.8% vs 3.2%,
      p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: The French population appears to have better outcomes than
      the rest of the study population, and seems related to differences in
      demographics and management characteristics. TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov
      (NCT01347580).

PMID- 28622943
TI  - Cardiac rehabilitation costs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the clinical benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and its
      cost-effectiveness, it is not widely received. Arguably, capacity could be
      greatly increased if lower-cost models were implemented. The aims of this review
      were to describe: the costs associated with CR delivery, approaches to reduce
      these costs, and associated implications. METHODS: Upon finalizing the PICO
      statement, information scientists were enlisted to develop the search strategy of
      MEDLINE, Embase, CDSR, Google Scholar and Scopus. Citations identified were
      considered for inclusion by the first author. Extracted cost data were summarized
      in tabular format and qualitatively synthesized. RESULTS: There is wide
      variability in the cost of CR delivery around the world, and patients pay out-of
      pocket for some or all of services in 55% of countries. Supervised CR costs in
      high-income countries ranged from PPP$294 (Purchasing Power Parity; 2016 United
      States Dollars) in the United Kingdom to PPP$12,409 in Italy, and in middle
      income countries ranged from PPP$146 in Venezuela to PPP$1095 in Brazil. Costs
      relate to facilities, personnel, and session dose. Delivering CR using
      information and communication technology (mean cost PPP$753/patient/program),
      lowering the dose and using lower-cost personnel and equipment are important
      strategies to consider in containing costs, however few explicitly low-cost
      models are available in the literature. CONCLUSION: More research is needed
      regarding the costs to deliver CR in community settings, the cost-effectiveness
      of CR in most countries, and the economic impact of return-to-work with CR
      participation. A low-cost model of CR should be standardized and tested for
      efficacy across multiple healthcare systems.

PMID- 28622945
TI  - Safety of intracoronary provocative testing for the diagnosis of coronary artery
      spasm.
AB  - AIMS: Systematic review of literature to evaluate safety of intracoronary (i.c.)
      pharmacologic testing with acetylcholine (ACh), or ergonovine (ERGO), to induce
      coronary artery spasm. METHODS AND RESULTS: Review of all relevant publications
      using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases yielded 10 publications, totalling 9,444
      patients. Prevalence of provoked spasm varied from 2.3% to 54.7% of patients
      tested in the selected studies. The wide variability in prevalence was due to
      heterogeneity of study populations and provocation protocols. No deaths were
      reported. Overall occurrence of major (0.8%) and minor (4.7%) complications for
      i.c. pharmacologic testing was low. Compared to ERGO, ACh showed significantly
      higher rate of major (1.09% vs 0.15%; p<0.001) and minor complications (5.87% vs
      2.36%; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Provocative testing with i.c. ACh or ERGO are safe
      and can facilitate the diagnosis of inducible coronary artery spasm during
      diagnostic coronary angiography. These tests should be part of the routine
      armamentarium of interventional cardiologists.

PMID- 28622944
TI  - Effect of ascending aortic dimension on acute procedural success following self
      expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A multicenter retrospective
      analysis.
AB  - AIMS: Self-expanding (SE) valves are characterized with long stent frame design
      and the radial force of the device exists both in the inflow and outflow level.
      Therefore, we hypothesized that device success of SE-valves may be influenced by
      ascending aortic dimensions (AAD). The aim of this study was to determine the
      influence of AAD on acute device success rates following SE transcatheter aortic
      valve replacement (TAVR). METHODS & RESULTS: In 4 centers in the United States
      and Asia, 214 consecutive patients underwent SE-TAVR. Outcomes were assessed in
      line with Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria. AAD was defined as the sum
      of the short and long axis aortic diameter divided by 2. Overall, device success
      rate was 85.0%. Multivariate analysis revealed that increased AAD (Odds ratio
      1.27) and % oversizing (Odds ratio 0.88) were found to be independent predictors
      of unsuccessful device implantation. The c-statistic of the model for device
      success was area under the curve 0.79, sensitivity 81.3% and specificity 44.0%.
      Co-existence of several risk factors was associated with an exponential fall to
      64.2% in device success rate. For a large AAD, however, optimally oversized SE
      valves (threshold 16.2%) resulted with high device success rates compared to
      suboptimal oversizing (88.6% vs. 64.2%, p=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Larger AAD and
      smaller degrees of oversizing were confirmed to be the most relevant predictors
      of unsuccessful device implantation following SE-valve implantations. Optimal
      oversizing of great significance was noted, particularly that with a large AAD.

PMID- 28622946
TI  - Estimation of myocardial flow reserve utilizing an ultrafast cardiac SPECT:
      Comparison with coronary angiography, fractional flow reserve, and the SYNTAX
      score.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Quantitative assessment of myocardial flow reserve (MFR) by single
      photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is
      challenging but may facilitate evaluation of multi-vessel coronary artery disease
      (CAD). METHODS: We enrolled 153 patients with suspected or known CAD, referred
      for pharmacological stress MPI. They underwent a 99mTc-perfusion stress/rest
      SPECT with an ultrafast cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) camera. Dynamic data were
      acquired and time-activity curves fitted to a 1-tissue compartment analysis with
      input function. K1 was assigned for stress and rest data. The MFR index (MFRi)
      was calculated as K1 stress/K1 at-rest. The findings were validated by invasive
      coronary angiography in 69 consecutive patients. RESULTS: The global MFRi was
      1.46 (1.16-1.76), 1.33 (1.12-1.54), and 1.18 (1.01-1.35), for 1-vessel disease
      (VD), 2-VD, and 3-VD, respectively. In the 3-VD, global MFRi was lower than that
      in 0-VD (1.63 [1.22-2.04], P<0.0001) and 1-VD (P=0.003). Multivariate logistic
      regression analysis for 3-VD showed significant associations with smoking history
      (odds ratio [OR]: 4.4 [0.4-8.4]), left ventricular ejection fraction (OR: 61.6
      [57.5-66.0]), and global MFRi (OR: 119.6 [111.5-127.7], P=0.002). A cut-off value
      of 1.3 yielded 93.3% sensitivity and 75.9% specificity for diagnosing 3-VD.
      Fractional flow reserve positively correlated with regional MFRi (r=0.62,
      P=0.008), and the SYNTAX score correlated negatively with global MFRi (r=0.567,
      P=0.0003). CONCLUSION: We developed and validated a clinically available method
      for MFR quantification by dynamic 99mTc-perfusion SPECT utilizing a CZT camera,
      which improves the detectability of multi-vessel CAD.

PMID- 28622947
TI  - Discontinuation and non-publication of clinical trials in cardiovascular
      medicine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Appropriate dissemination of clinical data is crucial for minimising
      bias. Despite this, high rates of study discontinuation and non-publication have
      been reported among clinical trials. Cardiovascular medicine receives a
      substantial proportion of academic funding; however, predictors of non
      publication among cardiovascular trials are not well-established. METHODS: The
      National Clinical Trials database was searched for cardiovascular trials
      completed between January 2010 and January 2014. Associated publications were
      identified in Medline or Embase. Relevant variables were extracted and subject to
      chi-squared and logistic regression to identify predictors of discontinuation and
      non-publication. RESULTS: After reviewing 2035 trials, 431 trials were included,
      of which 82.1% (n=354; 119,233 participants) were completed. Among completed
      trials, 70.3% (n=249; 99,095 participants) were published. Industry funding was
      associated with increased likelihood of non-publication (odds ratio [OR] 2.84;
      95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47-5.51; P=0.002), while non-randomised studies
      were more likely to remain unpublished than randomised counterparts. Industry
      funded studies were over three times more likely to be discontinued than those
      sponsored by academic institutions (OR 3.89; CI 1.54-9.83; P=0.004). Trials
      studying heart failure and atrial fibrillation were more likely to be
      discontinued compared to trials studying coronary artery disease (OR 2.83; CI
      1.23-6.51; and OR 3.10; CI 1.21-7.96, respectively). Of the total 135,714
      participants, 25,565 were recruited into unpublished studies. CONCLUSIONS:
      Discontinuation and non-publication of cardiovascular trials are common,
      resulting in data from thousands of participants remaining unpublished. Funding
      source and randomisation are strong predictors of non-publication, while sponsor
      type, phase and blinding status are key predictors of discontinuation.

PMID- 28622948
TI  - High level of beta-(1,3)-d-glucan antigenaemia in cystic fibrosis in the absence
      of invasive fungal disease.
AB  - beta-(1,3)-d-glucan (BDG) is used to rule out invasive fungal disease (IFD) but
      its usefulness in cystic fibrosis (CF) has not been evaluated. We measured serum
      BDG in CF patients with no clinical suspicion of IFD. Samples from 46 adult CF
      patients during a stable period and during pulmonary exacerbation were tested.
      The association of BDG with clinical variables was analyzed. Three hundred and
      three non-CF patients with suspected IFD were used as comparators. Both samples
      were negative in 52% of CF patients, whereas 67% of comparators had only negative
      results (P=0.08). CF patients with pancreatic insufficiency and CF-related
      diabetes had fewer negative results (P<0.05 for both). Negative results were more
      common in older CF patients (P<0.05). Use of antibiotics, presence of fungi in
      sputum and CF liver disease did not impact BDG levels. In conclusion, patients
      with CF experience significant BDG antigenaemia in the absence of IFD.

PMID- 28622949
TI  - Changed epidemiology during intra and interhospital spread of high-risk clones of
      vanA-containing Enterococcus in Brazilian hospitals.
AB  - We report changes in the molecular epidemiology of vanA-containing Enterococcus
      during the intra and interhospital spread of high-risk clones, in Southeastern
      Brazil. While VRE faecalis predominated during 1998 to 2006, a reversal has been
      observed in the last years, where VRE faecium belonging to ST114, ST203, ST412,
      ST478 and ST858 have become endemic.

PMID- 28622950
TI  - Glycaemic control and hypoglycaemia with insulin glargine 300U/mL versus insulin
      glargine 100U/mL in insulin-naive people with type 2 diabetes: 12-month results
      from the EDITION 3 trial.
AB  - AIM: To explore if efficacy and safety findings for insulin glargine 300U/mL (Gla
      300) versus insulin glargine 100U/mL (Gla-100), observed over 6 months in insulin
      naive people with type 2 diabetes, are maintained after 12 months. METHODS:
      EDITION 3 was a phase 3a, randomized, multicentre, open-label, parallel-group,
      treat-to-target study of once-daily Gla-300 versus Gla-100 (target fasting self
      monitored plasma glucose, 4.4-5.6mmol/L [80-100mg/dL]). Participants completing
      the initial 6-month treatment phase continued their previously allocated basal
      insulin. RESULTS: Of 878 participants randomized, 337/439 (77%) and 314/439 (72%)
      assigned to Gla-300 and Gla-100, respectively, completed 12 months of treatment.
      Improved glycaemic control was sustained until 12 months in both treatment
      groups, with similar reductions in HbA1c from baseline to month 12 (difference: 
      0.08 [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.23 to 0.07] % or -0.9 [-2.5 to 0.8]
      mmol/mol). Relative risk of experiencing>=1 confirmed (<=3.9mmol/L [<=70mg/dL])
      or severe hypoglycaemic event with Gla-300 versus Gla-100 was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.69
      to 1.07) at night and 0.92 (0.82 to 1.03) at any time of day. For events with a
      glycaemic threshold of<3.0mmol/L (<54mg/dL) these numbers were 0.76 (0.49 to
      1.19) and 0.66 (0.50 to 0.88). A similar pattern was seen for documented
      symptomatic events. No between-group differences in adverse events were
      identified. CONCLUSION: Over 12 months, Gla-300 treatment was as effective as Gla
      100 in reducing HbA1c in insulin-naive people with type 2 diabetes, with lower
      overall risk of hypoglycaemia at the<3.0mmol/L threshold.

PMID- 28622951
TI  - Population Approach to Efavirenz Therapy.
AB  - Efavirenz (EFV) is a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor commonly used
      as first-line therapy in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
      with a narrow therapeutic range and a high between-subject variability which can
      lead to central nervous system toxicity or therapeutic failure. To characterize
      the sources of variability and better predict EFV steady-state plasma
      concentrations, a population pharmacokinetic model was developed from 96 HIV
      positive individuals, using a nonlinear mixed-effect method with Monolix(r)
      software. A one-compartment with first-order absorption and elimination model
      adequately described the data. To explain between-subject variability,
      demographic characteristics, biochemical parameters, hepatitis C virus-HIV
      coinfection, and genetic polymorphisms were tested. A combination of the single
      nucleotide polymorphisms rs2279343 and rs3745274, both in the CYP2B6 gene, were
      the only covariates influencing clearance, included in the final model. Oral
      clearance was estimated to be 19.6 L/h, 14.15 L/h, and 6.08 L/h for wild-type,
      heterozygous mutated and homozygous mutated individuals, respectively. These
      results are in accordance with the current knowledge of EFV metabolism and also
      suggest that in homozygous mutated individuals, a dose adjustment is necessary.
      Hepatitis C virus-HIV coinfection does not seem to be a predictive indicator of
      EFV pharmacokinetic disposition.

PMID- 28622952
TI  - Preventing major gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly patients.

PMID- 28622953
TI  - The need for a complex systems model of evidence for public health.

PMID- 28622954
TI  - Department of Error.

PMID- 28622955
TI  - Age-specific risks, severity, time course, and outcome of bleeding on long-term
      antiplatelet treatment after vascular events: a population-based cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lifelong antiplatelet treatment is recommended after ischaemic
      vascular events, on the basis of trials done mainly in patients younger than 75
      years. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a serious complication, but had low
      case fatality in trials of aspirin and is not generally thought to cause long
      term disability. Consequently, although co-prescription of proton-pump inhibitors
      (PPIs) reduces upper gastrointestinal bleeds by 70-90%, uptake is low and
      guidelines are conflicting. We aimed to assess the risk, time course, and
      outcomes of bleeding on antiplatelet treatment for secondary prevention in
      patients of all ages. METHODS: We did a prospective population-based cohort study
      in patients with a first transient ischaemic attack, ischaemic stroke, or
      myocardial infarction treated with antiplatelet drugs (mainly aspirin based,
      without routine PPI use) after the event in the Oxford Vascular Study from 2002
      to 2012, with follow-up until 2013. We determined type, severity, outcome
      (disability or death), and time course of bleeding requiring medical attention by
      face-to-face follow-up for 10 years. We estimated age-specific numbers needed to
      treat (NNT) to prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding with routine PPI co
      prescription on the basis of Kaplan-Meier risk estimates and relative risk
      reduction estimates from previous trials. FINDINGS: 3166 patients (1582 [50%]
      aged >=75 years) had 405 first bleeding events (n=218 gastrointestinal, n=45
      intracranial, and n=142 other) during 13 509 patient-years of follow-up. Of the
      314 patients (78%) with bleeds admitted to hospital, 117 (37%) were missed by
      administrative coding. Risk of non-major bleeding was unrelated to age, but major
      bleeding increased steeply with age (>=75 years hazard ratio [HR] 3.10, 95% CI
      2.27-4.24; p<0.0001), particularly for fatal bleeds (5.53, 2.65-11.54; p<0.0001),
      and was sustained during long-term follow-up. The same was true of major upper
      gastrointestinal bleeds (>=75 years HR 4.13, 2.60-6.57; p<0.0001), particularly
      if disabling or fatal (10.26, 4.37-24.13; p<0.0001). At age 75 years or older,
      major upper gastrointestinal bleeds were mostly disabling or fatal (45 [62%] of
      73 patients vs 101 [47%] of 213 patients with recurrent ischaemic stroke), and
      outnumbered disabling or fatal intracerebral haemorrhage (n=45 vs n=18), with an
      absolute risk of 9.15 (95% CI 6.67-12.24) per 1000 patient-years. The estimated
      NNT for routine PPI use to prevent one disabling or fatal upper gastrointestinal
      bleed over 5 years fell from 338 for individuals younger than 65 years, to 25 for
      individuals aged 85 years or older. INTERPRETATION: In patients receiving aspirin
      based antiplatelet treatment without routine PPI use, the long-term risk of major
      bleeding is higher and more sustained in older patients in practice than in the
      younger patients in previous trials, with a substantial risk of disabling or
      fatal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Given that half of the major bleeds in
      patients aged 75 years or older were upper gastrointestinal, the estimated NNT
      for routine PPI use to prevent such bleeds is low, and co-prescription should be
      encouraged. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust, Wolfson Foundation, British Heart
      Foundation, Dunhill Medical Trust, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR),
      and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.

PMID- 28622956
TI  - Obesity, Visceral Adipose Tissue, and Cognitive Function in Childhood.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a 9-month physical activity intervention
      on changes in adiposity and cognitive control based on pretrial weight status
      (ie, healthy weight vs obese) in children. STUDY DESIGN: Participants included
      obese (n = 77) and matched healthy-weight (n = 77) preadolescents (8-9 years) who
      participated in a 9-month physical activity randomized controlled trial.
      Cognitive function was assessed with an inhibitory control task (modified flanker
      task). RESULTS: After the 9-month physical activity intervention, participants
      exhibited a reduction in adiposity. In contrast, children in the waitlist-control
      condition, particularly children identified as obese pretrial, gained visceral
      adipose tissue (P= .008). Changes in visceral adipose tissue were related to
      changes in cognitive performance, such that the degree of reduction in visceral
      adipose tissue directly related to greater gains in inhibitory control,
      particularly among obese intervention participants (CI -0.14, -0.04; P= .001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Participation in a daily physical activity program not only reduces
      adiposity but also improves children's cognitive function as demonstrated by an
      inhibitory control task. Furthermore, these findings reveal that the benefits of
      physical activity to improvements in cognitive function are particularly evident
      among children who are obese. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01334359
      and NCT01619826.

PMID- 28622957
TI  - Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection of Bordetella pertussis in
      Mexican Infants and Their Contacts: A 3-Year Multicenter Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the usefulness of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT
      PCR) as a diagnostic method for the detection of Bordetella pertussis in
      hospitalized patients aged <1 year with a clinical diagnosis of whooping cough,
      as well as to identify the role of household contacts as a source of infection.
      STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective, multicenter study of infants aged <1 year
      who were hospitalized with symptoms suggestive of whooping cough. Nasopharyngeal
      samples were obtained for culture and RT-PCR testing. The clinical and
      epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes were analyzed. B pertussis detection
      and symptoms in household contacts of patients diagnosed with pertussis were
      studied. RESULTS: A total of 286 patients were included; of these, 67.1% had B
      pertussis and 4.5% had Bordetella spp. Complications occurred in 20% of patients,
      and the mortality rate was 6.7%. Of 434 contacts studied, 111 were mothers of
      study infants, representing the most frequently B pertussis-infected group and
      the main symptomatic contact. CONCLUSION: The use of RT-PCR permits improved
      detection and diagnosis of pertussis and a better understanding of the
      epidemiology of sources of infection. The complications and mortality rate of
      pertussis continue to be high. Household contacts are confirmed as a frequent
      source of infection of B pertussis in young children.

PMID- 28622958
TI  - Metabolic Syndrome in Long-Term Survivors of Hematopoietic Stem-Cell
      Transplantation.
AB  - Since its introduction more than 50 years ago, hematopoietic stem-cell
      transplantation (HSCT) has transformed from an inescapably fatal procedure to one
      where cure from malignant and other nonmalignant hematologic diseases is becoming
      increasingly common. Nevertheless, longevity is not entirely restored. New causes
      of mortality have emerged; of particular importance is that of increased
      cardiovascular disease (CVD), related to metabolic syndrome and its components.
      Controversy exists over whether the metabolic abnormalities induced are a direct
      effect of HSCT itself or a consequence of other therapies involved. Analysis of
      the mechanisms that promote the changes in metabolic components will give insight
      into future HSCT therapy as well as CVD pathogenesis and prevention.

PMID- 28622960
TI  - Treatment of Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma in Community Settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) represent a rare and
      heterogeneous group of malignancies that do not have consensus treatment
      recommendations. Strategies extrapolated from B-cell lymphoma have met with
      limited efficacy, although T-cell-specific salvage therapies have been recently
      developed. METHODS: To determine treatment patterns and associated outcomes in
      PTCL not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma (ALCL),
      and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), a retrospective analysis was
      undertaken at a large US community oncology network among patients treated
      between January 2010 and April 2015. RESULTS: Among 93 patients (44 PTCL-NOS, 30
      ALCL, 19 AITL), 23 unique treatments were used in 66 first-line patients and 12
      unique second-line treatments were used in 24 relapsed/refractory patients. First
      line CHOP and CHOP-like regimens were used in 74% of patients, providing 4-year
      overall survival (OS) outcomes of 34% (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%-83%) in
      patients without transplant consolidation (82% in ALCL, 37% in PTCL-NOS, and 0%
      in AITL). Upfront stem cell transplantation trended toward improved 4-year
      progression-free survival 77% (95% CI, 54%-100%) versus 34% (95% CI, 14%-80%); (P
      = .08; hazard ratio [HR] 0.29) with 4-year OS 77% (95% CI, 54%-100%) versus 34%
      (P = .22; HR 0.41). Brentuximab was the most common second-line therapy, with
      multiple additional regimens used in sequence (up to 5 salvage regimens) in many.
      CONCLUSIONS: The significant variability in treatments used for PTCL emphasizes
      the lack of consensus therapy in this rarer lymphoma and calls for additional
      organized prospective and registry studies to evaluate comparative effectiveness.

PMID- 28622959
TI  - A Phase I/II Trial of Panobinostat in Combination With Lenalidomide in Patients
      With Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lenalidomide and panobinostat have shown single-agent efficacy of 14%
      to 50% and 27% to 58%, respectively, in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). This phase I/II
      study was conducted to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), safety, and
      efficacy of lenalidomide combined with panobinostat in relapsed/refractory HL.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the phase I trial, previously treated patients with
      classical or lymphocyte-predominant HL received escalating doses of lenalidomide
      on days 1 to 21 and panobinostat 3 times a week (TIW) every 28 days. Dose
      limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined during cycle 1. When the MTD was determined,
      a phase II study was conducted to determine overall response (OR). RESULTS:
      Twenty-four patients enrolled; 11 in the phase I and 13 in phase II portions. No
      DLTs were observed but 2 patients who received 25 mg lenalidomide and 20 mg
      panobinostat experienced neutropenia and thrombocytopenia > 14 days in cycle 2,
      leading to selection of 25 mg lenalidomide on days 1 to 21 and 15 mg panobinostat
      TIW for the phase II dose. In all 24 patients, Grade 3 to 4 toxicities consisted
      of neutropenia (58%), thrombocytopenia (42%), lymphopenia (25%), and febrile
      neutropenia (25%). OR was 16.7% (2 complete response [CR] and 2 partial
      response). One patient with CR had lymphocyte-predominant HL and received 22
      cycles. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.8 and 16.4
      months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the combination of panobinostat and
      lenalidomide appears safe in patients with relapsed/refractory HL, the limited
      efficacy and significant rates of neutropenia and febrile neutropenia observed do
      not support further evaluation of this combination in HL.

PMID- 28622961
TI  - ZOHe: A Prospective Study of the Use of Biosimilar Filgrastim Zarzio in Clinical
      Practice in Patients Treated With Chemotherapy for Lymphoid Malignancies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ZOHe study was a prospective, observational, multicenter study in
      France to assess use of biosimilar filgrastim Zarzio in routine clinical practice
      in patients undergoing neutropenia-inducing chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      Patients >= 18 years undergoing chemotherapy for a malignant disease and with a
      first prescription for Zarzio were enrolled in 2 cohorts: solid tumor (1174
      patients) or hematological malignancy (633 patients); the latter is reported
      here. Analyses primarily described the prescription and use of Zarzio in current
      practice, and included identification of factors linked to prescription for
      primary prophylaxis, comparison of use in relation to European Organisation for
      the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) guidelines, and estimation of
      chemotherapy dose intensity maintenance in patients given Zarzio. RESULTS: Use of
      Zarzio in clinical practice was relatively standardized and followed label
      indication in 96.7% of the analysis population (633 patients). Most patients had
      >= 2 EORTC patient-related risk factors for febrile neutropenia (FN).
      Chemotherapy dose intensity was maintained in 85.2% of evaluable patients and
      89.6% of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma receiving R-CHOP (rituximab
      cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone). The safety profile of
      Zarzio was confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: In routine clinical practice in France, Zarzio
      is mostly used as primary prophylaxis for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in
      patients with hematological malignancies. Patient-related risk factors appear to
      have more weight in clinicians' decisions to give Zarzio than the FN risk
      category of the chemotherapy regimen alone in real-world practice.

PMID- 28622962
TI  - Synergistic structures from magnetic freeze casting with surface magnetized
      alumina particles and platelets.
AB  - Magnetic freeze casting utilizes the freezing of water, a low magnetic field and
      surface magnetized materials to make multi-axis strengthened porous scaffolds. A
      much greater magnetic moment was measured for larger magnetized alumina platelets
      compared with smaller particles, which indicated that more platelet aggregation
      occurred within slurries. This led to more lamellar wall alignment along the
      magnetic field direction during magnetic freeze casting at 75 mT. Slurries with
      varying ratios of magnetized particles to platelets (0:1, 1:3, 1:1, 3:1, 7:1,
      1:0) produced porous scaffolds with different structural features and degrees of
      lamellar wall alignment. The greatest mechanical enhancement in the magnetic
      field direction was identified in the synergistic condition with the highest
      particle to platelet ratio (7:1). Magnetic freeze casting with varying ratios of
      magnetized anisotropic and isotropic alumina provided insights about how
      heterogeneous morphologies aggregate within lamellar walls that impact mechanical
      properties. Fabrication of strengthened scaffolds with multi-axis aligned
      porosity was achieved without introducing different solid materials, freezing
      agents or additives. Resemblance of 7:1 particle to platelet scaffold
      microstructure to wood light-frame house construction is framed in the context of
      assembly inspiration being derived from both natural and synthetic sources.

PMID- 28622963
TI  - Commentary on "Characteristics of cadmium uptake and membrane transport in roots
      of intact wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings" reported by Lian-Zhen Li, Chen
      Tu, Willie J.G.M. Peijnenburg, Yong-Ming Luo.

PMID- 28622964
TI  - Grand paternal inheritance of X-linked myotubular myopathy due to mosaicism, and
      identification of necklace fibers in an asymptomatic male.
AB  - X-linked recessive myotubular myopathy (XLMTM) is a disorder associated with
      mutations in the myotubularin gene (MTM1) that usually affects boys, with
      transmission of the mutated allele from the mother. Here we describe a family
      with unexpected grand paternal transmission of a novel mutation in MTM1
      (c.646_648dupGTT; p.Val216dup) identified in a severely affected infant boy with
      a centronuclear myopathy. We confirmed the carrier status of the mother, but
      surprisingly we found that her father was a carrier of the mutated MTM1 gene
      together with wild-type MTM1. A muscle biopsy from the grandfather revealed
      occasional typical necklace fibers with internalized nucleus, which is typically
      found in MTM1-associated myopathies. Further analysis of the grandfather revealed
      equal amounts of DNA with the wild-type sequence and DNA with the c.646_648dupGTT
      variant in five different tissues examined. In the presence of a normal karyotype
      (46,XY) in the grandfather and no evidence of intragenic duplication of MTM1, the
      result was interpreted as postzygotic mosaicism and the mutation had probably
      occurred at the first mitosis of the zygote. This study demonstrates the
      importance of considering the possibility of paternal transmission in families
      with severe X-linked disorders. The muscle biopsy with the finding of typical
      necklace fibers was important to further establish the pathogenicity of the novel
      MTM1 mutation.

PMID- 28622965
TI  - Tumour-Derived Human Growth Hormone As a Therapeutic Target in Oncology.
AB  - The growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) axis is the key
      regulator of longitudinal growth, promoting postnatal bone and muscle growth. The
      available data suggest that GH expression by tumour cells is associated with the
      aetiology and progression of various cancers such as endometrial, breast, liver,
      prostate, and colon cancer. Accordingly there has been increased interest in
      targeting GH-mediated signal transduction in a therapeutic setting. Because GH
      has endocrine, autocrine, and paracrine actions, therapeutic strategies will need
      to take into account systemic and local functions. Activation of related hormone
      receptors and crosstalk with other signalling pathways are also key
      considerations.

PMID- 28622966
TI  - Immunohistochemical expression analysis of leucine-rich PPR-motif-containing
      protein (LRPPRC), a candidate colorectal cancer biomarker identified by shotgun
      proteomics using iTRAQ.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most frequent cause of cancer
      deaths in the world. Novel biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment
      of CRC are required to improve the clinical strategy. METHODS: We applied shotgun
      proteomics using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) to
      identify novel biomarkers of CRC, and then we detected leucine-rich PPR-motif
      containing protein (LRPPRC) expression in 83 normal colorectal tissues and 133
      CRC tissues by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: A total of 570 proteins were
      identified using iTRAQ. We validated the expression of LRPPRC protein by
      immunohistochemical analysis of the 77 proteins that showed expression changes in
      the cancer tissues >1.5-fold the levels in the normal tissues. The expression
      levels of LRPPRC were significantly higher in CRC tissues than those in normal
      colorectal tissues, and the expression levels were related with tumor
      differentiation and especially high in moderately differentiated CRC tissues.
      CONCLUSION: We identified a novel, differentially expressed protein, LRPPRC,
      which has the potential to serve as a molecular target for diagnosis and/or
      prognosis of CRC.

PMID- 28622967
TI  - New markers of urinary tract infection.
AB  - Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common bacterial infection independent
      of age. It is also one of the most common causes of hospitalizations for
      infections among elderly people and the most common indication for antibiotic
      prescriptions in primary care. Both diagnostics and management of lower and upper
      urinary tract infections provide challenges in clinical practice due to their
      high prevalence and recurrence, and worldwide increase of antibiotic resistance.
      The clinical symptoms of UTI are often uncharacteristic or asymptomatic. The
      accurate diagnosis and early treatment are crucial due to risk of septicaemia and
      long-term consequences. Currently the diagnosis of urinary tract infection is
      based on the presence of clinical symptoms in combination with the results of
      nitrite strip test indicating the presence of bacteria in urine and semi
      quantitative measurement of white blood cells count in urine. Although urine
      culture is the gold standard in UTI diagnostics it is both time-consuming and
      costly. Searching for novel biomarkers of UTI has attracted much attention in
      recent years. The article reviews several promising serum and urine biomarkers of
      UTI such as leukocyte esterase, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, interleukins,
      elastase alpha (1)-proteinase inhibitor, lactofferin, secretory immunoglobulin A,
      heparin-binding protein, xanthine oxidase, myeloperoxidase, soluble triggering
      receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1, alpha-1 microglobulin (alpha1Mg) and
      tetrazolium nitroblue test (TNB).

PMID- 28622968
TI  - The beneficial effect of extracorporeal shockwave myocardial revascularization:
      Two years of follow-up.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Despite the advancements achieved by revascularization technique and
      pharmacological therapies, the number of patients with refractory angina (RA) is
      still high, carrying together a poor prognosis. Experimental data and small
      clinical studies suggest that the use of extracorporeal shockwave myocardial
      revascularization (ESMR) might improve symptoms of angina in patients with RA.
      The aim of our study is to evaluate the efficacy of cardiac shock wave therapy in
      a long term follow-up of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) otherwise
      not suitable for revascularization. METHODS: We performed a prospective study
      enrolling patients with RA despite optimal medical therapy and without indication
      for further PCI or CABG. Characteristics such as angina class scores (CCS class
      score), nitroglycerin consumption and hospitalization were compared at baseline
      and 1, 6 and 12months after ESMR therapy. RESULTS: We enroll 72 patients with a
      mean age of 74.6+/-14.7years. We treated 440 echocardiographical segments of
      ischemical myocardium. During the longest published follow-up (2.88+/-1.65years,
      range 0.63-6.11) there was a significant reduction of medium CCS class score
      (from 2.78+/-0.67 to 1.44+/-0.6; p=0.0002), nitroglycerin consumption (67% vs
      21%; p<0.001) and hospitalization rate (40% vs 18%; p<0.03). CONCLUSION: Our
      study confirms the beneficial effect of ESMR therapy on cardiac symptoms and the
      possibility to reduce hospitalizations in patients with refractory angina also in
      a long term follow up. It supports a role for ESMR as a non-invasive therapeutic
      option for patients with RA.

PMID- 28622969
TI  - Probability of Undiagnosed Obstructive Sleep Apnea Does Not Correlate With
      Adverse Pulmonary Events nor Length of Stay in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Using
      Intrathecal Opioid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent emphasis on bundled payments and outcomes tracking has
      increased the focus on preoperative optimization in patients undergoing elective
      lower extremity arthroplasty. Since patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
      have an increased risk of adverse perioperative pulmonary events, screening for
      undiagnosed OSA is sometimes included as part of preoperative risk assessment.
      However, there are limited data regarding quantification of OSA risk in lower
      extremity arthroplasty patients, and little is known about the utility of
      quantitative OSA screening and the risk of pulmonary complications in hip and
      knee arthroplasty patients who receive intrathecal morphine anesthetic. METHODS:
      A retrospective review of 990 patients at a tertiary care, urban academic medical
      center who underwent lower extremity arthroplasty with a multimodal pain regimen
      including intrathecal morphine anesthesia, comparing the rate of pulmonary
      complications and length of stay between patients previously diagnosed with OSA
      and those identified as low, moderate, and high risk of undiagnosed OSA
      established by screening with the STOP-BANG questionnaire in the preoperative
      setting. RESULTS: Using logistic regression and adjusting for age, gender, and
      body mass index, the results suggested the rate of complications was not
      different across the sleep apnea risk groups (P = .4024). In addition, linear
      regression suggested length of stay did not differ significantly by sleep apnea
      risk group (P = .2823). CONCLUSION: In patients receiving intrathecal morphine as
      part of a multimodal pain regimen undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty, neither
      risk of adverse pulmonary events nor length of stay appeared to correlate with
      preoperative risk of undiagnosed OSA.

PMID- 28622970
TI  - Congener-specific determination of ultratrace levels of chlorinated and
      brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmosphere and industrial stack
      gas by isotopic dilution gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry
      method.
AB  - Isotopic dilution gas chromatography combined with high resolution mass
      spectrometry (GC/HRMS) has overwhelming advantages with respect to the accuracy
      of congener-specific ultratrace analysis of complex persistent organic pollutants
      (POPs) in environmental matrices. However, an isotopic dilution GC/HRMS method
      for analysis of chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Cl
      PAHs and Br-PAHs) using 13C-labelled congeners as internal standards has not been
      established. In this study, a method for identification and quantification of 38
      congeners of Cl-PAHs and Br-PAHs in atmosphere and stack gas samples from waste
      incinerators was developed using the isotopic dilution GC/HRMS technique. The
      instrumental detection limits of the GC/HRMS method ranged from 0.2pg to 1.8pg
      for Cl-PAH congeners, and 0.7pg to 2.7pg for Br-PAH congeners, which were about
      three orders of magnitude lower than those of the GC/quadrupole MS method. This
      new method developed was also the first to enable determination of Cl-PAH and Br
      PAH homologs comprising congeners with the same molecular skeleton and chlorine
      or bromine substitution numbers. Among the detected congeners, seven Cl-PAH
      congeners and thirteen Br-PAH congeners that were abundant in the atmosphere and
      stack gases released from waste incinerators were firstly detected in real
      samples and reported using the established isotopic dilution GC/HRMS method. The
      developed isotopic dilution GC/HRMS is significant and needed for better studying
      the environmental behavior and health risk of Cl-PAHs and Br-PAHs.

PMID- 28622971
TI  - Utilization patterns of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in neonates in the
      United States 1997-2012.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remains one of the most
      intensive therapies for newborns in the United States. However, there is limited
      information on resource utilization for neonates receiving ECMO. METHODS: We
      conducted a retrospective data analysis of the Kids' Inpatient Database from 1997
      to 2012. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was completed to identify predictors
      of LOS, hospital costs and mortality. Cardiac and non-cardiac diagnoses of
      neonates receiving ECMO were also included in the bivariate and multivariable
      analysis. RESULTS: Of the 5151 ECMO cases, survival to discharge was 62%. 22% had
      a principal cardiac diagnosis. After adjusting for covariates, increased
      mortality was associated with treatment in the midwest compared to the northeast
      region (aOR=2.0, p<0.01) and decreased among neonates with a non-cardiac
      diagnosis (aOR=0.4, p<0.01). Living in midwest was associated with longer LOS by
      13days and increased hospital costs by 63,000 dollars (p<0.01). When stratified
      by non-cardiac diagnoses, infants with a diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic
      hernia was associated with increased mortality (2.3, p<0.01) and longer LOS (25,
      p<0.01) and increased costs (11,100, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Neonates who received
      ECMO in certain regions of the United States were associated with poorer survival
      outcomes as well as increased LOS and hospital costs. TYPE OF STUDY:
      Retrospective study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

PMID- 28622972
TI  - A patient led, international study of long term outcomes of esophageal atresia:
      EAT 1.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Long term outcomes of esophageal atresia (OA) are poorly
      understood. The Federation of Esophageal Atresia and Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula
      support groups (EAT), a collaboration of patient support groups aimed to define
      patient reported long term outcomes and quality of life (QoL) in a large
      international cohort of OA patients. METHODS: Questionnaires were designed
      focusing on patient/parent reported outcomes including surgical history, current
      symptomatology and quality of life. Members of support groups within EAT were
      invited to complete questionnaires electronically via SurveyMonkey(r). RESULTS:
      1100 patients from 25 countries responded to the questionnaire and 928 were
      analyzed. 80% had type C anatomy, 19% type A and 1% type E. Patient ages were <5
      years (42%), 5-10 years (26%), 11-17 years (16%) and 18 years and older (16%).
      49% of all patients reported previous dilatations which was similar across age
      groups. Reflux symptoms affected 58% of patients and persisted into adulthood.
      Dysphagia also persisted in the adult population with 50% reporting sometimes or
      often getting food stuck. Reflux was significantly more frequent in 'long gap'
      versus 'standard gap' patients (p<0.005). Respiratory symptoms and chest
      infections decreased in frequency with age. In children median SDS for height was
      -0.41 (IQR -1.4 to 0.67) and that for weight was -0.63 (-1.6 to 0.67). BMI in
      adults was 21.5. Quality of life was described as significantly affected by OA in
      18% of patients while 25% reported no effect on QoL. CONCLUSIONS: These results
      highlight the significant long term morbidity suffered by OA patients as children
      and into adulthood and suggest the need for quality transitional care. The
      patient designed and reported nature of the study gives a unique perspective to
      the results and emphasizes the benefits of collaboration.

PMID- 28622973
TI  - Maternal programming of sex-specific responses to predator odor stress in adult
      rats.
AB  - Prenatal stress mediated through the mother can lead to long-term adaptations in
      stress-related phenotypes in offspring. This study tested the long-lasting effect
      of prenatal exposure to predator odor, an ethologically relevant and psychogenic
      stressor, in the second half of pregnancy. As adults, the offspring of predator
      odor-exposed mothers showed increased anxiety-like behaviors in commonly used
      laboratory tasks assessing novelty-induced anxiety, increased defensive behavior
      in males and increased ACTH stress reactivity in females in response to predator
      odor. Female offspring from predator odor-exposed dams showed increased
      transcript abundance of glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) on the day of birth and
      FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) in adulthood in the amygdala. The increase in
      FKBP5 expression was associated with decreased DNA methylation in Fkbp5 intron V.
      These results indicate a sex-specific response to maternal programming by
      prenatal predator odor exposure and a potential epigenetic mechanism linking
      these responses with modifications of the stress axis in females. These results
      are in accordance with the mismatch hypothesis stating that an animal's response
      to cues within its life history reflects environmental conditions anticipated
      during important developmental periods and should be adaptive when these
      conditions are concurring.

PMID- 28622974
TI  - Survey of the adherence to the consensus of gastroesophageal reflux disease
      before and after the implementation course.
AB  - BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The prevalence of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is
      increasing worldwide, including Asia. Although several consensus reports have
      been published, little is known regarding the adherence of the physicians on the
      consensus of GERD. We aimed to survey the agreements and adherence of physicians
      to the Taiwan GERD consensus before and after the continual medical education
      (CME) courses. METHODS: Two-hundred and twenty-seven physicians, including 81
      fellows of gastroenterology, 135 qualified gastroenterologists, and 11 non
      gastroenterologist attending physicians were invited to the CME course. Their
      agreements and adherence to the statements before and after the CME course were
      assessed by the pre-defined questionnaire with the aid of electronic keypads. The
      adherence rate before and after the CME course were compared by the McNemar test
      to indicate the changes in their willingness to follow the statements in clinical
      practice. RESULTS: The rates of agreement of the 227 participating physicians
      were uniformly greater than 80% for all of the 22 statements. However, the
      adherence rates were lower than 80% in 16 statements before the CME intervention.
      The adherence rates were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in 15 of these 16
      statements after the CME intervention. The adherence rate can be improved to
      greater than 80% for those statements with high level of evidence. CONCLUSION:
      Although physicians agreed with the statements, the pre-CME survey disclosed
      limited adherence rates to the statements. The education intervention through the
      CME courses can improve the adherence of consensus statement, especially for
      those with higher level of evidence.

PMID- 28622975
TI  - Implicit versus explicit attitude to doping: Which better predicts athletes'
      vigilance towards unintentional doping?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This preliminary study examined whether implicit doping attitude,
      explicit doping attitude, or both, predicted athletes' vigilance towards
      unintentional doping. DESIGN: A cross-sectional correlational design. METHODS:
      Australian athletes (N=143;Mage=18.13, SD=4.63) completed measures of implicit
      doping attitude (brief single-category implicit association test), explicit
      doping attitude (Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale), avoidance of
      unintentional doping (Self-Reported Treatment Adherence Scale), and behavioural
      vigilance task of unintentional doping (reading the ingredients of an unfamiliar
      food product). RESULTS: Positive implicit doping attitude and explicit doping
      attitude were negatively related to athletes' likelihood of reading the
      ingredients table of an unfamiliar food product, and positively related to
      athletes' vigilance towards unintentional doping. Neither attitude measures
      predicted avoidance of unintentional doping. Overall, the magnitude of
      associations by implicit doping attitude appeared to be stronger than that of
      explicit doping attitude. CONCLUSIONS: Athletes with positive implicit and
      explicit doping attitudes were less likely to read the ingredients table of an
      unknown food product, but were more likely to be aware of the possible presence
      of banned substances in a certain food product. Implicit doping attitude appeared
      to explain athletes' behavioural response to the avoidance of unintentional
      doping beyond variance explained by explicit doping attitude.

PMID- 28622976
TI  - Differential binding of the HIV-1 envelope to phosphatidylserine receptors.
AB  - Prior work has shown that the HIV-1 envelope of the human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) interacts directly with T-cell immunoglobulin mucin (TIM) family proteins.
      Herein, we demonstrate that HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins from varying HIV-1
      clades bind differentially to TIM proteins and functionally similar proteins
      acting as phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) receptors. Using enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology, we
      show that lysate containing HIV-1 envelope and recombinant HIV-1 envelope
      glycoproteins bind TIM-4 and advanced glycosylation end product-specific receptor
      (AGER). The complex binding of HIV-1 UG21 gp140 to TIM-4 or AGER suggests a
      biphasic interaction with these proteins.

PMID- 28622977
TI  - Evolution of the alpha2-adrenoreceptors in vertebrates: ADRA2D is absent in
      mammals and crocodiles.
AB  - Evolutionary studies of genes that have been functionally characterized and whose
      variation has been associated with pathological conditions represent an
      opportunity to understand the genetic basis of pathologies. alpha2
      Adrenoreceptors (ADRA2) are a class of G protein-coupled receptors that regulate
      several physiological processes including blood pressure, platelet aggregation,
      insulin secretion, lipolysis, and neurotransmitter release. This gene family has
      been extensively studied from a molecular/physiological perspective, yet much
      less is known about its evolutionary history. Accordingly, the goal of this study
      was to investigate the evolutionary history of alpha2-adrenoreceptors (ADRA2) in
      vertebrates. Our results show that in addition to the three well-recognized
      alpha2-adrenoreceptor genes (ADRA2A, ADRA2B and ADRA2C), we recovered a clade
      that corresponds to the fourth member of the alpha2-adrenoreceptor gene family
      (ADRA2D). We also recovered a clade that possesses two ADRA2 sequences found in
      two lamprey species. Furthermore, our results show that mammals and crocodiles
      are characterized by possessing three alpha2-adrenoreceptor genes, whereas all
      other vertebrate groups possess the full repertoire of alpha2-adrenoreceptor
      genes. Among vertebrates ADRA2D seems to be a dispensable gene, as it was lost
      two independent times during the evolutionary history of the group. Additionally,
      we found that most examined species possess the most common alleles described for
      humans; however, there are cases in which non-human mammals possess the
      alternative variant. Finally, transcript abundance profiles revealed that during
      the early evolutionary history of gnathostomes, the expression of ADRA2D in
      different taxonomic groups became specialized to different tissues, but in the
      ancestor of sarcopterygians this specialization would have been lost.

PMID- 28622978
TI  - The evolution and nomenclature of GnRH-type and corazonin-type neuropeptide
      signaling systems.
AB  - Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was first discovered in mammals on account
      of its effect in triggering pituitary release of gonadotropins and the importance
      of this discovery was recognized forty years ago in the award of the 1977 Nobel
      Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Investigation of the evolution of GnRH revealed
      that GnRH-type signaling systems occur throughout the chordates, including
      agnathans (e.g. lampreys) and urochordates (e.g. sea squirts). Furthermore, the
      discovery that adipokinetic hormone (AKH) is the ligand for a GnRH-type receptor
      in the arthropod Drosophila melanogaster provided evidence of the antiquity of
      GnRH-type signaling. However, the occurrence of other AKH-like peptides in
      arthropods, which include corazonin and AKH/corazonin-related peptide (ACP), has
      complicated efforts to reconstruct the evolutionary history of this family of
      related neuropeptides. Genome/transcriptome sequencing has revealed that both
      GnRH-type receptors and corazonin-type receptors occur in lophotrochozoan
      protostomes (annelids, mollusks) and in deuterostomian invertebrates
      (cephalochordates, hemichordates, echinoderms). Furthermore, peptides that act as
      ligands for GnRH-type and corazonin-type receptors have been identified in
      mollusks. However, what has been lacking is experimental evidence that distinct
      GnRH-type and corazonin-type peptide-receptor signaling pathways occur in
      deuterostomes. Importantly, we recently reported the identification of two
      neuropeptides that act as ligands for either a GnRH-type receptor or a corazonin
      type receptor in an echinoderm species - the common European starfish Asterias
      rubens. Discovery of distinct GnRH-type and corazonin-type signaling pathways in
      this deuterostomian invertebrate has demonstrated for the first time that the
      evolutionarily origin of these paralogous systems can be traced to the common
      ancestor of protostomes and deuterostomes. Furthermore, lineage-specific losses
      of corazonin signaling (in vertebrates, urochordates and nematodes) and
      duplication of the GnRH signaling system in arthropods (giving rise to the AKH
      and ACP signaling systems) and quadruplication of the GnRH signaling system in
      vertebrates (followed by lineage-specific losses or duplications) accounts for
      the phylogenetic distribution of GnRH/corazonin-type peptide-receptor pathways in
      extant animals. Informed by these new insights, here we review the history of
      research on the evolution of GnRH/corazonin-type neuropeptide signaling.
      Furthermore, we propose a standardized nomenclature for GnRH/corazonin-type
      neuropeptides wherein peptides are either named "GnRH" or "corazonin", with the
      exception of the paralogous GnRH-type peptides that have arisen by gene
      duplication in the arthropod lineage and which are referred to as "AKH" (or red
      pigment concentrating hormone, "RCPH", in crustaceans) and "ACP".

PMID- 28622979
TI  - Whole-genome sequencing for identification of the source in hospital-acquired
      Legionnaires' disease.
AB  - Acquisition of Legionnaires' disease is a serious complication of
      hospitalization. Rapid determination of whether or not the infection is caused by
      strains of Legionella pneumophila in the hospital environment is crucial to avoid
      further cases. This study investigated the use of whole-genome sequencing to
      identify the source of infection in hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease.
      Phylogenetic analyses showed close relatedness between one patient isolate and a
      strain found in hospital water, confirming suspicion of nosocomial infection. It
      was found that whole-genome sequencing can be a useful tool in the investigation
      of hospital-acquired Legionnaires' disease.

PMID- 28622980
TI  - How do hospital respiratory clinicians perceive antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)?
      A qualitative study highlighting barriers to AMS in respiratory medicine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suboptimal antibiotic use in respiratory infections is widespread in
      hospital medicine and primary care. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) teams within
      hospitals, commonly led by infectious diseases physicians, are frequently charged
      with optimizing the use of respiratory antibiotics, but there is limited
      information on what drives antibiotic use in this area of clinical medicine, or
      on how AMS is perceived. AIM: To explore the perceptions of hospital respiratory
      clinicians on AMS in respiratory medicine. METHODS: In-depth interviews were
      conducted with 28 clinicians (13 doctors and 15 nurses) from two hospitals in
      Australia. Data were analysed thematically using the framework approach.
      FINDINGS: Four key barriers to the integration of AMS processes within
      respiratory medicine, from the participants' perspectives, were identified:
      CONCLUSIONS: AMS processes are introduced in hospitals with established social
      structures and knowledge bases. This study found that AMS in respiratory medicine
      challenges and conflicts with many of these dynamics. If the influence of these
      dynamics is not considered, AMS processes may not be effective in containing
      antibiotic use in hospital respiratory medicine.

PMID- 28622981
TI  - Progress of succinic acid production from renewable resources: Metabolic and
      fermentative strategies.
AB  - Succinic acid is a four-carbon dicarboxylic acid, which has attracted much
      interest due to its abroad usage as a precursor of many industrially important
      chemicals in the food, chemicals, and pharmaceutical industries. Facing the
      shortage of crude oil supply and demand of sustainable development, biological
      production of succinic acid from renewable resources has become a topic of
      worldwide interest. In recent decades, robust producing strain selection,
      metabolic engineering of model strains, and process optimization for succinic
      acid production have been developed. This review provides an overview of succinic
      acid producers and cultivation technology, highlight some of the successful
      metabolic engineering approaches.

PMID- 28622982
TI  - Comparison of the VITEK 2 antifungal susceptibility system with Etest using
      clinical isolates of Candida species.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Candida species are part of the normal human microbiota. However, in
      recent years, nosocomial bloodstream Candida infections have emerged as a
      significant problem ranking the fourth common cause of fungemia in intensive care
      units. Although microdilution methods are the ones recommended for susceptibility
      testing, they are difficult to undertake in the clinical practice. Thus, an
      automated commercially available test is ideal. AIMS: To compare minimum
      inhibitory concentrations (MICs) obtained with the recently introduced Vitek 2
      yeast susceptibility system card (AST-YS01) with Etest. METHODS: 263 clinical
      Candida isolates representing six species were included in the study. Categorical
      agreements (CA) were assessed as described elsewhere. RESULTS: Irrespective of
      the Candida species tested, the overall CA between Vitek 2 and Etest ranged
      between 66.7% and 100%. In general, Etest yielded lower MICs than Vitek 2. For
      Candida albicans, the CA between Vitek 2 and Etest was >95% for amphotericin B,
      voriconazole and flucytosine, but only 89% for fluconazole. With respect to
      Candida glabrata, the CA was between 97% and 100%. The major errors were with
      Candida krusei and flucytosine and Candida kefyr and amphotericin B. Candida
      tropicalis susceptibility for fluconazole by Vitek 2 reported more SDD and
      resistant strains than Etest. Candida parapsilosis showed 100% CA against all the
      four antifungals tested. No very major errors were detected between the two
      methods. CONCLUSIONS: Vitek 2 provided comparable results to Etest with quick
      turnaround for the testing of Candida species susceptibilities.

PMID- 28622984
TI  - Revision reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in a patient with preoperative
      deltoid insufficiency: a case report.

PMID- 28622983
TI  - The Effect of a Comprehensive Care Transition Model on Cost and Utilization for
      Medically Complex Children With Cerebral Palsy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to evaluate cost and acute care utilization related to
      an organized approach to care coordination and transitional care after major
      acute care hospitalization for children with medical complexities, including
      cerebral palsy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 32 patients from Ranken Jordan
      Pediatric Bridge Hospital (RJPBH) who received the Care Beyond the Bedside model
      was compared with 151 patients receiving standard care elsewhere across Missouri.
      Claims data (2007-2012) were obtained from MoHealthNet, Missouri's Medicaid
      program, for all children with moderate to severe cerebral palsy (defined using
      approximated Gross Motor Function Classification System levels) who had at least
      one hospital visit during the study period (N = 183). Risk-adjusted linear and
      Poisson regression models were used to analyze per-member-per-month costs and
      three indicators of acute care utilization (emergency department visits,
      readmissions, and inpatient days). RESULTS: RJPBH patients were associated with
      statistically significant reductions in per-member-per-month costs (-21%),
      hospital readmissions (-66%), and inpatient days (-57%). DISCUSSION: RJPBH's
      enhanced interprofessional medical home-like model, including intense care
      coordination, psychosocial therapy, family and caregiver empowerment, and
      transitional care, may be keys to reducing cost and unnecessary hospital use for
      children with medical complexities with cerebral palsy who receive Medicaid.

PMID- 28622985
TI  - Dependency distance distribution - from the perspective of genre variation:
      Comment on "Dependency distance: a new perspective on syntactic patterns in
      natural languages" by Haitao Liu et al.

PMID- 28622986
TI  - Top-down and bottom-up: Front to back: Comment on "Move me, astonish me...
      delight my eyes and brain: The Vienna Integrated Model of top-down and bottom-up
      processes in Art Perception (VIMAP) and corresponding affective, evaluative, and
      neurophysiological correlates" by Matthew Pelowski et al.

PMID- 28622987
TI  - Bioremediation using Gracilaria lemaneiformis to manage the nitrogen and
      phosphorous balance in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture system in Yantian
      Bay, China.
AB  - To reduce negative environmental impacts from human aquaculture activities, the
      red alga Gracilaria lemaneiformis was co-cultured with the fish Pseudosciaena
      crocea in an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system for 35d in
      Yantian Bay. The eutrophication index value decreased from 14.5 to 8.4 after
      seaweeds were co-cultured in cage farming areas, which indicated that the
      eutrophic water column in Yantian Bay could be mediated by IMTA. Total DIN and
      DIP of the tidal input and output were 9.23kg, 0.19kg and 11.08kg, and 0.27kg,
      respectively. Total 5.24kg of dissolved N and 0.81kg of dissolved P were released
      from IMTA system. These results indicate that G. lemaneiformis co-cultured in
      IMTA system could not completely remove all excess nutrients. In theory, at least
      324.48kg of seaweed seedlings would be required to balance excess nutrients
      generated from fish cages.

PMID- 28622989
TI  - Rare earth elements mobility processes in an AMD-affected estuary: Huelva Estuary
      (SW Spain).
AB  - Huelva Estuary is a transition zone where REE-rich acidic waters interact with
      saline-alkaline seawater. This mixing process influences the geochemical and
      mineralogical characteristics of particulate and dissolved fractions. The Tinto
      River has >11,000MUgL-1 dissolved REE (pH=1.66), whereas seawater only reaches
      8.75.10-2MUgL-1 dissolved REE (pH=7.87). REE-normalized patterns in "pH<6
      solutions" are parallel and show similarities, diminishing their concentration as
      pH increases. Sequential extraction performed on the generated precipitates of
      mixed solutions indicates that most REE are associated to the residual phase. In
      a second order, REE are associated with soluble salts at pH3 and 3.5 whereas in
      sediments generated at pH4 and 5, they are distributed in salts (1 degrees 
      extraction), poorly crystallized Fe-bearing minerals (schwertmannite, 3 degrees 
      extraction) and well crystallized Fe-bearing minerals (goethite - hematite, 4
      degrees  extraction). Finally, precipitated REE are highest at pH6 newly formed
      minerals with a release to solution in higher pH.

PMID- 28622988
TI  - Organotins and new antifouling biocides in water and sediments from three Korean
      Special Management Sea Areas following ten years of tributyltin regulation:
      Contamination profiles and risk assessment.
AB  - A simultaneous monitoring study on organotins (butyltins and phenyltins) and most
      frequently used alternative antifouling biocides (Irgarol 1051, Diuron, Sea-Nine
      211 and M1) in water and sediments (n=44) collected from three Special Management
      Sea Areas operated by Korean government. The lower concentration of butyltins
      (BTs) than that of new antifouling biocides (NEW) was found in water but the
      significant greater concentration of BTs than that of NEW was still found in
      sediments. The tributyltin (TBT) levels in water exceeded the chronic criterion
      to protect seawater aquatic life at several sites. Even ten years after the ban
      of the use of TBT-based antifouling paint, the concentrations of TBT, Diuron and
      Irgarol 1051 in sediments from shipyards exceeded global sediment quality
      guidelines and potentially poses adverse risks on marine organisms and extremely
      high concentration of TBT up to 2304ng/g was found for a sediment collected at a
      shipyard.

PMID- 28622990
TI  - Displacement effects of heavy human use on coral reef predators within the
      Molokini Marine Life Conservation District.
AB  - The impact of marine ecotourism on reef predators is poorly understood and there
      is growing concern that overcrowding in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) may disturb
      the species that these areas were established to protect. To improve our
      understanding of this issue, we used acoustic telemetry to examine the
      relationship between human activity at the Molokini Marine Life Conservation
      District (MLCD) and the habitat use of five reef-associated predators (Caranx
      melampygus, Caranx ignobilis, Triaenodon obesus, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, and
      Aprion virscens). During peak hours of human use, there was a negative
      relationship (R2=0.77, P<0.001) between the presence of bluefin trevally (Caranx
      melampygus) and vessels in subzone A. No other species showed strong evidence of
      this relationship. However, our results suggest that during this time, the
      natural ecosystem function that the reserve was established to protect may be
      compromised and overcrowding should be considered when managing MPAs.

PMID- 28622991
TI  - Transcription of ribogenesis genes in fish gonads: Applications in the
      identification of stages of oogenesis and in environmental monitoring of intersex
      condition.
AB  - One of the best described effects of environmental xenoestrogens in fish is the
      generation of intersex gonads in males. Considering 5S rRNA a marker of the
      presence of oocytes, a 5S/18S rRNA index was calculated in 296 thicklip grey
      mullets (Chelon labrosus) from polluted environments. In addition, qPCR analysis
      of transcription factors gtf3a and ubtf1, related respectively to 5S and 18S rRNA
      synthesis, was conducted along female-oogenesis. 5S/18S rRNA index identified sex
      with a threshold value of 0.4521 separating males from females. Histological
      analysis identified 38 intersex individuals. Intersex severity and 5S/18S rRNA
      indexes were correlated. 5S/18S rRNA index identified ovarian developmental stage
      with high 5S rRNA levels during early oogenesis and 18S rRNA relative values
      increasing towards maturation. gtf3a and ubtf1 transcription levels followed the
      pattern of 5S rRNA accumulation. Thus, ribogenesis genes provide
      easy/quantitative methods to molecularly identify the sex, female gametogenic
      stage and intersex severity in mullets.

PMID- 28622992
TI  - Assessment of the anthropogenic influx of metallic pollutants in the Sefidrud
      delta, Gilan Province, Iran.
AB  - Understanding the anthropogenic effects on the Sefidrud delta, the concentration
      of six metals (Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) was measured in two sites included the
      old Sefidrud delta (Amirabad, 23 samples) and the new Sefidrud delta (Kiashahr,
      24 samples). Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination
      Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) were used to determine the metal
      pollution in all sediment samples. Although the EF, Igeo, CF and PLI results in
      the old delta indicate no significant pollution, sediment samples in the new
      delta show a considerable pollution. Since the sediment source and the lithology
      of the Sefidrud River drainage basin did not change in the past 500years, the
      metal pollution in the new delta must be from anthropogenic sources.

PMID- 28622993
TI  - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in traditionally harvested bivalves in
      northern British Columbia, Canada.
AB  - Butter clams, blue mussels, and Nuttall's cockle are important traditional food
      of the Gitga'at First Nation in Canada. Samples were collected and analyzed for
      polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) from the Gitga'at harvest sites from 2006
      to 2015 to: 1) establish baseline conditions; 2) determine the likely source; 3)
      understand species specific response to spills; and 4) evaluate health risk
      associated with consumption. Baseline lipid normalized-total PAH in mussels was
      2.36 (+/-2.86, 95%CI) MUg/g in mussels, 3.26(+/-4.14) MUg/g in clams and 3.98 (+/
      4.98) MUg/g in cockles. PAHs varied according to proximity to point sources and
      became less petrogenic through time. Concentrations of PAHs were elevated in all
      three species following diesel spills but returned to baseline levels within
      5months. However, Gitga'at harvesters avoided bivalves from spill-affected
      habitats for several years because of their detection of reduced quality and
      palatability, highlighting the importance of incorporating local knowledge into
      future monitoring programs.

PMID- 28622994
TI  - Ultrasound-assisted acid hydrolysis of cellulose to chemical building blocks:
      Application to furfural synthesis.
AB  - In this work, the use of ultrasound energy for the production of furanic
      platforms from cellulose was investigated and the synthesis of furfural was
      demonstrated. Several systems were evaluated, as ultrasound bath, cup horn and
      probe, in order to investigate microcrystalline cellulose conversion using simply
      a diluted acid solution and ultrasound. Several acid mixtures were evaluated for
      hydrolysis, as diluted solutions of HNO3, H2SO4, HCl and H2C2O4. The influence of
      the following parameters in the ultrasound-assisted acid hydrolysis (UAAH) were
      studied: sonication temperature (30 to 70 degrees C) and ultrasound amplitude (30
      to 70% for a cup horn system) for 4 to 8molL-1 HNO3 solutions. For each evaluated
      condition, the products were identified by ultra-performance liquid
      chromatography with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ToF
      MS), which provide accurate information regarding the products obtained from
      biomass conversion. The furfural structure was confirmed by nuclear magnetic
      resonance (1H and 13C NMR) spectroscopy. In addition, cellulosic residues from
      hydrolysis reaction were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
      which contributed for a better understanding of physical-chemical effects caused
      by ultrasound. After process optimization, a 4molL-1 HNO3 solution, sonicated for
      60min at 30 degrees C in a cup horn system at 50% of amplitude, lead to 78% of
      conversion to furfural. This mild temperature condition combined to the use of a
      diluted acid solution represents an important contribution for the selective
      production of chemical building blocks using ultrasound energy.

PMID- 28622996
TI  - Ayahuasca intoxication.

PMID- 28622995
TI  - Syphilis epidemics: a descriptive study of patients diagnosed in a tertiary
      hospital between 2011 and 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In the last decade, the incidence of syphilis has
      increased in our health area. Our objective is to describe the epidemiological
      and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with syphilis at our centre
      and their relationship with HIV. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The clinical and
      epidemiological variables of patients diagnosed with syphilis in a third-level
      hospital over a period of 4.5 years, as well as their HIV status, were analysed
      through a descriptive study. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the
      incidence of syphilis in the period 2011-2015. We included 220 patients, 98% men
      (94% MSM). 62% were HIV+ and 89% came in early/infectious stages of the disease.
      7% were concomitantly diagnosed with HIV. There was a high number of sexual
      partners and frequent use of drugs associated with sexual activity (46%).
      CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of syphilis has increased in our centre in the last 2
      years. The most affected group is MSM, with high HIV prevalence and risk
      behaviours for STI acquisition.

PMID- 28622997
TI  - Effect of pharmacist intervention on improving antidepressant medication
      adherence and depression symptomology: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression is a widespread disease with effective pharmacological
      treatments, but low medication adherence. Pharmacists play a key role in
      supporting medication adherence in patients with depression given their
      accessibility to patients. PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to systematically
      evaluate the impact of pharmacist interventions on adherence to antidepressants
      and clinical symptomology among adult outpatients with depressive disorders.
      METHODS: A systematic review of controlled trials (both randomized and non
      randomized) was conducted. Studies were obtained through a search of PubMed,
      Academic Search Premier, and Cochrane Library databases. Studies which included a
      pharmacist intervention to improve medication adherence in outpatients age 17 and
      above with a depressive disorder diagnosis and antidepressant treatment were
      included. Twelve publications met inclusion criteria, representing a total of
      15,087 subjects: 1379 (9%) intervention and 13,708 (91%) control. RESULTS: The
      interventions in each selected publication included some level of in-person
      counseling and education to promote antidepressant adherence. The pooled odds
      ratio for medication adherence at 6 months was 2.50 (95% CI 1.62 to 3.86). There
      were no significant differences noted in subgroup meta-analyses except study
      location (US, Middle East or Europe) and setting. Only one of the identified
      studies reported statistically significant impacts of the pharmacist intervention
      on patient depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that pharmacist
      interventions can enhance patient adherence to antidepressant medication in adult
      outpatients. However, this review failed to demonstrate a positive effect of
      these interventions on clinical symptoms. Additional longitudinal research is
      recommended to investigate the multidimensional relationships between pharmacist
      interventions, patient adherence, and clinical outcomes. ARTICLE SYNOPSIS:
      Pharmacists play a key role in supporting medication adherence in patients with
      depression given their accessibility to patients. The purpose of this review was
      to systematically evaluate the impact of pharmacist interventions on adherence to
      antidepressants and clinical symptomology among adult outpatients with depressive
      disorders. A systematic review of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials
      was conducted of the twelve studies which met inclusion criteria. The findings
      suggest that pharmacist interventions can enhance patient adherence to
      antidepressant medication in adult outpatients. However, this review failed to
      demonstrate a positive effect of these interventions on clinical symptoms.

PMID- 28622998
TI  - Editorial overview: Viral pathogenesis: Strategies for virus survival - Acute
      versus persistent infections.

PMID- 28622999
TI  - Editorial overview: Preventive and therapeutic vaccines: Vaccination against
      viral disease - current advances and challenges.

PMID- 28623000
TI  - Medical ozone promotes Nrf2 phosphorylation reducing oxidative stress and pro
      inflammatory cytokines in multiple sclerosis patients.
AB  - Oxidative stress and inflammation play key roles in the pathogenesis of Multiple
      sclerosis (MS). Different drugs have been used in the clinical practice, however,
      there is not a completely effective treatment. Due to its potential therapeutic
      action, medical ozone represents a promising approach for neurodegenerative
      disorders. The aim of the present study was to address the role of ozone therapy
      on the cellular redox state in MS patients. Ozone (20MUg/ml) was administered
      three times per week during a month by rectal insufflation. The effect of ozone
      therapy on biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation was addressed by
      spectrophotometric and immunoenzymatic assays. Furthermore, we investigated the
      action of ozone on CK2 expression and Nrf2 phosphorylation by western blotting
      analysis. Medical ozone significantly improved (P < 0.05) the activity of
      antioxidant enzymes and increased the levels of cellular reduced glutathione. In
      accordance, a significant reduction (P < 0.05) of oxidative damage on lipids and
      proteins was observed in ozone-treated patients. As well, the levels of pro
      inflammatory cytokines TNFalpha and IL-1beta were lower after ozone treatment.
      Ozone therapy incremented the CK2 expression together with Nrf2 phosphorylation
      in mononuclear cells of MS patients. These findings suggest that ozone's
      antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects might be partially associated with an
      induction of Nrf2 phosphorylation and activation. These results provide new
      insights on the molecular events modulated by ozone, and pointed out ozone
      therapy as a potential therapeutic alternative for MS patients.

PMID- 28623001
TI  - A concealed observational study of infection control and safe injection practices
      in Jordanian governmental hospitals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The recognized international organizations on infection prevention
      recommend using an observational method as the gold standard procedure for
      assessing health care professional's compliance with standard infection control
      practices. However, observational studies are rarely used in Jordanian infection
      control studies. This study aimed to evaluate injection practices among nurses
      working in Jordanian governmental hospitals. METHODS: A cross-sectional concealed
      observational design is used for this study. A convenience sampling technique was
      used to recruit a sample of nurses working in governmental hospitals in Jordan.
      Participants were unaware of the time and observer during the observation
      episode. RESULTS: A total of 384 nurses from 9 different hospitals participated
      in the study. A total of 835 injections events were observed, of which 73.9% were
      performed without handwashing, 64.5% without gloving, and 27.5% were followed by
      needle recapping. Handwashing rate was the lowest (18.9%) when injections were
      performed by beginner nurses. Subcutaneous injections were associated with the
      lowest rate (26.7%) of postinjection handwashing compared with other routes.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the need for focused and effective infection
      control educational programs in Jordanian hospitals. Future studies should
      consider exploring the whole infection control practices related to waste
      disposal and the roles of the infection control nurse in this process in
      Jordanian hospitals.

PMID- 28623002
TI  - Quantitative assessment of interactions between hospitalized patients and
      portable medical equipment and other fomites.
AB  - In an observational study, we demonstrated that hospitalized patients frequently
      had direct or indirect interactions with medical equipment and other fomites that
      are shared among patients, and these items were often contaminated with health
      care-associated pathogens. There is a need for protocols to ensure routine
      cleaning of shared portable equipment.

PMID- 28623003
TI  - Serum procalcitonin levels as a diagnostic marker for septic arthritis: A meta
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the value of serum procalcitonin
      (PCT) levels as a diagnostic marker for septic arthritis (SA) via meta-analysis.
      METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library, as well as the
      reference lists of relevant articles, for studies published up to May 21, 2015
      and did not impose language restrictions. We selected original studies reporting
      the usefulness of PCT or C-reactive protein (CRP) as a diagnostic marker for SA.
      We summarized test performance characteristics with the use of forest plots,
      hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves, and bivariate
      random effects models. Prespecified subgroup analyses and meta-regression
      analyses were also performed. RESULTS: This meta-analysis comprised 10 studies
      including 838 patients. The overall sensitivity of serum PCT levels for the
      diagnosis of SA in these studies was 0.54 (95% CI, 0.41-0.66), and the
      specificity of PCT was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.87-0.98). The positive likelihood ratio
      (LR) was 10.97 (95% CI, 4.65-25.89); the negative LR was 0.49 (95% CI, 0.38
      0.62); and the area under ROC curve (AUROC) was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78-0.85). Six
      studies also examined the usefulness of CRP levels as a marker for the diagnosis
      of SA. The sensitivity and specificity of CRP were 0.45 (95% CI, 0.35-0.55) and
      0.079 (95% CI, 0.0.021-0.25), respectively, and the positive LR, negative LR and
      AUROC curve were 0.48 (95% CI, 0.39-0.61), 6.79 (95% CI, 2.04-23.81), and 0.30
      (95% CI, 0.26-0.34), respectively. CONCLUSION: PCT is more valuable than CRP for
      distinguishing SA from non-SA.

PMID- 28623005
TI  - Pre-oxygenation: Implications in emergency airway management.
AB  - Transient oxygen desaturation during emergency department intubation is an event
      with potentially devastating consequences. Pre-oxygenation is an important means
      of increasing a patient's oxygen reserve and duration of safe apnea prior to
      intubation. In the emergent setting, important modifications to pre-oxygenation
      techniques need to be considered to best manage critically ill patients. In this
      review, we discuss recent updates in pre-oxygenation techniques and evaluate the
      evidence supporting both commonly used and newly emerging techniques for pre
      oxygenation, assessing nature and level of illness, the best delivery method of
      oxygen, using delayed sequence intubation in patients who cannot tolerate non
      invasive pre-oxygenation and using apneic oxygenation via nasal cannula and non
      rebreather mask during intubation.

PMID- 28623004
TI  - Variable methodological quality and use found in systematic reviews referenced in
      STEMI clinical practice guidelines.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the methodological quality
      and clarity of reporting of the systematic reviews (SRs) supporting clinical
      practice guideline (CPG) recommendations in the management of ST-elevation
      myocardial infarction (STEMI) across international CPGs. METHODS: We searched 13
      guideline clearinghouses including the National Guideline Clearinghouse and
      Guidelines International Network (GIN). To meet inclusion criteria CPGs must be
      pertinent to the management of STEMI, endorsed by a governing body or national
      organization, and written in English. We retrieved SRs from the reference
      sections using a combination of keywords and hand searching. Two investigators
      scored eligible SRs using AMSTAR and PRISMA. RESULTS: We included four CPGs. We
      extracted 71 unique SRs. These SRs received AMSTAR scores ranging from 1 (low) to
      9 (high) on an 11-point scale. All CPGs consistently underperformed in areas
      including disclosure of funding sources, risk of bias, and publication bias
      according to AMSTAR. PRISMA checklist completeness ranged from 44% to 96%. The
      PRISMA scores indicated that SRs did not provide a full search strategy, study
      protocol and registration, assessment of publication bias or report funding
      sources. Only one SR was referenced in all four CPGs. All CPGs omitted a large
      subset of available SRs cited by other guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Our study
      demonstrates the variable quality of SRs used to establish recommendations within
      guidelines included in our sample. Although guideline developers have
      acknowledged this variability, it remains a significant finding that needs to be
      addressed further. FUNDING: This research did not receive any specific grant from
      funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

PMID- 28623006
TI  - A longevity study with enhancer substances (selegiline, BPAP) detected an unknown
      tumor-manifestation-suppressing regulation in rat brain.
AB  - AIMS: First proof to show that (-)-deprenyl/selegiline (DEP), the first selective
      inhibitor of MAO-B, later identified as the first beta-phenylethylamine (PEA)
      derived synthetic catecholaminergic activity enhancer (CAE) substance and (2R)-1
      (1-benzofuran-2-yl)-N-propylpentane-2-amine (BPAP), the tryptamine-derived
      presently known most potent, selective, synthetic enhancer substance, are
      specific markers of unknown enhancer-sensitive brain regulations. MAIN METHODS:
      Longevity study disclosing the operation of tumor-manifestation-suppressing (TMS)
      regulation in rat brain. Immonohistochemical identification of a fibromyxosarcoma
      in rats. Experiments with human medulloblastoma cell lines. Analysis of the
      mechanism of action of enhancer substances. KEY FINDINGS: Whereas 20/40 saline
      treated rats manifested a fibromyxosarcoma, in groups of rats treated with
      0.001mg/kg DEP: 15/40 rats; with 0.1mg/kg DEP: 11/40 rats (P<0.01); with
      0.0001mg/kg BPAP: 8/40 rats (P<0.001); with 0.05mg/kg BPAP: 7/40 rats (P<0.01)
      manifested the tumor. Experiments with human medulloblastoma cell lines, HTB-186
      (Daoy); UW-228-2, showed that BPAP was devoid of direct cytotoxic effect on tumor
      cells, and did not alter the direct cytotoxic effectiveness of temozolomide,
      cisplatin, etoposide, or vincristine. Interaction with distinct sites on
      vesicular monoamine-transporter-2 (VMAT2) is the main mechanism of action of the
      enhancer substances which clarifies the highly characteristic bi-modal, bell
      shaped concentration-effect curves of DEP and BPAP. SIGNIFICANCE: Considering of
      the safeness of the enhancer substances and the finding that DEP and BPAP,
      specific markers of unknown enhancer sensitive brain regulations, detected the
      operation of an enhancer-sensitive TMS-regulation in rat brain, it seems
      reasonable to test in humans low dose DEP or BPAP treatment against the spreading
      of a malignant tumor.

PMID- 28623007
TI  - Gene networks in neurodegenerative disorders.
AB  - Three neurodegenerative diseases [Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),
      Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD)] have many characteristics
      like pathological mechanisms and genes. In this sense some researchers postulate
      that these diseases share the same alterations and that one alteration in a
      specific protein triggers one of these diseases. Analyses of gene expression may
      shed more light on how to discover pathways, pathologic mechanisms associated
      with the disease, biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. In this review,
      we analyze four microarrays related to three neurodegenerative diseases. We will
      systematically examine seven genes (CHN1, MDH1, PCP4, RTN1, SLC14A1, SNAP25 and
      VSNL1) that are altered in the three neurodegenerative diseases. A network was
      built and used to identify pathways, miRNA and drugs associated with ALS, AD and
      PD using Cytoscape software an interaction network based on the protein
      interactions of these genes. The most important affected pathway is PI3K-Akt
      signalling. Thirteen microRNAs (miRNA-19B1, miRNA-107, miRNA-124-1, miRNA-124-2,
      miRNA-9-2, miRNA-29A, miRNA-9-3, miRNA-328, miRNA-19B2, miRNA-29B2, miRNA-124-3,
      miRNA-15A and miRNA-9-1) and four drugs (Estradiol, Acetaminophen, Resveratrol
      and Progesterone) for new possible treatments were identified.

PMID- 28623008
TI  - Yucca schidigera can promote rabbit growth, fecundity, affect the release of
      hormones in vivo and in vitro, induce pathological changes in liver, and reduce
      ovarian resistance to benzene.
AB  - This study evaluated the effect of Yucca schidigera (YS) extract on the
      physiological, reproductive, and endocrine indexes of New Zealand White rabbit
      does. Six-week-old rabbit does were fed a standard diet (control group) or a diet
      enriched with 5 or 20g of Y powder extract per 100-kg feed mixture for 350days.
      The does were artificially inseminated after induction of superovulation. Weight
      gain; conception and kindling rate; viability of pups and mothers;
      histopathological state of liver and muscle; plasma levels of progesterone (P4),
      oxytocin (OT), and prostaglandin F (PGF); and the release of P4, insulin-like
      growth factor I (IGF-I), OT, and PGF by isolated ovarian fragments and their
      response to the addition of benzene were analyzed. YS extract supplementation
      promoted weight gain and induced histopathological changes in the liver (creased
      vacuolization and occurrence of fuchsinophile inclusions in hepatocytes, liver
      fibrosis, hyperemia, occurrence of Kupffer cells, signs of necrosis and
      inflammation). YS consumption was not associated with changes in muscle
      (occurrence of fuchsinophile inclusions and signs of atrophy, interstitial edema,
      and inflammation), although Y2 increased muscle vascularization. YS
      supplementation increased conception and kindling rates but did not affect
      viability of pups or adult animals. Moreover, it enhanced plasma OT and PGF
      levels; plasma P4 concentration was increased by low-dose YS, but decreased by
      high-dose YS. Cultured ovarian fragments isolated from YS-fed does released more
      P4 and PGF and less IGF-I than ovarian fragments of control animals. However, YS
      supplementation did not affect ovarian OT release. Benzene alone did not
      influence the release of hormones by ovaries of control does. YS supplementation
      induced the inhibitory effect of benzene on the release of PGF, but not on other
      ovarian hormones. Collectively, these results suggest that dietary
      supplementation of YS extract can stimulate rabbit performance (growth and
      fecundity), which may be due to the promotion of P4, OT, and PGF release. It
      could, however, induce some pathological changes in the liver and reduce
      resistance of ovaries to the environmental contaminant benzene.

PMID- 28623010
TI  - [Influence of the working conditions on sickness absence due to common diseases].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the importance of the working environment in sickness
      absence, as well as to show possible relationships with clinical-work variables.
      DESIGN: A descriptive observational study. SITE: Medical Inspection of an
      Andalusian province. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1016 workers on certified sick
      leave due to a common illness. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: A self-report questionnaire was
      used to collect demographic data, profession, activity, risk assessment, and
      perceived occupational cause, on patients who voluntarily gave their consent when
      they were reviewed during 2015. The illness that caused certified sickness
      absences was verified in the computerised medical records. Using criteria applied
      by experts, the role of working conditions in each episode of certified sick
      leave was assessed. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to
      determine any relationships between the variables. RESULTS: An inadequate work
      environment was found in 17.1% of the sickness processes. Health and hospitality
      services activities have a significant association with working conditions as a
      cause of sick leave (P<.001). With respect to diagnosis, anxiety-depressive
      disorders (P<.01) and low back pain (P<.05) were associated with working
      conditions. The factors related to certified sickness absence and work
      environment were: residence (OR=0.34, 0.21-0.6), normal/higher education (OR=1.7,
      1.2-2.4), (OR=2.0 1.3-3.1), large companies (OR=1.97, 1.3-2.9), and job (OR=2.7,
      1.6-3, 2). CONCLUSIONS: Sickness absence is affected by factors related to the
      work environment. Specific preventive actions for workers at their workplace
      could reduce work related diseases classified as a common illness.

PMID- 28623009
TI  - ?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the neuropsychiatric
      symptoms interfere with cognitive impairment detection in primary care and to
      describe which of them generate more confusion. DESIGN: Descriptive and
      observational study. LOCATION: Mobile psychiatric unit in collaboration with
      primary healthcare centers in Barcelona. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 104 patients
      over 65years referred to mobile psychiatric unit from primary healthcare
      clinicians suspecting mental disease. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: All patients received a
      DSM-IV-TR diagnosis. We included in the study the Mini Mental State Examination
      (MMSE), Neuropsichiatric Inventory, Severe Psychiatric Illness scale, Global
      Assessment of Functioning, Clinical Global Impression and Word Health
      Organisation Dissability Assessment Schedule. RESULTS: 55.8% of patients referred
      from primary care had altered MMSE score. Neuropsychiatric symptoms more
      frequently associated with suspected cognitive impairment were delusions,
      hallucinations, agitation, disinhibition, irritability and purposeless motor
      behavior. CONCLUSIONS: When psychiatric symptoms of Severe Mental Disorder (SMD)
      are detected in elderly individuals with no history of SMD, cognitive impairment
      should be suspected and a screening test be done.

PMID- 28623011
TI  - [Recommendations for the use of rapid diagnosis techniques in respiratory
      infections in primary care].
AB  - Respiratory tract infections rank first as causes of adult and paediatric
      infectious morbidity in primary care in Spain. These infections are usually self
      limiting and are mainly caused by viruses. However, a high percentage of
      unnecessary antibiotic prescription is reported. Point-of-care tests are
      biomedical tests, which can be used near the patient, without interference of a
      laboratory. The use of these tests, many of which have been recently developed,
      is rapidly increasing in general practice. Notwithstanding, we must mull over
      whether they always contribute to an effective and high-quality diagnostic
      process by primary care clinicians. We present a set of criteria that can be used
      by clinicians and discuss the pros and cons of the instruments available for the
      management of respiratory tract infections and how to use them appropriately.

PMID- 28623012
TI  - P wave peak time; a novel electrocardiographic parameter in the assessment of
      coronary no-reflow.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Coronary no-reflow (NR) following primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention (pPCI) is associated with worsened prognosis in patients with ST
      segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Despite rapid developments in
      cardiovascular area; there are limited data regarding prediction of NR before
      pPCI. P wave duration and dispersion (PWD, PWDIS, respectively) have been studied
      in STEMI patients and found to be associated with reperfusion success; however
      none of them has been found to predict NR before PCI. In our study we aimed to
      evaluate whether PWD, PWDIS and a novel parameter P wave peak time (PWPT) could
      predict NR development in STEMI patients. METHOD: Fifty six patients who were
      admitted with anterior STEMI constituted study populations. The diagnosis and
      treatment of STEMI was made on the basis of current guidelines. P wave parameters
      including PWD, PWDIS and PWPT were calculated from electrocardiograms that were
      obtained on admission and 60 min after pPCI. RESULTS: Patients were divided into
      two groups according to the development of NR. We observed that PWPT that were
      obtained from D2 (PWPTD2) and V1 (PWPTV1) leads were longer in NR group than
      reflow group. There were significant correlations between PWPT and reperfusion
      parameters regarding percent of ST segment resolution, peak CKMB level and TIMI
      frame count of infarct related artery. Preprocedural PWPTD2 was found to be an
      independent predictor of NR development. CONCLUSION: In our study we observed
      that PWPT could be a useful parameter in the assessment of reperfusion success
      and prediction of NR development.

PMID- 28623013
TI  - Low QRS Voltage on Presenting Electrocardiogram Predicts Multi-vessel Disease in
      Anterior ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Low QRS voltage was reported to predict adverse outcomes in acute
      myocardial infarction in the pre-thrombolytic era. However, the association
      between low voltage and angiographic findings has not been fully addressed.
      METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with anterior ST
      segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Low QRS voltage was defined as
      either peak to peak QRS complex voltage <1.0mV in all precordial leads or <0.5mV
      in all limb leads. RESULTS: Among 190 patients, 37 patients (19%) had low
      voltage. Patients with low voltage had a higher rate of multi-vessel disease
      (MVD) (76% vs. 52%, p=0.01). Patients with low voltage were more likely to
      undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during admission (11% vs. 2%,
      p=0.028). Low voltage was an independent predictor for MVD (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.12
      to 6.03; p=0.032). CONCLUSION: Low QRS voltage was associated with MVD and in
      hospital CABG in anterior STEMI.

PMID- 28623014
TI  - Electrocardiographic risk stratification of asymptomatic population without
      cardiovascular disease: Should we add the QRS-T angle?

PMID- 28623015
TI  - Inadvertent left ventricular pacing and perforation by a temporary pacemaker.
AB  - Myocardial perforation by pacemaker electrode is a very serious complication.
      Usually, the pacemaker electrode perforates the right ventricle, but rarely the
      left ventricular myocardium. We describe an 82-year-old female patient who
      presented with left ventricular pacing after temporary pacemaker implantation and
      was diagnosed with myocardial perforation. Emergency thoracotomy showed that the
      exact position of the cardiac perforation was close to the left ventricular apex.
      Perforation of the left ventricular free wall by an electrode sometimes
      progresses slowly. We should be alert to the possibility of left ventricular
      perforation, in which case, immediate surgery is the best option.

PMID- 28623016
TI  - The Relationship between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and fragmented QRS in
      acute STEMI patients treated with primary PCI.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No study so far investigated fragmented QRS (fQRS) and neutrophil-to
      lymphocyte ratio (NLR) together in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between NLR and fQRS, and
      determine the prognostic significance of the combined use of these two parameters
      in STEMI. METHODS: We included 368 patients with first acute STEMI who
      successfully revascularized with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
      RESULTS: Patients with fQRS had significantly higher NLR, and in-hospital
      mortality rate compared to patients with no-fQRS. The best cut-off value of NLR
      to predict mortality was 5.47. Patients with NLR>=5.47 had a higher frequency of
      fQRS and in-hospital mortality rate. Multivariate analysis showed that NLR was an
      independent predictor of the presence of fQRS (OR: 1.095, 95% CI: 1.039-1.153,
      P=0.001). When patients were stratified by fQRS and cut-off value of NLR, in
      hospital mortality gradually increased (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: NLR is
      independently associated with the presence of fQRS in STEMI patients. Combined
      use of both parameters provides additional prognostic contribution for
      identifying patients at higher cardiac risk.

PMID- 28623017
TI  - Electrocardiogeriatrics: ECG in advanced age.
AB  - The electrocardiogram (ECG) presents substantial changes associated with aging.
      In fact, the likelihood of having a "normal" ECG decreases with age. The most
      common findings are left ventricular hypertrophy pattern, leftward axis deviation
      and QRS widening. Interatrial block (IAB) is frequently present, mainly partial
      IAB. Atrial fibrillation prevalence raises from 6-7% in those aged 65-74years to
      13-17% in those >75years.

PMID- 28623018
TI  - Spiked helmet sign after percutaneous left stellate ganglion ablation in a
      patient with long QT syndrome.
AB  - "Spiked helmet" is a type of ST elevation, which is generally observed in
      critically ill patients and associated with very poor prognosis. Here we present
      a case of previously undiagnosed long QT syndrome admitted with polymorphic
      ventricular tachycardia (PMVT) unresponsive to pharmacological treatment and
      developed "spiked helmet" sign after left percutaneous stellate ganglion
      ablation.

PMID- 28623019
TI  - Exogenous addition of H2 for an in situ biogas upgrading through biological
      reduction of carbon dioxide into methane.
AB  - Biological reduction of CO2 into CH4 by exogenous addition of H2 is a promising
      technology for upgrading biogas into higher CH4 content. The aim of this work was
      to study the feasibility of exogenous H2 addition for an in situ biogas upgrading
      through biological conversion of the biogas CO2 into CH4. Moreover, this study
      employed systematic study with isotope analysis for providing comprehensive
      evidence on the underlying pathways of CH4 production and upstream processes.
      Batch reactors were inoculated with digestate originating from a full-scale
      biogas plant and fed once with maize leaf substrate. Periodic addition of H2 into
      the headspace resulted in a completely consumption of CO2 and a concomitant
      increase in CH4 content up to 89%. The microbial community and isotope analysis
      shows an enrichment of hydrogenotrophic Methanobacterium and the key role of
      hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis for biogas upgrading to higher CH4 content.
      Excess H2 was also supplied to evaluate its effect on overall process
      performance. The results show that excess H2 addition resulted in accumulation of
      H2, depletion of CO2 and inhibition of the degradation of acetate and other
      volatile fatty acids (VFA). A systematic isotope analysis revealed that excess H2
      supply led to an increase in dissolved H2 to the level that thermodynamically
      inhibit the degradation of VFA and stimulate homo-acetogens for production of
      acetate from CO2 and H2. The inhibition was a temporary effect and acetate
      degradation resumed when the excess H2 was removed as well as in the presence of
      stoichiometric amount of H2 and CO2. This inhibition mechanism underlines the
      importance of carefully regulating the H2 addition rate and gas retention time to
      the CO2 production rate, H2-uptake rate and growth of hydrogenotrophic
      methanogens in order to achieve higher CH4 content without the accumulation of
      acetate and other VFA.

PMID- 28623020
TI  - Two-step gasification of cattle manure for hydrogen-rich gas production: Effect
      of biochar preparation temperature and gasification temperature.
AB  - Two-step gasification process was proposed to dispose cattle manure for hydrogen
      rich gas production. The effect of temperature on product distribution and
      biochar properties were first studied in the pyrolysis-carbonization process. The
      steam gasification of biochar derived from different pyrolysis-carbonization
      temperatures was then performed at 750 degrees C and 850 degrees C. The biochar
      from the pyrolysis-carbonization temperatures of 500 degrees C had high carbon
      content and low volatiles content. According to the results of gasification
      stage, the pyrolysis-carbonization temperature of 500 degrees C and the
      gasification temperature of 850 degrees C were identified as the suitable
      conditions for hydrogen production. We obtained 1.61m3/kg of syngas production,
      0.93m3/kg of hydrogen yield and 57.58% of hydrogen concentration. This study
      shows that two-step gasification is an efficient waste-to-hydrogen energy
      process.

PMID- 28623021
TI  - Improving the circular economy via hydrothermal processing of high-density waste
      plastics.
AB  - Rising environmental concerns on climate changes are causing an increasing
      attention on circular economies. The plastic economy, in particular, is in focus
      due to the accelerating consumption of plastics, mainly derived from virgin
      feedstock, combined with the lack of plastic recycling strategies. This work
      presents a novel outlook on the potential of using supercritical hydrothermal
      processing of waste plastic fractions for tertiary recycling. The study
      investigates hydrothermal processing of nine different, high-density types of
      plastics into original resin monomers and other value-added chemical compounds.
      The outlook presents conversion yields, carbon balances, and chemical details on
      the products obtained. It is found that all the investigated resins are prone to
      hydrothermal treatment, and that high yields of monomers and high value compounds
      (up to nearly 100%), suitable for chemicals and fuels applications, can be
      obtained. For instance, for polycarbonate, styrene-butadiene, poly(lactic acid),
      poly(ethylene terephthalate), and poly(butylene terephthalate), original
      monomeric compounds can be reclaimed for manufacturing new resins. The promising
      results presented demonstrate that hydrothermal processing of high-density
      plastics is a prospective technology for increasing the circularity of the
      plastic economy.

PMID- 28623022
TI  - Heterogeneity of zeolite combined with biochar properties as a function of sewage
      sludge composting and production of nutrient-rich compost.
AB  - In the present study, biochar combined with a higher dosage of zeolite (Z) and
      biochar (B) alone were applied as additives for dewatered fresh sewage sludge
      (DFSS) composting using 130-L working volume lab-scale reactors. We first
      observed that the addition of a mixture of B and Z to DFSS equivalent to 12%B+10%
      (Z-1), 15% (Z-2) and 30% (Z-3) zeolite (dry weight basis) worked synergistically
      as an amendment and increased the composting efficiency compared with a treatment
      of 12%B alone amended and a control without any amendment. In a composting
      reactor, the addition of B+Z may serve as a novel approach for improving DFSS
      composting and the quality of the end product in terms of the temperature, water
      holding capacity, CO2 emissions, electrical conductivity, water-soluble and total
      macro-nutrient content and phytotoxicity. The results indicated that during the
      thermophilic phase, dissolved organic carbon, NH4+-N and NO3--N increased
      drastically in all biochar amended treatments, whereas considerably low water
      soluble nutrients were observed in the control treatment throughout and at the
      end of the composting. Furthermore, the maturity parameters and dissolved organic
      carbon (DOC) indicated that compost with 12%B+15%Z became more mature and
      humified within 35days of DFSS composting, with the maturity parameters, such as
      CO2 evolution and the concentration of NH4+-N in the compost, being within the
      permissible limits of organic farming in contrast to the control. Furthermore, at
      the end of composting, the addition of higher dosage of biochar (12%) alone and
      12% B+Z lowered the pH by 7.15 to 7.86 and the electrical conductivity by 2.65 to
      2.95mScm-1 as compared to the control, while increased the concentrations of
      water-soluble nutrients (gkg-1) including available phosphorus, sodium and
      potassium. In addition, greenhouse experiments demonstrated that the treatment of
      150kgha-1 biochar combined with zeolite and that of 12%B alone improved the yield
      of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa chinensis L.). The highest dry weight biomass
      (1.41+/-0.12g/pot) was obtained with 12%B+15%Z amended compost. Therefore,
      12%B+15%Z can be potentially applied as an amendment to improve DFSS composting.

PMID- 28623023
TI  - Pyrolysis reaction models of waste tires: Application of Master-Plots method for
      energy conversion via devolatilization.
AB  - Land applied disposal of waste tires has far-reaching environmental, economic,
      and human health consequences. Pyrolysis represents a potential waste management
      solution, whereby the solid carbonaceous residue is heated in the absence of
      oxygen to produce liquid and gaseous fuels, and a solid char. The design of an
      efficient conversion unit requires information on the reaction kinetics of
      pyrolysis. This work is the first to probe the appropriate reaction model of
      waste tire pyrolysis. The average activation energy of pyrolysis was determined
      via iso-conversional methods over a mass fraction conversion range between 0.20
      and 0.80 to be 162.8+/-23.2kJmol-1. Using the Master Plots method, a reaction
      order of three was found to be the most suitable model to describe the pyrolytic
      decomposition. This suggests that the chemical reactions themselves (cracking,
      depolymerization, etc.), not diffusion or boundary layer interactions common with
      carbonaceous biomasses, are the rate-limiting steps in the pyrolytic
      decomposition of waste tires.

PMID- 28623024
TI  - Functional diversity of aquatic ciliates.
AB  - This paper first reviews the concept of functional diversity in general terms and
      then applies it to free-living aquatic ciliates. Ciliates are extremely versatile
      organisms and display an enormous functional diversity as key elements of pelagic
      food webs, acting as predators of bacteria, algae, other protists and even some
      metazoans. Planktonic ciliates are important food for zooplankton, and
      mixotrophic and functionally autotrophic species may significantly contribute to
      primary production in the ocean and in lakes. The co-occurrence of many ciliate
      species in seemingly homogenous environments indicates a wide range of their
      ecological niches. Variation in space and time may foster co-occurrence and
      prevent violating the competitive exclusion principle among ciliates using the
      same resources. Considering that many ciliates may be dormant and/or rare in many
      habitats, ciliate species diversity must be higher than can be deduced from
      simple sampling techniques; molecular methods of identification clearly point to
      this hidden diversity. From a functional point of view, the question is how much
      of this diversity represents redundancy. A key challenge for future research is
      to link the ecophysiological performance of naturally co-occurring ciliates to
      their functional genes. To this end, more experimental research is needed with
      with functionally different species.

PMID- 28623025
TI  - Identification of elemental weight fraction and mass density of humanoid tissue
      equivalent materials using dual energy computed tomography.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to obtain the fraction by weight of the elemental
      composition and mass density of a humanoid tissue phantom that includes lung
      tissue, soft tissue, and bone tissue, by using dual energy computed tomography
      (DECT). The fraction by weight and the mass density for tissue-equivalent
      materials were calculated by means of a least-squares method with a linear
      attenuation coefficient, using monochromatic photon energies of 10-140keV, as
      obtained from DECT. The accuracy of calculated values for the fractions by weight
      of H (hydrogen), C (carbon), N (nitrogen), and O (oxygen) as verified by
      comparing the values with those that were analyzed using the combustion
      technique. The fraction by weight for other elements was confirmed by comparing
      with the analyzed values by means of energy dispersive photon spectroscopy. The
      calculated mass densities for each tissue were compared with those that were
      obtained by dividing the weight by volume. The calculated values of the fraction
      by weight that were obtained by means of DECT had differences of 1.9%, 9.2%,
      6.6%, 7.8%, 0.8%, and 0.2% at a maximum for H, C, N, O, P (phosphorus), and Ca
      (calcium), respectively, from the reference values analyzed by the combustion
      technique and energy dispersive photon spectroscopy. The difference in the mass
      density for tissue was 0.011g/cm3 at a maximum. This study demonstrated the
      fraction by weight and the mass density of the humanoid tissue-equivalent
      materials that were calculated by means of DECT were expected high accuracy.

PMID- 28623026
TI  - Vaccination resilience: Building and sustaining confidence in and demand for
      vaccination.

PMID- 28623027
TI  - ADE and dengue vaccination.
AB  - The vaccine against Dengue virus (DENV), Dengvaxia(r) (CYD), produced by Sanofi
      Pasteur, has been registered by several national regulatory agencies;
      nevertheless, the performance and security of this vaccine have been challenged
      in a series of recent papers. In this work, we intend to contribute to the debate
      by analyzing the concept of an enhancing vaccine, presenting objections to the
      epidemiological model base of the concept and, likewise, presenting data that
      contradict that concept.

PMID- 28623028
TI  - Impact and cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Bangladesh.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Diarrheal disease is a leading cause of child mortality globally,
      and rotavirus is responsible for more than a third of those deaths. Despite
      substantial decreases, the number of rotavirus deaths in children under five was
      215,000 per year in 2013. Of these deaths, approximately 41% occurred in Asia and
      3% of those in Bangladesh. While Bangladesh has yet to introduce rotavirus
      vaccination, the country applied for Gavi support and plans to introduce it in
      2018. This analysis evaluates the impact and cost-effectiveness of rotavirus
      vaccination in Bangladesh and provides estimates of the costs of the vaccination
      program to help inform decision-makers and international partners. METHODS: This
      analysis used Pan American Health Organization's TRIVAC model (version 2.0) to
      examine nationwide introduction of two-dose rotavirus vaccination in 2017,
      compared to no vaccination. Three mortality scenarios (low, high, and midpoint)
      were assessed. Benefits and costs were examined from the societal perspective
      over ten successive birth cohorts with a 3% discount rate. Model inputs were
      locally acquired and complemented by internationally validated estimates.
      RESULTS: Over ten years, rotavirus vaccination would prevent 4000 deaths, nearly
      500,000 hospitalizations and 3 million outpatient visits in the base scenario.
      With a Gavi subsidy, cost/disability adjusted life year (DALY) ratios ranged from
      $58/DALY to $142/DALY averted. Without a Gavi subsidy and a vaccine price of
      $2.19 per dose, cost/DALY ratios ranged from $615/DALY to $1514/DALY averted.
      CONCLUSION: The discounted cost per DALY averted was less than the GDP per capita
      for nearly all scenarios considered, indicating that a routine rotavirus
      vaccination program is highly likely to be cost-effective. Even in a low
      mortality setting with no Gavi subsidy, rotavirus vaccination would be cost
      effective. These estimates exclude the herd immunity benefits of vaccination, so
      represent a conservative estimate of the cost-effectiveness of rotavirus
      vaccination in Bangladesh.

PMID- 28623029
TI  - Efficacy of PLGA microparticle-encapsulated formalin-killed Aeromonas hydrophila
      cells as a single-shot vaccine against A. hydrophila infection.
AB  - Control and prevention of disease is a high priority in aquaculture, and
      vaccination is important to prevent outbreaks. Here, poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolic
      acid) (PLGA) microparticles (MPs) approximately 36MUm in diameter were used to
      encapsulate and deliver Aeromonas hydrophila formalin-killed cells (FKC) as an
      antigen, and the innate and adaptive immune responses of cyprinid loaches and
      common carp were assessed following vaccination. The antigen was confirmed to be
      well encapsulated by scanning electron microscopy analysis of PLGA MP sections.
      Blood and head kidney specimens were collected and analyzed for bacterial
      agglutination activity and relative mRNA expression of immune-related genes (IL
      1beta, IL-10, TNF-alpha, lysozyme C, TGF-beta, and IgM) at 2, 4, 6, and 8weeks
      post vaccination (wpv). For both fish species, the curve of antibody titer over
      time was shallower in the PLGA group than the FKC group. These titers in loaches
      and carp were very similar in the two vaccination groups until 8 and 6 wpv,
      respectively, but differences were subsequently noted in both species until the
      end of experiment. Loaches and carp were then challenged with A. hydrophila at 12
      and 20 wpv, and 10 and 14 wpv, respectively, and relative survival rates were
      calculated. For both species, the PLGA groups demonstrated higher survival rates
      at all time points. Relative expression of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA was
      significantly upregulated in the PLGA group at 2 and 4 wpv. Moreover, PLGA-MP
      vaccination increased relative mRNA levels of lysozyme C and IgM, which were
      significantly higher than those observed with FKC treatment at 2 wpv and 4, 6,
      and 8 wpv, respectively. In conclusion, PLGA-MP vaccines have the potential to
      induce longer and more potent immune responses than FKCs alone, and protect both
      cyprinid loaches and common carp with greater efficiency.

PMID- 28623031
TI  - [Pulmonary hypertension screening in systemic sclerosis: The best strategy
      remains to be defined].

PMID- 28623030
TI  - Immunogenicity of mumps virus vaccine candidates matching circulating genotypes
      in the United States and China.
AB  - Mumps virus (MuV) causes acute infection in humans with characteristic swelling
      of the parotid gland. While vaccination has greatly reduced the incidence of MuV
      infection, there have been multiple large outbreaks of mumps virus (MuV) in
      highly vaccinated populations. The most common vaccine strain, Jeryl Lynn,
      belongs to genotype A, which is no longer a circulating genotype. We have
      developed two vaccine candidates that match the circulating genotypes in the
      United States (genotype G) and China (genotype F). We found that there was a
      significant decrease in the ability of the Jeryl Lynn vaccine to produce
      neutralizing antibody responses to non-matched viruses, when compared to either
      of our vaccine candidates. Our data suggests that an updated vaccine may allow
      for better immunity against the circulating MuV genotypes G and F.

PMID- 28623032
TI  - [Smoking cessation in pregnancy].

PMID- 28623033
TI  - Anti-inflammatory profile of paricalcitol in kidney transplant recipients.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Paricalcitol, a selective vitamin D receptor
      activator, is used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in kidney transplant
      patients. Experimental and clinical studies in non-transplant kidney disease
      patients have found this molecule to have anti-inflammatory properties. In this
      exploratory study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory profile of paricalcitol in
      kidney-transplant recipients. METHODS: Thirty one kidney transplant recipients
      with secondary hyperparathyroidism completed 3 months of treatment with oral
      paricalcitol (1MUg/day). Serum concentrations and gene expression levels of
      inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analysed at the
      beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: Paricalcitol significantly decreased
      parathyroid hormone levels with no changes in calcium and phosphorous. It also
      reduced serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha) by 29% (P<0.05) and 9.5% (P<0.05) compared to baseline,
      respectively. Furthermore, gene expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha in
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells decreased by 14.1% (P<0.001) and 34.1%
      (P<0.001), respectively. The ratios between pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha
      and IL-6) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10), both regarding serum
      concentrations and gene expression, also experienced a significant reduction.
      CONCLUSIONS: Paricalcitol administration to kidney transplant recipients has been
      found to have beneficial effects on inflammation, which may be associated with
      potential clinical benefits.

PMID- 28623035
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors associated with peripheral arterial disease in an
      adult population from Colombia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most important cause of
      mortality in Latin America, while peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the third
      leading cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular morbidity. OBJECTIVE: To
      establish the prevalence of PAD and the distribution of traditional CVD risk
      factors in a population from the Department of Cauca, Colombia. METHODS: A cross
      sectional study was conducted on a total of 10,000 subjects aged >=40 years, from
      36 municipalities. An ankle-brachial index (ABI) <= 0.9 in either leg was used as
      diagnostic criterion of PAD. RESULTS: Overall PAD prevalence was 4.4% (4.7%
      females vs. 4.0% males), with diabetes being the most prevalent risk factor
      (23%). Among individuals self-reporting a history of acute myocardial infarction
      or stroke, PAD prevalence was 31.0% and 8.1%, respectively. After adjusting for
      potential confounders, PAD was significantly associated with hypertension (OR
      4.6; 95% CI; 3.42-6.20), diabetes (4.3; 3.17-5.75), dyslipidaemia (3.1; 2.50
      3.88), obesity (1.8; 1.37-2.30), and cigarette smoking (1.6; 1.26-1.94). Analysis
      for the interaction of risk factors showed that diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and
      obesity accounted for 13.2 times the risk for PAD (6.9-25.4), and when adding
      hypertension to the model, the risk effect was the highest (17.2; 8.4-35.1).
      CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and obesity, but not smoking
      were strong predictors of PAD. ABI measurement should be routinely performed as a
      screening test in intermediate and high-risk patients for CVD prevention. This
      could lead to an early intervention and follow-up on populations at risk, thus,
      contributing to improve strategies for reducing CVD burden.

PMID- 28623036
TI  - [Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia. Literature review and
      case report].
AB  - Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia is an inherited
      autosomal dominant disease, with an estimated prevalence of 1:2,500 to 1:5,000,
      being higher in males (3:1). It is characterised histologically by the
      substitution of cardiomyocytes for fibrous-adipose tissue, which predisposes to
      ventricular arrhythmias, right ventricular failure, and sudden cardiac death. The
      main aim of treatment is to reduce the risk of sudden death and improve the
      quality of life of patients. The case is presented of a 23 year old woman whose
      clinical symptoms started with palpitations, chest pain with physical activity,
      syncope, and headache, 6 years ago during her first pregnancy. Due to an increase
      in symptomatology, a stress test was performed, during which she collapsed with a
      sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. A cardiac magnetic resonance scan
      showed dilation, an increase in trabeculae, and decreased function of the right
      ventricle. A 3-dimensional mapping and ablation was performed, and during the
      isoproterenol infusion test, a polymorphic ventricular flutter was generated that
      required electrical cardioversion. The decision was made to implant a dual
      chamber cardioverter defibrillator and perform stellate ganglion ablation as
      secondary prevention. After her discharge, the patient re-consulted many times
      due to discharges of the device associated with palpitations. A comprehensive
      review of the patient's medical records was performed, finding characteristics
      that may suggest arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. The Task Force
      criteria was applied, concluding that, as she met more than 2 major criteria, the
      patient had a definitive diagnosis of this disease.

PMID- 28623034
TI  - New NMR tools for protein structure and function: Spin tags for dynamic nuclear
      polarization solid state NMR.
AB  - Magic angle spinning solid state NMR studies of biological macromolecules [1-3]
      have enabled exciting studies of membrane proteins [4,5], amyloid fibrils [6],
      viruses, and large macromolecular assemblies [7]. Dynamic nuclear polarization
      (DNP) provides a means to enhance detection sensitivity for NMR, particularly for
      solid state NMR, with many recent biological applications and considerable
      contemporary efforts towards elaboration and optimization of the DNP experiment.
      This review explores precedents and innovations in biological DNP experiments,
      especially highlighting novel chemical biology approaches to introduce the
      radicals that serve as a source of polarization in DNP experiments.

PMID- 28623038
TI  - Perfusion kinetics in human brain tumor with DCE-MRI derived model and CFD
      analysis.
AB  - Cancer is one of the leading causes of death all over the world. Among the
      strategies that are used for cancer treatment, the effectiveness of chemotherapy
      is often hindered by factors such as irregular and non-uniform uptake of drugs
      inside tumor. Thus, accurate prediction of drug transport and deposition inside
      tumor is crucial for increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic treatment.
      In this study, a computational model of human brain tumor is developed that
      incorporates dynamic contrast enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) data
      into a voxelized porous media model. The model takes into account realistic
      transport and perfusion kinetics parameters together with realistic heterogeneous
      tumor vasculature and accurate arterial input function (AIF), which makes it
      patient specific. The computational results for interstitial fluid pressure
      (IFP), interstitial fluid velocity (IFV) and tracer concentration show good
      agreement with the experimental results. The computational model can be extended
      further for predicting the deposition of chemotherapeutic drugs in tumor
      environment as well as selection of the best chemotherapeutic drug for a specific
      patient.

PMID- 28623037
TI  - Muscle recruitment and coordination with an ankle exoskeleton.
AB  - Exoskeletons have the potential to assist and augment human performance.
      Understanding how users adapt their movement and neuromuscular control in
      response to external assistance is important to inform the design of these
      devices. The aim of this research was to evaluate changes in muscle recruitment
      and coordination for ten unimpaired individuals walking with an ankle
      exoskeleton. We evaluated changes in the activity of individual muscles,
      cocontraction levels, and synergistic patterns of muscle coordination with
      increasing exoskeleton work and torque. Participants were able to selectively
      reduce activity of the ankle plantarflexors with increasing exoskeleton
      assistance. Increasing exoskeleton net work resulted in greater reductions in
      muscle activity than increasing exoskeleton torque. Patterns of muscle
      coordination were not restricted or constrained to synergistic patterns observed
      during unassisted walking. While three synergies could describe nearly 95% of the
      variance in electromyography data during unassisted walking, these same synergies
      could describe only 85-90% of the variance in muscle activity while walking with
      the exoskeleton. Synergies calculated with the exoskeleton demonstrated greater
      changes in synergy weights with increasing exoskeleton work versus greater
      changes in synergy activations with increasing exoskeleton torque. These results
      support the theory that unimpaired individuals do not exclusively use central
      pattern generators or other low-level building blocks to coordinate muscle
      activity, especially when learning a new task or adapting to external assistance,
      and demonstrate the potential for using exoskeletons to modulate muscle
      recruitment and coordination patterns for rehabilitation or performance.

PMID- 28623039
TI  - The Acoustic Characteristics of the Voice in Cochlear-Implanted Children: A
      Longitudinal Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in the voice and
      vowel articulation of prelingually deaf children after cochlear implantation.
      METHODS: In this study, the patient group included 30 prelingually deaf children
      who underwent unilateral cochlear implantation at 4-6 years of age. The control
      group included normally hearing children of the same age. All deaf children had
      follow-ups before cochlear implantation and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after
      implantation. The acoustic parameters, aerodynamic parameters, and vowel formants
      were measured in the patient group and compared with those of the control group.
      RESULTS: All acoustic parameters, aerodynamic parameters, and vowel formants
      differed significantly between normally hearing children and prelingually deaf
      children. For prelingually deaf children, all of the above parameters gradually
      decreased after cochlear implantation. Furthermore, the acoustic parameters
      Jitter and Shimmer were significantly reduced as early as 6 months, whereas the
      fundamental frequency, the standard deviation of fundamental frequency, estimated
      subglottal pressure, aF1, iF2, and uF2 were significantly altered 12 months after
      implantation. However, statistically significant differences in these parameters
      were not observed between 12 and 24 months after cochlear implantation.
      CONCLUSION: After cochlear implantation, prelingually deaf children established
      auditory feedback and improved voice control and vowel production.

PMID- 28623040
TI  - [Neuro-ophthalmological conditions: Study of the clinical care pathway].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Neuro-ophthalmologic conditions require specialized
      multidisciplinary management, both medical and surgical, for patients affected by
      visual loss due to nervous system disease. The primary goal of this study is to
      define the specificity of neuro-ophthalmology within the realm of visual health.
      The secondary goal is to review clinical care pathways by studying the
      organization of management, in terms of accessibility to care and personalization
      of the care pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A field study was carried out from
      February to June 2015, within the ophthalmology service of the Pitie-Salpetriere
      University Medical Center in Paris. A 30-minute interview with the patient before
      or after his or her neuro-ophthalmology consultation was performed, so as to
      describe the clinical care pathway. The medical records of interviewed patients
      were also analyzed. RESULTS: Seventeen care pathways (10 women and 7 men) were
      reviewed. The mean age at appearance of visual involvement was 44.5 years (+/-8.4
      years). If we exclude 3 patients over 66 years and retired, 35.71% were active,
      35.71% were disabled, and 28.57% were on sick leave. Ten patients (58.82%) met
      the criteria for admission to long-term care. The first step had been carried out
      by local private practitioners. The first physician seen was the general medicine
      physician (59%), then the private ophthalmologist on an emergency basis (17%). On
      average, patients went through 8 steps during their care pathway (from 6 to 10
      steps) and 14 medical departments were involved. The study showed collaboration
      with the other services of the University Hospital Department of Vision and
      Disabilities (notably with the Fondation Rothschild, the Quinze-Vingts National
      Ophthalmology Hospital and the Fondation Sainte-Marie). In addition to
      rehabilitation services, health care professionals participating in the
      outpatient care of the patients included an orthoptist (11.7%), a psychologist
      (11.7%), and an optician specializing in low vision for visual aids. And finally,
      patient support groups, AFM-Telethon (myasthenia) and the ARIBa Association
      (visual disability) were solicited by 2 patients for their involvement. A
      disturbance in activities of daily living leading to disabilities with
      psychological repercussions was noted by a number of patients. The most frequent
      complaints involve mobility (29.41%) and reading (23.52%). In total, 77% of
      patients state that their well-being has been affected and they are disturbed by
      the progression of their disease. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The review of the
      clinical care pathway of patients affected by neuro-ophthalmological conditions
      shows that these pathologies are, on the one hand, often poorly understood, and
      on the other hand complex, leading to an often significant number of steps for
      the patient. This also emphasizes the necessity of a care network, specialized
      and structured to improve the efficiency of this management. Finally, these
      results demonstrate the existence of a very frequent disability, which may affect
      all aspects of the patients' lives, highlighting the importance of rehabilitation
      services and individuals participating in the follow-up of these patients beyond
      their acute care.

PMID- 28623041
TI  - [Corneal dystrophies].
AB  - Degenerative or hereditary corneal diseases are sometimes difficult to
      discriminate. Corneal dystrophies affect approximately 0.09 % of the population.
      They are identified by the IC3D classification based on their phenotype, genotype
      and evidence gathered for their diagnosis. Practically, the ophthalmologist
      manages functional symptoms, such as recurrent erosions, visual loss and
      amblyopia, photophobia, foreign body sensation, and sometimes pain and aesthetic
      concerns. Medical treatments consist of drops to promote healing, ointments,
      hyperosmotic agents and bandage contact lenses. Less invasive surgical treatments
      are used as second line therapy (phototherapeutic keratectomy, lamellar
      keratectomy). More invasive procedures may eventually be utilized (lamellar or
      penetrating keratoplasty). Anterior lamellar or endothelial keratoplasty are now
      preferred to penetrating keratoplasty, although the latter still remains the only
      possible option in some cases. Some rare dystrophies require coordinated and
      comprehensive medical care.

PMID- 28623042
TI  - Corneocyte lipid envelope (CLE), the key structure for skin barrier function and
      ichthyosis pathogenesis.
AB  - Research on the genetic abnormalities and pathogenetic processes of ichthyoses
      has progressed remarkably, and many causative genes and molecules have been
      identified in ichthyoses and ichthyosis syndromes. Most of the genes/molecules
      causative of ichthyosis are associated with the barrier function of the stratum
      corneum, and defects in the skin barrier play important roles in the pathogenesis
      of various ichthyosis phenotypes. It has been elucidated that, of the ichthyosis
      causative genes, ABCA12, ALOXE3, ALOX12B, CYP4F22, CERS3, ABHD5, PNPLA1 and
      ELOVL4 work in the formation of the corneocyte lipid envelope (CLE), a structure
      that is essential to sound skin barrier function. The CLE mostly consists of
      ultra-long-chain (ULC) ceramides derived from ULC-acylceramide (EOS; a
      combination of esterified omega-hydroxy fatty acids and sphingosines). In this
      review, I shed light on the synthesis, metabolism and transport of epidermal
      ceramides, especially on ULC-acylceramide and the processes of CLE formation. In
      addition, I summarize the pathogeneses of various ichthyoses and ichthyosis
      syndromes from the aspects of abnormal synthesis of ULC-acylceramide and
      malformation of the CLE. Investigations on the pathomechanisms of ichthyoses have
      provided novel knowledge on the synthesis and metabolism of ceramides in the
      epidermis. Conversely, research on the dynamics of epidermal ceramides has
      contributed to the elucidation of the pathogenesis of ichthyoses. Advances in our
      understanding of the biology of epidermal lipids and the disease pathogeneses of
      ichthyoses and ichthyosis syndromes promise to provide clues for the development
      of effective therapies for ichthyosis patients in the near future.

PMID- 28623043
TI  - Nasal airway evaluation in obstructive sleep apnoea patients: volumetric
      tomography and endoscopic findings.
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) results from the recurrent collapse of the upper
      airway during sleep. Nasal abnormalities influence the stability of the pharynx.
      The aim of this study was to evaluate the volumetric and anatomical changes of
      the nasal cavity in patients with OSA. The Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation
      (NOSE) scale was used to grade nasal obstruction. Sleep-related breathing
      disorders were evaluated by polysomnography. The nasal airway volume was obtained
      from computed tomography scans through volumetric reconstruction of the nasal
      airway. Alterations to the nasal anatomy were identified by nasal fibre-optic
      endoscopy. Ninety-four patient charts were analyzed. The final sample comprised
      32 patients with severe OSA, 16 with moderate OSA, 23 with mild OSA, and 20
      without OSA. Three groups were established based on nasal obstruction and OSA.
      The groups were compared for nasal airway volume (P=0.464) and body mass index
      (P=0.001). The presence of nasal septum deviation and inferior turbinate
      hypertrophy were related to the NOSE score (P=0.05 for both), apnoea-hypopnoea
      index (P=0.03 and P=0.05, respectively), and nasal airway volume (P=0.71 and
      P=0.78, respectively). In this nasal airway evaluation of OSA patients, the
      presence of sites of obstruction was correlated with the severity of OSA; this
      was not the case for the evaluation of the nasal airway volume dimensions.

PMID- 28623044
TI  - Corrigendum to "Can a surgery-first orthognathic approach reduce the total
      treatment time?" [Int. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 46 (2017) 473-482].

PMID- 28623045
TI  - The risk of malignancy among biologic-naive pediatric psoriasis patients: A
      retrospective cohort study in a US claims database.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little published literature exists regarding malignancy risk in
      pediatric psoriasis patients. OBJECTIVE: To compare malignancy risk in biologic
      naive pediatric psoriasis patients with a matched pediatric population without
      psoriasis. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used IMS LifeLink Health Plan
      Claims data covering 1998-2008. Cancer incidence was compared with the US
      Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data using standardized
      incidence ratios (SIR), and between cohorts using Cox models. RESULTS: Among 9045
      pediatric psoriasis patients and 77,206 comparators, 18 probable or highly
      probable cancers were identified. Pediatric psoriasis patients had a
      nonsignificantly lower incidence than comparators (hazard ratio [HR] 0.43, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 0.05-3.54). The HR increased to 1.67 (95% CI 0.54-5.18)
      when cancer diagnosed during the first 90 days of follow-up was included. The
      pediatric psoriasis cohort had a significantly increased lymphoma rate compared
      with SEER (SIR 5.42, 95% CI 1.62-12.94), but no significant increase relative to
      the comparator cohort. LIMITATIONS: Misclassification of disease and outcome
      might have occurred with patients in the claims database. CONCLUSION: Patients
      with pediatric psoriasis showed no significant increase in overall cancer risk
      compared with those without psoriasis. A potential increased risk for lymphoma
      was observed when compared with the general population.

PMID- 28623046
TI  - Real-world burden of comorbidities in US patients with psoriasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding background comorbidity rates in psoriasis can provide
      perspective for adverse events associated with new therapies. OBJECTIVE: We
      sought to assess the extent of comorbidities in psoriasis patients by use of the
      Truven Health Analytics MarketScan database. METHODS: MarketScan, comprising
      commercial claims representative of a large US-insured population, had 1.22
      million patients with >=1 claim with a psoriasis diagnosis between January 1,
      2008, and December 31, 2014. Patients >=18 years of age who had >=2 health claims
      in any diagnosis field for psoriasis (International Classification of Diseases,
      9th Revision, Clinical Modification 696.1) with a psoriasis diagnosis (index)
      date between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2014, were included to allow follow-up
      observation time. RESULTS: Prevalence and incidence of 24 comorbidities were
      assessed in 469,097 psoriasis patients; the most common comorbidities were
      hyperlipidemia (45.64% and 30.83%, respectively), hypertension (42.19% and
      24.19%), depression (17.91% and 12.68%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (17.45% and
      8.44%), and obesity (14.38% and 11.57%). LIMITATIONS: A limitation of the study
      was that only a certain insured population was represented. CONCLUSIONS:
      Comorbidity rates align with those described in the literature and support the
      concept that psoriasis patients have high rates of cardiometabolic comorbidities.
      This analysis highlights the potential utility of very large insurance databases
      for determining comorbidity prevalence in psoriasis, which may aid health care
      providers in managing psoriasis.

PMID- 28623047
TI  - Use of a PACS-Based Tool for Improving Communications With Referring Physicians.

PMID- 28623048
TI  - Decreasing Utilization of Inferior Vena Cava Filters in Post-FDA Warning Era:
      Insights From 2005 to 2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the impact, if any, of the 2010 FDA safety communication
      on the rate of inferior vena cava filter (IVCF) placement over time. METHODS: The
      Nationwide Inpatient Sample was interrogated for the most recent years preceding
      and after the FDA safety communication-from 2005 to 2014. IVCF placements and
      associated diagnoses were identified using corresponding International
      Classification of Diseases, version nine codes. Trends in number of IVCF
      placement were evaluated in aggregate and by associated diagnoses, both of which
      were further stratified by hospital geographic cluster, hospital teaching status,
      and patient demographics. Generalized linear regression models were used to
      determine statistical significance of trends over time. RESULTS: IVCF placements
      steadily increased between 2005 and 2010 (100,434 in 2005 versus 129,614 in 2010,
      growth rate 5.81%). Aggregate IVCF placements subsequently declined between 2010
      and 2014 (96,005 in 2014, decline rate -6.48%). IVCF placements peaked in 2010,
      the year of the FDA advisory. The proportion of filter placements for therapeutic
      indication of venous thromboembolism increased significantly during the study
      period (69.8% in 2005 versus 80.4% in 2014, P < .001). Neither trend varied
      significantly by patient demographics or hospital characteristics. CONCLUSIONS:
      IVCF placements have declined significantly since 2010, when the FDA advisory was
      released. The proportion of IVCFs placed in patients with venous thromboembolism,
      as opposed to prophylactic indications, is increasing.

PMID- 28623049
TI  - A Resident- and Fellow-Driven Review Course to Prepare Trainees for the ABR Core
      Examination.

PMID- 28623050
TI  - The Clash of Organizational Cultures.

PMID- 28623051
TI  - Decision proposals in the family conference.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore how clinicians make decision proposals about life
      sustaining treatments and to determine if certain decision proposals are more
      likely to lead surrogates to align with or resist the proposal. METHODS: We audio
      recorded 36 family conferences between clinicians and surrogates and analyzed the
      interactions using conversation analysis (a qualitative method) and event
      sequence analysis (a quantitative method). RESULTS: The transitional probability
      of a proposal that incorporates the patient's previously described preferences
      leading to alignment with the proposal was .76. The odds ratio of an aligning
      response in the presence of this proposal was 8.27 (95% CI 2.21, 30.97). The
      transitional probability of a proposal that asserts the healthcare team is going
      to do or not do a treatment leading to resistance was .70. The odds ratio of a
      resisting response in the presence of this proposal was 8.4 (95% CI 1.83, 38.53).
      CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence to suggest that incorporating the patient's
      previously described preferences into a decision proposal leads to surrogates'
      alignment to those proposals. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These results strengthen the
      need for clinicians to engage with surrogates in shared decision making to
      determine the best treatment decision for the patient.

PMID- 28623053
TI  - LGBT healthcare disparities: What progress have we made?
AB  - Nearly fifteen years have passed since this author's publication which examined
      the depth of education and training for medical students and practicing
      physicians specific to clinical competence in the care of lesbian and gay
      patients in the United States. Since then, there has been an explosion of
      research gains which have shed a steady light on the needs and disparities of
      lesbian and gay healthcare. This rich literature base has expanded to include
      bisexual and transgender (LGBT) healthcare in peer-reviewed journals. Despite
      these research gains underscoring a call for action, there continues to be a
      dearth of cultural competency education and training for healthcare professionals
      focused on clinical assessment and treatment of LGBT patients. This article will
      focus exclusively on the current status of medical and nursing education and
      training specific to clinical competence for LGBT healthcare. We are long overdue
      in closing the clinical competency gap in medical and nursing education to reduce
      the healthcare disparities within the LGBT community.

PMID- 28623052
TI  - How physicians draw satisfaction and overcome barriers in their practices: "It
      sustains me".
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Major reorganizations of medical practice today challenge physicians'
      ability to deliver compassionate care. We sought to understand how physicians who
      completed an intensive faculty development program in medical humanism sustain
      their humanistic practices. METHODS: Program completers from 8 U.S. medical
      schools wrote reflections in answer to two open-ended questions addressing their
      personal motivations and the barriers that impeded their humanistic practice and
      teaching. Reflections were qualitatively analyzed using the constant comparative
      method. RESULTS: Sixty-eight physicians (74% response rate) submitted
      reflections. Motivating factors included: 1) identification with humanistic
      values; 2) providing care that they or their family would want; 3) connecting to
      patients; 4) passing on values through role modelling; 5) being in the moment.
      Inhibiting factors included: 1) time, 2) stress, 3) culture, and 4) episodic
      burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Determination to live by one's values, embedded within a
      strong professional identity, allowed study participants to alleviate, but not
      resolve, the barriers. Collaborative action to address organizational impediments
      was endorsed but found to be lacking. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Fostering fully
      mature professional development among physicians will require new skills and
      opportunities that reinforce time-honored values while simultaneously partnering
      with others to nurture, sustain and improve patient care by addressing system
      issues.

PMID- 28623054
TI  - Detection of yellow fever virus genomes from four imported cases in China.
AB  - Yellow fever virus (YFV), as the first proven human-pathogenic virus, is still a
      major public health problem with a dramatic upsurge in recent years. This is a
      report on four imported cases of yellow fever virus into China identified by
      whole genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis was performed and the results
      showed that these four viruses were highly homologous with Angola 71 strains
      (AY968064). In addition, effective mutations of amino acids were not observed in
      the E protein domain of four viruses, thus confirming the effectiveness of the
      YFV-17D vaccine (X03700). Although there is low risk of local transmission in
      most part of China, the increasing public health risk of YF caused by
      international exchange should not be ignored.

PMID- 28623055
TI  - Prevalence of adiposity and its association with sleep duration, quality, and
      timing among 9-12-year-old children in Guangzhou, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Short sleep duration has been reported to be associated with obesity
      in children, but findings are not consistent. Since few studies have examined the
      relationship between more complex sleep characteristics and obesity, we examined
      the association between adiposity and self-reported sleep duration, bedtime, and
      sleep quality in 9-12-year-old Chinese children using multilevel mixed models.
      METHODS: 5518 children aged 9-12 years were recruited from 29 randomly selected
      primary schools in Guangzhou, China in 2014. Standardized questionnaires were
      used to obtain data to estimate sleep duration on typical weekdays and weekends.
      Sleep quality data were collected using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire
      (CSHQ). Trained researchers undertook measurements of weight, height, and waist
      circumference (WC) for all participating children. Body mass index (BMI) z-scores
      were derived using the World Health Organization (WHO) child growth reference,
      and children were classified as overweight or obese using +1 and +2 SD as cut
      offs, respectively. Percentage body fat (BF%) was calculated using bioelectrical
      impedance. RESULTS: Longer sleep duration was inversely associated with BMI z
      score (beta = -0.16, p < 0.05), WC (beta = -1.11, p < 0.05) and later bedtime was
      associated with higher BMI z-score (beta = 0.03, p < 0.05), WC (beta = 1.72, p <
      0.001), and BF% (beta = 0.15, p < 0.05) in multivariable multilevel mixed models,
      after adjustment for age, gender, physical activity, parental education level,
      and average monthly income. No association was seen between sleep quality and
      adiposity. CONCLUSION: Shorter sleep duration and later bedtime are associated
      with higher adiposity indices in early adolescents from southern China.

PMID- 28623056
TI  - The prevalence and risk factor control associated with noncommunicable diseases
      in China, Japan, and Korea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Noncommunicable disease (NCD) has become the leading cause of
      mortality and disease burden worldwide. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was
      carried out to investigate the prevalence of NCDs and risk factor control on
      dietary behaviors and dietary intake in China, Japan, and Korea. RESULTS: There
      were significant differences among the three countries on the prevalence of
      hypertension (24.5% in China, 17.6% in Korea, and 15.2% in Japan), diabetes (8.9%
      in China, 5.7% in Korea, and 4.8% in Japan), hyperlipidemia (13.1% in China, 9.2%
      in Korea, and 6.9% in Japan), and angina pectoris (3.6% in China, 1.7% in Korea,
      and 1.5% in Japan). The prevalence rate of hypertension, diabetes,
      hyperlipidemia, and angina pectoris was highest in China and lowest in Japan.
      However, 82.2%, 48.4%, and 64.4% of Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese presented good
      dietary behavior, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found
      that sex, age, and marital status were predictors of good dietary behavior. In
      addition, in comparison with subjects without hypertension, diabetes, or
      hyperlipidemia, subjects with hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia
      significantly improved their dietary behaviors and controlled their intake of
      salt, sugar, and oil. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of NCDs and trends in major
      modifiable risk factor control in China, Korea, and Japan remain troubling.
      Public efforts to introduce healthy lifestyle changes and systematic NCDs
      prevention programs are necessary to reduce the epidemic of NCDs in these three
      Asian countries.

PMID- 28623057
TI  - Clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal tumors: a
      large multicenter retrospective study from the Hiroshima GI Endoscopy Research
      Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although advanced high-volume centers have reported good
      outcomes of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a limited number
      of highly skilled experts in specialized institutions performed these procedures.
      We undertook a retrospective multicenter survey, which included nonspecialized
      hospitals, to investigate the clinical outcomes of colorectal ESD. METHODS: We
      recruited 1233 consecutive patients with 1259 colorectal tumors resected by ESD
      at 12 institutions. We evaluated the en bloc resection rate, histologic complete
      resection rate, curative (R0) resection rate, adverse events, and the long-term
      prognoses, including local recurrence, metachronous tumor development, and
      survival rate. RESULTS: The en bloc, histologic complete, and R0 resection rates
      were 92.6%, 87.4%, and 83.7%, respectively. The delayed bleeding, intraoperative
      perforation, and delayed perforation rates were 3.7%, 3.4%, and .4%,
      respectively. The long-term outcomes analysis included 1091 patients (88.4%).
      Local recurrences occurred in 1.7%, and metachronous tumors (>5 mm) developed in
      11.0% of the patients. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 95.1% and
      92.3%, respectively. The number of colonic tumors, severe submucosal fibrosis,
      and en bloc resection rates were significantly higher in the high-volume centers
      (Group H) than those in the low-volume centers (Group L). The average tumor size
      in Group H was significantly larger than that in Group L. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal
      ESDs are feasible, have acceptable adverse event risks, and favorable long-term
      prognoses. (Clinical trial registration number: UMIN000016197.).

PMID- 28623058
TI  - Supraclavicular schwannoma mimicking a lymphadenopathy in a lung cancer patient:
      PET/CT findings.

PMID- 28623059
TI  - Piloting a global mentorship initiative to support African emergency nurses.

PMID- 28623060
TI  - Amniotic Band Syndrome With Pseudoarthrosis of Tibia and Fibula: A Case Report.
AB  - Constriction of the lower limb by a congenital amniotic band has been proposed to
      explain the development of pseudoarthrosis of the tibia and fibula. We report a
      case of amniotic band syndrome in a preterm female infant with pseudoarthrosis of
      the tibia and fibula. She was born at 29 weeks of gestation with congenital
      amniotic bands and was noted to have a severely edematous left foot distal to the
      constricting band with rudimentary digits. The skin was pink and well perfused
      with palpable pulses. Radiography demonstrated pseudoarthrosis of the tibia and
      fibula. The limb deformities were managed with splints, positioning, and
      physiotherapy. She underwent Z-plasty with soft tissue release on the left lower
      leg on day 7 of life. At 36 weeks of postmenstrual age, a repeat radiograph
      showed markedly improved growth of the tibia and fibula with mature new bone
      formation, which avoided the need for further surgical intervention. During the
      follow-up period, she underwent left Syme's amputation at 18 months. At 29 months
      of age, the child was able to walk and run without support. The findings from our
      case confirm the potential for bone growth in patients with amniotic band
      syndrome, once the constricting band has been released. Simple release of the
      constriction band with Z-plasty resulted in growth of mature bone, replacing the
      pseudoarthrosis and, hence, the patient did not require surgical amputation.
      Thus, one should be cautious when deciding on surgical amputation, even in the
      presence of pseudoarthrosis, especially in preterm infants. Early limb-preserving
      surgery with release of the constricting band with an intention to salvage the
      limb appears appropriate.

PMID- 28623061
TI  - Comparison of Extraosseous Talotarsal Stabilization Implants in a Stage II Adult
      Acquired Flatfoot Model: A Finite Element Analysis.
AB  - Subtalar arthroereisis has been proved to be an efficient method for correcting
      flexible adult flatfoot. However, the optimal sinus tarsi implant is still
      debated and yet to be determined. In the present study, we compared the
      biomechanical effects of type I and II sinus tarsi implants in stage II adult
      acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD). First, a finite element model of stage II
      AAFD was established in which virtual surgery of subtalar arthroereisis was
      simulated. The indexes of plantar stress distribution, peak von Mises of the
      medial and lateral columns, strain of the medial ligaments and plantar fascia,
      arch height, talo-first metatarsal angle, calcaneus pitch angle, talonavicular
      coverage angle, and hindfoot valgus angle were all compared and analyzed. The
      results of the present study have validated the stage II AAFD finite element
      model by comparing the simulation results with the same parameters measured from
      weightbearing radiographs in the midstance phase. All the indexes showed that
      both types of arthroereisis can lower the plantar pressure and the strain of the
      medial ligaments that support the medial longitudinal arch and can shift the load
      of the medial column to the lateral column. They can also help to correct the
      deformity and restore the arch. However, the type II sinus tarsi implant design
      exhibited a more obvious effect than that of type I.

PMID- 28623063
TI  - Low dose out-of-field radiotherapy, part 2: Calculating the mean photon energy
      values for the out-of-field photon energy spectrum from scattered radiation using
      Monte Carlo methods.
AB  - PURPOSE: During radiotherapy, leakage from the machine head and collimator expose
      patients to out-of-field irradiation doses, which may cause secondary cancers. To
      quantify the risks of secondary cancers due to out-of-field doses, it is first
      necessary to measure these doses. Since most dosimeters are energy-dependent, it
      is essential to first determine the type of photon energy spectrum in the out-of
      field area. The aim of this study was to determine the mean photon energy values
      for the out-of-field photon energy spectrum for a 6 MV photon beam using the
      GEANT 4-Monte Carlo method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A specially-designed large
      water phantom was simulated with a static field at gantry 0 degrees . The source
      to-surface distance was 92cm for an open field size of 10*10cm2. The photon
      energy spectra were calculated at five unique positions (at depths of 0.5, 1.6,
      4, 6, 8, and 10cm) along the central beam axis and at six different off-axis
      distances. RESULTS: Monte Carlo simulations showed that mean radiation energy
      levels drop rapidly beyond the edge of the 6 MV photon beam field: at a distance
      of 10cm, the mean energy level is close to 0.3MeV versus 1.5MeV at the central
      beam axis. In some cases, the energy level actually increased even as the
      distance from the field edge increased: at a depth of 1.6cm and 15cm off-axis,
      the mean energy level was 0.205MeV versus 0.252MeV at 20cm off-axis. CONCLUSION:
      The out-of-field energy spectra and dose distribution data obtained in this study
      with Monte Carlo methods can be used to calibrate dosimeters to measure out-of
      field radiation from 6MV photons.

PMID- 28623062
TI  - Salvage of the Foot for Recurrent Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor.
AB  - Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are rare soft tissue tumors accounting
      for 3% to 10% of all soft tissue tumors. They are strongly related to
      neurofibromatosis type 1, an autosomal dominant disease, and are characterized by
      aggressive biologic behavior, high local recurrence rates, and frequent
      metastases. Although the major nerves of the lower extremities are a common
      location of these tumors, scarce cases have been reported of malignant peripheral
      nerve sheath tumors involving the interdigital nerves of the foot. We report the
      case of a patient with non-neurofibromatosis type 1 and a recurrent malignant
      peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the first interdigital nerve of the foot treated
      successfully with limb salvage surgery with wide resection margins and
      reconstruction with an autogenous fibula graft.

PMID- 28623064
TI  - To Screen or Not to Screen? Examining the Arguments Against Screening for Atrial
      Fibrillation.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, with a lifetime
      risk of one in four of developing AF over the age of 40 years. Around 40% of
      patients are asymptomatic, which is of concern as AF is a major risk factor for
      stroke. Early detection and appropriate management reduces stroke risk by two
      thirds. Atrial fibrillation screening is now recommended in international
      guidelines, but there are some common arguments against screening. Overall, to be
      of value any screening program must fulfil the World Health Organization (WHO)
      Wilson and Jungner criteria for screening programs. In this paper we address the
      common arguments, and determine if AF screening fulfils the WHO criteria.

PMID- 28623065
TI  - Upper limb neurodynamic test 1 in patients with clinical diagnosis of carpal
      tunnel syndrome: A diagnostic accuracy study.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Diagnostic accuracy. INTRODUCTION: Upper limb neurodynamic test 1
      (ULNT1) is used to evaluate the mechanical sensitivity especially in the
      peripheral nerves of the upper limbs. The reproduction of typical symptoms in the
      affected hand improves the estimation of the probability of carpal tunnel
      syndrome (CTS). However the test has not been evaluated sufficiently to determine
      its real usefulness. In the present study the diagnostic accuracy of ULNT1 as a
      clinical test for CTS was determined. METHODS: We used the ULNT1 as the index
      test and nerve conduction as the reference standard. 120 subjects, (240 hands),
      with a medical diagnosis of CTS were evaluated. The study population was a
      consecutive series of participants. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and
      negative predictive values, accuracy, and positive likelihood ratio were
      calculated. RESULTS: ULNT1 was found to have a sensitivity of 93 % and a
      specificity of 6.67 %. The positive likelihood ratio was 1.04 and the negative
      likelihood ratio was 1.00. The positive predictive value was 86.9 % and the
      negative predictive value was 12.5%. DISCUSSION: Acute or relatively mild CTS
      cases may not be accurately identified through nerve conduction tests. The
      findings of this study coincide with other studies in the finding that ULNT1 has
      a significant diagnostic and clinical screening value for CTS in people at-risk,
      or with upper limb symptoms. CONCLUSION(S): This research suggests the use of
      ULNT1 as a screening test for CTS, followed by tests that are more specific.
      LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III-2.

PMID- 28623066
TI  - Association of posterior semicircular canal hypofunction on video-head-impulse
      testing with other vestibulo-cochlear deficits.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The video-head-impulse test (vHIT) provides a functional assessment
      of all six semicircular canals (SCC). Occasionally isolated loss of the posterior
      canal(s) (ILPC) is diagnosed, though this finding is poorly characterized. Here
      we assessed how accurate that diagnosis is by measuring the co-occurrence of
      abnormalities on caloric irrigation, vestibular-evoked myogenic-potentials and
      audiometry. METHODS: We identified 52 patients with ILPC (unilateral=40,
      bilateral=12). We determined vHIT-gains and saccade-amplitudes and correlated
      vHIT-findings with other vestibulo-cochlear tests. RESULTS: The most frequent
      diagnoses were history of vestibular neuritis (13/52), Meniere's disease (12/52)
      and vertigo/dizziness of unclear origin (13/52). Unilateral ILPC on vHIT was
      accompanied by a deficient horizontal canal on calorics, saccular and/or
      utricular deficits ipsilesionally in 33/40 (83%), while ipsilesional hearing-loss
      was noted in 24/40 (60%). Involvement of other sensors was highest for vestibular
      schwannoma (100%) and history of vestibular neuritis (92%). Bilateral deficits in
      >=1 vestibulo-cochlear sensor(s) were noted in 2/12 cases with bilateral ILPC.
      CONCLUSIONS: >80% of patients with unilateral ILPC had additional deficits of
      other parts of the vestibular organ, while this rate was <=20% for patients with
      bilateral ILPC. SIGNIFICANCE: Dizzy patients should receive testing of the
      posterior canals and if abnormalities are observed, additional vestibulo-cochlear
      testing should be obtained.

PMID- 28623067
TI  - A Case Report of Abnormal Fracture Healing as Detected With High-Resolution
      Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography.

PMID- 28623068
TI  - Corrigendum to "Comparative study of therapeutic response to baclofen vs
      tolperisone in spasticity" [Biomed. Pharmacother. 87 (2017) 628-635].

PMID- 28623069
TI  - Neonatal hypoglycemia: A wide range of electroclinical manifestations and seizure
      outcomes.
AB  - PURPOSE: We examined the various types of epilepsy in children with neonatal
      hypoglycemia in order to define electroclinical and prognostic features of these
      patients. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients
      with a history of symptomatic neonatal hypoglycaemia who have been followed at
      Gazi University Hospital Pediatric Neurology Department between 2006 and 2015.
      Patients with perinatal asphyxia were excluded. Details of each patient's
      perinatal history, neurological outcome, epilepsy details, seizure outcome and
      EEG and brain MRI findings were reviewed. RESULTS: Fourty five patients (range 6
      mo-15 y) with a history of symptomatic neonatal hypoglycaemia were included the
      study. Epilepsy developed in 36 patients and 23 of them had intractable epilepsy.
      All patients had occipital brain injury. CONCLUSION: We observed that most of the
      patients, either manifesting focal or generalized seizures, further develop
      intractable epilepsy. This finding establishes neonatal hypoglycemia as a
      possible cause to be considered in any case of intractable epilepsy.

PMID- 28623070
TI  - Commentary on "Inherited DNA-repair gene mutations in men with metastatic
      prostate cancer". Pritchard CC, Mateo J, Walsh MF, De Sarkar N, Abida W, Beltran
      H, Garofalo A, Gulati R, Carreira S, Eeles R, Elemento O, Rubin MA, Robinson D,
      Lonigro R, Hussain M, Chinnaiyan A, Vinson J, Filipenko J, Garraway L, Taplin ME,
      AlDubayan S, Han GC, Beightol M, Morrissey C, Nghiem B, Cheng HH, Montgomery B,
      Walsh T, Casadei S, Berger M, Zhang L, Zehir A, Vijai J, Scher HI, Sawyers C,
      Schultz N, Kantoff PW, Solit D, Robson M, Van Allen EM, Offit K, de Bono J,
      Nelson PS. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(5):443-53.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inherited mutations in DNA-repair genes such as BRCA2 are associated
      with increased risks of lethal prostate cancer. Although the prevalence of
      germline mutations in DNA-repair genes among men with localized prostate cancer
      who are unselected for family predisposition is insufficient to warrant routine
      testing, the frequency of such mutations in patients with metastatic prostate
      cancer has not been established. METHODS: We recruited 692 men with documented
      metastatic prostate cancer who were unselected for family history of cancer or
      age at diagnosis. We isolated germline DNA and used multiplex sequencing assays
      to assess mutations in 20 DNA-repair genes associated with autosomal dominant
      cancer-predisposition syndromes. RESULTS: A total of 84 germline DNA-repair gene
      mutations that were presumed to be deleterious were identified in 82 men (11.8%);
      mutations were found in 16 genes, including BRCA2 (37 men [5.3%]), ATM (11
      [1.6%]), CHEK2 (10 [1.9% of 534 men with data]), BRCA1 (6 [0.9%]), RAD51D (3
      [0.4%]), and PALB2 (3 [0.4%]). Mutation frequencies did not differ according to
      whether a family history of prostate cancer was present or according to age at
      diagnosis. Overall, the frequency of germline mutations in DNA-repair genes among
      men with metastatic prostate cancer significantly exceeded the prevalence of 4.6%
      among 499 men with localized prostate cancer (P<0.001), including men with high
      risk disease, and the prevalence of 2.7% in the Exome Aggregation Consortium,
      which includes 53,105 persons without a known cancer diagnosis (P<0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: In our multicenter study, the incidence of germline mutations in
      genes mediating DNA-repair processes among men with metastatic prostate cancer
      was 11.8%, which was significantly higher than the incidence among men with
      localized prostate cancer. The frequencies of germline mutations in DNA-repair
      genes among men with metastatic disease did not differ significantly according to
      age at diagnosis or family history of prostate cancer.

PMID- 28623071
TI  - Overall survival in Swedish patients with renal cell carcinoma treated in the
      period 2002 to 2012: Update of the RENCOMP study with subgroup analysis of the
      synchronous metastatic and elderly populations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This retrospective study investigated overall survival (OS) and
      factors influencing OS in Swedish patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
      (mRCC) during the pre- (2002-2005), early (2006-2008), and late (2009-2012)
      targeted therapy (TT) era. METHODS: Three national Swedish registries identified
      patients with mRCC. Median OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
      Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression.
      Subgroup analysis was conducted for patients with synchronous metastases (M1) and
      the elderly (aged>=75y). RESULTS: A total of 4,217 patients with mRCC were
      identified, including 1,533 patients with M1 and 1,275 elderly patients. For
      patients with mRCC diagnosed in 2002 to 2005, 2006 to 2008, and 2009 to 2012,
      median OS was 10.0, 13.0, and 18.0 months. Similarly, median OS improved in the
      M1 and elderly populations. Elderly patients were less likely to be prescribed TT
      (>=75 vs.<75y): 18.3 vs. 63.5% (in 2006-2008) and 28.6% vs. 55.9% (in 2009-2012).
      Diagnosis of mRCC in 2009 to 2012, nephrectomy and TT prescription were
      associated with improved OS in the total mRCC, M1, and elderly populations.
      CONCLUSION: This real-world study showed continued significant improvement in
      mRCC OS during the late TT era, including in M1 and elderly populations. TT
      should be considered for all patients with mRCC based on tolerability, regardless
      of age.

PMID- 28623072
TI  - Commentary on "Integrative clinical genomics of advanced prostate cancer".
      Robinson D, Van Allen EM, Wu YM, Schultz N, Lonigro RJ, Mosquera JM, Montgomery
      B, Taplin ME, Pritchard CC, Attard G, Beltran H, Abida W, Bradley RK, Vinson J,
      Cao X, Vats P, Kunju LP, Hussain M, Feng FY, Tomlins SA, Cooney KA, Smith DC,
      Brennan C, Siddiqui J, Mehra R, Chen Y, Rathkopf DE, Morris MJ, Solomon SB,
      Durack JC, Reuter VE, Gopalan A, Gao J, Loda M, Lis RT, Bowden M, Balk SP,
      Gaviola G, Sougnez C, Gupta M, Yu EY, Mostaghel EA, Cheng HH, Mulcahy H, True LD,
      Plymate SR, Dvinge H, Ferraldeschi R, Flohr P, Miranda S, Zafeiriou Z, Tunariu N,
      Mateo J, Perez-Lopez R, Demichelis F, Robinson BD, Schiffman M, Nanus DM, Tagawa
      ST, Sigaras A, Eng KW, Elemento O, Sboner A, Heath EI, Scher HI, Pienta KJ,
      Kantoff P, de Bono JS, Rubin MA, Nelson PS, Garraway LA, Sawyers CL, Chinnaiyan
      AM.Cell. 21 May 2015;161(5):1215-1228.
AB  - Toward development of a precision medicine framework for metastatic, castration
      resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), we established a multi-institutional clinical
      sequencing infrastructure to conduct prospective whole-exome and transcriptome
      sequencing of bone or soft tissue tumor biopsies from a cohort of 150 mCRPC
      affected individuals. Aberrations of AR, ETS genes, TP53, and PTEN were frequent
      (40%-60% of cases), with TP53 and AR alterations enriched in mCRPC compared to
      primary prostate cancer. We identified new genomic alterations in PIK3CA/B, R
      spondin, BRAF/RAF1, APC, beta-catenin, and ZBTB16/PLZF. Moreover, aberrations of
      BRCA2, BRCA1, and ATM were observed at substantially higher frequencies (19.3%
      overall) compared to those in primary prostate cancers. A total of 89% of
      affected individuals harbored a clinically actionable aberration, including 62.7%
      with aberrations in AR, 65% in other cancer-related genes, and 8% with actionable
      pathogenic germline alterations. This cohort study provides clinically actionable
      information that could affect treatment decisions for these affected individuals.

PMID- 28623073
TI  - Commentary on "Biallelic inactivation of BRCA2 in platinum-sensitive metastatic
      castration-resistant prostate cancer". Cheng HH, Pritchard CC, Boyd T, Nelson PS,
      Montgomery B. Eur Urol. Jun 2016;69(6):992-5.
AB  - Understanding the molecular underpinnings of sensitivity to specific therapies
      will advance the goal of precision medicine in prostate cancer (PCa). We
      identified 3 patients with metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) who
      achieved an exceptional response to platinum chemotherapy (not first-line
      treatment for PCa), despite disease progression on prior standard therapies.
      Using targeted next-generation sequencing on the primary and metastatic tumors,
      we found that all 3 patients had biallelic inactivation of BRCA2, a tumor
      suppressor gene critical for homologous DNA repair. Notably, 2 had germline BRCA2
      mutations, including a patient without compelling family history who was
      diagnosed at age 66 year. The third patient had somatic BRCA2 homozygous copy
      loss. Biallelic BRCA2 inactivation in mCRPC warrants further exploration as a
      predictive biomarker for sensitivity to platinum chemotherapy.

PMID- 28623074
TI  - Geographic variability in gestational weight gain: a multilevel population-based
      study of women having term births in Florida (2005-2012).
AB  - PURPOSE: We examined the extent of geographic variability in gestational weight
      gain (GWG), identified areas where women have suboptimal GWG, and evaluated
      whether individual- and area-level factors account for such variability. METHODS:
      We conducted a population-based cohort study including 1,385,574 women delivering
      term, singleton, and live births in Florida. We used a Bayesian, structured
      additive regression with a spatial function to analyze data from Florida's birth
      certificates (2005-2012) and ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTAs; 2010 Census).
      RESULTS: The prevalence of insufficient (7.7%-42.9%) and excessive (17.1%-82.4%)
      GWG varied widely within Florida. Geographic variability was not explained by
      risk factors under study. Clusters in Orlando, Tampa, and Miami exhibited
      increased likelihood of insufficient GWG, whereas clusters in the Northwest of
      Florida exhibited increased likelihood of excessive GWG. CONCLUSIONS: We
      identified areas in Florida with high likelihood of suboptimal GWG that policy
      makers should prioritize in the implementation of programs for optimizing GWG.

PMID- 28623075
TI  - Thioflavin T fluorescence to analyse amyloid formation kinetics: Measurement
      frequency as a factor explaining irreproducibility.
AB  - The most frequent method to monitor amyloid formation relies on the fluorescence
      of thioflavin T (ThT). The present study reports a novel factor of
      irreproducibility in ThT kinetic assays performed in microplate. Discrepancies
      among kinetics of amyloid assembly, performed under quiescent conditions, were
      associated with the frequency of fluorescence measurement. Evaluating self
      assembly of the islet amyloid polypeptide at short intervals hastened its
      fibrillization. This observation was confirmed by transmission electron
      microscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic
      acid fluorescence. This effect, attributed to agitation during microplate
      displacements between fluorescence measurements, reinforces the importance of a
      better standardization in amyloid formation assays.

PMID- 28623076
TI  - [Staphylococcus aureus epidural abscess following epidural catheter placement in
      a patient suffering from psoriasis].

PMID- 28623077
TI  - [Viral triumvirate].

PMID- 28623078
TI  - Arthroscopic Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement in Adolescents Provides
      Clinically Significant Outcome Improvement.
AB  - PURPOSE: To define minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and substantial
      clinical benefit (SCB) for adolescents undergoing arthroscopic femoroacetabular
      impingement (FAI) surgery. METHODS: A prospective institutional hip preservation
      registry was reviewed to identify hip arthroscopies performed for FAI. Patients
      with pre-existing hip conditions such as slipped capital femoral epiphysis and
      Legg-Calve-Perthese were excluded. Included patients were 18 years and younger.
      The modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), the Hip Outcome Score (HOS), and the
      international Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-33) were administered as part of the
      registry. MCID was calculated using a distribution-based method, and SCB was
      calculated using a physical function anchor question. Receiver operating
      characteristic analysis with area under the curve (AUC) was used for psychometric
      analyses. RESULTS: Forty-seven adolescents were identified. The majority of
      patients were female (n = 32, 68.1%) with a mean age of 16.5 (+/-1.1) years. The
      MCID (% achieving) for the mHHS, HOS activities of daily living (ADL), HOS Sport,
      and iHOT-33 was 9.5 (85%), 9.8 (79%), 12.1 (85%), and 10.7 (94%), respectively.
      Ninety-two percent of adolescents reported some form of improved hip physical
      ability on the anchor question. The following 1-year absolute outcome scores were
      significantly representative of an SCB state on the mHHS, HOS ADL, HOS Sport, and
      mHHS, respectively (AUC): 93.5 (0.79), 98.5 (0.84), 96.9 (0.81), and 85.9 (0.76).
      CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents undergoing arthroscopic FAI surgery achieve clinically
      significant outcome improvement. We found that the vast majority of adolescents
      achieve MCID on hip-specific patient-reported outcome tools. However, although
      adolescents readily achieve MCID, a considerable improvement in postoperative
      outcome score is often needed to perceive a substantial benefit (SCB). The
      available hip outcome tools may be subject to ceiling effects for measuring
      clinically significant outcome improvement in adolescents. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Level IV, case series.

PMID- 28623079
TI  - Restoration of Articular Geometry Using Current Graft Options for Large Glenoid
      Bone Defects in Anterior Shoulder Instability.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this cadaveric study was to compare standard and modified
      coracoid transfer procedures, bicortical and tricortical iliac crest autografts,
      and tibial plafond and glenoid allografts with respect to glenoid surface
      curvature restoration. METHODS: Computed tomography scans of 8 cadaveric
      shoulders were acquired in 9 conditions: (1) intact, (2) 25% width defect, (3)
      classic Latarjet, (4) modified congruent-arc Latarjet, (5) tricortical iliac
      crest inner table, (6) outer table, (7) bicortical iliac crest, (8) distal tibia,
      and (9) glenoid allograft. Outcome measures included articular surface area,
      width, depth, axial and coronal radius of curvature, and subchondral articular
      step-off, analyzed in bone and soft-tissue window. RESULTS: Reconstruction of the
      articular surface area was optimal with the glenoid allograft (99.4%), classic
      Latarjet (97.4%), and iliac crest bicortical graft (93.2%). Depth was best
      restored by the congruent-arc Latarjet (101.0%), tibial (98.9%), and glenoid
      (95.3%) allografts. Axial curvature was closely matched by the glenoid allograft
      (97.5%), classic Latarjet (108.7%), and iliac bicortical graft (91.2%). Coronal
      curvature was most accurately restored by the glenoid allograft (102.6%), the
      tibial allograft (115.0%), and the classic Latarjet (55.9%). The articular step
      off was smallest using the glenoid allograft. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, glenoid
      allografts most accurately restored articular geometry. Alternative grafts
      provided restoration of some parameters but not others. Classic Latarjet
      performed well in axial and coronal curvature on average but exhibited large
      variability. Tibial allograft produced the poorest results in axial curvature,
      despite excellent coronal curvature reconstruction. The congruent-arc Latarjet
      did not restore the axial curvature accurately and overcorrected coronal
      curvature. Graft geometry must be weighed against availability, morbidity, and
      the role of additional stabilizers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Accurate graft morphology
      may help prevent postoperative osteoarthritis. Grafts differ significantly
      regarding geometric parameters. The findings of this study will help surgeons
      select the most appropriate graft for glenoid reconstruction.

PMID- 28623080
TI  - Increased constitutive nitric oxide production by whole body periodic
      acceleration ameliorates alterations in cardiomyocytes associated with
      utrophin/dystrophin deficiency.
AB  - Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) cardiomyopathy is a progressive lethal disease
      caused by the lack of the dystrophin protein in the heart. The most widely used
      animal model of DMD is the dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse; however, these mice
      exhibit a mild dystrophic phenotype with heart failure only late in life. In
      contrast, mice deficient for both dystrophin and utrophin (mdx/utrn-/-, or dKO)
      can be used to model severe DMD cardiomyopathy where pathophysiological
      indicators of heart failure are detectable by 8-10weeks of age. Nitric oxide (NO)
      is an important signaling molecule involved in vital functions of regulating
      rhythm, contractility, and microcirculation of the heart, and constitutive NO
      production affects the function of proteins involved in excitation-contraction
      coupling. In this study, we explored the efficacy of enhancing NO production as a
      therapeutic strategy for treating DMD cardiomyopathy using the dKO mouse model of
      DMD. Specifically, NO production was induced via whole body periodic acceleration
      (pGz), a novel non-pharmacologic intervention which enhances NO synthase (NOS)
      activity through sinusoidal motion of the body in a headward-footward direction,
      introducing pulsatile shear stress to the vascular endothelium and cardiomyocyte
      plasma membrane. Male dKO mice were randomized at 8weeks of age to receive daily
      pGz (480cpm, Gz+/-3.0m/s2, 1h/d) for 4weeks or no treatment, and a separate age
      matched group of WT animals (pGz-treated and untreated) served as non-diseased
      controls. At the conclusion of the protocol, cardiomyocytes from untreated dKO
      animals had, respectively, 4.3-fold and 3.5-fold higher diastolic resting
      concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]d) and Na+ ([Na+]d) compared to WT, while pGz
      treatment significantly reduced these levels. For dKO cardiomyocytes, pGz
      treatment also improved the depressed contractile function, decreased oxidative
      stress, blunted the elevation in calpain activity, and mitigated the abnormal
      increase in [Ca2+]d upon mechanical stress. These improvements culminated in a
      significant reduction in circulating cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and an extension
      of the median lifespan of dKO mice from 16 to 31weeks. Treatment with L-NAME (NOS
      inhibitor) significantly decreased overall lifespan and abolished the
      cardioprotective properties elicited by pGz. Our results provide evidence that
      enhancement of NO synthesis by pGz can ameliorate cellular dysfunction in dKO
      cardiomyocytes and may represent a novel therapeutic intervention in DMD
      cardiomyopathy patients.

PMID- 28623081
TI  - Multimorbidity: A Review of the Complexity of Mental Health Issues in Bariatric
      Surgery Candidates Informed by Canadian Data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is significant for obesity and mental health issues.
      As a consequence, mental illness is overrepresented in patients seeking bariatric
      surgery. This review addresses that overlap, with a focus on Canadian data.
      CONCLUSION: The healthcare system in Canada is unique, but issues related to
      prevalence of mental health in patients seeking bariatric surgery are similar to
      those in studies conducted in other countries. Although data on suicide are
      lacking, Canadian data have shown similar rates of self-harm behaviours and
      linkages between psychopathology and weight regain after surgery. Geographic
      issues that make it difficult for individuals to attend regular follow-up
      appointments have encouraged the use of e-health tools to engage patients and
      ensure access to follow-up care, which may provide unique opportunities going
      forward. Additional work is needed to inform best practices in the Canadian
      system, but in keeping with other data, the consistent message from Canada is
      that appropriate evaluation and aftercare are essential components of a well
      informed bariatric program.

PMID- 28623083
TI  - Editorial Commentary: Atrial fibrillation: Challenges and opportunities.

PMID- 28623082
TI  - Diabetes mellitus mortality in Spanish cities: Trends and geographical
      inequalities.
AB  - AIM: To analyze the geographical pattern of diabetes mellitus (DM) mortality and
      its association with socioeconomic factors in 26 Spanish cities. METHODS: We
      conducted an ecological study of DM mortality trends with two cross-sectional
      cuts (1996-2001; 2002-2007) using census tract (CT) as the unit of analysis.
      Smoothed standardized mortality rates (sSMR) were calculated using Bayesian
      models, and a socioeconomic deprivation score was calculated for each CT.
      RESULTS: In total, 27,757 deaths by DM were recorded, with higher mortality rates
      observed in men and in the period 1996-2001. For men, a significant association
      between CT deprivation score and DM mortality was observed in 6 cities in the
      first study period and in 7 cities in the second period. The highest relative
      risk was observed in Pamplona (RR, 5.13; 95% credible interval (95%CI), 1.32
      15.16). For women, a significant association between CT deprivation score and DM
      mortality was observed in 13 cities in the first period and 8 in the second. The
      strongest association was observed in San Sebastian (RR, 3.44; 95%CI, 1.25-7.36).
      DM mortality remained stable in the majority of cities, although a marked
      decrease was observed in some cities, including Madrid (RR, 0.67 and 0.64 for men
      and women, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate clear
      inequalities in DM mortality in Spain. These inequalities remained constant over
      time are were more marked in women. Detection of high-risk areas is crucial for
      the implementation of specific interventions.

PMID- 28623085
TI  - Variability of treatment planning of seed implantation: A Japanese multicenter
      simulation study.
AB  - PURPOSE: This multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the current variability
      of treatment planning of seed implantation in Japanese centers and the
      feasibility of two virtual trials. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two types of contour
      data were sent to 12 radiation oncologists with a request letter that asked them
      to make treatment plans on the data in the same manner as in their own practice.
      Five of the 12 radiation oncologists were asked to participate in the two virtual
      trials in which the D90 (dose to the hottest 90% of prostate volume) was 1)
      required to be set at just 180 Gy and 2) increased as much as possible without
      violating other limitations. RESULTS: A relatively high dose with a small
      deviation was irradiated to the prostate in Japanese centers (mean D90 = 188 Gy;
      SD = 10 Gy). In the virtual trials, all five physicians could achieve 180 Gy for
      the D90 with a very small deviation, although the urethral dose showed relatively
      large deviations. Dose escalation without increase of urethral dose or V150 was
      difficult, although the rectum could be spared by most of the physicians.
      CONCLUSION: Our study showed a relatively high dose with a small deviation was
      prescribed to the prostate in Japanese centers. Consolidated protocols such as
      D90 = 180 Gy could be available for future trials. Meanwhile, our study suggested
      that some cautions might be needed for urethral dose and the V150, even when a
      relatively low D90 was requested.

PMID- 28623087
TI  - Highly Multiplex Real-Time PCR-Based Screening for Blood-Borne Pathogens on an
      OpenArray Platform.
AB  - Molecular diagnostics are increasingly used in the blood bank industry. A device
      that can combine simultaneous detection of multiple targets with the flexibility
      of inclusion of emerging pathogens is desirable for testing blood products. A
      highly multiplexed blood-borne pathogen panel (BBPP) using dual-label probe
      chemistry (TaqMan assays) was developed for simultaneous detection and
      discrimination of 17 viral pathogens in human plasma samples and 13 bacterial and
      protozoan pathogens in human blood samples on the OpenArray platform. The custom
      BBPP OpenArray plate was tested for specificity and analytical sensitivity with
      purified nucleic acids from each pathogen and with pathogen-spiked human blood
      and plasma samples. The results of analytical validation of known samples yielded
      decision trees for identification of coded samples: pathogens spiked in human
      plasma or whole blood. Results from coded samples demonstrated no false positives
      among the plasma or whole blood specimens. Samples not detected were at the lower
      limit of the detectible range or qualified for retesting as indeterminate.
      Further demonstration of the performance of the BBPP OpenArray was achieved with
      clinical samples from a blood donor testing organization. Ninety-five percent of
      virus-positive samples were correctly identified. These results show that a high
      throughput OpenArray PCR platform can be expanded and adapted for higher
      discrimination and newly emerging agents, enabling consideration for development
      as a next-generation device for testing blood products.

PMID- 28623084
TI  - Pathogenesis of Human Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Cellular Perspective.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting
      multiple organs. A complex interaction of genetics, environment, and hormones
      leads to immune dysregulation and breakdown of tolerance to self-antigens,
      resulting in autoantibody production, inflammation, and destruction of end
      organs. Emerging evidence on the role of these factors has increased our
      knowledge of this complex disease, guiding therapeutic strategies and identifying
      putative biomarkers. Recent findings include the characterization of
      genetic/epigenetic factors linked to SLE, as well as cellular effectors. Novel
      observations have provided an improved understanding of the contribution of
      tissue-specific factors and associated damage, T and B lymphocytes, as well as
      innate immune cell subsets and their corresponding abnormalities. The intricate
      web of involved factors and pathways dictates the adoption of tailored
      therapeutic approaches to conquer this disease.

PMID- 28623086
TI  - The Transcription Factor T-bet Limits Amplification of Type I IFN Transcriptome
      and Circuitry in T Helper 1 Cells.
AB  - Host defense requires the specification of CD4+ helper T (Th) cells into distinct
      fates, including Th1 cells that preferentially produce interferon-gamma (IFN
      gamma). IFN-gamma, a member of a large family of anti-pathogenic and anti-tumor
      IFNs, induces T-bet, a lineage-defining transcription factor for Th1 cells, which
      in turn supports IFN-gamma production in a feed-forward manner. Herein, we show
      that a cell-intrinsic role of T-bet influences how T cells perceive their
      secreted product in the environment. In the absence of T-bet, IFN-gamma
      aberrantly induced a type I IFN transcriptomic program. T-bet preferentially
      repressed genes and pathways ordinarily activated by type I IFNs to ensure that
      its transcriptional response did not evoke an aberrant amplification of type I
      IFN signaling circuitry, otherwise triggered by its own product. Thus, in
      addition to promoting Th1 effector commitment, T-bet acts as a repressor in
      differentiated Th1 cells to prevent abberant autocrine type I IFN and downstream
      signaling.

PMID- 28623088
TI  - Patient reported activities after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in rotator
      cuff arthropathy patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in rotator cuff
      arthropathy patients, improves anteversion and abduction, but not rotational,
      outcomes. The main aim of this study is to determine its repercussions on daily
      life activities in our patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 2009 and 2011 we
      implanted 210 shoulder arthroplasties, 126 of them were reverse total shoulder
      arthroplasty in a rotator cuff arthropathy context. About 88% were women, with a
      mean age at time of surgery of 81 years, 95% were retired. The mean follow up was
      53 months. The Constant scale, Visual Analogue Scale, Charlson Comorbidity Index,
      range of motion were measured for each patient and whether they could manage 40
      daily life activities by means of a new questionnaire, classifying them according
      toshoulder functional demand. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Mean normalized by sex and
      age Constant value was 81.2%. Mean Visual Analogue Scale and Charlson Index were
      3.56 and 1.69 respectively. Improvement in anteversion and abduction, not in
      rotational range of motion. Limitation was found in low and high functional
      demand activities in 20% and 51% respectively, especially those which involved
      internal rotation. CONCLUSION: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty treatment for
      RCA in the elderly, achieves adequate pain management and good functional
      outcomes. Nevertheless, an important risk of DLA limitation must be accepted in
      those which involve internal rotation or shoulder high functional demand.

PMID- 28623089
TI  - Optimal intrathecal hyperbaric bupivacaine dose with opioids for cesarean
      delivery: a prospective double-blinded randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Single-shot spinal anesthesia is commonly used for cesarean delivery.
      Achieving adequate anesthesia throughout surgery needs to be balanced with
      associated complications. We investigated the optimal dose of intrathecal
      hyperbaric bupivacaine, co-administered with opioids, for anesthesia for cesarean
      delivery. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, dose-ranging
      trial included parturients scheduled to undergo cesarean delivery under spinal
      anesthesia. An epidural catheter was first inserted at the T11-12 vertebral
      interspace, followed by spinal anesthesia at the L2-3 or L3-4 vertebral
      interspace. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of seven doses of intrathecal
      hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12mg), with added 15MUg
      fentanyl and 75MUg morphine. Successful induction of anesthesia (successind) was
      defined as achievement of bilateral sensory loss to cold at the T6 dermatome or
      higher, within 10 minutes. Successful maintenance of anesthesia (successmain) was
      defined by no epidural supplementation within 60 minutes of intrathecal
      injection. The effective doses for 50% (ED50) and 95% (ED95) of patients were
      estimated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The ED50 and ED95 for
      successmain were 6.0mg (95% CI: 4.5 to 7.5mg) and 12.6mg (95% CI: 7.9 to 17.2mg),
      respectively. The incidence of respiratory discomfort and maternal satisfaction
      scores did not differ significantly between dose groups. Phenylephrine dose and
      nausea/vomiting incidence increased with increasing doses of bupivacaine.
      CONCLUSION: Under study conditions, our results suggest that 12.6mg of
      intrathecal bupivacaine, administered with fentanyl and morphine, is required to
      achieve adequate intraoperative analgesia without the need for epidural
      supplemention.

PMID- 28623090
TI  - More perfect - in reply.

PMID- 28623093
TI  - The role of SMARCAL1 in replication fork stability and telomere maintenance.
AB  - SMARCAL1 (SWI/SNF Related, Matrix Associated, Actin Dependent Regulator Of
      Chromatin, Subfamily A-Like 1), also known as HARP, is an ATP-dependent annealing
      helicase that stabilizes replication forks during DNA damage. Mutations in this
      gene are the cause of Schimke immune-osseous dysplasia (SIOD), an autosomal
      recessive disorder characterized by T-cell immunodeficiency and growth
      dysfunctions. In this review, we summarize the main roles of SMARCAL1 in DNA
      repair, telomere maintenance and replication fork stability in response to DNA
      replication stress.

PMID- 28623091
TI  - DNA repair and systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with no known
      cure that affects at least five million people worldwide. Monozygotic twin
      concordance and familial aggregation studies strongly suggest that lupus results
      from genetic predisposition along with environmental exposures including UV
      light. The majority of the common risk alleles associated with genetic
      predisposition to SLE map to genes associated with the immune system. However,
      evidence is emerging that implicates a role for aberrant DNA repair in the
      development of lupus. Here we summarize our current knowledge of the potential
      association of lupus with mutations in DNA repair genes. We also discuss how
      defective or aberrant DNA repair could lead to the development of lupus.

PMID- 28623095
TI  - Chasing the elusive cerebral autoregulation curve in pursuit of intraoperative
      brain protection.

PMID- 28623094
TI  - Structural and functional relationships of FAN1.
AB  - FANCD2/FANCI-associated nuclease (FAN1) is a 5' flap structure-specific
      endonuclease and 5' to 3' exonuclease. This nuclease can resolve interstrand
      cross-links (ICLs) independently of the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway and controls
      the progression of stalled replication forks in an FA-dependent manner, thereby
      maintaining chromosomal stability. Several FAN1 mutations are observed in various
      cancers and degenerative diseases. Recently, several crystal structures of the
      FAN1-DNA complexes have been reported, and to date, these represent the only
      structures for a DNA bound ICL-repair nuclease. Puzzlingly, human FAN1 forms two
      different quaternary structures with different DNA binding modes, and based on
      these structures, two ICL-repair mechanisms have been proposed. In one mechanism,
      monomeric FAN1 recognizes the 5' flap terminal phosphate via a basic pocket and
      successively cleaves at every third nucleotide of the DNA substrates. In the
      other mechanism, dimeric FAN1 scans, latches, and unwinds the postnick duplex of
      the substrate DNA to direct the scissile phosphodiester group to the active site.
      In this review, we discuss the structures, function, and proposed mechanisms of
      FAN1 nuclease, and provide the insights into its role in ICL repair and in
      processing of stalled replication forks.

PMID- 28623096
TI  - How long will my repair last, doctor? Additional data on the durability of mitral
      valve repair.

PMID- 28623092
TI  - CtIP/Ctp1/Sae2, molecular form fit for function.
AB  - Vertebrate CtIP, and its fission yeast (Ctp1), budding yeast (Sae2) and plant
      (Com1) orthologs have emerged as key regulatory molecules in cellular responses
      to DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). By modulating the nucleolytic 5'-3' resection
      activity of the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) DSB repair processing and signaling
      complex, CtIP/Ctp1/Sae2/Com1 is integral to the channeling of DNA double strand
      breaks through DSB repair by homologous recombination (HR). Nearly two decades
      since its discovery, emerging new data are defining the molecular underpinnings
      for CtIP DSB repair regulatory activities. CtIP homologs are largely
      intrinsically unstructured proteins comprised of expanded regions of low
      complexity sequence, rather than defined folded domains typical of DNA damage
      metabolizing enzymes and nucleases. A compact structurally conserved N-terminus
      forms a functionally critical tetrameric helical dimer of dimers (THDD) region
      that bridges CtIP oligomers, and is flexibly appended to a conserved C-terminal
      Sae2-homology DNA binding and DSB repair pathway choice regulatory hub which
      influences nucleolytic activities of the MRN core nuclease complex. The emerging
      evidence from structural, biophysical, and biological studies converges on CtIP
      having functional roles in DSB repair that include: 1) dynamic DNA strand
      coordination through direct DNA binding and DNA bridging activities, 2) MRN
      nuclease complex cofactor functions that direct MRN endonucleolytic cleavage of
      protein-blocked DSB ends and 3) acting as a protein binding hub targeted by the
      cell cycle regulatory apparatus, which influences CtIP expression and activity
      via layers of post-translational modifications, protein-protein interactions and
      DNA binding.

PMID- 28623097
TI  - On sinuses and vortices.

PMID- 28623098
TI  - Acquired inhibition of microRNA-124 protects against spinal cord ischemia
      reperfusion injury partially through a mitophagy-dependent pathway.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Mitophagy results in selective clearance of damaged mitochondria. We
      investigated whether mitophagy was involved in the neuroprotection by inhibiting
      microRNA (miRNA)-124 on ischemic spinal cords. METHODS: Inhibition of miRNA-124
      was conducted by intrathecal injection of lentivirus vectors containing antagomiR
      124. Spinal cord ischemia was induced in rats by crossclamping the descending
      aorta just distal to the left subclavian artery for 14 minutes. Hind-limb motor
      function was assessed with the motor deficit index (MDI). Lumbar spinal cords
      were harvested for ultrastructural, histologic examinations, and terminal
      deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling staining.
      Mitophagy was evaluated by expressions of beclin-1 and LC3-II in mitochondria.
      Expressions of inhibitory member of the apoptosis-stimulating proteins of p53
      family, p53, beclin-1, LC3-II, and miRNA-124 were measured by Western blot and
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Mitophagy was inhibited by the
      antagonist of 3-methyladenine. RESULTS: Compared with control animals, antagomiR
      124 significantly inhibited expressions of miRNA-124 (P < .01) and p53 (P < .05)
      and enhanced expressions of inhibitory member of the apoptosis-stimulating
      proteins of p53 family, becline-1 and LC3-II (P < .01, respectively) in spinal
      cords. MDI at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after reperfusion were markedly lower in
      antagomiR-124 group (P < .01, vs control group, respectively). More motor neurons
      and less apoptotic cells were detected in lumbar spinal cords of antagomiR-124
      group (P < .01 vs control group). Administration of 3-methyladenine completely
      abolished enhancements of mitochondrial becline-1 and LC3-II by antagomiR-124 (P
      < .01 vs antagomiR-124 group) and partially inhibited effects of antagomiR-124 on
      MDI, number of motor neurons, and apoptotic cells (P < .01 or < .05 vs control
      group and antagomiR-124 group, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of miRNA
      124 exerts neuroprotection on spinal cords against ischemia-reperfusion injury,
      possibly by induction of mitophagy and antiapoptotic effects.

PMID- 28623099
TI  - Consensus statement on definitions and nomenclature for robotic thoracic surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Robotic thoracic operations are increasing, and new robotic systems
      are imminent. A definition of what constitutes a robotic thoracic operation and a
      nomenclature to detail the technique used is needed to accurately compare
      outcomes. METHODS: The American Association of Thoracic Surgeons Guideline
      Committee appointed an expert consensus writing committee to construct
      definitions and nomenclature for robotic thoracic surgery. A PubMed search was
      generated and after vetting and review of the literature a consensus statement
      was reached. RESULTS: The proposed definition is: "A robotic thoracic operation
      is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that does not spread, lift or remove
      any part of the chest or abdominal wall and is characterized by: the surgeon and
      the assistant's vision of the operative field is via a monitor only and the
      patient's tissue is manipulated by robotic instruments that follow a slave like
      mimic of human hands or thoughts via a computerized system." In addition, a
      flexible nomenclature is proposed that should be applicable to current and future
      robotic systems that details the number of robotic arms used, the types of ports
      and/or incisions made, the use of insufflation, and the operation performed.
      CONCLUSIONS: The American Association of Thoracic Surgeons writing committee
      proposes a definition and nomenclature for robotic thoracic surgery. Definitions
      are needed to ensure that future studies accurately compare results and outcomes
      and nomenclatures allow surgeons and scientists from diverse countries and
      cultures to use the same language to allow accurate communication.

PMID- 28623100
TI  - "The more things change...": The challenges ahead.

PMID- 28623101
TI  - A good chimney requires a good sweep.

PMID- 28623102
TI  - The enemy of good is better.

PMID- 28623103
TI  - What does it take to seal the deal?

PMID- 28623105
TI  - Transfer of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve to the dorsal branch of the
      ulnar nerve without nerve graft in case of lower brachial plexus injuries:
      Anatomical and feasibility study.
AB  - In the context of lower (C8-T1) brachial plexus injury, transfer of the lateral
      antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN) to the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve
      (DBUN) with an interposed sural nerve graft has been proposed to restore
      sensitivity on the ulnar side of the hand. The purpose of this study was to
      assess the feasibility of performing this transfer directly - without
      interposition of a nerve graft - by intraneural dissection of the DBUN. An
      anatomical study was performed with 20 upper limbs from adult human cadavers. The
      LABCN and the DBUN were dissected. The LABCN emerged from the lateral side of the
      biceps brachii muscle at an average of 2.6+/-0.4cm from the interepicondylar line
      and was 13.5+/-2.6cm long, on average. The DBUN arose from the ulnar nerve 8.2+/
      1.6cm from the styloid process of the ulna. The maximum length of DBUN
      intraneural dissection relative to the ulnar nerve was 7.5+/-2.1cm, on average.
      The LABCN could be transferred to the DBUN in a tension-free manner with end-to
      end suturing. Intraneural dissection of the DBUN allows LABCN nerve transfer
      without interposition of a graft.

PMID- 28623104
TI  - Zearalenone adsorption capacity of lactic acid bacteria isolated from pigs.
AB  - The ability to adsorb zearalenone by five strain of lactic acid bacteria was
      evaluated: four strains of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from pig rectal swabs and
      one commercial strain (Lactobacillus rhamnosus). Several factors affecting the
      adsorption capacity were evaluated in order to improve the adsorption of the
      mycotoxin by bacteria. The stability of the zearalenone-bacteria complex was
      analyzed. In every case, bacterial adsorption capacity was higher than 40.0%. The
      strain showing the highest adsorption (68.2%) was selected for the following
      steps of this research. The adsorption percentages obtained after processing 6.5
      and 7.5mL MRS broth were 57.40%+3.53 and 64.46%+0.76, respectively. The stability
      of zearalenone-bacteria complex was evaluated by successively rinsing. In the
      first rinsing step 42.26%+0.414 was still bound. In the second rinsing step
      25.12%+0.664 was still bound, whereas 15.82%+0.675 remained in the pellet after
      the third rinse. Results obtained demonstrated that Lactic Acid Bacteria has
      capacity to adsorb zearalenone. Finally adsorption was increased using a higher
      volume of initial broth. These results could be used to design a new lyophilized
      powder for detoxification, using lactic acid bacteria as potential zearalenone
      adsorbents.

PMID- 28623106
TI  - The role of physiotherapy in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery for lung
      cancer. A literature review.
AB  - This review aims to appraise the role of physiotherapy care in patients submitted
      to pulmonary surgery, in preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative phases.
      Pulmonary surgery is the gold standard treatment for patients with lung cancer if
      it is completely resectable. However, the major impairments and complications
      induced by surgery are well known. Physiotherapy has been regularly used both in
      the preparation of the surgical candidates; in their functional recovery in the
      immediate postoperative period, and in the medium/long term but there is a lack
      of concise evidence-based recommendations. Therefore, the aim of this review is
      to appraise the literature about the role of physiotherapy interventions in
      patients undergoing lung surgery for lung cancer, in preoperative, perioperative,
      postoperative and maintenance stages, to the recovery and well-being, regardless
      of the extent of surgical approach. In conclusion, physiotherapy programs should
      be individually designed, and the goals established according to surgery timings,
      and according to each subject's needs. It can also be concluded that in the
      preoperative phase, the main goals are to avoid postoperative pulmonary
      complications and reduce the length of hospital stay, and the therapeutic targets
      are respiratory muscle training, bronchial hygiene and exercise training. For the
      perioperative period, breathing exercises for pulmonary expansion and bronchial
      hygiene, as well as early mobilization and deambulation, postural correction and
      shoulder range of motion activities, should be added. Finally, it can be
      concluded that in the postoperative phase exercise training should be maintained,
      and adoption of healthy life-style behaviours must be encouraged.

PMID- 28623107
TI  - Speech-in-noise perception in unilateral hearing loss: Relation to pure-tone
      thresholds and brainstem plasticity.
AB  - We investigated speech recognition in noise in subjects with mild to profound
      levels of unilateral hearing loss. Thirty-five adults were evaluated using an
      adaptive signal-to-noise ratio (SNR50) sentence recognition threshold test in
      three spatial configurations. The results revealed a significant correlation
      between pure-tone average audiometric thresholds in the poorer ear and SNR
      thresholds in the two conditions where speech and noise were spatially separated:
      dichotic - with speech presented to the poorer ear and reverse dichotic - with
      speech presented to the better ear. This first result suggested that standard
      pure-tone air-conduction thresholds can be a reliable predictor of speech
      recognition in noise for binaural conditions. However, a subgroup of 14 subjects
      was found to have poorer-than-expected speech recognition scores, especially in
      the reverse dichotic listening condition. In this subgroup 9 subjects had been
      diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma at stage III or IV likely affecting the
      lower brainstem function. These subjects showed SNR thresholds in the reverse
      dichotic condition on average 4dB poorer (higher) than for the other 21 normally
      performing subjects. For the 7 of 9 subjects whose vestibular schwannoma was
      removed, the deficit was no longer apparent on average 5 months following the
      surgical procedure. These results suggest that following unilateral hearing loss
      the capacity to use monaural spectral information is supported by the lower
      brainstem.

PMID- 28623108
TI  - Acting, seeing, and conscious awareness.
AB  - We argue that there is a relation between the judgements that 'I did it' and 'I
      saw it'. Both are statements are about the individual, not just the world. We
      show that the dorsal prefrontal cortex is activated both when human subjects
      judge that they are the agents of their actions and when they judge that they are
      confident that they have seen a masked visual stimulus. Macaque monkeys have also
      been taught to report whether they have or have not seen visual stimuli and cells
      can be found in the dorsal prefrontal cortex that distinguish between 'seen' and
      'not seen'. The judgement is abstract in that it applies largely irrespective of
      the nature and location of the stimulus. We suggest that the reason why the
      prefrontal cortex is involved is that it evolved in primates, adapted by
      searching for fruit and leaves and using their hands to retrieve them. There is
      cell activity in the dorsal prefrontal cortex that relates to eye movements,
      covert attention and visual search; activity that relates to learning abstract
      rules; and activity that relates to the planning of the hand movements that are
      appropriate. We propose that this is the reason why this area is involved in
      making judgements about both agency and visual detection.

PMID- 28623109
TI  - Serotype distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from adult respiratory
      tract infections in nationwide Japanese surveillances from 2006 to 2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Reports on the efficacy of pneumococcal conjugate
      vaccines (PCVs) have been received from many countries. However, in countries
      where the 7-valent PCV (PCV7) and 13-valent PCV (PCV13) were introduced, overall
      coverage of the serotypes by the vaccine gradually decreased due to pneumococcal
      serotype replacement. The aim of this study is to assess the distribution of
      pneumococcal serotypes and to also provide basic data on adult respiratory
      infection in Japan. METHODS: We analyzed 1086 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains
      that had been isolated from respiratory tract infection specimens in adult
      patients from 2006 to 2014. Capsular typing was performed by the Quellung
      reaction and multiplex PCR. RESULTS: Among all 1086 strains, serotype 3 was the
      most common and was identified in 160 strains (14.7%), followed by serotypes 19F,
      6B, 19A and 23F. From 2006-10 to 2012-14, the coverage rate of PCV7 tended to
      gradually decrease. Particularly, serotypes 6B and 19F of penicillin non
      susceptible strains decreased. On the other hand, serotypes 19A and 15A of
      penicillin non-susceptible strains increased. However, coverage by PCV13 of
      penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) (penicillin G minimum inhibitory
      concentration >=2 MUg/mL) remained high (88.7% [2006-10], 88.0% [2012-14]).
      CONCLUSIONS: In Japan, PCV13 vaccination of adults became available from June
      2014. Our study demonstrated that most PRSP (88.0%) still remain covered by
      PCV13. At present, the introduction of PCV13 in adult clinical practice seems to
      be highly significant. However, there is a possibility that the distribution has
      been changing, and careful screening should be continued in the future.

PMID- 28623110
TI  - Pertussis without apparent cough in a disabled girl with a tracheostomy.
AB  - Pertussis is characterized by intense, prolonged coughing in children often
      followed by a distinctive whooping sound on inspiration. However, the clinical
      manifestations and natural course of pertussis in disabled children are largely
      unknown. We experienced a case of pertussis in a disabled girl who had previously
      undergone a tracheostomy and laryngotracheal separation. She presented with
      increased tracheal secretions and required hospitalization but did not develop a
      cough. Pertussis was suspected from the sputum Gram stain, which revealed
      numerous, short gram-negative rods that did not grow on chocolate agar. A nucleic
      acid amplification test was positive for Bordetella pertussis and the patient
      improved on azithromycin. Pertussis may present without its cardinal symptoms in
      disabled children.

PMID- 28623111
TI  - Reversal of ABCB1 mediated efflux by imatinib and nilotinib in cells expressing
      various transporter levels.
AB  - Recently, it has been suggested that imatinib (IM) and nilotinib (NIL) could be
      studied beyond their original application, as inhibitors of the drug efflux pump
      ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein, MDR1). Since the reversal of ABCB1-mediated resistance has
      never been successfully demonstrated in the clinic, we addressed the question of
      whether IM and NIL may actually serve as efficient inhibitors of ABCB1. Here we
      define an efficient inhibitor as a compound that achieves full (90-100%) reversal
      of drug efflux at a concentration that does not exhibit significant off-target
      toxicity in vitro. In this study, human leukemia K562 cells expressing various
      levels of ABCB1 were used. We observed that cells expressing higher ABCB1 levels
      required higher concentrations of IM and NIL to achieve full reversal of drug
      efflux. Among the well-known ABCB1 inhibitors, a similar effect was found for
      cyclosporin A (CsA) but not for zosuquidar. IM was efficient only in cells with
      the low and moderate ABCB1 expression at high concentrations that were cytotoxic
      in the absence of Bcr-Abl. In contrast, NIL was as efficient an inhibitor of
      ABCB1 as CsA. Low and moderate expression levels of ABCB1 could be efficiently
      inhibited by NIL concentrations without cytotoxic effects in the absence of Bcr
      Abl. However, high expression levels of ABCB1 required higher NIL concentrations
      with off-target cytotoxic effects. In conclusion, application of NIL, but not of
      IM, in clinics is promising, however, only in cells with low ABCB1 expression
      levels. We hypothesize that some patients may benefit from an inhibitor
      exhibiting an ABCB1 expression-dependent effect.

PMID- 28623112
TI  - Protective and prophylactic effects of chlorogenic acid on aluminum-induced acute
      hepatotoxicity and hematotoxicity in mice.
AB  - The possible health impact of the exposures to Al from environment would be
      inevitable for humans. Using chelating agents and natural antioxidants against Al
      induced biotoxicity become a natural and modern way to prevent the adverse
      effects of Al in people. This study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness
      of chlorogenic acid (CGA, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid) in preventing aluminum
      chloride (AlCl3) induced hepatotoxicity and hematotoxicity in mice. Control, Al
      treated (a single injection of 25 mg Al3+/kg, i.p.), Al + CGA (2 h after, a
      single dose of 100 mg/kg, i.p.), CGA + Al (administered to mice daily for 5 days
      at 30 mg/kg before Al-treatment) and group of CGA per se (administered to mice
      daily for 5 days at 30 mg/kg) were used. The levels of Al in liver and blood, the
      activities of transaminases in serum and osmotic fragility were increased by
      comparison with the control, while the activities of superoxide dismutase and
      catalase decreased significantly in the Al-treated group. However, treating mice
      with CGA at either dosing regimens, post- or pre- Al administration alleviate Al
      oxidative damaging effects, stabilize cell membrane, prevent hepatocyte
      apoptosis. CGA supplementation may be favorable to avoid Al-induced
      hematotoxicity and hepatotoxicity for humans.

PMID- 28623113
TI  - Does Robotic Surgical Simulator Performance Correlate With Surgical Skill?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between robotic surgical simulation
      performance and the real-life surgical skill of attending surgeons. We
      hypothesized that simulation performance would not correlate with real-life
      robotic surgical skill in attending surgeons. DESIGN: In 2013, Birkmeyer et al.
      demonstrated an association between laparoscopic surgical performance as
      determined by expert review of video clips and surgical outcomes. Using that
      model of expert review, we studied the relationship between robotic simulator
      performance and real-life surgical skill. Ten attending robotic surgeons
      performed 4 tasks on the da Vinci Skills Simulator (Camera Targeting 1, Ring Walk
      3, Suture Sponge 3, and Energy Dissection 3). Two video clips of a robotic
      assisted operation were then recorded for each surgeon. Three expert robotic
      surgeons reviewed the recordings and rated surgical technique using the Global
      Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills. SETTING: University of Virginia;
      Charlottesville, VA; tertiary hospital PARTICIPANTS: All attending surgeons who
      perform robotic-assisted surgery at our institution were enrolled and completed
      the study. RESULTS: The surgeons had a median of 7.25 years of robotic surgical
      experience with a median of 91 cases (ranging: 20-346 cases) in the last 4 years.
      Median scores for each simulator task were 87.5%, 39.0%, 77.5%, and 81.5%. Using
      Pearson's correlation, scores for each of the individual tasks correlated poorly
      with expert review of intraoperative performance. There was also no correlation
      (r = -0.0304) between overall simulation score (mean: 70.7 +/- 9.6%) and expert
      video ratings (mean: 3.66 +/- 0.32 points). CONCLUSIONS: There was no correlation
      between attending surgeons' simulator performance and expert ratings of
      intraoperative videos based on the Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills
      scale. Although novice surgeons may put considerable effort into training on
      robotic simulators, performance on a simulator may not correlate with attending
      robotic surgical performance. Development of simulation exercises that guide
      novice surgeons toward expert performance is needed.

PMID- 28623114
TI  - Characterizing the Relationship Between Surgical Resident and Faculty Perceptions
      of Autonomy in the Operating Room.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Characterize the concordance among faculty and resident perceptions of
      surgical case complexity, resident technical performance, and autonomy in a
      diverse sample of general surgery procedures using case-specific evaluations.
      DESIGN: A prospective study was conducted in which a faculty surgeon and surgical
      resident independently completed a postoperative assessment examining case
      complexity, resident operative performance (Milestone assessment) and autonomy
      (Zwisch model). Pearson correlation coefficients (r) reaching statistical
      significance (p < 0.05) were further classified as moderate (r >= 0.40), strong
      (r >= 0.60), or very strong (r >= 0.80). SETTING: This study was conducted in the
      General Surgery Residency Program at an academic tertiary care facility
      (Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA). PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 6
      faculty surgeons, in addition to 5 postgraduate year (PGY) 1, 6 midlevel (PGY 2
      3), and 4 chief (PGY 4-5) residents. RESULTS: In total, 75 surgical cases were
      analyzed. Midlevel residents accounted for the highest number of cases (35,
      46.6%). Overall, faculty and resident perceptions of case complexity demonstrated
      a strong correlation (r = 0.76, p < 0.0001). Technical performance scores were
      also strongly correlated (r = 0.66, p < 0.0001), whereas perceptions of autonomy
      demonstrated a moderate correlation (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis
      revealed very strong correlations among faculty perceptions of case complexity
      and the perceptions of PGY 1 (r = 0.80, p < 0.0001) and chief residents (r =
      0.82, p < 0.0001). All other intergroup correlations were strong with 2 notable
      exceptions as follows: midlevel and chief residents failed to correlate with
      faculty perceptions of autonomy and operative performance, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: General surgery residents generally demonstrated high correlations
      with faculty perceptions of case complexity, technical performance, and operative
      autonomy. This generalized accord supports the use of the Milestone and Zwisch
      assessments in residency programs. However, discordance among perceptions of
      midlevel resident autonomy and chief resident operative performance suggests that
      these trainees may need more direct communication from the faculty.

PMID- 28623115
TI  - Association of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis and Intracranial Hypotension: Review of
      3 Cases.
AB  - Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare complication of intracranial hypotension. We
      describe 3 cases in which this phenomenon occurred, as a result of a lumbar
      puncture or due to a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak. We emphasize the
      importance of early detection of the intracranial hypotension syndrome, the most
      common clinical manifestation being orthostatic headache. It is not an innocent
      condition as it is associated with other potential complications such as subdural
      hygroma/hematoma, cranial nerve palsies, cerebellar tonsillar descent, and even
      brainstem manifestations. Any change in the typical features of the syndrome
      should lead to further investigation. Repeat cerebral imaging is important in
      that situation, including ruling out cerebral venous thrombosis.

PMID- 28623116
TI  - Comparison of the Prevalence of Ruptured and Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms in a
      Poor Urban Minority Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most ruptured cerebral aneurysms are small (<7 mm). Evidence suggests
      low rupture rates for such lesions (<1% per year). Population studies demonstrate
      a prevalence rate of 3.2%. This study simultaneously estimates the prevalence of
      aneurysms in a single geographic population while reporting the observed rate of
      aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in the same geographic region composed
      of a poor urban minority demographic. METHODS: This is an institutional review
      board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
      compliant retrospective study performed between 2005 and 2011 at a single center.
      Part 1 used the electronic medical record to identify all patients with a
      magnetic resonance angiography demonstrating a cerebral aneurysm. Part 2 used the
      electronic medical record to identify all patients from the same geographic area
      presenting with aSAH during the study period. RESULTS: A total of 11,160 subjects
      had a magnetic resonance angiography from the study area. In this group, 422
      intradural cerebral aneurysms were incidentally discovered. Ninety-one percent
      were less than 10 mm (mean 5.49, standard deviation 4.6). Twenty-one percent were
      aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery complex. Fourteen percent were of
      posterior communicating artery origin. A total of 237 patients had aSAH. Ninety
      two percent of the aneurysms were less than 10 mm (mean 6 mm, standard deviation
      3.2 mm). Both groups were composed of poor urban minority patients. CONCLUSIONS:
      The observed annual rate of rupture of small anterior circulation aneurysms in
      this study was .06%-.15% per year. The extrapolated population prevalence of such
      aneurysms (4.0%-1.5%) may explain the observed rate of rupture of these small
      aneurysms in a poor urban minority population.

PMID- 28623117
TI  - Open Heart Surgery Does Not Increase the Incidence of Ipsilateral Ischemic Stroke
      in Patients with Asymptomatic Severe Carotid Stenosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We evaluated the incidence of perioperative stroke
      following the institution's 2007 practice change of discontinuing combined
      carotid endarterectomy and open heart surgery (OHS) for patients with severe
      carotid stenosis. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we compared 113
      patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, or
      both from 2007 to 2011 with data collected from 2001 to 2006 from a similar group
      of patients. Our aim was to assess whether the practice change led to a greater
      incidence of stroke. RESULTS: A total of 7350 consecutive patients undergoing OHS
      during the specified time period were screened. Of these, 3030 had OHS between
      2007 and 2011 but none were combined with carotid artery surgery (new cohort).
      The remaining 4320 had OHS before 2007 and 44 had combined procedures (old
      cohort). Of patients undergoing OHS during the 10-year period of observation, 230
      had severe (>80%) carotid stenosis. In the old cohort (before 2007), carotid
      stenosis was associated with perioperative stroke in 2.5% of cases. None of the
      113 patients having cardiac procedures after 2007 received combined carotid
      artery surgery; only 1 of these patients harboring severe carotid stenosis had an
      ischemic stroke (.9%) during the perioperative period. The difference in stroke
      incidence between the 2 cohorts was statistically significant (P = .002).
      CONCLUSION: The incidence of stroke in patients with severe carotid artery
      stenosis undergoing OHS was lower after combined surgery was discontinued.
      Combined carotid and OHS itself seems to be an important risk factor for stroke.

PMID- 28623118
TI  - Derivation and Validation of a Clinical Prediction Scale for Isolated Distal Deep
      Venous Thrombosis in Patients after Acute Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Isolated distal deep venous thrombosis (IDDVT) is a common
      complication after ischemic stroke. However, there is a paucity of evidence
      regarding the clinical features and risk factors of IDDVT in patients with acute
      ischemic stroke. This study aimed to establish and validate a clinical prediction
      scale of IDDVT at an early stage of ischemic stroke development. METHODS: We
      retrospectively studied consecutive patients with stroke admitted to our
      neurology department between January and December 2016. Selected clinical
      variables were assessed by multivariable logistic regression to determine the
      independent risk factors for IDDVT. A prediction scale was developed and verified
      by the receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: A total of 671 patients
      with ischemic stroke were included in the study, with 450 patients allocated into
      the derivation group and 221 patients into the validation group. A substantial
      proportion (22.1%) of patients developed IDDVT. A 16-point prediction scale
      (female gender = 2, older age [>=60 years] = 3, atrial fibrillation = 2, acute
      infection = 2, active cancer = 5, and higher [>=2.6 mmol/L] level of low-density
      lipoprotein = 2) derived from a multivariable logistic regression model was
      highly predictive of 10-day risk of IDDVT in both the validation group (c
      statistic = .70, 95% confidence interval [CI], .63-0.78, P < .0001) and the
      derivation group (c statistic = .68, 95% CI, .63-0.74, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS:
      This prediction scale may help to identify patients with ischemic stroke who are
      at a higher risk of developing IDDVT.

PMID- 28623119
TI  - The Cost-Effectiveness of a Stroke Unit in Providing Enhanced Patient Outcomes in
      an Australian Teaching Hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and mortality.
      Patients who receive organized inpatient care in a stroke unit (SU) have better
      clinical outcomes. However, evidence on the cost analysis of an SU is lacking.
      The objective of this study was to assess the performance and analyze the cost
      effectiveness of an SU. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was
      conducted comparing the acute stroke patient care in a 6-month period before and
      after the establishment of an acute SU at Calvary Hospital in 2013-2014. RESULTS:
      There were 103 patients included in the pre-SU period, as compared to 186
      patients in the post-SU period. In the pre- and post-SU groups, 54 and 87
      patients, respectively, had ischemic stroke, with significant trends in improved
      morbidity and mortality in the post-SU group (P = .01). The average length of
      stay (LOS) for patients was reduced from 9.7 days to 4.6 days in the post-SU
      group (P = .001). There was a reduction of cost per admission from $6382
      Australian dollars (AUD) with conventional ward care as compared to $6061 (AUD)
      with SU care. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that the establishment of an SU
      not only improves treatment outcomes but also shortens LOS, thereby achieving
      cost-effectiveness.

PMID- 28623120
TI  - Association between Ischemic Stroke and Erdheim-Chester Disease: A Case Report
      and Review of Literature.
AB  - Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis
      characterized by a xanthogranulomatous infiltration of tissues by spumous
      histiocytes. Neurological involvement is frequent, but ischemic strokes have been
      exceptionally described. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman who presented
      with an acute ischemic stroke associated with a multisystemic disorder including
      insipidus diabetes, infiltration of the aorta and the carotid arteries, perirenal
      infiltration, aortitis, and lytic bone lesions. The surgical biopsy of a lumbar
      vertebra revealed an infiltration of spumous macrophages consistent with ECD.
      Many ischemic symptoms can occur in ECD. Ischemic strokes, infrequently reported,
      might be caused by perivascular infiltration and adventitial fibrosis of the
      supra-aortic trunks or intracranial arteries.

PMID- 28623121
TI  - Radiomics-based Assessment of Radiation-induced Lung Injury After Stereotactic
      Body Radiotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Over 50% of patients who receive stereotactic body radiotherapy
      (SBRT) develop radiographic evidence of radiation-induced lung injury. Radiomics
      is an emerging approach that extracts quantitative features from image data,
      which may provide greater value and a better understanding of pulmonary toxicity
      than conventional approaches. We aimed to investigate the potential of computed
      tomography-based radiomics in characterizing post-SBRT lung injury. METHODS: A
      total of 48 diagnostic thoracic computed tomography scans (acquired prior to SBRT
      and at 3, 6, and 9 months post-SBRT) from 14 patients were analyzed. Nine
      radiomic features (ie, 7 gray level co-occurrence matrix [GLCM] texture features
      and 2 first-order features) were investigated. The ability of radiomic features
      to distinguish radiation oncologist-defined moderate/severe lung injury from
      none/mild lung injury was assessed using logistic regression and area under the
      receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Moreover, dose-response curves
      (DRCs) for radiomic feature changes were determined as a function of time to
      investigate whether there was a significant dose-response relationship. RESULTS:
      The GLCM features (logistic regression P-value range, 0.012-0.262; AUC range,
      0.643-0.750) outperformed the first-order features (P-value range, 0.100-0.990;
      AUC range, 0.543-0.661) in distinguishing lung injury severity levels. Eight of 9
      radiomic features demonstrated a significant dose-response relationship at 3, 6,
      and 9 months post-SBRT. Although not statistically significant, the GLCM features
      showed clear separations between the 3- or 6-month DRC and the 9-month DRC.
      CONCLUSION: Radiomic features significantly correlated with radiation oncologist
      scored post-SBRT lung injury and showed a significant dose-response relationship,
      suggesting the potential for radiomics to provide a quantitative, objective
      measurement of post-SBRT lung injury.

PMID- 28623123
TI  - Screening mutations in drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in
      Yunnan, China.
AB  - Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), especially multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
      (MDR-TB), is a serious medical and societal problem in China. The purpose of this
      study was to evaluate the mutation characteristics of drug-resistant
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) isolates in Yunnan, China. Drug
      susceptibility testing (DST) was performed in 523 clinical M. tuberculosis
      isolates. Six drug resistance genes (katG, inhA, rpoB, rpsL, embB, and pncA) were
      selected to screen for mutations. In total, 54 clinical M. tuberculosis strains
      were identified as drug-resistant by DST, including 18 single drug-resistant
      (SDR) strains and 36 multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains. Twenty-four types of
      mutations in five genes (excluding the inhA gene) were screened in forty-one
      strains. Six novel mutations were identified in this study, including three
      missense mutations (p.S302R in katG, p.D78G in embB, and p.M1I in pncA), two
      frameshift mutations (408 ins A and 538-580 del in pncA), and one mutation in a
      control region (-6 C>T located upstream of rpsL). The mutation frequencies in the
      hotspot mutation regions in the katG, rpoB, rpsL, embB, and pncA genes were
      92.5%, 44.4%, 54.2%, 52.6%, and 37.5%, respectively. The mutation spectra and
      frequencies seemed somewhat unique in the Yunnan DR-TB strains.

PMID- 28623122
TI  - A Randomized Phase II Study Comparing Nivolumab With Carboplatin-Pemetrexed for
      Patients With EGFR Mutation-Positive Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Who
      Acquire Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Not Due to a Secondary T790M
      Mutation: Rationale and Protocol Design for the WJOG8515L Study.
AB  - Antibodies to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), such as nivolumab, have shown
      promising clinical activity in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC), but their efficacy appears to be less pronounced in patients with such
      tumors harboring epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) mutations. Recent
      findings suggest that patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC who develop
      resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) due to mechanisms other than
      acquisition of the secondary T790M mutation of EGFR are more likely to benefit
      from nivolumab treatment, possibly as a result of a higher level of expression of
      the PD-1 ligand PD-L1, than are patients who are T790M-positive. The WJOG8515L
      study (UMIN ID: 000021133) is a randomized phase II trial to compare nivolumab
      with the combination of carboplatin and pemetrexed in patients with EGFR mutation
      positive nonsquamous NSCLC who have developed resistance to EGFR-TKIs due to
      mechanisms other than T790M. Eligible patients are those with stage IV or
      recurrent EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC who experience disease progression after
      therapy with more than 1 EGFR-TKI, including gefitinib, erlotinib, or afatinib;
      they must show no evidence of the T790M mutation on analysis of a tumor biopsy
      specimen obtained after progression on such EGFR-TKI therapy, or, if T790M is
      detected, they must again experience progression on subsequent treatment with a
      third-generation EGFR-TKI. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival
      (PFS), and secondary end points include overall survival (OS), objective response
      rate, duration of response, safety, and OS and PFS according to PD-L1 expression
      level. Recruitment started in May 2016 and is ongoing.

PMID- 28623124
TI  - Development and implementation of the compensation plan for pharmacy services in
      Alberta, Canada.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe experiences with development and implementation of a
      compensation plan for pharmacy services delivered by pharmacists in community
      pharmacies. SETTING: Community pharmacy practice in Alberta, Canada. PRACTICE
      DESCRIPTION: Pharmacists in Alberta have one of the most progressive scopes of
      practice in North America. They have authority to prescribe drugs independently,
      administer drugs by injection, access electronic health records, and order
      laboratory tests. PRACTICE INNOVATION: A publicly funded compensation plan for
      pharmacy services was implemented in 2012. Principles that guided development of
      the compensation plan aimed to 1) ensure payment for pharmacy services, 2)
      support pharmacists in using their full scope of practice, 3) enable the
      development of long-term relationships with patients, 4) facilitate expansion of
      services delivered by pharmacists, and 5) provide access to pharmacy services for
      all eligible Albertans. Services covered by the compensation plan include care
      planning, prescribing, and administering drugs by injection. EVALUATION: The
      guiding principles were used to evaluate experiences with the compensation plan.
      RESULTS: Claims for pharmacy services covered by the compensation plan increased
      from 30,000 per month in July 2012 to 170,000 per month in March 2016. From
      September 2015 to August 2016, 1226 pharmacies submitted claims for services
      provided by 3901 pharmacists. The number of pharmacists with authorization to
      prescribe and administer injections continued to increase following
      implementation of the plan. CONCLUSION: Alberta's experiences with the
      development and implementation of the compensation plan will be of interest to
      jurisdictions considering implementation of remunerated pharmacy services. The
      potential impact of the plan on health and economic outcomes, in addition to the
      value of the services as perceived by the public, patients, pharmacists, and
      other health care providers, should also be explored.

PMID- 28623125
TI  - Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces liver fibrosis in mice with diet-induced
      obesity via TLR4/MyD88/MAPK/NF-kB signaling pathways.
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
      (NAFLD), and causes chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) during sleep. Inflammation
      is associated with the development of metabolic complications induced by CIH.
      Research suggests that innate immune mechanisms are involved in the pro
      inflammatory pathways of liver fibrosis. The purpose of this study was to
      investigate whether innate immune responses induce liver fibrosis, and to
      evaluate mechanisms underlying hepatic inflammation related to CIH in a murine
      diet-induced obesity (DIO) model. Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers,
      TLR4, MyD88, Toll/interleukin-1-receptor-domain-containing adaptor-inducing
      interferon-beta (TRIF), I-kappaB, NF-kappaB, p38 MAPK, c-JNK, and ERK activation,
      were measured in the serum and liver. As a result, alpha1(I)-collagen mRNA was
      significantly higher in DIO mice exposed to CIH than in the control groups. CIH
      mice exhibited liver fibrosis and significantly higher protein expression of
      TLR4, MyD88, phosphorylated (phospho-) I-kappaB, and phospho-ERK1/2 activation in
      the liver, and higher expression of NF-kappaB than that in the controls. TRIF,
      p38 MAPK, and JNK activation did not differ significantly between groups. We
      conclude that CIH in DIO mice leads to liver fibrosis via TLR4/MyD88/MAPK/NF-kB
      signaling pathways.

PMID- 28623126
TI  - Crystal structure of tRNAHis guanylyltransferase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - tRNA maturation involves several steps, including processing, splicing, CCA
      addition, and posttranscriptional modifications. tRNAHis guanylyltransferase
      (Thg1) is the only enzyme known to catalyze templated nucleotide addition in the
      3'-5' direction, unlike other DNA and RNA polymerases. For a better understanding
      of its unique catalytic mechanism at the molecular level, we determined the
      crystal structure of GTP-bound Thg1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae at the maximum
      resolution of 3.0 A. The structure revealed the enzyme to have a tetrameric
      conformation that is well conserved among different species, and the GTP molecule
      was clearly bound at the active site, coordinating with two magnesium ions. In
      addition, two flexible protomers at the potential binding site (PBS) for tRNAHis
      were observed. We suggest that the PBS of the tetramer could also be one of the
      sites for interaction with partner proteins.

PMID- 28623127
TI  - The inhibition of NLRP3 signaling attenuates liver injury in an alpha
      galactosylceramide-induced hepatitis model.
AB  - Inflammasomes are involved in innate immune responses. Several NOD-Like receptors
      (NLRs) participate in the formation of inflammasomes. NACHT, LRR and PYD domains
      containing protein 3 (NALP3) belongs to the NLR family and recognizes adenosine
      triphosphate (ATP), crystals, and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). This study
      examined the effect of inflammasomes on alpha-galactosylceramide (GalCer)-induced
      liver injury using NALP3-knockout (KO) mice. GalCer administration induced
      inflammasome activation and IL-1beta-maturation. In NALP3-KO mice treated with
      GalCer, serum ALT levels were significantly reduced compared with those in GalCer
      treated WT mice. Histological examination revealed decreased necrosis in NALP3-KO
      mice compared with WT mice, consistent with ALT levels. Expression of
      proinflammatory cytokines (such as IL-6, and TNF-alpha) and chemokines was also
      significantly suppressed in NALP3-KO mice. Moreover, flow cytometry analysis
      revealed fewer infiltrating immune cells in the livers of GalCer-treated NALP3-KO
      mice. Inportantly, the frequency of MDSCs (CD11b+Gr-1int cells), which suppress
      the immune response, was significantly increased in GalCer-treated NALP3-KO mice.
      In conclusion, NALP3 inhibition attenuated liver injury in GalCer-induced
      hepatitis. The inhibition of NALP3 signaling coused be a therapeutic target in
      immune-mediated liver injury.

PMID- 28623128
TI  - Targeting PI3K-AKT-mTOR by LY3023414 inhibits human skin squamous cell carcinoma
      cell growth in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Abnormal activation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling is detected in human skin squamous
      cell carcinoma (SCC). LY3023414 is a novel, potent, and orally bio-available PI3K
      AKT-mTOR inhibitor. Its activity against human skin SCC cells was tested. We
      demonstrated that LY3023414 was cytotoxic when added to established (A431 line)
      and primary (patient-derived) human skin SCC cells. LY3023414 induced G0/1-S
      arrest and inhibited proliferation of skin SCC cells. Moreover, LY3023414 induced
      activation of caspase-3/-9 and apoptosis in skin SCC cells. Intriguingly,
      LY3023414 was yet non-cytotoxic nor pro-apoptotic to normal human skin cells
      (melanocytes, keratinocytes and fibroblasts). At the molecular level, LY3023414
      blocked PI3K-AKT-mTOR activation in skin SCC cells, as it dephosphorylated PI3K
      AKT-mTOR substrates: P85, AKT and S6K1. In vivo studies showed that oral
      administration of LY3023414 at well-tolerated doses inhibited A431 xenograft
      tumor growth in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. AKT-mTOR activation
      in LY3023414-treated tumors was also largely inhibited. Together, these results
      suggest that targeting PI3K-AKT-mTOR by LY3023414 inhibits human skin SCC cell
      growth in vitro and in vivo, establishing the rationale for further clinical
      testing.

PMID- 28623129
TI  - Increased expression of microRNA-31-5p inhibits cell proliferation, migration,
      and invasion via regulating Sp1 transcription factor in HepG2 hepatocellular
      carcinoma cell line.
AB  - Accumulating evidence has suggested that microRNA-31-5p (miR-31-5p) is
      dysfunctional in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the molecular mechanism
      of HCC remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-31-5p in
      tumor formation and development of HCC. The expression of miR-31-5p was detected
      in HCC tissues, corresponding adjacent tissues, normal liver tissues, and HCC
      cell lines. miR-31-5p mimics and an inhibitor were transfected into HepG2 cells
      to assess the effects of miR-31-5p on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle,
      migration, and invasion assays. Western blotting was used to detect the
      expression of Sp1 transcription factor (SP1), cyclin D1, and survivin in
      transfected HCC cells and control cells. The expression of miR-31-5p was
      significantly decreased in HCC cells and HCC tissues. Overexpression of miR-31-5p
      inhibited HCC cell growth, migration, and invasion. Overexpression of miR-31-5p
      reduced the expression of SP1 and cyclin D1, and knockdown of SP1 decreased
      cyclin D1 expression. The dual luciferase assay showed that miR-31-5p directly
      targeted SP1 in HepG2. Together, the results suggested that miR-31-5p acted as a
      tumor suppressor to regulate SP1, and that miR-31-5p could be used as a
      therapeutic target for the treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28623130
TI  - Leukotriene signaling via ALOX5 and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 is
      dispensable for in vitro growth of CD34+CD38- stem and progenitor cells in
      chronic myeloid leukemia.
AB  - Tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting the BCR-ABL oncoprotein in chronic myeloid
      leukemia (CML) are remarkably effective inducing deep molecular remission in most
      patients. However, they are less effective to eradicate the leukemic stem cells
      (LSC), resulting in disease persistence. Therefore, there is great need to
      develop novel therapeutic strategies to specifically target the LSC. In an
      experimental mouse CML model system, the leukotriene pathway, and specifically,
      the expression ALOX5, encoding 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), has been reported as a
      critical regulator of the LSC. Based on these results, the 5-LO inhibitor
      zileuton has been introduced in clinical trials as a therapeutic option to target
      the LSC although its effect on primary human CML LSC has not been studied. We
      have here by using multiplex single cell PCR analyzed the expression of the
      mediators of the leukotriene pathway in bone marrow (BM) BCR-ABL+CD34+CD38- cells
      at diagnosis, and found low or undetectable expression of ALOX5. In line with
      this, zileuton did not exert significant overall growth inhibition in the long
      term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) and colony (CFU-C) assays of BM CD34+CD38-
      cells from 7 CML patients. The majority of the single leukemic BCR-ABL+CD34+CD38-
      cells expressed cysteinyl leukotriene receptors CYSLT1 and CYSLT2. However,
      montelukast, an inhibitor of CYSLT1, also failed to significantly suppress CFU-C
      and LTC-IC growth. These findings indicate that targeting ALOX5 or CYSLT1
      signaling with leukotriene antagonists, introduced into the clinical practice
      primarily as prophylaxis and treatment for asthma, may not be a promising
      pharmacological strategy to eradicate persisting LSC in CML patients.

PMID- 28623132
TI  - Generation and characterization of mouse knockout for glyoxalase 1.
AB  - Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) is the first enzyme involved in glutathione-dependent
      detoxification of methylglyoxal, eventually generating d-lactate by the second
      enzyme glyoxalase 2 (Glo2). An accumulation of intracellular glyoxal and
      methylglyoxal leads to protein malfunction and mutation via formation of the
      advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Studies on mouse behavior suggest that
      methylglyoxal has anxiolytic properties. In this report, we generated and
      characterized a mouse knockout for Glo1. The knockout mice were viable without a
      pronounced phenotypic defect. Increased level of AGEs in Glo1 knockout mice was
      detected by immunoblotting with anti-MGH1 in liver homogenate, but not in brain.
      Alterations in behavior were observed in open field, light-dark transition, and
      tail suspension test. Open field data indicate increased exploration for novel
      environment and entry/stay in center zone in Glo1 knockout mice. In addition,
      increased light-dark transition and immobility was observed in the knockout mice.
      These data indicate that Glo1 knockout reduces anxiety-like behavior, but
      increases depression-like behavior.

PMID- 28623131
TI  - FGF21 regulates melanogenesis in alpaca melanocytes via ERK1/2-mediated MITF
      downregulation.
AB  - Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is known as a metabolic regulator to regulate
      the metabolism of glucose and lipids. However, the underlying mechanism of FGF21
      on melanin synthesis remains unknown. Therefore, the current study investigates
      the effect of FGF21 on melanogenesis in alpaca melanocytes. We transfected the
      FGF21 into alpaca melanocytes, then detected the melanin contents, protein and
      mRNA levels of pigmentation-related genes in order to determine the melanogenesis
      regulating pathway of FGF21. The results showed that FGF21 overexpression
      suppressed melanogenesis and decreased the expression of the major target genes
      termed microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and its downstream
      genes, including tyrosinase (TYR) and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2).
      However FGF21 increased the expression of phospho-extracellular signal-regulated
      kinase (p-Erk1/2). In contrast, FGF21-siRNA, a small interference RNA mediating
      FGF21 silencing, abolished the inhibition of melanogenesis. Altogether, FGF21 may
      decrease melanogenesis in alpaca melanocytes via ERK activation and subsequent
      MITF downregulation, which is then followed by the suppression of melanogenic
      enzymes and melanin production.

PMID- 28623134
TI  - Dysfunction in diurnal synaptic responses and social behavior abnormalities in
      cathepsin S-deficient mice.
AB  - The expression of cathepsin S (CatS), a microglia-specific lysosomal cysteine
      protease in the brain, is regulated by the intrinsic microglial circadian clock.
      We herein report that the diurnal variation of evoked synaptic responses of
      cortical neurons disappeared in cathepsin S-deficient (CatS-/-) mice. The
      dendritic spine density of the cortical neurons was significantly reduced by
      incubation with a recombinant CatS. Furthermore, CatS-/- mice exhibited impaired
      social interaction and social novelty recognition in the three-chamber test.
      These findings indicate that the circadian clock-regulated secretion of CatS from
      microglia is involved in the diurnal variation of synaptic responses and
      dendritic spine density through the proteolytic modification of perisynaptic ECM
      molecules. Therefore, a dysfunction of the diurnal synaptic responses due to CatS
      deficiency may lead to social behavior abnormalities.

PMID- 28623133
TI  - Prostaglandin D2 enhances lipid accumulation through suppression of lipolysis via
      DP2 (CRTH2) receptors in adipocytes.
AB  - Prostaglandin (PG) D2 enhanced lipid accumulation in adipocytes. However, its
      molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the
      regulatory mechanisms of PGD2-elevated lipid accumulation in mouse adipocytic 3T3
      L1 cells. The Gi-coupled DP2 (CRTH2) receptors (DP2R), one of the two-types of
      PGD2 receptors were dominantly expressed in adipocytes. A DP2R antagonist,
      CAY10595, but not DP1 receptor antagonist, BWA868C cleared the PGD2-elevated
      intracellular triglyceride level. While, a DP2R agonist, 15R-15-methyl PGD2 (15R)
      increased the mRNA levels of the adipogenic and lipogenic genes, and decreased
      the glycerol release level. In addition, the forskolin-mediated increase of cAMP
      dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activity and phosphorylation of hormone
      sensitive lipase (HSL) was repressed by the co-treatment with 15R. Moreover, the
      lipolysis was enhanced in the adipocyte-differentiated DP2R gene-knockout mouse
      embryonic fibroblasts. These results indicate that PGD2 suppressed the lipolysis
      by repression of the cAMP-PKA-HSL axis through DP2R in adipocytes.

PMID- 28623135
TI  - Serum long non coding RNA MALAT-1 protected by exosomes is up-regulated and
      promotes cell proliferation and migration in non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - Circulating lncRNAs have been defined as a novel biomarker for non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC), MALAT-1 was first identified lncRNA that was related to lung
      cancer metastasis. However, the relationship between exosomal lncRNAs and the
      diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC was poorly understood. The aim of this study is
      to evaluate the clinical significance of serum exosomal MALAT-1 as a biomarker in
      the metastasis of NSCLC. In this study, we firstly isolated the exosomes from
      healthy subjects and NSCLC patients. Then we measured the expression levels of
      MALAT-1 contained in exosomes, and found that exosomal MALAT-1 was highly
      expressed in NSCLC patients, more importantly, the levels of exosomal MALAT-1
      were positively associated with tumor stage and lymphatic metastasis. In
      addition, we decreased MALAT-1 expression by short hairpin RNA and conducted a
      series of assays including MTT, cell cycle, colony formation, wound-healing
      scratch and Annexin/V PI by flow cytometry in human lung cancer cell lines. These
      in vitro studies demonstrated that serum exosome-derived long noncoding RNA MALAT
      1 promoted the tumor growth and migration, and prevented tumor cells from
      apoptosis in lung cancer cell lines. Taken together, this study shed a light on
      utilizing MALAT-1 in exosomes as a non-invasive serum-based tumor biomarker for
      diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC.

PMID- 28623136
TI  - Arabidopsis inositol polyphosphate kinase AtIpk2beta is phosphorylated by CPK4
      and positively modulates ABA signaling.
AB  - Arabidopsis inositol polyphosphate kinase 2beta (AtIpk2beta) has multiple
      functions in plant development and in responding to abiotic stress. Although some
      related clues suggested a potential role of AtIpk2beta in ABA signaling, the
      defined evidence was still lack. Here we discovered that a key ABA signaling
      component calcium-dependent protein kinase 4 (CPK4) can interact with AtIpk2beta
      under ABA treated conditions through affinity purification and mass spectrometry
      detection. The interaction between CPK4 and AtIpk2beta were further confirmed by
      yeast two hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. Expression
      of AtIpk2beta also can be rapidly induced by ABA. In addition, we found that CPK4
      can phosphorylate AtIpk2beta in vitro and identified five novel phosphorylation
      sites of AtIpk2beta by CPK4 kinase, including Tyr46, Ser48, Ser51, Thr128,
      Ser147. Overexpression of AtIpk2beta in Arabidopsis was more sensitive to ABA in
      seed germination, primary root inhibition, ABA-responsive gene expression than
      wild type plants, whereas knockout mutant atipk2beta exhibited no significant
      difference. The AtIpk2beta variants containing Tyr46, Thr128, Ser147 mutated to
      Ala cannot complement the yeast mutant ipk2 growth in high temperature,
      suggesting that those three amino acid residues are critical for AtIpk2beta.
      These findings provide insight into the modulation of ABA signaling by
      AtIpk2beta.

PMID- 28623137
TI  - Azomethines, isoxazole, N-substituted pyrazoles and pyrimidine containing
      curcumin derivatives: Urease inhibition and molecular modeling studies.
AB  - Curcumin has shown large number of pharmacological properties against different
      phenotypes of various disease models. Different synthetic routes have been
      employed to develop its various derivatives for diverse biological functions. In
      this study, curcumin derived azomethine, isoxazole, pyrimidines and N-substituted
      pyrazoles were synthesized to investigate their urease enzyme inhibition. The
      structures of newly synthesized compounds were described by IR, MS, 1H NMR and
      13C NMR spectral data. Urease enzyme inhibition was evaluated through in vitro
      assays in which compound 8b was found to be the most potent (IC50 = 2.44 +/- 0.07
      MUM) among the tested compounds. The compounds with diazine ring system except
      the 4d showed better urease inhibition (IC50 = 11.43 +/- 0.21-19.63 +/- 0.28 MUM)
      than the standard urease inhibitor thiourea (IC50 = 22.61 +/- 0.23 MUM).
      Similarly enzyme kinetics data revealed that compounds 3c-3e and 8b were
      competitive inhibitors with Ki values of 20.0, 19.87, 20.23 and 19.11 MUM
      respectively while the compounds 4b, 4c and 4e were mixed type of inhibitors with
      Ki values 6.72, 19.69 and 6.72 MUM respectively. Molecular docking studies were
      also performed to identify the plausible binding modes of the most active
      compounds.

PMID- 28623138
TI  - HP1alpha is highly expressed in glioma cells and facilitates cell proliferation
      and survival.
AB  - Epigenetic alteration plays critical roles in gliomagenesis by regulating gene
      expression through modifications of Histones and DNA. Trimethylation of H3K9, an
      essential repressed transcription mark, and one of its methyltransferase,
      SUV39H1, are implicated in glioma pathogenesis and progression. We find that the
      protein level of HP1alpha, a reader of H3K9me3 is elevated in cultured glioma
      cell lines and glioma tissues. H3K9me3 is also upregulated. Depletion of HP1alpha
      and SUV39H1 weakens glioma cell proliferation capacity and results in apoptosis
      of cells. Furthermore, we find that HP1alpha and H3K9me3 are enriched in the FAS
      and PUMA promoters, which suggests that upregulated HP1alpha and H3K9me3
      contribute to cell survival by suppressing apoptotic activators. These data
      suggests that up-regulated HP1alpha and H3K9me3 in glioma cells are functionally
      associated with glioma pathogenesis and progression and may serve as novel
      biomarkers for diagnostic and therapeutic targeting of brain tumors.

PMID- 28623139
TI  - The co-expression of Neogenin with SOX2 in hippocampal neurons.
AB  - Dementia has been shown to be closely related with neuronal degeneration and/or a
      decrease in the activity of neural stem cells in many brain regions, including
      the hippocampus. It has been recently established that Neogenin is involved in
      the cell fate determination by regulating Oct3/4, SOX and Nanog, notable
      embryonic cell markers, expressions in pre-implantation mouse embryos. Further,
      Neogenin expression at both mRNA and protein levels is manifest in many brain
      regions in mice, but it remains unclear whether Neogenin expression is
      prerequisite for the maintenance of neural stem cells, particularly, playing a
      critical role in the hippocampus, a brain region known to be involved in memory
      generation and consolidation. Here, we provide evidence that supports that
      Neogenin is implicated in the maintenance of neural stem cells in the hippocampus
      by enhancing PCNA expressions. We have performed RT-PCR analysis, Western
      blotting, and immunohistochemistry with fetal rat brain tissues at E18 for
      Neogenin mRNA and protein profiling. Neuronal cells obtained from the hippocampus
      were subjected to FACS analysis for the identification of Neogenin-positive
      and/or neuronal stem cell marker-positive cells. Western blotting results showed
      that Neogenin expression was higher in the hippocampal region compared to the
      cortical region. FACS analysis results indicated that a significant population of
      fetal rat neuronal cells exhibiting Neogenin expression also displayed SOX2
      expression, implying co-expression of Neogenin and SOX2 in the hippocampus. Next,
      we investigated the role of Neogenin through gain- and loss-of-function studies
      with cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Neogenin down-regulation by small hairpin
      RNAs led to a dramatic decrease in SOX2 expression while its up-regulation by
      overexpression caused an increase in PCNA expression, a cell proliferation
      marker, compared with none-transfected cells. From this study, we propose a model
      whereby Neogenin could maintain neural stem cell population and control cell
      proliferation.

PMID- 28623140
TI  - The isoforms of alpha-actin and myosin affect the Ca2+ regulation of the actin
      myosin interaction in the heart.
AB  - Myocardium of mammals contains a wide range of isoforms of proteins that provides
      contractile function of the heart. These are two isoforms of ventricular and two
      of atrial myosin, alpha- and beta-tropomyosin, and two isoforms of alpha-actin:
      cardiac and skeletal. We believe that the difference in the amino acid sequence
      of alpha-actin can affect the calcium regulation of the actin-myosin interaction.
      To test this hypothesis, we investigated effects of the isoforms of alpha-actin,
      cardiac and skeletal, and the isoforms of cardiac myosin on the calcium
      regulation of the actin-myosin interaction in an in vitro motility assay using
      reconstructed regulated thin filaments. The results show that isoforms of alpha
      actin and the ratio of alpha/beta-chains of Tpm differently affect the calcium
      regulation of the actin-myosin interaction in myocardium in dependence on cardiac
      myosin isoforms.

PMID- 28623141
TI  - Sirtuin 7-dependent deacetylation of DDB1 regulates the expression of nuclear
      receptor TR4.
AB  - Sirtuin 7 (SIRT7) is an NAD+-dependent deacetylase/deacylase, but only a limited
      number of SIRT7 substrates have been identified. Recently, we found that Sirt7
      knockout mice are resistant to high-fat diet-induced fatty liver, and that SIRT7
      positively regulates the protein level of TR4, a nuclear receptor involved in
      lipid metabolism, by inhibiting the CUL4B/DDB1/DCAF1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex.
      However, the mechanism by which SIRT7 inhibits the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex
      was not identified. Here, we demonstrate that SIRT7 binds directly to DDB1 and
      deacetylates DDB1 at Lys1121. K1121R-DDB1 (a deacetylation-mimicking mutant)
      displayed reduced binding with DCAF1. The expression of TR4 protein and TR4
      target genes, including Cd36, Cidea, Cidec and Pparg1, was increased in K1121R
      DDB1-overexpressing Hepa1-6 cells compared to WT-DDB1-overexpressing cells. Our
      results indicate that the SIRT7-mediated deacetylation of K1121 attenuates the
      activity of the CUL4B/DDB1/DCAF1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex by reducing binding
      between DDB1 and DCAF1, leading to the increased expression of TR4.

PMID- 28623142
TI  - Complication of newborn circumcision: Meatal stenosis or meatal web?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Meatal stenosis (MS) is a known complication of newborn
      circumcision. Symptoms are usually masked in young kids with a diaper. Deflation
      of urinary stream, dysuria, urinary frequency, and incontinence are the most
      common reported symptoms. Diagnosis of MS is still controversial. A narrow
      pinpoint urethral meatus is the current accepted diagnostic criteria. OBJECTIVE:
      In our practice, we observed that our cases do not overlap to the classic
      definition and presentation of MS. In this study, we presented our cases and
      aimed to share our observations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of children who
      had meatoplasty between 2014 with 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Only
      children with MS who had had newborn circumcision performed in our clinic were
      included in the study. Over 500 newborn circumcisions are performed per year in
      our clinic using the Gomco Clamp technique. Age at diagnosis, presenting
      complaints, penile anomalies including urethral meatus configuration, urinary
      symptoms, operation methods, and postoperative follow-up were gathered. RESULTS:
      A total of 13 boys who were circumcised in the newborn period had undergone
      meatoplasty with the diagnosis of MS. The mean age at the time of meatoplasty was
      52.5 +/- 17.9 (range 37-93 months). All children were examined before and during
      the circumcision. There were no associated penile anomalies, including MS. The
      only presenting complaint was upward deflation of urinary stream instead of other
      lower urinary tract symptoms. Although the appearance of the meatus was pinpoint
      in all cases (Figure); it was easy to calibrate with an 8-10 Fr feeding tube.
      There was no stenosis, but a ventral web was detected. Meatoplasty with removal
      of this web was performed under general anesthesia. Two sutures were applied at 5
      and 7 o'clock with 7/0 PDS. Mean postoperative follow-up time was 16.9 +/- 7.5
      months. Children were pleased with direction of urinary stream. DISCUSSION: Both
      the diagnosis and morphological definition of MS have some controversies. To our
      knowledge, there is no similar reported study with pinpoint appearance and normal
      calibration of the meatus. There was no stenosis in any of them. Unlike classical
      MS presentations, upward deflation of urinary stream resulting from ventral web
      was a single presenting complaint. CONCLUSIONS: Upward deflation of urinary
      stream can develop after neonatal circumcision because of a meatal web without
      stenosis, and can be cured easily with meatoplasty. Instead of 'meatal stenosis',
      'meatal web' may be a more appropriate term to explain the pathology in these
      patients.

PMID- 28623143
TI  - Changes in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior During Cardiac
      Rehabilitation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To objectively measure changes in both moderate-to-vigorous physical
      activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) during and after standard cardiac
      rehabilitation (CR). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Outpatient CR
      center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=135) with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who
      completed CR. INTERVENTIONS: Multidisciplinary CR according to current
      guidelines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The proportion of time spent in MVPA and SB
      was objectively measured with an accelerometer. The distribution of time in MVPA
      and SB was also determined (eg, average length of time periods spent in MVPA and
      SB). All measurements were obtained before CR, after CR, and at 1-year follow-up.
      RESULTS: Patients' time in MVPA during waking hours increased by .65% (~5min)
      during CR (P=.002) and remained increased at 1-year follow-up (P=.037). The MVPA
      distribution did not change. During CR, time spent in SB decreased by 2.49%
      (~22min; P<.001), and SB time became more fragmented with more breaks and shorter
      SB periods (P<.001). These SB improvements were maintained at 1-year follow-up
      (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ACS achieved a small improvement in MVPA
      time during CR, but MVPA distribution remained unchanged. More substantial
      improvements occurred for SB time and distribution. However, by the end of CR,
      patients still spent relatively little time in MVPA and a long time in SB, which
      is known to be detrimental to cardiovascular health. Although CR programs have
      the potential to improve physical behavior, our findings highlight the need to
      develop adjusted CR targets that address the amount and distribution of MVPA and
      SB.

PMID- 28623144
TI  - Cardiovascular Stress During Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: (1) To measure the amount of cardiovascular stress, self-reported
      physical activity, and accelerometry-measured physical activity by individuals
      with spinal cord injury (SCI) during physical therapy (PT) and occupational
      therapy (OT); and (2) to investigate the relations between these measures.
      DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Two inpatient SCI rehabilitation centers.
      PARTICIPANTS: Patients with SCI (N=87) were recruited from consecutive admissions
      to rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heart
      rate was recorded by a Holter monitor, whereas physical activity was captured by
      self-report (Physical Activity Recall Assessment for People with SCI
      questionnaire) and real-time wrist accelerometry during a total of 334 PT and OT
      inpatient sessions. Differences between individuals with paraplegia and
      tetraplegia were assessed via Mann-Whitney U tests. Spearman correlations were
      used to explore the relation between measurements of physical activity and heart
      rate. RESULTS: Time spent at a heart rate within a cardiovascular training zone
      (>=40% heart rate reserve) was low and did not exceed a median of 5 minutes. In
      contrast, individuals reported at least 60 minutes of higher-intensity time
      during therapy. There was a low but statistically significant correlation between
      all measures. CONCLUSIONS: The cardiovascular stress incurred by individuals with
      SCI during inpatient PT and OT sessions is low and not sufficient to obtain a
      cardiovascular training effect to optimize their neurologic, cardiovascular, or
      musculoskeletal health; this represents a lost opportunity to maximize
      rehabilitation. Self-reported minutes of higher-intensity physical activity do
      not reflect actual time spent at a higher intensity measured objectively via a
      heart rate monitor.

PMID- 28623145
TI  - Global burden of pertussis: signs of hope but need for accurate data.

PMID- 28623146
TI  - An update of the global burden of pertussis in children younger than 5 years: a
      modelling study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since the publication in 2003 of a model to estimate the disease
      burden of pertussis, new evidence of the protective effect of incomplete
      pertussis vaccination against severe pertussis has been reported. We revised the
      model to provide new estimates of regional and global pertussis cases and deaths
      for children younger than 5 years. METHODS: We developed a revised model with
      data from 2014 to estimate pertussis cases and deaths. Pertussis cases were
      defined according to the WHO clinical case definition, as a coughing illness
      lasting at least 2 weeks with paroxysms of coughing, inspiratory whooping, or
      post-tussive vomiting. We used UN population estimates and WHO and UNICEF data on
      national pertussis immunisation coverage. Estimates were made for vaccine
      effectiveness against pertussis cases and deaths for one, two, and three doses of
      vaccination, probability of infection in low and high coverage countries, and
      case fatality ratios in low and high mortality countries in two age groups:
      infants younger than 1 year and children aged 1-4 years. We did sensitivity
      analyses with a range of input parameters to assess the effect of uncertainty of
      the input parameters on the model outputs. FINDINGS: We estimated that there were
      24.1 million pertussis cases and 160 700 deaths from pertussis in children
      younger than 5 years in 2014, with the African region contributing the largest
      proportions (7.8 million [33%] cases and 92 500 [58%] deaths). 5.1 million (21%)
      estimated pertussis cases and 85 900 (53%) estimated deaths were in infants
      younger than 1 year. In the sensitivity analyses, the estimated number of cases
      ranged from 7 million to 40 million and deaths from 38 000 to 670 000.
      INTERPRETATION: Our estimates suggest that, compared with the 1999 estimates
      published in 2003 (30.6 million pertussis cases and 390 000 deaths from pertussis
      in children younger than 5 years), the numbers of cases and deaths of pertussis
      have fallen substantially. Model sensitivity emphasised the importance of better
      surveillance to improve country-level decision making and pertussis control.
      FUNDING: None.

PMID- 28623147
TI  - Neuregulin-1 protects mouse cerebellum against oxidative stress and
      neuroinflammation.
AB  - Cerebellum undergoes degenerative changes in neurodegenerative diseases. Two main
      factors including oxidative stress and neuroinflammation mediate
      neurodegeneration. Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) has been implicated in many
      neurodegenerative diseases, while the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We
      hypothesized that Nrg1 prevents oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in
      neurodegeneration. We found a positive correlation between Nrg1 protein levels
      and ErbB4 and ErbB2 receptor phosphorylation in microarrays of normal human
      cerebellar tissue. In addition, Nrg1 was also co-localized with pErbB4 and
      pErbB2. Primary mouse cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) were treated with H2O2 or
      LPS combined with recombinant Nrg1beta (rNrg1beta). Western blot analysis and
      immunofluorescence revealed that H2O2 and LPS-induced neuronal toxicity down
      regulated the activation of ErbB receptors and Akt1, and the ratio of Bcl2/Bax,
      which was reversed by rNrg1beta. In vivo studies showed that LPS-induced
      neuroinflammation in mouse cerebellum down-regulated pErbB4, pErbB2, pAkt1/Akt1
      and Bcl2/Bax levels, whereas rNrg1beta treatment reversed the changes.
      Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis showed that rNrg1beta alleviates
      neuroinflammation by reducing the number of microglial cells and astrocytes and
      the expression of IL1beta. Our results indicate that Nrg1 protects against
      oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in mouse cerebellum, suggesting potential
      therapeutic application in neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative
      diseases.

PMID- 28623148
TI  - Male sexual enhancement after methoprene treatment in Anastrepha fraterculus
      (Diptera: Tephritidae): A sustained response that does not fade away after sexual
      maturation.
AB  - The juvenile hormone (JH) of insects triggers physiological changes related to
      reproduction in adults of both sexes. Methoprene is a sesquiterpene with some
      effects that are analogous to those of JH. Treatments with methoprene accelerate
      sexual maturation in males of the South American fruit fly Anastrepha
      fraterculus, giving young males a mating advantage over non-treated males of the
      same age. Here, we evaluated the effects of methoprene treatment on A.
      fraterculus males after the sexual maturation phase and tested whether this
      compound provides a long-term mating advantage. Moreover, we took the first step
      to unravel the mechanisms that underlie male sexual enhancement. We treated males
      1day or 8days after adult emergence and compared mate choice between recently
      matured (young) females and females that had been mature for ca. 10days (aged
      females). We also addressed methoprene treatment effects on male sexual
      signalling. We found that methoprene treatment enhanced male sexual
      competitiveness even after the sexual maturation phase, and the effect did not
      decrease until males were older than 20days. However, when methoprene treatment
      was carried out close to sexual maturity, the mating enhancement was no longer
      observed, suggesting a non-immediate effect and excluding the possibility that
      methoprene acts as a pheromonal compound. Young and aged females tended to mate
      more frequently with treated-males. This might indicate that in a context of
      sexual selection, the potential benefits associated with reproductive success
      would be similar for females of both ages. Treated males released larger amounts
      of pheromonal compounds than non-treated males, but their courtship behaviour was
      not altered to the same extent, suggesting that methoprene treatment may
      accelerate differently the components of male courtship. We discuss potential
      benefits of using methoprene to increase the efficiency of the sterile insect
      technique, which is an environmentally safe method to control this important
      South American fruit pest.

PMID- 28623150
TI  - Another Impairment in Older Age: What Does Osteosarcopenic Obesity Syndrome Mean
      for Middle-Aged and Older Women?

PMID- 28623149
TI  - Subtle effect of Xenos vesparum (Xenidae, Strepsiptera) on the reproductive
      apparatus of its male host: Parasite or parasitoid?
AB  - Parasitic castration is an adaptive strategy where parasites usurp the hosts'
      reproductive physiology to complete their life cycle. The alterations in the host
      traits vary in their magnitude, from subtle changes in the host morpho-physiology
      and behaviour to the production of complex aberrant phenotypes, which often
      depend on the host gender. The strepsipteran macroparasite Xenos vesparum induces
      dramatic behavioural and physiological changes in its female host, the paper wasp
      Polistes dominula, while its effect on the male phenotype is largely unknown. In
      this study we investigated how a single X. vesparum parasite influences the
      functional morphology of P. dominula male reproductive apparatus. We performed
      morphometry and ultrastructure characterization of corpora allata, testes,
      seminal vesicles and accessory glands in parasitized and unparasitized males, and
      also in young and old males to control for the effect of age on the natural
      deterioration of these organs. Our results show that age significantly affects
      the development of male reproductive apparatus. A low parasite load - one
      parasite per host is the common prevalence in the field - has only a marginal
      impact on the reproductive morphology of P. dominula males, affecting
      quantitatively but not qualitatively the protein content of male accessory
      glands. Thus, in male P. dominula wasps, X. vesparum appears to behave as a true
      "parasite", in clear opposition to the role of "parasitoid" that it takes in
      female hosts where castration causes the reproductive death.

PMID- 28623151
TI  - Cognitive Performance across 3 Frailty Phenotypes: Toledo Study for Healthy
      Aging.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Frailty is a strong predictor of adverse health events, but its
      impact on cognitive function is poorly understood. AIM: To assess cognitive
      performance in frailty and to identify the frailty stage where cognitive
      impairment begins. METHODS: Data were taken from 2044 people aged >=65 years
      without cognitive impairment selected from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging, a
      population-based cohort of older adults. Frailty status was assessed by 3
      different scales: Frailty Phenotype (FP), Frailty Trait Scale (FTS), and Frailty
      Index (FI). Neuropsychological assessments of different cognitive domains
      included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Short and Long-Term Memory Recalling
      Test, the Boston Naming Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Digit Span Forward, Go/No-go
      Test, Luria Orders Test, Clock Drawing Test, and Serial Word Learning Test. The
      relationships between the score of the scales and frailty status (robust,
      prefrail, and frail for FP and quartiles for FTS and FI) were analyzed using
      multivariate linear regression models including age, sex, and educative level as
      possible confounders. RESULTS: Participants classified as the worst degree of
      frailty (frail in FP and fourth quartile of FTS and FI) presented more cognitive
      domains affected and to a higher extent than moderate frail (prefrail and second
      quartile and third quartile of FTS and FI) and robust (and first quartile of FTS
      and FI) participants. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive performance progressively declined
      across the frailty state, regardless of the instrument used to assess frailty. In
      prefrail participants, cognitive impairment may be an early marker of frailty
      dependent cerebral involvement and could be already subject to interventions
      aimed at reducing the transition to frailty.

PMID- 28623152
TI  - Singapore Healthy Older People Everyday (HOPE) Study: Prevalence of Frailty and
      Associated Factors in Older Adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the context of a rapidly ageing population, Singapore is
      anticipating a rise in multimorbidity, disability, and dependency, which are
      driven by physical frailty. Healthy Older People Everyday (HOPE) is an
      epidemiologic population-based study on community-dwelling older adults aged 65
      years and older in Singapore. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of frail
      and prefrail states and their association with polypharmacy, multimorbidity,
      cognitive and functional status, and perceived health status among community
      dwelling older adults in Singapore. METHODS: Participants for HOPE were older
      adults aged 65 years and older recruited from a cohort study on the northwest
      region of Singapore. Analysis was performed on data collected from a combination
      of interviewer-administered questionnaires (including FRAIL scale, EQ-5D, Mini
      Mental State Examination, Barthel index, and Lawton IADL scale), clinical
      assessments, and physical measurements (including hand grip strength and Timed-Up
      and-Go [TUG] test). RESULTS: A total of 1051 older adults (mean age 71.2 years)
      completed the study. More than half (57.2%) were female. The prevalence of
      frailty and prefrailty was 6.2% and 37%, respectively. Frailty was associated
      with older age, female gender, Indian (instead of Chinese) ethnicity,
      multimorbidity, polypharmacy, cognitive and functional impairment, weaker hand
      grip strength, longer TUG times, and poor perceived health status. Those with
      underlying cognitive impairment and frailty were at greater risk of adverse
      health outcome. CONCLUSION: Frailty is a complex health state with multiple
      domains and dimensions. In our study in a multiethnic Asian population, we
      identified nonmodifiable factors and modifiable risk factors (multimorbidity,
      polypharmacy, cognitive and functional impairment) that were associated with
      frailty. Interventions will have to be multipronged and will require a
      collaborated effort in order to effect change and improve the health span in
      rapidly ageing populations.

PMID- 28623154
TI  - Standardizing Protection of Patients' Rights From POLST to MOELI (Medical Orders
      for End-of-Life Intervention).

PMID- 28623153
TI  - Cognitive Status of Older Adults on Admission to a Skilled Nursing Facility
      According to a Hospital Discharge Diagnosis of Dementia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Describe the cognitive status on admission to a skilled nursing
      facility (SNF) according to a hospital discharge diagnosis of dementia in a
      national sample of Medicare beneficiaries. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort design.
      SETTING: SNFs in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Medicare-fee-for-service
      beneficiaries newly admitted to an SNF within 3 days of discharge from an acute
      hospital during 2013-2014 (n = 1,885,015). MEASUREMENTS: Beneficiaries with a
      discharge diagnosis of dementia were identified using ICD-9 CM codes from the
      Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) Part A file. Cognitive status at
      SNF admission was classified as cognitively intact, mildly impaired, moderately
      impaired, or severely impaired according to the Cognitive Function Scale using
      items in the Minimum Data Set 3.0. RESULTS: For beneficiaries with a discharge
      diagnosis of dementia (n = 252,970), 17.9% were classified as cognitively intact,
      25.8% were mildly impaired, and 56.3% were moderately or severely impaired on SNF
      admission. Approximately 65% of beneficiaries without a hospital diagnosis of
      dementia were cognitively intact on admission to an SNF, whereas 13.1% were
      classified as moderately or severely impaired. CONCLUSION: Medicare beneficiaries
      with a hospital diagnosis of dementia are often classified as cognitively intact
      or mildly impaired on admission to an SNF. These findings provide evidence that a
      hospital diagnosis of dementia might not always reflect cognitive status on
      admission to an SNF.

PMID- 28623155
TI  - Care Toward the End of Life in Older Populations and Its Implementation
      Facilitators and Barriers: A Scoping Review.
AB  - PURPOSE: To inform health system improvements for care of elderly populations
      approaching the end of life (EOL) by identifying important elements of care and
      implementation barriers and facilitators. DESIGN: A scoping review was carried
      out to identify key themes in EOL care. Articles were identified from MEDLINE,
      the Cochrane Library, organizational websites, and internet searches. Eligible
      publications included reviews, reports, and policy documents published between
      2005 and 2016. Initially, eligible documents included reviews or reports
      concerning effective or important models or components of EOL care in older
      populations, and evidence was thematically synthesized. Later, other documents
      were identified to contextualize implementation issues. RESULTS: Thematic
      synthesis using 35 reports identified key features in EOL care: (1) enabling
      policies and environments; (2) care pathways and models; (3) assessment and
      prognostication; (4) advance care planning and advance directives; (5) palliative
      and hospice care; (6) integrated and multidisciplinary care; (7) effective
      communication; (8) staff training and experience; (9) emotional and spiritual
      support; (10) personalized care; and (11) resources. Barriers in implementing EOL
      care include fragmented services, poor communication, difficult prognostication,
      difficulty in accepting prognosis, and the curative focus in medical care.
      CONCLUSIONS: Quality EOL care for older populations requires many core components
      but the local context and implementation issues may ultimately determine if these
      elements can be incorporated into the system to improve care. Changes at the
      macro-level (system/national), meso-level (organizational), and micro-level
      (individual) will be required to successfully implement service changes to
      provide holistic and person-centered EOL care for elderly populations.

PMID- 28623156
TI  - Trends in Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Among US Nursing Home Residents,
      2006-2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Institutionalized adults are at increased risk of morbidity and
      mortality from influenza and pneumococcal infection. Influenza and pneumococcal
      vaccination have been shown to be effective in reducing hospitalization and
      deaths due to pneumonia and influenza in this population. OBJECTIVE: To assess
      trends in influenza vaccination coverage among US nursing home residents from the
      2005-2006 through 2014-2015 influenza seasons and trends in pneumococcal
      vaccination coverage from 2006 to 2014 among US nursing home residents, by state
      and demographic characteristics. METHODS: Data were analyzed from the Centers for
      Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS's) Minimum Data Set (MDS). Influenza and
      pneumococcal vaccination status were assessed for all residents of CMS-certified
      nursing homes using data reported to the MDS by all certified facilities.
      RESULTS: Influenza vaccination coverage increased from 71.4% in the 2005-2006
      influenza season to 75.7% in the 2014-2015 influenza season and pneumococcal
      vaccination coverage increased from 67.4% in 2006 to 78.4% in 2014. Vaccination
      coverage varied by state, with influenza vaccination coverage ranging from 50.0%
      to 89.7% in the 2014-2015 influenza season and pneumococcal vaccination coverage
      ranging from 55.0% to 89.7% in 2014. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic residents
      had lower coverage compared with non-Hispanic white residents for both vaccines,
      and these differences persisted over time. CONCLUSION: Influenza and pneumococcal
      vaccination among US nursing home residents remains suboptimal. Nursing home
      staff can employ strategies such as provider reminders and standing orders to
      facilitate offering vaccination to all residents along with culturally
      appropriate vaccine promotion to increase vaccination coverage among this
      vulnerable population.

PMID- 28623158
TI  - The Disaster Evacuation or Shelter-in-Place Decision: Who Will Decide?

PMID- 28623157
TI  - Mortality and Antipsychotic Drug Use in Elderly Patients With Parkinson Disease
      in Nursing Homes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate mortality rate in elderly and very elderly (>=85 years)
      residents with Parkinson disease (PD) in nursing homes (NHs) with and without
      antipsychotic drugs. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: All residents
      with PD from the 6275 NH residents participating in the Impact d'une demarche
      QUAlite sur l'evolution des pratiques et le declin fonctionnel des Residents en
      Etablissement d'hebergement pour personnes agees dependantes (IQUARE) study.
      SETTING: A total of 175 NHs in Midi-Pyrenees region, South-Western France.
      EXPOSURE: Patients with PD taking antipsychotic drugs. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: All
      cause mortality between baseline and 18 months. STATISTICAL METHODS: Logistic
      regression was used to explore baseline characteristics associated with mortality
      rate and with antipsychotic use at 18 months. RESULTS: At baseline, among 452
      residents with PD, 72 (15.9%) received at least 1 antipsychotic drug. Mortality
      rates at 18 months in residents with PD with and without antipsychotic use were
      similar (34.3% and 38.2%, respectively, P = .58). Among factors associated with
      mortality, a statistically significant increase in mortality rate was found in
      very old residents (>=85 years of age) [odds ratio (OR) 2.0; 95% confidence
      interval (CI) 1.3-3.1] or in those with chronic pulmonary disease (OR 3.6; 95% CI
      1.5-8.5). Among residents >=85 years of age, we also found a statistically
      significant increase in mortality rate in individuals with arterial hypertension
      (OR 2.8; 95% CI 1.3-5.8). Moreover, a statistically significant increase in
      prescription of antipsychotic drugs was found in residents who tried to elope (OR
      3.8; 95% CI 1.4-10.7) and in those with severe psychiatric diseases (excluding
      depression) (OR 7.5; 95% CI 4.1-13.6). CONCLUSIONS: In this study investigating
      factors associated with mortality in old and very old residents with PD in NHs,
      no significant association was observed with the use of antipsychotics. However,
      our study suggests that age (>=85 years) or chronic pulmonary disease could be
      associated with mortality among patients with PD, as well as arterial
      hypertension in very old patients (>=85 years of age).

PMID- 28623159
TI  - Epigenetic Biomarkers and Cardiovascular Disease: Circulating MicroRNAs.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small noncoding RNA (20-25 nucleotides)
      involved in gene regulation. In recent years, miRNAs have emerged as a key
      epigenetic mechanism in the development and physiology of the cardiovascular
      system. These molecular species regulate basic functions in virtually all cell
      types, and are therefore directly associated with the pathophysiology of a large
      number of cardiovascular diseases. Since their relatively recent discovery in
      extracellular fluids, miRNAs have been studied as potential biomarkers of
      disease. A wide array of studies have proposed miRNAs as circulating biomarkers
      of different cardiovascular pathologies (eg, myocardial infarction, coronary
      heart disease, and heart failure, among others), which may have superior
      physicochemical and biochemical properties than the conventional protein
      indicators currently used in clinical practice. In the present review, we provide
      a brief introduction to the field of miRNAs, paying special attention to their
      potential clinical application. This includes their possible role as new
      diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers in cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28623160
TI  - Basic Concepts in Molecular Biology Related to Genetics and Epigenetics.
AB  - The observation that "one size does not fit all" for the prevention and treatment
      of cardiovascular disease, among other diseases, has driven the concept of
      precision medicine. The goal of precision medicine is to provide the best
      targeted interventions tailored to an individual's genome. The human genome is
      composed of billions of sequence arrangements containing a code that controls how
      genes are expressed. This code depends on other nonstatic regulators that
      surround the DNA and constitute the epigenome. Moreover, environmental factors
      also play an important role in this complex regulation. This review provides a
      general perspective on the basic concepts of molecular biology related to
      genetics and epigenetics and a glossary of key terms. Several examples are given
      of polymorphisms and genetic risk scores related to cardiovascular risk.
      Likewise, an overview is presented of the main epigenetic regulators, including
      DNA methylation, methylcytosine-phosphate-guanine-binding proteins, histone
      modifications, other histone regulations, micro-RNA effects, and additional
      emerging regulators. One of the greatest challenges is to understand how
      environmental factors (diet, physical activity, smoking, etc.) could alter the
      epigenome, resulting in healthy or unhealthy cardiovascular phenotypes. We
      discuss some gene-environment interactions and provide a methodological overview.

PMID- 28623161
TI  - The Genetics of Ischemic Heart Disease: From Current Knowledge to Clinical
      Implications.
AB  - Ischemic heart disease continues to cause high morbidity and mortality. Its
      prevalence is expected to increase due to population aging, and its prevention is
      a major goal of health policies. The risk of developing ischemic heart disease is
      related to a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and lifestyle
      factors. In the last decade, considerable progress has been made in knowledge of
      the genetic architecture of this disease. This narrative review provides an
      overview of current knowledge of the genetics of ischemic heart disease and of
      its translation to clinical practice: identification of new therapeutic targets,
      assessment of the causal relationship between biomarkers and disease, improved
      risk prediction, and identification of responders and nonresponders to specific
      drugs (pharmacogenomics).

PMID- 28623162
TI  - What do we know about neurogenic bladder prevalence and management in developing
      countries and emerging regions of the world?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To summarize information on Neurogenic Bladder (NB) epidemiology,
      management and access to patient treatment in developing countries and emerging
      regions of the world in order to propose future interventions and help
      governmental as well as non-governmental organizations design their action plans.
      METHODS: Different search methods were used to gather the maximum available data.
      They included strategic searches; reference checks; grey literature searches
      (reports, working papers, government documents, civil society information);
      contacting professional societies, registries, and authors; requesting
      unpublished data from organizations; and browsing related websites and journals.
      RESULTS: The incidence and prevalence rates of NB in developing countries are
      difficult to establish because epidemiological reports are few and far between.
      The frequency of bladder dysfunction in neurologically impaired populations can
      be approximately estimated in some of these countries. Similar information
      paucity affects diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to NB patients living in
      less-developed regions of the world. The assessment and management of NB seems to
      vary markedly between countries, and care of patients from emerging regions of
      the world is often inadequate. CONCLUSION: Strong concerted efforts are needed on
      the part of international scientific societies, non-governmental organizations
      and local governments to work together to change the prognosis for these patients
      and to improve their quality of life.

PMID- 28623163
TI  - Factors Associated with School Lunch Consumption: Reverse Recess and School
      "Brunch".
AB  - BACKGROUND: While school foods have become healthier under the Healthy, Hunger
      Free Kids Act, research suggests there is still substantial food waste in
      cafeterias. It is therefore necessary to study factors that can impact food
      consumption, including holding recess before lunch ("reverse recess") and
      starting lunch periods very early or very late. OBJECTIVE: This study examined
      the association between the timing of recess (pre-lunch vs post-lunch recess),
      the timing of the lunch period, and food consumed by students at lunch. DESIGN:
      We conducted a secondary data analysis from a repeated cross-sectional design.
      PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: An 8-week plate waste study examining 20,183 trays of food
      was conducted in New Orleans, LA, in 2014. The study involved 1,036 fourth- and
      fifth-grade students from eight public schools. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We
      measured percent of entrees, fruit, vegetables, and milk consumed by students at
      lunch. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: We used mixed-model analyses, controlling
      for student sex, grade, and the timing of the lunch period, and examined the
      association between reverse recess and student lunch consumption. Mixed-model
      analyses controlling for student sex, grade, and recess status examined whether
      the timing of the lunch period was associated with student lunch consumption.
      RESULTS: On average, students with reverse recess consumed 5.1% more of their
      fruit than students with post-lunch recess (P=0.009), but there were no
      significant differences in entrees, vegetables, or milk intake. Compared to
      students with "midday" lunch periods, on average students with "early" lunch
      periods consumed 5.8% less of their entrees (P<0.001) and 4.5% less of their milk
      (P=0.047). Students with "late" lunch periods consumed 13.8% less of their
      entrees (P<0.001) and 15.9% less of their fruit (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Reverse
      recess was associated with increased fruit consumption. "Early" lunch periods
      were associated with decreased entree and milk consumption, and "late" lunch
      periods were associated with decreased entree and fruit consumption. Additional
      research is recommended to determine whether these associations are causal.

PMID- 28623164
TI  - Thick corneas, large pupils, and a giant problem.
AB  - An 87-year-old woman presented 1 month after uneventful cataract surgery with
      ipsilateral corneal edema. She was diagnosed with pseudophakic bullous
      keratopathy and scheduled for endothelial transplantation. A few days later,
      however, she presented with bilateral corneal edema, dilated pupils, and further
      reduction of visual acuity. Neuro-ophthalmic evaluation disclosed a bilateral
      ocular ischemic syndrome causing complete visual loss. Temporal artery biopsy was
      consistent with giant cell arteritis. Corneal decompensation should be considered
      as a rare presentation of giant cell arteritis, a diagnosis that ophthalmologists
      should suspect in any case of unilateral or bilateral ocular ischemic syndrome.

PMID- 28623165
TI  - Ocular effects of Zika virus-a review.
AB  - Zika virus was considered an innocent pathogen while restricted to the African
      and Asian population; however, after reaching the Americas in March 2015, it
      became a global threat. Despite usually causing mild or no symptoms in infected
      adults, Zika virus displays a different behavior toward fetuses. When infected
      during gestation, fetuses have their immature neural cells killed by the virus
      and consequently have devastating findings at birth. In the past year the drastic
      effects of Zika virus infection in newborns include neurological,
      ophthalmological, audiological, and skeletal abnormalities. These findings
      represent a new entity called congenital Zika syndrome. We summarize the ocular
      findings of congenital Zika Syndrome, as well as the current understanding of the
      illness, systemic manifestations, laboratory investigation, differential
      diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment for this disorder.

PMID- 28623167
TI  - The ketogenic diet affects the social behavior of young male rats.
AB  - The positive effects of the ketogenic diet (KD) on social behavior have been
      recently reported in patients and rodent models of autism spectrum disorder
      (ASD). Given the beneficial effects of the KD on epilepsy, mitochondrial
      function, carbohydrate metabolism, and inflammation, treatment based on the KD
      has the potential to reduce some of the ASD-associated symptoms, including
      abnormal social interactions. It is not known whether the KD influences
      sociability by reducing the pathological processes underlying ASD or through some
      independent mechanism. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence
      of the KD on the social behavior of rats. Four-week-old Long-Evans males were
      treated with the KD for 4 subsequent weeks. Afterwards, behavioral tests were
      performed in order to evaluate sociability, locomotor activity, working memory,
      and anxiety-related behaviors. Additionally we performed the social interaction
      test in animals that were receiving beta-hydroxybutyrate or acetone. We have
      observed that rats fed with the KD showed increased social exploration in three
      different experimental settings. We did not observe any changes in the level of
      social interactions in animals treated with exogenous ketone bodies. The results
      did not show any difference in mobility or anxiety-related behaviors or working
      memory between the animals fed with the KD or standard rodent chow. In
      conclusion, we showed that the KD affects the social behavior of wild-type young
      adult male rats, which was not associated with other behavioral changes.

PMID- 28623168
TI  - Access to nicotine in drinking water reduces weight gain without changing caloric
      intake on high fat diet in male C57BL/6J mice.
AB  - Nicotine and tobacco use is associated with lower body weight, and many smokers
      report concerns about weight. In animal studies, nicotine reduces weight gain,
      reduces food consumption, and alters energy expenditure, but these effects vary
      with duration and route of nicotine administration. Previous studies have used
      standardized nicotine doses, however, in this study, male and female mice had
      free access to nicotine drinking water for 30 days while fed either a high fat
      diet (HFD) or chow, allowing animals to titrate their nicotine intake. In male
      mice, HFD increased body weight and caloric intake. Nicotine attenuated this
      effect and decreased weight gain per calorie consumed without affecting overall
      caloric intake or acute locomotion, suggesting metabolic changes. Nicotine did
      not decrease weight in chow-fed animals. In contrast, the same paradigm did not
      result in significant differences in weight gain in female animals, but did alter
      corticosterone levels and locomotion, indicating sex differences in the response
      to HFD and nicotine. We measured levels of mRNAs encoding nicotinic acetylcholine
      receptor subunits, uncoupling proteins (UCP) 1-3, and neuropeptides involved in
      energy balance in adipose tissues and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus
      (ARC). HFD and nicotine regulated UCP levels in adipose tissues and ARC from
      female, but not male, mice. Regulation of agouti-related peptide, neuropeptide-Y,
      melanin-concentrating hormone, and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript
      in ARC varied with diet and nicotine in a sex-dependent manner. These data
      demonstrate that chronic consumption of nicotine moderates the effect of HFD in
      male mice by changing metabolism rather than food intake, and identify a
      differential effect on female mice.

PMID- 28623166
TI  - Casein Kinase II (CK2), Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) and Ikaros mediated
      regulation of leukemia.
AB  - Signaling networks that regulate cellular proliferation often involve complex
      interactions between several signaling pathways. In this manuscript we review the
      crosstalk between the Casein Kinase II (CK2) and Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK
      3) pathways that plays a critical role in the regulation of cellular
      proliferation in leukemia. Both CK2 and GSK-3 are potential targets for anti
      leukemia treatment. Previously published data suggest that CK2 and GSK-3 act
      synergistically to promote the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) pathway via
      phosphorylation of PTEN. More recent data demonstrate another mechanism through
      which CK2 promotes the PI3K pathway - via transcriptional regulation of PI3K
      pathway genes by the newly-discovered CK2-Ikaros axis. Together, these data
      suggest that the CK2 and GSK-3 pathways regulate AKT/PI3K signaling in leukemia
      via two complementary mechanisms: a) direct phosphorylation of PTEN and b)
      transcriptional regulation of PI3K-promoting genes. Functional interactions
      between CK2, Ikaros and GSK3 define a novel signaling network that regulates
      proliferation of leukemia cells. This regulatory network involves both direct
      posttranslational modifications (by CK and GSK-3) and transcriptional regulation
      (via CK2-mediated phosphorylation of Ikaros). This information provides a basis
      for the development of targeted therapy for leukemia.

PMID- 28623170
TI  - Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor inhibitors derived from snake and snail venoms.
AB  - The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) represents the prototype of ligand
      gated ion channels. It is vital for neuromuscular transmission and an important
      regulator of neurotransmission. A variety of toxic compounds derived from diverse
      species target this receptor and have been of elemental importance in basic and
      applied research. They enabled milestone discoveries in pharmacology and
      biochemistry ranging from the original formulation of the receptor concept, the
      first isolation and structural analysis of a receptor protein (the nAChR) to the
      identification, localization, and differentiation of its diverse subtypes and
      their validation as a target for therapeutic intervention. Among the venom
      derived compounds, alpha-neurotoxins and alpha-conotoxins provide the largest
      families and still represent indispensable pharmacological tools. Application of
      modified alpha-neurotoxins provided substantial structural and functional details
      of the nAChR long before high resolution structures were available. alpha
      bungarotoxin represents not only a standard pharmacological tool and label in
      nAChR research but also for unrelated proteins tagged with a minimal alpha
      bungarotoxin binding motif. A major advantage of alpha-conotoxins is their
      smaller size, as well as superior selectivity for diverse nAChR subtypes that
      allows their development into ligands with optimized pharmacological and chemical
      properties and potentially novel drugs. In the following, these two groups of
      nAChR antagonists will be described focusing on their respective roles in the
      structural and functional characterization of nAChRs and their development into
      research tools. In addition, we provide a comparative overview of the diverse
      alpha-conotoxin selectivities that can serve as a practical guide for both
      structure activity studies and subtype classification. This article is part of
      the Special Issue entitled 'Venom-derived Peptides as Pharmacological Tools.'

PMID- 28623169
TI  - Mutation of the inhibitory ethanol site in GABAA rho1 receptors promotes
      tolerance to ethanol-induced motor incoordination.
AB  - Genes encoding the rho1/2 subunits of GABAA receptors have been associated with
      alcohol (ethanol) dependence in humans, and rho1 was also shown to regulate some
      of the behavioral effects of ethanol in animal models. Ethanol inhibits GABA
      mediated responses in wild-type (WT) rho1, but not rho1(T6'Y) mutant receptors
      expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, indicating the presence of an inhibitory
      site for ethanol in the second transmembrane helix. In this study, we found that
      rho1(T6'Y) receptors expressed in oocytes display overall normal responses to
      GABA, the endogenous GABA modulator (zinc), and partial agonists (beta-alanine
      and taurine). We generated rho1 (T6'Y) knockin (KI) mice using CRISPR/Cas9 to
      test the behavioral importance of the inhibitory actions of ethanol on this
      receptor. Both rho1 KI and knockout (KO) mice showed faster recovery from acute
      ethanol-induced motor incoordination compared to WT mice. Both KI and KO mutant
      strains also showed increased tolerance to motor impairment produced by ethanol.
      The KI mice did not differ from WT mice in other behavioral actions, including
      ethanol intake and preference, conditioned taste aversion to ethanol, and
      duration of ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex. WT and KI mice did not
      differ in levels of rho1 or rho2 mRNA in cerebellum or in ethanol clearance. Our
      findings indicate that the inhibitory site for ethanol in GABAA rho1 receptors
      regulates acute functional tolerance to moderate ethanol intoxication. We note
      that low sensitivity to alcohol intoxication has been linked to risk for
      development of alcohol dependence in humans.

PMID- 28623171
TI  - Broad analgesic activity of a novel, selective M1 agonist.
AB  - Although the muscarinic receptor family has long been a source of potentially
      compelling targets for small molecule drug discovery, it was difficult to achieve
      agonist selectivity within the family. A new class of M1 muscarinic agonists has
      emerged, and these compounds have been characterized as agonists that activate
      the receptor at an allosteric site. Members of this class of M1 agonists have
      been shown to be selective across the muscarinic receptors. However, upon
      introduction of a novel pharmacologic mechanism, it is prudent to ensure that no
      new off-target activities have arisen, particularly within the context of in vivo
      experiments. Reported here, is the in vitro and in vivo characterization of a
      novel M1 agonist tool compound, PPBI, and demonstrations that the primary
      biological effects of PPBI are mediated through M1. PPBI reverses d-amphetamine
      locomotor activity, but fails to do so in transgenic mice that do not express M1.
      PPBI also reverses a natural deficit in a rat cognition model at a level of
      exposure which also activates cortical circuitry. Most notably, PPBI is analgesic
      in a variety of rat and mouse models and the analgesic effect of PPBI is reversed
      by an M1-preferring antagonist and an M1-selective toxin. Finally, the
      pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic measures of PPBI are compared across multiple
      endpoints which highlights that activity in models of psychosis and pain require
      higher exposures than that required in the cognition model.

PMID- 28623172
TI  - The Armadillo Factor: Lepromatous Leprosy.

PMID- 28623173
TI  - Outcomes of Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients on
      Maintenance Dialysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
      expanded definitive therapy of aortic stenosis to many high-risk patients, but it
      has not been fully evaluated in the dialysis population. We aimed to evaluate the
      current trend and in-hospital outcome of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR)
      and TAVR in the dialysis population. METHODS: Severe aortic stenosis patients on
      maintenance dialysis who underwent SAVR or TAVR in the Nationwide Inpatient
      Sample database from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2014, were included in
      our comparative analysis. The trends of SAVR and TAVR were assessed. In-hospital
      mortality, rates of major adverse events, hospital length of stay, cost of care,
      and intermediate care facility utilization were compared between the 2 groups
      using both unadjusted and propensity-matched data. RESULTS: Utilization of aortic
      valve replacement in dialysis patients increased 3-fold; a total of 2531 dialysis
      patients who underwent either SAVR (n = 2264) or TAVR (n = 267) between 2005 and
      2014 were identified. Propensity score matching yielded 197 matched pairs. After
      matching, a 2-fold increase in in-hospital mortality was found with SAVR compared
      with TAVR (13.7% vs 6.1%, P = .021). Patients who underwent TAVR had more
      permanent pacemaker implantation (13.2% vs 5.6%, P = .012) but less blood
      transfusion (43.7% vs 56.8%, P = .02). Rates of other key morbidities were
      similar. Hospital length of stay (19 +/- 16 vs 11 +/- 11 days, P <.001) and non
      home discharges (44.7% vs 31.5%, P = .002) were significantly higher with SAVR.
      Cost of hospitalization was 25% less with TAVR. CONCLUSION: In patients on
      maintenance dialysis, TAVR is associated with lower hospital mortality, resource
      utilization, and cost in comparison with SAVR.

PMID- 28623174
TI  - Sex Differences in the Management and 5-Year Outcome of Young Patients (<55
      Years) with Acute Coronary Syndromes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Young women are usually protected against coronary artery disease due
      to hormonal and risk-factor profile. Previous studies have suggested poorer
      outcome in women hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome as compared with men.
      However, when adjusted for age and other risk factors, this difference does not
      remain significant. We compared the risk profile and outcome between young (<=55
      years) women and men admitted with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: We analyzed
      clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of men and women
      <=55 years of age enrolled in the biennial Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli
      Surveys between 2000 and 2013. RESULTS: Among 11,536 patients enrolled, 3949
      (34%) were <=55 years old (407 women, 3542 men). Women were slightly older (48.9
      +/- 5.7 vs 48.3 +/- 5.5, P = .007) and suffered more from diabetes (34% vs 24%)
      and hypertension (47% vs 37%, P <.001 for both). Rates of prior myocardial
      infarction were high in both sexes (18% vs 21%). Women presented less often with
      ST-elevation myocardial infarction (50% vs 57%, P = .007) and with typical chest
      pain (73% vs 80%, P = .004), and had higher rates of Global Registry of Acute
      Coronary Events (GRACE) score >=140 (19% vs 12%, P = .007). After adjustment for
      GRACE score, diabetes, and enrollment year, women had a lower likelihood to
      undergo coronary angiography during hospitalization (odds ratio 0.6, P = .007).
      Female sex was independently associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality
      (hazard ratio [HR] 4.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-14.0), 30-day major
      adverse cardiac and cerebral events (HR 2.1; 95% CI, 1.31-3.36), and 5-year
      mortality (HR 1.96; 95% CI, 1.3-2.8). CONCLUSIONS: Young women admitted with
      acute coronary syndrome are a unique high-risk group that presents a diagnostic
      challenge for clinicians. Women receive less invasive therapy during
      hospitalization and have worse in-hospital and long-term outcomes.

PMID- 28623175
TI  - Elevated High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Is Associated with Hyponatremia in
      Hypertensive Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT)
      showed that intensive lowering of systolic blood pressure is beneficial, but is
      associated with more adverse events. Hyponatremia was notably more frequent in
      the intensive treatment group. Investigating its risk factors is crucial for
      preventing this complication. Our objective in this study was to identify risk
      factors for hyponatremia in the adult population. METHODS: We investigated the
      baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from the 9361 participants of
      SPRINT to identify the best predictors of hyponatremia (serum sodium <=130
      mEq/L), and adverse events, which could be attributed to hyponatremia, using
      machine learning and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. We confirmed
      our results in the independent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
      (NHANES) cohort between the years 2005 and 2010 (16,501 participants). RESULTS:
      Elevated baseline high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was a strong
      predictor of future hyponatremia. Multivariable Cox regression showed
      hyponatremia events to be significantly increased for SPRINT participants with
      baseline HDL-C levels in the highest quintile (hazard ratio [HR] 2.8; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 2.2-3.7; P <.001), and were also associated with
      treatment-related serious adverse events (HR 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-2.1; P <.001). We
      confirmed the association between HDL-C and hyponatremia in the NHANES cohort (HR
      2.5; 95% CI, 1.7-3.7; P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated HDL-C (>=62 mg/dL) is a
      risk factor for hyponatremia. Thus, hypertensive patients with elevated HDL-C
      should be closely monitored for hyponatremia when treated for hypertension.

PMID- 28623176
TI  - Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with an Acute Coronary Syndrome
      Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The recent American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology
      guidelines on duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) recommend DAPT for 1
      year in patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome, with a Class IIb
      recommendation for continuation. We aim to assess the evidence for these
      recommendations using a meta-analytic approach. METHODS: We searched electronic
      databases for randomized trials comparing short-term (<=6 months) vs 12-month vs
      extended (>12 months) DAPT in patients with an acute coronary syndrome undergoing
      percutaneous coronary intervention. We evaluated all-cause mortality,
      cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, and major
      bleeding. A random-effects model was used to calculate pooled relative risk (RR)
      and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: We included 8 trials comprising
      12,917 patients with an acute coronary syndrome; 5 trials compared short-term vs
      12-month/extended DAPT, whereas 3 trials compared 12-month vs extended DAPT.
      There was no significant difference in cardiovascular mortality (RR 1.04; 95% CI,
      0.67-1.60), myocardial infarction (RR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.79-1.47), or major bleeding
      (RR 0.91; 95% CI, 0.49-1.69) between short-term and 12-month/extended DAPT.
      However, compared with extended DAPT, 12-month DAPT showed significantly higher
      risk of myocardial infarction (RR 2.00; 95% CI, 1.47-2.73), but reduced risk of
      major bleeding (RR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.34-0.98). All-cause mortality was found to be
      similar between 12-month and extended DAPT. CONCLUSIONS: In acute coronary
      syndrome, short-term DAPT may be reasonable for some patients, whereas extended
      DAPT may be appropriate in select others. An individualized approach is needed,
      taking into account the competing risks of bleeding and ischemic events.

PMID- 28623177
TI  - Delay in Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Patients Without Gastrointestinal
      Complaints.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to investigate the delay in diagnosis of
      patients with biopsy-proven celiac disease in those who present with
      gastrointestinal complaints vs nongastrointestinal complaints at our tertiary
      care center. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects approximately
      1% of the population worldwide. Celiac disease can have variable clinical
      presentations; it can be characterized by predominately gastrointestinal
      symptoms, or it may present without any gastrointestinal symptoms. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed the charts of 687 adult patients who carried the
      diagnosis of celiac disease. Patients included had biopsy-proven celiac disease
      and were categorized based on presence or absence of gastrointestinal symptoms
      prior to their diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 101 patients with biopsy-proven
      celiac disease that met inclusion criteria. Fifty-two patients presented with
      gastrointestinal symptoms and 49 had nongastrointestinal complaints. Results from
      Mann-Whitney statistical analysis showed a median delay in diagnosis of 2.3
      months for the gastrointestinal symptoms group and 42 months for the
      nongastrointestinal group (P <.001); 43.2% of patients with nongastrointestinal
      symptoms had abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone, as opposed to 15.5% in the
      gastrointestinal symptom group (P = .004). Of patients with nongastrointestinal
      symptoms, 69.4% had anemia, compared with 11.5% of the gastrointestinal symptom
      group (P <.001). The majority of patients in the nongastrointestinal symptom
      group, 68%, were noted to have abnormal bone density scans, compared with 41% in
      the gastrointestinal symptom group. No sex differences were noted on chi-squared
      analysis between the 2 groups (P = .997). CONCLUSIONS: Although there is growing
      awareness of celiac disease, the delay in diagnosis for patients without
      gastrointestinal symptoms remains prolonged, with an average delay of 3.5 years.

PMID- 28623178
TI  - Adrenal-derived stress hormones modulate ozone-induced lung injury and
      inflammation.
AB  - Ozone-induced systemic effects are modulated through activation of the neuro
      hormonal stress response pathway. Adrenal demedullation (DEMED) or bilateral
      total adrenalectomy (ADREX) inhibits systemic and pulmonary effects of acute
      ozone exposure. To understand the influence of adrenal-derived stress hormones in
      mediating ozone-induced lung injury/inflammation, we assessed global gene
      expression (mRNA sequencing) and selected proteins in lung tissues from male
      Wistar-Kyoto rats that underwent DEMED, ADREX, or sham surgery (SHAM) prior to
      their exposure to air or ozone (1ppm), 4h/day for 1 or 2days. Ozone exposure
      significantly changed the expression of over 2300 genes in lungs of SHAM rats,
      and these changes were markedly reduced in DEMED and ADREX rats. SHAM surgery but
      not DEMED or ADREX resulted in activation of multiple ozone-responsive pathways,
      including glucocorticoid, acute phase response, NRF2, and PI3K-AKT. Predicted
      targets from sequencing data showed a similarity between transcriptional changes
      induced by ozone and adrenergic and steroidal modulation of effects in SHAM but
      not ADREX rats. Ozone-induced increases in lung Il6 in SHAM rats coincided with
      neutrophilic inflammation, but were diminished in DEMED and ADREX rats. Although
      ozone exposure in SHAM rats did not significantly alter mRNA expression of
      Ifngamma and Il-4, the IL-4 protein and ratio of IL-4 to IFNgamma (IL-4/IFNgamma)
      proteins increased suggesting a tendency for a Th2 response. This did not occur
      in ADREX and DEMED rats. We demonstrate that ozone-induced lung injury and
      neutrophilic inflammation require the presence of circulating epinephrine and
      corticosterone, which transcriptionally regulates signaling mechanisms involved
      in this response.

PMID- 28623179
TI  - Modulation of TGF-beta/Smad and ERK signaling pathways mediates the anti-fibrotic
      effect of mirtazapine in mice.
AB  - Serotonin (5-HT) has been implicated as a key driver of liver fibrosis, acting
      via 5-HT2 receptor activation in the hepatic stellate cells. The current study
      was conducted to investigate the effects of mirtazapine, a 5-HT2A antagonist, in
      a mouse model of liver fibrosis. Mice received thioacetamide (TAA,
      150mg/kg/biweekly, ip) for nine successive weeks for induction of liver fibrosis.
      Administration of mirtazapine significantly improved the plasma
      aminotransferases, reduced hepatic 5-HT concentration and ameliorated TAA-induced
      liver fibrosis, as demonstrated by reduced portal blood pressure, liver
      procollagen I content and alpha alpha smooth muscle actin expression. Moreover,
      hepatic collagen deposition was markedly decreased in mirtazapine-treated mice as
      evaluated by Masson's trichrome staining. Mirtazapine provided an antifibrotic
      environment by decreasing the liver content of transforming growth factor-beta1
      (TGF-beta1), and protein kinase C as well as the expression of phosphorylated
      Smad3 (p-Smad) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2
      (p-ERK1/2). Additionally, oxidative stress was largely mitigated by mirtazapine
      as manifested by decreased liver lipid peroxidation and NADPH oxidase 1 along
      with glutathione replenishment. The current study indicates that mirtazapine
      suppressed 5-HT-mediated TGF-beta1/Smad3 and ERK1/2 signaling pathways as well as
      oxidative stress that contribute to the progression of liver fibrosis.

PMID- 28623180
TI  - Behavioral screening of the LOPAC1280 library in zebrafish embryos.
AB  - Spontaneous activity represents an early, primitive form of motor activity within
      zebrafish embryos, providing a potential readout for identification of
      neuroactive compounds. However, despite use as an endpoint in chemical screens
      around the world, the predictive power and limitations of assays relying on
      spontaneous activity remain unclear. Using an improved high-content screening
      assay that increased throughput from 384 to 3072 wells per week, we screened a
      well-characterized library of 1280 pharmacologically active compounds (LOPAC1280)
      - 612 of which target neurotransmission - to identify which targets are detected
      using spontaneous activity as a readout. Results from this screen revealed that
      (1) 8% of the LOPAC1280 library was biologically active; (2) spontaneous activity
      was affected by compounds spanning a broad array of targets; (3) only 4% of
      compounds targeting neurotransmission impacted spontaneous activity; and (4)
      hypoactivity was observed for 100% of hits detected, including those that exhibit
      opposing mechanisms of action for the same target. Therefore, while this assay
      was able to rapidly identify potent neuroactive chemicals, these data suggest
      that spontaneous activity may lack the ability to discriminate modes of action
      for compounds interfering with neurotransmission, an issue that may be due to
      systemic uptake following waterborne exposure, persistent control variation,
      and/or interference with non-neurotransmission-related mechanisms.

PMID- 28623181
TI  - Allele-level HLA matching for umbilical cord blood transplantation for non
      malignant diseases in children: a retrospective analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The standard for selecting unrelated umbilical cord blood units for
      transplantation for non-malignant diseases relies on antigen-level (lower
      resolution) HLA typing for HLA-A and HLA-B, and allele-level for HLA-DRB1. We
      aimed to study the effects of allele-level matching at a higher resolution-HLA-A,
      HLA-B, HLA-C, and HLA-DRB1, which is the standard used for adult unrelated
      volunteer donor transplantation for non-malignant diseases-for umbilical cord
      blood transplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 1199 paediatric donor
      recipient pairs with allele-level HLA matching who received a single unit
      umbilical cord blood transplantation for non-malignant diseases reported to the
      Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research or Eurocord and
      European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplant. Transplantations occurred between
      Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2012. The primary outcome was overall survival. The
      effect of HLA matching on survival was studied using a Cox regression model.
      FINDINGS: Compared with HLA-matched transplantations, mortality was higher with
      transplantations mismatched at two (hazard ratio [HR] 1.55, 95% CI 1.08-2.21,
      p=0.018), three (2.04, 1.44-2.89, p=0.0001), and four or more alleles (3.15, 2.16
      4.58, p<0.0001). There were no significant differences in mortality between
      transplantations that were matched and mismatched at one allele (HR 1.18, 95% CI
      0.80-1.72, p=0.39). Other factors associated with higher mortality included
      recipient cytomegalovirus seropositivity (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.13-1.74, p=0.0020),
      reduced intensity compared with myeloablative conditioning regimens (HR 1.36,
      1.10-1.68, p=0.0041), transplantation of units with total nucleated cell dose of
      more than 21 * 107 cells per kg compared with 21 * 107 cells per kg or less (HR
      1.47, 1.11-1.95, p=0.0076), and transplantations done in 2000-05 compared with
      those done in 2006-12 (HR 1.64, 1.31-2.04, p<0.0001). The 5-year overall survival
      adjusted for recipient cytomegalovirus serostatus, conditioning regimen
      intensity, total nucleated cell dose, and transplantation period was 79% (95% CI
      74-85) after HLA matched, 76% (71-81) after one allele mismatched, 70% (65-75)
      after two alleles mismatched, 62% (57-68) after three alleles mismatched, and 49%
      (41-57) after four or more alleles mismatched transplantations. Graft failure was
      the predominant cause of mortality. INTERPRETATION: These data support a change
      from current practice in that selection of unrelated umbilical cord blood units
      for transplantation for non-malignant diseases should consider allele-level HLA
      matching at HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, and HLA-DRB1. FUNDING: National Cancer
      Institute; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; National Institute for
      Allergy and Infectious Diseases; US Department of Health and Human Services
      Health Resources and Services Administration; and US Department of Navy.

PMID- 28623182
TI  - MyGeneFriends: A Social Network Linking Genes, Genetic Diseases, and Researchers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The constant and massive increase of biological data offers
      unprecedented opportunities to decipher the function and evolution of genes and
      their roles in human diseases. However, the multiplicity of sources and flow of
      data mean that efficient access to useful information and knowledge production
      has become a major challenge. This challenge can be addressed by taking
      inspiration from Web 2.0 and particularly social networks, which are at the
      forefront of big data exploration and human-data interaction. OBJECTIVE:
      MyGeneFriends is a Web platform inspired by social networks, devoted to genetic
      disease analysis, and organized around three types of proactive agents: genes,
      humans, and genetic diseases. The aim of this study was to improve exploration
      and exploitation of biological, postgenomic era big data. METHODS: MyGeneFriends
      leverages conventions popularized by top social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn,
      etc), such as networks of friends, profile pages, friendship recommendations,
      affinity scores, news feeds, content recommendation, and data visualization.
      RESULTS: MyGeneFriends provides simple and intuitive interactions with data
      through evaluation and visualization of connections (friendships) between genes,
      humans, and diseases. The platform suggests new friends and publications and
      allows agents to follow the activity of their friends. It dynamically
      personalizes information depending on the user's specific interests and provides
      an efficient way to share information with collaborators. Furthermore, the user's
      behavior itself generates new information that constitutes an added value
      integrated in the network, which can be used to discover new connections between
      biological agents. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed MyGeneFriends, a Web platform
      leveraging conventions from popular social networks to redefine the relationship
      between humans and biological big data and improve human processing of biomedical
      data. MyGeneFriends is available at lbgi.fr/mygenefriends.

PMID- 28623183
TI  - Phone-Based Interventions in Adolescent Psychiatry: A Perspective and Proof of
      Concept Pilot Study With a Focus on Depression and Autism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Telemedicine has emerged as an innovative platform to diagnose and
      treat psychiatric disorders in a cost-effective fashion. Previous studies have
      laid the functional framework for monitoring and treating child psychiatric
      disorders electronically using videoconferencing, mobile phones (smartphones),
      and Web-based apps. However, phone call and text message (short message service,
      SMS) interventions in adolescent psychiatry are less studied than other
      electronic platforms. Further investigations on the development of these
      interventions are needed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper was to explore the
      utility of text message interventions in adolescent psychiatry and describe a
      user feedback-driven iterative design process for text message systems. METHODS:
      We developed automated text message interventions using a platform for both
      depression (EpxDepression) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD; EpxAutism) and
      conducted 2 pilot studies for each intervention (N=3 and N=6, respectively). The
      interventions were prescribed by and accessible to the patients' healthcare
      providers. EpxDepression and EpxAutism utilized an automated system to triage
      patients into 1 of 3 risk categories based on their text responses and alerted
      providers directly via phone and an online interface when patients met provider
      specified risk criteria. Rapid text-based feedback from participants and
      interviews with providers allowed for quick iterative cycles to improve
      interventions. RESULTS: Patients using EpxDepression had high weekly response
      rates (100% over 2 to 4 months), but exhibited message fatigue with daily prompts
      with mean (SD) overall response rates of 66.3% (21.6%) and 64.7% (8.2%) for mood
      and sleep questionnaires, respectively. In contrast, parents using EpxAutism
      displayed both high weekly and overall response rates (100% and 85%,
      respectively, over 1 to 4 months) that did not decay significantly with time.
      Monthly participant feedback surveys for EpxDepression (7 surveys) and EpxAutism
      (18 surveys) preliminarily indicated that for both interventions, daily messages
      constituted the "perfect amount" of contact and that EpxAutism, but not
      EpxDepression, improved patient communication with providers. Notably,
      EpxDepression detected thoughts of self-harm in patients before their case
      managers or caregivers were aware of such ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Text-message
      interventions in adolescent psychiatry can provide a cost-effective and engaging
      method to track symptoms, behavior, and ideation over time. Following the
      collection of pilot data and feedback from providers and patients, larger studies
      are already underway to validate the clinical utility of EpxDepression and
      EpxAutism. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03002311;
      https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03002311 (Archived by WebCite at
      http://www.webcitation.org/6qQtlCIS0).

PMID- 28623184
TI  - Scaling Up Psychological Treatments: A Countrywide Test of the Online Training of
      Therapists.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A major barrier to the widespread dissemination of psychological
      treatments is the way that therapists are trained. The current method is not
      scalable. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to conduct a proof-of-concept study of Web
      centered training, a scalable online method for training therapists. METHODS: The
      Irish Health Service Executive identified mental health professionals across the
      country whom it wanted to be trained in a specific psychological treatment for
      eating disorders. These therapists were given access to a Web-centered training
      program in transdiagnostic cognitive behavior therapy for eating disorders. The
      training was accompanied by a scalable form of support consisting of brief
      encouraging telephone calls from a nonspecialist. The trainee therapists
      completed a validated measure of therapist competence before and after the
      training. RESULTS: Of 102 therapists who embarked upon the training program, 86
      (84.3%) completed it. There was a substantial increase in their competence scores
      following the training (mean difference 5.84, 95% Cl -6.62 to -5.05; P<.001) with
      42.5% (34/80) scoring above a predetermined cut-point indicative of a good level
      of competence. CONCLUSIONS: Web-centered training proved feasible and acceptable
      and resulted in a marked increase in therapist competence scores. If these
      findings are replicated, Web-centered training would provide a means of
      simultaneously training large numbers of geographically dispersed trainees at low
      cost, thereby overcoming a major obstacle to the widespread dissemination of
      psychological treatments.

PMID- 28623185
TI  - A Web-Based Data Collection Platform for Multisite Randomized Behavioral
      Intervention Trials: Development, Key Software Features, and Results of a User
      Survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Meticulous tracking of study data must begin early in the study
      recruitment phase and must account for regulatory compliance, minimize missing
      data, and provide high information integrity and/or reduction of errors. In
      behavioral intervention trials, participants typically complete several study
      procedures at different time points. Among HIV-infected patients, behavioral
      interventions can favorably affect health outcomes. In order to empower newly
      diagnosed HIV positive individuals to learn skills to enhance retention in HIV
      care, we developed the behavioral health intervention Integrating ENGagement and
      Adherence Goals upon Entry (iENGAGE) funded by the National Institute of Allergy
      and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), where we deployed an in-clinic behavioral health
      intervention in 4 urban HIV outpatient clinics in the United States. To scale our
      intervention strategy homogenously across sites, we developed software that would
      function as a behavioral sciences research platform. OBJECTIVE: This manuscript
      aimed to: (1) describe the design and implementation of a Web-based software
      application to facilitate deployment of a multisite behavioral science
      intervention; and (2) report on results of a survey to capture end-user
      perspectives of the impact of this platform on the conduct of a behavioral
      intervention trial. METHODS: In order to support the implementation of the NIAID
      funded trial iENGAGE, we developed software to deploy a 4-site behavioral
      intervention for new clinic patients with HIV/AIDS. We integrated the study
      coordinator into the informatics team to participate in the software development
      process. Here, we report the key software features and the results of the 25-item
      survey to evaluate user perspectives on research and intervention activities
      specific to the iENGAGE trial (N=13). RESULTS: The key features addressed are
      study enrollment, participant randomization, real-time data collection,
      facilitation of longitudinal workflow, reporting, and reusability. We found 100%
      user agreement (13/13) that participation in the database design and/or testing
      phase made it easier to understand user roles and responsibilities and
      recommended participation of research teams in developing databases for future
      studies. Users acknowledged ease of use, color flags, longitudinal work flow, and
      data storage in one location as the most useful features of the software platform
      and issues related to saving participant forms, security restrictions, and
      worklist layout as least useful features. CONCLUSIONS: The successful development
      of the iENGAGE behavioral science research platform validated an approach of
      early and continuous involvement of the study team in design development. In
      addition, we recommend post-hoc collection of data from users as this led to
      important insights on how to enhance future software and inform standard clinical
      practices. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01900236;
      (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01900236 (Archived by WebCite at
      http://www.webcitation.org/6qAa8ld7v).

PMID- 28623186
TI  - Assessment of Active Video Gaming Using Adapted Controllers by Individuals With
      Physical Disabilities: A Protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals with disabilities are typically more sedentary and less
      fit compared to their peers without disabilities. Furthermore, engaging in
      physical activity can be extremely challenging due to physical impairments
      associated with disability and fewer opportunities to participate. One option for
      increasing physical activity is playing active video games (AVG), a category of
      video games that requires much more body movement for successful play than
      conventional push-button or joystick actions. However, many current AVGs are
      inaccessible or offer limited play options for individuals who are unable to
      stand, have balance issues, poor motor control, or cannot use their lower body to
      perform game activities. Making AVGs accessible to people with disabilities
      offers an innovative approach to overcoming various barriers to participation in
      physical activity. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare the effect of off-the-shelf
      and adapted game controllers on quality of game play, enjoyment, and energy
      expenditure during active video gaming in persons with physical disabilities,
      specifically those with mobility impairments (ie, unable to stand, balance
      issues, poor motor control, unable to use lower extremity for gameplay). The
      gaming controllers to be evaluated include off-the-shelf and adapted versions of
      the Wii Fit balance board and gaming mat. METHODS: Participants (10-60 years old)
      came to the laboratory a total of three times. During the first visit,
      participants completed a functional assessment and became familiar with the
      equipment and games to be played. For the functional assessment, participants
      performed 18 functional movement tasks from the International Classification of
      Functioning, Disability, and Health. They also answered a series of questions
      from the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and Quality of
      Life in Neurological Conditions measurement tools, to provide a personal
      perspective regarding their own functional ability. For Visit 2, metabolic data
      were collected during an initial 20-minute baseline, followed by 40 minutes of
      game play. The controller (balance board or gaming mat) played was randomly
      selected. A set of games was played for 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of
      rest, and then another set of games was played for 10 minutes, followed by rest.
      Quality of game play was observed and documented for each set. During rest, the
      participant completed questions regarding enjoyment. Following the same
      procedures, the participant then played the two sets of games using the other
      version (off-the-shelf or adapted) of the controller. The entire procedure was
      repeated during Visit 3 with the controller that was not played. RESULTS:
      Enrollment began in February 2016 and ended in September 2016. Study results will
      be reported in late 2017. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesized that the adapted versions
      of the Wii Fit balance board and gaming mat would produce greater quality of game
      play, enjoyment, and energy expenditure in persons with mobility impairments
      compared to off-the-shelf versions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov
      NCT02994199; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02994199 (Archived by WebCite
      at http://www.webcitation.org/6qpPszPJ7).

PMID- 28623189
TI  - The "Anthropocene": neglects, misconceptions, and possible futures: The term
      "Anthropocene" is often erroneously used, as it is not formally defined yet.

PMID- 28623188
TI  - Gli1-induced deubiquitinase USP48 aids glioblastoma tumorigenesis by stabilizing
      Gli1.
AB  - Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway drives the
      tumorigenesis of multiple cancers. In this study, we screened a panel of
      deubiquitinases that may regulate the Hh pathway. We find that deubiquitinase
      USP48 activates Gli-dependent transcription by stabilizing Gli1 protein.
      Mechanistically, USP48 interacts with Gli1 and cleaves its ubiquitin off
      directly. In glioblastoma cells, knockdown of USP48 inhibits cell proliferation
      and the expression of Gli1's downstream targets, which leads to repressed
      glioblastoma tumorigenesis. Importantly, USP48's effect on cell proliferation and
      tumorigenesis depends to some extent on Gli1. In addition, we find that the Sonic
      Hedgehog (SHH) pathway induces USP48 expression through Gli1-mediated
      transcriptional activation, which forms thus a positive feedback loop to regulate
      Hh signaling. In human glioblastoma specimens, the expression levels of USP48 and
      Gli1 proteins are clinically relevant, and high expression of USP48 correlates
      with glioma malignancy. In summary, our study reveals that the USP48-Gli1
      regulatory axis is critical for glioma cell proliferation and glioblastoma
      tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28623187
TI  - Control of box C/D snoRNP assembly by N6-methylation of adenine.
AB  - N6-methyladenine is the most widespread mRNA modification. A subset of human box
      C/D snoRNA species have target GAC sequences that lead to formation of N6
      methyladenine at a key trans Hoogsteen-sugar A.G base pair, of which half are
      methylated in vivo The GAC target is conserved only in those that are methylated.
      Methylation prevents binding of the 15.5-kDa protein and the induced folding of
      the RNA Thus, the assembly of the box C/D snoRNP could in principle be regulated
      by RNA methylation at its critical first stage. Crystallography reveals that N6
      methylation of adenine prevents the formation of trans Hoogsteen-sugar A.G base
      pairs, explaining why the box C/D RNA cannot adopt its kinked conformation. More
      generally, our data indicate that sheared A.G base pairs (but not Watson-Crick
      base pairs) are more susceptible to disruption by N6mA methylation and are
      therefore possible regulatory sites. The human signal recognition particle RNA
      and many related Alu retrotransposon RNA species are also methylated at N6 of an
      adenine that forms a sheared base pair with guanine and mediates a key tertiary
      interaction.

PMID- 28623190
TI  - Primary tuberculosis of cystic duct lymph node.
AB  - Tuberculosis (TC) is very common and significant cause of morbidity and mortality
      worldwide. Isolated cystic duct lymph node TC cases without involvement of
      gallbladder are exceedingly rare. It is difficult to diagnose preoperatively
      because of lack of characteristic signs and symptoms of TC. We report a man aged
      45 years who presented with right upper abdominal pain since 1week. It was
      associated with nausea and postprandial fullness. There was no evidence of
      jaundice and lymphadenopathy. Abdominal examination showed moderate right upper
      quadrant tenderness with positive Murphy's sign and splenomegaly but no signs of
      peritonism. Abdomen ultrasound revealed sludge in gallbladder, dilated pancreatic
      duct, coarse exotexture of liver, splenomegaly and no lymphadenopathy. He
      underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy; histological report showed chronic
      caseating granulomatous lymphadenitis with Langhans type of giant cells in lymph
      node near cystic duct with chronic cholecystitis of gallbladder. Standard
      antituberculosis therapy was given for 12 months.

PMID- 28623191
TI  - Renal capillary haemangioma associated with renal cell carcinoma and
      polycythaemia in acquired cystic disease.
AB  - Capillary haemangiomas are relatively common tumours, typically occurring in the
      subcutaneous tissue during childhood. However, visceral occurrence is very rare.
      These tumours make up a subset of vascular lesions that have previously, although
      rarely, been described in case reports in association with the kidney. Here we
      review the literature and describe a capillary haemangioma occurring in the renal
      hilum found to be coexistent with end-stage renal disease, renal cell carcinoma
      and polycythaemia. To our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe
      the occurrence of this tumour in the renal hilum in association with this
      constitution of renal pathologies.

PMID- 28623193
TI  - Hunt will ask chancellor to consider lifting NHS pay cap.

PMID- 28623192
TI  - Ultrasound B scan: a simple tool to simplify the diagnosis.

PMID- 28623194
TI  - Quantitative mapping of microtubule-associated protein 2c (MAP2c) phosphorylation
      and regulatory protein 14-3-3zeta-binding sites reveals key differences between
      MAP2c and its homolog Tau.

PMID- 28623195
TI  - Cytokine-induced paracrystals prolong the activity of signal transducers and
      activators of transcription (STAT) and provide a model for the regulation of
      protein solubility by small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO).

PMID- 28623196
TI  - Origin single-stranded DNA releases Sld3 protein from the Mcm2-7 complex,
      allowing the GINS tetramer to bind the Mcm2-7 complex.

PMID- 28623197
TI  - The replication initiation protein Sld3/Treslin orchestrates the assembly of the
      replication fork helicase during S phase.

PMID- 28623201
TI  - Scotland takes a step closer to reversing its tail docking ban.

PMID- 28623198
TI  - The Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase promotes Mcm2-7 ring opening to allow for single-stranded
      DNA extrusion and helicase assembly.

PMID- 28623202
TI  - Gove becomes environment secretary.

PMID- 28623204
TI  - Are hunting dogs spreading bovine TB?

PMID- 28623206
TI  - Animal establishments: what might the new licensing legislation look like?

PMID- 28623209
TI  - Five dogs stolen each day in the UK, with Staffies the most stolen breed.

PMID- 28623207
TI  - 'It's now time to make CCTV in abattoirs compulsory'.

PMID- 28623213
TI  - Is marbofloxacin a good candidate for treating pigs in Europe?

PMID- 28623217
TI  - Official controls in slaughterhouses.

PMID- 28623218
TI  - Official controls in slaughterhouses.

PMID- 28623220
TI  - Engagement between vets and sheep farmers.

PMID- 28623221
TI  - Holly leaf ingestion causing pharyngeal obstruction in lambs.

PMID- 28623223
TI  - Inspired by the Army.
AB  - Claire Scott likes to meet people with similar interests - people who like
      keeping fit, being outside and laughing loudly. Being an Army Reservist offers
      her this chance.

PMID- 28623222
TI  - Colin Berkeley Bewsher.
AB  - A mixed practitioner who enjoyed many sports. An 'inspirational, supportive and
      caring boss', and described by friends as a true gentleman.

PMID- 28623224
TI  - Ten-minute chat.
AB  - Claire explains more about what being an Army Reservist means.

PMID- 28623225
TI  - High peripheral temperatures in king penguins while resting at sea:
      thermoregulation versus fat deposition.
AB  - Marine endotherms living in cold water face an energetically challenging
      situation. Unless properly insulated, these animals will lose heat rapidly. The
      field metabolic rate of king penguins at sea is about twice that on land.
      However, when at sea, their metabolic rate is higher during extended resting
      periods at the surface than during foraging, when birds descend to great depth in
      pursuit of their prey. This is most likely explained by differences in thermal
      status. During foraging, peripheral vasoconstriction leads to a hypothermic
      shell, which is rewarmed during extended resting bouts at the surface.
      Maintaining peripheral perfusion during rest in cold water, however, will greatly
      increase heat loss and, therefore, thermoregulatory costs. Two hypotheses have
      been proposed to explain the maintenance of a normothermic shell during surface
      rest: (1) to help the unloading of N2 accumulated during diving; and (2) to allow
      the storage of fat in subcutaneous tissue, following the digestion of food. We
      tested the latter hypothesis by maintaining king penguins within a shallow
      seawater tank, while we recorded tissue temperature at four distinct sites. When
      king penguins were released into the tank during the day, their body temperature
      immediately declined. However, during the night, periodic rewarming of abdominal
      and peripheral tissues occurred, mimicking temperature patterns observed in the
      wild. Body temperatures, particularly in the flank, also depended on body
      condition and were higher in 'lean' birds (after 10 days of fasting) than in
      'fat' birds. While not explicitly tested, our observation that nocturnal
      rewarming persists in the absence of diving activity during the day does not
      support the N2 unloading hypothesis. Rather, differences in temperature changes
      throughout the day and night, and the effect of body condition/mass supports the
      hypothesis that tissue perfusion during rest is required for nutritional needs.

PMID- 28623227
TI  - Our job.

PMID- 28623226
TI  - Entraining to the polar day: circadian rhythms in arctic ground squirrels.
AB  - Circadian systems are principally entrained to 24 h light-dark cycles, but this
      cue is seasonally absent in polar environments. Although some resident polar
      vertebrates have weak circadian clocks and are seasonally arrhythmic, the arctic
      ground squirrel (AGS) maintains daily rhythms of physiology and behavior
      throughout the summer, which includes 6 weeks of constant daylight. Here, we show
      that persistent daily rhythms in AGS are maintained through a circadian system
      that readily entrains to the polar day yet remains insensitive to entrainment by
      rapid light-dark transitions, which AGS generate naturally as a consequence of
      their semi-fossorial behavior. Additionally, AGS do not show 'jet lag', the slow
      realignment of circadian rhythms induced by the inertia of an intrinsically
      stable master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). We suggest
      this is due to the low expression of arginine vasopressin in the SCN of AGS, as
      vasopressin is associated with inter-neuronal coupling and robust rhythmicity.

PMID- 28623228
TI  - Half of salaried and locum GPs are stressed, BMA survey finds.

PMID- 28623229
TI  - Zebrafish Znfl1 proteins control the expression of hoxb1b gene in the posterior
      neuroectoderm by acting upstream of pou5f3 and sall4 genes.
AB  - Transcription factors play crucial roles in patterning posterior neuroectoderm.
      Previously, zinc finger transcription factor znfl1 was reported to be expressed
      in the posterior neuroectoderm of zebrafish embryos. However, its roles remain
      unknown. Here, we report that there are 13 copies of znfl1 in the zebrafish
      genome, and all the paralogues share highly identical protein sequences and cDNA
      sequences. When znfl1s are knocked down using a morpholino to inhibit their
      translation or dCas9-Eve to inhibit their transcription, the zebrafish gastrula
      displays reduced expression of hoxb1b, the marker gene for the posterior
      neuroectoderm. Further analyses reveal that diminishing znfl1s produces the
      decreased expressions of pou5f3, whereas overexpression of pou5f3 effectively
      rescues the reduced expression of hoxb1b in the posterior neuroectoderm.
      Additionally, knocking down znfl1s causes the reduced expression of sall4, a
      direct regulator of pou5f3, in the posterior neuroectoderm, and overexpression of
      sall4 rescues the expression of pou5f3 in the knockdown embryos. In contrast,
      knocking down either pou5f3 or sall4 does not affect the expressions of znfl1s
      Taken together, our results demonstrate that zebrafish znfl1s control the
      expression of hoxb1b in the posterior neuroectoderm by acting upstream of pou5f3
      and sall4.

PMID- 28623230
TI  - Flexible-body motions of calmodulin and the farnesylated hypervariable region
      yield a high-affinity interaction enabling K-Ras4B membrane extraction.
AB  - In calmodulin (CaM)-rich environments, oncogenic KRAS plays a critical role in
      adenocarcinomas by promoting PI3K/Akt signaling. We previously proposed that at
      elevated calcium levels in cancer, CaM recruits PI3Kalpha to the membrane and
      extracts K-Ras4B from the membrane, organizing a K-Ras4B-CaM-PI3Kalpha ternary
      complex. CaM can thereby replace a missing receptor-tyrosine kinase signal to
      fully activate PI3Kalpha. Recent experimental data show that CaM selectively
      promotes K-Ras signaling but not of N-Ras or H-Ras. How CaM specifically targets
      K-Ras and how it extracts it from the membrane in KRAS-driven cancer is unclear.
      Obtaining detailed structural information for a CaM-K-Ras complex is still
      challenging. Here, using molecular dynamics simulations and fluorescence
      experiments, we observed that CaM preferentially binds unfolded K-Ras4B
      hypervariable regions (HVRs) and not alpha-helical HVRs. The interaction involved
      all three CaM domains including the central linker and both lobes. CaM
      specifically targeted the highly polybasic anchor region of the K-Ras4B HVR that
      stably wraps around CaM's acidic linker. The docking of the farnesyl group to the
      hydrophobic pockets located at both CaM lobes further enhanced CaM-HVR complex
      stability. Both CaM and K-Ras4B HVR are highly flexible molecules, suggesting
      that their interactions permit highly dynamic flexible-body motions. We,
      therefore, anticipate that the flexible-body interaction is required to extract K
      Ras4B from the membrane, as conformational plasticity enables CaM to orient
      efficiently to the polybasic HVR anchor, which is partially diffused into the
      liquid-phase membrane. Our structural model of the CaM-K-Ras4B HVR association
      provides plausible clues to CaM's regulatory action in PI3Kalpha activation
      involving the ternary complex in cell proliferation signaling by oncogenic K-Ras.

PMID- 28623231
TI  - Cry6Aa1, a Bacillus thuringiensis nematocidal and insecticidal toxin, forms pores
      in planar lipid bilayers at extremely low concentrations and without the need of
      proteolytic processing.
AB  - Cry6Aa1 is a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin active against nematodes and corn
      rootworm insects. Its 3D molecular structure, which has been recently elucidated,
      is unique among those known for other Bt toxins. Typical three-domain Bt toxins
      permeabilize receptor-free planar lipid bilayers (PLBs) by forming pores at doses
      in the 1-50 MUg/ml range. Solubilization and proteolytic activation are necessary
      steps for PLB permeabilization. In contrast to other Bt toxins, Cry6Aa1 formed
      pores in receptor-free bilayers at doses as low as 200 pg/ml in a wide range of
      pH (5.5-9.5) and without the need of protease treatment. When Cry6Aa1 was
      preincubated with Western corn rootworm (WCRW) midgut juice or trypsin, 100 fg/ml
      of the toxin was sufficient to form pores in PLBs. The overall biophysical
      properties of the pores were similar for all three forms of the toxin (native,
      midgut juice- and trypsin-treated), with conductances ranging from 28 to 689 pS,
      except for their ionic selectivity, which was slightly cationic for the native
      and midgut juice-treated Cry6Aa1, whereas dual selectivity (to cations or anions)
      was observed for the pores formed by the trypsin-treated toxin. Enrichment of
      PLBs with WCRW midgut brush-border membrane material resulted in a 2000-fold
      reduction of the amount of native Cry6Aa1 required to form pores and affected the
      biophysical properties of both the native and trypsin-treated forms of the toxin.
      These results indicate that, although Cry6Aa1 forms pores, the molecular
      determinants of its mode of action are significantly different from those
      reported for other Bt toxins.

PMID- 28623232
TI  - The RING finger- and PDZ domain-containing protein PDZRN3 controls localization
      of the Mg2+ regulator claudin-16 in renal tube epithelial cells.
AB  - Ion exchange in the renal tubules is fundamental to the maintenance of
      physiological ion levels. Claudin-16 (CLDN16) regulates the paracellular
      reabsorption of Mg2+ in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop in the kidney,
      with dephosphorylation of CLDN16 increasing its intracellular distribution and
      decreasing paracellular Mg2+ permeability. CLDN16 is located in the tight
      junctions, but the mechanism regulating its localization is unclear. Using yeast
      two-hybrid systems, we found that CLDN16 binds to PDZRN3, a protein containing
      both RING-finger and PDZ domains. We also observed that the carboxyl terminus of
      the cytoplasmic CLDN16 region was required for PDZRN3 binding. PZDRN3 was mainly
      distributed in the cytosol of rat kidney cells and upon cell treatment with the
      protein kinase A inhibitor H-89, colocalized with CLDN16. H-89 also increased
      mono-ubiquitination and the association of CLDN16 with PDZRN3. Mono
      ubiquitination levels of a K275A mutant were lower, and its association with
      PDZRN3 was reduced compared with wild-type (WT) CLDN16 and a K261A mutant,
      indicating that Lys-275 is the major ubiquitination site. An S217A mutant, a
      dephosphorylated form of CLDN16, localized to the cytosol along with PDZRN3 and
      the endosomal marker Rab7. PDZRN3 siRNA increased cell-surface localization of WT
      CLDN16 in H-89-treated cells or containing the S217A mutant and also suppressed
      CLDN16 endocytosis. Of note, H-89 decreased paracellular Mg2+ flux in WT CLDN16
      cells, and PDZRN3 siRNA increased Mg2+ flux in the H-89-treated WT CLDN16 and
      S217A mutant cells. These results suggest that PDZRN3 mediates endocytosis of
      dephosphorylated CLDN16 and represents an important component of the CLDN16
      trafficking machinery in the kidney.

PMID- 28623233
TI  - Structural and functional analyses of pyroglutamate-amyloid-beta-specific
      antibodies as a basis for Alzheimer immunotherapy.
AB  - Alzheimer disease is associated with deposition of the amyloidogenic peptide
      Abeta in the brain. Passive immunization using Abeta-specific antibodies has been
      demonstrated to reduce amyloid deposition both in vitro and in vivo Because N
      terminally truncated pyroglutamate (pE)-modified Abeta species (AbetapE3) exhibit
      enhanced aggregation potential and propensity to form toxic oligomers, they
      represent particularly attractive targets for antibody therapy. Here we present
      three separate monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize AbetapE3 with
      affinities of 1-10 nm and inhibit AbetapE3 fibril formation in vitro. In vivo
      application of one of these resulted in improved memory in AbetapE3 oligomer
      treated mice. Crystal structures of Fab-AbetapE3 complexes revealed two distinct
      binding modes for the peptide. Juxtaposition of pyroglutamate pE3 and the F4 side
      chain (the "pEF head") confers a pronounced bulky hydrophobic nature to the
      AbetapE3 N terminus that might explain the enhanced aggregation properties of the
      modified peptide. The deep burial of the pEF head by two of the antibodies
      explains their high target specificity and low cross-reactivity, making them
      promising candidates for the development of clinical antibodies.

PMID- 28623235
TI  - Jeffrey Tate.

PMID- 28623236
TI  - Authors' reply to Rishniw.

PMID- 28623234
TI  - A ciliary opsin in the brain of a marine annelid zooplankton is ultraviolet
      sensitive, and the sensitivity is tuned by a single amino acid residue.
AB  - Ciliary opsins were classically thought to function only in vertebrates for
      vision, but they have also been identified recently in invertebrates for non
      visual photoreception. Larvae of the annelid Platynereis dumerilii are used as a
      zooplankton model, and this zooplankton species possesses a "vertebrate-type"
      ciliary opsin (named c-opsin) in the brain. Platynereis c-opsin is suggested to
      relay light signals for melatonin production and circadian behaviors. Thus, the
      spectral and biochemical characteristics of this c-opsin would be directly
      related to non-visual photoreception in this zooplankton model. Here we
      demonstrate that the c-opsin can sense UV to activate intracellular signaling
      cascades and that it can directly bind exogenous all-trans-retinal. These results
      suggest that this c-opsin regulates circadian signaling in a UV-dependent manner
      and that it does not require a supply of 11-cis-retinal for photoreception.
      Avoidance of damaging UV irradiation is a major cause of large-scale daily
      zooplankton movement, and the observed capability of the c-opsin to transmit UV
      signals and bind all-trans-retinal is ideally suited for sensing UV radiation in
      the brain, which presumably lacks enzymes producing 11-cis-retinal. Mutagenesis
      analyses indicated that a unique amino acid residue (Lys-94) is responsible for c
      opsin-mediated UV sensing in the Platynereis brain. We therefore propose that
      acquisition of the lysine residue in the c-opsin would be a critical event in the
      evolution of Platynereis to enable detection of ambient UV light. In summary, our
      findings indicate that the c-opsin possesses spectral and biochemical properties
      suitable for UV sensing by the zooplankton model.

PMID- 28623237
TI  - NICE approves trastuzumab emtansine after deal with drug company.

PMID- 28623238
TI  - A normal genetic variation modulates synaptic MMP-9 protein levels and the
      severity of schizophrenia symptoms.
AB  - Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) has recently emerged as a molecule that
      contributes to pathological synaptic plasticity in schizophrenia, but explanation
      of the underlying mechanisms has been missing. In the present study, we performed
      a phenotype-based genetic association study (PGAS) in > 1,000 schizophrenia
      patients from the Gottingen Research Association for Schizophrenia (GRAS) data
      collection and found an association between the MMP-9 rs20544 C/T single
      nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the 3'untranslated region (UTR) and the
      severity of a chronic delusional syndrome. In cultured neurons, the rs20544 SNP
      influenced synaptic MMP-9 activity and the morphology of dendritic spines. We
      demonstrated that Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) bound the MMP-9
      3'UTR We also found dramatic changes in RNA structure folding and alterations in
      the affinity of FMRP for MMP-9 RNA, depending on the SNP variant. Finally, we
      observed greater sensitivity to psychosis-related locomotor hyperactivity in Mmp
      9 heterozygous mice. We propose a novel mechanism that involves MMP-9-dependent
      changes in dendritic spine morphology and the pathophysiology of schizophrenia,
      providing the first mechanistic insights into the way in which the single base
      change in the MMP-9 gene (rs20544) influences gene function and results in
      phenotypic changes observed in schizophrenia patients.

PMID- 28623239
TI  - (CCUG)n RNA toxicity in a Drosophila model of myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2)
      activates apoptosis.
AB  - The myotonic dystrophies are prototypic toxic RNA gain-of-function diseases.
      Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2) are caused by different
      unstable, noncoding microsatellite repeat expansions - (CTG)DM1 in DMPK and
      (CCTG)DM2 in CNBP Although transcription of mutant repeats into (CUG)DM1 or
      (CCUG)DM2 appears to be necessary and sufficient to cause disease, their
      pathomechanisms remain incompletely understood. To study the mechanisms of
      (CCUG)DM2 toxicity and develop a convenient model for drug screening, we
      generated a transgenic DM2 model in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with
      (CCUG)n repeats of variable length (n=16 and 106). Expression of noncoding
      (CCUG)106, but not (CCUG)16, in muscle and retinal cells led to the formation of
      ribonuclear foci and mis-splicing of genes implicated in DM pathology. Mis
      splicing could be rescued by co-expression of human MBNL1, but not by CUGBP1
      (CELF1) complementation. Flies with (CCUG)106 displayed strong disruption of
      external eye morphology and of the underlying retina. Furthermore, expression of
      (CCUG)106 in developing retinae caused a strong apoptotic response. Inhibition of
      apoptosis rescued the retinal disruption in (CCUG)106 flies. Finally, we tested
      two chemical compounds that have shown therapeutic potential in DM1 models.
      Whereas treatment of (CCUG)106 flies with pentamidine had no effect, treatment
      with a PKR inhibitor blocked both the formation of RNA foci and apoptosis in
      retinae of (CCUG)106 flies. Our data indicate that expression of expanded
      (CCUG)DM2 repeats is toxic, causing inappropriate cell death in affected fly
      eyes. Our Drosophila DM2 model might provide a convenient tool for in vivo drug
      screening.

PMID- 28623241
TI  - Suppressing mTORC1 on the lysosome.

PMID- 28623242
TI  - OH MYeloid! Immune cells wreaking havoc on brain homeostasis.

PMID- 28623243
TI  - Metaplastic breast carcinoma with chondroid differentiation: a rare variant of
      infiltrative carcinoma in a 38-year-old woman.
AB  - Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare type of invasive breast carcinoma,
      and chondroid differentiation is even rarer. Here we report a case of MBC with
      extensive chondroid differentiation in a 38-year-old woman who presented with a
      lump in her left breast. Ultrasound findings were most compatible with those of
      giant fibroadenoma. A histopathological examination revealed a malignant lesion
      comprising neoplastic epithelial cells arranged in solid nests, with large areas
      of chondroid differentiation. Neoplastic chondroid cells exhibited a positive
      reaction for S-100, patchy positive reaction for pan-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) and
      negative reaction for epithelial membrane antigen. Both carcinomatous and
      chondroid cells exhibited p53 overexpression. Sentinel lymph node biopsy revealed
      no tumorous involvement.

PMID- 28623240
TI  - Adipose tissue: between the extremes.
AB  - Adipose tissue represents a critical component in healthy energy homeostasis. It
      fulfills important roles in whole-body lipid handling, serves as the body's major
      energy storage compartment and insulation barrier, and secretes numerous
      endocrine mediators such as adipokines or lipokines. As a consequence,
      dysfunction of these processes in adipose tissue compartments is tightly linked
      to severe metabolic disorders, including obesity, metabolic syndrome,
      lipodystrophy, and cachexia. While numerous studies have addressed causes and
      consequences of obesity-related adipose tissue hypertrophy and hyperplasia for
      health, critical pathways and mechanisms in (involuntary) adipose tissue loss as
      well as its systemic metabolic consequences are far less understood. In this
      review, we discuss the current understanding of conditions of adipose tissue
      wasting and review microenvironmental determinants of adipocyte (dys)function in
      related pathophysiologies.

PMID- 28623244
TI  - It's a cod! Finding Nemo (impacted fishbone) in the emergency department.
AB  - A 23-year-old woman presented to the emergency department (ED) with a sensation
      of a 'fish bone' stuck in her throat after eating cod. On physical examination,
      while she reported an uncomfortable sensation in her throat, no airway compromise
      was evident. Clinical examination, including ear, nose and throat (ENT) and
      oropharyngeal assessment, was unremarkable. A linear opacity consistent with a
      fishbone was visualised on a soft tissue lateral neck X-ray anterior to the
      vertebral body of C4-6. One attempt to visualise the fishbone on direct
      laryngoscopy failed in the ED. The fishbone was later removed the next day via
      direct visualisation with a flexible endoscope in the operating theatre by the
      ENT surgical team. The patient's recovery was uneventful.

PMID- 28623245
TI  - "Perception v production" of asparagus odour in urine needs to be determined in a
      controlled study.

PMID- 28623248
TI  - Dieulafoy's Lesion of the Anal Canal: A Rare Cause of Lower Gastrointestinal
      Bleeding.
AB  - BACKGROUND Dieulafoy's lesion of the anal canal is an uncommon cause of lower
      gastrointestinal bleeding due to rupture of a submucosal artery. This could be an
      under-recognized cause of hemorrhagic shock in rare cases. CASE REPORT We present
      2 cases admitted with bleeding per rectum and hemorrhagic shock, and both were
      diagnosed as Dieulafoy's lesion of the anal canal on sigmoidoscopy. One case was
      treated surgically and the second was managed endoscopically. CONCLUSIONS
      Dieulafoy's lesion of the anal canal can be a source of massive lower
      gastrointestinal bleeding. Initial anoscopy or sigmoidoscopy might miss such a
      lesion. Proper visualization helps not only the diagnosis, but also the provision
      of therapeutic intervention in the same setting.

PMID- 28623247
TI  - Evaluation of Serological Indicators and Glomerular Filtration Rate Equations in
      Chinese Cancer Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND The performance of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) have
      been proved to vary according to the races of the target population. The eGFR
      equations have not been validated in the Chinese cancer population received
      chemotherapy. Meanwhile, serum cystatin C (CysC), urea, beta2 microglobulin
      (beta2-MG), and creatinine (SCr) were also evaluated in a cohort of Chinese
      cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 1000 cancer patients undergoing
      combination chemotherapy and 108 healthy volunteers were included in this study,
      and their renal function parameters were evaluated. The eGFR values were compared
      with reference GFR (rGFR) according to correlation, consistency, precision, and
      accuracy. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate
      the discriminating ability of the GFR equations and serological indicators of
      renal function. RESULTS (1) The equations contained CysC had the same varying
      tendency as rGFR in relation to the chemotherapeutic cycle. (2) eGFRscr+cysc and
      eGFRChinese scr+cysc worked better than the other equations, as indicated by a
      stronger correlation, less bias, improved precision, higher accuracy, and greater
      AUC. (3) CysC was more sensitive than the other serological indicators for
      identifying early renal injury. (4) Each parameter showed different
      characteristics in subgroups of Chinese cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS CysC was the
      most sensitive marker for early renal injury. Among the 8 most commonly used eGFR
      equations, the combination equation eGFRscr+cysc and eGFRChinese scr+cysc
      exhibited the best performance in the assessment of the renal function of Chinese
      cancer patients.

PMID- 28623249
TI  - Sequential self-assembly of DNA functionalized droplets.
AB  - Complex structures and devices, both natural and manmade, are often constructed
      sequentially. From crystallization to embryogenesis, a nucleus or seed is formed
      and built upon. Sequential assembly allows for initiation, signaling, and logical
      programming, which are necessary for making enclosed, hierarchical structures.
      Although biology relies on such schemes, they have not been available in
      materials science. Here, we demonstrate programmed sequential self-assembly of
      DNA functionalized emulsions. The droplets are initially inert because the
      grafted DNA strands are pre-hybridized in pairs. Active strands on initiator
      droplets then displace one of the paired strands and thus release its complement,
      which in turn activates the next droplet in the sequence, akin to living
      polymerization. Our strategy provides time and logic control during the self
      assembly process, and offers a new perspective on the synthesis of
      materials.Natural complex systems are often constructed by sequential assembly
      but this is not readily available for synthetic systems. Here, the authors
      program the sequential self-assembly of DNA functionalized emulsions by altering
      the DNA grafted strands.

PMID- 28623250
TI  - ADAMTS-7 is associated with a high-risk plaque phenotype in human
      atherosclerosis.
AB  - Several large-scale genome-wide association studies have identified single
      nucleotide polymorphisms in the genomic region of A Disintegrin And
      Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin type 1 repeats (ADAMTS)-7 and associations
      to coronary artery disease. Experimental studies have provided evidence for a
      functional role of ADAMTS-7 in both injury-induced vascular neointima formation
      and development of atherosclerotic lesions. However, whether ADAMTS-7 is
      associated with a specific plaque phenotype in humans has not been investigated.
      Carotid plaques (n = 206) from patients with and without cerebrovascular symptoms
      were analyzed for expression of ADAMTS-7 by immunohistochemistry and correlated
      to components associated with plaque vulnerability. Plaques from symptomatic
      patients showed increased levels of ADAMTS-7 compared with lesions from
      asymptomatic patients. High levels of ADAMTS-7 correlated with high levels of
      CD68-staining and lipid content, but with low smooth muscle cell and collagen
      content, which together are characteristics of a vulnerable plaque phenotype.
      ADAMTS-7 levels above median were associated with increased risk for
      postoperative cardiovascular events. Our data show that ADAMTS-7 is associated
      with a vulnerable plaque phenotype in human carotid lesions. These data support
      previous observations of a potential proatherogenic role of ADAMTS-7.

PMID- 28623251
TI  - Highly functional T-cell receptor repertoires are abundant in stem memory T cells
      and highly shared among individuals.
AB  - To expand our knowledge of the ontogeny of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire
      of antigen-specific T-cell subsets, we combined next-generation deep sequencing
      and single-cell multiplex clonotype analysis to evaluate the diversity and
      frequency of paired TCRs, their functions and whether clonotypic TCRs are shared
      among different individuals. Using an HLA-A*02-restricted cytomegalovirus (CMV)
      pp65-derived immunogenic peptide, we found that the more dominant pp65-specific
      TCR clonotypes in the blood of healthy donors have higher binding affinities for
      the CMV peptide and arise from clonotypes that are highly shared among
      individuals. Interestingly, these highly shared HLA-A*02-restricted CMV-specific
      TCRs were detected in a CMV-seronegative individual as well as in HLA-A*02
      negative donors albeit at lower frequency. More intriguingly, these shared TCR
      clonotypes were abundant in the stem memory T-cell subset, and TCR diversity of
      the stem memory T-cell repertoire was significantly lower than in the central
      memory and effector memory T-cell repertoires. These results suggest that the
      stem memory T-cell subset may serve as a reservoir of highly shared and highly
      functional memory T-cells.

PMID- 28623252
TI  - Natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana Cd responses and the detection of
      quantitative trait loci affecting Cd tolerance.
AB  - Metal tolerance is often a result of metal storage or distribution. Thus, with
      the goal of advancing the molecular understanding of such metal homeostatic
      mechanisms, natural variation of metal tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana was
      investigated. Substantial variation exists in tolerance of excess copper (Cu),
      zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd). Two accessions, Col-0 and Bur-0, and a recombinant
      inbred line (RIL) population derived from these parents were chosen for further
      analysis of Cd and Zn tolerance variation, which is evident at different plant
      ages in various experimental systems and appears to be genetically linked. Three
      QTLs, explaining in total nearly 50% of the variation in Cd tolerance, were
      mapped. The one obvious candidate gene in the mapped intervals, HMA3, is unlikely
      to contribute to the variation. In order to identify additional candidate genes
      the Cd responses of Col-0 and Bur-0 were compared at the transcriptome level. The
      sustained common Cd response of the two accessions was dominated by processes
      implicated in plant pathogen defense. Accession-specific differences suggested a
      more efficient activation of acclimative responses as underlying the higher Cd
      tolerance of Bur-0. The second hypothesis derived from the physiological
      characterization of the accessions is a reduced Cd accumulation in Bur-0.

PMID- 28623253
TI  - C-C Chemokine Ligand-5 is critical for facilitating macrophage infiltration in
      the early phase of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury.
AB  - CCL5/RANTES, a chemoattractant for myeloid cells, is induced by hepatic
      ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). The roles of CCL5 in hepatic IRI were carried
      out by means of CCL5 immunodepletion, antagonistic competition by Met-CCL5, and
      treatment with recombinant murine CCL5 (rmCCL5). Depletion or inhibition of CCL5
      reduced severity of hepatic IRI, whereas rmCCL5 treatment aggravated liver IRI as
      manifested in elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and tissue
      myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels. Moreover, IRI severity was reduced in CCL5-knockout
      (CCL5-KO) mice versus wildtype (WT) mice, with drops in serum ALT level,
      intrahepatic MPO activity, and histological pathology. Bone marrow transplantion
      (BMT) studies show that myeloid cells and tissue cells are both required for CCL5
      aggravated hepatic IRI. The profile of liver-infiltrating leukocyte subsets after
      hepatic reperfusion identified CD11b+ cells as the only compartment significantly
      reduced in CCL5-KO mice versus WT controls at early reperfusion phase. The role
      of CCL5 recruiting CD11b+ cells in early reperfusion was validated by in vitro
      transwell migration assay of murine primary macrophages (broadly characterized by
      their CD11b expression) in response to liver lysates after early reperfusion.
      Taken together, our results demonstrate a sequence of early events elicited by
      CCL5 chemoattracting macrophage that result in inflammatory aggravation of
      hepatic IRI.

PMID- 28623254
TI  - High-throughput mass spectrometry analysis revealed a role for glucosamine in
      potentiating recovery following desiccation stress in Chironomus.
AB  - Desiccation tolerance is an essential survival trait, especially in tropical
      aquatic organisms that are vulnerable to severe challenges posed by
      hydroperiodicity patterns in their habitats, characterized by dehydration
      rehydration cycles. Here, we report a novel role for glucosamine as a desiccation
      stress-responsive metabolite in the underexplored tropical aquatic midge,
      Chironomus ramosus. Using high- throughput liquid chromatography quadrupole time
      of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QToF-MS) analysis, biochemical assays and gene
      expression studies, we confirmed that glucosamine was essential during the
      recovery phase in C. ramosus larvae. Additionally, we demonstrated that
      trehalose, a known stress-protectant was crucial during desiccation but did not
      offer any advantage to the larvae during recovery. Based on our findings, we
      emphasise on the collaborative interplay of glucosamine and trehalose in
      conferring overall resilience to desiccation stress and propose the involvement
      of the trehalose-chitin metabolic interface in insects as one of the stress
      management strategies to potentiate recovery post desiccation through recruitment
      of glucosamine.

PMID- 28623255
TI  - Quantitative modelling of hip fracture trends in 14 European countries: testing
      variations of a shared reversal over time.
AB  - Qualitative similarities between hip fracture trends in different countries
      suggests variations of the same epidemic. We tested a single statistical shape to
      describe time trends in Europe, while allowing for country-level variability.
      Using data from 14 countries, we modelled incidence rates over time using linear
      mixed-effects models, including the fixed effects of calendar year and age.
      Random effects were tested to quantify country-level variability in background
      rates, timing of trend reversal and tempo of reversal. Mixture models were
      applied to identify clusters of countries defined by common behavioural features.
      A quadratic function of time, with random effects for background rates and timing
      of trend reversal, adjusted well to the observed data. Predicted trend reversal
      occurred on average in 1999 in women (peak incidence about 600 per 100 000) and
      2000 in men (about 300 per 100 000). Mixture modelling of country-level effects
      suggested three clusters for women and two for men. In both sexes, Scandinavia
      showed higher rates but earlier trend reversals, whereas later trend reversals
      but lower peak incidences were found in Southern Europe and most of Central
      Europe. Our finding of a similar overall reversal pattern suggests that different
      countries show variations of a shared hip fracture epidemic.

PMID- 28623257
TI  - No-scanning 3D measurement method using ultrafast dimensional conversion with a
      chirped optical frequency comb.
AB  - A simultaneously high-precision, wide-range, and ultrafast time-resolution one
      shot 3D shape measurement method is presented. Simultaneous times of flight from
      multiple positions to a target encoded in a chirped optical frequency comb can be
      obtained from spectral interferometry. We experimentally demonstrate a one-shot
      imaging profile measurement of a known step height of 480 um with um-level
      accuracy. We further demonstrate the extension of the dynamic range by measuring
      in one shot a large step height of 3 m while maintaining high accuracy using the
      accurate pulse-to-pulse separation of the optical frequency comb. The proposed
      method with its large dynamic range and measurement versatility can be applied to
      a broad range of applications, including microscopic structures, objects with
      large size or aspect ratio, and ultrafast time-resolved imaging. This study
      provides a powerful and versatile tool for 3D measurement, where various ranges
      of measurement performances can be tailored to demand.

PMID- 28623256
TI  - LNA/DNA mixmer-based antisense oligonucleotides correct alternative splicing of
      the SMN2 gene and restore SMN protein expression in type 1 SMA fibroblasts.
AB  - Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting motor
      neurons, and is currently the most frequent genetic cause of infant mortality.
      SMA is caused by a loss-of-function mutation in the survival motor neuron 1
      (SMN1) gene. SMN2 is an SMN1 paralogue, but cannot compensate for the loss of
      SMN1 since exon 7 in SMN2 mRNA is excluded (spliced out) due to a single C-to-T
      nucleotide transition in the exon 7. One of the most promising strategies to
      treat SMA is antisense oligonucleotide (AON)-mediated therapy. AONs are utilized
      to block intronic splicing silencer number 1 (ISS-N1) on intron 7 of SMN2, which
      causes exon 7 inclusion of the mRNA and the recovery of the expression of
      functional SMN protein from the endogenous SMN2 gene. We developed novel locked
      nucleic acid (LNA)-based antisense oligonucleotides (LNA/DNA mixmers), which
      efficiently induce exon 7 inclusion in SMN2 and restore the SMN protein
      production in SMA patient fibroblasts. The mixmers are highly specific to the
      targeted sequence, and showed significantly higher efficacy than an all-LNA
      oligonucleotide with the equivalent sequence. These data suggest that use of
      LNA/DNA mixmer-based AONs may be an attractive therapeutic strategy to treat SMA.

PMID- 28623258
TI  - Chromatin organization regulates viral egress dynamics.
AB  - Various types of DNA viruses are known to elicit the formation of a large nuclear
      viral replication compartment and marginalization of the cell chromatin. We used
      three-dimensional soft x-ray tomography, confocal and electron microscopy,
      combined with numerical modelling of capsid diffusion to analyse the molecular
      organization of chromatin in herpes simplex virus 1 infection and its effect on
      the transport of progeny viral capsids to the nuclear envelope. Our data showed
      that the formation of the viral replication compartment at late infection
      resulted in the enrichment of heterochromatin in the nuclear periphery
      accompanied by the compaction of chromatin. Random walk modelling of herpes
      simplex virus 1-sized particles in a three-dimensional soft x-ray tomography
      reconstruction of an infected cell nucleus demonstrated that the peripheral,
      compacted chromatin restricts viral capsid diffusion, but due to interchromatin
      channels capsids are able to reach the nuclear envelope, the site of their
      nuclear egress.

PMID- 28623259
TI  - MicroRNA-34a Encapsulated in Hyaluronic Acid Nanoparticles Induces Epigenetic
      Changes with Altered Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Apoptosis in Non-Small-Cell
      Lung Cancer Cells.
AB  - Therapies targeting epigenetic changes for cancer treatment are in Phase I/II
      trials; however, all of these target only nuclear DNA. Emerging evidence suggests
      presence of methylation marks on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA); but their
      contribution in cancer is unidentified. Expression of genes encoded on mtDNA are
      altered in cancer cells, along with increased glycolytic flux. Such glycolytic
      flux and elevated reactive oxygen species is supported by increased antioxidant;
      glutathione. MicroRNA-34a can translocate to mitochondria, mediate downstream
      apoptotic effects of tumor suppressor P53, and inhibit the antioxidant response
      element Nrf-2, resulting in depleted glutathione levels. Based on such strong
      rationale, we encapsulated microRNA-34a in our well-established Hyaluronic-Acid
      nanoparticles and delivered to cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant A549
      lung adenocarcinoma cells. Successful delivery and uptake in cells resulted in
      altered ATP levels, decreased glycolytic flux, Nrf-2 and glutathione levels,
      ultimately resulting in caspase-3 activation and apoptosis. Most important were
      the concurrent underlying molecular changes in epigenetic status of D-loop on the
      mtDNA and transcription of mtDNA-encoded genes. Although preliminary, we provide
      a novel therapeutic approach in form of altered mitochondrial bioenergetics and
      redox status of cancer cells with underlying changes in epigenetic status of
      mtDNA that can subsequently results in induction of cancer cell apoptosis.

PMID- 28623260
TI  - Qualifying a eukaryotic cell-free system for fluorescence based GPCR analyses.
AB  - Membrane proteins are key elements in cell-mediated processes. In particular, G
      protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have attracted increasing interest since they
      affect cellular signaling. Furthermore, mutations in GPCRs can cause acquired and
      inheritable diseases. Up to date, there still exist a number of GPCRs that has
      not been structurally and functionally analyzed due to difficulties in cell-based
      membrane protein production. A promising approach for membrane protein synthesis
      and analysis has emerged during the last years and is known as cell-free protein
      synthesis (CFPS). Here, we describe a simply portable method to synthesize GPCRs
      and analyze their ligand-binding properties without the requirement of additional
      supplements such as liposomes or nanodiscs. This method is based on eukaryotic
      cell lysates containing translocationally active endogenous endoplasmic reticulum
      derived microsomes where the insertion of GPCRs into biologically active
      membranes is supported. In this study we present CFPS in combination with fast
      fluorescence-based screening methods to determine the localization, orientation
      and ligand-binding properties of the endothelin B (ET-B) receptor upon expression
      in an insect-based cell-free system. To determine the functionality of the cell
      free synthesized ET-B receptor, we analyzed the binding of its ligand endothelin
      1 (ET-1) in a qualitative fluorescence-based assay and in a quantitative
      radioligand binding assay.

PMID- 28623261
TI  - Epitaxially stabilized thin films of epsilon-Fe2O3 (001) grown on YSZ (100).
AB  - Epsilon ferrite (epsilon-Fe2O3) is a metastable phase of iron(III) oxide,
      intermediate between maghemite and hematite. It has recently attracted interest
      because of its magnetocrystalline anisotropy, which distinguishes it from the
      other polymorphs, and results in a gigantic coercive field and a natural
      ferromagnetic resonance frequency in the THz range. Moreover, it possesses a
      polar crystal structure, making it a potential ferroelectric, hence a potential
      multiferroic. Due to the need of size confinement to stabilize the metastable
      phase, epsilon-Fe2O3 has been synthesized mainly as nanoparticles. However, to
      favor integration in devices, and take advantage of its unique functional
      properties, synthesis as epitaxial thin films is desirable. In this paper, we
      report the growth of epsilon-Fe2O3 as epitaxial thin films on (100)-oriented
      yttrium-stabilized zirconia substrates. Structural characterization outlined the
      formation of multiple in-plane twins, with two different epitaxial relations to
      the substrate. Transmission electron microscopy showed how such twins develop in
      a pillar-like structure from the interface to the surface. Magnetic
      characterization confirmed the high magnetocrystalline anisotropy of our film and
      revealed the presence of a secondary phase which was identified as the well-known
      magnetite. Finally, angular analysis of the magnetic properties revealed how the
      presence of twins impacts their azimuthal dependence.

PMID- 28623262
TI  - Optofluidic device for the quantification of circulating tumor cells in breast
      cancer.
AB  - Metastatic cancer patients require a continuous monitoring during the sequential
      treatment cycles to carefully evaluate their disease evolution. Repetition of
      biopsies is very invasive and not always feasible. Herein, we design and
      demonstrate a 3D-flow focusing microfluidic device, where all optics are
      integrated into the chip, for the fluorescence quantification of CTCs in real
      samples. To test the chip performance, two cell membrane targets, the epithelial
      cell adhesion molecule, EpCAM, and the receptor tyrosine-protein kinase, HER2,
      are selected. The efficiency of the platform is demonstrated on cell lines and in
      a variety of healthy donors and metastatic-breast cancer patients.

PMID- 28623263
TI  - Probing spermiogenesis: a digital strategy for mouse acrosome classification.
AB  - Classification of morphological features in biological samples is usually
      performed by a trained eye but the increasing amount of available digital images
      calls for semi-automatic classification techniques. Here we explore this
      possibility in the context of acrosome morphological analysis during
      spermiogenesis. Our method combines feature extraction from three dimensional
      reconstruction of confocal images with principal component analysis and machine
      learning. The method could be particularly useful in cases where the amount of
      data does not allow for a direct inspection by trained eye.

PMID- 28623264
TI  - Structural Characterization of the SMRT Corepressor Interacting with Histone
      Deacetylase 7.
AB  - The 2525 amino acid SMRT corepressor is an intrinsically disordered hub protein
      responsible for binding and coordinating the activities of multiple transcription
      factors and chromatin modifying enzymes. Here we have studied its interaction
      with HDAC7, a class IIa deacetylase that interacts with the corepressor complex
      together with the highly active class I deacetylase HDAC3. The binding site of
      class IIa deacetylases was previously mapped to an approximate 500 amino acid
      region of SMRT, with recent implication of short glycine-serine-isoleucine (GSI)
      containing motifs. In order to characterize the interaction in detail, we applied
      a random library screening approach within this region and obtained a range of
      stable, soluble SMRT fragments. In agreement with an absence of predicted
      structural domains, these were characterized as intrinsically disordered by NMR
      spectroscopy. We identified one of them, comprising residues 1255-1452, as
      interacting with HDAC7 with micromolar affinity. The binding site was mapped in
      detail by NMR and confirmed by truncation and alanine mutagenesis. Complementing
      this with mutational analysis of HDAC7, we show that HDAC7, via its surface zinc
      ion binding site, binds to a 28 residue stretch in SMRT comprising a GSI motif
      followed by an alpha helix.

PMID- 28623265
TI  - Long Sleep Duration Is an Independent Risk Factor for Incident Atrial
      Fibrillation in a Chinese Population: A Prospective Cohort Study.
AB  - There is limited information on the relation between sleep duration and incident
      atrial fibrillation. We aimed to investigate this association in a Chinese
      population using cohort data from a study in Kailuan. The analysis included
      87,693 participants (age range, 18-98 years) free of atrial fibrillation at the
      baseline survey. Participants were divided into three categories according to
      self-reported sleep duration: <=6.0 hours, 7 hours (ref), >=8.0 hours. Atrial
      fibrillation diagnosis was made on a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram and via
      self-reported history. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate
      hazard ratio (HR) and confidence interval (CI) for atrial fibrillation, according
      to sleep duration. During median follow-up of 7.89 (range, 6.36-8.57) years, 322
      cases of atrial fibrillation had occurred. Using 7 hours of sleep as the
      reference group, multivariable adjusted HRs (95% CI) for atrial fibrillation were
      1.07 (0.75-1.53), 1.0 (ref), and 1.50 (1.07-2.10), from lowest to highest
      category of sleep duration. Secondary analysis showed no evidence of interactions
      between sleep duration and sex and snoring on the risk of incident atrial
      fibrillation (p = 0.75/0.25). We conclude long sleep duration may be a potential
      predictor/marker for incident atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28623266
TI  - Design of a Peripheral Building Block for H-Bonded Dendritic Frameworks and
      Analysis of the Void Space in the Bulk Dendrimers.
AB  - Three dendrimers, (t-Bu-G 2 N) 2 , CC(t-Bu-G 1 N) 3 and (t-Bu-G 1 N) 2 , with 3,5
      di-tert-butyl amidobenzene as a common peripheral moiety were prepared in 64-83%
      yields and characterized. The bulk solids had high BET surface areas of 136-138
      m2/g, which were similar for the three dendrimers in spite of their different
      molecular weight (ranging from 1791 to 2890). It was concluded that the
      peripheral amide groups do not imbed in the interstitial space of neighbouring
      dendrimer molecules but rather build a supramolecular architecture through strong
      intermolecular H-bonds. This mode of assembly generates voids in the bulk
      dendrimers responsible for sorption properties. The X-ray crystal structure
      analysis of a compound representing the peripheral moiety of the dendrimers and
      the FT-IR and powder-XRD data for (t-Bu-G 1 N) 2 suggest the proposed
      supramolecular structure. The isosteric heats of CO2 sorption (Q st) for (t-Bu-G
      2 N) 2 were significantly higher than those for the other two dendrimers, which
      is consistent with the formation of a different type of voids within the
      interstitial space of the molecule. It is suggested that the interstitial void
      space can be designed and tuned to adjust its properties to a particular task,
      such as the separation of gases or a catalytic reaction facilitated by the
      dendrimer.

PMID- 28623267
TI  - A new paradigm for antiangiogenic therapy through controlled release of
      bevacizumab from PLGA nanoparticles.
AB  - Monoclonal antibodies have deserved a remarkable interest for more than 40 years
      as a vital tool for the treatment of various diseases. Still, there is a raising
      interest to develop advanced monoclonal antibody delivery systems able to tailor
      pharmacokinetics. Bevacizumab is a humanized immunoglobulin IgG1 used in
      antiangiogenic therapies due to its capacity to inhibit the interaction between
      vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor. However, bevacizumab-based
      antiangiogenic therapy is not always effective due to poor treatment compliance
      associated to multiples administrations and drug resistance. In this work, we
      show a promising strategy of encapsulating bevacizumab to protect and deliver it,
      in a controlled manner, increasing the time between administrations and
      formulation shelf-life. Nanoencapsulation of bevacizumab represents a significant
      advance for selective antiangiogenic therapies since extracellular, cell surface
      and intracellular targets can be reached. The present study shows that
      bevacizumab-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles does not
      impair its native-like structure after encapsulation and fully retain the
      bioactivity, making this nanosystem a new paradigm for the improvement of
      angiogenic therapy.

PMID- 28623268
TI  - Ascorbate induces apoptosis in melanoma cells by suppressing Clusterin
      expression.
AB  - Pharmacological levels of ascorbate have long been suggested as a potential
      treatment of cancer. However, we observed that EC50 of ascorbate was at a similar
      level for cultured healthy melanocytes and melanoma cells, suggesting a limit of
      pharmacological ascorbate in treating cancer. Loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5
      hmC) is an epigenetic hallmark of cancer and ascorbate promotes 5 hmC generation
      by serving as a cofactor for TET methylcytosine dioxygenases. Our previous work
      demonstrated that ascorbate treatment at physiological level (100 MUM) increased
      5 hmC content in melanoma cells toward the level of healthy melanocytes. Here we
      show that 100 uM of ascorbate induced apoptosis in A2058 melanoma cells. RNA-seq
      analysis revealed that expression of the Clusterin (CLU) gene, which is related
      to apoptosis, was downregulated by ascorbate. The suppression of CLU was verified
      at transcript level in different melanoma cell lines, and at protein level in
      A2058 cells. The anti-apoptotic cytoplasmic CLU was decreased, while the pro
      apoptotic nuclear CLU was largely maintained, after ascorbate treatment. These
      changes in CLU subcellular localization were also associated with Bax and
      caspases activation, Bcl-xL sequestration, and cytochrome c release. Taken
      together, this study establishes an impending therapeutic role of physiological
      ascorbate to potentiate apoptosis in melanoma.

PMID- 28623269
TI  - Theory of Inverse Edelstein Effect of The Surface States of A Topological
      Insulator.
AB  - The surface states of three-dimensional topological insulators possess the unique
      property of spin-momentum interlocking. This property gives rise to the
      interesting inverse Edelstein effect (IEE), in which an applied spin bias MU is
      converted to a measurable charge voltage difference V. We develop a semiclassical
      theory for the IEE of the surface states of Bi2Se3 thin films, which is
      applicable from the ballistic regime to diffusive regime. We find that the
      efficiency of the spin-charge conversion, defined as gamma = V/MU, exhibits a
      universal dependence on the ratio between sample size and electron mean free
      path. The efficiency increases from gamma = pi/4 in the ballistic limit to gamma
      = pi in the diffusive limit, suggesting that sufficient strength of impurity
      scattering is favorable for the IEE.

PMID- 28623270
TI  - Behavioural and physiological responses to prey-related cues reflect higher
      competitiveness of invasive vs. native ladybirds.
AB  - Understanding the traits that might be linked with biological invasions
      represents a great challenge for preventing non-target effects on local
      biodiversity. In predatory insects, the ability to exploit habitats for
      oviposition and the physiological response to prey availability differs between
      species. Those species that respond more readily to environmental changes may
      confer to their offspring a competitive advantage over other species. Here, we
      tested the hypothesis that the invasive Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera:
      Coccinellidae) makes better use of information from a plant-prey (Vicia faba -
      Aphis fabae) system compared to the native Oenopia conglobata. Y-tube
      olfactometer bioassays revealed that both species used olfactory cues from the
      system, but H. axyridis exhibited a more complete response. This species was also
      attracted by plants previously infested by aphids, indicating the capacity to
      exploit volatile synomones induced in plants by aphid attack. Oocyte resorption
      was investigated when different olfactory stimuli were provided under prey
      shortage and the readiness of new oogenesis was measured when prey was available
      again. H. axyridis exhibited higher plasticity in oogenesis related to the
      presence/absence of plant-aphid volatiles. Our results support the hypothesis
      that H. axyridis is more reactive than O. conglobata to olfactory cues from the
      plant-prey system.

PMID- 28623271
TI  - Decoy peptide targeted to Toll-IL-1R domain inhibits LPS and TLR4-active
      metabolite morphine-3 glucuronide sensitization of sensory neurons.
AB  - Accumulating evidence indicates that Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling adapter
      protein interactions with Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor (TIR) domains present in
      sensory neurons may modulate neuropathic pain states. Following ligand
      interaction with TLRs, TIR serves to both initiate intracellular signaling and
      facilitate recruitment of signaling adapter proteins to the intracytoplasmic
      domain. Although TLR TIR is central to a number of TLR signaling cascades, its
      role in sensory neurons is poorly understood. In this study we investigated the
      degree to which TLR TIR decoy peptide modified to include a TAT sequence (Trans
      Activator of Transcription gene in HIV; TAT-4BB) affected LPS-induced
      intracellular calcium flux and excitation in sensory neurons, and behavioral
      changes due to TLR4 active metabolite, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G) exposure in
      vivo. TAT-4BB inhibited LPS-induced calcium changes in a majority of sensory
      neurons and decreased LPS-dependent neuronal excitability in small diameter
      neurons. Acute systemic administration of the TAT-4BB reversed M3G-induced
      tactile allodynia in a dose-dependent manner but did not affect motor activity,
      anxiety or responses to noxious thermal stimulus. These data suggest that
      targeting TLR TIR domains may provide novel pharmacological targets to reduce or
      reverse TLR4-dependent pain behavior in the rodent.

PMID- 28623272
TI  - Exosomes derived from palmitic acid-treated hepatocytes induce fibrotic
      activation of hepatic stellate cells.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a dominant cause of chronic liver
      disease, but the exact mechanism of progression from simple steatosis to
      nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remains unknown. Here, we investigated the
      role of exosomes in NAFLD progression. Exosomes were isolated from a human
      hepatoma cell line treated with palmitic acid (PA) and their miRNA profiles
      examined by microarray. The human hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line (LX-2) was
      then treated with exosome isolated from hepatocytes. Compared with controls, PA
      treated hepatocytes displayed significantly increased CD36 and exosome
      production. The microarray analysis showed there to be distinctive miRNA
      expression patterns between exosomes from vehicle- and PA-treated hepatocytes.
      When LX-2 cells were cultured with exosomes from PA-treated hepatocytes, the
      expression of genes related to the development of fibrosis were significantly
      amplified compared to those treated with exosomes from vehicle-treated
      hepatocytes. In conclusion, PA treatment enhanced the production of exosomes in
      these hepatocytes and changed their exosomal miRNA profile. Moreover, exosomes
      derived from PA-treated hepatocytes caused an increase in the expression levels
      of fibrotic genes in HSCs. Therefore, exosomes may have important roles in the
      crosstalk between hepatocytes and HSCs in the progression from simple steatosis
      to NASH.

PMID- 28623273
TI  - Arabidopsis Transporter ABCG37/PDR9 contributes primarily highly oxygenated
      Coumarins to Root Exudation.
AB  - The chemical composition of root exudates strongly impacts the interactions of
      plants with microorganisms in the rhizosphere and the efficiency of nutrient
      acquisition. Exudation of metabolites is in part mediated by ATP-binding cassette
      (ABC) transporters. In order to assess the contribution of individual ABC
      transporters to root exudation, we performed an LC-MS based non-targeted
      metabolite profiling of semi-polar metabolites accumulating in root exudates of
      Arabidopsis thaliana plants and mutants deficient in the expression of ABCG36
      (PDR8/PEN3), ABCG37 (PDR9) or both transporters. Comparison of the metabolite
      profiles indicated distinct roles for each ABC transporter in root exudation.
      Thymidine exudation could be attributed to ABCG36 function, whereas coumarin
      exudation was strongly reduced only in ABCG37 deficient plants. However, coumarin
      exudation was compromised in abcg37 mutants only with respect to certain
      metabolites of this substance class. The specificity of ABCG37 for individual
      coumarins was further verified by a targeted LC-MS based coumarin profiling
      method. The response to iron deficiency, which is known to strongly induce
      coumarin exudation, was also investigated. In either treatment, the distribution
      of individual coumarins between roots and exudates in the investigated genotypes
      suggested the involvement of ABCG37 in the exudation specifically of highly
      oxygenated rather than monohydroxylated coumarins.

PMID- 28623274
TI  - Reduction in chromosome mobility accompanies nuclear organization during early
      embryogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans.
AB  - In differentiated cells, chromosomes are packed inside the cell nucleus in an
      organised fashion. In contrast, little is known about how chromosomes are packed
      in undifferentiated cells and how nuclear organization changes during
      development. To assess changes in nuclear organization during the earliest stages
      of development, we quantified the mobility of a pair of homologous chromosomal
      loci in the interphase nuclei of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. The distribution
      of distances between homologous loci was consistent with a random distribution up
      to the 8-cell stage but not at later stages. The mobility of the loci was
      significantly reduced from the 2-cell to the 48-cell stage. Nuclear foci
      corresponding to epigenetic marks as well as heterochromatin and the nucleolus
      also appeared around the 8-cell stage. We propose that the earliest global
      transformation in nuclear organization occurs at the 8-cell stage during C.
      elegans embryogenesis.

PMID- 28623275
TI  - Influences of temperature and salinity on physicochemical properties and toxicity
      of zinc oxide nanoparticles to the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana.
AB  - Climate change is predicted to result in rising average temperature of seawater
      with more extreme thermal events, and frequent rainfalls in some coastal regions.
      It is imperative to understand how naturally mediated changes in temperature and
      salinity can modulate toxicity of chemical contaminants to marine life. Thus,
      this study investigated combined effects of temperature and salinity on toxicity
      of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) to the marine diatom Thalassiosira
      pseudonana. Because ZnO-NPs formed larger aggregations and released less zinc
      ions (Zn2+) at greater temperature and salinity, toxicity of ZnO-NPs to T.
      pseudonana was less at 25  degrees C than at 10  degrees C and less at 32 than 12
      PSU. However, toxicity of ZnO-NPs was significantly greater at 30  degrees C,
      since T. pseudonana was near its upper thermal limit. Three test compounds, ZnO,
      ZnO-NPs and ZnSO4, displayed different toxic potencies and resulted in different
      profiles of expression of genes in T. pseudonana. This indicated that ZnO-NPs
      caused toxicity via different pathways compared to ZnSO4. Mechanisms of toxic
      action of the three compounds were also dependent on temperature and salinity.
      These results provide insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the responses
      of the diatom to ZnO-NPs and Zn2+ under various regimes of temperature and
      salinity.

PMID- 28623276
TI  - Gag-protease coevolution analyses define novel structural surfaces in the HIV-1
      matrix and capsid involved in resistance to Protease Inhibitors.
AB  - Despite the major role of Gag in establishing resistance of HIV-1 to protease
      inhibitors (PIs), very limited data are available on the total contribution of
      Gag residues to resistance to PIs. To identify in detail Gag residues and
      structural interfaces associated with the development of HIV-1 resistance to PIs,
      we traced viral evolution under the pressure of PIs using Gag-protease single
      genome sequencing and coevolution analysis of protein sequences in 4 patients
      treated with PIs over a 9-year period. We identified a total of 38 Gag residues
      correlated with the protease, 32 of which were outside Gag cleavage sites. These
      residues were distributed in 23 Gag-protease groups of coevolution, with the
      viral matrix and the capsid represented in 87% and 52% of the groups. In
      addition, we uncovered the distribution of Gag correlated residues in specific
      protein surfaces of the inner face of the viral matrix and at the Cyclophilin A
      binding loop of the capsid. In summary, our findings suggest a tight
      interdependency between Gag structural proteins and the protease during the
      development of resistance of HIV-1 to PIs.

PMID- 28623278
TI  - Highly conductive nano-sized Magneli phases titanium oxide (TiOx).
AB  - Despite the strong recent revival of Magneli phase TiOx as a promising conductive
      material, synthesis of Magneli phase TiOx nanoparticles has been a challenge
      because of the heavy sintering nature of TiO2 at elevated temperatures. We have
      successfully synthesized chain-structured Magneli phases TiOx with diameters
      under 30 nm using a thermal-induced plasma process. The synthesized nanoparticles
      consisted of a mixture of several Magneli phases. A post-synthesis heat-treatment
      was performed to reduce the electrical resistivity without changing the particle
      morphology. The resistivity of the heat-treated particle was as low as 0.04
      Omega.cm, with a specific surface area of 52.9 m2 g-1. The effects of heat
      treatment on changes in the crystal structure and their correlation with the
      electron conductivity are discussed based on transmission electron microscopy
      images, X-ray diffraction spectra, and X-ray adsorption fine structure spectra.
      Electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry and potentiodynamic
      scan shows a remarkable electrochemical stability in a strongly oxidizing
      environment.

PMID- 28623277
TI  - In Vivo Quantification of Placental Insufficiency by BOLD MRI: A Human Study.
AB  - Fetal health is critically dependent on placental function, especially placental
      transport of oxygen from mother to fetus. When fetal growth is compromised,
      placental insufficiency must be distinguished from modest genetic growth
      potential. If placental insufficiency is present, the physician must trade off
      the risk of prolonged fetal exposure to placental insufficiency against the risks
      of preterm delivery. Current ultrasound methods to evaluate the placenta are
      indirect and insensitive. We propose to use Blood-Oxygenation-Level-Dependent
      (BOLD) MRI with maternal hyperoxia to quantitatively assess mismatch in placental
      function in seven monozygotic twin pairs naturally matched for genetic growth
      potential. In-utero BOLD MRI time series were acquired at 29 to 34 weeks
      gestational age. Maps of oxygen Time-To-Plateau (TTP) were obtained in the
      placentas by voxel-wise fitting of the time series. Fetal brain and liver volumes
      were measured based on structural MR images. After delivery, birth weights were
      obtained and placental pathological evaluations were performed. Mean placental
      TTP negatively correlated with fetal liver and brain volumes at the time of MRI
      as well as with birth weights. Mean placental TTP positively correlated with
      placental pathology. This study demonstrates the potential of BOLD MRI with
      maternal hyperoxia to quantify regional placental function in vivo.

PMID- 28623279
TI  - Divergent Regulation of Actin Dynamics and Megakaryoblastic Leukemia-1 and -2
      (Mkl1/2) by cAMP in Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells.
AB  - Proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) or
      endothelial cell (ECs) promote or inhibit, respectively, restenosis after
      angioplasty, vein graft intimal thickening and atherogenesis. Here we
      investigated the effects of cAMP-induced cytoskeletal remodelling on the serum
      response factor (SRF) co-factors Megakaryoblastic Leukemia-1 and -2 (MKL1 and
      MKL2) and their role in controlling VSMC and EC proliferation and migration.
      Elevation of cAMP using forskolin, dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP), BAY60-6583 or
      Cicaprost induced rapid cytoskeleton remodelling and inhibited proliferation and
      migration in VSMCs but not EC. Furthermore, elevated cAMP inhibited mitogen
      induced nuclear-translocation of MKL1 and MKL2 in VSMCs but not ECs. Forskolin
      also significantly inhibited serum response factor (SRF)-dependent reporter gene
      (SRE-LUC) activity and mRNA expression of pro-proliferative and pro-migratory
      MKL1/2 target genes in VSMCs but not in ECs. In ECs, MKL1 was constitutively
      nuclear and MKL2 cytoplasmic, irrespective of mitogens or cAMP. Pharmacological
      or siRNA inhibition of MKL1 significantly inhibited the proliferation and
      migration of VSMC and EC. Our new data identifies and important contribution of
      MKL1/2 to explaining the strikingly different response of VSMCs and ECs to cAMP
      elevation. Elucidation of these pathways promises to identify targets for
      specific inhibition of VSMC migration and proliferation.

PMID- 28623280
TI  - EV-3, an endogenous human erythropoietin isoform with distinct functional
      relevance.
AB  - Generation of multiple mRNAs by alternative splicing is well known in the group
      of cytokines and has recently been reported for the human erythropoietin (EPO)
      gene. Here, we focus on the alternatively spliced EPO transcript characterized by
      deletion of exon 3 (hEPODelta3). We show co-regulation of EPO and hEPODelta3 in
      human diseased tissue. The expression of hEPODelta3 in various human samples was
      low under normal conditions, and distinctly increased in pathological states.
      Concomitant up-regulation of hEPODelta3 and EPO in response to hypoxic conditions
      was also observed in HepG2 cell cultures. Using LC-ESI-MS/MS, we provide first
      evidence for the existence of hEPODelta3 derived protein EV-3 in human serum from
      healthy donors. Contrary to EPO, recombinant EV-3 did not promote early erythroid
      progenitors in cultures of human CD34+ haematopoietic stem cells. Repeated
      intraperitoneal administration of EV-3 in mice did not affect the haematocrit.
      Similar to EPO, EV-3 acted anti-apoptotic in rat hippocampal neurons exposed to
      oxygen-glucose deprivation. Employing the touch-screen paradigm of long-term
      visual discrimination learning, we obtained first in vivo evidence of beneficial
      effects of EV-3 on cognition. This is the first report on the presence of a
      naturally occurring EPO protein isoform in human serum sharing non-erythropoietic
      functions with EPO.

PMID- 28623281
TI  - Tamm plasmon modes on semi-infinite metallodielectric superlattices.
AB  - We analyze the fundamental properties of optical waves referred to as Tamm
      plasmon modes (TPMs) which are tied to the interface of a semi-infinite two-phase
      metallodielectric superlattice with an arbitrary homogeneous capping medium. Such
      modes offer new ways of achieving high electromagnetic field localization and
      spontaneous emission enhancement in the vicinity of the interface in conjunction
      with absorption loss management, which is crucial for future applications. The
      homointerface, formed when the capping medium has the same permittivity as one of
      the superlattice constituents, is found to support a TPM whose dispersion
      overlaps the single-interface surface plasmon polariton (SPP) dispersion but
      which has a cut off at the topological transition point. In contrast, a
      heterointerface formed for an arbitrary capping medium, is found to support
      multiple TPMs whose origin can be traced by considering the interaction between a
      single-interface SPP and the homointerface TPM burried under the top layer of the
      superlattice. By carrying out a systematic comparison between TPMs and single
      interface SPPs, we find that the deviations are most pronounced in the vicinity
      of the transition frequency for superlattices in which dielectric layers are
      thicker than metallic ones.

PMID- 28623282
TI  - A Nationwide Study of Severe and Protracted Diarrhoea in Patients with Primary
      Immunodeficiency Diseases.
AB  - Diarrhoea lasting longer than 14 days and failing to respond to conventional
      management is defined as severe and protracted diarrhoea (SD). In this study, we
      investigated the prevalence, pathogens and prognosis of SD in primary
      immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs). Among 246 patients with predominantly
      paediatric-onset PIDs from 2003-2015, 21 [Btk (six), IL2RG (four), WASP, CD40L,
      gp91 (three each), gp47, RAG2 (one each)] and five [CVID (four), SCID (one)]
      without identified mutations had SD before prophylactic treatment. Detectable
      pathogens included pseudomonas, salmonella (six each), E. coli, cytomegalovirus,
      coxsackie virus and cryptosporidium (one each), all of whom improved after a mean
      17 days of antibiotics and/or IVIG treatment. Seven (7/26; 27.0%) patients died
      [respiratory failure (four), lymphoma, sepsis and intracranial haemorrhage (one
      each)]. The patients with WAS, CGD and CD40L and SD had a higher mortality rate
      than those without. Another five males with mutant XIAP, STAT1, FOXP3 (one each)
      and STAT3 (two) had undetectable-pathogenic refractory diarrhoea (RD) that
      persisted >21 days despite aggressive antibiotic/steroid treatment and directly
      resulted in mortality. For the patients with RD without anti-inflammatory
      optimization, those with mutant XIAP and FOXP3 died of Crohn's-like colitis and
      electrolyte exhaustion in awaiting transplantation, while transplantation cured
      the STAT1 patient.

PMID- 28623283
TI  - Dosage compensation in the process of inactivation/reactivation during both germ
      cell development and early embryogenesis in mouse.
AB  - Ohno proposed that dosage compensation in mammals evolved as a two-step mechanism
      involving X-inactivation and X-upregulation. While X-inactivation is well
      characterized, it remains to further analysis whether upregulation of the single
      activated X chromosome in mammals occurs. We obtained RNA-seq data, including
      single-cell RNA-seq data, from cells undergoing inactivation/reactivation in both
      germ cell development and early embryogenesis stages in mouse and calculated the
      X: A ratio from the gene expression. Our results showed that the X: A ratio is
      always 1, regardless of the number of X chromosomes being transcribed for
      expressed genes. Furthermore, the single-cell RNA-seq data across individual
      cells of mouse preimplantation embryos of mixed backgrounds indicated that strain
      specific SNPs could be used to distinguish transcription from maternal and
      paternal chromosomes and further showed that when the paternal was inactivated,
      the average gene dosage of the active maternal X chromosome was increased to
      restore the balance between the X chromosome and autosomes. In conclusion, our
      analysis of RNA-seq data (particularly single-cell RNA-seq) from cells undergoing
      the process of inactivation/reactivation provides direct evidence that the
      average gene dosage of the single active X chromosome is upregulated to achieve a
      similar level to that of two active X chromosomes and autosomes present in two
      copies.

PMID- 28623284
TI  - Spatio-Temporal Steering for Testing Nonclassical Correlations in Quantum
      Networks.
AB  - We introduce the concept of spatio-temporal steering (STS), which reduces, in
      special cases, to Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering and the recently-introduced
      temporal steering. We describe two measures of this effect referred to as the STS
      weight and robustness. We suggest that these STS measures enable a new way to
      assess nonclassical correlations in an open quantum network, such as quantum
      transport through nano-structures or excitation transfer in a complex biological
      system. As one of our examples, we apply STS to check nonclassical correlations
      among sites in a photosynthetic pigment-protein complex in the Fenna-Matthews
      Olson model.

PMID- 28623285
TI  - Structure of the human TRiC/CCT Subunit 5 associated with hereditary sensory
      neuropathy.
AB  - The human chaperonin TRiC consists of eight non-identical subunits, and its
      protein-folding activity is critical for cellular health. Misfolded proteins are
      associated with many human diseases, such as amyloid diseases, cancer, and
      neuropathies, making TRiC a potential therapeutic target. A detailed structural
      understanding of its ATP-dependent folding mechanism and substrate recognition is
      therefore of great importance. Of particular health-related interest is the
      mutation Histidine 147 to Arginine (H147R) in human TRiC subunit 5 (CCT5), which
      has been associated with hereditary sensory neuropathy. In this paper, we
      describe the crystal structures of CCT5 and the CCT5-H147R mutant, which provide
      important structural information for this vital protein-folding machine in
      humans. This first X-ray crystallographic study of a single human CCT subunit in
      the context of a hexadecameric complex can be expanded in the future to the other
      7 subunits that form the TRiC complex.

PMID- 28623286
TI  - Trait choice profoundly affected the ecological conclusions drawn from functional
      diversity measures.
AB  - Although trait choice is crucial to quantify functional diversity appropriately,
      the quantitative methods for it are rarely compared and discussed. Meanwhile,
      very little is known about how trait choice affects ecological conclusions drawn
      from functional diversity measures. We presented the four methods of trait
      selection as alternatives to the ordination axis-based method, which directly
      identify a subset of key traits to represent the main variation of all the
      traits. To evaluate their performance, we compared the closeness of association
      obtained by different methods between species richness and functional diversity
      indices (FAD, FD, Q, FDis) in the six ecosystems. The evaluation was also
      benchmarked against the results obtained by calculating the possible indices
      using all the trait combinations (the complete search method). We found that the
      trait selection methods were potential alternatives to axis-based method to gain
      a mechanistic understanding of functional responses and effects of traits, while
      these methods as well as the axis-based method possibly use mismatched
      information to interpret the investigated ecosystem properties. Trait choice
      profoundly affected the ecological conclusions drawn from functional diversity
      measures. The complete search method should be used to assess the rationale of
      different trait choice methods and the quality of the calculated indices.

PMID- 28623287
TI  - Heritability and responses to high fat diet of plasma lipidomics in a twin study.
AB  - Lipidomics have a great potential as clinical tool for monitoring metabolic
      changes in health and disease. Nevertheless hardly anything is known about the
      heritability of lipids. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify how and how much we
      can affect these progresses in individuals. In our interventional twin study (46
      healthy, non-obese twin pairs) we investigated the lipid profile in plasma
      samples after switching from a low fat diet to an isocaloric high fat diet (HFD)
      to characterize the metabolic adaptation. Additionally we used the ACE model for
      Additive genetics, Common and unique Environment as well as linear mixed
      modelling to analyse the heritability of lipids. The heritability of lipids
      varied between 0-62% and applied to lipid species rather than to lipid classes.
      Phospholipids showed the highest inheritance. In addition, sex, body mass index
      (BMI) and age were important modifiers. The lipid profile changed already after
      one week of HFD and diverged further after 5 weeks of additional HFD. Basal
      concentrations of specific lipids within phospholipids are strongly inherited and
      are likely to be associated with heritable disease risks. BMI, sex and age were
      major modifiers. Nutrition strongly alters specific lipid classes, and has to be
      controlled in clinical association studies.

PMID- 28623288
TI  - Seabirds supply nitrogen to reef-building corals on remote Pacific islets.
AB  - Seabirds concentrate nutrients from large marine areas on their nesting islands
      playing an important ecological role in nutrient transfer between marine and
      terrestrial ecosystems. Here we investigate the role of guano on corals reefs
      across scales by analyzing the stable nitrogen isotopic (delta15N) values of the
      scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis on fringing reefs around two Pacific
      remote islets with large seabird colonies. Marine stations closest to the seabird
      colonies had higher nitrate + nitrite concentrations compared to more distant
      stations. Coral and zooxanthellae delta15N values were also higher at these
      sites, suggesting that guano-derived nitrogen is assimilated into corals and
      contributes to their nitrogen requirements. The spatial extent of guano influence
      was however restricted to a local scale. Our results demonstrate that seabird
      derived nutrients not only spread across the terrestrial ecosystem, but also
      affect components of the adjacent marine ecosystem. Further studies are now
      needed to assess if this nutrient input has a positive or negative effect for
      corals. Such studies on remote islets also open fresh perspectives to understand
      how nutrients affect coral reefs isolated from other anthropogenic stressors.

PMID- 28623289
TI  - 3D Super-Resolution Optical Profiling Using Microsphere Enhanced Mirau
      Interferometry.
AB  - We present quantitative three dimensional images of grooves on a writable Blu-ray
      Disc based on a single objective Mirau type interferometric microscope, enhanced
      with a microsphere which is considered as a photonic nanojet source. Along the
      optical axis the resolution of this microsphere assisted interferometry system is
      a few nanometers while the lateral resolution is around 112 nm. To understand the
      physical phenomena involved in this kind of imaging we have modelled the
      interaction between the photonic jet and the complex disc surface. Agreement
      between simulation and experimental results is demonstrated. We underline that
      although the ability of the microsphere to generate a photonic nanojet does not
      alone explain the resolution of the interferometer, the nanojet can be used to
      try to understand the imaging process. To partly explain the lateral super
      resolution, the potential role of coherence is illustrated. The presented
      modality may have a large impact on many fields from bio-medicine to
      nanotechnology.

PMID- 28623290
TI  - TCRP1 transcriptionally regulated by c-Myc confers cancer chemoresistance in
      tongue and lung cancer.
AB  - Previously, we cloned a new gene termed 'tongue cancer resistance-associated
      protein 1' (TCRP1), which modulates tumorigenesis, enhances cisplatin (cDDP)
      resistance in cancers, and may be a potential target for reversing drug
      resistance. However, the mechanisms for regulating TCRP1 expression remain
      unclear. Herein, we combined bioinformatics analysis with luciferase reporter
      assay and ChIP assay to determine that c-Myc could directly bind to TCRP1
      promoter to upregulate its expression. TCRP1 upregulation in multidrug resistant
      tongue cancer cells (Tca8113/PYM) and cisplatin-resistant A549 lung cancer cells
      (A549/DDP) was accompanied by c-Myc upregulation, compared to respective parental
      cells. In tongue and lung cancer cells, siRNA-mediated knockdown of c-Myc led to
      decrease TCRP1 expression, whereas overexpression c-Myc did the opposite.
      Moreover, TCRP1 knockdown attenuated chemoresistance resulting from c-Myc
      overexpression, but TCRP1 overexpression impaired the effect of c-Myc knockdown
      on chemosensitivity. Additionally, in both human tongue and lung cancer tissues,
      c-Myc protein expression positively correlated with TCRP1 protein expression and
      these protein levels were associated with worse prognosis for patients. Combined,
      these findings suggest that c-Myc could transcriptionally regulate TCRP1 in cell
      lines and clinical samples and identified the c-Myc-TCRP1 axis as a negative
      biomarker of prognosis in tongue and lung cancers.

PMID- 28623291
TI  - Crystal structure of the DNA-binding domain of Myelin-gene Regulatory Factor.
AB  - Myelin-gene Regulatory Factor (MyRF) is one of the master transcription factors
      controlling myelin formation and development in oligodendrocytes which is crucial
      for the powerful brain functions. The N-terminal of MyRF, which contains a
      proline-rich region and a DNA binding domain (DBD), is auto-cleaved from the ER
      membrane, and then enters the nucleus to participate in transcription regulation
      of the myelin genes. Here we report the crystal structure of MyRF DBD. It shows
      an Ig-fold like architecture which consists of two antiparallel beta-sheets with
      7 main strands, packing against each other, forming a beta-sandwich. Compared to
      its homolog, Ndt80, MyRF has a smaller and less complex DBD lacking the helices
      and the big loops outside the core. Structural alignment reveals that MyRF DBD
      possess less interaction sites with DNA than Ndt80 and may bind only at the major
      groove of DNA. Moreover, the structure reveals a trimeric assembly, agreeing with
      the previous report that MyRF DBD functions as a trimer. The mutant that we
      designed based on the structure disturbed trimer formation, but didn't affect the
      auto-cleavage reaction. It demonstrates that the activation of self-cleavage
      reaction of MyRF is independent of the presence of its N-terminal DBD homotrimer.
      The structure reported here will help to understand the molecular mechanism
      underlying the important roles of MyRF in myelin formation and development.

PMID- 28623292
TI  - Structural and Biochemical Characterization of Poly-ADP-ribose Polymerase from
      Trypanosoma brucei.
AB  - Trypanosoma brucei is a unicellular parasite responsible for African
      trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. It contains a single PARP enzyme opposed to
      many higher eukaryotes, which have numerous PARPs. PARPs are responsible for a
      post-translational modification, ADP-ribosylation, regulating a multitude of
      cellular events. T. brucei PARP, like human PARPs-1-3, is activated by DNA
      binding and it potentially functions in DNA repair processes. Here we
      characterized activation requirements, structure and subcellular localization of
      T. brucei PARP. T. brucei PARP was found to be selectively activated by 5'
      phosphorylated and 3' phosphorylated DNA breaks. Importantly, the N-terminal
      region is responsible for high-affinity DNA-binding and required for DNA
      dependent enzymatic activation. This module is also required for nuclear
      localization of the protein in response to oxidative stress. Solution structures
      of activating and non-activating PARP-DNA complexes were determined with small
      angle X-ray scattering revealing distinct differences in their DNA-binding modes.

PMID- 28623293
TI  - Intricate disorder in defect fluorite/pyrochlore: a concord of chemistry and
      crystallography.
AB  - Intuitively scientists accept that order can emerge from disorder and a
      significant amount of effort has been devoted over many years to demonstrate
      this. In metallic alloys and oxides, disorder at the atomic scale is the result
      of occupation at equivalent atomic positions by different atoms which leads to
      the material exhibiting a fully random or modulated scattering pattern. This
      arrangement has a substantial influence on the material's properties, for example
      ionic conductivity. However it is generally accepted that oxides, such as defect
      fluorite as used for nuclear waste immobilization matrices and fuel cells, are
      the result of disorder at the atomic scale. To investigate how order at the
      atomic scale induces disorder at a larger scale length, we have applied different
      techniques to study the atomic composition of a homogeneous La 2 Zr 2 O 7
      pyrochlore, a textbook example of such a structure. Here we demonstrate that a
      pyrochlore, which is considered to be defect fluorite, is the result of intricate
      disorder due to a random distribution of fully ordered nano-domains. Our
      investigation provides new insight into the order disorder transformations in
      complex materials with regards to domain formation, resulting in a concord of
      chemistry with crystallography illustrating that order can induce disorder.

PMID- 28623294
TI  - H2S and homocysteine control a novel feedback regulation of cystathionine beta
      synthase and cystathionine gamma lyase in cardiomyocytes.
AB  - Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a cardioprotective gas, is endogenously produced from
      homocysteine by cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) and cystathionine gamma lyase
      (CSE) enzymes. However, effect of H2S or homocysteine on CBS and CSE expression,
      and cross-talk between CBS and CSE are unclear. We hypothesize that homocysteine
      and H2S regulate CBS and CSE expressions in a dose dependent manner in
      cardiomyocytes, and CBS deficiency induces cardiac CSE expression. To test the
      hypothesis, we treated murine atrial HL1 cardiomyocytes with increasing doses of
      homocysteine or Na2S/GYY4137, a H2S donor, and measured the levels of CBS and
      CSE. We found that homocysteine upregulates CSE but downregulates CBS whereas
      Na2S/GYY4137 downregulates CSE but upregulates CBS in a dose-dependent manner.
      Moreover, the Na2S-treatment downregulates specificity protein-1 (SP1), an
      inducer for CSE, and upregulates miR-133a that targets SP1 and inhibits
      cardiomyocytes hypertrophy. Conversely, in the homocysteine-treated
      cardiomyocytes, CBS and miR-133a were downregulated and hypertrophy was induced.
      In vivo studies using CBS+/-, a model for hyperhomocysteinemia, and sibling
      CBS+/+ control mice revealed that deficiency of CBS upregulates cardiac CSE,
      plausibly by inducing SP1. In conclusion, we revealed a novel mechanism for H2S
      mediated regulation of homocysteine metabolism in cardiomyocytes, and a negative
      feedback regulation between CBS and CSE in the heart.

PMID- 28623295
TI  - Optimal angle of magnetic field for magnetic bubblecade motion.
AB  - Unidirectional motion of magnetic structures such as the magnetic domain and
      domain walls is a key concept underlying next-generation memory and logic
      devices. As a potential candidate of such unidirectional motion, it has been
      recently demonstrated that the magnetic bubblecade-the coherent unidirectional
      motion of magnetic bubbles-can be generated by applying an alternating magnetic
      field. Here we report the optimal configuration of applied magnetic field for the
      magnetic bubblecade. The tilted alternating magnetic field induces asymmetric
      expansion and shrinkage of the magnetic bubbles under the influence of the
      Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, resulting in continuous shift of the bubbles
      in time. By examining the magnetic bubblecade in Pt/Co/Pt films, we find that the
      bubblecade speed is sensitive to the tilt angle with a maximum at an angle, which
      can be explained well by a simple analytical form within the context of the
      domain-wall creep theory. A simplified analytic formula for the angle for maximum
      speed is then given as a function of the amplitude of the alternating magnetic
      field. The present results provide a useful guideline of optimal design for
      magnetic bubblecade memory and logic devices.

PMID- 28623296
TI  - Iodine-125 Brachytherapy Prophylaxis after Radiofrequency Ablation Cannot Benefit
      Patients in High Risk of Locoregional Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence.
AB  - This study evaluated if iodine-125 brachytherapy prophylaxis after radiofrequency
      ablation (RFA) prolongs time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS) of
      patients in high risk of locoregional hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence.
      116 patients with total tumor necrosis after RFA were divided into iodine-125
      brachytherapy prophylaxis treatment group and control group. The primary endpoint
      was TTR, and secondary endpoints were OS and treatment-related adverse events.
      There were no significant differences among the baseline characteristics of two
      subgroups patients. The mean iodine-125 particles were 29.8 (26.59 +/- 12.51 mCi)
      per patient. The mean follow-up was 25 months, and mean TTR of treatment and
      control groups were 21.7 and 15.9 months (P = 0.733); mean OS of two subgroups
      were 41.7 and 40.9 months (P = 0.316). There were no significant differences of 1
      , 2-, 3-, 4-and 5-years TTR and OS and patients' immunity pre- and 1 month post
      treatment. Extrahepatic metastasis was found to have a statistically significant
      influence on TTR, and AFP, extrahepatic metastasis were found to have a
      statistically significant influence on OS by multivariate analysis. There was no
      major complications and procedure related death. Iodine-125 brachytherapy
      prophylaxis after RFA can't improve TTR and OS of HCC patients who were in high
      risk of locoregional tumor recurrence.

PMID- 28623297
TI  - Dynamical amplification of magnetoresistances and Hall currents up to the THz
      regime.
AB  - Spin-orbit-related effects offer a highly promising route for reading and writing
      information in magnetic units of future devices. These phenomena rely not only on
      the static magnetization orientation but also on its dynamics to achieve fast
      switchings that can reach the THz range. In this work, we consider Co/Pt and Fe/W
      bilayers to show that accounting for the phase difference between different
      processes is crucial to the correct description of the dynamical currents. By
      tuning each system towards its ferromagnetic resonance, we reveal that dynamical
      spin Hall angles can non-trivially change sign and be boosted by over 500%,
      reaching giant values. We demonstrate that charge and spin pumping mechanisms can
      greatly magnify or dwindle the currents flowing through the system, influencing
      all kinds of magnetoresistive and Hall effects, thus impacting also dc and second
      harmonic experimental measurements.

PMID- 28623298
TI  - Constraint-based modeling identifies new putative targets to fight colistin
      resistant A. baumannii infections.
AB  - Acinetobacter baumannii is a clinical threat to human health, causing major
      infection outbreaks worldwide. As new drugs against Gram-negative bacteria do not
      seem to be forthcoming, and due to the microbial capability of acquiring multi
      resistance, there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic targets. Here we have
      derived a list of new potential targets by means of metabolic reconstruction and
      modelling of A. baumannii ATCC 19606. By integrating constraint-based modelling
      with gene expression data, we simulated microbial growth in normal and stressful
      conditions (i.e. following antibiotic exposure). This allowed us to describe the
      metabolic reprogramming that occurs in this bacterium when treated with colistin
      (the currently adopted last-line treatment) and identify a set of genes that are
      primary targets for developing new drugs against A. baumannii, including colistin
      resistant strains. It can be anticipated that the metabolic model presented
      herein will represent a solid and reliable resource for the future treatment of
      A. baumannii infections.

PMID- 28623299
TI  - Integrated optical waveguide-based fluorescent immunosensor for fast and
      sensitive detection of microcystin-LR in lakes: Optimization and Analysis.
AB  - Nowadays, biosensor technologies which can detect various contaminants in water
      quickly and cost-effectively are in great demand. Herein, we report an integrated
      channel waveguide-based fluorescent immunosensor with the ability to detect a
      maximum of 32 contaminants rapidly and simultaneously. In particular, we use
      waveguide tapers to improve the efficiency of excitation and collection of
      fluorescent signals in the presence of fluorophore photobleaching in a solid
      surface bioassay. Under the optimized waveguide geometry, this is the first
      demonstration of using such a type of waveguide immunosensor for the detection of
      microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in lake water. The waveguide chip was activated by (3
      Mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane/N-(4-maleimidobutyryloxy) succinimide (MTS/GMBS)
      for immobilization of BSA-MC-LR conjugate, which was confirmed to have uniform
      monolayer distribution by atomic force microscopy. All real lake samples, even
      those containing MC-LR in the sub-microgram per liter range (e.g. 0.5 MUg/L),
      could be determined by the immunosensor with recovery rates between 84% and 108%,
      confirming its application potential in the measurement of MC-LR in real water
      samples.

PMID- 28623300
TI  - Improving Photocatalytic Performance from Bi2WO6@MoS2/graphene Hybrids via
      Gradual Charge Transferred Pathway.
AB  - The charge transfer from the main catalyst to the cocatalyst is a key factor to
      enhance catalytic activity for photocatalytic nanocomposite materials. In order
      to enhance the charge transfer between Bi2WO6 and graphene, we inlet MoS2 as a
      "stepping-stone" into Bi2WO6 and graphene. Here, we report an effective strategy
      to synthesize ternary Bi2WO6@MoS2/graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst by a
      facile two-step hydrothermal method, which is afforded by assembling two
      cocatalysts, graphene and MoS2, into the Bi2WO6 matrix with a nanoparticle
      morphology as a visible light harvester. Compared with Bi2WO6/graphene,
      Bi2WO6/MoS2 and pure Bi2WO6, the Bi2WO6@MoS2/graphene ternary composites exhibit
      superior photocatalytic activity owing to an enhanced charge carrier separation
      via gradual charge transferred pathway. This work indicates a promising
      cocatalyst strategy for designing a more efficient graphene based semiconductor
      photocatalyst toward degradation of organic pollutants.

PMID- 28623301
TI  - Designing a molecular magnetic button based on 4d and 5d transition-metal
      phthalocyanines.
AB  - The field of molecular spintronics exploits the properties of organic molecules
      possessing a magnetic moment, either native in the form of radicals or induced by
      the insertion of transition metal magnetic ions. To realize logic or storage
      molecular spin-tronics devices, molecules with stable different magnetic states
      should be deposited on a substrate, and switching between the states controllably
      achieved. By means of a first-principles calculations, we have devised a
      functional molecule exhibiting different magnetic states upon structural changes
      induced by current injection. We investigate the prototypical case of non-planar
      M-Phthalocyanine (MPc), where M is a transition-metal ion belonging to the 4d and
      5d series. We find that for ZrPc and HfPc deposited on a graphene decorated
      Ni(111) substrate, two different structural conformations could be stabilized,
      for which the molecules attain different magnetic states depending on the
      position of the M ion - whether above the Pc or between the Pc and the substrate 
      , acting therefore as molecular magnetic button. Our work indicates an intuitive
      way to engineer a magnetic molecular switch with tailored properties, starting
      from the knowledge of the basic atomic properties of elements and surfaces.

PMID- 28623302
TI  - Insecticide susceptibility of Anopheles mosquitoes changes in response to
      variations in the larval environment.
AB  - Insecticide resistance threatens the success achieved through vector control in
      reducing the burden of malaria. An understanding of insecticide resistance
      mechanisms would help to develop novel tools and strategies to restore the
      efficacy of insecticides. Although we have substantially improved our
      understanding of the genetic basis of insecticide resistance over the last
      decade, we still know little of how environmental variations influence the
      mosquito phenotype. Here, we measured how variations in larval rearing conditions
      change the insecticide susceptibility phenotype of adult Anopheles mosquitoes.
      Anopheles gambiae and A. stephensi larvae were bred under different combinations
      of temperature, population density and nutrition, and the emerging adults were
      exposed to permethrin. Mosquitoes bred under different conditions showed
      considerable changes in mortality rates and body weight, with nutrition being the
      major factor. Weight is a strong predictor of insecticide susceptibility and
      bigger mosquitoes are more likely to survive insecticide treatment. The changes
      can be substantial, such that the same mosquito colony may be considered fully
      susceptible or highly resistant when judged by World Health Organization
      discriminatory concentrations. The results shown here emphasise the importance of
      the environmental background in developing insecticide resistance phenotypes, and
      caution for the interpretation of data generated by insecticide susceptibility
      assays.

PMID- 28623303
TI  - XtracTB Assay, a Mycobacterium tuberculosis molecular screening test with
      sensitivity approaching culture.
AB  - Nucleic acid amplification tests are increasingly used to diagnose tuberculosis
      (TB) due to their speed and sensitivity compared to sputum smear microscopy.
      However, these tests fail to equal culture's sensitivity with sputum smear
      microscopy negative specimens and therefore cannot be used to rule out TB
      disease. For molecular tests to match culture's sensitivity, they must detect
      <=10 genomic copies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) DNA, the limit of
      detection of culture, process >=1 ml of sputum ensuring sufficient number of MTB
      are in the reaction, and efficiently remove sputum associated inhibitors from
      this large sample. Here we report the preliminary characterization of XtracTB
      Assay, a MTB testing protocol designed for inclusion in either an integrated
      point-of-care platform or a high throughput automated central laboratory system.
      The test combines DNA sequence specific sample prep to reduce the co-extraction
      of qPCR inhibitors with the amplification of two MTB specific loci (IS6110 and
      senX3-regX3) to increase test sensitivity and minimize the likelihood of false
      negatives. The analytical sensitivity of the XtracTB Assay was 5 genomic
      copies/ml of sputum rivaling that of culture. Furthermore, 142 valid test results
      yield clinical sensitivity of 94.9% (95% CI: 90.1-99.9) and specificity of 100%
      (95% CI: 90.0-100.0).

PMID- 28623304
TI  - Identification of transcripts with short stuORFs as targets for DENR*MCTS1
      dependent translation in human cells.
AB  - The non-canonical initiation factors DENR and MCTS1 have been linked to cancer
      and autism. We recently showed in Drosophila that DENR and MCTS1 regulate
      translation re-initiation on transcripts containing upstream Open Reading Frames
      (uORFs) with strong Kozak sequences (stuORFs). Due to the medical relevance of
      DENR and MCTS1, it is worthwhile identifying the transcripts in human cells that
      depend on DENR and MCTS1 for their translation. We show here that in humans, as
      in Drosophila, transcripts with short stuORFs require DENR and MCTS1 for their
      optimal expression. In contrast to Drosophila, however, the dependence on stuORF
      length in human cells is very strong, so that only transcripts with very short
      stuORFs coding for 1 amino acid are dependent on DENR and MCTS1. This identifies
      circa 100 genes as putative DENR and MCTS1 translational targets. These genes are
      enriched for neuronal genes and G protein-coupled receptors. The identification
      of DENR and MCTS1 target transcripts will serve as a basis for future studies
      aimed at understanding the mechanistic involvement of DENR and MCTS1 in cancer
      and autism.

PMID- 28623305
TI  - Enhanced Optical Properties of ZnO and CeO2-coated ZnO Nanostructures Achieved
      Via Spherical Nanoshells Growth On A Polystyrene Template.
AB  - In this paper, ZnO, CeO2 and CeO2-coated ZnO nanostructures were synthesised by
      simple and efficient low temperature wet chemical methods on Si (100) and quartz
      substrates. The ZnO films were prepared by a drop coating deposition method. This
      was then combined with a thin layer of the redox active material CeO2 to form
      CeO2-coated ZnO films. Spherical ZnO nanoshell structures and CeO2-coated ZnO
      nanoshells have been prepared using polystyrene (PS) sphere monolayer templates.
      The structural properties and morphologies of the nanostructures were analysed by
      x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanostructure
      compositions are studied in more detail using secondary ion mass spectroscopy
      (SIMS). The optical properties of the nanostructures were measured using
      ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy in order to ascertain the
      effects of the nanoshell structures and the whispering gallery modes associated
      with these structures on the optical properties of the deposits. Our data show UV
      and visible light absorption was very significantly enhanced due to this
      nanostructuring.

PMID- 28623306
TI  - Diversity of endophytic mycobiota of tropical tree Tectona grandis Linn.f.:
      Spatiotemporal and tissue type effects.
AB  - Fungal endophytes were isolated from leaf, bark and stem of Tectona grandis
      Linn.f. sampled at four geographical locations in winter, summer and monsoon
      seasons. The recovered 5089 isolates were assigned to 45 distinct morphotypes
      based on morphology. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of
      the nrDNA of some morphotypes were identical, but morphological differences were
      strong enough to consider these morphotypes as separate species. Forty-three
      morphotypes were assigned to ascomycotina and two to basidiomycotina.
      Ascomycotina was the predominating group with 99.7% of total isolates followed by
      basidiomycotina with only 0.3% of total isolates. Diaporthe (Phomopsis) species
      dominated the communities independently on tissue type, location or season. More
      than 60% of the examined tissue pieces were colonized by members of this species
      complex. While these endophytes are ubiquitous others were tissue or location
      specific. Tissue type had the strongest effect on the species evenness of the
      endophytic assemblage followed by geographical location and season. However,
      Shannon-Wiener index (H') significantly (p <= 0.001) varied with all three
      factors i.e. season, location and tissue type. Leaves supported the highest
      diversity across all the seasons and locations. In conclusion, all the three
      factors together determined the structure of endophytic mycobiota assemblage of
      T. grandis.

PMID- 28623307
TI  - Both interferon alpha and lambda can reduce all intrahepatic HDV infection
      markers in HBV/HDV infected humanized mice.
AB  - Co-infection with hepatitis B (HBV) and D virus (HDV) is associated with the most
      severe course of liver disease. Interferon represents the only treatment
      currently approved. However, knowledge about the impact of interferons on HDV in
      human hepatocytes is scant. Aim was to assess the effect of pegylated interferon
      alpha (peg-IFNalpha) and lambda (peg-IFNlambda), compared to the HBV-polymerase
      inhibitor entecavir (ETV) on all HDV infection markers using human liver chimeric
      mice and novel HDV strand-specific qRT-PCR and RNA in situ hybridization assays,
      which enable intrahepatic detection of HDV RNA species. Peg-IFNalpha and peg
      IFNlambda reduced HDV viremia (1.4 log and 1.2 log, respectively) and serum HBsAg
      levels (0.9-log and 0.4-log, respectively). Intrahepatic quantification of
      genomic and antigenomic HDV RNAs revealed a median ratio of 22:1 in untreated
      mice, resembling levels determined in HBV/HDV infected patients. Both IFNs
      greatly reduced intrahepatic levels of genomic and antigenomic HDV RNA,
      increasing the amounts of HDAg- and antigenomic RNA-negative hepatocytes. ETV
      mediated suppression of HBV replication (2.1-log) did not significantly affect
      HBsAg levels, HDV productivity and/or release. In humanized mice lacking adaptive
      immunity, IFNs but not ETV suppressed HDV. Viremia decrease reflected the
      intrahepatic reduction of all HDV markers, including the antigenomic template,
      suggesting that intracellular HDV clearance is achievable.

PMID- 28623308
TI  - Improved Growth Patterns in Cystic Fibrosis Mice after Loss of Histone
      Deacetylase 6.
AB  - Growth failure in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has been well-documented and
      shown to correlate with poorer disease outcomes. This observation is also true in
      CF animal models, including mouse, pig, rat, and ferret. The etiology underlying
      growth deficits is unknown, and our previous work demonstrated reduced tubulin
      acetylation in CF cell models and tissue that is correctable by inhibition of
      histone deacetylase-6 (HDAC6). Here, we hypothesize that loss of HDAC6 will
      improve growth phenotype in a CF mouse model. Hdac6 knockout mice were crossed
      with F508del (CF) mice to generate F508del/Hdac6 (CF/HDA) mice. Growth, fat
      deposits, survival, and bioelectric measurements were analyzed. CF/HDA mice
      displayed improvements in length and weight with no correction of CFTR function.
      Mechanistically, Igf1 levels likely account for increased length and improvements
      in fertility. Weight gain is attributed to increased fat deposits potentially
      mediated by increased adipocyte differentiation. CF-related growth deficits can
      be improved via inhibition of HDAC6, further implicating it as a potential
      therapeutic target for CF.

PMID- 28623310
TI  - One-Pot Synthesis of GeAs Ultrafine Particles from Coal Fly Ash by Vacuum Dynamic
      Flash Reduction and Inert Gas Condensation.
AB  - Ge-monopnictides (GeAs) plays critical role in high-tech industry, especially in
      the field of advanced optical devices and infrared. As a secondary material, coal
      fly ash could be further recycled to retrieve germanium and prepare GeAs material
      with high added values. Hence, the aim of this paper is to propose a one-pot
      synthesis that uses vacuum flash reduction and inert-gas consolidation method to
      prepare GeAs ultrafine particles. Germanium in coal fly ash can be successfully
      recycled; simultaneously, GeAs ultrafine particles were prepared. Separation
      principle and feasibility of this process was discussed. Temperature, carrier gas
      flow rate and system pressure were the major factors on formation, morphology and
      distribution of particle size of GeAs ultrafine particles. A three steps
      synthetic mechanism was clarified, namely, thermal rupture of coal fly ash and
      release of GeO2 and As2O3, the gas-solid phase reaction of GeO2, As2O3 and coke
      to generate metallic Ge and As in vacuum flash reduction. Meantime, GeAs were
      produced in the gas phase reaction. Finally, GeAs ultrafine particles were
      obtained by carrier gas condensation. In short, this research developed a
      practical and environment-friendly one-pot synthesis to recycle germanium in coal
      fly ash and prepare GeAs ultrafine particles with high added values.

PMID- 28623309
TI  - Fibronectin promotes directional persistence in fibroblast migration through
      interactions with both its cell-binding and heparin-binding domains.
AB  - The precise mechanisms through which insoluble, cell-adhesive ligands induce and
      regulate directional cell migration remain obscure. We recently demonstrated that
      elevated surface density of physically adsorbed plasma fibronectin (FN) promotes
      high directional persistence in fibroblast migration. While cell-FN association
      through integrins alpha5beta1 and alphavbeta3 was necessary, substrates that
      selectively engaged these integrins did not support the phenotype. We here show
      that high directional persistence necessitates a combination of the cell-binding
      and C-terminal heparin-binding domains of FN, but does not require the engagement
      of syndecan-4 or integrin alpha4beta1. FN treatment with various fixation agents
      indicated that associated changes in fibroblast motility were due to biochemical
      changes, rather than alterations in its physical state. The nature of the coating
      determined the ability of fibroblasts to assemble endogenous or exogenous FN,
      while FN fibrillogenesis played a minor, but significant, role in regulating
      directionality. Interestingly, knockdown of cellular FN abolished cell motility
      altogether, demonstrating a requirement for intracellular processes in enabling
      fibroblast migration on FN. Lastly, kinase inhibition experiments revealed that
      regulation of cell speed and directional persistence are decoupled. Hence, we
      have identified factors that render full-length FN a promoter of directional
      migration and discuss the possible, relevant mechanisms.

PMID- 28623311
TI  - Identification of rare genetic variation of NLRP1 gene in familial multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - The genetic etiology and the contribution of rare genetic variation in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) has not yet been elucidated. Although familial forms of MS have
      been described, no convincing rare and penetrant variants have been reported to
      date. We aimed to characterize the contribution of rare genetic variation in
      familial and sporadic MS and have identified a family with two sibs affected by
      concomitant MS and malignant melanoma (MM). We performed whole exome sequencing
      in this primary family and 38 multiplex MS families and 44 sporadic MS cases and
      performed transcriptional and immunologic assessment of the identified variants.
      We identified a potentially causative homozygous missense variant in NLRP1 gene
      (Gly587Ser) in the primary family. Further possibly pathogenic NLRP1 variants
      were identified in the expanded cohort of patients. Stimulation of peripheral
      blood mononuclear cells from MS patients with putatively pathogenic NLRP1
      variants showed an increase in IL-1B gene expression and active cytokine IL-1beta
      production, as well as global activation of NLRP1-driven immunologic pathways. We
      report a novel familial association of MS and MM, and propose a possible
      underlying genetic basis in NLRP1 gene. Furthermore, we provide initial evidence
      of the broader implications of NLRP1-related pathway dysfunction in MS.

PMID- 28623312
TI  - Recovery of the first full-length genome sequence of a parapoxvirus directly from
      a clinical sample.
AB  - We recovered the first full-length poxvirus genome, including the terminal
      hairpin region, directly from complex clinical material using a combination of
      second generation short read and third generation nanopore sequencing
      technologies. The complete viral genome sequence was directly recovered from a
      skin lesion of a grey seal thereby preventing sequence changes due to in vitro
      passaging of the virus. Subsequent analysis of the proteins encoded by this virus
      identified genes specific for skin adaptation and pathogenesis of parapoxviruses.
      These data warrant the classification of seal parapoxvirus, tentatively
      designated SePPV, as a new species within the genus Parapoxvirus.

PMID- 28623313
TI  - Inhibition of Calpains Protects Mn-Induced Neurotransmitter release disorders in
      Synaptosomes from Mice: Involvement of SNARE Complex and Synaptic Vesicle Fusion.
AB  - Overexposure to manganese (Mn) could disrupt neurotransmitter release via
      influencing the formation of SNARE complex, but the underlying mechanisms are
      still unclear. A previous study demonstrated that SNAP-25 is one of substrate of
      calpains. The current study investigated whether calpains were involved in Mn
      induced disorder of SNARE complex. After mice were treated with Mn for 24 days,
      Mn deposition increased significantly in basal nuclei in Mn-treated and calpeptin
      pre-treated groups. Behaviorally, less time spent in the center of the area and
      decreased average velocity significantly in an open field test after 24 days of
      Mn exposure. With the increase in MnCl2 dosage, intracellular Ca2+ increased
      significantly, but pretreatment with calpeptin caused a dose-dependent decrease
      in calpains activity. There were fragments of N-terminal of SNAP-25 protein
      appearance in Mn-treated groups, but it is decreased with pretreatment of
      calpeptin. FM1-43-labeled synaptic vesicles also provided evidence that the
      treatment with Mn resulted in increasing first and then decreasing, which was
      consistent with Glu release and the 80 kDa protein levels of SNARE complexes. In
      summary, Mn induced the disorder of neurotransmitter release through influencing
      the formation of SNARE complex via cleaving SNAP-25 by overactivation of calpains
      in vivo.

PMID- 28623314
TI  - Comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analyses provide insights into the key
      genes involved in high-altitude adaptation in the Tibetan pig.
AB  - Tibetan pigs that inhabit the Tibetan Plateau exhibit striking phenotypic and
      physiological differences from lowland pigs, and have adapted well to extreme
      conditions. However, the mechanisms involved in regulating gene expression at
      high altitude in these animals are not fully understood. In this study, we
      obtained transcriptomic and proteomic data from the heart tissues of Tibetan and
      Yorkshire pigs raised in the highlands (TH and YH) and lowlands (TL and YL) via
      RNA-seq and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation)
      analyses, respectively. Comparative analyses of TH vs. YH, TH vs.TL, TL vs. YL,
      and YH vs. YL yielded 299, 169, 242, and 368 differentially expressed genes
      (DEGs), and 473, 297, 394, and 297 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs),
      respectively. By functional annotation of these DEGs and DEPs, genes that were
      enriched in the HIF-1 signaling pathway (NPPA, ERK2, ENO3, and EGLN3), VEGF
      signaling pathway (ERK2, A2M, FGF1, CTGF, and DPP4), and hypoxia-related
      processes (CRYAB, EGLN3, TGFB2, DPP4, and ACE) were identified as important
      candidate genes for high-altitude adaptation in the Tibetan pig. This study
      enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in hypoxic
      adaptation in pigs, and furthers our understanding of human hypoxic diseases.

PMID- 28623315
TI  - Avalanche of entanglement and correlations at quantum phase transitions.
AB  - We study the ground-state entanglement in the quantum Ising model with nearest
      neighbor ferromagnetic coupling J and find a sequential increase of entanglement
      depth d with growing J. This entanglement avalanche starts with two-point
      entanglement, as measured by the concurrence, and continues via the three-tangle
      and four-tangle, until finally, deep in the ferromagnetic phase for J = infinity,
      arriving at a pure L-partite (GHZ type) entanglement of all L spins. Comparison
      with the two, three, and four-point correlations reveals a similar sequence and
      shows strong ties to the above entanglement measures for small J. However, we
      also find a partial inversion of the hierarchy, where the four-point correlation
      exceeds the three- and two-point correlations, well before the critical point is
      reached. Qualitatively similar behavior is also found for the Bose-Hubbard model,
      suggesting that this is a general feature of a quantum phase transition. This
      should be taken into account in the approximations starting from a mean-field
      limit.

PMID- 28623316
TI  - Revealing protein networks and gene-drug connectivity in cancer from direct
      information.
AB  - The connection between genetic variation and drug response has long been explored
      to facilitate the optimization and personalization of cancer therapy. Crucial to
      the identification of drug response related genetic features is the ability to
      separate indirect correlations from direct correlations across abundant datasets
      with large number of variables. Here we analyzed proteomic and pharmacogenomic
      data in cancer tissues and cell lines using a global statistical model connecting
      protein pairs, genes and anti-cancer drugs. We estimated this model using direct
      coupling analysis (DCA), a powerful statistical inference method that has been
      successfully applied to protein sequence data to extract evolutionary signals
      that provide insights on protein structure, folding and interactions. We used
      Direct Information (DI) as a metric of connectivity between proteins as well as
      gene-drug pairs. We were able to infer important interactions observed in cancer
      related pathways from proteomic data and predict potential connectivities in
      cancer networks. We also identified known and potential connections for anti
      cancer drugs and gene mutations using DI in pharmacogenomic data. Our findings
      suggest that gene-drug connections predicted with direct couplings can be used as
      a reliable guide to cancer therapy and expand our understanding of the effects of
      gene alterations on drug efficacies.

PMID- 28623317
TI  - Prediction of lncRNA-protein interactions using HeteSim scores based on
      heterogeneous networks.
AB  - Massive studies have indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are critical
      for the regulation of cellular biological processes by binding with RNA-related
      proteins. However, only a few experimentally supported lncRNA-protein
      associations have been reported. Existing network-based methods are typically
      focused on intrinsic features of lncRNA and protein but ignore the information
      implicit in the topologies of biological networks associated with lncRNAs.
      Considering the limitations in previous methods, we propose PLPIHS, an effective
      computational method for Predicting lncRNA-Protein Interactions using HeteSim
      Scores. PLPIHS uses the HeteSim measure to calculate the relatedness score for
      each lncRNA-protein pair in the heterogeneous network, which consists of lncRNA
      lncRNA similarity network, lncRNA-protein association network and protein-protein
      interaction network. An SVM classifier to predict lncRNA-protein interactions is
      built with the HeteSim scores. The results show that PLPIHS performs
      significantly better than the existing state-of-the-art approaches and achieves
      an AUC score of 0.97 in the leave-one-out validation test. We also compare the
      performances of networks with different connectivity density and find that PLPIHS
      performs well across all the networks. Furthermore, we use the proposed method to
      identify the related proteins for lncRNA MALAT1. Highly-ranked proteins are
      verified by the biological studies and demonstrate the effectiveness of our
      method.

PMID- 28623318
TI  - ZipA and FtsA* stabilize FtsZ-GDP miniring structures.
AB  - The cytokinetic division ring of Escherichia coli comprises filaments of FtsZ
      tethered to the membrane by FtsA and ZipA. Previous results suggested that ZipA
      is a Z-ring stabilizer, since in vitro experiments it is shown that ZipA enhanced
      FtsZ assembly and caused the filaments to bundles. However, this function of ZipA
      has been challenged by recent studies. First, ZipA-induced FtsZ bundling was not
      significant at pH greater than 7. Second, some FtsA mutants, such as FtsA* were
      able to bypass the need of ZipA. We reinvestigated the interaction of FtsZ with
      ZipA in vitro. We found that ZipA not only stabilized and bundled straight
      filaments of FtsZ-GTP, but also stabilized the highly curved filaments and
      miniring structures formed by FtsZ-GDP. FtsA* had a similar stabilization of FtsZ
      GDP minirings. Our results suggest that ZipA and FtsA* may contribute to
      constriction by stabilizing this miniring conformation.

PMID- 28623319
TI  - Fast Projection Matching for X-ray Tomography.
AB  - X-ray 3D tomographic techniques are powerful tools for investigating the
      morphology and internal structures of specimens. A common strategy for obtaining
      3D tomography is to capture a series of 2D projections from different X-ray
      illumination angles of specimens mounted on a finely calibrated rotational stage.
      However, the reconstruction quality of 3D tomography relies on the precision and
      stability of the rotational stage, i.e. the accurate alignment of the 2D
      projections in the correct three-dimensional positions. This is a crucial problem
      for nano-tomographic techniques due to the non-negligible mechanical imperfection
      of the rotational stages at the nanometer level which significantly degrades the
      spatial resolution of reconstructed 3-D tomography. Even when using an X-ray
      micro-CT with a highly stabilized rotational stage, thermal effects caused by the
      CT system are not negligible and may cause sample drift. Here, we propose a
      markerless image auto-alignment algorithm based on an iterative method. This
      algorithm reduces the traditional projection matching method into two simplified
      matching problems and it is much faster and more reliable than traditional
      methods. This algorithm can greatly decrease hardware requirements for both nano
      tomography and data processing and can be easily applied to other tomographic
      techniques, such as X-ray micro-CT and electron tomography.

PMID- 28623320
TI  - Postprandial metabolic response of breast-fed infants and infants fed lactose
      free vs regular infant formula: A randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Lactose intolerance is a major concern driving the growth of lactose-free foods
      including lactose-free infant formula. It is unknown what the metabolic
      consequence is of consumption of a formula where lactose has been replaced with
      corn syrup solids (CSS). Here, a randomized double-blinded intervention study was
      conducted where exclusively formula-fed infants were fed formula containing
      either lactose or CSS-based infant formula and compared with an equal number of
      exclusively breast-fed infants. Plasma metabolites and insulin were measured at
      baseline, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after feeding. Differences in plasma
      metabolite profiles for formula-fed infants included a rapid increase in
      circulating amino acids, creatinine and urea compared with breast-fed infants. At
      120 min post-feeding, insulin was significantly elevated in formula-fed compared
      with breast-fed infants. Infants fed lactose-based formula had the highest levels
      of glucose at 120 min, and leucine, isoleucine, valine and proline at 90 and 120
      min, whereas infants fed CSS-based formula had the lowest levels of non
      esterified fatty acids at all time points, and glucose at 120 min. Overall, these
      differences highlight that changes in infant formula composition impact infant
      metabolism, and show that metabolomics is a powerful tool to help with
      development of improved infant formulas.

PMID- 28623322
TI  - Design of Non-Deterministic Quasi-random Nanophotonic Structures Using Fourier
      Space Representations.
AB  - Despite their seemingly random appearances in the real space, quasi-random
      nanophotonic structures exhibit distinct structural correlations and have been
      widely utilized for effective photon management. However, current design
      approaches mainly rely on the deterministic representations consisting two
      dimensional (2D) discretized patterns in the real space. They fail to capture the
      inherent non-deterministic characteristic of the quasi-random structures and
      inevitably result in a large design dimensionality. Here, we report a new design
      approach that employs the one-dimensional (1D) spectral density function (SDF) as
      the unique representation of non-deterministic quasi-random structures in the
      Fourier space with greatly reduced design dimensionality. One 1D SDF
      representation can be used to generate infinite sets of real space structures in
      2D with equally optimized performance, which was further validated experimentally
      using light-trapping structures in a thin film absorber as a model system. The
      optimized non-deterministic quasi-random nanostructures improve the broadband
      absorption by 225% over the unpatterned cell.

PMID- 28623321
TI  - Dysbiosis in chronic periodontitis: Key microbial players and interactions with
      the human host.
AB  - Periodontitis is an extremely prevalent disease worldwide and is driven by
      complex dysbiotic microbiota. Here we analyzed the transcriptional activity of
      the periodontal pocket microbiota from all domains of life as well as the human
      host in health and chronic periodontitis. Bacteria showed strong enrichment of 18
      KEGG functional modules in chronic periodontitis, including bacterial chemotaxis,
      flagellar assembly, type III secretion system, type III CRISPR-Cas system, and
      two component system proteins. Upregulation of these functions was driven by the
      red-complex pathogens and candidate pathogens, e.g. Filifactor alocis, Prevotella
      intermedia, Fretibacterium fastidiosum and Selenomonas sputigena. Nine virulence
      factors were strongly up-regulated, among them the arginine deiminase arcA from
      Porphyromonas gingivalis and Mycoplasma arginini. Viruses and archaea accounted
      for about 0.1% and 0.22% of total putative mRNA reads, respectively, and a
      protozoan, Entamoeba gingivalis, was highly enriched in periodontitis. Fourteen
      human transcripts were enriched in periodontitis, including a gene for a ferric
      iron binding protein, indicating competition with the microbiota for iron, and
      genes associated with cancer, namely nucleolar phosphoprotein B23, ankyrin-repeat
      domain 30B-like protein and beta-enolase. The data provide evidence on the level
      of gene expression in vivo for the potentially severe impact of the dysbiotic
      microbiota on human health.

PMID- 28623323
TI  - RUFY3 interaction with FOXK1 promotes invasion and metastasis in colorectal
      cancer.
AB  - RUFY3 is highly expressed in brain tissue and has a role in neuronal development.
      Transcriptional factor FOXK1 is involved in cell growth and metabolism. We knew
      that RUFY3 or FOXK1 has been correlated with the malignant of tumor cells.
      However, the role of these molecules in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression
      remains unknown. We investigated the protein expression levels by Western blot,
      immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry analyses. The migration and invasive
      abilities of CRC cells were assessed using shRNA-mediated inhibition in vitro and
      in vivo. We showed that RUFY3 expression was up-regulated in CRC compared with
      its expression in a normal human colon cell line (FHC). RUFY3 suppression
      inhibited anchorage independent cell tumorigenesis. RUFY3 induced elevated
      expression of eight major oncogenes. Moreover, RUFY3 physically interacts with
      FOXK1 in CRC. A positive correlation was observed between the expression patterns
      of RUFY3 and FOXK1. Furthermore, RUFY3 and FOXK1 expression were correlated with
      tumor progression and represented significant predictors of overall survival in
      CRC patients. SiRNA-mediated repression of FOXK1 in RUFY3-overexpressing cells
      reversed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic phenotypes.
      In vivo, FOXK1 promoted RUFY3-mediated metastasis via orthotopic implantation.
      These findings suggest that the RUFY3-FOXK1 axis might promote the development
      and progression of human CRC.

PMID- 28623324
TI  - Rapid discrimination of human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma by mass
      spectrometry based on differences in amino acid metabolism.
AB  - Oesophageal cancer (OC) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and
      surgery is the most effective approach to treat it. In order to reduce surgical
      risks and duration of surgery, we explored a new strategy to determine tumour
      margins in surgery. In this study, we included 128 cancerous and 128 noncancerous
      database entries obtained from 32 human patients. Using internal extractive
      electrospray ionization-MS, in positive ion detection mode, the relative
      abundances of m/z 104.13, m/z 116.10, m/z 132.13, and m/z 175.13 were higher in
      cancer tissue while the relative abundances of m/z 82.99, m/z 133.11, m/z 147.08,
      m/z 154.06, and m/z 188.05 were higher in normal tissue. Using partial least
      squares analysis, the mass spectra of cancer samples was discriminated from those
      of normal tissues, and the discriminatory ions were obtained from loading plots.
      Dimethylglycine(m/z 104), proline(m/z 116), isoleucine(m/z 132), asparagine(m/z
      133), glutamine(m/z 147), and arginine(m/z 175) were identified by collision
      induced dissociation experiments. Using the ROC curve analysis, we verified the
      validity of six amino acids for the identification of tumour tissue. Further
      investigations of tissue amino acids may allow us to better understand the
      underlying mechanisms involved in OC and develop novel means to identify tumour
      tissue during operation.

PMID- 28623325
TI  - Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy, a Novel Diagnostic Tool for Metastatic
      Cell Detection in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Children with Medulloblastoma.
AB  - In pediatric brain tumours, dissemination of malignant cells within the central
      nervous system confers poor prognosis and determines treatment intensity, but is
      often undetectable by imaging or cytology. This study describes the use of
      fluorescence lifetime (FLT) imaging microscopy (FLIM), a novel diagnostic tool,
      for detection of metastatic spread. The study group included 15 children with
      medulloblastoma and 2 with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumour. Cells extracted
      from the tumour and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 2 weeks postoperatively and
      repeatedly during chemo/radiotherapy were subjected to nuclear staining followed
      by FLT measurement and cytological study. Control CSF samples were collected from
      patients with infectious/inflammatory disease attending the same hospital. Median
      FLT was prolonged in tumour cells (4.27 +/- 0.28 ns; P < 2.2*10-16) and CSF
      metastatic cells obtained before chemo/radiotherapy (6.28 +/- 0.22 ns; P < 2.2*10
      16); normal in inflammatory control cells (2.6 +/- 0.04 ns) and cells from
      children without metastasis before chemo/radiotherapy (2.62 +/- 0.23 ns; P =
      0.858) and following treatment (2.62 +/- 0.21 ns; P = 0.053); and short in CSF
      metastatic cells obtained after chemo/radiotherapy (2.40 +/- 0.2 ns; P < 2.2*10
      16). FLIM is a simple test that can potentially identify CSF spread of brain
      tumours. FLT changes in accordance with treatment, with significant prolonged
      median values in tumours and metastases. More accurate detection of metastatic
      cells may guide personalised treatment and improve the therapeutic outcome.

PMID- 28623326
TI  - Sialic acid linkage differentiation of glycopeptides using capillary
      electrophoresis - electrospray ionization - mass spectrometry.
AB  - Sialylation is a glycosylation feature that occurs in different linkages at the
      non-reducing end of a glycan moiety, the linkage isomers are often differentially
      associated with various biological processes. Due to very similar physico
      chemical properties, the separation of isomeric sialylated glycopeptides remains
      challenging but of utmost importance in the biomedicine and biotechnology,
      including biomarker discovery, glyco-engineering and biopharmaceutical
      characterization. This study presents the implementation of a high-resolution
      separation platform based on capillary electrophoresis - mass spectrometry (CE
      MS) allowing for the selective analysis of alpha2,3- and alpha2,6-sialylated
      glycopeptides. These differentially linked glycopeptides showed an identical
      fragmentation pattern (collision induced dissociation) but different
      electrophoretic mobilities, allowing for baseline separation of the different
      linkages without the need for an extensive sample preparation. The different
      migration behavior between the two moieties was found to correlate with
      differences in pKa values. Using a novel methodology adapted from the so-called
      internal standard CE approach, a relative difference of 3.4.10-2 in pKa unit was
      determined. This approach was applied for the analysis of tryptic glycopeptides
      of prostate specific antigen, which shows highly complex and heterogeneous
      glycosylation. The developed platform therefore appears attractive for the
      identification of differentially linked sialic acids that may be related to
      pathological conditions.

PMID- 28623328
TI  - Platelet-rich plasma induces post-natal maturation of immature articular
      cartilage and correlates with LOXL1 activation.
AB  - Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is used to stimulate the repair of acute and chronic
      cartilage damage even though there is no definitive evidence of how this is
      achieved. Chondrocytes in injured and diseased situations frequently re-express
      phenotypic biomarkers of immature cartilage so tissue maturation is a potential
      pathway for restoration of normal structure and function. We used an in vitro
      model of growth factor-induced maturation to perform a comparative study in order
      to determine whether PRP can also induce this specific form of remodeling that is
      characterised by increased cellular proliferation and tissue stiffness. Gene
      expression patterns specific for maturation were mimicked in PRP treated
      cartilage, with chondromodulin, collagen types II/X downregulated, deiodinase II
      and netrin-1 upregulated. PRP increased cartilage surface cell density 1.5-fold
      (P < 0.05), confirmed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and proportionate
      increases in proliferating cell nuclear antigen gene expression. Atomic force
      microscopy analysis of PRP and growth factor treated cartilage gave a 5-fold
      increase in stiffness correlating with a 10-fold upregulation of lysyl oxidase
      like-1 gene expression (P < 0.001). These data show PRP induces key aspects of
      post-natal maturation in immature cartilage and provides the basis to evaluate a
      new biological rationale for its activity when used clinically to initiate joint
      repair.

PMID- 28623327
TI  - Exendin-4 attenuates blast traumatic brain injury induced cognitive impairments,
      losses of synaptophysin and in vitro TBI-induced hippocampal cellular
      degeneration.
AB  - Mild blast traumatic brain injury (B-TBI) induced lasting cognitive impairments
      in novel object recognition and less severe deficits in Y-maze behaviors. B-TBI
      significantly reduced the levels of synaptophysin (SYP) protein staining in
      cortical (CTX) and hippocampal (HIPP) tissues. Treatment with exendin-4 (Ex-4)
      delivered by subcutaneous micro-osmotic pumps 48 hours prior to or 2 hours
      immediately after B-TBI prevented the induction of both cognitive deficits and B
      TBI induced changes in SYP staining. The effects of a series of biaxial stretch
      injuries (BSI) on a neuronal derived cell line, HT22 cells, were assessed in an
      in vitro model of TBI. Biaxial stretch damage induced shrunken neurites and cell
      death. Treatment of HT22 cultures with Ex-4 (25 to 100 nM), prior to injury,
      attenuated the cytotoxic effects of BSI and preserved neurite length similar to
      sham treated cells. These data imply that treatment with Ex-4 may represent a
      viable option for the management of secondary events triggered by blast-induced,
      mild traumatic brain injury that is commonly observed in militarized zones.

PMID- 28623329
TI  - Factors controlling the mechanical properties degradation and permeability of
      coal subjected to liquid nitrogen freeze-thaw.
AB  - Freeze-thaw induced fracturing coal by liquid nitrogen (LN2) injection exerts a
      significant positive effect on the fracture permeability enhancement of the coal
      reservoir. To evaluate the different freeze-thaw variables which modify the
      mechanical properties of treated coals, the effects of freezing time, number of
      freeze-thaw cycles, and the moisture content of coal were studied using combined
      uniaxial compression and acoustic emission testing systems. Freezing the samples
      with LN2 for increasing amounts of time degraded the strength of coal within a
      certain limit. Comparison to freezing time, freeze-thaw cycling caused much more
      damage to the coal strength. The third variable studied, freeze-thaw damage
      resulting from high moisture content, was restricted by the coal's moisture
      saturation limit. Based on the experimental results, equations describing the
      amount of damage caused by each of the different freeze-thaw variables were
      empirically regressed. Additionally, by using the ultrasonic wave detection
      method and fractal dimension analyses, how freeze-thaw induced fractures in the
      coal was quantitatively analyzed. The results also showed that the velocity of
      ultrasonic waves had a negative correlation with coal permeability, and the
      freeze-thaw cycles significantly augment the permeability of frozen-thawed coal
      masses.

PMID- 28623330
TI  - Assessing Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Observed Ground-level Ozone in China.
AB  - Elevated ground-level ozone (O3), which is an important aspect of air quality
      related to public health, has been causing increasing concern. This study
      investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of ground-level O3 concentrations in
      China using a dataset from the Chinese national air quality monitoring network
      during 2013-2015. This research analyzed the diurnal, monthly and yearly
      variation of O3 concentrations in both sparsely and densely populated regions. In
      particular, 6 major Chinese cities were selected to allow a discussion of
      variations in O3 levels in detail, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Lanzhou,
      Shanghai, and Urumchi, located on both sides of the Heihe-Tengchong line. Data
      showed that the nationwide 3-year MDA8 of ground-level O3 was 80.26 MUg/m3.
      Ground-level O3 concentrations exhibited monthly variability peaking in summer
      and reaching the lowest levels in winter. The diurnal cycle reached a minimum in
      morning and peaked in the afternoon. Yearly average O3 MDA8 concentrations in
      Beijing, Chengdu, Lanzhou, and Shanghai in 2015 increased 12%, 25%, 34%, 22%,
      respectively, when compared with those in 2013. Compared with World Health
      Organization O3 guidelines, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Shanghai suffered O3
      pollution in excess of the 8-hour O3 standard for more than 30% of the days in
      2013 to 2015.

PMID- 28623331
TI  - Clinical Efficacy and Post-Treatment Seromarkers Associated with the Risk of
      Hepatocellular Carcinoma among Chronic Hepatitis C Patients.
AB  - This follow-up study enrolled chronic hepatitis C patients to evaluate the
      treatment efficacy and to identify post-treatment seromarkers associated with
      risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among patients with a sustained
      virological response (SVR) or nonsustained virological response (NSVR). A total
      of 4639 patients who received pegylated interferon and ribavirin during 2004-2013
      were followed until December 2014. HCC was confirmed through health examinations
      and data linkage with a national database. A total of 233 HCC cases were reported
      after 26,163 person-years of follow-up, indicating an incidence of 8.9 per 1000
      person-years: 6.9 for SVR and 21.6 for NSVR per 1000 person-years. The associated
      risk of HCC in patients with SVR was 0.37 (0.22-0.63) for those without cirrhosis
      and 0.54 (0.31-0.92) for those with cirrhosis compared with their respective
      counterparts with NSVR. Among patients with SVR, advanced age, male gender,
      cirrhosis, decreased platelet count, and increased aspartate aminotransferase and
      alpha-fetoprotein levels were associated with HCC (p < 0.001). The treatment of
      chronic hepatitis C patients before they developed cirrhosis showed a higher
      efficacy than did the treatment of those who had already developed cirrhosis.
      Patients with SVR may still have a risk of HCC and need to be regularly
      monitored.

PMID- 28623333
TI  - Relation between the Co-O bond lengths and the spin state of Co in layered
      Cobaltates: a high-pressure study.
AB  - The pressure-response of the Co-O bond lengths and the spin state of Co ions in a
      hybrid 3d-5d solid-state oxide Sr2Co0.5Ir0.5O4 with a layered K2NiF4-type
      structure was studied by using hard X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopies.
      The Co-K and the Ir-L 3 X-ray absorption spectra demonstrate that the Ir5+ and
      the Co3+ valence states at ambient conditions are not affected by pressure. The
      Co Kbeta emission spectra, on the other hand, revealed a gradual spin state
      transition of Co3+ ions from a high-spin (S = 2) state at ambient pressure to a
      complete low-spin state (S = 0) at 40 GPa without crossing the intermediate spin
      state (S = 1). This can be well understood from our calculated phase diagram in
      which we consider the energies of the low spin, intermediate spin and high spin
      states of Co3+ ions as a function of the anisotropic distortion of the octahedral
      local coordination in the layered oxide. We infer that a short in-plane Co-O bond
      length (<1.90 A) as well as a very large ratio of Co-Oapex/Co-Oin-plane is needed
      to stabilize the IS Co3+, a situation which is rarely met in reality.

PMID- 28623332
TI  - Interaction of the Antimicrobial Peptide Aurein 1.2 and Charged Lipid Bilayer.
AB  - Aurein 1.2 is a potent antimicrobial peptide secreted by frog Litoria aurea. As a
      short membrane-active peptide with only 13 amino acids in sequence, it has been
      found to be residing on the surface of lipid bilayer and permeabilizing bacterial
      membranes at high concentration. However, the detail at the molecular level is
      largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the action of Aurein 1.2 in
      charged lipid bilayers composed of DMPC/DMPG. Oriented Circular Dichroism results
      showed that the peptide was on the surface of lipid bilayer regardless of the
      charged lipid ratio. Only at a very high peptide-to-lipid ratio (~1/10), the
      peptide became perpendicular to the bilayer, however no pore was detected by
      neutron in-plane scattering. To further understand how it interacted with charged
      lipid bilayers, we employed Small Angle Neutron Scattering to probe lipid
      distribution across bilayer leaflets in lipid vesicles. The results showed that
      Aurein 1.2 interacted strongly with negatively charged DMPG, causing strong
      asymmetry in lipid bilayer. At high concentration, while the vesicles were
      intact, we found additional structure feature on the bilayer. Our study provides
      a glimpse into how Aurein 1.2 disturbs anionic lipid-containing membranes without
      pore formation.

PMID- 28623334
TI  - Novel complex of HAT protein TIP60 and nuclear receptor PXR promotes cell
      migration and adhesion.
AB  - PXR is a member of nuclear receptor superfamily and a well-characterized mediator
      of xenobiotic metabolism. The classical mode of PXR activation involves its
      binding to appropriate ligand and subsequent heterodimerization with its partner
      RXR. However, various factors such as post-translational modifications and
      crosstalk with different cellular factors may also regulate the functional
      dynamics and behavior of PXR. In the present study, we have identified that
      TIP60, an essential lysine acetyltransferase protein interacts with unliganded
      PXR and together this complex promotes cell migration & adhesion. TIP60 utilizes
      its NR Box to interact with LBD region of PXR and acetylates PXR at lysine 170 to
      induce its intranuclear reorganization. Also, RXR is not required for TIP60-PXR
      complex formation and this complex does not induce ligand-dependent PXR target
      gene transactivation. Interestingly, we observed that PXR augments the catalytic
      activity of TIP60 for histones. This is the first report demonstrating the
      exclusive interaction of TIP60 with PXR and uncovers a potential role for the
      TIP60-PXR complex in cell migration and adhesion.

PMID- 28623335
TI  - Complex neuroanatomy in the rostrum of the Isle of Wight theropod Neovenator
      salerii.
AB  - The discovery of large, complex, internal canals within the rostra of fossil
      reptiles has been linked with an enhanced tactile function utilised in an aquatic
      context, so far in pliosaurids, the Cretaceous theropod Spinosaurus, and the
      related spinosaurid Baryonyx. Here, we report the presence of a complex network
      of large, laterally situated, anastomosing channels, discovered via micro-focus
      computed tomography (MUCT), in the premaxilla and maxilla of Neovenator, a mid
      sized allosauroid theropod from the Early Cretaceous of the UK. We identify these
      channels as neurovascular canals, that include parts of the trigeminal nerve;
      many branches of this complex terminate on the external surfaces of the
      premaxilla and maxilla where they are associated with foramina. Neovenator is
      universally regarded as a 'typical' terrestrial, predatory theropod, and there
      are no indications that it was aquatic, amphibious, or unusual with respect to
      the ecology or behaviour predicted for allosauroids. Accordingly, we propose that
      enlarged neurovascular facial canals shouldn't be used to exclusively support a
      model of aquatic foraging in theropods and argue instead that an enhanced degree
      of facial sensitivity may have been linked with any number of alternative
      behavioural adaptations, among them defleshing behaviour, nest
      selection/maintenance or social interaction.

PMID- 28623336
TI  - Molecular Identification of Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Fish Pathogenic
      Enterococcus faecalis and their Control by Medicinal Herbs.
AB  - The opportunistic fish pathogen, Enterococcus faecalis has been reported to cause
      mass mortality in several fish species in different countries. The objectives of
      this study were to (i) identify E. faecalis from the diseased fishes through
      molecular techniques; (ii) assess the antibiotic susceptibility profile of E.
      faecalis isolates; and (iii) control disease in tilapia fish by treatment with
      medicinal plant extracts. A total of 48 isolates were phenotypically identified
      as Enterococcus species from tilapia, stinging catfish and walking catfish
      cultivated in several fish farms in Gazipur. Ten randomly selected isolates were
      identified as E. faecalis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Artificial infection
      revealed that most of the isolates caused moderate to high mortality in fishes
      with characteristic disease symptoms. These isolates exhibited resistance to
      multiple antibiotics in vitro. Bioassay revealed that organic extracts of
      Tamarindus indica and Emblica officinalis leaves, Allium sativum bulb, and
      Syzygium aromaticum bud inhibited the growth of E. faecalis. Methanol extracts of
      A. sativum and methanol and acetone extracts of S. aromaticum significantly
      reduced the mortality of fish artificially infected with E. faecalis as both
      preventive and therapeutic agents. This is the first report on molecular
      identification, and herbal control of fish pathogenic E. faecalis in Bangladesh.

PMID- 28623337
TI  - Impact of Module-X2 and Carbohydrate Binding Module-3 on the catalytic activity
      of associated glycoside hydrolases towards plant biomass.
AB  - Cellulolytic enzymes capable of hydrolyzing plant biomass are secreted by
      microbial cells specifically in response to the carbon substrate present in the
      environment. These enzymes consist of a catalytic domain, generally appended to
      one or more non-catalytic Carbohydrate Binding Module (CBM), which enhances their
      activity towards recalcitrant biomass. In the present study, the genome of a
      cellulolytic microbe Paenibacillus polymyxa A18 was annotated for the presence of
      CBMs and analyzed their expression in response to the plant biomass and model
      polysaccharides Avicel, CMC and xylan using quantitative PCR. A gene that encodes
      X2-CBM3 was found to be maximally induced in response to the biomass and
      crystalline substrate Avicel. Association of X2-CBM3 with xyloglucanase and
      endoglucanase led to up to 4.6-fold increase in activity towards insoluble
      substrates. In the substrate binding study, module X2 showed a higher affinity
      towards biomass and phosphoric acid swollen cellulose, whereas CBM3 showed a
      higher affinity towards Avicel. Further structural modeling of X2 also indicated
      its potential role in substrate binding. Our findings highlighted the role of
      module X2 along with CBM3 in assisting the enzyme catalysis of agricultural
      residue and paved the way to engineer glycoside hydrolases for superior activity.

PMID- 28623339
TI  - Machine Learning and Network Analysis of Molecular Dynamics Trajectories Reveal
      Two Chains of Red/Ox-specific Residue Interactions in Human Protein Disulfide
      Isomerase.
AB  - The human protein disulfide isomerase (hPDI), is an essential four-domain
      multifunctional enzyme. As a result of disulfide shuffling in its terminal
      domains, hPDI exists in two oxidation states with different conformational
      preferences which are important for substrate binding and functional activities.
      Here, we address the redox-dependent conformational dynamics of hPDI through
      molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Collective domain motions are identified by
      the principal component analysis of MD trajectories and redox-dependent opening
      closing structure variations are highlighted on projected free energy landscapes.
      Then, important structural features that exhibit considerable differences in
      dynamics of redox states are extracted by statistical machine learning methods.
      Mapping the structural variations to time series of residue interaction networks
      also provides a holistic representation of the dynamical redox differences. With
      emphasizing on persistent long-lasting interactions, an approach is proposed that
      compiled these time series networks to a single dynamic residue interaction
      network (DRIN). Differential comparison of DRIN in oxidized and reduced states
      reveals chains of residue interactions that represent potential allosteric paths
      between catalytic and ligand binding sites of hPDI.

PMID- 28623338
TI  - High-resolution imaging of a cell-attached nanointerface using a gold
      nanoparticle two-dimensional sheet.
AB  - This paper proposes a simple, effective, non-scanning method for the
      visualization of a cell-attached nanointerface. The method uses localized surface
      plasmon resonance (LSPR) excited homogeneously on a two-dimensional (2D) self
      assembled gold-nanoparticle sheet. The LSPR of the gold-nanoparticle sheet
      provides high-contrast interfacial images due to the confined light within a
      region a few tens of nanometers from the particles and the enhancement of
      fluorescence. Test experiments on rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells with
      fluorescence-labeled actin filaments revealed high axial and lateral resolution
      even under a regular epifluorescence microscope, which produced higher quality
      images than those captured under a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF)
      microscope. This non-scanning-type, high-resolution imaging method will be an
      effective tool for monitoring interfacial phenomena that exhibit relatively rapid
      reaction kinetics in various cellular and molecular dynamics.

PMID- 28623340
TI  - Adenovirus-mediated suppression of hypothalamic glucokinase affects feeding
      behavior.
AB  - Glucokinase (GK), the hexokinase involved in glucosensing in pancreatic beta
      cells, is also expressed in arcuate nucleus (AN) neurons and hypothalamic
      tanycytes, the cells that surround the basal third ventricle (3V). Several lines
      of evidence suggest that tanycytes may be involved in the regulation of energy
      homeostasis. Tanycytes have extended cell processes that contact the feeding
      regulating neurons in the AN, particularly, agouti-related protein (AgRP),
      neuropeptide Y (NPY), cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and
      proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons. In this study, we developed an adenovirus
      expressing GK shRNA to inhibit GK expression in vivo. When injected into the 3V
      of rats, this adenovirus preferentially transduced tanycytes. qRT-PCR and Western
      blot assays confirmed GK mRNA and protein levels were lower in GK knockdown
      animals compared to the controls. In response to an intracerebroventricular
      glucose injection, the mRNA levels of anorexigenic POMC and CART and orexigenic
      AgRP and NPY neuropeptides were altered in GK knockdown animals. Similarly, food
      intake, meal duration, frequency of eating events and the cumulative eating time
      were increased, whereas the intervals between meals were decreased in GK
      knockdown rats, suggesting a decrease in satiety. Thus, GK expression in the
      ventricular cells appears to play an important role in feeding behavior.

PMID- 28623341
TI  - Metabolic fingerprinting of bacteria by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy.
AB  - Bacterial populations exhibit a range of metabolic states influenced by their
      environment, intra- and interspecies interactions. The identification of
      bacterial metabolic states and transitions between them in their native
      environment promises to elucidate community behavior and stochastic processes,
      such as antibiotic resistance acquisition. In this work, we employ two-photon
      fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to create a metabolic fingerprint
      of individual bacteria and populations. FLIM of autofluorescent reduced
      nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate), NAD(P)H, has been previously
      exploited for label-free metabolic imaging of mammalian cells. However, NAD(P)H
      FLIM has not been established as a metabolic proxy in bacteria. Applying the
      phasor approach, we create FLIM-phasor maps of Escherichia coli, Salmonella
      enterica serovar Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and
      Staphylococcus epidermidis at the single cell and population levels. The
      bacterial phasor is sensitive to environmental conditions such as antibiotic
      exposure and growth phase, suggesting that observed shifts in the phasor are
      representative of metabolic changes within the cells. The FLIM-phasor approach
      represents a powerful, non-invasive imaging technique to study bacterial
      metabolism in situ and could provide unique insights into bacterial community
      behavior, pathology and antibiotic resistance with sub-cellular resolution.

PMID- 28623342
TI  - Hif-1alpha Knockdown Reduces Glycolytic Metabolism and Induces Cell Death of
      Human Synovial Fibroblasts Under Normoxic Conditions.
AB  - Increased glycolysis and HIF-1alpha activity are characteristics of cells under
      hypoxic or inflammatory conditions. Besides, in normal O2 environments, elevated
      rates of glycolysis support critical cellular mechanisms such as cell survival.
      The purpose of this study was to analyze the contribution of HIF-1alpha to the
      energy metabolism and survival of human synovial fibroblasts (SF) under normoxic
      conditions. HIF-1alpha was silenced using lentiviral vectors or small-interfering
      RNA (siRNA) duplexes. Expression analysis by qRT-PCR and western blot of known
      HIF-1alpha target genes in hypoxia demonstrated the presence of functional HIF
      1alpha in normoxic SF and confirmed the glycolytic enzyme glyceraldehyde-3
      phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a HIF-1alpha target even in normoxia. HIF
      1alpha silencing induced apoptotic cell death in cultured SF and, similarly,
      treatment with glycolytic, but not with OXPHOS inhibitors, induced SF death.
      Finally, in vivo HIF-1alpha targeting by siRNA showed a significant reduction in
      the viability of human SF engrafted into a murine air pouch. Our results
      demonstrate that SF are highly dependent on glycolytic metabolism and that HIF
      1alpha plays a regulatory role in glycolysis even under aerobic conditions. Local
      targeting of HIF-1alpha provides a feasible strategy to reduce SF hyperplasia in
      chronic arthritic diseases.

PMID- 28623343
TI  - Data-driven nanomechanical sensing: specific information extraction from a
      complex system.
AB  - Smells are known to be composed of thousands of chemicals with various
      concentrations, and thus, the extraction of specific information from such a
      complex system is still challenging. Herein, we report for the first time that
      the nanomechanical sensing combined with machine learning realizes the specific
      information extraction, e.g. alcohol content quantification as a proof-of
      concept, from the smells of liquors. A newly developed nanomechanical sensor
      platform, a Membrane-type Surface stress Sensor (MSS), was utilized. Each MSS
      channel was coated with functional nanoparticles, covering diverse analytes. The
      smells of 35 liquid samples including water, teas, liquors, and water/EtOH
      mixtures were measured using the functionalized MSS array. We selected
      characteristic features from the measured responses and kernel ridge regression
      was used to predict the alcohol content of the samples, resulting in successful
      alcohol content quantification. Moreover, the present approach provided a
      guideline to improve the quantification accuracy; hydrophobic coating materials
      worked more effectively than hydrophilic ones. On the basis of the guideline, we
      experimentally demonstrated that additional materials, such as hydrophobic
      polymers, led to much better prediction accuracy. The applicability of this data
      driven nanomechanical sensing is not limited to the alcohol content
      quantification but to various fields including food, security, environment, and
      medicine.

PMID- 28623344
TI  - An essential role of PI3K in the control of West Nile virus infection.
AB  - The phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinases (PI3K) pathway regulates a variety of
      cellular processes, including cell proliferation, RNA processing, protein
      translation, autophagy, apoptosis and antiviral immunity. Many viruses depend on
      PI3K signaling for replication. However, its role in flaviviral infection has not
      been clearly defined. Here we report that PI3K signaling is critical for the
      control of West Nile virus (WNV) infection by regulating type I IFN (IFN-I)
      response. Inhibition of PI3K activity by 3-methyl adenine (3-MA), Wortmannin (WM)
      and LY294002 (LY) increased viral titers by 3-16 folds in primary mouse
      macrophages, embryonic fibroblasts and human cell lines. Both 3-MA and LY
      repressed IFN-I mRNA and protein expression significantly. Surprisingly, WM
      enhanced the mRNA expression of IFN-I and TNF-alpha, and TNF-alpha protein
      production modestly, while dramatically decreased the secreted IFN-I. Further
      studies showed that the catalytic subunit p110delta of class I PI3K played a role
      in induction of antiviral immune responses. Lastly translocation of interferon
      regulatory factor 7(IRF7) from the cytosol to the nuclei was effectively blocked
      in the presence of PI3K inhibitors. Our results clearly define an antiviral role
      of PI3K by modulating immune responses and demonstrate differential mode of
      action of three PI3K inhibitors on IFN-I.

PMID- 28623345
TI  - Fabrication of modified hydrogenated castor oil/GPTMS-ZnO composites and effect
      on UV resistance of leather.
AB  - Leather products are made from the natural skin collagen fibers. It is vulnerable
      to the environmental factor such as solar ultraviolet irradiation in the using
      process. Therefore anti-UV performance is a very important quality, particularly
      for chrome-free leather. ZnO is a well-known UV absorber commonly used in the
      cosmetic industry. We have investigated its potential to increase the anti-UV
      performance of chrome-free leather. Modified hydrogenated castor oil/GPTMS-ZnO
      (MHCO/ GPTMS-ZnO) composites were prepared using spherical ZnO nanoparticles,
      hydrogenated castor oil, maleic anhydride and sodium bisulfite. MHCO/GPTMS-ZnO
      composites have better anti-UV ability and stability. MHCO/GPTMS-ZnO composites
      were applied to the leather processing. The treated samples were exposed to
      artificial sunlight. Anti-yellowing tests showed that MHCO/GPTMS-ZnO composites
      significantly improved anti-UV performance of leather.

PMID- 28623346
TI  - Early-onset primary antibody deficiency resembling common variable
      immunodeficiency challenges the diagnosis of Wiedeman-Steiner and Roifman
      syndromes.
AB  - Syndromic primary immunodeficiencies are rare genetic disorders that affect both
      the immune system and other organ systems. More often, the immune defect is not
      the major clinical problem and is sometimes only recognized after a diagnosis has
      been made based on extra-immunological abnormalities. Here, we report two sibling
      pairs with syndromic primary immunodeficiencies that exceptionally presented with
      a phenotype resembling early-onset common variable immunodeficiency, while extra
      immunological characteristics were not apparent at that time. Additional features
      not typically associated with common variable immunodeficiency were diagnosed
      only later, including skeletal and organ anomalies and mild facial dysmorphism.
      Whole exome sequencing revealed KMT2A-associated Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome in
      one sibling pair and their mother. In the other sibling pair, targeted testing of
      the known disease gene for Roifman syndrome (RNU4ATAC) provided a definite
      diagnosis. With this study, we underline the importance of an early-stage and
      thorough genetic assessment in paediatric patients with a common variable
      immunodeficiency phenotype, to establish a conclusive diagnosis and guide patient
      management. In addition, this study extends the mutational and immunophenotypical
      spectrum of Wiedemann-Steiner and Roifman syndromes and highlights potential
      directions for future pathophysiological research.

PMID- 28623347
TI  - Updating the Phylogenetic Dating of New Caledonian Biodiversity with a Meta
      analysis of the Available Evidence.
AB  - For a long time, New Caledonia was considered a continental island, a fragment of
      Gondwana harbouring old clades that originated by vicariance and so were thought
      to be locally ancient. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies dating
      diversification and geological data indicating important events of submergence
      during the Paleocene and Eocene (until 37 Ma) brought evidence to dismiss this
      old hypothesis. In spite of this, some authors still insist on the idea of a
      local permanence of a Gondwanan biota, justifying this assumption through a
      complex scenario of survival by hopping to and from nearby and now-vanished
      islands. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, we found 40 studies
      dating regional clades of diverse organisms and we used them to test the
      hypothesis that New Caledonian and inclusive Pacific island clades are older than
      37 Ma. The results of this meta-analysis provide strong evidence for refuting the
      hypothesis of a Gondwanan refuge with a biota that originated by vicariance. Only
      a few inclusive Pacific clades (6 out of 40) were older than the oldest existing
      island. We suggest that these clades could have extinct members either on
      vanished islands or nearby continents, emphasizing the role of dispersal and
      extinction in shaping the present-day biota.

PMID- 28623348
TI  - A Unified Framework for Complex Networks with Degree Trichotomy Based on Markov
      Chains.
AB  - This paper establishes a Markov chain model as a unified framework for describing
      the evolution processes in complex networks. The unique feature of the proposed
      model is its capability in addressing the formation mechanism that can reflect
      the "trichotomy" observed in degree distributions, based on which closed-form
      solutions can be derived. Important special cases of the proposed unified
      framework are those classical models, including Poisson, Exponential, Power-law
      distributed networks. Both simulation and experimental results demonstrate a good
      match of the proposed model with real datasets, showing its superiority over the
      classical models. Implications of the model to various applications including
      citation analysis, online social networks, and vehicular networks design, are
      also discussed in the paper.

PMID- 28623349
TI  - Human bipedalism and body-mass index.
AB  - Body-mass index, abbreviated as BMI and given by M/H 2 with the mass M and the
      height H, has been widely used as a useful proxy to measure a general health
      status of a human individual. We generalise BMI in the form of M/H p and pursue
      to answer the question of the value of p for populations of animal species
      including human. We compare values of p for several different datasets for human
      populations with the ones obtained for other animal populations of fish, whales,
      and land mammals. All animal populations but humans analyzed in our work are
      shown to have p ~ 3 unanimously. In contrast, human populations are different: As
      young infants grow to become toddlers and keep growing, the sudden change of p is
      observed at about one year after birth. Infants younger than one year old exhibit
      significantly larger value of p than two, while children between one and five
      years old show p ~ 2, sharply different from other animal species. The
      observation implies the importance of the upright posture of human individuals.
      We also propose a simple mechanical model for a human body and suggest that
      standing and walking upright should put a clear division between bipedal human (p
      ~ 2) and other animals (p ~ 3).

PMID- 28623350
TI  - Multiplexed Spliced-Leader Sequencing: A high-throughput, selective method for
      RNA-seq in Trypanosomatids.
AB  - High throughput sequencing techniques are poorly adapted for in vivo studies of
      parasites, which require prior in vitro culturing and purification.
      Trypanosomatids, a group of kinetoplastid protozoans, possess a distinctive
      feature in their transcriptional mechanism whereby a specific Spliced Leader (SL)
      sequence is added to the 5'end of each mRNA by trans-splicing. This allows to
      discriminate Trypansomatid RNA from mammalian RNA and forms the basis of our new
      multiplexed protocol for high-throughput, selective RNA-sequencing called SL-seq.
      We provided a proof-of-concept of SL-seq in Leishmania donovani, the main
      causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis in humans, and successfully applied the
      method to sequence Leishmania mRNA directly from infected macrophages and from
      highly diluted mixes with human RNA. mRNA profiles obtained with SL-seq
      corresponded largely to those obtained from conventional poly-A tail purification
      methods, indicating both enumerate the same mRNA pool. However, SL-seq offers
      additional advantages, including lower sequencing depth requirements, fast and
      simple library prep and high resolution splice site detection. SL-seq is
      therefore ideal for fast and massive parallel sequencing of parasite
      transcriptomes directly from host tissues. Since SLs are also present in
      Nematodes, Cnidaria and primitive chordates, this method could also have high
      potential for transcriptomics studies in other organisms.

PMID- 28623351
TI  - Regulation of Angiopoietin Signalling by Soluble Tie2 Ectodomain and Engineered
      Ligand Trap.
AB  - Angiopoietin-1 (Angpt1) is a glycoprotein ligand important for maintaining the
      vascular system. It signals via a receptor tyrosine kinase expressed on the
      surface on endothelial cells, Tie2. This receptor can undergo regulated
      ectodomain cleavage that releases the ligand-binding domain (sTie2) into the
      circulation. The concentration of sTie2 is increased in a range of conditions,
      including peripheral arterial disease and myocardial infarction, where it has
      been suggested to bind and block Angpt1 resulting in vascular dysfunction. Here
      we use a joint mathematical modelling and experimental approach to assess the
      potential impact of sTie2 on the ability of Angpt1 to signal. We find that the
      concentrations of sTie2 relative to Angpt1 required to suppress signalling by the
      ligand are more than ten-fold higher than those ever seen in normal or disease
      conditions. In contrast to the endogenous sTie2, an engineered form of sTie2,
      which presents dimeric ligand binding sites, inhibits Angpt1 signalling at
      seventy-fold lower concentrations. While loss of Tie2 ectodomain can suppress
      Angpt1 signalling locally in the cells in which the receptor is lost, our study
      shows that the resulting increase in circulating sTie2 is unlikely to affect
      Angpt1 activity elsewhere in the body.

PMID- 28623352
TI  - Effect of sliding friction in harmonic oscillators.
AB  - Sliding friction is ubiquitous in nature as are harmonic oscillators. However,
      when treating harmonic oscillators the effect of sliding friction is often
      neglected. Here, we propose a simple analytical model to include both viscous and
      sliding friction in common harmonic oscillator equations, allowing to separate
      these different types of dissipation. To compare this model with experimental
      data, a nanometric vibration was imposed on a quartz tuning fork, while an atomic
      force microscope tip was used to disturb its motion. We analyzed tuning fork
      resonance and 'ring down' experimental curves and for each case calculated the
      amount of sliding friction and of viscous damping, finding an agreement between
      the two different experiments and the model proposed.

PMID- 28623353
TI  - The efficacy and toxicities of intensive induction chemotherapy followed by
      concurrent chemoradiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with N3
      disease.
AB  - To assess the feasibility, efficacy and safety of 4 cycles of induction
      chemotherapy (ICT) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with N3 disease. ICT consisting of
      paclitaxel (135 mg/m2) and nedaplatin (80 mg/m2) given every 3 weeks for 4 cycles
      followed by cisplatin-based CRT was planned. 22 patients completed 4 cycles of TP
      regimen ICT and the CRT according to the protocol. After 4 cycles of ICT, the ORR
      of the primary site was 100% (CR 22.7%, PR 77.3%), and that of the cervical lymph
      nodes was 95.5% (CR 27.3%, PR 68.2%). After the completion of CRT, the ORR of the
      primary site was 100% (CR 81.8%, PR 18.2%), and that of the cervical lymph nodes
      also reached 100% (CR 86.4%, PR 3.6%). The main hematological adverse events were
      grade 1 to 2 (G1/G2) neutropenia/anemia without febrile neutropenia. The most
      frequent toxicities during CRT were G1/G2 neutropenia, asthenia, oropharyngeal
      mucositis and skin injury. The median follow-up time was 46.5 (14 to 75) months.
      The 3-year PFS, DMFS, LRFS and OS were 81.8%, 81.8%, 100%, and 90.9%,
      respectively. The results suggest that intensive ICT followed by CRT in NPC
      patients with N3 disease is effective and well tolerated.

PMID- 28623354
TI  - Tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry using Smartphones and Colored Shadows.
AB  - We demonstrate the viability of using four low-cost smartphone cameras to perform
      Tomographic PIV. We use colored shadows to imprint two or three different time
      steps on the same image. The back-lighting is accomplished with three sets of
      differently-colored pulsed LEDs. Each set of Red, Green & Blue LEDs is shone on a
      diffuser screen facing each of the cameras. We thereby record the RGB-colored
      shadows of opaque suspended particles, rather than the conventionally used
      scattered light. We subsequently separate the RGB color channels, to represent
      the separate times, with preprocessing to minimize noise and cross-talk. We use
      commercially available Tomo-PIV software for the calibration, 3-D particle
      reconstruction and particle-field correlations, to obtain all three velocity
      components in a volume. Acceleration estimations can be done thanks to the triple
      pulse illumination. Our test flow is a vortex ring produced by forcing flow
      through a circular orifice, using a flexible membrane, which is driven by a
      pressurized air pulse. Our system is compared to a commercial stereoscopic PIV
      system for error estimations. We believe this proof of concept experiment will
      make this technique available for education, industry and scientists for a
      fraction of the hardware cost needed for traditional Tomo-PIV.

PMID- 28623355
TI  - Epigenetic and antitumor effects of platinum(IV)-octanoato conjugates.
AB  - We present the anticancer properties of cis, cis, trans-[Pt(IV)(NH3)2Cl2(OA)2]
      [Pt(IV)diOA] (OA = octanoato), Pt(IV) derivative of cisplatin containing two OA
      units appended to the axial positions of a six-coordinate Pt(IV) center. Our
      results demonstrate that Pt(IV)diOA is a potent cytotoxic agent against many
      cancer cell lines (the IC50 values are approximately two orders of magnitude
      lower than those of clinically used cisplatin or Pt(IV) derivatives with
      biologically inactive axial ligands). Importantly, Pt(IV)diOA overcomes
      resistance to cisplatin, is significantly more potent than its branched Pt(IV)
      valproato isomer and exhibits promising in vivo antitumor activity. The potency
      of Pt(IV)diOA is a consequence of several factors including enhanced cellular
      accumulation correlating with enhanced DNA platination and cytotoxicity.
      Pt(IV)diOA induces DNA hypermethylation and reduces mitochondrial membrane
      potential in cancer cells at levels markedly lower than the IC50 value of free OA
      suggesting the synergistic action of platinum and OA moieties. Collectively, the
      remarkable antitumor effects of Pt(IV)diOA are a consequence of the enhanced
      cellular uptake which makes it possible to simultaneously accumulate high levels
      of both cisplatin and OA in cells. The simultaneous dual action of cisplatin and
      OA by different mechanisms in tumor cells may result in a markedly enhanced and
      unique antitumor effects of Pt(IV) prodrugs.

PMID- 28623356
TI  - High-Risk Human Papillomavirus E7 Alters Host DNA Methylome and Represses HLA-E
      Expression in Human Keratinocytes.
AB  - Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection distinctly alters methylation patterns in
      HPV-associated cancer. We have recently reported that HPV E7-dependent promoter
      hypermethylation leads to downregulation of the chemokine CXCL14 and suppression
      of antitumor immune responses. To investigate the extent of gene expression
      dysregulated by HPV E7-induced DNA methylation, we analyzed parallel global gene
      expression and DNA methylation using normal immortalized keratinocyte lines,
      NIKS, NIKS-16, NIKS-18, and NIKS-16?E7. We show that expression of the MHC class
      I genes is downregulated in HPV-positive keratinocytes in an E7-dependent manner.
      Methylome analysis revealed hypermethylation at a distal CpG island (CGI) near
      the HLA-E gene in NIKS-16 cells compared to either NIKS cells or NIKS-16?E7
      cells, which lack E7 expression. The HLA-E CGI functions as an active promoter
      element which is dramatically repressed by DNA methylation. HLA-E protein
      expression on cell surface is downregulated by high-risk HPV16 and HPV18 E7
      expression, but not by low-risk HPV6 and HPV11 E7 expression. Conversely,
      demethylation at the HLA-E CGI restores HLA-E protein expression in HPV-positive
      keratinocytes. Because HLA-E plays an important role in antiviral immunity by
      regulating natural killer and CD8+ T cells, epigenetic downregulation of HLA-E by
      high-risk HPV E7 may contribute to virus-induced immune evasion during HPV
      persistence.

PMID- 28623357
TI  - Adiponectin regulates BMSC osteogenic differentiation and osteogenesis through
      the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.
AB  - Recent studies have demonstrated the stimulatory effects of adiponectin on bone
      formation, but the mechanism underlying these effects remains unclear. The
      Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, one of the most important pathways in osteogenesis, has
      rarely been associated with the osteogenic effects of adiponectin in previous
      studies. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of adiponectin
      on bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) osteogenic differentiation and bone
      formation through the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. We detected adiponectin receptor
      expression in BMSCs, constructed a recombinant adenovirus containing the human
      adiponectin gene, and then used the adenovirus to transfect BMSCs in vitro or
      injected the adenovirus into bone defect areas in animal models. Wnt/beta-catenin
      pathway and osteogenesis were detected by real-time PCR, western blotting,
      immunofluorescence, HE staining and micro-CT. In both our in vivo and in vitro
      experiments, we detected higher gene and protein expression levels of the
      Wnt/beta-catenin pathway-related factors beta-catenin and cyclinD1 in adiponectin
      transgenic BMSCs and rats. Similar results were noted regarding the gene and
      protein expression levels of osteogenesis-related genes. In addition, more new
      bone formation was observed in the adiponectin-treated groups. Our results
      indicate that adiponectin could facilitate BMSC osteogenic differentiation and
      osteogenesis, and the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway was involved in the osteogenic
      effect of adiponectin.

PMID- 28623358
TI  - The role of PTEN - HCV core interaction in hepatitis C virus replication.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection leads to severe liver diseases including
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on
      chromosome 10 (PTEN), a tumour suppressor, is frequently mutated or deleted in
      HCC tumors. PTEN has previously been demonstrated to inhibit HCV secretion. In
      this study, we determined the effects of PTEN on the other steps in HCV life
      cycle, including entry, translation, and replication. We showed that PTEN
      inhibits HCV entry through its lipid phosphatase activity. PTEN has no effect on
      HCV RNA translation. PTEN decreases HCV replication and the protein phosphatase
      activity of PTEN is essential for this function. PTEN interacts with the HCV core
      protein and requires R50 in domain I of HCV core and PTEN residues 1-185 for this
      interaction. This interaction is required for PTEN-mediated inhibition of HCV
      replication. This gives rise to a reduction in PTEN levels and intracellular
      lipid abundance, which may in turn regulate HCV replication. HCV core domain I
      protein increases the lipid phosphatase activity of PTEN in an in vitro assay,
      suggesting that HCV infection can also regulate PTEN. Taken together, our results
      demonstrated an important regulatory role of PTEN in the HCV life cycle.

PMID- 28623359
TI  - Allosteric modulatory effects of SRI-20041 and SRI-30827 on cocaine and HIV-1 Tat
      protein binding to human dopamine transporter.
AB  - Dopamine transporter (DAT) is the target of cocaine and HIV-1 transactivator of
      transcription (Tat) protein. Identifying allosteric modulatory molecules with
      potential attenuation of cocaine and Tat binding to DAT are of great scientific
      and clinical interest. We demonstrated that tyrosine 470 and 88 act as functional
      recognition residues in human DAT (hDAT) for Tat-induced inhibition of DA
      transport and transporter conformational transitions. Here we investigated the
      allosteric modulatory effects of two allosteric ligands, SRI-20041 and SRI-30827
      on cocaine binding on wild type (WT) hDAT, Y470 H and  Y 88 F mutants. Effect of
      SRI-30827 on Tat-induced inhibition of [3H]WIN35,428 binding was also determined.
      Compared to a competitive DAT inhibitor indatraline, both SRI-compounds displayed
      a similar decrease (30%) in IC50 for inhibition of [3H]DA uptake by cocaine in WT
      hDAT. The addition of SRI-20041 or SRI-30827 following cocaine slowed the
      dissociation rate of [3H]WIN35,428 binding in WT hDAT relative to cocaine alone.
      Moreover, Y470H and Y88F hDAT potentiate the inhibitory effect of cocaine on DA
      uptake and attenuate the effects of SRI-compounds on cocaine-mediated
      dissociation rate. SRI-30827 attenuated Tat-induced inhibition of [3H]WIN35,428
      binding. These observations demonstrate that tyrosine 470 and 88 are critical for
      allosteric modulatory effects of SRI-compounds on the interaction of cocaine with
      hDAT.

PMID- 28623360
TI  - Endothelial Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles Size-dependently Exert
      Procoagulant Activity Detected by Thromboelastometry.
AB  - Endothelial cells (ECs) are major modulators of hemostasis by expressing and
      releasing pro- and anticoagulant mediators into the circulation. Previous studies
      showed that cultured ECs release procoagulant mediators into cell culture
      supernatants as evidenced by the reduction of viscoelastic clotting time. This
      effect was reversed with an anti-tissue factor antibody. Here, we aimed to
      investigate whether tissue factor (TF) was released by endothelial-derived
      extracellular vesicles (EVs) and which portion of the released vesicles displays
      the most prominent procoagulant properties. After stimulation of ECs with tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) the supernatants of EC cultures were subjected
      to differential centrifugation steps to collect larger and smaller EVs which were
      then characterised by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and flow cytometry.
      Mixed with fresh human blood and analysed by thromboelastometry EVs exerted a
      significant procoagulant stimulus, which could be partly reversed by addition of
      an anti-TF antibody. Moreover, TF activity was confirmed in the centrifuged
      fractions. In summary, our results provide evidence of the procoagulant potential
      of smaller and larger endothelial-derived EV fractions detected by
      thromboelastometry. The observed effect is most likely due to the release of TF
      bearing EVs of different dimensions, which are released upon TNF-alpha
      stimulation of endothelial cell cultures.

PMID- 28623361
TI  - Burden of sleep disturbances and associated risk factors: A cross-sectional
      survey among HIV-infected persons on antiretroviral therapy across China.
AB  - This study evaluated the prevalence and factors associated with sleep disturbance
      in a large cohort of HIV-infected patients across China. A cross-sectional study
      was conducted among HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy at 20 AIDS
      clinics. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was self-administered by subjects.
      Socio-demographic characteristics, medical history and HIV-related clinical data
      were collected. 4103 patients had complete data for analysis. Sleep disturbances
      were observed in 43.1% of patients. Associated factors in multivariable analysis
      included psychological factors: anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 3.13; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 2.44-4.00; P < 0.001), depression (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.70-2.57; P
      < 0.001), and both anxiety and depression (OR, 5.90; 95% CI, 4.86-7.16; P <
      0.001); sociodemographic factors: MSM (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.04-1.52; P  = 0.018),
      being single (OR, 1.45; 95%CI 1.21-1.74; P < 0.001), higher education (OR,  1.25;
      95% CI, 1.03-1.53; P = 0.025) ; and clinical factors: suboptimal adherence
      (OR,1.51; 95% CI,1.23-1.85; P < 0.001), regimen-switching (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.12
      3.35; P = 0.018), and antidepressant use (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.47-2.67; P =
      0.044). Prevalence of sleep disturbance is high in this large Chinese cohort.
      Associated factors appear related to psychological and social-demographic
      factors. Health workers may consider routinely assessing sleep disturbances among
      HIV-infected patients, especially in the first three months after HIV diagnosis,
      and referring for mental health services, which may positively impact adherence
      to treatment.

PMID- 28623363
TI  - Machine learning workflow to enhance predictions of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs)
      through drug-gene interactions: application to drugs for cutaneous diseases.
AB  - Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) pose critical public health issues, affecting over
      6% of hospitalized patients. While knowledge of potential drug-drug interactions
      (DDI) is necessary to prevent ADR, the rapid pace of drug discovery makes it
      challenging to maintain a strong insight into DDIs. In this study, we present a
      novel literature-mining framework for enhancing the predictions of DDIs and ADR
      types by integrating drug-gene interactions (DGIs). The ADR types were adapted
      from a DDI corpus, including i) adverse effect; ii) effect at molecular level;
      iii) effect related to pharmacokinetics; and iv) DDIs without known ADRs. By
      using random forest classifier our approach achieves an F-score of 0.87 across
      the ADRs classification using only the DDI features. We then enhanced the
      performance of the classifier by including DGIs (F-score = 0.90), and applied the
      classification model trained with the DDI corpus to identify the drugs that might
      interact with the drugs for cutaneous diseases. We successfully predict
      previously known ADRs for drugs prescribed to cutaneous diseases, and are also
      able to identify promising new ADRs.

PMID- 28623362
TI  - Super-resolution microscopy with very large working distance by means of
      distributed aperture illumination.
AB  - The limits of conventional light microscopy ("Abbe-Limit") depend critically on
      the numerical aperture (NA) of the objective lens. Imaging at large working
      distances or a large field-of-view typically requires low NA objectives, thereby
      reducing the optical resolution to the multi micrometer range. Based on numerical
      simulations of the intensity field distribution, we present an illumination
      concept for a super-resolution microscope which allows a three dimensional (3D)
      optical resolution around 150 nm for working distances up to the centimeter
      regime. In principle, the system allows great flexibility, because the
      illumination concept can be used to approximate the point-spread-function of
      conventional microscope optics, with the additional benefit of a customizable
      pupil function. Compared with the Abbe-limit using an objective lens with such a
      large working distance, a volume resolution enhancement potential in the order of
      104 is estimated.

PMID- 28623364
TI  - Distribution and kinetics of the Kv1.3-blocking peptide HsTX1[R14A] in
      experimental rats.
AB  - The peptide HsTX1[R14A] is a potent and selective blocker of the voltage-gated
      potassium channel Kv1.3, which is a highly promising target for the treatment of
      autoimmune diseases and other conditions. In order to assess the biodistribution
      of this peptide, it was conjugated with NOTA and radiolabelled with copper-64.
      [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HsTX1[R14A] was synthesised in high radiochemical purity and yield.
      The radiotracer was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The biodistribution and PET
      studies after intravenous and subcutaneous injections showed similar patterns and
      kinetics. The hydrophilic peptide was rapidly distributed, showed low
      accumulation in most of the organs and tissues, and demonstrated high molecular
      stability in vitro and in vivo. The most prominent accumulation occurred in the
      epiphyseal plates of trabecular bones. The high stability and bioavailability,
      low normal-tissue uptake of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HsTX1[R14A], and accumulation in
      regions of up-regulated Kv channels both in vitro and in vivo demonstrate that
      HsTX1[R14A] represents a valuable lead for conditions treatable by blockade of
      the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3. The pharmacokinetics shows that both
      intravenous and subcutaneous applications are viable routes for the delivery of
      this potent peptide.

PMID- 28623365
TI  - Preparation of core-shell structure KClO4@Al/CuO Nanoenergetic material and
      enhancement of thermal behavior.
AB  - In this paper, a solvent/non-solvent synthetic approach has been utilized in
      preparing a new nanoenergetic material KClO4@Al/CuO by coating Al/CuO
      nanocomposites particles with a layer of nanoscale oxidizer KClO4. The coating
      process and mechanism are discussed. The composites of Al/CuO are uniformly mixed
      by mechanical ball milling process and CuO acts as a catalytic metallic oxide.
      The ternary mixtures KClO4@Al/CuO were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD)
      and the results reveal that after ball-milling and chemical synthesis process,
      the phase compositions haven't changed. Scan electron microscopy (SEM) images
      show that these energetic nanocomposites consist of small clusters of Al/CuO that
      are in intimate contact with a continuous and clear-cut KClO4 layer (100-400 nm).
      In a Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) elemental map, high K/Cl
      intensity on the perimeter of the nanoparticles and high Cu/Al content in the
      interior powerfully demonstrated the KClO4@Al/CuO core-shell nanostructure.
      Electrical ignition experiments and pressure cell test prove that these
      nanoenergetic composites are more sensitive to ignition with much higher burning
      rate than traditional formulations (conventional counterparts). To quantify the
      enhancement of thermal behavior, Thermogravimetry (TG) and Differential scanning
      calorimetry (DSC) were performed and the results show that the burning rate of
      these energetic nanocomposites nearly tripled.

PMID- 28623366
TI  - A novel imaging method for correlating 2D light microscopic data and 3D volume
      data based on block-face imaging.
AB  - We have developed an imaging method designated as correlative light microscopy
      and block-face imaging (CoMBI), which contributes to improve the reliability of
      morphological analyses. This method can collect both the frozen sections and
      serial block-face images in a single specimen. The frozen section can be used for
      conventional light microscopic analysis to obtain 2-dimensional (2D) anatomical
      and molecular information, while serial block-face images can be used as 3
      dimensional (3D) volume data for anatomical analysis. Thus, the sections maintain
      positional information in the specimen, and allows the correlation of 2D
      microscopic data and 3D volume data in a single specimen. The subjects can vary
      in size and type, and can cover most specimens encountered in biology. In
      addition, the required system for our method is characterized by cost
      effectiveness. Here, we demonstrated the utility of CoMBI using specimens ranging
      in size from several millimeters to several centimeters, i.e., mouse embryos,
      human brainstem samples, and stag beetle larvae, and present successful
      correlation between the 2D light microscopic images and 3D volume data in a
      single specimen.

PMID- 28623367
TI  - Bovine antibodies targeting primary and recurrent Clostridium difficile disease
      are a potent antibiotic alternative.
AB  - The increased incidence of antibiotic resistant 'superbugs' has amplified the use
      of broad spectrum antibiotics worldwide. An unintended consequence of
      antimicrobial treatment is disruption of the gastrointestinal microbiota,
      resulting in susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens, such as Clostridium
      difficile. Paradoxically, treatment of C. difficile infections (CDI) also
      involves antibiotic use, leaving patients susceptible to re-infection. This
      serious health threat has led to an urgent call for the development of new
      therapeutics to reduce or replace the use of antibiotics to treat bacterial
      infections. To address this need, we have developed colostrum-derived antibodies
      for the prevention and treatment of CDI. Pregnant cows were immunised to generate
      hyperimmune bovine colostrum (HBC) containing antibodies that target essential C.
      difficile virulence components, specifically, spores, vegetative cells and toxin
      B (TcdB). Mouse infection and relapse models were used to compare the capacity of
      HBC to prevent or treat primary CDI as well as prevent recurrence. Administration
      of TcdB-specific colostrum alone, or in combination with spore or vegetative cell
      targeted colostrum, prevents and treats C. difficile disease in mice and reduces
      disease recurrence by 67%. C. difficile-specific colostrum should be re
      considered as an immunotherapeutic for the prevention or treatment of primary or
      recurrent CDI.

PMID- 28623368
TI  - Regulation of sub-compartmental targeting and folding properties of the Prion
      like protein Shadoo.
AB  - Shadoo (Sho), a member of prion protein family, has been shown to prevent
      embryonic lethality in Prnp 0/0 mice and to be reduced in the brains of rodents
      with terminal prion diseases. Sho can also affect PrP structural dynamics and can
      increase the prion conversion into its misfolded isoform (PrPSc), which is
      amyloidogenic and strictly related to expression, intracellular localization and
      association of PrPC to lipid rafts. We reasoned that if Sho possesses a natural
      tendency to convert to amyloid-like forms in vitro, it should be able to exhibit
      "prion-like" properties, such as PK-resistance and aggregation state, also in
      live cells. We tested this hypothesis, by different approaches in neuronal cells,
      finding that Sho shows folding properties partially dependent on lipid rafts
      integrity whose alteration, as well as proteasomal block, regulated generation of
      intermediate Sho isoforms and exacerbated its misfolding. Moreover, a 18 kDa
      isoform of Sho, likely bearing the signal peptide, was targeted to mitochondria
      by interacting with the molecular chaperone TRAP1 which, in turn controlled Sho
      dual targeting to ER or mitochondria. Our studies contribute to understand the
      role of molecular chaperones and of PrP-related folding intermediates in "prion
      like" conversion.

PMID- 28623369
TI  - Looking beyond the imaging plane: 3D needle tracking with a linear array
      ultrasound probe.
AB  - Ultrasound is well suited for guiding many minimally invasive procedures, but its
      use is often precluded by the poor visibility of medical devices. When devices
      are not visible, they can damage critical structures, with life-threatening
      complications. Here, we developed the first ultrasound probe that comprises both
      focused and unfocused transducer elements to provide both 2D B-mode ultrasound
      imaging and 3D ultrasonic needle tracking. A fibre-optic hydrophone was
      integrated into a needle to receive Golay-coded transmissions from the probe and
      these data were processed to obtain tracking images of the needle tip. The
      measured tracking accuracy in water was better than 0.4 mm in all dimensions. To
      demonstrate the clinical potential of this system, insertions were performed into
      the spine and the uterine cavity, in swine and pregnant ovine models in vivo. In
      both models, the SNR ranged from 13 to 38 at depths of 22 to 38 mm, at out-of
      plane distances of 1 to 15 mm, and at insertion angles of 33 to 42 degrees
      relative to the probe surface normal. This novel ultrasound imaging/tracking
      probe has strong potential to improve procedural outcomes by providing 3D needle
      tip locations that are co-registered to ultrasound images, while maintaining
      compatibility with current clinical workflow.

PMID- 28623370
TI  - Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 and hypoxia synergistically enhance chondrocytic
      phenotype and modify S100 protein profiles in human chondrosarcoma cells.
AB  - Articular chondrocytes are slowly dividing cells that tend to lose their cell
      type-specific phenotype and ability to produce structurally and functionally
      correct cartilage tissue when cultured. Thus, culture conditions, which enhance
      the maintenance of chondrocyte phenotype would be very useful for cartilage
      research. Here we show that Rho-kinase inhibition by Y-27632 under hypoxic
      conditions efficiently maintains and even enhances chondrocyte-specific
      extracellular matrix production by chondrocytic cells. The effects of long-term Y
      27632 exposure to human chondrosarcoma 2/8 cell phenotype maintenance and
      extracellular matrix production were studied at normoxia and at a 5% low oxygen
      atmosphere. Y-27632 treatment at normoxia induced ACAN and COL2A1 gene up
      regulation and a minor increase of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs), while
      type II collagen expression was not significantly up-regulated. A further
      increase in expression of ACAN and COL2A1 was achieved with Y-27632 treatment and
      hypoxia. The production of sGAGs increased by 65.8%, and ELISA analysis revealed
      a 6-fold up-regulation of type II collagen. Y-27632 also induced the up
      regulation of S100-A1 and S100-B proteins and modified the expression of several
      other S100 protein family members, such as S100-A4, S100-A6, S100-A13 and S100
      A16. The up-regulation of S100-A1 and S100-B proteins is suggested to enhance the
      chondrocytic phenotype of these cells.

PMID- 28623371
TI  - Chemosensory sensitivity reflects reproductive status in the ant Harpegnathos
      saltator.
AB  - Insects communicate with pheromones using sensitive antennal sensilla. Although
      trace amounts of pheromones can be detected by many insects, context-dependent
      increased costs of high sensitivity might lead to plasticity in sensillum
      responsiveness. We have functionally characterized basiconic sensilla of the ant
      Harpegnathos saltator for responses to general odors in comparison to cuticular
      hydrocarbons which can act as fertility signals emitted by the principal
      reproductive(s) of a colony to inhibit reproduction by worker colony members.
      When released from inhibition workers may become reproductive gamergates. We
      observed plasticity in olfactory sensitivity after transition to reproductive
      status with significant reductions in electrophysiological responses to several
      long-chained cuticular hydrocarbons. Although gamergates lived on average five
      times longer than non-reproductive workers, the shift to reproductive status
      rather than age differences matched the pattern of changes in olfactory
      sensitivity. Decreasing sensillum responsiveness to cuticular hydrocarbons could
      potentially reduce mutually inhibitory or self-inhibitory effects on gamergate
      reproduction.

PMID- 28623372
TI  - Towards Printable Natural Dielectric Cloaks via Inverse Scattering Techniques.
AB  - The synthesis of non-magnetic 2D dielectric cloaks as proper solutions of an
      inverse scattering problem is addressed in this paper. Adopting the relevant
      integral formulation governing the scattering phenomena, analytic and numerical
      approaches are exploited to provide new insights on how frequency and direction
      of arrival of the incoming wave may influence the cloaking mechanism in terms of
      permittivity distribution within the cover region. In quasi-static
      (subwavelength) regime a solution is analytically derived in terms of homogeneous
      artificial dielectric cover with epsilon < epsilon 0, which is found to be a
      necessary and sufficient condition for achieving omnidirectional cloaking. On the
      other hand, beyond quasi-static regime, the cloaking problem is addressed as an
      optimization task looking for only natural dielectric coatings with epsilon >
      epsilon 0 able to hide the object for a given number of directions of the
      incident field. Simulated results confirm the validity of both analytic and
      numerical methodologies and allow to estimate effective bandwidths both in terms
      of frequency range and direction of arrival of the impinging field.

PMID- 28623373
TI  - Metabolic and evolutionary patterns in the extremely acidophilic archaeon
      Ferroplasma acidiphilum YT.
AB  - Ferroplasmaceae represent ubiquitous iron-oxidising extreme acidophiles with a
      number of unique physiological traits. In a genome-based study of Ferroplasma
      acidiphilum YT, the only species of the genus Ferroplasma with a validly
      published name, we assessed its central metabolism and genome stability during a
      long-term cultivation experiment. Consistently with physiology, the genome
      analysis points to F. acidiphilum YT having an obligate peptidolytic oligotrophic
      lifestyle alongside with anaplerotic carbon assimilation. This narrow trophic
      specialisation abridges the sugar uptake, although all genes for glycolysis and
      gluconeogenesis, including bifunctional unidirectional fructose 1,6-bisphosphate
      aldolase/phosphatase, have been identified. Pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate
      dehydrogenases are substituted by 'ancient' CoA-dependent pyruvate and alpha
      ketoglutarate ferredoxin oxidoreductases. In the lab culture, after ~550
      generations, the strain exhibited the mutation rate of >=1.3 * 10-8 single
      nucleotide substitutions per site per generation, which is among the highest
      values recorded for unicellular organisms. All but one base substitutions were
      G:C to A:T, their distribution between coding and non-coding regions and
      synonymous-to-non-synonymous mutation ratios suggest the neutral drift being a
      prevalent mode in genome evolution in the lab culture. Mutations in nature seem
      to occur with lower frequencies, as suggested by a remarkable genomic
      conservation in F. acidiphilum YT variants from geographically distant
      populations.

PMID- 28623374
TI  - Nucleotide based covalent inhibitors of KRas can only be efficient in vivo if
      they bind reversibly with GTP-like affinity.
AB  - Simple reversible competitive inhibition of nucleotide binding of GTP to Ras
      family GTPases has long been recognized as an unlikely approach to manipulating
      the activity of such proteins for experimental or therapeutic purposes. This is
      due to the high affinity of GTP to GTPases coupled with high cellular GTP
      concentrations, but also to problems of specificity for the highly conserved
      binding sites in GTPases. A recent approach suggested that these problems might
      be overcome by using GDP derivatives that can undergo a covalent reaction with
      disease specific mutants, in particular addressing inhibition of KRasG12C using
      GDP equipped with an electrophilic group at the beta-phosphate. We show here that
      a major drawback to this approach is a loss of reversible affinity of such beta
      modified derivatives for Ras of at least 104 compared to GTP and GDP. With the
      help of a thorough kinetic characterization, we show that this leads to covalent
      reaction times that are too slow to make the compounds attractive for
      intracellular use, but that generation of a hypothetical reactive GDP derivative
      that retains the high reversible affinity of GDP/GTP to Ras might be a viable
      alternative.

PMID- 28623377
TI  - Collision and composite tumors; radiologic and pathologic correlation.
AB  - The terms composite and collision tumors have been used interchangeably
      throughout radiological literature. Both composite and collision tumors involve
      two morphologically and immunohistochemically distinct neoplasms coexisting
      within a single organ. However, collision tumors lack the histological cellular
      intermingling seen in composite tumors. Composite tumors often arise from a
      common driver mutation that induces a divergent histology from a common
      neoplastic source while collision tumors may arise from coincidental neoplastic
      change. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of abdominal
      composite and collision tumors by discussing hallmark radiographic and
      pathological presentations of rare hepatic, renal, and adrenal case studies. A
      better understanding of the presentation of each lesion is imperative for proper
      recognition, diagnosis, and management of these unique tumor presentations.

PMID- 28623375
TI  - Skin Immunity.
AB  - Skin is the largest organ of the body with a complex network of multitude of cell
      types that perform plastic and dynamic cellular communication to maintain several
      vital processes such as inflammation, immune response including induction of
      tolerance and disease prevention, wound healing, and angiogenesis. Of paramount
      importance are immunological functions of the skin that protect from harmful
      exposure coming from external and internal environments. Awareness of skin
      immunity can provide a better comprehension of inflammation, autoimmunity,
      cancer, graft-versus-host disease, vaccination, and immunotherapy approaches.
      This paper will update on what we currently know about immune sentinels
      contributing to skin immunity.

PMID- 28623376
TI  - EANM/EARL harmonization strategies in PET quantification: from daily practice to
      multicentre oncological studies.
AB  - Quantitative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can be
      used as diagnostic or prognostic tools (i.e. single measurement) or for therapy
      monitoring (i.e. longitudinal studies) in multicentre studies. Use of
      quantitative parameters, such as standardized uptake values (SUVs), metabolic
      active tumor volumes (MATVs) or total lesion glycolysis (TLG), in a multicenter
      setting requires that these parameters be comparable among patients and sites,
      regardless of the PET/CT system used. This review describes the motivations and
      the methodologies for quantitative PET/CT performance harmonization with emphasis
      on the EANM Research Ltd. (EARL) Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT accreditation
      program, one of the international harmonization programs aiming at using FDG PET
      as a quantitative imaging biomarker. In addition, future accreditation
      initiatives will be discussed. The validation of the EARL accreditation program
      to harmonize SUVs and MATVs is described in a wide range of tumor types, with
      focus on therapy assessment using either the European Organization for Research
      and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria or PET Evaluation Response Criteria in
      Solid Tumors (PERCIST), as well as liver-based scales such as the Deauville
      score. Finally, also presented in this paper are the results from a survey across
      51 EARL-accredited centers reporting how the program was implemented and its
      impact on daily routine and in clinical trials, harmonization of new metrics such
      as MATV and heterogeneity features.

PMID- 28623378
TI  - Carotid Stenting in Neuroradiology : A Short Journey from the Past to Current
      Debates.
AB  - After a period of stagnation due to negative results of randomized trials for
      patients with symptomatic stenosis, the relevance of carotid artery stenting
      (CAS) is increasing again. CAS has become an important and evidence-based part of
      interventional stroke treatment. Our ability to manage acute recanalization of
      carotid occlusions and other niche indications properly led some skeptical
      neurologists to trust in carotid intervention for elective cases as well. The
      evolution of CAS from initial euphoria to more realistic views under
      consideration of trial results and guidelines is reviewed. Quality assurance in
      Germany proves that CAS complication rates within the carotid endarterectomy
      (CEA) quality criteria are feasible even with higher proportions of high-risk
      patients. Recent trial results showed that long-term efficacy of CAS or CEA are
      not significantly different. Other than in symptomatic stenoses, acute
      complication rates of both means treatment does not differ in asymptomatic
      patients, where medical therapy becomes increasingly competitive. Technical
      issues of CAS like the cell design of stents or the usefulness of embolic
      protection are still under discussion. We will see whether CAS results will
      further improve over time. Standardized techniques, proper training, and patient
      selection are important for acute and elective cases.

PMID- 28623380
TI  - [Contaminants in food - successes, challenges and trends].

PMID- 28623379
TI  - Cathelicidin-deficient mice exhibit increased survival and upregulation of key
      inflammatory response genes following cecal ligation and puncture.
AB  - : Antimicrobial peptides possess a myriad of molecular properties including
      bacterial killing and the regulation of many aspects of innate immunity.
      Cathelicidins are a group of antimicrobial peptides widely investigated by the
      scientific community. Many studies have focused on the bactericidal and pro
      inflammatory roles of cathelicidins. Because the role of endogenous cathelicidin
      expression remains obscure in deep-seated systemic infections, we induced sepsis
      in cathelicidin knockout and wild-type (WT) mice by cecal ligation and puncture,
      performing transcriptome screening by DNA microarray in conjunction with other
      immunologic assays. Cathelicidin-deficient mice showed increased survival
      compared to WT mice in this established experimental model of polymicrobial
      sepsis, in association with upregulation of certain key inflammatory response
      genes. Therefore, cathelicidins can exert both pro- and anti-inflammatory
      activities depending on the disease and cellular context. KEY MESSAGES: The role
      of cathelicidin in a CLP model is investigated using cathelicidin-KO mice.
      Cathelicidin-KO mice show an enhanced immune response and improved survival
      rates. An anti-inflammatory effect of cathelicidin is likely to be detrimental
      for CLP. Cathelicidin-KO mice show upregulation of genes associated with
      increased plasma levels of pro-inflammatory Ils. Cathelicidins appear to have
      both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties.

PMID- 28623381
TI  - [The use of prescription drugs with dependence potential in Germany : A
      prospective analysis of prescriptions in the public healthcare system between
      2006 and 2010].
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Germany, about 1.4 to 2.6 million people are dependent on
      prescription drugs, mainly benzodiazepine derivatives and opioid analgesics.
      Despite this large number of affected people, studies on prescription behaviour
      and drug intake are scarce. There are particularly few empirical findings
      available with regard to elderly people age 65 and over who are disproportionally
      affected by prescription drug abuse. METHODS: The North German Pharmacy Computing
      Centre (Norddeutsches Apothekenrechenzentrum, NARZ) collects the prescription
      data of about 11 million citizens and covers over 80% of drug pharmacies in North
      Germany. Based on the data from NARZ, we evaluate person-related prescriptions of
      benzodiazepines, Z-drugs and opioid analgesics. By means of incremental
      calculations, we determine the prevalence of prescription drug use, the long-term
      intake, the average daily dose of these medications and present this information
      as a five-year trend (2006-2010). RESULTS: In 2006, 10.6% of the members of
      public healthcare system were prescribed at least one of the medications under
      study. This proportion hardly changed within the five-year span. The share of
      patients with benzodiazepine prescription steadily decreased from 2006 (5.5%) to
      2010 (5.1%), especially among elderly people. While the prevalence of Z-drug
      prescriptions remained the same at about 1%, there was a slight increase in
      prescriptions of opioid analgesics with 5.4% in 2006 to 5.7% in 2010. The
      proportion of patients with long-term prescriptions decreased with regard to
      benzodiazepines (from 17.0 to 12.8%) and Z-drugs (from 24.3 to 21.2%), but
      increased for opioid analgesics (from 19.2 to 21.2%). CONCLUSION: The analytical
      method used in this study is an innovative epidemiological approach to evaluate
      person-related register data over the course of several years. Establishing a
      monitoring system of prescription drugs with potential for dependence may allow
      for a quicker identification of trends and initiation of appropriate measures.

PMID- 28623382
TI  - Carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation during aerobic biodegradation of
      quinoline and 3-methylquinoline.
AB  - Compound-specific isotope analysis has been used extensively to investigate the
      biodegradation of various organic pollutants. To date, little isotope
      fractionation information is available for the biodegradation of quinolinic
      compounds. In this study, we report on the carbon and hydrogen isotope
      fractionation during quinoline and 3-methylquinoline aerobic microbial
      degradation by a Comamonas sp. strain Q10. Degradation of quinoline and 3
      methylquinoline was accompanied by isotope fractionation. Large hydrogen and
      small carbon isotope fractionation was observed for quinoline while minor carbon
      and hydrogen isotope fractionation effects occurred for 3-methylquinoline. Bulk
      carbon and hydrogen enrichment factors (epsilon bulk) for quinoline
      biodegradation were -1.2 +/- 0.1 and -38 +/- 10/00, respectively, while -0.7 +/-
      0.1 and -5 +/- 10/00 for 3-methylquinoline, respectively. This reveals a
      potential advantage for employing quinoline as the model compound and hydrogen
      isotope analysis for assessing aerobic biodegradation of quinolinic compounds.
      The apparent kinetic isotope effects (AKIEC) values of carbon were 1.008 +/-
      0.0005 for quinoline and 1.0048 +/- 0.0005 for 3-methylquinoline while AKIEH
      values of hydrogen of 1.264 +/- 0.011 for quinoline and 1.0356 +/- 0.0103 for 3
      methylquinoline were obtained. The combined evaluation of carbon and hydrogen
      isotope fractionation yields Lambda values (Lambda = Deltadelta2H/Deltadelta13C ~
      epsilonHbulk/epsilonCbulk) of 29 +/- 2 for quinoline and 8 +/- 2 for 3
      methylquinoline. The results indicate that the substrate specificity may have a
      significant influence on the isotope fractionation for the biodegradation of
      quinolinic compounds. The substrate-specific isotope enrichment factors would be
      important for assessing the behavior and fate of quinolinic compounds in the
      environment.

PMID- 28623383
TI  - Ethnopharmacological uses, phytochemistry, biological activities, and
      biotechnological applications of Eclipta prostrata.
AB  - Eclipta prostrata belongs to a family of medicinal plants (Asteraceae) and plays
      a role in the treatment of several diseases, including infectious hepatitis,
      snake venom poisoning, gastritis, and respiratory diseases such as a cough and
      asthma. A number of compounds, including thiophene derivatives, steroids,
      triterpenes, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, polypeptides, and coumestans, have been
      isolated from E. prostrata. The plant functional compounds can act as reducing
      agent in the field of nanoparticle synthesis. The extracts of E. prostrata are
      widely used for green biosynthesis of various metal and metal oxide
      nanoparticles, nanoparticles, which showed a potential for pharmaceutical,
      biotechnological, and biomedical applications. Establishment of a efficient in
      vitro regeneration and genetic transformation method of E. prostrata is a vital
      prerequisite for application of biotechnology in order to improve secondary
      metabolite yields. The present mini-review discusses its pharmacological profile,
      chemical constituents, biotechnological, and ethnomedical uses, mainly focusing
      on antimyotoxic, antihemorrhagic, antiproliferative, antioxidant, antitumor,
      antihyperglycemic, antidementia, antimicrobial, antihyperlipidemic, antivenom,
      anti-HIV, and larvicidal activities, so that the pharmaceutical potential of the
      plant can be better evaluated. The mini review, providing up-to-date
      phytochemical and other information on E. prostrata, will serve a reference for
      further studies.

PMID- 28623384
TI  - The Role of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing for Decision Making in Patients with
      Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot.
AB  - Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common form of cyanotic congenital heart disease.
      As a result of the surgical strategies employed at the time of initial repair,
      chronic pulmonary regurgitation (PR) is prevalent in this population. Despite
      sustained research efforts, patient selection and timing of pulmonary valve
      replacement (PVR) to address PR in young asymptomatic patients with repaired
      tetralogy of Fallot (rToF) remain a fundamental but as yet unanswered question in
      the field of congenital heart disease. The ability of the heart to compensate for
      the chronic volume overload imposed by PR is critical in the evaluation of the
      risks and benefits of PVR. The difficulty in clarifying the functional impact of
      PR on the cardiovascular capacity may be in part responsible for the uncertainty
      surrounding the timing of PVR. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) may be
      used to assess abnormal cardiovascular response to increased physiologic demands.
      However, its use as a tool for risk stratification in asymptomatic adolescents
      and young adults with rToF is still ill-defined. In this paper, we review the
      role of CPET as a potentially valuable adjunct to current risk stratification
      strategies with a focus on asymptomatic rToF adolescents and young adults being
      considered for PVR. The role of maximal and submaximal exercise measurements to
      identify young patients with a decreased or borderline low peak VO2 resulting
      from impaired ventricular function is explored. Current knowledge gaps and
      research perspectives are highlighted.

PMID- 28623386
TI  - The antipsychotic agent quetiapine is increasingly not used as such: dispensed
      prescriptions in Norway 2004-2015.
AB  - PURPOSE: The antipsychotic agent quetiapine was introduced in Norway in 2003. We
      have assessed changes in dispensed prescriptions, including dosing, of quetiapine
      in Norway from 2004 to 2015. METHODS: Data on the sales of antipsychotics and
      antidepressants were drawn from the Norwegian Prescription Database. A total of
      47,474 outpatients filled 195,622 prescriptions of quetiapine. Reimbursement
      codes, use of antipsychotics or antidepressants 12 months prior to the first
      prescription of quetiapine and estimated mean volume used measured as defined
      daily doses (DDDs) per day were used as proxies for diagnoses. We conducted a
      regression analysis with DDD per day as a function of possible explanatory
      variables. RESULTS: The number of users filling at least two prescriptions of
      quetiapine per year increased from 584 in 2004 to 8506 in 2015 and the mean dose
      declined from 1.58 DDD per day (SD 8.00) to 0.48 DDD per day (SD 2.27). The
      latter is much lower than recommended for treatment of psychoses. In 2015, 60.1%
      of the 8506 quetiapine users did not seek reimbursement for the treatment of a
      major psychiatric disorder and only 2.6% of the patients were prescribed 1 DDD or
      more per day and reimbursed in accordance with the drug's primary indication,
      psychosis. A reported diagnosis of psychosis was not associated with higher
      quetiapine doses. CONCLUSIONS: In 2015, the pattern of quetiapine dispensing in
      Norway most likely reflects predominant off-label use. This is unsettling
      considering poorly documented effects in non-psychotic disorders, profound side
      effects, significant toxicity and growing concern regarding abuse.

PMID- 28623385
TI  - Juvenile social isolation affects maternal care in rats: involvement of
      allopregnanolone.
AB  - RATIONALE: Social isolation of rats immediately after weaning is thought to
      represent an animal model of anxiety-like disorders. Socially isolated virgin
      females showed a significant decrease in allopregnanolone levels, associated with
      increased anxiety-related behavior compared with group-housed rats. OBJECTIVES:
      The present study investigates whether post-weaning social isolation affects
      maternal behavior and assesses neuroactive steroid levels in adult female rats
      during pregnancy and postpartum. RESULTS: Socially isolated dams displayed a
      reduction in the frequency of arched back nursing (ABN) behavior compared to
      group-housed dams. In addition, both total and active nursing were lower in
      socially isolated dams compared to group-housed dams. Compared to virgin females,
      pregnancy increases allopregnanolone levels in group-housed as well as isolated
      dams and such increase was greater in the latter group. Compared to pregnancy
      levels, allopregnanolone levels decreased after delivery and this decrease was
      more pronounced in isolated than group-housed dams. Moreover, the fluctuations in
      plasma corticosterone levels that occur in late pregnancy and during lactation
      follow a different pattern in socially isolated vs. group-housed rats.
      CONCLUSIONS: The present results show that social isolation in female rats
      decreases maternal behavior; this effect is associated with lower
      allopregnanolone concentrations at postpartum, which may account, at least in
      part, for the poor maternal care observed in socially isolated dams. In support
      of this conclusion is the finding that finasteride-treated dams, which display a
      decrease in plasma allopregnanolone levels, also showed a marked reduction in
      maternal care, suggesting that allopregnanolone may contribute to the quality of
      maternal care.

PMID- 28623388
TI  - Lateral diffusion and signaling of receptor for advanced glycation end-products
      (RAGE): a receptor involved in chronic inflammation.
AB  - Membrane diffusion is one of the key mechanisms in the cellular function of
      receptors. The signaling of receptors for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE)
      has been extensively studied in the context of several pathological conditions,
      however, very little is known about RAGE diffusion. To fill this gap, RAGE
      lateral diffusion is probed in native, cholesterol-depleted, and cytoskeleton
      altered cellular conditions. In native GM07373 cellular conditions, RAGE has a
      90% mobile fraction and an average diffusion coefficient of 0.3 MUm2/s. When
      depolymerization of the actin cytoskeleton is inhibited with the small molecule
      jasplakinolide (Jsp), the RAGE mobile fraction and diffusion coefficient decrease
      by 22 and 37%, respectively. In contrast, depolymerizing the filamentous actin
      cytoskeleton using the small molecule cytochalasin D (CD) does not alter the RAGE
      diffusion properties. There is a 70 and 50% decrease in phosphorylation of
      extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) when the actin cytoskeleton is
      disrupted by CD or Jsp, respectively, in RAGE-expressing GM07373 cells.
      Disrupting the actin cytoskeleton in GM07373 cells that do not express detectable
      amounts of RAGE results in no change in p-ERK. Cholesterol depletion results in
      no statistically significant change in the diffusion properties of RAGE or p-ERK.
      This work presents a strong link between the actin cytoskeleton and RAGE
      diffusion and downstream signaling, and serves to further our understanding of
      the factors influencing RAGE lateral diffusion.

PMID- 28623387
TI  - Retinal vascular geometry and 6 year incidence and progression of diabetic
      retinopathy.
AB  - AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We aimed to examine prospectively the association between a
      range of retinal vascular geometric variables measured from retinal photographs
      and the 6 year incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: We
      conducted a prospective, population-based cohort study of Asian Malay individuals
      aged 40-80 years at baseline (n = 3280) who returned for a 6 year follow-up.
      Retinal vascular geometric variables (tortuosity, branching, fractal dimension,
      calibre) were measured from baseline retinal photographs using a computer
      assisted program (Singapore I Vessel Assessment). Diabetic retinopathy was graded
      from baseline and follow-up photographs using the modified Airlie House
      classification system. Incidence of diabetic retinopathy was defined as a
      severity of >=15 at follow-up among those without diabetic retinopathy at
      baseline. Incidence of referable diabetic retinopathy was defined as moderate or
      severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, proliferative diabetic retinopathy
      or diabetic macular oedema at follow-up in participants who had had no or mild
      non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy at baseline. Progression of diabetic
      retinopathy was defined as an increase in severity of >=2 steps at follow-up. Log
      binomial models with an expectation-maximisation algorithm were used to estimate
      RR adjusting for age, sex, diabetes duration, HbA1c level, BP, BMI, estimated GFR
      and total and HDL-cholesterol at baseline. RESULTS: A total of 427 individuals
      with diabetes participated in the baseline and 6 year follow-up examinations. Of
      these, 19.2%, 7.57% and 19.2% developed incidence of diabetic retinopathy,
      incidence of referable diabetic retinopathy and diabetic retinopathy progression,
      respectively. After multivariate adjustment, greater arteriolar simple tortuosity
      (mean RR [95% CI], 1.34 [1.04, 1.74]), larger venular branching angle (RR 1.26
      [1.00, 1.59]) and larger venular branching coefficient (RR 1.26 [1.03, 1.56])
      were associated with incidence of diabetic retinopathy. Greater arteriolar simple
      tortuosity (RR 1.82 [1.32, 2.52]), larger venular branching coefficient (RR 1.46
      [1.03, 2.07]), higher arteriolar fractal dimension (RR 1.59 [1.08, 2.36]) and
      larger arteriolar calibre (RR 1.83 [1.15, 2.90]) were associated with incidence
      of referable diabetic retinopathy. Greater arteriolar simple tortuosity (RR 1.34
      [1.12, 1.61]) was associated with diabetic retinopathy progression. Addition of
      retinal vascular variables improved discrimination (C-statistic 0.796 vs 0.733, p
      = 0.031) and overall reclassification (net reclassification improvement 18.8%, p
      = 0.025) of any diabetic retinopathy risk beyond established risk factors.
      CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Retinal vascular geometry measured from fundus
      photographs predicted the incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy in
      adults with diabetes, beyond established risk factors.

PMID- 28623389
TI  - Moving higher and higher: imitators' movements are sensitive to observed
      trajectories regardless of action rationality.
AB  - Humans sometimes perform actions which, at least superficially, appear suboptimal
      to the goal they are trying to achieve. Despite being able to identify these
      irrational actions from an early age, humans display a curious tendency to copy
      them. The current study recorded participants' movements during an established
      imitation task and manipulated the rationality of the observed action in two
      ways. Participants observed videos of a model point to a series of targets with
      either a low, high or 'superhigh' trajectory either in the presence or absence of
      obstacles between her targets. The participants' task was to watch which targets
      the model pointed to and then point to the same targets on the table in front of
      them. There were no obstacles between the participants' targets. Firstly, we
      found that the peak height of participants' movements between their targets was
      sensitive to the height of the model's movements, even in the 'superhigh'
      condition where the model's action was rated as irrational. Secondly,
      participants showed obstacle priming-the peak height of participants' movements
      was higher after having observed the model move over obstacles to reach her
      targets, compared to when there were no obstacles between her targets. This
      suggests that participants code the environment of co-actors into their own motor
      programs, even when this compromises the efficiency of their own movements. We
      discuss the implications of our findings in terms of theories of imitation and
      obstacle priming.

PMID- 28623390
TI  - Disturbed cervical proprioception affects perception of spatial orientation while
      in motion.
AB  - The proprioceptive, visual and vestibular sensory systems interact to maintain
      dynamic stability during movement. The relative importance and interplay between
      these sensory systems is still not fully understood. Increased knowledge about
      spatial perception and postural orientation would provide better understanding of
      balance disorders, and their rehabilitation. Displacement of the body in space
      was recorded in 16 healthy subjects performing a sequence of stepping-in-place
      tests without any visual or auditory cues. Spatial displacement and orientation
      in space were determined by calculating two parameters, "Moved distance (sagittal
      + lateral displacement)" and "Rotation". During the stepping-in-place tests
      vibration were applied in a randomized order on four different cervical muscles,
      and the effects were compared between muscles and to a non-vibration baseline
      condition. During the tests a forward displacement ("Moved distance") was found
      to be the normal behavior, with various degrees of longitudinal rotation
      ("Rotation"). The moved distance was significantly larger when the vibration was
      applied on the dorsal muscles (916 mm) relative to on ventral muscles (715 mm) (p
      = 0.003) and the rate of displacement was significantly larger for dorsal muscles
      (36.5 mm/s) relative to ventral (28.7 mm/s) vs (p = 0.002). When vibration was
      applied on the left-sided muscles, 16 degrees  rotation to the right was induced
      (p = 0.005), whereas no significant rotation direction was induced with right
      sided vibration (3 degrees ). The rate of rotation was significantly larger for
      vibration applied on ventral muscles (0.44 degrees /s) relative to on dorsal
      (0.33 degrees /s) (p = 0.019). The results highlight the influence of cervical
      proprioception on the internal spatial orientation, and subsequent for postural
      control.

PMID- 28623391
TI  - Survey of High-Affinity H2-Oxidizing Bacteria in Soil Reveals Their Vast
      Diversity Yet Underrepresentation in Genomic Databases.
AB  - While high-affinity H2-oxidizing bacteria (HA-HOB) serve as the main sink of
      atmospheric H2, the ecology of this specialist functional group is rather unknown
      due to its recent discovery. The main purpose of our study is to provide the
      first extensive survey of HA-HOB in farmland, larch, and poplar soils exposed to
      0.5 and 10,000 ppmv H2. Using qPCR and qRT-PCR assays along with PCR amplicon
      high-throughput sequencing of hhyL gene encoding for the large subunit of high
      affinity [NiFe]-hydrogenases (HAH), we found that hhyL gene expression ratio
      explained better variation in measured H2 oxidation rates than HA-HOB species
      richness. Carbon, nitrogen, pH, and bacterial species richness appeared as the
      most important drivers of HA-HOB community structure. Our study also highlights
      the need to cultivate HA-HOB due to the huge gap in current genomic databases.

PMID- 28623392
TI  - MHC class I diversity in chimpanzees and bonobos.
AB  - Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes are critically involved in
      the defense against intracellular pathogens. MHC diversity comparisons among
      samples of closely related taxa may reveal traces of past or ongoing selective
      processes. The bonobo and chimpanzee are the closest living evolutionary
      relatives of humans and last shared a common ancestor some 1 mya. However, little
      is known concerning MHC class I diversity in bonobos or in central chimpanzees,
      the most numerous and genetically diverse chimpanzee subspecies. Here, we used a
      long-read sequencing technology (PacBio) to sequence the classical MHC class I
      genes A, B, C, and A-like in 20 and 30 wild-born bonobos and chimpanzees,
      respectively, with a main focus on central chimpanzees to assess and compare
      diversity in those two species. We describe in total 21 and 42 novel coding
      region sequences for the two species, respectively. In addition, we found
      evidence for a reduced MHC class I diversity in bonobos as compared to central
      chimpanzees as well as to western chimpanzees and humans. The reduced bonobo MHC
      class I diversity may be the result of a selective process in their evolutionary
      past since their split from chimpanzees.

PMID- 28623394
TI  - Disease-specific hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with
      inherited bone marrow failure syndromes.
AB  - Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) using an optimized conditioning
      regimen is essential for the long-term survival of patients with inherited bone
      marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS). We report HSCT in 24 children with Fanconi
      anemia (FA, n = 12), Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA, n = 7), and dyskeratosis
      congenita (DC, n = 5) from a single HSCT center. The graft source was peripheral
      blood stem cells (n = 19) or cord blood stem cells (n = 5). FA and DC patients
      received reduced-intensity conditioning, while DBA patients had myeloablative
      conditioning. The median numbers of infused mononuclear cells and CD34+ cells
      were 14.20 * 108/kg and 4.3 * 106/kg, respectively. The median time for
      neutrophil and platelet recovery was 12 and 18 days, respectively. Complete donor
      engraftment was achieved in 23 of 24 patients. There was one primary graft
      failure. During a median follow-up of 27.5 months (range, 2-130 months), the
      overall survival in all patients was 95.8%. The incidence of grade II-III acute
      graft versus host disease (GvHD) and chronic GvHD was 29.2% and 16.7%,
      respectively. We conclude that HSCT can be a curative option for patients with
      IBMFS. Modification of the conditioning regimen based on the type of disease may
      lead to encouraging long-term outcomes.

PMID- 28623395
TI  - In Burkitt lymphoma patients who relapse after induction with a short-intensive
      chemoimmunotherapy protocol, aggressive salvage chemotherapy therapy is
      ineffective: a single-center retrospective study.

PMID- 28623393
TI  - Limited MHC class I intron 2 repertoire variation in bonobos.
AB  - Common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) experienced a selective sweep, probably
      caused by a SIV-like virus, which targeted their MHC class I repertoire. Based on
      MHC class I intron 2 data analyses, this selective sweep took place about 2-3
      million years ago. As a consequence, common chimpanzees have a skewed MHC class I
      repertoire that is enriched for allotypes that are able to recognise conserved
      regions of the SIV proteome. The bonobo (Pan paniscus) shared an ancestor with
      common chimpanzees approximately 1.5 to 2 million years ago. To investigate
      whether the signature of this selective sweep is also detectable in bonobos, the
      MHC class I gene repertoire of two bonobo panels comprising in total 29 animals
      was investigated by Sanger sequencing. We identified 14 Papa-A, 20 Papa-B and 11
      Papa-C alleles, of which eight, five and eight alleles, respectively, have not
      been reported previously. Within this pool of MHC class I variation, we recovered
      only 2 Papa-A, 3 Papa-B and 6 Papa-C intron 2 sequences. As compared to humans,
      bonobos appear to have an even more diminished MHC class I intron 2 lineage
      repertoire than common chimpanzees. This supports the notion that the selective
      sweep may have predated the speciation of common chimpanzees and bonobos. The
      further reduction of the MHC class I intron 2 lineage repertoire observed in
      bonobos as compared to the common chimpanzee may be explained by a founding
      effect or other subsequent selective processes.

PMID- 28623396
TI  - Assessment of the circulating cell-free DNA marker association with diagnosis and
      prognostic prediction in patients with lymphoma: a single-center experience.
AB  - Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) has been shown to be associated with the
      clinical characteristics and prognosis of cancer patients. Our objective was to
      assess whether the concentration and integrity index of ccfDNA in plasma may be
      useful for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of patients with lymphoma.
      We included plasma samples from 174 lymphoma patients and 80 healthy individuals.
      The total concentration of ccfDNA was determined using a fluorometry method, and
      the DNA integrity index (DII), which is the ratio of longer to shorter DNA
      fragments, for the APP gene was detected using real-time quantitative PCR. The
      median levels of the ccfDNA concentration and the DII in patients with lymphoma
      were significantly higher than those in controls (both P < 0.0001). Increases in
      the ccfDNA concentration and the DII were associated with advanced stage disease,
      elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels, and a higher prognosis score. In patients
      with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), high levels of ccfDNA (both
      concentration and the DII) showed an inferior 2-year progression-free survival
      (PFS) (P = 0.001; P < 0.0001, respectively). Our study provides quantitative and
      qualitative evidence in favor of using ccfDNA analysis in lymphoma patients for
      diagnostic and prognostic assessments.

PMID- 28623397
TI  - Different effects of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) supplementation on plasma and red
      blood cell phospholipid fatty acid composition and calcium oxalate kidney stone
      risk factors in healthy subjects from two race groups with different risk
      profiles pose questions about the GLA-arachidonic acid-oxaluria metabolic
      pathway: pilot study.
AB  - Fatty acid (FA) composition of phospholipids in plasma and red blood cells (RBC)
      can influence calciuria, oxaluria and renal stone formation. In this regard, the
      ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) and its precursor linoleic acid (LA) appears to be
      important. Administration of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) has been shown to
      increase the concentration of dihomo-gamma linoleic acid (DGLA) relative to AA
      indicating that it may attenuate biosynthesis of the latter. Such effects have
      not been investigated in race groups having difference stone occurrence rates.
      Black (B) and white (W) healthy males ingested capsules containing linoleic acid
      (LA) and GLA, for 30 days. Plasma and RBC total phospholipid (TPL) FA profiles,
      serum and 24 h urine biomarkers of hypercalciuria and urinary stone risk factors
      were determined on days 0 and 30. Data were tested for statistical significance
      using GraphPadInstat version 3.02. Concentration and percentage content of DGLA
      in plasma TPL increased in W but not in B. Arachidonic acid (AA) did not change
      in either group. There was no change in calcium excretion in either group but
      oxalate and citrate excretion increased in W. We suggest that elongation of GLA
      to DGLA may occur more rapidly than desaturation of DGLA to AA in W and that
      depressed activity of the enzyme elongase may occur in B. Calciuric and
      citraturic effects may be dependent on the quantity of LA or on the mass ratio of
      LA/GLA in the FA supplement. Questions about the mooted DGLA-AA-oxaluria pathway
      arise. We speculate that there exists a potential for using GLA as a conservative
      treatment for hypocitraturia. The observation of different responses in B and W
      indicates that such differences may play a role in stone formation and
      prevention.

PMID- 28623398
TI  - Endothelial vascular markers in coronary surgery.
AB  - Coronary heart disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality.
      Endothelial dysfunction in affected patients is linked to long-term
      atherosclerotic disease progression and cardiovascular event rates. The present
      paper reports on changes in the levels of endothelial progenitor cells
      (VEGFR2/CD133/CD34), essential for endothelial repair, and of endothelial
      microvesicles (CD31/annexin V) as indicators of endothelial lesion, in patients
      undergoing coronary bypass surgery with respect both to baseline levels and to
      counts in healthy subjects. In an observational descriptive study, 31 patients
      scheduled for coronary revascularization surgery were compared with those of 25
      healthy controls. In a subsequent longitudinal study, patients undergoing surgery
      were monitored at 5 timepoints up until 48 h after surgery. Endothelial
      progenitor cell (VEGFR2/CD133/CD34) and endothelial microvesicle (CD31/annexin V)
      levels were quantified by flow cytometry. Baseline endothelial progenitor cell
      counts in coronary patients were significantly lower than those of healthy
      controls (p < 0.001); however, after surgery, levels rose steadily over all 5
      timepoints to 48 h  with statistically significant differences (p < 0.001)
      between intra-operative and 48 h after surgery (T5). Endothelial microvesicle
      levels were significantly higher in coronary patients prior to surgery than in
      healthy controls (p < 0.001), and despite declining at 48 h remained
      significantly higher than those of controls (p < 0.001). Coronary surgery has had
      a positive impact on the endothelium in the patients, prompting a decrease in
      signs of endothelial dysfunction and a considerable improvement in the
      endothelial repair mechanisms involved in angiogenesis, playing an important role
      in the inflammatory response and the remodelling process of ischemic myocardium
      in postoperative period.

PMID- 28623399
TI  - Endothelial dysfunction in rectal cancer patients chronically exposed to ionizing
      radiation.
AB  - We sought to identify the features of endothelial function in rectal cancer
      patients who were exposed to chronic ionizing radiation from a nuclear test site
      in Kazakhstan. We examined 146 individuals, 76 of whom were rectal cancer
      patients. The existence of a complex of disturbances of the endothelium and
      hemostasis systems in patients vs non-patients was revealed. Endothelial
      dysfunction was expressed as an increase of nitric oxide (NO) production along
      with decreases in vasodilatation function, and increased levels of von Willebrand
      factor in blood, along with an increase in the number of circulating
      endotheliocytes. Significant correlations between indicators of endothelial
      function and vascular-platelet hemostasis were observed. These changes and their
      interrelations were expressed more strongly in the patients who lived in the
      contaminated area around the nuclear test site. Such patients could have an
      increased risk of thrombosis and other complications after the treatment of a
      malignant neoplasm.

PMID- 28623400
TI  - A novel eyelid motion monitor.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Eyelid motion analysis can provide important information about
      ophthalmic, neurologic, and systemic diseases. Routine assessment of eyelid
      function is currently based mainly on clinical examination estimating Levator
      Function and static palpebral fissure measurements. Most clinical tools developed
      to date are cumbersome expensive and difficult to operate. Currently there is no
      widely available, affordable device providing user friendly precision based
      evaluation of eyelid kinematics. Our goal is to develop a novel device for
      evaluation of eyelid kinematics providing rapid defined diagnosis of diseases
      involving eyelid movement. METHODS: A real-time prototype eyelid motion
      monitoring system was designed based on magnetic field sensors detecting movement
      of a tiny magnet located on the upper eyelid. Motion is recorded and analyzed
      using specially developed hardware and software, respectively, enabling both real
      time and off-line data presentation. The Eyelid Motion Monitor correlates between
      blinking characteristics of eyelid movement and the output voltages produced by
      the system. Blink detection is defined as peak in voltage, caused by eyelid
      closure or opening. The device was tested on 20 healthy volunteers with normal
      clinical blinking patterns. RESULTS: The Eyelid Motion Monitor succeeded in
      detecting full blink motion. The system easily extracts different parameters of
      eyelid kinetics. CONCLUSIONS: An inexpensive prototype novel device was developed
      for monitoring and analyzing eyelid motion characteristics, including the inter
      blink interval, eye closing/opening duration and entire blink duration. The
      device should allow early objective non- invasive diagnosis and follow-up of
      disease progression. It could be of great potential value in many ophthalmic,
      neurologic, and systemic diseases.

PMID- 28623401
TI  - Biomarkers in the assessment of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients:
      a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the capability of biomarkers to
      predict the risk of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients, as well as
      to assess the correlation between these biomarkers and the severity of mucositis.
      METHODS: The search was performed at LILACS, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and
      Web of Science. A search of the gray literature was performed on Google Scholar,
      OpenGrey, and ProQuest. The methodological quality of the included studies was
      assessed using the Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument
      (MAStARI) tool, and the evidence quality was assessed by the Grading of
      Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS:
      After a two-step selection process, 26 studies met the eligibility criteria. In
      total, 27 biomarkers were evaluated, and the most frequent were the epidermal
      growth factor (EGF), C-reactive protein (CRP), genetic polymorphisms, tumor
      necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). The
      meta-analysis showed an expression of polymorphisms in XRCC1 (32.66%), XRCC3
      (31.00%), and RAD51 (39.16%) genes, as well as an expression of protein
      biomarkers (39.57%), in patients with an increased risk of developing oral
      mucositis. CONCLUSIONS: Dosing biomarkers before starting radiation therapy may
      be a promising method to predict the risk of developing mucositis and allow
      radiosensitive patients to have a customized treatment. Although there is
      currently limited evidence to confirm the putative implementation of serum and
      salivary biomarkers to assess the correlation between them and the severity of
      mucositis, this current review provides new research directions.

PMID- 28623402
TI  - The impact of breast cancer treatments on sleep quality 1 year after cancer
      diagnosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: The increasing number of women living longer with potential side effects
      of breast cancer treatment highlights the need of a comprehensive assessment of
      its burden. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the relation between different breast
      cancer treatments and sleep quality 1 year after diagnosis. METHODS: A cohort of
      502 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was prospectively followed. Sleep
      quality was evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), at baseline
      and at the 1-year follow-up. Odds ratios (OR) were computed to quantify the
      association between patient characteristics and poor sleep quality (PSQI score
      >5) at baseline, and relative risks (RR) were computed for the association
      between treatments and the occurrence of poor sleep quality at 1 year. RESULTS: A
      total of 60.2% of the patients had poor sleep quality before breast cancer
      treatments, especially those with anxiety [OR = 2.86, 95% confidence interval
      (95%CI) 1.92 to 4.27] or depression (OR = 5.25, 95%CI 2.01 to 13.67).
      Radiotherapy increased the risk of poor sleep quality at 1 year (RR = 3.71, 95%CI
      1.15 to 11.96, for a cumulative dose >50 Gy) and there was a tendency for a
      higher risk in those submitted to chemotherapy, although not statistically
      significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that sleep disturbances are frequent
      before cancer treatment and confirms their co-occurrence with other medical
      conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Different breast cancer treatments
      increase the risk of impaired sleep quality, therefore contributing to the global
      disability associated with cancer treatments.

PMID- 28623404
TI  - Action-effects enhance explicit sequential learning.
AB  - Different studies have shown that action-effect associations seem to enhance
      implicit learning of motor sequences. In a recent study (Haider et al., Conscious
      Cognit 26:145-161, 2014), we found indications that action-effect learning might
      play a special role in acquiring explicit knowledge within an implicit learning
      situation. The current study aims at directly manipulating the action-effect
      contingencies in a Serial Reaction Time Task and examining its impact on explicit
      sequence knowledge. For this purpose, we created a situation in which the
      participants' responses led to a melodic tone sequence. For one group, these
      effect tones were contingently bound to the sequential responses and immediately
      followed the key press; for the second group, the tones were delayed by 400 ms.
      For a third group, the tones also followed the response immediately and resulted
      in the same melody but were not contingently bound to the responses. A fourth
      control group received no effect tones at all. Only the group that experienced
      contingent effect tones that directly followed the response showed an increase in
      explicit sequence knowledge. The results are discussed in terms of the multi
      modal structure of action-effect associations and the ideomotor principle of
      action control.

PMID- 28623403
TI  - Diffusion tensor imaging can predict surgical outcomes of patients with cervical
      compression myelopathy.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the potential role of diffusion
      tensor imaging (DTI) as a predictor of surgical outcomes in patients with
      cervical compressive myelopathy (CCM). Surgical decompression is often
      recommended for symptomatic CCM. It is important to know the prognosis of
      surgical outcomes and to recommend appropriate timing for surgery. METHODS: We
      enrolled 26 patients with CCM who underwent surgery. The Japanese Orthopaedic
      Association (JOA) score for cervical myelopathy was evaluated before and 6 months
      after surgery. Surgical outcomes were regarded as good if there was a change in
      JOA score of three points or more, or the recovery rate of JOA score was 50% or
      more. The patients were examined using a 3.0 T magnetic resonance system before
      surgery. Measured diffusion parameters were fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean
      diffusivity (MD). The correlations between DTI parameters and surgical outcomes
      were analyzed. RESULTS: Both change and recovery rate of JOA score moderately
      correlated with FA. Furthermore, the area under the receiver-operator
      characteristic curve based on FA for prognostic precision of surgical outcomes
      indicates that FA is a good predictive factor. The cut-off values of FA for
      predicting good surgical outcomes evaluated by change and recovery rate of JOA
      score were 0.65 and 0.57, respectively. Neither change nor recovery rate of JOA
      score correlated with MD. CONCLUSIONS: FA in spinal cord DTI can moderately
      predict surgical outcomes. DTI can serve as a supplementary tool for decision
      making to guide surgical intervention in patients with CCM.

PMID- 28623405
TI  - Genome dynamics and evolution of codon usage patterns in shrimp viruses.
AB  - We analysed the genomes and codon usage patterns of seven small (DNA and RNA)
      shrimp viruses. Effective number of codon (ENC) values indicated moderate (35 <
      ENC < 50) codon usage bias in shrimp viruses. Correlation analysis between GC
      compositions at non-synonymous codon and synonymous codon positions (GC1, 2 and
      GC3) as well as GC3 versus ENC curves indicated varying influences of mutational
      pressure on codon usage. The presence of deoptimized codons and host-antagonistic
      codon usage trends in shrimp viruses suggested the adaptation of a slow
      replication strategy by these viruses to avoid host defences. Low CpG frequencies
      indicated that shrimp viruses have evolved with underrepresentation of CpGs to
      avoid the host's immune response.

PMID- 28623406
TI  - Nucleoside analogue 2'-C-methylcytidine inhibits hepatitis E virus replication
      but antagonizes ribavirin.
AB  - Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has emerged as a global health issue, but no
      approved medication is available. The nucleoside analogue 2'-C-methylcytidine
      (2CMC), a viral polymerase inhibitor, has been shown to inhibit infection with a
      variety of viruses, including hepatitis C virus (HCV). Here, we report that 2CMC
      significantly inhibits the replication of HEV in a subgenomic replication model
      and in a system using a full-length infectious virus. Importantly, long-term
      treatment with 2CMC did not result in a loss of antiviral potency, indicating a
      high barrier to drug resistance development. However, the combination of 2CMC
      with ribavirin, an off-label treatment for HEV, exerts antagonistic effects. Our
      results indicate that 2CMC serves as a potential antiviral drug against HEV
      infection.

PMID- 28623407
TI  - Diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of a multifocal cutaneous orf virus with
      mixed bacterial infection outbreak in goats in Fujian province, China.
AB  - Outbreaks of orf virus on goat farms are common in China. In this study, we
      investigated a severe multifocal cutaneous orf virus outbreak with a correlative
      mixed bacterial infection which persisted for up to 6 months, and which had a
      high morbidity (93.7%) and mortality (15%) among kids in a herd of crossbreed
      goats in Fujian province in China. The disease was diagnosed as an orf virus
      (ORFV XD strain) infection associating with Streptococcus pluranimalium and
      Staphylococcus, identified using standard virological and bacteriological
      techniques. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses of the whole
      ORFV 011 (B2L), 059 (F1L), 032 and 080 genes revealed that the even though the
      virus phylogeny was clustered in branches of conventional orf virus strains, it
      nonetheless evidenced high variation within this subset. Furthermore, the
      sequences from the ORFV 080 gene allowed us to distinguish between the different
      strains at a higher resolution and these observations afforded us a comparative
      view of the ORFV 080 gene. This is the first report describing an outbreak of
      severe multifocal cutaneous orf virus with associated bacterial infection in
      China.

PMID- 28623408
TI  - Plexiform neurofibroma causing an ossifying subperiosteal haematoma: a rare case
      in the tibia of an 11-year-old girl.
AB  - Ossifying subperiosteal haematoma is an exceedingly rare manifestation of
      Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). We report an interesting case of plexiform
      neurofibroma causing a rapidly growing tibial mass as a result of subperiosteal
      haemorrhage, in an 11-year-old girl with previously undiagnosed NF-1. This
      reflects a precursor of the more mature periosteal ossification seen in cases
      traditionally termed "subperiosteal cysts". A previously well young girl was
      referred by her general practitioner with an increasingly large, mildly tender,
      soft lump on the anterior aspect of her right tibia. Plain radiographs
      demonstrated soft tissue thickening overlying the anterior tibia, without
      appreciable periosteal ossification. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) illustrated
      a single central fluid-fluid level and periosteal elevation with saucerisation of
      the anterior tibial cortex and mild surrounding oedema. Histopathology revealed a
      large plexiform neurofibroma. Interestingly, this was associated with
      haemorrhagic change and a peripheral rim of florid reactive new bone formation.
      This unusual presentation was discussed at a multidisciplinary bone and soft
      tissue tumour meeting, where in combination with the clinical history of cafe au
      lait spots and positive family history, a consensus diagnosis of NF-1 was made.
      To date, there have only been limited case reports of this rare pathological
      process. In summary, this case report accounts an acute presentation of this rare
      osseous manifestation of NF-1, being the first to clearly demonstrate a timeline
      of subperiosteal haematoma with subsequent subperiosteal bone proliferation. The
      clinical reasoning and radiological features for such a presentation are also
      described.

PMID- 28623409
TI  - Evaluation of bone viability in patients after girdlestone arthroplasty:
      comparison of bone SPECT/CT and MRI.
AB  - PURPOSE: To test the diagnostic performance of bone SPECT/CT and MRI for the
      evaluation of bone viability in patients after girdlestone-arthroplasty with
      histopathology used as gold standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross
      sectional study, patients after girdlestone-arthroplasty were imaged with single
      photon-emission-computed-tomography/computed-tomography (SPECT/CT) bone-scans
      using 99mTc-DPD. Additionally, 1.5 T MRI was performed with turbo-inversion
      recovery-magnitude (TIRM), contrast-enhanced T1-fat sat (FS) and T1-mapping. All
      imaging was performed within 24 h prior to revision total-hip-arthroplasty in
      patients with a girdlestone-arthroplasty. In each patient, four standardized bone
      tissue-biopsies (14 patients) were taken intraoperatively at the remaining
      acetabulum superior/inferior and trochanter major/minor. Histopathological
      evaluation of bone samples regarding bone viability was used as gold standard.
      RESULTS: A total of 56 bone-segments were analysed and classified as vital (n =
      39) or nonvital (n = 17) by histopathology. Mineral/late-phase SPECT/CT showed a
      high sensitivity (90%) and specificity (94%) to distinguish viable and nonviable
      bone tissue. TIRM (sensitivity 87%, specificity 88%) and contrast-enhanced T1-FS
      (sensitivity 90%, specificity 88%) also achieved a high sensitivity and
      specificity. T1-mapping achieved the lowest values (sensitivity 82%, specificity
      82%). False positive results in SPECT/CT and MRI resulted from small bone
      fragments close to metal artefacts. CONCLUSIONS: Both bone SPECT/CT and MRI allow
      a reliable differentiation between viable and nonviable bone tissue in patients
      after girdlestone arthroplasty. The findings of this study could also be relevant
      for the evaluation of bone viability in the context of avascular bone necrosis.

PMID- 28623411
TI  - "I am not afraid of death"-a survey on preferences concerning neurosurgical
      interventions among patients over 75 years.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Treatment decisions in elderly patients with traumatic brain injury
      (TBI) are mainly determined by trauma severity and patient age. The aim of this
      study was to explore personal preferences of potential patients regarding life
      prolonging neurosurgical interventions by interviewing ambulatory, autonomous
      elderly people. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients older than 75 years
      frequenting the outpatient clinic of the Department of Neurosurgery were
      interviewed about their attitudes regarding the hypothetical case of an 81-year
      old patient with TBI and a space-occupying acute subdural hematoma (aSDH) using a
      21-point questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of the consulted persons
      declined life-prolonging surgical measures. If surgery was associated with
      physical disability, 68% of the people wished no surgery. In case of cognitive
      impairment after surgery, 91% were against any surgical intervention. The
      majority feared being a burden to relatives (76%) and becoming unable to master
      an independent life (75%). Four-fifths of the interviewed patients (82%) were not
      afraid of death. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of elderly patients only consent to
      surgical measures if no relevant disabilities are involved and if they can return
      to their previous life. These findings need consideration in case of life
      threatening neurosurgical emergencies as well as in the surgical treatment of
      elderly patients in general.

PMID- 28623412
TI  - Long-term follow-up after endoscopic trans-sphenoidal surgery or initial
      observation in clivus chordomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Resection of clivus chordomas through extensive skull base approaches
      is associated with high mortality and morbidity even in experienced hands. We
      report our experience with endoscopic trans-sphenoidal surgery, or a "wait-and
      scan" strategy in selected patients. METHOD: Ten patients were diagnosed with
      clivus chordomas during an 8-year period. Six patients underwent primary
      treatment with endoscopic trans-sphenoidal surgery, followed by adjuvant proton
      beam therapy in three of these patients. Four patients with minor symptoms were
      followed-up untreated. Mean follow-up was 91 months. RESULTS: Of the six patients
      operated on, total or gross total resection was achieved in four, partial
      resection in one and biopsy was taken in one. Preoperative cranial neuropathies
      resolved in three out of five patients, and no new cranial nerve palsies were
      encountered. Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak occurred in one patient. Four
      patients were initially followed-up without any treatment, and three of these
      have remained stable without tumour progression for a mean of 94 months. Due to a
      slow, though progressive growth of tumour, one patient was operated on after 80
      months of initial observation. CONCLUSIONS: The natural course of clivus
      chordomas has yet to be defined. The endoscopic trans-sphenoidal approach is a
      valid, minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of clival chordomas, and
      in selected patients a "wait and scan" strategy can be considered. Our long-term
      results show low mortality and good functional outcome. An endonasal endoscopic
      trans-sphenoidal approach should be a principal part of the armamentarium of
      surgeons treating clivus chordomas.

PMID- 28623413
TI  - Comment to: "Management and outcome of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients
      taking oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs".

PMID- 28623414
TI  - Tenodesis is not superior to tenotomy in the treatment of the long head of biceps
      tendon lesions.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of tenodesis and tenotomy in the treatment
      of long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) lesions. The null hypothesis was that
      there is no difference in functional scores between the tenotomy and tenodesis
      groups. METHODS: A total of 69 patients with a combined supraspinatus tear and
      LHBT lesion aged over 40 years entered this prospective comparative study and
      were randomly assigned to the arthroscopic LHB tenotomy or tenodesis group. Fifty
      five patients (31 in the tenotomy group and 24 in the tenodesis group) were
      available for the 6- and 24-month post-operative evaluations. RESULTS: There were
      no statistically significant differences in post-operative Constant and Murley
      score, quality of life, pain, and strengths between groups. Higher rates of
      Popeye's sign were noted 6 and 24 months post-operatively in the tenotomy group
      compared to tenodesis. CONCLUSIONS: Although tenotomy is affected by a higher
      incidence of cosmetic deformity, there is no superiority of arthroscopic
      tenodesis over tenotomy in the treatment of LHBT lesion as a concomitant
      procedure to an arthroscopic repair of the supraspinatus tendon in terms of
      functional outcomes, quality of life, pain, and strength measured 6 and 24 months
      post-operatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

PMID- 28623416
TI  - Identifying intestinal malrotation on magnetic resonance examinations ordered for
      unrelated indications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anatomical imaging findings indicating normal bowel rotation can be
      identified on cross-sectional imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      performed for non-related indications. OBJECTIVE: The goal of our study was to
      assess whether non-targeted MRI can accurately assess intestinal malrotation.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four anatomical landmarks were assessed on MRIs of the
      chest, spine or abdomen performed from January 2006 to June 2014, on patients who
      also had upper gastrointestinal series (UGI) performed within 10 years of the MRI
      date: 1) retroperitoneal duodenum, 2) left upper quadrant duodenojejunal
      junction, 3) superior mesenteric artery to the left of the superior mesenteric
      vein, and 4) right lower quadrant cecum. Two attending radiologists, one
      pediatric and one abdominal radiologist, independently reviewed the MR images.
      The pediatric radiologist reviewed images from UGI (considered the gold standard)
      to determine the intestinal rotation for each case. Validation of the criteria
      was performed on new patients imaged through January 2016. RESULTS: The original
      cohort included 109 MRIs (15 chest, 41 spine and 53 abdomen) done on 109 patients
      (42% males, mean age: 10.2 years). If each of the 4 anatomical questions were
      answered "yes" (4-YES), specificity was 100% for each radiologist and malrotation
      was appropriately excluded. Using the 4-YES criteria, the pediatric radiologist
      excluded malrotation in 71 patients (65%) and the abdominal radiologist excluded
      it in 65 (60%), with concurrence for 57 patients. Validation of the 4-YES
      criteria in 23 new patients appropriately proved the 4-YES rule, with neither
      labeling the one new malrotation case 4-YES. CONCLUSION: If a radiologist can
      confidently answer "yes" to the four questions evaluated in this study, then
      intestinal rotation can be safely considered normal. Normal bowel rotation should
      be commented upon in MRI reports when these four anatomical locations are imaged,
      thus helping patients avoid unnecessary UGI and radiation exposure.

PMID- 28623415
TI  - A stand-alone lateral condyle-elevating trochlear osteotomy leads to high
      residual instability but no excessive increase in patellofemoral osteoarthritis
      at 12-year follow-up.
AB  - PURPOSE AND HYPOTHESIS: Trochlear osteotomy is a rarely performed procedure, only
      indicated in selected cases. Due to its nature, it can potentially lead to
      cartilage damage and subsequent early osteoarthritis. Satisfactory short-term
      results from lateral condyle-elevating osteotomy have previously been reported.
      The long-term effects of this procedure on clinical outcomes, patellar stability
      and radiological osteoarthritis are reported here. METHODS: Sixteen patients (19
      knees) with patellar instability due to trochlear dysplasia were included. An
      isolated lateral condyle-elevating trochlear osteotomy was performed between 1995
      and 2002. All patients were re-examined at a minimum of 12-year follow-up. Three
      patients were lost to follow-up, and one patient underwent a patellofemoral
      arthroplasty 3 years post-operatively due to progressive osteoarthritis. Complete
      follow-up was therefore available in 12 patients (15 knees). Recurrent
      instability, VAS pain, WOMAC, Lysholm and Kujala scores were used as outcome
      measures. Radiological osteoarthritis was recorded using the Iwano and the
      Kellgren-Lawrence classifications. A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to test for
      repeated measures (pre-operative, 2-year and final follow-up), and Spearman's
      correlation coefficient for relationships between osteoarthritis and functional
      scores. RESULTS: At final follow-up, VAS pain showed a non-significant
      improvement from 52 to 25, and the median Kujala score was 78. Median Lysholm (54
      71, p = 0.021) and WOMAC (78-96, p = 0.021) scores improved from the pre
      operative assessment to final follow-up. There was no significant difference
      observed between clinical scores at the 2-year and final follow-up. Residual
      patellar instability was reported in four out of 15 knees. Three knees showed no
      patellofemoral osteoarthritis, eight knees had grade 1 and four knees grade 2. No
      correlation between VAS pain, Lysholm, WOMAC or Kujala scores and osteoarthritis
      could be identified (n.s.). CONCLUSION: A stand-alone lateral condyle-elevating
      trochleoplasty results in the significant improvement of most clinical scores;
      however, when performed as a stand-alone procedure, it leads to a high percentage
      of residual instability. In contrast to general belief, the development of
      patellofemoral osteoarthritis at 12-year follow-up did not exceed the findings
      from other trochleoplasty case series. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Case series with no
      comparison group, Level IV.

PMID- 28623417
TI  - A validated clinical MRI injury scoring system in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic
      encephalopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Deep nuclear gray matter injury in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic
      encephalopathy (HIE) is associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes. We
      previously published a qualitative MRI injury scoring system utilizing serial T1
      weighted, T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), weighted for deep
      nuclear gray matter injury. OBJECTIVES: To establish the validity of the MRI
      scoring system with neurodevelopmental outcome at 18-24 months. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: MRI scans from neonates with moderate to severe HIE treated with
      therapeutic hypothermia were evaluated. Signal abnormality was scored on T1
      weighted, T2-weighted and DWI sequences and assessed using an established system
      in five regions: (a) subcortical: caudate nucleus, globus pallidus and putamen,
      thalamus and the posterior limb of the internal capsule; (b) white matter; (c)
      cortex, (d) cerebellum and (e) brainstem. MRI injury was graded as none, mild,
      moderate or severe. Inter-rater reliability was tested on a subset of scans by
      two independent and blinded neuroradiologists. Surviving infants underwent the
      Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (Bayley-III) at 18-24 months.
      Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate linear and logistic
      regression. RESULTS: Fifty-seven eligible neonates underwent at least one MRI
      scan in the first 2 weeks of life. Mean postnatal age at scan 1 was 4+/-2 days in
      50/57 (88%) neonates and 48/54 (89%) surviving infants underwent scan 2 at 10+/-2
      days. In 54/57 (95%) survivors, higher MRI injury grades were significantly
      associated with worse outcomes in the cognitive, motor and language domains of
      the Bayley-III. CONCLUSION: A qualitative MRI injury scoring system weighted for
      deep nuclear gray matter injury is a significant predictor of neurodevelopmental
      outcome at 18-24 months in neonates with HIE.

PMID- 28623418
TI  - Women's persistent depressive and perinatal grief symptoms following a
      miscarriage: the role of childlessness and satisfaction with healthcare services.
AB  - The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine whether depressive
      and perinatal grief symptoms vary according to time since miscarriage and to test
      whether childlessness and satisfaction with healthcare services influence symptom
      duration. A total of 245 women who had experienced a miscarriage answered a self
      report questionnaire, indicating the date of their miscarriage and assessing
      their present level of depressive and perinatal grief symptoms. They also
      provided sociodemographic characteristics and indicated their level of
      satisfaction with healthcare services. One-way analyses of variance indicated
      that women who had miscarried within the past 6 months reported higher scores for
      depressive symptoms than did women who had miscarried between 7 and 12 months ago
      and more than 2 years ago. However, when controlling for childlessness and
      satisfaction with healthcare services, those differences became respectively
      marginal and non-significant, indicating that depressive symptoms are similar
      across time for more than 2 years after the loss. Regarding perinatal grief,
      results revealed that symptoms significantly decreased across time only for women
      with children and women who were satisfied with healthcare services. For
      childless women and those dissatisfied with healthcare services, perinatal grief
      symptoms did not vary according to time since miscarriage. Results suggest that,
      particularly for women who are childless and/or dissatisfied with healthcare
      services, depressive and perinatal grief symptoms persist long after a
      miscarriage. These results highlight the importance of paying particular
      attention to more vulnerable women and of improving healthcare services post
      miscarriage.

PMID- 28623419
TI  - Droxidopa for symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension: what can we learn?

PMID- 28623420
TI  - Managing supine hypertension in a patient with non-diabetic autonomic neuropathy
      receiving droxidopa for neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.

PMID- 28623421
TI  - Comparison of dual-energy CT, ultrasound and surface measurement for assessing
      tophus dissolution during rapid urate debulking.
AB  - Tophaceous gout is painful and impairs quality of life. The optimal modality for
      assessing tophus resolution in response to urate-lowering treatment remains
      poorly defined. Using pegloticase as a model system for resolving tophi, we
      compared multiple imaging and physical diagnostic strategies for assessing tophus
      resolution. A 32-year-old subject with chronic refractory tophaceous gout was
      enrolled and received 6 months of pegloticase treatment. Measurements of tophi
      using vernier calipers (monthly), photographs and musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK
      US; every 3 months), and dual-energy CT (DECT) were compared. Pegloticase
      persistently lowered the patient's sUA to <0.5 mg/dl. After 6 months, caliper
      measurements revealed 73, 60, and 61% reductions of three index tophi, while MSK
      US revealed 47, 65, and 48% reductions. In contrast, DECT revealed 100%
      resolution of monosodium urate deposition in all three index tophi, and
      resolution or improvement of all other tophi identified. On caliper and MSK-US
      measurement, index tophus size fluctuated, with some lesions enlarging before
      ultimately contracting. Correlation between assessment modalities during tophus
      resolution may be poor. DECT identifies urate deposits invisible to physical exam
      and reveals that some urate deposits completely resolve even as their
      physically/sonographically measurable lesions persist. Recognition of urate
      resorption during the urate-lowering process may be confounded by fluctuating
      lesion volumes during initial tophus breakdown. While DECT was superior for
      identifying total (including occult) urate deposition, and assessing volume of
      deposits, other modalities may permit better assessment of non-urate tophus
      components.

PMID- 28623422
TI  - Effects of omega-3 on matrix metalloproteinase-9, myoblast transplantation and
      satellite cell activation in dystrophin-deficient muscle fibers.
AB  - In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), lack of dystrophin leads to progressive
      muscle degeneration, with DMD patients suffering from cardiorespiratory failure.
      Cell therapy is an alternative to life-long corticoid therapy. Satellite cells,
      the stem cells of skeletal muscles, do not completely compensate for the muscle
      damage in dystrophic muscles. Elevated levels of proinflammatory and profibrotic
      factors, such as metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), impair muscle regeneration, leading
      to extensive fibrosis and poor results with myoblast transplantation therapies.
      Omega-3 is an anti-inflammatory drug that protects against muscle degeneration in
      the mdx mouse model of DMD. In the present study, we test our hypothesis that
      omega-3 affects MMP-9 and thereby benefits muscle regeneration and myoblast
      transplantation in the mdx mouse. We observe that omega-3 reduces MMP-9 gene
      expression and improves myoblast engraftment, satellite cell activation, and
      muscle regeneration by mechanisms involving, at least in part, the regulation of
      macrophages, as shown here with the fluorescence-activated cell sorting
      technique. The present study demonstrates the benefits of omega-3 on satellite
      cell survival and muscle regeneration, further supporting its use in clinical
      trials and cell therapies in DMD.

PMID- 28623423
TI  - CXCL10 suppression of hem- and lymph-angiogenesis in inflamed corneas through
      MMP13.
AB  - Though not present in the normal adult cornea, both hem- and lymph-angiogenesis
      can be induced in this tissue after an inflammatory, infectious, or traumatic
      insult. We previously showed that the chemokine CXCL10 plays a key role in
      eradicating invading Candida (C.) albicans in C57BL6 mouse corneas. However, even
      after the clearance of pathogens, infection-induced inflammation and angiogenesis
      continue to progress in the cornea. The aim of this study is define the role of
      CXCL10 as a major angiostatic factor in modulating cornea angiogenesis in B6
      mouse corneas under pathogenic conditions. We showed that epithelial expression
      of CXCL10, driven by AAV9 vector, suppressed both infection- and inflammation
      induced hem and lymph angiogenesis, whereas the neutralization of CXCL10 as well
      as its receptor CXCR3 greatly promoted these processes. The inhibitory effect of
      CXCL10 was unrelated to its antimicrobial activity, but through the suppression
      of the expression of many angiogenic factors, including VEGFa and c, and MMP-13
      in vivo. Inhibition of MMP13 but not TIMPs, attenuated suture-induced
      neovascularization but had no effects on CXCL10 expression. Strikingly, topical
      application of CXCL10 post-C. albicans infection effectively blocked both hem-
      and lymph-angiogenesis and preserved the integrity of sensory nerves in the
      cornea. Taken together, CXCL10 has strong inhibitory effects on
      neovascularization, whereas MMP13 is required for neovascularization in C.
      albicans-infected corneas and the local application of CXCL10 or MMP13
      inhibitors, alone or as adjuvant therapy, may target hem- and lymph-angiogenesis
      in the inflamed corneas.

PMID- 28623424
TI  - Does air pollution trigger suicide? A case-crossover analysis of suicide deaths
      over the life span.
AB  - In addition to underlying health disorders and socio-economic or community
      factors, air pollution may trigger suicide mortality. This study evaluates the
      association between short-term variation in air pollution and 10 years of suicide
      mortality in Belgium. In a bidirectional time-stratified case-crossover design,
      20,533 suicide deaths registered between January 1st 2002 and December 31st 2011
      were matched by temperature with control days from the same month and year. We
      used municipality-level air pollution [particulate matter (PM10) and O3
      concentrations] data and meteorology data. We applied conditional logistic
      regression models adjusted for duration of sunshine and day of the week to obtain
      odds ratios (OR) and their 95% CI for an increase of 10 ug/m3 in pollutant
      concentrations over different lag periods (lag 0, 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 0-4, 0-5, and 0
      6 days). Effect modification by season and age was investigated by including
      interaction terms. We observed significant associations of PM10 and O3 with
      suicide during summer (OR ranging from 1.02 to 1.07, p-values <0.05). For O3,
      significant associations were also observed during spring and autumn. Age
      significantly modified the associations with PM10, with statistically significant
      associations observed only among 5-14 year old children (lag 0-6: OR = 1.45; 95%
      CI: 1.03-2.04) and >=85 years old (e.g. lag 0-4: OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06-1.29).
      Recent increases in outdoor air pollutants such as PM10 or O3 can trigger
      suicide, particularly during warm periods, even at concentrations below the
      European thresholds. Furthermore, PM10 may have strong trigger effects among
      children and elderly population.

PMID- 28623425
TI  - Effects of a 20-week high-intensity strength and sprint training program on
      tibial bone structure and strength in middle-aged and older male sprint athletes:
      a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - : This randomized, controlled, high-intensity strength and sprint training trial
      in middle-aged and older male sprint athletes showed significant improvements in
      mid-tibial structure and strength. The study reveals the adaptability of aging
      bone, suggesting that through a novel, intensive training stimulus it is possible
      to strengthen bones during aging. INTRODUCTION: High-load, high-speed and impact
      type exercise may be an efficient way of improving bone strength even in old age.
      We evaluated the effects of combined strength and sprint training on indices of
      bone health in competitive masters athletes, who serve as a group of older people
      who are likely to be able to participate in vigorous exercise of this kind.
      METHODS: Seventy-two men (age 40-85) were randomized into an experimental (EX, n
      = 40) and a control (CTRL, n = 32) group. EX participated in a 20-week program
      combining heavy and explosive strength exercises with sprint training. CTRL
      maintained their usual, run-based sprint training schedules. Bone structural,
      strength and densitometric parameters were assessed by peripheral QCT at the
      distal tibia and tibial midshaft. RESULTS: The intervention had no effects on
      distal tibia bone traits. At the mid-tibia, the mean difference in the change in
      cortical thickness (ThCO) in EX compared to CTRL was 2.0% (p = 0.007). The
      changes in structure and strength were more pronounced in the most compliant
      athletes (training adherence >75%). Compared to CTRL, total and cortical cross
      sectional area, ThCO, and the area and density-weighted moments of inertia for
      the direction of the smallest flexural rigidity (I minA , I minD ) increased in
      EX by 1.6-3.2% (p = 0.023-0.006). Polar mass distribution analysis revealed
      increased BMC at the anteromedial site, whereas vBMD decreased (p = 0.035-0.043).
      CONCLUSIONS: Intensive strength and sprint training improves mid-tibia structure
      and strength in middle-aged and older male sprint athletes, suggesting that in
      the presence of high-intensity loading exercise, the adaptability of the bone
      structure is maintained during aging.

PMID- 28623426
TI  - Comparative physical mapping of 18S rDNA in the karyotypes of six leafcutter ant
      species of the genera Atta and Acromyrmex (Formicidae: Myrmicinae).
AB  - Leafcutter ants of the Atta and Acromyrmex genera are important plagues in
      different cultures. Cytogenetic data on chromosome number, morphology, and
      chromosomal banding pattern are only available for 17 species of leafcutter ants.
      Molecular cytogenetic data for the detection of ribosomal genes by the FISH
      technique are scarce, and only 15 Neotropical ant species have been studied. This
      study aimed to physically map the 18S ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) of six
      leafcutter ants belonging to the genera Atta and Acromyrmex using FISH. The
      results were compared with data on the fluorochrome CMA3 currently available for
      these species. All analyzed species presented the 18S rDNA on one pair of
      chromosomes. In Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans and Ac. aspersus, FISH signals
      were observed in the terminal region of the short arm of the largest
      subtelocentric pair, while in Atta bisphaerica, A. laevigata, and A. sexdens,
      FISH signals were observed in the interstitial region of the long arm of the
      fourth metacentric pair. In Acromyrmex striatus, 18S rDNA was located in the
      interstitial region of the second metacentric pair. The karyotypic formula for
      Ac. aspersus was 2n = 38 (8m + 10sm + 16st + 4a), representing the first report
      in this species. The observed 18S rDNA regions in A. laevigata, A. sexdens, A.
      bisphaerica, Ac. aspersus, and Ac. subterraneus molestans corresponded to the
      CMA3+ bands, while in Ac. striatus, several GC-rich bands and one pair of 18S
      rDNA bands were observed. No differential bands were visible using the DAPI
      fluorochrome. Karyotype uniformity with previously studied Atta spp. was also
      observed at the level of molecular cytogenetics using 18S rDNA FISH. A difference
      in the size of the chromosomal pair carrying the 18S rDNA gene was observed in
      Ac. striatus (2n = 22) and Atta spp. (2n = 22) highlighting the dissimilarity
      between these species. The results from the present study contribute to the
      description of 18S rDNA clusters in Neotropical ants.

PMID- 28623427
TI  - Blood concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury and their association with
      biomarkers of DNA oxidative damage in preschool children living in an e-waste
      recycling area.
AB  - Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage occurs in heavy metal exposure,
      but the simultaneous effect on DNA repair is unknown. We investigated the
      influence of co-exposure of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) on 8
      hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and human repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine DNA
      glycosylase (hOGG1) mRNA levels in exposed children to evaluate the imbalance of
      DNA damage and repair. Children within the age range of 3-6 years from a
      primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling town were chosen as participants
      to represent a heavy metal-exposed population. 8-OHdG in the children's urine was
      assessed for heavy metal-induced oxidative effects, and the hOGG1 mRNA level in
      their blood represented the DNA repair ability of the children. Among the
      children surveyed, 88.14% (104/118) had a blood Pb level >5 MUg/dL, 22.03%
      (26/118) had a blood Cd level >1 MUg/dL, and 62.11% (59/95) had a blood Hg level
      >10 MUg/dL. Having an e-waste workshop near the house was a risk factor
      contributing to high blood Pb (r s  = 0.273, p < 0.01), while Cd and Hg exposure
      could have come from other contaminant sources. Preschool children of fathers who
      had a college or university education had significantly lower 8-OHdG levels
      (median 242.76 ng/g creatinine, range 154.62-407.79 ng/g creatinine) than did
      children of fathers who had less education (p = 0.035). However, we did not
      observe a significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of hOGG1 between
      the different variables. Compared with children having low lead exposure
      (quartile 1), the children with high Pb exposure (quartiles 2, 3, and 4) had
      significantly higher 8-OHdG levels (beta Q2 = 0.362, 95% CI 0.111-0.542; beta Q3
      = 0.347, 95% CI 0.103-0.531; beta Q4 = 0.314, 95% CI 0.087-0.557). Associations
      between blood Hg levels and 8-OHdG were less apparent. Compared with low levels
      of blood Hg (quartile 1), elevated blood Hg levels (quartile 2) were associated
      with higher 8-OHdG levels (beta Q2 = 0.236, 95% CI 0.039-0.406). Compared with
      children having low lead exposure (quartile 1), the children with high Pb
      exposure (quartiles 2, 3, and 4) had significantly higher 8-OHdG levels.

PMID- 28623428
TI  - Quantitative Measurement of PARD3 Copy Number Variations in Human Neural Tube
      Defects.
AB  - Although more than 200 genes are known to be related to neural tube defects
      (NTDs), the exact molecular basis is still unclear. Evaluating the contribution
      of copy number variation (CNV) might be a priority because CNV involves changes
      in the copy number of large segments of DNA, leading to phenotypic traits and
      disease susceptibility. Recent studies have documented that the polarity protein
      partitioning defective 3 homolog (Pard3) plays an essential role in the process
      of neural tube closure. The aim of this study was to assess the role of PARD3
      CNVs in the etiology of human NTDs. Relative quantitative PCR and matrix-assisted
      laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used to
      quantitative measurement of CNVs in 25 PARD3 exons in 202 NTD cases and 231
      controls from a region of China with a high prevalence of NTDs. The results
      showed that microduplications ranging from 3 to 4 were evident in coding Exon 21
      and Exon 25 in both case and control groups. A novel heterozygous microdeletion
      spanning 444 bp of Exon 14 was identified in two cases of anencephaly and is
      absent from all controls analyzed. Expression analyses indicated that this
      heterozygotic microdeletion showed no tissue specificity and led to defective
      expression of PARD3. Our study provides further evidence implicating PARD3 in the
      etiology of NTDs.

PMID- 28623429
TI  - BDNF: A Key Factor with Multipotent Impact on Brain Signaling and Synaptic
      Plasticity.
AB  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the most widely distributed
      and extensively studied neurotrophins in the mammalian brain. Among its prominent
      functions, one can mention control of neuronal and glial development,
      neuroprotection, and modulation of both short- and long-lasting synaptic
      interactions, which are critical for cognition and memory. A wide spectrum of
      processes are controlled by BDNF, and the sometimes contradictory effects of its
      action can be explained based on its specific pattern of synthesis, comprising
      several intermediate biologically active isoforms that bind to different types of
      receptor, triggering several signaling pathways. The functions of BDNF must be
      discussed in close relation to the stage of brain development, the different
      cellular components of nervous tissue, as well as the molecular mechanisms of
      signal transduction activated under physiological and pathological conditions. In
      this review, we briefly summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the
      impact of BDNF on regulation of neurophysiological processes. The importance of
      BDNF for future studies aimed at disclosing mechanisms of activation of signaling
      pathways, neuro- and gliogenesis, as well as synaptic plasticity is highlighted.

PMID- 28623430
TI  - A Phase I/II study of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) in combination with
      trastuzumab (Herceptin) in patients with advanced metastatic and/or local chest
      wall recurrent HER2-amplified breast cancer: a trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer
      Research Group (E1104).
AB  - PURPOSE: Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA; vorinostat), a small molecule
      inhibitor of histone deacetylase, attenuates signaling pathways known to confer
      trastuzumab resistance. A combination of SAHA and trastuzumab may be a promising
      strategy to improve the efficacy of trastuzumab against breast cancer. In this
      Phase I/II study, we evaluated the toxicity and response rate after treatment
      with SAHA and trastuzumab in patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast
      cancer with trastuzumab-resistant progressive disease. METHODS: In Phase I, the
      SAHA dose was modified in cohorts of 3-6 patients to find the dose level at which
      0 or 1 patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) during the first cycle
      of therapy. In the Phase II study, response to the recommended dose identified in
      Phase I was based on the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Overall
      survival and time to progression were also evaluated. RESULTS: The recommended
      dose was determined to be 200 mg twice a day on days 1-14 and IV trastuzumab 6
      mg/kg on day 1 of a 21-day cycle (n = 6). The Phase II study (n = 10) was
      terminated when the pre-planned efficacy evaluation found that none of the
      patients in the primary analysis set responded to combination SAHA and
      trastuzumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with HER2-positive metastatic
      breast cancer who had relapsed or progressed during trastuzumab therapy, we
      observed no DLTs with SAHA 200 mg twice daily combined with trastuzumab; however,
      there was insufficient statistical evidence that adding SAHA reversed trastuzumab
      resistance in these patients.

PMID- 28623432
TI  - Identification and expression analysis of CYS-A1, CYS-C1, NIT4 genes in rice
      seedlings exposed to cyanide.
AB  - Involvement of genes (CYS-A1, CYS-C1 and NIT4) encoded with cysteine synthase,
      beta-cyanoalanine synthase, nitrilase and cyanide metabolisms are evident in
      Arabidopsis. In the present study, identifications of CYS-A1, CYS-C1 and NIT4,
      predictions of conserved motifs, and constructions of phylogenetic relationships,
      based on their amino acid sequences in rice, were conducted. In order to
      elucidate the transcriptional responses of these cyanide-degrading genes, two
      candidate homologues were selected for each gene to test their expression changes
      upon exposure to exogenous KCN in rice seedlings using RT-PCR. Results showed
      that all selected candidate homologous genes were differentially expressed at
      different exposure points in roots and shoots of rice seedlings, suggesting their
      distinct roles during cyanide assimilation. Both candidate homologues for CYS-A1
      constantly exhibited more abundant transcripts in comparison to control. However,
      only one candidate homologue for CYS-C1 and NIT4 showed a remarkable up
      regulation during KCN exposure. Analysis of both tissue and solution cyanide
      indicated that rice seedlings were quickly able to metabolize exogenous KCN with
      minor accumulation in plant tissues. In conclusion, significant up-regulation of
      CYS-A1 suggested that the endogenous pool of cysteine catalyzed by cysteine
      synthase does not restrict the conversion of exogenous KCN into cyanoalanine
      through the beta-cyanoalanine pathway. However, insufficient responses of the
      transcription level of NIT4 suggested that NIT enzyme may be a limiting factor
      for cyanoalanine assimilation by rice seedlings.

PMID- 28623431
TI  - Effect of chronic arsenic exposure under environmental conditions on
      bioaccumulation, oxidative stress, and antioxidant enzymatic defenses in wild
      trout Salmo trutta (Pisces, Teleostei).
AB  - The present study evaluates the relation between chronic arsenic (As) exposure in
      the natural distribution area of wild brown trout (Salmo trutta), oxidative
      stress and antioxidant enzymatic defenses. Two rivers of the same watershed were
      evaluated to highlight the correlation between As accumulation and the resulting
      stress: (i) the Presa River, which has high chronic As levels (2281.66 ug/L) due
      to past mining activity, and (ii) the Bravona River (control river). This
      metalloid was measured in main fish tissues (gills, kidney, liver, muscle, gonads
      and fins) and water. As organotropism in S. trutta was kidney > liver > gill >
      fin > gonad > muscle. The HepatoSomatic Index (HSI) and somatic condition (CF)
      were used to compare fish population conditions from both sites. Arsenic can be
      absorbed by the gills and can induce oxidative stress and disturb antioxidant
      defenses. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative stress response by
      measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) content, as a marker of lipid peroxidation, and
      antioxidant enzymatic defenses (Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase CAT,
      glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)), in the main
      tissues of control and exposed trout. The highest MDA content was found in the
      kidney and liver of exposed trout. SOD and CAT activities in exposed livers and
      kidneys were considerably increased while a significant rise of GPx activity was
      observed only in the liver. GST activity was found to be significantly induced in
      the liver of exposed trout. The results demonstrate that arsenic bioaccumulation
      can induce lipid peroxidation and substantial modifications in antioxidant
      enzymatic defenses in main wild trout tissues.

PMID- 28623433
TI  - Comparison of the effect of honey and mefenamic acid on the severity of pain in
      women with primary dysmenorrhea.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Primary dysmenorrhea starts simultaneously with
      menstruation or before it and usually continues for 48-72 h. As a prevalence
      disorder, it affects about 80-97% of women in the reproductive age. The
      conventional treatment modalities of primary dysmenorrhea are associated with
      complications and side effects. In addition, there is a lack of knowledge of the
      effect of honey on the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. The objective of this
      study is to investigate the effect of honey on the severity of pain in women with
      dysmenorrhea. METHODS: A randomized crossover clinical trial was conducted on 56
      female students. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Groups I and II
      received honey and mefenamic acid in the 'first treatment period', respectively.
      In the 'second treatment period', the intervention methods were reversed between
      the groups. Samples recorded the severity of pain during the first 3 days of
      menstruation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the most severe
      level of pain in the first and second months of the first treatment period, and
      the first and second months of the second treatment period between the groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Honey and the mefenamic acid capsules led to the same amount of pain
      relief in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Honey is suggested to be used for pain
      relief due to its lower side effects and pharmacological complications.

PMID- 28623434
TI  - [Cost analysis as a tool for assessing the efficacy of intensive care units].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The German "Hospital Structure Act" intends to align the state
      hospital planning on quality criteria. Within this process cost-utility analyses
      (CUAs) shall be used to assess the efficacy of medical care. To be objective,
      CUAs of intensive care units (ICUs) require standardization (adjustment) of
      costs. The present study analyzed the extent to which treatment costs are related
      to patient-specific baseline variables (such as type and severity of the primary
      disease). METHODS: From 2000-2004, a bottom-up procedure was used to quantify
      total costs on 14 ICUs in nine German university hospitals. Results were combined
      with demographic data, and data indicating type (ICD-10 codes) and severity (ICU
      scoring systems) of the primary disease at ICU admission. Various statistical
      models were tested to identify that which best described the associations between
      baseline variables and costs. RESULTS: In all, 3803 critically ill patients could
      be examined. The median of treatment costs per patient was 3199 ? (IQR 1768-6659
      ?). No model allowed an acceptably precise adjustment of costs; the estimated
      mean absolute prognostic error was at least 3860 ? (mean relative prognostic
      error 66%), when we tested an Extreme Gradient Boosting Model. CONCLUSION:
      Instruments which are currently available (cost adjustment based on patient
      specific baseline variables) do not allow a standardization of costs, and an
      objective CUA of ICUs. Factors unknown at baseline may cause a large portion of
      treatment costs.

PMID- 28623435
TI  - The brain behaves as a muscle?
AB  - It is known that lactate accumulates in the skeletal muscle during intense
      anaerobic exercise but is rapidly cleared from the muscles when they resume
      aerobic metabolism; however, at least some lactate reaches the blood stream. It
      has been observed that during maximal exercise, blood lactate increases with
      transport of the blood to the brain. This could be interpreted as a mechanism to
      protect against possible "central fatigue" in times of maximal activity during
      the course of which the lactate would preserve the functionality of the primary
      cortical motor and sensory areas, even at the expense of the efficiency of the
      other structures. In this way, the role of lactate, both at the muscular level
      and in the CNS, appears to shift from being responsible for fatigue to protector
      from fatigue, which represents a real transition similar to that of how the image
      of Mr. Hyde changes to that of Dr. Jekyll.

PMID- 28623436
TI  - High-dose-rate brachytherapy as salvage modality for locally recurrent prostate
      cancer after definitive radiotherapy : A systematic review.
AB  - PURPOSE: To review the current status of interstitial high-dose-rate
      brachytherapy as a salvage modality (sHDR BRT) for locally recurrent prostate
      cancer after definitive radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature
      search was performed in PubMed using "high-dose-rate, brachytherapy, prostate
      cancer, salvage" as search terms. In all, 51 search results published between
      2000 and 2016 were identified. Data tables were generated and summary
      descriptions created. The main outcome parameters used were biochemical control
      (BC) and toxicity scores. RESULTS: Eleven publications reported clinical outcome
      and toxicity with follow-up ranging from 4-191 months. A variety of dose and
      fractionation schedules were described, including 19.0 Gy in 2 fractions up to
      42.0 Gy in 6 fractions. The 5-year BC ranged from 18-77%. Late grade 3
      genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity was 0-32% and 0-5.1%, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: sHDR BRT appears as safe and effective salvage modality for the
      reirradiation of locally recurrent prostate cancer after definitive RT.

PMID- 28623438
TI  - Perspective.

PMID- 28623437
TI  - Root-derived bicarbonate assimilation in response to variable water deficit in
      Camptotheca acuminate seedlings.
AB  - Water deficit is one of the key factors that limits the carbon (C) assimilation
      and productivity of plants. The effect of variable water deficit on recently root
      derived bicarbonate assimilation in Camptotheca acuminate seedlings was
      investigated. Three-month-old seedlings were subjected to three water regimes,
      well-watered (WW), moderate stress (MS), and severe stress (SS) induced by
      polyethyleneglycol, in conjunction with relatively high (H) and low (L) natural
      13C-abundance of NaHCO3-labeled treatments in hydroponics for 14 days. The
      delta13C of the newly expanded leaves in H were generally more enriched in heavy
      isotopes than were those in L, indicative of the involvement of bicarbonate in
      aboveground tissues. The C isotope fractionation of newly expanded leaves
      relative to air (?13Cair-leaves) ranged from 17.78 to 21.780/00 among the
      treatments. The ?13Cair-leaves under the MS and SS treatments in H were both more
      negative than was that in L. A linear regression between Ci/Ca and ?13Cair-leaves
      in both L and H were different from the theoretical regression. On the basis of
      the two end-member mixing model, the proportion of fixed CO2 supplied from
      bicarbonate contributing to the total photosynthetically inorganic C assimilation
      were 10.34, 20.05 and 16.60% under the WW, MS, and SS treatments, respectively.
      These results indicated that the increase in water deficit decreased the
      atmospheric CO2 gain but triggered a compensatory use of bicarbonate in C.
      acuminate seedlings.

PMID- 28623439
TI  - Proposing a Health Humanities Minor: Some Lessons.
AB  - For those interested in developing baccalaureate programs in health humanities,
      this essay draws on our experience of developing a minor in health humanities to
      share insights on what to expect, strategies that work well, and how to deal with
      obstacles. These insights range from how to explain the concept of health
      humanities to stakeholders (faculty, administrators, and community partners) to
      how to decide where to house a health humanities program. We share our insights
      in a way that promises to translate well to different institutional contexts.
      That said, this paper is more relevant for institutional contexts where budgets
      are stressed and, consequently, proposals to invest in humanities programs are a
      difficult sell. This paper is divided into sections addressing how to (a) earn
      institutional support, (b) gain campus buy-in, (c) identify benefits of the
      proposed program, (d) decide where to house the program, (e) calculate program
      cost, and (f) secure external funding. We conclude with some final reflections on
      the current status of our program and why we are committed to health humanities
      education.

PMID- 28623441
TI  - Perspective.

PMID- 28623440
TI  - The Impact of Baccalaureate Medical Humanities on Subsequent Medical Training and
      Practice: A Physician-Educator's Perspective.
AB  - This reflective essay is an attempt to organize trends in feedback I have
      observed during ten years of coursework, conversations, and correspondence with
      former students associated with the Medical Humanities Program at Baylor
      University. Over the years, recurrent themes arise when speaking with alumni
      about whether and how their medical humanities experience intersects with their
      current training. I have identified five particular domains in which
      baccalaureate medical humanities training affects students' subsequent healthcare
      professions training and practice: context and complementarity, clinical
      relevance, reflective practice, professional preparedness and vocational calling.
      I created an instrument of open-ended questions for each of these categories and
      posted it to social media with an invitation for alumni to respond. This informal
      survey was conceived as an exploratory exercise with the intent to help generate
      a foundation for more formal qualitative research in these five domains. In this
      essay, I offer my own reflections together with those of former students on the
      impact of baccalaureate-level medical humanities training in order to illustrate
      the benefits in each domain for subsequent healthcare training and practice. The
      need for qualitative research that explores the impact of baccalaureate medical
      humanities merits collaboration between multiple centers of investigation across
      many disciplines, and across the divide between premedical and medical educators.

PMID- 28623443
TI  - Autolyse the cell in order to save it? Inducing, then blocking, autolysis as a
      strategy for delaying cell death in the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine whether choline and its derivatives can be used to preserve
      viable cells of Lactobacillus reuteri in autolytic models. RESULTS: A phosphate
      induced autolytic model in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium (MRS) was used.
      Viable cell counts were determined by plated on MRS-agar. Choline and
      hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) significantly blocked autolysis of L. reuteri at 360 mM
      and 4 mM, respectively. Viable cell counts corroborated these observations.
      Importantly, autolytically induced cells treated with choline and hemicholinium-3
      were significantly more viable then even non-induced cells. Over-production of a
      known autolytic protein, spirosin, was not attenuated in the presence of choline
      and hemicholinium-3. CONCLUSION: Inducing autolysis and then blocking it with
      choline and its analogs is a promising approach for retaining the viability of L.
      reuteri cells.

PMID- 28623442
TI  - Counseling interventions delivered in women with breast cancer to improve health
      related quality of life: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Higher survival rates for breast cancer patients have led to concerns
      in dealing with short- and long-term side effects. The most common complications
      are impairment of shoulder functions, pain, lymphedema, and dysesthesia of the
      injured arm; psychological consequences concern: emotional distress, anxiety, and
      depression, thereby, deeply impacting/affecting daily living activity, and health
      related quality of life. OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review for assessing
      the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions aiming at improving health-related
      quality of life, return to daily activity, and correct lifestyles among breast
      cancer patients. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in December 2016
      using the databases PubMed and Scopus. Search terms included: (counseling) AND
      (breast cancer) AND (quality of life). Articles on counseling interventions to
      improve quality of life, physical and psychological outcomes were included.
      RESULTS: Thirty-five articles met the inclusion criteria. The interventions were
      grouped in five main areas: concerning lifestyle counseling interventions,
      related to combined interventions (physical activity and nutritional counseling),
      physical therapy, peer counseling, multidisciplinary approach, included
      psychological, psycho-educational interventions, and cognitive-behavior therapy
      (CBT). Exercise counseling as well as physical therapy are effective to improve
      shoulder mobility, healing wounds, and limb strength. Psychological therapies
      such as psychoeducation and CBT may help to realize a social and psychological
      rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary approach can help in sustaining
      and restoring impaired physical, psychosocial, and occupational outcomes of
      breast cancer patients.

PMID- 28623444
TI  - An overview and comparison of a recombinant antigen-binding fragment and an
      antigen-binding fragment from a monoclonal antibody against wogonin glucuronide.
AB  - Wogonin glucuronide (wogonin 7-O-beta-D-glucuronide, Wgn) is widely recognized as
      a constituent of Scutellariae radix, which is used in Kampo medicines. Wgn has
      been used for both pharmacological (antifebrile uses and in detoxification) and
      research purposes. A recombinant antigen-binding fragment (rFab) and an antigen
      binding fragment from a monoclonal antibody (mFab) against Wgn were constructed
      and used in an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA)
      in this study. The rFab and mFab against Wgn showed both activity and recognition
      against Wgn. The developed icELISA was validated as a quantitative analytical
      method to detect Wgn by testing both its utility and its reliability using
      multiple concentrations of Wgn from S. radix. This approach provides a more
      economic method to analyze and purify Kampo medicines.

PMID- 28623445
TI  - Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Resolves Low GHRP-2-Stimulated Growth Hormone
      Levels in Obese Patients.
AB  - Because growth hormone (GH) secretion is reportedly decreased in obese patients,
      we examined not only the factors associated with the decreased GH secretion but
      also GH response to the GH-releasing peptide (GHRP)-2-load test before and after
      laparoscopic gastrectomy (LSG). The study comprised 28 individuals aged 19-65
      years [mean body mass index (BMI), 39.4 +/- 9.4 kg/m2]. In the univariate
      analysis, GH secretion peaks correlated negatively with BMI (r = -0.59, p =
      0.001), visceral adipose tissue (r = -0.47, p = 0.005), and subcutaneous adipose
      tissue (r = -0.40, p = 0.04). In the two obese patients, the response to the GHRP
      2-load test markedly improved by weight loss 12 months after LSG. In conclusion,
      GH secretion was decreased in obese patients and improved by LSG.

PMID- 28623446
TI  - Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: Investigation of Fundus Wall Thickness and
      Staple Height-an Observational Cohort Study : Fundus Wall Thickness and Leaks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Staple line leakage is a well-known complication after laparoscopic
      sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Gastric wall thickness and the staple height may be
      determining factors for the occurrence of insufficiencies. To investigate this
      problem, an observational cohort study was carried out. Investigation
      concentrated on the gastroesophageal junction close to the angle of His, since
      this area is at highest risk for a leakage. METHODS: Fundus wall thickness of 141
      specimens after LSG was measured by light microscopy at a predetermined location
      by a blinded pathologist. Furthermore, fundus wall thickness was compared with
      demographic data, clinical outcome, and the rate of insufficiencies. RESULTS: One
      hundred forty-one patients, 38 male and 103 female undergoing LSG, between
      January 2014 and July 2015 were included in the study. Male gender was associated
      with thicker gastric fundus wall. Overall leak rate was 2.1% (3/141). Median wall
      thickness of the 3 patients with detected leaks in the study group was thinner
      compared to the non-leak group (2810 vs. 3249 MUm, respectively).
      DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Only male gender correlated with higher wall thickness of
      the fundus. The fact that all three patients who developed a leak were female,
      and the fundus of female patients as well as those of the leak group was thinner,
      indicates that wall thickness may have an impact on the rate of staple line
      leakage. Further studies with larger patient cohorts are needed.

PMID- 28623447
TI  - New Approaches to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common
      gastrointestinal disorder of the esophagus. It is a chronic, progressive disorder
      that presents most typically with heartburn and regurgitation and atypically with
      chest pain, dysphagia, chronic cough, globus, or sore throat. The mainstay for
      diagnosis and characterization of the disorder is esophagoduodenoscopy (EGD),
      high-resolution esophageal manometry, and symptom-associated ambulatory
      esophageal pH impedance monitoring. Additional studies that can be useful in
      certain clinical presentations include gastric scintigraphy and oral contrast
      upper gastrointestinal radiographic series. DISCUSSION: Refractory GERD can be
      surgically managed with various techniques. In obese individuals, laparoscopic
      Roux-en-Y gastric bypass should be considered due to significant symptom
      improvement and lower incidence of recurrent symptoms with weight loss.
      Otherwise, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is the preferred surgical technique
      for treatment of this disease with concomitant hiatal hernia repair when present
      for either procedure. The short-term risks associated with these procedures
      include esophageal or gastric injury, pneumothorax, wound infection, and
      dysphagia. Emerging techniques for treatment of this disease include the Linx
      Reflux Management System, EndoStim LES Stimulation System, Esophyx(r) and MUSETM
      endoscopic fundoplication devices, and the Stretta endoscopic ablation system.
      Outcomes after surgical management of refractory GERD are highly dependent on
      adherence to strict surgical indications and appropriate patient-specific
      procedure selection.

PMID- 28623448
TI  - Comparison between chemoselection and definitive radiotherapy in patients with
      cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUD: Laryngeal preservation is an important consideration when treating
      cervical esophageal cancers (CECs) such as laryngeal cancer. The standard
      treatment for CEC allowing laryngeal preservation is chemoradiotherapy. However,
      in cases of laryngeal cancer, chemoselection has also been applied as a treatment
      strategy that promotes larynx preservation. This strategy involves assigning the
      appropriate radical treatment according to the primary tumor's response to
      induction chemotherapy. Since there have been no studies of the application of
      chemoselection in CEC cases, the present study compared the results, including
      laryngeal preservation rates, obtained upon applying chemoselection and
      chemoradiotherapy to CEC. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of
      cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated using chemoselection
      or chemoradiotherapy at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital between January 2000 and
      March 2013. A total of 42 patients were enrolled. RESULTS: The 2-year overall
      survival and laryngeal preservation rates for the chemoselection group versus the
      primary radiotherapy group were 65.1 and 57.3 versus 40 and 83.3%, respectively
      (P = 0.017 and P = 0.122, respectively). The 2-year locoregional control rates
      for the chemoselection and primary radiotherapy groups were 68 and 25%,
      respectively (P = 0.045). CONCLUSION: The chemoselection group achieved favorable
      results. Therefore, chemoselection can be applied as a treatment strategy for
      CEC.

PMID- 28623449
TI  - Differential effects of thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) and multidrug
      resistance-associated protein gene 4 (MRP4) on mercaptopurine toxicity.
AB  - PURPOSE: Mercaptopurine plays a pivotal role in treatment of acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia (ALL) and autoimmune diseases, and inter-individual variability in
      mercaptopurine tolerance can influence treatment outcome. Thiopurine
      methyltransferase (TPMT) and multi-drug resistant Protein 4 (MRP4) have both been
      associated with mercaptopurine toxicity in clinical studies, but their relative
      contributions remain unclear. METHODS: We studied the metabolism of and tolerance
      to mercaptopurine in murine knockout models of Tpmt, Mrp4, and both genes
      simultaneously. RESULTS: Upon mercaptopurine treatment, Tpmt -/- Mrp4 -/- mice
      had the highest concentration of bone marrow thioguanine nucleotides (8.5 pmol/5
      * 106 cells, P = 7.8 * 10-4 compared with 2.7 pmol/5 * 106 cells in wild-types),
      followed by those with Mrp4 or Tpmt deficiency alone (6.1 and 4.3 pmol/5 * 106
      cells, respectively). Mrp4-deficient mice accumulated higher concentrations of
      methylmercaptopurine metabolites compared with wild-type (76.5 vs. 23.2 pmol/5 *
      106 cells, P = 0.027). Mice exposed to a clinically relevant mercaptopurine
      dosing regimen displayed differences in toxicity and survival among the
      genotypes. The double knock-out of both genes experienced greater toxicity and
      shorter survival compared to the single knockout of either Tpmt (P = 1.7 * 10-6)
      or Mrp4 (P = 7.4 * 10-10). CONCLUSIONS: We showed that both Tpmt and Mrp4
      influence mercaptopurine disposition and toxicity.

PMID- 28623450
TI  - The relationship between excitement symptom severity and extrastriatal dopamine
      D2/3 receptor availability in patients with schizophrenia: a high-resolution PET
      study with [18F]fallypride.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between specific
      symptom severity and D2/3 receptor availability in extrastriatal regions in
      outpatients with schizophrenia to shed light on the role of extrastriatal
      dopaminergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of symptoms of
      schizophrenia. Sixteen schizophrenia patients receiving relatively low-dose
      maintenance atypical antipsychotics and seventeen healthy controls underwent 3
      Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution positron emission tomography
      with [18F]fallypride. For D2/3 receptor availability, the binding potential with
      respect to non-displaceable compartment (BPND) was derived using the simplified
      reference tissue model. The BPND values were lower in patients on antipsychotic
      treatment than in controls across all regions with large effect sizes (1.03
      1.42). The regions with the largest effect size were the substantia nigra,
      amygdala, and insula. Symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed using a five-factor
      model of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The region of interest
      based analysis showed that PANSS excitement factor score had a significant
      positive correlation with the [18F]fallypride BPND in the insula. The equivalent
      dose of antipsychotics was not significantly correlated with PANSS factor scores
      or regional BPND values. The voxel-based analysis also revealed a significant
      positive association between the PANSS excitement factor and the [18F]fallypride
      BPND in the insula. The present study revealed a significant association between
      excitement symptom severity and D2/3 receptor availability in the insula in
      schizophrenia, suggesting a possible important role of D2/3 receptor-mediated
      neurotransmission in the insula and related limbic system in the pathophysiology
      of this specific symptom cluster.

PMID- 28623451
TI  - Neighborhood Inequalities in Hepatitis C Mortality: Spatial and Temporal Patterns
      and Associated Factors.
AB  - Deaths attributable to hepatitis C (HCV) infection are increasing in the USA even
      as highly effective treatments become available. Neighborhood-level inequalities
      create barriers to care and treatment for many vulnerable populations. We seek to
      characterize citywide trends in HCV mortality rates over time and identify and
      describe neighborhoods in New York City (NYC) with disproportionately high rates
      and associated factors. We used a multiple cause of death (MCOD) definition for
      HCV mortality. Cases identified between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2014,
      were geocoded to NYC census tracts (CT). We calculated age-adjusted HCV mortality
      rates and identified spatial clustering using a local Moran's I test. Temporal
      trends were analyzed using joinpoint regression. A multistep global and local
      Poisson modeling approach was used to test for neighborhood associations with
      sociodemographic indicators. During the study period, 3697 HCV-related deaths
      occurred in NYC, with an average annual percent increase of 2.6% (p = 0.02). The
      HCV mortality rates ranged from 0 to 373.6 per 100,000 by CT, and cluster
      analysis identified significant clustering of HCV mortality (I = 0.23).
      Regression identified positive associations between HCV mortality and the
      proportion of non-Hispanic black or Hispanic residents, neighborhood poverty,
      education, and non-English-speaking households. Local regression estimates
      identified spatially varying patterns in these associations. The rates of HCV
      mortality in NYC are increasing and vary by neighborhood. HCV mortality is
      associated with many indicators of geographic inequality. Results identified
      neighborhoods in greatest need for place-based interventions to address social
      determinants that may perpetuate inequalities in HCV mortality.

PMID- 28623452
TI  - Enhanced visualization of the retinal vasculature using depth information in OCT.
AB  - Retinal vessel tree extraction is a crucial step for analyzing the
      microcirculation, a frequently needed process in the study of relevant diseases.
      To date, this has normally been done by using 2D image capture paradigms,
      offering a restricted visualization of the real layout of the retinal
      vasculature. In this work, we propose a new approach that automatically segments
      and reconstructs the 3D retinal vessel tree by combining near-infrared
      reflectance retinography information with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)
      sections. Our proposal identifies the vessels, estimates their calibers, and
      obtains the depth at all the positions of the entire vessel tree, thereby
      enabling the reconstruction of the 3D layout of the complete arteriovenous tree
      for subsequent analysis. The method was tested using 991 OCT images combined with
      their corresponding near-infrared reflectance retinography. The different stages
      of the methodology were validated using the opinion of an expert as a reference.
      The tests offered accurate results, showing coherent reconstructions of the 3D
      vasculature that can be analyzed in the diagnosis of relevant diseases affecting
      the retinal microcirculation, such as hypertension or diabetes, among others.

PMID- 28623454
TI  - [Erratum to: Hybrid operating rooms versus conventional operating rooms :
      Economic comparisons in vascular surgery using the example of endovascular
      aneurysm repair].

PMID- 28623453
TI  - Introducing a Novel Media to Improve the Recovery of Culturable Bacteria from the
      Fish Parasite Anisakis spp. larvae (Nematoda: Anisakidae).
AB  - This paper describes a cultivation method to increase the recovery of bacteria
      from the marine muscle-invading parasitic nematode larvae of Anisakis spp. These
      larvae hold a high and complex population of accumulated bacteria, originating
      from seawater, crustaceans, fish, and marine mammals, all involved in the
      lifecycle of Anisakis. Two in-house agars based on fish juice prepared by either
      mechanical or enzymatic degradation of the fish tissue, were made. The Anisakis
      larvae were homogenised prior to cultivation on the in-house fish juice agars and
      the bacterial numbers and diversity were compared to those obtained applying the
      commercially available Marine Agar and Iron Agar Lyngby. Bacterial colonies of
      unique appearance were subcultured and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
      Totally three of twenty identified taxa were found on the in-house fish juice
      agars only. Fish juice agar prepared enzymatically would be the best
      supplementary agar, as this agar gave significantly higher heterotrophic plate
      counts, compared to mechanical preparation. The enzymatically prepared fish juice
      gave more suitable agar quality, was more resource efficient, and had apparently
      increased nutrient density and availability.

PMID- 28623455
TI  - [Single incision laparoscopy : Current status].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of single incision laparoscopy (SIL), there
      has been disagreement among professional societies regarding a general
      recommendation for the use of this minimally invasive method. OBJECTIVES:
      Determination of evidence-based advantages of SIL compared to multiport
      laparoscopy (MPL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Description of recent technical
      developments and evaluation of prospective randomized clinical trials and valid
      meta-analyses with regard to organ-specific procedures. In addition, an expert
      opinion is provided based on 4209 SIL interventions. RESULTS: SIL is nowadays
      applied in all fields of general and visceral surgery. Due to the initial
      enthusiasm, methodologically weak studies were often published in the literature.
      Any beneficial effect of SIL on reduced perioperative morbidity is not clearly
      confirmed, yet. A better cosmetic outcome is either obvious (in SIL liver
      resections) or nearly unverifiable (in SIL cholecystectomies). CONCLUSION: SIL
      has proven feasible and safe after getting through the learning curve. Scientific
      evidence is currently insufficient to justify SIL without reservation in
      particular without the individual technical experience of the surgeon.

PMID- 28623456
TI  - Pertussis and Rotavirus Vaccines - Controversies and Solutions.
AB  - Pertussis and rotavirus vaccines have been the subject of several controversies
      over the years. In this paper the authors discuss facts and myths behind these
      controversies and also suggest solutions to overcome some limitations of these
      vaccines. The whole-cell pertussis vaccine (wPV) came into disrepute due to the
      associated adverse reactions, resulting in its replacement by acellular pertussis
      vaccine (aPV) in industrialized nations in 1990s. Although wPV is known to have
      more side effects; but they are usually minor. Whole-cell pertussis containing
      vaccine is being used safely in the National Immunization programme in India from
      many years. Another controversy erupted during 2009-2010, when there were reports
      of resurgence of pertussis cases among adolescents and adults, from developed
      nations. Present literature review raises doubts about long term protection
      offered by aPV, when compared with wPV. In spite of prevailing controversy,
      acellular pertussis containing vaccines should be acceptable, if timely delivery
      of primary and booster doses is ensured; including vaccination of adolescents and
      pregnant women. Initial rotavirus vaccine was withdrawn from the market because
      of increased risk of intussusception. Although three new generation rotavirus
      vaccines are currently available for use in India, but doubts about their
      efficacy, long term protection and safety still exists. Present literature review
      found them to be safe and moderately efficacious because of reasonable good cross
      protection. Even a moderately efficacious vaccine like rotavirus vaccine could
      significantly improve the outcome if disease burden is high. Therefore, it is
      being included in National Immunization Programme of India.

PMID- 28623457
TI  - Undernutrition in Pediatric Malignancy.

PMID- 28623458
TI  - Risk Factors for Bronchial Asthma in School Going Children.

PMID- 28623459
TI  - Blockade of CD112R and TIGIT signaling sensitizes human natural killer cell
      functions.
AB  - Trastuzumab is the first-line drug to treat breast cancer with high Her2
      expression. However, many cancers failed to respond, largely due to their
      resistance to NK cell-triggered antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
      Poliovirus receptor (PVR)-like molecules are known to be important for lymphocyte
      functions. We found that all PVR-like receptors are expressed on human NK cells,
      and only TIGIT is preferentially expressed on the CD16+ NK cell subset.
      Disrupting the interactions of PVR-like receptors with their ligands on cancer
      cells regulates NK cell activity. More importantly, TIGIT is upregulated upon NK
      cell activation via ADCC. Blockade of TIGIT or CD112R, separately or together,
      enhances trastuzumab-triggered antitumor response by human NK cells. Thus, our
      findings suggest that PVR-like receptors regulate NK cell functions and can be
      targeted for improving trastuzumab therapy for breast cancer.

PMID- 28623462
TI  - In Silico Investigations of Chemical Constituents of Clerodendrum colebrookianum
      in the Anti-Hypertensive Drug Targets: ROCK, ACE, and PDE5.
AB  - Understanding the molecular mode of action of natural product is a key step for
      developing drugs from them. In this regard, this study is aimed to understand the
      molecular-level interactions of chemical constituents of Clerodendrum
      colebrookianum Walp., with anti-hypertensive drug targets using computational
      approaches. The plant has ethno-medicinal importance for the treatment of
      hypertension and reported to show activity against anti-hypertensive drug targets
      Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase (ROCK), angiotensin-converting enzyme,
      and phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). Docking studies showed that three chemical
      constituents (acteoside, martinoside, and osmanthuside beta6) out of 21 reported
      from the plant to interact with the anti-hypertensive drug targets with good
      glide score. In addition, they formed H-bond interactions with the key residues
      Met156/Met157 of ROCK I/ROCK II and Gln817 of PDE5. Further, molecular dynamics
      (MD) simulation of protein-ligand complexes suggest that H-bond interactions
      between acteoside/osmanthuside beta6 and Met156/Met157 (ROCK I/ROCK II),
      acteoside and Gln817 (PDE5) were stable. The present investigation suggests that
      the anti-hypertensive activity of the plant is due to the interaction of
      acteoside and osmanthuside beta6 with ROCK and PDE5 drug targets. The identified
      molecular mode of binding of the plant constituents could help to design new
      drugs to treat hypertension.

PMID- 28623461
TI  - Neuropsychological Test Administration by Videoconference: A Systematic Review
      and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - The purpose of the current systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the
      effect of videoconference administration on adult neurocognitive tests. We
      investigated whether the scores acquired during a videoconference administration
      were different from those acquired during on-site administration. Relevant
      counterbalanced crossover studies were identified according to Preferred
      Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
      Twelve studies met criteria for analysis. Included samples consisted of healthy
      adults as well as those with psychiatric or neurocognitive disorders, with mean
      ages ranging from 34 to 88 years. Heterogenous data precluded the interpretation
      of a summary effect for videoconference administration. Studies including
      particpants with a mean age of 65-75, as well as studies that utilized a high
      speed network connection, indicated consistent performance across videoconference
      and on-site conditions, however studies with older participants and slower
      connections were more variable. Subgroup analyses indicated that videoconference
      scores for untimed tasks and those allowing for repetition fell 1/10th of a
      standard deviation below on-site scores. Test specific analyses indicated that
      verbally-mediated tasks including digit span, verbal fluency, and list learning
      were not affected by videoconference administration. Scores for the Boston Naming
      Test fell 1/10th of a standard deviation below on-site scores. Heterogenous data
      precluded meaningful interpretation of tasks with a motor component. The
      administration of verbally-mediated tasks by qualified professionals using
      existing norms was supported, and the use of visually-dependent tasks may also be
      considered. Variability in previous studies indicates a need for further
      investigation of motor-dependent tasks. We recommend the development of clinical
      best practices for conducting neuropsychological assessments via videoconference,
      and advocate for reimbursement structures that allow consumers to benefit from
      the increased access, convenience, and cost-savings that remote assessment
      provides.

PMID- 28623460
TI  - Spreading of Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - The senile plaques (SPs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are the two major
      pathological hallmarks of AD, which are composed of beta-amyloid protein and Tau
      protein. So the beta-amyloid protein (Abeta) and Tau oligomers (oTau) are the
      majority in the pathology of AD. Recently, the spreading of Abeta and oTau in the
      brain of AD patients has received heated value. In this review, we summarize
      recent research progress and aim to figure out the spreading mechanism of Abeta
      and Tau in AD via introduction of the formation, release, uptake, diffusion
      between different brain regions, and the propagation principle of Abeta and Tau.
      Although the mechanisms of the spreading pathology in AD are still not very
      clear, increasing discoveries confirm that Abeta and oTau could transmit from one
      neuron to another along the anatomical connected synapses. Meanwhile, a mass of
      studies also report that they have a totally opposite hierarchical spatiotemporal
      pattern of spreading in cerebral areas. In addition, Tau proteins might mediate
      Abeta toxicity in the brain, and they might have synergistic roles with each
      other. So some therapies have emerged, such as inhibiting the release, preventing
      the oligomerization, and blocking the uptake. This review would be helpful to
      comprehend the mechanism of transmission in AD and provide a new way to the
      targeted therapy.

PMID- 28623463
TI  - Hypotonicity-induced cell swelling activates TRPA1.
AB  - Hypotonic solutions can cause painful sensations in nasal and ocular mucosa
      through molecular mechanisms that are not entirely understood. We clarified the
      ability of human TRPA1 (hTRPA1) to respond to physical stimulus, and evaluated
      the response of hTRPA1 to cell swelling under hypotonic conditions. Using a Ca2+
      imaging method, we found that modulation of AITC-induced hTRPA1 activity occurred
      under hypotonic conditions. Moreover, cell swelling in hypotonic conditions
      evoked single-channel activation of hTRPA1 in a cell-attached mode when the patch
      pipette was attached after cell swelling under hypotonic conditions, but not
      before swelling. Single-channel currents activated by cell swelling were also
      inhibited by a known hTRPA1 blocker. Since pre-application of thapsigargin or
      pretreatment with the calcium chelator BAPTA did not affect the single-channel
      activation induced by cell swelling, changes in intracellular calcium
      concentrations are likely not related to hTRPA1 activation induced by physical
      stimuli.

PMID- 28623464
TI  - Estimating an exchange rate between the EQ-5D-3L and ASCOT.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim was to estimate an exchange rate between EQ-5D-3L and the
      Adult Social Care Outcome Tool (ASCOT) using preference-based mapping via common
      time trade-off (TTO) valuations. EQ-5D and ASCOT are useful for examining cost
      effectiveness within the health and social care sectors, respectively, but there
      is a policy need to understand overall benefits and compare across sectors to
      assess relative value for money. Standard statistical mapping is unsuitable since
      it relies on conceptual overlap of the measures but EQ-5D and ASCOT have
      different conceptualisations of quality of life. METHODS: We use a preference
      based mapping approach to estimate the exchange rate using common TTO valuations
      for both measures. A sample of health states from each measure was valued using
      TTO by 200 members of the UK adult general population. Regression analyses are
      used to generate separate equations between EQ-5D-3L and ASCOT values using their
      original value set and TTO values elicited here. These are solved as simultaneous
      equations to estimate the relationship between EQ-5D-3L and ASCOT. RESULTS: The
      relationship for moving from ASCOT to EQ-5D-3L is a linear transformation with an
      intercept of -0.0488 and gradient of 0.978. This enables QALY gains generated by
      ASCOT and EQ-5D to be compared across different interventions. CONCLUSIONS: This
      paper estimated an exchange rate between ASCOT and EQ-5D-3L using a preference
      based mapping approach that does not compromise the descriptive systems of the
      two measures. This contributes to the development of preference-based mapping
      through the use of TTO as the common metric used to estimate the exchange rate
      between measures.

PMID- 28623465
TI  - Tooth brushing motion patterns with manual and powered toothbrushes-a randomised
      video observation study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Systematic reviews have shown that powered toothbrushes (PTs) are
      more effective than manual toothbrushes (MTs), but with only minor effect sizes.
      Whether PTs are used adequately, however, has not been investigated so far. The
      aim of the present study was therefore to analyse motion habits with PT in
      comparison to MT toothbrushes by video observation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One
      hundred subjects were enrolled in this observational trial and brushed their
      teeth in randomised order with a MT and PT while being video-filmed, resulting in
      95 analysable sets of recordings. Parameters of interest were brushing duration
      (s; median (min;max)), type of brushing strokes, area of brushing, changes
      between areas (n; median (min;max)) and brushing sequence. RESULTS: Brushing
      duration was 145 s (60;354) and 135 s (48;271) for PT and MT, respectively (p <=
      0.001). Subjects brushed vestibular surfaces completely, but reached oral
      surfaces to a much lesser extent, regardless of the toothbrush type. With both
      toothbrushes, subjects moved frequently between areas (MT 35 (14;79); PT 33
      (14;85); n.s.) and brushed predominantly with circling and horizontal strokes;
      with the PT, 50.5% of the subjects spent only <10% of the brushing duration with
      passive brushing (positioning the brush head on the teeth with <=2 movements/s).
      CONCLUSIONS: Intra-individual motion patterns were similar with both MT and PT,
      and most subjects persisted in their habitual motion patterns regardless of the
      toothbrush type. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of PT and MT may need intensive
      training and supervision from oral hygiene educators in order to help subjects
      taking full advantage from these devices.

PMID- 28623467
TI  - Reducing Anxiety and Improving Academic Performance Through a Biofeedback
      Relaxation Training Program.
AB  - The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of a biofeedback relaxation
      training program on anxiety and academic performance. The program consisted of
      five biofeedback sessions coupled with three training activities focused on deep
      breathing, guided imagery, and muscle relaxation. The participants were second
      year psychology undergraduates from the University of the Basque Country
      (UPV/EHU, northern Spain). The experimental group comprised 152 students (M age 
      = 19.6, SD = 0.74; 74% women) and the control group 81 students (M age   = 19.4,
      SD = 0.92; 71% women). Results showed that after participating in the program,
      students in the experimental group had lower levels of anxiety and increased
      academic performance. Furthermore, they scored lower on anxiety and higher on
      academic performance in comparison with the control subjects. This suggests that
      the inclusion of biofeedback training programs in educational contexts could be a
      way of reducing anxiety and improving academic performance. It may also deepen
      our understanding of the dynamic interplay between psychophysiological,
      cognitive, and emotional processes.

PMID- 28623466
TI  - Increases in circulating amino acids with in-feed antibiotics correlated with
      gene expression of intestinal amino acid transporters in piglets.
AB  - In-feed antibiotics have been commonly used to promote the growth performance of
      piglets. The antibiotics can increase protein utilization, but the underlying
      mechanism is largely unknown. The present study investigated the effects of in
      feed antibiotics on intestinal AA transporters and receptors to test the
      hypothesis that the alteration of circulating AA profiles may be concomitant with
      the change of intestinal AA transporters and receptors. Sixteen litters of
      piglets at day 7 started to receive creep feed with (Antibiotic) or without
      (Control) antibiotic. Piglets were weaned at day 23 after birth, and fed the same
      diets until day 42. In-feed antibiotics did not affect the BW of 23-day-old (P =
      0.248), or 42-day-old piglets (P = 0.089), but increased the weight gain to feed
      ratio from day 23 to 42 (P = 0.020). At day 42 after birth, antibiotic treatment
      increased the concentrations of most AAs in serum (P < 0.05), and decreased the
      concentrations of most AAs in jejunal and ileal digesta. Antibiotics upregulated
      (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression levels for jejunal AAs transporters (CAT1, EAAC1,
      ASCT2, y+LAT1), peptide transporters (PepT1), and Na+-K+-ATPase (ATP1A1), and
      ileal AA transporters (ASCT2, y+LAT1, b0,+AT, and B0AT1), and ATP1A1. The
      antibiotics also upregulated the mRNA expression of jejunal AAs receptors T1R3
      and CaSR, and ileal T1R3. Protein expression levels for jejunal AA transporters
      (EAAC1, b0,+AT, and ASCT2) and PepT1 were also upregulated. Correlation analysis
      revealed that the alterations of AA profiles in serum after the in-feed
      antibiotics were correlated with the upregulations of mRNA expression levels for
      key AA transporters and receptors in the small intestine. In conclusion, the in
      feed antibiotics increased serum level of most AAs and decreased most AAs in the
      small intestine. These changes correlated with the upregulations of mRNA
      expression levels for key AA transporters and receptors in the small intestine.
      The findings provide further insights into the mechanism of in-feed antibiotics,
      which may provide new framework for designing alternatives to antibiotics in
      animal feed in the future.

PMID- 28623468
TI  - [Intracranial pressure monitoring in polytrauma patients with traumatic brain
      injury].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) represents a
      cornerstone in the intensive care of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI)
      and the industry provides various technical solutions to this end. Decompressive
      craniectomy can be an option if conservative measures fail to reduce excessive
      ICP. OBJECTIVE: To examine the pathophysiology of ICP in trauma, the management
      of polytrauma involving TBI, and the indications for decompressive craniectomy;
      and to compare the different monitoring systems and their complications. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of TBI patients between 2010 and 2016 was
      performed. Relevant publications are discussed, particularly those relating to
      the indications for monitoring and its influence on polytrauma management.
      RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2016, 106 patients with closed TBI and a mean age of
      65.9 years received a total of 120 ICP monitors, most of which were parenchyma
      devices (111/120), followed by intraventricular catheters (8/120), and one
      combined system (1/120). Of these patients, 27.4% had sustained polytrauma,
      whilst 33% regularly used anticoagulants. ICP monitors were removed after 8.5
      days on an average and the mean ICU stay was 20 days. Probe insertion was
      combined with craniectomy in 69.8% patients. Probe-related complications, most
      commonly involving malfunction, were seen in 6.6%. The duration of monitoring was
      significantly related to polytrauma (p <= 0.001) and age <60 (p = 0.03). ICU stay
      was also significantly related to polytrauma (p = 0.02) and monitoring
      complications (p <= 0.001). Mortality was related to anticoagulant medication (p
      = 0.01) and age <60 (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: ICP monitoring is one of the most
      important tools in TBI treatment. The course and outcome of these severe injuries
      is affected by polytrauma, age, and the use of anticoagulants.

PMID- 28623469
TI  - Association between giant cell arteritis and thyroid dysfunction in a "real life"
      population.
AB  - PURPOSE: Giant cell arteritis is a systemic autoimmune disorder which involves
      inflammation of medium to large vessels. The association between giant cell
      arteritis and autoimmune thyroid disorders has been investigated numerous times
      in the literature with inconsistent results. Our objective was to evaluate
      whether a genuine association exists between giant cell arteritis and thyroid
      dysfunction, which is often due to immune-mediated thyroid disease. METHODS:
      Utilizing the medical database of Clalit Health Services, we compared the
      proportion of hypo and hyperthyroidisim between patients with giant cell
      arteritis and age-matched and gender-matched controls in a cross-sectional study.
      Univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square and student t-test and a
      multivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS:
      Five thousand six hundred and sixty three giant cell arteritis patients and
      23,308 age-matched and gender-matched controls were included in the study. The
      proportion of hypothyroidism amongst giant cell arteritis patients was increased
      in comparison with controls (18.2 vs. 6.91%, respectively, p-value < 0.001), as
      was hyperthyroidism (2.56 and 1.19% respectively, p-value < 0.001). Giant cell
      arteritis demonstrated an independent association with hypothyroidism on
      multivariate analysis (Odd Ratios 1.297, 95% Confidence Intervals 1.19-1.42), yet
      not with hyperthyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Giant cell arteritis patients have a
      higher proportion of hypothyroidism in comparison with matched controls.
      Physicians treating giant cell arteritis patients should consider screening for
      thyroid dysfunction on a regular basis.

PMID- 28623470
TI  - Reconstruction of AAOS type III and IV acetabular defects with the Ganz
      reinforcement ring: high failure in pelvic discontinuity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Large acetabular defects and pelvic discontinuity represent complex
      problems in revision total hip arthroplasty. This study aimed to investigate
      whether reconstruction with the Ganz reinforcement ring would provide durable
      function in large acetabular defects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 46 hips (45 patients,
      19 male, 26 female, mean age 68 years) with AAOS type III and IV defects
      undergoing acetabular revision with the Ganz reinforcement ring were evaluated at
      a mean follow-up of 74 months (24-161 months). Fourteen patients died during
      follow-up. All surviving patients were available for clinical assessment and
      radiographic studies. Radiographs were evaluated for bone healing and component
      loosening. A Cox-regression model was performed to identify factors influencing
      survival of the Ganz-ring. RESULTS: In the group of AAOS III defects, 3 of 26
      acetabular reconstructions failed, all due to aseptic loosening. In pelvic
      discontinuity (AAOS IV), 9 of 20 hips failed due to aseptic loosening (n = 4),
      deep infection (n = 3), and non-union of the pelvic ring (n = 2). With acetabular
      revision for any reason as an endpoint, the estimated Kaplan-Meier 5-year
      survival was 86% in type III defects and 57% in type IV defects, respectively.
      The presence of pelvic discontinuity was identified as the only independent
      predictive factor for failure of the Ganz ring acetabular reconstruction (AAOS
      III vs. IV, Hazard ratio: 0.217, 95%, Confidence interval: 0.054-0.880, p =
      0.032). CONCLUSION: The Ganz reinforcement ring remains a favorable implant for
      combined segmental and cavitary defects. However, defects with pelvic
      discontinuity demonstrate high failure rates. The indications should therefore be
      narrowed to acetabular defects not associated with pelvic discontinuity.

PMID- 28623471
TI  - The effect of intravenous lidocaine infusion on bispectral index during major
      abdominal surgery.
AB  - Intraoperative lidocaine infusion has become widely accepted as an adjunct to
      general anesthesia where its use has been associated with opioid-sparing and
      enhanced recovery. The aims of this study were to determine whether or not
      intravenous (IV) lidocaine infusion (a) has an anesthetic sparing effect during
      major colorectal procedures and (b) if it also affects level of hypnosis as
      measured by bispectral index (BIS). Twenty-five patients undergoing laparotomy
      for resection of colorectal tumours were randomized to receive either IV
      lidocaine (1.5 mg kg-1 bolus then 1 mg kg-1 per hour) or an equivalent volume of
      normal saline commenced after intravenous induction of general anesthesia.
      Anesthesia was maintained with volatile anesthetic agent combined with
      intermittent IV fentanyl titrated to hemodynamic stability. Minimum alveolar
      concentration (MAC) of volatile was calculated using an age-adjusted algorithm
      (corrected MAC). BIS values were recorded throughout; however, treating
      anesthesiologists were blinded to BIS values and hence they were not used to
      guide depth of anesthesia. No other regional anesthesia techniques were used.
      During the maintenance phase of anesthesia, corrected MAC of volatile agent was
      lower (1.0 versus 1.1, p = 0.003); whereas BIS values were higher (45 versus 39,
      p < 0.001) in patients who received lidocaine versus placebo. No differences in
      mean arterial pressure (80 versus 80 mmHg, p = 0.796) or total fentanyl dose (538
      versus 444 mcg, p = 0.24) were observed between the two groups. Heart rate was
      slightly higher in patients who received lidocaine versus placebo (67 versus 64
      bpm, p = 0.001). Lidocaine infusion resulted in mean plasma levels of 1.7 mcg ml
      1 (1.3-2.0 mcg ml-1, 95% CI). Our results support an anesthetic sparing effect of
      lidocaine infusion indicated by lower MAC requirements. Higher BIS values in the
      lidocaine versus placebo group may indicate that levels of hypnosis were not
      equivalent. Alternatively, BIS may not be a sensitive indicator of synergistic
      interactions between local anesthetic and volatile agent. Our results advocate a
      cautious approach to titration of general anesthesia when combined with lidocaine
      infusion.

PMID- 28623472
TI  - Failure to replace a CO2-absorber due to shifted metal pins: a potential source
      of hazard to patients.

PMID- 28623473
TI  - Increasing the Bile Acid Sequestration Performance of Cationic Hydrogels by Using
      an Advanced/Controlled Polymerization Technique.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of the polymerization technique and the
      content of hydroxyl groups on the performance of new bile acid sequestrants based
      on PAMPMTA-co-PHEA (PAMPTMA: poly((3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium
      chloride); PHEA: poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate)) hydrogels. METHODS: PAMPMTA-co
      PHEA hydrogels were prepared using either free radical polymerization or
      supplemental activator and reducing agent atom transfer radical polymerization.
      The chemical structure and composition of the hydrogels was confirmed by both
      FTIR and ssNMR. The binding of sodium cholate as the model bile salt was
      evaluated in simulated intestinal fluid using HPLC. The degradation of the
      polymers was evaluated in vitro in solutions mimicking the gastrointestinal tract
      environment. RESULTS: The binding showed that an increase of the amount of HEA in
      the hydrogel lead to a decrease of the binding capacity. In addition, it was
      demonstrated for the first time that the hydrogels produced by SARA ATRP
      presented a higher binding capacity than similar ones produced by FRP. Finally,
      it was observed that copolymers of PAMPTMA-co-PHEA showed no sign of degradation
      in solutions mimicking both the stomach and the intestine environment.
      CONCLUSIONS: The use of an advanced polymerization technique, such as the SARA
      ATRP, could be beneficial for the preparation of BAS with enhanced performance.

PMID- 28623474
TI  - Epithelial Fluid Transport is Due to Electro-osmosis (80%), Plus Osmosis (20%).
AB  - Epithelial fluid transport, an important physiological process shrouded in a long
      standing enigma, may finally be moving closer to a solution. We propose that, for
      the corneal endothelium, relative proportions for the driving forces for fluid
      transport are 80% of paracellular electro-osmosis, and 20% classical
      transcellular osmosis. These operate in a cyclical process with a period of 9.2
      s, which is dictated by the decrease and exhaustion of cellular Na+. Paracellular
      electro-osmosis is sketched here, and partially discussed as much as the subject
      still allows; transcellular osmosis is presented at length.

PMID- 28623475
TI  - T1 mapping in cardiac MRI.
AB  - Quantitative myocardial and blood T1 have recently achieved clinical utility in
      numerous pathologies, as they provide non-invasive tissue characterization with
      the potential to replace invasive biopsy. Native T1 time (no contrast agent),
      changes with myocardial extracellular water (edema, focal or diffuse fibrosis),
      fat, iron, and amyloid protein content. After contrast, the extracellular volume
      fraction (ECV) estimates the size of the extracellular space and identifies
      interstitial disease. Spatially resolved quantification of these biomarkers (so
      called T1 mapping and ECV mapping) are steadily becoming diagnostic and
      prognostically useful tests for several heart muscle diseases, influencing
      clinical decision-making with a pending second consensus statement due mid-2017.
      This review outlines the physics involved in estimating T1 times and summarizes
      the disease-specific clinical and research impacts of T1 and ECV to date. We
      conclude by highlighting some of the remaining challenges such as their community
      wide delivery, quality control, and standardization for clinical practice.

PMID- 28623476
TI  - Early onset renal cell carcinoma in an adolescent girl with germline FLCN exon 5
      deletion.
AB  - Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) disease is an autosomal dominant cancer syndrome
      characterized by benign skin tumors, renal cancer and spontaneous pneumothorax
      and is caused by mutations in the Folliculin (FLCN) gene. Benign skin tumors and
      pneumothorax occur in the majority of patients affected by BHD syndrome, but only
      30-45% of them develop renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with a median age of diagnosis
      at 48. The earliest onset of RCC in a BHD patient has been reported at age 20.
      Here we report a case of a 14 year-old patient with germline FLCN mutation
      leading to an early-onset bulky RCC that could not be classified strictly
      according to existing histological types. Germline genetic testing revealed a
      deletion at FLCN exon 5. The father of the patient was identified as the
      asymptomatic carrier. We report the youngest patient with BHD-related RCC. This
      early onset presentation supports genetic testing of at-risk patients and
      initiation of imaging surveillance for RCC in early adolescence. In addition,
      future studies are necessary to understand the determinants of reduced penetrance
      in BHD disease.

PMID- 28623477
TI  - Use of the BOADICEA Web Application in clinical practice: appraisals by
      clinicians from various countries.
AB  - The 'BOADICEA' Web Application (BWA) used to assess breast cancer risk, is
      currently being further developed, to integrate additional genetic and non
      genetic factors. We surveyed clinicians' perceived acceptability of the existing
      BWA v3. An online survey was conducted through the BOADICEA website, and the
      British, Dutch, French and Swedish genetics societies. Cross-sectional data from
      443 participants who provided at least 50% responses were analysed. Respondents
      varied in age and, clinical seniority, but mainly comprised women (77%) and
      genetics professionals (82%). Some expressed negative opinions about the
      scientific validity of BOADICEA (9%) and BWA v3 risk presentations (7-9%). Data
      entry time (62%), clinical utility (22%) and ease of communicating BWA v3 risks
      (13-17%) received additional negative appraisals. In multivariate analyses,
      controlling for gender and country, data entry time was perceived as longer by
      genetic counsellors than clinical geneticists (p < 0.05). Respondents who (1)
      considered hormonal BC risk factors as more important (p < 0.01), and (2)
      communicated numerical risk estimates more frequently (p < 0.001), judged BWA v3
      of lower clinical utility. Respondents who carried out less frequent clinical
      activity (p < 0.01) and respondents with '11 to 15 years' seniority (p < 0.01)
      had less favourable opinions of BWA v3 risk presentations. Seniority of '6 to 10
      years' (p < 0.05) and more frequent numerical risk communication (p < 0.05) were
      associated with higher fear of communicating the BWA v3 risks to patients. The
      level of genetics training did not affect opinions. Further development of BWA
      should consider technological, genetics service delivery and training
      initiatives.

PMID- 28623478
TI  - Feature fusion for lung nodule classification.
AB  - PURPOSE: This article examines feature-based nodule description for the purpose
      of nodule classification in chest computed tomography scanning. METHODS: Three
      features based on (i) Gabor filter, (ii) multi-resolution local binary pattern
      (LBP) texture features and (iii) signed distance fused with LBP which generates a
      combinational shape and texture feature are utilized to provide feature
      descriptors of malignant and benign nodules and non-nodule regions of interest.
      Support vector machines (SVMs) and k-nearest neighbor (kNN) classifiers in serial
      and two-tier cascade frameworks are optimized and analyzed for optimal
      classification results of nodules. RESULTS: A total of 1191 nodule and non-nodule
      samples from the Lung Image Data Consortium database is used for analysis.
      Classification using SVM and kNN classifiers is examined. The classification
      results from the two-tier cascade SVM using Gabor features showed overall better
      results for identifying non-nodules, malignant and benign nodules with average
      area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUC-ROC) curves of 0.99 and
      average f1-score of 0.975 over the two tiers. CONCLUSION: In the results, higher
      overall AUCs and f1-scores were obtained for the non-nodules cases using any of
      the three features, showing the greatest distinguishability over nodules
      (benign/malignant). SVM and kNN classifiers were used for benign, malignant and
      non-nodule classification, where Gabor proved to be the most effective of the
      features for classification. The cascaded framework showed the greatest
      distinguishability between benign and malignant nodules.

PMID- 28623480
TI  - The current debate on cost burden by human exposure to endocrine disrupting
      chemicals.

PMID- 28623479
TI  - Fast calibration of electromagnetically tracked oblique-viewing rigid endoscopes.
AB  - PURPOSE: The oblique-viewing (i.e., angled) rigid endoscope is a commonly used
      tool in conventional endoscopic surgeries. The relative rotation between its two
      moveable parts, the telescope and the camera head, creates a rotation offset
      between the actual and the projection of an object in the camera image. A
      calibration method tailored to compensate such offset is needed. METHODS: We
      developed a fast calibration method for oblique-viewing rigid endoscopes suitable
      for clinical use. In contrast to prior approaches based on optical tracking, we
      used electromagnetic (EM) tracking as the external tracking hardware to improve
      compactness and practicality. Two EM sensors were mounted on the telescope and
      the camera head, respectively, with considerations to minimize EM tracking
      errors. Single-image calibration was incorporated into the method, and a
      sterilizable plate, laser-marked with the calibration pattern, was also
      developed. Furthermore, we proposed a general algorithm to estimate the rotation
      center in the camera image. Formulas for updating the camera matrix in terms of
      clockwise and counterclockwise rotations were also developed. RESULTS: The
      proposed calibration method was validated using a conventional [Formula: see
      text], 5-mm laparoscope. Freehand calibrations were performed using the proposed
      method, and the calibration time averaged 2 min and 8 s. The calibration accuracy
      was evaluated in a simulated clinical setting with several surgical tools present
      in the magnetic field of EM tracking. The root-mean-square re-projection error
      averaged 4.9 pixel (range 2.4-8.5 pixel, with image resolution of [Formula: see
      text] for rotation angles ranged from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text].
      CONCLUSIONS: We developed a method for fast and accurate calibration of oblique
      viewing rigid endoscopes. The method was also designed to be performed in the
      operating room and will therefore support clinical translation of many emerging
      endoscopic computer-assisted surgical systems.

PMID- 28623481
TI  - Erratum to: Homogeneous pancreatic cancer spheroids mimic growth pattern of
      circulating tumor cell clusters and macrometastases: displaying heterogeneity and
      crater-like structure on inner layer.

PMID- 28623482
TI  - Cost-effectiveness analysis of a non-contrast screening MRI protocol for
      vestibular schwannoma in patients with asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss.
AB  - PURPOSE: We aimed to determine if a non-contrast screening MRI is cost-effective
      compared to a full MRI protocol with contrast for the evaluation of vestibular
      schwannomas. METHODS: A decision tree was constructed to evaluate full MRI and
      screening MRI strategies for patients with asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss.
      If a patient were to have a positive screening MRI, s/he received a full MRI.
      Vestibular schwannoma prevalence, MRI specificity and sensitivity, and gadolinium
      anaphylaxis incidence were obtained through literature review. Institutional
      charge data were obtained using representative patient cohorts. One-way and
      probabilistic sensitivity analyses were completed to determine CE model threshold
      points for MRI performance characteristics and charges. RESULTS: The mean charge
      for a full MRI with contrast was significantly higher than a screening MRI ($4089
      +/- 1086 versus $2872 +/- 741; p < 0.05). The screening MRI protocol was more
      cost-effective than a full MRI protocol with a willingness-to-pay from $0 to
      20,000 USD. Sensitivity analyses determined that the screening protocol dominated
      when the screening MRI charge was less than $4678, and the imaging specificity
      exceeded 78.2%. The screening MRI protocol also dominated when vestibular
      schwannoma prevalence was varied between 0 and 1000 in 10,000 people. CONCLUSION:
      A screening MRI protocol is more cost-effective than a full MRI with contrast in
      the diagnostic evaluation of a vestibular schwannoma. A screening MRI likely also
      confers benefits of shorter exam time and no contrast use. Further investigation
      is needed to confirm the relative performance of screening protocols for
      vestibular schwannomas.

PMID- 28623484
TI  - Identification of Mycobacterium Species by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization - time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass
      spectrometry enables to identify microorganisms by comparison of the protein
      content with reference spectra in the database. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the efficacy of phenotypic identification of mycobacteria by MALDI-TOF
      mass spectrometry in laboratory practice. Seventy five isolates of mycobacteria
      were identified by molecular and phenotypic method, and the results were compared
      by MALDI-TOF. For MALDI-TOF, material was processed according to the Bruker
      Daltonics protocol and Mycobacterial Library database version 2.0, with 313
      reference mycobacteria spectra. All except one of the 72 isolates agreed with
      regard to the species and genus by both methods. Forty three isolates were
      identified as the M. tuberculosis complex by MALDI-TOF. Thirty one isolates of
      nontuberculous mycobacteria were consistently identified by both methods to the
      species level. We conclude that MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is an accurate method
      of bacterial identification. Simplicity, speed, and economic availability of the
      method makes it suitable for mycobacteria identification in a routine laboratory.

PMID- 28623483
TI  - Normal appearing white matter permeability: a marker of inflammation and
      information processing speed deficit among relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis
      patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: Blood-brain barrier breakdown (BBBB) occurs in relapsing remitting
      multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Relative recirculation (rR), a BBBB surrogate, may
      show inflammation undetectable by gadolinium. We compared normal appearing white
      matter (NAWM) rR in patients with and without disability measured with Symbol
      Digit Modalities Test and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). METHODS:
      Thirty-nine RRMS patients were prospectively recruited and classified as impaired
      or non-impaired based on the SDMT and EDSS threshold >=3. Significant
      demographic, MRI structural and regional rR characteristics were advanced into
      multivariate analysis to assess the association with impairment of cognition and
      EDSS. Bonferroni corrected p < 0.025 was applied to demographic and rR group
      comparisons; p < 0.05 was used in the final multivariate logistic regression.
      RESULTS: rR was higher in NAWM (p = 0.012), NAGM (p = 0.004), and basal ganglia
      (p = 0.007) in cognitively impaired versus non-impaired patients. The difference
      between NAWM and T2HL rR was significant in cognitively non-impaired patients and
      approximated that of T2HL in impairment (0.084 vs. 0.075, p = 0.008; 0.118 vs.
      0.101, p = 0.091, respectively). After adjusting for confounders, rR elevation
      for NAWM (OR 1.777; 95% CI 1.068-2.956; p = 0.026), NAGM (OR 2.138; 1.100-4.157;
      p = 0.025), and basal ganglia (OR 2.192; 1.120-4.289; p = 0.022) remained
      significantly predictive of cognitive impairment. NAWM area under the curve (AUC)
      for cognitive impairment was 0.783. No significant group differences or
      associations were seen for rR and EDSS impairment. No NAGM and cortical lesion rR
      difference was present within any of the impaired or non-impaired groups.
      CONCLUSION: rR elevation in NAWM, NAGM, and basal ganglia appears sensitive to
      cognitive impairment but not EDSS.

PMID- 28623485
TI  - Is scaffold hopping a reliable indicator for the ability of computational methods
      to identify structurally diverse active compounds?
AB  - Computational scaffold hopping aims to identify core structure replacements in
      active compounds. To evaluate scaffold hopping potential from a principal point
      of view, regardless of the computational methods that are applied, a global
      analysis of conventional scaffolds in analog series from compound activity
      classes was carried out. The majority of analog series was found to contain
      multiple scaffolds, thus enabling the detection of intra-series scaffold hops
      among closely related compounds. More than 1000 activity classes were found to
      contain increasing proportions of multi-scaffold analog series. Thus, using such
      activity classes for scaffold hopping analysis is likely to overestimate the
      scaffold hopping (core structure replacement) potential of computational methods,
      due to an abundance of artificial scaffold hops that are possible within analog
      series.

PMID- 28623486
TI  - GalaxyDock BP2 score: a hybrid scoring function for accurate protein-ligand
      docking.
AB  - Protein-ligand docking is a useful tool for providing atomic-level understanding
      of protein functions in nature and design principles for artificial ligands or
      proteins with desired properties. The ability to identify the true binding pose
      of a ligand to a target protein among numerous possible candidate poses is an
      essential requirement for successful protein-ligand docking. Many previously
      developed docking scoring functions were trained to reproduce experimental
      binding affinities and were also used for scoring binding poses. However, in this
      study, we developed a new docking scoring function, called GalaxyDock BP2 Score,
      by directly training the scoring power of binding poses. This function is a
      hybrid of physics-based, empirical, and knowledge-based score terms that are
      balanced to strengthen the advantages of each component. The performance of the
      new scoring function exhibits significant improvement over existing scoring
      functions in decoy pose discrimination tests. In addition, when the score is used
      with the GalaxyDock2 protein-ligand docking program, it outperformed other state
      of-the-art docking programs in docking tests on the Astex diverse set, the
      Cross2009 benchmark set, and the Astex non-native set. GalaxyDock BP2 Score and
      GalaxyDock2 with this score are freely available at
      http://galaxy.seoklab.org/softwares/galaxydock.html .

PMID- 28623487
TI  - Multiple receptor-ligand based pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking to
      screen the selective inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-9 from natural
      products.
AB  - Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is an attractive target for cancer therapy. In
      this study, the pharmacophore model of MMP-9 inhibitors is built based on the
      experimental binding structures of multiple receptor-ligand complexes. It is
      found that the pharmacophore model consists of six chemical features, including
      two hydrogen bond acceptors, one hydrogen bond donor, one ring aromatic regions,
      and two hydrophobic (HY) features. Among them, the two HY features are especially
      important because they can enter the S1' pocket of MMP-9 which determines the
      selectivity of MMP-9 inhibitors. The reliability of pharmacophore model is
      validated based on the two different decoy sets and relevant experimental data.
      The virtual screening, combining pharmacophore model with molecular docking, is
      performed to identify the selective MMP-9 inhibitors from a database of natural
      products. The four novel MMP-9 inhibitors of natural products, NP-000686, NP
      001752, NP-014331, and NP-015905, are found; one of them, NP-000686, is used to
      perform the experiment of in vitro bioassay inhibiting MMP-9, and the IC50 value
      was estimated to be only 13.4 uM, showing the strongly inhibitory activity of NP
      000686 against MMP-9, which suggests that our screening results should be
      reliable. The binding modes of screened inhibitors with MMP-9 active sites were
      discussed. In addition, the ADMET properties and physicochemical properties of
      screened four compounds were assessed. The found MMP-9 inhibitors of natural
      products could serve as the lead compounds for designing the new MMP-9 inhibitors
      by carrying out structural modifications in the future.

PMID- 28623488
TI  - Vasculitis for the internist: focus on ANCA-associated vasculitis.
AB  - Vasculitides comprise several diseases affecting vessels of different sizes,
      mainly arteries, but also capillaries and veins. Antineutrophil cytoplasm
      antibody-associated vasculitides (AAVs) belong to the systemic necrotizing small
      vessel vasculitis group that comprises granulomatosis with polyangiitis,
      microscopic polyangiitis and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.
      Internists often see AAV patients, and although their outcomes are usually good,
      the disease can be responsible for morbidity and mortality. Herein, after
      reviewing the literature, we concentrate on selected aspects important for the
      internist, including classification, diagnostic dilemmas, treatment novelties,
      and follow-up.

PMID- 28623490
TI  - Enzymatic saccharification of pretreated rice straw by cellulases from
      Aspergillus niger BK01.
AB  - Alkali-assisted acid pretreated rice straw was saccharified using cellulase from
      Aspergillus niger BK01. The cellulase production by the fungus was enhanced by
      parametric optimization using solid-state fermentation conditions. Maximum
      cellulase production (12.0 U/gds of carboxymethyl cellulase, CMCase) was achieved
      in 96 h, using 6.0% substrate concentration, 7.5% inoculum concentration, 1:2
      solid to liquid ratio, at pH 5.5, and temperature 28  degrees C, by
      supplementation of the fermentation medium with 0.1% carboxymethylcellulose and
      0.1% ammonium nitrate. Characterization of crude cellulases showed that highest
      CMCase activity was observed at pH 4.8 and temperature 40  degrees C. The CMCase
      was stable from pH 4.8-5.5 and at a temperature range of 35-50  degrees C. The
      pretreated biomass was subjected to hydrolysis with the fungal cellulases. The
      saccharification optimization studies showed that 2% (v/v) enzyme concentration
      and hydrolysis time of 2.5 h were optimum for maximum yield, i.e, 23.78% sugars
      and 35.96% saccharification value.

PMID- 28623491
TI  - An efficient process for the transformation of betulin to betulinic acid by a
      strain of Bacillus megaterium.
AB  - Betulinic acid as a derivative of betulin is widely reported for its anti-HIV and
      antitumor activities. Betulin has three most significant positions, i.e., primary
      hydroxyl group at position C-28, secondary hydroxyl group at position C-3, and
      alkene moiety at position C-20, where chemical modifications were performed to
      yield pharmacologically more active derivatives. Bioconversion optimization was
      performed for the enhancement in the percentage of conversion using statistical
      approach by opting temperature, pH and betulin concentration as independent
      variables. Three hundred fifty isolates were screened from natural sources under
      selective medium containing up to 3 g/l of betulin for their tolerance and
      bioconversion efficiency. Isolate KD235 was found to grow in 3 g/l betulin with
      23.34 +/- 0.57 g/l biomass and 0.67 +/- 0.06 g/l betulinic acid production. New
      isolate KD235 was characterized by molecular analysis and named as Bacillus
      megaterium KD235. Molecular characterization of a potentially active isolate for
      the transformation of betulin to betulinic acid was suggested as isolate Bacillus
      megaterium KD235. Maximum bioconversion (22 +/- 1.5%) was found at optimized
      conditions, i.e., pH 6.5, temperature 30  degrees C and at 3 g/l betulin.
      Validations of experiments as ~11% more bioconversion i.e., 1 +/- 0.1 g/l
      betulinic acid were obtained using 5 l lab fermenter as compared to shake flask.

PMID- 28623492
TI  - Recombinant 20.8-kDa protein of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis-based
      sero-diagnosis of paratuberculosis.
AB  - Johne's disease or paratuberculosis is a chronic infectious enteric disease of
      ruminants caused by the intracellular pathogen. The control of the Johne's
      disease is hampered by lack of specific diagnostic tests. In this study, we have
      cloned and expressed the N-terminal region of the locus tag Map 1637c encoding
      20.8-kDa (r20.8) protein of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. The
      recombinant protein r20.8 was expressed in high levels in Escherichia coli. The
      protein r20.8 was purified by single-step chromatography using Ni-NTA agarose.
      The protein r20.8 was reacted with anti-r20.8 antibodies as well as cattle sera
      infected with Map on Western blot. ELISA using well-characterized sera (both
      positive and negative; n = 60 each) Map-infected and non-infected cattle,
      respectively, yielded a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 98.3%. The 20.8
      kDa protein expressed in the present study will prove useful as reagent in
      diagnostic test.

PMID- 28623489
TI  - Comparing the Intracarotid Amobarbital Test and Functional MRI for the
      Presurgical Evaluation of Language in Epilepsy.
AB  - Surgery is the treatment of choice for drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy
      (TLE). However, such surgery frequently causes deficits in language function,
      especially if performed on the dominant hemisphere. In recent years, the
      intracarotid amobarbital test (IAT) has been gradually replaced by functional
      magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the preoperative identification of language
      areas to estimate the risk of postoperative language decline. In this paper, we
      review the neural substrates for language processing, how language impairment can
      result both from TLE itself and from surgical attempts to treat it. Subsequently,
      we discuss the strengths and limitations of, and current indications for fMRI and
      IAT during the preoperative workup, both by discussion of the studies that have
      evaluated them individually and through meta-analysis of data from 31 studies
      deemed eligible for analysis. Electrocortical stimulation mapping (ESM) is also
      discussed, as is the usefulness of the novel technique of resting-state fMRI.
      Finally, surgical techniques designed to avoid or reduce language decline in
      patients at risk are explored.

PMID- 28623493
TI  - Bioremediation of palm industry wastes using vermicomposting technology: its
      environmental application as green fertilizer.
AB  - Several technologies are being applied for treatment of palm oil mill wastes.
      Among them, the biological treatments (vermicomposting) have widely been
      recognized as one of the most efficient and eco-friendly methods for converting
      organic waste materials into valuable products. The present study focuses on
      vermicomposting of acidic palm oil mill effluent (POME) mixed with the palm
      pressed fibre (PPF) which are found difficult to decompose in the environment.
      The industrial waste (POME) was vermicomposted using Lumbricus rubellus under
      laboratory conditions for a period of 45 days. A significant improvement in
      nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content was monitored during vermicomposting
      process. In addition, the decline in C:N ratio of vermicompost (up to 17.20 +/-
      0.60) reflects the degree of stabilization of POME-PPF mixture. Different
      percentages of the vermicompost extract obtained from POME-PPF mixture were also
      examined for the germination of mung bean (Vigna radiata) seed. The results
      showed that 75% vermicompost extract demonstrated better performance for the seed
      germination. On the basis of significant findings, POME-PPF mixture can be
      successfully used as a feeding material for the earthworms, while on the other
      hand, it can also be used as a cost-effective fertilizer for the germination and
      the proper growth of mung bean.

PMID- 28623494
TI  - The effects of pesticides on morphology, viability, and germination of Blackberry
      (Rubus glaucus Benth.) and Tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) pollen grains.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine the effect of application of
      pesticides on morphology, viability, and germination of pollen grains of
      Blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth.) and Tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.). The
      study was performed at Patate, Tungurahua province, Ecuador and was divided into
      two phases. Phase one dedicated to the study of morphology, viability, and
      identification of nutrient solution for better germination of pollen grains and
      phase two for the analysis of the effect of conventional, organic, and biological
      pesticides on pollen grain germination and pollen tube length. To study pollen
      morphology, pollens were extracted by hand pressure and was analyzed by optical
      and electron microscopy. The viable pollen grains were identified by staining
      with 1% acetocarmine. Even though Tree tomato and Blackberry pollen grains are
      morphologically similar, their exine shapes differ. We observed four times
      increase in pollen germination rate when suspended in nutrient solution (Sucrose
      with Boric acid) than control (water). Pollen grains under nutrient solution were
      subjected to different groups of pesticides for the period of 2, 4, and 6 h. With
      respect to pesticide affect, the Blackberry pollen grain germination followed the
      following order: Lecaniceb > Beauveb > Metazeb => Myceb > Control. However, the
      effect on Tree tomato pollen grains was as follows: Lecaniceb > Myceb > Cantus >
      Bacillus thuringiensis > Kripton > Control. As per as pollen grain germination is
      concerned, we observed that the chemical pesticides are more harmful than other
      pesticides. So, it is necessary to perform screening test for different
      pesticides and their effect on pollen grain germination before applying to the
      fields.

PMID- 28623495
TI  - Whence we came, whither we go?

PMID- 28623497
TI  - [Psychiatric emergencies].
AB  - Psychiatric emergencies present a frequent and interdisciplinary challenge.
      Clinical diagnosis and management are complicated by the acuity, and the
      patient's compliance is often limited by the illness. Psychiatric emergencies
      include states of acute agitation, suicidality, delirium, stupor, and drug
      induced emergencies. Sometimes interventions such as conversational contact,
      responding empathically to patients, or "talking down" are sufficient. If
      pharmacotherapy is necessary, benzodiazepines and antipsychotic drugs are the
      primary agents of choice.

PMID- 28623496
TI  - Association between flow skewness and aortic dilatation in patients with aortic
      stenosis.
AB  - We investigated association between hemodynamic characteristics and aortic
      dilatation in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Eighty patients with
      severe AS (mean age, 67.2 +/- 12.5 years) who underwent multi-detector computed
      tomography and phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging at the ascending aorta
      were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with an ascending aorta diameter >4 cm
      had a significantly higher forward flow rate at systole (28.5 +/- 6.0 vs. 36.2 +/
      8.6 L min, P < 0.001), and retrograde flow rate at systole (11.3 +/- 4.2 vs.
      18.8 +/- 5.8 L min, P < 0.001), fractional reverse ratio (a ratio of retrograde
      flow rate to forward flow rate; 34.1 +/- 11.9% vs. 43.5 +/- 18.0%, P = 0.014),
      flow skewness Rskewness (a ratio of sum of forward and retrograde systole flow to
      net systole flow rate; 2.4 +/- 0.7 vs. 3.2 +/- 1.0, P < 0.001). The presence of
      bicuspid aortic valve (BAV; odds ratio [OR] 72.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]
      10.57-490.46, P < 0.001), Left ventricular mass index (LVMI; OR 1.02 /g/m2; CI
      1.00-1.04, P = 0.043) and Rskewness (OR 5.6 per 1, 95% CI 1.8-17.1, P = 0.001)
      were associated with aortic dilatation. BAV, LVMI, and increased Rskewness in the
      ascending aorta are associated with aortic dilatation in patients with AS.

PMID- 28623498
TI  - Minimal barcode distance between two water mite species from Madeira Island: a
      cautionary tale.
AB  - In this work, we compare morphological and molecular data in their ability to
      distinguish between species of water mites (Acari, Prostigmata, Hydrachnidia). We
      have focused on the two species of the genus Lebertia inhabiting the island of
      Madeira. While traditional morphological traits were initially sufficient to
      distinguish between these two species, the molecular data were more dependable on
      the kind of analysis carried out. Single arbitrary genetic distance (e.g. a K2P
      distance below 2%) may lead to the conclusion that the specimens under study
      belong to the same species. Analysing the same specimens with the coalescent
      model has proved the evolutionary independence of both Lebertia clades in
      Madeira. Furthermore, multi-rate Poisson Tree Process analysis confirmed both
      lineages as independent species. Our results agree with previous studies warning
      of the dangers of rigid species delimitation based on arbitrary molecular
      distances. In addition, the importance of different molecular data approaches for
      correct species delimitation in water mites is highlighted.

PMID- 28623499
TI  - Precise mathematics yet hazy predictions: Can validated risk indices help improve
      patient selection for major elective surgery?

PMID- 28623500
TI  - Contribution of the nasal passage to face mask ventilation: a prospective blinded
      randomized crossover trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that the nasal passage plays an important
      role in manual face mask ventilation, but this has yet to be quantitatively
      assessed. We conducted a prospective randomized crossover clinical trial to
      compare the change in pressure-controlled face mask tidal volume with and without
      nasal airway occlusion. METHOD: Female patients undergoing elective surgery under
      general anesthesia served as study subjects. Patients were randomly assigned to
      face mask ventilation beginning either with or without nasal passage occlusion
      (achieved with a swimmer's nose clip), followed by removal or application of the
      nose clip, respectively. After standardized induction of general anesthesia and
      muscle paralysis, a tight-fitting face mask was applied to each patient, and
      tidal volume was measured by the anesthesia machine during pressure-controlled
      ventilation (10, 15, 20 cm H2O; 8 breaths.min-1; inspiratory:expiratory ratio
      1:2). RESULTS: The median [interquartile range] tidal volume was lower with vs
      without nasal passage occlusion at 10 cm H2O inspiratory pressure (100 [55-134]
      mL vs 300 [230-328] mL, respectively; median difference (MD), 200 mL; 95%
      confidence interval (CI), 157 to 229; P < 0.001), 15 cm H2O inspiratory pressure
      (190 [120-230] mL vs 520 [420-593] mL, respectively; MD, 340 mL; 95% CI, 257 to
      395; P < 0.001), and 20 cm H2O inspiratory pressure (270 [215-390] mL vs 790 [713
      823] mL, respectively; MD, 520 mL; 95% CI, 390 to 582; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION:
      Nasal passage obstruction considerably reduces tidal volume achieved during face
      mask ventilation. In some patients, it may be advantageous to relieve nasal
      airway obstruction for effective face mask ventilation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN
      Clinical Trials Registry, number UMIN000022184. Registered 2 May 2016.

PMID- 28623501
TI  - We must ask relevant questions and answer with meaningful outcomes.

PMID- 28623502
TI  - Molecular and morphological evidence for nine species in North American
      Australapatemon (Sudarikov, 1959): a phylogeny expansion with description of the
      zygocercous Australapatemon mclaughlini n. sp.
AB  - Zygocercous (aggregating) cercarial larvae were recently discovered emerging from
      a physid snail during a molecular survey of cercariae from molluscs in lakes in
      central Alberta, Canada. This manuscript delves into the characterization of
      these cercariae through morphological and molecular techniques and provides the
      first genetic information for a zygocercous larval trematode. Analyses of
      cytochrome c oxidase I of mitochondrial DNA and two partial regions of nuclear
      ribosomal DNA sequences revealed the zygocercous cercariae to belong to the genus
      Australapatemon Sudarikov, 1959. Further analyses of sequences of Australapatemon
      burti (Miller, 1923), from cercariae and adults collected from across North
      America, indicate a complex of nine genetically-distinct lineages within this
      species, a surprising level of diversity. The zygocercous cercariae, along with
      adult worms collected from ducks in Manitoba, Canada, and from Mexico, represent
      one of these lineages, and are herein described as Australapatemon mclaughlini n.
      sp. Seven lineages cannot yet be identified, but one is tentatively identified as
      Australapatemon burti.

PMID- 28623503
TI  - Investigating the Suitability of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Polymer in
      Transcatheter Valve Applications.
AB  - The current delivery size of transcatheter aortic valves, limited by the
      thickness of their pericardial leaflets, correlates with a high prevalence of
      major vascular complications. Polyurethane valves can be developed to a fraction
      of the thickness of pericardial valves through the addition of carbon nanotubes
      to reinforce their leaflets. This study investigates the suitability of a novel
      carbon nanotube reinforced leaflet to reduce the delivery profile of
      transcatheter aortic valves. Carbon nanotube polyurethane composites were
      developed with thicknesses of 50 MUm and their mechanical properties were
      determined in relation to various environmental effects. The composites
      demonstrated improvements to the material stiffness, particularly at increasing
      strain rates compared to the neat polymer. However, increasing nanotube
      concentrations significantly decreased the fatigue life of the composites. Key
      findings highlighted a potential for carbon nanotube reinforcement in valve
      replacement which experience very high strain rates during the cardiac cycle.
      Further testing is needed to achieve a strong nanotube-matrix interface which
      will prolong the cyclic fatigue life and further strengthen tensile properties.
      Testing on the durability and haemocompatibility of these composite heart valves
      are ongoing.

PMID- 28623504
TI  - Biosorption of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions and ANN modelling.
AB  - The use of sustainable, green and biodegradable natural wastes for Cr(VI)
      detoxification from the contaminated wastewater is considered as a challenging
      issue. The present research is aimed to assess the effectiveness of seven
      different natural biomaterials, such as jackfruit leaf, mango leaf, onion peel,
      garlic peel, bamboo leaf, acid treated rubber leaf and coconut shell powder, for
      Cr(VI) eradication from aqueous solution by biosorption process.
      Characterizations were conducted using SEM, BET and FTIR spectroscopy. The
      effects of operating parameters, viz., pH, initial Cr(VI) ion concentration,
      adsorbent dosages, contact time and temperature on metal removal efficiency, were
      studied. The biosorption mechanism was described by the pseudo-second-order model
      and Langmuir isotherm model. The biosorption process was exothermic, spontaneous
      and chemical (except garlic peel) in nature. The sequence of adsorption capacity
      was mango leaf > jackfruit leaf > acid treated rubber leaf > onion peel > bamboo
      leaf > garlic peel > coconut shell with maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of
      35.7 mg g-1 for mango leaf. The treated effluent can be reused. Desorption study
      suggested effective reuse of the adsorbents up to three cycles, and safe disposal
      method of the used adsorbents suggested biodegradability and sustainability of
      the process by reapplication of the spent adsorbent and ultimately leading
      towards zero wastages. The performances of the adsorbents were verified with
      wastewater from electroplating industry. The scale-up study reported for
      industrial applications. ANN modelling using multilayer perception with gradient
      descent (GD) and Levenberg-Marquart (LM) algorithm had been successfully used for
      prediction of Cr(VI) removal efficiency. The study explores the undiscovered
      potential of the natural waste materials for sustainable existence of small and
      medium sector industries, especially in the third world countries by protecting
      the environment by eco-innovation.

PMID- 28623505
TI  - Assessment of arsenic content in soil, rice grains and groundwater and associated
      health risks in human population from Ropar wetland, India, and its vicinity.
AB  - In the present study, potential health risks posed to human population from Ropar
      wetland and its vicinity, by consumption of inorganic arsenic (i-As) via arsenic
      contaminated rice grains and groundwater, were assessed. Total arsenic (t-As) in
      soil and rice grains were found in the range of 0.06-0.11 mg/kg and 0.03-0.33
      mg/kg, respectively, on dry weight basis. Total arsenic in groundwater was in the
      range of 2.31-15.91 MUg/L. i-As was calculated from t-As using relevant
      conversion factors. Rice plants were found to be arsenic accumulators as
      bioconcentration factor (BCF) was observed to be >1 in 75% of rice grain samples.
      Further, correlation analysis revealed that arsenic accumulation in rice grains
      decreased with increase in the electrical conductivity of soil. One-way ANOVA,
      cluster analysis and principal component analysis indicated that both geogenic
      and anthropogenic sources affected t-As in soil and groundwater. Hazard index and
      total cancer risk estimated for individuals from the study area were above the
      USEPA limits of 1.00 and 1.00 * 10-6, respectively. Kruskal-Wallis H test
      indicated that groundwater intake posed significantly higher health risk than
      rice grain consumption (chi 2(1) = 17.280, p = 0.00003).

PMID- 28623506
TI  - Bio-transfer factors and temporal variation of heavy metals in different sexes of
      three species of edible brackish water fish.
AB  - This article discusses bioaccumulation and temporal variation of heavy metals in
      three edible lagoon fish species with references to gender. Cd and As were
      undetected in the three fish species (i.e., below the method detection limits of
      1 MUg Cd/kg wet weight and 2 MUg As/kg wet weight) irrespective of the periods,
      and Cd was undetected in the water too (i.e., below the detection limit of 0.0003
      mg/L). Except for Zn (which was mainly available as Zn2+ in the water), Pb was
      present largely as low labile metal-chloride complexes and As as HAsO42- as per
      Visual MINTEQ, version 3.1. Bio-transfer factors of Sn (which was also undetected
      in the water; below the detection limit of 0.05 mg/L), Hg, Pb, and Zn were <1 in
      both sexes, justifying that bioaccumulation was largely attributed to food rather
      than uptake from the water. Metal accumulation patterns differed drastically
      between the fish species. Arius maculatus (a carnivore) exhibited higher Zn, Hg,
      and Sn accumulations during the drier periods (June-September) compared with
      Mugil cephalus (a detritivore/herbivore) and Etroplus suratensis (an omnivore).
      Pb was detected only in A. maculatus (July-August) possibly due to
      biomagnification. Zn was present in higher levels in all species (irrespective of
      sex) compared with the other metals, but levels were below admissible limits.
      However, the relationship between temporal variation of Zn and gender in all
      species was insignificant. In M. cephalus, the temporal variation of Sn and Hg
      between the sexes was also insignificant. Female A. maculatus and E. suratensis
      showed higher Hg concentrations, while males showed higher Sn concentrations.
      Temporal variation patterns of Pb were unclear.

PMID- 28623507
TI  - Physiological characteristics of Plantago major under SO2 exposure as affected by
      foliar iron spray.
AB  - Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is considered as a main air pollutant in industrialized
      areas that can damage vegetation. In the present study, we investigated how
      exposure to SO2 and foliar application of iron (Fe) would affect certain
      physiological characteristics of Plantago major. The plant seedlings exposed or
      unexposed to SO2 (3900 MUg m-3) were non-supplemented or supplemented with Fe (3
      g L-1) as foliar spray. Plants were exposed to SO2 for 6 weeks in 100 * 70 * 70
      cm chambers. Fumigation of plants with SO2 was performed for 3 h daily for 3 days
      per week (alternate day). Lower leaf Fe concentration in the plants exposed to
      SO2 at no added Fe treatment was accompanied with incidence of chlorosis symptoms
      and reduced chlorophyll concentration. No visible chlorotic symptoms were
      observed on the SO2-exposed plants supplied with Fe that accumulated higher Fe in
      their leaves. Both at with and without added Fe treatments, catalase (CAT) and
      peroxidase (POD) activity was higher in the plants fumigated with SO2 in
      comparison with those non-fumigated with SO2. Foliar application of Fe was also
      effective in increasing activity of antioxidant enzymes CAT and POD. Exposure to
      SO2 led to reduced cellulose but enhanced lignin content of plant leaf cell wall.
      The results obtained showed that foliar application of Fe was effective in
      reducing the effects of exposure to SO2 on cell wall composition. In contrast to
      SO2, application of Fe increased cellulose while decreased lignin content of the
      leaf cell wall. This might be due to reduced oxidative stress induced by SO2 in
      plants supplied with Fe compared with those unsupplied with Fe.

PMID- 28623508
TI  - Clinical Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of Cebranopadol, a Novel First-in-Class
      Analgesic.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cebranopadol is a novel first-in-class analgesic
      acting as a nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide and opioid peptide receptor agonist
      with central analgesic activity. It is currently in clinical development for the
      treatment of chronic pain conditions. This trial focuses on the clinical
      pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of cebranopadol after oral single- and multiple
      dose administration. METHODS: The basic PK properties of cebranopadol were
      assessed by means of noncompartmental methods in six phase I clinical trials in
      healthy subjects and patients. A population PK analysis included two further
      phase I and six phase II clinical trials. RESULTS: After oral administration of
      the immediate-release (IR) formulation, cebranopadol is characterized by a late
      time to reach maximum plasma concentration [C max] (4-6 h), a long half-value
      duration [HVD] (14-15 h), and a terminal phase half-life in the range of 62-96 h.
      After multiple once-daily dosing in patients, an operational half-life (the
      dosing interval resulting in an accumulation factor [AF] of 2) of 24 h was found
      to be the relevant factor to describe the multiple-dose PKs of cebranopadol. The
      time to reach steady state was approximately 2 weeks, the AF was approximately 2,
      and peak-trough fluctuation (PTF) was low (70-80%). Dose proportionality at
      steady state was shown for a broad dose range of cebranopadol 200-1600 ug. A two
      compartment disposition model with two lagged transition compartments and a first
      order elimination process best describes cebranopadol data in healthy subjects
      and patients after single- and multiple-dose administration. CONCLUSIONS:
      Cebranopadol formulated as an IR product can be used as a once-daily formulation;
      it reaches C max after only 4-6 h, and has a long HVD and a low PTF. Therefore,
      from a PK perspective, cebranopadol is an attractive treatment option for
      patients with chronic pain.

PMID- 28623511
TI  - 36th Meeting of the Pediatric Section of the German Society of Trauma Surgery
      (DGU).

PMID- 28623509
TI  - Telomerase and drug resistance in cancer.
AB  - It is well known that a decreased expression or inhibited activity of telomerase
      in cancer cells is accompanied by an increased sensitivity to some drugs (e.g.,
      doxorubicin, cisplatin, or 5-fluorouracil). However, the mechanism of the
      resistance resulting from telomerase alteration remains elusive. There are
      theories claiming that it might be associated with telomere shortening, genome
      instability, hTERT translocation, mitochondria functioning modulation, or even
      alterations in ABC family gene expression. However, association of those
      mechanisms, i.e., drug resistance and telomerase alterations, is not fully
      understood yet. We review the current theories on the aspect of the role of
      telomerase in cancer cells resistance to therapy. We believe that
      revealing/unravelling this correlation might significantly contribute to an
      increased efficiency of cancer cells elimination, especially the most difficult
      ones, i.e., drug resistant.

PMID- 28623512
TI  - Phosphatidylethanolamine targeting for cell death imaging in early treatment
      response evaluation and disease diagnosis.
AB  - Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is one of the most abundant phospholipids in
      mammalian plasma membranes. In healthy cells, PE resides predominantly in the
      inner leaflet of the cell membrane. In dead or dying cells on the other hand, PE
      is externalized to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. The exposure of PE
      on the cell surface has therefore become an attractive target for the molecular
      imaging of cell death using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
      and positron emission tomography (PET). This has motivated the development of PE
      specific probes to measure cell death in vitro and non-invasively in vivo. In
      this review, we highlight the biological roles of PE on cell membranes, and PE
      exposure as a biomarker of cell death in disease processes, along with the use of
      PE-binding molecular probes to target PE for the characterization of cell death
      on a cellular and tissue level. We specifically emphasize the preclinical
      applications of radiolabeled duramycin for the non-invasive imaging of cell death
      in animal models of disease and in tumors after therapy. In addition, we discuss
      the clinical relevance, limitations and future perspectives of this imaging
      approach of cell death.

PMID- 28623513
TI  - The spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) in the assessment of response to
      radiotherapy for bone metastases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vertebral metastases are often causing pain and spine instability.
      Radiotherapy is of significant benefit for painful spine metastases but the
      response can be very variable. The spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) is a
      recent classification system for diagnosis of spinal instability caused by
      vertebral metastases. We analysed the degree of pain relief, the need of drug
      therapy and the imaging features and the SINS before and after radiotherapy. In
      particular, we investigated the possible correlation of spine instability defined
      by pre-treatment SINS with pretreatment pain and with response to radiotherapy.
      MATERIAL/METHODS: This study included 121 patients with spine metastases treated
      with palliative 3D conformal radiotherapy. Pain "at rest" and "breakthrough
      pain", need for drug therapy in terms of "anti-inflammatory", "weak opioid",
      "strong opioid", imaging studies and SINS were assessed before and after
      radiotherapy. Statistical analysis was performed by the correlation coefficient
      of Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Pain relief after radiotherapy was
      observed in 50.4 and 57.8% of patients in terms of pain at rest and breakthrough
      pain, respectively. The correlation between pain before radiotherapy and SINS was
      not statistically significant for both pain at rest (p = 0.4) and breakthrough
      pain (p = 0.49). The correlation between pain response after radiotherapy and
      SINS was statistically significant for both pain at rest (p = 0.007) and
      breakthrough pain (p = 0.047). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The degree of instability,
      classified according to SINS, resulted to be predictive factor for pain response
      after radiotherapy. SINS might become a valid tool to identify those patients who
      can benefit the most from radiotherapy.

PMID- 28623516
TI  - Erratum to: A Simple Analytical Approximation to an Inhomogeneously-Broadened
      Dispersion Spectrum. Application to Absorption-Dispersion Admixtures.

PMID- 28623514
TI  - The potential roles of bacteria to improve radiation treatment outcome.
AB  - Many combined therapies have been proposed to enhance radiotherapy outcome, but
      they have several limitations. As a new feasible strategy, combination of
      radiotherapy with bacteria showed a significant positive impact on the tumor
      treatment and metastasis inhibition. Although probiotic bacteria and radiotherapy
      alone can be effective in the treatment of different cancers, the combination of
      these two therapies seems to enhance therapeutic outcome and is cost-effective.
      Bacterial cells can act as therapeutic/gene/drug delivery vehicles as well as
      theranostic agents. In this communication, we reviewed current evidences,
      studies, suggestions, and future-based directions on combination of radiotherapy
      and bacteria. In another sections, an overview on tumor hypoxia, bacteria in
      cancer therapy, and combination of radiotherapy and bacteria is presented. A
      brief overview on trials and animal studies which used bacteria to protect normal
      tissues against radiotherapy-induced complications is also included.

PMID- 28623515
TI  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: metastatic disease.
AB  - The treatment of choice of metastatic PADC is systemic chemotherapy. In the last
      decade, there have been significant advances in this area. New combination poli
      chemotherapy schemes have shown a significant increase in overall survival and
      progression-free survival without impairing quality of life. In addition, the
      value of second-line chemotherapy treatment has consolidated and a new concept
      called "therapeutic sequencing" has also emerged. The aim of this article is to
      review the different therapeutic options in metastatic PDAC based on patient's
      characteristics.

PMID- 28623510
TI  - The implication of neuronimmunoendocrine (NIE) modulatory network in the
      pathophysiologic process of Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder implicitly
      marked by the substantia nigra dopaminergic neuron degeneration and explicitly
      characterized by the motor and non-motor symptom complexes. Apart from the
      nigrostriatal dopamine depletion, the immune and endocrine study findings are
      also frequently reported, which, in fact, have helped to broaden the symptom
      spectrum and better explain the pathogenesis and progression of PD. Nevertheless,
      based on the neural, immune, and endocrine findings presented above, it is still
      difficult to fully recapitulate the pathophysiologic process of PD. Therefore,
      here, in this review, we have proposed the neuroimmunoendocrine (NIE) modulatory
      network in PD, aiming to achieve a more comprehensive interpretation of the
      pathogenesis and progression of this disease. As a matter of fact, in addition to
      the classical motor symptoms, NIE modulatory network can also underlie the non
      motor symptoms such as gastrointestinal, neuropsychiatric, circadian rhythm, and
      sleep disorders in PD. Moreover, the dopamine (DA)-melatonin imbalance in the
      retino-diencephalic/mesencephalic-pineal axis also provides an alternative
      explanation for the motor complications in the process of DA replacement therapy.
      In conclusion, the NIE network can be expected to deepen our understanding and
      facilitate the multi-dimensional management and therapy of PD in future clinical
      practice.

PMID- 28623517
TI  - Nerve root anomalies: making sense of a complicated literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Nerve root anomalies (NRAs) are a set of well-described congenital
      irregularities for which several classification systems have been devised over
      the years. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive review examines the anatomy and
      characteristics of NRAs; their surgical, radiographic, and cadaveric prevalence
      rates; clinical and radiographic presentations; and surgical management. In
      addition, the top 5 NRA classification systems are presented and related.

PMID- 28623518
TI  - Primary intraventricular osteosarcoma in a 3-year-old boy: report of a case and
      review of literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Extraskeletal osteosarcoma (ExOS) is a rare and well-known entity.
      Three to 4% of ExOSs occur in the head and neck region but anecdotally in the
      central nervous system (CNS). Primary intracranial osteosarcoma (PIOS) can
      originate from the skull, brain parenchyma, or meninges. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3
      year-old boy with history of head trauma 2 weeks before admission is presented
      harboring an ExOS in the left temporoparietal region. He was operated with the
      impression of intraventricular meningioma but turned to be a PIOS without any
      sources in his skeleton. Tumor recurred after 5 months and patient died in 2
      weeks with tumor seeding to the brain stem. CONCLUSION: This case is reported to
      show failure of surgery as the only treatment for these tumors, highlighting the
      need for more aggressive treatment.

PMID- 28623519
TI  - PHACE syndrome and cerebral cavernous malformations: association or simply
      microhemorrhages?

PMID- 28623520
TI  - Prediction of intracranial hypertension through noninvasive intracranial pressure
      waveform analysis in pediatric hydrocephalus.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate a noninvasive device to assess
      intracranial pressure wave form in children with hydrocephalus. METHODS: A
      prospective and non-experimental descriptive-analytic study was performed. Fifty
      six patients were enrolled in this study. They were divided in four groups: group
      A, children with clinically compensated hydrocephalus; B, surgically treated
      hydrocephalus; C, patients with acute intracranial hypertension due to
      hydrocephalus; and D, children without neurological disease (control). Data were
      collected through the installation of an extracranial deformation sensor, coupled
      to the children's scalp, which allowed registration of noninvasive intracranial
      pressure curves. Parameters obtained were analyzed: P2/P1 ratio, "classification
      P1 and P2 and P1 slope. RESULTS: P2/P1 index and "classification of P1 and P2"
      had a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 100% for predicting intracranial
      hypertension. "P1 slope" presented no statistical difference. CONCLUSION: This
      study showed a useful and noninvasive method for monitoring intracranial
      pressure, which was able to indicate the intracranial hypertension in children
      with hydrocephalus and, thus, should be further investigated for clinical
      applications.

PMID- 28623521
TI  - Exploring for the optimal structural design for the 3D-printing technology for
      cranial reconstruction: a biomechanical and histological study comparison of
      solid vs. porous structure.
AB  - PURPOSE: Cranioplasty for recovering skull defects carries the risk for a number
      of complications. Various materials are used, including autologous bone graft,
      metallic materials, and non-metallic materials, each of which has advantages and
      disadvantages. If the use of autologous bone is not feasible, those artificial
      materials also have constraints in the case of complex anatomy and/or irregular
      defects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study used metal 3D-printing technology to
      overcome these existing drawbacks and analyze the clinical and mechanical
      performance requirements. To find an optimal structure that satisfied the
      structural and mechanical stability requirements, we evaluated biomechanical
      stability using finite element analysis (FEA) and mechanical testing. To ensure
      clinical applicability, the model was subjected to histological evaluation. Each
      specimen was implanted in the femur of a rabbit and was evaluated using
      histological measurements and push-out test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We believe
      that our data will provide the basis for future applications of a variety of unit
      structures and further clinical trials and research, as well as the direction for
      the study of other patient-specific implants.

PMID- 28623523
TI  - Erratum to: Overview of Skeletal Repair (Fracture Healing and Its Assessment).

PMID- 28623522
TI  - H3 K27M mutations are extremely rare in posterior fossa group A ependymoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mutations in the tail of histone H3 (K27M) are frequently found in
      pediatric midline high-grade glioma's but have rarely been reported in other
      malignancies. Recently, recurrent somatic nucleotide variants in histone H3 (H3
      K27M) have been reported in group A posterior fossa ependymoma (EPN_PFA), an
      entity previously described to have no recurrent mutations. However, the true
      incidence of H3 K27M mutations in EPN_PFA is unknown. METHODS: In order to
      discern the frequency of K27M mutations in histone H3 in EPN_PFA, we analyzed 151
      EPN_PFA previously profiled with genome-wide methylation arrays using a validated
      droplet digital PCR assay. RESULTS: We identified only 1 case out of 151 EPN_PFA
      harboring the K27M mutation indicating that histone mutations are extremely rare
      in EPN_PFA. Morphologically, this single mutated case is clearly consistent with
      an ependymoma, and the presence of the K27M mutation was confirmed using
      immunohistochemistry. DISCUSSION: K27M mutations are extremely rare in EPN_PFA.
      Routine evaluation of K27M mutations in EPN_PFA is of limited utility, and is
      unlikely to have any bearing on prognosis and/or future risk stratification.

PMID- 28623524
TI  - Does a laparoscopic approach attenuate the body weight loss and lean body mass
      loss observed in open distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer? a single-institution
      exploratory analysis of the JCOG 0912 phase III trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for gastric cancer may
      prevent the loss of body weight and lean body mass resulting from reduced
      surgical stress in comparison to open distal gastrectomy (ODG). A multicenter
      phase III trial conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG0912 trial)
      was performed to confirm the non-inferiority of LADG to ODG for stage I gastric
      cancer in terms of relapse-free survival. METHODS: This study was performed as a
      single-institution exploratory analysis using the data of the patients from our
      hospital who were enrolled in the JCOG0912 phase III trial. Body weight and lean
      body mass were evaluated using a bioelectrical impedance analyzer within 1 week
      before and at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: One-hundred
      six patients were randomized to undergo ODG (54 patients) or LADG (51 patients).
      Body weight loss at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months was -3.0%, -4.9%, and -5.4%,
      respectively, in the ODG group and -2.7%, -4.3%, and -5.7%, respectively, in the
      LADG group; the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.330, 0.166,
      and 0.656, respectively). Lean body mass loss at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months
      was -2.8%, -4.1%, and -2.3%, respectively, in the ODG group and -2.7%, -2.9%, and
      -3.0%, respectively, in the LADG group; the differences were not statistically
      significant (p = 0.610, 0.413, and 0.925, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The
      laparoscopic approach did not attenuate the loss of body weight and lean body
      mass in comparison to patients who underwent open distal gastrectomy for gastric
      cancer.

PMID- 28623525
TI  - Comparison of CZT SPECT and conventional SPECT for assessment of contractile
      function, mechanical synchrony and myocardial scar in patients with heart
      failure.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to compare CZT-SPECT (CZT SPECT) to conventional
      SPECT (C-SPECT) in the assessment of left ventricular myocardial scar,
      contractile function, and mechanical synchrony in patients with heart failure
      (HF). METHODS: Fifty-nine patients with HF who were referred for myocardial
      perfusion/metabolism imaging were enrolled. All patients underwent resting 99mTc
      MIBI gated myocardial perfusion imaging using a CZT SPECT camera and a C-SPECT
      camera, respectively, and 18F-FDG PET myocardial metabolism imaging within three
      days. Summed rest score (SRS) and total perfusion defect (TPD) (as indices of
      perfusion abnormality), left ventricular (LV), end diastolic volume (EDV), end
      systolic volume (ESV), and ejection fraction (EF) (as indices of LV systolic
      function), and histogram band width (BW) and standard deviation (SD) (as indices
      of mechanical synchrony) were analyzed by automated software while the
      perfusion/metabolism patterns were analyzed visually. RESULTS: There was a good
      correlation between CZT SPECT and C-SPECT for SRS and TPD. CZT SPECT tended to
      underestimate SRS and TPD compared to C-SPECT. CZT-SPECT and C-SPECT showed
      excellent agreement in assessing the perfusion/metabolism pattern though a small
      proportion of normal segments (6.6%) identified by CZT/PET exhibited mismatch
      pattern on C-SPECT/PET. CZT SPECT also showed excellent correlation with C-SPECT
      in measuring EDV, ESV, and EF. Finally, BW and SD measured by CZT SPECT
      correlated well with C-SPECT but CZT SPECT tended to overestimate BW and SD
      compared to C-SPECT. CONCLUSION: CZT SPECT provided comparable data to C-SPECT
      for measuring LV scar, function and synchrony at a considerable reduction in
      imaging time. CZT SPECT holds a promise for comprehensive evaluation of
      myocardial performance in patients with HF.

PMID- 28623526
TI  - Benefit-risk trade-offs for treatment decisions in moderate-to-severe rheumatoid
      arthritis: focus on the patient perspective.
AB  - Given the increasing number of available treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
      with varying efficacy and safety profiles, it is critical to understand the level
      of trade-offs that patients are willing to make between benefits and risks. Adult
      patients with moderate to severe RA were invited to participate in a discrete
      choice experiment that solicited their preferences for hypothetical RA
      treatments. Each participant was presented with 14 choice cards asking about
      their preference between two hypothetical RA treatments with varying levels of
      efficacy, adverse events, and process-related attributes. A multivariable
      logistic regression model assessed the association between the attributes and the
      patient's decision and risk-increases were calculated. 510 eligible patients with
      moderate to severe RA completed the study. The average age of the participants
      was 56.4 years, 64.7% were female, and 45.1% received biologic agents. To achieve
      a 50% improvement in physical function, patients were willing to accept risk
      increases of 91.1, 4.7, and 18.4% for abnormal laboratory results, cancer, and
      serious infection, respectively. Similarly, to achieve a 50% reduction in RA
      related pain, patients were willing to accept risk-increases of 70.6, 3.7, and
      14.2% for each AE. Moreover, patients were willing to trade risk-increases of
      42.0, 2.2, and 8.5% for each AE to obtain a 50% reduction in the number of
      swollen joints. Patients with moderate to severe RA are willing to accept
      increased treatment risks to achieve improved physical function and disease
      control. These attributes are helpful to clinicians to make informed treatment
      choices.

PMID- 28623527
TI  - Updating the Evidence of the Interaction Between Clopidogrel and CYP2C19
      Inhibiting Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: A Cohort Study and Meta
      Analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We previously found that patients who initiate clopidogrel while
      treated with a cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19-inhibiting selective serotonin reuptake
      inhibitor (SSRI) have a higher risk of subsequent ischemic events than patients
      treated with other SSRIs. It is not known whether initiating an inhibiting SSRI
      while treated with clopidogrel will also increase risk of ischemic events.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess clinical outcomes following
      initiation of a CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI versus initiation of other SSRIs among
      patients treated with clopidogrel and to update existing evidence on the clinical
      impact of clopidogrel-SSRI interaction. METHODS: Using five US databases (1998
      2013), we conducted a cohort study of clopidogrel initiators who encountered
      treatment with SSRI during their clopidogrel therapy. Patients were matched by
      propensity score (PS) and followed for as long as they were exposed to both
      clopidogrel and index SSRI group. Outcomes were a composite ischemic event
      (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or a revascularization procedure,
      whichever came first) and a composite major bleeding event (gastrointestinal
      bleed or hemorrhagic stroke, whichever came first). Results were combined via
      random-effects meta-analysis with previous evidence from subjects initiating
      clopidogrel while on SSRI therapy. RESULTS: The PS-matched cohort comprised 2346
      clopidogrel users starting CYP2C19-inhibiting SSRI therapy and 16,115 starting
      other SSRIs (mean age 61 years; 59% female). Compared with those treated with a
      non-inhibiting SSRI, the hazard ratio (HR) for patients treated with a CYP2C19
      inhibiting SSRI was 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82-1.40) for the
      ischemic outcome and 1.00 (95% CI 0.42-2.36) for bleeding. The pooled estimates
      were 1.11 (95% CI 1.01-1.22) for ischemic events and 0.80 (95% CI 0.55-1.18) for
      bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: We observed similar estimates of association between the
      two studies. The updated evidence still indicates a small decrease in clopidogrel
      effectiveness associated with concomitant exposure to clopidogrel and CYP2C19
      inhibiting SSRIs.

PMID- 28623528
TI  - Time for a standardized clinical assessment for narcolepsy with obstructive sleep
      apnea.

PMID- 28623530
TI  - Participation of Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells in Progression of Amelanotic
      Melanoma (RMM Tumor Line) in F344 Rats, with Particular Reference to MHC Class II
      and CD163-Expressing Cells.
AB  - Tumor progression is often influenced by infiltration of myeloid cells; depending
      on the M1- or M2-like activation status, these cells may have either inhibitory
      or promoting effects on tumor growth. We investigated the properties of tumor
      associated myeloid cells in a previously established homotransplantable
      amelanotic melanoma (RMM tumor line) in F344 rats. RMM tumor nodules were allowed
      to reach the sizes of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 cm, respectively. Immunohistochemistry and
      flow cytometry was performed for macrophage markers CD68 and CD163, and for the
      antigen-presenting cell marker, MHC class II. Although no significant change was
      observed in the number of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages during RMM progression,
      the number of MHC class II+ antigen-presenting cells was reduced in 3 cm nodules.
      Real-time RT-PCR of laser microdissection samples obtained from RMM regions rich
      in MHC class II+ cells demonstrated high expressions of M1-like factors: IFN
      gamma, GM-CSF and IL-12a. Furthermore, fluorescence-activated cell sorting,
      followed by real-time RT-PCR for CD11b+ MHC class II+ (myeloid antigen-presenting
      cells), CD11b+ CD163+ (M2 type myeloid cells), CD11b+ CD80+ (M1 type myeloid
      cells) and CD11b+ CD11c+ (dendritic cells) cells was performed. Based on the
      levels of inflammation- and tumor progression-related factors, MHC class II+
      antigen-presenting cells showed polarization towards M1, while CD163+
      macrophages, towards M2. CD80+ and CD11c+ myeloid cells did not show clear
      functional polarization. Our results provide novel information on tumor
      associated myeloid cells in amelanotic melanoma, and may become useful in further
      research on melanoma immunity.

PMID- 28623529
TI  - Ameliorative effect of omega-3 on spermatogenesis, testicular antioxidant status
      and preimplantation embryo development in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in
      rats.
AB  - PURPOSE: The present study was done to determine the ameliorative effect of
      polyunsaturated fatty acid omega-3 against experimental diabetes-induced damages
      on testicular tissue, sperm parameters and preimplantation embryo development in
      rat model. METHODS: Thirty-two mature male rats were divided into two control and
      test groups. The experimental diabetes (50 mg kg-1 streptozotocin, ip) was
      induced in test group and subdivided into non-treated diabetic, 300 and 600 mg kg
      1 omega-3-treated (orally by gavage) groups. The rats in control group received
      0.5 ml saline using intra-gastric gavage. Following 45 days, general
      histopathological changes, serum level of testosterone, inhibin B, glucose, and
      sperm parameters, testicular total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde
      (MDA) content were analyzed. The mitochondria-dependent apoptosis was
      investigated by assessing the Bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression as well as DNA
      fragmentation. Finally, the in vitro fertilization (IVF) potential was examined
      by evaluating preimplantation embryo developing. RESULTS: The omega-3
      significantly ameliorated the diabetes-induced histological damages, diminished
      serum level of glucose, testicular MDA content, and enhanced the serum
      testosterone, inhibin B and testicular TAC. The animals in omega-3-treated groups
      exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) up-regulation in Bcl-2, as well as remarkable
      (p < 0.05) down-regulation in caspase-3 expression compared to non-treated
      diabetic rats. Moreover, the omega-3 maintained DNA integrity, improved sperm
      quality as well as preimplantation embryo development. CONCLUSION: Our data
      showed that the omega-3 (especially at 600 mg kg-1 dose level) effectively
      ameliorates the experimental diabetes-induced infertility in rats by up
      regulating the testicular endocrine and antioxidant statuses, preventing
      mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway and potentially improving the sperm
      quality.

PMID- 28623531
TI  - Elevated Serum Beta-D-Glucan with Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, and a Partially Acid
      Fast Organism in Respiratory Cultures: A Case of Hickam's Dictum Over Occam's
      Razor.
AB  - We describe a case of a man with ectopic Cushing's syndrome, elevated serum beta
      D-glucan, and respiratory cultures with Pseudomonas, Aspergillus, and a partially
      acid-fast organism. Our case highlights challenges in diagnosis and management of
      coinfection in an immunocompromised host.

PMID- 28623532
TI  - Rhizopus homothallicus Causing Invasive Infections: Series of Three Cases from a
      Single Centre in North India.
AB  - Mucormycoses are opportunistic fungal infections with a high mortality rate.
      Rhizopus oryzae is the most common agent implicated in human infections. Although
      R. homothallicus has been previously reported to be a cause of pulmonary
      mucormycosis, it is the first time that we are reporting as a causative agent of
      rhino-orbital and cutaneous mucormycosis.

PMID- 28623533
TI  - Erratum to: Giovanni Verga (1879-1923), author of a pioneering treatise on
      pituitary surgery: the foundations of this new field in Europe in the early
      1900s.

PMID- 28623534
TI  - Acquired Immunity in Chronic Rhinosinusitis.
AB  - Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a prevalent disease that is associated with
      significant costs and quality of life impairments. Currently, patients are
      classified into subgroups based on clinical characteristics, most often the
      presence or absence of nasal polyps. However, despite medical and surgical
      treatment, many of these patients continue to have symptoms. Recent efforts have
      focused on gaining a more complete understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms
      that drive pathogenesis in CRS, and it is becoming clear that the inflammatory
      processes in CRS are quite complex. As our understanding of these complex
      phenotypes improves, it may become possible to classify patients into endotypes
      based on unique inflammatory patterns within the sinus mucosa. This information
      may also lead to the identification of appropriate targeted therapies for
      different endotypes. This review will discuss our current understanding of
      endotypes in CRS along with the unique adaptive immune responses that may
      contribute to these different endotypes and, finally, some potential targeted
      therapeutics for the next generation of CRS treatment strategies.

PMID- 28623535
TI  - Nanotechnologies for In Vitro IgE Testing.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review discusses the recent advances in the development
      of IgE antibody assays based on nanotechnologies. IgE blood testing is an
      important part of the diagnostic workup of IgE-mediated hypersentivity. We also
      address the challenges in moving from an academic proof-of-concept to a product
      routinely used by allergy experts. RECENT FINDINGS: Several nanotechnologies have
      been applied to the field of IgE testing: nanoparticles are used either as a
      support to capture analytes or as a detection tool to enhance the measurement
      signal. Nanofluidics allows to reduce assay time by enhancing molecular
      interaction. Nanotechnologies bring forth new methods for in vitro IgE testing.
      Substantial advantages such as lower sample volume, shorter assay time,
      simplified procedures, and lower analytic sensitivity, without affecting test
      precision and accuracy, can be achieved thanks to nanotechnologies.

PMID- 28623536
TI  - Comparison of fungicidal properties of non-thermal plasma produced by corona
      discharge and dielectric barrier discharge.
AB  - The inactivation of four micromycete species by action of non-thermal plasma was
      followed. Two sources of plasma were compared, namely, positive corona discharge
      and dielectric barrier discharge. The corona discharge appeared as suitable for
      fungal spore inactivation in water suspension, whereas the barrier discharge
      inactivated spores on the surface of cultivation agar. Cladosporium
      sphaerospermum was the most sensitive, being inactivated within 10 min of
      exposure to plasma, whereas Aspergillus oryzae displayed decrease in viable cell
      count only, the complete inactivation was not achieved even after 40 min of
      exposure. Intermediate sensitivity was found for Alternaria sp. and Byssochlamys
      nivea. The significant delay of growth was observed for all fungi after exposure
      to sublethal dose of plasma, but we failed to express this effect quantitatively.

PMID- 28623537
TI  - Durability of Silicone Airway Stents in the Management of Benign Central Airway
      Obstruction.
AB  - PURPOSE: The literature is devoid of a comprehensive analysis of silicone airway
      stenting for benign central airway obstruction (BCAO). With the largest series in
      the literature to date, we aim to demonstrate the safety profile, pattern of re
      intervention, and duration of silicone airway stents. METHODS: An institutional
      database was used to identify patients with BCAO who underwent rigid bronchoscopy
      with dilation and silicone stent placement between 2002 and 2015 at Rush
      University Medical Center. RESULTS: During the study period, 243 stents were
      utilized in 63 patients with BCAO. Pure tracheal stenosis was encountered in 71%
      (45/63), pure tracheomalacia in 11% (7/63), and a hybrid of both in 17% (11/63).
      Median freedom from re-intervention was 104 (IQR 167) days. Most common
      indications for re-intervention include mucus accumulation (60%; 131/220),
      migration (28%; 62/220), and intubation (8%; 18/220). The most common diameters
      of stent placed were 12 mm (94/220) and 14 mm (96/220). The most common lengths
      utilized were 30 mm (60/220) and 40 mm (77/220). Duration was not effected by
      stent size when placed for discrete stenosis. However, 14 mm stents outperformed
      12 mm when tracheomalacia was present (157 vs. 37 days; p = 0.005). Patients with
      a hybrid stenosis fared better when longer stents were used (60 mm stents
      outlasted 40 mm stents 173 vs. 56 days; p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Rigid bronchoscopy
      with silicone airway stenting is a safe and effective option for the management
      of benign central airway obstruction. Our results highlight several strategies to
      improve stent duration.

PMID- 28623538
TI  - Clinically Promising Biomarkers in Cystic Fibrosis Pulmonary Exacerbations.
AB  - Cystic fibrosis is a complex genetic disease hallmarked by repetitive infectious
      exacerbations that leads to destruction of airway architecture, acute on chronic
      inflammatory changes, and deterioration in lung function. Predicting an
      exacerbation may help preempt some of these changes by the initiation of swift
      antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy. A search for biomarkers that could
      predict exacerbations or help guide duration of antibiotic therapy is being
      aggressively sought. In this review, we discuss the most recent and promising
      biomarkers that hopefully will assist in the future management of the CF patient.

PMID- 28623539
TI  - Pneumothorax After Transbronchial Biopsy in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Lessons from the
      Multicenter COMET Trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: Some patients with diffuse interstitial lung disease (ILD) undergo
      bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy (TBB) as part of their diagnostic
      evaluation. It is unclear what the incidence and risk factors for pneumothorax
      (PTX) following TBB are in this patient population. METHODS: Ninety-seven
      subjects with pulmonary fibrosis who underwent a research bronchoscopy with TBB
      as part of the multicenter correlating outcomes with biochemical markers to
      estimate time-progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (COMET) trial were
      retrospectively reviewed. We compared subjects who developed a PTX during
      research bronchoscopy with TBB versus those who did not. RESULTS: Seven patients
      (7.2%) experienced a PTX during research bronchoscopy with TBB. Subjects who
      experienced PTX during TBB had significantly lower DLCO percent predicted (29 +/-
      8 vs. 45 +/- 15, P = 0.006) and had lower resting room air saturation of
      peripheral oxygen (SPO2) on 6-min walk testing (91 +/- 10 vs. 95 +/- 3, P =
      0.02). No differences between groups were found with respect to age, gender,
      race, BMI, HRCT characteristics, or the number of transbronchial biopsies
      performed. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PTX following research bronchoscopy with
      TBB in patients with pulmonary fibrosis was found to be 7.2% in this study.
      Patients who developed a pneumothorax had greater impairments in gas exchange at
      baseline evidenced by a lower DLCO  % predicted and a lower resting room air SPO2
      compared with subjects without PTX as a complication.

PMID- 28623540
TI  - Identification of surgical patients at high risk of OSAS using the Berlin
      Questionnaire to detect potential high risk of adverse respiratory events in post
      anesthesia care unit.
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) increases the risk of post-surgery
      complications. This study uses Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) to identify Chinese
      adult surgical patients who are at a high risk of OSAS and to determine if the BQ
      could be used to detect potential high risk of adverse respiratory events in the
      post anesthesia care unit (PACU). Results indicated that only 11.4% of the
      patients were considered at a high risk of OSAS. Age and body mass index are the
      key factors for the risk of OSAS prevalence in China and also gender specific.
      Furthermore, the incidence of adverse respiratory events in the PACU was higher
      in patients with high risk of OSAS than others (6.8% vs. 0.9%, P < 0.001). They
      also stayed longer than others in the PACU (95 +/- 28 min vs. 62 +/- 19 min, P <
      0.001). Age, high risk for OSAS, and smoking were independent risk factors for
      the occurrence of adverse respiratory events in the PACU. The BQ may be adopted
      as a screening tool for anesthesiologists in China to identify patients who are
      at high risk of OSAS and determine the potential risk of developing postoperative
      respiratory complications in the PACU.

PMID- 28623541
TI  - Multistage analysis method for detection of effective herb prescription from
      clinical data.
AB  - Determining effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments for specific
      disease conditions or particular patient groups is a difficult issue that
      necessitates investigation because of the complicated personalized manifestations
      in real-world patients and the individualized combination therapies prescribed in
      clinical settings. In this study, a multistage analysis method that integrates
      propensity case matching, complex network analysis, and herb set enrichment
      analysis was proposed to identify effective herb prescriptions for particular
      diseases (e.g., insomnia). First, propensity case matching was applied to match
      clinical cases. Then, core network extraction and herb set enrichment were
      combined to detect core effective herb prescriptions. Effectiveness-based mutual
      information was used to detect strong herb-symptom relationships. This method was
      applied on a TCM clinical data set with 955 patients collected from well-designed
      observational studies. Results revealed that groups of herb prescriptions with
      higher effectiveness rates (76.9% vs. 42.8% for matched samples; 94.2% vs. 84.9%
      for all samples) compared with the original prescriptions were found. Particular
      patient groups with symptom manifestations were also identified to help
      investigate the indications of the effective herb prescriptions.

PMID- 28623543
TI  - The challenge and promise of rare disease diagnosis in China.

PMID- 28623542
TI  - Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs associated with chronic kidney
      disease-mineral bone disorder.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to characterize a meta-signature of differentially
      expressed mRNA in chronic kidney disease (CKD) to predict putative microRNA
      (miRNA) in CKD-mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and confirm the changes in these
      genes and miRNA expression under uremic conditions by using a cell culture
      system. PubMed searches using MeSH terms and keywords related to CKD, uremia, and
      mRNA arrays were conducted. Through a computational analysis, a meta-signature
      that characterizes the significant intersection of differentially expressed mRNA
      and expected miRNAs associated with CKD-MBD was determined. Additionally, changes
      in gene and miRNA expressions under uremic conditions were confirmed with human
      Saos-2 osteoblast-like cells. A statistically significant mRNA meta-signature of
      upregulated and downregulated mRNA levels was identified. Furthermore, miRNA
      expression profiles were inferred, and computational analyses were performed with
      the imputed microRNA regulation based on weighted ranked expression and putative
      microRNA targets (IMRE) method to identify miRNAs associated with CKD occurrence.
      TLR4 and miR-146b levels were significantly associated with CKD-MBD. TLR4 levels
      were significantly downregulated, whereas primiR- 146b and miR-146b were
      upregulated in the presence of uremic toxins in human Saos-2 osteoblast-like
      cells. Differentially expressed miRNAs associated with CKD-MBD were identified
      through a computational analysis, and changes in gene and miRNA expressions were
      confirmed with an in vitro cell culture system.

PMID- 28623544
TI  - Clinical feature and waveform in infantile nystagmus syndrome in children with
      FRMD7 gene mutations.
AB  - Infant nystagmus sydrome presents as involuntary eye movement disorder and can
      affect seriously ocular function. We performed a retrospective study of clinical
      data and FRMD7 genetic test results in 12 cases of infantile nystagmus syndrome
      to correlate waveform, stereopsis, and visual acuity. The patients (age 6.40+/
      2.67 years) had FRMD7 mutations as follows: missense in eight cases, shear in two
      cases, frameshift in one case, and non-frameshift in one case. Horizontal jerk
      waveform was observed in six cases, versus horizontal pendulum in five cases and
      dual jerk in one case. The uncorrected visual acuity (24 eyes) was 0.21+/-0.12,
      compared with a corrected visual acuity (24 eyes) of 0.32+/-0.14. All patients
      had simultaneous perception, versus fusion function in 10 cases (83.33%) and
      stereoscopic vision in seven cases (58.33%) using the synoptophore. Eleven cases
      (91.67%) detected the stereo fly, compared with five cases (41.67%) for
      stereoscopic circles and seven cases (58.33%) for stereoscopic animals by Titmus
      test. Stereoscopic vision using the synoptophore did not correlate with the
      frequency, amplitude, or intensity of nystagmus or with corrected binocular
      visual acuity. The infantile nystagmus syndrome with FRMD7 mutations in our cases
      was caused primarily de novo and missense mutations. Visual acuity and binocular
      visual function were significant impaired, and the waveform was generally
      horizontal jerk. Also, an infrared videonystagmogram can record the frequency,
      amplitude, and intensity of nystagmus accurately.

PMID- 28623545
TI  - Analysis of genotypes and phenotypes in Chinese children with tuberous sclerosis
      complex.
AB  - Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurocutaneous syndrome with serious
      clinical presentations, an autosomal dominant genetic disorder involving multiple
      organs and systems. We retrospectively investigated the clinical manifestations
      and genotypes of 20 Chinese children with TSC to enable informed diagnostic and
      surveillance recommendations in China. A retrospective analysis of clinical
      manifestations in 20 children (7.00+/-5.30 years old) with TSC was conducted. A
      genetic testing of the genes TSC1 and TSC2 was performed in 14 children.The
      earliest manifestations of TSC were skin lesions (80% of patients) and seizures
      (75%). Fourteen of the children presented with retinal hamartomas, and 2 of these
      underwent eye enucleation at other hospitals through misdiagnosis. On magnetic
      resonance imaging, 18 children exhibited subependymal nodules, and 16 ones showed
      cortical nodules. 5 cases of non-renal hamartomas, 5 cases of multiple renal
      cysts, and 5 cases of cardiac rhabdomyomas were observed. The genotyping of TSC1
      and TSC2 in 14 children revealed 11 with mutations in TSC2, 2 with mutations in
      TSC1, and no mutations of either gene in one patient. Eight of these observed
      mutations are reported here in for the first time. The illness presentations of
      the TSC2-mutated patients were more severe than that of patients carrying TSC1
      mutations.There were differences in the mutations of TSC genes in Chinese
      children from those reported in other countries. The described clinical
      characteristics and genotyping will help pediatric neurologists to understand,
      diagnosis, and treat TSC.

PMID- 28623546
TI  - Targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate signaling for cancer therapy.
AB  - Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent pleotropic bioactive lipid mediator
      involved in immune cell trafficking, cell survival, cell proliferation, cell
      migration, angiogenesis and many other cellular processes. S1P either activates
      S1P receptors (S1PR1-5) through "inside-out signaling" or acts directly on
      intracellular targets to regulate various cellular processes. In the past two
      decades, much progress has been made in exploring S1P signaling and its
      pathogenic roles in diseases as well as in developing modulators of S1P
      signaling, including S1P agonists, S1P antagonists and sphingosine kinase (SphK)
      inhibitors. Ceramide and S1P have been defined as reciprocal regulators of cell
      fate, and S1P signaling has been shown to be crucial for the pathogenesis of
      various diseases, including autoimmune diseases, inflammation and cancer;
      therefore, targeting S1P signaling may curtail the process of pathogenesis and
      serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of these diseases. In
      this review, we describe recent advances in our understanding of S1P signaling in
      cancer development (particularly in inflammation- associated cancer) as well as
      in innate and adaptive immunity, and we also discuss modulators of S1P signaling
      in cancer treatment.

PMID- 28623547
TI  - Profile of Dr. Xu Zhang.

PMID- 28623548
TI  - Genetic dissection for zinc deficiency tolerance in rice using bi-parental
      mapping and association analysis.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: Zinc deficiency is a widespread soil constraint in rice production.
      Here, we present QTL/candidate genes associated with Zn deficiency tolerance
      identified through bi-parental QTL mapping and genome-wide association analysis.
      Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a widespread soil constraint in rice production. Despite
      several physiological studies elucidating Zn deficiency tolerance mechanisms,
      little is known about genetic factors conferring tolerance. To identify QTL
      associated with root development, biomass accumulation, and grain yield under Zn
      deficiency, we combined bi-parental QTL mapping in a population of 200 backcross
      inbred (BC1F6) lines and genome-wide association analysis using 247 k SNP markers
      across 140 accessions of an indica diversity panel. Three QTLs for Zn deficiency
      tolerance on chromosomes 3, 6, and 12 co-localized in both approaches and the
      association analysis detected two additional strong QTL on chromosomes 1 and 9
      not present in the bi-parental population. Based on haplotype analysis of the
      indica panel, biomass consistently increased due to the minor 'tolerance'
      haplotypes, which had frequencies between 13 and 34%. By utilizing the previous
      transcript data collected from the same Zn-deficient field, we identified one
      putative candidate gene within the chromosome 6-QTL, which was associated with
      all traits in both analyses. Gene Os06g44220 was barely expressed under +Zn
      conditions but strongly upregulated in both root and shoot under stress and
      consistently more so in the tolerant genotype. Os06g44220 is an uncharacterized
      gene with expression previously detected only under salinity stress. Four SNP
      alterations within the promoter region distinguish the two alleles identified and
      a genotype tolerant to Zn deficiency shares the same allele as salinity tolerant
      varieties, lending support to the hypothesis that this gene may confer tolerance
      to both stresses.

PMID- 28623549
TI  - Elevated Circulating PCSK9 Concentrations Predict Subclinical Atherosclerotic
      Changes in Low Risk Obese and Non-Obese Patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Many studies have highlighted the important role of PCSK9 in the
      development of cardiometabolic changes and its possible function as a biomarker
      of myocardial infarction or ischemic heart disease. This study aimed to determine
      the relationship between circulating PCSK9 levels and subclinical vascular
      changes in the group of low risk patients without manifest cardiovascular
      diseases. METHODS: In this study, 120 healthy patients, free of manifest
      cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and without lipid-lowering therapy,
      were divided into three groups based on BMI: normal weight (N = 50), overweight
      (N = 30), and obese (N = 40). Biochemical parameters, including basic lipid and
      non-lipid ones, were analyzed. PCSK9 levels were measured by ELISA, vascular
      changes were quantified by carotid ultrasound (carotid artery intima-media
      thickness, cIMT), and arterial stiffness parameters (pulse wave velocity, PWV;
      augmentation index, AI; stiffness parameter, beta) were measured by an echo
      tracking method. RESULTS: Plasma levels of PCSK9 significantly increased in obese
      (172.78 +/- 51.67 ng/mL) in comparison with overweight (120.14 +/- 37.64, p <
      0.001) and normal weight groups (114.92 +/- 35.87, p < 0.001). Differences
      between the overweight and normal weight groups were not significant (p = 0.85).
      The level of PCSK9 significantly correlated with values of BMI (p < 0.001, r =
      0.38). In addition to increase in laboratory parameters associated with moderate
      metabolic changes, significant increase in cIMT and parameters of vascular
      changes (beta, AI, PWV) were detected in groups with elevated BMI. Significant
      positive linear correlation of PCSK9 concentrations and cIMT (p < 0.001, r =
      0.39), PWV (p < 0.001, r = 0.31), and beta (p < 0.001, r = 0.3) were found. In
      multivariable regression analysis after adjusting for gender, age, BMI, and LDL,
      the impact of PCSK9 on cIMT, beta, and PWV remained significant (p = 0.006, 0.03,
      and 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSION: PCSK9 plasma levels significantly
      correlated with subclinical vascular changes and their values were significantly
      elevated in obese subjects. We assume that PCSK9 could be used as a predictor of
      early vascular involvement, prior to the existence of manifest atherosclerosis.
      These results also highlight the role of anti-PCSK9 treatment in primary
      prevention.

PMID- 28623550
TI  - Antibiotic susceptibility profiles among Campylobacter isolates obtained from
      international travelers between 2007 and 2014.
AB  - Campylobacter infection is a common cause of diarrhea among international
      travelers. We studied antibiotic resistance patterns among Campylobacter isolates
      obtained from international travelers according to travel destination. Three
      collections of isolates obtained from international travelers between 2007 and
      2014 (Institute of Tropical Medicine, the "Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire
      de Bruxelles "and the Belgian National Reference Centre for Campylobacter) were
      used. Isolates were tested for minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (E
      test macromethod) for fluoroquinolones, macrolides, tetracyclines, amoxicillin
      clavulanic acid, and meropenem. Single isolates from 261 travelers were
      available; median (IQR) age was 25.4 (4-42) years, 85.8% were symptomatic
      (information for 224 patients available). Overall resistance to ciprofloxacin was
      60.9%, ranging from 50.8% in Africa to 75.0% in Asia. Resistance to erythromycin
      was 4.6%, with the highest rate observed for Southern Asia (15.2%, seven
      isolates, six of them recovered from patients returning from India). A total of
      126 isolates (48.3%) were resistant to tetracycline. No resistance to amoxicillin
      clavulanic acid or meropenem was detected. Ciprofloxacin resistance tended to
      increase over time (53.9% in 2007 versus 72.2% in 2014), erythromycin resistance
      remained stable (median annual resistance 4.2%). Most (86.2%) ciprofloxacin
      resistant isolates had MIC values >=32 mg/l, and all erythromycin-resistant
      isolates had MIC values >=256 mg/l. Co-resistance to ciprofloxacin and
      erythromycin was observed in 11 (4.2%) isolates, seven of which came from
      Southern Asia. Among all regions of travel, more than half of Campylobacter
      isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin. Overall resistance to erythromycin was
      below 5% but reached 15.2% in Southern Asia.

PMID- 28623551
TI  - Which Patients Will Benefit from a Switch in Therapy from Premixed Insulin to
      Insulin Glargine plus Oral Antidiabetic Drugs? Further Analysis of the Lantus
      Registry Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This subgroup analysis of data from the 16-week Lantus Registry
      Study in China investigated the characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes
      mellitus (T2DM) associated with clinical benefits of transitioning therapy from
      premixed insulin to insulin glargine (100 U/ml) plus oral antidiabetic drugs
      (OADs). METHODS: The modified intention-to-treat population of the Lantus
      Registry Study, comprising 1847 patients with T2DM, were included in the current
      subgroup analyses. Enrolled patients were divided into subgroups based on
      efficacy variables of endpoint glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), endpoint fasting
      plasma glucose (FPG), and change in HbA1c from baseline. The baseline
      characteristics of those who did and did not achieve HbA1c <7.0% were compared,
      as were those with improvement, no change, or deterioration in HbA1c.
      Characteristics of patients who were unable to achieve HbA1c <7.0%, further
      grouped according to whether or not they achieved FPG <=6.1 mmol/L, were also
      compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated
      with achieving HbA1c <7.0%. RESULTS: Comparison between subgroups demonstrated
      that patients with endpoint HbA1c <7.0% were significantly younger, with a
      shorter duration of diabetes and lower baseline FPG, HbA1c, body mass index, and
      dose of premixed insulin than patients with endpoint HbA1c >=7.0%. Logistic
      regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between baseline age, HbA1c,
      FPG, and duration of diabetes with achieving HbA1c <7.0%. When stratified
      according to change in HbA1c, the improvement group was younger, with higher
      baseline HbA1c and a greater number of patients with duration of diabetes <=5
      years. Three-quarters of patients unable to achieve HbA1c <7.0% also failed to
      reach FPG <=6.1 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: Younger patients with a shorter duration of
      diabetes and lower HbA1c, FPG, and premixed insulin dose following a switch in
      treatment to insulin glargine (100 U/ml) plus OADs from premixed insulin have
      greater potential to achieve HbA1c <7.0%. Poorly controlled patients with higher
      baseline HbA1c are most likely to experience an improvement in HbA1c following
      the switch in therapy. The majority of patients unable to achieve HbA1c <7.0%
      also failed to reach FPG <=6.1 mmol/L, highlighting the importance of adequate
      titration of insulin glargine to achieve adequate FPG control, which can enable
      achievement of target HbA1c. FUNDING: Sanofi.

PMID- 28623552
TI  - Pioglitazone and the Risk of Bladder Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - : People with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of bladder cancer.
      Pioglitazone is said to increase it further, although published evidence is
      mixed. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine if any link between the use of
      pioglitazone and an increased risk of bladder cancer can be found. A
      comprehensive literature search was conducted through electronic databases as
      well as registries for data of clinical trials to identify studies that
      investigate the effect of pioglitazone on bladder cancer in diabetic patients. We
      used the risk ratio (RR) and the hazard ratio (HR) provided by the studies to
      illustrate the risk of occurrence of bladder cancer in the experimental group
      compared to that in the control group. Fourteen studies using RR and 12 studies
      using HR were included in the analysis. The overall RR was 1.13 with 95% CI (0.96
      1.33) with low heterogeneity among the studies using RR, suggesting that no
      connection exists between use of pioglitazone and the risk of bladder malignancy.
      The summary HR was 1.07 (0.96-1.18) allowing us to affirm that there is no link
      between long-term use of pioglitazone and bladder cancer. Our results support the
      hypothesis of no difference in the incidence of bladder cancer among the
      pioglitazone group and the nonuser group. Our conclusion is that the explanation
      of hypothetically increased risk of bladder malignancy should be attributed to
      other factors. FUNDING: Tchaikapharma High Quality Medicines Inc.

PMID- 28623553
TI  - Kaposi's disease in an HIV positive child, with probable contamination from his
      grandmother.
AB  - Kaposi's disease in children with HIV is rarely reported in everyday practice.
      This is a case study of cutaneous Kaposi's disease revealing HIV in a 5-year-old
      child with polymorphic eruption of papules and nodules on the face, trunk, back,
      and limbs. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of Kaposi's
      disease. The child's HIV serology was positive with a CD4 count of 240/mm3,
      normochromic and normocytic anemia, and a hemoglobin level at 8.5 g/dl. It was
      found that the child, after early weaning from his HIV-negative mother, had
      repeatedly suckled his healthy grandmother, who had no skin lesions but was HIV1
      positive. Both grandmother and child were referred for treatment in their
      locality. The case is noteworthy for the way in which the HIV1 virus infected the
      child during weaning and then being suckled by his grandmother. The child already
      had an initial dental flare that could have injured his grandmother. Thus, in our
      case, there is a contamination by HIV1 virus most likely from the grandmother and
      contamination by the HHV8 virus, source unidentified as a technical plateau was
      reached.

PMID- 28623554
TI  - [Obesity, high blood pressure, hypercholesterolaemia, and untreated diabetes in
      HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Adults in Mbuji-Mayi (Democratic republic of
      congo)].
AB  - Little is known about the major cardiovascular risk factors in HIV-infected as
      compared to the HIV-uninfected patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR
      Congo). We determined the prevalence of hypertension, obesity (BMI >= 30 kg/m2),
      total cholesterol > 200 mg/dl, HDLcholesterol &<= 40 mg/dl, and glycemia > 126
      mg/dl. We also calculated the average and/or median of total cholesterol, HDL
      cholesterol, and glycemia among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients.We
      conducted a cross-sectional study that enrolled 592 HIV-uninfected and 445 HIV
      infected patients of whom 425 (95.5%) were on first-line antiretroviral therapy
      based on stavudine-lamivudine-nevirapine. Clinical and laboratory data of the
      patients were collected. The results were analyzed by chi-square, t-student, and
      Wilcoxon rank sum tests. 11.5% of HIV-infected patients had an average blood
      pressure suggesting hypertension versus 10.6% of HIV-uninfected (P = 0.751). But
      in absolute value, HIVinfected patients had a median of diastolic blood pressure
      of 90 mmHg versus 85 mmHg of HIV-uninfected (P < 0.001). 4.04% of HIV-infected
      patients had a BMI suggesting obesity versus 6.08% of HIV-uninfected patients (P
      = 0.187). For fasting glucose: 2.50% of HIV-infected patients versus 4.20% of HIV
      uninfected patients had a serum fasting glucose suggesting diabetes (P<0.176).
      11.9% of HIV-infected patients had a total cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dl
      versus 7.4% of HIVuninfected patients (P=0.019). For HDL-cholesterol: 36.40% of
      HIV-infected patients had a serum fasting <= 40 mg/dl versus 15.70% of HIV
      uninfected patients (P < 0.001). HIV-infected patients had a median fasting total
      cholesterol higher (140 mg/ dl) thanHIV-uninfected patients (133mg/dl)
      [P=0.015].HIVuninfected patients had a median fasting HDL-cholesterol higher
      (58.5 mg/dl) than HIV-infected patients (49 mg/dl) [P < 0.001]. HIV-infected
      women were more likely to have a higher mean of total cholesterol: 147.70 #x00B1;
      52.09 mg/dl versus 135.72 &#x00B1; 48.23 mg/dl for the HIV-infected men (P =
      0.014) and of HDL-cholesterol: 55.80 +/- 30.77 mg/dl versus 48.24 +/- 28.57mg/dl
      for the HIV-infected men (P = 0.008). In this study population, prevalence of
      hypertension was elevated in HIVinfected versus HIV-uninfected patients. Being
      HIV positive on first-line antiretroviral therapy based on stavudine-lamivudine
      nevirapine was associated with high prevalence of total cholesterol > 200 mg/dl
      and HDL-cholesterol <= 40 mg/dl. Proactive screening and prompt management of
      dyslipidemia and hypertension in this population should be a priority.

PMID- 28623555
TI  - Goldenhar syndrome: current perspectives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Progress in medical branches that has taken place since the first
      child with Goldenhare syndrome (GS) had been described in 1952 by Maurice
      Goldenhar, facilitated better understanding of this congenital defect. It also
      gave new perspectives and the opportunity to achieve satisfactory treatment
      results, mainly due to development of surgical techniques. DATA SOURCES: Based on
      the literature and own experience, we discussed the phenotype of presentation of
      GS, ethiopathogenesis, genetic counselling and treatment with particular emphasis
      on surgery correction of hemifacial microsomia. RESULTS: The spectrum of GS
      abnormalities ranges from mild to severe ones and include patients with barely
      noticeable facial asymmetry to very pronounced facial defect with more or less
      severe abnormalities of internal organs and/or skeleton. It is characterized most
      commonly by impaired development of eyes, ears, lips, tongue, palate, mandible,
      maxilla, zygomatic and orbital structures and deformations of the teeth
      structures. Ethiopathogenesis is multifactorial and dependent on genetic and
      environmental factors but there are still many unknowns about the syndrome which
      should be revealed. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with GS due to a large variety of
      abnormalities and different severity of symptoms pose a challenge for clinicians.
      All of this necessitate an individual approach to each single patient and
      involvement a team of specialists in treatment planning. It is a complex, long
      lasting, multidisciplinary process and should be divided into stages, according
      to patient's age, as well as the extent and severity of observed abnormalities.
      Neonatologists and pediatricians are involved in care of these patients from the
      onset.

PMID- 28623556
TI  - Characteristics and clinical role of bronchoscopy in diagnosis of childhood
      endobronchial tuberculosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) is the most frequent complication
      of primary pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children. The aim of the study was to
      analyze characteristics and clinical role of bronchoscopy in diagnosis of
      childhood EBTB. METHODS: A retrospective, descriptive study was undertaken in 157
      children with EBTB undergone flexible bronchoscopy (FB) between January 2006 and
      June 2014. RESULTS: The median age of the enrolled patients was 3.4 years, with
      73.2% of patients under five years old. The most common subtype was tumorous type
      (145/157, 92.4%). If only involved bronchus were considered, the common affected
      sites were right middle lobe bronchus (49/228, 21.5%), left upper lobe bronchus
      (41/228, 18.0%), right upper lobe bronchus (41/228, 18.0%), right main bronchus
      (35/228, 15.4%), respectively. Children younger than five years old were at
      higher risk to have multiple endobronchial lesions (P=0.044), with an odds ratio
      of 2.313 (95% confidence interval: 1.009-5.299). Before the bronchoscopy, only 16
      (10.2%) patients were highly suspected of EBTB, while the others were diagnosed
      as PTB without EBTB (69.4%), or misdiagnosed as pneumonia or foreign body
      aspiration (20.4%) on admission. CONCLUSIONS: The patients under five years old
      are at high risk to progress to EBTB and have multiple endobronchial lesions. The
      most frequent subtype of EBTB in children is tumorous type. The lesions are seen
      in the right bronchial system more frequently. FB should be performed to detect
      the endobronchial lesions in suspected patients as soon as possible.

PMID- 28623557
TI  - Proving Value in Radiology: Experience Developing and Implementing a Shareable
      Open Source Registry Platform Driven by Radiology Workflow.
AB  - Numerous initiatives are in place to support value based care in radiology
      including decision support using appropriateness criteria, quality metrics like
      radiation dose monitoring, and efforts to improve the quality of the radiology
      report for consumption by referring providers. These initiatives are largely data
      driven. Organizations can choose to purchase proprietary registry systems, pay
      for software as a service solution, or deploy/build their own registry systems.
      Traditionally, registries are created for a single purpose like radiation dosage
      or specific disease tracking like diabetes registry. This results in a fragmented
      view of the patient, and increases overhead to maintain such single purpose
      registry system by requiring an alternative data entry workflow and additional
      infrastructure to host and maintain multiple registries for different clinical
      needs. This complexity is magnified in the health care enterprise whereby
      radiology systems usually are run parallel to other clinical systems due to the
      different clinical workflow for radiologists. In the new era of value based care
      where data needs are increasing with demand for a shorter turnaround time to
      provide data that can be used for information and decision making, there is a
      critical gap to develop registries that are more adapt to the radiology workflow
      with minimal overhead on resources for maintenance and setup. We share our
      experience of developing and implementing an open source registry system for
      quality improvement and research in our academic institution that is driven by
      our radiology workflow.

PMID- 28623558
TI  - A Method to Recognize Anatomical Site and Image Acquisition View in X-ray Images.
AB  - A method was developed to recognize anatomical site and image acquisition view
      automatically in 2D X-ray images that are used in image-guided radiation therapy.
      The purpose is to enable site and view dependent automation and optimization in
      the image processing tasks including 2D-2D image registration, 2D image contrast
      enhancement, and independent treatment site confirmation. The X-ray images for
      180 patients of six disease sites (the brain, head-neck, breast, lung, abdomen,
      and pelvis) were included in this study with 30 patients each site and two images
      of orthogonal views each patient. A hierarchical multiclass recognition model was
      developed to recognize general site first and then specific site. Each node of
      the hierarchical model recognized the images using a feature extraction step
      based on principal component analysis followed by a binary classification step
      based on support vector machine. Given two images in known orthogonal views, the
      site recognition model achieved a 99% average F1 score across the six sites. If
      the views were unknown in the images, the average F1 score was 97%. If only one
      image was taken either with or without view information, the average F1 score was
      94%. The accuracy of the site-specific view recognition models was 100%.

PMID- 28623559
TI  - IFN-beta-induced reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial damage contribute to
      muscle impairment and inflammation maintenance in dermatomyositis.
AB  - Dermatomyositis (DM) is an autoimmune disease associated with enhanced type I
      interferon (IFN) signalling in skeletal muscle, but the mechanisms underlying
      muscle dysfunction and inflammation perpetuation remain unknown. Transcriptomic
      analysis of early untreated DM muscles revealed that the main cluster of down
      regulated genes was mitochondria-related. Histochemical, electron microscopy, and
      in situ oxygraphy analysis showed mitochondrial abnormalities, including
      increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and decreased respiration,
      which was correlated with low exercise capacities and a type I IFN signature.
      Moreover, IFN-beta induced ROS production in human myotubes was found to
      contribute to mitochondrial malfunctions. Importantly, the ROS scavenger N-acetyl
      cysteine (NAC) prevented mitochondrial dysfunctions, type I IFN-stimulated
      transcript levels, inflammatory cell infiltrate, and muscle weakness in an
      experimental autoimmune myositis mouse model. Thus, these data highlight a
      central role of mitochondria and ROS in DM. Mitochondrial dysfunctions, mediated
      by IFN-beta induced-ROS, contribute to poor exercise capacity. In addition,
      mitochondrial dysfunctions increase ROS production that drive type I IFN
      inducible gene expression and muscle inflammation, and may thus self-sustain the
      disease. Given that current DM treatments only induce partial recovery and expose
      to serious adverse events (including muscular toxicity), protecting mitochondria
      from dysfunctions may open new therapeutic avenues for DM.

PMID- 28623560
TI  - Zebra chip disease enhances respiration and oxidative stress of potato tubers
      (Solanum tuberosum L.).
AB  - MAIN CONCLUSION: The physiological phenotype of potato tubers afflicted by zebra
      chip disease is characterized by increased oxidative stress metabolism and
      upregulation of systems for its mitigation. Starch catabolism and extensive
      buildup of reducing sugars render potatoes infected with zebra chip (ZC) pathogen
      (Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum) unsuitable for fresh market and processing
      into chips/fries. Here we show that the disease inflicts considerable oxidative
      stress, which likely constitutes a substantial sink for metabolic energy,
      resulting in increased respiration rate of afflicted tubers. In contrast to
      healthy tubers, tissue from diseased tubers had greater ability to reduce 2,3,5
      triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride to formazan, indicating enhanced dehydrogenase
      activity, probable disease-induced changes in cellular redox potential, and
      increased respiratory activity. The respiration rate of diseased tubers (cv.
      Atlantic) was 2.4-fold higher than healthy tubers and this correlated with
      increased activities of glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate
      dehydrogenases, key enzymes responsible for synthesis of cytosolic reducing
      equivalents. Wound-induced NADPH oxidase activity was greater for ZC than healthy
      tubers, but the resulting superoxide was rapidly catabolized by higher superoxide
      dismutase activity in ZC tubers. Peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase and
      ascorbate free radical reductase activities were also higher in diseased tubers,
      as was malondialdehyde, a biomarker of peroxidative damage and oxidative stress.
      Upregulation of the glutathione-ascorbate pathway is a direct response to (and
      indicator of) oxidative stress, which consumes reducing equivalents (NADPH) to
      catabolize reactive oxygen species and maintain cellular redox homeostasis. ZC
      disease substantially altered the oxidative metabolism of tubers, resulting in a
      physiological phenotype defined by metabolic changes directed toward mitigating
      oxidative stress. Paradoxically, the increased respiration rate of ZC tubers,
      which fuels the metabolic pathways responsible for attenuating oxidative stress,
      likely also contributes to oxidative stress.

PMID- 28623561
TI  - Variation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit size and shape results from
      multiple components acting pre-anthesis and post-pollination.
AB  - MAIN CONCLUSION: Morphological, QTL, and gene expression analyses indicate
      variation in cucumber fruit size and shape results from orientation, timing, and
      extent of cell division and expansion, and suggest candidate gene factors.
      Variation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit size and shape is highly
      quantitative, implicating interplay of multiple components. Recent studies have
      identified numerous fruit size and shape quantitative trait loci (QTL); however,
      underlying factors remain to be determined. We examined ovary and fruit
      development of two sequenced cucumber genotypes with extreme differences in fruit
      size and shape, Chinese Long '9930' (CL9930), and pickling type 'Gy14'.
      Differences were observed in several independent factors that can influence size
      and shape: ovule number, rate and period of cell division in longitudinal and
      cross section in ovaries and fruit, timing and rate of fruit expansion in length
      and diameter, and cell shape. Level and timing of expression of select fruit
      growth stage marker genes and candidate fruit size gene homologs associated with
      cucumber fruit size and shape QTL were examined from 5-day pre-anthesis to 20-day
      post-pollination. Our results indicate that variation in fruit size and shape
      results from differences in cell number and shape in longitudinal and cross
      section, driven in turn by differences in orientation, timing, and duration of
      cell division and expansion, both pre- and post-anthesis, and suggest candidate
      genes contributing to determination of cucumber fruit size and shape.

PMID- 28623562
TI  - Physical rupture of the xylem in developing sweet cherry fruit causes progressive
      decline in xylem sap inflow rate.
AB  - MAIN CONCLUSION: Xylem flow is progressively shut down during maturation
      beginning with minor veins at the stylar end and progressing to major veins and
      finally to bundles at the stem end. This study investigates the functionality of
      the xylem vascular system in developing sweet cherry fruit (Prunus avium L.). The
      tracers acid fuchsin and gadoteric acid were fed to the pedicel of detached
      fruit. The tracer distribution was studied using light microscopy and magnetic
      resonance imaging. The vasculature of the sweet cherry comprises five major
      bundles. Three of these supply the flesh; two enter the pit to supply the ovules.
      All vascular bundles branch into major and minor veins that interconnect via
      numerous anastomoses. The flow in the xylem as indexed by the tracer distribution
      decreases continuously during development. The decrease is first evident at the
      stylar (distal) end of the fruit during pit hardening and progresses basipetally
      towards the pedicel (proximal) end of the fruit at maturity. That growth strains
      are the cause of the decreased conductance is indicated by: elastic strain
      relaxation after tissue excision, the presence of ruptured vessels in vivo, the
      presence of intrafascicular cavities, and the absence of tyloses.

PMID- 28623563
TI  - Taxonomy and identification of bacteria associated with acute oak decline.
AB  - Acute oak decline (AOD) is a relatively newly described disorder affecting native
      oak species in Britain. Symptomatic trees are characterised by stem bleeds from
      vertical fissures, necrotic lesions in the live tissue beneath and larval
      galleries of the two spotted oak buprestid (Agrilus biguttatus). Several abiotic
      and biotic factors can be responsible for tree death, however the tissue necrosis
      and stem weeping is thought to be caused by a combination of bacterial species.
      Following investigations of the current episode of AOD which began in 2008,
      numerous strains belonging to several different bacteria in the family
      Enterobacteriaceae have been consistently isolated from symptomatic tissue. The
      majority of these enterobacteria were found to be novel species, subspecies and
      even genera, which have now been formally classified. The most frequently
      isolated species from symptomatic oak are Gibbsiella quercinecans, Brenneria
      goodwinii and Rahnella victoriana. Identification of these bacteria is difficult
      due to similarities in colony morphology, phenotypic profile and 16S rRNA gene
      sequences. Current identification relies heavily on gyrB gene amplification and
      sequencing, which is time consuming and laborious. However, newer techniques
      based on detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms show greater promise for
      rapid and reliable identification of the bacteria associated with AOD.

PMID- 28623564
TI  - An NADPH-dependent Lactobacillus composti short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase:
      characterization and application to (R)-1-phenylethanol synthesis.
AB  - A new anti-Prelog short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) encoding gene lcsdr
      was cloned from Lactobacillus composti DSM 18527, and heterologously expressed in
      Escherichia coli. LcSDR is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)
      dependent and has a molecular weight of approximately 30 kDa. The optimal pH and
      temperature were 6.5 and 30  degrees C, respectively. The maximal reaction rate
      Vmax was 133.9 U mg-1; the Michaelis-Menten constant K m of LcSDR were 0.345 mM
      for acetophenone (1a), and 0.085 mM for NADPH. Through introducing an EsGDH
      catalyzed NADPH regeneration system, a biocatalytic process for (R)-1
      phenylethanol ((R)-1b) was developed with outstanding time-space yield. Under the
      optimized conditions, 50 g l-1 1a was converted to (R)-1b in 2 h with a yield of
      93.8%, enantiomeric excess of product (e.e.p) above 99% and space-time yield of
      562.8 g l-1 d-1.

PMID- 28623565
TI  - The novel oleaginous bacterium Sphingomonas sp. EGY1 DSM 29616: a value added
      platform for renewable biodiesel.
AB  - Oleaginous microorganisms are regarded as efficient, renewable cell factories for
      lipid biosynthesis, a biodiesel precursor, to overwhelm the cosmopolitan energy
      crisis with affordable investment capital costs. Present research highlights
      production and characterization of lipids by a newly isolated oleaginous
      bacterium, Sphingomonas sp. EGY1 DSM 29616 through an eco-friendly approach. Only
      sweet whey [42.1% (v/v)] in tap water was efficiently used as a growth medium and
      lipid production medium to encourage cell growth and trigger lipid accumulation
      simultaneously. Cultivation of Sphingomonas sp. EGY1 DSM 29616 in shake flasks
      resulted in the accumulation of 8.5 g L-1 lipids inside the cells after 36 h at
      30  degrees C. Triglycerides of C16:C18 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids
      showed a similar pattern to tripalmitin or triolein; deduced from gas
      chromatography (GC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), and Matrix-assisted laser
      desorption/ionization time-of-flight-mass spectra analysis (MALDI-TOF-MS)
      analyses. Batch cultivation 2.5 L in a laboratory scale fermenter led to 13.8 g L
      1 accumulated lipids after 34 h at 30  degrees C. Present data would underpin the
      potential of Sphingomonas sp. EGY1 DSM 29616 as a novel renewable cell factory
      for biosynthesis of biodiesel.

PMID- 28623566
TI  - Clinical and molecular genetic features of cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis
      patients in Chinese families.
AB  - Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a lipid-storage disease caused by
      mutations in CYP27A1. Current publications of Chinese CTX were mainly based on
      case reports. Here we investigated the clinical manifestations, genetic features
      in Chinese CTX patients. The clinical materials of 4 Chinese CTX pedigrees were
      collected. The genetic testing was done by polymerase chain reaction plus Sanger
      sequencing. The features of Chinese CTX patients reported previously were also
      reviewed. Three novel mutations of p.Arg513Cys, c.1477-2A > C in family 1 and
      p.Arg188Stop in family 4 (NM 000784.3) in CYP27A1 were found. The probands in our
      study manifested cerebellar ataxia, tendon xanthoma and spastic paresis in family
      1 and 4, tendon xanthoma plus spastic paraparesis in family 2, asymptomatic
      tendon xanthoma in family 3. Three known mutations of p.Arg137Gln, p.Arg127Trp
      and p.Arg405Gln were found respectively in Family 2, 3 and 4. For the Chinese
      patients reviewed, the most common findings were xanthomatosis (100%), pyramidal
      signs (100%), cerebellar ataxia (66.7%), cognitive impairment (66.7%), cataracts
      (50.0%), and peripheral neuropathy (33.3%). Chronic diarrhea was infrequently
      seen (5.6%). No mutation was found associated with any given clinical features.
      We identified 3 novel mutations in CYP27A1. In Chinese CTX patients,
      xanthomatosis was the most common symptom while cataracts and chronic diarrhea
      were less frequent. The special features in Chinese CTX patients might caused by
      the lack of serum cholestanol test and should be confirmed in larger number of
      patients in the future.

PMID- 28623567
TI  - Molecular Identification and Comparative Evaluation of Tropical Marine Microalgae
      for Biodiesel Production.
AB  - Marine microalgae have emerged as important feedstock for liquid biofuel
      production. The identification of lipid-rich native microalgal species with high
      growth rate and optimal fatty acid profile and biodiesel properties is the most
      challenging step in microalgae-based biodiesel production. In this study,
      attempts have been made to bio-prospect the biodiesel production potential of
      marine and brackish water microalgal isolates from the west coast of India. A
      total of 14 microalgal species were isolated, identified using specific molecular
      markers and based on the lipid content; seven species with total lipid content
      above 20% of dry cell weight were selected for assessing biodiesel production
      potential in terms of lipid and biomass productivities, nile red fluorescence,
      fatty acid profile and biodiesel properties. On comparative analysis, the diatoms
      were proven to be promising based on the overall desirable properties for
      biodiesel production. The most potential strain Navicula phyllepta MACC8 with a
      total lipid content of 26.54 % of dry weight of biomass, the highest growth rate
      (0.58 day-1) and lipid and biomass productivities of 114 and 431 mgL-1 day-1,
      respectively, was rich in fatty acids mainly of C16:0, C16:1 and C18:0 in the
      neutral lipid fraction, the most favoured fatty acids for ideal biodiesel
      properties. The biodiesel properties met the requirements of fuel quality
      standards based on empirical estimation. The marine diatoms hold a great promise
      as feedstock for large-scale biodiesel production along with valuable by-products
      in a biorefinery perspective, after augmenting lipid and biomass production
      through biochemical and genetic engineering approaches.

PMID- 28623568
TI  - Evaluation of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in a major hospital in a
      developing country.
AB  - : Background Venous thromboembolism is the most common preventable cause of
      hospital death. Despite that, there is still a large gap between what we know
      about venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and what is happening in current
      practice. Objective To evaluate VTE prophylaxis in Al-Basheer hospital and assess
      the extent of agreement of physicians' practice with the guidelines. Setting Al
      Basheer governmental hospital in Jordan between January 2016 and June 2016.
      Method In this cross-sectional observational study, patients were randomly
      selected from medical and surgical wards. The need for venous thromboembolism
      prophylaxis was assessed according to the American College of Chest Physicians
      guideline (9th edition) for men and non-pregnant women, and the Royal College of
      Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines for pregnant women. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURE: rate of agreement of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis with the
      guidelines. Results The total number of patients was 1030, Patients in the
      medical wards constituted most of the participants. The rate of concordance with
      the guidelines was 718/1030 (69.7%) in the total number of patients When the
      patients were divided into groups: those that required venous thromboembolism
      prophylaxis and those that did not, the rate of agreement with guidelines in the
      subgroup that needed prophylaxis 160/456 (35.1%) was lower than the rate in the
      subgroup that did not need prophylaxis 558/574 (97.2%), p value <0.001.
      Conclusion venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in Al-Basheer hospital is not
      appropriate and underused, this might be attributed to the absence of an
      institutional guideline.

PMID- 28623569
TI  - Estimating the Population Size of Female Sex Worker Population in Tehran, Iran:
      Application of Direct Capture-Recapture Method.
AB  - There is no reliable estimate of the size of female sex workers (FSWs). This
      study aimed to estimate the size of FSWs in south of Tehran, Iran in 2016 using
      direct capture-recapture method. In the capture phase, the hangouts of FSWs were
      mapped as their meeting places. FSWs who agreed to participate in the study
      tagged with a T-shirt. The recapture phase was implemented at the same places
      tagging FSWs with a blue bracelet. The total estimated size of FSWs was 690 (95%
      CI 633, 747). About 89.43% of FSWs experienced sexual intercourse prior to age
      20. The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection among FSWs was
      4.60%. The estimated population size of FSWs was much more than our expectation.
      This issue must be the focus of special attention for planning prevention
      strategies. However, alternative estimates require to estimating the number FSWs,
      reliably.

PMID- 28623571
TI  - Erratum to: Co-spray Drying with HPMC as a Platform to Improve Direct Compaction
      Properties of Various Tablet Fillers.

PMID- 28623570
TI  - Enhanced recovery protocols in total joint arthroplasty: a review of the
      literature and their implementation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: During recent years, there has been an exponential demand for joint
      arthroplasty, which has coincided with the global economic recession. In
      response, the management of patients following arthroplasty is continuously
      evolving, with the average inpatient length of stay decreasing from weeks to
      days, and more recently, we have witnessed the development of "outpatient
      arthroplasty" as a novel concept which aims to address the high volume of
      patients. The reduction in length of stay has been made possible via
      implementation of "enhanced recovery programmes" encompassing each stage of the
      patient journey. Such programmes have aimed to maximise efficiency, whilst
      maintaining patient satisfaction and achieving exceptional functional outcomes.
      OBJECTIVE: We have undertaken a thorough review the literature in relation to
      enhanced recovery programmes (ERPs) and the research that has underpinned
      individual elements of enhanced recovery. A literature search of enhanced
      recovery protocols was carried out using PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and OVID. No
      language restrictions were imposed on the search. REVIEW: ERPs represent a
      multifactorial framework which may be subdivided into several phases. Pre
      operative education programmes, outpatient consultation, pre-anaesthetic
      assessment, pre-procedural physiotherapy, day-of-surgery admission, pre-operative
      medications, type of anaesthesia, blood loss reduction protocols, multimodal
      analgesia delivery, day-of-surgery mobilisation, thromboembolic prophylaxis and
      ongoing rehabilitation are essential in enhanced recovery. CONCLUSION: These
      successful strategies have streamlined the patient pathway of arthroplasty
      surgery in a cost-effective manner, whilst reducing length of hospital stay and
      maintaining patient outcomes. Further studies are required to appropriately
      quantify the impact of individual variables and development of an internationally
      agreed ERP.

PMID- 28623572
TI  - Nutritional (Fe, Mn, Ni, and Cr) and growth responses of rice plant affected by
      perennial application of two bio-solids.
AB  - Trace toxic elements often restrict the land application of different bio-solids
      in agriculture. In order to evaluate the separate influence of the municipal
      solid waste compost (MSW), sewage sludge (SS) and combined application with
      inorganic fertilizers (chemical fertilizer (CF)) on nutritional (Fe, Mn, Ni, and
      Cr) and growth responses of rice plant, a research was conducted on paddy soil
      from 2013 to 2015. Obtained results showed that SS levels were superior to MSW in
      most studied traits. The maximum chlorophyll content (46.52), plant height (162.6
      cm), biomass (23.33 t ha-1), soil available Fe (206.26 ppm), Ni concentration in
      the root (14.41 ppm) and shoots (3.16 ppm), Cr concentration in the root (12.43
      ppm) and grain (3.65 ppm), and Mn concentration in grain (66.938 ppm) belonged to
      SS levels, specially enriched 40 t ha-1, when it was added to the soil for three
      continuous years. The highest 1000-grain weight (29.89 g), yield (6.86 t ha-1),
      harvest index (48.17%), and soil available Mn (712.7 ppm), Fe, and Ni
      concentration in grain (107.92 and 8.79 ppm, respectively) were recorded in 3
      years of applying the enriched 40 t ha-1 MSW. Accumulation of Ni in grain in
      critical levels and negative effects of CF treatments on toxic element entry to
      soil and plant were two important findings of this research that need management.

PMID- 28623573
TI  - Bisphenol A exposure assessment from olive oil consumption.
AB  - The use of bisphenol A (BPA) in packaging has grown over the past 50 years
      despite concerns of its migration into packaged food and beverages, resulting in
      human exposure. Many studies have reported tumorigenic effects and endocrine
      alterations associated with BPA in animal models. This study aims at assessing
      human exposure to BPA from olive oil. A total of 27 olive oil samples were
      collected from mills and local villagers in the Hasbaya District, a major olive
      oil harvesting region in Lebanon. Information on storage conditions was also
      collected. BPA was extracted and quantified by HPLC. Results showed significantly
      higher BPA levels in olive oil samples stored in plastic vs. non-plastic
      packaging (mean = 333 vs. 150 MUg/kg, p value = 0.006), samples with a plastic
      storage duration of >1 year compared to those with a storage duration of <1 year
      (mean = 452 vs. 288 MUg/kg, p value = 0.008), and oil samples sourced from locals
      compared to oil mills (mean = 376 vs. 228 MUg/kg, p value = 0.022). Statistically
      significant higher BPA levels remained for samples stored in plastic vs. non
      plastic packaging in the bootstrap multivariable linear regression (B = 121.56,
      95% CI 53.44-194.39, p value = 0.009). This is the first report on BPA levels in
      Mediterranean olive oil. The estimated exposure was 1.38% of the EFSA tolerable
      daily intake, hence there are no concerns about potential health risks from olive
      oil consumption.

PMID- 28623575
TI  - From Genes to Networks: Characterizing Gene-Regulatory Interactions in Plants.
AB  - Plants, like other eukaryotes, have evolved complex mechanisms to coordinate gene
      expression during development, environmental response, and cellular homeostasis.
      Transcription factors (TFs), accompanied by basic cofactors and
      posttranscriptional regulators, are key players in gene-regulatory networks
      (GRNs). The coordinated control of gene activity is achieved by the interplay of
      these factors and by physical interactions between TFs and DNA. Here, we will
      briefly outline recent technological progress made to elucidate GRNs in plants.
      We will focus on techniques that allow us to characterize physical interactions
      in GRNs in plants and to analyze their regulatory consequences. Targeted
      manipulation allows us to test the relevance of specific gene-regulatory
      interactions. The combination of genome-wide experimental approaches with
      mathematical modeling allows us to get deeper insights into key-regulatory
      interactions and combinatorial control of important processes in plants.

PMID- 28623574
TI  - The bactericidal effect of simultaneous titanium oxide on common hospital
      bacteria.
AB  - Bacteria prevalence has increased in health centers and hospitals. Infection
      control can decrease the number of bacteria. Bacteria cause 90% of nosocomial
      infections and fungi, viruses, or protozoa are less involved. Bacteria control
      can decrease the number of diseases. The Simultaneous titanium oxide (SMTiO) is a
      new method of disinfection. This process degrades bacteria by producing hydroxyl
      radical. The present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the
      bactericidal effect of simultaneous titanium oxide on common hospital bacteria.
      In this study, SMTiO system was placed under a laminar hood. Escherichia coli,
      Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and
      Citrobacter freundii were selected as common hospital bacteria. Treatment
      operations were conducted at the bacteria concentration 106 cells/mL and the
      exposure times of 1 to 48 h. Then, the bacteria colonies were counted and removal
      rate calculated separately each of the bacteria. Finally, data analysis was
      conducted by using one-way ANOVA. Results showed that E. coli and C. freundii had
      the highest removal rate (40%) and the lowest removal (14%), respectively.
      Results confirmed that SMTiO can degrade Gram-positive and Gram-negative
      bacteria, but its effects were lower on Gram-positive bacteria. Results showed
      that removal efficiency increased gradually during exposure periods. We recommend
      that future studies should analyze the structure of bacteria after the treatment
      with SMTiO.

PMID- 28623576
TI  - Inducible Promoter Systems for Gene Perturbation Experiments in Arabidopsis.
AB  - Assessing molecular changes that occur through altering a gene's activity is
      often hampered by difficulties that arise due to the typically static nature of
      the introduced perturbation. This is especially problematic when investigating
      molecular events at specific stages and/or in certain tissues or organs during
      Arabidopsis development. To circumvent these issues, we have employed chemically
      inducible artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) for the specific knockdown of
      developmental regulators. For our own research, we have combined this gene
      perturbation approach with a floral induction system, which allows the
      simultaneous induction of a large number of flowers on the inflorescence of a
      single plant, and the ability to knock down a gene's activity at any given stage
      of development. To enable the plant community to avail of the full benefits of
      these systems, we describe, in this chapter, strategies for amiRNA-mediated gene
      perturbations and address some common problems that can be encountered when
      generating inducible amiRNA constructs, growing these plants, and collecting
      floral buds for analysis.

PMID- 28623577
TI  - Cell Type-Specific Gene Expression Profiling Using Fluorescence-Activated Nuclear
      Sorting.
AB  - Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) is a powerful method for the analysis
      of cell type-specific transcriptome profiles, DNA or histone modifications, and
      chemical compounds. In plants, it has been employed mainly with root and shoot
      tissue in combination with cell wall digestion on cellular and nuclear content.
      However, many tissues are recalcitrant to cell separation and are therefore not
      readily accessible for FACS analysis. Here, we lay out a detailed protocol for
      the generation of transcriptional profiles from fluorescently labeled nuclei. The
      protocol described in this chapter has been used successfully to generate a
      transcriptional map of the early Arabidopsis thaliana embryo.

PMID- 28623578
TI  - Characterization of Cell-Type-Specific DNA Binding Sites of Plant Transcription
      Factors Using Chromatin Immunoprecipitation.
AB  - The generation of diverse cell types in multicellular organisms often requires
      the activity of cell-type-specific transcription factors. Understanding where
      these transcription factors bind in controlling specific cellular programs is
      critical. However, probing these cell-type-specific factors in vivo with standard
      chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays remains a challenge. We have
      developed an optimized ChIP assay termed Maximized Objects for Better Enrichment
      (MOBE)-ChIP, which improves ChIP sensitivity and allows the detection of cell
      type-specific signals at a genome-wide scale. Here, I describe the procedure for
      implementing this method for the study of plant transcription factors. Besides
      being useful for cell-type-specific studies, MOBE-ChIP can also be employed as a
      general strategy for enhancing ChIP signals.

PMID- 28623579
TI  - Yeast One- and Two-Hybrid High-Throughput Screenings Using Arrayed Libraries.
AB  - Since their original description more than 25 years ago, the yeast one- and two
      hybrid systems (Y1H/Y2H) have been used by many laboratories to detect DNA
      protein (Y1H) and protein-protein interactions (Y2H). These systems use yeast
      cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a eukaryotic "test tube" and are amenable for
      most labs in the world. The development of highly efficient cloning methods has
      fostered the generation of large collections of open reading frames (ORFs) for
      several organisms that have been used for yeast screenings. Here, we describe a
      simple mating based method for high-throughput screenings of arrayed ORF
      libraries with DNA (Y1H) or protein (Y2H) baits not requiring robotics. One
      person can easily carry out this protocol in approximately 10 h of labor spread
      over 5 days. It can also be scaled down to test one-to-one (few) interactions,
      scaled up (i.e., robotization) and is compatible with several library formats
      (i.e., 96, 384-well microtiter plates).

PMID- 28623580
TI  - SELEX-Seq: A Method to Determine DNA Binding Specificities of Plant Transcription
      Factors.
AB  - Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is a method
      that allows isolating specific nucleotide sequences that interact with a DNA
      binding protein of choice. By using a transcription factor (TF) and a randomized
      pool of double-stranded DNA, this technique can be used to characterize TF DNA
      binding specificities and affinities. The method is based on protein-DNA complex
      immunoprecipitation with protein-specific antibodies and subsequent DNA selection
      and amplification. Application of massively parallel sequencing (-seq) at each
      cycle of SELEX allows determining the relative affinities to any DNA sequence for
      any transcription factor or TF complex. The resulting TF DNA binding motifs can
      be used to predict potential DNA binding sites in genomes and thereby direct
      target genes of TFs.

PMID- 28623581
TI  - Analysis of a Plant Transcriptional Regulatory Network Using Transient Expression
      Systems.
AB  - In plant biology, transient expression systems have become valuable approaches
      used routinely to rapidly study protein expression, subcellular localization,
      protein-protein interactions, and transcriptional activity prior to in vivo
      studies. When studying transcriptional regulation, luciferase reporter assays
      offer a sensitive readout for assaying promoter behavior in response to different
      regulators or environmental contexts and to confirm and assess the functional
      relevance of predicted binding sites in target promoters. This chapter aims to
      provide detailed methods for using luciferase reporter system as a rapid,
      efficient, and versatile assay to analyze transcriptional regulation of target
      genes by transcriptional regulators. We describe a series of optimized transient
      expression systems consisting of Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts, infiltrated
      Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, and human HeLa cells to study the transcriptional
      regulations of two well-characterized transcriptional regulators SCARECROW (SCR)
      and SHORT-ROOT (SHR) on one of their targets, CYCLIN D6 (CYCD6).Here, we
      illustrate similarities and differences in outcomes when using different systems.
      The plant-based systems revealed that the SCR-SHR complex enhances CYCD6
      transcription, while analysis in HeLa cells showed that the complex is not
      sufficient to strongly induce CYCD6 transcription, suggesting that additional,
      plant-specific regulators are required for full activation. These results
      highlight the importance of the system and suggest that including heterologous
      systems, such as HeLa cells, can provide a more comprehensive analysis of a
      complex gene regulatory network.

PMID- 28623582
TI  - Analysis of In Vivo Chromatin and Protein Interactions of Arabidopsis Transcript
      Elongation Factors.
AB  - A central step to elucidate the function of proteins commonly comprises the
      analysis of their molecular interactions in vivo. For nuclear regulatory proteins
      this involves determining protein-protein interactions as well as mapping of
      chromatin binding sites. Here, we present two protocols to identify protein
      protein and chromatin interactions of transcript elongation factors (TEFs) in
      Arabidopsis. The first protocol (Subheading 3.1) describes protein affinity
      purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP-MS) that utilizes suspension
      cultured cells as experimental system. This approach provides an unbiased view of
      proteins interacting with epitope-tagged TEFs. The second protocol (Subheading
      3.2) depicts details about a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) procedure to
      characterize genomic binding sites of TEFs. These methods should be valuable
      tools for the analysis of a broad variety of nuclear proteins.

PMID- 28623583
TI  - Characterization of Mediator Complex and its Associated Proteins from Rice.
AB  - The Mediator complex is a multi-protein complex that acts as a molecular bridge
      conveying transcriptional messages from the cis element-bound transcription
      factor to the RNA Polymerase II machinery. It is found in all eukaryotes
      including members of the plant kingdom. Increasing number of reports from plants
      regarding different Mediator subunits involved in a multitude of processes
      spanning from plant development to environmental interactions have firmly
      established it as a central hub of plant regulatory networks. Routine isolation
      of Mediator complex in a particular species is a necessity because of many
      reasons. First, composition of the Mediator complex varies from species to
      species. Second, the composition of the Mediator complex in a particular species
      is not static under all developmental and environmental conditions. Besides this,
      at times, Mediator complex is used in in vitro transcription systems. Rice, a
      staple food crop of the world, is used as a model monocot crop. Realizing the
      need of a reliable protocol for the isolation of Mediator complex from plants, we
      describe here the isolation of Mediator complex from rice.

PMID- 28623584
TI  - DNase I SIM: A Simplified In-Nucleus Method for DNase I Hypersensitive Site
      Sequencing.
AB  - Identifying cis-regulatory elements is critical in understanding the direct and
      indirect interactions that occur within gene regulatory networks. Current
      approaches include DNase-seq, a technique that combines sensitivity to the
      nonspecific endonuclease DNase I with high-throughput sequencing to identify
      regions of regulatory DNA on a genome-wide scale. Yet, challenges still remain in
      processing recalcitrant tissues that have low DNA content. Here, we describe
      DNase I SIM (for Simplified In-nucleus Method), a protocol that simplifies and
      facilitates generation of DNase-seq libraries from plant tissues for high
      resolution mapping of DNase I hypersensitive sites. By removing steps requiring
      the use of gel agarose plugs in DNase-seq, DNase I SIM reduces the time required
      to perform the protocol by at least 2 days, while also making possible the
      processing of difficult plant tissues including plant roots.

PMID- 28623585
TI  - In Situ Hi-C Library Preparation for Plants to Study Their Three-Dimensional
      Chromatin Interactions on a Genome-Wide Scale.
AB  - The spatial organization of the genome in the nucleus is critical for many
      cellular processes. It has been broadly accepted that the packing of chromatin
      inside the nucleus is not random, but structured at several hierarchical levels.
      The Hi-C method combines Chromatin Conformation Capture and high-throughput
      sequencing, which allows interrogating genome-wide chromatin interactions.
      Depending on the sequencing depth, chromatin packing patterns derived from Hi-C
      experiments can be viewed on a chromosomal scale or at a local genic level. Here,
      I describe a protocol of plant in situ Hi-C library preparation, which covers
      procedures starting from tissue fixation to library amplification.

PMID- 28623586
TI  - Multiplexed Transcriptional Activation or Repression in Plants Using CRISPR-dCas9
      Based Systems.
AB  - Novel tools and methods for regulating in vivo plant gene expression are quickly
      gaining popularity and utility due to recent advances in CRISPR-dCas9 chimeric
      effector regulators, otherwise known as CRISPR artificial transcription factors
      (CRISPR-ATFs). These tools are especially useful for studying gene function and
      interaction within various regulatory networks. First generation CRISPR-ATFs are
      nuclease-deactivated (dCas9) CRISPR systems where dCas9 proteins are fused to
      known transcriptional activator domains (VP64) or repressor domains (SRDX). When
      multiple chimeric dCas9-effector fusions are guided to gene regulatory regions
      via CRISPR gRNAs, they can modulate expression of transcript levels in planta.
      The protocol presented here provides a detailed procedure for activating AtPAP1
      and repressing AtCSTF64 in Arabidopsis thaliana. This protocol makes use of our
      plant CRISPR toolbox to streamline the assembly and cloning of multiplex CRISPR
      Cas9 transcriptional regulatory constructs.

PMID- 28623587
TI  - Generation of dTALEs and Libraries of Synthetic TALE-Activated Promoters for
      Engineering of Gene Regulatory Networks in Plants.
AB  - Transcription factors with programmable DNA-binding specificity constitute
      valuable tools for the design of orthogonal gene regulatory networks for
      synthetic biology. Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs), as natural
      transcription regulators, were used to design, build, and test libraries of
      synthetic TALE-activated promoters (STAPs) that show a broad range of expression
      levels in plants. In this chapter, we present protocols for the construction of
      artificial TALEs and corresponding STAPs.

PMID- 28623588
TI  - Design of Knowledge Bases for Plant Gene Regulatory Networks.
AB  - Developing a knowledge base that contains all the information necessary for the
      researcher studying gene regulation in a particular organism can be accomplished
      in four stages. This begins with defining the data scope. We describe here the
      necessary information and resources, and outline the methods for obtaining data.
      The second stage consists of designing the schema, which involves defining the
      entire arrangement of the database in a systematic plan. The third stage is the
      implementation, defined by actualization of the database by using software
      according to a predefined schema. The final stage is development, where the
      database is made available to users in a web-accessible system. The result is a
      knowledgebase that integrates all the information pertaining to gene regulation,
      and which is easily expandable and transferable.

PMID- 28623589
TI  - AraNet: A Network Biology Server for Arabidopsis thaliana and Other Non-Model
      Plant Species.
AB  - Functional gene networks link genes based on their functional relatedness, which
      is inferred from various complementary biological datasets. Gene networks
      comprising vast amounts of data can be used to predict which genes are associated
      with complex traits. Decades of studies in plant biology using the model organism
      Arabidopsis thaliana have generated large amounts of information, enabling the
      development of a system-level molecular network. AraNet (currently version 2) is
      a genome-scale functional gene network for Arabidopsis thaliana, constructed by
      integrating 19 types of genomics data and can be explored through a web-server
      (http://www.inetbio.org/aranet) to identify candidate genes for traits of
      interest. AraNet provides two alternative search paths for users to identify
      candidate genes and functions. The web server also exploits ortholog
      relationships between plant species and projects the genes of 28 other plant
      species (as of April, 2016) into the network of Arabidopsis genes. This allows
      researchers to use AraNet to predict genes/functions of not only Arabidopsis but
      also other non-model plants by expanding the functional knowledge of Arabidopsis.
      Here, we present a detailed description of how to search the AraNet network and
      interpret the search results to study plant gene functions and their associations
      with complex phenotypes.

PMID- 28623590
TI  - Integration of Genome-Wide TF Binding and Gene Expression Data to Characterize
      Gene Regulatory Networks in Plant Development.
AB  - Key transcription factors (TFs) controlling the morphogenesis of flowers and
      leaves have been identified in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Recent
      genome-wide approaches based on chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by
      high-throughput DNA sequencing (ChIP-seq) enable systematic identification of
      genome-wide TF binding sites (TFBSs) of these regulators. Here, we describe a
      computational pipeline for analyzing ChIP-seq data to identify TFBSs and to
      characterize gene regulatory networks (GRNs) with applications to the regulatory
      studies of flower development. In particular, we provide step-by-step
      instructions on how to download, analyze, visualize, and integrate genome-wide
      data in order to construct GRNs for beginners of bioinformatics. The practical
      guide presented here is ready to apply to other similar ChIP-seq datasets to
      characterize GRNs of interest.

PMID- 28623591
TI  - Predicting Transcription Factor Binding Sites and Their Cognate Transcription
      Factors Using Gene Expression Data.
AB  - A transcription factor (TF) is a DNA binding protein that targets specific
      binding-sites (TFBSs) to regulate the transcript levels of its downstream genes.
      Thus, identifying the TF-TFBS pairs is a pivotal step in understanding the
      function of TFs and the regulatory network in an organism. Here, we describe two
      methods for predicting the TFBS of a given TF and for predicting the cognate TF
      of a given TFBS from a set of strongly co-expressed genes, using time-course
      transcriptome data of maize developing leaves.

PMID- 28623592
TI  - Computational Approaches to Study Gene Regulatory Networks.
AB  - The goal of the gene regulatory network (GRN) inference is to determine the
      interactions between genes given heterogeneous data capturing spatiotemporal gene
      expression. Since transcription underlines all cellular processes, the inference
      of GRN is the first step in deciphering the determinants of the dynamics of
      biological systems. Here, we first describe the generic steps of the inference
      approaches that rely on similarity measures and group the similarity measures
      based on the computational methodology used. For each group of similarity
      measures, we not only review the existing approaches but also describe
      specifically the detailed steps of the existing state-of-the-art algorithms.

PMID- 28623593
TI  - Boolean Dynamic Modeling Approaches to Study Plant Gene Regulatory Networks:
      Integration, Validation, and Prediction.
AB  - Mathematical models based on dynamical systems theory are well-suited tools for
      the integration of available molecular experimental data into coherent frameworks
      in order to propose hypotheses about the cooperative regulatory mechanisms
      driving developmental processes. Computational analysis of the proposed models
      using well-established methods enables testing the hypotheses by contrasting
      predictions with observations. Within such framework, Boolean gene regulatory
      network dynamical models have been extensively used in modeling plant
      development. Boolean models are simple and intuitively appealing, ideal tools for
      collaborative efforts between theorists and experimentalists. In this chapter we
      present protocols used in our group for the study of diverse plant developmental
      processes. We focus on conceptual clarity and practical implementation, providing
      directions to the corresponding technical literature.

PMID- 28623594
TI  - ODE-Based Modeling of Complex Regulatory Circuits.
AB  - Transcriptional regulatory circuits are often complex, consisting of many
      components and regulatory interactions. Mathematical modeling is an important
      tool for understanding the behavior of these circuits, and identifying gaps in
      our understanding of gene regulation. Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) are
      a commonly used formalism for constructing mathematical models of complex
      regulatory networks. Here, I outline the steps involved in developing,
      parameterizing, and testing an ODE model of a gene regulatory network.

PMID- 28623595
TI  - Inferring Gene Regulatory Networks in the Arabidopsis Root Using a Dynamic
      Bayesian Network Approach.
AB  - Gene regulatory network (GRN) models have been shown to predict and represent
      interactions among sets of genes. Here, we first show the basic steps to
      implement a simple but computationally efficient algorithm to infer GRNs based on
      dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs), and we then explain how to approximate DBN
      based GRN models with continuous models. In addition, we show a MATLAB
      implementation of the key steps of this method, which we use to infer an
      Arabidopsis root GRN.

PMID- 28623596
TI  - Impact of Residency Training Level on the Surgical Quality Following General
      Surgery Procedures.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety of surgical performance by residents of
      different training level performing common general surgical procedures. METHODS:
      Data were consecutively collected from all patients undergoing general surgical
      procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy, laparoscopic appendectomy,
      inguinal, femoral and umbilical hernia repair from 2005 to 2011 at the Department
      of Surgery of the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. The operating
      surgeons were grouped into junior residents, senior residents and consultants.
      The comprehensive complication index (CCI) representing the overall number and
      severity of all postoperative complications served as primary safety endpoint. A
      multivariable linear regression analysis was used to analyze differences between
      groups. Additionally, we focused on the impact of senior residents assisting
      junior residents on postoperative outcome comparing to consultants. RESULTS:
      During the observed time, 2715 patients underwent a general surgical procedure.
      In 1114 times, a senior resident operated and in 669 procedures junior residents
      performed the surgery. The overall postoperative morbidity quantified by the CCI
      was for consultants 5.0 (SD 10.7), for senior residents 3.5 (8.2) and for junior
      residents 3.6 (8.3). After adjusting for possible confounders, no difference
      between groups concerning the postoperative complications was detected. There is
      also no difference in postoperative complications detectable if junior residents
      were assisted by consultants then if assisted by senior residents. DISCUSSION:
      Patient safety is ensured in general surgery when performed by surgical junior
      residents. Senior residents are able to adopt the role of the teaching surgeon in
      charge without compromising patients' safety.

PMID- 28623597
TI  - Acute Appendicitis: Still a Surgical Disease? Results from a Propensity Score
      Based Outcome Analysis of Conservative Versus Surgical Management from a
      Prospective Database.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the outcomes of
      conservative versus surgical treatment for acute appendicitis. BACKGROUND:
      Although acute appendicitis is a common disease, great debate exists regarding
      the appropriate management of patients. Conservative treatment has shown positive
      results in several RCTs, eliciting questions about indications to surgery,
      therapeutic appropriateness and ethical conduct. METHODS: Data were prospectively
      collected; a Propensity Score-based matching method was implemented in order to
      reduce bias arising from characteristics of the patients; a proportion of
      patients (69 in total) were excluded to obtain two comparable groups of study
      (1a). Main outcomes of the study were: failure rate, in-hospital length of stay
      (at first admission and cumulative), post-discharge absence from work. Within the
      medical group, failure was defined as the necessity for appendectomy after
      conservative treatment, while it was identified with complications and negative
      appendectomy within the surgical group (Failure 1). In parallel, an additional
      definition of failure was proposed (Failure 2) and excluded negative appendectomy
      from the reasons for failure within the surgical group (5b). RESULTS: The failure
      rate for the conservative treatment resulted to be inferior, as compared to the
      surgical treatment (16.5 vs. 28.4%, OR 0.523 p = 0.019), considering negative
      appendectomy as a reason for failure. When excluding negative appendectomy from
      the definition of failure, medical and surgical treatment appeared to perform
      equally (failure rate: 16.5 vs. 18.3%, OR 1.014 p = 0.965). Patients managed
      conservatively showed to have a shorter length of stay at first admission than
      the patients who underwent appendectomy (3.11 vs. 4.11 days, beta = -0.628 days,
      p < 0.0001). A lower number of lost work days after discharge resulted from a
      conservative approach (6 vs. 14.64 days, beta = -8.7 days, p < 0.0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Considering each outcome as part of a wide-angle analysis, the
      conservative management of acute appendicitis resulted to be safe and effective
      in the selected group of patients. In terms of failure rate, the medical
      treatment resulted to perform as effectively as surgical treatment, if negative
      appendectomy was excluded from failure, or better, when negative appendectomy was
      included in the definition of failure. A diminished length of stay during the
      first admission and a reduced number of lost work days were evident with a
      conservative approach. The comparison between medical and surgical treatment for
      acute appendicitis requires a change in perspective, from a spare 'effectiveness
      analysis' to a more thorough 'appropriateness analysis': in the present study,
      the conservative treatment showed to address the clinical requirements in terms
      of therapeutic appropriateness. Although acute appendicitis is considered a
      'surgical disease', increasing evidence supports the effectiveness and safety of
      a conservative approach for selected groups of patients.

PMID- 28623598
TI  - Cost-Effectiveness of Two Decision Strategies for Shunt Use During Carotid
      Endarterectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Arterial shunting during carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is essential in
      some patients because of insufficient cerebral perfusion during cross-clamping.
      However, the optimal diagnostic modality identifying these patients is still
      debated. None of the currently used modalities has been proved superior to
      another. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of two
      modalities, stump pressure measurement (SPM) versus electroencephalography (EEG)
      combined with transcranial Doppler (TCD) during CEA. METHODS: Two retrospective
      cohorts of consecutive patients undergoing CEA with different intraoperative
      neuromonitoring strategies (SPM vs. EEG/TCD) were analyzed. Clinical data were
      collected from patient hospital records. Primary clinical outcome was in-hospital
      stroke or death. Total admission costs were calculated based on volumes of
      healthcare resources. Analyses of effects and costs were adjusted for clinical
      differences between patients by means of a propensity score, and cost
      effectiveness was estimated. RESULTS: A total of 503 (239 SPM; 264 EEG/TCD)
      patients were included, of whom 19 sustained a stroke or died during admission
      (3.3 vs. 4.2%, respectively, adjusted risk difference 1.3% (95% CI -2.3-4.8%)).
      Median total costs were ?4946 (IQR 4424-6173) in the SPM group versus ?7447 (IQR
      6890-8675) in the EEG/TCD group. Costs for neurophysiologic assessments were the
      main determinant for the difference. CONCLUSIONS: Given the evidence provided by
      this small retrospective study, SPM would be the favored strategy for
      intraoperative neuromonitoring if cost-effectiveness was taken into account when
      deciding which strategy to adopt.

PMID- 28623599
TI  - Energetics and reactivity of small beryllium deuterides.
AB  - Enthalpies and free energies of reaction for small neutral and charged beryllium
      deuterides BeD, BeD2, and BeD3 that have been calculated are reported for a
      temperature range of 0 K to 1000 K. We discuss probable dissociation channels and
      possible ways of producing BeD by localizing the relevant transition states and
      by calculating corresponding rate constants. BeD and BeD+ are found to be the
      most stable ones among the considered compounds. BeD2 and [Formula: see text] are
      more likely to decompose into Be0,+ + D2 than into BeD0,+ + D. The metastable
      BeD3 and [Formula: see text] predominantly decompose into BeD0,+ + D2. In light
      of our results on the reaction energetics, we can interpret the pathways for
      production of BeD via BeD2 and BeD3 intermediates observed in molecular dynamics
      simulations.

PMID- 28623600
TI  - Stability of rolled-up GaAs nanotubes.
AB  - This work presents a theoretical study of gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanotubes
      obtained from the (100), (110) and (111) crystal planes of zincblende structure
      in order to evaluate the electronic properties. The DFT/B3LYP/6-31G method was
      used to predict structures and stabilities. It was found that nanotubes from the
      (110) crystal plane tended to be the most stable. The results for average
      diameter and bond length obtained for optimized nanotube geometries show that
      nanotubes constructed from the (100) plane have a hyperbolic format, while (110)
      or (111) nanotubes have a conical format. This difference in relation to geometry
      introduces regions with different charge concentrations along the tube. From the
      calculated values for the gap it follows that increasing the number of atoms per
      layer causes a displacement of the frontier orbitals with a reduction in the gap,
      yielding characteristics of a semiconductor material.

PMID- 28623601
TI  - Is the hydrophobic core a universal structural element in proteins?
AB  - The hydrophobic core, when subjected to analysis based on the fuzzy oil drop
      model, appears to be a universal structural component of proteins irrespective of
      their secondary, supersecondary, and tertiary conformations. A study has been
      performed on a set of nonhomologous proteins representing a variety of CATH
      categories. The presence of a well-ordered hydrophobic core has been confirmed in
      each case, regardless of the protein's biological function, chain length or
      source organism. In light of fuzzy oil drop (FOD) analysis, various
      supersecondary forms seem to share a common structural factor in the form of a
      hydrophobic core, emerging either as part of the whole protein or a specific
      domain. The variable status of individual folds with respect to the FOD model
      reflects their propensity for conformational changes, frequently associated with
      biological function. Such flexibility is expressed as variable stability of the
      hydrophobic core, along with specific encoding of potential conformational
      changes which depend on the properties of helices and beta-folds.

PMID- 28623602
TI  - Protein requirements of collared peccary (Pecari tajacu).
AB  - A nitrogen (N) balance digestion trial was conducted to determine the protein
      requirement of collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu). In a 4 * 4 Latin square
      design, four captive adult male peccaries were fed four isoenergy diets
      containing four different levels of N (11.7, 16.3, 22.8, and 26.7 g N/kg of dry
      matter-DM). After 15 days of adaptation, a total collection of feces and urine
      was carried out for five consecutive days. Regression analyses between N intake
      and N in feces and urine allowed to calculate the metabolic fecal nitrogen (MFN =
      2.3 g N/kg of dry matter intake-DMI) and daily endogenous urinary N (EUN = 185 mg
      N/kg0.75). Likewise, by regression analyses between consumption of nitrogen and
      the nitrogen balance (NB = N ingested - N excreted, mg N/kg0.75), a daily
      requirement of 514 mg N/kg0.75 was calculated. Therefore, if food intake is
      unrestricted, collared peccaries require a minimum in their diet of about 5.4%
      crude protein on DM basis. These values are almost as low as those found for
      browsing and frugivorous wild ruminants, which reinforce the proposition that
      peccaries' digestive physiology is nearer to that of domestic and wild ruminants
      than domestic pigs. This relatively low protein requirement of collared peccary
      and its great ability to digest protein reveal the relevance of the forestomach
      for the species on nitrogen/protein metabolism and allow the use of diets with
      lower crude protein levels than the commercial ones used for the domestic pig,
      which reduces feed costs.

PMID- 28623603
TI  - Endocrine surgery: an update.

PMID- 28623604
TI  - Craniospinal irradiation for treatment of metastatic pediatric low-grade glioma.
AB  - Patients with disseminated pediatric low-grade glioma (LGG) initially treated
      with chemotherapy frequently experience disease progression, with 5-year event
      free survival (EFS) of <20% and 10-year overall survival (OS) of approximately
      70%. This study aimed to describe outcomes of metastatic pediatric LGG treated
      with craniospinal irradiation (CSI). A retrospective study was performed of all
      patients with metastatic pediatric LGG treated with CSI at a single institution.
      EFS was defined as survival without disease progression or secondary high-grade
      glioma. Dates were counted from the first day of irradiation. We identified 12
      eligible patients; all had histologically confirmed LGG. Metastatic disease was
      present at initial presentation in 9 patients. The median age at CSI was 9.3
      years. The 5-year EFS and OS were 71% (95% CI 33.7-89.5) and 70% (95% CI 32.9
      89.2), respectively. No deaths were observed among the patients who underwent
      subtotal resection (STR) before radiotherapy, whereas 3 patients who had
      undergone biopsy died (OS log-rank P = 0.01). EFS may be longer among patients
      who underwent STR before RT (EFS log-rank P = 0.03), with a hazard ratio for
      biopsy of 8.4 (vs. STR; 95% CI 0.8-84.0, P = 0.07). No patient experienced acute
      toxicity of grade 3 or higher. Patients with metastatic pediatric LGG treated
      with CSI experienced longer EFS than historical cohorts treated with chemotherapy
      alone, with similar OS. CSI may be considered in the management of metastatic
      pediatric LGG, particularly in older children experiencing progression after
      chemotherapy.

PMID- 28623605
TI  - Cathepsin C Aggravates Neuroinflammation Involved in Disturbances of Behaviour
      and Neurochemistry in Acute and Chronic Stress-Induced Murine Model of
      Depression.
AB  - Major depression has been interpreted as an inflammatory disease characterized by
      cell-mediated immune activation, which is generally triggered by various
      stresses. Microglia has been thought to be the cellular link between inflammation
      and depression-like behavioural alterations. The expression of cathepsin C (Cat
      C), a lysosomal proteinase, is predominantly induced in microglia in
      neuroinflammation. However, little is known about the role of Cat C in
      pathophysiology of depression. In the present study, Cat C transgenic mice and
      wild type mice were subjected to an intraperitoneal injection of LPS (0.5 mg/kg)
      and 6-week unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) exposure to establish acute
      and chronic stress-induced depression model. We examined and compared the
      behavioural and proinflammatory cytokine alterations in serum and depression
      targeted brain areas of Cat C differentially expressed mice in stress, as well as
      indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) levels in brain.
      The results showed that Cat C overexpression (Cat C OE) promoted peripheral and
      central inflammatory response with significantly increased TNFalpha, IL-1beta and
      IL-6 in serum, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and resultant upregulation of
      IDO and downregulation of 5HT expression in brain, and thereby aggravated
      depression-like behaviours accessed by open field test, forced swim test and tail
      suspension test. In contrast, Cat C knockdown (Cat C KD) partially prevented
      inflammation, which may help alleviate the symptoms of depression in mice. To the
      best of our knowledge, we are the first to demonstrate that Cat C aggravates
      neuroinflammation involved in disturbances of behaviour and neurochemistry in
      acute and chronic stress-induced murine model of depression.

PMID- 28623606
TI  - MARCKS is Necessary for Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell Maturation.
AB  - Oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) development into myelinated oligodendrocytes
      demands vigorous membrane addition. Since myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase
      substrate (MARCKS) reportedly contributes to Ras-associated protein (Rab)-10
      associated vesicle insertion into neuronal membranes, we investigated the role of
      MARCKS in OPC maturation. We found that either knockdown of MARCKS or
      interruption of its interaction with Rab10 would cause a decrease of the cell
      membrane area during OPC development. Enhanced MARCKS phosphorylation by Nogo66
      or myelin debris treatment inhibited OPC maturation, while its dephosphorylation
      by protein phosphatase 2 A activator D-erythro-sphingosine promoted OPC
      development in the presence of myelin debris. Our results demonstrated that
      MARCKS is involved in OPC maturation by interacting with Rab10.

PMID- 28623607
TI  - Presenilin-1 Targeted Morpholino Induces Cognitive Deficits, Increased Brain
      Abeta1-42 and Decreased Synaptic Marker PSD-95 in Zebrafish Larvae.
AB  - Presenilins are transmembrane proteases required for the proteolytic cleavage of
      Notch and also act as the catalytic core of the gamma-secretase complex, which is
      responsible for the final cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein into Amyloid
      beta (Abeta) peptides of varying lengths. Presenilin-1 gene (psen1) mutations are
      the main cause of early-onset autosomal-dominant Familial Alzheimer Disease.
      Elucidating the roles of Presenilin-1 and other hallmark proteins involved in
      Alzheimer's disease is crucial for understanding the disease etiology and
      underlying molecular mechanisms. In our study, we used a morpholino antisense
      nucleotide that targets exon 8 splicing site of psen1 resulting in a dominant
      negative protein previously validated to investigate behavioral and molecular
      effects in 5 days post fertilization (dpf) zebrafish larvae. Morphants showed
      specific cognitive deficits in two optomotor tasks and morphological phenotypes
      similar to those induced by suppression of Notch signaling pathway. They also had
      increased mRNA levels of neurog1 at 5 dpf, confirming the potential interaction
      of Presenilin-1 and Notch in our model. We also evaluated levels of apoptotic
      markers including p53, PAR-4, Caspase-8 and bax-alpha and found only bax-a
      decreased at 5dpf. Western Blot analysis showed an increase in Abeta1-42 and a
      decrease in the selective post-synaptic marker PSD-95 at 5 dpf. Our data
      demonstrates that psen1 splicing interference induces phenotypes that resemble
      early-stage AD, including cognitive deficit, Abeta1-42 accumulation and synaptic
      reduction, reinforcing the potential contribution of zebrafish larvae to studies
      of human brain diseases.

PMID- 28623608
TI  - Gambling and the Reasoned Action Model: Predicting Past Behavior, Intentions, and
      Future Behavior.
AB  - Gambling is a serious concern for society because it is highly addictive and is
      associated with a myriad of negative outcomes. The current study applied the
      Reasoned Action Model (RAM) to understand and predict gambling intentions and
      behavior. Although prior studies have taken a reasoned action approach to
      understand gambling, no prior study has fully applied the RAM or used the RAM to
      predict future gambling. Across two studies the RAM was used to predict
      intentions to gamble, past gambling behavior, and future gambling behavior. In
      study 1 the model significantly predicted intentions and past behavior in both a
      college student and Amazon Mechanical Turk sample. In study 2 the model predicted
      future gambling behavior, measured 2 weeks after initial measurement of the RAM
      constructs. This study stands as the first to show the utility of the RAM in
      predicting future gambling behavior. Across both studies, attitudes and perceived
      normative pressure were the strongest predictors of intentions to gamble. These
      findings provide increased understanding of gambling and inform the development
      of gambling interventions based on the RAM.

PMID- 28623609
TI  - Administration of direct oral anticoagulants in patients with myeloproliferative
      neoplasms.
AB  - Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been approved to treat and prevent
      thrombotic events. However, they are not yet labeled for use in patients with
      active cancers. Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are clonal chronic disorders
      with a high incidence of thrombotic events, for which low-dose aspirin (LDA) is
      the standard drug treatment. We analyzed efficacy and safety of DOACs
      prescription in patients treated for MPNs. An MPN database, the OBENE registry,
      was established at our institution. We collected biological and clinical data
      from diagnosis to last follow-up for every patient included in this study.
      Thrombotic and hemorrhagic events and hematologic evolutions were categorized as
      major events in the database. Of the 760 MPN patients in the OBENE registry, 25
      (3.3%) were treated with a DOAC. Median follow-up duration was 2.1 years (0.12
      4.3 years). The reasons for prescribing DOACs were atrial fibrillation and
      thrombotic events for 13 and 12 patients, respectively. We only observed one
      thrombotic event (4%) and three major hemorrhagic events (12%). A case-control
      study did not detect a significant difference in thrombotic or hemorrhagic events
      in patients treated with LDA and DOACs. These preliminary results suggest that
      DOACs may be highly efficient and safe for use in MPN patients.

PMID- 28623610
TI  - A Singular Role of IK1 Promoting the Development of Cardiac Automaticity during
      Cardiomyocyte Differentiation by IK1 -Induced Activation of Pacemaker Current.
AB  - The inward rectifier potassium current (IK1) is generally thought to suppress
      cardiac automaticity by hyperpolarizing membrane potential (MP). We recently
      observed that IK1 could promote the spontaneously-firing automaticity induced by
      upregulation of pacemaker funny current (If) in adult ventricular cardiomyocytes
      (CMs). However, the intriguing ability of IK1 to activate If and thereby promote
      automaticity has not been explored. In this study, we combined mathematical and
      experimental assays and found that only IK1 and If, at a proper-ratio of
      densities, were sufficient to generate rhythmic MP-oscillations even in
      unexcitable cells (i.e. HEK293T cells and undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem
      cells [ESCs]). We termed this effect IK1-induced If activation. Consistent with
      previous findings, our electrophysiological recordings observed that around 50%
      of mouse (m) and human (h) ESC-differentiated CMs could spontaneously fire action
      potentials (APs). We found that spontaneously-firing ESC-CMs displayed more
      hyperpolarized maximum diastolic potential and more outward IK1 current than
      quiescent-yet-excitable m/hESC-CMs. Rather than classical depolarization pacing,
      quiescent mESC-CMs were able to fire APs spontaneously with an electrode-injected
      small outward-current that hyperpolarizes MP. The automaticity to spontaneously
      fire APs was also promoted in quiescent hESC-CMs by an IK1-specific agonist
      zacopride. In addition, we found that the number of spontaneously-firing m/hESC
      CMs was significantly decreased when If was acutely upregulated by Ad-CGI-HCN
      infection. Our study reveals a novel role of IK1 promoting the development of
      cardiac automaticity in m/hESC-CMs through a mechanism of IK1-induced If
      activation and demonstrates a synergistic interaction between IK1 and If that
      regulates cardiac automaticity.

PMID- 28623611
TI  - Deferiprone Rescues Behavioral Deficits Induced by Mild Iron Exposure in a Mouse
      Model of Alpha-Synuclein Aggregation.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder,
      and its causes remain unknown. A major hallmark of the disease is the increasing
      presence of aggregated alpha-synuclein (aSyn). Furthermore, there is a solid
      consensus on iron (Fe) accumulation in several regions of PD brains during
      disease progression. In our study, we focused on the interaction of Fe and
      aggregating aSyn in vivo in a transgenic mouse model overexpressing human aSyn
      bearing the A53T mutation (prnp.aSyn.A53T). We utilized a neonatal iron-feeding
      model to exacerbate the motor phenotype of the transgenic mouse model. Beginning
      from day 100, mice were treated with deferiprone (DFP), a ferric chelator that is
      able to cross the blood-brain barrier and is currently used in clinics as
      treatment for hemosiderosis. Our paradigm resulted in an impairment of the
      learning abilities in the rotarod task and the novel object recognition test. DFP
      treatment significantly improved the performance in both tasks. Although this was
      not accompanied by alterations in aSyn aggregation, our results support DFP as
      possible therapeutic option in PD.

PMID- 28623612
TI  - Challenges in longitudinal exposure-response modeling of data from complex study
      designs: a case study of modeling CDAI score for ustekinumab in patients with
      Crohn's disease.
AB  - Informative exposure-response modeling of clinical endpoints is important in drug
      development to identify optimum dose and dosing regimens. Despite much recent
      progress in mechanism-based longitudinal modeling of clinical data, challenges
      remain in clinical trials of diseases such as Crohn's disease, where a commonly
      used composite endpoint Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) has considerable
      variation in its administration and scoring between different assessors and
      complex study designs typically include maintenance phases with randomized
      withdrawal re-randomizations and other response driven dose adjustments. This
      manuscript illustrates the complexities of exposure-response modeling of such
      composite endpoint data through a latent-variable based Indirect Response model
      framework for CDAI scores using data from three phase III trials of ustekinumab
      in patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's Disease. Visual predictive check was
      used to evaluate model performance. Potential impacts of the study design on
      model development and evaluation of the E-R relationship in the induction and
      maintenance phases of treatment are discussed. Certain biases appeared difficult
      to overcome, and an autocorrelated residual error model was found to provide
      improvement.

PMID- 28623614
TI  - AbobotulinumtoxinA: A Review in Pediatric Lower Limb Spasticity.
AB  - AbobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport(r)) is currently the only botulinum toxin A
      formulation approved by the US FDA for the treatment of lower limb spasticity in
      pediatric patients aged >=2 years. Intramuscular abobotulinumtoxinA was approved
      based on the results of a pivotal phase 3 trial in children with lower limb
      spasticity due to cerebral palsy. In this trial, a single treatment cycle with
      abobotulinumtoxinA 10-15 U/kg/leg injected into the gastrocnemius and soleus
      muscles significantly improved ankle plantar flexor muscle tone (primary
      endpoint), with abobotulinumtoxinA recipients showing a significant response to
      treatment relative to placebo. AbobotulinumtoxinA treatment also improved
      spasticity grade. The improvements in muscle tone and spasticity were associated
      with an improved ability to attain functional goals. Clinical benefits of
      abobotulinumtoxinA treatment lasted for 16-22 weeks in most patients, and were
      maintained with multiple treatment cycles during 1 year in an open-label
      extension study. AbobotulinumtoxinA was generally well tolerated, with a
      relatively low incidence of treatment-related adverse events. In summary,
      abobotulinumtoxinA is an effective and generally well tolerated treatment option
      for children with lower limb spasticity.

PMID- 28623615
TI  - Use of Antipsychotic Drugs by Elderly Primary Care Patients and the Effects of
      Medication Reviews: A Cross-Sectional Study in Sweden.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antipsychotics form a class of drugs that should be used with caution
      among elderly people because of a high risk of adverse events. Despite the risks
      and modest effects, their use is estimated to be high, especially in nursing
      homes. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to explore the effects of medication reviews on
      antipsychotic drug use for elderly primary care patients and describe the extent
      of, and reasons for, the prescription of antipsychotics. METHODS: In this cross
      sectional study in primary care in Skane, Sweden, patients aged >=75 years living
      in nursing homes or in their own homes with home care were included. The effects
      of medication reviews were documented, as were the use of antipsychotics and the
      differences in characteristics between patients receiving or not receiving
      antipsychotics. RESULTS: A total of 1683 patients aged 87.6 (+/-5.7) years were
      included in the analysis. Medication reviews reduced the use of antipsychotics by
      23% (p < 0.001) in this study. Of the 206 patients using antipsychotics, 43% (n =
      93) had an approved indication, while for 15% (n = 32) the indication was not
      given. Antipsychotic drug use was more common with increasing number of drugs (p
      = 0.001), and in nursing home residents (p < 0.01). It was also more frequent in
      patients with cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms or sleeping problems.
      CONCLUSION: The use of antipsychotic drugs is high in elderly patients in nursing
      homes. They are often given for indications that are not officially approved or
      are poorly documented. Medication reviews appear to offer one useful strategy for
      reducing excessive use of these drugs.

PMID- 28623613
TI  - Assessment of Metabolic Flexibility by Means of Measuring Blood Lactate, Fat, and
      Carbohydrate Oxidation Responses to Exercise in Professional Endurance Athletes
      and Less-Fit Individuals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased muscle mitochondrial mass is characteristic of elite
      professional endurance athletes (PAs), whereas increased blood lactate levels
      (lactatemia) at the same absolute submaximal exercise intensities and decreased
      mitochondrial oxidative capacity are characteristics of individuals with low
      aerobic power. In contrast to PAs, patients with metabolic syndrome (MtS) are
      characterized by a decreased capacity to oxidize lipids and by early transition
      from fat to carbohydrate oxidation (FATox/CHOox), as well as elevated blood
      lactate concentration [La-] as exercise power output (PO) increases, a condition
      termed 'metabolic inflexibility'. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess
      metabolic flexibility across populations with different metabolic
      characteristics. METHODS: We used indirect calorimetry and [La-] measurements to
      study the metabolic responses to exercise in PAs, moderately active individuals
      (MAs), and MtS individuals. RESULTS: FATox was significantly higher in PAs than
      MAs and patients with MtS (p < 0.01), while [La-] was significantly lower in PAs
      compared with MAs and patients with MtS. FATox and [La-] were inversely
      correlated in all three groups (PA: r = -0.97, p < 0.01; MA: r = -0.98, p < 0.01;
      MtS: r = -0.92, p < 0.01). The correlation between FATox and [La-] for all data
      points corresponding to all populations studied was r = -0.76 (p < 0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Blood lactate accumulation is negatively correlated with FATox and
      positively correlated with CHOox during exercise across populations with widely
      ranging metabolic capabilities. Because both lactate and fatty acids are
      mitochondrial substrates, we believe that measurements of [La-] and FATox rate
      during exercise provide an indirect method to assess metabolic flexibility and
      oxidative capacity across individuals of widely different metabolic capabilities.

PMID- 28623616
TI  - Cyclosporine A-Mediated IL-6 Expression Promotes Neural Induction in Pluripotent
      Stem Cells.
AB  - Differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to neural lineages has gathered
      huge attention in both basic research and regenerative medicine. The major hurdle
      lies in the efficiency of differentiation and identification of small molecules
      that facilitate neurogenesis would partly circumvent this limitation. The small
      molecule Cyclosporine A (CsA), a commonly used immunosuppressive drug, has been
      shown to enhance in vivo neurogenesis. To extend the information to in vitro
      neurogenesis, we examined the effect of CsA on neural differentiation of PSCs. We
      found CsA to increase the expression of neural progenitor genes during early
      neural differentiation. Gene silencing approach revealed CsA-mediated neural
      induction to be dependent on blocking the Ca2+-activated phosphatase calcineurin
      (Cn) signaling. Similar observation with FK506, an independent inhibitor of Cn,
      further strengthened the necessity of blocking Cn for enhanced neurogenesis.
      Surprisingly, mechanistic insight revealed Cn-inhibition dependent upregulation
      of IL-6 protein to be necessary for CsA-mediated neurogenesis. Together, these
      findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of CsA in
      neurogenesis, thus suggesting a method for obtaining large numbers of neural
      progenitors from PSCs for possible transplantation.

PMID- 28623617
TI  - Decrease in Adult Neurogenesis and Neuroinflammation Are Involved in Spatial
      Memory Impairment in the Streptozotocin-Induced Model of Sporadic Alzheimer's
      Disease in Rats.
AB  - Early impairments in cerebral glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways
      may participate in the pathogenesis of the sporadic form of Alzheimer's disease
      (sAD). Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of low doses of streptozotocin
      (STZ) are used to mimic sAD and study these alterations in rodents.
      Streptozotocin causes impairments in insulin signaling and has been reported to
      trigger several alterations in the brain, such as oxidative stress,
      neuroinflammation, and dysfunctions in adult neurogenesis, which may be involved
      in cognitive decline and are features of human AD. The aim of the present study
      was to assess the influence of neuroinflammation on the process of adult
      neurogenesis and consequent cognitive deficits in the STZ-ICV model of sAD in
      Wistar rats. Streptozotocin caused an acute and persistent neuroinflammatory
      response, reflected by reactive microgliosis and astrogliosis in periventricular
      areas and the dorsal hippocampus, accompanied by a marked reduction of the
      proliferation of neural stem cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and
      subventricular zone. Streptozotocin also reduced the survival, differentiation,
      and maturation of newborn neurons, resulting in impairments in short-term and
      long-term spatial memory. These results support the hypothesis that
      neuroinflammation has a detrimental effect on neurogenesis, and both
      neuroinflammation and impairments in neurogenesis contribute to cognitive
      deficits in the STZ-ICV model of sAD.

PMID- 28623618
TI  - Endothelin-1 Decreases Excitability of the Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons via ETB
      Receptor.
AB  - Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been demonstrated to be a pro-nociceptive as well as an
      anti-nociceptive agent. However, underlying molecular mechanisms for these pain
      modulatory actions remain unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the ability
      of ET-1 to alter the nociceptor excitability using a patch clamp technique in
      acutely dissociated rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. ET-1 produced an
      increase in threshold current to evoke an action potential (I threshold) and
      hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential (RMP) indicating decreased
      excitability of DRG neurons. I threshold increased from 0.25 +/- 0.08 to 0.33 +/-
      0.07 nA and hyperpolarized RMP from -57.51 +/- 1.70 to -67.41 +/- 2.92 mV by ET-1
      (100 nM). The hyperpolarizing effect of ET-1 appears to be orchestrated via
      modulation of membrane conductances, namely voltage-gated sodium current (I Na)
      and outward transient potassium current (I KT). ET-1, 30 and 100 nM, decreased
      the peak I Na by 41.3 +/- 6.8 and 74 +/- 15.2%, respectively. Additionally, ET-1
      (100 nM) significantly potentiated the transient component (I KT) of the
      potassium currents. ET-1-induced effects were largely attenuated by BQ-788, a
      selective ETBR blocker. However, a selective ETAR blocker BQ-123 did not alter
      the effects of ET-1. A selective ETBR agonist, IRL-1620, mimicked the effect of
      ET-1 on I Na in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 159.5 +/- 92.6 MUM). In
      conclusion, our results demonstrate that ET-1 hyperpolarizes nociceptors by
      blocking I Na and potentiating I KT through selective activation of ETBR, which
      may represent one of the underlying mechanisms for reported anti-nociceptive
      effects of ET-1.

PMID- 28623619
TI  - Development of Chinese medicine research in Hong Kong, China in last decade.

PMID- 28623620
TI  - Chinese medicine practice and research in Hong Kong, China: Current status and
      future direction.

PMID- 28623621
TI  - Development of integrative medicine in Hong Kong, China.

PMID- 28623622
TI  - Retrospect and prospect of higher education in Chinese medicine in Hong Kong,
      China.

PMID- 28623623
TI  - Self-reported race and ethnicity of US biobank participants compared to the US
      Census.
AB  - Precision medicine envisions a future of effective diagnosis, treatment, and
      prevention grounded in precise understandings of the genetic and environmental
      determinants of disease. Given that the original genome-wide association studies
      represented a predominately European White population, and that diversity in
      genomic studies must account for genetic variation both within and across racial
      categories, new research studies are at a heightened risk for inadequate
      representation. Currently biological samples are being made available for
      sequencing in biobanks across the USA, but the diversity of those samples is
      unknown. The aims of this study were to describe the types of recruitment and
      enrollment materials used by US biobanks and the diversity of the samples
      contained within their collection. Biobank websites and brochures were evaluated
      for reading level, health literacy, and factors known to encourage the
      recruitment of minorities, such as showing pictures of diverse populations.
      Biobank managers were surveyed by mail on the methods and materials used for
      enrollment, recruitment, consent, and the self-reported race/ethnicity of biobank
      participants. From 51 US biobanks (68% response rate), recruitment and enrollment
      materials were in English only, and most of the websites and brochures exceeded a
      fifth-grade reading level. When compared to the 2015 US Census, self-reported
      race/ethnicity of participants was not significantly different for Whites (61%)
      and blacks (13%). The percentages were significantly lower for Hispanics and
      Latinos (18 vs. 7%, p = 0.00) and Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (0.2 vs. 0.01%; p =
      0.01) and higher for Asians (13 vs. 5%, p = 0.01). Materials for recruitment
      predominantly in English may limit participation by underrepresented populations.

PMID- 28623624
TI  - Effect of Parenting and Peer Stressors on Cognitive Vulnerability and Risk for
      Depression among Youth.
AB  - Parenting behaviors influence clinical depression among youth, but little is
      known about the developmental processes that may account for this association.
      This study investigated whether parenting is associated with the onset of
      clinical depression and depressive symptoms through negative cognitive style,
      particularly under conditions of high exposure to stressors, in a community
      sample of children and adolescents (N = 275; 59% girls). Observational methods
      were used to assess positive and negative parenting during a laboratory social
      evaluative stressor task. Depressive symptoms and clinical depressive episodes
      were repeatedly assessed over an 18-month prospective follow-up period. Results
      supported a conditional indirect effect in which low levels of observed positive
      parenting during a youth stressor task were indirectly associated with an
      increased likelihood of experiencing an episode of depression and worsening
      depressive symptoms over the course of the study through youth negative cognitive
      style, but only for youth who also experienced a high number of peer stressors.
      These findings elucidate mechanisms through which problematic parenting may
      contribute to risk for the development of clinical depression during the
      transition into and across adolescence. Implications for depression interventions
      are discussed.

PMID- 28623625
TI  - Switching Between Reference Biologics and Biosimilars for the Treatment of
      Rheumatology, Gastroenterology, and Dermatology Inflammatory Conditions:
      Considerations for the Clinician.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Biosimilars of the reference biologic therapeutics infliximab,
      etanercept, adalimumab, and rituximab are entering the market. Clinical and real
      world data on the effects of reference -> biosimilar switching are limited. This
      review was carried out to assess the current body of switching data. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Fifty-three switching studies were identified. Infliximab publications
      covered CT-P13 (25 studies), SB2 (1), infliximab NK (1), and unspecified
      infliximab biosimilars (2). Etanercept publications covered SB4 (2) and GP2015
      (2). Adalimumab publications covered ABP 501 (2) and SB5 (1). Rituximab
      publications covered CT-P10 (1). Efficacy and safety data generally showed no
      differences between patients who switched treatments versus those who did not. No
      differences were seen pre- and post-switch. Immunogenicity data were presented in
      19/37 (51%) studies. Additional data from switching studies of these therapies
      are still required, as is continuing pharma-covigilance. Switching should remain
      a case-by-case clinical decision made by the physician and patient on an
      individual basis supported by scientific evidence.

PMID- 28623626
TI  - Patient-specific simulation: a new avenue to be explored.

PMID- 28623627
TI  - Clozapine-Induced Gastrointestinal Hypomotility: A 22-Year Bi-National
      Pharmacovigilance Study of Serious or Fatal 'Slow Gut' Reactions, and Comparison
      with International Drug Safety Advice.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Clozapine is the preferred antipsychotic for treatment-resistant
      schizophrenia, but has significant adverse effects, including gastrointestinal
      hypomotility or 'slow gut', which may result in severe constipation, ileus, bowel
      obstruction, and even death. These gastrointestinal effects remain inadequately
      recognized. METHODS: We reviewed all reports of serious clozapine-induced
      gastrointestinal hypomotility (CIGH) submitted to the Australian Therapeutic
      Goods Administration and New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre between 1992 and
      2013. We extracted relevant demographic, clinical, and outcome data and derived a
      numerator from clozapine registries. We examined whether clozapine drug safety
      information in Australia, New Zealand, the US, and the UK was adequate and
      consistent with pharmacoepidemiologic evidence. RESULTS: A total of 43,132 people
      commenced clozapine over the study period. 160 were reported as having serious
      gastrointestinal hypomotility with clozapine the suspected cause (37/10,000
      clozapine users). Of these, 66.3% were male, age range was 17-76 years, clozapine
      dose range 25-1000 mg/day (mean 439 mg/day) and median duration of clozapine
      treatment 2.5 years. Few had received laxatives. At least 29 patients died
      (7/10,000 clozapine users), a reported case fatality rate of 18%. The CIGH
      prevalence, while similar to other smaller studies, differs significantly from
      clozapine prescribing information issued by regulators and pharmaceutical
      companies, none of which mention CIGH, and which report serious gastrointestinal
      complications at rates of <1/10,000, almost a 40-fold difference. CONCLUSION:
      This is the largest study to date of serious CIGH. The reported prevalence of
      serious CIGH was 37/10,000, a likely underestimation of true prevalence. Current
      prescribing guidelines provide inadequate information on CIGH. This may be
      contributing to poor awareness and high associated morbidity and mortality. It is
      time regulators and manufacturers update their guidance.

PMID- 28623628
TI  - Does Patient Preference Measurement in Decision Aids Improve Decisional Conflict?
      A Randomized Trial in Men with Prostate Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Shared decision making (SDM) has been advocated as an approach to
      medical decision making that can improve decisional quality. Decision aids are
      tools that facilitate SDM in the context of limited physician time; however, many
      decision aids do not incorporate preference measurement. OBJECTIVES: We aim to
      understand whether adding preference measurement to a standard patient
      educational intervention improves decisional quality and is feasible in a busy
      clinical setting. METHODS: Men with incident localized prostate cancer (n = 122)
      were recruited from the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center
      urology clinic, Olive View UCLA Medical Center, and Harbor UCLA Medical Center
      from January 2011 to May 2015 and randomized to education with a brochure about
      prostate cancer treatment or software-based preference assessment in addition to
      the brochure. Men undergoing preference assessment received a report detailing
      the relative strength of their preferences for treatment outcomes used in review
      with their doctor. Participants completed instruments measuring decisional
      conflict, knowledge, SDM, and patient satisfaction with care before and/or after
      their cancer consultation. RESULTS: Baseline knowledge scores were low (mean
      62%). The baseline mean total score on the Decisional Conflict Scale was 2.3 (+/
      0.9), signifying moderate decisional conflict. Men undergoing preference
      assessment had a significantly larger decrease in decisional conflict total score
      (p = 0.023) and the Perceived Effective Decision Making subscale (p = 0.003) post
      consult compared with those receiving education only. Improvements in
      satisfaction with care, SDM, and knowledge were similar between groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Individual-level preference assessment is feasible in the clinic
      setting. Patients with prostate cancer who undergo preference assessment are more
      certain about their treatment decisions and report decreased levels of decisional
      conflict when making these decisions.

PMID- 28623630
TI  - Persistency of artificial aeration at hypertrophic Lake Tuusulanjarvi: A
      sociohistorical analysis.
AB  - With present-day scientific evidence challenging the efficiency of artificial
      aeration as an effective restoration method for eutrophicated lakes, our
      sociohistorical investigation traces the reasons for the persistent support for
      this method in Finland, where about one hundred lakes are subject to this
      treatment. Our study employed the concepts of technological path and aeration
      frame to analyze the extensive restoration and aeration history of the
      hypertrophic Tuusulanjarvi in southern Finland. Continuously aerated since 1972,
      it has the longest history of aeration in Finland. Qualitative analysis of
      documentary and archival sources revealed that the longstanding preference for
      aeration in the context of increasing scientific controversy was based on its
      functional versatility and seemingly unproblematic applicability in regard to
      shifting emphasis and goal setting of restoration. Additionally, the stability of
      the aeration frame has been supported by the practical and emotional attachment
      of local residents to lake restoration, particularly aeration, and finally the
      problems and contradicting interests related to alternative restoration methods.

PMID- 28623629
TI  - Predicting EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L) Utilities from Older People's
      Quality of Life Brief Questionnaire (OPQoL-Brief) Scores.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Economic evaluation of healthcare treatment and
      services targeted at older people requires measurement of utility-based quality
      of-life outcomes but it is not always possible to collect such outcome data. It
      may, however, be possible to estimate these outcomes using non-utility measures
      of quality of life where the latter have been collected. The objective of this
      study was to develop a regression-based algorithm to map a non-utility-based
      outcome, the Older People's Quality of Life brief questionnaire (OPQoL-brief),
      onto a utility-based outcome, the EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L).
      METHODS: The estimation sample comprised 330 community-based Australian older
      people (>65 years), while the validation sample consisted of 293 older people
      from a separate study. Six regression techniques were employed to estimate
      utilities from OPQoL-brief. The predictive accuracy of 54 regression models (six
      regression techniques * nine model specifications) was assessed using six
      criteria: mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), correlation,
      distribution of predicted utilities, distribution of residuals, and proportion of
      predictions with absolute errors <0.05. RESULTS: The 54 regression models
      predicted EQ-5D-5L utilities that performed differently when assessed by the six
      criteria. However, best results were obtained from an ordinary least squares
      (OLS) model where all 13 OPQoL-brief items were included as continuous variables
      (OLS 4). RMSE and MAE estimates for this model (0.2201 and 0.1638, respectively)
      were within the range of published estimates. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to
      predict valid utilities from OPQoL-brief using regression methods. We recommend
      OLS model (4) for this exercise.

PMID- 28623631
TI  - Effect of in vitro enzymatic degradation on 3D printed poly(epsilon-caprolactone)
      scaffolds: morphological, chemical and mechanical properties.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In recent years, the tissue engineering (TE) field has significantly
      benefited from advanced techniques such as additive manufacturing (AM), for the
      design of customized 3D scaffolds with the aim of guided tissue repair. Among the
      wide range of materials available to biomanufacture 3D scaffolds, poly(epsilon
      caprolactone) (PCL) clearly arises as the synthetic polymer with the greatest
      potential, due to its unique properties - namely, biocompatibility,
      biodegradability, thermal and chemical stability and processability. This study
      aimed for the first time to investigate the effect of pore geometry on the in
      vitro enzymatic chain cleavage mechanism of PCL scaffolds manufactured by the AM
      extrusion process. METHODS: Methods: Morphological properties of 3D printed PCL
      scaffolds before and after degradation were evaluated using Scanning Electron
      Microscopy (SEM) and micro-computed tomography (MU-CT). Differential Scanning
      Calorimetry (DSC) was employed to determine possible variations in the
      crystallinity of the scaffolds during the degradation period. The molecular
      weight was assessed using Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) while the
      mechanical properties were investigated under static compression conditions.
      RESULTS: Morphological results suggested a uniform reduction of filament
      diameter, while increasing the scaffolds' porosity. DSC analysis revealed and
      increment in the crystallinity degree while the molecular weight, evaluated
      through SEC, remained almost constant during the incubation period (25 days).
      Mechanical analysis highlighted a decrease in the compressive modulus and maximum
      stress over time, probably related to the significant weight loss of the
      scaffolds. CONCLUSIONS: All of these results suggest that PCL scaffolds undergo
      enzymatic degradation through a surface erosion mechanism, which leads to
      significant variations in mechanical, physical and chemical properties, but which
      has little influence on pore geometry.

PMID- 28623632
TI  - Thermal conductivity of different colored compomers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compomers are mostly used in primary dentition. The thermal
      conductivity properties of traditional or colored compomers have not been
      investigated in detail so far. The aim of this in vitro study was to assess and
      compare the thermal conductivities of traditional and colored compomers. METHOD:
      Two sets of compomers - namely, Twinky Star (available in berry, lemon, green,
      silver, blue, pink, gold and orange shades) and Dyract Extra (available in B1, A3
      and A2 shades) - were included in this study. All of the traditional and colored
      compomers were applied to standard molds and polymerized according to the
      manufacturers' instructions. Three samples were prepared from each compomer.
      Measurements were conducted using a heat conduction test setup, and the
      coefficient of heat conductivity was calculated for each material. The heat
      conductivity coefficients were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and
      Duncan tests. Uncertainty analysis was also performed on the calculated
      coefficients of heat conductivity. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences
      were found (p<0.05) between the thermal conductivity properties of the
      traditional and colored compomers examined. Among all of the tested compomers,
      the silver shade compomer exhibited the highest coefficient of heat conductivity
      (p<0.05), while the berry shade exhibited the lowest coefficient (p<0.05).
      Uncertainty analyses revealed that 6 out of 11 samples showed significant
      differences. CONCLUSIONS: The silver shade compomer should be avoided in deep
      cavities. The material properties could be improved for colored compomers.

PMID- 28623633
TI  - Biodegradable intramedullary nails reinforced with carbon and alginate fibers: In
      vitro and in vivo biocompatibility.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Commonly, intramedullary nails are made of nondegradable materials,
      and hence they need to be removed once the bone fracture is healed. We propose a
      novel composite material consisting of poly-L-lactide matrix modified with carbon
      and alginate fibers to be used for biodegradable intramedullary fixation. The aim
      of this study was to make in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility assessments.
      METHODS: In the in vitro conditions, biocompatibility of biomaterials was
      compared using normal human osteoblasts. After 3 and 7 days, cytotoxicity,
      viability and proliferation tests were performed, as well as cell morphology and
      adhesion observations. In the in vivo experiments, Californian rabbits (approx. 9
      months old) were used. The composite nails and controls (Kirschner wires) were
      used for fixation of distal femoral osteotomy. The evaluation was made on the
      basis of clinical observations, radiographs taken after 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks post
      implantation, and macroscopic and histological observations. RESULTS: Cell tests
      indicated that both modifiers had a positive influence on cell viability.
      Biodegradable composite nails led to bony union when used for fixation of distal
      diaphysis osteotomy in rabbits. Histological analysis showed that the initial
      focal necrosis should be fully compensated for by the osteoblast proliferation
      and trabeculae formation. CONCLUSIONS: Both in vitro and in vivo tests confirmed
      biocompatibility and potential applicability of novel biodegradable
      intramedullary nails modified with long carbon and alginate fibers for
      osteosynthesis of bone epiphysis.

PMID- 28623634
TI  - Perfusion bias in the apparent diffusion coefficient measurements of diffusion
      weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

PMID- 28623635
TI  - Italian cultural adaptation of the Memorial Anxiety for Prostate Cancer scale for
      the population of men on active surveillance.
AB  - PURPOSE: The Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) is a self-report
      questionnaire that was developed in English to assess prostate cancer (PCa)
      related anxiety. The aim of this study was to perform a cultural adaptation for
      the tool to be used in a population of Italian men on active surveillance (AS).
      METHODS: A total of 222 patients with localized PCa who were recruited for the
      Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS) protocol
      completed the MAX-PC. Psychometric analysis was performed to assess reliability
      indexes. A Spearman rank correlation was used to test the association between MAX
      PC scales and other questionnaires and was used for longitudinal analysis.
      RESULTS: Cronbach coefficients and item to total correlation demonstrated good
      internal consistency. Some items related to the repetition of the PSA test showed
      a large floor effect and thus were poorly effective in measuring anxiety for PSA
      testing in patients on AS. Confirmatory factor analysis partly failed to
      reproduce the structure of the original version. A modified version of MAX-PC,
      excluding the items with a large floor effect, was thus considered for AS
      patients. Factor analysis on this version demonstrated considerable consistency
      with the presence of 3 subscales: anxiety related to PCa, anxiety related to PSA
      testing, and anxiety related to the fear of tumor progression. Longitudinal
      analysis showed an acceptable validity over time. The MAX-PC was correlated with
      the anxious preoccupation subscale of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale.
      CONCLUSIONS: A slightly modified version of the MAX-PC was developed for use in
      Italian men on AS. This instrument appears to be a valid and reliable tool that
      measures anxiety in men with PCa who are enrolled in AS programs.

PMID- 28623636
TI  - Eleven-year management of prostate cancer patients on active surveillance: what
      have we learned?
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of active surveillance (AS) on patients with
      low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) and to identify predictors of disease
      reclassification. METHODS: In 2005, we defined an institutional AS protocol
      (Sorveglianza Attiva Istituto Nazionale Tumori [SAINT]), and we joined the
      Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS) study in
      2007. Eligibility criteria included clinical stage <=T2a, initial prostate
      specific antigen (PSA) <10 ng/mL, and Gleason Pattern Score (GPS) <=3 + 3 (both
      protocols); <=25% positive cores with a maximum core length containing cancer
      <=50% (SAINT); and <=2 positive cores and PSA density <0.2 ng/mL/cm3 (PRIAS).
      Switching to active treatment was advised for a worsening of GPS, increased
      positive cores, or PSA doubling time <3 years. Active treatment-free survival
      (ATFS) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with ATFS
      were evaluated with a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: A
      total of 818 patients were included: 200 in SAINT, 530 in PRIAS, and 88 in
      personalized AS monitoring. Active treatment-free survival was 50% after a median
      follow-up of 60 months. A total of 404/818 patients (49.4%) discontinued AS: 274
      for biopsy-related reclassification, 121/404 (30%) for off-protocol reasons,
      9/404 (2.2%) because of anxiety. Biopsy reclassification was associated with PSA
      density (hazard ratio [HR] 1.8), maximum percentage of core involvement (HR 1.5),
      positive cores at diagnostic biopsy (HR 1.6), older age (HR 1.5), and prostate
      volume (HR 0.6) (all p<0.01). Patients from SAINT were significantly more likely
      to discontinue AS than were the patients from PRIAS (HR 1.65, p<0.0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Five years after diagnosis, 50% of patients with early PCa were
      spared from active treatment. Wide inclusion criteria are associated with lower
      ATFS. However, at preliminary analysis, this does not seem to affect the
      probability of unfavorable pathology.

PMID- 28623637
TI  - Pure small cell recurrent prostate cancer developing syndrome of inappropriate
      antidiuretic hormone secretion.
AB  - PURPOSE: Pure small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the prostate is a rare
      entity characterized by a poor prognosis due to early metastatic spread as well
      as resistance to treatment. Considering its increasing occurrence, clinicians
      should be aware of its aggressive behavior, the relevance of an early diagnosis,
      and proper management. METHODS: A 71-year-old man treated with brachytherapy for
      localized low-risk prostate cancer developed widespread disease 7 years later
      with a prostate-specific antigen-negative neuroendocrine small cell phenotype. He
      was also diagnosed with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
      (SIADH) soon after starting chemotherapy. RESULTS: A substantial radiologic and
      clinical response to chemotherapy was observed and the paraneoplastic SIADH was
      successfully treated with oral vaptan therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary small cell
      prostate carcinoma is an underestimated entity with high sensitivity to
      chemotherapy, although a standard treatment has not yet been defined. Moreover,
      oral vaptans demonstrated prompt efficacy and simple management in correcting
      SIADH-related hyponatremia.

PMID- 28623638
TI  - Urokinase-containing locking solution in the prevention of dialysis catheter
      dysfunction: a double blind randomized controlled trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The prophylactic use of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator
      once weekly reduces the incidence rate of tunneled cuffed catheter (TCC)
      malfunction and bacteremia as compared to the exclusive use of heparin as locking
      solution. Restricting the use of prophylactic thrombolytic agents to patients
      with a history of thrombotic TCC malfunction could be more cost effective. We
      conduct a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial and test the
      hypothesis that weekly use of urokinase lock will reduce the incidence of
      thrombotic malfunction by 50% in prevalent hemodialysis patients with a history
      of thrombotic malfunction. METHODS: Patients with a history of at least two
      separate TCC thrombotic dysfunctions treated with urokinase lock during the 6
      months preceding inclusion are recruited in eight Belgian dialysis units.
      Patients are randomized in two groups: the control group receiving TaurolockTM
      HEP500 (heparin 500 IU/mL, taurolidine, citrate 4%) after each hemodialysis
      session and the treatment group receiving Taurolock-U 25,000 (urokinase 25,000,
      taurolidine, citrate 4%) once a week and the standard Taurolock-HEP500 at the end
      of the two others sessions. The primary outcome is the incidence rate of TCC
      thrombotic dysfunction defined by the use of urokinase. The secondary outcomes
      are the incidence rate of TCC removal and systemic thrombolysis. For the study,
      both patients and healthcare staff are blinded to treatment allocation.
      CONCLUSIONS: The present trial is the first to investigate the effect of
      Taurolock-U 25,000 catheter lock once a week as secondary prevention in
      hemodialysis patients with the highest risk of TCC-related thrombotic
      dysfunction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02036255.

PMID- 28623639
TI  - Anemia after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation:
      characteristics and implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anemia is common in patients with heart failure and is associated
      with adverse outcomes. Management of anemia in CF-LVAD patients is not well
      studied. Our purpose is to characterize and identify the etiology of anemia in CF
      LVAD patients. Secondary objectives are to describe the effect of CF-LVAD on pre
      existing anemia and assess its impact after CF-LVAD support. METHODS: Cross
      sectional study from January to July 2015 of ambulatory patients supported with a
      CF-LVAD for at least 6-months that presented with hemoglobin <12 g/dL and no
      recent gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients were classified as iron-deficient and
      non-iron-deficient and compared. Additionally, a retrospective analysis of 116
      consecutive patients who underwent CF-LVAD from 2008 to 2013 with reported
      hemoglobin at 6 months as outpatients were divided into anemic or non-anemic and
      compared. RESULTS: In our cross-sectional cohort, iron deficiency was the most
      common cause of anemia. Notably, 49% of the iron-deficient patients were already
      on iron supplementation. In our retrospective cohort, 59% of the patients were
      anemic after 6 months of support. Anemic patients were older, had lower albumin,
      higher brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), worse renal function and New York Heart
      Association (NYHA) class. Anemia had a HR of 3.16 (95%CI 1.38-7.26) to predict a
      composite of 1-year death and HF readmissions, as well as HF-readmissions alone.
      CONCLUSIONS: The most common cause of anemia in our study was iron-deficiency;
      almost half of the patients were iron deficient despite treatment, suggesting
      that oral iron may not be sufficient to reverse anemia. Anemia regardless of
      etiology was associated with adverse outcomes.

PMID- 28623640
TI  - Creating a bioartificial kidney.

PMID- 28623641
TI  - Clinical expectations for the new bioactive treatments: greater well-being or
      longer survival?

PMID- 28623642
TI  - Particle spallation in a microfluidic blood processing device: the problem of
      using peristaltic pumps and silicon-based microfilters.
AB  - Peristaltic pumps rely on constant compression of elastomeric tubing from which
      particles may be shed, a phenomenon known as spallation. We studied spallated
      particles on microfluidic filtration devices with photolithographically prepared
      micron-level pore fields. Filtration of ultra-pure water through these pores was
      analyzed using either the usual peristaltic pump or a reciprocating pair of
      syringe pumps. Using syringe pumps, transmembrane pressure (TMP) values during
      filtration at 2.5 cm3/min revealed steady filtration for over 80 minutes at 2.3
      mmHg. Using the peristaltic pump, TMP was never stable, increasing to
      approximately 11 mmHg during the first 10 minutes. Pore plugging was the culprit,
      evidenced by post-perfusion microphotography.

PMID- 28623643
TI  - Transplanted fibroblasts proliferate in host bronchial tissue and enhance
      bronchial anastomotic healing in a rodent model.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Healing of airway anastomoses after preoperative irradiation can be
      a significant clinical problem. The augmentation of bronchial anastomoses with a
      fibroblast-seeded human acellular dermis (hAD) was shown to be beneficial,
      although the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Therefore, in this study we
      investigated the fate of the fibroblasts transplanted to the scaffold covering
      the anastomosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 32 Fisher rats underwent surgical
      anastomosis of the left main bronchus. In a 2 * 2 factorial design, they were
      randomized to receive preoperative irradiation of 20 Gy and augmentation of the
      anastomosis with a fibroblast-seeded transplant. Fibroblasts from subcutaneous
      fat of Fischer-344 rat were transduced retrovirally with tdTomato for cell
      tracking. After 7 and 14 days, animals were sacrificed and cell concentration of
      transplanted and nontransplanted fibroblasts in the hAD as well as in the
      bronchial tissue was measured using RT-PCR. RESULTS: Migration of transplanted
      fibroblasts from dermis to bronchus were demonstrated in both groups, irradiated
      and nonirradiated. In the irradiated groups, there was a cell count of 7 * 104 +/
      1 * 104 tomato+-fibroblasts in the bronchial tissue at day 7, rising to 1 * 105
      +/- 1 * 104 on day 14 (p <0.0001). Tomato+-cell concentration in hAD increased
      from 6 * 103 +/- 1 * 103 at day 7 to 6 * 104 +/- 1 * 104 at day 14 (p <0.0001).
      In the nonirradiated groups, tomato+-cell concentration in bronchus was 4 * 103
      +/- 1 * 103 on day 7 and 4 * 103 +/- 1 * 103 at day 14. In the hAD tomato+ cell
      concentration rising from 1 * 104 +/- 1 * 103 at day 7 to 2 * 104 +/- 3 * 103
      cells at day 14 (p = 0.0028). CONCLUSIONS: Transplanted fibroblasts in the
      irradiated groups proliferate and migrate into the irradiated host bronchial
      tissue, but not in the nonirradiated groups.

PMID- 28623644
TI  - Increased AAA-TOB3 correlates with lymph node metastasis and advanced stage of
      lung adenocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study was to investigate the differential mitochondrial protein
      expressions in human lung adenocarcinoma and provide preliminary data for further
      exploration of the carcinogenic mechanism. METHODS: Total proteins of A549 and
      16HBE mitochondria were extracted through 2D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
      (2-DE). The differential mitochondria proteins were identified by liquid
      chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and were further confirmed by
      Western blot, immunoelectron microscopy and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in A549
      cells as well as lung adenocarcinoma tissues. RESULTS: A total of 41
      differentially expressed protein spots were found in A549 mitochondria. Of them,
      15 proteins were highly expressed and 26 proteins were lowly expressed in the
      mitochondria of A549 (by more than 1.5 times). Among the 15 more highly expressed
      proteins, AAA-TOB3 (by more than 3 times) was highly expressed in the
      mitochondria of A549 compared with the 16HBE, by LC-MS/MS identification. High
      electron density and clear circular colloidal gold-marked AAA-TOB3 particles were
      observed in the A549 cells via immunoelectron microscopy. Besides, AAA-TOB3 was
      confirmed to be elevated in lung adenocarcinoma by Western blot and IHC.
      Moreover, increased AAA-TOB3 correlated with lymph node metastasis and advanced
      stage of lung adenocarcinoma (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: AAA-TOB3 was highly expressed
      in lung adenocarcinoma, and the up-regulation of AAA-TOB3 correlated with lymph
      node metastasis and advanced stage of lung adenocarcinoma, which suggested that
      it could serve as a potential molecular marker for lung adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28623645
TI  - PSMB5 is associated with proliferation and drug resistance in triple-negative
      breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive subtype
      of breast cancer, characterized by advanced disease stage and poor prognosis.
      Moreover, due to the lack of therapeutic markers, TNBC patients can't benefit
      fully from currently available targeted therapies. METHODS: To fully understand
      the molecular basis of TNBC, we used gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to
      screen out the most altered functional module in TNBC, from publicly available
      microarray data and studied the association of the candidate gene with TNBC
      development. RESULTS: We found that the proteasome was significantly activated in
      TNBC. As compared with other breast cancer subtypes and normal tissue, proteasome
      subunit beta 5 (PSMB5), the key regulator of proteasome function, was
      overexpressed in TNBC tissue and predictive of poor prognosis. Moreover, we also
      found that PSMB5 knockdown induced TNBC apoptosis and significantly enhanced
      cancer cell sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agents bortezomib and paclitaxel.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a potential role for PSMB5 as a biomarker and
      therapeutic target for TNBC.

PMID- 28623646
TI  - Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of CCAT2 in Chinese patients with
      various tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) as a long noncoding RNA
      (lncRNA) is overexpressed and plays a significant prognostic role in patients
      with tumors. The present study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the clinical
      value of CCAT2 in the Chinese population, as a potential prognostic marker in
      multiple cancers. METHODS: A systematic search of eligible studies was conducted
      in the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Wanfang and the China National
      Knowledge Infrastructure databases as of March 31, 2017. Approximately 1,711
      tumor patients from 16 eligible studies were selected. Analyses of the pooled
      data were performed, and the odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) and the 95%
      confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated and summarized to evaluate the
      strength of this association using a fixed- or random-effects model. RESULTS:
      Overall analyses showed that increased CCAT2 expression was associated with a
      higher risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM), an increased potential for distant
      metastasis (DM) and higher clinical stage (p<0.001 for LNM, p = 0.001 for DM,
      p<0.001 for clinical stage). HR and the 95% CI for overall survival (OS) were
      assessed to pool the effect size using a fixed-effects model. A significant
      association was observed between increased CCAT2 expression and poor OS (pooled
      HR = 1.91, 95% CI, 1.63-2.22, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that
      CCAT2 is a biomarker to predict tumor progression and a potential prognostic
      marker in multiple cancers. Additional well-designed clinical studies are needed
      to validate these findings.

PMID- 28623647
TI  - Expression of mTOR in Primary Pterygium and its Correlation with alpha-Smooth
      Muscle Actin.
AB  - PURPOSE: Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine protein
      kinase that has been shown to affect many cellular functions, such as cell
      growth, proliferation, and metabolism. However, there has been minimal focus on
      the expression of mTOR in pterygium. The purpose of this study was to investigate
      the expression of mTOR and the correlation between the levels of mTOR and alpha
      smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA, a marker of transdifferentiation) in pterygium.
      METHODS: Primary pterygium samples from 28 patients and normal conjunctival
      samples from 16 patients were surgically removed and analyzed. The expression
      levels of mTOR and alpha-SMA in the excised specimens were assessed using
      immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Furthermore, correlations between the
      mTOR and alpha-SMA expression levels were studied. RESULTS: The expression of
      mTOR and alpha-SMA was significantly higher in the pterygium tissues than in
      normal conjunctiva tissues. A significant positive correlation was detected
      between the number of mTOR-immunopositive fibroblasts and the number of alpha-SMA
      immunopositive fibroblasts (rho = 0.463, p = 0.0078). Additionally, mTOR
      expression was significantly correlated with alpha-SMA expression (rho = 0.269, p
      = 0.031) in pterygium. CONCLUSIONS: There was an increased expression of mTOR in
      pterygium samples compared to that in normal conjunctival tissues, with a
      positive correlation with alpha-SMA expression. These findings might be involved
      in the pathogenesis of pterygium.

PMID- 28623648
TI  - Systemic chemotherapy in muscle invasive and metastatic bladder cancer: present
      and future.
AB  - Bladder cancer is the most frequent among the urothelial tumors, and it is
      responsible for about 2% of all cancer mortality worldwide. The mainstay of
      chemotherapy treatment, both for muscle-invasive and metastatic disease, is
      cisplatin-based regimens. In recent years, ground-breaking results have been
      achieved with immunotherapy, which have led to important breakthroughs in the
      bladder cancer treatment scenario, with the approval of several new agents. New
      insights derive from a greater characterization of the tumor genome, which could
      lead to developing new therapies, more personalized, in the near future.

PMID- 28623649
TI  - Allium stent for the treatment of a malignant ureteral stenosis: A paradigmatic
      case.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to present a paradigmatic case where the new
      generation Allium URS stent was the optimal choice to treat a malignant ureteral
      stenosis. METHODS: We describe in detail all the steps of our surgery, performed
      on a 69-year-old patient with left hydronephrosis caused by lumbo-aortic nodal
      metastases compressing the ureter. The patient was intolerant to double-J stent
      due to strong irritative urinary symptoms. Allium URS stent was positioned under
      fluoroscopy in replacement of pre-existing double-J stent. RESULTS: Our approach
      was successful and irritative urinary symptoms disappeared. At 6 months, the
      Allium URS was correctly positioned and no hydronephrosis was detected on
      ultrasound. The stent can be left in place for a maximum of 3 years. CONCLUSIONS:
      In complicated scenarios of chronic ureteral stenosis, the new-generation Allium
      URS can be an interesting option to treat the obstruction while sparing the
      patient the irritative urinary symptoms and periodic replacements typical of a
      double-J stent.

PMID- 28623650
TI  - The incidence of dissociated liners in 4,751 consecutive total hip arthroplasties
      using Pinnacle polyethylene acetabular liners.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Acetabular liner dissociation is a complication exclusive to
      modular designs. We present a single surgeon series of 8 polyethylene liner
      dissociations with the Pinnacle Acetabular System (DePuy Orthopaedics) from over
      4,750 cases. We also present a review of the literature and data from the UK
      National Joint Registry (NJR) on dissociation in total hip arthroplasty (THA).
      METHODS: The Pinnacle Acetabular System has been used exclusively by the senior
      author since April 2003, and to date 5,882 have been implanted (837 ceramic
      liners, 4,751 polyethylene liners (1,606 Enduron/3,145 Marathon) and 294 metal
      liners). We reviewed all cases of liner dissociation from this cohort to
      determine an overall incidence with polyethylene liners, identify associated risk
      factors, and report the outcome following revision surgery. RESULTS: Our
      incidence of this complication is 8 out of 4,751 cases (0.17%). Review of these
      cases and the literature suggests that femoral neck impingement against the
      polyethylene liner and/or edge loading may produce fatigue failure of the locking
      mechanism and subsequent dissociation. CONCLUSIONS: Ensuring correct liner
      seating/locking, minimising impingement, achieving appropriate component version
      and avoiding radiographic cup inclinations >50 degrees  should minimise the risk
      of liner dissociation. Any new noise or squeaking from a polyethylene liner
      should undergo radiographic investigation to exclude dissociation. We recommend
      managing late cases of liner dissociation with revision of the acetabular shell
      if the cup orientation could be improved or if there is any damage to the liner
      locking groove, to reduce the risk of recurrence.

PMID- 28623651
TI  - An investigation of support services available by Internet searching to families
      impacted by a parent's cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Throughout a parent's cancer diagnosis and treatment, families are
      likely to turn to the Internet to find social, emotional, and informational
      support services. It is important that professionals understand the content and
      availability of support discoverable through Web searches. This study identified
      and described Web-based information regarding support services offered to
      families when a parent has cancer. METHODS: Predefined key search terms were
      searched across 2 public Web browsers for a period of 3 months. Web-based
      information of support services (n = 25) was abstracted, and their key criteria
      examined. RESULTS: Of services offering face-to-face support (n = 22), more were
      founded by persons impacted by cancer (n = 10) (patients, parents, and offspring)
      than professionals (n = 4). Services offered online were created by health
      organisations and universities (n = 3). It appeared several service programs were
      delivered by volunteers, support staff, or facilitators, rather than registered
      health professionals or those with professional qualifications. Few services
      supported young children (under 5 years) or the parents themselves. CONCLUSION:
      Support services for families affected by a parent's cancer is relatively
      difficult to find through Web searches. Ambiguity around staff qualifications or
      evidence-base of support may hinder layperson engagement. Services offering face
      to-face support were often founded by those directly affected by cancer;
      conversely, services founded by persons with assumable expertise (health
      organisation and university staff) were limited to online support. Such findings
      highlight a possible discrepancy in consumer and provider priorities and have
      implications for current understandings of psychosocial support needs and service
      development for families affected by a parent's cancer.

PMID- 28623652
TI  - Micro Thin-Layer Chromatography Fingerprints of Selected Basil Species and Their
      Chemometric Analysis.
AB  - The dried aerial parts of 12 plants of Ocimum spp. were extracted with the
      Soxhlet apparatus using dichloromethane and methanol as solvents. A micro-TLC
      system with silica and a normal-phase solvent system (propan-2-ol-n-heptane
      formic acid) was used for the chemometric analysis of 12 selected basil
      methanolic extracts. Some indices of similarity (Pearson's correlation
      coefficient, determination coefficient, congruence coefficient, and Euclidean,
      Manhattan (city-block), Chebyshev, and Hausdorff distances) were calculated on
      the basis of thin-layer chromatograms using ImageJ software. Principal component
      analysis was also performed. The method allowed the comparison of the analyzed
      extracts and confirmed the identities of two selected unknown plants.

PMID- 28623653
TI  - Miniaturized Temperature-Controlled Planar Chromatography (Micro-TLC) as a
      Versatile Technique for Fast Screening of Micropollutants and Biomarkers Derived
      from Surface Water Ecosystems and During Technological Processes of Wastewater
      Treatment.
AB  - There is increasing interest in the development of simple analytical systems
      enabling the fast screening of target components in complex samples. A number of
      newly invented protocols are based on quasi separation techniques involving
      microfluidic paper-based analytical devices and/or micro total analysis systems.
      Under such conditions, the quantification of target components can be performed
      mainly due to selective detection. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate
      that miniaturized planar chromatography has the capability to work as an
      efficient separation and quantification tool for the analysis of multiple targets
      within complex environmental samples isolated and concentrated using an optimized
      SPE method. In particular, we analyzed various samples collected from surface
      water ecosystems (lakes, rivers, and the Baltic Sea of Middle Pomerania in the
      northern part of Poland) in different seasons, as well as samples collected
      during key wastewater technological processes (originating from the "Jamno"
      wastewater treatment plant in Koszalin, Poland). We documented that the multiple
      detection of chromatographic spots on RP-18W microplates-under visible light,
      fluorescence, and fluorescence quenching conditions, and using the visualization
      reagent phosphomolybdic acid-enables fast and robust sample classification. The
      presented data reveal that the proposed micro-TLC system is useful, inexpensive,
      and can be considered as a complementary method for the fast control of treated
      sewage water discharged by a municipal wastewater treatment plant, particularly
      for the detection of low-molecular mass micropollutants with polarity ranging
      from estetrol to progesterone, as well as chlorophyll-related dyes. Due to the
      low consumption of mobile phases composed of water-alcohol binary mixtures (less
      than 1 mL/run for the simultaneous separation of up to nine samples), this method
      can be considered an environmentally friendly and green chemistry analytical
      tool. The described analytical protocol can be complementary to those involving
      classical column chromatography (HPLC) or various planar microfluidic devices.

PMID- 28623654
TI  - Value Assignment of Vitamin D Metabolites in Vitamin D Standardization Program
      Serum Samples.
AB  - Assay variability has been cited as an obstacle to establishing optimal vitamin D
      exposure. As part of the Vitamin D Standardization Program (VDSP) effort to
      standardize the measurement of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], the value
      assignment of total 25(OH)D in 50 single-donor serum samples was performed using
      two isotope-dilution LC with tandem MS methods. Both methods are recognized as
      reference measurement procedures (RMPs) by the Joint Committee for Traceability
      in Laboratory Medicine. These samples and their assigned values serve as the
      foundation for several aspects of the VDSP. To our knowledge, this is the first
      time that two RMPs have been used to assign 25(OH)D values to such a large number
      of serum samples.

PMID- 28623655
TI  - The Thin-Layer Microchromatography (MUTLC) and TLC-FID Technique as a New
      Methodology in the Study of Lubricating Oils.
AB  - This paper concerns the possibility of using TLC coupled with a flame ionization
      detector (FID) and micro-TLC (MUTLC) as precursors for microfluidized devices of
      analytical techniques to identify and determine the presence and content of the
      petroleum/vegetable oil base in the lubricating oils applied in cutting devices
      (chainsaws). This research is related to the problem of ensuring, in compliance
      with the requirements of environmental protection, a sufficient level of
      biodegradability of lubricating oils emitted to the environment during operation
      of equipment lubricated with these oils. Such oils include those mainly used in
      cutting devices and emitted in the form of a mist into the environment during the
      operation of those devices. When oil components are eco-toxic, contamination of
      the environment occurs. New methodologies for the identification and
      determination of the petroleum oil base, which is very difficult to biodegrade,
      as well as the easily biodegradable ingredients of vegetable origin in the
      lubricating oils, are presented. The described procedures indicate in an
      indisputable way whether the oil contains the oil base originating from crude oil
      and whether it contains adequate enriching additives. The procedures also allow
      the assessment of the content of particular groups of constituents (MUTLC) or the
      determination of the group composition (TLC-FID).

PMID- 28623656
TI  - Quantum Dots as Components of Electrochemical Sensing Platforms for the Detection
      of Environmental and Food Pollutants: a Review.
AB  - The determination of organic and inorganic environmental and food pollutants is a
      key matter of concern in analytical chemistry due to their effects as a serious
      threat to human health. Focusing on this issue, several methodologies involving
      the use of nanostructured electrochemical platforms have been recently reported
      in the literature. Among these methods, those employing the use of quantum dots
      (QDs) stand out because of features such as signal amplification, good
      reproducibility and selectivity, and the possibility for multiplexed detection,
      and because they preserve the outstanding characteristics of electrochemical
      methodologies with respect to simplicity, ease-of-use, and cost-effective
      instrumentation. This review describes recent electrochemical strategies, in
      which design QDs play a key role, for the determination of pollutants in food and
      environmental samples. The particular role of QDs in the reported methodologies,
      their preparation, and the electrochemical platform design, as well as the
      advantages that QDs provide in the analysis of target analytes, are critically
      discussed.

PMID- 28623657
TI  - Aptamer-Magnetic Bead Quantum Dot Sandwich Assays for Foodborne Pathogen
      Detection: Pros, Cons, and Lessons Learned.
AB  - DNA and RNA aptamers have been extensively investigated as potential competitors
      for antibodies for a variety of applications including food safety testing.
      Ultrasensitive fluorescence detection of foodborne pathogenic bacteria as low as
      1-10 cells/mL has been achieved using aptamers coupled to quantum dots in clear
      pristine buffers for environmental sample detection. Quantum dots offer other
      advantages, including single UV or blue light source multiplex (multicolored)
      detection. However, quantum dots can exhibit decreased fluorescence in some food
      matrixes and even completely fail to fluoresce in some fatty matrixes, as
      documented in this report. Given the need to detect substances in complex food
      matrixes (and from data reported elsewhere), aptamer-magnetic bead pull-down
      methods followed by enzymatic/fluorometric- or PCR-based detection methods may be
      more robust methods for testing in foods or enrichment cultures. Other lessons
      learned, including the initial choice of aptamer targets to enhance assay
      specificity, are also discussed.

PMID- 28623660
TI  - The Method of Coating Fe3O4 with Carbon Nanoparticles to Modify Biological
      Properties of Oxide Measured in Vitro.
AB  - The coating of nanoparticles on materials for medical application [e.g., the
      coating of Fe3O4 nanopowder (IONP) with a carbon nanolayer] serves to protect and
      modify the selected biological, physical, and chemical properties of the coated
      material. Increases in chemical stability, changes in biocompatibility, and a
      modified surface structure are examples of the effects caused by the formation of
      carbon coatings. In the current study, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were coated with a
      carbon nanolayer (IONP@C) in a plasmochemical reactor (using radio-frequency
      plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods) under various experimental
      conditions. Based on data from X-ray diffraction, Raman, and IR spectroscopy, the
      best processing parameters were determined in order to produce a carbon coating
      that would not change the structure of the IONP. The materials with the best
      cover, i.e., a uniform carbon nanolayer, were used in cytotoxic tests to
      investigate their biological properties using the human HepG2 hepatocarcinoma
      cell line and chicken embryo red blood cells as an in vitro model. The obtained
      results proved the low cytotoxicity of Fe3O4 micropowder and IONP in contrast to
      IONP@C, which reduced cell viability, increased hemolysis, and generally was more
      toxic than bare Fe3O4.

PMID- 28623661
TI  - Graphene Nanolayers as a New Method for Bacterial Biofilm Prevention: Preliminary
      Results.
AB  - Biofilms are microbial communities of surface-attached cells embedded in a self
      produced extracellular matrix. They have been found to play a role in a wide
      variety of infections, including catheter-related urinary tract and bloodstream
      infections, and, therefore remain a significant source of morbidity and mortality
      among the world's population. Recently, much attention has been devoted to the
      prevention of biofilm formation on implant surfaces. Nanomaterials such as
      graphene, characterized by antibacterial activity and low toxicity to human
      cells, are promising candidates for biomedical applications. This study
      investigates the antibacterial efficiency of graphene and specially produced
      graphene decorated with silver nanoparticles, obtained by one of the methods of
      printed electronics (spray-coating system). These methods are not only
      economical, but also enable the printing of layers of various thicknesses on
      different types of materials, including flexible and nonplanar substrates. The
      aim of the study was to reveal the ability of graphene and graphene-nanosilver
      layers to prevent the formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm on the
      surface of a Foley catheter.

PMID- 28623662
TI  - Advances in the Analysis of Water and Wastewater Samples Using Various Sensing
      Protocols and Microfluidic Devices Based on PAD and MUTAS Systems.
AB  - The main goal of this review is to summarize practical approaches concerning the
      application of microfluidic systems for the analysis of various biomarkers and
      pollutants, as well as microbes, in water and wastewater matrixes. This problem
      involves multidisciplinary expertise combining research knowledge from various
      areas, including wet chemistry, biochemistry, physical chemistry, molecular
      biology, genetics, signal processing, microelectronics material science, and
      separation science. It has been documented that fairly primitive but fast and
      inexpensive screening methods involving paper-based analytical devices (PADs) and
      micro total analytical systems (MUTAS) can be considered as serious alternatives
      to their more advanced counterparts such as GC, HPLC, and capillary
      electrophoresis coupled to various sophisticated detectors (e.g., multiwavelength
      spectrophotometers such as UV-Vis/DAD and mass spectrometers). The main advantage
      of PAD- and MUTAS-driven technology is that such sensing devices may work under
      on-site and real-time conditions and measure a number of physical parameters and
      chemical factors simultaneously. Moreover, hybrid miniaturized analytical systems
      may combine sensing and data acquisition modules with common mobile phones and
      electronic devices working with global positioning systems and communicating
      through the Internet.

PMID- 28623663
TI  - Structural mechanism of ATP-independent transcription initiation by RNA
      polymerase I.
AB  - Transcription initiation by RNA Polymerase I (Pol I) depends on the Core Factor
      (CF) complex to recognize the upstream promoter and assemble into a Pre
      Initiation Complex (PIC). Here, we solve a structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      Pol I-CF-DNA to 3.8 A resolution using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy.
      The structure reveals a bipartite architecture of Core Factor and its recognition
      of the promoter from -27 to -16. Core Factor's intrinsic mobility correlates well
      with different conformational states of the Pol I cleft, in addition to the
      stabilization of either Rrn7 N-terminal domain near Pol I wall or the tandem
      winged helix domain of A49 at a partially overlapping location. Comparison of the
      three states in this study with the Pol II system suggests that a ratchet motion
      of the Core Factor-DNA sub-complex at upstream facilitates promoter melting in an
      ATP-independent manner, distinct from a DNA translocase actively threading the
      downstream DNA in the Pol II PIC.

PMID- 28623664
TI  - Mechanosensory neurons control the timing of spinal microcircuit selection during
      locomotion.
AB  - Despite numerous physiological studies about reflexes in the spinal cord, the
      contribution of mechanosensory feedback to active locomotion and the nature of
      underlying spinal circuits remains elusive. Here we investigate how
      mechanosensory feedback shapes active locomotion in a genetic model organism
      exhibiting simple locomotion-the zebrafish larva. We show that mechanosensory
      feedback enhances the recruitment of motor pools during active locomotion.
      Furthermore, we demonstrate that inputs from mechanosensory neurons increase
      locomotor speed by prolonging fast swimming at the expense of slow swimming
      during stereotyped acoustic escape responses. This effect could be mediated by
      distinct mechanosensory neurons. In the spinal cord, we show that connections
      compatible with monosynaptic inputs from mechanosensory Rohon-Beard neurons onto
      ipsilateral V2a interneurons selectively recruited at high speed can contribute
      to the observed enhancement of speed. Altogether, our study reveals the basic
      principles and a circuit diagram enabling speed modulation by mechanosensory
      feedback in the vertebrate spinal cord.

PMID- 28623665
TI  - Position paper on olfactory dysfunction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Olfactory dysfunction is an increasingly recognised condition,
      associated with reduced quality of life and major health outcomes such as
      neurodegeneration and death. However, translational research in this field is
      limited by heterogeneity in methodological approach, including definitions of
      impairment, improvement and appropriate assessment techniques. Accordingly,
      effective treatments for smell loss are limited. In an effort to encourage high
      quality and comparable work in this field, among others, we propose the following
      ideas and recommendations. Whilst the full set of recommendations are outlined in
      the main document, points include the following: - Patients with suspected
      olfactory loss should undergo a full examination of the head and neck, including
      rigid nasal endoscopy with small diameter endoscopes. - Subjective olfactory
      assessment should not be undertaken in isolation, given its poor reliability. -
      Psychophysical assessment tools used in clinical and research settings should
      include reliable and validated tests of odour threshold, and/or one of odour
      identification or discrimination. - Comprehensive chemosensory assessment should
      include gustatory screening. - Smell training can be helpful in patients with
      olfactory loss of several aetiologies. CONCLUSIONS: We hope the current
      manuscript will encourage clinicians and researchers to adopt a common language,
      and in so doing, increase the methodological quality, consistency and
      generalisability of work in this field.

PMID- 28623666
TI  - SOX2 regulates acinar cell development in the salivary gland.
AB  - Acinar cells play an essential role in the secretory function of exocrine organs.
      Despite this requirement, how acinar cells are generated during organogenesis is
      unclear. Using the acini-ductal network of the developing human and murine
      salivary gland, we demonstrate an unexpected role for SOX2 and parasympathetic
      nerves in generating the acinar lineage that has broad implications for
      epithelial morphogenesis. Despite SOX2 being expressed by progenitors that give
      rise to both acinar and duct cells, genetic ablation of SOX2 results in a failure
      to establish acini but not ducts. Furthermore, we show that SOX2 targets acinar
      specific genes and is essential for the survival of acinar but not ductal cells.
      Finally, we illustrate an unexpected and novel role for peripheral nerves in the
      creation of acini throughout development via regulation of SOX2. Thus, SOX2 is a
      master regulator of the acinar cell lineage essential to the establishment of a
      functional organ.

PMID- 28623668
TI  - Impact of PCI Appropriateness in the Long-Term Outcomes of Consecutive Patients
      Treated With Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Appropriate use criteria (AUC) for coronary revascularization were
      developed to deliver high-quality care; however, the prognostic impact of these
      criteria remains unclear. We sought to assess the outcomes of patients treated
      with second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) classified according to the
      updated American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart
      Association/Society for Cardiac Angiography and Intervention AUC for percutaneous
      coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2013, a
      total of 1108 consecutive patients treated only with second-generation DES were
      categorized according to the AUC in three groups, using the new proposed
      terminology: appropriate ("A"); uncertain ("U"); and inappropriate ("I"). Major
      adverse cardiac event (MACE, defined as cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial
      infarction, and ischemia-driven target-lesion revascularization) and stent
      thrombosis up to 3 years were compared. RESULTS: PCI was categorized as A in
      33.8%, U in 46.8%, and I in 19.4% of all cases. PCI-A patients had a higher
      prevalence of acute coronary syndromes, while PCI-I involved the treatment of
      more diabetics and patients with stable coronary disease. There were no
      differences in procedural complications among the three groups, with comparable
      rates of in-hospital MACE (9.3% for A vs 9.0% for U vs 7.0% for I; P=.70) and 2
      year MACE (13.9% for A vs 9.0% for U vs 8.6% for I; P=.40). In the multivariable
      analysis, AUC classification was not associated with adverse outcomes.
      CONCLUSIONS: In this contemporary cohort of patients treated with second
      generation DES implantation, AUC did not impact 3-year clinical follow-up.

PMID- 28623669
TI  - Outcomes After Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of Calcified Lesions
      Using Rotational Atherectomy, Cutting-Balloon Angioplasty, or Balloon-Only
      Angioplasty Before Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To report adverse event rates after rotational atherectomy (RA) with
      contemporary drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation and compare RA to cutting
      balloon (CB) angioplasty and balloon-only angioplasty (BA) in the all-comers
      ADAPT-DES trial. BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of
      calcified lesions is increasingly common and is associated with a high risk of
      adverse events. RA can ablate calcified plaque and facilitate stent delivery;
      however, in conjunction with first-generation DES, RA was not superior to BA
      alone in regard to adverse events. METHODS: ADAPT-DES enrolled 8582 patients who
      underwent successful PCI with DES, of whom 2644 had calcified target lesions and
      were included in this study. Among these patients, 1610 had exclusively second
      generation DESs implanted. We present Kaplan-Meier rates for the primary endpoint
      of target-vessel failure (TVF; defined as death, myocardial infarction, or target
      vessel revascularization) as well as its components, for patients who had RA, CB,
      or BA. RESULTS: Among the 2644 patients, RA and CB were used in 150 patients
      (5.7%) and 53 patients (2.0%), respectively. TVF occurred in 20.8% of the RA
      patients, 24.1% of the CB patients, and 17.9% of the BA patients over the 2-year
      study period (P=.41) and was primarily driven by target-vessel revascularization
      (13.8%, 11.4%, and 10.2%, respectively). RA patients with acute coronary
      syndromes had nominally higher 2-year TVF rates than RA patients with stable
      coronary artery disease. CONCLUSION: TVF is common after contemporary DES-PCI of
      calcified lesions, independent of the technique used to prepare the vessel for
      stent implantation. Better treatment strategies are needed.

PMID- 28623667
TI  - The genome and phenome of the green alga Chloroidium sp. UTEX 3007 reveal
      adaptive traits for desert acclimatization.
AB  - To investigate the phenomic and genomic traits that allow green algae to survive
      in deserts, we characterized a ubiquitous species, Chloroidium sp. UTEX 3007,
      which we isolated from multiple locations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
      Metabolomic analyses of Chloroidium sp. UTEX 3007 indicated that the alga
      accumulates a broad range of carbon sources, including several desiccation
      tolerance-promoting sugars and unusually large stores of palmitate. Growth assays
      revealed capacities to grow in salinities from zero to 60 g/L and to grow
      heterotrophically on >40 distinct carbon sources. Assembly and annotation of
      genomic reads yielded a 52.5 Mbp genome with 8153 functionally annotated genes.
      Comparison with other sequenced green algae revealed unique protein families
      involved in osmotic stress tolerance and saccharide metabolism that support
      phenomic studies. Our results reveal the robust and flexible biology utilized by
      a green alga to successfully inhabit a desert coastline.

PMID- 28623670
TI  - Feasibility and Safety of Right and Left Heart Catheterization Via an Antecubital
      Fossa Vein and the Radial Artery in Patients With Heart Failure.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization among patients
      older than 65 years of age. A significant proportion of patients require heart
      catheterization for diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic purposes. To
      determine the feasibility and safety of full arm-arm catheterization access, we
      aimed to compare this approach with other established catheterization approaches.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 493
      consecutive patients with heart failure requiring right and left heart
      catheterization were studied and analyzed. Subsequently, all patients were
      divided into three groups based on the catheterization approach used: arm-arm,
      hybrid femoral-arm, and femoral-femoral access. The three groups did not
      significantly differ in their baseline clinical, demographic, or risk factor
      characteristics. The full arm-arm catheterization procedures were significantly
      longer when compared with hybrid femoral-arm and femoral-femoral approach (73 min
      vs 68 min vs 67 min, respectively; P=.04), but remarkably provided significantly
      less fluoroscopy radiation dose (40,337 +/- 64,799 cG/cm2 vs 62,270 +/- 120,420
      cG/cm2 vs 156077 +/- 566495 cG/cm2, respectively; P=.04). Procedural
      complications were rare and occurred in 0.9% of the arm-arm group, 4.8% of the
      femoral-arm group, and 3.3% of the femoral-femoral group (P=.45). Finally, in arm
      arm patients, a significantly earlier ambulation was achieved compared with the
      others groups (P=.02). CONCLUSION: Full arm-arm access for bilateral heart
      catheterization in patients with heart failure proved to be a safe and feasible
      approach, and was associated with lower radiation burden and early ambulation
      time when compared with hybrid arm-leg and full femoral catheterization
      approaches.

PMID- 28623671
TI  - Feasibility of Diffusion Tensor Imaging for Assessing Functional Recovery in Rats
      with Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Transplantation After Contusive Spinal Cord
      Injury (SCI).
AB  - BACKGROUND Olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation is a promising treatment
      for spinal cord injury. Diffusion tensor imaging has been applied to assess
      various kinds of spinal cord injury. However, it has rarely been used to evaluate
      the beneficial effects of olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation. This study
      aimed to explore the feasibility of diffusion tensor imaging in the evaluation of
      functional recovery in rats with olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation after
      contusive spinal cord injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS Immunofluorescence staining
      was performed to determine the purity of olfactory ensheathing cells. Rats
      received cell transplantation at week 1 after injury. Basso, Beattie, and
      Bresnahan score was used to assess the functional recovery. Magnetic resonance
      imaging was applied weekly, including diffusion tensor imaging. Diffusion tensor
      tractography was reconstructed to visualize the repair process. RESULTS The
      results showed that olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation increased the
      functional and histological recovery and restrained the secondary injury process
      after the initial spinal cord injury. The fractional anisotropy values in rats
      with cell transplantation were significantly higher than those in the control
      group, while the apparent diffusion coefficient values were significantly lower.
      Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan score was positively and linearly correlated with
      fractional anisotropy value, and it was negatively and linearly correlated with
      apparent diffusion coefficient value. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that
      diffusion tensor imaging parameters are sensitive biomarker indices for olfactory
      ensheathing cell transplantation interventions, and diffusion tensor imaging scan
      can reflect the functional recovery promoted by the olfactory ensheathing cell
      transplantation after contusive spinal cord injury.

PMID- 28623672
TI  - Craniosynostosis - Recognition, clinical characteristics, and treatment.
AB  - Craniosynostosis is a developmental craniofacial anomaly, resulting in impairment
      of brain development and abnormally shaped skull. The main cause of
      craniosynostosis is premature closure of one or more cranial sutures. It usually
      occurs as an isolated condition, but may also be associated with other
      malformations as part of complex syndromes. When left untreated, craniosynostosis
      can cause serious complications, such as developmental delay, facial abnormality,
      sensory, respiratory and neurological dysfunction, anomalies affecting the eye,
      and psychological disturbances. Thus, early diagnosis, expert surgical
      techniques, postoperative care, and adequate follow-up are of vital importance in
      treating craniosynostosis.

PMID- 28623674
TI  - Cathepsin K in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: LAM Cell-Fibroblast Interactions Enhance
      Protease Activity by Extracellular Acidification.
AB  - Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease in which LAM cells and
      fibroblasts form lung nodules and it is hypothesized that LAM nodule-derived
      proteases cause cyst formation and tissue damage. On protease gene expression
      profiling in whole lung tissue, cathepsin K gene expression was 40-fold
      overexpressed in LAM compared with control lung tissue (P <= 0.0001).
      Immunohistochemistry confirmed cathepsin K protein was expressed in LAM but not
      control lungs. Cathepsin K gene expression and protein and protease activity were
      detected in LAM-associated fibroblasts but not the LAM cell line 621-101. In lung
      nodules, cathepsin K immunoreactivity predominantly co-localized with LAM
      associated fibroblasts. In vitro, fibroblast extracellular cathepsin K activity
      was minimal at pH 7.5 but significantly enhanced at pH 7 and 6. 621-101 cells
      reduced extracellular pH with acidification dependent on 621-101 mechanistic
      target of rapamycin activity and net hydrogen ion exporters, particularly sodium
      bicarbonate co-transporters and carbonic anhydrases, which were also expressed in
      LAM lung tissue. In LAM cell-fibroblast co-cultures, acidification paralleled
      cathepsin K activity, and both were reduced by sodium bicarbonate co-transporter
      (P <= 0.0001) and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (P = 0.0021). Our findings
      suggest that cathepsin K activity is dependent on LAM cell-fibroblast
      interactions, and inhibitors of extracellular acidification may be potential
      therapies for LAM.

PMID- 28623673
TI  - A prominent lactate peak as a potential key magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)
      feature of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML): Spectrum pattern
      observed in three patients.
AB  - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare, often fatal,
      opportunistic infection, associated with demyelinating process. PML is caused by
      John Cunningham (JC) polyomavirus, and predominantly affects patients with human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or other immunocompromised patients. The
      purpose of this study was to determine the role of magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (MRS) in establishing the diagnosis of PML. MRS with long and short
      echo time was performed in two patients with PML associated with HIV infection
      and in one PML patient associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The most
      prominent peak on the obtained spectra was for lactate; it showed 2-3 times
      higher concentration of lactate compared to choline, almost 4-6 times higher
      lactate concentration compared to creatine, and 4-11 times higher lactate in
      comparison to N-acetylaspartate concentration. Similar spectrum pattern was
      observed in all patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is a new finding
      that might be useful in early diagnosis of PML. Nevertheless, further
      confirmation of our results is needed, since we analyzed the spectrum pattern
      only in three patients. Overall, our results could help in early detection of
      PML, especially in non-HIV patients, and thus prevent the fatal outcome of the
      disease. MRS could also be useful in detecting "tumefactive" demyelinating
      lesions in PML patients, associated with immune reconstitution inflammatory
      syndrome, to avoid misdiagnosis of neoplasm.

PMID- 28623675
TI  - Development of a prototype immunochromatographic test for rapid diagnosis of
      respiratory adenovirus infection.
AB  - Human adenoviruses comprise an important group of etiologic agents that are
      responsible for various diseases in adults and children, such as respiratory,
      ocular, gastroenteric, and urinary infections. In immunocompromised and organ
      transplanted individuals, these agents can cause generalized infections. Rapid
      diagnostic methods for detecting these infectious agents are not widely
      available. The aim of this work was to produce monoclonal and polyclonal anti
      adenovirus antibodies to be used in a rapid diagnostic test for respiratory
      infections. Adenovirus hexons were satisfactorily purified by ultracentrifugation
      and chromatography. After virus purification, anti-hexon monoclonal antibodies
      were produced and characterized, following classical methods. Antibodies were
      specific for adenoviruses 2, 3, 5, and 41. The proposed immunochromatographic
      test was standardized using colloidal gold. The standardization of the rapid test
      was sufficient to detect adenovirus antigens (in nasopharyngeal lavage samples)
      with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 85% when compared to direct
      immunofluorescence. The immunochromatographic assay prototype was sufficiently
      sensitive to detect B (3), C (2 and 5), and F (41) adenovirus samples. Although
      based on preliminary data, the test demonstrated the same performance as direct
      immunofluorescence, but with the advantage of being a point-of-care test. Further
      studies are still needed to confirm its effectiveness in clinical practice.

PMID- 28623676
TI  - Unrecognized pediatric and adult family members of children with acute
      brucellosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Brucellosis is an infectious, contagious and zoonotic disease
      that occurs worldwide. The family members of an index case of brucellosis may be
      especially susceptible, due to sharing the same source of infection and similar
      risk factors for brucellosis. In this study, we propose to screen pediatric and
      adult family members of brucellosis index cases for detecting additional
      unrecognized infected family members. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 114 family members
      of 41 pediatric patients with brucellosis were evaluated. All family members
      completed a brief questionnaire and were tested by a standard tube agglutination
      test (STA). RESULTS: The majority of family members (n=96, 84.2%) were children.
      Among the 114 family members, 42 (36.8%) were seropositive, and 15 (35.7%) were
      symptomatic. The majority of the symptomatic seropositive family members (n=12,
      80%) had STA titers (>=1:640) higher than asymptomatic seropositive family
      members (n=9, 33%; p=0.004). CONCLUSION: The routine screening of both pediatric
      and adult family members of index cases is a priority in endemic areas. Using
      this screening approach, unrecognized family members who are seropositive for
      brucellosis will be identified earlier and be able to receive prompt treatment.

PMID- 28623677
TI  - Incidence of cognitively defined late-onset Alzheimer's dementia subgroups from a
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There may be biologically relevant heterogeneity within typical
      late-onset Alzheimer's dementia. METHODS: We analyzed cognitive data from people
      with incident late-onset Alzheimer's dementia from a prospective cohort study. We
      determined individual averages across memory, visuospatial functioning, language,
      and executive functioning. We identified domains with substantial impairments
      relative to that average. We compared demographic, neuropathology, and genetic
      findings across groups defined by relative impairments. RESULTS: During 32,286
      person-years of follow-up, 869 people developed Alzheimer's dementia. There were
      393 (48%) with no domain with substantial relative impairments. Some participants
      had isolated relative impairments in memory (148, 18%), visuospatial functioning
      (117, 14%), language (71, 9%), and executive functioning (66, 8%). The group with
      isolated relative memory impairments had higher proportions with >= APOE epsilon4
      allele, more extensive Alzheimer's-related neuropathology, and higher proportions
      with other Alzheimer's dementia genetic risk variants. DISCUSSION: A cognitive
      subgrouping strategy may identify biologically distinct subsets of people with
      Alzheimer's dementia.

PMID- 28623678
TI  - The acculturation, language and learning experiences of international nursing
      students: Implications for nursing education.
AB  - BACKGROUND: International or foreign students are those who enrol in universities
      outside their country of citizenship. They face many challenges acculturating to
      and learning in a new country and education system, particularly if they study in
      an additional language. OBJECTIVES: This qualitative inquiry aimed to explore the
      learning and acculturating experiences of international nursing students to
      identify opportunities for teaching innovation to optimise the experiences and
      learning of international nursing students. METHODS: Undergraduate and
      postgraduate international nursing students were recruited from one campus of an
      Australian university to take part in semi-structured interviews. A purposive and
      theoretically saturated sample of 17 students was obtained. Interviews were audio
      recorded and field notes and interview data were thematically analysed. RESULTS:
      Expressing myself and Finding my place were the two major themes identified from
      the international student data. International nursing students identified that it
      took them longer to study in comparison with domestic students and that stress
      negatively influenced communication, particularly in the clinical setting.
      Additionally international nursing students identified the need to find
      supportive opportunities to speak English to develop proficiency. Clinical
      placement presented the opportunity to speak English and raised the risk of being
      identified as lacking language proficiency or being clinically unsafe. Initially,
      international nursing students felt isolated and it was some time before they
      found their feet. In this time, they experienced otherness and discrimination.
      CONCLUSIONS: International nursing students need a safe place to learn so they
      can adjust and thrive in the university learning community. Faculty and clinical
      educators must be culturally competent; they need to understand international
      nursing students' needs and be willing and able to advocate for and create an
      equitable environment that is appropriate for international nursing students'
      learning.

PMID- 28623679
TI  - As a Specialty, Where Do We Go From Here?

PMID- 28623680
TI  - What Are the Incidence and Factors Associated With Implant Fracture?
AB  - PURPOSE: Implant fracture is a serious complication, which leads to treatment
      failure. The purpose of this study is to estimate the incidence of implant
      fractures and identify factors associated with them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In
      this retrospective cohort study, the sample was derived from 2 implant centers.
      The predictors were grouped into the following categories: demographic, location
      of implant, physical characteristic of implant, implant-abutment connection, type
      of prosthesis, type of retention, and outcome variable (time to implant
      fracture). The Kaplan-Meier test was used to estimate implant survival. A Cox
      regression model was applied to evaluate the time-to-event effect of variables on
      implant fracture. RESULTS: Of 18,700 implants, 37 (0.002%) had fractures. The 1-
      and 5-year risk of implant fracture was 0.38 per 1,000 and 1.46 per 1,000,
      respectively. Implant fractures more often occurred in the premolar and molar
      area (94.6%) than in the anterior of the jaws. The Pearson correlation test did
      not show any correlation between age, implant diameter, or implant length and
      time of fracture (P > .05). Analysis of the data by the log-rank test showed a
      significant difference for survival between cemented and screw-retained crowns (P
      = .001). The Cox regression model showed a hazard ratio of 0.23 for tapered
      implants versus cylindrical fixtures and for screw-retained crowns (hazard ratio,
      296.54) versus cemented crowns. CONCLUSIONS: According to this study, conical
      implants and screw-retained prostheses may have lower survival rates due to
      implant fracture.

PMID- 28623681
TI  - Soft Tissue Changes Measured With Three-Dimensional Software Provides New
      Insights for Surgical Predictions.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although computer-aided craniofacial reconstructions allow for
      simulation of hard tissue changes, the prediction of the final soft tissue facial
      changes remains a challenge. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the
      3-dimensional (3D) soft tissue changes in patients undergoing 2-jaw orthognathic
      surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For the present retrospective cohort study, 40
      consecutive patients (11 men and 29 women; mean age 23.5 +/- 4.9 years) who had
      undergone 2-jaw orthognathic surgery were selected. We obtained the medical and
      dental records from 3 weeks before surgery and 6 months after surgery. We used
      image processing software to segment, superimpose, and quantify the hard and soft
      tissue displacements in 3 dimensions before and after surgery at 15 paired
      locations. The soft tissue and hard tissue changes were determined through
      quantification of homologous landmark displacements between the preoperative and
      postoperative computed tomography data. We measured the 3D soft and hard tissue
      changes and the anteroposterior, inferosuperior, and transverse components of the
      changes. We quantified the ratios between the soft and hard tissue changes,
      tested Pearson's correlation between these changes, and developed a predictive
      regression equation for the observations at each location. RESULTS: We found that
      soft tissue movement followed the hard tissue movement, with a correlation nearly
      equal to 0.9 (range 0.85 to 0.98), suggesting that in general the soft tissues of
      the maxillary and mandibular landmarks are affected similarly by the skeletal
      movements. The anteroposterior component of the soft tissue 3D displacements
      followed the hard tissue movement with a ratio greater than 0.9 and with high
      correlation (r > 0.9) in the mandible. CONCLUSION: The results of the present
      study provide surgeons with a ratio of hard to soft tissue change and the
      strength of the correlations, which will allow for more accurate 3D predictions
      for both midline and lateral structures in bimaxillary orthognathic surgical
      cases. In addition, predictive equations for various landmarks were developed and
      can be used in computer-based prediction programs to aid in treatment planning of
      soft tissue changes.

PMID- 28623682
TI  - Osteonecrosis of the Jaw in a Patient Presenting With Post-Transplantation
      Lymphoproliferative Disorder Treated With Rituximab: A Case Report.
AB  - Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a rare but potentially severe condition that
      can be induced by specific treatments. We report the case of a 69-year-old male
      kidney transplant recipient who presented with ONJ 5 years after transplantation.
      The patient presented with ulcerations of the oral mucosa related to post
      transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder, which was treated with rituximab.
      Subsequently, ONJ developed. Although rituximab treatment cannot be firmly
      established as the cause of this condition, similar cases of ONJ have been
      reported after treatment with this monoclonal antibody. This case raises a
      potential link between rituximab treatment and ONJ and prompts further studies to
      investigate the potential impact of rituximab on bone angiogenesis.

PMID- 28623683
TI  - The Effects of Unilateral Alloplastic Temporomandibular Joint Replacement on the
      Opposite-Side Natural Joint: A Finite-Element Analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stress distribution on the
      temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prosthesis and contralateral natural TMJ with
      finite-element analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TMJ implant was used to create
      a 3-dimensional model with a computer. This model was integrated with a mandible
      model created with a computer by use of computed tomography images, similar to a
      real TMJ replacement procedure. Masticatory loads were applied to the model. The
      loads transmitted to the TMJ prosthesis and contralateral healthy joint were
      evaluated by means of finite-element analysis. RESULTS: In the model without the
      TMJ prosthesis, maximum von Mises stress was 252.697 N/mm2 at the condyle and
      5.418 N/mm2 at the disc. In the model with the unilateral TMJ prosthesis, maximum
      stress at the joint prosthesis was 792.681 N/mm2. In the contralateral natural
      joint, maximum stress was 268.908 N/mm2 at the condyle and 8.357 N/mm2 at the
      disc. CONCLUSIONS: In the TMJ model with the unilateral total TMJ prosthesis,
      increased stress values were observed at the disc and condyle of the
      contralateral natural TMJ.

PMID- 28623684
TI  - Chimeric Reverse Temporal Muscle and Pericranial Flap for Double-Layer Closure of
      Deep Facial Defects.
AB  - PURPOSE: Volumetric or multiplane defects of the upper and midface remain a
      challenge for reconstruction because of limited regional flap options. In this
      study, the authors harvested the reverse temporalis muscle flap and pericranial
      flap (RTMP flap) based on the same vascular pedicle, the superficial temporal
      artery, in a chimeric manner to obtain double-layer closure of deep facial
      defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a prospective case series
      performed in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Ataturk University (Erzurum,
      Turkey). The outcomes, including flap survival, postoperative complications,
      reconstructive success, esthetic appearance, and donor site morbidity, were
      clinically evaluated. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (10 male and 4 female) with deep
      defects of the middle third of the face underwent reconstruction using the
      chimeric RTMP flap. All chimeric RTMP flaps survived without postoperative
      complications. All defects were successfully repaired and covered with chimeric
      RTMP flaps. Patients were satisfied with the esthetic results. CONCLUSION: The
      chimeric RTMP flap is a good reconstruction option and can be used safely for
      moderate to large 3-dimensional defects of the middle and upper face. Smooth and
      durable coverage over the bulky muscle flap used to fill the volume defect and a
      larger flap for larger volume defects can be obtained by including the
      pericranial segment of the chimeric RTMP flap.

PMID- 28623685
TI  - Two-Stage Ridge Split at Narrow Alveolar Mandibular Bone Ridges.
AB  - PURPOSE: When the bone ridge is corticalized, the displacement of the buccal
      plate may result in an unintentional malfracture. The aim of this study was to
      report the results of a 2-stage atrophic alveolar ridge expansion performed with
      a sonic-air surgical instrument. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective
      cohort study, the atrophic distal segments of the mandible were treated by a
      split-thickness flap approach and application of an alveolar ridge expansion
      performed in 2 surgical phases. A sonic-air surgical instrument was used. In the
      first surgical procedure, only basal corticotomies on the buccal plate were
      performed. In the second stage, sagittal and vertical osteotomies were added,
      aiming to facilitate the displacement of the buccal bone plate. Subsequently,
      implants were installed into the created space between the buccal and lingual
      plates. No bone substitutes were used. The width of the displaced buccal bone
      wall and the gaps that occurred mesially and distally to the implant were
      measured at the time of implant installation. Cone beam computed tomography scans
      were taken before the first and after the second surgical procedures, and the
      width of the alveolar crest at both observations and the width of the residual
      mesial and distal gaps after implant installation were measured. RESULTS: We
      included 10 patients (6 women and 4 men; aged 37 to 69 years) in the study, and
      15 implants were installed in expanded narrow ridges. Clinically, the mean width
      of the buccal bone wall was 1.2 +/- 0.2 mm and the gaps ranged between 2.8 and
      3.2 mm. On the radiographic assessments, the mean initial width of the alveolar
      bone crest measured 4.1 +/- 0.5 mm, reaching 6.8 +/- 0.9 mm after ridge expansion
      (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of a modified edentulous ridge expansion in 2
      stages allowed the installation of implants in narrow and corticalized alveolar
      ridges. We suggest that this technique is especially applicable in the distal
      segments of the mandible because of the low invasiveness, low risk of buccal
      plate fractures, reduced morbidity, and reduced costs.

PMID- 28623686
TI  - Temporomandibular Prosthetic Joint Infections Associated With Propionibacterium
      acnes: A Case Series, and a Review of the Literature.
AB  - PURPOSE: The orthopedic literature has shown an increasing incidence of
      prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) associated with Propionibacterium acnes (P
      acnes). These infections present serious diagnostic and management challenges to
      the treating surgeons. In this review, the authors report on cases of P acnes
      related temporomandibular joint (TMJ) PJIs that have been diagnosed and treated
      at their institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After approval by the institutional
      review board, information was obtained through a retrospective chart review.
      Records were retrieved from clinic visits from January 1, 2010 through January 1,
      2015 using appropriate International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision
      codes. Data extracted included patient demographics, prostheses details,
      prosthetic infection history, interventions, diagnostic procedures, and culture
      processing methods. RESULTS: Of the 7 patients who met the search criteria, 4 (1
      with bilateral prostheses) had cultures positive for P acnes. For the 5 TMJ PJIs
      with cultures positive for P acnes, tissue cultures were obtained in the
      operating room and processed using mass spectrometry. Symptoms identified in
      these 4 patients were vague and included pain and intermittent swelling; clinical
      and radiographic findings were nonspecific. Treatment regimens included oral and
      parenteral antibiotics and operative interventions. CONCLUSIONS: In this case
      series, the authors report on the management of 4 cases of P acnes-related TMJ
      PJI. When patients with TMJ prostheses report vague symptoms of swelling and pain
      that do not fit the typical infection scenario, the surgeon should consider P
      acnes as a source of infection. Additional case series and retrospective reviews
      will be necessary before developing prospective trials that could aid in the
      prevention and management of this infection.

PMID- 28623687
TI  - Microcalcifications in stone-obstructed human submandibular gland are associated
      with apoptosis and cell proliferation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Human submandibular gland (SMG) stones are associated with
      inflammation, fibrosis and microcalcifications in the surrounding tissues.
      However, there is little information about the accompanying cell injury-repair
      process, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to
      investigate such an association and its clinical significance. DESIGN OF STUDY:
      Mid-gland paraffin sections of human SMGs ("stone glands") and normal SMGs ("non
      stone glands") were subjected to stains for general histology (hematoxylin and
      eosin), fibrosis (Masson's trichrome), and calcification (alizarin red) and to
      immunohistochemistry for proliferative activity (Ki-67), and apoptosis (Caspase
      3). Tissues were assessed for areas of inflammation, calcium deposition, and
      fibrosis, and for cycling and apoptotic cells. RESULTS: Acini were atrophic and
      proportionately fewer in lobules with fibrosis in stone glands. Additionally,
      stone glands had intraluminal calcifications (microliths) in scattered excretory
      and striated ducts and blood vessel walls. Areas of inflammation and fibrosis
      were small and uncommon, and calcifications were not seen in non-stone glands.
      Proliferating and apoptotic cells were common in the main duct of stone glands
      where ciliated and mucous cell hyperplasia and stratified squamous metaplasia had
      occurred, uncommon in the main duct of non-stone glands, and uncommon in all
      other parenchymal elements of both stone and non-stone glands. CONCLUSION: Stone
      obstruction in the main excretory ducts of SMG resulted in progressive depletion
      of acini from proximal to distal lobules via calcification, inflammation,
      fibrosis, and parenchymal cell atrophy, apoptosis and proliferation. Interlobular
      duct microliths contributed to this depletion by further provoking intralobular
      inflammation, fibrosis, and acinar atrophy.

PMID- 28623688
TI  - Exposure to sublethal concentrations of Co3O4 and Mn2O3 nanoparticles induced
      elevated metal body burden in Daphnia magna.
AB  - Despite the significant progress made in ecotoxicological research on
      nanoparticles (NPs), there is still very limited information available regarding
      the biological effects of certain types of NPs such as Co3O4 and Mn2O3. Only a
      couple of studies provide data on their impact on aquatic organisms whereas,
      alarmingly, these NPs have been proposed to have high toxicity potential. In
      addition, more data are needed to determine whether the adverse effects the metal
      NPs induce on aquatic organisms are rather due to their chemical or particulate
      nature. To address these open questions, the (sub)lethal effects of Co and Mn NPs
      in parallel with the respective soluble metal salts on Daphnia magna were
      studied. The aims of the current study were to i) assess the acute toxicity of
      Co3O4 and Mn2O3 NPs (primary size 10-30nm) to D. magna, ii) evaluate whether the
      acute NP exposure at sublethal concentrations influences D. magna post-exposure
      feeding behaviour and iii) quantify D. magna metal body burden after exposure and
      after the post-exposure feeding to estimate the potential of trophic transfer of
      metals. Flow cytometry and total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy were
      applied for feeding and metal body burden evaluations, respectively. CuO NPs
      (primary size 22-25nm) that are very toxic to D. magna were included in the study
      as a positive control. Since the release of metal ions is an important
      possibility for toxicity of metal NPs, soluble Co-, Mn- and Cu-salts were
      analysed in parallel. The solubilisation of Co3O4 NPs in the OECD202 assay
      conditions was 0.1% and Mn2O3 NPs 35%. Mn2O3 NPs also produced reactive oxygen
      species in abiotic conditions. However Co3O4 and Mn2O3 NPs were not acutely toxic
      to D. magna (48h EC50>100mg metal/L) at OECD202 assay conditions. The 48h EC50
      values of soluble Co- and Mn-salts were 3.2mgCo/L and 41mgMn/L, respectively.
      Post-exposure feeding behaviour after 48h exposure to sublethal concentrations
      (<=10mg/L) of Co3O4 and Mn2O3 NPs differed from that of the unexposed (control)
      D. magna only at the highest exposure concentrations but was comparable to the
      feeding behaviour of the respective metal salt-exposed organisms. Upon 48h
      exposure, dose-dependent increase of D. magna total metal body burden in case of
      both the NPs and the soluble salts was observed. After 48h post-exposure feeding
      with algae C. reinhardtii (depuration): D. magna body burden remained elevated
      (up to 760-fold compared to the control organism) only in case of the NPs. This
      may indicate potential for trophic transfer of NPs/heavy metals and thus hazard
      for freshwater ecosystem.

PMID- 28623689
TI  - Stage specific effects of soluble copper and copper oxide nanoparticles during
      sea urchin embryo development and their relation to intracellular copper uptake.
AB  - The effects of exposure to either soluble copper (copper sulfate) or copper oxide
      nanoparticles (nano-CuO) during specific early developmental stages of sea urchin
      embryos were analyzed. Soluble copper caused significant malformations in embryos
      (skeletal malformations, delayed development or gut malformations) when present
      at any given stage, while cleavage stage was the most sensitive to nano-CuO
      exposure causing skeletal malformations and decreased total antioxidant capacity.
      The stage specificity was linked to higher endocytic activity during the first
      hours of development that leads to higher accumulation of copper in specific
      cells critical for development. Results indicate that nano-CuO results in higher
      accumulation of copper inside of embryos and this intracellular copper is more
      persistent as compared to soluble copper. The possible implications later in
      development are discussed.

PMID- 28623690
TI  - Candidate cytochrome P450 genes for ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity in
      oyster Crassostrea gigas.
AB  - Vertebrate cytochrome P450 1 (CYP1) enzymes metabolize endogenous and xenobiotic
      compounds and usually demonstrate a substrate-inducible response. Ethoxyresorufin
      O-deethylase activity (EROD) is a common method to quantify CYP1 enzymes activity
      in these organisms. Despite the absence of this gene family in protostomes, CYP1
      like genes were identified in several species, even though no evolutionary
      relationship has been established with the vertebrate CYP1 family. In the present
      study, EROD activity was evaluated in microsomal fraction of gills, digestive
      gland and mantle of Crassostrea gigas. Enzyme activity was quantified in gills,
      although no activity was detected in digestive gland and mantle. EROD kinetic
      characterization in gills using typical Michaelis-Menten equation demonstrated an
      apparent Km of 1.15MUM and Vmax of 229.2 fmol.min-1mg.protein -1. EROD activity
      was analyzed in the presence of CYP1 inhibitors, ellipticine (ELP), furafylline
      (FRF), clotrimazole (CTZ), alpha-naphthoflavone (ANF), and the non-ionic
      surfactant Triton X-100. CTZ inhibited EROD activity in all tested concentrations
      while Triton X-100 (0.5mM) caused 16% inhibition. Transcript levels of four CYP1
      like genes were determined in gills, digestive gland and mantle. In general, CYP1
      like genes showed higher transcript levels in gills compared to other tissues.
      The transcript levels of CYP1-like 1 and 2, analyzed together, positively
      correlated with EROD activity observed in gills, suggesting the possible
      involvement of these two gene products in EROD activity in this tissue. Homology
      models of translated CYP1-like 1 and 2 were generated based on human CYP1A1
      structure and were similar to the general canonical cytochrome P450 fold.
      Molecular docking analysis showed that the two putative oyster CYP1-like
      structures have the potential to metabolize 7-ethoxyresorufin (7-ER), although
      the contribution of other CYP1-like genes needs to be investigated. Proteins
      encoded by CYP1-like 1 and 2 genes are plausible candidates for EROD activity
      observed in gills of C. gigas.

PMID- 28623691
TI  - Quantification of fenestrations in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells by atomic
      force microscopy.
AB  - Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells present unique morphology characterized by the
      presence of transmembrane pores called fenestrations. The size and number of
      fenestrations in live cells change dynamically in response to variety of chemical
      and physical factors. Although scanning electron microscopy is a well-established
      method for investigation of fixed liver sinusoidal endothelial cells morphology,
      atomic force microscopy is the interesting alternative providing detailed 3D
      topographical information. Moreover, simple sample preparation, only by wet
      fixation, minimizing sample preparation artifacts enable high-resolution atomic
      force microscopy-based measurements. In this work, we apply imaging methods based
      on atomic force microscopy, to describe characteristic features of glutaraldehyde
      fixed primary murine liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, namely: mean
      fenestration diameter, porosity, and fenestrations frequency. We also investigate
      the effect of different tip apex radius on evaluation of single fenestration
      diameter. By quantitative description of fenestrations, we demonstrate that
      atomic force microscopy became a well competing tool for nondestructive
      quantitative investigation of the liver sinusoidal endothelial cell morphology.

PMID- 28623692
TI  - Formulation and characterization of monodisperse O/W emulsions encapsulating
      astaxanthin extracts using microchannel emulsification: Insights of formulation
      and stability evaluation.
AB  - The study used straight-through microchannel emulsification (MCE) to encapsulate
      different extracts of astaxanthin (AXT) in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion droplets.
      We used silicon microchannel plates (WMS 11-1) containing 13,752 discrete
      10*104MUm microslots, connected to a circular microhole with a diameter of 10MUm.
      Two different AXT extracts (AstaReal (AR) and Zenthin(r) (ZR)) based upon
      concentration and without purification was used as encapsulants in the dispersed
      phase, while different emulsifiers (1% (w/w) SDS, ML-750, MO-7S, Na-Cs and ML)
      with different stabilizing mechanisms were used as the continuous phase. The MCE
      was conducted at a dispersed phase flow rate of 1mLh-1. Successful emulsification
      was conducted with a Sauter mean diameter of 35-37MUm and relative span factor
      <0.25. The emulsification was highly depended on the type of emulsifiers and the
      extract type used during emulsification. Better droplet productivity was achieved
      with AR extract with 1% (w/w) ML-750 as the optimized emulsifier in Milli-Q
      Water. The O/W emulsion droplets remained stable at 25 degrees C with
      encapsulation efficiency of over 98% during 15days of storage period.

PMID- 28623693
TI  - Control of human skin wettability using the pH of anionic surfactant solution
      treatments.
AB  - The outermost layer of human skin, or stratum corneum, acts as a protective
      barrier between underlying living tissue and the external environment. The
      wettability of this tissue layer can influence spreading of chemicals and the
      adhesion of pathogenic microorganisms. We show in this article that the
      wettability of isolated human stratum corneum can be controlled through treatment
      with solutions of the anionic surfactant, sodium lauryl sulfate, buffered to
      different pH values. Relative to control treatments with the buffer solution
      alone, surfactant solution treatments under acidic conditions cause delipidated
      stratum corneum to become more hydrophobic. In contrast, alkaline conditions
      cause the stratum corneum to become more hydrophilic; irrespective of lipid
      composition. This transition is consistent with a reorientation of bound
      surfactants at the tissue interface. Under acidic conditions, electrostatic
      binding of negatively charged surfactant head groups with positively charged
      keratin in the stratum corneum would increase tissue hydrophobicity due to the
      exposed hydrophobic tails. However, a hydrophobic based attraction of the apolar
      surfactant tails to the stratum corneum surface under alkaline conditions would
      leave the hydrophilic surfactant head groups exposed, causing increased tissue
      hydrophilicity. Changes in wettability with pH become diminished when lipids
      ordinarily found in stratum corneum are present, suggesting the lipids partially
      inhibit surfactant binding. Profilometry studies of the tissue topography
      highlight that surfactant induced changes in stratum corneum surface roughness
      cannot account for the observed changes in wettability.

PMID- 28623694
TI  - Monitoring of nanoclay-protein adsorption isotherms via fluorescence techniques.
AB  - The investigation of nanoparticles and their interaction with bio-macromolecules
      have become an important issue; the widely discussed protein corona around
      nanoparticles and their biological fate in general have drawn particular
      attention. Here, we focus on nanoclay dispersions and the use of solvatochromic
      fluorescent dyes (Dansyl and Coumarin 153) for monitoring the interaction with
      two model proteins, bovine serum albumin and beta-lactoglobulin. On one hand,
      these dyes are poorly emissive in water, but experience a boost in their
      fluorescence when adsorbed into the hydrophobic domains of proteins. On the other
      hand, (nano)clays and clay minerals have previously been investigated in terms of
      their individual protein adsorption isotherms and their usefulness for the
      solubilization of water-insoluble dyes into an aqueous environment. In the
      following, we have combined all three individual parts (nanoclay, fluorophore and
      protein) in dispersions in a wide range of concentration ratios to systematically
      study the various adsorption processes via fluorescence techniques. In order to
      clarify the extent of dye diffusion and adsorption-desorption equilibria in the
      investigations, nanoclay hybrids with an adsorbed dye (Coumarin 153) and a
      covalently conjugated dye (Dansyl) were compared. The results suggest that the
      fluorescence progression of protein titration curves correlate with the amount of
      protein adsorbed, matching their reported adsorption isotherms on hectorite
      clays. Furthermore, experimental data on the protein monolayer formation around
      the nanoclays could be extracted due to only minor alterations of the
      dispersions' optical quality and transparency. In this manner, a fluorescence
      based monitor for the formation of the globular protein layer around the nanoclay
      was realized.

PMID- 28623695
TI  - Injectable, cytocompatible, elastic, free radical scavenging and
      electroconductive hydrogel for cardiac cell encapsulation.
AB  - The injectable electroconductive hydrogels are desirable for the regenerative
      therapy of electroresponsive tissues like heart. With the present
      electroconductive hydrogels, the issues of cytotoxicity, biodegradability, and
      diffusion of the conductive element and poor water solubility limit their
      applications. Here, electroconductive injectable single component hydrogels,
      PANIE-P/PEGDA and PANIS-P/PEGDA, are prepared with fumarate-co-PEG-co-sebacate
      comacromer conjugated with non-sulfonated/sulfonated polyaniline and PEGDA. These
      hydrogels have maximum electrical conductivity of 0.351+/-0.043*10-3Scm-1 and
      0.550+/-0.016*10-3Scm-1, which is comparable to the native myocardium. The
      hydrogels with 50% comacromer concentration coded as PE50P and PS50P retain
      82.48% and 84.08% water on equilibrium swelling respectively. The hydrogels have
      required a porous surface for cell growth and proliferation. PS50P hydrogel has
      stiffness of 442kPa with elastic characteristics. The hydrogel is compatible with
      L929 fibroblast and H9c2 cardiomyoblast cells. PS50P hydrogel has better free
      radical scavenging property and protective effect over cells under oxidative
      stress. The hydrogel retains encapsulated cardiomyoblast cells with 98% viability
      under static long-term in vitro culture. Briefly, the PS50P hydrogel is
      electroconductive, free radical scavenging and mechanically suitable for cardiac
      regenerative therapy.

PMID- 28623697
TI  - Tunable synthesis of the polar modified hyper-cross-linked resins and application
      to the adsorption.
AB  - The polar modified hyper-cross-linked resins were synthesized by the suspension
      polymerization and Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction, and the effect of the
      feeding amount of the monomers (N-vinylimidazole and p-vinylbenzyl chloride) on
      the porosity and polarity were clarified. As the feeding amount of p-vinylbenzyl
      chloride decreased from 75% to 50% (w/w), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area
      of the resins lowered from 1306 to 436 m2/g, and the pore size distribution
      showed a large population of pores in micropores stretching to a higher
      percentage of mesopores. As the feeding amount of N-vinylimidazole increased from
      5% to 30% (w/w), the nitrogen content of the resins rose from 0.005% to 3.06%
      (w/w), and the contact angle decreased from 97+/-4.2 degrees  to 28+/-2.0 degrees
      . As a result, the porosity and polarity of the resins could be accurately tuned
      by adjusting the feeding amount of the monomers, and the different porosity and
      polarity of these resins endowed them with selective adsorption to benzoic acid
      and Rhodamine B.

PMID- 28623696
TI  - Optimizing purification process of MIM-I-BAR domain by introducing atomic force
      microscope and dynamics simulations.
AB  - MIM (missing in metastasis) is a member of I-BAR (inverse BAR) domain protein
      family, which functions as a putative metastasis suppressor. However, methods of
      gaining high purity MIM-I-BAR protein are barely reported. Here, by optimizing
      the purification process including changing the conditions of cell lysate and
      protein elution, we successfully purified MIM protein. The purity of the obtained
      protein was up to ~90%. High-resolution atomic force microscope (AFM) provides
      more visual images, ensuring that we can observe the microenvironment around the
      target protein, as well as the conformations of the purification products
      following each purification process. MIM protein with two different sizes were
      observed on mica surface with AFM. Combining with molecular dynamics simulations,
      these molecules were revealed as MIM monomer and dimer. Furthermore, our study
      attaches importance to the usage of imidazole with suitable concentrations during
      the affinity chromatography process, as well as the removal of excessive
      imidazole after the affinity chromatography process. All these results indicate
      that the method described here was successful in purifying MIM protein and
      maintaining their natural properties, and is supposed to be used to purify other
      proteins with low solubility.

PMID- 28623698
TI  - Single-component solid lipid nanocarriers prepared with ultra-long chain
      amphiphilic lipids.
AB  - HYPOTHESIS: Synthetic sugar alcohol mono-behenates with high melting points,
      surface activity and resistance to enzymatic lipolysis, are expected to form
      stable single-component solid lipid nanocarriers (SC-SLNs). The preparation
      methods and the polar head group of the molecules should affect the size and drug
      encapsulation efficiency. EXPERIMENTS: SC-SLNs of sugar alcohol mono-behenates
      with varied polar heads were prepared using emulsification-diffusion method and
      melting-probe sonication method. Model lipophilic drug fenofibrate was formulated
      into nanocarriers. The drug release was assessed using the lipolysis model. The
      structure and drug distribution of the nanocarriers were studied using AFM and
      TEM. FINDINGS: Both the polar head group of the molecules and the preparation
      methods affect the particle size and size distribution. Nanocarriers prepared
      with sorbitol mono-behenates showed the smallest mean size (~100nm with PdI of
      0.26). In addition, they displayed high entrapment efficiency of fenofibrate
      (95%) and long term drug release. Nanocarriers prepared by emulsification
      diffusion method entrapped fenofibrate into lipid bilayers. In contrast,
      Nanocarriers prepared by melting-probe sonication method had a micelle structure
      with fenofibrate incorporated into a lipid monolayer. This study provides an
      insight into the systematic development of novel amphiphilic lipids for solid
      lipid-based drug delivery system.

PMID- 28623699
TI  - The effect of the protein corona on the interaction between nanoparticles and
      lipid bilayers.
AB  - HYPOTHESIS: It is known that nanoparticles (NPs) in a biological fluid are
      immediately coated by a protein corona (PC), composed of a hard (strongly
      bounded) and a soft (loosely associated) layers, which represents the real nano
      interface interacting with the cellular membrane in vivo. In this regard,
      supported lipid bilayers (SLB) have extensively been used as relevant model
      systems for elucidating the interaction between biomembranes and NPs. Herein we
      show how the presence of a PC on the NP surface changes the interaction between
      NPs and lipid bilayers with particular care on the effects induced by the NPs on
      the bilayer structure. EXPERIMENTS: In the present work we combined Quartz
      Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) and Neutron
      Reflectometry (NR) experimental techniques to elucidate how the NP-membrane
      interaction is modulated by the presence of proteins in the environment and their
      effect on the lipid bilayer. FINDINGS: Our study showed that the NP-membrane
      interaction is significantly affected by the presence of proteins and in
      particular we observed an important role of the soft corona in this phenomenon.

PMID- 28623700
TI  - Heat release at the wetting front during capillary filling of cellulosic micro
      substrates.
AB  - Spontaneous imbibition in cellulosic materials is an expanding field of research
      due to the direct applicability in paper-based microfluidics. Here, we show
      experimentally, using simultaneous thermal and optical imaging that the
      temperature at the wetting front during capillary filling of paper is temporarily
      increased, even if the imbibed fluid and the cellulosic substrate are initially
      at isothermal conditions. Several liquids and two types of filter paper,
      characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD)
      analysis, were investigated demonstrating a significant temperature rise at the
      wetting front that cannot be neglected form the process. The temperature rise is
      found to be related to the energetics of imbibition compounds, including acid
      base contributions, that result in electrostatic attractions as the liquid
      molecules are adhered on the fiber surfaces upon capillary contact.

PMID- 28623701
TI  - Transition temperature of poly(methyl methacrylate) determined by time-of-flight
      secondary ion mass spectrometry and contact angle measurements.
AB  - The surface chain conformations of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) at different
      temperatures were extensively studied by time-of-flight secondary ion mass
      spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Similar to our previous experimental studies on
      polystyrene (PS) and poly(2, 3, 4, 5, 6-pentafluorostyrene) (5FPS), a transition
      temperature (TT) could be identified through the principal component analysis
      (PCA) of the ToF-SIMS spectra obtained from the PMMA samples annealed at
      different temperatures. Interestingly, our results show that the TT depended on
      molecular weight and was about 50-60C below the bulk glass transition temperature
      (Tg) and therefore could possibly be related to the surface glass transition
      temperature (TgS). These results were confirmed by contact angle measurements.
      ToF-SIMS results showed higher peak intensities of several low-mass oxygen
      containing positive ions, hydrocarbon positive ions and OCH3- negative ion at
      higher temperatures, which can be interpreted by a higher surface concentration
      of methoxy groups at the surface.

PMID- 28623702
TI  - Adsorption of ionic surfactants at microscopic air-water interfaces using the
      micropipette interfacial area-expansion method: Measurement of the diffusion
      coefficient and renormalization of the mean ionic activity for SDS.
AB  - The dynamic adsorption of ionic surfactants at air-water interfaces have been
      less-well studied than that of the simpler non-ionics since experimental
      limitations on dynamic surface tension (DST) measurements create inconsistencies
      in their kinetic analysis. Using our newly designed "Micropipette interfacial
      area-expansion method", we have measured and evaluated both equilibrium and
      dynamic adsorption of a well-known anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate
      (SDS), in the absence or presence of 100mM NaCl. Our focus was to determine if
      and to what extent the inclusion of a new correction parameter for the "ideal
      ionic activity", A+/-i, can renormalize both equilibrium and dynamic surface
      tension measurements and provide better estimates of the diffusion coefficient of
      ionic surfactants in aqueous media obtained from electroneutral models, namely
      extended Frumkin isotherm and Ward-Tordai adsorption models. We found that the
      estimated value of the new parameter, A+/-i=0.29, is key to obtain the diffusion
      coefficient D=5.3+/-0.3*10-6cm2/s for SDS, in excellent agreement with the
      literature. These new technique and analyses can now be applied to study the
      interfacial adsorption of a range of both ionic and non-ionic surface-active
      molecules, including the potentially slower-diffusing polymers and biological
      materials like lipids, peptides, and proteins.

PMID- 28623704
TI  - Graphene-poly(nickel complex) as novel electrochromic nanocomposite for the
      fabrication of a robust solid-state device.
AB  - An electrochromic nanocomposite based on a nickel-salen polymeric film -
      poly[Ni(3-Mesalen)], Mesalen=N,N'-bis(3-methylsalicylideneiminate) - and graphene
      nanoplatelets (GFNPs) with enhanced electrochromic stability was successfully
      prepared by anodic electropolymerization. Although the electrochemical processes
      typical of the polymer film were not changed by the presence of graphene, higher
      electroactive surface coverages could be obtained for nanocomposite films, which
      suggest the incorporation of GFNPs into the polymeric network. The nanocomposite
      showed multi-electrochromic behavior, with color changes between yellow (reduced
      state) and green (oxidized state). The inclusion of GFNPs into the poly[Ni(3
      Mesalen)] structure accelerates the switching process, with the response time for
      green coloration decreasing by 50.7% and for yellow coloration by 60.0%, for
      films prepared with 30 electropolymerization cycles. In terms of electrochemical
      stability, after 10,000 electrochemical cycles the loss of charge was 7% for the
      graphene nanocomposite. The nanocomposite film was used as electrochromic
      material to assemble a flexible solid-state electrochromic device (ECD), which
      exhibited an outstanding electrochemical stability - only 3% of charge loss after
      15days of continuous activity.

PMID- 28623703
TI  - Praseodymium sorption on Laminaria digitata algal beads and foams.
AB  - Algal (Laminaria digitata) beads and algal foams have been prepared by a new
      synthesis mode and the sorbents were tested for praseodymium sorption in batch
      and fixed-bed like systems (recirculation or one-pass modes), respectively. Metal
      binding occurs through ion-exchange with Ca(II) ions used for ionotropic gelation
      of alginate contained in the algal biomass and eventually with protons. Sorption
      isotherms at pH 4 are described by the Langmuir and the Sips equations with
      maximum sorption capacities close to 110-120mgPrg-1. Uptake kinetics are fitted
      by the pseudo-second order reaction rate equation for both beads and foams; in
      the case of beads the Crank equation also gives good fit of experimental data.
      Metal is successfully desorbed using 2M HCl/0.05M CaCl2 solutions and the sorbent
      can be efficiently re-used for a minimum of 5 cycles with negligible decrease in
      sorption/desorption properties and appreciable concentrating effect (around 8-10
      times the initial metal concentration). Tested in continuous mode, the algal foam
      shows typical breakthrough curves that are fitted by the Yan method; desorption
      is also efficient and allows under the best conditions to achieve a concentration
      factor close to 8.

PMID- 28623705
TI  - Counter-ion transport number and membrane potential in working membrane systems.
AB  - In this work we use the general space-charge (SC) theory for a combined transport
      model of fluid and ion through cylindrical nanopores to derive equations for the
      membrane potential and counter-ion transport numbers. We discuss this approach
      for ion exchange membranes assuming aqueous domains as interconnected network of
      cylindrical pores. The transport number calculations from the SC theory are
      compared with the corresponding ones from the uniform potential (UP) and Teorell
      Meyer-Sievers (TMS) models in the case of both zero and non-zero concentration
      gradient across the membrane and with an applied current density. By using this
      approach we suggest the optimal conditions for performing membrane potential
      experiments (i.e. choice of electrolyte and concentration difference) depending
      on an easily accessible membrane property, namely the volumetric charge density.
      We also theoretically describe a novel dynamic method to determine in a single
      experiment the membrane potential and membrane conductivity. To exemplify the use
      of the dynamic method we report the calculations based on typical operating
      conditions of the reverse electrodialysis process. The numerical results are
      presented in terms of the electrical potential difference versus the average pore
      radius and charge density. The resulting map is a useful tool for a rational
      design of an effective membrane morphology for a specific electrochemical
      application.

PMID- 28623706
TI  - Primary inferior vena cava smooth muscle tumor with diffuse bizarre giant nuclei
      and low mitotic rate: a nomenclatural conundrum.
AB  - A male patient with obstructive jaundice was found to have an incidental nodule
      within the inferior vena cava (IVC), below the level of the renal vein, on
      abdominal imaging. At the time of the Whipple's procedure for pancreatic
      adenocarcinoma, the IVC mass measuring 3.4*2.7*2.2 cm was also removed.
      Histologically, the lesion was well circumscribed, composed focally of spindle
      shaped cells with cigar-shaped nuclei reminiscent of smooth muscle and a dominant
      pervasive, pleomorphic, bizarre giant cell component. Two mitoses per 10 high
      power fields were identified in the most mitotically active area of the entire
      tumor, with the vast majority of the tumor being mitotically inert. Additionally,
      no evidence of coagulative necrosis was noted. The bizarre giant cells had multi-
      and polylobated configurations, and several were replete with nuclear
      pseudoinclusions. Both the spindle cell and pleomorphic components displayed
      strong immunoreactivity for all smooth muscle markers. This lesion conformed
      morphologically to a smooth muscle tumor with bizarre nuclei or so-called
      symplastic/bizarre leiomyoma, as encountered in the uterus. However, current
      thinking based on location in the IVC and the presence of any mitotic activity
      with cellular atypia makes this lesion a leiomyosarcoma. Perhaps more pragmatic
      terminology would be smooth muscle tumor with bizarre nuclei and low malignant
      potential since the limited number of cases described thus far appear to have a
      more indolent course.

PMID- 28623707
TI  - The role of PON-1, GR, IL-18, and OxLDL in depression with and without
      posttraumatic stress disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both oxidative stress markers and inflammatory markers are important
      when diagnosing depression. Oxidative stress occurs due to an imbalance between
      free radical generation and antioxidant potential. Both adenosine triphosphate
      and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species are released during oxidative
      phosphorylation. When neuroinflammation and free radical production are
      increased, oxidative stress occurs and causes damage to all major cellular
      macromolecules. The aim of the study was to compare the concentrations of
      paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), glutathione reductase (GR), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and
      oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDL) in depressed patients with and without
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and PTSD alone. METHODS: The number of
      participants was 460, including 230 males and 230 females. Each study group
      involved 60 subjects (30 males and 30 females). These were patients with mild
      depression (MD), moderate depression (MOD), severe depression (SeD), MD and PTSD
      (MD+PTSD), MOD and PTSD (MOD+PTSD), SeD and PTSD (SeD+PTSD), and with PTSD alone.
      The control group comprised 40 individuals (20 males and 20 females). At 7:00
      a.m. all patients had blood samples collected to determine serum PON-1, GR, IL
      18, and OxLDL concentrations using the ELISA test. RESULTS: Depression became
      more severe as GR, IL-18 and OxLDL concentrations increased and PON-1
      concentrations decreased. CONCLUSION: All studied parameters can be considered
      markers of chronic stress in the above cases. They can be useful when making an
      early diagnosis and evaluating disease severity. Changes in the concentration
      levels of GR, IL-18, PON-1, and OxLDL may constitute a biological response to
      oxidative stress typical of depression.

PMID- 28623708
TI  - Isobolographic analysis of the cutaneous antinociceptive interaction between
      bupivacaine co-injected with serotonin in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this experiment was to investigate a long-lasting local
      anesthetic bupivacaine combined with serotonin at inducing cutaneous
      antinociception. METHODS: The skin antinociception, characterized by an
      inhibition of the cutaneous trunci muscle reflex (CTMR) following the pinprick on
      the dorsal skin of rats, was evaluated. The cutaneous antinociceptive effects of
      bupivacaine alone, serotonin alone, or bupivacaine co-injected with serotonin in
      a dose-dependent fashion were constructed, while the drug-drug interactions were
      evaluated by isobologram. RESULTS: Subcutaneous serotonin, as well as the local
      anesthetic bupivacaine provoked dose-related cutaneous antinociception. On an
      equipotent basis (50% effective dose [ED50]), the relative potency was
      bupivacaine (0.43 [0.37-0.50] MUmol)>serotonin (1.27 [1.15-1.40] MUmol) (p<0.01).
      At the equi-anesthetic doses (ED75, ED50 and ED25), the duration of bupivacaine
      was similar to that of serotonin at producing cutaneous antinociceptive effects.
      Co-administration of bupivacaine and serotonin displayed a synergistic
      antinociception. CONCLUSIONS: The preclinical data demonstrated that serotonin is
      less potent in eliciting cutaneous antinociceptive effects but has the similar
      duration of action, compared with bupivacaine. We also found a more significant
      depth of the sensory block with bupivacaine+serotonin than bupivacaine alone.

PMID- 28623710
TI  - Application of standard cell cultures and 3D in vitro tissue models as an
      effective tool in drug design and development.
AB  - Cell culture systems are essential tools used in a wide range of biomedical and
      clinical studies. Two dimensional cell culture models (2D) provide basic
      information on cytotoxicity, penetration and accumulation of drugs in cells and
      they are of outmost importance when selecting new compounds of the desired
      biopharmaceutical properties as candidates for novel drugs. The improvement over
      2D growing cells are three dimensional (3D) tissue models that mimic in vivo
      conditions and the functions of living tissue more accurately. These models
      reduce the cost of drug development, enable more efficient drug screening,
      minimise failure rate in medicine discovery and eliminate animal use during
      experiments. The article provides an overview of 2D cell cultures and 3D tissue
      models - their properties, basic procedures, conditions of culturing and
      applications.

PMID- 28623709
TI  - The mechanism of neuroprotective action of natural compounds.
AB  - Disturbance of cerebral redox homeostasis is the primary cause of human
      neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease or Alzheimer's disease.
      Well known experimental research demonstrates that oxidative stress is a main
      cause of cell death. A high concentration of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species
      leads to damage of a lot of proteins, lipids and also DNA. Synthetic compounds
      used for the treatment in the neurodegenerative diseases failed to meet the hopes
      they had raised and often exhibit a number of side effects. Therefore, in recent
      years interest in natural compounds derived from plants appears to be on the
      rise. This review describes a few natural compounds (1MeTIQ, resveratrol,
      curcumin, vitamin C and Gingko biloba) which revealed neuroprotective potential
      both in experimental studies and clinical trials. 1MeTIQ has a privileged
      position because, as opposed to the remaining compounds, it is an endogenous
      amine synthesized in human and animal brain. Based on evidence from research, it
      seems that a common protective mechanism for all the above-mentioned natural
      compounds relies on their ability to inhibit or even scavenge the excess of free
      radicals generated in oxidative and neurotoxin-induced processes in nerve cells
      of the brain. However, it was demonstrated that further different molecular
      processes connected with neurotoxicity (e.g. the inhibition of mitochondrial
      complex I, activation of caspase-3, apoptosis) follow later and are initiated by
      the reactive oxygen species. What is more, these natural compounds are able to
      inhibit further stages of apoptosis triggered by neurotoxins in the brain.

PMID- 28623711
TI  - Contribution of dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems in the antinociceptive
      effect of alpha-(phenylalanyl) acetophenone.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the antinociceptive action of alpha
      (phenylalanyl) acetophenone (PSAP) in mice. METHODS: Evaluated whether the
      serotonergic, adrenergic and dopaminergic systems are involved in PSAP
      antinociceptive activity. PSAP was administered intragastrically (ig) 30min prior
      to formalin or glutamate test and compared with a standard drug, meloxicam
      (10mg/kg, ig). RESULTS: The treatment with PSAP (10-50mg/kg) caused inhibition in
      the neurogenic phase and reduced the paw oedema caused by intraplantar (ipl)
      injection of formalin. PSAP (1-50mg/kg) decreased the nociceptive response in the
      inflammatory phase of the formalin test and in licking behaviour triggered by
      glutamate at doses of 0.1-50mg/kg. The antinociceptive effect of PSAP (1mg/kg)
      was abolished when the animals were pre-treated with prazosin (alpha1-adrenergic
      antagonist receptor, 0.15mg/kg, intraperitoneally, ip), yohimbine (alpha2
      adrenergic antagonist receptor, 1mg/kg, ip) and sulpiride (D2/D3 dopamine
      antagonist, 5mg/kg, ip). The antinociceptive effect of PSAP (1mg/kg) was not
      abolished by WAY100635 (5-HT1A-selective serotoninergic antagonist, 0.7mg/kg,
      ip), ketanserin (selective antagonist of serotonergic 5-HT2A/2C, 0.3mg/kg, ip),
      ondansetron (5-HT3 selective serotoninergic antagonist, 0.5mg/kg, ip) or SCH23390
      (D1 dopamine receptor antagonist, 0.05mg/kg, ip) in the glutamate test. No
      changes in locomotor activity were observed in the animals treated with PSAP
      and/or antagonists in the open field test. CONCLUSION: These results showed the
      antinociceptive action of PSAP in formalin and glutamate tests and the
      involvement of the dopaminergic and adrenergic systems in its antinociceptive
      activity.

PMID- 28623712
TI  - Deoxypodophyllotoxin induces cytoprotective autophagy against apoptosis via
      inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in osteosarcoma U2OS cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A natural compound deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT) possesses potent anti
      proliferative and anti-tumor properties on several cancer types. It triggers cell
      cycle arrest followed by apoptosis through various cellular processes. However,
      it is limited to the action mechanism of DPT-mediated cell death modes via
      apoptosis and autophagy. METHODS: Cell viability assay, morphological changes,
      annexin-V/propidium iodide (PI) assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS), acridine
      orange staining, and Western blot analyses were evaluated. RESULTS: We
      demonstrated that DPT induced both apoptosis and autophagy via production of
      mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). DPT suppressed the PI3K/AKT/mTOR
      signaling cascades to lead autophagy process, resulting from conversion of light
      chain 3-I (LC3-I) into LC3-II and acidic vesicular organelles (AVOs) formation.
      Even if DPT-induced ROS were occurred in both apoptosis and autophagy, inhibition
      of ROS generation enhanced cell viability. Otherwise, 3-methyladeine (3-MA)
      impeding on autophagy accelerated an apoptotic response caused by DPT. Therefore,
      these findings suggest that DPT triggers cytoprotective autophagy against
      cytotoxic apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Autophagy is required for cell survival by
      inhibition of apoptosis through down-regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway against
      DPT-induced apoptosis in U2OS cells.

PMID- 28623713
TI  - Indirect sinusoidal vibrations induces an acute increase in explosive strength.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effect of indirect vibration
      on neuromuscular responses and fatigue resistance (electromyographic activity -
      EMG and force) during isometric exercise. Nineteen healthy men (age=22.4+/
      2.7years; body mass=76.4+/-12.9kg, height=175+/-6.7cm) performed isometric elbow
      flexion exercises in three experimental treatments: only isometric exercise
      (control - CON); isometric exercise with the addition of sinusoidal vibrations
      (SVE1; frequency=20Hz, displacement=3.55+/-0.54mm); and isometric exercise with
      the addition of sinusoidal vibrations with frequency variation (SVE2;
      frequency=20+/-3Hz, displacement=3.6+/-0.8mm). The peak of the rate of EMG rise
      (RER) and the root mean square of biceps brachii during the first 200ms
      (RMS200bic) were significantly higher in SVE1 (RMS200bic, 25.57+/-11.70%MVC; RER,
      266.91+/-130.16%MVCs-1) than CON (RMS200bic, 19.31+/-8.19%MVC; RER, 169.15+/
      65.98%MVCs-1). Regarding force, in SVE1, compared to CON, significant increases
      were observed in peak of rate of force development (CON, 643.96+/-192.57N/s;
      SVE1, 845.54+/-292.84N/s), rate of force development in the first 200ms (CON,
      382.92+/-138,63N/s; SVE1, 501.09+/-147.46N/s), and impulse in 200ms (CON, 8.56+/
      3.56Ns; SVE1, 11.67+/-4.45Ns). The addition of indirect sinusoidal vibrations
      during exercise induced increases in the rate of force development (explosive
      strength), without affecting the peak force (maximal strength) and the ability to
      sustain strength production.

PMID- 28623714
TI  - Can the co-dependence of the immune system and angiogenesis facilitate
      pharmacological targeting of tumours?
AB  - Tumours elicit a number of mechanisms to induce a reprogramming of innate and
      adaptive immune cells to their advantage, inducing a pro-angiogenic phenotype.
      Investigation of these events is now leading to the identification of specific
      myeloid and lymphoid cell-targeted therapies, as well as of unexplored off-target
      activities of clinically relevant chemotherapeutic and metabolic drugs. It is
      also leading to an enhanced understanding of the interplay between angiogenesis
      and the immune system, and the value of novel co-targeting approaches using both
      immunotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy. Here, we review recently identified
      mechanisms and potential pharmacological approaches targeting the crosstalk
      between cancer cells and the host immune system, providing an overview on novel
      therapeutic opportunities linking immuno-oncology and anti-angiogenic therapy.

PMID- 28623715
TI  - Diosgenin glucoside provides neuroprotection by regulating microglial M1
      polarization.
AB  - The selective suppression of inflammatory factors in activated microglia, rather
      than totally inhibiting their activation, might be an effective means of slowing
      the progression of certain neurodegenerative diseases. Diosgenin glucoside (Dios)
      is a saponin compound extracted from Tritulus terrestris L. We found that Dios
      suppressed the synthesis of molecules that promote inflammation (M1 markers, such
      as NO, IL-6, and TNF-alpha) in rat microglia and BV-2 cells induced with
      lipopolysaccharides (LPS). In contrast, Dios had no effects on the cellular
      production of anti-inflammatory factors (M2 markers, such as IL-10, IL-1Ralpha
      and CD206) in LPS and IL-4 treated microglia. Dios repressed IkappaB-alpha, ERK
      MAPK and p38 MAPK phosphorylation, but did not affect JNK in LPS-activated
      microglia. We also found that conditioned medium obtained from cultures of BV-2
      cells incubated with Dios plus LPS was markedly less neurotoxic than conditioned
      medium obtained from cultures of BV-2 cells incubated with LPS alone. In
      conclusion, this study demonstrated that Dios can selectively suppress the
      production/expression of pro-inflammatory M1 markers by activated microglia,
      without affecting M2 markers, and might provide neuroprotection by regulating
      microglial M1 polarization. Our results suggest that Dios can be used in
      treatment of various neuroinflammatory diseases mediated by microglia.

PMID- 28623716
TI  - Aldose reductase inhibitors attenuate beta-amyloid-induced TNF-alpha production
      in microlgia via ROS-PKC-mediated NF-kappaB and MAPK pathways.
AB  - Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is a key risk factor to the development of
      Alzheimer' disease (AD). Aldose reductase (AR) has been found to be widely
      involved in inflammation-related diseases; however, whether aldose reductase
      inhibitors (ARIs) could be used to treat neuroinflammation is rarely reported.
      This study aims to evaluate the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of two major ARIs
      of Sorbinil (Sor) and Zopolrestat (Zol) in beta-amyloid protein (Abeta)-induced
      microglia (BV-2). We find that Sor and Zol significantly inhibit TNF-alpha, IL
      1beta, IL-6 production from microglia in response to Abeta stimulation. Mechanism
      study showed that Sor and Zol decreased the production of intracellular ROS which
      resulted in an effective inhibition on the phosphorylation of several protein
      kinase C (PKC) isoforms including PKCalpha/beta, delta, zeta/lambda and mu.
      Moreover, Sor and Zol inactivated PCK-associated IKKbeta-IkappaB-NF-kappaB and
      mitogen-activated protein kinase (JNK, p38, ERK) inflammation pathways. In
      summary, our findings suggest that Sor and Zol could inhibit Abeta-induced
      neuroinflammation by regulating ROS/PKC-dependent NF-kappaB and MAPK signaling
      pathways, indicating that ARIs could be promising agents for treating
      inflammation-related neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.

PMID- 28623717
TI  - Baicalein exerts anti-neuroinflammatory effects to protect against rotenone
      induced brain injury in rats.
AB  - Baicalein, a major bioactive flavone constituent isolated from Scutellaria
      baicalensis Georgi, has been shown to be neuroprotective in several Parkinson's
      disease (PD) animal models. Since neuroinflammation has been known to play a
      critical role in the pathogenesis of PD, potential explanation for the
      neuroprotective action of anti-PD compounds involves among others reduced
      inflammation. Our study investigated that one of the mechanisms of protection
      afforded by baicalein in rotenone-induced parkinsonian rats was associated with
      anti-inflammatory action and explored its underlying mechanism in vivo and in
      vitro. The results showed that baicalein treatment improved motor impairments,
      attenuated brain damage, suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines
      (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin 6 (IL-6)), modulated
      the astrocytes and microglia activation, and blocked the activation of nuclear
      factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signals in
      rotenone-induced rats of PD. Furthermore, treatment of baicalein prominently
      suppressed the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and the expression of inducible NO
      synthase (iNOS) protein by blocking LPS-induced IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and
      NF-kappaB translocation, and downregulated the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) which
      functions in the upstream of NF-kappaB signal in the activated BV2 microglia. In
      conclusion, our studies suggest that baicalein may be effective in the treatment
      of PD through anti-neuroinflammation.

PMID- 28623718
TI  - Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reveals a dissociation between
      SNARC and MARC effects: Implication for the polarity correspondence account.
AB  - The concept of stimulus response compatibility (SRC) refers to the existence of a
      privileged association between a specific stimulus feature and a specific
      response feature. Two examples of SRC are the Spatial Numerical Association of
      Response Codes (SNARC) and the Markedness Association of Response Codes (MARC)
      effects. According to the polarity correspondence principle, these two SRC
      effects occur because of a match between the most salient dimensions of stimulus
      and response. Specifically, the SNARC effect would be caused by a match between
      right-sided responses and large numbers, while a match between right-sided
      responses and even numbers would give rise to the MARC effect. The aim of the
      present study was to test the validity of the polarity correspondence principle
      in explaining these two SRC effects. To this end, we applied transcranial direct
      current stimulation (tDCS) over left and right posterior parietal cortex (PPC),
      which is thought to be the neural basis of salience processing, during a parity
      judgement task. Results showed that cathodal tDCS over the PPC significantly
      reduced the MARC effect but did not affect the SNARC effect, suggesting a
      dissociation between the two effects. That is, the MARC would rely on a salience
      processing mechanism, whereas the SNARC would not. Despite this interpretation is
      in need of further experimental confirmations (i.e., testing different tasks or
      using different tDCS montages), our results suggest that the polarity
      correspondence principle can be a plausible explanation only for the MARC effect
      but not for the SNARC effect.

PMID- 28623719
TI  - The CRISPR-Cas app goes viral.
AB  - If biology laboratories were smartphones, CRISPR-Cas would be the leading app.
      Nowadays, technology users rely on apps to communicate, get directions,
      entertain, and more. Likewise, many life scientists now rely on CRISPR-Cas
      systems to study the interactions between microbes and their viruses, to track
      strains as well as to modify and modulate genomes. Considering their high level
      of polymorphism, CRISPR arrays can increase the resolution of a microbial typing
      scheme. As dynamic systems, they allow the identification and the tracking of
      specific sequences, which is highly valuable for epidemiological studies. As a
      defense mechanism, they offer an opportunity to generate virus-resistant strains
      or even to construct strains refractory to the acquisition of specific genes. And
      last but not least, as customizable and transferable tools, CRISPR-Cas systems
      are particularly promising to fight multi-drug resistant bacteria through the
      engineering of phages.

PMID- 28623720
TI  - Next-generation precision antimicrobials: towards personalized treatment of
      infectious diseases.
AB  - Antibiotics started to be used almost 90 years ago to eradicate life-threatening
      infections. The urgency of the problem required rapid, broad-spectrum elimination
      of infectious agents. Since their initial discovery, these antimicrobials have
      saved millions of lives. However, they are not exempt from side effects, which
      include the indiscriminate disruption of the beneficial microbiota. Recent
      technological advances have enabled the development of antimicrobials that can
      selectively target a gene, a cellular process, or a microbe of choice. These
      strategies bring us a step closer to developing personalized therapies that
      exclusively remove disease-causing infectious agents. Here, we advocate the
      preservation of our beneficial microbes and provide an overview of promising
      alternatives to broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Specifically, we emphasize nucleic
      acid and peptide-based systems as a foundation for next-generation alternatives
      to antibiotics that do not challenge our microbiota and may help to mitigate the
      spread of resistance.

PMID- 28623721
TI  - Macrophage phenotypic mechanomodulation of enhancing bone regeneration by
      superparamagnetic scaffold upon magnetization.
AB  - Macrophages are involved in all phases of scaffold induced tissue regeneration,
      orchestrating the transition from an inflammatory to regenerative phenotype to
      guide all other cell types to complete the wound healing process when a tissue
      defect advances beyond the critical size. Therefore, harnessing macrophages by
      scaffolds is important for facilitating tissue regeneration in situ. In this work
      we utilized the superparamagnetic scaffold upon magnetization as a
      mechanostimulation platform to apply forces directly to macrophages grown in the
      scaffold, aiming to figure out whether the functions of macrophages related to
      bone tissue regeneration can be mechanomodulated and to elucidate the underlying
      mechanisms. We showed the first evidence that upon magnetization the interaction
      of superparamagnetic scaffolds to macrophages drove them to polarize towards an
      M2-like phenotype by inhibiting TLR2/4 activation and enhancing VEGFR2
      activation, thereby inhibiting secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL
      1beta, TNF-alpha and MCP-1, as well as the osteoclast differentiation cytokines
      MMP-9 and TRAP, and up-regulating VEGF and PDGF. The conditioned media enhanced
      the osteogenesis of osteoblasts and the angiogenesis of endothelial cells.

PMID- 28623722
TI  - Recent advances in synthetic biology for engineering isoprenoid production in
      yeast.
AB  - Isoprenoids (terpenes/terpenoids) have many useful industrial applications, but
      are often not produced at industrially viable level in their natural sources.
      Synthetic biology approaches have been used extensively to reconstruct metabolic
      pathways in tractable microbial hosts such as yeast and re-engineer pathways and
      networks to increase yields. Here we review recent advances in this field,
      focusing on central carbon metabolism engineering to increase precursor supply,
      re-directing carbon flux for production of C10, C15, or C20 isoprenoids, and
      chemical decoration of high value diterpenoids (C20). We also overview other
      novel synthetic biology strategies that have potential utility in yeast
      isoprenoid pathway engineering. Finally, we address the question of what is
      required in the future to move the field forwards.

PMID- 28623723
TI  - DFT/B3LYP calculations, in vitro cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities of
      steroidal pyrimidines and their interaction with HSA using molecular docking and
      multispectroscopic techniques.
AB  - As a part of our continuing program on the synthesis of steroidal heterocycles,
      it has been prepared a series of novel steroidal pyrimidine derivatives 4-6via
      TMSCl, steroidal ketones (1c-3c), urea and benzaldehyde. The systems presented
      here, are novel scaffolds and have not been described before at 6th position of
      steroidal-6-one (1c-3c). Structural assignment of newly synthesized compounds was
      performed by DFT/B3LYP calculations as well as spectral and analytical data. The
      interactions of compounds (4-6) with HSA were studied by fluorescence
      spectroscopy, DLS, CD and molecular docking, under imitated physiological
      conditions. The antitumor activity has been tested in vitro against three cancer
      cell lines MDA-MB231 (breast carcinoma), HeLa (human cervical carcinoma), HepG2
      (hepatic carcinoma) and one non-cancer normal cell lines, PBMCs (peripheral blood
      mononuclear cell) by MTT assay. In addition, in vitro antioxidant activity and
      apoptosis assay of the synthesized compounds (4-6) have also been investigated.

PMID- 28623724
TI  - Sub-lethal pharmaceutical hazard tracking in adult zebrafish using untargeted LC
      MS environmental metabolomics.
AB  - Antibiotics in the aquatic environment are dispersed through anthropogenic
      activities at low concentrations. Despite their sub lethal concentration, these
      biologically active compounds may still have adverse effects to non-target
      species. This study examined the response of adult zebrafish to 0.1mg/L
      concentration of clarithromycin, florfenicol, sulfamethazine, and their mixture
      using environmental metabolomics. Embryo and larvae of the fish were also used to
      assess fish embryo acute toxicity and behavior tests respectively. The fish
      embryo toxicity test did not show any inhibition of growth and development of the
      embryos after 96h of exposure to the antibiotics. Changes in swimming activity
      were seen in 5-dpf larvae which is believed to be correlated with the length of
      exposure to the compounds. Meanwhile, environmental metabolomics revealed diverse
      metabolites and pathways that were affected after 72h of exposure of the adult
      fish to sub-lethal concentration of the compounds. We found that even at low
      concentration of the antibiotics, behavioral and metabolic effects were still
      observed despite the lack of visible morphological changes. Further studies
      involving other aquatic organisms and bioactive compounds are encouraged to
      strengthen the findings presented in this novel research.

PMID- 28623725
TI  - A new route to the stable capture and final immobilization of radioactive cesium.
AB  - Radioactive Cs released from damaged fuel materials in the event of nuclear
      accidents must be controlled to prevent the spreading of hazardous Cs into the
      environment. This study describes a simple and novel process to safely manage Cs
      gas by capturing it within ceramic filters and converting it into monolithic
      waste forms. The results of Cs trapping tests showed that CsAlSiO4 was a reaction
      product of gas-solid reactions between Cs gas and our ceramic filters. Monolithic
      waste forms were readily prepared from the Cs-trapping filters by the addition of
      a glass frit followed by thermal treatment at 1000 degrees C for 3h. Major
      findings revealed that the Cs-trapping filters could be added up to 50wt% to form
      durable monoliths. In 30-50wt% of waste fraction, CsAlSiO4 was completely
      converted to pollucite (CsAlSi2O6), which is a potential phase for radioactive Cs
      due to its excellent thermal and chemical stability. A static leaching test for
      28 d confirmed the excellent chemical resistance of the pollucite structure, with
      a Cs leaching rate as low as 7.21*10-5gm-2/d. This simple scheme of waste
      processing promises a new route for radioactive Cs immobilization by synthesizing
      pollucite-based monoliths.

PMID- 28623726
TI  - Diagnostic causal reasoning with verbal information.
AB  - In diagnostic causal reasoning, the goal is to infer the probability of causes
      from one or multiple observed effects. Typically, studies investigating such
      tasks provide subjects with precise quantitative information regarding the
      strength of the relations between causes and effects or sample data from which
      the relevant quantities can be learned. By contrast, we sought to examine
      people's inferences when causal information is communicated through qualitative,
      rather vague verbal expressions (e.g., "X occasionally causes A"). We conducted
      three experiments using a sequential diagnostic inference task, where multiple
      pieces of evidence were obtained one after the other. Quantitative predictions of
      different probabilistic models were derived using the numerical equivalents of
      the verbal terms, taken from an unrelated study with different subjects. We
      present a novel Bayesian model that allows for incorporating the temporal
      weighting of information in sequential diagnostic reasoning, which can be used to
      model both primacy and recency effects. On the basis of 19,848 judgments from 292
      subjects, we found a remarkably close correspondence between the diagnostic
      inferences made by subjects who received only verbal information and those of a
      matched control group to whom information was presented numerically. Whether
      information was conveyed through verbal terms or numerical estimates, diagnostic
      judgments closely resembled the posterior probabilities entailed by the causes'
      prior probabilities and the effects' likelihoods. We observed interindividual
      differences regarding the temporal weighting of evidence in sequential diagnostic
      reasoning. Our work provides pathways for investigating judgment and decision
      making with verbal information within a computational modeling framework.

PMID- 28623727
TI  - Current clinical magnetoencephalography practice across Europe: Are we closer to
      use MEG as an established clinical tool?
AB  - PURPOSE: This comprehensive survey aims at characterizing the current clinical
      use of magnetoencephalography (MEG) across European MEG centres. METHODS: Forty
      four MEG centres across Europe were contacted in May 2015 via personalized e-mail
      to contribute to survey. The web-based survey was available on-line for 1 month
      and the MEG centres that did not respond were further contacted to maximize
      participation. RESULTS: Among the 57% of responders, 12 centres from 10 different
      countries reported to use MEG for clinical applications. A total of 524 MEG
      investigations were performed in 2014 for the pre-surgical evaluation of
      epilepsy, while in the same period 244 MEG investigations were performed for pre
      surgical functional brain mapping. Seven MEG centres located in different
      European countries performed >=50 MEG investigations for epilepsy mapping in
      2014, both in children and adults. In those centres, time from patient
      preparation to MEG data reporting tends to be lower than those investigating a
      lower annual number of patients. CONCLUSION: This survey demonstrates that there
      is in Europe an increasing and widespread expertise in the field of clinical MEG.
      These findings should serve as a basis to harmonize clinical MEG procedures and
      promote the clinical added value of MEG across Europe. MEG should now be
      considered in Europe as a mature clinical neurophysiological technique that
      should be used routinely in two specific clinical indications, i.e, the pre
      surgical evaluation of refractory focal epilepsy and functional brain mapping.

PMID- 28623728
TI  - Epilepsy surgery in patients older than 50 years: Effectiveness, safety, and
      predictors of outcome.
AB  - PURPOSE: Surgery is an effective treatment for drug resistant focal epilepsy.
      Predictors of seizure outcome have been extensively addressed in the general
      population but similar data on older patients are still lacking. The aim of this
      study is to evaluate effectiveness and safety of surgery for patients over 50
      years and to investigate variables associated to seizure outcome. METHODS: We
      performed a single center retrospective study including 50 patients over 50 years
      treated surgically for drug resistant focal epilepsy between 1997 and 2014. We
      analyzed the rate of success of seizure control, the association of several
      clinical variables with seizure outcome and the rate of surgery-related
      complications. We also investigated the impact of surgery on the patients'
      cognitive performances and mood profile. RESULTS: At last follow-up 78% of our
      patients were seizure-free, similar to patients younger than 50 years operated on
      in the same period (p=1). The rate of surgery-related complications was 10%,
      higher compared to younger patients (p<0.0001). Pre-surgical daily seizure
      frequency (p=0.0040) and the histological diagnosis of LEAT (p=0.0233) were
      associated to a poorer seizure outcome. No significant differences were evidenced
      between pre- and postoperative neuropsychological profiles. A slight, not
      statistically significant improvement of the mood profile was observed
      postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that surgery is an effective
      treatment option also for older epileptic patients, although it is burdened by a
      higher surgical risk as compared to younger patients. The availability of
      predictors of outcome also for these patients may be helpful for pre-surgical
      counseling.

PMID- 28623729
TI  - Host-microbiota interactions in Caenorhabditis elegans and their significance.
AB  - As a useful genetic model, C. elegans can facilitate investigation of the genetic
      underpinnings of host-microbiota interactions. However, decades of feeding it
      with Escherichia coli left a gap in our understanding of its interactions with
      microbes, hindering such use. This is changing, with recent studies
      characterizing the gut microbiota of worms in their natural habitats, comparing
      them to those in their environment, and evaluating the significance of gut and
      environmental commensals. This work defined a shared core gut microbiota
      significantly influenced by host genetics, and unraveled bacterial contributions
      to life history traits. Establishing C. elegans as a new model of host-microbiota
      interactions will benefit from existing knowledge about bacterial modulation of
      worm physiology, and could draw mechanistic insights from characterized
      interactions between parasitic nematodes and their symbionts.

PMID- 28623730
TI  - Quantitative microscopy based on single-molecule fluorescence.
AB  - Quantitative microscopy is needed to understand reactions or phenomena carried
      out by biological molecules such as enzymes, receptors, and membrane-localized
      proteins. Counting the biomolecules of interest in single organelles or cellular
      compartments is critical in these approaches. In this brief perspective, we focus
      on the development of quantitative fluorescence microscopies that measure the
      precise copy numbers of proteins in cellular organelles or purified samples. We
      introduce recent improvements in quantitative microscopies to overcome
      undercounting or overcounting errors in certain conditions. We conclude by
      discussing biological applications.

PMID- 28623732
TI  - Safety and acceptability of transcranial direct current stimulation for the acute
      treatment of major depressive episodes: Analysis of individual patient data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive
      brain stimulation modality that has been increasingly used for major depressive
      disorder (MDD) treatment. Although studies in healthy volunteers showed that the
      technique is well-tolerated, tDCS safety and acceptability have not been
      sufficiently explored in patients with MDD. METHODS: We collected individual
      patient data from 6 randomized clinical trials that had been previously
      identified in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Primary outcomes were safety
      (rate of adverse events) and acceptability (rate of dropouts). Secondary outcomes
      were clinical, demographic and treatment predictors of the primary outcomes.
      RESULTS: Dropout rates between active (8.8%) and sham (12%) groups were not
      significantly different (OR= 0.7, p=0.38). Adverse event rates between active
      (73.5%) and sham (68.3%) groups were not significantly different (OR= 1.4, p=
      0.23). Higher current densities were associated with lower adverse event rates.
      LIMITATIONS: Dropout reasons were not systematically reported and adverse events
      were not collected using questionnaires standardized across studies. CONCLUSIONS:
      Active tDCS is as acceptable and safe as sham tDCS, as found in randomized
      clinical trials of MDD.

PMID- 28623731
TI  - New Cu(II) complexes with pyrazolyl derived Schiff base ligands: Synthesis and
      biological evaluation.
AB  - Since the discovery of cisplatin there has been a continuous pursuit for new
      metallodrugs showing higher efficacies and lower side effects. In this work, new
      copper(II) complexes (C1-C6) of Schiff bases derived from pyrazolyl were
      developed. Through condensation of 5-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carbohydrazide with
      different aromatic aldehydes - pyridoxal, salicylaldehyde, 3-methoxy-2
      hydroxybenzaldehyde, 3-ethoxy-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-hydroxynaphthene-1
      carbaldehyde - a set of new pyrazole based "ONO" tridentate Schiff bases were
      obtained in moderate to good yields - L1-L6, as well as their Cu(II)-complexes.
      All compounds were characterized by analytical techniques and their molecular
      formulae established. The antioxidant potential of all compounds was tested,
      yielding low activity in most cases, with the exception of L1 and C5. The Cu(II)
      complexes were tested for their aqueous stability, and for their interaction with
      biological molecules, namely DNA and HSA (human serum albumin), through
      fluorescence quenching experiments (and electrophoresis for DNA). With the
      exception of C3, all the synthesized complexes were able to interact with DNA and
      HSA. Their cytotoxic activity against two cancer cell lines (MCF7 - breast and
      PC3 - prostate) was also evaluated. Complexes C5 and C6, with larger aromatic
      systems, showed much higher cytotoxicity (in the low MUM range), than C1-C4, as
      well as IC50 values much lower than cisplatin. For C6 the results suggest that
      the mechanisms of cell death do not seem to be mediated by apoptosis, through
      caspases 3/7 activation, but by involving membrane potential and imbalance in
      physiological elements such as P, K and Ca.

PMID- 28623733
TI  - A novel immune-related gene HDD1 of silkworm Bombyx mori is involved in bacterial
      response.
AB  - Insects have evolved an effective immune system to respond to various challenges.
      In this study, a novel immune-related gene, called BmHDD1, was first charactered
      in silkworm, Bombyx mori. BmHDD1 contained an ORF of 837bp and encoding a deduced
      protein of 278 amino acids. BmHDD1 was specifically expressed in hemocytes, and
      highly expressed at the molting and metamorphosis stages under normal
      physiological conditions. Our results suggested that BmHDD1 was mainly generated
      by hemocytes and secreted into hemolymph. Our results also showed that the
      expression level of BmHDD1 was significantly increased after 20E injection, which
      indicated that BmHDD1 might be regulated by ecdysone. More importantly, BmHDD1
      was dramatically induced after injected with different types of PAMPs or
      bacteria, either in hemocytes or fat body. Those results suggested that BmHDD1
      plays a role in developing and immunity system in silkworm, Bombyx mori.

PMID- 28623734
TI  - Ig-seq: Deep sequencing of the variable region of Atlantic salmon IgM heavy chain
      transcripts.
AB  - Immunoglobulin M plays a key role in systemic protection of Atlantic salmon
      against pathogens. Until recent, studies have focused on antigen-specific
      antibodies and little is known about the IgM repertoire: its size, developmental
      changes and responses to antigens. We report the development of deep sequencing
      protocol to characterize the repertoire of IgM heavy chain variable region. Its
      structure and changes were examined at the early stages of life and after
      infection with virus of cardiac myopathy. Clonotypes are identified by the V and
      J gene segments and amino acid sequences of CDR3, which determine the
      contribution of the heavy chain to the antigen binding properties. A major
      fraction of transcripts are functional while the rest are either sterile
      (transcribed from noncoding parts of Ig loci) or include stop codons. Despite
      marked difference in frequencies of combinations of V and J genes, the size of
      repertoire is large. The IgM diversity steadily increases after hatch followed
      with temporal reduction during smoltification and recovery after seawater
      transfer. Most clonotypes are present only in one fish. However multiple
      transcripts in uninfected fish are produced exclusively from a small fraction of
      shared clonotypes. While only 4.7% of clonotypes are detected in three and more
      fish, they comprise 35% of transcripts. Increased frequencies of most abundant
      clonotypes were detected in the head kidney and blood at ten weeks after viral
      infection and all were shared. Occurrence of the same clonotypes in multiple
      individuals can be explained with either their simple structure or exposure to
      common antigens. Complexity of CDR3 assessed by contents of non complementary
      nucleotides is slightly lower in shared clonotypes but difference is small. High
      nucleotide diversity of CDR3 with identical amino acid sequences suggests
      selection.

PMID- 28623735
TI  - Biochemical and structural characterization of Penicillium purpurogenum alpha-D
      galactosidase: Binding of galactose to an alternative pocket may explain enzyme
      inhibition.
AB  - The fungus Penicillium purpurogenum degrades plant cell walls by the action of
      cellulolytic, xylanolytic and pectinolytic enzymes. The alpha-D-galactosidase is
      one of the enzymes which may act on pectin degradation. This enzyme has several
      biotechnological and medical applications. The aim of this work was to better
      understand the molecular mechanism of alpha-D-galactosidase from P. purpurogenum
      (GALP1). For this purpose, a gene coding for the enzyme was identified from the
      fungal genome and heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris. The enzyme belongs
      to glycosyl hydrolase family 27. The protein of 435 amino acids has an optimum pH
      and temperature for activity of 5.0 and 50  degrees C, respectively. The KM for p
      nitrophenyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (GalalphapNP) is 0.138 mM. The enzyme is
      inhibited by GalalphapNP at concentrations higher than 1 mM, and by the product
      galactose. A kinetic analysis of product inhibition shows that it is of mixed
      type, suggesting the presence of an additional binding site in the enzyme. To
      confirm this hypothesis, a structural model for GALP1 was built by comparative
      modelling methodology, which was validated and refined by molecular dynamics
      simulation. The data suggest that galactose may bind to an enzyme alternative
      pocket promoting structural changes of the active site, thus explaining its
      inhibitory effect. In silico site-directed mutagenesis experiments highlighted
      key residues involved in the maintenance of the alternative binding site, and
      their mutations for Ala predict the formation of proteins which should not be
      inhibited by galactose. The availability of an alpha-galactosidase with different
      kinetic properties to the existent proteins may be of interest for
      biotechnological applications.

PMID- 28623736
TI  - Glycerol mycolates from synthetic mycolic acids.
AB  - R- and S-Glycerol mycolates derived from single synthetic alpha-, keto- and
      methoxy-mycolic acids are described.

PMID- 28623737
TI  - Rumpictuside A: Unusual 9,10-anthraquinone glucoside from Rumex pictus Forssk.
AB  - A new 8-ionized hydroxylated 9,10-anthraquinone namely, 1-hydroxy-3-methyl-9,10
      anthraquinone-6-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside-8-olate (Rumpictuside A, 1) along with
      five known flavonoids, apigenin 7-O-beta-D-glucoside (2), vitexin (3), quercetin
      3-O-beta-D-glucouronide (4), orientin (5), and isorientin (6) were isolated from
      Rumex pictus. The structures of isolated compounds were identified by the
      extensive spectroscopic techniques such as, UV, FT-IR, 1D, 2D NMR and HR-FAB-ESI
      MS. The ionized hydroxyl group in the new anthraquinone (1) was rarely found for
      anthraquinone glycosides isolated from natural sources. All the isolated
      compounds were found inactive against influenza A virus infection. Compounds 2-6
      exhibited significant antioxidant activity against DPPH and ABTS+. The alcoholic
      extract exhibited moderate activity while the new anthraquinone 1 showed the
      lowest activity against both assays.

PMID- 28623738
TI  - Iridoids from the roots of Valeriana jatamansi Jones.
AB  - Five iridoids, named as chlorovaltrate P-T, together with six known analogues,
      (4beta,8beta)-8-methoxy-3-methoxy-10-methylene-2,9-dioxatricyclo[4.3.1.03,7]decan
      4-ol, chlorovaltrate A, (1R,3R,5R,7S,8R,9S)-3,8-epoxy-1-O-ethyl-5
      hydroxyvalechlorine, 8-methoxy-4-acetoxy-3-chlormethyl-10-methylen-2,9-dioxa
      tricyclo[4.3.1.03,7]decan, (1S,3R,5R,7S,8R,9S)-3,8-epoxy-1-O-ethyl-5
      hydroxyvalechlorine, (1R,3R,5R,7S,8R,9S)-3,8-epoxy-1-O-methyl-5
      hydroxyvalechlorine were isolated from the roots of Valeriana jatamansi (syn.
      Valeriana wallichii). Their structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of
      1D, 2D NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic. The absolute configuration of
      chlorovaltrate P-T were established by comparing their experimental and
      calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. 3,8-epoxy iridoids
      exhibited weak cytotoxicity against the lung adenocarcinoma (A 549) and gastric
      carcinoma cells (SGC 7901). Some also showed moderate neuroprotective effects
      against CoCl2-induced neuronal cell death in PC12 cells.

PMID- 28623739
TI  - High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels are associated with coronary severity
      but not with outcomes in new-onset patients with stable coronary artery disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The atheroprotective role of high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in coronary artery disease (CAD) remains
      controversial. This study sought to reappraise the value of HDL-C in predicting
      the severity and outcomes of new-onset patients with stable CAD in Chinese
      populations. METHODS: A total of 4205 new-onset patients with stable CAD who
      received coronary angiography were enrolled to analyze the relation of HDL-C to
      coronary severity and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Coronary
      severity was evaluated by Gensini scoring system. The MACEs included all-cause
      death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, unplanned revascularization and
      hospitalized unstable angina. RESULTS: Significantly, HDL-C levels were
      negatively associated with coronary severity (p < 0.001). During an average of
      27.32-month follow-up, 341 (8.12%) MACEs occurred. There was no significant
      difference of HDL-C levels between events group and non-events group.
      Furthermore, both Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses found no relationship
      between HDL-C and cardiovascular outcomes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma HDL-C
      levels appeared to be a predicator for coronary severity, but it is not
      associated with clinical outcomes in new-onset, Chinese patients with stable CAD.

PMID- 28623740
TI  - Detection of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease influences the perceived need
      for aggressive lipid management.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Overt atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)
      warrants aggressive lipid lowering. Imaging for ambiguous symptoms suggesting
      ischemia or for clarification of CV risk in asymptomatic individuals often
      uncovers previously unknown ASCVD. Guidelines do not provide clear
      recommendations for aggressive lipid lowering in such cases. We explored
      physicians' perception, as influenced by tests that detect ASCVD, regarding
      appropriateness of getting to lipid goals and for theoretically accessing
      proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i). METHODS: A
      questionnaire was developed including cases of low to high CV risk, chronic
      kidney disease (CKD) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Each case was considered
      with or without angina symptoms and, in turn, whether testing identified
      previously unknown advanced, early/subclinical or no ASCVD. Synthesis of
      responses was facilitated by using a scale for perceived appropriateness from 1
      (lowest) to 9 (highest). RESULTS: Getting to goal and, if not achieved by statins
      and/or ezetimibe, accessing PCSK9i was considered appropriate in patients with
      T2DM with preclinical or advanced ASCVD, patients with moderate or high CV risk
      and advanced ASCVD, patients with CKD or low CV risk with angina symptoms and
      advanced ASCVD. For most of the remaining cases adding PCSK9i was considered only
      possibly appropriate. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians' perception of appropriateness for
      achieving lipid goals, including access to PCSK9i, is markedly influenced by
      detection of previously unknown ASCVD. Since these commonly encountered scenarios
      do not clearly meet current indications for PCSK9i, our data identify pressing
      areas requiring further research.

PMID- 28623741
TI  - Oxidized LDL activated eosinophil polarize macrophage phenotype from M2 to M1
      through activation of CD36 scavenger receptor.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Inflammation, particularly innate immunity, plays an
      important role in cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to
      investigate whether atherogenic determinants such as oxidized LDL modulate the
      phenotype of eosinophils. METHODS: Cultured eosinophils were treated with
      oxidized LDL and the expression of selective inflammatory and anti-inflammatory
      cytokines was determined. In addition, the eosinophil receptor and signaling that
      mediate these events were identified. RESULTS: Treatment of cultured eosinophils
      with oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) specifically induced the expression of IFNalpha and
      IFNbeta without affecting expression of other proinflammatory cytokines, such as
      TNFalpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6. In macrophages, Ox-LDL downregulated expression of
      both IFNalpha and IFNbeta, suggesting that the effect of Ox-LDL on the expression
      of type I interferons is specific to eosinophils. Furthermore, we noted that
      eosinophils constitutively expressed IL-4 and IL-13, and Ox-LDL markedly
      downregulated their expression. Analysis of Ox-LDL signaling revealed that
      eosinophils constitutively expressed SRB2, CD36, and CD68 scavenger receptors,
      and Ox-LDL markedly induced the expression of CD36. Further analysis of CD36
      signaling by siRNA and neutralizing antibodies showed that the induction of type
      I IFN by Ox-LDL is mediated by CD36 signaling whereas downregulation of IL-4 is
      independent of CD36 activation. We further showed that peritoneal macrophages
      treated with condition medium collected from Ox-LDL treated eosinophils markedly
      induced the expression of M1 markers such as iNOS, IL6, SOSC3 and TNFalpha
      whereas the condition medium from non-treated eosinophils significantly induced
      expression of M2 markers like ARG1 and CCL24. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that
      an atherogenic condition could activate eosinophils and modulate the phenotype of
      macrophages (from M2 to M1 phenotype), in part, through the CD36 receptor
      signaling.

PMID- 28623742
TI  - Effect of intensive LDL cholesterol lowering with PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies on
      tendon xanthoma regression in familial hypercholesterolemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The effect of LDLc lowering with PCSK9 antibodies on tendon
      xanthomas (TX) is unknown. METHODS: TX was measured in 24 heterozygous familial
      hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) cases and in 24 HeFH controls with or without PCSK9
      inhibitors for at least one year. RESULTS: Exposure to PCSK9 inhibitors in cases
      was 2.96 +/- 1.33 years. LDLc decreased 80.8 +/- 7.66% in cases and 56.9 +/-
      11.1% in controls. There was a decrease in maximum (-5.03%) and mean (-5.32%) TX
      in cases but not in controls (+3.97%, +3.16, respectively, p = 0.01). PCSK9
      inhibitor treatment was independently associated with TX reduction. CONCLUSION:
      Addition of a PCSK9 inhibitor to statin and ezetimibe resulted in a greater
      decrease in LDLc and TX after 3 years of treatment.

PMID- 28623743
TI  - Repeated measurements of serum concentrations of TNF-alpha, interleukin-6 and
      interleukin-10 in the evaluation of internal carotid artery stenosis progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The inflammatory process (with TNFalpha, interleukin-6 and
      interleukin-10 involvement) plays a key role in the development, progression and
      destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of this study was to assess
      the importance of double-checked measurements of TNFalpha, interleukin-6 (IL-6)
      and interleukin-10 (Il-10) serum levels in patients with internal carotid artery
      (ICA) stenosis to determine the dynamics of changes in the stenosis degree and in
      the ultrasound plaque morphology. METHODS: The study included 65 patients with
      ICA stenosis. Ultrasound of the carotid arteries was performed during
      qualification and every 3 months to identify any progression of stenosis degree
      and dynamics of changes in plaque morphology. Serum concentrations of TNF-alpha,
      IL-6 and IL-10 were measured during qualification and at month 6 of the study.
      Calculations considered cytokine concentrations and their indices determined as
      relative differences of cytokine levels assessed in the first and in second
      tests. RESULTS: Patients with increasing degree of ICA stenosis had higher
      indices of IL-6 and IL-10 than patients without any increase in the stenosis
      degree. In patients with unfavorable dynamics of changes in plaque morphology,
      significantly higher levels of interleukin-6 were found in the second test; these
      patients had higher indices of IL-6 and IL-10 than patients with favorable
      dynamics of atherosclerotic plaque morphology on ultrasound. CONCLUSIONS: Long
      term trends in serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 in patients with ICA
      stenosis allow to predict the progression of the degree of stenosis and the
      unfavorable change of atherosclerotic plaque morphology.

PMID- 28623744
TI  - Obtaining sparse distributions in 2D inverse problems.
AB  - The mathematics of inverse problems has relevance across numerous estimation
      problems in science and engineering. L1 regularization has attracted recent
      attention in reconstructing the system properties in the case of sparse inverse
      problems; i.e., when the true property sought is not adequately described by a
      continuous distribution, in particular in Compressed Sensing image
      reconstruction. In this work, we focus on the application of L1 regularization to
      a class of inverse problems; relaxation-relaxation, T1-T2, and diffusion
      relaxation, D-T2, correlation experiments in NMR, which have found widespread
      applications in a number of areas including probing surface interactions in
      catalysis and characterizing fluid composition and pore structures in rocks. We
      introduce a robust algorithm for solving the L1 regularization problem and
      provide a guide to implementing it, including the choice of the amount of
      regularization used and the assignment of error estimates. We then show
      experimentally that L1 regularization has significant advantages over both the
      Non-Negative Least Squares (NNLS) algorithm and Tikhonov regularization. It is
      shown that the L1 regularization algorithm stably recovers a distribution at a
      signal to noise ratio<20 and that it resolves relaxation time constants and
      diffusion coefficients differing by as little as 10%. The enhanced resolving
      capability is used to measure the inter and intra particle concentrations of a
      mixture of hexane and dodecane present within porous silica beads immersed within
      a bulk liquid phase; neither NNLS nor Tikhonov regularization are able to provide
      this resolution. This experimental study shows that the approach enables
      discrimination between different chemical species when direct spectroscopic
      discrimination is impossible, and hence measurement of chemical composition
      within porous media, such as catalysts or rocks, is possible while still being
      stable to high levels of noise.

PMID- 28623745
TI  - A new air quality monitoring and early warning system: Air quality assessment and
      air pollutant concentration prediction.
AB  - Air pollution in many countries is worsening with industrialization and
      urbanization, resulting in climate change and affecting people's health, thus,
      making the work of policymakers more difficult. It is therefore both urgent and
      necessary to establish amore scientific air quality monitoring and early warning
      system to evaluate the degree of air pollution objectively, and predict pollutant
      concentrations accurately. However, the integration of air quality assessment and
      air pollutant concentration prediction to establish an air quality system is not
      common. In this paper, we propose a new air quality monitoring and early warning
      system, including an assessment module and forecasting module. In the air quality
      assessment module, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is used to determine the main
      pollutants and evaluate the degree of air pollution more scientifically. In the
      air pollutant concentration prediction module, a novel hybridization model
      combining complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition, a modified cuckoo
      search and differential evolution algorithm, and an Elman neural network, is
      proposed to improve the forecasting accuracy of six main air pollutant
      concentrations. To verify the effectiveness of this system, pollutant data for
      two cities in China are used. The result of the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation
      shows that the major air pollutants in Xi'an and Jinan are PM10 and PM2.5
      respectively, and that the air quality of Xi'an is better than that of Jinan. The
      forecasting results indicate that the proposed hybrid model is remarkably
      superior to all benchmark models on account of its higher prediction accuracy and
      stability.

PMID- 28623746
TI  - Electrokinetic - Enhanced ryegrass cultures in soils polluted with organic and
      inorganic compounds.
AB  - The effect of electric fields on seed germination and development of ryegrass
      (Lolium perenne L.) was studied in clean and contaminated soil with heavy metals
      and/or PAHs. The application of 0.2 DCV/cm in clean soil near ryegrass seeds
      enhanced the germination by 75%. The presence of contaminants in soil hindered
      the germination and growing of ryegrass. However, the application of DC electric
      field favored the germination and growing of plants compensating the negative
      effects of the contaminants. The electrode material in anodes has a decisive
      influence in the germination and growing of ryegrass. Stable anode materials have
      to be used to avoid the release of toxic ions in the soil that affect the
      development of the plant. Graphite anodes are very appropriate because they are
      inexpensive and does not generate toxic effects on plants. The electro
      phytoremediation of mixed contaminated soil with ryegrass showed very promising
      results, especially AC electric fields. The tests with AC current showed the
      highest biomass production in a treatment of 1 month. The more biomass production
      the more removal of heavy metals and PAHs from soil.

PMID- 28623747
TI  - Results of a national survey of high-frequency fish consumers in the United
      States.
AB  - Exposure to contaminants in fish may be associated with adverse health outcomes
      even as fish consumption is generally considered beneficial. Risk assessments
      conducted to support regulatory analyses rely on quantitative fish consumption
      estimates. Here we report the results of a national survey of high-frequency fish
      consumers (n = 2099) based on a survey population statistically representative of
      ~17.6 million U.S. individuals consuming three or more fish meals per week. The
      survey was conducted during 2013 using an on-line survey instrument. Total fish
      consumption averaged 111g/day from market, restaurant and self-caught sources.
      Depending on the season, the incidence of individuals reporting consumption of
      self-caught species ranged between 10-12% of our high-frequency fish consuming
      demographic, averaging approximately 30g/day and comprising 23% of total fish
      consumption from all sources of fish. Recreational or self-caught consumption
      rates vary regionally and are poorly understood, particularly for high-frequency
      consumers, making it difficult to support national-scale assessments. A
      divergence between sport-fishing and harvesting of fish as a food-staple is
      apparent in survey results given differences in consumption patterns with income
      and education. Highest consumption rates were reported for low income respondents
      more likely to harvest fish as a food staple. By contrast, the incidence of self
      caught fish consumption was higher with income and education although overall
      consumption rates were lower. Regional differences were evident, with respondents
      from the East-South Central and New England regions reporting lowest consumption
      rates from self-caught fish on the order of 12-16g/day and those from Mountain,
      Pacific and Mid-Atlantic regions reporting highest rates ranging from 44 to
      59g/day. Respondent-specific consumption rates together with national-level data
      on fish tissue concentrations of PCBs, MeHg, and PFOS suggest that 10-58% of
      respondents reporting self-caught fish consumption are exposed to concentrations
      of these contaminants that exceed threshold levels for health effects based on a
      target hazard index of one, representing 2.3M to 19M individuals. The results of
      this nationwide survey of high-frequency fish consumers highlights regional and
      demographic differences in self-caught and total fish consumption useful for
      policy analysis with implications for distributional differences in potential
      health impacts in the context of both contaminant exposures as well as protective
      effects.

PMID- 28623748
TI  - Occupant thorax response variations due to arm position and restraint systems in
      side impact crash scenarios.
AB  - Recent epidemiological studies have identified that thoracic side airbags may
      vary in efficacy to reduce injury severity in side impact crash scenarios, while
      previous experimental and epidemiological studies have presented contrasting
      results. This study aimed to quantify the variations in occupant response in side
      impact conditions using a human body computational model integrated with a full
      vehicle model. The model was analyzed for a Moving Deformable Barrier side impact
      at 61km/h to assess two pre-crash arm positions, the incorporation of a seatbelt,
      and a thorax air bag on thorax response. The occupant response was evaluated
      using chest compression, the viscous criterion and thoracic spinal curvature. The
      arm position accounted for largest changes in the thorax response (106%) compared
      to the presence of the airbag and seatbelt systems (75%). It was also noted that
      the results were dependant on the method and location of thorax response
      measurement and this should be investigated further. Assessment using lateral
      displacement of the thoracic spine correlated positively with chest compression
      and Viscous Criterion, with the benefit of evaluating whole thorax response and
      provides a useful metric to compare occupant response for different side impact
      safety systems. The thoracic side airbag was found to increase the chest
      compression for the driving arm position (+70%), and reduced the injury metrics
      for the vertical arm position (-17%). This study demonstrated the importance of
      occupant arm position on variability in thoracic response, and provides insight
      for future design and optimization of side impact safety systems.

PMID- 28623749
TI  - Evaluating the Safety In Numbers effect for pedestrians at urban intersections.
AB  - Assessment of collision risk between pedestrians and automobiles offers a
      powerful and informative tool in urban planning applications, and can be
      leveraged to inform proper placement of improvements and treatment projects to
      improve pedestrian safety. Such assessment can be performed using existing
      datasets of crashes, pedestrian counts, and automobile traffic flows to identify
      intersections or corridors characterized by elevated collision risks to
      pedestrians. The Safety In Numbers phenomenon, which refers to the observable
      effect that pedestrian safety is positively correlated with increased pedestrian
      traffic in a given area (i.e. that the individual per-pedestrian risk of a
      collision decreases with additional pedestrians), is a readily observed
      phenomenon that has been studied previously, though its directional causality is
      not yet known. A sample of 488 intersections in Minneapolis were analyzed, and
      statistically-significant log-linear relationships between pedestrian traffic
      flows and the per-pedestrian crash risk were found, indicating the Safety In
      Numbers effect. Potential planning applications of this analysis framework
      towards improving pedestrian safety in urban environments are discussed.

PMID- 28623750
TI  - LCZ696 improves cardiac function via alleviating Drp1-mediated mitochondrial
      dysfunction in mice with doxorubicin-induced dilated cardiomyopathy.
AB  - AIMS: LCZ696, a novel angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor, is effective in
      treating heart failure patients. Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective antitumor
      medication but the cardiotoxicity limited its clinical use. In this study, we
      aimed to determine the effect of LCZ696 on DOX-induced cardiomyopathy in mice and
      in vitro and to explore related mechanisms focusing on fission protein dynamin
      related protein 1 (Drp1). METHODS AND RESULTS: In human study, we found that
      myocardial fission protein Drp1 expression and its ser 616 phosphorylation were
      significantly increased in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients. Male Balb/c
      mice and H9c2 cardiomyocytes were randomized into three groups: saline, DOX, DOX
      plus LCZ696. Reduced cardiac function, mitochondrial morphology disturbance,
      reduced activity of mitochondrial respiration complex I and lowered adenosine
      triphosphate (ATP) content were detected post DOX stimulation in mice, which
      could be significantly improved by LCZ696. Fission protein Drp1 and its ser 616
      phosphorylation were also increased post DOX and which could be reduced by
      LCZ696. In vitro, increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis, Drp1 ser 616 phosphorylation
      post DOX stimulation could be significantly attenuated by LCZ696 or Drp1 specific
      inhibitor Midivi-1. Furthermore, over-expression of Drp1 abrogated the protection
      effect of LCZ696 against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in H9c2 cells. CONCLUSION:
      The protective effect of LCZ696 against DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction is at
      least partly associated with alleviating Drp1-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction.

PMID- 28623751
TI  - Epilepsy and stigmatization in Turkey.
AB  - Patients with epilepsy experience stigmatization quite often. Studies
      investigating stigmatization perceived by patients with epilepsy in Turkey are
      limited in number. In this study, we aimed to understand the relationship between
      stigmatization and psychopathology and also to identify the effects of
      stigmatization on the quality of life in epilepsy. Patients completed a socio
      demographical data form and epilepsy information form. They were evaluated in
      terms of psychiatric diagnosis using SCID I and they were asked to complete SCL
      90 R, Epilepsy Stigmatization Scale and SF 36. The percentages of patients who
      did and did not report perception of stigmatization were similar in the study
      group. Depression was the most common diagnosis followed by anxiety disorder. In
      comparison to patients who did not feel stigmatized, patients who reported
      perceived stigmatization had a higher frequency of generalized tonic clonic
      seizures and injuries during seizures and more frequently missed taking their
      medication. They also showed higher rates of both suicide attempts and
      psychopathology as evidenced by a higher rate of psychiatric diagnosis and higher
      score in all the subscales of SCL 90. With regard to their quality of life they
      were observed to be more disabled in the physical functioning, general health
      perception, vitality, social role functioning and mental health dimensions. A
      logistic regression analysis revealed that stigmatization was best predicted by
      three variables: history of suicide attempts, receiving a psychiatric diagnosis
      and higher score in SCL90PST. Our study has shown that psychopathology is a more
      significant predictor of stigmatization than the other variables related with
      seizure control.

PMID- 28623752
TI  - Process evaluation of a multi-component self-management intervention for adults
      with epilepsy (ZMILE study).
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with epilepsy need to monitor and manage their symptoms. They,
      as well as their relatives, have to deal with the psychological burden, reflected
      in a reduced quality of life. Support in self-management can be of importance. We
      have developed a multi-component self-management intervention for patients and
      their relatives (MCI). This eight-week group intervention is conducted by nurse
      practitioners and consists of six two-hour sessions. The main components are: 1)
      providing self-management education, 2) stimulating proactive coping and goal
      setting and 3) facilitating peer and social support. This study is a process
      evaluation to establish the feasibility, fidelity and acceptability of the
      intervention by assessing performance according to protocol, attendance and
      adherence, and the opinion of patients, relatives and facilitators about the
      intervention. METHOD: Study population consists of 52 patients with epilepsy
      living in the community (e.g. at home), 37 relatives and six facilitators. In
      this prospective mixed methods study, data were gathered using questionnaires for
      patients and relatives, registration forms for facilitators and by carrying out
      semi-structured group interviews with patients, relatives and facilitators.
      RESULTS: Patients and relatives attended a mean of 5.2 sessions. Forty-seven
      (90%) patients and 32 (86.5%) relatives attended at least five sessions. The mean
      group size was 8.1 (SD=1.3; range 6-10). All elements of the intervention were
      offered to participants, except for one e-Health tool which was only available at
      the start of the study. Overall, the sessions were considered useful by patients,
      their relatives and facilitators. The participation of a relative (social
      support) and sharing ideas and feelings about having epilepsy with peers (peer
      support) were rated as important aspects. CONCLUSION: This process evaluation
      revealed that the MCI was largely performed according to protocol, attendance
      rate was high, and participants and facilitators had, on the whole, a favourable
      opinion about the MCI, and would recommend it to others with epilepsy and their
      relatives. Overall, the adherence of patients and relatives was high. The MCI is
      considered feasible according to patients, relatives and facilitators.
      Implementation is recommended if the intervention proves to be effective.

PMID- 28623753
TI  - Precuneal epilepsy: Clinical features and surgical outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The precuneus is a complex and highly connected structure located in
      the medial portion of the superior parietal lobule. The clinical presentation of
      precuneal epilepsy is poorly characterized, mostly because these patients have
      seldom been distinguished from those with other types of parietal lobe epilepsy.
      The present study aims to improve the understanding of precuneal epilepsy by
      detailing its clinical features and surgical outcomes. METHODS: Six previously
      unreported cases of drug-resistant precuneal epilepsy investigated between 2002
      and 2014 were retrospectively studied. Seizure focus was confirmed by presence of
      a lesion, intracranial monitoring, or post-operative seizure control when
      applicable. RESULTS: Seizures arising from the precuneus have heterogeneous
      presentations, including body movement sensation, visual auras, eye movements,
      vestibular manifestations, and complex motor behaviors. Two patients with an
      anterior precuneus lesion described body movement sensations whereas two others
      with a posterior precuneus lesion experienced visual symptoms. Two of the five
      patients who underwent epilepsy surgery achieved good seizure control (Engel IA).
      One patient underwent gamma knife surgery with an Engel IV outcome. Surgical
      complications included contralateral visual field impairment, limb hypoesthesia
      and hemispatial neglect. One patient developed late-onset epilepsia partialis
      continua from a Rolandic subdural grid-related contusion. SIGNIFICANCE: In
      absence of a clear precuneal epileptogenic lesion, recognition of a precuneal
      focus is challenging. Magnetoencephalography may sometimes localize the generator
      but invasive EEG remains in well-selected cases necessary to identify the seizure
      focus. Surgical failures may be explained by the widespread connectivity of the
      precuneus with distant and adjacent structures. Different ictal manifestations of
      precuneal epilepsy in this series provide a clinical correlate to the described
      functional subdivisions of the precuneus.

PMID- 28623754
TI  - Quality of life, mood and seizure control in patients with brain tumor related
      epilepsy treated with lacosamide as add-on therapy: A prospective explorative
      study with a historical control group.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Brain tumor-related epilepsy (BTRE) is often drug resistant and
      patients can be forced to take polytherapy that can adversely affect their
      quality of life (QoL). Lacosamide (LCM) is a new antiepileptic drug (AED) used as
      adjunctive therapy in patients with partial seizures with or without secondary
      generalization, with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile that seems to be
      effective and well tolerated. Therefore it represents a possible therapeutic
      choice for patients with BTRE. We propose a prospective study with a historical
      control group to evaluate the effect of LCM as add-on therapy on seizure control
      and quality of life in patients with BTRE. This study has been designed to test
      the superiority of Lacosamide over Levetiracetam as an add-on. We compared a
      prospective cohort of 25 patients treated with Lacosamide with a historical
      control group (n=19) treated with Levetiracetam as an add-on. METHODS: We
      recruited 25 adult patients (M 18, F 7; mean age 41.9) affected by BTRE with
      uncontrolled partial-onset seizures treated with AED polytherapy. We added LCM as
      an add-on. Patients were evaluated at baseline, after 3months and at 6months.
      This population has been compared with a historical control group of 19 BTRE
      adult patients (M 13, F 6; median age 48.0, range: 28-70) with uncontrolled
      partial-onset seizures treated with LEV as add-on. The patients underwent QoL,
      mood and adverse events tests (Adverse Event Profile-AEP) and evaluation of
      seizure frequency. RESULTS: Twelve patients had high grade gliomas, and thirteen
      had low grade gliomas. During follow-up, thirteen patients underwent
      chemotherapy, three radiotherapy and five patients had disease progression. Nine
      patients had simple partial seizures, eight had complex partial seizures, and
      eight had secondary generalized seizures. Fifteen patients were in monotherapy
      and ten in polytherapy with AEDs. LCM was added up to reach the maximum dosage of
      400mg/die (mean final dose 300mg/die). Four patients dropped out due to poor
      compliance and 1 for inefficacy. In the historical control group treated with LEV
      (mean final dose 2000mg/die) 12 patients had high-grade gliomas, and 7 had low
      grade gliomas. Thirteen patients were in monotherapy and 6 in polytherapy with
      AEDs. In the 22 patients evaluable of 25 patients treated with LCM, we observed
      at final follow-up 7 patients seizure free, 12 with a significant reduction of
      seizures>=50%, 2 stable and 1 patient with number of seizures increased. Mean
      seizure frequency at baseline compared with baseline period: the mean number of
      seizures significantly decreased from baseline (9.4) to final follow-up (1.2)
      (P=0.005). The Responder Rate was 86.4%. Comparing responder rate of 22 evaluable
      patients with LCM with responder rate of 19 patients with LEV we didn't observe
      significant differences (p=0.31). In our patients treated with LCM we didn't
      observe significant difference at 3 and 6months in QoL tests results; we observe
      a significant reduction in the mean score of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS)
      and Barthel Index (BI) between baseline and 6months of follow-up (KPS p=0.003; BI
      p=0.007). No clinical side effects were observed. CONCLUSION: Comparing the LCM
      with the historical group treated with LEV in add-on, we observed that LCM seems
      to have a higher clinical efficacy than LEV. In our patients, we did not observe
      any significant changes in QoL tests, indicating stability in all quality of life
      domains explored, despite the objective worsening in their functional status.
      Although this is a small series with a relatively short follow-up, our data
      indicates that LCM in add-on in patients with BTRE appears to be as effective as
      LEV in add-on, without impact on mood and quality of life.

PMID- 28623755
TI  - Effects of adjunctive lacosamide on mood and quality of life in patients with
      epilepsy.
AB  - We examined the effects of adjunctive lacosamide (LCM) on mood and quality of
      life (QOL) in adult patients with partial-onset seizures in a prospective,
      controlled, single-blind study. Patients in whom LCM was added to their AED
      regimen for clinical indications comprised the LCM group (n=18), while the
      control group (n=32) comprised patients on >=2 AEDs with anticipated stable
      dosing for the duration of the study. Profile of Mood States (POMS) and QOLIE-89
      were used to assess mood and QOL at enrollment and 12-16weeks later. Adherence to
      LCM was measured electronically with the Medication Event Monitoring System
      (MEMS) and using a self-report measure. There were no significant between-group
      differences in age, AED load, side-effects (A-B Neurotoxicity Scale), MoCA mental
      status, or seizure-related factors. LCM adherence (measured by MEMS) was 70.7%.
      There was a significant decrease in negative mood states in the LCM group
      (estimated marginal mean at baseline=49.4, at follow-up=29.7; p=0.02), after
      controlling for seizure freedom. Based on previously reported benchmarks,
      clinically significant change on the POMS occurred in 7 (38%) LCM patients. The
      effect of LCM on the overall QOL was not significant (p=0.078). Correlation
      between POMS Total Mood Distress and Emotional-Wellbeing on the QOLIE-89 was
      significant (r=-0.783; p=0.01). These results suggest that LCM may have a
      favorable impact on mood.

PMID- 28623756
TI  - Longitudinal investigation into implicit stigma of epilepsy among Japanese
      medical students before and after mass media coverage of car accidents associated
      with people with epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Public attitudes and stigma toward epilepsy may limit patient
      motivation for treatment and participation in social activities. Stigma research
      requiring individuals to report personal beliefs is useful but is subject to
      social desirability bias. Self-reporting methods often do not capture implicit
      attitudes; therefore, in this study, implicit stigma was measured using the
      implicit association test (IAT), which is a word sorting task to minimize this
      bias. Recently, in Japan, several serious car accidents caused by people with
      epilepsy (PWE) resulted in pedestrian fatalities. Traffic accidents involving PWE
      have been reported extensively and repeatedly in the media since 2011. The
      present study aimed to examine differences in implicit stigma toward epilepsy
      among medical students in 2010, 2013, and 2016. METHODS: We recruited 41 medical
      students in 2010, 44 medical students in 2013 and 42 medical students in 2016. We
      investigated the strength of conceptual associations between the words "Epilepsy"
      or "Hypertension", and "Safety" or "Danger" in the IAT. RESULTS: The association
      between the words "Epilepsy" and "Danger" was stronger in 2013 compared with that
      in 2010; however, the association was weaker in 2016 compared with that in 2013.
      There was no significant difference between 2010 and 2016. CONCLUSION: The change
      in IAT results between 2010 and 2013 might be due to the traffic accident
      involving PWE in Japan. However, the result in 2016 might indicate that the
      implicit attitudes toward epilepsy were improved to the same level as those in
      2010.

PMID- 28623757
TI  - Heterotopic mesenteric and abdominal wall ossification - Two case reports in one
      institution.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Heterotopic ossification occurs when bone develops in tissues which
      usually don't undergo ossification. Heterotopic mesenteric ossification, also
      known as intra-abdominal myositis ossificans, is a rare and benign form of
      ossification, usually related with previous abdominal surgery or trauma.
      PRESENTATION OF CASES: We report two cases of heterotopic ossification both after
      multiple abdominal surgeries, with intraoperative findings of mesenteric and
      abdominal wall ossification. Histopathology revealed metaplastic bone deposition,
      without evidence of atypia or malignancy. DISCUSSION: This rare entity shares
      clinical and pathological characteristics of myositis ossificans. It is important
      to consider the differential diagnosis with sarcomas. In the cases described, the
      patients were proposed for elective surgery and this pathology was as an
      incidental finding. CONCLUSION: The simultaneous presence of mesenteric and
      abdominal wall ossification in both patients makes these cases even rarer.

PMID- 28623758
TI  - A massive hepatic tumor demonstrating hepatocellular, cholangiocarcinoma and
      neuroendocrine lineages: A case report and review of the literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Mixed hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma tumors (MHCC) are
      described in the literature, as are the more rare mixed adenoneuroendocrine
      carcinomas (MANC) of hepatobiliary origin. Only two cases of tumors with
      characteristics of all three histologies/phenotypes have been previously
      described in one Chinese study. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Herein we report clinical,
      microscopic and molecular features of a 25cm mixed hepatic tumor with
      hepatocellular, cholangiocarcinoma and neuroendocrine differentiation arising in
      an otherwise healthy 19-year-old North American Caucasian male without any
      identifiable risk factors. DISCUSSION: The patient underwent multimodality
      imaging and the tumor was biopsied preoperatively, and it was initially
      interpreted to be hepatocellular carcinoma fibrolamellar type. A left
      trisegmentectomy with lymphadenectomy was performed and the tumor was
      definitively diagnosed based on the surgically resected specimen. Integrated
      microscopic and molecular features defined the differing biological
      aggressiveness of growth pattern components. Cases in the literature of MHCC and
      rare cases of MANC have largely undergone aggressive surgical resection as well,
      however the majority of studies on mixed hepatic tumors to date reflect Eastern
      patient cohorts and populations with underlying liver disease, thereby limiting
      extrapolation on management or outcomes in this case. CONCLUSION: This is one of
      the only reports of a hepatic tumor arising from hepatocellular carcinoma,
      cholangiocarcinoma and neuroendocrine lineages. Increased awareness of this tumor
      type may optimize improve future management.

PMID- 28623759
TI  - Associations between suicidal behavior and childhood abuse and neglect: A meta
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Relationships of some types of childhood maltreatment and suicidal
      behavior remain controversial and inconclusive. METHODS: Medline, Embase,
      PsycINFO and Cochrane library were searched for eligible studies, and the results
      were synthesized in meta-analyses. RESULTS: childhood maltreatment was associated
      positively with suicidal behavior in the total population and maltreatment
      subgroups. Emotional abuse had the strongest effect (OR =2.33, SMD =0.660,
      P<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that the effects of childhood abuse (OR =1.55,
      SMD =0.523) and neglect (OR =1.25, SMD =0.31) were significant. According to the
      analysis of dichotomous outcomes, childhood maltreatment was associated
      positively with suicidal behavior in men and women (women: OR =4.84, P<0.001;
      men: OR =1.03, P<0.001). Among populations, childhood maltreatment had the
      strongest effect on suicidal behavior in the general population (OR =3.78,
      P<0.001). However, the analysis of continuous outcomes showed that the effect was
      strongest in patients with chronic schizophrenia (SMD =0.89, P<0.001). In
      addition, childhood maltreatment was associated positively with suicide attempt
      (OR =1.11, SMD =0.48, P<0.001), but not with suicidal ideation. LIMITATIONS: Some
      subgroup samples were not sufficiently large. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood maltreatment
      increases the risk of suicidal behavior. Emotional abuse had the strongest effect
      among the five types of maltreatment. The risk of suicidal behavior is higher in
      the general population, women, and individuals with chronic schizophrenia who
      have histories of childhood maltreatment.

PMID- 28623760
TI  - Gait dynamics in Pisa syndrome and Camptocormia: The role of stride length and
      hip kinematics.
AB  - This is an observational cross-sectional study evaluating gait dynamics in
      patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and severe postural deformities, PD
      without axial deviations and healthy subjects. Ten PS individuals with Pisa
      syndrome (PS) and nine subjects with Camptocormia (CC) performed 3-D Gait
      Analysis and were evaluated with walking and balance scales. Correlations with
      clinical and functional scales were investigated. Spatio-temporal and kinematic
      data were compared to ten PD subjects without postural deformities (PP) and ten
      healthy matched individuals (CG). Data obtained showed decreased walking
      velocity, stride and step length in PP, PS and CC groups compared to controls.
      The correlation analysis showed that stride and step length were associated with
      reduced functional abilities and disease severity in PS and CC groups. Kinematic
      data revealed marked reduction in range of movements (ROMs) at all lower
      extremity joints in PS group. While, in CC group the main differences were
      pronounced in hip and knee joints. PS and CC groups presented a more pronounced
      reduction in hip articular excursion compared to PP subjects, revealing an
      increased hip flexion pattern during gait cycle. Moreover, the increased hip and
      knee flexion pattern adversely affected functional performance during walking
      tests. Results obtained provide evidence that step length, along with stride
      length, can be proposed as simple and clear indicators of disease severity and
      reduced functional abilities. The reduction of ROMs at hip joint represented an
      important mechanism contributing to decreased walking velocity, balance
      impairment and reduced gait performance in PD patients with postural deformities.

PMID- 28623761
TI  - The added value of the CSF cleft on ADC in distinguishing extra-axial from intra
      axial tumors.
AB  - We investigated whether the CSF cleft sign on ADC maps is beneficial for
      differentiating extra-axial tumors from intra-axial tumors. Seventy-seven
      intracranial tumor patients were reviewed. Visual grades of CSF cleft sign on
      T2WI and ADC were compared. The diagnostic performance of CSF cleft sign using
      ADC plus T2WI was compared with that using T2WI alone. A CSF cleft was more
      easily visualized on ADC (P<0.01). The diagnostic performance of CSF cleft sign
      significantly increased in accuracy of 85.7 to 96.1% (P<0.01) when ADC and T2WI
      were used together.

PMID- 28623762
TI  - Cortisol stress response in post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and
      major depressive disorder patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous research has focussed extensively on the distinction of HPA
      axis functioning between patient groups and healthy volunteers, with relatively
      little emphasis on a direct comparison of patient groups. The current study's aim
      was to analyse differences in the cortisol stress response as a function of
      primary diagnosis of panic disorder (PD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
      and major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: A total of n=30 PD (mean age+/-SD:
      36.07+/-12.56), n=23 PTSD (41.22+/-10.17), n=18 MDD patients (39.00+/-14.93) and
      n=47 healthy control (HC) individuals (35.51+/-13.15) participated in this study.
      All the study participants were female. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was
      used for reliable laboratory stress induction. Blood sampling accompanied the
      TSST for cortisol and ACTH assessment. Panic-related, PTSD-specific
      questionnaires and the Beck Depression Inventory II were handed out for the
      characterisation of the study groups. Repeated measure ANCOVAs were conducted to
      test for main effects of time or group and for interaction effects. Regression
      analyses were conducted to take comorbid depression into account. RESULTS: 26.7%
      of the PD patients, 43.5% of the PTSD patients, 72.2% of the MDD patients and
      80.6% of the HC participants showed a cortisol stress response upon the TSST.
      ANCOVA revealed a cortisol hypo-responsiveness both in PD and PTSD patients,
      while no significant group differences were seen in the ACTH concentrations.
      Additional analyses showed no impact of comorbid depressiveness on the cortisol
      stress response. MDD patients did not differ in the hormonal stress response
      neither compared to the HC participants nor to the PD and PTSD patients.
      CONCLUSION: Our main findings provide evidence of a dissociation between the
      cortisol and ACTH concentrations in response to the TSST in PTSD and in PD
      patients, independent of comorbid depression. Our results further support overall
      research findings of a cortisol hypo-responsiveness in PD patients. A hypo
      response pattern was also seen in the PTSD patients agreeing with previous
      finding on the cortisol stress reactivity following TSST stress induction in
      these patients. Patients with a primary MDD diagnosis showed descriptively higher
      cortisol concentrations compared to the anxiety patients, and lower cortisol
      concentrations as the healthy individuals. The limitations of the study and
      implications for future studies will be discussed.

PMID- 28623763
TI  - Saturated high-fat feeding independent of obesity alters hypothalamus-pituitary
      adrenal axis function but not anxiety-like behaviour.
AB  - Overconsumption of dietary fat can elicit impairments in emotional processes and
      the response to stress. While excess dietary lipids have been shown to alter
      hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and promote anxiety-like
      behaviour, it is not known if such changes rely on elevated body weight and if
      these effects are specific to the type of dietary fat. The objective of this
      study was to investigate the effect of a saturated and a monounsaturated high-fat
      diet (HFD) on HPA axis function and anxiety-like behaviour in rats. Biochemical,
      metabolic and behavioural responses were evaluated following eight weeks on one
      of three diets: (1) a monounsaturated HFD (50%kcal olive oil), (2) a saturated
      HFD (50%kcal palm oil), or (3) a control low-fat diet. Weight gain was similar
      across the three diets while visceral fat mass was elevated by the two HFDs. The
      saturated HFD had specific actions to increase peak plasma levels of
      corticosterone and tumour-necrosis-factor-alpha and suppress mRNA expression of
      glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors, corticotropin-releasing hormone
      and 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 in the paraventricular nucleus of the
      hypothalamus. Both HFDs enhanced the corticosterone-suppressing response to
      dexamethasone administration without affecting the physiological response to a
      restraint stress and failed to increase anxiety-like behaviour as measured in the
      elevated-plus maze and open field tests. These findings demonstrate that
      prolonged intake of saturated fat, without added weight gain, increases CORT and
      modulates central HPA feedback processes. That saturated HFD failed to affect
      anxiety-like behaviour can suggest that the anxiogenic effects of prolonged high
      fat feeding may rely on more pronounced metabolic dysfunction.

PMID- 28623764
TI  - Children's diurnal cortisol responses to negative events at school and home.
AB  - This study examined the within-and between-person associations between daily
      negative events - peer problems, academic problems and interparental conflict -
      and diurnal cortisol in school-age children. Salivary cortisol levels were
      assessed four times per day (at wakeup, 30min later, just before dinner and at
      bedtime) on eight days in 47 youths ages 8-13 years old (60% female; M age=11.28,
      SD=1.50). The relative contributions of within- and between-person variances in
      each stressor were estimated in models predicting same-day diurnal cortisol
      slope, same-day bedtime cortisol, and next morning wakeup cortisol. Children who
      reported more peer problems on average showed flatter slopes of cortisol decline
      from wakeup to bedtime. However, children secreted more cortisol at wakeup
      following days when they had reported more peer or academic problems than usual.
      Interparental conflict was not significantly associated with diurnal cortisol.
      Findings from this study extend our understanding of short-term cortisol
      responses to naturally occurring problems in daily life, and help to
      differentiate these daily processes from the cumulative effects of chronic
      stress.

PMID- 28623765
TI  - Is there a relationship between adverse childhood experiences and problem
      drinking behaviors? Findings from a population-based sample.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The study investigated the relationships between adverse childhood
      experiences (ACEs) and heavy and binge drinking, stratified by gender. STUDY
      DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data were retrieved from
      2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Over 39,000 individuals from
      five states were included in the study. Multiple logistic regression models were
      used to analyze the weighted data to determine factors associated with heavy and
      binge drinking for men and women. Each model included ACEs and controlled for
      sociodemographic variables, depression and smoking status. Bonferroni method was
      used to correct multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Only a few relationships between
      ACEs and problem drinking were observed. Among men, living with a drug abuser as
      a child was significantly associated with both heavy and binge drinking compared
      to men who did not reside with a drug abuser as a child. Childhood verbal abuse
      was linked with men's binge drinking compared to men who were not verbally abused
      as children. Among women, none of the nine ACEs examined in the study were
      associated with their heavy drinking. Only one ACE, verbal abuse, was found to be
      correlated with binge drinking, compared to women who did not experience
      childhood verbal abuse. In addition, we did not find the hypothesized, step-wise,
      graded relationship between the number of ACEs and heavy and binge drinking.
      However, the risk of heavy drinking was greater if the individual was exposed to
      four or more childhood adversities among both men and women. CONCLUSION: Study
      hypotheses were only partially supported. Future studies should unpack the
      interplay among gender, socio-economic status, ACEs, and problem alcohol
      consumption.

PMID- 28623766
TI  - The long-term effects of using telehomecare technology on functional health
      literacy: results from a randomized trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The association between the use of telehomecare technology and
      functional health literacy is rather unexplored in the current literature. This
      relationship could prove important in the future management of chronic diseases,
      as technology has become a more integrated part of modern healthcare systems.
      Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how the use of telehomecare
      technology affects the level of functional health literacy over a period of 10
      months. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Our sample comprised
      116 patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A face-to-face
      interview and an objective test of functional health literacy were conducted with
      each patient at baseline and again at follow-up after 10 months. Twenty-six
      patients were lost to follow-up and thus, providing a total of 47 chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease patients in the intervention group and 43 in the
      control group for this follow-up study. The level of functional health literacy
      was assessed with the Danish Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. The
      difference from baseline to follow-up, in both the functional health literacy
      score and the mean response time to the entire Danish Test of Functional Health
      Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA), was tested for statistical significance between the
      intervention group and the control group. RESULTS: A significant increase in
      functional health literacy is observed in both the groups from baseline to follow
      up, but there is no statistical difference between groups (P-value = 0.62).
      CONCLUSIONS: A significant increase in the functional health literacy score was
      observed in both groups, but the findings of this present study provide no
      information on what causes the increase, so further research is needed to explore
      the increase in functional health literacy score more thoroughly and establish if
      the use of telehomecare technology is a part of the explanation.

PMID- 28623767
TI  - An examination of the roles of glutamate and sex in latent inhibition: Relevance
      to the glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia?
AB  - The present study examined the effects of the glutamate receptor antagonist MK
      801, the glutamate receptor agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and sexual
      dimorphism on latent inhibition to elucidate the glutamate hypothesis of
      schizophrenia. During the pre-exposure phase, 56 male and 65 female Wistar rats
      were intracerebroventricularly administered normal saline, MK-801 or NMDA, in the
      left ventricle and then exposed to a passive avoidance box (or a different
      context) in three trials over 3 days. Then, all of the rats were placed in the
      light compartment of the passive avoidance box and were allowed to enter the dark
      compartment, where they each received a footshock (1mA, 2s) in five trials over 5
      days. Injections of the glutamate drugs NMDA and MK-801 did not affect latent
      inhibition. Sexual dimorphism did not occur in latent inhibition. The present
      data on the male rats indicated that the glutamate system did not affect latent
      inhibition, indicating that the glutamate system was not like the dopamine system
      in terms of mediating the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. The glutamate
      system might be involved in the negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.
      The results may provide information for novel treatments of the negative and
      cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.

PMID- 28623768
TI  - General Health Questionnaire-12 validity in Colombia and factorial equivalence
      between clinical and nonclinical participants.
AB  - The General Health Questionnaire - 12 (GHQ-12) is a widely used screening self
      report for emotional disorders among adults. However, there is little evidence
      concerning the validity of the GHQ-12 in Colombia and its factorial invariance
      between nonclinical and clinical samples. Accordingly, the current study aims to
      explore the GHQ-12 validity in Colombian nonclinical and clinical samples. The
      GHQ-12 was administered to a total of 1641 participants, including a sample of
      undergraduates, one of general population, and a clinical sample. The internal
      consistency of the GHQ-12 across samples was good (overall alpha of .90). The one
      factor model showed a good fit to the data and was considered theoretically more
      coherent than the two-factor model with positive and negative items loading in
      separate factors. Metric and scalar invariance were observed across nonclinical
      and clinical samples. The GHQ-12 scores were strongly and positively related to
      emotional symptoms and experiential avoidance, and negatively related to life
      satisfaction. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, a
      threshold score of 11/12 was optimal to identify emotional disorders. In
      conclusion, the GHQ-12 is a valid screening self-report in Colombia that provides
      scores that can be compared across clinical and nonclinical participants.

PMID- 28623769
TI  - The promotive effects of peer support and active coping on the relationship
      between bullying victimization and depression among chinese boarding students.
AB  - We examined the relationship between bully victimization experience and
      depression in rural adolescents and analyzed the moderating roles of peer support
      and active coping in male and female students. The sample comprised N=755
      adolescents (376 females) with a mean age of 13.52 years. Through structural
      model and multi-group analysis, the results indicated: (1) a significant gender
      difference on the positive association between bullying victimization and
      depression; (2) peer support had a directly negative effect on depression among
      all boarding adolescents; and (3) significant moderating effect of active coping
      on the association between victimization and depression, without significant
      gender difference. We discuss enhancing active coping and peer support as a
      prevention strategy to reduce adverse mental health outcomes in adolescents due
      to bullying victimization.

PMID- 28623770
TI  - Energy efficiency increase of NQR spectrometer transmitter at pulse resonance
      excitation with noise signals.
AB  - The specific feature of NQR is expansion of spectral lines which is caused not
      only by dipole-dipole interaction of nuclei, but also by local field
      nonuniformity caused by the defects and deformation in crystal matrix.
      Considerable line expansion, which is typical of crystals, requires in pulsed NQR
      method the optimization of pulse shape and the reserve of transmitter power
      output. Parametric computer identification was used to study a dependence of
      parameters of the energy spectra of the output signal of pulsed NQR spectrometer
      transmitter on the duration of excitation pulses with sine and noise occupation.
      The energy efficiency of a linear amplifier was calculated and experimental
      investigations of its temperature conditions were carried out. The energy
      efficient broadband transmitter was proposed that can be used in portable setups
      for the pursuance of research in the field of pulsed NQR spectroscopy, for
      instance when studying isotopes with quadrupole moments 14N, 35Cl, 63Cu, 69Ga,
      71Ga, 113In, 115In and others.

PMID- 28623771
TI  - Liquid electrode plasma-optical emission spectrometry combined with solid-phase
      preconcentration for on-site analysis of lead.
AB  - A relatively rapid and precise method is presented for the determination of lead
      in aqueous matrix. The method consists of analyte quantitation using the liquid
      electrode plasma-optical emission spectrometry (LEP-OES) coupled with selective
      separation/preconcentration by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The impact of
      operating variables on the retention of lead in SPEs such as pH, flow rate of the
      sample solution; type, volume, flow rate of the eluent; and matrix effects were
      investigated. Selective SPE-separation/preconcentration minimized the interfering
      effect due to manganese in solution and limitations in lead-detection in low
      concentration samples by LEP-OES. The LEP-OES operating parameters such as the
      electrical conductivity of sample solution; applied voltage; on-time, off-time,
      pulse count for applied voltage; number of measurements; and matrix effects have
      also been optimized to obtain a distinct peak for the lead at lambdamax=405.8nm.
      The limit of detection (3sigma) and the limit of quantification (10sigma) for
      lead determination using the technique were found as 1.9 and 6.5ng mL-1,
      respectively. The precision, as relative standard deviation, was lower than 5% at
      0.1MUg mL-1 Pb, and the preconcentration factor was found to be 187. The proposed
      method was applied to the analysis of lead contents in the natural aqueous matrix
      (recovery rate:>95%). The method accuracy was verified using certified reference
      material of wastewaters: SPS-WW1 and ERM-CA713. The results from LEP-OES were in
      good agreement with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry
      measurements of the same samples. The application of the method is rapid (<=5min,
      without preconcentration) with a reliable detection limit at trace levels.

PMID- 28623772
TI  - Development and validation of a highly sensitive LC-ESI-MS/MS method for
      estimation of IIIM-MCD-211, a novel nitrofuranyl methyl piperazine derivative
      with potential activity against tuberculosis: Application to drug development.
AB  - In the present study, a simple, sensitive, specific and rapid liquid
      chromatography (LC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was developed and
      validated according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for
      estimation of IIIM-MCD-211 (a potent oral candidate with promising action against
      tuberculosis) in mice plasma using carbamazepine as internal standard (IS).
      Bioanalytical method consisted of one step protein precipitation for sample
      preparation followed by quantitation in LC-MS/MS using positive electrospray
      ionization technique (ESI) operating in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode.
      Elution was achieved in gradient mode on High Resolution Chromolith RP-18e column
      with mobile phase comprised of acetonitrile and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water
      at the flow rate of 0.4mL/min. Precursor to product ion transitions (m/z
      344.5/218.4 and m/z 237.3/194.2) were used to measure analyte and IS,
      respectively. All validation parameters were well within the limit of acceptance
      criteria. The method was successfully applied to assess the pharmacokinetics of
      the candidate in mice following oral (10mg/kg) and intravenous (IV; 2.5mg/kg)
      administration. It was also effectively used to quantitate metabolic stability of
      the compound in mouse liver microsomes (MLM) and human liver microsomes (HLM)
      followed by its in-vitro-in-vivo extrapolation.

PMID- 28623773
TI  - Genetic determinants of response to fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors
      in solid tumours.

PMID- 28623774
TI  - Discrepancy in BRAF status among patients with metastatic malignant melanoma: A
      meta-analysis.
AB  - The incidence of malignant melanoma is growing rapidly. Approximately half of the
      cases are BRAF mutated, making treatment with kinase inhibitors a (MEK and BRAF
      inhibitors) preferred choice in the advanced setting. The vast majority of these
      patients will benefit from the treatment. It is therefore of vital importance
      that the BRAF analysis is reliable and reflects the true nature of the tumour.
      Intraindividual tumour BRAF heterogeneity may exist, and changes of BRAF status
      over time might occur. We reviewed the literature by searching the PubMed
      database and 630 potentially relevant studies were identified. Thereafter,
      studies that investigated intralesional heterogeneity only, studies with <=10
      patients and studies that did not include adequate data to calculate discrepancy
      rates were excluded. Twenty-two studies met our inclusion criteria and were
      included in the meta-analysis. The pooled discrepancy rate between primary and
      metastatic lesions was 13.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.2-18.2%) while it
      was 7.3% (95% CI: 3.3-12.6) between two metastatic lesions. The number of
      patients whose tumoural BRAF status was changed from mutation to wild type and
      from wild type to mutation, respectively, was comparable. We conclude that a
      clinically meaningful discrepancy rate in BRAF status both between primary
      metastatic and metastatic-metastatic melanoma lesions exists. Our results support
      the polyclonal model of melanomas in which subclones with different BRAF status
      co-exist in the same melanoma lesion. In addition, the results indicate a need
      for biopsy of a metastatic lesion for subsequent BRAF analysis when treatment
      with kinase inhibitors is considered.

PMID- 28623775
TI  - Cancer immunotherapy: Opportunities and challenges in the rapidly evolving
      clinical landscape.
AB  - Cancer immunotherapy is now established as a powerful way to treat cancer. The
      recent clinical success of immune checkpoint blockade (antagonists of CTLA-4, PD
      1 and PD-L1) highlights both the universal power of treating the immune system
      across tumour types and the unique features of cancer immunotherapy. Immune
      related adverse events, atypical clinical response patterns, durable responses,
      and clear overall survival benefit distinguish cancer immunotherapy from
      cytotoxic cancer therapy. Combination immunotherapies that transform non
      responders to responders are under rapid development. Current challenges facing
      the field include incorporating immunotherapy into adjuvant and neoadjuvant
      cancer therapy, refining dose, schedule and duration of treatment and developing
      novel surrogate endpoints that accurately capture overall survival benefit early
      in treatment. As the field rapidly evolves, we must prioritise the development of
      biomarkers to guide the use of immunotherapies in the most appropriate patients.
      Immunotherapy is already transforming cancer from a death sentence to a chronic
      disease for some patients. By making smart, evidence-based decisions in
      developing next generation immunotherapies, cancer should become an imminently
      treatable, curable and even preventable disease.

PMID- 28623776
TI  - Case series of patients treated with the oral fluoropyrimidine S-1 after
      capecitabine-induced coronary artery vasospasm.

PMID- 28623777
TI  - Method for lateral force calibration in atomic force microscope using MEMS
      microforce sensor.
AB  - In this paper we present a simple and direct method for the lateral force
      calibration constant determination. Our procedure does not require any knowledge
      about material or geometrical parameters of an investigated cantilever. We apply
      a commercially available microforce sensor with advanced electronics for direct
      measurement of the friction force applied by the cantilever's tip to a flat
      surface of the microforce sensor measuring beam. Due to the third law of
      dynamics, the friction force of the equal value tilts the AFM cantilever.
      Therefore, torsional (lateral force) signal is compared with the signal from the
      microforce sensor and the lateral force calibration constant is determined. The
      method is easy to perform and could be widely used for the lateral force
      calibration constant determination in many types of atomic force microscopes.

PMID- 28623778
TI  - Are there signature limits in early theory of mind?
AB  - Current theory-of-mind research faces the challenge of reconciling two sets of
      seemingly incompatible findings: Whereas children come to solve explicit verbal
      false belief (FB) tasks from around 4years of age, recent studies with various
      less explicit measures such as looking time, anticipatory looking, and
      spontaneous behavior suggest that even infants can succeed on some FB tasks. In
      response to this tension, two-systems theories propose to distinguish between an
      early-developing system, tracking simple forms of mental states, and a later
      developing system, based on fully developed concepts of belief and other
      propositional attitudes. One prediction of such theories is that the early
      developing system has signature limits concerning aspectuality. We tested this
      prediction in two experiments. The first experiment showed (in line with previous
      findings) that 2- and 3-year-olds take into account a protagonist's true or false
      belief about the location of an object in their active helping behavior. In
      contrast, toddlers' helping behavior did not differentiate between true and false
      belief conditions when the protagonist's belief essentially involved
      aspectuality. Experiment 2 replicated these findings with a more stringent method
      designed to rule out more parsimonious explanations. Taken together, the current
      findings are compatible with the possibility that early theory-of-mind reasoning
      is subject to signature limits as predicted by the two-systems account.

PMID- 28623779
TI  - The honest truth about deception: Demographic, cognitive, and neural correlates
      of child repeated deceptive behavior.
AB  - This study examined situational, psychological, and neurobiological factors
      associated with deceptive behavior in 8-year-old children. By assessing deception
      in low- and high-risk conditions, we differentiated between children displaying
      some dishonesty and children who deceived repeatedly, and we assessed the
      correlates of deception in 163 children. A large majority of the children were
      deceptive in the low-risk condition (n=121, 74.2%), but most children refrained
      from deception when at risk for getting caught (69 of 121). Using an aggregate
      score, children who continued deceiving could be discriminated from other
      children based on gender, lower age, lower IQ, less effortful control, and lower
      educated mothers. Compared with honest children and high-risk deceivers, low-risk
      deceivers differed on an aggregate score, suggesting that they were more likely
      to be girls and to come from higher income families. Compared with the other
      children, high-risk deceivers showed decreased activation in the bilateral
      anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and right frontal pole during the low-risk
      condition, suggesting decreased engagement in conflict monitoring and error
      detection during opportunities for deception. In high-risk deceivers, high-risk
      deception was associated with increased bilateral ACC and right paracingulate
      gyrus activation compared with low-risk deception. High-risk deceivers may
      require a higher level of risk to engage the ACC to the same degree as low-risk
      deceivers or honest children. Our results suggest that deceptive behavior in
      children seems to be largely dependent on the estimated likelihood of getting
      caught. High-risk deceivers form a distinct group with different cognitive and
      neurobiological characteristics compared with honest children and low-risk
      deceivers.

PMID- 28623780
TI  - Preschoolers' disclosures of child sexual abuse: Examining corroborated cases
      from Swedish courts.
AB  - Young victims of child sexual abuse can - for a range of developmental,
      motivational and contextual reasons - have difficulties disclosing their
      experiences. In the present study, corroborated court cases concerning 57
      preschoolers' disclosures of sexual abuse were examined using qualitative and
      quantitative methodologies. Together, the cases involved 53 girls and 4 boys
      between 2-6 years (M=4.2, SD=1.2) during the (first) incident of abuse. The
      children were between 3-7 years (M=5.3, SD=1.2) during their police interview.
      Analyses showed that many children could provide at least one central detail
      about the abuse to; i) informal disclosure recipients, and ii) during their
      police interview. However, the time up until their first disclosure was often
      delayed. A range of barriers for disclosing were observed in the court cases, and
      many young victims were assessed as reluctant during their police interview.
      Repeated sessions, direct questions, and other reassurances could at times
      facilitate the disclosure process. Other suggestions on actions and future
      research that may help young child abuse victims are discussed.

PMID- 28623781
TI  - Inhibition activities of catechol diether based non-nucleoside inhibitors against
      the HIV reverse transcriptase variants: Insights from molecular docking and ONIOM
      calculations.
AB  - The therapeutic effectiveness of the catechol diether analogs against both the
      wild-type and drug-resistant reverse transcriptase (RT) mutants of HIV strains
      are investigated by performing molecular docking and hybrid ONIOM calculations.
      The docking protocol has been used to predict the binding modes of the non
      nucleoside inhibitors inside the active site cavity of the viral enzymes. For
      each enzyme-inhibitor adduct, the predicted docked poses are assessed by
      employing different scoring function based programs. However, the docking
      protocol fails to explain satisfactorily the antiviral activities of the drug
      molecules. Two-layered ONIOM calculations have been carried out to compute the
      relative binding affinities of the catechol diether derivatives to the binding
      pockets of RT variants. The binding efficacies of the inhibitors are
      significantly suppressed by the Y181C and K103N mutations, as revealed by the
      computed interaction energies at the ONIOM [B3LYP/6-31G(d,p):PM6] level of
      theory. Deformation energies for each bound ligand conformer are also estimated.
      The nature of interactions between the drug molecules and the active site
      residues are analyzed from the reduced density gradient (RDG) isosurfaces. The
      simulated ECD spectra support the conformational adaption upon inhibitor binding
      in the binding pockets of HIV strains.

PMID- 28623782
TI  - Factors responsible for the aggregation behavior of hydrophobic polyelectrolyte
      PEA in aqueous solution studied by molecular dynamics simulations.
AB  - Self-association (i.e. interchain aggregation) behavior of atactic
      poly(ethacrylic acid) PEA in dilute aqueous solution as function of degree-of
      neutralization by Na+ counter-ions (i.e. charge fraction f) was investigated by
      molecular dynamics simulations. Aggregation is found to occur in the range
      0<=f<=0.7 in agreement with experimental results compared at specified polymer
      concentration Cp=0.36mol/l in dilute solution. The macromolecular solution was
      characterized and analysed for radius-of-gyration, torsion angle distribution,
      inter and intra-molecular hydrogen bonds, radial distribution functions of
      intermolecular and inter-atomic pairs, inter-chain contacts and solvation
      enthalpy. The PEA chains form aggregate through attractive inter-chain
      interaction via hydrogen bonding, in the range f<0.7, in agreement with
      experimental observation. The numbers of inter-chain contacts decreases with f. A
      critical structural transition occurs at f=0.7, observed via simulations for the
      first time, in Rg as well as inter-chain H-bonds. The inter-chain distance
      increases with f due to repulsive interactions between COO- groups on the chains.
      PEA-PEA electrostatic interactions dominant solvation enthalpy. The PEA solvation
      enthalpy becomes increasingly favorable with increase in f. The transition
      enthalpy change, in going from uncharged (acid) state to fully charged state
      (f=1) is unfavorable towards aggregate formation.

PMID- 28623783
TI  - Scoparone attenuates hepatic stellate cell activation through inhibiting TGF
      beta/Smad signaling pathway.
AB  - Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) plays a critical role in liver
      fibrosis. Scoparone, a major constituent isolated from Artemisia capillaris, was
      reported to possess hepatoprotective effect. However, the role of scoparone in
      liver fibrosis remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effects
      of scoparone on liver fibrosis in HSCs. Our results demonstrated that scoparoene
      inhibited the proliferation of HSCs exposed to transforming growth factor (TGF)
      beta1. In addition, scoparoene significantly suppressed TGF-beta1-induced the
      expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen I in HSC-T6
      cells, as well as attenuated the expression of NADPH oxidase (NOX) isoforms
      expression and ROS production in TGF-beta1-stimialted HSC-T6 cells.
      Mechanistically, scoparoene suppressed the phosphorylation level of Smad3 in TGF
      beta1-stimialted HSC-T6 cells. In conclusion, these findings showed that
      scoparone significantly inhibited the proliferation and activation of HSCs
      through the inactivation of TGF-beta/Smad signaling pathway. These data provide
      that scoparone may have potential to treat liver fibrosis.

PMID- 28623784
TI  - Antihypertensive and vasodilator effects of methanolic extract of Inula viscosa:
      Biological evaluation and POM analysis of cynarin, chlorogenic acid as potential
      hypertensive.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inula viscosa L. (Asteraceae) is a medicinal plant widely used as a
      folk medicine in oriental Morocco, to treat hypertension. The antihypertensive
      effect of the methanolic extract obtained from I. viscosa leaves was evaluated in
      hypertensive L-NAME rats. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured using a non
      invasive indirect tail-cuff plethysmographic method. Four groups of rats were
      used: a control group; a hypertensive group treated with L-NAME (32mg/kg/day); a
      positive control group treated with L-NAME plus enalapril (15mg/kg/day) as a
      reference antihypertensive agent; and a group treated with L-NAME plus MeOH
      extract (40mg/kg/day). METHODS: Treatment with L-NAME alone caused a progressive
      increase in SBP. After 4 weeks, the value of SBP reached 160+/-2mmHg which shows
      the installation of hypertension. Enalapril prevented the increase in SBP, which
      remained normal at 123+/-1mmHg after 4 weeks of treatment. The administration of
      MeOH-extract along with L-NAME prevented the increase in SBP as well, which
      remained constant at 115+/-1mmHg after 4 weeks of treatment. In ex-vivo models,
      MeOH-extract produced a relaxation of pre-contracted ring aorta (54 +/- 2% of
      relaxation at 3g/L). But, when the rings were denuded, MeOH-extract failed to
      relax pre-contracted rings of aorta. Phytochemical study of I. viscosa MeOH
      extract revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, such as cynarin and
      chlorogenic acid. RESULTS: The present results suggest that I. viscosa MeOH
      extract has an antihypertensive, predominantly mediated by an endothelium
      dependent vasodilatory effect. Cynarin and chlorogenic acid, which have a strong
      vasorelaxant effect may be involved in the antihypertensive effect of the plant
      extract. The bioinformatic POM analysis confirms the therapeutic potential of
      cynarin and chlorogenic acids as inhibitors of various biotargets. Based on the
      results, the coordination of these phytochemicals with calcium and transition
      metals should be studied, for better scope at antihypertensive drug development.

PMID- 28623785
TI  - In vitro studies on nobiletin isolated from citrus plants and the bioactive
      metabolites, inhibitory action against gelatinase enzymatic activity and the
      molecular mechanisms in human retinal Muller cell line.
AB  - Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common cause of vision loss in patients
      with diabetes mellitus. Despite the presence of effective therapy, DR is still a
      significant health burden. A recent research suggests that matrix
      metalloproteinases (MMPs) could be promising targets, which exert multiple
      actions on early- and late-stage pathogenesis of DR. Among the MMP family,
      gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) act as potent proinflammatory, proangiogenic, and
      pro-apoptotic factors. Therefore, the pharmacological inhibitory effect of
      gelatinases on retinal MMP-producing cells may be useful in the treatment or
      prevention of DR. Nobiletin isolated from citrus plants is a multi-functional
      polymethoxylated flavone, which exerts biological effects including inhibitory
      action against MMP activity in several cancer cells. In the present study, we
      demonstrated that nobiletin isolated from citrus plants attenuated MMP-9
      enzymatic activity through the suppression of transcription for MMP-9 gene
      expression and augmentation of TIMP-1 production in retinal Muller cells.
      Nobiletin regulated MMP-9 gene expression and TIMP-1 by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt
      signaling pathway. In addition, we observed the augmentation of inhibitory action
      against MMP-9 enzymatic activity by 4'-demethylated nobiletin, which is a major
      metabolite of nobiletin. We believe that the enhancement of inhibitory action
      against MMP-9 enzymatic activity by 4'-demethylated nobiletin is through the dual
      inhibition on Erk1/2 and Akt phosphorylation. The structure-activity relationship
      analysis revealed that, for the enhancement of inhibitory action against MMP-9
      enzymatic activity, demethylation at position 4' in B-ring was a key structural
      modification in Muller cells, which are an important source of MMPs found in
      vitreous fluid and retinal tissues in retinal proliferative diseases. These
      results suggested that nobiletin, derived from a natural source, may serve as a
      novel MMP inhibitor with minimal side effects, and lead compound for the design
      of more efficacious drugs.

PMID- 28623786
TI  - Proteolytic processed form of CXCL12 abolishes migration and induces apoptosis in
      neural stem cells in vitro.
AB  - The subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mammalian brain hosts full potential
      neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are able to respond to extracellular signals in
      the brain, amplifying the pool of progenitor cells and giving rise to neuroblasts
      that show ability to migrate towards an injury site. These signals can come from
      vascular system, cerebrospinal fluid, glial cells, or projections of neurons in
      adjoining regions. CXCL12, a chemokine secreted after brain injury, reaches the
      SVZ in a gradient manner and drives neuroblasts towards the lesion area. Among
      many other molecules, matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9 (MMP-2/9) are also
      released during brain injury. MMP-2/9 can cleave CXCL12 generating a new
      molecule, CXCL12(5-67), and its effects on NSCs viability is not well described.
      Here we produced recombinant CXCL12 and CXCL12(5-67) and evaluated their effect
      in murine adult NSCs migration and survival in vitro. We showed CXCL12(5-67) does
      not promote NSCs migration, but does induce cell death. The NSC death induced by
      CXCL12(5-67) involves caspases 9 and 3/7 activation, implying the intrinsic
      apoptotic pathway in this phenomenon. Our evidences in vitro make CXCL12(5-67)
      and its receptor potential candidates for brain injuries and neurodegeneration
      studies.

PMID- 28623787
TI  - Simultaneous determination of BTEX and their metabolites using solid-phase
      microextraction followed by HPLC or GC/MS: An application in teeth as
      environmental biomarkers.
AB  - Applications of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-, m-, and p-xylenes (BTEX)
      release them into the environment exposing living organism. These endocrine
      disruptors are toxic, highly volatile and easily absorbed by the lungs and can
      cause adverse consequences for the human health as neurological diseases and
      cancer. A method for the analysis of BTEX and its metabolites (phenols and
      aromatic acids) in teeth is presented. The method consists in a one-step simple
      extraction procedure from spiked tooth using NaOH solution followed by SPME-HPLC
      or HS-SPME-GC/MS determination. Optimization of both, spiking procedure and
      extraction step of these analytes from tooth, was carried out. Two fibers
      CAR/PDMS for BTEX and PA for BTEX metabolites were used for the SPME and
      variables were optimized for analytes at 30 degrees C using spiked solutions. The
      optimized adsorption times were 30, 75 and 30min and desorption times were 10, 40
      and 30min for BTEX, phenols and aromatic acids, respectively. Linearity for SPME
      HPLC method was established using spiked solutions with both, BTEX and
      metabolites, at 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 25.0MUg/mL. The obtained results indicated a good
      linearity (r2 above 0.994) for all analytes. Triplicate analyses were performed
      with RSD lower than 15%. LODs were in the range 0.2-33.3ng/mL for SPME-HPLC and
      0.06-0.09pg/mL for HS-SPME-GC/MS methods in spiking solutions. Once the method
      was optimized, bovine teeth were used as biological matrix model for the tuning
      of spiking and extraction steps. Optimal adsorption and desorption times were 4h
      for both procedures. Micrograms per tooth gram of BTEX and phenols were
      quantified in ten human teeth and aromatic acids were not identified. The
      developed method for BTEX and metabolites analyses using SPME-HPLC or HS-SPME
      GC/MS shows good precision, linearity and sensitivity. The method was
      successfully applied in human teeth as environmental biomarker of BTEX and
      metabolites.

PMID- 28623788
TI  - SSRIs antidepressants in marine mussels from Atlantic coastal areas and human
      risk assessment.
AB  - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are among the most prescribed
      antidepressants nation and worldwide. Their presence in the aquatic environment
      is known, causing growing pressures in heavily populated coastal areas. For
      instance, disruption of invertebrate endocrine systems has been described. Since
      discrete seawater sampling may not be suitable to evaluate such environmental
      risk, we aimed to assess SSRIs and metabolites in wild Mytilus galloprovincialis,
      and assess risk to human health. A total of 1225 mussels were sampled during one
      year along the Portuguese Atlantic coast. Each freeze-dried pool of 25 specimens
      was analyzed, in duplicate, by solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid
      chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MSn). Approximately 70% of the
      samples were contaminated with at least one, and up to 4 from the 7 targeted
      compounds. The cumulative SSRIs and metabolites content in mussels ranged between
      3.17 and 33.93ngg-1 dry weight, in a mean level of 14.68+/-9.69ngg-1.
      Norfluoxetine was the most recurring SSRI and the one with the highest mean
      concentration, 13.52ngg-1. Although some differences were found between different
      sampling periods and locations, those were not statistically significant (p>0.05)
      and no correlation was found between wet weight and mean contamination levels.
      Regarding risk to human health following consumption of these filter-feeders,
      when considering the average sample contamination of positive samples and the
      average Portuguese and European consumption, the ratio between the estimated
      daily intake (EDI) and the acceptable daily intake (ADI) ranged from 0.45 to
      5.50%, and from 1.60 to 19.41%, respectively. Therefore, although the resultant
      risk is lower for the Portuguese consumer than for the average EU consumer,
      apparently, no appreciable risk to human health is expected.

PMID- 28623789
TI  - Linking Pan-European data to the local scale for decision making for global
      change and water scarcity within water resources planning and management.
AB  - This study focuses on a novel type of methodology which connects Pan-European
      data to the local scale in the field of water resources management. This
      methodology is proposed to improve and facilitate the decision making within the
      planning and management of water resources, taking into account climate change
      and its expected impacts. Our main point of interest is focused on the assessment
      of the predictability of extreme events and their possible effects, specifically
      droughts and water scarcity. Consequently, the Jucar River Basin was selected as
      the case study, due to the ongoing water scarcity problems and the last drought
      episodes suffered in the Mediterranean region. In order to study these possible
      impacts, we developed a modeling chain divided into four steps, they are: i) data
      collection, ii) analysis of available data, iii) models calibration and iv)
      climate impact analysis. Over previous steps, we used climate data from 15
      different regional climate models (RCMs) belonging to the three different
      Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) coming from a hydrological model
      across all of Europe called E-HYPE. The data were bias corrected and used to
      obtain statistical results of the availability of water resources for the future
      (horizon 2039) and in form of indicators. This was performed through a
      hydrological (EVALHID), stochastic (MASHWIN) and risk management (SIMRISK)
      models, all of which were specifically calibrated for this basin. The results
      show that the availability of water resources is much more enthusiastic than in
      the current situation, indicating the possibility that climate change, which was
      predicted to occur in the future has already happened in the Jucar River Basin.
      It seems that the so called "Effect 80", an important decrease in water resources
      for the last three decades, is not well contemplated in the initial data.

PMID- 28623790
TI  - Effect of topsoil removal and selective countermeasures on radiocesium
      accumulation in rice plants in Fukushima paddy field.
AB  - A wide area of paddy fields was contaminated by radiocesium derived from the
      Fukushima nuclear accident. Implement of agricultural countermeasures is one of
      the principle methods to reduce the contamination of rice plants. In this study,
      the effect of topsoil removal measure and fertilizer application on radiocesium
      uptake by rice plants was investigated over a four-year period. Some other
      available countermeasures carried out after the Fukushima nuclear accident were
      also summarized. The results indicate that the effect of topsoil removal measure
      on the accumulation of radiocesium in rice plants was effective, but the
      concentration ratio of radiocesium activity concentration between rice plant and
      soil increased. This may be correlated with the radiocesium imported from
      irrigation water and relatively high exchangeable radiocesium proportion of
      plowing soil in the topsoil removal paddy. We summarized four year's data to
      further confirm that potassium and nitrogen fertilizers had an opposite effect on
      the accumulation of radiocesium in rice plants. Increasing potassium and reducing
      nitrogen fertilizer conditions tended to inhibit the radiocesium uptake by rice
      plants. Moreover, of all the available countermeasures applied in the paddy
      fields, the most effective countermeasure was the application of phlogopite.
      However, further analyses are required to confirm the effectiveness of
      application of phlogopite considering the limited available information.

PMID- 28623791
TI  - Exposure profile of volatile organic compounds receptor associated with paints
      consumption.
AB  - Epidemiologic studies regarding solvent-based paints (SBPs) containing VOCs have
      demonstrated a strong correlation between chronic and acute adverse health
      effects and the SBPs. Therefore, new environmentally friendly paints as
      substitutes containing less or none VOCs have been rapidly developed in research
      for future sustainable use. However, a few studies focusing on penetration and
      exposure condition of the substitute have been reported duo to the complexity and
      inaccessibility of painting industry. Surveys specifically looking at the present
      status of exposure condition were conducted to ascertain the popularization of
      water-based paints (WBPs) which concluded that markers of SBPs were detected in
      all 134 samples indicating bad industrial penetration. VOCs exposure
      concentrations of painters ranged from 3.8 to 18.2mg/m3 for WBPs, 3.5*103 to
      14.8*103mg/m3 for SBPs, respectively. The negative correlation between ambient
      concentration and breathing zone concentration suggested the former was incapable
      of representing the actual exposure concentration. The real-time concentration
      was proved to be closely associated with the activity patterns while the mean
      concentration level was found mostly dependent on the paint types. Authentic
      inhalation dose ranged from 7.68 to 15.84mg (WBPs) and 3.84 to 15.59g (SBPs),
      respectively, for occupational painters (work 8h per day) and the total
      inhalation dose was estimated through a new conception. The findings suggested
      that WBPs could significantly reduce VOCs emission and occupational exposure.

PMID- 28623792
TI  - Variations in microbial community and ciprofloxacin removal in rhizospheric soils
      between two cultivars of Brassica parachinensis L.
AB  - Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is one of most used quinolone antibiotics detected frequently
      in agricultural soils and vegetables. In the present study, variations in
      microbial community and CIP removal in rhizospheric soils between two cultivars
      of Brassica parachinensis L. that accumulate higher and lower CIP (Sijiu and
      Cutai, respectively) were investigated under CIP stress (0mg/kg in CK, 2.94mg/kg
      in T1, and 67.11mg/kg in T2). The removal rates of CIP in rhizospheric soils of
      cultivar Sijiu were higher than those of cultivar Cutai, with a significant
      difference in T2 (48.7%>39.4%, P<0.05). The pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA and ITS
      gene indicated that the microbial diversity and community structure in
      rhizospheric soils of the two cultivars varied significantly. Spirochaeta and
      Trichosporon might be associated with CIP degradation, and higher relative
      abundances of Trichosporon in rhizoshperic soils of cultivar Sijiu might be
      responsible for higher CIP removal. Fourteen bacterial genera and ten fungal
      genera were screened as potential biomarkers for CIP removal process. The
      community level physiological profiling in rhizospheric soils of the two
      cultivars under CIP stress differed significantly, and more C substrates that
      favored CIP removal were observed in rhizoshperic soils of cultivar Sijiu. Our
      results demonstrate that variations in microbial community and the utilization of
      C substrates played important roles in differring the CIP removal in rhizospheric
      soils between the two cultivars.

PMID- 28623793
TI  - Tributyl phosphate impairs the urea cycle and alters liver pathology and
      metabolism in mice after short-term exposure based on a metabonomics study.
AB  - As a newly emerging environmental contaminant, tributyl phosphate (TBP) is of
      increasing concern because of the environmental problems it can cause. Studies
      have suggested that TBP induces hepatocellular adenomas and has malignant
      potential for hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the mechanisms of its adverse
      effects are unclear. In this study, metabonomic techniques were used to identify
      differential endogenous metabolites, draw network metabolic pathways and conduct
      network analysis to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in TBP induced
      pathological changes of the liver. The metabonomics study showed that TBP altered
      endogenous metabolites in the plasma and liver. The number of categories of
      endogenous metabolites with a VIP >1 were 14 in plasma and 20 in liver. The
      results also showed that TBP impaired urea synthesis in the liver. In addition,
      results of both in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that TBP activated
      nuclear receptor CAR and inhibited CYP3a11 and CYP2b10 activities in the liver of
      mice after short-term exposure. These effects may be the underlying causes
      leading to TBP induced hepatocellular adenomas. This study combined metabonomics
      and other technical methods to clarify the mechanism of TBP-induced liver
      tumorigenesis from a new perspective.

PMID- 28623794
TI  - New thermodynamic entropy calculation based approach towards quantifying the
      impact of eutrophication on water environment.
AB  - Although the eutrophication phenomenon has been studied for a long time, there
      are still no quantifiable parameters available for a comprehensive assessment of
      its impacts on the water environment. As contamination alters the thermodynamic
      equilibrium of a water system to a state of imbalance, a novel method was
      proposed, in this study, for its quantitative evaluation. Based on thermodynamic
      analyses of the algal growth process, the proposed method targeted, both
      theoretically and experimentally, the typical algae species encountered in the
      water environment. By calculating the molar enthalpy of algae biomass production,
      the heat energy dissipated in the photosynthetic process was firstly evaluated.
      The associated entropy production (DeltaS) in the aquatic system could be then
      obtained. For six algae strains of distinct molecular formulae, the heat energy
      consumed for the production of a unit algal biomass was found to proportionate to
      the mass of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) uptake through photosynthesis. A
      proportionality relationship between DeltaS and the algal biomass with a
      coefficient circa 44kJ/g was obtained. By the principle of energy conservation,
      the heat energy consumed in the process of algae biomass production is stored in
      the algal biomass. Furthermore, by measuring the heat of combustion of mature
      algae of Microcystis flos-aquae, Anabaena flos-aquae, and Chlorella vulgaris, the
      proportionality relationships between the heat energy and the N and P contents
      were validated experimentally at 90% and 85% confidence levels, respectively. As
      the discharge of excess N and P from domestic wastewater treatment plants is
      usually the main cause of eutrophication, the proposed impact assessment approach
      estimates that for a receiving water body, the DeltaS due to a unit mass of N and
      P discharge is 268.9kJ/K and 1870.1kJ/K, respectively. Consequently, P discharge
      control would be more important for environmental water protection.

PMID- 28623795
TI  - Transport of road salt contamination in karst aquifers and soils over multiple
      timescales.
AB  - Road deicing has caused widespread environmental Na+ and Cl- release for decades,
      yet the transport and retention of these contaminants in karst aquifers and soils
      are poorly understood. We examined the transport dynamics of Na+ and Cl- from
      road salt in shallow groundwater during flooding and over seasonal timescales by
      intensively monitoring an urban and a rural karst spring over approximately 2
      years. Furthermore, we used a 20-year dataset for the rural spring to determine
      how salt retention affected long-term geochemical trends in the shallow
      groundwater. Salt transport was governed by hydrologic pathways through karst
      aquifers: during winter and early spring floods, flow through preferential
      pathways rapidly transported salty meltwater or stormwater over hours to days,
      while the remaining salt-contaminated water moved diffusely through the rock
      matrix on timescales of months to years. Flood hydrograph separations revealed
      that event water constituted 61.2% of stormflow on average at the urban spring,
      leading to more extreme variability in salt concentrations during flooding and
      throughout the year. This variability indicates that baseflow contributions to
      urban streams overlying karst aquifers with preferential flowpaths are likely
      less effective at buffering salt concentrations. In contrast, salt concentrations
      were less variable in the baseflow-dominated rural spring (28.7% event water).
      Furthermore, salt was episodically released from soils to shallow groundwater
      throughout the year during first flush events. A Cl- mass balance indicates that
      Cl- applied during previous winters persists within the springs' recharge basins
      for more than a year, raising baseline concentrations as road salt is introduced
      faster than it can be flushed from the basin. Inter-annual salt retention by
      soils or slow groundwater movement likely caused significant Cl- and specific
      conductivity (SpC) increases at the rural spring from 1996 to 2016. Accumulation
      of salt in shallow groundwater can elevate baseflow concentrations in surface
      waters, where it threatens aquatic organisms.

PMID- 28623796
TI  - Cadmium exposure on tissue-specific cadmium accumulation and alteration of
      hemoglobin expression in the 4th-instar larvae of Propsilocerus akamusi
      (Tokunaga) under laboratory conditions.
AB  - The expression of hemoglobin (Hb) genes has considerable potential as a biomarker
      for environmental monitoring in Chironomus. However, no sequence information is
      available regarding Hb genes in Propsilocerus akamusi (Tokunaga), thus the change
      in Hb mRNA gene expression caused by environmental pollutants remains unknown. In
      this study, we cloned two Hb gene fragments (PaHbV and PaHbVII) from P. akamusi,
      analyzed the expression patterns of the PaHbV and PaHbVII transcripts in
      different tissues using Real-Time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and also measured
      the Cd levels in different tissues exposed to a sublethal concentration. The
      results showed significantly increased Cd concentrations and tissue-specific Cd
      distribution patterns in all of the tissues tested, including the hemolymph,
      during all time courses. A model describing the roles of specific tissues in Cd
      uptake and accumulation dynamics was also determined. The Malpighian tubules,
      gut, and epidermis were the primary sites of Cd accumulation, whereas the
      hemolymph was the temporary target organ of Cd accumulation, with the Cd being
      transferred to other internal tissues via the hemolymph. The relative mRNA
      expression profiles of PaHbV and PaHbVII indicated that their expression levels
      differed across the different tissues, indicating a tissue-specific response. Our
      results suggested a reverse effect between Hb expression and Cd accumulation
      during long-term Cd exposure in comparison with previous studies. The expressions
      of Hb genes in P. akamusi could be developed as biomarkers for assessing the
      general health conditions of freshwater ecosystems.

PMID- 28623797
TI  - Phenotypic defects in newborn Gammarus fossarum (Amphipoda) following embryonic
      exposure to fenoxycarb.
AB  - During morphogenesis numerous morphogenetic factors ensure the production of a
      target phenotype. By disrupting these processes, a toxic exposure during this
      period could cause an increase of phenotypic defects. In the present study,
      embryos of the freshwater amphipod Gammarus fossarum were exposed throughout the
      embryogenesis to increasing concentrations of fenoxycarb (0, 0.5ugL-1, 5ugL-1 and
      50ugL-1), a growth regulator insecticide analog of the insect juvenile hormone.
      In addition, to identify morphogenesis' sensitive period, embryos were exposed
      during either early or late embryonic development to 5ugL-1 of fenoxycarb. In
      newborn individuals from exposed embryos, three phenotypes were investigated: i)
      eye pigmentation, ii) length of the antenna and gnathopod of both left and right
      sides and iii) midgut tissue state. Developmental homeostasis was assessed by
      measuring fluctuating asymmetry and inter-individual variance of both the antenna
      and gnathopod. Exposure to 5ugL-1 and 50ugL-1 fenoxycarb throughout the embryonic
      development induced a delayed hatching and altered appendages size. Moreover,
      exposure to 5ugL-1 throughout the embryogenesis and during the gastrulation phase
      impaired eye pigmentation, while exposure to 50ugL-1 resulted in increased tissue
      damages of the midgut. No significant increase of fluctuating asymmetry was
      observed in exposed individuals, neither for the antenna nor for the gnathopod.
      These results demonstrate that fenoxycarb can alter embryonic development of G.
      fossarum without disrupting developmental homeostasis.

PMID- 28623798
TI  - Monitoring the ecotoxicity of gamma-Al2O3 and Ni/gamma-Al2O3 nanomaterials by
      means of a battery of bioassays.
AB  - The increasing application of nanoparticles (NPs) to a variety of new
      technologies has become a matter of concern due to the potential toxicity of
      these materials. Many questions about the fate of NPs in the environment and the
      subsequent impact on ecosystems need to be answered. The aim of this work was to
      evaluate the ecotoxicity of two alumina-based nanoceramics, gamma-Al2O3 (NC) and
      Ni/ gamma-Al2O3 (NiNC) by means of three different standardized tests:
      Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5), bioassay with luminescent bacteria (Vibrio
      fischeri; Microtox), and bioassay on amphibian larvae (Rhinella arenarum)
      (AMPHITOX). BOD5 values of a very biodegradable mixture (glucose/glutamic acid)
      decreased with the addition of NiNC(43.8%) and NC (31.6%) with respect to control
      samples (52.9%). Microtox test results indicated that NiNC presents higher
      toxicity than NC, with EC50s values of 16.1% and 29.9% respectively; a reduced
      toxicity was observed, however, in presence of organic matter, thus obtaining
      EC50s of 37.8% and 19.4%. The results of AMPHITOX test showed a significant
      increase in the toxicity of both substances over time, the NiNC toxicity being
      greater than that of NC. The values of 96h-LC50 and 504h-LC50 determined for NiNC
      were 1.58 and 0.83mg/L, respectively, and 14.5 and 10.5mg/L for NC samples.
      Amphibian larvae exhibited collapsed cavities, edema, axial flexures, and
      behavioral alterations as hyperkinesia and reduced movements. These results
      evidence the vulnerability of wildlife to xenobiotics and the need to develop
      specific standardized ecotoxicity tests in order to help environmental
      sustainability and natural species conservation.

PMID- 28623799
TI  - Assessment of species-specific and temporal variations of major, trace and rare
      earth elements in vineyard ambient using moss bags.
AB  - Since the methodological parameters of moss bag biomonitoring have rarely been
      investigated for the application in agricultural areas, two mosses, Sphagnum
      girgensohnii (a species of the most recommended biomonitoring genus) and Hypnum
      cupressiforme (commonly available), were verified in a vineyard ambient. The moss
      bags were exposed along transects in six vineyard parcels during the grapevine
      season (March-September 2015). To select an appropriate period for the reliable
      'signal' of the element enrichment in the mosses, the bags were simultaneously
      exposed during five periods (3 * 2 months, 1 * 4 months, and 1 * 6 months).
      Assuming that vineyard is susceptible to contamination originated from different
      agricultural treatments, a wide range of elements (41) were determined in the
      moss and topsoil samples. The mosses were significantly enriched by the elements
      during the 2-month bag exposure which gradually increasing up to 6 months, but Cu
      and Ni exhibited the noticeable fluctuations during the grapevine season.
      However, the 6-month exposure of moss bags could be recommended for comparative
      studies among different vineyards because it reflects the ambient pollution
      comprising unpredictable treatments of grapevine applied during the whole season.
      Although higher element concentrations were determined in S. girgensohnii than H.
      cupressiforme, both species reflected the spatio-temporal changes in the ambient
      element content. Moreover, the significant correlation of the element (Cr, Cu,
      Sb, and Ti) concentrations between the mosses, and the same pairs of the elements
      correlated within the species, imply the comparable use of S. girgensohnii and H.
      cupressiforme in the vineyard (agricultural) ambient. Finally, both the moss bags
      and the soil analyses suggest that vineyard represents a dominant diffuse
      pollution source of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Fe, and V.

PMID- 28623800
TI  - Inpatient geriatric care in Sweden-Important factors from an inter-disciplinary
      team perspective.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to describe factors of importance for the quality
      of inpatient geriatric care from an inter-disciplinary team perspective, an area
      that has not been previously studied to our knowledge. The study design was
      qualitative descriptive with data being collected from focus-group interviews
      with members of geriatric care teams. The data collection was conducted at a
      Swedish university hospital with 69 beds for geriatric care. It comprised five
      group interviews with a total of 32 staff members, including representatives of
      all the seven professions working with geriatric care. Data was analysed using
      qualitative content analysis and a thematic framework approach. Three main themes
      were identified as being perceived as characterising important factors essential
      for quality geriatric care: Interactive assessment processes, A holistic care
      approach, and Proactive non-hierarchical interaction. Aspects of Time and Goal
      Orientation were additionally running like common threads through these themes
      and informed them. Accessibility, open communication, and staff continuity were
      experienced as prerequisites for well-functioning teamwork. Including patients
      and relatives in care planning and implementation was seen as essential for good
      care, but was at risk due to budget cuts that imposed shortened hospital stays.
      To meet the care demands of the growing population of older frail people, more
      specialised team-based care according to the concept of Comprehensive Geriatric
      Assessment - which is possibly best provided by older-friendly hospitals -
      appears as a constructive solution for reaching high degrees of both staff and
      patient satisfaction in geriatric care. More research is needed in this area.

PMID- 28623801
TI  - DNA analysis of root canal-filled teeth.
AB  - Teeth are markedly useful as samples for DNA analysis; however, intact teeth are
      not always available. This study examined the possibility of identifying
      autosomal and Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) types in samples from 34
      teeth (15 intact and 19 root canal filled) that had been preserved for 10-33years
      after dental extraction. The aim was to explore the feasibility of individual
      identification by DNA analysis of samples obtained from highly decomposed and
      skeletonized corpses. Only one out of 24 autosomal STR loci was not identified in
      two of the 15 intact teeth, whereas all 23 loci of the Y chromosome STR were
      detected. One or two autosomal STR loci remained unidentified in eight of the 19
      root-filled teeth, and four or five of the 23 Y STR loci were undetected in three
      cases. However, the types were identified in about 20 loci in all samples, and
      the composition of the root canal filling material did not appear to interfere
      with the PCR. This study demonstrates that the storage period of the teeth had no
      influence on our results indicating that root canal filled teeth can be used for
      DNA analysis.

PMID- 28623802
TI  - Developmental toxicity of glycine-coated silica nanoparticles in embryonic
      zebrafish.
AB  - Nanoparticle (NP) surface coatings are known to influence the toxicity of
      engineered nanomaterials. This work examines the effect of glycine
      functionalization on silica NPs and investigates changes in viability and
      developmental defects in the organs of zebrafish embryos upon exposure. Silica
      NPs and glycine-functionalized silica NPs are synthesized and characterized.
      Exposure of zebrafish embryos to glycine-silica NPs affects the mortality
      percentage in a similar manner to soluble glycine. Developmental defects are
      observed in embryos exposed to soluble glycine, glycine-silica NPs, or silica NPs
      in comparison with the unexposed embryos. The damage is localized in the brain,
      heart, and liver of zebrafish embryos. These observations suggest a complex
      mechanism of toxicity, with glycine maintaining its toxic activity even when
      covalently bound on silica surface. Our results illustrate that surface
      modification of non-lethal particles can create different toxicity outcomes in
      the organs of exposed zebrafish embryos.

PMID- 28623803
TI  - Oxidative status in relation to metal pollution and calcium availability in pied
      flycatcher nestlings - A calcium manipulation experiment.
AB  - Metal exposure can produce oxidative stress by disrupting the
      prooxidant/antioxidant balance. It has been suggested that calcium (Ca) may
      provide protection against metal toxicity in the organism. The objective of this
      study is to explore the effects of Ca availability and metal pollution on
      oxidative stress biomarkers in pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) nestlings.
      For this purpose, we performed a Ca-supplementation experiment with birds
      inhabiting a Ca-poor and metal-polluted area in SW Finland. An array of oxidative
      stress biomarkers (GSH, GSH:GSSG ratio, GPx, GST, CAT, SOD, lipid peroxidation
      and protein carbonylation) was measured in red blood cells. The effects of
      antioxidant molecules and oxidative damage on nestling size, growth, fledging
      success and fledgling number were evaluated. We observed an up-regulation of GST
      activity and increased protein carbonyl content in the polluted zone, probably
      related to a combination of higher metal exposure and reduced food quantity and
      quality in this area. As expected, birds from the unpolluted zone showed higher
      GSH:GSSG ratio but, unexpectedly, also showed signs of higher lipid peroxidation
      (not statistically significant, p = 0.056), both responses likely being related
      with the lower Ca availability. Our study suggests that different measures of
      oxidative damage are affected by different factors: while damage to proteins was
      the target of metal exposure/food limitation, poor Ca availability may enhance
      damage to lipids in growing birds. The intercorrelations found between Ca in
      plasma, metal exposure and the different oxidative stress biomarkers show that
      the antioxidant defense is finely regulated to cope with increased oxidative
      challenges. Finally, our results suggest that the antioxidant status during early
      development, conditioned by environmental pollution and Ca availability, is one
      factor affecting nestling survival and fledgling number.

PMID- 28623804
TI  - Evaluating the effectiveness of a programme for improving the participation and
      academic success of an underrepresented minority group in New Zealand.
AB  - Pacific peoples are a minority under-represented ethnic group in higher education
      in New Zealand. This article explores the effectiveness of a specific programme,
      which sought to improve outcomes of Pacific students in the tertiary environment.
      The aim of the evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of an intervention
      programme (2013-2015) to increase the participation and academic success of
      Pacific students in the first year in Health Sciences. The study found the
      academic results of Pacific students who participated in the intervention
      programme were significantly better compared to those who did not. The findings
      inform future research, suggesting that, when assessing the effectiveness of a
      programme, it is useful to explore the performance of the whole cohort separately
      to those who declared intention or interest to attend the programme. Strategies
      to support participation of each of these groups are likely to be different.
      Having a standardised approach when comparing groups will adjust for any
      confounding factors or prior differences. This will allow a more accurate
      assessment of the effectiveness of the programme being evaluated. This paper
      presents the importance of a robust approach to the delivery and evaluation of
      intervention programmes for improving outcomes for underrepresented students in
      the tertiary environment.

PMID- 28623805
TI  - Heroin and pharmaceutical opioid overdose events: Emergency medical response
      characteristics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data may provide insight into opioid
      overdose incidence, clinical characteristics, and medical response. This analysis
      describes patient characteristics, clinical features, and EMS response to opioid
      overdoses, comparing heroin and pharmaceutical opioid (PO) overdoses, using a
      structured opioid overdose case criteria definition. METHODS: A case series study
      was conducted. EMS medical staff screened cases for possible overdoses and study
      staff categorized the likelihood of opioid overdose. Medical form data were
      abstracted. Patient characteristics, clinical presentation, and medical response
      to heroin and PO-involved overdoses were compared with bi-variate test
      statistics. RESULTS: We identified 229 definite or probable opioid overdose cases
      over six months: heroin in 98 (43%) cases (10 also involved PO), PO without
      heroin in 85 (37%) cases, and 46 (20%) that could not be categorized and were
      excluded from analyses. Heroin overdose patients were younger than PO (median age
      33 v 41 (p<0.05)), more often male (80% v 61% (p=<0.01)), intubated less (8% v
      22%, p<0.01) and more likely to be administered naloxone (72% v 51%, p<0.01). No
      significant differences were found between heroin and PO overdoses for initial
      respiratory rate, Glasgow Coma Scale score, or co-ingestants, but heroin users
      were more likely to have miotic pupils (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: While heroin and PO
      events presented similarly, heroin-involved cases were more likely to receive
      naloxone and less likely to be intubated. Standardized case definitions and data
      documentation could aid opioid overdose surveillance as well as provide data for
      measuring the impact of professional and lay interventions.

PMID- 28623806
TI  - Prevalence and correlates of light and non-daily smoking in Brazil: Results from
      a nationwide representative survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The research of light (<=10 cigarettes per day) and non-daily smokers
      in developing countries including Brazil is scarce despite the high prevalence of
      these groups among smokers and health risks associated to low-level smoking.
      OBJECTIVE: To describe health and smoking characteristics of Brazilian adult
      light and non-daily smokers. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2013 Brazilian
      National Health Research survey (n=48,282). RESULTS: The prevalence of current
      manufactured cigarette smoking in the total sample was 12.4%. Among these
      smokers, 12.8% were non-daily smokers (NDS), 47.4% were light smokers (LS) and
      39.8% were moderate/heavy smokers (MHS). Bivariate analysis showed that non-daily
      smoking was associated with higher odds of poor self-rated health, binge drinking
      and lung diseases compared to never smokers (ORs=1.2; 5.9 and 1.9). Light smoking
      was associated with higher odds of poor self-rated health, binge drinking,
      depression, use of sleeping pills and lung diseases (ORs=1.3; 4.3; 1.4; 1.2 and
      2.0). After controlling for sex and age, non-daily smoking was associated with
      lung disease (OR=2.2) and light smoking with depression and lung diseases
      (ORs=1.3 and 1.8). Smoking levels were associated with living with same-level
      smokers in bivariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of
      smokers in Brazil are light and non-daily smokers, carrying substantial health
      risks related to tobacco use. Longitudinal research is needed to provide further
      evidence of associations found in this study. Public health policies must take
      the different smoking patterns into consideration to effectively target all
      smokers and reduce the harmful consequences of tobacco worldwide.

PMID- 28623808
TI  - Role of polyphenols and polyphenol-rich foods in the modulation of PON1 activity
      and expression.
AB  - Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated enzyme
      involved in the protection of low-density lipoprotein and HDLs against lipid
      peroxidation. Several studies documented the capacity of polyphenols to stimulate
      PON1 transcription activation. The objective of the present review is to provide
      the main evidence about the role and the potential mechanism of action of
      polyphenols and polyphenol-rich foods in the modulation of PON1 gene expression
      and activity. A total of 76 in vitro and in vivo studies were included in the
      review. Overall, while evidence obtained in vitro is limited to quercetin and
      resveratrol, those deriving from animal models seem more convincing for a wide
      range of polyphenols but only at pharmacological doses. Evidence from human
      studies is promising but deserves more substantiation about the role of
      polyphenol-rich foods in the regulation of PON1 activity and expression. Research
      focused on the understanding of the structure-activity relationship of
      polyphenols with PON1 and on the mechanisms at the base of PON1 modulation is
      warranted. Well-designed human intervention studies are encouraged to corroborate
      the findings of polyphenols also at physiological doses.

PMID- 28623807
TI  - HIV Tat excites D1 receptor-like expressing neurons from rat nucleus accumbens.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HIV-1 infection and drug abuse are frequently co-morbid and their
      association greatly increases the severity of HIV-1-induced neuropathology. While
      nucleus accumbens (NAcc) function is severely perturbed by drugs of abuse, little
      is known about how HIV-1 infection affects NAcc. METHODS: We used calcium and
      voltage imaging to investigate the effect of HIV-1 trans-activator of
      transcription (Tat) on rat NAcc. Based on previous neuronal studies, we
      hypothesized that Tat modulates intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis of NAcc neurons.
      RESULTS: We provide evidence that Tat triggers a Ca2+ signaling cascade in NAcc
      medium spiny neurons (MSN) expressing D1-like dopamine receptors leading to
      neuronal depolarization. Firstly, Tat induced inositol 1,4,5-trisphsophate (IP3)
      receptor-mediated Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum, followed by Ca2+ and
      Na+ influx via transient receptor potential canonical channels. The influx of
      cations depolarizes the membrane promoting additional Ca2+ entry through voltage
      gated P/Q-type Ca2+ channels and opening of tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+ channels.
      By activating this mechanism, Tat elicits a feed-forward depolarization
      increasing the excitability of D1-phosphatidylinositol-linked NAcc MSN. We
      previously found that cocaine targets NAcc neurons directly (independent of the
      inhibition of dopamine transporter) only when IP3-generating mechanisms are
      concomitantly initiated. When tested here, cocaine produced a dose-dependent
      potentiation of the effect of Tat on cytosolic Ca2+. CONCLUSION: We describe for
      the first time a HIV-1 Tat-triggered Ca2+ signaling in MSN of NAcc involving TRPC
      and depolarization and a potentiation of the effect of Tat by cocaine, which may
      be relevant for the reward axis in cocaine-abusing HIV-1-positive patients.

PMID- 28623809
TI  - Dual-target screening of bioactive components from traditional Chinese medicines
      by hollow fiber-based ligand fishing combined with liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - A novel strategy was developed for dual-target screening of bioactive components
      from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). This strategy was based on the use of
      low-cost microporous hollow fibers filled with target enzymes as baits to "fish
      out" the ligands in TCM extracts, followed by identification of the ligands
      dissociated from the target-ligand complexes by liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry. Ganjiang Huangqin Huanglian Renshen Decoction (GHHRD), a classical
      TCM prescription for diabetes treatment, was chosen as a model sample to evaluate
      the feasibility of the proposed strategy. Three bioactive components were
      successfully screened out from GHHRD. Coptisine was identified as the ligand of
      alpha-glucosidase and baicalin as the ligand of angiotensin-converting enzyme
      (ACE). Berberine was found to be a dual inhibitor of alpha-glucosidase and ACE.
      The results were further verified by enzyme inhibitory assay and molecular
      docking simulation. The study suggested that our developed strategy would be a
      powerful tool for screening bioactive components from multi-component and multi
      target TCMs.

PMID- 28623810
TI  - Platelet granule release is associated with reactive oxygen species generation
      during platelet storage: A direct link between platelet pro-inflammatory and
      oxidation states.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Upon platelet stimulation with agonists, reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) generation enhances platelet activation and granule release. Whether ROS
      generation during platelet storage could be directly correlated with the
      expression of proinflammatory molecules and granule release has been investigated
      in this study. MATERIAL AND METHOD: PRP-platelet concentrates were subjected to
      flowcytometry analysis to assess the expression of platelet activation marker, P
      selectin and CD40L during storage. Intracellular ROS generation was also detected
      in platelet by flowcytometry using dihydrorhodamine (DHR) 123. Through the dual
      staining, ROS production was analyzed in either P-selectin positive or negative
      populations. RESULTS: ROS formation in platelet population was significantly
      increased by either TRAP (a potent agonist that induces granule release) or PMA
      (a classic inducer of ROS generation), while the effects of each agonists on P
      selectin expression and ROS generation in platelets were comparable. Platelet
      storage was also associated with the increasing levels of ROS (day 0 vs. day 5;
      p<0.001) while this increasing pattern was directly correlated with the either
      expressed P-selectin or CD40L. In addition, in 5 day-stored platelets, samples
      with ROS levels above 40% showed significantly higher levels of P-selectin and
      CD40L expression. P-selectin negative population of platelet did not show
      significant amount of ROS. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrated decreased levels of
      important platelet pro-inflammatory molecules in stored platelets with lower
      levels of intraplatelet ROS. However, whether quenching of ROS generation during
      platelet storage can attenuate adverse transfusion reactions raised by platelet
      pro-inflammatory status is required to be further studied.

PMID- 28623811
TI  - Residential exposure to pesticides as risk factor for childhood and young adult
      brain tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests a positive association between
      exposure to non-agricultural pesticides and childhood brain tumors (CBT).
      OBJECTIVE: (1) To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published
      studies on the association between residential/household/domestic exposure to
      pesticides and childhood brain tumors. (2) To clarify variables that could impact
      the results. METHODS: Publications in English were identified from a MEDLINE
      search through 28 February 2017 and from the reference list of identified
      publications. Risk estimates were extracted from 18 case-control studies
      published between 1979 and 2016 and study quality assessments were performed.
      Summary odds ratios (mOR) were calculated according to fixed and random-effect
      meta-analysis models. Separate analyses were conducted after stratification for
      study quality, critical exposure period, exposure location, specific exposures,
      pesticide category, application methods, type of pest treated, type of CBT,
      child's age at diagnosis and geographic location. RESULTS: Statistically
      significant associations were observed with CBT after combining all studies (mOR:
      1.26; 95% CI: 1.13-1.40) without evidence of inconsistency between study results
      or publication bias. Specifically, increased risks were observed for several
      groupings and more particularly for gliomas and exposure involving insecticides.
      Statistical significance was also reached for high quality studies, for all
      exposure periods, for indoor exposure and, more particularly, during the prenatal
      period for all stratifications involving insecticides (except for outdoor use),
      for pet treatments, for flea/tick treatment, for studies from USA/Canada and
      studies from Europe (borderline) as well as for data from studies including
      children of up to 10years at diagnosis and of up to 15years. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      findings support an association between residential exposure to pesticides and
      childhood brain tumors. Although causality cannot be established, these results
      add to the evidence leading to recommend limiting residential use of pesticides
      and to support public health policies serving this objective.

PMID- 28623812
TI  - Discovery of non-spherical heterogeneous radiocesium-bearing particles not
      derived from Unit 1 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, in residences
      five years after the accident.
AB  - Non-spherical heterogeneous radiocesium-bearing particles were found on masks
      worn during cleaning work in residences near the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power
      Plant (FDNPP), from which residents had evacuated. Three slightly larger (6.6-12
      MUm) non-spherical radiocesium-bearing particles were found in a residence in
      Futaba Town, a straight distance of 2.11 km west-northwest from the FDNPP. These
      were collected on October 25, 2016, 5 years and 7 months after the Fukushima Dai
      ichi nuclear disaster and were presumed to originate from the Plant's Unit 2
      based on the measured radioactivity ratio of 134Cs/137Cs. The main elemental
      composition was similar to particles already reported in other studies. However,
      this is the first time that such particles had a clearly heterogeneous
      distribution.

PMID- 28623813
TI  - Association between altered physical activity and neurocognitive function among
      people with schizophrenia: A minimum 6-months' follow-up study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The long-term benefits of physical activity on neurocognitive
      function among patients with schizophrenia, specifically among inpatients, remain
      unclear. This preliminary study, with a minimum of 6-months' follow-up, examined
      alterations in physical activity and neurocognitive function in both inpatients
      and outpatients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Symptoms and neurocognitive function
      were assessed at 2 intervals using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale and
      Cognitrax, respectively. After each testing period, participants wore an
      accelerometer for 1week to measure their levels and duration of physical
      activity. After the 6-months' follow-up (average duration, 235.9+/-36.2days),
      participants were divided into 2 groups based on either increased or decreased
      activity, as compared with baseline: increased-activity and decreased-activity
      groups. RESULTS: Of the 29 initially enrolled participants, 25 (mean age, 56.8+/
      11.8years) completed the follow-up. Reaction times in the increased-activity
      group in daily activity (n=10) improved as compared with the decreased-activity
      group (n=15). Moreover, cognitive flexibility and executive function improved in
      the increased-activity group in steps (n=7) compared with the decreased-activity
      group (n=18). Finally, there was no association between the duration of moderate
      or vigorous exercise and neurocognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our
      results suggest that increased daily activity and walking, but not high intensity
      activity, are associated with improved neurocognitive function in patients with
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 28623814
TI  - Synthesis, antimicrobial, antiquorum-sensing and antitumor activities of new
      benzimidazole analogs.
AB  - New benzimidazole analogs were prepared and tested for antimicrobial efficacy
      toward Escherichia coli ATCC 12435, Bacillus cereus UW 85, Staphylococcus aureus
      ATCC 29213, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus 293. Results indicated
      that compound 10 has potent and broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. In
      addition, 4b and 5c showed eminent antimicrobial efficacy toward B. cereus, S.
      aureus, C. albicans and A. fumigatus. Furthermore, 12 and 14 demonstrated
      interesting antifungal activity toward C. albicans. Antiquorum-sensing efficacy
      of the new compounds toward Chromobacterium violacium ATCC 12472 was also
      examined. In vitro antitumor screening of the new benzimidazoles toward HepG2,
      HCT-116 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines demonstrated that 4b and 5b,c are the most
      potent analogs toward all tested cell lines. The three potent in vitro antitumor
      analogs were further assessed for in vivo antitumor activity toward EAC in mice,
      and in vitro cytotoxicity toward W138 normal cell line. Results revealed that 4b
      has the highest in vivo activity, and that the three tested analogs are less
      cytotoxic than 5-FU toward W138 normal cell line. The most active antimicrobial
      and antitumor analogs were examined for DNA-binding affinity, whereas 4b and 5c
      displayed the highest affinity. The in silico studies illustrated that all of the
      new benzimidazoles meet the optimal requirements for good oral absorption and
      bioavailability. Moreover, in silico toxicity assessment has been reported.

PMID- 28623815
TI  - Colorimetric sensor array for protein discrimination based on different DNA chain
      length-dependent gold nanoparticles aggregation.
AB  - A facile colorimetric sensor array for detection of proteins was demonstrated
      using DNA as nonspecific receptors. We found that different proteins could
      trigger the DNA-protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to show different
      aggregation behaviors in the presence of salt with high concentrations along with
      various color changes. As a proof-of-concept application, a multi-protein
      discrimination array was fabricated with two ssDNA strands (15A and 30A bases) as
      a receptor array. The combinatorial colorimetric response of this sensor array
      can be analyzed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and hierarchical cluster
      analysis (HCA). 12 proteins have been well distinguished with the naked eye at
      the 50nM level. The proteins in human serum have also been discriminated.
      Furthermore, the accuracies of discrimination of the similar mixtures of proteins
      and unknown samples were all 100%.

PMID- 28623816
TI  - Siderophore coated magnetic iron nanoparticles: Rational designing of water
      soluble nanobiosensor for visualizing Al3+ in live organism.
AB  - This article aims to establish the judicious use of iron-binding chemistry of
      microbial chelators in order to functionalize the surface of iron nanoparticles
      to develop non-toxic nanobiosensor. Anchoring a simple siderophore 2,3
      dihydroxybenzoylglycine (H3L), which bears catechol and carboxyl functionalities
      in tandem, on to the surface of Fe3O4 nanoparticles has developed a unique
      nanobiosensor HL-FeNPs which showed highly selective and sensitive detection of
      Al3+ in 100% water at physiological pH. The biosensor HL-FeNPs, with 20nM limit
      of detection, behaves reversibly and instantly. In-vivo bio-imaging in live brine
      shrimp Artemia confirmed that HL-FeNPs could be used as fluorescent biomarker for
      Al3+ in live whole organisms. Magnetic nature of the nanosensor enabled HL-FeNPs
      to remove excess Al3+ by using external magnet. To our knowledge, the possibility
      of microbial chelator in the practical development of Al3+ selective
      nanobiosensor is unprecedented.

PMID- 28623817
TI  - Development of a simple and convenient cell-based electrochemical biosensor for
      evaluating the individual and combined toxicity of DON, ZEN, and AFB1.
AB  - A simple and convenient cell-based electrochemical biosensor was developed to
      assess the individual and combined toxicity of deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone
      (ZEN), and Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on Hep G2 cells. The sensor was modified in
      succession with AuNPs (gold nanoparticles), cysteamine, and laminin. The cells
      interacting with laminin formed tight cell-to-electrode contacts, and collagen
      was used to maintain cell adhesion and viability. Electrochemical impedance
      spectroscopy (EIS) was developed to evaluate mycotoxin toxicity. Experimental
      results show that DON, ZEN, and AFB1 caused a significant decrease in cell
      viability in a dose dependent manner. The EIS value decreased with concentrations
      of DON, ZEN, and AFB1 in the range of 0.01-20, 0.1-50, and 0.1-3.5MUg/mL, and
      IC50 obtained using the developed method was 48.5, 59.0, and 3.10MUg/mL,
      respectively. A synergistic effect was observed between DON and ZEN, an additive
      effect was observed between DON and AFB1, and an antagonism effect was found in
      the binary mixtures of ZEN and AFB1 and ternary mixtures. These results were
      confirmed via CCK-8 assay. Utilizing SEM, we found that cells treated with
      mycotoxins caused significant changes in cell morphology, thus lessening cell
      adsorption and impedance reduction. Biological assay indicated that EIS patterns
      correlated with [Ca2+]i concentrations and apoptosis and necrotic cells ratios,
      thus effecting electrochemical signals. This method is simpler, more convenient,
      sensitive, and has a quicker response rate than most conventional cytotoxicity
      evaluation methods.

PMID- 28623818
TI  - The rule of five should not impede anti-parasitic drug development.
AB  - The "rule of 5" has become a mainstay of decision-making in the pharmaceutical
      industry as well as in nonindustrial (academic and institutional) drug
      development. However the authors of the original paper never intended for "double
      cutoffs" to preclude development of new drug leads for parasitic diseases.

PMID- 28623819
TI  - The texture, structure and nutrient availability of artificial soil on cut slopes
      restored with OSSS - Influence of restoration time.
AB  - Outside soil spray seeding (OSSS) is widely used to restore cut slopes in
      southwest of China, and artificial soil is often sprayed onto cut slopes to
      establish a soil layer for revegetation. The stability of artificial soil layer
      and its supply of water and nutrients for plants is crucial for successful
      restoration. To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of OSSS, the texture,
      structure and nutrient availability of artificial soil were studied, various soil
      samples were obtained from three cut slopes with different restoration time
      (restored with OSSS in 1996, 2003 and 2007 respectively) and one natural
      developed slope (NS). The properties measured including soil particle size
      distribution (PSD), texture, fractal dimension of PSD (Dm), the bias (CS) and
      peak convex (CE) coefficients of aggregate size distribution, structure failure
      rate, bulk density, moisture, pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), calcium carbonate
      content, Available nitrogen (NA), Available phosphorus (PA), and Available
      potassium (KA). The results showed that different restoration time resulted in
      significant differences in soil PSD, Dm, CS, CE, structure failure rate, bulk
      density, moisture, pH, NA, and KA. And these properties improved with increasing
      restoration age. However, there is still a huge disparity in soil texture,
      structure, and the availability of nutrients and moisture between the cut slopes
      and NS over a restoration period of up to 17 years, and this is caused by the
      little fine particles and the lack of slow release fertilizers and organic
      fertilizers in the artificial soil, resulting in poorer soil structure stability,
      retention and availability of moisture and nutrients on the cut slopes. Overall,
      the OSSS technique shows a long-term effectiveness in southwest of China, but
      there is still room for improvement.

PMID- 28623820
TI  - Spectral selectivity model for light transmission by the intermediate filaments
      in Muller cells.
AB  - Presently we continue our studies of the quantum mechanism of light energy
      transmission in the form of excitons by axisymmetric nanostructures with
      electrically conductive walls. Using our theoretical model, we analyzed the light
      energy transmission by biopolymers forming optical channels within retinal Muller
      cells. There are specialized intermediate filaments (IF) 10-18nm in diameter,
      built of electrically conductive polypeptides. Presently, we analyzed the
      spectral selectivity of these nanostructures. We found that their transmission
      spectrum depends on their diameter and wall thickness. We also considered the
      classical approach, comparing the results with those predicted by the quantum
      mechanism. We performed experimental measurements on model quantum waveguides,
      made of rectangular nanometer-thick chromium (Cr) tracks. The optical spectrum of
      such waveguides varied with their thickness. We compared the experimental
      absorption/transmission spectra with those predicted by our model, with good
      agreement between the two. We report that the observed spectra may be explained
      by the same mechanisms as operating in metal nanolayers. Both the models and the
      experiment show that Cr nanotracks have high light transmission efficiency in a
      narrow spectral range, with the spectral maximum dependent on the layer
      thickness. Therefore, a set of intermediate filaments with different geometries
      may provide light transmission over the entire visible spectrum with a very high
      (~90%) efficiency. Thus, we believe that high contrast and visual resolution in
      daylight are provided by the quantum mechanism of energy transfer in the form of
      excitons, whereas the ultimate retinal sensitivity of the night vision is
      provided by the classical mechanism of photons transmitted by the Muller cell
      light-guides.

PMID- 28623821
TI  - Green biosynthesis of magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles using the aqueous
      extracts of food processing wastes under photo-catalyzed condition and
      investigation of their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
AB  - In this study, a simple, rapid, and eco-friendly green method was introduced to
      synthesize magnetite iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) using the aqueous
      extracts of two food processing wastes, namely silky hairs of corn (Zea mays L.)
      and outer leaves of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis). The
      boiled solutions of silky hairs (MH) and outer leaves of Chinese cabbage (CCP)
      were used to synthesize Fe3O4 NPs under photo exposed condition. The MH-FeNPs and
      CCP-FeNPs synthesized via green route were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy,
      field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray
      diffraction (XRD), differential thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) analysis, and
      vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis. The UV-Visible spectra displayed
      two absorption bands at 325nm and 375mm for the MH-FeNPs, and 325mm and 365mm for
      the CCP-FeNPs, respectively. The estimated absolute crystallite sizes of the MH
      FeNPs and CCP-FeNPs were calculated to be 84.81 and 48.91nm, respectively. VSM
      analysis revealed that both FeNPs were superparamagnetic in nature. Both FeNPs
      mixed with kanamycin and rifampicin displayed positive synergistic antibacterial
      activity against pathogenic foodborne bacteria (9.36-24.42mm inhibition zones),
      and those mixed with amphotericin b also exerted synergistic anticandidal
      activity against five different pathogenic Candida species (9.81-17.68mm
      inhibition zones). Both FeNPs exhibited strong antioxidant activities; therefore,
      all the properties of the green synthesized MH-FeNPs and CCP-FeNPs using food
      processing wastes could be beneficial for their potential applications in various
      fields such as drug delivery, antibacterial and anticandidal drugs, and
      biomedical fields.

PMID- 28623822
TI  - A novel photosensitization treatment for the inactivation of fungal spores and
      cells mediated by curcumin.
AB  - The global concerns regarding the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains and
      the impact of the excessive use of fungicidal practises on our health, food, and
      environment have increased, leading to a demand for alternative clean green
      technologies as treatments. Photosensitization is a treatment that utilises a
      photosensitiser, light and oxygen to cause cell damage to microorganisms. The
      effect of photosensitization mediated by curcumin on Aspergillus niger,
      Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium griseofulvum, Penicillium chrysogenum, Fusarium
      oxysporum, Candida albicans and Zygosaccharomyces bailii was investigated using
      three methods. The viability of spores/cells suspended in aqueous buffer using
      different concentrations of curcumin solution (100-1000MUM) and light dose (0,
      24, 48, 72 and 96J/cm2) were determined. Spraying curcumin solution on inoculated
      surfaces of agar plates followed by irradiation and soaking spores/cells in
      curcumin solution prior to irradiation was also investigated. In aqueous
      mixtures, photosensitised spores/cells of F. oxysporum and C. albicans were
      inhibited at all light doses and curcumin concentrations, while inactivation of
      A. niger, A. flavus P. griseofulvum, P. chrysogenum and Z. bailii were highly
      significant (P<0.001) reduced by 99%, 88.9%, 78%, 99.7% and 99.2% respectively.
      On the surface of agar plates, spores/cells exposed to a light dose of 360J/cm2
      sprayed with curcumin at 800MUM showed complete inhibition for A. niger, F.
      oxysporum, C. albicans and Z. bailii, while A. flavus P. griseofulvum, and P.
      chrysogenum reduced by 75%, 80.4% and 88.5% respectively. Soaking spores/cells
      with curcumin solution prior to irradiation did not have a significant effect on
      the percentage reduction. These observations suggest that a novel
      photosensitization mediated curcumin treatment is effective against fungal
      spores/cells and the variation of percentage reduction was dependent on curcumin
      concentration, light dosage and fungal species.

PMID- 28623825
TI  - Application of static fatigue testing to the behavior of absorbable sutures.
AB  - Absorbable sutures, since their conception, have become the dominant method for
      surgical wound closure and are constantly being improved. However, despite their
      years of service, not all aspects of their performance are fully understood. In
      particular, suture absorption is usually characterized by immersing the suture in
      a model in vitro environment under zero stress followed by measurement of the
      residual tensile strength as a function of immersion time. When in use,
      absorbable sutures are exposed to mechanical stress, which may affect the
      absorption rate; however, this phenomenon has not been adequately studied. The
      present work reports results of static fatigue tests in which the suture material
      is subjected to a mechanical load while immersed in a controlled environment and
      the time to fracture is measured as a function of the applied load. This approach
      is proved a viable method for obtaining a more detailed evaluation of absorbable
      suture performance.

PMID- 28623824
TI  - Dietary nitrate attenuates renal ischemia-reperfusion injuries by modulation of
      immune responses and reduction of oxidative stress.
AB  - Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury involves complex pathological processes in which
      reduction of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability is suggested as a key factor.
      Inorganic nitrate can form NO in vivo via NO synthase-independent pathways and
      may thus provide beneficial effects during IR. Herein we evaluated the effects of
      dietary nitrate supplementation in a renal IR model. Male mice (C57BL/6J) were
      fed nitrate-supplemented chow (1.0mmol/kg/day) or standard chow for two weeks
      prior to 30min ischemia and during the reperfusion period. Unilateral renal IR
      caused profound tubular and glomerular damage in the ischemic kidney. Renal
      function, assessed by plasma creatinine levels, glomerular filtration rate and
      renal plasma flow, was also impaired after IR. All these pathologies were
      significantly improved by nitrate. Mechanistically, nitrate treatment reduced
      renal superoxide generation, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-12
      p70) and macrophage infiltration in the kidney. Moreover, nitrate reduced mRNA
      expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemo attractors, while increasing
      anti-inflammatory cytokines in the injured kidney. In another cohort of mice, two
      weeks of nitrate supplementation lowered superoxide generation and IL-6
      expression in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Our study demonstrates protective
      effect of dietary nitrate in renal IR injury that may be mediated via modulation
      of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. These novel findings suggest that
      nitrate supplementation deserve further exploration as a potential treatment in
      patients at high risk of renal IR injury.

PMID- 28623823
TI  - A randomized placebo-controlled trial of N-acetylcysteine for cannabis use
      disorder in adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a prevalent and impairing condition,
      and established psychosocial treatments convey limited efficacy. In light of
      recent findings supporting the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for CUD in
      adolescents, the objective of this trial was to evaluate its efficacy in adults.
      METHODS: In a 12-week double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial, treatment
      seeking adults ages 18-50 with CUD (N=302), enrolled across six National Drug
      Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network-affiliated clinical sites, were
      randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a 12-week course of NAC 1200mg (n=153) or placebo
      (n=149) twice daily. All participants received contingency management (CM) and
      medical management. The primary efficacy measure was the odds of negative urine
      cannabinoid tests during treatment, compared between NAC and placebo
      participants. RESULTS: There was not statistically significant evidence that the
      NAC and placebo groups differed in cannabis abstinence (odds ratio=1.00, 95%
      confidence interval 0.63-1.59, p=0.984). Overall, 22.3% of urine cannabinoid
      tests in the NAC group were negative, compared with 22.4% in the placebo group.
      Many participants were medication non-adherent; exploratory analysis within
      medication-adherent subgroups revealed no significant differential abstinence
      outcomes by treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast with prior findings in
      adolescents, there is no evidence that NAC 1200mg twice daily plus CM is
      differentially efficacious for CUD in adults when compared to placebo plus CM.
      This discrepant finding between adolescents and adults with CUD may have been
      influenced by differences in development, cannabis use profiles, responses to
      embedded behavioral treatment, medication adherence, and other factors.

PMID- 28623826
TI  - Mechanical characterization via nanoindentation of the woven bone developed
      during bone transport.
AB  - Nanoindentation has been used successfully in the determination of the mechanical
      properties of bone. Its application in fracture healing provides information on
      the evolution of material properties of the woven bone during regeneration
      process. However, this technique has not been applied in assessing the mechanical
      properties of woven bone during distraction osteogenesis. Therefore, the aim of
      this work is to evaluate the spatial and temporal variations of the elastic
      modulus of the woven bone generated during the bone transport process. Callus
      samples were harvested from intervened animals at different time points during
      the bone transport process (35, 50, 79, 98, 161 and 525 days after surgery) for
      nanoindentation measurements. Results clearly showed that the mean elastic
      modulus of the woven bone increased during the bone transport process reaching
      77% of value for cortical bone after 525 days (from 7GPa 35 days after surgery to
      14GPa 525 days after surgery approximately). Woven bone generated during bone
      transport seems to present similar evolution of elastic modulus with time as
      values reported for fracture healing. Furthermore, different spatial variations
      of elastic modulus within the callus were found for different stages of the
      process.

PMID- 28623827
TI  - Changes in aquatic microbial responses to C-substrates with stream water and
      sediment quality related to land use pressures.
AB  - The degradation of aquatic ecosystems by multiply-acting stressors is a key
      threat requiring new approaches to identify impairment processes and restoration
      targets. Heterotrophic respiration of C-substrates can be an integrative
      indicator of how aquatic ecosystems respond to pollution. We utilised sixteen C
      substrates (simple metabolites to dissolved organic matter (DOM)) to characterise
      substrate induced respiration (SIR) for sediments from sixteen NE Scotland
      streams covering a range of land use-related pollution pressures. Pollution
      explanatory variables were as assessed from GIS-derived land cover areas,
      dissolved water chemistry (N, P, base cations and trace elements) and sediment
      trace metals (by aqua-regia digest). Large inter-site variation in dissolved and
      sediment chemical concentrations was strongly significantly correlated with land
      cover: dissolved N, Ca, Mg, K, Na positively with agriculture and urban,
      negatively with semi-natural land areas; sediment As, Ba, Co, Zn with
      agriculture, Cu, Pb, Zn with urban areas. Simple linear regression modelling was
      used to explore the influences across land cover, dissolved and sediment
      chemistry with C-substrate responses, both individually and using principal
      components-derived SIR 'fingerprints'. The data supported the hypothesis that
      pollution pressures altered water and sediment quality, in turn affecting
      sediment microbes and their respiration responses to a range of C-substrates,
      especially discriminating the DOM respiration. Since headwater DOM is a dominant
      pool of C driving ecosystem processes downstream then any loss of ability to
      utilise DOM should be further explored in terms of possible connections to
      pollution processes.

PMID- 28623828
TI  - PCDD/F-isomers signature - Effect of metal chlorides and oxides.
AB  - A recent paper presented the results from de novo tests, involving 11 distinct
      catalytic systems (oxides and chlorides of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn, as well as a
      blank sample). Their PCDD and PCDF formation activity was shown. This paper
      further assesses their isomer signature, with special emphasis on those congeners
      associated with chlorophenol precursor routes, and on 2,3,7,8- and 1,9
      substituted congeners. Each metal catalyst generates a significantly different
      signature, also affected by the presence or absence of oxygen in the reaction
      atmosphere. Oxide and chloride catalysts supply distinctive signatures,
      suggesting singly weighted pathways. Quite a large number of data was handled, so
      that throughout this analysis special attention was given to testing and
      developing an appropriate methodology, allowing appropriate correlation analysis
      and statistical data treatment. The large tables resulting relate to the 11
      catalytic systems, studied at 3 levels of oxygen concentration, with 94 PCDD/F
      congeners considered individually. They constitute an extensive reference data
      bank for confronting novel experimental data with this vast data set.

PMID- 28623829
TI  - Criteria for assessing the ecological risk of nonylphenol for aquatic life in
      Chinese surface fresh water.
AB  - The typical environmental endocrine disruptor nonylphenol is becoming an
      increasingly common pollutant in both fresh and salt water; it compromises the
      growth and development of many aquatic organisms. As yet, water quality criteria
      with respect to nonylphenol pollution have not been established in China. Here,
      the predicted "no effect concentration" of nonylphenol was derived from an
      analysis of species sensitivity distribution covering a range of species mainly
      native to China, as a means of quantifying the ecological risk of nonylphenol in
      surface fresh water. The resulting model, based on the log-logistic distribution,
      proved to be robust; the minimum sample sizes required for generating a stable
      estimate of HC5 were 12 for acute toxicity and 13 for chronic toxicity. The
      criteria maximum concentration and criteria continuous concentration were,
      respectively 18.49 MUg L-1 and 1.85 MUg L-1. Among the 24 sites surveyed, two
      were associated with a high ecological risk (risk quotient >1) and 12 with a
      moderate ecological risk (risk quotient >0.1). The potentially affected fraction
      ranged from 0.008% to 24.600%. The analysis provides a theoretical basis for both
      short- and long-term risk assessments with respect to nonylphenol, and also a
      means to quantify the risk to aquatic ecosystems.

PMID- 28623830
TI  - Identification, characteristics and human exposure assessments of triclosan,
      bisphenol-A, and four commonly used organic UV filters in indoor dust collected
      from Shanghai, China.
AB  - Indoor dust is a very significant medium to understand human exposure of emerging
      contaminants. A novel and robust analytical method to measure the amounts of six
      personal care products (PCPs) (triclosan, bisphenol-A and four commonly used
      organic ultraviolet (UV) filters) simultaneously in indoor dust is developed in
      this paper. Target analytes were extracted using accelerated solvent extraction.
      After sample cleanup by solid-phase extraction (SPE), the extracts were
      derivatized and analyzed using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The
      method detection limits achieves 0.16-0.62 pg g-1 (except for 4-methylbenzylidene
      camphor with 3800 pg g-1). The method was successfully applied to the analysis of
      110 indoor dust samples from Shanghai, China. Results showed that the PCPs were
      found in most of the samples analyzed. The concentrations of the most analytes
      are relatively lower than those reported in USA, Japan, and European countries.
      The median concentration of octocrylene (OC) (1170.4 ng g-1) was found to be
      nearly 5-10 times higher than those of other analytes. The significantly higher
      concentration of ?PCPs was observed in indoor dusts from residences than from
      offices (P < 0.05). The human exposure was analyzed by calculate the estimated
      daily intakes (EDI) of PCPs through dust ingestion for various age groups. The
      EDI of the target analytes for infants ranged from 0.85 to 6.18 ng kg-1 -bw day-1
      and 0.07-0.49 ng kg-1 -bw day-1 for adults, respectively. This is the first study
      to report the doses of human exposure to UV filters in China.

PMID- 28623831
TI  - Tracking historical mobility behavior and sources of lead in the 59-year sediment
      core from the Huaihe River using lead isotopic compositions.
AB  - A historical perspective of past 59 years (1955-2014) for contamination and
      isotopic composition of Pb in sediment core system of the Huaihe River, Huainan
      City, Anhui Province of China is presented. Detailed investigation regarding
      changes in Pb sources, enrichment factor, sequential extraction and isotopic
      analysis revealed that high Pb concentrations were detected along the core,
      especially during the first two decades (1955-1974). Large variations in Pb
      isotopic compositions were observed, with 206Pb/207Pb and 208Pb/207Pb values
      ranging from 1.1504-1.1694, and 2.0817-2.1380, respectively. Diverse Pb sources
      were identified for sediment contamination over the time. Among anthropogenic
      sources, metallurgic dust and leaded petrol were on top during 1955-1974,
      especially when the Great Leap Forward Movement (1958-1960) was in progress in
      China, the time numerous small industries were established without wastewater
      treatment facility. However, coal and coal combustion were recognized as the
      primary sources of Pb emissions for the recent four decades (1974-2014) due to
      tremendous increase of coal consumption for power and heat generation. Unleaded
      vehicle exhaust, waste incineration and industrial emission were also sources of
      Pb during the years 1974-2014. Our estimates based on geochemical and lead
      isotopic approaches have shown that anthropogenic Pb contributions varied from
      4.35 to 92.01%, and 13.28-99.06%, respectively. Assessment of lead speciation
      indicated an overwhelming presence of reducible fraction (Fe-Mn hydro-(oxides))
      in the sediment core, except during 1995-1997, which was thought to be affected
      by water pollution accidents caused by heavy rainfall.

PMID- 28623832
TI  - A review on in situ phytoremediation of mine tailings.
AB  - Mine tailings are detrimental to natural plant growth due to their
      physicochemical characteristics, such as high pH, high salinity, low water
      retention capacity, high heavy metal concentrations, and deficiencies in soil
      organic matter and fertility. Thus, the remediation of mine tailings has become a
      key issue in environmental science and engineering. Phytoremediation, an in situ
      cost-effective technology, is emerging as the most promising remediation method
      for mine tailings by introducing tolerant plant species. It is particularly
      effective in dealing with large-area mine tailings with shallow contamination of
      organic, nutrient and metal pollutants. In this review, the background, concepts
      and applications of phytoremediation are comprehensively discussed. Furthermore,
      proper amendments used to improve the physical, chemical and biological
      properties of mine tailings are systematically reviewed and compared. Emphasis is
      placed on the types and characteristics of tolerant plants and their role in
      phytoremediation. Moreover, the role of microorganisms and their mechanism in
      phytoremediation are also discussed in-depth.

PMID- 28623833
TI  - Organic dye removal by MnO2 and Ag micromotors under various ambient conditions:
      The comparison between two abatement mechanisms.
AB  - MnO2- and Ag- based micromotors were developed recently as new types of
      micromotors with the advantage of low costs and have been utilized to treat
      environmental pollutants. However, knowledge about the effects of ambient
      conditions on the performance of them is still lacking. In this article, the
      influences of pH, electrolytes and surfactant on the treatment of organic dye
      (with methylene blue as the representative) by the commercial MnO2 and Ag
      micromotors with H2O2 as the fuel were studied. In the motion visualization
      experiments, besides the routine types of trajectories, the circular motion of
      micromotors around the already formed bubbles was observed for the first time. In
      the pollutant removal experiments, two abatement mechanisms (catalytic
      degradation and adsorptive bubble separation) were studied. The decolorization
      efficiency for MnO2 due to catalytic degradation increased with the increasing
      pH, which disagreed with previous studies in which no H2O2 was added. The
      inhibitory effects of the tested electrolytes were in the order:
      CaCl2>NaNO3>NaCl. Surfactant can increase the decolorization efficiency only
      under highly alkaline conditions. For Ag, decolorization only occurs with the
      existence of surfactant at high pH values (pH = 11.4) indicating that the
      dominant mechanism is adsorptive bubble separation.

PMID- 28623834
TI  - Nitrate formation during ozonation as a surrogate parameter for abatement of
      micropollutants and the N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation potential.
AB  - In this study, nitrate formation from ammonium and/or dissolved organic nitrogen
      (DON) was investigated as a novel surrogate parameter to evaluate the abatement
      of micropollutants during ozonation of synthetic waters containing natural
      organic matter (NOM) isolates, a natural water and secondary wastewater
      effluents. Nitrate formation during ozonation was compared to the changes in UV
      absorbance at 254 nm (UVA254) including the effect of pH. For low specific ozone
      doses UVA254 was abated more efficiently than nitrate was formed. This is due to
      a relatively slow rate-limiting step for nitrate formation from the reaction
      between ozone and a proposed nitrogen-containing intermediate. This reaction
      cannot compete with the fast reactions between ozone and UV-absorbing moieties
      (e.g., activated aromatic compounds). To further test the kinetics of nitrate
      formation, two possible intermediates formed during ozonation of DON were tested.
      At pH 7, nitrate was formed during ozonation of acetone oxime and methyl
      nitroacetate with second-order rate constants of 256.7 +/- 4.7 M-1 s-1 and 149.5
      +/- 5.8 M-1 s-1, respectively. The abatement of the selected micropollutants
      (i.e., 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2), carbamazepine (CBZ), bezafibrate (BZF),
      ibuprofen (IBU), and p-chlorobenzoic acid (pCBA)) was investigated for specific
      ozone doses <=1.53 mgO3/mgDOC and its efficiency depended strongly on the
      reactivity of the selected compounds with ozone. The relative abatement of
      micropollutants (i.e., EE2 and CBZ) with high ozone reactivity showed linear
      relationships with nitrate formation. The abatement of micropollutants with
      intermediate-low ozone reactivity (BZF, IBU, and pCBA) followed one- and two
      phase behaviors relative to nitrate formation during ozonation of water samples
      containing high and low concentrations of nitrate-forming DON, respectively.
      During ozonation of a wastewater sample, the N-nitrosodimethylamine formation
      potential (NDMA-FP) during chloramination decreased with increasing specific
      ozone doses. A good correlation was obtained between NDMA-FP abatement and
      nitrate formation. Therefore, nitrate formation after pre-ozonation may be a
      useful parameter to estimate the reduction of the NDMA-FP during post
      chloramination. Overall, the results of this study suggest that nitrate formation
      (possibly in combination with UVA254 abatement) during ozonation of DON
      containing waters may be a good surrogate for assessing the abatement of
      micropollutants and the NDMA-FP.

PMID- 28623835
TI  - Life cycle assessment of treatment and handling options for a highly saline brine
      extracted from a potential CO2 storage site.
AB  - Carbon dioxide (CO2) injection in deep saline aquifers is a promising option for
      CO2 geological sequestration. However, brine extraction may be necessary to
      control the anticipated increase in reservoir pressure resulting from CO2
      injection. The extracted brines usually have elevated concentrations of total
      dissolved solids (TDS) and other contaminants and require proper handling or
      treatment. Different options for the handling or treatment of a high-TDS brine
      extracted from a potential CO2 sequestration site (Mt. Simon Sandstone, Illinois,
      USA) are evaluated here through a life cycle assessment (LCA) study. The
      objective of this LCA study is to evaluate the environmental impact (EI) of
      various treatment or disposal options, namely, deep well disposal (Case 1); near
      zero liquid discharge (ZLD) treatment followed by disposal of salt and brine by
      products (Case 2); and near-ZLD treatment assuming beneficial use of the
      treatment by-products (Case 3). Results indicate that energy use is the dominant
      factor determining the overall EI. Because of the high energy consumption,
      desalination of the pretreated brine (Cases 2 and 3) results in the highest EI.
      Consequently, the overall EI of desalination cases falls mainly into two EI
      categories: global warming potential and resources-fossil fuels. Deep well
      disposal has the least EI when the EI of brine injection into deep formations is
      not included. The overall freshwater consumption associated with different life
      cycle stages of the selected disposal or treatment options is 0.6-1.8 m3 of
      freshwater for every 1.0 m3 of brine input. The freshwater consumption balance is
      0.6 m3 for every 1.0 m3 of brine input for Case 3 when desalination by-products
      are utilized for beneficial uses.

PMID- 28623836
TI  - Sequential matched analysis of racial disparities in breast cancer
      hospitalization outcomes among African American and White patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to determine if racial disparities in
      inpatient outcomes persist among hospitalized patients comparing African American
      and White breast cancer patients matched on demographics, presentation and
      treatment. METHODS: A total of 136,211 African American and White breast cancer
      patients from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project - Nationwide Inpatient
      Sample (HCUP-NIS) database, matched on demographics alone, demographics and
      presentation or demographics, presentation and treatment were studied.
      Conditional logistic regression was conducted to evaluate post-surgical
      complications, length of stay and in-hospital mortality outcomes. Analysis was
      further stratified by age (<=65 years and >65years) to evaluate whether
      disparities were larger in younger or older patients. All analysis was conducted
      using SAS 9.3. RESULTS: White women had significantly shorter hospital length of
      stay when matched on demographics (beta=-0.87, p-value=<0.0001), demographics and
      presentation (beta=-0.63, p-value=<0.0001), and demographics, presentation and
      treatment (beta=-0.51, p-value=<0.0001) compared with African Americans. White
      women also had lower odds of mortality compared with African American women when
      matched on demographics (OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.65-0.79), demographics and
      presentation (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.71-0.85), or matched on demographics,
      presentation and treatment (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73-0.88). The racial difference
      observed in length of stay and mortality was larger in the age group <=65 years
      compared with >65years CONCLUSION: African American women experienced higher odds
      of inpatient mortality and longer length of stay compared with White women even
      after accounting for differences in demographics, presentation and treatment
      characteristics.

PMID- 28623837
TI  - Abnormal asymmetry in benign epilepsy with unilateral and bilateral
      centrotemporal spikes: A combined fMRI and DTI study.
AB  - Benign epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) is the most common idiopathic
      focal childhood epilepsy associated with either unilateral or bilateral epileptic
      discharge. Asymmetry as an important characteristic of the human brain is
      beneficial for brain functions. However, little is known about on asymmetry of
      BECTS patients with different epileptic spikes pattern. In the present study, we
      investigated functional and structural asymmetries in unilateral spikes BECTS
      (U_BECTS) patients and bilateral spikes BECTS (B_BECTS) patients using resting
      state functional magnetic resonance images and diffusion tensor imaging. Compared
      with the controls, we observed a decreased voxel-mirrored interhemispheric
      functional connectivity (FC) in primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) in U_BECTS and
      B_BECTS groups, and reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the corpus
      callosum (CC) connecting bilateral SM1 were also observed in B_BECTS group.
      Further region-based FC map analysis of SM1 demonstrated increased functional
      asymmetry with ipsilateral hemisphere, contralateral hemisphere and the whole
      brain in U_BECTS and increased functional asymmetry with the contralateral
      hemisphere and the whole brain in B_BECTS groups. The correlation between
      functional asymmetry of SM1 and intelligence quotient scores was found in the
      U_BECTS group. The altered asymmetries of the SM1 further indicated the important
      role of SM1 in the pathophysiology of the BECTS. Furthermore, the B_BECTS group
      also showed abnormal voxel-mirrored interhemispheric FC in the temporal pole, the
      lobule IX of the cerebellum, the caudate and the occipital cortex relative to the
      controls. Altogether, our findings provide additional insight into the neuronal
      mechanism of BECTS with different epileptic spikes pattern and cognitive
      impairments with BECTS patients.

PMID- 28623838
TI  - Economic analysis of an epilepsy outreach model of care in a university hospital
      setting.
AB  - The prevalence of epilepsy in people with intellectual disability is higher than
      in the general population and prevalence rates increase with increasing levels of
      disability. Prevalence rates of epilepsy are highest among those living in
      residential care. The healthcare needs of people with intellectual disability and
      epilepsy are complex and deserve special consideration in terms of healthcare
      provision and access to specialist epilepsy clinics, which are usually held in
      acute hospital campuses. This patient population is at risk of suboptimal care
      because of significant difficulties accessing specialist epilepsy care which is
      typically delivered in the environs of acute hospitals. In 2014, the epilepsy
      service at Cork University Hospital established an Epilepsy Outreach Service
      providing regular, ambulatory outpatient follow up at residential care facilities
      in Cork city and county in an effort to improve access to care, reduce the burden
      and expense of patient and carer travel to hospital outpatient appointments, and
      to provide a dedicated specialist phone service for epilepsy related queries in
      order to reduce emergency room visits when possible. We present the findings of
      an economic analysis of the outreach service model of care compared to the
      traditional hospital outpatient service and demonstrate significant cost savings
      and improved access to care with this model. Ideally these cost savings should be
      used to develop novel ways to enhance epilepsy care for persons with disability.
      We propose that this model of care can be more suitable for persons with
      disability living in residential care who are at risk of losing access to
      specialist epilepsy care.

PMID- 28623839
TI  - Expression profiles of genes for mitochondrial respiratory energy-dissipating
      systems and antioxidant enzymes in wheat leaves during de-etiolation.
AB  - Mitochondrial respiratory components participate in the maintenance of
      chloroplast functional activity. This study investigates the effects 48h de
      etiolation of spring wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L., var. Irgina) on the
      expression of genes that encode energy-dissipating respiratory components and
      antioxidant enzymes under continuous light conditions. The expression of AOX1a
      following the prolonged darkness exhibited a pattern indicating a prominent
      dependence on light. The expression of other respiratory genes, including NDA2,
      NDB2, and UCP1b, increased during de-etiolation and dark-to-light transition;
      however, changes in the expression of these genes occurred later than those in
      AOX1a expression. A high expression of NDA1 was detected after 12h of de
      etiolation. The suppression of AOX1a, NDA2, NDB2, and UCP1b was observed 24h
      after de-etiolation when the photosynthetic apparatus and its defence systems
      against excess light were completely developed. The expression patterns of the
      respiratory genes and several genes encoding antioxidant enzymes (MnSOD, Cu
      ZnSOD, t-APX, GR, and GRX) were quite similar. Our data indicate that the
      induction of nuclear genes encoding respiratory and antioxidant enzymes allow the
      plants to control reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and avoid oxidative
      stress during de-etiolation.

PMID- 28623840
TI  - On the spectral properties of methyl and methoxy derivatives of 1,3-diphenyl-1H
      pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxalines: Experiment and DFT/TDDFT calculations.
AB  - Paper reports the synthesis and spectroscopic studies of two novel 1,3-diphenyl
      pyrazoloquinoxaline (PQX) derivatives with 6-substituted methyl (MePQX) or
      methoxy (MeOPQX) side groups. The optical absorption and fluorescence emission
      spectra are recorded in solvents of different polarity. Other photophysical
      constants, such as the fluorescence lifetime and quantum yield, radiationless and
      radiative rate constants, electronic transition dipole moments, give complete
      characterization of MePQX and MeOPQX dyes as materials for potential luminescence
      or electroluminescence applications. Measured optical absorption and fluorescence
      emission spectra are compared with the results of quantum-chemical analysis using
      density functional theory (DFT/TDDFT) methods based on hybrid and long range
      corrected (LRC) exchange-correlation (xc) functionals in combination with
      solvation self consistent reaction field model. Comparing to conventional hybrid
      xc-functionals, the DFT/TDDFT calculations using LRC xc-functionals yield
      considerably more accurate description of optical absorption and fluorescence
      emission spectra. The best description of the absorption-emission circle provides
      the model assuming that optical absorption takes place from preferably flat or
      weakly twisted molecular conformations in the ground state, as particularly is
      suggested by the geometrical DFT optimization, whereas the fluorescence emission
      would be expected from more twisted molecular conformations in the excited state.

PMID- 28623841
TI  - Development of a HPLC method for determination of four UV filters in sunscreen
      and its application to skin penetration studies.
AB  - This study describes the development, validation and application of a high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous
      determination of the in vitro skin penetration profile of four UV filters on
      porcine skin. Experiments were carried out on a gel-cream formulation containing
      the following UV filters: diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB), bis
      ethylhexyloxyphenol methoxyphenyl triazine (BEMT), methylene bis-benzotriazolyl
      tetramethylbutylphenol (MBBT) and ethylhexyl triazone (EHT). The HPLC method
      demonstrated suitable selectivity, linearity (10.0-50.0 MUg/mL), precision,
      accuracy and recovery from porcine skin and sunscreen formulation. The in vitro
      skin penetration profile was evaluated using Franz vertical diffusion cells for
      24 h after application on porcine ear skin. None of the UV filters penetrated the
      porcine skin. Most of them stayed on the skin surface (>90%) and only BEMT, EHT
      and DHHB reached the dermis plus epidermis layer. These results are in agreement
      with previous results in the literature. Therefore, the analytical method was
      useful to evaluate the in vitro skin penetration of the UV filters and may help
      the development of safer and effective sunscreen products.

PMID- 28623842
TI  - What Are They Thinking? A National Study of Stability and Change in Divorce
      Ideation.
AB  - This study reports on a nationally representative sample of married individuals
      ages 25-50 (N = 3,000) surveyed twice (1 year apart) to investigate the
      phenomenon of divorce ideation, or what people are thinking when they are
      thinking about divorce. Twenty-eight percent of respondents had thought their
      marriage was in serious trouble in the past but not recently. Another 25% had
      thoughts about divorce in the last 6 months. Latent Class Analysis revealed three
      distinct groups among those thinking about divorce at Time 1: soft thinkers
      (49%), long-term-serious thinkers (45%), and conflicted thinkers (6%). Yet,
      divorce ideation was not static; 31% of Time 1 thinkers were not thinking about
      it 1 year later (and 36% of nonthinkers at Time 1 were thinking about it 1 year
      later). Also, Latent Transition Analysis revealed 49% of Time 1 long-term-serious
      thinkers, 56% of soft thinkers, and 51% of conflicted thinkers had shifted groups
      at Time 2, mostly in the direction of less and softer thinking about divorce.
      Overall, divorce ideation is common but dynamic, and it is not necessarily an
      indication of imminent marital dissolution.

PMID- 28623843
TI  - Proposal for long-term protocols after Psoriasis Area and Severity Index clear
      with initial biologic therapy: Happily ever after with or without biologics in
      psoriasis therapy.

PMID- 28623844
TI  - LC-MS/MS characterization, anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidant activities
      of polyphenols from different tissues of Korean Petasites japonicus (Meowi).
AB  - The Korean Petasites japonicus is a perennial plant used in folk medicine as a
      remedy for many diseases and popularly consumed as spring greens. Ten polyphenols
      were characterized from the leaves, stems and roots of this plant via high
      performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Individual
      polyphenols were quantified for the first time using calibration curves of six
      structurally related external standards. Validation data indicated that
      coefficients of determinations (R2 ) were >=0.9702 for all standards. Recoveries
      measured at 50 and 100 mg/L were 80.0-91.9 and 80.3-105.3%, respectively.
      Precisions at these two concentration levels were 0.7-6.1 and 1.1-5.5%,
      respectively. The total number of identified components was largest for the
      leaves and smallest for the stems. The leaf and root polyphenolic extracts showed
      anti-inflammatory effects by inducing LPS-activated COX-2 and iNOS protein levels
      in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The antioxidant capacity of the polyphenols,
      when evaluated for DPPH (alpha,alpha-diphenyl-beta-picrylhydrazyl)? , ABTS+ [2-2'
      azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] and superoxide radical
      scavenging activities, and in ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assays,
      was highest in the leaf and lowest in the stem. This trend suggests that the
      antioxidant capacities depend primarily on polyphenol concentration in each
      tissue. The current findings suggest that polyphenols derived from P. japonicas
      tissues could have potential as functional health foods.

PMID- 28623845
TI  - Direct C2-Functionalization of Indoles Triggered by the Generation of Iminium
      Species from Indole and Sulfonium Salt.
AB  - An indole core bearing a functional group on the C2 position is often found as a
      key structure in biologically active natural products and pharmaceuticals. Here,
      we report direct C2-functionalization of indoles triggered by the formation of an
      iminium species generated from indole and a sulfonium reagent. The reaction
      proceeded under very mild conditions to give the corresponding C2-substituted
      indole derivatives in good to high yields.

PMID- 28623846
TI  - SonoCAD: a software to solve the dilemma of the prenatal diagnosis of fetal
      syndromes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to develop an efficient, user-friendly, time
      saving computer software program specified with prenatal diagnosis, based solely
      on ultrasound findings provided by the sonographer. MATERIALS AND METHOD:
      Sonographyic computer-assisted diagnosis (SonoCAD) program was developed in four
      phases. Phase I: data gathering phase. Phase II: the software development phase
      in which the source code of the software was developed. Phase III: system testing
      phase that was divided into two steps: alpha testing phase, in which 20 syndromic
      scenarios were supplied to the software and the beta testing phase, in which the
      performance of SonoCAD was compared with the performance of the already
      established web site phenotip.com launched in 2014. Phase IV: the refining phase.
      RESULTS: In 92% of the syndromes provided, SonoCAD was capable of providing the
      correct diagnosis, while only in 53.3% of the syndromes phenotip.com was capable
      of providing the correct diagnosis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Sonographyic
      computer-assisted diagnosis is an efficient, properly functioning, time-saving
      software that could be utilized by all who are involved in prenatal diagnosis.
      SonoCAD was found to be more efficient and more accurate in generating a correct
      diagnosis when compared with the already available website phenotip.com having
      the same functionality. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28623847
TI  - Toxicity after post-prostatectomy image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy
      using Australian guidelines.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We evaluated single institution toxicity outcomes after post
      prostatectomy radiotherapy (PPRT) via image-guided intensity-modulated radiation
      therapy (IG-IMRT) with implanted fiducial markers following national eviQ
      guidelines, for which late toxicity outcomes have not been published. METHODS:
      Prospectively collected toxicity data were retrospectively reviewed for 293 men
      who underwent 64-66 Gy IG-IMRT to the prostate bed between 2007 and 2015.
      RESULTS: Median follow-up after PPRT was 39 months. Baseline grade >=2
      genitourinary (GU), gastrointestinal (GI) and sexual toxicities were 20.5%, 2.7%
      and 43.7%, respectively, reflecting ongoing toxicity after radical prostatectomy.
      Incidence of new (compared to baseline) acute grade >=2 GU and GI toxicity was
      5.8% and 10.6%, respectively. New late grade >=2 GU, GI and sexual toxicity
      occurred in 19.1%, 4.7% and 20.2%, respectively. However, many patients also
      experienced improvements in toxicities. For this reason, prevalence of grade >=2
      GU, GI and sexual toxicities 4 years after PPRT was similar to or lower than
      baseline (21.7%, 2.6% and 17.4%, respectively). There were no grade >=4
      toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: Post-prostatectomy IG-IMRT using Australian contouring
      guidelines appears to have tolerable acute and late toxicity. The 4-year
      prevalence of grade >=2 GU and GI toxicity was virtually unchanged compared to
      baseline, and sexual toxicity improved over baseline. This should reassure
      radiation oncologists following these guidelines. Late toxicity rates of surgery
      and PPRT are higher than following definitive IG-IMRT, and this should be taken
      into account if patients are considering surgery and likely to require PPRT.

PMID- 28623848
TI  - Very brief physician advice and supplemental proactive telephone calls to promote
      smoking reduction and cessation in Chinese male smokers with no intention to
      quit: a randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is inconsistent evidence that behavioural support to
      promote smoking reduction is effective at increasing smoking cessation. We
      examined the effectiveness of brief physician advice together with four very
      brief telephone calls in promoting smoking cessation among Chinese men via
      reduction compared with equivalent advice on diet and exercise. DESIGN: A two
      group pragmatic randomized controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Male
      patients attending the Endocrinology and Acupuncture out-patient clinics of a
      general hospital in Beijing, China. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATORS: Physicians
      advised participants allocated to the smoking-reduction intervention (SRI, n =
      181) group to reduce smoking to at least half of their current consumption within
      1 month at baseline. At follow-up, a telephone counsellor repeated this advice if
      the participant had not reduced their cigarette consumption. Participants who had
      reduced consumption were encouraged to quit smoking. Physicians gave participants
      in the exercise and diet advice (EDA, n = 188) control group brief advice about
      physical activity and healthy diet at baseline, and a telephone counsellor
      reinforced this at each follow-up interview. Both groups had one face-to-face
      interview at baseline plus five telephone interviews and interventions
      (approximately 1 minute each) at 1 week and 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up.
      MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was self-reported 6-month prolonged abstinence
      rate at 12-month follow-up interview. FINDINGS: By intention-to-treat, the self
      reported 6-month prolonged abstinence rate at 12-month follow-up in the SRI
      groups (19 quitters, 15.7%) was higher, but not significantly, than the EDA
      control group (10 quitters, 7.8%), and the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95%
      confidence interval (CI) was 2.26 (0.97-5.26), P = 0.062. The self-reported 7-day
      point prevalence quit rate (secondary outcome) in the SRI group was significantly
      higher than the control group at each follow-up interview (at 12-month follow-up:
      13.3 versus 6.9%, OR (95% CI) = 2.09 (1.01, 4.34), P = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: A
      very brief, proactive and low-cost smoking-reduction intervention without
      medications for Chinese male smokers with no intention to quit appears to
      increase smoking abstinence.

PMID- 28623850
TI  - Arabidopsis TOR signaling is essential for sugar-regulated callus formation.
AB  - Dedifferentiation is a remarkable process that produces pluripotent stem cells
      from differentiated somatic cells to ensure developmental plasticity. Plants have
      evolved the ability of cellular dedifferentiation, and signaling cascades related
      to auxin and cytokinin-dependent callus formation have been extensively
      investigated. However, the molecular mechanism underlying sugar-dependent callus
      formation remains unknown. Here, we show that sugar-dependent callus formation is
      mainly regulated by the TOR-E2Fa module in Arabidopsis. Sugar-activated TOR
      kinase phosphorylates and stabilizes E2Fa proteins to transcriptionally activate
      S-phase genes during callus formation. In parallel, E2Fa is transcriptionally
      regulated by the ARF-LBD transcription cascade. Multi-layered regulation of E2Fa
      by sugar and auxin is likely to shape balanced cellular dedifferentiation
      capability in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28623849
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics of 3,4-Diaminopyridine Free Base in
      Patients With Lambert-Eaton Myasthenia.
AB  - Lambert-Eaton myasthenia (LEM) is a rare autoimmune disorder associated with
      debilitating muscle weakness. There are limited treatment options and 3,4
      diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP) free base is an investigational orphan drug used to
      treat LEM-related weakness. We performed a population
      pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis using 3,4-DAP and metabolite
      concentrations collected from a phase II study in patients with LEM. The Triple
      Timed Up & Go (3TUG) assessment, which measures lower extremity weakness, was the
      primary outcome measure. A total of 1,270 PK samples (49 patients) and 1,091 3TUG
      data points (32 randomized patients) were included in the PK/PD analysis. A two
      compartment and one-compartment model for parent and metabolite, respectively,
      described the PK data well. Body weight and serum creatinine partially explained
      the variability in clearance for the final PK model. A fractional inhibitory
      maximum effect (Emax ) model characterized the exposure-response relationship
      well. The PK/PD model was applied to identify a suggested dosing approach for 3,4
      DAP free base.

PMID- 28623851
TI  - Quantification of beta-eudesmol in rat plasma using LC-MS/MS and its application
      to a pharmacokinetic study.
AB  - A sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS assay for determination of beta-eudesmol in rat
      plasma was developed and validated. After liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl
      ether, the analyte and IS were separated on a Capcell Pak C18 column (50 * 2.0
      mm, 5 MUm) by isocratic elution with acetonitrile-water-formic acid
      (77.5:22.5:0.1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min. An ESI
      source was applied and operated in positive ion mode; a selected reaction
      monitoring scan was used for quantification by monitoring the precursor-product
      ion transitions of m/z 245.1 -> 163.1 for beta-eudesmol and m/z 273.4 -> 81.2 for
      IS. Good linearity was observed in the concentration range of 3-900 ng/mL for
      beta-eudesmol in rat plasma. Intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were
      both within +/-14.3%. This method was applied for pharmacokinetic studies after
      intravenous bolus of 2.0 mg/kg or intragastric administration of 50 mg/kg beta
      eudesmol in rats.

PMID- 28623852
TI  - Frusemide aids diagnostic interpretation of 68 Ga-PSMA positron emission
      tomography/CT in men with prostate cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: 68 Ga-PSMA positron emission tomography-computed tomography
      (PET/CT) is useful for both staging and assessment of biochemical relapse in men
      with prostate cancer. Renal excretion of 68 Ga-PSMA can lead to difficulties in
      scan interpretation, particularly in the pelvis. We evaluated if intravenous
      Frusemide at the time of 68 Ga-PSMA injection reduces excreted activity artefact
      and improves diagnostic certainty. METHODS: Sixty-two men with prostate cancer
      undergoing clinically indicated 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT were prospectively included, 30
      men receiving Frusemide at the time of radiotracer injection. Clinical
      information and reasons for the scan were documented. Intensity of excreted
      activity was assessed semi quantitatively for each patient (SUV max). PET/CT
      images were interpreted by two experienced readers for image quality, and
      presence/absence of PSMA-positive disease. RESULTS: Twenty-nine percent (18/62)
      were staging scans, and 71% (44/62) re-staging. PSMA-positive findings were
      identified in 95% (59/62). Staging scans had PSMA-positive findings within the
      prostate in 100% (18/18) and re-staging scans, 50% (22/44) in the prostate fossa,
      64% (28/44) in lymph nodes and 21% (9/44) in viscera and bone. Administration of
      Frusemide had a significant impact on intensity of excreted activity in the
      ureters and bladder. Impaired image quality was noted in 33% (10/30) of men not
      given Frusemide, compared to only 3% (1/32) in men given Frusemide (P = 0.002).
      Reporter confidence on the presence/absence of PSMA avid disease in the prostate
      fossa improved from 63% (19/30) without Frusemide, to 91% (29/32) with Frusemide
      (P < 0.015). CONCLUSION: Intravenous Frusemide given with 68 Ga-PSMA reduces
      excretion artefact, and improves diagnostic certainty. Frusemide should be
      considered for all 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging protocols.

PMID- 28623854
TI  - Successful treatment of tufted angioma with low-dose electron beam radiation
      therapy: Report of two cases.

PMID- 28623853
TI  - The validity of DSM-5 severity specifiers for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa,
      and binge-eating disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The DSM-5 includes severity specifiers (i.e., mild, moderate, severe,
      extreme) for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating
      disorder (BED), which are determined by weight status (AN) and frequencies of
      binge-eating episodes (BED) or inappropriate compensatory behaviors (BN). Given
      limited data regarding the validity of eating disorder (ED) severity specifiers,
      this study examined the concurrent and predictive validity of severity specifiers
      in AN, BN, and BED. METHOD: Adults with AN (n = 109), BN (n = 76), and BED (n =
      216) were identified from previous datasets. Concurrent validity was assessed by
      measures of ED psychopathology, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and
      physical health. Predictive validity was assessed by ED symptoms at the end of
      the treatment in BN and BED. RESULTS: Severity categories did not differ in
      baseline validators, though the mild AN group evidenced greater ED symptoms
      compared to the severe group. In BN, greater severity was related to greater end
      of treatment binge-eating and compensatory behaviors, and lower likelihood of
      abstinence; however, in BED, greater severity was related to lower ED symptoms at
      the end of the treatment. DISCUSSION: Results demonstrated limited support for
      the validity of DSM-5 severity specifiers. Future research is warranted to
      explore additional validators and possible alternative indicators of severity in
      EDs.

PMID- 28623855
TI  - Authentic feminist? Authenticity and feminist identity in teenage feminists'
      talk.
AB  - This article explores how young people's feminist identities take shape in
      conjunction with a contemporary ideal of personal authenticity: to know and to
      express the 'real me'. Drawing from interviews with 18 teenagers living in
      Auckland, New Zealand, we examine a novel convergence of authenticity and
      feminism in participants' identity talk. For social psychologists interested in
      identity and politics, this convergence is intriguing: individualizing values
      such as authenticity are generally associated with disengagement with structural
      critique and with a repudiation of politicized and activist identities. Rather
      than seeking to categorize authentic feminism as an instance of either
      'good/collective' or 'bad/individualized' feminist politics, we use discourse
      analysis to examine how the identity position of authentic feminist was
      constructed and to explore implications for feminist politics. On one hand,
      interviewees mobilized authentic feminism to affirm their commitment to normative
      liberal values of authenticity and self-expression. At the same time, the
      position of authentic feminist appeared to authorize risky feminist
      identifications and to justify counter-normative feelings, desires, and actions.
      To conclude, we explore how encountering others' intolerance of authentic
      feminism exposed interviewees to the limits of authenticity discourse, propelling
      some towards new understandings of the social world and their space for action
      within it.

PMID- 28623856
TI  - Antimicrobial susceptibility and phylogenetic analysis of Propionibacterium acnes
      isolated from acne patients in Japan between 2013 and 2015.
AB  - The prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant Propionibacterium acnes strains
      isolated from acne patients has been increasing in Japan. Here, to estimate the
      current resistance rate, we tested antimicrobial susceptibility among P. acnes
      from acne patients having visited a specialized dermatology clinic between 2013
      and 2015. Rates of resistance to macrolides and clindamycin were 44.3 (31/70) and
      38.6% (27/70), respectively. erm(X), which confers high-level clindamycin
      resistance (minimum inhibitory concentration >=256 MUg/mL), was detected in six
      isolates, whereas no resistance determinants were identified in eight strains
      showing high-level resistance to clindamycin. Using single-locus sequence typing,
      the P. acnes isolates were classified into five clades (A, E, F, H and K), with
      all high-level clindamycin-resistant strains lacking known clindamycin resistance
      determinants being grouped together (in clade F). P. acnes isolates from patients
      previously treated with macrolides and clindamycin showed a macrolide resistance
      rate (55.3%) significantly higher than that of those from patients not having
      received these treatments (21.7%, P < 0.05). Furthermore, strains of clade F,
      which were very rarely isolated from healthy individuals, were more frequently
      recovered from patients with severe acne (40.0%) than those with mild acne
      (23.3%). Our data showed an increase in macrolide-resistant P. acnes prevalence
      in Japan due to the use of antimicrobial agents for acne treatment. Furthermore,
      we identified strains of specific phylogenetic groups frequently associated with
      severe acne patients.

PMID- 28623857
TI  - Vincristine-induced neuropathy in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia in Oman: Frequent autonomic and more severe cranial nerve involvement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vincristine (VCR) induced peripheral neuropathy is a common
      complication in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). PROCEDURES: A
      retrospective data analysis over an interval of 10 years (2006-2016) of all
      children with ALL seen at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital was carried out.
      Electronic medical records of eligible patients were reviewed. Patients with
      clinical evidence of neuropathy and abnormal nerve conduction studies (NCSs) were
      included in the study. RESULTS: Nineteen (nine females and 10 males) out of 103
      pediatric patients developed VCR-related neuropathy, and their age ranged between
      2.5 and 14 years. Symptoms started after 2-11 doses of VCR. All 19 patients had
      documented peripheral neuropathy on NCSs. The autonomic nervous system and
      cranial nerves affection was relatively common in our patients; two presented
      with bradycardia, two patients with unexplained tachycardia, and five had
      abdominal pain and constipation, complicated by typhlitis in two patients. One
      patient developed unilateral hearing loss. Two patients developed severe life
      threatening cranial nerve involvement with bilateral ptosis and recurrent
      laryngeal nerve involvement presented as vocal cord paralysis, hoarseness of
      voice, frequent chocking, and aspiration episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral
      neuropathy was the commonest form of VCR-related neuropathy. Autonomic neuropathy
      was relatively common in our patients. Cranial neuropathy is a serious side
      effect of VCR that can be severe, involving multiple cranial nerves and needs
      prompt recognition and management. Concomitant administration of pyridoxine and
      pyridostigmine does not seem to protect against further neurological damage in
      some patients.

PMID- 28623858
TI  - Roles of ST2, IL-33 and BNP in predicting major adverse cardiovascular events in
      acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention.
AB  - This study investigated roles of serum ST2, IL-33 and BNP in predicting major
      adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Blood samples were collected from the
      included AMI patients (n = 180) who underwent PCI. All patients were divided into
      the MACEs and MACEs-free groups. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed
      to measure serum levels of ST2, IL-33 and BNP. Severity of coronary artery lesion
      was evaluated by Gensini score. Pearson correlation analysis was used. A receiver
      operating characteristics curve was drawn to evaluate the potential roles of ST2,
      IL-33 and BNP in predicting MACEs, and Kaplan-Meier curve to analyse the 1-year
      overall survival rate. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyse the
      independent risk factors for MACEs. Compared with the MACEs-free group, the serum
      levels of ST2, IL-33 and BNP were significantly higher in the MACEs group. Serum
      levels of ST2, IL-33 and BNP were positively correlated with each other and
      positively correlated with Gensini score. The area under curves of ST2, IL-33 and
      BNP, respectively, were 0.872, 0.675 and 0.902. The relative sensitivity and
      specificity were, respectively, 76.27% and 85.92%, 69.49% and 58.68%, as well as,
      96.61% and 77.69%. Serum levels of ST2, IL-33 and BNP were independent risk
      factors for MACEs. The 1-year overall survival rate was higher in AMI patients
      with lower serum levels of ST2, IL-33 and BNP. In conclusion, serum levels of
      ST2, IL-33 and BNP have potential value in predicting MACEs in AMI patients
      undergoing PCI.

PMID- 28623860
TI  - Radiotherapy-induced basal cell carcinoma in irradiated and surrounding areas in
      relation to exposure dose of radiation.

PMID- 28623861
TI  - Level of acceptance of islet cell and kidney xenotransplants by personnel of
      hospitals with and without experience in clinical xenotransplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, significant progress in both safety and efficacy has been
      achieved in the field of xenotransplantation, as exemplified by results from the
      first clinical trials of porcine islet transplantation. It would be of interest
      to learn whether the attitude of the clinical staff involved in such trials
      changes as the trials are carried out in their own hospital. METHODS: One hundred
      and four clinical staff members from the Eva Peron Hospital of San Martin (Buenos
      Aires, Argentina) where clinical trials of islet xenotransplantation have been
      performed and 92 similar staff members from the Diego Thompson Hospital (Buenos
      Aires, Argentina) where no such xenotransplantation has been carried out
      participated in the study. Data were collected anonymously using questionnaires.
      RESULTS: Statistically significant differences between the acceptance of
      xenotransplantation by clinical personnel in a hospital that had carried out
      clinical xenotransplantation trials were observed when compared with the
      acceptance of a similar staff from the hospital that had not carried out such
      trials. CONCLUSION: This study shows that involvement in clinical
      xenotransplantation trials significantly changes the attitude of the clinical
      staff towards this technology and suggests that better information given to the
      society may increase acceptance of the xenotransplantation.

PMID- 28623862
TI  - Stimuli-Responsive Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) with Chemo-Switchable Properties
      for Colorimetric Detection of CHCl3.
AB  - The ligands 3,6-di(pyridin-4-yl)-1,4-dihydro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (H2 DPT), as a
      pillar spacer, and 4,4'-oxybis(benzoic acid) (H2 OBA), as a dicarboxylate linker,
      have been used to develop a dihydrotetrazine-functionalized pillared metal
      organic framework (MOF), [Zn(OBA)(H2 DPT)0.5 ]?DMF (TMU-34), as a functionally
      convertible stimuli-responsive MOF-based sensor. Sonochemically synthesized TMU
      34 powder has been employed in the sensing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
      The results show that TMU-34 can act as a solid-state, naked-eye visual
      chemosensor for the detection of chloroform in the liquid and gas phases. TMU-34,
      as a chemo-switchable MOF with rapid response, undergoes a significant color
      change from yellow to pink through reversible dynamic conversion of
      dihydrotetrazine into tetrazine upon exposure to chloroform in the presence of
      other VOCs. Whereas other colorimetric MOF-based sensors show a wide range of
      color changes in the presence of different analytes, TMU-34 undergoes a color
      change only in the presence of chloroform. A mechanism for the observed color
      change is proposed on the basis of UV/Vis and 1 H NMR spectroscopic studies.
      These observations reveal that TMU-34 represents one of the most promising
      candidates for the highly selective and sensitive detection of chloroform.

PMID- 28623859
TI  - Self-reported cognitive scales in a US National Survey: reliability, validity,
      and preliminary evidence for associations with alcohol and drug use.
AB  - AIMS: To evaluate relationships between measures of cognitive functioning and
      alcohol or drug use among adults (>= 18 years) in the US general population.
      DESIGN: Two cognitive scales were created based on dimensionality and reliability
      of self-reported Executive Function Index items. Relationships between the two
      scales and validators were evaluated. Associations between the cognitive scales
      and past-year frequency of alcohol or drug use were estimated with adjusted odds
      ratios (aOR). SETTING: United States, using the 2012-13 National Epidemiologic
      Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III, a nationally representative adult
      sample selected by multi-stage probability sampling. PARTICIPANTS: 36 085
      respondents. MEASUREMENTS: Past-year substance use outcome variables categorized
      binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, opioid, sedative/tranquilizer and stimulant
      use as frequent (at least weekly to daily), infrequent (any to two to three
      times/month) or no use, assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated
      Disabilities Interview Schedule-5. Key predictors were the two cognitive scales.
      Construct validators included education and functional impairment. Covariates
      included age, gender, income and race/ethnicity. FINDINGS: Nine cognitive items
      fitted a two-factor model (comparative fit index = 0.973): attention (five items)
      and executive functioning (four items). Both scales were associated positively
      with higher education (Ps < 0.001) and negatively with functional impairment (Ps
      < 0.001), demonstrating construct validity. Poorer attention was associated with
      frequent and infrequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.07 (binge
      drinking) to 1.72 (stimulants), Ps <= 0.01]. Poorer executive functioning was
      associated with frequent binge drinking and use of drugs [aOR range = 1.22 (binge
      drinking) to 2.03 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001] and infrequent use of all drugs [aOR
      range = 1.19 (marijuana) to 1.63 (cocaine), Ps < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Impairments
      in attention and executive functioning are positively associated with substance
      use in the US general population.

PMID- 28623863
TI  - Linear immunoglobulin A/G bullous dermatosis associated with ulcerative colitis.
AB  - Linear immunoglobulin (Ig)A/G bullous dermatosis (LAGBD) is an autoimmune bullous
      disease characterized by formation of subepidermal blisters and linear deposition
      of IgA and IgG antibodies along the basement membrane zone (BMZ). The association
      between linear IgA bullous dermatosis and ulcerative colitis (UC) is well
      recognized, but reports of UC-associated LAGBD are lacking. We have reported a 24
      year-old man suffering from LAGBD associated with UC, which occurred before
      exacerbations of skin rash. A skin biopsy indicated a subepidermal blister with
      an infiltration of primarily neutrophils and eosinophils in the dermis. Direct
      immunofluorescence (IF) studies showed a linear deposition of IgA, IgG and C3c.
      Indirect IF of human skin revealed IgA and IgG anti-BMZ autoantibodies. Indirect
      IF of 1 M NaCl-split human skin demonstrated reactivity of IgA and IgG antibodies
      at the epidermal side. Immunoblotting showed that IgG antibodies reacted to the
      BP180 NC16a domain and 120-kDa linear IgA dermatosis-1, and enzyme-linked
      immunoassay detected IgG anti-BP230 antibodies. Administration of prednisolone
      and diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) via the p.o. route improved skin lesions and
      bowel conditions. These results suggest that the bowel inflammation observed in
      UC may have a causative effect of initiation of the immune response to the skin
      and development of the bullous skin lesions in LAGBD. A combination of DDS and
      corticosteroid could be a recommended therapeutic option for patients with LAGBD
      with UC.

PMID- 28623864
TI  - A highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of glycyrrhizin
      and its active metabolite glycyrrhetinic acid: Application to a human
      pharmacokinetic study after oral administration.
AB  - A highly sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
      method for simultaneous determination of glycyrrhizin (GL) and its active
      metabolite, glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), from human plasma was validated and applied
      to a human pharmacokinetic study. The analytes were extracted from human plasma
      using an Oasis MAX cartridge and chromatographic separation was performed on an
      Inertsil ODS-3 column. The detection was performed using an API 4000 mass
      spectrometer operating in the positive electrospray ionization mode. Selected ion
      monitoring transitions of m/z 823 -> 453 for GL and m/z 471 -> 149 for GA were
      obtained. The response was a linear function of concentration over the ranges of
      0.5-200 ng/mL for GL and 2-800 ng/mL for GA (both R2  > 0.998). Using this
      method, the pharmacokinetics of GL after single oral administration of a clinical
      dose (75 mg) to six healthy male Japanese volunteers were evaluated. GL was
      detected in the plasma of all subjects and the average peak concentration was
      24.8 +/- 12.0 ng/mL. In contrast, peak concentration of GA was 200.3 +/- 60.3
      ng/mL, i.e. ~8-fold higher than that of GL. This is the first report clarifying
      pharmacokinetic profiles of GL and GA simultaneously at a therapeutic oral dose
      of a GL preparation.

PMID- 28623865
TI  - Deriving low-risk gambling limits from longitudinal data collected in two
      independent Canadian studies.
AB  - AIMS: To derive low-risk gambling limits using the method developed by Currie et
      al. (2006) applied to longitudinal data. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from
      the Quinte Longitudinal Study (n = 3054) and Leisure, Lifestyle and Lifecycle
      Project (n = 809), two independently conducted cohort studies of the natural
      progression of gambling in Canadian adults. SETTING: Community-dwelling adults in
      Southeastern Ontario and Alberta, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3863 adults
      (50% male; median age = 44) who reported gambling in the past year. MEASUREMENTS:
      Gambling behaviours (typical monthly frequency, total expenditure and percentage
      of income spent on gambling) and harm (experiencing two or more consequences of
      gambling in the past 12 months) were assessed with the Canadian Problem Gambling
      Index. FINDINGS: The dose-response relationship was comparable in both studies
      for frequency of gambling (days per month), total expenditure and percentage of
      household income spent on gambling (area under the curve values ranged from 0.66
      to 0.74). Based on the optimal sensitivity and specificity values, the low-risk
      gambling cut-offs were eight times per month, $75CAN total per month and 1.7% of
      income spent on gambling. Gamblers who exceeded any of these limits at time 1
      were approximately four times more likely to report harm at time 2 [95%
      confidence interval (CI) = 2.9-6.6]. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal data in Canada
      suggest low-risk gambling thresholds of eight times per month, $75CAN total per
      month and 1.7% of income spent on gambling, all of which are higher than
      previously derived limits from cross-sectional data. Gamblers who exceed any of
      the three low-risk limits are four times more likely to experience future harm
      than those who do not.

PMID- 28623866
TI  - Exploration of Spinel LiCrTiO4 as Cathode Material for Rechargeable Mg-Li Hybrid
      Batteries.
AB  - Mg-Li hybrid batteries have attracted wide interest in recent years because of
      their potential safety as well as their cost benefit and high volumetric
      capacity. However, slow kinetic properties strongly hinder their commercial
      application. In this study, we have prepared spinel LiCrTiO4 by a solid-state
      reaction and have conducted a comprehensive study aimed at improving the
      performance of Mg-Li hybrid batteries by optimizing the dual-salt electrolyte.
      LiCrTiO4 has been found to show reversible discharge/charge capacities of 178 and
      169 mA h g-1 in electrolytes of 1 m LiCl and 0.3 m APC (all-phenyl-complex),
      respectively. When the concentration of APC was increased to 0.4 m, LiCrTiO4
      showed a high capacity retention of 95 % after 30 cycles. In addition, no phase
      transition could be observed for an LiCrTiO4 electrode in a dual-salt system,
      suggesting high electrochemical reversibility. Ex situ EDX and SEM studies have
      indicated that only Li+ ions are inserted into the cathode side, while Mg2+ ions
      are reversibly deposited on the surface of Mg metal without dendrite-like growth,
      indicative of good safety of the Mg-Li hybrid batteries.

PMID- 28623867
TI  - A validated UHPLC-MS/MS method for the measurement of riluzole in plasma and
      myocardial tissue samples.
AB  - Through blocking the cardiac persistent sodium current, riluzole has the
      potential to prevent myocardial damage post cardiac bypass surgery. A sensitive
      UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for quantitation of riluzole and 5
      methoxypsoralen in human plasma and myocardial tissue homogenate using a liquid
      liquid extraction with dichloromethane. The chromatographic separation was
      achieved using Shimadzu Shim-pack XR-ODS III, 2.0 * 50 mm, 1.6 MUm column with a
      gradient mobile phase comprising methanol and ammonium acetate buffer pH 3.6 in
      purified water. The analyte and internal standard were separated within 3.5 min.
      Riluzole quantitation was achieved using the mass transitions of 235-138 for
      riluzole and 217-156 for 5-methoxypsoralen. The method was linear for riluzole
      plasma concentrations from 0.2 to 500 ng/mL and myocardial tissue homogenate
      concentrations from 0.2 to 100 ng/mL. The method developed was successfully
      applied to a clinical study for patients receiving riluzole while undergoing
      cardiac bypass surgery.

PMID- 28623869
TI  - Changing predictions, stable recognition: Children's representations of downward
      incline motion.
AB  - Various studies to-date have demonstrated children hold ill-conceived expressed
      beliefs about the physical world such as that one ball will fall faster than
      another because it is heavier. At the same time, they also demonstrate accurate
      recognition of dynamic events. How these representations relate is still
      unresolved. This study examined 5- to 11-year-olds' (N = 130) predictions and
      recognition of motion down inclines. Predictions were typically in error,
      matching previous work, but children largely recognized correct events as correct
      and rejected incorrect ones. The results also demonstrate while predictions
      change with increasing age, recognition shows signs of stability. The findings
      provide further support for a hybrid model of object representations and argue in
      favour of stable core cognition existing alongside developmental changes.
      Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Children's
      predictions of physical events show limitations in accuracy Their recognition of
      such events suggests children may use different knowledge sources in their
      reasoning What the present study adds? Predictions fluctuate more strongly than
      recognition, suggesting stable core cognition But recognition also shows some
      fluctuation, arguing for a hybrid model of knowledge representation.

PMID- 28623870
TI  - Probing the Role of a Non-Thermal Plasma (NTP) in the Hybrid NTP Catalytic
      Oxidation of Methane.
AB  - Three recurring hypotheses are often used to explain the effect of non-thermal
      plasmas (NTPs) on NTP catalytic hybrid reactions; namely, modification or heating
      of the catalyst or creation of new reaction pathways by plasma-produced species.
      NTP-assisted methane (CH4 ) oxidation over Pd/Al2 O3 was investigated by direct
      monitoring of the X-ray absorption fine structure of the catalyst, coupled with
      end-of-pipe mass spectrometry. This in situ study revealed that the catalyst did
      not undergo any significant structural changes under NTP conditions. However, the
      NTP did lead to an increase in the temperature of the Pd nanoparticles; although
      this temperature rise was insufficient to activate the thermal CH4 oxidation
      reaction. The contribution of a lower activation barrier alternative reaction
      pathway involving the formation of CH3 (g) from electron impact reactions is
      proposed.

PMID- 28623868
TI  - Ozone-induced foliar damage and release of stress volatiles is highly dependent
      on stomatal openness and priming by low-level ozone exposure in Phaseolus
      vulgaris.
AB  - Acute ozone exposure triggers major emissions of volatile organic compounds
      (VOCs), but quantitatively, it is unclear how different ozone doses alter the
      start and the total amount of these emissions, and the induction rate of
      different stress volatiles. It is also unclear whether priming (i.e. pre-exposure
      to lower O3 concentrations) can modify the magnitude and kinetics of volatile
      emissions. We investigated photosynthetic characteristics and VOC emissions in
      Phaseolus vulgaris following acute ozone exposure (600 nmol mol-1 for 30 min)
      under illumination and in darkness and after priming with 200 nmol mol-1 O3 for
      30 min. Methanol and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway product emissions were induced
      rapidly, followed by moderate emissions of methyl salicylate (MeSA). Stomatal
      conductance prior to acute exposure was lower in darkness and after low O3
      priming than in light and without priming. After low O3 priming, no MeSA and
      lower LOX emissions were detected under acute exposure. Overall, maximum emission
      rates and the total amount of emitted LOX products and methanol were
      quantitatively correlated with total stomatal ozone uptake. These results
      indicate that different stress volatiles scale differently with ozone dose and
      highlight the key role of stomatal conductance in controlling ozone uptake, leaf
      injury and volatile release.

PMID- 28623871
TI  - Simple computing of the viscosity of water-dioxane mixtures, according to a
      fluctuating SPC/E-Ih interstitial model.
AB  - In this contribution, we propose a new simple and fast computing approach to
      model liquid water and water-1,4 dioxane mixture, which is intermediate between
      molecular dynamics calculation and lattice fluid H-bonding theory in which water
      molecules are arranged according to a fluctuating hexagonal Ih network. It
      generalizes the interstitial mixture models of Samoilov and Pauling by increasing
      the number of spatial configurations into the space of phases due to the addition
      of rotations and vibrations of the molecules around their equilibrium positions.
      The potential energy landscape is determined by the generalization of the
      Madelung's approach to the molecular water network using simple point charge
      model (SPC/E partial charges). This approach allows useful predictions as the
      possibility of incorporation of a molecule of dioxane in the water Ih -network or
      how some cooperative dynamic jumps (site - hole) of water molecules, contribute
      to lower Eyring's activation energies and thus to facilitate the viscous flow.
      (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28623872
TI  - Uptake in sympathetic ganglia on 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED PET/CT: A potential pitfall in
      scan interpretation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of PSMA-HBED
      uptake in coeliac and stellate ganglia in patients presenting for PSMA-HBED
      PET/CT scan. METHODS: Prostate-specific membrane antigen-HBED PET/CT scans of 100
      consecutive patients were analysed. Coeliac and stellate ganglia were identified
      by their anatomical location. PSMA-HBED uptake in these ganglia was recorded as
      either present or absent. If present, the SUVmax value for each ganglion was
      measured and compared to SUVmax of mediastinal blood pool. RESULTS: Of the 100
      patients, 45 had PSMA-HBED uptake in the right coeliac ganglion and 81 had PSMA
      HBED uptake in the left coeliac ganglion. The mean SUVmax for the right coeliac
      ganglion was 2.6 (range 1.2-4.0) and for the left, 2.7 (range 1.2-6.5). An SUVmax
      1.5 times greater than that of mediastinal blood pool activity was found in 25 of
      right and 47 of left coeliac ganglia. Stellate ganglion uptake of PSMA-HBED was
      identified in 54 of right and 74 of left stellate ganglia. The mean SUVmax for
      the right and left stellate ganglia were 2.2 (range 1.6-3.6) and 2.4 (range 1.4
      4.2) respectively. An SUVmax 1.5 times greater than that of mediastinal blood
      pool activity was found in 12 of right and 32 of left coeliac ganglia.
      CONCLUSION: Uptake in coeliac and stellate ganglia is a frequent finding on PSMA
      HBED PET/CT imaging. Often this uptake can be sufficiently high to cause
      potential diagnostic confusion. It is important to be aware of this physiologic
      uptake to avoid incorrect diagnosis of metastatic prostate carcinoma.

PMID- 28623873
TI  - Cardiac regulatory mechanisms: new concepts and challenges.

PMID- 28623874
TI  - Lansoprazole-sulfide, pharmacokinetics of this promising anti-tuberculous agent.
AB  - Lansoprazole (LPZ) is a commercially available proton-pump inhibitor whose
      primary metabolite, lansoprazole sulfide (LPZS) was recently reported to have in
      vitro and in vivo activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It was also
      reported that a 300 mg kg-1 oral administration of LPZS was necessary to reach
      therapeutic levels in the lung, with the equivalent human dose being unrealistic.
      A validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method (LC-MS/MS) for
      the simultaneous quantification LPZ and LPZS in rat plasma and lung homogenates
      was developed. We administered 15 mg kg-1 oral doses of LPZ to a healthy rat
      model to determine the pharmacokinetics of its active metabolite, LPZS, in plasma
      and lung tissue. We found that the LPZS was present in amounts that were below
      the limit of quantification. This prompted us to administer the same dose of LPZS
      to the experimental animals intraperitoneally (i.p.). Using this approach, we
      found high concentrations of LPZS in plasma and lung, 7841.1 and 9761.2 ng mL-1 ,
      respectively, which were significantly greater than the minimum inhibitory
      concentration (MIC) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While oral and i.p.
      administration of LPZ resulted in significant concentrations in the lung, it did
      not undergo sufficient cellular conversion to its anti-TB metabolite. However,
      when LPZS itself was administered i.p., significant amounts penetrated the
      tissue. These results have implications for future in vivo studies exploring the
      potential of LPZS as an anti-TB compound.

PMID- 28623875
TI  - Chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay failed to detect anti-desmoglein 3 antibodies
      in a case of pemphigus vulgaris.

PMID- 28623876
TI  - Developmental history and application of CRISPR in human disease.
AB  - Genome-editing tools are programmable artificial nucleases, mainly including zinc
      finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases and clustered
      regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR). By recognizing and
      cleaving specific DNA sequences, genome-editing tools make it possible to
      generate site-specific DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in the genome. DSBs will
      then be repaired by either error-prone nonhomologous end joining or high-fidelity
      homologous recombination mechanisms. Through these two different mechanisms,
      endogenous genes can be knocked out or precisely repaired/modified. Rapid
      developments in genome-editing tools, especially CRISPR, have revolutionized
      human disease models generation, for example, various zebrafish, mouse, rat, pig,
      monkey and human cell lines have been constructed. Here, we review the
      developmental history of CRISPR and its application in studies of human diseases.
      In addition, we also briefly discussed the therapeutic application of CRISPR in
      the near future.

PMID- 28623877
TI  - 5-aminosalicylic acid agents for prevention of recurrent diverticulitis: A
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Prevalence of colonic diverticulosis is increasing worldwide
      with age, and up to 25% of patients who have colonic diverticulosis might
      experience diverticulitis. However, a definitive approach of preventing recurrent
      diverticulitis remains unknown. 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) agents are anti
      inflammatory agents and have been used to prevent recurrent diverticulitis, and
      there have been some randomized clinical trials (RCTs). However, the efficacy
      results for secondary prevention in uncomplicated diverticulitis differed across
      studies. Our aim was to clarify the efficacy and safety of 5-ASA agents in the
      prevention of recurrent diverticulitis. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web
      of Science, and the Cochrane library with no language restrictions. Two reviewers
      independently assessed and selected RCTs. The data were pooled using a random
      effect model and were presented in the pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence
      interval (CI). Cochrane's Q and I-squared statistics were used to assess
      heterogeneity. The protocol was registered at PROSPERO. RESULTS: Seven articles
      with eight RCTs from 329 potentially relevant articles were included. 5-ASA
      agents were not superior to controls in preventing recurrent diverticulitis (RR
      0.86, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.17, I2  = 60%) and the incidence of adverse events was not
      different between 5-ASA agents and controls (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.11, I2  =
      45%). However, some included studies were few in number of participants and
      substantial risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: 5-aminosalicylic acid agents were not
      associated with prevention of recurrent diverticulitis.

PMID- 28623878
TI  - In vivo characterisation of a therapeutically relevant self-assembling 18 F
      labelled beta-sheet forming peptide and its hydrogel using positron emission
      tomography.
AB  - Positron emission tomography (PET) and fluorescence labelling have been used to
      assess the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and eventual fate of a hydrogel
      forming nonapeptide, FEFKFEFKK (F9), in healthy mice, using 18 F-labelled and
      fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled F9 analogues. F9 was site-specifically
      radiolabelled with 2-[18 F]fluoro-3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde ([18 F]FPCA) via oxime
      bond formation. [18 F]FPCA-F9 in vivo fate was evaluated both as a solution,
      following intravenous administration, and as a hydrogel when subcutaneously
      injected. The behaviour of FITC-F9 hydrogel was assessed following subcutaneous
      injection. [18 F]FPCA-F9 demonstrated high plasma stability and primarily renal
      excretion; [18 F]FPCA-F9 when in solution and injected into the bloodstream
      displayed prompt bladder uptake (53.4 +/- 16.6 SUV at 20 minutes postinjection)
      and rapid renal excretion, whereas [18 F]FPCA-F9 hydrogel, formed by co-assembly
      of [18 F]FPCA-F9 monomer with unfunctionalised F9 peptide and injected
      subcutaneously, showed gradual bladder accumulation of hydrogel fragments (3.8 +/
      0.4 SUV at 20 minutes postinjection), resulting in slower renal excretion.
      Gradual disaggregation of the F9 hydrogel from the site of injection was
      monitored using FITC-F9 hydrogel in healthy mice (60 +/- 3 over 96 hours),
      indicating a biological half-life between 1 and 4 days. The in vivo
      characterisation of F9, both as a gel and a solution, highlights its potential as
      a biomaterial.

PMID- 28623879
TI  - Successful epithelialization of perianal infantile hemangioma, presenting as
      intractable ulcers, with application of protective colostomy powder.

PMID- 28623881
TI  - Cardiac tamponade associated with delayed ascending aortic perforation after
      blunt chest trauma: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiac tamponade due to aortic injury after blunt trauma is a rare
      and potentially fatal injury. Most aortic injuries caused by blunt trauma present
      as aortic dissection or rupture of the aortic isthmus. Several cases of delayed
      aortic injury have been reported. However, all of these injuries were observed in
      the descending aorta because they had been caused by a posterior rib fracture.
      CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first case of cardiac tamponade associated with
      delayed ascending aortic perforation 2 weeks after blunt trauma. The patient was
      an 81-year-old man. CONCLUSION: In cases of blunt chest trauma, delayed ascending
      aortic injury causing cardiac tamponade is possible associated with various
      causes such as direct injury by fractured rib or delayed aortic perforation of
      initial blunt injury.

PMID- 28623880
TI  - Associations between anhedonia and marijuana use escalation across mid
      adolescence.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Anhedonia-a transdiagnostic psychopathological trait
      indicative of inability to experience pleasure-could lead to and result from
      adolescent marijuana use, yet this notion has not been tested. This study aimed
      to estimate the association of: (1) anhedonia at age 14 with rate of change in
      marijuana use over an 18-month follow-up, and (2) marijuana use at age 14 with
      rate of change in anhedonia over follow-up. Secondary aims were to test whether
      gender, baseline marijuana use history and peer marijuana use moderated these
      associations. DESIGN: Observational longitudinal cohort repeated-measures design,
      with baseline (age 14 years), 6-month, 12-month and 18-month follow-up
      assessments. SETTINGS: Ten public high schools in Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2013-15.
      PARTICIPANTS: Students [n = 3394; 53.5% female, mean (standard deviation) age at
      baseline = 14.1 (0.42)]. MEASUREMENTS: Self-report level of anhedonia on the
      Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale and frequency of marijuana use in the past 30
      days. FINDINGS: Parallel process latent growth curve models adjusting for
      confounders showed that baseline anhedonia level was associated positively with
      the rate of increase in marijuana use frequency across follow-ups [beta, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) = 0.115 (0.022, 0.252), P = 0.03]. Baseline marijuana
      use frequency was not related significantly to the rate of change in anhedonia
      across follow-ups [beta, 95% CI = -0.015 (-0.350, 0.321), P = 0.93]. The
      association of baseline anhedonia with faster marijuana use escalation was
      amplified among adolescents with (versus without) friends who used marijuana at
      baseline [beta, 95% CI = 0.179 (0.043, 0.334) versus 0.064 (-0.071, 0.187),
      interaction P = 0.04], but did not differ by gender or baseline ever marijuana
      use. CONCLUSIONS: In mid-adolescence, anhedonia is associated with subsequent
      marijuana use escalation, but marijuana use escalation does not appear to be
      associated with subsequent anhedonia.

PMID- 28623882
TI  - Peripheral venous catheter-related bloodstream infection is associated with
      severe complications and potential death: a retrospective observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical
      characteristics and outcomes of peripheral vascular catheter-related bloodstream
      infections (PVC-BSIs) and determine the risk of severe complications or death.
      METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study from June 2010 to April
      2015 at two regional university-affiliated hospitals in Tokyo. We studied the
      clinical manifestations, underlying diseases, laboratory results, treatment
      methods, recurrence rates, and complications in 62 hospitalized patients
      diagnosed with PVC-BSIs by positive blood cultures. RESULTS: The median time from
      admission to bacteremia was 17 days (range, 3-142 days) and that from catheter
      insertion to bacteremia diagnosis was 6 days (range, 2-15 days). Catheter
      insertion sites were in the arm in 48 (77.4%) patients, in the foot in 3 (4.8%)
      patients, and in an unrecorded location in 11 (17.7%) patients. Additionally, the
      causative pathogens were Gram-positive microorganisms in 58.0% of cases, Gram
      negative microorganisms in 35.8% of cases, Candida spp. in 6.2% of cases, and
      polymicrobials in 25.8% of cases. Eight (12.9%) patients died within 30 days of
      their blood culture becoming positive. Patients who died of PVC-BSIs had a higher
      proportion of Staphylococcus aureus infection than patients who survived (odds
      ratio, 8.33; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: PVC-BSIs are a significant cause of health
      care-associated infection. We observed cases of severe PVC-BSI requiring
      intensive and long-term care along with lengthy durations of antibiotic treatment
      due to hematogenous complications, and some patients died. For patients with PVC
      BSIs, S. aureus bacteremia remains a major problem that may influence the
      prognosis.

PMID- 28623883
TI  - No consistent effect of plant species richness on resistance to simulated climate
      change for above- or below-ground processes in managed grasslands.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Species richness affects processes and functions in many ecosystems.
      Since management of temperate grasslands is directly affecting species
      composition and richness, it can indirectly govern how systems respond to
      fluctuations in environmental conditions. Our aim in this study was to
      investigate whether species richness in managed grasslands can buffer the effects
      of drought and warming manipulations and hence increase the resistance to climate
      change. We established 45 plots in three regions across Germany, each with three
      different management regimes (pasture, meadow and mown pasture). We manipulated
      spring warming using open-top chambers and summer drought using rain-out shelters
      for 4 weeks. RESULTS: Measurements of species richness, above- and below-ground
      biomass and soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations showed significant but
      inconsistent differences among regions, managements and manipulations. We
      detected a three-way interaction between species richness, management and region,
      indicating that our study design was sensitive enough to detect even intricate
      effects. CONCLUSIONS: We could not detect a pervasive effect of species richness
      on biomass differences between treatments and controls, indicating that a
      combination of spring warming and summer drought effects on grassland systems are
      not consistently moderated by species richness. We attribute this to the
      relatively high number of species even at low richness levels, which already
      provides the complementarity required for positive biodiversity-ecosystem
      functioning relationships. A review of the literature also indicates that climate
      manipulations largely fail to show richness-buffering, while natural experiments
      do, suggesting that such manipulations are milder than reality or incur treatment
      artefacts.

PMID- 28623884
TI  - Mitochondrial RNA processing in absence of tRNA punctuations in octocorals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mitogenome diversity is staggering among early branching animals with
      respect to size, gene density, content and order, and number of tRNA genes,
      especially in cnidarians. This last point is of special interest as tRNA cleavage
      drives the maturation of mitochondrial mRNAs and is a primary mechanism for mt
      RNA processing in animals. Mitochondrial RNA processing in non-bilaterian
      metazoans, some of which possess a single tRNA gene in their mitogenomes, is
      essentially unstudied despite its importance in understanding the evolution of
      mitochondrial transcription in animals. RESULTS: We characterized the mature
      mitochondrial mRNA transcripts in a species of the octocoral genus Sinularia
      (Alcyoniidae: Octocorallia), and defined precise boundaries of transcription
      units using different molecular methods. Most mt-mRNAs were polycistronic units
      containing two or three genes and 5' and/or 3' untranslated regions of varied
      length. The octocoral specific, mtDNA-encoded mismatch repair gene, the mtMutS,
      was found to undergo alternative polyadenylation, and exhibited differential
      expression of alternate transcripts suggesting a unique regulatory mechanism for
      this gene. In addition, a long noncoding RNA complementary to the ATP6 gene
      (lncATP6) potentially involved in antisense regulation was detected. CONCLUSIONS:
      Mt-mRNA processing in octocorals possessing a single mt-tRNA is complex.
      Considering the variety of mitogenome arrangements known in cnidarians, and in
      general among non-bilaterian metazoans, our findings provide a first glimpse into
      the complex mtDNA transcription, mt-mRNA processing, and regulation among early
      branching animals and represent a first step towards understanding its functional
      and evolutionary implications.

PMID- 28623885
TI  - Monitoring the electric activity of the diaphragm during noninvasive positive
      pressure ventilation: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In patients with post-extubation respiratory distress, delayed
      reintubation may worsen clinical outcomes. Objective measures of extubation
      failure at the bedside are lacking, therefore clinical parameters are currently
      used to guide the need of reintubation. Electrical activity of the diaphragm
      (EAdi) provides clinicians with valuable, objective information about respiratory
      drive and could be used to monitor respiratory effort. CASE PRESENTATION: We
      describe the case of a patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),
      from whom we recorded EAdi during four different ventilatory conditions: 1)
      invasive mechanical ventilation, 2) spontaneous breathing trial (SBT), 3)
      unassisted spontaneous breathing, and 4) Noninvasive Positive Pressure
      Ventilation (NPPV). The patient had been intubated due to an exacerbation of
      COPD, and after four days of mechanical ventilation, she passed the SBT and was
      extubated. Clinical signs of respiratory distress were present immediately after
      extubation, and EAdi increased compared to values obtained during mechanical
      ventilation. As we started NPPV, EAdi decreased substantially, indicating muscle
      unloading promoted by NPPV, and we used the EAdi signal to monitor respiratory
      effort during NPPV. Over the next three days, she was on NPPV for most of the
      time, with short periods of spontaneous breathing. EAdi remained considerably
      lower during NPPV than during spontaneous breathing, until the third day, when
      the difference was no longer clinically significant. She was then weaned from
      NPPV and discharged from the ICU a few days later. CONCLUSION: EAdi monitoring
      during NPPV provides an objective parameter of respiratory drive and respiratory
      muscle unloading and may be a useful tool to guide post-extubation ventilatory
      support. Clinical studies with continuous EAdi monitoring are necessary to
      clarify the meaning of its absolute values and changes over time.

PMID- 28623886
TI  - EPSILON-CP: using deep learning to combine information from multiple sources for
      protein contact prediction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accurately predicted contacts allow to compute the 3D structure of a
      protein. Since the solution space of native residue-residue contact pairs is very
      large, it is necessary to leverage information to identify relevant regions of
      the solution space, i.e. correct contacts. Every additional source of information
      can contribute to narrowing down candidate regions. Therefore, recent methods
      combined evolutionary and sequence-based information as well as evolutionary and
      physicochemical information. We develop a new contact predictor (EPSILON-CP) that
      goes beyond current methods by combining evolutionary, physicochemical, and
      sequence-based information. The problems resulting from the increased
      dimensionality and complexity of the learning problem are combated with a careful
      feature analysis, which results in a drastically reduced feature set. The
      different information sources are combined using deep neural networks. RESULTS:
      On 21 hard CASP11 FM targets, EPSILON-CP achieves a mean precision of 35.7% for
      top- L/10 predicted long-range contacts, which is 11% better than the CASP11
      winning version of MetaPSICOV. The improvement on 1.5L is 17%. Furthermore, in
      this study we find that the amino acid composition, a commonly used feature, is
      rendered ineffective in the context of meta approaches. The size of the refined
      feature set decreased by 75%, enabling a significant increase in training data
      for machine learning, contributing significantly to the observed improvements.
      CONCLUSIONS: Exploiting as much and diverse information as possible is key to
      accurate contact prediction. Simply merging the information introduces new
      challenges. Our study suggests that critical feature analysis can improve the
      performance of contact prediction methods that combine multiple information
      sources. EPSILON-CP is available as a webservice: http://compbio.robotics.tu
      berlin.de/epsilon/.

PMID- 28623887
TI  - Association between the ERCC1 polymorphism and platinum-based chemotherapy
      effectiveness in ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is a prominent public health problem which affects
      people all around the world. Platinum-based chemotherapy is a common treatment
      for ovarian cancer, however, the effectiveness of chemotherapy varies from
      patient to patient. The excision repair cross complementation group 1 (ERCC1)
      protein may mediate chemotherapy resistance. A meta-analysis was conducted to
      explore whether platinum-based chemotherapy effectiveness could be attributed to
      the ERCC1 C19007T polymorphisms. METHODS: Seven major databases (EMBASE, Web of
      Science, Pubmed, Springer Link, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI),
      EBSCO and Science Direct databases) were searched for eligible studies. Crude
      odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate
      the results. RESULTS: In this meta-analysis, 1169 subjects (425 non-responders
      and 744 responders) from 8 studies were included. The overall OR (C vs. T
      alleles) using random model was 1.07 (95% CI 0.75-1.52, P = 0.7), which was not
      statistically significant. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the
      analysis by race. CONCLUSION: There is no association between the ERCC1 C19007T
      polymorphism and platinum-based chemotherapy effectiveness in ovarian cancer. The
      polymorphism did not have a significant impact on platinum-based chemotherapy in
      non-responders and responders.

PMID- 28623888
TI  - Ub-ISAP: a streamlined UNIX pipeline for mining unique viral vector integration
      sites from next generation sequencing data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The analysis of viral vector genomic integration sites is an
      important component in assessing the safety and efficiency of patient treatment
      using gene therapy. Alongside this clinical application, integration site
      identification is a key step in the genetic mapping of viral elements in
      mutagenesis screens that aim to elucidate gene function. RESULTS: We have
      developed a UNIX-based vector integration site analysis pipeline (Ub-ISAP) that
      utilises a UNIX-based workflow for automated integration site identification and
      annotation of both single and paired-end sequencing reads. Reads that contain
      viral sequences of interest are selected and aligned to the host genome, and
      unique integration sites are then classified as transcription start site
      proximal, intragenic or intergenic. CONCLUSION: Ub-ISAP provides a reliable and
      efficient pipeline to generate large datasets for assessing the safety and
      efficiency of integrating vectors in clinical settings, with broader applications
      in cancer research. Ub-ISAP is available as an open source software package at
      https://sourceforge.net/projects/ub-isap/ .

PMID- 28623889
TI  - Surgical accuracy, function, and quality of life of simultaneous versus staged
      bilateral Total hip Arthroplasty in patients with Osteonecrosis of the femoral
      head.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The optimal surgical option for patients requiring bilateral hip
      replacement remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare
      surgical accuracy; functional outcome and health-related quality of life; and
      prosthetic-related complications and revision surgery of a simultaneous bilateral
      total hip arthroplasty (THA) with those of a staged bilateral THA with an
      interval between procedures <12 months. METHODS: A total of 123 unselected
      consecutive patients (mean age, 43.3 years) who underwent bilateral THAs for
      osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) with a minimum follow-up of two years
      (mean, 60.2 months) were studied retrospectively; 63 simultaneous procedures
      served as a test group and 60 staged procedures served as a control group.
      RESULTS: The mean postoperative leg-length discrepancy (LLD) and the percentage
      of patients who had an LLD >3 mm were significantly lower in the simultaneous
      group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). A higher number of cups within the
      safe zones, a higher correction rate, and a lower failure rate for the cup
      placement in the second-operated hip were also identified in the simultaneous
      group. The mean Harris hip score, EuroQol-5D index, and EuroQol-visual analogue
      scale score were all better in the simultaneous group at the latest follow-up (P
      < 0.001, in all comparisons). We found that the simultaneous procedure was
      associated with a lower incidence of postoperative prosthetic-related
      complications and revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that bilateral ONFH
      could be treated with a simultaneous THA rather than a staged THA to achieve a
      better surgical outcome.

PMID- 28623890
TI  - Survey of maternal sleep practices in late pregnancy in a multi-ethnic sample in
      South Auckland, New Zealand.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Auckland Stillbirth study demonstrated a two-fold increased risk
      of late stillbirth for women who did not go to sleep on their left side. Two
      further studies have confirmed an increased risk of late stillbirth with supine
      sleep position. As sleep position is modifiable, we surveyed self-reported late
      pregnancy sleep position, knowledge about sleep position, and views about
      changing going-to-sleep position. METHODS: Participants in this 2014 survey were
      pregnant women (n = 377) in their third trimester from South Auckland, New
      Zealand, a multi-ethnic and predominantly low socio-economic population. An
      ethnically-representative sample was obtained using random sampling.
      Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently
      associated with non-left sided going-to-sleep position in late pregnancy.
      RESULTS: Respondents were 28 to 42 weeks' gestation. Reported going-to-sleep
      position in the last week was left side (30%), right side (22%), supine (3%),
      either side (39%) and other (6%). Two thirds (68%) reported they had received
      advice about sleep position. Non-left sleepers were asked if they would be able
      to change to their left side if it was better for their baby; 87% reported they
      would have little or no difficulty changing. Women who reported a non-left going
      to-sleep position were more likely to be of Maori (aOR 2.64 95% CI 1.23-5.66) or
      Pacific (aOR 2.91 95% CI 1.46-5.78) ethnicity; had a lower body mass index (BMI)
      (aOR 0.93 95% CI 0.89-0.96); and were less likely to sleep on the left-hand side
      of the bed (aOR 3.29 95% CI 2.03-5.32). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal going-to-sleep
      position in the last week was side-lying in 91% of participants. The majority had
      received advice to sleep on their side or avoid supine sleep position. Sleeping
      on the left-hand side of the bed was associated with going-to-sleep on the left
      side. Most non-left sleepers reported their sleeping position could be modified
      to the left side suggesting a public health intervention about sleep position is
      likely to be feasible in other multi-ethnic communities.

PMID- 28623891
TI  - Systolic blood pressure variability in patients with early severe sepsis or
      septic shock: a prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe sepsis and septic shock are often lethal syndromes, in which
      the autonomic nervous system may fail to maintain adequate blood pressure. Heart
      rate variability has been associated with outcomes in sepsis. Whether systolic
      blood pressure (SBP) variability is associated with clinical outcomes in septic
      patients is unknown. The propose of this study is to determine whether
      variability in SBP correlates with vasopressor independence and mortality among
      septic patients. METHODS: We prospectively studied patients with severe sepsis or
      septic shock, admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with an arterial catheter.
      We analyzed SBP variability on the first 5-min window immediately following ICU
      admission. We performed principal component analysis of multidimensional
      complexity, and used the first principal component (PC1) as input for Firth
      logistic regression, controlling for mean systolic pressure (SBP) in the primary
      analyses, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score or
      NEE dose in the ancillary analyses. Prespecified outcomes were vasopressor
      independence at 24 h (primary), and 28-day mortality (secondary). RESULTS: We
      studied 51 patients, 51% of whom achieved vasopressor independence at 24 h. Ten
      percent died at 28 days. PC1 represented 26% of the variance in complexity
      measures. PC1 was not associated with vasopressor independence on Firth logistic
      regression (OR 1.04; 95% CI: 0.93-1.16; p = 0.54), but was associated with 28-day
      mortality (OR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.35, p = 0.040). CONCLUSIONS: Early SBP
      variability appears to be associated with 28-day mortality in patients with
      severe sepsis and septic shock.

PMID- 28623892
TI  - Improving transitions in acute stroke patients discharged to home: the Michigan
      stroke transitions trial (MISTT) protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For some stroke patients and caregivers, navigating the transition
      between hospital discharge and returning home is associated with substantial
      psychosocial and health-related challenges. Currently, no evidence-based standard
      of care exists that addresses the concerns of stroke patients and caregivers
      during the transition period. Objectives of the Michigan Stroke Transitions Trial
      (MISTT) are to test the impact of a social worker home-based case management
      program, as well as an online information and support resource, on patient and
      caregiver outcomes after returning home. METHODS: The Michigan Stroke Transitions
      Trial is a randomized, pragmatic, open (un-blinded), 3-group parallel designed
      superiority trial conducted in 3 Michigan hospitals. Eligible participants are
      adult acute stroke patients discharged home directly or within 4 weeks of being
      discharged to a rehabilitation facility. The patient's primary caregiver is also
      invited to participate. Patients are randomized on the day they return home using
      a randomized block design. Consented patients discharged to a rehabilitation
      facility who do not go home within 4 weeks are dropped from the study. The 2
      study interventions begin within a week of returning home and conclude 3 months
      later. The 3-group design compares usual care to either a home-based social
      worker stroke case management (SWSCM) program, or a combination of the SWSCM
      program plus access to an online information and support resource (MISTT
      website). Outcomes data are collected at 7-days and 90-days by trained telephone
      interviewers. Primary patient outcomes include the PROMIS global 10 score (a
      generic Quality of Life scale), and the Patient Activation Measure (PAM).
      Caregiver outcomes include the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale. Final analysis
      will be based on 214 randomized acute stroke patients. To accommodate subjects
      excluded due to prolonged rehabilitation stays, as well as those lost-to-follow
      up, up to 315 patients will be consented. DISCUSSION: The MISTT study will
      determine if a home-based case management program designed around the needs and
      preferences of stroke patients and caregivers, alone or in combination with a
      patient-centered online information and support resource can improve stroke
      survivor and caregiver outcomes 3 months after returning home. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02653170 (Protocol ID: 135457). Registered
      April 9, 2015.

PMID- 28623893
TI  - Evolutionary origin of type IV classical cadherins in arthropods.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Classical cadherins are a metazoan-specific family of homophilic cell
      cell adhesion molecules that regulate morphogenesis. Type I and type IV cadherins
      in this family function at adherens junctions in the major epithelial tissues of
      vertebrates and insects, respectively, but they have distinct, relatively simple
      domain organizations that are thought to have evolved by independent reductive
      changes from an ancestral type III cadherin, which is larger than derived
      paralogs and has a complicated domain organization. Although both type III and
      type IV cadherins have been identified in hexapods and branchiopods, the process
      by which the type IV cadherin evolved is still largely unclear. RESULTS: Through
      an analysis of arthropod genome sequences, we found that the only classical
      cadherin encoded in chelicerate genomes was the type III cadherin and that the
      two type III cadherin genes found in the spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum genome
      exhibited a complex yet ancestral exon-intron organization in arthropods. Genomic
      and transcriptomic data from branchiopod, copepod, isopod, amphipod, and decapod
      crustaceans led us to redefine the type IV cadherin category, which we separated
      into type IVa and type IVb, which displayed a similar domain organization, except
      type IVb cadherins have a larger number of extracellular cadherin (EC) domains
      than do type IVa cadherins (nine versus seven). We also showed that type IVa
      cadherin genes occurred in the hexapod, branchiopod, and copepod genomes whereas
      only type IVb cadherin genes were present in malacostracans. Furthermore,
      comparative characterization of the type IVb cadherins suggested that the
      presence of two extra EC domains in their N-terminal regions represented
      primitive characteristics. In addition, we identified an evolutionary loss of two
      highly conserved cysteine residues among the type IVa cadherins of insects.
      CONCLUSIONS: We provide a genomic perspective of the evolution of classical
      cadherins among bilaterians, with a focus on the Arthropoda, and suggest that
      following the divergence of early arthropods, the precursor of the insect type IV
      cadherin evolved through stepwise reductive changes from the ancestral type III
      state. In addition, the complementary distributions of polarized genomic
      characters related to type IVa/IVb cadherins may have implications for our
      interpretations of pancrustacean phylogeny.

PMID- 28623894
TI  - 'Doing the right thing': factors influencing GP prescribing of antidepressants
      and prescribed doses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antidepressant prescribing continues to increase, with 5-16% of
      adults receiving antidepressants annually. Total prescribing growth is due in
      part to increased long-term use, greater selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor
      (SSRI) use and the use of higher SSRI doses. Evidence does not support routine
      use of higher SSRI doses for depression treatment, and factors influencing the
      use of such doses are not well known. The aim of this study was to explore
      factors influencing GPs' use of antidepressants and their doses to treat
      depression. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 28
      practising GPs; sampled by antidepressant prescribing volume, practice size and
      deprivation level. A topic guide drawing on past literature was used with enough
      flexibility to allow additional themes to emerge. Interviews were audio-recorded
      and transcribed verbatim. Framework analysis was employed. Constant comparison
      and disconfirmation were carried out across transcripts, with data collection
      being interspersed with analysis by three researchers. The thematic framework was
      then systematically applied to the data and conceptualised into an overarching
      explanatory model. RESULTS: Depression treatment involved ethical and
      professional imperatives of 'doing the right thing' for individuals by striving
      to achieve the 'right care fit'. This involved medicalised and non-medicalised
      patient-centred approaches. Factors influencing antidepressant prescribing and
      doses varied over time from first presentation, to antidepressant initiation and
      longer-term treatment. When faced with distressed patients showing symptoms of
      moderate to severe depression GPs were confident prescribing SSRIs which they
      considered as safe and effective medicines, and ethically and professionally
      appropriate. Many GPs were unaware that higher doses lacked greater efficacy and
      onset of action occurred within 1-2 weeks, preferring to wait 8-12 weeks before
      increasing or switching. Ongoing pressures to maintain prescribing (e.g. fear of
      depression recurrence), few perceived continuation problems (e.g. lack of safety
      concerns) and lack of proactive medication review (e.g. patients only present in
      crisis), all combine to further drive antidepressant prescribing growth over
      time. CONCLUSIONS: GPs strive to 'do the right thing' to help people.
      Antidepressants are only a single facet of depression treatment. However,
      increased awareness of drug limitations and regular proactive reviews may help
      optimise care.

PMID- 28623895
TI  - Effects of home-based exercise on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients: a
      randomized pilot and feasibility trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Only a few research is available on the effects of home-based
      exercise training on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.
      Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the effect of home-based exercise therapy on
      kidney function and arm and leg muscle strength in pre-dialysis CKD patients.
      METHODS: Thirty-six male stage 3-4 pre-dialysis CKD patients (age, 68.7 +/- 6.8
      years; estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 39.0 +/- 11.6 ml/min/1.73 m2)
      who were being treated as outpatients were included. The subjects were randomly
      assigned to an exercise intervention group (Ex group: 18) and a control group (C
      group: 18). The Ex group wore accelerometer pedometers and were instructed to
      perform home-based aerobic and resistance exercises, such as brisk walking for 30
      min per day, for 12 months. The C group subjects wore accelerometer pedometers
      but received no exercise therapy guidance; the number of steps covered during
      normal daily activities was recorded for the C group. The outcome measures were
      changes in kidney function and handgrip and knee extension muscle strength.
      Values at the baseline (T1) and 12 months later (T2) were compared. RESULTS:
      There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two
      groups; however, the C group was more physically active than the Ex group. Eight
      subjects dropped out, and 28 subjects (14 in each group) were included in the
      final analysis. Physical activity increased significantly only in the Ex group.
      Grip strength (F = 7.0, p = 0.01) and knee extension muscle strength (F = 14.3, p
      < 0.01) were found to improve only in the Ex group. Further, the changes in eGFR
      were not significantly different between the two groups (F = 0.01, p = 0.93).
      CONCLUSIONS: Home-based exercise therapy for pre-dialysis CKD patients was
      feasible and improved arm and leg muscle strength without affecting kidney
      function. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ( UMIN000005091 ).
      Registered 2/15/2011.

PMID- 28623896
TI  - With a little help from my friends: cooperation can accelerate the rate of
      adaptive valley crossing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Natural selection favors changes that lead to genotypes possessing
      high fitness. A conflict arises when several mutations are required for
      adaptation, but each mutation is separately deleterious. The process of a
      population evolving from a genotype encoding for a local fitness maximum to a
      higher fitness genotype is termed an adaptive peak shift. RESULTS: Here we
      suggest cooperative behavior as a factor that can facilitate adaptive peak
      shifts. We model cooperation in a public goods scenario, wherein each individual
      contributes resources that are later equally redistributed among all cooperating
      individuals. We use mathematical modeling and stochastic simulations to study the
      effect of cooperation on peak shifts in both panmictic and structured
      populations. Our results show that cooperation can substantially affect the rate
      of complex adaptation. Furthermore, we show that cooperation increases the
      population diversity throughout the peak shift process, thus increasing the
      robustness of the population to sudden environmental changes. CONCLUSIONS: We
      provide a new explanation to adaptive valley crossing in natural populations and
      suggest that the long term evolution of a species depends on its social behavior.

PMID- 28623897
TI  - Altered somatosensory profile according to quantitative sensory testing in
      patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders scheduled for surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Somatosensory profiling in affected and non-affected body regions can
      strengthen our insight regarding the underlying pain mechanisms, which can be
      valuable in treatment decision making and to improve outcomes, in patients with
      degenerative lumbar spine disorders pre-surgery. The aim was to describe
      somatosensory profiles in patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders, to
      identify the proportion with altered somatosensory profile, and to analyze
      demographic characteristics, self-reported function, pain, and health pre- and 3
      months post-surgery. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study in a Spine Clinic,
      105 patients scheduled for surgery for spinal stenosis, disc herniation,
      degenerative disc disease, or spondylolisthesis were consecutively recruited.
      Exclusion criteria were; indication for acute surgery or previous surgery at the
      same spinal level or severe grade of pathology. Quantitative sensory testing
      (QST) and self-reported function, pain, and health was measured pre- and 3 months
      post-surgery. The somatosensory profile included cold detection threshold, warmth
      detection threshold, cold pain threshold, heat pain threshold and pressure pain
      threshold in affected and non-affected body regions. RESULTS: On a group level,
      the patients' somatosensory profiles were within the 95% confidence interval (CI)
      from normative reference data means. On an individual level, an altered
      somatosensory profile was defined as having two or more body regions (including a
      non-affected region) with QST values outside of normal ranges for reference data.
      The 23 patients (22%) with altered somatosensory profiles, with mostly loss of
      function, were older (P = 0.031), more often female (P = 0.005), had higher back
      and leg pain (P = 0.016, 0.020), lower mental health component summary score (SF
      36 MCS) (P = 0.004) and larger pain distribution (P = 0.047), compared to others
      in the cohort. Post-surgery there was a tendency to worse pain, function and
      health in the group with altered somatosensory profile pre-surgery. CONCLUSIONS:
      On a group level, patients with degenerative lumbar spine disorders scheduled for
      surgery were within normal range for the QST measurements compared to reference
      values. On an individual level, an altered somatosensory profile outside of
      normal range in both affected and non-affected body regions occurred in 22% of
      patients, which may indicate disturbed somatosensory function. Those patients had
      mostly loss of sensory function and had worse self-reported outcome pre-surgery,
      compared to the rest of the cohort. Future prospective studies are needed to
      further examine whether these dimensions can be useful in predicting post-surgery
      outcome and guide need of additional treatments.

PMID- 28623898
TI  - Early-life gut microbial colonization shapes Th1/Th2 balance in asthma model in
      BALB/c mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the effect of early-life diverse microbial
      exposures on gut microbial colonization in an OVA-induced asthma model in BALB/c
      mice. METHODS: BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups: A, offsprings were kept in
      a SPF environment during fetal, lactation, and childhood periods; B, offsprings
      were kept in the SPF environment during fetal and lactation periods, and kept in
      the general environment during childhood; C, offsprings were kept in the SPF
      environment only during fetal period, and then kept in the general environment;
      and D, offsprings were kept in the general environment during whole periods. The
      diversity of intestinal flora was analyzed using denaturing gradient gel
      electrophoresis. Mice were sensitized with OVA to establish an animal model of
      asthma. Then asthma-related inflammatory cytokines and histological analysis were
      performed. RESULTS: The diversity of intestinal microflora in group D was
      significantly higher than groups A, B and C at three days and three weeks after
      birth, and the diversity of intestinal microflora in groups C and D were
      significantly higher than groups A and B at five weeks after birth. The
      pathologic scores of OVA-induced asthmatic mice in group D were significantly
      lower than group A, and serum IFN-gamma levels and the IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in
      group D were significantly higher than group A. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to diverse
      microbial environments in early life affects gut microbial colonization in BALB/c
      mice. The diversity of the intestinal flora in early life may prevent airway
      inflammation in asthma via regulating the Th1/Th2 balance.

PMID- 28623899
TI  - Renin-angiotensin system blockers and residual kidney function loss in patients
      initiating peritoneal dialysis: an observational cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and
      angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARB) have been shown to preserve residual
      kidney function in a select group of Asian patients undergoing continuous
      ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD) in two small randomized clinical trials, the
      effectiveness of these drugs has yet to be demonstrated in a more diverse
      population of patients with multiple comorbid conditions. We investigated the
      association between ACEI/ARB use and development of recorded anuria in a cohort
      of patients initiating PD in the U.S. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective
      observational cohort study using the US Renal Data System and electronic health
      records data from a large national dialysis provider. We identified adult
      patients who initiated PD from 2007 to 2011. Only patients who participated in
      the federal prescription drug benefit program, Medicare Part D, for the first 90
      days of dialysis were included. Patients who filled a prescription for an ACEI or
      ARB during those 90 days were considered users. We applied Cox proportional
      hazards models to an inverse probability of treatment-weighted (IPTW) cohort to
      estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for anuria (24-h urine volume < 200 ml) in
      ACEI/ARB users vs. non-users. RESULTS: Among 886 patients, 389 (44%) used an
      ACEI/ARB. Almost a third of these patients were black or Hispanic, and more than
      a quarter had comorbidities that would have excluded them from the randomized
      clinical trials of ACEI/ARB. Two hundred eighty patients reached anuria over 840
      person-years of follow-up, for a composite event rate of 33 events per 100 person
      years. We found no clear association between ACEI/ARB use and progression to
      anuria [HR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.73-1.02]. CONCLUSIONS: ACEI/ARB use is common in
      patients initiating PD in the U.S. but was not associated with a lower risk of
      anuria. Residual confounding by unmeasured variables is an important limitation
      of this observational study. Still, these findings suggest that pragmatic
      clinical trials are warranted to test the effectiveness of ACEI/ARB in slowing
      the decline of residual kidney function in a diverse population of peritoneal
      dialysis patients with multiple comorbid conditions.

PMID- 28623900
TI  - Characterization of MicroRNA-200 pathway in ovarian cancer and serous
      intraepithelial carcinoma of fallopian tube.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecologic
      diseases in Western countries. We have previously identified a miR-200-E-cadherin
      axis that plays an important role in ovarian inclusion cyst formation and tumor
      invasion. The purpose of this study was to determine if the miR-200 pathway is
      involved in the early stages of ovarian cancer pathogenesis by studying the
      expression levels of the pathway components in a panel of clinical ovarian
      tissues, and fallopian tube tissues harboring serous tubal intraepithelial
      carcinomas (STICs), a suggested precursor lesion for high-grade serous tumors.
      METHODS: RNA prepared from ovarian and fallopian tube epithelial and stromal
      fibroblasts was subjected to quantitative real-time reverse-transcription
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to determine the expression of miR-200
      families, target and effector genes and analyzed for clinical association. The
      effects of exogenous miR-200 on marker expression in normal cells were determined
      by qRT-PCR and fluorescence imaging after transfection of miR-200 precursors.
      RESULTS: Ovarian epithelial tumor cells showed concurrent up-regulation of miR
      200, down-regulation of the four target genes (ZEB1, ZEB2, TGFbeta1 and
      TGFbeta2), and up-regulation of effector genes that were negatively regulated by
      the target genes. STIC tumor cells showed a similar trend of expression patterns,
      although the effects did not reach significance because of small sample sizes.
      Transfection of synthetic miR-200 precursors into normal ovarian surface
      epithelial (OSE) and fallopian tube epithelial (FTE) cells confirmed reduced
      expression of the target genes and elevated levels of the effector genes CDH1,
      CRB3 and EpCAM in both normal OSE and FTE cells. However, only FTE cells had a
      specific induction of CA125 after miR-200 precursor transfection. CONCLUSIONS:
      The activation of the miR-200 pathway may be an early event that renders the OSE
      and FTE cells more susceptible to oncogenic mutations and histologic
      differentiation. As high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC) usually express
      high levels of CA125, the induction of CA125 expression in FTE cells by miR-200
      precursor transfection is consistent with the notion that HGSOC has an origin in
      the distal fallopian tube.

PMID- 28623902
TI  - Prevalence and treatment of atherogenic dyslipidemia in the primary prevention of
      cardiovascular disease in Europe: EURIKA, a cross-sectional observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atherogenic dyslipidemia is associated with poor cardiovascular
      outcomes, yet markers of this condition are often ignored in clinical practice.
      Here, we address a clear evidence gap by assessing the prevalence and treatment
      of two markers of atherogenic dyslipidemia: elevated triglyceride levels and low
      levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. METHODS: This cross-sectional
      observational study assessed the prevalence of two atherogenic dyslipidemia
      markers, high triglyceride levels and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
      levels, in the study population from the European Study on Cardiovascular Risk
      Prevention and Management in Usual Daily Practice (EURIKA; N = 7641; of whom
      51.6% were female and 95.6% were White/Caucasian). The EURIKA population included
      European patients, aged at least 50 years with at least one cardiovascular risk
      factor but no history of cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: Over 20% of patients
      from the EURIKA population have either triglyceride or high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol levels characteristic of atherogenic dyslipidemia. Furthermore, the
      proportions of patients with one of these markers were higher in subpopulations
      with type 2 diabetes mellitus or those already calculated to be at high risk of
      cardiovascular disease. Approximately 55% of the EURIKA population who have
      markers of atherogenic dyslipidemia are not receiving lipid-lowering therapy.
      CONCLUSIONS: A considerable proportion of patients with at least one major
      cardiovascular risk factor in the primary cardiovascular disease prevention
      setting have markers of atherogenic dyslipidemia. The majority of these patients
      are not receiving optimal treatment, as specified in international guidelines,
      and thus their risk of developing cardiovascular disease is possibly
      underestimated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The present study is registered with
      ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT00882336).

PMID- 28623903
TI  - Religious coping methods predict depression and quality of life among end-stage
      renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor quality of life (QOL) and a high prevalence of depression have
      been identified among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing
      hemodialysis (HD). We aimed to evaluate the associations between
      religious/spiritual (R/S) coping methods and both QOL and depression among ESRD
      patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: The sample included 161 ESRD
      patients over 18 years of age who had been undergoing HD for more than 3 months.
      R/S coping methods were assessed using the Religious Coping Questionnaire
      (RCOPE). The RCOPE generates scores (from 1 to 5) for positive and negative R/S
      coping methods. The higher the score, the more frequent the use of that coping
      method. Depression was evaluated using the 20-item version of the Center for
      Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Scores on the CES-D range from 0
      to 60. A cutoff of 18 was used to define depression. QOL was evaluated using the
      Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36); this survey was
      used to generate scores for the eight dimensions of QOL, which can vary from 0
      (worst) to 100 (best). RESULTS: We identified a depression prevalence of 27.3%.
      Positive R/S coping scores were higher among non-depressed than depressed
      patients (2.98 vs. 2.77; p = 0.037). Positive R/S coping scores were negatively
      correlated with depression scores (r = -0.200; p = 0.012) and were an independent
      protective factor for depression (OR = 0.13; CI 95% = 0.02-0.91; p = 0.039).
      Regarding QOL, a positive correlation was identified between positive R/S coping
      scores and scores related to general health (r = 0.171; p = 0.030) and vitality
      (r = 0.183; p = 0.019), and an inverse correlation was identified between
      negative R/S coping scores and scores in the social functioning (r = -0.191; p =
      0.015) and mental health (r = -0.214; p = 0.006) dimensions. In addition,
      positive R/S coping scores were an independent predictor of higher scores in the
      bodily pain (beta = 14.401; p = 0.048) and vitality (beta = 12.580; p = 0.022)
      dimensions. In contrast, negative R/S coping scores independently predicted lower
      social functioning scores (beta = -21.158; p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      provide further evidence suggesting that R/S coping methods may be associated
      with QOL and depression among HD patients. In our opinion, the use of religious
      resources should be encouraged among HD patients, and psycho-spiritual
      interventions should be attempted to target religious struggles (negative R/S
      coping) in patients undergoing HD.

PMID- 28623901
TI  - Biomarker correlation network in colorectal carcinoma by tumor anatomic location.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colorectal carcinoma evolves through a multitude of molecular events
      including somatic mutations, epigenetic alterations, and aberrant protein
      expression, influenced by host immune reactions. One way to interrogate the
      complex carcinogenic process and interactions between aberrant events is to model
      a biomarker correlation network. Such a network analysis integrates
      multidimensional tumor biomarker data to identify key molecular events and
      pathways that are central to an underlying biological process. Due to
      embryological, physiological, and microbial differences, proximal and distal
      colorectal cancers have distinct sets of molecular pathological signatures. Given
      these differences, we hypothesized that a biomarker correlation network might
      vary by tumor location. RESULTS: We performed network analyses of 54 biomarkers,
      including major mutational events, microsatellite instability (MSI), epigenetic
      features, protein expression status, and immune reactions using data from 1380
      colorectal cancer cases: 690 cases with proximal colon cancer and 690 cases with
      distal colorectal cancer matched by age and sex. Edges were defined by
      statistically significant correlations between biomarkers using Spearman
      correlation analyses. We found that the proximal colon cancer network formed a
      denser network (total number of edges, n = 173) than the distal colorectal cancer
      network (n = 95) (P < 0.0001 in permutation tests). The value of the average
      clustering coefficient was 0.50 in the proximal colon cancer network and 0.30 in
      the distal colorectal cancer network, indicating the greater clustering tendency
      of the proximal colon cancer network. In particular, MSI was a key hub, highly
      connected with other biomarkers in proximal colon cancer, but not in distal
      colorectal cancer. Among patients with non-MSI-high cancer, BRAF mutation status
      emerged as a distinct marker with higher connectivity in the network of proximal
      colon cancer, but not in distal colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: In proximal colon
      cancer, tumor biomarkers tended to be correlated with each other, and MSI and
      BRAF mutation functioned as key molecular characteristics during the
      carcinogenesis. Our findings highlight the importance of considering multiple
      correlated pathways for therapeutic targets especially in proximal colon cancer.

PMID- 28623904
TI  - Impact of preconceptional micronutrient supplementation on maternal mental health
      during pregnancy and postpartum: results from a randomized controlled trial in
      Vietnam.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Micronutrient malnutrition has been associated with maternal
      depressive symptoms (MDS), but little is known about the effects of
      preconceptional micronutrient supplementation. This paper examined the effects of
      preconceptional micronutrient supplementation on MDS during pregnancy and
      postpartum. METHODS: We used data from a double-blind controlled trial
      (PRECONCEPT) in which 5011 Vietnamese women were randomized to receive weekly
      supplements containing either a) multiple micronutrients (MM) b) iron and folic
      acid (IFA) or c) folic acid (FA) until conception (n = 1813). Maternal mental
      health was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale
      (CES-D) at baseline (preconception), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
      (EPDS) during pregnancy and 3 months postpartum. Elevated MDS was defined as EPDS
      score >= 4. All group comparisons were done using ANOVA or chi-square tests of
      proportions intention to treat and per protocol analyses (women consumed
      supplements >=26 weeks before conception). We also conducted stratified analyses
      by preconception CES-D scores, underweight, or anemia status using generalized
      linear models. RESULTS: Baseline CES-D scores were similar across treatment
      groups. The proportion of women experiencing elevated MDS was 11.3, 8.1 and 4.9%
      at first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively, and 3.6% at 3
      mo postpartum. Mean EPDS scores at first (1.5 +/- 2.7), second (1.1 +/- 2.4), and
      third trimester of pregnancy (0.7 +/- 2.0) and early postpartum (0.6 +/- 1.8)
      were low and did not differ by treatment group. However, among women in the
      highest tertile of CES-D scores at preconception, mean EPDS scores in the first
      and second trimesters of pregnancy were lower in the MM and IFA groups compared
      to FA only (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Weekly preconceptional micronutrient
      supplements containing iron did not improve depression measures relative to folic
      acid alone among all women, but may have benefitted women who were at risk for
      depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered retrospectively at
      ClinicalTrials.Gov as NCT01665378 on August 13, 2012.

PMID- 28623905
TI  - Educational standards for training paramedics in ultrasound: a scoping review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paramedic-performed out-of-hospital ultrasound is a novel skill that
      has gained popularity in some services in recent years. In this setting point-of
      care ultrasound (POCUS) can provide additional information that can assist with
      management and guide transport to the most appropriate facility. We sought to
      explore the different educational approaches used for training paramedics in
      ultrasound in the out-of-hospital setting. METHODS: Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBM
      Reviews, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL plus, The Monash University Research
      Repository and the British Thesis Library were searched from the 1st of January
      1990 to the 6th of April 2016. Google Scholar was searched and reference lists of
      relevant papers were examined to identify additional studies. Articles were
      included if they reported on out-of-hospital and POCUS educational approaches for
      paramedics. RESULTS: A total of 2002 unique articles were identified of which 18
      articles met the inclusion criteria. Most articles reported combined cohorts of
      emergency providers with varying years of experience though most operators were
      POCUS naive. The most common clinical assessment for which paramedic POCUS
      curricula was described was the focused assessment sonography for trauma (FAST)
      examination. Education programs varied from two-minutes to two-days with all
      studies including both didactic and practical training. CONCLUSION: Education
      programs for POCUS for paramedics vary considerably, and do not appear to align
      with qualification level or clinical experience. Further research investigating
      education and subsequent clinical application of POCUS by paramedics is required,
      as well as prospective, outcome based studies in order to measure the clinical
      utility of out-of-hospital POCUS.

PMID- 28623906
TI  - Correlations between inflammatory cytokines, muscle damage markers and acute
      postoperative pain following primary total knee arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in reducing knee
      pain and improving functional disability, the management of acute postoperative
      pain is still unsatisfactory. This study was aimed to quantitatively analyze the
      possible correlations between inflammatory cytokines, muscle damage markers and
      acute postoperative pain following primary TKA. METHODS: Patients scheduled for
      unilateral primary TKA were consecutively included, the serial changes of the
      numerical rating scale (NRS) at rest (NRSR) and at walking (NRSW), serum
      inflammatory cytokines and muscle damage markers were assessed before surgery
      (T0) and at postoperative day 1, 2, 3 and 5 (T1-T4, respectively); while pain
      disability questionnaire (PDQ) and synovial fluid inflammatory cytokines were
      evaluated at T0. The correlations between inflammatory cytokines, muscle damage
      markers and pain scores were examined, and Bonferroni correction was applied for
      multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Ninety six patients were included for serum
      markers and pain evaluations at T0-T4, while 54 (56.25%) for synovial fluid
      cytokines at T0. The NRSR at T1 and T2 were positively correlated with
      preoperative NRSW, while the NRSW at T1 to T4 were positively correlated with
      preoperative NRSR, NRSW and PDQ (all p < 0.05). The NRSR was positively
      correlated with serum PGE2, IL-6, and CK at T1; the NRSW was positively
      correlated with serum CRP at T1, with PGE2 and IL-6 at T1 to T3, with CK at T2
      and T4, and with Mb and LDH at T1 to T4 (all p < 0.003). Meanwhile, positive
      correlations were observed between preoperative NRSW and synovial fluid PGE2, IL
      6, IL-8, or TNF-alpha, as well as between PDQ and PGE2 (all p < 0.003), but no
      associations between postoperative pain scores and preoperative synovial fluid
      cytokines was found (all p >= 0.003). Additionally, the NRSR at T1 and T2, and
      NRSW at T1 to T4 were positively correlated with body mass index (all p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Serum inflammatory cytokines and muscle damage markers are
      positively correlated with acute postoperative pain following primary TKA, and
      the key cytokines (CRP, PGE2, and IL-6) and markers (Mb, CK and LDH) may serve as
      the targets for developing novel analgesic strategies.

PMID- 28623907
TI  - DNA methylation dysregulations in rheumatic heart valve disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The epigenetic changes underlying the development of rheumatic heart
      valve disease (RHVD) remain incompletely understood. Limited evidence suggests
      that abnormal DNA methylation might be involved in the pathogenesis of RHVD. In
      the present study, we evaluated the DNA methylation dysregulations from
      myocardial tissue in RHVD patients systematically. METHODS: Right atrial
      myocardial tissue obtained from rheumatic valvular patients who had undergone
      valve replacements surgery (n = 73) and were compared to healthy controls (n =
      4). the promoter methylation level of Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)
      gene and its correlation with ICAM-1 mRNA expression level, the global DNA
      methylation level and its correlation with age and mRNA expression level of DNA
      methyltransferase (DNMT) genes were detected. RESULTS: The ICAM-1 mRNA expression
      was increased (healthy control vs. NHYA III, 0.70 +/- 0.19 vs. 4.38 +/- 3.19, p =
      0.011; NYHA IIvs. NHYA III, 2.60 +/- 1.99 vs. 4.38 +/- 3.19, p = 0.008) and the
      ICAM-1 gene was hypomethylated in RHVD patients (healthy controls vs. NYHA II,
      0.120 +/- 0.011 vs. 0.076 +/- 0.057, p = 0.039; healthy control vs. NHYA III,
      0.120 +/- 0.011 vs. 0.041 +/- 0.022, p < 0.001; NYHA IIvs. NHYA III, 0.076 +/-
      0.057 vs. 0.041 +/- 0.022, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, The ICAM-1 mRNA expression
      level has negative correlation with the mean methylation level in the promoter
      region of ICAM-1 gene (r = -0.459, p < 0.001). The global DNA methylation levels
      was significantly increased in RHVD patients than in healthy controls (healthy
      control vs. NHYA III, 0.77 +/- 0.28 vs. 2.09 +/- 1.20, p = 0.017; NYHA IIvs. NHYA
      III, 1.57 +/- 0.78 vs. 2.09 +/- 1.20, p = 0.040) and had positive correlation
      with age (r = 0.326, p = 0.005), especially for older age group (>= 60 years).
      DNMT1 likely plays an essential role in the DNA dysregulations in RHVD patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed that DNA methylation dysregulations may be
      relevant in the pathogenesis of RHVD.

PMID- 28623908
TI  - Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is expressed in a significant number of the
      uterine cervical carcinomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) immune
      regulatory axis has emerged as a promising new target for cancer therapeutics,
      with lasting responses seen in the treatment of metastatic renal and lung
      carcinomas, as well as melanomas. As tumor surface expression of PD-L1 has been
      found to correlate with objective responses to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapies, we
      investigated the expression of PD-L1 in human cervical tumors and provide an
      adopted scoring system for the systematic evaluation of PD-L1 staining. METHODS:
      Immunohistochemical staining for PD-L1 expression was performed on a tissue
      microarray of 101 normal and neoplastic cervical tissues. Neoplastic cores were
      divided into three groups: squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma, and
      endocervical adenocarcinoma. PD-L1 expression was scored based on an adopted
      scoring system accounting to percentage and intensity of positivity, and results
      provided alongside available clinical and demographic data. RESULTS: Overall, PD
      L1 was positive in 32 of 93 (34.4%) cervical carcinomas. Subcategorically, PD-L1
      was positive in 28 of 74 (37.8%) squamous cell carcinomas, two of seven (28.6%)
      adenosquamous carcinomas, and two of 12 (16.7%) endocervical adenocarcinomas. It
      was negative in six benign cervical tissues. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a
      significant expression of PD-L1 in 34.4% of cervical carcinomas and no expression
      of PD-L1 in benign cervical tissues. These findings suggest a role for further
      investigation of anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapies in the treatment of PD-L1
      positive cervical tumors. In addition, our adopted scoring system will facilitate
      more systematic correlations between tumor reactivity and response to treatment.

PMID- 28623909
TI  - A systematic review and narrative synthesis of group self-management
      interventions for adults with epilepsy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is a serious and costly long-term condition that negatively
      affects quality of life, especially if seizures persist on medication. Studies
      show that people with epilepsy (PWE) want to learn more about the condition and
      some educational self-management courses have been trialled internationally. The
      objectives of this review were to evaluate research and summarise results on
      group self-management interventions for PWE. METHODS: We searched Medline and
      PsycINFO for results published in English between 1995 and 2015. Only studies
      evaluating face-to-face, group interventions for adults with epilepsy were
      included. Heterogeneity in study outcomes prevented the carrying out of a meta
      analysis; however, a Cochrane style review was undertaken. RESULTS: We found
      eleven studies, nine of which were randomised controlled trials. There were
      variable standards of methodological reporting with some risk of bias. Seven of
      the studies used quality of life as an outcome, with four finding statistically
      significant improvements in mean total score. Two found an improvement in outcome
      subscales. One study included some additional semi-qualitative data. CONCLUSIONS:
      We identified promising trends in the trials reviewed. In particular, there were
      significant improvements in quality of life scales and seizure frequency in many
      of the interventions. However, considerable heterogeneity of interventions and
      outcomes made comparison between the studies difficult. Courses that included
      psychological interventions and others that had a high number of sessions showed
      more effect than short educational courses. Furthermore, the evidence was
      predominantly from pilot studies with small sample sizes and short follow-up
      duration. Further research is needed to better evaluate the role of group self
      management interventions in outpatient epilepsy management.

PMID- 28623911
TI  - Moderate mental illness as a predictor of chronic disease prevention and
      screening.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary care plays a pivotal role in the provision of both mental
      health care and chronic disease prevention and screening (CDPS). Unfortunately,
      moderate mental illness (MMI) is associated with poorer general health outcomes.
      Part of this burden of illness may be due to reduced CDPS uptake. The Building on
      the Existing Tools to Improve Chronic Disease Prevention in Primary Care (BETTER)
      trial recruited 777 participants ages 40-65 from 32 family practice panels, of
      whom 135 (18.2%) had elevated GAD scores, 118 (16.4%) had elevated PHQ scores,
      and 264 (34.0%) had electronic medical record (EMR)-documented MMI. We
      hypothesized that patients with screen-positive or chart-documented MMI are 1)
      eligible for more CDPS actions, and 2) able to complete a lower proportion of
      CDPS actions than patients unaffected by MMI. METHODS: This study was a secondary
      analysis of data from the BETTER trial. Participants were stratified by both EMR
      documented MMI and screen-positive evidence of MMI (using the General Anxiety
      Disorders (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) instruments for
      anxiety and depression screening, respectively). The primary outcome was the
      proportion of CDPS actions for which the patient was eligible completed at follow
      up, using a composite index. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, gender, and social
      support, patients with evidence of MMI had a lower composite index than patients
      without evidence of MMI (p < 0.05). The lower composite index is primarily due to
      higher eligibility for CDPS at baseline; ability to complete CDPS was not
      statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: Patients affected by MMI are eligible for
      more CDPS actions than their unaffected counterparts. Although they are able to
      complete a similar number of CDPS actions, they are not able to eliminate their
      baseline CDPS gap. Primary care teams need to be aware of this increased CDPS
      eligibility for patients with MMI and ensure best practices in CDPS supports are
      available to this patient population. Further study is needed to determine the
      ideal suite of targeted supports.

PMID- 28623910
TI  - Pilot study using 3D-longitudinal strain computation in a multi-parametric
      approach for best selecting responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Almost all attempts to improve patient selection for cardiac
      resynchronization therapy (CRT) using echo-derived indices have failed so far. We
      sought to assess: the performance of homemade software for the automatic
      quantification of integral 3D regional longitudinal strain curves exploring left
      ventricular (LV) mechanics and the potential value of this tool to predict CRT
      response. METHODS: Forty-eight heart failure patients in sinus rhythm, referred
      for CRT-implantation (mean age: 65 years; LV-ejection fraction: 26%; QRS
      duration: 160 milliseconds) were prospectively explored. Thirty-four patients
      (71%) had positive responses, defined as an LV end-systolic volume decrease >=15%
      at 6-months. 3D-longitudinal strain curves were exported for analysis using
      custom-made algorithms. The integrals of the longitudinal strain signals (I
      L,peak) were automatically measured and calculated for all 17 LV-segments.
      RESULTS: The standard deviation of longitudinal strain peak (SDI L,peak ) for all
      17 LV-segments was greater in CRT responders than non-responders (1.18% s-1
      [0.96; 1.35] versus 0.83% s-1 [0.55; 0.99], p = 0.007). The optimal cut-off value
      of SDI L,peak to predict response was 1.037%.s-1. In the 18-patients without
      septal flash, SDI L,peak was significantly higher in the CRT-responders.
      CONCLUSIONS: This new automatic software for analyzing 3D longitudinal strain
      curves is avoiding previous limitations of imaging techniques for assessing
      dyssynchrony and then its value will have to be tested in a large group of
      patients.

PMID- 28623912
TI  - Role of epigenetics-microRNA axis in drug resistance of multiple myeloma.
AB  - Despite administration of novel therapies, multiple myeloma (MM) remains
      incurable with resistance to drugs leading to relapse in most patients. Thus, it
      is critical to understand the detailed mechanisms underlying the drug resistance
      of MM and develop more effective therapeutic strategies. Genetic abnormalities
      are well known to play a central role in MM pathogenesis and therapy resistance;
      however, epigenetic aberrations mainly affecting the patterns of DNA
      methylation/histone modifications of genes (especially tumor suppressors) and
      miRNAs have also been shown to be involved. Importantly, while epigenetic
      silencing of miRNAs in MM is well documented, some epigenetic markers are known
      to be direct targets of miRNAs particularly the recently described "epimiRNAs".
      Drugs targeting epigenetic modifiers (e.g., HDACs, EZH2) can sensitize MM
      resistant cells to anti-myeloma drugs and reversibility of epigenetic changes
      makes these drugs promising therapeutic agents. Therefore, combination of miRNA
      mimics with inhibitors of epigenetic modifiers would be a more potent therapeutic
      strategy in MM patients in relapse or refractory to treatments. In this review,
      we will discuss the findings of recent investigations on epigenetics/miRNA
      regulatory axis in development of drug resistance in MM and highlight possible
      approaches for therapeutic applications of such interaction.

PMID- 28623913
TI  - Aggressive natural killer cell leukemia or extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma? a case
      with nasal involvement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aggressive natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma (ANKL) is a rare and
      highly aggressive NK cell neoplasm with a short clinical course and poor
      prognosis and is often misdiagnosed and confused with NK/T cell lymphoma (NKTL),
      which has a very different prognosis. Here, we present a case with nasal and bone
      marrow involvement, provide a literature review and make a differential
      diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 41-year-old male presented nasal congestion
      pharyngalgia, palatal perforation, high fever and multiorgan dysfunction. Our
      diagnosis primarily relied on clinical features, the morphology and
      immunophenotype of the neoplastic cells and imaging studies. Characteristic large
      granular lymphocytes with azurophilic granules were visible in the bone marrow
      smears. In addition, the neoplastic cells expressed a typical immunophenotype,
      and the T cell receptor gamma (TCR-gamma) gene rearrangement analysis and
      presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were negative. The patient's symptoms and
      signs were temporarily relieved after chemotherapy treatment, but after a short
      time, he underwent a rapid clinical decline and died 8 weeks later after
      admission due to multiorgan function failure. CONCLUSION: Our case demonstrates
      that to avoid a misdiagnosis, bone marrow analyses and other examinations should
      be performed early when a patient initially presents nasal lesions and other
      systemic symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this may be the first reported
      case of ANKL with sternal tenderness.

PMID- 28623914
TI  - Synaptonemal complex protein 3 is associated with lymphangiogenesis in non-small
      cell lung cancer patients with lymph node metastasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The interaction of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C)/VEGF
      D/VEGF receptor-3 is considered to be a major driver of lymphangiogenesis,
      however the mechanism of this process remains unclear. We aimed to investigate
      the possible lymphangiogenic significance of synaptonemal complex protein 3
      (SCP3) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The expression of SCP3,
      VEGF-C, and VEGF-D were measured and examined a correlation between SCP3 and VEGF
      C or VEGF-D in various human lung cancer cell lines. Subsequently, we assessed
      SCP3, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D expression in archival tumor tissues
      from 89 NSCLC patients with lymph node (LN) metastasis by combined
      immunohistochemistry with quantitative digital image analysis. RESULTS: Positive
      correlations between SCP3 and VEGF-C expression (R 2  = 0.743) and VEGF-D
      expression (R 2  = 0.932) were detected in various human lung cancer cell lines.
      The high expression of SCP3, VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D were detected in
      24 (27.0%), 22 (24.7%), 27 (30.3%), 27 (30.3%), and 24 cases (27.0%),
      respectively. Notably, SCP3 positively correlated with VEGF-C and VEGF-D
      expression (for both, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with VEGF-A and VEGF-B
      expression (P = 0.029 and P = 0.026, respectively). In multivariate analysis of
      patients with LN metastasis, SCP3 expression predicted worse overall survival
      (hazard ratio = 1.86, P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: SCP3 is associated with
      lymphangiogenesis and provides insight into the SCP3-VEGF-C/VEGF-D axis based
      cancer therapy strategy.

PMID- 28623916
TI  - Using record linkage to validate notification and laboratory data for a more
      accurate assessment of notifiable infectious diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infectious disease burden is commonly assessed using notification
      data. Using retrospective record linkage in Western Australia, we described how
      well notification data captures laboratory detections of influenza, pertussis and
      invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). METHODS: We linked data from the Western
      Australian Notifiable Infectious Diseases Database (WANIDD) and the PathWest
      Laboratory Database (PathWest) pertaining to the Triple I birth cohort, born in
      Western Australia in 1996-2012. These were combined to calculate the number of
      unique cases captured in each dataset alone or in both datasets. To assess the
      impact of under-ascertainment, we compared incidence rates calculated using
      WANIDD data alone and using combined data. RESULTS: Overall, there were 5550
      influenza, 513 IPD (2001-2012) and 4434 pertussis cases (2000-2012).
      Approximately 2% of pertussis and IPD cases and 7% of influenza cases were solely
      recorded in PathWest. Notification of influenza and pertussis cases to WANIDD
      improved over time. Overall incidence rates of influenza in children aged <5
      years using both datasets was 10% higher than using WANIDD data alone (IRR = 1.1,
      95% CI = 1.1-1.2). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first time WANIDD data have been
      validated against routinely collected laboratory data. We anticipated all cases
      would be captured in WANIDD but found additional laboratory-confirmed cases that
      were not notified. Studies investigating pathogen-specific infectious disease
      would benefit from using multiple data sources.

PMID- 28623915
TI  - Safety pharmacology and subchronic toxicity of jinqing granules in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Jinqing granules which are made of a mixture extract that contains
      Radix Tinosporae and Canarii fructus in proportions according to a longstanding
      formula have a good effect on the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcer
      disease. It has not been through safety through systematic toxicological studies,
      however. To provide basis for clinical application, we performed safety
      pharmacology and subchronic toxicity experiments in specific pathogen-free
      Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS: In safety pharmacology experiments, Jinqing
      granules had no evident adverse effects on the central nervous, cardiovascular,
      or respiratory systems. In subchronic toxicity study, 2-8 g/kg of Jinqing
      granules induced no evident adverse effects on Clinical signs, body weight
      changes, food and water intake, death daily, indicators of urine, hematological
      assay, serum biochemistry, organ coefficient and histopathological examination.
      However, the 16 g/kg dose was associated with slightly slowed weight growth,
      decreased number of sperm in seminiferous tubules and increased values of serum
      aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin. During the 30-day feeding test, 3 rats
      that received the 16 g/kg dose died, but the deaths were most likely due to
      trauma of oral gavage, not to drug toxicity. CONCLUSION: Jinqing granules given
      to Sprague-Dawley rats orally for 30 days at a dose of 8 g/kg or less appears
      safe, but higher doses were not proven safe. The significance of these
      observations with respect to animal usage of Jinqing granules deserves thorough
      investigation.

PMID- 28623917
TI  - The dynamic changes of interferon lambdas related genes and proteins in JAK/STAT
      pathway in both acute and chronic HIV-1 infected patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Host immune responses during acute HIV-1 infection can influence the
      viral setpoint, which is a predictor of disease progression. Interferon (IFN)
      lambdas are newly classified type III interferons, which use JAK-STAT pathway.
      Currently, the dynamics of IFN-lambdas related genes and proteins expression in
      the signaling pathway have not been well elaborated, especially in acute HIV-1
      infected patients. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the dynamic changes of IFN-lambdas
      related genes and proteins in JAK/STAT pathway in acute HIV-1-infected patients,
      and analyze their correlation with CD4 T cell counts and HIV-1 viral loads. STUDY
      DESIGN: Real-time PCR and flow cytometry methods were used to evaluate the
      dynamic changes of IFN-lambdas related genes and proteins in JAK/STAT pathway in
      both acute and chronic HIV-1-infected patients. RESULTS: The IFN-alpha receptors
      (R), IFN-gamma R, IFN-lambdas R and STAT1 mRNA and protein levels increased in
      acute HIV-1-infected patients (p < 0.01), in addition, Mx1 mRNA levels in acute
      HIV-1-infected patients are higher than those in HIV-negative subjects. IFN
      lambdas R and IFN-alpha R mRNA levels are inversely correlated with CD4+ T-cell
      counts, but are positively correlated with viral loads. CONCLUSIONS: The dynamic
      changes of IFNs related genes in JAK-STAT pathway in acute HIV-1 infection will
      deepen our understanding of the roles of IFN-lambdas in HIV pathogenesis.

PMID- 28623918
TI  - Effects of herbal medicine for dysmenorrhea treatment on accompanied acne
      vulgaris: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of preadolescent acne among women is increasing. Acne
      deteriorates the quality of life; conventional treatment options are limited and
      have not been effective against acne, particularly acne associated with
      menstruation. Despite evidence that acne associated with menstruation
      abnormalities naturally improves when menstruation recovers to normal, there have
      only been few studies on the effects of dysmenorrhea treatment on acne. Therefore
      we designed this study to assess the effects of gyejibokryung-hwan (GBH) and
      dangguijagyag-san (DJS), which are widely used in dysmenorrhea treatment, on acne
      associated with menstruation cycle. METHODS: This is a protocol for a randomized,
      double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled and multicenter trial. One
      hundred and sixteen participants with dysmenorrhea accompanied by acne vulgaris
      will be recruited at three centers and randomized into two groups, the herbal
      treatment group and placebo group. The participants will receive GBH or DJS based
      on pattern identification or placebo granules thrice daily for 8 weeks, with an 8
      week follow up. The primary outcome will be the mean percentage change in the
      count of inflammatory acne lesions. The secondary outcomes would be based on
      dysmenorrhea numeric rating scale, verbal multidimensional scoring system for
      dysmenorrhea, acne numeric rating scale, investigator's static global assessment
      scale of facial acne vulgaris, and safety testing. Adverse events will also be
      reported. DISCUSSION: The effects of GBH or DJS used in dysmenorrhea treatment on
      acne associated with the menstrual cycle will be evaluated. The findings of this
      trial will provide evidence regarding the effect of herbal medicine in improving
      acne vulgaris associated with menstruation in women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Korean
      Clinical Trial Registry ( http://cris.nih.go.kr ; registration number:
      KCT0002259). Date of registration: March 10, 2017.

PMID- 28623919
TI  - Effects of Karela (Bitter Melon; Momordica charantia) on genes of lipids and
      carbohydrates metabolism in experimental hypercholesterolemia: biochemical,
      molecular and histopathological study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypercholesterolemia is a serious diseases associated with type-2
      diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disorders and liver diseases. Humans
      seek for safe herbal medication such as karela (Momordica charantia/bitter melon)
      to treat such disorders to avoid side effect of pharmacotherapies widely used.
      METHODS: Forty male Wistar rats were divided into four equal groups; control
      group with free access to food and water, cholesterol administered group (40
      mg/kg BW orally); karela administered group (5 g /kg BW orally) and mixture of
      cholesterol and karela. The treatments continued for 10 weeks. Karela was given
      for hypercholesterolemic rats after 6 weeks of cholesterol administration. Serum,
      liver and epididymal adipose tissues were taken for biochemical,
      histopathological and genetic assessments. RESULTS: Hypercholesterolemia induced
      a decrease in serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, reduced glutathione
      (GSH) and an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels that were ameliorated by
      karela administration. Hypercholesterolemia up regulated antioxidants mRNA
      expression and altered the expression of carbohydrate metabolism genes. In
      parallel, hypercholesterolemic groups showed significant changes in the
      expression of PPAR-alpha and gamma, lipolysis, lipogenesis and cholesterol
      metabolism such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1). Acyl CoA oxidase
      (ACO), fatty acids synthase (FAS), sterol responsible element binding protein-1c
      (SREBP1c), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoAR) and
      cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) at hepatic and adipose tissue levels.
      Interestingly, Karela ameliorated all altered genes confirming its
      hypocholesterolemic effect. Histopathological and immunohistochemical findings
      revealed that hypercholesterolemia induced hepatic tissue changes compared with
      control. These changes include cholesterol clefts, necrosis, karyolysis and sever
      congestion of portal blood vessel. Caspase-3 immunoreactivity showed positive
      expression in hepatic cells of hypercholesterolemic rats compared to control. All
      were counteracted and normalized after Karela administration to
      hypercholesterolemic group. CONCLUSION: Current findings confirmed that karela is
      a potential supplement useful in treatment of hypercholesterolemia and its
      associated disorders and is good for human health.

PMID- 28623920
TI  - Ketamine-induced apoptosis in the mouse cerebral cortex follows similar
      characteristic of physiological apoptosis and can be regulated by neuronal
      activity.
AB  - The effects of general anesthetics on inducing neuronal apoptosis during early
      brain development are well-documented. However, since physiological apoptosis
      also occurs during this developmental window, it is important to determine
      whether anesthesia-induced apoptosis targets the same cell population as
      physiological apoptosis or different cell types altogether. To provide an
      adequate plane of surgery, ketamine was co-administered with dexmedetomidine. The
      apoptotic neurons in the mouse primary somatosensory cortex (S1) were quantitated
      by immunohistochemistry. To explore the effect of neural activity on ketamine
      induced apoptosis, the approaches of Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by
      Designer Drugs (DREADDs) and an environmental enrichment (EE) were performed.
      Ketamine-induced apoptosis in S1 is most prominent at postnatal days 5 and 7 (P5 
      P7), and becomes insignificant by P12. Physiological and ketamine-induced
      apoptosis follow similar developmental patterns, mostly comprised of layer V
      pyramidal neurons at P5 and shifting to mostly layer II to IV GABAergic neurons
      by P9. Changes in neuronal activity induced by the DREADD system bidirectionally
      regulated the pattern of ketamine-induced apoptosis, with reduced activity
      inducing increased apoptosis and shifting the lamination pattern to a more
      immature form. Importantly, rearing mice in an EE significantly reduced the
      magnitude of ketamine-induced apoptosis and shifted its developmental pattern to
      a more mature form. Together, these results demonstrate that lamination pattern
      and cell-type dependent vulnerability to ketamine-induced apoptosis follow the
      physiological apoptosis pattern and are age- and activity-dependent. Naturally
      elevating neuronal activity is a possible method for reducing the adverse effects
      of general anesthesia.

PMID- 28623921
TI  - Genome-wide analysis of codon usage bias in Bovine Coronavirus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) belong to the genus Betacoronavirus of the
      family Coronaviridae. BCoV are widespread around the world and cause enteric or
      respiratory infections among cattle, leading to important economic losses to the
      beef and dairy industry worldwide. To study the relation of codon usage among
      viruses and their hosts is essential to understand host-pathogen interaction,
      evasion from host's immune system and evolution. METHODS: We performed a
      comprehensive analysis of codon usage and composition of BCoV. RESULTS: The
      global codon usage among BCoV strains is similar. Significant differences of
      codon preferences in BCoV genes in relation to codon usage of Bos taurus host
      genes were found. Most of the highly frequent codons are U-ending. G + C
      compositional constraint and dinucleotide composition also plays a role in the
      overall pattern of BCoV codon usage. CONCLUSIONS: The results of these studies
      revealed that mutational bias is a leading force shaping codon usage in this
      virus. Additionally, relative dinucleotide frequencies, geographical
      distribution, and evolutionary processes also influenced the codon usage pattern.

PMID- 28623922
TI  - Use of simulation-based medical training in Swiss pediatric hospitals: a national
      survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Simulation-based medical training (SBMT) is a powerful tool for
      continuing medical education. In contrast to the Anglo-Saxon medical education
      community, up until recently, SBMT was scarce in continental Europe's pediatric
      health care education: In 2009, only 3 Swiss pediatric health care institutions
      used SBMT. The Swiss catalogue of objectives in Pediatrics does not acknowledge
      SBMT. The aim of this survey is to describe and analyze the current state of SBMT
      in Swiss pediatric hospitals and health care departments. METHODS: A survey was
      carried out with medical education representatives of every institution. SBMT was
      defined as any kind of training with a mannequin excluding national and/or
      international standardized courses. The survey reference day was May 31st 2015.
      RESULTS: Thirty Swiss pediatric hospitals and health care departments answered
      our survey (response rate 96.8%) with 66.6% (20 out of 30) offering SBMT. Four of
      the 20 hospitals offering SMBT had two independently operating training
      simulation units, resulting in 24 educational units as the basis for our SBMT
      analysis. More than 90% of the educational units offering SBMT (22 out of 24
      units) were conducting in-situ training and 62.5% (15 out of 24) were using high
      technology mannequins. Technical skills, communication and leadership ranked
      among the top training priorities. All institutions catered to inter-professional
      participants. The vast majority conducted training that was neither embedded
      within a larger educational curriculum (19 out of 24: 79.2%) nor evaluated (16
      out of 24: 66.6%) by its participants. Only 5 institutions (20.8%) extended their
      training to at least two thirds of their hospital staff. CONCLUSIONS: Two thirds
      of the Swiss pediatric hospitals and health care departments are offering SBMT.
      Swiss pediatric SBMT is inter-professional, mainly in-situ based, covering
      technical as well as non-technical skills, and often employing high-technology
      mannequins. The absence of a systematic approach and reaching only a small number
      of healthcare employees were identified as shortcomings that need to be
      addressed.

PMID- 28623923
TI  - Making HIV testing work at the point of care in South Africa: a qualitative study
      of diagnostic practices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Point of care testing promises to reduce delays in diagnosing and
      initiating treatment for infectious diseases such as Human Immuno-deficiency
      Virus (HIV). In South Africa, decentralized HIV testing with rapid tests offers
      important lessons for point of care testing programs. Yet, little is known about
      the strategies of providers and clients to make HIV testing successful in
      settings short of equipment, human resources and space. We aimed at examining
      these strategies. METHODS: This paper is based on a larger qualitative study of
      diagnostic practices across major diseases and actors in homes, clinics,
      communities, hospitals and laboratories in South Africa. We conducted 101 semi
      structured interviews and 7 focus group discussions with doctors, nurses,
      community health workers, patients, laboratory technicians, policymakers,
      hospital managers and manufacturers between September 2012 and June 2013 in
      Durban, Cape Town and Eastern Cape. The topics explored included diagnostic
      processes and challenges, understanding of diagnosis, and visions of ideal tests.
      For this paper, the data on HIV testing processes in clinics, communities and
      hospitals was used. RESULTS: Strategies to make HIV testing work at point of care
      involve overcoming constraints in equipment, spaces, human resources and workload
      and actively managing diagnostic processes. We grouped these strategies into
      subthemes: maintaining relationships, adapting testing guidelines and practices
      to stock-outs, to physical space, and to different clients, turning the test into
      a tool to reach another aim and turning the testing process into a tool to
      enhance adherence. These adaptive strategies are locally negotiated solutions,
      often ad-hoc, depending on personal commitment, relationships, human resources,
      physical space and referral systems. In the process, testing is redefined and
      repurposed. Not all of these repurposing acts are successful in ensuring a timely
      diagnosis. Some lead to disruptions, unnecessary testing or delays with at times
      unclear implications for quality of diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Tests shape
      relationships, professional roles and practices of users at point of care. At the
      same time, testing processes are dynamic and test results and processes take on
      new meanings for clients and providers. These insights are crucial for
      understanding the contexts within which diagnostic devices and policies need to
      function.

PMID- 28623924
TI  - In vitro physiological and antibacterial characterization of ZnO nanoparticle
      composites in simulated porcine gastric and enteric fluids.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diarrhea in piglets is one of the main causes of animal death after
      weaning; zinc oxide (ZnO) has been used in high doses for the control of this
      sickness. The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical properties
      of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized and immobilized on a chitosan/alginate (CH/SA)
      complex and investigate the antimicrobial activity and in vitro release profile
      of zinc (Zn2+) from these new compounds. The ZnO nanoparticles composites were
      prepared and combined with CH/SA or CH/SA and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). The
      structure and morphology of the composites were analyzed by characterization
      methods such as X-ray diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis,
      atomic absorption spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS:
      The crystallite size of ZnO nano was 17 nm and the novel ZnO composites were
      effective in protecting ZnO in simulated gastric fluid, where Zn2+ reached a
      concentration six-fold higher than the levels obtained with the unprotected
      commercial-zinc oxide. In addition, the novel composites suggest effective
      antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results described herein suggest that the novel nano composites
      may work as an alternative product for pig feeding as verified by the in vitro
      assays, and may also contribute to lower the zinc released in the environment by
      fecal excretion in animals waste.

PMID- 28623925
TI  - Human jugular vein collapse in the upright posture: implications for postural
      intracranial pressure regulation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracranial pressure (ICP) is directly related to cranial dural
      venous pressure (P dural ). In the upright posture, P dural is affected by the
      collapse of the internal jugular veins (IJVs) but this regulation of the venous
      pressure has not been fully understood. A potential biomechanical description of
      this regulation involves a transmission of surrounding atmospheric pressure to
      the internal venous pressure of the collapsed IJVs. This can be accomplished if
      hydrostatic effects are cancelled by the viscous losses in these collapsed veins,
      resulting in specific IJV cross-sectional areas that can be predicted from flow
      velocity and vessel inclination. METHODS: We evaluated this potential mechanism
      in vivo by comparing predicted area to measured IJV area in healthy subjects.
      Seventeen healthy volunteers (age 45 +/- 9 years) were examined using ultrasound
      to assess IJV area and flow velocity. Ultrasound measurements were performed in
      supine and sitting positions. RESULTS: IJV area was 94.5 mm2 in supine and
      decreased to 6.5 +/- 5.1 mm2 in sitting position, which agreed with the predicted
      IJV area of 8.7 +/- 5.2 mm2 (equivalence limit +/-5 mm2, one-sided t tests, p =
      0.03, 33 IJVs). CONCLUSIONS: The agreement between predicted and measured IJV
      area in sitting supports the occurrence of a hydrostatic-viscous pressure balance
      in the IJVs, which would result in a constant pressure segment in these collapsed
      veins, corresponding to a zero transmural pressure. This balance could thus serve
      as the mechanism by which collapse of the IJVs regulates P dural and consequently
      ICP in the upright posture.

PMID- 28623926
TI  - Perennial transmission of malaria in the low altitude areas of Baringo County,
      Kenya.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Malaria causes the greatest public health burden in sub-Saharan
      Africa where high mortality occurs mainly in children under 5 years of age.
      Traditionally, malaria has been reported mainly in the lowlands endemic regions
      of western Kenya, while the highlands of the Rift Valley have been relatively
      free except for the sporadic epidemics in some areas. Baringo County is located
      in the Kenyan highlands. The county generally experiences seasonal transmission
      of malaria. A few hotspots which experience continuous malaria transmission in
      the county do however exist. The objective of this study was to assess malaria
      infection status and identify areas with continuous transmissions with a view to
      mapping out probable transmission hot spots useful in mounting focused
      interventions within the county. METHODS: Systematic sampling was employed to
      identify 1668 primary school pupils from fifteen primary schools located in 4
      ecological zones (lowland, midland, highland and riverine) of three sub-counties
      of Baringo. Finger prick blood sampling was done every 4 months (during the dry
      season in February/March, after the long rains in June/July and short rains in
      November 2015). Malaria occurrence was tested using rapid diagnostic test kit
      (CareStart HRP-2 Pf). Microscopic examination was done on all RDT positive and
      10% of negative cases. RESULTS: A total of 268 (16.1%), out of 1668 pupils tested
      positive for Plasmodium falciparum by RDT; 78% had a single episode, 16.8% had 2
      episodes, 4.9% had 3 episodes and 0.4% had 4 episodes. The riverine zone had the
      highest malaria cases (23.2%) followed by lowlands (0.9%). No malaria cases were
      detected in the midland zone while highland zone recorded only few cases during
      the third follow up. Up to 10.7% of malaria cases were reported in the dry
      season, 2.9% during the long rains and 5.7% in short rains season. CONCLUSIONS:
      Malaria infection was prevalent in Baringo County and was mainly restricted to
      the riverine zone where transmission is continuous throughout the year. High
      malaria prevalence occurred in the dry season compared to the wet season. Even
      though malaria transmission is relatively low compared to endemic regions of
      Kenya, there is a need for continued monitoring of transmission dynamics under
      changing climatic conditions as well as establishing expanded malaria control
      strategies especially within the riverine zone which would include an integrated
      mosquito control and chemotherapy for infected individuals.

PMID- 28623927
TI  - Caffeoylquinic acid derivatives rich extract from Gnaphalium pensylvanicum willd.
      Ameliorates hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis in animal model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Gnaphalium pensylvanicum willd. is used in China as a folk
      medicine to treat anti-inflammatory, cough and rheumatism arthritis. The aim of
      this study was to evaluate the potential of the extract of G. pensylvanicum to
      treat hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis in animal model. METHODS: G.
      pensylvanicum extract was evaluated in an experimental model with potassium
      oxonate (PO) induced hyperuricemia in mice which was used to evaluate anti
      hyperuricemia activity and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition. Therapies for acute
      gouty arthritis was also investigated on monosodium urate (MSU) crystal induced
      paw edema model. RESULTS: G. pensylvanicum extract showed activity in reducing
      serum uric acid (Sur) through effect renal glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), organic
      anion transporter 1 (OAT1) and urate transporter 1 (URAT1) mainly and inhibited
      XO activity in vivo of mice with PO induced hyperuricemia. The extract of G.
      pensylvanicum also showed significant anti-inflammatory activity and reduced the
      paw swelling on MSU crystal-induced paw edema model. Meanwhile, 13 caffeoylquinic
      acid derivatives and 1 flavone were identified by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS as the main
      active component of G. pensylvanicum. CONCLUSIONS: The extract of G.
      pensylvanicum showed significant effect on evaluated models and therefore may be
      active agents for the treatment of hyperuricemia and acute gouty arthritis.

PMID- 28623928
TI  - The effects of beliefs about AIDS-related death on quality of life in Chinese
      married couples with both husband and wife infected with HIV: examining
      congruence using the actor-partner interdependence model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study examined the actor and partner effects of
      beliefs about AIDS-related death on quality of life in Chinese married couples in
      which both were living with HIV. METHODS: A total of 49 married couples in
      central China who were both infected with HIV completed measures to assess their
      beliefs about AIDS-related death and quality of life. RESULTS: In the actor
      partner interdependence model, the husband-wife dyad showed congruence in their
      beliefs about AIDS-related death (r = .40) and quality of life-mental health
      summary (r = .31), respectively, within the couple. Both actor and partner
      effects of beliefs about AIDS-related death on the quality of life-mental health
      summary, rather than the quality of life-physical health summary, were
      significant within the husband-wife dyad. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the
      dyadic interdependence of beliefs about AIDS-related death and the quality of
      life-mental health summary in married couples. Psychosocial interventions that
      target a reduction of negative death beliefs and enhancement of well-being in the
      context of HIV should treat the couple as a unit.

PMID- 28623929
TI  - The potential regulatory mechanisms of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone in
      gonadotropin transcriptions identified with bioinformatics analyses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The regulation of gonadotropin synthesis and release by gonadotropin
      releasing hormone (GnRH) plays an essential role in the neuroendocrine control of
      reproduction. However, the mechanisms underlying gonadotropin regulation by GnRH
      pulse frequency and amplitude are still ambiguous. This study aimed to explore
      the molecular mechanisms and biological pathways associated with gonadotropin
      synthesis by GnRH pulse frequencies and amplitudes. METHODS: Using GSE63251
      datasets downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), differentially
      expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by comparing the RNA expression from the
      GnRH pulse group, the GnRH tonic group and the control group. Pathway enrichment
      analyses of DEGs was performed, followed by protein-protein interaction (PPI)
      network construction. Furthermore, sub-network modules were constructed by
      ClusterONE and GO function and pathways analysed by DAVID. In addition, the
      relationship between the metabolic pathways and the GnRH pathway was verified in
      vitro. RESULTS: In total, 531 common DEGs were identified in GnRH groups,
      including 290 up-regulated and 241 down-regulated genes. DEGs predominantly
      enriched in 16 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including
      11 up-regulated pathways (signallingsignallingmetabolic pathways, signallingand
      GnRH signalling pathway) and 5 down-regulated pathways (type II diabetes
      mellitus). Moreover, FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene (FOS) and jun proto-oncogene (JUN)
      had higher connectivity degrees in the PPI network. Three modules in the PPI were
      identified with ClusterONE. The genes in module 1 were significantly enriched in
      five pathways, including signallingthe insulin resistance and GnRH signalling
      pathway. The genes in modules 2 and 3 were mainly enriched in metabolic pathways
      and steroid hormone biosynthesis, respectively. Finally, knockdown leptin
      receptor (LEPR) and insulin receptor (INSR) reversed the GnRH-modulated metabolic
      related-gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed the involvement
      of GnRH in the regulation of gonadotropin biosynthesis and metabolism in the
      maintenance of reproduction, achieved by bioinformatics analyses. This, indicates
      that the GnRH signalling pathway played a central linkings role in reproductive
      function and metabolic balance. In addition, the present study identified the
      difference response between GnRH pulse and GnRH tone, indicated that abnormal
      GnRH pulse and amplitude may cause disease, which may provide an improved
      understanding of the GnRH pathway and a new insight for disease diagnosis and
      treatment.

PMID- 28623930
TI  - Systematic assessment of advanced respiratory physiology: precision medicine
      entering real-life ICU?

PMID- 28623931
TI  - Retinal involvement in sepsis: from the eye of the patient to the eye of the
      beholder.

PMID- 28623933
TI  - Transferring research from a university to the United Kingdom National Health
      Service: the implications for impact.
AB  - The aim of this article is to inform readers of the author's reflections on the
      experience of transferring university-based research into the commercial sector,
      and of the processes and strategies employed when preparing for impact in so
      doing. Concepts for the transfer are illustrated by the author's reflection on
      aspects that arose during the birthing and subsequent start-up of a university
      spin-off, Pathways2Wellbeing, a form of reflection-on-action. This is the vehicle
      for the adaption required to transfer research into the delivery of a specialised
      clinic in the United Kingdom National Health Service for people with medically
      unexplained, persistent, bodily symptoms such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue
      and chronic pain. It is hoped that the article will provide readers with an
      insight into how knowledge transfer can take place through engagement with
      stakeholders to create an exchange of knowledges to result in impact on health
      service policy for service users, despite the challenges, and the enablers that
      facilitated this process. The reflections on the process of knowledge transfer
      and the implications for impact are underpinned by relevant theory.

PMID- 28623932
TI  - Impact of glycemic control on aortic stiffness, left ventricular mass and
      diastolic longitudinal function in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor glycemic control is associated with impaired left ventricular
      (LV) diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
      Inappropriate LV mass increase and accelerated aortic stiffening were suggested
      to participate on deterioration of diastolic function. The present study
      investigated the inter-relationships between glycemic control, early diastolic
      and systolic longitudinal velocity of mitral annulus, LV mass and aortic
      stiffness in T2DM patients free of cardiovascular disease and with preserved LV
      ejection fraction, and compared them with those observed in healthy volunteers of
      similar age and sex distribution. METHODS: 125 T2DM patients and 101 healthy
      volunteers underwent noninvasive measurement of systolic (s') and early diastolic
      (e') velocities of mitral annulus, LV mass, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity
      (cfPWV) and local carotid blood pressure (BP). RESULTS: Forty-four (35.2%) T2DM
      patients had e' velocity lower than that expected for age (against 7.9% in
      healthy volunteers; P < 0.0001), 34 (27.2%) had cfPWV higher than that expected
      for age and mean BP (against 5.9% in healthy volunteers; P < 0.0001), and 71
      (56.8%) had LV mass higher than that expected for body size and stroke work
      (against 17.6% in healthy volunteers; P < 0.0001). Carotid systolic BP was higher
      in T2DM patients (124 +/- 14 vs 111 +/- 11 mmHg; P < 0.0001). In multivariate
      analysis, e' velocity was independently related to age, carotid BP and s'
      velocity in healthy volunteers, and to male sex, age, carotid BP, heart rate and
      LV mass in T2DM. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was independently related to
      cfPWV and LV mass in T2DM patients. T2DM patients with HbA1c >=6.5% (N = 85) had
      higher cfPWV (P < 0.05), central BP (P = 0.01), prevalence of LV hypertrophy (P =
      0.01) and lower e' and s' velocity (P = 0.001 and <0.05, respectively) as
      compared to those with HbA1c <6.5%. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of T2DM patients with
      preserved LV ejection fraction has sign of subclinical LV diastolic dysfunction.
      HbA1c levels are positively associated with LV mass and aortic stiffness, both of
      which show a negative independent impact on early diastolic velocity e', the
      latter through an increase in afterload. T2DM patients with suboptimal glycemic
      control (HbA1c >= 6.5%) have lower diastolic and systolic LV longitudinal
      performance, together with increased aortic stiffness and a higher prevalence of
      LV hypertrophy.

PMID- 28623934
TI  - Serological and virological surveillance of avian influenza virus in domestic
      ducks of the north-east region of Bangladesh.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wild waterfowl are considered as the natural reservoir for avian
      influenza (AI) viruses. Bangladesh has been experiencing highly pathogenic avian
      influenza (HPAI) outbreaks since 2007, mostly in chickens and occasionally in
      ducks. Ducks play an important role in the persistence and genetic recombination
      of AI viruses. This paper presents the results of serological and virological
      monitoring of AI in domestic ducks in 2013 in the north-east region of
      Bangladesh. RESULTS: A total of 871 and 662 serum samples and 909 and 302 pairs
      of cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs from domestic ducks of Mymensingh and Sylhet
      division, respectively, were analysed. Antibodies to type A influenza virus were
      detected by blocking ELISA in 60.73 and 47.73% serum samples of Mymensingh and
      Sylhet division, respectively. On haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test 17.5% of
      ELISA positive serum samples were found to be seropositive to H5 avian influenza
      virus. Five cloacal swabs and one oropharyngeal swab were positive for M gene of
      type A influenza virus by real time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR), but all of them were
      negative for H5 influenza virus. Three of the six viruses were successfully
      characterized as H1N5, H2N5 and H7N5 subtype of AI virus, the other three
      remained uncharacterized. On sequencing and phylogenetic analysis the HA and NA
      genes were found to be of Eurasian avian lineage. The H7 virus had cleavage site
      motif of low pathogenic virus. CONCLUSIONS: Low pathogenic avian influenza
      viruses were detected from apparently healthy domestic ducks. A small proportion
      of domestic ducks were found seropositive to H5 AI virus.

PMID- 28623935
TI  - Variation in susceptibility of different breeds of sheep to Mycobacterium avium
      subspecies paratuberculosis following experimental inoculation.
AB  - Exposure to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) does not always
      lead to Johne's disease. Understanding differences in disease susceptibility of
      individual animals is a key aspect to controlling mycobacterial diseases. This
      study was designed to examine the susceptibility or resistance of various breeds
      of sheep to MAP infection. Merino, Suffolk first cross Merino, Border Leicester,
      and Poll Dorset sheep were orally inoculated with MAP and monitored for 14
      months. Clinical disease occurred more frequently in the Merino (42%) and Suffolk
      first cross Merino (36%) compared to the Border Leicester (12%) and Poll Dorset
      (11%) breeds. Infection risk, as determined by culture of gut and associated
      lymphoid tissues, ranged from 75% for the Suffolk first cross Merino to 47% for
      the Poll Dorset sheep. Significant differences were identified in the site in the
      intestines of the most severe histopathological lesions and the immune responses
      to infection between the breeds. However, there was no difference in faecal MAP
      shedding by clinical cases between breeds. All breeds tested were susceptible to
      MAP infection, as determined by infection and clinical disease development,
      although there were differences in the proportions of diseased animals between
      the breeds. Poll Dorset and Border Leicester sheep were more resilient to MAP
      infection but there was evidence that more animals could have developed disease
      if given more time. These findings provide evidence of potential differential
      disease susceptibility between breeds, further our understanding of disease
      pathogenesis and risks of disease spread, and may have an influence on control
      programs for paratuberculosis.

PMID- 28623936
TI  - Safety and potential efficacy of gemfibrozil as a supportive treatment for
      children with late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis and other lipid
      storage disorders.
AB  - Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL), also known as Batten disease, is a group of
      genetically distinct lysosomal disorders that mainly affect the central nervous
      system, resulting in progressive motor and cognitive decline primarily in
      children. Multiple distinct genes involved in the metabolism of lipids have been
      identified to date with various mutations in this family of diseases. There is no
      cure for these diseases but some new therapeutic approaches have been tested that
      offer more hope than the standard palliative care. Many of the therapeutic
      advances require invasive procedures but some progress in slowing the disease has
      been found and more options can be expected in the future. We also review the
      literature on children with disease/conditions other than NCL for the non
      invasive use, safety, and tolerability of a lipid-lowering drug, gemfibrozil, as
      a potential treatment for NCLs. Gemfibrozil has shown efficacy in an animal model
      of NCL known as CLN2 (late infantile classic juvenile) and has been shown to be
      safe for lowering lipids in children. Among the 200 non-NCL children found in the
      published literature who were treated with gemfibrozil for NCL-related problems,
      only 3 experienced adverse events, including 2 with muscle pain and 1 with
      localized linear IgA bullous dermatitis. We conclude that gemfibrozil is safe for
      long-term use in children, causes minimal adverse events, is well tolerated, and
      may delay the progression of NCLs. Gemfibrozil may potentially be an alternative
      to more invasive therapeutic approaches currently under investigation and has the
      potential to be used in combination with other therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28623937
TI  - The association of lipid metabolism relative gene polymorphisms and ischemic
      stroke in Han and Uighur population of Xinjiang.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study is aimed to evaluate difference of lipid metabolism
      related gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with ischemic stroke (IS) in
      Han and Uighur population of Xinjiang, China. METHODS: Four hundred eight
      patients with ischemic stroke and 347 unrelated healthy individuals of age and
      sex matched were genotyped for Apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5), lipoprotein lipase
      (LPL), Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and low-density lipoprotein
      receptor (LDL-R) genes. Their mutation difference was analyzed by SNaP shot
      techniques. GeneMapper4.1 SPSS20.0 software was used for data management and
      analysis. Using a single locus analysis, the distribution difference of genotype
      loci in ischemic stroke cases and controls were detected to assess the genetic
      risk factors of ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Significance differences of genotype
      distribution in ischemic stroke cases and controls were observed in LDLR rs688 in
      Han and Uighur population in recessive model from analysis of single gene locus.
      It also was found that dramatic difference of triglyceride (TG) of LPL rs328 and
      systolic blood pressure in CETP rs708277 of total population. In binary logistic
      regression analysis of total studied population, ischemic stroke was observed
      significantly associated with LDLR rs688 both addictive model (TT/CC, adjusted OR
      = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.04-2.07) and recessive model (TT/CT + CC, adjusted Odds ratio
      (OR) = 2.66, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.37-5.14). In Han population,
      ischemic stroke was observed significantly associated with rs688 both in
      addictive model (TT/CC, adjusted OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 1.06-10.05). In Uighur
      population, no significant association was found between gene polymorphisms and
      the risk of ischemic stroke. Combined analysis of multiple gene and loci,
      interaction effects of LDLR rs688 C/T, ApoA5 rs662799 A/G and CETP rs708272 C/T
      denoted a significant influence on IS susceptibility. CONCLUSION: Single
      nucleotide polymorphisms of lipid metabolism relative gene were significantly
      associated with the morbidity of ischemic stroke in Han population. The
      interaction effects of rs688 C/T with ApoA5 rs662799 A/G and CETP rs708272 C/T
      promoted the occurrence of IS.

PMID- 28623938
TI  - Transcriptome modulation by hydrocortisone in severe burn shock: ancillary
      analysis of a prospective randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite shortening vasopressor use in shock, hydrocortisone
      administration remains controversial, with potential harm to the immune system.
      Few studies have assessed the impact of hydrocortisone on the transcriptional
      response in shock, and we are lacking data on burn shock. Our objective was to
      assess the hydrocortisone-induced transcriptional modulation in severe burn
      shock, particularly modulation of the immune response. METHODS: We collected
      whole blood samples during a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy
      of hydrocortisone administration in burn shock. Using whole genome microarrays,
      we first compared burn patients (n = 32) from the placebo group to healthy
      volunteers to describe the transcriptional modulation induced by burn shock over
      the first week. Then we compared burn patients randomized for either
      hydrocortisone administration or placebo, to assess hydrocortisone-induced
      modulation. RESULTS: Study groups were similar in terms of severity and major
      outcomes, but shock duration was significantly reduced in the hydrocortisone
      group. Many genes (n = 1687) were differentially expressed between burn patients
      and healthy volunteers, with 85% of them exhibiting a profound and persistent
      modulation over seven days. Interestingly, we showed that hydrocortisone enhanced
      the shock-associated repression of adaptive, but also innate immunity.
      CONCLUSIONS: We found that the initial host response to burn shock encompasses
      wide and persistent modulation of gene expression, with profound modulation of
      pathways associated with metabolism and immunity. Importantly, hydrocortisone
      administration may worsen the immunosuppression associated with severe injury.
      These data should be taken into account in the risk ratio of hydrocortisone
      administration in patients with inflammatory shock. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00149123 . Registered on 6 September 2005.

PMID- 28623939
TI  - On-line plasma lactate concentration monitoring in critically ill patients.

PMID- 28623940
TI  - Clonorchis sinensis lysophospholipase A upregulates IL-25 expression in
      macrophages as a potential pathway to liver fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Liver fibrosis is an excessive wound-healing reaction that requires
      the participation of inflammatory cells and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The
      pathogenesis of liver fibrosis caused by viruses and alcohol has been well
      characterized, but the molecular mechanisms underlying liver fibrosis induced by
      the liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis are poorly understood. Lysophospholipase A
      (LysoPLA), which deacylates lysophospholipids, plays a critical role in mediating
      the virulence and pathogenesis of parasites and fungi; however, the roles of C.
      sinensis lysophospholipase A (CsLysoPLA) in C. sinensis-induced liver fibrosis
      remain unknown. METHODS: A mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) was cultured and
      treated with CsLysoPLA. IL-25 and members of its associated signaling pathway
      were detected by performing quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting and
      immunofluorescent staining. A human hepatic stellate cell line (LX-2) was
      cultured and exposed to IL-25. LX-2 cell activation markers were examined via
      quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining.
      Migration was analyzed in transwell plates. RESULTS: Treating RAW264.7 cells with
      CsLysoPLA significantly induced IL-25 expression. Elevated PKA, B-Raf, and ERK1/2
      mRNA levels and phosphorylated B-Raf and ERK1/2 were detected in CsLysoPLA
      stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The PKA inhibitor H-89 weakened B-Raf and ERK1/2
      phosphorylation whereas the AKT activator SC79 attenuated ERK1/2 phosphorylation
      in RAW264.7 cells. Both H-89 and SC79 inhibited CsLysoPLA-induced IL-25
      upregulation. In addition, stimulation of LX-2 cells with IL-25 upregulated the
      expression of mesenchymal cell markers, including alpha-smooth muscle actin
      (alpha-SMA) and collagen type I (Collagen-I), and promoted cell migration.
      CONCLUSIONS: CsLysoPLA activates HSCs by upregulating IL-25 in macrophages
      through the PKA-dependent B-Raf/ERK1/2 pathway and potentially promotes hepatic
      fibrosis during C. sinensis infection.

PMID- 28623942
TI  - The palisade cartilage tympanoplasty technique: a systematic review and meta
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tympanoplasty is a common procedure performed by Otolaryngologists.
      Many types of autologous grafts have been used with variations of techniques with
      varying results. This is the first systematic review of the literature and meta
      analysis with the aim to evaluate the effectiveness of one of the techniques
      which is gaining popularity, the palisade cartilage tympanoplasty. PubMed,
      EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for "palisade", "cartilage",
      "tympanoplasty", "perforation" and their synonyms. In total, 199 articles
      reporting results of palisade cartilage tympanoplasty were identified. Five
      articles satisfied the following inclusion criteria: adult patients, minimum 6
      months follow-up, hearing and surgical outcomes reported. Studies with patients
      undergoing combined mastoidectomy, ossicular chain reconstruction, and/or other
      middle ear surgery were excluded. Perforation closure, rate of complications, and
      post-operative pure-tone average change were extracted for pooled analysis. Study
      failure and complication proportions that were used to generate odds ratios were
      pooled. Fixed effects and random effects weightings were generated. The resulting
      pooled odds ratios are reported. Palisade cartilage tympanoplasty has an overall
      take rate of 96% at beyond 6 months and has similar odds of complications
      compared to temporalis fascia (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.62, 1.30). The air-bone gap
      closure is statistically similar to reported results from temporalis fascia
      tympanoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Cartilage palisade tympanoplasty offers excellent
      graft take rates and good postoperative hearing outcomes for perforations of
      various sizes and for both primary and revision cases. This technique has
      predictable, long-term results with low complication rates, similar to temporalis
      fascia tympanoplasty.

PMID- 28623941
TI  - Development of a program theory for shared decision-making: a realist review
      protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The practicality of applying evidence to healthcare systems with the
      aim of implementing change is an ongoing challenge for practitioners, policy
      makers, and academics. Shared decision- making (SDM), a method of medical
      decision-making that allows a balanced relationship between patients, physicians,
      and other key players in the medical decision process, is purported to improve
      patient and system outcomes. Despite the oft-mentioned benefits, there are gaps
      in the current literature between theory and implementation that would benefit
      from a realist approach given the value of this methodology to analyze complex
      interventions. In this protocol, we outline a study that will explore: "In which
      situations, how, why, and for whom does SDM between patients and health care
      providers contribute to improved decision making?" METHODS: A seven step
      iterative process will be described including preliminary theory development,
      establishment of a search strategy, selection and appraisal of literature, data
      extraction, analysis and synthesis of extracted results from literature, and
      formation of a revised program theory with the input of patients, physicians,
      nurse navigators, and policy makers from a stakeholder session. DISCUSSION: The
      goal of the realist review will be to identify and refine a program theory for
      SDM through the identification of mechanisms which shape the characteristics of
      when, how, and why SDM will, and will not, work. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION:
      PROSPERO CRD42017062609.

PMID- 28623943
TI  - Does metabolic syndrome predict surgical complications? A protocol for a
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined by an accumulation of risk
      factors that include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic high blood
      pressure, obesity, and hypercholesterolaemia which results in an increased risk
      of developing serious chronic diseases. MetS is widespread as it is estimated to
      affect up to 30% of the global population. For people with MetS who undergo
      surgery, an emerging body of literature points to significantly poorer
      postoperative outcomes compared with non-affected populations. Surgical patients
      with MetS are at significantly higher risk of a range of adverse outcomes
      including death, morbid cardiovascular events, coma, stroke, renal failure,
      myocardial infarction, and surgical site infections. Increased complication rates
      result in prolonged hospital stays, a greater need for post-hospitalisation care,
      and reduced effectiveness of surgical interventions. METHODS/DESIGN: We will
      search the following electronic bibliographic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE,
      ScienceDirect, and CINAHL, and the reference lists of included articles. We will
      also search for unpublished literature. Two authors will screen titles and
      abstract information independently and select studies according to established
      inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data will be extracted by the study
      investigators using Review Manager 5 and will include information on
      demographics, incidence, prevalence, and outcome variables. Subgroup analysis and
      sensitivity analysis will be performed to assess the heterogeneity of included
      studies. Meta-analysis will also be carried out if appropriate study groups are
      identified. A descriptive narrative for statistical data will also be provided to
      highlight findings of the systematic review and meta-analysis. DISCUSSION: This
      study will report and summarise adverse outcomes among adult patients with MetS
      undergoing surgery across a range of surgical specialties. Developing insights
      into outcomes of this population of interest is necessary to develop guidelines
      towards better management of surgical patients with metabolic syndrome.
      SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42016051071.

PMID- 28623944
TI  - The effect of combining manual therapy with exercise for mild chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of
      disability and hospital admission. Current management strategies have not been
      successful in altering the loss of lung function typically seen as the disease
      progresses. A recent systematic review into the use of spinal manipulative
      therapy (SMT) in the management of COPD concluded that there was low level
      evidence to support the view that a combination of SMT and exercise had the
      potential to improve lung function more than exercise alone in people with
      moderate to severe COPD. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the
      combination of exercise and manual therapy (MT) that includes SMT produces
      sustainable improvements in lung function and exercise capacity in people with
      mild COPD. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is a randomised controlled trial of 202
      people with stable mild COPD. The cohort will be divided into two equal groups
      matched at baseline. The first group will receive a standardised exercise
      program. The second group will receive MT that includes SMT plus the same
      standardised exercise program. Exercise will be administered a total of 36 times
      over an 18-week period, while MT will be administered in conjunction with
      exercise a total of 15 times over a 6-week period. The primary outcome measure is
      lung function (forced expiratory volume in the 1st second: FEV1 and forced vital
      capacity: FVC). The secondary outcome measures are the 6-minute walking test
      (6MWT), quality of life questionnaire (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire:
      SGRQ), anxiety and depression levels (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale:
      HADS), frequency of exacerbations, chest wall expansion measurements (tape
      measurements) and systemic inflammatory biomarker levels. Outcome measurements
      will be taken by blinded assessors on seven occasions over a 48-week period.
      Adverse event data will also be gathered at the beginning of each intervention
      session. DISCUSSION: This randomised controlled trial is designed to investigate
      whether the combination of MT and exercise delivers any additional benefits to
      people with mild COPD compared to exercise alone. The study is designed in
      response to recommendations from a recent systematic review calling for more
      research into the effect of MT in the management of COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ANZCTRN, 12614000766617 . Registered on 18 July 2014.

PMID- 28623946
TI  - Antiarrhythmic drugs in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: is there a place for
      potassium chloride?

PMID- 28623945
TI  - Mir-155 is overexpressed in systemic sclerosis fibroblasts and is required for
      NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated collagen synthesis during fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the important role that microRNAs (miRNAs) play in immunity
      and inflammation, their involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) remains poorly
      characterized. miRNA-155 (miR-155) plays a role in pulmonary fibrosis and its
      expression can be induced with interleukin (IL)-1beta. SSc fibroblasts have
      activated inflammasomes that are integrally involved in mediating the
      myofibroblast phenotype. In light of this, we investigated whether miR-155 played
      a role in SSc and if its expression was dependent on inflammasome activation.
      METHODS: miR-155 expression was confirmed in SSc dermal and lung fibroblasts by
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Wild-type and NLRP3-deficient
      murine fibroblasts were utilized to explore the regulation of miR-155 during
      inflammasome activation. miR-155-deficient fibroblasts and retroviral
      transductions with a miR-155 expression or control vectors were used to
      understand the contribution of miR-155 in fibrosis. RESULTS: miR-155 was
      significantly increased and the highest expressing miRNA in SSc lung fibroblasts.
      Its expression was dependent on inflammasome activation as miR-155 expression
      could be blocked when inflammasome signaling was inhibited. In the absence of miR
      155, inflammasome-mediated collagen synthesis could not be induced but was
      restored when miR-155 was expressed in miR-155-deficient fibroblasts.
      CONCLUSIONS: miR-155 is upregulated in SSc. These results suggest that the
      inflammasome promotes the expression of miR-155 and that miR-155 is a critical
      miRNA that drives fibrosis.

PMID- 28623947
TI  - Effects of digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia on cognitive
      function: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The daytime effects of insomnia pose a significant burden to patients
      and drive treatment seeking. In addition to subjective deficits, meta-analytic
      data show that patients experience reliable objective impairments across several
      cognitive domains. While Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an
      effective and scalable treatment, we know little about its impact upon cognitive
      function. Trials of CBT-I have typically used proxy measures for cognitive
      functioning, such as fatigue or work performance scales, and no study has
      assessed self-reported impairment in cognitive function as a primary outcome.
      Moreover, only a small number of studies have assessed objective cognitive
      performance, pre-to-post CBT-I, with mixed results. This study specifically aims
      to (1) investigate the impact of CBT-I on cognitive functioning, assessed through
      both self-reported impairment and objective performance measures, and (2) examine
      whether change in sleep mediates this impact. METHODS/DESIGN: We propose a
      randomised controlled trial of 404 community participants meeting criteria for
      Insomnia Disorder. In the DISCO trial (D efining the I mpact of improved S leep
      on CO gnitive function (DISCO)) participants will be randomised to digital
      automated CBT-I delivered by a web and/or mobile platform (in addition to
      treatment as usual (TAU)) or to a wait-list control (in addition to TAU). Online
      assessments will take place at 0 (baseline), 10 (post-treatment), and 24 (follow
      up) weeks. At week 25, all participants allocated to the wait-list group will be
      offered digital CBT-I, at which point the controlled element of the trial will be
      complete. The primary outcome is self-reported cognitive impairment at post
      treatment (10 weeks). Secondary outcomes include objective cognitive performance,
      insomnia severity, sleepiness, fatigue, and self-reported cognitive failures and
      emotional distress. All main analyses will be carried out on completion of follow
      up assessments and will be based on the intention-to-treat principle. Further
      analyses will determine to what extent observed changes in self-reported
      cognitive impairment and objective cognitive performance are mediated by changes
      in sleep. The trial is supported by the National Institute for Health Research
      (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) based at Oxford University
      Hospitals NHS Trust and University of Oxford, and by the NIHR Oxford Health BRC.
      DISCUSSION: This study will be the first large-scale examination of the impact of
      digital CBT-I on self-reported cognitive impairment and objective cognitive
      performance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ID: ISRCTN89237370 . Registered on 17
      October 2016.

PMID- 28623948
TI  - One-carbon metabolism, cognitive impairment and CSF measures of Alzheimer
      pathology: homocysteine and beyond.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for cognitive decline and
      dementia, including Alzheimer disease (AD). Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur
      containing amino acid and metabolite of the methionine pathway. The interrelated
      methionine, purine, and thymidylate cycles constitute the one-carbon metabolism
      that plays a critical role in the synthesis of DNA, neurotransmitters,
      phospholipids, and myelin. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that one
      carbon metabolites beyond Hcy are relevant to cognitive function and
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures of AD pathology in older adults. METHODS:
      Cross-sectional analysis was performed on matched CSF and plasma collected from
      120 older community-dwelling adults with (n = 72) or without (n = 48) cognitive
      impairment. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed to quantify one
      carbon metabolites and their cofactors. Least absolute shrinkage and selection
      operator (LASSO) regression was initially applied to clinical and biomarker
      measures that generate the highest diagnostic accuracy of a priori-defined
      cognitive impairment (Clinical Dementia Rating-based) and AD pathology (i.e., CSF
      tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 [p-tau181]/beta-Amyloid 1-42 peptide chain
      [Abeta1-42] >0.0779) to establish a reference benchmark. Two other LASSO
      determined models were generated that included the one-carbon metabolites in CSF
      and then plasma. Correlations of CSF and plasma one-carbon metabolites with CSF
      amyloid and tau were explored. LASSO-determined models were stratified by
      apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon4 carrier status. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy
      of cognitive impairment for the reference model was 80.8% and included age, years
      of education, Abeta1-42, tau, and p-tau181. A model including CSF cystathionine,
      methionine, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), serine,
      cysteine, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) improved the diagnostic accuracy
      to 87.4%. A second model derived from plasma included cystathionine, glycine,
      methionine, SAH, SAM, serine, cysteine, and Hcy and reached a diagnostic accuracy
      of 87.5%. CSF SAH and 5-MTHF were associated with CSF tau and p-tau181. Plasma
      one-carbon metabolites were able to diagnose subjects with a positive CSF profile
      of AD pathology in APOE epsilon4 carriers. CONCLUSIONS: We observed significant
      improvements in the prediction of cognitive impairment by adding one-carbon
      metabolites. This is partially explained by associations with CSF tau and p
      tau181, suggesting a role for one-carbon metabolism in the aggregation of tau and
      neuronal injury. These metabolites may be particularly critical in APOE epsilon4
      carriers.

PMID- 28623949
TI  - Hemoglobin concentrations and RBC transfusion thresholds in patients with acute
      brain injury: an international survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The optimal hemoglobin (Hb) threshold at which to initiate red blood
      cell (RBC) transfusion in patients with acute brain injury is unknown. The aim of
      this survey was to investigate RBC transfusion practices used with these
      patients. METHODS: We conducted a web-based survey within various societies of
      critical care medicine for intensive care unit (ICU) physicians who currently
      manage patients with primary acute brain injury. RESULTS: A total of 868
      responses were obtained from around the world, half of which (n = 485) were from
      European centers; 204 (24%) respondents had a specific certificate in
      neurocritical care, and most were specialists in anesthesiology or intensive care
      and had less than 15 years of practice experience. Four hundred sixty-six
      respondents (54%) said they used an Hb threshold of 7-8 g/dl to initiate RBC
      transfusion after acute brain injury, although half of these respondents used a
      different threshold (closer to 9 g/dl) in patients with traumatic brain injury,
      subarachnoid hemorrhage, or ischemic stroke. Systemic and cerebral factors were
      reported as influencing the need for higher Hb thresholds. Most respondents
      agreed that a randomized clinical trial was needed to compare two different Hb
      thresholds for RBC transfusion, particularly in patients with traumatic brain
      injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The Hb
      threshold used for RBC transfusion after acute brain injury was less than 8 g/dl
      in half of the ICU clinicians who responded to our survey. However, more than 50%
      of these physicians used higher Hb thresholds in certain conditions.

PMID- 28623950
TI  - Work outcome in yet undiagnosed patients with non-radiographic axial
      spondyloarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis; results of a cross-sectional study
      among patients with chronic low back pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To understand the impact of yet undiagnosed non-radiographic axial
      spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) on work outcomes in
      a cohort of patients with long-lasting chronic low back pain (CLBP). METHODS:
      Data were used from a primary care CLBP cohort that was established to understand
      the prevalence of nr-axSpA and AS. Clinical characteristics comprised measures of
      back pain (visual analogue scale), inflammation (C-reactive protein) and physical
      functioning (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ)). Worker outcomes
      comprised a question on employment and the Work Productivity and Activity
      Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, distinguishing absenteeism, presenteeism, and
      overall work impairment in those employed and activity impairment in all
      patients. For each disease subgroup, employment ratio compared to the general
      population was assessed by indirect standardization. Factors associated with work
      productivity were explored by zero inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression
      models. RESULTS: Patients with CLBP (n = 579) were included (41% male, mean age
      36 years), of whom 71 (12%) were identified as having nr-axSpA and 24 (4%) as
      having AS. The standardized employment ratios were 0.89 (95% CI 0.84-0.94), 0.97
      (95% CI 0.85-1.09) and 0.81 (95% CI 0.56-1.06) for patients with CLBP, nr-axSpA
      and AS, respectively. Scores for the WPAI subdomains were not significantly
      different between patients with CLBP, nr-axSpA or AS. The ZINB models showed
      significant associations between visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain and
      RMDQ and work productivity. CONCLUSION: The impact of yet undiagnosed nr-axSpA
      and AS on patients' work outcomes was substantial but was not significantly
      different from those of patients with long-standing CLBP. Variables significantly
      associated with reduced work productivity were VAS for pain and RMDQ score.

PMID- 28623951
TI  - Progressive respiratory distress in a 42-year-old HIV-positive woman with
      systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying and treating the cause of pulmonary symptoms in HIV
      patients with underlying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be very
      challenging. Delays in diagnosing active SLE in HIV patients can lead to
      significant morbidity and even mortality. We report the case of an HIV-positive
      woman with SLE who presented with severe respiratory distress. CASE PRESENTATION:
      A 42-year-old HIV-positive woman presented with a 7-month history of anorexia,
      progressive dyspnoea, and a productive cough. She had been put on treatment for
      pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia for several months by
      the referring hospital without any significant improvement in her symptoms. Her
      initial laboratory investigations showed highly elevated d-dimer test results but
      confirmatory investigations for pulmonary embolism proved otherwise. An
      autoimmune screen revealed highly positive antinuclear antibody and anti-double
      stranded DNA tests, and she responded very well to SLE treatment. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our case represents a situation where two diseases with antagonizing pathways of
      disease pathogenesis occur concurrently in the same patient. SLE is usually not
      among the differential diagnoses in HIV patients with respiratory distress.
      Management of patients with both SLE and HIV is also very challenging because
      improvement in one condition can lead to worsening of the other. Despite
      opportunistic infections being the likely cause of pulmonary symptoms in HIV
      patients, clinicians are encouraged to have a high index of suspicion for
      autoimmune interstitial lung disease in these patients.

PMID- 28623952
TI  - Spontaneous cecal perforation in a 40-year-old pregnant woman treated by primary
      repair and omental patch: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spontaneous colonic perforations are scarce, and cecal perforations
      even more so. Preoperative diagnosis of the latter in a pregnant woman is
      particularly difficult because of physiologic changes and restrictions on some
      diagnostic imaging techniques, such as X-rays. Furthermore, management of these
      patients is a big challenge. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a
      spontaneous cecal perforation in a 40-year-old pregnant black woman in the
      Regional Hospital of Bafoussam in Cameroon. The results of clinical examination
      and ultrasonography on admission were in line with acute generalized peritonitis
      in a woman at 20 weeks of a viable pregnancy, indicating an urgent laparotomy.
      Operative findings were a 1 * 1-cm perforation on a distended cecum with minimal
      fecal contamination. The treatment consisted of excision of the edges, primary
      suture of the perforation, and omentoplasty. The recovery of the patient was
      uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: The management of spontaneous cecal perforation in a
      pregnant woman was a big challenge. The perforation was repaired by primary
      suture and omentoplasty. Further studies comparing this approach with right
      hemicolectomy are recommended.

PMID- 28623953
TI  - Early versus late initiation of renal replacement therapy impacts mortality in
      patients with acute kidney injury post cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical complication of
      cardiac surgery and increases mortality and hospitalization. We aimed to explore
      and perform an updated meta-analysis of qualitative and quantitative evaluations
      of the relationship between early renal replacement therapy (RRT) and mortality.
      METHODS: We searched the Chinese Biomedical Database, the Cochrane Library,
      EMBASE, Global Health, MEDLINE and PubMed. RESULTS: Fifteen studies (five
      randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one prospective cohort and nine
      retrospective cohorts) including 1479 patients were identified for detailed
      evaluation. The meta-analysis suggested that early RRT initiation reduced 28-day
      mortality (odds ratio (OR) 0.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23 to 0.57; I 2
      60%), and shortened intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) (mean
      difference (MD) -2.50; 95% CI -3.53 to -1.47; I 2 88%) and hospital LOS (MD 
      0.69; 95% CI -1.13 to -0.25; I 2 88%), and also reduced the duration of RRT (MD 
      1.18; 95% CI -2.26 to -0.11; I 2 69%), especially when RRT was initiated early
      within 12 hours (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.63; I 2 73%) and within 24 hours (OR
      0.52; 95% CI 0.28 to 0.95; I 2 58%) in patients with AKI after cardiac surgery.
      CONCLUSIONS: Early RRT initiation decreased 28-day mortality, especially when it
      was started within 24 hours after cardiac surgery in patients with AKI.

PMID- 28623954
TI  - Efficacy and safety of alirocumab in patients with hypercholesterolemia not
      adequately controlled with non-statin lipid-lowering therapy or the lowest
      strength of statin: ODYSSEY NIPPON study design and rationale.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Statins are generally well-tolerated and serious side effects are
      infrequent, but some patients experience adverse events and reduce their statin
      dose or discontinue treatment altogether. Alirocumab is a highly specific, fully
      human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9
      (PCSK9), which can produce substantial and sustained reductions of low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). METHODS: The randomized, double-blind, placebo
      controlled, parallel-group, phase 3 ODYSSEY NIPPON study will explore alirocumab
      150 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) in 163 Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia who
      are on the lowest-strength dose of atorvastatin (5 mg/day) or are receiving a non
      statin lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) (fenofibrate, bezafibrate, ezetimibe, or diet
      therapy alone). Hypercholesterolemia is defined as LDL-C >= 100 mg/dL (2.6
      mmol/L) in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or non
      familial hypercholesterolemia with a history of documented coronary heart
      disease, or >=120 mg/dL (3.1 mmol/L) in patients with non-familial
      hypercholesterolemia classified as primary prevention category III (i.e. high
      risk patients). During the 12-week double-blind treatment period, patients will
      be randomized (1:1:1) to receive alirocumab subcutaneously (SC) 150 mg Q4W
      alternating with placebo for alirocumab Q4W, or alirocumab 150 mg SC every 2
      weeks (Q2W), or SC placebo Q2W. The primary efficacy endpoint is the percentage
      change in calculated LDL-C from baseline to week 12. The long-term safety and
      tolerability of alirocumab will also be investigated. DISCUSSION: The ODYSSEY
      NIPPON study will provide insights into the efficacy and safety of alirocumab 150
      mg Q4W or 150 mg Q2W among Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia who are on
      the lowest-strength dose of atorvastatin, or are receiving a non-statin LLT
      (including diet therapy alone). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number:
      NCT02584504.

PMID- 28623956
TI  - Differential protein expression in chicken macrophages and heterophils in vivo
      following infection with Salmonella Enteritidis.
AB  - In this study we compared the proteomes of macrophages and heterophils isolated
      from the spleen 4 days after intravenous infection of chickens with Salmonella
      Enteritidis. Heterophils were characterized by expression of MMP9, MRP126, LECT2,
      CATHL1, CATHL2, CATHL3, LYG2, LYZ and RSFR. Macrophages specifically expressed
      receptor proteins, e.g. MRC1L, LRP1, LGALS1, LRPAP1 and a DMBT1L. Following
      infection, heterophils decreased ALB and FN1, and released MMP9 to enable their
      translocation to the site of infection. In addition, the endoplasmic reticulum
      proteins increased in heterophils which resulted in the release of granular
      proteins. Since transcription of genes encoding granular proteins did not
      decrease, these genes remained continuously transcribed and translated even after
      initial degranulation. Macrophages increased amounts of fatty acid elongation
      pathway proteins, lysosomal and phagosomal proteins. Macrophages were less
      responsive to acute infection than heterophils and an increase in proteins like
      CATHL1, CATHL2, RSFR, LECT2 and GAL1 in the absence of any change in their
      expression at RNA level could even be explained by capturing these proteins from
      the external environment into which these could have been released by
      heterophils.

PMID- 28623955
TI  - Precision medicine in breast cancer: reality or utopia?
AB  - Many cancers, including breast cancer, have demonstrated prognosis and support
      advantages thanks to the discovery of targeted therapies. The advent of these new
      approaches marked the rise of precision medicine, which leads to improve the
      diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer. Precision medicine takes into
      account the molecular and biological specificities of the patient and their
      tumors that will influence the treatment determined by physicians. This new era
      of medicine is accessible through molecular genetics platforms, the development
      of high-speed sequencers and means of analysis of these data. Despite the
      spectacular results in the treatment of cancers including breast cancer,
      described in this review, not all patients however can benefit from this new
      strategy. This seems to be related to the many genetic mutations, which may be
      different from one patient to another or within the same patient. It comes to
      give new impetus to the research-both from a technological and biological point
      of view-to make the hope of precision medicine accessible to all.

PMID- 28623957
TI  - Developing a mathematical model for the evaluation of the potential impact of a
      partially efficacious vaccine on the transmission dynamics of Schistosoma mansoni
      in human communities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is currently no vaccine available to protect humans against
      infection with the schistosome digenean parasites, although candidate
      formulations for Schistosoma mansoni are under trial in animal models, including
      rodents and primates. Current strategies for the control of infection are based
      on mass drug administration (MDA) targeted at school-aged children of age 5 to 14
      years. This approach is unlikely to eliminate exposure to infection except in
      settings with very low levels of transmission. METHODS: A deterministic
      mathematical model for the transmission dynamics of the parasite is described and
      employed to investigate community level outcomes. The model is defined to
      encompass two different delivery strategies for the vaccination of the
      population, namely, infant (cohort) and mass vaccination. However, in this paper
      the focus is on vaccination delivered in a cohort immunisation programme where
      infants are immunised within the first year of life before acquiring infection.
      An analysis of the parasite's transmission dynamics following the administration
      of a partially protective vaccine is presented. The vaccine acts on parasite
      mortality, fecundity or/and establishment. RESULTS: A vaccine with an efficacy of
      over 60% can interrupt transmission in low and moderate transmission settings. In
      higher transmission intensity areas, greater efficacy or higher infant
      vaccination coverage is required. Candidate vaccines that act either on parasite
      mortality, fecundity or establishment within the human host, can be similarly
      effective. In all cases, however, the duration of protection is important. The
      community level impact of vaccines with all modes of action, declines if vaccine
      protection is of a very short duration. However, durations of protection of 5-10
      years or more are sufficient, with high coverage and efficacy levels, to halt
      transmission. The time taken to break transmission may be 18 years or more after
      the start of the cohort vaccination, depending on the intensity of the
      transmission in a defined location. CONCLUSIONS: The analyses provide support for
      the proposition that even a partially efficacious vaccine could be of great value
      in reducing the burden of schistosome infections in endemic regions and hopefully
      could provide a template for the elimination of parasite transmission.

PMID- 28623960
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28623958
TI  - Knockdown of subunit 3 of the COP9 signalosome inhibits C2C12 myoblast
      differentiation via NF-KappaB signaling pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a conserved protein complex composed of
      8 subunits designated CSN1-CSN8. CSN3 represents the third subunit of the CSN and
      maintains the integrity of the complex. CSN3 binds to the striated muscle
      specific beta1D integrin tail, and its subcellular localization is altered in
      differentiated skeletal muscle cells. However, the role of CSN3 in skeletal
      muscle differentiation is unknown. The main goal of this study was to identify
      whether CSN3 participates in myoblast differentiation and the signalling
      mechanisms involved using C2C12 cells as a skeletal muscle cell model. METHODS:
      Small-hairpin (shRNA) was used to knockdown CSN3 in C2C12 cells. Differentiation
      was evaluated by immunostaining and confocal microscopy. Markers of
      differentiation, NF-kappaB signaling and CSN subunits expression, were assessed
      by immunoblotting and/or immunostaining. Cell proliferation was analysed by cell
      counting, flow cytometry and a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Data were analyzed by one or two-way
      analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post-hoc testing. RESULTS: Transduction
      of C2C12 cells with two distinct CSN3 shRNAs led to the production of two cells
      lines expressing 7% of CSN3 protein (shCSN3-Low) and 43% of CSN3 protein (CSN3
      Med) compared to controls. Knockdown of CSN3 was accompanied by destabilization
      of several CSN subunits and increased nuclear NF-kappaB localization. shCSN3-Med
      cells expressed less myogenin and formed shorter and thinner myotubes. In
      contrast, the shCSN3-Low cells expressed higher levels of myogenin prior and
      during the differentiation and remained mononucleated throughout the
      differentiation period. Both CSN3 knockdown cell lines failed to express
      sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MHC) protein during differentiation. The fusion
      index was significantly higher in control cells than in shCSN3-Med cells, whereas
      shCSN3-Low cells showed no cell fusion. Interestingly, CSN3 knockdown cells
      exhibited a significantly slower growth rate relative to the control cells. Cell
      cycle analysis revealed that CSN3 knockdowns delayed in S phase and had increased
      levels of nuclear p21/Cip1 and p27/Kip1. CONCLUSIONS: This study clarifies the
      first step toward unrevealing the CSN3/CSN-mediated pathways that controls C2C12
      differentiation and proliferation. Further in vivo characterization of CSN/CSN3
      may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic target of skeletal muscle diseases
      such as muscular dystrophies.

PMID- 28623961
TI  - Histone modifications for chromatin dynamics and cellular plasticity.

PMID- 28623959
TI  - The impact of Wolbachia infection on the rate of vertical transmission of dengue
      virus in Brazilian Aedes aegypti.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wolbachia pipientis is a common endosymbiotic bacterium of arthropods
      that strongly inhibits dengue virus (DENV) infection and transmission in the
      primary vector, the mosquito Aedes aegypti. For that reason, Wolbachia-infected
      Ae. aegypti are currently being released into the field as part of a novel
      strategy to reduce DENV transmission. However, there is evidence that DENV can be
      transmitted vertically from mother to progeny, and this may help the virus
      persist in nature in the absence of regular human transmission. The effect of
      Wolbachia infection on this process had not previously been examined. RESULTS: We
      challenged Ae. aegypti with different Brazilian DENV isolates either by oral
      feeding or intrathoracic injection to ensure disseminated infection. We examined
      the effect of Wolbachia infection on the prevalence of DENV infection, and viral
      load in the ovaries. For orally infected mosquitoes, Wolbachia decreased the
      prevalence of infection by 71.29%, but there was no such effect when the virus
      was injected. Interestingly, regardless of the method of infection, Wolbachia
      infection strongly reduced DENV load in the ovaries. We then looked at the effect
      of Wolbachia on vertical transmission, where we observed only very low rates of
      vertical transmission. There was a trend towards lower rates in the presence of
      Wolbachia, with overall maximum likelihood estimate of infection rates of 5.04
      per 1000 larvae for mosquitoes without Wolbachia, and 1.93 per 1000 larvae for
      Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, after DENV injection. However, this effect was not
      statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the idea that vertical
      transmission of DENV is rare in nature, even in the absence of Wolbachia. Indeed,
      we observed that vertical transmission rates were low even when the midgut
      barrier was bypassed, which might help to explain why we only observed a trend
      towards lower vertical transmission rates in the presence of Wolbachia.
      Nevertheless, the low prevalence of disseminated DENV infection and lower DENV
      load in the ovaries supports the hypothesis that the presence of Wolbachia in Ae.
      aegypti would have an effect on the vertical transmission of DENV in the field.

PMID- 28623962
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28623963
TI  - [The pathologist, urologist's air traffic controller].

PMID- 28623964
TI  - Editorial to EEMDS, Krakow, 2015.

PMID- 28623965
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28623966
TI  - Relative amount of telomeric sequences in terminal villi does not differ between
      normal term placentas and placentas from patients with well-controlled type 1
      diabetes mellitus.
AB  - We applied qPCR to compare relative telomere length in terminal villi
      microdissected from term control placentas and placentas of patients suffering
      from type 1 diabetes. Significant differences were not found in the relative T/S
      ratios between placental groups or between the diabetic placentas affected and
      those not affected with chorangiosis. We hypothesize that there is no
      relationship between decreased placental proliferative ability in maternal
      diabetes type 1 and telomere shortening.

PMID- 28623967
TI  - When is peripartum hysterectomy an unethical procedure?

PMID- 28623968
TI  - Oxygen and tissue culture affect placental gene expression.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Placental explant culture is an important model for studying
      placental development and functions. We investigated the differences in placental
      gene expression in response to tissue culture, atmospheric and physiologic oxygen
      concentrations. METHODS: Placental explants were collected from normal term (38
      39 weeks of gestation) placentae with no previous uterine contractile activity.
      Placental transcriptomic expressions were evaluated with GeneChip(r) Human Genome
      U133 Plus 2.0 arrays (Affymetrix). RESULTS: We uncovered sub-sets of genes that
      regulate response to stress, induction of apoptosis programmed cell death, mis
      regulation of cell growth, proliferation, cell morphogenesis, tissue viability,
      and protection from apoptosis in cultured placental explants. We also identified
      a sub-set of genes with highly unstable pattern of expression after exposure to
      tissue culture. Tissue culture irrespective of oxygen concentration induced
      dichotomous increase in significant gene expression and increased enrichment of
      significant pathways and transcription factor targets (TFTs) including HIF1A. The
      effect was exacerbated by culture at atmospheric oxygen concentration, where
      further up-regulation of TFTs including PPARA, CEBPD, HOXA9 and down-regulated
      TFTs such as JUND/FOS suggest intrinsic heightened key biological and metabolic
      mechanisms such as glucose use, lipid biosynthesis, protein metabolism;
      apoptosis, inflammatory responses; and diminished trophoblast proliferation,
      differentiation, invasion, regeneration, and viability. DISCUSSION: These
      findings demonstrate that gene expression patterns differ between pre-culture and
      cultured explants, and the gene expression of explants cultured at atmospheric
      oxygen concentration favours stressed, pro-inflammatory and increased apoptotic
      transcriptomic response.

PMID- 28623969
TI  - Altered gene expression in human placenta after suspected preterm labour.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Suspected preterm labour occurs in around 9% of pregnancies.
      However, almost two-thirds of women admitted for threatened preterm labour
      ultimately deliver at term and are considered risk-free for fetal development.
      METHODS: We examined placental and umbilical cord blood samples from preterm or
      term deliveries after threatened preterm labour as well as term deliveries
      without threatened preterm labour. We quantitatively analysed the mRNA expression
      of inflammatory markers (IL6, IFNgamma, and TNFalpha) and modulators of
      angiogenesis (FGF2, PGF, VEGFA, VEGFB, and VEGFR1). RESULTS: A total of 132
      deliveries were analysed. Preterm delivery and term delivery after suspected
      preterm labour groups showed similar increases in TNFalpha expression compared
      with the term delivery control group in umbilical cord blood samples. Placental
      samples from preterm and term deliveries after suspected preterm labour exhibited
      significantly increased expression of TNFalpha and IL6 and decreased expression
      of IFNgamma. Suspected preterm labour was also associated with altered expression
      of angiogenic factors, although not all differences reached statistical
      significance. DISCUSSION: We found gene expression patterns indicative of
      inflammation in human placentas after suspected preterm labour regardless of
      whether the deliveries occurred preterm or at term. Similarly, a trend towards
      altered expression of angiogeneic factors was not limited to preterm birth. These
      findings suggest that the biological mechanisms underlying threatened preterm
      labour affect pregnancies independently of gestational age at birth.

PMID- 28623970
TI  - Localization of the placental BCRP/ABCG2 transporter to lipid rafts: Role for
      cholesterol in mediating efflux activity.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) is an efflux
      transporter in the placental barrier. By transporting chemicals from the fetal to
      the maternal circulation, BCRP limits fetal exposure to a range of drugs,
      toxicants, and endobiotics such as bile acids and hormones. The purpose of the
      present studies was to 1) determine whether BCRP localizes to highly-ordered,
      cholesterol-rich lipid raft microdomains in placenta microvillous membranes, and
      2) determine the impact of cholesterol on BCRP-mediated placental transport in
      vitro. METHODS: BCRP expression was analyzed in lipid rafts isolated from
      placentas from healthy, term pregnancies and BeWo trophoblasts by density
      gradient ultracentrifugation. BeWo cells were also tested for their ability to
      efflux BCRP substrates after treatment with the cholesterol sequestrant methyl
      beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD, 5 mM, 1 h) or the cholesterol synthesis inhibitor
      pravastatin (200 MUM, 48 h). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: BCRP was found to co
      localize with lipid raft proteins in detergent-resistant, lipid raft-containing
      fractions from placental microvillous membranes and BeWo cells. Treatment of BeWo
      cells with MbetaCD redistributed BCRP protein into higher density non-lipid raft
      fractions. Repletion of the cells with cholesterol restored BCRP localization to
      lipid raft-containing fractions. Treatment of BeWo cells with MbetaCD or
      pravastatin increased cellular retention of two BCRP substrates, the fluorescent
      dye Hoechst 33342 and the mycotoxin zearalenone. Repletion with cholesterol
      restored BCRP transporter activity. Taken together, these data demonstrate that
      cholesterol may play a critical role in the post-translational regulation of BCRP
      in placental lipid rafts.

PMID- 28623971
TI  - Remodelling of the bovine placenta: Comprehensive morphological and
      histomorphological characterization at the late embryonic and early accelerated
      fetal growth stages.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Placental function impacts growth and development with lifelong
      consequences for performance and health. We provide novel insights into placental
      development in bovine, an important agricultural species and biomedical model.
      METHODS: Concepti with defined genetics and sex were recovered from nulliparous
      dams managed under standardized conditions to study placental gross morphological
      and histomorphological parameters at the late embryo (Day48) and early
      accelerated fetal growth (Day153) stages. RESULTS: Placentome number increased 3
      fold between Day48 and Day153. Placental barrier thickness was thinner, and
      volume of placental components, and surface areas and densities were higher at
      Day153 than Day48. We confirmed two placentome types, flat and convex. At Day48,
      there were more convex than flat placentomes, and convex placentomes had a lower
      proportion of maternal connective tissue (P < 0.01). However, this was reversed
      at Day153, where convex placentomes were lower in number and had greater volume
      of placental components (P < 0.01- P < 0.001) and greater surface area (P <
      0.001) than flat placentomes. Importantly, embryo (r = 0.50) and fetal (r = 0.30)
      weight correlated with total number of convex but not flat placentomes.
      DISCUSSION: Extensive remodelling of the placenta increases capacity for nutrient
      exchange to support rapidly increasing embryo-fetal weight from Day48 to Day153.
      The cellular composition of convex placentomes, and exclusive relationships
      between convex placentome number and embryo-fetal weight, provide strong evidence
      for these placentomes as drivers of prenatal growth. The difference in proportion
      of maternal connective tissue between placentome types at Day48 suggests that
      this tissue plays a role in determining placentome shape, further highlighting
      the importance of early placental development.

PMID- 28623972
TI  - Placentation in the colugos Cynocephalus volans and Galeopterus variegatus
      (Dermoptera) and the transition from labyrinthine to villous placentation in
      primates.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Phylogenetics and genomics place colugos as the sister group to
      primates. Therefore their placentation is of interest in an evolutionary
      perspective. Previous accounts are fragmentary, not readily accessible and
      sometimes contradictory. METHODS: We have examined archival material covering the
      early development of fetal membranes and placenta, the fate of the yolk sac and
      definitive placentation. RESULTS: Initially the trophoblast extended over a
      rather broad but shallow area, enclosing maternal blood spaces. After expansion
      of the exocoelom it became covered by somatic mesoderm. The mature
      chorioallantoic placenta was haemochorial and characterized by a labyrinth with
      markedly dilated maternal blood spaces. Blood vessels appeared in the
      splanchnopleure early in development and later extended to the yolk sac, but we
      found no evidence of a choriovitelline placenta at any stage of gestation. There
      was, however, an extensive paraplacenta. CONCLUSIONS: A choriovitelline placenta
      is not formed early in gestation nor is it present at term. Early in development
      invasive trophoblast spreads laterally to form a trophoblastic plate. We found
      evidence to support the idea that the colugo placenta is intermediate between the
      labyrinthine placenta of rodents and the trabecular type of Neotropical primates.

PMID- 28623973
TI  - Dynamic maternal and fetal Notch activity and expression in placentation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Murine placentation requires trophoblast Notch2, while the Notch
      ligand, JAGGED1, is reduced in invasive trophoblasts from women with
      preeclampsia. However, the placental cells with active Notch signaling and
      expression of other Notch proteins and ligands in placentation have yet to be
      defined. We sought to identify endothelial cell and trophoblast subtypes with
      canonical Notch signaling in the decidua and placenta and correlate this to
      expression of Notch proteins and ligands. METHODS: Notch reporter transgenic mice
      were used to define canonical Notch activity and immunofluorescence staining
      performed to characterize expression of Notch1, 2, 3, 4 and ligands, Delta-like 4
      (Dll4) and Jagged1 (Jag1) during early placentation and in the mature placenta.
      RESULTS: Notch signaling is active in maternal and fetal endothelial cells and
      trophoblasts during early placentation and in the mature placenta. Dll4, Jag1,
      Notch1, and Notch4 are expressed in maternal vasculature in the decidua. Dll4,
      Jag1 and Notch1 are expressed in fetal vasculature in the labyrinth. Dll4, Notch2
      and Notch4 are co-expressed in the ectoplacental cone. Notch2 and Notch4 are
      expressed in parietal-trophoblast giant cells and junctional zone trophoblasts
      with active canonical Notch signaling and in labyrinthine syncytiotrophoblasts
      and sinusoidal-trophoblast giant cells. DISCUSSION: Canonical Notch activity and
      distinct expression patterns for Notch proteins and ligands was evident in
      endothelium and trophoblasts, suggesting Notch1, Notch2, Notch4, Dll4, and Jag1
      have distinct and overlapping functions in placentation. Characterization of
      Notch signaling defects in existing mouse models of preeclampsia may shed light
      on the role of Notch in developing the preeclampsia phenotype.

PMID- 28623974
TI  - Increased placental phospholipase A2 gene expression and free F2-isoprostane
      levels in response to oxidative stress in preeclampsia.
AB  - Vasoactive eicosanoids such as thromboxane (TX) A2 and F2-isoprostanes (F2-isoPs)
      were shown to be increased in the preeclamptic placenta. Only one of the 64
      possible isomers of F2-isoPs derived from the oxidation of arachidonic acid was
      investigated in the placenta so far. F2-isoPs are released from membrane
      phospholipids by phospholipases A2 (PLA2) and were shown to act on the TXA2
      receptor (TBXA2R). However, the PLA2 deregulated in preeclampsia (PE) remains to
      be determined. In this study, we analyzed the concentrations of six isomers of F2
      isoPs; 8-iso-PGF2alpha, 8-iso-15(R)-PGF2alpha, 15(R)-PGF2alpha, iPF2alpha-IV,
      iPF2alpha-VI, 5-iPF2alpha-VI and the concentrations of the stable metabolites of
      TXA2, TXB2, by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass
      spectrometry in placentas of PE (n = 17) and normotensive (n = 15) pregnancies
      according to the biopsy site: peri-insertion or periphery. In the same biopsies,
      relative mRNA expression of PLA2G2A, PLA2G4A, PLA2G5, PLA2G7, the PLA2 receptor
      (PLA2R1), the TXA2 synthase and TBXAR2 were measured by quantitative RT-PCR. We
      observed similar concentrations of total F2-isoP isomers between groups whereas
      higher concentrations (>40%) of free F2-isoP were observed for all isomers (p <=
      0.033) in PE than normotensive controls. As expected, we also observed higher
      placental concentrations of TXB2 in PE (p = 0.005). Interestingly, we
      concomitantly found higher mRNA expression of secretory PLA2G2A (p = 0.010),
      PLA2G5 (p = 0.038) and TBXA2R (p = 0.023) in PE than normotensive placentas. In
      sum, deregulated PLA2 could potentially be implicated in freeing F2-isoP which
      could participate in local hypertension observed in the PE placenta through the
      TX pathway.

PMID- 28623975
TI  - Mitochondrial DNA content and methylation in fetal cord blood of pregnancies with
      placental insufficiency.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia (PE) are
      pregnancy disorders characterized by placental insufficiency with oxygen/nutrient
      restriction and oxidative stress, all influencing mitochondria functionality and
      number. Moreover, IUGR and PE fetuses are predisposed to diseases later in life,
      and this might occur through epigenetic alterations. Here we analyze content and
      methylation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), for the first time in IUGR and PE
      singleton fetuses, to identify possible alterations in mtDNA levels and/or
      epigenetic control of mitochondrial loci relevant to replication (D-loop) and
      functionality (mt-TF/RNR1: protein synthesis, mt-CO1: respiratory chain complex).
      METHODS: We studied 35 term and 8 preterm control, 31 IUGR, 17 PE/IUGR and 17 PE
      human singleton pregnancies with elective cesarean delivery. Fetal cord blood was
      collected and evaluated for biochemical parameters. Extracted DNA was subjected
      to Real-time PCR to assess mtDNA content and analyzed for D-loop, mt-TF/RNR1 and
      mt-CO1 methylation by bisulfite conversion and pyrosequencing. RESULTS: mtDNA
      levels were increased in all pathologic groups compared to controls.
      Mitochondrial loci showed very low methylation levels in all samples; D-loop
      methylation was further decreased in the most severe cases and associated to
      umbilical vein pO2. mt-CO1 methylation levels inversely correlated to mtDNA
      content. DISCUSSION: Increased mtDNA levels in IUGR, PE/IUGR and PE cord blood
      may denote a fetal response to placental insufficiency. Hypomethylation of D
      loop, mt-TF/RNR1 and mt-CO1 loci confirms their relevance in pregnancy.

PMID- 28623976
TI  - ADAM28 localizes to HLA-G+ trophoblasts and promotes column cell outgrowth.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Trophoblast progenitor cell differentiation towards the
      extravillous trophoblast (EVT) lineage initiates within proximal regions of
      anchoring columns of first trimester placental villi. While molecular processes
      controlling the initial stages of progenitor cell differentiation along the EVT
      pathway have been described, much remains unknown about factors important in
      distal column cell differentiation into invasive EVTs. ADAMs are proteases that
      regulate growth factor signaling, cell-matrix adhesion, and matrix proteolysis,
      and thus impact many processes relevant in placentation. Global gene expression
      studies identified the ADAM subtype, ADAM28, to be highly expressed in EVT-like
      trophoblasts, suggesting that it may play a role in EVT function. This study aims
      to test the functional importance of ADAM28 in column cell outgrowth and
      maintenance. METHODS: ADAM28 mRNA levels and protein localization were determined
      by qPCR and immunofluorescence microscopy analyses in purified placental villi
      cell populations and tissues. ADAM28 function in trophoblast column outgrowth was
      examined using ADAM28-targetting siRNAs in Matrigel-imbedded placental explant
      cultures. RESULTS: Within placental villi, ADAM28 mRNA levels were highest in HLA
      G+ column trophoblasts, and consistent with this, ADAM28 was preferentially
      localized to HLA-G+ trophoblasts within distal anchoring columns and decidual
      tissue. siRNA-directed loss of ADAM28 impaired trophoblast column outgrowth and
      resulted in increased apoptosis in matrix-invading trophoblasts. DISCUSSION: Our
      findings suggest that ADAM28 promotes column outgrowth by providing survival cues
      within anchoring column cells. This study also provides insight into a possible
      role for ADAM28 in driving differentiation of column trophoblasts into invasive
      HLA-G+ EVT subsets.

PMID- 28623977
TI  - Loss of selenocysteine insertion sequence binding protein 2 suppresses the
      proliferation, migration/invasion and hormone secretion of human trophoblast
      cells via the PI3K/Akt and ERK signaling pathway.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Selenocysteine insertion binding protein 2 (SECISBP2) plays a vital
      role in selenocysteine incorporation into selenoprotein in many creatures.
      However, the impact of SECISBP2 in development of trophoblast cells remains
      unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of SECISBP2 in human
      trophoblast cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. METHODS: Low-expression
      of SECISBP2 in trophoblast cells was achieved by transfection with siRNAs. Then
      protein levels of selenoproteins and MDA content were performed to evaluate the
      levels of oxidative stress. CCK-8 assays, transwell chamber assay and wound
      healing assay were used to assess the trophoblast proliferation,
      migration/invasion. Production of beta-hCG and progesterone was quantified to
      estimate the effect of SECISBP2 on hormone secretion. The underlying mechanisms
      were also examined in two trophoblast cell lines. RESULTS: Knockdown of SECISBP2
      clearly reduced the levels of some selenoproteins, including GPx1, SelK, Dio2 (p
      < 0.05). On the contrary, the levels of oxidative stress presented as MDA content
      markedly increased in two cell lines (p < 0.05). In addition, proliferative,
      migratory and invasive abilities of trophoblast cells were significantly
      suppressed when SECISBP2 was partially deleted (p < 0.05). Furthermore, silencing
      SECISBP2 reduced the expression of beta-hCG at mRNA and protein levels (p <
      0.05), and inhibited the production of progesterone (p < 0.01). The PI3K/Akt and
      ERK signaling pathway were found to involve in the progress (p < 0.05).
      DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that the decreased SECISBP2 impaired trophoblast
      proliferation, migration/invasion and hormone secretion through inactivation of
      the PI3K/Akt and ERK signaling pathway may provide an insight into the
      preeclampsia and miscarriage induced by selenium deficiency.

PMID- 28623978
TI  - Gestational diabetes affects fetal autophagy.
AB  - Autophagy is a catabolic process involved in the preservation of energy
      homeostasis and its dysregulation has been implicated in the development of
      metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus. Gestational diabetes mellitus
      represents a risk for fetal morbidity and mortality. The present study focuses on
      the autophagy process in human diabetic placenta and fetal pancreas, compared
      with controls. Analysis of the autophagy markers LC3, Beclin-1 and p62 suggests
      an impairment of the autophagy process in diabetic placentas. Results indicate an
      association between gestational diabetes and autophagy, emphasizing the
      importance of unravelling the mechanisms regulating this relationship.

PMID- 28623979
TI  - Placental glucose transporter (GLUT)-1 is down-regulated in preeclampsia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Transplacental fetal glucose supply is predominantly regulated by
      glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1). Altered expression and/or function of GLUT1 may
      affect the intrauterine environment, which could compromise fetal development and
      may contribute to fetal programming. To date it is unknown whether placental
      GLUT1 is affected by preeclampsia, which is often associated with intrauterine
      growth restriction (IUGR). We addressed the hypothesis that preeclampsia leads to
      decreased expression and function of placental GLUT1. METHODS: Placentae were
      obtained following normal pregnancy and from pregnancies affected by
      preeclampsia. Washed villous tissue fragments were used to prepare syncytial
      microvillous (MVM) and basal plasma membranes (BM) microvesicles. GLUT1 protein
      and mRNA expression was assessed by western blot analysis and qPCR using Fast
      SYBR Green. A radio-labeled glucose up-take assay using placenta-derived
      syncytial microvesicles was used to analyze GLUT1 function. RESULTS: GLUT1
      protein expression was significantly down-regulated in (apical) MVM of the
      syncytiotrophoblast in preeclampsia (n = 6) compared to controls (n = 6) (0.40 +/
      0.04 versus 1.00 +/- 0.06, arbitrary units, P < 0.001, Student's t-test), while
      GLUT1 mRNA expression did not show a significant difference. In addition, the
      functional assay in syncytial microvesicles showed a significantly decreased
      glucose transport activity in preeclampsia (61.78 +/- 6.48%, P < 0.05) compared
      to controls. BM GLUT1 protein expression was unchanged and glucose up-take into
      BM microvesicles showed no differences between the preeclampsia and control
      groups. DISCUSSION: Our study shows for the first time that in preeclampsia
      placental GLUT1 expression and function are down-regulated at the apical plasma
      membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast. Further studies are needed to assess whether
      these changes occur also in vivo and contribute to the development of IUGR in
      preeclampsia.

PMID- 28623980
TI  - Moving toward more appropriate care for women with pelvic, labial, or perineal
      venous disease.

PMID- 28623981
TI  - Characteristics of provoked deep venous thrombosis in a tertiary care center.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Provoked deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is precipitated by a specific
      event. This paper compares the characteristics of provoked DVT in patients with
      transient risk (TR) factors and patients with continuous risk (CR) factors.
      METHODS: A retrospective review of records of all consecutive patients diagnosed
      with DVT between January 2013 and August 2014 was performed. Patients with
      provoked DVT were included in the TR group if the provoking event resolved in 2
      weeks and they did not have ongoing risk of thrombosis. Patients in the CR group
      had a provoked DVT with ongoing risk of thrombosis due to individual factors
      deemed to be ongoing risks of thrombosis, such as cancer, hypercoagulable
      disorder, and prolonged immobilization. Demographics, risk factors, association
      with pulmonary embolism (PE) and its severity, risk of recurrent venous
      thromboembolism (VTE), and mortality were compared between the two groups.
      RESULTS: A total of 838 patients were diagnosed with DVT, and 50.7% (425) were
      provoked. There were 127 (29.9%) patients with TR and 298 (70.1%) with CR. TR
      patients were younger (60.4 +/- 16.3 vs 65.9 +/- 16.0; P = .001). TR was more
      likely to be provoked by surgery (70.9% vs 55.4%; P = .003), whereas CR was more
      likely to be provoked by immobilization (21.5% vs 12.6%; P = .032). CR patients
      were affected by cancer (48.7%) and hypercoagulable disorders (4.4%). TR patients
      were more likely to have calf DVTs (36.2% vs 26.2%; P = .047). There was a trend
      toward lower association with PE on presentation in TR (17.3% vs 21.1%; P =
      .072), but that did not reach statistical significance. However, TR factors were
      more likely to be associated with low-risk PE compared with CR factors (30.2% vs
      54.6%; P = .040). After mean follow-up of 7.2 months, CR had higher risk of
      recurrent VTE (14.0% vs 6.8%; P = .045) and mortality (23.5% vs 7.1%; P < .0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Provoked DVT with CR factors affects older patients and is
      associated with high recurrence of VTE and mortality compared with provoked DVT
      with TR factors.

PMID- 28623982
TI  - Clinical characteristics and prognostic features of intravenous leiomyomatosis
      with inferior vena cava or intracardiac extension.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics and
      prognostic features of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) with inferior vena cava
      extension (IVCE) or intracardiac extension (ICE). METHODS: A retrospective
      analysis was conducted of the clinical data of 38 patients with pathologically
      diagnosed IVL with IVCE or ICE. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 44.05
      +/- 6.31 years. Twenty-two patients (57.9%) had a history of uterine leiomyoma.
      Nine patients (23.7%) had a history of IVL without IVCE or ICE. The most common
      symptoms were chest tightness (seven patients), lower limb swelling (five
      patients), palpitation (four patients), dizziness (two patients), and abdominal
      distention (two patients). Preoperative diagnoses were achieved in 28 patients
      (73.7%); 23 patients (60.5%) underwent one-stage surgery, whereas 15 (39.5%)
      underwent two-stage surgery. Eighteen patients (72%) received postoperative
      antiestrogen hormone therapy. Regular follow-up was available in 30 patients,
      with a median follow-up time of 12.0 months; 15 patients (50.0%) showed evidence
      of recurrence. Factors such as postoperative antiestrogen hormone therapy (9/20
      compared with 6/10; P = .601), duration of postoperative hormonal therapy (10/15
      in >6 months compared with 5/15 in <=6 months; P = .862), and heart involvement
      (10/22 compared with 5/8; P = .669) were not significantly associated with
      recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: IVL with IVCE or ICE is a rare disease with nonspecific
      manifestations. Surgery is the primary treatment. The postoperative recurrence
      rate is high, and postoperative antiestrogen hormone therapy is not significantly
      correlated with recurrence.

PMID- 28623983
TI  - Clinical presentation of women with pelvic source varicose veins in the perineum
      as a first step in the development of a disease-specific patient assessment tool.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Pelvic venous incompetence can cause symptomatic varicose veins in the
      perineum, buttock, and thigh. Presentation, symptom severity, and response to
      treatment of pelvic source varicose veins are not well defined. Currently
      available tools to measure the severity of lower extremity venous disease and its
      effects on quality of life may be inadequate to assess disease severity in these
      patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histories, demographics,
      and clinical presentations of women with pelvic source varicose veins and to
      compare these data to a population of women with nonpelvic source varicose veins.
      METHODS: A total of 72 female patients with symptomatic pelvic source varicose
      veins were prospectively followed up. Age, weight, height, parity, and birth
      weights of offspring were recorded. Both pelvic source varicose veins and
      saphenous incompetence were identified by duplex ultrasound. Patients were
      queried as to their primary symptoms, activities that made their symptoms worse,
      and time when their symptoms were most prominent. Severity of disease was
      objectively evaluated using the revised Venous Clinical Severity Score (rVCSS)
      and 10-point numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). RESULTS: Compared with women
      without a pelvic source of varicose veins (N = 1163), patients with pelvic source
      varicose veins were younger (mean, 44.6 +/- 8.6 vs 52.6 +/- 12.9 years; P <
      .001), had lower body mass index (mean, 21.9 +/- 2.8 vs 25.8 +/- 6.2; P < .001),
      and had larger babies than the U.S. population mean (mean, 3656 +/- 450 g vs 3389
      +/- 466 g; P < .001). The most common symptoms were aching (68%), throbbing
      (47%), and heaviness (35%). In premenopausal patients, 70% noted that symptoms
      were worst during menses. NPRS score varied from 0 to 8 (mean, 4.9). The
      correlation between rVCSS (mean 5.6 +/- 1.9) and NPRS was small (r = 0.26; P =
      .03). There was a modest correlation between older age and lower NPRS scores (r =
      -0.39; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Women with pelvic source varicose veins are a
      unique subset of patients. They are younger and thinner than those with nonpelvic
      source varicose veins, have larger infants than the general U.S. population, and
      have an inverse correlation between age and pain. As the majority of
      premenopausal patients have increased symptoms during menses, this may be due to
      hormonal influence. As it is poorly associated with patient-reported discomfort,
      the rVCSS is a poor tool for evaluating pelvic source varicose veins. A disease
      specific tool for the evaluation of pelvic source varicose veins is critically
      needed, and this study is a first step in that endeavor.

PMID- 28623984
TI  - Routine extended follow-up surveillance of iliac vein stents for iliocaval venous
      obstruction may not be warranted.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of iliac vein
      stents placed for iliocaval venous obstruction (ICVO) and to determine if routine
      follow-up surveillance is warranted on the basis of timing of stent failure.
      METHODS: All patients who underwent iliac vein stenting from 2003 to 2015 were
      identified from a prospectively maintained registry. Demographics of the
      patients, venous risk factors, prior venous interventions, indications, imaging,
      anatomic location of the ICVO, operative findings, procedural success,
      complications, and clinical follow-up were recorded. Clinical and ultrasound
      surveillance was performed at first postoperative follow-up and at routine
      subsequent intervals. Continuous data were analyzed with Student t-tests or Mann
      Whitney U test, and frequency data were analyzed with chi2 analysis or Fisher
      exact test. Primary patency was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.
      RESULTS: Seventy-four limbs in 70 patients who underwent iliac vein stenting for
      ICVO were identified; 36 limbs (48.6%) were stented for nonthrombotic venous
      compression (stent-VC), and 38 limbs (51.4%) were stented for venous thrombosis
      (stent-VT). Twenty-seven limbs (71.1%) of the stent-VT group were treated for
      acute venous thrombosis requiring lysis followed by stenting for underlying
      venous lesions. The median number of follow-up visits for the stent-VC and stent
      VT groups was two (interquartile range [IQR], 1-4) and two (IQR, 1-3), whereas
      the mean length of follow-up was 19.6 +/- 29.5 months and 19.8 +/- 26.5 months (P
      = .972), respectively. During the first 6 months, one limb (2.8% [n = 36]) in the
      stent-VC group occluded, whereas 13.2% (5/38) of the limbs in the stent-VT group
      occluded. In the stent-VT group, 57% of limbs (4 of 7) with acute venous
      thrombosis requiring thrombolytic therapy had limb occlusion at >6 months
      (median, 18.1 months; IQR, 16.6-30.1). Overall patency rates for the stent-VC and
      stent-VT groups were 97.2% (1/36) and 73.7% (10/38) at 36 months (standard error,
      <=10%; P = .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Iliac vein stents placed for
      nonthrombotic iliac vein compression had statistically higher patency than those
      placed for venous thrombosis, with few stent failures, all occurring within 6
      months. Iliac vein stents placed for venous thrombosis continued with stent
      failure after 6 months and may benefit from extended surveillance.

PMID- 28623985
TI  - Invited commentary.

PMID- 28623986
TI  - Double prepuncture as a valuable adjunctive technique for complex endovenous
      ablation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to characterize the technique and to
      report the results of double prepuncture used during complex radiofrequency
      ablation (RFA) in cases of treating multiple incompetent veins or encountering
      focal obstruction to catheter advancement. METHODS: A double prepuncture
      technique was applied in patients requiring endovascular ablation of multiple
      veins and patients with great saphenous vein cannulation failure. We treated 13
      limbs in 12 patients during a 24-month period with RFA in which the double
      prepuncture technique was used. Clinical history, operative reports, outcomes,
      and follow-up were reviewed. RESULTS: RFA was performed with the double puncture
      technique on, collectively, 10 great saphenous veins, 5 small saphenous veins,
      and 5 anterior accessory saphenous veins. Mean preoperative Clinical, Etiology,
      Anatomy, and Pathophysiology score was 4.38 +/- 1.6. Three limbs required
      prepuncture because of difficulty in advancing the catheter cephalad through
      tortuosity and focal obstruction after failure with techniques such as a
      guidewire, a guide catheter, and manual compression with ultrasound guidance. Ten
      limbs received planned double prepuncture for multiple adjacent incompetent
      veins, for which venipuncture and cannulation of the second target vein would be
      difficult after tumescent application to the first vein. Postoperative ultrasound
      demonstrated successful closure of all target veins in which the double
      prepuncture technique was used. One patient had a deep venous thrombosis (7.7%)
      that resolved without complications. CONCLUSIONS: Double prepuncture is a useful
      technical adjunct both for simultaneous endovenous ablation of multiple adjacent
      incompetent veins and when catheter passage is impeded. This technique aids in
      efficient and successful application of endovenous ablation to complex venous
      anatomy.

PMID- 28623987
TI  - Invited commentary.

PMID- 28623988
TI  - Rivaroxaban for thrombosis prophylaxis in endovenous laser ablation with and
      without phlebectomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Endovenous heat-induced thrombosis (EHIT) is a well-described
      complication of endovenous laser ablation (EVLA). We report our centers'
      experience on the efficacy (EHIT level >=2 according to the Kabnick
      classification) and safety (observed major and minor bleeding events) of
      rivaroxaban for EHIT prophylaxis in EVLA with and without concomitant
      phlebectomy. METHODS: Demographic, procedural, and outcome data of all patients
      with EVLA of the great, accessory, or small saphenous vein and EHIT prophylaxis
      with 10 mg/d rivaroxaban between 2012 and 2014 were reviewed and analyzed in this
      investigator-initiated multicenter retrospective observational single-arm study.
      RESULTS: During a median (interquartile range) follow-up duration of 51 (41-68)
      days, complete vein occlusion was achieved in 98.4% of 438 EVLA procedures in 306
      patients. One patient had an EHIT level 2 (0.2%; 95% confidence interval, 0.006%
      1.3%). No major bleedings (0%; 95% confidence interval, 0.0%-0.8%) and six minor
      bleedings (1.4%; 95% confidence interval, 0.5%-3%) were observed. CONCLUSIONS:
      Rivaroxaban (10 mg/d) for 5 to 10 days seems to be an efficacious and safe
      alternative for EHIT prophylaxis in EVLA with or without phlebectomy.

PMID- 28623989
TI  - Invited commentary.

PMID- 28623991
TI  - Invited commentary.

PMID- 28623990
TI  - Incidence of venous leg ulcer healing and recurrence after treatment with
      endovenous laser ablation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Effect of Surgery and Compression on Healing and Recurrence
      (ESCHAR) trial previously reported that patients with venous leg ulcers treated
      with saphenous stripping experienced a significantly reduced incidence of ulcer
      recurrence compared with patients treated with compression therapy. Most patients
      with leg ulcers and saphenous insufficiency are currently treated with endovenous
      thermal ablation (EVTA), but little information is available on the long-term
      results after EVTA in Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology (CEAP)
      clinical class 5 (C5) and class 6 (C6) patients. METHODS: We retrospectively
      reviewed all CEAP C5 or C6 patients treated with EVTA to define the incidence of
      ulcer healing and recurrence. Patients with active ulcers were managed weekly in
      a comprehensive wound center until healed. After healing, patients were treated
      with compression stockings and returned at 6-month intervals for follow-up. Time
      to healing and time to ulcer recurrence were determined by Kaplan-Meier survival
      analysis. Risk factors were assessed to determine their association with ulcer
      recurrence. RESULTS: EVTA of the great saphenous vein (n = 146), small saphenous
      vein (n = 20), or both (n = 7) was performed on 173 limbs with active (n = 72) or
      healed (n = 101) ulcers. Deep venous insufficiency was present in 54 cases
      (31.2%). Concomitant phlebectomy was performed in 59 limbs (34%). Median follow
      up time was 25.2 months after EVTA. Venous ulcers healed after EVTA in 57% of
      cases at 3 months, 74% at 6 months, and 78% at 12 months. Ulcers recurred in 9%
      of patients at 1 year after EVTA, 20% at 2 years, and 29% at 3 years of follow
      up. Ulcers recurred significantly more often in patients with deep venous
      insufficiency and in patients who did not undergo phlebectomy of associated
      varicose veins at the time of EVTA. CONCLUSIONS: Ulcers recurred in a minority of
      CEAP clinical C5 and C6 patients after EVTA of the saphenous veins. Ulcer
      recurrence was less frequent in patients without concomitant deep venous reflux
      and in those treated with phlebectomy of varicose veins at the time of EVTA. We
      suggest consideration of phlebectomy at the time of EVTA for patients with C5 and
      C6 venous insufficiency, particularly in those with isolated superficial venous
      insufficiency.

PMID- 28623992
TI  - Near-infrared fluorescence lymphatic imaging of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome.
AB  - The relationship between lymphatic and venous malformations in Klippel-Trenaunay
      syndrome is difficult to assess. Herein the authors describe near-infrared
      fluorescence lymphatic imaging to assess the lymphatics of a subject with a large
      port-wine stain and right leg edema. Although lymphatic vessels in the medial,
      affected knee appeared dilated and perhaps tortuous, no definitive abnormal
      lymphatic pooling or propulsion was observed. The lymphatics in the affected limb
      were well defined but less numerous than in the contralateral limb, and active,
      contractile function was observed in all vessels. As demonstrated, near-infrared
      fluorescence lymphatic imaging enables the clinical assessment of lymphatics in
      lymphovenous malformations.

PMID- 28623993
TI  - Management of refractory chylous ascites with peritoneovenous shunts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to define outcome of treatments of
      refractory chylous ascites using peritoneovenous shunts (PVSs). METHODS: Clinical
      data of patients with refractory chylous ascites treated with PVSs between 1992
      and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. The primary end point was clinical
      benefit, defined as cured, improved, or poor results; secondary end points were
      complications and reinterventions. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (eight female
      [47%]; median age, 47 years [range, 19-78 years]) with refractory chylous ascites
      were studied. This group represented 6% of 284 patients treated for chylous
      ascites during the study period. The etiology was primary lymphangiectasia in 10
      patients (59%) and secondary chylous ascites due to previous surgery, lymphatic
      obstruction with associated portal hypertension, or malignant tumor in 7 (41%).
      Eleven patients were treated with LeVeen shunts and six with Denver shunts.
      Thirty-day mortality, morbidity, and reintervention rates were 5.9%, 18%, and
      12%, respectively. Reintervention rate at 6 months was 9.1% with LeVeen shunt,
      significantly lower than 100% with Denver shunt (P = .001). During a mean follow
      up of 5.1 years (range, 17 days-22.7 years), 7 of 11 patients with LeVeen shunt
      and all 6 patients with Denver shunt required shunt replacement. Median duration
      of patency was 215 days (range, 2 days-9.0 years) of a total of 25 LeVeen shunts
      placed in 11 patients and 44 days (range, 6-91 days) of 20 Denver shunts placed
      in 6 patients. At last follow-up, patency of the LeVeen shunt was 36% (4/11);
      symptoms improved in 64% of the patients (7/11). Patency rate of Denver shunts
      was 33% (2/6), and symptoms improved in 33% (2/6). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of
      refractory chylous ascites continues to be a major challenge. The only currently
      available PVS, the Denver shunt, had a median patency period of <2 months; it
      required frequent replacements and resulted in intermittent short-term clinical
      benefit in one-third of the patients. Improvements in technology to design new
      shunts, to develop new therapies, or to adopt new techniques to treat chylous
      ascites are urgently needed.

PMID- 28623994
TI  - Placement of tunneled cuffed vascular catheter through superior vena cava
      puncture.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of
      placement of tunneled cuffed catheters through direct percutaneous puncture of
      the superior vena cava (SVC) in patients with occluded right and left innominate
      veins. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all patients with right and
      left innominate vein occlusions who underwent tunneled catheter placement with
      direct SVC puncture between January 2012 and December 2014. Under fluoroscopic
      guidance with the patient in a supine position, a 5F catheter was placed at the
      distal end of the SVC through the femoral vein, iliac vein, or hepatic vein. This
      catheter was used as a fluoroscopic target for the puncture. Following the
      guidance of fluoroscopy, the puncture needle and sheath were placed through a
      transcutaneous route with the insertion site 0.5 to 1.0 cm lateral-inferior to
      the clavicle head of the sternocleidomastoid, with the pathway inferior (caudal)
      to the clavicle, which allowed access of the guidewire and placement of a
      tunneled central venous catheter. RESULTS: The procedure succeeded in all 16
      patients. During follow-up (mean, 12 months; range, 3-36 months), access failure
      due to thrombosis was observed in one patient. The remaining continued to
      function well until the end of the follow-up period or until the death of the
      patient (n = 3). No pneumothorax occurred. The most common complication was
      mediastinal hematoma after puncture failure in five patients. The diameter of the
      maximum hematoma was 2.2 cm, and all resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: In
      patients with central vein occlusion and exhaustion of conventional insertion
      sites, a tunneled central venous catheter can be safely placed through SVC
      puncture by the transcutaneous route.

PMID- 28623996
TI  - Functional polymorphism rs1024611 in the MCP1 gene is associated with the risk of
      varicose veins of lower extremities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine responsible
      for monocyte, basophil, and T-lymphocyte attraction. Polymorphism rs1024611
      located in the regulatory region of the MCP1 gene has previously been shown to be
      associated with increased MCP-1 production. In our study, we aimed to examine the
      association of rs1024611 with the risk of primary varicose veins (PVVs) of lower
      extremities. METHODS: The case group comprised 470 patients with PVVs, and the
      control group included 269 individuals without a history of chronic venous
      disease. All cases and controls were ethnic Russians. Genotypes were determined
      by real-time polymerase chain reaction allelic discrimination. Association was
      studied by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: We revealed the association of
      genotype G/G with the increased risk of PVVs (odds ratio [OR], 1.87; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 1.02-3.44; P = .04). In the subgroup analysis,
      association was revealed only in patients with C2 Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy,
      and Pathophysiology class (allele G: OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.13-2.33; P = .008];
      genotype G/G: OR, 3.22 [95% CI, 1.43-7.27; P = .005]), in patients with age at
      onset of PVVs before 30 years (allele G: OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.08-1.85; P = .01];
      genotype G/G: OR, 2.35 [95% CI, 1.22-4.55; P = .01]), and in patients who
      declared no family history (allele G: OR, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.02-2.09; P = .04];
      genotype G/G: OR, 2.50 [95% CI, 1.11-5.63; P = .03]). CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      provide evidence for MCP-1 involvement in the development of PVVs and indicate
      that inflammation could be implicated in the pathogenesis of this condition.

PMID- 28623997
TI  - A rare case of idiopathic bilateral ovarian vein thrombosis.
AB  - Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is a rare medical disorder most often diagnosed in
      the peripartum period and maybe associated with other risk factors for
      thrombosis. Rarely, OVT is considered idiopathic. It occurs in the right ovarian
      vein alone in two-thirds of patients. In this report, we present a case of
      idiopathic and bilateral OVT in a 35-year-old woman who presented with 2-day
      history of left flank pain. Duplex ultrasound imaging and computed tomography
      confirmed the diagnosis. Oral anticoagulation achieved a favorable outcome.

PMID- 28623995
TI  - Rationale, design, and methodology of the observational INSIGHTS-SVT study on the
      current state of care and outcomes of patients with superficial vein thrombosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) is a common disease in clinical
      practice. In terms of pathophysiology and outcomes, the condition is related to
      venous thromboembolism, bearing a potential for severe thromboembolic
      complications if it is not treated adequately. A wide range of treatment
      approaches (including oral and injectable anticoagulants, pain medication,
      nondrug therapy including compression therapy, and no treatment at all) are
      applied in clinical practice, but there is sparse information about selection of
      patients for therapies, current treatment pathways, and drug use as well as
      outcomes. The INvestigating SIGnificant Health TrendS in the management of
      Superficial Vein Thrombosis (INSIGHTS-SVT) study aims to close this gap by
      collecting representative data on the current treatment of SVT. METHODS: The
      observational prospective study of about 1200 patients is carried out by up to
      120 clinical and office-based physicians who regularly treat patients with SVT
      and are capable of conducting appropriate compression ultrasound diagnostics,
      such as vascular physicians, phlebologists, internists, vascular surgeons, and
      general practitioners. Patients are eligible for inclusion if they have
      ultrasound-confirmed acute, isolated SVT of the lower extremities. Documentation
      about the characteristics of the patients, diagnostics, comorbidities, and
      medical and nonmedical treatment is collected at baseline, at 10 +/- 3 days or at
      approximately 45 days (depending on treatment), at approximately 3 months, and at
      approximately 12 months. Patients are requested to fill in quality of life
      questionnaires (on pain, Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study
      on Quality of Life/Symptoms [VEINES-QOL/Sym], EuroQol-5 Dimension 5-Level [EQ-5D
      5L]) at baseline and at approximately 3 months. Interventions are not stipulated
      by the trial protocol. RESULTS: The primary efficacy outcome is the incidence of
      venous thromboembolism at 3 months; the primary safety outcome is the combined
      incidence of major and clinically relevant bleeding events at 3 months. As
      quality measures, plausibility checks at data entry, queries based on statistical
      analyses that focus on outliers and distribution of values, monitoring visits,
      and adjudication procedures will be applied. CONCLUSIONS: This large study is
      expected to provide a comprehensive picture of patients with SVT under clinical
      practice conditions in Germany.

PMID- 28623998
TI  - Ruptured common femoral vein pseudoaneurysm from a common femoral arteriovenous
      fistula presenting as lower extremity steal after radiofrequency ablation of the
      great saphenous vein.
AB  - Radiofrequency ablation of the superficial venous systems has become one of the
      mainstays of minimally invasive approaches to varicose veins and chronic venous
      insufficiency. These procedures have high rates of success with scarce
      complications. This case report highlights a patient with a common femoral
      arteriovenous fistula presenting with lower extremity steal after radiofrequency
      ablation treatment of the great saphenous vein. During operative repair of the
      arteriovenous fistula, a pseudoaneurysm of the common femoral vein ruptured. We
      review the current literature and highlight the importance of expanding the scope
      of complications that can occur from seemingly straightforward minimally invasive
      venous procedures. Informed consent was obtained for publication of this report.

PMID- 28623999
TI  - Dilation of inferior vena cava and iliac veins in elite athlete.

PMID- 28624001
TI  - Diagnosis and management of the venous malformations of Klippel-Trenaunay
      syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A dearth of information exists in the literature regarding current
      practice in the management of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS), a rare condition.
      We review and describe the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of KTS. METHODS:
      Relevant data were synthesized from a Medline review using a combination of the
      keyterms "Klippel" and "Trenaunay." The majority of hits described singular case
      reports and were subsequently excluded. The remaining papers were then reviewed
      and included on the basis of the quality of evidence and the authors' discretion.
      CONCLUSIONS: KTS is characterized by a clinical triad of extremity varicosities,
      cutaneous vascular malformations, and hypertrophy of soft tissues and long bones.
      The diagnosis is clinically supplemented with magnetic resonance imaging and
      computed tomography. Although this syndrome is associated with significant
      comorbidities, such as pain, edema, ulcerations, and pruritus, it is rarely the
      cause of death. The backbone of treatment is nonoperative in nature but should be
      supplemented with minimally invasive, endovascular, and rarely open surgical
      procedures for refractory cases.

PMID- 28624000
TI  - Aneurysms of the azygos vein.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Azygos vein aneurysms (AVAs) are uncommon and infrequently diagnosed.
      When confronted with a patient presenting with an AVA, physicians can rely on
      only a few case reports after an extensive literature search. To date, no
      guideline, no rule, and no review on the optimal treatment strategy for these
      patients exist. METHODS: A PubMed and MEDLINE database search for papers and case
      reports describing AVA was performed. Cases from our own institutions were also
      reviewed. RESULTS: The literature search identified 57 published case reports
      that were reviewed for inclusion. Of those published cases, etiologic factors can
      be classified into idiopathic, acquired, and traumatic causes. Most AVAs are
      limited to the azygos arch, a congenital anatomic weak point. Clinical symptoms
      generally remain nonspecific. Computed or magnetic resonance tomography scans are
      effective diagnostic tools, although the optimal therapeutic plan remains
      unclear. Complications include rupture, thromboembolism, mediastinal mass
      effects, and pulmonary artery hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatment
      along with oral anticoagulation may be reasonable for some AVAs, but to date,
      there is no clear guideline or evidence-based threshold for surgical or
      interventional therapy. In review of the existing data and from our clinical and
      scientific knowledge, interventional or surgical treatment should strongly be
      considered in cases with clinical symptoms, pulmonary embolism or pulmonary
      arterial hypertension, thrombus formation within the AVA in patients with oral
      anticoagulation or for patients with a contraindication to oral anticoagulants,
      considerable increase in diameter or compression of adjacent structures, saccular
      AVA, or an underlying connective tissue disease. The most common procedure is
      surgical ligation of the AVA, although endovascular occlusion of the aneurysms is
      becoming more frequent.

PMID- 28624002
TI  - Pathophysiology of venous ulceration.
AB  - Our understanding of the pathophysiologic process of venous ulceration has
      dramatically increased during the past two decades because of dedicated, venous
      specific basic science research. Currently, the mechanisms regulating venous
      ulceration are a combination of macroscopic and microscopic pathologic processes.
      Macroscopic alterations refer to pathologic processes related to varicose vein
      formation, vein wall architecture, and cellular abnormalities that impair venous
      function. These processes are primarily caused by genetic factors that lead to
      the destruction of normal vein wall architecture and venous hypertension. Venous
      hypertension causes a chronic inflammatory response that over time can cause
      venous ulceration. The inciting inflammatory injury is chronic extravasation of
      macromolecules and red blood cell degradation products and iron overload. Chronic
      inflammation causes white blood cell extravasation into the dermis with secretion
      of numerous proinflammatory cytokines. These cytokines transform the phenotype of
      fibroblasts to a contractile phenotype that increases tension in the dermis. In
      addition, iron overload keeps macrophages in an M1 phenotype, which leads to
      tissue destruction instead of dermal repair. Current surgical and medical
      therapies are primarily directed at eliminating venous hypertension and promoting
      venous ulcer wound healing. Despite advances in our understanding of venous ulcer
      formation and healing, ulcers still take an average of 6 months to heal, and
      ulcer recurrence rates at 5 years are >58%. To improve the care of patients with
      venous ulcers, we need to further our understanding of the underlying pathologic
      events that lead to ulcer formation, prevent healing, and decrease ulcer-free
      recurrence intervals.

PMID- 28624003
TI  - There is still time to avoid the 4% CMS payment penalty.

PMID- 28624004
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28624005
TI  - Differentiation between cholangiocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma with
      target sign on diffusion-weighted imaging and hepatobiliary phase gadoxetic acid
      enhanced MR imaging: Classification tree analysis applying capsule and septum.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the usefulness of classification tree analysis (CTA) for
      discrimination of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with target sign on
      hepatobiliary phase (HBP) and/or diffusion-weighted image (DWI) from intrahepatic
      cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). METHODS: This retrospective study was approved by the
      institutional review board. From among the 811 patients with histopathologically
      proven 79 ICCs and 732 HCCs, 69 patients with 69 (87.3%) ICCs and 115 patients
      with 115 HCCs (15.7%) including 25 scirrhous HCCs and 10 HCCs with central scar
      that showed the target sign either on HBP or on DWI were included. Two
      radiologists evaluated the presence of capsule, septum, and arterial enhancement
      pattern on MR imaging. Capsule, septum, arterial enhancement pattern, and target
      sign on HBP or DWI were used to classify the tumors using CTA. RESULTS: On CTA,
      capsule was the initial predictor for assessing the probability of tumors being
      HCC. The CTA model demonstrated a sensitivity of 86.1%, specificity of 76.8%, and
      accuracy of 82.6% for discriminating between ICCs and HCCs. In 115 HCCs, only 16
      (13.9%) tumors were misclassified as high probability of ICC, and 64.0% (16/25)
      scirrhous HCCs and 90.0% (9/10) HCCs with central scar were correctly classified
      as high probability of HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Target sign either on HBP or on DWI was
      shown in 87.3% (69/79) of ICCs and 15.7% (115/732) of HCCs. The CTA applying
      capsule and septum may be useful for guiding correct diagnosis of atypical HCCs
      with the target sign from ICCs.

PMID- 28624006
TI  - Multi-parametric (mp) MRI for the diagnosis of abdominal wall desmoid tumors.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Desmoid tumors are benign myofibroblastic neoplasms, originating
      from the muscle aponeurosis and classified as deep fibromatoses. The aim of this
      study was to evaluate the utility of multi-parametric (mp)-MRI for the diagnosis
      of abdominal wall desmoid tumor (awdt). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This Institutional
      review board approved retrospective study compared 10 patients (mean age+/-SD;
      38.2+/-13years; 9 females and 1 male) with awdt to 14 subjects (mean age+/-SD;
      45.6+/-14.7years; 9 females and 5 males) with non-desmoid abdominal wall tumors
      (ndawt). All included subjects underwent mp-MRI, which included conventional,
      diffusion weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI. Two blinded
      experienced fellowship trained radiologists (MK and SR) evaluated each lesion
      characteristics qualitatively and quantitatively which included margin,
      homogeneity, T2W/T1W signal intensity (SI), T2 dark strands, and fascial tail
      together with measurements of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and semi
      quantitative DCE analysis. Inter-observer agreement was assessed using Cohen's
      kappa and data were compared between groups using independent sample t-tests and
      Chi-square tests. RESULTS: No significant differences in age or gender appeared
      between groups. On qualitative analysis, T2 dark strands were identified in 90%
      by both radiologist (K=0.82) of awdt, while fascial tail was identified in 70% by
      radiologist 1 and 80% by second radiologist (k=0.91) of awdt; however no other
      lesions showed these findings. Other subjective imaging findings did not
      significantly differ between groups with moderate-to-strong agreements (k=0.7
      1.0). On quantitative measurements, diffusion imaging awdt lesions showed higher
      mean ADC value compared to other lesions, although it did not reached at the
      level of significance. While on DCE MRI, all awdt lesions showed type 1
      (progressive) DCE curve, however no significant difference was observed between
      groups. CONCLUSIONS: T2 dark strands and fascial tail are characteristic features
      of awdt, whereas other subjective/qualitative findings are not useful.
      Quantitative findings such as ADC measurements and DCE curve analysis may have
      additional value to differentiate awdt from ndawt, but will require further
      analysis.

PMID- 28624007
TI  - Cardiac MRI left ventricular global function index and quantitative late
      gadolinium enhancement in unrecognized myocardial infarction.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare left ventricular global function index (LVGFI) and
      quantitative late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in patients with unrecognized
      myocardial infarction (UMI), recognized myocardial infarction (RMI) and without
      myocardial infarction (MI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Under waiver of the
      Institutional Review Board 235 patients (age 63.5+/-10.5years, 57 female) were
      retrospectively evaluated. All patients had undergone cardiac MRI at 1.5T for
      symptoms of CAD. 67 patients (29%) had suffered a known RMI before. Functional
      imaging and full-intensity late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging were
      evaluated for LVGFI and quantitative LGE mass. RESULTS: Of 168 patients without
      history of RMI, 48 patients (29%) had UMI, 120 patients had no MI. LVGFI was
      lower in RMI patients (34+/-8% [range 16;52]), and UMI patients (35+/-8% [range
      10;51]), compared to patients with no MI (38+/-7% [range 16;55]) respectively and
      similar between RMI and UMI patients. RMI patients had full-intensity LGE in 11+/
      6% of left ventricular myocardial mass (LVMM). UMI patients had LGE in 9+/-5% of
      LVMM. RMI patients had significantly more LGE than UMI patients (p=0.0096).
      CONCLUSION: LGE quantification is effective to assess infarction scar size in RMI
      and UMI patients. LVGFI provides information on cardiac function and morphology
      but does not allow for a reliable differentiation between patients with and
      without history of MI, due small differences and wide overlap of LVGFI values for
      all three patient groups. This may be a reason why LVGFI is not applied in
      clinical routine.

PMID- 28624008
TI  - A systematic review of yttrium-90 radioembolization for unresectable liver
      metastases of melanoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness of yttrium-90 (90Y) radioembolization in the
      treatment of unresectable liver metastases of melanoma. METHODS: PubMed and
      EMBASE were systemically searched for all English language studies related to 90Y
      radioembolization for unresectable liver metastases of melanoma, including
      clinical trials, observational studies, and abstracts from conferences, published
      between January 1991 and March 2016. RESULTS: A total of 12 reports (7
      observational studies and 5 abstracts from conferences) involving 255 patients
      were included in the analysis. The primary sites of melanoma were cutaneous
      (n=22; 8.6%), ocular (n=197; 77.3%), rectal (n=3; 1.2%), and unknown (n=33;
      12.9%). The median disease control rate at 3 months was 73.6% (range, 58.3%
      88.9%). Among the 207 patients for whom tumor response at 3 months was reported,
      complete response was seen in 1.0% (2/207), partial response was seen in 19.3%
      (40/207), stable disease was seen in 46.9% (97/207), and progressive disease was
      seen in 32.9% (68/207). The median survival was 10 months (range, 7-13.4 months),
      and the median 1-year survival rate was 34.6% (range, 23%-80%). Complications of
      90Y radioembolization were reported in 13 cases. The most common side effects
      were fatigue (median, 36.1%), abdominal pain (median, 17.8%), and nausea (median,
      15.0%). CONCLUSIONS: 90Y radioembolization is a promising alternative therapy for
      the treatment of unresectable liver metastases of melanoma, with encouraging
      effects on disease control and survival. Some complications can occur, and side
      effects are frequent but mild.

PMID- 28624009
TI  - Measuring hepatic functional reserve using T1 mapping of Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced 3T
      MR imaging: A preliminary study comparing with 99mTc GSA scintigraphy and signal
      intensity based parameters.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the utility of liver T1-mapping on gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl
      diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance
      (MR) imaging for the measurement of liver functional reserve compared with the
      signal intensity (SI) based parameters, technetium-99m-galactosyl serum albumin
      (99mTc-GSA) scintigraphy and indocyanine green (ICG) clearance. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This retrospective study included 111 patients (Child-Pugh-A 90; -B 21)
      performed with both Gd-EOB-DTPA enhanced liver MR imaging and 99mTc-GSA (76
      patients with ICG). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was
      performed to compare diagnostic performances of T1-relaxation-time parameters
      [pre-(T1pre) and post-contrast (T1hb) Gd-EOB-DTPA], SI based parameters [relative
      enhancement (RE), liver-to-muscle-ratio (LMR), liver-to-spleen-ratio (LSR)] and
      99mTc-GSA scintigraphy blood clearance index (HH15)] for Child-Pugh
      classification. Pearson's correlation was used for comparisons among T1
      relaxation-time parameters, SI-based parameters, HH15 and ICG. RESULTS: A
      significant difference was obtained for Child-Pugh classification with T1hb,
      DeltaT1, all SI based parameters and HH15. T1hb had the highest AUC followed by
      RE, LMR, LSR, DeltaT1, HH15 and T1pre. The correlation coefficients with HH15
      were T1pre 0.22, T1hb 0.53, DeltaT1 -0.38 of T1 relaxation parameters; RE -0.44,
      LMR -0.45, LSR -0.43 of SI-based parameters. T1hb was highest for correlation
      with HH15. The correlation coefficients with ICG were T1pre 0.29, T1hb 0.64,
      DeltaT1 -0.42 of T1 relaxation parameters; RE -0.50, LMR -0.61, LSR -0.58 of SI
      based parameters; 0.64 of HH15. Both T1hb and HH15 were highest for correlation
      with ICG. CONCLUSION: T1 relaxation time at post-contrast of Gd-EOB-DTPA (T1hb)
      was strongly correlated with ICG clearance and moderately correlated HH15 with
      99mTc-GSA. T1hb has the potential to provide robust parameter of liver functional
      reserve.

PMID- 28624010
TI  - Lupus mastitis as a first manifestation of systemic disease: About two cases with
      a review of the literature.
AB  - Lupus mastitis is an uncommon manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
      that affects the subcutaneous fat in the breast, much like lupus panniculitis,
      but additionally involves the mammary gland. We report on two women for whom
      lupus mastitis was the initial manifestation of SLE and provide a literature
      review of 34 additional cases reported in the Anglo-Saxon and French literature
      since 1971, making this the largest review to date. Lupus mastitis (LM) can
      manifest clinically as subcutaneous masses that may be painful, or may present
      cutaneous involvement such as thickening and discolouration. The radiologic
      manifestations of LM are broad and include calcifications, masses and
      asymmetries. Most often, excluding malignancy requires percutaneous biopsy, with
      histologic findings that are virtually pathognomonic for SLE. Thus, surgery is
      avoided and medical management can begin, antimalarial drugs and corticosteroids
      in most cases.

PMID- 28624011
TI  - Peroneal tendon pathology: Pre- and post-operative high resolution US and MR
      imaging.
AB  - Peroneal tendon pathology is an important cause of lateral ankle pain and
      instability. Typical peroneal tendon disorders include tendinitis, tenosynovitis,
      partial and full thickness tendon tears, peroneal retinacular injuries, and
      tendon subluxations and dislocations. Surgery is usually indicated when
      conservative treatment fails. Familiarity with the peroneal tendon surgeries and
      expected postoperative imaging findings is essential for accurate assessment and
      to avoid diagnostic pitfalls. Cross-sectional imaging, especially ultrasound and
      MRI provide accurate pre-operative and post-operative evaluation of the peroneal
      tendon pathology. In this review article, the normal anatomy, clinical
      presentation, imaging features, pitfalls and commonly performed surgical
      treatments for peroneal tendon abnormalities will be reviewed. The role of
      dynamic ultrasound and kinematic MRI for the evaluation of peroneal tendons will
      be discussed. Normal and abnormal postsurgical imaging appearances will be
      illustrated.

PMID- 28624012
TI  - Differentiation of small intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma from small
      liver abscess by dual source dual-energy CT quantitative parameters.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the use of dual source dual-energy CT (DECT) quantitative
      parameters compared with the use of conventional CT for differentiating small
      (<=3cm) intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma (IMCC) from small liver
      abscess (LA) during the portal venous phase (PVP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this
      institutional review board-approved, retrospective study, 64 patients with IMCCs
      and 52 patients with LAs who were imaged in PVP using dual-energy mode were
      included retrospectively. A radiologist drew circular regions of interest in the
      lesion on the virtual monochromatic images (VMI), color-coded iodine overlay
      images, and linear blending images with a linear blending ratio of 0.3 to obtain
      CT value, its standard deviation, slope (k) of spectral curve and normalized
      iodine concentration (NIC). Two radiologists assessed lesion type on the basis of
      qualitative CT imaging features. RESULTS: CT values on VMI at 50-130keV (20keV
      interval), k, and NIC values were significantly higher in IMCCs than in LAs
      (p<0.0001). The best single parameter for differentiating IMCC from LA was CT
      value at 90keV, with sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive
      value, and negative predictive value of 89.1%, 86.5%, 87.9%, 89.1%, and 86.5%,
      respectively. The best combination of parameters was CT value at 90keV, k, and
      NIC, with values of 87.5%, 84.6%, 83.6%, 87.5%, and 84.6%, respectively. Compared
      with CT value at linear blending images, CT value at 90keV showed greater
      sensitivity (89.1% vs 60.9%, p<0.0001) and similar specificity (86.5% vs 84.6%,
      p=1.0000), and combined CT value at 90keV, k, and NIC showed greater sensitivity
      (87.5% vs 60.9%, p<0.0001) and similar specificity (84.6% vs 84.6%, p=1.0000).
      Compared with qualitative analysis, CT value at 90keV showed greater sensitivity
      (89.1% vs 65.6%, p=0.0059) and specificity (86.5% vs 69.2%, p=0.0352), and
      combined CT value at 90keV, k, and NIC showed greater sensitivity (87.5% vs
      65.6%, p=0.0094) and similar specificity (84.6% vs 69.2%, p >0.05). CONCLUSION:
      Quantitative analysis of dual source dual-energy CT quantitative parameters
      showed greater accuracy than quantitative and qualitative analyses of
      conventional CT for differentiating small IMCCs from small LAs on single PVP
      scan.

PMID- 28624013
TI  - Femoral torsion assessment with MRI in children: Should we use the bony or
      cartilaginous contours?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the use of cartilaginous contours at the femoral
      condyles instead of bony contours significantly changes femoral torsion
      measurements in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Femoral torsion was measured in
      32 girls (mean age 10.1 years+/-2.3 standard deviation) and 42 boys (10.9 years+/
      2.5) on axial magnetic resonance (MR) images by two independent readers (R1,R2).
      The femoral condyle angle was measured using each the cartilaginous and bony
      contours of the distal femur. Cartilage thickness at femoral condyles was
      assessed. Intraclass-correlation-coefficient (ICC) and Pearson's correlation were
      used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Mean difference between cartilaginous and
      bony femoral torsion in girls was -1.1 degrees +/-1.75 (range, -5.4 degrees  to
      3.1 degrees ) for R1 and -1.64 degrees +/-1.67 (-6.3 degrees  to 2.1 degrees )
      for R2, in boys -1.5 degrees +/-1.87 (-8.4 degrees  to 1.1 degrees ) for R1 and 
      2.28 degrees +/-1.48 (-4.3 degrees  to 9.7 degrees ) for R2. Weak-to-moderate
      correlations between difference of cartilaginous-versus-bony measurements and
      cartilage thickness (r=-0.15 to -0.55, P<0.001-0.46) or age (r=-0.33 to 0.46,
      P<0.001-0.006) were found for both genders. Intermethod-ICC for cartilaginous
      versus bony femoral torsion measurements was 0.99/0.99 for R1/R2 in girls, and
      0.99/0.98 in boys. CONCLUSION: There is only a small difference when measuring
      femoral torsion through cartilaginous versus bony contours, and no major
      difference in this between boys and girls.

PMID- 28624014
TI  - Can routine chest radiography be used to diagnose mild COPD? A nested case
      control study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine whether mild stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) can be detected on chest radiography without substantial overdiagnosis.
      METHODS: A retrospective nested case-control study (case:control, 1:1) was
      performed in 783 patients scheduled for cardiothoracic surgery who underwent both
      spirometry and a chest radiograph preoperative. Diagnostic accuracy of chest
      radiography for diagnosing mild COPD was investigated using objective
      measurements and overall appearance specific for COPD on chest radiography. Inter
      observer variability was investigated and variables with a kappa >0.40 as well as
      baseline characteristics were used to make a diagnostic model which was aimed at
      achieving a high positive predictive value (PPV). RESULTS: Twenty percent
      (155/783) had COPD. The PPV of overall appearance specific for COPD alone was low
      (37-55%). Factors in the diagnostic model were age, type of surgery, gender,
      distance of the right diaphragm apex to the first rib, retrosternal space,
      sternodiaphragmatic angle, maximum height right diaphragm (lateral view) and
      subjective impression of COPD (using both views). The model resulted in a PPV of
      100%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 82%, sensitivity of 10% and specificity
      of 100% with an area under the curve of 0.811. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of mild
      COPD without substantial overdiagnosis was not feasible on chest radiographs in
      our cohort.

PMID- 28624015
TI  - Imaging modalities in the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A systematic
      review and meta-analysis of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer, primarily pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC),
      accounts for 2.4% of cancer diagnoses and 5.8% of cancer death annually. Early
      diagnoses can improve 5-year survival in PDAC. The aim of this systematic review
      was to determine the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy values for
      MRI, CT, PET&PET/CT, EUS and transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) in the diagnosis of
      PDAC. METHODS: A systematic review was undertaken to identify studies reporting
      sensitivity, specificity and/or diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of PDAC
      with MRI, CT, PET, EUS or TAUS. Proportional meta-analysis was performed for each
      modality. RESULTS: A total of 5399 patients, 3567 with PDAC, from 52 studies were
      included. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy were 93% (95%
      CI=88-96), 89% (95% CI=82-94) and 90% (95% CI=86-94) for MRI; 90% (95% CI=87-93),
      87% (95% CI=79-93) and 89% (95% CI=85-93) for CT; 89% (95% CI=85-93), 70% (95%
      CI=54-84) and 84% (95% CI=79-89) for PET; 91% (95% CI=87-94), 86% (95% CI=81-91)
      and 89% (95% CI=87-92) for EUS; and 88% (95% CI=86-90), 94% (95% CI=87-98) and
      91% (95% C=87-93) for TAUS. CONCLUSION: This review concludes all modalities,
      except for PET, are equivalent within 95% confidence intervals for the diagnosis
      of PDAC.

PMID- 28624016
TI  - Longitudinal change in patellofemoral cartilage thickness, cartilage T2
      relaxation times, and subchondral bone plate area in adolescent vs mature
      athletes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Patellofemoral cartilage changes have been evaluated in knee trauma
      and osteoarthritis; however, little is known about changes in patellar and
      trochlear cartilage thickness, T2 relaxation-time and subchondral bone plate area
      (tAB) during growth. Our prospective study aimed to explore longitudinal change
      in patellofemoral cartilage thickness, T2 and tAB in adolescent athletes, and to
      compare these data with those of mature (i.e., adult) athletes. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: 20 adolescent (age 16+/-1years) and 20 mature (46+/-5years) volleyball
      players were studied over 2-years (10 men and 10 women each group). 1.5T MRI 3D
      VIBE and multi-echo spin-echo sequences were acquired at baseline and 2-year
      follow-up. Using manual segmentation and 3D reconstruction, longitudinal changes
      in patellar and trochlear cartilage thickness, patellar cartilage T2 (mono
      exponential decay curve with five echoes [9.7-67.9ms]), and patellar and
      trochlear tAB were determined. RESULTS: The annual increase in both patellar and
      trochlear cartilage thickness was 0.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6, 1.0)
      and 0.6% (0.3, 0.9), for adolescent males and females respectively; the
      longitudinal gain in patellar and trochlear tAB was 1.3% (1.1, 1.5) and 0.5%
      (0.2, 0.8), and 1.6% (1.1, 2.2) and 0.8% (0.3, 0.7) for adolescent males and
      females, respectively (no significant between-sex differences). Mature athletes
      showed smaller gains in tAB, and loss of <1% of cartilage thickness annually.
      While no significant sex-differences existed in adolescent patellar T2 changes,
      mature males gained significantly greater T2 than mature females (p=0.002-0.013).
      CONCLUSIONS: Patellar and trochlear cartilage thickness and tAB were observed to
      increase in young athletes in late adolescence, without significant differences
      between sexes. Mature athletes displayed patellar cartilage loss (and T2
      increases in mature males), potentially reflecting degenerative changes.

PMID- 28624017
TI  - Association of pharmacokinetic and metabolic parameters derived using
      simultaneous PET/MRI: Initial findings and impact on response evaluation in
      breast cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study relationships among pharmacokinetic and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose
      (18F-FDG) PET parameters obtained through simultaneous PET/MRI in breast cancer
      patients and evaluate their combined potential for response evaluation. METHODS:
      The study included 41 breast cancer patients for correlation study and 9 patients
      (pre and post therapy) for response evaluation. All patients underwent
      simultaneous PET/MRI with dedicated breast imaging. Pharmacokinetic parameters
      and PET parameters for tumor were derived using an in- house developed and vendor
      provided softwares respectively. Relationships between SUV and pharmacokinetic
      parameters and clinical as well as histopathologic parameters were evaluated
      using Spearman correlation analysis. Response to chemotherapy was derived as
      percentage reduction in size and in parameters post therapy. RESULTS: Significant
      correlations were observed between SUVmean, max, peak, TLG with Ktrans
      (rho=0.446, 0.417, 0.491, 0.430; p<=0.01); with Kep(rho=0.303, rho=0.315,
      rho=0.319; p<=0.05); and with iAUC(rho=0.401, rho=0.410, rho=0.379; p<=0.05,
      p<=0.01). The ratio of ve/iAUC showed significant negative correlation to
      SUVmean, max, peak and TLG (rho=0.420, 0.446, 0.443, 0.426; p<=0.01). Ability of
      SUV as well as pharmacokinetic parameters to predict response to therapy matched
      the RECIST criteria in 9 out of 11 lesions in 9 patients. Maximum post therapy
      quantitative reduction was observed in SUVpeak, TLG and Ktrans. CONCLUSION:
      Simultaneous PET/MRI enables illustration of close interactions between glucose
      metabolism and pharmacokinetic parameters in breast cancer patients and potential
      of their simultaneity in response assessment to therapy.

PMID- 28624018
TI  - Difference in the craniocaudal gradient of the maximum pixel value change rate
      between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and normal subjects using
      sub-mGy dynamic chest radiography with a flat panel detector system.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare the craniocaudal gradients of the maximum pixel value
      change rate (MPCR) during tidal breathing between chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (COPD) patients and normal subjects using dynamic chest radiography.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was approved by the institutional
      review board and all participants provided written informed consent. Forty-three
      COPD patients (mean age, 71.6+/-8.7 years) and 47 normal subjects (non-smoker
      healthy volunteers) (mean age, 54.8+/-9.8 years) underwent sequential chest
      radiographs during tidal breathing in a standing position using dynamic chest
      radiography with a flat panel detector system. We evaluated the craniocaudal
      gradient of MPCR. The results were analyzed using an unpaired t-test and the
      Tukey-Kramer method. RESULTS: The craniocaudal gradients of MPCR in COPD patients
      were significantly lower than those in normal subjects (right inspiratory phase,
      75.5+/-48.1 vs. 108.9+/-42.0s-1cm-1, P<0.001; right expiratory phase, 66.4+/-40.6
      vs. 89.8+/-31.6s-1cm-1, P=0.003; left inspiratory phase, 75.5+/-48.2 vs. 108.2+/
      47.2s-1cm-1, P=0.002; left expiratory phase, 60.9+/-38.2 vs. 84.3+/-29.5s-1cm-1,
      P=0.002). No significant differences in height, weight, or BMI were observed
      between COPD and normal groups. In the sub-analysis, the gradients in severe COPD
      patients (global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease [GOLD] 3 or 4,
      n=26) were significantly lower than those in mild COPD patients (GOLD 1 or 2,
      n=17) for both right and left inspiratory/expiratory phases (all P<=0.005).
      CONCLUSIONS: A decrease of the craniocaudal gradient of MPCR was observed in COPD
      patients. The craniocaudal gradient was lower in severe COPD patients than in
      mild COPD patients.

PMID- 28624019
TI  - Scapholunate dissociation; diagnostics made easy.
AB  - Scapholunate dissociation (SLD) is a form of carpal instability, caused by
      rupture of the scapholunate ligament (SLL) the secondary stabiliser of the
      scapholunate (SL) compartment. SLD can cause osteoarthritis of the wrist.
      Recently a study was published that shows cineradiography to be an excellent
      radiological imaging technique for diagnosing SLD at a tertiary centre for hand
      and wrist surgery [1]. As the quality of these results can be influenced by the
      expertise of the operator and observer of the cineradiographic studies, the aim
      of this study was to determine if these results were reproducible at a secondary
      centre for hand and wrist surgery with less expertise in wrist cineradiography.
      All cineradiographic studies carried out during a 10-year period were obtained.
      All patients who underwent the gold standard procedure (arthroscopy/arthrotomy)
      after cineradiography were included, a total of 50 patients. The diagnostic
      accuracy of detecting SLD by both cineradiography and conventional radiography
      was calculated. Cineradiography had a high diagnostic accuracy, while the
      accuracy for conventional radiography was average. When all wrists with an SL
      distance >=3mm were excluded (static SLD), diagnostic accuracy for conventional
      radiography dropped even lower, while accuracy for cineradiography remained high.
      These results are comparable with published accuracy rates and show that
      cineradiography has a high diagnostic value for detecting SLD and do not seem to
      be influenced by the operator or observer of the cineradiographic studies.

PMID- 28624020
TI  - A new method to reduce false positive results in breast MRI by evaluation of
      multiple spectral regions in proton MR-spectroscopy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the evaluation of multiple spectral regions
      can increase the diagnostic performance of 1H-MRS of the breast and reduce false
      positive findings. METHODS: 93 patients (mean age 56 years, range 23-79)
      undergoing breast MRI for routine clinical indications on a 1.5T scanner were
      eligible for this IRB-approved prospective study. Suspicious enhancing lesions
      >=8mm underwent single-voxel point-resolved 1H-MRS (PRESS, TR=2000ms, TE=272ms).
      Histology showed 69 malignant and 24 benign lesions. The Signal-to-Noise ratio of
      choline, olefinic acids and the water-to-methylene ratio were measured. The area
      under the ROC-curve (AUC) was used to evaluate single measurements. Combined
      diagnostic accuracy was explored using a 10-fold cross-validated Chi-squared
      automatic interaction detection (CHAID) analysis. Inter-reader agreement was
      evaluated in a subset of patients. RESULTS: A significant AUC for differentiation
      between benign and malignant lesions was identified for choline (0.733, P=0.001),
      olefinic acids (0.769, P=0.0001) and water-to-methylene ratio (0.704, P=0.003).
      All three variables were included in a classification algorithm using CHAID
      methodology. Using this classification, 70.8% (17/24) false positive diagnoses in
      benign lesions would have been avoided. Inter-reader agreement was almost
      perfect. CONCLUSIONS: The combined evaluation of multiple spectral regions can
      increase the diagnostic performance of 1H-MRS and potentially reduce false
      positive findings.

PMID- 28624021
TI  - Assessment of treatment response after lung stereotactic body radiotherapy using
      diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography: A
      pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is no early predictor of treatment response after
      lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). We conducted this pilot study to
      evaluate whether serial diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) or
      positron emission tomography (PET) could predict response after SBRT. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: Early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients who received SBRT
      were eligible. DW-MRI and PET were undertaken pretreatment and every 3 months
      after SBRT in the first year. Patients with <1year of follow-up were excluded
      from the analysis. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and maximum
      standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of tumors were measured and compared between
      groups with or without local recurrence (LR). RESULTS: Fifteen patients were
      enrolled and the data of 14 patients were analyzed. The median ADC value was
      significantly lower in patients with LR (n=3) than in those without LR (n=11) at
      3 and 6 months (1.11 vs. 1.54 and 0.98 vs. 1.69 [*10-3mm2/s]; p=0.039 and 0.012,
      respectively) while there was no significant difference pretreatment and at 9 and
      12 months after treatment. No significant difference was observed in the SUVmax
      at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: DW-MRI could be an early predictor of treatment
      response after lung SBRT.

PMID- 28624022
TI  - Whole liver CT texture analysis to predict the development of colorectal liver
      metastases-A multicentre study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: CT texture analysis has shown promise to differentiate colorectal
      cancer patients with/without hepatic metastases. AIM: To investigate whether
      whole-liver CT texture analysis can also predict the development of colorectal
      liver metastases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective multicentre study (n=165).
      Three subgroups were assessed: patients [A] without metastases (n=57), [B] with
      synchronous metastases (n=54) and [C] who developed metastases within <=24 months
      (n=54). Whole-liver texture analysis was performed on primary staging CT. Mean
      grey-level intensity, entropy and uniformity were derived with different filters
      (sigma0.5-2.5). Univariable logistic regression (group A vs. B) identified
      potentially predictive parameters, which were tested in multivariable analyses to
      predict development of metastases (group A vs. C), including subgroup analyses
      for early (<=6 months), intermediate (7-12 months) and late (13-24 months)
      metastases. RESULTS: Univariable analysis identified uniformity (sigma0.5), sex,
      tumour site, nodal stage and carcinoembryonic antigen as potential predictors.
      Uniformity remained a significant predictor in multivariable analysis to predict
      early metastases (OR 0.56). None of the parameters could predict
      intermediate/late metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-liver CT-texture analysis has
      potential to predict patients at risk of developing early liver metastases <=6
      months, but is not robust enough to identify patients at risk of developing
      metastases at later stage.

PMID- 28624024
TI  - Differentiation between acute and chronic myocardial infarction by means of
      texture analysis of late gadolinium enhancement and cine cardiac magnetic
      resonance imaging.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to differentiate acute from chronic myocardial
      infarction using machine learning techniques and texture features extracted from
      cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The study group comprised 22 cases with
      acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 22 cases with chronic myocardial infarction
      (CMI). Cine and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) MRI were analyzed independently
      to differentiate AMI from CMI. A total of 279 texture features were extracted
      from predefined regions of interest (ROIs): the infarcted area on LGE MRI, and
      the entire myocardium on cine MRI. Classification performance was evaluated by a
      nested cross-validation approach combining a feature selection technique with
      three predictive models: random forest, support vector machine (SVM) with
      Gaussian Kernel, and SVM with polynomial kernel. The polynomial SVM yielded the
      best classification performance. Receiver operating characteristic curves
      provided area-under-the-curve (AUC) (mean+/-standard deviation) of 0.86+/-0.06 on
      LGE MRI using 72 features; AMI sensitivity=0.81+/-0.08 and specificity=0.84+/
      0.09. On cine MRI, AUC=0.82+/-0.06 using 75 features; AMI sensitivity=0.79+/-0.10
      and specificity=0.80+/-0.10. We concluded that texture analysis can be used for
      differentiation of AMI from CMI on cardiac LGE MRI, and also on standard cine
      sequences in which the infarction is visually imperceptible in most cases.

PMID- 28624023
TI  - Enhanced radiation damage caused by iodinated contrast agents during CT
      examination.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To access the effect of iodinate contrast agent (ICA) on DNA double
      stand breaks (DSBs) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes during computed
      tomography (CT) examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This present study was
      approved by the institutional ethics committee; written informed patient consent
      was obtained from 70 patients. A total of 48 patients underwent computed
      tomography urography (CTU), in which only one time CT scanning was examined after
      injecting ICA, and 22 patients received unenhanced whole abdominal CT, among them
      10 patients were selected to get ICA injection immediately after irradiation.
      Blood samples were taken from all patients prior to and immediately after CT
      scan, as well as 8min after the injection of ICA. The lymphocytes in these blood
      samples were separated by using density-gradient centrifugation, fixed and
      immunostained with gammaH2AX antibody. The average number of phosphorylated
      histone H2AX (gammaH2AX) foci per lymphocyte was counted under a fluorescence
      microscopy. Differences in the number of gammaH2AX-foci were statistically
      analyzed using independent sample t test and one way ANOVA. RESULT: The three
      patient groups had no significant differences in the baseline foci
      numbers(P>0.05). The gammaH2AX-focus levels increased in both groups after CT
      scan. Patients who underwent CTU examinations had a greater DSBs level (mean+/
      standard error of mean, 0.945+/-0.184 foci per cell) than those who received
      unenhanced whole abdominal CT scan (mean+/-standard error of mean, 0.700+/-0.112
      foci per cell), increasing by about 37.9%; The ICA injected before CT scan itself
      had an effect on the DSBs, which increased DSBs level by approximately 90.3%
      (0.059+/-0.018vs 0.031+/-0.025, P<0.05), but no significant difference was found
      if added after irradiation, increasing DSBs level only by 3.2% approximately
      (0.711+/-0.091vs 0.689+/-0.108, P=0.499). CONCLUSION: The iodinated contrast
      agent itself can lead to an increase in the level of DSBs as assessed with
      gammaH2AX foci formation, and the application of ICA can amplify DNA damage
      induced by diagnostic x-ray procedures such as whole abdominal CT.

PMID- 28624025
TI  - Quantitative computed tomography texture analysis for estimating histological
      subtypes of thymic epithelial tumors.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether high-risk thymic epithelial tumor (TET) (HTET)
      can be differentiated from low-risk TET (LTET) using computed tomography (CT)
      quantitative texture analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of 39 patients
      (mean age, 58.6+/-14.1 years) (39 unenhanced CT (UECT) and 33 contrast-enhanced
      CT (CECT)) who underwent thymectomy for TET were retrospectively analyzed. A
      region of interest was placed to include the entire TET within the slice at its
      maximum diameter. Texture analysis was performed for images with or without a
      Laplacian of Gaussian filter (with various spatial scaling factors [SSFs]). Two
      radiologists evaluated the visual heterogeneity of TET using a 3-point scale.
      RESULTS: The mean in the unfiltered image (mean0u) and entropy in the filtered
      image (SSF: 6mm) (entropy6u) for UECT, and the mean in the unfiltered image
      (mean0c) for CECT were significant parameters for differentiating between HTET
      and LTET as determined by logistic regression analysis. The area under the
      receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for differentiating HTET from LTET
      using mean0u, entropy6u, and mean0c was 0.75, 0.76, and 0.89, respectively. And
      the combination of mean0u and entropy6u allowed AUC of 0.87. Entropy6u provided a
      higher diagnostic performance compared with visual heterogeneity analysis
      (p<=0.018). CONCLUSION: Using CT quantitative texture analysis, HTET can be
      differentiated from LTET with a high diagnostic performance.

PMID- 28624026
TI  - The prediction of the treatment response of cervical nodes using intravoxel
      incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the predictive role of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion
      Diffusion-Weighted Imaging (IVIM-DWI) parameters on cervical nodal response to
      chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with pathologically confirmed HNSCC were included
      in the present prospective study, having at least one positive cervical lymph
      node (LN). They received concomitant CRT and underwent three serial IVIM-DWI
      investigations: before, at mid-treatment and after treatment completion. Tissue
      diffusion coefficient D, perfusion-related diffusion coefficient D* and perfusion
      fraction f were calculated by a bi-exponential fit. The two-sided Mann-Whitney
      rank test was used to compare the imaging parameters of patients with regional
      failure (RF) and regional control (RC). A p value lower than 0.05 was considered
      to be statistically significant. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were accrued.
      Twenty-four out of 34 LN (70.6%) showed persistent RC after a median follow-up
      time of 27.6 months (range: 12.0-50.2 months), while ten cases of RF (29.4%) were
      confirmed with a median time of 6.8 months (range: 1.5-19.5 months). Patients
      with RC showed significantly lower pre-treatment D values compared to the RF
      patients (p=0.038). At mid-treatment, the patients with RF showed significantly
      higher D values (p=0.025), and exhibited larger percent reductions in f and the
      product D**f from the baseline (p=0.008 and <0.001, respectively). No additional
      information was provided by the examination at the end of treatment. CONCLUSION:
      Pre-treatment and mid-treatment IVIM-DWI showed potential for prediction of
      treatment response of cervical LN in HNSCC patients.

PMID- 28624027
TI  - Racial disparities in treatment and survival of hepatocellular carcinoma in
      native Americans and Hispanics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated if there were any differences in disease presentation
      and survival between the 3 major ethnicities in New Mexico; non-Hispanic whites
      (NHW), native Americans (NA), and Hispanics (H). METHODS: A retrospective
      analysis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated at our institution
      between 2000 and 2014 was performed. Overall survival was analyzed using the
      Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. RESULTS: We identified 326 patients; 106
      (32.5%) NHW, 183 (56.1%) H, and 37 (11.4%) NA. No difference in disease stage,
      resectability, rate of offering surgery, or chemotherapy was found. Advanced
      cirrhosis was more common in H and NA than NHW (P = .01). NA had a higher
      incidence of nonviral hepatocellular carcinoma (P = .0009). NHW were more likely
      to receive transarterial chemoembolization/radiofrequency than NA or H (P = .04).
      Median survivals for NA, NHW, H were 24, 14, and 11 months, respectively, (P =
      .01). CONCLUSIONS: Although there was no difference in disease stage or
      resectability, NA and H had more advanced cirrhosis and were less likely to
      undergo transarterial chemoembolization and/or radiofrequency than NHW. NA had
      the best survival, whereas H had the worst survival.

PMID- 28624028
TI  - Impact of long-acting local anesthesia on clinical and financial outcomes in
      laparoscopic colorectal surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our objective was to assess clinical and financial outcomes with long
      acting liposomal bupicavaine (LB) in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS:
      Patients that received local infiltration with LB were strictly matched to a
      control group, and compared for postoperative pain, opioid use, length of stay
      (LOS), hospital costs, and complication, readmission, and reoperation rates.
      RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were evaluated in each cohort. Operative times
      and conversion rates were similar. LB patients had lower post-anesthesia care
      unit pain scores (P = .001) and used less opioids through postoperative day 3
      (day 0 P < .01; day 1 P = .03; day 2 P = .02; day 3 P < .01). Daily pain scores
      were comparable. LB had shorter LOS (mean 2.96 vs 3.93 days; P = .003) and
      trended toward lower readmission, complication, and reoperation rates. Total
      costs/patient were $746 less with LB, a savings of $52,200 across the cohort.
      CONCLUSIONS: Using local wound infiltration with LB, opioid use, LOS, and costs
      were improved after laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The additional medication
      cost was overshadowed by the overall cost benefits. Incorporating LB into a
      multimodal pain regiment had a benefit on patient outcomes and health care
      utilization.

PMID- 28624029
TI  - Effect of complications on oncologic outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy for
      pancreatic cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although adjuvant therapy (AT) is a necessary component of
      multimodality therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its
      application can be hindered by post-pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) complications.
      The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of post-PD complications
      on AT utilization and overall survival (OS). METHODS: Patients undergoing PD
      without neoadjuvant therapy for stages I-III PDAC at a single institution (2007
      2015) were evaluated. Ninety-day postoperative major complications (PMCs) were
      defined as grade >=3. Records were linked to the Kentucky Cancer Registry for
      AT/OS data. Early AT was given <8 wk; late 8-16 wk. Initiation >16 wk was not
      considered to be AT. Complication effects on AT timing/utilization and OS were
      evaluated. RESULTS: Of 93 consecutive patients treated with surgery upfront with
      AT data, 64 (69%) received AT (41 [44%] early; 23 [25%] late). There were 32
      patients (34%) with low-grade complications and 24 (26%) with PMC. With PMC, only
      six of 24 patients (25%) received early AT and 13 of 24 (54%) received any
      (early/late) AT versus 35 of 69 (51%) early AT and 51 of 69 (74%) any AT without
      PMC. PMCs were associated with worse median OS (7.1 versus 24.6 mo, without PMC,
      P < 0.001). Independent predictors of OS included AT (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.48),
      tumor >2 cm (HR: 3.39), node-positivity (HR: 2.16), and PMC (HR: 3.69, all P <
      0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Independent of AT utilization and biologic factors, PMC
      negatively impacted OS in patients treated with surgery first. These data suggest
      that strategies to decrease PMC and treatment sequencing alternatives to increase
      multimodality therapy rates may improve oncologic outcomes for PDAC.

PMID- 28624030
TI  - Emergency department length of stay in critical nonoperative trauma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prolonged emergency department (ED) stays correlate with negative
      outcomes in critically ill nontrauma patients. This study sought to determine the
      effect of ED length of stay (LOS) on trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two
      hundred forty-one trauma patients requiring direct intensive care unit (ICU)
      admission were identified. Patients requiring immediate operative intervention
      were excluded. Odds ratios (ORs) of outcomes for patients transferred to ICU in
      <=90 min were compared with patients transferred in >90 min, adjusting for Injury
      Severity Score (ISS). RESULTS: One hundred two of 241 patients (42%) were
      transferred to the ICU in <=90 min. Increased ED LOS was associated with
      decreased complications (OR 0.545, 95% confidence interval 0.312-0.952). Although
      the result was not statistically significant, patients with an ISS >15 were less
      likely to have long ED stays (OR 0.725, 95% CI 0.407-1.290). No significant
      difference was seen in mortality. No difference in duration of intubation was
      observed for patients intubated in the ED versus the ICU. For the subgroup with
      ISS <=15, there was a significant decrease in ICU LOS for patients who remained
      in the ED >90 min (5.5 d versus 2.7 d, P = 0.02). No other differences in LOS
      were identified. CONCLUSIONS: In a mature trauma center with standardized
      activation protocols and focused resource allocation in the ED trauma bay, trauma
      activation and subsequent management appear to mitigate the negative effects of
      prolonged ED LOS seen in other critically ill populations.

PMID- 28624031
TI  - Lung transplantation with lungs from older donors: an analysis of survival in
      elderly recipients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The average ages of lung transplant (LTx) recipients and donors are
      increasing. With older recipients considered to be especially at high risk of
      posttransplant mortality, we sought to determine whether the use of allografts
      from older donors affects survival among older patients undergoing LTx. METHODS:
      The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify patients aged
      65-80 y receiving a first-time LTx between 1987 and 2013. Survival analysis
      examined implications of a donor-recipient age difference >10 y using Cox
      proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: The cohort selected for analysis
      included 3227 elderly LTx recipients, of whom 263 (8.15%) had donors within 10 y
      of their age at transplantation. Univariate Cox models found no differences with
      LTx involving donors at least 10 y younger than the recipient with respect to
      overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.979; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.807
      1.188; P = 0.831) or conditional survival past 1 y (hazard ratio = 1.067; 95% CI
      = 0.819-1.391; P = 0.629) relative to LTx involving donors within 10 y of an
      elderly recipient's age. These findings were substantiated in multivariate
      analysis adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly LTx
      recipients aged 65-80 y at transplantation, intermediate-term survival was not
      influenced by donor age. For the viable elderly LTx candidate, a carefully
      selected older donor should be considered to increase donor availability.

PMID- 28624033
TI  - House staff-led interdisciplinary morbidity and mortality conference promotes
      systematic improvement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Improvements in patient safety are critical to improving clinical
      outcomes. We present a resident-led interdisciplinary morbidity and mortality
      (M&M) conference utilizing postconference task forces to identify unique system
      issues, classify key contributors to interdisciplinary complications, and
      implement systems solutions. The conference also served to facilitate resident
      involvement in quality improvement projects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Members of
      the UNC Housestaff Council designed and implemented a hospital-wide M&M
      conference. Cases involving two or more service lines and resulting from
      systematic failures were selected for presentation by an interdisciplinary group
      of residents involved in the patient's care. Postconference task forces addressed
      problems and developed initiatives to improve care. RESULTS: Of the 15 cases
      presented, 60% were attributable to an error in judgment, 26% to an error in
      diagnosis, and 13% to an error in technique. Communication (67%),
      coordination/care utilization (47%), poor process/workflow (40%), and inadequate
      training (33%) were the main associated contributing factors. Poor communication
      contributed to all complications resulting from an error in judgment. Inadequate
      training and poor workflow were the most common contributing factors with an
      error in technique. Poor utilization of care and inadequate processes were most
      common with an error in diagnosis. Postconference task forces identified system
      based improvement projects in 73% (11 of 15) of cases with 82% (9 of 11) of
      projects successfully implemented or in process. CONCLUSIONS: House staff-led
      interdisciplinary M&M conference utilizing postconference task forces is an ideal
      setting to identify unique system issues and implement system-based improvement
      strategies.

PMID- 28624032
TI  - Epidural analgesia for traumatic rib fractures is associated with worse outcomes:
      a matched analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The optimal method of pain control for patients with traumatic rib
      fractures is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of
      epidural analgesia on respiratory complications and in-hospital mortality in
      patients with rib fractures. METHODS: Adult patients at a level I trauma center
      with >=1 rib fracture from blunt trauma were included (2004-2013). Those with a
      blunt-penetrating mechanism, traumatic brain injury, or underwent a laparotomy or
      thoracotomy were excluded. Patients who were treated with epidural analgesia
      (EPI) were compared with those were not treated with epidural analgesia (NEPI)
      using coarsened exact matching. Primary outcomes were respiratory complications
      (pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolus, and respiratory failure) and
      30-d in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were total hospital and intensive
      care unit length of stay, and duration of ventilator support. RESULTS: About 1360
      patients (EPI: 329 and NEPI: 1031) met inclusion criteria (mean age: 54.2 y;
      standard deviation [SD]: 19.7; 68% male). The mean number of rib fractures was
      4.8 (SD: 3.3; 21% bilateral) with a high total burden of injury (mean Injury
      Severity Score: 19.9 [SD: 8.9]). The overall incidence of respiratory
      complications was 13% and mortality was 4%. After matching, 204 EPI patients were
      compared with 204 NEPI patients, with no differences in baseline characteristics.
      EPI patients experienced more respiratory complications (19% versus 10%, P =
      0.009), but no differences in 30-d mortality (5% versus 2%, P = 0.159), duration
      of mechanical ventilation (EPI: 148 h [SD: 167] versus NEPI: 117 h [SD: 187], P =
      0.434), or duration of intensive care unit length of stay (6.5 d [SD: 7.6] versus
      5.8 d [SD: 9.1], P = 0.626). Hospital stay was higher in the EPI group (16.6 d
      [SD: 19.6] vs 12.7 d [SD: 15.2], P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Epidural analgesia is
      associated with increased respiratory complications without providing mortality
      benefit after traumatic rib fractures. Alternate analgesic strategies should be
      investigated to treat these severely injured patients.

PMID- 28624034
TI  - Factors influencing failure to rescue after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a National
      Surgical Quality Improvement Project Perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Failure to rescue is the concept of death after a complication, and
      it is an important factor driving variation in mortality rates after pancreatic
      surgery. The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective review of a
      large, multi-institutional data set to describe patient-level risk factors for
      failure to rescue in greater detail. METHODS: From the American College of
      Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program participant use file,
      14,557 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy were identified. Of these,
      4514 experienced at least one complication and were therefore at risk for failure
      to rescue. Multivariable logistic regression models to identify factors
      independently associated with failure to rescue. RESULTS: Age, American Society
      of Anesthesiologists class, ascites and/or varices, and disseminated malignancy
      were significant independent risk factors for failure to rescue. Participation of
      a resident was associated with reduced odds of failure to rescue. Patients who
      experienced an initial complication and then accumulated additional complications
      were more common in the failure to rescue group (68.6% versus 31.3%, P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Accumulation of complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy is a
      significant risk factor for failure to rescue. Pancreatic surgery quality
      improvement programs should continue developing strategies to identify and
      intervene on post-pancreatectomy complications, especially in high-risk patients.

PMID- 28624035
TI  - Racial disparities in length-of-stay persist even with no postoperative
      complications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the contribution of race to postoperative length-of-stay
      in elective colorectal surgery without complications. METHODS: The 2012-2013
      National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Colectomy-Targeted Database was
      queried for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery without
      complications. After stratifying by race, univariate/bivariate comparisons were
      made. On adjusted comparison, predictors of postoperative length-of-stay were
      identified along with incident rate ratios and Least Squares Means for predicted
      length-of-stays. RESULTS: Of 28,480 elective colorectal surgeries, 19,898
      patients had no postoperative complications. Patients stratified to white (84%),
      black (8%), Hispanic (3%), and Asian (3%). Overall mean postoperative length-of
      stay was 4.8 d, with black patients having the longest at 5.3 d (P < 0.05). After
      covariate adjustment, black race increased postoperative length-of-stay by 9%,
      7%, and 6% compared to white, Hispanic, and Asian patients, respectively (P <
      0.05). No statistical difference existed in postoperative length-of-stay for
      Hispanic and Asian patients versus white patients. Adjusted postoperative length
      of-stay was 5.1 d for black patients compared to 4.7, 4.8, and 4.8 d for white,
      Hispanic, and Asian patients, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Black
      patients have significantly longer postoperative length-of-stay after elective
      colorectal surgery even if no postoperative complications occur. Further studies
      are needed to understand the mechanism(s) for these disparities.

PMID- 28624036
TI  - Firearm injuries due to legal intervention in children and adolescents: a
      national analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Firearm injuries related to legal intervention have come under
      scrutiny because of recent events. METHODS: The Kids' Inpatient Database (1997
      2012) was searched for firearm injuries due to legal interventions (International
      Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, Clinical Modification E970) requiring
      inpatient admission in children aged <20 y. Cases were weighted to provide
      national estimates. The Brady Campaign criteria were used to identify lenient
      versus strict gun law states. RESULTS: Overall, 275 cases were identified, with a
      7.5% mortality rate. Incidence peaked at 1.0 per 100,000 admissions in 2006,
      significantly increased from a low 0.2 per 100,000 admissions in 1997, P < 0.001.
      Patients were predominantly male (97%). African Americans (44%) represented the
      largest racial group, followed by Hispanics (30%) and Caucasians (20%). Mean age
      was 17.5 +/- 2.08 y. Patients were insured by Medicaid (33%) or a private payer
      (24%); the remainder (43%) was uninsured. Admissions most frequently occurred at
      urban teaching hospitals (81%). Cases occurred most frequently in the Southern
      United States (44%), followed by the Western United States (35%). Most patients
      presented to non-children's hospitals (97%). Mean hospital admission cost was
      27,507 +/- 40,197 USD, whereas mean charges amounted to 75,905 +/- 116,622 USD.
      Cases mostly occurred in lenient (56%) gun law states, whereas the remainder
      occurred in strict (41%) and neutral (3%) states. When analyzed by race,
      Caucasians (16%) had a significantly higher mortality rate when compared with
      African Americans (5%), P = 0.03. CONCLUSIONS: An analysis of this very specific
      injury mechanism demonstrates important findings, which are difficult to collect
      from conventional data sources. Future research will contribute to the objective
      analysis of this politically charged subject.

PMID- 28624037
TI  - Trauma care in a multiethnic population: effects of being undocumented.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have shown that undocumented immigrants (UIs)
      display characteristics of having a low socioeconomic status and are primarily of
      ethnic minorities. These social determinants of health are known to be associated
      with diminished health care access and poor clinical outcomes. We therefore
      investigated the impact of documentation status on the clinical outcomes of
      patients with traumatic injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a
      retrospective review of the trauma registry at our safety net institution for all
      adult patients who were admitted from 2010 to 2014. UIs were identified by the
      absence of a valid social security number within their medical records.
      Multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the impact of
      documentation status on in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and the odds
      of rehab placement. RESULTS: 4924 trauma patients met the study criteria, of
      which 1050 (21.3%) were UIs. There was no significant difference in mortality
      rates between the two populations. Multivariate regression analyses revealed a
      longer average LOS and a decreased likelihood for placement in an in-patient
      rehabilitation facility following hospitalization for UIs, even after accounting
      for insurance, age, injury severity, and other possible confounders known to
      affect these outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: There was no association between in-hospital
      mortality and documentation status; however, UIs had a longer average LOS and
      were less likely to be placed into rehab following their hospitalization. A
      longer LOS and a decreased likelihood for rehabilitation placement suggest that
      disparities in trauma care exist for UIs, putting them at risk for worse clinical
      and functional outcomes.

PMID- 28624038
TI  - Impact of blood products on platelet function in patients with traumatic
      injuries: a translational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Reductions in platelet (PLT) count and function are associated with
      poor outcomes in trauma patients. We proposed to determine if patients expected
      to receive blood products have a decrease in PLT function higher than expected
      based on the reduction in PLT count, and if the reduction in function could be
      associated with the donor plasma/supernatant received. METHODS: PLT count and
      function were measured on admission to the emergency department and intensive
      care unit in severely injured patients expected to receive a transfusion. PLT
      function was measured by Multiplate aggregometry in response to five agonists.
      Function was corrected for alterations in count. In vitro studies were conducted
      in the blood of normal subjects to assess the effect of dilutions with AB donor
      plasma on PLT function. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were enrolled, with 87%
      requiring a transfusion. Median Injury Severity Score was 23 (13, 29) and
      mortality 15%. PLT count and function were decreased from emergency department to
      intensive care unit admission by 25% and 58%, respectively. Decreases in function
      persisted after adjustment for count. Patients requiring large volumes of blood
      products had reductions in function that were disproportionately greater.
      Reductions in PLT function were greatest after transfusion of PLTs. In in vitro
      studies with a 30% dilution by autologous plasma caused a relational reduction in
      function, whereas allogenic plasma resulted in greater decreases that were highly
      variable between donors. CONCLUSIONS: Within hours of injury a decrease in both
      PLT count and function occurs, that is aggravated with the administration of
      blood products, with transfusion of PLTs showing the greatest effect. The effect
      on PLT function of allogenic transfused plasma appears to be highly donor
      related.

PMID- 28624039
TI  - The total number of prelaryngeal and pretracheal lymph node metastases: is it a
      reliable predictor of contralateral central lymph node metastasis in papillary
      thyroid carcinoma?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central lymph node (CLN) metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma
      (PTC) is common and being able to predict CLN metastasis helps surgeons determine
      individualized therapy. However, the relationship between contralateral CLN
      metastasis and the total number of positive lymph nodes (LNs) in the combined
      prelaryngeal and pretracheal region remains unclear. This study aimed to
      investigate whether the total number of positive LNs in the combined prelaryngeal
      and pretracheal region has clinical significance as a predictor for contralateral
      CLN metastasis. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 153 consecutive patients with
      unifocal PTC >1.0 cm without ultrasonographic evidence of nodal metastasis who
      underwent total thyroidectomy and prophylactic bilateral CLN dissection from July
      2011-May 2013. Patients were divided into three groups according to the total
      number of positive LNs in the combined prelaryngeal and pretracheal region.
      RESULTS: Rates of metastasis to ipsilateral and contralateral central
      compartments in PTC >1.0 cm were 84.3% and 24.2%, respectively. Multivariate
      analysis showed that >=3 positive LNs in the combined prelaryngeal and
      pretracheal region were an independent predictive factor of contralateral CLN
      metastasis (P < 0.001; odds ratio, 8.585). After a mean follow-up of 24.1 mo,
      none of these patients had a recurrence in the central or lateral compartment.
      CONCLUSIONS: Occult metastasis is highly prevalent in the ipsilateral central
      neck of patients with PTC >1.0 cm, and the total number of prelaryngeal and
      pretracheal LNs metastases may be a useful indicator to predict contralateral CLN
      metastasis in patients with unifocal PTC.

PMID- 28624040
TI  - Hyperglycemia attenuates receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand-induced
      macrophage activation by suppressing insulin signaling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although male gender, aging, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking
      are common risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm, diabetes mellitus is an
      independent negative risk factor. In aneurysm tissue, matrix metalloproteinases
      (MMPs) expressed by activated macrophages degrades extracellular matrix proteins.
      In our previous experimental study, we demonstrated that the aneurysmal formation
      and macrophage activity were suppressed by inhibiting mimicking hyperglycemia
      (HG) through upregulation of glucose-sensing nuclear receptor, Nr1h2. Here in
      this study, we focused on the role of HG-induced altered glucose uptake on
      macrophage activation. METHODS: RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells were pretreated
      in cultures containing HG (HG group, 15.5 mM) or normal glucose (NG)
      concentrations (NG group, 5.5 mM) for 7 d. The culture medium was then changed in
      both groups to NG conditions, and the cells were stimulated with recombinant
      murine soluble receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (sRANKL). Macrophage
      activation was confirmed by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining.
      RESULTS: Compared with the NG group, MMP-9 expression in the HG group was
      significantly suppressed. Glucose uptake was increased in the NG group but not in
      the HG group during macrophage activation. To determine the mechanism of
      activation, we studied the expression and distribution of glucose transporters
      (Gluts) in the macrophages. Although Glut expression was unaffected by glucose
      pretreatment, membrane translocation of Glut-1 was significantly enhanced in
      macrophages in the NG group but not in the HG group during activation. Insulin
      receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) messenger RNA, known stimulate
      to membrane translocation of Gluts, were both decreased by the HG condition but
      not by the NG condition. CONCLUSIONS: HG pretreatment suppressed the macrophage
      activation. sRANKL increased macrophage glucose uptake at NG concentrations,
      which was impaired by HG pretreatment through the inhibition of Glut1 membrane
      translocation and the insulin receptor and IRS-1 gene transcription. These data
      suggest that HG suppressed macrophage activation, through attenuation of glucose
      uptake via the suppression of the membrane translocation of Glut1 and insulin
      signaling.

PMID- 28624041
TI  - Effects of replacing saline solution during surgery for colon cancer in Korea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections are often linked to contamination of saline
      solution by the patient's organs, doctors' and nurses' hands, or surgical
      instruments. Scrub nurses also use the saline solution to soften sutures or
      moisturize gauze. Therefore, we performed a randomized study of Korean clean
      contaminated surgeries for colon cancer to evaluate whether replacing saline
      solution affected the level of contamination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the
      control group (n = 26), normal saline was not replaced during surgery. In the
      experimental group (n = 26), normal saline and bowl were replaced after colon
      lesions were removed. RESULTS: We found that replacing the saline solution during
      surgery significantly lowered the number of colony-forming units in the solution
      (t = -5.18, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, we suggest that nurses replace
      the saline solution after removing the contaminated organs and that this replace
      be performed in clinical settings in Korea.

PMID- 28624042
TI  - Wound management and outcome of 595 electrical burns in a major burn center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electrical burns are important causes of trauma worldwide. This study
      aims to analyze the clinical characteristics, wound management, and outcome of
      electric burns. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed at the Institute
      of Burn Research of the Third Military Medical University during 2013-2015. Data
      including the demographics, injury patterns, wound treatment, and outcomes were
      collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 595 electrical burn patients (93.8%
      males) were included. The average age was 37.3 +/- 14.6 y, and most patients
      (73.5%) were aged 19~50 years. Most patients (67.2%) were injured in work-related
      circumstances. The mean total body surface area was 8.8 +/- 11.8% and most wounds
      (63.5%) were full-thickness burns. Operation times of high-voltage burns and
      current burns were higher than those of low-voltage burns and arc burns,
      respectively. Of the 375 operated patients, 83.2% (n = 312) underwent skin
      autografting and 49.3% (n = 185) required skin flap coverage. Common types of
      skin flaps were adjacent (50.3%), random (42.2%), and pedicle (35.7%). Amputation
      was performed in 107 cases (18.0%) and concentrated on the hands (43.9%) and
      upper limbs (39.3%). The mean length of stay was 42.9 +/- 46.3 d and only one
      death occurred (0.2%). Current burns and higher numbers of operations were major
      risk factors for amputation and length of stay, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      Electrical burns mainly affected adult males with occupational exposures in
      China. Skin autografts and various skin flaps were commonly used for electric
      burn wound management. More standardized and effective strategies of treatment
      and prevention are still needed to decrease amputation rates.

PMID- 28624043
TI  - Composition of the cellular infiltrate in patients with simple and complex
      appendicitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is now well established that there are two types of appendicitis:
      simple (nonperforating) and complex (perforating). This study evaluates
      differences in the composition of the immune cellular infiltrate in children with
      simple and complex appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 47 consecutive
      children undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis between January 2011 and
      December 2012 were included. Intraoperative criteria were used to identify
      patients with either simple or complex appendicitis and were confirmed
      histopathologically. Immune histochemical techniques were used to identify immune
      cell markers in the appendiceal specimens. Digital imaging analysis was performed
      using Image J. RESULTS: In the specimens of patients with complex appendicitis,
      significantly more myeloperoxidase positive cells (neutrophils) (8.7% versus
      1.2%, P < 0.001) were detected compared to patients with a simple appendicitis.
      In contrast, fewer CD8+ T cells (0.4% versus 1.3%, P = 0.016), CD20 + cells (2.9%
      versus 9.0%, P = 0.027), and CD21 + cells (0.2% versus 0.6%, P = 0.028) were
      present in tissue from patients with complex compared to simple appendicitis.
      CONCLUSIONS: The increase in proinflammatory innate cells and decrease of
      adaptive cells in patients with complex appendicitis suggest potential
      aggravating processes in complex appendicitis. Further research into the
      underlying mechanisms may identify novel biomarkers to be able to differentiate
      simple and complex appendicitis.

PMID- 28624044
TI  - Predictors of a histopathologic diagnosis of complicated appendicitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite its utilization, the intraoperative (IO) assessment of
      complicated appendicitis (CA) is subjective. The histopathologic (HP) diagnosis
      should be the gold standard in identifying patients with CA; however, it is not
      immediately available to guide postoperative management. The objective of this
      study was to identify predictors of an HP diagnosis of CA. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      A retrospective review of all patients who underwent appendectomy at our
      institution from 2011-2013 was conducted. CA was defined by perforation or
      abscess on pathology report. Predictors of an HP diagnosis of CA were evaluated
      using a multivariable regression model. RESULTS: A total of 239 of 1066 patients
      had CA based on IO assessment, whereas 143 of 239 patients (60%) had CA on HP and
      IO assessment. On multivariable analysis, an IO diagnosis of CA was associated
      with an HP diagnosis of CA (odds ratio [OR]: 10.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]:
      7.19-16.58). Other risk factors were age (OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.09-1.49), number of
      days of pain (OR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.07-1.37), increased heart rate (OR: 1.14; 95%
      CI: 1.02-1.26), appendix size (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03-1.16), and an appendicolith
      (OR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.12-2.71) on preoperative CT imaging. CONCLUSIONS: In
      addition to age, increased heart rate, pain duration, appendix size and
      appendicolith, the IO assessment is also associated with an HP diagnosis of CA;
      however, 40% of patients were incorrectly classified. Using these predictors with
      improved IO grading may achieve more accurate diagnosis of CA.

PMID- 28624045
TI  - A comparison of a homemade central line simulator to commercial models.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Simulation is quickly becoming vital to resident education, but
      commercially available central line models are costly and little information
      exists to evaluate their realism. This study compared an inexpensive homemade
      simulator to three commercially available simulators and rated model
      characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen physicians, all having placed
      >50 lines in their lifetime, completed blinded central line insertions on three
      commercial and one homemade model (made of silicone, tubing, and a pressurized
      pump system). Participants rated each model on the realism of its ultrasound
      image, cannulation feel, manometry, and overall. They then ranked the models
      based on the same variables. Rankings were assessed with Friedman's and post hoc
      Conover's tests, using alphas 0.05 and 0.008 (Bonferroni corrected),
      respectively. RESULTS: The models significantly differed (P < 0.0004) in rankings
      across all dimensions. The homemade model was ranked best on ultrasound image,
      manometry measurement, cannulation feel, and overall quality by 71%, 67%, 53%,
      and 77% of raters, respectively. It was found to be statistically superior to the
      second rated model in all (P < 0.003) except cannulation feel (P = 0.134).
      Ultrasound image and manometry measurement received the lowest ratings across all
      models, indicating less realistic simulation. The cost of the homemade model was
      $400 compared to $1000-$8000 for commercial models. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest
      that an inexpensive, homemade central line model is as good or better than
      commercially available models. Areas for potential improvement within models
      include the ultrasound image and ability to appropriately measure manometry of
      accessed vessels.

PMID- 28624046
TI  - Failure to rescue following cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic
      intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy
      (CRS/HIPEC) can significantly improve the survival in selected patients with
      peritoneal carcinomatosis. This study aims to identify perioperative patient
      characteristics predictive of failure to rescue (FTR), mortality following
      postoperative complications from CRS/HIPEC. METHODS: Patients suffering a
      complication following CRS/HIPEC between 2005 and 2013 were identified in the
      American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data
      set. FTR was defined as 30-d mortality in the setting of a complication. Patients
      who suffered FTR were compared against those who survived a complication (non
      FTR). Predictors of FTR were identified using a multivariable logistic regression
      model. RESULTS: A total of 915 eligible CRS/HIPEC cases were identified. In all,
      382 patients (42%) developed >=1 postoperative complication, and 88 patients
      (10%) suffered >=1 major complication. Seventeen patients died following a
      complication, amounting to an FTR rate of 4%. FTR patients were more likely than
      non-FTR patients to have dependent functional status (18% versus 2%, P = 0.01),
      have American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 4 status (29% versus 8%, P
      = 0.01), develop >=3 complications (65% versus 24%, P < 0.01), and suffer a major
      complication (94% versus 20%, P < 0.01). The following were independently
      associated with FTR: ASA class 4 (odds ratio [OR]: 13.4, 95% confidence interval
      [CI], 1.2-146.8) and major complications (OR: 66.0, 95% CI, 8.4-516.6).
      CONCLUSIONS: ASA class 4, major morbidity, and likely dependent functional status
      are independent predictors of FTR following CRS/HIPEC to treat peritoneal
      carcinomatosis. Therefore, ASA class 4 and dependent functional status should be
      considered as contraindications for CRS/HIPEC and only offered in highly
      selective cases.

PMID- 28624047
TI  - Viscoelastic monitoring in pediatric trauma: a survey of pediatric trauma society
      members.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Viscoelastic monitoring (VEM), including thromboelastography (TEG)
      and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) in the setting of goal-directed
      hemostatic resuscitation has been shown to improve outcomes in adult trauma. The
      American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma recommends that
      "thromboelastography should be available at level I and level II trauma centers".
      The purpose of this study is to determine the current availability and
      utilization of VEM in pediatric trauma. METHODS: After IRB and Pediatric Trauma
      Society (PTS) approval, a survey was administered to the current members of the
      PTS via Survey Monkey. The survey collected demographic information, hospital and
      trauma program type, volume of trauma admissions, and use and/or availability of
      VEM for pediatric trauma patients. RESULTS: We received 107 responses
      representing 77 unique hospitals. Survey respondents were: 61% physicians, 29%
      nurses, 6% trauma program managers, and 4% nurse practitioners/physician
      assistants. Over half of providers worked in a free standing children's hospital.
      Seventy-seven percent of respondents were from hospitals that had >200 trauma
      admissions/year, 42% were providers at ACS level 1 pediatric trauma centers, and
      62% practiced at state level 1 designated centers. VEM was available to 63% of
      providers, but only 31% employed VEM in pediatric trauma patients. For those who
      had no VEM available, over 73% would utilize this technology if it was available.
      Seventy-one percent of providers continue to rely on conventional coagulation
      assays to monitor coagulopathy in pediatric trauma patients after admission.
      CONCLUSIONS: While a growing body of evidence demonstrates the benefit of
      viscoelastic hemostatic assays in management of adult traumatic injuries, VEM
      during active resuscitation is infrequently used by pediatric trauma providers,
      even when the technology is readily available. This represents a timely and
      unique opportunity for quality improvement in pediatric trauma.

PMID- 28624048
TI  - Comparison of two different types of oxidized regenerated cellulose for partial
      breast defects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A defect after partial mastectomy, sometimes, is hard to be filled
      with patient's own breast tissue. Two different types of oxidized regenerated
      cellulose (ORC) for filling of partial defects in small-sized breasts were
      compared with respect to clinicopathologic factors and outcomes. METHODS: A total
      of 45 patients with breast cancer underwent conventional partial mastectomy with
      insertion of an ORC filling material. The two filling materials used were a
      hemostasis-purposed ORC and adhesion barrier-purposed ORC. Clinical factors were
      compared between these two ORC materials. Both the surgeon and patient assessed
      the cosmetic outcomes using the Harvard/NSABP/RTOG Breast Cosmesis Grading Scale.
      RESULTS: Partial mastectomy with filling material insertion technique was not
      inferior to partial mastectomy-only technique in many clinical aspects. And most
      of the clinicopathologic factors showed no significant difference between the two
      groups. However, the mean operation time was significantly shorter in the
      hemostasis-purposed ORC group (P = 0.027). In addition, the infection rate was
      significantly higher in the adhesion barrier-purposed ORC group (P = 0.040).
      CONCLUSIONS: Reconstructive surgery using a hemostasis-purposed ORC was
      associated with a shorter operation time and lower incidence of postoperative
      infection than that using an adhesion barrier-purposed ORC. However, both types
      of ORC were feasible as filling compounds for partial defects of the breast.

PMID- 28624049
TI  - Failure to operate on resectable gastric cancer: implications for policy changes
      and regionalization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of patients never receive curative-intent
      surgery for resectable gastric cancer (GC). The primary aims of this study were
      to identify disparities and targetable risk factors associated with failure to
      operate in the context of national trends in surgical rates for resectable GC.
      METHODS: The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with
      resectable GC (adenocarcinoma, clinical stage IA-IIIC, 2004-2013). Multivariate
      modeling was used to identify predictors of resection and to analyze the impact
      of surgery on overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Of 46,970 patients with resectable
      GC, 18,085 (39%) did not receive an appropriate operation. Among unresected
      patients, 69% had no comorbidities. Failure to resect was associated with reduced
      median OS (44.4 versus 11.8 mo, hazard ratio [HR]: 2.09, P < 0.001). In the
      multivariate analysis, the most critical factors affecting OS were resection (HR:
      2.09) and stage (reference IA; HR range: 1.16-3.50, stage IB-IIIC). Variables
      independently associated with no surgery included insurance other than private or
      Medicare (odds ratio [OR]: 1.60/1.54), nonacademic/nonresearch hospital (OR:
      1.16), non-Asian race (OR: 1.72), male (OR: 1.19), older age (OR: 1.04), Charlson
      Deyo score >1 (OR: 1.17), residing in areas with median income <$48,000 (OR:
      1.23), small urban populations <20,000 (OR: 1.41), and stage (reference IA; OR
      range: 1.36-3.79, stage IB-IIIC, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Over one-third of
      patients with resectable GC fail to receive surgery. Suitable insurance coverage
      and treatment facility are the most salient (and only modifiable) risk factors
      for omitting surgery. To mitigate national disparities in surgical care,
      policymakers should consider improving insurance coverage in underserved areas
      and regionalization of gastric cancer care.

PMID- 28624050
TI  - Impact of hospital volume on outcomes for laparoscopic adhesiolysis for small
      bowel obstruction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Volume-to-outcome data have been studied in several complex surgical
      procedures, demonstrating improved outcomes at higher volume centers.
      Laparoscopic lysis of adhesions (LLOA) for small bowel obstruction (SBO) may
      result in better outcomes, but there is no information on the learning curve for
      this potentially complex case. This study evaluates the effect of institutional
      procedural volume on length of stay (LOS), outcomes, and costs in LLOA for SBOs.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample data set between 2000 and
      2013 was queried for discharges for a diagnosis of SBO involving LLOA in adult
      patients. Patients with intra-abdominal malignancy and evidence of any other
      major surgical procedure during hospitalization were excluded. The procedural
      volume per hospital was calculated over the period, and high-volume hospitals
      were designated as those performing greater than five LLOA per year. Patient
      characteristics were described by hospital volume status using stratified cluster
      sampling tabulation and linear regression methods. LOS, total charges, and costs
      were reported as means with standard deviation and median values. P < 0.05 was
      considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 9111 discharges were selected, which
      was representative of 43,567 weighted discharges nationally between 2000 and
      2013. Over the study period, there has been a 450% increase in the number of LLOA
      performed. High-volume hospitals had significantly shorter LOS (mean: 4.92 +/-
      standard error (SE) 0.13 d; median: 3.6) compared to low-volume hospitals (mean:
      5.68 +/- 0.06 d; median: 4.5). In multivariate analysis, high-volume status was
      associated with a decreased LOS of 0.72 d (P < 0.0001) as compared to low-volume
      status. Other significant predictors for decreased LOS included decreased age,
      decreased comorbidity, and the absence of small bowel resection. There was no
      significant association between volume status and total charges in multivariate
      or univariate models, but high-volume hospitals were associated with lower costs
      in multivariate models by approximately $984 (P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: This study
      demonstrates that high hospital volume was associated with decreased LOS for LLOA
      in SBO. Although volume was not associated with differences in total charges,
      there was a small decrease in hospital costs.

PMID- 28624051
TI  - Persistent injury-associated anemia: the role of the bone marrow
      microenvironment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The regulation of erythropoiesis involves hematopoietic progenitor
      cells, bone marrow stroma, and the microenvironment. Following severe injury, a
      hypercatecholamine state develops that is associated with increased mobilization
      of hematopoietic progenitor cells to peripheral blood and decreased growth of
      bone marrow erythroid progenitor cells that manifests clinically as a persistent
      injury-associated anemia. Changes within the bone marrow microenvironment
      influence the development of erythroid progenitor cells. Therefore, we sought to
      determine the effects of lung contusion, hemorrhagic shock, and chronic stress on
      the hematopoietic cytokine response. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bone marrow was
      obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 6/group) killed 7 d after lung
      contusion followed by hemorrhagic shock (LCHS) or LCHS followed by daily chronic
      restraint stress (LCHS/CS). End point polymerase chain reaction was performed for
      interleukin-1beta, interleukin-10, stem cell factor, transforming growth factor
      beta, high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1), and B-cell lymphoma-extra large.
      RESULTS: Seven days following LCHS and LCHS/CS, bone marrow expression of
      prohematopoietic cytokines (interleukin-1beta, interleukin-10, stem cell factor,
      and transforming growth factor-beta) was significantly decreased, and bone marrow
      expression of HMGB-1 was significantly increased. B-cell lymphoma-extra large
      bone marrow expression was not affected by LCHS or LCHS/CS (naive: 44 +/- 12,
      LCHS: 44 +/- 12, LCHS/CS: 37 +/- 1, all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The bone marrow
      microenvironment was significantly altered following severe trauma in a rodent
      model. Prohematopoietic cytokines were downregulated, and the proinflammatory
      cytokine HMGB-1 had increased bone marrow expression. Modulation of the bone
      marrow microenvironment may represent a therapeutic strategy following severe
      trauma to alleviate persistent injury-associated anemia.

PMID- 28624052
TI  - Association between surgical patient satisfaction and nonmodifiable factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction surveys are an important tool in measuring
      physician performance. We hypothesized that nonmodifiable factors would be
      associated with surgical outpatient satisfaction scores. METHODS: Press Ganey
      Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems outpatient satisfaction
      scores from completed surveys (18,373) at an academic department of surgery were
      reviewed. Data were collected on patient factors, provider specialty, practice
      setting, and first visit status. Patients were divided into groups based on
      satisfaction scores-completely satisfied (score = 100) or less satisfied (score
      <=99). Generalized estimating equation logistic regression analysis was performed
      to identify factors predictive of patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Patients less
      likely to be completely satisfied were younger (odds ratio [OR] 0.54; confidence
      interval [CI] 0.43-0.69, P < 0.001 for 18-29 y versus >80 y) and were more likely
      to be seeing their surgeon for the first time (OR 0.84; CI 0.78-0.89, P < 0.001
      for first versus return patients). Compared with patients seen at hospital
      subspecialty clinics, patients were more likely to be satisfied if seen at a
      cancer center clinic (OR 1.22; CI 1.13-1.32, P < 0.001) or a community ambulatory
      clinic (OR 1.30; CI 1.18-1.43, P < 0.001). There was no difference in
      satisfaction among patients seen in General Surgery, Plastic Surgery, or
      Otolaryngology Clinics. Patients were less likely to be satisfied when seen in
      Urology (OR 0.82; CI 0.75-0.91, P < 0.001) and Vascular Surgery (OR 0.75; CI 0.62
      0.92, P = 0.006) clinics compared with General Surgery Clinics. CONCLUSIONS:
      Using satisfaction scores to evaluate providers should take into account
      nonmodifiable factors of the underlying patient population, the specialty of the
      provider, and the practice setting of the visit.

PMID- 28624053
TI  - Radiologic evaluation of vasculobiliary anatomy in the umbilical fissure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preoperative evaluation of vasculobiliary anatomy in the umbilical
      fissure (U-point) is pivotal for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PCCA) applied to
      right-sided hepatectomy. The purpose of our study was to review the
      vasculobiliary anatomy in the U-point using three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction
      technique, to investigate the diagnostic ability of 2D scans to evaluate anatomic
      variations, and to discuss its surgical implications. METHODS: A retrospective
      study of 159 patients with Bismuth type I, II, and IIIa PCCA, who received
      surgery at our institution from November 2012 to September 2016, was conducted.
      Anatomic structures were assessed using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT)
      by one hepatobiliary surgeon, whereas 3D images were reconstructed by an
      independent radiologist. Normal confluence pattern of left biliary system was
      defined as the left medial segmental bile duct (B4) joining the common trunk of
      segment II (B2) and segment III (B3) ducts, whereas aberrant confluence patterns
      were classified into 3 types: type I, triple confluence of B2, B3, and B4; type
      II, B2 draining into the common trunk of B3 and B4; type III, other patterns.
      Surgical anatomy of B4 was classified into the central, peripheral, and combined
      type according to its relation to the hepatic confluence. The lengths from the
      bile duct branch of Spiegel's lobe (B1l) to the orifice of B4 and the junction of
      B2 and B3 were measured on 3D images. The anatomy of left hepatic artery (LHA)
      was classified according to different origins and the spatial relationship
      related to the U-point. RESULTS: 3D reconstruction revealed that normal
      confluence pattern of left biliary system was observed in 71.1% (113/159) of all
      patients, and variant patterns were type I in 11.9% (19/159), type II in 12.6%
      (20/159), and type III in 4.4% (7/159). The length from B1l to the junction of B2
      and B3 was 12.1 +/- 3.1 mm in type I variation, which was significantly shorter
      than that in normal configuration (30.0 +/- 6.8 mm, P < 0.001) but significantly
      longer than that in type II variation (9.6 +/- 3.4 mm, P = 0.019). Surgical
      anatomy of B4: the peripheral type was most commonly seen (74.2%, 118/159),
      followed by central type (15.7%, 25/159) and combined type (10.1%, 16/159). The
      distance between the B1l and B4 was 8.4 +/- 2.4 mm in central and combined type,
      which was significantly shorter than that in peripheral type (14.5 +/- 4.1 mm, P
      < 0.001). A replaced or accessory LHA from the left gastric artery was present in
      6 (3.8%) and 9 (5.7%) patients, respectively. LHA running along the left caudal
      position of U-point was present in 143 cases (89.9%), along the right cranial
      position of U-point in nine cases (5.7 %), and combined position in seven cases
      (4.4%). Interobserver agreement of two imaging modalities was almost perfect in
      biliary confluence pattern (kappa = 0.90; 95% confidence interval: 0.79-1.00),
      substantial in surgical anatomy of B4 (kappa = 0.74; 95% confidence interval:
      0.62-0.86), and perfect in LHA (kappa = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: Thoroughly
      understanding the imaging characters of surgical anatomy in the U-point may be
      benefit for preoperative evaluation of PCCA by successive review of 2D images
      alone, whereas 3D reconstruction technique allows detailed hepatic anatomy and
      individualized surgical planning for advanced cases.

PMID- 28624054
TI  - Diverticulitis and Crohn's disease have distinct but overlapping tumor necrosis
      superfamily 15 haplotypes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diverticulitis (DD) and Crohn's disease (CD) have overlapping
      features including bowel structuring, inflammation, and infection. Tumor necrosis
      superfamily 15 (TNFSF15) is an immunoregulatory, anti-angiogenic gene. CD has
      been previously associated with a haplotype of five TNFSF15 single-nucleotide
      polymorphism alleles: rs3810936 (G allele), rs6478108 (A), rs6478109 (G),
      rs7848647 (G), and rs7869487 (A). We aimed to determine the TNFSF15 risk
      haplotype for DD versus controls with a subgroup analysis of youthful DD patients
      (aged <=55 y) versus older controls (aged >=55 y). METHODS: A total of 148
      diverticulitis patients (90 aged <=55 y) and 200 controls (87 aged >=55 y) were
      genotyped using our custom-designed Illumina Veracode microarray chip. Genotypes
      from rs3810936, rs6478108, rs6478109, rs7848647, rs7869487 and two additional
      TNFSF15 single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs3810936 and rs11554257, were analyzed.
      PHASE version 2.1, R with HaploStats and the Broad Institute's Haploview program
      were used for statistics and imputed haplotype frequency. Permutation corrected
      for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: The CD GAGGA haplotype was significantly
      associated with diverticulitis (P = 0.03) in the all DD versus all controls
      comparison. A second haplotype, rs6478108 (A), rs6478109 (G), rs7869487 (A), and
      rs4263839 (G), was also associated with DD in this cohort (P = 0.025). A third
      haplotype rs6478108 (A), rs6478109 (G), rs7848647 (G) and rs7869487 (A),
      rs4263839 (G) was demonstrated in the DD < 55 versus controls >55 comparison (P =
      0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Distinct but overlapping TNFSF15 haplotypes were
      demonstrated in diverticulitis patients versus healthy controls when compared
      with the known Crohn's risk haplotype suggesting similar but distinct genetic
      predispositions. This study strengthens the role for a genetic predisposition to
      diverticulitis that involves the TNFSF15 gene.

PMID- 28624055
TI  - Sevoflurane preconditioning protects from posttransplant injury in mouse lung
      transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although sevoflurane (Sevo) had been shown to ameliorate
      posttransplant injury in various organs, data available are inconsistent,
      particularly in the context of lung transplantation (Tx). We here investigated if
      preconditioning by Sevo can protect from posttransplant injury regarding both,
      primary graft dysfunction (PGD) and acute rejection (AR) after experimental lung
      Tx, thereby focusing on two important clinical outcome parameters. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Three experimental approaches were used: (1) BALB/c mice were
      preconditioned for 2 h with Sevo or a fentanyl cocktail (Control; n = 10); (2)
      syngeneic (Syn) mouse lung Tx (C57BL/6) with a Sevo-preconditioned graft followed
      by 18 h storage to mimic PGD (Syn-Tx, n = 12) versus controls (fentanyl
      cocktail); and (3) allogeneic (Allo) Tx (BALB/c, donor; C57BL/6, recipient) to
      mimic AR (Allo-Tx, n = 12) versus controls (fentanyl cocktail). Syn-Tx grafts
      were harvested on Day 1, Allo-Tx grafts on Day 3 and analyzed for histology,
      immunohistochemistry, blood gas analysis, and inflammatory cytokines (enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction).
      RESULTS: Evaluating the preconditioning effect of Sevo only showed significantly
      better oxygenation (P = 0.03) and a tendency toward lower levels of lung tissue
      messenger RNA for tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In Syn-Tx recipients, the Sevo
      group had histologically a tendency toward an attenuation of PGD and showed
      significantly lower levels of interleukin 6 (P = 0.01) in plasma, but higher
      levels of interleukin 10 (P < 0.01) in lungs. Allo-Tx grafts in Sevo Tx
      recipients showed attenuated AR with histologically significantly lower rejection
      scores (P = 0.03), fewer classical macrophages (F4/80+; P < 0.01), but more anti
      inflammatory activated macrophages (M2, CD206+; P < 0.01). Functionally, the Sevo
      group had a tendency toward improved oxygenation. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated
      that Sevo preconditioning has protective effects on lung transplants in both, PGD
      and AR. The observed amelioration may be attributed to suppressed inflammatory
      cytokines during PGD and the induction of alternatively activated macrophages
      during AR. These promising data could set the base for using Sevo preconditioning
      in donor lungs for a human trial.

PMID- 28624056
TI  - Evaluating the efficacy of different types of stem cells in preserving gut
      barrier function in necrotizing enterocolitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a leading cause of morbidity and
      mortality in premature infants. Increased intestinal permeability is central to
      NEC development. We have shown that stem cells (SCs) can reduce the incidence and
      severity of NEC. Our current goal was to investigate the efficacy of four
      different types of SC in preservation of gut barrier function during NEC.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared (1) amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal SC, (2)
      bone marrow-derived mesenchymal SC, (3) amniotic fluid-derived neural SC, and (4)
      enteric neural SC. Premature rat pups received an intraperitoneal injection of 2
      * 106 SC or phosphate-buffered saline only and were then subjected to
      experimental NEC. Control pups were breastfed and not subjected to NEC. After 48
      h, animals received a single enteral dose of fluorescein isothiocyanate -labeled
      dextran (FD70), were sacrificed 4 h later, and serum FD70 concentrations
      determined. RESULTS: Compared to breastfed, unstressed pups with intact gut
      barrier function and normal intestinal permeability (serum FD70 concentration
      2.22 +/- 0.271 MUg/mL), untreated pups exposed to NEC had impaired barrier
      function with significantly increased permeability (18.6 +/- 4.25 MUg/mL, P =
      0.047). Pups exposed to NEC but treated with SC had significantly reduced
      intestinal permeability: Amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal SC (9.45 +/- 1.36
      MUg/mL, P = 0.017), bone marrow-derived mesenchymal SC (6.73 +/- 2.74 MUg/mL, P =
      0.049), amniotic fluid-derived neural SC (8.052 +/- 1.31 MUg/mL, P = 0.0496), and
      enteric neural SC (6.60 +/- 1.46 MUg/mL, P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: SCs improve gut
      barrier function in experimental NEC. Although all four types of SC reduce
      permeability equivalently, SC derived from amniotic fluid may be preferable due
      to availability at delivery and ease of culture, potentially enhancing clinical
      translation.

PMID- 28624057
TI  - Surveillance strategies in the follow-up of melanoma patients: too much or not
      enough?
AB  - BACKGROUND: After appropriate initial therapy for patients with stage II-III
      melanoma, there is no consensus regarding surveillance. Thus, follow-up is highly
      variable among institutions and individual providers. The National Comprehensive
      Cancer Network recommends routine clinical examination and consideration of
      imaging for stage IIB-IIIC every 3-12 mo with no distinction between stages.
      Detection of recurrence is important as novel systemic therapies and surgical
      resection of recurrence may provide survival benefits. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed 369 patients with stage II and III melanoma treated at
      Ohio State University from 2009-2015, who underwent surgery as primary therapy.
      Two hundred forty-seven patients who were followed for a minimum of 6 mo after
      surgical resection to achieve no evidence of disease status (NED) were included
      in this analysis. One hundred twenty-two were lost to follow-up after surgery and
      were excluded. RESULTS: The rate of recurrence for stage IIA/IIB patients was 11%
      (14/125). Eleven of the 14 (79%) recurrences were detected by clinical symptoms
      or physical examination. Thirty-nine percent (49/125) of stage IIA or IIB
      patients were followed by clinical examination only, whereas 61% (76/125) were
      followed with at least two serial chest x-rays. The median time to first chest x
      ray after NED status was 4.7 mo (n = 76), median time to second chest x-ray after
      NED status was 12.7 mo (n = 76), and 66% (50/76) continued to have additional
      serial chest x-rays. At median follow-up of 35 mo for the 125 patients with stage
      IIA/IIB, there was no difference in survival between those followed clinically
      (95% [95% CI: 0.88-0.99]) versus those followed with at least two serial x-rays
      (96% [95% CI: 0.89-0.98]). For stage IIC/IIIA-C patients, recurrence was detected
      in 23% (28/122) at median follow-up 31.2 mo. Fifty percent of recurrences were
      detected by imaging in asymptomatic patients, whereas 50% (14/28) had recurrence
      detected on imaging associated clinical findings. Eighty-seven percent (106/122)
      of stage IIC/IIIA-C patients were followed with at least two serial whole body
      positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT) scans or whole body CT
      scans plus brain magnetic resonance imaging; median time between NED status and
      second scan was 10.3 mo. Of stage IIC/IIIA-C patients with recurrence, 57%
      (16/28) went on to surgical resection of the recurrence, whereas 11 (39%)
      patients received B-RAF inhibitor therapy, immune blockade therapy, or
      combination therapy. CONCLUSIONS: For stage IIA and IIB melanoma, surveillance
      chest x-rays did not improve survival compared to physical examination alone.
      However, for stage IIC and IIIA-C melanoma, where the recurrence rates are
      higher, routine whole body imaging detected 50% of recurrences leading to
      additional surgery and/or treatment with novel systemic therapies for the
      majority of patients. Detection of melanoma recurrence is important and specific
      substage should be used to stratify risk and define appropriate follow-up.

PMID- 28624059
TI  - Exploring regional variability in utilization of antireflux surgery in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is significant variation surrounding the indications, surgical
      approaches, and outcomes for children undergoing antireflux procedures (ARPs)
      resulting in geographic variation of care. Our purpose was to quantify this
      geographic variation in the utilization of ARPs in children. METHODS: A cross
      sectional analysis of the 2009 Kid's Inpatient Database was performed to identify
      patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease or associated diagnoses. Regional
      surgical utilization rates were determined, and a mixed effects model was used to
      identify factors associated with the use of ARPs. RESULTS: Of the 148,959
      patients with a diagnosis of interest, 4848 (3.3%) underwent an ARP with 2376
      (49%) undergoing a laparoscopic procedure. The Northeast (2.0%) and Midwest
      (2.2%) had the lowest overall utilization of surgery, compared with the South
      (3.3%) and West (3.4%). After adjustment for age, case-mix, and surgical
      approach, variation persisted with the West and the South demonstrating almost
      two times the odds of undergoing an ARP compared with the Northeast. Surgical
      utilization rates are independent of state-level volume with some of the highest
      case volume states having surgical utilization rates below the national rate. In
      the West, the use of laparoscopy correlated with overall utilization of surgery,
      whereas surgical approach was not correlated with ARP use in the South.
      CONCLUSIONS: Significant regional variation in ARP utilization exists that cannot
      be explained entirely by differences in patient age, race/ethnicity, case-mix,
      and surgical approach. In order to decrease variation in care, further research
      is warranted to establish consensus guidelines regarding indications for the use
      ARPs for children.

PMID- 28624058
TI  - Preclinical progenitor cell therapy in traumatic brain injury: a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No treatment is available to reverse injury associated with traumatic
      brain injury (TBI). Progenitor cell therapies show promise in both preclinical
      and clinical studies. We conducted a meta-analysis of preclinical studies using
      progenitor cells to treat TBI. METHODS: EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Review, Biosis,
      and Google Scholar were searched for articles using prespecified search
      strategies. Studies meeting inclusion criteria underwent data extraction.
      Analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 according to a fixed-effects
      model, and all studies underwent quality scoring. RESULTS: Of 430 abstracts
      identified, 38 met inclusion criteria and underwent analysis. Average quality
      score was 4.32 of 8 possible points. No study achieved a perfect score. Lesion
      volume (LV) and neurologic severity score (NSS) outcomes favored cell treatment
      with standard mean difference (SMD) of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.64-1.09) and 1.36 (95% CI:
      1.11-1.60), respectively. Rotarod and Morris water maze outcomes also favored
      treatment with improvements in SMD of 0.34 (95% CI: 0.02-0.65) and 0.46 (95% CI:
      0.17-74), respectively. Although LV and NSS were robust to publication bias
      assessments, rotarod and Morris water maze tests were not. Heterogeneity (I2)
      ranged from 74%-85% among the analyses, indicating a high amount of heterogeneity
      among studies. Precision as a function of quality score showed a statistically
      significant increase in the size of the confidence interval as quality improved.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis study reveals an overall positive effect of
      progenitor cell therapies on LV and NSS with a trend toward improved motor
      function and spatial learning in different TBI animal models.

PMID- 28624060
TI  - Speed dating for mentors: a novel approach to mentor/mentee pairing in surgical
      residency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Resident-resident mentoring offers significant benefits. Previous
      works have shown that the quality of the mentorship pairing is important, but
      techniques of pairing have seldom been described. We describe a system for mentor
      mentee pairing that we call "Speed Dating for Mentors" (SDM). METHODS: The SDM
      activity took place in an academic general surgery residency program in the
      Northeast. Senior residents met with junior residents (JR) in 90-second
      intervals. On completion of interviews, residents documented their top three
      choices-this was used to create senior-junior resident pairings. A cross
      sectional Likert survey was conducted with univariate analysis of satisfaction
      with the SDM event. RESULTS: Forty-two surgical residents participated in SDM-23
      junior residents and 19 senior residents-resulting in 23 mentor-mentee pairings.
      Fourteen pairs were generated, where both mentor and mentee were among top three
      choices, seven pairings generated where either/or was a top three choice, and two
      pairings were assigned; six pairs were assigned for nonattendees. A total of 36
      surveys were completed-28 (78%) respondents participated in SDM compared to eight
      (22%) who did not. Eighty-five percent of respondents who attended were
      "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their pairing compared to only 12% of
      nonattendees (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: "Speed dating" is a novel approach to
      forming mentorship pairings and identifying mentors/mentees with similar
      interests. Residents who attended the event were satisfied with the event and
      with the outcome of their mentor/mentee pairing. Further investigations are
      warranted to determine what effects resident mentoring has on resident
      performance, stress levels, and well-being.

PMID- 28624061
TI  - New noncontact sensor for detecting pulmonary tumors during video-assisted
      thoracic surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Small pulmonary tumors are difficult to localize during video
      assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) because of lack of direct tissue contact.
      However, in partial lung resection, tumor localization is quite important. The
      aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a new noncontact
      sensor for detecting pulmonary nodules during VATS using human and porcine
      models. METHODS: The sensor, based on the principle of phase differences,
      comprises an air nozzle for producing air pulse jets and an optical fiber sensor
      to measure phase differences and visualize object stiffness. For in vivo
      assessment, we developed a porcine model by inserting plastic balls mimicking
      tumors into the pig lungs after thoracotomy and then scanned the lungs. The
      sensor sensitivity was evaluated by measuring the ratio of the depth of the ball
      from the lung surface to the ball diameter (D/S). For the ex vivo human model,
      partially resected lung tissue with tumors was obtained from six patients and
      then scanned. RESULTS: In the porcine model, 32 of 37 (86.5%), 70 of 94 (74.5%),
      and 60 of 100 (60.0%) tumors were detected in the categories D/S <= 1, 1 < D/S <=
      2, and D/S > 2, respectively. Sensor safety was confirmed with an air jet at
      pressures between 0.05 and 0.15 MPa directed onto the lung surface; all the
      examined lungs including the pleura remained intact microscopically. In six
      patients, all nodules were successfully detected. CONCLUSIONS: Our noncontact
      sensor is a safe and feasible tool for detecting small pulmonary tumors during
      VATS.

PMID- 28624062
TI  - Diosmetin protects against ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury in
      mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute kidney injury remains
      to be a troublesome condition in clinical practice. Although the exact molecular
      mechanisms underlying renal I/R injury are incompletely understood, the
      deleterious progress of renal I/R injury involves inflammation, apoptosis, and
      oxidative stress. Diosmetin is a member of the flavonoid glycosides family, which
      suppresses the inflammatory response and cellular apoptosis and enhances
      antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective
      effect of diosmetin on I/R-induced renal injury in mice. METHODS: Thirty BALB/c
      mice were randomly divided into five groups. Four groups of mice received
      diosmetin (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg) or vehicle (I/R group) before ischemia.
      Another group received vehicle without ischemia to serve as a negative control
      (sham-operated group). Twenty-four hours after reperfusion, serum and renal
      tissues were harvested to evaluate renal function and histopathologic features.
      In addition, the expression of inflammation-related proteins, apoptotic
      molecules, and antioxidant enzymes was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with sham
      mice, the I/R group significantly exacerbated renal function and renal tube
      architecture and increased the inflammatory response and renal tubule apoptosis.
      Nevertheless, pretreatment with diosmetin reversed these changes. In addition,
      diosmetin treatment resulted in a marked increase in antioxidant protein
      expression compared with I/R mice. CONCLUSIONS: The renoprotective effects of
      diosmetin involved suppression of the nuclear factor-kappaB and mitochondrial
      apoptosis pathways, as well as activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2
      related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 pathway. Diosmetin has significant potential as
      a therapeutic intervention to ameliorate renal injury after renal I/R.

PMID- 28624063
TI  - Acceptance of adjuvant chemotherapy recommendations in early-stage hormone
      positive breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of systemic chemotherapy in early-stage, estrogen receptor
      (ER)-positive, and Her2-negative breast cancer remains an area of active
      investigation. The decision to recommend chemotherapy is multifactorial, and some
      patients decline recommended chemotherapy. We sought to identify patient factors
      leading to refusal of adjuvant therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were
      collected from National Comprehensive Cancer Network Outcomes database and used
      to identify patients with primary, unilateral, T1-T2, N0, ER+, Her2-disease
      diagnosed from 2005-2011. Patient and clinical characteristics were analyzed for
      associations with physician recommendation for chemotherapy and patient
      acceptance of chemotherapy. A logistic regression model was used to identify
      patient and tumor characteristics associated with recommendation for and
      acceptance of chemotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 329 patients were identified.
      Chemotherapy was recommended in 191 patients (58.1%) and not in 138 (41.9%).
      Young age (odds ratio [OR]: 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-12.7), large
      tumor size (6.69, 95% CI: 3.31-13.5), and high Oncotype DX scores (11.2, 95% CI:
      4.5-27.9) were more likely to receive a recommendation. About 71 patients (37.1%)
      refused chemotherapy. Patients younger than age 50 (20.9, 95% CI: 2.5-172.0),
      larger tumor size (3.4, 95% CI: 1.3-8.7), Oncotype DX score > 31 (31.3, 95% CI:
      3.3-295.0), privately insured (8.2, 95% CI: 1.9-34.7), and Hispanic ethnicity
      (5.2, 95% CI: 1.6-16.8) were more likely to accept chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS:
      Physician recommendations for adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage ER + breast
      cancer varied by commonly considered factors. Patient acceptance varied by
      similar factors but was also influenced by race and insurance status. This may be
      explained by cultural or social factors not well understood or not overcome by
      physician guidance.

PMID- 28624064
TI  - Assessing written communication during interhospital transfers of emergency
      general surgery patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor communication causes fragmented care. Studies of transitions of
      care within a hospital and on discharge suggest significant communication
      deficits. Communication during transfers between hospitals has not been well
      studied. We assessed the written communication provided during interhospital
      transfers of emergency general surgery patients. We hypothesized that patients
      are transferred with incomplete documentation from referring facilities. METHODS:
      We performed a retrospective review of written communication provided during
      interhospital transfers to our emergency department (ED) from referring EDs for
      emergency general surgical evaluation between January 1, 2014 and January 1,
      2016. Elements of written communication were abstracted from referring facility
      documents scanned into the medical record using a standardized abstraction
      protocol. Descriptive statistics summarized the information communicated.
      RESULTS: A total of 129 patients met inclusion criteria. 87.6% (n = 113) of
      charts contained referring hospital documents. 42.5% (n = 48) were missing
      history and physicals. Diagnoses were missing in 9.7% (n = 11). Ninety-one
      computed tomography scans were performed; among 70 with reads, final reads were
      absent for 70.0% (n = 49). 45 ultrasounds and x-rays were performed; among 27
      with reads, final reads were missing for 80.0% (n = 36). Reasons for transfer
      were missing in 18.6% (n = 21). Referring hospital physicians outside the ED were
      consulted in 32.7% (n = 37); consultants' notes were absent in 89.2% (n = 33). In
      12.4% (n = 14), referring documents arrived after the patient's ED arrival and
      were not part of the original documentation provided. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      documents that information important to patient care is often missing in the
      written communication provided during interhospital transfers. This gap affords a
      foundation for standardizing provider communication during interhospital
      transfers.

PMID- 28624065
TI  - Trends in open and endoscopic carpal tunnel release utilization in the Medicare
      patient population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is performed with
      an open or endoscopic approach. Current literature suggests that the endoscopic
      approach is associated with higher costs and a steeper learning curve. This study
      evaluated the billing and utilization trends of both approaches. METHODS: A
      retrospective review of a Medicare database within the PearlDiver Supercomputer
      (Warsaw, IN) was performed for patients undergoing open carpal tunnel release
      (OCTR) or endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) from 2005-2012. Annual
      utilization, charges, reimbursement, demographic data, and compound annual growth
      rate (CAGR) were evaluated. RESULTS: Our query returned 1,500,603 carpal tunnel
      syndrome patients, of which 507,924 (33.8%) and 68,768 (4.6%) were surgically
      managed with OCTR and ECTR respectively (remainder treated conservatively).
      Compound annual growth rate was significantly higher in ECTR (5%) than OCTR
      (0.9%; P < 0.001). Average charges were higher in OCTR ($3820) than ECTR ($2952),
      whereas reimbursements were higher in ECTR (mean $1643) than OCTR (mean $1312).
      Both were performed most commonly in the age range of 65-69 y, females, and
      southern geographic region. CONCLUSIONS: ECTR is growing faster than OCTR in the
      Medicare population. Contrary to previous literature, our study shows that ECTR
      had lower charges and reimbursed at a higher rate than OCTR.

PMID- 28624066
TI  - Complexity of medical decision-making in care provided by surgeons through
      patient portals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patient portals are online applications that allow patients to
      interact with healthcare organizations and view information. Portal messages
      exchanged between patients and providers contain diverse types of communications,
      including delivery of medical care. The types of communications and complexity of
      medical decision-making in portal messages sent to surgeons have not been
      studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained all message threads initiated by
      patients and exchanged with surgical providers through the Vanderbilt University
      Medical Center patient portal from June 1 to December 31, 2014. Five hundred
      randomly selected messages were manually analyzed by two research team members to
      determine the types of communication (i.e., informational, medical, logistical,
      or social), whether medical care was delivered, and complexity of medical
      decision-making as defined for outpatient billing in each message thread.
      RESULTS: A total of 9408 message threads were sent to 401 surgical providers
      during the study period. In the 500 threads selected for detailed analysis, 1293
      distinct issues were communicated, with an average of 2.6 issues per thread.
      Medical needs were communicated in 453 message threads (90.6%). Further, 339
      message threads (67.8%) contained medical decision-making. Overall complexity of
      medical decision-making was straightforward in 210 messages (62%), low in 102
      messages (30%), and moderate in 27 messages (8%). No highly complex decisions
      were made over portal messaging. CONCLUSIONS: Through patient portal messages,
      surgeons deliver substantial medical care with varied levels of medical
      complexity. Models for compensation of online care must be developed as consumer
      and surgeon adoption of these technologies increases.

PMID- 28624067
TI  - Letter to the Editor: Hydrophobic interactions in the caseins: Challenging their
      dismissal by Holt et al. (2013).

PMID- 28624068
TI  - Letter to the Editor: A response to Horne and Lucey (2017).

PMID- 28624069
TI  - Corrigendum to "Factors affecting milking speed in Murciano-Granadina breed
      goats" (J. Dairy Sci. 99:10102-10108).

PMID- 28624070
TI  - Corrigendum to "Determination of ultra-low milk fat content using dual-wavelength
      ultraviolet spectroscopy" (J. Dairy Sci. 99:9652-9658).

PMID- 28624071
TI  - Corrigendum to "Genetic parameters for lactose and its correlation with other
      milk production traits and fitness traits in pasture-based production systems"
      (J. Dairy Sci. 100:3754-3766).

PMID- 28624072
TI  - Violent events on the road: Risk perception of traffic-related and non traffic
      related situations.
AB  - This study aimed at identifying and comparing subjective risk perception
      regarding two different violent situations in urban roads: traffic accidents
      (i.e. crashes) and robberies. A robbery consists of subtracting something from
      someone, while seriously threatening the victim, or using violence. Robberies can
      be perpetrated either with or without the use of a weapon. This study was carried
      out in the city of Uberlandia, a medium size city in the state of Minas Gerais,
      south-east Brazil. A total of 383 people was interviewed at home in two boroughs
      of Uberlandia, using a questionnaire divided in five parts: a) personal
      information; b) description of crash involvement; c) description of robbery
      involvement; d) the chance of being involved in a crash and in a robbery within
      the next three years; e) willingness to pay for more safety in traffic or for
      more security against robberies; f) what causes more damage or harm to society,
      crashes or robberies. Descriptive figures are shown for the sample which reported
      1.44 crashes/person. More than half of those involved in crashes (56%) were
      injured and 75% of these needed hospital care. There were 1.15 robberies/person.
      Only 7% of those involved in robberies were injured, none of them hospitalized.
      During robberies, 57.3% of the respondents were threatened with weapons. Car
      drivers were more subject to crashes (40%) and pedestrians were more subject to
      robberies (78%). Risk perception of being involved in a robbery within the next
      three years and when on the streets of the local borough is higher than crash
      risk perception. Respondents thought of dying in 25.5% of the crashes and in
      46.3% of the robberies. A large group (63.7% of the sample) declared the
      willingness to pay for more personal security rather than for more traffic
      safety. Statistical analysis is presented in an attempt to study the relationship
      between variables. As expected, the respondents' subjective risk perception
      appears to contradict objective risk. Instinctively, interviewees might perceive
      robberies as a greater threat than crashes, perhaps reflecting lightly on the
      latter. In countries with high crash and violent incident statistics such results
      could be used to orientate traffic safety policies, education and campaigns,
      concentrating on the outcomes of crashes.

PMID- 28624073
TI  - Predicting extension of cracks to the root from the dimensions in the crown: A
      preliminary in vitro study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In this study, the authors investigated whether extension of a tooth
      crack into the root can be predicted by the appearance of the crack in the crown
      in vitro. METHODS: The authors obtained 22 cracked teeth from 22 patients who
      underwent extraction, and they scanned the teeth using microcomputed tomography.
      The length and width of the crack on the occlusal surface (LOS and WOS,
      respectively) and the length of the crack on the proximal surface (LCPS) were
      measured on 3-dimensional reconstruction images. The pulp chamber roof was
      penetrated and removed. A crack line visible under the microscope only on the
      access cavity wall rather than extending to the bottom of the pulp chamber was
      termed a "nonroot crack." A crack seen at the bottom of the pulp chamber or root
      wall was termed a "root crack." The authors analyzed the data using Pearson
      correlation coefficients and receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS:
      There was a significant correlation between the LOS and LCPS (correlation
      coefficient, 0.782; P < .001) and between the WOS and LCPS (correlation
      coefficient, 0.651; P < .05). The LCPS increased by 1.195 millimeters for every 1
      mm increase in the LOS. The area under the receiver operating characteristic
      curve was 0.839 (95% confidence interval, 0.659 to 1.000) for LOS and 0.760 (95%
      confidence interval, 0.557 to 0.964) for WOS. CONCLUSIONS: The extent of a crown
      crack may indicate how far the crack extends to the root. Both the LOS and WOS
      may be valuable for assessing whether a crack involves the root, although the LOS
      seems to be more useful. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The dimensions of a crack in a
      crown provide a helpful approach for predicting the depth of the crack and its
      likely prognosis.

PMID- 28624074
TI  - Evaluating quality of dental care among patients with diabetes: Adaptation and
      testing of a dental quality measure in electronic health records.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of developing oral
      complications, and annual dental examinations are an endorsed preventive
      strategy. The authors evaluated the feasibility and validity of implementing an
      automated electronic health record (EHR)-based dental quality measure to
      determine whether patients with diabetes received such evaluations. METHODS: The
      authors selected a Dental Quality Alliance measure developed for claims data and
      adapted the specifications for EHRs. Automated queries identified patients with
      diabetes across 4 dental institutions, and the authors manually reviewed a
      subsample of charts to evaluate query performance. After assessing the initial
      EHR measure, the authors defined and tested a revised EHR measure to capture
      better the oral care received by patients with diabetes. RESULTS: In the initial
      and revised measures, the authors used EHR automated queries to identify 12,960
      and 13,221 patients with diabetes, respectively, in the reporting year.
      Variations in the measure scores across sites were greater with the initial
      measure (range, 36.4-71.3%) than with the revised measure (range, 78.8-88.1%).
      The automated query performed well (93% or higher) for sensitivity, specificity,
      and positive and negative predictive values for both measures. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results suggest that an automated EHR-based query can be used successfully to
      measure the quality of oral health care delivered to patients with diabetes. The
      authors also found that using the rich data available in EHRs may help estimate
      the quality of care better than can relying on claims data. PRACTICAL
      IMPLICATIONS: Detailed clinical patient-level data in dental EHRs may be useful
      to dentists in evaluating the quality of dental care provided to patients with
      diabetes.

PMID- 28624075
TI  - Eosinophilia, pruritic exanthema and digital necrosis.

PMID- 28624076
TI  - Development of the digestive system.

PMID- 28624077
TI  - Water - Only a simple molecule?

PMID- 28624078
TI  - Effect of added ingredients on water status and physico-chemical properties of
      tomato sauce.
AB  - Different ingredients (guar, xanthan, carboxy methyl cellulose, locust bean gums,
      potato fiber, milk, potato and soy proteins) were added to tomato sauce to
      investigate their effect on its physico-chemical properties. The products were
      characterized in terms of colour, rheological properties (Bostwick consistency,
      flow behavior and consistency coefficient), water status (water activity,
      moisture content) and molecular mobility by 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).
      Water activity was significantly decreased only by the addition of potato fiber.
      Xanthan, locust bean, guar and carboxy methyl cellulose significantly enhanced
      Bostwick consistency and consistency coefficient. Type of ingredient and
      concentration significantly affected 1H NMR mobility indicators. Principal
      component analysis (PCA) indicated that only 1H NMR mobility parameters were able
      to differentiate the effect of milk protein, xanthan and potato fiber on tomato
      sauce properties. The information collected in this work provides information to
      intelligently modulate tomato sauce attributes and tailor its properties for
      specific applications.

PMID- 28624080
TI  - Impact of the homogenization process on the structure and antioxidant properties
      of chitosan-lignin composite films.
AB  - This work investigated the impact of two homogenization treatments, High Shear
      (HS) and High Pressure (HP), on the structure and antioxidant activity of
      chitosan-lignin bio-composite films. Laser light scattering analysis revealed
      that smaller lignin particles were obtained after HP processing, around 0.6MUm,
      compared to HS treatment, between 2.5 and 5MUm. Moreover, these particles were
      more homogeneously distributed in the chitosan film matrix after HP process,
      while some aggregates remained after HS treatment, as highlighted by two-photon
      microscopy. The surface hydrophobicity of the composite films, as measured by
      water contact angle, increased after the two homogenization treatments. Finally,
      the antioxidant activity of the composite films was determined using the DPPH.
      assay. No significant difference in the radical scavenging activity was
      noticeable, neither after HS nor HP processing. However, a migration of lignin
      residues from the film to the extraction medium was noticed, particularly for HP
      process.

PMID- 28624079
TI  - Effect of the state of water and relative humidity on ageing of PLA films.
AB  - Various types of food are now commercialized in packaging materials based on
      poly(lactic acid) (PLA) due to its eco-friendly nature. However, one of the main
      limitations related to PLA is its reactivity with water. For food applications,
      it is of critical importance to better understand the hydrolysis of PLA driven by
      water molecules either in liquid or in vapour state. This work focuses on the
      modifications of PLA induced by water when simulating contact with semi-dry foods
      (aw~0.5), high moisture foods (aw~1) and liquid foods (aw~1). This study
      undoubtedly shows that both the chemical potential of water and its physical
      state influence the hydrolytic degradation of PLA films. From a practical point
      of view, PLA packaging is very well suited for semi-dry foods, but is highly
      sensitive to high moisture and liquid foods.

PMID- 28624081
TI  - pH-dependent complexation of lysozyme with low methoxyl (LM) pectin.
AB  - In order to understand the effect of pH on the formation of electrostatic
      complexes between lysozyme and low methoxyl (LM) pectin, mixtures were prepared
      at a fixed lysozyme concentration (0.714g.L-1) by progressive addition of LM
      pectin (from 0 to 4g.L-1). Turbidity analysis allowed to determine specific
      conditions of pH and lysozyme/LM pectin ratio for optimal complex aggregation.
      The intrinsic fluorescence enhancement observed upon binding of LM pectin to
      lysozyme was correlated with the formation of intermolecular aggregates.
      Conversely, the intrinsic fluorescence decrease observed at higher LM pectin
      amounts was correlated with the dissociation of intermolecular aggregates. UV
      absorption spectroscopy showed modifications in lysozyme conformation during both
      the aggregation phase and the dissociation phase. The role of electrostatic
      interactions in the formation of lysozyme/LM pectin complexes is discussed in
      relation to the overall structure and the charge density profile of the two
      biopolymers.

PMID- 28624082
TI  - The influence of carrier material on some physical and structural properties of
      carrot juice microcapsules.
AB  - This study investigates the effect of carrier type on the physical and structural
      properties of microcapsules of pure carrot juice. Low-crystallised maltodextrin
      (MD), gum arabic (GA), mixtures of MD and GA (1:1; 2:1; 3:1) and whey protein
      isolate (WPI) were used as carriers. Microencapsulation was carried out in a
      spray-drier at inlet air temperature of 160 degrees C. Powders were investigated
      for dry matter, water activity, diameter, carotene content and hygroscopicity. In
      addition, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and time domain nuclear
      magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) were applied to analyse microcapsules glass
      transition temperature (Tg). Carrot powders with GA used as a carrier material
      resulted in better carotenoids retention and higher stability of powders in terms
      of higher Tg, lower aw and good hygroscopic properties. However, all powders
      showed a low aw (below 0.26) and high dry matter content (98-99%) indicating a
      good potential for protection of microencapsulated carotenoids during the
      storage.

PMID- 28624083
TI  - Effect of the type of brewing water on the chemical composition, sensory quality
      and antioxidant capacity of Chinese teas.
AB  - The physicochemical characteristics, sensory quality, and antioxidant activity of
      tea infusions prepared with purified water (PW), mineral water (MW), mountain
      spring water (MSW), and tap water (TW) from Hangzhou were investigated. The
      results showed that the taste quality, catechin concentration, and antioxidant
      capacity of green, oolong, and black tea infusions prepared using MW and TW were
      significantly lower than those prepared using PW. Extraction of catechins and
      caffeine was reduced with high-conductivity water, while high pH influenced the
      stability of catechins. PW and MSW were more suitable for brewing green and
      oolong teas, while MSW, with low pH and moderate ion concentration, was the most
      suitable water for brewing black tea. Lowering the pH of mineral water partially
      improved the taste quality and increased the concentration of catechins in the
      infusions. These results aid selection of the most appropriate water for brewing
      Chinese teas.

PMID- 28624084
TI  - Water diffusion to assess meat microstructure.
AB  - In the quest for setting up rapid methods to evaluate water retention ability of
      meat microstructures, time domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) has gained
      a prominent role, due to the possibility to observe water located outside the
      myofibrils, easily lost upon storage or cooking. Diffusion weighted signals could
      be used to monitor the shape and dimension of the pores in which water is
      confined, thus boosting the information offered by TD-NMR. The work outlines a
      parsimonious model to describe relative abundance and diffusion coefficient of
      intra and extra myofibrillar water populations, exchange rate between them,
      diameter of the myofibrillar cells. To test our model, we registered diffusion
      and T2 weighted NMR signals at 20MHz on fresh meat from pectoralis major muscle
      of 100days old female turkey. We then purposely altered water distribution and
      myofibrils shape by means of freezing. The model predicted nicely the
      consequences of the imposed modifications.

PMID- 28624085
TI  - Multi-scale NMR and MRI approaches to characterize starchy products.
AB  - This review deals with the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance techniques to
      monitor the behavior of starch as well as the migration and distribution of water
      during the processing or storage of starchy matrices. The aim is to emphasize the
      potentials of NMR techniques for the quantitative characterization of water
      transfers in starch-water systems on different length scales. Relaxation and self
      diffusion experiments using low-field NMR spectrometry provided important
      information on the relationship between water dynamics and the microscopic
      organization of starch granules at various temperatures and water contents. Some
      works dealt with the botanical origin of starch but also the impact of possible
      additives. Indeed, the investigation on model starch-based systems was recently
      expanded to more complex real systems, including dough, bread, cakes, spaghetti
      and lasagna. Two-dimensional (2D) cross correlation methods have also been
      developed to elucidate chemical and diffusional proton exchange phenomena, and to
      improve the interpretation of results obtained in 1D. Finally, magnetic resonance
      micro-imaging methods were developed to study or to quantify water intake into
      starch-based matrices.

PMID- 28624086
TI  - RH-temperature phase diagrams of hydrate forming deliquescent crystalline
      ingredients.
AB  - Several common deliquescent crystalline food ingredients (including glucose and
      citric acid) are capable of forming crystal hydrate structures. The propensity of
      such crystals to hydrate/dehydrate or deliquesce is dependent on the
      environmental temperature and relative humidity (RH). As an anhydrous crystal
      converts to a crystal hydrate, water molecules internalize into the crystal
      structure resulting in different physical properties. Deliquescence is a solid-to
      solution phase transformation. RH-temperature phase diagrams of the food
      ingredients alpha-d-glucose and citric acid, along with sodium sulfate, were
      produced using established and newly developed methods. Each phase diagram
      included hydrate and anhydrate deliquescence boundaries, the anhydrate-hydrate
      phase boundary, and the peritectic temperature (above which the hydrate was no
      longer stable). This is the first report of RH-temperature phase diagrams of
      glucose and citric acid, information which is beneficial for selecting storage
      and processing conditions to promote or avoid hydrate formation or loss and/or
      deliquescence.

PMID- 28624087
TI  - Using complexation for the microencapsulation of nisin in biopolymer matrices by
      spray-drying.
AB  - The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of complexation to
      encapsulate nisin (5g/L concentration) using spray-drying technique and to
      evaluate how complexation with pectin or alginate (2g/L concentration) can
      preserve nisin structure and antimicrobial activity. Spray-drying of nisin-low
      methoxyl pectin or nisin-alginate electrostatic complexes has led to the
      microencapsulation of the peptide in different networks that were highly
      influenced by the polysaccharide type. Turbidity and particle size measurements
      indicated that while spray-drying promoted the aggregation of nisin-pectin
      complexes, it favored the dissociation of nisin-alginate aggregates to form
      individual complexes. Structural changes of nisin induced by complexation with
      pectin or alginate and spray-drying were studied by using UV-Vis absorption and
      fluorescence spectroscopy. The results showed that complexation with pectin or
      alginate preserved nisin structure as well as its antimicrobial activity during
      spray-drying.

PMID- 28624088
TI  - Nootkatone encapsulation by cyclodextrins: Effect on water solubility and
      photostability.
AB  - Nootkatone (NO) is a sesquiterpenoid volatile flavor, used in foods, cosmetics
      and pharmaceuticals, possessing also insect repellent activity. Its application
      is limited because of its low aqueous solubility and stability; this could be
      resolved by encapsulation in cyclodextrins (CDs). This study evaluated the
      encapsulation of NO by CDs using phase solubility studies, Isothermal Titration
      Calorimetry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and molecular modeling.
      Solid CD/NO inclusion complex was prepared and characterized for encapsulation
      efficiency and loading capacity using UV-Visible. Thermal properties were
      investigated by thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis and release
      studies were performed using multiple headspace extraction. Formation constants
      (Kf) proved the formation of stable inclusion complexes. NO aqueous solubility,
      photo- and thermal stability were enhanced and the release could be insured from
      solid complex in aqueous solution. This suggests that CDs are promising carrier
      to improve NO properties and, consequently, to enlarge its use in foods,
      cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals preparations.

PMID- 28624089
TI  - Moisture evaluation of beta-cyclodextrin/fish oils complexes by thermal analyses:
      A data review on common barbel (Barbus barbus L.), Pontic shad (Alosa immaculata
      Bennett), European wels catfish (Silurus glanis L.), and common bleak (Alburnus
      alburnus L.) living in Danube river.
AB  - The moisture content of beta-cyclodextrin/Danube fish oils complexes (common
      barbel, Pontic shad, European wels catfish, common bleak) was evaluated by
      thermal methods. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were the most
      concentrated in fish oils (25.3-30.8% and 36.1-45.0%). omega-3 And omega-6 fatty
      acids were identified in low concentrations of 2.8-12.1% and 4.1-7.1%. The
      moisture content was significantly lowered after beta-CD complexation, as
      revealed by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis (13.3% for beta-CD, 2.5-6.5% for
      complexes). These results are consistent with the differential scanning
      calorimetry (DSC) data for the peaks corresponding to dissociation of water
      (calorimetric effect of 536Jg-1 for beta-cyclodextrin and 304-422.5Jg-1 for
      complexes). Furthermore, both TG and DSC results support the formation of
      inclusion complexes. This is the first study on the nanoencapsulation of Danube
      fish oils in beta-cyclodextrin.

PMID- 28624090
TI  - Influence of different drying methods on the physicochemical properties of red
      beetroot (Beta vulgaris L. var. Cylindra).
AB  - There is an increased interest in preserving fruits and vegetables by drying. The
      novelty of this study consists in the combination of the following three drying
      methods: free convection (at 50, 60, and 70 degrees C), forced convection at 40
      degrees C and 315W microwave power. The aim of this study was to investigate the
      effects of the drying conditions on red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) in terms of
      betalain variance, and polyphenol, microstructure changes (SEM). A strong thermal
      shock, provided by convection at 60 degrees  followed by microwave wattage
      315W/9min, leads to a better preservation of bioactive compounds content (0.631+/
      0.0042mg/g of betacyanin and 0.795+/-0.0019mg/g betaxanthin) when compared to
      convection at 50, 60 and 70 degrees C. The results showed that combined drying
      methods led to a significant preservation of the phytochemical content as
      compared to the traditional methods.

PMID- 28624091
TI  - Study of biopolymer mobility and water dynamics in wheat bran using time-domain
      1H NMR relaxometry.
AB  - In this study, the molecular mobility of water and biopolymers in coarse, ground,
      and pericarp-enriched (PE) wheat bran and refined flour was investigated using
      time-domain proton nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry, and related to their
      hydration properties. Several specific proton populations were present in the
      bran samples but not in flour. These populations were mainly assigned to protons
      of bran-related compounds such as arabinoxylan, cellulose, and lipids. All bran
      samples showed similar proton distributions at a 44% moisture level, although the
      chemical composition of coarse/ground bran and PE bran differed. When bran was
      further moistened up to 80%, an additional, more mobile water peak was noticed in
      coarse and PE bran, but not in ground bran. This can be explained by the fact
      that coarse and PE bran hold more weakly bound water than ground bran, which is
      most probably water entrapped in between bran particles.

PMID- 28624092
TI  - Study on the effects of wheat bran incorporation on water mobility and biopolymer
      behavior during bread making and storage using time-domain 1H NMR relaxometry.
AB  - Water binding is suggested to be key in the deleterious effect of wheat bran on
      bread quality. This study investigates water mobility and biopolymer behavior
      during bran-rich bread making and storage, using 1H NMR. Coarse, ground, and
      pericarp-enriched bran were incorporated in bread dough, and their impact on
      freshly baked and stored bread properties was assessed. Compared to wheat flour
      control dough, bran incorporation resulted in a progressive immobilization of
      water during dough resting, which could be linked to changes in evolution of
      dough height during fermentation and oven rise. This, together with modified
      starch gelatinization behavior upon baking, can be related with the inferior
      quality of bran-rich breads. The impact was most pronounced with pericarp
      enriched bran. Textural quality during storage was less affected for coarse or
      ground bran-rich bread compared to wheat flour bread, which could be principally
      attributed to retardation of amylopectin retrogradation in the presence of bran.

PMID- 28624093
TI  - Osmotic dehydration of organic kiwifruit pre-treated by pulsed electric fields
      and monitored by NMR.
AB  - Osmotic dehydration (OD) is a widely used preservation technique that consists in
      the reduction in food water activity by the immersion of the biological tissue in
      hypertonic solutions. The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of pulsed
      electric fields (PEF) in mass transfer as a pre-treatment of the OD using NMR. In
      this sense, PEF pre-treatments were done using three different voltages (100, 250
      and 400V/cm) and 60 number of pulse. The OD of kiwifruit was carried out in 61.5%
      of sucrose solution at 25 degrees C, for a contact period from 0 to 120min. The
      water distribution into the cellular tissue was studied by NMR relaxometry. In
      conclusion, NMR is an excellent technique for quantifying water molecules
      according to their interactions in the fruit tissue, obtaining the adsorbed water
      and opening the possibility to apply the BET model to fit the adsorbed isotherm
      over the whole range of water activity.

PMID- 28624094
TI  - The impact of pulsed electric fields and ultrasound on water distribution and
      loss in mushrooms stalks.
AB  - Pulsed electric fields (PEF) and ultrasound (US) are promising innovative
      technologies with the potential to increase mass transfer when combined with
      further processes which in turn can provide potential benefits in the recovery of
      valuable compounds from food by-products. To provide evidence of the mechanism of
      mass transfer enhancement, the present study assessed the impact of PEF and US
      treatments, applied individually and in combination, at low and high
      temperatures, on the tissue microstructure of mushroom stalks. Different indices
      such as quantitative water redistribution, water loss and qualitative release of
      compounds were evaluated. The combination of these physical methods demonstrated
      that PEF redistributed a greater proportion of intracellular water into
      extracellular spaces than US. However, the application of high temperature
      treatments alone showed an even greater proportion of intracellular water
      migration compared to PEF. When PEF was combined with US at low temperatures the
      difference was not significant.

PMID- 28624095
TI  - Fontan Circulation over Time.
AB  - The unique, unphysiological Fontan circulation is associated with an impaired
      functional status of the patients that is suggested to deteriorate over time.
      Unfortunately, previous studies did not integrate both pulmonary and cardiac
      determinants of functional status. In addition, a comparison with the natural
      decrease in exercise capacity in healthy subjects (in both children and adults)
      is lacking. This single-center study aims to investigate the functional status in
      a cohort of Fontan patients in relation to time since Fontan completion and to
      identify its determinants, including cardiac characteristics and pulmonary
      characteristics. Eighty-five consecutive Fontan patients >=10 years who performed
      adequate cardiopulmonary exercise testing (respiratory exchange ratio >1.01) were
      included. Mean time since Fontan completion was 15 +/- 9 years (range 2 to 37
      years). New York Heart Association functional class was I in 36 patients (42%),
      II in 41 patients (48%), and III in 8 patients (9%). Peak oxygen uptake during
      exercise (VO2 index) was 25.7 +/- 7.9 ml/min/m2 (58 +/- 14% of predicted). New
      York Heart Association functional class and peak VO2 index both correlated with
      time since the Fontan operation; however, peak VO2 as percentage of predicted
      (VO2(pred)) did not. In multivariate analyses, peak VO2(pred) was independently
      associated with maximum heart rate, oxygen pulse at peak exercise, and forced
      expiratory volume in 1 second (R2 = 0.579) but not with cardiac output in rest.
      In conclusion, the present data suggest that functional status in Fontan patients
      is impaired already shortly after Fontan completion, whereas its subsequent
      deterioration seems to follow the natural decline of aging. Furthermore,
      functional status in Fontan patients correlates with pulmonary function and
      cardiac functional parameters during exercise but not with conventional cardiac
      measurements at rest.

PMID- 28624097
TI  - Serum Zonulin, Gut Permeability, and the Pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum
      Disorders: Cause, Effect, or an Epiphenomenon?

PMID- 28624096
TI  - A Multiregional, Randomized Evaluation of the Lipid-Modifying Efficacy and
      Tolerability of Anacetrapib Added to Ongoing Statin Therapy in Patients With
      Hypercholesterolemia or Low High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol.
AB  - This phase 3, multiregional, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
      assessed the efficacy/safety profile of anacetrapib added to ongoing therapy with
      statin +/- other lipid-modifying therapies in patients with hypercholesterolemia
      who were not at their low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) goal (as per the National
      Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines) and in those
      with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Patients on a stable dose
      of statin +/- other lipid-modifying therapies and with LDL-C >=70 to <115, >=100
      to <145, >=130, or >=160 mg/dl for very high, high, moderate, or low CHD risk or
      at LDL-C goal (per CHD risk category) with HDL-C <=40 mg/dl were randomized in a
      ratio of 1:1 to anacetrapib 100 mg (n = 290) or placebo (n = 293) for 24 weeks,
      followed by a 12-week off-drug phase. The co-primary end points were % change
      from baseline in LDL-C and HDL-C and the safety profile of anacetrapib. Treatment
      with anacetrapib reduced LDL-C (BQ) by 37% (95% confidence interval -42.5, -31.0)
      and increased HDL-C by 118% (95% confidence interval 110.6, 125.7) relative to
      placebo (p <0.001 for both). Anacetrapib also reduced non-HDL-C, apolipoprotein
      B, and lipoprotein a and increased apolipoprotein AI versus placebo (p <0.001 for
      all). There were no clinically meaningful differences between the anacetrapib and
      placebo groups in the % patients who discontinued drug due to an adverse event or
      in abnormalities in liver enzymes, creatine kinase, blood pressure, electrolytes,
      or adjudicated cardiovascular events. Treatment with anacetrapib substantially
      reduced LDL-C and also increased HDL-C and was well tolerated over 24 weeks in
      statin-treated patients with hypercholesterolemia or low HDL-C.

PMID- 28624098
TI  - Utility of Neurovascular Imaging in Acute Neonatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
      findings and clinically characterize neonates with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS)
      who have abnormal or variable vasculature. STUDY DESIGN: This was a single
      center, retrospective study of patients with neonatal stroke from 1991 to 2012.
      We reviewed charts and neuroimaging, including MRA, in neonates with AIS.
      Clinical data of patients with MRA findings were compared with the control group
      of neonates with AIS and a normal MRA. RESULTS: We identified 142 cases of
      neonatal AIS, of which 81 patients had magnetic resonance imaging and MRA. Among
      the neonates with arterial neuroimaging, 29 had arterial findings (for a
      prevalence rate of 20%-35%). The majority of the findings were stenotic or
      hypoplastic branches. Two patients had presumed carotid artery dissection. Low
      Apgar scores and the presence of sepsis were significantly (P <.05) more common
      in neonates with MRA findings. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of arterial
      abnormalities or variations in neonatal AIS has been underestimated because
      neurovascular imaging is often not performed. We recommend an MRA for neonates
      with AIS, particularly those who have low Apgar scores and/or sepsis, to rule out
      a vasculopathy that may warrant therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 28624100
TI  - Liver failure and liver transplantation.

PMID- 28624101
TI  - Reversal of liver fibrosis: From fiction to reality.
AB  - In chronic liver diseases, an ongoing hepatocellular injury together with
      inflammatory reaction results in activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and
      increased deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) termed as liver fibrosis. It
      can progress to cirrhosis that is characterized by parenchymal and vascular
      architectural changes together with the presence of regenerative nodules. Even at
      late stage, liver fibrosis is reversible and the underlying mechanisms include a
      switch in the inflammatory environment, elimination or regression of activated
      HSCs and degradation of ECM. While animal models have been indispensable for our
      understanding of liver fibrosis, they possess several important limitations and
      need to be further refined. A better insight into the liver fibrogenesis resulted
      in a large number of clinical trials aiming at reversing liver fibrosis,
      particularly in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Collectively, the
      current developments demonstrate that reversal of liver fibrosis is turning from
      fiction to reality.

PMID- 28624102
TI  - Hepatitis E virus: A potential threat for patients with liver disease and liver
      transplantation.
AB  - Immunocompromised patients are at risk of acquiring acute hepatitis E virus
      infection (HEV), leading to chronicity. Chronic HEV infection is associated with
      persistent viraemia, raised transaminase activity, histological features
      associated with chronic hepatitis and evidence of rapid development of cirrhosis.
      Extrahepatic manifestations have been associated with HEV. Most frequently
      reported are neurological disorders with predominantly involvement of the
      peripheral nervous system. In patients using immunosuppressive drugs antibody
      production is often delayed and HEV RNA detection is superior to serology to
      detect infection. Therapeutic options for chronic HEV includes tapering
      immunosuppressive and secondly ribavirin, pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN).
      Present recommendation is to treat chronic HEV patients for 3 months, asses serum
      HEV RNA and stool HEV RNA and stop therapy if both are undetectable. Studies are
      required to determine which other antiviral agents than ribavirin and (PEG-)IFN
      are of clinical utility in treating HEV in the minority of patients who do not
      respond to ribavirin.

PMID- 28624099
TI  - Cardiovascular disease and cancer: Evidence for shared disease pathways and
      pharmacologic prevention.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are leading causes of mortality and
      morbidity worldwide. Strategies to improve their treatment and prevention are
      global priorities and major focus of World Health Organization's joint prevention
      programs. Emerging evidence suggests that modifiable risk factors including diet,
      sedentary lifestyle, obesity and tobacco use are central to the pathogenesis of
      both diseases and are reflected in common genetic, cellular, and signaling
      mechanisms. Understanding this important biological overlap is critical and may
      help identify novel therapeutic and preventative strategies for both disorders.
      In this review, we will discuss the shared genetic and molecular factors central
      to CVD and cancer and how the strategies commonly used for the prevention of
      atherosclerotic vascular disease can be applied to cancer prevention.

PMID- 28624103
TI  - From organoids to organs: Bioengineering liver grafts from hepatic stem cells and
      matrix.
AB  - Due to the complex function and structure of the liver, resourceful solutions for
      treating end-stage liver disease are required. Currently, liver transplantation
      is the only curative therapeutic option. However, due to a worldwide donor
      shortage, researchers have been looking in other fields for alternative sources
      of transplantable liver tissue. Recent advances in our understanding of liver
      physiology, stem cell and matrix biology, have accelerated tissue engineering
      research. Most notable is the discovery of a culture system to grow liver-like
      organoids from human hepatic stem cells. The extensive expansion capacity of
      these stem cells has contributed greatly to the availability of hepatocyte-like
      cells for tissue engineering. In addition, new techniques are explored to obtain
      biological liver scaffolds from full size donor organs. This review summarizes
      these state-of-art techniques which may lay the groundwork towards re-creating
      transplantable tissue from autologous or allogenic stem cells in the coming
      decade.

PMID- 28624104
TI  - Acute kidney injury after liver transplantation: Recent insights and future
      perspectives.
AB  - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common postoperative complication after liver
      transplantation (LT). The occurrence of postoperative AKI after LT (Post-LT AKI)
      is associated with inferior patient and graft outcomes. Post-LT AKI is
      multifactorial in origin and has been related to the severity of liver disease,
      pre-LT renal dysfunction, graft quality, perioperative events and toxicity of
      immunosuppressive therapy. Furthermore it is thought that hepatic ischaemia
      reperfusion injury might be a driving force in the aetiology of post-LT AKI.
      Novel biomarkers for AKI are emerging and can be useful for early identification
      and characterization of AKI. There is a clear need for strategies aimed at
      preventing or treating post-LT AKI. Several pharmacological and non
      pharmacological interventions have been studied, but so far failed to show any
      benefit in the prevention of post-LT AKI. Further studies are needed to develop
      and evaluate new interventions aimed at preventing post-LT AKI and improve
      patient outcomes.

PMID- 28624105
TI  - Hypo- and normothermic perfusion of the liver: Which way to go?
AB  - The demand of donor livers for transplantation exceeds the supply. In an attempt
      to maximize the number of potentially usable donor livers, several centers are
      exploring the role of machine perfusion. This review provides an update on
      machine perfusion strategies and basic concepts, based on current clinical
      issues, and discuss challenges, including currently used biomarkers for assessing
      the quality and viability of perfused organs. The potential benefits of machine
      perfusion on immunogenicity and the consequences on post-operative
      immunosuppression management are discussed.

PMID- 28624106
TI  - Alcohol use and smoking after liver transplantation; complications and
      prevention.
AB  - The last thirty years have been very prosperous in the field of liver
      transplantation (LT), with great advances in organ conservation, surgical
      techniques, peri-operative management and long-term immunosuppression, resulting
      in improved patient and graft survival rates as well as quality of life. However,
      substance addiction after LT, namely alcohol and tobacco, results in short term
      morbidity together with medium and long-term mortality. The main consequences can
      be vascular (increased risk of hepatic artery thrombosis in smokers), hepatic
      (recurrent alcoholic cirrhosis in alcohol relapsers) and oncological (increased
      risk of malignancy in patients consuming tobacco and/or alcohol after LT). This
      issue has thus drawn attention in the field of LT research. The management of
      these two at-risk behaviors addictions need the implication of hepatologists and
      addiction specialists, before and after LT. This review will summarize our
      current knowledge in alcohol use and cigarette smoking in the setting of LT, give
      practical tools for identification of high risk patients and treatment options.

PMID- 28624107
TI  - Recurrence of primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis and
      auto-immune hepatitis after liver transplantation.
AB  - Liver transplantation is a well-accepted treatment for decompensated chronic
      liver disease due to primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), primary biliary
      cholangitis (PBC) and auto-immune hepatitis (AIH). Survival after liver
      transplantation is generally good with 1 and 5-year survival rates around 90% and
      70-85%. After transplantation, however, these diseases recur in 8.6-27% (rPSC),
      10.9-42.3% (rPBC) and 7-42% (rAIH), and this poses significant challenges in
      terms of management and graft outcome in these patients. In this review we
      discuss the incidence, clinical presentation, challenges in diagnosis, reported
      risk factors and impact on post-transplant outcomes of recurrence of PSC, PBC and
      AIH after liver transplantation. We also discuss some of the limitations of
      current investigations and formulate idea's for future research objectives.

PMID- 28624108
TI  - Modification of immunosuppressive therapy as risk factor for complications after
      liver transplantation.
AB  - Management of complications post-liver transplantation (LT) includes
      immunosuppressive manipulations with the aim to reduce the overall burden of
      immunologic suppression and compensate for renal, cardiovascular, metabolic
      toxicities, and for the increased oncologic risk. Two approaches can be
      implemented to reduce immunosuppression-related adverse events: upfront schedules
      tailored to the pretransplant individual patient's risk profile versus downstream
      modifications in the event of immunosuppression-related complications. Upfront
      strategies are supported by evidence originating from prospective randomized
      trials and consist of triple/quadruple schedules whereby calcineurin inhibitors
      (CNI)-exposure is reduced with combination of anti-CD25 monoclonal antibodies,
      antimetabolites and corticosteroids. Quadruple regimens allow for staggering of
      CNI introduction and higher renal function in the early term, but their
      superiority in the long term has not yet been established. A more recent upfront
      schedule contemplates early (4 weeks) introduction of mammalian target of
      rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi) everolimus and allows for reduction of CNI up to 4
      years posttransplantation. Incorporation of mTORi has the potential to prolong
      time to recurrence for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, as
      suggested by the available evidence, downstream immunosuppressive manipulations
      are more frequently adopted in clinical practice. These encompass CNI replacement
      and immunosuppression withdrawal. Switching CNI to mTORi monotherapy is the
      option most commonly adopted to relieve renal function and compensate for
      posttransplant malignancies. Its impact is dependent on interval from
      transplantation and underlying severity of renal impairment. Introduction of
      mTORi is associated with longer overall survival for patients with extrahepatic
      posttransplant malignancies, but results are awaited for recurrences of
      hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunosuppression withdrawal seems feasible (70%) in
      very long term survivors (>10 years), but is not associated with reversal of
      immunosuppression-related complications. Awaiting novel immunosuppressive drug
      categories, integration of upfront strategies with the aim to reduce CNI-exposure
      and a low threshold for adjustment in the posttransplant course are both
      advisable to improve long-term outcomes of LT.

PMID- 28624109
TI  - The use of old donors in liver transplantation.
AB  - The process of ageing has an impact on the entire human body including the organ
      systems. In transplantation, professionals are daily faced with risk assessment
      of suitable donor offers , whether to accept a liver graft for a specific
      recipient. In this context, livers from elderly donors are more frequently
      accepted for transplantation, to increase the donor pool and compensate the high
      waiting list mortality. In the current practice it is not unusual to accept 60
      year old donor livers for transplantation, as the donor demographics have
      significantly changed over the years. However, controversy exists regarding the
      use of livers from donors above 70 or 80 years, particular in combination with
      other risk factors, e.g. liver steatosis, warm ischaemia or long cold storage.
      This review focuses first on the impact of ageing on liver morphology and
      function. Second, we will highlight outcome after transplantation from elderly
      donors. Finally, we describe further risk factors and donor-recipient selection
      under the scope of old donor organs and include our institutional experience and
      policy.

PMID- 28624110
TI  - Interferon-free antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C among patients in the
      liver transplant setting.
AB  - Chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection remains a major public health problem with
      many infected individuals worldwide. The revolutionary discovery of highly
      effective direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) makes chronic HCV infection a curable
      disease, even in patients with advanced liver disease. Liver function may improve
      shortly after initiation of antiviral therapy in patients on the waiting list and
      could even obviate the need for transplantation. However, whether these short
      term benefits also result in a favorable prognosis on the long-term remains to be
      seen and this fuels the discussion whether DAAs should be used prior to liver
      transplantation in all patients. Following liver transplantation, DAA treatment
      is also highly effective so that postponing antiviral treatment to the post
      transplant setting may be better for certain patients. Furthermore, the
      discussion whether HCV positive organ donors should be used now viral eradication
      is achieved in almost all patients has regained interest.

PMID- 28624111
TI  - Biliary complications after liver transplantation; recent developments in
      etiology, diagnosis and endoscopic treatment.
AB  - Biliary complications are considered to be the Achilles' heel of liver
      transplantation. The most common complications are leaks and bile duct
      strictures. Strictures can arise at the level of the anastomosis (anastomotic
      strictures; AS) or at other locations in the biliary tree (non-anastomotic
      strictures; NAS). Endoscopic treatment via endoscopic retrograde
      cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is considered to be the preferred therapy for
      these complications. This review will focus on the diagnostic modalities, new
      insights in etiology of biliary complications and outcomes after different
      endoscopic therapies, in both deceased donor transplantation and living-donor
      liver transplantations. Advances in recent therapies, such as the use of self
      expendable metal stents (SEMS) and endoscopic therapy for patients with a bilio
      digestive anastomosis will be discussed.

PMID- 28624113
TI  - PI controller design for indirect vector controlled induction motor: A decoupling
      approach.
AB  - Decoupling of the stator currents is important for smoother torque response of
      indirect vector controlled induction motors. Typically, feedforward decoupling is
      used to take care of current coupling that requires exact knowledge of motor
      parameters, additional circuitry and signal processing. In this paper, a method
      is proposed to design the regulating proportional-integral gains that minimize
      coupling without any requirement of the additional decoupler. The variation of
      the coupling terms for change in load torque is considered as the performance
      measure. An iterative linear matrix inequality based Hinfinity control design
      approach is used to obtain the controller gains. A comparison between the
      feedforward and the proposed decoupling schemes is presented through simulation
      and experimental results. The results show that the proposed scheme is simple yet
      effective even without additional block or burden on signal processing.

PMID- 28624112
TI  - Opposing Roles of Rapid Dopamine Signaling Across the Rostral-Caudal Axis of the
      Nucleus Accumbens Shell in Drug-Induced Negative Affect.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Negative reinforcement theories of drug addiction posit that addicts
      use drugs to alleviate negative mood states. In a preclinical model developed in
      our laboratory, rats exhibit negative affect to a normally rewarding taste cue
      when it predicts impending but delayed cocaine. The emergence of this state is
      accompanied by a reduction in dopamine concentration in the rostral nucleus
      accumbens shell. However, the rostral and caudal regions of the shell have been
      implicated in promoting opposing appetitive and aversive states, respectively.
      Here, we tested whether dopamine transmission along the rostral-caudal axis of
      the shell plays differential roles in the emergence of drug-induced negative
      affect. METHODS: In TH::Cre rats, the dopaminergic pathways from the ventral
      tegmental area to the rostral and caudal regions of the shell were
      optogenetically stimulated during intraoral delivery of a taste cue signaling
      delayed cocaine. Affective responses to the taste cue were measured using taste
      reactivity, and optical self-stimulation of the rostral and caudal shells was
      also examined. RESULTS: Optical stimulation of the rostral shell during tastant
      infusion prevented the emergence of negative affect, but activation of the caudal
      shell exacerbated aversive responses. These effects endured in the absence of
      optical stimulation, and the degree of negative affect in our model predicted
      self-stimulation responding. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal unprecedented,
      pronounced, and opposing roles of rapid dopamine signaling across the rostral
      caudal axis of the nucleus accumbens in the control of drug-induced negative
      affect, a hallmark of continued drug seeking and use in human addicts.

PMID- 28624114
TI  - Higher prevalence of chronic endometritis in women with endometriosis: a possible
      etiopathogenetic link.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between endometriosis end chronic
      endometritis (CE) diagnosed by hysteroscopy, conventional histology, and
      immunohistochemistry. DESIGN: Case-control study. SETTING: University hospital.
      PATIENT(S): Women with and without endometriosis who have undergone hysterectomy.
      INTERVENTION(S): Retrospective evaluation of 78 women who have undergone
      hysterectomy and were affected by endometriosis and 78 women without
      endometriosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): CE diagnosed based on conventional
      histology and immunohistochemistry with anti-syndecan-1 antibodies to identify
      CD138 cells. RESULT(S): The prevalence of CE was statistically significantly
      higher in the women with endometriosis as compared with the women who did not
      have endometriosis (33 of 78, 42.3% vs. 12 of 78, 15.4% according to
      hysteroscopy; and 30 of 78, 38.5% vs. 11 of 78, 14.1% according to histology).
      The women were divided into two groups, 115 patients without CE and 41 patients
      with CE. With univariate analysis, parity was associated with a lower risk for
      CE, and endometriosis was associated with a statistically significantly elevated
      risk of CE. Using multivariate analysis, parity continued to be associated with a
      lower incidence of CE, whereas endometriosis was associated with a 2.7 fold
      higher risk. CONCLUSION(S): The diagnosis of CE is more frequent in women with
      endometriosis. Although no etiologic relationships between CE and endometriosis
      can be established, this study suggests that CE should be considered and if
      necessary ruled out in women with endometriosis, particularly if they have
      abnormal uterine bleeding. Identification and appropriate treatment of CE may
      avoid unnecessary surgery.

PMID- 28624115
TI  - Evaluation of amnion in creation of neovagina in women with Mayer-Rokitansky
      Kuster-Hauser syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcome of amnion vaginoplasty in cases of vaginal
      agenesis due to Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome managed at the
      authors' institution. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care
      hospital. PATIENT(S): Fifty women with MRKH who underwent neovaginoplasty.
      INTERVENTION(S): Modified McIndoe's vaginoplasty was done in all the patients,
      using human amnion graft. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Functional status assessed by
      Female Sexual Function Index, anatomic status (length and width of neovagina),
      and epithelialization of vagina. RESULT(S): Mean (+/-SD) vaginal length after
      surgery was 8.2 +/- 1 cm. Mean vaginal length at 6-month follow-up in sexually
      active patients was significantly longer as compared with the patients who were
      not sexually active after surgery (8.4 +/- 1.04 cm vs. 6.6 +/- 2.4 cm). Mean
      Female Sexual Function Index score was 30.8 +/- 2.1. Vaginal biopsy showed
      complete epithelialization of vaginal mucosa. CONCLUSION(S): In a developing
      nation like India, McIndoe's method with amnion graft seems to be a promising
      option owing to its low cost, easy availability, and safety, ease of the
      procedure not requiring any special instrument, physiologic outcome with respect
      to epithelialization of the vagina without hair growth, and satisfying functional
      outcome.

PMID- 28624116
TI  - Variability in magnesium content in Arctic echinoderm skeletons.
AB  - In this study, 235 measurements of magnesium concentration in echinoderm's
      skeletons were compiled, including 30 species and 216 specimens collected from
      northern and western Barents Sea. We aimed to reveal the scale of Mg variation in
      the skeletons of Arctic echinoderms. Furthermore, we attempted to examine whether
      the Mg concentration in echinoderm skeletons is determined primarily by
      biological factors or is a passive result of environmental influences. We found
      that the Mg concentration in echinoderm skeletons was characteristic for
      particular echinoderm classes or was even species-specific. The highest Mg
      contents were observed in asteroids, followed by ophiuroids, crinoids, and
      holothuroids, with the lowest values in echinoids. These results strongly imply
      that biological factors play an important role in controlling the incorporation
      of Mg into the skeletons of the studied individuals.

PMID- 28624118
TI  - Decreasing Patient Stress and Physician/Medical Workforce Burnout Through Health
      Care Environments: Uncovering the Serious Leisure Perspective at Mayo Clinic's
      Campus in Rochester, Minnesota.
AB  - Health care environments are places of high stress for both patients and medical
      professionals. Although organizational efforts of workload and efficiency are
      often implemented to decrease both patient and physician/medical workforce
      stress, what is often overlooked is how leisure opportunities and programs
      located in day-to-day experiences and in physically built environments can
      increase both patient and medical staff enjoyment and pleasure, thus lowering
      patient stress and physician/medical staff burnout. Combining historical research
      on the leisure pursuits of Drs William J. Mayo and Charles H. Mayo, literature on
      leisure, stress, and burnout, and a case study methodology of Mayo Clinic's
      campus in Rochester, Minnesota, the purpose of this study was to describe how the
      Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) exists at Mayo Clinic and contributes to
      relieving stress among patients and preventing burnout among physicians.

PMID- 28624117
TI  - A case of pacemaker "malfunction". Should I intervene?
AB  - A 53year old lady was noted to have persistent bradycardia in the recovery unit
      shortly after a dual chamber permanent pacemaker (PPM) was implanted. The patient
      was asymptomatic. The pacemaker was implanted for symptomatic intermittent
      complete heart block. She had surgical closure of an atrial septal defect three
      decades earlier and a previous tricuspid valve replacement with concomitant
      biatrial cryomaze procedure for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28624120
TI  - Histologic features of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus of the scalp using
      horizontal sectioning: Emphasis on follicular findings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE) often affects the scalp
      resulting in scarring alopecia. While histopathologic findings of CCLE have been
      well described, there is little written on the morphologic changes to the hair
      follicles in this condition. OBJECTIVE: We aim to determine the histopathologic
      findings of hair follicles in CCLE of the scalp. METHODS: We conducted a
      retrospective study of 33 transversely sectioned skin biopsy specimens of CCLE of
      the scalp at the Skin Pathology Laboratory at Boston University between April
      2005 and March 2015. RESULTS: New findings include basaloid follicular epithelium
      lacking hair follicles at deep levels, follicular miniaturization, increased
      catagen/telogen hair follicles, and pigment casts. Two histopathologic patterns
      could be discerned, an alopecia areatalike pattern and a lichen planopilarislike
      pattern. LIMITATIONS: Generalizability of a single-center experience may be
      limited. CONCLUSION: Follicular findings in CCLE of the scalp are reported. We
      hypothesize that the basaloid aggregates are remnants of hair follicles that are
      no longer actively cycling.

PMID- 28624119
TI  - Skin-infiltrating, interleukin-22-producing T cells differentiate pediatric
      psoriasis from adult psoriasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence from adult psoriasis studies implicates an imbalance between
      regulatory and effector T cells, particularly TH-17-producing T cells, in the
      pathogenesis of psoriasis. Little is known about the immunopathology of psoriasis
      in children. OBJECTIVE: We sought to functionally characterize the inflammatory
      cell profiles of psoriatic plaques from pediatric patients and compare them with
      healthy, age-matched controls and adult psoriasis patients. METHODS: Skin samples
      from pediatric psoriasis patients and healthy controls were analyzed by
      multiparameter flow cytometry to determine the dominant immune cell subsets
      present and cytokines produced. RESULTS: Lesional tissue from pediatric psoriasis
      patients had significantly increased interleukin (IL) 22 derived from CD4+ and
      CD8+ cells compared with the tissues from healthy pediatric controls and adult
      psoriasis patients. Tissue from pediatric psoriasis patients had significantly
      less elevation of IL-17 derived from CD4+ and CD8+ cells compared with the tissue
      from adult psoriasis patients. In contrast with the lesions from adult patients,
      lesional skin in pediatric patients with psoriasis did not have increases in
      regulatory T cells. LIMITATIONS: This is a pilot study, thus the sample size is
      small. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in IL-17 and IL-22 expression were
      observed in the pediatric psoriasis patients compared with pediatric healthy
      controls and adult psoriasis patients. IL-22 might be relevant in the
      pathogenesis of pediatric psoriasis and represents a potential treatment target
      unique to pediatric psoriasis.

PMID- 28624121
TI  - Leptin-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system, digestive organs, and
      gonads of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
AB  - Leptin, a highly conserved adipocyte-derived hormone, plays important roles in a
      variety of physiological processes, including the control of fat storage and
      metabolic status which are linked to food intake, energy homeostasis, and
      reproduction in all vertebrates. In the present study, we hypothesize that leptin
      is also present in various organs of the fresh water prawns, Macrobrachium
      rosenbergii. The existence and distribution of a leptin-like peptide in prawn
      tissues were verified by using Western blotting (WB) and immunohistochemical
      detection (ID) using primary antibody against human leptin. With WB, a leptin
      like peptide, having a molecular weight of 15kDa, was detected in the brain,
      thoracic ganglia, abdominal ganglia, parts of the gastro-intestinal tract,
      hepatopancreas, adipocytes and gonads. By ID, leptin immunoreactivity (leptin-ir)
      was detected in the brain, thoracic ganglia and intersegmental commissural nerve
      fibers of abdominal ganglia. In the gastrointestinal tract, there was intense
      leptin-ir in the apical part of the epithelial cells of the cardiac and pyloric
      parts of the stomach. In the midgut and hindgut, the leptin-ir was detected in
      epithelial cells and basal cells located near the basal lamina of the epithelium.
      In addition, there was leptin-ir in the Restzellen cells in the hepatopancreas
      which produce digestive enzymes. In the ovary, the strong intensity of a leptin
      ir was detected in the cytoplasm of middle to late stage oocytes, whereas no
      positive staining was detected in follicular cells. An intense leptin-ir was
      detected in spermatocytes and sustentacular cells in the seminiferous tubules in
      the testes of small and orange claw males. Taken together, the detection of the
      leptin-ir in several organs implicates the existence of a leptin-like peptide in
      various organs of the freshwater prawn; and like in vertebrates this peptide may
      be an important hormonal factor in controlling feeding and reproductive process.

PMID- 28624122
TI  - Glucagon-like peptide-1 and insulin synergistically activate vagal afferent
      neurons.
AB  - Intestinal glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and pancreatic insulin, released
      postprandially, commonly regulate glucose metabolism. Recent clinical experience
      indicates that the GLP-1R agonist and insulin in combination, compared to insulin
      alone, results in better glycemic and weight controls in type 2 diabetic
      patients. These observations suggest possible interactive effect of these
      hormones. These hormones, in addition to peripherally controlling glycemia, exert
      central regulation of food intake and glucose metabolism, the effect at least
      partly mediated by signaling to the brain via the vagal afferents. However,
      whether the vagal afferents are involved in the interactive effects of GLP-1 and
      insulin remains unknown. The present study explored possible cooperative effect
      of GLP-1 and insulin on vagal afferent neurons isolated from nodose ganglion (NG)
      of mice, while monitoring the neuronal activity by measuring cytosolic Ca2+
      concentration ([Ca2+]i) with fura-2. GLP-1 at 10-8M increased [Ca2+]i in 8-11% of
      single NG neurons. GLP-1-induced [Ca2+]i increases were inhibited by GLP-1
      receptor antagonist exendin (9-39). Majority (92%) of GLP-1-responseive NG
      neurons also responded to 10-7M insulin with [Ca2+]i increases. Both GLP-1 and
      insulin at lower concentration of 10-9M induced [Ca2+]i increases with smaller
      amplitude in lesser NG neuron population (4-7%). These hormones at 10-9M in
      combination recruited the unresponsive neurons to [Ca2+]i increases, and induced
      [Ca2+]i increases with greater amplitude in the responsive neurons. The results
      demonstrate that GLP-1 and insulin synergistically and additively activate vagal
      afferent neurons. This interaction may be linked to the postprandial functions
      mediated commonly by GLP-1 and insulin and in the beneficial outcome of the
      therapy with GLP-1 receptor agonist and insulin in combination.

PMID- 28624123
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamics Modeling of Ibutilide in Chinese
      Healthy Volunteers and Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and/or Atrial
      Flutter (AFL).
AB  - PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK)
      and PK/pharmacodynamics (PD) model for ibutilide, to evaluate the time course of
      its effect on QT interval in Chinese. METHODS: The population PK and PK/PD model
      were developed using data from 40 Chinese healthy volunteers using nonlinear
      mixed-effects modeling, and the final population PK/PD model was applied on 100
      patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or atrial flutter (AFL). FINDINGS: The
      PK parameters of ibutilide were best described by a 3-compartment model with
      first-order elimination. No statistically significant covariate was found for
      each PK model parameter. Individualized QT interval correction, by heart rate,
      was performed by a power model, and the circadian rhythm of QT intervals was
      described by 2 mixed-effect cosine functions. The QT interval data of ibutilide
      was well characterized by a sigmoid Emax model
      (E(C)=Emaxgamma*Cgamma/(EC50gamma+Cgamma)) with an effect compartment. The final
      PK/PD model was used to estimate individual parameters of patient data and found
      good predictions compared with healthy volunteers; AF and/or AFL patients had
      lower Emax and higher EC50. IMPLICATIONS: A population PK and PK/PD model for
      ibutilide in healthy volunteers was developed and could well capture ibutilide's
      PK/PD characteristics. The final PK/PD model was applied on patients with AF
      and/or AFL successfully.

PMID- 28624124
TI  - Erratum to 'Choosing wisely: The top 5 list of recommendations from the Italian
      Panel of the National Guidelines for the Management of Acute Pharyngitis in
      Children' Clin Ther. 2017;39:646--649.

PMID- 28624125
TI  - Do protons have a role in the treatment of locally advanced NSCLC with
      radiotherapy?

PMID- 28624126
TI  - Racial and ethnic disparities in U.S. breastfeeding and implications for maternal
      and child health outcomes.
AB  - Marked racial and ethnic disparities exist in infant feeding in the United
      States. Based on a review of recent literature, this article examines current
      discrepancies between the 2020 Healthy People breastfeeding goals and current
      breastfeeding rates among women from different ethnic groups in the United
      States. We discuss maternal and child health outcomes associated with
      breastfeeding, and we review potential causes of racial and ethnic disparities in
      breastfeeding outcomes in the United States, especially among non-Hispanic Black,
      American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latina populations. We conclude with
      an overview of best practices in interventions aimed to increase U.S.
      breastfeeding rates, such as adoption of the baby friendly hospital initiative
      (BHFI) and programs that utilize peer counseling strategies to increase
      breastfeeding promotion and support.

PMID- 28624127
TI  - Surgical personalities, surgical burnout, and surgical happiness.

PMID- 28624128
TI  - Facilitating aging in place: A qualitative study of practical problems preventing
      people with dementia from living at home.
AB  - Although the majority of people with dementia wish to age in place, they are
      particularly susceptible to nursing home admission. Nurses can play an important
      role in detecting practical problems people with dementia and their informal
      caregivers are facing and in advising them on various ways to manage these
      problems at home. Six focus group interviews (n = 43) with formal and informal
      caregivers and experts in the field of assistive technology were conducted to
      gain insight into the most important practical problems preventing people with
      dementia from living at home. Problems within three domains were consistently
      described as most important: informal caregiver/social network-related problems
      (e.g. high load of care responsibility), safety-related problems (e.g. fall risk,
      wandering), and decreased self-reliance (e.g. problems regarding self-care, lack
      of day structure). To facilitate aging in place and/or to delay
      institutionalization, nurses in community-based dementia care should focus on
      assessing problems within those three domains and offer potential solutions.

PMID- 28624129
TI  - Testing the reliability and validity of a Transition Map for older adults in long
      term care settings.
AB  - Mapping individual patterns of decline in older adults may aid coordinating long
      term aged care. This study developed a new scale (Transition Maps) to summarise
      the overall care pathway for long term aged care residents, in a simplified
      manner incorporating mapping concepts. Transition Maps were developed using mixed
      methods in two phases, and based on expert opinion, literature review, and input
      from aged care health professionals. Four professions (primary physician, nurse,
      allied health, lifestyle services) generated 147 Transition Maps for 38 residents
      living in a long term care. Preliminary construct validity and inter-rated
      reliability were evaluated. Results showed that Inter-rater reliability of
      agreement with the overall care pathway for each resident was kappa = 0.492.
      Consensus was lowest between nurse care managers and primary physicians (kappa =
      0.384), and highest between nurse managers and Lifestyle Services (kappa = 0.77).
      Preliminary testing of the Transition Map scale provides initial support of
      construct validity and inter-rater reliability and provides some evidence that
      Transition Maps can improve the coordination of long term aged care.

PMID- 28624130
TI  - Assessing the hydrogeochemical processes affecting groundwater pollution in arid
      areas using an integration of geochemical equilibrium and multivariate
      statistical techniques.
AB  - Rapid economic expansion poses serious problems for groundwater resources in arid
      areas, which typically have high rates of groundwater depletion. In this study,
      integration of hydrochemical investigations involving chemical and statistical
      analyses are conducted to assess the factors controlling hydrochemistry and
      potential pollution in an arid region. Fifty-four groundwater samples were
      collected from the Dhurma aquifer in Saudi Arabia, and twenty-one physicochemical
      variables were examined for each sample. Spatial patterns of salinity and nitrate
      were mapped using fitted variograms. The nitrate spatial distribution shows that
      nitrate pollution is a persistent problem affecting a wide area of the aquifer.
      The hydrochemical investigations and cluster analysis reveal four significant
      clusters of groundwater zones. Five main factors were extracted, which explain
      >77% of the total data variance. These factors indicated that the chemical
      characteristics of the groundwater were influenced by rock-water interactions and
      anthropogenic factors. The identified clusters and factors were validated with
      hydrochemical investigations. The geogenic factors include the dissolution of
      various minerals (calcite, aragonite, gypsum, anhydrite, halite and fluorite) and
      ion exchange processes. The anthropogenic factors include the impact of
      irrigation return flows and the application of potassium, nitrate, and phosphate
      fertilizers. Over time, these anthropogenic factors will most likely contribute
      to further declines in groundwater quality.

PMID- 28624131
TI  - Studying Arterial Stiffness Using High-Frequency Ultrasound in Mice with
      Alzheimer Disease.
AB  - Alzheimer disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that causes
      slow loss of memory and thinking skills, normally leading to death in 3-9 y. The
      etiology of AD is not fully understood but is widely believed to be induced by
      the production and deposition of amyloid-beta peptide in the brain. Recently, a
      correlation was discovered between amyloid-beta deposition and atherosclerosis in
      the cerebral arteries of postmortem brains, indicating that amyloid-beta promotes
      atherogenesis and that in turn atherosclerosis promotes brain amyloid-beta
      accumulation. However, a direct measurement of arterial stiffness for AD is
      lacking. In the present study, the pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the carotid
      artery was measured non-invasively in young (3-mo-old) and middle-aged (9-mo-old)
      wild-type (WT) and modeled AD mice to obtain quantitative data of arterial
      stiffness by using a 35-MHz high-frequency dual-element transducer. Experimental
      results show that the PWVs were 1.6 +/- 0.5 m/s for young and 2.4 +/- 0.4 m/s for
      middle-aged WT mice and 1.7 +/- 0.4 m/s for young and 3.2 +/- 0.6 m/s for middle
      aged AD mice. Middle-aged groups had higher PWVs (p < 0.0001), which were more
      pronounced in the AD mice (p < 0.001). The differences in PWVs were not caused by
      arterial lumen diameter, wall thickness or contents of elastin or collagen. These
      results imply that AD increases the stiffness of the carotid artery and introduce
      ultrasound as a potential tool for AD research and diagnosis.

PMID- 28624132
TI  - Schizogony and gametogony of oocyst-deficient T-263 strain of Toxoplasma gondii.
AB  - Oocysts are important stage for the spread of Toxoplasma gondii because they are
      environmentally resistant. Among all hosts of T. gondii, only felids can excrete
      oocysts. Cats that have excreted T. gondii oocysts after primary infection
      develop immunity to re-excretion of oocysts, and this immunity appears to be long
      lasting. It would be desirable to have a non-infectious vaccine for the
      prevention of T. gondii infection in cats and to understand mechanism of immunity
      to excretion of oocysts. An initial step will be to indentify stage/stages of the
      parasite for induction of immunity. A chemically-induced mutant of T. gondii, T
      263, is immunogenic but lacks the capacity to form oocysts in cats. Cats fed live
      bradyzoites of T-263 do not excrete oocysts after challenge with oocyst producing
      strains. However, it is not known at what stage of the parasite development the
      oocyst formation is halted. Here, four cats were fed live tissue cysts of the T
      263 strain and examined for enteroepithelial stages and oocyst production. Two
      cats were administered methyl prednisolone aceatate (20mg/kg) once
      intramuscularly and these cats were euthanized 5 and 7days post inoculation. No
      oocysts but immature and mature schizonts (types D and E), male, and female
      gamonts were detected in two cats euthanized. The remaining two cats did not
      excrete oocysts examined 3-14days post inoculation, but both seroconverted and
      developed antibody titers of 1:400 tested by the modification agglutination test,
      indicating exposure to the inocula. The results demonstrate that the T-263 strain
      is defective in oocyst formation and the observations should help future studies
      in identification of genes/factors responsible for oocyst formation in the
      intestine of cats.

PMID- 28624133
TI  - [The use of administrative health databases in infectious disease epidemiology
      and public health].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The public health burden resulting from infectious diseases requires
      efforts in surveillance and evaluation of health care. The use of administrative
      health databases (AHD) and in particular the French national health insurance
      database (SNIIRAM) is an opportunity to improve knowledge in this field. The
      SNIIRAM data network (REDSIAM) workshop dedicated to infectious diseases
      conducted a narrative literature review of studies using French AHD. From the
      results, benefits and limits of these new tools in the field of infectious
      diseases are presented. METHODS: Publications identified by the members of the
      workgroup were collected using an analytical framework that documented the
      pathology of interest, the aim of the study, the goal of the developed algorithm,
      the kind of data, the study period, and the presence of an evaluation or a
      discussion of the performance of the performed algorithm. RESULTS: Fifty-five
      articles were identified. A majority focused on the field of vaccination coverage
      and joint infections. Excluding vaccine coverage field, the aim of 28 studies was
      epidemiological surveillance. Twenty-six studies used hospital databases
      exclusively, 18 used ambulatory databases exclusively and 4 used both. Validation
      or discussion of the performed algorithm was present in 18 studies. CONCLUSIONS:
      The literature review confirmed the interest of the French AHD in the infectious
      diseases field. The AHD are additional tools of the existing surveillance systems
      and their use will probably be more frequent in the coming years given their
      advantage and reliability. However, incoming users need to be assisted. Thus, the
      workgroup will contribute to a reasonable use of AHD and support future
      developments.

PMID- 28624134
TI  - Efficacy of response-guided directly observed pegylated interferon and self
      administered ribavirin for people who inject drugs with hepatitis C virus
      genotype 2/3 infection: The ACTIVATE study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are few data on treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection
      among people with ongoing injecting drug use. This study evaluated the efficacy
      of response-guided therapy for chronic HCV genotypes 2/3 infection among people
      with ongoing injecting drug use or receiving opioid substitution therapy (OST). A
      secondary aim was to identify predictors of HCV treatment response. METHODS:
      ACTIVATE was a multicentre clinical trial recruited between 2012 and 2014.
      Participants with genotypes 2/3 were treated with directly observed peg
      interferon alfa-2b and self-administered ribavirin for 12 (undetectable HCV RNA
      at week 4) or 24 weeks (detectable HCV RNA at week 4). Participants were
      recruited from drug treatment clinics, private practices, hospital clinics and
      community clinics in Australia, Canada, and five countries in Europe. The primary
      study outcome was sustained virological response (SVR, undetectable HCV RNA >12
      weeks post-treatment). RESULTS: Among 93 people with ongoing injecting drug use
      or receiving OST treated for HCV genotype 2/3, 59% had recently (past month)
      injected drugs, 77% were receiving OST and 56% injected drugs during therapy.
      Overall SVR was 66% (61/93). SVR was 84% in those with undetectable HCV RNA at
      week 4 (12 weeks) compared to 38% in those without (24 weeks). In adjusted
      analysis, cirrhosis vs. no/mild fibrosis [adjusted OR (aOR) 0.33, 95% CI 0.13,
      0.86] predicted reduced SVR, while response at week 4 was associated with
      increased SVR [aOR 8.11, 95% CI 2.73, 24.10]. Recent injecting drug use at
      baseline or during therapy was not associated with SVR. CONCLUSION: This study
      demonstrates that people with recent injecting drug use or OST with chronic HCV
      can achieve responses to interferon-based therapy similar to other populations,
      despite injecting drugs prior to or during therapy. Cirrhosis was predictive of
      reduced response to HCV therapy, while response at week 4 (despite shortened
      therapy) was predictive of improved response.

PMID- 28624135
TI  - Effectiveness of vitamin K2 on osteoporosis in adults with cerebral palsy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis can lead to spontaneous fractures in adults with
      cerebral palsy (CP). Undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) is a useful marker for
      vitamin K insufficiency in osteoporosis. The primary objective of this study was
      to determine the effect of vitamin K2 on bone mineral density (BMD) in adults
      with CP and vitamin K insufficiency. METHODS: Sixteen adults, median age of
      56years, with CP and osteoporosis in whom the serum ucOC concentration exceeded
      4.5ng/mL were included. All patients received 45mg of vitamin K2 per day. BMD was
      measured and presented as a percentage of the young adult mean (%YAM). Serum
      levels of ucOC and BMD were measured at baseline and after 6 and 12months.
      RESULTS: Serum levels of ucOC decreased from 7.8ng/mL (range, 4.9-32) at baseline
      to 3.9ng/mL (range, 1.9-6.8) after 6months (P=0.001). BMD increased from 59%YAM
      (range, 45-67) at baseline to 68%YAM (range, 50-79) after 12months (P=0.003).
      CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin K2 had a positive effect on BMD in osteoporotic adults with
      CP and high serum concentrations of ucOC, and might be useful as a first line
      treatment for osteoporotic adults with CP and vitamin K insufficiency.

PMID- 28624136
TI  - Effect of ABO blood type on the outcomes of patients with metastatic renal cell
      carcinoma treated with first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of blood type on survival outcomes and adverse
      events (AEs) in patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for
      metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who
      received TKIs as first-line therapy for mRCC between 2008 and 2015 at our
      hospital were included in the study (n = 136). Patients were divided into 2
      groups based on their blood type as O and non-O. Survival outcomes and AEs were
      compared according to blood type. Cox regression models were used for univariate
      and multivariate survival analyses. RESULTS: Of the 136 patients, 34 (25%) and
      102 (75%) had O and non-O blood types, respectively. Blood type O was associated
      with an increased number of disease sites. There were no differences between the
      2 groups with respect to other baseline characteristics. The progression-free
      survival in patients with O and non-O blood types was 12.1 and 11.6 months,
      respectively; the overall survival was 34.4 and 24.8 months, respectively. On
      univariate and multivariate analyses, the ABO blood type was not a significant
      prognostic factor for progression-free survival or overall survival. Furthermore,
      the incidences of serious AEs were similar in the 2 blood groups. CONCLUSIONS:
      ABO blood type was not associated with survival outcomes or incidences of serious
      AEs in mRCC patients treated with TKIs. However, blood type O may be associated
      with an increased number of disease sites.

PMID- 28624137
TI  - Effect of TLR ligands co-encapsulated with multiepitopic antigen in nanoliposomes
      targeted to human DCs via Fc receptor for cancer vaccines.
AB  - Nanoliposomes (NLs) hold promise as new highly specific nanomedicine for anti
      tumor vaccines, since they could be targeted to specific receptors on dendritic
      cell (DC) to induce maturation and activation and increase the anti-tumor immune
      response. Here we studied a NLs formulation targeted or not to FcR (the receptor
      for the IgG Fc fragment) for the treatment of androgen-responsive prostate
      cancer. Luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) peptide (B- and T-cell
      epitopes), in tandem with a tetanus toxoid T-helper epitope (830-844 region) and
      several TLR (Toll-Like Receptor) ligands as adjuvants were co-encapsulated.
      Specific uptake in vitro of LHRH-TT liposomes targeted to the FcRs of human DCs
      was enhanced. DC maturation/activation, cytokine production and lymphocyte
      activation were consistently higher in targeted than non-targeted liposomes.
      Similar increase was observed as more adjuvants were administrated. Targeting to
      specific receptor and co-encapsulation of several TLR adjuvants are essential
      factors for the immune response in peptide based liposome vaccine.

PMID- 28624138
TI  - Serum NCAM levels and cognitive deficits in first episode schizophrenia patients
      versus health controls.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is a glycoprotein and plays an
      important role in cell-cell adhesion, neural migration, neurite outgrowth,
      synaptic plasticity and brain development. We investigated the relationship
      between the serum NCAM concentration and cognitive deficit in first episode drug
      naive schizophrenia (FES) patients. METHODS: Thirty FES patients and thirty
      healthy controls were recruited for this study. Psychiatric symptoms were
      assessed by the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS). Cognitive functions
      were assessed by measurement and treatment research to improve cognition in
      schizophrenia (MATRICS) and consensus cognitive battery (MCCB). Serum levels of
      NCAM were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Schizophrenia patients had decreased
      serum NCAM concentrations than controls (-30%, p<0.001). Cognitive scores were
      significantly lower in FES patients than healthy controls (-34%, p<0.001). The
      NCAM concentrations were positively correlated with the total scores of MCCB
      (r=0.438, p=0.003). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that serum NCAM
      concentration was an independent contributor to MCCB total Scores. CONCLUSIONS:
      There were a close relationship between the serum NCAM concentrations and
      cognitive deficits in FES patients. Since NCAM has an important role in
      neurodevelopmental processes, these results support the neurodevelopmental
      dysfunction hypothesis of schizophrenia and suggest that an altered NCAM may be
      one of the risk factors for schizophrenia including cognitive deficits.

PMID- 28624139
TI  - Applying rigor and reproducibility standards to assay donor-derived cell-free DNA
      as a non-invasive method for detection of acute rejection and graft injury after
      heart transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Use of new genomic techniques in clinical settings requires that such
      methods are rigorous and reproducible. Previous studies have shown that
      quantitation of donor-derived cell-free DNA (%ddcfDNA) by unbiased shotgun
      sequencing is a sensitive, non-invasive marker of acute rejection after heart
      transplantation. The primary goal of this study was to assess the reproducibility
      of %ddcfDNA measurements across technical replicates, manual vs automated
      platforms, and rejection phenotypes in distinct patient cohorts. METHODS: After
      developing and validating the %ddcfDNA assay, we subjected the method to a
      rigorous test of its reproducibility. We measured %ddcfDNA in technical
      replicates performed by 2 independent laboratories and verified the
      reproducibility of %ddcfDNA patterns of 2 rejection phenotypes: acute cellular
      rejection and antibody-mediated rejection in distinct patient cohorts. RESULTS:
      We observed strong concordance of technical-replicate %ddcfDNA measurements
      across 2 independent laboratories (slope = 1.02, R2 > 0.99, p < 10-6), as well as
      across manual and automated platforms (slope = 0.80, R2 = 0.92, p < 0.001). The
      %ddcfDNA measurements in distinct heart transplant cohorts had similar baselines
      and error rates. The %ddcfDNA temporal patterns associated with rejection
      phenotypes were similar in both patient cohorts; however, the quantity of ddcfDNA
      was significantly higher in samples with severe vs mild histologic rejection
      grade (2.73% vs 0.14%, respectively; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The %ddcfDNA assay
      is precise and reproducible across laboratories and in samples from 2 distinct
      types of heart transplant rejection. These findings pave the way for larger
      studies to assess the clinical utility of %ddcfDNA as a marker of acute rejection
      after heart transplantation.

PMID- 28624140
TI  - Minor Nonintracranial Hemorrhage and Poor Prognosis among Stroke Patients
      Undergoing Intravenous Thrombolysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whether nonintracranial hemorrhage (NICH) associated with intravenous
      thrombolysis (IVT) is a predictor of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and poor
      prognosis is ambiguous. We sought to analyze the rate of NICH and the
      relationship between NICH and poor outcome in the ischemic stroke population
      undergoing IVT. METHODS: This is a single-center, hospital-based prospective
      study. All ischemic stroke patients undergoing IVT between December 2015 and
      November 2016 were included. NICH was defined according to the criteria of the
      Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC). ICH associated with IVT was defined
      based on the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study II definition. On the basis
      of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), 90-day outcome was divided into favorable
      outcome (mRS score 0-1) versus unfavorable outcome (mRS score 2-6) and
      independency (mRS score 0-2) versus dependency and death (mRS score 3-6).
      RESULTS: A total of 212 patients undergoing IVT were included in the analysis.
      Forty-five NICH events were reported in 42 patients (19.8%). Older age was
      independently associated with NICH (P = .049, odds ratio [OR] = .97, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] .94-1.0). Neither NICH with BARC class 1 or higher (P =
      .56, OR = .61, 95% CI .11-3.24) nor NICH with BARC class 2 or higher (P = .87, OR
      = 1.19, 95% CI .14-10.23) was associated with ICH. NICH with BARC class 1 or
      higher was not associated with unfavorable outcome (P = .67, OR = 1.17, 95% CI
      .56-2.45) and dependence and death (P = .47, OR = .72, 95% CI .30-1.75), neither
      was NICH with BARC class  2 or higher (P = .97, OR = 1.02, 95% CI .46-2.27 and P
      = .30, OR = .59, 95% CI .22-1.62). CONCLUSIONS: NICH was common among ischemic
      stroke populations receiving IVT. NICH with BARC class 2 or lower was not
      associated with ICH and poor outcome.

PMID- 28624141
TI  - Serial imaging and SWAN sequence of developmental venous anomaly thrombosis with
      hematoma: Diagnosis and follow-up.
AB  - Developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are usually asymptomatic. We report a case
      of DVA thrombosis with recurrent tiny frontal hematoma in a 24-year-old man. The
      contribution of T2-GRE and SWAN sequences are discussed. Follow-up attested
      complete recanalization after anticoagulation.

PMID- 28624142
TI  - Anti-diabetic xanthones from the bark of Garcinia xanthochymus.
AB  - An ethyl acetate extract the bark of Garcinia xanthochymus exhibited strong
      inhibition towards alpha-glucosidase and PTP1B with IC50 values of 0.3+/
      0.1MUg/mL and 2.3+/-0.4MUg/mL, respectively. Chemical constituents of the extract
      were therefore examined, and two new compounds, xanthochymusxanthones A (1) and B
      (2), along with ten known xanthones (3-12), were isolated. Their structures were
      determined using spectroscopic methods, mainly 1D and 2D NMR. Inhibitory activity
      of the isolated compounds was then tested, and subelliptenone F (12) showed
      significant effect towards alpha-glucosidase with IC50 value of 4.1+/-0.3MUM
      (compared with acarbose, IC50=900.0+/-3.0MUM) whilst xanthochymusxanthone B (2)
      exhibited remarkable activity towards PTP1B with IC50 value of 8.0+/-0.6MUM
      (compared with RK682, IC50=4.4+/-0.3MUM).

PMID- 28624143
TI  - A small-molecule screen identifies the antitrypanosomal agent suramin and
      analogues NF023 and NF449 as inhibitors of STAT5a/b.
AB  - The transcription factor STAT5a is a potential target for tumor therapy. We
      present a fluorescence polarization-based, high-throughput screen of chemical
      libraries containing natural products and known bioactive molecules, for the
      identification of small-molecule inhibitors of the STAT5a SH2 domain. This screen
      identified suramin, a drug used to treat African trypanosomiasis, and its
      analogues NF023 and NF449 as inhibitors of the SH2 domains of STAT5a/b. Our data
      extend the known in vitro targets of suramin and analogues to include members of
      the STAT protein family.

PMID- 28624144
TI  - [Feasibility of outpatient laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy surgery: A pilot study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of outpatient laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy
      surgery. METHODS: A prospective analysis was carried out in one center from May
      2014 to July 2015. The main outcome was the success of day care, meaning no
      hospitalization, consultation to a doctor or emergency during the first 48h
      following the surgery. Patients requiring laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy with
      eligibility for day care were included. The patients were not included if they
      didn't match to the administrative or medical criteria of ambulatory, or if they
      refused ambulatory surgery. The postoperative consultation was 1 month after
      surgery, the satisfaction was assessed by phone call two months after surgery.
      RESULTS: We included 14 patients during the study. One patient stayed the night
      (7.1%). The median operative time of the surgery was 95minutes (70-168minutes),
      no complication occurred. Ten patients of 13 (76.9%) were very satisfied or
      satisfied of day care. CONCLUSION: With 71% of satisfaction and only one patient
      who stayed the night, outpatient laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy surgery seems to be
      feasible. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

PMID- 28624145
TI  - Self-induction in Photosensitive Children With Dravet Syndrome.

PMID- 28624146
TI  - The impact of the BLUE protocol ultrasonography on the time taken to treat acute
      respiratory distress in the ED.

PMID- 28624147
TI  - Characteristics and outcome among 14,933 adult cases of in-hospital cardiac
      arrest: A nationwide study with the emphasis on gender and age.
AB  - AIM: To investigate characteristics and outcome among patients suffering in
      hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) with the emphasis on gender and age. METHODS:
      Using the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, we analyzed
      associations between gender, age and co-morbidities, etiology, management, 30-day
      survival and cerebral function among survivors in 14,933 cases of IHCA. Age was
      divided into three ordered categories: young (18-49years), middle-aged (50
      64years) and older (65years and above). Comparisons between men and women were
      age adjusted. RESULTS: The mean age was 72.7years and women were significantly
      older than men. Renal dysfunction was the most prevalent co-morbidity. Myocardial
      infarction/ischemia was the most common condition preceding IHCA, with men having
      27% higher odds of having MI as the underlying etiology. A shockable rhythm was
      found in 31.8% of patients, with men having 52% higher odds of being found in
      VT/VF. After adjusting for various confounders, it was found that men had a 10%
      lower chance than women of surviving to 30days. Older individuals were managed
      less aggressively than younger patients. Increasing age was associated with lower
      30-day survival but not with poorer cerebral function among survivors.
      CONCLUSION: When adjusting for various confounders, it was found that men had a
      10% lower chance than women of surviving to 30days after in-hospital cardiac
      arrest. Older individuals were managed less aggressively than younger patients,
      despite a lower chance of survival. Higher age was, however, not associated with
      poorer cerebral function among survivors.

PMID- 28624148
TI  - Multiple myeloma presenting as acute pancreatitis.
AB  - A 36 year old male presented to the emergency department with severe epigastric
      pain, nausea, vomiting without hematemesis, diarrhea and anorexia. He presented
      with respiratory distress, shock and fever at the emergency. He was intubated and
      shifted to the intensive care unit with the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis with
      hypercalcemia and an elevated amylase and lipase's well as thrombocytopenia and
      elevated creatinine. CT scan of abdomen was done which showed lytic bone lesions
      in the spine and necrosis of the pancrease. He was evaluated for multiple myeloma
      and it was confirmed in a bone marrow biopsy. Multiple myeloma usually is seen in
      patients aged more than 60 yrs. The typical presentation of multiple myeloma is
      anemia, back pain, and an elevated sedimentation rate. Patients with multiple
      myeloma have hypercalcemia but it's rarely manifested as acute pancreatitis. This
      case shows a rare presentation of multiple myeloma as acute pancreatitis in a
      younger adult.

PMID- 28624150
TI  - Importance of optimizing chromatographic conditions and mass spectrometric
      parameters for supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry.
AB  - Supercritical fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry (SFC/MS) has great potential
      in high-throughput and the simultaneous analysis of a wide variety of compounds,
      and it has been widely used in recent years. The use of MS for detection provides
      the advantages of high sensitivity and high selectivity. However, the sensitivity
      of MS detection depends on the chromatographic conditions and MS parameters.
      Thus, optimization of MS parameters corresponding to the SFC condition is
      mandatory for maximizing performance when connecting SFC to MS. The aim of this
      study was to reveal a way to decide the optimum composition of the mobile phase
      and the flow rate of the make-up solvent for MS detection in a wide range of
      compounds. Additionally, we also showed the basic concept for determination of
      the optimum values of the MS parameters focusing on the MS detection sensitivity
      in SFC/MS analysis. To verify the versatility of these findings, a total of 441
      pesticides with a wide polarity range (logPow from -4.21 to 7.70) and pKa
      (acidic, neutral and basic). In this study, a new SFC-MS interface was used,
      which can transfer the entire volume of eluate into the MS by directly coupling
      the SFC with the MS. This enabled us to compare the sensitivity or optimum MS
      parameters for MS detection between LC/MS and SFC/MS for the same sample volume
      introduced into the MS. As a result, it was found that the optimum values of some
      MS parameters were completely different from those of LC/MS, and that SFC/MS
      specific optimization of the analytical conditions is required. Lastly, we
      evaluated the sensitivity of SFC/MS using fully optimized analytical conditions.
      As a result, we confirmed that SFC/MS showed much higher sensitivity than LC/MS
      when the analytical conditions were fully optimized for SFC/MS; and the high
      sensitivity also increase the number of the compounds that can be detected with
      good repeatability in real sample analysis. This result indicates that SFC/MS has
      potential for practical use in the multiresidue analysis of a wide range of
      compounds that requires high sensitivity.

PMID- 28624149
TI  - Brain function and structure and risk for incident diabetes: The Atherosclerosis
      Risk in Communities Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is prospectively associated with cognitive decline.
      Whether lower cognitive function and worse brain structure are prospectively
      associated with incident diabetes is unclear. METHODS: We analyzed data for
      10,133 individuals with cognitive function testing (1990-1992) and 1212
      individuals with brain magnetic resonance imaging (1993-1994) from the
      Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort. We estimated hazard ratios for
      incident diabetes through 2014 after adjustment for traditional diabetes risk
      factors and cohort attrition. RESULTS: Higher level of baseline cognitive
      function was associated with lower risk for diabetes (per 1 standard deviation,
      hazard ratio = 0.94; 95% confidence interval = 0.90, 0.98). This association did
      not persist after accounting for baseline glucose level, case ascertainment
      methods, and cohort attrition. No association was observed between any brain
      magnetic resonance imaging measure and incident diabetes. DISCUSSION: This is one
      of the first studies to prospectively evaluate the association between both
      cognitive function and brain structure and the incidence of diabetes.

PMID- 28624151
TI  - Pixel-by-pixel correction of retention time shifts in chromatograms from
      comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to high resolution time
      of-flight mass spectrometry.
AB  - A pixel-by-pixel method for correcting retention time (RT) shifts in whole
      chromatograms from comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to
      high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC*GC-HRTOFMS) is introduced. A
      previously developed robust algorithm for correcting RT shifts was extended to
      high-resolution mass-spectral data. The performance of the new method in terms of
      decreasing RT shifts and peak volume changes was tested on GC*GC-HRTOFMS data.
      The RT shift correction algorithm, using linear interpolation for the 1st
      dimension and Sibson natural neighbor interpolation for the 2nd dimension,
      performed well for systematically shifted data acquired using two different
      temperature programs in terms of decreasing RT differences and alterations to the
      peak volumes and mass spectra. A modified RT shift correction algorithm, using
      Sibson natural neighbor for both dimensions, performed better for RT shifts
      caused by column damage, for which the original interpolation method did not
      appropriately correct RT shifts. Although further investigation would be required
      for more types of severe shifts, this study shows that the developed method is
      useful for correcting RT shifts with GC*GC-HRTOFMS.

PMID- 28624152
TI  - Simultaneous determination of 14 disinfection by-products in meat products using
      microwave-assisted extraction and static headspace coupled to gas chromatography
      mass spectrometry.
AB  - This paper described the first analytical method to simultaneously determine 14
      disinfection by-products (DBPs) in meat products using microwave-assisted
      extraction (MAE) and static headspace (SHS) followed by gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (GC-MS). The DBPs included were 4 trihalomethanes, 7 haloacetic
      acids, 2 haloacetonitriles and trichloronitromethane, which are commonly formed
      as a consequence of the disinfection process of water. The combination of the MAE
      and SHS techniques allows meat samples to be analysed in two sequential steps
      into the same HS vial in spite of the sample's complexity. Detection limits were
      obtained within the range of 0.06-0.70ng/g, and the average relative standard
      deviation was 7.4%. Recoveries throughout the whole process were between 86 and
      95%. The SHS-GC-MS method was applied to determine DBPs in meat products with
      different industrial processing which could be contaminated through contact with
      disinfectants and/or treated water employed in the factory either for washing or
      for the cooking of meat. Up to 5 DBPs were found at ng/g levels in about 36% of
      the samples analysed, cooked ham being the most contaminated meat product because
      of the brine solutions employed in its manufacturing process.

PMID- 28624154
TI  - Lymphedema following gynecological cancer: Results from a prospective,
      longitudinal cohort study on prevalence, incidence and risk factors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Cancer-related lymphedema is a debilitating condition that adversely
      influences function, health and quality of life. The purpose of this study was to
      assess the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of lower-limb lymphedema pre-
      through to 24months post-surgery for gynecological cancer. METHODS: A clinic
      based sample of women (n=408) with gynecological cancer participated in a
      prospective, longitudinal study (2008-2011) using self-reported measures
      (swelling in one or both legs) and objectively measured lymphedema (bioimpedance
      spectroscopy) at baseline (pre-surgery), six weeks-three months, 6-12months, and
      15-24months post-surgery. RESULTS: At pre-surgery, 15% of women self-reported
      lymphedema and 27% had measurable evidence of lymphedema. By 24months post
      surgery, incidence of new self-reported or measured lymphedema was 45% and 37%,
      respectively. Three-quarters of these new cases presented by 12-months post
      treatment. While lymphedema was transient for some women, 60% had persistent
      lymphedema. More extensive lymph node dissection, receipt of chemotherapy and
      radiation therapy, increasing body mass index, insufficient levels of physical
      activity, diagnosis of vulvar/vaginal cancer and presence of pre-treatment
      lymphedema were identified as potential risk factors (p<0.05). CONCLUSION:
      Findings support the need for integration of pre-surgical assessment, and
      prospective, post-treatment surveillance of lymphedema into gynecological cancer
      care. Future research exploring the role of maintaining healthy body weight,
      regular physical activity and education about early detection of lymphedema to
      improve gynecological cancer survivorship is warranted.

PMID- 28624155
TI  - Current understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary
      hypertension.
AB  - Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a unique form of
      pulmonary hypertension arising from fibrotic obliteration of major pulmonary
      arteries. Pro-thrombotic states, large clot burden and impaired dissolution are
      believed to contribute to the occurrence and progression of thrombosis after an
      acute pulmonary embolic event. Recent data utilizing several models have
      facilitated the understanding of clot resolution. This review summarizes current
      knowledge on pathophysiological mechanisms of major vessel occlusion in CTEPH.

PMID- 28624153
TI  - Impact of ascites volume on clinical outcomes in ovarian cancer: A cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of ascites volume on ovarian cancer
      outcomes. METHODS: Clinicopathologic features of a cohort of patients with
      ovarian cancer were obtained from a curated database at a single institution.
      Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were recorded. Ascites
      volume at primary surgery was dichotomized at 2000mL and comparisons for high and
      low volume ascites were made. Additionally, to elucidate interactions between
      ascites and ovarian tumor progression, we evaluated the effect of intraperitoneal
      administrations of murine cell-free ascites versus saline in a syngeneic mouse
      model of epithelial ovarian cancer. RESULTS: Out of 685 patients identified, 58%
      had ascites present at the time of initial surgery. Considering the volume of
      ascites continuously, each liter of ascites was associated with shorter PFS
      (HR=1.12, 95% CI: 1.07-1.17) and OS (HR=1.12, 95%CI: 1.07-1.17). Patients with
      ascites greater than the median of 2000mL had significantly shorter PFS
      (14.5months vs. 22.7months; p<0.001) and OS (27.7months vs. 42.9months; p<0.001).
      After adjusting for stage, presence of ascites was inversely associated with
      ability to achieve optimal cytoreductive surgery. Consistent with these
      correlative results in patients, intraperitoneal administrations of murine cell
      free ascites accelerated ovarian cancer progression in mice. CONCLUSIONS: The
      volume of ascites at initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer correlated with worse
      PFS and OS. The effect of large volume on prognosis is likely to be in part
      related to reduced likelihood for complete resection of tumor (R0). If these
      findings are confirmed in independent studies, consideration should be made to
      add the presence of large volume ascites at diagnosis to the staging criteria for
      ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28624156
TI  - A Noninvasive Blood-based Combinatorial Proteomic Biomarker Assay to Detect
      Breast Cancer in Women Under the Age of 50 Years.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite significant advances in breast imaging, the ability to detect
      breast cancer (BC) remains a challenge. To address the unmet needs of the current
      BC detection paradigm, 2 prospective clinical trials were conducted to develop a
      blood-based combinatorial proteomic biomarker assay (Videssa Breast) to
      accurately detect BC and reduce false positives (FPs) from suspicious imaging
      findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Provista-001 and Provista-002 (cohort one)
      enrolled Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 3 or 4 women aged under 50
      years. Serum was evaluated for 11 serum protein biomarkers and 33 tumor
      associated autoantibodies. Individual biomarker expression, demographics, and
      clinical characteristics data from Provista-001 were combined to develop a
      logistic regression model to detect BC. The performance was tested using Provista
      002 cohort one (validation set). RESULTS: The training model had a sensitivity
      and specificity of 92.3% and 85.3% (BC prevalence, 7.7%), respectively. In the
      validation set (BC prevalence, 2.9%), the sensitivity and specificity were 66.7%
      and 81.5%, respectively. The negative predictive value was high in both sets
      (99.3% and 98.8%, respectively). Videssa Breast performance in the combined
      training and validation set was 99.1% negative predictive value, 87.5%
      sensitivity, 83.8% specificity, and 25.2% positive predictive value (BC
      prevalence, 5.87%). Overall, imaging resulted in 341 participants receiving
      follow-up procedures to detect 30 cancers (90.6% FP rate). Videssa Breast would
      have recommended 111 participants for follow-up, a 67% reduction in FPs (P <
      .00001). CONCLUSIONS: Videssa Breast can effectively detect BC when used in
      conjunction with imaging and can substantially reduce unnecessary medical
      procedures, as well as provide assurance to women that they likely do not have
      BC.

PMID- 28624157
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and cytology for
      differentiating benign from malignant lymph nodes.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Intra-abdominal and mediastinal lymphadenopathy are
      often difficult to diagnose, particularly in the absence of a primary lesion.
      Endosonography (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration and cytology (FNAC) has
      provided an easy and safe access to these lymph nodes, sparing the use of
      invasive and costly interventions. The main aim of this study is to assess the
      specificity, sensitivity, and predictive value of EUS-guided FNAC in the
      diagnosis of benign and malignant lymph nodes. In addition, the study aims to
      determine significant EUS features that could help in predicting lymph node
      malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 142 patients
      with intra-abdominal or intrathoracic lymphadenopathy who were referred for EUS
      guided FNAC because of inaccessibility by other imaging modalities. Ninety
      (63.3%) patients were found to have malignant lymph nodes, and 52 (36.6%) had
      lymphadenopathy of benign nature. RESULTS: EUS-guided FNAC had a sensitivity and
      specificity of 92% and 100% respectively. It had positive and negative predictive
      values of 100% and 88% for malignancy, respectively. By logistic regression
      analysis, EUS features and shortest diameter were found to be potential
      predictors of malignancy with p-value of <0.0001. CONCLUSION: EUS-guided FNAC is
      a powerful modality in the diagnosis of benign and malignant lymph nodes.
      Additional complementary EUS features could be added to this technique for
      definitive diagnosis.

PMID- 28624158
TI  - Novel use of fully covered self-expandable metal stent for drainage of perirectal
      abscess. A case series.

PMID- 28624159
TI  - From the Laboratory to the Field: Updating Capacity Building in Medical
      Entomology.
AB  - Training and innovation in the field of medical entomology are essential to
      mitigate the burden of vector-borne diseases globally. However, there is a
      shortage of medical entomologists worldwide, and there are large discrepancies in
      capacity building in this field. In this article, we discuss the current
      situation, what is needed from the medical entomologist of today, and how we can
      bridge this gap.

PMID- 28624161
TI  - Clinical follow-up of the first SF-1 insufficient female patient.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1/NR5A1) plays a crucial role in regulating
      adrenal development, gonad determination and differentiation, and in the
      hypothalamic-pituitary control of reproduction and metabolism. In men (46, XY),
      it is known that mutations in SF-1/NR5A1 gene cause a wide phenotypic spectrum
      with variable degrees of undervirilization. In recent years, the role of SF-1 in
      the ovarian function was increasingly discussed and alterations in the gene were
      related to primary ovarian insufficiency. We describe the follow-up of a 46, XX
      affected woman with a SF-1 mutation and by comparing our case with the known
      manifestations reported in the literature, we try to further elucidate the
      function of SF-1 in the ovary. RESULTS: During infancy, adrenal insufficiency was
      the only clinical sign of the loss-of-function as ovarian development and
      function seemed normal. To date, this young woman aged 16.5 years shows normal
      growth, normal BMI and psychomotor development, has a normal puberty and regular
      menstruation. CONCLUSION: This report shows one, to date uniquely described,
      phenotypic variant of SF-1 mutation in a 46, XX affected person with
      adrenocortical insufficiency but no ovarian dysfunction nor disturbance of
      pubertal development. To follow the natural history of SF-1 mutation in a 46, XX
      individual will further shed light on its role in the ovarian function and thus
      will help to counsel affected patients in future.

PMID- 28624160
TI  - Association of apolipoprotein A5 gene variants with metabolic syndrome in
      Tunisian population.
AB  - AIM OF THE STUDY: APOA5 has been linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS) or its
      traits in several populations. In North Africa, only the Moroccan population was
      investigated. Our aim is to assess the association between APOA5 gene
      polymorphisms with the susceptibility to MetS and its components in the Tunisian
      population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 594 participants from the Tunisian
      population were genotyped for two polymorphisms rs3135506 and rs651821 located in
      APOA5 gene using KASPar technology. Statistical analyses were performed using R
      software. RESULTS: The SNP rs651821 increased the risk of MetS under the dominant
      model (OR=1.91 [1.17-3.12], P=0.008) whereas the variant rs3135506 was not
      associated with MetS. After stratification of the cohort following the sex, only
      the variant rs651821 showed a significant association with MetS among the women
      group. The influence of the geographic origin of the studied population on the
      genotype distribution of APOA5 variants showed that the variant rs651821 was
      significantly associated with MetS only for the Northern population. The
      association analyses of the variants rs651821 and rs3135506 with different
      quantitative traits of MetS showed a significant association only between the
      variant rs3135506 and triglycerides levels. CONCLUSION: This is the first study
      reporting the association of APOA5 gene variants with MetS in Tunisia. Our study
      emphasizes the role of APOA5 variants in the regulation of the triglycerides
      blood levels. Further studies are needed to confirm the clinical relevance of
      these associations and to better understand the physiopathology of the MetS.

PMID- 28624162
TI  - Stuck between a rock and a hard place: ILD + NSCLC = LIM.

PMID- 28624163
TI  - Simultaneous, congenital, mucocoele of the Blandin-Nuhn glands and teratoma of
      the tongue: early management and follow up at one year.
AB  - Mucocoele of the Blandin-Nuhn glands and teratomas of the tongue are rare in
      newborn babies. We present what is to our knowledge the first documented case of
      both at the same time, and describe management and follow up over 12 months after
      the birth. Prenatal diagnosis defined the treatment plan during delivery to
      establish an airway for the baby promptly. A normal delivery is possible if the
      cyst is anterior, and can be punctured during delivery. Delayed excision reduces
      the possibility of oedema and obstruction of the airway, ensures complete
      resection, avoids recurrence, and confirms the diagnosis. Mucocoeles are
      classified as extravasation or retention types; our observation supports the
      hypothesis of a "malformative type". A long follow-up is essential to monitor
      macroglossia, open bite, and the development of the mandible.

PMID- 28624164
TI  - Three-dimensional scanning electron microscopy of maxillofacial biomaterials.

PMID- 28624165
TI  - Inspiring a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery: a first-degree medical
      student's perspective.

PMID- 28624166
TI  - Retrograde Thyroidectomy for preservation of the External Branch of the Superior
      Laryngeal Nerve: A case series.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The external branch of the Superior Laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) is at
      high risk of injury in surgery for large multinodular goitre (MNG) since the
      upper pole is high in the neck, well cephalad to the EBSLN. We present a
      technique of drawing the lobe caudally by retrograde thyroidectomy in order to
      minimize nerve injury. DESIGN & METHOD: All patients having surgery for benign
      MNG were included. Cases with previous thyroid surgery, malignant and toxic
      disease were excluded. The thyroid lobe was mobilized from its inferior aspect
      and capsular dissection performed cephalad with bipolar or ligasure cautery,
      lifting the gland off the trachea while separating it from the parathyroids and
      branches of the inferior thyroid vessels. The ligament of Berry is divided and
      the entire lobe freed, attached only by the superior pedicle which is drawn
      caudally well below the EBSLN prior to ligation. Patients were followed for voice
      change at 24 hours, 7 days and 3 months. RESULTS: Ninety-one consecutive
      lobectomies were done in 60 patients, 31 bilateral. Forty-four (73%) patients had
      voice change at 24h, 10 (11%) at 7days and 1 at 3 months. The patient with
      persistent voice change complained of change in tone but not volume; vocal cords
      were normal on indirect laryngoscopy. CONCLUSION: Retrograde thyroidectomy is
      recommended for large MNG where the EBSLN lies well below the upper pole; it
      minimizes risk to the nerve.

PMID- 28624167
TI  - Longitudinal Vision-Related Quality of Life for Patients with Noninfectious
      Uveitis Treated with Fluocinolone Acetonide Implant or Systemic Corticosteroid
      Therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate longitudinal vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in
      patients with noninfectious uveitis. DESIGN: Cohort study using randomized
      controlled trial data. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with active or recently active
      intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis, or panuveitis enrolled in the
      Multicenter Steroid Treatment Trial and Follow-up Study. METHODS: Data from the
      25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) for
      the first 3 years after randomization were evaluated semiannually. Analyses were
      stratified by assigned treatment (129 implants vs. 126 systemic therapies)
      because of substantial differences in the trajectories of VRQoL. The impact of
      baseline measurements of visual function (visual acuity and visual field),
      demographics, and disease characteristics was assessed using generalized
      estimating equations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was the NEI-VFQ-25
      composite score over 3 years after randomization. RESULTS: Individuals in both
      treatment groups showed similar improvement in NEI-VFQ-25 scores after 3 years of
      follow-up (implant: 11.9 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.6-15.2; P <
      0.001; systemic: 9.0 points; 95% CI, 5.6-12.3; P < 0.001; P = 0.21 for
      interaction). Individuals in the implant group showed a substantial improvement
      during the first 6 months followed by stable scores, whereas individuals in the
      systemic group showed a steady improvement over the course of follow-up. Worse
      initial visual acuity and visual fields were associated with lower initial NEI
      VFQ-25 scores for both treatment groups. In the systemic group, these differences
      were maintained throughout follow-up. In the implant group, individuals with
      initial visual acuity worse than 20/40 showed additional improvement in NEI-VFQ
      25 score to come within -7 points (95% CI, -15.0 to 0.9) of those with visual
      acuity 20/40 or better initially, a clinically meaningful but not statistically
      significant difference (P = 0.081). Results based on sensitivity analyses showed
      similar patterns. CONCLUSIONS: Both treatment groups demonstrated significant
      improvements in NEI-VFQ-25 scores; however, the improvement was immediate for the
      implant group as opposed to gradual for the systemic group. Poorer visual
      function was associated significantly with initial differences in NEI-VFQ-25
      scores. However, only individuals in the implant group with poor visual acuity
      were able to overcome their initial deficits by the end of 3 years.

PMID- 28624168
TI  - Antibiotic Prescription Fills for Acute Conjunctivitis among Enrollees in a Large
      United States Managed Care Network.
AB  - PURPOSE: Antibiotics are seldom necessary to treat acute conjunctivitis. We
      assessed how frequently patients with newly diagnosed acute conjunctivitis fill
      prescriptions for topical antibiotics and factors associated with antibiotic
      prescription fills. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study.
      PARTICIPANTS: A total of 340 372 enrollees in a large nationwide United States
      managed care network with newly diagnosed acute conjunctivitis, from 2001 through
      2014. METHODS: We identified all enrollees newly diagnosed with acute
      conjunctivitis, calculating the proportion filling 1 or more topical antibiotic
      prescription within 14 days of initial diagnosis. Multivariate logistic
      regression assessed sociodemographic, medical, and other factors associated with
      antibiotic prescription fills for acute conjunctivitis. Geographic variation in
      prescription fills also was studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratios (ORs)
      with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for filling an antibiotic prescription for
      acute conjunctivitis. RESULTS: Among 340 372 enrollees with acute conjunctivitis,
      198 462 (58%) filled >=1 topical antibiotic prescriptions; 38 774 filled
      prescriptions for antibiotic-corticosteroid combination products. Compared with
      whites, blacks (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.86-0.92) and Latinos (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.81
      0.86) had lower odds of filling antibiotic prescriptions. More affluent and
      educated enrollees had higher odds of filling antibiotic prescriptions compared
      with those with lesser affluence and education (P < 0.01 for all). Compared with
      persons initially diagnosed with acute conjunctivitis by ophthalmologists,
      enrollees had considerably higher odds of antibiotic prescription fills if first
      diagnosed by an optometrist (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.21-1.31), urgent care physician
      (OR, 3.29; 95% CI, 3.17-3.41), internist (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 2.69-2.90),
      pediatrician (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 2.13-2.43), or family practitioner (OR, 2.46; 95%
      CI, 2.37-2.55). Antibiotic prescription fills did not differ for persons with
      versus without risk factors for development of serious infections, such as
      contact lens wearers (P = 0.21) or patients with human immunodeficiency virus
      infection or AIDS (P = 0.60). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 60% of enrollees in this
      managed care network filled antibiotic prescriptions for acute conjunctivitis,
      and 1 of every 5 antibiotic users filled prescriptions for antibiotic
      corticosteroids, which are contraindicated for acute conjunctivitis. These
      potentially harmful practices may prolong infection duration, may promote
      antibiotic resistance, and increase costs. Filling antibiotic prescriptions seems
      to be driven more by sociodemographic factors and type of provider diagnosing the
      enrollee than by medical indication.

PMID- 28624169
TI  - Change in Optic Nerve After Intracranial Pressure Reduction in Children.

PMID- 28624170
TI  - Predictors of visit-to-visit blood pressure variability in patients with
      hypertension: an analysis of trials with an amlodipine treatment arm.
AB  - We conducted a post hoc analysis of blood pressure (BP) data from long-term
      antihypertensive trials to identify predictors of visit-to-visit BP variability
      (BPV). BPV was defined as the within-subject coefficient of variation in systolic
      BP from week 12 onward. BP data from the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes
      Trial-Blood Pressure Lowering Arm, Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment
      to Prevent Heart Attack Trial, Comparison of Amlodipine Versus Enalapril to Limit
      Occurrences of Thrombosis, NY92011, and R-0510 trials were pooled and
      dichotomized into top 25th and bottom 75th percentiles because of positive skew.
      Significant (P < .001) predictors of BPV within the top 25th percentile were
      identified using logistic regression. The baseline characteristics of the pooled
      cohort (n = 47,558) were similar between patients who received amlodipine (n =
      17,499) versus other antihypertensive drugs (n = 29,491). BPV in the top 25th
      percentile was lower with amlodipine versus other treatments (13.7 +/- 3.2 vs.
      14.3 +/- 3.5), with single-study analyses of Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes
      Trial-Blood Pressure Lowering Arm, Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment
      to Prevent Heart Attack Trial, and Comparison of Amlodipine Versus Enalapril to
      Limit Occurrences of Thrombosis all showing BPV was the lowest with amlodipine.
      Baseline diastolic BP, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and smoking were
      predictors of BPV, with significant two-way interactions between smoking and both
      age and body mass index and between systolic BP or diastolic BP and being
      randomized to treatment other than amlodipine. In conclusion, analysis of BPV
      required transformation of BP data. After transformation, a number of baseline
      variables and combinations of variables were predictors of BPV.

PMID- 28624171
TI  - Race and sex differences in ambulatory blood pressure measures among HIV+ adults.
AB  - Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) can identify phenotypes that cannot
      be measured in the clinic. Determining race and sex disparities in ABPM measures
      among HIV+ individuals may improve strategies to diagnose and treat hypertension
      in this high-risk population. We compared ABPM measures between 24 African
      American and 25 white HIV+ adults (36 men and 13 women). Awake systolic blood
      pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were similar in African
      Americans and whites. After multivariable adjustment, sleep SBP and DBP were 9.7
      mm Hg (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 4.7, 14.8) and 8.4 mm Hg (95% CI: 4.3,
      12.5) higher, respectively, among African-Americans compared with whites. After
      multivariable adjustment, SBP and DBP dipping ratios were 5.2% (95% CI: 1.7%,
      8.7%) and 6.1% (95% CI 2.0%, 10.3%) smaller among African-Americans compared with
      whites. After multivariable adjustment, awake and sleep SBP and DBP were higher
      in men compared to women. There was no difference in SBP or DBP dipping ratios
      comparing men and women. The prevalence of awake masked hypertension was 42% in
      men versus 17% in women, and the prevalence of sleep masked hypertension was 57%
      among African-Americans versus 18% among whites. These data suggest that ABPM
      measures differ by race and sex in HIV+ adults.

PMID- 28624172
TI  - Development of an imaging mitigation strategy for patient enrolment in the
      tanezumab nerve growth factor inhibitor (NGF-ab) program with a focus on
      eligibility assessment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Nerve growth factor antibodies (NGF-ab) have shown promising analgesic
      efficacy. Aim was to describe reader training efforts and present reliability
      data focusing on radiographic eligibility in the tanezumab program. METHODS: A
      multi-step process was used for reader calibration and reliability testing.
      First, a reference standard set of cases was created and diagnostic performance
      was evaluated. A second exercise focused on agreement of ordinal assessment
      (Kellgren-Lawrence grading) of radiographic osteoarthritis. Subsequently, 11
      readers were trained and read a test set of 100 cases focused on eligibility
      assessments. Additional reliability testing and calibration of five core readers
      assessing eligibility of 30 cases was performed 3 and 6 months after study start.
      RESULTS: Sensitivity for the reference standard readings ranged from 0.50 to 0.90
      and specificity from 0.40 to 0.83. Overall agreement for Kellgren-Lawrence
      grading ranged from 71.4% to 82.9%. For the 11 reader exercise, in 76% of cases
      at least 8 of 11 readers agreed on eligibility status. For the reliability
      testing 3 months after study start, in 80.0% of cases at least 4 of 5 readers
      agreed on eligibility with a kappa = 0.43 (95% CI: 0.32-0.54). For the
      reliability testing after 6 months, in 83.3% of cases at least 4 of 5 readers
      agreed on eligibility with a kappa = 0.52 (95% CI: 0.41-0.63). CONCLUSIONS: After
      intense efforts spent in the development of an imaging program for an NGF-ab
      clinical program, the achieved reliability for eligibility assessment is
      substantial but not perfect. Ongoing efforts of calibration prior to including
      additional readers to the program and during study conduct between current
      readers will be needed to ensure agreement on potential adverse events and
      radiographic disease severity.

PMID- 28624173
TI  - High-resolution manometry compared with the University of California, Los Angeles
      Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium GIT 2.0 in Systemic Sclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To study esophageal high resolution manometry (HRM) in systemic
      sclerosis (SSc) patients and the correlation of findings to The University of
      California, Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium gastrointestinal
      tract 2.0 (UCLA SCTC_GIT 2.0). METHODS: Forty SSc patients were administered to
      the UCLA SCTC GIT 2.0. Patients underwent HRM study (Solar GI MMS). HRM data were
      compared with 15 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Forty patients with mean age 46 +/-
      7 years and disease duration 9.3 +/- 7 years reported upper (85.7%), lower GI
      symptoms (75%), while 5% reported no symptoms. Mean +/- SD scores of UCLA
      SCTC_GIT 2.0 items were as follows: reflux 1.2 +/- 0.8, distention 1.6 +/- 1.2,
      fecal soiling 0.3 +/- 0.9, diarrhea 0.8 +/- 1, social 1 +/- 1, emotional 1 +/-
      1.1, constipation 0.5 +/- 0.9, and total GIT score 0.9 +/- 0.6. Lower esophageal
      sphincter (LES) pressure and distal esophageal amplitude were significantly lower
      in SSc patients than controls. Main manometric findings were decreased LES
      resting pressure (40%) and aperistalsis (40%). Regression analyses showed distal
      esophageal amplitude and LES resting pressure negatively correlated with reflux
      score (r = -0.64; p = 0.001 and r = -0.46; p = 0.019, respectively), and total
      GIT score (r = -0.54; p = 0.007 and r = -0.42; p = 0.03, respectively). LES
      resting pressure had negative correlations with diarrhea score (r = -0.062; p =
      0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased distal esophageal amplitude encountered as
      hypoperistalsis or even aperistalsis was associated with increased reflux and GIT
      scores (negatively correlated) UCLA SCTC_GIT 2.0 questionnaires. The GIT2.0 is
      easy to use and can serve as an indicator that further testing of the GI tract,
      including the esophagus, is indicated.

PMID- 28624174
TI  - The Performance Gap for Residents in Transfer of Intracorporeal Suturing Skills
      From Box Trainer to Operating Room.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Training on laparoscopic box trainer (BT) improves suturing skills in
      the operating room (OR). Optimal laboratory training should provide trainees with
      an adequate level of skills that can be transferred to the OR with no decline in
      performances. This study aimed to compare OR intracorporeal suturing performances
      of residents who trained with a fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) BT vs.
      those of experienced laparoscopists. DESIGN: This was a prospective observational
      study. Residents received training with an FLS BT over a period of 4 months.
      Their performances with the BT and in the OR were then compared with those of
      experienced senior surgeons. OR assessment took place during a laparoscopic
      myomectomy. Performance evaluation was based on time taken and 2 validated
      qualitative assessment tools (GOALS and the Moorthy checklist). SETTINGS: One
      academic tertiary care center, La Conception Hospital, Assistance Publique 
      Hopitaux de Marseille, Marseille, France, was involved. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve
      gynecology residents and 6 experienced laparoscopic surgeons. RESULTS: Following
      the FLS training period, performances of residents with the BT were equivalent to
      those of the experienced surgeons. When tested in the OR, the trained residents
      performed more slowly than experienced surgeons (279.75 vs. 159.75s; p = 0.001),
      and they obtained lower qualitative outcomes in terms of GOALS (13 vs. 16.75; p =
      0.002) and checklist (18.25 vs. 21; p = 0.049). Transfer from the BT to the OR
      revealed an increase in time taken that was significantly higher for the trained
      residents' group than for the experienced group (137s vs. 49s; p < 0.001).
      CONCLUSION: A performance gap emerged between trained residents and experienced
      surgeons when transferring from the BT to the OR. Finding an intermediate
      training platform between the BT and independently suturing in the OR is hence
      warranted.

PMID- 28624175
TI  - Prospective study comparing laparoscopic and open radical cystectomy: Surgical
      and oncological results.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic radical cystectomy with lymphadenectomy and urinary
      diversion is an increasingly widespread operation. Studies are needed to support
      the oncological effectiveness and safety of this minimally invasive approach.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: A nonrandomised, comparative prospective study between open
      radical cystectomy (ORC) and laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) was conducted
      in a university hospital. The main objective was to compare cancer-specific
      survival. The secondary objective was to compare the surgical results and
      complications according to the Clavien-Dindo scale. RESULTS: We treated 156
      patients with high-grade invasive bladder cancer with either ORC (n=70) or LRC
      (n=86). The mean follow-up was 33.5+/-23.8 (range 12-96) months. The mean age was
      66.9+9.4 years, and the male to female ratio was 19:1. Both groups were
      equivalent in age, stage, positive lymph nodes, in situ carcinoma, preoperative
      obstructive uropathy, adjuvant chemotherapy and type of urinary diversion. There
      were no differences between the groups in terms of cancer-specific survival (log
      rank; P=.71). The histopathology stage was the only independent variable that
      predicted the prognosis. The hospital stay (P=.01) and operative transfusion
      rates (P=.002) were less for LRC. The duration of the surgery was greater for LRC
      (P<.001). There were no differences in the total complications rate (p=.62) or
      major complications (P=.69). The risk of evisceration (P=.02), surgical wound
      infection (P=.005) and pneumonia (P=.017) was greater for ORC. The risk of rectal
      lesion (P=.017) and urethrorectal fistulae (P=.065) was greater for LRC.
      CONCLUSION: LRC is an equivalent treatment to ORC in terms of oncological
      efficacy and is advantageous in terms of transfusion rates and hospital stays but
      not in terms of operating room time and overall safety. Studies are needed to
      better define the specific safety profile for each approach.

PMID- 28624176
TI  - Moderate enhancement in tissue permeability by preclinical focused ultrasound.

PMID- 28624177
TI  - Autophagy can alleviate severe burn-induced damage to the intestinal tract in
      mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to examine the effect of autophagy and
      apoptosis on intestinal injury in mice after severe burns. METHODS: Kunming mice
      were subjected to third degree burns over 30% of the total body surface area.
      Damage to the intestine was assessed by examining changes in intestinal mucosal
      morphology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of serum d-lactate, diamine
      oxidase, lipopolysaccharide, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha
      (marker of intestinal damage), hematoxylin and eosin staining, and Western
      blotting under 4 experimental conditions: control group, burn only (burn group),
      burn and administration of rapamycin to stimulate intestinal autophagy (rapamycin
      group), or burn and administration of 3-methyladenine to inhibit intestinal
      autophagy (3-methyladenine group). RESULTS: At day 1 postburn, the expression
      levels of light chain 3 II, beclin-1, and cleaved caspase-3 were significantly
      greater in all 3 groups of mice subjected to the burn injury than in the control
      group 1 day postburn; while the levels of light chain 3 II and beclin-1 were
      significantly greater and those of cleaved caspase-3 were significantly less in
      the rapamycin group than in the burn group. In contrast, light chain 3 II and
      beclin-1 levels were significantly less and those of cleaved caspase-3
      significantly greater in the 3-methyladenine group. All 3 groups subjected to
      burn injury showed significantly increased levels of d-lactate, diamine oxidase,
      lipopolysaccharide, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. Of the 3
      groups, the rapamycin group exhibited the least observed levels, the 3
      methyladenine group the greatest, and the burn group intermediate. Pathologic
      sections of the intestinal tissue showed that all 3 burn groups exhibited severe
      intestinal mucosal damage at 1 day postburn. The condition of the 3-methyladenine
      treatment group was worse than that of the rapamycin treatment group, but better
      than that of the burn group. CONCLUSION: Intestinal autophagy is activated in
      response to intestinal apoptosis after severe burns and may alleviate burn
      induced intestinal injury.

PMID- 28624178
TI  - Liver transplantation in patients with liver metastases from neuroendocrine
      tumors: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation to treat neuroendocrine tumors, especially in
      the setting of diffuse liver involvement not amenable to operative resection
      remains controversial. We sought to perform a systematic review of the current
      literature to summarize data on patients undergoing liver transplantation with
      neuroendocrine tumors liver metastases as the indication. METHODS: A systematic
      review was conducted in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for
      Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Eligible studies were identified
      using 3 distinct databases through March 2017: Medline (PubMed),
      ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane library, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
      Trials using a search algorithm: "(neuroendocrine or NET) and transplantation and
      liver." RESULTS: From the 1,216 records retrieved, 64 studies were eligible.
      Overall, 4 studies presented data from registries, namely the European Liver
      Transplant Registry and the United Network for Organ Transplantation/Organ
      Procurement and Transplantation Network databases, 3 were multicenter studies.
      The largest cohort of data on patients undergoing liver transplantation for
      neuroendocrine tumors liver metastasis indication were from single center studies
      comprising a total of 279 patients. Pancreas was the primary tumor site for most
      patients followed by the ileum. Several studies reported that more than half of
      patients presented with synchronous disease (55.9% and 57.7%); in contrast,
      metachronous neuroendocrine tumors liver metastasis ranged from 17.7% to 38.7%.
      Overall, recurrence after liver transplantation ranged from 31.3% to 56.8%.
      Reported 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival was 89%, 69%, and 63%, respectively.
      Several prognostic factors associated with worse long-term survival including
      transplantation >50% liver tumor involvement, high Ki67, as well as a pancreatic
      neuroendocrine tumors versus gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors tumor
      location. CONCLUSION: Liver transplantation may provide a survival benefit among
      patients with diffuse neuroendocrine tumors metastases to the liver. However, due
      to high recurrence rates, strict selection of patients is critical. Due to the
      scarcity of available grafts and the lack of level 1 evidence, the
      recommendations to endorse liver transplantation for extensive liver
      neuroendocrine tumors metastases warrants ongoing deliberations.

PMID- 28624179
TI  - Smoke-free policies in psychiatric hospitals need resources.

PMID- 28624180
TI  - Effect of implementation of a smoke-free policy on physical violence in a
      psychiatric inpatient setting: an interrupted time series analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Smoke-free policies are important to protect health and reduce health
      inequalities. A major barrier to policy implementation in psychiatric hospitals
      is staff concern that physical violence will increase. We aimed to assess the
      effect of implementing a comprehensive smoke-free policy on rates of physical
      assaults in a large UK mental health organisation. METHODS: We did an interrupted
      time series analysis of incident reports of physical assault 30 months before and
      12 months after the implementation of the policy in the inpatient wards of South
      London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK. We used
      a quasi-Poisson generalised additive mixed model to model the monthly incidence
      of physical assaults as a function of several explanatory variables. FINDINGS:
      4550 physical assaults took place between April 1, 2012, and Sept 30, 2015; 225
      (4.9%) of which were smoking-related. After adjustment for temporal and seasonal
      trends and key confounders (sex, age, schizophrenia or related disorders, or
      having been sectioned under the Mental Health Act), there was a 39% reduction in
      the number of physical assaults per month after the policy introduction compared
      with beforehand (incidence rate ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.53-0.70; p<0.0001).
      INTERPRETATION: Introduction of a comprehensive smoke-free policy appeared to
      reduce the incidence of physical assaults. Adequately resourced smoke-free
      policies could be part of broader violence reduction strategies in psychiatric
      settings. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for
      Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South London (King's College
      Hospital NHS Foundation Trust).

PMID- 28624181
TI  - Corrigendum to "Prolonged chewing at lunch decreases later snack intake"
      [Appetite 62 (1 March 2013) 91-95].

PMID- 28624182
TI  - Oral Appliances for the Management of OSA: An Updated Review of the Literature.
AB  - Oral appliances (OAs) are becoming increasingly recognized not only as an
      alternative to but also possibly as an adjunct treatment modality for OSA.
      Compared with CPAP, the gold standard therapy, OAs are less efficacious but are
      more accepted and tolerated by patients, which, in turn, may lead to a comparable
      level of therapeutic effectiveness. Different OA designs currently exist, and
      more are constantly emerging. Additionally, state-of-the-art technologies are
      being used in the fabrication of many; however, all the currently available OAs
      employ the same mechanism of action by targeting the anatomical component
      involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Furthermore, the scope of use of OAs
      is expanding to include patients who are edentulous. For patients with OAs, the
      dentist is a member of an interdisciplinary team managing OSA, and constant
      communication and follow-up with the sleep physician and other team members is
      necessary for disease management.

PMID- 28624184
TI  - 31P MAS NMR spectroscopy with 93Nb decoupling and DFT calculations: A structural
      characterization of defects in a niobium-phosphate phase.
AB  - The present study has investigated the structure of four niobium phosphates
      compounds using 31P MAS NMR spectroscopy. Niobium 93Nb decoupling, applied during
      31P NMR acquisition led to a resolution enhancement by a factor of 2-3, which
      allowed distinguish phosphorous sites separated by 1 ppm or less. The assignment
      of 31P spectra has been completed by use of first-principles calculations derived
      from the original XRD structures. One of the compounds, Na3.04Nb7P4O29, contains
      a sodium vacancy, clearly revealed in the 31P MAS spectrum obtained with 93Nb
      decoupling. A series of structural models were proposed to account for the sodium
      distribution in the structure of Na3.04Nb7P4O29 and the assignment was possible
      using DFT calculation and a statistical analysis of the NMR parameters.

PMID- 28624183
TI  - The neuroprotective effect of perampanel in lithium-pilocarpine rat seizure
      model.
AB  - PURPOSE: Status epilepticus (SE) causes irreversible neurodegeneration if not
      terminated quickly. Perampanel (PER), a potent AMPA receptor antagonist, has
      previously been shown to terminate seizures in the lithium-pilocarpine SE model.
      In the present study, we assessed whether PER would also prevent neuronal damage
      in this model. METHODS: SE was induced in rats using lithium chloride and
      pilocarpine. Initiation of SE was defined as continuous seizures that exhibited
      as rearing accompanied by bilateral forelimb clonus (Racine score 4). Either PER
      (0.6, 2, or 6mg/kg) or diazepam (DZP, 10mg/kg) was administered intravenously
      30min after SE initiation. Histopathological samples from treated and seizure
      naive rats were taken one week after treatment and then stained with an anti
      neuronal nuclei (NeuN) antibody. The sections were analyzed by using a pixel
      counting algorithm to quantify the amount of staining in the CA1 subregion of the
      hippocampus, piriform cortex (Pir), and mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD).
      RESULTS: DZP administration did not suppress seizures or the degeneration of
      neurons in the examined areas. Seizures were terminated in 100% of rats treated
      with 6mg/kg PER (n=8) and in 47% (7/15) of rats treated with 2mg/kg PER, and
      neurons in the analyzed areas of these animals were preserved to the level seen
      in naive rats. In the eight animals in which 2mg/kg PER did not terminate the
      seizures, neuronal loss was partially attenuated in CA1 and Pir, and neurons were
      fully preserved in MD. Treatment with 0.6mg/kg PER did not terminate the seizures
      or significantly preserve neurons. The anti-seizure effect of PER correlated well
      with the degree of neuroprotection in each analyzed area. CONCLUSIONS: PER
      exhibited a strong neuroprotective effect in a drug-refractory SE model, and this
      effect was correlated with its attenuation of seizure.

PMID- 28624185
TI  - The Formation of Nanoparticles between Small Interfering RNA and Amphipathic Cell
      Penetrating Peptides.
AB  - Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are delivery vectors widely used to aid the
      transport of biologically active cargoes to intracellular targets. These cargoes
      include small interfering RNAs (siRNA) that are not naturally internalized by
      cells. Elucidating the complexities behind the formation of CPP and cargo
      complexes is crucial for understanding the processes related to their delivery.
      In this study, we used modified analogs of the CPP transportan10 and investigated
      the binding properties of these CPPs to siRNA, the formation parameters of the
      CPP/siRNA complexes, and their stabiliy to enzymatic degradation. We conclude
      that the pH dependent change of the net charge of the CPP may very well be the
      key factor leading to the high delivery efficiency and the optimal binding
      strength between CPPs to siRNAs, while the hydrophobicity, secondary structure of
      the CPP, and the positions of the positive charges are responsible for the
      stability of the CPP/siRNA particles. Also, CPPs with distinct hydrophobic and
      hydrophilic regions may assemble into nanoparticles that could be described as
      core-shell formulations.

PMID- 28624186
TI  - GAA Deficiency in Pompe Disease Is Alleviated by Exon Inclusion in iPSC-Derived
      Skeletal Muscle Cells.
AB  - Pompe disease is a metabolic myopathy caused by deficiency of the acid alpha
      glucosidase (GAA) enzyme and results in progressive wasting of skeletal muscle
      cells. The c.-32-13T>G (IVS1) GAA variant promotes exon 2 skipping during pre
      mRNA splicing and is the most common variant for the childhood/adult disease
      form. We previously identified antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) that promoted
      GAA exon 2 inclusion in patient-derived fibroblasts. It was unknown how these
      AONs would affect GAA splicing in skeletal muscle cells. To test this, we
      expanded induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived myogenic progenitors and
      differentiated these to multinucleated myotubes. AONs restored splicing in
      myotubes to a similar extent as in fibroblasts, suggesting that they act by
      modulating the action of shared splicing regulators. AONs targeted the putative
      polypyrimidine tract of a cryptic splice acceptor site that was part of a pseudo
      exon in GAA intron 1. Blocking of the cryptic splice donor of the pseudo exon
      with AONs likewise promoted GAA exon 2 inclusion. The simultaneous blocking of
      the cryptic acceptor and cryptic donor sites restored the majority of canonical
      splicing and alleviated GAA enzyme deficiency. These results highlight the
      relevance of cryptic splicing in human disease and its potential as therapeutic
      target for splicing modulation using AONs.

PMID- 28624187
TI  - Correction of the Exon 2 Duplication in DMD Myoblasts by a Single CRISPR/Cas9
      System.
AB  - Exonic duplications account for 10%-15% of all mutations in Duchenne muscular
      dystrophy (DMD), a severe hereditary neuromuscular disorder. We report a CRISPR
      (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat)/Cas9-based strategy to
      correct the most frequent (exon 2) duplication in the DMD gene by targeted
      deletion, and tested the efficacy of such an approach in patient-derived myogenic
      cells. We demonstrate restoration of wild-type dystrophin expression at
      transcriptional and protein level in myotubes derived from genome-edited
      myoblasts in the absence of selection. Removal of the duplicated exon was
      achieved by the use of only one guide RNA (gRNA) directed against an intronic
      duplicated region, thereby increasing editing efficiency and reducing the risk of
      off-target effects. This study opens a novel therapeutic perspective for patients
      carrying disease-causing duplications.

PMID- 28624188
TI  - A Novel Single-Strand RNAi Therapeutic Agent Targeting the (Pro)renin Receptor
      Suppresses Ocular Inflammation.
AB  - The receptor-associated prorenin system (RAPS) refers to the pathogenic mechanism
      whereby prorenin binding to the (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] dually activates the
      tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and RAS-independent intracellular
      signaling. Here we revealed significant upregulation of prorenin and soluble
      (P)RR levels in the vitreous fluid of patients with uveitis compared to non
      inflammatory controls, together with a positive correlation between these RAPS
      components and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 among several upregulated
      cytokines. Moreover, we developed a novel single-strand RNAi agent, proline
      modified short hairpin RNA directed against human and mouse (P)RR [(P)RR-PshRNA],
      and we determined its safety and efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Application of
      (P)RR-PshRNA in mice caused significant amelioration of acute (uveitic) and
      chronic (diabetic) models of ocular inflammation with no apparent adverse
      effects. Our findings demonstrate the significant implication of RAPS in the
      pathogenesis of human uveitis and the potential usefulness of (P)RR-PshRNA as a
      therapeutic agent to reduce ocular inflammation.

PMID- 28624189
TI  - Mir30c Is Involved in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy through Regulation of Cardiac
      Autophagy via BECN1.
AB  - Multiple factors have been shown to promote the progression of diabetic
      cardiomyopathy. A link has previously been found between Mir30 and autophagy in
      cancer cells and in the heart, but the role of Mir30 in diabetic heart has not
      been studied. Using in vitro and in vivo approaches, we found that the depletion
      of Mir30c and induction of BECN1 enhanced autophagy in diabetic (db/db) hearts
      and in cardiomyocytes treated with the fatty acid palmitate. We verified that
      Mir30c repressed BECN1 expression by direct binding to the BECN1 3' UTRs. Mir30c
      overexpression inhibited the induction of BECN1 and subsequent autophagy in
      diabetic hearts and improved cardiac function and structure in diabetic mice.
      However, these effects were abrogated by BECN1 overexpression. Similarly, Mir30c
      knockdown resulted in increased BECN1 levels and autophagic flux, aggravating
      cardiac abnormalities. We also show that SP1, an important transcriptional factor
      in energy metabolism regulation, is a key upstream activator of Mir30c that binds
      the promoter region of Mir30c. Our findings indicate that downregulation of
      Mir30c and subsequent activation of BECN1 promotes autophagy, contributing to the
      pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy. This observation suggests a theoretical
      ground for developing microRNA-based therapeutics against diabetic cardiomyopathy
      by inhibiting autophagy.

PMID- 28624190
TI  - Expression of Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase/Ganciclovir by RNA Trans
      Splicing Induces Selective Killing of HIV-Producing Cells.
AB  - Antiviral strategies targeting hijacked cellular processes are less easily evaded
      by the virus than viral targets. If selective for viral functions, they can have
      a high therapeutic index. We used RNA trans-splicing to deliver the herpes
      simplex virus thymidine kinase-ganciclovir (HSV-tk/GCV) cell suicide system into
      HIV-producing cells. Using an extensive in silico bioinformatics and RNA
      structural analysis approach, ten HIV RNA trans-splicing constructs were designed
      targeting eight different HIV splice donor or acceptor sites and were tested in
      cells expressing HIV. Trans-spliced mRNAs were identified in HIV-expressing cells
      using qRT-PCR with successful detection of fusion RNA transcripts between HIV RNA
      and the HSV-tk RNA transcripts from six of ten candidate RNA trans-splicing
      constructs. Conventional PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed RNA trans-splicing
      junctions. Measuring cell viability in the presence or absence of GCV expression
      of HSV-tk by RNA trans-splicing led to selective killing of HIV-producing cells
      using either 3' exon replacement or 5' exon replacement in the presence of GCV.
      Five constructs targeting four HIV splice donor and acceptor sites, D4, A5, A7,
      and A8, involved in regulating the generation of multiple HIV RNA transcripts
      proved to be effective for trans-splicing mediated selective killing of HIV
      infected cells, within which individual constructs targeting D4 and A8 were the
      most efficient.

PMID- 28624191
TI  - iRNA-PseColl: Identifying the Occurrence Sites of Different RNA Modifications by
      Incorporating Collective Effects of Nucleotides into PseKNC.
AB  - There are many different types of RNA modifications, which are essential for
      numerous biological processes. Knowledge about the occurrence sites of RNA
      modifications in its sequence is a key for in-depth understanding of their
      biological functions and mechanism. Unfortunately, it is both time-consuming and
      laborious to determine these sites purely by experiments alone. Although some
      computational methods were developed in this regard, each one could only be used
      to deal with some type of modification individually. To our knowledge, no method
      has thus far been developed that can identify the occurrence sites for several
      different types of RNA modifications with one seamless package or platform. To
      address such a challenge, a novel platform called "iRNA-PseColl" has been
      developed. It was formed by incorporating both the individual and collective
      features of the sequence elements into the general pseudo K-tuple nucleotide
      composition (PseKNC) of RNA via the chemicophysical properties and density
      distribution of its constituent nucleotides. Rigorous cross-validations have
      indicated that the anticipated success rates achieved by the proposed platform
      are quite high. To maximize the convenience for most experimental biologists, the
      platform's web-server has been provided at http://lin.uestc.edu.cn/server/iRNA
      PseColl along with a step-by-step user guide that will allow users to easily
      achieve their desired results without the need to go through the mathematical
      details involved in this paper.

PMID- 28624193
TI  - MiR-375 and Doxorubicin Co-delivered by Liposomes for Combination Therapy of
      Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most frequently used anti-cancer drugs and the
      front line option for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. However, the
      clinical applications of DOX are restricted largely due to its toxicity and
      chemoresistance. Here, we report that miR-375 and DOX were co-delivered by
      liposomes (named L-miR-375/DOX-NPs) for combination therapy of HCC and drug
      resistance reversion of DOX. In vitro, L-miR-375/DOX-NPs could deliver DOX and
      miR-375 efficiently and simultaneously into HCC cells and ensure the successful
      release of mature miR-375 and DOX. Then, the released miR-375 suppressed the
      malignant hallmarks of HCC by significantly decreasing the expression of AEG-1,
      YAP1, and ATG7, while the released DOX evidently accelerated cell apoptosis and
      blocked cycle at a G2/M stage by activating the P53/Bax/Bcl-2, caspase-3, and P
      JNK, P-P38 pathway. Furthermore, miR-375 dramatically inhibited drug resistance
      of DOX by reducing the expression of multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1). In vivo,
      L-miR-375/DOX-NPs exhibited enhanced anti-tumor efficiency in xenograft HCC mouse
      models with mild adverse effects compared with doxorubicin or miR-375 alone. In
      conclusion, our research demonstrated that L-miR-375/DOX-NPs had significant
      synergetic anti-tumor effects and added values in overcoming drug resistance,
      which may represent a promising approach for the therapy of HCC.

PMID- 28624192
TI  - Stimuli-Responsive Mesoporous Silica NPs as Non-viral Dual siRNA/Chemotherapy
      Carriers for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
AB  - Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and lethal subtype of
      breast cancer. It is associated with a very poor prognosis and intrinsically
      resistant to several conventional and targeted chemotherapy agents and has a 5
      year survival rate of less than 25%. Because the treatment options for TNBC are
      very limited and not efficient enough for achieving minimum desired goals,
      shifting toward a new generation of anti-cancer agents appears to be very
      critical. Among recent alternative approaches being proposed, small interfering
      RNA (siRNA) gene therapy can potently suppress Bcl-2 proto-oncogene and p
      glycoprotein gene expression, the most important chemotherapy resistance inducers
      in TNBC. When resensitized, primarily ineffective chemotherapy drugs turn back
      into valuable sources for further intensive chemotherapy. Regrettably, siRNA's
      poor stability, rapid clearance in the circulatory system, and poor cellular
      uptake mostly hampers the beneficial outcomes of siRNA therapy. Considering these
      drawbacks, dual siRNA/chemotherapy drug encapsulation in targeted delivery
      vehicles, especially mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) appears to be the
      most reasonable solution. The literature is full of reports of successful
      treatments of multi-drug-resistant cancer cells by administration of dual
      drug/siRNA-loaded MSNs. Here we tried to answer the question of whether
      application of a similar approach with identical delivery devices in TNBC is
      rational.

PMID- 28624194
TI  - Sustained Inhibition of HBV Replication In Vivo after Systemic Injection of AAVs
      Encoding Artificial Antiviral Primary MicroRNAs.
AB  - Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a problem of global
      significance and improving available treatment is important to prevent life
      threatening complications arising in persistently infected individuals. HBV is
      susceptible to silencing by exogenous artificial intermediates of the RNA
      interference (RNAi) pathway. However, toxicity of Pol III cassettes and short
      duration of silencing by effectors of the RNAi pathway may limit anti-HBV
      therapeutic utility. To advance RNAi-based HBV gene silencing, mono- and trimeric
      artificial primary microRNAs (pri-miRs) derived from pri-miR-31 were placed under
      control of the liver-specific modified murine transthyretin promoter. The
      sequences, which target the X sequence of HBV, were incorporated into recombinant
      hepatotropic self-complementary adeno-associated viruses (scAAVs). Systemic
      intravenous injection of the vectors into HBV transgenic mice at a dose of 1 *
      1011 per animal effected significant suppression of markers of HBV replication
      for at least 32 weeks. The pri-miRs were processed according to the intended
      design, and intrahepatic antiviral guide sequences were detectable for 40 weeks
      after the injection. There was no evidence of toxicity, and innate
      immunostimulation was not detectable following the injections. This efficacy is
      an improvement on previously reported RNAi-based inhibition of HBV replication
      and is important to clinical translation of the technology.

PMID- 28624195
TI  - Fluorinated Nucleotide Modifications Modulate Allele Selectivity of SNP-Targeting
      Antisense Oligonucleotides.
AB  - Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have the potential to discriminate between
      subtle RNA mismatches such as SNPs. Certain mismatches, however, allow ASOs to
      bind at physiological conditions and result in RNA cleavage mediated by RNase H.
      We showed that replacing DNA nucleotides in the gap region of an ASO with other
      chemical modification can improve allele selectivity. Herein, we systematically
      substitute every position in the gap region of an ASO targeting huntingtin gene
      (HTT) with fluorinated nucleotides. Potency is determined in cell culture against
      mutant HTT (mtHTT) and wild-type HTT (wtHTT) mRNA and RNase H cleavage
      intensities, and patterns are investigated. This study profiled five different
      fluorinated nucleotides and showed them to have predictable, site-specific
      effects on RNase H cleavage, and the cleavage patterns were rationalized from a
      published X-ray structure of human RNase H1. The results herein can be used as a
      guide for future projects where ASO discrimination of SNPs is important.

PMID- 28624196
TI  - Evaluation of Antisense Oligonucleotides Targeting ATXN3 in SCA3 Mouse Models.
AB  - The most common dominantly inherited ataxia, spinocerebellar ataxia type 3
      (SCA3), is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat
      expansion in the ATXN3 gene that encodes an abnormally long polyglutamine tract
      in the disease protein, ATXN3. Mice lacking ATXN3 are phenotypically normal;
      hence, disease gene suppression offers a compelling approach to slow the
      neurodegenerative cascade in SCA3. Here we tested antisense oligonucleotides
      (ASOs) that target human ATXN3 in two complementary mouse models of SCA3: yeast
      artificial chromosome (YAC) MJD-Q84.2 (Q84) mice expressing the full-length human
      ATXN3 gene and cytomegalovirus (CMV) MJD-Q135 (Q135) mice expressing a human
      ATXN3 cDNA. Intracerebroventricular injection of ASOs resulted in widespread
      delivery to the most vulnerable brain regions in SCA3. In treated Q84 mice, three
      of five tested ASOs reduced disease protein levels by >50% in the diencephalon,
      cerebellum, and cervical spinal cord. Two ASOs also significantly reduced mutant
      ATXN3 in the mouse forebrain and resulted in no signs of astrogliosis or
      microgliosis. In Q135 mice expressing a single ATXN3 isoform via a cDNA
      transgene, ASOs did not result in similar robust ATXN3 silencing. Our results
      indicate that ASOs targeting full-length human ATXN3 would likely be well
      tolerated and could lead to a preventative therapy for SCA3.

PMID- 28624197
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9: Transcending the Reality of Genome Editing.
AB  - With the expansion of the microbiology field of research, a new genome editing
      tool arises from the biology of bacteria that holds the promise of achieving
      precise modifications in the genome with a simplicity and versatility that
      surpasses previous genome editing methods. This new technique, commonly named
      CRISPR/Cas9, led to a rapid expansion of the biomedical field; more specifically,
      cancer characterization and modeling have benefitted greatly from the genome
      editing capabilities of CRISPR/Cas9. In this paper, we briefly summarize recent
      improvements in CRISPR/Cas9 design meant to overcome the limitations that have
      arisen from the nuclease activity of Cas9 and the influence of this technology in
      cancer research. In addition, we present challenges that might impede the
      clinical applicability of CRISPR/Cas9 for cancer therapy and highlight future
      directions for designing CRISPR/Cas9 delivery systems that might prove useful for
      cancer therapeutics.

PMID- 28624198
TI  - Emerging Roles of circRNA Related to the Mechanical Stress in Human Cartilage
      Degradation of Osteoarthritis.
AB  - Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in the development of various diseases;
      however, knowledge on circRNAs in osteoarthritis (OA) is limited. This study aims
      to identify circRNA expression in different regions affected by OA and to explore
      the function of mechanical stress-related circRNAs (circRNAs-MSR) in cartilage.
      Bioinformatics was employed to predict the interaction of circRNAs and mRNAs in
      the cartilage. Loss-of-function experiments for circRNAs-MSR were performed in
      vitro. A total of 104 circRNAs were differentially expressed in damaged versus
      intact cartilage. Of these circRNAs, 44 and 60 were upregulated and
      downregulated, respectively, in the damaged tissue. circRNA-MSR expression
      increased under mechanical stress in chondrocytes. circRNAs-MSR were silenced
      using small interfering RNA, and knockdown of circRNAs-MSR could suppress tumor
      necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) expression and increase extracellular matrix
      (ECM) formation. Our results demonstrated that circRNAs-MSR regulated TNF-alpha
      expression and participated in the chondrocyte ECM degradation process. We
      propose that the inhibition of circRNAs-MSR could inhibit the degradation of
      chondrocyte ECM and knockdown of circRNAs-MSR could be a potential therapeutic
      target for OA.

PMID- 28624199
TI  - Engineering Next-Generation BET-Independent MLV Vectors for Safer Gene Therapy.
AB  - Retroviral vectors have shown their curative potential in clinical trials
      correcting monogenetic disorders. However, therapeutic benefits were compromised
      due to vector-induced dysregulation of cellular genes and leukemia development in
      a subset of patients. Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins act as
      cellular cofactors that tether the murine leukemia virus (MLV) pre-integration
      complex to host chromatin via interaction with the MLV integrase (IN) and thereby
      define the typical gammaretroviral integration distribution. We engineered next
      generation BET-independent (Bin) MLV vectors to retarget their integration to
      regions where they are less likely to dysregulate nearby genes. We mutated MLV IN
      to uncouple BET protein interaction and fused it with chromatin-binding peptides.
      The addition of the CBX1 chromodomain to MLV INW390A efficiently targeted
      integration away from gene regulatory elements. The retargeted vector produced at
      high titers and efficiently transduced CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells, while
      fewer colonies were detected in a serial colony-forming assay, a surrogate test
      for genotoxicity. Our findings underscore the potential of the engineered vectors
      to reduce the risk of insertional mutagenesis without compromising transduction
      efficiency. Ultimately, combined with other safety features in vector design,
      next-generation BinMLV vectors can improve the safety of gammaretroviral vectors
      for gene therapy.

PMID- 28624200
TI  - Mathematical Modeling: A Tool for Optimization of Lipid Nanoparticle-Mediated
      Delivery of siRNA.
AB  - Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been used to successfully deliver small
      interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to target cells in both preclinical and clinical
      studies and currently are the leading systems for in vivo delivery. Here, we
      propose the use of an ordinary differential equation (ODE)-based model as a tool
      for optimizing LNP-mediated delivery of siRNAs. As a first step, we have used a
      combination of experimental and computational approaches to develop and validate
      a mathematical model that captures the critical features for efficient siRNA-LNP
      delivery in vitro. This model accurately predicts mRNA knockdown resulting from
      novel combinations of siRNAs and LNPs in vitro. As demonstrated, this model can
      be effectively used as a screening tool to select the most efficacious LNPs,
      which can then further be evaluated in vivo. The model serves as a starting point
      for the future development of next generation models capable of capturing the
      additional complexity of in vivo delivery.

PMID- 28624201
TI  - Broad-Spectrum Inhibition of Respiratory Virus Infection by MicroRNA Mimics
      Targeting p38 MAPK Signaling.
AB  - The majority of antiviral therapeutics target conserved viral proteins, however,
      this approach confers selective pressure on the virus and increases the
      probability of antiviral drug resistance. An alternative therapeutic strategy is
      to target the host-encoded factors that are required for virus infection, thus
      minimizing the opportunity for viral mutations that escape drug activity.
      MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that play diverse roles in normal and
      disease biology, and they generally operate through the post-transcriptional
      regulation of mRNA targets. We have previously identified cellular miRNAs that
      have antiviral activity against a broad range of herpesvirus infections, and here
      we extend the antiviral profile of a number of these miRNAs against influenza and
      respiratory syncytial virus. From these screening experiments, we identified
      broad-spectrum antiviral miRNAs that caused >75% viral suppression in all strains
      tested, and we examined their mechanism of action using reverse-phase protein
      array analysis. Targets of lead candidates, miR-124, miR-24, and miR-744, were
      identified within the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling
      pathway, and this work identified MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 as a broad
      spectrum antiviral target required for both influenza and respiratory syncytial
      virus (RSV) infection.

PMID- 28624203
TI  - Exosome Mediated Delivery of miR-124 Promotes Neurogenesis after Ischemia.
AB  - The intrinsic ability of neurogenesis after stroke has been proven weak, which
      results in insufficient repair of injury in the nerve system. Recent studies
      suggest multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the neuroremodeling process.
      Targeted miRNAs delivery for amplification of neurogenesis is promising in
      promoting the prognosis after ischemia. Here, we showed that modified exosomes,
      with rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) fused to exosomal protein lysosome
      associated membrane glycoprotein 2b (Lamp2b), could efficiently deliver miR-124
      to the infarct site. Systemic administration of RVG-exosomes loaded with miR-124
      promoted cortical neural progenitors to obtain neuronal identity and protect
      against ischemic injury by robust cortical neurogenesis. Our study suggests that
      RVG-exosomes can be utilized therapeutically for the targeted delivery of gene
      drugs to the brain, thus having great potential for clinical applications.

PMID- 28624204
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-Directed Reassignment of the GATA1 Initiation Codon in K562 Cells to
      Recapitulate AML in Down Syndrome.
AB  - Using a CRISPR/Cas9 system, we have reengineered a translational start site in
      the GATA1 gene in K562 cells. This mutation accounts largely for the onset of
      myeloid leukemia in Down syndrome (ML-DS). For this reengineering, we utilized
      CRISPR/Cas9 to generate mammalian cell lines that express truncated versions of
      the Gata1s protein similar to that seen in ML-DS, as determined by analyzing
      specific genetic alterations resulting from CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage. During this
      work, 73 cell lines were clonally expanded, with allelic variance analyzed. Using
      Tracking of Indels by DEcomposition (TIDE) and Sanger sequencing, we defined the
      DNA sequence and variations within each allele. We found significant
      heterogeneity between alleles in the same clonally expanded cell, as well as
      among alleles from other clonal expansions. Our data demonstrate and highlight
      the importance of the randomness of resection promoted by non-homologous end
      joining after CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage in cells undergoing genetic reengineering.
      Such heterogeneity must be fully characterized to predict altered functionality
      inside target tissues and to accurately interpret the associated phenotype. Our
      data suggest that in cases where the objective is to rearrange specific
      nucleotides to redirect gene expression in human cells, it is imperative to
      analyze genetic composition at the individual allelic level.

PMID- 28624202
TI  - 2L-piRNA: A Two-Layer Ensemble Classifier for Identifying Piwi-Interacting RNAs
      and Their Function.
AB  - Involved with important cellular or gene functions and implicated with many kinds
      of cancers, piRNAs, or piwi-interacting RNAs, are of small non-coding RNA with
      around 19-33 nt in length. Given a small non-coding RNA molecule, can we predict
      whether it is of piRNA according to its sequence information alone? Furthermore,
      there are two types of piRNA: one has the function of instructing target mRNA
      deadenylation, and the other does not. Can we discriminate one from the other?
      With the avalanche of RNA sequences emerging in the postgenomic age, it is urgent
      to address the two problems for both basic research and drug development.
      Unfortunately, to the best of our knowledge, so far no computational methods
      whatsoever could be used to deal with the second problem, let alone deal with the
      two problems together. Here, by incorporating the physicochemical properties of
      nucleotides into the pseudo K-tuple nucleotide composition (PseKNC), we proposed
      a powerful predictor called 2L-piRNA. It is a two-layer ensemble classifier, in
      which the first layer is for identifying whether a query RNA molecule is piRNA or
      non-piRNA, and the second layer for identifying whether a piRNA is with or
      without the function of instructing target mRNA deadenylation. Rigorous cross
      validations have indicated that the success rates achieved by the proposed
      predictor are quite high. For the convenience of most biologists and drug
      development scientists, the web server for 2L-piRNA has been established at
      http://bioinformatics.hitsz.edu.cn/2L-piRNA/, by which users can easily get their
      desired results without the need to go through the mathematical details.

PMID- 28624205
TI  - ATG7 Overexpression Is Crucial for Tumorigenic Growth of Bladder Cancer In Vitro
      and In Vivo by Targeting the ETS2/miRNA196b/FOXO1/p27 Axis.
AB  - Human bladder cancer (BC) is the fourth most common cancer in the United States.
      Investigation of the strategies aiming to elucidate the tumor growth and
      metastatic pathways in BC is critical for the management of this disease. Here we
      found that ATG7 expression was remarkably elevated in human bladder urothelial
      carcinoma and N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN)-induced mouse invasive
      BC. Knockdown of ATG7 resulted in a significant inhibitory effect on tumorigenic
      growth of human BC cells both in vitro and in vivo by promoting p27 expression
      and inducing cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. We further demonstrated that
      knockdown of ATG7 upregulated FOXO1 (forkhead box protein O 1) expression, which
      specifically promoted p27 transcription. Moreover, mechanistic studies revealed
      that inhibition of ATG7 stabilized ETS2 mRNA and, in turn, reduced miR-196b
      transcription and expression of miR-196b, which was able to bind to the 3' UTR of
      FOXO1 mRNA, consequently stabilizing FOXO1 mRNA and finally promoting p27
      transcription and attenuating BC tumorigenic growth. The identification of the
      ATG7/FOXO1/p27 mechanism for promoting BC cell growth provides significant
      insights into understanding the nature of BC tumorigenesis. Together with our
      most recent discovery of the crucial role of ATG7 in promoting BC invasion, it
      raises the potential for developing an ATG7-based specific therapeutic strategy
      for treatment of human BC patients.

PMID- 28624206
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Genome Editing Corrects Dystrophin Mutation in Skeletal
      Muscle Stem Cells in a Mouse Model of Muscle Dystrophy.
AB  - Muscle stem cells (MuSCs) hold great therapeutic potential for muscle genetic
      disorders, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The CRISP/Cas9-based genome
      editing is a promising technology for correcting genetic alterations in mutant
      genes. In this study, we used fibrin-gel culture system to selectively expand
      MuSCs from crude skeletal muscle cells of mdx mice, a mouse model of DMD. By
      CRISP/Cas9-based genome editing, we corrected the dystrophin mutation in expanded
      MuSCs and restored the skeletal muscle dystrophin expression upon transplantation
      in mdx mice. Our studies established a reliable and feasible platform for gene
      correction in MuSCs by genome editing, thus greatly advancing tissue stem cell
      based therapies for DMD and other muscle disorders.

PMID- 28624209
TI  - MicroRNA-146a-5p Limits Elevated TGF-beta Signal during Cell Senescence.

PMID- 28624208
TI  - Safe and Efficient Silencing with a Pol II, but Not a Pol lII, Promoter
      Expressing an Artificial miRNA Targeting Human Huntingtin.
AB  - Huntington's disease is a devastating, incurable neurodegenerative disease
      affecting up to 12 per 100,000 patients worldwide. The disease is caused by a
      mutation in the Huntingtin (Htt) gene. There is interest in reducing mutant
      Huntingtin by targeting it at the mRNA level, but the maximum tolerable dose and
      long-term effects of such a treatment are unknown. Using a self-complementary
      AAV9 vector, we delivered a mir-155-based artificial miRNA under the control of
      the chicken beta-actin or human U6 promoter. In mouse brain, the artificial miRNA
      reduced the human huntingtin mRNA by 50%. The U6, but not the CbetaA promoter,
      produced the artificial miRNA at supraphysiologic levels. Embedding the antisense
      strand in a U6-mir-30 scaffold reduced expression of the antisense strand but
      increased the sense strand. In mice treated with scAAV9-U6-mir-155-HTT or scAAV9
      CbetaA-mir-155-HTT, activated microglia were present around the injection site 1
      month post-injection. Six months post-injection, mice treated with scAAV9-CbetaA
      mir-155-HTT were indistinguishable from controls. Those that received scAAV9-U6
      mir-155-HTT showed behavioral abnormalities and striatal damage. In conclusion,
      miRNA backbone and promoter can be used together to modulate expression levels
      and strand selection of artificial miRNAs, and in brain, the CbetaA promoter can
      provide an effective and safe dose of a human huntingtin miRNA.

PMID- 28624207
TI  - Identification of Novel Fibrosis Modifiers by In Vivo siRNA Silencing.
AB  - Fibrotic diseases contribute to 45% of deaths in the industrialized world, and
      therefore a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying
      tissue fibrosis is sorely needed. We aimed to identify novel modifiers of tissue
      fibrosis expressed by myofibroblasts and their progenitors in their disease
      microenvironment through RNA silencing in vivo. We leveraged novel biology,
      targeting genes upregulated during liver and kidney fibrosis in this cell
      lineage, and employed small interfering RNA (siRNA)-formulated lipid
      nanoparticles technology to silence these genes in carbon-tetrachloride-induced
      liver fibrosis in mice. We identified five genes, Egr2, Atp1a2, Fkbp10, Fstl1,
      and Has2, which modified fibrogenesis based on their silencing, resulting in
      reduced Col1a1 mRNA levels and collagen accumulation in the liver. These genes
      fell into different groups based on the effects of their silencing on a
      transcriptional mini-array and histological outcomes. Silencing of Egr2 had the
      broadest effects in vivo and also reduced fibrogenic gene expression in a human
      fibroblast cell line. Prior to our study, Egr2, Atp1a2, and Fkbp10 had not been
      functionally validated in fibrosis in vivo. Thus, our results provide a major
      advance over the existing knowledge of fibrogenic pathways. Our study is the
      first example of a targeted siRNA assay to identify novel fibrosis modifiers in
      vivo.

PMID- 28624210
TI  - Low-Dose Gene Therapy for Murine PKU Using Episomal Naked DNA Vectors Expressing
      PAH from Its Endogenous Liver Promoter.
AB  - Limited duration of transgene expression, insertional mutagenesis, and size
      limitations for transgene cassettes pose challenges and risk factors for many
      gene therapy vectors. Here, we report on physiological expression of liver
      phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) by delivery of naked DNA/minicircle (MC)-based
      vectors for correction of homozygous enu2 mice, a model of human phenylketonuria
      (PKU). Because MC vectors lack a defined size limit, we constructed a MC vector
      expressing a codon-optimized murine Pah cDNA that includes a truncated intron and
      is under the transcriptional control of a 3.6-kb native Pah promoter/enhancer
      sequence. This vector, delivered via hydrodynamic injection, yielded therapeutic
      liver PAH activity and sustained correction of blood phenylalanine comparable to
      viral or synthetic liver promoters. Therapeutic efficacy was seen with vector
      copy numbers of <1 vector genome per diploid hepatocyte genome and was achieved
      at a vector dose that was significantly lowered. Partial hepatectomy and
      subsequent liver regeneration was associated with >95% loss of vector genomes and
      PAH activity in liver, demonstrating that MC vectors had not integrated into the
      liver genome. In conclusion, MC vectors, which do not have a defined size
      limitation, offer a favorable safety profile for hepatic gene therapy due to
      their non-integration in combination with native promoters.

PMID- 28624211
TI  - Translation of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 upon Liver- and Lung-Targeted
      Delivery of Optimized Chemically Modified mRNA.
AB  - Changes in lifestyle and environmental conditions give rise to an increasing
      prevalence of liver and lung fibrosis, and both have a poor prognosis. Promising
      results have been reported for recombinant angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)
      protein administration in experimental liver and lung fibrosis. However, the full
      potential of ACE2 may be achieved by localized translation of a membrane-anchored
      form. For this purpose, we advanced the latest RNA technology for liver- and lung
      targeted ACE2 translation. We demonstrated in vitro that transfection with ACE2
      chemically modified messenger RNA (cmRNA) leads to robust translation of fully
      matured, membrane-anchored ACE2 protein. In a second step, we designed eight
      modified ACE2 cmRNA sequences and identified a lead sequence for in vivo
      application. Finally, formulation of this ACE2 cmRNA in tailor-made lipidoid
      nanoparticles and in lipid nanoparticles led to liver- and lung-targeted
      translation of significant amounts of ACE2 protein, respectively. In summary, we
      provide evidence that RNA transcript therapy (RTT) is a promising approach for
      ACE2-based treatment of liver and lung fibrosis to be tested in fibrotic disease
      models.

PMID- 28624212
TI  - Light-Triggerable Liposomes for Enhanced Endolysosomal Escape and Gene Silencing
      in PC12 Cells.
AB  - Liposomes are an effective gene and/or drug delivery system, widely used in
      biomedical applications including gene therapy and chemotherapy. Here, we
      designed a photo-responsive liposome (lipVP) loaded with a photosensitizer
      verteporfin (VP). This photosensitizer is clinically approved for photodynamic
      therapy (PDT). LipVP was employed as a DNA carrier for pituitary adenylyl cyclase
      activating polypeptide (PACAP) receptor 1 (PAC1R) gene knockdown in PC12 cells.
      This has been done by incorporating PAC1R antisense oligonucleotides inside the
      lipVP cavity. Cells that have taken up the lipVP were exposed to light from a UV
      light source. As a result of this exposure, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were
      generated from VP, destabilizing the endolysosomal membranes and enhancing the
      liposomal release of antisense DNA into the cytoplasm. Endolysosomal escape of
      DNA was documented at different time points based on quantitative analysis of
      colocalization between fluorescently labeled DNA and endosomes and lysosomes. The
      released antisense oligonucleotides were found to silence PAC1R mRNA. The
      efficiency of this photo-induced gene silencing was demonstrated by a 74% +/- 5%
      decrease in PAC1R fluorescence intensity. Following the light-induced DNA
      transfer into cells, cell differentiation with exposure to two kinds of PACAP
      peptides was observed to determine the cell phenotypic change after PAC1R gene
      knockdown.

PMID- 28624213
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-loxP-Mediated Gene Editing as a Novel Site-Specific Genetic
      Manipulation Tool.
AB  - Cre-loxP, as one of the site-specific genetic manipulation tools, offers a method
      to study the spatial and temporal regulation of gene expression/inactivation in
      order to decipher gene function. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted genome engineering
      technologies are sparking a new revolution in biological research. Whether the
      traditional site-specific genetic manipulation tool and CRISPR/Cas9 could be
      combined to create a novel genetic tool for highly specific gene editing is not
      clear. Here, we successfully generated a CRISPR/Cas9-loxP system to perform gene
      editing in human cells, providing the proof of principle that these two
      technologies can be used together for the first time. We also showed that
      distinct non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) patterns from CRISPR/Cas9-mediated
      gene editing of the targeting sequence locates at the level of plasmids
      (episomal) and chromosomes. Specially, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated NHEJ pattern in
      the nuclear genome favors deletions (64%-68% at the human AAVS1 locus versus 4%
      28% plasmid DNA). CRISPR/Cas9-loxP, a novel site-specific genetic manipulation
      tool, offers a platform for the dissection of gene function and molecular
      insights into DNA-repair pathways.

PMID- 28624214
TI  - Further Characterization of the Bifunctional HIV Entry Inhibitor sCD4-FIT45.
AB  - HIV entry into target cells is a highly sequential and time-sensitive process. In
      recent years, potent HIV Env-targeting antibodies, such as VRC01, have been
      identified. However, antibodies bind only to a single epitope, and mutations that
      confer resistance to antibody-mediated inhibition of HIV entry have been
      detected. In contrast, HIV cannot escape from binding to soluble CD4 (sCD4)
      without a fitness disadvantage. sCD4 has the unique ability to induce
      conformational changes within the HIV envelope glycoproteins (Env) that allow
      fusion inhibitors to bind. We have previously linked sCD4 to the fusion inhibitor
      FIT45 (sCD4-FIT45) and examined delivery of the bifunctional entry inhibitor via
      gene therapy. Here, we extend our studies and analyze the ability of sCD4-FIT45
      to inhibit HIV Env-mediated cell fusion and HIV entry of several primary
      isolates. sCD4-FIT45 inhibited both cell fusion and HIV entry with remarkable
      antiviral activity. The mean 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for sCD4-FIT45
      were <0.2 MUg/mL in both assays. Importantly, inhibition by sCD4-FIT45 was more
      potent than by VRC01, sCD4, or the previously described bifunctional protein sCD4
      scFv17b. In contrast to sCD4, sCD4-FIT45 as well as VRC01 and sCD4-scFv17b did
      not mediate cell fusion between HIV Env+ and CD4-CCR5+ cells. The results
      presented here provide further evidence for the testing of sCD4-FIT45 and
      development of bifunctional proteins based on the sCD4-fusion inhibitor
      architecture.

PMID- 28624215
TI  - Periostin-Binding DNA Aptamer Treatment Ameliorates Peritoneal Dialysis-Induced
      Peritoneal Fibrosis.
AB  - Peritoneal fibrosis is a major complication in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients,
      which leads to dialysis discontinuation. Periostin, increased by transforming
      growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) stimulation, induces the expression of
      extracellular matrix (ECM) genes. Aberrant periostin expression has been
      demonstrated to be associated with PD-related peritoneal fibrosis. Therefore, the
      effect of periostin inhibition by an aptamer-based inhibitor on peritoneal
      fibrosis was evaluated. In vitro, TGF-beta1 treatment upregulated periostin,
      fibronectin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and Snail expression and
      reduced E-cadherin expression in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs).
      Periostin small interfering RNA (siRNA) treatment ameliorated the TGF-beta1
      induced periostin, fibronectin, alpha-SMA, and Snail expression and restored E
      cadherin expression in HPMCs. Similarly, the periostin-binding DNA aptamer (PA)
      also attenuated fibronectin, alpha-SMA, and Snail upregulation and E-cadherin
      downregulation in TGF-beta1-stimulated HPMCs. In mice treated with PD solution
      for 4 weeks, the expression of periostin, fibronectin, alpha-SMA, and Snail was
      significantly increased in the peritoneum, whereas E-cadherin expression was
      significantly decreased. The thickness of the submesothelial layer and the
      intensity of Masson's trichrome staining in the PD group were significantly
      increased compared to the untreated group. These changes were significantly
      abrogated by the intraperitoneal administration of PA. These findings suggest
      that PA can be a potential therapeutic strategy for peritoneal fibrosis in PD
      patients.

PMID- 28624216
TI  - Gold Nanoparticles for BCR-ABL1 Gene Silencing: Improving Tyrosine Kinase
      Inhibitor Efficacy in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.
AB  - Introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for chronic myeloid leukemia treatment
      is associated with a 63% probability of maintaining a complete cytogenetic
      response, meaning that over 30% patients require an alternative methodology to
      overcome resistance, tolerance, or side effects. Considering the potential of
      nanotechnology in cancer treatment and the benefits of a combined therapy with
      imatinib, a nanoconjugate was designed to achieve BCR-ABL1 gene silencing. Gold
      nanoparticles were functionalized with a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide that
      selectively targets the e14a2 BCR-ABL1 transcript expressed by K562 cells. This
      gold (Au)-nanoconjugate showed great efficacy in gene silencing that induced a
      significant increase in cell death. Variation of BCL-2 and BAX protein
      expression, an increase of caspase-3 activity, and apoptotic bodies in cells
      treated with the nanoconjugate demonstrate its aptitude for inducing apoptosis on
      K562 BCR-ABL1-expressing cells. Moreover, the combination of the silencing Au
      nanoconjugate with imatinib prompted a decrease of imatinib IC50. This Au
      nanoconjugate was also capable of inducing the loss of viability of imatinib
      resistant K562 cells. This strategy shows that combination of Au-nanoconjugate
      and imatinib make K562 cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy and that the Au
      nanoconjugate alone may overcome imatinib-resistance mechanisms, thus providing
      an effective treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia patients who exhibit drug
      tolerance.

PMID- 28624217
TI  - Efficacy of Postnatal In Vivo Nonsense Suppression Therapy in a Pax6 Mouse Model
      of Aniridia.
AB  - Nonsense mutations leading to premature stop codons are common occurring in
      approximately 12% of all human genetic diseases. Thus, pharmacological nonsense
      mutation suppression strategies would be beneficial to a large number of patients
      if the drugs could be targeted to the affected tissues at the appropriate time.
      Here, we used nonsense suppression to manipulate Pax6 dosage at different
      developmental times in the eye of the small eye (Pax6Sey/+; G194X) mouse model of
      aniridia. Efficacy was assessed by functional assays for visual capacity,
      including electroretinography and optokinetic tracking (OKT), in addition to
      histological and biochemical studies. Malformation defects in the Pax6Sey/+
      postnatal eye responded to topically delivered nonsense suppression in a dose-
      and time-dependent manner. Elevated levels of Mmp9, a direct downstream target of
      Pax6 in the cornea, were observed with the different treatment regimens. The lens
      capsule was particularly sensitive to Pax6 dosage, revealing a potential new role
      for Pax6 in lens capsule maintenance and development. The remarkable capacity of
      malformed ocular tissue to respond postnatally to Pax6 dosage in vivo
      demonstrates that the use of nonsense suppression could be a valuable therapeutic
      approach for blinding diseases caused by nonsense mutations.

PMID- 28624219
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Three Nucleotide Insertion Corrects a Deletion Mutation in
      MRP1/ABCC1 and Restores Its Proper Folding and Function.
AB  - A three-nucleotide deletion in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance
      regulator/ATP-binding cassette transporter C7 (CFTR/ABCC7) resulting in the
      absence of phenylalanine at 508 leads to mis-fold of the mutated protein and
      causes cystic fibrosis. We have used a comparable three-nucleotide deletion
      mutant in another ABCC family member, multidrug resistance-associated protein
      (MRP1)/ABCC1, to determine whether CRISPR-Cas9-mediated recombination can safely
      and efficiently knock in three-nucleotide to correct the mutation. We have found
      that the rate of homology-directed recombination mediated by guideRNA (gRNA)
      complementary to the deletion mutant is significantly higher than the one
      mediated by gRNA complementary to the wild-type (WT) donor. In addition, the rate
      of homology-directed recombination mediated by gRNA complementary to the WT donor
      is significantly higher than that of gRNAs complementary to the 5' or 3' side of
      the deletion mutant. Interestingly, the frequency of mutations introduced by gRNA
      complementary to the deletion mutant is significantly higher than with gRNA
      complementary to WT donor. However, combination of gRNAs complementary to both WT
      donor and deletion mutant decreased the rate of homology-directed recombination,
      but did not significantly decrease the mutation rate introduced by this system.
      Thus, the data presented here provide guidance for designing of gRNA and donor
      DNA to do genome editing, especially to correct the mutations with three
      mismatched nucleotides, such as three-nucleotide deletion or insertion.

PMID- 28624218
TI  - Targeted Multifunctional Lipid ECO Plasmid DNA Nanoparticles as Efficient Non
      viral Gene Therapy for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis.
AB  - Development of a gene delivery system with high efficiency and a good safety
      profile is essential for successful gene therapy. Here we developed a targeted
      non-viral delivery system using a multifunctional lipid ECO for treating Leber's
      congenital amaurosis type 2 (LCA2) and tested this in a mouse model. ECO formed
      stable nanoparticles with plasmid DNA (pDNA) at a low amine to phosphate (N/P)
      ratio and mediated high gene transfection efficiency in ARPE-19 cells because of
      their intrinsic properties of pH-sensitive amphiphilic endosomal escape and
      reductive cytosolic release (PERC). All-trans-retinylamine, which binds to
      interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), was incorporated into the
      nanoparticles via a polyethylene glycol (PEG) spacer for targeted delivery of
      pDNA into the retinal pigmented epithelium. The targeted ECO/pDNA nanoparticles
      provided high GFP expression in the RPE of 1-month-old Rpe65-/- mice after
      subretinal injection. Such mice also exhibited a significant increase in
      electroretinographic activity, and this therapeutic effect continued for at least
      120 days. A safety study in wild-type BALB/c mice indicated no irreversible
      retinal damage following subretinal injection of these targeted nanoparticles.
      All-trans-retinylamine-modified ECO/pDNA nanoparticles provide a promising non
      viral platform for safe and effective treatment of RPE-specific monogenic eye
      diseases such as LCA2.

PMID- 28624220
TI  - Tat-haFGF14-154 Upregulates ADAM10 to Attenuate the Alzheimer Phenotype of
      APP/PS1 Mice through the PI3K-CREB-IRE1alpha/XBP1 Pathway.
AB  - Acid fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) has shown neuroprotection in Alzheimer's
      disease (AD) models in previous studies, yet its mechanism is still uncertain.
      Here we report that the efficacy of Tat-haFGF14-154 is markedly increased when
      loaded cationic liposomes for intranasal delivery are intranasally administered
      to APP/PS1 mice. Our results demonstrated that liposomal Tat-haFGF14-154
      treatment significantly ameliorated behavioral deficits, relieved brain Abeta
      burden, and increased the expression and activity of disintegrin and
      metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10 (ADAM10) in the brain. Tat-haFGF14
      154 antagonized Abeta1-42-induced cell death and structural damage in rat primary
      neurons in an ADAM10-dependent manner, which, in turn, was promoted by the
      activation of XBP1 splicing and modulated by the PI3K-CREB pathway. Both
      knockdown of ADAM10 and inhibition of PI3K (LY294002) negated Tat-haFGF14-154
      rescue. Thus, Tat-haFGF14-154 activates the IRE1alpha/XBP1 pathway of the
      unfolded protein response (UPR) against the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress
      induced by Abeta, and, subsequently, the nuclear translocation of spliced XBP1
      (XBP1s) promotes transcription of ADAM10. These results highlight the important
      role of ADAM10 and its activation through the PI3K-CREB-IRE1alpha/XBP1 pathway as
      a key factor in the mechanism of neuroprotection for Tat-haFGF14-154.

PMID- 28624221
TI  - miR-1290 Is a Biomarker in DNA-Mismatch-Repair-Deficient Colon Cancer and
      Promotes Resistance to 5-Fluorouracil by Directly Targeting hMSH2.
AB  - 5-Fluorouracil (5FU)-based adjuvant therapy is the first-line therapy for
      treating stage II and III colon cancer after surgery. However, its therapeutic
      efficacy is limited because of chemoresistance, especially in deficient mismatch
      repair (dMMR) colon cancer. Here, we first used laser capture microdissection to
      obtain purified cells from four dMMR and four proficient mismatch repair (pMMR)
      colon cancer tissues. Second, microRNA (miRNA) microarray chips were used to
      identify miRNAs that are differentially expressed between these two classes of
      tumors. Third, we analyzed their differential expression by qRT-PCR in a panel of
      5-FU-resistant colon cancer cell lines. We identified that miR-1290 was one of
      the most upregulated miRNAs in both dMMR colon cancer tissues and 5-FU-resistant
      cells. We also found that miR-1290 was positively correlated with dMMR status and
      predicted poor prognosis in stage II and III colon cancer patients who received 5
      FU-based chemotherapy. Furthermore, we demonstrated that inhibition of the
      expression of miR-1290 enhanced sensitivity to 5-FU treatment in vitro and in
      tumor xenografts in vivo by direct targeting hMSH2. Our study indicates that miR
      1290 may become a promising biomarker of dMMR colon cancer and predicts the
      prognosis of stage II and III patients who receive 5-FU-based adjuvant therapy.

PMID- 28624222
TI  - Targeting DMPK with Antisense Oligonucleotide Improves Muscle Strength in
      Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Mice.
AB  - Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), a dominant hereditary muscular dystrophy, is
      caused by an abnormal expansion of a (CTG)n trinucleotide repeat in the 3' UTR of
      the human dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene. As a consequence,
      mutant transcripts containing expanded CUG repeats are retained in nuclear foci
      and alter the function of splicing regulatory factors members of the MBNL and
      CELF families, resulting in alternative splicing misregulation of specific
      transcripts in affected DM1 tissues. In the present study, we treated DMSXL mice
      systemically with a 2'-4'-constrained, ethyl-modified (ISIS 486178) antisense
      oligonucleotide (ASO) targeted to the 3' UTR of the DMPK gene, which led to a 70%
      reduction in CUGexp RNA abundance and foci in different skeletal muscles and a
      30% reduction in the heart. Furthermore, treatment with ISIS 486178 ASO improved
      body weight, muscle strength, and muscle histology, whereas no overt toxicity was
      detected. This is evidence that the reduction of CUGexp RNA improves muscle
      strength in DM1, suggesting that muscle weakness in DM1 patients may be improved
      following elimination of toxic RNAs.

PMID- 28624223
TI  - Evaluation of MYBPC3 trans-Splicing and Gene Replacement as Therapeutic Options
      in Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes.
AB  - Gene therapy is a promising option for severe forms of genetic diseases. We
      previously provided evidence for the feasibility of trans-splicing, exon
      skipping, and gene replacement in a mouse model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      (HCM) carrying a mutation in MYBPC3, encoding cardiac myosin-binding protein C
      (cMyBP-C). Here we used human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived
      cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) from an HCM patient carrying a heterozygous c.1358
      1359insC MYBPC3 mutation and from a healthy donor. HCM hiPSC-CMs exhibited ~50%
      lower MYBPC3 mRNA and cMyBP-C protein levels than control, no truncated cMyBP-C,
      larger cell size, and altered gene expression, thus reproducing human HCM
      features. We evaluated RNA trans-splicing and gene replacement after transducing
      hiPSC-CMs with adeno-associated virus. trans-splicing with 5' or 3' pre-trans
      splicing molecules represented ~1% of total MYBPC3 transcripts in healthy hiPSC
      CMs. In contrast, gene replacement with the full-length MYBPC3 cDNA resulted in
      ~2.5-fold higher MYBPC3 mRNA levels in HCM and control hiPSC-CMs. This restored
      the cMyBP-C level to 81% of the control level, suppressed hypertrophy, and
      partially restored gene expression to control level in HCM cells. This study
      provides evidence for (1) the feasibility of trans-splicing, although with low
      efficiency, and (2) efficient gene replacement in hiPSC-CMs with a MYBPC3
      mutation.

PMID- 28624224
TI  - Optimizing the DNA Donor Template for Homology-Directed Repair of Double-Strand
      Breaks.
AB  - The CRISPR-Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats
      associated proteins) technology enables rapid and precise genome editing at any
      desired genomic position in almost all cells and organisms. In this study, we
      analyzed the impact of different repair templates on the frequency of homology
      directed repair (HDR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). We used a stable
      HEK293 cell line expressing the traffic light reporter (TLR-3) system to quantify
      HDR and NHEJ events following transfection with Cas9, eight different guide RNAs,
      and a 1,000 bp donor template generated either as circular plasmid, as linearized
      plasmid with long 3' or 5' backbone overhang, or as PCR product. The sequence to
      be corrected was either centrally located (RS55), with a shorter 5' homologous
      region (RS37), or with a shorter 3' homologous region (RS73). Guide RNAs
      targeting the transcriptionally active strand (T5, T7) showed significantly
      higher NHEJ frequencies compared with guide RNAs targeting the transcriptionally
      inactive strand. HDR activity was highest when using the linearized plasmid with
      the short 5' backbone overhang and the RS37 design. The results demonstrate the
      importance of the design of the guide RNA and template DNA on the frequency of
      DNA repair events and, ultimately, on the outcome of treatment approaches using
      HDR.

PMID- 28624225
TI  - Inhibition of Mef2a Enhances Neovascularization via Post-transcriptional
      Regulation of 14q32 MicroRNAs miR-329 and miR-494.
AB  - Improving the efficacy of neovascularization is a promising strategy to restore
      perfusion of ischemic tissues in patients with peripheral arterial disease. The
      14q32 microRNA cluster is highly involved in neovascularization. The Mef2a
      transcription factor has been shown to induce transcription of the microRNAs
      within this cluster. We inhibited expression of Mef2a using gene-silencing
      oligonucleotides (GSOs) in an in vivo hind limb ischemia model. Treatment with
      GSO-Mef2a clearly improved blood flow recovery within 3 days (44% recovery versus
      25% recovery in control) and persisted until 14 days after ischemia induction
      (80% recovery versus 60% recovery in control). Animals treated with GSO-Mef2a
      showed increased arteriogenesis and angiogenesis in the relevant muscle tissues.
      Inhibition of Mef2a decreased expression of 14q32 microRNAs miR-329 (p = 0.026)
      and miR-494 (trend, p = 0.06), but not of other 14q32 microRNAs, nor of 14q32
      microRNA precursors. Because Mef2a did not influence 14q32 microRNA
      transcription, we hypothesized it functions as an RNA-binding protein that
      influences processing of 14q32 microRNA miR-329 and miR-494. Mef2A
      immunoprecipitation followed by RNA isolation and rt/qPCR confirmed direct
      binding of MEF2A to pri-miR-494, supporting this hypothesis. Our study
      demonstrates a novel function for Mef2a in post-ischemic neovascularization via
      post-transcriptional regulation of 14q32 microRNAs miR-329 and miR-494.

PMID- 28624226
TI  - Transcriptome-wide Investigation of mRNA/circRNA in miR-184 and Its r.57c > u
      Mutant Type Treatment of Human Lens Epithelial Cells.
AB  - m-miR-184 (mutant miR-184, r.57c > u) appears in familial hereditary ocular
      diseases, including keratoconus, cataracts, EDICT (endothelial dystrophy, iris
      hypoplasia, congenital cataract, and stromal thinning) syndrome, severe
      keratoconus, and non-ectatic corneal thinning. The biological function of m-miR
      184 in these ocular diseases remains unclear. With the emergence of high
      throughput sequencing, it is now possible to discover many different biological
      components simultaneously. Using two different RNA libraries, we sequenced the
      complete transcriptome of HLE cells treated with miR-184, m-miR-184, and a
      negative control. Data were integrated in an effort to identify any novel gene
      affected by m-miR-184. Notably, we concluded that ALDH5A1 and GABRA3 were
      disordered by m-miR-184, which might lead to ocular disease. Moreover, circRNA
      (circular RNA) expression was highy random across miR-184, m-miR-184, and
      negative control treatment groups. The sequences of the circRNAs did reveal a
      particularly high level of ALU sequences. In summary, we provide a new avenue for
      understanding the role of m-miR-184 in ocular diseases.

PMID- 28624227
TI  - Efficient SMN Rescue following Subcutaneous Tricyclo-DNA Antisense
      Oligonucleotide Treatment.
AB  - Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a recessive disease caused by mutations in the
      SMN1 gene, which encodes the protein survival motor neuron (SMN), whose absence
      dramatically affects the survival of motor neurons. In humans, the severity of
      the disease is lessened by the presence of a gene copy, SMN2. SMN2 differs from
      SMN1 by a C-to-T transition in exon 7, which modifies pre-mRNA splicing and
      prevents successful SMN synthesis. Splice-switching approaches using antisense
      oligonucleotides (AONs) have already been shown to correct this SMN2 gene
      transition, providing a therapeutic avenue for SMA. However, AON administration
      to the CNS presents additional hurdles. In this study, we show that systemic
      delivery of tricyclo-DNA (tcDNA) AONs in a type III SMA mouse augments retention
      of exon 7 in SMN2 mRNA both in peripheral organs and the CNS. Mild type III SMA
      mice were selected as opposed to the severe type I model in order to test tcDNA
      efficacy and their ability to enter the CNS after maturation of the blood brain
      barrier (BBB). Furthermore, subcutaneous treatment significantly improved the
      necrosis phenotype and respiratory function. In summary, our data support that
      tcDNA oligomers effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and offer a promising
      systemic alternative for treating SMA.

PMID- 28624228
TI  - Antisense Oligonucleotides Promote Exon Inclusion and Correct the Common c.-32
      13T>G GAA Splicing Variant in Pompe Disease.
AB  - The most common variant causing Pompe disease is c.-32-13T>G (IVS1) in the acid
      alpha-glucosidase (GAA) gene, which weakens the splice acceptor of GAA exon 2 and
      induces partial and complete exon 2 skipping. It also allows a low level of leaky
      wild-type splicing, leading to a childhood/adult phenotype. We hypothesized that
      cis-acting splicing motifs may exist that could be blocked using antisense
      oligonucleotides (AONs) to promote exon inclusion. To test this, a screen was
      performed in patient-derived primary fibroblasts using a tiling array of U7 small
      nuclear RNA (snRNA)-based AONs. This resulted in the identification of a splicing
      regulatory element in GAA intron 1. We designed phosphorodiamidate morpholino
      oligomer-based AONs to this element, and these promoted exon 2 inclusion and
      enhanced GAA enzyme activity to levels above the disease threshold. These results
      indicate that the common IVS1 GAA splicing variant in Pompe disease is subject to
      negative regulation, and inhibition of a splicing regulatory element using AONs
      is able to restore canonical GAA splicing and endogenous GAA enzyme activity.

PMID- 28624229
TI  - A novel laparoscopic transcystic approach using an ultrathin choledochoscope and
      holmium laser lithotripsy in the management of cholecystocholedocholithiasis: An
      appraisal of their safety and efficacy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration
      (LTCBDE) is the preferred approach for CBD stone clearance, the success rate can
      vary between 55% and 85%. This study evaluated if ultrathin choledochoscope and
      holmium laser lithotripsy could improve the success rate of LTCBDE. METHODS:
      Records of 126 patients (average age, 46.1 +/- 13.8 years) with
      cholecystocholedocholithiasis treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and
      LTCBDE were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: LC+LTCBDE was performed
      successfully in 118 of 126 patients, with a surgical success rate of 93.7%. An
      ultrathin choledochoscope was used in 75 (63.5%) patients, and holmium
      lithotripsy was performed in 38 (32.2%) patients. The stone clearance rate was
      99.2% (117/118). No significant complications occurred. One hundred (84.7%)
      patients had excellent and 13 (11%) had good outcomes for an overall success rate
      (excellent plus good) of 95.7%. CONCLUSION: Ultrathin choledochoscope and holmium
      laser lithotripsy can improve the surgical outcomes of LC+LTCBDE with minimal
      complications.

PMID- 28624230
TI  - The correlation between fundamental characteristics and first-time performance in
      laparoscopic tasks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ability of characteristics to predict first time performance in
      laparoscopic tasks is not well described. Videogame experience predicts positive
      performance in laparoscopic experiences but its mechanism and confounding
      association with aptitude remains to be elucidated. This study sought to evaluate
      for innate predictors of laparoscopic performance in surgically naive individuals
      with minimal videogame exposure. METHODS: Participants with no prior laparoscopic
      exposure and minimal videogaming experience were recruited consecutively from
      preclinical years at a medical university. Participants completed four
      visuospatial, one psychomotor aptitude test and an electronic survey, followed by
      four laparoscopic tasks on a validated Virtual Reality simulator (LAP MentorTM).
      RESULTS: Twenty eligible individuals participated with a mean age of 20.8 (+/
      3.8) years. Significant intra-aptitude performance correlations were present
      amongst 75% of the visuospatial tests. These visuospatial aptitudes correlated
      significantly with multiple laparoscopic task metrics: number of movements of a
      dominant instrument (rs >= -0.46), accuracy rate of clip placement (rs >= 0.50)
      and time taken (rs >= -0.47) (p < 0.05). Musical Instrument experience predicted
      higher average speed of instruments (rs >= 0.47) (p < 0.05). Participant's
      revised competitive index level predicted lower proficiency in laparoscopic
      metrics including: pathlength, economy and number of movements of dominant
      instrument (rs >= 0.46) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Multiple visuospatial aptitudes
      and innate competitive level influenced baseline laparoscopic performances across
      several tasks in surgically naive individuals.

PMID- 28624233
TI  - [A new therapeutic era in sickle cell disease].

PMID- 28624231
TI  - Is a Chest Radiograph Required After Removal of Chest Tubes in Children?
AB  - Our objective was to determine the clinical value of obtaining a chest radiograph
      after removal of a chest tube. We conducted a retrospective chart review of
      pediatric general surgical patients with a chest tube in place after a thoracic
      procedure over a 3-year time period. Postremoval films were considered to be of
      value if they led to a change in clinical management. Of 468 patients who had a
      thoracic procedure, 281 patients had a chest tube and a postremoval film. In 263
      patients (93.6%) there was no change in the postremoval film result compared with
      baseline. Only two patients (0.7%) required an intervention based on symptoms,
      not based on the postremoval film. Eliminating routine postremoval radiographs
      after chest tube removal in pediatric patients will lessen radiation exposure and
      provide cost savings with no adverse impact on outcome.

PMID- 28624234
TI  - [An unusual cause of low back pain].

PMID- 28624235
TI  - The effect of oxytocin on human-directed social behaviour in dogs (Canis
      familiaris).
AB  - The oxytocin system has recently received increasing attention due to its effect
      on complex human behaviours. In parallel to this, over the past couple of
      decades, the human-analogue social behaviour of dogs has been intensively
      studied. Combining these two lines of research (e.g. studying the relationship
      between dog social behaviour and the oxytocin system) is a promising new research
      area. The present paper reviews the existing literature on how oxytocin is
      related to different aspects of human-directed social behaviour in dogs.

PMID- 28624236
TI  - Regulation of the proprotein convertases expression and activity during
      regenerative angiogenesis: Role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF).
AB  - Proprotein convertases (PCs) are involved in various physiological and
      pathological processes ranging from embryogenesis to carcinogenesis. Here, using
      the zebrafish fin regeneration model, we report induced expression of furin and
      PC5 but not PACE4 and PC7 during fin regeneration that is associated with
      increased PC activity. Stabilization of HIF by cobalt chloride (CoCl2) further
      increases these processes. The use of the general PC-inhibitor decanoyl-RVKR
      cholromethyl ketone (CMK) inhibited control and CoCl2-induced PC activity. CoCl2
      inhibits embryonic zebrafish ZF4 cell proliferation and caudal fin regeneration
      that is associated with the expression of the anti-proliferative genes P21, P16,
      PC3 and P53 in ZF4 cells and in non-regenerating stump tissues. In contrast,
      during fin regeneration, HIF stabilization failed to promote the expression of
      these anti-proliferative genes and maintained high expression of cyclin D.
      Further analysis revealed that CoCl2 maintained the formation of immature
      regenerating vasculature that was associated with amplified expression of OCT4
      and various angiogenic factors reported to be PC substrates and/or downstream
      effectors. These findings revealed that while furin and PC5 expression/activity
      and their substrates/effectors are regulated during fin regeneration, HIF
      stabilization by CoCl2 has the potential to modulate these processes and impact
      on the regenerative process and vessels organization.

PMID- 28624237
TI  - Identification of syntaxin 4 as an essential factor for the hepatitis C virus
      life cycle.
AB  - Although there is evidence that multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are involved in the
      release of hepatitis C virus (HCV), many aspects of HCV release are still not
      fully understood. The amount of alpha-taxilin that prevents SNARE (soluble N
      ethylmaleimidesensitive factor attachment protein receptor) complex formation by
      binding to free syntaxin 4 is reduced in HCV-positive cells. Therefore, it was
      analyzed whether the t-SNARE protein syntaxin 4 which mediates vesicles fusion is
      involved in the HCV life cycle. HCV-positive cells possess an increased amount of
      syntaxin 4 protein, although the amount of syntaxin 4-specific transcripts is
      decreased in HCV-positive Huh7.5 cells and in HCV-infected primary human
      hepatocytes. In HCV-positive cells a significant longer half-life of syntaxin 4
      was found that overcompensates for the decreased expression and leads to the
      elevated level of syntaxin 4. Overexpression of syntaxin 4 reduces the
      intracellular amount of infectious viral particles by facilitating viral release,
      while silencing of syntaxin 4 expression using specific siRNAs inhibits the
      release of HCV particles and so leads to an increase in the intracellular amount
      of infectious viral particles. This indicates that HCV uses a SNARE-dependent
      pathway for viral release. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy revealed a
      colocalization of syntaxin 4 with a MVB-specific marker, exosomes and HCV core,
      which suggests a fraction of syntaxin 4 is associated with exosomes loaded with
      HCV. Altogether, it is assumed that syntaxin 4 is a novel essential cellular
      factor for the release of HCV.

PMID- 28624238
TI  - Non-IMF mandibular fracture reduction techniques: A review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intermaxillary fixation (IMF) techniques are commonly used in
      mandibular fracture treatment to reduce bone fragments and re-establish normal
      occlusion. However, non-IMF reduction techniques such as repositioning forceps
      may be preferable due to their quick yet adequate reduction. The purpose of this
      paper is to assess which non-IMF reduction techniques and reduction forceps are
      available for fracture reduction in the mandible. METHODS: A systematic search
      was performed in the databases of Pubmed and EMBASE. The search was updated until
      February 2016 and no initial date and language preference was set. RESULTS: 14
      articles were selected for this review, among them ten articles related to
      reduction forceps and four articles describing other techniques. Thus,
      modification and design of reduction forceps and other reduction techniques are
      qualitatively described. CONCLUSION: Few designs of repositioning forceps have
      been proposed in the literature. Quick and adequate reduction of fractures seems
      possible with non-IMF techniques resulting in anatomic repositioning and shorter
      operation time, especially in cases with good interfragmentary stability. Further
      development and clinical testing of reduction forceps is necessary to establish
      their future role in maxillofacial fracture treatment.

PMID- 28624239
TI  - Functional Outcome and Healing of Large and Massive Rotator Cuff Tears Repaired
      With a Load-Sharing Rip-Stop Construct.
AB  - PURPOSE: To prospectively review functional outcomes and healing rates of large
      and massive rotator cuff tears repaired with a load-sharing rip-stop (LSRS)
      technique. METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients underwent arthroscopic
      rotator cuff repair with an LSRS construct between January and December 2014.
      Seventeen patients with a minimum of 2 years' follow-up were included. Four
      patients did not complete clinical evaluations and functional outcome scores at a
      minimum of 2 years' follow-up and were lost to follow-up. Ultrasound imaging was
      used to assess for rotator cuff healing at a minimum of 6 months postoperatively.
      Range of motion, strength, and functional outcome scores were evaluated at final
      follow-up. RESULTS: Mean active forward elevation improved from 109 degrees 
      preoperatively to 153 degrees  postoperatively, and mean supraspinatus strength
      improved by 1 strength grade, from 3.5 preoperatively to 4.4 postoperatively.
      When we compared preoperative and postoperative values, the American Shoulder and
      Elbow Surgeons score improved from 40.8 to 89.5, the Single Assessment Numeric
      Evaluation score improved from 32.8 to 83.1, the Simple Shoulder Test score
      improved from 3.8 to 10.3, and the pain score on a visual analog scale decreased
      from 4.8 to 0.8 (P < .001). Of 17 patients, 13 (82%) were satisfied with their
      outcomes. Ultrasound evaluation 6 months after surgery showed complete healing in
      53%, partial healing in 29%, and no healing in 18%. CONCLUSIONS: The LSRS
      construct showed satisfactory functional outcomes with reasonable healing rates
      in an otherwise challenging subset of rotator cuff tears. This construct may be
      an alternative for tears not amenable to double-row repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Level IV, therapeutic case series.

PMID- 28624240
TI  - Bipolar Bone Loss in Patients With Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: A Comparison of
      Adolescents Versus Adult Patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare bipolar bone loss by evaluating the degree of glenoid bone
      loss, Hill-Sachs lesion size, and glenoid track in adolescents and adults with
      shoulder dislocations. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review between 2012
      and 2016 of surgical and nonsurgical patients with a history of anterior shoulder
      dislocations (primary or recurrent) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging of
      the affected shoulder. The exclusion criteria included multidirectional
      instability, prior surgery, and posterior dislocation. Patients were grouped into
      2 groups: adolescents (aged 10-19 years) and adults (aged >=20 years). The groups
      were compared regarding measures of glenoid bone loss (best-fit circle technique)
      and Hill-Sachs lesion size (medial margin of rotator cuff footprint to medial
      margin of Hill-Sachs lesion). If the medial margin of a Hill-Sachs lesion was
      within the glenoid track, it was defined as on track; if it was more medial than
      the glenoid track, it was defined as off track. RESULTS: We identified 45
      adolescents (mean age, 16.1 years) and 30 adults (mean age, 28.9 years) with
      anterior shoulder dislocations. There was no significant difference in percentage
      of bone loss between adolescents (mean, 8.4%) and adults (mean, 9.9%; P = .23).
      There was no significant difference in Hill-Sachs lesion size between adolescents
      (mean, 12.7 mm) and adults (mean, 9.9 mm; P = .12). There were 12 patients with
      off-track lesions. Off-track lesions were present in 11 of 45 adolescents (24.4%)
      and 1 of 30 adults (3.3%). Adolescents had an increased risk of having an off
      track lesion (odds ratio, 9.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.14-77.1). A subgroup
      analysis identified multiple dislocations as an independent risk factor for an
      off-track lesion (odds ratio, 4.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-20.23).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that adolescence and a history of multiple
      dislocations are independent risk factors for a greater likelihood of glenoid off
      track lesions. The findings support the use of bipolar assessment of shoulder
      dislocators, especially in adolescents and multiple dislocators. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

PMID- 28624241
TI  - Continuous-flow synthesis using a column reactor packed with heterogeneous
      catalysts: A convenient production of nitroolefins by using amino-functionalized
      silicagel.
AB  - A continuous-flow synthesis of beta-nitroolefins by using heterogeneous base
      catalysts has been developed. Although the use of an excess amount of nitro-donor
      such as nitromethane is required in conventional methods, nearly equimolar
      amounts of nitro-donors and carbonyl compounds are sufficient for high-yielding
      production of nitroolefins. Catalysts for this flow protocol are inexpensive and
      abundant, and high durability and high productivity were also realized by using
      an appropriate second support.

PMID- 28624242
TI  - Facile access to modified and functionalized PNAs through Ugi-based solid phase
      oligomerization.
AB  - Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) derivatized with functional molecules are
      increasingly used in diverse biosupramolecular applications. PNAs have proven to
      be highly tolerant to modifications and different applications benefit from the
      use of modified PNAs, in particular modifications at the gamma position. Herein
      we report simple protocols to access modified PNAs from iterative Ugi couplings
      which allow modular modifications at the alpha, beta or gamma position of the PNA
      backbone from simple starting materials. We demonstrate the utility of the method
      with the synthesis of several bioactive small molecules (a peptide ligand, a
      kinase inhibitor and a glycan)-PNA conjugates.

PMID- 28624243
TI  - Glutathione production from mannan-based bioresource by mannanase/mannosidase
      expressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - This work aims to produce glutathione directly from mannan-based bioresources
      using engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mannan proved to be a valuable carbon
      source for glutathione production by this organism. Mannan-hydrolyzing S.
      cerevisiae was developed by heterologous expression of mannanase/mannosidase on
      its cell surface. This strain efficiently produced glutathione from mannose
      polysaccharide, beta-1,4-mannan. Furthermore, it produced glutathione from locust
      bean gum (LBG), a highly dense and inexpensive mannan-based bioresource, as sole
      carbon source. Glutathione productivity from LBG was enhanced by engineering the
      glutathione metabolism of mannan-hydrolyzing S. cerevisiae. Expression of
      extracellular mannanase/mannosidase protein combined with intracellular metabolic
      engineering is potentially applicable to the efficient, environmentally friendly
      bioproduction of targeted products from mannan-based bioresources.

PMID- 28624244
TI  - Evolutionary engineering of salt-resistant Chlamydomonas sp. strains reveals
      salinity stress-activated starch-to-lipid biosynthesis switching.
AB  - The aim of this study was to improve biomass production of the green microalga
      Chlamydomonas sp. JSC4 under high salinity conditions. For this purpose, heavy
      ion beam-coupled mutagenesis and evolutionary engineering were performed using
      JSC4 as the parent strain. After long-term and continuous cultivation with high
      salinity, salt-resistant strains that grow well even in the presence of 7% sea
      salt were successfully obtained. Transcriptional analysis revealed inactivation
      of starch-to-lipid biosynthesis switching, which resulted in delayed starch
      degradation and decreased lipid content in the salt-resistant strains. Cellular
      aggregation and hypertrophy during high salinity were relieved in these strains,
      indicating strong resistance to salt stress. These results suggest that high
      salinity stress, not the salinity condition itself, is important for activating
      lipid accumulation mechanisms in microalgae.

PMID- 28624245
TI  - A biorefinery for Nannochloropsis: Induction, harvesting, and extraction of EPA
      rich oil and high-value protein.
AB  - Microalgae have been studied as biofactories for almost four decades. Yet, even
      until today, many aspects of microalgae farming and processing are still
      considered exploratory because of the uniqueness of each microalgal species.
      Thus, it is important to develop the entire process of microalgae farming: from
      culturing to harvesting, and down to extracting the desired high-value products.
      Based on its rapid growth and high oil productivities, Nannochloropsis sp. is of
      particular interest to many industries for the production of high-value oil
      containing omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), but
      also several other products. This review compares the various techniques for
      induction, harvesting, and extraction of EPA-rich oil and high-value protein
      explored by academia and industry to develop a multi-product Nannochloropsis
      biorefinery. Knowledge gaps and opportunities are discussed for culturing and
      inducing fatty acid biosynthesis, biomass harvesting, and extracting EPA-rich oil
      and high-value protein from the biomass of Nannochloropsis sp.

PMID- 28624246
TI  - UV-C irradiation accelerates neutral lipid synthesis in the marine oleaginous
      diatom Fistulifera solaris.
AB  - This study investigated the induction of oil synthesis in the oleaginous diatom,
      Fistulifera solaris, following irradiation with small doses of UV-C. A rapid
      induction of oil accumulation was confirmed within 6h following UV-C radiation of
      the diatom cells, with increases in cell oil body volumes after 24h of
      approximately 4- to 6-fold from the initial volume. Reactive oxygen species
      (ROS), which can be generated by a UV-C-mediated reaction, were detected in
      irradiated cells and the correlation between ROS generation and oil accumulation
      was confirmed. The smallest UV-C intensity required for oil induction in the
      cells was 10mJ/cm2. Based on the ideal biodiesel profile, the most suitable FAME
      composition was obtained when UV255 was used to irradiate the cells. The UV-C
      radiation method is therefore a solution for shortening the oil accumulation
      period and improving biodiesel productivity.

PMID- 28624247
TI  - Production of l-alanyl-l-glutamine by recycling E. coli expressing alpha-amino
      acid ester acyltransferase.
AB  - In this study, the optimum induction and reaction conditions, and fermentation
      process of producing Ala-Gln by E. coli Origami 2 overexpressing alpha-amino acid
      ester acyltransferase (OPA) were investigated. Besides, the Ala-Gln synthesis by
      OPA achieved the maximum molar yield of 94.7% and productivity of 1.89g/L/min due
      to the extremely high enzyme activity. On this basis, repeated-cycle batch
      fermentation to produce Ala-Gln indicated that OPA could maintain high Ala-Gln
      yields and enzyme stabilities after several cell recycling. Consequently, the
      cost-efficient and environmentally friendly approach for Ala-Gln production by
      recycling OPA makes a great contribution to further industrial-scale
      applications.

PMID- 28624248
TI  - Retinopathy diabetic screening by non-mydriatic retinography: concordance between
      primary care physicians, nurses and ophthalmologists.
AB  - AIM: To compare the evaluation of retinographies by a teleophthalmology nurse and
      primary care physicians (PCP) with an ophthalmologist referral hospital (gold
      standard). METHODS: Cross-sectional study on a random sample of 337 patients on
      the teleophthalmology programme from January 2010 to January 2015. We analyzed
      the diagnostic evaluation (whether or not it presented findings of RD) and the
      therapeutic assessment (whether or not referral to the opthalmology department
      was needed) which were conducted independently on the sample retinographies by
      the PCP, a nurse and an ophthalmologist (gold standard). Reliability and
      concordance between the gold standard and the PCP and the nurse were checked and
      the statistical analyses were supported using SPSSv.23.00 software and diagnostic
      test reliability calculators (EPIDAT 4.1). RESULTS: In the diagnosis of RD, the
      nurse presented: sensitivity (S): 0.96; specificity (Sp): 0.89; PPV: 0.58; NPV:
      0.99; Kappa index: 0.67 and PCP: S: 0.98; Sp: 0.99; PPV: 0.96; NPV: 0.99; Kappa
      index: 0.96. In the referral to ophthalmology assessed by the nurse: S: 0.83; Sp:
      0.83; PPV: 0.51; NPV: 0.96; Kappa Index: 0.53 and PCP: S: 0.62; Sp: 0.76; PPV:
      0.36; NPV: 0.90; Kappa index: 0.29. CONCLUSIONS: A nursing teleophthalmology
      programme could perform population screening for RD with the same quality as PCP.
      This would increase coverage, in addition to providing better use of resources by
      avoiding intermediate patient appointments through PCP and increased health
      savings.

PMID- 28624249
TI  - The Role of 3-D Heart Models in Planning and Executing Interventional Procedures.
AB  - Percutaneous interventions aimed at addressing congenital and structural heart
      disease are simultaneously becoming more common and more complex as time
      progresses. An increasing number of heart defects that had previously required
      open heart surgery can now be successfully addressed in the cardiac
      catheterization laboratory. Adequate preprocedural preparation for these novel,
      complex procedures is critical to ensure their success. Diagnostic data can be
      collected before the intervention and displayed in multiple formats during the
      procedure. Advanced cardiac imaging, including cardiac magnetic resonance and
      cardiac computed tomography form the basis of this preparatory information. Novel
      methods of displaying these images are becoming more widespread and more useful,
      including 3-D printed models, 3-D digital models displayed on a virtual or
      augmented reality system and 3-D digital models overlaid onto a fluoroscopy
      system. In this review we summarize these state-of-the-art technologies and how
      they are able to help interventional cardiologists push the boundaries of what is
      possible in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

PMID- 28624250
TI  - Reply to Lee and colleagues-Viral posterior uveitis.

PMID- 28624251
TI  - Involvement of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 in house dust mite-induced
      allergic asthma in mice.

PMID- 28624252
TI  - Successful long-term prophylaxis with human plasma-derived C1 inhibitor in
      planning and carrying out pregnancy.

PMID- 28624253
TI  - Constructing an Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient-Centered Medical Home.

PMID- 28624254
TI  - [Of corkscrews and barcodes].

PMID- 28624255
TI  - [Psoriatic patients: Analysis of patients dissatisfied with their management].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The French are frequently regarded as grouchy. In a recent study, we
      observed a high proportion of patients initially consulting for psoriasis because
      they were dissatisfied with their previous therapy. We analyzed the
      characteristics of these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross
      sectional multicenter study in 40 centers belonging to the ResoPso (psoriasis
      treatment network) multicenter study group, with consecutive inclusions over a
      period of 11months in 2014. All adults (age>18 years) consulting for the first
      time for psoriasis at a center were included in the study. RESULTS: Among
      patients, 1205 were included, of whom 249 (20.3%) were consulting because of
      their dissatisfaction with treatment. In the univariate analysis, these patients
      were younger (P=0.02) and presented psoriasis that had begun earlier in life
      (P<0.0001). It consisted mostly of generalized plaque psoriasis (P=0.047) and
      more severe forms of psoriasis (PASI and/or DLQI score>10, P<0.02). There were
      fewer cases of psoriatic arthritis (P=0.01). The "dissatisfied" patients reported
      significantly more frequent use of topical treatments (P<0.0001) and alternative
      medicines (P=0.02), and more infrequent use of biologics (P=0.006) as well as
      longer treatment periods (P=0.0005). They consulted at hospitals (P=0.01) and had
      previously seen more GPs and dermatologists (P<=0.0008). There was no impact of
      gender on the dissatisfaction profile by either comorbidities (metabolic, blood
      pressure, alcohol and tobacco consumption, and depression), or socio-economic
      data. In the multivariate analysis, DLQI>10 (P=0.01; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07) and
      longer duration of care (P=0.004; 95% CI: 1.23-2.99) were associated with
      dissatisfaction. CONCLUSION: Twenty percent of our psoriatic patients seem
      dissatisfied with their treatment. It is difficult to draw a specific demographic
      and socioeconomic profile of dissatisfied patients. Only disease severity and
      possibly inadequate treatment at the initial consultation are associated with
      patient dissatisfaction. Explanations related to the individual patients and
      doctors may be proposed. Finally, while the French may be considered grouchy, the
      frequency of patient dissatisfaction seen in our study does not appear to be any
      greater than that observed in other countries.

PMID- 28624256
TI  - Extensive ulcerated lesions in a patient with cutaneous myeloid sarcoma responded
      to twice-daily fludarabine and cytarabine regimen.

PMID- 28624257
TI  - Moderate exercise training decreases inflammation in transgenic sickle cell mice.
AB  - Chronic systemic inflammation is a pathophysiological feature of sickle cell
      disease (SCD). Considering that regular exercise exerts multiple beneficial
      health effects including anti-inflammatory actions, we investigated whether a
      treadmill training program could minimize the inflammatory state in transgenic
      sickle cell (SS) mice. To test this hypothesis, SS mice were subjected to a
      treadmill training protocol of 1h/day, 5days a week for 8weeks. Exercise training
      increased the percent of venous oxyhemoglobin and sharply decreased the percent
      of carboxyhemoglobin suggesting that exercise training may limit the proportion
      of erythrocytes that were deoxygenated in the venous circulation. Exercise
      training attenuated systemic inflammation as attested by a significant drop in
      white blood cell (WBC) count and plasma Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio. There was
      reduction in interleukin-1beta and endothelin-1 mRNA expression in trained sickle
      mice. The spleen/body mass ratio was significantly decreased in trained sickle
      mice and there was a strong correlation between the magnitude of congestion and
      the relative spleen mass in all animals (trained and untrained). We conclude that
      moderate intensity exercise training, without any noticeable complications, may
      be associated with limited baseline blood deoxygenation and inflammation in
      sickle cell mice, and reduce sequestration of sickle erythrocytes/congestion in
      the spleen.

PMID- 28624258
TI  - Incentivizing healthy eating in children: An investigation of the "ripple" and
      "temporal" effects of a reward-based intervention.
AB  - Although previous studies have established the effectiveness of using small
      reward-based incentives in inducing the choice and consumption of healthier foods
      among children, little is known about their impact outside of experimental
      settings or their effectiveness over time when administered daily. This paper
      presents the results of a field experiment conducted to provide insight on these
      matters. The study employs a removed treatment within-subject design and was
      conducted at a summer program catering to low-income children between the ages of
      5 and 12. The month long experiment-wherein participants were offered a small
      prize for choosing a fruit cup for dessert after lunch in lieu of cookies
      involved 23 children between the ages of 5 and 8. Corroborating existing studies,
      the introduction of small reward-based incentives in this context was found to
      induce large increases in the number of children choosing the healthy dessert
      options after lunch, but disaggregating the results by week and day suggests that
      their impact diminished over time. Attempts to ascertain their effect outside of
      experimental settings did not indicate that the introduction of rewards had any
      adverse effects, but also did not provide definitive conclusions.

PMID- 28624259
TI  - Body talk, weight status, and pathological eating behavior in romantic
      relationships.
AB  - This study examined whether engagement in body talk would interact with weight
      status (body mass index; BMI) to predict pathological eating behaviors among
      romantically involved adults. Adults (N = 137, females = 86.86%, average age =
      23.50) involved in a romantic relationship were recruited to complete an online
      survey about their body image, dietary behaviors, and engagement in body talk.
      Results indicated that engagement in negative body talk was directly related to
      higher pathological eating (i.e., drive for thinness, dieting, and bulimia
      symptoms). Positive body talk, on the other hand, had a significant interaction
      effect with BMI to predict pathological eating. For individuals with a high BMI,
      high engagement in positive body talk was associated with increased drive for
      thinness, dieting, and bulimia symptoms. However, for those with a low BMI, high
      engagement in positive body talk was protective against pathological eating.
      These findings suggest that while negative body talk is harmful in general,
      positive body talk is uniquely problematic for individuals of a higher weight
      status.

PMID- 28624260
TI  - Development and validation of subscales to assess perceived support for self
      management of mood or emotional problems: Results from a randomized trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To validate 2 new patient-reported measures of self-management
      support from health professionals for mood and emotional problems. METHODS: The
      sample comprised primary care patients with chronic physical conditions and co
      morbid depressive symptoms enrolled in a randomized trial of telephone coaching
      of a depression self-care intervention (n=120). At 6-month follow-up, patients
      completed 2 subscales with respect to support for self-management of their
      chronic physical condition(s): 1) Self-Management Information (SMInfo-Phys); and
      2) Care Plan (CP-Phys) and equivalent subscales adapted to assess self-management
      support for mood and emotional problems: SMInfo-Mood and CP-Mood. Subscale
      scoring was assessed with Item Response Theory (IRT) analysis. Convergent
      validity of the mood subscales was assessed. The sensitivity of the mood and
      physical condition subscales to mental health interventions was assessed with
      generalized estimating equations (GEE). RESULTS: The mood subscales were
      associated with relevant measures of perceived unmet mental health needs. Both
      SMInfo-Mood and CP-Mood were sensitive to the coaching intervention; CP-Mood was
      also sensitive to receipt of depression treatment outside the trial. CONCLUSION:
      This study provides preliminary evidence for the validity of the 2 new subscales.
      PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The subscales may be used to assess perceived health
      professional support for self-management of mood and emotional problems.

PMID- 28624261
TI  - Dutch health websites and their ability to inform people with low health
      literacy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Dutch online health information (OHI) generally
      reflects message elements that support information processing and understanding
      among people with low health literacy. METHODS: We content-analyzed one hundred
      Dutch webpages about Ebola, fibromyalgia, ALS, losing weight, borderline
      personality disorder, hemorrhoids, ADD, bladder infection, shingles, and chicken
      pox. The codebook covered the following domains: images and videos, readability
      level, Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM), advertising, interactive
      features, and reliability cues. RESULTS: Thirty-seven webpages contained
      informative images that visualized the text. Twelve webpages incorporated videos,
      six of which were animations. Readability varied widely, but 79.2% of the texts
      exceeded the recommended B1 level. Half of the webpages had inadequate SAM
      scores; five were classified as superior. Interactive features were infrequently
      used. Many webpages included only a few elements that help users evaluate the
      reliability of OHI. Four presented a quality label. CONCLUSION: Over a wide range
      of health-related topics, Dutch OHI does not generally contain message elements
      that improve information processing among people with low health literacy.
      PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Communication professionals should make better use of
      digital message features. Videos, narration, and interactivity are scarcely used
      but can be valuable for people with low health literacy.

PMID- 28624263
TI  - Corrections.

PMID- 28624262
TI  - Dibenzazepine-Loaded Nanoparticles Induce Local Browning of White Adipose Tissue
      to Counteract Obesity.
AB  - Inhibition of Notch signaling via systemic drug administration triggers
      conversion of white adipocytes into beige adipocytes (browning) and reduces
      adiposity. However, translation of this discovery into clinical practice is
      challenged by potential off-target side effects and lack of control over the
      location and temporal extent of beige adipocyte biogenesis. Here, we demonstrate
      an alternative approach to stimulate browning using nanoparticles (NPs) composed
      of FDA-approved poly(lactide-co-glycolide) that enable sustained local release of
      a Notch inhibitor (dibenzazepine, DBZ). These DBZ-loaded NPs support rapid
      cellular internalization and inhibit Notch signaling in adipocytes. Importantly,
      focal injection of these NPs into the inguinal white adipose tissue depots of
      diet-induced obese mice results in localized NP retention and browning of
      adipocytes, consequently improving the glucose homeostasis and attenuating body
      weight gain of the treated mice. These findings offer new avenues to develop a
      potential therapeutic strategy for clinical treatment of obesity and its
      associated metabolic syndrome.

PMID- 28624264
TI  - Profiling of cytosolic and mitochondrial H2O2 production using the H2O2-sensitive
      protein HyPer in LPS-induced microglia cells.
AB  - Dysregulation of the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in microglia
      exacerbates the pathologic process of neurodegenerative disease. ROS actively
      affect microglia activation by regulating transcription factors that control the
      expression of pro-inflammatory genes. However, accurate information regarding the
      function of ROS in different subcellular organelles has not yet been established.
      Here, we analyzed the pattern of cytosolic and mitochondrial H2O2 formation in
      LPS-activated BV-2 microglia using the H2O2-sensitive protein HyPer targeted to
      specific subcellular compartments. Our results show that from an early time,
      cytosolic H2O2 started increasing constantly, whereas mitochondrial H2O2 rapidly
      increased later. In addition, we found that MAPK affected cytosolic H2O2, but not
      mitochondrial H2O2. Consequently, our study provides the basic information about
      subcellular H2O2 generation in activated microglia, and a useful tool for
      investigating molecular targets that can modulate neuroinflammatory responses.

PMID- 28624265
TI  - The neuroscience of understanding the emotions of others.
AB  - We cannot help but impute emotions to the behaviors of others, and constantly
      infer not only what others are feeling, but also why they feel that way. The
      comprehension of other people's emotional states is computationally complex and
      difficult, requiring the flexible, context-sensitive deployment of cognitive
      operations that encompass rapid orienting to, and recognition of, emotionally
      salient cues; classification of emotions into culturally-learned categories; and
      using an abstract theory of mind to reason about what caused the emotion, what
      future actions the person might be planning, and what we should do next in
      response. This review summarizes what neuroscience data - primarily functional
      neuroimaging data - has so far taught us about the cognitive architecture
      enabling emotion understanding in its various forms.

PMID- 28624266
TI  - [Trochanteric under gluteus lift or bodylift, technique for massive trochanteric
      lipodystrophy: About 11 cases].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There is a growing demand for weight loss sequelae. Some women have
      a particular morphology with a major trochanteric excess that warrants specific
      treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: On the basis of the technique published in 1964
      by Pitanguy, the authors suggest a lift of the external face of the thigh with
      the scar redrawing the lower part of the buttock, from the gluteal fold to the
      inguinal region by crossing the trochanteric region. Eleven cases of major
      trochanteric excess after slimming are presented. In 4 cases, the trochanteric
      excess is solely treated by trochanteric under gluteus lift. In 7 cases, it is
      associated with abdominoplasty to perform a trochanteric under gluteus
      bodylifting. RESULTS: Complications and results are presented. The trochanterian
      excess is reduced, the buttock is harmonious and the patients satisfied.
      DISCUSSION: Modifications are made to the much criticized technique of Pitanguy.
      The lipectomy replaces the monobloc resection, the scar is verticalized on the
      trochanter to join the abdominoplasty scar. This technique is an alternative to
      the vertical trochanteric resection associated with classic bodylift. CONCLUSION:
      The trochanteric under gluteus lift is an elegant solution for treating large
      trochanteric excess. It is adaptable. It can become bodylifting TSF in the cases
      of great slimming.

PMID- 28624267
TI  - Endoscopic robot-assisted C7 nerve root retrophalangeal transfer from the
      contralateral healthy side: A cadaver feasibility study.
AB  - Controlateral C7 nerve root transfer in brachial plexus palsy requires a nerve
      graft and large incisions. This study investigated the feasibility of
      transferring the right C7 to the left C7 nerve root, without a graft, via a
      minimally invasive retropharyngeal approach. After installation of 6 trocars of
      1cm diameter in the supraclavicular space, a Da Vinci SI(r) robot was placed.
      After locating the right brachial plexus, the C7 root was sectioned flush with
      the clavicle, transferred behind the pharynx and sutured to the left C7 root
      severed at the foramen level. The duration of the procedure was 2h40min. No
      technical difficulties were encountered. The hypothesis of this work was verified
      since it was possible to carry out a transfer of the right C7 root on the left C7
      root by direct retropharyngeal suture without graft and by a minimally invasive
      technique.

PMID- 28624268
TI  - [Female-to-male transgender chest reconstruction: A retrospective study of
      patient satisfaction].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mammaplasty in gender reassignment surgery is often poorly
      understood, due to a lack of information about this condition and its therapy.
      The aim of this work was to evaluate patient satisfaction following bilateral
      mastectomy for female-to-male gender reassignment. METHODS: We contacted 22
      patients who underwent mammaplasty for female-to-male gender reassignment between
      January 2012 and March 2013 in our university hospital. Patients were sent postal
      questionnaires. A modified Q-breast questionnaire adapted for gender reassignment
      surgery enabled us to objectively evaluate patient aesthetic and psychological
      satisfaction. An overall score superior to 320 was considered as very satisfied
      for the patient. RESULTS: A total of 73% of the patients answered the
      questionnaire. The mean score was 332/378. This score corresponded to "very
      satisfied" on our questionnaire. The psychological score was 54.5/60. CONCLUSION:
      This study showed that a real benefit was obtained in terms of patient quality of
      life and self-confidence. The high level of patient satisfaction confirmed that
      gender reassignment mastectomy is a useful and valid procedure, which enables
      these patients to reclaim their place in society. It can only be considered if it
      is within the framework of structures that ensure comprehensive and
      pluridisciplinary treatment for the patient.

PMID- 28624269
TI  - [Technical information: The 'so called' Camille Bernard lower lip reconstruction:
      An eponymous confusion clarified].
AB  - The use of eponyms honours those who have contributed to the development of
      medicine and facilitates communication between colleagues. Eponyms are based on
      historical knowledge to know who was the first to use a given technique. In the
      previous century, two different operative procedures have been attached to the
      'so called' Bernard lower lip reconstruction. This historical literature on lip
      reconstruction with a focus on the years 1853-1855 elucidates the roles of
      Bernard, Saeman, Desgranges and Burow, and gives suggestions for eponyms that do
      justice to the innovating surgeons Bernard, Burow and Desgranges.

PMID- 28624270
TI  - Implementation and evaluation of a 'Navigator' role to improve emergency
      department throughput.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emergency department overcrowding impacts patients, staff, and
      quality of care, and there is government pressure to optimize throughput and
      reduce waiting times. One solution for improving patient flow is the emerging
      'navigator' role: a nurse that supports staff in care delivery; facilitating
      efficient and timely patient movement through the emergency department. METHODS:
      A 20-week project was implemented to evaluate an emergency department nurse
      navigator role. A controlled trial was used. The navigator worked on a week-on
      week-off basis, eight hours per day, seven days per week. Time-based and cost
      associated outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Data from nearly 20,000 presentations
      during the trial period were analysed. All outcomes were improved during the ten
      weeks the Navigator was working. A slight improvement in National Emergency
      Access Target compliance was shown, with an average of 4.5min per presentation
      saved. The labour cost associated with the time saved was estimated to be
      $170,000. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study indicate that for a relatively
      small investment, complementary nursing roles such as the navigator can impact
      emergency department patient flow. However, further studies are required to
      determine optimisation of the role. RELEVANCE TO PRACTICE: This study provides
      rigorous evidence of the effects of a nurse navigator role on emergency
      department throughput. Whilst positive outcomes were demonstrated, suggesting a
      whole-of-system benefit, the magnitude of effect on a per-presentation basis was
      relatively small. Further studies are required to demonstrate the clinical
      relevance of such roles.

PMID- 28624271
TI  - Coagulase-negative staphylococci species affect biofilm formation of other
      coagulase-negative and coagulase-positive staphylococci.
AB  - Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are considered to be commensal bacteria in
      humans and animals, but are now also recognized as etiological agents in several
      infections, including bovine mastitis. Biofilm formation appears to be an
      important factor in CNS pathogenicity. Furthermore, some researchers have
      proposed that CNS colonization of the intramammary environment has a protective
      effect against other pathogens. The mechanisms behind the protective effect of
      CNS have yet to be characterized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      effect of CNS isolates with a weak-biofilm phenotype on the biofilm formation of
      other staphylococcal isolates. We selected 10 CNS with a weak-biofilm phenotype
      and 30 staphylococcal isolates with a strong-biofilm phenotype for this study. We
      measured biofilm production by individual isolates using a standard polystyrene
      microtiter plate assay and compared the findings with biofilm produced in mixed
      cultures. We confirmed the results using confocal microscopy and a microfluidic
      system with low shear force. Four of the CNS isolates with a weak-biofilm
      phenotype (Staphylococcus chromogenes C and E and Staphylococcus simulans F and
      H) significantly reduced biofilm formation in approximately 80% of the
      staphylococcal species tested, including coagulase-positive Staphylococcus
      aureus. The 4 Staph. chromogenes and Staph. simulans isolates were also able to
      disperse pre-established biofilms, but to a lesser extent. We also performed a
      deferred antagonism assay and recorded the number of colony-forming units in the
      mixed-biofilm assays on differential or selective agar plates. Overall, CNS with
      a weak-biofilm phenotype did not inhibit the growth of isolates with a strong
      biofilm phenotype. These results suggest that some CNS isolates can negatively
      affect the ability of other staphylococcal isolates and species to form biofilms
      via a mechanism that does not involve growth inhibition.

PMID- 28624272
TI  - Effects of partial replacement of corn grain with lactose in calf starters on
      ruminal fermentation and growth performance.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of partial replacement of dry
      ground corn with lactose in calf starters on dry matter intake, growth rate,
      ruminal pH, and volatile fatty acid profile. Sixty Holstein bull calves were
      raised on a high plane of nutrition program until 55 d of age. Calves were fed
      texturized calf starters containing 30.1% steam-flaked grains and lactose at 0
      (control), 5, or 10% (n = 20 for each treatment) on a dry matter basis. All
      calves were fed treatment calf starters ad libitum from d 7 and kleingrass hay
      from d 35. Ruminal pH was measured continuously immediately after weaning (d 55
      62) for 15 calves (n = 5 per treatment), and 3 wk after weaning (d 77 to 80) for
      the other 45 calves (n = 15 per treatment). Dry matter intake, growth
      performance, and ruminal pH variables were not affected by treatment. However,
      according to Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs) analyses, lactose intake was
      positively correlated with dairy minimum ruminal pH (rs = 0.306) for the data
      collected from d 77 to 80. Similarly, hay intake was not affected by treatment,
      but positively correlated with daily mean (rs = 0.338) and maximum ruminal pH (rs
      = 0.408) and negatively correlated with duration pH <5.8 (rs = -0.329) and area
      pH <5.8 (rs = -0.325), indicating that the variation in hay intake among animals
      might have masked treatment effects on ruminal pH. Ruminal molar ratio of acetate
      was higher (45.2 vs. 40.6%), and that of propionate was lower in 10% lactose than
      control (35.3 vs. 40.2%) for ruminal fluid collected on d 80; however, molar
      ratio of butyrate was not affected by treatment. These results indicate that
      lactose inclusion in calf starters up to 10% of dry matter might not affect dry
      matter intake and growth performance of calves, but that greater lactose and hay
      intake might be associated with higher ruminal pH.

PMID- 28624273
TI  - Temporal and spatial water use on irrigated and nonirrigated pasture-based dairy
      farms.
AB  - Robust information for water use on pasture-based dairy farms is critical to
      farmers' attempts to use water more efficiently and the improved allocation of
      freshwater resources to dairy farmers. To quantify the water requirements of
      dairy farms across regions in a practicable manner, it will be necessary to
      develop predictive models. The objectives of this study were to compare water use
      on a group of irrigated and nonirrigated farms, validate existing water use
      models using the data measured on the group of nonirrigated farms, and modify the
      model so that it can be used to predict water use on irrigated dairy farms. Water
      use data were collected on a group of irrigated dairy farms located in the
      Canterbury, New Zealand, region with the largest area under irrigation. The
      nonirrigated farms were located in the Manawatu region. The amount of water used
      for irrigation was almost 52-fold greater than the amount of all other forms of
      water use combined. There were large differences in measured milking parlor water
      use, stock drinking water, and leakage rates between the irrigated and
      nonirrigated farms. As expected, stock drinking water was lower on irrigated
      dairy farms. Irrigation lowers the dry matter percentage of pasture, ensuring
      that the amount of water ingested from pasture remains high throughout the year,
      thereby reducing the demand for drinking water. Leakage rates were different
      between the 2 groups of farms; 47% of stock drinking water was lost as leakage on
      nonirrigated farms, whereas leakage on the irrigated farms equated to only 13% of
      stock drinking water. These differences in leakage were thought to be related to
      regional differences rather than differences in irrigated versus nonirrigated
      farms. Existing models developed to predict milking parlor, corrected stock
      drinking water, and total water use on nonirrigated pasture-based dairy farms in
      a previous related study were tested on the data measured in the present
      research. As expected, these models performed well for nonirrigated dairy farms
      but provided poor predictive power for irrigated farms. Partial least squares
      regression models were developed specifically to simulate corrected stock
      drinking water, milking parlor water, and total water use on irrigated dairy
      farms.

PMID- 28624274
TI  - Effect of nutritional immunomodulation and heat stress during the dry period on
      subsequent performance of cows.
AB  - Heat stress in dairy cows during the dry period impairs milk yield in the next
      lactation. Feeding OmniGen-AF (OG; Phibro Animal Health Corp., Teaneck, NJ) to
      lactating cows during heat stress may increase dry matter intake (DMI) and lowers
      respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT), but the effects in dry cows
      are not known. We hypothesized that OG supplementation before, during, and after
      the dry period (approximately 160 d total) would overcome the effects of heat
      stress and improve cow performance in the next lactation. Cows were randomly
      assigned to OG or control (placebo) treatments for the last 60 d in milk (DIM),
      based on mature-equivalent milk yield in the previous lactation. Cows were dried
      off 45 d before expected calving and randomly assigned to heat stress (HT) or
      cooling (CL) treatments. Thus, cows received dietary supplementation during late
      lactation before they were exposed to either CL or HT. After dry-off, treatment
      groups included heat stress with placebo (HT, only shade, 56 g/d of placebo, n =
      17), HT with OG supplementation (HTOG, 56 g/d of OG, n = 19), cooling with
      placebo (CL, shade, fans, and soakers, 56 g/d of placebo, n = 16), and CL with OG
      supplementation (CLOG, 56 g/d of OG, n = 11). After parturition, all cows were
      kept under the same CL system and management, and all cows continued to receive
      OG or control treatment until 60 DIM. Cooling cows during the dry period reduced
      afternoon RT (CL vs. HT; 38.9 +/- 0.05 vs. 39.3 +/- 0.05 degrees C) and RR (CL
      vs. HT; 45 +/- 1.6 vs. 77 +/- 1.6 breaths/min). Respiration rate was also
      decreased by OG supplementation under HT conditions (HTOG vs. HT; 69.7 +/- 1.6
      vs. 77.2 +/- 1.6 breaths/min). An interaction was observed between OG
      supplementation and HT; HTOG cows tended to have lower morning RT compared with
      HT cows. During the dry period, OG reduced DMI relative to control cows. Birth
      weight was greater in calves from CL cows (CL vs. HT; 40.6 +/- 1.09 vs. 38.7 +/-
      1.09 kg). No differences were detected among treatments in hematocrit, total
      protein, and body condition score. Cows offered CLOG, CL, and HTOG treatments had
      greater body weight during the dry period (794.9 +/- 17.9, 746.8 +/- 16.7, and
      762.9 +/- 14.9 kg, respectively) than HT cows (720 +/- 16.2 kg). Gestation length
      was approximately 4 d longer for CL cows compared with HT cows. Cows offered
      CLOG, CL, and HTOG treatments produced more milk (41.3 +/- 1.6, 40.7 +/- 1.6, and
      40.5 +/- 1.6 kg/d, respectively) than HT treatment (35.9 +/- 1.6 kg/d). Body
      weight after parturition and DMI were evaluated up to 60 DIM and averaged 661.5
      +/- 15.8 and 19.4 +/- 0.7 kg/d, respectively, with no differences observed among
      treatments. These results confirm that exposure of dry cows to heat stress
      negatively affects milk yield in the subsequent lactation. Active cooling of dry
      cows and OG supplementation can reduce the negative effects of heat stress in the
      dry period on subsequent performance.

PMID- 28624275
TI  - Nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group H member 2 (LXRB) is the predominant liver X
      receptor subtype regulating transcription of 2 major lipogenic genes in goat
      primary mammary epithelial cells.
AB  - In ruminants, recent research has identified a crucial role for liver X receptors
      (LXR) in regulating lipid metabolism in mammary cells. However, the differences
      between LXR subtypes in regulating ruminant lipid metabolism are unknown. We used
      overexpression and knockdown of LXRA and LXRB in goat primary mammary epithelial
      cells to distinguish subtype-specific regulation of sterol regulatory element
      binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) mRNA expression and
      their promoter activity. Incubation with siRNA targeting LXR decreased expression
      of LXRA and LXRB. Knockdown of LXRA and LXRB in cells incubated with dimethyl
      sulfoxide (DMSO, control) had no effect on the expression of SREBP1c or FASN.
      Knockdown of LXRB in cells incubated with LXR ligand T0901317 (T09) led to
      decreased expression of FASN, but not SREBP1c. Overexpression of LXRB plus T09
      dramatically upregulated SREBP1c and FASN to levels higher than overexpression of
      LXRA with T09. Luciferase reporter assays in cells with site-directed mutagenesis
      of LXR response elements (LXRE; LXRE1 from -286 to -251 bp or LXRE2 from -235 to 
      219 bp) revealed that the SREBP1c promoter with the wild type or either LXRE
      mutation in cells supplemented with T09 decreased markedly only when LXRB was
      knocked down. Knockdown of LXRA and LXRB had no effect on the SREBP1c promoter
      when cells had a double LXRE mutation. Overexpression of LXRA only in cells
      incubated with T09 increased the activity of the SREBP1c promoter with the wild
      type and the LXRE2 mutation. In contrast, compared with each control group,
      overexpression of LXRB dramatically increased SREBP1c promoter activity,
      regardless of LXRE mutation. Furthermore, in cells stimulated with T09, knockdown
      of either LXRA or LXRB did not alter wild-type FASN promoter activity. Knockdown
      of LXRA increased wild-type and LXRE-site-mutated (LXRE from -677 to -662 bp)
      FASN promoter activity. Overexpression of LXRB increased wild-type and LXRE-site
      mutated FASN promoter activity regardless of treatment with DMSO or T09, but
      overexpression of LXRA altered LXRE-site-mutated FASN promoter activity only in
      cells treated with DMSO. Increased activation of SREBP1c or FASN promoters
      containing LXRE mutations after overexpression of LXRB suggested that LXRB
      activates endogenous SREBP1c, which can then bind to the promoter of SREBP1c via
      an auto-loop circuit regulatory mechanism. Collectively, these results highlight
      an important role for LXRB in the transcriptional regulation of SREBP1c and FASN
      in goat mammary epithelial cells. Activation of this nuclear receptor controls
      lipogenesis via different mechanisms.

PMID- 28624276
TI  - Cow and environmental factors associated with protein fractions and free amino
      acids predicted using mid-infrared spectroscopy in bovine milk.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to identify the factors associated with
      both the protein composition and free amino acid (FAA) composition of bovine milk
      predicted using mid-infrared spectroscopy. Milk samples were available from 7
      research herds and 69 commercial herds. The spectral data from the research herds
      comprised 94,286 separate morning and evening milk samples; the spectral data
      from the commercial herds comprised 40,260 milk samples representing a composite
      sample of both the morning and evening milkings. Mid-infrared spectroscopy
      prediction models developed in a previous study were applied to all spectra.
      Factors associated with the predicted protein and FAA composition were quantified
      using linear mixed models. Factors considered in the model included the fixed
      effects of calendar month of the test, milking time (i.e., morning, evening, or
      both combined), parity (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and >=6), stage of lactation, the
      interaction between parity and stage of lactation, breed proportion of the cow
      (Friesian, Jersey, Norwegian Red, Montbeliarde, and other), and both the general
      heterosis and recombination coefficients of the cow. Contemporary group as well
      as both within- and across-lactation permanent environmental effects were
      included in all models as random effects. Total proteins (i.e., total casein, CN;
      total whey; and total beta-lactoglobulin) and protein fractions (with the
      exception of alpha-lactalbumin) decreased postcalving until 36 to 65 days in milk
      and increased thereafter. After adjusting the statistical model for differences
      in crude protein content and milk yield separately, irrespective of stage of
      lactation, younger animals produced more total proteins (i.e., total CN, total
      whey, and total beta-lactoglobulin) as well as more total FAA, Glu, and Asp than
      their older contemporaries. The concentration of all protein fractions (except
      beta-CN) in milk was greatest in the evening milk, even after adjusting for
      differences in the crude protein content of the milk. Relative to a purebred
      Holstein cow, Jersey cows, on average, produced a greater concentration of all CN
      fractions but less total FAA, Glu, Gly, Asp, and Val in milk. Relative to their
      respective purebred parental average, first-cross cows produced more total CN and
      more beta-CN. Results from the present study indicate that many cow-level
      factors, as well as other factors, are associated with protein composition and
      FAA composition of bovine milk.

PMID- 28624277
TI  - Technical note: At-line prediction of mineral composition of fresh cheeses using
      near-infrared technologies.
AB  - Milk and dairy products are important sources of macro- and trace elements for
      human health. However, fresh cheeses usually have a lower mineral content than
      other cheeses, and this makes mineral prediction more difficult. Although mineral
      prediction in several food matrices using infrared spectroscopy has been reported
      in the literature, very little information is available for cheeses. The present
      study was aimed at developing near-infrared reflectance (NIR, 866-2,530 nm) and
      transmittance (NIT, 850-1,050 nm) spectroscopy models to predict the major
      mineral content of fresh cheeses. We analyzed samples of mozzarella (n = 130) and
      Stracchino (n = 118) using reference methods and NIR and NIT spectroscopy. We
      developed prediction models using partial least squares regression analysis, and
      subjected them to cross- and external validation. Average Na content was 0.15 and
      0.22 g/100 g for mozzarella and Stracchino, respectively. The NIR and NIT
      spectroscopy performed similarly, with few exceptions. Nevertheless, none of the
      prediction models was accurate enough to replace the current reference analysis.
      The most accurate prediction model was for the Na content of mozzarella cheese
      using NIT spectroscopy (coefficient of determination of external validation =
      0.75). We obtained the same accuracy of prediction for P in Stracchino cheese
      with both NIR and NIT spectroscopy. Our results confirmed that mineral content is
      difficult to predict using NIT and NIR spectroscopy.

PMID- 28624278
TI  - Estimation of prevalence and incidence of subclinical mastitis in a large
      population of Brazilian dairy herds.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and incidence of
      subclinical mastitis (SM) in a large population of Brazilian dairy herds and to
      describe how these indices changed over time. A data set comprising individual
      cow somatic cell counts (SCC) from 18,316 test days (TD) of 1,809 herds that
      participated in a Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) program between
      January 2011 and May 2015 was available for analysis. Only tests that had >=10
      lactating cows and that were performed at 30 +/- 10-d intervals were used for
      analysis. The final data set included 8,285 TD from 517 herds located in 5
      regions of the country. Prevalence (%) of SM was defined as the number of cows
      with SCC >=200,000 cells/mL divided by the total number of tested cows on a given
      TD. The incidence of SM was defined as the number of cows whose SCC increased
      from <200,000 to >=200,000 cells/mL over 2 consecutive TD divided by the sum of
      each cow's days at risk during this interval, expressed as new cases per cow
      month at risk. Prevalence and incidence of SM were compared among years, regions,
      herd size categories, and frequency of DHIA testing during the study period. The
      overall mean prevalence and incidence of SM including all tests performed during
      the study period was 46.4% and 0.17 new cases per cow month at risk,
      respectively. The prevalence of SM varied little from 2011 to 2015, and an
      increasing trend was observed over the years. Prevalence was lower in herds that
      performed >=60 DHIA tests during the study period than in those that performed
      fewer tests and was not different among regions or herd size categories.
      Incidence of SM varied little over the years and was not different among the
      regions studied. Prevalence and incidence of SM in the 517 herds studied were
      high and did not improve over the years. These trends were observed across all
      herd size categories and regions studied. Producers who had more DHIA tests
      performed per herd during the study period had lower prevalence of SM. Results of
      this study highlight the need to establish large-scale milk quality programs in
      Brazil.

PMID- 28624279
TI  - The use of national-level data to describe trends in intramammary antimicrobial
      usage on Irish dairy farms from 2003 to 2015.
AB  - In this study, we used national-level data to describe trends in on-farm
      intramammary antimicrobial usage in Ireland from 2003 to 2015. We calculated
      actual sales of intramammary tubes and the quantity of active substance sold, by
      year, product type [lactation or dry cow therapy (DCT)], antimicrobial group,
      World Health Organization antimicrobial classification, and from 2009 to 2015,
      prescribing route. We also estimated on-farm usage of lactation and dry cow
      intramammary antimicrobials using defined daily dose (DDDvet) and defined course
      dose (DCDvet) calculations, and dry cow coverage. Sales of tubes of antimicrobial
      for DCT have increased, and the estimated national dry cow coverage in 2015 was
      1,022 DCDvet per 1,000 cows per year. An increase has also occurred in sales of
      teat sealant (2015 sales: 66.7 tubes with teat sealant for every 100 tubes with
      antimicrobial for DCT). In contrast, the number of tubes of antimicrobial sold
      for lactation use has decreased to 1,398 DDDvet and 466 DCDvet per 1,000 animals
      per year. Sales in intramammary tubes with at least one critically important
      antimicrobial (CIA) have either risen since 2007 (DCT) or fallen (lactation
      therapy). Increases were observed in both the number of dry cow and lactation
      tubes containing CIA considered of highest priority for human health. Differences
      between prescribing routes with respect to CIA usage were observed. This study
      provides detailed insight into on-farm usage of intramammary antimicrobials in
      Ireland. It demonstrates positive national progress but also highlights areas for
      review. In particular, blanket dry cow treatment in Ireland should be
      reconsidered. It is not possible to investigate farm-level variation in
      antimicrobial usage from national sales data. In several countries, measurement
      and benchmarking have been critical to progress in reducing antimicrobial usage
      in farm animal production. Central collation of data on farm-level antimicrobial
      use is also needed in Ireland to allow objective measurement and benchmarking of
      on-farm usage. More generally, standardized indicators to quantify antimicrobial
      usage in farm animals are urgently needed to allow country-level comparisons.

PMID- 28624280
TI  - Technical note: Evaluation of endogenous control gene expression in bovine
      neutrophils by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR using microfluidics gene
      expression arrays.
AB  - Reverse-transcription quantitative-PCR (RT-qPCR) is commonly used for assessing
      the cellular response to changes in physiologic and pathologic conditions. The
      selection of stable endogenous control genes is an important step of any RT-qPCR
      study, as expression can vary depending on the experimental environment. Our
      objective was to identify endogenous control genes in circulating neutrophils
      isolated from cows during the peripartum period. To do this, we used
      microfluidics gene expression arrays (Fluidigm, San Francisco, CA) for RT-qPCR
      analysis. Selection of the endogenous control genes was based on previous
      research investigating gene expression in neutrophils. The selected genes
      included ACTB, B2M, G6PD, GAPDH, GCH1, GOLGA5, OSBPL2, PGK1, RPL13A, RPL19, RPS9,
      SDHA, SMUG1, SNRPA, TBP, UXT, and YWHAZ. Four genes (GAPDH, GOLGA5, PGK1, and
      UXT) did not provide satisfactory quantification results using the selected
      method and were therefore excluded from the analyses. The suitability of the
      remaining 13 genes for use as endogenous control genes was assessed using geNorm
      and Normfinder. The gene pair with the greatest stability using geNorm was RPL13A
      and RPL19, whereas Normfinder ranked RPL19 and YWHAZ as the most stable pair. The
      2 genes deemed most suitable for the experimental design were RPL19 and YWHAZ,
      which were selected for subsequent gene expression analysis. This study
      highlights that genes used as endogenous controls for relative quantification
      should be assessed on an experimental basis, even if the genes have been used in
      previous research.

PMID- 28624281
TI  - Short communication: Genetic parameters for milk protein composition predicted
      using mid-infrared spectroscopy in the French Montbeliarde, Normande, and
      Holstein dairy cattle breeds.
AB  - Genetic parameters for the major milk proteins were estimated in the 3 main
      French dairy cattle breeds (i.e. Montbeliarde, Normande, and Holstein) as part of
      the PhenoFinlait program. The 6 major milk protein contents as well as the total
      protein content (PC) were estimated from mid-infrared spectrometry on 133,592
      test-day milk samples from 20,434 cows in first lactation. Lactation means,
      expressed as a percentage of milk (protein contents) or of protein (protein
      fractions), were analyzed with an animal mixed model including fixed
      environmental effects (herd, year * month of calving, and spectrometer) and a
      random genetic effect. Genetic parameter estimates were very consistent across
      breeds. Heritability estimates (h2) were generally higher for protein fractions
      than for protein contents. They were moderate to high for alphaS1-casein, alphaS2
      casein, beta-casein, kappa-casein, and alpha-lactalbumin (0.25 < h2 < 0.72). In
      each breed, beta-lactoglobulin was the most heritable trait (0.61 < h2 < 0.86).
      Genetic correlations (rg) varied depending on how the percentage was expressed.
      The PC was strongly positively correlated with protein contents but almost
      genetically independent from protein fractions. Protein fractions were generally
      in opposition, except between kappa-casein and alpha-lactalbumin (0.39 < rg <
      0.46) and kappa-casein and alphaS2-casein (0.36 < rg < 0.49). Between protein
      contents, rg estimates were positive, with highest values found between caseins
      (0.83 < rg < 0.98). In the 3 breeds, beta-lactoglobulin was negatively correlated
      with caseins (-0.75 < rg < -0.08), in particular with kappa-casein (-0.75 < rg < 
      0.55). These results, obtained from a large panel of cows of the 3 main French
      dairy cattle breeds, show that routinely collected mid-infrared spectra could be
      used to modify milk protein composition by selection.

PMID- 28624282
TI  - Effect of endoplasmic reticulum stress on metabolic and stress signaling and
      kidney-specific functions in Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells.
AB  - Recent studies demonstrated induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in
      tissues of cows after parturition, but knowledge about the effect of ER stress on
      important cellular processes, such as critical signaling and metabolic pathways,
      in cattle is scarce. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of
      ER stress induction on nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), nuclear factor E2
      related factor 2 (Nrf2), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBF1)
      pathway in Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells, a widely used in vitro model
      in ruminant research. To consider the kidney origin of MDBK cells, the effect on
      renal distal tubular cell-specific functions, such as transport processes and
      regulation of 1,25(OH)2D3 levels, was also studied. Treatment of MDBK cells with
      2 different ER stress inducers, thapsigargin (TG) and tunicamycin (TM), strongly
      induced ER stress as evident from induction of ER stress target genes, increased
      phosphorylation of PKR-like ER kinase, and enhanced splicing of X-box binding
      protein 1. The TM decreased the protein concentration of NF-kappaB p50 and the
      mRNA levels of the NF-kappaB target genes. Likewise, TG decreased the mRNA
      concentration of tumor necrosis factor and tended to decrease NF-kappaB p50
      protein and mRNA levels of NF-kappaB target genes. The mRNA levels of most of the
      Nrf2 target genes investigated were reduced by TG and TM in MDBK cells. Both ER
      stress inducers reduced the mRNA levels of SREBF1 and its target genes in MDBK
      cells. Interestingly, TG decreased, but TM increased the mRNA level of the Ca2+
      binding protein calbindin 1, whereas the mRNA level of the plasma membrane Ca2+
      transporting ATPase 1 remained unchained. The mRNA level of the cytochrome P450
      component 24A1 involved in 1alpha-hydroxylation of 25(OH)D3 was strongly
      elevated, whereas the mRNA level of the cytochrome P450 component 27A1 catalyzing
      the breakdown of 1,25(OH)2D3 was markedly reduced by both ER stress inducers. The
      concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3 in the supernatant of MDBK cells was increased by
      approximately 15% by both TG and TM. The present study indicates that under
      conditions of ER stress, critical signaling pathways, such as NF-kappaB, Nrf2,
      and SREBF1, are inhibited, whereas the formation of 1,25(OH)2D3 is stimulated in
      bovine MDBK cells. Future studies are necessary to clarify the physiological
      relevance of these findings.

PMID- 28624283
TI  - Effect of pasture versus indoor feeding systems on quality characteristics,
      nutritional composition, and sensory and volatile properties of full-fat Cheddar
      cheese.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pasture-based versus
      indoor total mixed ration (TMR) feeding systems on the chemical composition,
      quality characteristics, and sensory properties of full-fat Cheddar cheeses.
      Fifty-four multiparous and primiparous Friesian cows were divided into 3 groups
      (n = 18) for an entire lactation. Group 1 was housed indoors and fed a TMR diet
      of grass silage, maize silage, and concentrates; group 2 was maintained outdoors
      on perennial ryegrass only pasture (GRS); and group 3 was maintained outdoors on
      perennial ryegrass/white clover pasture (CLV). Full-fat Cheddar cheeses were
      manufactured in triplicate at pilot scale from each feeding system in September
      2015 and were examined over a 270-d ripening period at 8 degrees C. Pasture
      derived feeding systems were shown to produce Cheddar cheeses yellower in color
      than that of TMR, which was positively correlated with increased cheese beta
      carotene content. Feeding system had a significant effect on the fatty acid
      composition of the cheeses. The nutritional composition of Cheddar cheese was
      improved through pasture-based feeding systems, with significantly lower
      thrombogenicity index scores and a greater than 2-fold increase in the
      concentration of vaccenic acid and the bioactive conjugated linoleic acid C18:2
      cis-9,trans-11, whereas TMR-derived cheeses had significantly higher palmitic
      acid content. Fatty acid profiling of cheeses coupled with multivariate analysis
      showed clear separation of Cheddar cheeses derived from pasture-based diets (GRS
      or CLV) from that of a TMR system. Such alterations in the fatty acid profile
      resulted in pasture-derived cheeses having reduced hardness scores at room
      temperature. Feeding system and ripening time had a significant effect on the
      volatile profile of the Cheddar cheeses. Pasture-derived Cheddar cheeses had
      significantly higher concentrations of the hydrocarbon toluene, whereas TMR
      derived cheese had significantly higher concentration of 2,3-butanediol. Ripening
      period resulted in significant alterations to cheese volatile profiles, with
      increases in acid-, alcohol-, aldehyde-, ester-, and terpene-based volatile
      compounds. This study has demonstrated the benefits of pasture-derived feeding
      systems for production of Cheddar cheeses with enhanced nutritional and
      rheological quality compared with a TMR feeding system.

PMID- 28624284
TI  - Comparing the effect of homogenization and heat processing on the properties and
      in vitro digestion of milk from organic and conventional dairy herds.
AB  - We compared the effects of homogenization and heat processing on the chemical and
      in vitro digestion traits of milk from organic and conventional herds. Raw milk
      from organic (>50% of dry matter intake from pasture) and conventional (no access
      to pasture) farms were adjusted to commercial whole and nonfat milk fat
      standards, and processed with or without homogenization, and with high
      temperature-short-time or UHT pasteurization. The milk then underwent in vitro
      gastrointestinal digestion. Comparison of milk from organic and conventional
      herds showed that the milks responded to processing in similar ways. General
      composition was the same among the whole milk samples and among the nonfat milk
      samples. Protein profiles were similar, with intact caseins and whey proteins
      predominant and only minor amounts of peptides. Whole milk samples from grazing
      cows contained higher levels of alpha-linolenic (C18:3), vaccenic (C18:1 trans),
      and conjugated linoleic acids, and lower levels of palmitic (C16:0) and stearic
      (C18:0) acids than samples from nongrazing cows. Processing had no effect on
      conjugated linoleic acid and linolenic acid levels in milk, although
      homogenization resulted in higher levels of C8 to C14 saturated fatty acids. Of
      the 9 volatile compounds evaluated, milk from grazing cows contained lower levels
      of 2-butanone than milk from nongrazing cows, and milk from both farms showed
      spikes for heptanal in UHT samples and spikes for butanoic, octanoic, nonanoic,
      and N-decanoic acids in homogenized samples. At the start of in vitro digestion,
      nonfat raw and pasteurized milk samples formed the largest acid clots, and
      organic milk clots were larger than conventional milk clots; UHT whole milk
      formed the smallest clots. Milk digests from grazing cows had lower levels of
      free fatty acids than digests from nongrazing cows. In vitro proteolysis was
      similar in milk from both farms and resulted in 85 to 95% digestibility. Overall,
      milk from organic/grass-fed and conventional herds responded in similar ways to
      typical homogenization and heat processing used in United States dairy plants and
      showed only minor differences in chemical traits and in vitro digestion. Findings
      from this research enhance our knowledge of the effect of processing on the
      quality traits and digestibility of milk from organic/pasture-fed and confined
      conventional herds and will help health-conscious consumers make informed
      decisions about dairy selections.

PMID- 28624285
TI  - Short communication: beta-Lactam resistance and vancomycin heteroresistance in
      Staphylococcus spp. isolated from bovine subclinical mastitis.
AB  - The use of antimicrobial agents has led to the emergence of resistant bacterial
      strains over a relatively short period. Furthermore, Staphylococcus spp. can
      produce beta-lactamase, which explains the survival of these strains in a focus
      of infection despite the use of a beta-lactam antibiotic. The aim of this study
      was to evaluate the resistance of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from bovine
      subclinical mastitis to oxacillin and vancomycin (by minimum inhibitory
      concentration) and to detect vancomycin heteroresistance by a screening method.
      We also evaluated beta-lactamase production and resistance due to hyperproduction
      of this enzyme and investigated the mecA and mecC genes and performed
      staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing. For this purpose, 181
      Staphylococcus spp. isolated from mastitis subclinical bovine were analyzed.
      Using the phenotypic method, 33 (18.2%) of Staphylococcus spp. were resistant to
      oxacillin. In contrast, all isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, and
      heteroresistance was detected by the screening method in 13 isolates. Production
      of beta-lactamase was observed in 174 (96%) of the Staphylococcus spp. isolates.
      The mecA gene was detected in 8 isolates, all of them belonging to the species
      Staphylococcus epidermidis, and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing
      revealed the presence of type I and type IV isolates.

PMID- 28624286
TI  - Genomic evaluation of age at first calving.
AB  - From their time of birth until their first lactation, dairy heifers incur
      management, health, and feed expenses while not producing milk. Much effort has
      been made to estimate optimal ages of first calving (AFC) for cows to reduce
      these costs, which can be as high as $2.50 per day, and ensure that animals are
      productive earlier in life. To identify AFC for 3 dairy cattle breeds (Holstein,
      Jersey, and Brown Swiss) that maximizes production, we retrieved phenotypic
      records for more than 14 million cows calving between 1997 and 2015 from the US
      national dairy database. The mean AFC for Holstein and Jersey has decreased by
      2.4 and 2.7 mo, respectively, since 2006. When comparing the association of AFC
      with production and fertility traits, we found that decreased AFC was correlated
      with greater fertility and higher milk yield for all but the earliest group (18
      to 20 mo). We also identified an unfavorable correlation of lower AFC with
      increasing stillbirth rates in Holstein (0.047 least squares means compared with
      a baseline of 24 mo) and Brown Swiss (0.062 least squares means). Finally, we
      identified favorable genetic correlations of lower AFC with lifetime net merit,
      heifer conception rate, cow conception rate, and daughter pregnancy rate in
      Holstein and Jersey cattle, and favorable correlations for net merit and heifer
      conception rate in Brown Swiss. To maximize lifetime production and reduce the
      effects of AFC on stillbirth, the AFC that maximizes production for Holstein and
      Brown Swiss is 21 to 22 mo, and for Jersey it is 20 to 21 mo. However, the effect
      of AFC on stillbirth reduces the benefits of calving at very young ages.
      Calculated genomic predicted transmitting ability for AFC showed an improvement
      in reliability of 20 percentage points in genomic young bulls compared with
      parent averages in Holstein, suggesting that genomic testing can improve
      selection for this trait.

PMID- 28624287
TI  - Variants in the 3' untranslated region of the ovine acetyl-coenzyme A
      acyltransferase 2 gene are associated with dairy traits and exhibit differential
      allelic expression.
AB  - The acetyl-CoA acyltransferase 2 (ACAA2) gene encodes an enzyme of the thiolase
      family that is involved in mitochondrial fatty acid elongation and degradation by
      catalyzing the last step of the respective beta-oxidation pathway. The increased
      energy needs for gluconeogenesis and triglyceride synthesis during lactation are
      met primarily by increased fatty acid oxidation. Therefore, the ACAA2 enzyme
      plays an important role in the supply of energy and carbon substrates for
      lactation and may thus affect milk production traits. This study investigated the
      association of the ACAA2 gene with important sheep traits and the putative
      functional involvement of this gene in dairy traits. A single nucleotide
      substitution, a T to C transition located in the 3' untranslated region of the
      ACAA2 gene, was used in mixed model association analysis with milk yield, milk
      protein yield and percentage, milk fat yield and percentage, and litter size at
      birth. The single nucleotide polymorphism was significantly associated with total
      lactation production and milk protein percentage, with respective additive
      effects of 6.81 +/- 2.95 kg and -0.05 +/- 0.02%. Additionally, a significant
      dominance effect of 0.46 +/- 0.21 kg was detected for milk fat yield. Homozygous
      TT and heterozygous CT animals exhibited higher milk yield compared with
      homozygous CC animals, whereas the latter exhibited increased milk protein
      percentage. Expression analysis from age-, lactation-, and parity-matched female
      sheep showed that mRNA expression of the ACAA2 gene from TT animals was 2.8- and
      11.8-fold higher in liver and mammary gland, respectively. In addition, by
      developing an allelic expression imbalance assay, it was estimated that the T
      allele was expressed at an average of 18% more compared with the C allele in the
      udder of randomly selected ewes. We demonstrated for the first time that the
      variants in the 3' untranslated region of the ovine ACAA2 gene are differentially
      expressed in homozygous ewes of each allele and exhibit allelic expression
      imbalance within heterozygotes in a tissue-specific manner, supporting the
      existence of cis-regulatory DNA variation in the ovine ACAA2 gene. This is the
      first study reporting differential allelic imbalance expression of a candidate
      gene associated with milk production traits in dairy sheep.

PMID- 28624288
TI  - Short communication: Behavioral evaluation of the analgesic effect of flunixin
      meglumine in lame dairy cows.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of flunixin meglumine
      treatment on lameness pain in dairy cows. Twenty-four lactating Holstein cows
      were enrolled in the study based on visual observation of abnormal locomotion.
      The primary measurement endpoint was weight-shifting between the rear limbs.
      Weight-shifting was calculated as the standard deviation of the weight borne on
      the rear limbs over a 15 min period; this value correlates directly with lameness
      pain in dairy cows. After collecting baseline weight-bearing data, we randomly
      assigned cows to 1 of 2 treatment groups: 2.2 mg/kg body weight flunixin
      meglumine (2 mL/45 kg) or an equivalent volume of isotonic sterile saline
      solution. Weight-bearing data were collected from each cow at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h
      after a single intravenous drug treatment. Mean locomotion scores over the 2 d
      before treatment were 2.38/5 in the flunixin-treated group and 2.43/5 in the
      saline-treated control group; these values were not significantly different.
      Weight-shifting values were also not significantly different on either
      pretreatment day. Cows treated with flunixin meglumine showed significantly less
      weight-shifting between the rear limbs at 6, 12, and 24 h after treatment
      compared with saline-treated controls, providing evidence that flunixin meglumine
      alleviates lameness-associated pain.

PMID- 28624289
TI  - The effect of child, family and environmental factors on the participation of
      young children with disabilities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While participation is essential to a child's health and well-being,
      little is known about participation patterns of young children with disabilities.
      OBJECTIVE: This study described the participation of children with disabilities
      under age 6, and examined the extent to which the child's factors (i.e., age,
      complexity of child's condition), family factors (i.e., general family
      functioning, income) and environmental factors (i.e., environmental helpfulness)
      affect participation dimensions (frequency, involvement, desire for change) in
      three different settings: home, daycare/preschool and community. METHODS: Cross
      sectional design was employed. Parents (n = 90) of children aged 1.4-6 years old
      (mean = 4.15, SD = 1.03) with disabilities completed the French Young Children's
      Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM) and Family Assessment Device.
      Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were performed to describe
      participation patterns and identify the significant explanatory factors in each
      setting. RESULTS: Participation restriction, based on frequency of activities,
      was primarily observed in the community setting. Environmental helpfulness
      (resources, supports) consistently explained participation levels for at least
      one of the dimensions across all settings, whereas contribution of the child's
      factors was less evident. Family functioning had a significant effect when
      examining participation involvement in the community and desire for change in the
      home setting and, in combination with environmental helpfulness, explained 18%
      and 21% of the variance respectively. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the role
      of the environment in supporting participation of young children with
      disabilities. Findings can re-direct practitioners' attention towards modifying
      the environment as a primary target of intervention aimed at promoting health
      through participation.

PMID- 28624290
TI  - Feasibility of reducing differences in estimated doses in nuclear medicine
      between a patient-specific and a reference phantom.
AB  - The feasibility of reducing the differences between patient-specific internal
      doses and doses estimated using reference phantoms was evaluated. Relatively
      simple adjustments to a polygon-surface ICRP adult male reference phantom were
      applied to fit selected individual dimensions using the software
      Rhinoceros(r)4.0. We tested this approach on two patient-specific phantoms: the
      biggest and the smallest phantoms from the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen library.
      These phantoms have unrelated anatomy and large differences in body-mass-index.
      Three models approximating each patient's anatomy were considered: the voxel and
      the polygon-surface ICRP adult male reference phantoms and the adjusted polygon
      surface reference phantom. The Specific Absorbed Fractions (SAFs) for internal
      photon and electron sources were calculated with the Monte Carlo code EGSnrc.
      Employing the time-integrated activity coefficients of a radiopharmaceutical (S)
      4-(3-18F-fluoropropyl)-l-glutamic acid and the calculated SAFs, organ absorbed
      dose coefficients were computed following the formalism promulgated by the
      Committee on Medical Internal Radiation Dose. We compared the absorbed-dose
      coefficients between each patient-specific phantom and other models considered
      with emphasis on the cross-fire component. The corresponding differences for most
      organs were notably lower for the adjusted reference models compared to the case
      when reference models were employed. Overall, the proposed approach provided
      reliable dose estimates for both tested patient-specific models despite the
      pronounced differences in their anatomy. To capture the full range of inter
      individual anatomic variability more patient-specific phantoms are required. The
      results of this test study suggest a feasibility of estimating patient-specific
      doses within a relative uncertainty of 25% or less using adjusted reference
      models, when only simple phantom scaling is applied.

PMID- 28624291
TI  - Vascular lysyl oxidase over-expression alters extracellular matrix structure and
      induces oxidative stress.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Lysyl oxidase (LOX) participates in the assembly of collagen and
      elastin fibres. The impact of vascular LOX over-expression on extracellular
      matrix (ECM) structure and its contribution to oxidative stress has been
      analysed. METHODS: Studies were conducted on mice over-expressing LOX (Tg),
      specifically in smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Gene expression was assessed by real
      time PCR analysis. Sirius Red staining, H2O2 production and NADPH oxidase
      activity were analysed in different vascular beds. The size and number of
      fenestra of the internal elastic lamina were determined by confocal microscopy.
      RESULTS: LOX activity was up-regulated in VSMC of transgenic mice compared with
      cells from control animals. At the same time, transgenic cells deposited more
      organised elastin fibres and their supernatants induced a stronger collagen
      assembly in in vitro assays. Vascular collagen cross-linking was also higher in
      Tg mice, which showed a decrease in the size of fenestrae and an enhanced
      expression of Fibulin-5. Interestingly, higher H2O2 production and NADPH oxidase
      activity was detected in the vascular wall from transgenic mice. The H2O2
      scavenger catalase attenuated the stronger deposition of mature elastin fibres
      induced by LOX transgenesis. CONCLUSIONS: LOX over-expression in VSMC was
      associated with a change in the structure of collagen and elastin fibres. LOX
      could constitute a novel source of oxidative stress that might participate in
      elastin changes and contribute to vascular remodelling.

PMID- 28624293
TI  - Soft tissue sarcomas of the forearm, wrist and hand.
AB  - Soft tissue sarcoma of the forearm, wrist and hand are rare. Their benign
      appearance leads often to primary inadequate treatment. Due to the complex
      anatomy of the hand and forearm, they are challenging to treat. The two goals are
      to obtain wide resection of the primary tumor while preserving function. Limb
      sparing surgery is now the cornerstone for the treatment of most sarcomas of the
      forearm, hand and wrist. To achieve optimal oncological and functional outcomes,
      the surgical excision should be associated with early reconstructive procedures
      and a multidisciplinary meeting to define the treatment strategy including
      adjuvant medical treatments. This article outlines the current principles and
      presents the results of the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas with emphasis on to
      particularities related to their forearm, wrist and hand location.

PMID- 28624292
TI  - The use of non-prescription medicines during lactation: A qualitative study of
      community pharmacists' attitudes and perspectives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Community pharmacists play a significant role in the provision of non
      prescription medicines. There is evidence that women self-medicate and use non
      prescription medicines whilst breastfeeding. Studies have demonstrated that
      breastfeeding women are likely to seek advice from pharmacists, presenting a
      unique opportunity for pharmacists to provide on-going support of these women
      especially in relation to the appropriate use of non-prescription medicines.
      OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore community pharmacists' attitudes and
      perspectives towards the use of non-prescription medicines during breastfeeding.
      METHODS: This exploratory study was conducted through semi-structured interviews
      with 30 community pharmacists in Western Australia, between July and September
      2013. Transcribed data were analysed using descriptive and qualitative
      approaches. NVivo(r) Version 10.0 was used to organise qualitative data and
      quotations to facilitate thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged.
      Despite the positive attitudes and favourable perceived knowledge level,
      participants often found themselves in a dilemma when required to make clinical
      recommendations especially in situations where there was a therapeutic need for
      treatment but clear guidelines or evidence to suggest safety of the medicines or
      treatment in lactation was absent. Despite the popularity of complementary
      medicines, participants felt more confident in providing advice in relation to
      conventional over complementary medicines. Whilst medication safety is within the
      field of expertise of pharmacists, the absence of information and safety data was
      seen as a major challenge and barrier to enable pharmacists to confidently
      provide evidence-based recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: This study has enhanced our
      understanding of the attitudes and perspectives of community pharmacists towards
      the use of non-prescription, including complementary medicines, during
      breastfeeding. Future studies are warranted to confirm the safety of commonly
      used or requested medicines in breastfeeding. University training and continuing
      education for pharmacists should include the latest information available
      regarding the use of both conventional and complementary medicines throughout
      lactation.

PMID- 28624294
TI  - Decision aids for patients considering total joint replacement: a cost
      effectiveness analysis alongside a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Shared decision-making (SDM) is a key priority to improve patient
      centred care, and can play an important role in helping patients decide whether
      to undergo total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Patient decision aids can support SDM;
      however, they may incur an upfront cost. We aimed to estimate the health and
      economic effects of patient decision aids for TJA. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness
      analysis of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 2-year follow-up. 343
      patients were recruited from two orthopedic screening clinics in Ottawa, Canada.
      Patients were randomized to either a patient decision aid plus surgeon preference
      report (decision aid) or usual care. Primary outcomes were costs (in 2014 CAD$),
      quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio
      (ICER). Costs were calculated by multiplying self-reported resource use by unit
      costs. QALYs were calculated by mapping the Western Ontario and McMaster
      Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) to EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) health
      utilities. Costs and QALYs were discounted at 5%. Multiple imputation was used to
      handle missing data, and bootstrapping was used to estimate uncertainty. RESULTS:
      The sample comprised 167 intervention and 167 control group patients. The
      decision aid arm had fewer surgeries over the 2-year period thereby incurring a
      negative incremental cost of -$560 (95% CI: -$1358 to $426) per patient while
      providing 0.05 (95% CI: -0.04 to 0.13) additional QALYs per patient.
      Consequently, the decision aid arm was dominant. CONCLUSION: The use of a patient
      decision aid was associated with fewer health care costs, while producing similar
      health outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CT00911638
      (clinicaltrials.gov).

PMID- 28624295
TI  - Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in intestine mucosal scrapings and
      fecal samples of Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus).
AB  - Sarcocystis spp. are obligatory intracellular protozoan parasites which can
      infect humans and animals. Most of Sarcocystis species were identified based on
      the detection of muscle cysts in different intermediate hosts (IH). Regarding to
      natural infection in definitive host, there are few reports which have reached to
      determining species of Sarcocystis. The present work was aimed to studying the
      occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. (oocysts and sporocysts) in mucosal scrapings of
      small intestine and fecal samples of one the most abundant wild canids from South
      America, Lycalopex gymnocercus (Pampas fox), and to identify the Sarcocystis spp.
      using molecular tools. A total of 131 free-living L. gymnocercus were sampled in
      rural areas located in several departments from Buenos Aires province, Argentina.
      Fecal samples from all the animals and 33 small intestines were analyzed. Fecal
      and mucosal scrapings samples were analyzed by sugar flotation method and once
      oocysts or sporocysts were detected, sedimentation was performed and DNA
      extracted with a commercial kit. A PCR was conducted using primers targeting a
      fragment of the 18S rRNA gene and the amplicons were purified and sequenced. Of
      the total Pampas foxes analyzed, 23 (17.6%) had Sarcocystis spp.
      oocysts/sporocysts in fecal and/or mucosal samples. Sarcocystis spp. sporocysts
      were detected in 13.0% (17/131) of fecal samples and in 39.4% (13/33) of mucosal
      samples by the initial sugar flotation. Twenty one L. gymnocercus samples were
      processed by DNA extraction and PCR. Molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp.
      infection was successfully achieved in 14 foxes and was distributed as follows:
      4.6% S. cruzi (6/131), 3.8% Sarcocystis spp. using birds as IH (S. albifronsi and
      S. anasi among others, 5/131), 0.8% S. tenella (1/131) and 1.5% (2/131) with low
      homology (97%) with S. miescheriana. In one fecal sample with spherical oocysts,
      the sequencing results showed a 100% sequence identity with Hammondia heydorni.
      The results show that the mucosal scrapings are the eligible sample to identify
      prevalence and to proceed with species identification. Lycalopex gymnocercus is
      suggested as definitive host for S. cruzi, S. tenella and probably various
      Sarcocystis spp. using birds as intermediate hosts as well as for H. heydorni.

PMID- 28624297
TI  - Aptasensors for quantitative detection of Salmonella Typhimurium.
AB  - Salmonella is one of the most frequent causes of food borne infectious disease.
      Among nearly 2500 documented serotypes are reported, Salmonella Typhimurium is
      the number one serotype associated with salmonellosis worldwide. Many different
      methods have been developed for the detection and quantification of S.
      typhimurium. Most of these assays are usually expensive, time consuming and
      require difficult sample preparation steps. Therefore, it is necessary to develop
      rapid, robust, cost-effective and sensitive alternative detection methods. In the
      last years, aptasensors, used for detection of S. typhimurium in different
      samples. In this review, recent advances and applications of aptasensors for the
      detection and quantification of S. typhimurium in details have been summarized.

PMID- 28624296
TI  - A refined DNA methylation detection method using MspJI coupled quantitative PCR.
AB  - DNA methylation is a highly conserved epigenetic modification with critical roles
      ranging from protection against phage infection in bacteria to the regulation of
      gene expression in mammals. DNA methylation at specific sequences can be measured
      by using methylation dependent or sensitive restriction enzymes coupled to semi-
      or quantitative PCR (MD-qPCR). This study reports a refined MD-qPCR method for
      detecting gain or loss of DNA methylation at specific sites through the specific
      use of MspJI or HpaII, respectively. By employing varying concentrations of DNA
      with methylation ranging from 0 to 100%, our data provide evidence that compared
      to HpaII, MspJI increases the sensitivity and accuracy of detecting relative DNA
      methylation gains by MD-qPCR. We also show that the MspJI-coupled MD-qPCR can
      accurately determine the percent gain in DNA methylation at the Sall4 enhancer
      and is more sensitive than HpaII in detecting relative gains in DNA methylation
      at the Oct4 proximal enhancer during embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation.
      The high specificity and sensitivity of this targeted approach increases its
      potential as a diagnostic tool to detect relatively smaller gains in DNA
      methylation at specific sites from limited amounts of sample.

PMID- 28624298
TI  - Processes and experiences of Portugal's international recruitment scheme of
      Colombian physicians: Did it work?
AB  - The Portuguese Ministry of Health performed five international recruitment rounds
      of Latin American physicians due to the need for physicians in certain geographic
      areas of the country and in some specialties, as a temporary solution to
      shortages. Among these recruitments is that of Colombian physicians in 2011 that
      was the largest of the five groups. This paper presents an evaluation of the
      international recruitment procedure of Colombian physicians based on the criteria
      of procedural outcomes and health system outcomes. The methodology used is
      qualitative, based on semi-structured interviews with key informants and
      Colombian physicians recruited in Portugal and also on documentary analysis of
      secondary sources. International recruitment of Colombian physicians coincided
      with a period of political change and severe economic crisis in Portugal that
      caused some problems in the course of this recruitment, mainly family
      reunification in the later group of Colombian physicians and non-compliance of
      the salary originally agreed upon. Furthermore, due to the continuous
      resignations of Colombian physicians throughout the 3-year contract, procedural
      outcomes and health system outcomes of this international recruitment were not
      fulfilled and therefore the expected results to meet the temporary needs for
      medical personnel in some areas of the country were not accomplished.

PMID- 28624299
TI  - Systemic large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma presenting as a massive hemorrhagic
      intracerebral mass.

PMID- 28624300
TI  - Evaluating current and recent fellows' perceptions on the interventional
      radiology residency: Results of a United States survey.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate current and recent interventional radiology (IR) fellows'
      perceptions on the new integrated IR residency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An
      anonymous, web-based survey was distributed to 82 current and recent IR fellows
      across the Unites States. The survey contained 15 questions, most of which were
      based on a five-point Likert scale. The survey was open for a three-week period
      in September 2015. The results were analyzed by two trainees and three IR
      attending physicians. RESULTS: Sixty-four current or recent former IR fellows
      completed the survey (response rate 78%). Of these 18% decided to pursue a career
      in IR by the end of their third year of medical school. A majority believed that
      the integrated IR residency will be an improved IR training pathway (62%). Based
      on current medical school curricula, 74% either disagreed or strongly disagreed
      that IR residency applicants will be ready to select such a pathway by the end of
      their third year of medical school. CONCLUSIONS: Most current and recent IR
      fellows surveyed chose IR during their final year of medical school or during
      residency. Most respondents believe that the integrated IR residency will be an
      improved IR training pathway.

PMID- 28624301
TI  - Ultrasound Elastography With Imaging: Overcoming Emerging Technology
      Reimbursement Challenges.

PMID- 28624302
TI  - Implementation of Machine-Based Protocols to Standardize Performance of
      Diagnostic Ultrasound in a Six-Hospital System.

PMID- 28624303
TI  - The Importance of Brand Name.

PMID- 28624304
TI  - The $100,000 vaccine challenge: Another method of promoting anti-vaccination
      pseudoscience.

PMID- 28624305
TI  - Durability of immunogenicity and strain coverage of MenBvac, a meningococcal
      vaccine based on outer membrane vesicles: Lessons of the Normandy campaign.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: MenBvac(r) is an outer membrane vesicle (OMV)-based meningococcal
      vaccine. From 2006 to 2012, it was used to control a clonal B outbreak in
      Normandy (France). We aimed to analyse the durability of the response against the
      epidemic strain and coverage beyond the vaccine strain. These data should help to
      optimize the use of OMV-containing vaccines, such as the new 4CMenB/Bexsero(r)
      recombinant vaccine. METHODS: Serum bactericidal activity (SBA) was measured in
      two cohorts of children who received their first dose of MenBvac(r) at 1-5years
      of age and accepted to provide a blood sample either one or four years after a
      2+1+1 schedule. All sera were tested against the outbreak strain. Sera from
      responder subjects were also tested against 12 additional B or C strains which
      were chosen to entirely, partially, or not at all match the two variable regions
      (VR1 and VR2) of the PorA vaccine strain. RESULTS: Only 47.9% and 31.3% of
      subjects showed an SBA titre consistent with protection one and four years,
      respectively, after the last boost. Protective SBA titres were observed in all
      sera against B or C strains that entirely matched P1.7,16, and was high (75-100%)
      for all but one strain that partially matched VR1 or VR2. Extrapolating our data
      to the OMV component of 4CMenB/Bexsero(r) suggests that 14.5% of the current B
      strains would be covered based on PorA matching to the OMV component of
      4CMenB/Bexsero(r) (regardless of the coverage of the three other vaccine
      components). CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm that OMV-based vaccines elicit short
      lasting SBA titres and may require repeated booster injections. However, strain
      coverage may be greater than expected.

PMID- 28624306
TI  - Preclinical assessment of safety of maternal vaccination against respiratory
      syncytial virus (RSV) in cotton rats.
AB  - Maternal immunization directed to control RSV infection in newborns and infants
      is an appealing vaccination strategy currently under development. In this work we
      have modeled maternal vaccination against RSV in cotton rats (CR) to answer two
      fundamental questions on maternal vaccine safety. We tested (i), whether a known,
      unsafe RSV vaccine (i.e., FI-RSV Lot 100 vaccine) induces vaccine enhanced
      disease in the presence of passively transferred, RSV maternal immunity, and (ii)
      whether the same FI-RSV vaccine could induce vaccine enhanced disease in CR
      litters when used to immunize their RSV-primed mothers. Our data show that FI-RSV
      immunization of pups with subsequent RSV infection results in vaccine-enhanced
      disease independent of whether the pups were born to RSV-seropositive or RSV
      seronegative mothers, and that FI-RSV immunization of RSV-seropositive mothers
      does not present a health risk to either the mother or the infant. Our study also
      raises a novel concern regarding infant immunization, namely that "safe" RSV
      vaccines (e.g., live RSV administered intramuscularly) may induce vaccine
      enhanced disease in RSV-infected pups born to seropositive mothers. Finally, we
      describe for the first time a sharp decrease in RSV neutralizing antibody titers
      in immunized seropositive CR at the time of delivery. This decline may reflect
      maternal immune suppression, potentially pinpointing a window of increased
      vulnerability to RSV infection that could be alleviated by effective immunization
      of expectant mothers.

PMID- 28624308
TI  - Efficient heterologous expression, functional characterization and molecular
      modeling of annular seabream digestive phospholipase A2.
AB  - Here we report the cDNA cloning of a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from five Sparidae
      species. The deduced amino acid sequences show high similarity with pancreatic
      PLA2. In addition, a phylogenetic tree derived from alignment of various
      available sequences revealed that Sparidae PLA2 are closer to avian PLA2 group IB
      than to mammals' ones. In order to understand the structure-function
      relationships of these enzymes, we report here the recombinant expression in
      E.coli, the refolding and characterization of His-tagged annular seabream PLA2
      (AsPLA2). A single Ni-affinity chromatography step was used to obtain a highly
      purified recombinant AsPLA2 with a molecular mass of 15kDa as attested by gel
      electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry data. The enzyme has a specific
      activity of 400U.mg-1 measured on phosphatidylcholine at pH 8.5 and 50 degrees C.
      The enzyme high thermo-activity and thermo-stability make it a potential
      candidate in various biological applications. The 3D structure models of these
      enzymes were compared with structures of phylogenetically related pancreatic
      PLA2. By following these models and utilizing molecular dynamics simulations, the
      resistance of the AsPLA2 at high temperatures was explained. Using the
      monomolecular film technique, AsPLA2 was found to be active on various
      phospholipids spread at the air/water interface at a surface pressure between 12
      and 25dyncm-1. Interestingly, this enzyme was shown to be mostly active on
      dilauroyl-phosphatidylglycerol monolayers and this behavior was confirmed by
      molecular docking and dynamics simulations analysis. The discovery of a thermo
      active new member of Sparidae PLA2, provides new insights on structure-activity
      relationships of fish PLA2.

PMID- 28624309
TI  - Letter to the editor re: "Glasgow prognostic score is a prognosis predictor for
      patients with endometrial cancer" [M. Saijo et al./European Journal of Obstetrics
      & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 210 (2017) 355-359].

PMID- 28624307
TI  - Safety and immune response to a challenge dose of hepatitis B vaccine in healthy
      children primed 10years earlier with hexavalent vaccines in a 3, 5, 11-month
      schedule: An open-label, controlled, multicentre trial in Italy.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The strategy of vaccinating infants to prevent hepatitis B
      virus infection in adolescence or adulthood requires durable immunity. This study
      investigated responses to a challenge dose of monovalent hepatitis B vaccine in
      children primed with three doses of either Hexavac(r) or Infanrix hexa(r) 10years
      earlier during infancy. METHODS: This open-label, controlled, multicentre study
      conducted in Italy, enrolled 751 healthy pre-adolescents (aged 11-13years) who
      were given either Hexavac (n=409) or Infanrix hexa (n=342) at 3, 5 and 11months
      of life. All participants received a challenge dose of a monovalent hepatitis B
      vaccine (HBVaxPro(r) 5ug). The concentrations of antibodies to hepatitis B
      surface antigen (anti-HBs) were measured before and 1month after the challenge
      dose. The analysis was descriptive and no formal hypothesis was tested. RESULTS:
      One month post-challenge, 331 participants in the Hexavac cohort [83.6%, 95% CI:
      79.6; 87.1] and 324 in the Infanrix hexa cohort [96.4%, 95% CI: 93.8; 98.1] had
      anti-HBs concentrations >=10mIU/mL. Before the challenge dose, an anti-HBs
      concentration of >=10mIU/mL was found in 94 children in the Hexavac cohort
      [23.9%, 95% CI: 19.7; 28.4] and in 232 children in the Infanrix hexa cohort [69%,
      95% CI: 63.8; 74.0]. Among children with a pre-challenge anti-HBs concentration
      of <10mIU/mL, 236 [78.7%, 95% CI: 73.6; 83.2] in the Hexavac cohort and 92
      [88.5%, 95% CI: 80.7; 93.9] in the Infanrix hexa cohort achieved protective anti
      HBs antibody concentrations. No evidence of active hepatitis B disease was
      observed in either group, and the HBVaxPro challenge dose was well tolerated.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm that immune memory persists in a high percentage
      of children (>80%) at least 10years after a two-dose primary and booster
      vaccination schedule with a hexavalent vaccine (Hexavac or Infanrix hexa). TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: EudraCT Number: 2013-001602-28; clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02012998.

PMID- 28624310
TI  - Novel ultrasound finding of a fetus with Hirschsprung's disease: A caliber change
      sign.

PMID- 28624311
TI  - Stroke after pregnancy disorders.

PMID- 28624312
TI  - Non-lens-based surgical techniques for presbyopia correction.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Presbyopia is the most prevalent refractive error. With a
      progressive aging population, its surgical correction is an important challenge
      for the ophthalmology community, as well as the millions of patients who suffer
      from it, and who are increasingly demanding alternatives to its correction with
      glasses or contact lenses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A review is presented with a
      synthesised discussion on the pathophysiological theories of presbyopia and an
      updated and analytical description of the non-lens involvement surgical
      techniques used to treat presbyopia. RESULTS: Corneal procedures include various
      types of corneal implants and photo-ablative techniques that generate a
      multifocal cornea, or monovision. Scleral procedures exert a traction on
      supralenticular sclera that supposedly would improve the amplitude of
      accommodation. CONCLUSIONS: None of the techniques are able to completely
      eliminate the need for near -vision glasses, but many of them manage to improve
      the refractive status of the patients. More studies with rigorous and
      standardised methods and longer follow-up are needed to evaluate the changes in
      the near vision of the patients, in order to corroborate the real and practical
      usefulness of many of these techniques.

PMID- 28624313
TI  - Eplerenone, a new treatment for an old problem: Retinitis pigmentosa with
      recalcitrant macular edema.
AB  - CASE REPORT: The case involves a 35-year-old man, with a history of retinitis
      pigmentosa, who presented with a bilateral cystoid macular oedema associated with
      bilateral epiretinal membrane, which was resistant to treatment with oral
      acetazolamide and intravitreal bevacizumab. The treatment with oral eplerenone
      was able to improve the visual acuity and macular thickness of this patient.
      DISCUSSION: A variety of treatments have been proposed for the management of
      cystoid macular oedema, associated with retinitis pigmentosa, with variable
      results. The treatment with oral eplerenone might be a good option for the
      control of this condition.

PMID- 28624314
TI  - Anatomical and refractive outcomes in patients with treated retinopathy of
      prematurity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the anatomical and refractive outcomes after treatment
      with intravitreal bevacizumab or laser in a patient cohort with retinopathy of
      prematurity (ROP). METHODS: A multicentre, prospective, and observational study
      was performed on patients with ROP treated at Hospital Roberto del Rio. Those
      patients with less than 6months of follow-up were excluded. Cases with posterior
      zone II, zone I ROP, and aggressive posterior ROP (AP-ROP) were treated with
      intravitreal bevacizumab. All other patients were treated with laser. Follow-up
      was performed every 3 months, and included fondo evaluation, refraction, and
      Teller tests. RESULTS: The treated group included 144 eyes of 72 patients, of
      whom 49 were treated with laser and 23 with intravitreal bevacizumab. One (1.4%)
      patient from the laser group progressed to stage 4b retinal detachment and
      required bilateral vitrectomy. Of the remainder, 45 cases had type 1 ROP, 16 had
      threshold disease, and 11 had AP-ROP. The median of gestational age was 26 weeks
      (range 23-30), and median of birth weight was 800g (range 405-1350). Median
      follow-up was 10 months (range 6-8). The Teller test median was 3.2 cycles/cm
      (range 0.32-13). There were 16 (22%) cases with a myopic refraction of -6 D or
      more. The sphere median was -1.75 D (range -16.00 to +3.50 D) and the cylindrical
      median was 0.00 (range -4.5 to +1.5 D). Anatomical success was achieved in 71
      (98.6%) of patients. CONCLUSION: Treatment with laser or intravitreal bevacizumab
      is a highly successful primary treatment for ROP. Anatomical success can be
      achieved in most cases. Treated patients develop frequent and severe refractive
      defects, which should be corrected. Vision outcome, measured using the Teller
      preferential test, shows good results.

PMID- 28624315
TI  - Coexisting Vocal Fold Polyps and Sulcus Vocalis: Coincidence or Coexistence?
      Characteristics of 14 Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The study aimed (1) to evaluate the prevalence of sulcus vocalis (SV)
      coexisting with vocal fold polyp (SV-VFP), and (2) to determine the effect of
      their coexistence on voice quality. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort
      study in a tertiary referral center. METHODS: The medical records of all patients
      who underwent micro direct laryngoscopy due to VFPs between January 2013 and
      April 2015 were reviewed. Patients with SV-VFP were identified and data of their
      demographics, medical history, habits, preoperative and intraoperative laryngeal
      findings, and pre- and postoperative GRBAS (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness,
      Asthenia, Strain) score, and compared with the data of patients with solitary
      VFPs (S-VFPs). RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were diagnosed with VFPs, 14 (15.7%)
      of whom were diagnosed with SV-VFPs. Patients with SV-VFPs had significantly
      lower incidence of concurrent leukoplakia (P = 0.01), higher incidence of
      contralateral vocal fold lesions (P = 0.04), increased voice roughness score
      postoperatively (P = 0.01) on the GRBAS score, and had a lower rate of cigarette
      smoking (P = 0.02) compared with patients with S-VFPs. CONCLUSIONS: The
      possibility of a hidden SV should be considered when detecting VFPs, particularly
      in patients with contralateral vocal fold lesions and without cigarette smoking
      history. Because the group of patients with SV-VFP presented with unique
      features, we suspect that the coexistence of VFPs and SVs is not incidental and
      that SVs may contribute to the formation of VFPs, possibly by alternating glottic
      airflow.

PMID- 28624316
TI  - Reversal learning in C58 mice: Modeling higher order repetitive behavior.
AB  - Restricted, repetitive behaviors are diagnostic for autism and prevalent in other
      neurodevelopmental disorders. These behaviors cluster as repetitive sensory-motor
      behaviors and behaviors reflecting resistance to change. The C58 mouse strain is
      a promising model for these behaviors as it emits high rates of aberrant
      repetitive sensory-motor behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to
      extend characterization of the C58 model to resistance to change. This was done
      by comparing C58 to C57BL/6 mice on a reversal learning task under either a 100%
      or 80%/20% probabilistic reinforcement schedule. In addition, the effect of
      environmental enrichment on performance of this task was assessed as this rearing
      condition markedly reduces repetitive sensory-motor behavior in C58 mice. Little
      difference was observed between C58 and control mice under a 100% schedule of
      reinforcement. The 80%/20% probabilistic schedule of reinforcement generated
      substantial strain differences, however. Importantly, no strain difference was
      observed in acquisition, but C58 mice were markedly impaired in their ability to
      reverse their pattern of responding from the previously high density
      reinforcement side. Environmental enrichment did not impact acquisition under the
      probabilistic reinforcement schedule, but enriched C58 mice performed
      significantly better than standard housed C58 mice in reversal learning. Thus,
      C58 mice exhibit behaviors that reflect both repetitive sensory motor behaviors
      as well as behavior that reflects resistance to change. Moreover, both clusters
      of repetitive behavior were attenuated by environmental enrichment. Such
      findings, along with the reported social deficits in C58 mice, increase the
      translational value of this mouse model to autism.

PMID- 28624319
TI  - The Efficacy of Lenvatinib and Everolimus in Chromophobe-type Non-Clear-Cell
      Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review.

PMID- 28624318
TI  - Differential urinary metabolites related with the severity of major depressive
      disorder.
AB  - Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder that affects a
      person's general health. However, there is still no objective laboratory test for
      diagnosing MDD. Here, an integrated analysis of data from our previous studies
      was performed to identify the differential metabolites in the urine of moderate
      and severe MDD patients. A dual platform approach (NMR spectroscopy and GC-MS)
      was used. Consequently, 14 and 22 differential metabolites responsible for
      separating moderate and severe MDD patients, respectively, from their respective
      healthy controls (HCs) were identified. Meanwhile, the moderate MDD-specific
      panel (N-Methylnicotinamide, Acetone, Choline, Citrate, vanillic acid and azelaic
      acid) and severe MDD-specific panel (indoxyl sulphate, Taurine, Citrate, 3
      hydroxyphenylacetic acid, palmitic acid and Lactate) could discriminate moderate
      and severe MDD patients, respectively, from their respective HCs with high
      accuracy. Moreover, the differential metabolites in severe MDD were significantly
      involved in three metabolic pathways and some biofunctions. These results showed
      that there were divergent urinary metabolic phenotypes in moderate and severe MDD
      patients, and the identified potential urinary biomarkers might be useful for
      future developing objective diagnostic tests for MDD diagnosis. Our results could
      also be helpful for researchers to study the pathogenesis of MDD.

PMID- 28624317
TI  - Modulatory effects of Ampicillin/Sulbactam on glial glutamate transporters and
      metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 as well as reinstatement to cocaine-seeking
      behavior.
AB  - Glutamatergic system has an important role in cocaine-seeking behavior. Studies
      have reported that chronic exposure to cocaine induces downregulation of
      glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) and cystine/glutamate exchanger (xCT) in the
      central reward brain regions. Ceftriaxone, a beta-lactam antibiotic, restored GLT
      1 expression and consequently reduced cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine
      seeking behavior. In this study, we investigated the reinstatement to cocaine
      (20mg/kg, i.p.) seeking behavior using a conditioned place preference (CPP)
      paradigm in male alcohol-preferring (P) rats. In addition, we investigated the
      effects of Ampicillin/Sulbactam (AMP/SUL) (200mg/kg, i.p.), a beta-lactam
      antibiotic, on cocaine-induced reinstatement. We also investigated the effects of
      AMP/SUL on the expression of glial glutamate transporters and metabotropic
      glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell and
      the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). We found that AMP/SUL treatment
      reduced cocaine-triggered reinstatement. This effect was associated with a
      decrease in locomotor activity. Moreover, GLT-1 and xCT were downregulated in the
      NAc core and shell, but not in the dmPFC, following cocaine-primed reinstatement.
      However, cocaine exposure increased the expression of mGluR1 in the NAc core, but
      not in the NAc shell or dmPFC. Importantly, AMP/SUL treatment normalized GLT-1
      and xCT expression in the NAc core and shell; however, the drug normalized mGluR1
      expression in the NAc core only. Additionally, AMP/SUL increased the expression
      of GLT-1 and xCT in the dmPFC as compared to the water naive group. These
      findings demonstrated that glial glutamate transporters and mGluR1 in the
      mesocorticolimbic area could be potential therapeutic targets for the attenuation
      of reinstatement to cocaine-seeking behavior.

PMID- 28624320
TI  - Prognostic Value of the VHL, HIF-1alpha, and VEGF Signaling Pathway and
      Associated MAPK (ERK1/2 and ERK5) Pathways in Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. A
      Long-Term Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of molecular markers in renal cell carcinoma has
      been investigated in several studies. Although their value is still not
      confirmed, various proteins are important. We describe the effect on long-term
      survival of the status of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) hypoxia-inducible factor 1
      alpha (HIF1-alpha) signaling pathway as well as associated mitogen-activated
      protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase [ERK]1/2 and ERK5).
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal cohort study was conducted with
      50 patients diagnosed with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma to analyze VHL
      mutations and hypermethylation as well as VHL, HIF1-alpha, vascular endothelial
      growth factor (VEGF), ERK1/2, and ERK5 protein expression. Overall survival (OS),
      disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression- or recurrence-free survival
      (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Mantel-Haenszel was used for
      comparisons, and Cox proportional risk models were also constructed. RESULTS:
      Follow-up was 66.9 months. There were 23 (46.0%) deaths, of which 17 (73.9%) were
      caused by the tumor. Mean periods were 85.6 months for OS and 94.3 months for
      DSS. A total of 22 (44.0%) patients showed progression (PFS, 78.1 months). VHL
      expression (P = .045) and > 10% of HIF1-alpha expression (P = .034) were
      associated with greater OS. DSS was greater in patients without VHL methylation
      (P = .012), with > 10% HIF1-alpha expression (P = .037), or with ERK5 protein
      underexpression. Greater PFS was associated with absence of VHL methylation (P =
      .045), presence of VHL expression (P < .0001), HIF1-alpha expression > 10% (P =
      .04), and ERK5 protein underexpression (P = .011). The presence of VHL mutation
      and/or methylation and VEGF expression had no prognostic value. Fuhrman nuclear
      grade and Tumor, Node, Metastases (TNM) stage were the only variables that
      remained in the Cox model. CONCLUSION: The HIF1-alpha and ERK5 pathway has
      prognostic value. Patients with no VHL or HIF1-alpha expression and ERK5
      overexpression had a worse course of disease. VHL or VEGF status had no
      prognostic value. Only TNM stage and Fuhrman nuclear grade remained in the Cox
      model and, therefore, are still essential in prognostic biomarker panels.

PMID- 28624321
TI  - Does any association exist between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and
      Erectile Dysfunction? The DECODED study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain
      an erection for satisfactory sexual activity. Recent studies have shown an
      association between ED and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However,
      this issue is often ignored. We aimed to evaluate the ED prevalence in COPD
      patients and its risk factors and to study the impact of dyspnea in sexual
      activity. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that included sexually active male
      patients with COPD. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5)
      questionnaire evaluated ED and the Respiratory Experiences with Sexuality Profile
      (RESP) was used to evaluate the impact of dyspnea on sexual activity. Risk
      factors for mild-moderate or moderate ED were determined using logistic
      regression. RESULTS: 84 patients were consecutively assessed for eligibility, 67
      were included (median age: 65 years, 13% never-smokers). Twenty two percent had
      COPD 2011-GOLD A; 22% GOLD B, 14% GOLD C and 42% GOLD D. Fifty-eight patients
      (87%) had some degree of ED: 26 (45%) mild, 20 (34%) mild-moderate and 12 (21%)
      moderate ED. ED occurred in all GOLD stages of COPD, mainly in GOLD B and D
      stages. Higher CAT score was independently associated to mild-moderate/moderate
      ED. Most patients (85%) reported dyspnea during their sexual activity but 72% had
      never talked about it with their physician. CONCLUSIONS: ED is highly prevalent
      among COPD patients and it is more severe in patients with higher CAT scores.
      Dyspnea affects their sexual activity but this is not a topic often discussed
      between patients and doctors, something which needs to be improved.

PMID- 28624322
TI  - Assessing pragmatic communication in children with Down syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE: Successful communication depends on language content, language form, and
      language use (pragmatics). Children with Down syndrome (DS) experience
      communication difficulties, however little is known about their pragmatic
      profile, particularly during early school years. The purpose of the present study
      was to explore the nature of pragmatic communication in children with DS. METHOD:
      Twenty-nine six-year-old children with DS were assessed, in the areas of 1)
      initiation, 2) scripted language, 3) understanding context and 4) nonverbal
      communication, as reported by children's parents via the Children's Communication
      Checklist-2 (Bishop, 2003). Additionally, the relationships between pragmatics
      and measures of vocabulary, nonverbal mental ability and social functioning were
      explored. RESULTS: Children with DS were impaired relative to norms from
      typically developing children in all areas of pragmatics. A profile of relative
      strengths and weaknesses was found in the children with DS; the area of nonverbal
      communication was significantly stronger, while the area of understanding context
      was significantly poorer, relative to the other areas of pragmatics assessed in
      these children. Relationships between areas of pragmatics and other linguistic
      areas, as well as aspects of vocabulary and social functioning were observed.
      CONCLUSIONS: By the age of six children with DS experience significantly impaired
      pragmatic communication, with a clear profile of relative strengths and
      weaknesses. The study highlights the need to teach children with DS pragmatic
      skills as a component of communication, alongside language content and form.

PMID- 28624323
TI  - Postreceptor Neuronal Loss in Intermediate Age-related Macular Degeneration.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between ganglion cell complex (GCC)
      thickness and photoreceptor alterations in eyes with intermediate age-related
      macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. METHODS: We
      collected data from 68 eyes with intermediate AMD from 68 patients with spectral
      domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) imaging. A control group of 50 eyes
      from 50 healthy subjects was included for comparison. Our main outcome measures
      for comparison between groups were (1) the average and minimum GCC thickness and
      (2) the "normalized" reflectivity of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) en face image.
      RESULTS: The average and minimum GCC thicknesses were thinner in AMD patients
      (69.54 +/- 9.30 MUm and 63.22 +/- 14.11 MUm, respectively) than in healthy
      controls (78.57 +/- 6.28 MUm and 76.28 +/- 6.85 MUm, P < .0001 and P < .0001,
      respectively). Agreement was found to be excellent in the "normalized" EZ
      reflectivity assessment (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.986, coefficient
      of variation = 1.11). The EZ "normalized" reflectivity was 0.67 +/- 0.11 in
      controls and 0.61 +/- 0.09 in the AMD group (P = .006). In univariate analysis,
      EZ "normalized" reflectivity was found to have a significant direct relationship
      with average (P < .0001) and minimum (P < .0001) GCC thickness in AMD patients,
      but not in controls (P = .852 and P = .892, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Eyes with
      intermediate AMD exhibit GCC thinning, as well as a reduced EZ "normalized"
      reflectivity, and these parameters are correlated. This study supports the
      concept of postreceptor retinal neuronal loss as a contributor to retinal
      thinning in intermediate AMD.

PMID- 28624324
TI  - Risk Factors for Rapid Glaucoma Disease Progression.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the intraocular and systemic risk factor differences
      between a cohort of rapid glaucoma disease progressors and nonrapid disease
      progressors. DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. METHODS: Setting: Five
      private ophthalmology clinics. STUDY POPULATION: Forty-eight rapidly progressing
      eyes (progression >=1 dB mean deviation [MD]/year) and 486 non-rapidly
      progressing eyes (progression <1 dB MD/year). Patients were eligible if they had
      a diagnosis of glaucoma from their ophthalmologist and if they had greater than
      or equal to 5 Humphrey visual fields (24-2) conducted. Patients were excluded if
      their sequential visual fields showed an improvement in MD or if they had greater
      than 5 dB MD variation in between visits. Patients with obvious neurologic fields
      were excluded. OBSERVATION PROCEDURE: Clinical and demographic data (age, sex,
      central corneal thickness [CCT], intraocular pressure [IOP], refraction,
      medications), as well as medical, surgical, and ocular histories, were collected.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk factor differences between the cohorts were measured
      using the independent t test, Wald chi2, and binomial regression analysis.
      RESULTS: Rapid progressors were older, had significantly lower CCT and baseline
      IOPs, and were more likely to have pseudoexfoliation, disc haemorrhages, ocular
      medication changes, and IOP-lowering surgery. They also had significantly higher
      rates of cardiovascular disease and hypotension. Subjects with cardiovascular
      disease were 2.33 times more likely to develop rapidly progressive glaucoma
      disease despite significantly lower mean and baseline IOPs. CONCLUSION:
      Cardiovascular disease is an important risk factor for rapid glaucoma disease
      progression irrespective of IOP control.

PMID- 28624325
TI  - Treat-and-Extend Therapy Using Aflibercept for Neovascular Age-related Macular
      Degeneration: A Prospective Clinical Trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy and durability of aflibercept used in a treat
      and-extend (TAE) regimen for neovascular age-related macular degeneration
      (NVAMD). DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, open label, noncomparative,
      interventional study. METHODS: Forty eyes of 40 patients with treatment-naive
      NVAMD were managed with a TAE regimen of intravitreal aflibercept. The main
      endpoints were the change in mean and median best-corrected visual acuity from
      baseline at years 1 and 2. Other endpoints included mean number of annual
      injections and treatment intervals. RESULTS: Thirty-five (87.5%) and 31 patients
      (77.5%) completed year 1 and year 2, respectively. The mean letter gain was 7.2
      (P < .001) and 2.4 (P = .269) letters at 1 and 2 years, respectively, from a mean
      baseline of 58.9 letters (20/63 Snellen equivalent). The median visual gain was
      11.5 and 7.5 letters at 1 and 2 years, respectively, from a median baseline of
      59.0 letters (20/63 Snellen equivalent). The mean number of injections was 8.0
      and 6.5 during the first and second year, respectively. Twelve-week or longer
      treatment intervals were used in 35% and 38% of patients during the first- and
      second-year time points, respectively. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal aflibercept TAE
      therapy led to significant visual improvement in eyes with NVAMD at 1 year, with
      some loss in the visual gains at the end of year 2 that was not related to loss
      of exudative control. TAE therapy with aflibercept is a rational strategy to
      reduce treatments and clinic evaluations over 2 years with satisfactory outcomes.

PMID- 28624326
TI  - Randomized Trial on Illuminated-Microcatheter Circumferential Trabeculotomy
      Versus Conventional Trabeculotomy in Congenital Glaucoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare 1-year outcomes of illuminated microcatheter-assisted
      circumferential trabeculotomy (IMCT) vs conventional partial trabeculotomy (CPT)
      for primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial.
      METHODS: Forty eyes of 31 patients with unilateral or bilateral primary
      congenital glaucoma aged less than 2 years were randomized to undergo IMCT (20
      eyes) or CPT (20 eyes). Primary outcome measure was intraocular pressure (IOP)
      reduction. The success criterion was defined as IOP <= 12 mm Hg without and with
      antiglaucoma medications (absolute success and qualified success, respectively).
      RESULTS: The mean age of our study population was 8.35 +/- 1.2 months. The mean
      preoperative IOP was 24.70 +/- 3.90 mm Hg in the IMCT group and 24.60 +/- 3.31 mm
      Hg in the CPT group. Both groups were comparable with respect to preoperative
      IOP, corneal clarity, corneal diameter, vertical cup-to-disc ratio, and
      refractive error. In the IMCT group, 360-degree cannulation was achieved in 80%
      (16/20) of eyes. For the IMCT group and CPT groups, respectively, the absolute
      success rates were 80% (16/20) and 60% (12/20) (P < .001) and qualified success
      rates were 90% (18/20) and 70% (14/20) (P < .001). Both procedures produced a
      statistically significant reduction in IOP, and eyes undergoing IMCT achieved a
      lower IOP than CPT group eyes at 12 months follow-up (9.5 +/- 2.4 mm Hg and 11.7
      +/- 2.1 mm Hg, respectively, P < .001). CONCLUSION: In primary congential
      glaucoma, illuminated microcatheter-assisted 360-degree circumferential
      trabeculotomy performed better than conventional partial trabeculotomy at 1 year
      follow-up and resulted in significantly lower IOP measurements.

PMID- 28624327
TI  - Many tocopherols, one vitamin E.
AB  - Four tocopherols are available in nature and are absorbed with the diet, but only
      one RRR-alpha-tocopherol satisfies the criteria of being a vitamin. The
      biological activity of the different tocopherols studied in the rat by the
      resorption-gestation test has been inconsistently extrapolated to human beings
      where the tocopherols have no influence on a successful pregnancy. Diminution of
      RRR-alpha-tocopherol intake results in diseases characterized by ataxia, whose
      pathogenetic mechanism, despite vigorous claims, has not been clarified. The
      calculation of the Daily Reference Intake (DRI), necessary to prevent disease, is
      based on an obsolete test, the peroxide-induced erythrocyte hemolysis, called the
      gold standard, but of highly questioned validity. If many epidemiological studies
      have given positive results, showing prevention by high vitamin E containing
      diets of cardiovascular events, neurodegenerative disease, macular degeneration
      and cancer, the clinical confirmatory intervention studies were mostly negative.
      On the positive side, besides preventing vitamin E deficiency diseases, vitamin E
      has shown efficacy as anti-inflammatory and immune boosting compound. It has also
      shown some efficacy in protecting against nonalcoholic hepato-steatosis. At a
      molecular level, vitamin E and some of its metabolites have shown capacity of
      regulating cell signaling and modulating gene transcription.

PMID- 28624328
TI  - Adenosine - from molecular mechanisms to pathophysiology.

PMID- 28624329
TI  - The Bebig Valencia-type skin applicators: Dosimetric study and implementation of
      a dosimetric hybrid technique.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the relative dose rate distribution in water for the Bebig
      20 mm and 30 mm skin applicators and report results in a form suitable for
      potential clinical use. Results for both skin applicators are also provided in
      the form of a hybrid Task Group 43 (TG-43) dosimetry technique. Furthermore, the
      radiation leakage around both skin applicators from the radiation protection
      point of view and the impact of the geometrical source position uncertainties are
      studied and reported. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Monte Carlo simulations were
      performed using the MCNP 6.1 general purpose code, which was benchmarked against
      published dosimetry data for the Bebig Ir2.A85-2 high-dose-rate iridium-192
      source, as well as the dosimetry data for the two Elekta skin applicators. Both
      Bebig skin applicators were modeled, and the dose rate distributions in a water
      phantom were calculated. The dosimetric quantities derived according to a hybrid
      TG-43 dosimetry technique are provided with their corresponding uncertainty
      values. The air kerma rate in air was simulated in the vicinity of each skin
      applicator to assess the radiation leakage. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Results from
      the Monte Carlo simulations of both skin applicators are presented in the form of
      figures and relative dose rate tables, and additionally with the aid of the
      quantities defined in the hybrid TG-43 dosimetry technique and their
      corresponding uncertainty values. Their output factors, flatness, and penumbra
      values were found comparable to the Elekta skin applicators. The radiation
      shielding was evaluated to be adequate. The effect of potential uncertainties in
      source positioning on dosimetry should be investigated as part of applicator
      commissioning.

PMID- 28624330
TI  - Minimally invasive mitral valve annuloplasty confers a long-term survival benefit
      compared with state-of-the-art treatment in heart failure with functional mitral
      regurgitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical impact of the minimally invasive surgical mitral valve
      annuloplasty (MVA) of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) in systolic heart
      failure on top of the state-of-the-art standards of care remains controversial.
      Therefore, we aimed to compare clinical outcomes of isolated MVA using the mini
      invasive videothoracoscopic approach versus the state-of-the-art
      (CON=conservative) treatment in patients with chronic systolic heart failure and
      symptomatic FMR. METHODS: The study population consisted of 379 patients (age
      68.9+/-11.0years, 62.8% males) with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction,
      symptomatic FMR and previous heart failure hospitalization. A total of 167
      patients underwent undersized MVA and 212 patients were treated conservatively. A
      concomitant MAZE was performed in 53 (31.7%) patients. RESULTS: In the MVA group,
      the periprocedural and the 30-day mortality were 1.2% and 4.8%, respectively.
      During the median follow-up of 7.1years (IQR 3.5-9.8years) a total of 74 (44.3%)
      and 138 (65.1%) died in the MVA and the CON group, respectively (p<0.001). The
      lowest mortality was observed in MVA combined with MAZE (22.6%; p<0.01). In Cox
      regression analysis, age, MVA with MAZE emerged as independent predictors of both
      all-cause mortality and rehospitalizations for heart failure (all p<0.05). MVA
      was associated with significantly greater symptomatic improvement and reduction
      of FMR than the conservative treatment (both p<0.001). Reverse LV remodeling was
      observed only in the MVA combined with MAZE group (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In
      patients with symptomatic FMR, minimally invasive MVA, in particular in
      combination with MAZE, confers an independent long-term survival benefit compared
      with the state-of-the-art treatment.

PMID- 28624331
TI  - Long-term detection of atrial fibrillation with insertable cardiac monitors in a
      real-world cryptogenic stroke population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The long-term incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in cryptogenic
      stroke (CS) patients has been explored in carefully controlled clinical trials
      but real-world data are limited. We investigated the two-year incidence of AF in
      real-world clinical practice among a large cohort of patients with an insertable
      cardiac monitor (ICM) placed for AF detection following CS. METHODS: Patients in
      the de-identified Medtronic DiscoveryTM Link database who received an ICM (Reveal
      LINQTM) for the purpose of AF detection following CS were included and monitored
      for up to 2years. All detected AF episodes (>=2min) were adjudicated. We
      quantified the AF detection rate using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, analyzed
      the median time to initial detection of AF, and simulated the ability of various
      intermittent monitoring strategies to detect AF. RESULTS: A total of 1247
      patients (65.3+/-13.0years, 53% male) were included and followed for 579+/
      222days. AF episodes (n=4183) were detected in 238 patients, resulting in an AF
      detection rate of 21.5% at 2years. The median time to AF detection was 112 [IQR
      35-293] days. Intermittent monitoring for AF detection was inferior to continuous
      ICM monitoring with sensitivities ranging from 2.9% (annual 24-hour Holter) to
      29.9% (quarterly 7-day Holters), p<0.001. CONCLUSIONS: AF episodes were detected
      via continuous monitoring with ICMs in approximately 1 of every 5 CS patients
      within 2years of follow-up. The vast majority of patients with AF would not have
      been detected with conventional external ambulatory monitors. ICMs should
      therefore be considered in the evaluation of CS patients.

PMID- 28624332
TI  - Comparison of magnetic resonance feature tracking with CSPAMM HARP for the
      assessment of global and regional layer specific strain.
AB  - PURPOSE: Layer specific strain assessment is increasingly being employed
      clinically. Cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) Feature Tracking (FT) is considered
      to be an adequate alternative for strain assessment. The aim of this study is to
      investigate the feasibility of FT derived layer specific strain assessment.
      METHODS: CSPAMM and SSFP-Cine sequences were acquired in 38 individuals (19
      patients with HFpEF, 19 controls) in identical midventricular short-axis
      locations. Global endocardial-, midmyocardial-, epicardial- peak systolic
      circumferential strain (PSCS) and regional epicardial PSCS were calculated and
      intra- as well inter-observer variability were assessed. RESULTS: FT derived
      global epicardial and endocardial PSCS (7.9+/-2.3%; -19.6+/-4.9%) were
      significantly lower than tagging derived global epicardial and endocardial PSCS (
      13.2+/-2.8%; -32.3+/-5.9%) (each p<0.001), while FT derived endocardial PSCS and
      tagging derived midmyocardial PSCS showed a strong correlation (r=0.71) and no
      significant differences. Global intra- and inter-observer variability of FT
      derived endocardial PSCS circumferential measures were acceptable (coefficient of
      variation 6.5% and 5.7%) while reproducibility of epicardial PSCS (coefficient of
      variation 16.8% and 18.1%) was poor. CONCLUSION: The FT algorithm allows for
      reliable assessment of midmyocardial strain, while underestimating epicardial and
      endocardial strain and delivering less reproducible results than the gold
      standard of tagging.

PMID- 28624333
TI  - L-theanine prevent quinolinic acid induced motor deficit and striatal
      neurotoxicity: Reduction in oxido-nitrosative stress and restoration of striatal
      neurotransmitters level.
AB  - L-theanine has been documented to possess anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and
      neuroprotective potential in various animal models of neurological disorders. The
      present study was anticipated to investigate the effect of L-theanine against
      quinolinic acid induced motor deficits, oxido-nitrosative stress, neuro
      inflammation and neurotransmitters alteration in rats. Rats were stereotaxically
      injected QA (200nmol/2ul saline; intrastriatal); bilaterally on 0 day and L
      theanine (25 & 50mg/kg; p.o.) was administered for 21 days starting from day 1 of
      QA injection. Either, L-NAME (10mg/kg; i.p.), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor
      and L-arginine (50mg/kg; i.p.), a nitric oxide synthase precursor were
      administered with L-theanine in respective groups. Behavioral observations were
      evaluated on weekly basis using rota-rod, grip strength, narrow beam walking and
      open field test. QA treatment induces significant alteration in body weight,
      motor coordination, oxidative defense, pro-inflammatory cytokines and striatal
      neurotransmitters level. L-theanine treatment alone, at both the tested doses,
      significantly attenuated QA induced alterations. In addition, treatment of L
      theanine with L-NAME significantly enhances the protective effect of L-theanine
      whereas treatment of L-theanine with L-arginine significantly ameliorated the
      protective effect of L-theanine. The protective effect of L-theanine is
      attributed to its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and modulatory effect on nitric
      oxide pathway and neurotransmitters level in striatum. This suggests use of L
      theanine in the clinical settings of HD.

PMID- 28624334
TI  - Seasonality and autoimmune diseases: The contribution of the four seasons to the
      mosaic of autoimmunity.
AB  - Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are a heterogeneous groups of diseases that occur as a
      results of loss of tolerance to self antigens. While the etiopathogeneis remain
      obscure, different environmental factors were suggested to have a role in the
      development of autoimmunity, including infections, low vitamin D levels, UV
      radiation, and melatonin. Interestingly, such factors possess seasonal variation
      patterns that could influence disease development, severity and progression.
      Vitamin D levels which reach a nadir during late winter and early spring is
      correlated with increased disease activity, clinical severity as well as relapse
      rates in several disease entities including multiple sclerosis (MS), non
      cutaneous flares of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis, and rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA). Additionally, immunomodulatory actions of melatonin secretion
      ameliorate the severity of several ADs including MS and SLE. Melatonin levels are
      lowest during spring, a finding that correlates with the highest exacerbation
      rates of MS. Further, melatonin is postulated to be involved in the
      etiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) through it influence on
      adhesion molecule and therefore transcription factor expression. Moreover,
      infections can mount to ADs through pro-inflammatory cytokine release and human
      antigen mimicry. Seasonal patterns of infectious diseases are correlated with the
      onset and exacerbation of ADs. During the winter, increased incidence of Epstein
      Barr virus (EBV) infectious are associated with MS and SLE flares/onset
      respectively. In addition, higher Rotavirus infections during the winter precedes
      type 1 diabetes mellitus onset (T1DM). Moreover, Escherichia coli (E. coli)
      infection prior to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and T1DM disease onset
      subsequent to Coxachievirus infections are seen to occur during late summer, a
      finding that correlate with infectious agents' pattern of seasonality. In this
      review, the effects of seasonality on the onset, relapses and activity of various
      ADs were discussed. Consideration of seasonal variation patterns of ADs can
      possibly provide clues to diseases pathogenesis and lead to development of new
      approaches in treatment and preventative care.

PMID- 28624336
TI  - A framework for evaluating the accessibility of raw materials from end-of-life
      products and the Earth's crust.
AB  - An increasing number of geochemically scarce metallic raw materials are entering
      into our lives via new technologies. A reversal of this trend is not foreseeable,
      leading to concerns regarding the security of their supply. However, the
      evaluation of raw material supply is currently hampered by inconsistent use of
      fundamental terminologies and incomplete assessment criteria. In this paper, we
      aim to establish a consistent framework for evaluating raw material supply from
      both anthropogenic and geological sources. A method for concept extraction was
      applied to evaluate systematically the use of fundamental terms in the evaluation
      of raw material supply. The results have shown that 'availability' is commonly
      used in raw material supply evaluations, whilst other researchers suggest that
      raw material supply should be evaluated based on 'accessibility'. It was revealed
      that 'accessibility' actually comprises two aspects: 'availability' and
      'approachability'. Raw material 'approachability' has not previously been
      explicitly addressed at a system level. A novel, consistent framework for
      evaluating raw material supply was therefore developed. To demonstrate the
      application of the established framework, we evaluated the raw material supply of
      four rare earth element case studies. Three case studies are End-of-Life products
      (the anthroposphere) from Switzerland: (i) phosphors in fluorescent lamps, (i)
      permanent magnets in the drive motors of electric cars and (iii) fibre optic
      cable. The fourth case study source is the Earth's crust (the geosphere): Mount
      Weld deposit in Australia. The framework comprises a comprehensive evaluation of
      six components relating to raw material mining and processing: their geological
      knowledge, eligibility, technology, economic, societal and environmental impacts.
      Our results show that metals are not considered to be fully accessible in any of
      the case studies due to a lack of necessary technologies and potential societal
      and environmental impacts. The framework presented here can serve as a starting
      point for the development of an evaluation framework for raw material
      accessibility at an early project development stage.

PMID- 28624335
TI  - Neuropathologic features of TOMM40 '523 variant on late-life cognitive decline.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The study investigated the role of neuropathologies in the
      relationship between TOMM40 '523 genotype and late-life cognitive decline.
      METHODS: Participants were community-dwelling older persons who had annual
      cognitive assessments and brain autopsies after death. Genotyping used DNA from
      peripheral blood or postmortem brain tissue. Linear mixed models assessed the
      extent to which the association of '523 genotype with cognitive decline is
      attributable to neuropathologies. RESULTS: Relative to epsilon3/epsilon3
      homozygotes with '523-S/VL or '523-VL/VL genotype, both '523-L carriers and
      epsilon3/epsilon3 homozygotes with '523-S/S genotype had faster cognitive
      decline. The association of '523-L with cognitive decline was attenuated and no
      longer significant after controlling for Alzheimer's and other neuropathologies.
      By contrast, the association of '523-S/S was unchanged. DISCUSSION: There are two
      distinct TOMM40 '523 signals in relation to late-life cognitive decline. One
      signal primarily acts through AD and other common neuropathologies, whereas the
      other operates through a different mechanism.

PMID- 28624337
TI  - Mobilization of prolonged mechanical ventilation patients: An integrative review.
AB  - Mobilization of mechanical ventilation patients has broadened to include patients
      requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV). A previous systematic review
      outlined methodological flaws in the literature. The purpose of this integrative
      review is to evaluate existing publications to determine if mobilization
      interventions in PMV patients improve physical function, weaning rates, pulmonary
      mechanics, and hospital outcomes. An electronicsearch covering 2005-2016,
      included five bibliographic databases: CINHAL, PubMed, PEDro, EMBASE, and Web of
      Science. Key terms: PMV, mobilization, therapy, and rehabilitation. Eight
      research studies were identified; 3 RCT's, 3 medical records reviews, 1
      prospective cohort, and 1 undefined prospective interventional. Improvements in
      functional status, shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and
      hospitalization, decreased mortality, and superior 1-year survival rates in
      mobilized PMV patients were reported. Persistent methodological limitations
      impair the ability to determine if these outcomes were the result of improvements
      in pulmonary mechanics, overall functional status, or a combination of both.

PMID- 28624338
TI  - Heart transplant centers with multidisciplinary team show a higher level of
      chronic illness management - Findings from the International BRIGHT Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to: (1) explore the proportion of
      HTx centers that have a multidisciplinary team and (2) assess the relationship
      between multidisciplinarity and the level of chronic illness management (CIM).
      BACKGROUND: The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT)
      recommends a multidisciplinary approach in heart transplant (HTx) follow-up care
      but little is known regarding the proportion of HTx centers that meet this
      recommendation and the impact on patient care. HTx centers with a
      multidisciplinary team may offer higher levels of CIM, a care model that has the
      potential to improve outcomes after HTx. METHODS: We conducted a secondary
      analysis of the BRIGHT study, a cross-sectional study in 11 countries.
      Multidisciplinarity in the 36 HTx centers was assessed through HTx director
      reports and was defined as having a team that was composed of physician(s),
      nurse(s), and another healthcare professional (either a social worker,
      psychiatrist, psychologist, pharmacist, dietician, physical therapist, or
      occupational therapist). CIM was assessed with the Patient Assessment of Chronic
      Illness Care (PACIC). Multiple linear regression assessed the relationship
      between multidisciplinarity and the level of CIM. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (80.6%) of
      the HTx centers had a multidisciplinary team. Furthermore, multidisciplinarity
      was significantly associated with higher levels of CIM (beta = 5.2, P = 0.042).
      CONCLUSION: Majority of the HTx centers follows the ISHLT recommendation for a
      multidisciplinary approach. Multidisciplinarity was associated with CIM and point
      toward a structural factor that needs to be in place for moving toward CIM.

PMID- 28624339
TI  - Structural Parameters of the Proximal Femur by 3-Dimensional Dual-Energy X-ray
      Absorptiometry Software: Comparison With Quantitative Computed Tomography.
AB  - Structural parameters of the proximal femur evaluate the strength of the bone and
      its susceptibility to fracture. These parameters are computed from dual-energy X
      ray absorptiometry (DXA) or from quantitative computed tomography (QCT). The 3
      dimensional (3D)-DXA software solution provides 3D models of the proximal femur
      shape and bone density from anteroposterior DXA scans. In this paper, we present
      and evaluate a new approach to compute structural parameters using 3D-DXA
      software. A cohort of 60 study subjects (60.9 +/- 14.7 yr) with DXA and QCT
      examinations was collected. 3D femoral models obtained by QCT and 3D-DXA software
      were aligned using rigid registration techniques for comparison purposes.
      Geometric, cross-sectional, and volumetric structural parameters were computed at
      the narrow neck, intertrochanteric, and lower shaft regions for both QCT and 3D
      DXA models. The accuracy of 3D-DXA structural parameters was evaluated in
      comparison with QCT. Correlation coefficients (r) between geometric parameters
      computed by QCT and 3D-DXA software were 0.86 for the femoral neck axis length
      and 0.71 for the femoral neck shaft angle. Correlation coefficients ranged from
      0.86 to 0.96 for the cross-sectional parameters and from 0.84 to 0.97 for the
      volumetric structural parameters. Our study demonstrated that accurate estimates
      of structural parameters for the femur can be obtained from 3D-DXA models. This
      provides clinicians with 3D indexes related to the femoral strength from routine
      anteroposterior DXA scans, which could potentially improve osteoporosis
      management and fracture prevention.

PMID- 28624341
TI  - Extranodal lymphoma arising within the maxillary alveolus: a case report.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Extranodal lymphomas affecting the head and neck arise infrequently
      within the bones of the jaws. This is a report of a symptom-free patient whose
      general dentist detected a radiolucency as an incidental finding on conventional
      radiography. STUDY DESIGN: The conventional radiography of lesions in the maxilla
      displayed "floating teeth" indicative of malignancy. This case was then imaged by
      cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), multidetector computed tomography (MDCT),
      and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lymphoma grew rapidly in less than a
      week between the MDCT and the MRI. All the above cross-sectional modalities
      elicited a provisional diagnosis of a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). CONCLUSIONS:
      Evaluation of the extent of the lesion and its encroachment on adjacent
      structures is limited by conventional radiography. Nevertheless, conventional
      radiography can display features that are suggestive of malignant disease.
      Although cross-sectional imaging of lesions within the anatomically-complex
      maxilla has generally taken the form of MDCT and MRI, CBCT has a role. In
      hindsight, the absence of central necrosis should have directed the inclusion of
      "extranodal lymphoma arising within the maxillary alveolus" in the provisional
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28624340
TI  - Effects of Teriparatide, Denosumab, or Both on Spine Trabecular Microarchitecture
      in DATA-Switch: a Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - In postmenopausal women, 2 yr of combined teriparatide and denosumab increases
      bone mineral density more than either drug alone, and switching from either
      combination or teriparatide to denosumab for an additional 2 yr further increases
      bone mineral density. Conversely, switching from denosumab to teriparatide
      results in transient bone loss. The effects of these interventions on spine
      microarchitecture are unknown. In the DATA and DATA-Switch studies, 94
      postmenopausal osteoporotic women were randomized to receive 24 mo of
      teriparatide (20 ug daily), denosumab (60 mg every 6 mo), or both. Then, women
      originally assigned to 24 mo of teriparatide received 24 mo of denosumab, whereas
      subjects originally randomized to 24 mo of denosumab received 24 mo of
      teriparatide. Subjects who received both drugs received an additional 24 mo of
      denosumab alone. Spine trabecular bone score (TBS, a gray-level textural
      assessment of bone microarchitecture) was measured blinded from treatment groups
      using images from 2-dimensional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry spine scans at
      0, 12, 24, 30, 36, and 48 mo in 65 women who had posterior-anterior spine dual
      energy X-ray absorptiometry images suitable for TBS analysis. After 24 mo, TBS
      increased by 2.7 +/- 4.7% in the teriparatide group (p = 0.009 vs baseline), by
      1.8 +/- 5.0% in the denosumab group (p = 0.118 vs baseline), and by 4.5 +/- 6.7%
      in the combination group (p = 0.017 vs baseline), with no significant between
      group differences. In the 6 mo after the treatments were switched (months 24-30),
      TBS continued to increase in the combination-to-denosumab and teriparatide-to
      denosumab groups but decreased by -1.1 +/- 4.0% in the denosumab-to-teriparatide
      group (p < 0.05 vs other groups). After 48 mo, compared to month 0, TBS increased
      by 5.1 +/- 5.8% in the teriparatide-to-denosumab group, by 3.6 +/- 4.2% in the
      denosumab-to-teriparatide group, and by 6.1 +/- 4.7% in the combination-to
      denosumab group (p < 0.001 vs baseline for all groups, p = not significant for
      between-group differences). Switching from teriparatide to denosumab also
      increased spine TBS. Conversely, switching from denosumab to teriparatide
      transiently degraded spine trabecular microarchitecture, the clinical
      consequences of which require further study.

PMID- 28624343
TI  - 'Money for nothing'. The role of robotic-assisted laparoscopy for the treatment
      of endometriosis.
AB  - Despite higher costs for robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) than standard
      laparoscopy (SL), RAL treatment of endometriosis is performed without established
      indications. PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for 'robotic surgery' and
      'endometriosis' or 'gynaecological benign disease' from January 2000 to December
      2016. Full-length studies in English reporting original data were considered.
      Among 178 articles retrieved, 17 were eligible: 11 non-comparative (RAL only) and
      six comparative (RAL versus SL). Non-comparative studies included 445 patients.
      Mean operating time, blood loss and hospital stay were 226 min, 168 ml and 4
      days. Major complications and laparotomy conversions were 3.1% and 1.3%. Eight
      studies reported pain improvement at 15-month follow-up. Comparative studies were
      all retrospective; 749 women underwent RAL and 705 SL. Operating time was longer
      for RAL in five studies. Major complications and laparotomy conversions for RAL
      and SL were 1.5% versus 0.3% and 0.3% versus 0.5%. One study reported pain
      reduction for RAL at 6-month follow-up. RAL treatment of endometriosis did not
      provide benefits over SL, overall and among subgroups of women with severe
      endometriosis, peritoneal endometriosis and obesity. Available evidence is low
      quality, and data regarding long-term pain relief and pregnancy rates are
      lacking. RAL treatment of endometriosis should be performed only within
      controlled studies.

PMID- 28624344
TI  - Effect of obesity and its related metabolic factors on serum anti-Mullerian
      hormone concentrations in women with and without polycystic ovaries.
AB  - The relationship between serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, body mass
      index (BMI) and related metabolic factors were investigated in women with
      polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A total of 691 women aged between 18 and 35
      years, referred to the Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology at the
      University Hospital of Lille between 2009 and 2014 were included: 137 controls
      and 554 women with PCOS. Mean serum AMH levels were slightly but significantly
      lower in women with PCOS who were overweight or obese (BMI >=25) compared with
      women of normal weight (BMI <25) (P < 0.05). No such difference was found in the
      control group. After bivariate analysis, no significant correlation was found
      between BMI and AMH in controls. In the PCOS group, this relationship was
      significant (P = 0.0001) but weak (r = -0.177). Stepwise multiple regression
      analysis yielded a significant model, including five variables (follicle count,
      serum androstenedione, BMI, serum LH and FSH) explaining 38.6%, 3.4%, 1.4%, 0.7%
      and 1.4% of the total serum AMH variance, respectively. No effect of metabolic
      status was found on serum AMH levels in controls, but a significant, albeit weak,
      negative independent correlation was found between AMH and BMI in women with
      PCOS.

PMID- 28624345
TI  - Lamprey neural crest migration is Snail-dependent and occurs without a
      differential shift in cadherin expression.
AB  - The acquisition of neural crest cells was a key step in the origin of the
      vertebrate body plan. An outstanding question is how neural crest cells acquired
      their ability to undergo an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migrate
      extensively throughout the vertebrate embryo. We tested if differential
      regulation of classical cadherins-a highly conserved feature of neural crest EMT
      and migration in jawed vertebrates-mediates these cellular behaviors in lamprey,
      a basal jawless vertebrate. Lamprey has single copies of the type I and type II
      classical cadherins (CadIA and CadIIA). CadIIA is expressed in premigratory
      neural crest, and requires the transcription factor Snail for proper expression,
      yet CadIA is never expressed in the neural tube during neural crest development,
      suggesting that differential regulation of classical cadherin expression is not
      required to initiate neural crest migration in basal vertebrates. We hypothesize
      that neural crest cells evolved by retention of regulatory programs linking
      distinct mesenchymal and multipotency properties, and emigrated from the neural
      tube without differentially regulating type I/type II cadherins. Our results
      point to the coupling of mesenchymal state and multipotency as a key event
      facilitating the origin of migratory neural crest cells.

PMID- 28624346
TI  - Theta burst magnetic stimulation over the pre-supplementary motor area improves
      motor inhibition.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stopping an ongoing motor response or resolving conflict induced by
      conflicting stimuli are associated with activation of a right-lateralized network
      of inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and
      subthalamic nucleus (STN). However, the roles of the right IFG and pre-SMA in
      stopping a movement and in conflict resolution remain unclear. We used continuous
      theta burst stimulation (cTBS) to examine the involvement of the right IFG and
      pre-SMA in inhibition and conflict resolution using the conditional stop signal
      task. METHODS: We measured stop signal reaction time (SSRT, measure of reactive
      inhibition), response delay effect (RDE, measure of proactive action restraint)
      and conflict induced slowing (CIS, measure of conflict resolution). RESULTS:
      Stimulation over the pre-SMA resulted in significantly shorter SSRTs (improved
      inhibition) compared to sham cTBS. This effect was not observed for CIS, RDE, or
      any other measures. cTBS over the right IFG had no effect on SSRT, CIS, RDE or on
      any other measure. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement of SSRT with cTBS over the pre
      SMA suggests its critical contribution to stopping ongoing movements.

PMID- 28624347
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28624348
TI  - Epithelial perviousness in allergic airways disease.

PMID- 28624349
TI  - Allergy testing in predicting outcome of open food challenge to peanut.

PMID- 28624350
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28624351
TI  - Inhibitory effect of vitamin B3 against glycation and reactive oxygen species
      production in HSA: An in vitro approach.
AB  - Hyperglycaemia is a key factor for the formation of advanced glycated endproducts
      (AGEs). Inhibition of glycation may play key role in minimizing the diabetes
      related complications. We have tried to explore the glucose and methyl glyoxal
      mediated glycation and antiglycation activity of niacin using human serum albumin
      as model protein. Protein was incubated with glucose for 28 days at physiological
      temperature to achieve glycation. Antiglycation activity was evaluated by
      assessing free lysine, carbonyl content, AGE specific fluorescence. Molecular
      docking and isothermal titration calorimetry was deployed to study the
      interaction of niacin with HSA and get a detailed insight of binding site and
      thermodynamics of interaction. Niacin reduced the glycation significantly which
      was evident from the estimation of free lysine and carbonyl content. Niacin binds
      with HSA in a spontaneous manner with the binding constant in the range of 104 M
      1. Niacin also prevented the loss in secondary structure induced by glycation.
      Reactive oxygen species were also effectively quenched by niacin leading to
      protection from DNA damage. Niacin was found to be located at Sudlow's site I
      with binding energy of 5.3 kcal/mol. These results clearly highlight the
      antiglycation activity of niacin and its potential in preventing disease
      progression in diabetes.

PMID- 28624352
TI  - Pressure effects on alpha-synuclein amyloid fibrils: An experimental
      investigation on their dissociation and reversible nature.
AB  - alpha-synuclein amyloid fibrils are found in surviving neurons of Parkinson's
      disease affected patients, but the role they play in the disease development is
      still under debate. A growing number of evidences points to soluble oligomers as
      the major cytotoxic species, while insoluble fibrillar aggregates could even play
      a protection role. In this work, we investigate alpha-synuclein fibrils
      dissociation induced at high pressure by means of Small Angle X-ray Scattering
      and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Fibrils were produced from wild type
      alpha-synuclein and two familial mutants, A30P and A53T. Our results enlighten
      the different reversible nature of alpha-synuclein fibrils fragmentation at high
      pressure and suggest water excluded volumes presence in the fibrils core. Wild
      type and A30P species stabilized at high pressure are highly amyloidogenic and
      quickly re-associate into fibrils upon decompression, while A53T species shows a
      partial reversibility of the process likely due to the presence of an
      intermediate oligomeric state stabilized at high pressure. The amyloid fibrils
      dissociation process is here suggested to be associated to a negative activation
      volume, supporting the notion that alpha-synuclein fibrils are in a high-volume
      and high-compressibility state and hinting at the presence of a hydration
      mediated activated state from which dissociation occurs.

PMID- 28624353
TI  - Expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1alpha and antioxidant enzymes: Superoxide
      dismutases-1 and -2 in ischemic porcine endometrium.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine how 60-min ischemia changes the expression
      of hypoxia inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and superoxide dismutases (SOD)-1
      and -2 in selected regions of porcine uterine horns. The results showed that 60
      min ischemia of the porcine uterus conducted at the mid-secretory estrous phase
      caused decreased HIF-1alpha and increased SOD-2 gene expression. Higher
      expression of SOD-2 suggests that this enzyme may play an important role in the
      suppression of HIF-1alpha accumulation in an ischemic endometrium.

PMID- 28624354
TI  - School reintegration of pediatric burn survivors: An integrative literature
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The school is an essential context for children's social interaction
      with peers and to develop academic skills. Therefore, a fast reintegration can
      help children with burns to normalize their life. Thus, school reintegration is
      an important outcome after burns. The aim of this review was to systematically
      synthesize the literature addressing school reintegration programs of pediatric
      burns survivors. METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched independently
      by two reviewers. The search yielded 13 eligible publications. A qualitative
      content analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The two themes identified centered
      around (1) the roles, obstacles, and support for the different stakeholders
      (i.e., the child, parents and teacher) and (2) the contents of the school
      reintegration programs in which subthemes such as purpose, planning, essential
      elements, team, and effect were distinguished. The results show that return to
      school should start as soon as the child is admitted to the hospital and the
      program should acknowledge the different stakeholders' needs and tailor the
      program to these needs. CONCLUSION: The review emphasizes the necessity of an
      integrated school reintegration program empowering both the child, the parents
      and the teachers and tailored to the child's specific situation. Furthermore, it
      offers recommendations for further improvement of the field.

PMID- 28624355
TI  - 3-NP-induced Huntington's-like disease impairs Nrf2 activation without loss of
      cardiac function in aged rats.
AB  - Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the leading causes of death in patients
      over 60years with Huntington's disease (HD). Here, we investigated if age-related
      oxidative stress (OS) is a relevant factor to develop cardiac damage in an in
      vivo model of striatal neurodegeneration induced by 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP).
      We also evaluated the potential effect of tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) to
      increase the Nrf2-regulated antioxidant response in hearts from adult and aged
      rats intoxicated with 3-NP. Our results showed that 3-NP-treatment did not induce
      cardiac dysfunction, neither in adult nor in aged rats. However, at the cellular
      level, adult animals showed higher susceptibility to 3-NP-induced damage than
      aged rats, which suggest that chronic oxidative stress ongoing during aging might
      have induced an hormetic response that probably prevented from further 3-NP
      damage. We also found that the oxidative unbalance concurs with unresponsiveness
      of the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response in old animals.

PMID- 28624356
TI  - Vascular ageing: Underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.
AB  - Epidemiological studies have shown that ageing is a major non-reversible risk
      factor for cardiovascular disease. Vascular ageing starts early in life and is
      characterized by a gradual change of vascular structure and function resulting in
      increased arterial stiffening. At the present review we discuss the role of the
      most important molecular pathways involved in vascular ageing, their association
      with arterial stiffening and possible novel therapeutic targets that may delay
      this otherwise irreversible degenerating process. Specifically, we discuss the
      role of oxidative stress, telomere shortening, and ubiquitin proteasome system in
      endothelial cell senescence and dysfunction in vascular inflammation and in
      arterial stiffening. Further, we summarize the most important molecular
      mechanisms regulating vascular ageing including sirtuin 1, telomerase, klotho,
      JunD, and amyloid beta 1-40 peptide.

PMID- 28624357
TI  - An estimation of the average residence times and onshore-offshore diffusivities
      of beached microplastics based on the population decay of tagged meso- and
      macrolitter.
AB  - Residence times of microplastics were estimated based on the dependence of meso-
      and macrolitter residence times on their upward terminal velocities (UTVs) in the
      ocean obtained by one- and two-year mark-recapture experiments conducted on
      Wadahama Beach, Nii-jima Island, Japan. A significant linear relationship between
      the residence time and UTV was found in the velocity range of about 0.3-0.9ms-1,
      while there was no significant difference between the residence times obtained in
      the velocity range of about 0.9-1.4ms-1. This dependence on the UTV would reflect
      the uprush-backwash response of the target items to swash waves on the beach. By
      extrapolating the linear relationship down to the velocity range of
      microplastics, the residence times of microplastics and the 1D onshore-offshore
      diffusion coefficients were inferred, and are one to two orders of magnitude
      greater than the coefficients of the macroplastics.

PMID- 28624358
TI  - Environmental drivers of heterogeneity in the trophic-functional structure of
      protozoan communities during an annual cycle in a coastal ecosystem.
AB  - Trophic-functional groupings are an important biological trait to summarize
      community structure in functional space. The heterogeneity of the tropic
      functional pattern of protozoan communities and its environmental drivers were
      studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea during a 1-year cycle. Samples were
      collected using the glass slide method at four stations within a water pollution
      gradient. A second-stage matrix-based analysis was used to summarize spatial
      variation in the annual pattern of the functional structure. A clustering
      analysis revealed significant variability in the trophic-functional pattern among
      the four stations during the 1-year cycle. The heterogeneity in the trophic
      functional pattern of the communities was significantly related to changes in
      environmental variables, particularly ammonium-nitrogen and nitrates, alone or in
      combination with dissolved oxygen. These results suggest that the heterogeneity
      in annual patterns of protozoan trophic-functional structure may reflect water
      quality status in coastal ecosystems.

PMID- 28624359
TI  - New challenges in multimodal workout of locally advanced breast cancer.
AB  - The term "locally advanced breast cancer" (LABC) encompasses a heterogeneous
      group of breast neoplasms that represent an extremely variable percentage of
      newly diagnosed breast cancers (4-90%, depending of world regions). These cancers
      may have different clinical and biological characteristics that can be managed by
      primary surgery or neoadjuvant integrated treatments. In this paper we review the
      updated guidelines and discuss most recently reported evidence related to LABC
      multidisciplinary workout, in order to maximize results of combined systemic
      therapies, modern surgical procedures and radiotherapy.

PMID- 28624360
TI  - Association between arterial access site and anticoagulation strategy on major
      bleeding and mortality: A historical cohort analysis in the Veteran population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies have shown reduction in major bleeding with trans-radial
      intervention (TRI) compared with trans-femoral intervention (TFI), and with use
      of bivalirudin compared with heparin+glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI). We
      compared major bleeding, mortality and the interaction between arterial access
      site and the anticoagulant used for PCI in Veterans. METHODS: A retrospective
      cohort of 1192 consecutive patients who underwent PCI at a VA hospital between
      2006 and 2012 was divided into TFI-heparin (n=192), TFI-bivalirudin (n=272), TRI
      heparin (n=274) and TRI-bivalirudin (n=454) groups. Primary outcomes were in
      hospital major bleeding, in-hospital and 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary
      outcomes were in-hospital MI, in-hospital and 1-year MACE and net adverse
      cardiovascular events (NACE - composite of major bleeding+MACE). RESULTS: Femoral
      access was associated with a significantly increased risk of major bleeding
      compared with radial access (OR 11.87, p<0.001). Correspondingly, radial access
      was protective against major bleeding compared with femoral access (OR 0.128,
      p<0.01), but did not lower mortality or MACE by itself. Severe anemia was the
      only predictor of in-hospital all-cause mortality (OR=27.62, p<0.008). Presence
      of anemia and age>70 predicted 1-year mortality, whereas major bleeding and
      anemia predicted 1-year MACE. An interaction was noted between anticoagulant and
      access site, such that heparin showed significantly greater major bleeding in the
      femoral group compared with the radial group. Bivalirudin resulted in similar
      risk of bleeding, regardless of access site. There was a synergistic interaction
      between radial access and heparin (HR 0.38, p<0.05), but not radial access and
      bivalirudin, on reduction in 1-year NACE. CONCLUSION: Radial access for PCI is
      associated with reduction in major bleeding, but does not have an effect on in
      patient or 1-year MACE and mortality. Major bleeding is associated with poor
      short and intermediate term outcomes. In addition, anemia is strongly associated
      with increased in-patient and 1-year mortality. There is a differential effect of
      heparin but not bivalirudin on major bleeding, depending on the access site.
      There is no synergism between radial access and bivalirudin in lowering the
      composite outcome of MACE and major bleeding at 1year.

PMID- 28624362
TI  - Pulvis Fellis Suis extract attenuates ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation in
      murine model of asthma.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pulvis Fellis Suis (PFS), named with "Zhu Danfen"
      in China, has been extensively used for the therapy of enteritis, acute
      pharyngitis, whooping cough and asthma in folk medicine. Although PFS shows anti
      inflammatory activities, its effect on airway inflammation in asthma has not been
      studied. AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the protective effect of PFS ethanol
      extract against airway inflammation in asthmatic mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Allergic asthma in mice was sensitized and challenged by OVA. Mice were
      administered in oral with PFS daily at doses of 100, 200 and 400mg/kg on days 21
      27. Inflammatory cell counts and classification in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
      (BALF) were analyzed. Histopathological evaluation of the lung tissue was
      performed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-schiff (PAS) staining.
      The IgE level in serum was measured by using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).
      ELISA was also used to detect the levels of Th1/Th2 cytokine and eotaxin in BALF.
      RESULTS: Histological results revealed that PFS could ameliorate OVA-induced
      histological changes by attenuating inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus
      hypersecretion and goblet cell hyperplasia in the lung. Treatment with different
      doses of PFS significantly decreased the elevated inflammatory cell numbers in
      BALF and IgE production in serum. PFS treatment reduced the production of Th2
      cytokine IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and promoted Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma production in
      BALF. In addition, PFS also decreased the levels of eotaxin and TNF-alpha in
      BALF. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PFS has a markedly anti
      inflammatory effect on OVA-induced allergic asthma in mice, and could be a
      promising protective agent recommended for allergic asthma patients.

PMID- 28624361
TI  - Low intensity rTMS has sex-dependent effects on the local response of glia
      following a penetrating cortical stab injury.
AB  - Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive form of brain
      stimulation, has shown experimental and clinical efficacy in a range of
      neuromodulatory models, even when delivered at low intensity (i.e. subthreshold
      for action potential generation). After central nervous system (CNS) injury,
      studies suggest that reactive astrocytes and microglia can have detrimental but
      also beneficial effects; thus modulating glial activity, for example through
      application of rTMS, could potentially be a useful therapeutic tool following
      neurotrauma. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the effect of low intensity
      rTMS (LI-rTMS) on GFAP (astrocyte), IBA1 (microglial), and CS56 (proteoglycan)
      expression in a unilateral penetrating cortical stab injury model of glial
      scarring in young adult and aged male and female C57BL6/J mice. Mice received
      contralateral low frequency, ipsilateral low frequency, ipsilateral high
      frequency or sham LI-rTMS (4-5mT intensity), for two weeks following injury.
      There was no significant difference in the overall volume of tissue containing
      GFAP positive (+) astrocytes, IBA1+ microglia, or proteoglycan expression,
      between sham and LI-rTMS-treated mice of all ages and sex. Importantly however,
      the density of GFAP+ astrocytes and IBA1+ microglia immediately adjacent to the
      injury was significantly reduced following ipsilateral low and high frequency
      stimulation in adult and aged females (p<=0.05), but was significantly increased
      in adult and aged males (p<=0.05). LI-rTMS effects were generally of greater
      magnitude in aged mice compared to young adult mice. These results suggest that
      sex differences need to be factored into therapeutic rTMS protocols. In
      particular, more work analyzing frequency and intensity specific effects,
      especially in relation to age and sex, is required to determine how rTMS can best
      be used to modify glial reactivity and phenotype following neurotrauma.

PMID- 28624363
TI  - Brazilian red propolis effects on peritoneal macrophage activity: Nitric oxide,
      cell viability, pro-inflammatory cytokines and gene expression.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Propolis has been used in folk medicine since
      ancient times and it presented inhibitory effect on neutrophil recruitment
      previously. However, its effect on macrophage obtained from mice remains unclear.
      AIM OF THE STUDY: To demonstrate BRP effects on LPS activated peritoneal
      macrophage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peritoneal macrophages, obtained from C57BL6
      mice and activated with LPS, were treated with 50-80ug/mL of crude extract of
      Brazilian red propolis (BRP) during 48h. Cell viability, levels of NO, 20
      cytokines and expression of 360 genes were evaluated. RESULTS: BRP 60ug/mL
      reduced NO production by 65% without affecting the cell viability and decreased
      production IL1alpha, IL1beta, IL4, IL6, IL12p40, Il12p70, IL13, MCP1 and GM-CSF.
      Molecular mechanism beyond the anti-inflammatory activity may be due to BRP
      effects on decreasing expression of Mmp7, Egfr, Adm, Gata3, Wnt2b, Txn1, Herpud1,
      Axin2, Car9, Id1, Vegfa, Hes1, Hes5, Icam1, Wnt3a, Pcna, Wnt5a, Tnfsf10, Ccl5,
      Il1b, Akt1, Mapk1, Noxa1 and Cdkn1b and increasing expression of Cav1, Wnt6,
      Calm1, Tnf, Rb1, Socs3 and Dab2. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, BRP has anti
      inflammatory effects on macrophage activity by reducing NO levels and diminished
      release and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and genes, respectively.

PMID- 28624364
TI  - Decision-making in Swiss home-like childbirth: A grounded theory study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Decision-making in midwifery, including a claim for shared decision
      making between midwives and women, is of major significance for the health of
      mother and child. Midwives have little information about how to share decision
      making responsibilities with women, especially when complications arise during
      birth. AIM: To increase understanding of decision-making in complex home-like
      birth settings by exploring midwives' and women's perspectives and to develop a
      dynamic model integrating participatory processes for making shared decisions.
      METHODS: The study, based on grounded theory methodology, analysed 20 interviews
      of midwives and 20 women who had experienced complications in home-like births.
      FINDINGS: The central phenomenon that arose from the data was
      "defining/redefining decision as a joint commitment to healthy childbirth". The
      sub-indicators that make up this phenomenon were safety, responsibility, mutual
      and personal commitments. These sub-indicators were also identified to influence
      temporal conditions of decision-making and to apply different strategies for
      shared decision-making. Women adopted strategies such as delegating a decision,
      making the midwife's decision her own, challenging a decision or taking a
      decision driven by the dynamics of childbirth. Midwives employed strategies such
      as remaining indecisive, approving a woman's decision, making an informed
      decision or taking the necessary decision. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: To respond
      to recommendations for shared responsibility for care, midwives need to
      strengthen their shared decision-making skills. The visual model of decision
      making in childbirth derived from the data provides a framework for transferring
      clinical reasoning into practice.

PMID- 28624365
TI  - O-GlcNAcylation of amyloid-beta precursor protein at threonine 576 residue
      regulates trafficking and processing.
AB  - The pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with the
      accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) derived from proteolytic processing of
      amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP). APP undergoes post-translational
      modification including N- and O-glycosylation. O-GlcNAcylation is a novel type of
      O-glycosylation, mediated by O-GlcNAc transferase attaching O-beta-N
      acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) to serine/threonine residues of the target proteins.
      O-GlcNAc is removed by O-GlcNAcase. We have previously reported that increasing O
      GlcNAcylated APP using the O-GlcNAcase inhibitor, PUGNAc, increases its
      trafficking rate to the plasma membrane and decreases its endocytosis rate,
      resulting in decreased Abeta production. However, O-GlcNAc modification sites in
      APP are unknown. In this study, we mutated three predicted O-GlcNAc modification
      threonine residues of APP into alanines (T291A, T292A, and T576A) and expressed
      them in HeLa cells. These APP mutants showed reduced O-GlcNAcylation levels,
      indicating that these sites were endogenously O-GlcNAcylated. Thr 576 was the
      major O-GlcNAcylation site when cell was treated with PUGNAc. We also showed that
      the effects of PUGNAc on APP trafficking to the plasma membrane and Abeta
      production were prevented in the T576A mutant. These results implicate Thr 576 as
      the major O-GlcNAcylation site in APP and indicate that O-GlcNAcylation of this
      residue regulates its trafficking and processing. Thus, specific O-GlcNAcylation
      of APP at Thr 576 may be a novel and promising drug target for AD therapeutics.

PMID- 28624366
TI  - Nanoscale dose deposition in cell structures under X-ray irradiation treatment
      assisted with nanoparticles: An analytical approach to the relative biological
      effectiveness.
AB  - In this study, an analytical model for the assessment of the modification of cell
      culture survival under ionizing radiation assisted with nanoparticles (NPs) is
      presented. The model starts from the radial dose deposition around a single NP,
      which is used to describe the dose deposition in a cell structure with embedded
      NPs and, in turn, to evaluate the number of lesions formed by ionizing radiation.
      The model is applied to the calculation of relative biological effectiveness
      values for cells exposed to 0.5mg/g of uniformly dispersed NPs with a radius of
      10nm made of Fe, I, Gd, Hf, Pt and Au and irradiated with X-rays of energies
      20keV higher than the element K-shell binding energy.

PMID- 28624367
TI  - Evidence for revision of the evaluated half-life of 207Bi.
AB  - The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) compared the measured
      full-energy peak efficiency obtained from a large set of sources to that of a
      207Bi source obtained using three different half-life values. The values of the
      half-life used for this comparison are published in the Decay Data Evaluation
      Project (32.9 +/- 1.4) years and the Evaluated Nuclear Structure Data File (31.55
      +/- 0.04) years, and in a recent NIST publication (31.20 +/- 0.05) years (or
      (11395 +/- 18) days).

PMID- 28624368
TI  - Conservation of BMP2/4 expression patterns within the clade Branchiostoma
      (amphioxus): Resolving interspecific discrepancies.
AB  - In 2016, Kaji et al. concluded that the amphioxus mouth has the quality of a
      coelomoduct and is, therefore, not homologous to the oral opening of any other
      animal. They studied a Japanese population of Branchiostoma japonicum and based
      their conclusion, in part, on the larval expression of BMP2/4 in cells that
      reportedly joined the rim of the forming mouth. They did not detect transcription
      of that gene in any other tissues in the anterior region of the larva. Their
      results were almost the inverse of findings for B. floridae by Panopoulou et al.
      (1998), who detected BMP2/4 expression in several anterior tissues, but not in
      cells intimately associated with the nascent mouth. To resolve this discrepancy,
      we have studied BMP2/4 in a Chinese population of B. japonicum as well as in an
      additional species, the European B. lanceolatum. In both species, larval
      expression of BMP2/4 closely resembles the pattern previously reported for B.
      floridae-that is, transcription is undetectable in tissues juxtaposed to the
      forming mouth, but is seen in several other anterior structures (most
      conspicuously in the lining of the rostral coelom and the club-shaped gland). In
      sum, we could not repeat the BMP2/4 expression pattern of Kaji et al. (2016) even
      in the same species, and their findings for this gene, at least, cannot be
      counted as a support for their hypothesis for a coelomoduct mouth.

PMID- 28624369
TI  - Controlled drug release through regulated biodegradation of poly(lactic acid)
      using inorganic salts.
AB  - Biodegradation rate of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has been regulated, both increase
      and decrease with respect to the biodegradation of pure PLA, by embedding meager
      amount of inorganic salts in polymer matrix. Biodegradation is performed in
      enzyme medium on suspension and film and the extent of biodegradation is measured
      through spectroscopic technique which is also verified by weight loss
      measurement. Media pH has been controlled using trace amount of inorganic salt
      which eventually control the biodegradation of PLA. High performance liquid
      chromatography confirms the hydrolytic degradation of PLA to its
      monomer/oligomer. Induced pH by metal salts show maximum degradation at alkaline
      range (with calcium salt) while inhibition is observed in acidic medium (with
      iron salt). The pH of media changes the conformation of enzyme which in turn
      regulate the rate of biodegradation. Thermal degradation and increment of modulus
      indicate improvement in thermo-mechanical properties of PLA in presence of
      inorganic salts. Functional stability of enzyme with metal salts corresponding to
      acidic and alkaline pH has been established through a model to explain the
      conformational changes of the active sites of enzyme at varying pH influencing
      the rate of hydrolysis leading to regulated biodegradation of PLA. The tuned
      biodegradation has been applied for the controlled release of drug from the
      polymer matrix (both sustained and enhanced cumulative release as compared to
      pure polymer). The cell proliferation and adhesion are influenced by the acidic
      and basic nature of polymeric material tuned by two different inorganic salts
      showing better adhesion and proliferation in calcium based composite and,
      therefore, suggest biological use of these composites in biomedical applications.

PMID- 28624370
TI  - Leptin, Orexin, Peptide YY and Ghrelin Associated with Relapse During Smoking
      Cessation.

PMID- 28624371
TI  - Histone ubiquitination in the DNA damage response.
AB  - DNA double strand breaks need to be repaired in an organized fashion to preserve
      genomic integrity. In the organization of faithful repair, histone ubiquitination
      plays a crucial role. Recent findings suggest an integrated model for DNA repair
      regulation through site-specific histone ubiquitination and crosstalk to other
      posttranslational modifications. Here we discuss how site-specific histone
      ubiquitination is achieved on a molecular level and how different multi-protein
      complexes work together to integrate different histone ubiquitination states. We
      propose a model where site-specific H2A ubiquitination organizes the spatio
      temporal recruitment of DNA repair factors which will ultimately contribute to
      DNA repair pathway choice between homologous recombination and non-homologous end
      joining.

PMID- 28624372
TI  - Taming Tricky DSBs: ATM on duty.
AB  - Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) has been known for decades as the main kinase
      mediating the DNA Double-Strand Break Response (DDR). Extensive studies have
      revealed its dual role in locally promoting detection and repair of DSBs as well
      as in activating global DNA damage checkpoints. However, recent studies pinpoint
      additional unanticipated functions for ATM in modifying both the local chromatin
      landscape and the global chromosome organization, more particularly at persistent
      breaks. Given the emergence of a novel and unexpected class of DSBs prevalently
      arising in transcriptionally active genes and intrinsically difficult to repair,
      a specific role of ATM at refractory DSBs could be an important and so far
      overlooked feature of Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) a severe disorder associated
      with ATM mutations.

PMID- 28624373
TI  - Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis in an HLA-B27-positive patient with axial
      spondyloarthritis being treated with adalimumab.
AB  - Antagonists of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (ATNF) are used for the treatment of
      multiple diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing
      spondylitis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, usually, when they are refractory
      to first-line treatment1. The use of ATNF has been associated with the induction
      of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease,
      vasculitis, sarcoidosis-like diseases and, recently, acute granulomatous
      tubulointerstitial nephritis. We report a case of acute nongranulomatous
      tubulointerstitial nephritis in an HLA-B27-positive patient with axial
      spondyloarthritis and Crohn's disease being treated with adalimumab.

PMID- 28624374
TI  - Rheumatoid arthritis and ocular myasthenia gravis: Effectiveness of rituximab in
      the management of these two diseases.

PMID- 28624375
TI  - Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and atypical neck pain: A case report.
AB  - Neck pain is a common reason for seeking medical attention. It affects at least
      15% of the labor force and up to 40% of individuals whose occupation is
      hazardous. On the other hand, primary bone lymphoma is a very rare disease (less
      than 1% of all malignant bone tumors), and the relationship between the 2 has
      rarely been mentioned. We report the case of a patient who had a 1-month history
      of neck pain. The main symptom was pain on palpation of C2-C6 cervical spinous
      processes and contracture of the trapezius muscle that did not cease with
      conventional treatment. Imaging studies indicated an abnormality. He underwent
      surgery and the results of vertebral biopsy were compatible with diffuse large B
      cell lymphoma. He was treated with radiotherapy with a good outcome.

PMID- 28624376
TI  - Orthorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Registered Dietitian
      Nutritionists in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Registered dietitian nutritionists are trained to identify optimal
      food choices for clients based on medical state and lifestyle. Orthorexia nervosa
      (ON) is a proposed disorder related to obsessions about eating healthfully.
      Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental illnesses with symptoms related to
      eating, body image, and self-esteem. Both ON and EDs are more common among RDNs
      than the general population. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence of ON
      and EDs in RDNs in the United States and, among this sample, assessed whether the
      presence of ON symptoms related to symptoms of EDs, including weight, shape,
      eating, and restraint. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design compared responses for
      participants after dividing into three groups: those scoring at-risk for ON,
      those with a current or past ED, and a comparison group. PARTICIPANTS: A sample
      of 2,500 RDNs were invited to complete surveys electronically; 636 responses were
      received. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores on the Orthorexia Nervosa Questionnaire
      (ORTO-15) and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) determined
      prevalence of ON and EDs. Differences in these measures, and body mass index were
      compared among the three groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Analysis of variance and
      chi2 analyses were used to compare the groups. RESULTS: For the entire sample,
      scores on the ORTO-15 suggested 49.5% were at risk for ON, and scores on the EDE
      Q suggested 12.9% were at risk for an ED, with 8.2% of RDNs self-disclosing
      treatment for an ED. Both the group disclosing ED treatment and the group at risk
      for ON had a lower mean body mass index, lower scores on the ORTO-15, and higher
      scores on the EDE-Q and all its subscales than the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Clarifying the relationship between ON and EDs is warranted because ON symptoms
      appear to be associated not only with disturbances in eating, but also with
      elevated shape and weight concerns.

PMID- 28624377
TI  - Evaluation of a biomimetic 3D substrate based on the Human Elastin-like
      Polypeptides (HELPs) model system for elastolytic activity detection.
AB  - Elastin is a fibrous protein that confers elasticity to tissues such as skin,
      arteries and lung. It is extensively cross-linked, highly hydrophobic and
      insoluble. Nevertheless, elastin can be hydrolysed by bacterial proteases in
      infectious diseases, resulting in more or less severe tissue damage. Thus,
      development of substrates able to reliably and specifically detect pathogen
      secreted elastolytic activity is needed to improve the in vitro evaluation of the
      injury that bacterial proteases may provoke. In this work, two human biomimetic
      elastin polypeptides, HELP and HELP1, as well as the matrices derived from HELP,
      have been probed as substrates for elastolytic activity detection. Thirty strains
      of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cystic fibrosis patients were analyzed in
      parallel with standard substrates, to detect proteolytic and elastolytic
      activity. Results point to the HELP-based 3D matrix as an interesting biomimetic
      model of elastin to assess bacterial elastolytic activity in vitro. Moreover,
      this model substrate enables to further elucidate the mechanism underlying
      elastin degradation at molecular level, as well as to develop biomimetic material
      based devices responsive to external stimuli.

PMID- 28624378
TI  - Glucose triggered enhanced solubilisation, release and cytotoxicity of poorly
      water soluble anti-cancer drugs fromT1307 micelles.
AB  - Tetronic(r) 1307 (here after written as T1307) is a hydrophilic ethylene oxide
      propylene oxide (EO-PO) star block copolymer with long EO chains (Total MW- 18000
      and 70% EO). Although biocompatible, its use as a nanocarrier is restricted owing
      to its high critical micelle concentration (CMC) and temperature (CMT). We
      examined if the addition of glucose, a common pharmaceutical ingredient promotes
      micellization. Scattering and thermal studies show formation of stable unimodal
      micelles and cloud point (CP) decreased linearly. The solubilization of
      anticancer drugs viz. curcumin (CN) and quercetin (QN) demonstrates improved
      controlled release kinetics and cytotoxicity. On the whole, modulation in
      micellar behaviour by glucose opens enchanting possibility of using T1307
      micelles as nanoreservoirs.

PMID- 28624379
TI  - Heart in a Heart.

PMID- 28624380
TI  - Plasma Phospholipids and Sphingolipids Identify Stent Restenosis After
      Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of
      plasma metabolomic biomarkers for in-stent restenosis (ISR). BACKGROUND: ISR
      remains an issue for patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.
      Identification of biomarkers to predict ISR could be invaluable for patient care.
      METHODS: Next-generation metabolomic profiling was performed in the discovery
      phase from the plasma of 400 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary
      intervention. In the validation phase, targeted analysis was conducted using
      stable isotope dilution-multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry in another
      independent group of 500 participants. RESULTS: A set of 6 plasma metabolites was
      discovered and validated for the diagnosis of ISR as early as 1 month after
      percutaneous coronary intervention. This biomarker panel classified patients with
      ISR and control subjects with sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 90% in the
      discovery phase. The diagnostic accuracy in the independent validation phase was
      90% (95% confidence interval: 87% to 100%). The defined 6 metabolites all belong
      to sphingolipid and phospholipid metabolism, including phosphatidylcholine diacyl
      C36:0, phosphatidylcholine diacyl C34:2, phosphatidylinositol diacyl C36:4,
      phosphatidic acid C34:1, ceramide, and sphingomyelin diacyl 18:1/20:1. These
      biomarkers play essential roles in cell signaling that regulates the
      proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS: Next
      generation metabolomics demonstrates powerful diagnostic value in estimating ISR
      related metabolic disturbance. The defined plasma biomarkers provide better early
      diagnostic value compared with conventional imaging techniques.

PMID- 28624381
TI  - In-Scaffold Neovascularization 24 Months After Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold
      Implantation in a Patient With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

PMID- 28624382
TI  - A Small Molecule Solution to the Vexing Problem of Restenosis: Predicting
      Restenosis.

PMID- 28624383
TI  - Noninfective Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Thrombosis: A Rare Cause of Post
      Implantation Pulmonary Valve Obstruction.

PMID- 28624384
TI  - A Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm Treated Using Multiple Overlapping Covered
      Stents.

PMID- 28624385
TI  - Arteriovenous Radial Fistula: A Rare and Delayed Complication of Coronary
      Angiography.

PMID- 28624386
TI  - Economic disparities and survival from critical illness.

PMID- 28624387
TI  - Aptamer-based proteomic profiling for prognostication in pulmonary arterial
      hypertension.

PMID- 28624390
TI  - Nkx2.5 enhances the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells transplantation in
      treatment heart failure in rats.
AB  - AIMS: The aim of this study is to determine whether Nkx2.5 transfection of
      transplanted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) improves the efficacy of
      treatment of adriamycin-induced heart failure in a rat model. MAIN METHODS:
      Nkx2.5 was transfected in MSCs by lentiviral vector transduction. The expressions
      of Nkx2.5 and cardiac specific genes in MSCs and Nkx2.5 transfected mesenchymal
      stem cells (MSCs-Nkx2.5) were analyzed with quantitative real-time PCR and
      Western blot in vitro. Heart failure models of rats were induced by adriamycin
      and were then randomly divided into 3 groups: injected saline, MSCs or MSCs
      Nkx2.5 via the femoral vein respectively. Four weeks after injection, the cardiac
      function, expressions of cardiac specific gene, fibrosis formation and collagen
      volume fraction in the myocardium as well as the expressions of GATA4 and MEF2 in
      rats were analyzed with echocardiography, immunohistochemistry, Masson staining,
      quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. KEY FINDINGS: Nkx2.5
      enhanced cardiac specific gene expressions including alpha-MHC, TNI, CKMB,
      connexin-43 in MSCs-Nkx2.5 in vitro. Both MSCs and MSCs-Nkx2.5 improved cardiac
      function, promoted the differentiation of transplanted MSCs into cardiomyocyte
      like cells, decreased fibrosis formation and collagen volume fraction in the
      myocardium, as well as increased the expressions of GATA4 and MEF2 in adriamycin
      induced rat heart failure models. Moreover, the effect was much more remarkable
      in MSCs-Nkx2.5 than in MSCs group. SIGNIFICANCE: This study has found that Nkx2.5
      enhances the efficacy of MSCs transplantation in treatment adriamycin-induced
      heart failure in rats. Nkx2.5 transfected to transplanted MSCs provides a
      potential effective approach to heart failure.

PMID- 28624389
TI  - Plasma proteome analysis in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: an
      observational cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Idiopathic and heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension form a rare
      but molecularly heterogeneous disease group. We aimed to measure and validate
      differences in plasma concentrations of proteins that are associated with
      survival in patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension
      to improve risk stratification. METHODS: In this observational cohort study, we
      enrolled patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension
      from London (UK; cohorts 1 and 2), Giessen (Germany; cohort 3), and Paris
      (France; cohort 4). Blood samples were collected at routine clinical appointment
      visits, clinical data were collected within 30 days of blood sampling, and
      biochemical data were collected within 7 days of blood sampling. We used an
      aptamer-based assay of 1129 plasma proteins, and patient clinical details were
      concealed to the technicians. We identified a panel of prognostic proteins,
      confirmed with alternative targeted assays, which we evaluated against the
      established prognostic risk equation for pulmonary arterial hypertension derived
      from the REVEAL registry. All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint. FINDINGS:
      20 proteins differentiated survivors and non-survivors in 143 consecutive
      patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension with 2
      years' follow-up (cohort 1) and in a further 75 patients with 2.5 years' follow
      up (cohort 2). Nine proteins were both prognostic independent of plasma NT-proBNP
      concentrations and confirmed by targeted assays. The functions of these proteins
      relate to myocardial stress, inflammation, pulmonary vascular cellular
      dysfunction and structural dysregulation, iron status, and coagulation. A cutoff
      based score using the panel of nine proteins provided prognostic information
      independent of the REVEAL equation, improving the C statistic from area under the
      curve 0.83 (for REVEAL risk score, 95% CI 0.77-0.89; p<0.0001) to 0.91 (for panel
      and REVEAL 0.87-0.96; p<0.0001) and improving reclassification indices without
      detriment to calibration. Poor survival was preceded by an adverse change in
      panel score in paired samples from 43 incident patients with pulmonary arterial
      hypertension in cohort 3 (p=0.0133). The protein panel was validated in 93
      patients with idiopathic or heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension in cohort
      4, with 4.4 years' follow-up and improved risk estimates, providing complementary
      information to the clinical risk equation. INTERPRETATION: A combination of nine
      circulating proteins identifies patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension
      with a high risk of mortality, independent of existing clinical assessments, and
      might have a use in clinical management and the evaluation of new therapies.
      FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust, British Heart
      Foundation, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Inserm, Universite Paris-Sud,
      and Agence Nationale de la Recherche.

PMID- 28624391
TI  - Efficacy of melatonin, IL-25 and siIL-17B in tumorigenesis-associated properties
      of breast cancer cell lines.
AB  - Mammary tumorigenesis can be modulated by melatonin, which has oncostatic action
      mediated by multiple mechanisms, including the inhibition of the activity of
      transcription factors such as NF-kappaB and modulation of interleukins (ILs)
      expression. IL-25 is an active cytokine that induces apoptosis in tumor cells due
      to differential expression of its receptor (IL-17RB). IL-17B competes with IL-25
      for binding to IL-17RB in tumor cells, promoting tumorigenesis. This study
      purpose is to address the possibility of engaging IL-25/IL-17RB signaling to
      enhance the effect of melatonin on breast cancer cells. Breast cancer cell lines
      were cultured monolayers and 3D structures and treated with melatonin, IL-25,
      siIL-17B, each alone or in combination. Cell viability, gene and protein
      expression of caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 and VEGF-A were performed by qPCR and
      immunofluorescence. In addition, an apoptosis membrane array was performed in
      metastatic cells. Treatments with melatonin and IL-25 significantly reduced tumor
      cells viability at 1mM and 1ng/mL, respectively, but did not alter cell viability
      of a non-tumorigenic epithelial cell line (MCF-10A). All treatments, alone and
      combined, significantly increased cleaved caspase-3 in tumor cells grown as
      monolayers and 3D structures (p<0.05). Semi-quantitative analysis of apoptosis
      pathway proteins showed an increase of CYTO-C, DR6, IGFBP-3, IGFBP-5, IGFPB-6,
      IGF-1, IGF-1R, Livin, P21, P53, TNFRII, XIAP and hTRA proteins and reduction of
      caspase-3 (p<0.05) after melatonin treatment. All treatments reduced VEGF-A
      protein expression in tumor cells (p<0.05). Our results suggest therapeutic
      potential, with oncostatic effectiveness, pro-apoptotic and anti-angiogenic
      properties for melatonin and IL-25-driven signaling in breast cancer cells.

PMID- 28624392
TI  - Role of fractalkine/CX3CR1 signaling pathway in the recovery of neurological
      function after early ischemic stroke in a rat model.
AB  - This study aims to explore the role of fractalkine/CX3C chemokine receptor 1
      (CX3CR1) signaling pathway in the recovery of neurological functioning after an
      early ischemic stroke in rats. After establishment of permanent middle cerebral
      artery occlusion (pMCAO) models, 50 rats were divided into blank, sham, model,
      positive control and CX3CR1 inhibitor groups. Neurological impairment, walking
      and grip abilities, and cortical and hippocampal infarctions were evaluated by
      Zea Longa scoring criterion, beam-walking assay and grip strength test, and
      diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were
      performed to detect mRNA and protein expressions. ELISA was conducted to measure
      concentration of sFractalkine (sFkn), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and TNF-alpha.
      The recovery rate of neurological functioning impairment and reduced walking and
      grip abilities was faster in the positive control and CX3CR1 inhibitor groups
      than the model group. The model, positive control and CX3CR1 inhibitor groups
      showed increased mRNA and protein expression of chemokine C-X3-C motif ligand 1
      (CX3CL1) and CX3CR1, concentration of sFkn, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, and size of
      cortical and cerebral infarctions while decreased expression of NGF and BDNF
      compared with the blank and sham groups. Compared with the model group, the mRNA
      and protein expression of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1, concentration of sFkn, IL-1beta and
      TNF-alpha, and size of cortical and cerebral infarctions decreased while
      expression of NGF and BDNF increased in the positive control and CX3CR1 inhibitor
      groups. Thus, the study suggests that inhibition of fractalkine/CX3CR1 signaling
      pathway promotes the recovery of neurological functioning after the occurrence of
      an early ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28624393
TI  - Endosymbiosis: The feeling is not mutual.
AB  - Endosymbiosis is an idea that provided a remarkable amount of explanatory power
      about the origins of eukaryotic organelles. But it also promoted a number of
      assumptions that have also been influential, but are less well-examined. Here we
      look at two of these to see whether or not they fit current evidence. The
      assumption we first address is that endosymbiotic relationships such as
      nutritional symbioses and eukaryotic organelles are mutualisms. We argue instead
      that they are more one-sided associations that can be regarded as context
      dependent power struggles like any other ecological interaction. The second
      assumption is that during endosymbiotic interactions (such as the origin of
      organelles), the host genomes will acquire a great many genes from endosymbionts
      that assume functions in host systems (as opposed to the well-documented genes
      whose products are simply targeted back to the endosymbiont or organelle). The
      idea that these genes exist in large numbers has been influential in a number of
      hypotheses about organelle evolution and distribution, but in the most carefully
      examined systems no such mass migration of genes is evident. Overall, we argue
      that both the nature and impact of endosymbiosis need to be constantly re
      evaluated to fully understand what roles it really plays in both cell biology and
      evolution.

PMID- 28624394
TI  - Reduced foraging investment as an adaptation to patchy food sources: A phasic
      army ant simulation.
AB  - Colonies of several ant species within the subfamily Dorylinae alternate
      stereotypical discrete phases of foraging and reproduction. Such phasic cycles
      are thought to be adaptive because they minimize the amount of foraging and the
      related costs, and at the same time enhance the colony-level ability to rely on
      patchily distributed food sources. In order to investigate these hypotheses, we
      use here a simple computational approach to study the population dynamics of two
      species of virtual ant colonies that differ quantitatively in their foraging
      investment. One species, which we refer to as "phasic", forages only half of the
      time, mirroring the phasic activity of some army ants; the other "non-phasic"
      species forages instead all the time. We show that, when foraging costs are
      relatively high, populations of phasic colonies grow on average faster than non
      phasic populations, outcompeting them in mixed populations. Interestingly, such
      tendency becomes more consistent as food becomes more difficult to find but
      locally abundant. According to our results, reducing the foraging investment, for
      example by adopting a phasic lifestyle, can result in a reproductive advantage,
      but only in specific conditions. We thus suggest phasic colony cycles to have
      emerged together with the doryline specialization in feeding on the brood of
      other eusocial insects, a resource that is hard to obtain but highly abundant if
      available.

PMID- 28624395
TI  - Statin Trials, Cardiovascular Events, and Coronary Artery Calcification:
      Implications for a Trial-Based Approach to Statin Therapy in MESA.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether coronary artery calcium (CAC)
      could be used to optimize statin allocation among individuals for whom trial
      based evidence supports efficacy of statin therapy. BACKGROUND: Recently,
      allocation of statins was proposed for primary prevention of atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) based on proven efficacy from randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) of statin therapy, a so-called trial-based approach.
      METHODS: The study used data from MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)
      with 5,600 men and women, 45 to 84 years of age, and free of clinical ASCVD,
      lipid-lowering therapy, or missing information for risk factors at baseline
      examination. RESULTS: During 10 years' follow-up, 354 ASCVD and 219 hard coronary
      heart disease (CHD) events occurred. Based on enrollment criteria for 7 RCTs of
      statin therapy in primary prevention, 73% of MESA participants (91% of those >55
      years of age) were eligible for statin therapy according to a trial-based
      approach. Among those individuals, CAC = 0 was common (44%) and was associated
      with low rates of ASCVD and CHD (3.9 and 1.7, respectively, per 1,000 person
      years). There was a graded increase in event rates with increasing CAC score, and
      in individuals with CAC >100 (27% of participants) the rates of ASCVD and CHD
      were 18.9 and 12.7, respectively. Consequently, the estimated number needed to
      treat (NNT) in 10 years to prevent 1 event varied greatly according to CAC score.
      For ASCVD events, the NNT was 87 for CAC = 0 and 19 for CAC >100. For CHD events,
      the NNT was 197 for CAC = 0 and 28 for CAC >100. CONCLUSIONS: Most MESA
      participants qualified for trial-based primary prevention with statins. Among the
      individuals for whom trial-based evidence supports efficacy of statin therapy,
      CAC = 0 and CAC >100 were common and associated with low and high cardiovascular
      risks, respectively. This information may guide shared decision making aimed at
      targeting evidence-based statins to those who are likely to benefit the most.

PMID- 28624397
TI  - How to Mend a Broken Heart?

PMID- 28624396
TI  - Hybrid Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography With
      Fluorodeoxyglucose to Diagnose Active Cardiac Sarcoidosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic usefulness of
      hybrid cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and positron emission tomography (PET)
      using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) for active cardiac sarcoidosis. BACKGROUND:
      Active cardiac sarcoidosis (aCS) is underdiagnosed and has a high mortality.
      METHODS: Patients with clinical suspicion of aCS underwent hybrid CMR/PET with
      late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and FDG to assess the pattern of injury and
      disease activity, respectively. Patients were categorized visually as magnetic
      resonance (MR)+PET+ (characteristic LGE aligning exactly with increased FDG
      uptake), MR+PET- (characteristic LGE but no increased FDG), MR-PET- (neither
      characteristic LGE nor increased FDG), and MR-PET+ (increased FDG uptake in
      absence of characteristic LGE) and further characterized as aCS+ (MR+PET+) or aCS
      (MR+PET-, MR-PET-, MR-PET+). FDG uptake was quantified using maximum target-to
      normal-myocardium ratio and the net uptake rate (Ki) from dynamic Patlak
      analysis. Receiver-operating characteristic methods were used to identify imaging
      biomarkers for aCS. FDG PET was assessed using computed tomography/PET in 19
      control subjects with healthy myocardium. RESULTS: A total of 25 patients (12
      males; 54.9 +/- 9.8 years of age) were recruited prospectively; 8 were MR+PET+,
      suggestive of aCS; 1 was MR+PET-, consistent with inactive cardiac sarcoidosis;
      and 8 were MR-PET-, with no imaging evidence of cardiac sarcoidosis. Eight
      patients were MR-PET+ (6 with global myocardial FDG uptake, 2 with focal-on
      diffuse uptake); they demonstrated distinct Ki values and hyperintense maximum
      standardized uptake value compared with MR+PET+ patients. Similar hyperintense
      patterns of global (n = 9) and focal-on-diffuse (n = 2) FDG uptake were also
      observed in control patients, suggesting physiological myocardial uptake. Maximum
      target-to-normal-myocardium ratio values were higher in the aCS+ group (p <
      0.001), demonstrating an area under the curve of 0.98 on receiver-operating
      characteristic analysis for the detection of aCS, with an optimal maximum target
      to-normal myocardium ratio threshold of 1.2 (Youden index: 0.94). CONCLUSIONS:
      CMR/PET imaging holds major promise for the diagnosis of aCS, providing
      incremental information about both the pattern of injury and disease activity in
      a single scan. (In Vivo Molecular Imaging [MRI] of Atherothrombotic Lesions;
      NCT01418313).

PMID- 28624399
TI  - Updating Algorithms for Predicting Pre-Test Likelihood of Coronary Artery
      Disease: A Cure for Inappropriate Testing?

PMID- 28624398
TI  - Prognostic Significance of Remote Myocardium Alterations Assessed by Quantitative
      Noncontrast T1 Mapping in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the prognostic significance of remote zone native
      T1 alterations for the prediction of clinical events in a population with ST
      segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who were treated by primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and compared it with conventional
      markers of infarct severity. BACKGROUND: The exact role and incremental
      prognostic relevance of remote myocardium native T1 mapping alterations assessed
      by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) after STEMI remains unclear. METHODS: We
      included 255 consecutive patients with STEMI who were reperfused within 12 h
      after symptom onset. CMR core laboratory analysis was performed to assess left
      ventricular (LV) function, standard infarct characteristics, and native T1 values
      of the remote, noninfarcted myocardium. The primary endpoint was a composite of
      death, reinfarction, and new congestive heart failure within 6 months (major
      adverse cardiac events [MACE]). RESULTS: Patients with increased remote zone
      native T1 values (>1,129 ms) had significantly larger infarcts (p = 0.012), less
      myocardial salvage (p = 0.002), and more pronounced LV dysfunction (p = 0.011).
      In multivariable analysis, remote zone native T1 was independently associated
      with MACE after adjusting for clinical risk factors (p = 0.001) or other CMR
      variables (p = 0.007). In C-statistics, native T1 of remote myocardium provided
      incremental prognostic information beyond clinical risk factors, LV ejection
      fraction, and other markers of infarct severity (all p < 0.05). The addition of
      remote zone native T1 to a model of prognostic CMR parameters (ejection fraction,
      infarct size, and myocardial salvage index) led to net reclassification
      improvement of 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.46 to 1.17; p < 0.001) and to an
      integrated discrimination improvement of 0.07 (95% confidence interval: 0.02 to
      0.13; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In STEMI patients treated by PPCI, evaluation of
      remote zone alterations by quantitative noncontrast T1 mapping provided
      independent and incremental prognostic information in addition to clinical risk
      factors and traditional CMR outcome markers. Remote zone alterations may thus
      represent a novel therapeutic target and a useful parameter for optimized risk
      stratification. (Effect of Conditioning on Myocardial Damage in STEMI [LIPSIA
      COND]; NCT02158468).

PMID- 28624400
TI  - Left Ventricular Geometry Determines Prognosis and Reverse J-Shaped Relation
      Between Blood Pressure and Mortality in Ischemic Stroke Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate the prognostic significance of left
      ventricular (LV) mass and geometry in ischemic stroke survivors, as well as the
      LV geometry-specific differences in the blood pressure-mortality relationship.
      BACKGROUND: LV mass and geometry are well-known prognostic factors in various
      populations; however, there are no data on their role in ischemic stroke
      patients. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 2,328 consecutive patients admitted
      with acute ischemic stroke to our institute between 2002 and 2010. Of these,
      2,069 patients were analyzed in whom echocardiographic data were available to
      assess LV mass and geometry. RESULTS: All-cause mortality was significantly
      greater in patients with concentric hypertrophy (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]:
      1.417; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.045 to 1.920) and concentric remodeling
      (HR: 1.540; 95% CI: 1.115 to 2.127) but nonsignificantly in those with eccentric
      hypertrophy (HR: 1.388; 95% CI: 0.996 to 1.935) compared with normal geometry in
      multivariate analyses. Relative wall thickness was a significant predictor of all
      cause mortality (HR: 1.149 per 0.1-U increase in relative wall thickness; 95% CI:
      1.021 to 1.307), whereas LV mass index was not (HR: 1.003 per 1 g/m2 increase in
      LV mass index; 95% CI: 0.999 to 1.007). Similar results were observed with
      cardiovascular mortality. In multivariable fractional polynomials, patients with
      altered LV geometry showed reverse J-curve relationships between acute-phase
      systolic blood pressure and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality, with the
      highest risks in the lower extremes, whereas those with normal geometry did not.
      CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic assessment of LV geometry provided independent and
      additive prognostic information in ischemic stroke patients. A reverse J-shaped
      relation of mortality with blood pressure was found in patients with abnormal LV
      geometry.

PMID- 28624401
TI  - The External Validity of Prediction Models for the Diagnosis of Obstructive
      Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Stable Chest Pain: Insights From the
      PROMISE Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to externally validate prediction models for the
      presence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: A better
      assessment of the probability of CAD may improve the identification of patients
      who benefit from noninvasive testing. METHODS: Stable chest pain patients from
      the PROMISE (Prospective Multicenter Imaging Study for Evaluation of Chest Pain)
      trial with computed tomography angiography (CTA) or invasive coronary angiography
      (ICA) were included. The authors assumed that patients with CTA showing 0%
      stenosis and a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score of 0 were free of obstructive
      CAD (>=50% stenosis) on ICA, and they multiply imputed missing ICA results based
      on clinical variables and CTA results. Predicted CAD probabilities were
      calculated using published coefficients for 3 models: basic model (age, sex,
      chest pain type), clinical model (basic model + diabetes, hypertension,
      dyslipidemia, and smoking), and clinical + CAC score model. The authors assessed
      discrimination and calibration, and compared published effects with observed
      predictor effects. RESULTS: In 3,468 patients (1,805 women; mean 60 years of age;
      779 [23%] with obstructive CAD on CTA), the models demonstrated moderate-good
      discrimination, with C-statistics of 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.67 to
      0.72), 0.72 (95% CI: 0.69 to 0.74), and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.85 to 0.88) for the
      basic, clinical, and clinical + CAC score models, respectively. Calibration was
      satisfactory although typical chest pain and diabetes were less predictive and
      CAC score was more predictive than was suggested by the models. Among the 31% of
      patients for whom the clinical model predicted a low (<=10%) probability of CAD,
      actual prevalence was 7%; among the 48% for whom the clinical + CAC score model
      predicted a low probability the observed prevalence was 2%. In 2 sensitivity
      analyses excluding imputed data, similar results were obtained using CTA as the
      outcome, whereas in those who underwent ICA the models significantly
      underestimated CAD probability. CONCLUSIONS: Existing clinical prediction models
      can identify patients with a low probability of obstructive CAD. Obstructive CAD
      on ICA was imputed for 61% of patients; hence, further validation is necessary.

PMID- 28624403
TI  - Incorporating Coronary Artery Calcium Into Global Risk Scoring.

PMID- 28624402
TI  - Development and Validation of a Simple-to-Use Nomogram for Predicting 5-, 10-,
      and 15-Year Survival in Asymptomatic Adults Undergoing Coronary Artery Calcium
      Scoring.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a simple-to-use
      nomogram for prediction of 5-, 10-, and 15-year survival among asymptomatic
      adults. BACKGROUND: Simple-to-use prognostication tools that incorporate robust
      methods such as coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) for predicting near-,
      intermediate- and long-term mortality are warranted. METHODS: In a consecutive
      series of 9,715 persons (mean age: 53.4 +/- 10.5 years; 59.3% male) undergoing
      CACS, we developed a nomogram using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling
      that included: age, sex, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, family
      history of coronary artery disease, and CACS. We developed a prognostic index
      (PI) summing the number of risk points corresponding to weighted covariates,
      which was used to configure the nomogram. Validation of the nomogram was assessed
      by discrimination and calibration applied to a separate cohort of 7,824 adults
      who also underwent CACS. RESULTS: A total of 936 and 294 deaths occurred in the
      derivation and validation sets at a median follow-up of 14.6 years (interquartile
      range: 13.7 to 15.5 years) and 9.4 years (interquartile range: 6.8 to 11.5
      years), respectively. The developed model effectively predicted 5-, 10-, and 15
      year probability of survival. The PI displayed high discrimination in the
      derivation and validation sets (C-index 0.74 and 0.76, respectively), indicating
      suitable external performance of our nomogram model. The predicted and actual
      estimates of survival in each dataset according to PI quartiles were similar
      (though not identical), demonstrating improved model calibration. CONCLUSIONS: A
      simple-to-use nomogram effectively predicts 5-, 10- and 15-year survival for
      asymptomatic adults undergoing screening for cardiac risk factors. This nomogram
      may be considered for use in clinical care.

PMID- 28624404
TI  - Accuracy of J-CTO Score Derived From Computed Tomography Versus Angiography to
      Predict Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the ability of conventional
      versus computed tomography angiography (CTA) to predict procedural success and 30
      min wire crossing rates in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic
      total occlusion (CTO) lesions. BACKGROUND: Coronary CTA can be used to assess the
      morphology of CTO lesions. METHODS: We examined 205 consecutive patients (218 CTO
      lesions) who underwent coronary CTA pre-PCI. The J-CTO (Multicenter CTO Registry
      of Japan) score (the sum of the following 5 binary parameters: blunt proximal
      cap, calcification, bending >45 degrees , and length of occluded segment >20 mm
      plus previously failed PCI attempt) was calculated using both CTA and
      conventional coronary angiography and compared. RESULTS: The median patient age
      was 69 years (interquartile range: 62 to 75 years), 82.4% were male, and a
      retrograde approach was attempted in 72 (33.0%) cases. The procedural success
      rate of the CTO-PCI procedures was 82.6%, and 29.4% of cases achieved 30-min wire
      crossing. The areas under the curve of the CTA-derived J-CTO score for predicting
      procedural success and 30-min wire crossing were significantly greater than those
      derived from conventional angiography (0.855 vs. 0.698; p < 0.001 for procedural
      success and 0.812 vs. 0.692; p < 0.001, for 30-min wire crossing). In addition,
      the areas under the curve of CTA-derived evaluations of calcification, bending,
      and occlusion length were significantly higher than those of derived from
      angiography for predicting procedural success. CONCLUSIONS: The CTA-derived J-CTO
      score was a more useful predictor of both procedural success and 30-min wire
      crossing than the J-CTO score derived from conventional angiography.

PMID- 28624405
TI  - Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography Can Predict Chronic Total Occlusion
      Recanalization Success: Where Do We Go From Here?

PMID- 28624406
TI  - Global Longitudinal Strain in Asymptomatic Chronic Aortic Regurgitation: The
      Missing Piece for the Watchful Waiting Puzzle?

PMID- 28624407
TI  - Left Ventricular Geometry, Blood Pressure, Arterial Hemodynamics, and Mortality
      After Ischemic Stroke.

PMID- 28624408
TI  - Native T1 Mapping and Extracellular Volume Mapping for the Assessment of Diffuse
      Myocardial Fibrosis in Dilated Cardiomyopathy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the histological correlation
      of native myocardial T1 and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) measurement at 3
      T for the assessment of diffuse pathological changes in the myocardial tissue,
      including myocardial fibrosis and extracellular space in dilated cardiomyopathy
      (DCM). BACKGROUND: Cardiac magnetic resonance T1 techniques allow the
      quantification of diffuse myocardial fibrosis. However, there are no definitive
      head-to-head studies of native T1 versus ECV for the detection, quantification,
      and characterization of pathological changes in the myocardial tissue in DCM by
      using histological samples for confirmation. METHODS: A total of 36 subjects with
      DCM (31 men, mean age 56 +/- 16 years) underwent pre- and post-contrast T1
      mapping as well as late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance
      at 3-T. Biopsy samples were used for the quantification of collagen volume
      fraction using picrosirius red staining and an extracellular space component from
      hematoxylin and eosin-stained myocardium. RESULTS: Nonischemic LGE was observed
      in 14 of 36 patients. Although patients with LGE had significantly greater biopsy
      proven collagen volume fraction than those without LGE (21 +/- 12% vs. 11 +/- 8%;
      p < 0.01), there was substantial overlap of collagen volume fraction values
      between patients with and without LGE. Both native T1 value and ECV were
      similarly and significantly associated with biopsy-proven collagen volume
      fraction (r = 0.77 and r = 0.66, respectively; p < 0.05). Furthermore, ECV had a
      strong correlation with the biopsy-proven extracellular space component (r =
      0.86), whereas native T1 had only a moderate correlation (r = 0.55).
      Interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility for native T1 and ECV were 0.89,
      0.95, 0.96, and 0.98, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Native T1 exhibited comparable
      ability as ECV measurement in the detection and quantification of histological
      collagen volume fraction, with high reproducibility, and therefore diffuse
      myocardial fibrosis in DCM may be reliably assessed by native T1 mapping without
      the administration of gadolinium contrast agent. In addition, cardiac magnetic
      resonance-derived ECV showed excellent agreement with histological extracellular
      space.

PMID- 28624409
TI  - Emergence of Integrated Cardiac Magnetic Resonance/Positron Emission Tomography
      Imaging as the Preferred Imaging Modality in Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

PMID- 28624410
TI  - Using Trial Eligibility to Personalize Statin Therapy Appears No More Accurate
      Than a Coin Flip in Determining High-Risk Status.

PMID- 28624411
TI  - Incremental Prognostic Utility of Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain in
      Asymptomatic Patients With Significant Chronic Aortic Regurgitation and Preserved
      Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to examine the prognostic utility of left
      ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) in asymptomatic patients with
      >=III+ aortic regurgitation (AR), an indexed LV end-systolic dimension of <2.5
      cm/m2, and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). BACKGROUND:
      Management of asymptomatic patients with severe chronic AR and preserved LVEF is
      challenging and is typically based on LV dimensions. METHODS: We studied 1,063
      such patients (age 53 +/- 16 years; 77% men) seen between 2003 and 2010
      (excluding those with symptoms, obstructive coronary artery disease, acute
      AR/dissection, aortic/mitral stenosis, more than moderate mitral regurgitation,
      and previous cardiac surgery). Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score was
      calculated. The primary endpoint was mortality. Average resting LV-GLS was
      measured offline on 2-, 3-, and 4-chamber views using Velocity Vector Imaging
      (Siemens, Malvern, Pennsylvania). RESULTS: Mean STS score, LVEF, LV-GLS, and
      right ventricular systolic pressure were 4.4 +/- 5.0%, 57.0 +/- 4.0%, -19.5 +/-
      0.2%, and 31.0 +/- 9.0 mm Hg, respectively. In total, 671 patients (63%)
      underwent aortic valve surgery at a median of 42 days after the initial
      evaluation. At 6.8 +/- 3.0 years, 146 patients (14%) had died. On multivariable
      Cox survival analysis, LV-GLS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.11), STS score (HR: 1.51),
      indexed LV end-systolic dimension (HR: 0.50), right ventricular systolic pressure
      (HR: 1.33), and aortic valve surgery (HR: 0.35) were associated with longer term
      mortality (all p < 0.001). Sequential addition of LV-GLS and aortic valve surgery
      improved the C-statistic for longer term mortality for the clinical model (STS
      score + right ventricular systolic pressure + indexed LV end-systolic dimension)
      from 0.61 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51 to 0.72) to 0.67 (95% CI: 0.54 to
      0.87) and to 0.77 (95% CI: 0.63 to 0.90), respectively (p < 0.001 for both). A
      significantly higher proportion (log-rank p = 0.01) of patients with LV-GLS worse
      than median (-19.5%) died versus those with an LV-GLS better than median (86 of
      513 [17%] vs. 60 of 550 [11%]). The risk of death at 5 years significantly
      increased with an LV-GLS of worse than -19%. CONCLUSIONS: In asymptomatic
      patients with >=III+ chronic AR and preserved LVEF, worsening LV-GLS was
      associated with longer term mortality, providing incremental prognostic value and
      improved reclassification.

PMID- 28624388
TI  - Geo-economic variations in epidemiology, patterns of care, and outcomes in
      patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: insights from the LUNG SAFE
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little information is available about the geo-economic variations in
      demographics, management, and outcomes of patients with acute respiratory
      distress syndrome (ARDS). We aimed to characterise the effect of these geo
      economic variations in patients enrolled in the Large Observational Study to
      Understand the Global Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Failure (LUNG SAFE).
      METHODS: LUNG SAFE was done during 4 consecutive weeks in winter, 2014, in a
      convenience sample of 459 intensive-care units in 50 countries across six
      continents. Inclusion criteria were admission to a participating intensive-care
      unit (including transfers) within the enrolment window and receipt of invasive or
      non-invasive ventilation. One of the trial's secondary aims was to characterise
      variations in the demographics, management, and outcome of patients with ARDS. We
      used the 2016 World Bank countries classification to define three major geo
      economic groupings, namely European high-income countries (Europe-High), high
      income countries in the rest of the world (rWORLD-High), and middle-income
      countries (Middle). We compared patient outcomes across these three groupings.
      LUNG SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02010073. FINDINGS: Of
      the 2813 patients enrolled in LUNG SAFE who fulfilled ARDS criteria on day 1 or
      2, 1521 (54%) were recruited from Europe-High, 746 (27%) from rWORLD-High, and
      546 (19%) from Middle countries. We noted significant geographical variations in
      demographics, risk factors for ARDS, and comorbid diseases. The proportion of
      patients with severe ARDS or with ratios of the partial pressure of arterial
      oxygen (PaO2) to the fractional concentration of oxygen in inspired air (FiO2)
      less than 150 was significantly lower in rWORLD-High countries than in the two
      other regions. Use of prone positioning and neuromuscular blockade was
      significantly more common in Europe-High countries than in the other two regions.
      Adjusted duration of invasive mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the
      intensive-care unit were significantly shorter in patients in rWORLD-High
      countries than in Europe-High or Middle countries. High gross national income per
      person was associated with increased survival in ARDS; hospital survival was
      significantly lower in Middle countries than in Europe-High or rWORLD-High
      countries. INTERPRETATION: Important geo-economic differences exist in the
      severity, clinician recognition, and management of ARDS, and in patients'
      outcomes. Income per person and outcomes in ARDS are independently associated.
      FUNDING: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, St Michael's Hospital,
      University of Milan-Bicocca.

PMID- 28624412
TI  - Mild hypothermia protects hippocampal neurons against oxygen-glucose
      deprivation/reperfusion-induced injury by improving lysosomal function and
      autophagic flux.
AB  - Mild hypothermia has been proven to be useful to treat brain ischemia/reperfusion
      injury. However, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated.
      The present study was undertaken to determine whether mild hypothermia protects
      hippocampal neurons against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R)-induced
      injury via improving lysosomal function and autophagic flux. The results showed
      that OGD/R induced the occurrence of autophagy, while the acidic environment
      inside the lysosomes was altered. The autophagic flux assay with RFP-GFP tf-LC3
      was impeded in hippocampal neurons after OGD/R. Mild hypothermia recovered the
      lysosomal acidic fluorescence and the lysosomal marker protein expression of
      LAMP2, which decreased after OGD/R.Furthermore, we found that mild hypothermia up
      regulated autophagic flux and promoted the fusion of autophagosomes and lysosomes
      in hippocampal neurons following OGD/R injury, but could be reversed by treatment
      with chloroquine, which acts as a lysosome inhibitor. We also found that mild
      hypothermia improved mitochondrial autophagy in hippocampal neurons following
      OGD/R injury. Finally,we found that chloroquine blocked the protective effects of
      mild hypothermia against OGD/R-induced cell death and injury. Taken together, the
      present study indicates that mild hypothermia protects hippocampal neurons
      against OGD/R-induced injury by improving lysosomal function and autophagic flux.

PMID- 28624413
TI  - SRSF3-regulated miR-132/212 controls cell migration and invasion by targeting
      YAP1.
AB  - Although SRSF3 (Serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3) plays a significant role
      in various biological processes, many of its functions still remain unclear. More
      particularly, little is known about SRSF3's involvement in the regulation of
      miRNA. In this report, we found that invasive and migratory abilities were
      inhibited in SRSF3-silenced U2OS and HeLa cells. We also found that a knockdown
      of SRSF3 results in a decreased expression level of REST (RE1-silencing
      transcription factor). The silencing of REST increased the expression of primary
      miR-132/212 as well as their mature forms. In particular, miR-132-3p and miR-212
      3p possess an identical seed sequences and a common target gene. Overexpression
      of miR-132-3p and miR-212-3p suppressed the expression of YAP1 (Yes-associated
      protein 1) by directly binding to the 3?UTR of its mRNA. CCND1 (Cyclin D1), which
      acts downstream of YAP1, was downregulated in both miR-132-3p and miR-212-3p
      overexpressed cells, in correlation with diminished YAP1 levels. Taken together,
      our results reveal that SRSF3 controls the expression of the miR-132/212 cluster
      through regulating REST expression, and that the REST-elicited alteration of
      miRNA expression is implicated in enabling the migratory and invasive abilities
      of cancer cells.

PMID- 28624416
TI  - Influence of a Small Amount of Glycerol on the Trehalose Bioprotective Action
      Analyzed In Situ During Freeze-Drying of Lyzozyme Formulations by Micro-Raman
      Spectroscopy.
AB  - Micro-Raman spectroscopy gives the original opportunity to monitor simultaneously
      the operating process and the protein structure from in situ investigations along
      the 3 stages of the freeze-drying (FD) process. This opportunity was used for
      determining how a small amount of glycerol enhances the bioprotective efficiency
      of trehalose during FD of lysozyme formulations. Three lysozyme formulations were
      analyzed: lysozyme dissolved in D2O (wt% 1:9), in trehalose-D2O mixture (wt%
      1:1:8), and in the trehalose-glycerol-D2O mixture (wt% 1:1:0.17:7.93). Raman
      mapping performed during each stage of the FD process has provided important
      information about the preferential interaction between water, trehalose, and
      lysozyme in relation to the protein stability. It was found that the addition of
      a small amount of glycerol had a plasticizing effect on the glassy trehalose
      water matrix during the primary drying stage and then reduced the bioprotective
      effect of trehalose. By contrast, during the secondary drying stage, glycerol
      significantly enhanced the stabilizing effect of trehalose in the same sample, by
      replacing water-trehalose H-bonds with stronger glycerol-trehalose H-bonds and
      stiffening the amorphous trehalose matrix. The action of glycerol is also related
      to its capability to prevent aggregation of trehalose, making the structure of
      the frozen product more homogeneous, by changing the hydrogen-bond networks in
      the liquid formulation before the freezing stage.

PMID- 28624414
TI  - Corneal kindled C57BL/6 mice exhibit saturated dentate gyrus long-term
      potentiation and associated memory deficits in the absence of overt neuron loss.
AB  - Memory deficits have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients with
      epilepsy and currently no effective treatments exist to mitigate this
      comorbidity. While these cognitive comorbidities can be associated with varying
      degrees of hippocampal cell death and hippocampal sclerosis, more subtle changes
      in hippocampal physiology independent of cell loss may underlie memory
      dysfunction in many epilepsy patients. Accordingly, animal models of epilepsy or
      epileptic processes exhibiting memory deficits in the absence of cell loss could
      facilitate novel therapy discovery. Mouse corneal kindling is a cost-effective
      and non-invasive model of focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures that may
      exhibit memory deficits in the absence of cell loss. Therefore, we tested the
      hypothesis that corneal kindled C57BL/6 mice exhibit spatial pattern processing
      and memory deficits in a task reliant on DG function and that these impairments
      would be concurrent with physiological remodeling of the DG as opposed to overt
      neuron loss. Following corneal kindling, C57BL/6 mice exhibited deficits in a DG
      associated spatial memory test - the metric task. Compatible with this finding,
      we also discovered saturated, and subsequently impaired, LTP of excitatory
      synaptic transmission at the perforant path to DGC synapse. This saturation of
      LTP was consistent with evidence suggesting that perforant path to DGC synapses
      in kindled mice had previously experienced LTP-like changes to their synaptic
      weights: increased postsynaptic depolarizations in response to equivalent
      presynaptic input and significantly larger amplitude AMPA receptor mediated
      spontaneous EPSCs. Additionally, there was evidence for kindling-induced changes
      in the intrinsic excitability of DGCs: reduced threshold to population spikes
      under extracellular recording conditions and significantly increased membrane
      resistances observed in DGCs. Importantly, quantitative immunohistochemical
      analysis revealed hippocampal astrogliosis in the absence of overt neuron loss.
      These changes in spatial pattern processing and memory deficits in corneal
      kindled mice represent a novel model of seizure-induced cognitive dysfunction
      associated with pathophysiological remodeling of excitatory synaptic transmission
      and granule cell excitability in the absence of overt cell loss.

PMID- 28624415
TI  - Aging rather than aneuploidy affects monoamine neurotransmitters in brain regions
      of Down syndrome mouse models.
AB  - Altered concentrations of monoamine neurotransmitters and metabolites have been
      repeatedly found in people with Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21). Because of the
      limited availability of human post-mortem tissue, DS mouse models are of great
      interest to study these changes and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
      Although previous studies have shown the potential of Ts65Dn mice - the most
      widely used mouse model of DS - to model noradrenergic changes, a comprehensive
      monoaminergic characterization in multiple brain regions has not been performed
      so far. Here, we used RP-HPLC with electrochemical detection to quantify
      (nor)adrenergic (NA, adrenaline and MHPG), dopaminergic (DA, HVA and DOPAC), and
      serotonergic compounds (tryptophan, 5-HT and 5-HIAA) in ten regionally dissected
      brain regions of Ts65Dn mice, as well as in Dp1Tyb mice - a novel DS mouse model.
      Comparing young adult aneuploid mice (2.5-5.5months) with their euploid WT
      littermates did not reveal generalized monoaminergic dysregulation, indicating
      that the genetic overload in these mice barely affected the absolute
      concentrations at this age. Moreover, we studied the effect of aging in Ts65Dn
      mice: comparing aged animals (12-13months) with their younger counterparts
      revealed a large number of significant changes. In general, the (nor)adrenergic
      system appeared to be reduced, while serotonergic compounds were increased with
      aging. Dopaminergic alterations were less consistent. These overall patterns
      appeared to be relatively similar for Ts65Dn and WT mice, though more observed
      changes were regarded significant for WT mice. Similar human post-mortem studies
      are necessary to validate the monoaminergic construct validity of the Ts65Dn and
      Dp1Typ mouse models.

PMID- 28624417
TI  - Pharmaceutical Film Coating Catalog for Spectral Domain Optical Coherence
      Tomography.
AB  - Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has recently been demonstrated to measure the
      film coating thickness of pharmaceutical tablets and pellets directly. The
      results enable the analysis of inter- and intra-tablet coating variability at an
      off-line and in-line setting. To date, only a few coating formulations have been
      tried and there is very little information on the applicability of OCT to other
      coatings. As it is well documented that optical methods including OCT are prone
      to scattering leading to limited penetration, some pharmaceutical coatings may
      not be measurable altogether. This study presents OCT measurements of 22
      different common coatings for the assessment of OCT applicability.

PMID- 28624418
TI  - Influence of Dissolution Media and Presence of Alcohol on the In Vitro
      Performance of Pharmaceutical Products Containing an Insoluble Drug.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation is to determine how the dissolution media may
      influence the release rate of an insoluble drug in in vitro conditions. Some oral
      dosage forms containing ibuprofen, a molecule that shows pH-dependent solubility,
      are tested. They are evaluated in different media to simulate the
      gastrointestinal transit at paddle rotation speeds of 50 and 100 rpm. Moreover,
      the potential effect of different ethanol concentrations on drug release is
      tested. The dissolution profiles of the tablets show a similar behavior in water
      (pH 1.0) and phosphate buffer (pH 4.5) where the 2 doses are not completely
      dissolved. The soft capsules show a different behavior: a certain amount of
      ibuprofen, which is in solution inside the capsule, reprecipitates in water and
      in the pH 4.5 buffer. Instead, ibuprofen dissolves rapidly in the pH 6.8 buffer
      from all the formulations. In the water-ethanol solutions, the dissolution curves
      show a valuable increase in the drug dissolved at higher ethanol concentrations.

PMID- 28624419
TI  - Thermo-Optical Protein Characterization for Straightforward Preformulation
      Development.
AB  - The determination of protein unfolding and aggregation characteristics during
      preformulation is of major significance for the development of
      biopharmaceuticals. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a
      new immobilization- and label-free thermo-optical approach as an orthogonal
      method for material and time-saving early formulation and drugability screenings.
      In the experimental setup used, changes in the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence
      of the protein were measured during IR laser-induced heating of the samples. This
      temperature increase leads to characteristic fluorescence changes over time,
      which can be attributed to separable effects of protein unfolding, aggregation,
      and precipitation, depending on the stability of the respective formulation. The
      obtained signals were compared with data from forced degradation and thermal
      stability measurements and correlated well both with the aggregation propensity
      and with the reversibility of unfolding in different formulations. These results,
      gathered with only 4-MUL sample volume and 150 s measurement time per
      formulation, demonstrate potential for general applicability in rapid candidate
      and formulation selections.

PMID- 28624420
TI  - Biophysical Characterization and Thermal Stability of Pneumococcal Histidine
      Triad Protein D in the Presence of Zinc and Manganese.
AB  - The pneumococcal histidine triad protein D (PhtD) is believed to play a central
      role in pneumococcal metal ion homeostasis and has been proposed as a promising
      vaccine candidate against pneumococcal disease. To investigate for potential
      stabilizers, a panel of physiologically relevant metals was screened using the
      thermal shift assay and it was found that only Zn2+ and Mn2+ were able to
      increase PhtD melting temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis
      revealed a sequential unfolding of PhtD and the presence of at least 3
      independent folding domains that can be stabilized by Zn2+ and Mn2+. UV
      spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching studies showed significant Zn2+-induced
      tertiary structure changes in PhtD characterized by decreased accessibility of
      inner tryptophan residues to the aqueous solvent. Isothermal titration
      calorimetry data show no apparent binding to Mn2+ but revealed a Zn2+:PhtD
      exothermic interaction stoichiometry of 3:1 with strong enthalpic contribution,
      suggesting that 3 of the 5 histidine triads are accessible binding sites for
      Zn2+. Only Zn+2, but not Mn+2, was able to increase the thermal stability of PhtD
      in the presence of aluminum hydroxide adjuvant, making it a promising stabilizer
      excipient candidate in vaccine products containing PhtD.

PMID- 28624421
TI  - Spatial synchrony and harvesting in fluctuating populations:Relaxing the small
      noise assumption.
AB  - In spatio-temporal population dynamic models, the most important concept, in
      addition to mean and variance of local density fluctuations, is the spatial scale
      of fluctuations in density expressed by studying the spatial autocovariance
      function. Analytical formulas for this scale in models with local density
      regulation, dispersal and spatially autocorrelated noise, are rather simple when
      based on asymptotic theory giving linear models in the limit as the environmental
      variance approaches zero. The accuracy of these analytical small noise
      approximations has, however, not been investigated theoretically. Here, we work
      out improved approximations for the scale as well the spatial autocorrelation
      function using non-linear logistic local dynamics and going to the next order of
      approximation with respect to the environmental variance. Generally, it turns out
      that the asymptotic results are remarkably accurate under moderate fluctuations
      in density but may be inaccurate for very large fluctuations. For populations
      with small dispersal capacity, the main error comes from the fact that the
      logistic dynamics is non-linear, and this error is partly wiped out as dispersal
      increases. Proportional harvesting has a large effect on the dynamics in spatial
      as well as non-spatial models, increasing population fluctuations and their
      spatial scale. The optimal harvesting rate with respect to expected yield per
      time unit, however, is only to a small extent affected by the magnitude of
      population fluctuations unless these are very large, so that asymptotic results
      are applicable over a large range of population fluctuations.

PMID- 28624422
TI  - Endovascular Proximal Forearm Arteriovenous Fistula for Hemodialysis Access:
      Results of the Prospective, Multicenter Novel Endovascular Access Trial (NEAT).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are suboptimally used
      primarily due to problems with maturation, early thrombosis, and patient
      nonacceptance. An endovascular approach to fistula creation without open surgery
      offers another hemodialysis vascular access option. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective,
      single-arm, multicenter study (Novel Endovascular Access Trial [NEAT]). SETTINGS
      & PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive adult non-dialysis-dependent and dialysis-dependent
      patients referred for vascular access creation at 9 centers in Canada, Australia,
      and New Zealand. INTERVENTION: Using catheter-based endovascular technology and
      radiofrequency energy, an anastomosis was created between target vessels,
      resulting in an endovascular AVF (endoAVF). OUTCOMES: Safety, efficacy,
      functional usability, and patency end points. MEASUREMENTS: Safety as percentage
      of device-related serious adverse events; efficacy as percentage of endoAVFs
      physiologically suitable (brachial artery flow >= 500mL/min, vein diameter >=
      4mm) for dialysis within 3 months; functional usability of endoAVFs to provide
      prescribed dialysis via 2-needle cannulation; primary and cumulative endoAVF
      patencies per standardized definitions. RESULTS: 80 patients were enrolled (20
      roll-in and 60 participants in the full analysis set; the latter are reported).
      EndoAVFs were created in 98% of participants; 8% had a serious procedure-related
      adverse event (2% device related). 87% were physiologically suitable for dialysis
      (eg, mean brachial artery flow, 918mL/min; endoAVF vein diameter, 5.2mm [cephalic
      vein]). EndoAVF functional usability was 64% in participants who received
      dialysis. 12-month primary and cumulative patencies were 69% and 84%,
      respectively. LIMITATIONS: Due to the unique anatomy and vessels used to create
      endoAVFs, this was a single-arm study without a surgical comparator. CONCLUSIONS:
      An endoAVF can be reliably created using a radiofrequency magnetic catheter-based
      system, without open surgery and with minimal complications. The endoAVF can be
      successfully used for hemodialysis and demonstrated high 12-month cumulative
      patencies. It may be a viable alternative option for achieving AVFs for
      hemodialysis patients in need of vascular access.

PMID- 28624423
TI  - 2-Methylpyridine-1-ium-1-sulfonate from Allium hirtifolium: An anti-angiogenic
      compound which inhibits growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells through cell cycle
      arrest and apoptosis induction.
AB  - Natural products have well been recognized as sources of drugs in cancer
      treatment. Some medicinal plants contain the constituents with potent anti
      angiogenic and anti-cancer effects, which have offered great hopes of being used
      as drugs for treating various cancers. The present study aims at identifying the
      anti-angiogenic effects of 2-Methylpyridine-1-ium-1-sulfonate (MPS) isolated from
      the ethyl acetate extract (EA) of Persian shallot (Allium hirtifolium). In a
      concentration-dependent manner, the MPS was able to inhibit endothelial cell
      migration and angiogenesis in both in vivo and in vitro assays, and also
      significantly suppressed proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast
      cancer cell lines. Additionally, treatment with MPS showed a significant
      reduction in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion level and
      production/activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in the studied
      cells. The flow cytometry analysis indicated that MPS suppressed growth of MCF-7
      and MDA-MB-231 cells at G0/G1 and S phases, respectively. Our results indicated
      that the induction of cell cycle arrest was correlated with the obvious changes
      in expression of p21, p27 and p53. According to the DNA fragmentation assay, MPS
      caused apoptosis in both cell lines, which confirms the results obtained with the
      growth assay. Moreover, the compound-mediated apoptosis accompanied with the
      increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 and -9 activities. Molecular
      docking results indicated that the MPS compound can surprisingly bind to VEGF and
      VEGF receptors and interacts with their critical amino acids. Finally, compounds
      with anticancer inhibitory activity (e.g. MPS) are abundant in nature and can be
      obtained from several sources. So, our data can be clinically developed for
      treating angiogenesis and cancer significantly.

PMID- 28624424
TI  - Fusaric acid (FA) protects heart failure induced by isoproterenol (ISP) in mice
      through fibrosis prevention via TGF-beta1/SMADs and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.
AB  - Fusaric acid (FA) is a novel compound derived from a class of nicotinic acid
      derivatives, exhibiting activity against cancers. However, its role in regulating
      cardiac injury is limited. Our study was aimed to investigate the role and the
      underlying molecular mechanism of FA in heart fibrosis and hypertrophy.
      Isoproterenol (ISP) was used to induce cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy in vitro
      and in vivo. FA administration ameliorated hypertrophy by reducing atrial
      natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and beta -myosin
      heavy chain (beta-MHC) in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, FA reduced collagen
      accumulation and fibrosis-related signals, including alpha- smooth muscle actin
      (alpha-SMA), Collagen type I and Collagen type III. Transforming growth factor
      beta1 (TGF-beta1)/SMADs and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including
      p38, extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase
      (JNK), signalling pathways were highly activated for ISP induction, which were
      prevented due to FA administration. Further, FA suppressed ISP-induced PI3K/AKT
      activity in a dose dependent manner. Of note, FA-reduced MAPKs phosphorylation
      was associated with phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K)/Protein kinase B (AKT)
      activity caused by ISP. However, PI3K/AKT activation showed no effects on TGF
      beta1/SMADs expression in FA-treated cells after ISP exposure. Together, FA might
      be an effective candidate agent for preventing cardiac fibrosis by modulating TGF
      beta1/SMADs and PI3K/AKT signalling pathways.

PMID- 28624425
TI  - Antiobesity, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Diallyl trisulphide
      (DATS) alone or in combination with Orlistat on HFD induced obese rats.
AB  - The increasing rate of obesity in the past years has become a worldwide concern
      and it causes many diseases. Even though, Orlistat, a synthetic anti-obesity drug
      approved by FDA, it causes severe side effects. DATS, a natural product from
      garlic have gained attention in many biological activities. The aim of the study
      is to determine the impact of Dially trisulpide (DATS) and its combination with
      Orlistat therapy on obese animals. 30 male Wistar rats (150-180g) were assigned
      into 5 groups (n=6). Group 1 rats received normal diet and Group 2 fed with high
      fat diet (HFD) for 14 weeks. Group 3-5 animals fed with HFD for 8 weeks, after
      that respective drugs were given simultaneously along with HFD for 6 weeks; Group
      3: HFD+Orlistat; Group 4: HFD+DATS; Group 5: HFD+Orlistat+DATS. Before and after
      drug treatment, body weight was measured and blood was collected for assessment
      of lipid and liver function profiles. After end of the treatment 14 weeks, liver
      and adipose tissues were collected for antioxidants determination and
      histological observations. The significantly (p<0.05) increased body weight,
      serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol were observed
      while significantly (p<0.05) decreased HDL-cholesterol and liver function
      parameters in HFD induced rats when compared to control group. The significantly
      (p<0.05) decreased activities of SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH levels were observed while
      significantly (p<0.05) increased LPO in both the tissues of HFD treated group
      when compared to control. Histopathological changes were observed in both the
      liver and adipose tissue of HFD treated group. The DATS and its combination with
      orlistat supplementation restored all the parameters significantly (p<0.05)
      especially liver function parameters and also retrieved histopathological changes
      when compared to orlistat alone. DATS and its combination with Orlistat had great
      effect than Orlistat alone.

PMID- 28624426
TI  - Saponins extracted from Dioscorea collettii rhizomes regulate the expression of
      urate transporters in chronic hyperuricemia rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to investigate whether the saponins, bioactive
      component of effects of D. collettii, could reduce the serum uric acid level in a
      hyperuricemic mouse via regulation of urate transporters. METHODS: Chronic
      hyperuricemia model was established by combine administration of adenine
      (100mg/kg) and ethambutol (250mg/kg). In the model group, the serum uric acid
      (SUA), urine uric acid (UUA) volume, and 24-h UUA values increased significantly,
      while the uric acid clearance rate (CUr) and creatinine clearance rate (CCr)
      values decreased. Further, the model groups showed significantly lower expression
      of organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) and organic anion transporter 3 (OAT3) and
      significantly higher expression of renal tubular urate transporter 1 (URAT1),
      glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) and URAT1 mRNA than the normal control group.
      RESULTS: Saponins administration was found to have a dose-dependent effect, as
      evidenced by the increase in the 24-h UUA, CUr and CCr values; the decrease in
      SUA; the decrease in the renal expression of URAT1 mRNA and URAT1 and GLUT9
      proteins; and the increase in the renal expression of the OAT1 and OAT3 proteins.
      CONCLUSION: The saponins extracted from D. collettii rhizomes had an obvious anti
      hyperuricemic effect through downregulation of the URAT1 mRNA and the URAT1 and
      GLUT9 proteins and upregulation of the OAT1 and OAT3 proteins.

PMID- 28624427
TI  - A case grafted with polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue for protection after
      temporary resection of a metastatic cervical skin tumor.
AB  - The aim of this case report was to evaluate the usefulness of a grafting with
      polyglycolic acid sheet and a fibrin glue spray (PGA sheet grafting) after
      resection of a cervical skin tumor. A 61-year-old woman presented with left
      cervical skin tumor resistance to chemo-radiotherapy. She had been undergoing
      multimodal therapy for ovarian serous papillary adenocarcinoma for the previous
      six years. Although she had a poor general condition and a cervical skin tumor of
      9cm in diameter, which was painful and easy bleeding, had offensive smell, she
      hoped to return to her job. Under local anesthesia, resection was performed, and
      PGA sheet grafting were used to shield the skin defect. After resection, she was
      relieved from pain, and could stay home without daily wound treatment. One and
      half months after resection, the wound was almost epithelialized. The PGA sheets
      consist of soft, elastic, nonwoven fabric made of PGA. In recent years, PGA sheet
      grafting has been widely used in the reconstruction and was chosen to shield the
      skin defect for this case. PGA sheet grafting after resection of cervical skin
      tumor can be an acceptable method for palliative care to relieve pain, bleeding,
      offensive smell, and ugly appearance.

PMID- 28624428
TI  - Undifferentiated sarcoma of the sphenoid sinus.
AB  - Paranasal sinuses sarcomas are rare and no treatments have been established. We
      report a young-adult case of sphenoid sinus sarcoma treated by carbon-ion
      radiotherapy. The patient presented with progressive left-sided visual
      impairment. A tumor was then identified and partial resection by transnasal
      approach was performed. The resected mass showed typical morphology of
      mesenchymal tumor, and morphological and molecular analyses ruled out a
      predominant-differentiation phenotype. The pathological diagnosis was
      undifferentiated sarcoma. The residual lesion was treated with carbon-ion
      radiotherapy, and tumor progression was absent for one year. The patient died of
      the tumor regrowth 20 months after initial diagnosis. Although this case had a
      poorer outcome compared with cases of the more-common sarcoma types, our
      experience suggested that carbon-ion radiotherapy is potentially beneficial in
      unresectable undifferentiated sarcomas cases of sphenoid sinus.

PMID- 28624429
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the retromolar trigone: Treatment outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the retromolar trigone is uncommon,
      accounting for 1.4% of all oral cancer cases in Japan. Few studies have examined
      the optimal treatment for this cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      outcome of treatment for primary SCC of the retromolar area. METHODS: We
      retrospectively analyzed the outcome and prognosis of 45 patients (38 men, 7
      women) with SCC of the retromolar trigone who underwent treatment in our
      department between July 1992 and March 2011. RESULTS: Mean age was 62.4 years.
      Clinical stages were: stage I (n=4, 8.9%); stage II (n=10, 22.2%); stage III
      (n=5, 11.1%); and stage IVa (n=26, 57.8%). Surgical resection was performed in
      all patients and 6 patients also received postoperative radiotherapy.
      Reconstructive surgery using free flaps was performed in 38 patients;
      postoperative complications occurred in 5 of these patients. The 3-year local
      control rate was 80%, and the 3-year over all survival rates for stage I, II,
      III, and IV disease were 100%, 80%, 40%, and 49.2%, respectively. Cause of death
      was the original disease in 23 cases and other diseases in 2 cases. The most
      common cause of death from the original disease was cervical lymph node
      metastasis. CONCLUSION: The presence of cervical lymph node metastasis was a
      negative prognostic factor. Marginal mandibulectomy may be selected for patients
      without distinct bone-marrow infiltration.

PMID- 28624430
TI  - Comparative assessment of immune complex-mediated hypersensitivity reactions with
      biotherapeutics in the non-human primate: Critical parameters, safety and lessons
      for future studies.
AB  - With the emergence of novel biotherapeutic formats and immunostimulatory
      biotherapeutics in cancer immunotherapy, an understanding of immune-complex (IC)
      mediated hypersensitivity reactions in toxicology studies - and their
      differentiation from pharmacology - remains key to the preclinical evaluation of
      these drugs. In this review we provide an in-depth evaluation and comparison of
      case examples where IC-mediated hypersensitivity reactions were observed in
      cynomolgus monkeys. We provide details of the parameters evaluated in each study
      to substantiate and guide the interpretation of these findings. Five study cases
      (1 therapeutic protein, 4 monoclonal antibodies) are discussed for which effects
      ranged from minor to fatal. Common characteristics are the high incidence of
      clinical signs, detectable antidrug antibodies, and accelerated drug clearance up
      to virtual loss of exposure. In our experience, measurement of cytokine levels in
      vivo and detection of complement (split products) were supportive markers in
      situations where coagulopathy was suspected to play a role in the observed
      effects. Recommendations are outlined to prepare for root-cause analysis of
      suspected hypersensitivity reactions. Overall, a thorough analysis of the
      findings has helped to start clinical trials despite major findings. The
      hypersensitivity reactions with our human(ized) immunoglobulins have not proven
      to be predictive for humans.

PMID- 28624431
TI  - Quantitative estimation of motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To provide a quantitative estimation of motor fluctuations in PD
      through a 12-h Waking-day Motor Assessment (WDMA) and to develop new WDMA-based
      tools, the Motor Fluctuation Indices. METHODS: Two independent samples of PD
      patients (exploratory population N = 51, testing population N = 109) were
      examined. Patients underwent a WDMA using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating
      Scale (UPDRS) and were classified as either having or not having motor
      fluctuations. To quantify motor fluctuations, the Worsening Index (WI), the Mean
      Fluctuation Index (MFI) and the Coefficient of Variation (CV) were computed. The
      optimal cut-off for each index distinguishing patients with or without
      fluctuations was calculated on the exploratory population. Cut-offs' accuracy was
      then verified in the testing population. RESULTS: Optimal cut-off scores to
      differentiate stable patients from fluctuating ones were 8.3 for WI, 5 for MFI
      and 12.9 for CV. Sensitivity and a specificity were 91.2% (95%CI: 85.9 to 96.5)
      and 87.8% (95%CI: 81.7 to 93.9) for WI; 75% (95%CI: 66.9 to 83.1) and 90.2%
      (95%CI: 84.7 to 95.8) for MFI; 69.1% (95%CI: 60.4 to 77.8) and 95.1% (95%CI: 91.1
      to 99.2) for CV. Patients with a larger magnitude of fluctuation had higher
      values for all three indices, whereas patients with multiple daily fluctuations
      presented only higher WI values. CONCLUSIONS: WDMA-derived Motor Fluctuation
      Indices may represent reliable tools for evaluating and quantifying the severity
      of motor fluctuations in PD patients. Even if WDMA is a time-consuming procedure,
      the detection of Motor Fluctuation Indices could be helpful in assessing
      therapeutic efficacy on motor fluctuations.

PMID- 28624432
TI  - Zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) and vesicular zinc in central nervous system function.
AB  - Zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3) is the sole mechanism responsible for concentrating
      zinc ions within synaptic vesicles in a subset of the brain's glutamatergic
      neurons. This vesicular zinc can then be released into the synaptic cleft in an
      activity-dependent fashion, where it can exert many signaling functions. This
      review provides a comprehensive discussion of the localization and function of
      ZnT3 and vesicular zinc in the central nervous system. We begin by reviewing the
      fundamentals of zinc homeostasis and transport, and the discovery of ZnT3. We
      then focus on four main topics. I) The anatomy of the zincergic system, including
      its development and its modulation through experience-dependent plasticity. II)
      The role of zinc in intracellular signaling, with a focus on how zinc affects
      neurotransmitter receptors and synaptic plasticity. III) The behavioural
      characterization of the ZnT3 KO mouse, which lacks ZnT3 and, therefore, vesicular
      zinc. IV) The roles of ZnT3 and vesicular zinc in health and disease.

PMID- 28624433
TI  - The "highs and lows" of the human brain on dopaminergics: Evidence from
      neuropharmacology.
AB  - Rewards are appetitive events that elicit approach. Ground-breaking findings from
      neurophysiological experiments in animals, alongside neuropharmacology and
      neuroimaging research in human samples have identified dopamine as the main
      neurochemical messenger of global reward processing in the brain. However,
      dopamine's contribution to the different components of reward processing remains
      to be precisely defined. To facilitate the informed design and interpretation of
      reward studies in humans, we have systematically reviewed all existing human
      pharmacological studies investigating how drug manipulation of the dopamine
      system affects reward-related behaviour and its neural correlates.
      Pharmacological experiments in humans face methodological challenges in terms of
      the: 1) specificity and safety of the available drugs for administration in
      humans, 2) uncertainties about pre- or post-synaptic modes of action, and 3)
      possible interactions with inter-individual neuropsychological or genotypic
      variables. In order to circumvent some of these limitations, future research
      should rely on the combination of different levels of observation, in integrative
      pharmaco-genetics-neurobehavioral approaches, to more completely characterize
      dopamine's role in both general and modality-specific processing of reward.

PMID- 28624434
TI  - Brain glucose metabolism: Role of Wnt signaling in the metabolic impairment in
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The brain is an organ that has a high demand for glucose. In the brain, glucose
      is predominantly used in energy production, with almost 70% of the energy used by
      neurons. The importance of the energy requirement in neurons is clearly
      demonstrated by the fact that all neurodegenerative disorders exhibit a critical
      metabolic impairment that includes decreased glucose uptake/utilization and
      decreased mitochondrial activity, with a consequent diminution in ATP production.
      In fact, in Alzheimer's disease, the measurement of the general metabolic rate of
      the brain has been reported to be an accurate tool for diagnosis. Additionally,
      the administration of metabolic activators such as insulin/glucagon-like peptide
      1 can improve memory/learning performance. Despite the importance of energy
      metabolism in the brain, little is known about the cellular pathways involved in
      the regulation of this process. Several reports postulate a role for Wnt
      signaling as a general metabolic regulator. Thus, in the present review, we
      discuss the antecedents that support the relationship between Wnt signaling and
      energy metabolism in the Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28624435
TI  - Revisiting the flip side: Long-term depression of synaptic efficacy in the
      hippocampus.
AB  - Synaptic plasticity is widely regarded as a putative biological substrate for
      learning and memory processes. While both decreases and increases in synaptic
      strength are seen as playing a role in learning and memory, long-term depression
      (LTD) of synaptic efficacy has received far less attention than its counterpart
      long-term potentiation (LTP). Never-the-less, LTD at synapses can play an
      important role in increasing computational flexibility in neural networks. In
      addition, like learning and memory processes, the magnitude of LTD can be
      modulated by factors that include stress and sex hormones, neurotrophic support,
      learning environments, and age. Examining how these factors modulate hippocampal
      LTD can provide the means to better elucidate the molecular underpinnings of
      learning and memory processes. This is in turn will enhance our appreciation of
      how both increases and decreases in synaptic plasticity can play a role in
      different neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions.

PMID- 28624436
TI  - Zonisamide inhibits monoamine oxidase and enhances motor performance and social
      activity.
AB  - Zonisamide (ZNS) is an effective drug for not only motor symptoms but also non
      motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. However, the actions of ZNS as an anti
      Parkinsonian drug are not well understood. To clarify the actions of ZNS in vivo,
      we administered ZNS to mice and examined the effects on neurotransmitter
      metabolism and behaviors, focusing on motor and non-motor symptoms.
      Administration of ZNS decreased dopamine (DA) turnover in various brain regions,
      including the striatum. In behavioral tests, ZNS enhanced locomotor activity and
      novelty seeking in the open field test, light-dark transition test, and the
      social interaction test. Consistent with these results of DA metabolism in ZNS
      treated mice, monoamine oxidase activity was significantly inhibited by ZNS in
      primary neurons and astrocytes. Collectively, these data suggest that ZNS
      inhibits monoamine oxidase activity and decreases DA turnover, which increases
      locomotor activity and novelty seeking in mice. ZNS is potentially useful to
      improve not only motor symptoms but also neuropsychiatric non-motor symptoms such
      as apathy in PD.

PMID- 28624437
TI  - The plasma membrane: Penultimate regulator of ADAM sheddase function.
AB  - BACKGROUND: ADAM10 and ADAM17 are the best characterized members of the ADAM (A
      Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase) - family of transmembrane proteases. Both are
      involved diverse physiological and pathophysiological processes. ADAMs are known
      to be regulated by posttranslational mechanisms. However, emerging evidence
      indicates that the plasma membrane with its unique dynamic properties may
      additionally play an important role in controlling sheddase function. SCOPE OF
      REVIEW: Membrane events that could contribute to regulation of ADAM-function are
      summarized. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: Surface expression of peptidolytic activity should
      be differentiated from ADAM-sheddase function since the latter additionally
      requires that the protease finds its substrate in the lipid bilayer. We propose
      that this is achieved through horizontal and vertical reorganization of membrane
      nanoarchitecture coordinately occurring at the sites of sheddase activation.
      Reshuffling of nanodomains thereby guides traffic of enzyme and substrate to each
      other. For ADAM17 phosphatidylserine exposure is required to then induce its
      shedding function. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: The novel concept that physicochemical
      properties of the lipid bilayer govern the action of ADAM-proteases may be
      extendable to other functional proteins that act at the cell surface. This
      article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteolysis as a Regulatory Event in
      Pathophysiology edited by Stefan Rose-John.

PMID- 28624438
TI  - The metalloproteinase ADAM10: A useful therapeutic target?
AB  - Proteolytic cleavage represents a unique and irreversible posttranslational event
      regulating the function and half-life of many intracellular and extracellular
      proteins. The metalloproteinase ADAM10 has raised attention since it cleaves an
      increasing number of protein substrates close to the extracellular membrane
      leaflet. This "ectodomain shedding" regulates the turnover of a number of
      transmembrane proteins involved in cell adhesion and receptor signaling. It can
      initiate intramembrane proteolysis followed by nuclear transport and signaling of
      the cytoplasmic domain. ADAM10 has also been implicated in human disorders
      ranging from neurodegeneration to dysfunction of the immune system and cancer.
      Targeting proteases for therapeutic purposes remains a challenge since these
      enzymes including ADAM10 have a wide range of substrates. Accelerating or
      inhibiting a specific protease activity is in most cases associated with unwanted
      side effects and a therapeutic useful window of application has to be carefully
      defined. A better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms controlling the
      expression, subcellular localization and activity of ADAM10 will likely uncover
      suitable drug targets which will allow a more specific and fine-tuned modulation
      of its proteolytic activity.

PMID- 28624439
TI  - Signal peptide peptidase and SPP-like proteases - Possible therapeutic targets?
AB  - Signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and the four homologous SPP-like proteases SPPL2a,
      SPPL2b, SPPL2c and SPPL3 are GxGD-type intramembrane-cleaving proteases (I
      CLIPs). In addition to divergent subcellular localisations, distinct differences
      in the mechanistic properties and substrate requirements of individual family
      members have been unravelled. SPP/SPPL proteases employ a catalytic mechanism
      related to that of the gamma-secretase complex. Nevertheless, differential
      targeting of SPP/SPPL proteases and gamma-secretase by inhibitors has been
      demonstrated. Furthermore, also within the SPP/SPPL family significant
      differences in the sensitivity to currently available inhibitory compounds have
      been reported. Though far from complete, our knowledge on pathophysiological
      functions of SPP/SPPL proteases, in particular based on studies in mice, has been
      significantly increased over the last years. Based on this, inhibition of
      distinct SPP/SPPL proteases has been proposed as a novel therapeutic concept e.g.
      for the treatment of autoimmunity and viral or protozoal infections, as we will
      discuss in this review. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled:
      Proteolysis as a Regulatory Event in Pathophysiology edited by Stefan Rose-John.

PMID- 28624440
TI  - BAG3 promotes proliferation of ovarian cancer cells via post-transcriptional
      regulation of Skp2 expression.
AB  - Bcl-2 associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) contains a modular structure, through which
      BAG3 interacts with a wide range of proteins, thereby affording its capacity to
      regulate multifaceted biological processes. BAG3 is often highly expressed and
      functions as a pro-survival factor in many cancers. However, the oncogenic
      potential of BAG3 remains not fully understood. The cell cycle regulator, S-phase
      kinase associated protein 2 (Skp2) is increased in various cancers and plays an
      important role in tumorigenesis. The current study demonstrated that BAG3
      promoted proliferation of ovarian cancer cells via upregulation of Skp2. BAG3
      stabilized Skp2 mRNA via its 3'-untranslated region (UTR). The current study
      demonstrated that BAG3 interacted with Skp2 mRNA. In addition, miR-21-5p
      suppressed Skp2 expression, which was compromised by forced BAG3 expression.
      These results indicated that at least some oncogenic functions of BAG3 were
      mediated through posttranscriptional regulation of Skp2 via antagonizing
      suppressive action of miR-21-5p in ovarian cancer cells.

PMID- 28624441
TI  - Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin attenuates the cytotoxicity of sunitinib in
      cardiomyocytes via inhibition of the autophagy pathway.
AB  - Sunitinib malate (sunitinib) is an orally available, multitargeted tyrosine
      kinase inhibitor with antitumor and antiangiogenic activities. Although sunitinib
      is effective for the treatment of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumor,
      advanced renal cell carcinoma, or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, adverse
      cardiac events associated with sunitinib administration have been reported. Here,
      we examined the effect of geldanamycin, an inhibitor of heat shock protein (Hsp)
      90, on sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity in cardiomyocytes. First, we found that
      treatment with geldanamycin or other Hsp90 inhibitors (tanespimycin, ganetespib,
      or BIIB021) significantly attenuated sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity in rat H9c2
      cardiomyocytes, suggesting a drug-class effect of Hsp90 inhibitors. We then
      examined the mechanisms underlying sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity and found that
      sunitinib induced autophagy in H9c2 cells and that pretreatment with geldanamycin
      inhibited the induction of autophagy by promoting degradation of the autophagy
      related proteins Atg7, Beclin-1, and ULK1. Pharmacological assessment with
      autophagy inhibitors confirmed that geldanamycin attenuated the cytotoxicity of
      sunitinib by interfering with autophagy. In addition, we found that the molecular
      chaperone Hsp70, which is induced by geldanamycin, was not involved in the
      attenuation of sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity. Finally, to provide more
      clinically relevant data, we confirmed that geldanamycin attenuated sunitinib
      induced cytotoxicity in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived
      cardiomyocytes. Together, these data suggest that geldanamycin attenuates
      sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity in cardiomyocytes by inhibiting the autophagy
      pathway. Thus, the further investigation of combination or sequential treatment
      with an Hsp90 inhibitor and sunitinib is warranted as a potential strategy of
      attenuating the cardiotoxicity associated with sunitinib administration in the
      clinical setting.

PMID- 28624443
TI  - Inhibitory effect of trans-caryophyllene (TC) on leukocyte-endothelial
      attachment.
AB  - trans-Caryophyllene (TC) is a major component found in the essential oils of many
      spices and foods/medicinal plants. It is a natural sesquiterpene and has been the
      subject of numerous studies. However, the effects of TC on vascular inflammation
      remain unknown. In this study, we reported that TC treatment in human umbilical
      vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) prevented attachment of monocytic leukemia cell
      line THP-1 cells to endothelial cells. In addition, in vivo results indicate that
      TC inhibited macrophage infiltration to the aortic surface and reduced total
      serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Importantly, administration of TC
      could inhibit the induction of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) both in
      vitro and in vivo. Notably, our data indicate that the inhibitory effects of TC
      on the expression of VCAM-1 are mediated by the JAK2/STAT1/IRF-1 pathway. TC is a
      specific agonist of the type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2R). Importantly, we
      further verified that the inhibitory effects of TC on the expression of IRF-1 and
      VCAM-1 are dependent on activation of CB2R. Inhibition of CB2R by either specific
      inhibitors or RNA interference abolished the inhibitory effects of TC on the
      expression of IRF-1 and VCAM-1. Our results suggest that TC might have a capacity
      to suppress the development of atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28624442
TI  - Loss of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase induces glycolysis and promotes apoptosis
      resistance of cancer stem-like cells: an important role in hexavalent chromium
      induced carcinogenesis.
AB  - Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) compounds are confirmed human carcinogens for lung
      cancer. Our previous studies has demonstrated that chronic exposure of human
      bronchial epithelial BEAS-2B cells to low dose of Cr(VI) causes malignant cell
      transformation. The acquisition of cancer stem cell-like properties is involved
      in the initiation of cancers. The present study has observed that a small
      population of cancer stem-like cells (BEAS-2B-Cr-CSC) exists in the Cr(VI)
      transformed cells (BEAS-2B-Cr). Those BEAS-2B-Cr-CSC exhibit extremely reduced
      capability of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis resistance.
      BEAS-2B-Cr-CSC are metabolic inactive as evidenced by reductions in oxygen
      consumption, glucose uptake, ATP production, and lactate production. Most
      importantly, BEAS-2B-Cr-CSC are more tumorigenic with high levels of cell self
      renewal genes, Notch1 and p21. Further study has found that fructose-1,6
      bisphosphatase (FBP1), an rate-limiting enzyme driving glyconeogenesis, was lost
      in BEAS-2B-Cr-CSC. Forced expression of FBP1 in BEAS-2B-Cr-CSC restored ROS
      generation, resulting in increased apoptosis, leading to inhibition of
      tumorigenesis. In summary, the present study suggests that loss of FBP1 is a
      critical event in tumorigenesis of Cr(VI)-transformed cells.

PMID- 28624444
TI  - Distribution, lipid-bilayer affinity and kinetics of the metabolic effects of
      dinoseb in the liver.
AB  - Dinoseb is a highly toxic pesticide of the dinitrophenol group. Its use has been
      restricted, but it can still be found in soils and waters in addition to being a
      component of related pesticides that, after ingestion by humans or animals, can
      originate the compound by enzymatic hydrolysis. As most dinitrophenols, dinoseb
      uncouples oxidative phosphorylation. In this study, distribution, lipid bilayer
      affinity and kinetics of the metabolic effects of dinoseb were investigated,
      using mainly the isolated perfused rat liver, but also isolated mitochondria and
      molecular dynamics simulations. Dinoseb presented high affinity for the
      hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayers, with a partition coefficient of
      3.75*104 between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic phases. Due to this high
      affinity for the cellular membranes dinoseb underwent flow-limited distribution
      in the liver. Transformation was slow but uptake into the liver space was very
      pronounced. For an extracellular concentration of 10MUM, the equilibrium
      intracellular concentration was equal to 438.7MUM. In general dinoseb stimulated
      catabolism and inhibited anabolism. Half-maximal stimulation of oxygen uptake in
      the whole liver occurred at concentrations (2.8-5.8MUM) at least ten times above
      those in isolated mitochondria (0.28MUM). Gluconeogenesis and ureagenesis were
      half-maximally inhibited at concentrations between 3.04 and 5.97MUM. The ATP
      levels were diminished, but differently in livers from fed and fasted rats.
      Dinoseb disrupts metabolism in a complex way at concentrations well above its
      uncoupling action in isolated mitochondria, but still at concentrations that are
      low enough to be dangerous to animals and humans even at sub-lethal doses.

PMID- 28624445
TI  - Prevalence and Predictors of Chronic Pain in Pregnancy and Postpartum.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A clinically relevant number of patients report pain 1 year after
      vaginal delivery or Caesarean delivery. Study objectives were to identify the
      incidence of peripartum pain; determine whether pre-existing pain, pregnancy
      pain, or pain 2 weeks postpartum predicts pain at 3 months; and to identify
      whether delivery mode, epidural analgesia use, or delivery complications predict
      non-genito-pelvic pain postpartum. METHODS: Primiparous women at 30 to 36 weeks
      GA with an uncomplicated singleton pregnancy were recruited from a large
      perinatal clinic. Participants completed questionnaires on sociodemographics and
      non-genito-pelvic pain. Questionnaires were completed in the perinatal clinic and
      then electronically 2 weeks and 3 months postpartum. RESULTS: Of the 133 women
      included, 50 patients (38%) had a chronic pain condition or pain prior to
      pregnancy, whereas 73 patients (55%) reported pain in pregnancy. Pain was present
      2 weeks postpartum in 57 patients (43%) and 3 months postpartum in 33 patients
      (25%). Patients with pre-existing pain were more likely to experience pain 2
      weeks postpartum (P = 0.006), and patients with pain 2 weeks postpartum were more
      likely to have pain 3 months postpartum (P = 0.005). Women who had a Caesarean
      delivery (P < 0.001) were more likely to have non-genito-pelvic pain at 2 weeks
      but not 3 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Women with pain 2 weeks postpartum were
      significantly more likely to have pain at 3 months. Further investigation is
      required to determine whether pre-existing pain, pain in pregnancy, or pain at 2
      weeks postpartum can adequately predict the likelihood of chronic pain.

PMID- 28624446
TI  - Low Rates of Aspirin Use for the Prevention of Preeclampsia.

PMID- 28624447
TI  - Enhanced First Trimester Screening for Trisomy 21 with Contingent Cell-Free Fetal
      DNA: A Comparative Performance and Cost Analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Prenatal screening for trisomy 21 is a standard of care. Emerging cell
      free fetal DNA (cffDNA) technologies can improve screening performance, but they
      are expensive. This study was conducted to propose a contingent screening model
      that would incorporate cffDNA technology, would remain affordable, and could be
      applied equitably in a publically funded system. METHODS: Using performance and
      cost parameters from published literature, four prenatal screening strategies
      were compared. Scenario 1 modelled integrated prenatal screening (first trimester
      nuchal translucency and biochemical markers from both the first and second
      trimesters) with no cffDNA. Scenarios 2 and 3 modelled first trimester combined
      screening (FTS) and "enhanced FTS" (adding serum placental growth factor and
      alpha fetoprotein to FTS), respectively, with contingent cffDNA following a
      positive result. Scenario 4 modelled cffDNA as the primary screening test.
      RESULTS: Scenario 1 provides a known detection rate (DR) of 88%, with a false
      positive rate (FPR) of 3.3%. Scenarios 2 and 3 result in a DR of 94% and overall
      FPR of 0.59% and 0.33%, respectively, comparable to the DR of 96% and FPR of 0.1%
      with primary cffDNA (assuming the published test failure rate of 3%). The total
      cost, cost per woman screened, and cost per case of trisomy 21 detected were
      lower with scenario 3 (enhanced FTS with contingent cffDNA) compared with primary
      cffDNA or scenario 2 (FTS with contingent cffDNA). CONCLUSION: Enhanced FTS with
      contingent cffDNA following a positive result provides a similar performance to
      that of primary cffDNA at a substantially lower cost.

PMID- 28624448
TI  - Identification of functional hypoxia inducible factor response elements in the
      human lysyl oxidase gene promoter.
AB  - Human lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a hypoxia-responsive gene whose product catalyzes
      collagen crosslinking and is thought to be important in cancer metastasis and
      osteoarthritis. We previously demonstrated that LOX was upregulated by hypoxia
      inducible factor 2 (HIF-2) more strongly than hypoxia inducible 1 (HIF-1). Here,
      we further investigated the response of the LOX gene and LOX promoter to HIFs.
      LOX mRNA, measured by real time reverse transcriptase-PCR, was strongly up
      regulated (almost 40-fold), by transfection of HEK-293T cells with a plasmid
      encoding the HIF-2alpha subunit of HIF-2, but only three-fold by a plasmid
      encoding HIF-1alpha. LOX protein was detectable by Western blot of cells
      transfected with HIF-2alpha, but not with HIF-1alpha. Analysis of a 1487 bp
      promoter sequence upstream of the human LOX gene revealed 9 potential hypoxia
      response elements (HREs). Promoter truncation allowed the mapping of two
      previously unidentified functional HREs, called here HRE8 and HRE7; -455 to -451
      and -382 to -386 bp, respectively, upstream of the start codon for LOX. Removal
      or mutation of these HREs led to a substantial reduction in both HIF-1alpha and
      HIF-2alpha responsiveness. Also, expression of LOX was significantly inhibited by
      a small molecule specific HIF-2 inhibitor. In conclusion, LOX is highly
      responsive to HIF-2alpha and this is largely mediated by two previously
      unidentified HREs. These observations enhance our understanding of the regulation
      of this important gene involved in cancer and osteoarthritis, and suggest that
      these conditions may be targeted by HIF-2 inhibitors.

PMID- 28624449
TI  - Intratumoral injection of IFN-beta induces chemokine production in melanoma and
      augments the therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-L1 mAb.
AB  - Despite recent advances in treatment for melanoma patients through using immune
      checkpoint inhibitors, these monotherapies have limitations and additional
      treatments have been explored. Type I IFNs have been used to treat melanoma and
      possess immunomodulatory effects including enhancement of T-cell infiltration. T
      cell plays a critical role in immune checkpoint therapies via restoration of
      effector functions and tumor infiltration by T-cells predicts longer survival in
      a variety of cancer types. Moreover, tumor-infiltrating T-cells are associated
      with the expression of chemokines such as CCL5 and CXCR3 ligands in tumor
      tissues. We therefore investigated whether intratumoral injection of IFN-beta
      induces the expression of CCL5 and CXCR3 ligands in melanoma cells and has
      additional antitumor effects when combined with anti-PD-L1 mAb treatment. IFN
      beta treatment enhanced CD8+ T-cell infiltration into tumors and CCL5 and CXCR3
      ligand expression. In vivo studies using a mouse model showed that monotherapy
      with IFN-beta, but not with anti-PD-L1 mAb, inhibited tumor growth in comparison
      to control. However, the therapeutic efficacy of IFN-beta was significantly
      enhanced by the addition of anti-PD-L1 mAb. This antitumor response of
      combination therapy was abrogated by anti-CD8 mAb and IFN-beta augmented the
      neoantigen-specific T-cell response of anti-PD-L1 mAb. Our findings suggest that
      IFN-beta induces the expression of CCL5 and CXCR3 ligands in melanoma, which
      could play a role in T-cell recruitment, and enhances the efficacy of anti-PD-L1
      mAb treatment in a CD8-dependent manner.

PMID- 28624450
TI  - beta-elemene inhibits tumor-promoting effect of M2 macrophages in lung cancer.
AB  - Macrophages in tumor are mostly M2-polarized and have been reported to promote
      tumorigenesis, which are also defined as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs).
      beta-elemene has therapeutic effects against several cancers, however, it remains
      unknown whether beta-elemene could inhibit cancer by targeting TAMs. Herein, we
      examined the effect of beta-elemene on macrophages to elucidate a novel mechanism
      of beta-elemene in tumor therapy. We showed that the conditioned medium of M2
      macrophages promoted lung cancer cells to migration, invasion and epithelial
      mesenchymal transition, which could be inhibited by beta-elemene. Moreover, beta
      elemene regulated the polarization of macrophages from M2 to M1. beta-elemene
      also inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion of lung cancer cells and
      enhanced its radiosensitivity. These results indicate beta-elemene suppresses
      lung cancer by regulating both macrophages and lung cancer cells, it is a
      promising drug for combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

PMID- 28624451
TI  - Rapamycin protects against paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis: Activation of
      Nrf2 signaling pathway.
AB  - Paraquat (PQ) is a widely used herbicide indeveloping countries worldwide, and
      pulmonary fibrosis is one of the most typical features of PQ poisoning. The
      molecular mechanism of PQ toxicity especially how to treat PQ-induced pulmonary
      fibrosis is still largely unknown. In animal model of pulmonary fibrosis, we used
      HE staining, western blotting assay and Real-time PCR assay to analyze the
      effects of rapamycin on the PQ-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).
      We found that PQ induced the pulmonary fibrosis using HE staining and Masson's
      staining, and up-regulated the activity of HYP and the mRNA expressions of
      Collagen I and III (COL-1and COL-3) in pulmonary tissues. We also found that
      rapamycin down-regulated the mesenchymal cell marker Vimentin and up-regulated
      the epithelial cell marker E-cadherin both in mRNA and protein levels compared
      with PQ group. And the EMT associated transcription factor Snail was decreased by
      rapamycin treatment compared with PQ group. And PQ decreased the Nrf2 expression
      both in mRNA and protein levels, and rapamycin inhibited these effects of PQ.
      SFN, a activator of Nrf2, could inhibit the EMT and the expression of Snail. And
      knockdowon of Nrf2 could abolish the inhibitory effects of rapamycin of PQ
      induced EMT. In conclusion, rapamycin protects against paraquat-induced pulmonary
      fibrosis by activation of Nrf2 signaling pathway.

PMID- 28624452
TI  - Fortunellin protects against high fructose-induced diabetic heart injury in mice
      by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress via AMPK/Nrf-2 pathway
      regulation.
AB  - Inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to the progression of diabetic
      cardiomyopathy (DCM). The study was first designed to calculate the role of an
      anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant Fortunellin (For) in high fructose-induced
      cardiac injury in diabetic mice. Fortunellin was found to be none of toxicity to
      mice and cells using various assays. High fructose was used to induce mice with
      diabetes. The heart histopathological changes and cardiac function were measured.
      Fortunellin significantly attenuated the score of histopathological alterations
      and alleviated heart function, accompanied with reduced inflammation and
      oxidative stress. The pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of p-IkappaB
      kinase alpha (IKKalpha), p-IkappaBalpha, and p-nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)
      were dramatically reduced by Fortunellin, while superoxide dismutase (SOD),
      catalase (CAT), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and p-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
      were significantly enhanced. Moreover, in H9C2 cells with nuclear factor
      erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) knock-down abolished the prevention of
      Fortunellin against cardiac injury, proved by elevated inflammatory response and
      oxidative stress. Suppression of p-AMPK reduced the level of Nrf2 and HO-1
      induced by Fortunellin, eliminating the protective role of Fortunellin. For the
      first time, our study suggested that Fortunellin protected against fructose
      induced inflammation and oxidative stress by enhancing AMPK/Nrf2 pathway in
      diabetic mice and cardiomyocytes with fructose treatment.

PMID- 28624453
TI  - Folic acid attenuates cobalt chloride-induced PGE2 production in HUVECs via the
      NO/HIF-1alpha/COX-2 pathway.
AB  - Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), an important lipid inflammatory mediator involved in the
      progression of vascular diseases, can be induced by hypoxia in many cell types.
      While folic acid has been shown to protect against inflammation in THP-1 cells
      during hypoxia and hypoxia-induced endothelial cell injury, whether it might do
      so by attenuating PGE2 production remains unclear. To investigate this we
      constructed a hypoxia-induced injury model by treating human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVECs) with cobalt chloride (CoCl2), which mimics the effects
      of hypoxia. In CoCl2-treated HUVECs, folic acid significantly attenuated PGE2
      production and increased vasoprotective nitric oxide (NO) content. Folic acid
      also decreased cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF
      1alpha) expression and altered endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) signaling
      by increasing p-eNOS(Ser1177) and decreasing p-eNOS(Thr495) in a dose-dependent
      manner. Further investigation of the pathway demonstrated that treatment with 2
      Methoxyestradiol (2-MeOE2) and celecoxib both decreased CoCl2-induced COX-2
      expression but only 2-MeOE2 decreased HIF-1alpha expression. The ability of folic
      acid to down-regulate HIF-1alpha and COX-2 protein levels was dramatically
      abrogated by L-NAME treatment, which also decreased eNOS mRNA and NO production.
      The NO donor sodium nitroprusside also dose-dependently down-regulated HIF-1alpha
      and COX-2 protein levels. Overall, these findings suggest a novel application for
      folic acid in attenuating CoCl2-induced PGE2 production in HUVECs via regulation
      of the NO/HIF-1alpha/COX-2 pathway.

PMID- 28624454
TI  - WITHDRAWN: Ameloblast-like characteristics of human Hertwig's epithelial rest of
      Malassez/epithelial rest of Malassez cells via interaction with stem cells from
      human exfoliated deciduous teeth.
AB  - This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor.
      The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier
      Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our
      business/policies/article-withdrawal.

PMID- 28624455
TI  - Cellular localization of ATBF1 protein and its functional implication in breast
      epithelial cells.
AB  - ATBF1, a large transcription factor, was normally localized in nuclei, and its
      mislocalization to cytoplasm was reported in multiple cancers. However,
      localization of ATBF1 in breast epithelial cells and its potential functions were
      unknown. Here, we investigated ATBF1 localization via immunofluorescence staining
      in different kinds of breast epithelial cells. In MCF10A cells and normal mice
      mammary gland tissues, ATBF1 was mainly localized in nuclei. Knockdown of ATBF1
      expression in MCF10A cells by siRNA promoted cell proliferation. Moreover, ATBF1
      was co-localized with chromosome during mitosis, indicating its potential
      function in mitosis. In an estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cell
      line (MCF7), estrogen induced ATBF1 translocation from cytoplasm to nuclei in an
      ER dependent pathway. In ER-negative cells (Hs578T and MDA-MB-231), ATBF1 was co
      localized with GM130 in cytoplasm, indicating ATBF1 localization was associated
      with protein modification in golgi body. The results were beneficial for
      intensive investigation of ATBF1's function with different cellular localization
      in breast cancer.

PMID- 28624456
TI  - In vitro evidences of epithelial to mesenchymal transition in low cell-density
      cultured human fetal hepatocytes.
AB  - Culturing fetal hepatocytes in high cell-density allowed stabilization of the
      hepatocyte phenotype up to 8 weeks, including the maintenance of liver-specific
      functions. On the other hand, when cultured at low cell-density, fetal
      hepatocytes underwent morphological modifications and acquired fibroblastic
      morphology. Since a switch from E-cadherin to vimentin expression accompanied
      these changes, we hypothesized the occurrence of epithelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition when fetal hepatocytes were cultured at low cell-density. Changes in
      gene expressionsuch as up-regulation of fibrosis-related geneswere also observed,
      suggesting that the low cell-density culture system promoted the acquisition of a
      profibrotic phenotype in cultured hepatocytes. The origin of fibrogenic cells in
      the liver is not well known, and the role of hepatocytes as a source of
      fibrogenic cells is controversial. Therefore, we hypothesized that hepatocytes
      undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition could have a central role in
      liver fibrosis as a source of fibrogenic cells. To conclude, the high cell
      density culture system could be a useful model for in vitro studies requiring
      long-term cultures of hepatocytes, such as the development of pharmaceutical
      drugs and mechanisms of viral infections. The low cell-density culture system may
      provide additional insights into the origin of fibrogenic cells in the liver,
      thus contributing to the development of novel therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28624457
TI  - Effect of calcium carbonate particle shape on phagocytosis and pro-inflammatory
      response in differentiated THP-1 macrophages.
AB  - Phagocytosis is a physiological process used by immune cells such as macrophages
      to actively ingest and destroy foreign pathogens and particles. It is the
      cellular process that leads to the failure of drug delivery carriers because the
      drug carriers are cleared by immune cells before reaching their target.
      Therefore, clarifying the mechanism of particle phagocytosis would have a
      significant implication for both fundamental understanding and biomedical
      engineering. As far as we know, the effect of particle shape on biological
      response has not been fully investigated. In the present study, we investigated
      the particle shape-dependent cellular uptake and biological response of
      differentiated THP-1 macrophages by using calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-based
      particles as a model. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the
      high uptake of needle-shaped CaCO3 particles by THP-1 macrophages because of
      their high phagocytic activity. In addition, the THP-1 macrophages exposed to
      needle-shaped CaCO3 accumulated a large amount of calcium in the intracellular
      matrix. The enhanced release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha) by the THP-1 macrophages suggested that the needle-shaped CaCO3
      particles trigger a pro-inflammatory response. In contrast, no pro-inflammatory
      response was induced in undifferentiated THP-1 monocytes exposed to either needle
      or cuboidal-shaped CaCO3 particles, probably because of their low phagocytic
      activity. We also found that phosphate-coated particles efficiently repressed
      cellular uptake and the resulting pro-inflammatory response in both THP-1
      macrophages and primary peritoneal macrophages. Our results indicate that the pro
      inflammatory response of macrophages upon exposure to CaCO3 particles is shape-
      and surface property-dependent, and is mediated by the intracellular accumulation
      of calcium ions released from phagocytosed CaCO3 particles.

PMID- 28624458
TI  - DNA hypomethylation circuit of mouse rDNA repeats in the germ cell lineage.
AB  - DNA methylation is dynamically reprogrammed at two developmental periods, in
      primordial germ cells and pre-implantation embryos, via distinct phases of DNA
      demethylation and de novo methylation. Here we show that ribosomal DNA (rDNA)
      promoters are hypomethylated in sperm and oocytes; this hypomethyaltion was
      maintained during pre-implantation development. A DNA methylation analysis of
      embryonic and extra-embryonic cells on embryonic day 7.5 (E7.5) revealed that the
      rDNA promoter was slightly methylated in embryonic and extra-embryonic regions.
      Intriguingly, this hypomethylated status was observed throughout germ cell
      development on E13.5 and E18.5. In contrast, fetal somatic cells in gonad and
      liver acquired methylation on E13.5, which was maintained in adult tissues. These
      findings indicate a unique rDNA methylation signature in the germ cell lineage.

PMID- 28624459
TI  - Overexpression of a bacterial mercury transporter MerT in Arabidopsis enhances
      mercury tolerance.
AB  - The phytoremediation by using of green plants in the removal of environmental
      pollutant is an environment friendly, green technology that is cost effective and
      energetically inexpensive. By using Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer, we
      generated transgenic Arabidopsis plants ectopically expressing mercuric transport
      protein gene (merT) from Pseudomonas alcaligenes. Compared with wild-type (WT)
      plants, overexpressing PamerT in Arabidopsis enhanced the tolerance to HgCl2.
      Further results showed that the enhanced total activities or corresponding
      transcripts of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD),
      catalase (CAT) and guaiacol peroxidase (POD) were observed in transgenic
      Arabidopsis under HgCl2 stress. These results were confirmed by the alleviation
      of oxidative damage, as indicated by the decrease of thiobarbituric acid reactive
      substances (TBARS) contents and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. In
      addition, localization analysis of PaMerT in Arabidopsis protoplast showed that
      it is likely to be associated with vacuole. In all, PamerT increased mercury (Hg)
      tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis, and decreased production of Hg-induced ROS,
      thereby protecting plants from oxidative damage. The present study has provided
      further evidence that bacterial MerT plays an important role in the plant
      tolerance to HgCl2 and in reducing the production of ROS induced by HgCl2.

PMID- 28624460
TI  - Identification of KX2-391 as an inhibitor of HBV transcription by a recombinant
      HBV-based screening assay.
AB  - Antiviral therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection that are
      currently applicable for clinical use are limited to nucleos(t)ide analogs
      targeting HBV polymerase activity and pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN).
      Towards establishing an effective therapy for HBV related diseases, it is
      important to develop a new anti-HBV agent that suppresses and eradicates HBV.
      This study used recombinant HBV encoding NanoLuc to screen anti-HBV compounds
      from 1827 US Food and Drug Administration approved compounds and identified
      several compounds that suppressed HBV infection. Among them, KX2-391, a non-ATP
      competitive inhibitor of SRC kinase and tubulin polymerization, was identified as
      a lead candidate for an anti-HBV drug. Treatment of sodium taurocholate
      cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP) transduced-HepG2 (HepG2-NTCP) or primary human
      hepatocytes with KX2-391 suppressed HBV replication in a dose-dependent manner.
      The anti-HBV activity of KX2-391 appeared not to depend on SRC kinase activity
      because siRNA for SRC mRNA did not impair the HBV infection/replication. The anti
      HBV activity of KX2-391 depended on the inhibitory effect of tubulin
      polymerization similar to other tubulin polymerization inhibitors, some of which
      were shown to inhibit HBV replication. KX2-391 inhibited HBV transcription driven
      by a HBV precore promoter in an HBV X protein-independent manner but did not
      inhibit the activity of HBV-S1, -S2, -X or cytomegalovirus promoters. Treatment
      with KX2-391 reduced the expression of several various factors including
      hepatocyte nuclear factor-4a.

PMID- 28624462
TI  - Evaluation on antiviral activity of coumarin derivatives against spring viraemia
      of carp virus in epithelioma papulosum cyprini cells.
AB  - As one of the most serious pathogens in the freshwater aquatic environment,
      spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) induces a high mortality rate in several
      cyprinid fishes. In this study, we designed and synthesized a total of 44
      coumarin derivatives to evaluate the anti-SVCV activity. By comparing the
      inhibitory concentration at half-maximal activity (IC50), two imidazole coumarins
      (B4 and C2) were selected, with maximum inhibitory rates on SVCV more than 90%.
      Mechanistically, B4 or C2 did not affect viral adhesion and delivery from
      endosomes to the cytosol. Further, B4 and C2 could decline the apoptosis in SVCV
      infected cells and the viral activated caspase-3, 8, 9 activities. Other results
      showed that SVCV induced the cytoskeletal structure to be a circumferential ring
      of microtubules near the nucleus, with occurring a disrupted microfilament
      organization. In comparison, cytoskeleton structure in drug-treated cells kept
      complete. In addition, the cellular microstructure in drug treatments showed no
      significant change; while SVCV-infected cells were seriously shrunk, and observed
      typical apoptotic features including cell shrinkage, volume reduction and cell
      blebbing. More importantly, B4 and C2 enhanced anti-oxidative enzyme gene
      expression and triggered the Nrf-2 pathway to keep balance of intracellular redox
      state. Therefore, the use of two imidazole coumarins (B4 and C2) could be a
      viable way of preventing and controlling SVCV infection.

PMID- 28624461
TI  - Emetine inhibits replication of RNA and DNA viruses without generating drug
      resistant virus variants.
AB  - At a noncytotoxic concentration, emetine was found to inhibit replication of DNA
      viruses [buffalopoxvirus (BPXV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1)] as well as RNA
      viruses [peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) and Newcastle disease virus
      (NDV)]. Using the time-of-addition and virus step-specific assays, we showed that
      emetine treatment resulted in reduced synthesis of viral RNA (PPRV and NDV) and
      DNA (BPXV and BHV-1) as well as inhibiting viral entry (NDV and BHV-1). In
      addition, emetine treatment also resulted in decreased synthesis of viral
      proteins. In a cell free endogenous viral polymerase assay, emetine was found to
      significantly inhibit replication of NDV, but not BPXV genome, suggesting that
      besides directly inhibiting specific viral polymerases, emetine may also target
      other factors essentially required for efficient replication of the viral genome.
      Moreover, emetine was found to significantly inhibit BPXV-induced pock lesions on
      chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) along with associated mortality of embryonated
      chicken eggs. At a lethal dose 50 (LD50) of 126.49 ng/egg and at an effective
      concentration 50 (EC50) of 3.03 ng/egg, the therapeutic index of the emetine
      against BPXV was determined to be 41.74. Emetine was also found to significantly
      delay NDV-induced mortality in chicken embryos associated with reduced viral
      titers. Further, emetine-resistant mutants were not observed upon long-term (P =
      25) sequential passage of BPXV and NDV in cell culture. Collectively, we have
      extended the effective antiviral activity of emetine against diverse groups of
      DNA and RNA viruses and propose that emetine could provide significant
      therapeutic value against some of these viruses without inducing an antiviral
      drug-resistant phenotype.

PMID- 28624463
TI  - Insights from genotype-phenotype correlations by novel SPEG mutations causing
      centronuclear myopathy.
AB  - Centronuclear myopathies (CNM) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous
      group of congenital myopathies, defined histologically by increased number of
      fibres with centrally located nuclei, and type I fibre predominance in muscle
      biopsy. Myotubular myopathy, the X-linked form of CNM caused by mutations in the
      phosphoinositide phosphatase MTM1, is histologically characteristic since muscle
      fibres resemble myotubes. Here we present two unrelated patients with CNM and
      typical myotubular fibres in the muscle biopsy caused by mutations in striated
      muscle preferentially expressed protein kinase (SPEG). Next generation sequencing
      revealed novel biallelic homozygous mutations in SPEG in both cases. Patient 1
      showed the c.1627_1628insA (p.Thr544Aspfs*48) mutation and patient 2 the
      c.9586C>T (p.Arg3196*) mutation. The clinical phenotype was distinctive in the
      two patients since patient 2 developed a dilated cardiomyopathy with milder
      myopathy features, while patient 1 showed only myopathic features without cardiac
      involvement. These findings expand the genotype-phenotype correlations after the
      initial report. Additionally, we describe whole body muscle MRI of patient 2 and
      we argue on the different SPEG isoforms in skeletal muscle and heart as the
      possible explanation leading to variable phenotypes of SPEG mutations.

PMID- 28624465
TI  - Muscle pathology in Vici syndrome-A case study with a novel mutation in EPG5 and
      a summary of the literature.
AB  - Vici syndrome is a disorder characterized by myopathy, cardiomyopathy, agenesis
      of the corpus callosum, immunodeficiency, cataracts, hypopigmentation,
      microcephaly, gross developmental delay and failure to thrive. It is caused by
      mutations in EPG5, which encodes a protein involved in the autophagy pathway.
      Although myopathy is part of the syndrome, few publications have described the
      muscle pathology. We present a detailed morphological analysis in a boy with Vici
      syndrome due to a novel homozygous one-base deletion in EPG5 (c.784delA), and we
      review the histopathological findings from previous reports. Muscle biopsy was
      performed at three months of age and demonstrated small vacuolated fibers,
      frequently with internal nuclei, and expressing developmental and fast myosin
      isoforms. There was an increase in acid phosphatase activity in the small fibers,
      which also showed LAMP-2 upregulation, glycogen accumulation and contained
      numerous p62-positive inclusions and some lipid droplets. Electron microscopy
      demonstrated hypoplastic fibers with massive glycogen accumulation and extensive
      disorganization of the myofibrils. This study expands the muscle pathological
      features of Vici syndrome and demonstrates a pattern of vacuolar myopathy with
      glycogen storage and immature, hypoplastic and atrophic muscle fibers. Increased
      lysosomes and accumulation of p62 are in line with a disturbance of the
      autophagic pathway as an essential part of the pathogenesis.

PMID- 28624464
TI  - Complex phenotypes associated with STIM1 mutations in both coiled coil and EF
      hand domains.
AB  - Dominant mutations in STIM1 are a cause of three allelic conditions: tubular
      aggregate myopathy, Stormorken syndrome (a complex phenotype including myopathy,
      hyposplenism, hypocalcaemia and bleeding diathesis), and a platelet dysfunction
      disorder, York platelet syndrome. Previous reports have suggested a genotype
      phenotype correlation with mutations in the N-terminal EF-hand domain associated
      with tubular aggregate myopathy, and a common mutation at p.R304W in a coiled
      coil domain associated with Stormorken syndrome. In this study individuals with
      STIM1 variants were identified by exome sequencing or STIM1 direct sequencing,
      and assessed for neuromuscular, haematological and biochemical evidence of the
      allelic disorders of STIM1. STIM1 mutations were investigated by fibroblast
      calcium imaging and 3D modelling. Six individuals with STIM1 mutations, including
      two novel mutations (c.262A>G (p.S88G) and c.911G>A (p.R304Q)), were identified.
      Extra-neuromuscular symptoms including thrombocytopenia, platelet dysfunction,
      hypocalcaemia or hyposplenism were present in 5/6 patients with mutations in both
      the EF-hand and CC domains. 3/6 patients had psychiatric disorders, not
      previously reported in STIM1 disease. Review of published STIM1 patients (n = 49)
      confirmed that neuromuscular symptoms are present in most patients. We conclude
      that the phenotype associated with activating STIM1 mutations frequently includes
      extra-neuromuscular features such as hypocalcaemia, hypo-/asplenia and platelet
      dysfunction regardless of mutation domain.

PMID- 28624466
TI  - Resectable Clinical N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer; What Is the Optimal Treatment
      Strategy? An Update by the British Thoracic Society Lung Cancer Specialist
      Advisory Group.
AB  - Patients and clinicians are faced with uncertainty as to the optimal treatment
      strategy for potentially resectable NSCLC in which there is clinical evidence of
      involvement of the ipsilateral mediastinum. Randomized controlled trials and meta
      analyses have failed to demonstrate superiority of one bimodality strategy over
      another (chemotherapy plus surgery versus chemotherapy plus radiotherapy). One
      trial of trimodality treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery
      demonstrated an improvement in progression-free, but not overall, survival versus
      chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There are a number of limitations to the data in
      this complex and heterogenous patient group. No randomized controlled trial has
      specifically studied patients with single-station N2 disease versus multistation
      N2 disease. When discussing treatment for fit patients with potentially
      resectable cN2 NSCLC, lung cancer teams should consider trimodality treatment
      with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery or bimodality treatment with
      chemotherapy and either surgery or radiotherapy. We advocate that all patients
      see both a thoracic surgeon and the oncology team to discuss these different
      approaches.

PMID- 28624467
TI  - Comprehensive Analysis of EGFR-Mutant Abundance and Its Effect on Efficacy of
      EGFR TKIs in Advanced NSCLC with EGFR Mutations.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A qualitative detection method for EGFR mutations is not sufficient
      to guide precise targeted therapy in clinical practice. The aim of this study was
      to explore the relationship between the abundance of EGFR mutations and efficacy
      of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). METHODS: We used the amplification
      refractory mutation system (ARMS) method optimized with competitive blockers and
      specific mutation quantitation (ARMS+) to quantitatively evaluate the abundance
      of EGFR mutations in 201 patients with advanced NSCLC. A cutoff value of the
      abundance of EGFR mutations was determined by receiver operating characteristic
      analysis in a training group and validated in a validation group. RESULTS: The
      abundance of EGFR activating mutation by ARMS+ was significantly associated with
      objective response to EGFR TKIs. The abundance of 19DEL was significantly higher
      than that of L858R, with cutoff values for 19DEL and L858R of 4.9% and 9.5%,
      respectively. The median progression-free survival in the high group was
      significantly longer than that in the low group (19DEL, 15.0 versus 2.0 months [p
      < 0.001] and L858R, 12.3 versus 2.0 months [p < 0.001]) in the training set.
      Similar results were also observed in the validation set. Nine of 13 patients
      harboring T790M mutation achieved a partial response to EGFR TKIs. Most (seven of
      nine) were identified to have a low abundance of T790M mutation. The abundance of
      EGFR mutations appeared to be more significantly associated with the copy number
      of EGFR mutations from circulating tumor DNA in 19DEL group. CONCLUSION: The
      abundance of EGFR activating mutation by ARMS+ was significantly associated with
      objective response to EGFR TKIs. The abundance of EGFRT790M mutation may have an
      adverse impact on progression-free survival rather than on objective response
      rate in patients with advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC treated with EGFR TKIs.

PMID- 28624468
TI  - Fish mass immunization against virus with recombinant "spiny" bacterins.
AB  - Bacterins obtained from recombinant bacteria displaying heterologous antigens in
      its surface coded by prokaryotic rather than eukaryotic expression plasmids (here
      called "spiny" bacterins or spinycterins), have been used to increase fish
      immunogenicity of recombinant viral protein fragments. To explore their
      immunogenicity, five bacterial-specific membrane anchor-motifs characterized in
      the literature (Nmistic, Mistic, NTD, YAIN and YBEL) were genetically fused to
      the immunorelevant cystein-free 117 amino acid fragment II from the ORF149 of
      cyprinid herpes virus 3 (frgIICyHV3). The fusion of anchor-motifs to the N
      terminus of frgIICyHV3 enriched expression in E.coli outer membranes as
      demonstrated by ELISA, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry of formaldehyde
      fixed recombinant bacteria (spinycterins). Unconventional low-intensity
      ultrasound inducing mucosal micropores in a reversible non-harmful manner was
      used before carp or zebrafish immersion on spinycterin suspensions as a practical
      delivery alternative to fish-to-fish injection. After ELISA screening for anti
      frgIICyHV3-specific antibodies of spinycterin-immunized fish plasma, the YBEL
      constructs were identified as the most immunogenic in both carp and zebrafish,
      correlating with one of the best expressed recombinant proteins as demonstrated
      by Western blot and surface enriched as demonstrated by ELISA and flow cytometry.
      The use of prokaryotic expression plasmids to express viral immunorelevant
      protein fragments in traditionally used fish vaccination bacterins should reduce
      the environmental concerns raised by DNA vaccination based on eukaryotic
      expression plasmids. Therefore, spinycterins may be a useful alternative to
      develop safer fish viral vaccines and mass vaccination methods.

PMID- 28624469
TI  - Effects of protein sources on growth, immunity and antioxidant capacity of
      juvenile pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii.
AB  - In this study, we formulated five diets, namely, P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5, with
      Chlorella sp. powder, Spirulina platensis powder, yeast powder, soybean meal and
      corn gluten, respectively, as major protein sources. A feeding experiment was
      designed to evaluate the effects of formulated diets on the growth performance,
      immunity and antioxidant and biomineralization capacity of juvenile pearl oyster
      (Pinctada fucata martensii). In the experiments, the five groups were separately
      fed with P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5 diets. After 45 days of feeding, pearl oysters fed
      on P1, P2, P3 and P4 diets showed significantly higher absolute growth rate and
      protease and amylase activities than those fed on P5 diet (P < 0.05). Moreover,
      pearl oysters fed on P1, P2, P3 and P4 diets exhibited significantly higher
      activities of alkaline phosphatase (AKP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase
      (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P < 0.05). Significantly higher
      expression levels of SOD, GPx, CAT, heat shock protein (HSP) 70, HSP90, nacrein,
      pif177 and pearlin mRNA were observed in pearl oysters fed on P1, P2, P3 and P4
      diets relative to those fed on P5 (P < 0.05). Results suggested the suitability
      of Chlorella sp. powder, S. platensis powder, yeast powder and soybean meal as
      protein sources for development of formulated diets for pearl oyster P. f.
      martensii.

PMID- 28624470
TI  - Molecular cloning and expression analysis of CCL25 and its receptor CCR9s from
      Epinephelus coioides post Cryptocaryon irritans infection.
AB  - Among other functions, CCL25/CCR9 has an important role in regulating the
      trafficking of developing T cells in the thymus, and in homing memory T cells to
      the small intestine. The function of this chemokine-receptor complex is not well
      studied in fish. We identified a CCL25-like (EcCCL25, 108 aa) and two CCR9-like
      sequences (EcCCR9aa 373 aa; and EcCCR9b, 375 aa) from a transcriptome database of
      orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). EcCCL25, EcCCR9a, and EcCCR9b
      shared conserved structural features with homologs from mammals and from other
      fish, and a consistent relationship with phylogenetic trees and sequence
      identities. In healthy grouper, EcCCL25, EcCCR9a, and EcCCR9b were highly
      expressed in the thymus, and the gills, were expressed at lower levels in the
      stomach, and had different expression levels in other tissues. After infection
      with Cryptocaryon irritans, EcCCL25 expression was up-regulated at early time
      points in the spleen and head kidney, and in the skin, and gills at later time
      points; EcCCR9a expression was increased in the gill, spleen, and head kidney.
      After infection with C. irritans, EcCCR9b expression was reduced in all tissues
      tested. These results suggested that grouper CCL25/CCR9a complex may be involved
      in host defense against C. irritans infection.

PMID- 28624471
TI  - Vitamin E antagonizes ozone-induced asthma exacerbation in Balb/c mice through
      the Nrf2 pathway.
AB  - Millions of people are regularly exposed to ozone, a gas known to contribute
      significantly to worsening the symptoms of patients with asthma. However, the
      mechanisms underlying these ozone exacerbation effects are not fully understood.
      In this study, we examined the exacerbation effect of ozone in OVA-induced asthma
      mice and tried to demonstrate the protective mechanism of vitamin E (VE). An
      asthma mouse model was established, and used to identify the exacerbating effects
      of ozone by assessing cytokine and serum immunoglobulin concentrations, airway
      leukocyte infiltration, histopathological changes in lung tissues, and airway
      hyper-responsiveness. We then determined the amount of reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) accumulated, the extent to which VE induced ROS elimination, and examined
      the antagonistic effects of VE on the ozone-induced exacerbating effects. This
      study showed that 1-ppm ozone exposure could exacerbate OVA-induced asthma in
      mice. More importantly we found that ozone induced oxidative stress in asthmatic
      airways may lead to the inhibition of Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2
      (Nrf2), and may subsequently induce even more exaggerated oxidative stress
      associated with asthma exacerbation. Through VE induced Nrf2 activation and the
      subsequent increase in Nrf2 target protein expression, this study suggests a
      novel mechanism for alleviating ozone exacerbated asthma symptoms.

PMID- 28624472
TI  - Nonclinical safety of astilbin: A 4-week oral toxicity study in rats with
      genotoxicity, chromosomal aberration, and mammalian micronucleus tests.
AB  - Astilbin is an active flavonoid compound isolated from Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae.
      It has been widely used as an anti-hepatic, anti-arthritic, and anti-renal injury
      agent. However, its safety has not yet been established. The objective of this
      study was to evaluate 4-week repeated oral toxicity and genotoxicity of astilbin.
      We examined oral toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats after daily oral administration
      of astilbin at 50, 150, and 500 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Negative control animals
      received the same volume of the solvent. Astilbin administration did not lead to
      death, body weight gain, food consumption, or adverse events. There were no
      significant differences in toxicity between the astilbin and control group; we
      observed no toxic effects on hematological or urinalysis parameters, biochemical
      values, organ weight, or histopathological findings. We assessed the genotoxicity
      of astilbin with the Ames test (TA97a, TA98, TA100, TA102, and TA1535),
      chromosomal aberration assay (using Chinese hamster ovary cells), and mammalian
      micronucleus test (in mice). We found no genotoxicity in any tested strains. The
      no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for astilbin in the 4-week repeated oral
      toxicity study in rats was greater than 500 mg/kg body weight/day, regardless of
      gender. Results also suggested that astilbin does not have genotoxicity
      potential.

PMID- 28624474
TI  - "Exposure to the insecticides permethrin and malathion induces leukemia and
      lymphoma-associated gene aberrations in vitro".
AB  - Epidemiological studies have associated the exposure to permethrin and malathion
      with increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate whether in vitro exposure to permethrin and malathion induces
      aberrations in genes involved in the etiology of these hematological
      malignancies. Genetic abnormalities in the IGH, KMT2A (MLL), ETV6 and RUNX1
      genes, and aneuploidy induced by the in vitro exposure to permethrin and
      malathion (200MUM, 24h), were analyzed by FISH in peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells (PBMCs). The gene fusions IGH-BCL2, KMT2A-AFF1 and ETV6-RUNX1 were further
      analyzed with nested RT-PCR in PBMCs, and in K562 cells exposed to acute and
      chronic treatments (0.1MUM, 24h or every third day for two weeks) of
      insecticides. FISH analysis revealed that permethrin induces aneuploidy and
      structural alterations in IGH and KMT2A genes, and malathion induces breaks in
      KMT2A. RT-PCR detected ETV6-RUNX1 fusion in PBMCs acutely exposed to permethrin.
      Permethrin also induced ETV6-RUNX1 and IGH-BCL2 fusions in K562 cells, and
      malathion induced KMT2A-AFF1 and ETV6-RUNX1 fusions. Overall, we identified that
      both insecticides induce breaks and fusions in the studied genes, and permethrin
      induces aneuploidy. This study presents evidence of damage in cancer genes caused
      by these insecticides.

PMID- 28624473
TI  - Antibody blood-brain barrier efflux is modulated by glycan modification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Drug delivery to the brain is a major roadblock to treatment of
      Alzheimer's disease. Recent results of the PRIME study indicate that increasing
      brain penetration of antibody drugs improves Alzheimer's treatment outcomes. New
      approaches are needed to better accomplish this goal. Based on prior evidence,
      the hypothesis that glycan modification alters antibody blood-brain barrier
      permeability was tested here. METHODS: The blood-brain barrier permeability
      coefficient Pe of different glycosylated states of anti-amyloid IgG was measured
      using in vitro models of brain microvascular endothelial cells. Monoclonal
      antibodies 4G8, with sialic acid, and 6E10, lacking sialic acid, were studied.
      The amount of sialic acid was determined using quantitative and semi-quantitative
      surface plasmon resonance methods. RESULTS: Influx of IgG was not saturable and
      was largely insensitive to IgG species and glycosylation state. By contrast,
      efflux of 4G8 efflux was significantly lower than both albumin controls and 6E10.
      Removal of alpha2,6-linked sialic acid group present on 12% of 4G8 completely
      restored efflux to that of 6E10 but increasing the alpha2,6-sialylated fraction
      to 15% resulted in no change. Removal of the Fc glycan from 4G8 partially
      restored efflux. Alternate sialic acid groups with alpha2,3 and alpha2,8
      linkages, nor on the Fc glycan, were not detected at significant levels on either
      4G8 or 6E10. CONCLUSIONS: These results support a model in which surface
      sialylated 4G8 inhibits its own efflux and that of asialylated 4G8. GENERAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Glycan modification has the potential to increase antibody drug
      penetration into the brain through efflux inhibition.

PMID- 28624475
TI  - Oxidoreductases on their way to industrial biotransformations.
AB  - Fungi produce heme-containing peroxidases and peroxygenases, flavin-containing
      oxidases and dehydrogenases, and different copper-containing oxidoreductases
      involved in the biodegradation of lignin and other recalcitrant compounds. Heme
      peroxidases comprise the classical ligninolytic peroxidases and the new dye
      decolorizing peroxidases, while heme peroxygenases belong to a still largely
      unexplored superfamily of heme-thiolate proteins. Nevertheless, basidiomycete
      unspecific peroxygenases have the highest biotechnological interest due to their
      ability to catalyze a variety of regio- and stereo-selective monooxygenation
      reactions with H2O2 as the source of oxygen and final electron acceptor. Flavo
      oxidases are involved in both lignin and cellulose decay generating H2O2 that
      activates peroxidases and generates hydroxyl radical. The group of copper
      oxidoreductases also includes other H2O2 generating enzymes - copper-radical
      oxidases - together with classical laccases that are the oxidoreductases with the
      largest number of reported applications to date. However, the recently described
      lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases have attracted the highest attention among
      copper oxidoreductases, since they are capable of oxidatively breaking down
      crystalline cellulose, the disintegration of which is still a major bottleneck in
      lignocellulose biorefineries, along with lignin degradation. Interestingly, some
      flavin-containing dehydrogenases also play a key role in cellulose breakdown by
      directly/indirectly "fueling" electrons for polysaccharide monooxygenase
      activation. Many of the above oxidoreductases have been engineered, combining
      rational and computational design with directed evolution, to attain the
      selectivity, catalytic efficiency and stability properties required for their
      industrial utilization. Indeed, using ad hoc software and current computational
      capabilities, it is now possible to predict substrate access to the active site
      in biophysical simulations, and electron transfer efficiency in biochemical
      simulations, reducing in orders of magnitude the time of experimental work in
      oxidoreductase screening and engineering. What has been set out above is
      illustrated by a series of remarkable oxyfunctionalization and oxidation
      reactions developed in the frame of an intersectorial and multidisciplinary
      European RTD project. The optimized reactions include enzymatic synthesis of 1
      naphthol, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, drug metabolites, furandicarboxylic acid, indigo
      and other dyes, and conductive polyaniline, terminal oxygenation of alkanes,
      biomass delignification and lignin oxidation, among others. These successful case
      stories demonstrate the unexploited potential of oxidoreductases in medium and
      large-scale biotransformations.

PMID- 28624476
TI  - Measuring Immune Response to Commonly Used Vaccinations in Adult Recipients of
      Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.
AB  - Recipients of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) are at risk for
      potentially preventable infectious complications because of defects in humoral
      and cell-mediated immunity. Studies of vaccine immunogenicity in HCT recipients
      have shown that antibody response rates depend on age, type of vaccine, and
      presence or absence of graft-versus-host disease. However, few large-scale
      studies have assessed the immune response to vaccination in HCT recipients.
      Additionally, HCT recipients have much higher rates of potentially preventable
      infections compared with the general population even after vaccination. This
      review evaluates the available studies and our view on the measurement of
      specific antibody titers, definition of an immune response, and durability of
      response in HCT recipients in both inactivated and live attenuated vaccines.

PMID- 28624478
TI  - Nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy between nucleic acids and small
      molecular drugs.
AB  - Anticancer therapy has always been a vital challenge for the development of
      nanomedicine. Repeated single therapeutic agent may lead to undesirable and
      severe side effects, unbearable toxicity and multidrug resistance due to complex
      nature of tumor. Nanomedicine-based combination anticancer therapy can
      synergistically improve antitumor outcomes through multiple-target therapy,
      decreasing the dose of each therapeutic agent and reducing side effects. There
      are versatile combinational anticancer strategies such as chemotherapeutic
      combination, nucleic acid-based co-delivery, intrinsic sensitive and extrinsic
      stimulus combinational patterns. Based on these combination strategies, various
      nanocarriers and drug delivery systems were engineered to carry out the efficient
      co-delivery of combined therapeutic agents for combination anticancer therapy.
      This review focused on illustrating nanomedicine-based combination anticancer
      therapy between nucleic acids and small-molecular drugs for synergistically
      improving anticancer efficacy.

PMID- 28624480
TI  - Evaluation of thoracic vertebrae rotation in patients with pectus excavatum.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to evaluate thoracic vertebrae rotation in
      patients with pectus excavatum. Moreover, we wanted to assess the prevalence, the
      severity and relationship between pectus excavatum and adolescent idiopathic
      scoliosis (AIS). METHODS: We performed retrospective analysis of 82 preoperative
      chest CT in children with pectus excavatum performed between January 2008 and
      December 2011. For each patient Haller Index and Cobb angle was measured. To
      evaluate the severity of thoracic scoliosis we measured vertebral rotation for
      Th8 and for vertebra at the level of highest chest deformation using Aaro
      Dahlborn method. RESULTS: From the group of 54 patients with pectus excavatum
      enrolled in the study AIS was diagnosed in 8 patients (14,81%). In patients with
      symmetric deformation, Th8 rotation was found in 21 patients; the rotation of the
      apical vertebra was found in 20 patients. In patients with asymmetric deformation
      Th8 rotation was found in 10 patients; the rotation of the apical vertebra was
      found in 8 patients. CONCLUSIONS: 1. We have confirmed the higher prevalence of
      pectus excavatum in boys; 2. We have found a significant relationship between
      pectus excavatum and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis; 3. We have shown that
      deformation of the anterior chest wall enforces rotation of the thoracic spine;
      4. We haven't found the relationship between the severity of the chest deformity
      (HI measured) and severity of AIS (Cobb angle measured); 5. We have shown a
      significant association between HI measured and rotation of thoracic vertebra at
      the level of highest chest deformation (apical vertebra) in symmetric pectus
      excavatum. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, Diagnostic study.

PMID- 28624477
TI  - Nanoformulations for combination or cascade anticancer therapy.
AB  - Nanoparticle drug formulations have been extensively investigated, developed, and
      in some cases, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Synergistic
      combinations of drugs having distinct tumor-inhibiting mechanisms and non
      overlapping toxicity can circumvent the issue of treatment resistance and may be
      essential for effective anti-cancer therapy. At the same time, co-delivery of a
      combined regimen by a single nanocarrier presents a challenge due to differences
      in solubility, molecular weight, functional groups and encapsulation conditions
      between the two drugs. This review discusses cellular and microenvironment
      mechanisms behind treatment resistance and nanotechnology-based solutions for
      effective anti-cancer therapy. Co-loading or cascade delivery of multiple drugs
      using of polymeric nanoparticles, polymer-drug conjugates and lipid nanoparticles
      will be discussed along with lipid-coated drug nanoparticles developed by our lab
      and perspectives on combination therapy.

PMID- 28624479
TI  - Food restriction-induced changes in motivation differ with stages of the estrous
      cycle and are closely linked to RFamide-related peptide-3 but not kisspeptin in
      Syrian hamsters.
AB  - We tested the hypothesis that the effects of food restriction on behavioral
      motivation are mediated by one or both of the RFamide peptides, RFamide-related
      peptide-3 (RFRP-3) and kisspeptin (Kp) in female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus
      auratus). Female hamsters fed ad libitum and given a choice between food and
      adult male hamsters are highly motivated to visit males instead of food on all
      four days of the estrous cycle, but after 8days of mild food restriction (75% of
      ad libitum intake) they shift their preference toward food every day of the
      estrous cycle until the day of estrus, when they shift their preference back
      toward the males. In support of a role for RFRP-3 in these behavioral changes,
      the preference for food and the activation of RFRP-3-immunoreactive (Ir) cells in
      the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) showed the same estrous cycle pattern in food
      restricted females, but no association was observed between behavior and the
      activation of Kp cells in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus or preoptic area.
      Next, we tested the hypothesis that food-restriction-induced activation of RFRP-3
      Ir cells is modulated by high levels of ovarian steroids at the time of estrus.
      In support of this idea, on nonestrous days, mild food restriction increased
      activation of RFRP-3-Ir cells, but failed to do so on the day of estrus even
      though this level of food restriction did not significantly decrease circulating
      concentrations of estradiol or progesterone. Furthermore, in ovariectomized
      females, food-restriction-induced increases in activation of RFRP-3-Ir cells were
      blocked by systemic treatment with progesterone alone, estradiol plus
      progesterone, but not estradiol alone. Central infusion with RFRP-3 in ad libitum
      fed females significantly decreased sexual motivation and produced significant
      increases in 90-minute food hoarding, in support of the hypothesis that elevated
      central levels of RFRP-3 are sufficient to create the shift in behavioral
      motivation in females fed ad libitum. Together, these results are consistent with
      the hypothesis that high levels of ingestive motivation are promoted during the
      nonfertile phase of the estrous cycle by elevated activation of RFRP-3-Ir cells,
      and RFRP-3-Ir cellular activation is modulated by ovarian steroids around the
      time of estrus, thereby diverting attention away from food and increasing sexual
      motivation.

PMID- 28624481
TI  - miR-34a overexpression predicts poor prognostic outcome in colorectal
      adenocarcinoma, independently of clinicopathological factors with established
      prognostic value.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) is regulated by TP53 and, in response,
      downregulates the expression of a gamut of protein-coding genes, including
      apoptosis regulators, transcription factors, cyclins, and cyclin-dependent
      kinases. Its upregulation initiates a reprogramming of gene expression and
      promotes apoptosis. The purpose of this study was the investigation of the
      potential clinical significance of miR-34a as a molecular prognostic biomarker in
      colorectal adenocarcinoma using an in-house real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR)
      methodology. DESIGN AND METHODS: Total RNA was extracted from 113 primary
      colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens and 61 paired non-cancerous colorectal tissue
      samples. After polyadenylation and reverse transcription, miR-34a molecules were
      determined using qPCR based on SYBR Green chemistry. Calculations were performed
      using the comparative CT method. Finally, extensive biostatistical analysis was
      performed. RESULTS: miR-34a expression does not significantly differ between
      colorectal adenocarcinoma tissue specimens and adjacent non-cancerous mucosae.
      However, miR-34a expression increases progressively as colorectal adenocarcinoma
      loses its differentiation, being highest in grade III tumors (P=0.010). Moreover,
      miR-34a expression is a potential unfavorable prognostic biomarker in colorectal
      adenocarcinoma, predicting poor disease-free and overall survival (P=0.002 and
      P=0.019, respectively), independently of classical clinicopathological
      parameters. Most importantly, miR-34a expression stratifies patients without
      local (N0) and/or distant metastasis (M0) at the time of diagnosis into two
      groups with substantially different prognosis (P=0.013 and P=0.002,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High miR-34a levels in colorectal adenocarcinoma
      predict a rather increased risk for disease recurrence and poor overall survival,
      particularly in patients at an early TNM stage. The unfavorable prognostic
      potential of miR-34a expression is independent of established prognostic features
      of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28624482
TI  - NMR quantification of trimethylamine-N-oxide in human serum and plasma in the
      clinical laboratory setting.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) produced by gut
      microbiota metabolism of dietary choline and carnitine has been shown to be
      associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to provide
      incremental clinical prognostic utility beyond traditional risk factors for
      assessing a patient's CVD risk. The aim of this study was to develop an automated
      nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy assay for quantification of TMAO
      concentration in serum and plasma using a high-throughput NMR clinical analyzer.
      METHODS: Key steps in assay development included: (i) shifting the TMAO analyte
      peak to a less crowded region of the spectrum with a pH buffer/reagent, (ii)
      attenuating the broad protein background signal in the spectrum and (iii) using a
      non-negative least squares algorithm for peak deconvolution. Assay performance
      was evaluated according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute
      guidelines. A method comparison study was performed to compare TMAO
      concentrations quantified by NMR and mass spectrometry (MS). RESULTS: The within
      run and within-lab imprecision ranged from 4.3 to 14.5%. Under the acquisition
      method employed, the NMR assay had a limit of blank, detection and quantitation
      of 1.6, 3.0 and 3.3MUM, respectively. Linearity was demonstrated within the
      reportable range of 3.3 to 3000MUM. TMAO measurements using the NMR assay, which
      involves minimal sample preparation, compared well with values obtained with the
      MS-based assay (R2=0.98). CONCLUSIONS: The NMR based assay provides a simple and
      accurate measurement of circulating TMAO levels amenable to the high-throughput
      demands of the clinical chemistry laboratory. Moreover, assay performance enables
      the levels of TMAO to be quantified in serum or plasma at clinically actionable
      concentrations for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risks and
      individualized dietary monitoring.

PMID- 28624483
TI  - Biomarker Profiles of Acute Heart Failure Patients With a Mid-Range Ejection
      Fraction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In this study, the authors used biomarker profiles to characterize
      differences between patients with acute heart failure with a midrange ejection
      fraction (HFmrEF) and compare them with patients with a reduced (heart failure
      with a reduced ejection fraction [HFrEF]) and preserved (heart failure with a
      preserved ejection fraction [HFpEF]) ejection fraction. BACKGROUND: Limited data
      are available on biomarker profiles in acute HFmrEF. METHODS: A panel of 37
      biomarkers from different pathophysiological domains (e.g., myocardial stretch,
      inflammation, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, hematopoiesis) were measured at
      admission and after 24 h in 843 acute heart failure patients from the PROTECT
      trial. HFpEF was defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of >=50% (n
      = 108), HFrEF as LVEF of <40% (n = 607), and HFmrEF as LVEF of 40% to 49% (n =
      128). RESULTS: Hemoglobin and brain natriuretic peptide levels (300 pg/ml
      [HFpEF]; 397 pg/ml [HFmrEF]; 521 pg/ml [HFrEF]; ptrend <0.001) showed an upward
      trend with decreasing LVEF. Network analysis showed that in HFrEF interactions
      between biomarkers were mostly related to cardiac stretch, whereas in HFpEF,
      biomarker interactions were mostly related to inflammation. In HFmrEF, biomarker
      interactions were both related to inflammation and cardiac stretch. In HFpEF and
      HFmrEF (but not in HFrEF), remodeling markers at admission and changes in levels
      of inflammatory markers across the first 24 h were predictive for all-cause
      mortality and rehospitalization at 60 days (pinteraction <0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      Biomarker profiles in patients with acute HFrEF were mainly related to cardiac
      stretch and in HFpEF related to inflammation. Patients with HFmrEF showed an
      intermediate biomarker profile with biomarker interactions between both cardiac
      stretch and inflammation markers. (PROTECT-1: A Study of the Selective A1
      Adenosine Receptor Antagonist KW-3902 for Patients Hospitalized With Acute HF and
      Volume Overload to Assess Treatment Effect on Congestion and Renal Function;
      NCT00328692).

PMID- 28624484
TI  - Progression to Stage D Heart Failure Among Outpatients With Stage C Heart Failure
      and Reduced Ejection Fraction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to estimate the rate of progression to Stage D
      heart failure (HF) among outpatients with Stage C HF and to identify risk factors
      for progression. BACKGROUND: The pool of patients who may be candidates for
      advanced HF therapies is growing. METHODS: We estimated 3-year progression to
      clinically determined Stage D HF and competing mortality among 964 outpatients
      with Stage C heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), where ejection
      fraction is <=40%. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 62 +/- 15 years; 35%
      were women; 47% were white; 46% were black, and 7% were of other races; median
      baseline ejection fraction was 28% (25th to 75th percentile: 20% to 35%); and 47%
      had ischemic heart disease. After 3.0 years (25th to 75th percentile: 1.7 to 3.2
      years), 112 patients progressed to Stage D (3-year incidence: 12.2%; 95%
      confidence interval [CI]: 10.2% to 14.6%; annualized: 4.5%; 95% CI: 3.8% to
      5.5%), and 116 patients died before progression (3-year competing mortality:
      12.9%; annualized: 4.7%; 95% CI: 3.9% to 5.6%). By 3 years, 25.1% of patients
      (95% CI: 22.2% to 28.1%) had either progressed to Stage D or died (annualized:
      9.2%; 95% CI: 8.1% to 10.5%). Annualized progression rates were higher in black
      versus white patients (6.3% vs. 2.7%, respectively; p < 0.001), nonischemic
      versus ischemic patients (6.1% vs. 2.9%, respectively; p < 0.001), and in New
      York Heart Association functional class III to IV versus I to II patients (7.5%
      vs. 1.9%, respectively; p < 0.001) but were similar for men and women (4.7% vs.
      4.2%, respectively; p = 0.53). Lower ejection fraction and blood pressure, renal
      and hepatic dysfunction, and chronic lung disease rates were additional
      predictors of progression. Predictors of competing mortality were different from
      those of disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with Stage C HFrEF
      receiving care in a referral center, 4.5% progressed to Stage D HF each year,
      with earlier progression among black and nonischemic patients. These findings
      have implications for healthcare planning and resource allocation for these
      patients.

PMID- 28624485
TI  - Time to Take the Failure Out of Heart Failure: The Importance of Optimism.

PMID- 28624487
TI  - The Changing Landscape of Atrial Fibrillation: Time to Target Heart Failure
      Prevention.

PMID- 28624486
TI  - Modifiable Risk Factors for Incident Heart Failure in Atrial Fibrillation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to identify modifiable risk factors and estimate
      the impact of risk factor modification on heart failure (HF) risk in women with
      new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF). BACKGROUND: Incident HF is the most common
      nonfatal event in patients with AF, although strategies for HF prevention are
      lacking. METHODS: We assessed 34,736 participants in the Women's Health Study who
      were free of prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline. Cox models with time
      varying assessment of risk factors after AF diagnosis were used to identify
      significant modifiable risk factors for incident HF. RESULTS: Over a median
      follow-up of 20.6 years, 1,495 women developed AF without prevalent HF. In
      multivariable models, new-onset AF was associated with an increased risk of HF
      (hazard ratio [HR]: 9.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.52 to 10.85). Once
      women with AF developed HF, all-cause (HR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.37 to 2.45) and
      cardiovascular mortality (HR: 2.87; 95% CI: 1.70 to 4.85) increased. In time
      updated, multivariable models accounting for changes in risk factors after AF
      diagnosis, systolic blood pressure >120 mm Hg, body mass index >=30 kg/m2,
      current tobacco use, and diabetes mellitus were each associated with incident HF.
      The combination of these 4 modifiable risk factors accounted for an estimated 62%
      (95% CI: 23% to 83%) of the population-attributable risk of HF. Compared with
      women with 3 or 4 risk factors, those who maintained or achieved optimal risk
      factor control had a progressive decreased risk of HF (HR for 2 risk factors:
      0.60; 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.95; 1 risk factor: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.63; and 0 risk
      factors: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: In women with new-onset AF,
      modifiable risk factors including obesity, hypertension, smoking, and diabetes
      accounted for the majority of the population risk of HF. Optimal levels of
      modifiable risk factors were associated with decreased HF risk. Prospective
      assessment of risk factor modification at the time of AF diagnosis may warrant
      future investigation.

PMID- 28624488
TI  - Association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and susceptibility to coronary artery
      disease in Southern Han Chinese.
AB  - Accumulated evidence indicates that polymorphisms in human leukocyte antigens
      (HLA) are associated with susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD).
      However, whether HLA-DQB1 alleles are correlated with susceptibility to CAD is
      unclear. In this study, significantly lower frequencies of the allele groups
      (DQB1*03:01:01G and DQB1*05:03:01G) and the genotypes
      (DQB1*03:01:01G/DQB1*03:01:01G and DQB1*03:01:01G/DQB1*05:03:01G) were observed
      in the CAD group compared with that in the controls. However, notably higher
      frequencies of DQB1*04:01:01G and genotype DQB1*05:01:01G/DQB1*03:01:01G were
      observed in the CAD patients than in the controls. Further analysis in subgroups
      showed that DQB1*03:01:01G was present at a significantly lower frequency in both
      female and male CAD patients compared with the corresponding controls; however,
      DQB1*04:01:01G was overtly high only in male CAD patients. CAD patients with
      diabetes showed a negative association with DQB1*03:01:01G and DQB1*05:03:01G and
      a positive association with DQB1*04:01:01G, DQB1*03:02:01G and DQB1*03:03:02G.
      Results of logistic regression analysis indicated that DQB1*03:01:01G and
      DQB1*05:03:01G were significantly associated with reduced susceptibility to CAD,
      but DQB1*04:01:01G, DQB1*03:02:01G and DQB1*03:03:02G had no correlation with
      CAD. Together, these findings indicate that CAD in Southern Han Chinese is
      negatively associated with HLA-DQB1*03:01:01G and DQB1*05:03:01G, and males with
      HLA-DQB1*04:01:01G are likely to have high risk for CAD.

PMID- 28624489
TI  - Association of genetic polymorphisms of macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) and B
      cell activating factor (BAFF) with the detection of donor specific antibodies in
      kidney allograft recipients.
AB  - The posttransplant development of donor specific antibodies (DSA) initiates the
      antibody mediated rejection (AMR), which is associated with the increased rate of
      graft loss. One of the characteristics of AMR is the infiltration of innate
      immune system including macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils or NK cells.
      Macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) and B-cell activating factor (BAFF) are well
      known cytokines that are associated with the activation of the innate immune
      system which can damage kidney allograft. In this article, the association of the
      genetic polymorphisms of MIF and BAFF with the development of DSA including Class
      I and II in kidney transplant patients is investigated. A total of 231 renal
      transplant patients between 2008 and 2012 at St. Vincent Medical Center, CA were
      studied in a retrospective study design. DSA were determined by Luminex
      technology, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of MIF and BAFF were
      determined by the real time PCR based on 5' nuclease allelic discrimination
      assay. The genetic polymorphisms of MIF rs1007888 (C/T) was associated with
      increased risk of positive DSA detection (p=0.04) after transplantation, and
      consistently significant after 1year (p=0.016). Furthermore, the presence of C
      allele were associated with the increased risk of Class I DSA detection (OR
      1.816, CI 1.141-2.889, p=0.011). Also, genetic polymorphisms of BAFF rs12583006
      were associated with the increased risk of Class II DSA detection (p=0.033). In
      conclusion, the genetic polymorphisms of MIF and BAFF may increase the risk of
      posttransplant development of DSA. This result suggests the association between
      the development of posttransplant DSA and the activation of innate immune system.

PMID- 28624490
TI  - Bioenergetics dysfunction, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening and
      lipid peroxidation induced by hydrogen sulfide as relevant pathomechanisms
      underlying the neurological dysfunction characteristic of ethylmalonic
      encephalopathy.
AB  - Hydrogen sulfide (sulfide) accumulates at high levels in brain of patients with
      ethylmalonic encephalopathy (EE). In the present study, we evaluated whether
      sulfide could disturb energy and redox homeostasis, and induce mitochondrial
      permeability transition (mPT) pore opening in rat brain aiming to better clarify
      the neuropathophysiology of EE. Sulfide decreased the activities of citrate
      synthase and aconitase in rat cerebral cortex mitochondria, and of creatine
      kinase (CK) in rat cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus supernatants.
      Glutathione prevented sulfide-induced CK activity decrease in the cerebral
      cortex. Sulfide also diminished mitochondrial respiration in cerebral cortex
      homogenates, and dissipated mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) and
      induced swelling in the presence of calcium in brain mitochondria. Alterations in
      DeltaPsim and swelling caused by sulfide were prevented by the combination of ADP
      and cyclosporine A, and by ruthenium red, indicating the involvement of mPT in
      these effects. Furthermore, sulfide increased the levels of malondialdehyde in
      cerebral cortex supernatants, which was prevented by resveratrol and attenuated
      by glutathione, and of thiol groups in a medium devoid of brain samples. Finally,
      we verified that sulfide did not alter cell viability and DCFH oxidation in
      cerebral cortex slices, primary cortical astrocyte cultures and SH-SY5Y cells.
      Our data provide evidence that bioenergetics disturbance and lipid peroxidation
      along with mPT pore opening are involved in the pathophysiology of brain damage
      observed in EE.

PMID- 28624491
TI  - The first report of cathepsin A gene in a teleost (rock bream, Oplegnathus
      fasciatus): An investigation of immune functions upon infection with several
      pathogens.
AB  - We isolated and characterised a cDNA encoding the lysosomal protective protein
      (serine protease) cathepsin A (CTSA) from rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus). The
      full-length rock bream CTSA (RbCTSA) cDNA (1814 bp) contains an open reading
      frame of 1419 bp that encodes 472 amino acids. Alignment of multiple CTSA protein
      sequences revealed that the active site serine and histidine residues were well
      conserved among the other CTSA sequences. RbCTSA is highly expressed in the
      peripheral blood leukocytes, kidney, spleen, liver, intestine, gill, heart,
      brain, stomach, and eye. RbCTSA expression was also examined in several tissues,
      including whole kidneys and spleens, under bacterial and viral challenge. In
      general, all of the examined tissues that were infected with Edwardsiella tarda,
      Streptococcus iniae, or red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) exhibited significant
      upregulation of RbCTSA expression compared to the controls. Our results reveal
      that RbCTSA may be involved in the immune responses of rock bream.

PMID- 28624492
TI  - Cortical function and corticomotoneuronal adaptation in monomelic amyotrophy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate corticomotoneuronal integrity in monomelic amyotrophy
      using threshold tracking transcranial magnetic stimulation (TT-TMS). METHODS:
      Cortical excitability studies were prospectively performed in 8 monomelic
      amyotrophy patients and compared to 21 early-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
      (ALS) patients and 40 healthy controls. Motor evoked potentials responses were
      recorded over abductor pollicis brevis. RESULTS: Maximal motor evoked potential
      (MEP/CMAP ratio) was significantly increased in monomelic amyotrophy compared
      with controls (monomelic amyotrophy 51.2+/-12.4%; control 22.7+/-2.1%, p=0.04).
      Averaged short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI, ISI 1-7ms) in monomelic
      amyotrophy patients was similar to controls (monomelic amyotrophy 9.6+/-2.1%;
      control 10.0+/-0.9%, p=0.98). However, it was significantly reduced in early
      onset ALS in comparison with monomelic amyotrophy patients (monomelic amyotrophy
      9.6+/-2.1%; ALS 2.3+/-1.7%, p<0.001). Averaged SICI is a good parameter (area
      under the curve 0.79, p=0.02) to discriminate between monomelic amyotrophy and
      early-onset ALS patients. CONCLUSIONS: TT-TMS technique has identified normal
      cortical function in monomelic amyotrophy, a feature that distinguishes it from
      early-onset ALS. The greater corticomotoneuronal projections to spinal
      motoneurons may represent central nervous system adaptive change in monomelic
      amyotrophy. SIGNIFICANCE: Corticomotoneuronal dysfunction does not drive the
      lower motor neurone loss presented in monomelic amyotrophy.

PMID- 28624494
TI  - Antibacterial activity and phospholipid recognition of the recombinant defensin
      J1-1 from Capsicum genus.
AB  - The gene of the four disulfide-bridged defensin J1-1 from Capsicum was cloned
      into the expression vector pQE30 containing a 6His-tag as fusion protein. This
      construct was transfected into Origami strain of Escherichia coli and expressed
      after induction with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). The level of expression
      was 4 mg/L of culture medium, and the His-tagged recombinant defensin (HisXarJ1
      1) was expressed exclusively into inclusion bodies. After solubilization,
      HisXarJ1-1 was purified by affinity and hydrophobic interaction chromatography.
      The reverse-phase HPLC profile of the HisXarJ1-1 product obtained from the
      affinity chromatography step showed single main peptide fraction of molecular
      masses of 7050.6 Da and after treatment with DTT a single fraction of 7, 042.6 Da
      corresponding to the reduced peptide was observed. An in vitro folding step of
      the HisXarJ1-1 generated a distinct profile of oxidized forms of the peptide this
      oxidized peptide was capable of binding phosphatidic acid in vitro. Possible
      dimer and oligomer of HisXarJ1-1 were visible in gel electrophoresis and
      immunodetected with anti-His antibodies. Pure recombinant defensin HisXarJ1-1
      exhibited antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PMID- 28624493
TI  - Expression of the C-terminal domain of human apolipoprotein A-I using a chimeric
      apolipoprotein.
AB  - Human apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) is the most abundant protein in high-density
      lipoprotein, an anti-atherogenic lipid-protein complex responsible for reverse
      cholesterol transport. The protein is composed of an N-terminal helix bundle
      domain, and a small C-terminal (CT) domain. To facilitate study of CT-apoA-I, a
      novel strategy was employed to produce this small domain in a bacterial
      expression system. A protein construct was designed of insect apolipophorin III
      (apoLp-III) and residues 179-243 of apoA-I, with a unique methionine residue
      positioned between the two proteins and an N-terminal His-tag to facilitate
      purification. The chimera was expressed in E. coli, purified by Ni-affinity
      chromatography, and cleaved by cyanogen bromide. SDS-PAGE revealed the presence
      of three proteins with masses of 7 kDa (CT-apoA-I), 18 kDa (apoLp-III), and a
      minor 26 kDa band of uncleaved chimera. The digest was reloaded on the Ni
      affinity column to bind apoLp-III and uncleaved chimera, while CT-apoA-I was
      washed from the column and collected. Alternatively, CT-apoA-I was isolated from
      the digest by reversed-phase HPLC. CT-apoA-I was alpha-helical, highly effective
      in solubilizing phospholipid vesicles and disaggregating LPS micelles. However,
      CT-apoA-I was less active compared to full-length apoA-I in protecting lipolyzed
      low density lipoproteins from aggregating, and disrupting phosphatidylglycerol
      bilayer vesicles. Thus the novel expression system produced mg quantities of
      functional CT-apoA-I, facilitating structural and functional studies of this
      critical domain of apoA-I.

PMID- 28624495
TI  - Comparison of ultrasound- and electrostimulation-guided nerve blocks of brachial
      plexus in dogs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of ultrasound- and electrostimulation
      guided nerve blocks of the brachial plexus and to determine whether ultrasound
      guidance is feasible in conscious dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Blinded, crossover,
      experimental study. ANIMALS: Six clinically healthy adult Beagle dogs. METHODS:
      The nerves of the brachial plexus of the right thoracic limb were blocked under
      ultrasound guidance (UNB) in conscious dogs and under electrostimulation guidance
      (ENB) in anesthetized dogs with bupivacaine (0.4 mL kg-1, 0.25%). Saline (0.4 mL
      kg-1) was injected in control animals. Sensory nerve blockade was evaluated by
      scoring cutaneous sensation in targeted nerves. Motor nerve blockade was
      evaluated based on weight bearing, conscious proprioception and withdrawal reflex
      scores. Times to execute the technique in UNB and ENB were compared using t tests
      (p < 0.05). Scores for sensory and motor nerve blockades in each treatment were
      compared with scores before treatment and with control treatment scores using
      nonparametric repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance. Time to onset and
      duration of sensory nerve block were assessed using scores for four sensory nerve
      functions. A successful sensory nerve block was defined by decreases in scores
      for these functions. Success rates of nerve blocks were compared among treatments
      using McNemar's test. RESULTS: In UNB and ENB, onset times of sensory nerve
      blocks were 1 hour and 1.5 hours, respectively. Onset times of motor nerve blocks
      were 0.5 hour in both treatments. In UNB and ENB, durations of sensory nerve
      block were 3 hours and 0.5 hour, respectively, and durations of motor nerve block
      were 7.5 hours and 6.5 hours, respectively. Success rates did not differ between
      the techniques. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The UNB brachial plexus block
      had a shorter onset time and longer duration than ENB. UNB can be performed in
      conscious dogs or those under mild sedation.

PMID- 28624496
TI  - Effect of fentanyl on the induction dose and minimum infusion rate of propofol
      preventing movement in dogs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of fentanyl on the induction dose of propofol
      and minimum infusion rate required to prevent movement in response to noxious
      stimulation (MIRNM) in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Crossover experimental design.
      ANIMALS: Six healthy, adult intact male Beagle dogs, mean+/-standard deviation
      12.6+/-0.4 kg. METHODS: Dogs were administered 0.9% saline (treatment P),
      fentanyl (5 MUg kg-1) (treatment PLDF) or fentanyl (10 MUg kg-1) (treatment PHDF)
      intravenously over 5 minutes. Five minutes later, anesthesia was induced with
      propofol (2 mg kg-1, followed by 1 mg kg-1 every 15 seconds to achieve
      intubation) and maintained for 90 minutes by constant rate infusions (CRIs) of
      propofol alone or with fentanyl: P, propofol (0.5 mg kg-1 minute-1); PLDF,
      propofol (0.35 mg kg-1 minute-1) and fentanyl (0.1 MUg kg-1 minute-1); PHDF,
      propofol (0.3 mg kg-1 minute-1) and fentanyl (0.2 MUg kg-1 minute-1). Propofol
      CRI was increased or decreased based on the response to stimulation (50 V, 50 Hz,
      10 mA), with 20 minutes between adjustments. Data were analyzed using a mixed
      model anova and presented as mean+/-standard error. RESULTS: ropofol induction
      doses were 6.16+/-0.31, 3.67+/-0.21 and 3.33+/-0.42 mg kg-1 for P, PLDF and PHDF,
      respectively. Doses for PLDF and PHDF were significantly decreased from P
      (p<0.05) but not different between treatments. Propofol MIRNM was 0.60+/-0.04,
      0.29+/-0.02 and 0.22+/-0.02 mg kg-1 minute-1 for P, PLDF and PHDF, respectively.
      MIRNM in PLDF and PHDF was significantly decreased from P. MIRNM in PLDF and PHDF
      were not different, but their respective percent decreases of 51+/-3 and 63+/-2%
      differed (p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Fentanyl, at the doses
      studied, caused statistically significant and clinically important decreases in
      the propofol induction dose and MIRNM.

PMID- 28624498
TI  - Impact of glycemic variability on the occurrence of periprocedural myocardial
      infarction and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after coronary
      intervention in patients with stable angina pectoris at 6months follow-up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We explored the impact of glycemic variability on the occurrence of
      periprocedural myocardial infarction and major adverse cardiovascular events
      (MACE) after coronary intervention in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP)
      at 6months follow-up. METHODS: From May 2015 to April 2016, a total of 746
      patients with SAP were divided to high glycemic variability group (H group)
      (n=261) and low glycemic variability group (L group) (n=485). The primary end
      point was incidence of periprocedural myocardial infarction and MACE at 6months
      follow-up. RESULTS: The occurrence of periprocedural myocardial infarction
      occurred in 18.8% of patients in H group and in 12.4% in L group (P=0.03). The
      incidence of MACE at 6months follow-up was 9.6% in H group and 4.5% in L group
      (P=0.01). Multivariable analysis suggested that high glycemic variability
      conferred a 53% risk increment of 6months follow-up MACE (odds ratio 2.13, 95%
      confidence interval 1.85-5.38; P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The trial shows that higher
      blood glucose variability was correlated with higher incidence of periprocedural
      myocardial infarction and MACE at 6months follow-up.

PMID- 28624499
TI  - Evaluation of whole exome sequencing by targeted gene sequencing and Sanger
      sequencing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Targeted gene sequencing (TGS) and whole exome sequencing (WES) are
      being used in clinical testing in laboratories. We compared the performances of
      TGS and WES using the same DNA samples. METHODS: DNA was extracted from 10
      endometrial tumor tissue specimens. Sequencing were performed with an Illumina
      HiSeq 2000. We randomly selected variants to confirm through Sanger sequencing or
      mutant-enriched PCR with Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: We found that the variants
      identified in both TGS and WES were true positives (47/47), regardless of the
      sequencing depth. Most variants found in TGS only were true positives (34/40),
      and most of the variants found by WES only were false positives (8/18). From
      these results, we suggest that the sequencing depth may not play important role
      in the accuracy of NGS-based methods. After analysis, we found that WES had a
      sensitivity of 72.70%, specificity of 96.27%, precision of 99.44%, and accuracy
      of 75.03%. CONCLUSIONS: The results of NGS-based methods must currently be
      validated, especially for important reported variants regardless of the methods
      used, and for the use of WES in cancers a higher false negative rate must be
      considered. More sensitive methods should be used to confirm the NGS results in
      uneven cancer tissues.

PMID- 28624500
TI  - Phoenixin-14 concentrations are increased in association with luteinizing hormone
      and nesfatin-1 concentrations in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is commonly characterized by
      obesity, insulin resistance (IR), hyperandrogenemia and hirsutism. Following the
      reported relationship between phoenixin-14 and gonadotropin production in rat
      hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, the present study was designed to
      investigate the circulating concentrations of phoenixin-14 and their associations
      with the concentrations of sex hormones including luteinizing hormone (LH),
      follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) and total
      testosterone (TT) in PCOS patients. METHODS: A total of 41 women with diagnosed
      PCOS using Rotterdam criteria and 37 healthy individuals were enrolled in the
      study. RESULTS: Serum phoenixin-14 concentration in PCOS patients (n=41) was
      0.515+/-0.044ng/ml, significantly higher than that in healthy controls (0.289+/
      0.046ng/ml, n=37). PCOS patients had higher serum LH, dehydroepiandrosterone and
      fasting blood glucose concentrations, and higher index of homeostasis model of
      assessment-IR than those in healthy women. Correlation analysis showed
      significantly positive correlations of phoenixin-14 with LH, FSH, TT, P4, BMI and
      nesfatin-1 concentrations, and significantly negative correlations with E2 and
      serum insulin (FSI) concentrations, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to
      control women, PCOS patients had significantly increased serum phoenixin-14, LH
      and androgen concentrations. The positive correlations of phoenixin-14
      concentrations with LH and TT concentrations suggest a possible role of phoenixin
      14 in the development of PCOS.

PMID- 28624497
TI  - New paradigms for the Hedgehog signaling network in mammary gland development and
      breast Cancer.
AB  - The Hedgehog signaling network regulates organogenesis, cell fate, proliferation,
      survival, and stem cell self-renewal in many mammalian tissues. Aberrant
      activation of the Hedgehog signaling network is present in ~25% of all cancers,
      including breast. Altered expression of Hedgehog network genes in the mammary
      gland can elicit phenotypes at many stages of development. However, synthesizing
      a cohesive mechanistic model of signaling at different stages of development has
      been difficult. Emerging data suggest that this difficulty is due, in part, to
      non-canonical and tissue compartment-specific (i.e., epithelial, versus stromal,
      versus systemic) functions of Hedgehog network components. With respect to
      systemic functions, Hedgehog network genes regulate development of endocrine
      organs that impinge on mammary gland development extrinsically. These new
      observations offer insight into previously conflicting data, and have bearing on
      the potential for anti-Hedgehog therapeutics in the treatment of breast cancer.

PMID- 28624502
TI  - A lower dose of intravitreal bevacizumab effectively treats retinopathy of
      prematurity.

PMID- 28624501
TI  - New biomarkers for diagnosis and management of polycystic ovary syndrome.
AB  - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder affecting
      young women. Even though the definition of PCOS has changed over the years, all
      diagnostic criteria include two or more of the following:
      oligomenorrhea/oligoovulation/anovulation, androgen excess and polycystic ovaries
      (PCO). Traditional method of assessing the ovarian morphology has been
      transvaginal pelvic ultrasound. Recent studies support that serum anti-Mullerian
      hormone (AMH) levels correlate with the number of ovarian follicles and cysts.
      Hence, measurement of AMH is adequate to make the diagnosis. Traditionally,
      hyperandrogenemia has been assessed by measuring total-testosterone. The
      literature stresses the importance of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)
      measurements and bioavailable-testosterone and free-testosterone calculations,
      because insulin resistance decreases SHBG, lowers total-testosterone, and leads
      to under-estimation of bioavailable- and free-testosterone. Since 50-60% of PCOS
      patients have metabolic syndrome, assessment of metabolic risk is also necessary.
      It is important to diagnose insulin resistance before development of glucose
      intolerance and diabetes. This requires measurements of not only plasma glucose
      but also insulin concentrations. Determination of HgBA1 can be informative as
      well. This review aims to present an accurate and cost-effective approach to
      diagnosis and management of PCOS.

PMID- 28624503
TI  - Pulled-in-two syndrome: a multicenter survey of risk factors, management and
      outcomes.

PMID- 28624504
TI  - Proinsulin protects against age-related cognitive loss through anti-inflammatory
      convergent pathways.
AB  - Brain inflammaging is increasingly considered as contributing to age-related
      cognitive loss and neurodegeneration. Despite intensive research in multiple
      models, no clinically effective pharmacological treatment has been found yet.
      Here, in the mouse model of brain senescence SAMP8, we tested the effects of
      proinsulin, a promising neuroprotective agent that was previously proven to be
      effective in mouse models of retinal neurodegeneration. Proinsulin is the
      precursor of the hormone insulin but also upholds developmental physiological
      effects, particularly as a survival factor for neural cells. Adeno-associated
      viral vectors of serotype 1 bearing the human proinsulin gene were administered
      intramuscularly to obtain a sustained release of proinsulin into the blood
      stream, which was able to reach the target area of the hippocampus. SAMP8 mice
      and the control strain SAMR1 were treated at 1 month of age. At 6 months,
      behavioral testing exhibited cognitive loss in SAMP8 mice treated with the null
      vector. Remarkably, the cognitive performance achieved in spatial and recognition
      tasks by SAMP8 mice treated with proinsulin was similar to that of SAMR1 mice. In
      the hippocampus, proinsulin induced the activation of neuroprotective pathways
      and the downstream signaling cascade, leading to the decrease of
      neuroinflammatory markers. Furthermore, the decrease of astrocyte reactivity was
      a central effect, as demonstrated in the connectome network of changes induced by
      proinsulin. Therefore, the neuroprotective effects of human proinsulin unveil a
      new pharmacological potential therapy in the fight against cognitive loss in the
      elderly.

PMID- 28624505
TI  - Deficiency in EP4 Receptor-Associated Protein Ameliorates Abnormal Anxiety-Like
      Behavior and Brain Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease.
AB  - Microglia are thought to play key roles in the progression of Alzheimer disease
      (AD). Overactivated microglia produce proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha, which appear to contribute to disease progression.
      Previously, we reported that prostaglandin E2 type 4 receptor-associated protein
      (EPRAP) promotes microglial activation. We crossed human amyloid precursor
      protein transgenic mice from strain J20+/- onto an EPRAP-deficient background to
      determine the role of EPRAP in AD. Behavioral tests were performed in 5-month-old
      male J20+/-EPRAP+/+ and J20+/-EPRAP-/- mice. EPRAP deficiency reversed the
      reduced anxiety of J20+/- mice but did not affect hyperactivity. No differences
      in spatial memory were observed between J20+/-EPRAP+/+ and J20+/-EPRAP-/- mice.
      In comparison with J20+/-EPRAP+/+, J20+/-EPRAP-/- mice exhibited less microglial
      accumulation and reductions in the Cd68 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNAs in
      the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. No significant differences were found
      between the two types of mice in the amount of amyloid-beta 40 or 42 in the
      cortex and hippocampus. J20+/-EPRAP-/- mice reversed the reduced anxiety-like
      behavior and had reduced microglial activation compared with J20+/-EPRAP+/+ mice.
      Further research is required to identify the role of EPRAP in AD, but our results
      indicate that EPRAP may be related to behavioral and psychological symptoms of
      dementia and inflammation in patients with AD.

PMID- 28624506
TI  - Cellular gauge symmetry and the Li organization principle: General
      considerations.
AB  - Based on novel topological considerations, we postulate a gauge symmetry for
      living cells and proceed to interpret it from a consistent Eastern perspective:
      the li organization principle. In our framework, the reference system is the
      living cell, equipped with general symmetries and energetic constraints standing
      for the intertwined biochemical, metabolic and signaling pathways that allow the
      global homeostasis of the system. Environmental stimuli stand for forces able to
      locally break the symmetry of metabolic/signaling pathways, while the species
      specific DNA is the gauge field that restores the global homeostasis after
      external perturbations. We apply the Borsuk-Ulam Theorem (BUT) to operationalize
      a methodology in terms of topology/gauge fields and subsequently inquire about
      the evolution from inorganic to organic structures and to the prokaryotic and
      eukaryotic modes of organization. We converge on the strategic role that second
      messengers have played regarding the emergence of a unitary gauge field with
      profound evolutionary implications. A new avenue for a deeper investigation of
      biological complexity looms. Philosophically, we might be reminded of the duality
      between two essential concepts proposed by the great Chinese synthesizer Zhu Xi
      (in the XIII Century). On the one side the li organization principle, equivalent
      to the dynamic interplay between symmetry and information; and on the other side
      the qi principle, equivalent to the energy participating in the process-both
      always interlinked with each other. In contemporary terms, it would mean the
      required interconnection between information and energy, and the necessity to
      revise essential principles of information philosophy.

PMID- 28624507
TI  - Effect of pyridostigmine on in vivo and in vitro respiratory muscle of mdx mice.
AB  - The current work was conducted to verify the contribution of neuromuscular
      transmission defects at the neuromuscular junction to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
      disease progression and respiratory dysfunction. We tested pyridostigmine and
      pyridostigmine encapsulated in liposomes (liposomal PYR), an acetylcholinesterase
      inhibitor to improve muscular contraction on respiratory muscle function in mdx
      mice at different ages. We evaluated in vivo with the whole-body plethysmography,
      the ventilatory response to hypercapnia, and measured in vitro diaphragm strength
      in each group. Compared to C57BL10 mice, only 17 and 22 month-old mdx presented
      blunted ventilatory response, under normocapnia and hypercapnia. Free
      pyridostigmine (1mg/kg) was toxic to mdx mice, unlike liposomal PYR, which did
      not show any side effect, confirming that the encapsulation in liposomes is
      effective in reducing the toxic effects of this drug. Treatment with liposomal
      PYR, either acute or chronic, did not show any beneficial effect on respiratory
      function of this DMD experimental model. The encapsulation in liposomes is
      effective to abolish toxic effects of drugs.

PMID- 28624508
TI  - Epidemiological profile of cutaneous larva migrans in travelers returning to
      France between 2003 and 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is caused by the penetration and
      migration of canine or feline hookworm larvae into the skin, and frequently
      affects travelers from high-income countries returning from tropical and sub
      tropical areas. Unfortunately, this pathology is neglected due to poor
      understanding among both physicians and travelers. This study describes the
      profile of cases reported in Marseille, France. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A
      retrospective study was performed in two specialized hospitals between 2003 and
      2015. Data on socio-demographics, clinical aspects and treatment were collected.
      Diagnosis was based on travel history and symptoms. RESULTS: Forty-three patients
      with a diagnosis of CLM were recorded in this study. They were aged between 14
      and 70 and 51% were male. They were infected while visiting the Americas (37%),
      Africa (33%), Asia (28%) and (in the case of one patient) Portugal. The mean
      timescale for diagnosis was 41 days. Track lesions associated with pruritus in
      the lower limbs were the most common symptoms. Nine had a history of super
      infection. Sixteen patients received treatment prior to referral including six
      who were administered antiparasitic drugs. A one-day treatment with ivermectin,
      administered at our facility, resulted, in most instances, in a favorable
      outcome. CONCLUSION: This study reports 43 cases of CLM acquired mainly in
      Africa, Asia and the Americas but also, for the first time, CLM acquired during
      travel to Portugal. The data show the need for increased awareness of CLM
      prevention and treatment in order to optimize pre-travel advice and case
      management. Travelers need to understand how CLM is transmitted and the need to
      avoid contact with soil and sand contaminated by dogs and cats. In particular,
      footwear and sun chairs should be used on beaches.

PMID- 28624509
TI  - Travellers' Malaria - Horizons 202X.

PMID- 28624510
TI  - Single neonatal status epilepticus does not impair cognitive function in rats.

PMID- 28624511
TI  - Cluster reduction in patients in a pilot treatment trial for psychogenic
      nonepileptic seizures.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The present study examined seizure clusters as a primary outcome in
      patients receiving treatment for PNES. Cluster reduction is examined
      longitudinally using frequency threshold and statistical definitions of seizure
      cluster for patients. Possible risk factors for clustering will be examined along
      with clustering as a risk factor for poorer secondary outcomes. METHODS:
      Participants were from a pilot randomized treatment trial for PNES where they
      received cognitive behavioral therapy-informed psychotherapy (CBT-ip),
      sertraline, combination therapy, or treatment as usual. Seizure data are from
      patients' seizure dairies. RESULTS: Cluster reduction was observed for those
      receiving CBT-ip or combination treatment using all definitions of daily clusters
      and weekly clusters. No risk factors of clustering were observed. Those who were
      identified as having clusters during the trial had poorer secondary outcomes on
      several measures at baseline relative to those who were not identified as having
      clusters. DISCUSSION: This is the first study known to the authors to not only
      examined seizure clusters as a primary outcome for those with PNES, but also the
      first study to suggest that CBT-ip and combination therapy may be effective in
      reducing the frequency of clusters.

PMID- 28624512
TI  - Epidemiological investigation and risk factors of Echinococcus granulosus in yaks
      (Bos grunniens), Tibetan pigs and Tibetans on Qinghai Tibetan plateau.
AB  - Echinococcus granulosus (E. granulosus) is a diverse zoonotic parasite and causes
      Cystic echinococcosis (CE) disease in humans and livestock. However, scare
      information is available about the epidemic situation of E. granulosus infection
      in yaks, Tibetan pigs and native Tibetans on the Qinghai Tibetan plateau.
      Therefore, a study was carried out to find prevalence and risk factors of E.
      granulosus in yaks, Tibetan pigs and Tibetans. Serum samples from yaks (1371),
      Tibetan pigs (454) and Tibetans (600) were collected and assessed by commercial
      ELISA kits. Multivariable logistic regression model was performed to find the
      variables possibly associated with exposure of E. granulosus infection in yaks,
      Tibetan pigs and Tibetan. The overall prevalence of E. granulosus in yaks was
      6.49%. In different regions, the prevalence were ranged from 3.43% to 11.79%. In
      male and female yaks, the prevalence was 5.67% and 7.04%, respectively. In
      different ages, the prevalence were ranged from 2.20% to 10.9%. While, in
      different years, the prevalence was 3.61% in 2014, 9.66% in 2015, and 6.33% in
      2016. According to the conditional stepwise logistic regression, three factors
      (region, age and year) were demonstrated to be risk factors influencing the
      prevalence of E. granulosus in yaks significantly (P<0.05). A total 33/454 of
      Tibetan pigs were positive for E. granulosus with the distribution of 5.47, 5.70
      and 13.27% prevalence in Gongbo'gvamda, Mainling, and Nyingchi region,
      respectively. In male and female Tibetan pigs, the prevalence was 7.12% and 7.49%
      respectively, while region was considered as a significant (P<0.05) risk factor
      influencing the E. granulosus infection in Tibetan pigs. The total prevalence of
      E. granulosus infection in Tibetans was 1.83%, while in male and female Tibetans,
      the prevalence was 1.41% and 2.21%, respectively. In different ages, the
      prevalence were ranged from 0 to 3.21%. In Tibetans contacting animals or not was
      2.41% and 0.54% respectively, and breeding dogs or not was 3.0% and 1.09%,
      respectively. Risk factors (gender age, contact animal and breed dog) were not
      significant (P>0.05). The present results reported the prevalence and associated
      risk factors of E. granulosus in yaks, Tibetan pigs and native Tibetans. These
      findings could have important epidemiological significance and a direct influence
      on the remote plateau.

PMID- 28624513
TI  - Biodiversity of Simulium metallicum sensu lato (Diptera: Simuliidae), a complex
      of Neotropical vectors associated with human onchocerciasis.
AB  - The polytene chromosomes of 130 larvae of the Neotropical Simulium metallicum
      complex from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Ecuador revealed five cytoforms, including
      three ('M', 'N', and 'O') that are new and two ('B' and 'J') that represent range
      extensions of up to 850km. The discovery of three new cytoforms brings the total
      number in the complex to 17. Cytoforms 'B', 'J', and 'N' are reproductively
      isolated from one another, and their species status is corroborated by
      morphological evidence. None of the three new cytoforms is known from current or
      historical onchocerciasis foci, although 'M' inhabits the periphery of the former
      Ecuadorian Santiago onchocerciasis focus a mere 30km to the west. The number of
      fixed chromosomal differences, as many as 24, separating some members of the S.
      metallicum complex far exceeds that known between members of any other simuliid
      species complex. Two distinct groupings can be diagnosed within the S. metallicum
      complex, based on at least eight fixed chromosomal rearrangements and structural
      characters in the larval stage. Consequently, a recommendation is made to
      recognize the S. horacioi complex and the S. metallicum complex sensu stricto.
      Recognition of two separate complexes provides potential phylogenetic content
      with predictive power for understanding biological phenomena such as vector
      potential.

PMID- 28624514
TI  - Bromodomain-containing proteins in prostate cancer.
AB  - Several oncogenic factors have been involved in prostate cancer progression.
      However, therapeutic approaches still focus on suppression of androgen receptor
      (AR) signaling. In fact, whereas the full-length AR incorporates a ligand-binding
      domain, which has become a drug target for competitive inhibitors, other
      transcription factors often do not have tractable binding pockets that aid drug
      development. Consequently drug development efforts have turned to transcription
      co-regulators, often chromatin-modifying enzymes or factors that bind to
      epigenetic modifications to chromatin. Bromodomain (BRD)-containing proteins fall
      into the latter category and significant progress has been made in developing
      small molecule inhibitors that target a particular subgroup of BRD-containing
      proteins known as the Bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family proteins. These
      inhibitors have proven particularly effective in inactivating c-Myc in lymphoma
      but more recently members of the BET family have also been identified as AR
      interacting proteins raising the prospect of using these inhibitors as an
      alternative strategy for targeting AR-driven cancers. In this review we will
      provide an overview of BRD-containing proteins and the potential for exploiting
      them as biomarkers and drug targets in prostate cancer.

PMID- 28624516
TI  - Pleistocene range shifts, refugia and the origin of widespread species in western
      Palaearctic water beetles.
AB  - Quaternary glacial cycles drove major shifts in both the extent and location of
      the geographical ranges of many organisms. During glacial maxima, large areas of
      central and northern Europe were inhospitable to temperate species, and these
      areas are generally assumed to have been recolonized during interglacials by
      range expansions from Mediterranean refugia. An alternative is that this
      recolonization was from non-Mediterranean refugia, in central Europe or western
      Asia, but data on the origin of widespread central and north European species
      remain fragmentary, especially for insects. We studied three widely distributed
      lineages of freshwater beetles (the Platambus maculatus complex, the Hydraena
      gracilis complex, and the genus Oreodytes), all restricted to running waters and
      including both narrowly distributed southern endemics and widespread European
      species, some with distributions spanning the Palearctic. Our main goal was to
      determine the role of the Pleistocene glaciations in shaping the diversification
      and current distribution of these lineages. We sequenced four mitochondrial and
      two nuclear genes in populations drawn from across the ranges of these taxa, and
      used Bayesian probabilities and Maximum Likelihood to reconstruct their
      phylogenetic relationships, age and geographical origin. Our results suggest that
      all extant species in these groups are of Pleistocene origin. In the H. gracilis
      complex, the widespread European H. gracilis has experienced a rapid, recent
      range expansion from northern Anatolia, to occupy almost the whole of Europe.
      However, in the other two groups widespread central and northern European taxa
      appear to originate from central Asia, rather than the Mediterranean. These
      widespread species of eastern origin typically have peripherally isolated forms
      in the southern Mediterranean peninsulas, which may be remnants of earlier
      expansion-diversification cycles or result from incipient isolation of
      populations during the most recent Holocene expansion. The accumulation of narrow
      endemics of such lineages in the Mediterranean may result from successive cycles
      of range expansion, with subsequent speciation (and local extinction in glaciated
      areas) through multiple Pleistocene climatic cycles.

PMID- 28624515
TI  - Development of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs).
AB  - The Androgen Receptor (AR), a member of the steroid hormone receptor family,
      plays important roles in the physiology and pathology of diverse tissues. AR
      ligands, which include circulating testosterone and locally synthesized
      dihydrotestosterone, bind to and activate the AR to elicit their effects.
      Ubiquitous expression of the AR, metabolism and cross reactivity with other
      receptors limit broad therapeutic utilization of steroidal androgens. However,
      the discovery of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) and other tissue
      selective nuclear hormone receptor modulators that activate their cognate
      receptors in a tissue-selective manner provides an opportunity to promote the
      beneficial effects of androgens and other hormones in target tissues with greatly
      reduced unwanted side-effects. In the last two decades, significant resources
      have been dedicated to the discovery and biological characterization of SARMs in
      an effort to harness the untapped potential of the AR. SARMs have been proposed
      as treatments of choice for various diseases, including muscle-wasting, breast
      cancer, and osteoporosis. This review provides insight into the evolution of
      SARMs from proof-of-concept agents to the cusp of therapeutic use in less than
      two decades, while covering contemporary views of their mechanisms of action and
      therapeutic benefits.

PMID- 28624517
TI  - Intra-accumbal blockade of endocannabinoid CB1 receptors impairs learning but not
      retention of conditioned relief.
AB  - Humans and animals are able to associate an environmental cue with the feeling of
      relief from an aversive event, a phenomenon called relief learning. Relief from
      an aversive event is rewarding and a relief-associated cue later induces an
      attenuation of the startle magnitude or approach behavior. Previous studies
      demonstrated that the nucleus accumbens is essential for relief learning. Here,
      we asked whether accumbal cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors are involved in
      relief learning. In rats, we injected the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist
      SR141716A (rimonabant) directly into the nucleus accumbens at different time
      points during a relief learning experiment. SR141716A injections immediately
      before the conditioning inhibited relief learning. However, SR141716A injected
      immediately before the retention test was not effective when conditioning was
      without treatment. These findings indicate that accumbal CB1 receptors play an
      important role in the plasticity processes underlying relief learning.

PMID- 28624518
TI  - Role of gut microbiota against calcium oxalate.
AB  - Nephrolithiasis is a condition marked by the presence or formation of stones in
      kidneys. Several factors contribute to kidney stones development such as
      environmental conditions, type of dietary intake, gender and gastrointestinal
      flora. Most of the kidney stones are composed of calcium phosphate and calcium
      oxalate, which enter in to the body through diet. Both sources of oxalates become
      dangerous when normal flora of gastrointestinal tract is disturbed. Oxalobacter
      and Lactobacillus species exist symbiotically in the human gut and prevent stone
      formation by altering some biochemical pathways through production of specific
      enzymes which help in the degradation of oxalate salts. Both Oxalobacter and
      Lactobacillus have potential probiotic characteristics for the prevention of
      kidney stone formation and this avenue should be further explored.

PMID- 28624519
TI  - iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics analysis of molecular mechanisms associated
      with Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera) larval midgut response to BmNPV in susceptible and
      near-isogenic strains.
AB  - : Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) has been identified as a major
      pathogen responsible for severe economic loss. Most silkworm strains are
      susceptible to BmNPV, with only a few highly resistant strains thus far
      identified. Here we investigated the molecular basis of silkworm resistance to
      BmNPV using susceptible (the recurrent parent P50) and resistant (near-isogenic
      line BC9) strains and a combination of iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics,
      reverse-transcription quantitative PCR and Western blotting. By comparing the
      proteomes of infected and non-infected P50 and BC9 silkworms, we identified 793
      differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). By gene ontology and KEGG enrichment
      analyses, we found that these DEPs are preferentially involved in metabolism,
      catalytic activity, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism and carbon
      metabolism. 114 (14.38%) DEPs were associated with the cytoskeleton, immune
      response, apoptosis, ubiquitination, translation, ion transport, endocytosis and
      endopeptidase activity. After removing the genetic background and individual
      immune stress response proteins, we identified 84 DEPs were found that are
      potentially involved in resistance to BmNPV. Further studies showed that a serine
      protease was down-regulated in P50 and up-regulated in BC9 after BmNPV infection.
      Taken together, these results provide insights into the molecular mechanism of
      silkworm response to BmNPV. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Bombyx mori
      nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is highly pathogenic, causing serious losses in
      sericulture every year. However, the molecular mechanisms of BmNPV infection and
      host defence remain unclear. Here we combined quantitative proteomic,
      bioinformatics, RT-qPCR and Western blotting analyses and found that BmNPV
      invasion causes complex protein alterations in the larval midgut, and that these
      changes are related to cytoskeleton, immune response, apoptosis, ubiquitination,
      translation, ion transport, endocytosis and endopeptidase activity. Five
      important differentially expression proteins were validation by independent
      approaches. These finding will help address the molecular mechanisms of silkworm
      resistance to BmNPV and provide a molecular target for resisting BmNPV.

PMID- 28624521
TI  - Semanticized autobiographical memory and the default - executive coupling
      hypothesis of aging.
AB  - As we age, the architecture of cognition undergoes a fundamental transition.
      Fluid intellectual abilities decline while crystalized abilities remain stable or
      increase. This shift has a profound impact across myriad cognitive and functional
      domains, yet the neural mechanisms remain under-specified. We have proposed that
      greater connectivity between the default network and executive control regions in
      lateral prefrontal cortex may underlie this shift, as older adults increasingly
      rely upon accumulated knowledge to support goal-directed behavior. Here we
      provide direct evidence for this mechanism within the domain of autobiographical
      memory. In a large sample of healthy adult participants (n = 103 Young; n = 80
      Old) the strength of default - executive coupling reliably predicted more
      semanticized, or knowledge-based, recollection of autobiographical memories in
      the older adult cohort. The findings are consistent with the default - executive
      coupling hypothesis of aging and identify this shift in network dynamics as a
      candidate neural mechanism associated with crystalized cognition in later life
      that may signal adaptive capacity in the context of declining fluid cognitive
      abilities.

PMID- 28624520
TI  - Dissecting the chloroplast proteome of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) provides new
      insights into classical and non-classical functions.
AB  - : Chloroplast, the energy organelle unique to plant cells, is a dynamic entity
      which integrates an array of metabolic pathways and serves as first level for
      energy conversion for the entire ecological hierarchy. Increasing amount of
      sequence data and evolution of mass spectrometric approaches has opened up new
      avenues for opportune exploration of the global proteome of this organelle. In
      our study, we aimed at generation of a comprehensive catalogue of chloroplast
      proteins in a grain legume, chickpea and provided a reference proteome map. To
      accurately assign the identified proteins, purity of chloroplast-enriched
      fraction was stringently monitored by multiple chemical and immunological
      indexes, besides pigment and enzyme analyses. The proteome analysis led to the
      identification of 2451 proteins, including 27 isoforms, which include predicted
      and novel chloroplast constituents. The identified proteins were validated
      through their sequence analysis. Extensive sequence based localization prediction
      revealed more than 50% proteins to be chloroplast resident by at least two
      different algorithms. Chromosomal distribution of identified proteins across
      nuclear and chloroplast genome unveiled the presence of 55 chloroplast encoded
      gene. In depth comparison of our dataset with the non-redundant set of
      chloroplast proteins identified so far across other species revealed novel as
      well as overlapping candidates. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Pulses add large amount
      of nitrogen to the soil and has very low water footprint and therefore,
      contributes to fortification of sustainable agriculture. Chickpea is one of the
      earliest cultivated legumes and serves as an energy and protein source for humans
      and animals. Chloroplasts are the unique organelles which conduct photosynthesis.
      Investigation on chloroplast proteome is of particular significance, especially
      to plant biologists, as it would allow a better understanding of chloroplast
      function in plants. Generation of a saturated proteome map would not only
      validate the proteome inventory from its genome sequencing, but also serve as a
      comprehensive catalogue for future studies. We identified 2451 proteins, encoded
      by both the nuclear as well as chloroplast genomes, presumably involved in
      multivariate metabolic processes. The chloroplast deduced proteome and putative
      chloroplast proteins identified in this study would provide a foundation for
      future investigation of the expression and function of the chloroplast proteins
      of chickpea in specific and other crops species in general.

PMID- 28624522
TI  - Decision-related factors in pupil old/new effects: Attention, response execution,
      and false memory.
AB  - In this study, we investigate the effects of decision-related factors on
      recognition memory in pupil old/new paradigms. In Experiment 1, we used an
      old/new paradigm with words and pseudowords and participants made lexical
      decisions during recognition rather than old/new decisions. Importantly,
      participants were instructed to focus on the nonword-likeness of presented items,
      not their word-likeness. We obtained no old/new effects. In Experiment 2,
      participants discriminated old from new words and old from new pseudowords during
      recognition, and they did so as quickly as possible. We found old/new effects for
      both words and pseudowords. In Experiment 3, we used materials and an old/new
      design known to elicit a large number of incorrect responses. For false alarms
      ("old" response for new word), we found larger pupils than for correctly
      classified new items, starting at the point at which response execution was
      allowed (2750ms post stimulus onset). In contrast, pupil size for misses ("new"
      response for old word) was statistically indistinguishable from pupil size in
      correct rejections. Taken together, our data suggest that pupil old/new effects
      result more from the intentional use of memory than from its automatic use.

PMID- 28624523
TI  - Association of interleukin-22 polymorphisms with the colon cancer: A case-control
      study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Interleukin-22 (IL-22), an IL-10 family cytokine produced by T
      cells and innate lymphoid cells, is implicated in inflammation and tumorigenesis.
      In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of IL-22 polymorphisms
      with the colon cancer in a Chinese population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five
      hundred forty colon cancer cases and 540 healthy controls were recruited in the
      case-control study. The fluorogenic 5' exonuclease assays were used for genotype
      analysis of three common polymorphisms (-429C/T, +1046T/A and +1995A/C) of the IL
      22 gene. RESULTS: Colon cancer cases had a significantly higher frequency of IL
      22-429 TT genotype [odds ratio (OR)=1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.24,
      2.30; P=0.001] and -429T allele (OR=1.35, 95% CI=1.14, 1.60; P=0.001) than
      healthy controls. The findings are still emphatic by the Bonferroni correction
      (P<0.017). When stratifying by the differentiation of colon cancer, we found that
      colon cancer cases with poor differentiation had a significantly higher frequency
      of IL-22-429 TT genotype (OR=1.45, 95% CI=1.02, 2.07; P=0.04). When stratifying
      by the tumor location, tumor size, growth pattern and TNM stage of colon cancer,
      we found no statistical association. The IL-22 +1046T/A and IL-22 +1995A/C gene
      polymorphisms were not associated with colon cancer. CONCLUSION: Our findings
      suggested that the IL-22 -429C/T gene polymorphisms might be associated with
      colon cancer.

PMID- 28624524
TI  - A direct comparison of porcine (StratticeTM) and bovine (SurgimendTM) acellular
      dermal matrices in implant-based immediate breast reconstruction.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) assisted implant-based breast
      reconstruction (IBBR) has grown in popularity over traditional submuscular
      techniques. Numerous human, bovine or porcine derived ADMs are available with the
      type used varying considerably worldwide. Yet, comparative evidence for the
      efficacy of different ADMs particularly xenogenic is limited. This study directly
      compares early outcomes of porcine (StratticeTM) and bovine (SurgimendTM) ADMs in
      IBBR. METHOD: Retrospective study of sequential experience of immediate IBBR
      using Strattice or Surgimend ADM. Data was collected for patients undergoing ADM
      assisted IBBR after prophylactic or therapeutic mastectomy in Cambridge (October
      2011-March 2016). Patient demographics, adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies,
      operative details, postoperative management and outcomes were analysed. KEY
      RESULTS: Total of 81 patients underwent IBBR with ADM; 38 bilateral and 43
      unilateral (n = 119 breasts). Strattice was used in 30 breasts (25%) and
      Surgimend in 89 (75%). Analysis of patient specific variables showed statistical
      significance only for higher mastectomy weight in the Strattice group (367.1 +/-
      159.3 g versus 296.3 +/- 133.4 g; P = 0.0379). Strattice was associated with
      higher rates of skin erythema post-operatively (16.7% versus 4.5%; P = 0.044).
      Analysed per woman or per breast, there was no statistically significant
      difference in rates of haematoma, infection, wound dehiscence, skin necrosis or
      seroma, although there was a trend towards more complications with Strattice.
      CONCLUSION: This study found significantly higher rates of skin erythema and a
      trend towards higher complication rates with Strattice in IBBR. Randomised
      controlled trials comparing different ADM outcomes are needed to inform best
      practice.

PMID- 28624525
TI  - Regulation of hepatic abcb4 and cyp3a65 gene expression and
      multidrug/multixenobiotic resistance (MDR/MXR) functional activity in the model
      teleost, Danio rerio (zebrafish).
AB  - Multidrug/multixenobiotic resistance (MDR/MXR) confers resistance to a diverse
      range of potentially toxic pharmaceuticals and environmental contaminants through
      a cellular response that involves the coordinated induction and activity of the
      ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the Phase I
      metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A). In mammals, ligand-mediated
      pregnane X receptor (PXR) transcriptional activity regulates the induction of P
      gp and CYP3A; however, this mechanism has not been well-characterized in piscine
      species. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) treated with the Pxr agonist pregnenolone
      16alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) showed decreased P-gp (zebrafish Abcb4) and CYP3A
      (zebrafish Cyp3a65) mRNA levels after 48h exposure; however, treatment with PCN
      also resulted in increased hepatic MDR/MXR functional activity (i.e. increased
      Rhodamine 123 efflux) in vivo. Consistent with mammalian-like MDR/MXR regulated
      by PXR, the PCN-mediated modulation of hepatic Abcb4 and Cyp3a65 mRNA levels and
      MDR/MXR functional activity was attenuated by co-treatment with PCN and the
      mammalian PXR antagonist, ketoconazole (KTC). These results provide evidence that
      zebrafish Pxr may play a role in MDR/MXR through transcriptional regulation of
      abcb4 and cyp3a65 gene expression.

PMID- 28624526
TI  - Postoperative Urinary Retention is an Independent Predictor of Short-Term and
      Long-Term Future Bladder Outlet Procedure in Men.
AB  - PURPOSE: Postoperative urinary retention is a common complication across surgical
      specialties. To our knowledge no literature to date has examined postoperative
      urinary retention as a predictor of long-term receipt of surgery for bladder
      outlet obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the
      records of inpatients who underwent nonurological surgery in California between
      2008 and 2010. Postoperative urinary retention during the index admission was
      identified, as was receipt of a bladder outlet procedure (transurethral prostate
      resection, prostate photoselective vaporization or suprapubic prostatectomy) at a
      subsequent encounter. Patients were matched using propensity scoring of
      demographics, comorbidities and surgery type. Adjusted Kaplan-Meier analysis was
      performed to determine the cumulative incidence of subsequent bladder outlet
      procedures by patient group, including group 1-age 60 years or greater and
      postoperative urinary retention, group 2-age 60 years or greater and no
      postoperative urinary retention, group 3-age less than 60 years and postoperative
      urinary retention, and group 4-age less than 60 years and no postoperative
      urinary retention. RESULTS: Of 769,141 eligible male patients postoperative
      urinary retention developed in 8,051 (1.1%). Following hospital discharge 1,855
      patients (0.24%) underwent a bladder outlet procedure. Those treated with a
      bladder outlet procedure were significantly more likely to have experienced
      postoperative urinary retention during the index admission (6.3% vs 1.0%, p
      <0.001). On matched analysis the bladder outlet procedure rate at 3 years was
      7.1%, 2.2%, 0.8% and 0.0% in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In
      men 60 years old or older postoperative urinary retention identified those with
      an increased incidence of bladder outlet procedures within 3 years. Men younger
      than 60 years had a low rate of subsequent bladder outlet procedures regardless
      of a postoperative urinary retention diagnosis.

PMID- 28624527
TI  - Significantly altered expression of miR-511-3p and its target AKT3 has negative
      prognostic value in human prostate cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: In this study, we assessed the expression and functions of microRNA-511
      3p (miR-511-3p) in human prostate cancer (CaP). METHODS: Gene expressions of miR
      511-3p in CaP cells and human CaP tumors were assessed by qPCR. In VCaP and PC3
      cells, miR-511-3p was overexpressed by lentivirus. The functions of miR-511-3p
      upregulation in regulating in vitro cancer proliferation, migration and in vivo
      cancer growth were assessed by MTT, transwell and transplantation assays,
      respectively. Downstream target gene of miR-511-3p, AKT3, was verified by dual
      luciferase activity and qPCR assays. AKT3 was then overexpressed in miR-511-3p
      upregulated CaP cells to assess its functions in miR-511-3p-mediated cancer
      regulation. RESULTS: MiR-511-3p is significantly downregulated in CaP cell lines,
      and human CaP tumors. MiR-511-3p was further downregulated in T3/T4-staged CaP
      tumors and closely correlated with shorter overall survival among CaP patients.
      In VCaP and PC3 cells, lentiviral-induced miR-511-3p upregulation was acting as a
      tumor suppressor by inhibiting in vitro cancer proliferation, migration and in
      vivo transplantation. Human AKT3 gene was confirmed to be the downstream target
      of miR-511-3p in CaP. In miR-511-3p-upregulated VCaP and PC3 cells, forced
      overexpression of AKT3 reversed the tumor suppressive effects of miR-511-3p in
      CaP. CONCLUSION: MiR-511-3p may serve as a prognostic factor and tumor suppressor
      in CaP, very likely through inverse regulation of its downstream target gene of
      AKT3.

PMID- 28624528
TI  - Derivation of an occupational exposure level for manganese in welding fumes.
AB  - Exposure to high levels of manganese (Mn) in occupational settings is known to
      lead to adverse neurological effects. Since Mn is an essential nutrient, there
      are mechanisms that maintain its homeostatic control in the body, and there is
      some level of Mn in air that does not perturb Mn homeostasis. However, the Mn
      exposure concentrations at which no adverse effects are expected in occupational
      settings vary considerably across regulatory agencies. We set out to derive a Mn
      Occupational Exposure Level (OEL) for welders based on a review of studies that
      evaluated Mn exposure concentrations from welding fumes and: (1) neurological
      effects in welders; (2) levels of Mn in the brains of welders (via pallidal index
      [PI] estimated from magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]); (3) other biomarkers of Mn
      exposure in welders (i.e., blood and urine); and (4) Mn brain concentrations, PI,
      and corresponding neurological effects in non-human primates. Our analysis
      suggests uncertainty in quantifying dose-response associations for Mn from many
      of the occupational welding studies. The few welding studies that adequately
      estimate exposure suggest a possible OEL of 100-140MUg/m3 for respirable Mn. This
      range is consistent with other epidemiology studies, studies of biomarkers of Mn
      exposure in welders, and with studies in non-human primates, though future
      studies could provide a stronger basis for deriving a Mn occupational guideline
      for welders.

PMID- 28624529
TI  - Cyclopamine sensitizes TRAIL-resistant gastric cancer cells to TRAIL-induced
      apoptosis via endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated increase of death receptor 5
      and survivin degradation.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is one of
      the most effective cancer treatments owing to its ability to selectively kill
      cancer cells, without affecting normal cells. However, it has been reported that
      several gastric cancer cells show resistance to TRAIL because of a scarcity of
      death receptor 5 (DR5) expressed on the cell surface. In this study, we show that
      cyclopamine sensitizes gastric cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by
      elevating the expression of DR5. Interestingly, survivin hampers the existence of
      DR5 protein under normal conditions and cyclopamine decreases the expression of
      survivin, thus acting as a TRAIL sensitizer. Mechanistically, cyclopamine induces
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress via reactive oxygen species (ROS) and CHOP, the
      last protein of the ER stress pathway and it regulates the proteasome degradation
      of survivin. Taken together, our results indicate that cyclopamine can be used
      for combination therapy in TRAIL-resistant gastric cancer cells.

PMID- 28624530
TI  - The emerging role of Wnt signaling dysregulation in the understanding and
      modification of age-associated diseases.
AB  - Wnt signaling is a highly conserved pathway that participates in multiple aspects
      of cellular function during development and in adults. In particular, this
      pathway has been implicated in cell fate determination, proliferation and cell
      polarity establishment. In the brain, it contributes to synapse formation, axonal
      remodeling, dendrite outgrowth, synaptic activity, neurogenesis and behavioral
      plasticity. The expression and distribution of Wnt components in different organs
      vary with age, which may have important implications for preserving tissue
      homeostasis. The dysregulation of Wnt signaling has been implicated in age
      associated diseases, such as cancer and some neurodegenerative conditions. This
      is a relevant research topic, as an important research avenue for therapeutic
      targeting of the Wnt pathway in regenerative medicine has recently been opened.
      In this review, we discuss the recent findings on the regulation of Wnt
      components during aging, particularly in brain functioning, and the implications
      of Wnt signaling in age-related diseases.

PMID- 28624531
TI  - The short- to mid-term symptom prevalence of dumping syndrome after primary
      gastric-bypass surgery and its impact on health-related quality of life.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early and late dumping are complications of gastric bypass surgery.
      Early dumping occurs within an hour after eating, when the emptying of food into
      the small intestine triggers rapid fluid shifts into the intestinal lumen and the
      release of gastrointestinal hormones, resulting in gastrointestinal and vasomotor
      symptoms. Late dumping occurs between 1 and 3 hours after carbohydrate ingestion
      and is caused by an exaggerated insulin release, resulting in hypoglycemia.
      Almost no data are currently available on the prevalence of early and late
      dumping or their impact on health-related quality of life (QoL). OBJECTIVES: To
      study the prevalence of early and late dumping in a large population of patients
      having undergone a primary Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and its effect on QoL.
      SETTING: Cross-sectional study at a single bariatric department in the Medical
      Center Leeuwarden, The Netherlands between 2008 and 2011. METHODS: In 2013, this
      descriptive cohort study approached by email or post all patients who underwent a
      primary RYGB in the setting between 2008 and 2011 in one hospital. These patients
      were asked to fill in standardized questionnaires measuring their QoL (RAND-36),
      anxiety and depression (HADS), fatigue (MFI-20) and any disease specific
      indicators of early and late dumping syndrome. RESULTS: The questionnaire was
      completed and returned by 351 of 613 patients (57.1%) and 121 nonobese
      volunteers. Participants were mostly female (80%), aged 42 (40-54 years), with an
      excess weight loss of 76.8% [IQR 61-95] after RYGB surgery 2.3 [ IQR 1.6-3.4]
      years earlier. Self-reported complaints of moderate to severe intensity
      suggestive of early and late dumping were present in 18.8% and 11.7% of patients,
      respectively. Patients with early and late dumping demonstrated significantly
      lower scores on the RAND-36 and HADS compared with patients without dumping. No
      differences were seen in the MFI-20 scores between patients with or without early
      and late dumping. CONCLUSION: In this descriptive cohort, self-reported
      complaints suggestive of early and late dumping of moderate-to-severe intensity
      were, respectively, 18.8% and 11.7% in a cohort after primary gastric bypass
      surgery. These complaints were associated with markedly reduced health-related
      QoL.

PMID- 28624532
TI  - Prospectively validated preoperative prediction of weight and co-morbidity
      resolution in individual patients comparing five bariatric operations.

PMID- 28624533
TI  - Management of duodenal carcinoid tumors in the setting of morbid obesity.

PMID- 28624535
TI  - ATP-free biosynthesis of a high-energy phosphate metabolite fructose 1,6
      diphosphate by in vitro metabolic engineering.
AB  - Fructose 1,6-diphosphate (FDP) is a widely used medicine and is also a precursor
      of two important three-carbon phosphates - glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GA3P) and
      dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) for the biosynthesis of numerous fine
      chemicals. An in vitro synthetic cofactor-free enzymatic pathway comprised of
      four hyperthermophilic enzymes was designed to produce FDP from starch and
      pyrophosphate. All of four hyperthermophilic enzymes (i.e., alpha-glucan
      phosphorylase from Thermotaga maritima, phosphoglucomutase from Thermococcus
      kodakarensis, glucose 6-phosphate isomerase from Thermus thermophilus, and
      pyrophosphate phosphofructokinase from T. maritima) were overexpressed in E. coli
      BL21(DE3) and purified by simple heat precipitation. The optimal pH and
      temperature of one-pot biosynthesis were 7.2 and 70 degrees C, respectively. The
      optimal enzyme ratios of alphaGP, PGM, PGI and PFK were 2:2:1:2 in terms of
      units. Via step-wise addition of new substrates, up to 125 +/- 4.6mM FDP was
      synthesized after 7-h reaction. This de novo ATP-free enzymatic pathway comprised
      of all hyperthermophilic enzymes could drastically decrease the manufacturing
      costs of FDP and its derivatives GA3P and DHAP, better than those catalyzed by
      ATP-regeneration cascade biocatalysis, the use of mesophilic enzymes, whole cell
      lysates, and microbial cell factories.

PMID- 28624534
TI  - Glutaminase C overexpression in the brain induces learning deficits, synaptic
      dysfunctions, and neuroinflammation in mice.
AB  - Glutaminolysis, a metabolic process that converts glutamine to glutamate, is
      particularly important for the central nervous system since glutamate is the
      major transmitter of excitatory synapses. Glutaminase is the mitochondrial enzyme
      that catalyzes the first step of glutaminolysis. Two genes encode at least four
      isoforms of glutaminase in humans. Gls1 gene encodes isoforms kidney-type
      glutaminase (KGA) and glutaminase C (GAC) through alternative splicing, whereas
      Gls2 gene encodes liver-type glutaminase isoforms. KGA and GAC have been
      associated with several neurological diseases. However, it remains unclear
      whether changes in their expressions can directly cause brain abnormalities.
      Using a transgenic approach, we generated mice that overexpressed GAC in the
      brain. The resulting transgenic mice had severe impairments in spatial and fear
      learning compared with littermate controls. The learning deficits were consistent
      with diminished hippocampal long-term potentiation in the hippocampal slices of
      the GAC transgenic mice. Furthermore, we found increases in astrocyte and
      microglia markers, inflammatory factors, and a decrease in synapse marker
      synaptophysin, suggesting neuroinflammation and synaptic changes in the GAC
      transgenic mouse brains. In conclusion, these findings provide the first evidence
      that GAC overexpression in the brain has deleterious effects on learning and
      synaptic integrity in vivo.

PMID- 28624536
TI  - MicroRNA-dependent regulation of metamorphosis and identification of microRNAs in
      the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.
AB  - To date, although some microRNAs (miRNAs) have been discovered in the
      holometabolism insect Tribolium castaneum, large numbers of miRNAs still require
      investigation. Knocking down Dicer-1 (Dcr-1) and Argonaute-1 (Ago-1) in late
      larvae impaired miRNA synthesis, affected the juvenile hormone pathway by up
      regulating Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and Kruppel-homolog1 (Kr-h1) transcript
      levels, and resulted in a series of defects in T. castaneum development and
      metamorphosis. Thus, high-throughput Illumina/Solexa sequencing was performed
      with a mixed sample of eight key developmental stages of T. castaneum. In total,
      1154 unique miRNAs were discovered containing 274 conserved miRNAs belong to 68
      miRNA families, 108 known candidate miRNAs and 772 novel miRNAs. Genome locus
      analysis showed that miRNA clusters are more abundant in T. castaneum than other
      species. The results indicated that RNAi of Dcr-1 and Ago-1 in T. castaneum
      resulted in miRNA-induced metamorphosis defects. Furthermore, large numbers of
      novel miRNAs were discovered in T. castaneum and localized to T. castaneum genome
      loci.

PMID- 28624537
TI  - Visualizing RNA granule transport and translation in living neurons.
AB  - In polarized cells, such as neurons, the synthesis of an mRNA does not ensure its
      proper cellular expression. Most mature transcripts require the association with
      RNA-binding proteins, resulting in the formation of RNA granules, which are then
      transported within the cytoplasm along the cytoskeleton and delivered to their
      proper subcellular locations, where they can be locally translated. Here we
      review current microscopy methods that have been developed to visualize RNA
      granule formation, transport and translation at the single cell level with a
      special emphasis on the MS2 and SunTag systems. They include the labeling of
      mRNAs and RNA-binding proteins in living cells or even the detection of newly
      synthesized proteins in situ.

PMID- 28624539
TI  - Polarization resolved second harmonic microscopy.
AB  - Second harmonic (SH) microscopy has proven to be a powerful imaging modality over
      the past years due to its intrinsic advantages as a multiphoton process with
      endogenous contrast specificity, which allows pinhole-less optical sectioning,
      non-invasive observation, deep tissue penetration, and the possibility of easier
      signal detection at visible wavelengths. Depending on the relative orientation
      between the polarization of the incoming light and the second-order
      susceptibility of non-centrosymmetric structures, SH microscopy provides the
      unique capacity to probe the absolute molecular structure of a broad variety of
      biological tissues without the necessity for additional labeling. In addition, SH
      microscopy, when working with polarimetry, provides clear and in-depth insights
      on the details of molecular orientation and structural symmetry. In this review,
      the working principles of the polarization resolving techniques and the
      corresponding implements of SH microscopy are elucidated, with focus on Stokes
      vector based polarimetry. An overview of the advancements on SH anisotropy
      measurements are also presented. Specifically, the recent progresses on the
      following three topics in polarization resolved SH microscopy will be elucidated,
      which include Stokes vector resolving for imaging molecular structure and
      orientation, 3-D structural chirality by SH circular dichroism, and correlation
      with fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) for in vivo wound healing diagnosis.
      The potentials and challenges for future researches in exploring complex
      biological tissues are also discussed.

PMID- 28624538
TI  - Analysis of mRNA deadenylation by multi-protein complexes.
AB  - Poly(A) tails are found at the 3' end of almost every eukaryotic mRNA and are
      important for the stability of mRNAs and their translation into proteins. Thus,
      removal of the poly(A) tail, a process called deadenylation, is critical for
      regulation of gene expression. Most deadenylation enzymes are components of large
      multi-protein complexes. Here, we describe an in vitro deadenylation assay
      developed to study the exonucleolytic activities of the multi-protein Ccr4-Not
      and Pan2-Pan3 complexes. We discuss how this assay can be used with short
      synthetic RNAs, as well as longer RNA substrates generated using in vitro
      transcription. Importantly, quantitation of the reactions allows detailed
      analyses of deadenylation in the presence and absence of accessory factors,
      leading to new insights into targeted mRNA decay.

PMID- 28624540
TI  - Cross-beta polymerization and hydrogel formation by low-complexity sequence
      proteins.
AB  - Low-complexity (LC) sequences, typically believed to be incapable of assuming
      structural order, are abundant constituents of the proteomes of all eukaryotic
      organisms. These sequences have emerged as critical components for formation of
      meso-scaled, sub-cellular organelles not invested by surrounding membranes,
      exemplified by RNA granules. We have observed that LC domains of many RNA binding
      proteins known to be constituents of RNA granules readily form labile cross-beta
      polymers under physiological conditions. Several lines of experimentation have
      shown that formation of labile, cross-beta polymers assembled from LC domain
      monomers is important for formation of RNA granules. Among the various
      experiments we have carried out, hydrogel binding assays have evolved as a
      versatile technique allowing a reliable means of assessing polymer formation and
      the binding of heterotypic cellular components integral to the formation of RNA
      granules. This article presents methods allowing for the production of hydrogel
      droplets composed of LC domain polymers. We further describe methods allowing
      straightforward assessment for binding of test LC domains to hydrogel droplets by
      fluorescence microscopy.

PMID- 28624541
TI  - High Prevalence and Clinical/Sociodemographic Correlates of Miscarriages Among
      Flight Attendants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are many occupational health hazards associated with long hours
      of air travel, including cosmic radiation exposure, circadian rhythm disruptions,
      prior and secondhand smoke exposure, for flight attendants who flew before
      smoking bans were initiated in the 1990s. Previous studies in flight attendants
      have found increased incidence of breast cancer and melanoma. However, there is
      little information on the relationship of airline travel and reproductive health
      in flight attendants. Secondhand smoke exposure has numerous negative health
      effects, such as increased cardiac events and respiratory infections, but its
      effect on reproductive health is not known. This study seeks to examine the role
      of secondhand smoke exposure on the miscarriage rate in flight attendants who
      flew before the smoking ban. METHODS: Flight attendants who flew before the
      smoking ban and participating in a study of health effects of secondhand smoke
      were asked to complete a reproductive health survey. We compared miscarriage
      rates of flight attendants to the general population using 2010 data from the
      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: In our cohort of 145 female
      flight attendants exposed to secondhand smoke, there were 45 miscarriages (26%),
      compared with a 17.1% rate in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      report (P = .002). There was no difference in secondhand smoke exposure between
      the flight attendants with miscarriage and the group without miscarriage (P =
      .93). CONCLUSIONS: This study found an increased incidence of miscarriage in
      flight attendants, which was unrelated to secondhand smoke exposure. Other
      factors, such as circadian rhythm disruption and radiation, may be related to
      these reproductive health findings and require further investigation.

PMID- 28624542
TI  - Outcome and Clinical Significance of Immunophenotypic Markers Expressed in
      Different Treatment Protocols of Pediatric Patients With T-ALL in Developing
      Countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) accounts for about 15% of
      pediatric ALL. With wider use of intensive chemotherapy, the prognosis for
      childhood T-ALL has improved. Further gains in treatment outcome will likely
      require methods to identify patients who continue to fail on contemporary
      protocols. This study aimed to evaluate pediatric patients with T-ALL at 2
      different Arabic cancer centers regarding their clinicopathologic,
      immunophenotypic, and cytogenetic features and outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      This retrospective study included all children with T-ALL treated between 2003
      and 2013 at 2 oncology centers in the Middle East. Patients were divided into
      (group I) treated with Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM)-90 treatment protocol
      between February 2003 and June 2007 and (group II) includes all patients treated
      thereafter by the Total Therapy Study XIII protocol for high-risk ALL. RESULTS:
      This study included 103 patients with a median age of 8.9 years. The male to
      female ratio was 2.6:1. The median initial white blood cell count was 123 *
      109/L. Central nervous system leukemia was detected in 15%. The early T-cell
      precursor (ETP)-ALL phenotype was found in 16.5%. The 5-year overall survival was
      20.7% +/- 67.5% and 72.9% +/- 5.7% (P < .01); the 5-year disease-free survival
      was 47.1% +/- 13.8% and 77.3% +/- 6.0% (P = .023); and the 5-year event-free
      survival was 28.6% +/- 12.1% and 71.1% +/- 6.2% (P = .003) for group I and II,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: The outcome of patients with T-ALL significantly
      improved in patients who received the treatment protocol of ALL with high-risk
      criteria. This protocol eliminates the bad outcomes effect of several clinical
      and immunophenotypic markers. Patient with the ETP-ALL phenotype had a
      nonsignificant inferior outcome compared with the non-ETP-ALL group.

PMID- 28624543
TI  - Impact of Health Care Insurance Status on Treatment Outcomes of Acute Myeloid
      Leukemia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Insurance status has been found to influence treatment outcomes in
      various solid tumors. Limited data with conflicting results are available in
      patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We examined the impact of health
      insurance at diagnosis on AML treatment outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All
      consecutive adult patients (>= 18 years of age) diagnosed with AML between 2002
      and 2011 and followed through August 2013 were included. Survival estimates were
      calculated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Logistic regression and multivariate
      Cox proportional hazards methods were used to explore the influence of multiple
      baseline covariates on treatment outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients with
      complete medical records were identified. Of these, 161 patients had complete
      cytogenetic/molecular data for risk stratification and were included in the final
      efficacy analyses. Most patients (45.8%) were publicly insured, 36.3% were
      privately insured, and 17.3% were uninsured. No significant association was found
      between insurance source and cytogenetic/molecular risk status. Transplantation
      information was available for 157 patients, with no significant association found
      between transplant receipt and insurance source. After adjustment for age,
      cytogenetic/molecular risk, and transplant receipt, we found no statistically
      significant association between the insurance source and either event-free or
      overall survival. CONCLUSION: Insurance source at diagnosis has no impact on AML
      treatment outcomes. The consistency of our results with some, but not all,
      studies is probably driven primarily by access-to-care eligibility requirements
      among different states. Further efforts to better understand such disparities are
      warranted.

PMID- 28624544
TI  - CRISPR-GE: A Convenient Software Toolkit for CRISPR-Based Genome Editing.

PMID- 28624545
TI  - Speedy Grass Stomata: Emerging Molecular and Evolutionary Features.

PMID- 28624546
TI  - Understanding Maize Biology for Better Crop Improvement.

PMID- 28624547
TI  - Regioselective monoalkylation of 17beta-estradiol for the synthesis of cytotoxic
      estrogens.
AB  - The regioselective synthesis of estrogens and their derivatives continues to be
      of interest. Most reported syntheses require multistep protocols associated with
      poor overall yield and lack of regioselectivity. New preparative protocols are
      still desired. Herein, 11 2-alkylated 17beta-estradiol analogs were synthesized
      in a highly regioselective manner. The products were obtained using a convenient,
      one pot and high-yielding protocol. The anti-proliferative activity of the
      compounds was tested in human T-cell leukemia (CEM), human cervix carcinoma
      (HeLa) and human dermal microvascular endothelial (HMEC-1) cells.

PMID- 28624548
TI  - Glucocorticoids and gut bacteria: "The GALF Hypothesis" in the metagenomic era.
AB  - A new concept is emerging in biomedical sciences: the gut microbiota is a virtual
      'organ' with endocrine function. Here, we explore the literature pertaining to
      the role of gut microbial metabolism of endogenous adrenocorticosteroids as a
      contributing factor in the etiology of essential hypertension. A body of
      literature demonstrates that bacterial products of glucocorticoid metabolism are
      absorbed into the portal circulation, and pass through the kidney before
      excretion into urine. Apparent mineralocorticoid excess (AME) syndrome patients
      were found to have congenital mutations resulting in non-functional renal 11beta
      hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 (11beta-HSD2) and severe hypertension often lethal
      in childhood. 11beta-HSD2 acts as a "guardian" enzyme protecting the
      mineralocorticoid receptor from excess cortisol, preventing sodium and water
      retention in the normotensive state. Licorice root, whose active ingredient,
      glycerrhetinic acid (GA), inhibits renal 11beta-HSD2, and thereby causes
      hypertension in some individuals. Bacterially derived glucocorticoid metabolites
      may cause hypertension in some patients by a similar mechanism. Parallel
      observations in gut microbiology coupled with screening of endogenous steroids as
      inhibitors of 11beta-HSD2 have implicated particular gut bacteria in essential
      hypertension through the production of glycerrhetinic acid-like factors (GALFs).
      A protective role of GALFs produced by gut bacteria in the etiology of colorectal
      cancer is also explored.

PMID- 28624549
TI  - Evaluation of a new trilocus sequence-based multiplex-PCR to detect major
      Acinetobacter baumannii clonal complexes circulating in Brazil.
AB  - Dissemination of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is mainly
      due to the spread of clonal lineages, particularly those included into the clonal
      complexes (CC) CC1, CC2, CC15, CC25, and CC79. We evaluated the usefulness of a
      recently modified PCR-based trilocus sequence-based typing (m3LST) in comparison
      with the standard multilocus sequence typing (MSLT) of 7 housekeeping genes as
      per the Institute Pasteur Scheme to assign the clonal complexes in CRAB. A
      collection of 78 CRAB isolated from 67 different Brazilian health institutions
      was submitted to both methodologies, and concordance rate was calculated. The
      collection studied included mainly isolates belonging to endemic Brazilian Clonal
      Complexes (CC1, CC15, CC25 and CC79, n=72, 92.3%) but also singletons sequence
      types (ST) with low prevalence in the country (ST107, ST113, ST188, ST317, ST584,
      ST733, n=6; 7.7%). The m3LST correctly assigned all the isolates into the main CC
      responsible for the CRAB dissemination in Brazil. All the singletons ST were not
      misidentified as prevalent lineages. The PCR-based m3LST is a powerful tool to
      investigate molecular epidemiology of A. baumannii representative of prevalent
      Brazilian clonal complexes 1, 15, 25 and 79.

PMID- 28624550
TI  - Comparative genome analysis of fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare reveals
      extensive sequence diversity within the species.
AB  - Flavobacterium columnare is one of the deadliest fish pathogens causing
      devastating mortality in various freshwater fish species globally. To gain an
      insight into bacterial genomic contents and structures, comparative genome
      analyses were performed using the reference and newly sequenced genomes of F.
      columnare including genomovar I, II and I/II strains isolated from Thailand,
      Europe and the USA. Bacterial genomes varied in size from 3.09 to 3.39Mb (2714 to
      3101 CDSs). The pan-genome analysis revealed open pan-genome nature of F.
      columnare strains, which possessed at least 4953 genes and tended to increase
      progressively with the addition of a new genome. Genomic islands (GIs) present in
      bacterial genomes were diverse, in which 65% (39 out of 60) of possible GIs were
      strain-specific. A CRISPR/cas investigation indicated at least two different
      CRISPR systems with varied spacer profiles. On the other hand, putative virulence
      genes, including those related to gliding motility, type IX secretion system
      (T9SS), outer membrane proteins (Omp), were equally distributed among F.
      columnare strains. The MLSA scheme categorized bacterial strains into nine
      different sequence types (ST 9-17). Phylogenetic analyses based on either 16S
      rRNA, MLSA and concatenated SNPs of core genome revealed the diversity of F.
      columnare strains. DNA homology analysis indicated that the estimated digital DNA
      DNA hybridization (dDDH) between strains of genomovar I and II can be as low as
      42.6%, while the three uniquely tilapia-originated strains from Thailand (1214,
      NK01 and 1215) were clearly dissimilar to other F. columnare strains as the dDDH
      values were only 27.7-30.4%. Collectively, this extensive diversity among
      bacterial strains suggested that species designation of F. columnare would
      potentially require re-emendation.

PMID- 28624551
TI  - Accumulation of porphyrins in Propionibacterium acnes by 5-aminolevulinic acid
      and its esters.
AB  - We have investigated the accumulation of porphyrins in Propionibacterium acnes
      (P.acnes) by 5-aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride (ALA) and its esters, ALA methyl
      ester hydrochloride (mALA), ALA octyl ester hydrochloride (oALA), and ALA benzyl
      ester hydrochloride (bALA). From the fluorescence spectra of porphyrins
      accumulated in P.acnes, the order of porphyrin accumulation is as follows:
      ALA?mALA~bALA>oALA (~0). Moreover, the PDT efficacy is reduced in the order of
      ALA>mALA~bALA>oALA (~without additives). These results confirm that ALA is
      superior to ALA esters in accumulating porphyrins in P.acnes.

PMID- 28624552
TI  - "Watering Can" Ureterocele Puncture Technique Leads to Decreased Rates of De Novo
      Vesicoureteral Reflux and Subsequent Surgery With Durable Results.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes of "watering can" ureterocele puncture (WCP), a
      technique previously associated with decreased incidence of de novo
      vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), as a durable option for management of ureteroceles
      and to determine the need for subsequent surgery for VUR following watering can
      puncture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of 55
      consecutive endoscopic ureterocele procedures performed at our institution from
      1999 to 2015. The WCP was performed using a holmium laser fiber to make 10-20
      puncture holes through the ureterocele. Follow-up data were collected on
      infection, de novo VUR in the affected renal moiety and the need for further
      treatment and surgery. RESULTS: Of 55 patients who underwent endoscopic
      ureterocele management, 34 underwent WCP and 21 patients underwent either
      incision or puncture. Median follow-up was 3.4 and 2.8 years in the incision and
      puncture groups, respectively. Both groups had similar rates of ureterocele
      decompression (88% vs 90%; P >.05) and improvement in hydronephrosis (82% vs 81%;
      P >.05). The WCP group had a significantly decreased rate of de novo VUR (32% vs
      67%; P <.05) and of subsequent surgery due to de novo VUR (38% vs 71%; P <.05).
      The average grade of de novo VUR was lower in the WCP group (1.4 vs 2.8; P <.05).
      CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the endoscopic WCP successfully decompresses the
      obstructing ureterocele and results in a decreased incidence of de novo VUR and
      ultimately in fewer invasive procedures for the patient. This update demonstrates
      the durable outcomes of this novel technique.

PMID- 28624553
TI  - Comparison of the Effect of Naftopidil 75 mg and Tamsulosin 0.2 mg on the Bladder
      Storage Symptom With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Prospective, Multi
      institutional Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacies of naftopidil and tamsulosin in terms of
      reducing storage symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective randomized study was performed at 10
      centers. Ninety-four patients that had been taking tamsulosin for more than 8
      weeks, but had an Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) of greater than 3
      points, were initially enrolled. After a 1-week washout period, patients were
      divided into 2 groups. Forty-five patients were treated with tamsulosin 0.2 mg
      daily, and 49 patients were treated with naftopidil 75 mg daily for 8 weeks.
      Total International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), storage symptom scores,
      nocturia times, OABSS, maximal flow rates (Qmax), and postvoid residual volumes
      were checked before and after the 8-week treatment period. RESULTS: Mean patient
      ages in the tamsulosin and naftopidil groups were 64.8 and 66.0 years,
      respectively. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different. In the
      tamsulosin group, mean total IPSS decreased from 19.1 to 15.1 after the 8-week
      treated period (P = .001), and in the naftopidil group, mean total IPSS decreased
      from 16.9 to 13.1 (P = .001). Mean storage symptom scores were reduced in the
      tamsulosin and naftopidil groups from 8.0 to 6.6 (P = .002) and from 7.6 to 6.1
      (P = .001), respectively. Mean nocturia times in the naftopidil groups decreased
      significantly from 2.5 to 1.9 (P = .001), and mean OABSSs were reduced from 7.7
      to 6.0 (P = .001) and from 7.4 to 6.0 (P = .001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Total
      IPSS, storage symptom scores, nocturia times, and OABSS were significantly
      reduced by naftopidil and tamsulosin. Moreover, the naftopidil group showed
      better improvements in nocturia than the tamsulosin group.

PMID- 28624555
TI  - Sacral Neuromodulation Device Heating During Lumbar and Pelvic Magnetic Resonance
      Imaging-a Phantom Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate radiofrequency-induced temperature rises associated with
      performing lumbar and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies with an
      implanted sacral neuromodulation device using a phantom model. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: An accepted phantom model of radiofrequency-induced heating in human
      tissue was used to measure the temperature rise in the stimulator lead electrodes
      and impulse generator under the conditions used during routine clinical lumbar
      and pelvic MRIs in a 1.5Tesla MRI scanner. Testing configurations included an
      intact device (tined lead connected to generator), an intact lead, and a lead
      fragment (model of lead fracture). Variations in the position of the phantom
      relative to the scanner were also tested. RESULTS: During testing with the intact
      device or the lead fragment no significant heating was detected. In contrast, the
      isolated intact lead model showed heating up to 5 degrees C. CONCLUSION: These
      tests provide preliminary evidence that the risk of heating is low for clinical
      lumbar and pelvic MRI at 1.5-Tesla with an intact sacral neuromodulation device
      system and with a fractured lead. However, there is a significant temperature
      change in the intact lead model.

PMID- 28624554
TI  - Outcomes of Urethroplasty to Treat Urethral Strictures Arising From Artificial
      Urinary Sphincter Erosions and Rates of Subsequent Device Replacement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success of urethroplasty for urethral strictures
      arising after erosion of an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) and rates of
      subsequent AUS replacement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2009-2016, we identified
      patients from the Trauma and Urologic Reconstruction Network of Surgeons and
      several other centers. We included patients with urethral strictures arising from
      AUS erosion undergoing urethroplasty with or without subsequent AUS replacement.
      We retrospectively reviewed patient demographics, history, stricture
      characteristics, and outcomes. Variables in patients with and without
      complications after AUS replacement were compared using chi-square test,
      independent samples t test, and Mann-Whitney U test when appropriate. RESULTS:
      Thirty-one men were identified with the inclusion criteria. Radical prostatectomy
      was the etiology of incontinence in 87% of the patients, and 29% had radiation
      therapy. Anastomotic (28) and buccal graft substitution (3) urethroplasty were
      performed. Follow-up cystoscopy was done in 28 patients (median 4.5 months,
      interquartile range [IQR]: 3-8) showing no urethral stricture recurrences. Median
      overall follow-up was 22.0 months (IQR: 15-38). In 27 men (87%), AUS was replaced
      at median of 6.0 months (IQR: 4-7) after urethroplasty. In 25 patients with >3
      months of follow-up after AUS replacement, urethral complications requiring AUS
      revision or removal occurred in 9 patients (36%) and included subcuff atrophy (3)
      and erosion (6). Mean length of stricture was higher in patients who developed a
      complication after urethroplasty and AUS replacement (2.2 vs. 1.5 cm, P = .04).
      CONCLUSION: In patients with urethral stricture after AUS erosion, urethroplasty
      is successful. However, AUS replacement after urethroplasty has a high erosion
      rate even in the short-term.

PMID- 28624556
TI  - A 64-bp sequence containing the GAAGA motif is essential for CaMV-35S promoter
      methylation in gentian.
AB  - This study investigated sequence specificity and perenniality of DNA methylation
      in the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter of transgenic gentian
      (Gentiana triflora*G. scabra) plants. Unlike conventional transgene silencing
      models, 35S promoter hypermethylation in gentian is species-specific and occurs
      irrespective of the T-DNA copy number and genomic location. Modified 35S
      promoters were introduced into gentian, and single-copy transgenic lines were
      selected for methylation analysis. Modified 35S promoter lacking a core (-90)
      region [35S(Deltacore)] in gentian conferred hypermethylation and high levels of
      de novo methylation of the CpHpH/CpCpG sites in the 35S enhancer regions (-298 to
      -241 and -148 to -85). Therefore, promoter transcription may not be an absolute
      requirement for the methylation machinery. In vitro, de novo methylation
      persisted for more than eight years. In another modified 35S promoter, two
      "GAAGA" motifs (-268 to -264 and -135 to -131) were replaced by "GTTCA" in the
      two highly de novo methylated regions. It did not support hypermethylation and
      showed transgene expression. A 64-bp fragment of the 35S enhancer region (-148 to
      -85) was introduced into gentian and the resultant transgenic lines analyzed. The
      64-bp region exhibited hypermethylation at the CpG/CpWpG sites, but the
      CpHpH/CpCpG methylation frequency was lower than those of the unmodified 35S- and
      35S(Deltacore) promoters. Nevertheless, a distinct CpHpH/CpCpG methylation peak
      was found in the 64-bp region of all single-copy transgenic lines. These results
      suggest that the 64-bp region may contain an element required for 35S methylation
      but insufficient for high de novo methylation compared with those in the
      unmodified 35S and 35S(Deltacore) promoters.

PMID- 28624557
TI  - Arthroscopic lateral retinacular release, medial retinacular plication and
      partial medial tibial tubercle transfer for recurrent patellar dislocation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of a therapeutic protocol composed of
      arthroscopic lateral retinacular release, medial retinacular plication, and
      partial medial tibial tuberosity transfer for patients with recurrent patellar
      dislocation. METHOD: 71 patients, 11 males and 60 females and a total of 77
      knees, with recurrent dislocation of the patella were enrolled between 1998 and
      2012. The average age of the patients was 19.5 years and 67 of them had previous
      knee trauma history. Tibial tubercle avulsion fractures were all surgically
      treated without complications like dysplasia in the femoral trochlear groove or
      valgus deformity. The Q angle, sulcus angle, patella-femoral trochlear congruence
      angle and lateral patellofemoral angle were measured on X-ray, while tibial
      tubercle-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance was measure on CT scans, before the
      arthroscopic operation. RESULT: 69 patients were followed-up for 2-16 years
      (average of 7.2 years), while 2 patients were lost during follow-up. Among the
      patients with follow-up, one patient had recurrent patella dislocation two months
      after the operation. Q angle decreased from 13.2 degrees  to 9.2 degrees  in male
      patients (P < 0.05) and from 21.0 degrees  to 15.4 degrees  in female patients (P
      < 0.05). On average, the patella-femoral trochlear congruence angle decreased
      from 24.2 +/- 6.8 degrees  to -2.1 +/- 5.8 degrees  (P < 0.05) and the lateral
      patellofemoral angle increased from -2.0 +/- 5.2 degrees  to 10.9 +/- 4.0 degrees
      (P < 0.05). TT-TG distance decreased from 19.8 +/- 2.1 mm to 13.6 +/- 1.8 mm (P
      < 0.01). Mean Lysholm score increased from 45.6 +/- 4.8 to 92.3 +/- 10.8 (P <
      0.05) and, IKDC score increased from 48.3 +/- 6.8 to 94.3 +/- 8.4 (P < 0.05).
      CONCLUSION: As evidenced by minimal trauma and markedly improved knee joint
      function, the proposed therapeutic protocol demonstrated clear benefits for
      patients with recurrent patella dislocation.

PMID- 28624559
TI  - Hereditary factors are unlikely behind unusual pattern of early - Onset
      colorectal cancer in Egyptians: A study of family history and pathology features
      in Egyptians with large bowel cancer (cross-sectional study).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer in Egypt has a higher incidence in young patients
      compared to western countries, where the disease is more prevalent in the old age
      group. This difference has been attributed to higher incidence of hereditary
      cancers in young Egyptian patients. The aim of this study is to compare the
      family history criteria and pathology features of tumors in young (<=40 years)
      and old (>40 years) Egyptian patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon and
      rectum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is the analysis of our prospectively
      collected data on the pathology features of tumors in 313 consecutive patients
      (133 young, 180 old) with colorectal cancer presenting to the Department of
      Surgery within an eight-year period. A detailed family history was obtained from
      258 patients (112 young, 146 old). RESULTS: 41 young and 48 old patients reported
      family history of cancer, the difference was not statistically significant. Ten
      young patients (9%) reported a family history of colorectal cancer in a first
      degree relative (3 fitting into Amsterdam criteria, 7 fitting into less strict
      criteria) which was not significantly different from the old age group. The
      pathologic features of tumors in both groups resembled sporadic rather than
      hereditary cancer and there was no significant difference between groups in tumor
      location, degree of differentiation, mucin production, synchronous and
      metachronous colorectal tumors or polyps and grossly stricturing or ulcerating
      tumors. Extracolonic tumors developed in one young and two old patients.
      CONCLUSION: The characteristics of large bowel cancer in young Egyptian patients
      do not differ significantly from those in older patients. Despite the high
      incidence of large bowel cancer in young Egyptian patients, family history and
      pathologic features of tumors do not support a hereditary origin of colorectal
      cancer in this age group in Egypt.

PMID- 28624558
TI  - Safety and feasibility of electrochemotherapy in patients with unresectable
      colorectal liver metastases: A pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Electrochemotherapy is a novel ablation technique
      combining chemotherapeutic agents with reversible cell membrane electroporation.
      Previous experiences have shown its efficacy for cutaneous tumors. Its
      application for deep-seated malignancies is under investigation. We performed a
      prospective, pilot study to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of
      intraoperative electrochemotherapy for otherwise unresectable colorectal liver
      metastases. METHODS: Electrochemotherapy with bleomycin was combined with open
      liver resection and performed with linear or hexagonal needle electrodes
      according to an individualized pretreatment plan. The primary endpoints were:
      feasibility, as ratio of completed to planned treatments; safety, and efficacy,
      as per response assessed at 30 days with MRI and according to RECIST. The
      secondary endpoint was overall and progression-free survival at month 6. RESULTS:
      A total of 9 colorectal liver metastases were treated in 5 patients with 20
      electrode applications. No intraoperative complications were observed. At day 30,
      complete response was 55.5% and stable disease 45.5%. All (5) patients reached a
      6 months overall survival, and 4 out of 5 patients had 6 months progression free
      survival. CONCLUSIONS: Electrochemotherapy is a feasible and safe adjunct to open
      surgery for treatment of unresectable colorectal liver metastases. Larger studies
      and longer follow-ups are favored to better define its role in the treatment of
      secondary liver malignancies.

PMID- 28624560
TI  - Intracranial Hypotension Following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Diagnostic and
      Therapeutic Challenge.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracranial hypotension (IH) is a recognized cause of coma; however,
      the diagnosis is often challenging, especially in patients with superimposed
      traumatic brain injury. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 67-year-old woman became comatose
      following evacuation of bilateral acute subdural hematomas with concurrent
      respiratory failure. Imaging and intraparenchymal intracranial pressure
      monitoring confirmed secondary IH. She was managed with an epidural blood patch
      and a 72-hour period in the Trendelenburg position guided by intracranial
      pressure monitoring and clinical assessment. She subsequently made an excellent
      neurologic recovery from an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 to a score of
      15. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary IH can easily be missed in patients who have sustained
      a primary brain injury. In patients with a poor neurologic recovery, clinicians
      should rule out secondary IH as a potential cause, as immediate treatment can
      lead to profound clinical improvement.

PMID- 28624562
TI  - Impact of Gradient Number and Voxel Size on Diffusion Tensor Imaging Tractography
      for Resective Brain Surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore quantitatively and qualitatively how the number of gradient
      directions (NGD) and spatial resolution (SR) affect diffusion tensor imaging
      (DTI) tractography in patients planned for brain tumor surgery, using routine
      clinical magnetic resonance imaging protocols. METHODS: Of 67 patients with
      intracerebral lesions who had 2 different DTI scans, 3 DTI series were
      reconstructed to compare the effects of NGD and SR. Tractographies for 4
      clinically relevant tracts (corticospinal tract, superior longitudinal
      fasciculus, optic radiation, and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus) were
      constructed with a probabilistic tracking algorithm and automated region of
      interest placement and compared for 3 quantitative measurements: tract volume,
      median fiber density, and mean fractional anisotropy, using linear mixed-effects
      models. The mean tractography volume and intersubject reliability were visually
      compared across scanning protocols, to assess the clinical relevance of the
      quantitative differences. RESULTS: Both NGD and SR significantly influenced tract
      volume, median fiber density, and mean fractional anisotropy, but not to the same
      extent. In particular, higher NGD increased tract volume and median fiber
      density. More importantly, these effects further increased when tracts were
      affected by disease. The effects were tract specific, but not dependent on
      threshold. The superior longitudinal fasciculus and inferior fronto-occipital
      fasciculus showed the most significant differences. Qualitative assessment showed
      larger tract volumes given a fixed confidence level, and better intersubject
      reliability for the higher NGD protocol. SR in the range we considered seemed
      less relevant than NGD. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that, under time
      constraints of clinical imaging, a higher number of diffusion gradients is more
      important than spatial resolution for superior DTI probabilistic tractography in
      patients undergoing brain tumor surgery.

PMID- 28624561
TI  - Safety, Utility, and Clinical Results of Continuous Intraoperative
      Electrophysiologic Monitoring in 1.5T iMRI-Guided Surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To show that the combined use of intraoperative high-field MRI (iMRI)
      and electrophysiologic monitoring (IOM) is feasible, safe, and beneficial for
      patients. METHODS: The setup, surgical, imaging, and clinical results of 110
      patients with eloquent intracranial lesions with the combined use of 1.5T iMRI
      and IOM were analyzed. RESULTS: 187 iMRI scans were performed with IOM needles in
      place, resulting in a total experience of using >4000 electrodes in the iMRI. No
      complication (ferromagnetic or relevant heating/burning of skin) was caused by
      the combined use of both technologies. Surgically induced severe postoperative
      sensorimotor deficits were seen in 11.8%. The surgeon's estimation of a "complete
      resection" proved to be true postoperatively in 90.3%. If the resection was
      stopped due to worsening of IOM, postoperative MRI revealed residual disease to
      be located in direct vicinity of eloquence in 27 of 28 cases, but not in other
      parts of the resection cavity. Of these patients, only 7% (2 of 28) had relevant
      new deficits after 3 months. In 82 patients (74.5%), the resection was continued
      after the iMRI scan, whereas in only 18 patients (16.4%) the resection was
      already completed at this point. CONCLUSION: The combined use of IOM and 1.5T
      iMRI is feasible and safe. The complementary use of both technologies might
      result in more radical resections at comparable surgically induced neurologic
      deficits. If available and indicated, the combined use of IOM and iMRI should be
      performed on a routine basis.

PMID- 28624563
TI  - Long-Term Volume Reduction Effects of Endovascular Embolization for Intracranial
      Meningioma: Preliminary Experience of 5 Cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preoperative endovascular embolization of intracranial meningiomas
      denatures the tumor tissue, reduces intraoperative blood loss, and facilitates
      surgical removal. However, as most meningiomas are surgically removed within a
      few days after embolization, the effect of long-term volume reduction of the
      tumor due to the endovascular embolization remains unknown. METHODS: Five
      patients with intracranial meningioma underwent endovascular embolization between
      January 2006 and December 2014 and were followed without surgical resection for
      >14 days. The reduction in tumor and peritumoral edema volumes on sequential head
      magnetic resonance imaging, along with the clinical symptoms, were
      retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: All the tumors indicated a 10%-30% volume
      reduction 30 days after embolization, which continued thereafter; no meningioma
      regrowth was observed for >90 days in 2 of 5 cases. Moreover, the peritumoral
      edema volume was reduced by 30%-70% at 30 days after embolization, and no
      subsequent increase was observed for >60 days in 4 of 5 cases. The neurologic
      symptoms related to the tumor mass effect improved after embolization.
      CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular embolization of intracranial meningiomas with n-butyl
      cyanoacrylate reduced the tumor and peritumoral edema volumes by 10%-30% and 30%
      70%, respectively, within 30 days. Volume and edema reduction effect of
      embolization may last longer than expected, beyond the timing when most
      meningiomas are resected after embolization. In this study, we described our
      preliminary results of the volume reduction of intracranial meningiomas that were
      embolized using n-butyl cyanoacrylate and monitored without any surgical
      resection for >14 days. We believe that our study makes a significant
      contribution to the literature because we showed that volume and edema reduction
      effect of embolization may last longer than expected, beyond the timing when most
      meningiomas are resected after embolization.

PMID- 28624564
TI  - Structural Allograft versus Autograft for Instrumented Atlantoaxial Fusions in
      Pediatric Patients: Radiologic and Clinical Outcomes in Series of 32 Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Allograft with wire techniques showed a low fusion rate in pediatric
      atlantoaxial fusions (AAFs) in early studies. Using allograft in pediatric AAFs
      with screw/rod constructs has not been reported. Thus we compared the fusion rate
      and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent AAFs with screw/rod
      constructs using either a structural autograft or allograft. METHODS: Pediatric
      patients (aged <=12 years) who underwent AAFs between 2007 and 2015 were
      retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into 2 groups (allograft or
      autograft). Clinical and radiographic results were collected from hospital
      records and compared. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients were included (18
      allograft, 14 autograft). There were no significant group differences in age,
      sex, weight, diagnosis, or duration of follow-up. A similar fusion rate was
      achieved (allograft: 94%, 17/18; autograft: 100%, 14/14); however, the average
      fusion time was 3 months longer in the allograft group. Blood loss was
      significantly lower in the allograft group (68 +/- 8.5 mL) than the autograft
      group (116 +/- 12.5 mL). Operating time and length of hospitalization were
      slightly (nonsignificantly) shorter for the allograft group. A significantly
      higher overall incidence of surgery-related complications was seen in the
      autograft group, including a 16.7% (2/14) rate of donor-site-related
      complications. CONCLUSIONS: The use of allograft for AAF was safe and efficacious
      when combined with rigid screw/rod constructs in pediatric patients, with a
      similar fusion rate to autografts and an acceptable complication rate.
      Furthermore, blood loss was less when using allograft and donor-site morbidity
      was eliminated; however, the fusion time was increased.

PMID- 28624565
TI  - A Case of Laterally Extended High-Positioned Chordoma Treated Using the High
      Cervical Retropharyngeal Approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several surgical approaches for the treatment of pathologies of the
      craniovertebral junction (CVJ) and high cervical regions have been reported. For
      the best postoperative results, selection of a surgical route to treat such
      pathologies should be based on a complete understanding of the approach. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: A 64-year-old woman presented with a 5-year history of motor and
      sensory disturbances in her right upper extremity. Cervical magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) showed a slightly enhanced mass at the C2-C4 level. Sagittal T2
      weighted MRI revealed a hyperintense dumbbell-shaped mass involving a damaged C3
      vertebral body. We performed a 2-stage operation to achieve gross total removal
      of the tumor. In the first operation, a posterior approach was used to remove the
      intracanalicular tumor, achieve spinal cord decompression, and establish a
      histological diagnosis of the tumor (subsequently diagnosed as a chordoma). In
      the second operation, gross total removal of the chordoma was achieved via the
      anterior high cervical retropharyngeal approach. We used iliac bone and titanium
      plates for the bony fusion. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the high
      cervical retropharyngeal approach is a reasonable option for pathologies located
      in the anterior or anterolateral portions of high cervical regions. This approach
      is an alternative to the transoral approach to the ventral CVJ and high cervical
      regions.

PMID- 28624566
TI  - Four-Dimensional Phase Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Protocol Optimization
      Using Patient-Specific 3-Dimensional Printed Replicas for In Vivo Imaging Before
      and After Flow Diverter Placement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Hemodynamics in cerebral aneurysms are currently investigated toward
      clinical efficacy using nonstandardized computational simulation techniques. At
      the same time, flow patterns and velocities are accessible by 4-dimensional phase
      contrast magnetic resonance imaging (4D pcMRI). Complexity of protocol design and
      imaging duration has limited the use of this technique in clinical imaging. A new
      approach is presented to overcome these limitations. METHODS: Three-dimensional
      (3D) replicas of 2 cerebral aneurysms were fabricated by fused deposition
      prototyping (3D printing) and imaged using 4D pcMRI while connected to a magnetic
      resonance imaging-compatible continuous flow loop. Acquisition parameters were
      optimized with imaging times not to exceed 10 minutes. Six patients harboring
      cerebral aneurysms with sizes ranging from 4.7 to 13.8 mm were imaged with the
      optimized 4D pcMRI protocol. After treatment with the pipeline embolization
      device (PED), 4D pcMRI examinations were repeated in 3 patients. RESULTS: In all
      cases, major flow patterns were visualized well; smaller aneurysms posed a
      challenge because of limited spatial resolution, whereas larger aneurysms
      contained regions of low velocity resulting in limited contrast in the flow
      sensitive images. After PED placement, ordered aneurysmal flow was disrupted and
      intra-aneurysmal velocity was reduced on average by 24.5% (range, 12.9-31.5%).
      Exploratory statistical analysis yielded a positive significant correlation (P <
      0.01) between changes in inflow velocity and posttreatment intra-aneurysmal flow
      velocity. CONCLUSIONS: 4D pcMRI flow imaging in cerebral aneurysms within a time
      frame suitable for clinical imaging applications is feasible with optimized
      acquisition parameters, thereby enabling quantification of intra-aneurysmal flow
      changes after flow diverter device treatment.

PMID- 28624567
TI  - Results of Operative Treatment of Brachial Plexus Injury Resulting from Shoulder
      Dislocation: A Study with A Long-Term Follow-Up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Injury to the infraclavicular brachial plexus is an uncommon but
      serious complication of shoulder dislocation. This work aims to determine the
      effectiveness of operative treatment in patients with this type of injury.
      METHODS: Thirty-three patients (26 men and 7 women; mean age, 45 years and 3
      months) treated operatively for brachial plexus injury resulting from shoulder
      dislocation between the years 2000 and 2013 were included in this retrospective
      case series. Motor function of affected limbs was assessed pre- and
      postoperatively with the use of the British Medical Research Council (BMRC)
      scale. Sensory function in the areas innervated by ulnar and median nerves was
      evaluated with the BMRC scale modified by Omer and Dellon and in the remaining
      areas with the Highet classification. Follow-up lasted 2-10 years (mean, 5.1
      years). RESULTS: Good postoperative recovery of nerve function was observed in
      100% of musculocutaneous, 93.3% of radial, 66.7% of median, 64% of axillary, and
      50% of ulnar nerve injuries. No recovery was observed in 5.6% of median, 6.7% of
      radial, 10% of ulnar, and 20% of axillary nerve injuries. Injury to a single
      nerve was associated with worse treatment outcome than multiple nerve injury.
      CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining improvement in peripheral nerve function after injury
      resulting from shoulder dislocation may require operative intervention. The type
      of surgical procedure depends on intraoperative findings: sural nerve grafting in
      cases of neural elements' disruption, internal neurolysis when intraneural
      fibrosis is observed, and external neurolysis in the remaining cases. The
      outcomes of surgical treatment are good, and the risk of intra- and postoperative
      complications is low.

PMID- 28624568
TI  - Towards a mechanistic understanding of core promoter recognition from cryo-EM
      studies of human TFIID.
AB  - TFIID is a critical component of the eukaryotic transcription pre-initiation
      complex (PIC) required for the recruitment of RNA Pol II to the start site of
      protein-coding genes. Within the PIC, TFIID's role is to recognize and bind core
      promoter sequences and recruit the rest of the PIC components. Due to its size
      and its conformational complexity, TFIID poses a serious challenge for structural
      characterization. The small amounts of purified TFIID that can be obtained by
      present methods of purification from endogenous sources has limited structural
      studies to cryo-EM visualization, which requires very small amounts of sample.
      Previous cryo-EM studies have shed light on how the extreme conformational
      flexibility of TFIID is involved in core promoter DNA binding. Recent progress in
      cryo-EM methodology has facilitated a parallel progress in the study of human
      TFIID, leading to an improvement in resolution and the identification of the
      structural elements in the complex directly involved in DNA interaction. While
      many questions remain unanswered, the present structural knowledge of human TFIID
      suggests a mechanism for the sequential engagement with different core promoter
      sequences and how it could be influenced by regulatory factors.

PMID- 28624569
TI  - Readers, writers and erasers of N6-methylated adenosine modification.
AB  - N6-methyladenosine (m6A) as the most prevalent internal modification in mammalian
      RNAs has been increasingly realized as an important reversible mark that
      participates in various biological processes and cancer pathogenesis. In this
      review, we discuss the catalytic mechanisms of MT-A70 domain family proteins for
      mediating adenosine N6-methylation, the removal of this RNA mark by members of
      ALKB homologue domain family proteins, and the recognition of these m6A-modified
      RNAs by YTH domain family proteins. Our discussions focus on the recent advances
      in our understandings of the structural and functional properties of N6
      methyladenosine methyltransferases, demethylases and reader proteins. Overall, we
      aim to mechanistically explain the reversible and dynamic nature of this unique
      RNA internal modification that contributes to the complexity of RNA-mediated gene
      regulation, and inspire new studies in epitranscriptomics.

PMID- 28624570
TI  - Effects of intrauterine contraception on the vaginal microbiota.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: There have been conflicting reports of altered vaginal microbiota and
      infection susceptibility associated with contraception use. The objectives of
      this study were to determine if intrauterine contraception altered the vaginal
      microbiota and to compare the effects of a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD)
      and a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on the vaginal microbiota.
      STUDY DESIGN: DNA was isolated from the vaginal swab samples of 76 women using Cu
      IUD (n=36) or LNG-IUS (n=40) collected prior to insertion of intrauterine
      contraception (baseline) and at 6 months. A third swab from approximately 12
      months following insertion was available for 69 (Cu-IUD, n=33; LNG-IUS, n=36) of
      these women. The V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA-encoding gene was amplified
      from the vaginal swab DNA and sequenced. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were
      processed and analyzed using the software package mothur to compare the structure
      and dynamics of the vaginal bacterial communities. RESULTS: The vaginal
      microbiota from individuals in this study clustered into 3 major vaginal
      bacterial community types: one dominated by Lactobacillus iners, one dominated by
      Lactobacillus crispatus and one community type that was not dominated by a single
      Lactobacillus species. Changes in the vaginal bacterial community composition
      were not associated with the use of Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS. Additionally, we did not
      observe a clear difference in vaginal microbiota stability with Cu-IUD versus LNG
      IUS use. CONCLUSIONS: Although the vaginal microbiota can be highly dynamic,
      alterations in the community associated with the use of intrauterine
      contraception (Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS) were not detected over 12 months. IMPLICATIONS:
      We found no evidence that intrauterine contraception (Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS) altered
      the vaginal microbiota composition. Therefore, the use of intrauterine
      contraception is unlikely to shift the composition of the vaginal microbiota such
      that infection susceptibility is altered.

PMID- 28624571
TI  - Age-related changes of cortical excitability and connectivity in healthy humans:
      non-invasive evaluation of sensorimotor network by means of TMS-EEG.
AB  - The sensorimotor cortical system undergoes structural and functional changes
      across its lifespan. Some of these changes are physiological and parallel the
      normal aging process, while others might represent pathophysiological mechanisms
      underlying neurodegenerative disorders. In the last years, the study of possible
      age-related modifications in brain sensorimotor functional characteristics has
      been the focus of several research projects. Here we have used the transcranial
      magnetic stimulation (TMS)-electroencephalography (EEG) navigated co-registration
      to investigate the influence of physiological aging on the excitability and
      connectivity of the human sensorimotor cortical system. To this end, we compared
      the TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs) collected after stimulating the dominant
      primary motor cortex (M1) in healthy young subjects (mean age 24.5years) with
      those collected in healthy older adults (mean age 67.6years). We have shown that,
      after stimulation of the left motor cortex, TEPs are significantly affected by
      physiological aging. This phenomenon has a clear spatio-temporal specificity and
      we speculate that normal aging per se leads to some changes in the excitability
      of specific cortical neural assemblies whereas other alterations could reflect
      compensatory mechanisms to such changes.

PMID- 28624572
TI  - Role of beta-catenin and endocannabinoids in the nucleus accumbens in extinction
      in rats exposed to shock and reminders.
AB  - The response to a traumatic experience may be rapid recovery or development of
      psychopathology such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Impaired
      extinction of fear memories is thought to contribute to the development of the
      persistent trauma memories and avoidance. The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway and the
      endocannabinoid system appear to play significant roles in anxiety and depressive
      symptoms. Here we examined the involvement of beta-catenin in the nucleus
      accumbens (NAc) in extinction in rats exposed to the shock and reminders model of
      PTSD. We found that increased beta-catenin levels in the NAc were correlated with
      facilitated extinction kinetics in rats exposed to shock and reminders,
      suggesting that increased levels of NAc beta-catenin are associated with a
      resilient response to the stressor. Furthermore, downregulating beta-catenin
      expression in the NAc in shocked rats using sulindac (0.0178, 0.178mg/side)
      impaired extinction whereas upregulating the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway using LiCl
      (2ug/side) facilitated extinction. Exposure to shock and reminders resulted in
      attenuated levels of the endocannabinoid N-arachidonylethanolamine (AEA) in the
      NAc; the cannabinoid CB1/2 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (5ug/side) microinjected
      into the NAc facilitated extinction in shocked rats. Importantly, the
      facilitating effect of WIN55,212-2 on extinction was blocked by co-administration
      of sulindac in doses that downregulated beta-catenin levels. Taken together, the
      results suggest that beta-catenin in the NAc may serve as a protective buffer
      against the effects of severe stress, and that inhibiting this system in the NAc
      may prevent the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids against stress-related
      disorders.

PMID- 28624573
TI  - Plasticity of intrinsic firing response gain in principal hippocampal neurons
      following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In experimental models of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), brain neurons
      manifest multiple changes in intrinsic excitability that contribute to neuronal
      network hyperexcitability. We have investigated whether the intrinsic firing
      response gain, quantified by the slope of the function relating the number of
      evoked spikes (Ns) to input excitatory current intensity (I), is modified in
      principal rat hippocampal neurons in the pilocarpine-status epilepticus (SE)
      model of TLE. METHODS: Intracellular recordings were made in CA3 and CA1
      pyramidal cells (PCs) and dentate granule cells (GCs) in acute hippocampal slices
      obtained 7-36days after pilocarpine-SE. Firing response gains were determined
      empirically from Ns/I relationships and compared to other measured neuronal
      properties. RESULTS: The firing response gain in all three types of principal
      neurons, particularly in CA3 PCs, was markedly multiplied following pilocarpine
      SE. Analyses of persistent changes in active and passive properties of CA3 PCs
      suggested that this increase is multifactorial in origin, the major factors being
      a reduction in amplitude of the slow afterhyperpolarization and an increase in
      the fraction of bursting neurons. SIGNIFICANCE: Here we show that pilocarpine-SE
      causes multiplication of the firing response gain in the three principal neurons
      in the hippocampal trisynaptic pathway. This alteration undoubtedly would
      contribute to hippocampal hyperexcitability in SE-induced TLE.

PMID- 28624574
TI  - Evidence for a pharmacokinetic interaction between eslicarbazepine and
      rosuvastatin: Potential effects on xenobiotic transporters.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Patients with partial-onset seizures and comorbid cardiovascular
      disease may concomitantly receive eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL), an antiepileptic
      drug, and rosuvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor. This study evaluated the
      effect of multiple-dose ESL on the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of a single
      dose of rosuvastatin in healthy subjects. METHODS: This was a Phase I, single
      center, fixed-sequence, open-label study. Healthy subjects received two
      treatments, in sequence. Treatment A: a single 40mg oral dose of rosuvastatin on
      Day 1, followed by a washout period (Days 1-4); treatment B: titration of ESL
      (400-800mg once daily) on Days 5-18, followed by ESL 1200mg once daily on Days 19
      35, with a single dose of rosuvastatin (40mg) on Day 32. Subjects then entered a
      2-week follow-up period. Plasma concentrations of rosuvastatin were quantified
      for PK analyses. Safety and tolerability were assessed throughout the study.
      RESULTS: Thirty-three healthy subjects were enrolled and 30 completed the study.
      Mean rosuvastatin (standard deviation) t1/2 was similar when rosuvastatin was
      used concomitantly with ESL and when it was used alone (26.5 [16.3]h, and 22.4
      [9.5]h, respectively). The geometric least squares mean ratios (90% confidence
      intervals) of rosuvastatin exposure levels between rosuvastatin used
      concomitantly with ESL and rosuvastatin used alone were as follows: Cmax, 64.0%
      (55.9-73.3%); AUC(0-infinity), 63.0% (57.1-69.4%); and AUC(0-last), 60.9% (55.2
      67.1%). Concomitant use of ESL and rosuvastatin was generally well tolerated.
      CONCLUSIONS: Rosuvastatin exposure was 36-39% lower with steady-state
      administration of ESL, potentially due to reduced oral bioavailability of
      rosuvastatin. Consequently, when rosuvastatin is used with ESL, a rosuvastatin
      dose adjustment may be necessary if a clinically significant change in lipids is
      noted.

PMID- 28624575
TI  - Intestinal Fungal Dysbiosis Is Associated With Visceral Hypersensitivity in
      Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Visceral hypersensitivity is one feature of irritable bowel
      syndrome (IBS). Bacterial dysbiosis might be involved in the activation of
      nociceptive sensory pathways, but there have been few studies of the role of the
      mycobiome (the fungal microbiome) in the development of IBS. We analyzed
      intestinal mycobiomes of patients with IBS and a rat model of visceral
      hypersensitivity. METHODS: We used internal transcribed spacer 1-based
      metabarcoding to compare fecal mycobiomes of 18 healthy volunteers with those of
      39 patients with IBS (with visceral hypersensitivity or normal levels of
      sensitivity). We also compared the mycobiomes of Long-Evans rats separated from
      their mothers (hypersensitive) with non-handled (normally sensitive) rats. We
      investigated whether fungi can cause visceral hypersensitivity using rats exposed
      to fungicide (fluconazole and nystatin). The functional relevance of the gut
      mycobiome was confirmed in fecal transplantation experiments: adult maternally
      separated rats were subjected to water avoidance stress (to induce visceral
      hypersensitivity), then given fungicide and donor cecum content via oral gavage.
      Other rats subjected to water avoidance stress were given soluble beta-glucans,
      which antagonize C-type lectin domain family 7 member A (CLEC7A or DECTIN1)
      signaling via spleen-associated tyrosine kinase (SYK), a SYK inhibitor to reduce
      visceral hypersensitivity, or vehicle (control). The sensitivity of mast cells to
      fungi was tested with mesenteric windows (ex vivo) and the human mast cell line
      HMC-1. RESULTS: alpha diversity (Shannon index) and mycobiome signature
      (stability selection) of both groups of IBS patients differed from healthy
      volunteers, and the mycobiome signature of hypersensitive patients differed from
      that of normally sensitive patients. We observed mycobiome dysbiosis in rats that
      had been separated from their mothers compared with non-handled rats.
      Administration of fungicide to hypersensitive rats reduced their visceral
      hypersensitivity to normal levels of sensitivity. Administration of cecal
      mycobiomes from rats that had been separated from their mothers (but not non
      handled mycobiome) restored hypersensitivity to distension. Administration of
      soluble beta-glucans or a SYK inhibitor reduced visceral hypersensitivity,
      compared with controls. Particulate beta-glucan (a DECTIN-1 agonist) induced mast
      cell degranulation in mesenteric windows and HMC-1 cells responded to fungal
      antigens by release of histamine. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of patients with
      IBS and controls, we associated fungal dysbiosis with IBS. In studies of rats, we
      found fungi to promote visceral hypersensitivity, which could be reduced by
      administration of fungicides, soluble beta-glucans, or a SYK inhibitor. The
      intestinal fungi might therefore be manipulated for treatment of IBS-related
      visceral hypersensitivity.

PMID- 28624576
TI  - Agreement Between Magnetic Resonance Imaging Proton Density Fat Fraction
      Measurements and Pathologist-Assigned Steatosis Grades of Liver Biopsies From
      Adults With Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: We assessed the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) proton density fat fraction (PDFF) in grading hepatic steatosis and
      change in hepatic steatosis in adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in
      a multi-center study, using central histology as reference. METHODS: We collected
      data from 113 adults with NASH participating in a multi-center, randomized,
      double-masked, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial to compare the efficacy cross
      sectionally and longitudinally of obeticholic acid vs placebo. Hepatic steatosis
      was assessed at baseline and after 72 weeks of obeticholic acid or placebo by
      liver biopsy and MRI (scanners from different manufacturers, at 1.5T or 3T). We
      compared steatosis estimates by PDFF vs histology. Histologic steatosis grade was
      scored in consensus by a pathology committee. Cross-validated receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed. RESULTS: At baseline, 34% of
      subjects had steatosis grade 0 or 1, 39% had steatosis grade 2, and 27% had
      steatosis grade 3; corresponding mean PDFF values were 9.8%+/-3.7%, 18.1%+/-4.3%,
      and 30.1%+/-8.1%. PDFF classified steatosis grade 0-1 vs 2-3 with an area under
      the ROC curve (AUROC) of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.91-0.98), and grade 0-2 vs grade 3
      steatosis with an AUROC of 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93-0.99). PDFF cut-off values at 90%
      specificity were 16.3% for grades 2-3 and 21.7% for grade 3, with corresponding
      sensitivities of 83% and 84%. After 72 weeks' of obeticholic vs placebo, 42% of
      subjects had a reduced steatosis grade (mean reduction in PDFF from baseline of
      7.4%+/-8.7%), 49% had no change in steatosis grade (mean increase in PDFF from
      baseline of 0.3%+/-6.3%), and 9% had an increased steatosis grade (mean increase
      in PDFF from baseline of 7.7%+/-6.0%). PDFF change identified subjects with
      reduced steatosis grade with an AUROC of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.71-0.91) and increased
      steatosis grade with an AUROC of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.63-0.99). A PDFF reduction of
      5.15% identified subjects with reduced steatosis grade with 90% specificity and
      58% sensitivity, whereas a PDFF increase of 5.6% identified those with increased
      steatosis grade with 90% specificity and 57% sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Based on
      data from a phase 2 randomized controlled trial of adults with NASH, PDFF
      estimated by MRI scanners of different field strength and at different sites,
      accurately classifies grades and changes in hepatic steatosis when histologic
      analysis of biopsies is used as a reference.

PMID- 28624577
TI  - Identification of an Immune-specific Class of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Based on
      Molecular Features.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Agents that induce an immune response against tumors by
      altering T-cell regulation have increased survival times of patients with
      advanced-stage tumors, such as melanoma or lung cancer. We aimed to characterize
      molecular features of immune cells that infiltrate hepatocellular carcinomas
      (HCCs) to determine whether these types of agents might be effective against
      liver tumors. METHODS: We analyzed HCC samples from 956 patients. We separated
      gene expression profiles from tumor, stromal, and immune cells using a non
      negative matrix factorization algorithm. We then analyzed the gene expression
      pattern of inflammatory cells in HCC tumor samples. We correlated expression
      patterns with the presence of immune cell infiltrates and immune regulatory
      molecules, determined by pathology and immunohistochemical analyses, in a
      training set of 228 HCC samples. We validated the correlation in a validation set
      of 728 tumor samples. Using data from 190 tumors in the Cancer Genome Atlas, we
      correlated immune cell gene expression profiles with numbers of chromosomal
      aberrations (based on single-nucleotide polymorphism array) and mutations (exome
      sequence data). RESULTS: We found approximately 25% of HCCs to have markers of an
      inflammatory response, with high expression levels of the CD274 molecule
      (programmed death-ligand 1) and programmed cell death 1, markers of cytolytic
      activity, and fewer chromosomal aberrations. We called this group of tumors the
      Immune class. It contained 2 subtypes, characterized by markers of an adaptive T
      cell response or exhausted immune response. The exhausted immune response
      subclass expressed many genes regulated by transforming growth factor beta 1 that
      mediate immunosuppression. We did not observe any differences in numbers of
      mutations or expression of tumor antigens between the immune-specific class and
      other HCCs. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of HCC samples from 956 patients, we
      found almost 25% to express markers of an inflammatory response. We identified 2
      subclasses, characterized by adaptive or exhausted immune responses. These
      findings indicate that some HCCs might be susceptible to therapeutic agents
      designed to block the regulatory pathways in T cells, such as programmed death
      ligand 1, programmed cell death 1, or transforming growth factor beta 1
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28624578
TI  - Accuracy in Diagnosis of Celiac Disease Without Biopsies in Clinical Practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: The guidelines of the European Society of Pediatric
      Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition allow for diagnosis of celiac disease
      without biopsies in children with symptoms and levels of immunoglobulin A against
      tissue-transglutaminase (TGA-IgA) 10-fold or more the upper limit of normal
      (ULN), confirmed by detection of endomysium antibodies (EMA) and positivity for
      HLA-DQ2/DQ8. We performed a large, international prospective study to validate
      this approach. METHODS: We collected data from consecutive pediatric patients (18
      years or younger) on a gluten-containing diet who tested positive for TGA-IgA
      from November 2011 through May 2014, seen at 33 pediatric gastroenterology units
      in 21 countries. Local centers recorded symptoms; measurements of total IgA, TGA,
      and EMA; and histopathology findings from duodenal biopsies. Children were
      considered to have malabsorption if they had chronic diarrhea, weight loss (or
      insufficient gain), growth failure, or anemia. We directly compared central
      findings from 16 antibody tests (8 for TGA-IgA, 1 for TGA-IgG, 6 for IgG against
      deamidated gliadin peptides, and 1 for EMA, from 5 different manufacturers), 2
      HLA-DQ2/DQ8 tests from 2 manufacturers, and histopathology findings from the
      reference pathologist. Final diagnoses were based on local and central results.
      If all local and central results were concordant for celiac disease, cases were
      classified as proven celiac disease. Patients with only a low level of TGA-IgA
      (threefold or less the ULN) but no other results indicating celiac disease were
      classified as no celiac disease. Central histo-morphometry analyses were
      performed on all other biopsies and cases were carefully reviewed in a blinded
      manner. Inconclusive cases were regarded as not having celiac disease for
      calculation of diagnostic accuracy. The primary aim was to determine whether the
      nonbiopsy approach identifies children with celiac disease with a positive
      predictive value (PPV) above 99% in clinical practice. Secondary aims included
      comparing performance of different serological tests and to determine whether the
      suggested criteria can be simplified. RESULTS: Of 803 children recruited for the
      study, 96 were excluded due to incomplete data, low level of IgA, or poor-quality
      biopsies. In the remaining 707 children (65.1% girls; median age, 6.2 years), 645
      were diagnosed with celiac disease, 46 were found not to have celiac disease, and
      16 had inconclusive results. Findings from local laboratories of TGA-IgA 10-fold
      or more the ULN, a positive result from the test for EMA, and any symptom
      identified children with celiac disease (n = 399) with a PPV of 99.75 (95%
      confidence interval [CI], 98.61-99.99); the PPV was 100.00 (95% CI, 98.68-100.00)
      when only malabsorption symptoms were used instead of any symptom (n = 278).
      Inclusion of HLA analyses did not increase accuracy. Findings from central
      laboratories differed greatly for patients with lower levels of antibodies, but
      when levels of TGA-IgA were 10-fold or more the ULN, PPVs ranged from 99.63 (95%
      CI, 98.67-99.96) to 100.00 (95% CI, 99.23-100.00). CONCLUSIONS: Children can be
      accurately diagnosed with celiac disease without biopsy analysis. Diagnosis based
      on level of TGA-IgA 10-fold or more the ULN, a positive result from the EMA tests
      in a second blood sample, and the presence of at least 1 symptom could avoid
      risks and costs of endoscopy for more than half the children with celiac disease
      worldwide. HLA analysis is not required for accurate diagnosis. Clinical Trial
      Registration no: DRKS00003555.

PMID- 28624580
TI  - Proton Pump Inhibitors Decrease Phlebotomy Need in HFE Hemochromatosis: Double
      Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.
AB  - Phlebotomy constitutes the established treatment for HFE-related hemochromatosis.
      Retrospective studies have suggested proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) reduce the
      need for phlebotomy in this population. We conducted a randomized controlled
      trial to prove this. Thirty p.C282Y homozygous patients were randomly allocated
      to PPI (pantoprazole 40 mg/day) or placebo for 12 months. Phlebotomies were
      performed when serum ferritin was > 100 MUg/L. Phlebotomy need turned out to be
      significantly lower in patients taking PPI (P = .0052). PPI treatment
      significantly reduces the need for phlebotomies in p.C282Y homozygous patients.
      In view of the known long-term safety profile of PPI, they can be a valuable
      addition to standard therapy. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01524757.

PMID- 28624579
TI  - Epigenome-Wide Association Study Identifies Methylation Sites Associated With
      Liver Enzymes and Hepatic Steatosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Epigenetic mechanisms might be involved in the regulation of
      liver enzyme level. We aimed to identify CpG sites at which DNA methylation
      levels are associated with blood levels of liver enzymes and hepatic steatosis.
      METHODS: We conducted an epigenome-wide association study in whole blood for
      liver enzyme levels, including gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alanine
      aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), among a discovery
      set of 731 participants of the Rotterdam Study and sought replication in a non
      overlapping sample of 719 individuals. Significant DNA methylation changes were
      further analyzed to evaluate their relation with hepatic steatosis. Expression
      levels of the top identified gene were measured in 9 human liver cell lines and
      compared with expression profiles of its potential targets associated with lipid
      traits. The candidate gene was subsequently knocked down in human hepatoma cells
      using lentiviral vectors expressing small hairpin RNAs. RESULTS: Eight probes
      annotated to SLC7A11, SLC1A5, SLC43A1, PHGDH, PSORS1C1, SREBF1, ANKS3 were
      associated with GGT and 1 probe annotated to SLC7A11 was associated with ALT
      after Bonferroni correction (1.0 * 10-7). No probe was identified for AST levels.
      Four probes for GGT levels including cg06690548 (SLC7A11), cg11376147 (SLC43A1),
      cg22304262 (SLC1A5), and cg14476101 (PHGDH), and 1 for ALT cg06690548 (SLC7A11)
      were replicated. DNA methylation at SLC7A11 was associated with reduced risk of
      hepatic steatosis in participants (odds ratio, 0.69; 95% CI= 0.55-0.93; P value:
      2.7 * 10-3). In functional experiments, SLC7A11 was highly expressed in human
      liver cells; its expression is positively correlated with expression of a panel
      of lipid-associated genes, indicating a role of SLC7A11 in lipid metabolism.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide new insights into epigenetic mechanisms
      associated with markers of liver function and hepatic steatosis, laying the
      groundwork for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28624581
TI  - Polygenic risk for depression and the neural correlates of working memory in
      healthy subjects.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients show impairments of
      cognitive functioning such as working memory (WM), and furthermore alterations
      during WM-fMRI tasks especially in frontal and parietal brain regions. The
      calculation of a polygenic risk score (PRS) can be used to describe the genetic
      influence on MDD, hence imaging genetic studies aspire to combine both genetics
      and neuroimaging data to identify the influence of genetic factors on brain
      functioning. We aimed to detect the effect of MDD-PRS on brain activation during
      a WM task measured with fMRI and expect healthy individuals with a higher PRS to
      be more resembling to MDD patients. METHOD: In total, n=137 (80 men, 57 women,
      aged 34.5, SD=10.4years) healthy subjects performed a WM n-back task [0-back
      (baseline), 2-back and 3-back condition] in a 3T-MRI-tomograph. The sample was
      genotyped using the Infinium PsychArray BeadChip and a polygenic risk score was
      calculated for MDD using PGC MDD GWAS results. RESULTS: A lower MDD risk score
      was associated with increased activation in the bilateral middle occipital gyri
      (MOG), the bilateral middle frontal gyri (MFG) and the right precentral gyrus
      (PCG) during the 2-back vs. baseline condition. Moreover, a lower PRS was
      associated with increased brain activation during the 3-back vs. baseline
      condition in the bilateral cerebellum, the right MFG and the left inferior
      parietal lobule. A higher polygenic risk score was associated with
      hyperactivation in brain regions comprising the right MFG and the right
      supplementary motor area during the 3-back vs. 2-back condition. DISCUSSION: The
      results suggest that part of the WM-related brain activation patterns might be
      explained by genetic variants captured by the MDD-PRS. Furthermore we were able
      to detect MDD-associated activation patterns in healthy individuals depending on
      the MDD-PRS and the task complexity. Additional gene loci could contribute to
      these task-dependent brain activation patterns.

PMID- 28624582
TI  - Further replication of the synergistic interaction between LPHN3 and the NTAD
      gene cluster on ADHD and its clinical course throughout adulthood.
AB  - Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common and highly heritable
      neuropsychiatric disorder. Despite the high heritability, the unraveling of
      specific genetic factors related to ADHD is hampered by its considerable genetic
      complexity. Recent evidence suggests that gene-gene interactions can explain part
      of this complexity. We examined the impact of strongly supported interaction
      effects between the LPHN3 gene and the NTAD gene cluster (NCAM1-TTC12-ANKK1-DRD2)
      in a 7-year follow-up of a clinical sample of adults with ADHD, addressing
      associations with susceptibility, symptomatology and stability of diagnosis. The
      sample comprises 548 adults with ADHD and 643 controls. Entropy-based analysis
      indicated a potential interaction between the LPHN3-rs6551665 and TTC12-rs2303380
      SNPs influencing ADHD symptom counts. Further analyses revealed significant
      interaction effects on ADHD total symptoms (p=0.002), and with
      hyperactivity/impulsivity symptom counts (p=0.005). In the group composed by
      predominantly hyperactive/impulsive and combined presentation, the presence of
      LPHN3-rs6551665 G allele was related to increased ADHD risk only in individuals
      carrying the TTC12-rs2303380 AA genotype (p=0.026). Also, the same allelic
      constellation is involved in maintenance of ADHD in a predominantly
      hyperactive/impulsive or combined presentation after a 7-year follow-up
      (p=0.008). These observations reinforce and replicate previous evidence
      suggesting that an interaction effect between the LPHN3 gene and the NTAD cluster
      may have a role in the genetic substrate associated to ADHD also in adults.
      Moreover, it is possible that the interactions between LPHN3 and NTAD are
      specific factors contributing to the development of an ADHD phenotype with
      increased hyperactivity/impulsivity that is maintained throughout adulthood.

PMID- 28624583
TI  - Pre-adolescent and adolescent mice are less sensitive to the effects of acute
      nicotine on extinction and spontaneous recovery.
AB  - Adolescence is a period of high risk for the initiation of nicotine product usage
      and exposure to traumatic events. In parallel, nicotine exposure has been found
      to age-dependently modulate acquisition of contextual fear memories; however, it
      is unknown if adolescent nicotine exposure alters extinction of fear related
      memories. Age-related differences in sensitivity to the effects of nicotine on
      fear extinction could increase or decrease susceptibility to anxiety disorders.
      In this study, we examined the effects of acute nicotine administration on
      extinction and spontaneous recovery of contextual fear memories in pre-adolescent
      (PND 23), late adolescent (PND 38), and adult (PND 53) C57B6/J mice. Mice were
      first trained in a background contextual fear conditioning paradigm and given an
      intraperitoneal injection of one of four doses of nicotine (0.045, 0.09, 0.18, or
      0.36mg/kg, freebase) prior to subsequent extinction or spontaneous recovery
      sessions. Results indicated that all acute nicotine doses impaired extinction of
      contextual fear in adult mice. Late adolescent mice exhibited impaired extinction
      of contextual fear only following higher doses of acute nicotine, and extinction
      of contextual fear was unaffected by acute nicotine exposure in pre-adolescent
      mice. Finally, acute nicotine exposure enhanced spontaneous recovery of fear
      memory, but only in adult mice. Overall, our results suggest that younger mice
      were less sensitive to nicotine's impairing effects on extinction of contextual
      fear and to nicotine's enhancing effects on spontaneous recovery of contextual
      fear memory.

PMID- 28624584
TI  - Antibody-dependent NK cell degranulation as a marker for assessing antibody
      dependent cytotoxicity against pandemic 2009 influenza A(H1N1) infection in human
      plasma and influenza-vaccinated transchromosomic bovine intravenous
      immunoglobulin therapy.
AB  - This study describes an antibody-dependent NK cell degranulation assay, as a
      biomarker to assess antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) response in
      influenza plasma and for antibody therapies against influenza infection. The
      concentration of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the hemagglutinin
      receptor of influenza viruses is a current determinant in protection against
      infection, particularly following receipt of the seasonal influenza vaccine.
      However, this is a limited assessment of protection, because: (i) NAb titers that
      incur full protection vary; and (ii) NAb titers do not account for the entire
      breadth of antibody responses against viral infection. Previous reports have
      indicated that antibodies that prime ADCC play a vital role in controlling
      influenza infections, and thus should be quantified for assessing protection
      against influenza. This report demonstrates a non-radioactive assay that assesses
      NK cell activation as a marker of ADCC, in which NK cells interact with opsonized
      viral antigen expressed on the surface of infected Raji target cells resulting in
      effector cell degranulation (surrogate CD107a expression). A positive correlation
      was determined between HAI titers and sustained NK cell activation, although NK
      cell activation was seen in plasma samples with HAI titers below 40 and varied
      amongst samples with high HAI titers. Furthermore, sustained NK cell
      degranulation was determined for influenza-vaccinated transchromosomic bovine
      intravenous immunoglobulin, indicating the potential utility of this therapy for
      influenza treatment. We conclude that this assay is reproducible and relevant.

PMID- 28624585
TI  - Contributions of the lateral habenula to circadian timekeeping.
AB  - Over the past 20years, substantive research has firmly implicated the lateral
      habenula in myriad neural processes including addiction, depression, and sleep.
      More recently, evidence has emerged suggesting that the lateral habenula is a
      component of the brain's intrinsic daily or circadian timekeeping system. This
      system centers on the master circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of
      the hypothalamus that is synchronized to the external world through environmental
      light information received directly from the eye. Rhythmic clock gene expression
      in suprachiasmatic neurons drives variation in their electrical activity enabling
      communication of temporal information, and the organization of circadian rhythms
      in downstream targets. Here, we review the evidence implicating the lateral
      habenula as part of an extended neural circadian system. We consider findings
      suggesting that the lateral habenula is a recipient of circadian signals from the
      suprachiasmatic nuclei as well as light information from the eye. Further we
      examine the proposition that the lateral habenula itself expresses intrinsic
      clock gene and neuronal rhythms. We then speculate on how circadian information
      communicated from the lateral habenula could influence activity and function in
      downstream targets such as the ventral tegmental area and raphe nuclei.

PMID- 28624587
TI  - The lateral habenula and alcohol: Role of glutamate and M-type potassium
      channels.
AB  - Alcohol use disorder (AUD) or alcoholism is a chronic relapsing disorder. Our
      knowledge of alcoholism hinges on our understanding of its effects on the brain.
      This review will center on the effects of alcohol in the lateral habenula (LHb),
      an epithalamic structure that connects the forebrain with the midbrain and
      encodes aversive signaling. Like many addictive drugs, alcohol has both rewarding
      and aversive properties. While alcohol's euphoric property is believed to be
      important for the initiation of drinking, increasing evidence suggests that
      alcohol's negative affect plays a critical role in excessive drinking and alcohol
      dependence. During withdrawal and abstinence, alcoholics often experience anxiety
      and depressions, both of which have been implicated in relapse drinking. This
      review focuses on the recent accumulation of knowledge about the effects of acute
      and chronic alcohol exposure on the activity of and synaptic transmissions on LHb
      neurons, as well as the effects of manipulation of LHb function on alcohol
      consumption and related behaviors. Recent evidence highlights a critical role for
      the LHb in AUD and related psychiatric ailments. Multidisciplinary work in
      animals collectively suggests that LHb function and activity, including M-type
      potassium channels and glutamatergic transmission are altered by acute and
      repeated chronic alcohol exposure. We will also discuss how functional,
      pharmacological, and chemogenetic manipulation of the LHb affects ethanol
      drinking and psychiatric disorders occurring in animals withdrawn from chronic
      alcohol exposure. Conceivable mechanisms behind these effects and their potential
      as targets for therapies will also be discussed.

PMID- 28624588
TI  - Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data to assess outcomes
      of a South American road traffic alcohol policy change.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Chile, a new law introduced in March 2012 decreased the legal
      blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for driving while impaired from 1 to 0.8
      g/l and the legal BAC limit for driving under the influence of alcohol from 0.5
      to 0.3 g/l. The goal is to assess the impact of this new law on mortality and
      morbidity outcomes in Chile. METHODS: A review of national databases in Chile was
      conducted from January 2003 to December 2014. Segmented regression analysis of
      interrupted time series was used for analyzing the data. In a series of
      multivariable linear regression models, the change in intercept and slope in the
      monthly incidence rate of traffic deaths and injuries and association with
      alcohol per 100,000 inhabitants was estimated from pre-intervention to
      postintervention, while controlling for secular changes. In nested regression
      models, potential confounding seasonal effects were accounted for. All analyses
      were performed at a two-sided significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: Immediate
      level drops in all the monthly rates were observed after the law from the end of
      the prelaw period in the majority of models and in all the de-seasonalized
      models, although statistical significance was reached only in the model for
      injures related to alcohol. After the law, the estimated monthly rate dropped
      abruptly by -0.869 for injuries related to alcohol and by -0.859 adjusting for
      seasonality (P < 0.001). Regarding the postlaw long-term trends, it was evidenced
      a steeper decreasing trend after the law in the models for deaths related to
      alcohol, although these differences were not statistically significant.
      CONCLUSIONS: A strong evidence of a reduction in traffic injuries related to
      alcohol was found following the law in Chile. Although insufficient evidence was
      found of a statistically significant effect for the beneficial effects seen on
      deaths and overall injuries, potential clinically important effects cannot be
      ruled out.

PMID- 28624589
TI  - Dependency distance: A new perspective on syntactic patterns in natural
      languages.
AB  - Dependency distance, measured by the linear distance between two syntactically
      related words in a sentence, is generally held as an important index of memory
      burden and an indicator of syntactic difficulty. Since this constraint of memory
      is common for all human beings, there may well be a universal preference for
      dependency distance minimization (DDM) for the sake of reducing memory burden.
      This human-driven language universal is supported by big data analyses of various
      corpora that consistently report shorter overall dependency distance in natural
      languages than in artificial random languages and long-tailed distributions
      featuring a majority of short dependencies and a minority of long ones. Human
      languages, as complex systems, seem to have evolved to come up with diverse
      syntactic patterns under the universal pressure for dependency distance
      minimization. However, there always exist a small number of long-distance
      dependencies in natural languages, which may reflect some other biological or
      functional constraints. Language system may adapt itself to these sporadic long
      distance dependencies. It is these universal constraints that have shaped such a
      rich diversity of syntactic patterns in human languages.

PMID- 28624586
TI  - Modeling the development of drug addiction in male and female animals.
AB  - An increasing emphasis has been placed on the development and use of animal
      models of addiction that capture defining features of human drug addiction,
      including escalation/binge drug use, enhanced motivation for the drug, preference
      for the drug over other reward options, use despite negative consequences, and
      enhanced drug-seeking/relapse vulnerability. The need to examine behavior in both
      males and females has also become apparent given evidence demonstrating that the
      addiction process occurs differently in males and females. This review discusses
      the procedures that are used to model features of addiction in animals, as well
      as factors that influence their development. Individual differences are also
      discussed, with a particular focus on sex differences. While no one procedure
      consistently produces all characteristics, different models have been developed
      to focus on certain characteristics. A history of escalating/binge patterns of
      use appears to be critical for producing other features characteristic of
      addiction, including an enhanced motivation for the drug, enhanced drug seeking,
      and use despite negative consequences. These characteristics tend to emerge over
      abstinence, and appear to increase rather than decrease in magnitude over time.
      In females, these characteristics develop sooner during abstinence and/or
      following less drug exposure as compared to males, and for psychostimulant
      addiction, may require estradiol. Although preference for the drug over other
      reward options has been demonstrated in non-human primates, it has been more
      difficult to establish in rats. Future research is needed to define the
      parameters that optimally induce each of these features of addiction in the
      majority of animals. Such models are essential for advancing our understanding of
      human drug addiction and its treatment in men and women.

PMID- 28624590
TI  - Maleic acid assisted improvement of metal chelation and antioxidant metabolism
      confers chromium tolerance in Brassica juncea L.
AB  - Chromium (Cr) is a highly toxic environmental pollutant that negatively affects
      plant growth and development. Thus, remediating Cr from soil or increasing plant
      tolerance against Cr stress is urgent. Organic acids are recognized as agents of
      phytoremediation and as exogenous protectants, but using maleic acid (MA) to
      attain these results has not yet been studied. Therefore, our study investigated
      the effects of MA on Cr uptake and mitigation of Cr toxicity. We treated 8-d-old
      Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) seedlings with Cr (0.15mM and 0.3mM K2CrO4, 5
      days) alone and in combination with MA (0.25mM) in a semi-hydroponic medium.
      Under Cr stress, plants accumulated Cr in both the roots and shoots in a dose
      dependent manner, where the roots showed higher accumulation. Chromium stress
      reduced the growth and biomass of the Indian mustard plants by reducing water
      status and photosynthetic pigments, and increased oxidative damage due to
      generation of toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methylglyoxal (MG).
      Chromium stress also interfered with the function of the antioxidant defense and
      glyoxalase systems. However, using MA in the Cr-stressed plants further increased
      Cr uptake in the roots, but it slightly reduced the translocation of Cr from the
      roots to the shoots at a lower dose of Cr and significantly at a higher dose.
      Moreover, MA also increased the other non-protein thiols (NPTs) containing
      phytochelatin (PC) content of the seedlings, which reduced Cr toxicity.
      Supplementing the stressed plants with MA upregulated the non-enzymatic
      antioxidants (ascorbate, AsA; glutathione, GSH); the activities of the enzymatic
      antioxidants including ascorbate peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase
      (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), glutathione reductase (GR),
      glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT); and
      the enzymes of the glyoxalase system including glyoxalase I (Gly I) and
      glyoxalase II (Gly II); and finally reduced oxidative damage and increased the
      chlorophyll content and water status as well the growth and biomass of the
      plants. Our findings suggested two potential uses of MA: first, enhancing
      phytoremediation, principally phytostabilization and second, working as an
      exogenous protectant to enhance Cr tolerance.

PMID- 28624591
TI  - Safe limit of arsenic in soil in relation to dietary exposure of arsenicosis
      patients from Malda district, West Bengal- A case study.
AB  - Safe limit of arsenic in soil in relation to dietary exposure of arsenicosis
      patients was established in Malda district of West Bengal. Out of 182
      participants examined, 80 (43.9%) participants showed clinical features of
      arsenicosis, characterized by arsenical skin lesion (pigmentation and keratosis),
      while 102 participants did not have any such lesion (control). Experimental
      results of the twenty eight soils (own field) of the participants showed the mean
      Olsen extractable and total arsenic concentration of 0.206 and 6.70mgkg-1,
      respectively. Arsenic concentration in rice grain ranged from 2.00 to 1260MUgkg-1
      with the mean value of 146MUgkg-1. The hazard quotient (HQ) for intake of As by
      human through consumption of rice varied from 0.03 to 3.52. HQ exceeds 1.0 for
      drinking water and rice grain grown in the study area in many cases. As high as
      77.6% variation in As content in rice grain could be explained by the solubility
      free ion activity model. Toxic limit of extractable As in soil for rice in
      relation to soil properties and human health hazard, associated with consumption
      of rice grain by human, was established. For example, the permissible limit of
      Olsen extractable As in soil would be 0.43mgkg-1 for rice cultivation, if soil pH
      and organic carbon content were 7.5% and 0.50%, respectively. However, the
      critical limit of Olsen extractable As in soil would be 0.54mgkg-1, if soil pH
      and organic carbon were 8.5% and 0.75%, respectively. The conceptual framework of
      fixing the toxic limit of arsenic in soils with respect to soil properties and
      human health under modeling-framework was established.

PMID- 28624593
TI  - Double sequential defibrillation therapy for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests: The
      London experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite advances in treatment for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
      (OHCA), a subgroup of patients remain in refractory ventricular fibrillation
      (RVF) during resuscitation. Recent evidence suggests that double sequential
      defibrillation (DSD), where two shocks are delivered to the patient in quick
      succession, may provide an effective therapy for RVF. This study describes the
      characteristics and survival outcomes of OHCA patients treated by ambulance
      clinicians using a local DSD protocol in an attempt to resolve RVF. METHODS: This
      is a retrospective, observational analysis of patients who received DSD by the
      London Ambulance Service from 1st July 2015 to 31st December 2016. A comparator
      group of patients who received more than six consecutive standard shocks (not
      DSD) for persistent VF was also identified. Outcomes included pre-hospital return
      of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), ROSC sustained to hospital, and survival to
      hospital discharge. DSD patients who survived to hospital discharge are reported
      in further detail. RESULTS: During the 18-month study period, 45 patients were
      treated with DSD: a third obtained a pre-hospital ROSC and 7% survived to
      hospital discharge. We observed similar ROSC and survival rates amongst those who
      received standard defibrillation only. CONCLUSION: Our observational study did
      not find any clear benefit of DSD use by EMS in the treatment of RVF. However, we
      find that 3 patients, who were treated with DSD following unsuccessful single
      shocks, had their VF terminated. Prospective randomised clinical trials are
      urgently needed to investigate the potential value of DSD in the pre-hospital
      setting.

PMID- 28624592
TI  - Post-anoxic quantitative MRI changes may predict emergence from coma and
      functional outcomes at discharge.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Traditional predictors of neurological prognosis after cardiac arrest
      are unreliable after targeted temperature management. Absence of pupillary
      reflexes remains a reliable predictor of poor outcome. Diffusion-weighted imaging
      has emerged as a potential predictor of recovery, and here we compare imaging
      characteristics to pupillary exam. METHODS: We identified 69 patients who had
      MRIs within seven days of arrest and used a semi-automated algorithm to perform
      quantitative volumetric analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)
      sequences at various thresholds. Area under receiver operating characteristic
      curves (ROC-AUC) were estimated to compare predictive values of quantitative MRI
      with pupillary exam at days 3, 5 and 7 post-arrest, for persistence of coma and
      functional outcomes at discharge. Cerebral Performance Category scores of 3-4
      were considered poor outcome. RESULTS: Excluding patients where life support was
      withdrawn, >=2.8% diffusion restriction of the entire brain at an ADC of <=650*10
      6m2/s was 100% specific and 68% sensitive for failure to wake up from coma before
      discharge. The ROC-AUC of ADC changes at <=450*10-6mm2/s and <=650*10-6mm2/s were
      significantly superior in predicting failure to wake up from coma compared to
      bilateral absence of pupillary reflexes. Among survivors, >0.01% of diffusion
      restriction of the entire brain at an ADC <=450*10-6m2/s was 100% specific and
      46% sensitive for poor functional outcome at discharge. The ROC curve predicting
      poor functional outcome at ADC <=450*10-6mm2/s had an AUC of 0.737 (0.574-0.899,
      p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Post-anoxic diffusion changes using quantitative brain MRI
      may aid in predicting persistent coma and poor functional outcomes at hospital
      discharge.

PMID- 28624594
TI  - Variability in the initiation of resuscitation attempts by emergency medical
      services personnel during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) assessed by
      emergency medical services (EMS) do not receive attempts at resuscitation on the
      basis of perceived futility. AIMS: 1) To measure variability in the initiation of
      resuscitation attempts in EMS-assessed OHCA patients across EMS agencies, 2) to
      evaluate the association between selected EMS agency characteristics and the
      proportion of patients receiving resuscitation attempts, and 3) to evaluate the
      association between proportion receiving resuscitation attempts and survival.
      METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using data from 129 EMS agencies
      participating in the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC) epidemiologic
      registry (EPISTRY) - Cardiac Arrest from 12/01/2005 to 12/31/2010. We included
      non-traumatic OHCA patients assessed by EMS. RESULTS: We included 86,912 OHCA
      patients. Overall, 54.8% had resuscitation attempted by EMS providers, varying
      from 23.9% to 100% (p=<0.001) across EMS agencies. The proportion of patients
      receiving a resuscitation attempt was 7.87% less (95% CI 3.73-12.0) among
      agencies with longer average response intervals (>=6min) compared with shorter
      average response intervals (<6min) and 16.9% less (95% CI 11.9-21.9) among
      agencies with higher levels of advanced life support (ALS) availability (>=50% of
      available units) compared with lower levels of ALS availability (<50% of
      available units). There was a moderate positive correlation between the
      proportion of patients with resuscitation attempts and survival to hospital
      discharge (r=0.54, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of patients with OHCA
      who receive resuscitation attempts is variable across EMS agencies and is
      associated with EMS response interval, ALS unit availability and geographic
      region. On average, survival was higher among EMS agencies more likely to
      initiate resuscitation.

PMID- 28624595
TI  - Atypical perceptual processing of faces in developmental dyslexia.
AB  - Developmental Dyslexia (DD) is often attributed to phonological processing
      deficits. Recent evidence, however, indicates the need for a more general
      explanatory framework to account for DD's range of deficits. The current study
      examined the specificity versus domain generality of DD by comparing the
      recognition and discrimination of three visual categories (faces and words with
      cars as control stimuli) in typical and dyslexic readers. Relative to controls,
      not only did dyslexic individuals perform more poorly on word recognition, but
      they also matched faces more slowly, especially when the faces differed in
      viewpoint, and discriminated between similar faces (but not cars) more poorly.
      Additionally, dyslexics showed reduced hemispheric lateralization for words and
      faces. These results reveal that DD affects both word and face, but not car,
      processing, implicating a partial domain general basis of DD. We offer a
      theoretical proposal to account for the multifaceted findings and suggestions for
      further, longitudinal studies.

PMID- 28624596
TI  - Repeated co-treatment with antidepressants and risperidone increases BDNF mRNA
      and protein levels in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, several clinical studies have suggested a beneficial effect
      of a combination of antidepressants (ADs) with antipsychotic drugs in drug
      resistant depression. Moreover, preclinical and clinical studies indicated a role
      of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathology of depression, as
      well as in the mechanism of action of ADs. METHODS: In the present study, we
      investigated the effect of repeated administration of ADs, escitalopram,
      fluoxetine or mirtazapine and a low dose of risperidone (an atypical
      antipsychotic drug) given separately or in combination, on the mRNA and protein
      levels of BDNF or cAMP response element binding (p-CREB) in the hippocampus and
      frontal cortex of male Wistar rats. ADs were given repeatedly (once daily for 14
      days), separately or in combination with a low dose of risperidone. The tissue
      for biochemical assays was dissected 24h after the last dose of ADs. RESULTS: The
      obtained results showed that repeated co-treatment with an inactive dose of
      risperidone and escitalopram or mirtazapine but not fluoxetine increased the BDNF
      mRNA expression in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Moreover, combined
      treatment with an inactive dose risperidone and escitalopram elevated the protein
      levels of p-CREB in the frontal cortex. While, co-treatment with risperidone and
      fluoxetine or mirtazapine increased the protein levels of BDNF and p-CREB in both
      examined regions of the brain. CONCLUSIONS: Our present findings suggest that
      enhancement levels of BDNF may be essential for the therapeutic effect of co
      treatment with ADs and a low dose risperidone in patients with drug-resistant
      depression.

PMID- 28624597
TI  - Suppressive effect of kamebakaurin on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity by
      inhibiting lipid peroxidation and inflammatory response in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Kamebakaurin (KA) is an ent-kaurane diterpenoid known to have anti
      inflammatory potential. In the current study, we investigated whether
      pretreatment with KA could ameliorate acetaminophen (APAP)-induced hepatotoxicity
      by inhibiting the anti-inflammatory response in mice. METHODS: Seven-week-old
      C57BL/6J mice were orally administered KA or olive oil emulsion for seven days.
      Twenty-four hours after the last KA or olive oil administration, the mice were
      intraperitoneally injected with 400mg/kg APAP or saline under feed deprived
      condition. The mice from each group were euthanized and bled for plasma analysis
      24h after the injection. RESULT: APAP increased plasma levels of hepatic injury
      markers (i.e., alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase), lipid
      peroxidation, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Pretreatment with KA reduced the
      magnitude of APAP-induced increases in plasma levels of hepatic injury markers,
      lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory response. In addition, KA exhibited
      antioxidant capacity in a dose-dependent manner, with slight reactive oxygen
      species scavenging activity. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that KA has the
      ability to protect the liver from APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, presumably by both
      inhibiting the inflammatory response and oxidative stress.

PMID- 28624598
TI  - Inhibition of LPS induced pro-inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophage
      cells by PVP-coated naringenin nanoparticle via down regulation of NF
      kappaB/P38MAPK mediated stress signaling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Naringenin (NAR) was found to display strong pharmacological
      properties. Since the clinical relevance of NAR is limited by its low
      bioavailability, we effectively synthesized and characterized a novel PVP-coated
      NAR nanoparticle (NAR NP) to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of NAR. The present
      study was designed to investigate the effects of NAR NP on lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS) induced inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. METHODS: In
      vitro cell culture studies of LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were used
      as experimental model. RESULTS: Cytotoxicity studies revealed that NAR NP is safe
      even at maximum tested concentration of 200MUg/ml. Initial dose fixation study in
      LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells, revealed the minimum optimal concentration required
      for anti inflammatory effect as 25MUg/ml. mRNA expression studies showed that NAR
      NP significantly down regulated the expressions of NF-kappaB and P38MAPK, which
      is paralleled with the inhibition of the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. This
      in turn led to the blockade of iNOS and COX-2, thereby inhibiting the production
      of nitric oxide and pro inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-6, MCP-1 and
      IL-1beta. NAR NP was found to be more efficient, when compared with NAR.
      CONCLUSIONS: Anti-inflammatory effects of NAR NP may be allocated to the down
      regulation of COX -2 and iNOS via the suppression of NF-kappaB and MAPK signaling
      pathway in RAW 264.7 macrophages. The data suggests that NAR NP can be used as a
      potent candidate for the treatments of inflammatory diseases by exploiting the
      nanoscale properties and targeting efficacy.

PMID- 28624599
TI  - Biodegradable hydrogel derived from cellulose acetate and EDTA as a reduction
      substrate of leaching NPK compound fertilizer and water retention in soil.
AB  - To study the behavior of a biodegradable hydrogel derived from cellulose acetate
      and ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD), as a reduction substrate of
      NPK fertilizer in soil. The biodegradable hydrogel (HEDTA) was prepared from
      cellulose acetate (CA) with a degree substitution (DS) 2.5 by esterification
      crosslinking with EDTAD catalyzed by triethylamine. We systematically
      investigated the performance of the HEDTA in the reducing NPK (Ammonium,
      phosphate and potassium) fertilizer leaching. We also compare the percentage of
      leaching between the HEDTA and commercial fertilizers. To characterize the
      esterification and crosslinking between CA and EDTAD, FTIR spectroscopy and
      thermogravimetric analysis (DTG) were employed. The biodegradation experiments
      were carried out in simulated soil (23% of sand, 23% of cattle manure, 23% of
      soil and 31% of water) and the HEDTA was tested in the eucalyptus planting during
      the dry season in the Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The HEDTA was able to reduce the
      leaching of fertilizers and improve the performance of eucalyptus seedlings and
      reduced the mortality of the seedlings. The HEDTA showed to be an excellent
      substrate for slow release and water-retention in soil, reducer of the
      fertilizers leaching, in addition being nontoxic, biodegradable in the soil and
      environmentally-friendly.

PMID- 28624600
TI  - Molecular imaging in nanomedicine - A developmental tool and a clinical
      necessity.
AB  - The development of nanomedicines presents the potential to deliver more potent
      drugs targeted more specifically to the site(s) of disease than is currently
      achievable. While encouraging results have been achieved, including at the
      clinical level, significant challenges and opportunities for development remain,
      both in terms of further developing the technology and in understanding the
      underlying biology. Given the lessons learned regarding variations in
      nanomedicine delivery to different tumor types and between different patients
      with the same tumor type, this is an area of drug development that, rather than
      simply benefiting from a patient-specific approach, actually demands it. The only
      way that this distribution information can be obtained is through imaging, and
      this requires labeling of the nanomedicine to enable detection outside the body.
      In this review, we describe recent advances in the labeling of nanomedicines, how
      imaging studies are guiding nanomedicine development, and the role of imaging in
      the future development of nanomedicines.

PMID- 28624601
TI  - The Manchester Fly Facility: Implementing an objective-driven long-term science
      communication initiative.
AB  - Science communication is increasingly important for scientists, although
      research, teaching and administration activities tend to eat up our time already,
      and budgets for science communication are usually low. It appears impossible to
      combine all these tasks and, in addition, to develop engagement activities to a
      quality and impact that would make the efforts worth their while. Here we argue
      that these challenges are easier addressed when centering science communication
      initiatives on a long-term vision with a view to eventually forming outreach
      networks where the load can be shared whilst being driven to higher momentum. As
      one example, we explain the science communication initiative of the Manchester
      Fly Facility. It aims to promote public awareness of research using the model
      organism Drosophila, which is a timely, economic and most efficient experimental
      strategy to drive discovery processes in the biomedical sciences and must have a
      firm place in the portfolios of funding organisations. Although this initiative
      by the Manchester Fly Facility is sustained on a low budget, its long-term vision
      has allowed gradual development into a multifaceted initiative: (1) targeting
      university students via resources and strategies for the advanced training in fly
      genetics; (2) targeting the general public via science fairs, educational YouTube
      videos, school visits, teacher seminars and the droso4schools project; (3)
      disseminating and marketing strategies and resources to the public as well as
      fellow scientists via dedicated websites, blogs, journal articles, conference
      presentations and workshops - with a view to gradually forming networks of
      drosophilists that will have a greater potential to drive the science
      communication objective to momentum and impact. Here we explain the rationales
      and implementation strategies for our various science communication activities -
      which are similarly applicable to other model animals and other areas of academic
      science - and share our experiences and resources to provide ideas and readily
      available means to those who are actively engaging or intend to do so.

PMID- 28624602
TI  - The mediating effects of depressive symptoms and sleep quality on the
      relationship between the non-medical use of prescription drugs and suicidal
      behaviors among Chinese adolescents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The nature of the relationship between the non-medical use of
      prescription drugs (NMUPD) and suicide has not been clearly elucidated. Some
      studies have suggested that the relationship between substance use and suicidal
      ideation may be spurious and could be explained by other variables. METHODS: A
      school-based cross-sectional study was performed in Guangzhou. A total of 5853
      students completed questionnaires and were included in the study. NMUPD, alcohol
      use, illicit drug use, depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and suicidal behaviors
      were assessed. The mediating effects of depressive symptoms and sleep quality on
      the relationship between NMUPD and suicidal behaviors were examined using a
      structural equation model. RESULTS: In the simple model without mediation, a
      positive relationship between NMUPD and suicidal behaviors in adolescents was
      found, which was independent of effects from the use of other substances. Both
      depressive symptoms and sleep quality were significant mediators of this
      relationship. CONCLUSION: Public health and educational professionals should
      survey depressive symptoms and sleep quality and provide interventions when
      managing suicidal behaviors among adolescents engaging in NMUPD.

PMID- 28624603
TI  - An intensive assessment of alcohol use and emergency department utilization in
      homeless alcohol-dependent adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol use among the homeless may contribute to their high
      rates of emergency department use. Survey-based studies have provided some
      information on the relation between alcohol and emergency department use among
      the homeless. METHODS: This study used an intensive schedule of random breath
      collections and self-report assessments to examine the relation between emergency
      department utilization and alcohol use in homeless alcohol-dependent adults. Data
      were from homeless alcohol-dependent adults (N=116) who were participating in a
      therapeutic workplace that provided job-skills training every weekday for 26
      weeks. Breath-sample collections and assessments of self-reported alcohol use
      were scheduled each week, an average of twice per week per participant, at random
      times between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Participants received $35 for each breath
      sample collected. Self-reports of emergency department use were assessed
      throughout the study. RESULTS: Thirty-four percent of participants reported
      attending an emergency department and reported an average of 2.2 emergency
      department visits (range 1-10 visits). Alcohol intoxication was the most common
      reason for emergency department use. Participants who used the emergency
      department had significantly more alcohol-positive breath samples and more self
      reported heavy alcohol use than participants who did not use the emergency
      department. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a rare intensive assessment of
      alcohol and emergency department use in homeless alcohol-dependent adults over an
      extended period. Emergency department use was high and was significantly related
      to indices of alcohol use.

PMID- 28624604
TI  - User characteristics and effect profile of Butane Hash Oil: An extremely high
      potency cannabis concentrate.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent reports suggest an increase in use of extremely potent
      cannabis concentrates such as Butane Hash Oil (BHO) in some developed countries.
      The aims of this study were to examine the characteristics of BHO users and the
      effect profiles of BHO. DESIGN: Anonymous online survey in over 20 countries in
      2014 and 2015. Participants aged 18 years or older were recruited through onward
      promotion and online social networks. The overall sample size was 181,870. In
      this sample, 46% (N=83,867) reported using some form of cannabis in the past
      year, and 3% reported BHO use (n=5922). MEASUREMENTS: Participants reported their
      use of 7 types of cannabis in the past 12 months, the source of their cannabis,
      reasons for use, use of other illegal substances, and lifetime diagnosis for
      depression, anxiety and psychosis. Participants were asked to rate subjective
      effects of BHO and high potency herbal cannabis. FINDINGS: Participants who
      reported a lifetime diagnosis of depression (OR=1.15, p=0.003), anxiety (OR=1.72,
      p<0.001), and a larger number of substance use (OR=1.29, p<0.001) were more
      likely to use BHO than only using high potency herbal cannabis. BHO users also
      reported stronger negative effects and less positive effects when using BHO than
      high potency herbal cannabis (p<0.001) CONCLUSION: Mental health problems and
      other illicit drug use were associated with use of BHO. BHO was reported to have
      stronger negative and weaker positive effects than high potency herbal cannabis.

PMID- 28624605
TI  - Transplacental exposure to environmental carcinogens: Association with childhood
      cancer risks and the role of modulating factors.
AB  - Biological responses to carcinogens from environmental exposure during adulthood
      are modulated over years or decades. Conversely, during transplacental exposure,
      the effects on the human foetus change within weeks, intertwining with
      developmental mechanisms: even short periods of transplacental exposure may be
      imprinted in the organism for a lifetime. The pathways leading to childhood and
      juvenile cancers, such as leukaemias, neuroblastoma/brain tumours,
      hepatoblastoma, and Willm's tumour involve prenatally-induced genomic, epigenomic
      and/or non-genomic effects caused by xenobiotics. Pregnant women most often live
      in complex environmental settings that cause transplacental exposure of the
      foetus to xenobiotic mixtures. Mother-child biomonitoring should integrate the
      analysis of chemicals/radiation present in the living and workplace environment
      with relevant risk modulators related to life style. The interdisciplinary
      approach for transplacental cancer risk assessment in high-pressure areas should
      be based on an integrated model for mother-child exposure estimation via
      profiling the exposure level by water quality analysis, usage of emission grids,
      and land use maps.

PMID- 28624606
TI  - Identifying individual male reproductive consistency in Drosophila melanogaster:
      The importance of controlling female behaviour.
AB  - Work on the repeatability of reproductive behaviour has mainly focused on the
      consistency of female preferences. We characterised the consistency of individual
      male Drosophila melanogaster reproductive behaviour in two experiments. In the
      first experiment, we allowed males to interact with a pair of live females that
      differed in body size. We then controlled female behaviour in a second experiment
      by examining the courtship behaviour of individual males interacting with a pair
      of decapitated females that varied in body size. In both experiments, we examined
      the consistency of individual male reproductive behaviour across two repeated
      trials on the same day. Males did not exhibit a courtship preference for the
      larger female in either experiment, but, in experiment 1, males did exhibit post
      copulatory choice by copulating for longer durations with the large female, and
      males that mated with the same type of female in both trials exhibited repeatable
      behaviour. In general, we found weak evidence of consistent male courtship
      behaviour in the presence of behaving females. However, when female behaviour was
      controlled in experiment 2, we found that male courtship behaviour was highly
      repeatable. These results indicate that individual male D. melanogaster exhibit
      consistent reproductive behaviour and demonstrate the importance of controlling
      female behaviour when attempting to characterise the repeatability of male
      reproductive behaviour.

PMID- 28624607
TI  - Obese asthmatic patients have decreased surfactant protein A levels: Mechanisms
      and implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Eosinophils are prominent in some patients with asthma and are
      increased in the submucosa in a subgroup of obese patients with asthma (OAs).
      Surfactant protein A (SP-A) modulates host responses to infectious and
      environmental insults. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether SP-A levels are
      altered in OAs compared with a control group and to determine the implications of
      these alterations in SP-A levels in asthmatic patients. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar
      lavage fluid from 23 lean, 12 overweight, and 20 obese subjects were examined for
      SP-A. Mouse tracheal epithelial cells grown at an air-liquid interface were used
      for mechanistic studies. SP-A-/- mice were challenged in allergen models, and
      exogenous SP-A therapy was given after the last challenge. Eosinophils were
      visualized and quantitated in lung parenchyma by means of immunostaining.
      RESULTS: Significantly less SP-A (P = .002) was detected in samples from OAs
      compared with those from control subjects. A univariable regression model found
      SP-A levels were significantly negatively correlated with body mass index (r = 
      0.33, P = .014), whereas multivariable modeling demonstrated that the correlation
      depended both on asthma status (P = .017) and the interaction of asthma and body
      mass index (P = .008). Addition of exogenous TNF-alpha to mouse tracheal
      epithelial cells was sufficient to attenuate SP-A and eotaxin secretion. Allergen
      challenged SP-A-/- mice that received SP-A therapy had significantly less tissue
      eosinophilia compared with mice receiving vehicle. CONCLUSIONS: SP-A functions as
      an important mediator in resolving tissue and lavage fluid eosinophilia in
      allergic mouse models. Decreased levels of SP-A in OAs, which could be due to
      increased local TNF-alpha levels, might lead to impaired eosinophil resolution
      and could contribute to the eosinophilic asthma phenotype.

PMID- 28624609
TI  - Human mast cells as antigen-presenting cells: When is this role important in
      vivo?

PMID- 28624610
TI  - Anti-FcgammaRIIB mAb suppresses murine IgG-dependent anaphylaxis by Fc domain
      targeting of FcgammaRIII.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The inhibitory receptor FcgammaRIIB is expressed on human and murine
      bone marrow-derived cells and limits inflammation by suppressing signaling
      through stimulatory receptors. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the effects of
      K9.361, a mouse IgG2a alloantibody to mouse FcgammaRIIB, on murine anaphylaxis.
      METHODS: Wild-type and FcgammaR-deficient mice were used to study anaphylaxis,
      which was induced by injection of 2.4G2 (rat IgG2b mAb that binds both
      FcgammaRIIB and the stimulatory receptor FcgammaRIII), by actively immunizing IgE
      deficient mice and then challenging with the immunizing antigen, and by passive
      immunization with IgG or IgE anti-2,4,6-trinitrophenyl mAb, followed by injection
      of 2,4,6-trinitrophenyl-ovalbumin. Pretreatment with K9.361 was assessed for its
      ability to influence anaphylaxis. RESULTS: Unexpectedly, K9.361 injection induced
      mild anaphylaxis, which was both FcgammaRIIB and FcgammaRIII dependent and
      greatly enhanced by beta-adrenergic blockade. K9.361 injection also decreased
      expression of stimulatory Fcgamma receptors, especially FcgammaRIII, and strongly
      suppressed IgG-mediated anaphylaxis without strongly affecting IgE-mediated
      anaphylaxis. The F(ab')2 fragment of K9.361 did not induce anaphylaxis, even
      after beta-adrenergic blockade, and did not deplete FcgammaRIII or suppress IgG
      mediated anaphylaxis but prevented intact K9.361-induced anaphylaxis without
      diminishing intact K9.36 suppression of IgG-mediated anaphylaxis. CONCLUSION:
      Cross-linking FcgammaRIIB to stimulatory FcgammaRs through the Fc domains of an
      anti-FcgammaRIIB mAb induces and then suppresses IgG-mediated anaphylaxis without
      affecting IgE-mediated anaphylaxis. Because IgG- and IgE-mediated anaphylaxis can
      be mediated by the same cell types, this suggests that desensitization acts at
      the receptor rather than cellular level. Sequential treatment with the F(ab')2
      fragment of anti-FcgammaRIIB mAb followed by intact anti-FcgammaRIIB safely
      prevents IgG-mediated anaphylaxis.

PMID- 28624608
TI  - Obesity's effect on asthma extends to diagnostic criteria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of inflammatory biomarkers to delineate the type of lung
      inflammation present in asthmatic subjects is increasingly common. However, the
      effect of obesity on these markers is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine
      the effect of obesity on conventional markers of inflammation in asthmatic
      subjects. METHODS: We performed secondary analysis of data from 652 subjects
      previously enrolled in 2 Asthma Clinical Research Network trials. We performed
      linear correlations between biomarkers and logistic regression analysis to
      determine the predictive value of IgE levels, blood eosinophil counts, and
      fraction of exhaled nitric oxide values in relationship to sputum eosinophil
      counts (>2%), as well as to determine whether cut points existed that would
      maximize the sensitivity and specificity for predicting sputum eosinophilia in
      the 3 weight groups. RESULTS: Overall, statistically significant but relatively
      weak correlations were observed among all 4 markers of inflammation. Within obese
      subjects, the only significant correlation found was between IgE levels and blood
      eosinophil counts (r = 0.33, P < .001); furthermore, all other correlations
      between inflammatory markers were approximately 0, including correlations with
      sputum eosinophil counts. In addition, the predictive value of each biomarker
      alone or in combination was poor in obese subjects. In fact, in obese subjects
      none of the biomarkers of inflammation significantly predicted the presence of
      high sputum eosinophil counts. Obese asthmatic subjects have lower cut points for
      IgE levels (268 IU), fraction of exhaled nitric oxide values (14.5 ppb), and
      blood eosinophil counts (96 cells/MUL) than all other groups. CONCLUSIONS: In
      obese asthmatic subjects conventional biomarkers of inflammation are poorly
      predictive of eosinophilic airway inflammation. As such, biomarkers currently
      used to delineate eosinophilic inflammation in asthmatic subjects should be
      approached with caution in these subjects.

PMID- 28624611
TI  - The future of allergy/immunology: Promising young investigators.

PMID- 28624612
TI  - Human mast cells present antigen to autologous CD4+ T cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mast cells (MCs), the primary effector cell of the atopic response,
      participate in immune defense at host/environment interfaces, yet the mechanisms
      by which they interact with CD4+ T cells has been controversial. OBJECTIVE: We
      used in situ-matured primary human MCs and matched CD4+ T cells to diligently
      assess the ability of MCs to act as antigen-presenting cells. METHODS: We
      examined mature human skin-derived MCs using flow cytometry for expression of
      antigen-presenting molecules, for their ability to stimulate CD4+ T cells to
      express CD25 and proliferate when exposed to superantigen or to cytomegalovirus
      (CMV) antigen using matched T cells and MCs from CMV-seropositive or CMV
      seronegative donors, and for antigen uptake. Subcellular localization of antigen,
      HLA molecules, and tryptase was analyzed by using structured illumination
      microscopy. RESULTS: Our data show that IFN-gamma induces HLA class II, HLA-DM,
      CD80, and CD40 expression on MCs, whereas MCs take up soluble and particulate
      antigens in an IFN-gamma-independent manner. IFN-gamma-primed MCs guide
      activation of T cells by Staphylococcus aureus superantigen and, when
      preincubated with CMV antigens, induce a recall CD4+ TH1 proliferation response
      only in CMV-seropositive donors. MCs co-opt their secretory granules for antigen
      processing and presentation. Consequently, MC degranulation increases surface
      delivery of HLA class II/peptide, further enhancing stimulation of T-cell
      proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: IFN-gamma primes human MCs to activate T cells
      through superantigen and to present CMV antigen to TH1 cells, co-opting MC
      secretory granules for antigen processing and presentation and creating a feed
      forward loop of T-cell-MC cross-activation.

PMID- 28624613
TI  - Nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis: a growing problem requiring rational
      solutions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Giardia intestinalis is microaerophilic diarrhoea-causing protozoan
      common in countries with suboptimal sanitation. Standard treatment is with
      nitroimidazoles, but a growing number of refractory cases is being reported.
      Treatment failure has become increasingly prevalent in travellers who contract
      giardiasis in Asia. Clinicians are increasingly falling back on second-line and
      less well-known drugs to treat giardiasis. AIMS: To review nitroimidazole
      refractory G. intestinalis infection, examine the current efficacy of standard
      therapeutic agents, consider potential resistance mechanisms which could cause
      treatment failure and describe the practical aspects of managing this emerging
      clinical problem. SOURCES: A PubMed search was conducted using combinations of
      the following terms: refractory, Giardia, giardiasis, resistance and treatment.
      Articles on the pharmacotherapy, drug resistance mechanisms and use of
      alternative agents in nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis were reviewed.
      CONTENT: We review the standard drugs for giardiasis, including their efficacy in
      initial treatment, mode of action and documented in vitro and in vivo drug
      resistance. We assess the efficacy of alternative drugs in nitroimidazole
      refractory disease. Existing data suggest a potential advantage of combination
      treatment. IMPLICATIONS: An optimal treatment strategy for refractory giardiasis
      has still to be determined, so there is no standard treatment regimen for
      nitroimidazole-refractory giardiasis. Further work on drug resistance mechanisms
      and the use of drug combinations in this condition is a priority.

PMID- 28624614
TI  - Gene Transfer Agent Promotes Evolvability within the Fittest Subpopulation of a
      Bacterial Pathogen.
AB  - The Bartonella gene transfer agent (BaGTA) is an archetypical example for
      domestication of a phage-derived element to permit high-frequency genetic
      exchange in bacterial populations. Here we used multiplexed transposon sequencing
      (TnSeq) and single-cell reporters to globally define the core components and
      transfer dynamics of BaGTA. Our systems-level analysis has identified inner- and
      outer-circle components of the BaGTA system, including 55 regulatory components,
      as well as an additional 74 and 107 components mediating donor transfer and
      recipient uptake functions. We show that the stringent response signal guanosine
      tetraphosphate (ppGpp) restricts BaGTA induction to a subset of fast-growing
      cells, whereas BaGTA particle uptake depends on a functional Tol-Pal trans
      envelope complex that mediates outer-membrane invagination upon cell division.
      Our findings suggest that Bartonella evolved an efficient strategy to promote
      genetic exchange within the fittest subpopulation while disfavoring exchange of
      deleterious genetic information, thereby facilitating genome integrity and rapid
      host adaptation.

PMID- 28624615
TI  - Cell-Size-Dependent Transcription of FLC and Its Antisense Long Non-coding RNA
      COOLAIR Explain Cell-to-Cell Expression Variation.
AB  - Single-cell quantification of transcription kinetics and variability promotes a
      mechanistic understanding of gene regulation. Here, using single-molecule RNA
      fluorescence in situ hybridization and mathematical modeling, we dissect cellular
      RNA dynamics for Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). FLC expression
      quantitatively determines flowering time and is regulated by antisense (COOLAIR)
      transcription. In cells without observable COOLAIR expression, we quantify FLC
      transcription initiation, elongation, intron processing, and lariat degradation,
      as well as mRNA release from the locus and degradation. In these heterogeneously
      sized cells, FLC mRNA number increases linearly with cell size, resulting in a
      large cell-to-cell variability in transcript level. This variation is accounted
      for by cell-size-dependent, Poissonian FLC mRNA production, but not by large
      transcriptional bursts. In COOLAIR-expressing cells, however, antisense
      transcription increases with cell size and contributes to FLC transcription
      decreasing with cell size. Our analysis therefore reveals an unexpected role for
      antisense transcription in modulating the scaling of transcription with cell
      size.

PMID- 28624616
TI  - Age-related plasticity of the axon initial segment of cortical pyramidal cells in
      marmoset monkeys.
AB  - Structural plasticity of the axon initial segment (AIS), the site of action
      potential initiation, is observed as part of the normal early development of the
      cortex, as well as in association with injury and disease. Here, we show that
      structural AIS plasticity also occurs with normal aging in adult marmosets.
      Immunohistochemical techniques were used to reveal the extent of the AIS of layer
      2/3A pyramidal cells in 8 neocortical areas. We found that the AIS length varied
      significantly between areas in young adult (2-3 years old) marmosets, with
      neurons in frontal area 14C having the longest AIS, and those in the primary
      visual cortex the shortest. Similar interareal differences were observed in aged
      (12-14 year old) monkeys, but the AIS was significantly shortened in many areas,
      relative to the corresponding length in young adults. Shortening of the AIS is
      likely to represent a compensatory response to changes in the excitation
      inhibition balance, associated with the loss of GABAergic interneurons in the
      aged cortex.

PMID- 28624617
TI  - Core-shell iron oxide-layered double hydroxide: High electrochemical sensing
      performance of H2O2 biomarker in live cancer cells with plasma therapeutics.
AB  - In this work, we develop a new type of multifunctional core-shell nanomaterial by
      controllable integration of CuAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) over the
      surface of iron oxides (Fe3O4) nanospheres (NSs) to fabricate (Fe3O4@CuAl NSs)
      hybrid material with interior tunability of LDH phase and explore its practical
      application in ultrasensitive detection of emerging biomarker, i.e., H2O2 as
      cancer diagnostic probe. In addition, atmospheric pressure plasmas (APPs) have
      also been used as potential therapeutic approach for cancer treatment. Due to the
      synergistic combination of p-type semiconductive channels of LDHs with multi
      functional properties, unique morphology and abundant surface active sites, the
      Fe3O4@CuAl NSs modified electrode exhibited attractive electrocatalytic activity
      towards H2O2 reduction. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed biosensor
      demonstrated striking electrochemical sensing performances to H2O2 including
      linear range as broad as 8 orders of magnitude, low real detection limit of 1nM
      (S/N = 3), high sensitivity, good reproducibility and long-term stability.
      Arising from the superb efficiency, the electrochemical biosensor has been used
      for in vitro determination of H2O2 concentrations in human urine and serum
      samples prior to and following the intake of coffee, and real-time monitoring of
      H2O2 efflux from different cancer cell lines in normal state and after plasma
      treatment. We believe that this novel nano-platform of structurally integrated
      core-shell nanohybrid materials combined with APPs will enhance diagnostic as
      well as therapeutic window for cancer diseases.

PMID- 28624618
TI  - A sample-to-answer, real-time convective polymerase chain reaction system for
      point-of-care diagnostics.
AB  - Timely and accurate molecular diagnostics at the point-of-care (POC) level is
      critical to global health. To this end, we propose a handheld convective-flow
      real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system capable of direct sample-to
      answer genetic analysis for the first time. Such a system mainly consists of a
      magnetic bead-assisted photothermolysis sample preparation, a closed-loop
      convective PCR reactor, and a wireless video camera-based real-time fluorescence
      detection. The sample preparation exploits the dual functionality of vancomycin
      modified magnetic beads (VMBs) for bacteria enrichment and photothermal
      conversion, enabling cell pre-concentration and lysis to be finished in less than
      3min. On the presented system, convective thermocycling is driven by a single
      heater thermal gradient, and its amplification is monitored in real-time, with an
      analysis speed of less than 25min, a dynamic linear range from 106 to 101
      copies/uL and a detection sensitivity of as little as 1 copies/uL. Additionally,
      the proposed PCR system is self-contained with a control electronics, pocket-size
      and battery-powered, providing a low-cost genetic analysis in a portable format.
      Therefore, we believe that this integrated system may become a potential
      candidate for fast, accurate and affordable POC molecular diagnostics.

PMID- 28624619
TI  - Quorum sensing signals enhance the electrochemical activity and energy recovery
      of mixed-culture electroactive biofilms.
AB  - The impacts of exogenous or endogenous quorum sensing (QS) signaling molecules on
      mixed-culture electroactive biofilms (EABs), especially extracellular polymeric
      substances (EPS) and exoelectrogens using direct electron transfer mechanism
      inside EABs are poorly understood. This research focuses on the influence of
      acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs), the most common QS signaling molecules for gram
      negative bacteria, on mixed-culture EABs. Results indicated that both exogenous
      and endogenous AHLs played the role as regulators to improve the electrochemical
      activities of EABs. The energy recovery of MFCs increased from 20.5% +/- 3.9% to
      28.3% +/- 4.1% with endogenous AHLs and further rose to 36.2% +/- 5.1% with
      exogenous AHLs, and the start-up period of MFCs shortened from 13 days to 10 days
      with endogenous AHLs and further reduced to 4 days in the presence of exogenous
      AHLs. The influences of exogenous and endogenous AHLs were non-instantaneous.
      They improved some intrinsic properties, i.e. the electrode-associated biomass,
      the biofilm compactness and the ratio of live/dead cells to obtain superior EABs.
      Meanwhile, both endogenous and exogenous AHLs increased the concentration and
      redox activities of EPS. Besides, endogenous AHLs enhanced the diversity of EPS
      components. Noteworthily, the relative abundance of Geoboacter sp. which is the
      typical microbe using direct electron transfer mechanism is raised by exogenous
      AHLs, though so far neither known chemical QS-related gene nor protein has been
      reported in this genus. These findings will increase the current understanding of
      QS in EABs and open up an opportunity for regulating mixed-culture MFCs via QS.

PMID- 28624620
TI  - AgBr nanoparticles/3D nitrogen-doped graphene hydrogel for fabricating all-solid
      state luminol-electrochemiluminescence Escherichia coli aptasensors.
AB  - It is necessary to develop rapid, simple and accurate detection method for
      Escherichia coli (E. coli) due to its widely distributed pathogenic bacteria.
      Herein, we prepared AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) anchored 3D nitrogen-doped graphene
      hydrogel (3DNGH) nanocomposites with an exceptionally large accessible surface by
      a simple hydrothermal approach. The as-prepared 3DNGH porous nanocomposite not
      only showed better conductivity than that of 3D graphene due to introducing
      nitrogen element into graphene framework, but also provided a high loading volume
      for immobilizing luminol. Meanwhile the anchored AgBr NPs served as the catalyst
      can effectively enhance the ECL behavior of luminol. And the resulting
      luminol/AgBr/3DNGH exhibited more excellent ECL performances, which was about 2,
      3, 8 times enhanced respectively, comparing to luminol/AgBr/3DGH, luminol/3DNGH
      and luminol/AgBr/2DNG. Further, the multifunctional nanoarchitecture was used as
      the all-solid-state ECL platform for fabricating Escherichia coli aptasensors via
      glutaraldehyde as crosslinking agent between amine-functionalized E. coli aptamer
      and luminol/AgBr/3DNGH. Based on the steric hindrance mechanism that E.coli can
      significantly decrease the ECL intensity, the proposed aptasensor displayed a
      linear response for E.coli in the range from 0.5 to 500 cfu/mL with an extremely
      low detection limit of 0.17 cfu/mL (S/N). In addition, this ECL aptasensor
      possessed great advantages including the simple operation process, low-cost and
      sensitivity, which provided a promising approach for the E.coli detection in
      biomedical, food detection and environmental analysis.

PMID- 28624621
TI  - Innate immune system capabilities of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri.
AB  - Citrus production worldwide is currently threatened by Huanglongbing, or citrus
      greening disease. The associated pathogen, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus
      (CLas), is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. Annotation
      of the D. citri genome revealed a reduced innate immune system lacking a number
      of antimicrobial peptides and the Imd pathway associated with defense against
      Gram-negative bacteria. We characterized this apparent immune reduction in
      survival assays in which D. citri were exposed to Gram-negative or Gram-positive
      bacteria. D. citri experienced significant mortality when exposed to Serratia
      marcescens (Gram-negative) through oral ingestion or by septic injury.
      Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) also caused significant D. citri mortality, but
      only when inoculated at high concentrations through oral ingestion or by septic
      injury. Neither Micrococcus luteus (Gram-positive) or Bacillus subtilis (Gram
      positive) caused significant mortality as compared to controls in any experiment.
      E. coli titers increased rapidly following exposure, while M. luteus titer
      remained stable for 72 h. We demonstrate that D. citri is capable of defending
      against E. coli, a Gram-negative bacterium, despite lacking the Imd defense
      pathway. The tolerance of D. citri to M. luteus infection, yet inability to
      effectively clear infections, presents questions to efficacy of D. citri immune
      response to effectively clear Gram-positive infections.

PMID- 28624622
TI  - Preclinical anti-cancer activity and multiple mechanisms of action of a cationic
      silver complex bearing N-heterocyclic carbene ligands.
AB  - Organometallic complexes offer the prospect of targeting multiple pathways that
      are important in cancer biology. Here, the preclinical activity and mechanism(s)
      of action of a silver-bis(N-heterocyclic carbine) complex (Ag8) were evaluated.
      Ag8 induced DNA damage via several mechanisms including topoisomerase I/II and
      thioredoxin reductase inhibition and induction of reactive oxygen species. DNA
      damage induction was consistent with cytotoxicity observed against proliferating
      cells and Ag8 induced cell death by apoptosis. Ag8 also inhibited DNA repair
      enzyme PARP1, showed preferential activity against cisplatin resistant A2780
      cells and potentiated the activity of temozolomide. Ag8 was substantially less
      active against non-proliferating non-cancer cells and selectively inhibited
      glycolysis in cancer cells. Ag8 also induced significant anti-tumour effects
      against cells implanted intraperitoneally in hollow fibres but lacked activity
      against hollow fibres implanted subcutaneously. Thus, Ag8 targets multiple
      pathways of importance in cancer biology, is less active against non-cancer cells
      and shows activity in vivo in a loco-regional setting.

PMID- 28624623
TI  - Mitochondrial fission forms a positive feedback loop with cytosolic calcium
      signaling pathway to promote autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
AB  - Both mitochondrial morphology and the level of cytosolic calcium [Ca2+]c are
      actively changed and play critical roles in a number of malignancies. However,
      whether communications existed between these two processes to ingeniously control
      the malignant phenotype are far from clear. We investigated the reciprocal
      regulation between mitochondrial fission and cytosolic calcium signaling in human
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Furthermore, the underlying molecular
      mechanisms and the synergistic effect on autophagy were explored. Our results
      showed that mitochondrial fission increased the [Ca2+]c and calcium oscillation
      in HCC cells. We further found that mitochondrial fission-mediated calcium
      signaling was dependent on ROS-activated NF-kappaB pathways, which facilitated
      the expression of STIM1 and subsequent store-operated calciumentry. Additionally,
      we also demonstrated that increase in [Ca2+]c promoted mitochondrial fission by
      up-regulating expression of Drp1 and FIS1 via transcription factors NFATC2 and c
      Myc, respectively. Moreover, the positive feedback loop significantly promoted
      HCC cell global autophagy by Ca2+/CAMKK/AMPK pathway. Our data demonstrate a
      positive feedback loop between mitochondrial fission and cytosolic calcium
      signaling and their promoting role in autophagy of HCC cells, which provides
      evidence for this loop as a potential drug target in tumor treatment.

PMID- 28624624
TI  - Claudin-18 coupled with EGFR/ERK signaling contributes to the malignant
      potentials of bile duct cancer.
AB  - Our recent work revealed that elevated expression of claudin-18 is involved in
      bile duct neoplasia. In the present study, we found that wound generation of a
      cell sheet de novo induced claudin-18 expression in its leading edge, coincident
      with high mitotic activity. We also found that the suppression of claudin-18
      expression significantly reduced cell growth and invasiveness of bile duct cancer
      cell lines and tumorigenicity in vivo. In addition, an antibody specific to an
      extracellular loop of claudin-18 showed similar effects on the cells such as cell
      proliferation. Interestingly, treatment with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and
      overexpression of RAS oncogene induced claudin-18 expression by activation of
      extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)1/2. Furthermore, enhanced claudin-18
      expression activated ERK1/2. These findings provide evidence for an oncogenic
      property of claudin-18 in bile duct carcinoma cells via modulation of EGFR/ERK
      signaling, indicating that claudin-18 is a possible therapeutic target for this
      malignancy.

PMID- 28624625
TI  - A formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE)-based prognostic signature to predict
      metastasis in clinically low risk stage I/II microsatellite stable colorectal
      cancer.
AB  - Approximately 20% early-stage (I/II) colorectal cancer (CRC) patients develop
      metastases despite curative surgery. We aim to develop a formalin-fixed and
      paraffin-embedded (FFPE)-based predictor of metastases in early-stage, clinically
      defined low risk, microsatellite-stable (MSS) CRC patients. We considered genome
      wide mRNA and miRNA expression and mutation status of 20 genes assayed in 150
      fresh-frozen tumours with known metastasis status. We selected 193 genes for
      further analysis using NanoString nCounter arrays on corresponding FFPE tumours.
      Neither mutation status nor miRNA expression improved the estimated prediction.
      The final predictor, ColoMet19, based on the top 19 genes' mRNA levels trained by
      Random Forest machine-learning strategy, had an estimated positive-predictive
      value (PPV) of 0.66. We tested ColoMet19 on an independent test-set of 131
      tumours and obtained a population-adjusted PPV of 0.67 indicating that early
      stage CRC patients who tested positive have a 67% risk of developing metastases,
      substantially higher than the metastasis risk of 40% for node-positive (Stage
      III) patients who are generally treated with chemotherapy. Predicted-positive
      patients also had poorer metastasis-free survival (hazard ratios [HR] = 1.92,
      design-set; HR = 2.05, test-set). Thus, early-stage CRC patients who test
      positive may be considered for adjuvant therapy after surgery.

PMID- 28624626
TI  - Alternative Polyadenylation Patterns for Novel Gene Discovery and Classification
      in Cancer.
AB  - Certain aspects of diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer patients are
      still important challenges to be addressed. Therefore, we propose a pipeline to
      uncover patterns of alternative polyadenylation (APA), a hidden complexity in
      cancer transcriptomes, to further accelerate efforts to discover novel cancer
      genes and pathways. Here, we analyzed expression data for 1045 cancer patients
      and found a significant shift in usage of poly(A) signals in common tumor types
      (breast, colon, lung, prostate, gastric, and ovarian) compared to normal tissues.
      Using machine-learning techniques, we further defined specific subsets of APA
      events to efficiently classify cancer types. Furthermore, APA patterns were
      associated with altered protein levels in patients, revealed by antibody-based
      profiling data, suggesting functional significance. Overall, our study offers a
      computational approach for use of APA in novel gene discovery and classification
      in common tumor types, with important implications in basic research, biomarker
      discovery, and precision medicine approaches.

PMID- 28624627
TI  - Histopathological and proteomic responses in male Chinese rare minnow
      (Gobiocypris rarus) indicate hepatotoxicity following benzotriazole exposure.
AB  - Benzotriazole (BT) and its associated derivatives are used ubiquitously in
      industrial processes, and can be detected in indoor temperature coolants and in
      chemicals designed to inhibit corrosion. This chemical has been widely detected
      in aquatic environments and shows some degree of environmental persistence.
      Evidence has shown that BT exposure can negatively affect endocrine systems and
      can result in neurotoxicity in fish. However, no study has examined whether this
      chemical exhibits hepatotoxicity in fish, and if so, what are the underlying
      mechanism associated with the damage. To address this knowledge gap, we measured
      the liver proteome of adult male Chinese rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) exposed
      to either 0.05, 0.5, or 5 mg/L BT for 28 days. Overall, 17 proteins were induced
      and 9 were reduced in abundance following BT treatment (ratio > 1.5, p < 0.05).
      Pathway analysis revealed that cellular processes affected by BT included
      xenobiotic clearance, oxidative stress response, apoptosis, and translation.
      Moreover, transcripts related to these toxic pathways were also significantly
      affected by BT. In addition, rare minnows exposed to BT showed signs of
      hypertrophy of hepatocytes, nuclei pyknosis, and higher levels of cellular
      vacuolization compared to the controls, thus these early proteomic responses in
      the liver may be related to pathology (i.e. adverse outcome pathway). Our data
      demonstrate that BT dysregulates molecular responses in the liver and tissue
      pathology indicative of damage. This study provides new insight into BT
      hepatotoxicity in Chinese rare minnow.

PMID- 28624628
TI  - Time-dependent inhibitory effects of Tris(1, 3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate on
      growth and transcription of genes involved in the GH/IGF axis, but not the HPT
      axis, in female zebrafish.
AB  - Growth curves were used to determine sensitive exposure windows for evaluation of
      developmental toxicity of chemicals to zebrafish. Dose- and time-dependent
      effects on body mass, body length and expression of genes involved in the growth
      hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary
      thyroid (HPT) axis were examined after exposure to environmentally relevant
      concentrations of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP). Based on growth
      curves, zebrafish grew most rapidly between 60 and 90 days post fertilization
      (dpf). Exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TDCIPP
      significantly decreased body mass and body length and down-regulated expression
      of several genes involved in the GH/IGF axis of female zebrafish, but no such
      effects were observed in male zebrafish. Exposure to TDCIPP did not change
      concentrations of thyroid hormones or expression of genes along the HPT axis in
      female and male zebrafish. These results suggest that growth stages of zebrafish
      between 60 and 90 dpf might be most appropriate for evaluation of developmental
      toxicity of chemicals, and down-regulation of genes involved in the GH/IGF axis,
      but not the HPT axis, might be responsible for the observed growth inhibition in
      females exposed to TDCIPP.

PMID- 28624629
TI  - Zinc oxide nanoparticle exposure triggers different gene expression patterns in
      maize shoots and roots.
AB  - The potential impacts of environmentally accumulated zinc oxide nanoparticles
      (nZnOs) on plant growth have not been well studied. A transcriptome profile
      analysis of maize exposed to nZnOs showed that the genes in the shoots and roots
      responded differently. Although the number of differentially expressed genes
      (DEGs) in the roots was greater than that in the shoots, the number of up- or
      down-regulated genes in both the shoots and roots was similar. The enrichment of
      gene ontology (GO) terms was also significantly different in the shoots and
      roots. The "nitrogen compound metabolism" and "cellular component" terms were
      specifically and highly up-regulated in the nZnO-exposed roots, whereas the
      categories "cellular metabolic process", "primary metabolic process" and
      "secondary metabolic process" were down-regulated in the exposed roots only. Our
      results revealed the DEG response patterns in maize shoots and roots after nZnO
      exposure.

PMID- 28624630
TI  - The dynamic links between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, health spending and GDP
      growth: A case study for 51 countries.
AB  - This document investigated the causal relationship between carbon dioxide (CO2)
      emissions, health spending and GDP growth for 51 countries (divided into three
      groups of countries: low-income countries; group of countries with lower and
      upper middle income; group of middle income countries) covering the annual period
      1995-2013. Dynamic simultaneous-equations models and generalized method of
      moments (GMM) are used to investigate this relationship. The main results provide
      evidence of a causal relationship between the three variables. The empirical
      results show that there is a bidirectional causality between CO2 emissions and
      GDP per capita, between health spending and economic growth for the three groups
      of estimates. The results also indicate that there is a unidirectional causality
      from CO2 emissions to health spending, except low income group countries. We
      found that health plays an important role in GDP per capita; it limits its effect
      on a growing deterioration in the quality of the environment.

PMID- 28624631
TI  - Re: In defence of high hand-hygiene compliance rates.

PMID- 28624632
TI  - Healthcare workers' knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to Ebola virus
      disease.

PMID- 28624633
TI  - From flamingo dance to (desirable) drug discovery: a nature-inspired approach.
AB  - The therapeutic effects of drugs are well known to result from their interaction
      with multiple intracellular targets. Accordingly, the pharma industry is
      currently moving from a reductionist approach based on a 'one-target fixation' to
      a holistic multitarget approach. However, many drug discovery practices are still
      procedural abstractions resulting from the attempt to understand and address the
      action of biologically active compounds while preventing adverse effects. Here,
      we discuss how drug discovery can benefit from the principles of evolutionary
      biology and report two real-life case studies. We do so by focusing on the
      desirability principle, and its many features and applications, such as machine
      learning-based multicriteria virtual screening.

PMID- 28624635
TI  - Identification and interaction of multiple stressors in central European lowland
      rivers.
AB  - Interactions of multiple stressors in lotic systems have received growing
      interest and have been analysed in a growing number of studies using experiment
      and survey data. In this study, we present a protocol to identify, display and
      analyse stressors of rivers and their interactions (additive, synergistic or
      antagonistic). We used a dataset of 125 samples of central European lowland
      rivers comprising hydromorphological, physico-chemical and land use stressor and
      pressure variables as well as benthic macroinvertebrate traits as biological
      response variables. To identify and visualise multiple stressor combinations
      jointly operating in the data set, we applied social network analysis. The main
      co-occurring stressor combination was fine sediment accumulation
      (hydromorphological stress) and enhanced phosphorus concentration (nutrient
      stress). Agricultural (cropland) and urban land use were identified as the main
      large scale environmental pressures. Stressor interactions were analysed using
      generalised linear regression modelling (GLM) including pairwise interaction
      terms. Altogether, 14 macroinvertebrate response variables were tested on six
      stressor combinations and revealed predominantly additive effects (80% of all
      significant models with absolute standardised effect sizes >0.1). Significant
      antagonistic and synergistic interactions occurred in almost 20% of the models.
      Fine sediment stress was more influential and frequent than nutrient stress. The
      methodology presented here is standardisable and thus could help inform
      practitioners in aquatic ecosystem monitoring about prominent combinations of
      multiple stressors and their interactions. Yet, further understanding of the
      mechanisms behind the biological responses is required to be able to derive
      appropriate guidance for management. This applies to rather complex stressors and
      pressures, such as land use, for which more detailed data (e.g. nutrient
      concentrations, fine sediment entry, pesticide pollution) is often missing.

PMID- 28624634
TI  - Impact of upgrading wastewater treatment plant on the removal of typical methyl,
      oxygenated, chlorinated and parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
AB  - Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) secondary effluent is a main source for
      polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives (SPAHs) to
      wastewater receiving rivers in Beijing. The treatment technologies are being
      upgraded in the WWTPs as the tertiary treatment. To assess the improvement of the
      removal efficiencies of PAHs and SPAHs after the treatment upgrading, we
      investigated 16 PAHs and 4 types of SPAHs in the secondary and tertiary treatment
      process in 5 major WWTPs. Most of the parent PAHs, methyl PAHs, oxygenated PAHs
      and chlorinated PAHs were detected in the influent, secondary and tertiary
      effluent. The concentrations of SigmaSPAHs (61ng/L-529ng/L) were similar to
      SigmaPAHs (89ng/L-474ng/L), indicating that SPAHs should not be ignored when
      studying the PAH contamination. SigmaPAHs and SigmaSPAHs were largely removed by
      the secondary treatment (45%-82%) and less by the tertiary treatment (0%-24%).
      The removal efficiencies were lower in the secondary and tertiary treatment in
      WWTPs than in the lab-scale experiment conducted previously, probably a result of
      the association of PAHs and SPAHs with dissolved organic matters (DOMs) in
      wastewater. DOMs might be a limiting factor for the removal of PAHs and SPAHs in
      WWTPs. The estimated yearly loadings of the total PAHs and SPAHs decreased only
      21% in the tertiary effluent compared with the secondary effluent in WWTP1 and 9%
      in WWTP3. Therefore, the upgrading of WWTPs did not efficiently improve the
      removal of PAHs and SPAHs. DOMs should be further considered for improving the
      removal of PAHs, SPAHs and similar contaminants in WWTPs.

PMID- 28624636
TI  - Water geochemistry of shallow lakes from the southeastern Pampa plain, Argentina
      and their implications on mollusk shells preservation.
AB  - A seasonal sampling of sediments, column and interstitial water for physico
      chemical analysis were performed in littoral and open water areas in three
      freshwater shallow lakes (Nahuel Ruca, Las Mostazas and Los Carpinchos) from
      Southeastern Pampa plain, Argentina. The main objective of the present study is
      to evaluate how the characteristics of the depositional environments could be
      affecting mollusk shell preservation. These lakes are very shallow (2m) and are
      characterized by an extensive littoral area, dominated by the emergent macrophyte
      Schoenoplectus californicus, which forms a complete ring around the lake, and an
      open water area, in general free of vegetation. Five samples of sediments in each
      compartment were extracted for analysis of pH, moisture, organic matter and
      carbonates content using a gravity corer, while five samples from column and
      interstitial water were extracted for chemical analysis (pH, conductivity, major
      ions, minor ions and hardness). Besides, calcite and aragonite saturation indices
      and the redox potential were calculated for each lake. The results show the
      significant impact of water chemistry and redox conditions on the preservation
      potential of freshwater mollusk and consequently in the quality of
      paleonvironmental reconstruction based on the biological record from the study
      region. The higher concentration of organic matter and lower pH registered in the
      littoral area, mainly during warm months (autumn and summer), suggest worst
      environments for mollusk preservation, compared to open waters. Moreover, water
      geochemistry analysis showed aragonite and calcite indices near equilibrium or
      slightly subsaturated in interstitial water associated with more acid pHs, while
      column water is strongly oversaturated related to alkaline pHs. These results
      suggest that carbonate remains within sediments will be subject to dissolution
      affecting negatively their preservation potential. However, mollusk shells in
      contact with the column water are not expected to be dissolved.

PMID- 28624637
TI  - Developing a new Bayesian Risk Index for risk evaluation of soil contamination.
AB  - Industrial and agricultural activities heavily constrain soil quality.
      Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) are a threat to public health and the
      environment alike. In this regard, the identification of areas that require
      remediation is crucial. In the herein research a geochemical dataset (230
      samples) comprising 14 elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Ni, Mn, Fe, As, Cd, V, Cr, Ti,
      Al and S) was gathered throughout eight different zones distinguished by their
      main activity, namely, recreational, agriculture/livestock and heavy industry in
      the Aviles Estuary (North of Spain). Then a stratified systematic sampling method
      was used at short, medium, and long distances from each zone to obtain a
      representative picture of the total variability of the selected attributes. The
      information was then combined in four risk classes (Low, Moderate, High,
      Remediation) following reference values from several sediment quality guidelines
      (SQGs). A Bayesian analysis, inferred for each zone, allowed the characterization
      of PTEs correlations, the unsupervised learning network technique proving to be
      the best fit. Based on the Bayesian network structure obtained, Pb, As and Mn
      were selected as key contamination parameters. For these 3 elements, the
      conditional probability obtained was allocated to each observed point, and a
      simple, direct index (Bayesian Risk Index-BRI) was constructed as a linear rating
      of the pre-defined risk classes weighted by the previously obtained probability.
      Finally, the BRI underwent geostatistical modeling. One hundred Sequential
      Gaussian Simulations (SGS) were computed. The Mean Image and the Standard
      Deviation maps were obtained, allowing the definition of High/Low risk clusters
      (Local G clustering) and the computation of spatial uncertainty. High-risk
      clusters are mainly distributed within the area with the highest altitude
      (agriculture/livestock) showing an associated low spatial uncertainty, clearly
      indicating the need for remediation. Atmospheric emissions, mainly derived from
      the metallurgical industry, contribute to soil contamination by PTEs.

PMID- 28624638
TI  - The fate of spirotetramat and dissipation metabolites in Apiaceae and
      Brassicaceae leaf-root and soil system under greenhouse conditions estimated by
      modified QuEChERS/LC-MS/MS.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the dissipation of spirotetramat and its
      four metabolites (B-enol, B-keto, B-mono and B-glu) in different parts of
      vegetables belong to the minor crops (Appiacea and Brassicaceae) and soil from
      cultivation. The challenge of this study was to apply an optimized clean up step
      in QuEChERS to obtain one universal sorbent for different complex matrices like
      leaves with high levels of pigments, roots containing acids, sugars, polyphenolls
      and pigments and soil with organic ingredients. Eight commercial (Florisil,
      neutral alumina, GCB, PSA, C18, diatomaceous earth, VERDE and ChloroFiltr) and
      one organic (Chitosan) sorbents were tested. A modified clean up step in QuEChERS
      methodology was used for analysis. The dissipation of spirotetramat and its
      metabolites was described according to a first-order (FO) kinetics equation with
      R2 between 0.9055 and 0.9838. The results showed that the time after 50% (DT50)
      of the substance degraded was different for soil, roots and leaves, and amounted
      to 0.2day, 2.8-2.9days and 2.1-2.4days, respectively. The terminal residues of
      spiroteramat (expressed as the sum of spirotetramat, B-enol, B-glu, B-keto and B
      mono) were much lower than the MRLs.

PMID- 28624639
TI  - Ozone exposure- and flux-based response relationships with photosynthesis, leaf
      morphology and biomass in two poplar clones.
AB  - Poplar clones 546 (P. deltoides cv. '55/56'*P. deltoides cv. 'Imperial') and 107
      (P. euramericana cv. '74/76') were exposed to five ozone concentrations in 15
      open-top chambers (OTCs). Both ozone exposure (AOT40, Accumulation Over a
      Threshold hourly ozone concentration of 40ppb) and flux-based (POD7, Phytotoxic
      Ozone Dose above an hourly flux threshold of 7nmol O3 m-2 PLA (projected leaf
      area) s-1) response relationships were established with photosynthesis, leaf
      morphology and biomass variables. Increases in both metrics showed significant
      negative relationships with light-saturated photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll
      content, leaf mass per area, actual photochemical efficiency of PSII in the light
      and root biomass but not with stomatal conductance (gs), leaf and stem biomass.
      Ozone had a greater impact on belowground than on aboveground biomass. The
      ranking of these indicators from higher to lower sensitivity to ozone was:
      photosynthetic parameters, morphological index, and biomass. Clone 546 had a
      higher sensitivity to ozone than clone 107. The coefficients of determination
      (R2) were similar between exposure- and flux-based dose-response relationships
      for each variable. The critical levels (CLs) for a 5% reduction in total biomass
      for the two poplar clones were 14.8ppmh for AOT40 and 9.8mmol O3 m-2 PLA for
      POD7. In comparison, equivalent reduction occurred at much lower values in
      photosynthetic parameters (4ppmh for AOT40 and 3mmol O3 m-2 PLA for POD7) and LMA
      (5.8ppmh for AOT40 and 4mmol O3 m-2 PLA for POD7). While in recent decades
      different CLs have been proposed for several plant receptors especially in
      Europe, studies focusing on both flux-based dose-response relationships and CLs
      are still scarce in Asia. This study is therefore valuable for regional O3 risk
      assessment in Asia.

PMID- 28624640
TI  - Neural correlates of preserved facial affect perception in high functioning
      schizophrenia.
AB  - Individuals with 'high functioning' schizophrenia (HF-SCZ) may have preserved
      facial affect perception (FAP) compared to individuals with 'low functioning'
      schizophrenia (LF-SCZ). The neural mechanisms supporting preserved FAP in HF-SCZ
      have yet to be evaluated. This study compared brain activation during FAP
      performance in HF-SCZ, LF-SCZ, and controls. Results demonstrated greater
      activation in the precuneus in CON compared to both SCZ groups, while HF-SCZ
      activated this region intermediate to controls and LF-SCZ. These preliminary
      findings suggest greater precuneus activation may be related to preserved FAP in
      HF-SCZ compared to LF-SCZ, though future research is needed to further evaluate
      differences between groups.

PMID- 28624641
TI  - Text mining applied to electronic cardiovascular procedure reports to identify
      patients with trileaflet aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interrogation of the electronic health record (EHR) using billing
      codes as a surrogate for diagnoses of interest has been widely used for clinical
      research. However, the accuracy of this methodology is variable, as it reflects
      billing codes rather than severity of disease, and depends on the disease and the
      accuracy of the coding practitioner. Systematic application of text mining to the
      EHR has had variable success for the detection of cardiovascular phenotypes. We
      hypothesize that the application of text mining algorithms to cardiovascular
      procedure reports may be a superior method to identify patients with
      cardiovascular conditions of interest. METHODS: We adapted the Oracle product
      Endeca, which utilizes text mining to identify terms of interest from a NoSQL
      like database, for purposes of searching cardiovascular procedure reports and
      termed the tool "PennSeek". We imported 282,569 echocardiography reports
      representing 81,164 individuals and 27,205 cardiac catheterization reports
      representing 14,567 individuals from non-searchable databases into PennSeek. We
      then applied clinical criteria to these reports in PennSeek to identify patients
      with trileaflet aortic stenosis (TAS) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Accuracy
      of patient identification by text mining through PennSeek was compared with ICD-9
      billing codes. RESULTS: Text mining identified 7115 patients with TAS and 9247
      patients with CAD. ICD-9 codes identified 8272 patients with TAS and 6913
      patients with CAD. 4346 patients with AS and 6024 patients with CAD were
      identified by both approaches. A randomly selected sample of 200-250 patients
      uniquely identified by text mining was compared with 200-250 patients uniquely
      identified by billing codes for both diseases. We demonstrate that text mining
      was superior, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.95 compared to 0.53 by
      ICD-9 for TAS, and a PPV of 0.97 compared to 0.86 for CAD. CONCLUSION: These
      results highlight the superiority of text mining algorithms applied to electronic
      cardiovascular procedure reports in the identification of phenotypes of interest
      for cardiovascular research.

PMID- 28624642
TI  - DrugSemantics: A corpus for Named Entity Recognition in Spanish Summaries of
      Product Characteristics.
AB  - For the healthcare sector, it is critical to exploit the vast amount of textual
      health-related information. Nevertheless, healthcare providers have difficulties
      to benefit from such quantity of data during pharmacotherapeutic care. The
      problem is that such information is stored in different sources and their
      consultation time is limited. In this context, Natural Language Processing
      techniques can be applied to efficiently transform textual data into structured
      information so that it could be used in critical healthcare applications, being
      of help for physicians in their daily workload, such as: decision support
      systems, cohort identification, patient management, etc. Any development of these
      techniques requires annotated corpora. However, there is a lack of such resources
      in this domain and, in most cases, the few ones available concern English. This
      paper presents the definition and creation of DrugSemantics corpus, a collection
      of Summaries of Product Characteristics in Spanish. It was manually annotated
      with pharmacotherapeutic named entities, detailed in DrugSemantics annotation
      scheme. Annotators were a Registered Nurse (RN) and two students from the Degree
      in Nursing. The quality of DrugSemantics corpus has been assessed by measuring
      its annotation reliability (overall F=79.33% [95%CI: 78.35-80.31]), as well as
      its annotation precision (overall P=94.65% [95%CI: 94.11-95.19]). Besides, the
      gold-standard construction process is described in detail. In total, our corpus
      contains more than 2000 named entities, 780 sentences and 226,729 tokens. Last, a
      Named Entity Classification module trained on DrugSemantics is presented aiming
      at showing the quality of our corpus, as well as an example of how to use it.

PMID- 28624643
TI  - Automated detection of records in biological sequence databases that are
      inconsistent with the literature.
AB  - We investigate and analyse the data quality of nucleotide sequence databases with
      the objective of automatic detection of data anomalies and suspicious records.
      Specifically, we demonstrate that the published literature associated with each
      data record can be used to automatically evaluate its quality, by cross-checking
      the consistency of the key content of the database record with the referenced
      publications. Focusing on GenBank, we describe a set of quality indicators based
      on the relevance paradigm of information retrieval (IR). Then, we use these
      quality indicators to train an anomaly detection algorithm to classify records as
      "confident" or "suspicious". Our experiments on the PubMed Central collection
      show assessing the coherence between the literature and database records, through
      our algorithms, is an effective mechanism for assisting curators to perform data
      cleansing. Although fewer than 0.25% of the records in our data set are known to
      be faulty, we would expect that there are many more in GenBank that have not yet
      been identified. By automated comparison with literature they can be identified
      with a precision of up to 10% and a recall of up to 30%, while strongly
      outperforming several baselines. While these results leave substantial room for
      improvement, they reflect both the very imbalanced nature of the data, and the
      limited explicitly labelled data that is available. Overall, the obtained results
      show promise for the development of a new kind of approach to detecting low
      quality and suspicious sequence records based on literature analysis and
      consistency. From a practical point of view, this will greatly help curators in
      identifying inconsistent records in large-scale sequence databases by
      highlighting records that are likely to be inconsistent with the literature.

PMID- 28624644
TI  - Psychiatric symptom recognition without labeled data using distributional
      representations of phrases and on-line knowledge.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Mental health is becoming an increasingly important topic in
      healthcare. Psychiatric symptoms, which consist of subjective descriptions of the
      patient's experience, as well as the nature and severity of mental disorders, are
      critical to support the phenotypic classification for personalized prevention,
      diagnosis, and intervention of mental disorders. However, few automated
      approaches have been proposed to extract psychiatric symptoms from clinical text,
      mainly due to (a) the lack of annotated corpora, which are time-consuming and
      costly to build, and (b) the inherent linguistic difficulties that symptoms
      present as they are not well-defined clinical concepts like diseases. The goal of
      this study is to investigate techniques for recognizing psychiatric symptoms in
      clinical text without labeled data. Instead, external knowledge in the form of
      publicly available "seed" lists of symptoms is leveraged using unsupervised
      distributional representations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, psychiatric
      symptoms are collected from three online repositories of healthcare knowledge for
      consumers-MedlinePlus, Mayo Clinic, and the American Psychiatric Association-for
      use as seed terms. Candidate symptoms in psychiatric notes are automatically
      extracted using phrasal syntax patterns. In particular, the 2016 CEGS N-GRID
      challenge data serves as the psychiatric note corpus. Second, three corpora
      psychiatric notes, psychiatric forum data, and MIMIC II-are adopted to generate
      distributional representations with paragraph2vec. Finally, semantic similarity
      between the distributional representations of the seed symptoms and candidate
      symptoms is calculated to assess the relevance of a phrase. Experiments were
      performed on a set of psychiatric notes from the CEGS N-GRID 2016 Challenge.
      RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Our method demonstrates good performance at extracting
      symptoms from an unseen corpus, including symptoms with no word overlap with the
      provided seed terms. Semantic similarity based on the distributional
      representation outperformed baseline methods. Our experiment yielded two
      interesting results. First, distributional representations built from social
      media data outperformed those built from clinical data. And second, the
      distributional representation model built from sentences resulted in better
      representations of phrases than the model built from phrase alone.

PMID- 28624645
TI  - Cingulo-opercular activity affects incidental memory encoding for speech in
      noise.
AB  - Correctly understood speech in difficult listening conditions is often difficult
      to remember. A long-standing hypothesis for this observation is that the
      engagement of cognitive resources to aid speech understanding can limit resources
      available for memory encoding. This hypothesis is consistent with evidence that
      speech presented in difficult conditions typically elicits greater activity
      throughout cingulo-opercular regions of frontal cortex that are proposed to
      optimize task performance through adaptive control of behavior and tonic
      attention. However, successful memory encoding of items for delayed recognition
      memory tasks is consistently associated with increased cingulo-opercular activity
      when perceptual difficulty is minimized. The current study used a delayed
      recognition memory task to test competing predictions that memory encoding for
      words is enhanced or limited by the engagement of cingulo-opercular activity
      during challenging listening conditions. An fMRI experiment was conducted with
      twenty healthy adult participants who performed a word identification in noise
      task that was immediately followed by a delayed recognition memory task.
      Consistent with previous findings, word identification trials in the poorer
      signal-to-noise ratio condition were associated with increased cingulo-opercular
      activity and poorer recognition memory scores on average. However, cingulo
      opercular activity decreased for correctly identified words in noise that were
      not recognized in the delayed memory test. These results suggest that memory
      encoding in difficult listening conditions is poorer when elevated cingulo
      opercular activity is not sustained. Although increased attention to speech when
      presented in difficult conditions may detract from more active forms of memory
      maintenance (e.g., sub-vocal rehearsal), we conclude that task performance
      monitoring and/or elevated tonic attention supports incidental memory encoding in
      challenging listening conditions.

PMID- 28624646
TI  - Instantaneous voltage as an alternative to power- and phase-based interpretation
      of oscillatory brain activity.
AB  - For decades, oscillatory brain activity has been characterized primarily by
      measurements of power and phase. While many studies have linked those
      measurements to cortical excitability, their relationship to each other and to
      the physiological underpinnings of excitability is unclear. The recently proposed
      Function-through-Biased-Oscillations (FBO) hypothesis (Schalk, 2015) addressed
      these issues by suggesting that the voltage potential at the cortical surface
      directly reflects the excitability of cortical populations, that this voltage is
      rhythmically driven away from a low resting potential (associated with
      depolarized cortical populations) towards positivity (associated with
      hyperpolarized cortical populations). This view explains how oscillatory power
      and phase together influence the instantaneous voltage potential that directly
      regulates cortical excitability. This implies that the alternative measurement of
      instantaneous voltage of oscillatory activity should better predict cortical
      excitability compared to either of the more traditional measurements of power or
      phase. Using electrocorticographic (ECoG) data from 28 human subjects, the
      results of our study confirm this prediction: compared to oscillatory power and
      phase, the instantaneous voltage explained 20% and 31% more of the variance in
      broadband gamma, respectively, and power and phase together did not produce
      better predictions than the instantaneous voltage. These results synthesize the
      previously separate power- and phase-based interpretations and associate
      oscillatory activity directly with a physiological interpretation of cortical
      excitability. This alternative view has implications for the interpretation of
      studies of oscillatory activity and for current theories of cortical information
      transmission.

PMID- 28624647
TI  - Comparison of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Fine-Needle Aspiration and Endoscopic
      Ultrasound-Fine-Needle Biopsy for Solid Lesions in a Multicenter, Randomized
      Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is the
      standard of care for tissue sampling of solid lesions adjacent to the
      gastrointestinal tract. Fine-needle biopsy (FNB) may provide higher diagnostic
      yield with fewer needle passes. The aim of this study was to assess the
      difference in diagnostic yield between FNA and FNB. METHODS: This is a
      multicenter, prospective randomized clinical trial from 6 large tertiary care
      centers. Patients referred for tissue sampling of solid lesions were randomized
      to either FNA or FNB of the target lesion. Demographics, size, location, number
      of needle passes, and final diagnosis were recorded. RESULTS: After enrollment,
      135 patients were randomized to FNA (49.3%), and 139 patients were randomized to
      FNB (50.7%).The following lesions were sampled: mass (n = 210, 76.6%), lymph
      nodes (n = 46, 16.8%), and submucosal tumors (n = 18, 6.6%). Final diagnosis was
      malignancy (n = 192, 70.1%), reactive lymphadenopathy (n = 30, 11.0%), and
      spindle cell tumors (n = 24, 8.8%). FNA had a diagnostic yield of 91.1% compared
      with 88.5% for FNB (P = .48). There was no difference between FNA and FNB when
      stratified by the presence of on-site cytopathology or by type of lesion sampled.
      A median of 1 needle pass was needed to obtain a diagnostic sample for both
      needles. CONCLUSIONS: FNA and FNB obtained a similar diagnostic yield with a
      comparable number of needle passes. On the basis of these results, there is no
      significant difference in the performance of FNA compared with FNB in the
      cytologic diagnosis of solid lesions adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract.
      ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01698190.

PMID- 28624648
TI  - Lifestyle Behavior Change in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A
      Qualitative Study of Clinical Practice.

PMID- 28624649
TI  - Diffuse Enlargement of the Pancreas: An Unusual Radiologic Presentation of a
      Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor.

PMID- 28624650
TI  - Colon Pathology Characteristics in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.

PMID- 28624651
TI  - Efficacy and Optimal Duration of Metallic Stent in the Management of Refractory
      Anastomotic Stricture After Liver Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Anastomotic bile duct stricture (ABS) remains as one of the
      most common complications in liver transplant patients. Current practice of
      endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with insertion of plastic
      stent often requires multiple procedures before achieving stricture resolution.
      To date, studies using covered self-expandable metallic stent (cSEMS) in ABS
      management reported varying degrees of efficacy. The aim of this study was to
      analyze long-term efficacy of cSEMS in patients with ABS and identify factor(s)
      influencing the probability of stricture resolution. METHODS: Liver transplant
      patients with ABS who received cSEMS were identified by query of our endoscopic
      database. The rate of stricture resolution, duration of stricture-free interval,
      factors associated with stricture resolution, and adverse outcomes were analyzed.
      RESULTS: Among 44 liver transplant patients with refractory ABS who underwent
      ERCP-cSEMS, stricture resolution was observed in 33 patients (75%). Longer
      duration of cSEMS insertion was the only variable associated with increasing
      probability of stricture resolution. There was 20% increase in odds of stricture
      resolution for every additional week cSEMS was in place. Among 33 patients with
      initial stricture resolution, 26 patients (78.8%) maintained bile duct patency
      throughout the follow-up period. The most common adverse outcome was internal
      migration of cSEMS, which occurred in 11 patients (25%). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of
      ABS resolution observed with cSEMS placement in a single ERCP session appears to
      be comparable with that of multiple ERCPs with plastic stent placement reported
      previously. Longer stent insertion period is associated with higher likelihood of
      ABS resolution.

PMID- 28624652
TI  - Association of Transferrin Saturation With the Arthropathy of Hereditary
      Hemochromatosis.

PMID- 28624653
TI  - Giant Ring Mitochondria in a Patient With Heart Failure and Cerebral White Matter
      Disease Resulting From an MT-TL1 Mitochondrial Gene Mutation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presence of giant ring mitochondria on endomyocardial biopsy is
      rarely reported and does not have a well-defined differential diagnosis. METHODS:
      We report the case of a 54-year-old man with heart failure and preserved ejection
      fraction and left ventricular hypertrophy, initially thought to have an
      infiltrative cardiomyopathy. RESULTS: The patient was found to have extensive
      vacuolization caused by giant ring mitochondria on endomyocardial biopsy.
      Mitochondrial genetic testing revealed an A3243G mutation in the MT-TL1 gene,
      which is a mitochondrial encoded transfer RNA-leucine molecule. CONCLUSIONS:
      Mitochondrial disease should be considered in patients presenting with
      unexplained cardiomyopathy and skeletal muscle, cerebral, or metabolic
      abnormalities. In this case, the presence of unexpected extensive cardiomyocyte
      vacuolization and giant, ring-shaped mitochondria on endomyocardial biopsy
      prompted mitochondrial genetic testing, which ultimately resulted in the correct
      diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28624654
TI  - Insulin signaling: An opportunistic target to minify the risk of Alzheimer's
      disease.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized
      by accumulation of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and
      neurodegeneration. The diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the risk factors for AD
      pathogenesis by impairment in insulin signaling and glucose metabolism in central
      as well as peripheral system. Insulin resistance, impaired glucose and lipid
      metabolism are leading to the Abeta (Abeta) aggregation, Tau phosphorylation,
      mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, protein misfolding, memory
      impairment and also mark over Abeta transport through central to peripheral and
      vice versa. Several pathways, like enzymatic degradation of Abeta, forkhead box
      protein O1 (FOXO) signaling, insulin signaling shared common pathological
      mechanism for both AD and DM. Recent evidence showed that hyperinsulinemia and
      hyperglycemia affect the onset and progression of AD differently. Some
      researchers have suggested that hyperglycemia influences vascular tone, while
      hyperinsulinemia may underlie mitochondrial deficit. The objective of this review
      is to determine whether existing evidence supports the concept that impairment in
      insulin signaling and glucose metabolism play an important role in pathogenesis
      of AD. In the first part of this review, we tried to explain the interconnecting
      link between AD and DM, whereas the second part includes more information on
      insulin resistance and its involvement in AD pathogenesis. In the final part of
      this review, we have focused more toward the AD treatment by targeting insulin
      signaling like anti-diabetic, antioxidant, nutraceuticals and dietary
      supplements. To date, more researches should be done in this field in order to
      explore the pathways in insulin signaling, which might ameliorate the treatment
      options and reduce the risk of AD due to DM.

PMID- 28624655
TI  - Biological responses to M13 bacteriophage modified titanium surfaces in vitro.
AB  - : Phage-based materials have showed great potential in tissue engineering
      application. However, it is unknown what inflammation response will happen to
      this kind of materials. This work is to explore the biological responses to M13
      bacteriophage (phage) modified titanium surfaces in vitro from the aspects of
      their interaction with macrophages, osteoblasts and mineralization behavior.
      Pretreated Ti surface, Ti surfaces with noncrosslinked phage film (APP) and
      crosslinked phage film (APPG) were compared. Phage films could limit the
      macrophage adhesion and activity due to inducing adherent-cell apoptosis. The
      initial inflammatory activity (24h) caused by phage films was relatively high
      with more production of TNF-alpha, but in the later stage (7-10days) inflammatory
      response was reduced with lower TNF-alpha, IL-6 and higher IL-10. In addition,
      phage films improved osteoblast adhesion, differentiation, and hydroapatite (HA)
      forming via a combination of topographical and biochemcial cues. The
      noncrosslinked phage film displayed the best immunomodulatory property,
      osteogenic activity and HA mineralization ability. This work provides better
      understanding of inflammatory and osteogenetic activity of phage-based materials
      and contributes to their future application in tissue engineering. STATEMENT OF
      SIGNIFICANCE: In vivo, the bone and immune cells share a common microenvironment,
      and are being affected by similar cytokines, signaling molecules, transcription
      factors and membrane receptors. Ideal implants should cause positive biological
      response, including adequate and appropriate inflammatory reaction, well-balanced
      bone formation and absorption. Phage-based materials have showed great potential
      in tissue engineering application. However, at present it is unknown what
      inflammation response will happen to this kind of materials. A good understanding
      of the immune response possibly induced by phage-based materials is needed. This
      work studied the osteoimmunomodulation property of phage films on titanium
      surface, involving inflammatory response, osteogenic activity and
      biomineralization ability. It provides more understanding of the phage-based
      materials and contributes to their future application in tissue engineering.

PMID- 28624656
TI  - Strontium- and cobalt-substituted bioactive glasses seeded with human umbilical
      cord perivascular cells to promote bone regeneration via enhanced osteogenic and
      angiogenic activities.
AB  - : Designing and developing new biomaterials to accelerate bone healing are
      currently under progress. In this study, we attempted to promote osteogenesis
      using strontium- and cobalt-substituted bioactive glasses (BGs) seeded with human
      umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) in a critical size defect in the
      distal femur of rabbit animal model. The BG particles were successfully
      synthesized in the form of granules using the melt-derived route. After being
      isolated, HUCPVCs were expanded and then characterized to use during in vitro and
      in vivo procedures. The in vitro effects of the synthesized glasses on the
      isolated HUCPVCs as well as on cell lines SaOS-2 (selected for screening the
      osteogenetic potential) and HUVEC (selected for screening the angiogenic
      potential) were assessed by analyzing cytotoxicity, cell attachment, bone-like
      nodule formation, and real time PCR. The results of in vitro tests indicated
      cytocompatibility of the synthesized BG particles. For in vivo study, the HUCPVCs
      seeded BGs were implanted into the animal's body. Radiographic imaging, histology
      and immunohistology staining were performed on the harvested specimens at 4 and
      12weeks post-surgery. The in vivo evaluation of the samples showed that all the
      cell/glass constructs accelerated bone healing process in comparison with blank
      controls. The best in vitro and in vivo results were associated to the BGs
      containing both strontium and cobalt ions. This group of bioactive glasses is
      able to promote both osteogenesis and angiogenesis and can therefore be highly
      suitable for the development of advanced functional bone substitutes. STATEMENT
      OF SIGNIFICANCE: Bone regeneration is considered as an unmet clinical need. The
      most recent researches focused on incorporation of strontium (Sr2+) and cobalt
      (Co2+) ions into bioactive glasses structure. Strontium is an alkaline earth
      metal which is currently used in the treatment of osteoporosis. Also, cobalt is
      considered as another promising element in the bone regeneration field that may
      induce hypoxia-mediated angiogenesis. In this study, the osteogenic potential of
      the strontium- and cobalt-substituted bioactive glasses in granule form seeded
      with human umbilical cord perivascular cells (HUCPVCs) was evaluated in vitro and
      in vivo. Indeed, the main goal of this study was to improve the osteogenenic and
      angiogenic properties of bioactive glasses through the incorporation of strontium
      and cobalt ions in the glass composition. Although some researches have been
      conducted on this subject, the influence of the simultaneous use of strontium and
      cobalt ions on the improvement of bone healing in vivo has been not yet well
      understood and, therefore, deserves further investigation.

PMID- 28624657
TI  - Adiponectin improves the osteointegration of titanium implant under diabetic
      conditions by reversing mitochondrial dysfunction via the AMPK pathway in vivo
      and in vitro.
AB  - : Diabetes-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction would result in
      compromised osteointegration of titanium implant (TI) and high rate of implant
      failure, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Adiponectin (APN) is a fat
      derived adipocytokine with strong antioxidant, mitochondrial-protective and anti
      diabetic efficacies. We hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction under
      diabetes may account for the oxidative stress in osteoblasts and titanium-bone
      interface (TBI) instability, which could be ameliorated by APN. To test this
      hypothesis, we incubated primary rat osteoblasts on TI and tested the cellular
      behaviors when subjected to normal milieu (NM), diabetic milieu (DM), DM+APN,
      DM+AICAR (AMPK activator) and DM+APN+Compound C (AMPK inhibitor). In vivo, APN or
      APN+Compound C were administered to diabetic db/db mice with TI implanted in
      their femurs. Results showed that diabetes induced structural damage, dysfunction
      and content decrease of mitochondria in osteoblasts, which led to ROS
      overproduction, dysfunction and apoptosis of osteoblasts accompanied by the
      inhibition of AMPK signaling. APN alleviated the mitochondrial damage by
      activating AMPK, thus reversing osteoblast impairment and improving the
      osteointegration of TI evidenced by Micro-CT and histological analysis.
      Furthermore, AICAR showed beneficial effects similar to APN treatment, while the
      protective effects of APN were abolished when AMPK activation was blocked by
      Compound C. This study clarifies mitochondrial dysfunction as a crucial mechanism
      in the impaired bone healing and implant loosening in diabetes, and provides APN
      as a novel promising active component for biomaterial-engineering to improve
      clinical performance of TI in diabetic patients. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The
      loosening rate of titanium implants in diabetic patients is high. The underlying
      mechanisms remain elusive and, with the rapid increase of diabetic morbility,
      efficacious strategies to mitigate this problem have become increasingly
      important. Our study showed that the mitochondrial impairment and the consequent
      oxidative stress in osteoblasts at the titanium-bone interface (TBI) play a
      critical role in the diabetes-induced poor bone repair and implant
      destabilization, which could become therapeutic targets. Furthermore,
      adiponectin, a cytokine, promotes the bio-functional recovery of osteoblasts and
      bone regeneration at the TBI in diabetes. This provides APN as a novel bioactive
      component used in material-engineering to promote the osteointegration of
      implants, which could reduce implant failure, especially for diabetic patients.

PMID- 28624658
TI  - Optimisation of HPMC ophthalmic inserts with sustained release properties as a
      carrier for thermolabile therapeutics.
AB  - A methodology was developed and optimised for the preparation of a new drug
      delivery system (DDS) with sustained release properties to allow ocular protein
      delivery and to limit destructive production steps during manufacturing. Elevated
      temperatures, shear forces and an oxidative environment should be avoided in
      order to prevent denaturation or oxidation of proteins. An aqueous HPMC solution
      was prepared using heat and casted into small semi-rod-shaped PVC blisters. The
      polymer solution was allowed to cool down and was partially dehydrated at room
      temperature. A drug solution containing glycerol, drug and water was subsequently
      added to rehydrate the partially dehydrated polymer matrix at a temperature of 2
      degrees C. Several parameters of the production process were varied to determine
      their influence on the release kinetics from HPMC inserts from three different
      molecules of different molecular weight. This production method was further
      optimised in order to shorten the rehydration time from weeks to days, while
      eliminating heat and shear forces on the selected drug molecules sodium
      fluorescein, lysozyme and albumin. Slow release kinetics were achieved for sodium
      fluorescein and lysozyme as model drug molecules. The higher molecular weight of
      albumin prevented a good penetration into the insert during the rehydration
      process resulting in predominantly burst release. The biocompatibility of a
      viscous HPMC solution was evaluated on SV40-human corneal epithelial cells with
      PrestoBlue(r) and no cytotoxic effects were observed.

PMID- 28624659
TI  - Surface engineering of Solid Lipid Nanoparticle assemblies by methyl alpha-d
      mannopyranoside for the active targeting to macrophages in anti-tuberculosis
      inhalation therapy.
AB  - This study describes the development of new mannosylated Solid Lipid Nanoparticle
      assemblies (SLNas) delivering rifampicin for an inhaled treatment of
      tuberculosis. SLNas were surface engineered with mannose residues to recognize
      mannose receptors located on infected alveolar macrophages and facilitate cell
      internalization. Two sets of SLNas were produced by the melt emulsifying
      technique using biocompatible lipid components, i.e. cholesteryl myristate
      combined with palmitic acid (PA set) or tripalmitin (TP set), in the presence of
      the targeting moiety, methyl alpha-d-mannopyranoside. Mannosylated SLNas were
      examined for their physical properties, drug payloads and release, as well as
      respirability in terms of emitted dose and respirable fraction determined by Next
      Generation Impactor. The most appropriate formulations were assessed for
      mannosylation using FTIR, XPS, SEM coupled with EDX analysis, and wettability
      assay, in comparison with the respective non-functionalized SLNas. Besides,
      cytotoxicity and cell internalization ability were established on J774 murine
      macrophage cell line. Mannosylated SLNas exhibited physical properties suitable
      for alveolar macrophage passive targeting, adequate rifampicin payloads (10-15%),
      and feasible drug maintenance within SLNas along the respiratory tract before
      macrophage internalization. Despite respirability impaired by powder
      cohesiveness, surface mannosylation provided quicker macrophage phagocytosis,
      giving evidence of an active targeting promotion.

PMID- 28624660
TI  - Comparative study on radiolabeling and biodistribution of core-shell
      silver/polymeric nanoparticles-based theranostics for tumor targeting.
AB  - A simple and rapid method for radiolabeling of three types of Ag NPs has been
      performed using 125I isotope, with high labeling yields, >90% without disturbing
      the optical properties. All the factors affecting labeling yield were studied. In
      order to monitor the in-vivo tissue uptake of radiolabeled Ag NPs using gamma
      rays, Ag-based radioiodo-NPs with a maximum labeling yield were intravenously
      injected in normal and solid tumor bearing mice. The preliminary biodistribution
      study revealed that this new radioiodo-NPs have a high affinity to be localized
      in the tumor site for a long period of time. The reported highly efficient method
      provides new radiolabeled Ag-based NPs as tumor-specific agents for both
      diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28624661
TI  - Targeting human liver cancer cells with lactobionic acid-G(4)-PAMAM-FITC
      sorafenib loaded dendrimers.
AB  - Reported here is the synthesis and biological evaluation of the
      asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) targeted fourth generation poliamidoamine
      dendrimer (G(4)-PAMAM) loaded with sorafenib. The ASGP-R targeted dendrimer was
      obtained by conjugation of Lactobionic acid (La) to the G(4)-PAMAM dendrimer,
      followed by acetylation (Ac) of the free amino groups in order to reduce the non
      specific interactions with the cell membrane. Moreover, by additionally grafting
      fluorescein (FITC), it was easy to characterize the internalization pathway and
      the intracellular fate of the targeted dendrimer Ac-La-G(4)-PAMAM-FITC. In vitro
      experiments performed on HepG-2 and HLE cell lines, allowed to study the ability
      of the dendrimers to affect the cell vitality. Confocal microscopy and
      cytofluorimetric analysis confirmed higher binding and uptake ability of the Ac
      La-G(4)-PAMAM-FITC dendrimer in well differentiated and ASGP-R expressing human
      liver cancer cell line HepG-2 compared non-expressing HLE cells. Ac-La-G(4)-PAMAM
      FITC dendrimer loaded with sorafenib was stable and showed sustained sorafenib
      release. As evidenced by the cytotoxicity studies, sorafenib included in the
      dendrimer maintained its effectiveness, and was able to produce a longer lasting
      effect over the time compared to molar equivalent doses of free sorafenib. This
      new targeted dendrimer appears to be a suitable carrier for the delivery of
      sorafenib to liver cancer cells expressing ASGP-R.

PMID- 28624662
TI  - A mucosa-mimetic material for the mucoadhesion testing of thermogelling semi
      solids.
AB  - Mucosa-mimetic materials are synthetic substrates which aim to replace animal
      tissue in mucoadhesion experiments. One potential mucosa-mimetic material is a
      hydrogel comprised of N-acryloyl-d-glucosamine and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate,
      which has been investigated as a surrogate for animal mucosae in the mucoadhesion
      testing of tablets and solution formulations. This study aims to investigate the
      efficacy of this mucosa-mimetic material in the testing of thermogelling semi
      solid formulations, which transition from solution to gel upon warming. Two
      methods for assessing mucoadhesion have been used; tensile testing and a flow
      through system, which allow for investigation under dramatically different
      conditions. It was found that the mucosa-mimetic material was a good surrogate
      for buccal mucosa using both testing methods. This material may be used to
      replace animal tissue in these experiments, potentially reducing the number of
      laboratory animals used in studies of this type.

PMID- 28624663
TI  - Role of exercise electrocardiogram to screen for T-wave oversensing after
      implantation of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.
AB  - BACKGROUND: During early experience with subcutaneous implantable cardioverter
      defibrillators (S-ICD), several patients had inappropriate shocks from T-wave
      oversensing (TWOS) during exercise. This prompted some operators to perform
      routine treadmill exercise tests after implantation of S-ICD to screen for TWOS.
      Meanwhile, improvements have been made in the detection algorithms by the
      manufacturer. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether routine treadmill exercise post S-ICD
      implantation is warranted. METHODS: Patients undergoing S-ICD implantation from
      October 2012 to December 2016 who were able to complete a treadmill exercise were
      included in the study. The amplitude of R and T waves as assessed by the device
      programmer at rest and peak exercise was calculated and incidence of TWOS
      recorded. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients with complete treadmill exercise test
      data were included in the final analysis. The majority of the patients received S
      ICD for primary prevention. Nine percent of the included patients had
      hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. During treadmill exercise, there was
      significant increase in the heart rate from rest (77 +/- 14 beats per minute) to
      peak exercise (133 +/- 14 beats per minute; P < .0001). There was no significant
      difference between R-wave amplitude at rest (2 +/- 0.77 mV) and peak exercise
      (1.88 +/- 0.94 mV; P = .36). Similarly, there was no significant difference
      between T-wave amplitude at rest (0.27 +/- 0.19 mV) and peak exercise (0.33 +/-
      0.23 mV; P = .06). The incidence of TWOS during exercise was zero. CONCLUSIONS:
      With current screening and detection algorithms for S-ICD, routine treadmill
      exercise does not result in additional discrimination of patients susceptible to
      TWOS.

PMID- 28624665
TI  - Protecting the Public: An Investigation of Midwives Perceptions of Regulation and
      the Regulator.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: to investigate the perceptions of a group of midwifery registrants
      about the influence of regulation and the regulatory body, the Nursing and
      Midwifery Council, on the practice of midwives in the United Kingdom DESIGN:
      quantitative and qualitative research using an online survey and semi-structured
      interviews SETTING: The South East of England, which covers both urban and rural
      practice settings. PARTICIPANTS: (a) 132 (n=70%) midwives responded to the online
      survey, and (b) 20 midwives participated in the semi-structured interviews
      FINDINGS: midwives were generally supportive of the need to regulate practice;
      however, some participants had an uneasy relationship with the Nursing and
      Midwifery Council and claimed to practice defensively, due to a fear that they
      could be removed from the register, and believed the regulator to be remote and
      punitive. For other participants concerns were raised about fitness to practice
      procedures, particularly in terms of decision-making. KEY CONCLUSIONS: the
      participants felt that in order for midwifery regulation to be effective the
      regulator needs to have detailed knowledge and appreciation of the role of the
      midwife, and the needs of the pregnant woman.

PMID- 28624664
TI  - Surgical Outcomes of Urinary Tract Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report the outcomes of surgical management of urinary tract
      endometriosis. DESIGN: Retrospective study based on prospectively recorded data
      (NCT02294825) (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: University
      tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Eighty-one women treated for urinary tract
      endometriosis between July 2009 and December 2015 were included, including 39
      with bladder endometriosis, 31 with ureteral endometriosis, and 11 with both
      ureteral and bladder endometriosis. Owing to bilateral ureteral localization in 8
      women, 50 different ureteral procedures were recorded. INTERVENTION: Procedures
      performed included resection of bladder endometriosis nodules, advanced
      ureterolysis, ureteral resection followed by end-to-end anastomosis, and
      ureteroneocystostomy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The main outcome measure was
      the outcome of the surgical management of urinary tract endometriosis. Fifty
      women presented with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) of the bladder and
      underwent either full-thickness excision of the nodule (70%) or excision of the
      bladder wall without opening of the bladder (30%). Ureteral lesions were treated
      by ureterolysis in 78% of the patients and by primary segmental resection in 22%.
      No patient required nephrectomy. Histological analysis revealed intrinsic
      ureteral endometriosis in 54.5% of cases. Clavien-Dindo grade III complications
      were present in 16% of the patients who underwent surgery for ureteral nodules
      and in 8% of those who underwent surgery for bladder endometriosis. Overall
      delayed postoperative outcomes were favorable regarding urinary symptoms and
      fertility. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of
      7 years postoperatively, with no recorded recurrences. CONCLUSION: Surgical
      outcomes of urinary tract endometriosis are generally satisfactory; however, the
      risk of postoperative complications should be taken into consideration.
      Therefore, all such procedures should be managed by an experienced
      multidisciplinary team.

PMID- 28624667
TI  - Schwannoma and neurofibroma of the posterior tibial nerve presenting as tarsal
      tunnel syndrome: review of the literature with two case reports.
AB  - We present two case reports of peripheral nerve tumors (schwannoma and
      neurofibroma) that presented as tarsal tunnel syndrome for many years. There has
      never been a report of multiple neurofibroma of the posterior tibial nerve
      presenting as a tarsal tunnel syndrome. Both patients were treated surgically
      with good outcomes.

PMID- 28624666
TI  - The nuclear pore complex core scaffold and permeability barrier: variations of a
      common theme.
AB  - The study of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) is a fascinating endeavor, as it not
      only implies uncovering the 'engineering marvel' of its architecture and
      function, but also provides a key window into a significant evolutionary event:
      the origin of the eukaryotic cell. The combined efforts of many groups in the
      field, with the help of novel methodologies and new model organisms, are
      facilitating a much deeper understanding of this complex assembly. Here we cover
      recent advances on the characterization of the structure of the NPC scaffold and
      of the biophysical mechanisms that define the permeability barrier. We identify
      common architectural and functional principles between those two NPC
      compartments, expanding the previous protocoatomer hypothesis to suggest possible
      evolutionary origins for the FG nucleoporins and the NPC permeability barrier.

PMID- 28624668
TI  - KCNQ1 gene polymorphism is associated with glycaemic response to treatment with
      DPP-4 inhibitors.
AB  - AIMS: Only afew gene variants were associated with the response to
      dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4I). KCNQ1 gene variants were previously
      related both to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and incretin effect. We hypothesized that
      T2D related KCNQ1 variants would be associated with smaller glucose-lowering
      effect of DDP4I. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study in 137 Caucasian
      subjects with T2D who were followed for 6months after initiation of DPP4I
      treatment. Genotyping for KCNQ1 rs163184 and rs151290 was performed using PCR
      HRMA and PCR-RFLP methods, respectively. The main clinical outcome was reduction
      in HbA1c (DeltaHbA1c) after 6-month DPP4I treatment. RESULTS: KCNQ1 rs163184 T>G
      variant was associated with the response to DPP4I treatment in genetic additive
      model (beta=-0.30, p=0.022). For each G allele in the rs163184 genotype, we
      observed a 0.3% (3.3mmol/mol) less reduction in HbA1c during treatment with a
      DPP4I. Both the GG homozygotes and G-allele carriers had significantly smaller
      HbA1c reduction in comparison with the TT homozygotes. CONCLUSIONS: KCNQ1
      rs163184 T>G variant was associated with a reduced glycaemic response to DPP4I.
      The difference of 0.6% (6.5mmol/mol) in HbA1c reduction between the TT and GG
      homozygotes might be of clinical significance if replicated in further studies.

PMID- 28624669
TI  - Neutron-activatable radionuclide cancer therapy using graphene oxide
      nanoplatelets.
AB  - Neutron-activation is a promising method of generating radiotherapeutics with
      minimal handling of radioactive materials. Graphene oxide nanoplatelets (GONs)
      were examined as a carrier for neutron-activatable holmium with the purpose of
      exploiting inherent characteristics for theranostic application. GONs were
      hypothesized to be an ideal candidate for this application owing to their
      desirable characteristics such as a rigid structure, high metal loading capacity,
      low density, heat resistance, and the ability to withstand harsh environments
      associated with the neutron-activation process. Non-covalently PEGylated GONs
      (GONs-PEG) offered enhanced dispersibility and biocompatibility, and also
      exhibited increased holmium loading capacity nearly two-fold greater than GONs.
      Holmium leaching was investigated over a wide pH range, including conditions that
      mimic the tumor microenvironment, following neutron irradiation. The in vitro
      cell-based cytotoxicity analysis of GONs-based formulations with non-radioactive
      holmium confirmed their safety profile within cells. The results demonstrate the
      potential of GONs as a carrier of neutron-activatable radiotherapeutic agents.

PMID- 28624671
TI  - Radiation exposure of barley seeds can modify the early stages of plants'
      development.
AB  - The reactions of barley seeds (Nur and Grace varieties) in terms of the root and
      sprout lengths, germination and root mass were studied after gamma-irradiation
      with doses in the range of 2-50 Gy. The dose range in which plants' growth
      stimulation occurs (16-20 Gy) was identified. It was shown that increased size of
      seedlings after irradiation with stimulating doses was due to the enhancing pace
      of development rather than an earlier germination. The activity of the majority
      of the enzymes studied increased in the range of doses that cause stimulation of
      seedlings development. The influences of the dose rate, the quality of seeds,
      their moisture and time interval between irradiation and initiation of
      germination on the manifestation of the effects of radiation were investigated.
      The experimental data on the effect of gamma-irradiation on seedlings development
      were significantly better explained by mathematical models that take into account
      the hormetic effect.

PMID- 28624670
TI  - Towards engineering of hormonal crosstalk in plant immunity.
AB  - Plant hormones regulate physiological responses in plants, including responses to
      pathogens and beneficial microbes. The last decades have provided a vast amount
      of evidence about the contribution of different plant hormones to plant immunity,
      and also of how they cooperate to orchestrate immunity activation, in a process
      known as hormone crosstalk. In this review we highlight the complexity of
      hormonal crosstalk in immunity and approaches currently being used to further
      understand this process, as well as perspectives to engineer hormone crosstalk
      for enhanced pathogen resistance and overall plant fitness.

PMID- 28624672
TI  - Analysis of fire deaths in Poland and influence of smoke toxicity.
AB  - Dwelling fires have changed over the years because building contents and the
      materials used in then have changed. They all contribute to an ever-growing
      diversity of chemical species found in fires, many of them highly toxic. These
      arise largely from the changing nature of materials in interior finishes and
      furniture, with an increasing content of synthetic materials containing higher
      levels of nitrogen, halogen and phosphorus additives. While there is still a
      belief that carbon monoxide is the major lethal toxic agent in fires, the
      hydrogen cyanide and acid gases released from these additives are now well
      recognised as major contributory causes of incapacitation, morbidity and
      mortality in domestic fires. Data for the total number of 263 fire death cases in
      the Mazowieckie region (mainly Warsaw area) of Poland between 2003-2011 for
      dwellings fires were obtained from pathologists, forensic toxicologists, fire
      fighters and analysed. Factors contributing to the death such as the findings of
      the full post mortem examination (age, sex, health status, burns), the
      toxicological analysis (carbon monoxide, alcohol etc.), and a thorough
      investigation of the scene (fire conditions, fuel, etc.) were taken into account
      and are summarised.

PMID- 28624673
TI  - A geographical analysis of trafficking on a popular darknet market.
AB  - Cryptomarkets are online marketplaces, located on the darknet, that facilitate
      the trading of a variety of illegal goods, mostly drugs. While the literature
      essentially focus on drugs, various other goods and products related to financial
      or identity fraud, firearms, counterfeit goods, as well as doping products are
      also offered on these marketplaces. Through the analysis of relevant data
      collected on a popular marketplace in 2014-2015, Evolution, this research
      provides an analysis of the structure of trafficking (types and proportions of
      products, number of vendors and shipping countries). It also aims at highlighting
      geographical patterns in the trafficking of these products (e.g. trafficking
      flows, specialisation of vendors and assessment of their role in the distribution
      chain). The analysis of the flow of goods between countries emphasises the role
      of specific countries in the international and domestic trafficking, potentially
      informing law enforcement agencies to target domestic mails or international
      posts from specific countries. The research also highlights the large proportion
      of licit and illicit drug listings and vendors on Evolution, followed by various
      fraud issues (in particular, financial fraud), the sharing of knowledge
      (tutorials) and finally goods, currencies and precious metals (principally luxury
      goods). Looking at the shipping country, there seems to be a clear division
      between digital and physical products, with more specific information for
      physical goods. This reveals that the spatial analysis of trafficking is
      particularly meaningful in the case of physical products (such as illicit drugs)
      and to a lesser extent for digital products. Finally, the geographical analysis
      reveals that spatial patterns on Evolution tend to reflect the structure of the
      traditional illicit market. However, regarding illicit drugs, country-specificity
      has been observed and are presented in this article.

PMID- 28624674
TI  - Investigating the association between emotion regulation and distress in adults
      with psychotic-like experiences.
AB  - Many individuals in the general population experience psychotic-like experiences
      in the absence of a psychotic disorder. The degree of psychological distress
      associated with these experiences is a key predictor of clinical outcomes. One
      factor that may influence the degree of distress from psychotic-like experiences
      is emotion regulation. Although it has been demonstrated that emotion regulation
      deficits are present in psychotic disorders, the association between emotion
      regulation and subclinical psychotic-like experiences is not well understood.
      Here, we examined the associations between frequency of and distress from
      psychotic-like experiences and several key components of emotion regulation:
      difficulties with emotion regulation; emotion regulation self-efficacy; and
      emotion regulation strategy use. Difficulties with emotion regulation and
      maladaptive patterns of emotion regulation strategy use were associated with the
      frequency of both positive and negative psychotic-like experiences. In addition,
      results suggest that habitual acceptance use and reappraisal self-efficacy may
      serve as protective factors against the distress associated with psychotic-like
      experiences.

PMID- 28624675
TI  - Relationship between cognitive emotion regulation, social support, resilience and
      acute stress responses in Chinese soldiers: Exploring multiple mediation model.
AB  - The current study aimed to explore the association of cognitive emotion
      regulation, social support, resilience and acute stress responses in Chinese
      soldiers and to understand the multiple mediation effects of social support and
      resilience on the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and acute
      stress responses. A total of 1477 male soldiers completed mental scales,
      including the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire-Chinese version, the
      perceived social support scale, the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson
      resilience scale, and the military acute stress scale. As hypothesized,
      physiological responses, psychological responses, and acute stress were
      associated with negative-focused cognitive emotion regulation, and negatively
      associated with positive-focused cognitive emotion regulation, social supports
      and resilience. Besides, positive-focused cognitive emotion regulation, social
      support, and resilience were significantly associated with one another, and
      negative-focused cognitive emotion regulation was negatively associated with
      social support. Regression analysis and bootstrap analysis showed that social
      support and resilience had partly mediating effects on negative strategies and
      acute stress, and fully mediating effects on positive strategies and acute
      stress. These results thus indicate that military acute stress is significantly
      associated with cognitive emotion regulation, social support, and resilience, and
      that social support and resilience have multiple mediation effects on the
      relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and acute stress responses.

PMID- 28624676
TI  - Predictors of daily life suicidal ideation in adults recently discharged after a
      serious suicide attempt: A pilot study.
AB  - The aims of the study are to examine the predictive role of fluctuations in daily
      life mood, social contexts, and behavior on subsequent suicidal ideation (SI);
      and to identify clinical and psychological factors associated with the general
      frequency of SI in a high-risk sample. The sample comprised 42 adults (73.8%
      female) hospitalized for a suicide attempt. Immediately following hospital
      discharge, they used Ecological Momentary Assessment for seven consecutive days,
      providing repeated measures of SI, environmental, contextual, and behavioral
      factors. Controlling for prior SI, a number of contextual variables were
      associated with subsequent SI. Being at home or at work were both associated with
      an increased probability of SI, while being in the home of close others, or in a
      festive or leisure environment decreased SI probability. Working, passive leisure
      and inactivity all increased the likelihood of SI. Being alone increased SI while
      being with close others significantly reduced this risk. Finally, no overall
      effect for stressful events was found but negative family events specifically
      were associated with increased likelihood of SI (gamma = 0.448, t = 2.255, df =
      29, p < 0.05). The findings provide preliminary results regarding proximal
      environmental and behavioral factors associated with the occurrence of suicidal
      ideation in a high-risk sample.

PMID- 28624677
TI  - Cardiorespiratory benefits of group exercise among adults with serious mental
      illness.
AB  - This study examined cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among adults with serious
      mental illness (SMI) participating in group exercise classes. Overweight and
      obese adults with SMI were randomized to either a control condition or a weight
      management condition with group exercise classes (n = 222). Submaximal bicycle
      ergometry was used to assess CRF at baseline, 6 and 18 months. Those with >= 66%
      participation in the exercise classes had a lower heart rate response at 6 and 18
      month follow-up. Participation in group exercise classes was associated with
      improved short and long term cardiovascular fitness among adults with SMI.

PMID- 28624678
TI  - The relationships between father involvement and parental acceptance on the
      psychological adjustment of children and adolescents: The moderating effects of
      clinical status.
AB  - This study analyzes how a child's clinical condition modifies the relationship of
      father involvement, parental (fathers and mothers) acceptance and the child's
      psychological adjustment, including the internalizing and externalizing problems.
      The cohort studied was composed of 226 subjects (61.94% males) with a mean age of
      14.08 years, of which 113 children were from an incidental clinical sample and
      113 from the general population. Both groups were matched by sex, age and family
      status, and the data show that the same structure of parent-child relationships
      that predict the child's psychological adjustment can be accepted for both the
      clinical and non-clinical groups of children. However, the intensity of the
      relationships between the variables father involvement, parental acceptance and
      the child's outcomes differed in function of the child's clinical status.
      Specifically, in the clinically-referred sample compared to non-clinical sample
      father involvement had a stronger effect on the children's internalizing (but not
      the externalizing) problems and on their global psychological adjustment via
      their perceived maternal acceptance. The role of father involvement in the family
      relationships of clinical children is discussed. This study provides important
      evidence to support the need for enhanced paternal participation in the
      intervention programs for families.

PMID- 28624679
TI  - Neuraminidase-based recombinant virus-like particles protect against lethal avian
      influenza A(H5N1) virus infection in ferrets.
AB  - Avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses represent a growing threat for an influenza
      pandemic. The presence of widespread avian influenza virus infections further
      emphasizes the need for vaccine strategies for control of pre-pandemic H5N1 and
      other avian influenza subtypes. Influenza neuraminidase (NA) vaccines represent a
      potential strategy for improving vaccines against avian influenza H5N1 viruses.
      To evaluate a strategy for NA vaccination, we generated a recombinant influenza
      virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine comprised of the NA protein of
      A/Indonesia/05/2005 (H5N1) virus. Ferrets vaccinated with influenza N1 NA VLPs
      elicited high-titer serum NA-inhibition (NI) antibody titers and were protected
      from lethal challenge with A/Indonesia/05/2005 virus. Moreover, N1-immune ferrets
      shed less infectious virus than similarly challenged control animals. In
      contrast, ferrets administered control N2 NA VLPs were not protected against H5N1
      virus challenge. These results provide support for continued development of NA
      based vaccines against influenza H5N1 viruses.

PMID- 28624680
TI  - The timing of spontaneous detection and repair of naming errors in aphasia.
AB  - This study examined the timing of spontaneous self-monitoring in the naming
      responses of people with aphasia. Twelve people with aphasia completed a 615-item
      naming test twice, in separate sessions. Naming attempts were scored for accuracy
      and error type, and verbalizations indicating detection were coded as negation
      (e.g., "no, not that") or repair attempts (i.e., a changed naming attempt).
      Focusing on phonological and semantic errors, we measured the timing of the
      errors and of the utterances that provided evidence of detection. The effects of
      error type and detection response type on error-to-detection latencies were
      analyzed using mixed-effects regression modeling. We first asked whether
      phonological errors and semantic errors differed in the timing of the detection
      process or repair planning. Results suggested that the two error types primarily
      differed with respect to repair planning. Specifically, repair attempts for
      phonological errors were initiated more quickly than repair attempts for semantic
      errors. We next asked whether this difference between the error types could be
      attributed to the tendency for phonological errors to have a high degree of
      phonological similarity with the subsequent repair attempts, thereby speeding the
      programming of the repairs. Results showed that greater phonological similarity
      between the error and the repair was associated with faster repair times for both
      error types, providing evidence of error-to-repair priming in spontaneous self
      monitoring. When controlling for phonological overlap, significant effects of
      error type and repair accuracy on repair times were also found. These effects
      indicated that correct repairs of phonological errors were initiated particularly
      quickly, whereas repairs of semantic errors were initiated relatively slowly,
      regardless of their accuracy. We discuss the implications of these findings for
      theoretical accounts of self-monitoring and the role of speech error repair in
      learning.

PMID- 28624682
TI  - Effect of the fungus Piriformospora indica on physiological characteristics and
      root morphology of wheat under combined drought and mechanical stresses.
AB  - This study was done to evaluate the effects of the root-colonizing endophytic
      fungus Piriformospora indica on wheat growth under combined drought and
      mechanical stresses. Inoculated (colonized) and non-inoculated (uncolonized)
      wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Chamran) seedlings were planted in growth
      chambers filled with moist sand (at a matric suction of 20 hPa). Slight, moderate
      and severe mechanical stresses (i.e., penetration resistance, Qp, of 1.17, 4.17
      and 5.96 MPa, respectively) were produced by a dead-load technique (i.e., placing
      a weight on the sand surface) in the root medium. Slight, moderate and severe
      drought stresses were induced using PEG 6000 solutions with osmotic potentials of
      0, -0.3 and -0.5 MPa, respectively. After 30 days, plant physiological
      characteristics and root morphology were measured. An increase in Qp from 1.17 to
      5.96 MPa led to greater leaf proline concentration and root diameter, and lower
      relative water content (RWC), leaf water potential (LWP), chlorophyll contents
      and root volume. Moreover, severe drought stress decreased root and shoot fresh
      weights, root volume, leaf area, RWC, LWP and chlorophyll content compared to
      control. Catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities under severe
      drought stress were about 1.5 and 2.9 times greater than control. Interaction of
      the stresses showed that mechanical stress primarily controls plant water status
      and physiological responses. However, endophyte presence mitigated the adverse
      effects of individual and combined stresses on plant growth. Colonized plants
      were better adapted and had greater root length and volume, RWC, LWP and
      chlorophyll contents under stressful conditions due to higher absorption sites
      for water and nutrients. Compared with uncolonized plants, colonized plants
      showed lower CAT activity implying that wheat inoculated with P. indica was more
      tolerant and experienced less oxidative damage induced by drought and/or
      mechanical stress.

PMID- 28624683
TI  - Drought responsive microRNAs in two barley cultivars differing in their level of
      sensitivity to drought stress.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to be involved in the regulation of gene expression,
      including that of genes involved in the response to stress. Here, a comparison
      has been drawn between the miRNA profiles of a drought susceptible, 'Morocco 9
      75', and a drought tolerant, 'Yousef', barley cultivars. Leaf water content,
      shoot dry matter and chlorophyll content decreased in 'Morocco 9-75' more
      considerably compared with 'Yousef' under drought stress. Furthermore, lower
      stomatal conductance and higher leaf temperature were observed in 'Morocco 9-75'
      compared with 'Yousef'. Based on the criteria set for differential abundance, 118
      of conserved and novel miRNAs were identified as being responsive to soil water
      status. Although drought stress resulted in an altered abundance of more miRNAs
      in 'Morocco 9-75' than in 'Yousef', drought stress was generally associated with
      an increased miRNA abundance in 'Yousef' and a decreased abundance in 'Morocco 9
      75'. An in silico analysis identified 645 genes as putative targets for the
      drought-responsive miRNAs in 'Yousef' and 3735 in 'Morocco 9-75'. Gene ontology
      analysis showed that drought stress was associated with the altered abundance of
      miRNAs targeting growth, development, the juvenile to adult transition and
      hormone signaling. Some miRNAs which became more abundant in 'Yousef' are thought
      to target genes intimately involved in development and stress adaptation. In
      'Morocco 9-75', drought stress induced changes in the abundance of miRNAs
      associated with genes affecting growth, development, the juvenile to adult
      transition and ABA signaling. The data imply that miRNAs may affect the
      tolerance/sensitivity of barley to drought stress by modulating the expression of
      a wide set of genes and induction of some physiological changes.

PMID- 28624681
TI  - Semantic word category processing in semantic dementia and posterior cortical
      atrophy.
AB  - There is general agreement that perisylvian language cortex plays a major role in
      lexical and semantic processing; but the contribution of additional, more
      widespread, brain areas in the processing of different semantic word categories
      remains controversial. We investigated word processing in two groups of patients
      whose neurodegenerative diseases preferentially affect specific parts of the
      brain, to determine whether their performance would vary as a function of
      semantic categories proposed to recruit those brain regions. Cohorts with (i)
      Semantic Dementia (SD), who have anterior temporal-lobe atrophy, and (ii)
      Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), who have predominantly parieto-occipital
      atrophy, performed a lexical decision test on words from five different lexico
      semantic categories: colour (e.g., yellow), form (oval), number (seven), spatial
      prepositions (under) and function words (also). Sets of pseudo-word foils matched
      the target words in length and bi-/tri-gram frequency. Word-frequency was matched
      between the two visual word categories (colour and form) and across the three
      other categories (number, prepositions, and function words). Age-matched healthy
      individuals served as controls. Although broad word processing deficits were
      apparent in both patient groups, the deficit was strongest for colour words in SD
      and for spatial prepositions in PCA. The patterns of performance on the lexical
      decision task demonstrate (a) general lexicosemantic processing deficits in both
      groups, though more prominent in SD than in PCA, and (b) differential involvement
      of anterior-temporal and posterior-parietal cortex in the processing of specific
      semantic categories of words.

PMID- 28624684
TI  - Photoprotection regulated by phosphorus application can improve photosynthetic
      performance and alleviate oxidative damage in dwarf bamboo subjected to water
      stress.
AB  - Water and nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P), are the two most limiting
      factors for dwarf bamboo growth in tropical and subtropical areas. Dwarf bamboo
      is highly sensitive to water stress and often causes severe P deficiency in its
      growing soils due to the characteristics of shallower roots and expeditious
      growth. However, little is known about its photoprotective response to soil water
      deficit and the underlying mechanisms regulated by P application. In this study,
      a completely randomized design with two factors of two water regimes (well
      watered and water-stressed) and two P levels (with and without P application) was
      arranged to investigate this issue in dwarf bamboo (Fargesia rufa) plants. Water
      stress not only decreased water status and photochemical activity but also
      increased lipid peroxidation due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation
      irrespective of P application. In this case, thermal dissipation and
      antioxidative defense were promoted. Moreover, the role of the water-water cycle
      under this stress still could not be ignored because it accounted for a large
      proportion of total energy (JPSII). P application significantly enhanced
      photochemical activity accompanied by increased chlorophyll content in water
      stressed plants. Meanwhile, P application remarkably reduced thermal dissipation
      and hardly affected photorespiration and the water-water cycle under water
      stress. Although P application only enhanced ascorbate (AsA) level, ROS,
      particularly hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and lipid peroxidation were significantly
      reduced in water-stressed plants. Therefore, P application can improve the
      photosynthetic capacity by regulating the redistribution of energy absorbed by
      PSII antennae and independently activating of the H2O2-scavenging function of AsA
      to alleviate oxidative damage in F. rufa plants, thereby improving their survival
      under water stress conditions.

PMID- 28624685
TI  - Bacillus subtilis affects miRNAs and flavanoids production in Agrobacterium
      Tobacco interaction.
AB  - Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a very destructive plant pathogen. Selection of
      effective biological agents against this pathogen depends on more insight into
      molecular plant defence responses during the biocontrol agent-pathogen
      interaction. Auxin as a phytohormone is a key contributor in pathogenesis and
      plant defence and accumulation of auxin transport carriers are accompanied by
      increasing in flavonoid and miRNAs concentrations during plant interactions with
      bacteria. The aim of this research was molecular analysis of Bacillus subtilis
      (ATCC21332) biocontrol effect against A. tumefaciens (IBRC-M10701) pathogen
      interacting with Nicotiana tabacum plants. Tobacco plants were either treated
      with both or one of the challenging bacteria and the expression of miRNAs inside
      the plants were analysed through qRT-PCR. The results indicated that the
      bacterial treatments affect expression level of nta-miRNAs. In tobacco plants
      treated only with A. tumefaciens the expression of nta-miR393 was more than that
      was recorded for nta-miR167 (3.8 folds, P < 0.05 in 3dpi). While the expression
      level of nta-miR167 was more than the expression of nta-miR393 in other
      treatments including tobacco plants treated only with B. subtilis (2.1 folds, P <
      0.05) and the plants treated with both of the bacteria (3.9 folds, P < 0.05) in 3
      dpi. Also, the composition and concentration of rutin, myrecetin, daidzein and
      vitexin flavanoid derivatives were detected using HPLC and analysed according the
      standard curves. All of the tested flavanoid compounds were highly detected in
      Tobacco plants which were only challenged with A. tumefaciens. The amount of
      these compounds in the plants which were challenged with the B. subtilis alone,
      was similar to the amount recorded for the plants challenged with the both
      bacteria. This study suggests a relationship between the upregulation of nta
      miR167, nta-miR393 and accumulation of flavanoid compounds. Overall, the
      expression of these miRNAs as well as flavonoid derivatives has the potential of
      being used as biomarkers for the interaction of B. subtilis and A. tumefaciens
      model system in N. tabacum.

PMID- 28624686
TI  - Genetic factors exist behind the high prevalence of reduced high-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the Roma population.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Previous findings showed that reduced plasma high-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are more frequent in all age groups of the
      Hungarian Roma compared to the general population. It suggests that genetic
      factors may exist behind this phenomenon. Our present study was designed to test
      this hypothesis, i.e., to define whether genetic factors contribute to the higher
      prevalence of reduced HDL-C among Roma. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (N = 21)
      contributing to the variation in plasma HDL-C concentrations were analysed in the
      Hungarian Roma (N = 646) and general (N = 1542) populations. METHODS: Genetic
      risk scores, unweighted (GRS) and weighted (wGRS), were computed and compared.
      Associations between the GRSs and the prevalence of reduced HDL-C levels were
      analysed. RESULTS: The GRS and wGRS were significantly higher in the Roma
      compared to the general population (GRS: 22.2 +/- 3.2 vs. 21.5 +/- 3.3; wGRS:
      0.57 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.53 +/- 0.1; p<0.001). One half per cent of Roma subjects were
      in the bottom fifth of the wGRS (wGRS<= 0.3) compared with 1.8% of those in the
      general population (p=0.025), while 5% of the Roma subjects were in the top fifth
      of the wGRS (wGRS>= 0.75) compared with 2.6% of those in the general population
      (p=0.004). The GRS showed similar correlation with reduced plasma HDL-C levels in
      the two populations, whilst the wGRS showed stronger correlation with the trait
      among Roma after controlling for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: These results strongly
      suggest that genetic factors contribute to the higher prevalence of reduced HDL-C
      levels among Roma, so interventions aiming to improve Roma health status need to
      consider their increased genetic susceptibility.

PMID- 28624687
TI  - Estimation of distal arm joint angles from EMG and shoulder orientation for
      transhumeral prostheses.
AB  - In this paper, we quantify the extent to which shoulder orientation, upper-arm
      electromyography (EMG), and forearm EMG are predictors of distal arm joint angles
      during reaching in eight subjects without disability as well as three subjects
      with a unilateral transhumeral amputation and targeted reinnervation. Prior
      studies have shown that shoulder orientation and upper-arm EMG, taken separately,
      are predictors of both elbow flexion/extension and forearm pronation/supination.
      We show that, for eight subjects without disability, shoulder orientation and
      upper-arm EMG together are a significantly better predictor of both elbow
      flexion/extension during unilateral (R2=0.72) and mirrored bilateral (R2=0.72)
      reaches and of forearm pronation/supination during unilateral (R2=0.77) and
      mirrored bilateral (R2=0.70) reaches. We also show that adding forearm EMG
      further improves the prediction of forearm pronation/supination during unilateral
      (R2=0.82) and mirrored bilateral (R2=0.75) reaches. In principle, these results
      provide the basis for choosing inputs for control of transhumeral prostheses,
      both by subjects with targeted motor reinnervation (when forearm EMG is
      available) and by subjects without target motor reinnervation (when forearm EMG
      is not available). In particular, we confirm that shoulder orientation and upper
      arm EMG together best predict elbow flexion/extension (R2=0.72) for three
      subjects with unilateral transhumeral amputations and targeted motor
      reinnervation. However, shoulder orientation alone best predicts forearm
      pronation/supination (R2=0.88) for these subjects, a contradictory result that
      merits further study.

PMID- 28624688
TI  - Relation between Peak Power Output in Sprint Cycling and Maximum Voluntary
      Isometric Torque Production.
AB  - From a cycling paradigm, little has been done to understand the relationships
      between maximal isometric strength of different single joint lower body muscle
      groups and their relation with, and ability to predict PPO and how they compare
      to an isometric cycling specific task. The aim of this study was to establish
      relationships between maximal voluntary torque production from isometric single
      joint and cycling specific tasks and assess their ability to predict PPO. Twenty
      male trained cyclists participated in this study. Peak torque was measured by
      performing maximum voluntary contractions (MVC) of knee extensors, knee flexors,
      dorsi flexors and hip extensors whilst instrumented cranks measured isometric
      peak torque from MVC when participants were in their cycling specific position
      (ISOCYC). A stepwise regression showed that peak torque of the knee extensors was
      the only significant predictor of PPO when using SJD and accounted for 47% of the
      variance. However, when compared to ISOCYC, the only significant predictor of PPO
      was ISOCYC, which accounted for 77% of the variance. This suggests that peak
      torque of the knee extensors was the best single-joint predictor of PPO in sprint
      cycling. Furthermore, a stronger prediction can be made from a task specific
      isometric task.

PMID- 28624689
TI  - From complex gut communities to minimal microbiomes via cultivation.
AB  - The mammalian gut microbiota is dominated by populations of bacteria, mostly
      strict anaerobes. Because these bacteria can influence the health of their host,
      it is important to investigate their diversity and functions, which can be done
      via culture-based or molecular approaches. In recent years, microbiologists have
      very often preferred the use of molecular techniques, as they do not limit the
      analysis to the fraction of communities that can be grown in the laboratory. In
      reality, cultivation and molecular methods are complementary, and we are now
      witnessing a period of unification. Obtaining strains that can be grown in vitro
      is currently indispensable for the description of novel diversity and eventually
      the improvement of taxonomic and sequence databases. Moreover, cultivation allows
      using host-specific minimal consortia of microbes that are helpful for detailed
      and standardized studies of gut microbial communities and microbe-host
      interactions. Molecular techniques are helpful because they can provide insights
      into strain-level diversity and the functional potential of organisms.
      Furthermore, genomic and metagenomic data allow inferring growth conditions for
      uncultured bacteria and also enable detailed genetic studies. In the present
      manuscript, we highlight recent work on culture-based investigation of mammalian
      gut bacteria and microbe-host interactions and give our opinions on challenges
      and perspectives in the field.

PMID- 28624690
TI  - Toward a genetic tool development pipeline for host-associated bacteria.
AB  - Bacteria reside in externally accessible niches on and in multicellular
      organisms, often forming mutualistic relationships with their host. Recent
      studies have linked the composition of these microbial communities with
      alterations in the host's health, behavior, and development, yet the causative
      mediators of host-microbiota interactions remain poorly understood. Advances in
      understanding and engineering these interactions require the development of
      genetic tools to probe the molecular interactions driving the structure and
      function of microbial communities as well as their interactions with their host.
      This review discusses the current challenges to rendering culturable, non-model
      members of microbial communities genetically tractable - including overcoming
      barriers to DNA delivery, achieving predictable gene expression, and applying
      CRISPR-based tools - and details recent efforts to create generalized pipelines
      that simplify and expedite the tool-development process. We use the bacteria
      present in the human gastrointestinal tract as representative microbiota to
      illustrate some of the recent achievements and future opportunities for genetic
      tool development.

PMID- 28624691
TI  - Immaturity for gestational age of microvasculature and placental barrier in term
      placentas with high weight.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Villous immaturity for gestational age is a multifactorial
      developmental deviation associated with unexpected placental insufficiency, fetal
      hypoxia and term fetal death. In our previous work we have shown that immature
      CD15+/CD31+/CD34+ endothelial cells were an important indicator of placental
      villous immaturity and chronic insufficiency. The aim of this study was to
      perform a comparative analysis of CD15-marked immaturity in the vessel walls
      between normal and pathological term placentas of clinically and structurally
      heterogenous groups with normal, low and high weight. STUDY DESIGN: 165
      clinically normal and pathological placentas of gestational age 39-42 with normal
      weight (25-75 percentile), low weight (<10 percentile) and high weight (>90
      percentile) were structurally and immunohistochemically analyzed. Excluded were
      placentas with a severe form of placental insufficiency associated with
      intrauterine fetal death, low APGAR-score, genetic and chromosomal diseases or
      placental inflammations. The distribution patterns of CD15, CD31 and CD34 were
      assessed separately in the macrovasculature, microvasculature and placental
      barrier (PB) - associated capillaries. RESULTS: All placental groups with normal
      weight, low weight and high weight include normal, accelerated villous maturation
      or villous immaturity independent of their weight. However, a significant
      increase of immature CD15+/CD31+/CD34+ endothelial cells was detected in
      microvasculature and PB -associated capillaries in high weight-placentas
      (63.5%/52.2%), compared to those of normal weight (13.8%/8.2%) and low weight
      (16.1%/17.8%). The distribution of macrovascular immature CD15+/CD31+/CD34+
      endothelial cells did not show such marked differences. CONCLUSION: We have
      identified the immaturity of microvasculature and PB -associated capillaries with
      a pathological persistency of immature CD15+/CD31+/CD34+ endothelial cells and a
      reduction of terminally differentiated CD15-/CD31+/CD34+ endothelial cells in a
      structurally and clinically heterogeneous group of high weight-placentas. We
      assume that immaturity of placental vessels are part of prenatal adaptational
      processes that can be recruited in different emergency situations and may provide
      potential targets of therapeutic correction of placental growth and chronic
      insufficiency. We therefore recommend the use of CD15-based immunophenotyping as
      a method to identify latent unfavorable conditions of fetal development in the
      intrauterine life and individual risk of disease in the postnatal period.

PMID- 28624692
TI  - Preoperative serum levels of YKL 40 and CA125 as a prognostic indicators in
      patients with endometrial cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of YKL-40 and CA125 in endometrial cancer (EC)
      patients, and to determine their prognostic value in assessing the disease-free
      survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). METHODS: We analyzed seventy-four EC
      patients, treated at a single institution and 25 healthy individuals. CA 125
      serum level was evaluated in the Cobas 6000 system and YKL-40, using the ELISA
      method. RESULTS: Significantly increased serum level of YKL-40 and CA125 was in
      EC patients in FIGO I-IB when compared to healthy controls. CA125 was
      significantly higher in patients with more advanced FIGO stage vs. FIGO I, and
      also in patients with lymph node metastases vs. patients with no metastases. The
      obtained AUC for YKL-40 was higher than for CA125. There was, however, higher
      diagnostic sensitivity for YKL-40 in comparison to CA125, both in patients with
      type I and type II tumours. In patients who had disease progression, both the
      percentage of elevated concentration of CA 125 and YKL-40 was higher than in
      patients with remission. The Chi2 test demonstrated the statistically significant
      differences. The predictive value of CA125 in an aspect of DFS and OS was
      demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: A high diagnostic sensitivity of YKL-40 in the early
      stages of the disease suggests the possibility of using this biomarker at an
      early diagnostic phase of patients with EC. The patients with increased levels of
      YKL-40 before treatment are also at the higher risk of relapse. The determination
      of CA125 before surgery may be helpful in the evaluation of the regional lymph
      nodes, and is a poor prognostic factor for OS and DFS.

PMID- 28624693
TI  - Immune-related eosinophilia induced by anti-programmed death 1 or death-ligand 1
      antibodies.

PMID- 28624694
TI  - Immune checkpoints inhibitors for solid tumours after allogeneic haematopoietic
      stem-cell transplantation: About four clinical cases.

PMID- 28624695
TI  - First-in-human phase I study of oral S49076, a unique MET/AXL/FGFR inhibitor, in
      advanced solid tumours.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: S49076 is a novel ATP-competitive tyrosine kinase
      inhibitor of MET, AXL and FGFR with a unique selectivity profile. A phase I open
      label study was undertaken to establish the tolerability profile and determine
      the recommended dose (RD) and administration schedule. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Patients with advanced solid tumours received S49076 orally once-daily (qd) or
      twice-daily (bid) in continuous 21-day cycles at escalating doses guided by a 3 +
      3 design and followed by an expansion phase at the RD. Pharmacokinetic (PK)
      parameters were assessed and pharmacodynamic end-points were evaluated in pre-
      and post-treatment tumour biopsies. Preliminary anti-tumour activity was
      evaluated as per the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours 1.1 criteria.
      RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were treated: 79 in the dose-escalation and 24
      in the expansion. Doses from 15 to 900 mg were evaluated. Dose-limiting
      toxicities were reported in 9 patients and occurred at 30, 760 and 900 mg in the
      qd arm and at 180, 225 and 285 mg in the bid arm. The RD was defined at 600 mg
      qd. Adverse events (AEs) occurred with similar frequency in both regimens at an
      equivalent total daily dose. Overall, 83 patients (81.4%) had drug-related AEs,
      the majority (93%) of which were grade I-II (National Cancer Institute Common
      Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0) and only 3% led to drug
      discontinuation. Intratumoural PK analysis at the RD suggested hitting of MET,
      AXL and FGFR. CONCLUSION: S49076 demonstrated a tolerable safety profile with
      limited single-agent activity. PK/pharmacodynamic readouts of S49076 are
      encouraging for further investigation of S49076 in combination therapies. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN00759419.

PMID- 28624696
TI  - Superimposable outcomes for sequential and concomitant administration of adjuvant
      trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer: Results from the SIGNAL/PHARE
      prospective cohort.
AB  - AIM: Adjuvant clinical trials in early human epidermal growth factor receptor 2
      (HER2)-positive breast cancer have assessed either sequential or concomitant
      incorporation of trastuzumab with chemotherapy; only the North Central Cancer
      Treatment Group (NCCTG)-N9831 trial prospectively compared both modalities. In
      routine trastuzumab has been incorporated into a concurrent regimen with taxane
      chemotherapy instead of sequential modality on the basis of a positive risk
      benefit ratio. This present study assessed sequential versus concomitant
      administration of adjuvant trastuzumab. METHODS: A population combining patients
      from Protocol for Herceptin(r) as Adjuvant therapy with Reduced Exposure (PHARE)
      a randomised phase III clinical trial (NCT00381901) and SIGNAL (RECF1098) a
      prospective study specifically designed for Genome-wide Association Studies
      (GWAS) analyses was studied. In this cohort with 58 months of median follow-up,
      the comparison in the HER2-positive group of adjuvant trastuzumab and
      chemotherapy modalities was based on a propensity score methodology. Treatment
      modalities were based on physician's choice and comparisons adjustment were made
      by a propensity score methodology. Overall Survival (OS) and Disease-Free
      Survival (DFS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and comparisons
      between groups were based on the log rank test. RESULTS: The SIGNAL/PHARE cohort
      included 11,728 breast cancer cases treated in adjuvant setting; some 5502 of
      them with HER2-positive tumour: 34.5% (1897/5502) were treated by sequential and
      65.5% (3605/5502) by concomitant modality of administration for taxane
      chemotherapy and trastuzumab. The adjusted comparison found similar OS (HR =
      1.01; 95% CI: 0.86-1.19) and similar DFS (HR = 1.08; 95% CI: 0.96-1.21).
      CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the sequential administration of
      trastuzumab given after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy might be as valid
      as the concomitant administration of trastuzumab and taxane chemotherapy in the
      adjuvant setting.

PMID- 28624697
TI  - Waterpipe smoking patterns and symptoms of nicotine dependence: The Waterpipe
      Dependence in Lebanese Youth Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Waterpipe typically is smoked intermittently over long smoking
      sessions. Waterpipe is addictive and its users show symptoms of nicotine
      dependence (ND). This study examined the risk of developing ND symptoms across
      waterpipe use patterns among Lebanese youth. METHODS: Waterpipe use patterns
      (length of smoking session, smoking a whole waterpipe without sharing, past-30day
      use frequency, number of waterpipes smoked) were assessed. Symptoms of ND were
      assessed using the 10-item Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC; endorsement of >=1
      symptom) and the 6 criteria of the International Classification of Diseases-10th
      revision (ICD-10 ND; presence of >=3 criteria during 12months). RESULTS: Both the
      proportion of participants endorsing ND symptoms and the average number of
      endorsed ND symptoms increased with increasing waterpipe use frequency, number of
      waterpipes smoked, and length of smoking session. The risk of endorsing>=1 HONC
      symptom increased with increasing number of waterpipes smoked in the past 30-days
      (>=10 vs. <4 waterpipes; Hazard ratio (HR)=2.05, 95% CI: 1.52-2.58, p=0.007), and
      session length (>60min vs. <30min; HR=2.87, 95% CI: 2.83-2.91, p=0.001). The risk
      of attaining ICD-10 ND increased with increasing number of waterpipes used in the
      past 30-days (>=10 vs. <4 waterpipes; HR=2.56, 95% CI: 1.89-3.22, p=0.006), and
      smoking every day/almost every day vs. less than once weekly (HR=2.86, 95% CI:
      2.12-3.60, p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing use frequency, number of waterpipes
      smoked, and longer smoking sessions were associated with higher risk of ND. The
      length of smoking session emerged as a novel indicator of ND among waterpipe
      smokers.

PMID- 28624698
TI  - Brief mindfulness training de-couples the anxiogenic effects of distress
      intolerance on reactivity to and recovery from stress among deprived smokers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We tested whether mindfulness de-couples the expected anxiogenic
      effects of distress intolerance on psychological and physiological reactivity to
      and recovery from an anxiogenic stressor among participants experimentally
      sensitized to experience distress. METHOD: N = 104 daily smokers underwent 18
      hours of biochemically-verified smoking deprivation. Participants were then
      randomized to a 7-min analogue mindfulness intervention (present moment attention
      and awareness training; PMAA) or a cope-as-usual control condition; and
      subsequently exposed to a 2.5-min paced over breathing (hyperventilation)
      stressor designed to elicit acute anxious arousal. Psychological and
      physiological indices of anxious arousal (Skin Conductance Levels; SCL) as well
      as emotion (dys)regulation (Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia; RSA) were measured
      before, during and following the stressor. RESULTS: We found that PMAA reduced
      psycho-physiological dysregulation in response to an anxiogenic stressor, as well
      as moderated the anxiogenic effect of distress intolerance on psychological but
      not physiological responding to the stressor among smokers pre-disposed to
      experience distress via deprivation. CONCLUSIONS: The present study findings have
      a number of theoretical and clinical implications for work on mindfulness
      mechanisms, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and smoking cessation
      interventions.

PMID- 28624699
TI  - Toll-like receptor 2 rs4696480 polymorphism and risk of oral cancer and oral
      potentially malignant disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify the possible association
      between TLR polymorphisms and an increased risk of developing head and neck
      cancer, including oral (OSCC) and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), and
      oral potentially malignant disorders, such as oral lichenoid disease (OLD),
      including oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL). DESIGN: This
      case-control study included 40 OSCC, 35 LSCC, 175 OLD (129 OLP and 46 OLL)
      patients and 89 healthy controls, all of them from the Basque Country, Spain.
      Genetic polymorphisms in TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR6, TLR9, and TLR10 were genotyped
      by TaqMan(r) assays or pyrosequencing. RESULTS: The chi-square analysis showed
      that the variant A of the SNP TLR2-rs4696480 polymorphism significantly increased
      the risk of OSCC (p=0.03) and OLL (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The TLR2-rs4696480
      polymorphism may be relevant to OSCC and OLL susceptibility in this population
      encouraging further studies on the TLR2 pathway and its possible association with
      this group of oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer. This may also
      prove the use of TLR polymorphisms as risk markers for oral and laryngeal cancer.

PMID- 28624700
TI  - Discovery of unsymmetrical aromatic disulfides as novel inhibitors of SARS-CoV
      main protease: Chemical synthesis, biological evaluation, molecular docking and
      3D-QSAR study.
AB  - The worldwide outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 had
      caused a high rate of mortality. Main protease (Mpro) of SARS-associated
      coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is an important target to discover pharmaceutical
      compounds for the therapy of this life-threatening disease. During the course of
      screening new anti-SARS agents, we have identified that a series of unsymmetrical
      aromatic disulfides inhibited SARS-CoV Mpro significantly for the first time.
      Herein, 40 novel unsymmetrical aromatic disulfides were synthesized chemically
      and their biological activities were evaluated in vitro against SARS-CoV Mpro.
      These novel compounds displayed excellent IC50 data in the range of 0.516-5.954
      MUM. Preliminary studies indicated that these disulfides are reversible and
      mpetitive inhibitors. A possible binding mode was generated via molecular docking
      simulation and a comparative field analysis (CoMFA) model was constructed to
      understand the structure-activity relationships. The present research therefore
      has provided some meaningful guidance to design and identify anti-SARS drugs with
      totally new chemical structures.

PMID- 28624701
TI  - 2-Substituted-thio-N-(4-substituted-thiazol/1H-imidazol-2-yl)acetamides as BACE1
      inhibitors: Synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies.
AB  - In this work, a series of 2-substituted-thio-N-(4-substituted-thiazol/1H-imidazol
      2-yl)acetamide derivatives were developed as beta-secretase (BACE-1) inhibitors.
      Supported by docking study, a small library of derivatives were designed,
      synthesized and biologically evaluated in vitro. In addition, the selected
      compounds were tested with affinity (KD) towards BACE-1, blood brain barrier
      (BBB) permeability and cytotoxicity. The studies revealed that the most potent
      analog 41 (IC50 = 4.6 MUM) with high predicted BBB permeability and low cellular
      cytotoxicity, could serve as a good lead structure for further optimization.

PMID- 28624702
TI  - Evaluation of the antidepressant therapeutic potential of isocyanine and
      pseudoisocyanine analogues of the organic cation decynium-22.
AB  - Herein we describe the synthesis and evaluation of antidepressant properties of
      seven analogues (1-7) of the low affinity/high capacity transporter blocker
      decynium-22 (D-22). All analogues (1-7) were synthesized via base promoted
      coupling reactions between N-alkylated-2-methylquinolinium iodides or N-alkylated
      4-methylquinolinium iodides and electrophilic N-alkylated-2-iodoquinolinium
      iodides. All final compounds were purified by re-crystallization or preparative
      HPLC and initial evaluation studies included; 1) screening for in vitro alpha1
      adrenoceptor activity (a property that can lead to unwanted side-effects), 2)
      measuring antidepressant-like activity in a mouse tail suspension test (TST), and
      3) measuring effects upon mouse locomotion. The results showed some analogues
      have lower affinities at alpha1-adrenoceptors compared to D-22 and showed
      antidepressant-like activity without the need for co-administration of SSRIs.
      Additionally, many analogues did not affect mouse locomotion to the same extent
      as D-22. Plans for additional evaluations of these promising analogues, including
      measurement of antidepressant-like activity with co-administration of selective
      serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are outlined.

PMID- 28624703
TI  - Modification of C-seco taxoids through ring tethering and substituent replacement
      leading to effective agents against tumor drug resistance mediated by betaIII
      Tubulin and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpressions.
AB  - In our efforts to improve the efficacy of taxane-based microtubule (MT)
      stabilizing agents against tumor drug resistance mediated by multiple mechanisms,
      two clinically relevant factors were focused: i.e., P-glycoprotein and betaIII
      tubulin overexpression. Based on the structure of C-seco taxoid 1 m (IDN5390)
      which was believed to more selectively interact with betaIII-tubulin than
      paclitaxel, we prepared a series of C-seco taxoids bearing various 7,9-O-linkages
      and/or different substituents at C2 and C3' positions. Some of them exhibited
      much more potent binding affinity to MTs and cytotoxicity than their C-seco
      parent compounds in drug resistant cells with both mechanisms. SAR analysis
      indicated that C2 modifications significantly enhanced MT binding but brought
      ambiguous influence to cytotoxicity whereas 7,9-linkage and C3' modifications
      enhance cytotoxicity more efficiently than improve MT binding. These observations
      illustrate a better translation of molecular binding effect to cellular activity
      by C ring closure and C3' modification than C2 modification in C-seco taxoids.

PMID- 28624704
TI  - Maintenance of redox homeostasis by hypoxia-inducible factors.
AB  - Oxidative phosphorylation enables cells to generate the large amounts of ATP
      required for development and maintenance of multicellular organisms. However,
      under conditions of reduced O2 availability, electron transport becomes less
      efficient, leading to increased generation of superoxide anions. Hypoxia
      inducible factors switch cells from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism, to reduce
      mitochondrial superoxide generation, and increase the synthesis of NADPH and
      glutathione, in order to maintain redox homeostasis under hypoxic conditions.

PMID- 28624705
TI  - Controlled release of basic fibroblast growth factor for angiogenesis using
      acoustically-responsive scaffolds.
AB  - The clinical translation of pro-angiogenic growth factors for treatment of
      vascular disease has remained a challenge due to safety and efficacy concerns.
      Various approaches have been used to design spatiotemporally-controlled delivery
      systems for growth factors in order to recapitulate aspects of endogenous
      signaling and thus assist in translation. We have developed acoustically
      responsive scaffolds (ARSs), which are fibrin scaffolds doped with a payload
      containing, sonosensitive emulsion. Payload release can be controlled non
      invasively and in an on-demand manner using focused, megahertz-range ultrasound
      (US). In this study, we investigate the in vitro and in vivo release from ARSs
      containing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) encapsulated in monodispersed
      emulsions. Emulsions were generated in a two-step process utilizing a
      microfluidic device with a flow focusing geometry. At 2.5 MHz, controlled release
      of bFGF was observed for US pressures above 2.2 +/- 0.2 MPa peak rarefactional
      pressure. Superthreshold US yielded a 12.6-fold increase in bFGF release in
      vitro. The bioactivity of the released bFGF was also characterized. When
      implanted subcutaneously in mice, ARSs exposed to superthreshold US displayed up
      to 3.3-fold and 1.7-fold greater perfusion and blood vessel density,
      respectively, than ARSs without US exposure. Scaffold degradation was not
      impacted by US. These results highlight the utility of ARSs in both basic and
      applied studies of therapeutic angiogenesis.

PMID- 28624706
TI  - Bilirubin nanoparticles ameliorate allergic lung inflammation in a mouse model of
      asthma.
AB  - Although asthma, a chronic inflammatory airway disease, is relatively well
      managed by inhaled corticosteroids, the side effects associated with the long
      term use of these agents precipitate the need for alternative therapeutic options
      based on differing modes of action. Bilirubin, a potent endogenous antioxidant,
      and anti-inflammatory molecule have been shown to ameliorate asthmatic symptoms;
      however, its clinical translation has been limited owing to its water
      insolubility and associated potential toxicity. Here we report the first
      application of bilirubin-based nanoparticles (BRNPs) as a nanomedicine for the
      treatment of allergic lung inflammatory disease. BRNPs were prepared directly
      from self-assembly of PEGylated bilirubin in aqueous solution and had a
      hydrodynamic diameter of ~100 nm. Because allergen-specific type 2 T-helper (Th2)
      cells play a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of allergic asthma, the
      effects of BRNPs on Th2 immune responses were investigated both in vivo and in
      vitro. BRNPs after intravenous injection (i.v.) showed much higher serum
      concentration and a longer circulation time of bilirubin than the intraperitoneal
      injection (i.p.) of BRNPs or unconjugated bilirubin (UCB). The anti-asthmatic
      effects of BRNPs were assessed in a mouse model of allergen-induced asthma.
      Compared with UCB, treatment with BRNPs suppressed the symptoms of experimental
      allergic asthma and dramatically ameliorated Th2-related allergic lung
      inflammation. Consistent with these results, BRNPs caused a reduction of Th2 cell
      populations and the expression of related cytokines by antibody-stimulated CD4+ T
      cells in vitro. Therefore, our results establish BRNPs as an important
      immunomodulatory agent that may be useful as a therapeutic for allergic lung
      inflammatory disease and other immune-mediated disorders.

PMID- 28624707
TI  - Substrate stiffness and VE-cadherin mechano-transduction coordinate to regulate
      endothelial monolayer integrity.
AB  - The vascular endothelium is subject to diverse mechanical cues that regulate
      vascular endothelial barrier function. In addition to rigidity sensing through
      integrin adhesions, mechanical perturbations such as changes in fluid shear
      stress can also activate force transduction signals at intercellular junctions.
      This study investigated how extracellular matrix rigidity and intercellular force
      transduction, activated by vascular endothelial cadherin, coordinate to regulate
      the integrity of endothelial monolayers. Studies used complementary mechanical
      measurements of endothelial monolayers grown on patterned substrates of variable
      stiffness. Specifically perturbing VE-cadherin receptors activated intercellular
      force transduction signals that increased integrin-dependent cell contractility
      and disrupted cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesions. Further investigations of the
      impact of substrate rigidity on force transduction signaling demonstrated how
      cells integrate extracellular mechanics cues and intercellular force transduction
      signals, to regulate endothelial integrity and global tissue mechanics. VE
      cadherin specific signaling increased focal adhesion remodeling and cell
      contractility, while sustaining the overall mechanical equilibrium at the
      mesoscale. Conversely, increased substrate rigidity exacerbates the disruptive
      effects of intercellular force transduction signals, by increasing heterogeneity
      in monolayer stress distributions. The results provide new insights into how
      substrate stiffness and intercellular force transduction coordinate to regulate
      endothelial monolayer integrity.

PMID- 28624708
TI  - Individual differences in object-processing explain the relationship between
      early gaze-following and later language development.
AB  - Gaze-following behaviors play an important role in language development. However,
      the way in which gaze-following contributes to language development remains
      unclear. By focusing on two abilities, namely following the gaze direction of
      others and processing a cued object, the present study investigated how these two
      influences work together to promote language development in a longitudinal
      approach on infants from 9 to 18months of age. The results demonstrated that
      infants who spent more time following the gaze direction toward an object were
      more efficient in processing the cued object at 9months and had larger
      vocabularies by 18months. Mediation analyses showed that the relationship between
      early gaze-following behavior and subsequent vocabulary size was explained by
      object-processing ability. Importantly, mere extended fixations on a target
      object without the initiation of another's gaze shift were not related to
      enhanced object-processing. Our findings suggest that following another's gaze
      shift toward the object has an impact on object-processing that could contribute
      to vocabulary development, elucidating a critical step in the path from early
      gaze-following ability to later language development.

PMID- 28624709
TI  - Contracted time and expanded space: The impact of circumnavigation on judgements
      of space and time.
AB  - The ability to estimate distance and time to spatial goals is fundamental for
      survival. In cases where a region of space must be navigated around to reach a
      location (circumnavigation), the distance along the path is greater than the
      straight-line Euclidean distance. To explore how such circumnavigation impacts on
      estimates of distance and time, we tested participants on their ability to
      estimate travel time and Euclidean distance to learned destinations in a virtual
      town. Estimates for approximately linear routes were compared with estimates for
      routes requiring circumnavigation. For all routes, travel times were
      significantly underestimated, and Euclidean distances overestimated. For routes
      requiring circumnavigation, travel time was further underestimated and the
      Euclidean distance further overestimated. Thus, circumnavigation appears to
      enhance existing biases in representations of travel time and distance.

PMID- 28624710
TI  - Role of impaired vision during dual-task walking in young and older adults.
AB  - While cognitive-motor interference in dual-task activities is well established,
      it is still unknown how such interference is influenced by concurrent visual
      challenges. Nineteen community-dwelling healthy, cognitively intact, older adults
      (Mean+/-SD=71.45+/-1.25years, 6 males) and nineteen young adults (Mean+/
      SD=22.25+/-0.68years, 4 males) performed a cognitive-single-task (serial
      subtraction by 3), a walking-single-task and a cognitive-walking-dual-task under
      normal, blurred and peripheral-vision-loss conditions (artificially imposed using
      goggles). Gait parameters and the number of correct responses were measured. Dual
      task costs for both walking and cognition were computed. Results showed that
      higher walking cost was seen with impaired vision (p=0.05) and with older adults
      (p=0.03); greater cognitive cost was seen with impaired vision (p=0.01), but no
      difference in cognitive cost was seen between young and older adults. Thus, when
      faced with impaired vision, both young and older adults appear to allocate less
      attention to cognition than to walking, and thus prioritize walking. Future work
      should explore whether dual-task training under visual challenge could reduce
      cognitive-motor interference and reduce fall risks in older adults.

PMID- 28624711
TI  - Does the PowersTM strap influence the lower limb biomechanics during running?
AB  - Previous research has reported a prevalence of running related injuries in 25.9%
      to 72% of all runners. A greater hip internal rotation and adduction during the
      stance phase in running has been associated with many running related injuries,
      such as patellofemoral pain. Researchers in the USA designed a treatment device
      'the PowersTM strap' to facilitate an external rotation of the femur and to
      thereby control abnormal hip and knee motion during leisure and sport activities.
      However, to date no literature exists to demonstrate whether the PowersTM strap
      is able to reduce hip internal rotation during running. 22 healthy participants,
      11 males and 11 females (age: 27.45+/-4.43 years, height: 1.73+/-0.06m, mass:
      66.77+/-9.24kg) were asked to run on a 22m track under two conditions: without
      and with the PowersTM strap. Three-dimensional motion analysis was conducted
      using ten Qualisys OQUS 7 cameras (Qualisys AB, Sweden) and force data was
      captured with three AMTI force plates (BP600900, Advanced Mechanical Technology,
      Inc.USA). Paired sample t-tests were performed at the 95% confidence interval on
      all lower limb kinematic and kinetic data. The PowersTM strap significantly
      reduced hip and knee internal rotation throughout the stance phase of running.
      These results showed that the PowersTM strap has the potential to influence hip
      motion during running related activities, in doing so this might be beneficial
      for patients with lower limb injuries. Future research should investigate the
      influence of the PowersTM strap in subjects who suffer from running related
      injuries, such as patellofemoral pain.

PMID- 28624712
TI  - Classification of ECG heartbeats using nonlinear decomposition methods and
      support vector machine.
AB  - Classifying electrocardiogram (ECG) heartbeats for arrhythmic risk prediction is
      a challenging task due to minute variations in the amplitude, duration and
      morphology of the ECG signal. In this paper, we propose two feature extraction
      approaches to classify five types of heartbeats: normal, premature ventricular
      contraction, atrial premature contraction, left bundle branch block and right
      bundle branch block. In the first approach, ECG beats are decomposed into
      intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using ensemble empirical mode decomposition
      (EEMD). Later four parameters, namely the sample entropy, coefficient of
      variation, singular values, and band power of IMFs are extracted as features. In
      the second approach, the same features are computed from IMFs extracted using an
      empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm. The features obtained from the two
      approaches are independently fed to the sequential minimal optimization-support
      vector machine (SMO-SVM) for classification. We used two arrhythmia databases for
      our evaluation: MIT-BIH and INCART. We compare the proposed approaches with
      existing methods using the performance measures given by the average values of
      (i) specificity, (ii) sensitivity, and (iii) accuracy. The first approach
      demonstrates significant performance with 98.01% sensitivity, 99.49% specificity,
      and 99.20% accuracy for the MIT-BIH database and 95.15% sensitivity, 98.37%
      specificity, and 97.57% accuracy for the INCART database.

PMID- 28624713
TI  - Aneuploidy identification in pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients at
      diagnosis by Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA).
AB  - Three-quarters of the patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), show
      numerical or structural chromosomal alterations, which are important factors in
      leukemogenesis. The use of Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probes Amplification
      (MLPA) has been mainly limited for searching copy number alterations of genes,
      suggesting that MLPA could detect numerical alterations in cancer. However, the
      use of MLPA in pediatrics to analyze subtelomeric sequences for aneuploidy
      detection has not been considered in previous studies. The aim of this study was
      to identify aneuploidy for the first time using MLPA and correlate the results
      with karyotype and DNA-index (DI), from preB ALL patients. Forty-two bone marrow
      samples were analyzed by cytogenetics and flow cytometry to determine the DI. The
      chromosomal gains and/or losses were detected by the SALSA MLPA P036 Subtelomere
      Mix 1 probemix(r). The chromosomal number matched in 36 out of 42 samples between
      MLPA and karyotype (R2=0.7829, p=3.7*10-10), 18/42 between MLPA and DI
      (R2=0.1556, p=0.023), and 20/42 between karyotype and DI (R2=0.1509, p=0.015).
      MLPA results correlated with karyotype and DI. The use of MLPA led us to identify
      a gained marker chromosome. Our results indicate that MLPA could be a useful and
      fast alternative tool for aneuploidy identification in pediatric leukemia.

PMID- 28624714
TI  - Patient reported outcomes of autologous fat grafting after breast cancer surgery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Autologous fat grafting (AFG) can be used as an adjunct in breast
      cancer surgery to improve contour defects. Few previous studies have assessed
      patient reported outcomes (PROs) for AFG. This study analysed AFG use and
      assessed PROs in terms of physical and psychosocial well-being. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: All patients undergoing AFG were identified from a prospective database
      and asked to complete the validated BREAST-Q questionnaire and a tool to assess
      patient-perceived change after AFG (5-point Likert-type scale). Descriptive
      statistics were computed for all BREAST-Q and perceived change subscales.
      Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare scores on each of the BREAST
      Q and perceived change subscales by type of breast cancer surgery and
      radiotherapy status. RESULTS: 156 AFG sessions were performed over 4 years on 119
      breasts in 88 patients. Fifty-seven patients received AFG after reconstruction
      and 19 after breast conserving surgery. Forty-six patients (52%) completed the
      questionnaire. BREAST-Q scores (out of 100) and patient-perceived change after
      AFG (out of 5) were respectively: 54 and 4.0 for Breast satisfaction, 69 and 3.3
      for Physical well-being and 60 and 3.6 for Psychosocial well-being. Radiotherapy
      status and type of surgery made little difference. Number of AFG procedures
      positively correlated with perceived improvement. DISCUSSION: Autologous fat
      grafting was associated with improved patient satisfaction despite small volumes
      transferred. BREAST-Q scores were comparable with previously published series on
      reconstructive breast surgery. Perceived change after AFG was no different in
      patients receiving radiotherapy.

PMID- 28624715
TI  - Impact of physical activity in group versus individual physical activity on
      fatigue in patients with breast cancer: A pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity improves the quality of life of cancer survivors,
      but whether there is a difference between individual vs. group physical activity
      is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To compare fatigue at 12 weeks in breast cancer survivors
      after participation in a program of group vs. individual video-assisted physical
      activity. METHODS: This was a randomized phase II pilot study carried out in
      breast cancer survivors at a tertiary breast cancer center. Eligible patients
      were randomized to individual or group 12-week physical activity program. The
      primary outcome was fatigue (FACT-F). Aerobic capacity (6-min walk test),
      muscular strength, and quality-of-life (FACT-G and FACT-B) were assessed. Because
      of poor accrual, 200 consecutive breast cancer patients were surveyed about their
      physical activity habits to assess reasons for low recruitment. RESULTS: For all
      participants (n = 26; n = 12 for group vs. n = 14 for individual), there were
      some improvement in FACT-F, FACT-G, FACT-B, physical activity level, aerobic
      capacity, and shoulder strength. Among the 200 patients surveyed, 58% were
      interested to increase their physical activity level, 15% declared that they were
      already exercising enough, 9% declared being unable to, 3% declared having no
      time, and 2% declared having no interest, and other reasons (13%). Among the 200
      patients surveyed, 25% preferred in group, 57% preferred alone, and 18% had no
      preference. CONCLUSION: Low recruitment precluded conclusions about the efficacy
      of physical activity practiced in group vs. individually, but both groups derived
      a benefit. Low willingness to change exercising habits could be the biggest
      barrier to physical activity in breast cancer survivors.

PMID- 28624716
TI  - Seizure-related hospital admissions, readmissions and costs: Comparisons with
      asthma and diabetes in South Australia.
AB  - PURPOSE: Seizures are listed as an Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition (ACSC),
      where, in some cases, hospitalisation may be avoided with appropriate
      preventative and early management in primary care. We examined the frequencies,
      trends and financial costs of first and subsequent seizure-related hospital
      admissions in the adult and paediatric populations, with comparisons to
      bronchitis/asthma and diabetes admissions in South Australia between 2012 and
      2014. METHODS: De-identified hospital separation data from five major public
      hospitals in metropolitan South Australia were analysed to determine the number
      of children and adults admitted for the following Australian Refined Diagnosis
      Related Groups: seizure related conditions; bronchitis/asthma; and diabetes.
      Additional data included length of hospital stay and type of admission.
      Demographic data were analysed to identify whether social determinants influence
      admission, and a macro costing approach was then applied to calculate the
      financial costs to the Health Care System. RESULTS: The rate of total seizure
      hospitalizations was 649 per 100,000; lower than bronchitis/asthma (751/100,000),
      yet higher than diabetes (500/100,000). The highest proportions of subsequent
      separations were recorded by children with seizures regardless of complexity (47%
      +CSCC; 17% -CSCC) compared with asthma (11% +CSCC; 14% -CSCC) or diabetes (14%
      +CSCC; 13% -CSCC), and by adults with seizures with catastrophic or severe
      complications/comorbidity (25%), compared with diabetes (22%) or asthma (14%).
      The mean cost per separation in both children and adults was highest for diabetes
      (AU$4438/$7656), followed by seizures (AU$2408/$5691) and asthma (AU$2084/$3295).
      CONCLUSIONS: Following the lead of well-developed and resourced health promotion
      initiatives in asthma and diabetes, appropriate primary care, community education
      and seizure management services (including seizure clinics) should be targeted in
      an effort to reduce seizure related hospitalisations which may be avoidable,
      minimise costs to the health budget, and maximise health care quality.

PMID- 28624717
TI  - Management of venous thromboembolism in patients with glioma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication among patients
      with glioma. However, data on the safety of therapeutic doses of anticoagulation
      is scarce in this patient population. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to
      evaluate the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in glioma patients receiving
      therapeutic anticoagulation for VTE treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted
      a case-control study including glioma patients with and without acute VTE from
      Jan 2010 to March 2015. Controls were matched based on age, gender and tumor
      grade. RESULT: 569 patients with glioma were identified, 76 (13.3%) developed
      acute VTE. Of the 70 patients treated with full dose anticoagulant therapy, 14
      (20%) patients had a major bleeding including 11 (15.7%) ICH. The odds ratio for
      ICH in patients with glioma and VTE who were treated with anticoagulation
      compared to the control group was 7.5 (95% CI, 1.6-34.9) p=0.01. Overall survival
      was similar for VTE and control group (36 vs. 42months, p=0.93). CONCLUSION:
      Therapeutic anticoagulation is associated with a 7-fold increase risk of ICH in
      glioma patients. Data emerging from this study support the need for high quality
      studies to evaluate the risk of ICH in patients with glioma and VTE.

PMID- 28624718
TI  - Microparticles in acute coronary syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence supports the role of cell-derived microparticles
      (MPs) in the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). OBJECTIVES: To
      explore the relationship between coronary and systemic MP levels, investigate the
      correlation between MPs, inflammatory markers and Troponin T in patients with
      ACS. METHODS: Thirty seven patients with ACS scheduled for percutaneous coronary
      interventions (PCI) were studied. Eleven patients with stable angina (SA) were
      included as a control group. AnnexinV+MPs (AnV+MPs) and activated platelet
      monocyte aggregates (PMA) from right atrium (RA) and culprit coronary artery (CO)
      distal to culprit lesion were measured using flow cytometry. High sensitivity C
      reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin - 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor - alpha
      (TNF-alpha), serum amyloid A (SAA) and Troponin T were assayed. RESULTS: Total
      and cell specific AnV+MP expression were higher in the ACS group in both the CO
      and RA, with greater levels detected in the CO. Platelet activation showed
      positive correlation with Troponin-T and platelet MP in both CO and RA of the ACS
      group (r=0.4 for both; p=0.04 & p=0.03 respectively). Inflammatory markers levels
      did not differ between the ACS and SA patients. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated coronary
      and systemic MP levels and positive correlation of platelet activation with
      Troponin-T and platelet MPs suggest a pathogenic role for MPs in ACS.

PMID- 28624719
TI  - Reversal of rivaroxaban using Prothromplex Total, a 4-factor prothrombin complex.

PMID- 28624720
TI  - Retention of perampanel in adults with pharmacoresistant epilepsy at a single
      tertiary care center.
AB  - RATIONALE: Observational data on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) inform about their
      use in clinical practice. We describe our clinical experience with perampanel
      (PER) in a large UK tertiary epilepsy center. METHODS: Adults initiated on PER
      between October 2012 and March 2015 were followed until they discontinued PER or
      10 September 2016. Data on epilepsy syndrome, duration, seizure types,
      concomitant and previous AED use, PER dosing, efficacy and side effects were
      recorded. Efficacy was categorized as temporary or ongoing (at last follow-up)
      seizure freedom, >=50% seizure reduction, or other benefit (e.g. No convulsions
      or daytime seizures). These categories were mutually exclusive except for people
      with temporary seizure freedom. RESULTS: 391 received a PER prescription, five of
      whom never took it. No follow-up data were available for ten. 83% had focal
      epilepsy. People were prescribed PER in addition to 1-7 (Interquartile range
      [IQR] 2, 2, 3) AEDs and had previously used up to 18 (IQR 5, 7, 10) AEDs. Total
      exposure was 639patient/years. Retention rates were 60.4% at one year, 48.3% at
      two years, and 42.7% at three years. 19 (5%) people reported seizure free periods
      lasting at least six months. A >=50% reduction in seizures lasting at least six
      months was reported by 76 people (20%), and marked improvement for >=6months was
      seen in 52 (14%). Five (1%) were taken off other AEDs and continued on PER
      monotherapy for 4-27months. Seizures were aggravated in 57 (15%). Somatic side
      effects were reported by 197 (52%), mostly CNS. Mood changes, irritability or
      challenging behavior were reported by 137 (36%). PER was discontinued by 211
      (56%) due to adverse effects (39%), inefficacy (26%), or both (35%). No
      idiosyncratic adverse events were seen. CONCLUSION: PER resulted in some benefit
      in 40% of those exposed. Adverse effects on mental health and on balance were
      common and should be discussed with people before initiating PER.

PMID- 28624721
TI  - Assessing the role of serotonergic receptors in cannabidiol's anticonvulsant
      efficacy.
AB  - Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid that has demonstrated anticonvulsant
      efficacy in several animal models of seizure. The current experiment validated
      CBD's anticonvulsant effect using the acute pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model.
      Furthermore, it tested whether CBD reduces seizure activity by interacting with
      either the serotonergic 5HT1A or 5HT2A receptor. 120 male adolescent Wistar-Kyoto
      rats were randomly assigned to 8 treatment groups in two consecutive experiments.
      In both experiments, subjects received either CBD (100mg/kg) or vehicle 60min
      prior to seizure testing. In Experiment 1, subjects received either WAY-100635
      (1mg/kg), a 5HT1A antagonist, or saline vehicle injection 80min prior to seizure
      testing. In Experiment 2, subjects received either MDL-100907 (0.3mg/kg), a
      specific 5HT2A antagonist, or 40% DMSO vehicle 80min prior to seizure testing.
      85mg/kg of PTZ was administered to induce seizure, and behavior was recorded for
      30min. Seizure behaviors were subsequently coded using a 5-point scale of
      severity. Across both experiments, subjects in the vehicle control groups
      exhibited high levels of seizure activity and mortality. In both experiments, CBD
      treatment significantly attenuated seizure activity. Pre-treatment with either
      WAY-100635 or MDL-100907 did not block CBD's anticonvulsant effect. WAY-100635
      administration, by itself, also led to a significant attenuation of seizure
      activity. These results do not support the hypothesis that CBD attenuates seizure
      activity through activation of the 5HT1A or 5HT2A receptor. While this work
      further confirms the anticonvulsant efficacy of CBD and supports its application
      in the treatment of human seizure disorders, additional research on CBD's
      mechanism of action must be conducted.

PMID- 28624722
TI  - Age-related differences in the response of the L5-S1 intervertebral disc to
      spinal traction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lumbar traction is a common treatment for low back pain; however its
      mechanisms of action are poorly understood. It has been hypothesized that a key
      effect of lumbar traction is its capacity to influence fluid movement within the
      intervertebral disc (IVD). OBJECTIVES: To determine differences in the apparent
      diffusion coefficient (ADC) obtained with lumbar diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)
      of the L5-S1 IVD before, and during, the application of lumbar traction. DESIGN:
      Case series, repeated measures. METHODS: A static traction load of ~50% of body
      weight was applied to the low back using a novel "MRI-safe" apparatus. DWI of the
      lumbar spine was performed prior to, and during the application of the traction
      load. RESULTS: Participants were currently asymptomatic and included a young
      adult group (n = 18) and a middle-aged group (n = 15). The young adult group had
      a non-significant 2.2% increase in ADC (mean change = 0.03 * 10-3 mm2/s, SD =
      0.24, 95% CI = -0.09, 0.15). The ADC for the middle-aged group significantly
      increased by 20% (mean change of 0.18 * 10-3 mm2/s, SD = 0.19; 95% CI = 0.07,
      0.28; p = 0.003; effect size = 0.95). There was an inverse relationship between
      the ADC obtained before traction and the percent increase in ADC that was
      measured during traction. CONCLUSION: Static traction was associated with an
      increase in diffusion of water within the L5-S1 IVDs of middle-age individuals,
      but not in young adults, suggesting age-related differences in the diffusion
      response. Further study is needed to assess the relationship between these
      findings and the symptoms of back pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

PMID- 28624723
TI  - Repeated end range spinal movement while seated abolishes the proprioceptive
      deficit induced by prolonged flexed sitting posture. A study assessing the
      statistical and clinical significance of spinal position sense.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sustained spinal flexion has been proposed to affect the properties
      of spinal tissues, increase postural muscle's activation latency and act
      detrimentally on proprioception. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect of
      flexed posture (FP) on spinal proprioception and assessed the immediate effect of
      spinal movement on the presumable flexion-induced proprioceptive deficit. DESIGN:
      Clinical measurement study. METHODS: Marker-based kinematic analyses of the head,
      spine, and pelvis were conducted on 50 individuals. Subjects were educated in a
      lordotic sitting posture (IOSP) that they reproduced immediately; after 10 and 30
      min in FP; and after sagittal spinal movement. Nine sagittal angles were
      calculated. Absolute error (AE) and constant error (CE) were used to evaluate
      repositioning accuracy. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test for significant
      differences in angles obtained among postures, as well as for the AE and CE
      calculated from the trials. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in
      reposition error (RE) after immediate reproduction of IOSP (all p > 0.0083).
      Following FP AEs presented significant differences for head (4.1 degrees ), head
      protraction (1.9 degrees ), head tilt (2.1 degrees ), lumbar (3.2 degrees ) and
      pelvis angle (2.1 degrees ). CEs revealed significant differences for head
      protraction (-1.8 degrees ) and lumbar angle (-3.5 degrees ). No significant
      differences were found for AE and CE after spinal sagittal movement (all p >
      0.0083). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged FP can affect spinal position sense, but sagittal
      spinal movement can abolish the proprioceptive deficit. The significant
      differences documented, may be of limited clinical utility given their magnitude,
      and the reliability data presented may be of use in reinterpreting previously
      documented proprioceptive analyses.

PMID- 28624724
TI  - High-throughput screening technologies for enzyme engineering.
AB  - Emerging technologies are enabling ultra-high-throughput screening of
      combinatorial enzyme libraries to identify variants with improved properties such
      as increased activity, altered substrate specificity, and increased stability.
      Each of these enzyme engineering platforms relies on compartmentalization of
      reaction components, similar to microtiter plate-based assays which have been
      commonly used for testing the activity of enzyme variants. The technologies can
      be broadly divided into three categories according to their spatial segregation
      strategy: (1) cells as reaction compartments, (2) in vitro compartmentalization
      via synthetic droplets, and (3) microchambers. Here, we discuss these emerging
      platforms, which in some cases enable the screening of greater than 10 million
      enzyme variants, and highlight benefits and limitations of each technology.

PMID- 28624725
TI  - Multifunctional polymeric micelles loaded with doxorubicin and poly(dithienyl
      diketopyrrolopyrrole) for near-infrared light-controlled chemo-phototherapy of
      cancer cells.
AB  - Polymeric micelles loaded with multiple therapeutic modalities are important to
      overcome challenges such as drug resistance and improve the therapeutic efficacy.
      Here we report a new polymer micellar drug carrier that integrates chemotherapy
      and photothermal therapy in a single platform. Specifically, a narrow bandgap
      poly(dithienyl-diketopyrrolopyrrole) (PDPP) polymer was encapsulated together
      with a model anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) in the hydrophobic cores of
      polymeric micelles formed by Pluronic F127, an amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)
      poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer. The PDPP polymer
      served as an organic photothermal agent that absorbs near-infrared light (700
      1000nm) and transforms into heat efficiently. The dual functional micelles co
      loaded with PDPP and DOX in the hydrophobic compartment showed good colloidal
      stability after being stored at 4 degrees C at least over two months, and
      remained visibly stable after 808-nm laser irradiation. The loaded DOX had
      negligible effect on the size and photothermal property of the micelles. The
      release of DOX from the micelles could be enhanced by the "breathing" effect of
      shrinking/swelling of the micelles induced by the temperature change, owing to
      the thermosensitive nature of the F127 polymers. Importantly, the ternary
      F127/PDPP/DOX micelles under 808-nm laser irradiation showed enhanced
      cytotoxicity against cancer cells such as HeLa cells, compared to F127 micelles
      containing single modality of either PDPP or DOX only.

PMID- 28624726
TI  - Holographic characterization of contaminants in water: Differentiation of
      suspended particles in heterogeneous dispersions.
AB  - Determining the size distribution and composition of particles suspended in water
      can be challenging in heterogeneous multicomponent samples. Light scattering
      techniques can measure the distribution of particle sizes, but provide no basis
      for distinguishing different types of particles. Direct imaging techniques can
      categorize particles by shape, but offer few insights into their composition.
      Holographic characterization meets this need by directly measuring the size,
      refractive index, and three-dimensional position of individual particles in a
      suspension. The ability to measure an individual colloidal particle's refractive
      index is a unique capability of holographic characterization. Holographic
      characterization is fast enough, moreover, to build up population distribution
      data in real time, and to track time variations in the concentrations of
      different dispersed populations of particles. We demonstrate these capabilities
      using a model system consisting of polystyrene microbeads co-dispersed with
      bacteria in an oil-in-water emulsion. We also demonstrate how the holographic
      fingerprint of different contaminants can contribute to identifying their source.

PMID- 28624727
TI  - The biogeochemical implications of massive gull flocks at landfills.
AB  - Gulls have long been observed concentrating in flocks of tens to hundreds of
      thousands at the anthropogenic food sources provided by landfills. Yet, the
      biogeochemical implications of the landfill gull phenomenon have been largely
      ignored. This study has two goals: 1) to understand the magnitude and geographic
      extent of landfill gulls in North America, and 2) to quantify the amount of
      carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) transported from landfills to gull
      roosting sites in order to understand their potential impacts on water quality
      and methane (CH4) emission. We synthesized and mapped data from the eBird Citizen
      Science database and found that 1.4 million gulls have been documented at
      landfills throughout North America, though the actual population is probably
      greater than 5 million. Using a carnivorous bird transport model we estimate that
      these gulls transport 39,000 to 139,000 kg of P and 240,000 to 858,000 kg of N y
      1 to neighboring water bodies and avoid roughly 1.1 to 3.9 Tg y-1 of landfill CH4
      emissions. The avoided CH4 emission mitigation is insignificant in the context of
      gross landfill emissions, but the transported nutrients may be relevant to water
      quality management at local and continental scales. For example, at the Jordan
      Lake reservoir in North Carolina, a flock of 49,000 Ring-billed Gulls (Larus
      delawarensis) annually deposits landfill feces containing 1070 kg P, an amount
      equivalent to approximately half of total maximum daily load reduction targets
      and worth roughly $2.2 million USD in nutrient credits. We estimate that
      continent-wide gull impacts are worth at least $100 million in nutrient offset
      credits. We conclude that mega-flocks of landfill gulls are common and
      widespread, and that their capacity to transport nutrients may be contributing to
      the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and water supplies.

PMID- 28624728
TI  - Nitrite production from urine for sulfide control in sewers.
AB  - Most commonly used methods for sewer sulfide control involves dosing chemical
      agents to wastewater, which incurs high operational costs. Here, we propose and
      demonstrate a cost-effective and environmentally attractive approach to sewer
      sulfide control through urine separation and its subsequent conversion to nitrite
      prior to intermittent dosage to sewers. Urine collected from a male toilet urinal
      was fed to laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors. The reactors stably
      converted roughly 50% of the nitrogen in urine to nitrite, with high abundance
      (at 17.46%) of known ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) of the genus Nitrosomonas,
      and absence (below detection level) of typical nitrite-oxidizing bacteria of the
      genus Nitrospira, according to 454 pyrosequencing analysis. The stable nitrite
      production was achieved at both relatively high (1.0-2.0 mg/L) and low (0.2-0.3
      mg/L) dissolved oxygen concentrations. Dosing tests in laboratory-scale sewer
      systems confirmed the sulfide control effectiveness of free nitrous acid
      generated from urine. Life cycle assessment indicated that, compared with
      commodity chemicals, nitrite/free nitrous acid (FNA) production from urine for
      sulfide control in sewers would lower the operational costs by approximately 2/3
      and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 1/3 in 20 years.

PMID- 28624729
TI  - MODIS observations of cyanobacterial risks in a eutrophic lake: Implications for
      long-term safety evaluation in drinking-water source.
AB  - The occurrence and related risks from cyanobacterial blooms have increased world
      wide over the past 40 years. Information on the abundance and distribution of
      cyanobacteria is fundamental to support risk assessment and management
      activities. In the present study, an approach based on Empirical Orthogonal
      Function (EOF) analysis was used to estimate the concentrations of chlorophyll a
      (Chla) and the cyanobacterial biomarker pigment phycocyanin (PC) using data from
      the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in Lake Chaohu (China's
      fifth largest freshwater lake). The approach was developed and tested using
      fourteen years (2000-2014) of MODIS images, which showed significant spatial and
      temporal variability of the PC:Chla ratio, an indicator of cyanobacterial
      dominance. The results had unbiased RMS uncertainties of <60% for Chla ranging
      between 10 and 300 MUg/L, and unbiased RMS uncertainties of <65% for PC between
      10 and 500 MUg/L. Further analysis showed the importance of nutrient and climate
      conditions for this dominance. Low TN:TP ratios (<29:1) and elevated temperatures
      were found to influence the seasonal shift of phytoplankton community. The
      resultant MODIS Chla and PC products were then used for cyanobacterial risk
      mapping with a decision tree classification model. The resulting Water Quality
      Decision Matrix (WQDM) was designed to assist authorities in the identification
      of possible intake areas, as well as specific months when higher frequency
      monitoring and more intense water treatment would be required if the location of
      the present intake area remained the same. Remote sensing cyanobacterial risk
      mapping provides a new tool for reservoir and lake management programs.

PMID- 28624730
TI  - Efficient degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A by synergistic integration of
      Fe/Ni bimetallic catalysis and microbial acclimation.
AB  - This study provides a novel technology for the degradation of tetrabromobisphenol
      A (TBBPA) via an interaction of Fe redox and a shift of functional microbial
      community. TBBPA was degraded by integration of synthesized Fe-Ni bimetallic
      particles and enriched microbial consortium within an aqueous system. This
      cooperative integration yielded the best TBBPA-degrading capacity (100% removal
      after treatment for 2 h) and highest TOC-removing efficiency (94.5% removal after
      treatment for 96 h), as well as the lowest toxicity to Vibrio fischeri (almost 0%
      growth inhibition during reaction). The synergistic mechanism of integrated
      system was clarified based on systematical analyses of the degradation processes
      as well as the shifts in microbial community. Owing to the microbial metabolism
      and the Fenton-like process of leaked Fe2+, Fe3+ and Ni2+ from Fe-Ni bimetallic
      catalyst, reactive oxidative species (ROS), including superoxide (O2-), hydroxyl
      radicals (OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were produced and evaluated by
      multiple techniques. Moreover, the quenching experiments indicated that OH was
      the major ROS leading to TBBPA degradation, rather than H2O2 or O2-. Based on the
      analysis of the 12 detected intermediates, three parallel pathways were proposed.
      It was clearly revealed that reductive and oxidative debromination,
      hydroxylation, and beta-scission simultaneously occurred in the integrated
      system. Fe non-randomly accelerated the enrichment of TBBPA-degrading microbes
      (e.g. Pseudomonas sp. and Citrobacter sp., etc.). Above all, this novel
      technology has great promise for field-applications for remediation of TBBPA
      contaminated field.

PMID- 28624731
TI  - Optimizing mixing mode and intensity to prevent sludge flotation in sulfidogenic
      anaerobic sludge bed reactors.
AB  - Sludge flotation is a notorious problem in anaerobic wastewater treatment that
      can occur under various operational conditions and even cause the anaerobic
      process to completely fail. Despite having been documented for over three
      decades, its causes and remedies remain elusive, particularly for low-gas
      production anaerobic processes such as sulfidogenic and anammox processes. This
      paper systematically studies sludge flotation in an anaerobic sulfidogenic
      process for saline domestic sewage treatment. Three lab-scale sulfidogenic
      reactors were operated in parallel with different modes of mixing (hydraulic,
      mechanical and pneumatic) at various mixing intensity levels at shear rates
      ranging from 0.7 to 6.6 s-1 to investigate reactor performance and sludge
      properties and their relationships with sludge flotation potential. The results
      indicate that a sulfidogenic reactor with low flotation potential have sludge
      with low hydrophobicity, low viscosity, and low (more negative) surface charge,
      while the sludge particle surfaces have high compactness and low roughness. These
      sludge properties enabled a sludge flotation potential of less than 20% to be
      maintained. Furthermore, our results show that i) mixing and extracellular
      polymeric substances (EPS), ii) EPS and sludge properties, and iii) sludge
      properties and sludge flotation potential are all strongly correlated (all the
      Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (Rs) are either over 0.64 (if positively
      correlated) or under -0.64 (if negatively correlated), at the 95% confidence
      level). Accordingly, sludge flotation can be resolved by controlling reactor
      mixing. Our findings provide a method to optimize the design and operation of
      anaerobic sulfidogenic reactors that can be extended to similar low-gas
      production anaerobic bioreactors.

PMID- 28624732
TI  - Comparison of different treatment methods for protein solubilisation from waste
      activated sludge.
AB  - Biomaterials recovery from wasted activated sludge has become an increasing
      interesting research topic. The purpose of this study was to systemically
      evaluate different sludge disintegration methods (ultrasonic, alkaline, and
      thermal treatments) for protein solubilisation from waste activated sludge (WAS).
      Compared to control without treatment, the soluble protein concentration
      increased by 11, 23 and 12 times under the optimal treatment conditions
      (ultrasonic treatment of 1 W mL-1, alkaline treatment of pH 12 and thermal
      treatment at 80  degrees C). The increased soluble protein were significantly
      correlated with the release of total organic carbon (TOC), total dissolved
      nitrogen (TDN) and total organic nitrogen (TON) in soluble EPS, and the
      degradation of above parameters in tightly bound EPS. For all sludge samples
      treated by various methods, tyrosine-like protein with molecular weight less than
      20 kDa predominated, and alkaline treatment at pH 12 showed the highest protein
      dominance. Further surface analysis of sludge by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
      indicated this might be related with the significant protein-N conversion
      occurred at pH 12. The economic analysis indicated alkaline treatment at pH 12
      was economically feasible with a net saving of 25.57 USD per ton wet sludge
      compared to conventional sludge treatment and disposal method.

PMID- 28624733
TI  - Gastrointestinal illness linked to incidents in drinking water distribution
      networks in Sweden.
AB  - During recent years, knowledge gaps on drinking water-related gastrointestinal
      illness have been identified, especially for non-epidemic cases. Pathogen
      contamination of drinking water during distribution has been suggested to
      contribute to these cases, but the risk factors are not yet fully understood.
      During 2014-2015, we conducted an epidemiological study in five municipalities in
      Sweden, to assess whether incidents in the drinking water distribution system
      influence the risk of gastrointestinal illness. Telephone interviews were
      conducted in the affected areas and in reference areas 7-14 days after a reported
      incident. Symptoms of gastrointestinal illness occurring during the period were
      documented for each household member. The results showed a significantly elevated
      risk of vomiting and acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in the affected areas,
      compared to the reference areas (ORvom. = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.2-3.3; ORAGI = 1.9, 95%
      CI: 1.2-3.0). Certain conditions, or risk factors, during the incidents, such as
      sewage and drinking water pipelines at the same level in the trench, were
      associated with an elevated risk of AGI and vomiting. Safety measures taken
      during repair work, like flushing, were also associated with an elevated risk of
      AGI and vomiting. These results show that incidents in the drinking water
      distribution network contribute to endemic gastrointestinal illness, especially
      AGI and vomiting, and that external pathogen contamination of the drinking water
      is a likely cause of these cases of gastrointestinal illness. The results also
      indicate that safety measures used today may not be sufficient for eliminating
      the risk of gastrointestinal illness.

PMID- 28624734
TI  - Indirect influence of eutrophication on air - water exchange fluxes, sinking
      fluxes, and occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
AB  - How eutrophication affects biogeochemical processes of hydrophobic organic
      contaminants (HOCs) in aquatic environments is a pending challenge. Although the
      direct influence of eutrophication on biogeochemical processes of HOCs in waters
      has been well addressed, the indirect influence of eutrophication on
      biogeochemical processes of HOCs remains largely unknown. Here we take the large
      shallow eutrophic Lake Taihu in China and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
      as examples to provide novel knowledge on the indirect influence of
      eutrophication on air - water exchange fluxes, sinking fluxes, and occurrence of
      HOCs. The air - water exchange fluxes of individual PAHs varied dramatically at
      different sites in all studied seasons. The sinking flux of SigmaPAH16 was 14
      855.3 +/- 1579.9, 3548.9 +/- 650.6, and 5588.4 +/- 530.7 ng m-2 d-1 in spring,
      summer, and winter. The corresponding concentration of SigmaPAH16 in surface
      sediments was 713.1 +/- 78.6, 339.7 +/- 36.6, and 293.0 +/- 35.2 ng g-1 d.w. Our
      study for the first time suggested that recruitment of cyanobacteria from surface
      sediments to water column in spring reduced the concentrations of PAHs in surface
      sediments, but enhanced their concentrations in the bulk water column, and
      overwintering of cyanobacteria in winter enhanced the concentrations of PAHs in
      surface sediments. High pH induced indirectly by eutrophication decreased
      seasonal air - water exchange fluxes (enhanced net volatilization) of PAHs,
      reduced the aromaticity of surface sediments and the hydrophobicity of
      phytoplankton cell surface, and reduced the accumulation of PAHs in surface
      sediments and phytoplankton consequently. Sinking fluxes and daily loss of PAHs
      from the water column decreased with phytoplankton biomass because the fraction
      of organic matter sinking from the water column decreased with phytoplankton
      biomass. Our study provides novel complementary knowledge for the biological pump
      for HOCs, and has important implications for understanding the coupling between
      eutrophication and biogeochemical processes of HOCs in subtropical shallow
      eutrophic waters.

PMID- 28624735
TI  - Advances in high-resolution cryo-EM of oligomeric enzymes.
AB  - Recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy instrumentation and software have
      made it possible to obtain atomic resolution structures of macromolecular
      complexes with a small amount of material at low concentration and without the
      need for crystallisation. Oligomeric enzymes are particularly well suited for
      this technique because of their symmetry and often large size or rigid structure
      and can be used to explore the limits of the technique. Conformational changes
      can reach their full extent in solution, not hampered by crystal contacts, and
      multiple conformations in a sample can be separated computationally. Cryo-EM
      structures can be solved de novo for large complexes that resist crystallisation
      or structure determination by crystallographic techniques.

PMID- 28624736
TI  - Fluorescence of tautomeric forms of curcumin in different pH and biosurfactant
      rhamnolipids systems: Application towards on-off ratiometric fluorescence
      temperature sensing.
AB  - Medicinal properties of curcumin are widely getting realized. For its
      applicability as a hydrophobic drug molecule and food spice interaction of
      curcumin with rhamnolipids, a biosurfactant, bears importance. Here we have
      explored interaction of curcumin with rhamnolipids biosurfactant and its
      aggregation behavior. The impact of pH on critical micelle concentration (cmc) of
      rhamnolipids has been studied using fluorescence of curcumin and found that cmc
      of rhamnolipids increases with increase in pH of the medium. In acidic, neutral
      and slightly alkaline medium (pH8), at lambdaex=355nm (for beta-diketone form)
      curcumin undergoes excited state hydrogen transfer (ESHT) and emits solely from
      enol form both in the presence and absence of rhamnolipids, but first time we
      report that in extreme alkaline condition, at pH13, at lambdaex=355nm curcumin
      emits from both beta-diketone as well as enolic ESHT forms in absence of
      rhamnolipids but in the presence of rhamnolipids beta-diketone is stabilized and
      the emission solely comes from beta-diketone by completely revoking ESHT process.
      Fluorescence quenching by hydrophobic cetylpyridinium bromide confirms curcumin
      penetrates deep inside the hydrophobic pocket of rhamnolipid aggregates/micelle
      by reducing the distance between N+-atom of pyridinium ion and curcumin. On the
      other hand hydrophobic molecule like pyrene stays near to the Stern layer of
      rhamnolipids facilitating electron transfer from pyrene to N+-atom of pyridinium
      ion. Even in neutral condition, in the presence of rhamnolipids the beta-diketone
      form, though in small proportions, can be stabilized in higher temperature in
      expense of enolic ESHT form, thus, offering an on off ratiometric fluorescence
      temperature sensing in solution, which bears significance as ratiometric probe
      molecules. Interaction of curcumin with rhamnolipids stabilizes curcumin in
      acidic, neutral and moderate alkaline condition but fails at extreme pH13.

PMID- 28624737
TI  - Optical properties of the human lens constituents.
AB  - The absorption and fluorescence properties of the metabolomic (MET), water
      soluble and urea-soluble protein fractions from the middle-age, aged, and
      cataractous human lenses have been measured. At 280nm and 300nm the major lens
      absorbers are crystallins, which absorb more than 90% of light in the UV-B region
      (280-315nm). In middle-aged lenses, the absorption at 360nm is mostly provided by
      UV filters contained in the MET fraction. With aging, and especially with the
      cataract development, the absorption of MET fraction in UV-A region (315-400nm)
      decreases due to the drop of the UV filter concentration, while the absorption of
      protein fractions increases due to the accumulation of post-translational
      modifications. Consequently, the contribution of the MET fraction into the total
      lens absorption at 360nm decays from 63% in middle-aged lenses to 25% in aged
      lenses to 3% in cataractous lenses. The fluorescence yield of the MET fraction
      from cataractous lenses also significantly increases. Therefore, the protection
      of the lens tissue against UV radiation in aged and cataractous lenses weakens:
      the absorption of UV-A light is mostly provided by modified crystallins and non
      UV-filter metabolites, which are photochemically more active than the UV filters.
      The obtained data indicate that the aged and cataractous human lenses are more
      vulnerable to UV-A light than the middle-aged lenses.

PMID- 28624738
TI  - Accelerating anodic biofilms formation and electron transfer in microbial fuel
      cells: Role of anionic biosurfactants and mechanism.
AB  - Anodic electron transfer is the predominant electricity generation process of
      MFCs. To accelerate anodic biofilms formation and electron transfer, 40mg/L,
      80mg/L, and 120mg/L of rhamnolipid biosurfactants were added to the anolyte,
      resulting in an increased abiotic capacitance from 15.12F/m2 (control) to
      16.54F/m2, 18.00F/m2, and 19.39F/m2, respectively. Anodic biofilm formation was
      facilitated after dosing 40mg/L of rhamnolipids on the 7th day after inoculation,
      resulting in an increased anodic biofilm coverage from 0.43% to 42.51%, and an
      increased maximum power density from 6.92+/-1.18W/m3 to 9.93+/-0.88W/m3.
      Furthermore, the adsorption of rhamnolipids on the anode caused the Frumkin
      effect, leading to a decrease of equilibrium potential from -0.43V to -0.56V, and
      an increase of exchange current density from 5.09*10-3A/m2 to 8.72*10-3A/m2.
      However, electron transfer was blocked when the rhamnolipid concentration was
      further increased to 80mg/L, and 120mg/L. Analysis of the anodic bacterial
      communities revealed that rhamnolipids facilitated the enrichment of
      exoelectrogen, increasing the total proportion from 65% to 81%. Additionally,
      biosurfactants were found to have significant impacts on the composition of
      exoelectrogens.

PMID- 28624739
TI  - Degradation of 1,4-dioxane by biochar supported nano magnetite particles
      activating persulfate.
AB  - Nano magnetite biochar composite (nFe3O4/biochar) was synthesized and used to
      activate persulfate for the degradation of 1,4-dioxane. Analytical techniques
      using X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR), X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated
      that nFe3O4 was spherical and successfully loaded onto the surface of biochar.
      The results of batch-scale experiments illustrated that the 1,4-dioxane
      degradation efficiency in aqueous phase was 98.0% after 120 min reaction with the
      composite mass ratio of 1:1 between nFe3O4 and the pine needle biochar pyrolyzed
      at 400  degrees C (P400) under the initial neutral pH. An electron paramagnetic
      resonance (EPR) study, free radical quenching experiment and XPS analysis were
      undertaken to illustrate the mechanism of persulfate activation by
      nFe3O4/biochar. Under acidic and neutral conditions, the predominant free radical
      was SO4- whereas OH and SO4- predominated when the initial pH was 9.0. The XPS
      analysis indicated that Fe(II) and oxygenated functional groups activated
      persulfate. In addition, carbon-carbon double bonds would be transformed into
      ketone and quinone which could activate persulfate during the reaction.

PMID- 28624740
TI  - Role of organic acids on the bioavailability of selenium in soil: A review.
AB  - Organic Acids (OAs) are important components in the rhizosphere soil and
      influence Se bioavailability in soil. OAs have a bidirectional contrasting effect
      on Se bioavailability. Understanding the interaction of OAs with Se is essential
      to assessing Se bioavailability in soil and clarifying the role of OAs in
      controlling the behavior and fate of Se in soil. This review examines the
      mechanisms for the (im)mobilization of Se by OAs and discusses the practical
      implications of these mechanisms in relation to sequestration and bioavailability
      of Se in soil.

PMID- 28624741
TI  - Reduced sludge growth at high bulk liquor dissolved oxygen induced by increased
      secondary cell maintenance.
AB  - Sludge reduction by physico-chemical methods results in the buildup of chemicals,
      which may require further treatment. Owing these reasons various biologically
      sustainable methods of sludge reduction including the application of high
      oxygenation have been successfully tested. Experiments on actual sewage in two
      lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were conducted under normal (1.5-2.5
      mgDO/L) and high dissolved oxygen (DO) (HDO: 3-6.5 mgDO/L) regimes. It was
      observed that microorganism allocated substrate between maintenance and growth in
      the form of maintenance coefficient. Which could be induced by endogenous
      respiration owing to high solids retention time (SRT), predation on bacteria,
      chemical toxicity, adverse environment, and viral attack on bacteria. The
      wastewater treatment process may experience one or more maintenance inducing
      factors; nevertheless, high SRT and prevailing environmental conditions are
      imminent and thus considered as primary maintenance (mp), while remaining are
      classified as secondary maintenance (ms). Average yield coefficient reduction at
      HDO was 32.7% and 28.2% compared to stoichiometric and at normal DO,
      respectively. The observed primary and secondary maintenance was 0.11gCOD/gVSS.d
      (+/-0.01) at an SRT of 25.2 d (+/-2.0) and 0.096 g 0.1 gCOD/gVSS.d (+/-0.045) at
      an SRT of 24.2 d (+/-3.6d), respectively. The results obtained under the study
      are not as precise as on pure culture and defined substrate, nevertheless, it
      gives an idea that how stress factors inducing maintenance need to be addressed
      more seriously and objectively while managing our efforts on sludge reduction.

PMID- 28624742
TI  - Ionic liquids toxicity on fresh water microalgae, Scenedesmus quadricauda,
      Chlorella vulgaris &Botryococcus braunii; selection criterion for use in a two
      phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPBR).
AB  - A promising method of Carbon dioxide (CO2) valorization is to use green
      microalgae photosynthesis to process biofuel. Two Phase Partitioning Bioreactors
      (TPPBR) offer the possibility to use non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) to enhance
      CO2 solubility; thus making CO2 available to maximize algae growth. This requires
      relatively less toxic hydrophobic Ionic Liquids (ILs) that comprise a new class
      of ionic compounds with remarkable physicochemical properties and thus qualifies
      them as NAPL candidates. This paper concerns the synthesis of ILs with octyl and
      butyl chains as well as different cations containing aromatic (imidazolium,
      pyridinium) and non-aromatic (piperidinum, pyrrolidinium) rings for CO2
      absorption studies. The authors measured their respective toxicity levels on
      microalgae species, specifically, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Chlorella vulgaris and
      Botryococcus braunii. Results revealed that octyl-based ILs were more toxic than
      butyl-based analogues. Such was the case for bmim-PF6 at double saturation with
      an absorbance of 0.11, compared to Omim-PF6 at 0.17, bmim-NTf2 at 0.02, and Omim
      NTf2 at 0.14, respectively. CO2 uptake results for ILs bearing octyl-based chains
      compared to the butyl analog were 54% (nCO2/nIL) (i.e., moles of CO2 moles of IL)
      and 38% (nCO2/nIL), respectively. Conclusively, 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium
      absorbed 13% (nCO2/nIL) and appeared the least toxic, having an absorbance of
      0.25 at 688 nm (double saturation at 7 d) compared to 1-butyl-3
      methylimidazolium, which showed the highest toxicity with zero absorbance.
      Accordingly, these findings suggest that 1-butyl-1-methylpiperidinium is capable
      of transporting CO2 to a system containing green microalgae without causing
      significant harm; thus allowing its use in TPPBR technology.

PMID- 28624743
TI  - Facile fabrication of carbon microspheres decorated with B(OH)3 and alpha-Fe2O3
      nanoparticles: Superior microwave absorption.
AB  - We demonstrate that novel three-dimensional (3D) B(OH)3 and alpha-Fe2O3
      nanoparticles decorated carbon microspheres (B(OH)3/alpha-Fe2O3-CMSs) can be
      fabricated via a facile thermal treatment process. The carbon microspheres with
      diameter of 1-3MUm and decorated B(OH)3 and alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with
      diameters of several to tens of nanometers are successfully fabricated. These
      novel 3D B(OH)3/alpha-Fe2O3-CMS composites exhibit enhanced microwave absorption
      with tunable strong absorption wavebands in the frequency range of 2-18GHz. They
      have a minimum reflection loss (RL) value of -52.69dB at a thickness of 3.0mm,
      and the effective absorption bandwidth for RL less than -10dB is as large as
      5.64GHz. The enhanced microwave absorption performance arises from the synergy of
      the impedance matching caused by the B(OH)3 nanoparticles, dielectric loss as
      well as the enhancement of multiple reflection among 3D alpha-Fe2O3 nanocrystals.
      These results provide a new strategy to tune electromagnetic properties and
      enhance the capacity of high-efficient microwave absorbers.

PMID- 28624744
TI  - Optimization of the synthesis of Pd-Au nanoalloys confined in mesoporous
      carbonaceous materials.
AB  - Pd-Au nanoalloys confined in mesoporous carbonaceous materials were synthesized
      by a rapid one-pot microwave assisted approach. Green polymer resins based on
      phloroglucinol/glyoxylic acid or glyoxal were co-assembled in the presence of a
      template and metallic salts followed by microwave treatment between 40 and 80
      degrees C and subsequent thermal annealing, allowing simultaneous formation of
      mesoporous carbonaceous materials with in-situ confined Pd-Au nanoparticles.
      Several Pd-Au compositions were prepared (PdxAu100-x, where x=90; 80; 70 and 50)
      and their impact on the alloy structure and particle size/distribution evaluated.
      For Pd90Au10, homogeneously dispersed nanoalloy particles (~8nm) are obtained in
      the carbonaceous framework. The increase in the Au content in the alloy gradually
      induces an increase in the particle size and agglomeration of the particles along
      with the formation of multiphased alloys, i.e., segregated Pd- and Au-rich
      nanoparticles. The particle agglomeration was avoided by decreasing the thermal
      annealing time. The homogeneity of the alloy structure was found to strongly
      depend by two parameters, the chelating/cross-linker agents and the microwave
      temperature, i.e., the chelating/cross-linker agents containing carboxylic groups
      and the higher temperatures inducing more heterogeneous structures. The hydrogen
      absorption in Pd90Au10 particles with different homogeneity degree was studied at
      room temperature up to 1bar. Generally, hydrogen absorbs in Pd-rich nanoalloys
      forming a hydride phase whereas Au-rich phases do not absorb hydrogen under the
      present conditions.

PMID- 28624745
TI  - Silver chloride enwrapped silver grafted on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide
      as a highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst.
AB  - The visible-light-driven plasmonic photocatalyst silver chloride enwrapped
      silver/nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (AgCl@Ag/N-rGO) was prepared by a
      facile hydrothermal-in situ oxidation method and characterized by Scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared
      spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
      and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The characterization
      results reveal that Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were first grafted on N-rGO via N
      groups as anchor sites and then enwrapped by AgCl by in situ oxidation. Close
      interfacial contact favors efficient electron transfer, leading to high
      photoactivity and photostability for the degradation of various toxic organic
      pollutants. The photocatalytic performance of this photocatalyst was
      significantly higher than that of AgCl@Ag/rGO and other related photocatalysts
      due to the in situ introduction of N-groups. Additionally, the used catalyst can
      be recycled without an appreciable loss of catalytic activity. Based on electron
      spin resonance and cyclic voltammetry analyses, the electron transfer processes
      were confirmed to occur from plasmon-induced Ag NPs to AgCl and from N-rGO to Ag
      NPs, and pollutants could be oxidized through the loss of electrons to N-rGO by
      the interaction between the pollutants and N-rGO. The active species of
      superoxide anion radicals (O2-), photogenerated holes (h+) and surface-adsorbed
      OH played roles in pollutant photodegradation. Accordingly, the plasmon-induced
      electron transfer processes elucidated photostability of AgCl@Ag/N-rGO. AgCl@Ag/N
      rGO has a potential application in water purification due to its high
      photoactivity and photostability.

PMID- 28624746
TI  - Textual properties and catalytic performances of halloysite hybrid CeO2-ZrO2
      nanoparticles.
AB  - Halloysite (Hal) hybridized ceria-zirconia solid solution material (CZ-Hal) for
      three way catalysis was synthesized through co-precipitation method. X-ray
      diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, transmission electronic
      microscopy (TEM), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersion
      spectrum (EDS), and temperature-programmed H2 reduction (H2-TPR) were used to
      characterize the crystalline, textural, morphological, and reducibility of the
      products. The three way catalytic performances of the supported products was
      tested in stoichiometric air/fuel condition. The modified Hal hybridized cerium-
      zirconium solid solutions showed a rod-like morphology consisted of agglomerated
      nanoparticles with sizes of about 100nm. The adaption of PEG-4000has guided the
      formation of the nano-rods in the products. The Hal mineral in the composites
      retained their tubular morphology. The CZ-Hal composite showed larger BET surface
      area (130m2/g compared to 71m2/g), concentrated pore size distribution, as well
      as lower reduction temperature, compared with the pure CZ solid solutions. The
      supported Pd-Rh/CZ-Hal showed optimized catalytic performances for CO, NOx
      (conversion up to 98%), and CnHm (70%) at light-off temperatures.

PMID- 28624747
TI  - Who is most affected by prenatal alcohol exposure: Boys or girls?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine outcomes among boys and girls that are associated with
      prenatal alcohol exposure. METHODS: Boys and girls with fetal alcohol spectrum
      disorders (FASD) and randomly-selected controls were compared on a variety of
      physical and neurobehavioral traits. RESULTS: Sex ratios indicated that heavy
      maternal binge drinking may have significantly diminished viability to birth and
      survival of boys postpartum more than girls by age seven. Case control
      comparisons of a variety of physical and neurobehavioral traits at age seven
      indicate that both sexes were affected similarly for a majority of variables.
      However, alcohol-exposed girls had significantly more dysmorphology overall than
      boys and performed significantly worse on non-verbal IQ tests than males. A three
      step sequential regression analysis, controlling for multiple covariates, further
      indicated that dysmorphology among girls was significantly more associated with
      five maternal drinking variables and three distal maternal risk factors. However,
      the overall model, which included five associated neurobehavioral measures at
      step three, was not significant (p=0.09, two-tailed test). A separate sequential
      logistic regression analysis of predictors of a FASD diagnosis, however,
      indicated significantly more negative outcomes overall for girls than boys
      (Nagelkerke R2=0.42 for boys and 0.54 for girls, z=-2.9, p=0.004). CONCLUSION:
      Boys and girls had mostly similar outcomes when prenatal alcohol exposure was
      linked to poor physical and neurocognitive development. Nevertheless, sex ratios
      implicate lower viability and survival of males by first grade, and girls have
      more dysmorphology and neurocognitive impairment than boys resulting in a higher
      probability of a FASD diagnosis.

PMID- 28624748
TI  - Value of diagnostic imaging for the symptomatic male breast: Can we avoid
      unnecessary biopsies?
AB  - PURPOSE: To review the use of diagnostic breast imaging and outcomes for
      symptomatic male patients. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 122 males who
      underwent diagnostic imaging for breast symptoms at our academic center. RESULTS:
      The majority (94%) of cases had negative or benign imaging, with gynecomastia
      being the most common diagnosis (78%). There were two malignancies, both of which
      had positive imaging. Fifteen patients underwent percutaneous biopsy, and over
      half (53%) were palpation-guided biopsies initiated by the referring clinician
      despite negative imaging. Diagnostic imaging demonstrated 100% sensitivity and
      96% specificity for identifying cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Malignancy is rarely a cause
      of male breast symptoms. Diagnostic breast imaging is useful to establish
      benignity and avert unnecessary biopsies.

PMID- 28624749
TI  - Prevalence and clinical significance of incidental extra-mammary findings in
      breast magnetic resonance imaging: A retrospective study of 1070 patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of extra-mammary
      findings in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from
      1070 consecutive breast MRI studies was analyzed. MR-BI-RADS (Breast Imaging
      Reporting and Data System) was used to classify the risk category. RESULTS:
      According to MR-BI-RADS, 915 (85.5%) of 1070 women were classified into MR-BI
      RADS categories 1-3, and 155 (14.5%) into MR-BI-RADS categories 4-5. MR-BI-RADS
      categories 4-5 had a 10-times higher risk for major extra-mammary findings (odds
      ratio 10.1, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Extra-mammary findings are common and may have
      important clinical consequences.

PMID- 28624751
TI  - Organophosphate esters flame retardants in the indoor environment.
AB  - Concentrations of 13 organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPEs) were measured
      in air, dust and window wipes from 63 homes in Canada, the Czech Republic and the
      United States in the spring and summer of 2013 to look for abundances,
      differences among regions, and partitioning behavior. In general, we observed the
      highest concentrations for halogenated OPEs, particularly TCEP, TCIPP and TDCIPP,
      and also non-halogenated TPHP. Differences between regions strongly depended on
      the matrix. The concentrations of OPEs in dust were significantly higher in the
      US than in Canada (CAN) and Czech Republic (CZ). CZ had the highest
      concentrations in window film and CAN in air. SigmaOPE concentrations were 2-3
      and 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than SigmaBFRs in air, and dust and window
      films, respectively. We found a significant relationship between the
      concentrations in dust and air, and between the concentrations in window film and
      air for OPEs with log KOA values <12, suggesting that equilibrium was reached for
      these compounds but not for those with log KOA>12. This hypothesis was confirmed
      by a large discrepancy between values predicted using a partitioning model and
      the measured values for OPEs with log KOA values >12.

PMID- 28624750
TI  - Long-term indoor air conditioner filtration and cardiovascular health: A
      randomized crossover intervention study.
AB  - The association of short-term air pollution filtration with cardiovascular health
      has been documented. However, the effect of long-term indoor air conditioner
      filtration on the association between air pollution and cardiovascular health is
      still unclear. We recruited 200 homemakers from Taipei and randomly assigned 100
      of them to air filtration or control intervention; six home visits were conducted
      per year from 2013 to 2014. The participants under air filtration intervention
      during 2013 were reassigned to control intervention in 2014. The air pollution
      measurements consisted of particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5MUm in
      diameter (PM2.5) and total volatile organic compounds (VOCs); blood pressure was
      monitored for each participant during each visit. The following morning, blood
      samples were collected after air pollution monitoring. The blood samples were
      used to analyze biological markers, including high sensitivity-C-reactive protein
      (hs-CRP), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and fibrinogen. Household
      information, including cleaning, cooking, and air conditioning, was collected by
      a questionnaire. Mixed-effects models were used to investigate the associations
      among air pollution measurements, blood pressure and biological markers. The
      results showed that increased levels of PM2.5 and total VOCs were associated with
      increased hs-CRP, 8-OHdG and blood pressure. The health variables were higher
      among participants in the control intervention phase than among those in the air
      filtration intervention phase. We concluded that air pollution exposure was
      associated with systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and elevated blood
      pressure. The long-term filtration of air pollution with an air conditioner
      filter was associated with cardiovascular health of adults.

PMID- 28624752
TI  - Skin hydration and lifestyle-related factors in community-dwelling older people.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate skin hydration status of the lower
      legs by comparing several methods and examining lifestyle-related factors in
      community-dwelling older people. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted
      in three community settings in Japan from autumn to winter. Participants were
      older people aged >=65 years (n=118). Skin hydration status of the lower legs was
      evaluated by stratum corneum hydration using an electrical device, clinical
      symptoms by an expert's observation and the visual analogue scale. Lifestyle
      factors of skin care were evaluated by a self-administered questionnaire.
      RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 74.4 years and 83.9% were women.
      Stratum corneum hydration was significantly correlated with clinical scores by an
      expert's observation (rho=-0.46, P<0.001), but it was not correlated with the
      visual analogue scale (rho=-0.08, P=0.435). Among participants who did not
      perceive dry skin, 57.5% showed low stratum corneum hydration. Hospitalization in
      the past year (b=-9.4, P=0.008), excessive bathing habits (b=-4.6, P=0.014), and
      having an outdoor hobby (b=-5.7, P=0.007) were negatively associated, and
      diuretics (b=11.5, P=0.002) and lotion-type moisturizer use (b=4.6, P=0.022) were
      positively associated with stratum corneum hydration. CONCLUSION: Stratum corneum
      hydration measurements show an adequate association with observation-based
      evaluation by an expert, but poor agreement with subjective evaluation in
      community-dwelling older people. Hospitalization experience and lifestyle factors
      are associated with skin hydration.

PMID- 28624753
TI  - Treatment of asymptomatic UTI in older delirious medical in-patients: A
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite clinical practice guidelines, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB)
      in older people is frequently treated. A common reason for treating ASB is a
      change in mental status. OBJECTIVE: To determine how often asymptomatic UTI is
      treated in older medically ill delirious individuals and its association with
      functional recovery. METHODS: Consecutive older medical in-patients were screened
      for delirium, and followed in hospital. Treatment for asymptomatic UTI was
      defined as documented treatment for a possible urinary tract infection with
      antibiotics, without concurrent infectious or urinary symptoms. The primary
      outcome was functional recovery at discharge or 3 months post-discharge. Poor
      functional recovery was defined by any one of death, new permanent long-term
      institutionalization or decreased ability to perform activities of daily living.
      RESULTS: The study sample comprised 343 delirious in-patients, of which 237 (69%)
      had poor functional recovery. Ninety two (27%) delirious in-patients were treated
      for asymptomatic UTI. Treatment for asymptomatic UTI was associated with poor
      functional recovery compared to other delirious in-patients (RR 1.30, 95% CI:
      1.14-1.48 overall). Similar results were seen when the analysis was restricted to
      only bacteriuric delirious individuals. Seven (7.5%) individuals treated for
      asymptomatic UTI developed Clostridium difficile infection compared to eight
      (3.2%) in the remainder of the delirious cohort (OR 2.45, 95% CI: 0.86-6.96).
      CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that treatment of asymptomatic UTI in older
      medical in-patients with delirium is common, and of questionable benefit. Further
      research is needed to establish guidelines to minimize over-treatment of UTI in
      older delirious in-patients.

PMID- 28624754
TI  - Automatic segmentation of the lumen region in intravascular images of the
      coronary artery.
AB  - Image assessment of the arterial system plays an important role in the diagnosis
      of cardiovascular diseases. The segmentation of the lumen and media-adventitia in
      intravascular (IVUS) images of the coronary artery is the first step towards the
      evaluation of the morphology of the vessel under analysis and the identification
      of possible atherosclerotic lesions. In this study, a fully automatic method for
      the segmentation of the lumen in IVUS images of the coronary artery is presented.
      The proposed method relies on the K-means algorithm and the mean roundness to
      identify the region corresponding to the potential lumen. An approach to identify
      and eliminate side branches on bifurcations is also proposed to delimit the area
      with the potential lumen regions. Additionally, an active contour model is
      applied to refine the contour of the lumen region. In order to evaluate the
      segmentation accuracy, the results of the proposed method were compared against
      manual delineations made by two experts in 326 IVUS images of the coronary
      artery. The average values of the Jaccard measure, Hausdorff distance, percentage
      of area difference and Dice coefficient were 0.88 +/- 0.06, 0.29 +/- 0.17  mm,
      0.09 +/- 0.07 and 0.94 +/- 0.04, respectively, in 324 IVUS images successfully
      segmented. Additionally, a comparison with the studies found in the literature
      showed that the proposed method is slight better than the majority of the related
      methods that have been proposed. Hence, the new automatic segmentation method is
      shown to be effective in detecting the lumen in IVUS images without using complex
      solutions and user interaction.

PMID- 28624755
TI  - Stereo vision-based tracking of soft tissue motion with application to online
      ablation control in laser microsurgery.
AB  - Recent research has revealed that image-based methods can enhance accuracy and
      safety in laser microsurgery. In this study, non-rigid tracking using surgical
      stereo imaging and its application to laser ablation is discussed. A recently
      developed motion estimation framework based on piecewise affine deformation
      modeling is extended by a mesh refinement step and considering texture
      information. This compensates for tracking inaccuracies potentially caused by
      inconsistent feature matches or drift. To facilitate online application of the
      method, computational load is reduced by concurrent processing and affine
      invariant fusion of tracking and refinement results. The residual latency
      dependent tracking error is further minimized by Kalman filter-based upsampling,
      considering a motion model in disparity space. Accuracy is assessed in
      laparoscopic, beating heart, and laryngeal sequences with challenging conditions,
      such as partial occlusions and significant deformation. Performance is compared
      with that of state-of-the-art methods. In addition, the online capability of the
      method is evaluated by tracking two motion patterns performed by a high-precision
      parallel-kinematic platform. Related experiments are discussed for tissue
      substitute and porcine soft tissue in order to compare performances in an ideal
      scenario and in a setup mimicking clinical conditions. Regarding the soft tissue
      trial, the tracking error can be significantly reduced from 0.72 mm to below 0.05
      mm with mesh refinement. To demonstrate online laser path adaptation during
      ablation, the non-rigid tracking framework is integrated into a setup consisting
      of a surgical Er:YAG laser, a three-axis scanning unit, and a low-noise stereo
      camera. Regardless of the error source, such as laser-to-camera registration,
      camera calibration, image-based tracking, and scanning latency, the ablation root
      mean square error is kept below 0.21 mm when the sample moves according to the
      aforementioned patterns. Final experiments regarding motion-compensated laser
      ablation of structurally deforming tissue highlight the potential of the method
      for vision-guided laser surgery.

PMID- 28624756
TI  - Fat is fashionable and fit: A comparative content analysis of Fatspiration and
      Health at Every Size(r) Instagram images.
AB  - In step with the proliferation of Thinspiration and Fitspiration content
      disseminated in popular web-based media, the fat acceptance movement has garnered
      heightened visibility within mainstream culture via the burgeoning Fatosphere
      weblog community. The present study extended previous Fatosphere research by
      comparing the shared and distinct strategies used to represent and motivate a fat
      accepting lifestyle among 400 images sourced from Fatspiration- and Health at
      Every Size(r)-themed hashtags on Instagram. Images were systematically analyzed
      for the socio-demographic and body size attributes of the individuals portrayed
      alongside content reflecting dimensions of general fat acceptance, physical
      appearance pride, physical activity and health, fat shaming, and eating and
      weight loss-related themes. #fatspiration/#fatspo-tagged images more frequently
      promoted fat acceptance through fashion and beauty-related activism;
      #healthateverysize/#haes posts more often featured physically-active portrayals,
      holistic well-being, and weight stigma. Findings provide insight into the common
      and unique motivational factors and contradictory messages encountered in these
      fat-accepting social media communities.

PMID- 28624757
TI  - Implementation of a disability management policy in a large healthcare employer:
      a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study describes the process and outcomes of the implementation of
      a strengthened disability management policy in a large Canadian healthcare
      employer. Key elements of the strengthened policy included an emphasis on early
      contact, the training of supervisors and the integration of union representatives
      in return-to-work (RTW) planning. DESIGN: The study applied mixed methods,
      combining a process evaluation within the employer and a quasi-experimental
      outcome evaluation between employers for a 3-year period prior to and following
      policy implementation in January 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Staff in the implementation
      organisation (n=4000) and staff in a peer group of 29 large hospitals (n=1 19
      000). OUTCOMES: Work disability episode incidence and duration. RESULTS: Both
      qualitative and quantitative measures of the implementation process were
      predominantly positive. Over the 6-year observation period, there were 624 work
      disability episodes in the organisation and 8604 in the comparison group of 29
      large hospitals. The annual per cent change in episode incidence in the
      organisation was -5.6 (95% CI -9.9 to -1.1) comparable to the annual per cent
      change in the comparison group: -6.2 (-7.2 to -5.3). Disability episode durations
      also declined in the organisation, from a mean of 19.4 days (16.5, 22.3) in the
      preintervention period to 10.9 days (8.7, 13.2) in the postintervention period.
      Reductions in disability durations were also observed in the comparison group:
      from a mean of 13.5 days (12.9, 14.1) in the 2009-2011 period to 10.5 days (9.9,
      11.1) in the 2012-2014 period. CONCLUSION: The incidence of work disability
      episodes and the durations of work disability declined strongly in this hospital
      sector over the 6-year observation period. The implementation of the
      organisation's RTW policy was associated with larger reductions in disability
      durations than observed in the comparison group.

PMID- 28624758
TI  - Prevalence, incidence and aetiologies of pulmonary hypertension in Africa: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There are no data summarising the epidemiology of pulmonary
      hypertension (PH) among adults residing in Africa. Establishment of accurate
      epidemiological data on PH in this region may guide decision-making toward
      interventions to curb the burden of PH in Africa. The aim of this systematic
      review is to determine the prevalence, incidence and aetiologies of PH among
      people residing in Africa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This systematic review and meta
      analysis will follow the MOOSE guidelines for reporting. Relevant abstracts
      published until 30 September 2016 will be searched in PubMed/Medline, EMBASE
      (Excerpta Medica Database), African Journals Online and Africa Index Medicus.
      Full texts of eligible studies will then be accessed through PubMed, Google
      Scholar, HINARI and the respective journals' websites. Relevant unpublished
      papers and conference proceedings will also be checked. Data will be analysed
      using STATA version 13 software. The study-specific estimates will be pooled
      through a random-effects meta-analysis model to obtain an overall summary
      estimate of the prevalence/incidence and aetiologies of PH across studies.
      Heterogeneity of studies will be evaluated by the chi2 test on Cochrane's Q
      statistic. Funnel plot analysis and Egger's test will be done to detect
      publication bias. Results will be presented by geographical region (central,
      eastern, northern, southern and western Africa). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The
      current study is based on published data; ethical approval is, therefore, not
      required. This review will guide policy, practice and research by providing
      information on the magnitude of PH among people residing in Africa. Findings will
      be presented in evidence tables of individual studies as well as in summary
      tables. The final report of this systematic review, in the form of a scientific
      paper, will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Furthermore, findings will
      be presented at conferences and submitted to relevant health authorities. REVIEW
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42016049351.

PMID- 28624759
TI  - GPs' attitudes, beliefs and behaviours regarding exercise for chronic knee pain:
      a questionnaire survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate general practitioners' (GPs)
      attitudes, beliefs and behaviours regarding the use of exercise for patients with
      chronic knee pain (CKP) attributable to osteoarthritis. SETTING: Primary care GPs
      in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: 5000 GPs, randomly selected from Binley's database, were
      mailed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. OUTCOME MEASURES: GPs' attitudes
      and beliefs were investigated using attitude statements, and reported behaviours
      were identified using vignette-based questions. GPs were invited to report
      barriers experienced when initiating exercise with patients with CKP RESULTS: 835
      (17%) GPs responded. Overall, GPs were positive about general exercise for CKP.
      729 (87%) reported using exercise, of which, 538 (74%) reported that they would
      use both general and local (lower limb) exercises. However, only 92 (11% of all
      responding) GPs reported initiating exercise in ways aligning with best-evidence
      recommendations. 815 (98%) GPs reported barriers in using exercise for patients
      with CKP, most commonly, insufficient time in consultations (n=419; 51%) and
      insufficient expertise (n=337; 41%). CONCLUSIONS: While GPs' attitudes and
      beliefs regarding exercise for CKP were generally positive, initiation of
      exercise was often poorly aligned with current recommendations, and barriers and
      uncertainties were reported. GPs' use of exercise may be improved by addressing
      the key barriers of time and expertise, by developing a pragmatic approach that
      supports GPs to initiate individualised exercise, and/or by other professionals
      taking on this role.

PMID- 28624760
TI  - How do smoking cessation medicines compare with respect to their neuropsychiatric
      safety? A protocol for a systematic review, network meta-analysis and cost
      effectiveness analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoking is one of the leading causes of early death in
      the UK and worldwide. Public health guidance recommends the use of varenicline,
      bupropion and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) as smoking cessation aids in the
      UK. Additionally, the first electronic cigarette has been licensed for use as a
      smoking cessation medicine. However, there are ongoing concerns about the safety
      of these medicines. We present a protocol for a systematic review and network
      meta-analysis (NMA) to determine how these smoking cessation medicines compare to
      each other with respect to their neuropsychiatric safety in adult smokers.
      Secondary aims include updating the evidence regarding the effectiveness and
      cardiovascular safety of these medicines for use in a cost-effectiveness
      analysis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will include randomised controlled trials and
      observational studies with control groups comparing monotherapy with varenicline,
      bupropion, NRT or electronic cigarette and combination therapies to each other,
      placebo or usual care. The primary composite safety outcome will be serious
      adverse events, defined as events that resulted in death, were life threatening,
      required hospitalisation or resulted in significant disability or
      congenital/birth defect. The preferred effectiveness outcome will be sustained
      smoking cessation defined as abstinence for a minimum of 6 months as determined
      by biochemical validation. We will include trials identified by previous reviews
      and search relevant databases for newly published trials as well as contacting
      study authors to identify unpublished information. We will conduct fixed-effect
      and random-effect meta-analyses for each pairwise comparison of treatments and
      outcome; where these estimates differ, we will consider reasons for
      heterogeneity, quantified using the between-study variance (tau2). For each
      outcome, we will construct a NMA in a Bayesian framework which will be compared
      with the pair-wise results, allowing us to rank treatments. The effectiveness
      estimates from the NMA will be entered into a probabilistic economic model.
      ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for this evidence
      synthesis study as it involves analysis of secondary data from randomised
      controlled trials and observational studies. The review will make an important
      contribution to the knowledge base around the effectiveness, safety and cost
      effectiveness of smoking cessation medicines. Results will be disseminated to the
      general public, healthcare practitioners and clinicians, academics, industry and
      policy makers. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016041302.

PMID- 28624762
TI  - Contraception choices for transgender males.

PMID- 28624761
TI  - Factors influencing psychological, social and health outcomes after major burn
      injuries in adults: cohort study protocol.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The goal of burn care is that 'the quality of the outcome must be
      worth the pain of survival'. More research is needed to understand how best to
      deliver care for patients with burns to achieve this aim. Loss of independence,
      function as well as loss of income for patients with burns and carers cause a
      significant burden at both individual and societal levels. Much is being done to
      advance knowledge in the clinical care field; however, there has been a paucity
      of research exploring psychosocial outcomes. This paper describes the study
      background and methods, as implemented in an Australian cohort study of
      psychosocial outcomes after major burn injuries. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this
      inception cohort study, a target sample of 230 participants, aged 18 years or
      over, admitted to a single statewide burns centre with a burn injury are
      identified by hospital staff for inclusion. Baseline survey data are collected
      either in person or by telephone within 28 days of the injury and participants
      then followed up with telephone interviews at 3, 6 and 12 months postburn. Injury
      and burns treatment information is collected from medical records. Social support
      is measured as a predictor variable using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived
      Social Support. Outcome data are collected via standardised measures in the
      domains of Quality of Life (SF-12, EQ-5D, BSHS-B), depression (PHQ-9), post
      traumatic stress disorder (PCL-C, PAS), community integration (CIQ-R) and Quality
      Adjusted Life Years (EQ-5D). Additional survey questions measure life
      satisfaction, return to work and public services utilisation at 12 months
      postinjury. Data analysis methods will include analysis of variance, Pearson
      correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: Hospital-based and University of Queensland Human Research Ethics
      Committees have approved the protocol. Results from the study will be
      disseminated at national and international conferences, in peer-reviewed journals
      and in a doctoral thesis. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australia New Zealand
      Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12616000828426). Retrospectively registered on 23
      June 2016; pre-results.

PMID- 28624763
TI  - Electronic cigarette use among US adults in the Population Assessment of Tobacco
      and Health (PATH) Study, 2013-2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in the USA is increasing. As
      such, it is critical to understand who uses e-cigarettes, how e-cigarettes are
      used and what types of products are prevalent. This study assesses patterns of
      current e-cigarette use among daily and non-daily adult users in the 2013-2014
      Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. METHODS: We examined
      the proportion of current adult e-cigarette users (n=3642) reporting infrequent
      use (use on 'some days' and use on 0-2 of the past 30 days), moderate use (use on
      'some days' and use on >2 of the past 30 days) and daily use. We examined
      demographic characteristics, use of other tobacco products and e-cigarette
      product characteristics overall and by use category. Adjusted prevalence ratios
      (aPRs) were calculated using Poisson regression to assess correlates of daily e
      cigarette use. RESULTS: Among the 5.5% of adult current e-cigarette users in the
      PATH Study, 42.2% reported infrequent use, 36.5% reported moderate use and 21.3%
      reported daily use. Cigarette smokers who quit in the past year were more likely
      to report daily e-cigarette use, compared with current smokers (aPR=3.21, 95%
      CI=2.75 to 3.76). Those who reported using rechargeable or refillable devices
      were more likely to report daily use compared with those who did not use these
      devices (aPR=1.95, 95% CI=1.44 to 2.65 and aPR=2.10, 95% CI=1.75 to 2.52,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of e-cigarette users in this study
      reported less than daily use. Compared with non-daily use, daily use was
      associated with being a former smoker; however, cross-sectional data limits our
      ability to establish the temporality or directionality of such associations.

PMID- 28624764
TI  - Recommended core items to assess e-cigarette use in population-based surveys.
AB  - A consistent approach using standardised items to assess e-cigarette use in both
      youth and adult populations will aid cross-survey and cross-national comparisons
      of the effect of e-cigarette (and tobacco) policies and improve our understanding
      of the population health impact of e-cigarette use. Focusing on adult behaviour,
      we propose a set of e-cigarette use items, discuss their utility and potential
      adaptation, and highlight e-cigarette constructs that researchers should avoid
      without further item development. Reliable and valid items will strengthen the
      emerging science and inform knowledge synthesis for policy-making. Building on
      informal discussions at a series of international meetings of 65 experts from 15
      countries, the authors provide recommendations for assessing e-cigarette use
      behaviour, relative perceived harm, device type, presence of nicotine, flavours
      and reasons for use. We recommend items assessing eight core constructs: e
      cigarette ever use, frequency of use and former daily use; relative perceived
      harm; device type; primary flavour preference; presence of nicotine; and primary
      reason for use. These items should be standardised or minimally adapted for the
      policy context and target population. Researchers should be prepared to update
      items as e-cigarette device characteristics change. A minimum set of e-cigarette
      items is proposed to encourage consensus around items to allow for cross-survey
      and cross-jurisdictional comparisons of e-cigarette use behaviour. These proposed
      items are a starting point. We recognise room for continued improvement, and
      welcome input from e-cigarette users and scientific colleagues.

PMID- 28624765
TI  - Indications and appropriate selection of novel oral anticoagulants in patients
      with atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28624766
TI  - DHEA protects mitochondria against dual modes of apoptosis and necroptosis in
      human granulosa HO23 cells.
AB  - Because ovarian granulosa cells are essential for oocyte maturation and
      development, we validated human granulosa HO23 cells to evaluate the ability of
      the DHEA to prevent cell death after starvation. The present study was aimed to
      investigate whether DHEA could protect against starvation-induced apoptosis and
      necroptosis in human oocyte granulosa HO23 cells. The starvation was induced by
      treatment of serum-free (SF) medium for 4 h in vitro Starvation-induced
      mitochondrial depolarization, cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation were
      largely prevented by DHEA in HO23 cells. We found that treatment with DHEA can
      restore starvation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and
      mitochondrial membrane potential imbalance. In addition, treatment of DHEA
      prevents cell death via upregulation of cytochrome c and downregulation of BAX in
      mitochondria. Most importantly, DHEA is ameliorated to mitochondrial function
      mediated through the decrease in mitochondrial ROS, maintained mitochondrial
      morphology, and enhancing the ability of cell proliferation and ROS scavenging.
      Our present data strongly indicate that DHEA reduces programmed cell death
      (apoptosis and necroptosis) in granulosa HO23 cells through multiple interactions
      with the mitochondrion-dependent programmed cell death pathway. Taken together,
      our data suggest that the presence of DHEA could be beneficial to protect human
      oocyte granulosa HO23 cells under in vitro culture conditions during various
      assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs.Free Chinese abstract: A Chinese
      translation of this abstract is freely available at http://www.reproduction
      online.org/content/154/2/101/suppl/DC1.

PMID- 28624767
TI  - Effects of NRF1 on steroidogenesis and apoptosis in goat luteinized granulosa
      cells.
AB  - During goat follicular development, abnormal expression of nuclear respiratory
      factor 1 (NRF1) in granulosa cells may drive follicular atresia with unknown
      regulatory mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the effects of NRF1 on
      steroidogenesis and cell apoptosis by overexpressing or silencing it in goat
      luteinized granulosa cells (LGCs). Results showed that knockdown of NRF1
      expression significantly inhibited the expression of STAR and CYP19A1, which are
      involved in sex steroid hormones synthesis, and led to lower estrogen levels.
      Knockdown of NRF1 resulted in an increased percentage of apoptosis, probably due
      to the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, accompanied by upregulating
      mRNA and protein levels of apoptosis-related markers BAX, caspase 3 and caspase
      9. These data indicate that NRF1 might be related with steroidogenesis and cell
      apoptosis. Furthermore, NRF1 silence reduced mitochondrial transcription factor A
      (TFAM) transcription activity, mtDNA copy number and ATP level. Simultaneously,
      knockdown of NRF1 suppressed the transcription and translation levels of SOD, GPx
      and CAT, decreased glutathione level and increased 8-OHdG level. However, the
      overexpression of NRF1 in LGCs or gain of TFAM in NRF1 silenced LGCs increased
      the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial function and biogenesis, and
      elevated the antioxidant stress system and steroids synthesis. Taken together,
      aberrant expression of NRF1 could induce mitochondrial dysfunction and disturb
      the cellular redox balance, which lead to disturbance of steroid hormone
      synthesis, and trigger LGC apoptosis through the mitochondria-dependent pathway.
      These findings will be helpful for understanding the role of NRF1 in goat ovarian
      follicular development and atresia.

PMID- 28624768
TI  - A revised Asingle model to explain stem cell dynamics in the mouse male germline.
AB  - Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and progenitor spermatogonia encompass the
      undifferentiated spermatogonial pool in mammalian testes. In rodents, this
      population is comprised of Asingle, Apaired and chains of 4-16 Aaligned
      spermatogonia. Although traditional models propose that the entire Asingle pool
      represents SSCs, and formation of an Apaired syncytium symbolizes irreversible
      entry to a progenitor state destined for differentiation; recent models have
      emerged that suggest that the Asingle pool is heterogeneous, and Apaired/Aaligned
      can fragment to produce new SSCs. In this review, we explore evidence from the
      literature for these differing models representing SSC dynamics, including the
      traditional 'Asingle' and more recently formed 'fragmentation' models. Further,
      based on findings using a fluorescent reporter transgene (eGfp) that reflects
      expression of the SSC-specific transcription factor 'inhibitor of DNA binding 4'
      (Id4), we propose a revised version of the traditional model in which SSCs are a
      subset of the Asingle population; the ID4-eGFP bright cells (SSCultimate). From
      the SSCultimate pool, other Asingle and Apaired cohorts arise that are ID4-eGFP
      dim. Although the SSCultimate possess a transcriptome profile that reflects a
      self-renewing state, the transcriptome of the ID4-eGFP dim population resembles
      that of cells in transition (SSCtransitory) to a progenitor state. Accordingly,
      at the next mitotic division, these SSCtransitory are likely to join the
      progenitor pool and have lost stem cell capacity. This model supports the concept
      of a linear relationship between spermatogonial chain length and propensity for
      differentiation, while leaving open the possibility that the SSCtransitory (some
      Asingle and potentially some Apaired spermatogonia), may contribute to the self
      renewing pool rather than transition to a progenitor state in response to
      perturbations of steady-state conditions.

PMID- 28624769
TI  - Losing the child's voice and 'the captive mother': an inevitable legacy of family
      centred care?
AB  - EBN engages readers through a range of online social media activities to debate
      issues important to nurses and nursing. EBN Opinion papers highlight and expand
      on these debates. 

PMID- 28624770
TI  - The dilemma of placebo needles in acupuncture research.

PMID- 28624771
TI  - Evaluating blinding effectiveness of a novel Ryodoraku sham needle device.

PMID- 28624772
TI  - Effects of electroacupuncture on the cortical extracellular signal regulated
      kinase pathway in rats with cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the
      phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (p-ERK) pathway of the
      cerebral cortex in a rat model of focal cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R).
      METHODS: 160 adult Sprague-Dawley rats underwent middle carotid artery occlusion
      (MCAO) to establish I/R injury and were randomly divided into four groups (n=40
      each) that remained untreated (I/R group) or received EA at LU5, LI4, ST36 and
      SP6 (I/R+EA group), the ERK inhibitor PD98059 (I/R+PD group), or both
      interventions (I/R+PD+EA groups). An additional 40 rats undergoing sham surgery
      formed a healthy control group. Eight rats from each group were sacrificed at the
      following time points: 2 hours, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days and 1 week. Neurological
      function was assessed using neurological deficit scores, morphological
      examination was performed following haematoxylin-eosin staining of cortical
      tissues, and apoptotic indices were calculated after terminal
      deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated biotin-16-dUTP nick-end
      labelling. Cortical protein and mRNA expression of p-ERK and ERK were measured by
      immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. RESULTS:
      Compared with the I/R group, neurological deficit scores and apoptotic indices
      were lower in the I/R+EA group at 1 and 3 days, whereas mRNA/protein expression
      of ERK/p-ERK was higher in the EA group at all time points studied. CONCLUSION:
      Our results suggest that EA can alleviate neurological deficits and reduce
      cortical apoptosis in rats with I/R injury. These anti-apoptotic effects may be
      due to upregulation of p-ERK. Moreover, apoptosis appeared to peak at 1 day after
      I/R injury, which might therefore represent the optimal time point for targeting
      of EA.

PMID- 28624773
TI  - Measuring the effects of acupuncture on muscle stiffness with shear wave
      elastography.

PMID- 28624775
TI  - Complexing agents and pH influence on chemical durability of type I moulded glass
      containers.
AB  - Among the factors that affect the glass surface chemical durability, pH and
      complexing agents presence in aqueous solution have the main role (1). Glass
      surface attack can be also related to the delamination issue with glass particles
      appearance in the pharmaceutical preparation. A few methods to check for glass
      containers delamination propensity and some control guidelines have been proposed
      (2,3). The present study emphasizes the possible synergy between a few complexing
      agents with pH on the borosilicate glass chemical durability. Hydrolytic attack
      was performed in small volume 23 ml type I glass containers autoclaved according
      to EP or USP for 1 hour at 121 degrees C, in order to enhance the chemical attack
      due to time, temperature and the unfavourable surface/volume ratio. 0,048 M or
      0.024 M (moles/liter) solutions of the acids citric, glutaric, acetic, EDTA
      (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and sodium phosphate with water for comparison,
      were used for the trials. The pH was adjusted +/- 0,05 units at fixed values 5,5
      6,6-7-7,4-8-9 by LiOH diluted solution. Since silicon is the main glass network
      former, silicon release into the attack solutions was chosen as the main index of
      the glass surface attack and analysed by ICPAES. The work was completed by the
      analysis of the silicon release in the worst attack conditions, of moulded glass,
      soda lime type II and tubing borosilicate glass vials to compare different glass
      compositions and forming technologies. Surface analysis by SEM was finally
      performed to check for the surface status after the worst chemical attack
      condition by citric acid.

PMID- 28624774
TI  - Sex and Genetic Background Influence Superoxide Dismutase (cSOD)-Related
      Phenotypic Variation in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Mutations often have drastically different effects in different genetic
      backgrounds; understanding a gene's biological function then requires an
      understanding of its interaction with genetic diversity. The antioxidant enzyme
      cytosolic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (cSOD) catalyzes the dismutation of
      the superoxide radical, a molecule that can induce oxidative stress if its
      concentration exceeds cellular control. Accordingly, Drosophila melanogaster
      lacking functional cSOD exhibit a suite of phenotypes including decreased
      longevity, hypersensitivity to oxidative stress, impaired locomotion, and reduced
      NADP(H) enzyme activity in males. To date, cSOD-null phenotypes have primarily
      been characterized using males carrying one allele, cSodn108red, in a single
      genetic background. We used ANOVA, and the effect size partial eta squared, to
      partition the amount of variation attributable to cSOD activity, sex, and genetic
      background across a series of life history, locomotor, and biochemical phenotypes
      associated with the cSOD-null condition. Overall, the results demonstrate that
      the cSOD-null syndrome is largely consistent across sex and genetic background,
      but also significantly influenced by both. The sex-specific effects are
      particularly striking and our results support the idea that phenotypes cannot be
      considered to be fully defined if they are examined in limited genetic contexts.

PMID- 28624776
TI  - Mold Control and Detection in Biological Drug Substance Manufacturing Facilities:
      An Industry Perspective.

PMID- 28624777
TI  - A Novel Lack-of-Fit Assessment as a System Suitability Test for Potency Assays.
AB  - Bioassay data analysis is used to determine the potency of protein therapeutics.
      To properly determine potency, the experimental data need to be fitted to a model
      that adequately describes the observed dose-response relationship. Typical models
      include 4-parameter logistic curve fits, 5-parameter logistic curve fits or
      parallel line analysis. Lack-of-fit assessment can be used as a measure of
      potency assay system suitability to ensure appropriate closeness of the chosen
      model fit to the experimental data. We present a novel lack-of-fit approach that
      overcomes the shortcomings of previously described lack-of-fit tests, such as the
      conventional analysis of variance (ANOVA) F-test and the lack-of-fit sum of
      squares test. Simulation studies and examples are used to assess the performance
      of the new lack-of-fit test. The results show that the described lack-of-fit
      approach can effectively reject poorly fitted data while retaining well-fitted
      data, and has advantages in potency assay applications where instrument-to
      instrument variability in absolute readout is expected.LAY ABSTRACT: Potency
      assays are analytical procedures used for characterization as well as release and
      stability analysis in drug development and for approved products. Dose-response
      data generated from a drug sample and a well-characterized reference standard are
      evaluated to determine the potency of the drug sample relative to the reference
      standard. In order to obtain a potency determination, dose-response data need to
      be fitted to a proper model that adequately describes the observed dose-response
      relationship. There are different options described to assess the goodness-of-fit
      of the data. One approach is the goodness-of-fit assessment based on F-test. This
      approach compares the lack-of-fit error (representing the discrepancy between
      observed data and fitted curve) to the pure error (representing the random noise
      between replicate measurement) to determine if the observed lack-of-fit error can
      be attributed to random noise. A limitation of goodness of fit assessments via F
      test lies in its propensity to penalize precise data (small lack-of-fit error can
      be considered significantly high if the assay has exceptionally low pure error)
      and accept undesirable noisy data (large undesirable lack-of-fit error can be
      considered insignificant due to large pure error). An alternative approach based
      on lack-of-fit sum of squares is only applicable to certain types of assays where
      the magnitude of measurements is consistent across different instruments given
      that the lack-of-fit sum of squares will increase when the magnitude of the assay
      signal measurements increase, even if the relative magnitude of assay data versus
      fitted curve remains the same. We introduce here a novel approach that overcomes
      the limitations of F-test and sum of squares-based approaches. This new approach
      will effectively reject poor data and retain good data, and it is independent of
      differences in absolute readout across instruments.

PMID- 28624778
TI  - Students' approaches to medical school choice: relationship with students'
      characteristics and motivation.
AB  - Objectives: The aim was to examine main reasons for students' medical school
      choice and their relationship with students' characteristics and motivation
      during the students' medical study. Methods: In this multisite cross-sectional
      study, all Year-1 and Year-4 students who had participated in a selection
      procedure in one of the three Dutch medical schools included in the study were
      invited to complete an online survey comprising personal data, their main reason
      for medical school choice and standard, validated questionnaires to measure their
      strength of motivation (Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised) and
      autonomous and controlled type of motivation (Academic Self-regulation
      Questionnaire). Four hundred seventy-eight students participated. We performed
      frequency analyses on the reasons for medical school choice and regression
      analyses and ANCOVAs to study their associations with students' characteristics
      and motivation during their medical study. Results: Students indicated 'city'
      (Year-1: 24.7%, n=75 and Year-4: 36.0%, n=52) and 'selection procedure' (Year-1:
      56.9%, n=173 and Year-4: 46.9%, n=68) as the main reasons for their medical
      school choice. The main reasons were associated with gender, age, being a first
      generation university student, ethnic background and medical school, and no
      significant associations were found between the main reasons and the strength and
      type of motivation during the students' medical study. Conclusions: Most students
      had based their medical school choice on the selection procedure. If medical
      schools desire to achieve a good student-curriculum fit and attract a diverse
      student population aligning the selection procedure with the curriculum and
      taking into account various students' different approaches is important.

PMID- 28624779
TI  - Self-directed learning in veterinary medicine: are the students ready?

PMID- 28624780
TI  - Physical examination checklist for medical students: can less be more?

PMID- 28624781
TI  - Predictive value of peripheral regulatory T cells in non-small cell lung cancer
      patients undergoing radiotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies increasingly focus on the impact of radiotherapy on immunity;
      however, the role of peripheral cellular immunity prior to radiotherapy in cancer
      patients remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the predictive
      roles of lymphocyte subsets on tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) patients undergoing radiotherapy, and their expression in NSCLC patients
      at first relapse. METHODS: We enrolled 70 NSCLC patients and 14 age- and sex
      matched healthy donors and tested the lymphocyte subsets in their peripheral
      blood by flow cytometry. Among them, 40 newly diagnosed patients received
      radiotherapy and were enrolled to investigate the predictive value of lymphocyte
      subsets on tumor progression after radiotherapy by uni- and multivariate
      analyses; 30 patients at first relapse were included to evaluate the differences
      of lymphocyte subsets between them and first diagnosed patients and healthy
      volunteers. RESULTS: Increased proportions of regulatory T cells, CD8+ T cells,
      and CD8+CD28- T cells and decreased CD4+ T cells and CD4/CD8 ratios were observed
      in NSCLC patients at first relapse compared to newly diagnosed patients. In the
      40 first diagnosed patients undergoing radiotherapy, uni- and multivariate
      analyses showed that increased level of regulatory T cells correlated with poor
      progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 2.55 and 3.76, P = 0.022 and 0.010,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral regulatory T cells were increased and
      independently predict tumor progression in NSCLC patients undergoing
      radiotherapy, suggesting the promising combination of radiotherapy and
      immunotherapy.

PMID- 28624784
TI  - Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier function determines cell stemness and metabolic
      reprogramming in cancer cells.
AB  - One of the remarkable features of cancer cells is aerobic glycolysis, a
      phenomenon known as the "Warburg Effect", in which cells rely preferentially on
      glycolysis instead of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) as the main energy
      source even in the presence of high oxygen tension. Cells with dysfunctional
      mitochondria are unable to generate sufficient ATP from mitochondrial OXPHOS, and
      then are forced to rely on glycolysis for ATP generation. Here we report our
      results in a prostate cancer cell line in which the mitochondrial pyruvate
      carrier 1 (MPC1) gene was knockout. It was discovered that the MPC1 gene knockout
      cells revealed a metabolism reprogramming to aerobic glycolysis with reduced ATP
      production, and the cells became more migratory and resistant to both
      chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, the MPC1 knockout cells expressed
      significantly higher levels of the stemness markers Nanog, Hif1alpha, Notch1,
      CD44 and ALDH. To further verify the correlation of MPC gene function and cell
      stemness/metabolic reprogramming, MPC inhibitor UK5099 was applied in two ovarian
      cancer cell lines and similar results were obtained. Taken together, our results
      reveal that functional MPC may determine the fate of metabolic program and the
      stemness status of cancer cells in vitro.

PMID- 28624785
TI  - TRIB1 promotes colorectal cancer cell migration and invasion through activation
      MMP-2 via FAK/Src and ERK pathways.
AB  - Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the world and distant
      metastasis is the leading cause of death among CRC patients. However, the
      underlying mechanisms of distant metastasis remain largely unknown. Amplification
      of 8q24 is a common chromosomal abnormality in CRC. In the present study, a
      putative oncogene at 8q24, TRIB1, was characterized for its role in CRC
      metastasis and underlying molecular mechanisms. Higher expression of TRIB1
      protein was detected in 58/83 (69.9%) of CRC tissues, compared with adjacent non
      tumor tissues. Moreover, the expression of TRIB1 was significantly associated
      with distant metastasis (P=0.043) and advanced staging (P=0.008) in CRC tissues.
      TRIB1 overexpression was also correlated with poor prognosis in CRC patients as
      analyzed in PrognoScan database. In addition, elevated expression of TRIB1
      promoted CRC cell motility and adhesive ability, while silencing of TRIB1 reduced
      those effects. Further study revealed that TRIB1-mediated migration and invasion
      of CRC cells required up-regulation of MMP-2 through the activation of FAK/Src
      and ERK pathway. Collectively, the results suggest that TRIB1 promotes CRC cell
      motility by activation MMP-2 via the FAK/Src and ERK pathways. It may provide a
      potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for CRC.

PMID- 28624786
TI  - High expression of GPR116 indicates poor survival outcome and promotes tumor
      progression in colorectal carcinoma.
AB  - Previous studies have found that G-protein-coupled receptor 116 (GPR116) is a
      regulator of breast cancer metastasis. However, the role of GPR116 in colorectal
      carcinoma (CRC) carcinogenesis and progression is unknown. In this study, We
      found GPR116 expression was significantly up-regulated in CRC specimens compared
      with corresponding non-cancerous tissues. Increased GPR116 expression in CRC was
      correlated with histological differentiation and distant metastasis. In addition,
      high expression of GPR116 was significantly associated with poor overall survival
      of CRC patients, which was also confirmed by GSE14333, GSE17536 and GSE33113
      datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Furthermore, we demonstrated
      that the ability of proliferation and invasion of CRC cell lines HCT116 and LOVO
      was markedly reduced after transfected with siRNA-GPR116. Meanwhile, GPR116 may
      drive EMT in CRC cells through AKT/EKR signaling pathway, resulting in
      metastasis. Thus, GPR116 may be a novel reliable prognostic indicator and a risk
      factor in CRC progression.

PMID- 28624787
TI  - Long non-coding RNA UCA1 promotes gallbladder cancer progression by
      epigenetically repressing p21 and E-cadherin expression.
AB  - A growing number of studies indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)
      determine some cellular processes in cancer, such as proliferation, metastasis
      and differentiation. Urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1), an lncRNA, had
      been reported for its overexpression and oncogenic effect on various human
      cancers. In this study, we found that UCA1 was significantly overexpressed in
      gallbladder cancer (GBC) and positively correlated with tumor size, lymph node
      metastasis, TNM stage and short survival time. Moreover, UCA1 promoted GBC cell
      proliferation and metastasis in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Mechanically, we
      identified that UCA1 promoted GBC progression through recruiting enhancer of
      zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) to the promoter of p21 and E-cadherin, and epigenetically
      suppressing their transcript.

PMID- 28624790
TI  - Co-targeting of IGF1R/mTOR pathway by miR-497 and miR-99a impairs hepatocellular
      carcinoma development.
AB  - Persistent activation of IGF1R/mTOR signaling pathway plays crucial role in the
      development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, our goal was to
      elucidate microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting IGF1R/mTOR and the therapeutic potential
      of single or dual miRNA on HCC development. In this study, we found that miR-497
      and miR-99a that target the 3'-UTR of both IGF1R and mTOR were down-regulated in
      HCC human tissues and cell lines. Functional assay revealed that ectopic
      expression of miR-497 or miR-99a in HCC cells resulted in a significant
      inhibition on tumor growth and invasiveness in vitro and tumor development in
      vivo via repressing the expression of IGF1R and mTOR. Such inhibitory effect on
      tumor growth is reversed by application of IGF1 ((IGF1R ligand) or MHY1485 (mTOR
      agonist) in vitro. Furthermore, we found that simultaneous over-expression of
      both miR-497 and miR-99a exhibited much stronger inhibitory effects on tumor
      growth than their individual effect, which is still correlated with significantly
      stronger repression of IGF1R and mTOR. Overall, our results suggest that miR-497
      and miR-99a both function as tumor-suppressive miRNAs by suppressing IGF1R/mTOR
      signaling pathway. The synergistic actions of these two miRNAs partly correlated
      with IGF1R and mTOR levels, which may represent new strategies for the molecular
      treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28624789
TI  - Pediatric and adult glioblastoma radiosensitization induced by PI3K/mTOR
      inhibition causes early metabolic alterations detected by nuclear magnetic
      resonance spectroscopy.
AB  - Poor outcome for patients with glioblastomas is often associated with
      radioresistance. PI3K/mTOR pathway deregulation has been correlated with
      radioresistance; therefore, PI3K/mTOR inhibition could render tumors
      radiosensitive. In this study, we show that NVP-BEZ235, a dual PI3K/mTOR
      inhibitor, potentiates the effects of irradiation in both adult and pediatric
      glioblastoma cell lines, resulting in early metabolic changes detected by nuclear
      magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NVP-BEZ235 radiosensitises cells to X ray
      exposure, inducing cell death through the inhibition of CDC25A and the activation
      of p21cip1(CDKN1A). Lactate and phosphocholine levels, increased with radiation,
      are decreased after NVP-BEZ235 and combination treatment, suggesting that
      inhibiting the PI3K/mTOR pathway reverses radiation induced metabolic changes.
      Importantly, NVP-BEZ235 potentiates the effects of irradiation in a xenograft
      model of adult glioblastoma, where we observed a decrease in lactate and
      phosphocholine levels after seven days of combination treatment. Although tumor
      size was not affected due to the short length of the treatment, a significant
      increase in CASP3 mRNA was observed in the combination group. Taken together, our
      data suggest that NMR metabolites could be used as biomarkers to detect an early
      response to combination therapy with PI3K/mTOR inhibitors and radiotherapy in
      adult and pediatric glioblastoma patients.

PMID- 28624791
TI  - EphA2 affects the sensitivity of oxaliplatin by inducing EMT in oxaliplatin
      resistant gastric cancer cells.
AB  - Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2) is upregulated in
      gastric cancer tissues and cells, which is accompanied by epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition (EMT). The current study was designed to establish the oxaliplatin
      resistant human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901/L-OHP, to determine if EMT in
      these cells could be reversed, and to determine if the susceptibility of these
      cells to oxaliplatin was affected by silencing EphA2 expression. We found that
      EphA2 expression levels were upregulated in gastric cancer and associated with
      chemotherapy sensitivity. EphA2 and the EMT molecular markers N-cadherin and
      Snail were upregulated in SGC-7901/L-OHP cells, while silencing of EphA2 using
      small interfering RNA had the opposite effect. Moreover, silencing of EphA2
      inhibited cell migration and invasion, and significantly enhanced the sensitivity
      of oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells to oxaliplatin. These observations
      demonstrate that EphA2 affects the sensitivity to oxaliplatin by inducing EMT in
      oxaliplatin-resistant gastric cancer cells.

PMID- 28624793
TI  - Bufalin reverses ABCB1-mediated drug resistance in colorectal cancer.
AB  - Multidrug resistance (MDR), mainly mediated by ABCB1 transporter, is a major
      cause for chemotherapy failure. Bufalin (BU), an active component of the
      traditional Chinese medicine chan'su, has been reported to have antitumor effects
      on various types of cancer cells. The purpose of this present study was to
      investigate the reversal effect of BU on ABCB1-mediated multidrug resistance in
      colorectal cancer. BU at safe concentration (5, 10, 20 nM) could reverse
      chemosensitivity of ABCB1-overexpression HCT8/ADR, LoVo/ADR and HCT8/ABCB1 nearly
      back to their parental cells level. In addition, results from the drug
      accumulation studies revealed that BU was able to enhance intracellular
      accumulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and Rhodamine 123 (Rho-123) in a dose-dependent
      manner. Furthermore, Western blot assays showed that BU significantly inhibited
      the expression level of ABCB1 protein. Meanwhile, BU stimulated the ATPase
      activity of ABCB1, which suggested that BU might be a substrate of ABCB1. More
      interestingly, docking analysis predicted that BU could be docked into the large
      hydrophobic drug-binding cavity of human ABCB1. Importantly, BU remarkable
      increased the effect of DOX against the ABCB1 resistant HCT8/ADR colorectal cell
      xenografts in nude mice, without inducing any obvious toxicity. Overall, we
      concluded that BU efficiently reversed ABCB1-mediated MDR through not only
      inhibited the efflux function of ABCB1, but also down-regulate its protein
      expression, which might represent a potential and superior ABCB1 modulator in
      colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28624794
TI  - Knockdown of HDAC1 expression suppresses invasion and induces apoptosis in glioma
      cells.
AB  - Glioma is the most common malignant tumor of the central nervous system, with a
      low survival rate of five years worldwide. Although high expression and
      prognostic value of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) have been recently reported in
      various types of human tumors, the molecular mechanism underlying the biological
      function of HDAC1 in glioma is still unclear. We found that HDAC1 was elevated in
      glioma tissues and cell lines. HDAC1 expression was closely related with
      pathological grade and overall survival of patients with gliomas. Downregulation
      of HDAC1 inhibited cell proliferation, prevented invasion of glioma cell lines,
      and induced cell apoptosis. The expression of apoptosis and metastasis related
      molecules were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively, in U251 and
      T98G cells with HDAC1 knockdown. We found that HDAC1 knockdown upregulated
      expression of BIM, BAX, cleaved CASPASE3 and E-CADHERIN, and decreased expression
      of TWIST1, SNAIL and MMP9 in U251 and T98G cells with HDAC1 knockdown. In vivo
      data showed that knockdown of HDAC1 inhibited tumor growth in nude mice. In
      summary, HDAC1 may therefore be considered an unfavorable progression indicator
      for glioma patients, and may also serve as a potential therapeutic target.

PMID- 28624795
TI  - Tissue and serum lipidome shows altered lipid composition with diagnostic
      potential in mycosis fungoides.
AB  - Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. In
      this study, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-Fourier transform
      ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (MALDI-FTICR-MS) to perform lipidomic
      profiling of 5 MF tissue samples and 44 serum samples (22 from MF patients and 22
      from control subjects). Multivariate statistical analysis of the mass spectral
      data showed that MF tissues had altered levels of seven lipids and MF sera had
      altered levels of twelve. Among these, six phosphotidylcholines, PC (34:2), PC
      (34:1), PC (36:3), PC (36:2), PC (32:0), and PC (38:4) and one sphingomyelin, SM
      (16:0) were altered in both MF tissues and sera. PC (34:2), PC (34:1), PC (36:3),
      and PC (36:2) levels were increased in both tissues and sera from MF patients,
      whereas SM (16:0), PC (32:0), and PC (38:4) levels were increased in MF sera but
      were decreased in MF tissues. We have thus identified multiple lipids that are
      altered in MF tissues and sera. This suggests serological and tissue lipidomic
      profiling could be an effective approach to screening for diagnostic biomarkers
      of MF.

PMID- 28624796
TI  - Comparison of differentiated thyroid carcinoma recurrence and its clinical
      features in children of different ages.
AB  - The prevalence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) in children is
      increasing. However, the clinical features and recurrence of DTC in children in
      different age groups, especially those less than 14 years old, are not well
      studied. We retrospectively investigated 73 children diagnosed with DTC in our
      hospital between January 1998 and July 2014. Data were reviewed for different age
      groups based on the age at initial diagnosis: 5-9, 10-14, or 15-19 years. The
      mean age of the recurrence group (10.6+/-4.1 years) was lower than that of the
      non-recurrence group (12.6+/-6.2 years; P=0.004). The main symptom at initial
      diagnosis was local invasion in the recurrence group, but was thyroid nodules in
      the non-recurrence group (P<0.001). The recurrence and non-recurrence groups did
      not differ in TNM stage or risk level. However, according to our age
      classification, the American Thyroid Association pediatric risk level was
      significantly different in three age groups (P=0.024). The DTC recurrence rate in
      each age group decreased as the age of the children increased (P=0.011). Thus, a
      high risk of recurrence and a high proportion of local invasion cases were
      observed in the youngest age group, suggesting that younger age is an important
      risk factor for DTC recurrence in children.

PMID- 28624797
TI  - Lymph node metastasis and the physicochemical micro-environment of pancreatic
      ductal adenocarcinoma xenografts.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients develop lymph node metastases
      early and have a particularly poor prognosis. The poor prognosis has been shown
      to be associated with the physicochemical microenvironment of the tumor tissue,
      which is characterized by desmoplasia, abnormal microvasculature, extensive
      hypoxia, and highly elevated interstitial fluid pressure (IFP). In this study, we
      searched for associations between lymph node metastasis and features of the
      physicochemical microenvironment in an attempt to identify mechanisms leading to
      metastatic dissemination and growth. BxPC-3 and Capan-2 PDAC xenografts were used
      as preclinical models of human PDAC. In both models, lymph node metastasis was
      associated with high IFP rather than high fraction of hypoxic tissue or high
      microvascular density. Seven angiogenesis-related genes associated with high IFP
      associated lymph node metastasis were detected by quantitative PCR in each of the
      models, and these genes were all up-regulated in high IFP/highly metastatic
      tumors. Three genes were mutual for the BxPC-3 and Capan-2 models: transforming
      growth factor beta, angiogenin, and insulin-like growth factor 1. Further
      comprehensive studies are needed to determine whether there is a causal
      relationship between the up-regulation of these genes and high IFP and/or high
      propensity for lymph node metastasis in PDAC.

PMID- 28624800
TI  - Identifying drug-pathway association pairs based on L1L2,1-integrative penalized
      matrix decomposition.
AB  - The traditional methods of drug discovery follow the "one drug-one target"
      approach, which ignores the cellular and physiological environment of the action
      mechanism of drugs. However, pathway-based drug discovery methods can overcome
      this limitation. This kind of method, such as the Integrative Penalized Matrix
      Decomposition (iPaD) method, identifies the drug-pathway associations by taking
      the lasso-type penalty on the regularization term. Moreover, instead of imposing
      the L1-norm regularization, the L2,1-Integrative Penalized Matrix Decomposition
      (L2,1-iPaD) method imposes the L2,1-norm penalty on the regularization term. In
      this paper, based on the iPaD and L2,1-iPaD methods, we propose a novel method
      named L1L2,1-iPaD (L1L2,1-Integrative Penalized Matrix Decomposition), which
      takes the sum of the L1-norm and L2,1-norm penalties on the regularization term.
      Besides, we perform permutation test to assess the significance of the identified
      drug-pathway association pairs and compute the P-values. Compared with the
      existing methods, our method can identify more drug-pathway association pairs
      which have been validated in the CancerResource database. In order to identify
      drug-pathway associations which are not validated in the CancerResource database,
      we retrieve published papers to prove these associations. The results on two real
      datasets prove that our method can achieve better enrichment for identified
      association pairs than the iPaD and L2,1-iPaD methods.

PMID- 28624802
TI  - Heparin-based coacervate of bFGF facilitates peripheral nerve regeneration by
      inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress following sciatic nerve injury.
AB  - Creating a microenvironment at the injury site that favors axonal regrowth and
      remyelinationis pivotal to the success of therapeutic reinnervation. The mature
      myelin sheath of the peripheral nervous system depends on active participation of
      Schwann cells to form new cytoskeletal components and tremendous amounts of
      relevant neurotrophic factors. In this study, we utilized a new biomaterial for
      growth factor delivery consisting of a biocompatible polycation, poly(ethylene
      argininylaspartatediglyceride) and heparin. It is capable of binding a variety of
      growth factors to deliver basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) through
      polyvalent ionic interactions for nerve repair. In vitro assays demonstrated that
      the bFGF loading efficiency reached 10 MUg and this delivery vehicle could
      control the release of bFGF. In vivo, the coacervate enhanced bFGF
      bioavailability, which improved both motor and sensory function. It could also
      acceleratemyelinated fiber regeneration and remyelination and promote Schwann
      cells proliferation. Furthermore, the neuroprotective effect of bFGF-coacervate
      in sciatic nerve injury was associated with the alleviation of endoplasmic
      reticulum stress signal. This heparin-based delivery platform leads to increased
      bFGF loading efficiency and better controls its release, which will provide an
      effective strategy for peripheral nerve injury regeneration therapy.

PMID- 28624805
TI  - Rcan2 and estradiol independently regulate body weight in female mice.
AB  - Rcan2 increases food intake and plays an important role in the development of age
      and diet- induced obesity in male mice. However, in females, wild-type mice grow
      almost at a similar rate as Rcan2-/- mice on normal chow diet from 6 weeks of
      age. Here we showed that the ability of Rcan2 to promote weight gain was
      attenuated by energy expenditure mediated by 17beta-estradiol in female mice.
      Using ovariectomy-operated models, we found that 17beta-estradiol deprivation did
      not alter food intake, but induced more weight gain in wild-type mice than Rcan2
      /- mice. If wild-type mice ingested equally as Rcan2-/- mice, in the same ovarian
      state they exhibited similar weight changes, but the mice in ovariectomized
      groups were significantly heavier than the ovarian-intact mice, suggesting that
      body weight is not only regulated by Rcan2, but also by 17beta-estradiol.
      Furthermore, we demonstrated that Rcan2 and 17beta-estradiol independently
      regulated body weight even on high-fat diets. Therefore, our findings indicate
      that Rcan2 and 17beta-estradiol regulate body weight through different
      mechanisms. Rcan2 increases food intake, whereas 17beta-estradiol promotes energy
      expenditure. These findings provide novel insights into the sexual dimorphism of
      body weight regulation.

PMID- 28624808
TI  - YB-1 regulates tumor growth by promoting MACC1/c-Met pathway in human lung
      adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Aberrant overexpression of the transcription/translation factor Y-box-binding
      protein (YB-1) is associated with poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma, however
      the underlying mechanism by which YB-1 acts has not been fully elucidated. Here,
      we reported that inhibition of YB-1 diminished proliferation, migration and
      invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells. Interestingly, we identified metastasis
      associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1) as a target of YB-1. Depletion of YB-1
      markedly decreased MACC1 promoter activity and suppressed the MACC1/c-Met
      signaling pathway in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Additionally, chromatin
      immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated that YB-1 bound to the MACC1
      promoter. Moreover, YB-1 was positively correlated with MACC1, and both proteins
      were over-expressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. The Cox-regression analysis
      indicated that high YB-1 expression was an independent risk factor for prognosis
      in enrolled patients. Furthermore, depletion of YB-1 attenuated tumorigenesis in
      a xenograft mouse model and reduced MACC1 expression in tumor tissues.
      Collectively, our data suggested that targeting YB-1 suppressed lung
      adenocarcinoma progression through the MACC1/c-Met pathway and that the high
      expression of YB-1/MACC1 is a potential prognostic marker in lung adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28624809
TI  - Genome-wide analysis of aberrantly expressed lncRNAs and miRNAs with associated
      co-expression and ceRNA networks in beta-thalassemia and hereditary persistence
      of fetal hemoglobin.
AB  - The implications of lncRNAs regarding fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction in
      hemoglobin disorders remain poorly understood. In this study, microarray analysis
      was performed to profile lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs in individuals with hereditary
      persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH), beta-thalassemia carriers with high HbF
      levels and healthy controls. The results show aberrant expression of 862 lncRNAs,
      568 mRNAs and 63 miRNAs in the high-HbF group compared with the control group.
      Altered NR_001589, NR_120526, T315543, miR-486-3p, miR-19b-1-5p and miR-20a-3p
      expression was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain
      reaction, and Spearman correlation coefficients revealed significant positive
      correlations with HbF. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
      pathway enrichment analyses showed the hematopoietic cell lineage and apoptosis
      to be most significantly dysregulated in HbF induction. We analyzed coding genes
      near the lncRNAs and constructed a coding-noncoding co-expression network. Based
      on the results, lncRNAs likely contribute to increased HbF levels by activating
      expression of HBE1 and hematopoietic cell lineage-inducible molecules and by
      inhibiting that of apoptosis-inducible molecules. Finally, through construction
      of a competing endogenous RNA network, we found that 6 lncRNAs could bind
      competitively with miR-486-3p, resulting in increased HbF levels. Taken together,
      our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of HbF induction and
      potentially provide new targets for the treatment of beta-thalassemia major.

PMID- 28624815
TI  - Higher platelet distribution width predicts poor prognosis in laryngeal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Activated platelets promote cancer progression and metastasis.
      However, the prognostic value of platelet indices in laryngeal cancer remains
      poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive
      significance of platelet indices in laryngeal cancer. RESULTS: Of the 241
      patients, high platelet distribution width (PDW) levels were observed in 116
      (48.1 %) patients. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, increased PDW was significantly
      associated with a poorer overall survival (p < 0.001). In the multivariate Cox
      model, PDW was an independent prognostic index for overall survival (HR=4.381,
      95% CI=2.313-8.298, P < 0.001). METHOD: The retrospective study included 241
      consecutive patients with laryngeal cancer between January 2009 and December
      2009. The relationships between PDW and clinicopathological characteristics were
      analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used to evaluate the
      prognostic impact of PDW. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PDW might be a novel prognostic
      marker in laryngeal cancer.

PMID- 28624817
TI  - Exploring the Clinical Practice of Speech and Language Therapists with Adults
      with Dementia: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Portugal.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Adults with acquired communication and swallowing disorders
      secondary to dementia can benefit from speech and language therapy services.
      However, there is limited information on the role of speech and language
      therapists (SLTs) in the treatment of individuals with dementia. The aim of this
      study was to explore the clinical practice of SLTs with adults with dementia.
      METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of SLTs was conducted in Portugal using a web
      based questionnaire designed specifically for the purpose of this study. RESULTS:
      A total of 230 SLTs responded to the survey. Among the respondents, 52.2% had
      limited clinical practice with individuals with dementia, with only 14.3% having
      worked with more than 10 cases. CONCLUSION: In Portugal, the clinical practice of
      SLTs in dementia is limited and mostly centred on the assessment of language,
      communication, and swallowing. The current findings highlight the need to address
      training in dementia within graduate and post-graduate programmes for SLTs.

PMID- 28624816
TI  - Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for coronary plaque rupture.
AB  - Coronary plaque rupture is the most common cause of acute coronary syndrome.
      However, the timely biomarker-based diagnosis of plaque rupture remains a major
      unmet clinical challenge. Balloon dilatation and stent implantation during
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could cause plaque injury and rupture.
      Here we aimed to assess the possibility of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as
      biomarkers of acute coronary plaque rupture by virtue of the natural model of PCI
      induced plaque rupture. Stable coronary artery disease patients underwent PCI
      with single stent implantation were recruited and a three-phase approach was
      conducted in the present study: (i) profiling of plasma miRNAs in a group of
      patients before (0 h) and after balloon dilatation for 1 h (1 h vs. 0 h), (ii)
      replication of significant miRNAs in the second group of patients (1 h vs. 0 h),
      (iii) validation of a multi-miRNAs panel in the third group of patients (0.5 h, 1
      h vs. 0 h). Out of 24 miRNAs selected for replication, 6 miRNAs remained
      significantly associated with plaque rupture. In the validation phase,
      combinations of miR-483-5p and miR-451a showed the highest area under the
      receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) (0.982; CI: 0.907-0.999) in
      patients with plaque rupture for 0.5 h; combinations of miR-483-5p and miR-155-5p
      showed the highest AUC (0.898; CI: 0.790-0.962) after plaque rupture for 1 h. In
      conclusion, using a profiling-replication-validation model, we identified 3
      miRNAs including miR-155-5p, miR-483-5p and miR-451a, which may be biomarkers for
      the early identification of plaque rupture.

PMID- 28624818
TI  - Maternal Subcutaneous and Visceral Adipose Ultrasound Thickness in Women with
      Gestational Diabetes Mellitus at 24-28 Weeks' Gestation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the sonographic measurement of maternal subcutaneous and
      visceral adipose thickness between pregnant women with gestational diabetes
      mellitus (GDM) and patients with nondiabetic pregnancies. METHODS: Adipose
      thickness was measured by transabdominal ultrasound in pregnant women attending
      our antenatal clinics at 24-28 weeks' gestation. All patients underwent a 75-g
      oral glucose challenge as a diagnostic test for GDM. RESULTS: The study
      population comprised 56 women with a positive glucose challenge test and 112
      nondiabetic pregnancies. Measurements of subcutaneous and visceral adipose
      tissues were converted into multiples of the median (MoM), adjusted for
      gestational age. The mean subcutaneous thickness MoM in patients with GDM was
      significantly higher compared to nondiabetic pregnancies (1.31 vs. 1.07; p =
      0.011). Similarly, the mean visceral thickness MoM was higher in women with a
      positive oral glucose tolerance test compared to controls (1.61 vs. 1.06; p <
      0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that visceral
      adipose thickness, but not subcutaneous thickness, was significantly and
      independently associated with GDM (odds ratio 34.047, 95% confidence interval
      9.489-122.166). CONCLUSIONS: Sonographic thickness of maternal visceral adipose
      tissue at 24-28 weeks' gestation was higher in women with GDM compared to
      nondiabetic pregnancies, independently from other known risk factors associated
      with GDM.

PMID- 28624819
TI  - A Randomized Trial of Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Patients Undergoing Medical
      Thoracoscopy (APT).
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is no data on the role of prophylactic antibiotics in patients
      undergoing medical thoracoscopy. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the
      efficacy and safety of a single dose of intravenous cefazolin in subjects
      undergoing medical thoracoscopy. METHODS: Subjects undergoing medical
      thoracoscopy were randomized 1:1 to receive either intravenous cefazolin 2 g
      (antibiotic group) or intravenous saline (control group). The primary outcome was
      the incidence of infections (surgical site infections and empyema) in the study
      groups, while the secondary outcomes were complications related to intravenous
      antibiotics. RESULTS: Of the 121 subjects screened, 100 (mean age +/- SD: 52.2 +/
      15.2 years; 38 [38%] women) were randomized to the study groups. The incidence
      of postprocedural infections was not different between the antibiotic and the
      control group (4 [8%] vs. 6 [12%], p = 0.28). Surgical site infection occurred in
      1 subject (2%) in the antibiotic group and 3 subjects (6%) in the saline group (p
      = 0.62); empyema occurred in 3 subjects (6%) in each group (p = 1.00). There was
      no association between age, comorbid illness (diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney
      disease), study group allocation, type of thoracoscope used, duration of
      procedure, histological diagnosis (benign or malignant), and the occurrence of
      infections in the postprocedural period. CONCLUSION: The use of a single dose of
      cefazolin prior to medical thoracoscopy was not associated with a reduction in
      the occurrence of postprocedural infection.

PMID- 28624820
TI  - An Elevated High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Level Is Associated with
      Unfavorable Functional Outcomes of Small-Artery Occlusion in Patients without
      Diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is associated with a
      risk of causing diabetes mellitus and ischemic stroke. However, the association
      between hs-CRP levels and functional outcome after small-artery occlusion (SAO)
      is unknown. METHODS: Data for 836 patients diagnosed with SAO were collected from
      the Department of Neurorehabilitation of Huanhu Hospital. Hs-CRP values were
      classified according to quartiles (<0.67, 0.67 to <1.46, 1.46 to <3.46, and
      >=3.46 mg/L). We examined the relationship between hs-CRP levels on admission and
      modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores using univariate and multivariate analyses. We
      further performed subgroup analyses of patients with and without diabetes.
      RESULTS: Patients in the highest hs-CRP quartile had a significantly higher risk
      of an unfavorable outcome. In the non-diabetes subgroup, the elevated hs-CRP
      quartiles were associated with higher mRS scores. In the diabetes subgroup, no
      statistically significant association was observed between hs-CRP levels and mRS.
      CONCLUSIONS: Elevated hs-CRP level on admission was associated with a poor
      functional outcome 3 months after SAO, especially among nondiabetes patients.
      However, no significant associations were observed in patients with diabetes.

PMID- 28624821
TI  - On the Social Life and Motivational Changes of Aging Monkeys.
AB  - Although nonhuman primates have been used in biomedical research to develop a
      better understanding of physiological aging processes, their value as models for
      studying age-related differences in motivation, cognition, and decision-making
      has only recently been appreciated. This paper reviews the state of the art, with
      a focus on a recent study on Barbary macaques. A number of studies reported that
      with increasing age, Old World monkeys spend more time resting, have fewer social
      partners, and/or spend less time in social interactions, though other studies
      found no such effects. Less was known about changes in cognitive performance and
      shifts in interest in the physical and social environment across age. A recent
      comprehensive study of motivational changes in a large age-heterogeneous
      population of Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) living at "La Foret des Singes"
      in Rocamadour explicitly tested predictions from social selectivity theory, which
      posits that in light of a shrinking future time perspective, humans become
      increasingly selective in terms of their social interactions. Given that nonhuman
      primates most likely have no conception of their limited lifetime, this allowed
      disentangling the effects of cognitive insights and basal physiological processes
      that contribute to changes in the valuation of different activities. The Barbary
      macaques under study revealed marked and differential motivational shifts with
      age: while they interacted with fewer social partners, they continued to attend
      to social information. In contrast, they revealed a marked loss of interest in
      novel objects in early adulthood, unless these were baited with a food reward.
      Some of the motivational changes observed during human aging may thus be shared
      with our closest living relatives. The awareness of a limited future time
      perspective in humans may enhance the effects of these ancestral processes, but
      it does not appear to be the only explanation. Future studies should employ a
      broader array of different cognitive tests to delineate the trajectories of
      different cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and behavioral
      flexibility more clearly. Taken together, an evolutionary developmental
      psychology perspective that combines life span psychology with evolutionary
      biology appears to be a promising avenue for investigations of age-related
      changes in motivation and cognition.

PMID- 28624822
TI  - Debugging: Is Routine Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Indicated in Medical
      Thoracoscopy?

PMID- 28624823
TI  - Effect of Interferon-alpha and Combined Interferon-alpha with Lamivudine
      Treatment on Anthropometric Measurements in Children with Chronic Hepatitis B.

PMID- 28624824
TI  - Effect of TNF-alpha Inhibition on Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in
      Neurological Function Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury via the Wnt Signaling
      Pathway in a Rat Model.
AB  - AIM: The present study aimed to examine the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF-alpha) inhibition on bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in
      neurological function recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) via the Wnt
      signaling pathway in a rat model. METHODS: The rat model of SCI was established
      using Allen's method. Seventy-two adult male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were
      randomly assigned into 4 groups (18 rats in each group): the sham control group,
      saline control group, BMSCs group (injection with BMSCs at the injured site) and
      BMSCs + TNF-alpha group (injection with BMSCs under TNF-alpha treatment at the
      injured site). Immunochemistry was performed to characterize the culture media
      after TNF-alpha-induced differentiation. qRT-PCR and Western blotting analyses
      were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expression of beta-catenin, Wnt3a,
      GSK-3beta and Axin. The Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor score,
      neurological deficit score (NDS), and balance beam test (BBT) score were used to
      assess neurological functional recovery of SCI rats. RESULTS: In the BMSC group,
      numerous spherical cell clusters grew in suspension, and the cells were nestin-,
      NF200- and GFAP-positive. Compared with the sham control and BMSC groups, the
      beta-catenin and Wnt3a mRNA and protein expression was increased, but the GSK
      3beta and Axin mRNA and protein expression was decreased in the BMSCs + TNF-alpha
      group. The SCI rats in the BMSCs + TNF-alpha group exhibited lower BBB scores,
      and higher NDSs and BBT scores compared to the BMSCs group. CONCLUSION: Our study
      provides evidence that TNF-alpha inhibition may weaken the ability of BMSCs in
      neurological functional recovery after SCI by activating the Wnt signaling
      pathway.

PMID- 28624825
TI  - Intraoperative Real-Time Assessment of Liver Function with Near-Infrared
      Fluorescence Imaging.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Postoperative liver failure is a serious complication after major
      hepatectomy, and perioperative prediction of its incidence using current
      technology is still very difficult. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging
      allows quantitative assessment of the fluorescent signal from indocyanine green
      (ICG) in regions of interest on the liver surface. This method might offer a new
      promising modality for evaluating regional liver reserve. However, data are
      lacking regarding the relationship between liver function and fluorescent signals
      on the liver surface after intravenous ICG injection. This study was conducted to
      obtain the data necessary to apply NIR fluorescence imaging as a modality for
      measuring liver function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 16 patients
      who underwent open hepatopancreatobiliary surgery between March 2011 and March
      2012. After laparotomy, ICG was injected intravenously at 2.5 mg/L of liver
      volume, then the fluorescence intensity (FI) and signal-to-background ratio (SBR)
      in the lateral segment of the liver were assessed for 15 min. Intraoperative
      blood samples were also obtained to measure the plasma clearance rate of ICG
      (ICGK). Correlations between ICGK, liver volume, and SBR, as well as between
      ICGK, liver volume, and rate of change of FI were analyzed. RESULTS: The
      experimental procedure was performed in all 16 patients. The FI of the liver
      increased rapidly after ICG injection, then became more gradual, reaching a near
      plateau after 15 min. A significant correlation was seen between ICGK and the
      rate of change of FI up to 15 min (|rS| = 0.5725, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This is
      the first report to show a relationship between liver function and fluorescent
      signals on the liver surface after intravenous ICG injection. Intraoperative NIR
      fluorescence imaging with ICG may be useful as a new method for assessing liver
      function.

PMID- 28624826
TI  - Voice Handicap Index in Persian Speakers with Various Severities of Hearing Loss.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the total score
      and subscale scores of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in speakers with and
      without hearing loss. A further aim was to determine if a correlation exists
      between severities of hearing loss with total scores and VHI subscale scores.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional, descriptive analytical study, 100
      participants, divided in 2 groups of participants with and without hearing loss,
      were studied. Background information was gathered by interview, and VHI
      questionnaires were filled in by all participants. RESULTS: For all variables,
      including mean total score and VHI subscale scores, there was a considerable
      difference in speakers with and without hearing loss (p < 0.05). The correlation
      between severity of hearing loss with total score and VHI subscale scores was
      significant. CONCLUSION: Speakers with hearing loss were found to have higher
      mean VHI scores than speakers with normal hearing. This indicates a high voice
      handicap related to voice in speakers with hearing loss. In addition, increased
      severity of hearing loss leads to more severe voice handicap. This finding
      emphasizes the need for a multilateral assessment and treatment of voice
      disorders in speakers with hearing loss.

PMID- 28624827
TI  - Qualitative Assessment of Verbal Fluency Performance in Frontotemporal Dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Verbal fluency is impaired in patients with frontotemporal
      dementia (FTD) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA). This study explored
      qualitative differences in verbal fluency (clustering of words, switching between
      strategies) between FTD and PPA variants. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with
      behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) and 50 with PPA (13 nonfluent/agrammatic, 14
      semantic, and 23 logopenic) performed a semantic and letter fluency task.
      Clustering (number of multiword strings) and switching (number of transitions
      between clustered and nonclustered words) were recorded by two independent
      raters. Between-group differences, associations with memory, language, and
      executive functioning, and longitudinal change (subsample) in clustering and
      switching were examined. RESULTS: Interrater reliability was high (median 0.98).
      PPA patients generated (a) smaller (number of) clusters on semantic and letter
      fluency than bvFTD patients (p < 0.05). Semantic variant patients used more
      switches than nonfluent/agrammatic or logopenic variant patients (p < 0.05).
      Clustering in semantic fluency was significantly associated with memory and
      language (range standardized regression coefficients 0.24-0.38). Switching in
      letter fluency was associated with executive functioning (0.32-0.35). CONCLUSION:
      Clustering and switching in verbal fluency differed between patients with
      subtypes of FTD and PPA. Qualitative aspects of verbal fluency provide additional
      information on verbal ability and executive control which can be used for
      clinically diagnostic purposes.

PMID- 28624828
TI  - Unique Imaging Features Enabling the Prenatal Diagnosis of Developmental Venous
      Anomalies: A Persistent Echogenic Brain Lesion Drained by a Collecting Vein in
      Contrast with Normal Brain Parenchyma on MRI.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the prenatal imaging features enabling diagnosis of
      developmental venous anomalies (DVA). METHODS: Four fetuses with unexplained
      persistent echogenic parenchymal brain lesions were studied. The evaluation
      included dedicated neurosonography, fetal MRI, serology for intrauterine
      infection, screening for coagulation abnormalities, and chromosomal microarray.
      Postnatal neurodevelopmental follow-up or autopsy results were assessed. RESULTS:
      DVA presented as very slowly growing echogenic brain lesions without cystic
      components, calcifications, or structural changes on otherwise normal
      neurosonographic scans performed at 2- to 3-week intervals. A specific Doppler
      feature was a collecting vein draining the echogenic parenchyma. Fetal brain MRI
      depicted normal anatomy on half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin-echo
      and diffusion-weighted imaging. The rest of the evaluation was normal.
      CONCLUSIONS: In cases with a persistent, parenchymal echogenic lesion without
      clastic or structural changes, DVA should be considered. Demonstration of a
      collecting vein draining the lesion and normal brain anatomy on MRI confirm the
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28624829
TI  - Preoperative C-Reactive Protein Values as a Potential Component in Outcome
      Prediction Models of Metastasized Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Receiving
      Cytoreductive Nephrectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To validate preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels as a prognostic
      marker for survival in a metastasized renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patient cohort
      receiving cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN). PATIENTS AND METHODS: By chart review,
      146 mRCC patients receiving CN at our tertiary referral centre from 1997 to 2015
      were identified retrospectively. All relevant clinicopathological features
      including laboratory parameters were collected and correlated to overall
      survival, progression-free survival and cancer-specific survival (CSS). The mean
      follow-up was 23 months (range 1-168 months). RESULTS: Besides the already
      established scoring systems like the MSKCC criteria, an elevated preoperative CRP
      level (>=0.5 mg/dL) was an independent predictor of CSS in our study group
      including the chosen postoperative adjuvant therapies (TKI vs. immunotherapy vs.
      others). With regard to morbidity, patients with a good performance status, small
      tumour size and adequate renal function/haematopoiesis experienced less
      complication rates, thereby profiting more from CN. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide
      indication that preoperative CRP levels should be implemented in nomograms
      regarding the outcome prediction in mRCC to identify candidates likely to profit
      from CN.

PMID- 28624830
TI  - Activation of Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway by Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3beta Inhibition
      Attenuates Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Diabetic Rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diabetes mellitus can exacerbate renal ischemia-reperfusion
      (I/R) injury (RI/RI). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective
      effect of GSK-3beta inhibition (TDZD-8) on I/R-induced renal injury through the
      Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in a streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. METHODS:
      STZ-induced diabetic rats preconditioned with TDZD-8 and ZnPP were subjected to
      renal I/R. The extent of renal morphologic lesions. Renal function was assessed
      from blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr), as determined utlizing
      commercial kits. Oxidative stress and inflammatory activity in the kidney tissue
      was estimated from levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and nitric oxide (NO), as well as the
      activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) using qRT-PCR and
      ELISA. The expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, Bcl-2 and NF-kappaB in the renal tissue
      were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: I/R-induced renal
      inflammation was reduced significantly by TDZD-8 pretreatment. Preconditioning
      with TDZD-8 suppressed NF-kappaB expression and enhanced Bcl-2 expression in the
      renal tissue. The upregulated level of malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced
      activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) in I/R-shocked
      rats were markedly restored by TDZD-8 pretreatment. Furthermore, pretreatment
      with TDZD-8 enhanced activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in the renal tissue of
      diabetic RI/RI rats. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that preconditioning with
      TDZD-8 may protect the kidney from I/R-induced damage via the activation of the
      Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Further detailed studies are
      needed to further clarify the underlying mechanisms.

PMID- 28624831
TI  - Chelerythrine Attenuates Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion-induced Myocardial Injury by
      Activating CSE/H2S via PKC/NF-kappaB Pathway in Diabetic Rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Chelerythrine (CHE), a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, is a
      potent, selective, and cell-permeable protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. The
      purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of CHE on myocardial
      recovery after renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial injury
      (RI/RMI) in a streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. METHODS: Diabetes
      mellitus (DM) rats preconditioned with CHE and D, L-propargylglycine (PAG) were
      subjected to renal I/R. The extent of cardiac morphologic lesions and the
      biochemical markers of cardiorenal function and oxidative stress were detected
      utilizing hematoxylin-eosin staining, commercial kits, and enzyme-linked
      immunoassay, respectively. The expressions of cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE),
      PKC-alpha, PKC-beta2, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the rat
      myocardial tissue were measured utilizing western blotting. RESULTS: Renal I/R
      treatment resulted in myocardial injury. CHE-preconditioning promoted the
      recovery from myocardial damage by ameliorating the biochemical parameters of
      myocardial injury, reducing oxidative stress, increasing the H2S level, up
      regulating the expression of CSE, and down-regulating the expressions of PKC
      alpha, PKC-beta2, and NF-kappaB. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that CHE
      pretreatment may exert a protective effect on the myocardium against RI/RMI by
      activating endogenous CSE/H2S via PKC/NF-kappaB pathway in STZ-induced diabetic
      rats. Further studies are needed defining underlying mechanisms.

PMID- 28624832
TI  - Erratum: Nowak et al. Disease Progression Modeling to Evaluate the Effects of
      Enzyme Replacement Therapy on Kidney Function in Adult Patients with the Classic
      Phenotype of Fabry Disease.

PMID- 28624833
TI  - Erratum: Szeto et al. Plasma mitochondrial DNA Level is a prognostic marker in
      peritoneal dialysis patients.

PMID- 28624834
TI  - Quantitative Methods in Psychological Aging Research: A Mini-Review.
AB  - As research on psychological aging moves forward, it is increasingly important to
      accurately assess longitudinal changes in psychological processes and to account
      for their (often complex) associations with sociodemographic, lifestyle, and
      health-related variables. Traditional statistical methods, though time tested and
      well documented, are not always satisfactory for meeting these aims. In this mini
      review, we therefore focus the discussion on recent statistical advances that may
      be of benefit to researchers in psychological aging but that remain novel in our
      area of study. We first compare two methods for the treatment of incomplete data,
      a common problem in longitudinal research. We then discuss robust statistics,
      which address the question of what to do when critical assumptions of a standard
      statistical test are not met. Next, we discuss two approaches that are promising
      for accurately describing phenomena that do not unfold linearly over time:
      nonlinear mixed-effects models and (generalized) additive models. We conclude by
      discussing recursive partitioning methods, as these are particularly well suited
      for exploring complex relations among large sets of variables.

PMID- 28624836
TI  - Evaluation of scientific output in Dentistry in Spanish Universities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the scientific output of Spanish
      universities that offer a bachelor's degree in dentistry through the use of
      various bibliometric indicators. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 21 universities
      offered a bachelor's degree in dentistry in academic year 2016-2017. The search
      for papers published by authors associated with these institutions was carried
      out using the selection of journals listed in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR)
      and the Web of Knowledge database for the period 1986-2017. On the basis of these
      data, we determined the output, the h-, g- and hg-indexes, the most productive
      authors, international collaborations, and the most relevant journals. RESULTS:
      Public universities obtained better results than private universities. The
      University of Valencia was ranked first, followed by the Complutense University
      of Madrid and the University of Granada. The most productive author was Jose
      Vicente Bagan, but the author with the highest h-index was Mariano Sanz and
      Manuel Toledado. The universities with the greatest output and highest citation
      rates had more international collaborations. The most developed fields in Spanish
      universities were Oral surgery, Oral medicine and Dental materials. The
      universities had different models of production. At universities such as
      Barcelona or Valencia, the production was focused on very few departments and
      authors. At the other extreme, the University of Granada had various sources of
      research and authors, which meant that its output and citation rate could
      increase more. CONCLUSIONS: University faculties must provide suitable academic
      and research training, and therefore must be assessed using objective criteria
      and bibliometric tools. Although the number of university schools and faculties
      that teach dentistry has increased, and particularly the number of private
      universities, there is no correlation between their quality and output and the
      number of places offered on their courses.

PMID- 28624835
TI  - CBCT location of the fusion between the buccal and lingual cortical in the
      mandibular ramus: importance to sagittal split osteotomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mandibular Sagittal Split Osteotomy (MSSO) is a popular technique in
      orthognathic surgery used both to advance and to retreat the mandible. However,
      MSSO may incur in important complications, such as bad splits and sensorineural
      injuries. Knowing the location of the fusion between the buccal and lingual
      cortical (FBLC) in the mandibular ramus and the bone thickness in the region
      where osteotomies will be performed is determinant in MSSO planning to avoid
      complications. The aim of this study was to document and evaluate possible
      differences between sexes regarding the location of the FBLC in relation to the
      superior cortical of mandibular foramen (MF) and bone thickness in the region of
      interest for MSSO in a Brazilian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty five
      cone-beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scans were used to perform linear
      measurements to determine the location of the FBLC. Bone thickness from the
      mandibular canal (MC) to the cortical external surfaces and the diameter of the
      MC were measured at three different points: mandibular ramus (A), mandibular
      angle (B) and mesial of the second molar (C). RESULTS: The FBLC was located at a
      mean distance of 8.3 mm from the superior cortical of the MF in males and 8.1 mm
      in females. There was no difference between males and females regarding the mean
      bone thickness from the MC to the buccal external surface at all the points
      investigated (p>0.05). Bone thickness from the lingual external surface to the MC
      was bigger among females than males in regions B and C (p < 0.05). The diameter
      of the MC was bigger among males in regions B and C. CONCLUSION: Sexual
      dimorphism regarding mandibular bone thickness but not regarding the location of
      FBLC was present. This fundamental knowledge may assist to the panning of MSSO.

PMID- 28624837
TI  - Clinical response to non-surgical periodontal treatment in patients with
      interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 polymorphisms.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Genetic polymorphisms are commonly associated with altered
      transcriptional activity and possibly make individuals more susceptible to
      periodontal disease development, increased disease severity and poor treatment
      outcome. The study aimed to determine the effect of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) -572 G/C
      (rs1800796) and IL-10 -592 C/A (rs1800872) polymorphisms on the outcomes of non
      surgical periodontal therapy in a Caucasian population. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Sixty-eight patients with chronic periodontal disease were grouped according to
      their genotype: IL-6, IL-10, IL-6 and IL-10 susceptible (SCP) and non-susceptible
      (NSCP). All individuals were clinically evaluated at the first visit, and blood
      sample were collected from patients after checking the inclusion and exclusion
      criteria of the study. All patients received non-surgical periodontal therapy
      from a single-blinded periodontist. Clinical periodontal measurements were
      repeated 45 days after therapy. RESULTS: This population mean aged 47.63 years
      included 52.2% females and 58.2% non-smokers. Following DNA separation and
      genotyping, 65.7% of patients were homozygous carriers of the IL-6 - 572G; 49.3%
      were carriers of the IL-10 -592A- allele (AA and CA genotypes); and 35.8% carried
      SCP genotypes for both polymorphisms. The clinical parameters after therapy were
      not associated with the genotype status. The multiple logistic regression
      analysis did not show any statistically significant association between the
      genotypes and the variables tested. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this
      longitudinal study, it can be suggested that IL-6 -572 G/C and IL-10 -592 C/A
      polymorphisms as well as their combination do not influence the outcome of
      nonsurgical periodontal therapy in Caucasian patients diagnosed with chronic
      periodontal disease.

PMID- 28624838
TI  - Dental management of pediatric patients affected by pulmonary atresia with
      ventricular septal defect: A scoping review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) involves a wide range of pathological
      conditions, such as Pulmonary Atresia with Ventricle Septal Defect (PA/VSD). This
      disorder leads to the systemic circulation of oxygen-poor blood (cyanosis), with
      associated features and consequences in the oral cavity. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Using scoping review methodology for screening and article selection, the primary
      objectives of this paper were as follows: first, to pose a research question;
      second, to identify relevant studies in order to answer the research question;
      third, to select and retrieve the studies; fourth, to chart the critical data,
      and finally, to collate, summarize, and report the results from the most
      important articles on the dental management of children affected with PA/VSD.
      Relevant articles (Randomized Controlled Trials [RCT], reviews, observational
      studies, and clinical case reports) published over a 10-year period were
      identified and retrieved from four Internet databases: PubMed; Embase/Ovid;
      Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. RESULTS: By title and abstract screening
      and after removing duplicates, 24 articles were finally included in the present
      scoping review. According to the extracted data, the following are the most
      important clinical issues to be considered when treating children with PA/VSD in
      the dental setting: prevalence of dental caries; prevention of dental disease
      (oral hygiene and diet); bacteremia and infective endocarditis risk, and child
      behavior control and treatment under general anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric
      Dentists should bear in mind that early diagnosis and treatment, together a long
      term follow-up of children with PA/VSD, continue to be the best approaches for
      achieving enhanced patient psychological well-being and, in consequence, their
      good quality of life.

PMID- 28624839
TI  - The effects of irrigation volume to the heat generation during implant surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of the amount of irrigation on heat generated
      during implant site preparation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten freshly dissected
      sheep mandibles were sectioned into 30 equal bone blocks and transferred into a
      heat-controlled water tank. Implant socket preparations were performed with four
      consecutive drills. Temperature measurements were performed with a thermocouple
      inserted into the bone immediately before the preparation and after the drilling
      using three different physiologic saline irrigation set-ups: 1- No irrigation, 2-
      12 ml/min and 3- 30 ml/min irrigation volume. The temperature differences between
      three different irrigation set-ups for implant drills 1, 2, 3 and 4, and the
      temperature differences between the drills for three different irrigation set-ups
      were separately compared. RESULTS: The temperature difference of no irrigation
      group was significantly higher than 12 ml/min and 30 ml/min groups for all four
      drills (p<0.05), whereas no statistically significant difference was found
      between 12 ml/min and 30 ml/min irrigation groups. (p>0.05) The temperature
      difference of drill 1 is significantly higher than drills 2, 3 and 4 for no
      irrigation group. (p<0.05) The temperature differences of drill 1, 2 and 3 were
      significantly higher than the temperature difference of drill 4 for 12 ml/min
      irrigation group. (p<0.05) Conclusions: The heat generated during drilling is not
      directly proportional to the coolant volume. Given that certain amount of
      irrigation is applied, implant sites can be prepared safely without the need for
      additional irrigation, which may result in reduced visibility of the surgical
      site and therefore a suboptimal surgery.

PMID- 28624840
TI  - Do topical applications of bisphosphonates improve bone formation in oral
      implantology? A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic literature review was to evaluate the
      feasibility of topical bisphosphonate application for preserving/enhancing
      alveolar bone in oral implantology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search
      was conducted in the PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of knowledge, and Google
      Scholar databases for articles dated from January 2000 to December 2016. Two
      reviewers assessed the quality of the studies independently. RESULTS: A total of
      154 abstracts were identified, of which 18 potentially relevant articles were
      selected; a final total of nine papers were included for analysis. Comparison of
      the findings of the selected studies was made difficult by the heterogeneity of
      the articles, all of them animal research papers that showed heterogeneity in the
      methodologies used and a high or moderate risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: The topical
      application of bisphosphonate solution would appear to favor new bone formation
      in alveolar defects, and boosts the regenerative capacities of biomaterials
      resulting in increased bone density.

PMID- 28624841
TI  - The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte ratio as a marker of recovery status in patients
      with severe dental infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to assess the value of pretreatment
      neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio and mean platelet volume (MPV) and the
      correlation between these markers with progression in patients with severe
      odontogenic infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cohort of 100 patients with severe
      odontogenic infection were divided into 2 groups according to their length of
      hospital stay. The N/L ratio and MPV was measured in all patients. The
      correlation in all patients between preoperative fever, preoperative antibiotic
      doses, postoperative antibiotic doses, total antibiotic doses and hospital stay
      with N/L ratio and MPV were analyzed. The Youden index was used to identify the
      optimal cut-off value. RESULTS: There were positive and statistically significant
      correlations between N/L ratio and prolonged hospital stay and postoperative
      antibiotic doses and total antibiotic doses. The optimum cut -off level of N/L
      ratio was 5.19 according to ROC analysis. However, there was no correlation
      between MPV and any of these parameters. CONCLUSIONS: N/L ratio may be used as a
      prognostic marker for patients with odontogenic infections. These patients may
      need a higher dose of antibiotics and stay more than 1 day in hospital for the
      treatment of odontogenic infection when the N/L ratio is detected to be more than
      5.19.

PMID- 28624843
TI  - Expressions of Ras Homolog Gene Family, Member A (RhoA) and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX
      2) Proteins in Early Gastric Cancer and Their Role in the Development of Gastric
      Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND This research focused on detecting the expressions of RhoA and
      cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins in early gastric cancer tissues and to explore
      their role in the development of gastric cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS Surgically
      resected gastric cancer tissues and the paired normal paracancerous tissues were
      collected from 26 patients with early gastric cancer from January 2015 to
      November 2015. The expressions of RhoA and COX-2 proteins were detected by using
      RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry techniques, respectively. Cell proliferation and
      migration experiments were conducted on the RhoA-silenced A6-B9 cells and COX-2
      silenced D7-B8 cells so as to discuss their role in the development of gastric
      cancer. RESULTS Relative mRNA expressions of RhoA and COX-2 in the cancer tissues
      were 0.823+/-0.021 and 0.892+/-0.103, respectively, which showed significant
      differences compared to the normal cancerous tissues (0.295+/-0.014 and 0.129+/
      0.037) (p<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the expressions of
      RhoA and COX-2 proteins in tumor tissues were significantly upregulated as
      compared to normal cancerous tissues (p<0.05). Cell cloning and streaking assays
      showed that silencing of RhoA and COX-2 gene caused a considerable decline in the
      proliferation and migration capacities of the gastric cancer cells, respectively
      (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS RhoA and COX-2 were upregulated in early gastric cancer
      tissues, which facilitated the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer
      cells. Both proteins may be used as potential markers for the diagnosis of early
      gastric cancer.

PMID- 28624842
TI  - Increased Levels of Pro-Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Cellular Responses in
      Parkinson's Disease Patients: Search for a Disease Indicator.
AB  - BACKGROUND Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent
      neurodegenerative disorder and it arises when most of the dopaminergic neurons of
      substantia nigra region die. Several mechanisms have been postulated as the
      causative event in PD pathology, and neuroinflammation is most crucial among
      them. MATERIAL AND METHODS We analyzed T-helper 17 (Th17) cells and myeloid
      derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) from 80 PD patients to assess inflammatory
      processes and to find a cost-effective means to evaluate PD prognosis. RESULTS We
      found significantly increased numbers of Th17 cells and MDSCs count in peripheral
      circulation in PD patients compared with controls (p<0.001). A positive
      correlation was found between Th17 cells and MDSCs in PD patients (r=0.421,
      p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results show the effector role of Th17 cells and MDSCs
      in PD pathology and shows their utility as effective biomarkers for PD diagnosis.

PMID- 28624844
TI  - The effect of endoscopic sinus surgery on quality of life and absenteeism in
      patients with chronic rhinosinuitis - a multi-centre study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyps (CRSw/sNP) are
      common conditions decreasing health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Individual
      symptoms capable of predicting outcome after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) are
      poorly defined, and the indirect costs of CRS is rarely reported in Europe.
      METHODOLOGY: Patients with CRSw/sNP admitted for ESS were prospectively enrolled.
      Patients completed the 22 Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22), the short-form 36
      item questionnaire (SF-36), a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and reported CRS
      related absenteeism pre- and post-operatively. RESULTS: 181 patients were
      included. The SNOT-22 score diminished from 51.8 (48.7-55.0) pre-operatively to
      33.0 (29.2-36.8) at 6 months. 64% achieved a clinically important improvement in
      the SNOT-22. SF-36 scores improved statistically significantly in all domains
      except Role Emotional. The VAS score halved from 68 (65-71) to 34 (29-39) at 6
      months post-operatively. A pre-operative SNOT-22 score over 20 implied a greater
      chance of score improvement after 6 months. A multivariate model identified
      individual items associated with SNOT-22. Further, patients that had lees than 12
      months of sinus disease derived greatest benefit. CRS-related absenteeism dropped
      from 8-14 days to 1-7 days 12 months after ESS. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective
      study showed that ESS significantly improved the HRQOL and decreased absenteeism
      of patients with CRSw/sNP. Shorter duration of disease and Need to blow nose and
      Blockage/congestion of nose of SNOT-22 were identified as predictive factors for
      good surgical outcome.

PMID- 28624845
TI  - Web-based teaching video packages on anatomical education.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to study the effect of web-based teaching
      video packages on medical students' satisfaction during gross anatomy education.
      The objective was to test the hypothesis that individual preference, which can be
      related to learning style, influences individual utilization of the video
      packages developed specifically for the undergraduate medical curriculum.
      METHODS: Web-based teaching video packages consisting of Closed Circuit
      Audiovisual System and Distance Education of Anatomy were prepared. 54
      informative application videos each lasting an average 12 min, competent with
      learning objectives have been prepared. 300 young adults of the medical school on
      applied anatomy education were evaluated in terms of their course content, exam
      performance and perceptions. A survey was conducted to determine the difference
      between the students who did not use teaching packages with those who used it
      during or after the lecture. RESULTS: A mean of 150 hits for each student per
      year was indicated. Academic performance of anatomy has been an increase of 10
      points. Positive effects of the video packages on anatomy education have
      manifested on the survey conducted on students. The survey was compiled under
      twenty different items including effectiveness, providing education opportunity
      and affecting learning positively. Additionally, the difference was remarkable
      that the positive ideas of the second year students on learning were
      statistically significant from that of the third year students. CONCLUSION: Web
      based video packages are helpful, definitive, easily accessible and affordable
      which enable students with different pace of learning to reach information
      simultaneously in equal conditions and increase the learning activity in crowded
      group lectures in cadaver labs. We conclude that personality/learning preferences
      of individual students influence their use of video packages in the medical
      curriculum.

PMID- 28624846
TI  - Comment on: The cut surface of the neck as depicted in two paintings of Judith
      and Holofernes.

PMID- 28624847
TI  - The microbiome-gut-brain axis: implications for schizophrenia and antipsychotic
      induced weight gain.
AB  - With the emergence of knowledge implicating the human gut microbiome in the
      development and regulation of several physiological systems, evidence has
      accumulated to suggest a role for the gut microbiome in psychiatric conditions
      and drug response. A complex relationship between the enteric nervous system, the
      gut microbiota and the central nervous system has been described which allows for
      the microbiota to influence and respond to a variety of behaviors and psychiatric
      conditions. Additionally, the use of pharmaceuticals may interact with and alter
      the microbiota to potentially contribute to adverse effects of the drug. The gut
      microbiota has been described in several psychiatric disorders including
      depression and anxiety, but only a few reports have discussed the role of the
      microbiome in schizophrenia. The following review examines the evidence
      surrounding the gut microbiota in behavior and psychiatric illness, the role of
      the microbiota in schizophrenia and the potential for antipsychotics to alter the
      gut microbiota and promote adverse metabolic events.

PMID- 28624848
TI  - 177Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy and outcome in patients with metastasized
      castration-resistant prostate cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Radioligand therapies targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen
      (PSMA) have been established for the treatment of metastasized castration
      resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in the last decade and show promising response
      rates and a favourable toxicity profile. The aim of this study was to evaluate
      the overall survival (OS) and to identify parameters predicting outcome in mCRPC
      patients treated with 177Lu-PSMA-617. METHODS: Between December 2014 and January
      2017, 59 consecutive patients (median age 72 years; interquartile range, (IQR, 66
      76 years) with mCRPC, who had been treated with at least one next-generation
      antihormonal drug as well as chemotherapy, were included in this study.
      Biochemical response was evaluated using Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 (PCWG3)
      criteria. Survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression
      proportional hazards model. Toxicity was assessed using Common Toxicity Criteria
      for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The study was approved by the local ethics committee.
      RESULTS: The 59 patients were treated with a total of 159 cycles (median 3
      cycles, range 1-7) of 177Lu-PSMA-617 (median dose 6.11 GBq, IQR 5.9-6.3 GBq). The
      median follow-up was 24 weeks (IQR 15-36 weeks). Follow-up data for at least 12
      weeks (PCWG3) were available in 76% (45) of the patients. For outcome results
      data from all patients treated with at least one cycle were analysed. A decline
      in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of >=50% occurred in 53%, and a decline in PSA
      of any amount in 91% of patients. The estimated median OS was 32 weeks. An
      initial alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level <220 U/L and a PSA decline after the
      first cycle were associated with a longer OS (56 vs. 28 weeks, p < 0.01, and 56
      vs. 29 weeks, p = 0.04, respectively). The median estimated PSA progression-free
      survival (PPFS) was 18 weeks. Only ALP level <220 U/L was significantly
      associated with a longer PPFS (41 vs. 18 weeks, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A PSA
      decline after the first cycle of 177Lu-PSMA-617 and an initial ALP level <220 U/L
      were predictors of a longer OS in patients with end-stage mCRPC. An ALP level
      <220 U/L was additionally associated with a longer PPFS.

PMID- 28624849
TI  - The accuracy of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in primary lymph node staging in high-risk
      prostate cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of 68Ga-PSMA PET in predicting lymph
      node (LN) metastases in primary N staging in high-risk and very high-risk
      nonmetastatic prostate cancer in comparison with morphological imaging. METHODS:
      This was a multicentre trial of the Society of Urologic Oncology in Turkey in
      conjunction with the Nuclear Medicine Department of Cerrahpasa School of
      Medicine, Istanbul University. Patients were accrued from eight centres. Patients
      with high-risk and very high-risk disease scheduled to undergo surgical treatment
      with extended LN dissection between July 2014 and October 2015 were included.
      Either MRI or CT was used for morphological imaging. PSMA PET/CT was performed
      and evaluated at a single centre. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were
      calculated for the detection of lymphatic metastases by PSMA PET/CT and
      morphological imaging. Kappa values were calculated to evaluate the correlation
      between the numbers of LN metastases detected by PSMA PET/CT and by
      histopathology. RESULTS: Data on 51 eligible patients are presented. The
      sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of PSMA PET in detecting LN metastases in
      the primary setting were 53%, 86% and 76%, and increased to 67%, 88% and 81% in
      the subgroup with of patients with >=15 LN removed. Kappa values for the
      correlation between imaging and pathology were 0.41 for PSMA PET and 0.18 for
      morphological imaging. CONCLUSIONS: PSMA PET/CT is superior to morphological
      imaging for the detection of metastatic LNs in patients with primary prostate
      cancer. Surgical dissection remains the gold standard for precise lymphatic
      staging.

PMID- 28624850
TI  - The plant LIM proteins: unlocking the hidden attractions.
AB  - MAIN CONCLUSION: The plant LIMs comprise two sub-families with one (DA1/DAR) and
      two (2LIM) LIM domains. This review comprehensively discussed the structure and
      potential role of this protein family in diverse area of plant biology. The
      description of first eukaryote lineage-specific plant LIM domain (LIN11, ISL1,
      and MEC3) proteins was observed in Helianthus long back. The successive study of
      LIM proteins in diverse plants has shown its vital relation to development,
      metabolism and defence. This nascent gene family has been worked out for their
      role in actin dynamics, organ size determination and transcription regulation. On
      grounds of protein architecture, two sub-families have been delineated as DA1/DAR
      (one LIM domain) and 2LIMs (two LIM domains). The genomic and expression study
      guides to the identification of diverse sub-categories. The significance of 2LIMs
      in regulation of actin dynamics leading to pollen growth and development has
      prospects to understand the plant reproductive behaviour. Interestingly, new
      facet of these LIMs as a transcriptional regulator in biological
      pathway/biosynthesis was also reported. Recently, the cumulative contribution of
      these features was also recognized for obtaining good quality fibre, thus giving
      translational outlook to this family. The DA1/DAR proteins are orchestrated with
      additional domains and provide a key role in regulation of organ size and
      tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. This review will focus the journey of
      plant LIMs till date and will cover details of its structure, type,
      classification and functional relevance. This will provide insight to identify
      the potential of this gene family in the improvement of desired crop features.

PMID- 28624851
TI  - Acute effects of constant torque and constant angle stretching on the muscle and
      tendon tissue properties.
AB  - PURPOSE: Static stretching induces acute structural changes of the muscle-tendon
      unit (MTU) that are related to the intensity or duration of stretching. It has
      been reported that stretching with a constant torque (CT) leads to greater joint
      range of motion changes than stretching with a constant angle (CA). Whether or
      not this difference is due to different structural changes of the MTUs of the
      lower leg and ankle plantar flexors is not known. Therefore, the purpose of this
      study was to compare the acute effects of single CA and CT stretching on various
      muscle and tendon mechanical properties. METHOD: Seventeen young, healthy
      volunteers were tested on two separate days using either CT or CA stretching (4 *
      30 s each). Before and after stretching, dorsiflexion range of motion (RoM),
      passive resistive torque (PRT), and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were
      measured with a dynamometer. Ultrasonography of the medial gastrocnemius (GM)
      muscle-tendon junction (MTJ) displacement allowed us to determine the length
      changes in the tendon and muscle, respectively, and hence to calculate their
      stiffness. RESULTS: Maximum dorsiflexion increased while PRT, muscle-tendon
      stiffness, and muscle stiffness decreased following both CA and CT stretching.
      There was a greater increase in RoM following CT stretching compared to CA
      stretching. Moreover, the decline in PRT was greater during CT stretching
      compared to CA stretching. As expected, several functional adaptations (RoM, PRT)
      were different between CT and CA stretching due to the higher intensity of CT
      stretching. However, no structural differences in the adaptations to the
      stretching modalities could be detected. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the
      different functional adaptations between CA and CT stretching are the consequence
      of different adaptations in the perception of stretch and pain.

PMID- 28624852
TI  - Vasoconstrictor responsiveness in contracting human muscle: influence of
      contraction frequency, contractile work, and metabolic rate.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine whether independent effects exist
      between contractile work and metabolic demand (VO2m) on vasoconstrictor
      responsiveness (i.e., functional sympatholysis) under different contraction
      durations matched for total contractile work in exercising human skeletal muscle.
      METHODS: Ten young men performed rhythmic forearm contractions at 10 and 15% of
      maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) which consisted of muscle contractions using
      the same duty cycle but altering the duration of the contraction-relaxation
      cycles of exercise and included: 1) fast frequency contractions at 10% MVC
      (FFC10%) using a contraction relaxation cycle at 1:2 s; 2) slow frequency
      contractions at 10% MVC (SFC10%) at 2:4 s; and 3) SFC at 15% MVC (SFC15%) at 2:4
      s. Lower body negative pressure (LBNP) was applied to increase sympathetic
      vasoconstriction during forearm exercise. Brachial artery diameter and blood
      velocities (measured via Doppler ultrasound) determined forearm blood flow (FBF),
      and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) was calculated from FBF (ml min-1) and
      mean arterial blood pressure. RESULTS: Results revealed that steady-state indices
      of FBF, FVC, and VO2m were greater (P < 0.05) in FFC10% and SFC15% vs. SFC10%. In
      addition, the magnitude of vasoconstriction (percent reduction in FVC) in
      response to reflex increases in sympathetic activity during LBNP was greater with
      SFC10% vs. FFC10% (-20.6 +/- 3.0 vs. -11.1 +/- 2.0%; P < 0.05), whereas there was
      no difference with FFC10% vs. SFC15% (-11.1 +/- 2.0 vs. -11.8 +/- 1.8%; P =
      0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that faster work-matched muscle
      contractions increase blood flow and metabolism, leading to improved functional
      sympatholysis as compared to slower work-matched muscle contractions in humans.

PMID- 28624853
TI  - Biophysical stimulation improves clinical results of matrix-assisted autologous
      chondrocyte implantation in the treatment of chondral lesions of the knee.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of pulsed
      electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on clinical outcome in patients who underwent
      arthroscopic matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) for
      chondral lesions of the knee. METHODS: Thirty patients affected by grade III and
      IV International Cartilage Repair Society chondral lesions of the knee underwent
      MACI. After surgery, patients were randomly assigned to either experimental group
      (PEMFs 4 h per day for 60 days) or control group . Clinical outcome was evaluated
      through International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective knee
      evaluation form, Visual Analog Scale, Short Form-36 (SF-36) and EuroQoL before
      surgery and 1, 2, 6, and 60 months postoperative. RESULTS: Mean size of chondral
      lesion was 2.4 +/- 0.6 cm2 in the PEMFs group and 2.5 +/- 0.5 cm2 in the control
      one. No differences were found between groups at baseline. IKDC score increased
      in both groups till 6 months, but afterward improvement was observed only in the
      experimental group with a significant difference between groups at 60 months (p =
      0.001). A significant difference between groups was recorded at 60 months for SF
      36 (p = 0.006) and EuroQol (p = 0.020). A significant pain reduction was observed
      in the experimental group at 1-, 2- and 60-month follow-up. CONCLUSION:
      Biophysical stimulation with PEMFs improves clinical outcome after arthroscopic
      MACI for chondral lesions of the knee in the short- and long-term follow-up.
      Biophysical stimulation should be considered as an effective tool in order to
      ameliorate clinical results of regenerative medicine. The use of PEMFs represents
      an innovative therapeutic approach for the survival of cartilage-engineered
      constructs and consequently the success of orthopaedic surgery. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: II.

PMID- 28624854
TI  - Superior return to sports rate after patellar tendon autograft over patellar
      tendon allograft in revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
AB  - PURPOSE: After revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), the
      rate of return to the pre-injury type of sport (RTS type) is low and graft choice
      might be an important factor. The aim of this study was to determine whether
      there is a difference in outcome after revision ACLR using a patellar tendon
      allograft compared to an ipsilateral patellar tendon autograft. It was
      hypothesized that the rate of RTS type using an ipsilateral patellar tendon
      autograft will be superior to using patellar tendon allograft. METHODS: The
      design is a retrospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria were patients who
      underwent revision ACLR with a minimum follow-up of 1 year after revision using a
      patellar allograft or ipsilateral autograft. Primary study parameter was rate of
      RTS type. Secondary study parameters were RTS level, subscores of the KOOS, the
      IKDCsubjective, the Tegner score and reasons for no RTS. RESULTS: Eighty-two
      patients participated in this study (36 allografts and 46 autografts). In
      patients with a minimum follow-up of 1 year, rate of RTS type was 51.4% for the
      patellar tendon allograft and 62.8% for the patellar tendon autograft group
      (n.s.). In patients with a minimum follow-up rate of 2 years, rate of RTS type
      was 43.3 versus 75.0%, respectively (p = 0.027). No differences in secondary
      study parameters were found. In patients with a minimum follow-up of 1 year, rate
      of RTS type was significantly higher (p = 0.025) for patients without anxiety
      compared to patients who were anxious to perform certain movements. CONCLUSION:
      After a minimum follow-up of 2 years, rate of RTS type is in favour of using an
      ipsilateral patellar tendon autograft when compared to using a patellar tendon
      allograft in patients undergoing revision ACLR; after a minimum follow-up of 1
      year, no significant difference was found. In revision ACLR, the results of this
      study might influence graft choice in favour of autologous graft when the use of
      an allograft or autograft patellar tendon is considered. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

PMID- 28624855
TI  - CT arthrography visualizes tissue growth of osteochondral defects of the talus
      after microfracture.
AB  - PURPOSE: Little is known about the arthroscopic or radiographic outcomes after
      arthroscopic microfracture of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs). The
      purpose of this study was to investigate tissue growth after arthroscopic
      microfracture of OLTs using computed tomography arthrography (CTA) and to
      identify the relationship between CTA findings and clinical outcomes. We
      hypothesized that the morphology of the repaired tissue would be similar to that
      of normal anatomy and correlate with the clinical outcomes. METHODS: Forty-two
      ankles treated using arthroscopic microfracture of OLTs between 2009 and 2014
      were monitored. CTA was performed post-operatively at 6 months and at 1 and 2
      years after surgery. The post-operative thickness of the repaired tissue
      associated with OLT (grade) and the volume of the subchondral cystic lesions were
      evaluated using CTA. Clinical outcomes, including the pain visual analog scale
      (VAS) and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle functional
      scores, were evaluated and correlated with CTA. RESULTS: The proportion of fully
      grown tissue (grade 3) increased over time; specifically, the rates were 12/40
      (33.3%) at 6 months, 11/18 (61.1%) at 1 year, and 8/10 (80%) at 2 years after
      surgery (p = 0.005). The VAS pain (p < 0.001) and AOFAS scores (p < 0.001) were
      also improved at the final follow-up; however, they were not associated with
      repaired tissue thickness as shown by CTA (n.s.). CONCLUSIONS: After
      microfracture of OLTs, tissue growth in the osteochondral defects was well
      visualized using CT arthrography and was observed in most cases. However, the CTA
      findings were not related to the clinical outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

PMID- 28624856
TI  - The glenocapsular ligament and the posterosuperior part of the joint capsule of
      the shoulder are well vascularized.
AB  - PURPOSE: A detailed structural anatomy of the posterosuperior shoulder capsule
      and "glenocapsular ligament" is still rather unknown. The purpose of this study
      was meticulously to investigate and describe the structure and blood supply of
      the glenocapsular ligament on the posterosuperior shoulder joint capsule. METHOD:
      Sixteen fixed and twelve fresh cadaveric shoulder specimens with a mean age of
      73.4 (+/-6.4) years were analysed. Dissection without arterial injection was
      performed on the 16 fixed specimens-using an alcohol-formalin-glycerol solution.
      Before dissection, the 12 fresh specimens received of arterial injection a 10%
      aqueous dispersion of latex solution. After the injection, these shoulders were
      also fixed in an alcohol-formalin-glycerol solution. RESULTS: The glenocapsular
      ligament was found in all 28 specimens. Single or double parallel-running bundles
      of connective tissue fibres were found to form a capsular-ligamentous structure
      on the posterosuperior part of the joint capsule. One part of the ligament was
      mediosuperior, another posterosuperior. The mediosuperior part varied in shape,
      and in 12 of 28 cases, it was absent. The glenocapsular ligament arose from the
      supraglenoid tubercle and posterior part of the collum scapulae and inserted into
      the semicircular humeral ligament. The posterior ascending branch of the
      circumflex scapular artery directly fed small branches laterally and medially to
      the joint capsule, supplying the glenocapsular ligament and the deep layer of the
      joint capsule. CONCLUSION: The glenocapsular ligament is a constant anatomical
      structure that consists of one or two different parts. The glenocapsular ligament
      and the posterosuperior part of the joint capsule appear well vascularized via
      the posterior ascending branch of the circumflex scapular artery. CLINICAL
      RELEVANCE: It is the hope of the authors that this anatomical study can help
      surgeons who perform open or arthroscopic surgery to the posterior part of the
      shoulder. Knowledge of the vascular anatomy presented in this study may be
      especially important when incisions are made to the posterior part of the
      shoulder, and should minimize the risk of complications.

PMID- 28624857
TI  - Bioaccumulation of heavy metals and ecophysiological responses to heavy metal
      stress in selected populations of Vaccinium myrtillus L. and Vaccinium vitis
      idaea L.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd,
      Pb, Zn, Fe, and Mn) in soil, and their bioavailability and bioaccumulation in
      Vaccinium myrtillus L. and Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. organs. Analysis also
      concerned the physiological responses of these plants from three polluted sites
      (immediate vicinity of a zinc smelter in Miasteczko Slaskie, ArcelorMittal Poland
      S.A. iron smelter in Dabrowa Gornicza-Losien, and Jaworzno III power plant in
      Jaworzno) and one pseudo-control site (Pazurek nature reserve in Jaroszowiec
      Olkuski). All of the sites are situated in the southern parts of Poland in the
      Slaskie or Malopolskie provinces. The contents of proline, non-protein thiols,
      glutathione, ascorbic acid, and the activity of superoxide dismutase and guaiacol
      peroxidase in the leaves of Vaccinium myrtillus L. and Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.
      were measured. In soil, the highest levels of Cd, Pb, and Zn (HNO3 extracted and
      CaCl2 extracted) were detected at the Miasteczko Slaskie site. At all sites a
      several times lower concentration of the examined metals was determined in the
      fraction of soil extracted with CaCl2. Much higher Cd, Pb, Zn and Fe
      concentrations were found in V. myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea grown at the most
      polluted site (located near the zinc smelter) in comparison with cleaner areas;
      definitely higher bioaccumulation of these metals was found in lingonberry
      organs. Additionally, we observed a large capability of bilberry to accumulate
      Mn. Antioxidant response to heavy metal stress also differed between V. myrtillus
      and V. vitis-idaea. In V. myrtillus we found a positive correlation between the
      level of non-protein thiols and Cd and Zn concentrations, and also between
      proline and these metals. In V. vitis-idaea leaves an upward trend in ascorbic
      acid content and superoxide dismutase activity accompanied an increase in Cd, Pb,
      and Zn concentrations. At the same time, the increased levels of all tested
      metals in the leaves of V. vitis-idaea were accompanied by a decreased activity
      of guaiacol peroxidase. In both species increased Mn accumulation caused a
      decrease in antioxidant response.

PMID- 28624858
TI  - Sperm parameters that play a major role in the assessment of semen quality after
      cryopreservation.

PMID- 28624859
TI  - The -29G/A FSH receptor gene polymorphism is associated with higher FSH and LH
      levels in normozoospermic men.
AB  - PURPOSE: The functional role of the FSHR promoter -29G/A polymorphism (rs1394205)
      in men is not clear. Some studies failed to find a relationship between the FSHR 
      29G/A and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and did not associate the SNP
      with male infertility. Only one study showed that the FSHR -29 SNP modulates
      serum FSH levels in Baltic young male cohort. Because the SNP -29G/A has to be
      shown to have a strong effect on in vitro transcription activity of the FSHR
      promoter and the activation of FSHR is necessary for a normal FSH function, this
      study was undertaken to assess whether the FSHR -29G/A SNP modulates the gonadal
      endocrine function in men. METHODS: A total of 200 men with alteration of
      conventional sperm parameters or normozoospermia (according to the parameters WHO
      2010), were genotyped by TaqMan Assay. Hormone levels were measured by
      immunoassay, and sperm analysis was performed according to the World Health
      Organization criteria. RESULTS: A significant gradient of increasing FSH levels
      across the FSHR -29G/A genotypes was observed (p < 0.01). Among normozoospermic
      men (n = 110), those with FSHR -29A-allele carriers (GA + AA and AA) had higher
      serum FSH (p < 0.01) and LH levels (p < 0.05) and higher body mass index (BMI) (p
      < 0.01) compared to men with the GG genotype. The carrier status of rs1394205
      genotypes did not affect the other endocrine parameters neither in men with
      altered sperm parameters nor in normozoospermic men. CONCLUSIONS: The FSHR -29G/A
      polymorphism modulates FSH and, for the first time, LH serum levels and BMI in
      normozoospermic men. These findings underline the importance to pay close
      attention to the studies of genetic variations associated with clinical-endocrine
      parameters.

PMID- 28624860
TI  - Obesity results with smaller oocyte in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic
      sperm injection cycles-a prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with several fertility disorders. This
      prospective cohort study was designed to evaluate the effect of body mass index
      (BMI) (kg/m2) on oocyte diameter and treatment. METHODS: Women undergoing in
      vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were
      enrolled in the study. They were divided into two groups according to BMI: obese
      (BMI > 30) and normal weight (BMI < 25). Mature oocytes were evaluated according
      to total diameter, zona pellucida, and oolema diameters. RESULTS: A total of 387
      oocytes were obtained from the 46 women who participated. Significantly more
      mature oocytes (M2) were retrieved from normal weight patients compare to obese
      women (15.1 +/- 6.8 vs. 9.7 +/- 3.9, respectively, P < 0.001). Oocytes from women
      in the obese group were significantly smaller than those in the normal weight
      group, including oocyte diameter (157.9 +/- 7.9 vs. 164.3 +/- 5.1 MUm, P <
      0.0001), oolema diameter (110.3 +/- 4.5 vs. 113.5 +/- 3.5 MUm, P < 0.0001), and
      zona pellucida thickness (17.9 +/- 2.6 vs. 19.0 +/- 2.4 MUm, P < 0.000),
      respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis, including oolema
      diameter, female age, BMI, number of M2 oocytes, and zona pellucida, was
      conducted to predict pregnancy. Small oolema diameter in obese patient adversely
      correlated with pregnancy. Larger oolema diameter was positively associated with
      the probability of pregnancy in the obese group as well as thinner zona
      pellucida. CONCLUSION: Obesity is associated with smaller oocytes, which
      adversely affect fertility outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NIH number NCT01672931.

PMID- 28624861
TI  - Hemorrhagic ganglioglioma of the third ventricle with atypical pathological
      findings.

PMID- 28624862
TI  - Comparison of autologous fibrin glue versus nylon sutures for securing
      conjunctival autografting in pterygium surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the safety, operating time, postoperative ocular signs,
      symptoms, overall patient satisfaction, complications rate and recurrence rate of
      autologous fibrin glue (AFG) and nylon suturing (NS) for attaching conjunctival
      autografts in pterygium surgery. METHODS: A prospective, randomized,
      interventional study was performed among 120 patients (120 eyes) with primary
      pterygium. Superior conjunctival autograft was harvested and transferred on to
      bare sclera after pterygium excision. For attaching the autograft, AFG (n = 60
      eyes) and NS (n = 60 eyes) were used. The patients were followed up for 12
      months. The groups were compared for the safety, operative time, postoperative
      ocular signs, symptoms, overall patient satisfaction, recurrence and
      complications rate. RESULTS: All conjunctival autografts in both groups were
      successfully attached. The average operating time for the AFG group was
      significantly shorter (P < 0.001). Postoperative symptoms were fewer for the AFG
      group than the suture group. After 12 months of follow-up, no recurrence was
      reported for the AFG group, but 8.3% of patients experienced recurrence in the NS
      group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated the superiority of AFG to NS in saving
      operating time and elimination of recurrence without any complications in
      pterygium surgery. AFG can obviate the need for suturing and increases the
      viability of tissue flaps. Additional studies are necessary to determine the long
      term effects considering factors such as primary or recurrent status of
      pterygium, age and sex of patient, dose and duration of treatment for mitomycin
      C.

PMID- 28624863
TI  - Matched-pair analysis of patients with advanced hypopharyngeal cancer: surgery
      versus concomitant chemoradiotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic outcomes of
      total pharyngolaryngectomy with those of concomitant chemoradiotherapy in
      advanced hypopharyngeal cancer. METHODS: This is a retrospective multi
      institutional study. The medical records of 979 patients with hypopharyngeal
      cancer, who were initially treated between 2006 and 2008, were reviewed. In this
      study, we matched a group of total pharyngolaryngectomy patients with a second
      group of chemoradiotherapy patients, according to age, gender, subsite, arytenoid
      fixation, cartilage invasion, and N classification, and analyzed overall
      survival, disease-specific survival, and locoregional control rates. RESULTS: The
      matched-pair analysis included 254 patients. The 5-year overall survival, disease
      specific survival, and locoregional control rates were 58.5% and 53.5% (P =
      0.30), 68.9% and 68.0% (P = 0.80), and 82.2% and 63.6% (P < 0.01), respectively,
      for patients in the total pharyngolaryngectomy and chemoradiotherapy groups. For
      T4a patients with cartilage invasion, the matched-pair analysis included 46
      patients. The 5-year overall survival, disease-specific, and locoregional control
      rates were 56.5% and 26.0% (P = 0.092), 56.5% and 41.3% (P = 0.629), and 43.0%
      and 42.5% (P = 0.779), respectively, for patients in the total
      pharyngolaryngectomy and chemoradiotherapy groups. CONCLUSIONS: The data from
      this large-scale multi-institutional joint research program of hypopharyngeal
      cancer in Japan suggest that chemoradiotherapy may provide adequate survival
      benefit for hypopharyngeal cancer patients with the distinct advantage of larynx
      preservation. Our data also suggest that chemoradiotherapy is as beneficial as
      total pharyngolaryngectomy for the local control of locally advanced
      hypopharyngeal cancer.

PMID- 28624864
TI  - The clinical significance of pneumonia in patients with respiratory specimens
      harbouring multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a 5-year retrospective
      study following 5667 patients in four general ICUs.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the leading cause of pneumonia in intensive care units
      (ICUs), with multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains posing a serious threat. The aim
      of this study was to assess the clinical relevance of MDR Pseudomonas isolates in
      respiratory clinical specimens. A 5-year retrospective observational study in
      four medical-surgical ICUs from a referral hospital was carried out. Of 5667
      adults admitted to the ICU, 69 had MDR-PA in respiratory samples: 31 were
      identified as having pneumonia (HAP/VAP): 21 ventilator-associated pneumonia
      (VAP) and ten hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Twenty-one (67.7%) adults with
      MDR-PA HAP/VAP died after a median of 4 days (18 of the 21 deaths within 8 days),
      compared with one (2.6%) without pneumonia at day 8. In a Cox proportional
      regression model, MDR-PA pneumonia was an independent variable [adjusted hazard
      ratio (aHR) 5.92] associated with 30-day ICU mortality. Most strains (85.1%) were
      susceptible to amikacin and colistin. Resistance to beta-lactams (third
      generation cephalosporins and piperacillin-tazobactam) ranged from 44.1% to
      45.3%. Meropenem showed poor overall activity (MIC[50/90] 16/32 mg/dL), with
      47.0% having a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoint >8 mg/L. Twenty
      four (77.4%) HAP/VAP episodes received inappropriate empirical therapy. Although
      empirical combination therapy was associated with less inappropriate therapy than
      monotherapy (16.7% vs. 88.3%, p < 0.01), there was no difference in survival (30%
      vs. 33.3%, p = 0.8). Pneumonia was identified in one-third of adult ICU patients
      harbouring MDR-PA in respiratory clinical specimens. These patients have a 6-fold
      risk of (early) death compared to ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT)
      and respiratory colonisation. New antibiotics and adjuvant therapies are urgently
      needed to prevent and treat MDR-PA HAP/VAP.

PMID- 28624865
TI  - Bone marrow fat contributes to insulin sensitivity and adiponectin secretion in
      premenopausal women.
AB  - PURPOSE: Bone marrow fat is a functionally distinct adipose tissue that may
      contribute to systemic metabolism. This study aimed at evaluating a possible
      association between bone marrow fat and insulin sensitivity indices. METHODS:
      Fifty obese (n = 23) and non-obese (n = 27) premenopausal women underwent proton
      magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure vertebral bone marrow fat content and
      unsaturation index at L4 level. Abdominal visceral, subcutaneous fat, and
      epicardial fat were also measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Bone mineral
      density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Body composition was
      assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Fasting serum glucose, insulin,
      lipids, adiponectin were measured; the insulin resistance index HOMA (HOMA-IR)
      was calculated. RESULTS: Bone marrow fat content and unsaturation index were
      similar in obese and non-obese women (38.5 +/- 0.1 vs. 38.6 +/- 0.1%, p = 0.994;
      0.162 +/- 0.065 vs. 0.175 +/- 0.048, p = 0.473, respectively). Bone marrow fat
      content negatively correlated with insulin and HOMA-IR (r = -0.342, r = -0.352,
      respectively, p = 0.01) and positively with high density lipoprotein cholesterol
      (r = 0.270, p = 0.043). From a multivariate regression model including lnHOMA-IR
      as a dependent variable and visceral, subcutaneous, epicardial fat, and bone
      marrow fat as independent variables, lnHOMA-IR was significantly associated with
      bone marrow fat (beta = -0.008 +/- 0.004, p = 0.04) and subcutaneous fat (beta =
      0.003 +/- 0.001, p = 0.04). Bone marrow fat, among the other adipose depots, was
      a significant predictor of circulating adiponectin (beta = 0.147 +/- 0.060, p =
      0.021). Bone marrow fat unsaturation index negatively correlated with visceral
      fat (r = -0.316, p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: There is a relationship between bone
      marrow fat content and insulin sensitivity in obese and non-obese premenopausal
      women, possibly mediated by adiponectin secretion. Visceral fat does not seem to
      regulate bone marrow fat content while it may affect bone marrow fat composition.

PMID- 28624866
TI  - Update on Psychological Trauma, Other Severe Adverse Experiences and Eating
      Disorders: State of the Research and Future Research Directions.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This paper provides an updated review of the literature on the
      relationship between psychological trauma exposure, other severe adverse
      experiences, and eating disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: Trauma exposure and other
      severe adverse experiences (e.g., emotional abuse) in both childhood and
      adulthood are associated with eating disorders. The relationship between
      traumatic and other adverse experiences and eating disorders appears to be
      mediated by emotional and behavioral dysregulation, as well as by cognitive
      factors such as self-criticism. Biological vulnerabilities may also be relevant
      to this relationship. Overall, the literature is limited by predominantly cross
      sectional designs. There is clear evidence of a correlational relationship
      between trauma exposure and other severe adverse events, and eating disorders.
      Both risk and maintenance factor hypotheses have been put forth; however,
      prospective research testing these hypotheses remains limited. Future research
      should use prospective designs and focus on trauma-related symptoms (rather than
      trauma exposure) in order to advance research on risk and maintaining factors for
      eating disorders and inform treatment directions.

PMID- 28624867
TI  - Cytomegalovirus (CMV) research in immune senescence comes of age: overview of the
      6th International Workshop on CMV and Immunosenescence.
AB  - Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most complex and most ubiquitous latent
      persistent viruses, with a considerable ability to evade and manipulate the
      immune system. Following an early-life infection, most immunocompetent humans
      spend several decades living with CMV, and, because the virus in these hosts does
      not cause manifest disease, CMV can be considered part of normal aging for more
      than half of humanity. However, there is accumulating evidence that CMV carriage
      is not a null event and that both potentially harmful and potentially beneficial
      outcomes emanate from the interaction of CMV with its mammalian hosts. This
      article provides an overview of the 6th International Workshop on CMV and
      Immunosenescence, highlighting the advances in the field made in the past two
      years, as related to CMV epidemiology/geroscience, CMV virology with an accent on
      latency, and CMV immune evasion and immune recognition of the virus and its
      antigens.

PMID- 28624869
TI  - Incorporation of Cerium Oxide into Hydroxyapatite Coating Protects Bone Marrow
      Stromal Cells Against H2O2-Induced Inhibition of Osteogenic Differentiation.
AB  - Oxidative stress exerts a key influence in osteoporosis in part by inhibiting
      osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). With their
      unique antioxidant properties and reported biocompatibility, cerium oxide (CeO2)
      ceramics exhibit promising potential for the treatment of osteoporosis resulting
      from oxidative stress. In this study, protective effects of CeO2-incorporated
      hydroxyapatite coatings (HA-10Ce and HA-30Ce) on the viability and osteogenic
      differentiation of H2O2-treated BMSCs were examined. CeO2-incorporated HA
      coatings enhanced cell viability and attenuated cell apoptosis caused by H2O2. An
      increase in CeO2 content in HA coatings better alleviated H2O2-induced inhibition
      of osteogenic differentiation by increasing alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity,
      calcium deposition activity, and mRNA expression levels of osteogenesis markers
      runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), ALP, and osteocalcin (OCN) in BMSCs.
      Furthermore, the H2O2-induced decrease of gene and protein expressions of beta
      catenin and cyclin D1 in the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway was successfully
      rescued by the CeO2 incorporated HA coatings. Besides, the decreased expression
      of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and the increased
      ratio of osteoprotegerin (OPG)/RANKL in BMSCs on the CeO2-modified coatings was
      observed, indicating the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis. The above results were
      mediated by the antioxidant properties of CeO2. The CeO2-incorporated HA coatings
      reversed the decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, reduced reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) generation, and suppressed the malondiadehyde (MDA)
      formation. The findings suggested that CeO2-modified HA coatings may be promising
      coating materials for osteoporotic bone regeneration.

PMID- 28624868
TI  - How does cytomegalovirus factor into diseases of aging and vaccine responses, and
      by what mechanisms?
AB  - Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important pathogen for both clinical and population
      settings. There is a growing body of research implicating CMV in multiple health
      outcomes across the life course. At the same time, there is mounting evidence
      that individuals living in poverty are more likely to be exposed to CMV and more
      likely to experience many of the chronic conditions for which CMV has been
      implicated. Further research on the causal role of CMV for health and well-being
      is needed. However, the strong evidence implicating CMV in type 2 diabetes,
      autoimmunity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, vaccination, and age-related
      alterations in immune function warrants clinical and public health action. This
      imperative is even higher among individuals living in socioeconomically
      disadvantaged settings and those exposed to high levels of chronic psychosocial
      stress.

PMID- 28624870
TI  - Translatory hip kinematics measured with optoelectronic surgical navigation.
AB  - PURPOSE: An optoelectronic surgical navigation system was used to detect small
      but measurable translational motion of human hip cadavers in high-range passive
      motions. Kinematic data were also examined to demonstrate the role of soft
      tissues in constraining hip translation. METHODS: Twelve cadaver hips were
      scanned using CT, instrumented for navigation, and passively taken through motion
      assessment. Center of the femoral head was tracked in the acetabular coordinates.
      Maximum non-impinging translation of the femoral head for each specimen hip was
      reported. This was repeated for 5 tissue states: whole, exposed to the capsule,
      partially or fully incised capsule, resection of the ligamentum teres and
      labrectomy. Femoral motions were compared to the reported value for ideal ball
      and socket model. RESULTS: Whole and exposed hips underwent maximal translations
      of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mm, respectively. These
      translational motions were statistically significantly different from reported
      value for a purely spherical joint, [Formula: see text]. Further tissue removal
      almost always significantly increased maximum non-impingement translational
      motion with [Formula: see text]. CONCLUSION: We found subtle but definite
      translations in every cadaver hip. There was no consistent pattern of
      translation. It is possible to use the surgical navigation systems for the
      assessment of human hip kinematics intra-operatively and improve the treatment of
      total hip arthroplasty patients by the knowledge of the fact that their hips
      translate. Better procedure selection and implantation optimization may arise
      from improved understanding of the motion of this critically important human
      joint.

PMID- 28624871
TI  - Synthesis and application of magnetite dextran-spermine nanoparticles in breast
      cancer hyperthermia.
AB  - Cancer treatment has been very challenging in recent decades. One of the most
      promising cancer treatment methods is hyperthermia, which increases the tumor
      temperature (41-45  degrees C). Magnetic nanoparticles have been widely used for
      selective targeting of cancer cells. In the present study, magnetic dextran
      spermine nanoparticles, conjugated with Anti-HER2 antibody to target breast
      cancer cells were developed. The magnetic dextran-spermine nanoparticles (DMNPs)
      were prepared by ionic gelation, followed by conjugation of antibody to them
      using EDC-NHS method. Then the Prussian blue method was used to estimate the
      targeting ability and cellular uptake. Cytotoxicity assay by MTT showed that
      antibody-conjugated MNPs (ADMNPs) have no toxic effect on SKBR3 and human
      fibroblast cells. Finally, the hyperthermia was applied to show that synthesized
      ADMNPs, could increase the cancer cells temperature up to 45  degrees C and kill
      most of them without affecting normal cells. These observations proved that Anti
      HER2 conjugated magnetic dextran-spermine nanoparticles can target and destroy
      cancer cells and are potentially suitable for cancer treatment.

PMID- 28624872
TI  - Abaloparatide: First Global Approval.
AB  - Abaloparatide (TymlosTM) is a synthetic peptide analogue of human parathyroid
      hormone-related protein that was developed by Radius Health as an osteoanabolic
      agent for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Abaloparatide acts
      through selective activation of the parathyroid hormone type 1 receptor
      signalling pathway. In April 2017, subcutaneous abaloparatide received its first
      global approval, in the USA, for the treatment of postmenopausal women with
      osteoporosis at high risk for fracture, defined as a history of osteoporotic
      fracture, multiple risk factors for fracture, or patients who have failed or are
      intolerant to other available osteoporosis therapy. A Marketing Authorization
      Application for subcutaneous abaloparatide for the treatment of postmenopausal
      women with osteoporosis was accepted by the European Medicines Agency and is
      currently under review. Radius is also developing a transdermal formulation of
      abaloparatide, with administration via a microneedle patch. This article
      summarizes the milestones in the development of abaloparatide leading to this
      first approval for the treatment of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

PMID- 28624873
TI  - Short communication: first report of nematodes parasitizing the four-eyed-fish,
      Anableps anableps (Pisces, Cyprinodontiformes).
AB  - The genus Anableps is composed of species Anableps anableps, Anableps dowi, and
      Anableps microlepis. These fishes are tropical and usually live on the surface of
      brackish water, being popularly known as four-eyed-fishes due to the presence of
      prominent eyes and a pupil split horizontally. A. anableps and A. microlepis are
      considered as sister species that live in sympatry in South America. A. dowi,
      however, is restricted to the Pacific Ocean (Central America) and is considered
      the most primitive species of this genus. The aims of this study were to
      investigate the presence of endoparasites in A. anableps from the Parnaiba's
      Delta and characterize them morphologically. During the necropsy, larvae of
      Contracaecum sp. in the third larval stage (L3) were collected from the pancreas
      of A. anableps, but no endoparasites were observed in other organs. The worms had
      a cuticular tooth and excretory pore located at the anterior end, a thread like
      body, whitish color, and without distinction of sex. The length of the
      ventricular appendix of the larvae was much greater than in other studies. This
      is the first report of endoparasitism in A. anableps and the first report of
      nematodes in four-eyed-fishes.

PMID- 28624874
TI  - Reliable molecular differentiation of Trichuris ovis and Trichuris discolor from
      sheep (Ovis orientalis aries) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and
      morphological characterisation of their females: morphology does not work
      sufficiently.
AB  - The main aim of the study was to evaluate associations between morphological
      variability of Trichuris females from sheep and roe deer and their rDNA
      polymorphism in whipworm populations from the Czech Republic. The results
      introduced the use of new molecular markers based on the internal transcribed
      spacer (ITS)1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region polymorphisms, as useful tools for the
      unambiguous differentiation of congeners Trichuris ovis and Trichuris discolor.
      These markers revealed both parasites in roe deer and in sheep; however, T. ovis
      females predominated in sheep while T. discolor females occurred mostly in roe
      deer. Additional analysis of ITS1-5.8 rRNA-ITS2 discovered the genetic uniformity
      of the analysed T. discolor but high haplotype variation of T. ovis.
      Simultaneously, molecularly designated female individuals of both species were
      categorised into four morphotypes (MT) on the basis of morphology of genital pore
      area. MT1 and MT4 (vulvar opening on everted vaginal appendage/on visible
      cuticular bulge) occurred only in T. ovis, MT2 (uneverted vagina-vulvar opening
      without any elevation) was identified only in T. discolor and MT3 (transient type
      of vulvar opening on a small swelling) was observed in both species. Statistical
      analysis of biometric data confirmed that morphology of vulva is not a reliable
      marker for the species determination. On the basis of the ITS1-5.8S RNA-ITS2
      region variability, we carried out a phylogenetic analysis (maximum likelihood
      method, Hasegawa-Kishino-Yano model) which showed that T. ovis haplotypes from
      the Czech Republic and Ireland and T. discolor haplotypes from the Czech
      Republic, Spain, Iran and Japan are sister OTUs.

PMID- 28624875
TI  - First record of Aedes koreicus (Diptera, Culicidae) in Slovenia.
AB  - The first record of Aedes koreicus was made in the village of Lovrenc na Dravskem
      Polju, north-eastern part of the country. The discovery of Ae. koreicus in
      various continental European countries motivated us to revise samples of the
      collected Aedes japonicus japonicus. We found Ae. koreicus in samples from 2013,
      where the larvae were misidentified as Ae. j. japonicus. The species was
      identified morphologically and molecularly. The first discovery of Ae. koreicus
      advocates an urgent need for a nationwide mosquito surveillance programme.

PMID- 28624876
TI  - Morphological and molecular characterization of a new cyprinid gall bladder
      infecting Chloromyxum species, Chloromyxum peleci sp. n. (Myxozoa:
      Chloromyxidae), from Pelecus cultratus (L.) in Russia.
AB  - Extensive sampling to get rich data is very important to resolve the current
      taxonomic problem of Chloromyxum genus and elucidate the nature phylogenetic
      relationships among congeneric species. During the parasitological survey of
      cyprinid fish in Gulf of Finland off the coast of St. Petersburg, a new
      Chloromyxum species, named as Chloromyxum peleci sp. n., was found to infect the
      gall bladder of sichel, Pelecus cultratus (L.). Here, we provided the
      morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular features to describe it. Infection
      was represented by mono- or disporic plasmodia and mature free-floating spores in
      the gall bladder. Mature spores are typical of freshwater Chloromyxum species,
      spherical or subspherical in lateral view, measuring 8.8 +/- 0.5 MUm (7.4-9.5) in
      length, 7.8 +/- 0.3 MUm (7.0-8.8) in width, and 7.5 +/- 0.4 MUm (6.8-8.2) in
      thickness. Spores have a cog-like appearance in apical view for sutural ridge,
      and eight to ten widely spaced extrasutural ridges per valve protrude from the
      spore valve margin. The surface ridge patterns of the new species are similar
      with those of Chloromyxum auratum and Chloromyxum cristatum, with some branching.
      Four polar capsules of slightly unequal in two pairs were oval in apical view and
      pyriform in side view, locating at the anterior end of the spores. Polar
      filaments coil with four to five turns. The obtained almost full length of 18S
      ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of Ch. peleci sp. n. does not match any sequences available
      in GenBank but was most closely related to that of Chloromyxum fluviatile
      (97.9%). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Ch. peleci sp. n. clustered in a
      Chloromyxum subclade infecting the gall bladder of freshwater teleost, with
      robust nodal support. However, Chloromyxum sensu lato infecting gall bladder of
      freshwater teleost was again proved to be polyphyletic. The possible evolutionary
      history of Chloromyxum morphotype of Chloromyxum sensu lato was discussed based
      on the rDNA-referred phylogeny. This is the second Chloromyxum species from
      sichel.

PMID- 28624877
TI  - Gambling Motives: Do They Explain Cognitive Distortions in Male Poker Gamblers?
AB  - Gambling behavior is partly the result of varied motivations leading individuals
      to participate in gambling activities. Specific motivational profiles are found
      in gamblers, and gambling motives are closely linked to the development of
      cognitive distortions. This cross-sectional study aimed to predict cognitive
      distortions from gambling motives in poker players. The population was recruited
      in online gambling forums. Participants reported gambling at least once a week.
      Data included sociodemographic characteristics, the South Oaks Gambling Screen,
      the Gambling Motives Questionnaire-Financial and the Gambling-Related Cognition
      Scale. This study was conducted on 259 male poker gamblers (aged 18-69 years,
      14.3% probable pathological gamblers). Univariate analyses showed that cognitive
      distortions were independently predicted by overall gambling motives (34.8%) and
      problem gambling (22.4%) (p < .05). The multivariate model, including these two
      variables, explained 39.7% of cognitive distortions (p < .05). The results
      associated with the literature data highlight that cognitive distortions are a
      good discriminating factor of gambling problems, showing a close inter
      relationship between gambling motives, cognitive distortions and the severity of
      gambling. These data are consistent with the following theoretical process model:
      gambling motives lead individuals to practice and repeat the gambling experience,
      which may lead them to develop cognitive distortions, which in turn favor problem
      gambling. This study opens up new research perspectives to understand better the
      mechanisms underlying gambling practice and has clinical implications in terms of
      prevention and treatment. For example, a coupled motivational and cognitive
      intervention focused on gambling motives/cognitive distortions could be
      beneficial for individuals with gambling problems.

PMID- 28624878
TI  - A Combination of Three Repurposed Drugs Administered at Reperfusion as a
      Promising Therapy for Postischemic Brain Injury.
AB  - Cerebral ischemia leads to multifaceted injury to the brain. A polytherapeutic
      drug that can be administered immediately after reperfusion may increase
      protection to the brain by simultaneously targeting multiple deleterious
      cascades. This study evaluated efficacy of the combination of three clinically
      approved drugs: lamotrigine, minocycline, and lovastatin, using two mouse models:
      global and focal cerebral ischemia induced by transient occlusion of the common
      carotid arteries or the middle cerebral artery, respectively. In vitro, the
      combination drug, but not single drug, protected neurons against oxygen-glucose
      deprivation (OGD)-induced cell death. The combination drug simultaneously
      targeted cell apoptosis and DNA damage induced by ischemia. Besides acting on
      neurons, the combination drug suppressed inflammatory processes in microglia and
      brain endothelial cells induced by ischemia. In a transient global ischemia
      model, the combination drug, but not single drug, suppressed microglial
      activation and inflammatory cytokine production, and reduced neuronal damage. In
      a transient focal ischemia model, the combination drug, but not single drug,
      attenuated brain infarction, suppressed infiltration of peripheral neutrophils,
      and reduced neurological deficits following ischemic stroke. In summary, the
      combination drug confers a broad-spectrum protection against ischemia/reperfusion
      (I/R) injury and could be a promising approach for early neuroprotection after
      out-of-hospital cardiac arrest or ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28624879
TI  - LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis of starved Bacillus subtilis cells overexpressing
      ribonucleotide reductase (nrdEF): implications in stress-associated mutagenesis.
AB  - The non-appropriate conditions faced by nutritionally stressed bacteria
      propitiate error-prone repair events underlying stationary-phase- or stress
      associated mutagenesis (SPM). The genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in
      SPM have been deeply studied but the biochemical aspects of this process have so
      far been less explored. Previous evidence showed that under conditions of
      nutritional stress, non-dividing cells of strain B. subtilis YB955 overexpressing
      ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) exhibited a strong propensity to generate true
      reversions in the hisC952 (amber), metB5 (ochre) and leuC425 (missense) mutant
      alleles. To further advance our knowledge on the metabolic conditions underlying
      this hypermutagenic phenotype, a high-throughput LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis was
      performed in non-dividing cells of an amino acid-starved strain, deficient for
      NrdR, the RNR repressor. Compared with the parental strain, the level of 57
      proteins was found to increase and of 80 decreases in the NrdR-deficient strain.
      The proteomic analysis revealed an altered content in proteins associated with
      the stringent response, nucleotide metabolism, DNA repair, and cell signaling in
      amino acid-starved cells of the ?nrdR strain. Overall, our results revealed that
      amino acid-starved cells of strain B. subtilis ?nrdR that escape from growth
      limiting conditions exhibit a complex proteomic pattern reminiscent of a
      disturbed metabolism. Future experiments aimed to understand the consequences of
      disrupting the cell signaling pathways unveiled in this study, will advance our
      knowledge on the genetic adaptations deployed by bacteria to escape from growth
      limiting environments.

PMID- 28624880
TI  - Wing cross veins: an efficient biomechanical strategy to mitigate fatigue failure
      of insect cuticle.
AB  - Locust wings are able to sustain millions of cycles of mechanical loading during
      the lifetime of the insect. Previous studies have shown that cross veins play an
      important role in delaying crack propagation in the wings. Do cross veins thus
      also influence the fatigue behaviour of the wings? Since many important fatigue
      parameters are not experimentally accessible in a small biological sample, here
      we use the finite element (FE) method to address this question numerically. Our
      FE model combines a linear elastic material model, a direct cyclic approach and
      the Paris law and shows results which are in very good agreement with previously
      reported experimental data. The obtained results of our study show that cross
      veins indeed enhance the durability of the wings by temporarily stopping cracks.
      The cross veins further distribute the stress over a larger area and therefore
      minimize stress concentrations. In addition, our work indicates that locust hind
      wings have an endurance limit of about 40% of the ultimate tensile strength of
      the wing material, which is comparable to many engineering materials. The
      comparison of the results of the computational study with predictions of two most
      commonly used fatigue failure criteria further indicates that the Goodman
      criterion can be used to roughly predict the failure of the insect wing. The
      methodological framework presented in our study could provide a basis for future
      research on fatigue of insect cuticle and other biological composite structures.

PMID- 28624881
TI  - Discriminative self-representation sparse regression for neuroimaging-based
      alzheimer's disease diagnosis.
AB  - In this paper, we propose a novel feature selection method by jointly considering
      (1) 'task-specific' relations between response variables (e.g., clinical labels
      in this work) and neuroimaging features and (2) 'self-representation' relations
      among neuroimaging features in a sparse regression framework. Specifically, the
      task-specific relation is devised to learn the relative importance of features
      for representation of response variables by a linear combination of the input
      features in a supervised manner, while the self-representation relation is used
      to take into account the inherent information among neuroimaging features such
      that any feature can be represented by a weighted sum of the other features,
      regardless of the label information, in an unsupervised manner. By integrating
      these two different relations along with a group sparsity constraint, we
      formulate a new sparse linear regression model for class-discriminative feature
      selection. The selected features are used to train a support vector machine for
      classification. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we
      conducted experiments on the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)
      dataset; experimental results showed superiority of the proposed method over the
      state-of-the-art methods considered in this work.

PMID- 28624883
TI  - Heart Rate Recovery After 6-min Walking Test Predicts Acute Exacerbation in COPD.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Abnormalities of autonomic function have been reported in patients
      with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Our objectives were to
      identify determinants of abnormal heart rate recovery at 1 min (HRR1) following
      completion of the 6-min walk test (6MWT) in COPD and to establish whether
      abnormal HRR1 predicts acute exacerbations (AECOPD). METHODS: Hundred one COPD
      patients (FEV1 (SD) 53 (19)  % predicted) were prospectively recruited in a multi
      center study. HRR1 after the 6MWT was evaluated as the difference between heart
      rate at the end of the test and 1 min into the recovery (HRR1). Linear and
      logistic regression was used to identify predictors of HRR1 and AECOPD,
      respectively. The best HRR1 cut-off point to predict AECOPD was selected using
      the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. The follow-up period was 12
      months. RESULTS: Distance covered during the 6MWT (m) and DLco (% predicted) were
      independently associated with HRR1 (r 2 = 0.51, p = 0.001). Among several
      potential covariates, HRR1 emerged as the most significant predictor of AECOPD
      (Odds ratio [OR], 0.91 per beat of recovery; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85
      0.97; p = 0.02). The ROC analysis indicated that subjects with HRR1 less than 14
      beats (AUC, 0.71 [CI] 0.60-0.80; p = 0.0001) were more likely to suffer an
      exacerbation during the follow-up period (for HRR1, p = 0.004 [log-rank test]).
      CONCLUSIONS: HRR1 after the 6MWT is an independent predictor factor for AECOPD.
      Further studies are warranted to examine the physiological mechanisms associating
      a delayed HRR and acute exacerbations in COPD patients.

PMID- 28624882
TI  - Predicting acute kidney injury: current status and future challenges.
AB  - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by an acute decline in renal function
      and is associated to increased mortality rate, hospitalization time, and total
      health-related costs. The severity of this 'fearsome' clinical complication might
      depend on, or even be worsened by, the late detection of AKI, when the diagnosis
      is based on the elevation of serum creatinine (SCr). For these reasons, in recent
      years a great number of new tools, biomarkers and predictive models have been
      proposed to clinicians in order to improve diagnosis and prevent the development
      of AKI. The purpose of this narrative paper is to review the current state of the
      art in prediction and early detection of AKI and outline future challenges.

PMID- 28624884
TI  - Age at menarche and lung function: a Mendelian randomization study.
AB  - A trend towards earlier menarche in women has been associated with childhood
      factors (e.g. obesity) and hypothesised environmental exposures (e.g. endocrine
      disruptors present in household products). Observational evidence has shown
      detrimental effects of early menarche on various health outcomes including adult
      lung function, but these might represent spurious associations due to
      confounding. To address this we used Mendelian randomization where genetic
      variants are used as proxies for age at menarche, since genetic associations are
      not affected by classical confounding. We estimated the effects of age at
      menarche on forced vital capacity (FVC), a proxy for restrictive lung impairment,
      and ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second to FVC (FEV1/FVC), a measure
      of airway obstruction, in both adulthood and adolescence. We derived SNP-age at
      menarche association estimates for 122 variants from a published genome-wide meta
      analysis (N = 182,416), with SNP-lung function estimates obtained by meta
      analysing three studies of adult women (N = 46,944) and two of adolescent girls
      (N = 3025). We investigated the impact of departures from the assumption of no
      pleiotropy through sensitivity analyses. In adult women, in line with previous
      evidence, we found an effect on restrictive lung impairment with a 24.8 mL
      increase in FVC per year increase in age at menarche (95% CI 1.8-47.9; p =
      0.035); evidence was stronger after excluding potential pleiotropic variants
      (43.6 mL; 17.2-69.9; p = 0.001). In adolescent girls we found an opposite effect
      (-56.5 mL; -108.3 to -4.7; p = 0.033), suggesting that the detrimental effect in
      adulthood may be preceded by a short-term post-pubertal benefit. Our secondary
      analyses showing results in the same direction in men and boys, in whom age at
      menarche SNPs have also shown association with sexual development, suggest a role
      for pubertal timing in general rather than menarche specifically. We found no
      effect on airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC).

PMID- 28624885
TI  - Cardiac Rehabilitation Following Acute Coronary Syndrome in Women.
AB  - OPINION STATEMENT: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is among the leading burdens of
      disease among women. It is a significant driver of morbidity and chronically
      undermines their quality of life. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is indicated for
      ACS patients in clinical practice guidelines, including those specifically for
      women. CR is a multi-component model of care, proven to reduce mortality and
      morbidity, including in women. However, women are significantly less likely to be
      referred to CR by providers, and if they are referred, to enroll and adhere to
      programs. Reasons include lack of physician encouragement, preference not to feel
      fatigue and pain, transportation barriers, comorbidities and caregiving
      obligations. Strategies to mitigate this under-use include systematic early
      inpatient referral, tailoring programs to meet women's needs and preferences
      (e.g., offering dance, opportunities for social interaction), and offering non
      supervised delivery models. Unfortunately, these strategies are not widely
      available to women. Given the greater longevity seen in women, the critical role
      CR plays in augmenting quality of life in this population must be recognized and
      care providers must do more to facilitate referral to and encourage participating
      in CR programs.

PMID- 28624886
TI  - Pharmacokinetic modelling of modified acetylcysteine infusion regimens used in
      the treatment of paracetamol poisoning.
AB  - PURPOSE: Paracetamol overdose is common and is treated with acetylcysteine to
      prevent the development of hepatotoxicity. N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI)
      is the toxic metabolite of paracetamol overdose. We aimed to assess the expected
      acetylcysteine concentration time profiles following delivery of modified
      acetylcysteine regimens proposed for those at high and low risk of
      hepatotoxicity. In addition, we will determine acetylcysteine concentrations post
      cessation of abbreviated infusions. METHOD: We performed pharmacokinetic
      simulations using Berkeley Madonna (version 8.3.23.0) comparing the time course
      of acetylcysteine concentration during and after the cessation of an abbreviated
      12-h regimen (250 mg/kg) using a two-bag infusion and compared this to the
      standard 21-h three-bag (300 mg/kg) regimen. We also simulated extended duration
      acetylcysteine regimens and other increased dosing strategies that have been
      recommended in specific paracetamol poisoning scenarios. RESULTS: A more
      sustained serum concentration is achieved when the acetylcysteine loading dose is
      delivered over 4 h using the two-bag compared to the 1-h loading dose of the
      three-bag regimen. When administering an abbreviated 12-h acetylcysteine regimen,
      circulating acetylcysteine is detectable for 8 h after cessation of the infusion.
      This may provide a continued hepatoprotective effect if NAPQI is still being
      generated after the infusion is ceased. CONCLUSION: This pharmacokinetic
      simulation study is an important step in determining plasma acetylcysteine
      concentrations that are likely to be achieved using various modified treatment
      regimens. Importantly, for patients at low risk of liver injury after acute
      overdose, acetylcysteine is likely to be detectable many hours post-cessation of
      a 12-h regimen. This should provide a safety factor against development of
      hepatotoxicity for any ongoing paracetamol metabolism after cessation of the
      acetylcysteine infusion.

PMID- 28624887
TI  - Voriconazole-induced QT prolongation among hemato-oncologic patients: clinical
      characteristics and risk factors.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the rate of QTcP and
      associated risk factors in patients treated with voriconazole. METHODS: We
      conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients treated with voriconazole
      in a large tertiary center between 2009 and 2015, using paired comparison of QTc
      intervals on and off voriconazole treatment, adjusted for comorbidities,
      electrolyte abnormalities, and concurrent medications. RESULTS: Fifty-four
      patients were included, of whom 53 were diagnosed with oncologic/hemato-oncologic
      disease. Mean QTc during voriconazole therapy (448.0 +/- 52.9 msec) was
      significantly longer compared to QTc off voriconazole (421.8 +/- 42.2 msec; p =
      0.002). QTcP >=30 msec and >=60 msec was demonstrated in 43% (23 patients) and
      28% (15 patients), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that QTcP was
      significantly associated with baseline QTc >= 450 msec (upper QTc quartile) (p <
      0.01) and low serum potassium levels (p < 0.01). Contrarily, no significant
      association was found between mean voriconazole daily and cumulative dose and
      QTcP. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that hemato-oncologic patients treated
      with voriconazole are at increased risk for QTcP, especially in the presence of
      baseline QTc >= 450 msec and low serum potassium levels.

PMID- 28624888
TI  - Steady-state pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid in renal transplant patients:
      exploratory analysis of the effects of cyclosporine, recipients' and donors'
      ABCC2 gene variants, and their interactions.
AB  - PURPOSE: The study aims to evaluate the impact of recipients' and donors'
      polymorphisms in multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) gene ABCC2 
      24C>T and 1249G>A on disposition of mycophenolic acid (MPA) and their interaction
      with cyclosporine (CsA) (compared to tacrolimus, TAC) in stable de novo adult
      renal transplant patients of Croatian origin. METHODS: A total of 68 recipient
      donor pairs were genotyped. Steady-state pharmacokinetics of MPA was assessed by
      the model-independent method. RESULTS: Adjusted for MPA formulation, renal
      function, type of calcineurin inhibitor and recipients' and donors' genotypes at
      the two loci, donors' A-allele at 1249G>A was associated with a reduced peak
      (29%) and early (AUC0-2, 33%) exposure and increased MPA clearance (26%). Donors'
      A-allele combined with CsA was associated with 78% higher MPA clearance, 49%
      lower early and 48% lower total exposure as compared to wild type homozygosity +
      TAC. Recipients' SNPs per se did not reflect on MPA disposition. However, A
      allele at 1249G>A + CsA (compared to wild type + TAC) was associated with a
      numerically greater increase in MPA clearance (59 vs. 41%), reduction in total
      exposure (36 vs. 27%) and increase in absorption rate (C max/AUC) (56 vs. 37%)
      than observed for the main effect of CsA. Less pronounced effects were observed
      for the combination of variant allele at -24C>T and CsA. CONCLUSION: Considering
      MPA disposition, data indicate: donors' ABCC2 1249G>A polymorphism increases
      clearance and reduces exposure; CsA increases clearance and reduces exposure by
      inhibiting MRP2 in the gut, the liver, and the kidney; donors' ABCC2 1249G>A
      polymorphism enhances the renal CsA effect, while recipients' polymorphism seems
      to enhance the liver and the gut CsA effects.

PMID- 28624889
TI  - Transcriptional control of unequal cleavage in early Tubifex embryos.
AB  - Early embryos of the clitellate annelid Tubifex (oligochaete) undergo a series of
      unequal spiral cell divisions before the descendants of the D quadrant micromeres
      (cells 2d and 4d) divide bilaterally. Here, we show that inhibition of zygotic
      transcription by microinjection of alpha-amanitin (transcription inhibitor)
      exclusively converts unequal cleavage in cell 2d11 (granddaughter of 2d) into
      equal cleavage while other unequal cleavages and ensuing bilateral cleavages in
      cells 4d and 2d111 (great-granddaughter of 2d) all proceed in a normal fashion in
      the presence of this inhibitor. These results differ significantly from those
      reported for embryos of another clitellate annelid Helobdella (leech), in which
      inhibition of transcription converts bilateral (symmetric) cleavages in cells
      DNOPQ"' and DM" (equivalent to 2d111 and 4d) into unequal (asymmetric) cleavages
      while having no apparent effect on unequal cleavage in DNOPQ" (equivalent to
      2d11). These differences imply distinct mechanisms for the control of the unequal
      to-bilateral transition in the two clitellate annelids.

PMID- 28624890
TI  - In reply: Desflurane anesthesia and cognitive function.

PMID- 28624891
TI  - Frontal placement of dispersive patch for effective ablation of arrhythmia
      originating from the anterior right ventricular outflow tract.

PMID- 28624892
TI  - A meta-analysis of manual versus remote magnetic navigation for ventricular
      tachycardia ablation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are limited studies on the safety and efficacy of remote
      magnetic navigation (RMN) versus manual navigation (MAN) in ventricular
      tachycardia (VT) ablation. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was
      performed using the keywords VT ablation, stereotaxis, RMN and MAN in Pubmed,
      Ebsco, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Google scholar databases. RESULTS: The
      analysis included seven studies (one randomized, three prospective observational,
      and three retrospective) including 779 patients [both structural heart disease
      (SHD) and idiopathic VT] comparing RMN (N = 433) and MAN (N = 339) in VT
      ablation. The primary end point of long-term VT recurrence was significantly
      lower with RMN (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.85, p = 0.003) compared with MAN. Other
      end points of acute procedural success (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.40-3.23, p = 0.0004)
      was significantly higher with RMN compared with MAN. Fluoroscopy [mean difference
      -10.42, 95% CI -12.7 to -8.1, p < 0.0001], procedural time [mean difference 
      9.79, 95% CI -19.27 to -0.3, p = 0.04] and complications (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17
      0.74, p = 0.0006) were also significantly lower in RMN when compared with MAN. In
      a subgroup analysis SHD, there was no significant difference in VT recurrence or
      acute procedural success with RMN vs. MAN. In idiopathic VT, RMN significantly
      increased acute procedural success with no difference in VT recurrence.
      CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that RMN is safe and effective when compared
      with MAN in patients with both SHD and idiopathic VT undergoing catheter
      ablation. Further prospective studies are needed to further verify the safety and
      efficacy of RMN.

PMID- 28624893
TI  - LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, attenuates Tourette syndrome in rats.
AB  - The present study was designed to investigate the effects of LY294002 on Tourette
      syndrome (TS) in rats. TS model was induced in rats by DOI (the selective 5
      HT2A/2C agonist 1- (2, 5- dimethoxy -4 - iodophenyl) -2- aminopropane). Behavior
      was assessed by stereotypic score and autonomic activity. Inflammatory cytokines
      such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in serum and striatum were detected. The protein levels
      of PI3K/Akt/NF-B in striatum were detected by Western Blot. LY294002 treatment
      significantly reduced IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in serum and striatum of TS
      rats, Also, highly expressed P-PI3K, P-Akt, P-NF-kappaBp65, P-IkappaBalpha in TS
      rats were restored respectively by LY294002 treatment as indicted in western blot
      analysis and immunohistochemistry analysis. Thus, it was supposed that the
      protective effect of LY294002 against TS in rat might be associated with the
      regulation of PI3K/Akt/NF-B pathway.

PMID- 28624894
TI  - Suppression of TLR4/NF-kappaB Signaling Pathway Improves Cerebral Ischemia
      Reperfusion Injury in Rats.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the toll-like receptor 4
      (TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-?B) signaling pathway in cerebral ischemia
      reperfusion injury. A total of 125 male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were selected
      for this study. Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into the control, sham
      injury, 0.5 h perfusion, 2 h perfusion, and 6 h perfusion groups to establish the
      model of ischemia-reperfusion. The rat brain injury model was established using
      the other 75 male SD rats, and different model groups with different treatments
      were established (15 rats per group): model control group (injected with 10 MUL
      of saline solution), model + TAK-242 group (injected with resatorvid), model +
      PDTC group (injected with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate), model + LPS group
      (injected with lipopolysaccharide), and sham injury group (incision to the neck
      skin and injected with 10 MUL of saline solution for normal rats). These five
      groups were further assigned into three subgroups: day 3 group, day 7 group, and
      day 21 group. To determine how the TLR4/NF-?B signal pathway affects cerebral
      ischemia-reperfusion injuries, various methods including the Morris water maze,
      triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining,
      and western blotting were employed in this study. No neurological deficit was
      observed in rats from the model control and sham injury groups. A slight
      neurological deficit was found in the 0.5 h reperfusion group, while in the 2 and
      6 h perfusion groups, neurological dysfunction was evident. Compared to the sham
      injury group, the model control group displayed a longer escape latency (EL) and
      increased cerebral infarction volume and pathological changes with enhanced
      expression of TLR4 and NF-kappaB (all P < 0.05). The inhibition of the TLR4/NF
      kappaB signal pathway shortened rat EL and diminished cerebral infarction volume,
      and the pathological changes became less evident (all P < 0.05), while the
      activation of the TLR4/NF-kappaB signal pathway elongated rat EL, enlarged
      infarction volume, and increased cerebral pathological change (all P < 0.05).
      Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that TLR4/NF-kappaB expression is
      correlated with the extent of rat brain damage. Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion
      injury in rats can be alleviated via the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-kappaB
      signaling pathway.

PMID- 28624896
TI  - How can the operation time be shortened by reducing the tract size?

PMID- 28624895
TI  - Semaphorin4D-PlexinB1 Signaling Attenuates Photoreceptor Outer Segment
      Phagocytosis by Reducing Rac1 Activity of RPE Cells.
AB  - Semaphorins form a family of secreted and membrane-bound molecules that were
      identified originally as axonal guidance factors during neuronal development.
      Given their wide distribution in many including mature tissues, semaphorin 4D
      (sema4D) and its main functional receptor plexin B1 (plxnB1) are expected to
      fulfill additional functions that remain to be uncovered. A main characteristic
      of the plexin receptor family is its ability to reorganize the cytoskeleton.
      PlxnB1 specifically may directly interact with Rho family GTPases to regulate F
      actin driven pathways in cells in culture. Diurnal clearance phagocytosis by the
      retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of photoreceptor outer segment fragments (POS)
      is critical for photoreceptor function and longevity. In this process,
      rearrangement of RPE cytoskeletal F-actin via activation of the Rho family GTPase
      Rac1 is essential for POS internalization. Here, we show a novel role in POS
      phagocytosis by RPE cells in culture and in vivo for plexin B1 and its ligand
      sema4D. Exogenous sema4D abolishes POS internalization (but not binding) by
      differentiated RPE cells in culture by decreasing the GTP load of Rac1. In the
      rat eye, sema4D localizes to retinal photoreceptors, while PlxnB1 is expressed by
      neighboring RPE cells. At the peak of diurnal retinal phagocytosis after light
      onset, plxnB1 phosphorylation and sema4D levels are reduced in wild-type rat
      retina in situ but not in mutant RCS rat retina in which the RPE lacks phagocytic
      activity. Finally, increased POS phagosome content after light onset is observed
      in the RPE in situ of mice with either plxnB1 or sema4D gene deletion.
      Altogether, our results demonstrate a novel physiological function for
      sema4D/plxnB1 signaling in RPE phagocytosis serving as attenuating brake prior to
      light onset whose release enables the diurnal phagocytic burst.

PMID- 28624897
TI  - Corrosion of Harrington rod in idiopathic scoliosis: long-term effects.
AB  - PURPOSE: Metal implants have been used to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
      since the 1960s. Only recently, however, it has the issue of metal-bone breakdown
      secondary to metal corrosion in situ come to light, raising concerns of possible
      long-term complications from the resulting metallosis and inflammation of spinal
      tissues. We present a case of a patient with neurological deficit, pain, and
      disability with Harrington rod in place for over 30 years, to bring attention to
      the issue of bio-corrosion of metal implants and its effect on human tissue. We
      call attention to the need for protocols to better diagnose and treat these
      patients. METHODS: We provide a complete review of the history and clinical
      manifestations as well as serum metal, X-ray, and CT/myelogram test results.
      RESULTS: A 52-year-old female with spinal fusion and Harrington rod presents with
      pain, lymphedema, disability, and neurological deficits including thoracic outlet
      syndrome, hyperreflexia, peripheral muscle weakness and atrophy, hypertonicity,
      Raynaud's phenomenon, and balance and gait abnormalities. Serum chromium levels
      were elevated (26.73 nmol). X-rays showed no evidence of rod breakdown. Serial X
      rays can demonstrate subtle corrosive changes but were not available. Adhesive
      arachnoiditis was diagnosed via CT/myelogram. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that bio
      corrosion is present in this case and that it is associated with intraspinal
      metallosis. Trauma secondary to a motor vehicle accident, as well as
      arachnoiditis, and their possible effects on this case are outlined. Challenges
      in proper diagnosis and management are discussed.

PMID- 28624898
TI  - Improving diabetes care at primary care level with a multistrategic approach:
      results of the DIAPREM programme.
AB  - AIM: To present results, 1 year postimplementation at primary care level, of an
      integrated diabetes care programme including systemic changes, education,
      registry (clinical, metabolic, and therapeutic indicators), and disease
      management (DIAPREM). METHODS: We randomly selected and trained 15 physicians and
      15 nurses from primary care units of La Matanza County (intervention-IG) and
      another 15 physicians/nurses to participate as controls (control-CG). Each
      physician-nurse team controlled and followed up 10 patients with type 2 diabetes
      for 1 year; both groups used structured medical records. Patients in IG had
      quarterly clinical appointments, whereas those in CG received traditional care.
      Statistical data analysis included parametric/nonparametric tests according to
      data distribution profile and Chi-squared test for proportions. RESULTS: After 12
      months, the dropout rate was significantly lower in IG than in CG. Whereas in IG
      HbA1c, blood pressure and lipid profile levels significantly decreased, no
      changes were recorded in CG. Drug prescriptions showed no significant changes in
      IG except a decrease in oral monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: DIAPREM is an expedient
      and simple multistrategic model to implement at the primary care level in order
      to decrease patient dropout and improve control and treatment adherence, and
      quality of care of people with diabetes.

PMID- 28624899
TI  - Neuropsychological Measures in the Arab World: A Systematic Review.
AB  - Although Arabic is one of the most widely used languages in the world, little is
      known on the availability of standardized neuropsychological tests in Arabic. We
      review the literature published before 2016, using the keywords Arab*, cogniti*,
      and neuropsycholo*, as well as keywords for each Arab country. PubMed, PsycINFO,
      Education Source, Academic Search Complete, Education Resources Information
      Center, Shamaa, and Arabpsynet databases were searched, in addition to a selected
      number of Arabic medical and educational journals. After excluding case reports,
      studies conducted on Arab groups residing outside the Arab world or Israel, and
      studies that employed intelligence scales or cognitive screens without
      standardization, 384 studies were eventually reviewed. Tests with most extensive
      use, adaptation, validation and norming were identified. The Raven Matrices, with
      its variants, was the most normed cognitive test for Arab individuals (normed in
      16 countries). The rate of neuropsychology publications from the Arab countries
      combined, per year, was less than half of that of each American journal (top 10
      journals pertaining to cognition). Nonetheless, the rate in Arab countries has
      increased after 2010. Publications were mostly from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, but
      the ratio of test adaptation-to-publication was the largest in Jordan and
      Lebanon. Approximately half of these publications did not employ cognitive tests
      that were developed, translated, adapted, or standardized according to
      international guidelines of psychological measurement. We provide recommendations
      on improving clinical neuropsychology to better serve Arab patients.

PMID- 28624900
TI  - The cre-inducer doxycycline lowers cytokine and chemokine transcript levels in
      the gut of mice.
AB  - The antibiotic doxycycline is used as an inducer of recombinase (cre)-based
      conditional gene knockout in mice, which is a common tool to show the effect of
      disrupted gene functions only in one period of a research animal's life. However,
      other types of such antibiotics have been shown to have a strong impact on the
      immune system. Here we show that in C57BL/6 mice, the most commonly applied
      strain for genetic modification, doxycycline treatment lowered transcription of
      the genes Il1b, Il10, Il18, Tnf, Cxcl1, and Cxcl2 in the ileum, and of the gene
      Il18 in colon. Cytokines and chemokines encoded by these genes are important in
      the disease expression in a range of mouse models. Although protein abundances
      only rarely correlate 100% to transcript levels, and the net result, therefore,
      may be less dramatic, it seems reasonable to be aware that a broad spectrum
      antibiotic, such as doxycycline, may impact the transgenic animal in ways
      unrelated to the activation of the gene deletion.

PMID- 28624901
TI  - Idio Scale Judgment: evaluation of a new method for estimating responder
      thresholds.
AB  - PURPOSE: To pilot the newly developed Idio Scale Judgment method for estimating
      the amount of score change that matters to patients (i.e., change thresholds).
      METHODS: An online panel of 500 participants diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
      (MS) responded to the Neuro-QoL fatigue scale and to demographic and clinical
      questions. Participants compared their own fatigue to that represented by seven
      short form summaries (SFSs) that were located relatively close to their own
      fatigue levels. They judged these as representing the same, greater, or less
      fatigue than their own. We calculated the distances between patients' own levels
      of fatigue and the location of SFSs they endorsed as a change that would make a
      difference in daily life. These distances were used as estimates of change
      thresholds. Logically inconsistent judgments were tabulated and associations with
      clinical and demographic variables were estimated. RESULTS: Change thresholds
      based on mean individual thresholds for consequential change were calculated for
      improvement (-3.5) and worsening (3.2). The majority of participants had no
      logically inconsistent judgments (69%). Having one or more reversals in judgment
      was not significantly associated with education or fatigue score, but was weakly
      associated with age, gender, and MS type and moderately associated with ratings
      of confidence in SFS comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: As piloted, Idio Scale Judgment
      had a number of design strengths. Participants made comparisons to levels of
      fatigue that were within range of their own, and their judgments were
      contextualized in personally relevant consequences. The design lends itself to
      collection of data in large samples allowing evaluation of the range of
      judgments. Some study limitations could be mitigated with modifications. We
      concluded that the Idio Scale Judgment has substantial promise as a new tool for
      estimating change thresholds.

PMID- 28624902
TI  - Screening for depression in arthritis populations: an assessment of differential
      item functioning in three self-reported questionnaires.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine if persons with arthritis differ systematically from
      persons without arthritis in how they respond to questions on three depression
      questionnaires, which include somatic items such as fatigue and sleep
      disturbance. METHODS: We extracted data on the Centers for Epidemiological
      Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and
      the Kessler-6 (K-6) scale from three large population-based national surveys. We
      assessed items on these questionnaires for differential item functioning (DIF)
      between persons with and without self-reported physician-diagnosed arthritis
      using multiple indicator multiple cause models, which controlled for the
      underlying level of depression and important confounders. We also examined if DIF
      by arthritis status was similar between women and men. RESULTS: Although five
      items of the CES-D, one item of the PHQ-9, and five items of the K-6 scale had
      evidence of DIF based on statistical comparisons, the magnitude of each
      difference was less than the threshold of a small effect. The statistical
      differences were a function of the very large sample sizes in the surveys. Effect
      sizes for DIF were similar between women and men except for two items on the
      Patient Health Questionnaire-9. For each questionnaire, DIF accounted for 8% or
      less of the arthritis-depression association, and excluding items with DIF did
      not reduce the difference in depression scores between those with and without
      arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with arthritis respond to items on the CES-D, PHQ
      9, and K-6 depression scales similarly to persons without arthritis, despite the
      inclusion of somatic items in these scales.

PMID- 28624904
TI  - The Effect of Light on Bacterial Activity in a Seaweed Holobiont.
AB  - Holobionts are characterized by the relationship between host and their
      associated organisms such as the biofilm associated with macroalgae. Considering
      that light is essential to macroalgae survival, the aim of this study was to
      verify the effect of light on the heterotrophic activity in biofilms of the brown
      macroalgae Sargassum furcatum during its growth cycle. Measurements of
      heterotrophic activity were done under natural light levels at different times
      during a daily cycle and under an artificial extinction of natural light during
      the afternoon. We also measured Sargassum primary production under these light
      levels in the afternoon. Both measurements were done with and without
      photosynthesis inhibitor and antibiotics. Biofilm composition was mainly
      represented by bacteria but diatoms, cyanobacteria, and other organisms were also
      common. When a peak of diatom genera was recorded, the heterotrophic activity of
      the biofilm was higher. Heterotrophic activity was usually highest during the
      afternoon and the presence of a photosynthesis inhibitor caused an average
      reduction of 17% but there was no relationship with Sargassum primary production.
      These results indicate that autotrophic production in the biofilm was reduced by
      the inhibitor with consequences on bacterial activity. Heterotrophic activity was
      mainly bacterial and the antibiotics chloramphenicol and penicillin were more
      effective than streptomycin. We suggest primary producers in the biofilm are more
      important to increase bacterial activity than the macroalgae itself because of
      coherence of the peaks of heterotrophic and autotrophic activity in biofilm
      during the afternoon and the effects of autotrophic inhibitors on heterotrophic
      activity.

PMID- 28624905
TI  - Reduced-intensity allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation combined
      with imatinib has comparable event-free survival and overall survival to long
      term imatinib treatment in young patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.
AB  - The relative merits of reduced intensity hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
      (RIST) for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the first chronic phase (CP) in
      imatinib era have not been evaluated. The study was designed to compare the
      outcomes of combination therapy of RIST plus imatinib (RIST + IM) vs. imatinib
      (IM) alone for young patients with early CP (ECP) and late CP (LCP). Of the
      patients, 130 were non-randomly assigned to treatment with IM alone (n = 88) or
      RIST + IM (n = 42). The 10-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival
      (EFS) were comparable between RIST + IM and IM groups. LCP, high Sokal score, and
      no complete cytogenetic response at 3 months were adverse prognostic factors for
      survival, but only the time from diagnosis to IM was an independent predictor
      after multivariate analysis. For ECP, IM was similar to RIST + IM, with 10-year
      EFS rates of 77.2 vs. 81.6% (p = 0.876) and OS rates of 93.8 vs. 87.9% (p =
      0.102), respectively. For LCP, both treatments resulted in similar survival, but
      more patients in the imatinib group experienced events (10-year EFS 40.8 vs.
      66.7%, p = 0.047). The patients with higher EBMT risk scores had an inferior
      survival than those with lower scores (69.2 vs. 92.9%, p = 0.04). We concluded
      that RIST + IM was comparable to IM in terms of OS and EFS. However, RIST + IM
      was more affordable than IM alone in a 10-year scale. Thus, RIST + IM could be
      considered as an alternative treatment option, especially when the patients have
      low EBMT risk scores and demand a definite cure for CML.

PMID- 28624903
TI  - Early Diagnosis of Sepsis: Is an Integrated Omics Approach the Way Forward?
AB  - Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of death in the USA and it is expected
      to get worse as the population ages. Moreover, the standard of care, which
      recommends aggressive treatment with appropriate antibiotics, has led to an
      increase in multiple drug-resistant organisms. There is a dire need for the
      development of new antibiotics, improved antibiotic stewardship, and therapies
      that treat the host response. Development of new sepsis therapeutics has been a
      disappointment as no drugs are currently approved to treat the various
      complications from sepsis. Much of the failure has been blamed on animal models
      that do not accurately reflect the course of the disease. However, recent
      improvements in metabolomic, transcriptomic, genomic, and proteomic platforms
      have allowed for a broad-spectrum look at molecular changes in the host response
      using clinical samples. Integration of these multi-omic datasets allows
      researchers to perform systems biology approaches to identify novel
      pathophysiology of the disease. In this review, we highlight what is currently
      known about sepsis and how integrative omics has identified new diagnostic and
      predictive models of sepsis as well as novel mechanisms. These changes may
      improve patient care as well as guide future preclinical analysis of sepsis.

PMID- 28624907
TI  - Dityrosine administration induces dysfunction of insulin secretion accompanied by
      diminished thyroid hormones T3 function in pancreas of mice.
AB  - Oxidized tyrosine products are commonly found in food with high protein content
      and have been demonstrated to cause damage of liver and kidney in our previous
      studies. Dityrosine (Dityr) is a typical oxidized tyrosine product. Due to its
      structural homology with thyroid hormones T3, we assumed that one of the
      endocrine systems most likely considered in connection with its disruption by
      Dityr may be the T3 action. T3 plays important roles in insulin synthesis, and
      thyroid hormone resistance (RTH) is associated with the impairment of glucose
      metabolism. Therefore, this study determined whether Dityr exposure impaired T3
      function in pancreas leading to glucose metabolism disruption. After 10-week
      gavage with Dityr, mice exhibited impaired glucose tolerance and disturbed energy
      metabolism. The elevated free THs content in plasma, the up-regulation of THs
      synthesis-specific genes expressions in thyroid glands, and the increased thyroid
      follicles histology shapes and areas indicated that Dityr enhanced the THs
      synthesis in thyroid glands. In addition, Dityr-induced RTH, which reflected as
      elevated plasma free THs in the presence of unsuppressed thyroid stimulating
      hormone. The mRNA downregulation of membrane transporter of T3 (MCT8) and co
      activator factors (RXRalpha, Src-1), together with the decreased protein level of
      thyroid hormone receptor beta1 (TRbeta1) in pancreas illustrated that the
      activation ability of T3 to downstream gene involved in insulin synthesis was
      suppressed by Dityr. In MIN-6 cell experiment, T3 improved glucose-stimulated
      insulin secretion by upregulating mRNA levels of insulin synthesis-related genes
      (Ins2, MafA, Pdx1) and T3 action-related genes, as well as increasing protein
      level of TRbeta1. These data suggest that Dityr suppress T3-regulated insulin
      synthesis stimulated by glucose via an indirect way of decreasing sensibility to
      T3 in pancreas. All these findings indicate that Dityr can disrupt THs function
      in pancreas leading to glucose metabolism disorder.

PMID- 28624906
TI  - Pathogen reduction/inactivation of products for the treatment of bleeding
      disorders: what are the processes and what should we say to patients?
AB  - Patients with blood disorders (including leukaemia, platelet function disorders
      and coagulation factor deficiencies) or acute bleeding receive blood-derived
      products, such as red blood cells, platelet concentrates and plasma-derived
      products. Although the risk of pathogen contamination of blood products has
      fallen considerably over the past three decades, contamination is still a topic
      of concern. In order to counsel patients and obtain informed consent before
      transfusion, physicians are required to keep up to date with current knowledge on
      residual risk of pathogen transmission and methods of pathogen
      removal/inactivation. Here, we describe pathogens relevant to transfusion of
      blood products and discuss contemporary pathogen removal/inactivation procedures,
      as well as the potential risks associated with these products: the risk of
      contamination by infectious agents varies according to blood product/region, and
      there is a fine line between adequate inactivation and functional impairment of
      the product. The cost implications of implementing pathogen inactivation
      technology are also considered.

PMID- 28624908
TI  - Development and validation of KASP markers for the greenbug resistance gene Gb7
      and the Hessian fly resistance gene H32 in wheat.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: Greenbug and Hessian fly are important pests that decrease wheat
      production worldwide. We developed and validated breeder-friendly KASP markers
      for marker-assisted breeding to increase selection efficiency. Greenbug
      (Schizaphis graminum Rondani) and Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)] are
      two major destructive insect pests of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) throughout
      wheat production regions in the USA and worldwide. Greenbug and Hessian fly
      infestation can significantly reduce grain yield and quality. Breeding for
      resistance to these two pests using marker-assisted selection (MAS) is the most
      economical strategy to minimize losses. In this study, doubled haploid lines from
      the Synthetic W7984 * Opata M85 wheat reference population were used to construct
      linkage maps for the greenbug resistance gene Gb7 and the Hessian fly resistance
      gene H32 with genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and 90K array-based single
      nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker data. Flanking markers were closely linked
      to Gb7 and H32 and were located on chromosome 7DL and 3DL, respectively. Gb7
      linked markers (synopGBS773 and synopGBS1141) and H32-linked markers (synopGBS901
      and IWB65911) were converted into Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assays
      for MAS in wheat breeding. In addition, comparative mapping identified syntenic
      regions in Brachypodium distachyon, rice (Oryza sativa), and sorghum (Sorghum
      bicolor) for Gb7 and H32 that can be used for fine mapping and map-based cloning
      of the genes. The KASP markers developed in this study are the first set of SNPs
      tightly linked to Gb7 and H32 and will be very useful for MAS in wheat breeding
      programs and future genetic studies of greenbug and Hessian fly resistance.

PMID- 28624909
TI  - Acute ocular traumatic imaging: what the radiologist should know [corrected].
AB  - Acute ocular trauma accounts for a substantial number of emergency department
      visits in the USA, and represents a significant source of disability to patients;
      however, the orbits remain a potential blind spot for radiologists. The goal of
      this article is to review the relevant anatomy of the orbit and imaging findings
      associated with commonly encountered acute ocular traumatic pathology, while
      highlighting the salient information which should be reported to the ordering
      clinician. Topics discussed include trauma to the anterior and posterior chamber,
      lens dislocations, intraocular foreign bodies, and open and contained globe
      injuries.

PMID- 28624912
TI  - Sustainable Cattle Ranching in Practice: Moving from Theory to Planning in
      Colombia's Livestock Sector.
AB  - A growing population with increasing consumption of milk and dairy require more
      agricultural output in the coming years, which potentially competes with forests
      and other natural habitats. This issue is particularly salient in the tropics,
      where deforestation has traditionally generated cattle pastures and other
      commodity crops such as corn and soy. The purpose of this article is to review
      the concepts and discussion associated with reconciling food production and
      conservation, and in particular with regards to cattle production, including the
      concepts of land-sparing and land-sharing. We then present these concepts in the
      specific context of Colombia, where there are efforts to increase both cattle
      production and protect tropical forests, in order to discuss the potential for
      landscape planning for sustainable cattle production. We outline a national
      planning approach, which includes disaggregating the diverse cattle sector and
      production types, identifying biophysical, and economic opportunities and
      barriers for sustainable intensification in cattle ranching, and analyzing areas
      suitable for habitat restoration and conservation, in order to plan for both land
      sparing and land-sharing strategies. This approach can be used in other contexts
      across the world where there is a need to incorporate cattle production into
      national goals for carbon sequestration and habitat restoration and conservation.

PMID- 28624913
TI  - Persistent Skin Pouches Following Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin Infusions in a Girl
      with Immunodeficiency, Bullous Skin Lesions and Melanosis Oculi.

PMID- 28624914
TI  - The effects of a desiccant agent in the treatment of chronic periodontitis: a
      randomized, controlled clinical trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Chemotherapeutic agents have been widely used as adjuncts for the
      treatment of chronic periodontitis (CP). This study investigated and compared a
      desiccant agent as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) versus SRP alone
      for the treatment of CP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six patients with CP were
      studied. Using a split-mouth design, the maxillary right and left quadrants were
      randomly assigned to SRP plus desiccant (Hybenx(r) EPIEN Medical, Inc. St. Paul,
      MN, USA) or SRP alone. Patients were examined on a regular basis for clinical,
      microbiological, and inflammatory mediator changes over a 1-year period. Clinical
      attachment level (CAL) was the primary outcome variable. In addition, the red
      complex bacteria and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) inflammatory mediators were
      monitored. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, both treatments demonstrated an
      improvement in periodontal parameters. Compared to SRP alone, SRP plus desiccant
      yielded a significant improvement in probing depth (PD) (SRP: 2.23 +/- 0.31 mm
      vs. desiccant: 3.25 +/- 0.57 mm, p < 0.05), CAL (SRP: 3.16 +/- 0.29 mm vs.
      desiccant: 4.21 +/- 0.34 mm, p < 0.05 mm) and bleeding on probing (BOP) (SRP:
      4.56 +/- 1.5% vs. desiccant: 34.23 +/- 4.2%, p < 0.001) at 12 months. Similarly,
      in the SRP plus desiccant group, the bacteria of the red complex were
      significantly reduced (p < 0.05); and the level of inflammatory mediators was
      significantly reduced (p < 0.003) compared to SRP alone. CONCLUSIONS: SRP plus
      the desiccant resulted in a greater reduction in clinical, microbial and
      inflammatory mediators compared to SRP alone. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Desiccant, when
      combined to SRP, was demonstrated as a significant approach to control the levels
      of certain periodontal pathogens, inflammatory mediators in patients with CP.

PMID- 28624910
TI  - Clinical pharmacology and clinical trials of ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors:
      is it a viable cancer therapy?
AB  - PURPOSE: Ribonucleotide reductase (RR) enzymes (RR1 and RR2) play an important
      role in the reduction of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides which is
      involved in DNA replication and repair. Augmented RR activity has been ascribed
      to uncontrolled cell growth and tumorigenic transformation. METHODS: This review
      mainly focuses on several biological and chemical RR inhibitors (e.g., siRNA, GTI
      2040, GTI-2501, triapine, gemcitabine, and clofarabine) that have been evaluated
      in clinical trials with promising anticancer activity from 1960's till 2016. A
      summary on whether their monotherapy or combination is still effective for
      further use is discussed. RESULTS: Among the RR2 inhibitors evaluated, GTI-2040,
      siRNA, gallium nitrate and didox were more efficacious as a monotherapy, whereas
      triapine was found to be more efficacious as combination agent. Hydroxyurea is
      currently used more in combination therapy, even though it is efficacious as a
      monotherapy. Gallium nitrate showed mixed results in combination therapy, while
      the combination activity of didox is yet to be evaluated. RR1 inhibitors that
      have long been used in chemotherapy such as gemcitabine, cladribine, fludarabine
      and clofarabine are currently used mostly as a combination therapy, but are
      equally efficacious as a monotherapy, except tezacitabine which did not progress
      beyond phase I trials. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of clinical trials, we
      conclude that RR inhibitors are viable treatment options, either as a monotherapy
      or as a combination in cancer chemotherapy. With the recent advances made in
      cancer biology, further development of RR inhibitors with improved efficacy and
      reduced toxicity is possible for treatment of variety of cancers.

PMID- 28624915
TI  - The contribution of surgical brain mapping to the understanding of the anatomo
      functional basis of syntax: A critical review.
AB  - A wide range of studies on language assessment during awake brain surgery is
      nowadays available. Yet, a consensus on a standardized protocol for
      intraoperative language mapping is still lacking. More specifically, very limited
      information is offered about intraoperative assessment of a crucial component of
      language such as syntax. This review aims at critically analyzing the
      intraoperative studies investigating the cerebral basis of syntactic processing.
      A comprehensive query was performed on the literature, returning a total of 18
      studies. These papers were analyzed according to two complementary criteria,
      based on the distinction between morphosyntax and syntax. The first criterion
      focused on the tasks and stimuli employed intraoperatively. Studies were divided
      into three different groups: group 1 included those studies that overtly aimed at
      investigating morphosyntactic processes; group 2 included studies that did not
      explicitly focus on syntax, yet employed stimuli requiring morphosyntactic
      processing; and group 3 included studies reporting some generic form of syntactic
      deficit, although not further investigated. The second criterion focused on the
      syntactic structures of the sentences assessed intraoperatively, analyzing the
      canonicity of sentence structure (i.e., canonical versus non-canonical word
      order). The global picture emerging from our analysis indicates that what was
      investigated in the intraoperative literature is morphosyntactic processing,
      rather than pure syntax. The study of the neurobiology of syntax during awake
      surgery seems thus to be still at an early stage, in need of systematic,
      linguistically grounded investigations.

PMID- 28624916
TI  - Interethnic variation in pelvic floor morphology in women with symptomatic pelvic
      organ prolapse.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: There is a lack of epidemiological studies
      evaluating female pelvic organ prolapse in developing countries. Current studies
      have largely focused on women of white ethnicity. This study was designed to
      determine interethnic variation in pelvic floor functional anatomy, namely,
      levator hiatal distensibility and pelvic organ descent, in women with symptomatic
      pelvic organ prolapse in a multi-ethnic South African population. METHODS: This
      prospective observational study included 258 consecutive women referred for
      pelvic organ prolapse assessment and management at a tertiary urogynaecological
      clinic. After a detailed history and clinical examination, including POPQ
      assessment, patients underwent a 4D transperineal ultrasound. Offline analysis
      was performed using 4D View software. Main outcome measures included levator
      muscle distensibility, pelvic organ descent, and levator ani defects (avulsion).
      RESULTS: Mean age was 60.6 (range, 25-91) years, mean BMI 29.83 (range, 18-53).
      Points Ba and C were lower and the genital hiatus more distensible in black women
      (all p < 0.05). They were found to have greater hiatal area (p = 0.017 at rest, p
      = 0.006 on Valsalva) compared with South Asians and whites and showed greater
      pelvic organ mobility (all p < 0.05) than Caucasians on ultrasound. Levator
      defects were found in 32.2% (n = 83) of patients and most were bilateral (48.2%,
      n = 40), with significant interethnic differences (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: There
      was significant variation in clinical prolapse stage, levator distensibility, and
      pelvic organ descent in this racially diverse population presenting with pelvic
      organ prolapse, with South Asians having a lower avulsion rate than the other two
      ethnic groups (p = 0.014).

PMID- 28624918
TI  - Randomized controlled trial of the effect of environment on patient embarrassment
      and anxiety with urodynamics.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: In previous survey studies, women undergoing
      urodynamic testing (UDT) have reported bother and embarrassment and have provided
      suggestions for improving the experience. The suggestions include audio
      distraction and increased privacy, neither of which have been prospectively
      examined. We report a prospective randomized controlled trial to evaluate the
      hypothesis that an improved ambience can decrease UDT-related embarrassment and
      anxiety. METHODS: A total of 60 participants were recruited to achieve an 80%
      power to detect a conservative 20-point difference with a significance level of
      0.05. Eligible participants were randomized to one of two conditions: dim
      lighting with light instrumental music (modified group, 30 patients), or no music
      and standard lighting (standard group, 30 patients). The aim of the dim lighting
      and music was to provide an increased sense of privacy and audio distraction
      based on participant feedback in previous studies. RESULTS: The study was
      complete with 60 participants. Patients in both groups reported less
      embarrassment after UDT. However, patients in the modified group showed a greater
      decrease in embarrassment scores (9.72 mm) than patients in the standard group
      (1.3 mm; p = 0.33). Although the study was under-powered, the difference found
      approached clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Simply dimming the lights and
      providing music during UDT resulted in a decrease in embarrassment scores of
      almost ten points. This low-cost and simple measure improved patient experience.

PMID- 28624917
TI  - Mesh in POP surgery should be based on the risk of the procedure, not the risk of
      recurrence.
AB  - The still unfolding story of mesh use in surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP)
      offers insights into the factors that influence how we interpret evidence in
      assessing new technology. Our adoption of mesh in prolapse surgery was influenced
      by a paradigm shift from treating to preventing recurrent prolapse. This shift is
      largely unsupported by data and fails to account for the added risk associated
      with mesh use. This commentary explores unconscious factors that influence our
      interpretation of innovation and proposes a new approach to evaluating new
      surgical technologies that balances benefit and risk. Counseling patients about
      treatments using the benefit-risk approach offers a more balanced perspective.
      Using a formal benefit-risk assessment in the scientific evaluation of treatments
      will also provide a more balanced approach that supports the scientific process
      and patients who undergo treatment.

PMID- 28624919
TI  - Physical activity and pelvic floor muscle training in patients with pelvic organ
      prolapse: a pilot study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The details of the physical activity in patients
      with mild to moderate pelvic organ prolapse (Pmoderate pelvic organ prolapse
      (POP) remain under-studied. The purpose of the present study was to investigate
      objective physical activity levels and the changes in pelvic floor muscle(PFM)
      strength, symptoms and quality of life (QOL) between before and after PFM
      training (PFMT) in patients with POP. METHODS: In a prospective pilot study, 29
      patients with stage II or III POP completed approximately 16 weeks of PFMT. A
      reliable activity monitor was used to measure physical activity parameters
      including step counts, activity and total calories expended, and duration at each
      intensity level. Maximum vaginal squeeze pressure, POP symptoms and QOL were
      assessed. Changes in these outcome measures were compared before and after PFMT.
      RESULTS: The step counts per day (mean +/- SD) of women with POP was 7,272.9 +/-
      3,091.7 before PFMT and 7,553.4 +/- 2,831.0 after PFMT. There was no significant
      change between before and PFMT. PFM strength was significantly increased after
      PFMT. POP-related symptoms including stress urinary incontinence, frequency,
      postmicturition dribble and interference with emptying the bowels were
      significantly improved. The QOL scores for general health, physical limitations,
      emotion, and severity measures were significantly improved after PFMT.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although PFMT changed PFM strength symptoms, and QOL, there were no
      changes for any physical activity parameters before and after PFMT. This is
      probably because the physical activity levels in patients with mild to moderate
      POP were almost same as in age-matched healthy women.

PMID- 28624920
TI  - Interobserver agreement in perineal ultrasound measurement of the anovaginal
      distance: a methodological study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Objective outcome measures of the extent of
      laceration at delivery are needed. In this study we evaluated and describe here a
      method for learning perineal ultrasound measurement of the anovaginal distance
      (AVD). The learning period needed for examiners proficient in vaginal ultrasound
      examination and the interobserver agreement after reaching proficiency in AVD
      measurement were determined. The hypothesis was that the method is feasible to
      learn and reproducible for use in further research. METHODS: The method was
      taught by an examiner experienced in perineal ultrasonography. The distance
      between the mucosal margin of the internal anal sphincter was measured with a
      vaginal probe. The studied examiners measured the AVD until similar results (+/-5
      mm) were achieved. The AVD in 40 women was then measured and documented by two
      examiners who were blinded to each other's results. Interobserver agreement was
      calculated using the kappa score. RESULTS: Examiners with previous experience in
      vaginal ultrasonography had learned the method after performing five sets of
      comeasurements. The AVD measurements after the learning period showed almost
      perfect agreement (kappa = 0.87) between the examiners. CONCLUSIONS: The method
      for perineal ultrasound measurement of AVD was learned quickly with high
      interobserver agreement. The method is feasible to learn and reproducible for use
      in further research.

PMID- 28624921
TI  - Lung Adenocarcinoma Survival in EGFR-Mutated African-Caribbean Patients: A
      Multicenter Study in the French West Indies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.
      Shorter survival has been repeatedly reported for patients of African ancestry.
      Multivariate analysis demonstrated that this gap could be a consequence of socio
      economic disparities instead of genetic specificities. However, those results
      were obtained in a pre-targeted therapies era and the effect of tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors targeting EGFR are not known in this population. OBJECTIVE: In this
      French West Indies study, we report overall survival (OS) in a frequently mutated
      population treated for lung adenocarcinoma within an equal-access healthcare
      system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical, demographic, survival, and treatment data
      have been retrospectively assessed for all patients diagnosed with lung
      adenocarcinoma in the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe between 2013 and 2015.
      RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-one patients (82% African-Caribbean) were
      included. EGFR mutations were detected in 37% of all tumor specimens and were
      associated with non-smoker status in multivariate analysis. Median OS was 16.2
      months. For patients with advanced disease, median OS was 11.5 months, depending
      on EGFR mutation (23 vs. 8.3 months for non-mutated patients, p = 0.0012). There
      was no difference in survival according to ethnicity or island. In multivariate
      analysis, performance status (PS) and EGFR mutation were the only independent
      prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a higher frequency of EGFR mutations in
      African-Caribbean patients, ethnicity was not an independent factor of OS in lung
      adenocarcinoma. Lower initial PS in this mainly non-smoking African-Caribbean
      population may explain the absence of a difference in OS.

PMID- 28624922
TI  - Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 Immune Checkpoint in EGFR-Mutated or ALK-Translocated
      Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - Immune checkpoint inhibitors, notably antibodies targeting programmed death-1 (PD
      1) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), have modified the management of
      patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
      Several PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have been approved by health authorities for this
      indication and others are in clinical development. However, only a subset of
      patients truly benefits from these agents. For patients with mutated EGFR or
      translocated ALK NSCLC, for whom an immune checkpoint inhibitor can be prescribed
      after progression on tyrosine kinase inhibitors and chemotherapy, information is
      scarce and sometimes contradictory. Phase III randomized clinical trials have
      evaluated different immune checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab, pembrolizumab,
      atezolizumab) vs. chemotherapy as second- or subsequent-line therapy in NSCLC,
      but included very few patients with EGFR/ALK-positive disease. Subgroup analyses
      found that these patients did not benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors.
      Retrospective data show progression-free survival lasting only 1.2-2.1 months.
      Preclinical data suggested a lower expression of PD-L1 in EGFR/ALK-positive
      patients compared to EGFR/ALK-negative patients. Our objective herein is to
      provide an up-to-date review of available data from the various publications on
      the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with EGFR/ALK-positive
      NSCLC.

PMID- 28624923
TI  - A comparison of enhancement patterns on dynamic enhanced CT and survival between
      patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with and without intratumoral
      fibrosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare CT findings and survival between patients with pancreatic
      neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) with and without fibrosis. METHODS: Forty-five pNET
      patients with intratumoral fibrosis (group A) were matched for age, gender, and
      tumor size and grade with 45 pNET patients without (group B), and CT images were
      retrospectively reviewed. Hounsfield units (HUs) of tumors in unenhanced,
      arterial and portal phases, HU ratio (tumor to normal parenchyma) in each phase,
      enhancement patterns, visible enhancement pattern changes, and survival were
      compared. RESULTS: Group A showed progressive enhancement patterns, while group B
      showed early enhancement and wash-out patterns (p < 0.05). HUs of tumors and HU
      ratio in the unenhanced phase were significantly higher in group A than group B
      (p <= 0.024), whereas those in the arterial phase were significantly lower in
      group A than group B (p <= 0.003). Peripheral to full or peripheral to peripheral
      enhancement change was more frequent in group A, while full to full enhancement
      change was more frequent in group B (p < 0.05). Group A showed significantly
      lower overall survival than group B (p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: pNETs with fibrosis
      showed a progressive enhancement pattern and worse overall survival than pNETs
      without, which showed an early enhancement and wash-out pattern.

PMID- 28624925
TI  - Liver fibrosis: in vivo evaluation using intravoxel incoherent motion-derived
      histogram metrics with histopathologic findings at 3.0 T.
AB  - PURPOSE: To retrospectively determine the feasibility of intravoxel incoherent
      motion (IVIM) imaging based on histogram analysis for the staging of liver
      fibrosis (LF) using histopathologic findings as the reference standard. METHODS:
      56 consecutive patients (14 men, 42 women; age range, 15-76, years) with chronic
      liver diseases (CLDs) were studied using IVIM-DWI with 9 b-values (0, 25, 50, 75,
      100, 150, 200, 500, 800 s/mm2) at 3.0 T. Fibrosis stage was evaluated using the
      METAVIR scoring system. Histogram metrics including mean, standard deviation
      (Std), skewness, kurtosis, minimum (Min), maximum (Max), range, interquartile
      (Iq) range, and percentiles (10, 25, 50, 75, 90th) were extracted from apparent
      diffusion coefficient (ADC), true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion
      coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) maps. All histogram metrics among
      different fibrosis groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance or
      nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. For significant parameters, receivers
      operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses were further performed for the
      staging of LF. RESULTS: Based on their METAVIR stage, the 56 patients were
      reclassified into three groups as follows: F0-1 group (n = 25), F2-3 group (n =
      21), and F4 group (n = 10). The mean, Iq range, percentiles (50, 75, and 90th) of
      D* maps between the groups were significant differences (all P < 0.05). Area
      under the ROC curve (AUC) of the mean, Iq range, 50, 75, and 90th percentile of
      D* maps for identifying significant LF (>=F2 stage) was 0.901, 0.859, 0.876,
      0.943, and 0.886 (all P < 0.0001), respectively; for diagnosing severe fibrosis
      or cirrhosis (F4), AUC was 0.917, 0.922, 0.943, 0.985, and 0.939 (all P <
      0.0001), respectively. The histogram metrics of ADC, D, and f maps demonstrated
      no significant difference among the groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Histogram
      analysis of D* map derived from IVIM can be used to stage liver fibrosis in
      patients with CLDs and provide more quantitative information beyond the mean
      value.

PMID- 28624926
TI  - Limited awareness of animal influenza prevention and control among Dai Lue
      smallholder farmers in Southwest China.
AB  - Awareness of animal influenza and its prevention and control is important for
      ensuring livestock health, production and welfare. In China, a country
      stereotyped as a major source of emerging zoonotic infectious diseases, research
      on the public understanding of animal influenza is limited to the Han, the main
      ethnic group. The present qualitative study in Southwest China investigated
      awareness of animal influenza among the Dai, an ethnic minority. The participants
      (15 men and 10 women, ages 18-83) were smallholder farmers of pigs and poultry in
      rural areas of Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. A mixture of interviews
      and group discussions took place in homes and villages. The participants were
      asked about their knowledge of avian influenza (H7N9), swine influenza (H1N1),
      precautions taken to protect against influenza, procedures when animals were sick
      and perceived risk of animal influenza. The data were analysed following coding
      and thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated a limited understanding of
      animal health and welfare among participants. Specifically, they were largely
      unaware of animal influenza (H7N9, H1N1) including its causes, symptoms,
      prevention and treatment. The farmers were also uninformed of the risks they
      faced and unknowingly engaged in behaviours which increased direct or indirect
      exposure to infected animals, a risk factor for human infection. They also
      reported poor usage of veterinary services. In order to guarantee the health,
      welfare and production of their livestock, immediate action is needed to enable
      Dai smallholder farmers to prevent and respond to animal influenza effectively
      and timely.

PMID- 28624927
TI  - Seroprevalence and risk factors for bovine brucellosis in domestic yaks (Bos
      grunniens) in Tibet, China.
AB  - A cross-sectional study was conducted in three counties (Damxung, Maizhokunggar
      and Yadong) in Tibet in April and May 2015. A total of 1,523 yaks owned by 181
      herders were randomly selected and blood sampled. Sera were tested using the rose
      bengal test (RBT) and a competitive immune-enzymatic assay (C-ELISA) and the test
      results interpreted in parallel. The individual yak prevalence was 2.8% (95% CI
      2.0-3.7) with a herd prevalence of 18.2% (95% CI 12.9-24.6). At the individual
      level, two predictor variables, age and production system, were significantly
      associated with seropositivity by a binary logistic regression analysis. The odds
      of Brucella infection were significantly higher in older Yaks (3-5 years old, OR
      = 4.51; 95% CI 1.53-19.29; >=6 years old, OR = 3.89; 95% CI 1.23-17.21) compared
      to those of younger yaks (<=2 years old). The odds of seropositivity for yaks
      managed under an agro-pastoral production system were 2.9 (95% CI 1.48-5.86)
      times higher compared to those managed under a pastoral production system. At the
      herd level, an association between the infection with Brucella and a history of
      abortions in the herd was observed (OR = 4.98, 95% CI 1.48-16.62). Surprisingly,
      vaccination was not associated with a lower level of infection (p = 0.49 and p =
      0.99 for individual and herd level data, respectively). The results of the survey
      indicate that bovine brucellosis is endemic among the yak population in the
      plateau region of China, and the risk factors identified in the study should be
      considered in the epidemiology of the disease and when developing control
      programs for the disease.

PMID- 28624924
TI  - Evaluation of hepatic fibrosis: a review from the society of abdominal radiology
      disease focus panel.
AB  - Hepatic fibrosis is potentially reversible; however early diagnosis is necessary
      for treatment in order to halt progression to cirrhosis and development of
      complications including portal hypertension and hepatocellular carcinoma.
      Morphologic signs of cirrhosis on ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), and
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone are unreliable and are seen with more
      advanced disease. Newer imaging techniques to diagnose liver fibrosis are
      reliable and accurate, and include magnetic resonance elastography and US
      elastography (one-dimensional transient elastography and point shear wave
      elastography or acoustic radiation force impulse imaging). Research is ongoing
      with multiple other techniques for the noninvasive diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis,
      including MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging, hepatobiliary contrast
      enhancement, and perfusion; CT using perfusion, fractional extracellular space
      techniques, and dual-energy, contrast-enhanced US, texture analysis in multiple
      modalities, quantitative mapping, and direct molecular imaging probes. Efforts to
      advance the noninvasive imaging assessment of hepatic fibrosis will facilitate
      earlier diagnosis and improve patient monitoring with the goal of preventing the
      progression to cirrhosis and its complications.

PMID- 28624928
TI  - A survey analysis of indigenous goat production in communal farming systems of
      Botswana.
AB  - A total of 153 communal farmers in four agro-ecological regions of Botswana were
      interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The aims of the survey were to
      characterise existing communal goat production systems, evaluate the importance
      of goats to farmers and identify breeding practices and constraints encountered
      in goat production in Botswana. Data was collected on socio-economic parameters,
      general and breeding management practices and major constraints limiting goat
      production in Botswana. All respondents were small-scale communal farmers with
      63% respondents practising mixed crop-livestock farming and 37% keeping livestock
      as their primary activity. The majority (33%) of respondents were older than 60
      years. Over 80% of the farmers kept goats for cash required for tuition, school
      uniforms and household commodities as well as re-stocking of animals. Most
      farmers (62%) kept indigenous crossed genotypes. Generally, uncontrolled mating
      was practised with the majority of farmers (41%) using on-farm reared bucks for
      more than two years of breeding and communal bucks (36%) as an alternative. The
      major constraints limiting goat productivity in communal areas included
      uncontrolled breeding, predators, theft and diseases. Issues raised by farmers
      should be considered in designing and implementing effective breeding programs
      for goats to improve their overall productivity and contribution to poverty
      alleviation in these communities.

PMID- 28624929
TI  - Latex peptidases of Calotropis procera for dehairing of leather as an alternative
      to environmentally toxic sodium sulfide treatment.
AB  - Dehairing of crude leather is a critical stage performed at the beginning of its
      processing to obtain industrially useful pieces. Tanneries traditionally apply a
      chemical process based on sodium sulfide. Since this chemical reactive is
      environmentally toxic and inefficiently recycled, innovative protocols for
      reducing or eliminating its use in leather depilation are welcomed. Therefore,
      latex peptidases from Calotropis procera (CpLP) and Cryptostegia grandiflora
      (CgLP) were assayed for this purpose. Enzyme activity on substrates
      representative of skin such as hide powder azure (UHPA), elastin (UE),
      azocollagen (UAZOCOL), keratin (UK), and epidermis (UEP) was determined, while
      depilation activity was assayed on cow hide. Only CpLP was active against keratin
      (13.4 UK) and only CgLP was active against elastin (0.12 UE). CpLP (93.0 UHPA,
      403.6 UAZOCOL, 36.3 UEP) showed higher activity against the other substrates than
      CgLP (47.6 UHPA, 261.5 UAZOCOL, 8.5 UEP). In pilot assays, CpLP (0.05% w/v with
      sodium sulfite 0.6% w/v as activator) released hairs from cow hide pieces.
      Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the hide revealed that the dehairing
      process was complete and the leather structure was preserved. The proteolytic
      system of C. procera is a suitable bioresources to be exploited by tanneries.

PMID- 28624930
TI  - Basal and Bolus Insulin Dose Changes after Switching Basal Insulin to Insulin
      Degludec in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ultra-long-acting insulin degludec (DEG) has a longer
      duration of action and less daily variability relative to other basal insulin
      (BI), and thus may benefit patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). We
      examined the impact of switching BI to DEG on glycemic control and insulin dose
      in T1DM. METHODS: T1DM patients (n = 22; six male; mean age: 64.5 +/- 12.6 years)
      receiving basal-bolus insulin therapy were included. Initially, the BI dose was
      replaced with DEG in a 1:1 ratio; 80-100% of the total dose was replaced with DEG
      for multiple basal insulin injections. DEG was titrated according to study
      protocol. Changes in HbA1c, daily insulin dose, glycemic self-monitored blood
      glucose variations, and hypoglycemia frequency were evaluated for 24 weeks.
      RESULTS: Once-daily DEG significantly decreased HbA1c levels when switched from
      once-daily BI (7.9 +/- 0.8 vs. 7.5 +/- 0.9%, p = 0.020) and maintained HbA1c when
      switched from twice-daily BI (8.5 +/- 1.6 vs. 8.4 +/- 1.2%, p = 0.457). The BI
      dose decreased by -7.8 +/- 13.9% (p = 0.017) and -16.6 +/- 16.9% (p = 0.050) when
      switched from once-daily BI and twice-daily BI, respectively. The total bolus
      insulin dose significantly decreased when switched from once-daily BI (21.7 +/-
      8.3 to 19.3 +/- 8.8 U/day, p = 0.016) especially in the injection before
      breakfast and evening meal. Body weight and hypoglycemia frequency was not
      significantly different. CONCLUSION: DEG improved glycemic control when switched
      from once-daily BI and maintained glycemic control when switched from twice-daily
      BI without increasing hypoglycemia.

PMID- 28624931
TI  - Familial Mediterranean fever, review of the literature.
AB  - Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common monogenic periodic fever
      syndrome and characterized by recurrent episodes of fever, serositis, arthritis,
      dermal manifestations, and long-term renal complications. The MEFV gene was
      described in 1997 as the gene responsible for FMF and is inherited in autosomal
      recessive manner. It encodes mutated protein pyrin, an important player in the
      innate immune system and the component of inflammasome which leads to exaggerated
      inflammatory response through uncontrolled production of interleukin-1. The
      recent progress in molecular genetics and understanding of pathogenesis showed a
      more complicated picture of FMF inheritance, penetrance, and pathogenesis. The
      pathogenesis is not completely understood although the gene responsible for FMF
      has been identified. Whether the pyrin mutation effect in FMF is due to a loss of
      function or a gain of function is still controversial. The diagnosis is mainly
      clinical and the genetic testing is indicated to support it. Colchicine remains
      the mainstay of treatment of FMF since 1972. It decreases the attacks, improves
      quality of life, and prevents amyloidosis. The recent advances in genetic testing
      and molecular studies has led to the development of new therapies of interleukin
      1 inhibitors; anakinra, canakinumab, and rilonacept.

PMID- 28624932
TI  - Word-Level and Sentence-Level Automaticity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
      Learners: A Comparative Study.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate second language (L2) word-level and
      sentence-level automatic processing among English as a foreign language students
      through a comparative analysis of students with different proficiency levels. As
      a multidimensional and dynamic construct, automaticity is conceptualized as
      processing speed, stability, and accuracy which are indexed by reaction time,
      coefficient variation and accuracy rate. Sixty students (39 undergraduate
      students and 21 graduate students) who majored in English participated in this
      study. They completed the lexical semantic classification task, the sentence
      construction task, the sentence verification task under two different modalities
      (visually- and aurally-presented situations). Multivariate analyses were
      conducted to examine the differences between the students with different
      proficiency levels pertaining to their L2 performance. The results indicated that
      the processing speed was not found to be a good indicator of automatic language
      processing. Moreover, both levels of students appeared to reach a plateau in word
      level processing but there were some variations in students' sentential
      processing. Finally, the findings showed that automatic language processing
      seemed to be module-specific and non-sharable across different modalities and
      skills.

PMID- 28624933
TI  - Influence of food consumption patterns and Galician lifestyle on human gut
      microbiota.
AB  - The proportion of different microbial populations in the human gut is an
      important factor that in recent years has been linked to obesity and numerous
      metabolic diseases. Because there are many factors that can affect the
      composition of human gut microbiota, it is of interest to have information about
      what is the composition of the gut microbiota in different populations in order
      to better understand the possibilities for improving nutritional management. A
      group of 31 volunteers were selected according to established inclusion and
      exclusion criteria and were asked about their diet history, lifestyle patterns,
      and adherence to the Southern European Atlantic Diet. Fecal samples were taken
      and subsequently analyzed by real-time PCR. The results indicated different
      dietary patterns for subjects who consumed a higher amount of fruits, vegetables,
      legumes, and fish and a lower amount of bakery foods and precooked foods and
      snacks compared to Spanish consumption data. Most participants showed
      intermediate or high adherence to Southern European Atlantic Diet, and an
      analysis of gut microbiota showed high numbers of total bacteria and
      Actinobacteria, as well as high amounts of bacteria belonging to the genera
      Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. A subsequent statistical comparison
      also revealed differences in gut microbiota depending on the subject's body
      weight, age, or degree of adherence to the Southern European Atlantic Diet.

PMID- 28624934
TI  - Low serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity levels in patients with migraine.
AB  - Histamine intolerance is a disorder in the homeostasis of histamine due to a
      reduced intestinal degradation of this amine, mainly caused by a deficiency in
      the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). Among the several multi-faced symptoms
      associated with histamine intolerance, headache is one of the most recognized and
      disabling consequences. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of
      DAO deficiency in patients with a confirmed migraine diagnosis according to the
      current International Headache Society (IHS) and in non-migraine subjects. DAO
      activity was assessed in a total of 198 volunteers recruited at the Headache Unit
      of the Hospital General de Catalunya, 137 in the migraine group and 61 as a
      control group. DAO enzyme activity in blood samples was determined by ELISA test.
      Values below 80 HDU/ml (Histamine Degrading Unit/ml) were considered as DAO
      deficient. Mean value of DAO activity from migraine population (64.5 +/- 33.5
      HDU/ml) was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) than that obtained from healthy
      volunteers (91.9 +/- 44.3 HDU/ml). DAO deficiency was more prevalent in migraine
      patients than in the control group. A high incidence rate of DAO deficiency (87%)
      was observed in the group of patients with migraine. On the other hand, 44% of
      non-migranous subjects had levels of DAO activity lower than 80 HDU/ml. Despite
      the multifactorial aetiology of migraine, these results seem to indicate that
      this enzymatic deficit could be related to the onset of migraine.

PMID- 28624935
TI  - Eldecalcitol, an Active Vitamin D3 Derivative, Prevents Trabecular Bone Loss and
      Bone Fragility in Type I Diabetic Model Rats.
AB  - Diabetes mellitus is known to adversely affect the bones and be associated with
      increased fracture risk. We examined whether eldecalcitol (ELD), an active
      vitamin D3 derivative, could inhibit the diabetic bone loss in streptozotocin
      induced type I diabetic rats. ELD (10, 20, or 40 ng/kg), alfacalcidol (ALF; 25,
      50, or 100 ng/kg), or vehicle was administered 5 times per week for 12 weeks from
      1 week after diabetes induction. Normal control rats received the vehicle. Bone
      turnover markers, bone mineral density (BMD), and biomechanical strength of the
      lumbar spine and femur were measured, and bone histomorphometry was performed.
      Content of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the femoral shaft was also
      determined. In diabetic rats, serum osteocalcin (OC) concentration was lower and
      urinary excretion of deoxypyridinoline (DPD) tended to be higher than in normal
      rats. Areal BMD and maximum load of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral shaft were
      lower in diabetic rats than in normal rats. All doses of ELD and the highest dose
      of ALF reduced urinary DPD excretion, but had no effect on serum OC. The 20 and
      40 ng/kg doses of ELD prevented decreases in BMD and the highest dose of ELD
      prevented the reduction in maximum load of the lumbar vertebrae, while ALF did
      not change these parameters. ELD and ALF did not affect areal BMD or
      biomechanical strength of the femoral shaft. In diabetic rats, bone volume and
      trabecular thickness in the trabecular bone of the lumbar vertebrae decreased and
      trabecular separation increased compared to normal rats. ELD and ALF prevented
      diabetes-induced deterioration of trabecular microstructure. AGE content in the
      femoral cortical bone increased in the diabetic rats, and ELD and ALF did not
      change AGE content compared to the diabetic rats. These results indicated that
      ELD suppressed bone resorption and prevented trabecular bone loss and
      deterioration of trabecular microstructure, resulting in prevention of reduction
      in biomechanical strength in type I diabetic rats.

PMID- 28624936
TI  - Breakthrough modeling and experimental design for o-xylene dynamic adsorption
      onto clay material.
AB  - The adsorption of o-xylene onto raw clay material in a fixed bed using a thermal
      conductivity detector gas chromatography was investigated. Experimental and
      theoretical studies were established to evaluate the removal efficiency of o
      xylene by adsorption on clay materials and to predict kinetic parameters. Column
      data were describing at different conditions using Bohart-Adams, Wolborska,
      Thomas, Yoon and Nelson, dose-response, and bed depth service time models. All
      used models were satisfactory to predict the breakthrough curves. A suitable
      advection-dispersion-sorption (ADS) model has been also developed to simulate the
      measured data, based on the nature of the various equilibrium relationships of
      solid-gas and diverse descriptions of the mass transfer processes within of the
      adsorbent particle. The experiments can be fitted with high correlated
      coefficient R 2 = 0.996.

PMID- 28624937
TI  - Acute toxicity of chemical pesticides and plant-derived essential oil on the
      behavior and development of earthworms, Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) and Eisenia
      fetida (Savigny).
AB  - Comparative toxicity of two chemical pesticides (temephos and monocrotophos)
      versus a plant-derived betel leaf oil Piper betle (L.) to earthworm Eudrilus
      eugeniae (Kinberg) and redworm Eisenia fetida Savigny, historically: Eisenia
      foetida (Savigny 1826), was evaluated. Mortality rate was more prominent in
      temephos at 100 MUg concentration to both the earthworms in filter paper test
      (FPT) as well as 10 mg concentration in artificial soil test (AST). In contrast,
      P. betle does not display much mortality rate to both the earthworms even at 1000
      mg of treatment concentrations. The lethal concentration (LC50) value was
      observed at 3.89 and 5.26 mg/kg for temephos and monocrotophos against E.
      eugeniae and 3.81 and 5.25 mg/kg to E. fetida, respectively. Whereas, LC50 value
      of betel leaf oil was only observed at 3149 and 4081 mg/kg to E. eugeniae and E.
      fetida, respectively. Correspondingly, the avoidance or attraction assay also
      displayed that earthworms were more sensitive to the soil containing chemical
      pesticides. Whereas, the avoidance percentage was decreased in the P. betle oil.
      Similarly, sublethal concentration of chemical pesticides (5 and 6.5 mg)
      significantly reduced the earthworm weight and growth rate. However, P. betle oil
      did not change the developmental rate in the duration of the assay (2, 7 and 14
      days) even at 4000 mg treatment concentration. The enzyme ratio of CAT and SOD
      was also affected significantly after exposure to the chemical pesticides (6.5
      mg/kg). Hence, our study implied the risk assessment associated with the chemical
      pesticides and also recommends plant-derived harmless P. betle oil against
      beneficial species as an alternative pest control agent.

PMID- 28624938
TI  - Synergetic integration of laccase and versatile peroxidase with magnetic silica
      microspheres towards remediation of biorefinery wastewater.
AB  - In this study, a tailor-made biocatalyst consisting of a co-immobilized
      lignolytic enzyme cascade on multi-functionalized magnetic silica microspheres
      (MSMS) was developed. Physical adsorption was the most promising strategy for the
      synthesis of individual immobilized laccase (IL), immobilized versatile
      peroxidase (IP), as well as co-immobilized laccase (Lac) and versatile peroxidase
      (VP) with an enzyme activity recovery of about 79, 93, 27, and 27.5%,
      respectively. Similarly, the biocatalytic load of 116, 183, 23.6, and 31 U/g was
      obtained for IL, IP, and co-immobilized Lac and VP, respectively. The co
      immobilized enzyme system exhibited better pH stability than the free and
      individual immobilized system by retaining more than 100% residual activity at pH
      7.0 after a 150-h incubation; whereas, the thermal stability and kinetics of the
      co-immobilized biocatalyst were not much improved. IL and IP could be recycled
      for 10 cycles after which they retained 31 and 44% of their initial activities.
      Co-immobilized Lac and VP were reused for ten consecutive cycles at the end of
      which Lac activity was depleted, and 37% of VP activity was left. Free enzymes,
      IL, IP, co-immobilized Lac, and VP were applied to biorefinery wastewater (BRW)
      in a batch study to investigate the transformation of phenolic contaminants over
      a period of 5 days. The major classes of phenolic constituents in terms of their
      order of removal in a Lac-VP system was phenol >2-chlorophenol > trichlorophenol
      > dichlorophenol > cresols > dimethylphenol >2 methyl- 4, 6-dinitrophenol > 4
      nitrophenol > tetrachlorophenols > pentachlorophenol. The free enzymes and
      individually immobilized enzymes resulted in 80% dephenolization in 5 days. By
      contrast, the co-immobilized biocatalyst provided rapid dephenolization yielding
      the same 80% removal within 24 h and 96% removal of phenols in 60 h after which
      the system stabilized, which is the major advantage of the co-immobilized
      biocatalyst. ? Graphical abstract.

PMID- 28624939
TI  - Additive effect of calcium depletion and low resource quality on Gammarus
      fossarum (Crustacea, Amphipoda) life history traits.
AB  - Gammarus fossarum is an often-abundant crustacean detritivore that contributes
      importantly to leaf litter breakdown in oligotrophic, mainly heterotrophic,
      headwater streams. This species requires large amounts of Ca to moult, thus
      allowing growth and reproduction. Because resource quality is tightly coupled to
      the organism's growth and physiological status, we hypothesised that low Ca
      concentration [Ca] and low food resource quality (low phosphorus [P] and/or
      reduced highly unsaturated fatty acid [HUFA] contents) would interactively impair
      molecular responses (gene expression) and reproduction of G. fossarum. To
      investigate the effects of food resources quality, we experimentally manipulated
      the P content of sycamore leaves and also used diatoms because they contain high
      amounts of HUFAs. Three resource quality treatments were tested: low quality (LQ,
      unmanipulated leaves: low P content), high quality 1 (HQ1; P-manipulated leaves:
      high P content), and high quality 2 (unmanipulated leaves supplemented with a
      pellet containing diatoms: high P and HUFA content). Naturally, demineralised
      stream water was supplemented with CaSO4 to obtain three Ca concentrations (2,
      3.5, and 10.5 mg Ca L-1). For 21 days, pairs of G. fossarum were individually
      exposed to one of the nine treatments (3 [Ca] * 3 resource qualities). At the
      individual level, strong and significant delays in moult stage were observed in
      gammarids exposed to lower [Ca] and to lower resource quality, with additive
      effects lengthening the duration of the reproductive cycle. Effects at the
      molecular level were investigated by measuring expression of 12 genes involved in
      energy production, translation, or Ca or P homeostasis. Expression of ATP
      synthase beta (higher in HQ2), calcified cuticle protein (higher in HQ1 and HQ2),
      and tropomyosin (higher in HQ2 compared to HQ1) was significantly affected by
      resource quality, and significant additive effects on Ca transporting ATPase
      expression were induced by [Ca] and resource quality (higher for low [Ca] and
      higher resource quality). These results highlight the potential drastic
      deleterious effects of water [Ca] depletion on G. fossarum physiology,
      populations, and ecosystem functioning, especially in oligotrophic environments.

PMID- 28624940
TI  - Effect of heavy metals on tissue-specific antioxidant response in Indian major
      carps.
AB  - Concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb) were measured in
      sediments, water and liver and kidney tissues of three Indian major carps (Labeo
      rohita, Catla catla and Cirrhinus cirrhosus), belonging to two different weight
      groups (250 and 500 g), collected from ponds at two different sites (Nalban bheri
      and Diamond Harbour). The tissues were analysed for the levels of different
      antioxidant defence systems such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT),
      glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GRd), glutathione S
      transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Concentrations of
      all the metals were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in sediment, water and the
      tissues from Nalban bheri compared to those in Diamond Harbour. Metal
      concentrations were the lowest in C. cirrhosus, which increased with an increase
      in fish weight, and the liver accumulated higher amount of metals than the
      kidney. Activities of all enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant parameters
      except GPx and GRd were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the tissues from
      Nalban bheri than those in Diamond Harbour. Significant multicollinearity was
      found in the values of SOD, CAT, GST, GRd, GPx and MDA with Pb, Cu and Ni in all
      three fish species at Nalban and with Cd in L. rohita and C. catla. Principal
      component analysis results revealed that stress response in a polluted site was
      directly regulated by an amalgamation of GSH profile and the levels of MDA in a
      synchronized manner. The study indicated a tissue-specific and species-specific
      difference for heavy metal-induced oxidative stress response in fish and a
      correlation between different heavy metals and individual oxidative stress
      markers.

PMID- 28624941
TI  - Does static electric field from ultra-high voltage direct-current transmission
      lines affect male reproductive capacity? Evidence from a laboratory study on male
      mice.
AB  - With the development of ultra-high-voltage direct-current (UHVDC) transmission
      technology and increase in transmission voltage, the issue of environmental
      static electric field (SEF) pollution is standing out and its possible health
      effects have caused much public attention. In this study, the effects of chronic
      exposure to SEF on reproductive capacity of male mice were investigated. Twenty
      Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were exposed to SEF (56.3 +/- 1.4 kV/m,
      49 days) generated by a high-voltage device. Several biological end points
      related to spermatogenesis and testicular function were evaluated, including
      reproductive organ coefficients, sperm motility and morphology, serum
      testosterone level, and testicular histology. No significant differences were
      found between the SEF-exposed and sham-exposed groups at the end of the exposure
      period. However, further observation through transmission electron microscopy
      revealed cristae losses in mitochondria of spermatogenic cells after SEF
      exposure. Nevertheless, the mitochondria injury did not affect sperm motility,
      which might be explained from the perspective of energy supply. That is, most of
      the energy required for sperm movement is generated by glycolysis which occurs in
      the cytoplasm rather than oxidative phosphorylation which occurs in mitochondria.
      In conclusion, this study indicates that exposure to SEF (56.3 +/- 1.4 kV/m, 49
      days) has limited effects on male reproductive capacity.

PMID- 28624942
TI  - Toxicity of 56 substances to trees.
AB  - Toxicity data of substances to higher plants is needed for the purpose of risk
      assessment, site evaluation, phytoremediation, and plant protection. However, the
      results from the most common phytotoxicity tests, like the OECD algae and Lemna
      test, are not necessarily valid for higher terrestrial plants. The willow tree
      toxicity test uses inhibition of transpiration (aside of growth and water use
      efficiency) of willow cuttings grown in spiked solutions or soils as end point to
      quantify toxicity. This overview presents results from 60 studies including 24
      new unpublished experiments for 56 different chemicals or substrates. Highest
      toxicity (EC50 < 1 mg/L) was observed from exposure to heavy metals like copper
      and cadmium. Also, organotins and free cyanide showed very high toxicity. The
      toxic effect of chlorophenols on willows was comparable to that on duck weed
      (Lemna) and green algae, while volatile compounds like chlorinated solvents or
      benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene had less effect on trees than on these
      aquatic plants, due to volatilization from leaves and test media. In particular
      low (g/L range) toxicity was observed for tested nanomaterials. Effects of
      pharmaceuticals (typically weak acids or bases) depended strongly of the solution
      pH. Like for algae, baseline toxicity was observed for willows, which is related
      to the water solubility of the compounds, with absolute chemical activity ranging
      from 0.01 to 0.1, but with several exceptions. We conclude that the willow tree
      toxicity test is a robust method for relating uptake, accumulation, and
      metabolism of substances to the toxicity to trees.

PMID- 28624943
TI  - Hexabromocyclododecane diastereomers in fish and suspended particulate matter
      from selected European waters-trend monitoring and environmental quality standard
      compliance.
AB  - The brominated flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) was monitored in
      fish and sediment (from one lake) or suspended particulate matter (SPM; from five
      rivers) at European freshwater sites to study the effects of reduction measures
      implemented by HBCD producers and users in recent years. Bream (Abramis brama)
      were sampled annually between 2007 and 2013 in the rivers Gotaalv/SE, Rhone/FR,
      Western Scheldt/NL, Mersey/UK, and Tees/UK and in Lake Belau/DE. Sediment/SPM was
      taken every second year between 2008 and 2014. HBCD was analyzed by LC/MS/MS
      allowing the determination of the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-diastereomers. For
      most sites, a decrease in ?HBCD was observed in fish (e.g., in the Rhone and
      Western Scheldt by about 80 and 60%, respectively, with significantly decreasing
      trends, p < 0.01). In the Rhone, HBCD also decreased in SPM. At the sampling site
      in the Tees which was impacted by a former HBCD point source, fish HBCD levels
      decreased only after a major flood event in 2013. While fish data indicate a
      decline in environmental HBCD concentrations at most sites with diffuse
      emissions, SPM data were less conclusive. The European environmental quality
      standard for HBCD in fish of 167 MUg kg-1 wet weight was met by all fish samples
      in 2013.

PMID- 28624944
TI  - Effective oil removal from water by magnetically driven superhydrophobic and
      oleophilic magnetic titania nanotubes.
AB  - Development of efficient techniques to combat the harmful effects of oil spill is
      an emerging field, where fabrication of new sorbents for selective removal of oil
      has become a hot topic for environmental scientists. The present study reports
      the preparation of superhydrophobic/oleophilic magnetic titania nanotubes via a
      facile hydrothermal method, followed by the treatment with octadecylamine, as
      potential magnetically driven sorbent for selective removal of oil from water
      surface. The magnetic nature (superparamagnetism at 300 K) of the nanotubes
      enabled magnetic removal of the oil-sorbed material from water surface.
      Wettability test of the material depicted a static water contact angle of 166 +/-
      1 degrees , indicating its superhydrophobic character. Oil uptake experiments and
      contact angle measurements revealed its superoleophilicity with maximum oil
      sorption capacity >1.5 g/g for a variety of oils. In addition to the ease of
      magnetic removal, the nanotubes possess sufficient buoyancy, high selectivity,
      and quick rate of oil uptake and is more than five times reusable.

PMID- 28624945
TI  - The potential effect of temperature-humidity index on productive and reproductive
      performance of buffaloes with different genotypes under hot conditions.
AB  - The current study was aimed to investigate the impact of THI on productive and
      reproductive indices of PE and F1 crosses (50% PE and 50% Italian buffaloes) and
      back crosses (BC) (75% PE and 25% Italian buffaloes) under hot conditions. In
      this study, 8385 records used PE (1914, 1518, and 1737), F1 (387, 447, and 657),
      and BC (495, 585, and 645) for low, medium, and high THI, respectively. The high
      THI reduced the conception rate after first insemination in PE, F1, and BC ((odds
      ratio, OR) = 1.187, P = 0.007; 2.361, <0.0001 and 1.603, <0.0001, respectively)
      when compared with low THI. But, stillbirth and calving condition were not
      significantly influenced by different THI levels in BC and F1. BC was more
      bearable to the harsh environment; they possessed the highest incidence of
      conception after first insemination (72.70, 72.60, and 62.40%), producing live
      calves (98.50, 100, and 99.40%) with easy calving condition (98.50, 100, and
      99.40%) when compared to PE and F1 at different levels of THI, respectively. The
      average daily milk yield and peak of milk production were decreased in PE (4.02
      and 5.12%), BC (13.33 and 10.95%), and F1 (25.29 and 12.20%) from low to high
      THI. However, BC revealed no significant changes in days open, dry period,
      calving interval, gestation length, service per conception, and the first service
      post-partum at different levels of THI when compared with PE and F1. Therefore,
      rearing BC is recommended for improving buffalo productive and reproductive
      performance under hot conditions.

PMID- 28624946
TI  - Impact of heavy metal contamination on oxidative stress of Eisenia andrei and
      bacterial community structure in Tunisian mine soil.
AB  - The aims of this work were firstly to study the effect of heavy metal-polluted
      soils from Tunisian mine on earthworm biochemical biomarkers and on bacterial
      communities and therefore to analyze the interaction between earth worms and
      bacterial communities in these contaminated soils. For this purpose, we had
      introduced earthworm Eisenia andrei in six soils: one from mine spoils and five
      from agricultural soils, establishing a gradient of contamination. The response
      of worms to the presence of heavy metal was analyzed at the biochemical and
      transcriptional levels. In a second time, the impact of worm on bacterial
      community structure was investigated using automated ribosomal intergenic spacer
      analysis (ARISA) fingerprinting. An impact of heavy metal-contaminated soils on
      the oxidative status of E. andrei was observed, but this effect was dependent of
      the level of heavy metal contamination. Moreover, our results demonstrate that
      the introduction of earthworms E. andrei has an impact on bacterial community;
      however, the major change was observed in the less contaminated site.
      Furthermore, a significant correlation between earthworm oxidative status
      biomarkers and bacterial community structure was observed, mainly in the mine
      spoils. Therefore, we contribute to a better understanding of the relationships
      between epigenic earthworms and bacterial communities in heavy metal-contaminated
      soils.

PMID- 28624948
TI  - Metal release from contaminated leaf litter and leachate toxicity for the
      freshwater crustacean Gammarus fossarum.
AB  - Industrialization has left large surfaces of contaminated soils, which may act as
      a source of pollution for contiguous ecosystems, either terrestrial or aquatic.
      When polluted sites are recolonized by plants, dispersion of leaf litter might
      represent a non-negligible source of contaminants, especially metals. To evaluate
      the risks associated to contaminated leaf litter dispersion in aquatic
      ecosystems, we first measured the dynamics of metal loss from leaf litter during
      a 48-h experimental leaching. We used aspen (Populus tremula L.), a common tree
      species on these polluted sites, and collected leaf litter on three polluted
      sites (settling pond of a former steel mill) and three control sites situated in
      the same geographic area. Then, toxicity tests were carried out on individuals of
      a key detritivore species widely used in ecotoxicology tests, Gammarus fossarum
      (Crustacea, Amphipoda), with uncontaminated and contaminated leaf litter
      leachates, using a battery of biomarkers selected for their sensitivity to
      metallic stress. Leaf litters collected on polluted sites exhibited not only
      significantly higher cadmium and zinc concentrations but also lower lignin
      contents. All leaf litters released high amounts of chemical elements during the
      leaching process, especially potassium and magnesium, and, in a lesser extent,
      phosphorus, calcium, and trace metals (copper, cadmium, and zinc but not lead).
      Toxicity tests revealed that the most important toxic effects measured on G.
      fossarum were due to leaf litter leachates by themselves, whatever the origin of
      litter (from polluted or control sites), confirming the toxicity of such
      substances, probably due to their high content in phenolic compounds. Small
      additional toxic effects of leachates from contaminated leaf litters were only
      evidenced on gammarid lipid peroxidation, indicating that contaminated leaf
      litter leachates might be slightly more toxic than uncontaminated ones, but in a
      very reduced manner. Further studies will be required to verify if these patterns
      are generalizable to other species and to investigate the effects of contaminated
      leaf litter ingestion by consumers on aquatic food webs. Nevertheless, our
      results do not permit to exclude potential chronic effects of an exposure to
      contaminated leaf litter leachates in aquatic ecosystems.

PMID- 28624947
TI  - Physiological and molecular responses of the earthworm Eisenia fetida to
      polychlorinated biphenyl contamination in soil.
AB  - Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of man-made organic compounds
      ubiquitously present in the biosphere. In this study, we evaluated the toxic
      effects of different concentrations of PCBs in two natural soils (i.e. red soil
      and fluvo-aquic soil) on the earthworm Eisenia fetida. The parameters
      investigated included anti-oxidative response, genotoxic potential, weight
      variation and biochemical responses of the earthworm exposed to two different
      types of soils spiked with PCBs after 7 or 14 days of exposure. Earthworms had
      significantly lower weights in both soils after PCB exposure. PCBs significantly
      increased catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and guaiacol peroxidase
      (POD) activity in earthworms exposed to either soil type for 7 or 14 days and
      decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in earthworms exposed to red soil for
      14 days. Of the enzymes examined, SOD activity was the most sensitive to PCB
      stress. In addition, PCB exposure triggered dose-dependent coelomocyte DNA
      damage, even at the lowest concentration tested. This response was relatively
      stable between different soils. Three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed
      that the weight variation, anti-oxidant enzyme activities, and MDA contents were
      significantly correlated with exposure concentration or exposure duration (P <
      0.01). Furthermore, weight variation, CAT activity, and SOD activity were
      significantly affected by soil type (P < 0.01). Therefore, the soil type and
      exposure time influence the toxic effects of PCBs, and these factors should be
      considered when selecting responsive biomarkers.

PMID- 28624949
TI  - Designing more engaging computer-tailored physical activity behaviour change
      interventions for breast cancer survivors: lessons from the iMove More for Life
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Participating in regular physical activity is a recommended cancer
      recovery strategy for breast cancer survivors. However, tailored support services
      are not widely available and most survivors are insufficiently active to obtain
      health benefits. Delivering tailored programs via the Internet offers one
      promising approach. However, recent evaluations of such programs suggest that
      major improvements are needed to ensure programs meet the needs of users and are
      delivered in an engaging way. Understanding participants' experiences with
      current programs can help to inform the next generation of systems. PURPOSE: The
      purposes of this study are to explore breast cancer survivor's perspectives of
      and experiences using a novel computer-tailored intervention and to describe
      recommendations for future iterations. METHODS: Qualitative data from a sub
      sample of iMove More for Life study participants were analysed thematically to
      identify key themes. Participants long-term goals for participating in the
      program were explored by analysing open-ended data extracted from action plans
      completed during the intervention (n = 370). Participants negative and positive
      perceptions of the website and recommendations for improvement were explored
      using data extracted from open-ended survey items collected at the immediate
      intervention follow-up (n = 156). RESULTS: The majority of participants reported
      multi-faceted goals, consisting of two or more outcomes they hoped to achieve
      within a year. While clear themes were identified (e.g. 'being satisfied with
      body weight'), there was considerable variability in the scope of the goal (e.g.
      desired weight loss ranged from 2 to 30 kg). Participants' perceptions of the
      website were mixed, but clear indications were provided of how intervention
      content and structure could be improved. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insight
      into how to better accommodate breast cancer survivors in the future and
      ultimately design more engaging computer-tailored interventions.

PMID- 28624950
TI  - A transient ischemic attack mimic.

PMID- 28624951
TI  - Prefoveal floaters as a differential diagnosis to optic neuritis: "mouches
      dormantes".
AB  - This case series describes a new optical coherence tomography (OCT) specific
      observation relevant to the differential diagnosis of patients with suspected
      optic neuritis. A tiny prefoveal floater, only detectable by OCT, was found
      responsible for the symptoms in three patients, one of whom had been referred
      with unilateral delayed visual evoked potentials. This case series suggests that
      with increased use of OCT in routine clinical care, entoptic phenomena can be
      demonstrated as a relevant differential diagnosis to optic neuritis. Patients
      should be explained the benign nature of their symptoms.

PMID- 28624953
TI  - Genome-wide analysis of differential DNA methylation in Silver-Russell syndrome.
AB  - Silver-Russell Syndrome (SRS) is clinically heterogeneous disorder characterized
      by low birth weight, postnatal growth restriction, and variable dysmorphic
      features. Current evidence strongly implicates imprinted genes as an important
      etiology of SRS. Although almost half of the patients showed DNA hypomethylation
      at the H19/IGF2 imprinted domain, and approximately 7%-10% of SRS patients have
      maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 (UPD (7) mat); the rest of the SRS
      patients shows unknown etiology. In this study, we investigate whether there are
      further DNA methylation defects in SRS patients. We measured DNA methylation in
      seven SRS patients and five controls at more than 485,000 CpG sites using DNA
      methylation microarrays. We analyzed methylation changes genome-wide and
      identified the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) using bisulfite
      sequencing and digital PCR. Our analysis identifies epimutations at the
      previously characterized domains of H19/IGF2, providing proof of principle that
      our methodology can detect the changes in DNA methylation at imprinted loci. In
      addition, our results showed a novel SRS associated imprinted gene OSBPL5 located
      on chromosome 11p14 with the probe cg25963939, which is hypomethylated in 4/7
      patients (P=0.023, beta=-0.243). We also report DMRs in other genes including
      TGFbeta3, HSF1, GAP43, NOTCH4 and MYH14. These DMRs were found to be associated
      with SRS using GO pathway analysis. In this study, we identified the probe
      cg25963939, located at the 5'UTR of imprinted gene OSBPL5, as a novel DMR that is
      associated with SRS. This finding provides new insights into the mechanism of SRS
      etiology and aid the further stratification of SRS patients by molecular
      phenotypes.

PMID- 28624952
TI  - Endocrine functions of the renal interstitium.
AB  - This review aims to summarize the knowledge about the sensor and endocrine
      response functions of resident interstitial cells of the kidney. By the
      production of renin, erythropoietin and arachidonate metabolites (medullipin)
      subsets of renal interstitial fibroblasts and pericytes in different kidney zones
      play a central role in salt, blood pressure and oxygen homeostasis of the body.
      Common to these endocrine functions is that their regulation mainly occurs by
      (de)recruitment of active cells.

PMID- 28624954
TI  - AR mutations in 28 patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome (Prader grade 0
      3).
AB  - We investigated the androgen receptor (AR) gene mutation profiles of Chinese
      patients exhibiting severe androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) phenotypes. The
      present study enrolled 28 patients with genetically diagnosed AIS, who presented
      with severe phenotypes (Prader grade 0-3). Patients and some family members were
      screened via amplification and sequencing of their AR exons 1-8, including the
      corresponding intronic flanking regions. Luteinizing (LH), follicle-stimulating
      (FSH), and testosterone (T) hormone levels were found to be slightly, but not
      significantly, higher in patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome
      (CAIS) than in patients with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS)
      (P>0.05). We identified 24 different AR mutations, including 12 that were novel.
      Ten patients (cases 2, 3, 10, 28, 11, 12, 19, 20, 24, and 25) were found to carry
      five recurrent mutations (p.Y572S, p.P914S, p.S176R, p.Y782N, and p.R841H); of
      these, p.Y572S, p.S176R, and p.Y782N were novel. Among the mutations identified
      in patients with CAIS, six (66.7%) were characterized as single-nucleotide
      missense mutations, and six (66.7%) were found to be located in the AR ligand
      binding domain (LBD). Among the mutations identified in patients with PAIS, 15
      (93.8%) were found to be missense, and 11 (68.8%) were found to be located in the
      LBD. Patients 10 and 28 were determined to harbor the same missense mutation
      (p.P914S), but were diagnosed with CAIS and PAIS, respectively. Sex hormone
      levels were slightly, but not significantly, elevated in patients with CAIS
      compared to those with PAIS. Missense mutations spanning AR exons 1-8 were the
      predominant form of identified mutations, and these were mostly located in the AR
      LBD. Approximately 50% of the identified mutations were novel, and have enriched
      the AR gene-mutation database. Patients harboring identical mutations were in
      some instances found to exhibit divergent phenotypes.

PMID- 28624955
TI  - Presynaptic inhibition of nociceptive neurotransmission by somatosensory neuron
      secreted suppressors.
AB  - Noxious stimuli cause pain by activating cutaneous nociceptors. The Adelta- and C
      fibers of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons convey the nociceptive signals to
      the laminae I-II of spinal cord. In the dorsal horn of spinal cord, the
      excitatory afferent synaptic transmission is regulated by the inhibitory
      neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid and modulators such as opioid peptides
      released from the spinal interneurons, and by serotonin, norepinepherine and
      dopamine from the descending inhibitory system. In contrast to the accumulated
      evidence for these central inhibitors and their neural circuits in the dorsal
      spinal cord, the knowledge about the endogenous suppressive mechanisms in
      nociceptive DRG neurons remains very limited. In this review, we summarize our
      recent findings of the presynaptic suppressive mechanisms in nociceptive neurons,
      the BNP/NPR-A/PKG/BKCa channel pathway, the FSTL1/alpha1Na+-K+ ATPase pathway and
      the activin C/ERK pathway. These endogenous suppressive systems in the
      mechanoheat nociceptors may also contribute differentially to the mechanisms of
      nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain or inflammation-induced pain.

PMID- 28624956
TI  - DICER1 mutations in twelve Chinese patients with pleuropulmonary blastoma.
AB  - Our aim is to examine the impact of DICER1 mutations on the pathogenesis of
      pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) by evaluating the mutation frequency and
      investigating the family history of Chinese patients with PPB. The family
      histories of 12 children with PPB recruited consecutively were surveyed. Blood
      samples from patients and their first-degree relatives were tested for DICER1
      mutations. Whole-genome sequencing of blood samples and formalin-fixed and
      paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue was performed in one family with twins.
      Twelve patients with PPB included six type II and six type III cases. Seven of
      the 12 patients harbored DICER1 mutations, six of which were frameshift or
      nonsense mutations. Another case carried a germline DICER1 mutation affecting the
      splice site. FFPE sample had a nonsense mutation in TDG and missense mutations in
      DICER1. In addition, two cases with DICER1 mutations were found to have lung
      cysts preceding the diagnosis of PPB. Furthermore, one patient had a family
      history remarkable for thyroid diseases. Our results indicate that the germline
      mutation frequency in Chinese patients with PPB is similar to the ones reported
      for patients from USA, UK, and Japan. Moreover, our study strongly suggests that
      investigating the family history and detecting germline DICER1 mutations might be
      of benefit to increasing awareness and improving the accuracy of the differential
      diagnosis of PPB from non-malignant lung cysts.

PMID- 28624957
TI  - Detection of mycobacterial and viral DNA in Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: an analysis
      of 153 Chinese pediatric cases.

PMID- 28624958
TI  - Whole-exome sequencing identified compound heterozygous variants in MMKS in a
      Chinese pedigree with Bardet-Biedl syndrome.
AB  - Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized
      by retinal dystrophy, polydactyly, obesity, developmental delay, and renal
      defects. At least 21 candidate BBS-associated genes (BBS1-19, NPHP1, and IFT172)
      have previously been identified, and all of them play important roles in ciliary
      function. Here, we collected a BBS pedigree with four members and performed whole
      exome sequencing on the proband. The variants were analyzed and evaluated to
      confirm their pathogenicity. We found compound heterozygous variants (c.1192C>T,
      p.Q398* and c.1175C>T, p.T392M) in MKKS in both the siblings, and these were
      likely to be pathogenic variants. We also found a missense variant (c.2029G>C,
      p.E677Q) in NPHP1 and a missense variant (c.2470C>T, p.R824C) in BBS9 in the
      proband only, which are variants of uncertain significance. The compound
      heterozygous variants were probably responsible for the BBS phenotype in this
      Chinese pedigree and the missense mutations in NPHP1 and BBS9 might contribute to
      the mutation load.

PMID- 28624959
TI  - Systematic Review of Diagnostic Criteria Used in Atopic Dermatitis Randomized
      Controlled Trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Numerous diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis are used in
      clinical trials, which may limit comparison of results. OBJECTIVE: We sought to
      determine the most commonly used atopic dermatitis diagnostic criteria in
      randomized controlled trials internationally. METHODS: We performed a systematic
      review of randomized controlled trials with a pharmacological intervention from
      2007 to 2016. Cochrane Library, EMBASE, GREAT, LILACS, MEDLINE, and Scopus were
      searched. Two authors independently performed the study selection and data
      extraction. RESULTS: Two hundred and twelve randomized controlled trials met
      inclusion/exclusion criteria. Overall, ten different diagnostic criteria were
      used. The Hanifin and Rajka criteria were most commonly used (41.0%), followed by
      the UK refinement of the Hanifin and Rajka criteria (9.0%), Japanese
      Dermatological Association criteria (4.2%), and American Academy of Dermatology
      criteria (3.8%). No diagnostic criteria were specified in 37.3% of randomized
      controlled trials. The Hanifin and Rajka criteria were the most commonly used
      atopic dermatitis diagnostic criteria in clinical trials of topical and systemic
      interventions, across all years between 2007 and 2016, in pediatric and adult
      populations, in most countries and regions internationally. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results highlight the lack of uniformity and documentation of atopic dermatitis
      diagnostic criteria in randomized controlled trials for atopic dermatitis. We
      recommend harmonizing the diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitis in future
      randomized controlled trials.

PMID- 28624960
TI  - Drug-Induced Pyoderma Gangrenosum: A Review.
AB  - Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare neutrophilic dermatosis that may be caused by
      an adverse drug reaction. We discuss the clinical presentation and outcomes of 52
      cases of drug-induced PG reported to date in the literature. We conducted our
      literature search for case reports of drug-induced PG using keywords on PubMed
      and Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms on MEDLINE and EMBASE. To assess the
      probability that each case of PG was related to drug therapy, we used the Naranjo
      criteria. We identified 44 studies in the literature, with a total of 52 cases of
      drug-induced PG. The mean Naranjo score for cocaine-induced PG (n = 13) was 9.4,
      indicating a definite adverse drug reaction, while the mean Naranjo scores for
      isotretinoin (n = 5), propylthiouracil (n = 5), and sunitinib (n = 5) were 6.2,
      6.8, and 7.4, respectively, indicating probable adverse drug reactions. Drugs
      should be considered as a possible triggering event whenever PG is diagnosed, and
      clinicians should particularly consider this in patients taking isotretinoin,
      propylthiouracil, or sunitinib, as well as in patients with a history of cocaine
      use.

PMID- 28624961
TI  - Phenotypic and functional characterization of T cells in white matter lesions of
      multiple sclerosis patients.
AB  - T cells are considered pivotal in the pathology of multiple sclerosis (MS), but
      their function and antigen specificity are unknown. To unravel the role of T
      cells in MS pathology, we performed a comprehensive analysis on T cells recovered
      from paired blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), normal-appearing white matter
      (NAWM) and white matter lesions (WML) from 27 MS patients with advanced disease
      shortly after death. The differentiation status of T cells in these compartments
      was determined by ex vivo flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. T-cell
      reactivity in short-term T-cell lines (TCL), generated by non-specific
      stimulation of T cells recovered from the same compartments, was determined by
      intracellular cytokine flow cytometry. Central memory T cells predominated in CSF
      and effector memory T cells were enriched in NAWM and WML. WML-derived CD8+ T
      cells represent chronically activated T cells expressing a cytotoxic effector
      phenotype (CD95L and granzyme B) indicative for local antigenic stimulation
      (CD137). The same lesions also contained higher CD8+ T-cell frequencies
      expressing co-inhibitory (TIM3 and PD1) and co-stimulatory (ICOS) T-cell
      receptors, yet no evidence for T-cell senescence (CD57) was observed. The
      oligoclonal T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, particularly among CD8+ T cells,
      correlated between TCL generated from anatomically separated WML of the same MS
      patient, but not between paired NAWM and WML. Whereas no substantial T-cell
      reactivity was detected towards seven candidate human MS-associated autoantigens
      (cMSAg), brisk CD8+ T-cell reactivity was detected in multiple WML-derived TCL
      towards autologous Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infected B cells (autoBLCL). In one
      MS patient, the T-cell response towards autoBLCL in paired intra-lesional TCL was
      dominated by TCRVbeta2+CD8+ T cells, which were localized in the parenchyma of
      the respective tissues expressing a polarized TCR and CD8 expression suggesting
      immunological synapse formation in situ. Collectively, the data suggest the
      involvement of effector memory cytotoxic T cells recognizing antigens expressed
      by autoBLCL, but not the assayed human cMSAg, in WML of MS patients.

PMID- 28624962
TI  - The Scope and Nature of Reading Comprehension Impairments in School-Aged Children
      with Higher-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - This study of 8-16-year-olds was designed to test the hypothesis that reading
      comprehension impairments are part of the social communication phenotype for many
      higher-functioning students with autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). Students with
      HFASD (n = 81) were compared to those with high attention-deficit/hyperactivity
      disorder symptomatology (ADHD; n = 39), or typical development (TD; n = 44), on a
      comprehensive battery of oral language, word recognition, and reading
      comprehension measures. Results indicated that students with HFASD performed
      significantly lower on the majority of the reading and language tasks as compared
      to TD and ADHD groups. Structural equation models suggested that greater ASD
      symptomatology was related to poorer reading comprehension outcomes; further
      analyses suggested that this relation was mediated by oral language skills.

PMID- 28624963
TI  - Quality of Life in Parents of Young Adults with ASD: EpiTED Cohort.
AB  - The impact of ASD on parental QOL was evaluated in the EpiTED cohort study at
      early adulthood. Two-third of parents of young adults with ASD (66.7%) reported
      that their QoL was at least moderately altered. The perceived impact of ASD on
      parental QoL was related to the young adults' level of adaptive skills, as well
      as to symptom severity and the presence of challenging behaviors, which appeared
      to be the main risk factor. The study of change between adolescence and early
      adulthood showed that parents whose children had a decrease in challenging
      behaviors perceived a decreased impact on their QoL. These results argue for the
      importance to propose specific interventions to target associated challenging
      behaviors in ASD.

PMID- 28624964
TI  - Relations Between Executive Functions, Social Impairment, and Friendship Quality
      on Adjustment Among High Functioning Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - High functioning adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have
      adjustment difficulties, specifically loneliness and depression. To better
      understand contributing factors, the current study evaluated associations between
      several Executive Function (EF) domains, social impairment, and friendship
      quality on depressive symptoms and loneliness in this population. Participants
      included 127 high functioning ASD adolescents and a parent/caregiver. Results
      indicated significant levels of parent-reported EF impairment which were
      positively correlated with increased levels of loneliness and depressive
      symptoms. Social impairment was identified as a significant mediator between all
      studied EF domains and adjustment, while friendship quality only partially
      mediated the relation between emotional control and loneliness. These results
      have implications for treatments focusing both on social skills and adjustment in
      adolescents with ASD.

PMID- 28624965
TI  - Talking About Death or Suicide: Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in Youth with
      Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Psychiatric Inpatient Setting.
AB  - Little is known about suicidal ideation in youth with autism spectrum disorder
      (ASD), making it difficult to identify those at heightened risk. This study
      describes the prevalence of thoughts about death and suicide in 107 verbal youth
      with ASD with non-verbal IQ >55, assessed during inpatient psychiatric admission.
      Per parent report, 22% of youth with ASD had several day periods when they talked
      about death or suicide "often," or "very often." Clinical correlates included the
      presence of a comorbid mood (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.12-6.55) or anxiety disorder (OR
      2.32, 95% CI 1.10-4.93). The results suggest a need for developmentally
      appropriate suicide risk screening measures in ASD. Reliable detection of
      suicidal thoughts in this high-risk population will inform suicide prevention
      strategies.

PMID- 28624969
TI  - Movement timing and cognitive control: adult-age differences in multi-tasking.
AB  - Over the course of six sessions, 24 young (M = 19.40 years, SD 1.61) and 24 older
      participants (M = 71.48 years, SD 3.86) performed simple, repetitive tapping
      tasks at 300 and 600 ms target durations concurrently with two cognitive tasks
      under non-switch or switch conditions. Despite substantial improvements, over
      sessions, reliable switch costs remained, which were pronounced in older adults.
      Young and older adults alike showed increased drift in the tapping tasks under
      dual-task conditions. Under dual-task non-switch conditions, older adults
      maintained the same timing accuracy (variability) as in the single-task
      condition. However, variability increased when concurrent cognitive task-set
      switching was required, while young adults even improved timing accuracy relative
      to the single-task condition. Being at odds with extant models of timing, our
      findings demonstrate that control of simple repetitive movements is far from
      automatic even at intervals below 1 s. Interference with timing in older adults
      is not caused by multi-tasking per se, but depends on the cognitive control
      demands of the concurrent task. We argue that our findings suggest a critical
      role of cognitive control processes for the maintenance of representations of
      target durations during interval production. This hypothesis received further
      support from patterns of local interference in the timing of individual
      intervals.

PMID- 28624968
TI  - Do Cancer Cell Lines Have Fixed or Fluctuating Stem Cell Phenotypes? - Studies
      with the NTera2 Cell Line.
AB  - One of the important questions when studying established cancer cell lines is
      whether such cells contain a subpopulation of primitive cancer stem cells that
      maintains the expansion of the cell line. To address this issue, we performed
      studies on the established human embryonal carcinoma cell line NTera2 by
      evaluating the potential stemness of cells sorted according to their expression
      of the cell surface stem cell markers CD133 and SSEA4. By performing in vitro and
      in vivo assays, we observed different properties of cells expressing both, one,
      or neither of these antigens. While sorted SSEA4+ subpopulations exhibited the
      greatest propensity for migration toward normal serum and the highest seeding
      efficiency in the lungs of immunodeficient mice, CD133-SSEA4- cells displayed
      high seeding efficiency to the bone marrow after injection in vivo. It is worth
      noting that these properties did not depend on the size of the evaluated cells.
      To address the question of whether cancer stem cell phenotypes in cell lines are
      fixed or fluctuating, we sorted single cells according to their expression of
      CD133 and SSEA4 antigens and observed that cells which did not express these
      cancer stem cell markers gave rise to cells that express these markers after
      expansion in vitro. Therefore, our results support the idea that within
      established cancer cell lines, the phenotype of the cell subpopulation expressing
      cancer stem cell markers is not fixed but fluctuates during cell line expansion,
      and cells negative for these markers may acquire their expression.

PMID- 28624967
TI  - Routes and machinery of primary cilium biogenesis.
AB  - Primary cilia are solitary, microtubule-based protrusions of the cell surface
      that play fundamental roles as photosensors, mechanosensors and biochemical
      sensors. Primary cilia dysfunction results in a long list of developmental and
      degenerative disorders that combine to give rise to a large spectrum of human
      diseases affecting almost any major body organ. Depending on the cell type,
      primary ciliogenesis is initiated intracellularly, as in fibroblasts, or at the
      cell surface, as in renal polarized epithelial cells. In this review, we have
      focused on the routes of primary ciliogenesis placing particular emphasis on the
      recently described pathway in renal polarized epithelial cells by which the
      midbody remnant resulting from a previous cell division event enables the
      centrosome for initiation of primary cilium assembly. The protein machinery
      implicated in primary cilium formation in epithelial cells, including the
      machinery best known for its involvement in establishing cell polarity and
      polarized membrane trafficking, is also discussed.

PMID- 28624970
TI  - Cardiovascular implantable electronic devices: a review of the dangers and
      difficulties in MR scanning and attempts to improve safety.
AB  - : An increasing number of patients are being treated with cardiovascular
      implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), many of which are MR conditional. There
      is a lack of literature on the safe scanning of MR conditional CIEDs. This review
      article discusses MR imaging safety in patients with implanted CIEDs. Guidelines
      on safe use and indications of imaging patients with MR conditional CIEDs are
      described, followed by a pictorial essay of the radiographic features of these
      devices. We also discuss the challenges of monitoring the patient in the MR
      environment, advances in MRI conditional imaging of devices, availability,
      limitations and workflow including vendor-specific and other collaborative
      efforts to simplify the scanning process. Radiologists must be able to facilitate
      the safe utilization of MR imaging in patients who have CIEDs. A thorough
      knowledge of the hazards of imaging non-MR compatible devices is required as well
      as knowing how to correctly identify and manage the imaging of patients with MR
      conditional CIEDs. Finally, we propose steps required to facilitate the safe
      scanning of patients with MR conditional CIEDs adopted in our institution and a
      contingency plan in the event that an inadvertent MR scan of a patient with a MRI
      unsafe CIED should occur. MAIN MESSAGES: * Risks of MR imaging in patients who
      have CIEDs have been worked around. * There are many technical limitations in
      enabling safe MR scanning of CIEDs. * Radiological identification of MRI
      conditional status of CIEDs is useful. * Standardizing conditions for safe MRI
      scanning is important. * We offer example algorithms for facilitating safe MRI
      scanning of CIEDs.

PMID- 28624966
TI  - Molecular mechanisms underlying Th1-like Treg generation and function.
AB  - Since their 're-discovery' more than two decades ago, FOXP3+ regulatory T cells
      (Tregs) have been an important subject of investigation in the biomedical field
      and our understanding of the mechanisms that drive their phenotype and function
      in health and disease has advanced tremendously. During the past few years it has
      become clear that Tregs are not a terminally differentiated population but show
      some degree of plasticity, and can, under specific environmental conditions,
      acquire the phenotype of effector T cells. In particular, recent works have
      highlighted the acquisition of a Th1-like phenotype by Tregs in several
      pathological environments. In this review we give an update on the concept of
      Treg plasticity and the advances in defining the molecular mechanisms that
      underlie the generation of Th1-like Tregs during an immune response and in
      different disease settings.

PMID- 28624971
TI  - ExcelAutomat: a tool for systematic processing of files as applied to quantum
      chemical calculations.
AB  - The processing of the input and output files of quantum chemical calculations
      often necessitates a spreadsheet as a key component of the workflow. Spreadsheet
      packages with a built-in programming language editor can automate the steps
      involved and thus provide a direct link between processing files and the
      spreadsheet. This helps to reduce user-interventions as well as the need to
      switch between different programs to carry out each step. The ExcelAutomat tool
      is the implementation of this method in Microsoft Excel (MS Excel) using the
      default Visual Basic for Application (VBA) programming language. The code in
      ExcelAutomat was adapted to work with the platform-independent open-source
      LibreOffice Calc, which also supports VBA. ExcelAutomat provides an interface
      through the spreadsheet to automate repetitive tasks such as merging input files,
      splitting, parsing and compiling data from output files, and generation of unique
      filenames. Selected extracted parameters can be retrieved as variables which can
      be included in custom codes for a tailored approach. ExcelAutomat works with
      Gaussian files and is adapted for use with other computational packages including
      the non-commercial GAMESS. ExcelAutomat is available as a downloadable MS Excel
      workbook or as a LibreOffice workbook.

PMID- 28624972
TI  - SBS symptoms in relation to dampness and ventilation in inspected single-family
      houses in Sweden.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships between symptoms compatible with the
      sick building syndrome (SBS) in adults and building dampness and ventilation in
      single-family houses. METHODS: Within the Swedish BETSI study, a national sample
      of single-family houses were inspected by professional building experts, and
      adults living in the houses answered a questionnaire on SBS. Relationships
      between building factors and SBS were analysed using logistic regression.
      RESULTS: Of the respondents, 23% reported having had weekly SBS symptoms during
      the last three months. A large proportion of houses exhibited building or
      construction problems. In total, 40% of houses had dampness problems in the
      foundation, and this was related to a higher prevalence of both mucous and dermal
      symptoms, and any SBS symptoms. Furthermore, high air humidity was related to
      more symptoms, with the relationship with absolute humidity being stronger than
      that with relative humidity or moisture load. Symptoms were also more prevalent
      in houses with a high U value, reflecting a poor thermal insulation. Compared to
      natural ventilation, living in a house with mechanical supply and exhaust
      ventilation was related to a lower prevalence of general symptoms and any SBS
      symptoms, but there were only weak associations between measured air exchange
      rate and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of single-family houses have
      dampness problems in the foundation, and pollutants may enter the living space of
      the house and affect the health of the occupants. Furthermore, absolute air
      humidity should be measured more often in indoor air studies.

PMID- 28624973
TI  - Gracilibacillus aidingensis sp. nov., a novel moderately halophilic bacterium
      isolated from Aiding salt lake.
AB  - A novel Gram-positive, aerobe, moderately halophilic bacterium was isolated from
      saline soil of Aiding lake in Xinjiang, north-west of China, designated strain
      YIM 98001T. Cells were rod-shaped, motile and grew at 5-20% (w/v) NaCl (optimum
      10%), pH 6-10 (optimum pH 7.0) and 4-45  degrees C (optimum 37  degrees C). The
      major cellular fatty acids were anteiso C15:0, anteiso C17:0, iso C15:0. The
      predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. Diphosphatidylglycerol,
      phosphatidylglycerol, phosphoglycolipid were the major polar lipids. Meso
      diaminopimelic acid was the diagnostic diamino acid of the cell-wall
      peptidoglycan. The G+C content was 36.46 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis
      showed that the strain belongs to the family Bacillaceae, with the highest
      sequence similarity to the type strain Gracilibacillus thailandensis TP2-8T
      (96.84%), followed by Gracilibacillus saliphilus YIM 91119T (96.78%) and
      Gracilibacillus ureilyticus MF38T (96.57%), thus confirming the affiliation of
      strain YIM 98001T to the genus Gracilibacillus. The polyphasic approach indicates
      that strain YIM 98001T represents a novel species of the genus Gracilibacillus,
      for which the name Gracilibacillus aidingensis is proposed. The type strain is
      YIM 98001T (=KCTC 42683T = DSMZ 104330T).

PMID- 28624974
TI  - Radiological Response to the Locoregional Treatment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma:
      RECIST, mRECIST, and Others.

PMID- 28624975
TI  - Deleterious acute and chronic effects of bradycardic right ventricular apex
      pacing: consequences for arrhythmic outcome.
AB  - In the chronic complete atrioventricular (AV) block dog (CAVB) model, both
      bradycardia and altered ventricular activation due to the uncontrolled
      idioventricular rhythm contribute to ventricular remodeling and the enhanced
      susceptibility to Torsade de Pointes (TdP) arrhythmias. We investigated the
      effect of permanent bradycardic right ventricular apex (RVA) pacing on mechanical
      and electrical remodeling and TdP. In 23 anesthetized dogs, serial experiments
      were performed at sinus rhythm (SR), acutely after AV block (AAVB) and 3 weeks of
      remodeling CAVB at a fixed pacing rate of 60/min. ECG, and left (LV) and right
      ventricular (RV) monophasic action potentials durations (MAPD) were recorded;
      activation time (AT) and activation recovery interval (ARI) were determined from
      ten distinct LV electrograms; interventricular mechanical delay (IVMD) and time
      to-peak strain (TTP) of the LV septal and lateral wall (DeltaTTP: lateral wall
      minus septal wall) were obtained echocardiographically. Dofetilide (25 MUg/kg/5
      min) was infused to study TdP inducibility. In baseline AAVB, in comparison to
      SR, RVA bradypacing acutely increased QT interval, LV, and RVMAPD.
      Echocardiographic IVMD and DeltaTTP were initially increased, which was partially
      corrected after 3 weeks of RVA pacing (IVMD: 22 +/- 13 vs. 42 +/- 11 vs. 31 +/- 6
      ms; DeltaTTP: -2 +/- 47 vs. -114 +/- 38 vs. -36 +/- 22 ms). QT interval (362 +/-
      23 vs. 373 +/- 29 ms), LVMAPD (245 +/- 18 vs. 253 +/- 22 ms), RVMAPD (226 +/- 26
      vs. 238 +/- 31 ms), and mean LV-ARI (268 +/- 5 vs. 267 +/- 6 ms) were not
      significantly changed after 3 weeks of RVA pacing. During AAVB, dofetilide
      increased mean LV-ARI (381 +/- 11 ms) with largest increases in the later
      activated basal areas (slope AT-ARI: +0.96). In contrast with acute RVA pacing, 3
      week pacing increased TdP inducibility (0/13 vs. 11/21) and mean LV-ARI (484 +/-
      18 ms), while the slope of AT-ARI responded differently on dofetilide (-2.37),
      with larger APD increases in the early region. The latter was supported at the
      molecular level: reduced RNA expressions of three repolarization-related ion
      channel genes in early (KCNQ1, KCNH2, and KCNJ2) versus two in late regions
      (KNCQ1 and KCNJ2). In conclusion, bradycardic RVA pacing acutely induced LV intra
      and interventricular mechanical dyssynchrony, which was partially reversed after
      3 weeks of pacing (remodeling). The latter occurred without apparent baseline
      electrical effects. However, dofetilide clearly unmasked (region-specific)
      arrhythmic consequences of remodeling.

PMID- 28624976
TI  - Are Concerns About Irremediableness, Vulnerability, or Competence Sufficient to
      Justify Excluding All Psychiatric Patients from Medical Aid in Dying?
AB  - Some jurisdictions that have decriminalized assisted dying (like Canada) exclude
      psychiatric patients on the grounds that their condition cannot be determined to
      be irremediable, that they are vulnerable and in need of protection, or that they
      cannot be determined to be competent. We review each of these claims and find
      that none have been sufficiently well-supported to justify the differential
      treatment psychiatric patients experience with respect to assisted dying. We find
      bans on psychiatric patients' access to this service amount to arbitrary
      discrimination. Proponents of banning the practice ignore or overlook
      alternatives to their proposal, like an assisted dying regime with additional
      safeguards. Some authors have further criticized assisted dying for psychiatric
      patients by highlighting allegedly problematic practices in those countries which
      allow it. We address recent evidence from the Netherlands, showing that these
      problems are either misrepresented or have straightforward solutions. Even if one
      finds such evidence troubling despite our analysis, other jurisdictions need not
      adopt every feature of the Dutch system.

PMID- 28624977
TI  - Interaction of mammographic breast density with menopausal status and
      postmenopausal hormone use in relation to the risk of aggressive breast cancer
      subtypes.
AB  - PURPOSE: We examined the associations of mammographic breast density with breast
      cancer risk by tumor aggressiveness and by menopausal status and current
      postmenopausal hormone therapy. METHODS: This study included 2596 invasive breast
      cancer cases and 4059 controls selected from participants of four nested case
      control studies within four established cohorts: the Mayo Mammography Health
      Study, the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and San Francisco
      Mammography Registry. Percent breast density (PD), absolute dense (DA), and non
      dense areas (NDA) were assessed from digitized film-screen mammograms using a
      computer-assisted threshold technique and standardized across studies. We used
      polytomous logistic regression to quantify the associations of breast density
      with breast cancer risk by tumor aggressiveness (defined as presence of at least
      two of the following tumor characteristics: size >=2 cm, grade 2/3, ER-negative
      status, or positive nodes), stratified by menopausal status and current hormone
      therapy. RESULTS: Overall, the positive association of PD and borderline inverse
      association of NDA with breast cancer risk was stronger in aggressive vs. non
      aggressive tumors (>=51 vs. 11-25% OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.94-3.22 vs. OR 2.03, 95% CI
      1.70-2.43, p-heterogeneity = 0.03; NDA 4th vs. 2nd quartile OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41
      0.70 vs. OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.85, p-heterogeneity = 0.07). However, there were
      no differences in the association of DA with breast cancer by aggressive status.
      In the stratified analysis, there was also evidence of a stronger association of
      PD and NDA with aggressive tumors among postmenopausal women and, in particular,
      current estrogen+progesterone users (>=51 vs. 11-25% OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.75-6.00
      vs. OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.25-2.98, p-heterogeneity = 0.01; NDA 4th vs. 2nd quartile
      OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.85 vs. OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89, p-heterogeneity = 0.01),
      even though the interaction was not significant. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest
      that associations of mammographic density with breast cancer risk differ by tumor
      aggressiveness. While there was no strong evidence that these associations
      differed by menopausal status or hormone therapy, they did appear more prominent
      among current estrogen+progesterone users.

PMID- 28624978
TI  - Preferences for breast cancer risk reduction among BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers:
      a discrete-choice experiment.
AB  - PURPOSE: Unaffected women who carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations face difficult
      choices about reducing their breast cancer risk. Understanding their treatment
      preferences could help us improve patient counseling and inform drug trials. The
      objective was to explore preferences for various risk-reducing options among
      women with germline BRCA1/2 mutations using a discrete-choice experiment survey
      and to compare expressed preferences with actual behaviors. METHODS: A discrete
      choice experiment survey was designed wherein women choose between hypothetical
      treatments to reduce breast cancer risk. The hypothetical treatments were
      characterized by the extent of breast cancer risk reduction, treatment duration,
      impact on fertility, hormone levels, risk of uterine cancer, and ease and mode of
      administration. Data were analyzed using a random-parameters logit model. Women
      were also asked to express their preference between surgical and chemoprevention
      options and to report on their actual risk-reduction actions. Women aged 25-55
      years with germline BRCA1/2 mutations who were unaffected with breast or ovarian
      cancer were recruited through research registries at five clinics and a patient
      advocacy group. RESULTS: Between January 2015 and March 2016, 622 women completed
      the survey. Breast cancer risk reduction was the most important consideration
      expressed, followed by maintaining fertility. Among the subset of women who
      wished to have children in future, the ability to maintain fertility was the most
      important factor, followed by the extent of risk reduction. Many more women said
      they would take a chemoprevention drug than had actually taken chemoprevention.
      CONCLUSIONS: Women with BRCA1/2 mutations indicated strong preferences for breast
      cancer risk reduction and maintaining fertility. The expressed desire to have a
      safe chemoprevention drug available to them was not met by current
      chemoprevention options.

PMID- 28624979
TI  - New insights into the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy.
AB  - IgA nephropathy is the most common form of glomerulonephritis in many parts of
      the world and remains an important cause of end-stage renal disease. Current
      evidence suggests that IgA nephropathy is not due to a single pathogenic insult,
      but rather the result of multiple sequential pathogenic "hits". An abnormally
      increased level of circulating poorly O-galactosylated IgA1 and the production of
      O-glycan-specific antibodies leads to the formation of IgA1-containing immune
      complexes, and their subsequent mesangial deposition results in inflammation and
      glomerular injury. While this general framework has formed the foundation of our
      current understanding of the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy, much work is
      ongoing to try to precisely define the genetic, epigenetic, immunological, and
      molecular basis of IgA nephropathy. In particular, the precise origin of poorly O
      galactosylated IgA1 and the inciting factors for the production of O-glycan
      specific antibodies continue to be intensely evaluated. The mechanisms
      responsible for mesangial IgA1 deposition and subsequent renal injury also remain
      incompletely understood. In this review, we summarize the current understanding
      of the key steps involved in the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy. It is hoped
      that further advances in our understanding of this common glomerulonephritis will
      lead to novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and targeted therapies to
      ameliorate disease progression.

PMID- 28624980
TI  - Emerging biomarkers of chronic kidney disease in children.
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a significant public health concern, as
      it is associated with substantial morbidity. Prior research has evaluated
      multiple novel CKD biomarkers to supplement serum creatinine and proteinuria. The
      ultimate goal of this research is to find biomarkers that can be used to
      accurately predict CKD progression and to better time outpatient follow-up, and
      referral for transplant. Also, an optimal panel of biomarkers can augment the
      predictive value of proteinuria and serum creatinine by enriching patient
      enrollment in clinical trials. In this review, we discuss salient findings on 12
      candidate plasma and urine biomarkers and their reported association with CKD. We
      explore the common pathways of CKD progression and the pathophysiologic processes
      of tubulointerstitial injury, inflammation, repair, and fibrosis that are
      potentially classified by specific biomarkers. We describe both pediatric and
      adult findings and highlight the paucity of pediatric research in CKD
      progression. It will be important for cohorts with longitudinal follow-up to
      evaluate these CKD biomarkers for potential use in pediatric clinical trials and
      routine CKD management.

PMID- 28624981
TI  - How best to quantify and express the levels of substances in the urine?

PMID- 28624983
TI  - How to Increase Vaccination Acceptance Among Apostolic Communities: Quantitative
      Results from an Assessment in Three Provinces in Zimbabwe.
AB  - A worldwide increasing trend toward vaccine hesitancy has been reported. Measles
      outbreaks in southern Africa in 2009-2010 were linked to objections originating
      from Apostolic gatherings. Founded in Zimbabwe in the 1950s, the Apostolic church
      has built up a large number of followers with an estimated 3.5 million in
      Zimbabwe in 2014. To inform planning of interventions for the 2015 measles
      rubella vaccination campaign, we assessed vaccination status and knowledge,
      attitudes and practices among purposive samples of Apostolic caregivers in three
      districts each in Harare City, Manicaland and Matabeleland South in Zimbabwe. We
      conducted structured interviews among 97 caregivers of children aged 9-59 months
      and collected vaccination status for 126 children. Main Apostolic affiliations
      were Johanne Marange (53%), Madida (13%) and Gospel of God (11%) with
      considerable variation across assessment areas. The assessment also showed
      considerable variation among Apostolic communities in children ever vaccinated
      (14-100%) and retention of immunization cards (0-83%) of ever vaccinated. Overall
      retention of immunization cards (12%) and documented vaccination status by card
      (fully vaccinated = 6%) were low compared to previously reported measures in the
      general population. Mothers living in monogamous relationships reported over 90%
      of all DTP-HepB-Hib-3, measles and up to date immunizations during the first life
      year documented by immunization card. Results revealed opportunities to educate
      about immunization during utilization of health services other than vaccinations,
      desire to receive information about vaccinations from health personnel, and
      willingness to accept vaccinations when offered outside of regular services.
      Based on the results of the assessment, specific targeted interventions were
      implemented during the vaccination campaign, including an increased number of
      advocacy activities by district authorities. Also, health workers offered ways
      and timing to vaccinate children that catered to the specific situation of
      Apostolic caregivers, including flexible service provision after hours and
      outside of health facilities, meeting locations chosen by caregivers, using
      mobile phones to set up meeting locations, and documentation of vaccination in
      health facilities if home-based records posed a risk for caregivers. Coverage
      survey results indicate that considerable progress has been made since 2010 to
      increase vaccination acceptability among Apostolic communities in Zimbabwe.
      Further efforts will be needed to vaccinate all Apostolic children during routine
      and campaign activities in the country, and the results from our assessment can
      contribute toward this goal.

PMID- 28624984
TI  - The SenhanceTM surgical robotic system ("Senhance") for total hysterectomy in
      obese patients: a pilot study.
AB  - This pilot study was aimed to value the feasibility and safety of Senhance
      Robotic Platform for hysterectomy in obese patients. Ten obese patients (30 < BMI
      < 40) underwent elective Senhance total extrafascial hysterectomy with bilateral
      salpingo-oophorectomy at the Division of Gynecologic Oncology of "Policlinico A.
      Gemelli" Foundation, Rome, Italy. Perioperative and postoperative outcomes data
      were recorded. The median age was 60 years (range 51-75) and the median BMI was
      33.3 kg/m2 (range 30.4-38.3). The median uterine weight was 112.5 g (range 77
      225). Indication to total hysterectomy was early-stage (FIGO Stage IA)
      endometrial cancer in 100% of patients. The median operative time (OT) was 110
      min (70-200). The median docking time was 10.5 min (5-25). The median estimated
      blood loss was 100 mL (50-200). No conversions to laparotomy were recorded. No
      intra- and 30-day postoperative complications were registered. The median ileus
      was 17 h (12-36) and the median time to discharge was 2 days (1-4). The median
      VAS scores registered at 2, 4, 12, and 24 h were, respectively, 2 (1-3), 2 (1-3),
      4 (1-8), and 3 (1-5). Our study results suggest that Senhance platform could be
      safe for hysterectomy even in obese patients. More clinical data are needed to
      determine whether this approach would offer any additional benefits in a new
      middle line between standard laparoscopy and robotics.

PMID- 28624982
TI  - Towards ageing well: Use it or lose it: Exercise, epigenetics and cognition.
AB  - More and more people are living into the 90s or becoming centenarians. But, the
      gift of increased 'age span' seldom equates with an improved 'health-span'.
      Governments across the world are expressing concern about the epidemic of chronic
      disease, and have responded by initiating policies that make prevention,
      reduction and treatment of chronic disease, a public health priority. But
      understanding, how to age long and well, with the avoidance of chronic disease
      and later life complex disease morbidity is challenging. While inherited genes
      have an undoubted role to play in the chance of maintaining good health or
      conversely a predilection to developing disease and chronic ill health, there is
      increasing evidence that behavioural and environmental life-style choices may
      contribute up to 50% of the variability of human lifespan. Physical exercise is
      readily available to everyone, and is a simple cheap and effective form of life
      style intervention. Exercise appears to help maintain good health and to reduce
      the risk of developing chronic disease and ill health. Evidence suggests that
      physical activity improves well-being across many health domains through out
      life, continues to offer important health benefits in older age groups and tracks
      with a 'healthy ageing' profile. Although many of the molecular pathways remain
      to be fully identified, here we discuss how physical activity and exercise is
      understood to produce changes in the human epigenome, which have the potential to
      enhance cognitive and psychological health, improve muscular fitness, and lead to
      better ageing with improved quality of life in older age.

PMID- 28624986
TI  - Temperature-corrected post-mortem 1.5 T MRI quantification of non-pathologic
      upper abdominal organs.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate if simultaneous temperature
      corrected T1, T2, and proton density (PD) 1.5 T post-mortem MR quantification
      [quantitative post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (QPMMRI)] is feasible for
      characterizing and discerning non-pathologic upper abdominal organs (liver,
      spleen, pancreas, kidney) with regard to varying body temperatures. METHODS:
      QPMMRI was performed on 80 corpses (25 females, 55 males; mean age 56.2 years, SD
      17.2) prior to autopsy. Core body temperature was measured during QPMMRI.
      Quantitative T1, T2, and PD values were measured in the liver, pancreas, spleen,
      and left kidney and temperature corrected to 37  degrees C. Histologic
      examinations were conducted on each measured organ to determine non-pathologic
      organs. Quantitative T1, T2, and PD values of non-pathologic organs were ANOVA
      tested against values of other non-pathologic organ types. RESULTS: Based on
      temperature-corrected quantitative T1, T2, and PD values, ANOVA testing verified
      significant differences between the non-pathologic liver, spleen, pancreas, and
      left kidneys. CONCLUSIONS: Temperature-corrected 1.5 T QPMMRI based on T1, T2,
      and PD values may be feasible for characterization and differentiation of the non
      pathologic liver, spleen, pancreas, and kidney. The results may provide a base
      for future specific pathology diagnosis of upper abdominal organs in post-mortem
      imaging.

PMID- 28624985
TI  - DUSP1 and KCNJ2 mRNA upregulation can serve as a biomarker of mechanical asphyxia
      induced death in cardiac tissue.
AB  - The incidence of death by asphyxia is second to the incidence of death by
      mechanical injury; however, death by mechanical asphyxia may be difficult to
      prove in court, particularly in cases in which corpses do not exhibit obvious
      signs of asphyxia. To identify a credible biomarker of asphyxia, we first
      examined the expression levels of 47,000 mRNAs in human cardiac tissue specimens
      from individuals who died of mechanical asphyxia and compared the expression
      levels with the levels of the corresponding mRNAs in specimens from individuals
      who died of craniocerebral injury using microarray. We selected 119
      differentially expressed mRNAs, examined the expression levels of these mRNAs in
      44 human cardiac tissue specimens of individuals who died of mechanical asphyxia,
      craniocerebral injury, hemorrhagic shock, or other causes. That the expression of
      dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) and potassium voltage-gated channel
      subfamily J member 2 (KCNJ2) was upregulated in human cardiac tissues from the
      mechanical asphyxia group compared with control tissues, regardless of age,
      environmental temperature, and postmortem interval (PMI), indicating that DUSP1
      and KCNJ2 may be associated with mechanical asphyxia-induced death and can thus
      serve as useful biomarkers of death by mechanical asphyxia.

PMID- 28624987
TI  - Congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Central Germany: an underestimated risk.
AB  - PURPOSE: This is the first study to determine the cytomegalovirus (CMV)
      seronegativity rate for women of childbearing age in Saxony-Anhalt and to
      determine the prevalence of clinically relevant congenital CMV (cCMV) infection
      in Central Germany, because there are no valid data available. METHODS: The
      retrospective study was undertaken between January 2005 and December 2015. For
      the first time in Germany, the following seven data sources were used to analyze
      the prevalence of clinically relevant cCMV infection and the rate of CMV
      seronegative women of childbearing age: CMV Screening in maternity unit,
      University Women's Hospital, Social Paediatrics Centre (SPC), Malformation
      Monitoring Centre (MMC), Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS), Neonatal Intensive Care
      Unit (NICU), and In-house Doctor Department. Key parameters were anti-CMV IgG and
      IgM, CMV PCR of urine, and clinically relevant symptoms caused by CMV. RESULTS:
      Between 46 and 52% of women of childbearing age were CMV seronegative. The
      prevalence of clinically relevant cCMV infection was between 0.008 and 0.04%.
      CONCLUSIONS: The CMV seronegativity rate of women of childbearing age was
      confirmed to be in the middle range of estimated data from other sources in
      Germany. Data from the NICU, SPC, NHS, and MMC show the prevalence of clinically
      relevant cCMV infection. The risk of all cCMV infections is underestimated. Thus,
      the true prevalence of clinically relevant and subclinical cCMV infections is
      >0.04%.

PMID- 28624988
TI  - Mifepristone vs balloon catheter for labor induction in previous cesarean: a
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare oral mifepristone (400 mg) with trans-cervical balloon
      catheter for induction of labor (IOL) in post date women with previous one
      cesarean section (CS). METHODS: In this randomized trial, post date pregnant
      women (gestation 40 weeks 5 days), with previous one low segment CS (no previous
      vaginal delivery) were induced either with oral mifepristone (400 mg) or balloon
      catheter [Foley's catheter (16 Fr); bulb filled with 30 ml normal saline]. They
      were re-assessed 24 and 48 h later. If at any time Bishop Score was >6; amniotomy
      was done, followed by oxytocin infusion. Primary outcome of the study was labor
      onset after first manoeuvre. Secondary outcomes were cervical ripening, need of
      oxytocin, vaginal delivery and CS, in two groups. RESULTS: From June 2012 to
      September 2015, we enrolled 107 women. Out of these, 57 received oral tablet
      mifepristone (400 mg) and 50 were inserted with balloon catheter. Labor onset
      after first manoeuvre was statistically significantly more in mifepristone group
      (37/57 vs. 13/50, respectively; p value 0.000). Bishop Score after 24 h was
      better in balloon catheter (p value 0.000). More women with balloon catheter
      required oxytocin for IOL (37/50 vs. 20/57, respectively; p value 0.000) along
      with higher dose [840 (320) mU vs 560 (120) mU, respectively, p value 0.000].
      Failure of induction was statistically significantly higher in balloon catheter
      group (8 out of 50 vs. 2 out of 57, respectively, p value 0.043). There was no
      statistically significant difference in normal delivery or CS in either group (p
      value 0.242 and 0.331, respectively). CONCLUSION: Oral mifepristone (400 mg) is
      associated with statistically significantly higher incidence of labor onset in
      post date pregnant women with previous one CS, as compared to balloon catheter.
      Both methods are primarily for cervical ripening and oxytocin should not be
      delayed in the absence of onset of labor. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical
      Trials Registry-India, www.ctri.nic.in , CTRI/2012/05/003634.

PMID- 28624990
TI  - Nutrition Literacy among Cancer Survivors: Feasibility Results from the Healthy
      Eating and Living Against Breast Cancer (HEAL-BCa) Study: a Pilot Randomized
      Controlled Trial.
AB  - Knowledge of nutrition among breast cancer patients is insufficient, despite
      their motivation to seek valid information about healthy food choices. This study
      examines the feasibility of nutrition education workshops for cancer survivors,
      to inform the design of a multi-center intervention. Fifty-nine female English
      speaking breast cancer patients, who had completed treatment, were enrolled.
      Participants were randomized to the intervention or control group. The
      intervention group attended six nutrition education sessions, and the control
      group received brochures. Measurements were done at baseline and 3-month follow
      up and included the Assessment Instrument for Breast Cancer (NLit-BCa),
      fruit/vegetable and general health literacy screeners. Height and weight were
      measured. Changes in nutrition literacy, health literacy, and food intake from
      baseline to follow-up (within-group change) were calculated for both groups
      (effect sizes were reported as Cohen's d). Participants were mostly white, with a
      mean age of 58 years, BMI of 31.6 kg/m2, and had college degrees. Follow-up rates
      were high (89% = control and 77% = intervention group). At baseline, participants
      scored high for most NLit-BCa assessment components except food portions in both
      groups. At the 3-month follow-up, effect sizes (d) on the NLit-BCa ranged from 
      0.5 to 0.16. The study met its recruitment goals within 6 months. Focus groups
      indicated that (a) attending six sessions was acceptable, (b) patients found
      social/emotional support, (c) improvements should include information for special
      diets and booster sessions. This pilot study suggests that the intervention was
      acceptable and that scaling up of this intervention is feasible and could provide
      benefit to breast cancer survivors.

PMID- 28624989
TI  - Ponderal index at birth associates with later risk of gestational diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - PURPOSE: Low birth weight (BW) and low ponderal index (PI) are associated with
      increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study has two purposes: first to
      investigate the influence of PI on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus
      (GDM); second, to study the association between glucose metabolism and BW in
      women with previous GDM. METHODS: GDM cohort: 185 women with GDM in 1978-1996,
      attending a follow-up study in 2000-2002. Control cohort: 1137 women from a
      population-based diabetes screening study (Inter99) in a neighbouring county in
      1999-2001. BW and birth length were collected from the original midwifery
      records. BW and PI were stratified into tertiles for analysis. RESULTS: PI in the
      lower tertiles was associated with an increased risk of GDM [odds ratio 1.59 (95%
      confidence interval 1.07-2.36, p = 0.021)]. Among women with previous GDM, the
      area under the curve (AUC) for plasma levels of glucose and insulin during an
      OGTT was highest for the lower tertiles of BW (for AUCglucose p = 0.048, for
      AUCinsulin p = 0.047 adjusted for age and BMI). CONCLUSIONS: Lower PI is
      associated with increased risk of GDM. In women with previous GDM, lower BW is
      associated with a more severe impairment of glucose metabolism one to two decades
      after the pregnancy complicated by GDM.

PMID- 28624991
TI  - A new global and comprehensive model for ICU ventilator performances evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to provide a new global and comprehensive evaluation
      of recent ICU ventilators taking into account both technical performances and
      ergonomics. METHODS: Six recent ICU ventilators were evaluated. Technical
      performances were assessed under two FIO2 levels (100%, 50%), three respiratory
      mechanics combinations (Normal: compliance [C] = 70 mL cmH2O-1/resistance [R] = 5
      cmH2O L-1 s-1; Restrictive: C = 30/R = 10; Obstructive: C = 120/R = 20), four
      exponential levels of leaks (from 0 to 12.5 L min-1) and three levels of
      inspiratory effort (P0.1 = 2, 4 and 8 cmH2O), using an automated test lung.
      Ergonomics were evaluated by 20 ICU physicians using a global and comprehensive
      model involving physiological response to stress measurements (heart rate,
      respiratory rate, tidal volume variability and eye tracking), psycho-cognitive
      scales (SUS and NASA-TLX) and objective tasks completion. RESULTS: Few
      differences in terms of technical performance were observed between devices. Non
      invasive ventilation modes had a huge influence on asynchrony occurrence. Using
      our global model, either objective tasks completion, psycho-cognitive scales
      and/or physiological measurements were able to depict significant differences in
      terms of devices' usability. The level of failure that was observed with some
      devices depicted the lack of adaptation of device's development to end users'
      requests. CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar technical performance, some ICU
      ventilators exhibit low ergonomics performance and a high risk of misusage.

PMID- 28624992
TI  - Compression therapy after ankle fracture surgery: a systematic review.
AB  - PURPOSE: The main purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the effect
      of compression treatment on the perioperative course of ankle fractures and
      describe its effect on edema, pain, ankle joint mobility, wound healing
      complication, length of stay (LOS) and time to surgery (TTS). The aim was to
      suggest a recommendation to clinicians considering implementing compression
      therapy in the standard care of the ankle fracture patient, based on the existing
      literature. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of literature including
      studies concerning adult patients with unstable ankle fractures undergoing
      surgery, testing either intermittent pneumatic compression, compression bandage
      and/or compression stocking and reporting its effect on edema, pain, ankle joint
      mobility, wound healing complication, LOS and TTS. To conclude on data a
      narrative synthesis was performed. RESULTS: The review included eight studies
      (451 patients). Seven studies found a significant effect on edema, two studies
      described a significant reduction in pain, one a positive effect on ankle
      movement, two a positive effect on wound healing, one a reduction in LOS and
      finally two studies reported reduction in TTS. A systematic bias assessment
      showed that the included studies had methodological limitations influencing the
      confidence in the effect estimate. CONCLUSIONS: Compression therapy has a
      beneficial effect on edema reduction and probably a positive effect on pain and
      ankle joint mobility, but with the methodological limitations in the included
      studies it is not possible to make a solid conclusion on the effect on wound
      healing, LOS and TTS.

PMID- 28624994
TI  - Expression of ezrin and moesin in primary breast carcinoma and matched lymph node
      metastases.
AB  - Ezrin, radixin, moesin (ERM) are important membrane-cytoskeletal crosslinkers and
      are suggested to play important role in cancer progression and metastasis. Even
      though ERM proteins were generally considered to be functionally redundant and
      the most studied was ezrin, recent studies highlight their distinct roles in
      metastatic process. Little information is available regarding the role of
      individual ERM proteins and their phosphorylated forms in human breast cancer.
      Our study is the first to examine expression of ezrin, moesin and their
      phosphorylated forms in primary breast tumors and matched lymph node metastases
      (LNMs) and their correlation with clinicopathological variables. A total of 88
      primary breast cancer, 91 LNMs, 54 intraductal carcinoma and 26 normal adjacent
      breast tissue samples from tissue microarrays were studied. Expression was
      determined by immunohistochemistry, the intensity and number of positive cells
      was scored. Statistical analysis of protein expression and patients' age, tumor
      grade and hormonal status was performed. No statistical significant difference
      was found in ezrin, moesin, p-ezrinTyr353 and pan-p
      ezrinThr567/radixinThr564/moesinThr558 expression between primary tumors and
      LNMs. Even though it was not significant, moesin expression varied between
      primary tumors, intraductal carcinoma, normal breast adjacent tissue and LNMs. A
      significant positive correlation between moesin and tumor grade has been proven.
      Even though primary tumors and matched LNMs did not show different expression
      patterns, moesin correlated significantly with higher tumor grade. Its positivity
      in intraductal carcinoma and normal breast tissue adjacent to cancer might
      indicate its role in tumor intiation/progression.

PMID- 28624995
TI  - How does it feel to be a pathology resident? Results of a survey on experiences
      and job satisfaction during pathology residency.
AB  - Residents' career choices and professional motivation can be affected from
      perception of their role and recognition within a medical team as well as their
      educational and workplace experiences. To evaluate pathology trainees'
      perceptions of their pathology residency, we conducted a 42-item survey via a web
      based link questioning respondents' personal and institutional background,
      workplace, training conditions, and job satisfaction level. For the 208 residents
      from different European countries who responded, personal expectations in terms
      of quality of life (53%) and scientific excitement (52%) were the most common
      reasons why they chose and enjoy pathology. Sixty-six percent were satisfied
      about their relationship with other people working in their department, although
      excessive time spent on gross examination appeared less satisfactory. A set
      residency training program (core curriculum), a set annual scientific curriculum,
      and a residency program director existed in the program of 58, 60, and 69%
      respondents, respectively. Most respondents (76%) considered that pathologists
      have a direct and high impact on patient management, but only 32% agreed that
      pathologists cooperate with clinicians/surgeons adequately. Most (95%) found that
      patients barely know what pathologists do. Only 22% considered pathology and
      pathologists to be adequately positioned in their country's health care system.
      Almost 84% were happy to have chosen pathology, describing it as "puzzle
      solving," "a different fascinating world," and "challenging while being crucial
      for patient management." More than two thirds (72%) considered pathology and
      pathologists to face a bright future. However, a noticeable number of respondents
      commented on the need for better physical working conditions, a better organized
      training program, more interaction with experienced pathologists, and deeper
      knowledge on molecular pathology.

PMID- 28624993
TI  - Cancer stem cell marker glycosylation: Nature, function and significance.
AB  - Glycans are essential for the maintenance of normal biological function, with
      alterations in glycan expression being a hallmark of cancer. Cancer stem cells
      (CSCs) are a subset of cells within a tumour capable of self-renewal, cellular
      differentiation and resistances to conventional therapies. As is the case with
      stem cells, marker proteins present on the cell surface are frequently used to
      identify and enrich CSCs, with the expression of these markers statistical
      correlating with the likelihood of cancer recurrence and overall patient
      survival. As such CSC markers are of high clinical relevance. The majority of
      markers currently used to identify CSC populations are glycoproteins, and
      although the diverse biological roles for many of these markers are known, the
      nature and function of the glycan moiety on these glycoproteins remains to be
      fully elucidated. This mini-review summarises our current knowledge regarding the
      types and extent of CSC marker glycosylation, and the various roles that these
      glycans play in CSC biology, including in mediating cell adhesion, metastasis,
      evading apoptosis, tear shear resistance, tumour growth, maintaining
      pluripotency, self-renewal, trafficking, maintaining stability, maintaining
      enzymatic activity and aiding epithelial mesenchymal transitioning. Given that
      CSCs markers have multiple diverse biological functions, and are potentially of
      significant diagnostic and therapeutic benefit the search for new markers that
      are uniquely expressed on CSCs is vital to selectively target/identify this
      subset of cancer cells. As such we have also outlined how high-throughput lectin
      microarrays can be used to successfully profile the glycosylation status of CSC
      and to identify glyco-markers unique to CSCs.

PMID- 28624996
TI  - Exploring the Bioelectrochemical Characteristics of Activated Sludge Using Cyclic
      Voltammetry.
AB  - Due to the potential interest, bioelectrochemical responses of activated sludge
      using the three-electrode system are tested. From the cyclic voltammograms, the
      oxidation current output is increasing due to incubation time increase, whereas
      5, 25 and 39.33 MUA are obtained after 3, 72 and 96 h, respectively. Changing the
      working electrode from glassy carbon to carbon paste led to the increase in the
      electrochemical signal from 0.3 to be 3.72 MUA. On the other hand, the use of the
      lipophilic redox mediator (2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP)) amplified the
      oxidation current to reach 19.9 MUA instead of 2.1 MUA. Based on these findings,
      the mixed microbial community of the activated sludge is exploited as a catalyst
      for the bio-oxidation of the degradable organic substrates, while DCIP is used as
      a mobile electron carrier from the intracellular matrix of the metabolically
      active cells to the carbon paste electrode which served as the final electron
      acceptor. Therefore, the extracellular electron transfer from the formed active
      biofilm at the electrode surface is assisted by the existence of DCIP.

PMID- 28624997
TI  - Expression and Purification of Cytochrome P450 55B1 from Chlamydomonas
      reinhardtii and Its Application in Nitric Oxide Biosensing.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 55B1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is reported to function as a
      nitric oxide reductase (NOR). Here, we expressed the cytochrome P450 55B1 gene
      with an HIS-tag in E scherichia coli using a pET28a vector. The native protein
      was produced at a level of 1.59 MUmol/g of total protein, with approximately 85%
      of the P450 being soluble. The CYP55B1 protein was characterized spectrally and
      purified by a HIS-trap column. This procedure allowed recovery of 45% of the
      expressed protein and CYP55B1 with a specific content of 0.70 MUmol/g of the
      total protein, which showed a single band on a SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The
      direct electrochemistry of CYP55B1 in dihexadecylphosphate (DHP) film was
      realized with an electric potential at -0.47 V at the scan rate of 1 V s-1. We
      studied the in vitro interaction between P450 55B1 and NO by the fluorescence
      spectrometric method. The results show that the fluorescence intensity of iron
      porphyrin in P450 55B1 changes gradually with the addition of NO. The
      fluorescence intensity change values against NO concentrations were plotted, and
      it showed a linear range of NO from 0 to 22.5 MUM with a sensitivity of 0.15
      MUM/AU and a detection limit of 0.15 MUM.

PMID- 28624998
TI  - Efficient Conversion of Fructose-Based Biomass into Lipids with Trichosporon
      fermentans Under Phosphate-Limited Conditions.
AB  - Limiting nitrogen supply has been routinely used as the master regulator to
      direct lipid biosynthesis. However, this strategy does not work with nitrogen
      rich substrates, such as Jerusalem artichoke (JA), a fructose-based biomass,
      while it is difficult to obtain a high carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) molar ratio. In
      this study, an alternative strategy to promote lipid accumulation by the
      oleaginous yeast Trichosporon fermentans CICC 1368 was developed by limiting
      phosphorous supply, and this strategy was implemented with JA hydrolysate as
      substrate. We showed that lipid accumulation was directly correlated with the C/P
      ratio of the culture media for T. fermentans. The time course of cell growth and
      lipid production was analyzed in a media with an initial C/P ratio of 6342, and
      the cellular lipid content could reach up to 48.5% of dry biomass. Moreover, JA
      hydrolysates were used as substrate for microbial lipid accumulation, under high
      C/P molar ratio condition, lipid yield, lipid content, and lipid coefficient
      increased by 10, 30, and 34%, respectively. It showed that by limiting
      phosphorus, the conversion of sugar into lipids can be improved effectively.
      Limiting phosphorus provides a promising solution to the problem of microbial
      lipid production with nitrogen-rich natural materials.

PMID- 28625000
TI  - Mechanical restraint in an emergency department: a consecutive series of 593
      cases.
AB  - The objective is to describe the characteristics of mechanically restrained
      patients in the emergency department (ED) of a university hospital and to
      evaluate the quality of restraint documentation that was filled out according to
      the dedicated protocol with respect to the law on restraint. All adult patients
      (>=16 years) who were admitted to the ED from January 2009 to December 2010 and
      were mechanically restrained were included. We assessed medical and demographic
      characteristics, the completeness of the dedicated protocol, and the concomitant
      use of chemical sedation. 72,844 patients were admitted to the ED. Of these, 593
      (0.81%) were mechanically restrained. Two types of patients were restrained:
      young patients under the influence of psychoactive substances who were usually
      discharged home, and confused older patients who were hospitalized. 186 dedicated
      protocols were missing (31.4%). From the 407 filled-out protocols, only 119
      (29.2%) were complete. Of the mechanically restrained patients, 215 (36.2%)
      received additional chemical sedation. Even though restraint is strictly
      regulated by law, many protocols justifying the privation of liberty were not
      filled out. This emphasizes the need for strict respect of the dedicated protocol
      and the use of guidelines and training sessions for nursing and medical staff
      that address specific procedures for the two categories of patients needing to be
      restrained.

PMID- 28624999
TI  - In Vitro Biotransformation, Safety, and Chemopreventive Action of Novel 8-Methoxy
      Purine-2,6-Dione Derivatives.
AB  - Metabolic stability, mutagenicity, antimutagenicity, and the ability to scavenge
      free radicals of four novel 8-methoxy-purine-2,6-dione derivatives (compounds 1
      4) demonstrating analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties were determined.
      Metabolic stability was evaluated in Cunninghamella and microsomal models,
      mutagenic and antimutagenic properties were assessed using the Ames and the
      Vibrio harveyi tests, and free radical scavenging activity was evaluated with 2,2
      diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay. In the Cunninghamella model,
      compound 2 did not undergo any biotransformation; whereas 3 and 4 showed less
      metabolic stability: 1-9 and 53-88% of the parental compound, respectively,
      underwent biotransformation reactions in different Cunninghamella strains. The
      metabolites detected after the biotransformation of 3 and 4 were aromatic
      hydroxylation and N-dealkylation products. On the other hand, the N-dealkylation
      product was the only metabolite formed in microsome assay. Additionally, these
      derivatives do not possess mutagenic potential in microbiological models (Vibrio
      harveyi and Salmonella typhimurium) considered. Moreover, all compounds showed a
      strong chemopreventive activity in the modified Vibrio harveyi strains BB7X and
      BB7M. However, radical scavenging activity was not the mechanism which explained
      the observed chemopreventive activity.

PMID- 28625001
TI  - Nanostructured SBA-15 host applied in ketorolac tromethamine release system.
AB  - The ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15 has been applied in studies of ketorolac
      tromethamine adsorption and release. The SBA-15 materials with hexagonal and
      regular structure were obtained using a triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 as a
      template and TEOS as a silica source. Ketorolac tromethamine was adsorbed into
      SBA-15 silica nanochannels using ethanol as solvent. The physicochemical and
      textural properties of SBA-15 and ketorolac tromethamine/SBA-15 were
      characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, transmission
      electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and BET surface
      studies. Drug release was evaluated by soaking the loaded silica mesoporous
      material into a solution of HCl (0.1 N) at initial time (0-2 h) and buffer pH 7
      at high times at 37  degrees C under continuous stirring. Oral commercial Keto
      tablets (Dolten(r)) and Keto solution (Keto power) were study for the contrast.
      Release studies were performed in order to evaluate the required therapeutic
      efficacy. SBA-15 provides significant improvement in the controlled release of
      ketorolac tromethamine. Release profile of KETO from SBA-15/KETO and control
      releases.

PMID- 28625003
TI  - When Science is Not Enough: A Framework Towards More Customer-Focused Drug
      Development.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to identify the key barriers to a
      customer-focused drug development process and develop a comprehensive framework
      to overcome them. METHODS: The paper draws on existing literature, both academic
      and practitioner, across a range of disciplines (innovation management,
      marketing, organizational behavior, behavioral economics, health economics,
      industry reports). On the basis of this extensive review, a conceptual framework
      is developed that offers concrete suggestions on how organizations can overcome
      the barriers and enable a more customer-focused development process. RESULTS: The
      barriers to collaboration are organized into three distinct categories (economic,
      behavioral, organizational), and within each category, a one-to-one mapping
      between barriers and solutions is developed. CONCLUSION: The framework is
      specifically designed with the objective of offering actionable and practical
      advice to executives who face these challenges in their organizations. The paper
      provides a unique theoretical contribution by synthesizing findings from several
      academic disciplines with concrete examples from the pharmaceutical industry.
      FUNDING: Mundipharma International Limited.

PMID- 28625002
TI  - Changes in Dietary Intake and Eating Behavior in Adolescents After Bariatric
      Surgery: an Ancillary Study to the Teen-LABS Consortium.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A growing number of studies suggest that bariatric surgery is safe
      and effective for adolescents with severe obesity. However, surprisingly little
      is known about changes in dietary intake and eating behavior of adolescents who
      undergo bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVE: Investigate changes in dietary intake and
      eating behavior of adolescents with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery (n =
      119) or lifestyle modification (LM) (n = 169). SETTING: University-based health
      systems METHODS: A prospective investigation of 288 participants (219 female and
      69 male) prior to bariatric surgery or LM and again 6, 12, and 24 months (surgery
      patients only) after treatment. Measures included changes in weight,
      macronutrient intake, eating behavior, and relevant demographic and physiological
      variables. RESULTS: Adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery experienced
      significantly greater weight loss than those who received LM. The two groups
      differed in self-reported intake of a number of macronutrients at 6 and 12 months
      from baseline, but not total caloric intake. Patients treated with surgery,
      compared to those treated with LM, also reported significantly greater reductions
      in a number of disordered eating symptoms. After bariatric surgery, greater
      weight loss from postoperative month 6 to 12 was associated with self-reported
      weight consciousness, craving for sweets, and consumption of zinc. CONCLUSIONS:
      Adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery, compared to those who received LM,
      reported significantly greater reductions in weight after 1 year. They also
      reported greater reductions in disordered eating symptoms. These findings provide
      new information on changes in dietary intake and eating behavior among
      adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery.

PMID- 28625004
TI  - Distribution-Weighted Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Using Lifetime Health Loss.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is widely acknowledged that concerns for the worse off need to be
      integrated with the concern for cost effectiveness in priority setting, and
      several countries are seeking to do so. In Norway, a comprehensive framework for
      priority setting was recently proposed to specify the worse off in terms of
      lifetime loss of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). However, few studies have
      shown how to calculate such health losses, how to integrate health loss into cost
      effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and how such integration impacts the incremental
      cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). The aim of this study was to do so. METHODS:
      The proposed framework was applied to data from 15 recent economic evaluations of
      drugs. Available data were used to calculate the lifetime health loss of the
      target groups, and the proposed marginal weighting function was employed to
      adjust standard ICERs according to the size of this loss. Standard and weighted
      ICERs were compared to a threshold of US$35,000 per QALY gained. RESULTS:
      Lifetime health loss can be calculated with the use of available data and
      integrated by a marginal weighting function with CEAs. Such integration affected
      standard ICERs to a varying degree and changed the number of interventions
      considered cost effective from three to eight. CONCLUSION: Calculation of
      lifetime health loss and its integration with CEA is feasible and can influence
      the reimbursement and ranking of interventions. To facilitate regular
      integration, guidelines for economic evaluations could require (i) adjustment
      according to distributional concerns and (ii) that data on health loss are
      extracted directly from the models and reported. Generic databases on health loss
      could be developed alongside such efforts.

PMID- 28625005
TI  - Dose dense MVAC prior to radical cystectomy: a real-world experience.
AB  - PURPOSE: Our primary endpoint was to assess pathological response rate (pT0N0 and
      <=pT1N0) for patients with BCa treated with the accelerated or dose dense MVAC
      (ddMVAC) chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy (RC) in this real-word multi
      institutional cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records
      of patients with urothelial cancer who underwent ddMVAC and RC at seven
      contributing institutions from 2000 to 2015. Patients with cT2-4a, M0 BCa were
      included. Presence of cT3-4 disease, hydronephrosis, lymphovascular invasion
      and/or existence of sarcomatoid, or micropapillary features on the initial
      transurethral resection of bladder tumor specimen was defined as high-risk
      disease. Logistic regression models for prediction of pT0N0 and <=pT1N0 were
      generated for the entire cohort as well as for the cN0 subgroup. The
      multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model for survival using post
      RC data was used to assess hazard ratios (HRs) for the variables of interest.
      RESULTS: A total of 345 patients received ddMVAC chemotherapy during the study
      period; 85% had high-risk features. The median number of chemotherapy cycles was
      4 (IQR 4-4); >90% of patients completed all scheduled cycles. The observed rates
      of pT0N0 and <=pT1N0 were 30.4 and 49.3%, respectively, among cN0 patients. On
      the multivariable regression model, the presence of more than one clinical high
      risk element was associated with 70% [OR 0.30 95% CI (0.10-0.86); p = 0.02]
      reduction in the odds of achieving partial pathological response. CONCLUSIONS: A
      complete response (pT0N0) was observed in one-third of patients after neoadjuvant
      ddMVAC therapy, and a partial response (<=pT1N0) was observed in nearly half of
      the cases in this real-world experience with this regimen. To our knowledge, this
      represents the largest experience outside clinical trial settings.

PMID- 28625006
TI  - Butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty: an alternative new technique instead of
      conventional surgery method.
AB  - Butterfly graft inlay tympanoplasty is a well-established technique for the
      repair of small- and medium-sized perforations. There are some difficulties with
      application of conventional butterfly technique and it affects our success rate
      of graft healing. With some modifications of graft preparation we can make better
      success rates. The aim of this study was to present the new renovation of
      conventional method, describe about what kind of changes we made and its
      technical facilities about the procedure. The study design is a prospective case
      series. This study was carried out on 18 patients who underwent inlay butterfly
      cartilage tympanoplasty with the new technique for anterior and inferior
      perforations at an otolaryngology department of a tertiary medical center between
      November 2015 and August 2016. Patients were followed with otoscopy and
      audiometry, and graft healing's success. Anatomic closure at 6th month after
      tympanoplasty was found in all 18 patients. There was no incidence of cartilage
      graft rejection or displacement. Preoperative mean PTA was 27.7 dB, which
      improved 6 months after surgery to 10.5 dB (the average value of hearing
      thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz). Butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty technique
      is safe and efficient in terms of both anatomical closure of the defect and
      improvement in hearing. We believe with this new technique, we facilitate this
      procedure in addition to the improvement of patients' comfort and decrease the
      morbidity of the procedure.

PMID- 28625007
TI  - The role of insulin-like growth factor I-II receptor on development of
      pleomorphic adenoma.
AB  - Pleomorphic adenoma is a slow-growing salivary gland tumor frequently arising
      from the parotid gland. In this study, we investigated the role of the insulin
      like growth factor I-II receptor (IGFI-IIR) levels on the development of parotid
      gland pleomorphic adenomas. The study included 20 males and 20 females who had
      superficial parotidectomy with a histopathological diagnosis of pleomorphic
      adenoma in Firat University Otorhinolaryngology Clinic between 2000 and 2011. The
      ages of the patients ranged between 20 and 50 years. The control tissues were
      obtained unilaterally from the parotid glands of five female and five male
      cadavers during autopsy, and consisted of 0.5 * 0.5 cm sized normal parotid gland
      tissues. The expression of IGFI-IIR were measured in both tumor and tumor-free
      normal parotid tissue in the study group while only the normal parotid tissues
      were studied in the cadavers. Primary polyclonal antibodies against IGFI-IIR were
      used with "Streptavidin-Biotin Complex" method for immunohistochemical staining
      of both the study and the control groups' tissue sections. In this study, the
      IGFI-IIR levels were found significantly higher in the pleomorphic adenoma tissue
      (p < 0.05). In addition, IGFI-IIR expression was greater in normal parotid
      tissues of the study group when compared to the normal parotid tissues of the
      cadavers. However, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.017).
      Greater expression for IGFI-IIR in pleomorphic adenoma when compared to normal
      parotid tissues of the patients and the cadavers suggests that IGFI-II may be
      important factors in the development of pleomorphic adenoma.

PMID- 28625008
TI  - The role of local allergy in the nasal inflammation.
AB  - Local allergic inflammation (LAI) is recognized recently. 'entopy' was used to
      define LAI, which was positively correlated with allergen provocation testing,
      local sIgE up-regulation, inflammatory mediator secretion, and a lack of systemic
      allergy. The study of LAI is in its infancy and focuses mainly on the respiratory
      system. It is closely related to nasal inflammation and plays important roles in
      patients with nonallergic rhinitis (NAR), nonallergic chronic sinusitis with
      nasal polyps (CRSwNP), and nonallergic fungal rhinosinusitis (NAFRS). Based on
      studies using nasal allergen provocation testing, 40-57% of patients with NAR
      exhibited positive results and could be diagnosed as local allergic rhinitis.
      Total IgE and common airborne allergen-sIgE were up-regulated in eosinophilic
      CRSwNP patients compared to noneosinophilic CRSwNP patients and healthy controls,
      possibly due to local allergic inflammation. Some researchers also found that the
      level of local sIgE was increased in patients with NAFRS; they suggested that
      local allergic inflammation occurs in NAFRS. Studies of LAI will increase our
      understanding of nasal inflammation and help to establish novel treatments.
      However, the diagnosis of local allergic inflammation is complex due to the lack
      of convenient detection methods. The relationship between local allergic
      inflammation and systemic allergic inflammation is unclear, and an appropriate
      treatment for local allergic inflammation is required.

PMID- 28625009
TI  - Modifications in the treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer throughout the last
      30 years.
AB  - In the last decades, the treatment schemes for patients with locally advanced
      laryngeal cancer have changed significantly. These changes may have an impact in
      the survival of these patients. Our objective is to review the treatments
      administered to patients with locally advanced larynx tumors during a period of
      30 years in our institution and to evaluate the prognostic impact of the changes
      in treatment protocols. Retrospective analysis of a cohort of 830 consecutive
      patients with T3 or T4 laryngeal carcinomas diagnosed and treated between 1985
      and 2014 with a minimum follow-up of 1.5 years. During the study period, we
      witnessed a reduction in surgery as the initial treatment, as well as a
      substitution of induction chemotherapy by chemoradiotherapy as an organ
      preservation strategy. For patients with T3 tumors, there were no differences in
      cancer-specific survival by type of treatment, while patients with T4 tumors
      treated surgically showed significantly better survival than those treated with
      preservation strategies. Patients treated in the last decade (2005-2014) showed
      worse cancer-specific survival than those treated in the previous decade (1995
      2004). The multivariate analysis showed significant differences in cancer
      specific survival for larger tumors, positive nodal extension, and treatment with
      radiotherapy alone. The main changes in the management of advanced laryngeal
      carcinomas are the implementation of organ preservation strategies that reduce
      the use of surgery and the progressive of chemoradiotherapy as a standard
      treatment. These changes may have had a negative impact in survival of these
      patients.

PMID- 28625010
TI  - Treatment of tongue base masses in children by transoral robotic surgery.
AB  - The feasibility and effectiveness of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) in children
      with tongue base masses (TBMs) were evaluated. Eight pediatric patients who were
      treated with TORS for TBMs between January 2010 and January 2016 at a tertiary
      hospital included in the study. All pathologies were congenital lesions: four
      were lingual thyroglossal ductus cysts (LTGDCs), one was a minor salivary gland
      tumor, one was a vallecular cyst, one was a bronchogenic cyst, and one was an
      ectopic thyroid tissue. TORS was performed successfully in all cases. The mean
      robotic set-up and exposure time was 13.0 +/- 2.1 min (range 10-16 min) and the
      mean robotic surgery time was 8.8 +/- 6.9 min (range 4-25 min). Estimated blood
      loss was lower than 5 ml for one patient and lower than 50 ml for another one.
      The remaining patients' estimated blood loss was lower than 10 ml. No patient
      required tracheostomy intra- or post-operatively. Only one minor complication
      occurred on day 10 after surgery (minor bleeding), which was resolved without
      intervention. No major complications or recurrence were observed. Better
      visualization and small, flexible arms allow surgeons to treat TBM faster and
      easily using TORS. This leads to decreased morbidity compared to open and
      transoral endoscopic/microscopic surgical methods. In the future, we believe that
      TORS may become the gold standard method for the treatment of pediatric TBM with
      continued development of robotic technology.

PMID- 28625011
TI  - Liver epithelioid progenitor cells derived from fetal Luxi bovine alleviate liver
      fibrosis.
AB  - Liver epithelioid progenitor cells (LEPCs) have important roles in liver therapy
      because of their hepatic differentiation potency in vitro and in vivo. Despite
      many researches on humans, mice, and rats, equivalent progenitor cells derived
      from bovine are relatively rare. The purpose of our current study is to
      characterize bovine LEPCs, and research on the cure potency of this heteroplastic
      progenitor cells on mice liver fibrosis. We have used collagenase IV digesting
      and differential adhesion method to isolate slabstone shape, EpCAM, LGR5, NCAM1
      and SOX9 positive progenitor cells from fetal Luxi bovine liver. When cultured in
      hepatic differentiation media containing 20 ng/ml Oncostatin M, LEPCs can
      differentiate into hepatocytes in vitro. After 4 weeks of intravenous tail vein
      injection into CCl4-injured mouse liver, LEPCs engrafted into liver parenchyma,
      differentiated into ALB positive hepatocytes, and could alleviate liver fibrosis
      through down regulating fibrosis genes-Tgfb1 and alpha-SMA as well as decreasing
      expression of collagen gene Col1a1, Col3a1, and Col4a1, and regain liver function
      by recovering ALT and AST. Our findings provided a useful tool for studying liver
      development in vitro, new cell resource for heterograft on mouse liver diseases,
      and a new platform for researches on immune rejection of heterogeneous cell
      transplantation.

PMID- 28625012
TI  - The Effects of School-Based Condom Availability Programs (CAPs) on Condom
      Acquisition, Use and Sexual Behavior: A Systematic Review.
AB  - We conducted a systematic review to assess the impact of school-based condom
      availability programs (CAPs) on condom acquisition, use and sexual behavior. We
      searched PubMed to identify English-language studies evaluating school-based CAPs
      that reported process (i.e. number of condoms distributed or used) and sexual
      behavior measures. We identified nine studies that met our inclusion criteria,
      with the majority conducted in the United States of America. We judged most
      studies to have medium risk of bias. Most studies showed that school-based CAPs
      increased the odds of students obtaining condoms (odds ratios (ORs) for
      individual studies ranged between 1.81 and 20.28), and reporting condom use (OR
      1.36-3.2). Three studies showed that school-based CAPs positively influenced
      sexual behavior, while no studies reported increase in sexual activity. Findings
      suggest that school-based CAPs may be an effective strategy for improving condom
      coverage and promoting positive sexual behaviors.

PMID- 28625013
TI  - Anti-mutagenic Properties of Mono- and Dienoic Acid Biohydrogenation Products
      from Beef Fat.
AB  - Unsaturated fatty acid biohydrogenation products from beef fat and pure fatty
      acids were subjected to the Ames Salmonella mutagenicity testing, including
      monounsaturated fatty acids [MUFA: oleic acid, vaccenic acid, elaidic acid; beef
      fatty acid fractions rich in trans (t)11/t13-t14-18:1 (t11,13,14-Frac), t10-18:1
      (t10-Frac)] and dienoic fatty acids [linoleic acid, conjugated linoleic isomers
      cis (c)9,t11-18:2 and t10,c12-18:2, and a mixed beef dienoic fatty acid fraction
      high in c9,t13-/t8,c12/t11c15-18:2 (MD)]. Significantly higher anti-mutagenic
      effects of oleic acid, vaccenic acid, t11, 13, 14-Frac, and t10-Frac against
      daunomycin were observed at 2.5 mg. All dienoic acids except MD significantly
      reduced daunomycin mutagenicity at >=0.25 mg. Anti-mutagenicity of oleic and
      vaccenic acids against 2-aminoanthracene was found at 2.5 and 0.25 mg,
      respectively. All dienoic acids significantly reduced 2-aminoanthracene
      mutagenicity at >=0.25 mg. Findings of this study show that unsaturated fatty
      acids, including trans-fatty acids commonly found in beef, can act as strong anti
      mutagens.

PMID- 28625014
TI  - Comparison in executive function in Chinese preterm and full-term infants at
      eight months.
AB  - Executive function (EF) is increasingly recognized as being responsible for
      adverse developmental outcomes in preterm-born infants. Several perinatal factors
      may lead to poor EF development in infancy, and the deficits in EF can be
      identified in infants as young as eight months. A prospective cohort study was
      designed to study the EF in Chinese preterm infants and examine the relationship
      between EF in preterm infants and maternal factors during perinatal period. A
      total of 88 preterm infants and 88 full-term infants were followed from birth to
      eight months (corrected age). Cup Task and Planning Test was applied to assess
      the EF of infants, and the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (BSID-III) was used
      to evaluate cognitive (MDI) and motor abilities (PDI) of infants. In comparison
      with full-term infants, the preterm infants performed more poorly on all measures
      of EF including working memory, inhibition to prepotent responses, inhibition to
      distraction, and planning, and the differences remained after controlling the MDI
      and PDI. Anemia and selenium deficiency in mothers during pregnancy contributed
      to the differences in EF performance. However, maternal depression, hypertension,
      and diabetes during pregnancy were not related to the EF deficits in preterm
      infants. Future research should focus on the prevention of anemia and selenium
      deficiency during pregnancy and whether supplementing selenium in mothers during
      pregnancy can prevent further deterioration and the development of adverse
      outcomes of their offspring.

PMID- 28625015
TI  - CRISPR-Cas9 mediated LAG-3 disruption in CAR-T cells.
AB  - T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) have been successfully
      applied to treat advanced refractory B cell malignancy. However, many challenges
      remain in extending its application toward the treatment of solid tumors. The
      immunosuppressive nature of tumor microenvironment is considered one of the key
      factors limiting CAR-T efficacy. One negative regulator of Tcell activity is
      lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3). We successfully generated LAG-3 knockout
      Tand CAR-T cells with high efficiency using CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing and
      found that the viability and immune phenotype were not dramatically changed
      during in vitro culture. LAG-3 knockout CAR-T cells displayed robust antigen
      specific antitumor activity in cell culture and in murine xenograft model, which
      is comparable to standard CAR-T cells. Our study demonstrates an efficient
      approach to silence immune checkpoint in CAR-T cells via gene editing.

PMID- 28625016
TI  - Brugada Syndrome and Exercise Practice: Current Knowledge, Shortcomings and Open
      Questions.
AB  - Since its recognition as a clinical entity in 1992, the Brugada Syndrome (BrS), a
      hereditary disease characterized by a typical electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern
      potentially predisposing to sudden cardiac death (SCD), has attracted the
      attention of many physicians for its circadian pattern of ventricular arrhythmias
      (VA), mostly occurring at rest. Exercise may potentially worsen the ECG
      abnormalities in BrS patients, resulting in higher peak J-point amplitudes during
      the vasovagal reaction of the recovery period, possibly leading to an increased
      risk of cardiac events. Moreover, the enhanced vagal tone in athletes could be
      both a BrS risk factor and an exercise effect. Therefore, the true risk of a BrS
      patient during exercise is still unclear. This review summarizes current
      knowledge, shortcomings and open questions on BrS and exercise. The paper, in
      particular, underlines specific considerations including BrS diagnostic criteria
      and differential diagnosis in athletes, the genetic basis, the autonomic
      imbalance during exercise practice and the recommendations for athletic
      participation in this patient group.

PMID- 28625017
TI  - A single-tube flow cytometric procedure for enhancing the diagnosis and
      prognostic classification of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We created a simple and effective flow cytometry scoring system
      (FCSS) for suspected Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) samples and evaluated its
      diagnostic and prognostic potential. METHODS: Besides evaluating the four
      parameters suggested by Ogata, we investigated erythroid precursors and mast
      cells. We evaluated the six-parameter FCSS in a four-color setting (test cohort:
      51 patients; 25 controls), then we implemented it into an eight-color setting and
      tested it on a validation cohort of patients with MDS (n=31). RESULTS: When we
      compared MDS cases to non-MDS samples in the test cohort, we detected significant
      differences regarding not only the four major parameters but also two additional
      ones, namely CD71 rCV% of erythroid precursors (P=.004) and mast cell percentage
      (MC%) (P=.001). The utilization of the modified six-parameter FCSS provided high
      sensitivity and specificity both in the four color (84% and 80%, respectively)
      and in the eight color (81% and 100%, respectively) setting, with an excellent
      discriminative power between MDS and non-MDS samples. Furthermore, we found
      significant difference in event-free survival between the risk groups based on
      the modified six-parameter FCSS (P=.001). CONCLUSION: We evaluated and validated
      a single-tube flow cytometric procedure for a simple six-parameter FCSS which has
      not only high diagnostic but also prognostic power.

PMID- 28625018
TI  - No Pharmacokinetic Interaction Between the Hepatitis C Virus Inhibitors
      Elbasvir/Grazoprevir and Famotidine or Pantoprazole.
AB  - Use of agents to suppress gastric acid secretion is common among patients with
      hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aims of this open-label, three-period,
      fixed-sequence study were to evaluate the effect of famotidine and pantoprazole
      on the pharmacokinetics and safety of elbasvir/grazoprevir fixed-dose combination
      (FDC) in 16 healthy subjects. Elbasvir and grazoprevir each exhibited similar
      pharmacokinetics following single-dose administration of elbasvir/grazoprevir
      with or without famotidine or pantoprazole. Geometric mean ratios (GMRs) of
      grazoprevir AUC(0,infinity), Cmax , and C24 (elbasvir/grazoprevir + famotidine or
      elbasvir/grazoprevir + pantoprazole vs. elbasvir/grazoprevir) ranged from 0.89
      1.17. Similarly, GMRs of elbasvir AUC(0,infinity), Cmax , and C24
      (elbasvir/grazoprevir + famotidine or elbasvir/grazoprevir + pantoprazole vs.
      elbasvir/grazoprevir) ranged from 1.02-1.11. These results indicate that gastric
      acid-reducing agents do not modify the pharmacokinetics of elbasvir or
      grazoprevir in a clinically relevant manner and may be coadministered with
      elbasvir/grazoprevir in HCV-infected patients without restriction.

PMID- 28625019
TI  - Efficacy of Azithromycin and Compounded Atovaquone for Treatment of Babesia
      gibsoni in Dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Approximately one-third of dogs confiscated during dogfighting
      investigations are infected with Babesia gibsoni. Traditional management of B.
      gibsoni with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-screening, treatment with
      commercially available azithromycin and atovaquone, and PCR testing after 60 and
      90 days is costly and impractical for large numbers of dogs at a time.
      HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of an alternative protocol in which
      commercial atovaquone was replaced by compounded medication and PCR monitoring
      was initiated at 30 days after the end of treatment to decrease the total
      management time. METHODS: Prospective observational study. Forty-two pit bull
      type dogs confiscated as part of an investigation of dogfighting, diagnosed with
      B. gibsoni infection, and judged to be suitable for adoption were treated with
      azithromycin (10 mg/kg PO q24h) and compounded atovaquone (13.4 mg/kg PO q8h with
      a fatty meal) for 10 days. PCR testing was repeated at 30 and 60 days after end
      of treatment if dogs with positive PCR tests at either time were tested at 90
      days. Treatment was considered successful; 2 PCR tests 30 days apart were
      negative. RESULTS: Treatment was successful in 39 dogs (93%) as defined by 2
      consecutive PCR-negative test results 30 days apart. In 38 dogs (90%), PCR
      results were the same at 30 and 60 days. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Use
      of compounded atovaquone and a reduced monitoring period can reduce costs and
      holding times without compromising treatment efficacy. This more economical
      protocol can remove barriers to mass screening and management of B. gibsoni
      infections in dogfighting cases.

PMID- 28625020
TI  - Methylation of the ribosomal RNA gene promoter is associated with aging and age
      related decline.
AB  - The transcription of ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) is subject to epigenetic
      regulation, as it is abrogated by the methylation of CpG dinucleotides within
      their promoter region. Here, we investigated, through Sequenom platform, the age
      related methylation status of the CpG island falling into the rDNA promoter in
      472 blood samples from 20- to 105-year-old humans and in different tissues
      (blood, heart, liver, kidney, and testis) of 15 rats 3-96 weeks old. In humans,
      we did not find a consistently significant correlation between CpG site
      methylation and chronological age. Furthermore, the methylation levels of one of
      the analyzed CpG sites were negatively associated with both cognitive performance
      and survival chance measured in a 9-year follow-up study. We consistently
      confirmed such result in a replication sample. In rats, the analysis of the
      homologous region in the tissues revealed the existence of increased methylation
      in old rats. rRNA expression data, in both humans and rats, were consistent with
      observed methylation patterns, with a lower expression of rRNA in highly
      methylated samples. As chronological and biological ages in rats of a given
      strain are likely to be much closer to each other than in humans, these results
      seem to provide the first evidence that epigenetic modifications of rDNA change
      over time according to the aging decline. Thus, the methylation profile of rDNA
      may represent a potential biomarker of aging.

PMID- 28625021
TI  - Antibiotic prophylaxis for elective hysterectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elective hysterectomy is commonly performed for benign gynaecological
      conditions. Hysterectomy can be performed abdominally, laparoscopically, or
      vaginally, with or without laparoscopic assistance. Antibiotic prophylaxis
      consists of administration of antibiotics to reduce the rate of postoperative
      infection, which otherwise affects 40%-50% of women after vaginal hysterectomy,
      and more than 20% after abdominal hysterectomy. No Cochrane review has
      systematically assessed evidence on this topic. OBJECTIVES: To determine the
      effectiveness and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis in women undergoing elective
      hysterectomy. SEARCH METHODS: We searched electronic databases to November 2016
      (including the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Specialised Register, the
      Cochrane Central Register of Studies (CRSO), MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and the
      Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), as well as
      clinical trials registers, conference abstracts, and reference lists of relevant
      articles. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing
      use of antibiotics versus placebo or other antibiotics as prophylaxis in women
      undergoing elective hysterectomy. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used Cochrane
      standard methodological procedures. MAIN RESULTS: We included in this review 37
      RCTs, which performed 20 comparisons of various antibiotics versus placebo and
      versus one another (6079 women). The quality of the evidence ranged from very low
      to moderate. The main limitations of study findings were risk of bias due to poor
      reporting of methods, imprecision due to small samples and low event rates, and
      inadequate reporting of adverse effects. Any antibiotic versus placebo Vaginal
      hysterectomyModerate-quality evidence shows that women who received antibiotic
      prophylaxis had fewer total postoperative infections (risk ratio (RR) 0.28, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) 0.19 to 0.40; five RCTs, N = 610; I2 = 85%), less
      urinary tract infection (UTI) (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.77; eight RCTs, N =
      1790; I2 = 44%), fewer pelvic infections (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.39; 11 RCTs,
      N = 2010; I2 = 57%), and fewer postoperative fevers (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.34 to
      0.54; nine RCTs, N = 1879; I2 = 48%) than women who did not receive such
      prophylaxis. This suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the average risk
      of postoperative infection from about 34% to 7% to 14%. Whether this treatment
      has led to differences in rates of other serious infection remains unclear (RR
      0.20, 95% CI 0.01 to 4.10; one RCT, N = 146; very low-quality evidence).Data were
      insufficient for comparison of adverse effects. Abdominal hysterectomyWomen who
      received antibiotic prophylaxis of any class had fewer total postoperative
      infections (RR 0.16, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.38; one RCT, N = 345; low-quality
      evidence), abdominal wound infections (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.92; 11 RCTs, N =
      2434; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence), UTIs (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.51; 11
      RCTs, N = 2547; I2 = 26%; moderate-quality evidence), pelvic infections (RR 0.50,
      95% CI 0.35 to 0.71; 11 RCTs, N = 1883; I2 = 11%; moderate-quality evidence), and
      postoperative fevers (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.70; 11 RCTs, N = 2581; I2 = 51%;
      moderate-quality evidence) than women who did not receive prophylaxis, suggesting
      that antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the average risk of postoperative infection
      from about 16% to 1% to 6%. Whether this treatment has led to differences in
      rates of other serious infection remains unclear (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.12 to 1.69;
      two RCTs, N = 476; I2 = 29%; very low-quality evidence).It is unclear whether
      rates of adverse effects differed between groups (RR 1.80, 95% CI 0.62 to 5.18;
      two RCTs, N = 430; I2 = 0%; very low-quality evidence). Head-to-head comparisons
      between antibiotics Vaginal hysterectomyWe identified four comparisons:
      cephalosporin versus penicillin (two RCTs, N = 470), cephalosporin versus
      tetracycline (one RCT, N = 51), antiprotozoal versus lincosamide (one RCT, N =
      80), and cephalosporin versus antiprotozoal (one RCT, N = 78). Data show no
      evidence of differences between groups for any of the primary outcomes, except
      that fewer cases of total postoperative infection and postoperative fever were
      reported in women who received cephalosporin than in those who received
      antiprotozoal.Only one comparison (cephalosporin vs penicillin; two RCTs, N =
      451) yielded data on adverse effects and showed no differences between groups.
      Abdominal hysterectomyWe identified only one comparison: cephalosporin versus
      penicillin (N = 220). Data show no evidence of differences between groups for any
      of the primary outcomes. Adverse effects were not reported. Combined antibiotics
      versus single antibiotics Vaginal hysterectomyWe identified three comparisons:
      cephalosporin plus antiprotozoal versus cephalosporin (one RCT, N = 78),
      cephalosporin plus antiprotozoal versus antiprotozoal (one RCT, N = 78), and
      penicillin plus antiprotozoal versus penicillin (one RCT, N = 230). Data were
      unavailable for most outcomes, including adverse effects. We found no evidence of
      differences between groups, except that fewer women receiving cephalosporin with
      antiprotozoal received a diagnosis of total postoperative infection, UTI, or
      postoperative fever compared with women receiving antiprotozoal. Abdominal
      hysterectomyWe identified one comparison (penicillin plus antiprotozoal vs
      penicillin only; one RCT, N = 230). Whether differences between groups occurred
      was unclear. Adverse effects were not reported. Comparison of cephalosporins in
      different regimensSingle small trials addressed dose comparisons and provided no
      data for most outcomes, including adverse effects. Whether differences between
      groups occurred was unclear. No trials compared route of administration.The
      quality of evidence for all head-to-head and dose comparisons was very low owing
      to very serious imprecision and serious risk of bias related to poor reporting of
      methods. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis appears to be effective in
      preventing postoperative infection in women undergoing elective vaginal or
      abdominal hysterectomy, regardless of the dose regimen. However, evidence is
      insufficient to show whether use of prophylactic antibiotics influences rates of
      adverse effects. Similarly, evidence is insufficient to show which (if any)
      individual antibiotic, dose regimen, or route of administration is safest and
      most effective. The most recent studies included in this review were 14 years old
      at the time of our search. Thus findings from included studies may not reflect
      current practice in perioperative and postoperative care and may not show
      locoregional antimicrobial resistance patterns.

PMID- 28625022
TI  - Ethical, moral, and theological insights into advances in male pediatric and
      adolescent fertility preservation.
AB  - The successful treatment of boys with cancer has led to increasing attention to
      preserving their quality of life after completing cancer therapy. One of the top
      priorities for living a full life is keeping open the opportunity to have
      children. While sperm banking for males facing sterilizing cancer treatment can
      be effective, this approach requires subsequent use of reproductive procedures
      such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine insemination (IUI) to
      achieve a pregnancy. Advances in fertility preservation techniques may allow pre
      pubertal boys to conceive using advanced stem cell technologies and stem cell
      transplantation in the future. This review summarizes the ethical positions of
      leading medical societies and explores the religious and moral stances of major
      religious institutions regarding these options.

PMID- 28625023
TI  - [Studyon Renal Cell Carcinoma Detected by Abdominal Ultrasonography during
      Routine Health Check-Up].
AB  - We performed a study on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) detected by abdominal
      ultrasonography during routine health check-up at Sapporo Teishin Hospital. The
      study included a total of 13,127 ultrasonographic examinations performed on 4,339
      patients who visited our hospital for routine health check-ups during a 21- year
      period from April 1995 to March 2016. RCC was suspected from ultrasonographic
      findings and later histopathologically diagnosed in 11 patients in this group
      (detection rate 0.25%). Patients were male, aged 37 to 64 (median, 52.1 years).
      None of the patients had subjective symptoms, and all were negative for
      microscopic hematuria. Greatest dimensions of tumors were 18 to 40 mm (mean, 28
      mm) ; anechoic rims, which are a characteristic ultrasonographic finding in RCC,
      were identified in 8 patients (72. 7%), intratumoral cysts were identified in 8
      patients (72.7%), and protrusions from the surface of the kidney were identified
      in 9 patients (81. 8%). Regarding vascular distribution of renal tumors during
      Doppler ultrasonography, peripheral patterns or mixed penetrating and peripheral
      patterns were identified in 100% of cases (8/8). All 11 patients were diagnosed
      histopathologically with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, and the histological
      grade was G1 in 6 patients, G1>G2, in 1 patient G2>G1, in 1 patient and G2 in 3
      patients. All 11 tumors were classified as pT1a pathological stage according to
      the TNM classification, and no regional lymph node metastases or distant
      metastases were identified. We consider that ultrasonography plays an integral
      role in the early detection of RCC during check-ups and examinations.

PMID- 28625024
TI  - [Post-Operative Single Immediate Intravesical Instillation Chemotherapy as
      Prophylaxis for Reccurence after Transurethral Resection of Low Risk Non-Muscle
      Invasive Bladder Cancer].
AB  - We evaluated the efficacy of single-dose instillation of pirarubicine
      hydrochloride (THP) in the chemoprophylaxis of non-muscle-invasive bladder
      cancer(NMIBC). In a retrospective study, 135 evaluable patients were assigned to
      three groups after transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). In group 1,
      patients received no adjuvant therapy after TURBT. In group 2, patients received
      a single-dose of 30 mg THP in 30 ml normal saline immediately after TURBT. In
      group 3, patients received 30 mg THP in 30 ml normal saline 2 weeks after TURBT ,
      and the instillations were repeated for 4 weeks, then every other week twice and
      successively monthly for 6 months. Patients were followed with cystoscopy and
      urine cytology every 3 months for the first 2 years and every 6 months
      thereafter. The 3- and 5-year non-recurrence rates were 66.9%, and 66.0%,
      respectively, in group 1, 85.6%, and 85.6%, respectively, in group 2, and 93.6%,
      and 77.9%, respectively, in group 3. There was a significant difference only
      between group 1 and group2 (P =0.048). With respect to the recurrence per month,
      there was a significant difference between the 3 groups (P=0.014) for the first 2
      years. However, there was no significant difference thereafter. Limitations of
      our study are its retrospective and nonrandomized nature with a limited number of
      patients.

PMID- 28625025
TI  - [Causative Bacterial Strains and Sensitivityto Antimicrobial Agents in Female
      Acute Uncomplicated Cystitis].
AB  - Recently, wide spreading of fluoloquinolone resistant Escherichia coli is a
      serious problem inthe treatment of urinary tract infection. To investigate the
      causative bacterial strains of female acute uncomplicated cystitis (AUC) in the
      community and their sensitivity to antimicrobial agents, we retrospectively
      reviewed the medical records of 215 female AUC patients treated at our clinics
      from April 2014 to June 2015. Two hundred and nineteen strains were isolated as
      the causative bacteria from the patients'urine samples, including E. coli of 179
      strains (82%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.5%). One hundred and forty
      five strains (81%) of the isolated E. coli were sensitive to levofloxacin,
      whereas 32 strains (17.9%) were levofloxacin-resistant. To fosfomycin, the
      isolated E. coli showed the highest sensitivity (93.9%) among all antimicrobial
      agents tested. In univariate analysis, factors associated with
      levofloxacinresistant E. coli included two or more episodes of cystitis within
      the past year and levofloxacin use at the latest episode of cystitis.
      Inmultivariate analysis, two or more episodes of cystitis withinthe past year
      were found to be associated with levofloxacinresistan ce (p=0.004). To prevent
      the increasing prevalence of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria,
      it is important to confirm the sensitivity of the causative agents for optimal
      antimicrobial therapy. The community-based surveillance data should be collected
      and considered when selecting empirical antimicrobial agents.

PMID- 28625026
TI  - [Risk Factors for Mortalityin Patients with Urosepsis].
AB  - Urosepsis is not uncommon and sometimes causes a critical condition including
      death. We retrospectivelyanaly zed the risk factors for mortalityin urosepsis. We
      treated 80 patients as urosepsis from 2010 to 2014 in our hospital. Five patients
      (6%) died within 30 days of hospitalization. The median age of the patients who
      died of urosepsis was 92 years (range, 83-95 years). The main causes of urosepsis
      were complicated pyelonephritis in 4 patients and emphysematous pyelonephritis in
      one. In the subgroup analysis of elderly patients over 75 years old, bad
      performance status and lower serum albumin were significantlyrelated to
      mortality(p =0.033, 0.046). The elderlypatients, especiallywith bad performance
      status and lower serum albumin, are more likelyto die.

PMID- 28625027
TI  - [A Case of Bilateral Adrenal Incidentaloma in which MTX-Related
      Lymphoproliferative Disease Could Be Diagnosed by Computed Tomography-Guided
      Biopsy and MTX Administration History].
AB  - The patient was a 76-year-old man. Because bilateral adrenal tumor (right adrenal
      gland 7 cm, left adrenal gland 1.5 cm) was detected in by computed tomography
      (CT) in methotrexate (MTX) administration for articular rheumatism from 2011, he
      was referred to this hospital in February, 2016. An endocrine examination, and
      imaging study did not lead to a definitive diagnosis and CT-guided lower needle
      biopsy was performed. The pathological diagnosis was diffuse large B cell
      lymphoma. Also, in situ hybridization revealed EBER-positive and the diagnosis of
      MTX-related lymphoproliferative disease (MTXLPD) was made in conjunction with the
      medical history. After MTX cancellation, the tumor became markedly smaller. The
      annual incidence of this disorder in the RA patients during MTX internal use is
      reported as 0.06%. According to the site of origin, lymphatic extranodal disease
      accounts for approximately half of the cases, but this is the third case of
      primary adrenal origin reported.

PMID- 28625028
TI  - [Adult Male Ureterocele Detected by Urinary Frequency].
AB  - A 27-year-old Japanese man visited our urological department due to urinary
      frequency, and we detected a ureterocele by cystoscopy. The treatment consisted
      of an endoscopic-laser incision of the ureterocele. After the operation, the
      patient's symptoms subsided, and the vesicoureteral reflux and urinary infection
      disappeared. With the advances in image diagnostic technology, a ureterocele is
      easily diagnosed during childhood. In the present case, the ureterocele may have
      increased in volume over a period of decades, causing the urinary frequency. An
      endoscopic incision is the standard treatment for ureterocele, but there are
      concerns about vesicoureteric reflux after the endoscopic-laser incision, the
      patient is still doing well. The present case indicates that endoscopic-laser
      incision is an effective treatment for a ureterocele, at least in adult patients.

PMID- 28625029
TI  - [A Case of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Bladder Diverticulum Producing Granulocyte
      Colony Stimulating Factor].
AB  - We report a rare case of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in bladder diverticulum
      producing granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). A 59-year-old man
      complaining of hematuria and right hip pain was admitted with a large cancer in
      the bladder diverticulum. His laboratory data showed leukocytosis of 20,100/ MU l
      (neutrophils : 92%) with an elevated G-CSF of 76. 6 pg/ml in the peripheral
      blood. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy (gemcitabine and cisplatin), radical
      cystectomy was performed to normalize serum leukocytosis and G-CSF.
      Histopathological diagnosis was G-CSF-producing SCC pT4N0. He appeared with left
      pelvic lymph node metastasis and right pulmonary metastasis 3 months after
      surgery. Therefore, he was treated with four courses of combination chemotherapy
      (paclitaxel, ifosfamide and nedaplatin) and radiation therapy at left pelvic
      lymph node metastasis. Computed tomography after these treatments showed complete
      response. The patient is alive with no evidence of tumor 16 months after surgery.

PMID- 28625030
TI  - The Clinical Nutrition Research Agenda in Indonesia and beyond: ecological
      strategy for food in health care delivery.
AB  - Despite progress with the food-associated health agenda in the public health and
      clinical domains, much remains to be done in Indonesia. There are reasons to be
      optimistic which include economic development, increasing literacy, progress
      towards universal health coverage and community organizational arrangements
      across the archipelago which focus on health through some 10,000 puskesmas. These
      community health centres are variably staffed with voluntary cadres from the
      community, bidans (nurses) and general medical practitioners. For more effective
      prevention and management of nutritionally-related health problems, innovative
      community and clinical nutrition research and expertise is required. With rapid
      urbanisation, the growth of the digital economy, increasing socio-economic
      inequity and climate change, there are imperatives for ecologically sustainable,
      nonemployment dependent livelihoods which provide energy, food, water, education
      and health care security. A relevant health care workforce will include those who
      research and practice clinical nutrition. Here we gather together an account of
      an extensive body of published and emerging literature which makes a case
      collectively for a more ecological approach to nutrition and health and how it
      might revitalise the Indonesian and other health care systems.

PMID- 28625031
TI  - Inadequate dietary alpha-linolenic acid intake among Indonesian pregnant women is
      associated with lower newborn weights in urban Jakarta.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Omega-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy has been confirmed to
      affect newborn birth outcomes in the developed world. However, the association
      between maternal omega-3 fatty acid intake and birth size is unknown in
      developing countries. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of maternal omega-3
      fatty acid intake with newborn birth size. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A cross
      sectional study was conducted, involving 282 pregnant women aged 19-40 years who
      had a gestational age of >32 weeks and received antenatal care at 10 health
      centres and one referral hospital in East Jakarta, Indonesia. Maternal habitual
      intake of omega-3 fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid, docosahexaenoic
      acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, was assessed using a semiquantitative food
      frequency questionnaire. Birth weight and head circumference were measured using
      a paediatric weighing scale and tape, respectively, and birth length was obtained
      from medical records. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to
      provide adjusted associations. RESULTS: The median total intake of omega-3 fatty
      acids, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid was
      lower than the recommended dietary intake. The newborns of mothers with an alpha
      linolenic acid intake lower than 0.82 g/d had a significantly lower (beta=114,
      95% confidence interval=-216, -13.5; p=0.014) weight compared with those of
      mothers with high alpha-linolenic acid intake, after adjustment for confounding
      factors. CONCLUSION: Inadequate maternal intake of alpha-linolenic acid, but not
      omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, or eicosapentaenoic acid, was
      associated with lower birth weight. Enhanced promotion of consumption of foods
      rich in essential fatty acids during pregnancy may facilitate attaining optimal
      infant weight in urban areas.

PMID- 28625032
TI  - Intergenerational effects of maternal birth weight, BMI, and body composition
      during pregnancy on infant birth weight: Tanjungsari Cohort Study, Indonesia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Infant birth weight might be partly contributed to by
      maternal nutritional status at birth and maternal nutrition during pregnancy. The
      objective of this study was to analyze intergenerational maternal birth weight,
      maternal BMI, weight change during pregnancy, and maternal body composition (FM,
      FFM, and TBW) changes during pregnancy. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed the
      associations between the maternal birth weight and body composition of 94 women
      and infant birth weight by using multiple regression adjusted for socioeconomic
      and reproductive history. RESULTS: All associations with infant birth weight were
      positive. The association between infant birth weight and maternal birth weight
      was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.02-0.54); that for the association between infant birth
      weight and maternal body weight in the first, second, and third trimesters was
      15.1 (95% CI: 4.92-25.3), 13.7 (95% CI: 2.78-24.6), and 16.1 (95% CI: 5.22-27.0),
      respectively. The association between infant birth weight and fat mass in the
      second and third trimesters were 18.4 (95% CI: 3.38-33.5) and 16.1 (95% CI: 5.23
      27.0), respectively, and those for the association between infant birth weight
      and fat-free mass in the first and third trimesters were 33.6 (6.38, 60.9) and
      34.8 (95% CI: 3.47-66.1), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms previous
      findings that maternal birth weight and body composition during pregnancy are
      associated with infant birth weight.

PMID- 28625033
TI  - Hydration status of pregnant women in West Jakarta.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: During pregnancy, the body exhibits dynamic changes in
      fluid composition. More than 50%of women experience nausea and vomiting during
      the first trimester. Studies of hydration status in pregnant women are limited,
      and not in tropical countries, like in Indonesia. The objective of this study was
      to investigate the hydration status and appropriate biomarkers for determination
      of hydration status in pregnant women in West Jakarta. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN:
      This study was cross-sectional. A total of 35 pregnant women aged (19-35 years)
      at the early second trimester of pregnancy was recruited. Urine osmolality, urine
      specific gravity, and serum osmolality were used to determine hydration status.
      Subjects then were divided into a hydration group (HG) and a dehydration group
      (DG). We used independent t tests, chi-square and Spearman rank correlation
      coefficient to analyse the data. RESULTS: The population was comparably divided
      between dehydration and hydration groups (57.1% and 42.9%, respectively). The
      proportions by age, parity, gestational age, height, weight, upper arm
      circumference, waist circumference, pelvic circumference, body temperature, blood
      pressure, and fundal height did not differ between groups (p>=0.05). There was a
      relationship between urine colour and hydration status (p<0.05). Differences in
      hydration biomarker status (urine osmolality and urine specific gravity) were
      noted between the groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dehydration may be common during
      pregnancy in tropical Indonesia and can be confirmed by the hydration biomarkers
      of urinary specific gravity and osmolality. Fluid balance is necessary to prevent
      health problems and intrauterine growth restriction in pregnant women.

PMID- 28625034
TI  - Family support and exclusive breastfeeding among Yogyakarta mothers in
      employment.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Exclusive breastfeeding provides many benefits to both
      infants and mothers. Despite the introduction of laws aimed at protecting the
      practice of exclusive breastfeeding, the coverage of exclusive breastfeeding
      remains low, particularly for working mothers. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This
      crosssectional study recruited working mothers employed in medium and large
      companies in Bantul District, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The study
      participants were 158 working mothers whose children were aged 6- 12 months, and
      they were selected using the probability proportional to size technique. The data
      were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple
      logistic regression. RESULTS: Adequate family support for breastfeeding (OR:
      2.86; 95% CI: 1.25-6.53) and a high paternal education level (OR: 2.68; 95% CI:
      1.11- 6.48) were significantly associated with the practice of exclusive
      breastfeeding among working mothers. However, the infant's sex and age, parity,
      and the mother's age and education level were unassociated with exclusive
      breastfeeding. CONCLUSION: Family support and a high paternal education level are
      crucial in enabling working mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding.
      Interventions that promote exclusive breastfeeding should focus on involving the
      husband and other family members in health care programs related to
      breastfeeding.

PMID- 28625035
TI  - Programming of infant neurodevelopment by maternal obesity: potential role of
      maternal inflammation and insulin resistance.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recent studies show that maternal obesity is
      associated with impaired offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. The mechanism
      underlying the association is unclear. However, there is evidence to suggest a
      role for intra-uterine exposure to inflammation and insulin resistance (IR). We
      aimed to determine if maternal IR and inflammation were associated to fetal
      neurodevelopment as indicated by fetal heart rate variability (HRV), an index of
      fetal cardiac autonomic nervous system development. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A
      total of 44 healthy maternal-fetal pairs (maternal pre-pregnancy BMI
      distribution: n=20 normal weight, 8 overweight, 16 obese) were analyzed. We
      assessed maternal inflammation (plasma IL-6 and TNF-alpha) and IR (HOMA index).
      Fetal HRV, a proxy for fetal neurodevelopment, was assessed using fetal
      magnetocardiogram at the 36th week of pregnancy. The relationships between
      maternal inflammation and IR with fetal HRV (SD1 and SD2) were estimated
      individually by Pearson bivariate correlations. RESULTS: No correlations were
      observed between the fetal HRV components with maternal HOMA-IR and maternal
      plasma levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha (all p<0.05). However, the negative
      association between maternal TNF-alpha level and fetal SD2 approached
      significance (correlation coefficient=-0.29, 95% confidence interval=-0.62,-0.03,
      p=0.07). CONCLUSION: Maternal IR and inflammation during pregnancy were not
      associated with fetal cardiac autonomic nervous system development. Further
      studies with a larger sample size and more maternal inflammatory indicators are
      needed to explore these relationships.

PMID- 28625036
TI  - Sago worms as a nutritious traditional and alternative food for rural children in
      Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The sago worm Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is a
      nutritious food source found in the remaining parts of a sago palm trunk after
      the removal of sago starch by farmers. The effort to increase sago worm
      consumption is investigated in an intervention study among children aged <5
      years. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Children aged 1-5 years were allocated to a sago
      worm inclusive diet (n=10) and to a control group eating a usual diet, but
      without sago worms (n=13). Snacks were served once per day (100 g) for 45 days
      and designed to contain similar amounts of vegetables (carrots and long beans)
      and other ingredients including rice, sticky rice, cassava, sweet potato, banana,
      or tofu with or without sago worms. Food preference was ascertained by interview.
      Anthropometric measurements were taken at baseline and the endpoint. RESULTS:
      After mixing all food stuffs into one product for instance nasi gurih, protein
      and fat content in the intervention group was higher compared to control group
      (8.8 g and 7.3 g vs 4.7 g and 0.5 g respectively). In the intervention group
      receiving complementary feeding with sago worms, children's height changed
      minimally as did the control group (0.3 vs 0.2 cm); no difference was observed
      between the groups regarding weight or height. CONCLUSIONS: Sago worm consumption
      can diversify the diet through usage in various dishes, so improving its overall
      nutritional quality. Worm addition in an intervention program does not
      compromise, but maintains nutritional value. Local use adds affordability and
      sustainability to the food and health systems in a sago-consuming culture, so
      contributing to food security.

PMID- 28625037
TI  - Tumour necrosis factor-alpha and risk of cardiovascular disease among overfat
      Indonesian adolescents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Overfatness (overweight and obesity) is associated with an increased
      risk of cardiovascular disease, including elevated blood pressure, dyslipidaemia,
      and insulin resistance. Chronic inflammation may play a role in mediating these
      associations. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between plasma tumour
      necrosis factor-alpha and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among
      overweight and obese adolescents. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This study was an
      observational analysis with a cross-sectional design for high school students in
      Yogyakarta, Indonesia. One hundred and fifteen overweight and obese adolescents
      (mean age 16.8 years; 48.3% female) were involved in the study. Overfatness was
      specified by body mass index z-scores. Anthropometric measurements, blood
      pressure, lipid profiles, and fasting glucose were obtained. Fasting plasma
      insulin and plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha were quantified using enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay. Insulin resistance was represented as the homeostatic
      model assessment value. Data were analysed using SPSS for Windows, version 23.
      RESULTS: Plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha was significantly associated with
      total cholesterol (p=0.046) and diastolic blood pressure (p=0.018) among the
      overweight and obese adolescents. Results from path analyses showed that there
      were indirect effects of z-score BMI on systolic and diastolic blood pressures,
      HDL and fasting plasma glucose mediated by plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha
      concentrations. Meanwhile, there were indirect effects of waist circumference on
      systolic and diastolic blood pressure by age and height percentile and HDL. There
      was no significant association between plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha and
      insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: The study showed that a proinflammatory marker,
      plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha, is associated with blood pressure, HDL and
      fasting plasma glucose in overweight and obese adolescents. This indicates that
      inflammation in overweight and obesity may play a role in increasing the risk of
      cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28625038
TI  - Chronic liver disease is a risk factor for malnutrition and growth retardation in
      children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite distinct advancements in nutritional therapy, malnutrition
      and growth retardation remain inevitable consequences of chronic liver disease.
      The global prevalence of chronic liver disease in children is about 3%, with a
      quarter undernourished. Malnutrition itself is a negative prognostic indicator of
      survival. Further research is necessary for delivering adequate nutritional
      support to reduce morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nutritional
      status and growth of children with chronic liver disease and its contributing
      factors. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Data were gathered about 21 children aged 7
      months to 13.3 years diagnosed with chronic liver disease at Harapan Kita Women
      and Children Hospital between November 2014 and February 2016. Physical growth
      and nutritional status were evaluated using anthropometric percentiles and z
      scores. Laboratory measurements were made on their first visit. RESULTS: The mean
      age of participants was 43.9+/-47.4 months. Mean weight was 13.4+/-9.31 kg, and
      mean length/height was 88.8+/-27.7 cm. Ten (47.6%) and 3 (14.3%) patients had
      moderate or severe undernutrition, respectively, and 38% (8 patients) had growth
      retardation. Of those with good nutritional status, 62.5% were older than 5
      years. Malnutrition was correlated with growth failure, a low serum albumin, and
      elevated aspartate transaminase (p<0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSION: Early
      diagnosis of malnutrition should encourage nutritional support, delay illness
      progression and increase survival in children with chronic liver disease.

PMID- 28625039
TI  - Cooking methods and depressive symptoms are joint risk factors for fatigue among
      migrant Indonesian women working domestically in Taiwan.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fatigue is a critical occupational health risk among
      migrant workers. Globally, more than half of migrant workers are women. However,
      the prevalence rate and risk factors for fatigue in domestically employed migrant
      women are unknown. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: In total, 194 Indonesian women
      migrants aged 20-50 years who were working in Taipei were studied. Self-perceived
      acculturation, dietary acculturation, BMI and haemoglobin were evaluated. Fatigue
      and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Brief Fatigue Inventory and Beck
      Depression Inventory-II, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of fatigue was
      27.8%. Depressive symptoms (p<0.0001), cooking methods (p=0.027), and self
      perceived feelings of sadness and weakness (p=0.003) were associated with
      fatigue. After adjustment for covariates, the ORs for depressive symptoms (OR:
      5.40; 95% CI: 2.32-12.6), deep frying/stir frying (OR: 5.23; 95% CI: 1.27-21.5),
      and self-perceived feelings of sadness and weakness (OR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.26-9.25)
      remained significant. An interactive analysis revealed that women without
      depressive symptoms who used deep frying/stir frying as a cooking method had a
      3.5-fold (1-12.3) higher risk of fatigue than did those who used non-deep frying
      and stir frying as cooking methods (which served as the reference) for cooking.
      By contrast, women with depressive symptoms who used non-deep frying and stir
      frying had a 6.5-fold (2.8-15.3) higher risk of fatigue, and the risk increased
      sharply to 12.6-fold (1.26-125.8) if they used deep frying and stir frying for
      cooking. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of fatigue among migrant women working
      domestically is increased when they exhibit depressive symptoms and their cooking
      technique is frying.

PMID- 28625040
TI  - Vitamin D status in under-five children with a history of close tuberculosis
      contact in Padang, West Sumatra.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Serum vitamin D influences cellular immunity against
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis, particularly in under-five children. Vitamin D
      insufficiency and deficiency as well as tuberculosis (TB) are highly prevalent in
      Indonesia. This study described the association of serum vitamin D in the
      incidence of latent TB in under-five children with a history of close TB contact.
      METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: This cross-sectional study examined 178 under-five
      children with a history of close TB contact, with 98 index cases from primary
      health care facilities in Padang. Latent TB was defined based on a positive
      tuberculin skin test. Serum vitamin D was determined using ELISA method. General
      characteristics for age, sex, socioeconomic status, contact score, BCG scars, and
      nutritional status were also collected. RESULTS: Of 168 eligible subjects, 40.5%
      had latent TB, however no differences between 'latent TB' and 'without latent TB'
      were observed in participant characteristics. Vitamin D deficiency,
      insufficiency, and sufficiency were observed in 23.3%, 43.5%, and 33.3% of
      children, respectively. In general, the 'latent TB' group had lower serum vitamin
      D than those in the 'without latent TB' group, stratified by age, contact score
      and nutritional status; however, significant differences were observed in
      children age <1 years (18.0+/-2.6 vs 31.2+/-10.5, respectively, p=0.013).
      Nevertheless, no associations between the two groups were observed using
      multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D status was not associated with the
      incidence of latent TB among under-five children with a history of close TB
      contact, although this may not obtain in children aged <1 year old.

PMID- 28625041
TI  - Energy regulation in newly diagnosed TB with chronic energy deficiency: free
      fatty acids and RBP4.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Energy metabolism may be dysfunctionally integral
      between host and infective agent in active tuberculosis, mediated by
      adipocytokines and free fatty acids (FFA) as the products of triglyceride
      lipolysis in fat, blood or other tissues. Retinol Binding Protein 4 (RBP4) and
      asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are candidate adipocytokines. The possibility
      of a deleterious metabolic nexus in chronic energy deficiency (CED) (BMI <18.5
      kg/m2) is explored. METHODS AND DESIGN: Newly diagnosed patients with
      tuberculosis (n=63) were selected using consecutive random sampling at a Centre
      for the Care and Treatment of Lung Diseases in Makassar, Indonesia. Diagnosis of
      pulmonary TB required microscopy with Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Anthropometric
      measurements were taken. Venesection allowed glomerular filtration rate, FFA,
      serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase to be
      assessed. RESULTS: CED was evident in 60.3%. For the well and lesser nourished,
      medians were, respectively, FFA 0.30 and 0.37 mmol/mL (p=0.960); RBP4 199730
      ng/mL and 11721 ng/mL (p=0.009); GFR 106 ml/min and 113 ml/min (p=0.673); and
      ADMA 0.52 ng/mL and 0.51 ng/mL (p=0.172). BMI and serum RBP4 were correlated
      (rho=0.52, p<0.001), with odds ratios (OR) 5.8 (CI 1.68-20.3). RBP4 in CED was
      lower than in better nourished patients. Serum FFA is not evidently associated
      with BMI in patients with active TB. CONCLUSIONS: RBP4 is some 6-fold lower when
      active TB patients have CED than when BMI >25 kg/m2. However, FFA was not
      associated with CED in these active TB patients which may be a type 2 error or
      represent an energy impasse where infection and the host's metabolic needs are in
      competition.

PMID- 28625042
TI  - Selenium status and fungi in the protein-losing enteropathy of persistent
      diarrhea.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A vicious cycle of infection, malabsorption, and
      malnutrition has been implicated in the perpetuation of diarrheal disease. This
      study examined whether persistent diarrhea is associated with changes in selenium
      status and stool alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) concentration. METHODS AND STUDY
      DESIGN: This cross-sectional study included 30 children aged 1-12 years with
      persistent diarrhea who were hospitalized in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and
      Fatmawati Hospital, Jakarta, and 30 apparently healthy children who were matched
      by age and sex and lived in a rural area of Jakarta. Clinical examinations, blood
      routine tests, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity and plasma
      selenium levels as well as AAT in fresh stool samples were performed in all the
      subjects. RESULTS: Of 30 children with persistent diarrhea, 17 had moderate
      malnutrition and 13 had severe malnutrition. The mean plasma selenium was
      significantly lower in children with persistent diarrhea than in children without
      diarrhea (86.0 MUg/L [95% CI: 76.1-95.9] vs 110 MUg/L [95% CI: 104-116,
      p<0.0001). The mean stool AAT concentration was significantly higher in children
      with persistent diarrhea than in those without diarrhea (115 mg/dL [95% CI: 38.5
      191] vs 16 mg/dL [95% CI: 4.0-13.5, p<0.0001]). Selenium correlated with AAT
      (p=0.05). Fecal fungi were persistently present. CONCLUSIONS: Although selenium
      status in both groups was optimal for the obtained plasma GPX activity, children
      with persistent diarrhea exhibited lower plasma selenium levels. This study
      suggests that the decrease in the plasma selenium level may be the consequence of
      protein loss and that fungi may be involved.

PMID- 28625043
TI  - Pre- and postprandial acylated ghrelin in obese and normal weight men.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of obesity in Indonesia has increasing.
      We have assessed the relationship between plasma acylated ghrelin hormone and
      self-reported appetite ratings (hunger and desire to eat) in obese and normal
      weight men. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two men participated in an
      experimental study, where acylated ghrelin and self-reported appetite ratings
      were compared between a test group of 16 obese men and a control group of 16 men
      with normal body mass indices. The participants were administered isocaloric
      mixed meals, and measurements were taken at 0 (before eating), 30, 60, and 120
      minutes postprandial. Data were analysed using an independent t test, the Mann
      Whitney U test, the Pearson correlation, the Spearman rank-order correlation,
      trapezoidal rule analysis for the area under the curve, and receiver operating
      curve analysis to determine the optimal cut-off values, sensitivity, and
      specificity. RESULTS: Acylated ghrelin concentrations were higher in the test
      group than in the control group at all time points (p<0.01). There were no
      significant differences in the appetite ratings between the two groups at any
      time (p>0.05). There was no correlation between the acylated ghrelin
      concentration and appetite rating. According to the receiver operating curve
      analysis (sensitivity: 88%; specificity: 100%), the cut-offs for optimal acylated
      ghrelin immediately before eating and 30 minutes after eating, averaged 2332
      pg/mL and 2710 pg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The effect on obesity will
      depend on associated changes in deacylated ghrelin. Acylated ghrelin increases in
      obese individuals pre- and 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes post prandial.

PMID- 28625044
TI  - HER2 Status and Its Heterogeneity in Gastric Carcinoma of Vietnamese Patient.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is related to the
      pathogenesis and poor outcome of numerous types of carcinomas, including gastric
      carcinoma. Gastric cancer patients with HER2 positivity have become potential
      candidates for targeted therapy with trastuzumab. METHODS: We investigated 208
      gastric cancer specimens using immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ
      hybridization and dual in situ hybridization (ISH). We also investigated the
      concordance between IHC and ISH. The correlation between HER2 status and various
      clinicopathological findings was also investigated. RESULTS: In total, 15.9%
      (33/208) and 24.5% (51/208) of gastric cancers showed HER2 gene amplification and
      protein overexpression, respectively. A high level of concordance between ISH and
      IHC analyses (91.3%, kappa = 0.76) was found. A significant correlation between
      HER2 status and intestinal-type (p < .05) and differentiated carcinomas (p < .05)
      was also noted. The HER2 heterogeneity was high in gastric cancers; we found
      68.8% phenotypic heterogeneity and 57.6% genotypic heterogeneity. Heterogeneity
      in HER2 protein expression and gene amplification showed a close association with
      diffuse histologic type and IHC 2+. CONCLUSIONS: HER2 protein overexpression and
      gene amplification were detected in 24.5% and 15.9% of gastric cancer specimens,
      respectively. Intestinal-type showed a higher level of HER2 protein
      overexpression and gene amplification than diffuse type. HER2 status also showed
      a significant relationship with well- and moderately-differentiated carcinomas.
      The ratio of phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity of HER2 was high in gastric
      carcinomas and was associated with HER2 IHC 2+ and diffuse histologic type.

PMID- 28625045
TI  - Size-Dependent Heating of Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.
AB  - The ability to generate heat under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) makes
      magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) an ideal heat source for biomedical
      applications including cancer thermoablative therapy, tissue preservation, and
      remote control of cell function. However, there is a lack of quantitative
      understanding of the mechanisms governing heat generation of MIONs, and the
      optimal nanoparticle size for magnetic fluid heating (MFH) applications. Here, we
      show that MIONs with large sizes (>20 nm) have a specific absorption rate (SAR)
      significantly higher than that predicted by the widely used linear theory of MFH.
      The heating efficiency of MIONs in both the superparamagnetic and ferromagnetic
      regimes increased with size, which can be accurately characterized with a
      modified dynamic hysteresis model. In particular, the 40 nm ferromagnetic
      nanoparticles have an SAR value approaching the theoretical limit under a
      clinically relevant AMF. An in vivo study further demonstrated that the 40 nm
      MIONs could effectively heat tumor tissues at a minimal dose. Our experimental
      results and theoretical analysis on nanoparticle heating offer important insight
      into the rationale design of MION-based MFH for therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28625046
TI  - Conformational Switching of HOCO Radical: Selective Vibrational Excitation and
      Hydrogen-Atom Tunneling.
AB  - Conformers of carboxyl radical (HOCO) have been studied by IR spectroscopy in
      argon and nitrogen matrices. In an argon matrix, only the lower-energy conformer
      trans-HOCO is observed, whereas both cis and trans conformers are found for
      deuterated carboxyl radical DOCO. In a nitrogen matrix, both conformers of HOCO
      and DOCO isotopologues can be prepared, indicating strong stabilization of the
      higher-energy cis conformer by a nitrogen matrix. Selective vibrational
      excitation promotes the trans-to-cis and cis-to-trans conversions of DOCO in an
      argon matrix and HOCO and DOCO in a nitrogen matrix, which is the first
      conformational photoswitching of an open-shell species. In a nitrogen matrix, the
      cis-to-trans and trans-to-cis conversions of HOCO is also found upon broadband IR
      light of the spectrometer, and the ratio of the quantum yields of these processes
      is about 3.3. The photoswitching peculiarities are in agreement with the
      available theoretical energy barriers. The higher-energy cis conformer decays to
      the lower-energy trans conformer via hydrogen-atom tunneling through the
      torsional barrier, which is also a unique observation for an open-shell species.
      The tunneling mechanism of the cis-to-trans switching is supported by the low
      temperature limit of the reaction rate and by the H/D kinetic isotope effect. Our
      results suggest a large difference in the H/D kinetic isotope effects in nitrogen
      and argon matrices (~5 and >100, respectively). The stabilizing effect on cis
      DOCO by a nitrogen matrix (by 2 orders of magnitude versus an argon matrix) is
      much smaller than that on cis-HOCO (estimated to be >104).

PMID- 28625047
TI  - Asymmetric Synthesis of the Antiviral Diterpene Wickerol A.
AB  - Wickerol A (1) is an unusual diterpene with remarkable activity against the H1N1
      influenza virus. Its tetracyclic skeleton contains three quaternary carbons and
      is marked by several syn-pentane interactions which force a six-membered ring
      into a twist-boat conformation. We present an asymmetric synthesis of wickerol A
      (1) that is based on a Jung Diels-Alder reaction, an intramolecular alkylation to
      complete the 6-5-6-6 ring system, and a conjugate addition, all of which overcome
      considerable steric strain. During the synthesis, we isolated an unexpected
      cyclopropane that presumably stems from a carbonium ion intermediate.

PMID- 28625048
TI  - Moisture Influence Reducing Method for Heavy Metals Detection in Plant Materials
      Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A Case Study for Chromium Content
      Detection in Rice Leaves.
AB  - Fast detection of heavy metals in plant materials is crucial for environmental
      remediation and ensuring food safety. However, most plant materials contain high
      moisture content, the influence of which cannot be simply ignored. Hence, we
      proposed moisture influence reducing method for fast detection of heavy metals
      using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). First, we investigated the
      effect of moisture content on signal intensity, stability, and plasma parameters
      (temperature and electron density) and determined the main influential factors
      (experimental parameters F and the change of analyte concentration) on the
      variations of signal. For chromium content detection, the rice leaves were
      performed with a quick drying procedure, and two strategies were further used to
      reduce the effect of moisture content and shot-to-shot fluctuation. An
      exponential model based on the intensity of background was used to correct the
      actual element concentration in analyte. Also, the ratio of signal-to-background
      for univariable calibration and partial least squared regression (PLSR) for
      multivariable calibration were used to compensate the prediction deviations. The
      PLSR calibration model obtained the best result, with the correlation coefficient
      of 0.9669 and root-mean-square error of 4.75 mg/kg in the prediction set. The
      preliminary results indicated that the proposed method allowed for the detection
      of heavy metals in plant materials using LIBS, and it could be possibly used for
      element mapping in future work.

PMID- 28625049
TI  - Selective, Metal-Free Approach to 3- or 5-CF3-Pyrazoles: Solvent Switchable
      Reaction of CF3-Ynones with Hydrazines.
AB  - A detailed study of the reaction of trifluoroacetylated acetylenes and aryl
      (alkyl) hydrazines was performed, aimed to the regioselective synthesis of 3- or
      5-trifluoromethylated pyrazoles. It was found that the regioselectivity of
      reaction depends dramatically on the solvent nature. Highly polar protic solvents
      (hexafluoroisopropanol) favor the formation of 3-trifluoromethylpyrazoles. In
      contrast, when the reaction was performed in polar aprotic solvents (DMSO), the
      formation of their 5-CF3-substituted isomers was preferentially observed.
      Alternatively, the regioselective assembly of 3-CF3-substituted pyrazoles can be
      performed via two-step one-pot procedure. The reaction of trifluoromethylated
      ynones with aryl (alkyl) hydrazines in the presence of acidic catalysts leads to
      formation of the corresponding hydrazones. The latter can be smoothly transformed
      into 3-CF3-pyrazoles by treatment with a base. This solvent-switchable procedure
      was used for the preparation of such important drugs as Celebrex and SC-560 as
      well as their isomers in gram scale. The possible reaction mechanism is
      discussed.

PMID- 28625050
TI  - New Insight into the Chemical Nature of the Plasmonic Nanostructures Synthesized
      by the Reduction of Au(III) with Sulfide Species.
AB  - We have studied the products of the controversial synthesis of HAuCl4 with Na2S,
      which include gold nanostructures (Au NSs) that absorb in the near-infrared (NIR)
      region and are highly promising for photothermal therapies and other nanomedical
      applications. From high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray
      absorption spectroscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering, we have found that
      only metallic Au NSs are formed as a result of this synthesis, with no detectable
      amount of gold sulfide or other oxidized gold species that could account for the
      NIR absorption. Different sulfur species are adsorbed on the Au NSs, mainly
      sulfides (monomeric sulfur) and polysulfides, similar to what is found on the
      planar gold surfaces, therefore precluding the idea that thiosulfate or other
      oxidized species are the actual reducing agents for Au(III) ions. The presence of
      strongly adsorbed S species, which are difficult to remove from the gold surface,
      is of great importance for their applications as regards toxicity and use of
      postfunctionalization strategies to anchor biomolecules and/or to increase
      circulation time after administration.

PMID- 28625051
TI  - Excited-State Deactivation Pathways and the Photocyclization of BN-Doped
      Polyaromatics.
AB  - Boron-nitrogen doping of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), such as borazine-core
      hexabenzocoronene, presents possibilities for tuning the properties of organic
      electronics and nanographene materials while preserving structural
      characteristics of pure hydrocarbons. Previous photochemical studies have
      demonstrated extension of a borazine-core PAH network (1,2:3,4:5,6-tris(o,o'
      biphenylylene)borazine, 1) by photoinduced cyclodehydrogenation. We present
      steady-state and femtosecond-to-microsecond resolved spectroscopic studies of the
      photophysics of 1 and a related borazine-core PAH in order to characterize
      competing excited-state relaxation pathways that determine the efficacy of bond
      formation by photocyclization. Transient spectra evolve on time scales consistent
      with S1 fluorescence lifetimes (1-3 ns) to features that persist onto microsecond
      time scales. Nanosecond-resolved oxygen-quenching measurements reveal that long
      lived metastable states are triplets rather than cyclized products. Determination
      of fluorescence and triplet quantum yields reveal that photochemical bond
      formation is a minor channel in the relaxation of 1 (~5% or less), whereas highly
      efficient fluorescence and intersystem crossing result in negligible photoinduced
      bond formation in more extended borazine-core networks. Results of computational
      investigations at the RICC2 level reveal sizable barriers to cyclization on the
      S1 potential energy surfaces consistent with quantum yields deduced from
      experiment. Together these barriers and competing photophysical pathways limit
      the efficiency of photochemical synthesis of BN-doped polyaromatics.

PMID- 28625052
TI  - Photochemical Kinetics of a Phosphine Oxide Free Radical Initiator from
      Femtosecond UV-Pump/Mid-IR-Probe Spectroscopy.
AB  - Femtosecond UV-pump/mid-infrared-probe spectroscopy was used to explore in detail
      the primary photochemical events of the free radical initiator, (2,4,6
      trimethylbenzoyl)diphenylphosphine oxide, in liquid dichloromethane solution at
      room temperature. Following electronic excitation of its lowest excited singlet
      state, S1, the radical initiator undergoes an intersystem crossing to the triplet
      ground state, T1, with a time constant of 135 ps. A subsequent alpha-cleavage
      occurs from the triplet state with a time constant of 15 ps and yields a
      trimethylbenzoyl radical together with a diphenylphosphinoyl radical. Transient
      absorptions from the S1 and T1 states are observed that can be assigned to the
      P?O stretching mode and the symmetric in-plane deformation mode of the
      trimethylphenyl moiety of the radical initiator.

PMID- 28625053
TI  - Annotation of the Domestic Pig Genome by Quantitative Proteogenomics.
AB  - The pig is one of the earliest domesticated animals in the history of human
      civilization and represents one of the most important livestock animals. The
      recent sequencing of the Sus scrofa genome was a major step toward the
      comprehensive understanding of porcine biology, evolution, and its utility as a
      promising large animal model for biomedical and xenotransplantation research.
      However, the functional and structural annotation of the Sus scrofa genome is far
      from complete. Here, we present mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics
      data of nine juvenile organs and six embryonic stages between 18 and 39 days
      after gestation. We found that the data provide evidence for and improve the
      annotation of 8176 protein-coding genes including 588 novel and 321 refined gene
      models. The analysis of tissue-specific proteins and the temporal expression
      profiles of embryonic proteins provides an initial functional characterization of
      expressed protein interaction networks and modules including as yet
      uncharacterized proteins. Comparative transcript and protein expression analysis
      to human organs reveal a moderate conservation of protein translation across
      species. We anticipate that this resource will facilitate basic and applied
      research on Sus scrofa as well as its porcine relatives.

PMID- 28625054
TI  - All-in-One: Achieving Robust, Strongly Luminescent and Highly Dispersible Hybrid
      Materials by Combining Ionic and Coordinate Bonds in Molecular Crystals.
AB  - Extensive research has been pursued to develop low-cost and high-performance
      functional inorganic-organic hybrid materials for clean/renewable energy related
      applications. While great progress has been made in the recent years, some key
      challenges remain to be tackled. One major issue is the generally poor stability
      of these materials, which originates from relatively fragile/weak bonds between
      inorganic and organic constituents. Herein, we report a unique "all-in-one" (AIO)
      approach in constructing robust structures with desired properties. Such approach
      allows formation of both ionic and coordinate bonds within a molecular cluster,
      which greatly enhances structural stability while maintaining the molecular
      identity of the cluster and its high luminescence. The novel AIO structures are
      composed of various anionic (CumIm+n)n- clusters and cationic N-ligands. They
      exhibit high luminescence efficiency, significantly improved chemical, thermal
      and moisture stability, and excellent solution processability. Both temperature
      dependent photoluminescence experiments and DFT calculations are performed to
      investigate the luminescence origin and emission mechanism of these materials,
      and their suitability as energy-saving LED lighting phosphors is assessed. This
      study offers a new material designing strategy that may be generalized to many
      other material classes.

PMID- 28625055
TI  - Low Thermal Conductivity and High Thermoelectric Performance in (GeTe)1
      2x(GeSe)x(GeS)x: Competition between Solid Solution and Phase Separation.
AB  - GeTe and its derivatives constituting Pb-free elements have been well known as
      potential thermoelectric materials for the last five decades, which offer
      paramount technological importance. The main constraint in the way of optimizing
      thermoelectric performance of GeTe is the high lattice thermal conductivity
      (kappalat). Herein, we demonstrate low kappalat (~0.7 W/m.K) and a significantly
      high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT = 2.1 at 630 K) in the Sb-doped
      pseudoternary (GeTe)1-2x(GeSe)x(GeS)x system by two-step strategies. The (GeTe)1
      2x(GeSe)x(GeS)x system provides an excellent podium to investigate competition
      between an entropy-driven solid solution and enthalpy-driven phase separation. In
      the first step, small concentrations of Se and S were substituted simultaneously
      in the position of Te in GeTe to reduce the kappalat by phonon scattering due to
      mass fluctuations and point defects. When the Se/S concentration increases
      significantly, the system deviates from a solid solution, and phase separation of
      the GeS1-xSex (5-20 MUm) precipitates in the GeTe1-xSex matrix occurs, which does
      not participate in phonon scattering. In the second stage, kappalat of the
      optimized sample is further reduced to 0.7 W/m.K by Sb alloying and spark plasma
      sintering (SPS), which introduce additional phonon scattering centers such as
      excess solid solution point defects and grain boundaries. The low kappalat in Sb
      doped (GeTe)1-2x(GeSe)x(GeS)x is attributed to phonon scattering by entropically
      driven solid solution point defects rather than conventional endotaxial
      nanostructuring. As a consequence, the SPS-processed Ge0.9Sb0.1Te0.9Se0.05S0.05
      sample exhibits a remarkably high ZT of 2.1 at 630 K, which is reproducible and
      stable over temperature cycles. Moreover, Sb-doped (GeTe)1-2x(GeSe)x(GeS)x
      exhibits significantly higher Vickers microhardness (mechanical stability)
      compared to that of pristine GeTe.

PMID- 28625059
TI  - Radical 1,2-Alkylarylation/Acylarylation of Allylic Alcohols with Aldehydes via
      Neophyl Rearrangement.
AB  - A metal-free 1,2-alkylarylation of allylic alcohols with aliphatic aldehydes
      through concomitant radical neophyl rearrangement was developed, providing 1,2
      diphenyl-3-alkyl propanones in moderate to good yields. Moreover, when
      cyclopropanecarbaldehyde and aryl carbaldehydes were concerned, acylarylation was
      involved leading to 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds.

PMID- 28625060
TI  - Relation between Vibrational Dephasing Time and Energy Gap Fluctuations.
AB  - Dephasing processes are present in basically all applications in which quantum
      mechanics plays a role. These applications certainly include excitation energy
      and charge transfer in biological systems. In a previous study, we have analyzed
      the vibrational dephasing time as a function of energy gap fluctuation for a
      large set of molecular simulations. In that investigation, individual molecular
      subunits were the focus of the calculations. The set of studied molecules
      included bacteriochlorophylls in Fenna-Matthews-Olson and light-harvesting system
      2 complexes as well as bilins in PE545 aggregates. The present work extends this
      study to entire complexes, including the respective intermolecular couplings.
      Again, it can be concluded that a universal and inverse proportionality exists
      between dephasing time and variance of the excitonic energy gap fluctuations,
      whereas the respective proportionality constants can be rationalized using the
      energy gap autocorrelation functions. Furthermore, these findings can be extended
      to the gaps between higher-lying neighboring excitonic states.

PMID- 28625058
TI  - Structural Basis for Substrate Helix Remodeling and Cleavage Loop Activation in
      the Varkud Satellite Ribozyme.
AB  - The Varkud satellite (VS) ribozyme catalyzes site-specific RNA cleavage and
      ligation reactions. Recognition of the substrate involves a kissing loop
      interaction between the substrate and the catalytic domain of the ribozyme,
      resulting in a rearrangement of the substrate helix register into a so-called
      "shifted" conformation that is critical for substrate binding and activation. We
      report a 3.3 A crystal structure of the complete ribozyme that reveals the
      active, shifted conformation of the substrate, docked into the catalytic domain
      of the ribozyme. Comparison to previous NMR structures of isolated, inactive
      substrates provides a physical description of substrate remodeling, and
      implicates roles for tertiary interactions in catalytic activation of the
      cleavage loop. Similarities to the hairpin ribozyme cleavage loop activation
      suggest general strategies to enhance fidelity in RNA folding and ribozyme
      cleavage.

PMID- 28625056
TI  - Enantioselective Construction of Acyclic Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters:
      Palladium-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Allylic Alkylation of Fully Substituted Amide
      Enolates.
AB  - We report a divergent and modular protocol for the preparation of acyclic
      molecular frameworks containing newly created quaternary carbon stereocenters.
      Central to this approach is a sequence composed of a (1) regioselective and 
      retentive preparation of allyloxycarbonyl-trapped fully substituted stereodefined
      amide enolates and of a (2) enantioselective palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative
      allylic alkylation reaction using a novel bisphosphine ligand.

PMID- 28625061
TI  - Controlling the Accumulation of Water at Oil-Solid Interfaces with Gradient
      Coating.
AB  - In this work, we demonstrate a strategy to control the accumulation of water in
      the oil-solid interface using a gradient coating. Gradient chemistry on glass
      surface is created by vapor diffusion of organosilanes, leading to a range of
      contact angles from 110 to 20 degrees . Hexadecane is placed on the gradient
      substrate as an oil layer, forming a "water/hexadecane/gradient solid substrate"
      sandwich structure. During incubation, water molecules spontaneously migrate
      through the micrometer-thick oil layer and result in the formation of micrometer
      sized water droplets at the oil-solid interface. It turns out that water droplets
      at more hydrophobic regions tend to be closer to a regular spherical shape, which
      is attributed to their higher contact angle with the hydrophobic substrate.
      However, along the gradient from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, the water droplets
      gradually form more irregular shapes, as hydrophilic surfaces pin the edges of
      droplets to form a distorted morphology. It indicates that more hydrophilic
      surfaces containing more Si-OH groups lead to a higher electrostatic interaction
      with water and a higher growth rate of interfacial water droplets. This work
      provides further insights into the mechanism of spontaneous water accumulation at
      oil-solid interfaces and assists in the rational design for controlling such
      interfacial phenomenon.

PMID- 28625062
TI  - Bioinspired Hand-Operated Smart-Wetting Systems Using Smooth Liquid Coatings.
AB  - Manually controllable "hand-operated" smart systems have been developed in many
      fields, including smart wetting materials, electronic devices, molecular
      machines, and drug delivery systems. Because complex morphological or chemical
      control are generally required, versatile strategies for constructing the system
      are technologically important. Inspired by the natural phenomenon of raindrops
      rarely bouncing and usually spreading on a puddle, we introduce a droplet-impact
      triggering smart-wetting system using "non-smart" smooth liquid coating
      materials. Changing the droplet impact energy by changing the volume or casting
      height causes the droplet to completely bounce or spread on the liquid surface,
      regardless of the miscibility between the two liquids, owing to the stability of
      air layer. As the bouncing of a droplet on a liquid interface is not usually
      observed during wetting, we first analyze how the droplet bounces, then prove
      that the wettability is triggered by the droplet's impact energy, and finally
      introduce some applications using this system.

PMID- 28625063
TI  - Mechanism of the Hydrolysis of Endosulfan Isomers.
AB  - The objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of abiotic hydrolysis
      of ES isomers, i.e., Endosulfan-1 (ES-1) and Endosulfan-2 (ES-2), using a
      combination of experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
      Hydrolysis of both ES-1 and ES-2 resulted in the formation of Endosulfan Alcohol
      (ES-A). The rate of hydrolysis was first order in all cases and increased with
      both pH and temperature. Rate expressions describing the hydrolysis rates of ES-1
      and ES-2 as a function of pH and temperature were obtained and validated with
      independent data sets. DFT calculations were performed using three functionals
      (M06-2X, B3LYP, and MPW1K) and both IEFPCM-UFF and SMD to introduce solvent
      effects. The geometry optimization of molecules ES-1 and ES-2 showed that the
      free energy of ES-1 was larger, and therefore, ES-2 was the more
      thermodynamically stable isomer. DFT calculations also supported a hydrolysis
      mechanism involving two successive attacks by OH- ions on C-O bonds resulting in
      the attachment of OH- and the elimination of SO3- from the ES molecule, but only
      the first attack was rate limiting. Calculations with all functionals and solvent
      effect combinations supported the experimentally observed result of faster
      hydrolysis of ES-2 than of ES-1. The MPW1K functional along with IEFPCM-UFF for
      solvent effect simulated the free energy of activation to be the closest for both
      ES-1 and ES-2 with less than 3% error with respect to the values computed from
      the experimental observations. The kinetic rate expression for ES hydrolysis
      derived on the basis of the proposed mechanism was identical to the rate
      expression derived from experiments. It was deduced that the hydrolysis rates of
      both ES isomers may vary over 3 orders of magnitude depending on the prevalent pH
      and temperature.

PMID- 28625064
TI  - An OFF-ON Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe for Tracking Cell Senescence in Vivo.
AB  - A naphthalimide-based two-photon probe (AHGa) for the detection of cell
      senescence is designed. The probe contains a naphthalimide core, an l-histidine
      methyl ester linker, and an acetylated galactose bonded to one of the aromatic
      nitrogen atoms of the l-histidine through a hydrolyzable N-glycosidic bond. Probe
      AHGa is transformed into AH in senescent cells resulting in an enhanced
      fluorescent emission intensity. In vivo detection of senescence is validated in
      mice bearing tumor xenografts treated with senescence-inducing chemotherapy.

PMID- 28625065
TI  - Physical Texturing for Superhydrophobic Polymeric Surfaces: A Design Perspective.
AB  - Surface wetting on the textured surface is classically explained by the theories
      of Cassie-Baxter or Wenzel. However, in recent years, an increasing number of
      complex surface topographies with superhydrophobic properties have been achieved
      without prediction or simulation using these theories. One example is biomimetic
      surfaces. In many instances, theories were used to explain surface properties
      found in nature but have not led to or predicted the complex topographies.
      Although new wetting theories continue to emerge, there is not yet a set of
      design rules to guide the selection of surface topographies to achieve
      superhydrophobicity. By grouping known surface topographies into common
      geometrical descriptions and length scale, this paper suggests a set of surface
      topography classifications to provide selection guidelines for engineering
      superhydrophobic surfaces. Two key outcomes emerged from the design analysis:
      first, categorization of frequently reported surface patterns shows that there
      exists a set of commonly used descriptions among diverse designs; second, the
      degree of hydrophobicity improvement within a class of topography design can be
      used to predict the limit of improvement in superhydrophobicity for a given
      material. The presentation of topography descriptors by categories of design and
      performance may serve as a prologue to an eventually complete set of design
      guidelines for superhydrophobic performance.

PMID- 28625066
TI  - A rectal neuroendocrine neoplasm.
AB  - The incidence of gastric and rectal carcinoids is increasing. This is probably
      due to endoscopic screening. The prognosis is primarily dependent upon tumor
      size, aggressiveness (pathology, Ki-67), metastatic disease and stage. However,
      neuroendocrine carcinoma usually behaves as an adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28625067
TI  - Colonic obstruction secondary to Actinomyces.
AB  - Actinomycosis is an uncommon granulomatous infection by Gram-positive anaerobic
      bacteria of the genus Actinomyces. A. israelii is a major human pathogen. The
      most frequent locations for colonization are cervicofacial (50%), abdominal (20%)
      and thoracic (15-20%). The abdominal actinomycosis predisposing factors include
      recent surgery, trauma and neoplasias. Certain cases have been associated with
      the intrauterine contraception device (IUD).

PMID- 28625068
TI  - Hepatic glycogenosis: a diagnostic challenge.
AB  - Recently, several cases of hepatic glycogenosis (HG) have been reported. Garcia
      Suarez et al. described a young female patient with poorly controlled type 1
      diabetes, right upper quadrant pain and elevated serum transaminases and GGT.
      After other causes of liver disease were excluded and a liver biopsy was
      performed, the patient was diagnosed with HG. HG is rare and can be misdiagnosed
      as steatohepatitis. To date, less than 20 cases have been reported in adults.

PMID- 28625069
TI  - A rare cause of intestinal bleeding: duodenal metastasis from endometrial cancer.
AB  - With this report we alert to an extremely rare case of duodenal metastases, from
      an endometrial adenocarcinoma by lymphatic spread and whose primary manifestation
      was with gastrointestinal bleeding. We think this is the first case reported of
      duodenal metastases from endometrial carcinoma and with this presentation.

PMID- 28625070
TI  - McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome: unusual, but potentially lethal.
AB  - McKittrick-Wheelock syndrome is characterized by extracellular volume depletion
      and severe fluid and electrolyte imbalance caused by secretory tumors of the
      rectum, usually villous adenomas. Patients usually present signs of dehydration,
      hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and prerenal azotemia due to the chronic diarrhea,
      rich in ions and water. Since this is a potencially lethal entity without
      treatment, and a very unusual condition, we report a clinical case. Treatment
      consists in surgical resection of the tumor, although endoscopy polypectomy has
      also been reported.

PMID- 28625071
TI  - Adult gastric duplication: an unknown condition within the spectrum of gastric
      submucosal lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastric duplication is an uncommon condition in adults representing
      only 4-8% of all gastrointestinal duplications. It develops as a cystic growth
      within the thick gastric wall that is surrounded by a layer of smooth muscle and
      lined with gastric mucosa. It is usually asymptomatic but may present with
      nonspecific abdominal symptoms as well as cyst-related complications such as
      gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, ulceration and even pancreatitis. They are
      difficult to distinguish from other gastric submucosal lesions and may also mimic
      a gastrointestinal tumor (GIST) or mucinous cyst of the pancreas. Endoscopic
      ultrasound (EUS) is the most widely used diagnostic procedure and histology
      provides a definitive diagnosis. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 36-year-old
      female patient with a history of a "contained" perforated gastric ulcer that was
      managed conservatively. The patient was diagnosed with a gastric GIST which
      prompted a laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y reconstruction with a
      good postoperative outcome. DISCUSSION: The definitive histological diagnosis was
      gastric duplication. Thus, the previous diagnosis of a "contained" perforated
      gastric ulcer was in fact a complication of the gastric duplication itself.

PMID- 28625072
TI  - Depression and anxiety among war-widows of Nepal: a post-civil war cross
      sectional study.
AB  - Thousands of Nepalese women were widowed as a consequence of a decade (1996-2006)
      long civil war in Nepal. These women are at grave risk of mental health problems
      due to both traumatic experiences and violation of natural order of widowhood.
      The present study explores the depression and anxiety among war-widows. In 2012,
      a cross-sectional study was designed to interview 358 war-widows using
      validitated Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory in four
      districts of Nepal - Bardiya, Surkhet, Sindhupalchowk and Kavrepalanchowk with
      history of high conflict intensity. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was
      53% and 63% respectively. Financial stress was significantly associated with
      depression (2.67, 95% CI: 1.40-5.07) and anxiety (2.37, 95% CI: 1.19-4.72). High
      autonomy of women as compared to low autonomy, high social support as compared to
      low social support and literacy as opposed to illiteracy was associated with less
      likelihood of depression and anxiety. Our results suggest high magnitude of
      depression and anxiety among war-widows in Nepal. Future policy efforts should be
      directed at providing mental health services to identify mental health issues
      among conflict affected individuals with focus on education, employment and
      activities to promote social support and autonomy at community.

PMID- 28625073
TI  - The Impact of Structured Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Combined With Intensive
      Education on HbA1c Levels, Hospitalizations, and Quality-of-Life Parameters in
      Insulin-Treated Patients With Diabetes at Primary Care in Serbia: The Multicenter
      SPA-EDU Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We assessed the effect of structured self-monitoring of blood glucose
      (SMBG), in combination with intensive education, on metabolic control, SMBG
      frequency, hospitalizations, cardiovascular risk factors, and quality-of-life
      parameters in patients with insulin-treated diabetes in primary health care
      settings in Serbia. METHODS: This 6-month, observational, noninterventional
      study, followed 346 insulin-treated diabetes patients (type 1 diabetes [T1D], n =
      57; type 2 diabetes [T2D], n = 289) from 28 primary care centers. Patients
      attended a 10-day course at the specialized educational center and were followed
      monthly by their primary care physicians. Patients used a simple paper tool to
      document 3-day, 7-point glucose profiles prior to each monthly clinic visit.
      Physicians reviewed the completed forms at each visit and used a standardized
      education program to provide remedial training. Changes in HbA1c levels, SMBG
      frequency, metabolic risk factors, and Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS) were
      assessed. RESULTS: Mean (+/- SD) HbA1c within the full cohort was significantly
      improved from baseline at 6 months (8.85 +/- 1.17% vs 7.91 +/- 1.24%, P < .01).
      Significant increases in average SMBG frequency per week were seen at 6 months
      versus baseline (14.6/week vs 4.3/week, P < .001). The mean (+/- SE) number of
      hospitalizations due to metabolic conditions was significantly lower during the 6
      month study compared to the 6-month period prior to the study (0.14 +/- 0.04 vs
      0.59 +/- 0.09). DDS scores decreased from 39.6 +/- 13.9 to 33.9 +/- 14.5, P <
      .01. CONCLUSION: The use of structured SMBG combined with intensive education was
      associated with clinically significant reductions in HbA1c, increased SMBG
      frequency, and improved quality of life.

PMID- 28625075
TI  - 2016 Research Forum Poster Session and Competition: Finalists and Posters.

PMID- 28625074
TI  - Do checkpoint inhibitors rely on gut microbiota to fight cancer?
AB  - The field of gut microbiota is of growing interest, especially in the recent
      discoveries of its interaction with host immune responses, which when disrupted,
      can further alter immunity. It also plays a role in cancer development, its
      microenvironment and response to anticancer therapeutics. Several recently
      published experimental studies had explored the efficacy of modifying microbiota
      to enhance the response of checkpoint inhibitors, suggesting its beneficial
      function in cancer management and potential to be targeted as a therapeutic agent
      to enhance efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors. Here we review available evidence,
      mechanisms and hypotheses of its use to enhance cancer response.

PMID- 28625076
TI  - The One Abutment-One Time Protocol: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of definitive abutments (DAs) at time of implant placement
      has been introduced to overcome limitations of dis/reconnection of
      healing/provisional abutments (PAs). With little and inconsistent information in
      the literature regarding the effectiveness of using DAs, the aim of this
      systematic review is to examine marginal bone and soft tissue level changes,
      technical and biologic complications, and implant failure rate associated with
      use of DAs and PAs. METHODS: This systematic review was prepared according to
      guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta
      Analyses statement. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
      Trials, and online trial registers were searched for studies comparing use of DAs
      and PAs. The Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool was used to assess selected
      studies, and meta-analyses were performed using statistical software. RESULTS: A
      total of 1,124 citations were identified. Of these, seven trials with 363 dental
      implants in 262 participants were included in the analysis. Pooled estimates for
      marginal bone level changes showed significant differences between the two
      prosthetic techniques in favor of using DAs. No significant differences were
      found in soft tissue level changes, technical and biologic complications, or
      implant failure rate. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this review, DAs
      appear to be a viable alternative to PAs at time of implant placement. However,
      favorable changes in peri-implant marginal bone level associated with use of DAs
      should be viewed with caution as its clinical significance is still uncertain.

PMID- 28625077
TI  - Microbiome and Microbial Biofilm Profiles of Peri-Implantitis: A Systematic
      Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This systematic review assesses microbiologic profiles of peri
      implantitis, periodontitis, and healthy implants based on studies that evaluated
      microbial biofilms and entire microbiomes to establish their similarities and
      differences. METHODS: The Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online
      via PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
      Trials, were searched without language restrictions through July 30, 2016.
      Observational studies that evaluated microbial profiles or entire microbiomes of
      peri-implantitis compared with healthy implants or periodontitis were considered
      eligible for inclusion. A descriptive summary was created to determine quantity
      of data and interstudy variations. RESULTS: Of 126 potentially eligible articles,
      26 were included in this study. Twenty-one of these articles evaluated the
      microbiologic profile of peri-implantitis versus healthy implants or
      periodontitis using conventional microbiologic techniques. Five articles
      evaluated the entire microbiome using genomic sequencing. Teeth with
      periodontitis, healthy implants, or implants with peri-implantitis were colonized
      by periodontal microorganisms. Porphyromonas gingivalis and especially Prevotella
      intermedius/nigrescens were often identified at peri-implantitis sites. Peri
      implantitis sites were also colonized by uncultivable asaccharolytic anaerobic
      Gram-positive rods and anaerobic Gram-negative rods, which were not frequently
      identified in teeth with periodontitis or healthy implants. Opportunistic
      microorganisms were not found very frequently in peri-implantitis sites.
      CONCLUSIONS: Peri-implantitis represents a heterogeneous mixed infection that
      includes periodontopathic microorganisms, uncultivable asaccharolytic anaerobic
      Gram-positive rods and other uncultivable Gram-negative rods, and, rarely,
      opportunistic microorganisms such as enteric rods and Staphylococcus aureus.
      Sequencing methods that evaluate the entire microbiome improve identification of
      microorganisms associated with peri-implantitis.

PMID- 28625078
TI  - High titers of ADAbs in rheumatic disease patients undergoing anti-TNF therapy is
      not associated with lupus-like autoimmunity.

PMID- 28625079
TI  - Retrospective analysis of nephritis response and renal outcome in a cohort of 928
      Egyptian lupus nephritis patients: a university hospital experience.
AB  - Aim We aim to describe the pattern of response to treatment in a cohort of
      Egyptian lupus nephritis (LN) patients and to define variable prognostic factors.
      Methods We retrospectively analyzed records of 928 systemic lupus erythematosus
      (SLE) patients (898 females, 30 males) with biopsy-confirmed LN seen between 2006
      and 2012 at Cairo University hospitals. Results Our study involved 928 SLE
      patients with a mean age of 26.25 +/- 6.487 years, mean LN duration at time of
      renal biopsy 6.48 +/- 4.27 months, mean SLEDAI 28.22 +/- 11.7, and mean follow-up
      duration of 44.14 +/- 17.34 months. Induction treatment achieved remission in 683
      patients. Remission was achieved in all 32 patients with class II LN, compared to
      651/896 (72.7%) patients in classes III, IV, and V. Induction by intravenous (IV)
      cyclophosphamide achieved response in 435/575 (75.7%) patients, while induction
      by mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) resulted in response in 216/321 (67.3%) patients (
      p = 0.0068). Nephritic flares were least observed when MMF was used for
      maintenance (30/239 (12.6%) patients), compared to 71/365 patients (19.5%) ( p =
      0.0266) when azathioprine (AZA) was used, and 22/79 patients (27.8%) ( p = 0.002)
      with IV cyclophosphamide. Class IV LN, high chronicity index, presence of
      crescents, and interstitial fibrosis in biopsies were all associated with chronic
      kidney disease (CKD) development eventually ( p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.012,
      and p = 0.031, respectively). By the end of the study duration, 305 (32.7%)
      patients had CKD. Logistic regression detected that high baseline serum
      creatinine, failure to achieve remission, hypertension, and nephritic flare were
      the main risk factors for poor renal outcome ( p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.004,
      and p < 0.001, respectively). The 5 years' mortality was 69 (7.4%) patients with
      sepsis being the main cause of death. Conclusion IV cyclophosphamide superseded
      as induction treatment, while MMF was the best maintenance treatment. High serum
      creatinine, hypertension, and nephritic flare were the main risk factors for poor
      renal outcome.

PMID- 28625080
TI  - In Vivo PET Imaging of the Activated Immune Environment in a Small Animal Model
      of Inflammatory Arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evolving immune-mediated therapeutic strategies for rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) may benefit from an improved understanding of the complex role
      that T-cell activation plays in RA. This study assessed the potential of fluorine
      18-labeled 9-beta-d-arabinofuranosylguanine ([18F]F-AraG) positron emission
      tomography (PET) imaging to report immune activation in vivo in an adjuvant
      induced arthritis (AIA) small animal model. METHODS: Using positron emission
      tomography-computed tomography imaging, uptake of [18F]F-AraG in the paws of mice
      affected by arthritis at 6 (acute) and 20 (chronic) days following AIA induction
      in a single paw was assessed and compared to uptake in contralateral control
      paws. Fractions of T cells and B cells demonstrating markers of activation at the
      2 time points were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Differential uptake of
      [18F]F-AraG was demonstrated on imaging of the affected joint when compared to
      control at both acute and chronic time points with corresponding changes in
      markers of T-cell activation observed on flow cytometry. CONCLUSION: [18F]F-AraG
      may serve as an imaging biomarker of T-cell activation in inflammatory arthritis.
      Further development of this technique is warranted and could offer a tool to
      explore the temporal link between activated T cells and RA as well as to monitor
      immune-mediated therapies for RA in clinical trials.

PMID- 28625081
TI  - Integration of Action and Size Perception Through Practice.
AB  - Size perception is known to influence our usual interactions with environment.
      Numerous studies highlighted that during the visual presentation of an object,
      the properties of manual actions vary as a function of this object's size. In
      order to better understand the dynamic variations of relationships between size
      perception and action, we used an experimental paradigm consisting in two phases.
      During a previous implicit learning phase, a manual response (right or left) was
      specifically associated with the appearance of a large or small stimulus. During
      further test phase, participants were required to prepare a response while
      discriminating the color of a stimulus (GO/No GO task). We observed that the
      response execution was faster when the size of the stimulus was congruent with
      the size that had been associated to this response (during implicit learning
      phase). These results suggest that when a response usually co-occurs with visual
      stimuli characterized by a specific size pattern, the response and the size
      pattern become integrated. Any subsequent preparation and execution of this
      action are therefore influenced by the reactivation of this visual pattern. This
      result brings out new insights on how sensorimotor interactions may modulate the
      ability to anticipate perceptive size variations in the environment.

PMID- 28625082
TI  - Incorrect AM/PM Insulin Pump Clock Settings Can Result in an Unstable Insulin
      Dosing Feedback Loop.

PMID- 28625083
TI  - Spinal cord ischemia after endoscopic ultrasound guided celiac plexus neurolysis:
      case report and review of the literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Endosonography guided celiac plexus neurolysis is efficacious in
      the management of severe pain due to advanced pancreatic cancer. Although
      endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided celiac neurolysis (CN) is mostly a safer
      procedure than the percutaneous posterior approach, severe complications such as
      paraplegia have been reported. CASE REPORT: We describe a patient with advanced
      adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and severe pain who developed irreversible
      paraplegia after EUS guided CN. CONCLUSIONS: Endosonography guided celiac plexus
      neurolysis also might be complicated with paraplegia as already observed with
      percutaneous approach. The underlying mechanism could not be explained clearly
      until now. We detected concomitant embolic occlusion of Adamkiewicz and anterior
      radicularis magna arteries in magnetic resonance angiography. So, this procedure
      must be considered only for malignancy patients.

PMID- 28625084
TI  - Objectively assessed physical activity and associated factors of sedentary
      behavior among survivors of stroke living in Cape Town, South Africa.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate objectively measured physical activity in stroke
      survivors living in low-income areas of Cape Town, South Africa, specifically to:
      (a) describe the volume of daily physical activity and time spent in different
      intensity levels and (b) investigate the association of factors covering the
      International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health with sedentary
      behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used, where forty
      five ambulatory community-dwelling stroke survivors participated. Volume and
      intensity of physical activity were assessed with accelerometers for three to
      five consecutive days. Personal and environmental factors, along with body
      function and activity, were captured. Multiple linear regression was used to
      investigate factors associated with the percentage of days spent sedentary.
      RESULTS: The median number of steps per day was 2393, and of the average 703
      minutes of wear time, 80% were spent in sedentary, 15% in light, and 5% in
      moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity. Age, stroke severity, and
      failing to receive outpatient rehabilitation were independently associated with
      sedentary, which, taken together, explained 52% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Low
      volumes of physical activity and high amount of sedentary time emphasize the need
      to develop strategies that will increase physical activity. Providing outpatient
      rehabilitation in a systematic manner post-stroke is a potential target of health
      care programs in order to reduce sedentary behavior. Implications for
      rehabilitation Objectively measured physical activity among community-dwelling
      survivors of stroke in Cape Town, South Africa was low in volume, and the
      majority did not meet the recommendations of 150 minutes of at least moderate
      intensity physical activity. The majority of stroke survivors in South Africa
      spent most of their time sedentary, which could further increase the risk of
      cardiovascular impairments. Outpatient rehabilitation should be provided to all
      patients after stroke since it appears to reduce sedentary time.

PMID- 28625085
TI  - Enjoyable company in sharing stroke experiences; - lifestyle groups after stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Even people with mild to moderate stroke will experience changes in
      their abilities to perform everyday occupations. Group interventions may be
      appropriate in late-stage rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to explore
      how the participants involved themselves in person-centered lifestyle groups
      after stroke in Norway. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were performed with
      six older adults with mild-to-moderate stroke who had participated in lifestyle
      groups over a period of nine months. The interviews were analyzed using
      qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The participants involved themselves in
      the lifestyle groups in a variety of ways by creating enjoyable company in
      sharing stroke experiences, sharing knowledgeable interest, pushing and forcing
      each other forward and reflecting on self-worth. Through doing group activities
      together, they created various ways of being, belonging and becoming, addressing
      development of strategies for regaining self-belief and a sense of autonomy, and
      for adapting to everyday life post-stroke. CONCLUSION: The participants were
      active contributors in the groups and pushed each other and themselves regarding
      involvement in meaningful occupations. This active participation seemed to bring
      the participants' resources into focus and contrasted with the frequent negative
      perceptions of people post-stroke as 'victims'.

PMID- 28625087
TI  - The ex-pat effect: presence of recent Western immigrants is associated with
      changes in age at first birth and birth rate in a Maya population from rural
      Guatemala.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Economic transitions expose indigenous populations to a variety of
      ecological and cultural challenges, especially regarding diet and stress. These
      kinds of challenges are predicted by evolutionary ecological theory to have
      fitness consequences (differential reproduction) and, indeed, are often
      associated with changes in fertility dynamics. It is currently unclear whether
      international immigration might impact the nature of such an economic transition
      or its consequences for fertility. AIM: To examine measures of fertility, diet
      and stress in two economically transitioning Maya villages in Guatemala that have
      been differentially exposed to immigration by Westerners. SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
      This study compared Maya women's ages at first birth and birth rates between
      villages and investigated whether these fertility indicators changed through
      time. It also explored whether the villages differed in relation to diet and/or a
      proxy of stress. RESULTS: It was found that, in the village directly impacted by
      immigration, first births occurred earlier, but birth rate was slower. In both
      villages, over the sampled time window, age at first birth increased, while birth
      rate decreased. The villages do not differ significantly in dietary indicators,
      but the immigration-affected village scored higher on the stress proxy.
      CONCLUSION: Immigration can affect fertility in host communities. This
      relationship between immigration and fertility dynamics may be partly
      attributable to stress, but this possibility should be evaluated prospectively in
      future research.

PMID- 28625088
TI  - Mitochondrial content and hepcidin are increased in obese pregnant mothers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Maternal obesity is characterized by systemic low-grade inflammation
      and oxidative stress (OxS) with the contribution of fetal sex dimorphism. We
      recently described increased mitochondrial content (mtDNA) in placentas of obese
      pregnancies. Here, we quantify mtDNA and hepcidin as indexes of OxS and systemic
      inflammation in the obese maternal circulation. METHODS: Forty-one pregnant women
      were enrolled at elective cesarean section: 16 were normal weight (NW) and 25
      were obese (OB). Obese women were further classified according to the
      presence/absence of maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); [OB/GDM(-)]: n
      = 15, [OB/GDM(+)]: n = 10. mtDNA and hepcidin were evaluated in blood (real-time
      PCR) and plasma (ELISA). RESULTS: mtDNA and hepcidin levels were significantly
      increased in OB/GDM(-) versus NW, significantly correlating with pregestational
      BMI. Male/female (M/F) ratio was equal in study groups, and overall F-carrying
      pregnancies showed significantly higher mtDNA and hepcidin levels than M-carrying
      pregnancies both in obese and normal weight mothers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      indicate a potential compensatory mechanism to increased obesity-related OxS and
      inflammation, indicated by the higher hepcidin levels found in obese mothers.
      Increased placental mitochondrial biogenesis, due to lipotoxic environment, may
      account for the greater mtDNA amount released in maternal circulation. This
      increase is namely related to F-carrying pregnancies, suggesting a gender
      specific placental response.

PMID- 28625089
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasonography for preoperative staging of esophageal carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)
      in preoperative staging of esophageal carcinoma (EC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A
      total of 86 surgical patients with EC who were confirmed by endoscopy and biopsy
      underwent preoperative TN staging with EUS examination. The EUS findings were
      compared with surgical pathologic results. RESULTS: The accuracy of EUS in T and
      N staging of EC was 82.6% and 84.9%, respectively. While determining whether EC
      invades the muscularis propria or outer membrane, EUS had the favorable
      sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive
      value. The short-axis diameter of lymph nodes of 5mm had high sensitivity and
      negative predictive value to determine malignance with low specificity and
      positive predictive value. The short-axis diameter of 10mm presented the
      satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative
      predictive value. CONCLUSION: EUS can accurately determine the TN staging of EC
      and provide a reliable basis for the treatment of EC.

PMID- 28625086
TI  - Hepatitis C virus-apolipoprotein interactions: molecular mechanisms and clinical
      impact.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of
      cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure. Moreover, chronic HCV
      infection is associated with liver steatosis and metabolic disorders. With 130
      150 million people chronically infected in the world, HCV infection represents a
      major public health problem. One hallmark on the virus is its close link with
      hepatic lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Areas covered: HCV is associated with
      lipoprotein components such as apolipoproteins. These interactions play a key
      role in the viral life cycle, viral persistence and pathogenesis of liver
      disease. This review introduces first the role of apolipoproteins in lipoprotein
      metabolism, then highlights the molecular mechanisms of HCV-lipoprotein
      interactions and finally discusses their clinical impact. Expert commentary:
      While the study of virus-host interactions has resulted in a improvement of the
      understanding of the viral life cycle and the development of highly efficient
      therapies, major challenges remain: access to therapy is limited and an urgently
      needed HCV vaccine remains still elusive. Furthermore, the pathogenesis of
      disease biology is still only partially understood. The investigation of HCV
      lipoproteins interactions offers new perspectives for novel therapeutic
      approaches, contribute to HCV vaccine design and understand virus-induced liver
      disease and cancer.

PMID- 28625090
TI  - Accuracy Assessment of a Blood Glucose Monitoring System for Self-Testing with
      Three Test Strip Lots Following ISO 15197:2013/EN ISO 15197:2015.

PMID- 28625091
TI  - Factors related to tinnitus and hyperacusis handicap in older people.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess factors related to tinnitus and hyperacusis
      handicap in older people. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional. STUDY SAMPLE:
      Data were gathered for 184 patients with an average age of 69 years. RESULTS:
      Tinnitus handicap as measured via the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) was
      significantly predicted by tinnitus annoyance as measured via the visual analogue
      scale (VAS) (regression coefficient, b = 2.9, p < 0.001) and the effect of
      tinnitus on the patient's life as measured via the VAS (b = 3.9, p < 0.001).
      Hyperacusis handicap as measured via the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ) was
      significantly predicted by the score on the depression subscale of the Hospital
      Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (b = 0.8, p < 0.001) and to a small extent by
      the THI score (b = 0.07, p = 0.048). Insomnia scores as measured via the Insomnia
      Severity Index (ISI) were significantly predicted by scores on the depression
      subscale of the HADS (b = 0.46, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Since tinnitus annoyance
      significantly predicts tinnitus handicap, it is important to explore factors
      associated with annoyance that may be useful in designing appropriate
      rehabilitative interventions aimed at reducing tinnitus handicap in older people.
      Future studies should explore whether hyperacusis and insomnia in older people
      with tinnitus need to be managed in conjunction with treatment for depression.

PMID- 28625092
TI  - Factors affecting outcome in ocular myasthenia gravis.
AB  - AIM OF THE STUDY: 50%-60% of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG)
      progress to generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) within two years. The aim of our
      study was to explore factors affecting prognosis of OMG and to test the
      predictive role of several independent clinical variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      We reviewed a cohort of 168 Caucasian patients followed from September 2000 to
      January 2016. Several independent variables were considered as prognostic
      factors: gender, age of onset, results on electrophysiological tests, presence
      and level of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR Abs), treatments,
      thymic abnormalities. The primary outcome was the progression to GMG and/or the
      presence of bulbar symptoms. Secondary outcomes were either achievement of
      sustained minimal manifestation status or worsening in ocular quantitative MG
      subscore (O-QMGS) or worsening in total QMG score (T-QMGS), assessed by
      Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) quantitative scores. Changes in
      mental and physical subscores of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were
      assessed with SF-36 questionnaire. Variance analysis was used to interpret the
      differences between AChR Ab titers at different times of follow up among the
      generalized and non-generalized patients. RESULTS: Conversion to GMG occurred in
      18.4% of patients; it was significantly associated with sex, later onset of
      disease and anti-AChR Ab positivity. Antibody titer above the mean value of 25.8
      pmol/mL showed no significant effect on generalization. Sex and late onset of
      disease significantly affected T-QMGS worsening. None of the other independent
      variables significantly affected O-QMGS and HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: Sex, later onset
      and anti-AChR Ab positivity were significantly associated with clinical
      worsening.

PMID- 28625093
TI  - Response to: The need for narrative reflection and experiential learning in
      medical education: A lesson learned through an urban indigenous health elective.

PMID- 28625094
TI  - A new indole alkaloid from the traditional Chinese medicine Chansu.
AB  - A new indole alkaloid N'-formylserotonin (1), along with five known indole
      alkaloids N'-methylserotonin (2), 5-hydroxy-1H-indole-3-carbaldehyde (3), N
      acetylserotonin (4), 6-hydroxy-1-oxo-3,4-dihydro-beta-carboline (5), and
      bufoserotoin C (6), were isolated from the water extract of traditional Chinese
      medicine Chansu. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral
      analyses. The cytotoxicities of 1-6 against human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial
      cells A549 were tested using the MTT method. Compound 6 exhibited stronger
      cytotoxic effect than 5-FU, and 1-5 showed no cytotoxic effects. Bufoserotonin C
      is one of the cytotoxic components in water-soluble extract of Chansu.

PMID- 28625095
TI  - Fertility preservation in women with gynaecologic cancer: the impact on quality
      of life and psychological well-being.
AB  - The aim of this article is to propose a brief commentary about the impact of
      gynaecologic cancer treatments on the reproductive capacity of affected women and
      the importance of the fertility preservation treatments to improve quality of
      life and psychological well-being. The experience of gynaecologic cancer and
      treatment affects sexual function and psychological well-being of patients.
      Therefore, the preservation of reproductive potential is central to quality of
      life. Despite the importance of fertility preservation for cancer survivors'
      quality of life and psychological well-being, there is still little information
      about these treatments. We suggest that further studies about the impact on
      quality of life and psychological outcomes of fertility preservation counselling
      and fertility preservation treatments should be conducted.

PMID- 28625096
TI  - Surgical technique and early outcomes of intramedullary nailing of displaced
      proximal humeral fractures in an Asian population using a contemporary straight
      nail design.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite being a common orthopedic injury, the optimal management of
      proximal humeral fractures remains a topic of debate. Although intramedullary
      nails have been used to treat these fractures, several complications have been
      reported with older nail devices. We describe our surgical technique and aim to
      evaluate the early functional and radiological outcomes of displaced Neer's two-
      to four-part proximal humeral fractures undergoing fixation with a contemporary
      straight intramedullary nail. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 22
      consecutive patients (mean age 55.7 +/- 18.0) with acute displaced proximal
      humeral fractures underwent intramedullary nailing (Depuy Synthes MultiLoc
      Humeral Nail) by a single surgeon in a single institution. According to Neer's
      classification, 11 had two-part fractures, 9 had three-part fractures, and 2 had
      four-part fractures. Functional and radiological outcomes, as well as occurrence
      of complications, were assessed at 12 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean
      Constant-Murley score and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score at 12 months
      were 75.5 +/- 12.1 and 81.7 +/- 6.2, respectively. Mean range of motion was
      forward flexion 144.3 +/- 28.4, abduction 141.3 +/- 30.5, external rotation 58.0
      +/- 13.9, and internal rotation 62.0 +/- 15.2. Mean visual analog scale score was
      1.7 +/- 0.8. Radiographic fracture union was achieved at a mean of 3 months post
      op. One patient underwent a second surgery for screw removal due to a proximal
      screw backing out. No other complications were found in our cohort. Notably, no
      patients had clinical signs and symptoms of subacromial impingement and/or
      rotator cuff tear. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that intramedullary nailing
      using the contemporary straight nail design is well suited for Neer's two- and
      three-part proximal humeral fractures, with good early outcomes and low rates of
      complications. Results for four-part fractures were, however, inferior in our
      cohort, suggesting that further studies with larger patient numbers are needed to
      determine the role of intramedullary nailing for four-part fractures.

PMID- 28625098
TI  - Endoprosthetic replacement versus cement spacer in reconstruction of proximal
      humerus after tumor resection: Cost and benefits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proximal end of the humerus is a common site for both primary and
      metastatic bone tumors. Limb salvage with endoprosthetic replacement is the most
      common means of reconstruction, but it has been proved that cement spacer are
      more beneficial for inferior shoulder function. Thus, limb salvage can be
      replaced by cheaper spacers especially in poor societies. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      This study included 20 patients, of whom 14 were female, with a mean age of 40.4
      years (range 12-60). Among the study population, six were diagnosed with
      osteosarcomas, two chondrosarcomas, two myeloma, two lymphoma, four metastatic
      carcinoma in the breast, two giant cell tumor, and two recurrent chondroplastoma.
      Limb salvage was successfully done in all patients: Tikhoff-Linberg type I in 12
      cases and type V in 8. Endoprosthetic replacement was done in eight cases. An on
      table fabricated cement spacer was used in 12 cases. RESULTS: Follow-up ranged
      from 12 to 75 months, with a mean of 25.9 months. Functional outcome was almost
      comparable in both types of reconstruction, especially patient's satisfaction,
      with a mean function of 65%. CONCLUSION: A relatively expensive endoprosthesis
      could be replaced by a much cheaper cement spacer if their function is
      comparable.

PMID- 28625097
TI  - Use of the Pirani score in monitoring progression of correction and in guiding
      indications for tenotomy in the Ponseti method: Are we coming to the same
      decisions?
AB  - PURPOSE: The Pirani score is widely used in the treatment of idiopathic clubfoot.
      Some authors recommended to base decision for Achilles tenotomy in Ponseti method
      on this score (hindfoot score [HFS] > 1, once reducibility of lateral head of
      talus (LHT) is zero) instead of originally described indications (dorsiflexion < 
      10-15 degrees  once complete abduction is achieved). Yet correspondence of these
      indications has not been evaluated. Aim of this study was to verify whether in a
      cohort, where decision is based on dorsiflexion, the Pirani score corresponds to
      the limits suggested. Secondarily, to describe temporal variation in Pirani score
      along treatment, which has not been previously investigated. METHODS: In a
      prospective study, 79 idiopathic clubfeet in 47 cases consecutively treated with
      Ponseti method by a single orthopaedic surgeon were evaluated at each casting
      session with Pirani system; score progression and scores at time of decision to
      perform tenotomy were determined. RESULTS: HFS and its subcomponents showed
      minimal improvement during subsequent sessions of casting and then rapid
      correction with tenotomy. Medial crease resolved rapidly. Midfoot score and its
      remaining subcomponents corrected gradually. Total Pirani score showed initially
      a progressive correction and then a more abrupt improvement with tenotomy. At the
      time of decision to perform tenotomy, in 8 (10.1%) of 79 cases, the decision
      whether or not to perform tenotomy based on dorsiflexion would have been
      different based on the cut-offs for Pirani score suggested. CONCLUSION: Using
      Pirani score in guiding indication for tenotomy may imply different decisions in
      a portion of cases, which should be considered when comparing series.

PMID- 28625099
TI  - Toxicology in clinical laboratories: challenging times.
AB  - In recent years, there have been a number of significant developments in
      toxicology within clinical laboratories, both with the available instrumentation
      and in the range of compounds abused by the drug using communities. There have
      also been developments in the regulation of forensic science in the UK which may
      in time impact clinical toxicology. This review is designed to provide an update
      of these changes within toxicology to the more general pathology laboratory
      audience. For detailed information in specific areas, the reader is referred to
      the references in the text. In the preparation of this review, the references
      held by the author as part of his practice of an analytical toxicologist in the
      NHS were supplemented by a full literature search in Medline and Embase and a
      review of pertinent UK and European Governments and regulatory agency websites
      for recent documentation.

PMID- 28625100
TI  - Applications of meta-analytic structural equation modelling in health psychology:
      examples, issues, and recommendations.
AB  - Statistical methods play an important role in behavioural, medical, and social
      sciences. Two recent statistical advances are structural equation modelling (SEM)
      and meta-analysis. SEM is used to test hypothesised models based on substantive
      theories, which can be path, confirmatory factor analytic, or full structural
      equation models. Meta-analysis is used to synthesise research findings in a
      particular topic. This article demonstrates another recent statistical advance -
      meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM) - that combines meta-analysis
      and SEM to synthesise research findings for the purpose of testing hypothesised
      models. Using the theory of planned behaviour as an example, we show how MASEM
      can be used to address important research questions that cannot be answered by
      univariate meta-analyses on Pearson correlations. Specifically, MASEM allows
      researchers to: (1) test whether the proposed models are consistent with the
      data; (2) estimate partial effects after controlling for other variables; (3)
      estimate functions of parameter estimates such as indirect effects; and (4)
      include latent variables in the models. We illustrate the procedures with an
      example on the theory of planned behaviour. Practical issues in MASEM and
      suggested solutions are discussed.

PMID- 28625101
TI  - A versatile method for bladder segmentation in computed tomography two
      dimensional images under adverse conditions.
AB  - This article presents the design and evaluation of an algorithm for urinary
      bladder segmentation in medical images, from contrastless computed tomography
      studies of patients suffering from bladder wall tumours. These situations require
      versatile methods of segmentation, able to adapt to the structural changes the
      tumours provoke in the bladder wall, reflected as irregularities on the images
      obtained, creating adversities to the segmentation process. This semi-automatic
      method uses fuzzy c-means clustering, a Gaussian-curve-based intensity
      transformation, and active contour models, requiring only the physician's input
      of a single seed point for each anatomical view, in order to segment the bladder
      volume in all frames that include it. The performance of the method was evaluated
      on eight patients of The Cancer Genome Atlas-Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma
      collection, achieving approximately 79% of successful segmentations for small
      tumour patients (below 2.0 cm of diameter) and approximately 72% between 2.0 and
      2.9 cm. Successful segmentations for small tumour patients presented an average
      of 3.7 mm Hausdorff distance and 91.0% degree of overlap. The promising
      performance attained, especially for small tumour patients, revealed a high
      potential of this method to serve as basis for an effective early-stage bladder
      wall tumour computer-aided diagnosis system.

PMID- 28625102
TI  - Spatiotemporal meta-analysis: reviewing health psychology phenomena over space
      and time.
AB  - Individual studies of health psychology are samples taken in particular places at
      particular times. The results of such studies manifest multiple processes,
      including those associated with individual, sample, intervention, and study
      design characteristics. Although extant meta-analyses of health phenomena have
      routinely considered these factors to explain heterogeneity, they have tended to
      neglect the environments where studies are conducted, which is ironic, as health
      phenomena cluster in space and times (e.g., epidemics). The settings in which
      study participants live, work, and recreate can be characterised by such
      environmental factors such as disease, weather, local and broad economic trends,
      the level of stigmatisation of minority groups, and allostatic load due to all
      causes. We introduce spatiotemporal meta-analysis, designed to address
      heterogeneity in study environments. We list potential challenges in developing
      spatiotemporal meta-analyses, and discuss future directions for this form of
      systematic reviewing methodology. Logically, to the extent that relevant
      spatiotemporal information on environmental conditions is available and varies
      widely, it can help to explain variability in study results that is not explained
      by individual, sample, study, or intervention features.

PMID- 28625103
TI  - The robustness of false memory for emotional pictures.
AB  - Emotional material is commonly reported to be more accurately recognised;
      however, there is substantial evidence of increased false alarm rates (FAR) for
      emotional material and several reports of stronger influences on response bias
      than accuracy. This pattern is more frequently reported for words than pictures.
      Research on the mechanisms underlying bias differences has mostly focused on word
      lists under short retention intervals. This article presents four series of
      experiments examining recognition memory for emotional pictures while varying
      arousal and the control over the content of the pictures at two retention
      intervals, and one study measuring the relatedness of the series picture sets.
      Under the shorter retention interval, emotion increased false alarms and reduced
      accuracy. Under the longer retention interval emotion increased hit rates and
      FAR, resulting in reduced accuracy and/or bias. At both retention intervals, the
      pattern of valence effects differed based on the arousal associated with the
      picture sets. Emotional pictures were found to be more related than neutral
      pictures in each set; however, the influence of relatedness alone does not
      provide an adequate explanation for all emotional differences. The results
      demonstrate substantial emotional differences in picture recognition that vary
      based on valence, arousal and retention interval.

PMID- 28625104
TI  - Modelling the effect of immigration on drinking behaviour.
AB  - A drinking model with immigration is constructed. For the model with problem
      drinking immigration, the model admits only one problem drinking equilibrium. For
      the model without problem drinking immigration, the model has two equilibria, one
      is problem drinking-free equilibrium and the other is problem drinking
      equilibrium. By employing the method of Lyapunov function, stability of all kinds
      of equilibria is obtained. Numerical simulations are also provided to illustrate
      our analytical results. Our results show that alcohol immigrants increase the
      difficulty of the temperance work of the region.

PMID- 28625105
TI  - Adsorption of Cr(VI) on nano Uio-66-NH2 MOFs in water.
AB  - An efficient adsorbent, nano Uio-66-NH2 Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), for the
      high efficiency removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution was successfully
      synthesized. The adsorbent was characterized and its performance in Cr(VI)
      removal was evaluated for the first time. Kinetic data reveal that the Cr(VI)
      adsorption is rapid in the beginning followed by a slower adsorption process; The
      Cr(VI) adsorption kinetics were well described by the pseudo-second-order
      kinetics model. The calculated adsorption capacity of this adsorbent for Cr(VI)
      by Langmuir model was 32.36 mg/g at pH 6.5. The temperature-dependent isotherms
      indicated that the adsorption reaction of Cr(VI) on the MOFs was a spontaneous
      process. Filtration experiments revealed that the membranes fabricated by the
      MOFs could quickly remove Cr(VI) ions from the aqueous solutions. Electrostatic
      attraction between Uio-66-NH2 and Cr(VI) should be the mechanism for Cr(VI)
      adsorption by Uio-66-NH2.

PMID- 28625106
TI  - Deceptive pollination and insects' learning: a delicate balance.
AB  - In this paper we propose and discuss a simple two-dimensional model describing
      the interaction between two species: a plant population that gets pollinated by
      an insect population. The plants attract the insects deceiving them and not
      delivering any reward. We are interested in analysing the effect of learning by
      the insect population due to unsuccessfully visiting the deceiving plants. We are
      especially interested in three elements: conditions for the simultaneous
      coexistence of both species, their extinction as a function of the biological
      cost of the deceptiveness for the pollinator, and the appearance of oscillations
      in the dynamics. We also look for conditions under which plants would be better
      off by switching to different strategies, in particular, we look for conditions
      for the existence and stability of the equilibria of the corresponding
      differential equations system, and the conditions for the existence of periodic
      solutions.

PMID- 28625108
TI  - Memory dynamics under stress.
AB  - Stressful events have a major impact on memory. They modulate memory formation in
      a time-dependent manner, closely linked to the temporal profile of action of
      major stress mediators, in particular catecholamines and glucocorticoids. Shortly
      after stressor onset, rapidly acting catecholamines and fast, non-genomic
      glucocorticoid actions direct cognitive resources to the processing and
      consolidation of the ongoing threat. In parallel, control of memory is biased
      towards rather rigid systems, promoting habitual forms of memory allowing
      efficient processing under stress, at the expense of "cognitive" systems
      supporting memory flexibility and specificity. In this review, we discuss the
      implications of this shift in the balance of multiple memory systems for the
      dynamics of the memory trace. Specifically, stress appears to hinder the
      incorporation of contextual details into the memory trace, to impede the
      integration of new information into existing knowledge structures, to impair the
      flexible generalisation across past experiences, and to hamper the modification
      of memories in light of new information. Delayed, genomic glucocorticoid actions
      might reverse the control of memory, thus restoring homeostasis and "cognitive"
      control of memory again.

PMID- 28625107
TI  - Associations between omega-3 fatty acids and 25(OH)D and psychological distress
      among Inuit in Canada.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inuit in Canada have experienced dietary changes over recent
      generations, but how this relates to psychological distress has not been
      investigated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how nutritional biomarkers are related to
      psychological distress. DESIGN: A total of 36 communities in northern Canada
      participated in the International Polar Year Inuit Health Survey (2007-2008). Of
      2796 households, 1901 (68%) participated; 1699 Inuit adults gave blood samples
      for biomarker analysis and answered the Kessler 6-item psychological distress
      questionnaire (K6). Biomarkers included n-3 fatty acids and 25-hydroxyvitamin D
      (25(OH)D). The K6 screens for psychological distress over the last 30 days with
      six items scored on a 4-point scale. A total score of 13 or more indicates
      serious psychological distress (SPD). Logistic regression models were used to
      investigate any associations between SPD and biomarkers while controlling for
      age, gender, marital status, days spent out on the land, feeling of being alone,
      income and smoking. RESULTS: The 30-day SPD prevalence was 11.2%, with women
      below 30 years having the highest and men 50 years and more having the lowest SPD
      prevalence at 16.1% and 2.6%, respectively. SPD was associated with being female,
      younger age, not being married or with a common-law partner, spending few days
      out on the land, feelings of being alone, smoking and low income. Low levels of
      both 25(OH)D and long-chain n-3 FAs were associated with higher odds for SPD in
      both unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models. CONCLUSION: In this
      cross-sectional analysis, low levels of 25(OH)D and long-chain n-3 FAs were
      associated with higher odds ratios for SPD, which highlights the potential impact
      of traditional foods on mental health and wellbeing. Cultural practices are also
      important for mental health and it may be that the biomarkers serve as proxies
      for cultural activities related to food collection, sharing and consumption that
      increase both biomarker levels and psychological well-being. ABBREVIATIONS: n-3
      FAs: omega-3 fatty acids; PUFAs: polyunsaturated fatty acids; 25(OH)D: 25
      hydroxyvitamin D; IPY: International Polar Year; IHS : Inuit Health Survey; RBC:
      red blood cell; OR: odds ratio; K6: Kessler 6-item screening scale; SPD: serious
      psychological distress; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3); DHA:
      docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3); DPA n-3: docosapentaenoic acid (22:5 n-3); n-3
      LC-PUFAs: EPA (20:5 n-3) + DHA (22:6 n-3) + DPA (22:5 n-3); BMI: body mass index
      (kg m-2).

PMID- 28625109
TI  - The study of a pilot-scale aerobic/Fenton/anoxic/aerobic process system for the
      treatment of landfill leachate.
AB  - In this study, a combined aerobic-Fenton-anoxic/aerobic system was designed for
      the remediation of raw landfill leachate in a pilot-scale experiment. This system
      included (i) a granular sludge biological oxidation procedure that achieves the
      accumulation of nitrite nitrogen ([Formula: see text]) under aerobic conditions;
      (ii) a Fenton process that improves the biodegradability of the biotreated
      leachate and (iii) an activated sludge biological oxidation component under
      anoxic and aerobic conditions. Additionally, a shortcut nitrification and
      denitrification pathway was achieved. The effects of free ammonia, temperature
      and pH on nitrite accumulation were discussed. The change in the biochemical
      oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand ratio of the effluent after shortcut
      nitrification was also analysed. The microbial community in the reactor were also
      investigated. The problem of the lack of carbon source in the denitrification
      process can be solved by the Fenton reagent method. Moreover, it was beneficial
      to achieving nitrogen removal as well as the more extensive removal of organic
      matter. The treatment strategy employed in this study exhibited good results and
      provided the potential practical application for treating landfill leachate.

PMID- 28625110
TI  - Ultrasound-facilitated, catheter-directed, low-dose fibrinolysis in elderly
      patients with pulmonary embolism: A SEATTLE II sub-analysis.
AB  - Elderly patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) have higher mortality than
      non-elderly patients, but receive systemic fibrinolysis less frequently. In this
      sub-analysis of the SEATTLE II trial, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of
      ultrasound-facilitated, catheter-directed, low-dose fibrinolysis in elderly
      patients with submassive and massive PE. We compared patients ?65 years old with
      those <65 years old. Eligible patients had proximal PE and a right ventricular-to
      left ventricular (RV/LV) diameter ratio ?0.9 on chest computed tomography (CT).
      The primary efficacy outcome was the change in chest CT-measured RV/LV diameter
      ratio at 48 hours after procedure initiation. The primary safety outcome was
      major bleeding within 72 hours. Sixty-two patients were ?65 years of age and 88
      were <65 years of age. The RV/LV diameter ratio decreased in both groups 48 hours
      post-procedure, with a mean change of -0.47 in those ?65 and -0.39 in those <65
      years old, with no difference between groups ( p = 0.31). Major bleeding occurred
      in nine (15%) of those ?65 and in six (7%) of those <65 years old ( p = 0.17).
      Ultrasound-facilitated, catheter-directed, low-dose fibrinolysis resulted in a
      similar reduction in RV/LV diameter ratio in elderly patients with massive and
      submassive PE compared with non-elderly patients.

PMID- 28625111
TI  - Successful adaptation of a research methods course in South America.
AB  - BACKGROUND: South America has low research productivity. The lack of a structured
      research curriculum is one of the barriers to conducting research. OBJECTIVE: To
      report our experience adapting an active learning-based research methods
      curriculum to improve research productivity at a university in Ecuador. DESIGN:
      We used a mixed-method approach to test the adaptation of the research curriculum
      at Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil. The curriculum uses a flipped
      classroom and active learning approach to teach research methods. When adapted,
      it was longitudinal and had 16-hour programme of in-person teaching and a six
      month follow-up online component. Learners were organized in theme groups
      according to interest, and each group had a faculty leader. Our primary outcome
      was research productivity, which was measured by the succesful presentation of
      the research project at a national meeting, or publication in a peer-review
      journal. Our secondary outcomes were knowledge and perceived competence before
      and after course completion. We conducted qualitative interviews of faculty
      members and students to evaluate themes related to participation in research.
      RESULTS: Fifty university students and 10 faculty members attended the course. We
      had a total of 15 groups. Both knowledge and perceived competence increased by 17
      and 18 percentage points, respectively. The presentation or publication rate for
      the entire group was 50%. The qualitative analysis showed that a lack of research
      culture and curriculum were common barriers to research. CONCLUSIONS: A US-based
      curriculum can be successfully adapted in low-middle income countries. A research
      curriculum aids in achieving pre-determined milestones. ABBREVIATIONS: UCSG:
      Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil; UM: University of Miami.

PMID- 28625112
TI  - Effect of the Parent-Adolescent Relationship on Adolescent Boys' Body Image and
      Subjective Well-Being.
AB  - Adolescent boys must cope with physical changes that hamper their ability to form
      a positive body image. Sociocultural messages influence the concepts of body
      image, personal appearance, and weight, encouraging men to develop lean and
      muscular bodies. The current study examined adolescent boys' body image and its
      relationship to their subjective well-being (SWB) and the effect of the parent
      adolescent relationship on body image and SWB. Participating in the research were
      107 adolescent boys in Israel, aged 13 to 18 years. Four questionnaires were
      utilized: demographic, body mass index, Body Investment Scale, and Personal Well
      Being Index. The findings indicate a significant, medium positive correlation
      between SWB and body image. After controlling for the variable of parent
      adolescent relationship, the correlation weakened, indicating that the parent
      adolescent relationship has no effect on adolescent boys' SWB and body image.
      Body image was reported to be a predictor of SWB.

PMID- 28625113
TI  - Men With a Terminal Illness Relax Their Criteria for Facial Attractiveness.
AB  - According to the life history paradigm, in life-threatening conditions, sexual
      selection criteria are relaxed in order to increase the probability of a last
      resort reproduction, ultimately contributing to reproductive success. This should
      be reflected in loosened mating preferences - a process observed in nonhuman
      animals. Studies investigating this aspect in humans, however, are scarce. This
      study explored the aesthetic preferences towards facial and nonfacial stimuli in
      terminally ill patients with heart failure (HF) and their healthy, same-sex
      peers. The aim was to examine if these two groups of men demonstrate different
      patterns of aesthetic judgments. Using a 7-point scale, 65 male patients with HF
      and 143 healthy men evaluated the perceived attractiveness of 15 photographs
      (five adult male faces, five adult female faces, and five nonfacial pictures). A
      mixed-design analysis of variance was run to assess group differences in
      aesthetic preferences. Compared to healthy controls, stimuli. HF patients rated
      the pictures using significantly higher scores, but this applied only to male and
      female, but not nonfacial, stimuli. We propose that lower criteria for facial
      attractiveness in HF patients are linked to relaxation of mate preferences as a
      result of a life-threatening conditions, and that this process can be an adaptive
      mating strategy from an ultimate, evolutionary perspective. However, other
      mechanisms (e.g., seeking social support) may be also responsible for the
      observed patterns.

PMID- 28625114
TI  - The Role of Testosterone Supplemental Therapy in Opioid-Induced Hypogonadism: A
      Retrospective Pilot Analysis.
AB  - Chronic opioid therapy for pain management is known to induce several endocrine
      changes. The authors examined the effect of testosterone supplemental therapy
      (TST) in patients with chronic, noncancer pain undergoing opioid therapy. It was
      hypothesized that treatment of opioid-induced hypogonadism (OIH) can reduce
      opioid requirements in patients suffering from chronic pain and approve their
      quality of life. Over 18 months period, patients with OIH were identified in a
      tertiary referral pain center, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores and daily
      morphine equivalent dose (MED) were the primary outcomes measured. Data were
      collected and comparative analysis performed between men undergoing TST versus
      nontreatment group. Twenty-seven OIH patients (total testosterone <300 ng/dL)
      were identified during the study period. TST group consists of 11 patients, while
      non-TST group consists of 16 patients as control cohort. Mean patient age (55 and
      54.4, p = .4) and basic metabolic index (28.5 and 31.9, p = .07) in TST and non
      TST groups, respectively. Mean follow-up total testosterone (ng/dL) was
      significantly higher after TST compared with the non-TST group (497.5 vs. 242.4
      ng/dL, p = .03). Median follow-up NRS was 0 and 2 in the TST and non-TST groups (
      p = .02). Mean MED (mg) decreased by 21 mg in TST group and increased by 2.5 mg
      in non-TST group ( p < .05). This study reports that treatment of OIH with TST
      can reduce opioid requirements in men with chronic pain as quantified by MED. It
      also confirms previous reports on the potential effects of OIH and that TST is
      effective in correcting opioid-induced endocrine abnormalities.

PMID- 28625115
TI  - Do Nonclinical Community-Based Youth-Serving Professionals Talk With Young Men
      About Sexual and Reproductive Health and Intend to Refer Them for Care?
AB  - Young men (ages 15-24) may benefit from community-based connections to care since
      many have sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs and low care use. This study
      describes nonclinical community-based youth-serving professionals' (YSPs) SRH
      knowledge, confidence, past behaviors, and future intentions to talk with young
      men about SRH and refer them to care, and examines factors associated with care
      referral intentions. YSPs ( n = 158) from 22 settings in one mid-Atlantic city
      answered questions about the study's goal, their demographics and work
      environment from August 2014 to December 2015. Poisson regression assessed
      factors associated with YSPs' care referral intentions. On average, YSPs answered
      58% of knowledge questions correctly, knew 5 of 8 SRH care dimensions of where to
      refer young men, and perceived being somewhat/very confident talking with young
      men about SRH (63%) and referring them to care (77%). During the past month, the
      majority (63%) talked with young men about SRH but only one-third made care
      referrals; the majority (66%) were somewhat/very likely to refer them to care in
      the next 3 months. Adjusted models indicated YSPs were more likely to refer young
      men if they had a very supportive work environment to talk about SRH (adjusted RR
      = 1.51, 95% CI [1.15, 1.98]), greater confidence in SRH care referral (1.28
      [1.00, 1.62]), and greater SRH care referrals in the past month (1.16 [1.02,
      1.33]). Nonclinical community-based YSPs have poor-to-moderate knowledge about
      young men's SRH care, and less than one-third reported referrals in the past
      month. Findings have implications for educating YSPs about young men's SRH care.

PMID- 28625116
TI  - The Effects of Immigration and Media Influence on Body Image Among Pakistani Men.
AB  - This study examined the role of media influence and immigration on body image
      among Pakistani men. Attitudes toward the body were compared between those living
      in Pakistan ( n = 56) and those who had immigrated to the United Arab Emirates (
      n = 58). Results of a factorial analysis of variance demonstrated a significant
      main effect of immigrant status. Pakistani men living in the United Arab Emirates
      displayed poorer body image than those in the Pakistan sample. Results also
      indicated a second main effect of media influence.Those highly influenced by the
      media displayed poorer body image. No interaction effect was observed between
      immigrant status and media influence on body image. These findings suggest that
      media influence and immigration are among important risk factors for the
      development of negative body image among non-Western men. Interventions designed
      to address the negative effects of the media and immigration may be effective at
      reducing body image disorders and other related health problems in this
      population.

PMID- 28625117
TI  - Factors Associated to Health Care Service Use among Latino Day Laborers.
AB  - Latino day laborers (LDLs) are at elevated risks for disease and injury because
      of the environments in which they work. Despite this recognition, a comprehensive
      examination of factors related to LDLs' health service use remains unexamined.
      Using the Andersen model, the current exploratory study examined predisposing
      (age, education level, location of educational training, legal status, and
      marital status), enabling (income, trust in medical personnel, whether the
      respondent has someone they consider their personal doctor, and whether their
      doctor speaks the same language, perceived barriers to care), and need (self
      rated health, number of chronic conditions) variables to predict use of health
      services among a purposive sample of LDLs ( N = 150). Cross-sectional data were
      collected in 2012 from 4 day laborer sites in Dallas and Arlington, Texas.
      Regression results suggest that the strongest predictor of health care use was
      trust in medical providers (beta = .41). LDLs who were U.S legal residents (beta
      = .21), reported multiple chronic conditions (beta = .16), and had a doctor who
      spoke their language (beta = .15) reported significantly higher levels of health
      care usage. In terms of barriers, not being able to pay for services (beta = 
      .23), lacking health care insurance coverage (beta = -.22), and being embarrassed
      or having a family member not approve of utilizing services (beta = -.18) were
      significantly associated with lower health care usage among LDLs. These findings
      suggest that LDLs are faced with a number of predisposing, enabling, and need
      factors that comprise health care use.

PMID- 28625118
TI  - Sexual Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Male Veterans and
      Nonveterans.
AB  - Little is known about the sexual health of male veterans. This study used
      nationally representative data from the 2011 to 2013 National Survey of Family
      Growth to compare sexual behaviors and history of sexually transmitted infections
      (STIs) between male veterans and nonveterans. The sample included 3,860 men aged
      18 to 44 years who reported ever having sex with a man or woman. The key
      independent variable was veteran status. Sexual behavior outcomes included >=6
      lifetime female partners, >=10 lifetime partners of either sex, >=2 past-year
      partners of either sex, having past-year partners of both sexes, and condom
      nonuse at last vaginal sex. STI outcomes included past-year history of chlamydia,
      gonorrhea, or receiving any STI treatment; lifetime history of herpes, genital
      warts, or syphilis; and an aggregate measure capturing any reported STI history.
      Logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between veteran
      status and each outcome. In models adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education,
      income, and marital status, veterans had significantly greater odds than
      nonveterans of having >=6 lifetime female partners ( OR = 1.5, 95% CI [1.02,
      2.31]). In models adjusting for age and marital status, veterans had
      significantly greater odds of having partners of both sexes in the past year ( OR
      = 4.8, 95% CI [1.2, 19.8]), and gonorrhea in the past year ( OR = 3.2, 95% CI
      [1.2, 8.5]). Male veterans were thus significantly more likely than nonveterans
      to have STI risk factors. Health care providers should be aware that male
      veterans may be at higher risk for STIs and assess veterans' sexual risk
      behaviors.

PMID- 28625119
TI  - Sociodemographic and Health Profile of Heterosexual Men Living With HIV in
      Ontario, Canada.
AB  - In Ontario, Canada, the number of heterosexual men living with HIV has increased
      over time, yet they remain an understudied population. The study objective was to
      describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of this population,
      using data from a multisite clinical cohort of patients receiving HIV care.
      Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of men interviewed between 2010 and
      2012 were compared according to their self-identified sexual orientation,
      followed by multivariable linear and logistic regression to assess the
      association of sexual orientation with CD4 cell count, viral load, hepatitis C co
      infection, self-rated health, and mental health concerns after adjustment for
      covariates. A total of 552 men identified as heterosexual, 2,023 as gay, and 171
      as bisexual. Compared to gay and bisexual men, heterosexual men were more likely
      to have been born outside of Canada (34.8%); more likely to report African,
      Caribbean, or Black ethnicity (26.4%) or Indigenous ethnicity (13.6%); and more
      likely to have low socioeconomic status (59.5% earning less than $20,000 per
      year), and/or a history of injection drug use (31.7%). Relative to gay men,
      heterosexual men had 5.19 times the odds of co-infection with hepatitis C virus
      regardless of injection drug use history (95% confidence interval = 3.87-6.96),
      and 40% lower odds of rating their health as excellent or good (95% confidence
      interval = 0.50-0.84). HIV-positive heterosexual men in Ontario constituted a
      socially marginalized group characterized by a high prevalence of injection drug
      use history and hepatitis C co-infection.

PMID- 28625120
TI  - The Effects of Ramadan Fasting on the Spirometric Data of Healthy Adult Males.
AB  - The few studies carried out on the effects of Ramadan fasting (RF) on spirometric
      values present contradictory conclusions. This study aimed at assessing whether
      RF affects healthy adults' spirometric values. Twenty-nine nonsmoking healthy
      males ( M +/- standard error of mean [ SEM] of age: 27 +/- 1 years) who fasted
      during Ramadan (June 29-July 28, 2014) volunteered to the study. Three periods
      (before-Ramadan [June 23-25], mid-Ramadan [July 14-16] and after-Ramadan [August
      11-14]) were selected for spirometry measurements that were consistently
      performed 5.5 to 3.5 hours (between 15:00 and 17:00 hours) before fasting break.
      Assessment sessions comprised following: weight (kg), forced vital capacity
      (FVC), first second expiratory volume (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow
      (PEF), maximal mid expiratory flow (MMEF), and forced expiratory flow rate at the
      x% of FVC to be exhaled (FEF x%). Spirometric data were expressed in percentages
      of reference values. Results were analyzed by applying repeated measures analysis
      of variance. The M +/- SEM of weight (before-R: 81.6 +/- 2.8 kg, mid-R: 80.8 +/-
      2.9 kg, after-R: 81.2 +/- 2.9 kg), FEV1 (before-R: 99 +/- 2%, mid-R: 98 +/- 2%,
      after-R: 98 +/- 2%), FVC (before-R: 103 +/- 2%, mid-R: 101 +/- 2%, after-R: 101
      +/- 2%), PEF (before-R: 112 +/- 3%, mid-R: 113 +/- 2%, after-R: 114 +/- 3%), MMEF
      (before-R: 83 +/- 3%, mid-R: 83 +/- 3%, after-R: 82 +/- 3%), FEF25% (before-R: 90
      +/- 5%, mid-R: 89 +/- 6%, after-R: 87 +/- 6%), FEF50% (before-R: 94 +/- 4%, mid
      R: 91 +/- 4%, after-R: 93 +/- 3%), and FEF75% (before-R: 108 +/- 3%, mid-R: 111
      +/- 2%, after-R:111 +/- 3%) were not significantly influenced by RF. To conclude,
      RF did not bring about any significant changes in the spirometric values of
      nonsmoking healthy adult males.

PMID- 28625121
TI  - Nanofiltration fouling propensity caused by wastewater effluent organic matters
      and surface-water dissolved organic matters.
AB  - Rejection of dissolved organic matters (DOMs) from wastewater treatment plant
      effluent (EfOM) and surface reservoir water (RW-DOM) by nanofiltration (NF) was
      comparatively studied to evaluate their influence on membrane fouling and to
      unveil the major causations. EfOM and RW-DOM were fractionated to determine the
      major components that preferentially form fouling layer and initiate biofouling.
      The results indicated that EfOM induced a rapid membrane permeability loss and a
      more complicated biofilm diversity than RW-DOM did. Hydrophilic components with
      small molecular weight (<3 kDa), and SMP in EfOM made a crucial contribution to
      membrane flux decline, while the hydrophobic large-molecular-weight components
      (>50 kDa) resulted in initially quick membrane fouling. The complex biofouling
      resulted from EfOM closely related with significant retention of SMP on the non
      porous NF membrane surface, where the Proteobacteria phylum dominated the
      biofouling formed by microbial community growth and accumulation that gave rise
      to serious irreversible membrane fouling.

PMID- 28625122
TI  - A ten-year review of chronic cor pulmonale secondary to respiratory diseases in
      Ghana.
AB  - Chronic cor pulmonale is defined as right ventricular failure secondary to
      pulmonary hypertension. Our study reviewed all cases of chronic cor pulmonale
      secondary to respiratory diseases in a ten-year period (2004-20014) in the
      Department of Child Health, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Nine cases of
      chronic cor pulmonale were recorded during the period. The age range was 1-9
      years (average age = 3 years). Obstructive sleep apnoea secondary to adenoid
      hypertrophy was the commonest cause of pulmonary hypertension.

PMID- 28625124
TI  - Occurrence and Importance of Plant Lipids: A Promising Insight into Algae.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lipids are biomolecules with interesting structural variability. They
      are involved in many processes such as the storage of energy, in nutrition and
      are also of relevance for signal transduction processes, in apoptosis, cell
      differentiation and phagocytosis, etc. Macroalgae and microalgae are a promising
      and very diverse group of organisms. These living arganisms inhabit a vaste range
      of ecosystems from the Antarctic to the Deserts. They account for above half the
      primary productivity at the base of the food chain because of their multiple
      nutritional products including, for instance, lipids. RESULTS: Recently, studies
      on the oleaginous algae encompass their uses for commercial exploitations with
      applications ranging from human health food, animal feed, aquaculture,
      nutraceutical, biofuels and others. In this article, updated knowledge of lipids
      and recent research studies for algae's valorization performed by several authors
      were reviewed. Special attention was paid to lipids accumulation and their
      characterization. CONCLUSION: The selection of the prominent species of algae
      will be of great importance to satisfy the corresponding valorization process.
      Patents identified with algal lipids composition, production and application are
      presented.

PMID- 28625123
TI  - Role of the N-acetylation polymorphism in solithromycin metabolism.
AB  - AIM: Solithromycin is a new macrolide antibiotic for the potential treatment of
      bacterial pneumonia. MATERIALS & METHODS: Solithromycin N-acetylation by human
      NAT1 and NAT2 was investigated following recombinant expression in yeast and in
      cryopreserved human hepatocytes from rapid, intermediate and slow acetylators.
      RESULTS: Solithromycin exhibited over twofold higher affinity for recombinant
      human NAT2 than NAT1. Apparent maximum velocities for the N-acetylation of
      solithromycin catalyzed by the NAT2 allozyme associated with rapid acetylators
      were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than by the NAT2 allozymes associated with
      slow acetylators. Robust gene dose responses (rapid>intermediate>slow
      acetylators) were exhibited in cryopreserved human hepatocytes in situ following
      incubation with 100 MUM solithromycin. CONCLUSION: Solithromycin is N-acetylated
      by human NAT1 and NAT2 and the role of the NAT2 acetylation polymorphism on
      solithromycin metabolism may be concentration dependent.

PMID- 28625126
TI  - Enhanced Risk for Specific Somatic Myeloproliferative Neoplastic Mutations in
      Patients with Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Somatic mutations of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2V617F), calreticulin (CALR),
      and myeloproliferative leukemia virus oncogene (MPL) are the major clonal
      molecules that drive the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). It
      is well recognized that MPN patients carry an excessive risk of
      thrombohemorrhagic complications. However, little is known about the prevalence
      of these clonal markers in patients with cerebral vascular disease. METHODS: To
      address this issue, 153 consecutive stroke patients in Taiwan were enrolled in
      the study. Allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR), real-time AS-PCR, and Illumina paired
      end sequencing were employed to detect the presence of MPL, JAK2V617F, and CALR
      exon 9 mutations, respectively. RESULTS: JAK2V617F mutation was detectable in 13
      samples (8.5%), but the allele burdens (AB) were greater than 1% in only six
      (3.9%) of them. Compared to JAK2-unmutated patients, those with JAK2V617F AB > 1%
      had significantly higher white blood count (p = 0.01), although four of the six
      did not exhibit MPN phenotypes. Two patients had a heterozygous CALR exon9
      mutation locating outside the coding region and did not alter the amino acid
      sequence of this protein. On the other hand, there were no patients carrying the
      MPL mutations. Using patient age, baseline hemogram, and stroke-relevant risk
      factors, we developed a predictive model that could successfully identify stroke
      patients at risk of carrying clonal JAK2V617F mutation. CONCLUSION: The
      prevalence of JAK2V617F mutation in stroke patients was higher than that seen in
      general population. Based on our newly developed probability stratification
      model, genotyping of JAK2V617F mutation in selected patients with stroke might be
      warranted.

PMID- 28625127
TI  - The Hippocampal Autophagic Machinery is Depressed in the Absence of the Circadian
      Clock Protein PER1 that may Lead to Vulnerability During Cerebral Ischemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autophagy is an intracellular bulk self-degrading process in which
      cytoplasmic contents of abnormal proteins and excess or damaged organelles are
      sequestered into autophagosomes, and degraded upon fusion with lysosomes.
      Although autophagy is generally considered to be pro-survival, it also functions
      in cell death processes. We recently reported on the hippocampal, higher
      vulnerability to cerebral ischemia in mice lacking the circadian clock protein
      PERIOD1 (PER1), a phenomenon we found to be linked to a PER1-dependent modulation
      of the expression patterns of apoptotic/autophagic markers. METHODS: To exclude
      the contribution of vascular or glial factors to the innate vulnerability of Per1
      knockout-mice (Per1-/--mice) to cerebral ischemia in vivo, we compared the
      autophagic machinery between primary hippocampal cultures from wild-type (WT)-
      and Per1-/--mice, using the lipophilic macrolide antibiotic, Rapamycin to induce
      autophagy. RESULTS: Development of autophagy in WT cells involved an increased
      LC3-II-to-LC3-I ratio (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) and an
      overall increase in the level of LC3-II. In addition, immunostaining of LC3 in WT
      cells revealed the typical transformation of LC3 localization from a diffused
      staining to a dot- and ring-like pattern. In contrast, Per1-/--hippocampal cells
      were resistant to Rapamycin induced alterations of autophagy hallmarks.
      CONCLUSION: Our in vitro data suggests that basal activity of autophagy seems to
      be modulated by PER1, and confirms the in vivo data by showing that the
      autophagic machinery is depressed in Per1-/--hippocampal neurons.The implication
      of both autophagy and circadian dysfunction in the pathogenesis of cerebral
      ischemia suggests that a functional connection between the two processes may
      exist.

PMID- 28625125
TI  - Dreams and Psychedelics: Neurophenomenological Comparison and Therapeutic
      Implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A resurgence of neurobiological and clinical research is currently
      underway into the therapeutic potential of serotonergic or 'classical'
      psychedelics, such as the prototypical psychedelic drug lysergic acid
      diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,Ndimethyltryptamine), and
      ayahuasca - a betacarboline- and dimethyltryptamine (DMT)-containing Amazonian
      beverage. The aim of this review is to introduce readers to the similarities and
      dissimilarities between psychedelic states and night dreams, and to draw
      conclusions related to therapeutic applications of psychedelics in psychiatry.
      METHODS: Research literature related to psychedelics and dreaming is reviewed,
      and these two states of consciousness are systematically compared. Relevant
      conclusions with regard to psychedelicassisted therapy will be provided. RESULTS:
      Common features between psychedelic states and night dreams include perception,
      mental imagery, emotion activation, fear memory extinction, and sense of self and
      body. Differences between these two states are related to differential perceptual
      input from the environment, clarity of consciousness and meta-cognitive
      abilities. Therefore, psychedelic states are closest to lucid dreaming which is
      characterized by a mixed state of dreaming and waking consciousness. CONCLUSION:
      The broad overlap between dreaming and psychedelic states supports the notion
      that psychedelics acutely induce dreamlike subjective experiences which may have
      long-term beneficial effects on psychosocial functioning and well-being. Future
      clinical studies should examine how therapeutic outcome is related to the acute
      dreamlike effects of psychedelics.

PMID- 28625128
TI  - The Wnt/beta-catenin Signalling Pathway Inhibitor Sclerostin is a Biomarker for
      Early Atherosclerosis in Obesity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sclerostin is an inhibitor of the wingless-type mouse mammary tumor
      virus integration site family/beta-catenin signalling pathway (WbetacSP), which
      plays an important role in bone metabolism and in vascular biology. It could act
      protective regarding atherosclerosis development through its effect on WbetacSP
      in vascular cells. Nevertheless, results of studies analyzing association between
      circulating sclerostin level (CSL) and atherosclerotic diseases (AD) are showing
      conflicting results. The aim of this study is to test the value of CSL as a
      biomarker of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis (SCA) in obese persons. METHODS:
      The cross-sectional study included 50 obese persons without previous history of
      diabetes and AD. Participants underwent adequate anthropometrical, ultrasound and
      laboratory examinations, including 2h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
      RESULTS: Only the presence of SCA significantly indirectly correlated with CSL
      (p<0.05). Based on the median value of CSL, we formed two groups: low CSL
      (CSL<7.9 pmol/l) and high CSL (CSL>7.9 pmol/l). There were no statistically
      significant differences in general (gender, age and current smoking) and
      anthropometrical characteristics (body mass index, waist circumference, systolic
      and diastolic blood pressure), inflammatory (total white blood cell count,
      erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein and uric acid),
      glucose metabolism (fasting and 2h OGTT blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and
      presence of dysglycemia) and lipid metabolism (low density lipoprotein
      cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein
      A-I, apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein (a)) parameters between low and high CSL
      groups. Low CSL group had significantly higher incidence of SCA (p<0.05).
      CONCLUSION: CSL could serve as a useful biomarker of early atherosclerosis in
      obese persons without previous history of cardiometabolic disorders but the final
      conclusion requires further testing.

PMID- 28625129
TI  - Triamcinolone Acetonide Suppresses Inflammation and Facilitates Vascular Barrier
      Function in Human Retinal Microvascular Endothelial Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is resulted from the retinal
      microvascular leakage that accompanies the breakdown of blood-retinal barrier.
      Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is a therapeutic agent for DME, but since the
      detailed mechanism of action of TA is not known, part of its action was examined.
      METHODS: In vitro model to enhance the permeability of human retinal
      microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) was constructed by using DME-related
      cytokines such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta). The efficacy of TA
      and anti-VEGF antibody against retinal permeability was evaluated. Furthermore,
      the localization of ZO-1 in HRMECs was examined using immunofluorescence staining
      and the expression level of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin
      5) was examined using immunoblot. RESULTS: TA and anti-VEGF antibody showed
      inhibitory effects against VEGF-induced permeability enhancement, and TA also
      inhibited the increase in permeability induced by TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. In
      addition to the inhibitory effects against cytokine-induced hyperpermeability, TA
      enhanced the barrier function of HRMECs and reduced the vascular leakage. TA
      altered the localization of tight junction proteins, but did not increase the
      upregulation of tight junction proteins. Moreover, the enhancement of barrier
      function by TA was inhibited by 17-AAG (glucocorticoid receptor inhibitor).
      CONCLUSION: It was suggested that TA reinforced the barrier function through the
      glucocorticoid receptor. In this study, we found that TA suppressed the
      inflammation caused by VEGF, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, and decreased the retinal
      vascular hyperpermeability.

PMID- 28625131
TI  - Long-term Lifestyle-modification Programs for Overweight and Obesity Management
      in the Arab States: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing health problem worldwide. It is associated with
      serious medical and psychosocial comorbidities that increase the risk of
      mortality. However, strong evidence confirms lifestyle-modification programs as
      the cornerstone treatment for excess weight and obesity. The aim of this
      systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of the lifestyle-modification
      programs for weight management delivered in Arabic-speaking countries. METHODS:
      The PubMed database was searched, and studies conducted in humans were identified
      and screened as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta
      Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data were collated using meta-analysis and a
      narrative approach. RESULTS: Of the 1057 articles retrieved, six studies,
      conducted in four Arab countries, comprising a total of 444 adolescent and adult
      participants of both genders with overweight and obesity, met the inclusion
      criteria and were reviewed. Most studies that assessed weight loss at 6-month
      follow-up showed no significant reduction in body weight. Meta-analysis confirmed
      that the lifestyle-modification programs delivered were no more effective than
      other treatments. Only one article reported significant weight-loss maintenance
      after 12 months of follow-up. However this was a prospective non-controlled study
      in which the weight loss maintained (=4%) did not conform to the standard for
      clinical significance (>10%). CONCLUSION: Lifestyle-modification programs for
      weight management delivered in Arabic-speaking countries seem lacking in
      effectiveness due to methodological weaknesses in program adaptation, a lack of
      expert clinical supervision before and during implementation, and the presence of
      barriers to lifestyle modification, especially for women. Future studies should
      bear these features in mind.

PMID- 28625130
TI  - Remote Ischemic Conditioning Improves Cognitive Function During Cerebral Vascular
      Injury Through the Induction of Autophagy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The most valid model for vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is the
      mouse bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS), whose behavioral outcomes
      are supposedly affected by the remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) through the
      induction of autophgy. We hope to determine whether RIC contributes to the
      neuroprotection through the induction of autophagy. METHODS: Wastar male mice
      were randomized into three groups including the Sham, the BCAS and the RIC+BCAS
      groups. All the animals were submitted to 4 cycles of 5 min occlusion and 5 min
      reperfusion of both the femoral vessels performing RIC. Then the animal behaviors
      were recorded as well as the expression of proteins and the mRNA levels. Notably,
      the expression of proteins relates to autophagy. By this means, it is possible to
      estimate the cell death, the severity of pathology and the expression of proteins
      under different groups. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the expression of
      proteins increased for ATG7, Beclin-1, LC3, ATG5-ATG12 while decreased for P62 in
      the BCAS group. These changes were further promoted in the RIC+BCAS group, which
      indicates that the RIC can improve the cognitive function in the BCAS group.
      Moreover, RT-PCR demonstrated that the mRNA level of BECN1, Atg5, Atg7 in white
      matter (WM) and Hippocampus in BCAS group was higher than the sham group, while
      it was much greater in the RIC+BCAS group. This confirmed that the autophagy was
      activated in the BCAS and the RIC+BCAS groups, especially the RIC+BCAS group.
      CONCLUSION: Improved cognition during vascular injury and RIC was associated with
      increased activity of autophagy.

PMID- 28625132
TI  - Protein Tyrosine Signaling and its Potential Therapeutic Implications in
      Carcinogenesis.
AB  - Protein tyrosine phosphorylation is a crucial signaling mechanism that plays a
      role in epithelial carcinogenesis. Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) control
      various cellular processes including growth, differentiation, metabolism, and
      motility by activating major signaling pathways including STAT3, AKT, and MAPK.
      Genetic mutation of PTKs and/or prolonged activation of PTKs and their downstream
      pathways can lead to the development of epithelial cancer. Therefore, PTKs became
      an attractive target for cancer prevention. PTK inhibitors are continuously being
      developed, and they are currently used for the treatment of cancers that show a
      high expression of PTKs. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), the homeostatic
      counterpart of PTKs, negatively regulate the rate and duration of phosphotyrosine
      signaling. PTPs initially were considered to be only housekeeping enzymes with
      low specificity. However, recent studies have demonstrated that PTPs can function
      as either tumor suppressors or tumor promoters, depending on their target
      substrates. Together, both PTK and PTP signal transduction pathways are potential
      therapeutic targets for cancer prevention and treatment.

PMID- 28625133
TI  - Recent Advances in Targeting the HIV-1 Tat/TAR Complex.
AB  - Following seminal discoveries by Rosen and co-workers in 1985, the HIV-1 TAR has
      emerged as one of the most extensively studied regulatory elements of the HIV-1
      genome. Located adjacent to the long terminal repeat promoter, this cis-acting
      motif, in conjunction with the viral Tat protein, plays a critical role in viral
      genomic RNA synthesis via modification of the transcription complex. As such, the
      Tat/TAR axis has been the subject of intense efforts aimed at developing
      therapeutic interventions, directed against both the protein and nucleic acid
      components. While these efforts have to date been largely unsuccessful, current
      strategies to develop a functional cure for HIV have spawned renewed interest in
      targeting the Tat/TAR complex as a means of impairing virus reactivation and
      ultimately reducing the size of the latent reservoir pool. At the same time,
      advances in high throughput technologies, coupled with an increased understanding
      of RNA biology and function, have led to the identification of novel agents with
      enhanced potency and selectivity against a variety of cis-acting regulatory RNAs.
      In this review, recent approaches utilized to identify small molecules, peptides
      and evolved proteins with respect to targeting HIV-1 TAR are discussed.

PMID- 28625134
TI  - Current Methods of the Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) Analysis: A Brief Overview.
AB  - This mini review provides a short overview of the main methods of the selection
      and analysis of the circulating tumor cells. We briefly focus on the evolution of
      the technical approaches used in the CTCs analysis from early description of the
      most discussed contemporary workflows such as Cellsearch and CTC-iChip. In
      addition, we discuss more "unconventional" approaches such as mass spectrometry
      and NMR based methods of CTC analysis.

PMID- 28625135
TI  - Studying Interactions of Drugs with Cell Membrane Nutrient Transporters: New
      Frontiers of Proteoliposome Nanotechnology.
AB  - Transport systems are hydrophobic proteins localized in cell membranes where they
      mediate transmembrane flow of nutrients, ions and any other compounds essential
      for cell metabolism. More than 400 transporters of the SoLuteCarrier (SLC) group
      are present in human cells. Transporters take contacts also with xenobiotics,
      thus mediating absorption and/or interaction with these exogenous compounds.
      Since drugs belong to xenobiotics, transporters gained interest also in drug
      discovery. Transporters differentially expressed in pathological conditions are
      exploited as drug targets. Among the methodologies for defining drug
      interactions, in silico ligand screening and intact cell transport assay were the
      most diffused, so far. The first is a predictive methodology based on docking
      chemicals to transporters. It presents limitations due to the small number of
      human transporter 3D structures that have to be constructed by homology modeling.
      Intact cells are used for testing effects of drugs and for validating
      predictions. The challenges of handling this very complex experimental system,
      are the interferences caused by other transporters and/or intracellular enzymes.
      Thus, methodologies with lower complexity are welcome. One of the most updated is
      the proteoliposome nanotechnology consisting in a cell mimicking phospholipid
      membrane in which a purified transporter is inserted. In this system, drug
      transporter interaction can be studied defining kinetics and mechanisms. Several
      data have been obtained by proteoliposome nanotechnology. An overview of data
      obtained on the organic cation transporters OCTN1, OCTN2 and on the amino acid
      transporters ASCT2 and B0AT1 will be presented. Standardized procedures, expected
      to be pointed out, will enlarge the assay to High Throughput Screenings.

PMID- 28625136
TI  - Using &beta;-Amino Acids and &beta;-Peptide Templates to Create Bioactive Ligands
      and Biomaterials.
AB  - &beta;-Amino acids are being increasingly used in the design of bioactive ligands
      and more recently in the generation of novel biomaterials. Peptides containing
      either individual &beta;-amino acid substitutions or peptides comprised entirely
      of beta-amino acids, display unique properties in terms of their structural
      and/or chemical characteristics. &beta;-Peptides form well-defined secondary
      structures that exhibit different geometries compared to the corresponding
      &alpha;-peptides. &beta;-Peptides, including alpha-peptides containing only one
      or two &beta;-amino acids, can be easily modified with different functional
      groups and are metabolically stable and, together with the predictable side chain
      topography, have led to the design of a growing number of bioactive &beta;
      peptides with a range of biological targets and therapeutic applications. More
      recently, our understanding of the folding and self-assembly of &beta;-peptides
      has resulted in the generation of novel biomaterials. The focus of this review is
      to examine how the structural and chemical properties of &beta;-peptides have
      been exploited in the design of bioactive peptides and selfassembled
      nanomaterials.

PMID- 28625137
TI  - Chemokine Like Receptor-1 (CMKLR-1) Receptor: A Potential Therapeutic Target in
      Management of Chemerin Induced Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chemerin is an adipokine that induces insulin resistance by the
      mechanism of inflammation in adipose tissue but these are still unclear. A high
      level of chemerin in humans is considered as a marker of inflammation in insulin
      resistance and obesity as well as in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Despite the role
      of chemerin in insulin resistance progression, chemerin as one of the novel
      adipokines is proposed to be involved in high cancer risk and mortality. AIM: The
      aim of this paper was to review the role of CMKLR-1 receptor and the potential
      therapeutic target in the management of chemerin induced type 2 diabetes mellitus
      and cancer. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY: Increased chemerin secretion activates an
      inflammatory response. The inflammatory response will increase the oxidative
      stress in adipose tissue and consequently results in an insulin-resistant state.
      The occurrence of inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance leads to
      the progression of cancers. CONCLUSION: Chemerin is one of the markers that may
      involve in development of both cancer and insulin resistance. Chemokine like
      receptor- 1 (CMKLR-1) receptor that regulates chemerin levels exhibits a
      potential therapeutic target for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cancer
      treatment.

PMID- 28625138
TI  - Membrane-bound ATP-dependent Energy Systems, as Extra- and Intracellular Key
      Signals for Gastrointestinal Functions and their Regulations in the
      Gastrointestinal Mucosa.
AB  - AIMS: Our research group has carried out various biochemical examinations in rat
      gastric ulcer models and in human gastrointestinal resecates obtained from
      patient who underwent gastric intervention due to peptic ulcer disease.
      Biochemical methods gave excellent possibility to approach the biochemical events
      taking place in tissues, cellular and subcellular regulatory levels during of
      ulcer development and of its prevetions. This paper gives a brief summary of
      these biochemical examinations conducted during this study period started from
      the 1960's up till now. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The decreased action of
      gastric acid secretory responses is not needed for duodenal and gastric ulcer
      healing in patients with peptic ulcer; 2. The surgical and chemical vagotomy
      resulted in various biochemical changes in the rat stomach; 3. The presence of
      Na+-K+-dependent ATPase and adenylate cyclase can be demostrated both in the rat
      and human gastric fundic mucosa; 4. The mitocondrial ATP is a common substrate
      for these membrane-bound ATP-dependent enzymes, and a multiple feedback mechanism
      existing between these two membrane-bound enzymes altered by mediators, hormones
      and drugs; 5. This feedback mechanism exists in the GI mucosa under different
      pathological conditions and during certain drug actions; 6. The development of
      mucosal damage and prevention depends on the actual regulatory state of above
      mentioned feedback mechanism between the membrane-bound ATP-dependent energy
      systems; 7.The drug actions depend on the actual functional state of target
      organ; 8. Biochemical gradients exist between the biochemical structure of the
      fundic, antral, duodenal and jejunal mucosa in patients with gastric
      hyperacidity, which is gradually downregulated by the decrease of gastric acid
      secretory responses, and totally disappears in patients with hypacidity; 9. No
      biochemically proven tissue hypoxia - around the chronic ulcer, duodenal and
      jejunal ulcers - exists in patients with chronic peptic ulcer; 10. The cellular
      and tissue protection differ from each other in the gastrointestinal tract; 11.
      Helicobacter pylori does not produce damage at the level of cell membrane,
      mitochondrion and DNA - given alone or in combination with indomethacin - on
      freshly isolated rat gastric mucosal cells. 12. A biochemical explanation is
      given to ulcer development in humans and in different animal models.

PMID- 28625139
TI  - Targeting Cholinergic System to Modulate Liver Injury.
AB  - Over the past few decades, evidence accumulated to indicate that parasympathetic
      innervation regulates liver injury and regeneration. Liver derives its
      parasympathetic input via vagus nerve. In animal models, vagus nerve stimulation
      and transection are frequently used to determine the impact of parasympathetic
      input on liver injury responses. Such strategies provide limited understanding of
      postneuronal mechanisms involved in the regulation of liver injury. The hepatic
      branch of vagus nerve releases acetylcholine (ACh), which activates muscarinic
      and nicotinic receptors in hepatocytes as well as non-parenchymal cells to
      modulate cellular functions. Moreover, vagus nerve releases other
      neurotransmitters such as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which also
      modulates liver injury responses and hemodynamics. Therefore, our understanding
      of the post-neuronal modulation of liver injury in models utilizing vagus nerve
      activity remains limited. Gene-silencing technologies and pharmacological
      manipulation of receptor activity have not only improved our understanding of the
      role of specific cholinergic receptors but also elucidated the role of various
      liver cell sub-populations in modulating liver injury response. With advent of
      organ- and cell-specific transgenic mice, our understanding of neural regulation
      of liver injury is likely to improve further. This review comprehensively
      provides current understanding of cholinergic regulation of liver injury, and
      points to potential therapeutic targets to treat liver injury.

PMID- 28625140
TI  - Recently Patented Viral Nucleotide Sequences and Generation of Virus-Derived
      Vaccines.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With an increase in comprehension of the molecular biology of
      viruses, there has been a recent surge in the application of virus sequences and
      viral gene expression strategies towards the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
      RESULTS: The scope of the patenting landscape has widened as a result and the
      current review discusses patents pertaining to live / attenuated viral vaccines.
      The vaccines addressed here have been developed by both conventional means as
      well as by the state-of-the-art genetic engineering techniques. CONCLUSION: This
      review also addresses the applications of these patents for clinical and
      biotechnological purposes.

PMID- 28625141
TI  - Bedaquiline: A New Hope for Shorter and Better Anti-Tuberculosis Regimens.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2014, an estimated 1.8 million people died from Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis (MTB); moreover, 680,000 people developed multidrug-resistant TB
      (MDRTB). METHODS: Currently available anti-MDR and XDR regimens are long-lasting
      and expensive, need high adherence and are undermined by a high frequency of
      adverse drug events, thus leading to a low success rate; furthermore, in the last
      50 years only two new molecules, bedaquiline (BDQ) and delamanid, have been
      approved and released for the treatment of MDR-TB. RESULTS: BDQ, patent number US
      7,498,343B2, is a diarylquinoline anti-mycobacterial drug, active regardless of
      the state of MTB; in fact, its efficacy is conserved against replicating and non
      replicating bacilli, despite extracellular or intracellular location. BDQ has
      been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only for combination
      treatment of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), in adult
      patients, when an effective treatment cannot be provided otherwise due to
      resistance or poor tolerability; however, due to high bactericidal activity, BDQ
      may be used in future to treat extrapulmonary tuberculosis and Mycobacterium
      other than tuberculosis (MOTT) infection. CONCLUSION: BDQ may play a major role
      to get closer to TB eradication and to ensure higher retention in care, even in
      fully susceptible MTB strains and against non-replicating mycobacteria in latent
      TB, providing an alternative to standard regimen.

PMID- 28625143
TI  - Infection and Malignancy Risk in Patients Treated with TNF Inhibitors for Immune
      Mediated Inflammatory Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infectious and malignant events are responsible for morbidity and
      mortality in patients with Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (IMIDs). Anti
      tumor necrosis factor (Anti-TNF) agents appear to have an impact, however the
      individual effect of these agents in the different conditions is still unclear.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to estimate the Incidence Rates (IR) of
      infections and malignancies in patients treated with anti-TNFs across different
      IMIDs, as well as potential risk factors. METHODS: IR/100 patient-years were
      evaluated in adult patients treated for any IMID with an anti-TNF between January
      2000 and December 2014. Predictors were tested with bivariate and multivariate
      statistical analysis. RESULTS: The IR/100 patient-years of serious infections was
      4.02 (95% CI 3.20-5.04) with significant differences across IMIDs and anti-TNF
      agents. The most frequent site of serious infection was the gastrointestinal
      system. Five cases [IR of 0.28 (95% CI 0.12-0.66) /100 patient-years] of
      tuberculosis were diagnosed, exclusively in patients treated with monoclonal
      antibodies. Three (60%) of those were extrapulmonary. The IR/100 patient-years of
      malignancy was 1.75 (95% CI 1.24-2-47). CONCLUSION: There is significant
      variability in the IR of infections across indications and agents. Thus,
      physicians should be thoughtful when generalizing data from literature regarding
      the use of an anti-TNF agent in a specific IMID. Further studies are necessary to
      clear aspects regarding the safety of individual anti-TNF biologics and to
      clarify their impact in the different IMIDs.

PMID- 28625142
TI  - Proteotoxic Stress Desensitizes TGF-beta Signaling Through Receptor
      Downregulation in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proteotoxic stress and transforming growth factor (TGFbeta)- induced
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are two main contributors of intraocular
      fibrotic disorders, including proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and
      proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). However, how these two factors
      communicate with each other is not well-characterized. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to
      investigate the regulatory role of proteotoxic stress on TGFbeta signaling in
      retinal pigment epithelium. METHODS: ARPE-19 cells and primary human retinal
      pigment epithelial (RPE) cells were treated with proteasome inhibitor MG132 and
      TGFbeta. Cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay. The levels of
      mesenchymal markers alpha-SMA, fibronectin, and vimentin were analyzed by real
      time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), western blot, and immunofluorescence. Cell
      migration was analyzed by scratch wound assay. The levels of p-Smad2, total
      Smad2, p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), total ERK1/2, p
      focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and total FAK were analyzed by western blot. The
      mRNA and protein levels of TGFbeta receptor-II (TGFbetaR-II) were measured by
      realtime PCR and western blot, respectively. RESULTS: MG132-induced proteotoxic
      stress resulted in reduced cell proliferation. MG132 significantly suppressed
      TGFbeta-induced upregulation of alpha-SMA, fibronectin, and vimentin, as well as
      TGFbeta-induced cell migration. The phosphorylation levels of Smad2, ERK1/2, and
      FAK were also suppressed by MG132. Additionally, the mRNA level and protein level
      of TGFbetaR-II decreased upon MG132 treatment. CONCLUSION: Proteotoxic stress
      suppressed TGFbeta-induced EMT through downregulation of TGFbetaR-II and
      subsequent blockade of Smad2, ERK1/2, and FAK activation.

PMID- 28625144
TI  - Detection of Poor Quality Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) Medicines
      Marketed in Benin Using Simple and Advanced Analytical Techniques.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor quality antimalarial medicines still represent a threat to the
      public health, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa which bears a disproportionate
      share of the global burden of malaria. It is essential and urgent to strengthen
      mechanisms against counterfeit medicines. One of the approaches is regular market
      surveillance through quality controls. METHODS: 12 samples of
      artemether/lumefantrine were collected from formal and informal drug sellers in
      Cotonou (Benin) as well as additional other similar samples from Rwanda (13
      samples) and from D.R. Congo (9 samples). Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) as
      classical and simple identification test was applied in Benin while an analytical
      chemistry laboratory in Belgium (ULg, Pharmacy Department) was asked for further
      analyses with HPLC and Raman spectroscopy using a developed and validated HPLC
      method for rapid analysis of artemether/lumefantrine. RESULTS: The results
      obtained in Belgium confirmed the lack of the two active ingredients in the
      suspected sample of ACT medicine from Benin whereas some samples from Rwanda and
      D.R. Congo were found to present risk of substandard drugs either for under
      dosing or over-dosing. CONCLUSIONS: Counterfeit/falsified of artemisinin-based
      combination therapy (ACT) medicines are really scourge that needs to be fought
      through strong collaboration between public health authorities and appropriate
      quality control laboratories.

PMID- 28625145
TI  - Clomiphene for the Treatment of Male Infertility: A Case Report of Mood Change
      and a Literature Overview.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clomiphene is normally used in women with ovulatory dysfunction. In
      men, it is used off label in some cases of infertility. Psychological adverse
      effects are reported in women but very few in men. CASE: A 34-year-old man
      treated with clomiphene for oligoteratospermia presented anxiety, decreased
      appetite, and mood change making him unable to function properly at work, five
      days after initiation of therapy. Symptoms required reduction followed by
      discontinuation of treatment four days later because of absence of improvement.
      Following cessation, the patient noted a gradual then a complete resolution
      approximately one week later. The patient did not have any psychiatric or other
      medical condition neither drug nor substance abuse that could explain this
      clinical presentation. The Naranjo's score was used to prove the clomiphene's
      imputability. CONCLUSION: Health care providers should advise patients of the
      risk of psychological adverse effects when initiating treatment with clomiphene
      and should provide a close monitoring of mood change, especially during the
      initial weeks.

PMID- 28625146
TI  - Cephalosporins Associated Pseudomembraneous Colitis in an Elderly Male Patient -
      A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Incidence of antibiotic- associated diarrhoea is a common (10-30%)
      but pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) is less frequent (1-5%). Fluoroquinolones,
      clindamycin, penicillins, cephalosporins (mostly third generation) are commonly
      associated with PMC. The association between cephalosporins and PMC is now well
      established. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78 year old male patient developed
      pseudomembraneous colitis after administration of Ceftriaxone and Cefazoline for
      the treatment of pleural effusion. The reaction was confirmed by ultrasonography
      and CT scan. Causative agents were stopped and patient was managed by systemic
      therapy. Patient was expired due to respiratory complications as there was
      complexity in management of disease due to development of pseudomembraneous
      colitis. CONCLUSION: Increase awareness of prescribers for high-risk drugs, close
      monitoring, with immediate withdrawal of the culprit drug can reduce the
      complexity of management that occur due to development of such adverse drug
      reaction.

PMID- 28625147
TI  - Adverse Drug Reactions Related to Drug Administration in Hospitalized Patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Drug treatment may be related to the development of adverse drug
      reactions (ADRs). AIM: In this paper, we evaluated the ADRs in patients admitted
      to Catanzaro Hospital. METHODS: After we obtained the approval by local Ethical
      Committee, we performed a retrospective study on clinical records from March 01,
      2013 to April 30, 2015. The association between drug and ADR or between drug and
      drug-drug-interactions (DDIs) was evaluated using the Naranjo's probability scale
      and Drug Interaction Probability Scale (DIPS), respectively. RESULTS: During the
      study period, we analyzed 2870 clinical records containing a total of 11,138
      prescriptions, and we documented the development of 770 ADRs. The time of
      hospitalization was significantly higher (P<0.05) in women with ADRs (12.6 +/-
      1.2 days) with respect to men (11.8+/- 0.83 days). Using the Naranjo score, we
      documented a probable association in 78% of these reactions, while DIPS revealed
      that about 22% of ADRs were related to DDIs. Patients with ADRs received 3052
      prescriptions on 11,138 (27.4%) having a mean of 6.1+/-0.29 drugs that was
      significantly higher (P<0.01) with respect to patients not experiencing ADRs
      (mean of 3.4+/-0.13 drugs). About 19% of ADRs were not diagnosed and were treated
      as new diseases. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that drug administration
      induces the development of ADRs also during the hospitalization, particularly in
      elderly women. Moreover, we also documented that ADRs in some patients are under
      diagnosed, therefore, it is important to motivate healthcare to report the ADRs
      in order to optimize the patients' safety.

PMID- 28625148
TI  - Affinity Crystallography Reveals the Bioactive Compounds of Industrial Juicing
      Byproducts of Punica granatum for Glycogen Phosphorylase.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is a pharmaceutical target for the
      discovery of new antihyperglycaemic agents. Punica granatum is a well-known plant
      for its potent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities but so far has not been
      examined for antihyperglycaemic activity. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the
      inhibitory potency of eighteen polyphenolic extracts obtained from Punica
      granatum fruits and industrial juicing byproducts against GP and discover their
      most bioactive ingredients. METHOD: Kinetic experiments were conducted to measure
      the IC50 values of the extracts while affinity crystallography was used to
      identify the most bioactive ingredient. The inhibitory effect of one of the
      polyphenolic extracts was also verified ex vivo, in HepG2 cells. RESULTS: All
      extracts exhibited significant in vitro inhibitory potency (IC50 values in the
      range of low MUg/mL). Affinity crystallography revealed that the most bioactive
      ingredients of the extracts were chlorogenic and ellagic acids, found bound in
      the active and the inhibitor site of GP, respectively.While ellagic acid is an
      established GP inhibitor, the inhibition of chlorogenic acid is reported for the
      first time. Kinetic analysis indicated that chlorogenic acid is an inhibitor with
      Ki=2.5 x 10-3Mthat acts synergistically with ellagic acid. CONCLUSION: Our study
      provides the first evidence for a potential antidiabetic usage of Punica granatum
      extracts as antidiabetic food supplements. Although, more in vivo studies have to
      be performed before these extracts reach the stage of antidiabetic food
      supplements, our study provides a first positive step towards this process.

PMID- 28625149
TI  - Stability Indicating Reverse Phase HPLC Method for Estimation of Rifampicin and
      Piperine in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High performance liquid chromatography is an integral analytical tool
      in assessing drug product stability. HPLC methods should be able to separate,
      detect, and quantify the various drug-related degradants that can form on storage
      or manufacturing, plus detect any drug-related impurities that may be introduced
      during synthesis. OBJECTIVE: A simple, economic, selective, precise, and
      stability-indicating HPLC method has been developed and validated for analysis of
      Rifampicin (RIFA) and Piperine (PIPE) in bulk drug and in the formulation.
      METHOD: Reversed-phase chromatography was performed on a C18 column with Buffer
      (Potassium Dihydrogen Orthophosphate) pH 6.5 and Acetonitrile, 30:70), (%, v/v),
      as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL min-1. RESULT: The detection was performed
      at 341 nm and sharp peaks were obtained for RIFA and PIPE at retention time of
      3.3 +/- 0.01 min and 5.9 +/- 0.01 min, respectively. The detection limits were
      found to be 2.385 ng/ml and 0.107 ng/ml and quantification limits were found to
      be 7.228ng/ml and 0.325ng/ml for RIFA and PIPE, respectively. The method was
      validated for accuracy, precision, reproducibility, specificity, robustness, and
      detection and quantification limits, in accordance with ICH guidelines.
      CONCLUSION: Stress study was performed on RIFA and PIPE and it was found that
      these degraded sufficiently in all applied chemical and physical conditions.
      Thus, the developed RP-HPLC method was found to be suitable for the determination
      of both the drugs in bulk as well as stability samples of capsule containing
      various excipients.

PMID- 28625150
TI  - Update on the Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Effect of Cholecystokinin and
      Cholecystokinin-1 Receptor on the Formation of Cholesterol Gallstones.
AB  - Cholecystokinin (CCK) is an important neuro-intestinal peptide hormone produced
      by the enteroendocrine I-cells in the upper part of small intestine. Protein- and
      fat-enriched food plays an important role in triggering CCK secretion from the
      intestine. Carbohydrates stimulate only small amounts of CCK release. The CCK-1
      receptor (CCK-1R) is largely localized in the gallbladder, sphincter of Oddi,
      pancreas, small intestine, gastric mucosa, and pyloric sphincter, where it is
      responsible for CCK to regulate multiple digestive processes including
      gallbladder contraction, pancreatic secretion, small intestinal transit, and
      gastric emptying. Accumulated evidence clearly demonstrates that CCK regulates
      gallbladder and small intestinal motility through CCK-1R signaling cascade and
      the effect of CCK-1R on small intestinal transit is a physiological response for
      regulating intestinal cholesterol absorption. Disruption of the Cck or the Cck-1r
      gene in mice significantly increases the formation of cholesterol gallstones by
      disrupting gallbladder emptying and biliary cholesterol metabolism, as well as
      promoting intestinal absorption of cholesterol. Abnormalities in gallbladder
      motility function in response to exogenously administered CCK are found primarily
      in patients with cholesterol gallstones. Patients with pigment gallstones display
      an intermediate degree of gallbladder motility defect without gallbladder
      inflammation and enlarged fasting gallbladder. Dysfunctional gallbladder
      contractility has been found under several conditions such as pregnancy, obesity,
      diabetes, celiac disease, and total parenteral nutrition although gallstones are
      not observed. The gallbladder-specific CCK-1R-selective agonist may lead to an
      efficacious novel way for preventing gallstone formation by promoting gallbladder
      emptying, particularly for pregnant women and subjects with dysfunctional
      gallbladder motility function such as celiac patients, as well as patients with
      total parenteral nutrition.

PMID- 28625151
TI  - Na+,K+-ATPase as a target for treatment of tissue fibrosis.
AB  - Myofibroblast activation is a critical process in the pathogenesis of tissue
      fibrosis accounting for 45% of all deaths. No effective therapies are available
      for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. We focus our mini-review on recent data
      showing that cardiotonic steroids (CTS) that are known as potent inhibitors of
      Na+,K+-ATPase affect myofibroblast differentiation in a cell type-specific
      manner. In cultured human lung fibroblasts (HLF), epithelial cells, and cancer
      associated fibroblasts, CTS blocked myofibroblast differentiation triggered by
      profibrotic cytokine TGF-beta. In contrast, in the absence of TGF-beta, CTS
      augmented myofibroblast differentiation of cultured cardiac fibroblasts. The cell
      type-specific action of CTS in myofibroblast differentiation is consistent with
      data obtained in in vivo studies. Thus, infusion of ouabain via osmotic mini
      pumps attenuated the development of lung fibrosis in bleomycin-treated mice,
      whereas marinobufagenin stimulated renal and cardiac fibrosis in rats with
      experimental renal injury. In TGF-beta-treated HLF, suppression of myofibroblast
      differentiation by ouabain is mediated by elevation of the [Na+]i/[K+]i ratio and
      is accompanied by upregulation of cyclooxygenase COX-2 and downregulation of TGF
      beta receptor TGFBR2. Augmented expression of COX-2 is abolished by inhibition of
      Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, suggesting a key role of [Ca2+]i-mediated signaling. What is
      the relative impact in tissue fibrosis of [Na+]i,[K+]i-independent signaling
      documented in several types of CTS-treated cells? Do the different conformational
      transitions of Na+,K+-ATPase alpha1 subunit in the presence of ouabain and
      marinobufagenin contribute to their distinct involvement in myofibroblast
      differentiation? Additional experiments should be done to answer these questions
      and to develop novel pharmacological approaches for the treatment of fibrosis
      related disorders.

PMID- 28625152
TI  - Lipid Oxidation Products in the Pathogenesis of Inflammation-related Gut
      Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A defective mucosal barrier function is the principal cause of the
      uncontrolled onset and progression of a number of human inflammatory gut
      diseases, most of which are characterized by chronic intermittent immune and
      inflammatory responses leading to structural intestinal damage, which can
      represent a potential risk for colorectal cancer development. During the active
      disease phase the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and
      the induction of oxidative reactions by activated leukocytes and epithelial cells
      represent the main event in the intestinal inflammation. OBJECTIVE: Oxidative
      stress plays a key role in the development of intestinal damage. Indeed reactive
      oxygen species and their oxidized by-products regulate redox-sensitive signaling
      pathways and transcription factors, which sustain inflammation within the
      intestinal layer. METHODS: Polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol are the
      principal targets of oxidative modifications. These lipids, which are cell
      membrane constituents or are present in food, readily undergo non-enzymatic
      oxidation to form chemically-reactive species that can induce a wide range of
      biological effects including inflammation, programmed cell death, and
      proliferation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In this review we summarize the current
      knowledge on the role of lipid oxidation products in regulating redox pathways
      involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation- related gut diseases. In
      particular, lipid peroxidation end products, such as isoprostanes and aldehydes,
      and cholesterol oxidation-derived oxysterols are taken into consideration. The
      control of oxidative damage and consequently tissue local over-production of
      lipid oxidation products by using specific antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
      molecules in the diet may have clinical and therapeutic benefits.

PMID- 28625153
TI  - STORIES IN ANCIENT DNA.
AB  - Technology developments are leading to rapid advances in ancient DNA analysis.
      Nathan Blow talks to researchers peering into the past through ancient DNA.

PMID- 28625154
TI  - EXPANDING THE GENETIC ALPHABET.
AB  - Synthetic biologists have engineered a semisynthetic organism that can store
      increased genetic information using an alphabet consisting of six letters that
      form three base pairs. Janelle Weaver learns how they did it.

PMID- 28625155
TI  - Applications of optical DNA mapping in microbiology.
AB  - Optical mapping (OM) has been used in microbiology for the past 20 years,
      initially as a technique to facilitate DNA sequence-based studies; however, with
      decreases in DNA sequencing costs and increases in sequence output from automated
      sequencing platforms, OM has grown into an important auxiliary tool for genome
      assembly and comparison. Currently, there are a number of new and exciting
      applications for OM in the field of microbiology, including investigation of
      disease outbreaks, identification of specific genes of clinical and/or
      epidemiological relevance, and the possibility of single-cell analysis when
      combined with cell-sorting approaches. In addition, designing lab-on-a-chip
      systems based on OM is now feasible and will allow the integrated and automated
      microbiological analysis of biological fluids. Here, we review the basic
      technology of OM, detail the current state of the art of the field, and look
      ahead to possible future developments in OM technology for microbiological
      applications.

PMID- 28625156
TI  - Heteroduplex cleavage assay for screening of probable zygosities resulting from
      CRISPR mutations in diploid single cell lines.
AB  - The most common gene editing methods, such as CRISPR, involve random repair of an
      induced double-stranded DNA break through the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)
      repair pathway, resulting in small insertions/deletions. In diploid cells, these
      mutations can take on one of three zygosities: monoallelic, diallelic
      heterozygous, or diallelic homozygous. While many advances have been made in
      CRISPR delivery systems and gene editing efficiency, little work has been done to
      streamline detection of gene editing events. The only current method to determine
      the zygosity of an edited gene in a diploid organism is DNA sequencing, which is
      costly and time-consuming. Here, we describe the development of a T7 endonuclease
      I (T7EI)-based heteroduplex cleavage assay, along with statistical models
      relating the percentage of cleaved DNA to the zygosity of a mutation, that
      provides a rapid screening step prior to DNA sequencing. By isolating candidates
      likely to contain the desired zygosity for the edited gene, our screening method
      can decrease the number of clones requiring DNA sequencing.

PMID- 28625157
TI  - Purification of single-stranded DNA by co-polymerization with acrylamide and
      electrophoresis.
AB  - Single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotides are useful as aptamers,
      hybridization probes and for emerging applications in DNA nanotechnology. Current
      methods to purify ssDNA require both a strand-separation step and a separate size
      separation step but may still leave double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) impurities in the
      sample. Here, we use commercially available acrydite DNA primers to immobilize
      one strand of a PCR product within a polyacrylamide matrix. Electrophoresis moves
      the non-crosslinked DNA into the gel where the single-stranded product of desired
      size can be recovered. Our results show this method produces high yields of pure
      ssDNA.

PMID- 28625158
TI  - A minimally-invasive method for sampling human petrous bones from the cranial
      base for ancient DNA analysis.
AB  - Ancient DNA (aDNA) research involves invasive and destructive sampling procedures
      that are often incompatible with anthropological, anatomical, and
      bioarcheological analyses requiring intact skeletal remains. The osseous
      labyrinth inside the petrous bone has been shown to yield higher amounts of
      endogenous DNA than any other skeletal element; however, accessing this labyrinth
      in cases of a complete or reconstructed skull involves causing major structural
      damage to the cranial vault or base. Here, we describe a novel cranial base
      drilling method (CBDM) for accessing the osseous labyrinth from the cranial base
      that prevents damaging the surrounding cranial features, making it highly
      complementary to morphological analyses. We assessed this method by comparing the
      aDNA results from one petrous bone processed using our novel method to its pair,
      which was processed using established protocols for sampling disarticulated
      petrous bones. We show a decrease in endogenous DNA and molecular copy numbers
      when the drilling method is used; however, we also show that this method produces
      more endogenous DNA and higher copy numbers than any postcranial bone. Our
      results demonstrate that this minimally-invasive method reduces the loss of
      genetic data associated with the use of other skeletal elements and enables the
      combined craniometric and genetic study of individuals with archeological,
      cultural, and evolutionary value.

PMID- 28625159
TI  - DNA extraction for streamlined metagenomics of diverse environmental samples.
AB  - A major bottleneck for metagenomic sequencing is rapid and efficient DNA
      extraction. Here, we compare the extraction efficiencies of three magnetic bead
      based platforms (KingFisher, epMotion, and Tecan) to a standardized column-based
      extraction platform across a variety of sample types, including feces, oral,
      skin, soil, and water. Replicate sample plates were extracted and prepared for
      16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in parallel to assess extraction bias and DNA
      quality. The data demonstrate that any effect of extraction method on sequencing
      results was small compared with the variability across samples; however, the
      KingFisher platform produced the largest number of high-quality reads in the
      shortest amount of time. Based on these results, we have identified an extraction
      pipeline that dramatically reduces sample processing time without sacrificing
      bacterial taxonomic or abundance information.

PMID- 28625162
TI  - A reference genome for Nicotiana tabacum enables map-based cloning of homeologous
      loci implicated in nitrogen utilization efficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is an important plant model system that
      has played a key role in the early development of molecular plant biology. The
      tobacco genome is large and its characterisation challenging because it is an
      allotetraploid, likely arising from hybridisation between diploid N. sylvestris
      and N. tomentosiformis ancestors. A draft assembly was recently published for N.
      tabacum, but because of the aforementioned genome complexities it was of limited
      utility due to a high level of fragmentation. RESULTS: Here we report an improved
      tobacco genome assembly, which, aided by the application of optical mapping,
      achieves an N50 size of 2.17 Mb and enables anchoring of 64% of the genome to
      pseudomolecules; a significant increase from the previous value of 19%. We use
      this assembly to identify two homeologous genes that explain the differentiation
      of the burley tobacco market class, with potential for greater understanding of
      Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in plants; an
      important trait for future sustainability of agricultural production.
      CONCLUSIONS: Development of an improved genome assembly for N. tabacum enables
      what we believe to be the first successful map-based gene discovery for the
      species, and demonstrates the value of an improved assembly for future research
      in this model and commercially-important species.

PMID- 28625163
TI  - Gamma-delta (gammadelta) T-cell lymphoma - another case unclassifiable by World
      Health Organization classification: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We present a case of gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma that does not fit
      the current World Health Organization classifications. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74
      year-old Caribbean-American woman presented with lymphocytosis, pruritus, and non
      drenching night sweats. Bone marrow and peripheral blood analyses both confirmed
      the diagnosis of gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma. An axillary lymph node biopsy was
      negative for lymphoma. Clinically absent hepatosplenomegaly and skin lesions with
      biopsy-proven gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma suggest that she is unclassifiable
      within the current classification system. CONCLUSIONS: We believe this is a case
      of not otherwise specified gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma. Accumulation of these
      rare not otherwise specified cases will be important for future classification
      which further defines the biology of this disease.

PMID- 28625164
TI  - The effect of weekly specialist palliative care teleconsultations in patients
      with advanced cancer -a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Teleconsultation seems to be a promising intervention for providing
      palliative care to home-dwelling patients; however, its effect on clinically
      relevant outcome measures remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of
      this study was to determine whether weekly teleconsultations from a hospital
      based specialist palliative care consultation team (SPCT) improved patient
      experienced symptom burden compared to "care as usual". Secondary objectives were
      to determine the effects of these teleconsultations on unmet palliative care
      needs, continuity of care, hospital admissions, satisfaction with
      teleconsultations, and the burden experienced by informal caregivers. METHODS:
      Seventy-four home-dwelling patients diagnosed with advanced cancer were recruited
      from outpatient clinics of a tertiary university hospital and from regional home
      care organizations between May 2011 and January 2015. Participants were
      randomized to receive weekly, prescheduled teleconsultations with an SPCT-member
      (intervention group), or to receive "care as usual" (control group), for a period
      of 12 weeks. The primary outcome of this study was: patient-experienced symptom
      burden indicated by the following: (1) Total Distress Score (defined as the sum
      of all nine subscales of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System) and (2) the
      Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Mixed models were used to test for
      differences between the two groups. RESULTS: The Total Distress Score became
      significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group,
      reaching significance at week 12 (adjusted difference at week 12: 6.90 points,
      95% CI, 0.17 to 13.63; P = 0.04). The adjusted anxiety scores were higher in the
      intervention group than in the control group (estimate effect: 1.40; 95% CI, 0.14
      to 2.55; P = 0.03). No difference was found between the groups in adjusted
      depression scores (estimate effect: 0.30; 95% CI, -1.39 to 1.99; P = 0.73) or in
      secondary outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: Adding weekly teleconsultations to usual
      palliative care leads to worse reported symptom scores among home-dwelling
      patients with advanced cancer. Possible explanations for these findings include
      excess attention on symptoms and (potential) suffering, the supply-driven care
      model for teleconsultations used in this trial, and the already high level of
      specialist palliative care provided to the control group in this study. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: "The Netherlands National Trial Register", NTR2817 , prospectively
      registered: March 21, 2011.

PMID- 28625165
TI  - Transpulmonary thermodilution: advantages and limits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For complex patients in the intensive care unit or in the operating
      room, many questions regarding their haemodynamic management cannot be answered
      with simple clinical examination. In particular, arterial pressure allows only a
      rough estimation of cardiac output. Transpulmonary thermodilution is a technique
      that provides a full haemodynamic assessment through cardiac output and other
      indices. MAIN BODY: Through the analysis of the thermodilution curve recorded at
      the tip of an arterial catheter after the injection of a cold bolus in the venous
      circulation, transpulmonary thermodilution intermittently measures cardiac
      output. This measure allows the calibration of pulse contour analysis. This
      provides continuous and real time monitoring of cardiac output, which is not
      possible with the pulmonary artery catheter. Transpulmonary thermodilution
      provides several variables beyond cardiac output. It estimates the end-diastolic
      volume of the four cardiac cavities, which is a marker of cardiac preload. It
      provides an estimation of the systolic function of the combined ventricles. It is
      more direct than the pulmonary artery catheter, but does not allow the distinct
      estimation of right and left cardiac function. It is easier and faster to perform
      than echocardiography, but does not provide a full evaluation of the cardiac
      structure and function. Transpulmonary thermodilution has the unique advantage of
      being able to estimate at the bedside extravascular lung water, which quantifies
      the volume of pulmonary oedema, and pulmonary vascular permeability, which
      quantifies the degree of a pulmonary capillary leak. Both indices are helpful for
      guiding fluid strategy, especially in case of acute respiratory distress
      syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Transpulmonary thermodilution provides a full
      cardiovascular evaluation that allows one to answer many questions regarding
      haemodynamic management. It belongs to the category of "advanced" devices that
      are indicated for the most critically ill and/or complex patients.

PMID- 28625167
TI  - Assessment of pulmonary mechanics in mechanical ventilation.

PMID- 28625168
TI  - Human leukocyte antigen-DR expression might predict outcomes in severe sepsis,
      but diabetes mellitus cannot be ignored.

PMID- 28625166
TI  - Impact of Gram stain results on initial treatment selection in patients with
      ventilator-associated pneumonia: a retrospective analysis of two treatment
      algorithms.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common and serious problem
      in intensive care units (ICUs). Several studies have suggested that the Gram
      stain of endotracheal aspirates is a useful method for accurately diagnosing VAP.
      However, the usefulness of the Gram stain in predicting which microorganisms
      cause VAP has not been established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate
      whether a Gram stain of endotracheal aspirates could be used to determine
      appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy for VAP. METHODS: Data on consecutive
      episodes of microbiologically confirmed VAP were collected from February 2013 to
      February 2016 in the ICU of a tertiary care hospital in Japan. We constructed two
      hypothetical empirical antimicrobial treatment algorithms for VAP: a guidelines
      based algorithm (GLBA) based on the recommendations of the American Thoracic
      Society-Infectious Diseases Society of America (ATS-IDSA) guidelines and a Gram
      stain-based algorithm (GSBA) which limited the choice of initial antimicrobials
      according to the results of bedside Gram stains. The GLBA and the GSBA were
      retrospectively reviewed for each VAP episode. The initial coverage rates and the
      selection of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents were compared between the two
      algorithms. RESULTS: During the study period, 219 suspected VAP episodes were
      observed and 131 episodes were assessed for analysis. Appropriate antimicrobial
      coverage rates were not significantly different between the two algorithms (GLBA
      95.4% versus GSBA 92.4%; p = 0.134). The number of episodes for which
      antimethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents were selected as an
      initial treatment was larger in the GLBA than in the GSBA (71.0% versus 31.3%; p
      < 0.001), as were the number of episodes for which antipseudomonal agents were
      recommended as an initial treatment (70.2% versus 51.9%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Antimicrobial treatment based on Gram stain results may restrict the
      administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents without increasing the risk
      of treatment failure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR, UMIN000026457 . Registered 8
      March 2017 (retrospectively registered).

PMID- 28625169
TI  - Is there a decline in bovine spongiform encephalopathy cases born after
      reinforced feed bans? A modelling study in EU member states.
AB  - Occasional cases of classical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) still
      continue to occur within the European Union (EU) for animals born after
      reinforced feed bans (BARBs), which should in theory have eliminated all risk of
      infection. The study aimed to determine (i) whether a common rate of decline of
      BSE infection was evident across EU member states, i.e. to determine whether
      control measures have been equally effective in all member states, (ii) whether
      there was any evidence of spontaneous occurrence of BSE in the data and (iii) the
      expected date for the last BSE case in UK. It was found that there was no
      significant difference in the rate of decline of BSE prevalence between member
      states, with a common rate of decline of 33.9% per annum (95% CI 30.9-37%) in
      successive annual birth cohorts. Trend analysis indicated an ultimate decline to
      0 prevalence, suggesting that spontaneous occurrence does not explain the
      majority of cases. Projecting forward the trends from the back-calculation model
      indicated that there was approximately a 50% probability of further cases in the
      UK, and should the current rate of decline continue, there remains the
      possibility of further occasional cases up until 2026.

PMID- 28625171
TI  - The association between adolescent psychopathology and subsequent physical
      activity in young adulthood: a 21-year birth cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) for both physical
      and mental wellbeing are well established. Given that adolescence presents a
      critical developmental period during which life-long patterns of PA become
      established, the exploration of the longitudinal impact of adolescent
      psychopathology on adult PA status is of interest. METHODS: We analysed
      prospective data from 3663 young adults who participated in the Mater-University
      of Queensland Study of Pregnancy. Psychopathology was measured using the Youth
      Self-Report (YSR) at age 14. Participants' engagement in three types of PA
      (vigorous exercise, moderate exercise and walking) at age 21 were dichotomised
      into either 'none' or 'any'. For our main analysis, we examined the association
      between the YSR score and subsequent PA engagement using logistic regression. We
      also conducted sensitivity analyses of longitudinal associations between the YSR
      internalising and externalising symptoms score at age 14 and PA engagement at age
      21. RESULTS: We found no longitudinal association between the total YSR score at
      age 14 and PA engagement at age 21. In addition, there was no longitudinal
      association between the YSR internalising or externalising symptoms and PA
      engagement. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that there is no longitudinal
      association between adolescent psychopathology and PA in young adulthood.

PMID- 28625170
TI  - Indirect Versus Direct Standardization Methods for Reporting Healthcare
      Associated Infections: An Analysis of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream
      Infections in Maryland.
AB  - Whether healthcare-associated infection data should be presented using indirect
      (current CMS/CDC methodology) or direct standardization remains controversial. We
      applied both methods to central-line-associated bloodstream infection data from
      45 acute-care hospitals in Maryland from 2012 to 2014. We found that the 2
      methods generate different hospital rankings with payment implications. Infect
      Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:989-992.

PMID- 28625172
TI  - Acute scrotal idiopathic edema: A misleading erythema.

PMID- 28625173
TI  - Return visits to the pediatric emergency department: A multicentre retrospective
      cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Return visits to the emergency department (RTED) for the same clinical
      complaint occur in 2.7% to 8.1% of children presenting to pediatric emergency
      departments (PEDs). Most studies examining RTEDs have focused solely on PEDs and
      do not capture children returning to other local emergency departments (EDs). Our
      objective was to measure the frequency and characterize the directional pattern
      of RTED to any of 18 EDs serving a large geographic area for children initially
      evaluated at a PED. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all
      visits to a referral centre PED between August 2012 and August 2013. We compared
      demographic variables between children with and without an RTED, measures of flow
      and disposition outcomes between the initial (index) visit and RTED, and between
      RTED to the original PED versus to other EDs in the community. RESULTS: Among all
      PED visits, 7.6% had an RTED within 7 days, of which 13% were to a facility other
      than the original PED. Children with an RTED had higher acuity and longer length
      of stay on their index visit. They were also more likely to be admitted on a
      subsequent visit than the overall PED population. RTED to the original PED had a
      longer waiting time (WT), length of stay, and more frequently resulted in
      hospitalization than RTED to a general ED. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion
      of RTED occur at a site other than where the original ED visit occurred.
      Examining RTED to and from only PEDs underestimates its burden on emergency
      health services.

PMID- 28625174
TI  - Quantification of Cardiomyocyte Alignment from Three-Dimensional (3D) Confocal
      Microscopy of Engineered Tissue.
AB  - Biological tissues have complex, three-dimensional (3D) organizations of cells
      and matrix factors that provide the architecture necessary to meet morphogenic
      and functional demands. Disordered cell alignment is associated with congenital
      heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and neurodegenerative diseases and repairing or
      replacing these tissues using engineered constructs may improve regenerative
      capacity. However, optimizing cell alignment within engineered tissues requires
      quantitative 3D data on cell orientations and both efficient and validated
      processing algorithms. We developed an automated method to measure local 3D
      orientations based on structure tensor analysis and incorporated an adaptive
      subregion size to account for multiple scales. Our method calculates the
      statistical concentration parameter, kappa, to quantify alignment, as well as the
      traditional orientational order parameter. We validated our method using
      synthetic images and accurately measured principal axis and concentration. We
      then applied our method to confocal stacks of cleared, whole-mount engineered
      cardiac tissues generated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells or embryonic
      chick cardiac cells and quantified cardiomyocyte alignment. We found significant
      differences in alignment based on cellular composition and tissue geometry. These
      results from our synthetic images and confocal data demonstrate the efficiency
      and accuracy of our method to measure alignment in 3D tissues.

PMID- 28625175
TI  - May the Mediterranean diet attenuate the risk of type 2 diabetes associated with
      obesity: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) cohort.
AB  - It is likely that the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) may mitigate the adverse
      effects of obesity on the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We
      assessed this hypothesis in a cohort of 18 225 participants initially free of
      diabetes (mean age: 38 years, 61 % women). A validated semi-quantitative 136-item
      FFQ was used to assess dietary intake and to build a 0-9 score of adherence to
      MedDiet. After a median of 9.5-year follow-up, 136 incident cases of T2DM were
      confirmed during 173 591 person-years follow-up. When MedDiet adherence was low
      (<=4 points), the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were 4.07 (95 % CI
      1.58, 10.50) for participants with BMI 25-29.99 kg/m2 and 17.70 (95 % CI 6.29,
      49.78) kg/m2 for participants with BMI>=30 kg/m2, (v.4 points), these
      multivariable-adjusted HR were 3.13 (95 % CI 1.63, 6.01) and 10.70 (95 % CI 4.98,
      22.99) for BMI 25-30 and >=30 kg/m2, respectively. The P value for the
      interaction was statistically significant (P=0.002). When we assessed both
      variables (BMI and MedDiet) as continuous, the P value for their interaction
      product-term was marginally significant (P=0.051) in fully adjusted models. This
      effect modification was not explained by weight changes during follow-up. Our
      results suggest that the MedDiet may attenuate the adverse effects of obesity on
      the risk of T2DM.

PMID- 28625176
TI  - Letter to the Editor: Job strain and clinical depression.

PMID- 28625177
TI  - Iron deficiency without anaemia is a potential cause of fatigue: meta-analyses of
      randomised controlled trials and cross-sectional studies.
AB  - Fe deficiency is a prevalent nutritional disease, and fatigue is a common
      complaint in the general and patient population. The association between Fe
      deficiency without anaemia (IDNA) and fatigue is unclear. Here, we performed a
      meta-analysis to evaluate the therapeutic effect of Fe on fatigue in patients
      with IDNA and the association between IDNA and fatigue in the population.
      Articles from the PubMed database up to 19 January 2016 were systematically
      searched. A total of six relevant randomised controlled trials (RCT) and six
      relevant cross-sectional studies were identified. All outcomes were converted
      into effect sizes. In the meta-analysis of the six RCT, we identified a
      significant therapeutic effect of Fe in fatigue patients with IDNA (pooled effect
      size 0.33; 95 % CI 0.17, 0.48; I 2=0.0 %; P<0.0001). A sensitivity analysis found
      that the overall results (i.e. significant association) were robust. In the meta
      analysis of the six cross-sectional studies, the association between IDNA and
      fatigue was not significant (pooled effect size 0.10; 95 % CI -0.11, 0.31; I
      2=57.4 %; P=0.362). A sensitivity analysis found that the overall results (i.e.
      no significant association) were not robust; removal of one study made the
      outcomes significant. These meta-analyses suggest that improving Fe status may
      decrease fatigue. Further research is necessary to identify diagnostic criteria
      for selecting fatigue patients who might benefit from Fe therapy and to assess
      the prevalence of IDNA with fatigue in the general population.

PMID- 28625178
TI  - Endoscopic electrocautery and fibrin obliteration of an acutely complicated
      pyriform fossa sinus tract in a septuagenarian.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pyriform fossa sinus tracts classically present with neck abscess,
      recurrent infections and suppurative thyroiditis in children; acute presentation
      in a geriatric patient is rare. METHODS: Case report and Medline literature
      review. CASE REPORT: A 79-year-old female presented with a left-sided neck mass
      and severe odynophagia of 3 days' duration. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a
      large-volume, loculated fluid collection extending throughout the deep spaces of
      the neck on the left, within and around the thyroid gland capsule. There was
      radiological evidence of internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis. Abscess incision
      and drainage, and endoscopic evaluation, were performed. A deeply penetrating
      sinus was seen in the left pyriform apex, the entrance of which was
      circumferentially cauterised and the lumen obliterated with fibrin glue.
      Following post-operative intravenous antibiotics, the patient made a complete
      recovery. CONCLUSION: This paper describes the first use of fibrin glue to
      obliterate a pyriform fossa sinus tract in an adult.

PMID- 28625179
TI  - Dietary l-tryptophan leaves a lasting impression on the brain and the stress
      response.
AB  - Comparative models suggest that effects of dietary tryptophan (Trp) on brain
      serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) neurochemistry and stress responsiveness
      are present throughout the vertebrate lineage. Moreover, hypothalamic 5-HT seems
      to play a central role in control of the neuroendocrine stress axis in all
      vertebrates. Still, recent fish studies suggest long-term effects of dietary Trp
      on stress responsiveness, which are independent of hypothalamic 5-HT. Here, we
      investigated if dietary Trp treatment may result in long-lasting effects on
      stress responsiveness, including changes in plasma cortisol levels and 5-HT
      neurochemistry in the telencephalon and hypothalamus of Atlantic salmon. Fish
      were fed diets containing one, two or three times the Trp content in normal feed
      for 1 week. Subsequently, fish were reintroduced to control feed and were exposed
      to acute crowding stress for 1 h, 8 and 21 d post Trp treatment. Generally, acute
      crowding resulted in lower plasma cortisol levels in fish treated with 3*Trp
      compared with 1*Trp- and 2*Trp-treated fish. The same general pattern was
      reflected in telencephalic 5-HTergic turnover, for which 3*Trp-treated fish
      showed decreased values compared with 2*Trp-treated fish. These long-term effects
      on post-stress plasma cortisol levels and concomitant 5-HT turnover in the
      telencephalon lends further support to the fact that the extrahypothalamic
      control of the neuroendocrine stress response is conserved within the vertebrate
      lineage. Moreover, they indicate that trophic/structural effects in the brain
      underlie the effects of dietary Trp treatment on stress reactivity.

PMID- 28625180
TI  - Abortion and subsequent depressive symptoms: an analysis of the National
      Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Twenty states currently require that women seeking abortion be
      counseled on possible psychological responses, with six states stressing negative
      responses. The majority of research finds that women whose unwanted pregnancies
      end in abortion do not subsequently have adverse mental health outcomes; scant
      research examines this relationship for young women. METHODS: Four waves of data
      from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed.
      Population-averaged lagged logistic and linear regression models were employed to
      test the relationship between pregnancy resolution outcome and subsequent
      depressive symptoms, adjusting for prior depressive symptoms, history of
      traumatic experiences, and sociodemographic covariates. Depressive symptoms were
      measured using a nine-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies
      Depression scale. Analyses were conducted among two subsamples of women whose
      unwanted first pregnancies were resolved in either abortion or live birth: (1)
      856 women with an unwanted first pregnancy between Waves 2 and 3; and (2) 438
      women with an unwanted first pregnancy between Waves 3 and 4 (unweighted n's).
      RESULTS: In unadjusted and adjusted linear and logistic regression analyses for
      both subsamples, there was no association between having an abortion after an
      unwanted first pregnancy and subsequent depressive symptoms. In fully adjusted
      models, the most recent measure of prior depressive symptoms was consistently
      associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In a nationally
      representative, longitudinal dataset, there was no evidence that young women who
      had abortions were at increased risk of subsequent depressive symptoms compared
      with those who give birth after an unwanted first pregnancy.

PMID- 28625181
TI  - When Sterile Processing Goes Down: An Economic Analysis of Alternative Strategies
      for Supporting the Service.
AB  - Given steam-quality challenges at our facility, the financial impact of options
      for reopening the sterile processing service unit were explored; duration of
      closure was the major driver of costs. Other potential negative effects of
      operating-room shutdowns include injury to facility reputation, loss of staff,
      loss of reimbursements, and harm to residency programs. Infect Control Hosp
      Epidemiol 2017;38:1002-1004.

PMID- 28625182
TI  - Bovine intra-mammary challenge with Streptococcus dysgalactiae spp. Dysgalactiae
      to explore the effect on the response of Complement activity.
AB  - Recently published work as described by the authors highlighted the extent of
      Complement activity in bovine milk. Localised mastitis infection occurring in the
      mammary glands of dairy cows is readily detectable by the levels of somatic cells
      in milk. Thus, it is opportune to monitor Complement activity in milks in
      association with the animal's innate immune response to mammary infection.
      Preliminary screening of milk samples taken randomly showed that milk with a high
      somatic cell count (SCC) reduced growth of the Complement-sensitive strain E.
      coli O111 to a greater extent (P < 0.05) than when the marker microorganism was
      grown in milk heated for the purpose of inactivating Complement. A follow-up
      study set out to determine the effect on Complement activity when a sub-clinical
      mastitis infection was induced in the mammary gland of four lactating dairy cows.
      The effect of Str. dysgalactiae spp. dysgalactiae inoculation into selected
      individual udder quarters of the mammary glands of each animal was followed by
      monitoring of SCC levels in the milks from the segregated udder samples during
      subsequent milking. At 72 and 96 h post inoculation (PI), the SCCs for the
      challenged quarter were increased compared to normal values. At the same time,
      the bactericidal sequestration assay identified increased E. coli O111 inhibition
      that can be directly linked to greater Complement activity in those quarter milks
      affected by induced inflammation. Thus, it can be identified that the high SCC
      milks were more effective in limiting E. coli O111 growth. Milks from the
      unchallenged quarters in all four cows were significantly less effective at
      reducing growth of the assay strain (P < 0.05). An ELISA assay targeting specific
      activation components of the Complement pathways confirmed that greater bacterial
      inhibition observed during the bactericidal sequestration assay was attributable
      to higher Complement activity in the milk samples from the affected quarters,
      i.e., with higher SCC. The induced infection was confirmed as self-limiting in
      three of the affected animals and their SCC returned to normal levels within 14 d
      PI, while the fourth cow required brief antibiotic intervention.

PMID- 28625183
TI  - Simultaneously occurring Zenker's diverticulum and Killian-Jamieson diverticulum:
      case report and literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pharyngoesophageal diverticula have many subtypes, with Zenker's
      diverticulum being the most common. First described in 1983, a Killian-Jamieson
      diverticulum is an outpouching in the anterolateral wall at the
      pharyngoesophageal junction. This is located inferiorly to the cricopharyngeus
      muscle, unlike Zenker's diverticula which occur superiorly. Killian-Jamieson
      diverticula are rare and are commonly misdiagnosed as Zenker's diverticula. Less
      than 30 reports of Killian-Jamieson diverticula have been described in the
      literature. CASE REPORT: A 69-year-old man presented with a 2-year symptomatic
      history, and was found to have simultaneous Zenker's diverticulum and Killian
      Jamieson diverticulum. He was treated successfully with open surgical excision of
      both pouches. CONCLUSION: Zenker's diverticulum and Killian-Jamieson diverticulum
      are diagnosed using radiological studies and endoscopy. Their differentiation is
      important, as surgical management differs. This paper reviews the literature on
      Killian-Jamieson diverticula and the management options available.

PMID- 28625184
TI  - Detection of 70 kDa heat shock protein in the saliva of dairy cows.
AB  - This Research Communication describes, for the first time, the detection of HSP70
      in saliva of dairy cows. Thermal stress is a major environmental stress that
      limits animal growth, metabolism, and productivity. The cellular response to heat
      stress involves the synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSPs), presumably to
      protect the functional stability of cells at increasing temperatures. HSP70 has
      been found to be present in cattle blood serum and may also be present in other
      secretory fluids, such as saliva, as already observed in humans. The aim of this
      study was to detect heat shock protein HSP70 in bovine saliva. Saliva samples
      were taken from higher- (n = 5) and lower milk producing (n = 5) Holstein
      Friesian cows in summer and in winter for the detection of HSP70. HSP70
      concentrations were assayed using the ELISA technique. Salivary HSP70
      concentrations ranged from 0.524 to 12.174 ng/ml in cows. Higher salivary HSP70
      concentrations were significantly associated with higher milk production and
      higher environmental temperature, but not with rectal temperature.

PMID- 28625185
TI  - Deterioration of visuospatial associative memory following a first psychotic
      episode: a long-term follow-up study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cognitive deficits are a core feature of schizophrenia, and
      impairments in most domains are thought to be stable over the course of the
      illness. However, cross-sectional evidence indicates that some areas of
      cognition, such as visuospatial associative memory, may be preserved in the early
      stages of psychosis, but become impaired in later established illness stages.
      This longitudinal study investigated change in visuospatial and verbal
      associative memory following psychosis onset. METHODS: In total 95 first-episode
      psychosis (FEP) patients and 63 healthy controls (HC) were assessed on
      neuropsychological tests at baseline, with 38 FEP and 22 HCs returning for follow
      up assessment at 5-11 years. Visuospatial associative memory was assessed using
      the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Visuospatial Paired
      Associate Learning task, and verbal associative memory was assessed using Verbal
      Paired Associates subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale - Revised. RESULTS:
      Visuospatial and verbal associative memory at baseline did not differ
      significantly between FEP patients and HCs. However, over follow-up, visuospatial
      associative memory deteriorated significantly for the FEP group, relative to
      healthy individuals. Conversely, verbal associative memory improved to a similar
      degree observed in HCs. In the FEP cohort, visuospatial (but not verbal)
      associative memory ability at baseline was associated with functional outcome at
      follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Areas of cognition that develop prior to psychosis onset,
      such as visuospatial and verbal associative memory, may be preserved early in the
      illness. Later deterioration in visuospatial memory ability may relate to
      progressive structural and functional brain abnormalities that occurs following
      psychosis onset.

PMID- 28625186
TI  - How predictable are symptoms in psychopathological networks? A reanalysis of 18
      published datasets.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Network analyses on psychopathological data focus on the network
      structure and its derivatives such as node centrality. One conclusion one can
      draw from centrality measures is that the node with the highest centrality is
      likely to be the node that is determined most by its neighboring nodes. However,
      centrality is a relative measure: knowing that a node is highly central gives no
      information about the extent to which it is determined by its neighbors. Here we
      provide an absolute measure of determination (or controllability) of a node - its
      predictability. We introduce predictability, estimate the predictability of all
      nodes in 18 prior empirical network papers on psychopathology, and statistically
      relate it to centrality. METHODS: We carried out a literature review and
      collected 25 datasets from 18 published papers in the field (several mood and
      anxiety disorders, substance abuse, psychosis, autism, and transdiagnostic data).
      We fit state-of-the-art network models to all datasets, and computed the
      predictability of all nodes. RESULTS: Predictability was unrelated to sample
      size, moderately high in most symptom networks, and differed considerable both
      within and between datasets. Predictability was higher in community than clinical
      samples, highest for mood and anxiety disorders, and lowest for psychosis.
      CONCLUSIONS: Predictability is an important additional characterization of
      symptom networks because it gives an absolute measure of the controllability of
      each node. It allows conclusions about how self-determined a symptom network is,
      and may help to inform intervention strategies. Limitations of predictability
      along with future directions are discussed.

PMID- 28625187
TI  - A comparison study of complications and initial follow-up costs of transcutaneous
      and percutaneous bone conduction devices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The percutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction device can be
      associated with more soft tissue complications when compared to the magnetic
      transcutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction device. This study aimed to
      determine whether fewer soft tissue complications may result in the
      transcutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction device being a lower cost option
      in hearing rehabilitation. METHODS: This retrospective case note review included
      adult patients who underwent implantation with the transcutaneous Cochlear
      Attract (n = 22) or percutaneous Cochlear DermaLock (n = 25) bone-anchored
      hearing aids between September 2013 and December 2014. The number of post
      operative clinic appointments, complications and treatments undertaken, and
      calculated cost average, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Although
      the transcutaneous device was slightly more expensive than the percutaneous
      device, the percutaneous device was associated with a greater number of soft
      tissue complications and, as a result, the percutaneous device had significantly
      higher follow-up costs in the first six months following surgery. CONCLUSION: The
      transcutaneous osseointegrated bone conduction device may represent a more cost
      effective method of hearing rehabilitation compared to the percutaneous
      osseointegrated bone conduction device.

PMID- 28625189
TI  - Influence of early maladaptive schemas, depression, and anxiety on the intensity
      of self-reported cognitive complaint in older adults with subjective cognitive
      decline.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) designates a self-reported
      cognitive decline despite preserved cognitive abilities. This study aims to
      explore, in older adults with SCD, the association between intensity of self
      reported cognitive complaint and psychological factors including Young's early
      maladaptive schemas (EMSs) (i.e. enduring cognitive structures giving rise to
      beliefs about oneself and the world), as well as depression and anxiety. METHODS:
      Seventy-six subjects (69.22 years +/- 6.1) with intact cognitive functioning were
      recruited through an advertisement offering free participation in an intervention
      on SCD. After undergoing a neuropsychological examination (including global
      cognition (MMSE) and episodic memory (FCSRT)) and a semi-structured interview to
      assess depressive symptoms (MADRS), they completed a set of online self-reported
      questionnaires on SCD (McNair questionnaire), Young's EMSs (YSQ-short form),
      depression (HADS-D), and anxiety (HADS-A and trait-STAI-Y). RESULTS: The McNair
      score did not correlate with the neuropsychological scores. Instead, it was
      highly (r > 0.400; p < 0.005) correlated with trait anxiety and three EMSs
      belonging to the "Impaired autonomy and performance" domain:
      Dependence/incompetence, Failure to achieve and Vulnerability to harm or illness.
      Our final regression model comprising depression, anxiety, and these three EMSs
      as predictors (while controlling for age, gender, and objective cognition)
      accounted for 38.5% of the observed variance in SCD intensity. CONCLUSIONS: The
      level of cognitive complaint is significantly associated with Young's EMSs in the
      category of "Impaired autonomy and performance". We assume that SCD may primarily
      be driven by profound long-term inner beliefs about oneself that do not
      specifically refer to self-perceived memory abilities.

PMID- 28625188
TI  - Symptoms of depression in a large healthy population cohort are related to
      subjective memory complaints and memory performance in negative contexts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Decades of research have investigated the impact of clinical
      depression on memory, which has revealed biases and in some cases impairments.
      However, little is understood about the effects of subclinical symptoms of
      depression on memory performance in the general population. METHODS: Here we
      report the effects of symptoms of depression on memory problems in a large
      population-derived cohort (N = 2544), 87% of whom reported at least one symptom
      of depression. Specifically, we investigate the impact of depressive symptoms on
      subjective memory complaints, objective memory performance on a standard
      neuropsychological task and, in a subsample (n = 288), objective memory in
      affective contexts. RESULTS: There was a dissociation between subjective and
      objective memory performance, with depressive symptoms showing a robust
      relationship with self-reports of memory complaints, even after adjusting for
      age, sex, general cognitive ability and symptoms of anxiety, but not with
      performance on the standardised measure of verbal memory. Contrary to our
      expectations, hippocampal volume (assessed in a subsample, n = 592) did not
      account for significant variance in subjective memory, objective memory or
      depressive symptoms. Nonetheless, depressive symptoms were related to poorer
      memory for pictures presented in negative contexts, even after adjusting for
      memory for pictures in neutral contexts. CONCLUSIONS: Thus the symptoms of
      depression, associated with subjective memory complaints, appear better assessed
      by memory performance in affective contexts, rather than standardised memory
      measures. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the
      impact of depressive symptoms on memory functioning in the general population.

PMID- 28625190
TI  - Association between early echocardiography, therapy for patent ductus arteriosus,
      and outcomes in very low birth weight infants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In very low birth weight infants, persistence of a patent ductus
      arteriosus results in morbidity and mortality. Therapies to close the ductus are
      effective, but clinical outcomes may depend on the accuracy of diagnosis and the
      timing of administration. The objective of the present study was to characterise
      the association between early echocardiography, therapy for patent ductus
      arteriosus, and outcomes in very low birth weight infants. METHODS: This
      retrospective cohort study used electronic health record data on inborn infants
      of gestational age ?28 weeks and birth weight <1500 g who were discharged after
      day of life 7 from 362 neonatal ICU from 1997 to 2013. The primary outcome was
      death between day of life 7 and discharge. Secondary outcomes included
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotising enterocolitis, and grade 3 or 4
      intraventricular haemorrhage. RESULTS: This study included a total of 48,551
      infants with a median gestational age of 27 weeks (interquartile range 25, 28)
      and birth weight 870 g (706, 1050). Early echocardiography - that is, performed
      during days of life 2 to 6 - was performed in 15,971/48,551 (33%) infants, and
      patent ductus arteriosus was diagnosed in 31,712/48,551 (65%). The diagnosis was
      more common in infants who had undergone early echocardiography (14,549/15,971
      [91%] versus 17,163/32,580 [53%], p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, early
      echocardiography was not associated with reduced mortality (odds ratio 0.97, 95%
      CI 0.89-1.05). Results were similar in the subset of infants who received therapy
      for patent ductus arteriosus (odds ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.90-1.15). CONCLUSIONS:
      Early echocardiography was associated with an increased diagnosis of patent
      ductus arteriosus, but not with decreased mortality.

PMID- 28625191
TI  - Attraction and consumption of methyl eugenol by male Bactrocera umbrosa Fabricius
      (Diptera: Tephritidae) promotes conspecific sexual communication and mating
      performance.
AB  - The Artocarpus fruit fly, Bactrocera umbrosa (Fabricius) (Diptera: Tephritidae),
      is an oligophagous fruit pest infesting Moraceae fruits, including jackfruit
      (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamarck), a fruit commodity of high value in Malaysia.
      The scarcity of fundamental biological, physiological and ecological information
      on this pest, particularly in relation to behavioural response to phytochemical
      lures, which are instrumental to the success of many area-wide fruit fly control
      and management programmes, underpins the need for studies on this much-underrated
      pest. The positive response of B. umbrosa males to methyl eugenol (ME), a highly
      potent phytochemical lure, which attracts mainly males of many Bactrocera
      species, was shown to increase with increasing age. As early as 7 days after
      emergence (DAE), ca. 22% of males had responded to ME and over 50% by 10 DAE,
      despite no occurrence of matings (i.e. the males were still sexually immature).
      Male attraction to ME peaked from 10 to 27 DAE, which corresponded with the
      flies' attainment of sexual maturity. In wind-tunnel assays during the dusk
      courtship period, ME-fed males exhibited earlier calling activity and attracted a
      significantly higher percentage of virgin females compared with ME-deprived
      males. ME-fed males enjoyed a higher mating success than ME-deprived males at 1
      day post ME feeding in semi-field assays. ME consumption also promotes
      aggregation behaviour in B. umbrosa males, as demonstrated in wind-tunnel and
      semi-field assays. We suggest that ME plays a prominent role in promoting sexual
      communication and enhancing mating performance of the Artocarpus fruit fly, a
      finding that is congruent with previous reports on the consequences of ME
      acquisition by other economically important Bactrocera species.

PMID- 28625192
TI  - PROLONGED BIRTH INTERVALS IN HAMEDAN, IRAN: VARIATIONS AND DETERMINANTS.
AB  - SummaryThe enduring sub-replacement level of fertility in Iran is the result of
      changing timing of births. Using data from the 2015 Hamedan Survey of Fertility,
      conducted in a representative sample of 3000 married women aged 15-49, this study
      examined variations in median lengths of birth intervals employing cumulative
      survival functions, and investigated the determinants of birth interval lengths
      using regression hazard models. The results showed that the median first, second
      and third birth intervals, estimated at 28, 74 and 136 months respectively,
      doubled between 1995 and 2015. The multivariate analysis results indicated the
      strong impact of contraceptive use and higher education on lengthening birth
      intervals, with greater effects on the timing of second and third births. The
      relative risks of second and third births were higher among rural migrants,
      unemployed women and those with shorter periods of breast-feeding and the death
      of a preceding birth. Only timing of the third birth was influenced by son
      preference. The implications of the results for low fertility and maternal and
      child health in Iran are discussed.

PMID- 28625193
TI  - Place-based social contact and mixing: a typology of generic meeting places of
      relevance for infectious disease transmission.
AB  - This study aims to develop a typology of generic meeting places based on social
      contact and mixing of relevance for infectious disease transmission. Data were
      collected by means of a contact diary survey conducted on a representative sample
      of the Swedish population. The typology is derived from a cluster analysis
      accounting for four dimensions associated with transmission risk: visit
      propensity and its characteristics in terms of duration, number of other persons
      present and likelihood of physical contact. In the analysis, we also study
      demographic, socio-economic and geographical differences in the propensity of
      visiting meeting places. The typology identifies the family venue, the fixed
      activity site, the family vehicle, the trading plaza and the social network hub
      as generic meeting places. The meeting place typology represents a spatially
      explicit account of social contact and mixing relevant to infectious disease
      modelling, where the social context of the outbreak can be highlighted in light
      of the actual infectious disease.

PMID- 28625194
TI  - Preoperative malnutrition is associated with increased mortality and adverse
      outcomes after paediatric cardiac surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is common in children with CHD and is likely to place
      them at an increased risk for adverse surgical outcomes. We sought to evaluate
      the impact of preoperative malnutrition on outcomes after paediatric cardiac
      surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients from age 0 to
      5 years undergoing cardiac surgery at Seattle Children's Hospital from 2006 to
      2015. We used regression modelling to examine the impact of malnutrition on
      surgical outcomes. RESULTS: We found a non-linear relationship between low height
      for-age and weight-for-age z-scores and mortality after surgery. In the range of
      z-score ?-2, each additional unit decrease in height-for-age or weight-for-age z
      score was associated with a 2.9 or 2.1% increased risk for mortality,
      respectively. Each unit decrease in height-for-age z-score was associated with a
      1.2% increased risk for cardiac arrest, 1.1% increased risk for infection, and an
      average of 1.7 additional hours of mechanical ventilation, 6 hours longer ICU
      stay, and 13 hours longer hospital stay. Each unit decrease in weight-for-age z
      score was associated with a 0.7% increased risk for cardiac arrest, 0.8%
      increased risk for infection, and an average of 1.9 additional hours of
      mechanical ventilation and 5.3 additional hours of ICU stay. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study is unique in demonstrating a significant association between malnutrition
      and 30-day mortality and other adverse outcomes after paediatric cardiac surgery
      in a mixed population of CHD patients. By evaluating nutritional status as a
      continuous variable, we were able to clearly distinguish the point at which
      malnutrition begins to affect mortality.

PMID- 28625195
TI  - Consistency matters: Consistency in the timing and quality of daily interactions
      between parents and adolescents predicts production of proinflammatory cytokines
      in youths.
AB  - The current study examined whether consistency in day-to-day interactions between
      children and parents related to inflammatory cytokine production in youths. One
      hundred twenty-three parents recorded the daily quality of interactions and
      timing of leisure activities with their adolescent children for 2 weeks, and the
      degree of variability in those ratings was calculated. One year later, the
      production of proinflammatory cytokines in youths' blood was measured in response
      to in vitro exposure to lipopolysaccharide (a bacterial product). The results
      indicate that greater variability in parent-child relationship quality related to
      greater stimulated proinflammatory cytokine production in youths, above and
      beyond overall relationship quality. Greater variability in the timing of parent
      child leisure activities also predicted greater stimulated proinflammatory
      cytokine production in youths, regardless of the frequency of interactions. In
      sum, consistency in both the affective and temporal aspects of parent-child
      relationships may contribute to inflammatory processes in youth.

PMID- 28625196
TI  - The Effectiveness of Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E): A
      Naturalistic Study within an Out-Patient Eating Disorder Service.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of enhanced cognitive behavioural Therapy (CBT-E)
      for adults with a range of eating disorder presentations within routine clinical
      settings has been examined in only two known published studies, neither of which
      included a follow-up assessment period. AIM: The current study aimed to evaluate
      the effectiveness of CBT-E within an out-patient eating disorder service in
      Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and incorporated a follow-up assessment period
      of approximately 20 weeks post-treatment. METHOD: The study involved 114 adult
      females with a diagnosed eating disorder, who attended an average of 20-40
      individual CBT-E sessions with a psychologist or a psychiatry registrar between
      2009 and 2013. RESULTS: Of those who began treatment, 50% did not complete
      treatment, and the presence of psychosocial and environmental problems predicted
      drop-out. Amongst treatment completers, statistically and clinically significant
      improvements in eating disorder and general psychopathology were observed at post
      treatment, which were generally maintained at the 20-week follow-up.
      Statistically significant improvements in eating disorder and general
      psychopathology were observed amongst the total sample. CONCLUSIONS: The
      findings, which were comparable to the previous Australian effectiveness study of
      CBT-E, indicate that CBT-E is an effective treatment for adults with all eating
      disorders within out-patient settings. Given the high attrition rate, however,
      minimizing drop-out appears to be an important consideration when implementing
      CBT-E within clinical settings.

PMID- 28625198
TI  - Determining the clinical significance of errors in pediatric radiograph
      interpretation between emergency physicians and radiologists.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Emergency physicians (EPs) interpret plain radiographs for management
      and disposition of patients. Radiologists subsequently conduct their own
      interpretations, which may differ. The purposes of this study were to review the
      rate and nature of discrepancies between radiographs interpreted by EPs and those
      of radiologists in the pediatric emergency department, and to determine their
      clinical significance. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of discrepant
      radiology reports from a single-site pediatric emergency department from October
      2012 to December 2014. All radiographs were interpreted first by the staff EP,
      then by a radiologist. The report was identified as a "discrepancy" if these
      reports differed. Radiographs were categorized by body part and discrepancies
      classified as false positive, false negative, or not a discrepancy. Clinically
      significant errors that required a change in management were tracked. RESULTS:
      There were 25,304 plain radiographs completed during the study period, of which
      252 (1.00%) were identified as discrepant. The most common were chest radiographs
      (41.7%) due to missed pneumonia, followed by upper and lower extremities (26.2%
      and 17.5%, respectively) due to missed fractures. Of the 252 discrepancies, 207
      (82.1%) were false negatives and 45 (17.9%) were false positives. In total, 105
      (0.41% of all radiographs) were clinically significant. CONCLUSION: There is a
      low rate of discrepancy in the interpretation of pediatric emergency radiographs
      between emergency department physicians and radiologists. The majority of errors
      occur with radiographs of the chest and upper extremities. The low rate of
      clinically significant discrepancy allows safe management based on EP
      interpretation.

PMID- 28625197
TI  - Do not confuse multidisciplinary task management in nursing homes with
      interprofessional care!
AB  - : Problem statement Little is known about how interprofessional healthcare
      providers in nursing homes work together. We know that interprofessional teamwork
      evolves from trial and error learning and so interprofessional collaboration has
      to be actively taught. This study aims to gain insights in the perception of
      professionals towards interprofessional collaboration in nursing homes and the
      factors that have an impact on interprofessional collaboration. Approach A
      qualitative descriptive methodology using focus group interviews and additional
      semi-structured interviews was performed. In total three focus group sessions
      with healthcare providers from different disciplines were held and additionally
      nine semi-structured interviews were executed. A thematic analysis was performed.
      The transcripts were read to immerse in the data and initial ideas were noted.
      Both open coding (identification of primary themes) and axial coding (analysis of
      relationships among themes) were conducted and re-focussed into potential themes.
      Findings Four main themes emerge from the analysis: context, collaboration, care
      and experience. From the findings it seems that healthcare teams in nursing homes
      work as 'separated groups'. A lot of collaboration is perceived, but no common
      vision or responsibility sharing is found. The role description of the different
      disciplines does not always seem clear or is not always explicit. CONCLUSION: In
      usual care the perceived interactions between professionals are called
      collaboration. Obviously physicians and all healthcare professionals do not work
      interprofessionally according to definitions from the literature. This study
      provided evidence of the awareness that interprofessional collaboration in usual
      care is situational and fragmentary organised.

PMID- 28625199
TI  - Color vision test to differentiate Alzheimer's disease from vascular dementia.
AB  - Arnaoutoglou et al. (2017) reported that "Ishihara Color Vision Test - 38 Plate"
      was useful for the differential diagnosis of dementia between Alzheimer's Disease
      (AD) and Vascular Dementia (VaD). The authors used sensitivity/specificity
      analysis, presenting 80.6% and 87.5% to discriminate AD and VaD patients when an
      optimal (32.5) cut-off value of performance was used. The authors cited a
      reference of the fact that AD patients suffered from a non-specific type of color
      blindness (Pache et al., 2003), and I have a query on their study with special
      reference to statistical method.

PMID- 28625200
TI  - The value of performing invasive risk stratification in young patients with the
      Brugada syndrome.

PMID- 28625201
TI  - A perspective on the editorial by Ken Gillman: '"Much ado about nothing':
      monoamine oxidase inhibitors, drug interactions, and dietary tyramine''.

PMID- 28625202
TI  - Development and evaluation of the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To update the Dutch Healthy Diet index, a measure of diet quality, to
      reflect adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines 2015 and to evaluate against
      participants' characteristics and nutrient intakes with the score based on 24 h
      recall (24 hR) data and FFQ data. DESIGN: The Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015
      (DHD15-index) consists of fifteen components representing the fifteen food-based
      Dutch dietary guidelines of 2015. Per component the score ranges between 0 and
      10, resulting in a total score between 0 (no adherence) and 150 (complete
      adherence). SETTING: Wageningen area, the Netherlands, 2011-2013. SUBJECTS: Data
      of 885 men and women, aged 20-70 years, participating in the longitudinal NQplus
      study, who filled out two 24 hR and one FFQ, were used. RESULTS: Mean (sd) score
      of the DHD15-index was 68.7 (16.1) for men and 79.4 (16.0) for women. Significant
      inverse trends were found between the DHD15-index and BMI, smoking, and intakes
      of energy, total fat and saturated fat. Positive trends were seen across sex
      specific quintiles of the DHD15-index score with energy-adjusted micronutrient
      intakes. Mean DHD15-index score of the FFQ data was 15.5 points higher compared
      with 24 hR data, with a correlation coefficient of 0.56 between the scores.
      Observed trends of the DHD15-index based on FFQ with participant characteristics,
      macronutrient and energy-adjusted micronutrient intakes were similar to those
      with the DHD15-index based on 24 hR. CONCLUSIONS: The DHD15-index score assesses
      adherence to the Dutch dietary guidelines 2015 and indicates diet quality. The
      DHD15-index score can be based on 24 hR data and on FFQ data.

PMID- 28625203
TI  - Understanding temporal relationships between depression, falls, and physical
      activity in a cohort of post-hospitalized older adults - a breakthrough or a
      conundrum?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical depression affects approximately 15% of community-dwelling
      older adults, of which half of these cases present in later life. Falls and
      depressive symptoms are thought to co-exist, while physical activity may protect
      an older adult from developing depressive symptoms. This study investigates the
      temporal relationships between depressive symptoms, falls, and participation in
      physical activities amongst older adults recently discharged following extended
      hospitalization. METHODS: A prospective cohort study in which 311 older adults
      surveyed prior to hospital discharge were assessed monthly post-discharge for six
      months. N = 218 completed the six-month follow-up. Participants were recruited
      from hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. The survey instrument used was designed
      based on Fiske's behavioral model depicting onset and maintenance of depression.
      The baseline survey collected data on self-reported falls, physical activity
      levels, and depressive symptoms. The monthly follow-up surveys repeated
      measurement of these outcomes. RESULTS: At any assessment point, falls were
      positively associated with depressive symptoms; depressive symptoms were
      negatively associated with physical activity levels; and, physical activity
      levels were negatively associated with falls. When compared with data in the
      subsequent assessment point, depressive symptoms were positively associated with
      falls reported over the next month (unadjusted OR: 1.20 (1.12, 1.28)), and
      physical activity levels were negatively associated with falls reported over the
      next month (unadjusted OR: 0.97 (0.96, 0.99) household and recreational), both
      indicating a temporal relationship. CONCLUSION: Falls, physical activity, and
      depressive symptoms were inter-associated, and depressive symptoms and low
      physical activity levels preceded falls. Clear strategies for management of these
      interconnected problems remain elusive.

PMID- 28625204
TI  - Effect of aripiprazole lauroxil in patients with acute schizophrenia as assessed
      by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale-supportive analyses from a Phase 3
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Aripiprazole lauroxil (AL) is a long-acting injectable atypical
      antipsychotic that was evaluated for the treatment of schizophrenia in a
      randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 study. Here, we present exploratory
      analyses of supportive efficacy endpoints. METHODS: Patients experiencing an
      acute exacerbation of schizophrenia received AL 441 mg intramuscularly (IM), AL
      882 mg IM, or matching placebo IM monthly. Supportive endpoints included changes
      from baseline at subsequent time points in Clinical Global Impression-Severity
      (CGI-S) scale score; Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Total score;
      PANSS Positive, Negative, and General Psychopathology subscale scores; PANSS
      Marder factors (post hoc); and PANSS responder rate. Overall response rate, based
      on PANSS Total score and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale
      score, was also analyzed. RESULTS: Of 622 patients who were randomized, 596 had
      >=1 post-baseline PANSS score. Patients were markedly ill at baseline (mean PANSS
      Total scores 92-94). Compared with placebo, CGI-S scores; PANSS Positive,
      Negative, and General Psychopathology subscale scores; and PANSS Marder factors
      were all significantly (p<0.001) improved by Day 85 with both AL doses, with
      significantly lower scores starting from Day 8 in most instances. Treatment
      response rates were significantly (p<0.001) greater with both doses of AL vs
      placebo. CONCLUSION: AL demonstrated robust efficacy on CGI-S score, PANSS
      subscale scores, PANSS Marder factors, and response rates. Study limitations
      included use of a fixed dose for initial oral aripiprazole and fixed monthly AL
      doses without the option to individualize the oral initiation dosing or injection
      frequency for efficacy, tolerability, or safety.

PMID- 28625205
TI  - Why Suicide? The Analysis of Motives for Self-Harm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a gap in understanding the meaning and motives behind
      suicidal behaviour. Using the Ideal Type methodology, Jean Baechler
      systematically examined the internal logic of suicidal and self-harming
      behaviours. He developed a typology of eleven typical meanings/motives: Flight,
      Grief, Self-punishment, Vengeance, Crime, Blackmail, Appeal, Sacrifice,
      Transfiguration, Ordeal and Game. AIMS: To develop and validate a standardized
      instrument to measure the motives/meanings of suicidal and self-harming
      behaviours, using Baechler's typology. METHOD: We developed a self-fill Likert
      questionnaire (Ideal Typical Meaning Questionnaire, ITMQ) covering ten of
      Baechler's eleven types. The questionnaire was completed by 147 patients within
      four weeks of attempting suicide or self-harm. The Death Attitude Profile-Revised
      (DAP-R) questionnaire was used to examine the concurrent validity of the Flight
      and the Transfiguration types and to explore the association between
      suicidal/self-harming motives and views about death. RESULTS: The final 25-item
      ITMQ has an eight-factor structure (Appeal/Blackmail, Ordeal/Game, Vengeance,
      Self-punishment, Sacrifice, Flight, Grief and Transfiguration) supporting
      Baechler's theory. The types have adequate reliability. Correlations with the DAP
      R gave some support for the concurrent validity of the Flight and Transfiguration
      types. CONCLUSIONS: The ITMQ is a measure of suicidal and self-harming
      motives/meanings based on a sound conceptual framework and could significantly
      contribute to the understanding of suicidal and self-harming behaviour in
      research and clinical settings.

PMID- 28625206
TI  - Organic food consumption during pregnancy and its association with health-related
      characteristics: the KOALA Birth Cohort Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations of organic food consumption with
      maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, hypertension and diabetes in pregnancy, and several
      blood biomarkers of pregnant women. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING:
      Pregnant women were recruited at midwives' practices and through channels related
      to consumption of food from organic origin. SUBJECTS: Pregnant women who filled
      in FFQ and donated a blood sample (n 1339). Participant groups were defined based
      on the share of consumed organic products; to discriminate between effects of
      food origin and food patterns, healthy diet indicators were considered in some
      statistical models. RESULTS: Consumption of organic food was associated with a
      more favourable pre-pregnancy BMI and lower prevalence of gestational diabetes.
      Compared with participants consuming no organic food (reference group), a marker
      of dairy products intake (pentadecanoic acid) and trans-fatty acids from natural
      origin (vaccenic and rumenic acids) were higher among participants consuming
      organic food (organic groups), whereas elaidic acid, a marker of the intake of
      trans-fatty acids found in industrially hydrogenated fats, was lower. Plasma
      levels of homocysteine and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were lower in the organic groups
      than in the reference group. Differences in pentadecanoic acid, vaccenic acid and
      vitamin D retained statistical significance when correcting for indicators of the
      healthy diet pattern associated with the consumption of organic food.
      CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of organic food during pregnancy is associated with
      several health-related characteristics and blood biomarkers. Part of the observed
      associations is explained by food patterns accompanying the consumption of
      organic food.

PMID- 28625207
TI  - Use of psychotropic medications in relation to neuropsychiatric symptoms,
      cognition and functional performance in Alzheimer's disease over a three-year
      period: Kuopio ALSOVA study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psychotropic medications are widely prescribed to manage
      neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our objective was to
      investigate the longitudinal associations between psychotropic medication use and
      NPS, cognition, and functional performance in persons with very mild or mild AD
      at baseline. METHODS: Data were collected as part of the prospective three-year
      study of home-dwelling persons with AD and their caregivers (n = 236 dyads). The
      associations between psychotropic medication use and clinical measures were
      analyzed using repeated measures Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models.
      NPS, cognition, daily functioning, and disease severity were assessed with NPI,
      CERAD-NB, or MMSE, ADCS-ADL, and CDR-SOB, respectively. All analyses were
      adjusted for age, gender, education, and co-morbidities. RESULTS: The prevalence
      of benzodiazepines and related medications increased from 16% to 24% (p = 0.031),
      antidepressants from 11% to 18% (p = 0.057), and antipsychotics from 4% to 16% (p
      = 0.011) in the three years following AD diagnosis. In adjusted multivariable
      analyses, a one-point increase in NPI increased the odds of using any
      psychotropic medication class by 4% (odds ratio (OR) 1.04, 95% confidence
      interval (CI) 1.01-1.07). ADCS-ADL (1/OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06) and CDR-SOB (OR
      1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.42) were associated with use of antipsychotics. CERAD-NB and
      MMSE were not associated with any psychotropic medication class use in the
      models. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotropic medication use increased significantly in
      relation to increasing dependency in AD, especially with NPS. Furthermore, the
      use of antipsychotics increased with disease severity, and with decline in daily
      functioning. Cognitive performance was not associated with psychotropic
      medication use.

PMID- 28625208
TI  - Parenting cognitions -> parenting practices -> child adjustment? The standard
      model.
AB  - In a large-scale (N = 317) prospective 8-year longitudinal multiage, multidomain,
      multivariate, multisource study, we tested a conservative three-term model
      linking parenting cognitions in toddlerhood to parenting practices in preschool
      to classroom externalizing behavior in middle childhood, controlling for earlier
      parenting practices and child externalizing behavior. Mothers who were more
      knowledgeable, satisfied, and attributed successes in their parenting to
      themselves when their toddlers were 20 months of age engaged in increased
      supportive parenting during joint activity tasks 2 years later when their
      children were 4 years of age, and 6 years after that their 10-year-olds were
      rated by teachers as having fewer classroom externalizing behavior problems. This
      developmental cascade of a "standard model" of parenting applied equally to
      families with girls and boys, and the cascade from parenting attributions to
      supportive parenting to child externalizing behavior obtained independent of 12
      child, parent, and family covariates. Conceptualizing socialization in terms of
      cascades helps to identify points of effective intervention.

PMID- 28625209
TI  - Involvement of the Left Supramarginal Gyrus in Manipulation Judgment Tasks:
      Contributions to Theories of Tool Use.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Two theories of tool use, namely the gesture engram and the technical
      reasoning theories, make distinct predictions about the involvement of the left
      inferior parietal lobe (IPL) in manipulation judgement tasks. The objective here
      is to test these alternative predictions based on previous studies on
      manipulation judgment tasks using transcranial magnetic stimulations (TMS)
      targeting the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG). METHODS: We review recent TMS
      studies on manipulation judgement tasks and confront these data with predictions
      made by both tool use theories. RESULTS: The left SMG is a highly intertwined
      region, organized following several functionally distinct areas and TMS may have
      disrupted a cortical network involved in the ability to use tools rather than
      only one functional area supporting manipulation knowledge. Moreover,
      manipulation judgement tasks may be impaired following virtual lesions outside
      the IPL. CONCLUSIONS: These data are more in line with the technical reasoning
      hypothesis, which assumes that the left IPL does not store manipulation knowledge
      per se. (JINS, 2017, 23, 685-691).

PMID- 28625210
TI  - Household Everyday Functioning in the Internet Age: Online Shopping and Banking
      Skills Are Affected in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The Internet is a fundamental tool for completing many different
      instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), including shopping and banking.
      Persons with HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND) are at heightened
      risk for IADL problems, but the extent to which HAND interferes with the
      performance of Internet-based household IADLs is not known. METHODS: Ninety-three
      individuals with HIV disease, 43 of whom were diagnosed with HAND, and 42 HIV-
      comparison participants completed Internet-based tests of shopping and banking.
      Participants used mock credentials to log in to an experimenter-controlled Web
      site and independently performed a series of typical online shopping (e.g.,
      purchasing household goods) and banking (e.g., transferring funds between
      accounts) tasks. RESULTS: Individuals with HAND were significantly more likely to
      fail the online shopping task than neurocognitively normal HIV+ and HIV-
      participants. HAND was also associated with poorer overall performance versus
      HIV+ normals on the online banking task. In the HAND group, Internet-based task
      scores were correlated with episodic memory, executive functions, motor skills,
      and numeracy. In the HIV+ sample as a whole, lower Internet-based task scores
      were uniquely associated with poorer performance-based functional capacity and
      self-reported declines in shopping and financial management in daily life, but
      not with global manifest functional status. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that
      HAND is associated with difficulties in using the Internet to complete important
      household everyday functioning tasks. The development and validation of effective
      Internet training and compensatory strategies may help to improve the household
      management of persons with HAND. (JINS, 2017, 23, 605-615).

PMID- 28625211
TI  - Paying for convenience: comparing the cost of takeaway meals with their healthier
      home-cooked counterparts in New Zealand.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Convenience and cost impact on people's meal decisions. Takeaway and
      pre-prepared foods save preparation time but may contribute to poorer-quality
      diets. Analysing the impact of time on relative cost differences between meals of
      varying convenience contributes to understanding the barrier of time to selecting
      healthy meals. DESIGN: Six popular New Zealand takeaway meals were identified
      from two large national surveys and compared with similar, but healthier, home
      made and home-assembled meals that met nutrition targets consistent with New
      Zealand Eating and Activity Guidelines. The cost of each complete meal, cost per
      kilogram, and confidence intervals of the cost of each meal type were calculated.
      The time-inclusive cost was calculated by adding waiting or preparation time cost
      at the minimum wage. SETTING: A large urban area in New Zealand. RESULTS: For
      five of six popular meals, the mean cost of the home-made and home-assembled
      meals was cheaper than the takeaway meals. When the cost of time was added, all
      home-assembled meal options were the cheapest and half of the home-made meals
      were at least as expensive as the takeaway meals. The home-prepared meals were
      designed to provide less saturated fat and Na and more vegetables than their
      takeaway counterparts; however, the home-assembled meals provided more Na than
      the home-made meals. CONCLUSIONS: Healthier home-made and home-assembled meals
      were, except one, cheaper options than takeaways. When the cost of time was
      added, either the home-made or the takeaway meal was the most expensive. This
      research questions whether takeaways are better value than home-prepared meals.

PMID- 28625213
TI  - Effect of Residence in Temporary Housing After the Great East Japan Earthquake on
      the Physical Activity and Quality of Life of Older Survivors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the physical activity level and health
      related quality of life (HRQOL) between older survivors residing in temporary
      housing after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE; temporary housing group) and
      older individuals residing in their own homes (control group) and to clarify
      whether mobility function and muscle strength were correlated with physical
      activity among older temporary housing residents. METHODS: Subjects were
      recruited to the temporary housing group (n=64, 19 men and 45 women) or control
      group (n=64, 33 men and 31 women) according to their residence. Physical activity
      was assessed by the number of walking steps determined by using a triaxial
      accelerometer, mobility function by the Timed Up and Go test, muscle strength by
      the grasping power test, and HRQOL by the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short
      Form Survey v2. RESULTS: In the temporary housing group, reduced physical
      activity and correlation between physical activity and mobility function in men,
      and muscle strength in both men and women, were observed. There was no
      significant difference in HRQOL between groups except for bodily pain in women.
      CONCLUSION: Support for older evacuees should focus on maintaining their physical
      activity level as well as on HRQOL to avoid deterioration of health in these
      survivors. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:701-710).

PMID- 28625212
TI  - Mental health service use and need for care of Australians without diagnoses of
      mental disorders: findings from a large epidemiological survey.
AB  - AIMS: While epidemiological surveys worldwide have found a considerable
      proportion of people using mental health services not to have a diagnosis of a
      mental disorder, with possible implications of service overuse, other work has
      suggested that most people without a current diagnosis who used services
      exhibited other indicators of need. The aims of the present study were, using
      somewhat different categorisations than previous work, to investigate whether:
      (1) Australians without a diagnosis of a mental disorder who used mental health
      services had other indicators of need; and (2) how rate and frequency of service
      use in Australia related to level of need, then to discuss the findings in light
      of recent developments in Australian Mental Health Policy and other
      epidemiological and services research findings. METHODS: Data from the Australian
      National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) 2007 was analysed.
      RESULTS: Most people using mental health services had evident indicators of need
      for mental health care (MHC), and most of those with lower evident levels of need
      did not make heavy use of services. Only a small proportion of individuals
      without any disorders or need indicators received MHC (4%). Although this latter
      group comprises a fair proportion of service users when extrapolating to the
      Australian population (16%), the vast majority of these individuals only sought
      brief primary-care or counselling treatment rather than consultations with
      psychiatrists. Access and frequency of MHC consultations were highest for people
      with diagnosed lifetime disorders, followed by people with no diagnosed disorders
      but other need indicators, and least for people with no identified need
      indicators. Limitations include some disorders not assessed in interview and
      constraints based on survey size to investigate subgroups defined, for instance,
      by socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage individually or by characteristics of
      area. CONCLUSIONS: MHC for individuals with no recognised disorders or other
      reasonable need for such care may be occurring but if so is likely to be an area
      specific phenomenon. Rather than revealing a large national pool of treatment
      resources being expended on the so-called 'worried well', the findings suggested
      a generally appropriate dose-response relationship between need indicators and
      service use. Definitive ascertainment of area-specific disparities in this
      national pattern would require a different survey approach. Government proposals
      for widespread introduction of stepped-care models that may seek to divert
      patients from existing treatment pathways need to be implemented with care and
      well informed by local data.

PMID- 28625214
TI  - Post-traumatic stress disorder associated with sexual assault among women in the
      WHO World Mental Health Surveys.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sexual assault is a global concern with post-traumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD), one of the common sequelae. Early intervention can help prevent
      PTSD, making identification of those at high risk for the disorder a priority.
      Lack of representative sampling of both sexual assault survivors and sexual
      assaults in prior studies might have reduced the ability to develop accurate
      prediction models for early identification of high-risk sexual assault survivors.
      METHODS: Data come from 12 face-to-face, cross-sectional surveys of community
      dwelling adults conducted in 11 countries. Analysis was based on the data from
      the 411 women from these surveys for whom sexual assault was the randomly
      selected lifetime traumatic event (TE). Seven classes of predictors were
      assessed: socio-demographics, characteristics of the assault, the respondent's
      retrospective perception that she could have prevented the assault, other prior
      lifetime TEs, exposure to childhood family adversities and prior mental
      disorders. RESULTS: Prevalence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
      Disorders IV (DSM-IV) PTSD associated with randomly selected sexual assaults was
      20.2%. PTSD was more common for repeated than single-occurrence victimization and
      positively associated with prior TEs and childhood adversities. Respondent's
      perception that she could have prevented the assault interacted with history of
      mental disorder such that it reduced odds of PTSD, but only among women without
      prior disorders (odds ratio 0.2, 95% confidence interval 0.1-0.9). The final
      model estimated that 40.3% of women with PTSD would be found among the 10% with
      the highest predicted risk. CONCLUSIONS: Whether counterfactual preventability
      cognitions are adaptive may depend on mental health history. Predictive modelling
      may be useful in targeting high-risk women for preventive interventions.

PMID- 28625215
TI  - Assessing Coagulation by Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) in Rivaroxaban
      Anticoagulated Blood Using Hemostatic Agents.
AB  - : Introduction The use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) such as rivaroxaban
      (Xarelto) is increasingly common. However, therapies for reversing
      anticoagulation in the event of hemorrhage are limited. This study investigates
      the ability of hemostatic agents to improve the coagulation of rivaroxaban
      anticoagulated blood, as measured by rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM).
      Hypothesis/Problem If a chitosan-based hemostatic agent (Celox), which works
      independently of the clotting cascade, is applied to rivaroxaban-anticoagulated
      blood, it should improve coagulation by decreasing clotting time (CT), decreasing
      clot formation time (CFT), and increasing maximum clot firmness (MCF). If a
      kaolin-based hemostatic agent (QuikClot Combat Gauze), which works primarily by
      augmenting the clotting cascade upstream of factor Xa (FXa), is applied to
      rivaroxaban-anticoagulated blood, it will not be effective at improving
      coagulation. METHODS: Patients (age >18 years; non-pregnant) on rivaroxaban,
      presenting to the emergency department (ED) at two large, university-based
      medical centers, were recruited. Subjects (n=8) had blood drawn and analyzed
      using ROTEM with and without the presence of a kaolin-based and a chitosan-based
      hemostatic agent. The percentage of patients whose ROTEM parameters responded to
      the hemostatic agent and percent changes in coagulation parameters were
      calculated. RESULTS: Data points analyzed included: CT, CFT, and MCF. Of the
      samples treated with a kaolin-based hemostatic agent, seven (87.5%) showed
      reductions in CT, eight (100.0%) showed reductions in CFT, and six (75.0%) showed
      increases in MCF. The average percent change in CT, CFT, and MCF for all patients
      was 32.5% (Standard Deviation [SD]: 286; Range:-75.3 to 740.7%); -66.0% (SD:14.4;
      Range: -91.4 to -44.1%); and 4.70% (SD: 6.10; Range: -4.8 to 15.1%),
      respectively. The corresponding median percent changes were -68.1%, -64.0%, and
      5.2%. Of samples treated with a chitosan-based agent, six (75.0%) showed
      reductions in CT, three (37.5%) showed reductions in CFT, and five (62.5%) showed
      increases in MCF. The average percent changes for CT, CFT, and MCF for all
      patients were 165.0% (SD: 629; Range:-96.9 to 1718.5%); 139.0% (SD: 174; Range: 
      83.3 to 348.0%); and -8.38% (SD: 32.7; Range:-88.7 to 10.4%), respectively. The
      corresponding median percent changes were -53.7%, 141.8%, and 3.0%. CONCLUSIONS:
      Rotational thromboelastometry detects changes in coagulation parameters caused by
      hemostatics applied to rivaroxaban-anticoagulated blood. These changes trended in
      the direction towards improved coagulability, suggesting that kaolin-based and
      chitosan-based hemostatics may be effective at improving coagulation in these
      patients. Bar J , David A , Khader T , Mulcare M , Tedeschi C . Assessing
      coagulation by rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) in rivaroxaban
      anticoagulated blood using hemostatic agents. Prehosp Disaster Med.
      2017;32(5):580-587.

PMID- 28625216
TI  - Symptom rating scales for schizophrenia and other primary psychotic disorders in
      ICD-11.
AB  - The subtype system for categorising presentations of schizophrenia will be
      removed from International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. In its place
      will be a system for rating six domains of psychotic disorder pathology: positive
      symptoms, negative symptoms, depressive symptoms, manic symptoms, psychomotor
      symptoms and cognitive symptoms. This paper outlines the rationale and
      description of the proposed symptom rating scale, including current
      controversies. In particular, the scale could adopt either a 4-point severity
      rating or a 2-point presence/absence rating. The 4-point scale has the advantage
      of gathering more information, but potentially at the cost of reliability. The
      paper concludes by describing the field testing process for evaluating the
      proposed scale.

PMID- 28625217
TI  - The core emergency ultrasound curriculum project: A report from the Curriculum
      Working Group of the CAEP Emergency Ultrasound Committee.
AB  - Emergency ultrasound (EUS) is now widely considered to be a "skill integral to
      the practice of emergency medicine." 1 The Canadian Association of Emergency
      Physicians (CAEP) initially issued a position statement in 1999 supporting the
      availability of focused ultrasound 24 hours per day in the emergency department
      (ED). 2.

PMID- 28625218
TI  - The response of male and female rats to a high-fructose diet during adolescence
      following early administration of Hibiscus sabdariffa aqueous calyx extracts.
AB  - Metabolic syndrome is linked to the consumption of fructose-rich diets.
      Nutritional and pharmacological interventions perinatally can cause epigenetic
      changes that programme an individual to predispose or protect them from the
      development of metabolic diseases later. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) reportedly has
      anti-obesity and hypocholesterolaemic properties in adults. We investigated the
      impact of neonatal intake of HS on the programming of metabolism by fructose. A
      total of 85 4-day-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into three
      groups. The control group (n=27, 12 males, 15 females) received distilled water
      at 10 ml/kg body weight. The other groups received either 50 mg/kg (n=30, 13
      males, 17 females) or 500 mg/kg (n=28, 11 males, 17 females) of an HS aqueous
      calyx extract orally till postnatal day (PND) 14. There was no intervention from
      PND 14 to PND 21 when the pups were weaned. The rats in each group were then
      divided into two groups; one continued on a normal diet and the other received
      fructose (20% w/v) in their drinking water for 30 days. The female rats that were
      administered with HS aqueous calyx extract as neonates were protected against
      fructose-induced hypertriglyceridaemia and increased liver lipid deposition. The
      early administration of HS resulted in a significant (P?0.05) increase in plasma
      cholesterol concentrations with or without a secondary fructose insult. In males,
      HS prevented the development of fructose-induced hypercholesterolaemia. The
      potential beneficial and detrimental effects of neonatal HS administration on the
      programming of metabolism in rats need to be considered in the long-term well
      being of children.

PMID- 28625219
TI  - Artist Lee Godie. 'I'm much better than Cezanne'.

PMID- 28625220
TI  - Economic Spillovers From Public Investments in Medical Countermeasures: A Case
      Study of a Burn Debridement Product.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The US federal government invests in the development of medical
      countermeasures for addressing adverse health effects to the civilian population
      from chemical, biological, and radiological or nuclear threats. We model the
      potential economic spillover effects in day-to-day burn care for a federal
      investment in a burn debridement product for responding to an improvised nuclear
      device. METHODS: We identify and assess 4 primary components for projecting the
      potential economic spillover benefits of a burn debridement product: (1) market
      size, (2) clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, (3) product cost, and
      (4) market adoption rates. Primary data sources were the American Burn
      Association's 2015 National Burn Repository Annual Report of Data and published
      clinical studies used to gain European approval for the burn debridement product.
      RESULTS: The study results showed that if approved for use in the United States,
      the burn debridement product has potential economic spillover benefits exceeding
      the federal government's initial investment of $24 million a few years after
      introduction into the burn care market. CONCLUSIONS: Economic spillover analyses
      can help to inform the prioritizing of scarce resources for research and
      development of medical countermeasures by the federal government. Future federal
      medical countermeasure research and development investments could incorporate
      economic spillover analysis to assess investment options. (Disaster Med Public
      Health Preparedness. 2017;11:711-719).

PMID- 28625221
TI  - PTSD or not PTSD? Comparing the proposed ICD-11 and the DSM-5 PTSD criteria among
      young survivors of the 2011 Norway attacks and their parents.

PMID- 28625222
TI  - A Small Spot, Inert Gas, Ion Milling Process as a Complementary Technique to
      Focused Ion Beam Specimen Preparation.
AB  - This paper reports on the substantial improvement of specimen quality by use of a
      low voltage (0.05 to ~1 keV), small diameter (~1 MUm), argon ion beam following
      initial preparation using conventional broad-beam ion milling or focused ion
      beam. The specimens show significant reductions in the amorphous layer thickness
      and implanted artifacts. The targeted ion milling controls the specimen thickness
      according to the needs of advanced aberration-corrected and/or analytical
      transmission electron microscopy applications.

PMID- 28625223
TI  - Ultra-processed foods and added sugars in the Chilean diet (2010).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the consumption of ultra-processed foods and analyse its
      association with the content of added sugars in the Chilean diet. DESIGN: Cross
      sectional study of national dietary data obtained through 24 h recalls and
      classified into food groups according to the extent and purpose of food
      processing (NOVA classification). SETTING: Chile. SUBJECTS: A probabilistic
      sample of 4920 individuals (aged 2 years or above) studied in 2010 by a national
      dietary survey (Encuesta Nacional de Consumo Alimentario). RESULTS: Ultra
      processed foods represented 28.6 (se 0.5) % of total energy intake and 58.6 (se
      0.9) % of added sugars intake. The mean percentage of energy from added sugars
      increased from 7.7 (se 0.3) to 19.7 (se 0.5) % across quintiles of the dietary
      share of ultra-processed foods. After adjusting for several potential
      sociodemographic confounders, a 5 percentage point increase in the dietary share
      of ultra-processed foods determined a 1 percentage point increase in the dietary
      content of added sugars. Individuals in the highest quintile were three times
      more likely (OR=2.9; 95 % CI 2.4, 3.4) to exceed the 10 % upper limit for added
      sugars recommended by the WHO compared with those in the lowest quintile, after
      adjusting for sociodemographic variables. This association was strongest among
      individuals aged 2-19 years (OR=3.9; 95 % CI 2.7, 5.9). CONCLUSIONS: In Chile,
      ultra-processed foods are important contributors to total energy intake and to
      the consumption of added sugars. Actions aimed at limiting consumption of ultra
      processed foods are being implemented as effective ways to achieve WHO dietary
      recommendations to limit added sugars and processed foods, especially for
      children and adolescents.

PMID- 28625224
TI  - Auditory verbal hallucinations are related to cortical thinning in the left
      middle temporal gyrus of patients with schizophrenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are one of the most common and
      severe symptoms of schizophrenia, but the neuroanatomical abnormalities
      underlying AVHs are not well understood. The present study aims to investigate
      whether AVHs are associated with cortical thinning. METHODS: Participants were
      schizophrenia patients from four centers across China, 115 with AVHs and 93
      without AVHs, as well as 261 healthy controls. All received 3 T T1-weighted brain
      scans, and whole brain vertex-wise cortical thickness was compared across groups.
      Correlations between AVH severity and cortical thickness were also determined.
      RESULTS: The left middle part of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) was
      significantly thinner in schizophrenia patients with AVHs than in patients
      without AVHs and healthy controls. Inferences were made using a false discovery
      rate approach with a threshold at p < 0.05. Left MTG thickness did not differ
      between patients without AVHs and controls. These results were replicated by a
      meta-analysis showing them to be consistent across the four centers. Cortical
      thickness of the left MTG was also found to be inversely correlated with
      hallucination severity across all schizophrenia patients. CONCLUSION: The results
      of this multi-center study suggest that an abnormally thin left MTG could be
      involved in the pathogenesis of AVHs in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28625225
TI  - Legionella longbeachae detected in an industrial cooling tower linked to a
      legionellosis outbreak, New Zealand, 2015; possible waterborne transmission?
AB  - A legionellosis outbreak at an industrial site was investigated to identify and
      control the source. Cases were identified from disease notifications, workplace
      illness records, and from clinicians. Cases were interviewed for symptoms and
      risk factors and tested for legionellosis. Implicated environmental sources were
      sampled and tested for legionella. We identified six cases with Legionnaires'
      disease and seven with Pontiac fever; all had been exposed to aerosols from the
      cooling towers on the site. Nine cases had evidence of infection with either
      Legionella pneumophila serogroup (sg) 1 or Legionella longbeachae sg1; these
      organisms were also isolated from the cooling towers. There was 100% DNA sequence
      homology between cooling tower and clinical isolates of L. pneumophila sg1 using
      sequence-based typing analysis; no clinical L. longbeachae isolates were
      available to compare with environmental isolates. Routine monitoring of the
      towers prior to the outbreak failed to detect any legionella. Data from this
      outbreak indicate that L. pneumophila sg1 transmission occurred from the cooling
      towers; in addition, L. longbeachae transmission was suggested but remains
      unproven. L. longbeachae detection in cooling towers has not been previously
      reported in association with legionellosis outbreaks. Waterborne transmission
      should not be discounted in investigations for the source of L. longbeachae
      infection.

PMID- 28625226
TI  - Tracking Motion Devices as Assessment Tools in Anesthesia Procedures: Have We
      Been Using Them Well?

PMID- 28625227
TI  - A brief review of salient factors influencing adult eating behaviour.
AB  - A better understanding of the factors that influence eating behaviour is of
      importance as our food choices are associated with the risk of developing chronic
      diseases such as obesity, CVD, type 2 diabetes or some forms of cancer. In
      addition, accumulating evidence suggests that the industrial food production
      system is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emission and may be
      unsustainable. Therefore, our food choices may also contribute to climate change.
      By identifying the factors that influence eating behaviour new interventions may
      be developed, at the individual or population level, to modify eating behaviour
      and contribute to society's health and environmental goals. Research indicates
      that eating behaviour is dictated by a complex interaction between physiology,
      environment, psychology, culture, socio-economics and genetics that is not fully
      understood. While a growing body of research has identified how several single
      factors influence eating behaviour, a better understanding of how these factors
      interact is required to facilitate the developing new models of eating behaviour.
      Due to the diversity of influences on eating behaviour this would probably
      necessitate a greater focus on multi-disciplinary research. In the present
      review, the influence of several salient physiological and environmental factors
      (largely related to food characteristics) on meal initiation, satiation (meal
      size) and satiety (inter-meal interval) are briefly discussed. Due to the large
      literature this review is not exhaustive but illustrates the complexity of eating
      behaviour. The present review will also highlight several limitations that apply
      to eating behaviour research.

PMID- 28625229
TI  - Mass-Gathering Medical Care in Electronic Dance Music Festivals.
AB  - : Introduction Electronic dance music (EDM) festivals represent a unique subset
      of mass-gathering events with limited guidance through literature or legislation
      to guide mass-gathering medical care at these events. Hypothesis/Problem
      Electronic dance music festivals pose unique challenges with increased patient
      encounters and heightened patient acuity under-estimated by current validated
      casualty predication models. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of three
      separate EDM festivals with analysis of patient encounters and patient transport
      rates. Data obtained were inserted into the predictive Arbon and Hartman models
      to determine estimated patient presentation rate and patient transport rates.
      RESULTS: The Arbon model under-predicted the number of patient encounters and the
      number of patient transports for all three festivals, while the Hartman model
      under-predicted the number of patient encounters at one festival and over
      predicted the number of encounters at the other two festivals. The Hartman model
      over-predicted patient transport rates for two of the three festivals.
      CONCLUSION: Electronic dance music festivals often involve distinct challenges
      and current predictive models are inaccurate for planning these events. The
      formation of a cohesive incident action plan will assist in addressing these
      challenges and lead to the collection of more uniform data metrics. FitzGibbon KM
      , Nable JV , Ayd B , Lawner BJ , Comer AC , Lichenstein R , Levy MJ , Seaman KG ,
      Bussey I . Mass-gathering medical care in electronic dance music festivals.
      Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(5):563-567.

PMID- 28625228
TI  - Warnings as a directive front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme: comparison with
      the Guideline Daily Amount and traffic-light systems.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Warnings have recently been proposed as a new type of directive front
      of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling scheme to flag products with high content of
      key nutrients. In the present work, this system was compared with the two most
      common FOP nutrition labelling schemes (Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) and traffic
      light system) in terms of goal-directed attention, influence on perceived
      healthfulness and ability to differentiate between products.
      Design/Setting/Subjects Goal-directed attention to FOP labels was evaluated using
      a visual search task in which participants were presented with labels on a
      computer screen and were asked to indicate whether labels with high sodium
      content were present or absent. A survey with 387 participants was also carried
      out, in which the influence of FOP labels on perceived healthfulness and ability
      to identify the healthful alternative were evaluated. RESULTS: Warnings improved
      consumers' ability to correctly identify a product with high content of a key
      nutrient within a set of labels compared with GDA and received the highest goal
      directed attention. In addition, products with high energy, saturated fat, sugar
      and/or sodium content that featured warnings on the label were perceived as less
      healthful than those featuring the GDA or traffic-light system. Warnings and the
      traffic-light system performed equally well in the identification of the most
      healthful product. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present work suggest that
      warnings have potential as directive FOP nutrition labels to improve consumer
      ability to identify unhealthful products and highlight advantages compared with
      the traffic-light system.

PMID- 28625230
TI  - Health Care Student Knowledge and Willingness to Work in Infectious Disease
      Outbreaks.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Health care workers are critical first responders. Understanding which
      factors motivate their willingness to work (WTW) during infectious disease
      outbreaks may guide improvements in preparedness. The perspective of health care
      students, the future workforce, remains largely unexplored. This study compared
      factors influencing WTW among medical, nursing, and pharmacy students. METHODS: A
      printed survey was administered to 631 medical, nursing, and pharmacy students.
      The questionnaire elicited information regarding prior disaster training, disease
      related knowledge, and WTW in the setting of infectious diseases with contact or
      respiratory transmission. RESULTS: Analyses of the 579 respondents (92% response
      rate) demonstrated that students were less fearful for their health and more
      willing to work during outbreaks with contact transmission than during those with
      respiratory transmission. Medical students were the most fearful for their
      health, but they demonstrated the greatest WTW, followed by nursing students, and
      then pharmacy students. Medical students were also the most knowledgeable about
      infectious diseases. Prior disaster training was associated with greater WTW.
      CONCLUSIONS: Extent of disease-related knowledge and prior disaster training
      appear to influence WTW. Our findings, taken in the context of a remarkable
      underemphasis on disaster preparedness in health care curricula, call for a
      broader incorporation of disaster training to improve the WTW of health care
      students, and, ultimately, health care workers. (Disaster Med Public Health
      Preparedness. 2017;11:694-700).

PMID- 28625232
TI  - Breast-feeding duration for the prevention of excess body weight of mother-child
      pairs concurrently: a 2-year cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between breast-feeding duration and the
      risk of excess body weight (children >85th percentile, mothers BMI>=25.0 kg/m2)
      concurrently in mother-child pairs two years after delivery. DESIGN: Prospective
      cohort study in Joinville, Brazil. Multivariable logistic regression was used to
      examine the independent relationship between breast-feeding duration and risk of
      excess body weight. SETTING: Brazilian public maternity hospital. SUBJECTS: Three
      hundred and five mother-child pairs. RESULTS: At 2-year follow-up, 23.6 % of
      mother-child pairs had excess body weight. Children breast-fed for <2 months were
      more likely to have excess body weight than children breast-fed for >=6 months
      (OR=2.4; 95 % CI 1.1, 5.1). Breast-feeding for <2 months was also associated with
      a greater likelihood of maternal excess body weight compared with those who
      breast-fed for >=6 months (OR=2.9; 95 % CI 1.1, 8.1). There was a progressive
      increase in the likelihood of mother-child pairs having excess body weight as
      breast-feeding duration decreased. In addition to breast-feeding duration, other
      independent determinants of excess body weight were pre-pregnancy weight,
      gestational weight gain and number of pregnancies in mothers, and birth weight in
      children. CONCLUSIONS: Breast-feeding for a longer duration has a parallel
      protective effect on the risk of excess body weight in mother-child pairs two
      years after birth. Since members of the same family could be influenced by the
      same risk factors, continued promotion and support of breast-feeding may help to
      attenuate the rising prevalence of overweight in mother-child pairs.

PMID- 28625231
TI  - You'll feel better in the morning: slow wave activity and overnight mood
      regulation in interepisode bipolar disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances are prominent correlates of acute mood episodes
      and inadequate recovery in bipolar disorder (BD), yet the mechanistic
      relationship between sleep physiology and mood remains poorly understood. Using a
      series of pre-sleep mood inductions and overnight sleep recording, this study
      examined the relationship between overnight mood regulation and a marker of sleep
      intensity (non-rapid eye movement sleep slow wave activity; NREM SWA) during the
      interepisode phase of BD. METHODS: Adults with interepisode BD type 1 (BD; n =
      20) and healthy adult controls (CTL; n = 23) slept in the laboratory for a
      screening night, a neutral mood induction night (baseline), a happy mood
      induction night, and a sad mood induction night. NREM SWA (0.75-4.75 Hz) was
      derived from overnight sleep EEG recordings. Overnight mood regulation was
      evaluated using an affect grid pleasantness rating post-mood induction (pre
      sleep) and the next morning. RESULTS: Overnight mood regulation did not differ
      between groups following the sad or happy inductions. SWA did not significantly
      change for either group on the sad induction night compared with baseline. In BD
      only, SWA on the sad night was related to impaired overnight negative mood
      regulation. On the happy induction night, SWA increased relative to baseline in
      both groups, though SWA was not related to overnight mood regulation for either
      group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that SWA disruption may play a role
      in sustaining negative mood state from the previous night in interepisode BD.
      However, positive mood state could enhance SWA in bipolar patients and healthy
      adults.

PMID- 28625233
TI  - [Elevation of red cell distribution width during hospitalization predicts
      mortality in patients with sepsis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of red cell distribution width (RDW)
      with prognosis in patients with sepsis. METHODS: Patients with sepsis admitted to
      intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Hospital of Soochow University from
      January 2011 to December 2016 were enrolled. All clinical data were collected for
      participants, which mainly included basic data, main underlying disease, site of
      infection, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II(APACHE II) score,
      blood routine test, biochemical test, blood gas analysis, coagulation index,
      procalcitonin (PCT), hospitalization days, and 28-day and 90-day mortality.
      Patients were divided into two groups according to whether the RDW levels were
      higher than the time of admission or not. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was
      performed to analyze 28-day and 90-day cumulative survival rates in two groups.
      Multivariate Cox regression analysis was done to find the independent risk
      factors of death in patients with sepsis. RESULTS: 196 septic patients were
      eligible to participate into this study. 150 patients (53.57%) had higher RDW
      levels than those at the time of admission. Compared to negative or static change
      of RDW group, positive change of RDW group had higher APACHE II score (20.42+/
      6.29 vs. 16.17+/-6.37), more percentage of chronic kidney insufficiency (35.24%
      vs. 19.78%), bloodstream infection (32.38% vs. 15.38%), continuous renal
      replacement therapy (CRRT: 32.38% vs. 16.48%), higher level of C-reactive protein
      [CRP (mg/L): 14.71+/-3.52 vs. 11.15+/-7.94], and higher serum creatinine [SCr
      (MUmol/L): 128.0 (74.0, 263.5) vs. 90.0 (57.0, 145.5)], PCT [MUg/L: 3.45 (2.39,
      6.64) vs. 2.35 (0.56, 3.54)], and lactic acid [Lac (mmol/L): 3.40+/-1.72 vs.
      2.70+/-1.61]; and had lower levels of hematocrit (Hct: 0.357+/-0.128 vs. 0.437+/
      0.143), hemoglobin [Hb (g/L): 103.60+/-22.63 vs. 115.67+/-28.49], platelets [PLT
      (*109/L): 133.37+/-87.29 vs. 191.43+/-87.65], albumin [Alb (g/L): 28.15+/-5.72
      vs. 35.51+/-5.91], total cholesterol [TC (mmol/L): 2.43+/-1.12 vs. 3.05+/-1.55],
      estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR (mL*min-1*1.73 m-2): 82.02+/-63.90 vs.
      125.46+/-83.47], and oxygenation index [PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa):
      229.69+/-60.61 vs. 264.21+/-74.78]; and longer time of hospitalization [days:
      17.0 (12.0, 21.7) vs. 11.0 (7.0, 18.0)], higher 28-day and 90-day mortality
      (57.14% vs. 36.26%, 62.86% vs. 47.25%) with statistically significant differences
      (all P < 0.05). It was shown by Kaplan-Meier survival curve that the 28-day and
      90-day cumulative survival rate in positive change of RDW group was significantly
      lower than that of negative or static change of RDW group (chi 12 = 8.462, chi 22
      = 6.411, both P < 0.05). It was shown by multivariate Cox regression that high
      APACHE II score [odds ratio (OR) = 1.049, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.010
      1.090, P = 0.013] and positive change of RDW (OR = 0.517, 95%CI = 0.280-0.953, P
      = 0.034) were the risk factors of death in patients with sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: The
      change of RDW values during hospitalization was related to the poor outcomes in
      patients with sepsis. The increase of RDW predicts the progress of sepsis and bad
      prognosis. Serial surveillance of RDW values could provide useful information for
      long-term prognosis in sepsis.

PMID- 28625234
TI  - [Effect of global end diastolic volume index guidance fluid resuscitation in
      elderly patients with septic shock].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of global end diastolic volume index (GEDVI) on
      fluid resuscitation in elderly patients with septic shock. METHODS: A prospective
      randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. Septic shock patients over 65
      years admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Shandong Province, Zibo Central
      Hospital from January 2013 to December 2015 were enrolled. The patients were
      randomly divided into control group and observation group, 20 cases in each
      group. In accordance with the guidelines for the treatment of septic shock, early
      goal-directed therapy (EGDT), rehydration in the control group was treated with
      the guide of central venous pressure (CVP); observation group was received pulse
      indicator continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) monitoring, and rehydration was
      treated according to the GEDVI and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI), i.e.
      GEDVI was maintained in 650-800 mL/m2, EVLWI was not obviously increased compared
      with the basic value and without the emphasis of CVP. Initial acute physiology
      and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, sequential organ failure
      score (SOFA), procalcitonin (PCT), mean arterial pressure (MAP), lactic acid
      (Lac) and oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2); serial Lac, central venous to arterial
      carbon dioxide pressure (Pcv-aCO2), fluid balance, the amount of noradrenaline
      accumulation, PaO2/FiO2 after 6, 24 and 48 hours resuscitation; mechanical
      ventilation time, incidence of acute heart failure, ICU hospitalization time and
      28-day mortality were recorded. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in
      gender, age, APACHE II score, SOFA score, primary disease, infection site and
      basal PCT, MAP, Lac, PaO2/FiO2 between the two groups. Compared with the control
      group, 6 hours Lac, Pcv-aCO2 recovery, positive fluid balance, noradrenaline
      accumulation and PaO2/FiO2 of the observation group showed no significant
      difference; positive fluid balance 24 hours in the recovery was significantly
      reduced (mL: 2 919.80+/-986.44 vs. 3 991.40+/-933.53), Pcv-aCO2 significantly
      decreased [mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 5.55+/-1.43 vs. 7.10+/-2.38], PaO2/FiO2
      significantly improved (mmHg: 194.80+/-28.57 vs. 177.65+/-23.46), and
      noradrenaline accumulation was increased significantly (mg: 40.99+/-20.69 vs.
      27.31+/-19.34) with statistically significant difference (all P < 0.05); the
      blood level of Lac 48 hours in the recovery was significantly decreased (mmol/L:
      1.16+/-0.89 vs. 1.85+/-1.01), Pcv-aCO2 (mmHg: 5.35+/-1.18 vs. 6.70+/-2.34), and
      PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg: 215.75+/-33.84 vs. 190.60+/-32.89) were further improved, the
      positive fluid balance was significantly reduced (mL: 3 141.55+/-1 245.69 vs. 4
      533.85+/-1 416.67, all P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, mechanical
      ventilation time (days: 3.65+/-1.31 vs. 4.50+/-1.19), ICU hospitalization time
      (days: 5.80+/-1.67 vs. 7.15+/-2.30) was significantly shorter in the observation
      group (both P < 0.05), acute heart failure rate was decreased significantly (5.0%
      vs. 30.0%, P < 0.05), but the 28-day mortality showed no statistical significance
      (25.0% vs. 40.0%, P = 0.311). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the conventional EGDT
      methods, fluid resuscitation under the guidance of GEDVI in elderly patients with
      septic shock with less liquid loading, can achieve better oxygenation and reduce
      heart failure, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, and
      play an important significant guidance for elderly patients' fluid resuscitation
      with septic shock.

PMID- 28625235
TI  - [Pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in patients with severe acute pancreatitis and
      its influencing factors: analysis of 7 years data].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the change of the serum trough concentration and its
      pharmacokinetics of vancomycin in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP),
      and to analyze the factors influencing vancomycin concentration. METHODS: A
      retrospective analysis was conducted. Steady-state trough concentrations of
      vancomycin from patients (18-80 years old) with SAP concomitantly with G+
      infection admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to
      Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from January 2010 to December
      2016 were enrolled. According to the usage time of vancomycin, the patients with
      SAP were divided into early group (onset within 21 days), middle group (onset
      between 21-28 days) and late group (onset over 28 days). The gender, age, body
      weight, clinical diagnosis, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II
      (APACHE II) score, renal function, and the pharmacokinetic parameters were
      recorded. Influencing factors of vancomycin was analyzed by multiple linear
      regression and stepwise regression. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were enrolled
      who contained 134 times trough concentrations of vancomycin. There were 41
      patients enrolled and 61 times of trough concentrations in the early group, 24
      patients enrolled and 33 times of trough concentrations in the middle group, and
      28 patients enrolled and 40 times of trough concentrations in the late group.
      There was no significant difference in gender, age, body weight, serum
      creatinine, creatinine clearance (CCr), albumin, APACHE II score among the three
      groups. There was significantly difference in the duration from the onset time to
      vancomycin administration between early, middle groups and late group (days:
      15.9+/-3.2, 23.3+/-2.2 vs. 35.0+/-6.7, both P < 0.05). The positive liquid
      balance in early group was lower than that of late group (mL: 1 565.2+/-3 132.1
      vs. 3 675.1+/-3 411.5, P < 0.01), while it was increased in the middle group as
      compared with that of late group (mL: 5 078.7+/-3 892.4 vs. 3 675.1+/-3 411.5, P
      < 0.05). The average daily dose of vancomycin in the early, middle and late
      groups were (14.7+/-5.0), (15.0+/-2.8), (17.0+/-4.2) mg/kg, respectively, and
      there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). Compared with the standard
      concentration (15 mg/L) of vancomycin, the serum trough concentration of
      vancomycin was significantly reduced in SAP patients [(7.5+/-4.3) mg/L, P <
      0.01]. Apparent volume of distribution (Vd) was (72.4+/-15.4) L, and clearance
      rate (CL) was (9.0+/-2.8) L/h. According to the Bayesian, the serum trough
      concentration of vancomycin was significantly reduced in early group and middle
      group compared with late group (mg/L: 5.0+/-2.1, 7.3+/-2.5 vs. 11.5+/-5.1, both P
      < 0.01), CL was significantly increased (L/h: 10.5+/-3.0, 8.1+/-1.9 vs. 7.4+/
      1.9, both P < 0.05), and Vd was significantly increased in early group compared
      with late group (L: 73.7+/-15.5 vs. 71.0+/-12.6, P < 0.05). It was shown by
      multiple linear regression analysis that there was strong relationship between
      serum trough concentration and the serum creatinine, CCr, average daily dose and
      the starting time of vancomycin treatment (r value were 0.449, -0.318, 0.373,
      0.763, respectively, all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum trough concentration
      of vancomycin was significantly reduced in SAP patients. And the earlier usage of
      vancomycin, the lower of the trough concentration is. Therefore, higher dosage
      regimen was needed to ensure the clinical effect, and reduce the bacterial
      resistance.

PMID- 28625236
TI  - [Eosinophil could predict the prognosis of patients with bloodstream infection: a
      retrospective analysis of 305 cases].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of peripheral blood for the prognosis of
      patients with bloodstream infection. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of
      patients with bloodstream infection was conducted in the intensive care unit
      (ICU) of Mianyang Central Hospital of Sichuan from January 2012 to October 2016.
      According to the 28-day survival, the patients were divided into survival group
      and death group. The white blood cell (WBC), neutrophils count (NEU), lymphocyte
      count (LYM), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte count (MO), eosinophil
      count (EO), basophil count (BA), hemoglobin (Hb), platelet count (PLT) and
      procalcitonin (PCT) in peripheral blood were recorded when patients were
      diagnosed with blood infection. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC),
      Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to evaluate the value
      of these risk factors for predicting the outcome. RESULTS: 305 patients were
      enrolled. 182 patients survived while 123 patients died during the 28-day period.
      (1) There was no significant difference in gender, age and comorbidities between
      the two groups. There was no significant difference in infection rate between the
      two groups except for fungal infection rate. The fungal infection rate in the
      death group was significantly higher than that in the survival group (9.8% vs.
      3.3%, P = 0.019). (2) The LYM, MO, EO and PLT in the death group were
      significantly lower than those in the survival group [LYM (*109/L): 0.58 (0.29,
      0.93) vs. 0.76 (0.44, 1.23), MO (*109/L): 0.47 (0.19, 0.80) vs. 0.58 (0.30,
      0.94), EO (*109/L): 0.00 (0.00, 0.01) vs. 0.03 (0.01, 0.09), PLT (*1012/L): 89
      (47, 148) vs. 126 (82, 186), all P < 0.05]. The NLR in the death group was
      significantly higher than that in the survival group [17.09 (7.60, 33.51) vs.
      12.86 (6.51, 24.85), P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in the WBC,
      NEU, BA, Hb and PCT between the two groups. (3) It was shown by ROC curve
      analysis that the maximum area under the ROC curve (AUC) of EO was 0.755. When
      the best cut-off value was 0.015*109/L as a predictor of death in 28 days, the
      sensitivity was 80.3%, and specificity was 64.7%. (4) It was shown by survival
      analysis that the 28-day survival rate in the patients with EO < 0.015*109/L was
      significantly lower than that of patients with EO > 0.015*109/L [38.3% (62/162)
      vs. 83.9% (120/143), chi 2 = 56.999, P = 0.000]. (5) It was shown by Cox
      regression that EO was the independent factor for 28-day survival (beta = 1.466,
      chi 2 = 39.535, P = 0.000). Risk of death was 4.331 times greater in patients
      with EO < 0.015*109/L than in those with EO > 0.015*109/L [hazard ratio (HR) =
      4.331, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 2.743-6.840]. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to
      other parameters in peripheral blood, EO has the best correlation with the
      prognosis of bloodstream infection. EO is the independent prognostic predictor
      for 28-day survival.

PMID- 28625237
TI  - [Study on mechanisms and myocardial protective effect of Qishen Yiqi dropping
      pills on rats with myocardial infarction].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To approach the mechanisms and myocardial protective effect of Qishen
      Yiqi dropping pills on rats with myocardial infarction. METHODS: Sixty clean
      healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham operation
      group, model group and observation group (each n = 20). The rat model of acute
      myocardial infarction (AMI) was established by ligation of left anterior descent
      (LAD) branch of coronary artery. After modeling, the rats in observation group
      were given 0.135 g/kg of Qishen Yiqi dropping pills, and sham operation group and
      model group were administered the same amount of normal saline, once a day for
      consecutive 28 days. At the end of treatment, the levels of serum inflammatory
      factors of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by enzyme linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA); the changes of the indexes of hemodynamic [left
      ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure
      (LVEDP), the maximal rate of increase/decrease in left ventricular pressure (+/
      dp/dt max)], the ratio of the heart weight/body weight, and the ratio of the left
      ventricular weight/heart weight (LVW/HW), the myocardial infarction area,
      myocardial histopathological changes were observed in the three groups;
      myocardial tissues inflammatory related factors [the mRNA and protein expressions
      of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-lipoxygenase
      (5-LOX)], and the expression levels of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF
      beta)/Smads signal transduction pathway related protein (TGF-beta1, Smad2/3,
      Collagen I, Collagen III) and cell apoptosis related factors (Bcl-2, Bax) protein
      were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, levels of serum
      inflammatory factors, the index of LVEDP, the ratio of the heart weight/body
      weight, LVW/HW, myocardial infarction area, the mRNA and protein expression
      levels of inflammatory factors in myocardium, the expression levels of TGF
      beta/Smads signal transduction pathway related protein and the cell apoptosis
      related factors protein in model group were all significantly elevated, while
      LVSP and +/-dp/dt max were obviously decreased in model group. Compared with the
      model group, the levels of inflammatory factor in serum [LTB4 (ng/L): 370.11+/
      46.98 vs. 633.23+/-83.37, PGE2 (ng/L): 48.75+/-26.35 vs. 131.25+/-29.75, TNF
      alpha (MUg/L): 177.28+/-22.65 vs. 248.47+/-16.21, IL-6 (MUg/L): 493.22+/-165.99
      vs. 638.41+/-191.66], LVEDP [mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): -2.03+/-2.98 vs. 7.03+/
      1.39], the ratio of the heart weight/body weight [(6.53+/-0.11)% vs. (7.14+/
      0.24)%], LVW/HW (0.26+/-0.01 vs. 0.32+/-0.02), myocardial infarction area
      [(27.21+/-2.87)% vs. (44.98+/-1.52)%], mRNA and protein expression of myocardial
      inflammatory factors, the expression of TGF-beta/Smads signal transduction
      pathway related protein, and the protein expression of Bax were all significantly
      decreased in observation group (all P < 0.05), LVSP (mmHg: 129.01+/-11.93 vs.
      108.11+/-12.69), the +dp/dt max (mmHg/s: 3 101.3+/-378.6 vs. 2 105.3+/-245.9),
      the -dp/dt max (mmHg/s: 2 612.4+/-249.7 vs. 1 654.4+/-188.1), while the protein
      expression of Bcl-2 in observation group were obviously increased (all P < 0.05).
      It was demonstrated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining that there were no obvious
      pathological changes in the sham operation group; obvious infiltration of
      inflammatory factors in myocardium was shown in model group; pathological changes
      in the observation group were significantly improved as compared with those in
      the model group. It was shown by Masson staining that there were slight
      hyperplasia of myocardial fibers and no obvious pathological changes in the sham
      operation group. Severe collagen hyperplasia was found in model group, and the
      degree of fibrosis in the observation group was significantly improved.
      CONCLUSIONS: Qishen Yiqi dropping pills can reduce the degree of myocardial
      fibrosis and inhibit the ventricular remodeling via TGF-beta/Smads signal
      transduction pathway. The dropping pills can also suppress the release of
      inflammatory factors by reducing cPLA2 to decrease the inflammatory response and
      inhibit apoptosis and alleviate myocardial injury by up-regulating the expression
      of Bcl-2 and down-regulating the expression of Bax.

PMID- 28625238
TI  - [Risk factors of perioperative intra-aortic balloon pump complications in cardiac
      surgery: a 12-year single-institution analysis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of the complications in
      perioperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) supported cardiac surgical
      patients. METHODS: The clinical data of adult cardiac surgery patients undergoing
      IABP in Fuwai Hospital from January 2005 to January 2017 were enrolled. The
      patients were divided into complications group and no complications group.
      Demographic characteristics, diagnosis, perioperative clinical parameters, IABP
      related data, and IABP complications (including ischemia, bleeding, vascular
      injury and mechanical problems) were collected. The incremental risk factors of
      complications related IABP were analyzed by logistic regression. RESULTS: During
      the 12-year period, 522 patients received IABP support, with 388 male and 134
      female; the mean age was (61.79+/-9.35) years; the complications related to IABP
      occurred in 25 patients, and overall complication rate was 4.79%; 87 IABP
      patients were dead in-hospital, the overall mortality was 16.67%, no patient died
      due to complications. The complications rate was higher in the female patients
      (40.00% vs. 24.95%), and was more in patients with age>=65 years old (80.00% vs.
      38.03%), more with higher body mass index [BMI (kg/m2): 25.45+/-13.71 vs. 22.95+/
      3.45], diabetes mellitus (44.00% vs. 26.76%), combination treatment with extra
      corporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO: 20.00% vs. 5.03%) and prolonged IABP
      support time (hours: 134.4+/-90.3 vs. 109.8+/-89.1, all P < 0.05). There was no
      significant difference in the incidence of complications among preoperative IABP
      support, intra-operative IABP support and post-operative IABP support [3.30%
      (3/91), 5.46% (10/183), 4.84% (12/248), chi 2 = 0.629, P = 0.730]. Bleeding from
      puncture site occurred in 14 cases (2.68%) without severe bleeding. Limb ischemia
      occurred in 9 cases (1.72%). One patient (0.19%) was under another surgery
      because of retroperitoneal hemorrhage caused by vascular injury. One patient
      (0.19%) was unsuccessful due to a balloon leak. It was shown by logistic
      regression analysis that presence of age >= 65 years [odds ratio (OR) = 2.320,
      95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.011-1.806, P = 0.047], diabetes mellitus (OR
      = 2.281, 95%CI = 1.016-5.120, P = 0.026) and combination treatment with ECMO (OR
      = 4.341, 95%CI = 1.240-15.196, P = 0.040) were found to be the risk factors of
      complications related to IABP. CONCLUSIONS: IABP complication rates are generally
      low. The frequent complications during IABP support is bleeding from site of
      catheterization and limb ischemia. When patients were treated with IABP, those
      with older age, diabetes mellitus and combination with ECMO should be monitored
      closely in order to reduce complications.

PMID- 28625239
TI  - [Effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells on vascular endothelial
      growth factor and IL-6 expression in tissue of AMI rats].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem
      cells (UC-MSCs) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6
      (IL-6) expression in acute myocardium infarction (AMI) rats. METHODS: The human
      UC-MSCs were cultured to the 4th generation for experiment. Sixty male Sprague
      Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham group, AMI model group and UC
      MSCs group, with 20 in each group. AMI animal model was produced by ligation of
      anterior descending coronary artery; in the sham group, the threading vein was
      gone below without ligation. In UC-MSCs group 2*106 UC-MSCs were infused through
      the caudal vein at 24 hours after successful model production. The animals were
      sacrificed after 7 days; the myocardial tissue and coronary artery below the
      ligation line were harvested. The mRNA and protein expressions of IL-6 in
      myocardium were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT
      PCR) and Western Blot. The positive expression of VEGF in coronary artery was
      observed by immunohistochemisty. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the mRNA
      and protein expressions of IL-6 in myocardium in AMI model group were increased
      significantly (gray value: 0.732+/-0.131 vs. 0.321+/-0.080, 0.678+/-0.191 vs.
      0.286+/-0.061, both P < 0.05). Compared with the AMI model group, the mRNA and
      protein expressions of IL-6 in myocardium in UC-MSCs group were decreased
      significantly (gray value: 0.300+/-0.104 vs. 0.732+/-0.131, 0.312+/-0.101 vs.
      0.678+/-0.191, both P < 0.05). Observation under light microscope, the VEGF
      positive cells in AMI model group was increased significantly compared with the
      sham group (cells/HP: 21.1+/-2.2 vs. 7.6+/-1.3, P < 0.05), the VEGF positive
      cells in UC-MSCs group were increased significantly compared with the AMI model
      group (cells/HP: 41.5+/-3.1 vs. 21.1+/-2.2, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Human UC-MSCs
      could promote angiogenesis by the improvement of VEGF in coronary artery and
      inhibit the inflammation by the reduction of IL-6 in rats with AMI.

PMID- 28625240
TI  - [Dynamic changes of complement level in patients with acute coronary syndrome and
      its relationships with myocardial injury].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study relationships between myocardial injury and the levels of
      serum complement C3, C4 and C5b-9 in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
      METHODS: A retrospectively analysis was conducted. 170 ACS patients [including
      110 cases of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 60 cases of
      non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS)] with ischemic chest
      pain or chest discomfort onset within the prior 12 hours admitted to the
      cardiology department of Tianjin Union Medicine Center from January 2014 to July
      2016 were enrolled. Thirty-six healthy cases were enrolled as control during the
      same time. The levels of serum complement C3, C4 and C5b-9 on 1, 3 and 7 days
      after admission and myocardial function indicators were analyzed. Major adverse
      cardiovascular events (MACE) and readmission rate were analyzed after 1 year
      follow-up. The correlation between serum complement levels and myocardial
      function indicators was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: (1)
      The levels of serum C3, C4 and C5b-9 on the first day in NSTE-ACS group and STEMI
      group were significantly higher than control group [C3 (g/L): 1.04+/-0.33, 1.26+/
      0.35 vs. 0.39+/-0.21, C4 (g/L): 0.31+/-0.14, 0.33+/-0.10 vs. 0.19+/-0.07, C5b-9
      (g/L): 575.46+/-197.26, 659.26+/-160.77 vs. 501.40+/-141.51, all P < 0.05]. There
      were no changes of serum C3, C4 in NSTE-ACS group, but C5b-9 decreased after a
      peak (g/L: 700.63+/-218.42) at 3 days. Serum complements in STEMI group reached
      peak on the third day [C3 (g/L): 1.37+/-0.33, C4 (g/L): 0.42+/-0.12, C5b-9 (g/L):
      754.72+/-136.22]. The levels of serum C4 and C5b-9 in STEMI group were higher
      than NSTE-ACS group on the third and seventh day. (2) The levels of troponin T
      (TnT), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), solution intercellular adhesion molecule-1
      (sICAM-1), global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) scores and
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) numbers in STEMI group were
      significantly higher than those in the NSTE-ACS group, which were as opposite as
      left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, there were no significant
      differences in levels of serum N-terminal pro-brain nitric peptide (NT-proBNP),
      Fibrinogen (Fib), readmission rate and incidence of MACE between STEMI and NSTE
      ACS groups. (3) According to GRACE, patients with ACS were divided into low risk
      group (<= 108 scores, 26 cases), intermediate risk group (109-140 scores, 61
      cases) and highest group (> 140 scores, 83 cases). TnT and sICAM-1 in
      intermediate risk group were significantly increased as compared with low risk
      group. Levels of TnT, sICAM-1, C3, C4 and C5b-9 in the highest group were
      significantly higher than the low and intermediate risk groups, however the
      lowest LVEF was found in the highest group. (4) It was shown by Pearson
      correlation analyses that levels of serum C3, C4, C5b-9 were positively
      correlated with TnT (r value was 0.481, 0.367, 0.292, respectively, all P <
      0.01), sICAM-1 (r value was 0.298, 0.249, 0.365, respectively, all P < 0.01), but
      negatively correlated with LVEF (r value was -0.384, -0.260, -0.200,
      respectively, all P < 0.01). In addition sICAM-1 positively correlated with TnT
      (r = 0.536, P = 0.000), but negatively correlated with LVEF (r = -0.341, P =
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum complements activation was found in the acute phase of
      ACS patients. Serum complement C3, C4 and C5b-9 are involved in the process of
      myocardial injury, and may reflect severity of myocardial injury and cardiac
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28625241
TI  - [Efficacy and safety of intravenous recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide
      in patients with severe heart failure: a prospective multicenter clinical study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy and safety of recombinant human brain
      natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) in the patients with severe heart failure (HF).
      METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was conducted. Patients whose age > 18
      years old, and with the New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function grade
      over III-IV, acute cardiac insufficiency and the acute exacerbation of chronic
      cardiac insufficiency admitted to intensive care unit/cardiovascular care unit
      (ICU/CCU) of 58 Hospitals in China were enrolled. On the basis of the
      conventional treatment, all patients would be given rhBNP (neo adjuvant) with a
      loading dose of 1.5 MUg/kg for 3-5 minutes, and followed by a maintenance dose of
      0.010-0.015 MUg*kg-1*min-1 for 3-7 days. Before the treatment and 1, 3, 7 days
      after treatment, researchers detected indexes of cardiac and renal function, the
      levels of N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), left ventricular
      ejection fraction (LVEF), cardiac output (CO), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure
      (PCWP), central venous pressure (CVP), urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine
      (SCr), and urine output; the renal function index was re-evaluated at 30 days
      after administration, and the time entering ICU again, re-admission,
      cardiovascular events were recorded. RESULTS: 408 patients were enrolled, with
      241 males and 167 females. Age range was 28-95 years, the average age was (63.0+/
      15.8) years, and 50-70 years old accounted for 46.8%. Compared with the data
      before treatment, NT-proBNP, PCWP and CVP significantly decreased at 6 hours
      after treatment [NT-proBNP (MUg*kg-1*min-1): 4 378.58+/-4 082.29 vs. 6 403.41+/-5
      759.48, PCWP (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 12.41+/-2.21 vs. 14.26+/-2.85 , CVP
      (mmHg): 10.63+/-2.62 vs. 11.45+/-3.45, all P < 0.05], and with the prolongation
      of injection, NT-proBNP, PCWP and CVP were gradually declined; CO 1 day after
      treatment (mL: 4.89+/-0.81 vs. 4.40+/-0.92) and LVEF 3 days after treatment
      (0.465+/-0.100 vs. 0.431+/-0.107) were significantly increased (both P < 0.05),
      and with the prolongation of injection, CO and LVEF were gradually increased.
      There were no obvious changes in BUN and SCr during the treatment, but 30 days
      after treatment, SCr was significantly lower than that pre-treatment (MUmol/L:
      110.98+/-47.40 vs. 132.62+/-75.60, P < 0.01). Compared with the data pre
      treatment, urine output per hour was significantly increased at 3 hours after
      treatment (mL: 129.59+/-82.16 vs. 89.60+/-53.49, P = 0.000); urine output every
      24 hours was significantly increased at day 1 and day 2 after administration (mL:
      2 676.54+/-1 006.83, 2 678.74+/-975.97 vs. 2 150.36+/-283.76, both P < 0.01). In
      7 days, the re-entry ICU rate was 2.7%, and the re-hospitalization rate was 2.88%
      within 30 days, re-cardiac failure rate was 1.43% in 30 days, and the overall
      fatality rate was 9.55% in 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: The rhBNP can significantly
      improve heart function in patients with HF. And, it has a certain effect on renal
      function. The rhBNP is effective and safe for the treatment of cardiac
      insufficiency.

PMID- 28625242
TI  - [Clinical significance of combined detection of peripheral miR-182 and IL-17 in
      the early diagnosis of patients with eclampsia complicated with cerebral
      infarction in ICU].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of peripheral blood microRNA-182 (miR-182)
      combined with interleukin-17 (IL-17) in the early diagnosis of cerebral
      infarction (CI) in patients with eclampsia. METHODS: A prospective non-randomized
      controlled study was conducted. The patients with eclampsia admitted to intensive
      care unit (ICU) of Liaocheng People's Hospital from January 1st, 2013 to
      September 30th 2016 were enrolled. Cerebral imaging was conducted in 7 days after
      admission to make a definite diagnosis of the occurrence of CI, excluding
      patients with cerebral hemorrhage. Patients were divided into CI group and non-CI
      group. Twenty healthy women of childbearing age were selected as control group.
      Peripheral venous blood of all patients with eclampsia at 1 day after admission,
      the expression of miR-182 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR), regulatory T cells (Treg) and T helper 17 cells
      (Th17) ratio was detected by flow cytometry, and the level of plasma IL-17 was
      detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pearson method was used to
      analyze the correlation between the indexes. The receiver operating
      characteristic curve (ROC) was used to analyze the diagnostic value of each index
      for CI in patients with eclampsia. RESULTS: In the 30 patients with eclampsia,
      there were 13 cases of CI, including 10 case of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT)
      and 3 cases of arterial thrombus; 17 cases of non-CI, including 15 cases of
      reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) and 2 cases without
      obvious abnormalities. Compared with control group, the levels of miR-182, Th17%
      and IL-17 in non-CI group and CI group were significantly higher, and the Treg%
      was significantly lower. The levels of parameters mentioned above were further
      increased in CI group than those in non-CI group [miR-182 (2-Delta DeltaCt):
      2.35+/-0.79 vs. 1.75+/-0.56, Th17%: (5.16+/-1.89)% vs. (3.93+/-1.92)%, IL-17
      (ng/L): 37.45+/-6.20 vs. 26.65+/-5.13, all P < 0.05]. Pearson correlation
      analysis showed that miR-182 was positively correlated with Th17% and IL-17 (r1 =
      0.761, r2 = 0.842, both P < 0.01). ROC curves showed that when the cut-off value
      of miR-182 was 2.88, the diagnosis sensitivity of preeclampsia CI was 84.6%, the
      specificity was 82.4%, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.816 [95%
      confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.641-0.992]; when cut-off value of IL-17 was 34.44
      ng/L, diagnosis of preeclampsia CI the sensitivity was 71.5%, the specificity was
      85.3%, and AUC was 0.773 (95%CI = 0.602-0.945); when miR-182 was combined with IL
      17, the diagnosis sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 83.6%, and AUC was 0.896
      (95%CI = 0.759-1.032). CONCLUSIONS: To some extent the expression of miR-182 and
      IL-17 in peripheral blood can predict the occurrence of CI in early stage. When
      the two are used together, the predictive value is better.

PMID- 28625243
TI  - [Experimental study on effect of airway pressure on cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of different airway pressure on ventilation,
      organ perfusion and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) of cardiac arrest
      (CA) pigs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and to explore the possible
      beneficial mechanism of positive airway pressure during CPR. METHODS: Twenty
      healthy landrace pigs of clean grade were divided into low airway pressure group
      (LP group, n = 10) and high airway pressure group (HP group, n = 10) with random
      number table. The model of ventricular fibrillation (VF) was reproduced by
      electrical stimulation, and mechanical chest compressions and mechanical
      ventilation (volume-controlled mode, tidal volume 7 mL/kg, frequency 10
      times/min) were performed after 8 minutes of untreated VF. Positive end
      expiratory pressure (PEEP) in LP group and HP group was set to 0 cmH2O and 6
      cmH2O (1 cmH2O = 0.098 kPa) respectively. Up to three times of 100 J biphasic
      defibrillation was delivered after 10 minutes of CPR. The ROSC of animals were
      observed, and the respiratory parameters, arterial and venous blood gas and
      hemodynamic parameters were recorded at baseline, 5 minutes and 10 minutes of
      CPR. RESULTS: The number of animals with ROSC in the HP group was significantly
      more than that in the LP group (8 vs. 3, P < 0.05). Intrathoracic pressure during
      chest compression relaxation was negative in the HP group, and its absolute value
      was significantly lower than that in LP group at the same time [intrathoracic
      negative pressure peak (cmH2O): -4.7+/-2.2 vs. -10.8+/-3.5 at 5 minutes, -3.9+/
      2.8 vs. -6.5+/-3.4 at 10 minutes], however, there was significantly difference
      only at 5 minutes of CPR (P < 0.01). Intrathoracic pressure variation during CPR
      period in the HP group were significantly higher than those in the LP group
      (cmH2O: 22.5+/-7.9 vs. 14.2+/-4.4 at 5 minutes, 23.1+/-6.4 vs. 12.9+/-5.1 at 10
      minutes, both P < 0.01). Compared to the LP group, arterial partial pressure of
      oxygen [PaO2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 81.5+/-10.7 vs. 68.0+/-12.1], venous
      oxygen saturation (SvO2: 0.493+/-0.109 vs. 0.394+/-0.061) at 5 minutes of CPR,
      and PaO2 (mmHg: 77.5+/-13.4 vs. 63.3+/-10.5), arterial pH (7.28+/-0.09 vs 7.23+/
      0.11), SvO2 (0.458+/-0.096 vs. 0.352+/-0.078), aortic blood pressure [AoP (mmHg):
      39.7+/-9.5 vs. 34.0+/-6.9], coronary perfusion pressure [CPP (mmHg): 25.2+/-9.6
      vs. 19.0+/-7.6], and carotid artery flow (mL/min: 44+/-16 vs. 37+/-14) at 10
      minutes of CPR in the HP group were significantly higher (all P < 0.05). Arterial
      partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) in the HP group was significantly
      lower than that in the LP group at 10 minutes of CPR (mmHg: 60.1+/-9.7 vs. 67.8+/
      8.6, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to low airway pressure, a certain degree of
      positive airway pressure can still maintain the negative intrathoracic pressure
      during relaxation of chest compressions of CPR, while increase the degree of
      intrathoracic pressure variation. Positive airway pressure can improve
      oxygenation and hemodynamics during CPR, and is helpful to ROSC.

PMID- 28625244
TI  - [Establishment of porcine model of prolonged cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation electrically induced by ventricular fibrillation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal injury time point of cardiac arrest (CA)
      induced electrically, and establish a reproducible prolonged CA and
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) model in pigs. METHODS: Forty healthy
      domestic male pigs were randomly divided into four groups, which were ventricular
      fibrillation (VF) 8, 10, 11, and 12 minutes groups, each group for 10 animals. In
      these groups, VF was induced by alternating current delivered to right
      ventricular endocardium and untreated for 8, 10, 11, and 12 minutes,
      respectively, followed by 6 minutes of CPR procedure. The resuscitation and
      survival outcomes were recorded. Hemodynamic parameters and arterial blood gases
      of animals after successful resuscitation were measured and recorded for 6 hours.
      Those successful resuscitation animals were regularly evaluated for the
      neurological deficit score (NDS) and survival outcomes every 24 hours till 96
      hours after resuscitation. RESULTS: The shortest duration of CPR (minute: 6.9+/
      1.3) and the highest successful ratio of the first defibrillation (7/10) were
      observed in group VF 8 minutes, and the ratio of successful resuscitation was
      100%. The best coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) during the CPR, less
      neurological impairment, longer survival time, more stable hemodynamics, and
      shorter time for arterial pH and lactate level restoring to the original state
      after CPR were also observed in group VF 8 minutes, and no severe damage was
      found in those animals. The longest duration of CPR (minute: 10.3+/-2.9) and the
      lowest successful ratio of the first defibrillation (1/10) were observed in group
      VF 12 minutes, and only 4 animals achieved restoration of spontaneous circulation
      (ROSC), and no animal survived to CPR 96 hours. The worst CPP during CPR and the
      highest NDS after resuscitation were also found in VF 12 minutes animals compared
      to those animals in the other groups. The injuries caused by ischemia and hypoxia
      in groups VF 10 minutes and VF 11 minutes were in between those of the groups VF
      8 minutes and VF 12 minutes, and the duration of CPR were (7.0+/-2.1) minutes and
      (8.2+/-2.6) minutes. There were 9 and 7 animals achieved ROSC in groups VF 10
      minutes and VF 11 minutes correspondingly, and 6 and 4 animals survived to 96
      hours respectively. Obviously unstable hemodynamics was observed during the
      period of CPR 2 hours in the two groups. At CPR 1 hour, the heart rates (HR,
      beats/min) in groups VF 10 minutes and VF 11 minutes increased to 172 (155, 201)
      and 168 (136, 196) respectively, and the mean arterial pressures (MAP, mmHg, 1
      mmHg = 0.133 kPa) declined to 97 (92, 100) and 81 (77, 100), the cardiac output
      (CO, L/min) decreased to 5.0 (4.0, 5.8), 3.7 (3.0, 5.4) correspondingly. Distinct
      injuries were found in the two groups [CPR 24-96 hours NDS in groups VF 10
      minutes and VF 11 minutes: 180 (110, 255)-20 (0, 400) and 275 (223, 350)-240
      (110, 400)], and the arterial pH of the two group decreased to 7.26+/-0.09 and
      7.23+/-0.09 respectively, and the level of lactate (mmol/L) increased to 9.17+/
      1.48 and 12.80+/-2.71 correspondingly at CPR 0.5 hour. Significantly lower pH was
      observed in group VF 11 minutes compared to group VF 8 minutes at CPR 0.5 hour
      (7.23+/-0.09 vs. 7.33+/-0.04, P < 0.05). The highest level of lactate (mmol/L)
      was also found at the same time point in group VF 11 minutes, which recovered to
      normal slowly, and was still significantly higher than groups VF 8, 10, 12
      minutes (7.58+/-3.99 vs. 2.55+/-1.53, 2.13+/-2.00, 3.40+/-2.30, all P < 0.05) at
      CPR 4 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The longer duration of CA was, the more severe damage
      would be, the longer CPR time would be required, and the harder of the animals to
      achieve ROSC. In this prolonged CA and CPR porcine model, 10-11 minutes for
      untreated VF, was an optimal time point with appropriate successful rate of
      resuscitation, survival outcomes, and post-resuscitation injuries. Therefore, we
      recommended 10-11 minutes might be the rational length of no-flow time in this
      model.

PMID- 28625245
TI  - [Effects of different sedation regimens on sedation and inflammatory response in
      critically ill children with multiple trauma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the sedation and anti-inflammatory effects of
      dexmedetomidine and midazolam on critical ill children with multiple trauma.
      METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty-five
      critical ill children with multiple trauma admitted to pediatric intensive care
      unit (PICU) of Anhui Province Children's Hospital from January 2014 to September
      2016 were enrolled, who were randomly divided into dexmedetomidine group (33
      cases) and midazolam group (32 cases). Children of both groups received
      sufentanil for analgesia. Children in dexmedetomidine group firstly received 1.0
      MUg/kg intravenous bolus of dexmedetomidine for 10 minutes, then continuous
      infusion of 0.2-0.7 MUg*kg-1*h-1, while in midazolam group children received 1-5
      MUg*kg-1*min-1 of midazolam in continuous infusion. The goal of sedation was to
      maintain a Richmond agitation-sedation scale (RASS) score of -1 to 0. The level
      of serum interleukin (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were detected by enzyme linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 24, 48, 72 hours after treatment, and the duration
      of mechanical ventilation, ratio of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT),
      length of stay in the PICU, ratio of sepsis and multiple organ failure (MOF) and
      mortality were also recorded. RESULTS: Compared with midazolam, dexmedetomidine
      decreased the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased the level of anti
      inflammatory cytokines. At 24 hours after treatment, the levels of serum IL
      1beta, TNF-alpha significantly decreased and IL-10 significantly increased [IL
      1beta (ng/L): 6.48+/-2.89 vs. 8.07+/-3.14, TNF-alpha (MUg/L): 11.25+/-5.21 vs.
      15.44+/-5.97, IL-10 (ng/L): 12.10+/-5.35 vs. 9.58+/-4.71, all P < 0.05]. At 48
      hours after treatment, the levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and
      CRP significantly decreased and IL-10 significantly increased [IL-6 (ng/L):
      209.67+/-80.49 vs. 336.31+/-123.94, IL-8 (ng/L): 229.09+/-80.81 vs. 298.28+/
      90.25, IL-1beta (ng/L): 7.31+/-3.02 vs. 8.74+/-3.17, TNF-alpha (MUg/L): 12.52+/
      4.79 vs. 16.58+/-5.98, CRP (g/L): 47.82+/-24.92 vs. 72.35+/-31.71, IL-10 (ng/L):
      12.90+/-5.42 vs. 10.01+/-4.79, all P < 0.05]. At 72 hours after treatment, the
      levels of serum IL-8 and CRP significantly decreased [IL-8 (ng/L): 234.64+/-96.24
      vs. 290.28+/-103.97, CRP (g/L): 53.24+/-29.12 vs. 86.58+/-38.30, both P < 0.05].
      Compared with midazolam, dexmedetomidine could significantly reduce the duration
      of mechanical ventilation (days: 4.7+/-1.3 vs. 6.6+/-2.1), length of PICU stay
      (days: 9.5+/-2.7 vs. 12.3+/-3.9, both P < 0.05), and the ratio of sepsis (33.3%
      vs. 53.1%, P < 0.05). But there were no significant differences in ratio of CRRT
      (18.2% vs. 18.8%), MOF (9.1% vs. 18.8%) and mortality (6.1% vs. 12.5%) between
      two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with midazolam, dexmedetomidine
      had better efficacy in the treatment of severe multiple trauma in children and
      reduce the level of inflammation.

PMID- 28625246
TI  - [Effects of high flow hemodialysis on the biomarker of myocardium injury and the
      cardiac function related records in uremia patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of high flow hemodialysis (HFHD) on cardiac
      function in uremia patients. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled study
      was conducted. Sixty patients who were diagnosed with uremia, taken maintenance
      hemodialysis (MHD) and 30 healthy controls admitted to the Second People's
      Hospital of Guiyang from December 2014 to June 2015 were enrolled. They were
      randomly divided into two groups: HFHD group (HFHD three times a week) and the
      routine hemodialysis group (HD group, HD three times a week), with 30 in each
      group. Patients in each group were received hemoperfusion and hemofiltration once
      a month. Before the treatment and 6 months after the treatment, venous blood from
      all the patients were collected for testing the brain natriuretic peptide (BNP),
      cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and the ultrasound cardiograph were done at the same
      period by a special person, the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD),
      left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD), the left ventricular end
      diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV), left
      ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), interventricular septum thickness
      (IVST), early and late diastolic blood flow to the largest ratio (E/A), left
      ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were
      recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the health control group, BNP, cTnT, LVEDD,
      LVESD, LVESV, LVPWT, IVST were significantly increased, LVEDV were significantly
      lowered before treatment in the HD group and HFHD group. But no significant
      differences in the above indexes and E/A, LVEF, LVMI between two groups were
      found. Compared with the data before treatment, the BNP, LVPWT were significantly
      lowered after treatment in HD group [BNP (ng/L): 641.50+/-60.09 vs. 2676.20+/
      454.30, LVPWT (mm): 10.57+/-1.16 vs. 12.57+/-1.41, both P < 0.05]. The BNP, LVPWT
      were significantly lowered in HFHD group as compared with HD group [BNP (ng/L):
      253.10+/-48.77 vs. 641.50+/-60.09, LVPWT (mm): 9.29+/-1.08 vs. 10.57+/-1.16, both
      P < 0.05]; in addition, the cTnT, IVST, LVMI were significantly lowered after the
      treatment in HFHD group compared with those before treatment [cTnT (MUg/L):
      0.014+/-0.005 vs. 0.028+/-0.011, IVST (mm): 7.81+/-1.69 vs. 11.04+/-2.23, LVMI
      (g/m2): 149.10+/-15.77 vs. 158.70+/-17.25, all P < 0.05], and the LVEF were
      significantly increased in HFHD group as compared with those before treatment
      (0.574+/-0.068 vs. 0.528+/-0.082, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: HFHD has obvious
      advantages than the routine HD in improving cardiac function of uremia patients.

PMID- 28625247
TI  - [A design and study of a novel electronic device for cuff-pressure monitoring].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To design a novel electronic device for measuring the pressure in the
      cuff of the artificial airway; and to study the advantage of this device on
      continuous and intermittent cuff pressure monitoring. METHODS: (1) a portable
      electronic device for cuff pressure measurement was invented, which could turn
      pressure signal into electrical signal through a pressure transducer. Meantime,
      it was possible to avoid pressure leak from the joint and the inside of the
      apparatus by modified Luer taper and sophisticated design. If the cuff pressure
      was out of the normal range, the apparatus could release a sound and light alarm.
      (2) Six traditional mechanical manometers were used to determine the cuff
      pressure in 6 tracheal tubes. The cuff pressure was maintain at 30 cmH2O (1 cmH2O
      = 0.098 kPa) by the manometer first, and repeated every 30 seconds for 4 times.
      (3) Study of continuous cuff pressure monitoring: We used a random number
      generator to randomize 6 tracheal tubes, 6 mechanical manometers and 6 our
      products by number 1-6, which has the same number of a group. Every group was
      further randomized into two balanced groups, one group used the mechanical
      manometer first, and the other used our product first. The baseline pressure was
      30 cmH2O, measurement was performed every 4 hours for 6 times. RESULTS: When
      traditional mechanical manometer was used for cuff pressure monitoring, cuff
      pressure was decreased by an average of 2.9 cmH2O for each measurement (F =
      728.2, P = 0.000). In study of continually monitoring, at each monitoring point,
      the pressure measured by electronic manometer was higher than the mechanical
      manometer. All the pressures measured by mechanical manometer were dropped below
      20 cmH2O at 8th hour, and there was no pressure decrease below 20 cmH2O measured
      by electronic manometer in 24 hours by contrast. In study of intermittent
      monitoring, the same result was found. The pressure was dropped significantly
      with time when measured by mechanical manometer (F = 61.795, P = 0.000), the
      drops below 20 cmH2O began at 8th hour; but when measured by electronic
      manometer, all the value stayed unchanged around the baseline in 24 hours (F =
      0.511, P = 0.796). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with traditional mechanical manometer,
      cuff pressures monitored by our novel electronic manometer were steadier in both
      continuous and intermittent monitoring. The device is compact and convenient, and
      can provide a good solution for continuously monitor of the tracheal cuff
      pressure.

PMID- 28625248
TI  - [Core knowledge and skill-based approach to subspecialty construction in
      critical/intensive care medicine with distinct Chinese peculiarity].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: With the rapid development of critical care medicine (CCM) in China,
      there are increases in the number of intensive care units (ICUs), the scale of
      one center ICU and the team. Subspecialty construction of CCM is of great
      concerns for personnel training as well as discipline development, and is
      currently one of the urgent problems that need to be resolved. Experience of CCM
      subspecialty construction from Europe and the United States is lacking and it is
      necessary to propose some opinions on innovation to construct CCM subspecialties
      with Chinese characteristics. We believe that CCM sub-specialties construction
      should be based on the core knowledge (pathophysiology) and skill (organ
      monitoring and support). The following 7 sub-specialties can be set up: (1) acute
      lung injury and mechanical ventilation; (2) shock, hemodynamic monitoring and
      treatment; (3) acute kidney injury and blood purification; (4) sepsis and anti
      infective therapy; (5) stress, sedation and analgesia; (6) nutrition and
      metabolic support; (7) coagulation, immune and inflammation. The core knowledge
      and skills of critical care medicine will constantly be updated and enriched.
      Therefore, sub-specialty settings should be constantly updated as well.

PMID- 28625249
TI  - [Multicenter investigation on cognition about preoperative nursing of emergency
      PCI].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To know the mastery degree of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
      preoperative nursing knowledge in nurses who are working in emergency department
      and cardiac ward. METHODS: 158 cases of nurses who came from three different
      class III grade hospitals with qualification for emergency PCI surgery of the
      Guizhou province were surveyed with self-made questionnaire. The survey was
      conducted in nurses who were working in different departments, and the
      educational background, age, title, category, the cognitive situation of the PCI
      preoperative nursing knowledge and necessity of preoperative preparations were
      investigated in nurses. RESULTS: The whole pass rate was 48.10%; high
      qualification, high education, higher title of nurses for the nursing knowledge
      of the emergency PCI were better; the emergency PCI preoperative preparations for
      the necessity of cognitive about nurses were on the low side. CONCLUSIONS: The
      cognition of the nursing knowledge and the necessity of emergency PCI in
      preoperative preparations as whole are on the low level, so specialized training
      should be strengthened to enhance the ability of specialized nursing.

PMID- 28625250
TI  - [Fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis: new challenges in critical care
      medicine].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis (FCDC) means severe
      Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC), which often manifested with severe diarrhea,
      fever, abdominal distention, electrolyte disorder, hypoalbuminemia, and it can
      lead to pseudo membrane colonitis, toxic megacolon, bowel perforation, septic
      shock, and multiple organ dysfunction. Now Clostridium difficile (CD) becomes one
      of the most important medical institutions related infectious pathogens. In
      particular, the recently discovered mutant CD strain NAP1/BI/ribotype 027 has
      high pathogenicity in the global epidemic and its outbreak. The morbidity and
      mortality of FCDC has a significant upward trend in the global in recent years.
      All broad spectrum antimicrobials usage is considered to be the primary risk
      factor for the onset of FCDC. Therefore, FCDC has become a new challenge for
      clinical work. The epidemiology, related risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnosis,
      severity classification, recent progress in clinical treatment of FCDC were
      reviewed in order to provide help for clinical treatment of FCDC and related
      research.

PMID- 28625251
TI  - [A novel protein peptide associated with ischemic heart disease: dermcidin].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Dermcidin (DCD) was found in isolated human skin sweat glands with
      antimicrobial effect, and was defined as a kind of new small molecule
      antimicrobial peptide. It was a part of human sweat glands in the skin as the
      immune system's innate defense. With the studies of DCD, its extensive biological
      functions are gradually discovered. Since 2010, a number of studies have shown
      that DCD may be a new risk factor for atherosclerosis. And the role of DCD in
      ischemic heart disease has drawn increasing attention in particular its
      relationship with insulin secretion and glycemic control, nitric oxide (NO)
      synthesis and hypertension, platelet aggregation and acute myocardial infarction
      (AMI). In those experiments, it was also confirmed that aspirin had antagonistic
      and reverse effects on various biological functions of DCD. Further research on
      the role of DCD in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases may lead to the
      prevention, early warning, prognosis evaluation and treatment breakthrough of
      cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

PMID- 28625253
TI  - [What does Sepsis-3 mean beyond definition?]

PMID- 28625252
TI  - [Cerebral injury induced by heat stroke and the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric
      oxygen therapy].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: With the global warming, the incidence of heat stroke was
      significantly higher than before. Severe heat stroke has a high mortality, high
      morbidity and consolidated central nervous system injury characteristics. The
      main features of severe heat stroke cerebral injury include cognitive impairment,
      delirium, convulsions and coma. Its mechanism is related with heat shock induced
      cerebral tissue ischemia and hypoxia, vascular dysfunction, secondary cascade
      inflammation and so on. Currently, the main treatment of heat stroke cerebral
      injury is the hypothermia therapy, dehydration for the reduction of intracranial
      pressure, naloxone and other cerebral protection and nutrition treatments.
      Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is effective in treating brain injury. HBOT can
      alleviate tissue ischemia and hypoxia, improve circulation, reduce cerebral
      edema, and anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative damage, anti-apoptosis and other
      molecular biological effects. HBOT also play a wake up-promoting effect of nerve
      repair in the cerebral injury. The treatment of cerebral injury has been the
      difficulty and weakness of heat stroke research. Therefore, this article reviewed
      the epidemiology, pathogenesis, the therapeutic effect and mechanism of
      hyperbaric oxygen on cerebral injury in severe heat stroke to clarify the
      advantages of HBOT and to provide experimental basis for further research.

PMID- 28625254
TI  - [A multicenter confirmatory study about precision and practicability of Sepsis
      3].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clinically validate the precision of diagnostic Sepsis-3 criteria,
      and to guide and generalize its clinical application. METHODS: A multicenter
      retrospective observational study was conducted. The patients admitted to
      intensive care unit (ICU) of 6 tertiary hospitals in Zhejiang Province from
      January to June 2015 were enrolled, and the patients satisfying the diagnostic
      criteria of Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 were screened. Population characteristics
      between the patients satisfying two editions were compared, and the diagnosis
      accuracy rate in different degree hospitals were investigated. According to the
      doctor's diagnosis, the patients who met the criteria of Sepsis-2 were divided
      into diagnosis group and non-diagnosis group, and the factors influencing the
      diagnosis of sepsis were analyzed by logistic regression. The patients meeting
      Sepsis-2 but no meeting Sepsis-3 were served as exclusion group, and those
      meeting Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 were served as enroll group, and the
      characteristics of patients between the two groups were compared. Receiver
      operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive value
      of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score, sepsis-related quick
      sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) and sequential organ failure
      assessment (SOFA) on death, and whether the consistency of qSOFA and SOFA would
      affect the sensitivity of definition. The patients meeting Sepsis-2 were divided
      into non-survived group and survived group, and the factors associated with death
      were analyzed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Finally, 1 423 patients were
      enrolled, 3 patients with age < 18 years and 19 patients with missing data were
      excluded. There were 363 patients and 329 patients met Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3,
      respectively. No significant differences were found in population characteristics
      between the groups of Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 (all P > 0.05) except for acute
      physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score [19.10 (8.00) vs.
      20.28 (8.00), P < 0.05]. It was shown on the clinical data analysis of the
      hospitals that the patients meeting Sepsis-2 and Sepsis-3 in hospital 3 had the
      highest 28-day mortality (60.4% and 60.0%) with the lowest rate of diagnosis (0).
      While in the hospital 1, the patients had the lowest 28-day mortality (22.9% and
      27.2%), and the rate of diagnosis was 19.5%. Interestingly, the patients in
      hospital 4 had the highest diagnosis rate of sepsis (44.8%), but 28-day mortality
      was both 58.6%. It was shown by logistic regression analysis that the patients
      with old age [odds ratio (OR) = 0.970, P = 0.021], high blood lactate (OR =
      0.443, P = 0.004), high blood pressure (OR = 0.957, P = 0.009) and low
      oxygenation index (OR = 1.004, P = 0.024) were easy to neglect diagnosis.
      Compared with Sepsis-3 exclude group, the patients in Sepsis-3 enroll group were
      older [years: 68.52 (26.00) vs. 53.75 (18.00), P < 0.01] with higher APACHEII
      score [20.38 (8.00) vs. 7.72 (6.00), P < 0.01], higher blood lactate [mmol/L:
      3.45 (3.00) vs. 1.95 (1.20), P > 0.05], longer length of ICU stay [days: 22.42
      (22.00) vs. 15.13 (16.00), P < 0.01], and higher 28-day mortality [45.29%
      (149/329) vs. 14.71% (5/34), P < 0.01], indicating that the diagnostic efficiency
      of Sepsis-2 was low, the diagnostic specificity of Sepsis-3 was high, and the
      prognosis of Sepsis-3 patients was worse. It was shown by ROC curve analysis that
      the prognostic value of SIRS, qSOFA and SOFA to mortality was gradually increased
      [area under ROC curve (AUC) was 0.567, 0.597, 0.683, respectively], but the
      prognostic value were all low. Comparing patients meeting qSOFA and (or) SOFA in
      Sepsis-2, significant differences were found in APACHE II score [17.55 (7.00) vs.
      23.24 (8.00)] and 28-day mortality [38.75% (31/80) vs. 58.59% (75/128), both P <
      0.01]. The patients who just met the qSOFA or SOFA, their 28-day mortality was up
      to 38.75%, suggesting that qSOFA should not be ignored. Compared with survived
      group, the patients in survived group were older with higher APACHE II score and
      shorter length of ICU stay (all P < 0.05). It was shown by logistic regression
      analysis that APACHE II score (OR = 1.199, P = 0.000) and length of ICU stay (OR
      = 0.949, P = 0.000) were related with death. CONCLUSIONS: Patients satisfied
      Sepsis-3 were easier to develop more organ failure, Sepsis-3 and higher death
      prediction than Sepsis-2 and higher diagnosis specificity, but data shows that
      there is extra room for improvement.

PMID- 28625255
TI  - [Effect of vitamin D3 on the severity and prognosis of patients with sepsis: a
      prospective randomized double-blind placebo study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the relationship between vitamin D3 and the severity as
      well as prognosis in patients with sepsis, and to explore whether exogenous
      vitamin D3 can improve the prognosis in patients with sepsis. METHODS: A
      prospective randomized double-blind placebo study was conducted. Fifty-seven
      patients with sepsis admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Shengjing Hospital
      Affiliated to China Medical University from March to November in 2015 were
      enrolled. Twenty patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and
      20 healthy volunteers with normal physical examination as control were enrolled
      during the same time. Patients with sepsis were divided into general sepsis group
      and severe sepsis group (including septic shock) according to the criteria for
      the diagnosis of severe sepsis and septic shock in 2012. According to the
      diagnostic criteria established by the American Endocrine Society, and on the
      basis of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 [25(OH)D3], the sepsis patients with deficiency
      [25(OH)D3 20-30 MUg/L] or insufficiency [25(OH)D3 < 20 MUg/L] of vitamin D were
      divided into D3 treatment group (supplemented 300 kU vitamin D3) and placebo
      group (injected 1 mL physiological saline). 28th day was set as the end point,
      and the patients with sepsis were divided into survival group and death group.
      The levels of serum 25(OH)D3 in each group were measured by electrochemical
      luminescence method, and the difference in 25(OH)D3 levels among patients with
      different severity, gender, and age were recorded. Procalcitonin (PCT), C
      reactive protein (CRP), blood routine, liver and kidney function, electrolytes
      and arterial blood gas analysis, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation
      II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure score (SOFA), duration of mechanical
      ventilation, and length of ICU stay of patients with sepsis were observed.
      Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to analyze the
      risk factors of prognosis in patients with sepsis. RESULTS: (1) In 57 patients
      with sepsis, there were 15 patients in general sepsis group, and 42 in severe
      sepsis group; 29 in D3 treatment group, and 28 in the placebo group; 8 patients
      died within 28 days with mortality rate of 14.04%. (2) The levels of serum
      25(OH)D3 in sepsis group and SIRS group were significantly lower than those in
      healthy control group [MUg/L: 3.92 (< 3.00, 11.22), 6.99 (3.51, 9.77) vs. 17.25
      (13.48, 22.50), both P < 0.01], but there was no significant difference in the
      serum 25(OH)D3 level between sepsis group and SIRS group as well as patients with
      different degrees of sepsis. The serum 25(OH)D3 level in female patients with
      sepsis (n = 24) was significantly lower than that in male (n = 33), and the
      difference was statistically significant [MUg/L: <3.00 (<3.00, 3.87) vs. 11.96
      (5.14, 17.29), Z = -4.020, P = 0.000]. There was no significant difference in
      serum 25(OH)D3 level between the young (age <60 years old, n = 30) and the old
      (age >= 60 years old, n = 27) patients with sepsis [MUg/L: 4.54 (<3.00, 9.88) vs.
      3.00 (<3.00, 15.08), Z = -0.601, P = 0.548]. (3) In patients with sepsis, there
      was no significant difference in the duration of mechanical ventilation [hours:
      41.00 (7.50, 82.50) vs. 67.00 (4.75, 127.75)], length of ICU stay (days: 5.48+/
      4.08 vs. 6.68+/-4.87) and 28-day mortality (10.34% vs. 17.86%) between D3
      treatment group and placebo group (all P > 0.05). It was shown by Kaplan-Meier
      survival curve analysis that there was no significance in 28-day accumulated
      survived rate between the two groups [log-rank test: chi 2 = 0.222, P = 0.638].
      It was shown by multivariate Cox regression analysis that APACHE II score
      [relative risk (RR) = 8.487, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.506-47.835, P =
      0.015] and 25(OH)D3 < 20 MUg/L (RR = 0.088, 95%CI = 0.013-0.592, P = 0.012) were
      the risk factors of prognosis in patients with sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: The serum
      25(OH)D3 level in ICU patients with sepsis was lower than that in healthy people,
      but there was no significant difference between patients with sepsis and SIRS.
      The serum 25(OH)D3 level in sepsis patients was related with gender, and the
      level of the female was lower than that of the male, but was not related with
      age. Exogenous vitamin D3 supplementation cannot improve the prognosis of ICU
      patients with sepsis. APACHE II score and 25(OH)D3 < 20 MUg/L were risk factors
      for the prognosis in ICU patients with sepsis.

PMID- 28625256
TI  - [Comparison of effect of norepinephrine and terlipressin on patients with ARDS
      combined with septic shock: a prospective single-blind randomized controlled
      trial].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To approach the effect of different vasopressor on hemodynamics,
      volume responsiveness, fluid volume balance, renal function and prognosis in
      patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complicated with septic
      shock. METHODS: A prospective single-blind randomized controlled trial was
      conducted. ARDS patients with septic shock admitted to the Department of Critical
      Care Medicine of Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital from January 1st, 2015 to
      May 1st, 2016 were enrolled. The patients satisfied ARDS Berlin diagnostic
      criteria, over 15 years old, needing vasopressor after fluid resuscitation were
      enrolled. The patients were divided into norepinephrine group (NE group) and
      terlipressin group (TP group) by randomise number table derived by computer.
      Patients in TP group were given terlipressin (0.01-0.04 U/min) with an
      intravenous pump, while those of NE group were given norepinephrine (> 1 MUg/min)
      with an intravenous pump, and the target mean arterial pressure (MAP) was
      maintained at 65-75 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa). Hemodynamics and extravascular
      lung water index (EVLWI) were monitored by pulse indicator continuous cardiac
      output (PiCCO). The volume responsiveness of patient was evaluated by passive leg
      raising (PLR) test, and cardiac index (CI) change (DeltaCI >= 10%) served as
      positive volume responsiveness. The differences in hemodynamics, EVLWI,
      oxygenation index (OI), lactate clearance rate (LCR), rate of positive volume
      responsiveness, urinary output, fluid volume balance, renal function, and
      prognostic indicators were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Fifty-seven
      patients with ARDS complicated with septic shock were enrolled, with 26 patients
      in NE group, and 31 patients in TP group, the baseline data in both groups was
      balanced with comparability. Compare with NE group, 48-hour and 72-hour heart
      rate (HR) in TP group was significantly slowed (bpm: 82.1+/-6.8 vs. 87.6+/-7.4,
      81.3+/-6.1 vs. 85.6+/-8.3, both P < 0.05), 72-hour central venous pressure (CVP)
      was significantly decreased (mmHg: 9.4+/-2.6 vs. 10.9+/-3.0, P < 0.05), but no
      significant difference was found in HR, MAP, CVP, CI, EVLWI, OI and LCR at other
      time points between the two groups. 48-hour and 72-hour positive volume
      responsiveness rate in TP group were significantly increased as compared with
      those of NE group (74.2% vs. 46.2%, 64.5% vs. 38.5%, both P < 0.05), urinary
      output on the 2nd day (mL/24 h: 2 342.8+/-704.1 vs. 1 944.6+/-684.3) and fluid
      volume balance (mL: -319.7+/-54.8 vs. -169.6+/-27.2) were significantly decreased
      (both P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in positive volume
      responsiveness rate, urine output, fluid volume balance, and the level of serum
      creatinine at other time points between the two groups. There was no
      statistically significant difference in the following features between TP group
      and NE group: duration of mechanical ventilation (days: 8.41+/-2.97 vs. 9.67+/
      3.56), length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay (days: 12.84+/-4.47 vs. 14.77+/
      5.01), total length of hospital stay (days: 19.34+/-7.37 vs. 21.07+/-8.41), and
      28-day mortality (29.0% vs. 30.8%, all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with
      norepinephrine, terlipressin for ARDS patients with septic shock is more
      conducive to restrict fluid load, improve the renal perfusion and increase urine
      output. However, in both groups there was no significant difference in the
      efficiency of stabilizing hemodynamics, shortening the duration of mechanical
      ventilation, reducing ICU or hospital days and decreasing 28-day mortality.

PMID- 28625257
TI  - [Albumin corrected anion gap is an independent risk factor for long-term
      mortality of patients with sepsis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore whether albumin corrected anion gap (ACAG) is associated
      with long-term mortality of sepsis patients. METHODS: Adult patients with a
      diagnosis of sepsis within the first 24 hours (from December 2013 to December
      2014) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were included via the Sepsis
      database of West China Hospital Sichuan University. To record their long-term
      survival, patients were followed up by telephone interview one year after
      enrollment. ACAG was calculated according to the anion gap (AG) level within the
      first 24 hours admitted to ICU, and patients were divided into normal ACAG group
      (ACAG 12-20 mmol/L) and high ACAG group (ACAG > 20 mmol/L), and clinical
      characteristics and 1-year mortality were compared between groups. Patients were
      also divided into survivors and non-survivors according to the 1-year survival
      outcome, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to find
      independent risk factors for long-term mortality of sepsis patients. RESULTS: A
      total of 296 sepsis patients were enrolled in the study, with 191 (64.5%) in the
      high ACAG group and 105 (35.5%) in the normal ACAG group. There were no
      significant differences in age, gender, acute physiology and chronic health
      evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), Charlson
      cormobidity index (CCI) and other background variables between groups. Compared
      with the normal ACAG group, patients who suffered from multiple organ dysfunction
      syndrome (MODS) in the high ACAG group were more prone to develop renal and
      gastrointestinal injury (43.5% vs. 25.7%, 52.9% vs. 33.3%, respectively), had
      significantly higher serum creatinine [SCr (MUmol/L): 89.0 (61.0, 148.0) vs. 67.1
      (48.0, 86.0)], greater need for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT, 16.8%
      vs. 6.7%), and significantly shorter length of ICU stay and hospital stay [days:
      11 (5, 22) vs. 16 (18, 31), 21 (14, 39) vs. 28 (20, 47)], with statistically
      significant differences (all P < 0.05). It was shown by Kaplan-Meier survival
      analysis that 1-year cumulative survival for the high ACAG group was
      significantly lower than that of the normal ACAG group (55.0% vs. 67.7%, P =
      0.046). It was shown by multivariate logistic regression that ACAG [odds ratio
      (OR) = 1.201, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.115-1.293, P = 0.000], APACHE
      II (OR = 1.053, 95%CI = 1.011-1.098, P = 0.014), the incidence of septic shock
      (OR = 2.203, 95%CI = 1.245-3.898, P = 0.007), fungus infection (OR = 3.107, 95%CI
      = 1.702-5.674, P = 0.000), acute renal failure (OR = 2.729, 95%CI = 1.134-6.567,
      P = 0.025) and complicated with malignancy (OR = 2.929, 95%CI = 1.395-6.148, P =
      0.005) were independent risk factors contributing to increased 1-year mortality
      among sepsis patients. CONCLUSIONS: ACAG was an independent risk factor for 1
      year mortality of sepsis patients.

PMID- 28625258
TI  - [Plasma level of neutrophil extracellular traps in septic patients and its
      clinical significance: a prospective observational study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)
      level in plasma of sepsis patients and judge its clinical value for early
      diagnosing of sepsis. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted.
      The patients after surgery aged > 18 years and expected to stay in the ICU > 24
      hours admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of
      China Medical University from November 2014 to February 2015 were enrolled.
      According to the criteria of sepsis diagnosis in 1991, patients were divided into
      non-sepsis group and sepsis group. The healthy people who taken a physical
      examination were enrolled in the healthy control group. 3 mL peripheral venous
      blood was collected at 1 hour after admission to ICU. A fasting blood was
      collected in the healthy control group in the morning. The plasma free DNA (cf
      DNA/NETs) was determined by using the fluorescence microplate reader, white blood
      cell (WBC), neutrophil ratio (NEU), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP)
      in peripheral blood of the patients were detected, and acute physiology and
      chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) and sequential organ failure assessment
      (SOFA) scores were calculated. The correlation between plasma NETs and the risk
      factors in sepsis patients was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. The
      value of cf-DNA/NETs and WBC level in the diagnosis of sepsis was analyzed by
      using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). RESULTS: Twenty-three
      sepsis patients, 20 non-sepsis patients, and 22 healthy persons were enrolled.
      There were no differences in baseline variables including gender and age among
      three groups, which indicated baseline data equalization. The plasma
      concentration of cf-DNA/NETs in sepsis group was significantly higher than that
      in non-sepsis group and healthy control group (MUg/L: 453.44+/-185.37 vs.
      188.35+/-29.66, 203.83+/-43.25, both P < 0.05), and there was no significant
      difference between last two groups (P > 0.05). WBC, NEU, PCT, CRP, APACHE II and
      SOFA score in sepsis group were significantly higher than those of non-sepsis
      group [WBC (*109/L): 9.52+/-5.51 vs. 5.97+/-2.28, NEU: 0.787+/-0.110 vs. 0.655+/
      0.067, PCT (mg/L): 7.14 (3.60, 13.29) vs. 6.07 (3.57, 7.91), CRP (mg/L): 64.44+/
      13.14 vs. 27.00+/-19.47, APACHE II: 10.25+/-4.92 vs. 6.00+/-1.22, SOFA: 6.0+/-5.1
      vs. 5.0+/-1.2, all P < 0.05]. Correlation analysis showed that the level of NETs
      had no obvious correlation with gender, age, WBC, NEU, PCT, CRP, APACHE II and
      SOFA scores (r value was 0.322, 0.262, 0.194, 0.312, 0.227, 0.454, 0.433, 0.333,
      respectively, all P > 0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of plasma cf
      DNA/NETs for the diagnosis of sepsis was 0.981. When the cut-off value of plasma
      cf-DNA/NETs was > 257.96 MUg/L, the sensitivity was 91.3%, specialty was 95.2%,
      and Youden index was 0.865. AUC of WBC in the diagnosis of sepsis was 0.663. When
      the cut-off value of WBC was > 6.0*109/L, the sensitivity was 78.3% and
      specificity was 25.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma cf-DNA/NETs levels increased
      significantly in sepsis patients. In the diagnosis of sepsis, plasma NETs levels
      had better advantages over WBC. NETs can be used as a biomarker for early
      diagnosis of sepsis.

PMID- 28625259
TI  - [Antithrombin III for early diagnosis of DIC in sepsis patients: a retrospective
      analysis with 445 patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigated the role of antithrombin III (AT-III) levels in the
      early diagnosis of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in patients with
      sepsis and the predictive effect of AT-III on the development of DIC. METHODS: A
      retrospective study was conducted. Patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU)
      of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from January to
      December in 2015 were enrolled. The patients were divided into sepsis group and
      non-sepsis group according to the diagnostic criteria of sepsis. In addition,
      sepsis patients were divided into 3 subgroups according to the international
      society on thrombosis and haemostasis (ISTH) scores on the first day: overt DIC
      (ISTH >= 5), non-overt DIC (ISTH 1-4) and none DIC group (ISTH = 0). Blood
      routine test, prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen (Fib), D-dimer, fibrin
      degradation products (FDP), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II
      (APACHE II) scores, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores and ISTH
      scores were recorded on the first ICU day. AT-III was recorded during 7 days. The
      differences were compared among these 3 groups. Correlations of AT-III with
      various parameters were calculated by using Pearson correlation analysis in
      sepsis group and overt DIC group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves
      for diagnosis of DIC with AT-III, AT-III+PT were drawn to evaluate the diagnostic
      efficiency. The AT-III levels of DIC patients were compared between early-onset
      DIC and late-onset DIC during their ICU stay. The change of AT-III levels with
      time and prognosis in patients with early-onset DIC was compared between groups.
      RESULTS: Totally 445 patients were recruited, with 138 patients in sepsis group,
      and 307 in non-sepsis group. There were 20 patents diagnosed with overt DIC on
      the first ICU day, 115 patients non-overt DIC and 3 patients of none DIC. Twenty
      five sepsis patients were diagnosed overt DIC during the ICU days. AT-III level
      in sepsis patients on the first ICU day were lower than that in non-sepsis
      patients [(55.29+/-13.92)% vs. (76.54+/-12.31)%, P < 0.01]. Patients with overt
      DIC had a lower AT-III level than non-overt DIC or none DIC patients [(43.85+/
      13.00)% vs. (56.95+/-13.03)%, (68.00+/-16.52)%, both P < 0.05]. It was shown by
      Pearson correlation analysis that AT-III level of sepsis patients on the first
      ICU day was negatively correlated to ISTH score and PT (r value were -0.467, 
      0.654, both P < 0.01). AT-III level of overt DIC patient on the first ICU day was
      negatively correlated with PT (r = -0.675, P = 0.001). It was shown by ROC curve
      that area under ROC curve (AUC) of AT-III combined with PT for diagnosis overt
      DIC in sepsis patients was higher than that of AT-III or PT alone (0.843 vs.
      0.763, 0.834), the sensitivity 90.0%, specificity 73.7%. The cut-off value for
      overt DIC diagnosis in sepsis patients of AT-III level alone was 48.5%,
      sensitivity was 78.0%, specificity was 70.0%. On the first ICU day, AT-III level
      was risen when ISTH score improved in patients with sepsis. There was similar
      change of AT-III level between patients with early-onset DIC and late-onset DIC.
      AT-III level increased with DIC improvement. CONCLUSIONS: AT-III level can be
      used for diagnosing sepsis-associated overt DIC independently or with a
      combination of PT. When ISTH score improved, AT-III level was risen in patients
      with sepsis associated DIC.

PMID- 28625260
TI  - [Predictive value of four different scoring systems for septic patient's outcome:
      a retrospective analysis with 311 patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the predicting value of four different scoring systems such
      as the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score,
      sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, quick SOFA (qSOFA) score and
      systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) score for the prognosis of septic
      patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis were conducted. Septic patients in
      intensive care unit (ICU) of the First People's Hospital of Chenzhou form July
      1st, 2012 to June 30th, 2016 were enrolled. Patients were divided into survival
      group and death group according to 28-day outcome. The difference of clinic data,
      the worst clinical index value within 24 hours, whether mechanical ventilation
      performed on first day, length of stay in ICU, APACHE II score, SOFA score, qSOFA
      score and SIRS score were compared between the two groups. The significant
      different factors of sepsis outcome in univariate analysis were analyzed by
      multiple logistic regression, and the ability of four scoring systems was tested
      by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: 311 patients were
      enrolled in this study (221 survivals, 90 deaths, 28-day mortality rate 28.9%).
      Univariate analysis showed age, mechanical ventilation ratio, urine output,
      length of stay in ICU and the fastest heart beat rate (HR), the lowest systolic
      blood pressure (SBP), the lowest mean arterial pressure (MAP), HCO3-, minimum
      arterial blood oxygen partial pressure (PaO2), minimum oxygenation index
      (PaO2/FiO2), the maximum fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), Na+, the highest
      concentration of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), the highest concentration of serum
      creatinine (SCr), minimum concentration of plasma albumin (Alb), Glasgow coma
      score (GCS) score, APACHE II score, SOFA score, qSOFA score, within 24 hours
      after diagnosis were significantly different between two groups (all P < 0.05).
      Multiple logistic regression showed age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.388, 95% confidence
      interval (95%CI) = 1.074-1.794, P = 0.012], PaO2/FiO2 (OR = 0.459, 95%CI = 0.259
      0.812, P = 0.007), concentration of plasma Alb (OR = 0.523, 95%CI = 0.303-0.903,
      P = 0.020), GCS score (OR = 0.541, 95%CI = 0.303-0.967, P = 0.038) and SOFA
      scores (OR = 3.189, 95%CI = 1.813-5.610, P = 0.000) were independent risk factors
      for sepsis outcome. ROC curve test showed the APACHE II score, SOFA score and
      qSOFA score had the ability to predict the outcome in critical ill patients with
      sepsis, the SOFA score of the most powerful, the area under the ROC curve (AUC)
      was 0.700, when the cut-off value was 7.5 points, the sensitivity was 73.3% and
      specificity was 58.8%. CONCLUSIONS: APACHE II score, SOFA score and qSOFA score
      have the predictive properties for septic patients. SOFA score is an independent
      prognostic risk factor of sepsis, while qSOFA score can be widely used in
      clinical practice as the advantage of quick evaluating.

PMID- 28625261
TI  - [Formulation of combined predictive indicators using logistic regression model in
      predicting sepsis and prognosis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the method and performance of using multiple indices to
      diagnose sepsis and to predict the prognosis of severe ill patients. METHODS:
      Critically ill patients at first admission to intensive care unit (ICU) of
      Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, from January 2014 to
      September 2015 were enrolled if the following conditions were satisfied: (1)
      patients were 18-75 years old; (2) the length of ICU stay was more than 24 hours;
      (3) All records of the patients were available. Data of the patients was
      collected by searching the electronic medical record system. Logistic regression
      model was formulated to create the new combined predictive indicator and the
      receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the new predictive indicator
      was built. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for both the new indicator and
      original ones were compared. The optimal cut-off point was obtained where the
      Youden index reached the maximum value. Diagnostic parameters such as
      sensitivity, specificity and predictive accuracy were also calculated for
      comparison. Finally, individual values were substituted into the equation to test
      the performance in predicting clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 362 patients
      (218 males and 144 females) were enrolled in our study and 66 patients died. The
      average age was (48.3+/-19.3) years old. (1) For the predictive model only
      containing categorical covariants [including procalcitonin (PCT),
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS), infection, white blood cells count (WBC) and fever],
      increased PCT, increased WBC and fever were demonstrated to be independent risk
      factors for sepsis in the logistic equation. The AUC for the new combined
      predictive indicator was higher than that of any other indictor, including PCT,
      LPS, infection, WBC and fever (0.930 vs. 0.661, 0.503, 0.570, 0.837, 0.800). The
      optimal cut-off value for the new combined predictive indicator was 0.518. Using
      the new indicator to diagnose sepsis, the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic
      accuracy rate were 78.00%, 93.36% and 87.47%, respectively. One patient was
      randomly selected, and the clinical data was substituted into the probability
      equation for prediction. The calculated value was 0.015, which was less than the
      cut-off value (0.518), indicating that the prognosis was non-sepsis at an
      accuracy of 87.47%. (2) For the predictive model only containing continuous
      covariants, the logistic model which combined acute physiology and chronic health
      evaluation II (APACHE II) score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA)
      score to predict in-hospital death events, both APACHE II score and SOFA score
      were independent risk factors for death. The AUC for the new predictive indicator
      was higher than that of APACHE II score and SOFA score (0.834 vs. 0.812, 0.813).
      The optimal cut-off value for the new combined predictive indicator in predicting
      in-hospital death events was 0.236, and the corresponding sensitivity,
      specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the combined predictive indicator were
      73.12%, 76.51% and 75.70%, respectively. One patient was randomly selected, and
      the APACHE II score and SOFA score was substituted into the probability equation
      for prediction. The calculated value was 0.570, which was higher than the cut-off
      value (0.236), indicating that the death prognosis at an accuracy of 75.70%.
      CONCLUSIONS: The combined predictive indicator, which is formulated by logistic
      regression models, is superior to any single indicator in predicting sepsis or in
      hospital death events.

PMID- 28625262
TI  - [Predictive value of SOFA score combined AGI grading system in elderly patients
      with sepsis: a retrospective analysis with 91 patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the predictive value of sequential organ failure assessment
      (SOFA) score combined the acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) grading system in
      critical elderly patients with sepsis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was
      conducted. Elderly patients with sepsis aged > 60 years admitted to medical
      intensive care unit (MICU) of General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command from
      March 2014 to December 2015 and experiencing critical care over 48 hours were
      enrolled. Age, gender, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE
      II) score, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and AGI score at
      admission (SOFAinitial, AGIinitial), the highest SOFA score and AGI score within
      the first week (SOFAmax, AGImax), serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein
      (CRP), albumin (ALB), platelet (PLT), hemoglobin (Hb) and lactate (Lac) levels,
      length of ICU stay, usage of mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy
      were recorded. The primary end point was 28-day mortality. To extract factors
      affecting 28-day mortality, the risk factor of death of the senile sepsis
      patients were analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis (stepwise method).
      Fitness of the model was assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration
      plot (P > 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed
      for APACHE II score, SOFAinitial score, SOFAmax score, AGIinitial score, AGImax
      score and SOFAmax and combined AGImax score. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients were
      enrolled, the incidence of AGI in elderly patients with sepsis was 100%; 34
      patients died 28 days after the admission, and the 28-day mortality rate was
      37.4%. Non-survivors presented a higher APACHE II score, SOFAinitial score,
      SOFAmax score, AGIinitial score, AGImax score and longer usage of mechanical
      ventilation and renal replacement therapy. SOFAmax score [odds ratio (OR) =
      1.576] and AGImax score (OR = 5.695) were associated with 28-day mortality in
      binary logistic regression analysis (both P < 0.01). The area under the curve
      (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of SOFAmax score combined AGImax score
      was significantly higher than that of SOFAinitial score, SOFAmax score,
      AGIinitial score, AGImax score and APACHE II score [0.806 (0.710-0.881) vs. 0.723
      (0.619-0.812), 0.786 (0.688-0.865), 0.641 (0.533-0.739), 0.633 (0.526-0.881),
      0.638 (0.531-0.736), all P < 0.05]. The Youden index (55.37) and positive predict
      value (5.51) of SOFAmax score combined AGImax score were the largest. When its
      cut-off value reached 14, the sensitivity and specificity was 67.65% and 87.72%,
      respectively. According to score of APACHE II, SOFAinitial, SOFAmax or AGImax,
      the higher of each score, the higher mortality rate could be. CONCLUSIONS: The
      combination of SOFAmax score and AGImaxscore enable accurate prediction in
      elderly patients with sepsis.

PMID- 28625263
TI  - [Bacterial endotoxin-induced endothelial cell injury and calcium overload
      associated with Toll-like receptor and calcium signal].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid
      differentiation protein-2 (MD2), and stromal interaction molecular 1 (STIM1) for
      regulating human vascular endothelial calcium overload injury and inflammatory
      reaction induced by bacterial endotoxin (LPS). METHODS: Human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured in Dulbecco's modification of Eagle's
      medium (DMEM). (1) The levels of TLR4, MD2 and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)
      were detected by reverse transcriotion-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) before
      and 0.5, 1, 6, 12, 24 hours after LPS stimulation. (2) Intracellular calcium peak
      level was detected by confocal following probe fluo-3 AM loading in HUVEC cells
      induced with LPS and transfected by psiSTIM or psiTLR. (3) MD2, STIM1 or NF
      kappaB protein level was detected by immunoprecipitation (IP) and immuno-blotting
      in HUVEC cells which were transfected by TLR4 inhibited expression (psiTLR) for
      12 hours and followed by LPS stimulation for 6 hours. (4) HUVEC cells were
      randomly divided into 6 groups: control group, LPS group, PDTC 0.1 mg/L group,
      PDTC 1 mg/L group, psiTLR 1 h group and psiTLR 12 h group. Tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by enzyme linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in supernatant. The mRNA levels of STIM1 and NF
      kappaB were detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: (1) The mRNA levels of TLR4, MD2, and NF
      kappaB gradually increased after LPS induction and peaked at 6 hours (2
      DeltaDeltaCt: 23.52+/-2.88, 17.43+/-3.43, 18.13+/-2.99, respectively), which were
      statistically significant before the stimulation with LPS (2-DeltaDeltaCt: 7.02+/
      2.81, 5.19+/-3.22, 8.11+/-1.42, all P < 0.05). (2) Extracellular calcium influx
      in LPS group was increased significantly higher than control group (nmol/L:
      108.13+/-22.33 vs. 41.57+/-13.19, P < 0.01). Extracellular calcium influx in
      psiSTIM+LPS group (nmol/L: 62.61+/-14.12 vs. 108.13+/-22.33, P < 0.05) and
      psiTLR+LPS group (nmol/L: 50.78+/-8.05 vs. 109.43+/-20.21, P < 0.01) were both
      suppressed as compared with LPS group. While extracellular calcium peak level in
      psiTLR+psiSTIM+LPS group further decreased (nmol/L: 39.31+/-6.42 vs. 109.43+/
      20.21, P < 0.01). (3) MD2 protein but not STIM1 or NF-kappaB can be detected in
      anti-TLR4 precipitates in control (ctrl-) by immunoprecipitation. MD2 protein
      level increased in anti-TLR4 precipitates in LPS group (ctrl+) and was suppressed
      in TLR4 inhibiting group (psiTLR). (4) The levels of TNF-alpha in PDTC 1 mg/L
      group were significantly lower than those of LPS group (ng/L: 0.60+/-0.24 vs.
      1.77+/-0.66, P < 0.01). The levels of IL-6 in PDTC 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L group and
      psiTLR 12 h group decreased significantly lower than that of LPS group (ng/L:
      232.10+/-63.54, 134.32+/-37.23, 284.23+/-56.14 vs. 510.22+/-89.23, all P < 0.05).
      Compared to LPS group, the mRNA levels of NF-kappaB and STIM1 were obviously
      inhibited in PDTC 1 mg/L group and psiTLR 12 h group [NF-kappaB mRNA (2
      DeltaDeltaCt): 17.22+/-2.35, 13.24+/-3.54 vs. 30.16+/-2.06; STIM1 mRNA (2
      DeltaDeltaCt): 12.57+/-2.43, 12.21+/-2.46 vs. 25.12+/-2.02, all P < 0.05].
      CONCLUSIONS: TLR4, MD2, NF-kappaB signal and SOC calcium channel STIM1 mediate
      LPS induced-calcium influx and inflammatory mediators level in HUVEC cells.
      Extracellular calcium overload and inflammatory response by endotoxin induction
      can be effectively inhibited by down-regulation of TLR4, NF-kappaB and/or STIM1.

PMID- 28625264
TI  - [Suppressive effect of CORM-2 on platelet alpha-granule exocytosis in sepsis via
      SNARE/Munc18b complex formation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the suppressive effect of carbon monoxide-releasing
      molecule II (CORM-2) on LPS induced platelet alpha-granule exocytosis in sepsis
      via soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attached protein receptor/mammalian
      uncoordinated 18b (SNARE/Munc18b) complex formation. METHODS: Blood was collected
      from healthy volunteers' cubital vein, then platelets were isolated by
      differential centrifugation. Platelets were randomly divided into 5 groups. The
      control group did not undergo any treatment, the LPS group received 10 mg/L LPS
      simulation, the CORM-2 group and iCORM-2 group underwent LPS simulation and
      immediate administration of CORM-2 (10 MUmol/L and 50 MUmol/L) or iCORM-2 (50
      MUmol/L), respectively. Samples were incubated in a CO2-incubator at 37  degrees
      C, 95% humidity, and 5% CO2. Platelet alpha-granule contents were detected by
      using standard enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), including platelet
      factor 4 (PF4), platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), and matrix
      metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). The expression of P-selectin was detected by flow
      cytometer. Transmission electron microscope and immunofluorescence microscope was
      used to assess platelet alpha-granules distribution. Expressions of Munc18b and
      SNARE proteins including vesicle-associated membrane protein-8 (VAMP-8),
      synaptosomal-associated protein-23 (SNAP-23) and syntaxin-11 (STX-11) were
      detected by Western Bolt. The SNARE/Munc18b complex formation was detected by
      immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, levels of PF4,
      PDGF-BB, MMP-2 and P-selectin in LPS induced platelets were found to markedly
      elevated, while CORM-2 (10 MUmol/L and 50 MUmol/L) could decrease platelet alpha
      granule contents exocytosis: [PF4 (MUg/L): 7.69+/-0.58, 6.03+/-0.71 vs. 10.13+/
      0.82; PDGF-BB (MUg/L): 112.71+/-1.79, 102.91+/-5.86 vs. 128.78+/-1.39; MMP-2
      (ng/L): 32.94+/-2.73, 27.58+/-3.36 vs. 53.26+/-1.21; P-selectin: (17.14+/-0.57)%,
      (15.35+/-0.68)% vs. (23.78+/-0.62)%; all P < 0.01]. Transmission electron
      microscope and immunofluorescence microscope showed that the extent of platelet
      alpha-granules assembled to platelet plasma membrane was significantly decreased
      following CORM-2 treatment. Compared with the control group, the expressions of
      Munc18b and SNARE proteins and SNARE/Munc18b complex formation in LPS-stimulated
      platelets were significantly increased, while CORM-2 (10 MUmol/L and 50 MUmol/L)
      inhibited these elevations (Munc18b/GAPDH: 0.80+/-0.08, 0.69+/-0.01 vs. 0.99+/
      0.09; VAMP-8/GAPDH: 0.72+/-0.09, 0.50+/-0.12 vs. 1.18+/-0.14; SNAP-23/GAPDH:
      1.18+/-0.22, 0.63+/-0.10 vs. 1.90+/-0.08; STX-11/GAPDH: 0.76+/-0.02, 0.57+/-0.08
      vs. 1.16+/-0.23; VAMP-8/Munc18b: 0.65+/-0.09, 0.53+/-0.07 vs. 1.21+/-0.20; SNAP
      23/Munc18b: 0.85+/-0.07, 0.55+/-0.09 vs. 1.26+/-0.08; STX-11/Munc18b: 0.78+/
      0.05, 0.61+/-0.10 vs. 1.39+/-0.16; all P < 0.01). Above all, the data showed a
      dose dependent change. CONCLUSIONS: We could suggest that CORM-2 suppressed alpha
      granule exocytosis in LPS-stimulated platelets and the potential mechanisms might
      involve SNARE/Munc18b complex formation.

PMID- 28625265
TI  - [Protective effect of curcumin on hepatocytes in rats with sepsis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of curcumin on hepatocytes in
      rats with sepsis. METHODS: Eighty healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were
      randomly divided into sham operation group, sepsis group, Xuebijing group and
      curcumin group (20 rats in each group) according to the random number table
      method. The animal model of sepsis was established by cecal ligation and puncture
      (CLP). In the sham operation group, the cecum was removed only after the
      operation. The rats in Xuebijing group and curcumin group were injected with 4
      mL/kg Xuebijing, 100 mg/kg curcumin intraperitoneally at 0, 8 and 16 hours after
      operation (diluted with normal saline to 4 mL/kg) respectively; Sham operation
      group and sepsis group were injected with the same volume of normal saline. Five
      rats in each group were sacrificed at 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours after operation, the
      blood sample was collected, and liver tissues were harvested. The levels of serum
      procalcitonin (PCT), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL
      6, IL-1beta) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the
      pathological changes of liver tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE)
      staining, and apoptosis index (AI) was measured by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end
      labeling (TUNEL) method. RESULTS: The degree of hepatocyte injury in sepsis group
      increased gradually with time, the apoptotic cells gradually increased, and the
      AI of liver cells increased to 24 hours; serum levels of PCT, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and
      IL-1beta were significantly higher than those in the sham operated group at 2
      hours after operation and gradually increased to peak at 12 hours. The injury
      degree of liver tissue in Xuebijing group and curcumin group was significantly
      lighter than that in sepsis group, and the number of apoptotic cells were
      significantly decreased; the AI of hepatocytes and serum levels of PCT, TNF
      alpha, IL-6 and IL-1beta were significantly lower than those of sepsis group from
      2 hours [AI: (11.89+/-1.34)%, (11.56+/-0.96)% vs. (23.59+/-2.00)% at 2 hours,
      (28.95+/-1.40)%, (30.35+/-1.20)% vs. (52.05+/-1.31)% at 24 hours; PCT (MUg/L):
      1.27+/-0.18, 1.13+/-0.19 vs. 2.41+/-0.21 at 2 hours, 5.07+/-0.45, 5.09+/-0.42 vs.
      8.68+/-0.58 at 12 hours; TNF-alpha (ng/L): 127.93+/-9.53, 124.73+/-7.47 vs.
      217.28+/-14.24 at 2 hours, 171.03+/-8.58, 168.68+/-6.95 vs. 314.13+/-14.39 at 12
      hours; IL-6 (ng/L): 132.15+/-9.27, 136.14+/-8.42 vs. 153.35+/-12.64 at 2 hours,
      211.65+/-8.52, 213.37+/-8.96 vs. 298.11+/-12.35 at 12 hours; IL-1beta (ng/L):
      33.59+/-1.49, 35.05+/-1.00 vs. 61.84+/-3.21 at 2 hours; 81.76+/-2.80, 84.06+/
      3.42 vs. 132.24+/-2.58 at 12 hours, all P < 0.05]. There was no significant
      difference in the above indexes between Xuebijing group and curcumin group.
      CONCLUSIONS: Curcumin can inhibit the inflammatory response of hepatocytes in
      sepsis rats and reduce the apoptosis of hepatocytes, which can protect
      hepatocytes from sepsis.

PMID- 28625266
TI  - [Risk factors of deep venous thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted
      central venous catheter in upper extremity in ICU].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence and its risk factors of peripherally inserted
      central venous catheter related upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (PICC
      UEDVT) in intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: Clinical data of the patients
      received PICCs in ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
      from August 2013 to August 2016 were retrospectively analysed. The inclusion
      criteria in the study included: the age > 18 years old, catheter indwelling time
      > 1 week and the complete relevant information. The gender, age, history of deep
      venous thrombosis (DVT) and PICC; number of illness involved organs; complicated
      with hypertension, diabetes, infection or not; and acute physiology and chronic
      health evaluation II (APACHE II), duration of mechanical ventilation; D-dimer,
      platelet count (PLT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were
      recorded. According to the occurrence of PICC-UEDVT, univariate analysis was
      performed to identify the risk factors of PICC-UEDVT and variables with
      statistical difference were selected to do multivariate binary logistic
      regression analysis for the confirmable independence risk factors. RESULTS: Six
      patients of the 61 cases occurred PICC-UEDVT with the occurrence rate of 9.8%.
      Time of occurrence was 9 days, 14 days (2 cases), 22 days, 28 days, 62 days after
      inserted catheter respectively. Univariate analysis demonstrated that previous
      DVT, D-dimer and big diameter PICC were risk factors associated with PICC-UEDVT
      [the previous DVT: 50.00% vs. 7.27%, P = 0.017; D-dimer > 5 mg/L: 66.67% vs.
      18.18%, P = 0.021; 5F catheter: 83.33% vs. 29.09%, P = 0.016]. It was shown by
      multivariate logistic regression analysis that the previous DVT [odds ratio (OR)
      = 20.539, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.733-243.875, P = 0.017] and
      increasing size of catheter (OR = 18.070, 95%CI = 1.317-247.875, P = 0.030) were
      independent risk factors associated with the development of PICC-UEDVT.
      CONCLUSIONS: For critical patients with a history of DVT and D-dimer > 5 mg/L,
      especially for those with the catheter placement over 14 days in ICU, clinical
      staffs should remain on high alert for the development of PICC-UEDVT and take
      early effective measures to prevent it. Meanwhile the patient's vascular
      conditions should be precisely assessed using ultrasound before insertion, and
      the appropriate catheter size be selected to reduce the incidence of PICC-UEDVT.
      Color Doppler ultrasonography should be used for dynamic monitoring during the
      indwelling of PICC, so that PICC-UEDVT can be found as early as possible.

PMID- 28625267
TI  - [Application of quality control chart in quality control for nosocomial infection
      in intensive care unit].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the application value of control chart in the management of
      nosocomial infection in intensive care unit (ICU) by using quality control chart
      to monitor the infections in ICU. METHODS: From October 2011 to June 2016,
      ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central line-associated bloodstream
      infection (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI),
      namely the three catheters, occurred in ICU of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou
      Medical University were monitored and recorded monthly, then the data was imput
      into the Excel, and the data was analyzed using SPSS. According to the properties
      of the data, control chart was derived for monitoring nosocomial infections,
      finding out problems and for taking actions on time. RESULTS: From October 2011
      to June 2016, the numbers of new patients in ICU were 23-103 cases per month and
      the median was 45.00 (39.00, 55.50) cases per month. The numbers of new VAP
      patients were 0-7 cases per month which median was 3.00 (1.00, 4.00) cases per
      month and the VAP rates were 0-22.58 cases per 1 000 ventilation-days which
      median was 8.62 (3.28, 12.10) cases per 1 000 ventilation-days. The numbers of
      new CLABSI patients were 0-3 cases per month which median was 0.00 (0.00, 1.00)
      cases per month and the CLABSI rates were 0-14.82 cases per 1 000 catheter-days
      which median was 0.00 (0.00, 5.38) cases per 1 000 catheter-days. The numbers of
      new CAUTI patients were 0-8 cases per month which median was 1.00 (0.00, 2.00)
      cases per month and the CAUTI rates were 0-14.06 cases per 1 000 catheter-days
      which median was 3.02 (0.00, 5.86) cases per 1 000 catheter-days. 57 points of
      the three catheter-associated infections incidences were continuously monitored
      monthly, in which some data points overstepped the warning limit, only 1 CAUTI
      infection incidence overstepped the control limit, the other monthly three
      catheter-associated infections incidences were in the control range and had no
      abnormal arrangement occurred, so all of them were in a controlled state. By
      using the control chart, the situation of nosocomial infections were analyzed
      scientifically and intuitively, the existing problems were discussed in time, the
      improvement programs were made, and the three catheter-associated infections were
      in a controlled state. CONCLUSIONS: Control chart has the characteristics of
      simple operation, intuitive results, and finding problems on time, so it can be
      used in daily monitoring of nosocomial infection and is worthy of generalization.

PMID- 28625268
TI  - [Experience of pressure controlled lung recruitment combined with prone position
      ventilation for the treatment of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome].

PMID- 28625269
TI  - [Abdominal lifting and compression cardiopulmonary resuscitation for treatment of
      a 84-year old cardiac arrest patient].

PMID- 28625270
TI  - [Progress in relationship of the long non-coding RNA and sepsis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The mechanism of long chain non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is diverse. LncRNA
      can regulate the expression of genes at multiple levels and is closely related to
      some pathological process, such as tumor formation, viral replication,
      inflammatory damage, etc. The abnormal expression of lncRNA is involved in the
      patho-physiological changes of the disease, and plays a key role in many links,
      such as the stability of mRNA, the regulation of translation level, protein
      transport, RNA processing and modification, and so on. The development of sepsis
      inflammatory injury is a complex process involving multiple genes and pathways,
      in which the abnormal structure and expression of many encoding genes or non
      coding genes exist. This paper review the research progress on lncRNA in the
      regulation of chondriokinesis, pro-inflammatory cytokines, calcium ion transport,
      nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in signal pathway and other inflammatory
      lesions, which may provide a new method for the diagnosis and treatment of
      sepsis.

PMID- 28625271
TI  - [Advances in immunotherapeutic research of sepsis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated
      host responses to infection. Despite decades of research, it remains the leading
      cause of death in intensive care units (ICUs). None of the current treatment,
      including antibiotics, organ protection and liquid resuscitation, is specifically
      effective for sepsis. Immunosuppression is one of the currently accepted
      pathogenesis and immunotherapy is one of the hot spot of current sepsis research.
      Immune related treatments include restricting the release of pathogen toxin and
      its removal, controlling the excessive inflammatory reaction and apoptosis
      inhibition, etc. Numerous pre-clinical studies using immunomodulatory agents such
      as interleukin-7 (IL-7), anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibody and others,
      have demonstrated reversal of T cell dysfunction and improved survival resulting
      from reviewing recent advances in immunotherapy of sepsis. Therefore,
      immunotherapy may be a new way of sepsis treatment.

PMID- 28625272
TI  - [Research progress in the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome caused by heat
      stroke].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Heat stroke (HS) is a life-threatening illness characterized by core
      body temperatures above 40  degrees C coupled with central nervous system (CNS)
      dysfunction, including delirium, convulsions, and/or coma. Its morbidity has
      increased dramatically in the past few decades. Multiple organ dysfunction
      syndrome (MODS) is not only the most serious complication of HS, but also the
      leading cause of deaths. Understanding the pathogenesis, characteristic and
      advancement pattern of MODS caused by HS will have a profound effect on the
      clinical treatment, research and mortality decrease. The pathogenesis, injury
      characteristic of each system and organ, and treatment methods were summarized in
      this review so as to deepen the clinical recognition of this disease.

PMID- 28625274
TI  - Beneficial effects of melatonin on in vitro embryo production from juvenile goat
      oocytes.
AB  - Melatonin is a universal antioxidant that improves in vitro embryo production in
      several species. The aims of this study were to determine the melatonin
      concentration in the ovarian follicular fluid (FF) of juvenile goats and the
      effect of melatonin during in vitro maturation (IVM) on embryo development. The
      FF melatonin concentration was 0.57--1.07*10-9 M, increasing with follicular
      diameter. Oocytes were matured, fertilised and cultured under conventional
      conditions. Blastocyst development, embryo quality and levels of reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) and reduced glutathione were assessed. In Experiment 1 different
      melatonin concentrations (10-3, 10-7, 10-9, 10-11 M) were added to the IVM
      medium, which contained cysteamine as antioxidant, and no differences were
      observed. In Experiment 2, melatonin (10-7 M) was tested in the presence or
      absence of cysteamine (experimental groups: melatonin, cysteamine,
      melatonin+cysteamine, non-antioxidant). The melatonin group presented a higher
      blastocyst rate than the non-antioxidant group (28.9 vs 11.7%; P<0.01) and a
      higher total cell number than the cysteamine group (225.1 vs 129.0; P<0.05).
      Oocytes from the melatonin and cysteamine groups had lower ROS levels than those
      from the non-antioxidant group. This study shows that melatonin is an interesting
      tool for improving oocyte competence in juvenile goats as it increases embryo
      production and quality.

PMID- 28625273
TI  - Development of a core outcome set for disease modification trials in mild to
      moderate dementia: a systematic review, patient and public consultation and
      consensus recommendations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is currently no disease-modifying treatment available to halt
      or delay the progression of the disease pathology in dementia. An agreed core set
      of the best-available and most appropriate outcomes for disease modification
      would facilitate the design of trials and ensure consistency across disease
      modification trials, as well as making results comparable and meta-analysable in
      future trials. OBJECTIVES: To agree a set of core outcomes for disease
      modification trials for mild to moderate dementia with the UK dementia research
      community and patient and public involvement (PPI). DATA SOURCES: We included
      disease modification trials with quantitative outcomes of efficacy from (1)
      references from related systematic reviews in workstream 1; (2) searches of the
      Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group study register, Cochrane
      Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied
      Health Literature, EMBASE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences
      Literature and PsycINFO on 11 December 2015, and clinical trial registries
      [International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) and
      clinicaltrials.gov] on 22 and 29 January 2016; and (3) hand-searches of reference
      lists of relevant systematic reviews from database searches. REVIEW METHODS: The
      project consisted of four workstreams. (1) We obtained related core outcome sets
      and work from co-applicants. (2) We systematically reviewed published and ongoing
      disease modification trials to identify the outcomes used in different domains.
      We extracted outcomes used in each trial, recording how many used each outcome
      and with how many participants. We divided outcomes into the domains measured and
      searched for validation data. (3) We consulted with PPI participants about
      recommended outcomes. (4) We presented all the synthesised information at a
      conference attended by the wider body of National Institute for Health Research
      (NIHR) dementia researchers to reach consensus on a core set of outcomes.
      RESULTS: We included 149 papers from the 22,918 papers screened, referring to 125
      individual trials. Eighty-one outcomes were used across trials, including 72
      scales [31 cognitive, 12 activities of daily living (ADLs), 10 global, 16
      neuropsychiatric and three quality of life] and nine biological techniques. We
      consulted with 18 people for PPI. The conference decided that only cognition and
      biological markers are core measures of disease modification. Cognition should be
      measured by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) or the Alzheimer's Disease
      Assessment Scale - Cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog), and brain changes through
      structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a subset of participants. All
      other domains are important but not core. We recommend using the Neuropsychiatric
      Inventory for neuropsychiatric symptoms: the Disability Assessment for Dementia
      for ADLs, the Dementia Quality of Life Measure for quality of life and the
      Clinical Dementia Rating scale to measure dementia globally. LIMITATIONS: Most of
      the trials included participants with Alzheimer's disease, so recommendations may
      not apply to other types of dementia. We did not conduct economic analyses. The
      PPI consultation was limited to members of the Alzheimer's Society Research
      Network. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive outcomes and biological markers form the core
      outcome set for future disease modification trials, measured by the MMSE or ADAS
      Cog, and structural MRI in a subset of participants. FUTURE WORK: We envisage
      that the core set may be superseded in the future, particularly for other types
      of dementia. There is a need to develop an algorithm to compare scores on the
      MMSE and ADAS-Cog. STUDY REGISTRATION: The project was registered with Core
      Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials [ www.comet
      initiative.org/studies/details/819?result=true (accessed 7 April 2016)]. The
      systematic review protocol is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015027346. FUNDING: The
      National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

PMID- 28625276
TI  - White Spots on the Conjunctiva.

PMID- 28625275
TI  - Advance Directives and Powers of Attorney in Intensive Care Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Advance directives and powers of attorney are increasingly common,
      yet data on their use in clinical situations remain sparse. METHODS: In this
      single center cross-sectional study, we collected data by questionnaire from 1004
      intensive care patients in a university hospital. The frequencies of advance
      directives and powers of attorney were determined, and the factors affecting them
      were studied with multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Usable data
      were obtained from 998 patients. 51.3% stated that they had prepared a document
      of at least one of these two kinds. Among them, 39.6% stated that they had given
      the relevant document(s) to the hospital, yet such documents were present in the
      patient's hospital record for only 23%. 508 patients stated their reasons for
      preparing an advance directive or a power of attorney: the most common reason
      (48%) was the fear of being at other people's mercy, of the lack of self
      determination, or of medical overtreatment. The most important factors associated
      with a patient's statement that he/she had prepared such a document were advanced
      age (advance directive: 1.022 [1.009; 1.036], p = 0.001; power of attorney: 1.027
      [1.014; 1.040], p<0.001) and elective admission to the hospital (advance
      directive: 1.622 [1.138; 2.311], p<0.007; power of attorney: 1.459 [1.049;
      2.030], p = 0.025). 39.8% of the advance directives and 44.1% of the powers of
      attorney that were present in the hospital records were poorly interpretable
      because of the incomplete filling-out of preprinted forms. Half of the patients
      who did not have such a document had already thought of preparing one, but had
      not yet done so. CONCLUSION: For patients hospitalized in intensive care units,
      there should be early discussion about the presence or absence of documents of
      these kinds and early evaluation of the patient's concrete wishes in critical
      situations. Future studies are needed to determine how best to assure that these
      documents will be correctly prepared and then given over to hospital staff so
      that they can take their place in the patient's record.

PMID- 28625279
TI  - Excerpts from the World Medical Literature.

PMID- 28625278
TI  - Acute Infarction of the Spleen.

PMID- 28625277
TI  - The Diagnosis and Treatment of Hemoptysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemoptysis, i.e., the expectoration of blood from the lower airways,
      has an annual incidence of approximately 0.1% in ambulatory patients and 0.2% in
      inpatients. It is a potentially life-threatening medical emergency and carries a
      high mortality. METHODS: This review article is based on pertinent publications
      retrieved by a selective search in PubMed. RESULTS: Hemoptysis can be a sign of
      many different diseases. Its cause remains unknown in about half of all cases.
      Its more common recognized causes include infectious and inflammatory airway
      diseases (25.8%) and cancer (17.4%). Mild hemoptysis is self-limited in 90% of
      cases; massive hemoptysis carries a worse prognosis. In patients whose life is
      threatened by massive hemoptysis, adequate oxygenation must be achieved through
      the administration of oxygen, positioning of the patient with the bleeding side
      down (if known), and temporary intubation if necessary. A thorough diagnostic
      evaluation is needed to identify the underlying pathology, site of bleeding, and
      vascular anatomy, so that the appropriate treatment can be planned. The
      evaluation should include conventional chest x-rays in two planes,
      contrastenhanced multislice computerized tomography, and bronchoscopy. Hemostasis
      can be achieved at bronchoscopically accessible bleeding sites with
      interventionalbronchoscopic local treatment. Bronchial artery embolization is the
      first line of treatment for hemorrhage from the pulmonary periphery; it is
      performed to treat massive or recurrent hemoptysis or as a presurgical measure
      and provides successful hemostasis in 75-98% of cases. Surgery is indicated if
      bronchial artery embolization alone is not successful, or for special indications
      (traumatic or iatrogenic pulmonary/vascular injury, refractory asper gilloma).
      CONCLUSION: The successful treatment of hemoptysis requires thorough diagnostic
      evaluation and close interdisciplinary collaboration among pulmonologists,
      radiologists, and thoracic surgeons.

PMID- 28625280
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625281
TI  - The PETRA (Perinatal Emergency Team Response Assessment) Scale: A High-Fidelity
      Simulation Validation Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to establish the validity and
      reliability of a new interdisciplinary teamwork assessment scale, the Perinatal
      Emergency Team Response Assessment (PETRA), to assess team dynamics during a
      simulated obstetric crisis. METHODS: This observational cohort study was
      conducted using high-fidelity simulation and multidisciplinary obstetric teams in
      order to evaluate the validity and reliability of the previously developed PETRA
      scale for the assessment of teamwork in the management of obstetric crises. Two
      high-fidelity simulations of preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) were
      conducted 50 times; 42 were performed by multidisciplinary teams and eight (four
      "good," four "poor") were performed by actors. Five raters used the PETRA tool to
      assess the simulation video recordings. Three additional raters assessed each
      performance without the use of PETRA as "good" or "poor" in order to provide an
      overall rating (referred to as the standardized score). The primary outcome
      measure was the PETRA score. Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation
      coefficients (2,1) with 95% CIs were calculated to examine internal consistency
      of the scale and level of agreement among raters, respectively. Construct
      validity was established by comparing the assessments of the raters with the
      standardized scores. Generalizability theory analysis was performed to
      demonstrate PETRA's reliability and to investigate the sources of variation in
      scores. RESULTS: The simulated emergencies were performed by 119 participants.
      There was overall high consistency (Cronbach's alpha [95% CI] 0.984 [0.981 to
      0.987]) and moderate agreement (intra-class correlation coefficients [95% CI]
      0.49 [0.35 to 0.63]) among raters. Significantly higher PETRA scores (mean
      [standard deviation]) were recorded with "good" versus "poor" performing teams
      (real scenarios 3.8 [0.7] vs. 2.9 [0.7]; P < 0.001; acted scenarios 4.7 [0.5] vs.
      2.2 [0.7]; P < 0.001), suggesting strong construct validity. The overall PETRA
      scores were not different between the PPH (3.7 [0.7]) and preeclampsia (3.7
      [0.8]) scenarios (P = 0.49). Generalizability coefficients were 0.83 for PPH and
      0.76 for preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: PETRA is a valid and reliable scale that may
      be a valuable tool in the assessment and training of multidisciplinary teams in
      their management of obstetric crises.

PMID- 28625282
TI  - High-Intensity Exercise Training for Improving Reproductive Function in Infertile
      Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this RCT was to investigate whether a 24-week program
      of high-intensity exercise was beneficial for improving reproductive function in
      infertile male patients. METHODS: Infertile men (n = 433) were randomly assigned
      to exercise (n = 218) and non-exercise (n = 215) groups. The seminal markers of
      inflammation and oxidative stress, semen quality parameters, sperm DNA
      fragmentation, and pregnancy rate were measured at baseline, at the end of week
      12, at the end of week 24, and at 7 and 30 days during recovery. Exercise
      programs included a treadmill running protocol, three times a week, at an
      intensity >70% to 85% of maximal oxygen consumption. RESULTS: The exercise group
      reported significantly attenuated inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-6 and
      tumour necrosis factor-alpha), oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species and
      malondialdehyde), and antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and total
      antioxidant capacity) (P < 0.05), and these changes coincided with favorable
      improvements in semen parameters, sperm DNA integrity, and pregnancy rate (P <
      0.05). These findings indicate that our exercise training program was adequate to
      elicit improvements in markers of male reproductive function in infertile
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that a high-intensity exercise program could
      be recommended as an adjunct lifestyle approach to male factor infertility
      treatment or used in combination with other therapies.

PMID- 28625283
TI  - Uterine and Ovarian Carcinosarcomas: Do They Behave Similarly?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the clinicopathologic characteristics, recurrence
      patterns, and survival of patients with ovarian carcinosarcomas (OCs) and uterine
      carcinosarcomas (UCs). METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed with UCs or OCs on
      the basis of final pathology reports and who underwent surgery between January
      1993 and January 2015 were included in the study. Data of patients were obtained
      from Gynecological Oncology Clinic electronic database and patient files.
      RESULTS: The study included 101 and 21 patients who underwent surgery for UCs and
      OCs, respectively. Forty percent and 67% of patients who had UCs and OCs,
      respectively, experienced lymph node metastasis (P = 0.051). Median follow-up
      time was 12 months (range, 1-158 months) for patients with UCs and 24 months
      (range 1-154 months) for patients with OCs. Recurrence developed outside the
      abdomen in 58% of patients with UCs and in 10% of patients with OCs (P = 0.005).
      Median time to recurrence was 9 months (range 3-58 months) in patients with UCs,
      whereas it was 18 months (range 11-72 months) in patients with OCs (P = 0.002).
      Five-year disease-free survival was 34% and 19% for patients with UCs and OCs,
      respectively (P = 0.90). Five-year overall survival was 56% for patients with UCs
      and 54% for patients with OCs (P = 0.51). CONCLUSION: We found that UCs recurred
      earlier and extra-abdominally. Recurrence pattern should be kept in mind during
      the planning of adjuvant therapies for these patients.

PMID- 28625284
TI  - Gender of Provider-Barrier to Immigrant Women's Obstetrical Care: A Narrative
      Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the preference for female obstetrician/gynaecologists among
      immigrant women, and providers' understandings of these preferences, to identify
      challenges and potential solutions. METHODS: Five databases (Medline, Embase,
      CINAHL, Global Health, and Scopus) were searched using combinations of search
      terms related to immigrant, refugee, or Muslim women and obstetrics or
      gynaecological provider gender preference. STUDY SELECTION: Peer reviewed,
      English-language articles were included if they discussed either patient or
      provider perspectives of women's preference for female obstetrics or
      gynaecological care provider among immigrant women in Western and non-western
      settings. After screening, 54 met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. DATA
      EXTRACTION: Studies were divided first into those specifically focusing on gender
      of provider, and those in which it was one variable addressed. Each category was
      then divided into those describing immigrant women, and those conducted in a non
      Western settings. The research question, study population, methods, results, and
      reasons given for preferences in each article were then examined and recorded.
      CONCLUSION: Preference for female obstetricians/gynaecologists was demonstrated.
      Although many will accept a male provider, psychological stress, delays, or
      avoidance in seeking care may result. Providers' views were captured in only
      eight articles, with conflicting perspectives on responding to preferences and
      the health system impact.

PMID- 28625285
TI  - Primary Dysmenorrhea.

PMID- 28625286
TI  - No. 345-Primary Dysmenorrhea Consensus Guideline.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This guideline reviews the investigation and treatment of primary
      dysmenorrhea. INTENDED USERS: Health care providers. TARGET POPULATION: Women and
      adolescents experiencing menstrual pain for which no underlying cause has been
      identified. EVIDENCE: Published clinical trials, population studies, and review
      articles cited in PubMed or the Cochrane database from January 2005 to March
      2016. VALIDATION METHODS: Seven clinical questions were generated by the authors
      and reviewed by the SOGC Clinical Practice-Gynaecology Committee. The available
      literature was searched. Guideline No. 169 was reviewed and rewritten in order to
      incorporate current evidence. Recommendations addressing the identified clinical
      questions were formulated and evaluated using the ranking of the Canadian Task
      Force on Preventive Health Care. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS: Primary dysmenorrhea
      is common and frequently undertreated. Effective therapy is widely available at
      minimal cost. Treatment has the potential to improve quality of life and to
      decrease time lost from school or work. GUIDELINE UPDATE: This guideline is a
      revision and update of No. 169, December 2005. SPONSORS: SOGC. SUMMARY
      STATEMENTS: RECOMMENDATIONS.

PMID- 28625287
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625288
TI  - No. 96-The Reproductive Care of Women Living With Hepatitis C Infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an increasingly important public health
      problem worldwide. Health care workers providing care to women of childbearing
      age are uniquely placed in their practices to identify a significant proportion
      of at-risk patients and to provide appropriate screening and counselling. The
      primary objective of this guideline is to provide accurate, current information
      to those offering reproductive care to women living with HCV. This document is
      also intended to raise awareness of HCV in both the medical and general
      populations. OPTIONS: the areas of clinical practice considered in formulating
      this guideline are disease prevention, targeted screening of individuals at risk
      of contracting HCV, management of identified patients in the context of
      reproductive care, and the appropriate referral of patients to those with
      particular expertise. OUTCOMES: implementation of these guidelines should
      facilitate identification of infected individuals. It should also result in
      improved physical and mental well-being for patients and their families and
      reduction in transmission rates. EVIDENCE: the literature between 1966 and 2000,
      including non- English language publications, was extensively searched utilizing
      Medline. A multidisciplinary group consisting of experts within the fields of
      obstetrics and gynaecology, infectious diseases, hepatology, and public health
      convened in Montreal in February 2000. The working group also included a patient
      and a representative from the Hepatitis C Society of Canada. The level of
      evidence for the recommendations has been determined using the criteria described
      by the Canadian Task Force on Periodic Health Examination. BENEFITS, HARMS AND
      COSTS: the public health benefits of increased identification of at-risk
      individuals, diagnosis, treatment, implementation of risk reduction behaviours,
      and reduced transmission rates, both on an individual and at the community level,
      are significant. However, it must be remembered that the diagnosis of a chronic
      disease may have far reaching effects for the individual patient and her family.
      RECOMMENDATIONS: VALIDATION: references were collected through Medline searches
      and comparison made to existing current guidelines for assessment of consistency.
      External reviewers expert in their field were also consulted.

PMID- 28625289
TI  - No. 207-Genital Herpes: Gynaecological Aspects.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this guideline is to provide recommendations to
      gynaecology health care providers on optimal management of genital herpes.
      OUTCOMES: More effective prevention of complications and transmission of genital
      herpes. EVIDENCE: Medline was searched for articles published in French and
      English related to genital herpes and gynaecology. Additional articles were
      identified through the references of these articles. All study types and
      recommendation reports were reviewed. RECOMMENDATIONS: 

PMID- 28625290
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625291
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625292
TI  - No. 185-HIV Screening in Pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this guideline is to provide recommendations to
      obstetric health care providers and to minimize practice variations for HIV
      screening, while taking provincial and territorial recommendations into account.
      OUTCOMES: The risk of transmission of HIV from mother to fetus is significant if
      the mother is not treated. The primary outcome of screening for and treating HIV
      in pregnancy is a marked decrease in the rate of vertical transmission of HIV
      from mother to fetus. Secondary outcomes include confirmation of HIV infection in
      the woman, which allows optimization of her health and long-term management.
      EVIDENCE: The Cochrane Library and Medline were searched for English-language
      articles published related to HIV screening and pregnancy. Additional articles
      were identified through the references of these articles. All study types were
      reviewed. RECOMMENDATIONS: 

PMID- 28625293
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625294
TI  - No. 192-Fetal Sex Determination and Disclosure Policy Statement.

PMID- 28625295
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625296
TI  - No. 193-Laparoscopic Entry: A Review of Techniques, Technologies, and
      Complications.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide clinical direction, based on the best evidence available,
      on laparoscopic entry techniques and technologies and their associated
      complications. OPTIONS: The laparoscopic entry techniques and technologies
      reviewed in formulating this guideline include the classic pneumoperitoneum
      (Veress/trocar), the open (Hasson), the direct trocar insertion, the use of
      disposable shielded trocars, radially expanding trocars, and visual entry
      systems. OUTCOMES: Implementation of this guideline should optimize the decision
      making process in choosing a particular technique to enter the abdomen during
      laparoscopy. EVIDENCE: English-language articles from Medline, PubMed, and the
      Cochrane Database published before the end of September 2005 were searched, using
      the key words laparoscopic entry, laparoscopy access, pneumoperitoneum, Veress
      needle, open (Hasson), direct trocar, visual entry, shielded trocars, radially
      expanded trocars, and laparoscopic complications. VALUES: The quality of evidence
      was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force
      on the Periodic Health Examination. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUMMARY STATEMENT.

PMID- 28625297
TI  - ?

PMID- 28625299
TI  - Managing major obstetric haemorrhage: Pharmacotherapy and transfusion.
AB  - Major obstetric haemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal mortality. A
      prescriptive approach to early recognition and management is critical to
      improving outcomes. Uterine atony is the primary cause of post-partum
      haemorrhage. First-line prevention and treatment include the administration of
      uterine tonic agents; other conservative measures include uterine cavity
      tamponade and uterine compression sutures. Interventional radiology procedures
      have been used for both prophylaxis and treatment, but a hysterectomy may be
      necessary if conservative measures fail. Assessment of anaemia and coagulation
      status is an important aspect of the management of haemorrhage.
      Hypofibrinogenaemia is a predictor of severe haemorrhage. Early and empiric use
      of fixed transfusion red blood cell:plasma:platelet ratios is controversial and
      may not be justified for all causes of haemorrhage. Cell salvage may be used
      safely in obstetric haemorrhage. Goal-directed therapy using point-of-care
      testing (e.g. thromboelastography) has not been well studied but holds promise
      for individualising resuscitation measures.

PMID- 28625300
TI  - Preeclampsia in 2017: Obstetric and Anaesthesia Management.
AB  - In many centres, anaesthesia now incorporates perioperative medicine.
      Preeclampsia is a perioperative medical challenge requiring a multi-disciplinary
      team. New definitions stress the rapid progression of the disease and highlight
      the importance of early detection. Anaesthesiologists should understand the
      pathophysiology of the disease and develop the ultrasound skills required to
      assist in the assessment of disease severity. This facilitates the choice of
      anaesthesia method and perioperative management in complicated cases. Regional
      anaesthesia remains central, but there are important developments in the practice
      of general anaesthesia, if indicated. Appropriate haemodynamic monitoring should
      be established. Anaesthesiologists should also lead the resuscitation team in the
      management of cardiorespiratory failure and coagulopathy.

PMID- 28625301
TI  - Maintenance of epidural labour analgesia: The old, the new and the future.
AB  - Neuraxial analgesia is considered the gold standard in labour analgesia,
      providing the most effective pain relief during childbirth. Improvements have
      enhanced the efficacy and safety of epidural analgesia through better drugs,
      techniques and delivery systems. This review describes the history of epidural
      labour analgesia and recent improvements in labour epidural analgesia. We discuss
      the role of the combined spinal epidural technique, low-concentration local
      anaesthetic-opioid epidural solutions, patient-controlled epidural analgesia, and
      programmed intermittent or automated mandatory boluses in the maintenance of
      epidural labour analgesia. We also review the newer interactive techniques for
      drug delivery, such as computer-integrated patient-controlled epidural analgesia
      and variable frequency automated mandatory bolus. Finally, we discuss future
      clinical research developments, including the use of data analytics and long-term
      outcomes associated with childbirth pain management.

PMID- 28625302
TI  - Pharmacogenetics in obstetric anesthesia.
AB  - The 21st century has been billed as the era of "precision/personalized medicine."
      Genetic investigation of clinical syndromes may guide therapy as well as reveal
      previously unknown biological or pharmacological pathways that may result in
      novel drug therapies. Several clinical issues in obstetrics and obstetric
      anesthesiology have been targets for genetic investigations. These include
      evaluation of the genetic effects on preterm labor and the progression of labor,
      spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension and the response to medications used to
      treat hypotension, and the effect of gene variants on pain and analgesic
      responses. Most studies have examined specific single nucleotide polymorphisms.
      Findings have revealed modest effects of genetic variation without tangible
      impact on current clinical practice. Over the next decade, increased availability
      of whole exome and genome sequencing, epigenetics, large genetic databases,
      computational biology and other information technology, and more rapid methods of
      real-time genotyping may increase the impact of genetics in the clinical arena of
      obstetrics and obstetric anesthesia.

PMID- 28625303
TI  - Parenteral opioid analgesia: Does it still have a role?
AB  - Parenteral opioids have been used in labour analgesia for many years, but the
      ideal opioid in this setting is yet to be found. We review the properties of
      currently used opioids, their analgesic properties and side effects to mother and
      foetus. Parenteral opioids can be administered as intermittent boluses or through
      a patient-controlled intravenous administration system. A wide range of opioid
      drugs are currently used and provide a variable degree of analgesia. All opioids
      can cause unwanted maternal side effects such as nausea, vomiting, sedation and
      respiratory depression. They cross the placenta and have the potential to cause
      neonatal respiratory depression. Remifentanil patient-controlled intravenous
      analgesia is becoming increasingly available and popular on some delivery suites.
      It can provide adequate analgesia and is useful when epidural analgesia is
      contraindicated. Remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia requires close
      monitoring in an environment familiar with the technique to avoid maternal
      hypoxia due to respiratory depression.

PMID- 28625304
TI  - Any news on the postdural puncture headache front?
AB  - Unintentional dural puncture followed by postdural puncture headache is a well
      known complication following neuraxial labor analgesia. Risk factors for the
      development of postdural puncture headache may be related to the patient's
      history and characteristics, the neuraxial technique, and obstetrical events. The
      diagnosis of postdural puncture headache is usually made depending on the
      clinical presentation (orthostatic headache after a neuraxial procedure).
      Occasionally, neuroimaging and neurological consultation are warranted.
      Complications following postdural puncture headache may include transient or
      permanent hypoacusis, cranial nerve palsies, subdural hematoma, and chronic
      headache. Evidence is limited regarding the safety and effectiveness of different
      interventions aimed to prevent or treat postdural puncture headache.

PMID- 28625305
TI  - Decision-to-delivery interval: Is 30 min the magic time? What is the evidence?
      Does it work?
AB  - Emergency caesarean section is required when delivery can reduce the risk to the
      life of the mother or foetus. When a caesarean section is indicated for foetal
      compromise, a decision-to-delivery interval of 30 min (or less) has been
      suggested as the ideal time frame within which an obstetric team should achieve
      delivery. In theory, a short decision-to-delivery interval may minimise intra
      uterine hypoxia and improve neonatal outcome. Current medical evidence does not
      support this time frame. There are certain indications for caesarean section that
      necessitate a much shorter decision-to-delivery interval, but evidence suggests
      that the majority of neonates may be safely delivered within a longer interval of
      time. Current tools available for the diagnosis of foetal distress are imperfect,
      and the concept of foetal distress is poorly defined. Future research should
      focus on finding accurate means of diagnosing foetal distress in labouring women
      and establishing universally agreed evidence-based decision-to-delivery targets
      without compromising maternal or foetal safety.

PMID- 28625306
TI  - Spinal-induced hypotension: Incidence, mechanisms, prophylaxis, and management:
      Summarizing 20 years of research.
AB  - Hypotension commonly occurs in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery under
      spinal anesthesia. This leads to maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes,
      including maternal nausea and vomiting and fetal acidosis, and might even lead to
      cardiovascular collapse if not treated. Arterial dilatation and reduction in
      systemic vascular resistance are the major contributors to spinal-induced
      hypotension. Therefore, strategies aimed at expanding the intravascular volume
      with fluid loading or increasing venous return with lower extremities mechanical
      compression and lateral tilt have had limited effectiveness in the management of
      spinal-induced hypotension. Vasopressors are therefore the mainstay for the
      prophylaxis and treatment of spinal-induced hypotension. Phenylephrine is
      associated with improved neonatal acid-base status and a lower risk of maternal
      nausea and vomiting compared with ephedrine and is now considered the vasopressor
      of choice in obstetric patients. This review discusses the various strategies for
      managing spinal-induced hypotension with a particular emphasis on the optimal use
      of vasopressors.

PMID- 28625307
TI  - Postcesarean delivery analgesia.
AB  - Effective pain management should be a key priority in women undergoing cesarean
      delivery. Suboptimal perioperative pain management is associated with chronic
      pain, greater opioid use, delayed functional recovery, impaired maternal-fetal
      bonding, and increased postpartum depression. Severe acute postoperative pain is
      also strongly associated with persistent pain after cesarean delivery. Multimodal
      analgesia is the core principle for cesarean delivery pain management. The use of
      neuraxial morphine and opioid-sparing adjuncts such as scheduled nonsteroidal
      anti-inflammatory medications and acetaminophen is recommended for all women
      undergoing cesarean delivery with neuraxial anesthesia unless contraindicated.
      Additional analgesic and opioid-sparing options such as wound instillation of
      local anesthetics, transversus abdominis plane blocks, dexamethasone, gabapentin,
      and ketamine may be used as appropriate in women at risk of severe postoperative
      pain or in women whose postoperative pain is not well controlled despite standard
      analgesic regimes.

PMID- 28625308
TI  - The role of ultrasonography in obstetric anesthesia.
AB  - Ultrasonography is increasingly being viewed as an everyday tool in obstetric
      anesthesia. For the administration of spinal or epidural anesthesia, it reduces
      needle redirection attempts in patients with difficult anatomy. In the less
      frequent scenario of a collapsed patient, it helps with assessment in the form of
      transthoracic echocardiography. Abdominal blocks require ultrasound guidance for
      safe and anatomically correct placement. Accurate assessment of gastric volume
      status with ultrasound would be a useful everyday skill if it is adopted into
      mainstream practice. We provide a summary of current opinions on the role of
      ultrasound in practice and highlight the potential for its future use in
      obstetric anesthesia.

PMID- 28625309
TI  - Maternal mortality and the role of the obstetric anesthesiologist.
AB  - Maternal mortality is increasing in the United States and remains unacceptably
      high in many parts of the world. Pre-existing conditions and social determinants
      of health frequently contribute to maternal death. General solutions to enhance
      maternal safety focus on systems to identify women at high risk and to tailor the
      management before, during, and after pregnancy. This review highlights condition
      specific solutions for the leading etiologies of maternal death, including
      cardiac disease, sepsis, hemorrhage, venous thromboembolism, hypertensive
      disorders of pregnancy, and amniotic fluid embolism. Although anesthesia is an
      exceedingly rare cause of maternal death, specific hazards remain, including
      airway management, high neuraxial block, and unintentional dural puncture. The
      review concludes with an overview of strategies to create an institutional
      culture of both safety and equity, including multidisciplinary team training,
      simulation, shared decision-making, family-centered care, and serious morbidity
      review.

PMID- 28625310
TI  - ?
AB  - UPDATED 2016 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CLINICAL PRACTICE OF NICE/SAINT-PAUL-DE
      VENCE IN OVARIAN CANCER AND ADVANCED CERVICAL CANCER: Since the first edition of
      the 2012-2013 Clinical Practice Recommendations Nice-Saint-Paul for gynecological
      cancers, the management of ovarian cancer has become more complex with a better
      definition of histological subtypes of ovarian cancers, the update of the anatomo
      clinical classifications, the evolution of the recommended quality criteria for
      surgery. In addition, the integration of new medical options, such as PARP
      inhibitors, requires us to review our management of ovarian cnacer patients
      (including early systematic oncogenetic research of homologous recombination
      pathway deficiency). Similarly, medical treatment has evolved in advanced
      cervical cancer with the new option of bevacizumab therapy. On behalf of the
      GINECO group, we have updated the guidelines for ovarian epithelial cancer
      (excepted rare tumors) and advanced cervical cancer in order to allow rapid
      dissemination of the latest advances to the medical community in order to adjust
      the daily practice.

PMID- 28625311
TI  - ?
AB  - BRCA MUTATED OVARIAN CARCINOMAS: GENETIC COUNSELING AND PARP INHIBITORS
      PRESCRIPTION: Upon the availability of the PARP inhibitors in relapsed ovarian
      carcinoma, the pathways of the oncogenetic counseling were modified. Any research
      for a constitutional alteration of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes must be accompanied
      by an oncogenetic counseling. BRCA testing is recommended from the diagnosis to
      every woman with an ovarian or fallopian tube or peritoneum of high grade
      adenocarcinoma, whatever the age at the diagnosis and her family history. In case
      of sensitive relapse or potential inclusion in a clinical trial and in the
      absence of preliminary constitutional research, the oncogenetic counseling is
      organized according to a fast track pathway and a somatic analysis can be
      realized in parallel. Today, olaparib is indicated for patients with a high grade
      serous ovarian or fallopian tube or peritoneum adenocarcinoma, with deleterious
      mutation of BRCA genes (constitutional or somatic), and in sensitive platinum
      relapse, and in maintenance therapy after a response to chemotherapy including
      platinum. The indication of a treatment with olaparib can be discussed in
      multidisciplinary staff for the other non-serous high grade ovarian carcinoma if
      all other criteria are gathered. Olaparib is prescribed in monotherapy, to start
      at the latest 8 weeks after the last chemotherapy cycle, under narrow
      surveillance, because of its gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicities.

PMID- 28625312
TI  - ?
AB  - TREATMENT FOR PLATINUM SENSITIVE RELAPSES OF OVARIAN CANCER: Despite large
      improvements in treatment efficacy, the cure rate of ovarian cancer has not
      radically changed. Relapses both remain frequent and are still synonymous with
      chronic disease. Most of them are platinum-sensitive, and can be successfully
      treated with successive lines of chemotherapy. Surgery may have a role to play
      but its real impact, population selection criteria, and adequate timing still
      have to be established. Regarding medical treatments, the availability of new
      targeted therapeutics, such as bevacizumab and olaparib, complicates decision
      making. Moreover, allergic drug reactions to platins worsen treatment management.
      In practice, treatment decision making integrates patient profiles and wishes,
      types and numbers of previous medical treatments along with BRCA status.

PMID- 28625313
TI  - ?
AB  - OVARIAN CANCER: EARLY RELAPSE: Early relapse (primary or secondary) is defined by
      relapse of disease less than 6 months before the last infusion of chemotherapy
      (with a platinum compound). There is no carcinological surgical indication.
      Disease should be treated with a non-platinum single agent (pegylated liposomal
      doxorubicin, weekly paclitaxel, gemcitabine or topotecan). Bevacizumab can be
      added if patients have not already received it (level of proof 1, grade A).

PMID- 28625314
TI  - ?
AB  - METASTATIC OR RECURRENT CERVICAL CANCER/TREATMENT: The prognosis of metastatic or
      recurrent cervical cancer remains dismal. The poor chemosensitivity of this tumor
      is an issue, especially in case of recurrence in irradiated fields. Still,
      chemotherapy has shown some efficacy, and mostly consists in platinum-based
      doublets. The addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy has been recently
      validated. However, most of these patients present with complex clinical
      situations and the treatment strategy has to be discussed in multidisciplinary
      tumor boards.

PMID- 28625315
TI  - ?
AB  - OVARIAN CANCER, FIRST LINE, MULTIDISCIPLINARITY: Recommendations for the clinical
      practice of Nice-Saint-Paul de Vence The treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian
      cancer is multidisciplinary involving surgical teams and surgery and medical
      oncology, experienced in the management of this disease, following published
      quality criteria. The strategy must be validated in multidisciplinary
      consultation meeting (RCP) before any treatment. The pre-therapeutic assessment
      includes the histological diagnosis, evaluation of the tumor extension
      (biological assessment, markers, imaging, laparoscopy), assessment of the general
      state (operability), in order to answer the question of feasibility of an initial
      optimal surgery. The standard treatment involves complete surgical resections of
      the lesions by median laparotomy, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy based on
      carboplatin and paclitaxel, six cycles with the possibility of treatment with
      bevacizumab during adjuvant treatment and in maintenance. If complete surgery is
      not feasible as a result of the initial assessment, interval debulking surgery is
      considered after 3 to 4 courses of induction chemotherapy.

PMID- 28625316
TI  - Mesenchymal Stem Cell-based Therapy as a New Horizon for Kidney Injuries.
AB  - Today, the prevalence of kidney diseases is increasing around the world, but
      there has still been no effective medical treatment. The therapeutic choices are
      confined to supportive cares and preventive strategies. Currently, mesenchymal
      stem cells (MSCs)-based cell therapy was proposed for the treatment of kidney
      injuries. However, after the transplantation of MSCs, they are exposed to masses
      of cytotoxic factors involving an inflammatory cytokine storm, a nutritionally
      poor hypoxic environment and oxidative stresses that finally lead to minimize the
      efficacy of MSCs based cell therapy. Therefore, several innovative strategies
      were developed in order to potentiate MSCs to withstand the unfavorable
      microenvironments of the injured kidney tissues and improve their therapeutic
      potentials. This review aims to introduce MSCs as a new modality in the treatment
      of renal failure. Here, we discuss the clinical trials of MSCs-based therapy in
      kidney diseases as well as the in vivo studies dealing with MSCs application in
      kidney injuries mainly from the proliferation, differentiation, migration and
      survival points of view. The obstacles and challenges of this new modality in
      kidney injuries are also discussed.

PMID- 28625317
TI  - Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Postconditioning Protects Against Myocardial
      Ischemia/reperfusion Injury in Rats via Mitochondrial Signaling and Akt-Gsk3beta
      Phosphorylation.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although preconditioning of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P)
      has been shown to protect myocytes from hypoxia reoxgenation injury in vitro, the
      role of S1P postconditioning on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MIRI) in
      vivo and its related mechanism are unknown. The aim of this study was to
      investigate the protective role of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) postconditioning
      in MIRI via its effects on mitochondrial signaling and Akt/Gsk3beta
      phosphorylation. METHODS: Rats were subjected to MIRI, consisting of 30 min of
      ischemia followed by 120 min of reperfusion, with S1P administered at the
      beginning of the reperfusion. Myocardial infarct size and apoptotic index were
      measured by triphenyltetrazolium (TTC) and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase
      dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays, respectively. Akt and Gsk3beta
      phosphorylation, caspase-3 cleavage, and cytochrome c translocation were assessed
      by western blot. Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening and
      mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, DeltaPsi) were also examined to determine
      overall mitochondrial function. RESULTS: S1P postconditioning significantly
      decreased myocardial infarct size and apoptosis, as well as enhanced Akt and
      Gsk3beta phosphorylation, attenuated caspase-3 cleavage and cytosolic cytochrome
      c translocation, and inhibited MPTP opening, which subsequently preserved
      Deltapsi. Electron microscopy also confirmed that S1P helped maintain myocardial
      mitochondria integrity. Moreover, the protective effects of S1P treatment were
      blocked by cotreatment with a PI3K inhibitor, LY294002. CONCLUSIONS: These
      results suggest that S1P postconditioning protects against MIRI by regulating
      mitochondrial signaling and Akt/Gsk3beta phosphorylation.

PMID- 28625318
TI  - Prognostic Value of Different Allelic Polymorphism of Aldosterone Synthase
      Receptor in a Congestive Heart Failure European Continental Ancestry Population.
AB  - : Aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) is as an 9-exon gene on chromosome 8q22 and
      exists as a common single nucleotide polymorphism C-T transition for position 
      344. The aim of this study was to assess the -344T/C polymorphism of the
      aldosterone synthase promoter in a European continental ancestry congestive heart
      failure (CHF) population. METHODS: Patients discharged after an acute
      decompensation were enrolled and underwent echocardiography, determination of
      BNP, evaluation of non-invasive cardiac outputs and determination of -344 T/C SNP
      in the aldosterone synthase gene. RESULTS: 175 patients (137 male; age 69.9 +/-
      10.2 years) were enrolled. The genotype distribution of -344 T/C SNP demonstrated
      a TT genotype in 61 patients (34.9%), CT in 80 (45.7%) and finally CC in 34
      (19.4%) CHF patients. According to presence of C allele, CHF patients were
      divided into C group (-CT/CC genotype, 114 subjects) and T Group (-TT genotype,
      61 subjects). The two groups did not differ in term of age, non-invasive cardiac
      output at rest, creatinine level or end-systolic or diastolic left ventricle
      diameter, LVEF and BNP. In group C patients in comparison than in group T a
      higher degree of disability (Barthel Index p = 0.004), NYHA class (p = 0.02) and
      a lower cardiac index (p = 0.01) emerged. Moreover, the two groups showed a
      similar clinical outcome (death for any cause/hospital readmission for CHF) at 48
      month follow-up (p = 0.16; log-rank 1.99). CONCLUSIONS: In European continental
      ancestry patients the C allele (CC or CT) at -344T/C SNP in the aldosterone
      synthase gene does not significantly influence clinical prognosis of CHF.

PMID- 28625319
TI  - Polymorphic Variants rs3088442 and rs2292334 in the Organic Cation Transporter 3
      (OCT3) Gene and Susceptibility Against Type 2 Diabetes: Role of their
      Interaction.
AB  - AIMS: In this study, we investigated whether two common variants (rs3088442G>A
      and rs2292334G>A) in the organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3) gene, a high
      capacity transporter widely expressed in various tissues, affect susceptibility
      to type 2 diabetes (T2D) in patients newly diagnosed with T2D. METHODS: We
      performed a study with 150 newly diagnosed patients with T2D and 152 controls.
      The genetic analyses were performed using the restricted fragment length
      polymorphism (RFLP) after PCR amplification. RESULTS: For the rs3088442G>A
      variant, A allele carriers had a significantly lower odds ratio (OR) vs. GG
      homozygotes in the BMI <30 kg/m2 group (OR = 0.23, p <0.001) compared with the
      BMI >=30 kg/m2 group (OR = 0.67, p = 0.34). When ORs were adjusted for BMI, age,
      sex, and blood pressure, our findings showed that the overexpression of the A
      allele of the rs3088442G>A variant was associated with a decreased risk of T2D
      (OR = 0.016, p <0.001). A Bayesian logistic model revealed that the interaction
      of two variants studied were significantly associated with a decreased risk of
      T2D (OR = 0.61, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The present study has identified the
      protective effect of the variant rs3088442G>A in the 3'-untranslated region of
      the OCT3 gene in susceptibility to T2D, and that the protective role is
      maintained in the presence of risky alleles of the variant rs2292334G>A. The
      association of the A allele of rs3088442G>A with T2D become weaker in obese
      people than that of non-obese. If confirmed in other populations, the
      rs3088442G>A variant as a genetic marker may potentially assist in the
      identification of individuals at an increased risk of T2D.

PMID- 28625320
TI  - Expression of Jagged1/Notch3 Signaling Pathway and their Relationship with the
      Tumor Angiogenesis in TNBC.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Jagged1/Notch3 signaling pathway plays a key role in
      angiogenesis of breast cancer, but little is known in TNBC. This study was
      designed to investigate the expression of Jagged1/Notch3 mRNA and protein in
      TNBC, analyze their correlations with clinicopathological characteristics and
      prognosis. Moreover, the interrelationship among Jagged1/Notch3 and VEGF was
      initially evaluated. METHODS: Jagged1/Notch3 mRNA and protein expression levels
      were determined by Q-RT-PCR and Western blotting. Additionally,
      Immunohistochemistry for Jagged1/Notch3 was detected by Ventana platform, VEGF
      and CD34 was performed using the EnVision/HRP technique. RESULTS: mRNA
      transcriptionof Jagged1/Notch3 was in accord with protein expression. TNBC
      patients with positive Jagged1 expression had poorer DFS (p = 0.008) and OS (p =
      0.004). Jagged1 expression was independent predictors of OS (p = 0.038). The
      expression of VEGF was positively correlative to MVD (p = 0.018), MVD was
      significantly associated with Jagged1 (p <0.0001) and Notch3 (p <0.0001). The
      expression of Jagged1/Notch3 has no correlation with VEGF, only in positive VEGF
      expression of TNBC patients Jagged1/Notch3 had influence on DFS and OS (p <0.05).
      CONCLUSION: Jagged1/Notch3 was -expressed at both the mRNA and protein levels,
      Jagged1 served as an independent predictor of poor prognosis. We speculate that
      there is a cross-talk between Jagged1/Notch3 and VEGF in TNBC angiogenesis.
      Jagged1/Notch3 is expected to be an important signaling pathway for TNBC
      progression and a potential target for TNBC neovascularization therapy.

PMID- 28625321
TI  - Catechol-O-methyltransferase Gene Polymorphism (Val158Met) and Development of Pre
      eclampsia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is a key enzyme in degradation
      pathways of estrogens and catecholamines. The present meta-analysis was done to
      elucidate the association of COMT Val158Met polymorphism with pre-eclampsia among
      pregnant women. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in electronic
      databases including PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier, Springer and Google Scholar to find
      eligible studies. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were
      calculated under dominant, recessive, co-dominant, and allelic models. RESULTS:
      This meta-analysis included 6 eligible studies consisting 2596 cases and 4223
      controls. The ORs for the COMT G472A polymorphism and pre-eclampsia were
      indicative of positive association under several genetic models. The results
      indicated that COMT Val158Met polymorphism was significantly associated with the
      increased risk of pre-eclampsia in recessive model (AA vs. AG + GG: OR = 1.522
      [95% CI: 1.089-2.127]; p = 0.014), co-dominant model (AA vs. GG: OR = 1.605 [95%
      CI: 1.102-2.336]; p = 0.014), and allelic model (A vs. T: OR = 1.200 [95% CI:
      1.021-1.402]; p = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, COMT Val158Met polymorphism is
      positively associated with the increased risk of pre-eclampsia among pregnant
      women, especially the homozygous carriers. It could be of value to investigate
      its association with pre-eclampsia in combination with additional risk factors.
      However, very large studies with different ethnic population are required to
      accurately demonstrate the role of this candidate gene in development of pre
      eclampsia.

PMID- 28625322
TI  - Effect of B Vitamins from Diet on Hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In western populations, a higher level of dietary B vitamins intake
      has been associated with a lower risk of hypertension. However, data in Chinese
      is limited, whose B vitamins consumption is low and rates of hypertension are
      high. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate whether the three B vitamins are
      associated with hypertension in rural Chinese. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey
      among 2241 rural Chinese aged 18-80 years was conducted in northwestern China in
      2010. Blood pressure was measured by trained medical staff and dietary nutrients
      were assessed with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: 592
      cases of hypertension were newly diagnosed. The deficiency proportions were 20.5%
      for vitamin B-6, 43.9% for folate and 98.5% for B-12. For females, participants
      in the highest quartile of B-6 intake had a significantly lower risk of
      hypertension (OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50-0.93; p for trend <0.05). For males, the
      multivariable OR for the same comparison was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.56-0.99, p for trend
      >0.05). No significant associations were observed between B-12, folate intake and
      hypertension. For females, the highest quartile of both folate and B-6 intake was
      associated with a reduced risk of hypertension (OR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.29-0.89),
      compared with in the middle quartile of both vitamins. CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake
      of vitamin B-6 is independently associated with lower risk of hypertension in
      Chinese rural adults. Among females with high folate intake, the association
      between B-6 and hypertension was strongest. Additional studies are warrant to
      establish the causal inference.

PMID- 28625323
TI  - Assessment of Sodium and Potassium Intake by 24 h Urinary Excretion in a Healthy
      Mexican Cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A high dietary sodium intake and a low potassium intake are
      associated with adverse cardiovascular health. Data on these nutrients
      consumption in Mexico is limited. The aim of this study was to assess sodium and
      potassium intake by 24 h urinary excretion in a clinically healthy Mexican
      population. We additionally explored their association with blood pressure.
      METHODS: 711 clinically healthy participants aged 20-50 years old recruited in
      the Tlalpan 2020 cohort from September 2014-December 2015, were included in this
      cross-sectional analysis. All participants provided a 24 h urine sample and
      underwent anthropometric, biochemical, and blood pressure evaluations. Univariate
      and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to assess the association
      of urinary sodium, potassium, and Na/K ratio with blood pressure. RESULTS: Mean
      (95% confidence interval [CI]) urinary sodium and potassium in the overall
      population was 3150.1 (3054.2-3246.0) mg/d and 1909.5 (1859.3-1959.6) mg/d,
      respectively. Overall, only 121 (17%) met the WHO recommendation for sodium
      intake (<2000 mg/d) and 16 (2.3%) met the goal for potassium intake (>=3510
      mg/d). Urinary sodium (beta coefficient 1.3, 95% CI: 0.7, 1.8, p <0.001) and
      potassium (beta coefficient 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0, 3.2, p <0.001) were found to be
      associated with systolic blood pressure in the univariate analysis but not in the
      multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium intake was higher and potassium intake
      was lower than the WHO recommendations in this healthy Mexican population. Sodium
      and potassium intakes were not associated with blood pressure at the mean levels
      of intake observed in this population, after adjusting for key variables.

PMID- 28625324
TI  - ESR2 Genetic Variants and Combined Oral Contraceptive Use Associated with the
      Risk of Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: There is accumulating evidence suggesting an important role
      of estrogen receptor-beta in the development of cardiovascular disease. The
      present study aims to investigate the relationship of estrogen receptor beta gene
      (ESR2) polymorphisms with stroke risk in Chinese women, and further evaluate the
      gene-environment interaction of ESR2 and combined oral contraceptive (COC) use on
      stroke risk. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted with 446 first-ever
      stroke patients and 864 control subjects recruited from our prospective female
      cohort. Four polymorphisms of ESR2 gene were genotyped, and the information of
      contraceptive use was obtained by a face-to-face interview. RESULTS: Women with
      rs1256065 CC genotype were at a 1.59 fold increased risk of stroke. Subtype
      analyses showed that the risk genotype of rs1256065 was associated with ischemic
      stroke, but not with hemorrhagic stroke. AA genotype of rs4986938 showed a
      significant correlation with an elevated risk of hemorrhagic stroke. COC users
      with rs1256065 CC genotype had a 2.36 fold increased risk of stroke, compared
      with the non-users with the wild-type genotype. Moreover, a significant
      multiplicative interaction on hemorrhagic stroke was detected between COC use and
      rs4986938 (pinteraction = 0.023). The risk of hemorrhagic stroke was
      significantly elevated among carriers of rs4986938 GA or AA genotype combined
      with COC use. No associations were observed for rs1256049 and rs1271572.
      CONCLUSIONS: ESR2 genetic polymorphisms were associated with the risk of first
      ever stroke in Chinese women, and the AA genotype of rs4986938 combined with COC
      use could significantly increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

PMID- 28625325
TI  - Importance of CD117 in the Assignation of a Myeloid Lineage in Acute Leukemias.
AB  - The correct classification of acute leukemias (AL) is an essential part in the
      evaluation of any patient with this disease. Historically, CD117 has been an
      important asset in the diagnosis of patients with mixed-phenotype acute leukemia
      (MPAL). In an attempt to simplify the diagnosis of MPAL with fewer and more
      lineage specific markers, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed in 2008 a
      new criteria for the diagnosis of this type of AL, which excluded CD117 from the
      myeloid markers that are utilized to diagnose MPAL. In order to assess whether
      CD117 is necessary in the diagnosis of MPAL, we evaluated the sensitivity and
      specificity of CD117 for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 331 patients with AL.
      The calculated sensitivity of CD117 for AML was 85.88% (103/120), while the
      specificity was 83.9% (177/211). Besides myeloperoxidase (MPO), which was used as
      the gold standard in differentiating AML from other type of ALs, the most
      specific markers for AML in our study were CD14 and CD64 (99.5 and 95.6%).
      Although the specificity of CD117 in this study is not as high as CD14 and CD64,
      markers concomitantly used in this this study and in the WHO classification,
      based on the results of other researches (i.e. the specificity of CD117 for AML
      was 100% in one study) and due to the fact that its specificity for AML in this
      study is relatively high, we recommend the use CD117 in assigning a myeloid
      lineage in MPAL.

PMID- 28625326
TI  - High Thyroid-stimulating Hormone Levels Increase Proinflammatory and
      Cardiovascular Markers in Patients with Extreme Obesity: Methodological Issues.

PMID- 28625327
TI  - Response: High Thyroid-stimulating Hormone Levels Increase Proinflammatory and
      Cardiovascular Markers in Patients with Extreme Obesity.

PMID- 28625328
TI  - Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Photodamage of the Skin of the Hands.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) provides growth factors that stimulate
      fibroblast activation and induce the synthesis of collagen and other components
      of the extracellular matrix. The objective of this study was to evaluate the
      effect of PRP in the treatment of photodamage of the skin of the hands. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: Experimental study enrolling persons with photoaged skin on the
      dorsum of the hands (Glogau photoaging scale, type III, or Fitzpatrick wrinkle
      classification, type II) were included between August 2012 and January 2013. A
      histological comparison was made of skin biopsies taken before and after the
      application of PRP to the skin of the dorsum of the hands. RESULTS: The mean (SD)
      age of the 18 women enrolled was 47.9 (4.3) years. Histological analysis showed
      an increase in the number of fibroblasts (P<.001), number of vessels (P<.001),
      and collagen density (P=.27). These changes produced significant improvements in
      the Fitzpatrick wrinkle and elastosis scale (P<.001) and in the Glogau photoaging
      scale (P=.01). CONCLUSIONS: PRP induced a reduction in the manifestations of skin
      aging, including an improvement in wrinkles and elastosis.

PMID- 28625329
TI  - Solitary Filiform Papule in the Left Nasal Vestibule.

PMID- 28625330
TI  - Dermoscopy of Erythromelanosis Follicularis Faciei et Colli.

PMID- 28625331
TI  - Management Of Early Stage Cervical Cancer: When Is Non-Randomized Data Good
      Enough?

PMID- 28625332
TI  - Considerations of developing an NGS assay for clinical applications in precision
      oncology: The NCI-MATCH NGS assay experience.
AB  - Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have been widely adapted in
      clinical oncology by utilizing the profiled genetic mutation information to
      select patients and to guide the choice of target therapy. To fulfill the
      regulatory compliance, development of an NGS assay that will be used in clinical
      trials requires an analytical validation to meet its intend clinical use. NCI
      MATCH trial is the largest precision oncology basket trial which uses a single
      NGS assay (NCI-MATHC NGS assay) to screen the actionable mutations in 6000
      patients, who have relapsed/refractory solid tumors and lymphomas after standard
      systemic treatment, and assigns matched treatment. This article reviews on the
      critical considerations during development and validation of NGS assays as an
      investigational device for genomic based clinical trials and provides the
      experiences from the development of NCI-MATCH NGS assay.

PMID- 28625333
TI  - Liver metastases from gastric carcinoma: A Case report and review of the
      literature.
AB  - Gastric carcinoma (GC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide but the
      third leading cause of cancer death, and surgery remains the only curative
      treatment option. Prognosis of patients with liver metastases from gastric
      carcinoma (LMGC) is poor, and the optimal treatment of metastatic gastric cancer
      remains a matter of debate. In 2002, a 53-year-old male patient with GC and
      synchronous oligometastatic lesion in liver VIII segment underwent a total
      gastrectomy combined with metastasectomy. The pathologic diagnosis was stage IV
      gastric adenocarcinoma (pT3N2M1), which was treated with adjuvant chemotherapy
      (cisplatin, epirubicin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil). In 2012, abdominal
      ultrasound and percutaneous liver biopsy revealed recurrence of the metastasis in
      the right liver lobe. Progression of the disease was observed after palliative
      chemotherapy (epirubicin, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine). Nevertheless, an
      extended right hemihepatectomy, with excision of segments 1, 4A, 5, 6, 7, and 8,
      was still performed. Pathologic examination confirmed large KRAS- and HER2
      negative LMGC. The patient is alive and free of disease 47 months after the
      repeated hepatectomy and 13 years after removal of the primary GC and synchronous
      liver metastasis. Based on review of 27 articles, 5-year overall survival rate
      following gastrectomy and liver metastasectomy may reach 60%, with median
      survival time up to 74 months. Although the combination of aggressive surgical
      approach with systemic therapy for LMGC is controversial, it may allow favorable
      outcome. Careful selection of patients based on evaluable predictive factors for
      R0 surgical resection of both primary tumor and liver metastases can lead to
      cure, as shown in our case presentation, where a 10-year relapse-free survival
      was observed, followed by successful repeated hepatectomy due to liver
      metastases.

PMID- 28625334
TI  - Remembering our geriatric leaders of the past and looking to the future.

PMID- 28625335
TI  - Provision of information to consumers about the calorie content of alcoholic
      drinks: did the Responsibility Deal pledge by alcohol retailers and producers
      increase the availability of calorie information?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Alcohol is a significant source of dietary calories and is a
      contributor to obesity. Industry pledges to provide calorie information to
      consumers have been cited as reasons for not introducing mandatory ingredient
      labelling. As part of the Public Health Responsibility Deal (RD) in England,
      alcohol retailers and producers committed to providing consumers with information
      on the calorie content of alcoholic drinks. This study examines what was achieved
      following this commitment and considers the implications for current industry
      commitments to provide information on alcohol calories. STUDY DESIGN: Analysis of
      RD pledge delivery plans and progress reports. Assessment of calorie information
      in supermarkets and in online stores. METHODS: (i) Analysis of the content of
      pledge delivery plans and annual progress reports of RD signatories to determine
      what action they had committed to, and had taken, to provide calorie information.
      (ii) Analysis of the availability of calorie information on product labels; in UK
      supermarkets; and on online shopping sites and websites. RESULTS: No information
      was provided in any of 55 stores chosen to represent all the main UK
      supermarkets. Calorie information was not routinely provided on supermarkets'
      websites, or on product labels. CONCLUSIONS: One of the stated purposes of the RD
      was to provide consumers with the information to make informed health-related
      choices, including providing information on the calorie content of alcoholic
      drinks. This study indicates that this did not take place to any significant
      extent. The voluntary implementation of alcohol calorie labelling by industry
      needs to continue to be carefully monitored to determine whether and how it is
      done.

PMID- 28625336
TI  - [The prevention and control of iatrogenesis require various fronts and alliances.
      The Spanish Society for Public Health and Health Administration (SESPAS) calls
      for collaboration].

PMID- 28625337
TI  - Osteogenesis imperfecta - A clinical update.
AB  - Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is the most common inherited form of bone fragility
      and includes a heterogenous group of genetic disorders which most commonly result
      from defects associated with type 1 collagen. 85%-90% of cases are inherited in
      an autosomal dominant manner and are caused by mutations in the COL1A1 and COL1A2
      genes, leading to quantitative or qualitative defects in type 1 collagen. In the
      last decade, defects in several other proteins involved in the normal processing
      of type 1 collagen have been described. Recent advances in genetics have called
      for reconsideration of the classification of OI, however, most recent
      classifications align with the classic clinical classification by Sillence. The
      hallmark of the disease is bone fragility but other tissues are also affected.
      Intravenous bisphosphonates (BPs) are the most widely used intervention, having
      significant favorable effects regarding areal bone mineral density (BMD) and
      vertebral reshaping following fractures in growing children. BPs have a modest
      effect in long bone fracture incidence, their effects in adults with OI concerns
      only BMD, while there are reports of subtrochanteric fractures resembling
      atypical femoral fractures. Other therapies showing promising results include
      denosumab, teriparatide, sclerostin inhibition, combination therapy with
      antiresorptive and anabolic drugs and TGF-beta inhibition. Gene targeting
      approaches are under evaluation. More research is needed to delineate the best
      therapeutic approach in this heterogeneous disease.

PMID- 28625338
TI  - Acute diplopia in the pediatric Emergency Department. A cohort multicenter
      Italian study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute diplopia (AD) is an uncommon and distressing symptom of
      numerous ocular and neurological conditions, with potentially serious sequelaes.
      No data are present in pediatrics on the presentation and management of AD. AIM:
      This study investigated characteristics, etiology and health care utilization of
      the pediatric population with AD accessed to pediatric Emergency Departments
      (ED), trying to identify "red flags" associated with potentially life-threatening
      (LT) conditions. METHODS: We conducted a cohort multicenter study on children
      with AD in ten Italian hospitals. Patients were classified into diagnostic
      categories, comparing children with and without LT disease. RESULTS: 621 children
      presented AD at a rate of 3.6 per 10.000. The most frequent diagnosis among no-LT
      conditions (81.2%) were headache, ocular disorders and minor post-traumatic
      disease, while LT conditions (18.8%) were represented by brain tumors,
      demyelinating conditions, idiopathic intracranial hypertension and major post
      traumatic diseases. The LT group showed a significantly higher age, with the odds
      increased by 1% for each month of age. Monocular diplopia occurred in 16.1%, but
      unlike adult one-fifth presented LT conditions. Binocular diplopia, associated
      ocular manifestations or extraocular neurological signs were significantly more
      common in the LT group. At regression logistic analysis strabismus and ptosis
      were associated with LT conditions. CONCLUSION: The majority of children
      presented no-LT conditions and more than one-fourth of patients had headache.
      Monocular diplopia in the LT group was never isolated but associated with other
      signs or symptoms. Our study was able to identify some specific ocular
      disturbances or neurologic signs potentially useful for ED physician to recognize
      patients with serious pathologies.

PMID- 28625339
TI  - Non-invasive ventilation in emergency departments in public hospitals in
      Catalonia. The VENUR-CAT study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To know the implementation and characteristics of non-invasive
      ventilation (NIV) in the Emergency Departments (EDs) of public hospitals in
      Catalonia (Spain) and analyze possible differences based on the typology, degree
      of activity and the availability of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the hospital.
      DESIGN: A non-interventional, descriptive study was carried out, using a
      structured questionnaire divided into 3sections: 1) professional experience and
      training; 2) devices used; and 3) clinical scenarios and the use of NIV. SETTING:
      Persons responsible for public EDs in Catalonia. RESULTS: Fifty-two of the 54
      public EDs in Catalonia responded (96.3%). Fifty-one perform NIV, which is mainly
      initiated by emergency care physicians (78.5%); 66.7% maintain the patient in the
      ED until discharge; and in 43.1% of the cases the length of stay is>24h. Of the
      EDs, 39.2% have their own protocol, 35.3% of which are established by consensus
      with other departments (more frequently in non-county hospitals [P=.012], and
      centers with an ICU [P=.014]), while 25.5% have no protocol, and 43.1% register
      the activity. Training represents the greatest difficulty for the implementation
      of NIV, but 19.6% do not provide specific training. When support is needed, the
      main physician of reference is the intensivist (35.3%) (more frequently in non
      county hospitals [P=.012], and centers with an ICU [P=.002]). CONCLUSIONS: In
      most EDs in Catalonia, NIV is performed by emergency care physicians. Areas
      needing improvement include drainage of patients once NIV has been started, the
      promotion of protocols, registry of activity, and training of the healthcare
      professionals.

PMID- 28625340
TI  - Yes to mechanical ventilation, but not just any.

PMID- 28625341
TI  - Efficacy and Toxicity of Metronomic Chemotherapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer:
      Egyptian Experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metronomic chemotherapy (MC) has shown efficacy in patients with
      metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We therefore tested the efficacy and toxicity of
      MC in pretreated MBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective phase II study
      included 50 patients with heavily pretreated MBC who received MC in the form of
      continuous oral cyclophosphamide 50 mg/day and oral methotrexate 2.5 mg twice per
      day on days 1 and 2 every week. The primary end point was progression-free
      survival (PFS), whereas the secondary end points were response rate, overall
      survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were assessed. One
      patient achieved complete response and 10 patients had partial response, whereas
      19 patients had stable disease. The median PFS was 5 months, whereas the median
      OS was 7 months. Patients with negative progesterone receptors, Eastern
      Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 1, achieving response, and
      those who developed leucopenia, neutropenia, and anemia had significant prolonged
      PFS, whereas patients with early stage at presentation, receiving < 5 previous
      treatment lines, achieving response, and experiencing anemia with MC had
      significant superior OS. In multivariate analysis, achieving response, PS 1, a
      longer time interval from initial diagnosis until starting MC, and anemia were
      independent prognostic factors for longer PFS. Initial stage at presentation,
      number of previous treatment lines, and response were independent prognostic
      factors for OS. CONCLUSIONS: MC is an attractive treatment approach that is
      effective and less toxic. There are certain groups of patients who seem to
      benefit more, especially those who experienced toxicity with treatment. Larger
      trials are warranted to assess this approach early in the course of the disease
      and with other more active agents.

PMID- 28625342
TI  - Dental investigation of mummies from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (circa
      18th-19th century CE).
AB  - Within the framework of the Sicily Mummy Project, the orofacial complex of a
      significant sample of individuals (n=111) from the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo,
      Italy, was inspected. The heads and dentitions of the mummies were documented and
      the recorded findings described: the state of preservation of skeletal and soft
      tissues; dental pathologies such as carious lesions and alveolar bone loss;
      enamel hypoplasia; and ante- and post-mortem tooth loss. Despite limitations in
      data collection, the oral health of these mummies was assessed and the
      frequencies of pathologies were compared to those of similar populations. From
      their position within the corridors of the Catacombs, sex and social status of
      the mummies were also inferred, allowing the dental pathologies to be specified
      in the social and historical context. Most interestingly, the rate of oral health
      problems did not differ between the groups of the members of the Capuchin Order
      and the laymen of the city of Palermo, despite their different lifestyles.

PMID- 28625344
TI  - Confined photonic mode propagation observed in photoemission electron microscopy.
AB  - Using photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) we present a comparative analysis
      of the wavelength dependence of propagating fields in a simple optical slab
      waveguide and a thin film photonic crystal W1-type waveguide. We utilize an
      interferometric imaging approach for light in the near-ultraviolet regime where a
      2-photon process is required to produce photoelectron emission. The typical
      spatial resolution in these experiments is < 30nm. Electromagnetic theory and
      finite element simulations are shown to be in good agreement with the
      experimental observations. Our results indicate that multiphoton PEEM is a useful
      sub-wavelength characterization technique in thin film optics.

PMID- 28625343
TI  - Short-term cooling increases serum triglycerides and small high-density
      lipoprotein levels in humans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cold exposure and beta3-adrenergic receptor agonism, which both
      activate brown adipose tissue, markedly influence lipoprotein metabolism by
      enhancing lipoprotein lipase-mediated catabolism of triglyceride-rich
      lipoproteins and increasing plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and
      functionality in mice. However, the effect of short-term cooling on human lipid
      and lipoprotein metabolism remained largely elusive. OBJECTIVE: The objective was
      to assess the effect of short-term cooling on the serum lipoprotein profile and
      HDL functionality in men. METHODS: Body mass index-matched young, lean men were
      exposed to a personalized cooling protocol for 2 hours. Before and after cooling,
      serum samples were collected for analysis of lipids and lipoprotein composition
      by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance. Adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette A1
      (ABCA1)-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL was measured using
      [3H]cholesterol-loaded ABCA1-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. RESULTS:
      Short-term cooling increased serum levels of free fatty acids, triglycerides, and
      cholesterol. Cooling increased the concentration of large very low-density
      lipoprotein (VLDL) particles accompanied by increased mean size of VLDL
      particles. In addition, cooling enhanced the concentration of small LDL and small
      HDL particles as well as the cholesterol levels within these particles. The
      increase in small HDL was accompanied by increased ABCA1-dependent cholesterol
      efflux in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that short-term cooling increases the
      concentration of large VLDL particles and increases the generation of small LDL
      and HDL particles. We interpret that cooling increases VLDL production and
      turnover, which results in formation of surface remnants that form small HDL
      particles that attract cellular cholesterol.

PMID- 28625345
TI  - Editorial: Frontiers in development of intelligent applications for medical
      imaging processing and computer vision.

PMID- 28625346
TI  - The role of the motor system in action naming in patients with neurodegenerative
      extrapyramidal syndromes.
AB  - Previous studies of patients with brain damage have suggested a close
      relationship between aphasia and movement disorders. Neurodegenerative
      extrapyramidal syndromes associated with cognitive impairment provide an
      interesting model for studying the neural substrates of cognitive and motor
      symptoms. In this review, we focused on studies investigating language production
      abilities in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS)
      and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). According to some reports, these
      patients exhibit a reduction in performance in both action and object naming or
      verb production compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, a disproportional
      impairment of action naming compared to object naming was systematically observed
      in patients with these disorders. The study of these clinical conditions offers
      the unique opportunity to examine the close link between linguistic features and
      motor characteristics of action. This particular pattern of language impairment
      may contribute to the debate on embodiment theory and on the involvement of the
      basal ganglia in language and in integrating language and movement. From a
      translational perspective, we suggest that language ability assessments are
      useful in the clinical work-up, along with neuropsychological and motor
      evaluations. Specific protocols should be developed in the near future to better
      characterize language deficits and to permit an early cognitive diagnosis.
      Moreover, the link between language deficits and motor impairment opens a new
      issue for treatment approaches. Treatment of one of these two symptoms may
      ameliorate the other, and treating both may produce a greater improvement in
      patients' global clinical conditions.

PMID- 28625347
TI  - Reachability judgement in optic ataxia: Effect of peripheral vision on hand and
      target perception in depth.
AB  - The concept of peripersonal space was first proposed by Rizzolatti, Scandolara,
      Matelli, and Gentilucci (1981), who introduced the term to highlight the close
      links between somatosensory and visual processing for stimuli close to the body
      and suggested that this near-body space could in fact be characterized as an
      action space (Rizzolatti, Fadiga, Fogassi, & Gallese, 1997). Supporting this
      idea, patients with right hemisphere lesions have been described as impaired in
      performing actions towards objects and in perceiving their location - but only
      when the objects were presented within arm's reach (Bartolo, Carlier, Hassaini,
      Martin, & Coello, 2014; Brain, 1941). Whether the deficit of optic ataxia
      patients in processing target locations for action has an effect on the
      representation of peripersonal space has never been explored. The present study
      highlights optic ataxia patients' specific difficulties in processing hand-to
      target distances in a motor task and in a perceptual task requiring
      identification of what is reachable in the visual environment. The difficulties
      are especially evident when both the target and the hand are perceived in the
      visual periphery. Indeed, when patient I.G. was able to fixate the target, her
      reaching accuracy and her perception of reachable space both largely improved.
      Furthermore, the difficulties were enhanced when the hand and the target were
      both in the lower visual field (in a fixed-far condition vs a fixed-near
      condition). This novel up-down dimension of optic ataxia fits with the larger
      representation of the lower visual field in the posterior parietal cortex
      (Pitzalis et al., 2013; Previc, 1990).

PMID- 28625349
TI  - Ulva biomass as a co-substrate for stable anaerobic digestion of spent coffee
      grounds in continuous mode.
AB  - Ulva biomass was evaluated as a co-substrate for anaerobic digestion of spent
      coffee grounds at varying organic loads (0.7-1.6g chemical oxygen demand
      (COD)/Ld) and substrate compositions. Co-digestion with Ulva (25%, COD basis)
      proved beneficial for SCG biomethanation in both terms of process performance and
      stability. The beneficial effect is much more pronounced at higher organic and
      hydraulic loads, with the highest COD removal and methane yield being 51.8% and
      0.19L/g COD fed, respectively. The reactor microbial community structure changed
      dynamically during the experiment, and a dominance shift from hydrogenotrophic to
      aceticlastic methanogens occurred with increase in organic loading rate. Network
      analysis provides a comprehensive view of the microbial interactions involved in
      the system and confirms a direct positive correlation between Ulva input and
      methane productivity. A group of populations, including Methanobacterium- and
      Methanoculleus-related methanogens, was identified as a possible indicator for
      monitoring the biomethanation performance.

PMID- 28625350
TI  - Multi-electrode bioelectrochemical system for the treatment of high total
      dissolved solids bearing chemical based wastewater.
AB  - Multi-electrode bioelectrochemical treatment system (ME-BET; membrane less)
      consisting of six electrode assemblies (E1-E6) was designed and fabricated for
      the treatment of complex chemical based wastewater with high salt concentration.
      The performance was compared with single electrode assembly BET reactor (SE-BET).
      Enhanced TDS and COD removal was observed in ME-BET (32%; 56%) compared to SE-BET
      (15%; 23%) as a result of in situ bio-potential from multi-electrodes through the
      oxidation of organic substrate in the wastewater. Inorganic pollutants viz.,
      nitrates (28%; 8%), sulphates (25%; 9%) and phosphates (20%; 7%) removal was
      higher in ME-BET in comparison with SE-BET and this was also supported with
      bioelectrogenic activity (584; 160mW/m3). The study infers that designing of
      compact reactors with multiple electrodes in a single system enhances the anodic
      reactions and enable effective treatment of complex wastewaters with simultaneous
      power production.

PMID- 28625348
TI  - Metabolic regulation of the PMCA: Role in cell death and survival.
AB  - The plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) is a ubiquitously expressed, ATP-driven
      Ca2+ pump that is critical for maintaining low resting cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i)
      in all eukaryotic cells. Since cytotoxic Ca2+ overload has such a central role in
      cell death, the PMCA represents an essential "linchpin" for the delicate balance
      between cell survival and cell death. In general, impaired PMCA activity and
      reduced PMCA expression leads to cytotoxic Ca2+ overload and Ca2+ dependent cell
      death, both apoptosis and necrosis, whereas maintenance of PMCA activity or PMCA
      overexpression is generally accepted as being cytoprotective. However, the PMCA
      has a paradoxical role in cell death depending on the cell type and cellular
      context. The PMCA can be differentially regulated by Ca2+-dependent proteolysis,
      can be maintained by a localised glycolytic ATP supply, even in the face of
      global ATP depletion, and can be profoundly affected by the specific phospholipid
      environment that it sits within the membrane. The major focus of this review is
      to highlight some of the controversies surrounding the paradoxical role of the
      PMCA in cell death and survival, challenging the conventional view of ATP
      dependent regulation of the PMCA and how this might influence cell fate.

PMID- 28625351
TI  - Challenges of non-flocculating Saccharomyces cerevisiae haploid strain against
      inhibitory chemical complex for ethanol production.
AB  - This study provides insight observation based on the gene expression and the
      metabolomic analysis of the natural robust yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae NBRC849
      during the fermentation in the medium containing inhibitory chemical complexes
      (ICC) at different concentrations. The tolerance mechanisms involved in the
      strain might have existed through the upregulation of genes involved in
      NAD(H)/NADP(H) cofactors generations (ALD6, ZWF1, GND1), membrane robustness for
      efflux pump (YOR1, PDR5, TPO3) and cation/polyamine transport (TPO3). The
      alteration of metabolic flux to the shikimic pathway was also found in this
      strain, resulted in the enhanced formation of aromatic amino acid required for
      cell survival. Enhanced expression of these genes as well as the increase of
      metabolic flux to shikimic pathway were suggested to result in the robustness of
      non-flocculating S. cerevisiae haploid strain.

PMID- 28625352
TI  - RNA-Seq and metabolic flux analysis of Tetraselmis sp. M8 during nitrogen
      starvation reveals a two-stage lipid accumulation mechanism.
AB  - To map out key lipid-related pathways that lead to rapid triacylglyceride
      accumulation in oleaginous microalgae, RNA-Seq was performed with Tetraselmis sp.
      M8 at 24h after exhaustion of exogenous nitrogen to reveal molecular changes
      during early stationary phase. Further gene expression profiling by quantitative
      real-time PCR at 16-72h revealed a distinct shift in expression of the fatty
      acid/triacylglyceride biosynthesis and beta-oxidation pathways, when cells
      transitioned from log-phase into early-stationary and stationary phase. Metabolic
      reconstruction modeling combined with real-time PCR and RNA-Seq gene expression
      data indicates that the increased lipid accumulation is a result of a decrease in
      lipid catabolism during the early-stationary phase combined with increased
      metabolic fluxes in lipid biosynthesis during the stationary phase. During these
      two stages, Tetraselmis shifts from reduced lipid consumption to active lipid
      production. This process appears to be independent from DGAT expression, a key
      gene for lipid accumulation in microalgae.

PMID- 28625354
TI  - Foraging Cognition: Reviving the Ecological Intelligence Hypothesis.
AB  - What are the origins of intelligent behavior? The demands associated with living
      in complex social groups have been the favored explanation for the evolution of
      primate cognition in general and human cognition in particular. However, recent
      comparative research indicates that ecological variation can also shape cognitive
      abilities. I synthesize the emerging evidence that 'foraging cognition' - skills
      used to exploit food resources, including spatial memory, decision-making, and
      inhibitory control - varies adaptively across primates. These findings provide a
      new framework for the evolution of human cognition, given our species' dependence
      on costly, high-value food resources. Understanding the origins of the human mind
      will require an integrative theory accounting for how humans are unique in both
      our sociality and our ecology.

PMID- 28625353
TI  - A Closer Look at the Hippocampus and Memory.
AB  - Current interpretations of hippocampal memory function are blind to the fact that
      viewing behaviors are pervasive and complicate the relationships among
      perception, behavior, memory, and brain activity. For example, hippocampal
      activity and associative memory demands increase with stimulus complexity.
      Stimulus complexity also strongly modulates viewing. Associative processing and
      viewing thus are often confounded, rendering interpretation of hippocampal
      activity ambiguous. Similar considerations challenge many accounts of hippocampal
      function. To explain relationships between memory and viewing, we propose that
      the hippocampus supports the online memory demands necessary to guide visual
      exploration. The hippocampus thus orchestrates memory-guided exploration that
      unfolds over time to build coherent memories. This new perspective on hippocampal
      function harmonizes with the fact that memory formation and exploratory viewing
      are tightly intertwined.

PMID- 28625355
TI  - Meta-Reasoning: Monitoring and Control of Thinking and Reasoning.
AB  - Meta-Reasoning refers to the processes that monitor the progress of our reasoning
      and problem-solving activities and regulate the time and effort devoted to them.
      Monitoring processes are usually experienced as feelings of certainty or
      uncertainty about how well a process has, or will, unfold. These feelings are
      based on heuristic cues, which are not necessarily reliable. Nevertheless, we
      rely on these feelings of (un)certainty to regulate our mental effort. Most
      metacognitive research has focused on memorization and knowledge retrieval, with
      little attention paid to more complex processes, such as reasoning and problem
      solving. In that context, we recently developed a Meta-Reasoning framework, used
      here to review existing findings, consider their consequences, and frame
      questions for future research.

PMID- 28625356
TI  - Prognostic Markers of Outcome in Patients Undergoing Infra-inguinal
      Revascularisation: A Prospective Observational Pilot Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate whether cardiopulmonary exercise testing
      (CPET) variables derived from cycle and arm ergonometry correlate, and whether
      CPET variables and pre-operative N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT
      proBNP) have prognostic significance and if the combination of the two has
      incremental value. METHODS: A prospective observational pilot study was
      conducted; 70 patients who underwent infra-inguinal bypass surgery were
      recruited. Pre-operatively subjects underwent CPET with both arm and leg
      ergonometry, to measure peak oxygen consumption, anaerobic threshold (AT), and
      ventilatory equivalents. In addition pre-operative serum samples of NT-proBNP
      were obtained. The primary endpoint was 1 year all-cause mortality; in addition,
      data were collected on complications, morbidity, length of stay, and major
      adverse cardiac events (MACE). RESULTS: The 1 year mortality rate was 6%, the
      overall complications rate was 23%, and the combined incidence of MACE and 1 year
      mortality was 10%. Cycle ergonometry peak VO2 14 mL/kg/min (RR 5.5, 95% CI 1.4
      22.4, p = .007) and AT < 10mL/kg/min (RR 3.0, 95% CI 1.1-7.0, p = .03) were
      predictors of post-operative complications. Pre-operative NT-proBNP > 320 ng/L
      (RR 18, 95% CI 2.5-140 p = .0003) was the sole predictor of 1 year mortality or
      MACE. CONCLUSION: The measurement of pre-operative NT-proBNP in peripheral
      vascular disease patients undergoing infra-inguinal bypass can predict 1 year
      mortality and MACE. CPET variables from cycle ergonometry are predictors of post
      operative complications in this patient group.

PMID- 28625357
TI  - Commentary on "Outcomes of Self Expanding Polytetrafluoroethylene Covered Stent
      versus Bare Metal Stent for Chronic Iliac Artery Occlusion in Matched Cohorts
      Using Propensity Score Modeling".

PMID- 28625358
TI  - Disruption of xanthine oxidoreductase gene attenuates renal ischemia reperfusion
      injury in mice.
AB  - AIMS: We examined the roles of xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) in renal ischemia
      reperfusion (IR) injury. MAIN METHODS: XOR+/+ and XOR+/- mice were subjected to
      24-h reperfusion after a 45-min bilateral renal artery occlusion or sham
      operation. We evaluated the renal damage based on the concentrations of blood
      urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Cr), and histological changes were
      detected by PAS staining. Xanthine dehydrogenase, oxidase (XO) and XOR
      activities, amounts of blood and urine 8-OHdG, and expressions of TNF-alpha and
      MCP-1 mRNA were examined. F4/80 and nitrotyrosine-positive cells were assessed by
      immunohistochemical staining. KEY FINDINGS: The BUN and Cr concentrations in the
      XOR+/+IR mice were increased significantly compared to those in XOR+/-IR and
      allopurinol-treated XOR+/+IR mice. XO and XOR activity, which were increased in
      IR mice, were reduced in the allopurinol-treated XOR+/+IR and XOR+/-IR mice
      compared to the XOR+/+IR mice. The concentrations of blood and urine 8-OHdG, and
      the expressions of MCP-1 and TNF-alpha mRNA were increased significantly in the
      XOR+/+IR mice compared to those in the XOR+/-IR mice. The histological analysis
      revealed that the XOR+/-IR and allopurinol-treated XOR+/+IR mice showed less
      tubular injury than the XOR+/+IR mice in the cortex regions, with the reduction
      of inflammation and oxidative stress assessed by the immunohistological staining
      for F4/80 and nitrotyrosine. SIGNIFICANCE: Both the disruption of XOR gene in
      XOR+/- mice and the reduction of XOR activity in allopurinol-treated XOR+/+IR
      mice attenuated renal tissue injury in this IR model. Reduced XOR activity during
      renal IR could be a beneficial treatment target.

PMID- 28625359
TI  - Roles of Arf6 in cancer cell invasion, metastasis and proliferation.
AB  - ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6), a member of small GTPases ADP-ribosylation
      factor (Arf) family, expresses widely in mammalian cells and mainly regulates the
      functions of membrane traffic and actin remodeling. Current studies indicated
      that the activation and high expression of Arf6 protein may be significantly
      correlated with the invasion and metastasis of several tumors, such as breast
      cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, etc. Meanwhile, the ability of tumor
      invasion and metastasis can be suppressed when Arf6 activity is blocked by the
      inhibitors or small-interfering RNAs of Arf6. To explore the precisely potential
      mechanisms between Arf6 and the process of tumor invasion, metastasis and
      proliferation, we concludes the functions and potential signaling pathways of
      Arf6 in tumor cells and provides an overview about clinical prospects of Arf6 in
      the screening, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of prognosis of neoplasms.

PMID- 28625360
TI  - Hypoxia primed placental mesenchymal stem cells for wound healing.
AB  - AIMS: To investigate how Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cells (P-MSCs) would adapt
      themselves and survive under hypoxic conditions which are prevalent in most
      injury sites. MAIN METHODS: P-MSCs were isolated from term placenta and
      characterised under normoxia and hypoxia (2-2.5% O2). Cells were examined for
      morphology and surface marker variations by flow cytometry analysis. Glucose
      stimulated insulin secretion was assayed by Insulin ELISA Kit. Gene expression
      levels were estimated using Real Time PCR for hypoxia inducible factor1 alpha,
      Insulin (INS), Glucose transporters (GLUT-1, GLUT-2 and GLUT-3), Adhesion
      Proteins- Integrins, Fibronectin1 (FN1), E-Cadherin (CDH1), and N-Cadherin (CDH2)
      and angiogenesis marker VEGFA. Immunofluorescence assay was done to confirm the
      presence of C-Peptide, GLUT 2, E-Cadherin and ITGB3. Adhesion was confirmed
      assessed on fibronectin binding. KEY FINDINGS: We show that insulin secretion is
      not hampered under hypoxia. We found an upregulation of glucose transporters
      under hypoxia indicating enhanced glucose uptake needed to cater to metabolic
      demands of proliferating cells. Up regulation of adhesion molecules was seen
      under hypoxia indicative of a favoured environment for retention of cells at the
      injury site. We also found increased level of angiogenesis of P-MSCs under
      hypoxia. SIGNIFICANCE: Our present study thus demonstrates for the first time
      that P-MSCs modulate themselves under hypoxic conditions by secreting insulin, up
      regulating glucose transporters and adhesion molecules and eventually exhibiting
      an increased angiogenic potential. We thus infer that priming P-MSCs under
      hypoxia, could make them more suitable for wound healing applications.

PMID- 28625361
TI  - Dependency distance in language evolution: Comment on "Dependency distance: A new
      perspective on syntactic patterns in natural languages" by Haitao Liu et al.

PMID- 28625362
TI  - Urotensin core mimics that modulate the biological activity of urotensin-II
      related peptide but not urotensin-II.
AB  - A novel approach for the synthesis of head-to-tail cyclic peptides has been
      developed and used to prepare two mimics of the urotensin II-related peptide
      (URP) cyclic core. Mimics 1 and 2 (c[Trp-Lys-Tyr-Gly-psi(triazole)-Gly] and c[Phe
      Trp-Lys-Tyr-Gly-psi(triazole)-Gly]) were respectively prepared using a
      combination of solid- and solution-phase synthesis. The silyl-based alkyne
      modifying (SAM) linker enabled installation of C-terminal alkyne and N-terminal
      azide moieties onto linear peptide precursors, which underwent head-to-tail
      copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) in solution. In an aortic
      ring contraction assay, neither 1 nor 2 exhibited agonist activity; however, both
      inhibited selectively URP- but not UII-mediated vasoconstriction. The core
      phenylalanine residue was shown to be important for enhancing modulatory activity
      of the urotensinergic system.

PMID- 28625363
TI  - Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel indolin-2-ones as potent
      anticancer compounds.
AB  - The indolin-2-one core is a privileged structure for antitumor agents, especially
      kinase inhibitors. Twenty-three novel indolin-2-ones were designed by molecular
      dissection of the anticancer drug indirubin. Seventeen of them exhibited
      significant inhibition against the tested cell lines, and two of them (1c and 1h)
      showed IC50 values at the submicromolar level against HCT-116 cells. Compounds 1c
      and 2c were also potent inhibitors of the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
      cell line MDA-MB-231. Flow cytometry was utilized to explore the antitumor
      mechanism of 1c and 2c with MDA-MB-231 cells, and distinct effects were observed
      on 2c. Furthermore, immunocytochemical examination of 1c suggested a
      destabilization of microtubules, which was significantly different from the
      effect of IM, an indirubin derivative.

PMID- 28625365
TI  - When academic research organizations and clinical research organizations
      disagree: Processes to minimize discrepancies prior to unblinding of randomized
      trials.

PMID- 28625364
TI  - Semi-quantitative models for identifying potent and selective transthyretin
      amyloidogenesis inhibitors.
AB  - Rate-limiting dissociation of the tetrameric protein transthyretin (TTR),
      followed by monomer misfolding and misassembly, appears to cause degenerative
      diseases in humans known as the transthyretin amyloidoses, based on human
      genetic, biochemical and pharmacologic evidence. Small molecules that bind to the
      generally unoccupied thyroxine binding pockets in the native TTR tetramer
      kinetically stabilize the tetramer, slowing subunit dissociation proportional to
      the extent that the molecules stabilize the native state over the dissociative
      transition state-thereby inhibiting amyloidogenesis. Herein, we use previously
      reported structure-activity relationship data to develop two semi-quantitative
      algorithms for identifying the structures of potent and selective transthyretin
      kinetic stabilizers/amyloidogenesis inhibitors. The viability of these prediction
      algorithms, in particular the more robust in silico docking model, is perhaps
      best validated by the clinical success of tafamidis, the first-in-class drug
      approved in Europe, Japan, South America, and elsewhere for treating
      transthyretin aggregation-associated familial amyloid polyneuropathy. Tafamidis
      is also being evaluated in a fully-enrolled placebo-controlled clinical trial for
      its efficacy against TTR cardiomyopathy. These prediction algorithms will be
      useful for identifying second generation TTR kinetic stabilizers, should these be
      needed to ameliorate the central nervous system or ophthalmologic pathology
      caused by TTR aggregation in organs not accessed by oral tafamidis
      administration.

PMID- 28625366
TI  - Feasibility of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients with
      symptomatic severe aortic stenosis: Rationale and design of the Low Risk TAVR
      (LRT) study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Safety and effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve replacement
      (TAVR) in low-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis have not yet
      been established. HYPOTHESIS: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement is feasible
      in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and low risk for surgical
      aortic valve replacement. DESIGN: The LRT study is the first US Food and Drug
      Administration-approved Investigational Device Exemption prospective multicenter
      feasibility trial of TAVR in low-risk patients. Patients determined to be low
      risk by the Heart Team will be enrolled to undergo TAVR with a commercially
      available balloon-expandable or self-expandable device. A propensity score
      matched, site-specific cohort of historical surgical aortic valve replacement
      patients will serve as a control group treated during the site's enrollment
      period or within the prior 3 years. Low-risk patients with symptomatic bicuspid
      aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR will be enrolled into a separate registry arm.
      All TAVR patients will undergo 4-dimensional contrast-enhanced cardiac computed
      tomography 4-6 weeks after implantation to assess for subclinical leaflet
      thrombosis and will be followed up clinically for 5 years with yearly
      echocardiography to monitor prosthesis function. SUMMARY: The LRT study will test
      feasibility of TAVR in low-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis
      in the United States with either tricuspid or bicuspid native aortic valves.
      Enrollment commenced in 2016 and results are expected in 2018.

PMID- 28625367
TI  - Impact of AHA's 2007 guideline change on incidence of infective endocarditis in
      infants and children.
AB  - : Use a nationally representative sample to assess impacts of new clinical
      guidelines issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2007 for many types
      of invasive procedures, with recommendations for significant decreases in
      antimicrobial prophylaxis use. STUDY DESIGN: Interrupted time series analyses of
      pediatric hospitalizations for Infective Endocarditis (IE), using the Nationwide
      Inpatient Sample (NIS) ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes, identified IE hospitalizations
      for patients <18 years old from 2001 to 2012. Changes in IE incidence before and
      after 2007 AHA guidelines were evaluated, with differences in IE clinical
      severity assessed using in-hospital mortality and length of stay. Analyses were
      stratified by pathogen type and age group (0-9 y/o and 10-17 y/o). RESULTS: With
      3,748 patients in the study, we observed rising trends in IE incidence, but no
      significant difference between pre- and post-guideline. There was a significant
      trend increase for IE due to viridans group streptococci (VGS) for ages >10 years
      old, comparing pre-guideline to post-guideline periods, but not in children 0-9
      years of age. Neither in-hospital mortality nor length of stay changed
      significantly during study. CONCLUSIONS: The data did not demonstrate an impact
      of the 2007 guideline changes on overall incidence of pediatric IE. However, a
      significant increase in disease incidence trend due to VGS was observed for the
      10-17 year-old group, compared pre- and post-guideline.

PMID- 28625368
TI  - Effect of aspirin on renal disease progression in patients with type 2 diabetes:
      A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. The renaL
      disEase progression by aspirin in diabetic pAtients (LEDA) trial. Rationale and
      study design.
AB  - : Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common causes of chronic
      kidney disease and kidney failure. It has been estimated that the annual decline
      of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among patients with T2DM is
      approximately 2.0-2.5mL min-1 y-1. Cyclooxygenase-dependent eicosanoids, such as
      11-dehydro-thromboxane (Tx)B2, are increased in T2DM patients and are potentially
      involved in the regulation of renal blood flow. Animal models showed that
      cyclooxygenase inhibitors, such as aspirin, are associated with improvements in
      renal plasma flow and eGFR values. HYPOTHESIS: The primary end point of the LEDA
      trial is to evaluate the 1-year decline of eGFR in T2DM patients treated or not
      with low-dose aspirin (100mg/d). Secondary end points will be the rapid decline
      in renal function, defined as a reduction of eGFR >=5mL/min, and change of renal
      function class after 1-year follow-up. Furthermore, urinary excretion 11-dehydro
      TxB2 will be related to renal function modifications. STUDY DESIGN: A phase 3 no
      profit, multicenter, double-blind, randomized intervention trial of aspirin
      100mg/dvs placebo (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02895113). All patients will
      be monitored at 6 and 12months after randomization to assess drug adherence and
      eGFR changes. SUMMARY: The LEDA trial is the first double-blind, placebo
      controlled, randomized clinical trial aimed at examining whether aspirin
      treatment may beneficially affect kidney function in patients with T2DM by
      reducing the annual eGFR decline. The trial will also examine whether the
      potential renoprotective effects of aspirin might be partly due to its inhibition
      of TxB2 production.

PMID- 28625369
TI  - Rationale and design of the Hunting for the off-target propertIes of Ticagrelor
      on Endothelial function and other Circulating biomarkers in Humans (HI-TECH)
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Among the 3 approved oral P2Y12 inhibitors for the treatment for
      patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), ticagrelor, but not prasugrel or
      clopidogrel, has been associated with off-target properties, such as improved
      endothelial-dependent vasomotion and increased adenosine plasma levels. METHODS:
      The HI-TECH study (NCT02587260) is a multinational, randomized, open-label,
      crossover study with a Latin squares design, conducted at 5 European sites, in
      which patients free from recurrent ischemic or bleeding events >=30 days after a
      qualifying ACS were allocated to sequentially receive a 30 +/- 5-day treatment
      with prasugrel, clopidogrel, and ticagrelor in random order. The primary
      objective was to evaluate whether ticagrelor, at treatment steady state (ie,
      after 30 +/- 5 days of drug administration), as compared with both clopidogrel
      and prasugrel, is associated with an improved endothelial function, assessed with
      peripheral arterial tonometry. Thirty-six patients undergoing evaluable
      endothelial function assessment for each of the assigned P2Y12 inhibitor were
      needed to provide 90% power to detect a 10% relative change of the reactive
      hyperemia index in the ticagrelor group. CONCLUSION: The HI-TECH study is the
      first randomized, crossover study aiming to ascertain whether ticagrelor, when
      administered at approved regimen in post-ACS patients, improves endothelial
      function as compared with both clopidogrel and prasugrel.

PMID- 28625370
TI  - Rationale and design of the Apixaban for the Reduction of Thrombo-Embolism in
      Patients With Device-Detected Sub-Clinical Atrial Fibrillation (ARTESiA) trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Device-detected subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) refers to
      infrequent, short-lasting, asymptomatic AF that is detected only with long-term
      continuous monitoring. Subclinical AF is common and associated with an increased
      risk of stroke; however, the risk of stroke with subclinical AF is lower than for
      clinical AF, and very few patients with subclinical AF alone have been included
      in large AF anticoagulation trials. The net benefit of anticoagulation in
      patients with subclinical AF is unknown. DESIGN: ARTESiA is a prospective,
      multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, recruiting patients with
      subclinical AF detected by an implanted pacemaker, defibrillator, or cardiac
      monitor, and who have additional risk factors for stroke. Patients with clinical
      AF documented by surface electrocardiogram will be excluded from the study.
      Participants will be randomized to receive either apixaban (according to standard
      AF dosing) or aspirin 81mg daily. The primary outcome is the composite of stroke,
      transient ischemic attack with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging
      evidence of cerebral infarction, and systemic embolism. Approximately 4,000
      patients will be enrolled from around 230 clinical sites, with an anticipated
      mean follow-up of 36months until 248 adjudicated primary outcome events have
      occurred. SUMMARY: ARTESiA will determine whether oral anticoagulation therapy
      with apixaban compared with aspirin reduces the risk of stroke or systemic
      embolism in patients with subclinical AF and additional risk factors.

PMID- 28625371
TI  - Cardiovascular events and hospital resource utilization pre- and post
      transcatheter mitral valve repair in high-surgical risk patients.
AB  - : MitraClip is an approved therapy for mitral regurgitation (MR); however, health
      care resource utilization pre- and post-MitraClip remains understudied. METHODS:
      Patients with functional and degenerative MR at high surgical risk in the EVEREST
      II High-Risk Registry and REALISM Continued-Access Study were linked to Medicare
      data. Pre- and post-MitraClip all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction,
      heart failure (HF), and bleeding hospitalizations were identified. Inpatient
      costs, adjusted to 2010 US dollars, were calculated, and event rate ratios and
      cost ratios were estimated with multivariable modeling. RESULTS: Among 403 linked
      patients, the mean age was 80 years, 60% were male, mean baseline left
      ventricular ejection fraction was 49.6%, 83.3% were New York Heart Association
      class III/IV, 78.2% were MR grade 3+/4+, and 63.3% had functional MR. All-cause
      hospitalization decreased from 1,854 to 1,435/1,000 person-years (P<.001). HF
      hospitalization decreased following MitraClip (749 vs 332/1000 person-years,
      P<.001), but bleeding increased (199 vs 298/1000 person-years, P<.001). Changes
      in stroke and myocardial infarction were not statistically significant. Overall
      mean Medicare costs per patient were similar pre- and post-MitraClip, although
      there was a significant decrease in mean costs among those that survived a full
      year after MitraClip ($18,131 [SD $25,130] vs $11,679 [SD $22,486], P=.02).
      CONCLUSIONS: MitraClip was associated with a reduced rate of all-cause and HF
      hospitalizations and an increased rate of bleeding hospitalizations. One-year
      Medicare costs were reduced in those who survived a full year after the MitraClip
      procedure. Payors and providers seeking to reduce HF hospitalizations and
      associated Medicare costs may consider MitraClip among appropriate patients
      likely to survive 1 year.

PMID- 28625372
TI  - Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Subcutaneous Implantable
      Cardioverter Defibrillator (MADIT S-ICD): Design and clinical protocol.
AB  - Patients with diabetes mellitus, prior myocardial infarction, older age, and a
      relatively preserved left ventricular ejection fraction remain at risk for sudden
      cardiac death that is potentially amenable by the subcutaneous implantable
      cardioverter defibrillator with a good risk-benefit profile. The launched MADIT S
      ICD study is designed to test the hypothesis that post-myocardial infarction
      diabetes patients with relatively preserved ejection fraction of 36%-50% will
      have a survival benefit from a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter
      defibrillator.

PMID- 28625373
TI  - High-risk echocardiographic features predict mortality in pulmonary arterial
      hypertension.
AB  - AIMS: Echocardiography is the most common imaging modality for assessment of the
      right ventricle in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
      Echocardiographic parameters were identified as independent risk factors for
      mortality in the Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term PAH Disease Management
      (REVEAL) and other PAH cohorts. We sought to identify readily obtained
      echocardiographic features associated with PAH survival. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      Retrospective analysis of 175 patients with Group 1 was performed. Baseline
      clinical and laboratory assessment including REVEAL risk criteria were obtained
      and standard 2-Dimensional and Doppler echocardiography performed at baseline was
      reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses of echocardiographic parameters
      were performed. Estimated right atrial pressure> 15 mmHg (HR 2.39, P = .02),
      tricuspid regurgitation >= moderate (HR 2.16, P = .04), and presence of
      pericardial effusion (HR 1.8, P = .05) were identified as independent, high-risk
      echocardiographic features in PAH. A validation cohort of 677 patients was
      identified and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed in both cohorts. High
      risk echocardiographic features stratified survival curves of both cohorts (P <
      .01 for all). The presence of 3 high-risk echocardiographic features greatly
      increased risk of 1-year (RR 4.86) and 3-year (RR 3.35) mortality (P < .05 for
      both). CONCLUSION: Estimated right atrial pressure> 15, tricuspid regurgitation
      >= moderate, and presence of pericardial effusion are high-risk echocardiographic
      features in PAH. When seen in combination, these features greatly increase risk
      of mortality in PAH and may lead to more timely enhanced therapy for patients
      identified as having an increased risk for death.

PMID- 28625374
TI  - Change the management of patients with heart failure: Rationale and design of the
      CHAMP-HF registry.
AB  - Heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a common and costly
      condition that diminishes patients' health status and confers a poor prognosis.
      Despite the availability of multiple guideline-recommended pharmacologic and
      cardiac device therapies for patients with chronic HFrEF, outcomes remain
      suboptimal. Currently, there is limited insight into the rationale underlying
      clinical decisions by health care providers and patient factors that guide the
      use and intensity of outpatient HF treatments. A better understanding of current
      practice patterns has the potential to improve patients' outcomes. The CHAnge the
      Management of Patients with Heart Failure (CHAMP-HF) registry will evaluate the
      care and outcomes of patients with chronic HFrEF by assessing real-world
      treatment patterns, as well as the reasons for and barriers to medication
      treatment changes. CHAMP-HF will enroll approximately 5,000 patients with chronic
      HFrEF (left ventricular ejection fraction <=40%) at approximately 150 US sites,
      and patients will be followed for a maximum duration of 24 months. Participating
      sites will collect data from both providers (HF history, examination findings,
      results of diagnostic studies, pharmacotherapy treatment patterns, decision
      making factors, and clinical outcomes) and patients (medication adherence and
      patient-reported outcomes). The CHAMP-HF registry will provide a unique
      opportunity to study practice patterns and the adoption of new HF therapies
      across a diverse mix of health care providers and outpatient practices in the
      United States that care for HFrEF patients.

PMID- 28625375
TI  - Decline in peak oxygen consumption over time predicts death or transplantation in
      adults with a Fontan circulation.
AB  - : Peak oxygen consumption (pVO2) measured by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET)
      predicts mortality in adults with a Fontan circulation. The purpose of this study
      was to assess the additive prognostic value of change in pVO2 over time. METHODS:
      We analyzed a cohort of adults (>=18 years old) with a Fontan circulation who
      underwent at least 2 maximal CPETs separated by 6-30 months at Boston Children's
      Hospital between 2000 and 2015. Survival analysis was performed to determine
      whether changes in CPET variables, including pVO2 between consecutive tests, were
      associated with subsequent clinical events. The primary outcome was transplant
      free survival. RESULTS: The study included 130 patients with 287 CPET test pairs.
      Average age was 26.6+/-9.5 years. Baseline pVO2 averaged 22.0+/-5.7 mL/kg/min or
      60.9%+/-13.7% predicted. In the cohort overall, there was no change in mean pVO2
      between sequential CPETs. Eleven patients died and 2 underwent transplant. On
      average, pVO2 declined for patients who subsequently died or underwent transplant
      but remained stable among those who did not (-9.8%+/-14.6% vs 0.0+/-13.0%,
      P<.01). Those with a decline in pVO2 between CPETs were at greater risk of death
      or transplantation (per 10% decrease in pVO2: HR=2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.1, P=.004).
      Change in pVO2 remained a significant predictor of death or transplant after
      adjusting for pVO2 at first CPET (per 10% decline in pVO2: HR=2.5, 95% CI 1.5
      4.2, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: A decline in pVO2 between consecutive CPETs predicts
      increased risk for death or transplant in adults with a Fontan circulation
      independent of baseline pVO2. These results support the additive clinical value
      of serial CPET in this population.

PMID- 28625376
TI  - Electrocardiographic abnormalities and mortality in aging survivors of childhood
      cancer: A report from the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electrocardiography (ECG), predictive of adverse outcomes in the
      general population, has not been studied in cancer survivors. We evaluated the
      prevalence of ECG abnormalities and associations with mortality among childhood
      cancer survivors. METHODS: Major and minor abnormalities were coded per the
      Minnesota Classification system for participants in the St Jude Lifetime Cohort
      Study (n = 2,715) and community controls (n = 268). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs
      were calculated using multivariable logistic regression; and hazard ratios, using
      Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: Survivors were a median age of 31.3
      (range 18.4-63.8) years at evaluation and 7.4 (range 0-24.8) years at diagnosis.
      Prior therapies included cardiac-directed radiation (29.5%), anthracycline
      (57.9%), and alkylating (60%) chemotherapies. The prevalence of minor ECG
      abnormalities was similar among survivors and controls (65.2% vs 67.5%, P = .6).
      Major ECG abnormalities were identified in 10.7% of survivors and 4.9% of
      controls (P < .001). Among survivors, the most common major abnormalities were
      isolated ST/T wave abnormalities (7.2%), evidence of myocardial infarction
      (3.7%), and left ventricular hypertrophy with strain pattern (2.8%).
      Anthracyclines >=300 mg/m2 (OR 1.7 95% CI 1.1-2.5) and cardiac radiation (OR 2.1
      95% CI 1.5-2.9 [1-1,999 cGy], 2.6 95% CI 1.6-3.9 [2,000-2,999 cGy], 10.5 95% CI
      6.5-16.9 [>=3,000 cGy]) were associated with major abnormalities. Thirteen
      participants had a cardiac-related death. Major abnormalities were predictive of
      all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 4.0 95% CI 2.1-7.8). CONCLUSIONS: Major ECG
      abnormalities are common among childhood cancer survivors, associated with
      increasing doses of anthracyclines and cardiac radiation, and predictive of both
      cardiac and all-cause mortality.

PMID- 28625377
TI  - One-year mortality outcomes and hospital readmissions of patients admitted with
      acute heart failure: Data from the Trivandrum Heart Failure Registry in Kerala,
      India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are sparse data on outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF)
      from India. The objective was to evaluate hospital readmissions and 1-year
      mortality outcomes of patients with HF in Kerala, India. METHODS: We followed
      1,205 patients enrolled in the Trivandrum Heart Failure Registry for 1 year. A
      trained research nurse contacted each participant every 3 months using a
      structured questionnaire which included hospital readmission and mortality
      information. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 61.2 (13.7) years, and 31% were
      women. One out of 4 (26%) participants had HF with preserved ejection fraction.
      Only 25% of patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction received guideline
      directed medical therapy at discharge. Cumulative all-cause mortality at 1 year
      was 30.8% (n = 371), but the greatest risk of mortality was in the first 3 months
      (18.1%). Most deaths (61%) occurred in patients younger than 70 years. One out of
      every 3 (30.2%) patients was readmitted at least once over 1 year. The hospital
      readmission rates were similar between HF with preserved ejection fraction and HF
      with reduced ejection fraction patients. New York Heart Association functional
      class IV status and lack of guideline-directed medical treatment after index
      hospitalization were associated with increased likelihood of readmission.
      Similarly, older age, lower education status, nonischemic etiology, history of
      stroke, higher serum creatinine, lack of adherence to guideline-directed medical
      therapy, and hospital readmissions were associated with increased 1-year
      mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In the Trivandrum Heart Failure Registry, 1 of 3 HF
      patients died within 1 year of follow-up during their productive life years.
      Suboptimal adherence to guideline-directed treatment is associated with increased
      propensity of readmission and death. Quality improvement programs aiming to
      improve adherence to guideline-based therapy and reducing readmission may result
      in significant survival benefits in the relatively younger cohort of HF patients
      in India.

PMID- 28625378
TI  - The economics of PCSK-9 inhibitors.

PMID- 28625379
TI  - Reliability of updated left ventricular diastolic function recommendations in
      predicting elevated left ventricular filling pressure and prognosis.
AB  - : An updated 2016 echocardiographic algorithm for diagnosing left ventricular
      (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD) was recently proposed. We aimed to assess the
      reliability of the 2016 echocardiographic LVDD grading algorithm in predicting
      elevated LV filling pressure and clinical outcomes compared to the 2009 version.
      METHODS: We retrospectively identified 460 consecutive patients without atrial
      fibrillation or significant mitral valve disease who underwent transthoracic
      echocardiography within 24 hours of elective heart catheterization. LV end
      diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and the time constant of isovolumic pressure decay
      (Tau) were determined. The association between DD grading by 2009 LVDD
      Recommendations and 2016 Recommendations with hemodynamic parameters and all
      cause mortality were compared. RESULTS: The 2009 LVDD Recommendations classified
      55 patients (12%) as having normal, 132 (29%) as grade 1, 156 (34%) as grade 2,
      and 117 (25%) as grade 3 DD. Based on 2016 Recommendations, 177 patients (38%)
      were normal, 50 (11%) were indeterminate, 124 (27%) patients were grade 1, 75
      (16%) were grade 2, 26 (6%) were grade 3 DD, and 8 (2%) were cannot determine.
      The 2016 Recommendations had superior discriminatory accuracy in predicting LVEDP
      (P<.001) but were not superior in predicting Tau. During median follow-up of 416
      days (interquartile range: 5 to 2004 days), 54 patients (12%) died. Significant
      DD by 2016 Recommendations was associated with higher risk of mortality (P=.039,
      subdistribution HR1.85 [95% CI, 1.03-3.33]) in multivariable competing risk
      regression. CONCLUSIONS: The grading algorithm proposed by the 2016 LV diastolic
      dysfunction Recommendations detects elevated LVEDP and poor prognosis better than
      the 2009 Recommendations.

PMID- 28625380
TI  - Factors associated with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for stroke
      prevention in patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation: Results from the
      Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation II (ORBIT
      AF II).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC)
      alternatives to warfarin are available for stroke prevention in atrial
      fibrillation (AF). We aimed to describe the factors associated with selection of
      NOACs versus warfarin in patients with new onset AF. METHODS: The ORBIT-AF II
      study is a national, US, prospective, observational, cohort study of
      anticoagulation treatment in patients with AF receiving NOACs or warfarin in the
      United States from 2013 to 2016. We measured factors associated with oral
      anticoagulant selection in 4,670 patients recently diagnosed with AF. RESULTS: At
      baseline, 1,169 (25%) patients were started on warfarin and 3,501 (75%) on NOACs:
      of these latter, 259 (6%) were started on dabigatran, 1858 (40%) on rivaroxaban,
      and 1384 (30%) on apixaban. Those receiving NOACs were slightly younger patients
      (median age 71 vs 72, P<.0001); were less likely to have prior stroke (5.3% vs
      8.6%; P<.0001) or prior bleeding (2.7% vs 4.4%; P=.005); had better kidney
      function (mean estimated glomerular filtration rate 91 mL/min vs 80 mL/min,
      P<.0001); and had fewer patients at high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc score
      [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age >=75years, Diabetes mellitus, Prior
      stroke, transient ischemic attack {TIA}, or thromboembolism,Vascular disease, Age
      65-74years, Sex category {female}] >=2 in 86% vs 93%; P<.0001). In multivariable
      analysis, factors associated with NOAC selection versus warfarin included renal
      function, prior stroke or valve replacement, rhythm control AF management
      strategy, treatment by a cardiologist, and higher patient education level.
      CONCLUSIONS: In contemporary clinical practice, up to three-fourths of patients
      with new-onset AF are now initially treated with a NOAC for stroke prevention.
      Those selected for NOAC treatment had lower stroke and bleeding risk profiles,
      were more likely treated by cardiologists, and had higher socioeconomic status.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01701817.

PMID- 28625381
TI  - Utilization of cardiac resynchronization therapy in eligible patients
      hospitalized for heart failure and its association with patient outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We examined trends in CRT utilization overall and by sex and race and
      to assess whether CRT use is associated with a reduction in HF hospitalization
      and mortality. BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether underutilization and race/sex
      based differences in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) use have persisted.
      The association between CRT and heart failure (HF) hospitalization and mortality
      in real-world practice remains unclear. METHODS: We linked 72,008 HF patients
      from 388 hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines HF eligible for CRT
      with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data to assess CRT utilization
      trends, HF hospitalization rates, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: From 2005
      2014, 18,935 (26.3%) eligible patients had CRT in place, implanted, or
      prescribed. The majority were male (60.0%) and white (61.9%). CRT utilization
      increased during the study period (P = .0002) especially in the early period.
      Women were less likely to receive CRT, and this difference increased over time
      (interaction P = .0037) despite greater mortality risk reduction (interaction P =
      .0043). Black patients were less likely than white patients to have CRT
      throughout the study period (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.79; 95% CI 0.74-0.85).
      Patients with CRT implanted during the index hospitalization had lower mortality
      (adjusted HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.59-0.71) and were less likely to be readmitted for HF
      than patients without CRT (adjusted HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.58-0.71).
      CONCLUSIONS/RELEVANCE: CRT use has increased in all populations, but it remains
      underutilized. CRT remains more common among white than black HF patients, and
      women were less likely than men to receive CRT despite deriving greater benefit.

PMID- 28625383
TI  - The Assessment of the Watchman Device in Patients Unsuitable for Oral
      Anticoagulation (ASAP-TOO) trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral anticoagulants (OACs) reduce stroke risks with nonvalvular
      atrial fibrillation (AF); however, they are underused because of absolute or
      relative contraindications due to real or perceived risk of bleeding. Although
      left atrial appendage closure is increasingly performed in OAC-ineligible
      patients, this has not been studied in a randomized controlled trial. STUDY
      OBJECTIVES: The ASAP-TOO study is designed to establish the safety and
      effectiveness of the Watchman left atrial appendage closure device in patients
      with nonvalvular AF who are deemed ineligible for OAC. The primary effectiveness
      end point is the time to first occurrence of ischemic stroke or systemic
      embolism. The primary safety end point includes all-cause death, ischemic stroke,
      systemic embolism, or device- or procedural-related event requiring open cardiac
      surgery or major endovascular intervention. STUDY DESIGN: This is a
      multinational, multicenter prospective randomized trial. Patients meeting the
      inclusion criteria with CHA2DS2-VASc score>=2 and who are deemed by 2 study
      physicians to be unsuitable for OAC will be randomized in a 2:1 allocation ratio
      to Watchman versus control. Control patients will be prescribed single
      antiplatelet therapy or no therapy at the discretion of the study physician. Up
      to 888 randomized subjects will be enrolled from up to 100 global investigational
      sites. Both device group and control patients will have follow-up visits at 3, 6,
      and 12months and then every 6months through 60months. SUMMARY: This trial will
      assess the safety and efficacy of Watchman in this challenging population of high
      stroke risk AF patients.

PMID- 28625382
TI  - Impact of continuous positive airway pressure and oxygen on health status in
      patients with coronary heart disease, cardiovascular risk factors, and
      obstructive sleep apnea: A Heart Biomarker Evaluation in Apnea Treatment
      (HEARTBEAT) analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with impaired health
      related quality of life (HRQL). Treatment with continuous positive airway
      pressure (CPAP) has variable impacts on HRQL, and this may be influenced by
      patient's tolerance of therapy. The objective is to determine the impact of
      nocturnal supplemental oxygen (NSO) and CPAP on HRQL compared with healthy
      lifestyle education (HLSE) in individuals with OSA. METHODS: Patients with
      coronary heart disease (CHD) or at least 3 major CHD risk factors with apnea
      hypopnea index of 15 to 50 events/h were randomized to CPAP, NSO, or HLSE. Health
      related quality of life was assessed using the Short-Form 36, and depression was
      assessed with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 at baseline and 12 weeks. The
      treatment effect on HRQL change scores through 12 weeks was assessed using
      multivariable models adjusting for study site, presence of CHD at baseline, race,
      and baseline HRQL. RESULTS: A total of 318 patients were randomized to 1 of 3
      treatment arms with 1:1:1 ratio and 94% completed baseline and follow-up HRQL
      instruments. Mean Short-Form 36 scores were similar at baseline in all 3 groups
      ranging from 41.8+/-12 to 51.6+/-12 in various domains. In multivariable models,
      the CPAP group noted a significantly greater improvement than NSO in mental
      health (+2.33, 95% CI 0.34-4.31, P=.02) and mental composite score (+2.40, 95% CI
      0.40-4.41, P=.02). Conversely, the CPAP group noted less improvement than NSO in
      physical function (-2.68, 95% CI -4.66 to -0.70, P=.008) and physical composite
      score (-2.17, 95% CI -3.82 to -0.51, P=.01). Compared with HLSE, vitality and
      Patient Health Questionnaire-9 improved with CPAP but not with NSO. Significant
      interactions were noted between treatment effects with larger differences in
      black and sleepy patients. CONCLUSION: These data support the use of CPAP for
      improving vitality, sleepiness, mental health, social functioning, and depressive
      symptoms in patients with OSA and established CHD or risk factors. Nocturnal
      supplemental oxygen may have beneficial effects on perceived physical
      functioning.

PMID- 28625384
TI  - Effects of implantable cardioverter/defibrillator shock and antitachycardia
      pacing on anxiety and quality of life: A MADIT-RIT substudy.
AB  - : Effects of implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) shocks and
      antitachycardia pacing (ATP) on anxiety and quality of life (QoL) in ICD patients
      are poorly understood. METHODS: We evaluated changes in QoL from baseline to 9
      month follow-up using the EQ-5D questionnaire in patients enrolled in the
      Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial-Reduce Inappropriate
      Therapy (MADIT-RIT) (n=1,268). We assessed anxiety levels using the Florida Shock
      Anxiety Scale (1-10 score) in patients with appropriate or inappropriate shocks
      or ATP compared to those with no ICD therapy during the first 9 months
      postimplant. The analysis was stratified by number of ATP or shocks (0-1 vs >=2)
      and adjusted for covariates. RESULTS: In MADIT-RIT, 15 patients (1%) had >=2
      appropriate shocks, 38 (3%) had >=2 appropriate ATPs. Two or more inappropriate
      shocks were delivered in 16 patients (1%); >=2 inappropriate ATPs, in 70. In
      multivariable analysis, patients with >=2 appropriate shocks had higher levels of
      shock-related anxiety than those with <=1 appropriate shock (P<.01). Furthermore,
      >=2 inappropriate shocks produced more anxiety than <=1 inappropriate shock
      (P=.005). Consistently, >=2 appropriate ATPs resulted in more anxiety than <=1
      (P=.028), whereas the number of inappropriate ATPs showed no association with
      anxiety levels (P=.997). However, there was no association between QoL and
      appropriate or inappropriate ATP/shock (all P values > .05). CONCLUSIONS: In
      MADIT-RIT, >=2 appropriate or inappropriate ICD shocks and >=2 appropriate ATPs
      are associated with more anxiety at 9-month follow-up despite no significant
      changes in the assessment of global QoL by the EQ-5D questionnaire. Innovative
      ICD programming reducing inappropriate therapies may help deal with patient
      concerns about the device.

PMID- 28625385
TI  - Seasonal and circadian variations of acute myocardial infarction: Findings from
      the Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG-CAD) program.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Seasonal variation with winter preponderance of myocardial infarction
      incidence has been described decades ago, but only a few small studies have
      classified myocardial infarction based on ST-segment elevation. It is unclear
      whether seasonal and circadian variations are equally present in warmer and
      colder regions. We investigated whether seasonal and circadian variations in
      acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are more prominent in colder northern states
      compared with warmer southern states. We also investigated the peak time of
      admission to better understand the circadian rhythm. METHODS: Data from the GWTG
      CAD database were used. We analyzed 82,971 consecutive acute myocardial
      infarction (AMI) patients treated at 276 US centers from 2003 to 2008. The
      country was geographically divided into warmer southern and colder northern
      states using latitude 35 degrees for this purpose. RESULTS: Overall, acute
      myocardial infarction (AMI) admissions varied across seasons (P < .01), and were
      higher in winter (winter vs. spring n = 21,483 vs. 20,291, respectively). When
      stratified based on type of AMI, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
      (NSTEMI) admissions varied across seasons (P < .01) and were highest in winter
      and lowest in spring. Seasonal variation was not significant in STEMI admissions
      (P = .30). Seasonal variation with winter predominance was noted in AMI patients
      in warmer southern states (P < .01), but not in colder states. The distributions
      of length of stay for AMI patients and door to balloon times for STEMI patients
      were minimally different across all four seasons (P < .01) with longest occurring
      in winter. Most patients with AMI presented during daytime with a peak close to
      11 am and a nadir at approximately 4 am. CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal variation with
      winter predominance exists in AMI admissions and was significant in NSTEMI
      admissions but not in STEMI admissions. Seasonal variation was only significant
      in warmer southern states.

PMID- 28625386
TI  - Hemodynamic determinants of mortality after Fontan operation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elevated central venous pressure (CVP), low cardiac output, and mild
      hypoxia are common early and late after Fontan operations. However, the
      association of these characteristics with late mortality is unclear. We aimed to
      elucidate the hemodynamic determinants of mortality after Fontan operation.
      METHOD: We evaluated early (group early; 0.5-5years postoperatively, n=387) and
      late (group late; >=15years postoperatively, n=161) Fontan hemodynamics that
      included CVP (mm Hg), cardiac index (CI; L/min per m2), systemic ventricular end
      diastolic volume index (mL/m2), ejection fraction (EF; %), and arterial blood
      oxygen saturation (%). We examined the effect of these variables on 5-year all
      cause mortality. RESULTS: Mortality was higher in group late than in group early
      (17 vs 11, P<.0001). In both groups, higher CVP (hazard ratio [HR]1.46 and 1.38,
      respectively; P<.001-.0001) and lower arterial blood oxygen saturation (HR 1.12,
      P<.001 for both) were associated with increased mortality. Greater end-diastolic
      volume index (HR per 20: 1.73) and lower EF (HR per 10%: 3.38) were associated
      with increased mortality only in group early (P<.0001 for both). In contrast,
      only in group late was higher CI associated with increased mortality (HR 2.50,
      95% CI 1.30-4.55, P<.01). Seven patients in group late with both high CVP (>=14)
      and CI (>=3.0) had the highest mortality (HR 18.1, 5.55-52.4, P<.0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CVP and low arterial blood oxygen saturation correlate with
      mortality in both early and late Fontan survivors. End-diastolic volume index and
      EF are associated with mortality only in the earlier cohort, whereas
      interestingly, elevated cardiac output is associated with increased mortality in
      the later cohort.

PMID- 28625388
TI  - Management of Comorbidities in Older Persons With Type 2 Diabetes.

PMID- 28625387
TI  - Design and rationale for the Influenza vaccination After Myocardial Infarction
      (IAMI) trial. A registry-based randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Registry studies and case-control studies have demonstrated that the
      risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is increased following influenza
      infection. Small randomized trials, underpowered for clinical end points,
      indicate that future cardiovascular events can be reduced following influenza
      vaccination in patients with established cardiovascular disease. Influenza
      vaccination is recommended by international guidelines for patients with
      cardiovascular disease, but uptake is varying and vaccination is rarely
      prioritized during hospitalization for AMI. METHODS/DESIGN: The Influenza
      vaccination After Myocardial Infarction (IAMI) trial is a double-blind,
      multicenter, prospective, registry-based, randomized, placebo-controlled,
      clinical trial. A total of 4,400 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial
      infarction (STEMI) or non-STEMI undergoing coronary angiography will randomly be
      assigned either to in-hospital influenza vaccination or to placebo. Baseline
      information is collected from national heart disease registries, and follow-up
      will be performed using both registries and a structured telephone interview. The
      primary end point is a composite of time to all-cause death, a new AMI, or stent
      thrombosis at 1 year. IMPLICATIONS: The IAMI trial is the largest randomized
      trial to date to evaluate the effect of in-hospital influenza vaccination on
      death and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with STEMI or non-STEMI. The trial
      is expected to provide highly relevant clinical data on the efficacy of influenza
      vaccine as secondary prevention after AMI.

PMID- 28625389
TI  - Higher Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid to Saturated Fatty Acid Ratio Is Associated
      With Cognition, Mobility, Nutrient Intakes, and Higher Diet Quality in
      Heterogeneous Older Populations.

PMID- 28625390
TI  - Dopamine protects cerebral autoregulation and prevents hippocampal necrosis after
      traumatic brain injury via block of ERK MAPK in juvenile pigs.
AB  - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) contributes to morbidity in children, and more boys
      experience TBI. Cerebral autoregulation is impaired after TBI, contributing to
      poor outcome. Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP) is often normalized by use of
      vasoactive agents to increase mean arterial pressure (MAP). In prior studies of
      newborn and juvenile pigs, vasoactive agent choice influenced outcome after TBI
      as a function of age and sex, with none protecting cerebral autoregulation in
      both ages and sexes. Dopamine (DA) prevents impairment of cerebral autoregulation
      in male and female newborn pigs via inhibition of upregulation of ERK mitogen
      activated protein kinase (MAPK) after fluid percussion injury (FPI). We
      investigated whether DA protects autoregulation and limits histopathology after
      FPI in juvenile pigs and the role of ERK in that outcome. Results show that DA
      protects autoregulation in both male and female juvenile pigs after FPI.
      Papaverine induced dilation was unchanged by FPI and DA. DA blunted ERK MAPK and
      prevented loss of neurons in CA1 and CA3 hippocampus of males and females after
      FPI. These data indicate that DA protects autoregulation and limits hippocampal
      neuronal cell necrosis via block of ERK after FPI in male and female juvenile
      pigs. Of the vasoactive agents prior investigated, including norepinephrine,
      epinephrine, and phenylephrine, DA is the only one demonstrated to improve
      outcome after TBI in both sexes and ages. These data suggest that DA should be
      considered as a first line treatment to protect cerebral autoregulation and
      promote cerebral outcomes in pediatric TBI irrespective of age and sex.

PMID- 28625391
TI  - Twelve-year experience of "radical but conservative" liver surgery for colorectal
      metastases: impact on surgical practice and oncologic efficacy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Liver surgery for colorectal metastases (CLM) is moving toward
      parenchyma-sparing approaches. The authors reported the technical feasibility of
      parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy for deeply located tumors, but its impact on daily
      practice and long-term outcomes remain unclear. METHODS: The patients undergoing
      liver resection (LR) for CLM with vascular contact (first-/second-order pedicle
      or hepatic vein (HV) trunk) were considered. Those undergoing major hepatectomy
      were excluded. The authors' technique included tumor-vessel detachment, partial
      resection of marginally infiltrated HVs, and detection of communicating vessels
      (CVs) among HVs to preserve outflow after HV resection. RESULTS: Among 169
      patients with major vascular contact, parenchyma-sparing LR was feasible in 146
      (86%). Twenty-eight SERPS, 13 transversal hepatectomies, 6 mini
      mesohepatectomies, and 4 liver tunnels were performed. Sixty-six (45%) patients
      underwent CLM-vessel detachment, 25 (17%) underwent partial HV resection, and 30
      (21%) achieved outflow preservation by CV identification. The mortality and
      severe morbidity rates were 1.4% and 8.2%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate
      was 30.7%. The parenchyma-sparing strategy failed in 14 (7%) patients because of
      recurrence in the spared parenchyma or cut edge; 13 were radically retreated.
      CONCLUSION: Ultrasound-guided parenchyma-sparing surgery is feasible in most
      patients with ill-located CLMs. This procedure is safe and achieves adequate
      oncologic outcomes.

PMID- 28625392
TI  - A Novel Risk Score to Predict the Need for Nutrition Support After Cardiac
      Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In specific patients, early postoperative nutrition mitigates
      malnutrition-related morbidity and mortality. The goal of this study was to
      develop and validate a prediction score designed to stratify patients immediately
      after cardiac surgery according to risk for nutrition support (NS). METHODS: We
      identified adult cardiac surgery patients at our institution in 2012 requiring
      postoperative NS, enteral or parenteral. Using multivariable logistic regression
      modeling, we developed a Johns Hopkins Hospital Nutrition Support (JHH NS) score
      from relative odds ratios generated by variables that independently predicted the
      need for NS. The JHH NS score was then prospectively validated using all patients
      undergoing cardiac surgery in 2015. RESULTS: Among 1,056 patients in the
      derivation cohort, 87 (8%) required postoperative NS. Seven variables were
      identified on multivariable analysis as independent predictors of NS need and
      were used to create the JHH NS score. Scores ranged from 0 to 36. Each 1-point
      increase in the JHH NS score was associated with a 20% increase in the risk of
      requiring NS (odds ratio 1.20, p < 0.001). The c-statistic of the regression
      model for NS was 0.85. In all, 115 of 1,336 patients (8.6%) in the validation
      cohort required NS. Observed rates of NS in the validation group correlated
      positively with predicted rates (r = 0.89). CONCLUSIONS: The JHH NS score
      reliably stratified patients at risk for the need for postoperative NS. This
      easily calculable and highly predictive screening tool may expedite timing of
      initiation of NS in patients at high risk for not being able to physically take
      in adequate nutrition.

PMID- 28625393
TI  - Establishment and characterization of uterine sarcoma and carcinosarcoma patient
      derived xenograft models.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Uterine sarcomas (US) and carcinosarcomas (CS) are rare, aggressive
      cancers. The lack of reliable preclinical models hampers the search for new
      treatment strategies and predictive biomarkers. To this end, we established and
      characterized US and CS patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. METHODS: Tumor
      fragments of US and CS were subcutaneously implanted into immunocompromised mice.
      Engrafted xenograft and original tumors were compared by means of histology,
      immunohistochemistry, whole-genome low-coverage sequencing for copy number
      variations, and RNA sequencing. RESULTS: Of 13 implanted leiomyosarcomas (LMS),
      10 engrafted (engraftment rate of 77%). Also 2 out of 7 CS (29%) and one high
      grade US (not otherwise specified) models were successfully established. LMS
      xenografts showed high histological similarity to their corresponding human
      tumors. Expression of desmin and/or H-caldesmon was detected in 8/10 LMS PDX
      models. We noticed that in CS models, characterized by the concomitant presence
      of a mesenchymal and an epithelial component, the relative distribution of the
      components is varying over the generations, as confirmed by changes in vimentin
      and cytokeratin expression. The similarity in copy number profiles between
      original and xenograft tumors ranged from 57.7% to 98.2% for LMS models and from
      47.4 to 65.8% for CS models. Expression pattern stability was assessed by
      clustering RNA expression levels of original and xenograft tumors. Six xenografts
      clustered together with their original tumor, while 3 (all LMS) clustered apart.
      CONCLUSIONS: We present here a panel of clinically annotated uterine sarcoma and
      carcinosarcoma PDX models, which will be a useful tool for preclinical testing of
      new therapies.

PMID- 28625394
TI  - Sentinel node mapping in endometrial cancer following Hysteroscopic injection of
      tracers: A single center evaluation over 200 cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To analyze detection-rate(DR) and diagnostic-accuracy (A) of sentinel
      nodes(SLNs) mapping following hysteroscopic-injection of tracer. To compare DR
      and A between tracers: ICG and Tc99m. METHODS: Evaluation of endometrial-cancer
      patients who underwent SLNs mapping after hysteroscopic-peritumoral-injection of
      tracer+/-lymphadenectomy. Analysis of DR (overall-bilateral-aortic) and A in the
      entire cohort and comparison between tracers. RESULTS: 202 procedures were
      performed from January/2005 to February/2017. Mean age:60years (28-82); mean BMI:
      26.8 kg/m2 (15-47). In 133 cases (65.8%) hysterectomy and mapping procedure were
      performed laparoscopically. The overall-DR of the technique was 93.2% (179/192)
      (10 cases were excluded: 9 for technical-equipment failure; 1 for vagal
      reaction). Bilateral pelvic mapping was found in 59.7% of cases (107/179) and was
      more frequent in the ICG group (72.8% vs 53.3%; p: 0.012). In 50.8% of cases
      (91/179) SLNs were mapped both in pelvic and aortic nodes, and in 5 cases (2.8%)
      only in the aortic area. The mean number of detected SLNs was 3.7 (1-8). 22
      patients (12.3%) had nodal involvement: 10-(45.5%)-macrometastases; 5-(22.7%)
      micrometastases; 7-(31.8%)-ITCs. In 6 cases (27.3%) only aortic nodes were
      positive; in 5 cases (22.7%) both pelvic and aortic nodes and in 11 cases (50%)
      only pelvic nodes were involved. Three false-negative results were found, all in
      the Tc99m group. All had isolated aortic metastases with negative pelvic nodes.
      Overall-sensitivity was 86.4% (95%CI: 68.4-100) and overall-negative-predictive
      value (NPV) was 96.4% (95%CI 86.7-100). No differences in terms of overall-DR,
      overall-sensitivity and overall-NPV were found between the two tracers.
      CONCLUSIONS: Hysteroscopic-injection of tracer for SLNs mapping in endometrial
      cancer is as accurate as cervical injection with a higher DR in the aortic area.
      ICG improves bilateral-DR. Further investigation is warranted on this topic.

PMID- 28625395
TI  - L1CAM expression associates with poor outcome in endometrioid, but not in clear
      cell ovarian carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to study the expression of L1CAM in endometrioid and clear
      cell ovarian carcinomas and to evaluate its correlation with clinical parameters
      and patient prognosis. METHODS: Tissue microarray -based immunohistochemical
      analysis of L1CAM expression was performed in 249 endometrioid and 140 clear cell
      ovarian carcinomas. Concurrent endometrial carcinoma was found in 57 of these
      patients. RESULTS: L1CAM expression was found in 15% of endometrioid and 23% of
      clear cell ovarian carcinomas. L1CAM expression was strongly associated with poor
      disease-specific overall survival and poor disease-free survival in endometrioid
      (p<0.0001, p=0.0005), but not in clear cell ovarian carcinomas. Significant
      association of L1CAM expression with poor overall survival was observed in grade
      1-2 carcinomas (p<0.0001), but not in grade 3 tumors. In endometrioid ovarian
      carcinomas, L1CAM expression was associated with aggressive tumor
      characteristics, such as higher grade and stage, and incomplete response to
      primary therapy. However, L1CAM expression was not an independent prognostic
      factor for overall or disease-free survival. Of the 57 patients with concurrent
      endometrial carcinoma L1CAM positivity was found in 4 cases both in the ovarian
      and endometrial tumors, and in 3 cases only in the endometrial tumor. All these
      seven patients with L1CAM positive tumors had poor outcome. CONCLUSIONS: L1CAM
      expression could serve as a biomarker for predicting clinical outcome and
      response to therapy in patients with endometrioid ovarian carcinoma, but not in
      clear cell carcinomas. L1CAM positivity also predicts poor outcome in patients
      with concurrent endometrioid ovarian and endometrial carcinomas.

PMID- 28625396
TI  - Management of menopausal symptoms in women with gynecologic cancers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Women with gynecologic malignancies will be cured or may become long
      term survivors. Management of menopausal symptoms is important in addressing
      their quality of life. We review the benefit and safety of hormone therapy use in
      these patients. METHODS: MEDLINE was searched for studies on menopause management
      published in English through December of 2016. RESULTS: Available data suggest
      that short-term use of hormone therapy in gynecologic cancer patients who do not
      have an estrogen-dependent malignancy do not adversely impact oncologic outcome
      and results in improvement of menopausal vasomotor and genitourinary symptoms.
      Evidence regarding safety of hormone therapy use in women with estrogen-dependent
      gynecologic malignances is currently lacking. CONCLUSIONS: Candidates for hormone
      therapy in gynecologic oncology include women with menopausal symptoms diagnosed
      with low-grade, early-stage endometrial cancer, cervical, vulvar and vaginal
      cancer, and ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28625397
TI  - Quantitative evaluation of heartbeat interval time series using Poincare analysis
      reveals distinct patterns of heart rate dynamics during cycles of vagus nerve
      stimulation in patients with heart failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Optimization of stimulation parameters is essential to maximizing
      therapeutic efficacy and minimizing side effects. METHODS: The ANTHEM-HF study
      enrolled patients with heart failure who received chronic autonomic regulation
      therapy (ART) with an implantable vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) system on either
      the right (n=30) or left side (n=29). Acute effects of continuously cycling VNS
      on R-R interval dynamics were evaluated using post hoc Poincare analysis of ECG
      recordings collected during multiple titration sessions over an 8-12week period.
      During each titration session, VNS intensity associated with maximum tolerable
      dose was determined. Poincare plots of R-R interval time series were created for
      epochs when VNS cycled from OFF to ON at varying intensity levels. RESULTS: VNS
      produced an immediate, relatively small change in beat-to-beat distribution of R
      R intervals during the 14-sec ON time, which was correlated with stimulation
      current amplitude (r=0.85, p=0.05). During titration of right-sided stimulation,
      there was a strong correlation (r=0.91, p=0.01) between stimulus intensity and
      the Poincare parameter of standard deviation, SD1, which is associated with high
      frequency heart rate variability. The effect of VNS on instantaneous heart rate
      was indicated by a shift in the centroid of the beat-to-beat cloud distribution
      demarcated by the encircling ellipse. As anticipated, left-sided stimulation did
      not alter any Poincare parameter except at high stimulation intensities (>=2mA).
      CONCLUSION: Quantitative Poincare analysis reveals a tight coupling in beat-to
      beat dynamics during VNS ON cycles that is directly related to stimulation
      intensity, providing a useful measurement for confirming autonomic engagement.

PMID- 28625398
TI  - Pseudoventricular tachycardia during drilling and screw placement in a cervical
      vertebra.

PMID- 28625399
TI  - RV6>RV5 vs. SD+SV4 >=2.8mV in men and >=2.3mV in women in the diagnosis of
      electrocardiographically-determined left ventricular hypertrophy.

PMID- 28625400
TI  - Successful treatment of ventricular fibrillation storm triggered by short-long
      short sequence; time to avoid managed ventricular pacing.
AB  - Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is caused by
      ventricular tachyarrhythmia that can be effectively treated by implantable
      cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy. We report of a 28-year-old man with HCM
      and a dual chamber ICD, originally implanted for primary prevention of SCD,
      (programmed to AAI(R)-DDD(R); managed ventricular pacing (MVP) mode, Medtronic
      Inc. St Paul, MN USA). He presented with recurrent ICD shocks due to ventricular
      fibrillation (VF) despite antiarrhythmic therapy. Careful assessment of the
      stored electrograms demonstrated a repetitive pattern of VF initiation following
      short-long-short sequences. Initially, activation of ventricular rate
      stabilization (VRS) algorithm failed to prevent recurrent VF. Ultimately,
      deactivation of MVP and reprogramming the device to DDD mode with VRS on,
      resulted in arrhythmia suppression and avoidance of ICD shocks. Physicians should
      be aware that although VRS function is available in MVP mode, it does not
      function in the AAI mode during MVP; in order to effectively treat short-long
      short sequence induced ventricular arrhythmia by device programming.

PMID- 28625401
TI  - Stabilization in the Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Spanish Children and
      Young Adolescents.

PMID- 28625402
TI  - Comparison between catheter-based delivery of paclitaxel after bare-metal
      stenting and drug-eluting stents in coronary artery disease patients at high risk
      for in-stent restenosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Drug eluting stents reduce the risk of in-stent restenosis but delay
      healing of the vascular wall. Recent data on late and very late stent thrombosis
      after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation have raised concerns about the long
      term safety. High lipophilicity of paclitaxel promotes rapid cellular uptake and
      prolongs its action. This makes paclitaxel a very promising candidate for local
      drug therapy intended to inhibit the proliferative and migratory processes
      involved in restenosis following PCI. OBJECTIVES: In a prospective randomized
      trial, we compared the efficacy of the new catheter based delivery of fluid
      paclitaxel after bare metal stenting with that of drug eluting stents in patients
      at high risk for in-stent restenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a
      prospective, randomized trial comparing the local delivery of fluid paclitaxel
      after bare metal stent implantation (DDB+BMS group) with the implantation of drug
      eluting stent (DES group) (1:1) in 68 patients at high risk for in-stent
      restenosis. The primary end points were in-stent late lumen loss and binary
      restenosis rate >50%. Secondary end points were procedure success and composite
      clinical end points (major adverse cardiac events and revascularization of the
      target lesion) 6months after intervention. At 6months, follow-up angiography
      showed an in-stent late lumen loss of 1.0+/-1.3mm in (DDB+BMS group) versus
      0.94+/-1.3mm in DES group (P=.743) without statistically significant difference
      in the cumulative overall rate of major cardiac events between both groups. DES
      subgroup analysis showed in-stent late lumen loss of 0.09+/-0.3mm in everolimus
      eluting stent (EES) subgroup patients that was statistically significant in
      comparison with (DDB+BMS group, n=30) (P=.033) and paclitaxel eluting stent (PES,
      n=19) subgroup patients (P=.006).Target lesion revascularization was 0% in EES
      subgoup patients, 36.7% in DDB+BMS group patients and 47.7% in PES subgroup
      patients (P=.026). CONCLUSION: Paclitaxel either in fluid form used in drug
      delivery balloons or in polymerized form used in drug eluting stents was
      ineffective in reducing neointimal proliferation, in-stent restenosis, and
      clinical events. EES was superior compared with PES and catheter based delivery
      of fluid paclitaxel after bare metal stent implantation regarding primary and
      secondary end points.

PMID- 28625403
TI  - Therapeutic effect of sertindole on neurocognitive deficit independently of
      positive and negative symptoms response: A case report.

PMID- 28625404
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28625405
TI  - Metabolomic analysis with 1H-NMR for non-invasive diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis
      degree in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The assessment of fibrosis degree in liver diseases is based on
      several non-invasive techniques, but none has been accurate. AIM: This study
      employed proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify metabolic
      profiles in serum and urine, specific for different fibrosis degree in chronic
      hepatitis C patients. METHOD: 71 plasma, 73 serum, and 578 urine samples were
      collected. All samples were analyzed using 1H-NMR spectroscopy technique and
      three different NMR spectra were acquired for each serum/plasma sample. The data
      analyses were performed by partial least square regression, principal component
      analysis, and Monte Carlo cross-validation in a supervised methodology. RESULTS:
      The cross-validation test correctly assigned each sample to its specific donor
      with 98.44% accuracy for urine samples and 65% for serum/plasma samples. Advanced
      fibrosis and cirrhosis were recognized with 71% sensitivity for CPMG plasma
      spectra and 69% specificity for NOESY serum spectra. Accuracy for NOESY serum
      spectra was 68%. Noesy spectra recognized advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis with
      71% sensitivity, 30% specificity, and 50% accuracy in urine samples. CONCLUSION:
      Metabolomic analysis of urine spectra using 1H-NMR spectroscopy can recognize a
      specific individual profile in all patients with chronic hepatitis C. However,
      this method cannot yet differentiate with sufficient accuracy, patients with
      advanced fibrosis from patients with milder disease.

PMID- 28625406
TI  - Ductal stones recurrence after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for
      difficult common bile duct stones: Predictive factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) can be
      considered in difficult common bile duct stones (DCBDS), with a success rate
      greater than 90% but data on stone recurrence after ESWL are limited. We
      performed a retrospective analysis to evaluate long-term outcomes in patients who
      underwent ESWL for DCBDS. METHODS: From May 1992 to October 2012, patients who
      underwent ESWL treatment for DCBDS, not amenable to endoscopic extraction, were
      included. Data on long-term outcome were collected through phone interviews and
      medical records. RESULTS: A total of 201 patients with a successful clearance of
      DCBDS after ESWL were included. During a median follow-up period of 4.64 years,
      40 patients (20%) developed a recurrence of bile duct stones. Logistic regression
      analysis showed that the common bile duct diameter, gallstones presence and the
      maximum stone size were significantly associated with recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: We
      observed a recurrence rate of 20% over a median follow-up of 4 years. Gallbladder
      stones, stone size and a dilated common bile duct diameter are risk factors for
      recurrent stone formation, while ursodeoxycholic acid treatment did not influence
      recurrence in our population.

PMID- 28625408
TI  - A contextual review of the Carnivora of Kanapoi.
AB  - The Early Pliocene is a crucial time period in carnivoran evolution. Holarctic
      carnivoran faunas suffered a turnover event at the Miocene-Pliocene boundary.
      This event is also observed in Africa but its onset is later and the process more
      drawn-out. Kanapoi is one of the earliest faunas in Africa to show evidence of a
      fauna that is more typical Pliocene than Miocene in character. The taxa recovered
      from Kanapoi are: Torolutra sp., Enhydriodon (2 species), Genetta sp., Helogale
      sp., Homotherium sp., Dinofelis petteri, Felis sp., and Parahyaena howelli.
      Analysis of the broader carnivoran context of which Kanapoi is an example shows
      that all these taxa are characteristic of Plio-Pleistocene African faunas, rather
      than Miocene ones. While some are still extant and some went extinct in the Early
      Pleistocene, P. howelli is unique in both originating and going extinct in the
      Early Pliocene.

PMID- 28625407
TI  - Xenopus-FV3 host-pathogen interactions and immune evasion.
AB  - We first review fundamental insights into anti-ranavirus immunity learned with
      the Xenopus laevis/ranavirus FV3 model that are generally applicable to
      ectothermic vertebrates. We then further investigate FV3 genes involved in immune
      evasion. Focusing on FV3 knockout (KO) mutants defective for a putative viral
      caspase activation and recruitment domain-containing (CARD)-like protein
      (Delta64R-FV3), a beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase homolog (Delta52L-FV3), and
      an immediate-early18kDa protein (FV3-Delta18K), we assessed the involvement of
      these viral genes in replication, dissemination and interaction with peritoneal
      macrophages in tadpole and adult frogs. Our results substantiate the role of 64R
      and 52L as critical immune evasion genes, promoting persistence and dissemination
      in the host by counteracting type III IFN in tadpoles and type I IFN in adult
      frogs. Comparably, the substantial accumulation of genome copy numbers and
      exacerbation of type I and III IFN gene expression responses but deficient
      release of infectious virus suggests that 18K is a viral regulatory gene.

PMID- 28625409
TI  - Ideal Worker and Academic Professional Identity: Perspectives from a Career
      Flexibility Educational Intervention.

PMID- 28625410
TI  - Sialadenoma papilliferum in the buccal mucosa detected on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose
      positron emission tomography.
AB  - An incidental discovery of an accumulation of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in the
      oral cavity of patients with malignant tumours on FDG positron emission
      tomography (PET) can pose a problem regarding the differential diagnosis of
      metastatic lesions. Large accumulations can often be found even when tumours in
      the salivary or thyroid gland are benign, so FDG-PET is limited in its ability to
      differentiate between benign and malignant disease. This report describes a rare
      case of sialadenoma papilliferum in the buccal mucosa that was discovered
      incidentally on FDG-PET in a patient with multiple metastases to bone after an
      operation for rectal cancer.

PMID- 28625411
TI  - Re: Segmental mandibulectomies made easier: a simple drill guide.

PMID- 28625412
TI  - Diathermy of split-thickness skin graft donor site: a new technique.

PMID- 28625413
TI  - Invisible people with invisible pain: A commentary on "Even my sister says I'm
      acting like a crazy to get a check": Race, gender, and moral boundary-work in
      women's claims of disabling chronic pain.
AB  - This commentary to Pryma's (2017) article on women with fibromyalgia argues that
      intersectional approaches to health research can reveal not only how racialized
      institutions shape illness experience and medical care, but also how these
      institutions make some individuals visible, while rendering others invisible.
      Perhaps by adopting an intersectional approach to understanding health, we can
      start to unpack the multiple jeopardies faced by people of color in pain.

PMID- 28625414
TI  - Effects of health empowerment intervention on resilience of adolescents in a
      tribal area: A study using the Solomon four-groups design.
AB  - RATIONALE: Resilience prevents the emergence of stress-related mental health
      problems among adolescents. Adolescents in tribal areas of India are more prone
      to develop such problems. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to determine the
      effect of combined life skills-based health empowerment intervention on the
      resilience of school-going adolescents in a tribal area. The secondary objectives
      were to determine the effect of the intervention on internal health locus of
      control and self-determination and to compare the effect of intervention on
      resilience between non-tribal and tribal adolescents. METHODS: We conducted this
      quasi-experimental study using a Solomon four-group design among 742 adolescents
      in two schools of Purulia, West Bengal, India. Students of the pretested group
      were examined for resilience using the Child Youth Resilience Measurement scale.
      A life skills education-based health empowerment intervention was administered
      among students of the experimental group. Post-test data on resilience, self
      determination, internal health locus of control and pathological behaviour was
      obtained 3 months after the completion of intervention. A multi-level general
      linear mixed model was constructed to determine the effect of intervention on
      resilience. RESULTS: Resilience was less among tribal adolescents at baseline.
      The intervention significantly improved resilience [betaAdjusted = 11.19 (95% CI
      = 10.55, 11.83], with a greater increase for tribal adolescents [betatribal
      nontribal = 1.53 (95% CI = 0.03, 3.03)]. The intervention also significantly
      improved internal health locus of control (marginal mean increment 1.38 +/-
      0.05), self-determination (marginal mean increment 3.71 +/- 0.09) and reduced
      pathological behaviour of the adolescents. CONCLUSION: Our study informed the
      current health policy that the existing life skills education-based programme
      should be reviewed and modified to include generic life skills, and the life
      skills education-based programme should be coupled with developmental
      interventions aimed at improving adult education and family climate for optimum
      effect on mental health and health behaviour of adolescents.

PMID- 28625415
TI  - Gastric metastatic extension of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast with
      atypical endoscopic presentation.

PMID- 28625416
TI  - Omeprazole-induced hallucinations. Not as rare as you might think.

PMID- 28625418
TI  - Undermining government tax policies: Common legal strategies employed by the
      tobacco industry in response to tobacco tax increases.
AB  - Effective tobacco tax increases reduce tobacco consumption, threatening the
      profitability of the tobacco industry. In response, the tobacco industry employs
      strategies to negate or minimize the full effects of tobacco tax increases. By
      interacting with various government agencies and non-governmental organizations
      we identified seven such strategies: stockpiling, changing product attributes or
      production processes, lowering prices, over-shifting prices, under-shifting
      prices, timing of price increases, and engaging in price discrimination and/or
      offering promotions. Each strategy is described in terms of the motivation for
      their employment, the consequences for tobacco use and tax revenue, and measures
      to counter them. Country case studies illustrate the successful execution of the
      strategies and possible government responses. Many of the tobacco industry's
      responses to tobacco tax increases are predictable, since they are being employed
      systematically across countries. Governments can and should adopt appropriate
      measures to eliminate or reduce tobacco industry manipulation. This requires
      systematic data collection in order to monitor tobacco industry behavior.

PMID- 28625417
TI  - Modeled auditory nerve responses to amplitude modulated cochlear implant
      stimulation.
AB  - Cochlear implants encode speech information by stimulating the auditory nerve
      with amplitude-modulated pulse trains. A computer model of the auditory nerve's
      response to electrical stimulation can be used to evaluate different approaches
      to improving CI patients' perception. In this paper a computationally efficient
      stochastic and adaptive auditory nerve model was used to investigate full nerve
      responses to amplitude-modulated electrical pulse trains. The model was validated
      for nerve responses to AM pulse trains via comparison with animal data. The
      influence of different parameters, such as adaptation and stochasticity, on long
      term adaptation and modulation-following behavior was investigated. Responses to
      pulse trains with different pulse amplitudes, amplitude modulation frequencies,
      and modulation depths were modeled. Rate responses as well as period histograms,
      Vector Strength and the fundamental frequency were characterized in different
      time bins. The response alterations, including frequency following behavior,
      observed over the stimulus duration were similar to those seen in animal
      experiments. The tested model can be used to predict complete nerve responses to
      arbitrary input, and thus to different sound coding strategies.

PMID- 28625419
TI  - Recommendation of colorectal cancer testing among primary care patients younger
      than 50 with elevated risk.
AB  - In the era of precision medicine, efforts are needed to identify and tailor
      screening recommendations among elevated-risk patients. Individuals younger than
      50years are an important target population, as they comprise 15% of colorectal
      (CRC) cases and often present with more advanced disease than their 50+
      counterparts. In this large study, 2470 patients ages 25-49 used a tablet-based
      program that assessed risks, matched risks with screening guidelines, and
      generated tailored printed guideline-concordant recommendations for patients and
      their providers. The tablet-based program identified 121 (4.9%) patients with
      risk factors warranting screening before age 50. Likelihood of risk warranting
      screening was greater for ages 40-49 than <40years (OR: 2.38), females than males
      (OR: 1.82), and African Americans (OR: 1.69) and non-Hispanic Whites (OR: 2.89)
      compared to Hispanics. Most common risk factors were family history of polyps
      (23.1%), personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (19.8%), and combined
      family history of CRC+polyps (18.2%). Receipt of guideline-concordant screening
      within 6months of identification was low, including only 5.3% of those who needed
      colonoscopy and 13.3% for whom colonoscopy or FIT was recommended. Although
      elevated-risk patients younger than 50years can be readily identified, more than
      notification is necessary to facilitate screening participation.

PMID- 28625420
TI  - Formation and remodeling of the brain extracellular matrix in neural plasticity:
      Roles of chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the brain is rich in
      glycosaminoglycans such as chondroitin sulfate (CS) and hyaluronan. These
      glycosaminoglycans are organized into either diffuse or condensed ECM. Diffuse
      ECM is distributed throughout the brain and fills perisynaptic spaces, whereas
      condensed ECM selectively surrounds parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory neurons (PV
      cells) in mesh-like structures called perineuronal nets (PNNs). The brain ECM
      acts as a non-specific physical barrier that modulates neural plasticity and axon
      regeneration. SCOPE OF REVIEW: Here, we review recent progress in understanding
      of the molecular basis of organization and remodeling of the brain ECM, and the
      involvement of several types of experience-dependent neural plasticity, with a
      particular focus on the mechanism that regulates PV cell function through
      specific interactions between CS chains and their binding partners. We also
      discuss how the barrier function of the brain ECM restricts dendritic spine
      dynamics and limits axon regeneration after injury. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: The brain
      ECM not only forms physical barriers that modulate neural plasticity and axon
      regeneration, but also forms molecular brakes that actively controls maturation
      of PV cells and synapse plasticity in which sulfation patterns of CS chains play
      a key role. Structural remodeling of the brain ECM modulates neural function
      during development and pathogenesis. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Genetic or enzymatic
      manipulation of the brain ECM may restore neural plasticity and enhance recovery
      from nerve injury. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Neuro
      glycoscience, edited by Kenji Kadomatsu and Hiroshi Kitagawa.

PMID- 28625421
TI  - Insights into the anticancer properties of the first antimicrobial peptide from
      Archaea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The peptide VLL-28, identified in the sequence of an archaeal
      protein, the transcription factor Stf76 from Sulfolobus islandicus, was
      previously identified and characterized as an antimicrobial peptide, possessing a
      broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. METHODS: Through a combined approach of
      NMR and Circular Dichroism spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, confocal
      microscopy and cell viability assays, the interaction of VLL-28 with the
      membranes of both parental and malignant cell lines has been characterized and
      peptide mechanism of action has been studied. RESULTS: It is here demonstrated
      that VLL-28 selectively exerts cytotoxic activity against murine and human tumor
      cells. By means of structural methodologies, VLL-28 interaction with the
      membranes has been proven and the binding residues have been identified. Confocal
      microscopy data show that VLL-28 is internalized only into tumor cells. Finally,
      it is shown that cell death is mainly caused by a time-dependent activation of
      apoptotic pathways. CONCLUSIONS: VLL-28, deriving from the archaeal kingdom, is
      here found to be endowed with selective cytotoxic activity towards both murine
      and human cancer cells and consequently can be classified as an ACP. GENERAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: VLL-28 represents the first ACP identified in an archaeal
      microorganism, exerting a trans-kingdom activity.

PMID- 28625422
TI  - Online version of the self-administered food frequency questionnaire for the
      Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation (JPHC
      NEXT) protocol: Relative validity, usability, and comparison with a printed
      questionnaire.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Online dietary assessment tools offer advantages over printed
      questionnaires, such as the automatic and direct data storage of answers, and
      have the potential to become valuable research methods. We developed an online
      survey system (web-FFQ) for the existing printed FFQ used in the JPHC-NEXT
      protocol, the platform of a large-scale genetic cohort study. Here, we examined
      the validity of ranking individuals according to dietary intake using this web
      FFQ and its usability compared with the printed questionnaire (print-FFQ) for
      combined usage. METHODS: We included 237 men and women aged 40-74 years from five
      areas specified in the JPHC-NEXT protocol. From 2012 to 2013, participants were
      asked to provide 12-day weighed food records (12d-WFR) as the reference intake
      and to respond to the print- and web-FFQs. Spearman's correlation coefficients
      (CCs) between estimates using the web-FFQ and 12d-WFR were calculated. Cross
      classification of intakes was compared with those using the print-FFQ. RESULTS:
      Most participants (83%) answered that completing the web-FFQ was comparable to or
      easier than completing the printed questionnaire. The median value of CCs across
      energy and 53 nutrients for men and women was 0.47 (range, 0.10-0.86) and 0.46
      (range, 0.16-0.69), respectively. CCs for individual nutrient intakes were
      closely similar to those based on the print-FFQ, irrespective of response
      location. Cross-classification by quintile of intake based on two FFQs was
      reasonably accurate for many nutrients and food groups. CONCLUSION: This online
      survey system is a reasonably valid measure for ranking individuals by intake for
      many nutrients, like the printed FFQ. Mixing of two FFQs for exposure assessments
      in epidemiological studies appears acceptable.

PMID- 28625423
TI  - [Cryptogenic organising pneumonia as a cause of chronic cough].

PMID- 28625424
TI  - Scheduling non-operating room anesthesia cases in endoscopy: Using the sandbox
      analogy.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: For many hospitals, the non-operating room anesthesia (NORA)
      workload continues to expand. We developed a new NORA scheduling process with
      shared block time - a sandbox - amongst all of the gastroenterology groups and
      measured the efficacy of the intervention using basic operating room management
      metrics. DESIGN: Prospective analysis, statistical process control. SETTING:
      Academic, rural hospital; endoscopy suite; postoperative recovery area. PATIENTS:
      Adults and pediatric patients undergoing elective and/or urgent endoscopic
      procedures. INTERVENTIONS: In 2014, we divided the NORA block allocations on
      Thursdays into one afternoon block for pediatric GI, and 1.5 blocks to be shared
      between the two adult GI groups. We made a provision for an additional afternoon
      block available if necessary. No changes were made in the release policy. For
      scheduling, shared block time was released between the three endoscopy groups at
      7days and then opened to the general pool at 48h. MEASUREMENTS: Case volumes,
      under-utilized time (opportunity-unused), elective time-in-block, over-utilized
      time. MAIN RESULTS: With the addition of a pediatric gastroenterologist, the
      number of cases per month increased after the change in scheduling procedure from
      a mean of 107 cases per month to 131, an increase of 23% (p=<0.01) (see Chart 1).
      Elective time-in-block increased after the intervention by 13% (p=0.09), while
      under-utilized time (opportunity-unused time) decreased in a reciprocal fashion
      (15%, p=0.03). Pre-intervention mean over-utilized time was 101min/month, while
      post-intervention over-utilized time decreased by 84.5% (99% CI +/-3.29) to a
      mean of 16min/month. CONCLUSIONS: By using a multi-disciplinary, team-based
      approach, we were able to increase throughput without increasing under-utilized
      or over-utilized time, thereby increasing efficiency. Despite the additional
      cases brought in by the pediatric gastroenterologist, opportunity-unused time
      decreased only moderately-lending support to our prediction that opening an
      additional NORA block was not only unnecessary to accommodate expansion of the
      gastroenterology service, but was also financially unviable. One of the
      challenges in reducing under-utilized time lies in the relatively new role played
      by anesthesia in the NORA environment. In our study, we showed that the open
      access policy applies when the block allocations have under-utilized time. As
      anesthesiologists continue to expand their practice into the NORA environment,
      good communication, interdepartmental collaboration, and flexible scheduling
      processes are essential to improving efficiency.

PMID- 28625425
TI  - Acetaminophen and ondansetron: The central serotonergic connection.

PMID- 28625426
TI  - Acute pain management in the pediatric ambulatory setting: How do we optimize the
      child's postoperative experience?

PMID- 28625427
TI  - Revolutionizing medication administration safety: Automated carts are here - Are
      anesthesiologists ready?

PMID- 28625428
TI  - Bioimpedence: A noninvasive measure of stroke volume and cardiac output.

PMID- 28625429
TI  - Automated anesthesia carts reduce drug recording errors in medication
      administrations - A single center study in the largest tertiary referral hospital
      in China.
AB  - AIM: To clinically evaluate a type of patented automated anesthesia cart in
      medication administrations in anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a
      prospectively randomized open label clinical trial. In 10 designated operating
      suits in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, in China. 1066
      cases originated from 10,812 medication administrations in anesthesia were
      randomized. 78 registered anesthesiologists managed the medication. The patients
      received medication administrations in anesthesia with either an automated or a
      conventional manual cart. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, sex,
      duration of anesthesia and surgical specialty, errors in administration of
      medications (incorrect medication given (substitution), medication not given
      (omission) and drug recordings errors"), compliance and satisfaction were
      recorded. RESULTS: The total error rate was 7.3% with the automated anesthesia
      carts (1 in 14 administrations) and 11.9% with conventional manual carts (1 in 8
      administrations). Automated anesthesia carts significantly reduced the drug
      recording error rate compared to conventional manual carts (P<0.01). However, no
      significant difference of substitution or errors omission errors was found
      between groups of automated anesthesia carts and conventional manual carts. The
      anesthesiologists' compliance with the automated anesthesia carts was
      unsatisfactory, and all the errors in medication recordings with the automated
      anesthesia carts were due to the incorrect use of the carts. Most of the
      participating anesthesiologists preferred the automated anesthesia carts
      (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of automated anesthesia carts reduced the
      drug recording errors in medication administrations of anesthesia.

PMID- 28625430
TI  - Sensorimotor and executive function slowing in anesthesiology residents after
      overnight shifts.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Medical residents working overnight call shifts experience sleep
      deprivation and circadian clock disruption. This leads to deficits in
      sensorimotor function and increases in workplace accidents. Using quick tablet
      based tasks, we investigate whether measureable executive function differences
      exist following a single overnight call versus routine shift, and whether factors
      like stress, rest and caffeine affect these measures. DESIGN: A prospective,
      observational, longitudinal, comparison study was conducted. SETTING: An academic
      tertiary hospital's main operating room suite staffed by attending
      anesthesiologists, anesthesiology residents, anesthesiologist assistants and
      nurse anesthetists. PATIENTS: Subjects were 30 anesthesiology residents working
      daytime shifts and 30 peers working overnight call shifts from the University of
      Texas Health Science Center at Houston. INTERVENTIONS: Before and after their
      respective work shifts, residents completed the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS)
      and the ProPoint and AntiPoint tablet-based tasks. These latter tasks are
      designed to measure sensorimotor and executive functions, respectively.
      MEASUREMENTS: The SSS is a self-reported measure of sleepiness. Response times
      (RTs) are measured in the pointing tasks. MAIN RESULTS: Call residents exhibited
      increased RTs across their shifts (post-pre) on both ProPoint (p=0.002) and
      AntiPoint (p<0.002) tasks, when compared to Routine residents. Increased stress
      was associated with decreases in AntiPoint RT for Routine (p=0.007), but with
      greater increases in sleepiness for Call residents (p<0.001). Further, whether or
      not a Call resident consumed caffeine habitually was associated with ProPoint RT
      changes; with Call residents who habitually drink caffeine having a greater Pre
      Post difference (i.e., more slowing, p<0.001) in ProPoint RT. CONCLUSIONS: These
      results indicate that (1) overnight Call residents demonstrate both sensorimotor
      and cognitive slowing compared to routine daytime shift residents, (2)
      sensorimotor slowing is greater in overnight Call residents who drink caffeine
      habitually, and (3) increased stress during a shift reduces (improves) cognitive
      RTs during routine daytime but not overnight call shifts.

PMID- 28625431
TI  - Fishing for answers in an ocean of data: The potential for big data analytics to
      enhance our knowledge of the complex regional pain syndromes.

PMID- 28625432
TI  - The LMA Supreme: Is it a suitable alternative to the i-gel and LMA ProSeal for
      airway maintenance in children?

PMID- 28625433
TI  - Dexmedetomidine and Renal Protection after Cardiac Surgery.

PMID- 28625434
TI  - Overnight call and cognitive functioning: Will tablet-based assessment be the
      solution for safety check in residents?

PMID- 28625435
TI  - Neuraxial hypothermia incidence misinterpreted.

PMID- 28625436
TI  - Can sagittal approach for cadaveric study of TTP block spread more than
      transverse approach?

PMID- 28625437
TI  - Inhalation versus intravenous anaesthesia for adults undergoing on-pump or off
      pump coronary artery bypass grafting: A systematic review and meta-analysis of
      randomized controlled trials.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of inhalation versus intravenous anaesthesia
      for adults undergoing on-pump or off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
      DESIGN: A systematic review. SETTING: A hospital-affiliated university.
      MEASUREMENTS: The following databases were searched: the Cochrane Central
      Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2016, Issue 10), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and
      LILACS (from inception to October 2016). We used the GRADE approach to rate
      overall certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: In total we included 58 studies with
      a total of 6105 participants. The methodological quality was difficult to assess
      as it was poorly reported in 35 included studies (three or more domains were
      rated as unclear risk of bias). Two trials of sevoflurane showed a statistically
      significant reduction in death within 180 to 365days of surgery (on-pump) (RR
      4.10, 95% CI 1.42 to 11.79; p=0.009; I2=not applicable; high quality of
      evidence). There was also a statistically significant difference favouring
      sevoflurane compared to propofol on both inotropic (RR 2.11, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.90;
      p<0.00001; I2=0%) and vasoconstrictor support needed (RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.04 to
      2.22; p=0.03; I2=0%) after coronary artery bypass grafting on-pump. Two trials of
      sevoflurane (MD -0.22, 95% CI -0.41 to -0.03; p=0.02; I2=0%) and two further
      trials of desflurane (MD -0.33, 95% CI -0.45 to -0.20; p<0.00001; I2=82%) showed
      a statistically significant difference on cardiac index during and after coronary
      artery bypass grafting on-pump, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is high quality
      evidence that sevoflurane reduces death within 180 to 365days of surgery and,
      inotropic and vasoconstrictor support compared to propofol for patients
      undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. There is also some evidence showing
      that the cardiac index is minimally influenced by administration of sevoflurane
      and desflurane compared to propofol.

PMID- 28625438
TI  - Efficacy of prophylactic doses of intravenous nitroglycerin in preventing
      myocardial ischemia under general anesthesia: A systematic review and meta
      analysis with trial sequential analysis.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous nitroglycerin (TNG) in
      preventing intraoperative myocardial ischemia (MI) under general anesthesia.
      Moreover, we analyzed the hemodynamic changes in heart rate (HR), mean blood
      pressure (MBP), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) associated with TNG
      administration both before and after the induction of anesthesia. DESIGN: Meta
      analysis. SETTING: Operating room, cardiac surgery or non-cardiac surgery, all
      surgeries were elective measurements. We performed a computerized search of
      articles on PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
      Trials. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager. The data from the
      individual trials were combined using a random-effects model to calculate either
      the pooled relative risk (RR) or the weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95%
      confidence interval (CI). We conducted trial sequential analysis (TSA). The
      primary outcome was the incidence of MI and the secondary outcomes were
      hemodynamic changes (HR, MBP, and PCWP). MAIN RESULTS: Using electronic
      databases, we selected 10 trials with a total of 353 patients for our review.
      Prophylactic intravenous TNG did not significantly decrease the incidence of MI
      (RR=0.61; CI, 0.33 to 1.13; P=0.12; I2=55). TSA corrected the CI to 0.05 to 7.39
      and showed that 9.5% of the required information size was achieved. In terms of
      hemodynamic changes, intravenous TNG significantly reduced MBP in comparison with
      the placebo (MBP pre-induction: WMD=-7.27; 95% CI -14.2 to -0.33; P=0.04; I2=97%;
      MBP post-induction: WMD=-5.13; 95% CI -9.17 to -1.09; P=0.01; I2=73%).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses showed that prophylactic intravenous TNG does not
      reduce the incidence of intraoperative MI. Moreover, TSA suggests that further
      studies are necessary to confirm the results (GRADE: very low). Prophylactic
      doses of intravenous TNG significantly reduced the MBP both pre and post
      anesthesia induction (GRADE: very low).

PMID- 28625439
TI  - Clinical experiences of Ultrasound-guided transversus thoracic muscle plane block
      for children.

PMID- 28625440
TI  - Apple body type information improves validity of the STOP-BANG questionnaire for
      detecting obstructive sleep apnea.

PMID- 28625441
TI  - The protective effects of dexmedetomidine on ischemic brain injury: A meta
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracranial lesions, trauma or surgery-related damage activate
      immune inflammation and neuroendocrine responses, causing ischemic brain injury.
      Studies have shown that inflammatory cascade mediated by neuroendocrine hormones
      and proinflammatory mediators is implicated in the pathophysiology of ischemic
      brain injury. Alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists, dexmedetomidine, is widely used as
      neuroprotectants in anesthesia practice. However, it is still lack of a
      comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the neuroprotection of dexmedetomidine
      against ischemic brain injury via suppressing these two physiological responses.
      METHOD: Searched the Cochrane Library, Pub-Med, EMBASE, EBSCO, Ovid, Chinese
      biological and medical database (CBM). Related literatures published in English
      or Chinese before January 2017 were enrolled. We assessed the quality of eligible
      studies and synthesized predefined outcomes with a random-effects model or fixed
      effects model. RESULT: Nineteen Randomized Controlled Trials including 879
      patients were included. Findings for meta-analysis of various outcomes were
      summarised. Primary results shown that compared with placebo, dexmedetomidine
      reduced a surge of TNF-alpha [SMD=-2.34, 95%CI (-3.25, -1.44)], IL-6 [SMD=-2.44,
      95%CI (-3.40, -1.47)], S100-beta [SMD=-2.73, 95%CI (-3.65, -1.82)], NSE [SMD=
      1.69, 95%CI (-2.77, -0.61)], cortisol [SMD=-2.48, 95%CI (-3.38, -1.58)] and
      glucose [SMD=-1.44, 95%CI (-1.85, -1.04)]; maintained the level of SOD [SMD=1.36,
      95%CI (0.62, 2.10)]; decreased the rise in CRP level at postoperative one day. In
      response to stress reaction, dexmedetomidine attenuated the stress-related
      increasing of MAP, HR and intracranial pressure without significant effects on
      cerebral oxygen metabolism. CONCLUSION: Alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists,
      dexmedetomidine, could reduce the release of inflammatory mediators and
      neuroendocrine hormones as well as maintain intracranial homoeostasis,
      alleviating ischemic brain injury and exerting an effect on brain protection.

PMID- 28625443
TI  - Inattentional blindness - Do we really see what we see?

PMID- 28625442
TI  - The effect of dexmedetomidine on renal function in patients undergoing cardiac
      valve replacement under cardiopulmonary bypass: A double-blind randomized
      controlled trial.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: We attempted to explore the effect of Dex on renal function in
      patients with cardiac valve replacement under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).
      DESIGN: We designed a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-center,
      parallel-arm double-blind trial. SETTING: Operating room. PATIENTS: Seven-two
      eligible patients were randomly divided into Dex group and placebo group.
      INTERVENTIONS: Dexmedetomidine (Dex) (0.6MUg.kg-1) was administered in patients
      of Dex group at 15min before anesthesia induction, followed by a treatment of
      0.2MUg.kg-1.h-1 Dex until the end of operation. Patients in placebo group were
      treated with normal saline equally. MEASUREMENTS: The levels of serum urea
      nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin
      (NGAL), urine interleukin-8 (IL-18) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were
      tested before anesthesia induction (T1) and after operation at 0, 12h, 24h and
      72h (T2-5). The urine output during operation and the post-operative complication
      of acute kidney injury (AKI) were recorded. MAIN RESULTS: The levels of BUN and
      Cr were significantly increased at T5, and similar findings were found in the
      levels of NGAL and urine IL-18 at T3 and T4. The SOD activity was significantly
      declined at T2 and T3 in the two groups. The levels of BUN and Cr at T5 and the
      NGAL level at T3 and T4 were significantly lower in Dex group, comparable to
      placebo group. The intraoperative urine output was significantly increased and
      the postoperative incidence of AKI was significantly lower in Dex group.
      CONCLUSIONS: Dex may attenuate the renal injury and decrease the incidence of AKI
      in patients undergoing cardiac valve replacement under CPB.

PMID- 28625444
TI  - Nitrous oxide for labor analgesia: Utilization and predictors of conversion to
      neuraxial analgesia.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: We examined the characteristics of women who choose nitrous
      oxide for labor analgesia and identified factors that predict conversion from
      nitrous oxide to labor neuraxial analgesia. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive
      study. SETTING: Labor and Delivery Ward. PATIENTS: 146 pregnant women who used
      nitrous oxide for analgesia during labor and delivery between September 2014 and
      September 2015. INTERVENTIONS: Chart review only. MEASUREMENTS: Demographic,
      obstetric, and intrapartum characteristics of women using nitrous oxide were
      examined. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors
      associated with conversion from nitrous oxide to neuraxial analgesia. Data are
      presented as n (%), median [IQR], adjusted relative risk (aRR), and 95%
      confidence intervals (CI) as appropriate. RESULTS: During the study period, 146
      women used nitrous oxide for labor analgesia (accounting for 3% of the total
      deliveries). The majority (71.9%) of women who used nitrous oxide were
      nulliparous, and over half (51.9%) had expressed an initial preference for
      "nonmedical birth." The conversion rate to neuraxial blockade was 63.2%, compared
      to a concurrent institutional rate of 85.1% in women who did not use nitrous
      oxide. Factors associated with conversion from nitrous oxide to neuraxial
      blockade were labor induction (aRR=2.0, CI 1.2-3.3) and labor augmentation
      (aRR=1.7, CI 1.0-2.9). CONCLUSION: Only a small number of women opted to use
      nitrous oxide during labor, analgesia was minimal, and most converted to
      neuraxial analgesia. Women with induced and augmented labors should be counseled
      about the increased likelihood that they will convert to neuraxial analgesia.

PMID- 28625445
TI  - Prospective double blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of the
      pectoral nerves (Pecs) block type II.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical trial was to test the hypothesis
      whether adding the pectoral nerves (Pecs) block type II to the anesthetic
      procedure reduces opioid consumption during and after breast surgery. DESIGN: A
      prospective randomized double blind placebo-controlled study. SETTING: A
      secondary hospital. PATIENTS: 140 breast cancer stage 1-3 patients undergoing
      mastectomy or tumorectomy with sentinel node or axillary node dissection.
      INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized to receive either a Pecs block with
      levobupivacaine 0.25% (n=70) or placebo block with saline (n=70). MEASUREMENTS:
      The pain levels were evaluated by Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores at 15
      minute intervals during the post anesthesia care unit stay time (PACU), at 2-hour
      intervals for the first 24h on the ward and at 4-hour intervals for the next 24h.
      Intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption were recorded during the full
      stay. Patient satisfaction was evaluated upon discharge using a 10-point scale.
      MAIN RESULTS: Intraoperative sufentanil requirements were comparable for the Pecs
      and placebo group (8.0+/-3.5MUg and 7.8+/-3.0MUg, P=0.730). Patients in the Pecs
      group experienced significantly less pain than patients in the control group
      (P=0.048) during their PACU stay. Furthermore, patients in the Pecs group
      required significant less postoperative opioids (9.16+/-10.15mg and 14.97+/
      14.38mg morphine equivalent, P=0.037) and required significant fewer postsurgical
      opioid administration interventions than patients in the control group (P=0.045).
      Both patient-groups were very satisfied about their management (9.6+/-0.6 and
      9.1+/-1.8 on a 10-point scale, P=0.211). CONCLUSIONS: The Pecs block reduces
      postsurgical opioid consumption during the PACU stay time for patients undergoing
      breast surgery.

PMID- 28625446
TI  - A novel treatment for chronic opioid use after surgery.
AB  - In a recent article from the Center for Disease Control, the authors addressed
      the current opioid epidemic in America and emphasized the importance of utilizing
      non-opioid analgesic alternatives to opioid medication for treating chronic pain.
      In cases where non-opioid analgesic drugs alone have failed to produce adequate
      pain relief, these authors suggested that non-pharmacologic therapies should also
      be considered. This Case Series describes a pilot study designed to evaluate a
      novel non-pharmacologic approach to treating long-standing (>1year) opioid
      dependency. The therapy involved the use of a high intensity cold laser device to
      treat three patients who had become addicted to prescription opioid-containing
      analgesic medication for treating chronic (residual) pain after a major
      operation. After receiving a series of 8-12 treatment sessions lasting 20-40min
      to the painful surgical area over a 3-4week period of time with the high
      intensity (42W) Phoenix Thera-lase laser device, an FDA-approved Class IV cold
      laser, these patients were able to discontinue their use of all oral opioid
      containing analgesic medications and resume their normal activities of daily
      living. At a follow-up evaluation 1-2months after their last laser treatment,
      these patients reported that they have been able to control their pain with over
      the-counter non-opioid analgesics and they have remained largely opioid-free.
      Further larger-scale studies are needed to verify these preliminary findings with
      this powerful cold laser in treating opioid-dependent patients.

PMID- 28625447
TI  - Ultrasound-guided "lateral" thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block: A
      cadaveric study of the spread of injectate.

PMID- 28625448
TI  - The effect of race on postsurgical ambulatory medical follow-up among United
      States Veterans.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between self-identified black or
      African American race and the presence of ambulatory internal medicine follow-up
      in the year after surgery. Our hypothesis was that among US Veterans who
      presented for surgery, black or African American race would be associated with a
      decreased likelihood to receive ambulatory internal medicine follow-up in the
      year after surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective observational. SETTING: All US Veterans
      Affairs hospitals. PATIENTS: A total of 236,200 Veterans undergoing surgery
      between 2006 and 2011 who were discharged within 10 days of surgery and survived
      the full 1-year exposure period. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: Attendance at
      an internal medicine follow-up appointment within 1 year after surgery. MAIN
      RESULTS: After controlling for year of surgery, age, age >=65 years, sex,
      Hispanic ethnicity, and number of inpatient days, black or African American
      patients were 11% more likely to lack internal medicine follow-up after surgery
      (adjusted odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.16). When accounting
      for geographic region, this difference remained significant at the Bonferoni
      corrected P < .007 level only in the Midwest United States where black or African
      American patients were 28% more likely to lack medical follow-up in the year
      after surgery (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.42; P < .0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: The disparity in ambulatory medical follow-up following surgery
      among black or African American vs nonblack or non-African American Veterans in
      the Midwest region deserves further study and may lead to important quality
      improvement initiatives aimed specifically at this population.

PMID- 28625449
TI  - Ultrasound-guided lateral thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block:
      Description of new modified technique.

PMID- 28625450
TI  - Vasoplegic syndrome: An update on perioperative considerations.
AB  - Vasoplegic syndrome (VS) is increasingly recognized as an important clinical
      entity in perioperative medicine. VS is characterized by significant arterial
      hypotension, normal or high cardiac output, low systemic vascular resistance, and
      increased requirements for intravenous volume and vasopressors. Tremendous
      variations exist regarding incidence reported in the literature and management at
      different institutions; and the incidence of VS is likely significantly higher
      than many anesthesiologists believe. Thus the aims of this article are to review
      the pertinent aspects related to VS and alert clinical anesthesiologists to this
      under-recognized yet very challenging clinical condition. The potential risk
      factors include blood transfusion, cardiopulmonary bypass, organ transplantation,
      trauma and sepsis, and use of specific medications such as angiotensin-converting
      enzyme inhibitors, Angiotensin-II antagonist, heparin, amiodarone, aprotinin, and
      protamine. The pathogenesis of VS may have several mechanistic pathways,
      overproduction of inducible nitric oxide, activation of ATP-dependent K channels,
      vasopressin V1A-receptor down-regulation, and nuclear factor-kappaB activation.
      Current management strategies include intravenous administration of volume and
      catecholamines, vasopressin, methylene blue and high dose hydroxocobalamin. Other
      treatment could include ATP-sensitive K channel blocker, nuclear factor-kappaB
      inhibitor, indigo carmine, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. VS is still associated
      with significantly increased perioperative morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 28625451
TI  - Is perioperative administration of 5% dextrose effective in reducing the
      incidence of PONV in laparoscopic cholecystectomy?: A randomized control trial.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting
      (PONV) during perioperative administration of 5% dextrose and normal saline in
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind
      trial. SETTING: Operating rooms in a tertiary care hospital of Northern India.
      PATIENTS: One hundred patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists status
      I to II undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled in this study.
      INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized into two groups [normal saline (NS) group
      and 5% dextrose (D) group]. Both the groups received Ringer acetate (Sterofundin
      ISO) intravenously as a maintenance fluid during intraoperative period. Besides
      this, patients of group NS received 250ml of 0.9% normal saline and patients of
      group D received 5% dextrose @ 100ml/h started at the time when gall bladder was
      taken out. It was continued in the postoperative period with the same rate till
      it gets finished. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence of PONV, Apfel score, intraoperative
      opioids used and consumption of rescue antiemetics. MAIN RESULTS: Demographic
      data was statistically similar. Out of total 100 patients, 47 patients (47%) had
      PONV. In group D, 14 patients (28%) had PONV while in group NS, 33 patients (66%)
      had PONV within 24h of surgery (p value 0.001). The incidence of PONV was reduced
      by 38% in group D which is significantly lower when compared with that of group
      NS (p value 0.001). The consumption of single dose of rescue antiemetics in group
      D was also reduced by 26% when compared to that of group NS (p value 0.002).
      CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative administration of 5% dextrose in patients undergoing
      laparoscopic surgery can reduce PONV significantly and even if PONV occurs, the
      quantity of rescue antiemetics to combat PONV is also reduced significantly.

PMID- 28625452
TI  - Tranversus abdoimis plane (TAP) block with morphine: Local, systemic or no
      effect?

PMID- 28625453
TI  - Erector spinae plane block provides effective pain management during pneumothorax
      surgery.

PMID- 28625454
TI  - A brand new day for the journal of clinical anesthesia.

PMID- 28625455
TI  - Post-operative cognitive dysfunction after total knee arthroplasty: It ain't what
      you do, it's the way that you do it.

PMID- 28625456
TI  - The effect of ondansetron on analgesic efficacy of acetaminophen after
      hysterectomy: A randomized double blinded placebo controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine that perioperative ondansetron reduces the analgesic
      efficacy of acetaminophen. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blinded study. PATIENTS:
      120 patients ASA I-II who underwent abdominal hysterectomy. INTERVENTIONS: All
      the patients were given 1g acetaminophen at skin closure. Patients were divided
      into two groups; ondansetron HCl (8mg, 2ml IV) (Group I, N=60) and saline (2ml
      IV) (Group II, N=60) at the skin closure. MEASUREMENT: Postoperative pain scores
      (VAS) while resting in bed and sitting, total opioid consumption were noted. MAIN
      RESULTS: Patients randomized to ondansetron had significantly worse pain scores
      upon arrival to the recovery unit [by 1.7 (99.7% CI: 0.75, 2.59) cm] and at 1h
      [by 1.3 (0.5, 2.1) cm] while resting in bed. Pain scores while sitting were also
      significantly greater in ondansetron group at arrival in PACU by 0.6 (99.7% CI:
      0.1, 1.0) cm. Thereafter, pain scores did not differ significantly. Median total
      opioid (tramadol) consumption was 441 [Q1, Q3: 280, 578] mg in the ondansetron
      group and 412 [309, 574] mg in the placebo group, P=0.95. CONCLUSIONS:
      Ondansetron significantly decreased the analgesic effect of acetaminophen during
      the initial postoperative period. Our results thus confirm that acetaminophen
      analgesia is partially mediated by serotonin receptors. However, the reduction
      was of marginal clinical importance and short-lived.

PMID- 28625457
TI  - Erratum to "Anesthesiologists' perceptions of minimum acceptable work habits of
      nurse anesthetists" [J Clin Anesth 38 (2017) 107-110].

PMID- 28625458
TI  - Assessing effects of intubating stylet use on early postoperative pharyngeal
      pain.

PMID- 28625459
TI  - Workload, efficiency, and productivity following open access scheduling in a
      gastrointestinal endoscopy suite.

PMID- 28625460
TI  - Perioperative use of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin
      receptor antagonists.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Clinical repercussions of perioperative treatment with
      ACEIs/ARBs. DESIGN: Systematic review according to PRISMA statement. SETTING:
      Perioperative period. PATIENTS: 29 studies 11 cases/cases series, 12
      observational studies and 6 randomized studies. MEASUREMENTS: Arterial blood
      pressure differences, refractory hypotension, other comorbidities. MAIN RESULTS:
      The studies show different results regarding the topics measured. They are
      divided in the results regarding blood pressure, long term morbidities and
      effects in neuraxial anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Withholding AECI/ARBs on the
      morning prior to surgery could be recommended as a potentially effective measure,
      with a low level of evidence, in order to reduce the appearance of hypotension in
      the perioperative period of non-cardiac surgery.

PMID- 28625461
TI  - Did we open a treasure chest of chest blocks? The jury is out.

PMID- 28625462
TI  - The King-Devick Test and concussion diagnosis.

PMID- 28625463
TI  - TREX1 Cuts Down on Cancer Immunogenicity.
AB  - Demaria and colleagues have recently identified three prime repair exonuclease 1
      (TREX1) as a key determinant for the limited immunogenicity of cancer cells
      responding to single high-dose radiation. TREX1 stands out as a promising target
      for the development of novel strategies to boost anticancer immune responses
      driven by radiation therapy (RT).

PMID- 28625464
TI  - Becker's Nevus and Lethal Beta-Actin Mutations.
AB  - The etiology of Becker's nevus and Becker's nevus syndrome has been until now
      unknown. Cai et al. provide evidence that these disorders are caused by lethal
      mutations in ACTB, a gene coding for beta-actin. They hypothesize that these
      mutations may interfere with Hedgehog pathway signaling. Their findings have
      important implications for clinical genetics, and they open new aspects in hair
      research.

PMID- 28625465
TI  - CON4EI: SkinEthicTM Human Corneal Epithelium Eye Irritation Test (SkinEthicTM HCE
      EIT) for hazard identification and labelling of eye irritating chemicals.
AB  - Assessment of ocular irritancy is an international regulatory requirement and a
      necessary step in the safety evaluation of industrial and consumer products.
      Although a number of in vitro ocular irritation assays exist, none are capable of
      fully categorizing chemicals as a stand-alone assay. Therefore, the CEFIC-LRI
      AIMT6-VITO CON4EI (CONsortium for in vitro Eye Irritation testing strategy)
      project was developed with the goal of assessing the reliability of eight in
      vitro/alternative test methods as well as establishing an optimal tiered-testing
      strategy. One of the in vitro assays selected was the validated SkinEthicTM Human
      Corneal Epithelium Eye Irritation Test method (SkinEthicTM HCE EIT). The
      SkinEthicTM HCE EIT has already demonstrated its capacity to correctly identify
      chemicals (both substances and mixtures) not requiring classification and
      labelling for eye irritation or serious eye damage (No Category). The goal of
      this study was to evaluate the performance of the SkinEthicTM HCE EIT test method
      in terms of the important in vivo drivers of classification. For the performance
      with respect to the drivers all in vivo Cat 1 and No Cat chemicals were 100%
      correctly identified. For Cat 2 chemicals the liquids and the solids had a
      sensitivity of 100% and 85.7%, respectively. For the SkinEthicTM HCE EIT test
      method, 100% concordance in predictions (No Cat versus No prediction can be made)
      between the two participating laboratories was obtained. The accuracy of the
      SkinEthicTM HCE EIT was 97.5% with 100% sensitivity and 96.9% specificity. The
      SkinEthicTM HCE EIT confirms its excellent results of the validation studies.

PMID- 28625466
TI  - First Pediatric Patient With Neuromyelitis Optica and Sjogren Syndrome
      Successfully Treated With Tocilizumab.

PMID- 28625467
TI  - Portomesenteric vein thrombosis after sleeve gastrectomy is a known entity: what
      can we do about it?

PMID- 28625468
TI  - Necrotizing Tenon's capsule infection in a lymphopenic Down syndrome patient
      following strabismus surgery.
AB  - Periocular infection is a rare complication of strabismus surgery. We describe a
      case of necrotizing Tenon's capsule infection after uncomplicated strabismus
      surgery in a boy with Down syndrome and blepharitis. Pathologic diagnosis was
      severe acute necrotizing inflammation with Gram positive coccal forms. Resolution
      of infection occurred after surgical debridement and intravenous and topical
      antibiotics. Work-up revealed lymphopenia related to Down syndrome. Patients with
      Down syndrome may have risk factors for postoperative infection including
      blepharitis and immunologic abnormalities.

PMID- 28625469
TI  - Herpes zoster ophthalmicus and strabismus: a unique cause of secondary Brown
      syndrome.
AB  - Herpes zoster ophthalmicus can be associated with a variety of ocular and visual
      sequelae, including isolated or even multiple cranial neuropathies, potentially
      affecting the oculomotor, trochlear, or abducens nerves. We report a case of a
      secondary Brown syndrome following resolution of a unilateral isolated trochlear
      nerve palsy associated with herpes zoster ophthalmicus in an immunocompetent 57
      year-old man.

PMID- 28625470
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging findings in children with spasmus nutans.

PMID- 28625471
TI  - Central serous chorioretinopathy following medial transposition of split lateral
      rectus muscle for complete oculomotor nerve palsy.

PMID- 28625472
TI  - 3D catheter reconstruction in HDR prostate brachytherapy for pre-treatment
      verification using a flat panel detector.
AB  - PURPOSE: High dose rate prostate brachytherapy is a widely-practiced treatment,
      delivering large conformal doses in relatively few treatment fractions. Inter-
      and intra-fraction catheter displacements have been reported. Unrecognized
      displacement can have a significant impact on dosimetry. Knowledge of the implant
      geometry at the time of treatment is important for ensuring safe and effective
      treatment. In this work we demonstrate a method to reconstruct the catheter
      positions pre-treatment, using a 'shift' imaging technique, and perform
      registration with the treatment plan for verification relative to the prostate.
      METHODS: Two oblique 'shift' images were acquired of a phantom containing
      brachytherapy catheters, representing the patient immediately pre-treatment.
      Using a back projection approach, the catheter paths were reconstructed in 3D and
      registered with the planned catheter paths. The robustness of the reconstruction
      and registration process was investigated as a function of phantom rotation.
      Catheter displacement detection was performed and compared to known applied
      displacements. RESULTS: Reconstruction of the implant geometry in 3D immediately
      prior to treatment was achieved. A mean reconstruction uncertainty of 0.8mm was
      determined for all catheters with a mean registration uncertainty of 0.5mm. A
      catheter displacement detection threshold of 2.2mm was demonstrated. Catheter
      displacements were all detected to within 0.5mm of the applied displacements.
      CONCLUSION: This technique is robust and sensitive to assess catheter
      displacements throughout the implant volume. This approach provides a method to
      detect, in 3D, changes in catheter positions relative to the prostate. The method
      has sufficient sensitivity to enable clinically significant decisions immediately
      prior to treatment delivery.

PMID- 28625473
TI  - Effect of DIR uncertainty on prostate passive-scattering proton therapy dose
      accumulation.
AB  - Deformable image registration (DIR) is important in dose accumulation. Currently,
      the impact of DIR-algorithm-associated uncertainties in proton therapy is
      unclear. Here, we quantify the effect of DIR uncertainties on prostate passive
      scattering proton therapy (PSPT) dose accumulation. Ten patients with an
      intermediate risk for prostate cancer formerly treated by PSPT (PTV D95=78GyE)
      were studied. Dose distributions from all verification CT images (five images per
      patient) were warped and accumulated in the planning CT geometries with DIR. The
      dose-volume histogram parameters (Dmean, V40, and V70) for rectum and bladder
      were calculated. Two commercially available DIR software packages were employed:
      Velocity AI (Varian Medical Systems) and RayStation (RaySearch Laboratories). The
      dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and surface distance, which were calculated
      between planning CT contours and deformed contours, were used for DIR validation,
      with the relationship between the dose parameter and DIR uncertainty ultimately
      investigated. On average, when using RayStation, the DSC increased by 0.14 and
      surface distance decreased by 6.4mm, as compared to Velocity. For Dmean, V40, and
      V70 to the rectum, the average differences between the RayStation and Velocity
      were 3.9GyE, 5.5%, and 3.2%, respectively. For the bladder, the differences were
      5.2GyE, 5.8%, and 5.4%, respectively. The maximum differences in V40 between
      RayStation and Velocity were 14.4% and 22.8% for the rectum and bladder,
      respectively, when the average DSC and surface distance differences were more
      than 0.14 and 6.4mm, respectively. Such results suggest that DIR uncertainties
      might significantly affect prostate PSPT dose accumulations.

PMID- 28625474
TI  - Identifying circumstances under which high insecticide dose increases or
      decreases resistance selection.
AB  - Insect management strategies for agricultural crop pests must reduce selection
      for insecticide resistant mutants while providing effective control of the insect
      pest. One management strategy that has long been advocated is the application of
      insecticides at the maximum permitted dose. This has been found, under some
      circumstances, to be able to prevent the resistance allele frequency from
      increasing. However this approach may, under different circumstances, lead to
      rapid selection for resistance to the insecticide. To test when a high dose would
      be an effective resistance management strategy, we present a flexible
      deterministic model of a population of an insect pest of agricultural crops. The
      model includes several possible life-history traits including sexual or asexual
      reproduction, diploid or haplodiploid genetics, univoltine or multivoltine life
      cycle, so that the high dose strategy can be tested for many different insect
      pests. Using this model we aim to identify the key characteristics of pests that
      make either a high dose or a low dose of insecticide optimal for resistance
      management. Two outputs are explored: firstly whether the frequency of the
      resistance allele increases over time or remains low indefinitely; and secondly
      whether lowering the dose of insecticide applied reduces or increases the rate of
      selection for the resistance allele. It is demonstrated that with high
      immigration resistance can be suppressed. This suppression however, is rarely
      lost if the insecticide dose is reduced, and is absent altogether when
      individuals move from the treated population back into an untreated population.
      Reducing the dose of insecticide often resulted in slower development of
      resistance, except where the population combined a high influx of less resistant
      individuals into the treated population, a recessive resistance gene and a high
      efficacy, in which case reducing the dose of insecticide could result in faster
      selection for resistance.

PMID- 28625475
TI  - Prediction of protein-protein interactions by label propagation with protein
      evolutionary and chemical information derived from heterogeneous network.
AB  - Prediction of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is of great significance. To
      achieve this, we propose a novel computational method for PPIs prediction based
      on a similarity network fusion (SNF) model for integrating the physical and
      chemical properties of proteins. Specifically, the physical and chemical
      properties of protein are the protein amino acid mutation rate and its
      hydrophobicity, respectively. The amino acid mutation rate is extracted using a
      BLOSUM62 matrix, which puts the protein sequence into block substitution matrix.
      The SNF model is exploited to fuse protein physical and chemical features of
      multiple data by iteratively updating each original network. Finally, the
      complementary features from the fused network are fed into a label propagation
      algorithm (LPA) for PPIs prediction. The experimental results show that the
      proposed method achieves promising performance and outperforms the traditional
      methods for the public dataset of H. pylori, Human, and Yeast. In addition, our
      proposed method achieves average accuracy of 76.65%, 81.98%, 84.56%, 84.01% and
      84.38% on E. coli, C. elegans, H. sapien, H. pylori and M. musculus datasets,
      respectively. Comparison results demonstrate that the proposed method is very
      promising and provides a cost-effective alternative for predicting PPIs. The
      source code and all datasets are available at http://pan.baidu.com/s/1dF7rp7N.

PMID- 28625476
TI  - Feedback loops interlocked at competitive binding sites amplify and facilitate
      genetic oscillations.
AB  - Positive and negative feedback loops are often present in regulatory networks for
      genetic oscillations. Relative time scales and integration of these feedback
      loops are key to robust oscillations in expression levels. Using examples from
      the circadian clock and synthetic genetic oscillators, we study positive and
      negative feedback loops interlocked at competitive binding sites. In the
      mammalian circadian clock, a key clock gene Bmal1 is regulated by the activator
      ROR and the repressor REV-ERB. Conversely, Bmal1 activates both of them, forming
      interlocked feedback loops. Previous experiments indicate that the activator and
      repressor compete for the same binding sites in the Bmal1 promoter. Transcription
      patterns predict that ROR peaks later than REV-ERB and, moreover, the peak phase
      difference between them is small. Using mathematical modeling we reveal an
      optimal ratio of dissociation constants of an activator and a repressor for the
      competitive binding sites to enhance the amplitude of Bmal1 oscillations. This
      optimal ratio arises only when the amplitude of the repressor is larger than that
      of the activator. Secondly, we reveal that the preference of binding sites for an
      activator and a repressor depends on their relative time scales. A previous study
      demonstrated that noncompetitive binding sites are preferable for synthetic
      genetic oscillators that comprise a fast activator and a slow repressor with a
      large time scale separation. Here we show that when their time scales are
      similar, competitive binding sites are more likely to generate oscillation than
      noncompetitive sites. In contrast, for a slow activator and a fast repressor with
      a small phase difference as in Bmal1 regulation, noncompetitive binding sites are
      advantageous for amplifying oscillations. Our results, therefore, predict that
      additional mechanisms are necessary to compensate the disadvantage of the Bmal1
      promoter and further facilitate amplification under the regulation by ROR and REV
      ERB.

PMID- 28625477
TI  - Challenges and advances in the diagnosis, biology, and treatment of urothelial
      upper tract and bladder carcinomas.
AB  - Urothelial carcinomas span the bladder, ureter, and renal pelvis, and while there
      had been stagnation in the field of drug approval for the past two decades, there
      is now accelerated and regular US FDA approval of 5 immunotherapy agents.
      However, patients who inherently do not respond or progress on such therapies
      still represent an area of increased unmet need. In this special Seminars issue,
      we explore varying aspects of bladder urothelial carcinoma treatment with
      targeted therapies, the unique presentation and challenges in the treatment of
      upper tract and renal pelvis tumors, as well as new and emerging diagnostic
      imaging tools for varying genitourinary cancers.

PMID- 28625478
TI  - A neonatal mouse model of coxsackievirus A10 infection for anti-viral evaluation.
AB  - Epidemiological data indicate that coxsackievirus A10 (CVA10) has become one of
      the main causative agents of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and in recent
      years has often been found to co-circulate with other enteroviruses, which poses
      a challenge for the prevention and control of HFMD. Although most CVA10
      associated HFMD cases present mild symptoms, severe manifestations and even death
      can also occur. However, the study of the pathogenesis and the development of
      drugs and vaccines for CVA10 infection are still far from complete. In this
      study, we established a neonatal mouse model for anti-viral evaluation and
      characterized the pathology of CVA10 infection. To develop the mouse model, both
      inbred and outbred mouse strains were used to compare their sensitivity to CVA10
      infection; then, one-day-old BALB/c mice were selected and inoculated
      intraperitoneally with a CVA10 clinical strain, CVA10-FJ-01. Clinical symptoms,
      such as wasting, hind-limb paralysis and even death were observed in the CVA10
      infected mice. Moreover, pathological examination and immunohistochemistry
      staining showed that severe myonecrosis with inflammatory infiltration was
      observed in CVA10-infected mice, indicating that CVA10 exhibited strong tropism
      to muscle tissue. Using real-time PCR, we also found that the viral load in the
      blood and muscle was higher than that in other organs/tissues at different time
      points post-infection, suggesting that CVA10 had a strong tropism to mice muscle
      and that viremic spread may also contribute to the death of the CVA10-infected
      mice. Additionally, to evaluate the neonatal mouse model of CVA10 infection,
      female mice were immunized with formalin-inactivated CVA10 and then allowed to
      mate after the third immunization. The results showed that maternal antibodies
      could protect mice against CVA10 infection. In summary, the results demonstrated
      that the neonatal mice model was a useful tool for evaluating the protective
      effects of CVA10 vaccines and anti-viral reagents.

PMID- 28625480
TI  - Adherence to positive airway pressure treatment among minority populations in the
      US: A scoping review.
AB  - Minority individuals in the United States (US) have an increased prevalence of
      obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared to their white/Caucasian counterparts. In
      general, adherence to positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is poor and some
      studies suggest that PAP use among minority individuals is inferior to that of
      whites. However, there has not been a review of the evidence that addresses
      racial-ethnic disparities for PAP adherence in the treatment of OSA, and no
      review has systematically examined the contributing factors to poor adherence
      among minority individuals compared to whites. We searched the literature for
      studies published between January 1990 to July 2016 that included objective PAP
      use comparisons between adult US minority individuals and whites. Twenty-two
      studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies compared the PAP adherence of
      blacks to whites. Seven studies compared the PAP adherence of additional minority
      groups to that of whites. Sixteen of the 22 studies (73%) showed worse PAP
      adherence in blacks compared to whites. Four studies found equivalent PAP use in
      US Hispanics compared to whites. Little is known about the PAP adherence of other
      US minority groups. We present a framework and research agenda for understanding
      PAP use barriers among US minority individuals.

PMID- 28625479
TI  - The change of adjacent segment after cervical disc arthroplasty compared with
      anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled
      trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Many meta-analyses have been performed to study the efficacy
      of cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) compared with anterior cervical discectomy
      and fusion (ACDF); however, there are few data referring to adjacent segment
      within these meta-analyses, or investigators are unable to arrive at the same
      conclusion in the few meta-analyses about adjacent segment. With the increased
      concerns surrounding adjacent segment degeneration (ASDeg) and adjacent segment
      disease (ASDis) after anterior cervical surgery, it is necessary to perform a
      comprehensive meta-analysis to analyze adjacent segment parameters. PURPOSE: To
      perform a comprehensive meta-analysis to elaborate adjacent segment motion,
      degeneration, disease, and reoperation of CDA compared with ACDF. STUDY DESIGN:
      Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: PubMed, Embase,
      and Cochrane Library were searched for RCTs comparing CDA and ACDF before May
      2016. The analysis parameters included follow-up time, operative segments,
      adjacent segment motion, ASDeg, ASDis, and adjacent segment reoperation. The risk
      of bias scale was used to assess the papers. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity
      analysis were used to analyze the reason for high heterogeneity. RESULTS: Twenty
      nine RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Compared with ACDF, the rate of
      adjacent segment reoperation in the CDA group was significantly lower (p<.01),
      and the advantage of that group in reducing adjacent segment reoperation
      increases with increasing follow-up time by subgroup analysis. There was no
      statistically significant difference in ASDeg between CDA and ACDF within the 24
      month follow-up period; however, the rate of ASDeg in CDA was significantly lower
      than that of ACDF with the increase in follow-up time (p<.01). There was no
      statistically significant difference in ASDis between CDA and ACDF (p>.05).
      Cervical disc arthroplasty provided a lower adjacent segment range of motion
      (ROM) than did ACDF, but the difference was not statistically significant.
      CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ACDF, the advantages of CDA were lower ASDeg and
      adjacent segment reoperation. However, there was no statistically significant
      difference in ASDis and adjacent segment ROM.

PMID- 28625482
TI  - Equalizing the information amounts of protein and mRNA by information theory.
AB  - Based on the Shannon's information communication theory, information amount of
      the entire length of a polymeric macromolecule can be calculated in bits through
      adding the entropies of each building block. Proteins, DNA and RNA are such
      macromolecules. When only the building blocks' variation is considered as the
      source of entropy, there is seemingly lower information in case of the protein if
      this approach is applied directly on a protein of specific size and the coding
      sequence size of the mRNA corresponding to the particular length of the protein.
      This decrease in the information amount seems contradictory but this apparent
      conflict is resolved by considering the conformational variations in proteins as
      a new variable in the calculation and balancing the approximated entropy of the
      coding part of the mRNA and the protein. Probabilities can change therefore we
      also assigned hypothetical probabilities to the conformational states, which
      represent the uneven distribution as the time spent in one conformation,
      providing the probability of the presence in either or one of the possible
      conformations. Results that are obtained by using hypothetical probabilities are
      in line with the experimental values of variations in the conformational-state of
      protein populations. This equalization approach has further biological relevance
      that it compensates for the degeneracy in the codon usage during protein
      translation and it leads to the conclusion that the alphabet size for the protein
      is rather optimal for the proper protein functioning within the thermodynamic
      milieu of the cell. The findings were also discussed in relation to the codon
      bias and have implications in relation to the codon evolution concept.
      Eventually, this work brings the fields of protein structural studies and
      molecular protein translation processes together with a novel approach.

PMID- 28625481
TI  - Chromatin Accessibility Landscape of Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma and Dynamic
      Response to HDAC Inhibitors.
AB  - Here, we define the landscape and dynamics of active regulatory DNA in cutaneous
      T cell lymphoma (CTCL) by ATAC-seq. Analysis of 111 human CTCL and control
      samples revealed extensive chromatin signatures that distinguished leukemic,
      host, and normal CD4+ T cells. We identify three dominant patterns of
      transcription factor (TF) activation that drive leukemia regulomes, as well as TF
      deactivations that alter host T cells in CTCL patients. Clinical response to
      histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) is strongly associated with a concurrent
      gain in chromatin accessibility. HDACi causes distinct chromatin responses in
      leukemic and host CD4+ T cells, reprogramming host T cells toward normalcy. These
      results provide a foundational framework to study personal regulomes in human
      cancer and epigenetic therapy.

PMID- 28625483
TI  - Silymarin protects against renal injury through normalization of lipid metabolism
      and mitochondrial biogenesis in high fat-fed mice.
AB  - Obesity is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney diseases and the
      conventional treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS)
      inhibitors is not enough to prevent renal injury and prolong the progression of
      disease. Recently, silymarin has shown protective effects on renal tissue injury,
      but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. The goal of this study was to
      investigate the potential capacity of silymarin to prevent renal injury during
      obesity induced by high fat diet (HFD) in mice. In vivo, male C57BL/6 mice
      received HFD (60% of total calories) for 12 weeks, randomized and treated orally
      with vehicle saline or silymarin (30mg/kg body weight/d) for 4 weeks. In vitro,
      human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK2) were exposed to 300MUM palmitic
      acid (PA) for 36h followed by silymarin administration at different
      concentrations. The administration of silymarin significantly ameliorated HFD
      induced glucose metabolic disorders, oxidative stress and pathological
      alterations in the kidney. Silymarin significantly mitigated renal lipid
      accumulation, fatty acid beta-oxidation and mitochondrial biogenesis in HFD mice
      and PA treated HK2 cells. Furthermore, silymarin partly restored mitochondrial
      membrane potential of HK2 cells after PA exposure. In conclusion, silymarin can
      improve oxidative stress and preserve mitochondrial dysfunction in the kidney,
      potentially via preventing accumulation of renal lipids and fatty acid beta
      oxidation.

PMID- 28625484
TI  - Nuclear factor-erythroid-2 related transcription factor-1 (Nrf1) is regulated by
      O-GlcNAc transferase.
AB  - The Nrf1 (Nuclear factor E2-related factor 1) transcription factor performs a
      critical role in regulating cellular homeostasis. Using a proteomic approach, we
      identified Host Cell Factor-1 (HCF1), a co-regulator of transcription, and O
      GlcNAc transferase (OGT), the enzyme that mediates protein O-GlcNAcylation, as
      cellular partners of Nrf1a, an isoform of Nrf1. Nrf1a directly interacts with
      HCF1 through the HCF1 binding motif (HBM), while interaction with OGT is mediated
      through HCF1. Overexpression of HCF1 and OGT leads to increased Nrf1a protein
      stability. Addition of O-GlcNAc decreases ubiquitination and degradation of
      Nrf1a. Transcriptional activation by Nrf1a is increased by OGT overexpression and
      treatment with PUGNAc. Together, these data suggest that OGT can act as a
      regulator of Nrf1a.

PMID- 28625485
TI  - Motor Cortical Visuomotor Feedback Activity Is Initially Isolated from Downstream
      Targets in Output-Null Neural State Space Dimensions.
AB  - Neural circuits must transform new inputs into outputs without prematurely
      affecting downstream circuits while still maintaining other ongoing communication
      with these targets. We investigated how this isolation is achieved in the motor
      cortex when macaques received visual feedback signaling a movement perturbation.
      To overcome limitations in estimating the mapping from cortex to arm movements,
      we also conducted brain-machine interface (BMI) experiments where we could
      definitively identify neural firing patterns as output-null or output-potent.
      This revealed that perturbation-evoked responses were initially restricted to
      output-null patterns that cancelled out at the neural population code readout and
      only later entered output-potent neural dimensions. This mechanism was
      facilitated by the circuit's large null space and its ability to strongly
      modulate output-potent dimensions when generating corrective movements. These
      results show that the nervous system can temporarily isolate portions of a
      circuit's activity from its downstream targets by restricting this activity to
      the circuit's output-null neural dimensions.

PMID- 28625487
TI  - Distinct Feedforward and Feedback Effects of Microstimulation in Visual Cortex
      Reveal Neural Mechanisms of Texture Segregation.
AB  - The visual cortex is hierarchically organized, with low-level areas coding for
      simple features and higher areas for complex ones. Feedforward and feedback
      connections propagate information between areas in opposite directions, but their
      functional roles are only partially understood. We used electrical
      microstimulation to perturb the propagation of neuronal activity between areas V1
      and V4 in monkeys performing a texture-segregation task. In both areas,
      microstimulation locally caused a brief phase of excitation, followed by
      inhibition. Both these effects propagated faithfully in the feedforward direction
      from V1 to V4. Stimulation of V4, however, caused little V1 excitation, but it
      did yield a delayed suppression during the late phase of visually driven
      activity. This suppression was pronounced for the V1 figure representation and
      weaker for background representations. Our results reveal functional differences
      between feedforward and feedback processing in texture segregation and suggest a
      specific modulating role for feedback connections in perceptual organization.

PMID- 28625486
TI  - A Corticothalamic Circuit for Dynamic Switching between Feature Detection and
      Discrimination.
AB  - Sensory processing must be sensitive enough to encode faint signals near the
      noise floor but selective enough to differentiate between similar stimuli. Here
      we describe a layer 6 corticothalamic (L6 CT) circuit in the mouse auditory
      forebrain that alternately biases sound processing toward hypersensitivity and
      improved behavioral sound detection or dampened excitability and enhanced sound
      discrimination. Optogenetic activation of L6 CT neurons could increase or
      decrease the gain and tuning precision in the thalamus and all layers of the
      cortical column, depending on the timing between L6 CT activation and sensory
      stimulation. The direction of neural and perceptual modulation - enhanced
      detection at the expense of discrimination or vice versa - arose from the
      interaction of L6 CT neurons and subnetworks of fast-spiking inhibitory neurons
      that reset the phase of low-frequency cortical rhythms. These findings suggest
      that L6 CT neurons contribute to the resolution of the competing demands of
      detection and discrimination.

PMID- 28625488
TI  - A Central Catecholaminergic Circuit Controls Blood Glucose Levels during Stress.
AB  - Stress-induced hyperglycemia is a fundamental adaptive response that mobilizes
      energy stores in response to threats. Here, our examination of the contributions
      of the central catecholaminergic (CA) neuronal system to this adaptive response
      revealed that CA neurons in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) control stress
      induced hyperglycemia. Ablation of VLM CA neurons abolished the hyperglycemic
      response to both physical and psychological stress, whereas chemogenetic
      activation of these neurons was sufficient to induce hyperglycemia. We further
      found that CA neurons in the rostral VLM, but not those in the caudal VLM, cause
      hyperglycemia via descending projections to the spinal cord. Monosynaptic tracing
      experiments showed that VLM CA neurons receive direct inputs from multiple stress
      responsive brain areas. Optogenetic studies identified an excitatory PVN-VLM
      circuit that induces hyperglycemia. This study establishes the central role of
      VLM CA neurons in stress-induced hyperglycemia and substantially expands our
      understanding of the central mechanism that controls glucose metabolism.

PMID- 28625489
TI  - Diosmin reduces chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in mice.
AB  - Injury or dysfunction of somatosensory system induces a complex syndrome called
      neuropathic pain, which still needs adequate pharmacological control. The current
      pharmacological treatments were in part developed from natural compounds.
      Flavonoids are natural polyphenolic molecules presenting varied biological
      activities and low toxicity. The flavonoid diosmin is a safe compound with good
      tolerability and low toxicity. This study evaluated the antinociceptive effect of
      diosmin in the sciatic nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced
      neuropathic pain model. Male Swiss mice were submitted to CCI and 7 days after,
      diosmin at 1 or 10 mg/kg was administrated intraperitoneally. Mechanical
      (electronic analgesimeter) and thermal (hot plate) hyperalgesia were evaluated 1
      24 h after treatment. The role of the NO/cGMP/PKG/KATP channel signaling pathway
      in the analgesic effect of diosmin was evaluated using the pretreatment with L
      NAME (an inhibitor of NOS), ODQ (an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase),
      KT5823 (an inhibitor of PKG), or glibenclamide (an ATP-sensitive K+ channels
      blocker). Single treatment with diosmin inhibited in a dose-dependent manner CCI
      induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia by activating the NO/cGMP/PKG/KATP
      channel signaling pathway and inhibiting spinal cord cytokine (Il-1beta and Il
      33/St2) and glial cells activation (microglia - Iba-1, oligodendrocytes - Olig2)
      mRNA expression markers. Daily treatment during 7 days with diosmin inhibited CCI
      induced mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia by inhibiting spinal cord cytokine
      (Il-1beta, Tnfalpha, and Il-33/St2) and glial cells activation (astrocytes -
      Gfap, Iba-1, and Olig2) markers mRNA expression. In conclusion, diosmin inhibits
      neuropathic spinal cord nociceptive mechanisms suggesting this flavonoid as a
      potential therapeutic molecule to reduce nerve lesion-induced neuropathic pain.

PMID- 28625490
TI  - Hydroxyflavone metal complexes - molecular structure, antioxidant activity and
      biological effects.
AB  - High content of hydroxyflavones in fruits, vegetables, cereals and herbs makes
      them a common component of the human diet. Because of their antioxidant,
      antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer properties they still pay
      an attention of many scientific centers. Hydroxyflavones may form complexes with
      metal cations, and their chelating properties differ significantly depending on
      the number and position of hydroxyl substituents in the ring. Synthesis of new
      complexes of hydroxyflavones allows for improvement biological properties,
      stability, water-solubility, hydrophilicity, bioavailability comparing with the
      parent hydroxyflavones. It expands the applicability of hydroxyflavones as food
      additives, diet supplements, preservatives or drug. This paper reviews on the
      procedures of synthesis of metal complexes with hydroxyflavones, their molecular
      structure, mode of coordinations, spectroscopic properties and their biological
      activity. The dependency between the biological activity of these compounds and
      their molecular structure is discussed.

PMID- 28625491
TI  - Insulinotropic action of 2, 4-dinitroanilino-benzoic acid through the attenuation
      of pancreatic beta-cell lesions in diabetic rats.
AB  - Beta cell destruction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes
      mellitus. It has also been argued that beta-cell mass is compromised in some
      cases of type 2 diabetes, although this is still debated. Currently, the failure
      of oral antidiabetic insulin secretagogue drugs to properly manage type 2
      diabetes demands novel approaches for the treatment of this condition. The aim of
      the present study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo antidiabetic effect
      in STZ-induced diabetic rats, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) safety of novel
      anthranilic acid derivative, 2, 4-dinitroanilino-benzoic acid (1). Anthranilic
      acid derivative 1 was also evaluated for insulinotropic action on STZ-mediated
      pancreatic beta-cell lesions in diabetic rats. During an eight week study, oral
      glucose tolerance test, fasting blood glucose, and serum insulin levels, and
      pancreatic insulin contents were measured in four different groups of Wistar
      rats; control, STZ-induced diabetic, gliclazide-treated, and anthranilic acid
      derivative-treated diabetic rats. Beta-cell number and islet area were also
      quantified, and immunohistochemical study was performed. In vitro studies in
      cells showed that 2, 4-dinitroanilino-benzoic acid (1) did not adversely effect
      the cells viability. We found that the derivative 1 significantly improved the
      glucose tolerance, fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c levels, serum insulin levels,
      and pancreatic insulin contents (P < 0.05), comparable to gliclazide-treated
      group. The derivative 1 exhibited a significant insulinotropic action on diabetic
      pancreas, and caused an increased immunoreactivity for insulin, as compared to
      gliclazide-treated group. Together these results suggest that treatment of
      diabetic rats with 2, 4-dinitroanilino-benzoic acid (1) improved the glucose
      tolerance, fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c levels most probably by restoring the
      functional activities of the pancreas via its insulinotropic action. This
      indicates that the derivative 1 can serve as lead for the treatment of diabetes
      caused by low insulin levels.

PMID- 28625492
TI  - CBMG, a novel derivative of mansonone G suppresses adipocyte differentiation via
      suppression of PPARgamma activity.
AB  - Mansorins and mansonones have been isolated from Mansonia gagei heartwoods, a
      traditional herbal medicine used to treat heart failure, and characterized to
      have anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, and anti-estrogenic activities.
      However, there is as yet no information on their effects on adipogenesis and
      lipid storage associated with heart disease. In this study, we investigated the
      effects of naturally occurring compounds on adipogenic differentiation and sought
      to develop more potent anti-adipogenic compound. We found that mansonone G (MG)
      suppressed adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, with a 40% decrease in
      lipid accumulation at 10 MUM. MG derivatives including ether and ester analogues
      were then synthesized and assayed for their ability to suppress adipogenesis. A
      novel MG derivative, chlorobenzoyl MG (CBMG) most potently suppressed adipocyte
      differentiation with the decreased level of aP2 and adiponectin. Interestingly,
      CBMG treatment decreased the expression of CCAAT enhancer binding protein-alpha
      (C/EBPalpha) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma).
      Further analysis confirmed that CBMG suppressed both the expression and activity
      of PPARgamma, a master regulator of adipogenesis, and subsequently led to
      decreases in transcription of C/EBPalpha, aP2, and adiponectin in adipogenesis,
      thereby attenuating adipocyte differentiation. Our results suggest that a novel
      MG derivative, CBMG may have beneficial applications in the control of obesity
      through the suppression of PPARgamma-induced adipocyte differentiation and lipid
      accumulation.

PMID- 28625493
TI  - Question 12: What do you consider when discussing treatment adherence in patients
      with Cystic Fibrosis?

PMID- 28625494
TI  - Acute stress shifts the balance between controlled and automatic processes in
      prospective memory.
AB  - In everyday life we frequently rely on our abilities to postpone intentions until
      later occasions (prospective memory; PM) and to deactivate completed intentions
      even in stressful situations. Yet, little is known about the effects of acute
      stress on these abilities. In the present work we investigated the impact of
      acute stress on PM functioning under high task demands. (1) Different from
      previous studies, in which intention deactivation required mostly low processing
      demands, we used salient focal PM cues to induce high processing demands during
      intention-deactivation phases. (2) We systematically manipulated PM-monitoring
      demands in a nonfocal PM task that required participants to monitor for either
      one or six specific syllables that could occur in ongoing-task words. Eighty
      participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test, a standardized stress
      induction protocol, or a standardized control situation, before performing a
      computerized PM task. Our primary interests were whether PM performance, PM
      monitoring costs, aftereffects of completed intentions and/or commission-error
      risk would differ between stressed and non-stressed individuals and whether these
      effects would differ under varying task demands. Results revealed that PM
      performance and aftereffects of completed intentions during subsequent
      performance were not affected by acute stress induction, replicating previous
      findings. Under high demands on intention deactivation (focal condition),
      however, acute stress produced a nominal increase in erroneous PM responses after
      intention completion (commission errors). Most importantly, under high demands on
      PM monitoring (nonfocal condition), acute stress led to a substantial reduction
      in PM-monitoring costs. These findings support ideas of selective and demand
      dependent effects of acute stress on cognitive functioning. Under high task
      demands, acute stress might induce a shift in processing strategy towards
      resource-saving behavior, which seems to increase the efficiency of PM
      performance (reduced monitoring costs), but might increase initial susceptibility
      to automatic response activation after intention completion.

PMID- 28625495
TI  - Assessing the Effect of an Intensive 2-Week Surgical Training and Innovation
      Program for High-School Students.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The summer surgery program (SSP) was founded in 2012 as an educational
      program for students at the critical juncture between high school and college to
      engender interest in medicine, science, and innovation. This program has a
      distinct emphasis on innovation and problem solving based on real-life operative
      challenges identified by students during surgical observation in the operating
      room. The effect of the SSP regarding postsecondary education and career goals
      was evaluated by participants using a follow-up questionnaire. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort study using web-based survey administered to students at
      least 1 year after participation in the SSP. Associations between demographics
      and survey responses were made using Fisher's exact test and a Bonferonni
      correction was used to account for multiple comparisons. PARTICIPANTS: Between
      July 2012 and August 2015, 119 students enrolled in the SSP. We sent a web-based
      questionnaire link to all participants who completed the program. The
      questionnaire contained 80 questions assessing the participant's interest in
      studying medicine or science in college, knowledge of health care, and their
      appreciation and understanding of innovation. SETTING: UC Irvine Medical Center,
      Orange, CA; Institutional tertiary care center. RESULTS: In total, 77 (64.7%) of
      119 students who matriculated in the SSP completed the follow-up survey; the mean
      number of years after the program was 2.09 years. Nearly all students reported
      the program increased their interest in studying medicine or science in college
      (97.4%), led them to a better understanding of their own career goals (93.5%) and
      made them more confident in their ability to succeed in a career in health care
      (88.3%). The majority indicated the program led them to better understand the
      training and schooling required of doctors and surgeons (94.8%), and led them to
      better appreciate the roles of different medical specialties (96.1%). Overall 96%
      of students reported that the program led them to better understand the
      importance of innovation and 86% of the respondents noted they better understood
      the process of innovation. Participants in the SSP were confident they would be
      able to become a health professional (p < 0.0001). Of note, there was no drop off
      in the ratings for the program when comparing classes that were 1, 2, 3, or 4
      years after their SSP experience. CONCLUSIONS: The follow-up survey revealed that
      the 2 week SSP had a markedly, long lasting positive effect on participants in
      areas of academic, career, and innovation-related variables.

PMID- 28625496
TI  - Can We Get Faculty Interviewers on the Same Page? An Examination of a Structured
      Interview Course for Surgeons.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Guidance on how to train faculty to conduct structured interviews
      and implement them into current screening processes is lacking. The goal of this
      study is to describe a structured interview training program designed
      specifically for surgeons and examine its effectiveness. METHODS: Faculty
      involved in advanced surgical fellowship interviews completed a 20-item knowledge
      assessment and video-based applicant interview ratings before taking a half-day
      course on conducting structured interviews. The course consisted of evidence
      based strategies and methods for conducting structured interviews, asking
      questions, and rating applicants in a highly interactive format. After the
      course, faculty again completed the knowledge assessment and provided ratings for
      3 video-based applicant interviews. RESULTS: All faculty members (N = 5)
      responsible for selecting fellows in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery
      completed the training. Faculty had an average of 15.8 +/- 9.12 years in
      practice. Average performance on the precourse knowledge assessment was 35% +/-
      6.12% and the group was unable to achieve acceptable agreement for applicant
      interview scores for any of the competencies assessed. After the course, faculty
      demonstrated significant improvements (p < 0.01) on the knowledge assessment,
      more than doubling their scores on the pretest with average scores of 80% +/-
      9.35%. Faculty also improved their interrater agreement of applicant competency,
      with 80% of the applicant interview ratings within 2 points of each other.
      CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a half-day course designed to teach principles and
      skills around structured interviewing and assessment demonstrated significant
      improvements in both interviewing knowledge and interrater agreement. These
      findings support the time and resources required to develop and implement a
      structured interview training program for surgeons for the postgraduate
      admissions process.

PMID- 28625497
TI  - Pitfalls and Opportunities for Epigenomic Analyses Focused on Disease Diagnosis,
      Prognosis, and Therapy.

PMID- 28625498
TI  - The Impact of Routine Evaluation of Gastric Residual Volumes on the Time to
      Achieve Full Enteral Feeding in Preterm Infants.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the time to full enteral feedings in preterm infants after
      a practice change from routine evaluation of gastric residual volume before each
      feeding to selective evaluation of gastric residual volume , and to evaluate the
      impact of this change on the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). STUDY
      DESIGN: Data were collected on all gavage-fed infants born at <=34 weeks
      gestational age (GA) for 2 years before (n = 239) and 2 years after the change (n
      = 233). RESULTS: The median GA was 32.0 (IQR: 29.7-33.0) weeks before and 32.4
      (30.4-33.4) weeks after the change (P = .02). Compared with historic controls,
      infants with selective evaluations of gastric residual volumes weaned from
      parenteral nutrition 1 day earlier (P < .001) and achieved full enteral feedings
      (150 cc/kg/day) 1 day earlier (P = .002). The time to full oral feedings and
      lengths of stay were similar. The rate of NEC (stage >= 2) was 1.7% in the
      selective gastric residual volume evaluation group compared with 3.3% in the
      historic control group (P = .4). Multiple regression analyses showed that the
      strongest predictor of time to full enteral feedings was GA. Routine evaluation
      of gastric residual volume and increasing time on noninvasive ventilation both
      prolonged the attainment of full enteral feedings. Findings were consistent in
      the subgroup with birth weights of <1500 g. Increased weight at discharge was
      most strongly associated with advancing postmenstrual, age but avoidance of
      routine evaluations of gastric residual volume also was a significant factor.
      CONCLUSIONS: Avoiding routine evaluation of gastric residual volume before every
      feeding was associated with earlier attainment of full enteral feedings without
      increasing risk for NEC.

PMID- 28625499
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28625500
TI  - Short-, medium-, and long-term assessment of pulmonary dysfunction in extremely
      low birth weight neonates.

PMID- 28625501
TI  - Hyperkeratosis and Discoloration of the Toenails in an 8-Year-Old.

PMID- 28625509
TI  - From the Editor's desk...: May 2017.

PMID- 28625508
TI  - Surgical Treatment of Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: AUA/SUFU Guideline.
AB  - PURPOSE: Stress urinary incontinence is a common problem experienced by many
      women that can have a significant negative impact on the quality of life of those
      who suffer from the condition and potentially those friends and family members
      whose lives and activities may also be limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      comprehensive search of the literature was performed by ECRI Institute. This
      search included articles published between January 2005 and December 2015 with an
      updated abstract search conducted through September 2016. When sufficient
      evidence existed, the body of evidence for a particular treatment was assigned a
      strength rating of A (high), B (moderate), or C (low) for support of Strong,
      Moderate, or Conditional Recommendations. In the absence of sufficient evidence,
      additional information is provided as Clinical Principles and Expert Opinions.
      RESULTS: The AUA (American Urological Association) and SUFU (Society of
      Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction) have formulated
      an evidence-based guideline focused on the surgical treatment of female stress
      urinary incontinence in both index and non-index patients. CONCLUSIONS: The
      surgical options for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence continue to
      evolve; as such, this guideline and the associated algorithm aim to outline the
      currently available treatment techniques as well as the data associated with each
      treatment. Indeed, the Panel recognizes that this guideline will require
      continued literature review and updating as further knowledge regarding current
      and future options continues to grow.

PMID- 28625507
TI  - Contemporary Patterns of Care and Outcomes of Men Found to Have Lymph Node
      Metastases at the Time of Radical Prostatectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: A thorough understanding of the natural history and consensus regarding
      the optimal management of pathological lymph node positive (pN1) prostate cancer
      are lacking. Our objective was to describe patterns of care and outcomes of a
      contemporary cohort of men with pN1 prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      used the National Cancer Database to identify 7,791 men who were found to have
      lymph node metastases at radical prostatectomy. Multinomial logistic regression
      and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to identify patient, tumor and
      facility characteristics associated with the choice of management strategy after
      radical prostatectomy and overall survival, respectively. RESULTS: Initial post
      prostatectomy management was observation in 63% of the men, androgen deprivation
      therapy alone in 20%, radiation therapy alone in 5%, and androgen deprivation
      therapy and radiation therapy in 13%. Younger age, lower comorbidity burden,
      higher grade and stage, and positive surgical margins were associated with a
      higher likelihood of receiving combination therapy. Grade group 4-5 disease, pT3b
      T4 disease, positive surgical margins and a higher number of positive lymph nodes
      were independent predictors of worse overall survival. The adjusted 10-year
      overall survival probability decreased from 84% to 32% with the presence of an
      increasing number of adverse prognostic factors. Treatment with combined androgen
      deprivation therapy and radiation therapy was associated with better overall
      survival (multivariable HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.52-0.92, p = 0.010 for combination
      therapy vs observation). CONCLUSIONS: Patient and tumor characteristics are
      associated with the choice of management strategy after radical prostatectomy and
      survival in men with pN1 prostate cancer. Multimodal therapy may be of benefit in
      this patient population.

PMID- 28625515
TI  - Ethical, medico-legal and juridical issues regarding the end of life.

PMID- 28625514
TI  - Aggressive adrenal carcinoma in a young patient with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia
      1 syndrome.

PMID- 28625510
TI  - Sexual dimorphism of the calcaneus in contemporary Cretans.
AB  - During the past decade, several studies have been carried out using the calcaneus
      bone for sex estimation. This paper collected data using ten variables for metric
      characteristics of the calcaneus of 144 modern Cretans and examined their
      correlation with known sex. Secondly, the formulae developed by Peckmann et al.
      (2015) for modern Athenians was put to the test in order to investigate if it
      could be applied to this modern Cretan sample as well. Results showed a high
      correlation between the calcaneus metrics and the known sex of the individuals,
      however the formulae for Athenians do not seem to be suitable for the Cretans due
      to the high sex bias reported in this study. Thus, new standards were created for
      sex estimation from the calacanei in our sample. Bilateral asymmetry was noted in
      the majority of cases, thus formulae were developed for left, right and mean
      values. Maximum width (MAXW) was the variable that performed the best in the
      Cretan sample. Overall, the cross-validated accuracies for univariate and
      multivariate equations reached 84.2% with males most often correctly identified.
      The calcaneus was proved to be useful for sex estimation in this modern Cretan
      population. Further work will explore the suitability of the produced standards
      for other regions of mainland Greece and islands.

PMID- 28625503
TI  - Thyroid Hormone Status in Sitosterolemia Is Modified by Ezetimibe.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between biomarkers of thyroid status and
      5alpha-stanols in patients with sitosterolemia treated with ezetimibe (EZE).
      STUDY DESIGN: Eight patients with sitosterolemia (16-56 years of age) were
      studied during 14 weeks off EZE therapy and 14 weeks on EZE (10 mg/day). Serum
      thyroid biomarkers (free triiodothyronine [FT3], free thyroxine [FT4], FT3/FT4
      ratio, thyroid-stimulating hormone), 5alpha-stanols (sitostanol and cholestanol),
      and cholestanol precursors (total cholesterol and its synthesis marker
      lathosterol, and 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one cholestenol) were measured at
      baseline and during the 14 weeks off EZE and on EZE. RESULTS: EZE increased
      FT3/FT4 (10% +/- 4%; P = .02). EZE reduced plasma and red blood cells sitostanol
      (-38% +/- 6% and -20% +/- 4%; all P < .05) and cholestanol (-18% +/- 6% and -13%
      +/- 3%; all P < .05). The change in plasma cholestanol level on EZE inversely
      correlated with the change in FT3/FT4 (r = -0.86; P = .01). EZE lowered total
      cholesterol (P < .0001) and did not affect 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one
      cholestanol. EZE increased (P < .0001) lathosterol initially, but the level was
      not sustained, resulting in similar levels at week 14 off EZE and on EZE.
      CONCLUSION: In patients with STSL, 5alpha-stanols levels might be associated with
      thyroid function. EZE reduces circulating 5alpha-stanols while increasing
      FT3/FT4, implying increased conversion of T4 to T3, thus possibly improving
      thyroid hormone status. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT01584206.

PMID- 28625516
TI  - Eggerthella lenta bacteremia associated to colonic polyps and colon
      adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28625511
TI  - Lung fluid clearance in chronic heart failure patients.
AB  - Chronic elevation of pulmonary microvascular pressure (Pmv) consistently leads to
      alveolocapillary barrier thickening and reduction in the filtration coefficient.
      In animal models of chronic heart failure (CHF) the lung remains dry despite
      hydrostatic forces. As fluid flux is bi-directional, it has been postulated that
      an increase in alveolar fluid clearance may facilitate the dry lung when Pmv is
      chronically elevated. In this study we aimed to examine alveolar fluid clearance
      in ambulatory patients with CHF secondary to left ventricular (LV) systolic
      dysfunction compared against non-CHF controls. Lung clearance following aerosol
      delivery of 99mtechnetium (Tc)-diethyl triaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) was
      measured non-invasively by scintigraphy and half time of 99mTc-DTPA clearance (T
      (1/2)) was calculated by mono-exponential curve fit. Alveolar fluid clearance
      measured as half time DTPA clearance was significantly faster in CHF patients
      than controls (P=0.001). This was further defined by NYHA classification. No
      correlation was found between DTPA clearance and plasma epinephrine,
      norepinephrine or aldosterone hormone (P>0.05). Our results support an
      association between increasing alveolar fluid clearance and disease severity in
      CHF, and the concept of controlled bi-directional fluid flux in CHF associated
      with increasing Pmv, and represents another defence mechanism of the lung against
      pulmonary oedema.

PMID- 28625513
TI  - Relationship between vitamin D, osteoporotic fracture and falls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Link low levels of vitamin D, osteoporotic fracture and falls.
      PATIENTS AND METHOD: Transversal observational study with the study variables of
      age, levels of vitamin D, osteoporotic fracture and falls. The study population
      was patients evaluated by the Rehabilitation Department, Hospital of Sagunto,
      from January 2013 to December 2014. RESULTS: Of the 242 patients who underwent
      vitamin D analysis, 70.6% showed levels under 30ng/ml. Forty-eight percent of the
      patients with below normal levels of vitamin D suffered a fracture, opposed to
      32.4% patients with normal levels. Thus, controlling by age, patients with low
      levels of vitamin D are 4.8 times more likely to suffer a fracture than those
      with normal levels. Regarding falls, controlling by age, there is a higher risk
      of falling (adjusted OR 2.68) in those patients with low levels of vitamin D.
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with low vitamin D levels are more likely to suffer falls
      and fractures.

PMID- 28625506
TI  - Long-term Cost-effectiveness of Two GLP-1 Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of
      Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the Italian Setting: Liraglutide Versus Lixisenatide.
AB  - PURPOSE: Maintaining glycemic control is the key treatment target for patients
      with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
      receptor agonists may be associated with other favorable treatment
      characteristics, such as reduction in body weight and reduced risk of
      hypoglycemia compared with traditional diabetes interventions. The aim of the
      present analysis was to compare the long-term cost-effectiveness of 2 GLP-1
      receptor agonists, liraglutide 1.8 mg and lixisenatide 20 MUg (both administered
      once daily), in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes failing to achieve
      glycemic control with metformin monotherapy in the Italian setting. METHODS: The
      IMS CORE Diabetes Model was used to project long-term clinical outcomes and
      subsequent costs (in 2015 Euros [?]) associated with liraglutide 1.8 mg versus
      lixisenatide 20 MUg treatment in a cohort with baseline characteristics derived
      from the open-label LIRA-LIXI trial (Efficacy and Safety of Liraglutide Versus
      Lixisenatide as Add-on to Metformin in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes;
      NCT01973231) over patient lifetimes from the perspective of a health care payer.
      Efficacy data were taken from the 26-week end points of the same trial, including
      changes in glycated hemoglobin, body mass index, serum lipid levels, and
      hypoglycemic event rates. Outcomes projected included life expectancy, quality
      adjusted life expectancy, cumulative incidence and time to onset of diabetes
      related complications, and direct medical costs. Outcomes were discounted at 3%
      annually, and sensitivity analyses were performed. FINDINGS: Liraglutide 1.8 mg
      was associated with improved discounted life expectancy (14.07 vs 13.96 years)
      and quality-adjusted life expectancy (9.18 vs 9.06 quality-adjusted life years
      [QALYs]) compared with lixisenatide 20 MUg. These improvements were mostly
      attributable to a greater reduction in glycated hemoglobin level with liraglutide
      1.8 mg versus lixisenatide 20 MUg, leading to reduced incidence and increased
      time to onset of diabetes-related complications. Compared with lixisenatide 20
      MUg, liraglutide 1.8 mg was associated with increased total costs over patient
      lifetimes (?41,623 vs ?41,380), but this was offset by lower costs of treating
      diabetes-related complications (?26,682 vs ?27,476). Liraglutide 1.8 mg was
      associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of ?2001 per QALY gained
      versus lixisenatide 20 MUg. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of ?30,000 per QALY
      gained, liraglutide 1.8 mg had a probability of 77.2% of being cost-effective.
      IMPLICATIONS: Based on long-term projections, liraglutide 1.8 mg is likely to be
      considered cost-effective compared with lixisenatide 20 MUg for the treatment of
      patients with type 2 diabetes in Italy.

PMID- 28625502
TI  - A Computable Phenotype Improves Cohort Ascertainment in a Pediatric Pulmonary
      Hypertension Registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare registry and electronic health record (EHR) data mining
      approaches for cohort ascertainment in patients with pediatric pulmonary
      hypertension (PH) in an effort to overcome some of the limitations of registry
      enrollment alone in identifying patients with particular disease phenotypes.
      STUDY DESIGN: This study was a single-center retrospective analysis of EHR and
      registry data at Boston Children's Hospital. The local Informatics for
      Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2) data warehouse was queried for billing
      codes, prescriptions, and narrative data related to pediatric PH. Computable
      phenotype algorithms were developed by fitting penalized logistic regression
      models to a physician-annotated training set. Algorithms were applied to a
      candidate patient cohort, and performance was evaluated using a separate set of
      136 records and 179 registry patients. We compared clinical and demographic
      characteristics of patients identified by computable phenotype and the registry.
      RESULTS: The computable phenotype had an area under the receiver operating
      characteristics curve of 90% (95% CI, 85%-95%), a positive predictive value of
      85% (95% CI, 77%-93%), and identified 413 patients (an additional 231%) with
      pediatric PH who were not enrolled in the registry. Patients identified by the
      computable phenotype were clinically distinct from registry patients, with a
      greater prevalence of diagnoses related to perinatal distress and left heart
      disease. CONCLUSIONS: Mining of EHRs using computable phenotypes identified a
      large cohort of patients not recruited using a classic registry. Fusion of EHR
      and registry data can improve cohort ascertainment for the study of rare
      diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02249923.

PMID- 28625505
TI  - Bioequivalence Study of a New Fixed-dose Combination Tablet Containing S
      Amlodipine Nicotinate and Olmesartan Medoxomil in Healthy Korean Male Subjects.
AB  - PURPOSE: A fixed-dose combination (FDC) pill of amlodipine (relatively old
      calcium channel blocker as dihydropyridine) and olmesartan (relatively new
      angiotensin II receptor blocker) is used for hypertension that is not adequately
      controlled with a single-formulation drug. Because the FDC is a one-pill
      formulation, and amlodipine and olmesartan have different mechanisms of action,
      it is expected to improve patients' medication compliance and have an increased
      blood pressure-lowering efficacy. The purpose of this study was to assess the
      safety profile and the bioequivalence of two different FDC formulations
      [amlodipine besylate/olmesartan medoxomil 10/40 mg (reference product) and S
      amlodipine nicotinate/olmesartan medoxomil 5/40 mg (test product)]. METHODS: A
      randomized, open-label, single-dose, 2-treatment, 2-way, and 2-period crossover
      study, including a 3-week washout period, was performed in 32 healthy Korean male
      volunteers. To analyze the concentration of S-amlodipine or olmesartan, plasma
      samples were collected up to 144 hours after the dose for S-amlodipine and 48
      hours after the dose for olmesartan. Pharmacokinetic parameters, including the
      Cmax and the area under the curve from time 0 to the last measurable
      concentration (AUC0-last) for the time versus concentration plot, were
      calculated. Analysis of variance for bioequivalence was conducted using Cmax and
      AUC0-last converted to log scale, and the mean ratios and 90% CIs were
      determined. Safety data included analysis of adverse events (AEs), vital signs,
      physical examinations, clinical laboratory test, and 12-lead ECGs. FINDINGS: Of
      the 32 enrolled participants, 29 healthy volunteers completed the study. For both
      S-amlodipine and olmesartan, the main pharmacokinetic parameters were all within
      the acceptable range for regulatory bioequivalence. The 90% CIs for the geometric
      mean ratios of Cmax and AUC0-last were 0.8766 to 0.9760 and 0.8288 to 0.9224,
      respectively, for S-amlodipine and 0.9097 to 1.1229 and 0.8904 to 1.0407,
      respectively, for olmesartan. Hypotension was the most frequent AE, and it was
      observed in 4 volunteers with the test product and 7 volunteers with the
      reference product. Both the test and reference formulations were well tolerated.
      IMPLICATIONS: The present study demonstrates that the newly developed FDC product
      (test drug) and the conventional FDC product (reference drug) have comparable
      pharmacokinetic characteristics in healthy adult male volunteers. Both the test
      and reference products indicated good tolerance in this population, and no
      serious AEs were observed.

PMID- 28625512
TI  - First experience with edoxaban and atrial fibrillation ablation - Insights from
      the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures are increasingly being
      performed in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Experience
      regarding the safety of edoxaban in this context is limited. In an exploratory
      analysis we therefore investigated the outcome of patients undergoing
      transcatheter AF ablation in the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial. METHODS & RESULTS:
      During the trial, 193 transcatheter AF ablation procedures were performed in 169
      patients. For the majority of ablations (n=157, 81%), study drug was interrupted
      >3days (median time of interruption: 18days, interquartile range 3-30days); 86
      ablations were performed with <=10days, and 36 ablations with <=3days study drug
      interruption. During the first 30days after the ablation, one ischemic stroke was
      observed in the warfarin group and none in the higher-dose edoxaban regimen
      (HDER) or lower-dose edoxaban regimen (LDER) group. Three clinically relevant non
      major (CRNM) bleeding events were observed in the warfarin group; one major bleed
      was seen in the HDER group; one minor bleed occurred in the LDER group. All
      bleeding events occurred among the patients with <=10days study drug
      interruption; in contrast, no ischemic events or deaths were observed in these
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot evaluation of the ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 trial,
      treatment with edoxaban was associated with a low risk of ischemic and bleeding
      events during the first 30days post ablation.

PMID- 28625504
TI  - Mutations in ARMC9, which Encodes a Basal Body Protein, Cause Joubert Syndrome in
      Humans and Ciliopathy Phenotypes in Zebrafish.
AB  - Joubert syndrome (JS) is a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by
      hypotonia, ataxia, abnormal eye movements, and variable cognitive impairment. It
      is defined by a distinctive brain malformation known as the "molar tooth sign" on
      axial MRI. Subsets of affected individuals have malformations such as coloboma,
      polydactyly, and encephalocele, as well as progressive retinal dystrophy,
      fibrocystic kidney disease, and liver fibrosis. More than 35 genes have been
      associated with JS, but in a subset of families the genetic cause remains
      unknown. All of the gene products localize in and around the primary cilium,
      making JS a canonical ciliopathy. Ciliopathies are unified by their overlapping
      clinical features and underlying mechanisms involving ciliary dysfunction. In
      this work, we identify biallelic rare, predicted-deleterious ARMC9 variants (stop
      gain, missense, splice-site, and single-exon deletion) in 11 individuals with JS
      from 8 families, accounting for approximately 1% of the disorder. The associated
      phenotypes range from isolated neurological involvement to JS with retinal
      dystrophy, additional brain abnormalities (e.g., heterotopia, Dandy-Walker
      malformation), pituitary insufficiency, and/or synpolydactyly. We show that ARMC9
      localizes to the basal body of the cilium and is upregulated during ciliogenesis.
      Typical ciliopathy phenotypes (curved body shape, retinal dystrophy, coloboma,
      and decreased cilia) in a CRISPR/Cas9-engineered zebrafish mutant model provide
      additional support for ARMC9 as a ciliopathy-associated gene. Identifying ARMC9
      mutations as a cause of JS takes us one step closer to a full genetic
      understanding of this important disorder and enables future functional work to
      define the central biological mechanisms underlying JS and other ciliopathies.

PMID- 28625517
TI  - Reduced TDP-43 Expression Improves Neuronal Activities in a Drosophila Model of
      Perry Syndrome.
AB  - Parkinsonian Perry syndrome, involving mutations in the dynein motor component
      dynactin or p150Glued, is characterized by TDP-43 pathology in affected brain
      regions, including the substantia nigra. However, the molecular relationship
      between p150Glued and TDP-43 is largely unknown. Here, we report that a reduction
      in TDP-43 protein levels alleviates the synaptic defects of neurons expressing
      the Perry mutant p150G50R in Drosophila. Dopaminergic expression of p150G50R,
      which decreases dopamine release, disrupts motor ability and reduces the lifespan
      of Drosophila. p150G50R expression also causes aggregation of dense core vesicles
      (DCVs), which contain monoamines and neuropeptides, and disrupts the axonal flow
      of DCVs, thus decreasing synaptic strength. The above phenotypes associated with
      Perry syndrome are improved by the removal of a copy of Drosophila TDP-43 TBPH,
      thus suggesting that the stagnation of axonal transport by dynactin mutations
      promotes TDP-43 aggregation and interferes with the dynamics of DCVs and synaptic
      activities.

PMID- 28625518
TI  - Histone Chaperone ASF1A Predicts Poor Outcomes for Patients With Gastrointestinal
      Cancer and Drives Cancer Progression by Stimulating Transcription of beta-Catenin
      Target Genes.
AB  - Epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in gastrointestinal cancer (GIC)
      development and progression, and most studies have been focused on aberrant DNA
      methylation and histone modifying enzymes. However, the histone H3-H4 chaperone
      ASF1A is an important factor regulating chromatin assembling and gene
      transcription, while it is currently unclear whether ASF1A is involved in cancer
      pathogenesis. The present study is thus designed to address this issue. Here we
      showed that ASF1A expression was widespread in GIC-derived cell lines and up
      regulated in primary GIC. Higher levels of ASF1A expression predicted
      significantly shorter patient overall survival in colorectal cancer (P=0.0012).
      The further analyses of the GEO dataset validate higher ASF1A expression as a
      prognostic factor for CRC patients. Mechanistically, ASF1A interacted with beta
      catenin and promoted the transcription of beta-catenin target genes including c
      MYC, cyclin D1, ZEB1 and LGR5, thereby stimulating proliferation, stemness and
      migration/invasion of GIC cells. beta-Catenin inhibition abolished these effects
      of ASF1A. Moreover, the ASF1A-beta-catenin-ZEB1 axis down-regulated E-Cadherin
      expression, thereby contributing to enhanced migration/invasion of GIC cells.
      ASF1A over-expression and depletion facilitated and inhibited in vivo tumor
      growth and/or metastasis in mouse xenograft models, respectively. Taken together,
      ASF1A is aberrantly over-expressed in GIC tumors and plays key roles in GIC
      development and progression by stimulating the transcription of beta-catenin
      target genes. ASF1A may thus be a novel target for GIC therapy and a potential
      prognostic marker.

PMID- 28625519
TI  - Multiplex Ultrasensitive Genotyping of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
      for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutations by Means of Picodroplet
      Digital PCR.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations have been used as the strongest
      predictor of effectiveness of treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors
      (TKIs). Three most common EGFR mutations (L858R, exon 19 deletion, and T790M) are
      known to be major selection markers for EGFR-TKIs therapy. Here, we developed a
      multiplex picodroplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay to detect 3 common EGFR mutations
      in 1 reaction. Serial-dilution experiments with genomic DNA harboring EGFR
      mutations revealed linear performance, with analytical sensitivity ~0.01% for
      each mutation. All 33 EGFR-activating mutations detected in formalin-fixed
      paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples by the conventional method were also
      detected by this multiplex assay. Owing to the higher sensitivity, an additional
      mutation (T790M; including an ultra-low-level mutation, <0.1%) was detected in
      the same reaction. Regression analysis of the duplex assay and multiplex assay
      showed a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9986 for L858R, 0.9844 for an exon 19
      deletion, and 0.9959 for T790M. Using ddPCR, we designed a multiplex
      ultrasensitive genotyping platform for 3 common EGFR mutations. Results of this
      proof-of-principle study on clinical samples indicate clinical utility of
      multiplex ddPCR for screening for multiple EGFR mutations concurrently with an
      ultra-rare pretreatment mutation (T790M).

PMID- 28625520
TI  - Immunogenicity of pulsatile-release PLGA microspheres for single-injection
      vaccination.
AB  - The World Health Organization's Expanded Programme on Immunization has led to a
      dramatic rise in worldwide vaccination rates over the past 40years, yet 19.4
      million infants remain underimmunized each year. Many of these infants have
      received at least one vaccine dose but may remain unprotected because they did
      not receive subsequent booster doses due to logistical challenges. This study
      aimed to develop injectable controlled release microparticles with kinetics that
      mimic common vaccine dosing regimens consisting of large antigen doses
      administered periodically over the course of months in order to eliminate the
      need for boosters. Sixteen poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microsphere
      formulations containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model vaccine antigen
      were screened in vitro to determine their respective release kinetics. Three
      formulations that exhibited desirable pulsatile release profiles were then
      selected for studying immunogenicity in mice. Two low-dose microsphere
      formulations induced peak anti-BSA IgG antibody titers of 13.9+/-1.3 and 13.7+/
      2.2 log2 compared to 15.5+/-1.5 log2 for a series of three bolus injections
      delivered at 0, 4, and 8weeks with an equivalent cumulative dose. Similarly, high
      dose formulations induced peak antibody titers that were 16.1+/-2.1 log2 compared
      to 17.7+/-2.2 log2 for controls. All three microparticle formulations studied in
      vivo induced peak antibody titers that were statistically similar to bolus
      controls. These results suggest that pulsatile antigen release from polymeric
      microparticles is a promising approach for single-injection vaccination, which
      could potentially reduce the logistical burden associated with immunization in
      the developing world.

PMID- 28625521
TI  - Protective efficacy of multivalent replication-abortive vaccine strains in horses
      against African horse sickness virus challenge.
AB  - African horse sickness virus (AHSV) is an orbivirus, a member of the Reoviridae
      family. Nine different serotypes have been described so far. AHSV is vectored by
      Culicoides spp. to equids, causing high mortality, particularly in horses, with
      considerable economic impacts. For development of a safe attenuated vaccine, we
      previously established an efficient reverse genetics (RG) system to generate
      Entry Competent Replication-Abortive (ECRA) virus strains, for all nine serotypes
      and demonstrated the vaccine potential of these strains in type I interferon
      receptor (IFNAR)-knockout mice. Here, we evaluated the protective efficacies of
      these ECRA viruses in AHSV natural hosts. One monoserotype (ECRA.A4) vaccine and
      one multivalent cocktail (ECRA.A1/4/6/8) vaccine were tested in ponies and
      subsequently challenged with a virulent AHSV4. In contrast to control animals,
      all vaccinated ponies were protected and did not develop severe clinical symptoms
      of AHS. Furthermore, the multivalent cocktail vaccinated ponies produced
      neutralizing antibodies against all serotypes present in the cocktail, and a foal
      born during the trial was healthy and had no viremia. These results validate the
      suitability of these ECRA strains as a new generation of vaccines for AHSV.

PMID- 28625523
TI  - Induction, treatment and prevention of eczema vaccinatum in atopic dermatitis
      mouse models.
AB  - Eczema vaccinatum is a severe and occasionally lethal complication of smallpox
      vaccine, characterized by systemic viral dissemination, distant from the initial
      inoculation site of the vaccine. A major risk factor for eczema vaccinatum is a
      background of atopic dermatitis, a chronic, common allergic, relapsing disorder,
      manifested by dry and inflamed skin, itchy rash, Th2 biased immune response and
      hypersensitivity to various antigens. Unlike the severe manifestations of eczema
      vaccinatum in humans, current models present only mild symptoms that limits
      examination of potential therapeutics for eczema vaccinatum. The atopic
      dermatitis and eczema vaccinatum models we present here, are the first to
      simulate the severity of the diseases in humans. Indeed, dermatitic mice display
      persistent severe dermatitis, characterized by dry and inflamed skin with barrier
      dysfunction, epidermal hyperplasia and significant elevation of serum IgE. By
      exposing atopic dermatitis mice to ectromelia virus, we generated eczema
      vaccinatum that mimic the human disease better than known eczema vaccinatum
      models. Similarly to humans, eczematous mice displayed enlarged and disseminated
      skin lesions, which correlated with elevated viral load. Cidofovir and antiviral
      antibodies conferred protection even when treatment started at a late eczematous
      stage. Moreover, we are the first to demonstrate that despite a severe background
      of atopic dermatitis, modified vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA) vaccination protects
      against lethal ectromelia virus exposure. We finally show that protection by MVA
      vaccination is dependent on CD4+ T cells and is associated with significant
      activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and induction of humoral immunity.

PMID- 28625522
TI  - Immunogenicity and therapeutic effects of recombinant Ag85AB fusion protein
      vaccines in mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
AB  - The immune function of tuberculosis (TB) patients is disordered. By using immune
      regulators to assist chemotherapy for TB the curative effect might be improved.
      In this study, a vaccine containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis)
      recombinant Ag85AB fusion protein (rAg85AB) was constructed and evaluated. The
      mice were immunized intramuscularly three times at two-week intervals with Ag85AB
      fusion protein combined with Corynebacterium parvum adjuvant (rAg85AB+CP). In
      comparison to control mice that received either CP alone or saline, the mice that
      received rAg85AB+CP had significantly higher number of T cells secreting IFN
      gamma and higher levels of specific antibodies of IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a isotypes in
      sera. The specific antibodies also had higher ratios of IgG2a to IgG1, indicating
      a predominant Th1 immune response. To test for immunotherapy of TB, M.
      tuberculosis infected mice were given three intramuscular doses of 20MUg, 40MUg
      or 60MUg of rAg85AB in rAg85AB+CP, or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), or CP or
      Mycobacterium phlei (M. Phlei) F.U.36. Compared with the PBS group, 20ug, 40ug
      and 60ug rAg85AB+CP and M. phlei F.U.36 groups reduced the pulmonary bacterial
      loads by 0.13, 0.15, 0.42 and 0.40 log10, and the liver bacterial loads by 0.64,
      0.64, 0.53 and 0.61 log10, respectively. Pathological changes of lungs were less,
      and the lesions were limited to a certain extent in 40ug and 60ug rAg85AB+CP and
      M. phlei F.U.36 groups. These results showed that rAg85AB+CP had
      immunotherapeutic effect on TB, significantly increasing the cellular immune
      response, and inhibiting the growth of M. tuberculosis.

PMID- 28625524
TI  - Cross-reactivity and avidity of antibody responses induced in humans by the oral
      inactivated multivalent enterotoxigenicEscherichia coli (ETEC) vaccine ETVAX.
AB  - We investigated whether the oral inactivated, multivalent enterotoxigenic
      Escherichia coli (ETEC) vaccine ETVAX, consisting of four E. coli strains over
      expressing the colonisation factors (CFs) CFA/I, CS3, CS5 and CS6, combined with
      the toxoid LCTBA, could induce cross-reactive antibodies to CFs related to the
      CFA/I and CS5 families. We also evaluated the avidity of vaccine induced
      antibodies against the toxoid and CFs. Cross-reactivity was analysed in mucosal
      (faecal and antibodies in lymphocyte supernatants, ALS) samples, and antibody
      avidity in serum and ALS samples, from two phase I trials: a primary vaccination
      study, where two oral doses of ETVAX were given+/-the double mutant heat labile
      toxin (dmLT) adjuvant at a 2-week interval, and a booster vaccination study,
      where a single booster dose of ETVAX was given 13-23months after primary
      vaccinations. We found that 65-90% of subjects who had responded to CFA/I in ALS
      or faecal specimens also developed cross-reactive antibodies to the related CFs
      tested, i.e. CS1, CS14 and CS17, and that approximately 80% of those responding
      to CS5 also responded to the closely related CS7. For subjects who had developed
      cross-reactive antibodies, the magnitudes of responses against vaccine CFs and
      related non-vaccine CFs were comparable. Using both a simple method of antibody
      avidity determination based on limiting antigen dilution, as well as a chaotropic
      ELISA method, we found that the avidity of serum and ALS antibodies to key
      vaccine antigens increased after a late booster dose compared to after primary
      vaccination. Our results suggest that the cross-reactive antibody responses
      against multiple CFs may result in expanded ETEC strain coverage of ETVAX and
      that repeated vaccinations induce vaccine-specific antibodies with increased
      binding capacity.

PMID- 28625525
TI  - Recombinant Lactobacillus casei expressing Clostridium perfringens toxoids alpha,
      beta2, epsilon and beta1 gives protection against Clostridium perfringens in
      rabbits.
AB  - The present study used Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393 as antigen delivery system to
      express C. perfringens toxoids alpha-beta2-epsilon-beta1 to construct the
      recombination Lactobacillus casei pPG-2-alpha-beta2-epsilon-beta1/L. casei 393.
      After being induced by 1% xylose, the specificity and integrity of recombinant
      strain were determined by Western-blotting. Rabbits as native animal model were
      immunized orally with pPG-2-alpha-beta2-epsilon-beta1/L. casei 393 and the titers
      of specific IgG and sIgA were determined by ELISA. The result showed that oral
      administration with the recombinants could elicit both local mucosal and systemic
      immune responses. The proliferation of spleen lymphocytes in rabbits immunized
      with pPG-2-alpha-beta2-epsilon-beta1/L. casei 393 was observed. Levels of IL-4
      and IFN-gamma produced were significantly higher in lymphocytes isolated from the
      vaccine group than those from the control groups. Flow cytometry assay showed
      that both the percentages of CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells from the vaccine group
      were significantly increased than the control groups. All these results showed
      that immunizing with recombinants can elicit both humoral immunity and cellular
      immunity. Besides, in order to determine the effectiveness of oral immunization
      with pPG-2-alpha-beta2-epsilon-beta1/L. casei 393, rabbits of vaccine group and
      control groups were challenged with 1*LD100 unit of culture filtrate of C.
      perfringens type C and type D toxins respectively. After challenge, 100% of the
      immunized rabbits survived, while the rabbits of the control group were killed
      within 48h. Observation on histopathology showed that histopathological changes
      were obviously found in heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, intestine and brain
      of rabbits from the control groups, while no apparent histopathological change
      was observed in the vaccine group. All the results show that pPG-2-alpha-beta2
      epsilon-beta1/L. casei 393 can eliciteffective immunoprotection against C.
      perfringens. All of these suggest that the use of pPG-2-alpha-beta2-epsilon
      beta1/L. casei 393 can be regarded as candidate for the development of a vaccine
      against C. perfringens.

PMID- 28625526
TI  - Body Mass Index and All-cause Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Dose
      response Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.
AB  - This article provides a dose-response meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship
      between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause and disease-specific mortality in
      chronic kidney disease (CKD) by pooling together early stage, hemodialysis, and
      peritoneal dialysis patients. We evaluated eligible studies that published
      between 1966 and December 2014 by searching in PubMed, Object View and
      Interaction Design (OVID), and the Scopus databases. We used random-effects
      generalized least squares spline models for trend estimation to derive pooled
      dose-response estimates. Nonlinear associations of BMI with all-cause mortality
      were observed (P-nonlinearity < .0001), with an increased rate of mortality with
      BMIs > 30 kg/m2 in all stages of CKD together. However, reanalysis of data
      separately by stage of CKD (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis) showed that the
      risk of all-cause mortality decreased with a steep slope in individuals with BMIs
      > 30 kg/m2. This meta-analysis indicates that higher BMI has protective effects
      with respect to all-cause mortality in patients with both type of dialysis.

PMID- 28625527
TI  - Summertime Thoughts.

PMID- 28625528
TI  - Dietary Reduction of Advanced Glycation End Products: An Opportunity for Improved
      Nutrition Care.

PMID- 28625529
TI  - Comparative study on the effect of low intensity laser and growth factors on stem
      cells used in experimentally-induced liver fibrosis in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The therapeutic effects of human umbilical cord
      derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) exposed to diode laser and/or hepatocyte
      growth factor (HGF) were compared in mice with experimental liver fibrosis
      induced by carbon tetra chloride (CCl4). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Animal model of
      liver cirrhosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 in a dose of
      0.4ml/kg, twice a week for 6weeks. UC-MSCs were obtained from normal full term
      placentas and were exposed to diode laser and/or HGF. Before treatment, UC-MSCs
      were labelled with red fluorescent PKH26. Fifty four male mice weighing 25-35g
      were randomly divided into four groups control, stem cells, CCl4, and treated
      groups. After the experimental period, body and liver weights were recorded, and
      the liver specimens were processed for histological examination using
      haematoxylin and eosin, Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS), and Masson's Trichrome
      staining (MT). RESULTS: Results showed that administration of UC-MSCs stimulated
      by diode laser and/or HGF improved body and liver weights, reduced vascular
      dilatation and congestion, reduced mononuclear cellular infiltration, reduced
      hepatocyte vacuolation, eosinophilia, and pyknosis. Furthermore, periportal
      fibrosis was minimized and PAS reaction was increased. These effects were maximum
      when UC-MSCs were exposed to both diode laser and HGF. CONCLUSION: UC-MSCs
      stimulated by both diode laser and HGF proved to be an effective therapeutic
      option in experimental liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in mice.

PMID- 28625530
TI  - The Emerging Roles of STING in Bacterial Infections.
AB  - The STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) protein connects microorganism
      cytosolic sensing with effector functions of the host cell by sensing directly
      cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs), originating from pathogens or from the host upon DNA
      recognition. Although STING activation favors effective immune responses against
      viral infections, its role during bacterial diseases is controversial, ranging
      from protective to detrimental effects for the host. In this review, we summarize
      important features of the STING activation pathway and recent highlights about
      the role of STING in bacterial infections by Chlamydia, Listeria, Francisella,
      Brucella, Shigella, Salmonella, Streptococcus, and Neisseria genera, with a
      special focus on mycobacteria.

PMID- 28625531
TI  - The extended bundle of the tensor veli palatini: Anatomic consideration of the
      dilating mechanism of the Eustachian tube.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the topographical structures of
      the muscles surrounding the Eustachian tube. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted
      macroscopic and histological studies of 24 halves of 12 heads from Japanese
      cadavers. RESULTS: The main findings were as follows: 1) the infero-lateral
      muscle bundles of the tensor veli palatini didn't turn medially at the pterygoid
      hamulus but were distributed laterally and continuous with the buccinator; 2) the
      tensor veli palatini attached laterally to the membranous part of the Eustachian
      tube; 3) the superior pharyngeal constrictor was not only adjacent to the
      buccinator at the pterygomandibular raphe but also had muscular continuation with
      it laterally and 4) some bundles of the superior pharyngeal constrictor adhered
      with the palatine aponeurosis. CONCLUSION: We believe that the cooperation of the
      muscles contributes to the dilating mechanism of the Eustachian tube, due to the
      complex topographical structures of the surrounding muscles: the tensor veli
      palatini, the levator veli palatini, the superior pharyngeal constrictor and the
      buccinator.

PMID- 28625532
TI  - Emergency department DNR order in patients with spontaneous intracerebral
      hemorrhage.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the determinant factors and prognostic significance of
      emergency department do-not-resuscitate (ED-DNR) orders for patients with
      spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH). METHODS: Consecutive adult SICH
      patients treated in our ED from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2016 were
      selected as the eligible cases from our hospital's stroke database. Patients'
      information was comprehensively reviewed from the database and medical and
      nursing charts. ED-DNR orders were defined as DNR orders written during ED stay.
      Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant
      determinants of ED-DNR orders. Thirty- and 90-day neurological outcomes were
      analyzed to test the prognosis impact of ED-DNR orders. RESULTS: Among 835
      enrolled patients, 112 (12.1%) had ED-DNR orders. Significant determinant factors
      of ED-DNR orders were age, ambulatory status before the event, brain computed
      tomography findings of midline shift, intraventricular extension, larger hematoma
      size, and ED arrival GCS <=8. Patients with and without ED-DNR orders had a
      similar 30-day death rate if they had the same initial ICH score point. During 30
      to 90days, patients with ED-DNR orders had a significantly increased mortality
      rate. However, the rate of improvement in neurological status between the two
      groups was not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Older and sicker SICH
      patients had higher rate of ED-DNR orders. The mortality rates between patients
      with and without ED-DNR orders for each ICH score point were not significantly
      different. During the 30-to-90-day follow-up, the rates of neurological
      improvement in both groups were similar.

PMID- 28625533
TI  - Medication errors with push dose pressors in the emergency department and
      intensive care units.

PMID- 28625534
TI  - Predictors of urinary and rectal toxicity after external conformed radiation
      therapy in prostate cancer: Correlation between clinical, tumour and dosimetric
      parameters and radical and postoperative radiation therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine rectal and urinary toxicity after external beam radiation
      therapy (EBRT), assessing the results of patients who undergo radical or
      postoperative therapy for prostate cancer (pancreatic cancer) and their
      correlation with potential risk factors. METHOD: A total of 333 patients were
      treated with EBRT. Of these, 285 underwent radical therapy and 48 underwent
      postoperative therapy (39 cases of rescue and 9 of adjuvant therapy). We
      collected clinical, tumour and dosimetric variable to correlate with toxicity
      parameters. We developed decision trees based on the degree of statistical
      significance. RESULTS: The rate of severe acute toxicity, both urinary and
      rectal, was 5.4% and 1.5%, respectively. The rate of chronic toxicity was 4.5%
      and 2.7%, respectively. Twenty-seven patients presented haematuria, and 9
      presented haemorrhagic rectitis. Twenty-five patients (7.5%) presented permanent
      limiting sequela. The patients with lower urinary tract symptoms prior to the
      radiation therapy presented poorer tolerance, with greater acute bladder toxicity
      (P=0.041). In terms of acute rectal toxicity, 63% of the patients with mean
      rectal doses >45Gy and anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy developed mild toxicity
      compared with 37% of the patients with mean rectal doses <45 Gy and without
      anticoagulant therapy. We were unable to establish predictors of chronic toxicity
      in the multivariate analysis. The long-term sequelae were greater in the patients
      who underwent urological operations prior to the radiation therapy and who were
      undergoing anticoagulant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The tolerance to EBRT was good,
      and severe toxicity was uncommon. Baseline urinary symptoms constitute the
      predictor that most influenced the acute urinary toxicity. Rectal toxicity is
      related to the mean rectal dose and with anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy.
      There were no significant differences in severe toxicity between radical versus
      postoperative radiation therapy.

PMID- 28625535
TI  - Glial-Specific Functions of Microcephaly Protein WDR62 and Interaction with the
      Mitotic Kinase AURKA Are Essential for Drosophila Brain Growth.
AB  - The second most commonly mutated gene in primary microcephaly (MCPH) patients is
      wd40-repeat protein 62 (wdr62), but the relative contribution of WDR62 function
      to the growth of major brain lineages is unknown. Here, we use Drosophila models
      to dissect lineage-specific WDR62 function(s). Interestingly, although neural
      stem cell (neuroblast)-specific depletion of WDR62 significantly decreased
      neuroblast number, brain size was unchanged. In contrast, glial lineage-specific
      WDR62 depletion significantly decreased brain volume. Moreover, loss of function
      in glia not only decreased the glial population but also non-autonomously caused
      neuroblast loss. We further demonstrated that WDR62 controls brain growth through
      lineage-specific interactions with master mitotic signaling kinase, AURKA.
      Depletion of AURKA in neuroblasts drives brain overgrowth, which was suppressed
      by WDR62 co-depletion. In contrast, glial-specific depletion of AURKA
      significantly decreased brain volume, which was further decreased by WDR62 co
      depletion. Thus, dissecting relative contributions of MCPH factors to individual
      neural lineages will be critical for understanding complex diseases such as
      microcephaly.

PMID- 28625536
TI  - Reconstructing Lineage Hierarchies of Mouse Uterus Epithelial Development Using
      Single-Cell Analysis.
AB  - The endometrial layer comprises luminal and glandular epithelia that both develop
      from the same simple layer of fetal uterine epithelium. Mechanisms of uterine
      epithelial progenitor self-renewal and differentiation are unclear. This study
      aims to systematically analyze the molecular and cellular mechanisms of uterine
      epithelial development by single-cell analysis. An integrated set of single-cell
      transcriptomic data of uterine epithelial progenitors and their differentiated
      progenies is provided. Additionally the unique molecular signatures of these
      cells, characterized by sequential upregulation of specific epigenetic and
      metabolic activities, and activation of unique signaling pathways and
      transcription factors, were also investigated. Finally a unique subpopulation of
      early progenitor, as well as differentiated luminal and glandular lineages, were
      identified. A complex cellular hierarchy of uterine epithelial development was
      thus delineated. Our study therefore systematically decoded molecular markers and
      a cellular program of uterine epithelial development that sheds light on uterine
      developmental biology.

PMID- 28625537
TI  - The Developmental Stage of Adult Human Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment
      Epithelium Cells Influences Transplant Efficacy for Vision Rescue.
AB  - Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of central visual loss
      in the elderly. Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell loss occurs early in the
      course of AMD and RPE cell transplantation holds promise to slow disease
      progression. We report that subretinal transplantation of RPE stem cell (RPESC)
      derived RPE cells (RPESC-RPE) preserved vision in a rat model of RPE cell
      dysfunction. Importantly, the stage of differentiation that RPESC-RPE acquired
      prior to transplantation influenced the efficacy of vision rescue. Whereas cells
      at all stages of differentiation tested rescued photoreceptor layer morphology,
      an intermediate stage of RPESC-RPE differentiation obtained after 4 weeks of
      culture was more consistent at vision rescue than progeny that were
      differentiated for 2 weeks or 8 weeks of culture. Our results indicate that the
      developmental stage of RPESC-RPE significantly influences the efficacy of RPE
      cell replacement, which affects the therapeutic application of these cells for
      AMD.

PMID- 28625538
TI  - A Strong Contractile Actin Fence and Large Adhesions Direct Human Pluripotent
      Colony Morphology and Adhesion.
AB  - Cell-type-specific functions and identity are tightly regulated by interactions
      between the cell cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Human
      pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have ultimate differentiation capacity and
      exceptionally low-strength ECM contact, yet the organization and function of
      adhesion sites and associated actin cytoskeleton remain poorly defined. We imaged
      hPSCs at the cell-ECM interface with total internal reflection fluorescence
      microscopy and discovered that adhesions at the colony edge were exceptionally
      large and connected by thick ventral stress fibers. The actin fence encircling
      the colony was found to exert extensive Rho-ROCK-myosin-dependent mechanical
      stress to enforce colony morphology, compaction, and pluripotency and to define
      mitotic spindle orientation. Remarkably, differentiation altered adhesion
      organization and signaling characterized by a switch from ventral to dorsal
      stress fibers, reduced mechanical stress, and increased integrin activity and
      cell-ECM adhesion strength. Thus, pluripotency appears to be linked to unique
      colony organization and adhesion structure.

PMID- 28625539
TI  - Investigating the effects of maximal anaerobic fatigue on dynamic postural
      control using the Y-Balance Test.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The Y Balance Test is one of the most commonly used dynamic balance
      assessments, providing an insight into the integration of the sensorimotor
      subsystems. In recent times, there has been an increase in interest surrounding
      it's use in various clinical populations demonstrating alterations in motor
      function. Therefore, it is important to examine the effect physiological
      influences such as fatigue play in dynamic postural control, and establish a
      timeframe for its recovery. DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. METHODS: Twenty
      male and female (age 23.75+/-4.79years, height 174.12+/-8.45cm, mass 69.32+/
      8.76kg) partaking in competitive sport, completed the Y Balance Test protocol at
      0, 10 and 20min, prior to a modified 60s Wingate fatiguing protocol. Post-fatigue
      assessments were then completed at 0, 10 and 20 min post-fatiguing intervention.
      RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficients demonstrated excellent intra-session
      reliability (0.976-0.982) across the three pre-fatigue YBT tests. Post-hoc paired
      sample t-tests demonstrated that all three reach directions demonstrated
      statistically significant differences between pre-fatigue and the first post
      fatigue measurement (anterior; p=0.019, posteromedial; p=0.019 & posterolateral;
      p=0.003). The anterior reach direction returned to pre-fatigue levels within
      10min (p=0.632). The posteromedial reach direction returned to pre-fatigue levels
      within 20min (p=0.236), while the posterolateral direction maintained a
      statistically significant difference at 20min (p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Maximal
      anaerobic fatigue has a negative effect on normalised Y balance test scores in
      all three directions. Following the fatiguing protocol, dynamic postural control
      returns to pre-fatigue levels for the anterior (<10min), posteromedial (<20min)
      and posterolateral (>20min).

PMID- 28625540
TI  - Effects of breaking up sitting on adolescents' postprandial glucose after
      consuming meals varying in energy: a cross-over randomised trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the impact of uninterrupted sitting versus sitting with
      resistance-type activity breaks on adolescents' postprandial glucose responses
      while consuming a diet varying in energy. DESIGN: Cross-over randomised trial.
      METHODS: Thirteen healthy participants (16.4+/-1.3years) completed a four
      treatment cross-over trial: (1) uninterrupted sitting+high-energy diet; (2)
      sitting with breaks+high-energy diet; (3) uninterrupted sitting+standard-energy
      diet; and (4) sitting with breaks+standard-energy diet. For all four conditions,
      two identical meals were consumed; at 0h and 3h. A continuous glucose monitoring
      system (CGM) recorded interstitial glucose concentrations every five minutes.
      Linear mixed models examined differences in glucose positive incremental area
      under the curve (iAUC) and total AUC between the sitting and diet conditions for
      the first meal, second meal and entire trial period. RESULTS: Compared to the
      uninterrupted sitting conditions, the breaks condition elicited a 36.0mmol/L/h
      (95%CI 6.6-65.5) and 35.9mmol/L/h (95%CI 6.6-65.5) lower iAUC response after the
      first and second meal, respectively, but not for the entire trial period or for
      total AUC. Compared to the standard-energy diet, the high-energy diet elicited a
      55.0mmol/L/h (95%CI 25.8-84.2) and 75.7mmol/L/h (95%CI 8.6-142.7) higher iAUC
      response after the first meal and entire trial, respectively. Similar response to
      the high-energy diet were observed for total AUC. CONCLUSIONS: According to iAUC,
      interrupting sitting had a significant effect on lowering postprandial glucose
      for both dietary conditions, however, it was not significant when examining total
      AUC. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings. CLINICAL TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12615001145594.

PMID- 28625541
TI  - Plant-derived antifungal compounds trigger a common transcriptional response.
AB  - Understanding the mechanism of action of antifungal drugs is vital for better
      control of mycosis, which kills >1.3 million lives every year thus remains a
      major health problem worldwide. In this study, we investigate the activities of
      three different categories of plant-derived antifungal compounds (resveratrol,
      honokiol and osthole) via transcriptomics and bioinformatics analysis, with the
      goal of discovering the common Mode-of-Action (MoA) at molecular level. The
      result shows that a common transcriptional response (72 gene are up-regulated
      while 10 genes are down-regulated, commonly) are triggered by above
      representative antifungal compounds in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe)
      yeast. By virtue of gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and gene functional
      annotation study, we identify that the genes involved in oxidative stress
      response, sugar metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and
      glycolysis are significantly up-regulated, while the genes involved in nucleosome
      assembly, transcription and RNA processing are down-regulated, by any of these
      antifungal compounds. These observations demonstrate that the common MoA includes
      a strengthened anti-oxidative cell adaptation, a faster metabolic rate and a
      generally suppressed gene transcriptional activity. It implies a genetically
      encoded common redistribution of intracellular energy flux and molecules
      synthesis, after the challenging of antifungal compounds.

PMID- 28625542
TI  - Analysis of the codon usage of the ORF2 gene of feline calicivirus.
AB  - Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a highly prevalent pathogen of the domestic cat that
      causes acute infections of the oral and upper respiratory tract. The E region of
      the ORF2 protein is responsible for the induction of virus-neutralizing
      antibodies, thus it is important to understand the codon usage of this gene.
      Here, analysed 90 coding sequences of ORF2 and show that it undergoes a low codon
      usage bias. In addition, although mutational bias is one of the factors shaping
      the codon usage bias of this gene, natural selection plays a more significant
      role. Our results reveal part of the mechanisms driving FCV evolution, which will
      lay foundation for the further research of FCV.

PMID- 28625543
TI  - Characterization of Vibrio cholerae O1 strains that trace the origin of Haitian
      like genetic traits.
AB  - Vibrio cholerae O1 is the etiological agent of the severe diarrheal disease
      cholera. The bacterium has recently been causing outbreaks in Haiti with
      catastrophic effects. Numerous mutations have been reported in V. cholerae O1
      strains associated with the Haitian outbreak. These mutations encompass among
      other the genes encoding virulence factors such as the pilin subunit of the toxin
      co-regulated pilus (tcpA), cholera toxin B subunit (ctxB), repeat in toxins
      (rtxA), and other genes such as the quinolone resistance-determining region
      (QRDR) of gyrase A (gyrA), rstB of RS element along with the alteration in the
      number of repeat sequences at the promoter region of ctxAB. Given the numerous
      genetic changes in those Haitian isolates, we decided to investigate the possible
      origins of those variations in the Indian subcontinent. Thus, we determined the
      genetic traits among V. cholerae O1 strains in Delhi, India. A total of 175
      strains isolated from cholera patients during 2004 to 2012 were analysed in the
      present study. Our results showed that all the tested strains carried Haitian
      type tcpA (tcpACIRS) and variant gyrA indicating their first appearance before
      2004 in Delhi. The Haitian variant rtxA and ctxB7 were first detected in Delhi
      during 2004 and 2006, respectively. Interestingly, not a single strain with the
      combination of El Tor rtxA and ctxB7 was detected in this study. The Delhi
      strains carried four heptad repeats (TTTTGAT) in the CT promoter region whereas
      Haitian strains carried 5 such repeats. Delhi strains did not have any deletion
      mutations in the rstB like Haitian strains. Overall, our study demonstrates the
      sequential accumulation of Haitian-like genetic traits among V. cholerae O1
      strains in Delhi at different time points prior to the Haitian cholera outbreak.

PMID- 28625544
TI  - SepsEast: Bridging between East and West.

PMID- 28625545
TI  - Screening for psychological distress: A new approach to identify the patient's
      psychological needs in a pilot study on oral cancer patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A new screening tool has been developed to predict the psychological
      needs of patients with oral cancer. METHOD: The new screening method was
      developed inductively. Screening was pretested using interviews and implemented
      with 71 patients with oral cancer. Factor analysis was carried out to shorten the
      questionnaire. RESULTS: Negative and positive aspects explain forty per cent of
      the variance in distress, which should be adequate for a first screening. Seventy
      nine per cent of the items deal with stable traits such as personality. The
      patients' objective need for support has to be another important part of this new
      screening. CONCLUSIONS: Personality and other traits are good predictors for
      psychological distress. Longitudinal studies need to assess these new aspects of
      screening cancer patients to find out if they need psycho-oncological support.

PMID- 28625546
TI  - The lateral parabrachial nucleus and central angiotensinergic mechanisms in the
      control of sodium intake induced by different stimuli.
AB  - Angiotensin II (ANG II) is a typical facilitatory stimulus for sodium appetite.
      Surprisingly, hyperosmolarity and central cholinergic stimulation, two classical
      antinatriorexigenic stimuli, also facilitate NaCl intake when they are combined
      with injections of the alpha2-adrenoceptor/imidazoline agonist moxonidine into
      the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN). In the present study, we tested the
      relative importance of central angiotensinergic and cholinergic mechanisms for
      the control of water and NaCl intake by combining different dipsogenic or
      natriorexigenic stimuli with moxonidine injection into the LPBN. Adult male
      Holtzman rats (n=9-10/group) with stainless steel cannulas implanted in the
      lateral ventricle and LPBN were used. Bilateral injections of moxonidine (0.5
      nmol) into the LPBN increased water and 0.3M NaCl intake in rats that received
      furosemide+captopril injected subcutaneously, ANG II (50ng) or carbachol
      (cholinergic agonist, 4 nmol) injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) or 2M NaCl
      infused intragastrically (2ml/rat). Losartan (AT1 antagonist, 100MUg) or atropine
      (muscarinic antagonist, 20 nmol) injected icv abolished the effects on water and
      0.3M NaCl of moxonidine combined to either 2M NaCl intragastrically or carbachol
      icv. However, atropine icv did not change 0.3M NaCl intake produced by direct
      central action of ANG II like that induced by ANG II icv or furosemide+captopril
      combined with moxonidine into the LPBN. The results suggest that different
      stimuli, including hyperosmolarity and central cholinergic stimulation, share
      central angiotensinergic activation as a common mechanism to facilitate sodium
      intake, particularly when they are combined with deactivation of the LPBN
      inhibitory mechanisms.

PMID- 28625547
TI  - Contextual fear conditioning is enhanced in mice lacking functional sphingosine
      kinase 2.
AB  - The lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent neuroprotective signalling
      molecule that signals through its own family of five G-protein coupled receptors.
      S1P signalling enhances presynaptic glutamate release and is essential for neural
      development. S1P is synthesized by the enzymes sphingosine kinases 1 and 2 (SPHK1
      and SPHK2), of which SPHK2 mRNA and activity is more abundant in the brain. In
      this study we investigated the consequences of global SphK2 knockout (SphK2-/-)
      on basic motor capabilities, anxiety, learning, and memory in mice, using a range
      of tests including the elevated plus maze, the cheeseboard, contextual and cued
      fear conditioning, and fear extinction. Loss of SphK2 resulted in an 85-90%
      reduction in brain S1P levels, and was associated with a notably higher freezing
      response in a novel context. SphK2 knockout mice also exhibited increased
      contextual fear conditioning but the extinction of contextual fear memory was
      similar to control mice. SphK2-/- mice, contrary to their control littermates,
      did not respond to cue presentation with increased freezing. Anxiety measures in
      the elevated plus maze were not different between SphK2-/- mice and control
      littermates. Also, knockout mice showed no deficits in neurological reflexes or
      motor functions, and performed as well as their control littermates in the
      spatial memory test. Our findings demonstrate that SphK2 is responsible for the
      vast majority of S1P synthesis in the mouse brain, and plays a role in freezing
      responses as evaluated in the fear conditioning paradigm.

PMID- 28625548
TI  - Effect of a change in housing conditions on body weight, behavior and brain
      neurotransmitters in male C57BL/6J mice.
AB  - The development of modern housing regimes such as individually ventilated cage
      (IVC) systems has become very popular and attractive in order to reduce spreading
      of pathogenic organisms and to lower the risk to develop a laboratory animal
      allergy for staff members. Additionally, optimal housing of laboratory animals
      contributes to improve animal health status and ensures high and comparable
      experimental and animal welfare standards. However, it has not been clearly
      elucidated whether 1) a change to IVC systems have an impact on various
      physiological phenotypic parameters of mice when compared to conventional,
      standard cages and 2) if this is further affected by changing from social to
      single housing. Therefore, we investigated the influence of a change in housing
      conditions (standard cages with social housing changed to standard or IVC cages
      combined with social or single housing) on body weight, behavior and a
      neurochemical fingerprint of male C57BL/6J mice. Body weight progression was
      significantly reduced when changing mice to single or social IVC cages as well as
      in single standard cages when compared to social standard housing. Automated
      motor activity measurement in the open field showed that mice maintained in
      social husbandry with standard cages displayed the lowest exploratory behavior
      but the highest activity difference upon amphetamine treatment. Elevated plus
      maze test revealed that a change to IVC single and social housing as well as
      single standard housing produced anxiety-related behavior when compared to
      maintenance in social standard housing. Additionally, postmortem neurochemical
      analysis of the striatum using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to
      electrochemical detection showed significant differences in striatal dopamine and
      serotonin turnover levels. In summary, our data indicate a crucial influence of a
      change in housing conditions on several mouse phenotype parameters. We propose
      that the maintenance of well-defined housing conditions is mandatory to ensure
      reproducible and comparable results and contributes to the application of the 3R
      refinement principle in animal studies by contributing to welfare and hygienical
      standards.

PMID- 28625549
TI  - The long-term effects of stress and kappa opioid receptor activation on
      conditioned place aversion in male and female California mice.
AB  - Psychosocial stress leads to the activation of kappa opioid receptors (KORs),
      which induce dysphoria and facilitate depression-like behaviors. However, less is
      known about the long-term effects of stress and KORs in females. We examined the
      long-term effects of social defeat stress on the aversive properties of KOR
      activation in male and female California mice (Peromyscus californicus) using a
      conditioned place aversion paradigm. Female California mice naive to social
      defeat, formed a place aversion following treatment with 2.5mg/kg of the KOR
      agonist U50,488, but females exposed to defeat did not form a place aversion to
      this dose. This supports the finding by others that social defeat weakens the
      aversive properties of KOR agonists. In contrast, both control and stressed males
      formed an aversion to 10mg/kg of U50,488. We also examined EGR1 immunoreactivity,
      an indirect marker of neuronal activity, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and found
      that stress and treatment with 10mg/kg of U50,488 increased EGR1 immunoreactivity
      in the NAc core in females but reduced activation in males. The effects of stress
      and U50,488 on EGR1 were specific to the NAc, as we found no differences in the
      bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. In summary, our data indicate important sex
      differences in the long-term effects of stress and indicate the need for further
      study of the molecular mechanisms mediating the behavioral effects of KOR in both
      males and females.

PMID- 28625550
TI  - Maternal exposure to Western diet affects adult body composition and voluntary
      wheel running in a genotype-specific manner in mice.
AB  - Some human diseases, including obesity, Type II diabetes, and numerous cancers,
      are thought to be influenced by environments experienced in early life, including
      in utero. Maternal diet during the perinatal period may be especially important
      for adult offspring energy balance, potentially affecting both body composition
      and physical activity. This effect may be mediated by the genetic background of
      individuals, including, for example, potential "protective" mechanisms for
      individuals with inherently high levels of physical activity or high basal
      metabolic rates. To examine some of the genetic and environmental factors that
      influence adult activity levels, we used an ongoing selection experiment with 4
      replicate lines of mice bred for high voluntary wheel running (HR) and 4
      replicate, non-selected control lines (C). Dams (half HR and half C) were fed a
      "Western" diet (WD, high in fat and sucrose) or a standard diet (SD) from 2weeks
      prior to mating until their pups could feed on solid food (14days of age). We
      analyzed dam and litter characteristics from birth to weaning, and offspring mass
      and physical activity into adulthood. One male offspring from each litter
      received additional metabolic and behavioral tests. Maternal WD caused pups to
      eat solid food significantly earlier for C litters, but not for HR litters
      (interaction of maternal environment and genotype). With dam mass as a covariate,
      mean pup mass was increased by maternal WD but litter size was unaffected. HR
      dams had larger litters and tended to have smaller pups than C dams. Home-cage
      activity of juvenile focal males was increased by maternal WD. Juvenile lean
      mass, fat mass, and fat percent were also increased by maternal WD, but food
      consumption (with body mass as a covariate) was unaffected (measured only for
      focal males). Behavior in an elevated plus maze, often used to indicate anxiety,
      was unaffected by maternal WD. Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) was also
      unaffected by maternal WD, but HR had higher VO2max than C mice. Adult lean, fat,
      and total body masses were significantly increased by maternal WD, with greater
      increase for fat than for lean mass. Overall, no aspect of adult wheel running
      (total distance, duration, average running speed, maximum speed) or home-cage
      activity was statistically affected by maternal WD. However, analysis of the 8
      individual lines revealed that maternal WD significantly increased wheel running
      in one of the 4 HR lines. On average, all groups lost fat mass after 6days of
      voluntary wheel running, but the absolute amount lost was greater for mice with
      maternal WD resulting in no effect of maternal WD on absolute or % body fat after
      wheel access. All groups gained lean and total body mass during wheel access,
      regardless of maternal WD or linetype. Measured after wheel access, circulating
      leptin, adiponectin, and corticosterone concentrations were unaffected by
      maternal WD and did not differ between HR and C mice. With body mass as a
      covariate, heart ventricle mass was increased by maternal WD in both HR and C
      mice, but fat pads, liver, spleen, and brain masses were unaffected. As found
      previously, HR mice had larger brains than C mice. Body mass of grand-offspring
      was unaffected by grand-maternal WD, but grand-offspring wheel running was
      significantly increased for one HR line and decreased for another HR line by
      grand-maternal WD. In summary, maternal Western diet had long-lasting and general
      effects on offspring adult morphology, but effects on adult behavior were limited
      and contingent on sex and genetic background.

PMID- 28625552
TI  - Coordinated circRNA Biogenesis and Function with NF90/NF110 in Viral Infection.
AB  - Circular RNAs (circRNAs) generated via back-splicing are enhanced by flanking
      complementary sequences. Expression levels of circRNAs vary under different
      conditions, suggesting participation of protein factors in their biogenesis.
      Using genome-wide siRNA screening that targets all human unique genes and an
      efficient circRNA expression reporter, we identify double-stranded RNA-binding
      domain containing immune factors NF90/NF110 as key regulators in circRNA
      biogenesis. NF90/NF110 promote circRNA production in the nucleus by associating
      with intronic RNA pairs juxtaposing the circRNA-forming exon(s); they also
      interact with mature circRNAs in the cytoplasm. Upon viral infection, circRNA
      expression is decreased, in part owing to the nuclear export of NF90/NF110 to the
      cytoplasm. Meanwhile, NF90/NF110 released from circRNP complexes bind to viral
      mRNAs as part of their functions in antiviral immune response. Our results
      therefore implicate a coordinated regulation of circRNA biogenesis and function
      by NF90/NF110 in viral infection.

PMID- 28625551
TI  - Sensing Self and Foreign Circular RNAs by Intron Identity.
AB  - Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded RNAs that are joined head to tail
      with largely unknown functions. Here we show that transfection of purified in
      vitro generated circRNA into mammalian cells led to potent induction of innate
      immunity genes and confers protection against viral infection. The nucleic acid
      sensor RIG-I is necessary to sense foreign circRNA, and RIG-I and foreign circRNA
      co-aggregate in cytoplasmic foci. CircRNA activation of innate immunity is
      independent of a 5' triphosphate, double-stranded RNA structure, or the primary
      sequence of the foreign circRNA. Instead, self-nonself discrimination depends on
      the intron that programs the circRNA. Use of a human intron to express a foreign
      circRNA sequence abrogates immune activation, and mature human circRNA is
      associated with diverse RNA binding proteins reflecting its endogenous splicing
      and biogenesis. These results reveal innate immune sensing of circRNA and
      highlight introns-the predominant output of mammalian transcription-as arbiters
      of self-nonself identity.

PMID- 28625554
TI  - Exploring the social determinants of racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal care
      utilization and maternal outcome.
AB  - Rates of maternal morbidity and mortality are rising in the United States. Non
      Hispanic Black women are at highest risk for these outcomes compared to those of
      other race/ethnicities. Black women are also more likely to be late to prenatal
      care or be inadequate users of prenatal care. Prenatal care can engage those at
      risk and potentially influence perinatal outcomes but further research on the
      link between prenatal care and maternal outcomes is needed. The objective of this
      article is to review literature illuminating the relationship between prenatal
      care utilization, social determinants of health, and racial disparities in
      maternal outcome. We present a theoretical framework connecting the complex
      factors that may link race, social context, prenatal care utilization, and
      maternal morbidity/mortality. Prenatal care innovations showing potential to
      engage with the social determinants of maternal health and address disparities
      and priorities for future research are reviewed.

PMID- 28625555
TI  - Adjuvant pertuzumab improves early breast cancer outcomes.

PMID- 28625553
TI  - Heterogeneous Ribosomes Preferentially Translate Distinct Subpools of mRNAs
      Genome-wide.
AB  - Emerging studies have linked the ribosome to more selective control of gene
      regulation. However, an outstanding question is whether ribosome heterogeneity at
      the level of core ribosomal proteins (RPs) exists and enables ribosomes to
      preferentially translate specific mRNAs genome-wide. Here, we measured the
      absolute abundance of RPs in translating ribosomes and profiled transcripts that
      are enriched or depleted from select subsets of ribosomes within embryonic stem
      cells. We find that heterogeneity in RP composition endows ribosomes with
      differential selectivity for translating subpools of transcripts, including those
      controlling metabolism, cell cycle, and development. As an example, mRNAs
      enriched in binding to RPL10A/uL1-containing ribosomes are shown to require
      RPL10A/uL1 for their efficient translation. Within several of these transcripts,
      this level of regulation is mediated, at least in part, by internal ribosome
      entry sites. Together, these results reveal a critical functional link between
      ribosome heterogeneity and the post-transcriptional circuitry of gene expression.

PMID- 28625556
TI  - Alectinib surpasses crizotinib for untreated ALK-positive NSCLC.

PMID- 28625557
TI  - [More than 3 hours and less than 3 years: Safety of anaesthetic procedures in
      infants less than 3 years old subected to surgery for more the 3 hours].
AB  - An FDA alert in December 2016 on the safety of general anesthesia and sedations
      in patients less than 3 years of age and pregnant women has raised doubts in
      relation to the attitude that professionals implicated in these procedures should
      adopt in relation to these specific group of patients. Confronted with this
      situation, the following medical scientific societies: Sociedad Espanola de
      Anestesia y Reanimacion (SEDAR), Sociedad Espanola de Cirugia Pediatrica (SECP),
      Sociedad Espanola de Cuidados Intensivos Pediatricos (SECIP) y Sociedad Espanola
      de Neonatologia (SENeo), have established a working group to analyze and clarify
      the safety of these techniques. In the present article we conclude that at
      present both general anesthesia and profound sedation are considered safe
      procedures because there is no evidence of the opposite in studies with human
      beings. However, this ascertained safety should not obviate the problem which
      still needs to be followed with attention, especially in patients less than 3
      years of age undergoing anesthetic procedures for more than 3 hours or prolonged
      sedation in the Neonatal or Pediatric Intensive Care Units.

PMID- 28625558
TI  - Irregular Defects in Hepatocellular Carcinomas During the Kupffer Phase of
      Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasonography with Perfluorobutane Microbubbles: Pathological
      Features and Metastatic Recurrence After Surgical Resection.
AB  - The present study aimed to elucidate the association between post-vascular-phase
      (Kupffer-phase) images from contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with
      perfluorobutane microbubbles and metastatic recurrences after the resection of
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study examined 73 patients with solitary HCC
      <=5 cm in diameter who underwent CEUS before resection. HCC was defined as
      irregular type (including an irregular defect on Kupffer-phase images) or non
      irregular type. Intrahepatic metastatic recurrence was defined as >3 intrahepatic
      recurrences. Metastatic recurrence included both extrahepatic and intrahepatic
      recurrences. Frequencies of microscopic portal invasion and intrahepatic
      metastasis were significantly higher in the irregular group than in the non
      irregular group. Cumulative 5-y metastatic recurrence rates in the irregular and
      non-irregular groups were 43% and 7% (p = 0.028), respectively. Multivariate
      analyses identified Kupffer-phase findings as a factor significantly related to
      metastatic recurrence. In conclusion, HCCs with an irregular defect during
      Kupffer-phase CEUS are characterized by more frequent microscopic vascular
      invasion and intrahepatic metastasis and are significantly associated with
      metastatic recurrence after resection.

PMID- 28625559
TI  - Feasibility of Combined Doppler-ECG Assessment of Internal Jugular Veins.
AB  - A standardized combined Doppler-electrocardiography technique was developed for
      measurement of the triphasic waveform characteristics in the internal jugular
      vein. Flow velocities at the A, X, V and Y peaks, the RR interval and the PA and
      RX times were measured. From these the venous impedance index ([X-A]/X) and the
      ratios PA/RR and RX/RR were calculated. Six measurements were performed at three
      different locations by two ultrasonographers in 21 randomly selected pregnant and
      non-pregnant women. Statistical models proved the feasibility and reproducibility
      of this technique, with the highest concordance correlation coefficients in the
      right distal internal vein. Bootstrapping revealed that repeating the
      measurements more than four times would not significantly enhance the precision
      of the estimated mean. Concordance correlation coefficients for the venous
      impedance index, PA time and PA/RR ratio were >0.63 for all three locations,
      proving their possible use in ongoing and future studies, analogous to previous
      studies in kidney and liver.

PMID- 28625560
TI  - Small Bowel Ultrasound beyond Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Updated Review of
      the Recent Literature.
AB  - The use of bowel ultrasonography (US) for the evaluation of gut diseases has
      increased in recent years and has been proven to provide a widely available, non
      invasive and inexpensive method for the initial work-up and follow-up of
      different intestinal diseases, limited mostly by technical challenges posed by
      the patient's anatomy. The present review aims to provide an extensive overview
      of the main pathologic features at US examination of intestinal diseases other
      than inflammatory bowel disease, both acute (e.g., acute appendicitis, colonic
      diverticulitis, infectious diseases and ischemic conditions) and chronic (e.g.,
      celiac disease, cystic fibrosis and other enterocolites). The identification of
      typical US features may help in the diagnostic process and guide the treatment
      approach. Therefore, the application of knowledge of the US appearance of
      gastrointestinal diseases is of relevance in enabling greater diagnostic
      performance and better patient management.

PMID- 28625561
TI  - Monitoring the different micelle species and the slow kinetics of
      tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane-sulfonate by 19F NMR spectroscopy.
AB  - Since we lack effective tools that can monitor the structures of surfactant
      micelles in situ, the different equilibrium species and the slow kinetics of
      micelles are still not well understood. Herein, by using 19F NMR, we
      simultaneously monitored that micelles of tetraethylammonium
      perfluorooctanesulfonate (TPFOS, C8F17SO3N(C2H5)4) in water grow more complex in
      virtue of hydrophobic counterions and the slow kinetic exchange process exists in
      the system. Apart from the monomeric signals, three sets of micelle signals which
      correspond to spherical micelles, wormlike/wormlike micelles with rings in end
      caps and toroidal micelles were successfully detected on the NMR time scale
      because of the slow exchange rate for surfactant molecules between the monomer
      and the micelle states. By comparison, other fluoro- and hydrocarbon surfactants
      with different tail lengths and counterions (+N(CH3)4, +N(C3H7)4, Li+ and Na+)
      have been studied, and the coexistence of different micelles could also been
      observed for the aqueous solution of C9F19COON(CH3)4. However, only one set of
      averaged NMR signals could be observed for these surfactants. The micellization
      of TPFOS in water is demonstrated to be a predominantly entropy-driven process.
      Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation revealed an unusual distribution of
      counterions, providing further understanding of the mechanism of the micelle
      formation process.

PMID- 28625562
TI  - Do trauma courses change practice? A qualitative review of 20 courses in East,
      Central and Southern Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Trauma courses have been shown to improve clinical knowledge and
      patient outcomes. However, little is known about the individual drivers of change
      in practice amongst course participants in their home clinic environment.
      METHODS: Front-line healthcare workers participated in a two-day Primary Trauma
      Care (PTC) course. Immediately after the course participants completed an
      evaluation survey on intended change in the management of trauma patients. Six
      months after the course, participants completed a survey on actual changes that
      had occurred. RESULTS: A total of 451 participants were sampled, with 321
      responding at 6 months, from 40 courses across East, Central and Southern Africa.
      The most commonly reported intended change was the adoption of an
      ABCDE/systematic approach (53%). Six months after the course, 92.7% of
      respondents reported that they had made changes in their management, with
      adoption of an ABCDE/systematic approach (50.0%) remaining most common. 77% of
      participants reported an improvement in departmental trauma management, 26%
      reported an increase in staffing, 29% an increase in equipment and 68% of
      participants had gone on to train other healthcare workers in PTC. CONCLUSION:
      The findings suggest that PTC courses not only improve individual management of
      trauma patients but also but is also associated with beneficial effects for
      participants' host institutions with regards to staffing, equipment and training.

PMID- 28625563
TI  - Testing the effectiveness of simplified search strategies for updating systematic
      reviews.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to test the overall effectiveness of a
      simplified search strategy (SSS) for updating systematic reviews. STUDY DESIGN
      AND METHODS: We identified nine systematic reviews undertaken by our research
      group for which both comprehensive and SSS updates were performed. Three relevant
      performance measures were estimated, that is, sensitivity, precision, and number
      needed to read (NNR). RESULTS: The update reference searches for all nine
      included systematic reviews identified a total of 55,099 citations that were
      screened resulting in final inclusion of 163 randomized controlled trials. As
      compared with reference search, the SSS resulted in 8,239 hits and had a median
      sensitivity of 83.3%, while precision and NNR were 4.5 times better. During
      analysis, we found that the SSS performed better for clinically focused topics,
      with a median sensitivity of 100% and precision and NNR 6 times better than for
      the reference searches. For broader topics, the sensitivity of the SSS was 80%
      while precision and NNR were 5.4 times better compared with reference search.
      CONCLUSION: SSS performed well for clinically focused topics and, with a median
      sensitivity of 100%, could be a viable alternative to a conventional
      comprehensive search strategy for updating this type of systematic reviews
      particularly considering the budget constraints and the volume of new literature
      being published. For broader topics, 80% sensitivity is likely to be considered
      too low for a systematic review update in most cases, although it might be
      acceptable if updating a scoping or rapid review.

PMID- 28625564
TI  - CRISPR system in filamentous fungi: Current achievements and future directions.
AB  - As eukaryotes, filamentous fungi share many features with humans, and they
      produce numerous active metabolites, some of which are toxic. Traditional genetic
      approaches are generally inefficient, but the clustered regularly interspaced
      short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system that has been widely used for
      basic research on bacteria, mammals and plants offers a simple, fast, versatile
      technology for systemic research on filamentous fungi. In this review, we
      summarized the current knowledge on Cas9 and its variants, various selective
      markers used to screen positive clones, different ways used to detect off-target
      mutations, and different approaches used to express and transform the CRISPR
      complex. We also highlight several methods that improve the nuclease specificity
      and efficiency, and discuss current and potential applications of CRISPR/Cas9
      system in filamentous fungi for pathogenesis decoding, confirmation of the gene
      and pathway, bioenergy process, drug discovery, and chromatin dynamics. We also
      describe how the synthetic gene circuit of CRISPR/Cas9 systems has been used in
      the response to various complex environmental signals to redirect metabolite flux
      and ensure continuous metabolite biosynthesis.

PMID- 28625566
TI  - Advances in bioremediation of 1,4-dioxane-contaminated waters.
AB  - 1,4-Dioxane is a contaminant of emerging concern that has been found widespread
      in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water environments. Many states are
      implementing lower regulatory advisory levels based on the toxicological profile
      of 1,4-dioxane and the potential public health risks. However, the unique
      chemical properties of 1,4-dioxane, such as high water solubility, low Henry's
      law constant, and importantly, the co-occurrence with chlorinated solvents and
      other contaminants, increase the challenges to efficiently cleanup 1,4-dioxane.
      This review summarizes currently available chemical and physical 1,4-dioxane
      treatment technologies and focuses on recent advances in bioremediation and
      monitoring tools. We also include laboratory studies and field applications to
      propose the next steps in 1,4-dioxane bioremediation research. It is important to
      provide useful references to change the industrial and regulatory perception of
      1,4-dioxane biodegradability, to understand treatment mechanisms especially in
      contaminant mixtures, and to direct research for meeting practical needs.

PMID- 28625565
TI  - The CEP19-RABL2 GTPase Complex Binds IFT-B to Initiate Intraflagellar Transport
      at the Ciliary Base.
AB  - Highly conserved intraflagellar transport (IFT) protein complexes direct both the
      assembly of primary cilia and the trafficking of signaling molecules. IFT
      complexes initially accumulate at the base of the cilium and periodically enter
      the cilium, suggesting an as-yet-unidentified mechanism that triggers ciliary
      entry of IFT complexes. Using affinity-purification and mass spectrometry of
      interactors of the centrosomal and ciliopathy protein, CEP19, we identify CEP350,
      FOP, and the RABL2B GTPase as proteins organizing the first known mechanism
      directing ciliary entry of IFT complexes. We discover that CEP19 is recruited to
      the ciliary base by the centriolar CEP350/FOP complex and then specifically
      captures GTP-bound RABL2B, which is activated via its intrinsic nucleotide
      exchange. Activated RABL2B then captures and releases its single effector, the
      intraflagellar transport B holocomplex, from the large pool of pre-docked IFT-B
      complexes, and thus initiates ciliary entry of IFT.

PMID- 28625567
TI  - Dose postural control improve following application of transcutaneous electrical
      nerve stimulation in diabetic peripheral neuropathic patients? A randomized
      placebo control trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: peripheral neuropathy is the most common problem of diabetes.
      Neuropathy leads to lower extremity somatosensory deficits and postural
      instability in these patients. However, there are not sufficient evidences for
      improving postural control in these patients. AIM: To investigate the effects of
      transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on postural control in
      patients with diabetic neuropathy. METHODS: Twenty eighth patients with diabetic
      neuropathy (40-55 Y/O) participated in this RCT study. Fourteen patients in case
      group received TENS and sham TENS was used for control group. Force plate
      platform was used to extract sway velocity and COP displacement parameters for
      postural control evaluation. RESULTS: The mean sway velocity and center of
      pressure displacement along the mediolateral and anteroposterior axes were not
      significantly different between two groups after TENS application (p>0.05).
      CONCLUSION: Application of 5min high frequency TENS on the knee joint could not
      improve postural control in patients with diabetic neuropathy.

PMID- 28625568
TI  - The olive oil phenolic (-)-oleocanthal modulates estrogen receptor expression in
      luminal breast cancer in vitro and in vivo and synergizes with tamoxifen
      treatment.
AB  - Luminal breast cancer represents a therapeutic challenge in terms of aggressive
      disease and emerging resistance to targeted therapy. (-)-Oleocanthal has
      demonstrated anticancer activity in multiple human cancers. The goal of this
      study was to explore the effect of (-)-oleocanthal treatment on growth of luminal
      breast cancer cells and to examine the effect of combination of (-)-oleocanthal
      with tamoxifen. Results showed that (-)-oleocanthal inhibited growth of BT-474,
      MCF-7, and T-47D human breast cancer cells in mitogen-free media with IC50 values
      of 32.7, 24.07, and 80.93uM, respectively. Similarly, (-)-oleocanthal suppressed
      growth of BT-474, MCF-7, and T-47D cells in 17beta-estradiol-supplemented media
      with IC50 values of 22.28, 20.77, and 83.91uM, respectively. Combined (-)
      oleocanthal and tamoxifen treatments resulted in a synergistic growth inhibition
      of BT-474, MCF-7, and T-47D cells with combination index values of 0.65, 0.61,
      and 0.53 for each cell line, respectively. In-silico docking studies indicated
      high degree of overlapping for the binding of (-)-oleocanthal and 17beta
      estradiol to estrogen receptors, while (-)-oleocanthal and tamoxifen have
      distinguished binding modes. Treatment with 5mg/kg or 10mg/kg (-)-oleocanthal
      resulted in 97% inhibition of tumor growth in orthotopic athymic mice bearing BT
      474 tumor xenografts compared to vehicle-treated animals. (-)-Oleocanthal
      treatment reduced total levels of estrogen receptors in BT-474 cells both in
      vitro and in vivo. Collectively, (-)-oleocanthal showed a potential beneficial
      effect in suppressing growth of hormone-dependent breast cancer and improving
      sensitivity to tamoxifen treatment. These findings provide rational for
      evaluating the effect of (-)-oleocanthal in combination with endocrine treatments
      in luminal breast cancer.

PMID- 28625569
TI  - Synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease: From the role of amyloid beta
      peptide to the alpha-secretase ADAM10.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is emerging as the most prevalent and socially
      disruptive illness of aging populations as more people live long enough to become
      affected. Although AD is placing a considerable and increasing burden on
      patients, caregivers and society, it represents the largest unmet medical need in
      neurology, because it is currently incurable. In the last few years, the amyloid
      hypothesis, which points to amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) as the initiating factor
      in AD, had a central role in the development of therapeutic strategies for AD.
      However, the recent clinical trials targeting Abeta have been disappointing. The
      need to obtain a comprehensive picture of AD pathogenesis is strong as ever. In
      this framework, this review focuses on Abeta effects on the synapses and on
      ADAM10, the enzyme able to prevent Abeta formation, analysing its function in the
      synapse, its contribution to AD pathology and discussing its potential as
      pharmacological target.

PMID- 28625570
TI  - Progress toward Fulfilling the Potential of Immunomodulation in Childhood
      Neurodegeneration?

PMID- 28625571
TI  - Micromanaging Tolerance in Hemophilia A Gene Therapy.

PMID- 28625572
TI  - Nanoparticle Technology: Having Impact, but Needing Further Optimization.

PMID- 28625573
TI  - Management: from antibiotic stewardship to clinical microbiology.

PMID- 28625574
TI  - Rapamycin decreased blood-brain barrier permeability in control but not in
      diabetic rats in early cerebral ischemia.
AB  - Diabetes causes functional and structural changes in blood-brain barrier (BBB).
      The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been associated with glucose
      metabolism, diabetes, and altering BBB permeability. Since there is only a narrow
      therapeutic window (3h) for stroke victims, it is important to investigate BBB
      disruption in the early stage of cerebral ischemia. We compared the degree of BBB
      disruption in diabetic and in control rats at two hours of reperfusion after one
      hour of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion with or without inhibition of
      mTOR. Two weeks after streptozotocin ip to induce diabetes, MCA occlusion was
      performed. In half of the rats, an mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin was given for 2days
      before MCA occlusion. After one hour of MCA occlusion and two hours of the
      reperfusion, the transfer coefficient (Ki) of 14C-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid was
      determined to quantify degree of BBB disruption. Ischemia-reperfusion increased
      the Ki in the control animals. Streptozotocin increased the Ki in the ischemic
      reperfused (IR-C, +22%) as well as in the contralateral cortex (CC, +40%).
      Rapamycin decreased the Ki in the IR-C (-32%) as well as in the CC (-26%) in the
      control rats. However, rapamycin did not affect Ki in the IR-C or in the CC in
      the diabetic rats. Our data demonstrated a greater BBB disruption in diabetes in
      the ischemic as well as non-ischemic cortex even in the early stage of cerebral
      ischemia-reperfusion and that acute administration of rapamycin did not
      significantly affect BBB permeability in diabetes. From our quantitative analysis
      of BBB disruption, the vulnerability of BBB in diabetes has been emphasized in
      the early stage of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion and a less important role of the
      mTOR pathway is suggested in altering BBB permeability in diabetes.

PMID- 28625575
TI  - Overexpression of STMN1 is associated with the prognosis of meningioma patients.
AB  - There is a small part of the pathological type of the meningioma has a malignant
      tendency and patients have the poor prognosis. Looking for effective biomarkers
      to predict the degree of malignancy of the tumors, will help us to better manage
      the patient and guide the treatment. The present study aims at investigating the
      prognostic value of the expression of Stathmin in a series of meningiomas of
      different grade. We integrated eight published microarray datasets of meningiomas
      to screen grade biomarkers in meningiomas patients using the WebArrayDB platform.
      We focused on Stathmin, Using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor
      samples, we corroborated the relationship between Stathmin and patient outcomes
      using qRT-PCR for gene expression. We also found expression of Stathmin that
      atypical/anaplastic meningiomas have higher expression than benign meningiomas
      (p<0.01). No correlation between Stathmin expression and age, gender and tumor
      extent of resection was found (p>0.05). Moreover, increased Stathmin expression
      was correlated to higher meningioma grade and shorter disease-free survival (DFS)
      of meningioma patients with Simpson I resection. Stathmin might be promising
      targets to improve the cure rates in meningiomas.

PMID- 28625576
TI  - Mexiletine co-injected with clonidine increases the quality and duration of
      cutaneous analgesia in response to skin pinpricks in the rat.
AB  - The goal of the experimental design was to assess the cutaneous analgesic effect
      of mexiletine by co-injection with clonidine. The effect of nociceptive block was
      evaluated according to the inhibition of the cutaneous trunci muscle reflex
      (CTMR) in response to skin pinpricks in rats. The dose-related analgesic effect
      of mexiletine alone or mexiletine co-administrated with clonidine was constructed
      after subcutaneous injection. Subcutaneous injections of mexiletine elicited dose
      related cutaneous analgesia. Compared with mexiletine (1.8MUmol), adding
      clonidine to mexiletine (1.8MUmol) solutions for skin nociceptive block
      potentiated and prolonged the action (p<0.01). Mexiletine (6MUmol) combined with
      clonidine extended the duration of cutaneous analgesia when compared with
      mexiletine (6MUmol) alone (p<0.01). Co-administration of clonidine increases the
      potency and extends the duration of cutaneous analgesia by mexiletine, and the
      minimal dose of clonidine to intensify the analgesic effect is 0.06MUmol.

PMID- 28625578
TI  - Rebuttal From Drs Truog and Tasker.

PMID- 28625577
TI  - Risk Factors for Chronic Cough Among 14,669 Individuals From the General
      Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Risk factors for chronic cough in the general population have not
      been described systematically. We identified and ranked chronic cough risk
      factors at the individual and community level using data from 14,669 individuals
      from the Copenhagen General Population Study. METHODS: Severity of chronic cough
      was assessed using the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ). We ranked chronic
      cough risk factors based on magnitude of age-adjusted ORs at the individual level
      and of the population attributable risks (PARs) at the community level. RESULTS:
      Prevalence of chronic cough in the general population was 4% overall and 3% in
      never smokers, 4% in former smokers, and 8% in current smokers. Median score of
      the LCQ was 5.8 (25th-75th percentile, 5.0-6.3) for physical domain, 5.6 (25th
      75th percentile, 4.6-6.3) for psychologic domain, 6.3 (25th-75th percentile, 5.5
      6.8) for social domain, and 17.3 (25th- 75th percentile, 15.4-18.9) in total. At
      the level of the individual, age-adjusted ORs for the three top-ranked risk
      factors were 5.0 (95% CI, 1.4-18) for bronchiectasis, 2.6 (95% CI, 1.7-3.9) for
      asthma and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.5-3.4) for gastroesophageal reflux disease in never
      smokers, 7.1 (95% CI, 2.6-20) for bronchiectasis, 3.1 (95% CI, 2.2-4.4) for
      asthma and 2.2 (95% CI, 1.5-3.2) for occupational exposure to dust/fumes in
      former smokers, and 1.9 (95% CI, 1.3-2.9) for airflow limitation in current
      smokers. At the level of the community, the three top-ranked risk factors were
      female sex (PAR, 19%), asthma (PAR, 10%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease
      (PAR, 8%) in never smokers; abdominal obesity (PAR, 20%), low income (PAR, 20%),
      and asthma (PAR, 13%) in former smokers; and airflow limitation (PAR, 23%) in
      current smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for chronic cough differ at the level
      of the individual and community, and by smoking status. Strategies to prevent and
      treat modifiable chronic cough risk factors should be tailored accordingly.

PMID- 28625580
TI  - COUNTERPOINT: Should Informed Consent Be Required for Apnea Testing in Patients
      With Suspected Brain Death? Yes.

PMID- 28625579
TI  - Improved Early Detection of Sepsis in the ED With a Novel Monocyte Distribution
      Width Biomarker.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sepsis most often presents to the ED, and delayed detection is
      harmful. WBC count is often used to detect sepsis, but changes in WBC count size
      also correspond to sepsis. We sought to determine if volume increases of
      circulating immune cells add value to the WBC count for early sepsis detection in
      the ED. METHODS: A blinded, prospective cohort study was conducted in two
      different ED populations within a large academic hospital. RESULTS: Neutrophil
      and monocyte volume parameters were measured in conjunction with routine CBC
      testing on a UniCel DxH 800 analyzer at the time of ED admission and were
      evaluated for the detection of sepsis. There were 1,320 subjects in the ED
      consecutively enrolled and categorized as control subjects (n = 879) and those
      with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) (n = 203), infection (n =
      140), or sepsis (n = 98). Compared with other parameters, monocyte distribution
      width (MDW) best discriminated sepsis from all other conditions (area under the
      curve [AUC], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73-0.84; sensitivity, 0.77; specificity, 0.73; MDW
      threshold, 20.50), sepsis from SIRS (AUC, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.67-0.84), and severe
      sepsis from noninfected patients in the ED (AUC, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.75-0.99;
      negative predictive value, 99%). The added value of MDW to WBC count was
      statistically significant (AUC, 0.89 for MDW + WBC vs 0.81 for WBC alone; P <
      .01); a decision curve analysis also showed improved performance compared with
      WBC count alone. CONCLUSIONS: The incorporation of MDW with WBC count is shown in
      this prospective cohort study to improve detection of sepsis compared with WBC
      count alone at the time of admission in the ED. TRIAL REGISTRY:
      ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT02232750; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

PMID- 28625581
TI  - POINT: Should Informed Consent Be Required for Apnea Testing in Patients With
      Suspected Brain Death? No.

PMID- 28625582
TI  - Rebuttal From Drs Lewis and Greer.

PMID- 28625583
TI  - Bridging suture makes consistent and secure fixation in double-row rotator cuff
      repair.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inconsistent tension distribution may decrease the biomechanical
      properties of the rotator cuff tendon after double-row repair, resulting in
      repair failure. The purpose of this study was to compare the tension distribution
      along the repaired rotator cuff tendon among three double-row repair techniques.
      METHODS: In each of 42 fresh-frozen porcine shoulders, a simulated infraspinatus
      tendon tear was repaired by using 1 of 3 double-row techniques: (1) conventional
      double-row repair (no bridging suture); (2) transosseous-equivalent repair
      (bridging suture alone); and (3) compression double-row repair (which combined
      conventional double-row and bridging sutures). Each specimen underwent cyclic
      testing at a simulated shoulder abduction angle of 0 degrees  or 40 degrees  on a
      material-testing machine. Gap formation and tendon strain were measured during
      the 1st and 30th cycles. To evaluate tension distribution after cuff repair,
      difference in gap and tendon strain between the superior and inferior fixations
      was compared among three double-row techniques. RESULTS: At an abduction angle of
      0 degrees , gap formation after either transosseous-equivalent or compression
      double-row repair was significantly less than that after conventional double-row
      repair (p < 0.01). During the 30th cycle, both transosseous-equivalent repair (p
      = 0.02) and compression double-row repair (p = 0.01) at 0 degrees  abduction had
      significantly less difference in gap formation between the superior and inferior
      fixations than did conventional double-row repair. After the 30th cycle, the
      difference in longitudinal strain between the superior and inferior fixations at
      0 degrees  abduction was significantly less with compression double-row repair
      (2.7% +/- 2.4%) than with conventional double-row repair (8.6% +/- 5.5%, p =
      0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Bridging sutures facilitate consistent and secure fixation in
      double-row rotator cuff repairs, suggesting that bridging sutures may be
      beneficial for distributing tension equally among all sutures during double-row
      repair of rotator cuff tears.

PMID- 28625584
TI  - The role of prophylactic antiepileptic drugs for seizure prophylaxis in
      meningioma surgery: A systematic review.
AB  - Meningiomas are the commonest type of primary brain tumours. Whilst most patients
      are seizure-free prior to surgery, antiepileptic drugs are frequently
      administered to reduce the risk of developing post-operative seizures. However,
      evidence to support their efficacy in providing this outcome is sparse. To this
      end, we performed a systematic review to assess the impact of prophylactic
      antiepileptic drugs on post-operative epilepsy rates in seizure-naive patients
      undergoing craniotomy for resection of meningiomas. The literature search was
      performed using PubMed for studies published between January 1990 and November
      2016. The total number of patients in each study was extracted and divided into
      cohorts according to administration of prophylactic antiepileptic drugs. Clinical
      characteristics, study type and post-operative epilepsy rates were recorded. A
      total of 11 studies involving 1143 patients met the selection criteria. There was
      no statistically significant difference in the number of patients who developed
      post-operative epilepsy in the cohort that received prophylactic antiepileptic
      drugs (20 of 766; 2.6%) and the cohort that did not (10 of 377; 2.7%) (Chi-square
      test; P=0.96). A detailed meta-analysis could not be performed due to the
      insufficiency in data reported. Based on the results of this systematic review,
      the routine use of antiepileptic drugs for seizure prophylaxis in seizure-naive
      patients undergoing meningioma resection could not be substantiated. However,
      limitations of a systematic review should be considered on interpretation. High
      quality prospective randomised controlled trials are required to definitively
      answer this important clinical question.

PMID- 28625585
TI  - Access disparities to Magnet hospitals for ischemic stroke patients.
AB  - Access disparities to centers of excellence can have detrimental consequences for
      population health. We investigated the presence of racial disparities in the
      access of stroke patients to hospitals recognized by the Magnet Recognition
      Program of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). We performed a cohort
      study of all ischemic stroke patients who were registered in the New York
      Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database from 2009 to
      2013. We examined the association of African-American race with Magnet status
      hospitalization after ischemic stroke. A mixed effects propensity adjusted
      multivariable regression analysis was used to control for confounding. During the
      study period, 176,557 patients presented with ischemic stroke, and met the
      inclusion criteria. Overall, 4,624 (13.7%) African-Americans, and 27,468 (19.2%)
      non African-Americans with ischemic stroke were admitted to Magnet hospitals.
      Using a multivariable logistic regression, we demonstrate that African-Americans
      were associated with lower admission rates to Magnet institutions (OR 0.70; 95%
      CI, 0.68-0.73) (Table 2). This persisted in a mixed effects logistic regression
      model (OR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.71-0.78) to adjust for clustering at the county level,
      and a propensity score adjusted logistic regression model (OR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83
      0.90). Using a comprehensive all-payer cohort of ischemic stroke patients in New
      York State we identified an association of African-American race with lower rates
      of admission to Magnet hospitals.

PMID- 28625586
TI  - Corticosteroids in neurological disorders: The dark side.
AB  - Corticosteroids are among the most commonly prescribed drugs by physicians of
      nearly all medical specialties. Their widespread use in clinical neurology is
      based either on randomized studies or, most often, on clinical experience and
      experts' opinion. Besides the well-known adverse effects of corticosteroids, they
      may also induce or worsen certain neurological disorders. The purpose of this
      review is to highlight the negative impact of these drugs on these disorders with
      emphasis on putative pathophysiological mechanisms of this association.

PMID- 28625587
TI  - A rabbit model of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage by ear central artery
      suprasellar cistern shunt.
AB  - Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a life-threatening hemorrhagic
      cerebrovascular disease. The concept of early brain injury (EBI), induced by
      sharply increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and low cerebral perfusion pressure
      (CPP) with cerebral global ischemia following aneurysm rupture, has been
      increasingly accepted. However, EBI has not been well studied partly due to lack
      of an ideal animal model. The purpose of this study was to establish a new aSAH
      model which can mimic the pathophysiological damage of EBI. Right frontal
      craniotomy was performed on New Zealand rabbits for placing a PE-50 tube at the
      suprasella cistern and an ICP probe at the anterior cranial fossa. The central
      ear artery was punctured and blood was shunted into the suprasellar cistern
      through the PE-50 tube. ICP, blood pressure, CPP and heart rate peri-aSAH were
      monitored throughout the experiments. The rabbits were examined for neurological
      deficits at 24h post-SAH. Brain coronal sections near the optic chiasma were
      assessed by HE and Cresyl violet staining. Three minutes after SAH induction, the
      ICP peaked to 61.7+/-9.8mmHg while CPP decreased to nadir 23.5+/-8.9mmHg, and
      both were gradually restored in 15min. At 24h post-SAH, significant neurological
      deficits were found in SAH rabbits as compared to the sham-operated animals. In
      addition, neuronal degeneration and loss were also detected. Our results indicate
      that a new rabbit model of aSAH with EBI is successfully established. Moreover,
      this model is controllable, economical, and no side-injury to the main artery.

PMID- 28625588
TI  - Intraventricular mass lesions: Still a question of surgical approach?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraventricular mass lesions represent a small subgroup of
      intracranial neoplasms with various entities. The anatomy of the ventricular
      system is complex. Hence multiple surgical approaches are used. We sought to
      present a single center algorithm regarding surgical approach for
      intraventricular mass lesion. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of
      all patients operated in our institution due to a primary intraventricular tumor
      between 2011 and 2014. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate clinical
      presentation, imaging, histology, surgical approach, complications, and clinical
      outcome. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were included in this study comprising
      28 (53.8%) female and 24 (46.2%) male patients. The median age was 43.5years.
      Lesions location in descending order were fourth ventricle (46.2%), lateral
      ventricles (28.8%) and third ventricle (25.0%). A telovelar approach was used for
      all lesions in the fourth ventricle. Cystic lesions of the third ventricle were
      predominantly operated endoscopically. The surgical approach to the lateral
      ventricle was transcallosal or transcortical depending on the exact location of
      the lesion inside the lateral ventricle. We achieved a gross total resection in
      82.7% and observed perioperative complications in 19.2% of the patients.
      Permanent morbidity and mortality were low at 7.7% and 1.9%, respectively.
      CONCLUSION: This single center series reveals a predominately used approach for
      each part of the ventricular system depending on exact location and texture of
      the mass lesion.

PMID- 28625589
TI  - Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis in dengue viral infection.
AB  - Dengue is the most common arboviral disease affecting many countries worldwide.
      An RNA virus from the flaviviridae family, dengue has four antigenically distinct
      serotypes (DEN-1-DEN-4). Neurological involvement in dengue can be classified
      into dengue encephalopathy immune-mediated syndromes, encephalitis, neuromuscular
      or dengue muscle dysfunction and neuro-ophthalmic involvement. Acute disseminated
      encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an immune mediated acute demyelinating disorder of
      the central nervous system following recent infection or vaccination. This
      monophasic illness is characterised by multifocal white matter involvement. Many
      dengue studies and case reports have linked ADEM with dengue virus infection but
      the association is still not clear. Therefore, this article is to review and
      discuss concerning ADEM in dengue as an immune-medicated neurological
      complication; and the management strategy required based on recent literature.

PMID- 28625590
TI  - Intranasal cotinine improves memory, and reduces depressive-like behavior, and
      GFAP+ cells loss induced by restraint stress in mice.
AB  - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic psychological stress, and major
      depressive disorder have been found to be associated with a significant decrease
      in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity in the hippocampus of
      rodents. Cotinine is an alkaloid that prevents memory impairment, depressive-like
      behavior and synaptic loss when co-administered during restraint stress, a model
      of PTSD and stress-induced depression, in mice. Here, we investigated the effects
      of post-treatment with intranasal cotinine on depressive- and anxiety-like
      behaviors, visual recognition memory as well as the number and morphology of
      GFAP+ immunoreactive cells, in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of mice
      subjected to prolonged restraint stress. The results revealed that in addition to
      the mood and cognitive impairments, restraint stress induced a significant
      decrease in the number and arborization of GFAP+ cells in the brain of mice.
      Intranasal cotinine prevented these stress-derived symptoms and the morphological
      abnormalities GFAP+ cells in both of these brain regions which are critical to
      resilience to stress. The significance of these findings for the therapy of PTSD
      and depression is discussed.

PMID- 28625591
TI  - Prognostic Significance of a Negative Confirmatory Biopsy on Reclassification
      Among Men on Active Surveillance.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between absence of disease on confirmatory
      biopsy and risk of pathologic reclassification in men on active surveillance
      (AS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men with grade groups 1 and 2 disease on AS between
      2002 and 2015 were identified who received a confirmatory biopsy within 1 year of
      diagnosis and >=3 biopsies overall. The primary outcomes were pathologic
      reclassification by grade (any increase in primary Gleason pattern or Gleason
      score) or volume (>33% of sampled cores involved or increase in the number of
      cores with >50% involvement). The effect of a negative confirmatory biopsy
      survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox proportional hazards
      modeling. RESULTS: Out of 635 men, 224 met inclusion criteria (median follow-up:
      55.8 months). A total of 111 men (49.6%) had a negative confirmatory biopsy.
      Decreased grade reclassification (69.7% vs 83.9%; P = .01) and volume
      reclassification (66.3% vs 87.4%; P = .004) was seen at 5 years for men with a
      negative confirmatory biopsy compared with those with a positive biopsy. On
      adjusted analysis, a negative confirmatory biopsy was associated with a decreased
      risk of grade reclassification (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.28
      0.94; P = .03) and volume reclassification (hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence
      interval, 0.17-0.61; P = .0006) at a median of 4.7 years. CONCLUSION: Absence of
      cancer on the confirmatory biopsy is associated with a significant decrease in
      rate of grade and volume reclassification among men on AS. This information may
      be used to better counsel men on AS.

PMID- 28625592
TI  - A Critical Analysis of Stented and Unstented Tubularized Incised Plate
      Urethroplasty Through a Prospective Randomized Study and Assessment of Factors
      Influencing the Functional and Cosmetic Outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare, functionally and aesthetically, stented and unstented
      tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIPU). In addition, predictors of repair
      success were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred ten children with
      distal hypospadias were included in this study. The length and width of the
      urethral plate (UP) and transverse glans diameter (TGD) were measured. Patients
      were randomized into two groups: stented and unstented TIPU. Postoperative
      assessment of pain was done using Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability
      (FLACC) scale, and cosmetic outcome was evaluated using hypospadias objective
      scoring evaluation. Uroflow was assessed at 6 months in toilet-trained boys.
      Complications were graded by the Clavien classification system. RESULTS: In 93
      cases, Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability score, hospital stay, and
      dressing time were in favor of the unstented group, whereas hypospadias objective
      scoring evaluation score and uroflow parameters were comparable. TGD and UP width
      varied significantly between successful and failed cases. Cutoff values of 13.5
      mm and 8.5 mm for TGD and UP width, respectively, are required for successful
      outcome. Acute urinary retention was 12.8% after unstented repair. Detrusor spasm
      was 47.8% after stented and 8.5% after unstented repair. In both groups,
      urethrocutaneous fistula of 5.4%, glanular dehiscence of 1.1%, and meatal
      stenosis of 5.4% were found in cases with small TGD and narrow UP. CONCLUSION:
      Unstented TIPU evades the associated drawbacks of the stent along with lower
      postoperative pain, hospital stay, and dressing time. Even without a
      postoperative stent, the complication rate in infants with distal hypospadias is
      low, and short-term functional and aesthetic outcomes were not compromised.

PMID- 28625593
TI  - You Pays Your Money, You Takes Your Choice: Functional Outcomes Following
      Curative Treatment for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer: Commentary on:
      Association Between Radiation Therapy, Surgery, or Observation for Localized
      Prostate Cancer and Patient-reported Outcomes After 3 Years.

PMID- 28625594
TI  - Perianal basal cell carcinoma: An infrequent location.

PMID- 28625596
TI  - Recurrent episodes of nocturnal hemiballism: A post-stroke movement disorder.

PMID- 28625597
TI  - Structural Heart Disease Australia (SHDA).
AB  - Structural Heart Disease Australia (SHDA) is a rapidly evolving multidisciplinary
      group of health care professionals which provides a forum focussed on
      understanding the rapidly advancing management of structural cardiac disease via
      Free Open Access Medical Education (FOAM).

PMID- 28625595
TI  - DCTN1-related neurodegeneration: Perry syndrome and beyond.
AB  - Perry syndrome (PS) is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease characterized
      by autosomal dominant parkinsonism, psychiatric symptoms, weight loss, central
      hypoventilation, and distinct TDP-43 pathology. The mutated causative gene for PS
      is DCTN1, which encodes the dynactin subunit p150Glued. Dynactin is a motor
      protein involved in axonal transport; the p150Glued subunit has a critical role
      in the overall function. Since the discovery of DCTN1 in PS, it has been
      increasingly recognized that DCTN1 mutations can exhibit more diverse phenotypes
      than previously thought. Progressive supranuclear palsy- and/or frontotemporal
      dementia-like phenotypes have been associated with the PS phenotypes. In
      addition, DCTN1 mutations were identified in a family with motor-neuron disease
      before the discovery in PS. In this review, we analyze the clinical and genetic
      aspects of DCTN1-related neurodegeneration and discuss its pathogenesis. We also
      describe three families with PS, Canadian, Polish, and Brazilian. DCTN1 mutation
      was newly identified in two of them, the Canadian and Polish families. The
      Canadian family was first described in late 1970's but was never genetically
      tested. We recently had the opportunity to evaluate this family and to test the
      gene status of an affected family member. The Polish family is newly identified
      and is the first PS family in Poland. Although still rare, DCTN1-related
      neurodegeneration needs to be considered in a differential diagnosis of
      parkinsonian disorders, frontotemporal dementia, and motor-neuron diseases,
      especially if there is family history.

PMID- 28625599
TI  - Disparities in Anxiety and its Disorders.
AB  - Much of the scientific work addressing the enigmas of anxiety and its disorders
      has been conducted among European Americans. This work has led to great progress
      into the nature of anxiety psychopathology, including etiologic, maintenance, and
      relapse processes. Moreover, evidenced-based treatments for anxiety and its
      disorders have arguably been among the best in the field of psychopathology for
      well over two decades. Yet, the progress thus far attained on the nature and
      treatment of anxiety disorders has not benefited all members of society equally.
      In fact, there are striking gaps of inequalities in anxiety disorder research and
      practice. The population in the United States (U.S.) and many parts of the
      industrialized world is rapidly changing in terms of diversity, and gaps between
      segments of society are growing in many instances (e.g., financial inequity).
      Health disparities in anxiety disorders are not a generic issue, but rather,
      reflect a systematic difference disproportionately affecting groups often not
      afforded a high social status ranking. We developed this Special Issue in the
      Journal of Anxiety Disorders to call attention to matters of inequality in
      anxiety disorders. The present special issue is designed to contextualize
      contemporary health disparity work on anxiety and its disorders. The special
      issue highlights three domains of study that are starting to guide research and
      practice in this arena, including sociocultural and contextual influences on
      anxiety and its disorders; intra-individual transdiagnostic mechanisms
      underpinning the expression and etiology/maintenance of anxiety psychopathology;
      and the close interconnection between anxiety processes and health status and
      health compromising behaviors. By covering a range of issues interconnected by
      their focus on understanding health disparity issues, it is hoped that this issue
      will: alert readers to the significance of this work at different levels of
      analysis; illustrate the many domains currently being explored via innovative
      approaches; and identify fecund areas for future systematic study.

PMID- 28625598
TI  - Predictors of Long-Term Outcomes After Drug-Eluting Balloon Angioplasty for Bare
      Metal Stent Restenosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical trials have investigated efficacy of drug-eluting balloon
      (DEB) angioplasty for bare-metal stent (BMS) in-stent restenosis (ISR). Few
      studies have investigated predictors of long-term outcomes following BMS-ISR
      treatment with DEB. METHODS: From June 2011 to April 2015, 105 patients with 125
      BMS-ISR lesions were enrolled from the Cardiovascular Atherosclerosis and
      Percutaneous TrAnsluminal INterventions (CAPTAIN) registry. All these lesions
      were treated with DEB angioplasty as final therapy. The major adverse cardiac
      events (MACEs) were recurrent clinically driven target lesion revascularisation
      (TLR), myocardial infarction, and cardiac death after DEB angioplasty. RESULTS:
      After DEB angioplasty, the angiographic stenosis decreased from 84.8%+/-12.4% to
      22.6%+/-10.4%. Over a mean follow-up duration of 21.7+/-13.4months, the rates of
      TLR at 1-12 months and 12-48 months were 4.8% and 4.2%, respectively. The rates
      of MACEs at 1-12 months and 12-48 months were 6.7% and 6.1%, respectively.
      Chronic haemodialysis, calcified lesion, chronic total occlusion lesion before
      stenting, stent with metal-to-artery ratio >16.5%, and residual stenosis >25%
      after DEB angioplasty were potential risk factors for MACEs in univariate
      analysis. After adjustment in multivariate analysis, independent predictors of
      long-term MACEs were identified as chronic haemodialysis, chronic total occlusion
      lesion before stenting, and residual stenosis >25% after DEB angioplasty.
      CONCLUSIONS: The long-term results of DEB angioplasty for BMS-ISR are acceptable
      in this real-world registry. Patient (chronic haemodialysis), lesion (chronic
      total occlusion) and angioplasty (residual stenosis percentage) related factors
      predicted long-term outcomes following BMS-ISR treatment with DEB angioplasty.

PMID- 28625600
TI  - Where to do water testing for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a healthcare setting.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important nosocomial pathogen widely colonizing
      hospital water supplies. The Department of Health (England) Health Technical
      Memorandum (HTM) 04-01 addresses the risk posed by recommending water-testing in
      augmented care areas including outpatient haemodialysis. We discuss how two
      teaching hospitals independently reviewed the risk to outpatient haemodialysis
      patients, drawing the same conclusion. The highest number of infection episodes
      with P. aeruginosa was observed in critical care followed by burns and
      haematology, with the lowest in haemodialysis. Based on these results, we suggest
      that water sampling should be undertaken in areas such as critical care, burns,
      and haematology, but not in outpatient haemodialysis.

PMID- 28625602
TI  - FRAX Score Can Be Used to Avoid Superfluous DXA Scans in Detecting Osteoporosis
      in Celiac Disease: Accuracy of the FRAX Score in Celiac Patients.
AB  - The Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) tool has been developed to estimate patients'
      10-yr probability of fracture, thus establishing which patients should undergo
      dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan. This study aimed to evaluate if the
      FRAX tool can replace or optimize the use of DXA scan in celiac disease (CD). We
      prospectively enrolled all CD patients aged over 40 yr diagnosed at our third
      level unit. At time of CD diagnosis, all patients underwent FRAX score
      calculation for risk of major osteoporotic and hip fractures and DXA scan (used
      as gold standard) to assess the accuracy of the FRAX score. The FRAX score
      calculation was based on the following 10 variables: age (>40 yr), sex (M/F),
      body mass index, history of previous fracture (yes/no), parent fractured hip
      (yes/no), current smoking (yes/no), use of steroids (yes/no), rheumatoid
      arthritis (yes/no), secondary osteoporosis (yes/no), and alcohol >=3 units/d
      (yes/no). DXA assessment was performed within 1 week from FRAX calculation. The
      FRAX score was dichotomized as normal or pathologic in accordance with the
      National Osteoporosis Guideline Group. A total of 160 CD patients were enrolled
      (M/F = 20/140; mean age 48.7 yr). A pathologic FRAX score was evident in 14 out
      of 160 patients (8.7%), whereas osteoporosis based on DXA scan was found in 10
      patients (6%) (kappa = 0.6); 3 patients with osteoporosis (1.9%) showed a 10-yr
      risk of major fracture >10% according to the National Osteoporosis Guideline
      Group criteria. With regard to diagnostic accuracy, the FRAX score showed
      sensitivity of 0%, specificity of 91%, positive predictive value of 0%, and
      negative predictive value of 94%. The prevalence of osteoporosis in adult CD
      appears to be quite low and only a small proportion of patients would require a
      DXA investigation. The FRAX score could be an effective tool to avoid useless DXA
      scans in CD patients in view of its high negative predictive value.

PMID- 28625603
TI  - Challenges in Environmental Science and Engineering, CESE-2016: 6-10 Nov. 2016,
      Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

PMID- 28625601
TI  - Role of social interaction, exercise, diet, and age on developing and untreated
      diabetes in cynomolgus monkeys.
AB  - Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common form of diabetes that occurs in both
      human and nonhuman primates. Although spontaneously diabetic nonhuman primates
      are used extensively in diabetic related research and are a proven valuable tool
      for the study of the natural history of diabetes, little is known about the key
      factors that can cause this metabolic disorder and the preventative measures that
      could be employed to minimize the consequences of diabetes. Using a model of
      developing and untreated diabetes, this study describes the effects of housing
      arrangement (socially group- versus individually single-housed), exercise, diet,
      age, and sex on fasting plasma glucose, key lipids associated with diabetes, and
      bodyweight in two large cohorts of nonhuman primates. Key findings include
      exercise/housing arrangement's contribution to significant differences in
      bodyweight, levels of fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, and high- and
      low-density lipoproteins. Age also had profound effects on glucose, triglyceride
      and high-density lipoproteins, particularly in single-caged animals. Moreover,
      females had higher fasting glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels
      than male counterparts within the same housing situations. These factors may be
      critical to identifying preventive measures that could eventually be used to
      minimize obesity and diabetes in humans.

PMID- 28625604
TI  - 225th ENMC international workshop:: A global FSHD registry framework, 18-20
      November 2016, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

PMID- 28625606
TI  - Vitamin D supplementation; effects on depressive symptoms in multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 28625605
TI  - Population-based assessment of relationship between volume of practice and
      outcomes in head and neck cancer patients treated in a provincially coordinated
      radiotherapy program.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Literature suggests that higher volumes of practice are
      associated with better survival outcomes for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.
      The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of treatment center on the
      overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in a provincially
      coordinated program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A population-based provincial
      database was used to identify all patients in BC diagnosed for the first time
      with a primary non-thyroid HNC and treated with radiotherapy between 2006 and
      2011. RESULTS: 2330 HNC patients were included. On multivariable analysis, after
      controlling for age, gender, cancer stage, anatomical site, treatment and
      physician case frequency, OS (HR range=0.91-1.05; p=0.60-0.88) did not
      significantly differ by center. OS was also not significantly different for
      patients treated by physicians with low case frequency (HR=0.96; 0.81-1.13;
      p=0.60) and medium case frequency (HR=1.12; 0.84-1.49; p=0.43) in reference to
      high case frequency. There was no effect on OS or head and neck CSS when
      physician case frequency was treated as a continuous variable. CONCLUSIONS: In
      our provincially coordinated radiotherapy program, there was no significant
      difference in survival between cancer centers after controlling for differences
      in rurality, physician case volume and other potential confounding variables.

PMID- 28625607
TI  - Postoperative myocardial infarction in an orthognatic jaw surgery.
AB  - Cardiovascular complications, in particular perioperative myocardial infarctions,
      are central contributors to morbidity and mortality after non-cardiac surgery. We
      present a case of a 41-year-old male, smoker and dyslipidemic, who underwent
      bimaxillary orthognathic jaw surgery with the development of an acute coronary
      syndrome in the immediate postoperative period. We managed to early diagnose the
      myocardial infarction and promptly performed a percutaneous transluminal coronary
      angioplasty, resulting in a positive outcome.

PMID- 28625608
TI  - Use of the Totaltrack VLM in unexpected difficult airway in urgent caesarean
      section.

PMID- 28625609
TI  - Oxidative stress induced by cumene hydroperoxide produces synaptic depression and
      transient hyperexcitability in rat primary motor cortex neurons.
AB  - Pyramidal neurons of the motor cortex are selectively degenerated in Amyotrophic
      Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The mechanisms underlying neuronal death in ALS are not
      well established. In the absence of useful biomarkers, the early increased
      neuronal excitability seems to be the unique characteristic of ALS. Lipid
      peroxidation caused by oxidative stress has been postulated as one of the
      possible mechanisms involved in degeneration motor cortex pyramidal neurons. This
      paper examines the effect of lipid peroxidation on layer V pyramidal neurons
      induced by cumene hydroperoxide (CH) in brain slices from wild type rats. CH
      induces a synaptic depression of pyramidal neurons in a time dependent manner,
      already observable on GABAergic synaptic transmission after 5min application of
      the drug. Altogether, our whole-cell patch-clamp recording data suggest that the
      functional changes induced by CH upon pyramidal neurons are due to pre- and
      postsynaptic mechanisms. CH did not alter mEPSCs or mIPSCs, but decreased the
      frequency, amplitude, and decay rate of spontaneous EPSCs and IPSCs. These
      effects may be explained by a presynaptic mechanism causing a decrease in action
      potential-dependent neurotransmitter release. Additionally, CH induced a
      postsynaptic inward current that underlies a membrane depolarization. Depressing
      the input flow from the inhibitory premotor interneurons causes a transient
      hyperexcitability (higher resistance and lower rheobase) in pyramidal neurons of
      the motor cortex by presumably altering a tonic inhibitory current. These
      findings, which resemble relevant cortical pathophysiology of ALS, point to
      oxidative stress, presumably by lipid peroxidation, as an important contributor
      to the causes underlying this disease.

PMID- 28625610
TI  - Current progress in antivascular tumor therapy.
AB  - The tumor vasculature transports oxygen, nutrients and drugs for crucial roles in
      tumor therapy. Antivascular therapy directly targets existing tumor vessels to
      reduce blood perfusion and then inhibit tumor growth. Vascular disrupting agents
      and ultrasound-stimulated microbubble destruction use chemical toxicity and
      physical effect, respectively, to damage vascular endothelial cells for
      antivascular therapy. Moreover, antivascular therapy can break vessel wall
      barriers and change the tumor microenvironment to compensate for the limitations
      of conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This review presents current
      progress and an overview of antivascular therapy, which can inform the
      development and application in cancer research.

PMID- 28625611
TI  - Comparing SF-36(r) scores versus biomarkers to predict mortality in primary
      cardiac prevention patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Risk stratification plays an important role in evaluating patients
      with no known cardiovascular disease (CVD). Few studies have investigated health
      related quality of life questionnaires such as the Medical Outcomes Study Short
      Form-36 (SF-36(r)) as predictive tools for mortality, particularly in direct
      comparison with biomarkers. Our objective is to measure the relative
      effectiveness of SF-36(r) scores in predicting mortality when compared to
      traditional and novel biomarkers in a primary prevention population. METHODS:
      7056 patients evaluated for primary cardiac prevention between January 1996 and
      April 2011 were included in this study. Patient characteristics included medical
      history, SF-36(r) questionnaire and a laboratory panel (total cholesterol,
      triglycerides, HDL, LDL, ApoA, ApoB, ApoA1/ApoB ratio, homocysteine, lipoprotein
      (a), fibrinogen, hsCRP, uric acid and urine ACR). The primary outcome was all
      cause mortality. RESULTS: A low SF-36(r) physical score independently predicted a
      6-fold increase in death at 8years (above vs. below median Hazard Ratio [95%
      confidence interval] 5.99 [3.86-9.35], p<0.001). In a univariate analysis, SF
      36(r) physical score had a c-index of 0.75, which was superior to that of all the
      biomarkers. It also carried incremental predictive ability when added to non
      laboratory risk factors (Net Reclassification Index=59.9%), as well as Framingham
      risk score components (Net Reclassification Index=61.1%). Biomarkers added no
      incremental predictive value to a non-laboratory risk factor model when combined
      to SF-36 physical score. CONCLUSION: The SF-36(r) physical score is a reliable
      predictor of mortality in patients without CVD, and outperformed most studied
      traditional and novel biomarkers. In an era of rising healthcare costs, the SF
      36(r) questionnaire could be used as an adjunct simple and cost-effective
      predictor of mortality to current predictors.

PMID- 28625612
TI  - Enhanced production of natural yellow pigments from Monascus purpureus by liquid
      culture: The relationship between fermentation conditions and mycelial
      morphology.
AB  - Natural yellow pigments produced by submerged fermentation of Monascus purpureus
      have potential economic value and application in the food industry. In the
      present study, the relationships among fermentation conditions (in terms of pH
      and shaking/agitation speed), mycelial morphology and the production of Monascus
      yellow pigments were investigated in both shake-flask and scale-up bioreactor
      experiments. In the shake-flask fermentation, the highest yield of the Monascus
      yellow pigments was obtained at pH 5.0 and a shaking speed of 180 rpm.
      Microscopic images revealed that these results were associated with the formation
      of freely dispersed small mycelial pellets with shorter, thicker and multi
      branched hyphae. Further investigation indicated that the hyphal diameter was
      highly correlated with the biosynthesis of the Monascus yellow pigments. In a
      scaled-up fermentation experiment, the yield of yellow pigments (401 U) was
      obtained in a 200-L bioreactor, which is the highest yield to the best of our
      knowledge. The present findings can advance our knowledge on the conditions used
      for enhancing the production of Monascus yellow pigments in submerged
      fermentation and facilitate large-scale production of these natural pigments.

PMID- 28625613
TI  - Comparison of electrochemical performances and microbial community structures of
      two photosynthetic microbial fuel cells.
AB  - Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have attracted intensive interest for their power
      generation and pollutants removal characteristics. Electrochemical performances
      and community structures of two algae cathode photosynthetic MFCs were
      investigated and compared. Microbial consortia of these two MFCs were taken from
      wetland sediment (named SMFC) and an up-flow anaerobic wastewater treatment
      reactor (named UMFC). Maximum power density of the SMFC and UMFC achieved 202.9
      +/- 18.1 mW/m2 and 158.2+/-15.1 mW/m2, respectively. The SMFC displayed higher
      columbic efficiency but lower chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency
      than that of UMFC. The results also revealed the addition of riboflavin (RF) and
      neutral red (NR) decreased the redox current of the SMFC but promoted that of
      UMFC. Community structure analysis showed the SMFC was dominated by
      photosynthetic genus Rhodopseudomonas (61.25%), while bacterial genera in the
      UMFC were more evenly distributed. The difference of electrochemical activities
      of the two MFCs was caused by the different roles of exoelectrogens such as
      Rhodopseudomonas spp. and Citrobacter spp. in the electron transfer process.
      Newly developed photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) provide a suitable
      process to generate power and remove pollutants. The consortia have a significant
      role in the performance and microbial community of the system.

PMID- 28625614
TI  - Characterization of an acquired jumping translocation involving 3q13.31-qter in a
      patient with de novo acute monocytic leukemia.
AB  - We studied an adult with de novo acute monocytic leukemia and a dismal outcome
      where her leukemic cells harbored an acquired rare jumping translocation (JT). We
      used oligo-based array CGH (oaCGH) analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization
      (FISH), and 24-color karyotyping to enhance the characterization of the JT. G
      banding detected a JT involving the 3q13.3-qter chromosomal segment and the
      recipient chromosomal regions 17p, 8q, and 15q. Each clone with JT was associated
      with trisomy 8. oaCGH analysis revealed an additional submicroscopic deletion in
      3q13.31 as well as small subtelomeric duplications on several chromosomes. Locus
      specific FISH with BAC-based probes from the 3q13.31-q13.32 region showed great
      heterogeneity. Telomere FISH revealed significantly reduced telomeric content in
      the aberrant cells with JT compared with cytogenetically normal cells at
      diagnosis and in normal cells at complete remission. A literature search revealed
      two previous de novo AML-M5 cases of JT involving the 3q13.3-qter chromosomal
      segment and concomitant trisomy 8. In addition, a case with an unbalanced
      der(Y)t(Y;3)(q12;q13.31) and additional trisomy 8 was previously reported in a
      patient with de novo AML-M5. All of these cases had a dismal outcome. In the
      present case, and in the der(Y)t(Y;3) case, a concurrent submicroscopic deletion
      at 3q13.31 was observed affecting the TUSC7 gene. Duplication of 3q13.31-qter
      might be a non-random chromosomal abnormality with concomitant submicroscopic
      deletion at 3q13.31 occurring in rare cases of acute monocytic leukemia, being
      associated with adverse prognosis. The impact of shortened telomeres in forming
      the JT is reviewed.

PMID- 28625615
TI  - Efficacy and Safety of AbobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport) for the Treatment of
      Hemiparesis in Adults With Upper Limb Spasticity Previously Treated With
      Botulinum Toxin: Subanalysis From a Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of abobotulinumtoxinA in adults with
      upper limb spasticity previously treated with botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A). DESIGN:
      A post hoc analysis from a Phase 3, prospective, double-blind, randomized,
      placebo-controlled study (NCT01313299). SETTING: A total of 34 neurology or
      rehabilitation clinics in 9 countries. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 18-80 years with
      hemiparesis, >=6 months after stroke or traumatic brain injury. This analysis
      focused on a subgroup of subjects with previous onabotulinumtoxinA or
      incobotulinumtoxinA treatment (n = 105 of 243 in the total trial population) in
      the affected limb. The mean age was 52 years, and 62% were male. INTERVENTION:
      Study subjects were randomized 1:1:1 to receive a single injection session with
      abobotulinumtoxinA 500 or 1000 U or with placebo in the most hypertonic muscle
      group among the elbow, wrist, or finger flexors (primary target muscle group
      [PTMG]), and >=2 additional muscle groups from the upper limb. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASUREMENTS: Efficacy and safety measures were assessed, including muscle tone
      (Modified Ashworth Scale [MAS] in the PTMG), Physician Global Assessment (PGA),
      perceived function, spasticity, active movement, and treatment-emergent adverse
      events. RESULTS: At week 4, more subjects had >=1 grade improvement in MAS for
      the PTMG with abobotulinumtoxinA versus placebo (abobotulinumtoxinA 500 U, 81.1%;
      abobotulinumtoxinA 1000 U, 75.0%; placebo, 25.0%). PGA scores >=1 were achieved
      by 75.7% and 87.5% of abobotulinumtoxinA 500 and 1000 U subjects versus 41.7%
      with placebo. Perceived function (Disability Assessment Scale), spasticity angle
      (Tardieu Scale), and active movement were also improved with abobotulinumtoxinA.
      There were no treatment-related deaths or serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS:
      The efficacy and safety of abobotulinumtoxinA in subjects previously treated with
      BoNT-A were consistent with those in the total trial population. Hence,
      abobotulinumtoxinA is a treatment option in these patients, and no difference in
      initial dosing appears to be required compared to that in individuals not treated
      previously. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

PMID- 28625616
TI  - Modelling explicit tides in the Indonesian seas: An important process for surface
      sea water properties.
AB  - Very intense internal tides take place in Indonesian seas. They dissipate and
      affect the vertical distribution of temperature and currents, which in turn
      influence the survival rates and transports of most planktonic organisms at the
      base of the whole marine ecosystem. This study uses the INDESO physical model to
      characterize the internal tides spatio-temporal patterns in the Indonesian Seas.
      The model reproduced internal tide dissipation in agreement with previous fine
      structure and microstructure observed in-situ in the sites of generation. The
      model also produced similar water mass transformation as the previous
      parameterization of Koch-Larrouy et al. (2007), and show good agreement with
      observations. The resulting cooling at the surface is 0.3 degrees C, with maxima
      of 0.8 degrees C at the location of internal tides energy, with stronger cooling
      in austral winter. The cycle of spring tides and neap tides modulates this impact
      by 0.1 degrees C to 0.3 degrees C. These results suggest that mixing due to
      internal tides might also upwell nutrients at the surface at a frequency similar
      to the tidal frequencies. Implications for biogeochemical modelling are
      important.

PMID- 28625617
TI  - Response of the seagrass Halophila ovalis to altered light quality in a simulated
      dredge plume.
AB  - Seagrass meadows are globally threatened, largely through activities that reduce
      light quantity (photosynthetic photon flux density) such as dredging. However,
      these activities can simultaneously alter the spectral quality of light. Previous
      studies showed that Halophila ovalis seagrass productivity is reduced under
      monochromatic yellow/green light, wavelengths associated with dredge plumes, but
      it is unclear how they respond to spectra produced by real dredging projects. We
      simultaneously subjected adult H. ovalis plants to altered light quality and
      quantity simulating a real commercial dredging operation (15mgL-1 TSS, 50 and
      200MUmol photonsm-2s-1). There was a significant effect of reduced light quantity
      on physiological and morphological variables and a significant effect of light
      quality on the pigment antheraxanthin. The lack of effect of light quality on
      growth indicates that while seagrass are sensitive to changes in light quality,
      natural- and anthropogenic-driven changes may not always be sufficient to produce
      strong effects on H. ovalis.

PMID- 28625618
TI  - Low incidence of plastics in food loads delivered to nestlings by a
      zooplanktivorous seabird over a 21-year period.
AB  - We quantified the amount of plastic found in food loads delivered to nestlings in
      Cassin's Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus), a small, zooplanktivorous seabird, on
      Triangle Island, British Columbia, in 1996-2016. The density of plastic in
      surrounding waters is moderately high, yet few food loads contained any plastic
      (3 of 850), and none more than two pieces. That result accords well with previous
      observations on the other four North Pacific auklets (Aethia spp.), leading us to
      conclude that true auklets rarely transfer plastic to nestlings. However, many
      hatch-year Cassin's Auklets found dead in coastal British Columbia, Washington
      and Oregon during the mass mortality event of fall and winter 2014-15 had plastic
      in their ventriculi. We suggest that these plastic particles would have been
      obtained at sea after fledging, perhaps while the birds transited south through a
      region of high plastic density off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Washington
      and Oregon.

PMID- 28625619
TI  - Intra-Thoracic Chemo-Hyperthermia for pleural recurrence of thymoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pleural recurrences are a hallmark of thymomas, and represent a
      challenge for multidisciplinary management. The purpose of this study was to
      assess the feasibility and the results in terms of morbidity, mortality and
      survival rates, of Intra-Thoracic Chemo-Hyperthermia (ITCH) for the treatment of
      pleural recurrences of thymomas. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 19
      consecutives patients between 1997 and 2015 treated by surgical cytoreduction
      (pleurectomy) followed by ITCH with 25mg/m2 of mitomycin, and 50mg/m2 of
      Cisplatin. RESULTS: There were 8 men and 11 women with a median age of 44 years.
      ITCH was combined with pleurectomy alone in 4 (22%) patients, pleurectomy and
      wedge resections in 14 (74%) patients; 1 (5%) patient had a pleuropneumonectomy.
      There were no perioperative deaths, and 5 patients (26%) presented with
      postoperative complication, including 3 (16%) cases related to chemotherapy (one
      case of reversible grade 2 bone marrow aplasia, and 2 cases of reversible, acute
      kidney failure). The median length of stay in intensive care unit and hospital
      were 1day and 10days, respectively. After a median follow-up period of 39 months
      (range 10-127 months), median disease-free survival was 42 months. Five patients
      (26%) died during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that ITCH is a
      feasible option for selected patients with pleural recurrence of thymomas. ITCH
      clearly provides long local control, without major safety issues, and prolonged
      survival may be achieved in selected patients. This therapeutic option should be
      discussed at a multidisciplinary tumor board.

PMID- 28625620
TI  - Prognostic impact of uncertain parietal pleural invasion at adhesion sites in non
      small cell lung cancer patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Pleural invasion has been recognized as an important negative
      prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and therefore, accurate
      evaluation is required. However, when the visceral pleura adheres to the parietal
      pleura around a tumor and parietal pleural structures are destroyed and
      unrecognizable as a result of inflammation, it is often difficult to accurately
      evaluate pleural invasion, and classification of the T stage is unclear. To aid
      in categorization, we defined this status as pl1-3 and investigated the
      prognostic impact of the pl1-3 status on NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      retrospectively examined the clinicopathological characteristics and prognoses of
      929 NSCLC patients who underwent curative surgical resection. The pl1-3 status
      was defined as invasion beyond the elastic layer of the visceral pleura (pl1 or
      higher) but showing unclear parietal pleural invasion. We compared the prognoses
      of pl1-3 status NSCLC patients with that of patients with other pleural invasion
      statuses. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (3%) had a pl1-3 status. The 5-year
      overall survival rate for pl1-3 patients was 58.9%, and the prognosis was
      significantly worse than pl1 (p=0.04). In pN0 cohort, pl1-3 disease had a
      significantly worse prognosis than pl1 and pl2 diseases (p=0.01 and 0.04,
      respectively) and a similar prognosis to pl3 disease. Furthermore, similar
      relationships were also observed after adjusting for other prognostic factors in
      multivariate analysis. Among the pl1-3 and pN0 patients, 11 (46%) developed
      recurrences (9 patients had distant metastasis, one had local recurrence, and one
      had both). Although the proportion of pl1-3 patients who underwent adjuvant
      therapy was similar to that of T3 patients, more individuals received oral
      tegafur-uracil treatment than intravenous chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: These results
      indicate that pl1-3 patients can be managed in the same manner as patients with
      T3 and pl3 disease. These results may be informative for treatment decisions
      during postoperative chemotherapy.

PMID- 28625621
TI  - Patterns of initial and intracranial failure in metastatic EGFR-mutant non-small
      cell lung cancer treated with erlotinib.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Patients with metastatic EGFR-mutant (mEGFRmt) NSCLC have favorable
      survival when treated with erlotinib. We hypothesized that treatment failure in
      most patients is limited to initial sites of disease, in which case incorporating
      local therapy such as radiation might further delay progression. We therefore
      analyzed patterns and predictors of failure in a large cohort of such patients.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 189 patients treated with erlotinib for
      mEGFRmt NSCLC. We classified first pattern of failure as involving initial sites
      only (ISF), new sites only (NSF), or the combination (CSF), and used competing
      risks regression to identify factors associated with ISF, progression and overall
      survival (OS). We also separately analyzed intracranial and intrathoracic
      failure. RESULTS: Of 171 patients who progressed, 103 (60.2%) had ISF, 30 (17.5%)
      had NSF, and 38 (22.2%) had CSF. Younger age and lack of initial CNS involvement
      independently correlated with ISF, with a trend for higher T and N stage. Higher
      T and N stage was also a significant predictor of progression. Factors predicting
      shorter OS were female gender, weight loss, initial intracranial involvement, and
      >=4 extracranial metastases. Intrathoracic progression was a component of first
      failure in 61%, and three-year cumulative incidence of brain metastasis was 30%.
      CONCLUSION: The main pattern of progression in mEGFRmt NSCLC on erlotinib is in
      the initial sites of disease. Younger patients and those without brain
      involvement are particularly likely to develop ISF. This suggests a role for
      incorporating local therapy into treatment of selected patients with mEGFRmt
      NSCLC.

PMID- 28625622
TI  - PD-L1 expression in neuroendocrine tumors of the lung.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Various tumors express programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), an
      immune checkpoint ligand, the expression of which correlates with certain effects
      of anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 drugs. The aim of this study was to
      assess the frequency of PD-L1 expression in each of the types of neuroendocrine
      tumors of the lung. METHODS: The subjects enrolled in this study were patients
      who had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumors of the lung and had been
      treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) between 1982 and
      2010. We performed immunohistochemical analysis on a tissue microarray (TMA) of
      the surgical specimens using the validated PD-L1 antibody clone, E1L3N. Tumor PD
      L1 expression scores were calculated semiquantitatively (staining intensity [0
      3]*stained area [0-100%]). A score of 1 was used as a cut-off to determine the
      presence or absence of PD-L1 expression. RESULTS: Among the 227 patients included
      in this study, the patient demographics were as follows: median age (range), 65
      years (19-84); sex (male/female), 168/59; pStage (IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB,
      IV): 79, 36, 25, 29, 47, 6, 5, respectively; and histology was typical carcinoid
      (TC), atypical carcinoid (AC), large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), small
      cell lung cancer (SCLC): 46, 6, 106, 69, respectively. The numbers (proportions)
      of PD-L1-expression tumors were as follows: TC/AC/LCNEC/SCLC, 0/0/11 (10.4%)/4
      (5.8%). CONCLUSIONS: PD-L1 expression was apparent in 10.4% of LCNEC and 5.8% of
      SCLC tumors, and was not observed in carcinoid tumors.

PMID- 28625623
TI  - Mesothelioma continues to increase even 40 years after exposure - Evidence from
      long-term epidemiological observation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Because asbestos dust is considered one of the most dangerous types
      of dust for people's health, issues related to the effects of asbestos exposure
      still remain questions about the role of cessation of exposure. OBJECTIVES: The
      aim of the present study was to determine the importance of temporal patterns,
      especially the time since the end of exposure in the risk of pleural
      mesothelioma. METHODS: A total of 131 patients with pleural mesothelioma and 655
      frequency matched by gender and year of birth controls enrolled in the health
      surveillance programme for asbestos-related diseases over the years 2000-2014,
      were included in the analysis. Conditional logistic regression models were
      applied to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).
      RESULTS: The results show that the risk of pleural mesothelioma continued to
      increase even after 40 years since the last exposure. The estimated odds ratio
      for the subjects who had their last exposure 40 years ago, compared with the odds
      ratio of those who had their last exposure 5 years ago, was 2.68 (95%CI: 1.16
      .621). We also observed that crocidolite exposure was associated with a very high
      significant mesothelioma risk, 5-fold higher for those working with mixed
      exposure compared to the subjects who worked only with chrysotile. CONCLUSIONS:
      Dose-response relationships in populations occupationally exposed are critical to
      the study related to environment asbestos contamination. Our findings confirm the
      strong evidence that mesothelioma risk increases along with the increasing time
      since exposure termination.

PMID- 28625624
TI  - Peripheral-type small cell lung cancer is associated with better survival and
      higher frequency of interstitial lung disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) can be subgrouped into central and
      peripheral types according to the location of the primary lesion. However, the
      clinical differences between these two types remain unclear. This study compared
      their clinical features. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 231 patients with
      pathologically diagnosed SCLC were retrospectively subgrouped into central or
      peripheral types. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS),
      treatments, responses to first-line therapy, and frequency of interstitial lung
      disease (ILD) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 231 patients,
      101 (44%) had central-type and 130 (56%) had peripheral-type SCLC. Peripheral
      type SCLC was associated with a better performance status, higher frequency of
      ILD, and higher rate of limited disease stage. Patients with peripheral-type SCLC
      had a significantly longer OS than did those with central-type SCLC (median, 502
      vs 370days, respectively; p=0.0186). Tumor location was not associated with PFS.
      PFS was poorer in patients with than without ILD (median, 143 vs 213days,
      respectively; p=0.0038), as was OS (median, 245 vs 545days, respectively;
      p=0.0014). Among patients without ILD, OS was longer in those with peripheral-
      than central-type tumors (median, 662 vs 421days, respectively; p=0.0074).
      Surgical resection was more often chosen for peripheral-type tumors, and this was
      one reason for the prolonged survival. There was no difference in the response to
      chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy between central- and peripheral-type SCLC.
      Multivariate analysis by a Cox proportional hazards model showed that male sex, a
      poor performance status, extensive disease, the presence of ILD, an elevated
      serum neuron-specific enolase concentration, and central-type SCLC were poor
      prognostic factors for OS. CONCLUSION: Peripheral-type SCLC is associated with
      better OS and a higher frequency of ILD than is central-type SCLC. The presence
      of ILD is a poor prognostic factor for both PFS and OS.

PMID- 28625625
TI  - Economic burden of clinical trials in lung cancer in a German Comprehensive
      Cancer Center.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The recent success of individualized lung cancer therapy has
      triggered fundamental changes in clinical research strategies. To date there is a
      strong focus on early proof of concept trials in genetically preselected small
      patient subgroups. This analysis focuses on the economic burden caused by such
      trials for advanced lung cancer patients in a German Comprehensive Cancer Center
      (CCC). METHODS: The profit margins between recruiting groups with <=3 and >3
      patients were compared. Clinical and economic data from clinical trials for
      advanced lung cancer (LC), pharma-sponsored trials (PhST) as well as investigator
      initiated trials (IIT), conducted between 2011 and 2015 at the Center for
      Integrated Oncology (CIO) Cologne, were analyzed using a profit-center
      calculation model. RESULTS: 161 patients were enrolled in 27 clinical trials. The
      key economic parameter determining costs and payments was the 'trial visits'. In
      comparison of the two groups (A<=3; B>3 patients enrolled) we found negative
      profit margins for the low recruiting group (? -1444). Concerning the number of
      visits significant differences were found between PhST and IIT (p=0.009).
      Additionally, sub-analysis show structural differences in cost composition by
      conducting PhST and IIT. CONCLUSION: Trials with low patient numbers and IIT, do
      not cover the cost. To ensure adequate, cost-covering compensation by
      pharmaceutical companies CCCs have to thoroughly calculate the cost of early
      proof of concept trials. The findings of this study also underline the need for
      novel structures in public funding for investigator-initiated clinical trials in
      precision medicine.

PMID- 28625626
TI  - Lung cancer incidence trends in California by race/ethnicity, histology, sex, and
      neighborhood socioeconomic status: An analysis spanning 28 years.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer incidence trends by histology, sex, race/ethnicity, and
      neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) have not been previously reported. We
      conducted a population-based study of lung cancer incidence over three peri
      censal periods: 1988-1992, 1998-2002, and 2008-2012. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      abstracted lung cancer cases from the California Cancer Registry and used US
      Census and American Community Survey data to develop multidimensional nSES
      indices for each census period. We calculated nSES tertile-specific incidence
      rates and rate ratios for each peri-censal period and used incidence rate ratios
      (IRR) to assess changes in rates from 1988 to 1992 to 1998-2002 and 2008-2012.
      RESULTS: There were a total of 231,205 lung cancer cases. Males: Among males,
      incidence rates of lung cancer decreased over time, all race/ethnicities, and all
      nSES tertiles, with larger declines among males in higher nSES areas. Rates
      either declined or were stable for adenocarcinoma, with larger declines for other
      histologic subtypes. Females: Among females, declines in incidence rates of lung
      cancer were more pronounced for females in higher nSES areas, but diverged more
      so than for males, with variations by histology and race/ethnicity. Incidence
      rates of adenocarcinoma increased over time among all females, with greater
      increase among females in low nSES areas. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate
      differences in incidence trends over three decades by histology, gender,
      race/ethnicity, and nSES. While incidence rates consistently declined over time
      for males, there were greater declines in incidence for high nSES populations. In
      contrast, among females, there was evidence of increases in lung cancer incidence
      among low SES API females, and for adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28625627
TI  - A multicenter, randomized, phase 3 trial comparing fixed dose versus toxicity
      adjusted dose of cisplatin + etoposide in extensive small-cell lung cancer (SCLC)
      patients: The Small-cell-lung cancer Toxicity Adjusted Dosing (STAD-1) trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Data supporting the prognostic role of chemotherapy induced
      haematological toxicity suggest that toxicity-adjusted-dosing (TAD) of
      chemotherapy might improve treatment efficacy. We tested whether TAD of the
      cisplatin-etoposide combination might improve the response rate, in previously
      untreated extensive stage disease (ED)-SCLC patients, as compared with standard
      fixed-dosing (FD). METHODS: Patients with ED-SCLC were randomized to receive
      either TAD or FD of cisplatin-etoposide as first-line treatment. Primary endpoint
      was the objective response rate (ORR) according to the RECIST 1.0 criteria,
      secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS), overall survival
      (OS) and toxicity. RESULTS: Hundred-fifty-eight patients were randomized. Most
      patients were male, with ECOG-PS 1, without brain metastases and had not received
      radiotherapy before study entry. Response rate was 54.4 (95%CI: 43.5-64.9%) and
      58.2 (95%CI: 47.2-68.5%) in the control and experimental arms, respectively
      (P=0.75). No significant differences were found in terms of PFS (HR 1.04; 95%CI:
      0.74-1.44, P=0.84) and OS (HR1.01; 95%CI 0.71-1.42, p=0.97). Seven patients died
      on treatment, one in the standard arm and 6 in the experimental arm. The most
      frequent cause of death was neutropenia with infection and, apart in one, death
      was not related to dose modification. Severe toxicity was more frequent in the
      experimental arm (91% vs 60%). CONCLUSIONS: In our population of chemonaive ED
      SCLC patients, TAD failed to improve the ORR, PFS and OS over the FD of cisplatin
      etoposide as first line chemotherapy and was associated with increased toxicity.

PMID- 28625628
TI  - Which patients with ES-SCLC are most likely to benefit from more aggressive
      radiotherapy: A secondary analysis of the Phase III CREST trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In ES-SCLC patients with residual intrathoracic disease after first
      line chemotherapy, the addition of thoracic radiotherapy reduces the risk of
      intrathoracic recurrence, and improves 2-year survival. To identify patient
      subgroups for future trials investigating higher dose (extra)thoracic
      radiotherapy, we investigated the prognostic importance of number and sites of
      metastases in patients included in the CREST trial. MATERIALS/ METHODS:
      Additional data on sites and numbers of metastases were collected from individual
      records of 260 patients from the top 9 recruiting centers in the randomized CREST
      trial (53% of 495 study patients), which compared thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) to
      no TRT in ES-SCLC patients after any response to chemotherapy. All patients
      received prophylactic cranial irradiation. RESULTS: The clinical characteristics
      and outcomes of the 260 patients analyzed here did not differ significantly from
      that of the other 235 patients included in the CREST trial, except that fewer
      patients had a WHO=0 performance status (24% vs 45%), and a higher proportion had
      WHO=2 (15% vs 5%; p<0.0001). No distant metastases were recorded in 5%, 39% had
      metastases confined to one organ, 34% to two, and 22% to three or more organ
      sites. Metastases were present in the liver (47%), bone (40%), lung (28%),
      extrathoracic (non-supraclavicular) lymph nodes (19%), supraclavicular nodes
      (18%), adrenals (17%) and other sites (12%). The OS (p=0.02) and PFS (p=0.04)
      were significantly better in patients with 2 or fewer metastases, with OS
      significantly worse if liver (p=0.03) and/or bone metastases (p=0.04) were
      present. DISCUSSION: This analysis of patients recruited from the top 9 accruing
      centers in the CREST trial suggests that future studies evaluating more intensive
      thoracic and extra-thoracic radiotherapy in ES-SCLC should focus on patients with
      fewer than 3 distant metastases.

PMID- 28625629
TI  - A phase Ib trial of continuous once-daily oral afatinib plus sirolimus in
      patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive non-small cell
      lung cancer and/or disease progression following prior erlotinib or gefitinib.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Dysregulation of the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway is a
      proposed mechanism of resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine
      kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). We investigated safety and antitumor activity of
      afatinib plus sirolimus as a potential combination to reverse acquired resistance
      to EGFR-TKIs in a phase IB trial in patients with EGFR mutation-positive non
      small-cell lung cancer (EGFR mut NSCLC) and/or disease progression following
      prior erlotinib/gefitinib. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with EGFR mut NSCLC
      and/or disease progression following at least prior erlotinib/gefitinib were
      included in the trial. The primary endpoint was incidence of dose-limiting
      toxicities (DLT) to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Four initial dose
      cohorts were proposed to evaluate DLTs. Other endpoints included tumor response,
      safety, progression-free survival (PFS) and pharmacokinetics. RESULTS: Thirty
      nine patients received afatinib and sirolimus. Additional dose cohorts were added
      since the second cohort (afatinib 40mg/day and sirolimus 5mg/day) was considered
      to have excessive toxicity. All patients experienced adverse events (AE) [grade
      3: 66.7%; serious AE: 56.4%]. The most frequent AEs were diarrhea (94.9%),
      mucosal inflammation (64.1%), asthenia (53.8%) and rash (53.8%). Discontinuations
      and dose reduction due to AEs occurred in 23.1% and 25.6% of patients. MTD was
      determined as afatinib 30mg and sirolimus 1mg. Responses were observed in 5
      patients (12.8%) [2 (5.1%) with confirmed partial response (PR); 3 (7.7%) with
      unconfirmed PR], and stable disease in 18 patients (46.2%). Four of the 5
      responses were at doses above MTD. PFS at 6 months was estimated in 33.3% (median
      PFS 3.4 months). Pharmacokinetic parameters of afatinib and sirolimus were
      similar after single administration or in combination. CONCLUSION: The
      combination of afatinib and sirolimus showed lower responses than expected.
      Together with increased AEs and poor tolerability, this precludes clinical use
      and further clinical development of this combination. No pharmacokinetic
      interactions were observed. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT00993499.

PMID- 28625630
TI  - Improved survival with postoperative radiotherapy in thymic carcinoma: A
      propensity-matched analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)
      database.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Thymic carcinoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy with poor
      prognosis. Although postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is used for obtaining
      better locoregional tumor control, its association with survival has not been
      established. This study evaluated the prognostic impact of PORT in thymic
      carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified patients diagnosed with thymic
      carcinoma between 2004 and 2013 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Results (SEER) database. Propensity score matching with Kaplan-Meier and Cox
      regression analyses were used to assess prognosis. RESULTS: In the unmatched
      population (n=312), 184 (59%) patients underwent PORT. The 5-year overall
      survival rates were better with receipt of PORT, both before and after matching
      (P=0.012 and 0.007, respectively). After adjusting for related covariates
      (n=256), age >=63 years (P=0.023), Masaoka stage III (P=0.028) and IV (P<0.001),
      debulking surgery (P=0.021), and no receipt of PORT (P=0.013) were independently
      poor prognostic factors. In subgroup analyses, favorable survival impacts of PORT
      were observed for Masaoka stage III tumors (hazard ratio [HR] 0.31, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 0.15-0.66), tumors sized >6.0cm (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26
      0.89), node-negative status (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.33-1.00), and surgical extent of
      local excision or partial removal (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22-0.86). CONCLUSION: On
      SEER analysis, survival benefits of PORT in thymic carcinoma were demonstrated.
      With strong prognostic associations of Masaoka stage and types of surgery, PORT
      should be considered for non-metastatic locally advanced tumors with limited
      surgical resection.

PMID- 28625631
TI  - CD52, CD22, CD26, EG5 and IGF-1R expression in thymic malignancies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thymic epithelial tumours are rare cancers for which new treatment
      options are required. Identification of putative predictive markers is important
      for developing clinical trials. We studied the expression of five putative
      predictive biomarkers, potentially actionable by approved experimental drugs.
      METHODS: CD52, CD22, CD26, EG5, and IGF-1R expression were investigated by
      immunohistochemistry in formalin-fixed surgical samples of thymic epithelial
      tumour patients. All samples containing 10% positive epithelial tumour cells,
      independent of tumour cell intensity, were considered as positive. Correlation
      with histological subtype was performed. RESULTS: 106 surgical samples (89
      thymomas, 12 thymic carcinoma, and 5 thymic neuroendocrine tumours) were
      evaluated. Overall, CD52, CD22, CD26, EG5 and IGF-1R expression was observed in
      7%, 42%, 25%, 42% and 77% of samples, respectively. CD52 expression was more
      frequent in B2 and B3 thymoma. All TET subtypes stained for CD22, mainly AB
      thymoma (68%). CD26 expression also correlated with AB thymoma (68%), and A
      thymoma (50%) subtype, while IGFR1 was the most common marker expressed by thymic
      carcinoma samples (92%), followed by EG5 (60%). Only EG5 expression was
      significantly higher in thymic carcinomas than in thymomas (75% vs. 38%,
      p=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Our data were consistent with a previous study of IGF-1R
      expression. Based on their expression, activity of agents targeting CD52, CD 22,
      CD26 and EG5 could be further explored in TET patients.

PMID- 28625632
TI  - A population-based comparative effectiveness study of chemoradiation regimens and
      sequences in stage III non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In patients receiving concurrent chemoradiation for locally advanced
      non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), consolidation chemotherapy is frequently
      given even though several randomized trials have failed to show a benefit. We
      explored the potential benefits of consolidation chemotherapy using a population
      based comparative effectiveness approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Surveillance,
      Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare was used to identify patients with Stage
      III NSCLC aged >=65 and diagnosed 2002-2009. We selected patients who received
      concurrent chemoradiotherapy and determined whether they were (concurrent
      consolidation) or were not (concurrent-alone) treated with consolidation
      chemotherapy. Outcomes were overall and cancer specific survival using a
      conditional landmark analysis approach. RESULTS: 1688 patients treated with
      concurrent-alone or concurrent-consolidation were identified with a median follow
      up of 29 months. Choice of chemotherapy agents did not correlate with outcome.
      For concurrent-consolidation versus concurrent-alone, the median overall survival
      was 21 months versus 18 months, respectively (log-rank p=0.008) and the median
      cancer specific survival was 23 months versus 19 months, respectively (log-rank
      p=0.03). On multivariate analysis, concurrent-consolidation remained associated
      with improved overall survival (HR 0.85, p=0.04), and there was a trend for
      improved cancer specific survival (HR 0.87, p=0.12). Inverse probability of
      treatment weighting using propensity scores demonstrated similar findings.
      Importantly, the benefit of concurrent-consolidation held only for patients
      treated with carboplatin-taxane but not with cisplatin-etoposide. CONCLUSION:
      Survival outcomes were similar among the five most commonly employed platinum
      based doublets. We found that patients receiving cisplatin during radiation do
      not appear to benefit from additional chemotherapy. However, for patients
      receiving carboplatin, consolidation chemotherapy was associated with improved
      overall and cancer specific survival.

PMID- 28625633
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of implementing computed tomography screening for lung cancer
      in Taiwan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A screening program for lung cancer requires more empirical evidence.
      Based on the experience of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST), we developed
      a method to adjust lead-time bias and quality-of-life changes for estimating the
      cost-effectiveness of implementing computed tomography (CT) screening in Taiwan.
      METHODS: The target population was high-risk (>=30 pack-years) smokers between 55
      and 75 years of age. From a nation-wide, 13-year follow-up cohort, we estimated
      quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE), loss-of-QALE, and lifetime healthcare
      expenditures per case of lung cancer stratified by pathology and stage.
      Cumulative stage distributions for CT-screening and no-screening were assumed
      equal to those for CT-screening and radiography-screening in the NLST to estimate
      the savings of loss-of-QALE and additional costs of lifetime healthcare
      expenditures after CT screening. Costs attributable to screen-negative subjects,
      false-positive cases and radiation-induced lung cancer were included to obtain
      the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio from the public payer's perspective.
      RESULTS: The incremental costs were US$22,755 per person. After dividing this by
      savings of loss-of-QALE (1.16 quality-adjusted life year (QALY)), the incremental
      cost-effectiveness ratio was US$19,683 per QALY. This ratio would fall to
      US$10,947 per QALY if the stage distribution for CT-screening was the same as
      that of screen-detected cancers in the NELSON trial. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose CT
      screening for lung cancer among high-risk smokers would be cost-effective in
      Taiwan. As only about 5% of our women are smokers, future research is necessary
      to identify the high-risk groups among non-smokers and increase the coverage.

PMID- 28625634
TI  - Imaging features of TSCT predict the classification of pulmonary preinvasive
      lesion, minimally and invasive adenocarcinoma presented as ground glass nodules.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively investigate the role of thin section computed
      tomography(TSCT) features to distinguish invasive adenocarcinoma(IA) from
      preinvasive or minimally invasive adenocarcinoma(MIA) appearing as pure or mixed
      ground glass nodules (pGGNs, mGGNs), and to distinguish adenocarcinoma in situ
      (AIS) from atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) in pGGNs. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Three hundred thirteen patients with 334 pathologically diagnosed GGNs
      according to the 2011 IASLC/ATS/ERS classification were included into this study.
      The TSCT features of the AAH-MIAs and IAs were compared and analyzed respectively
      in pGGNs (158 cases) and mGGNs (176 cases). Additionally, AIS (30 cases) and AAH
      (33 cases) were further analyzed in pGGNs. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)
      analysis were performed to determine the cutoff values for the qualitative
      variables and their diagnostic performances. RESULTS: In pGGNs, significant
      differences were found in the tumor volume(p=0.017, OR=4.98, 95%CI 1.33-18.62)
      and tumor mass(p=0.03, OR=5.04, 95%CI 1.17-21.59) between AAH-MIAs (AAH, AIS,
      MIA) group and IAs group, and tumor mass(p=0.037, OR=4.32, 95%CI 1.09-17.10) and
      standard deviation(SD) (p=0.019, OR=13.92, 95%CI 1.53-126.57) could distinguish
      AIS from AAH. In mGGNs, significant differences were found in consolidation size
      (p=0.006, OR=21.98, 95%CI 2.46-196.67) and consolidation mean CT value (p=0.011,
      OR=18.20, 95%CI1.96-168.88) between AAH-MIAs group and IAs group. Multivariate
      and ROC analyses revealed that in pGGNs, tumor size (>=1125mm) and mass (>386)
      were significantly associated with IAs. SD (>=68) and mass (>=70) were
      significant in distinguishing AIS from AAH. Larger consolidation of nodules
      (>=8.1mm) and higher CT values of the solid components (>=-222 HU) in mGGNs were
      significantly associated with IAs. CONCLUSION: TSCT features can help distinguish
      IAs from AAH-MIAs both in pGGNs and mGGNs, and identify AIS from AAH in pGGNs,
      which indicated that imaging features may be helpful to guide the therapeutic
      choice for patients with GGNs which were considered as high risk of malignant
      diseases.

PMID- 28625635
TI  - Trends in treatment and relative survival among Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
      patients in the Netherlands (1990-2014): Disparities between younger and older
      patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe trends over time regarding disparities
      in treatment and relative survival (RS) between younger and older patients with
      non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: All patients diagnosed with
      pathologically verified NSCLC in 1990-2014 were included from the Netherlands
      Cancer Registry (n=187,315). Treatment and RS (adjusted for sex, histology and
      treatment) were analyzed according to age group (<70 years versus >=70 years),
      stage and five-year period of diagnosis. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2014, five
      year RS increased from 17 to 22% among younger patients and from 12 to 16% among
      elderly. The application of surgery increased over time for elderly with stage I
      NSCLC, decreased for elderly with stage II, and was stable but higher for younger
      patients. Disparities in RS between age groups with stage I became smaller since
      2000-2004, but did not change over time for stage II. For stage III and IV, both
      age groups showed strong increases over time in chemoradiotherapy and
      chemotherapy from 2000 onwards, although considerably less among elderly. One-,
      three- and five-year RS increased more strongly over time for the younger group
      leading to larger disparities between age groups with stage III or IV NSCLC.
      CONCLUSION: More curative-intent treatment and improved RS for NSCLC were seen
      over time, but were less profound among elderly. Disparities herein between age
      groups seemed to become smaller over time for stage I NSCLC, did not change for
      stage II, and were widening for stage III and IV at the expense of elderly.
      Future prospective studies should focus on optimizing treatment selection and
      outcomes for elderly.

PMID- 28625636
TI  - Prognostic impact of TTF-1 expression in patients with stage IV lung
      adenocarcinomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) is routinely tested in the
      diagnostic evaluation of suspected lung cancers, is commonly expressed by lung
      adenocarcinomas, and may modulate lung cancer biology. We examined the role of
      TTF-1 as a predictive and prognostic marker in patients with advanced lung
      adenocarcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed clinical, pathologic, and
      molecular features, treatments received, and overall survival obtained from the
      medical records of 479 consecutive patients at a single site with stage IV lung
      adenocarcinomas and evaluable TTF-1 expression. TTF-1 expression was determined
      by immunohistochemistry using antibody 8G7G3/1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: TTF-1
      expression was evaluable in 479 (75%) of all patients reviewed, and was positive
      in 383 (80%, 95% CI 76-83%). Clinicopathologic features were similar between TTF
      1 positive and TTF-1 negative tumors, except EGFR mutations were more common in
      TTF-1 positive cases (24% vs 6%, p<0.001). In univariate analysis, overall
      survival was significantly longer in patients with TTF-1 positive versus TTF-1
      negative tumors (18 months vs 9 months, p<0.0001). In multivariate analysis, TTF
      1 positivity remained associated with better overall survival (HR=0.38,
      p<0.0001), exceeding the prognostic impact of Karnofsky performance status >/=80%
      (HR 0.62, p=0.0003) and receipt of first-line combination chemotherapy or
      targeted therapy (HR relative to first-line single agent chemotherapy 0.59,
      p=0.05 and 0.51, p=0.05 respectively). Both patients with TTF-1 positive and TTF
      1 negative cancers had longer durations of initial therapy when treated with
      pemetrexed-based chemotherapy. In patients with advanced lung adenocarcinomas,
      TTF-1 expression is associated with better survival but is not predictive of
      distinct benefit from pemetrexed-based chemotherapy.

PMID- 28625637
TI  - A randomized, phase 2 evaluation of the CHK1 inhibitor, LY2603618, administered
      in combination with pemetrexed and cisplatin in patients with advanced
      nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - This phase 2 portion of a phase 1/2 study examined the efficacy and safety of
      LY2603618, a selective checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor, combined with pemetrexed
      and cisplatin (LY+Pem+Cis) in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC). This multicenter, randomized, controlled, open-label study
      (NCT01139775) enrolled patients with stage IV nonsquamous NSCLC and an Eastern
      Cooperative Oncology Group performance status <=1. Patients were randomized (2:1)
      to LY+Pem+Cis or pemetrexed and cisplatin (Pem+Cis). Induction therapy comprised
      four 21-day cycles of 500 mg/m2 pemetrexed and 75mg/m2 cisplatin on Day 1 (both
      arms) and 275mg LY2603618 on Day 2 (LY+Pem+Cis arm). Maintenance therapy
      comprised 500mg/m2 pemetrexed on Day 1 (both arms) and 275mg LY2603618 on Day 2
      (LY+Pem+Cis arm) until disease progression. The primary endpoint was progression
      free survival (PFS). Enrollment was permanently halted before target enrollment
      was met due to a greater number of thromboembolic events in the LY+Pem+Cis arm.
      Sixty-two patients were enrolled (LY+Pem+Cis, n=39; Pem+Cis, n=23). Bayesian and
      frequentist analysis demonstrated superior PFS in the LY+Pem+Cis arm vs the
      Pem+Cis arm (median [90% confidence interval]: LY+Pem+Cis, 4.7 months [4.-7.1];
      Pem+Cis, 1.5 months [1.3-2.9]; P=0.022). Seven patients in the LY+Pem+Cis arm (vs
      0 in the Pem+Cis arm) experienced serious thromboembolic events: pulmonary
      embolism (n=5), ischemic stroke (n=1), and cerebrovascular accident (n=1).
      Although the primary endpoint was met, the combination of LY2603618+Pem+Cis will
      not be further developed for treating advanced nonsquamous NSCLC due to the
      potential increased risk of thromboembolic events with this combination.
      ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01139775.

PMID- 28625638
TI  - Development of psoriatic arthritis during nivolumab therapy for metastatic non
      small cell lung cancer, clinical outcome analysis and review of the literature.
AB  - Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The most
      common type, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is further divided into two main
      types, squamous cell and non-squamous cell (which includes adenocarcinoma).
      Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 programmed death-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor
      antibody, has shown not only an overall survival advantage when compared to
      docetaxel, but also a relatively good side-effect profile among patients with
      previously treated advanced squamous and non-squamous NSCLC. Psoriatic arthritis
      (PsA), a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory disease, has a wide clinical spectrum
      and a variable clinical course that affects mainly musculoskeletal structures,
      skin and nails. Here we report the second case to the best of our knowledge of
      PsA development during nivolumab therapy. It is important to note that arthritis
      activity decreased without nivolumab discontinuation with the use of naproxen and
      a low dose of corticosteroid. Furthermore, a minimal disease activity was
      achieved adding methotrexate to the treatment and antitumor therapy efficacy was
      not influenced (a partial response was documented after eight and 39 cycles of
      nivolumab). Rheumatic immune-related adverse events management is a challenge and
      a coordinated multidisciplinary management by medical oncologists,
      rheumatologists and immunologists will be mandatory in the near future.

PMID- 28625639
TI  - Longitudinal monitoring of ctDNA EGFR mutation burden from urine correlates with
      patient response to EGFR TKIs: A case series.
AB  - Targetable, somatic EGFR mutations are highly prevalent in patients with non
      small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), making them eligible for tyrosine kinase
      inhibitor (TKI) therapy. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), isolated from blood or
      urine, has been demonstrated to reliably identify somatic tumor associated EGFR
      mutations, specifically in patients with inconclusive biopsy. When conventional
      imaging modalities are inconclusive, quantitative assessment of systemic ctDNA
      burden has the potential to assess therapeutic response. We report on the
      clinical use of non-invasive, urinary ctDNA liquid biopsies for the
      ultrasensitive detection and longitudinal monitoring of ctDNA EGFR systemic
      mutation burden in five patients with NSCLC treated with EGFR TKIs. Urinary ctDNA
      based quantitative assessment of systemic EGFR mutant allele burden is a non
      invasive molecular diagnostic testing modality that has the potential to be
      utilized as an ancillary tool to assess disease burden and response to therapy.

PMID- 28625640
TI  - Association between intensity modulated radiotherapy and survival in patients
      with stage III non-small cell lung cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the effect of radiotherapy (RT) technique on treatment
      compliance and overall survival (OS) in patients with stage III non-small lung
      cancer (NSCLC) treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS AND
      MATERIALS: This study included patients with stage III NSCLC in the National
      Cancer Database treated between 2003 and 2011 with definitive CRT to 60-63 Gray
      (Gy). Radiation treatment interruption (RTI) was defined as a break of >=4 days.
      Treatment technique was dichotomized as intensity modulated (IMRT) or non-IMRT
      techniques. RESULTS: Out of the cohort of 7492, 35% had a RTI and 10% received
      IMRT. With a median follow-up of surviving patients of 32 months, the median
      survival for those with non-IMRT vs. IMRT was 18.2 months vs. 20 months
      (p<0.0001). Median survival for those with and without an RTI>=4 days was 16.1
      months vs. 19.8 months (p<0.0001). Use of IMRT predicted for a decreased
      likelihood of RTI (odds ratio, 0.84, p=0.04). On multivariable analysis for OS,
      IMRT had a HR of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-0.98, p=0.01) and RTI had a HR of 1.2 (95%
      confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.27, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: IMRT was associated
      with small but significant survival advantage for patients with stage III NSCLC
      treated with CRT. A RTI led to inferior survival, and both IMRT and RTI were
      independently associated with OS. Additional research should investigate whether
      improved tolerability, reduced normal tissue exposure, or superior coverage
      drives the association between IMRT and improved survival.

PMID- 28625641
TI  - Emergence of novel and dominant acquired EGFR solvent-front mutations at Gly796
      (G796S/R) together with C797S/R and L792F/H mutations in one EGFR (L858R/T790M)
      NSCLC patient who progressed on osimertinib.
AB  - Acquired epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) resistance mutations to
      osimertinib are common, including the EGFR C797S that abolishes the covalent
      binding of osimertinib to EGFR. Here we report the emergence of novel EGFR
      solvent front mutations at Gly796 (G796S/R) in addition to a hinge pocket L792F/H
      mutations, and C797S/G all in cis with T790M in a single patient on progression
      on osimertinib as detected by plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay in the
      course of clinical care. A 69-year-old Caucasian female former light-smoker
      presented with stage IV EGFR L858R positive adenocarcinoma who developed EGFR
      T790M mutation after 8 month treatment of erlotinib. The patient was initiated on
      osimertinib with disease shrinkage after 2 months, but tumor regrowth was
      observed after 5 months of osimertinib treatment. Assay of plasma ctDNA at this
      time revealed these different secondary resistance mutations all in trans with
      each other including distinct mutations at the same codon producing different
      amino acid changes: G796S/R (mutant allele frequency [MAF]; 14.4%), C797S/G (MAF:
      2.26%), L792F/H (MAF: 0.36%), and V802F (MAF: 0.40%), in addition to the pre
      existing L858R (MAF:17.9%) and T790M (MAF:18.2%) but all in cis with T790M. The
      G796S/R mutations are homologous with known reported solvent front mutations in
      ALK G1202R, ROS1 G2032R, TrkA G595R and TrkC G623R, all of which are associated
      with acquired resistance to type I TKIs. In silico modeling revealed mutation at
      G796 interferes with osimertinib binding to the EGFR kinase domain at the phenyl
      aromatic ring position as this residue forms a narrow "hydrophobic sandwich" with
      L718, while L792F/H mutation interferes with osimertinib binding at the methoxyl
      group on the phenyl ring. Multiple resistance mutations at differing allele
      frequencies including novel EGFR solvent front mutations can emerge in a single
      patient with progression on osimertinib potentially due to tumor hetereogeneity
      and definitely present a significant therapeutic and drug development challenge.

PMID- 28625642
TI  - Randomized phase II trial of weekly dose-intensive chemotherapy or amrubicin plus
      cisplatin chemotherapy following induction chemoradiotherapy for limited-disease
      small cell lung cancer (JCOG1011).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to select, for a phase III trial, the
      more promising of weekly-dose intensive chemotherapy or amrubicin+cisplatin
      chemotherapy as subsequent therapy after induction chemoradiotherapy for
      previously untreated limited-disease small cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC). MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Patients aged 20-70 years with untreated clinical stage II/III LD
      SCLC were eligible. After one cycle of accelerated hyperfractionation thoracic
      radiotherapy with etoposide plus cisplatin, patients without progression were
      randomized to either 3 cycles of cisplatin 25mg/m2 (days 1, 8), doxorubicin
      40mg/m2 (day 1), etoposide 80mg/m2 (days 1-3), and vincristine 1mg/m2 (day 8)
      every 2 weeks (CODE) or amrubicin 40mg/m2 (days 1-3) and cisplatin 60mg/m2 (day
      1) every 3 weeks (AP). The primary endpoint was the one-year progression-free
      survival (PFS). The sample size was 72 to select the arm yielding a better one
      year PFS (55% vs. 65%) with a probability of 80%. RESULTS: From March 2011 to
      February 2014, 85 patients were registered. After the induction
      chemoradiotherapy, 75 patients were randomized to CODE (n=39) or AP (n=36). The
      one-year PFS (95% confidence interval) was 41.0% (25.7-55.8) in the CODE group
      and 54.3% (36.6-69.0) in the AP group. Grade 4 neutropenia/grade 3 febrile
      neutropenia occurred in 47%/16% in the CODE group and 78%/42% in the AP group.
      CONCLUSION: The one-year PFS was better in the AP group, but it did not reach the
      expected 55%. Therefore, neither regimen is suitable for a phase III trial.

PMID- 28625643
TI  - Sequential liquid biopsies reveal dynamic alterations of EGFR driver mutations
      and indicate EGFR amplification as a new mechanism of resistance to osimertinib
      in NSCLC.
AB  - Osimertinib is an EGFR-T790M-specific TKI, which has demonstrated impressive
      response rates in NSCLC, after failure to first-line anti-EGFR TKIs. However,
      acquired resistance to osimertinib is also observed and the molecular mechanisms
      of resistance are not yet fully understood. Monitoring and managing NSCLC
      patients who progressed on osimertinib is, therefore, emerging as an important
      clinical challenge. Sequential liquid biopsies were used to monitor a patient
      with EGFR-exon19del positive NSCLC, who received erlotinib and progressed through
      the acquisition of the EGFR-T790M mutation. Erlotinib was discontinued and
      osimertinib was initiated. Blood samples were collected at erlotinib progression
      and during osimertinib treatment for the detection of the activating (EGFR
      exon19del) and resistance mutations (EGFR-T790M, EGFR-C797S, BRAF-V600E, METamp
      and ERBB2amp) in the plasma DNA using digital droplet PCR. Plasma levels of the
      activating EGFR-exon19del accurately paralleled the clinical and radiological
      progression of disease and allowed early detection of AR to osimertinib.
      Resistance to osimertinib coincided with the emergence of a small tumor cell
      subpopulation carrying the known EGFR-C797S resistance mutation and an additional
      subpopulation carrying amplified copies of EGFR-exon19del. Given the existence of
      multiple AR mechanisms, quantification of the original EGFR activation mutation,
      instead of the resistance mutations, can be efficiently used to monitor response
      to osimertinib, allowing early detection of AR. Absolute quantification of both
      activation and resistance mutations can provide important information on tumor
      clonal evolution upon progression to osimertinib. Selective amplification of the
      EGFR-exon19del allele may represent a novel resistance mechanism to osimertinib.

PMID- 28625644
TI  - Treatment options for EGFR mutant NSCLC with CNS involvement-Can patients BLOOM
      with the use of next generation EGFR TKIs?
AB  - With the use of EGFR TKIs, patient survival is now prolonged and as a
      consequence, a higher chance of development of CNS metastases has been observed
      during the course of the disease. CNS metastases remains a therapeutically
      challenging subset of patient to treat owing to the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
      Prior to routine EGFR mutation testing, surgical resection, stereotactic
      radiosurgery and/or whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) were the main treatment
      options whereas treatment options for patients with leptomeningeal metastases
      (LM) included intra-thecal chemotherapy, WBRT, and ventriculo-peritoneal
      shunting. Unfortunately outcome for both BM and LM remains poor with median
      survival between 3 and 6 months. Systemic treatment with EGFR TKIs had been
      effective in the treatment of intracranial metastases but efficacy of early
      generation TKIs were hampered by its limited BBB penetration. The next generation
      EGFR TKIs osimertinib and AZD3759 have improved BBB penetration and the BLOOM
      study of osimertinib and AZD3759 has reported highly promising intracranial
      efficacy and may herald a new frontier to treat this therapeutically challenging
      subset of advanced EGFR mutant patients.

PMID- 28625645
TI  - EUS-B-FNA vs conventional EUS-FNA for left adrenal gland analysis in lung cancer
      patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In patients with lung cancer, left adrenal glands (LAG) suspected
      for distant metastases (M1b) based on imaging require further evaluation for a
      definitive diagnosis. Tissue acquisition is regularly performed using
      conventional EUS-FNA. The aim of this study was to investigate the success rate
      of endoscopic ultrasound guided fine-needle aspiration using the EBUS scope (EUS
      B-FNA) for LAG analysis. METHODS: This is a prospective multicenter study in
      consecutive patients with (suspected) lung cancer and suspected mediastinal and
      LAG metastases. Following complete mediastinal staging using the EBUS scope
      (EBUS+EUS-B), the LAG was evaluated and sampled by both EUS-B (experimental
      procedure) and conventional EUS (current standard of care). RESULTS: The success
      rate for LAG analysis (visualized, sampled and adequate tissue obtained) was 89%
      (39/44; 95% CI 76-95%) for EUS-B-FNA, and 93% (41/44; 95%CI 82-98%) for EUS-FNA.
      In the absence of metastases at EUS-B and/or EUS, surgical verification of the
      LAG or 6 months clinical and radiological follow-up was obtained, but missing for
      5 patients. The prevalence of LAG metastases was 54% (21/39). In patients in whom
      LAG was seen and sampled, sensitivity for LAG metastases was at least 87% (95%CI
      65-97%) for EUS-B, and at least 83% (95%CI 62-95%) for conventional EUS.
      CONCLUSION: LAG analysis by EUS-B shows a similar high success rate in comparison
      to conventional EUS. IMPLICATION: Both a mediastinal nodal and LAG evaluation can
      be adequately performed with just an EBUS scope and single endoscopist. This
      staging strategy is likely to reduce patient-burden and costs.

PMID- 28625646
TI  - EGFR exon 18 delE709_T710insD mutated stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with response
      to afatinib.
AB  - Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) targetable mutations have changed the
      landscape for treatment of advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer in recent
      years. Three generations of tyrosine kinase inhibitors are now available to
      target cancers harboring these mutations. The most common EGFR mutations occur in
      Exons 19 and 21. Exon 18 mutations are extremely rare comprising of 4.1% of all
      EGFR mutations and the delE709_T710insD mutation accounts for only 0.16% of
      mutations when occurring as a sole mutation, however, the frequency can vary with
      the kit utilized for testing. The rarity makes the clinical relevance of these
      mutations largely unknown. We report a case of a 52year old female with bilateral
      advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung harboring the delE709_T710insD mutation with
      significant clinical and radiographic response to treatment with afatinib. We
      discuss the reported cases of delE709_T710insD mutated non-small cell lung cancer
      variably treated with geftinib, erlotinib or afatinib. This particular exon 18
      mutation seems to preferentially respond to afatinib as reported in two cases
      including the current case, and in an in vitro experimental model. These reports
      have implications in guiding decisions for treatment of patients harboring rare
      EGFR mutations.

PMID- 28625647
TI  - Quantification of growth patterns of screen-detected lung cancers: The NELSON
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Although exponential growth is assumed for lung cancer, this has
      never been quantified in vivo. Aim of this study was to evaluate and quantify
      growth patterns of lung cancers detected in the Dutch-Belgian low-dose computed
      tomography (CT) lung cancer screening trial (NELSON), in order to elucidate the
      development and progression of early lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Solid
      lung nodules found at >=3 CT examinations before lung cancer diagnosis were
      included. Lung cancer volume (V) growth curves were fitted with a single
      exponential, expressed as V=V1 exp(t/tau), with t time from baseline (days), V1
      estimated baseline volume (mm3), and tau estimated time constant. The R2
      coefficient of determination was used to evaluate goodness of fit. Overall volume
      doubling time for the individual lung cancer is given by tau*log(2). RESULTS:
      Forty-seven lung cancers in 46 participants were included. Forty participants
      were male (87.0%); mean age was 61.7 years (standard deviation, 6.2 years).
      Median nodule size at baseline was 99.5mm3 (IQR: 46.8-261.8mm3). Nodules were
      followed for a median of 770 days (inter-quartile range: 383-1102 days) before
      lung cancer diagnosis. One cancer (2.1%) was diagnosed after six CT examinations,
      six cancers (12.8%) were diagnosed after five CTs, 14 (29.8%) after four CTs, and
      26 cancers (55.3%) after three CTs. Lung cancer growth could be described by an
      exponential function with excellent goodness of fit (R2 0.98). Median overall
      volume-doubling time was 348 days (inter-quartile range: 222-492 days).
      CONCLUSION: This study based on CT lung cancer screening provides in vivo
      evidence that growth of cancerous small-to-intermediate sized lung nodules
      detected at low-dose CT lung cancer screening can be described by an exponential
      function such as volume-doubling time.

PMID- 28625648
TI  - Contrasting temporal trends in lung cancer incidence by socioeconomic status
      among women in New South Wales, Australia, 1985-2009.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We examined long-term trends in lung cancer incidence for women by
      socioeconomic groups in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHODS: Data on lung
      cancer incidence for women were extracted from the NSW Cancer Registry database.
      We divided the study cohort into five quintiles according to an area-based index
      of education and occupation (IEO) and calculated annual age-standardised
      incidence rates by IEO quintile for the period 1985-2009. The age-standardised
      incidence ratio (SIR) was estimated for IEO quintiles and 5-year period of
      diagnosis using the highest IEO quintile as the reference. RESULTS: Overall, lung
      cancer incidence for women aged 25-69 years increased gradually from 19.8 per
      100,000 in 1985 to 25.7 per 100,000 in 2009. The trends by IEO quintile were
      somewhat comparable from 1985 through to 1995, but from then on rates remained
      relatively stable for women residing in the highest quintile while increasing for
      women residing in the remaining four quintiles. Consequently, the SIR for all
      four of the lower IEO quintiles increased significantly over the 25-year period.
      For example, the SIR in the lowest IEO quintile increased from 1.16 (95% CI, 0.99
      1.37) during 1985-1989 to 1.70 (95% CI, 1.50-1.93) during 2005-2009. The
      corresponding estimates for women aged 70 years or older showed no clear pattern
      of socioeconomic gradient. CONCLUSION: The increasing gap in lung cancer
      incidence between women in the highest socioeconomic group and all others
      suggests that there is a continued need for the broad implementation of tobacco
      control interventions, so that smoking prevalence is reduced across all segments
      of the population and the subsequent benefits are shared more equitably across
      all demographic groups.

PMID- 28625649
TI  - Investigation of patterns of nodal metastases in BRAF mutant lung cancer.
AB  - Axillary lymph nodes (axLN) are a rare site of nodal metastases in patients with
      lung cancer. BRAF mutated lung cancer is a genetically distinct subtype that
      occurs in 2-5% of non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). A recent study
      identified a highly unusual pattern of metastatic spread to axLN in patients with
      BRAF mutated colorectal cancer (CRC). The purpose of the study is to assess the
      incidence of axLN metastases in BRAF mutated NSCLC. Baseline computed tomography
      (CT) imaging at diagnosis and all follow up CTs of patients with BRAF mutated
      NSCLC treated at our institution were retrospectively reviewed by two
      radiologists for evidence of axLN metastases. Positron emission tomography
      (PET)/CT was reviewed when available. A control group of patients with non-BRAF
      mutated NSCLC was assessed. Three criteria were used for the diagnosis of a
      metastatic node; pathologic confirmation, radiologic size greater >=1.5cm in
      short axis diameter or fluorodeoxyglucose avidity on PET/CT and radiologic size
      >=1.0cm in short axis diameter. Forty-six patients with BRAF mutated NSCLC and CT
      images on the institutional PACS were identified. 7 (15%) patients with BRAF
      mutated NSCLC had axLN metastases using the proposed diagnostic criteria. One
      patient had a pathologic proven axLN metastasis, 3 had axLNs measuring >=1.5cm in
      short axis, and 3 had nodes which were FDG avid on PET/CT and measured >=1.0cm in
      short axis. By comparison, 1 of 46 (2%) control patients with non-BRAF mutated
      NSCLC had axLN metastases. Previous series have reported the prevalence of axLN
      metastases in patients with NSCLC as 0.61-0.75%. We have found a higher incidence
      of axLN metastases in BRAF mutated NSCLC patients than described in non-BRAF
      mutated NSCLC patients. Examination of the axilla should be a routine part of
      physical examination in this genetically distinct subgroup of lung cancer
      patients.

PMID- 28625651
TI  - Long-lasting shrinkage in tumor mass after discontinuation of nivolumab
      treatment.
AB  - We report the case of a 62-year-old man treated with nivolumab as fourth-line
      therapy for stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Because of the onset of
      nivolumab-induced pneumonitis after 2 doses, nivolumab was discontinued. After
      discontinuation, the tumor gradually continued to decrease in size without any
      additional treatment for lung cancer. The patient obtained a long-lasting
      shrinking of the tumor over 6 subsequent treatment-free months after only 2
      administrations of nivolumab. This type of response has not been seen for
      conventional anticancer drug treatments for NSCLC, and we speculate that a small
      group of patients with NSCLC will obtain sufficient efficacy from a few doses of
      nivolumab.

PMID- 28625650
TI  - Switch maintenance chemotherapy using S-1 with or without bevacizumab in patients
      with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a phase II study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We conducted this single-institute; prospective, non-randomized
      parallel two-arm phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of switch
      maintenance chemotherapy with S-1 after induction therapy with a platinum-based
      regimen in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: Patients not showing disease progression after induction platinum
      based chemotherapy received S-1 at the dose of 40mg/m2 twice daily for 14
      consecutive days, every three weeks, with or without bevacizumab (Bev) at the
      dose of 15mg/kg. In cases where the induction chemotherapy regimen contained Bev,
      Bev was used as continuation maintenance chemotherapy where appropriate. The
      efficacy/toxicity of switch maintenance chemotherapy with S-1 and S-1+Bev was
      evaluated separately. The primary end point of this study was the treatment
      success rate at three months after the start of S-1 treatment. RESULTS: Between
      July 2010 and January 2014, 79 patients were enrolled, of which 78 were found to
      be eligible for inclusion in this study. The treatment success rate at three
      months was 28.2% (90% confidence interval (CI), 7.1-17.1%) in the S-1 group and
      64.1% (90% CI, 50.0-76.8%) in the S-1+Bev group. The primary endpoint was met in
      the S-1+Bev group. The median PFS and OS were 2.6 months and 11.0 months in the S
      1 group, and 4.6 months and 19.9 months in the S-1+Bev group, respectively. The
      most common grade three toxicity was neutropenia (10% incidence in the S-1+Bev
      group). There were no cases of febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: Switch
      maintenance chemotherapy with S-1 in combination with continuation maintenance
      chemotherapy with bevacizumab yielded modest efficacy with mild and acceptable
      toxicities.

PMID- 28625652
TI  - Symptomatic leptomeningeal metastasis improvement with nivolumab in advanced non
      small cell lung cancer patient.
AB  - Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is reported in 3.8% of non-small-cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) patients, more frequently in adenocarcinoma, and it correlates with poor
      prognosis. Data regarding the activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in LM is
      lacking. We present a case report about the efficacy of nivolumab in a patient
      with advanced NSCLC and symptomatic LM.

PMID- 28625653
TI  - Most T790M mutations are present on the same EGFR allele as activating mutations
      in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The T790M and C797S mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor
      gene (EGFR) confer resistance to first- and third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors (TKIs), respectively, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) harboring activating mutations of EGFR. C797S has been identified in cis
      or in trans with T790M in tumor specimens from patients who experienced treatment
      failure with first- and third-generation EGFR-TKIs. The allelic relation between
      T790M and activating mutations of EGFR has not been well characterized, however.
      We have now developed a digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR)-based method for
      determination of the allelic relation between two types of EGFR mutation (T790M
      and either C797S or an activating mutation). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven
      clinical NSCLC specimens and two NSCLC cell lines harboring both an activating
      mutation and T790M were analyzed with this new method to identify the allelic
      relation between these EGFR mutations. RESULTS: The median ratio of the number of
      alleles positive for both an activating mutation and T790M to the number of T790M
      positive alleles was 97.1% (range, 90.0-100%). Confirmatory analysis by next
      generation sequencing yielded a corresponding value of 96.7% (range, 89.1-99.5%).
      Our dPCR method thus reliably identifies the allelic relation between two EGFR
      mutations in a quantitative manner. CONCLUSIONS: Almost all T790M mutations were
      detected in cis with activating mutations of EGFR regardless of the de novo or
      acquired status of T790M, with cancer cells harboring T790M and activating
      mutations on the same allele appearing to be selected and enriched during EGFR
      TKI treatment.

PMID- 28625654
TI  - LINE-1 hypomethylation is associated to specific clinico-pathological features in
      Stage I non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We hypothesize that selected genetic and/or epigenetic changes
      associated with advanced tumours may help identifying early non-small cell lung
      cancers (NSCLCs) that recur after resection. Among epigenetic changes, long
      interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) hypomethylation is seen early during
      carcinogenesis and may act in concert with genetic alterations to cancer
      progression. LINE-1 hypomethylation and gene mutations frequently involved in
      lung cancer, were analysed to evaluate their prognostic role in resected stage I
      NSCLC. METHODS: Gene mutations and LINE-1 methylation were analysed in 167
      Caucasian patients with stage I NSCLC, namely 100 adenocarcinomas (ADC) and 67
      squamous-cell carcinomas (SqCC), using mass-spectrometry and pyrosequencing. We
      evaluated the correlation between molecular results and clinico-pathological
      data: age, gender, smoking status, period of surgery, histology, grading,
      pathological stage, p53 expression, LINE-1 hypomethylation. These variables have
      been assessed as possible predictors of cancer related survival by regression
      analysis. RESULTS: Frequency and spectrum of gene mutations were significantly
      different in ADCs compared with SqCCs. p53 positivity was more common in SqCC,
      while EGFR or KRAS mutations were mainly detected in ADC. LINE1 hypomethylation
      was associated with SqCC histology, p53 immunoreactivity and smoking habit. Stage
      IB, LINE-1 hypomethylation and PIK3CA mutation independently predicted a worse
      cancer-related survival. When combined into a scoring system, their prognostic
      power was strengthened. CONCLUSIONS: In many stage I NSCLC a mutation pattern of
      advanced disease was observed. Stage IB, LINE-1 hypomethylation and PIK3CA
      mutation were associated to poor prognosis. Genetic and epigenetic events
      occurring in early carcinogenesis may help identifying stage I NSCLC patients who
      deserve adjuvant therapy.

PMID- 28625655
TI  - A randomized controlled trial comparing indwelling pleural catheters with talc
      pleurodesis (NVALT-14).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Symptomatic malignant pleural effusion (MPE) occurs frequently in
      patients with metastatic cancer. The associated prognosis is poor and the success
      rate of talc pleurodesis (TP) is low. Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are
      commonly inserted when TP has been unsuccessful. METHODS: We compared talc
      pleurodesis with the use of an indwelling pleural catheter in patients with
      recurrent MPE in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (superiority design).
      The primary endpoint was improvement from baseline in Modified Borg Score (MBS)
      6weeks after randomized treatment. Secondary endpoints were hospitalization days,
      re-interventions, and adverse events. RESULTS: Dyspnea improved significantly
      (p<0.01) after either treatment, but the magnitude of this improvement did not
      differ significantly between arms (median 3 and 1 for TP:IPC respectively in
      rest, p=0.16, (TP 13:IPC 16) and 3 and 1 during exercise, p=0.72 (TP 13:IPC 17)).
      There was no difference in dyspnea during exercise between TP and IPC at week 6
      following treatment, while at rest TP patients (n=13) reported less dyspnea than
      IPC patients (n=18) (median 0 vs 1, p=0.002). Compared to TP, patients with an
      IPC had significantly less hospital days during randomized treatment (median: 0
      vs 5, p<0.0001), and total hospitalizations for all causes (median: 1.6 vs 1.0,
      p=0.0035). Fewer IPC patients underwent more than one re-intervention (7/45 vs
      15/43, p=0.09). The mean number of re-interventions was lower following IPC (0.21
      vs 0.53, p=0.05). Equal number of adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: IPC was
      not superior in the primary endpoint, improvement of the modified Borg scale
      (MBS). However, IPC patients had lower hospital stay, fewer admissions and fewer
      re-interventions. The IPC is an effective treatment modality in patients with
      symptomatic malignant pleural effusion.

PMID- 28625656
TI  - Semi-automatic volumetric measurement of response to chemotherapy in lung cancer
      patients: How wrong are we using RECIST?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer typically starts as a near-spherical lesion, but as it
      grows it may acquire an irregular radiologic formation. RECIST is based on the
      assumption that tumors are spherical, and consequently, proportional changes of
      tumor volume and parallel changes in tumor diameter, and vice versa. Hence, a 30%
      decrease in diameter (2r) implies a 65% decrease of volume, and a 20% increase in
      diameter implies a 73% increase of volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared
      volumetric measurement based on multi-detector CT technology with calculated
      volume (CV) according to RECIST in a cohort of 43 patients with advanced, non
      squamous cell type, lung cancer treated with a combination of platinum and
      pemetrexed. RESULTS: CV was larger than SMV in most patients both at baseline and
      at best overall response (BOR). The difference between the sum of volumes based
      on volumetric measurement (SMV) and CV was larger for higher sum of diameters.
      The Lin's concordance correlation coefficient between the percent changes in SMV
      and CV at BOR was 0.757. Of note, four patients (4/43, 9.5%) were categorized as
      PD according to the method of CV, but SD according to the method of SMV.
      CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the importance of volumetric measurement for
      assessing response to treatment in lung cancer patients particularly showing
      large, irregular lesions.

PMID- 28625657
TI  - Synergy between next generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and miR-34a in
      the inhibition of non-small cell lung cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are widely used to treat
      NSCLC, primarily patients with activating mutations, with more limited response
      in wild-type disease. However, even with EGFR-mutated disease, many patients fail
      to respond, most who initially respond fail to respond completely, and almost all
      develop resistance and inevitably progress. New therapeutic options that improve
      these outcomes could provide substantial clinical benefit. We previously
      demonstrated strong synergistic effects between erlotinib and the tumor
      suppressor microRNA miR-34a, sensitizing NSCLC cells with primary resistance
      (EGFR wild-type) and restoring sensitivity in cells with acquired resistance.
      Here, we report results of further research combining miR-34a with newer
      generation EGFR-TKIs in similar experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human NSCLC
      cell lines with varying degrees of primary and acquired resistance to erlotinib
      were assessed for sensitivity to a broad set of combined doses of miR-34a mimic
      and afatinib, rociletinib or osimertinib. Multiple analytical approaches were
      used to characterize effects on cancer cell proliferation as additive,
      antagonistic or synergistic. RESULTS: Mimics of miR-34a synergized with afatinib,
      rociletinib or osimertinib in all EFGR-mutant cells tested. Best and consistently
      strong synergy was observed in cell models with acquired resistance. Synergy was
      also evident in most EGFR wild-type cells with miR-34a combined with rociletinib
      and osimertinib, but not with afatinib. The effects were observed across a broad
      range of dose levels and drug ratios, with maximal synergy at doses yielding high
      levels of inhibition beyond those possible to be induced by the single agents
      alone. CONCLUSION: Combined miR-34a and EGFR-TKIs synergistically sensitize both
      EGFR wild-type and mutant NSCLC cells, supporting clinical investigation of these
      combinations as a strategy to overcome both primary and acquired resistance to
      EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC, possibly with an improved therapeutic index.

PMID- 28625658
TI  - Enhancing anger perception in older adults by stimulating inferior frontal cortex
      with high frequency transcranial random noise stimulation.
AB  - Extensive behavioural evidence has shown that older people have declined ability
      in facial emotion perception. Recent work has begun to examine the neural
      mechanism that contribute to this, and potential tools to support emotion
      perception during aging. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high
      frequency tRNS applied to the inferior frontal cortex would enhance facial
      expression perception in older adults. Healthy aged adults (60+ years) were
      randomly assigned to receive active high-frequency or sham tRNS targeted at
      bilateral inferior frontal cortices. Each group completed tests of facial
      identity perception, facial happiness perception and facial anger perception.
      These tasks were completed before and after stimulation. The results showed that,
      compared to the sham group, the active tRNS group showed greater gains in
      performance after stimulation in anger perception (relative to performance before
      stimulation). The same tRNS stimulation did not significantly change performance
      on the two other face perception tasks assessing facial identity and facial
      happiness perception. Examination of how inter-individual variability related to
      changes in anger perception following tRNS indicated that the degree of
      performance change in anger perception following active tRNS to inferior frontal
      cortex was predicted by baseline ability and gender of older adult participants.
      The findings suggest that high frequency tRNS may be a potential tool to aid
      anger perception in typical aging, but flag that performance variability and
      gender may interact with stimulation leading to different outcomes.

PMID- 28625660
TI  - Task-related and resting-state fMRI identify distinct networks that
      preferentially support remembering the past and imagining the future.
AB  - The relation between episodic memory and episodic future thought (EFT) remains an
      active target of research. A growing literature suggests that similar cognitive
      processes and neural substrates tend to support these acts. However, direct
      comparisons of whole-brain activity reveal clear differences, with numerous
      regions more active when engaging in EFT than when remembering, and a smaller
      collection of regions displaying the opposite pattern of activity. Although
      various network labels have been applied to prior neuroimaging results, to date
      no formal resting-state functional connectivity analysis has been conducted. In
      the current experiment, 48 subjects remembered events from their past and engaged
      in EFT. Resting-state data were collected from all subjects. Task results
      replicated recent findings, with more activity during EFT in regions across
      frontal and parietal cortex, and with more activity during remembering in a
      smaller number of predominantly parahippocampal and retrosplenial regions.
      Resting-state connectivity analysis, based on seed locations defined using the
      fMRI task data, indicated that regions preferentially activated during EFT fell
      primarily within the default mode network, while those more active during
      remembering fell primarily within the contextual association network. These
      results suggest that despite their general similarity, the functional network
      membership of regions showing task differences is dissociable. We discuss our
      results in light of several hypotheses that attempt to relate remembering and
      EFT, and suggest that the data speak to differences in the relative contributions
      of episodic and semantic memory, as well as controlled and automatic processing,
      during the acts of remembering or engaging in EFT.

PMID- 28625659
TI  - Abnormal semantic knowledge in a case of developmental amnesia.
AB  - An important theory holds that semantic knowledge can develop independently of
      episodic memory. One strong source of evidence supporting this independence comes
      from the observation that individuals with early hippocampal damage leading to
      developmental amnesia generally perform normally on standard tests of semantic
      memory, despite their profound impairment in episodic memory. However, one aspect
      of semantic memory that has not been explored is conceptual structure. We built
      on the theoretically important distinction between intrinsic features of object
      concepts (e.g., shape, colour, parts) and extrinsic features (e.g., how something
      is used, where it is typically located). The accrual of extrinsic feature
      knowledge that is important for concepts such as chair or spoon may depend on
      binding mechanisms in the hippocampus. We tested HC, an individual with
      developmental amnesia due to a well-characterized lesion of the hippocampus, on
      her ability to generate semantic features for object concepts. HC generated fewer
      extrinsic features than controls, but a similar number of intrinsic features than
      controls. We also tested her on typicality ratings. Her typicality ratings were
      abnormal for nonliving things (which more strongly depend on extrinsic features),
      but normal for living things (which more strongly depend on intrinsic features).
      In contrast, NB, who has MTL but not hippocampal damage due to surgery, showed no
      impairments in either task. These results suggest that episodic and semantic
      memory are not entirely independent, and that the hippocampus is important for
      learning some aspects of conceptual knowledge.

PMID- 28625661
TI  - Resting limb muscle perfusion during inspiratory muscle loading in hypoxia and
      normoxia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fatiguing of respiratory muscles reduces peripheral muscle
      perfusion. Further, acute hypoxia enhances respiratory muscle fatigue. This study
      investigated the effects of inspiratory muscle loading (IML) on resting locomotor
      muscle perfusion in hypoxia compared to normoxia. METHODS: Ten subjects completed
      two study days of fatiguing IML (blinded, randomized) in normobaric hypoxia
      (targeted oxygen saturation 80%) and normoxia, respectively. Contrast-enhanced
      ultrasound (CEUS) of the gastrocnemius muscle and popliteal doppler
      ultrasonography were used to monitor muscle perfusion. Based on CEUS and
      monitored cardiac output, perfusion surrogate parameters (CLPaer and CLPap) were
      established. RESULTS: Muscle perfusion declines early during IML in normoxia
      (CLPaer: -54+/-25%, p<0.01; CLPap: -58+/-32%, p<0.01) and hypoxia (CLPaer: -43+/
      23%, p<0.01; CLPap: -41+/-20%, p<0.01). Hypoxia compared to normoxia increased
      cardiac output before (+23+/-19%, p<0.01 ANOVA) and during (+22+/-20%, p<0.01
      ANOVA) IML, while local muscle perfusion during IML remained unchanged (CLPaer:
      p=0.41 ANOVA; CLPap: p=0.29 ANOVA). CONCLUSION: Acute hypoxia compared to
      normoxia does not affect locomotor muscle perfusion during fatiguing IML.

PMID- 28625662
TI  - Experiences and Perceptions of Adults Accessing Publicly Available Nutrition
      Behavior-Change Mobile Apps for Weight Management.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nutrition mobile apps have become accessible and popular weight
      management tools available to the general public. To date, much of the research
      has focused on quantitative outcomes with these tools (eg, weight loss); little
      is known about user experiences and perceptions of these tools when used outside
      of a research trial environment. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to understand the
      experiences and perceptions of adult volunteers who have used publicly available
      mobile apps to support nutrition behavior change for weight management. DESIGN:
      We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with individuals who reported
      using nutrition mobile apps for weight management outside of a research setting.
      PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Twenty-four healthy adults (n=19 females, n=5 males) who
      had used publicly available nutrition mobile apps for weight management for >=1
      week within the past 3 to 4 months were recruited from the community in southern
      Ontario and Edmonton, Canada, using different methods (eg, social media, posters,
      and word of mouth). QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS: Interviews were audiorecorded,
      transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were verified against recordings. Data were
      coded inductively and organized into categories using NVivo, version 10 (QSR
      International). RESULTS: Participants used nutrition apps for various amounts of
      time (mean=approximately 14 months). Varied nutrition apps were used; however,
      MyFitnessPal was the most common. In the interviews, the following four
      categories of experiences with nutrition apps became apparent: food data entry
      (database, data entry methods, portion size, and complex foods); accountability,
      feedback, and progress (goal setting, accountability, monitoring, and feedback);
      technical and app-related factors; and personal factors (self-motivation,
      privacy, knowledge, and obsession). Most participants used apps without
      professional or dietitian support. CONCLUSIONS: This work reveals that numerous
      factors affect use and ongoing adherence to use of nutrition mobile apps. These
      data are relevant to professionals looking to better assist individuals using
      these tools, as well as developers looking to develop new and improved apps.

PMID- 28625663
TI  - Development of complete dentures based on digital intraoral impressions-Case
      report.
AB  - PATIENT: A 60-year-old man presented for refabrication of his maxillary complete
      denture. In this case, a digital process was chosen to replace the ill-fitted
      complete maxillary denture. A specialized scan retractor was used to retract the
      mobile tissues of the lips, cheeks and vestibule while taking a digital
      impression. The interocclusal record obtained in the patient's mouth was scanned
      in order to digitally register the occlusal vertical dimension. The denture base
      and teeth were designed on virtual models that were mounted at the occlusal
      vertical dimension, and were made using CAD/CAM technology. DISCUSSION: Unlike
      conventional impression techniques, intraoral scanning is not able to be
      performed while the tissue is moving. This case report used a scan retractor that
      facilitated stretching and fixation of the vestibular area. It also helped to
      retract the lips and cheeks. This report also demonstrates that virtual models at
      OVD can be obtained without the use of conventional stone models, flasking or
      processing techniques. One of the main shortcomings in the existing CAD/CAM
      denture fabrication technology is that it is not able to produce customized
      denture teeth. The present article demonstrates that the digital denture
      fabrication workflow can provide customized denture teeth to optimize occlusion.
      CONCLUSION: This case demonstrated how digital complete dentures can be made
      without requiring conventional stone models or mounting the models in an
      articulator.

PMID- 28625664
TI  - Effects of different numbers of mini-dental implants on alveolar ridge strain
      distribution under mandibular implant-retained overdentures.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the strains around mini-dental implants (MDIs) and
      retromolar edentulous areas when using different numbers of MDIs in order to
      retain mandibular overdentures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four different prosthetic
      situations were fabricated on an edentulous mandibular model including a complete
      denture (CD), and three overdentures, retained by four, three or two MDIs in the
      interforaminal region with retentive attachments. A static load of 200N was
      applied on the posterior teeth of the dentures under bilateral or unilateral
      loading conditions. The strains at the mesial and distal of the MDIs and the
      retromolar edentulous ridges were measured using twelve strain gauges.
      Comparisons of the mean microstrains among all strain gauges in all situations
      were analyzed. RESULTS: The strain distribution determined during bilateral
      loading experienced a symmetrical distribution; while during unilateral loading,
      the recorded strains tended to change from compressive strains on the loaded side
      to tensile strains. Overall, the number of MDIs was found to be passively
      correlated to the generated compressive strain. The highest strains were recorded
      in the four MDIs followed by three, two MDIs retained overdenture and CD
      situations, respectively. The highest strain was found around the terminal MDI.
      CONCLUSIONS: The use of a low number of MDIs tends to produce low strain values
      in the retromolar denture-bearing area and around the terminal MDIs during
      posterior loadings. However, when using a high number of MDIs, the overdenture
      tends to have more stability during function.

PMID- 28625665
TI  - Color stability of glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene for non-metal clasp
      dentures.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the color stability of a
      glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (GFRTP), for use in non-metal clasp dentures
      (NMCDs). METHODS: GFRTPs composed of E-glass fibers and polypropylene with 2
      mass% of pigments were fabricated using injection molding. According to our
      previous study on the optimum fiber content for GFRTPs, we prepared GFRTPs with
      fiber contents of 0, 10, and 20 mass% (GF0, GF10, and GF20). Commercially
      available NMCD and PMMA materials were used as controls. The color changes of
      GFRTPs at 24h, and at 1, 2, and 4 weeks of coffee immersion at 37 degrees C were
      measured by colorimetry, using the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE)
      Lab system. The color stabilities of the GFRTPs were evaluated in two units: the
      color difference (DeltaE*) and National Bureau of Standards (NBS) units. RESULTS:
      After immersion, none of the GFRTPs showed visible color change. From the
      colorimetry measurement using the CIE Lab system, the DeltaE* values of the
      GFRTPs were 0.65-2.45. The NBS values of the GFRTPs were 0.60-2.25, all lower
      than the threshold level of 3.0, demonstrating clinically acceptable color
      changes. On the other hand, an available polyamide-based NMCD material exhibited
      "appreciable" color change, as measured in NBS units. CONCLUSIONS: The results
      indicate that the GFRTPs showed clinically acceptable color stability and might
      be satisfactory for clinical use. Therefore, GFRTPs are expected to become
      attractive materials for esthetic dentures.

PMID- 28625666
TI  - A comparative analysis on the physicochemical properties of tick-borne
      encephalitis virus envelope protein residues that affect its antigenic
      properties.
AB  - This work is dedicated to the study of the variability of the main antigenic
      envelope protein E among different strains of tick-borne encephalitis virus at
      the level of physical and chemical properties of the amino acid residues. E
      protein variants were extracted from then NCBI database. Four amino acid residues
      properties in the polypeptide sequences were investigated: the average volume of
      the amino acid residue in the protein tertiary structure, the number of amino
      acid residue hydrogen bond donors, the charge of amino acid residue lateral
      radical and the dipole moment of the amino acid residue. These physico-chemical
      properties are involved in antigen-antibody interactions. As a result, 103
      different variants of the antigenic determinants of the tick-borne encephalitis
      virus E protein were found, significantly different by physical and chemical
      properties of the amino acid residues in their structure. This means that some
      strains among the natural variants of tick-borne encephalitis virus can
      potentially escape the immune response induced by the standard vaccine.

PMID- 28625667
TI  - Dynamics of PVY strains in field grown potato: Impact of strain competition and
      ability to overcome host resistance mechanisms.
AB  - Potato virus Y (PVY) is the most important viral pathogen affecting potato crops
      worldwide. PVY can be transmitted non-persistently by aphids that do not colonize
      the host plant, resulting in a rapid acquisition and transmission of the virus
      between plants. PVY exists as a complex of strains that can be distinguished
      according to their pathogenicity, serology and genomic analysis. While virus
      incidence remains low in Scottish seed potato crops, PVY has become the
      increasingly prevalent virus. The monitoring of PVYN and PVYO serotypes has
      revealed a recent shift towards PVYN which now accounts for more than 90% of all
      PVY cases. A survey of the molecular diversity of PVYN isolates indicated that
      80%-90% belong to the recombinant European (EU)-NTN group, with North-American
      (NA)-NTN and non-recombinant EU-N variants accounting for the remainder. The
      shift from non-recombinant to recombinant PVY isolates is a common trend observed
      worldwide. Surveys of a range of PVY isolates representing the main strain and
      phylogenetic groups suggest that PVY has the ability to overcome hypersensitive
      response-mediated resistance with significant differences between isolates of the
      same strain group. Contrastingly, genes mediating extreme resistance (Ryadg,
      Rysto) provide efficient resistance to PVY transmission to progeny tubers.
      Transmission experiments in field conditions of PVY isolates representing the
      three main molecular groups (PVYO, PVYEU-NTN, PVYNA-NTN) indicate that PVYEU-NTN
      has the highest transmission rate. Our results suggest that PVYEU-NTN isolate has
      a competitive advantage over PVYO and PVYNA-NTN isolates which is likely to be an
      important factor in shaping the evolution of viruses and the population dynamics
      of PVY.

PMID- 28625668
TI  - Towards area wide management of insect vectored viruses of tomatoes in the Bowen
      district.
AB  - The Bowen region of Northern Queensland is an important winter production area
      for tomatoes in Australia. There are three economically important viruses in the
      region that affect tomato, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), Tomato spotted
      wilt virus (TSWV) and Potato leafroll virus (PLRV), which are vectored by
      whiteflies, thrips and aphids, respectively. An area wide management approach is
      required to lower the primary inoculum throughout the district. To this end, we
      undertook investigations into the virus incidence and alternative hosts for the
      virus and vectors in different cropping regions throughout the district, as well
      as local management options such as insecticide application and possible non-host
      cover crops for the wet-season break in production. The initial incidence of
      Potato leafroll virus was very high, most probably due to abnormal weather
      patterns for the district, and has ceased to be a problem. Tomato yellow leaf
      curl virus is a continual problem even at the beginning of the season, indicating
      large reservoir host(s) in the environment. Only four alternative hosts have been
      identified: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (TSWV), Solanum americanum (PLRV and
      TYLCV) Trianthema portulacastrum (TYLCV), and Amaranthus viridis(TLYCV).
      Different insecticide and application options were trialled for protection
      against Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, with the best possible option yielding
      marketable fruit more than ninety percent of a resistant hybrid. A trial of yield
      vs time of infection of TYLCV found that whitefly exclusion for 6 weeks post
      transplant yielded an average increase of nearly three kilograms of marketable
      fruit per plant. A number of pulse crops have been confirmed as non-hosts of
      tomato yellow leaf curl for use as cover crops in the wet-season break. Most of
      the production has moved to dual resistant TYLCV/TSWV hybrids, though an area
      wide management program still needs to be established to reduce the primary
      inoculum throughout the district, giving growers more varietal options,
      especially early in the season.

PMID- 28625669
TI  - Role of language discordance in complication and readmission rate after
      infrainguinal bypass.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown that language discordance between treatment teams
      and patients leads to worse patient outcomes, including longer hospital stays,
      higher rates of readmission, impaired comprehension of discharge instructions,
      and lower treatment adherence. Yet, there is a paucity of data evaluating the
      effects of language discordance on postoperative outcomes among vascular surgery
      patients. This study compared 30-day postoperative complications and readmissions
      after nonemergent infrainguinal bypass between non-English-speaking (NES) and
      English-speaking (ES) patients. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent
      nonemergent infrainguinal bypass for claudication, ischemic rest pain, and tissue
      loss at an urban, academic medical center between 2007 and 2014 were identified.
      Patients were stratified into NES or ES groups by their self-identified primary
      language. Crude comparisons and multivariable analyses were performed to assess
      the association of primary language status with 30-day wound infections, adverse
      graft events (wound infections, graft thromboses, or hematomas), readmissions,
      and Emergency Department return visits. RESULTS: The study included 261 patients
      who underwent an infrainguinal bypass: 51 NES and 210 ES patients. The NES
      patients were older (67.4 +/- 9.8 vs 63.1 +/- 9.9 years; P = .005) and had a
      higher rate of diabetes (78.4% vs 58.6%; P = .009) and a lower rate of chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (5.9% vs 28.6%; P = .001). Other comorbidities were
      comparable between the two groups. The NES patients were more likely to be
      Medicaid beneficiaries (51.0% vs 21.4%; P < .001). Across all outcomes compared,
      crude analyses showed no significant difference between NES and ES patients.
      Adjusted analysis revealed that language discordance did not affect the odds of
      adverse outcomes of wound infections (odds ratio [OR], 1.87; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 0.90-3.88; P = .095), adverse graft events (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.62
      2.45; P = .556), readmissions (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.77-2.95; P = .478), or
      Emergency Department return visits (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.58-2.83; P = .546).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that language discordance does not affect 30-day
      complication and readmission rates after infrainguinal bypass.

PMID- 28625670
TI  - Carotid occlusion is associated with more frequent neurovascular events than
      moderately severe carotid stenosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Asymptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion (CO) presents a
      clinical dilemma, and presently, the natural history, stroke risk, and optimal
      management remain ill defined. This study compared outcomes, including
      neurovascular events (NVEs) and health care costs, between patients with CO and
      patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (CS). METHODS: A prospectively
      maintained database was queried to identify patients with CO and CS with at least
      >50% carotid stenosis by duplex. We identified and reviewed 622 consecutive
      patients with asymptomatic carotid artery disease at one academic medical center
      between 2011 and 2013. Patients with CO (n = 97) were identified and propensity
      matched by age and gender in a 1:2 ratio with CS patients (n = 194) for further
      analyses. Univariate and multivariate models were used to analyze baseline
      characteristics, clinical variables, and 1-year follow-up data from the date of
      diagnosis. Multivariate analysis was performed by multiple linear regression
      modeling. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. RESULTS: Follow-up
      data were available for 99% of matched patients. CO patients were younger (72 vs
      75 years; P < .01) and more likely male (67% vs 53%; P = .01) compared with CS
      patients. After propensity matching, baseline characteristics were similar
      between groups, with a trend toward higher use of statin therapy among patients
      with CO. Antiplatelet therapy was used in 79% of patients with CS and in 74% of
      patients with CO (P = .45). The rate of NVE among CO patients was higher than
      among CS patients at 1 year of follow-up (14% vs 7%; P = .03). Among those with
      NVE, neither antiplatelet therapy (64% vs 77%; P = .49) nor statin therapy (86%
      vs 77%; P = .58) appeared to have a significant effect. Health care costs
      ($14,361 vs $12,142; P = .44) and hospital admission rate (63% vs 71%; P = .18)
      were similar between groups. Not surprisingly, the rate of vascular procedures
      was higher in the CS group (55% vs 27%; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with
      asymptomatic CO experience more NVEs compared with similar patients with
      moderately severe CS. Further study of preventative strategies, including
      intensity of medical therapy, is warranted.

PMID- 28625671
TI  - Intrinsic parameters for the synthesis and tuned properties of amphiphilic
      chitosan drug delivery nanocarriers.
AB  - Chitosan (CS) is a material derived from chitin, the most abundant biopolymer on
      the planet. It has shown potential among a wide variety of biomedical
      applications especially within the context of self-assembling nanocarriers usable
      in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, macroscopic injectables, tissue
      engineering scaffolds, and nano-imaging agents. To date, many reviews have been
      focused on the biomedical properties and applications of CS-based nanocarriers,
      but a review is lacking on the role and prospects of different factors such as
      formulation parameters and preparation conditions on the properties of
      amphiphilic chitosan nanocarriers (ACNs) that have shown critical value in
      advancing drug delivery.

PMID- 28625672
TI  - Evolution of the scientific literature on drug delivery: A 1974-2015 bibliometric
      study.
AB  - This study charts the growth of the drug delivery literature published during
      1974-2015 from journals indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded database.
      The growth of publications on drug delivery paralleled the total scientific
      publications for three decades (1974-2003); however, from 2004 to 2015 it
      exploded fourfold, while the total increased only 1.75 fold. Industrialized
      countries (USA, UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, France and Canada) were the most
      prolific during the first decades, but in 2014-2015 China, India and South Korea
      ranked 1st, 3rd and 4th respectively among the productive countries. The number
      of participating countries increased fivefold (from 19 to 96). During the last
      15years, the journals targeted by drug delivery research increased nearly 2.4
      fold (416 to 1001) and three journals (Journal of Controlled Release, Advanced
      Drug Delivery Reviews, and International Journal of Pharmaceutics) published
      nearly one-fifth of the drug delivery research in 2014-2015.

PMID- 28625673
TI  - Exploiting passive nanomedicine accumulation at sites of enhanced vascular
      permeability for non-cancerous applications.
AB  - Over the past few decades, enhanced permeability of tumor vasculature was
      actively exploited for targeted delivery of anticancer nanomedicines resulting in
      numerous pharmaceutical products. Formation of new immature and leaky vessels
      along with inflammatory remodeling of existing vessels accompany development of
      numerous diseases beyond cancer and present an opportunity for passive
      accumulation of intravenously administered nanomedicines in many pathological
      tissues. To date, applications of non-cancerous enhanced permeation have been
      relatively unexploited as target tissues and may create new therapy and
      prevention technologies for many disorders. Herein, we summarize the current
      knowledge on the nature of enhanced vascular permeability in multiple non
      cancerous pathological tissues. We also discuss the clinical status of
      nanotherapeutics with selectivity based on passive accumulation in non-cancerous
      target tissues, their challenges, and prospects.

PMID- 28625674
TI  - Regional cerebral cortical thickness correlates with autonomic outflow.
AB  - Dysregulation of autonomic control often develops with advancing age, favoring a
      chronic state of heightened sympathetic outflow with parasympathetic withdrawal.
      However, the mechanisms of this age-related autonomic impairment are not known.
      This study tested the hypothesis that inter-individual differences in autonomic
      outflow across the adult age-span are related to cerebral cortex thickness. A
      total of 55 healthy, active individuals participated in this study (21-73years;
      18 female). Physical fitness was treated as a possible covariate (VO2peak: 26
      81mL/kg/min). Cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, and
      muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were assessed during a laboratory
      session. T1-weighted images acquired at 3T facilitated measures of cortical
      thickness (Brain Voyager 2.8.4). A priori cortical regions of interest included
      the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and insula cortex. Cortical thickness at the
      MPFC correlated strongly with markers of autonomic outflow including heart rate
      variability (ln-high frequency power (slope: -16, r2=0.65), SDNN (slope: 22,
      r2=0.22), total power (slope: 2872, r2=0.24)), and MSNA variables (burst
      frequency (slope: 1, r2=0.16), burst incidence (slope: -26, r2=0.62) and total
      MSNA (slope: -847, r2=0.56)). Further associations with burst incidence were
      observed within the left insula (p<0.05). Importantly, the strength of the
      relationship between autonomic variables and cortical thickness was determined by
      age, and was not altered following adjustments for cardiorespiratory fitness. The
      current results implicate cortical atrophy in the frontal lobe as a contributor
      to both the sympathetic and parasympathetic changes that occur with age.

PMID- 28625675
TI  - Distal migration of contraceptive device in a sub-segmental branch of the
      pulmonary artery.

PMID- 28625676
TI  - Comprehensive determination of macrolide antibiotics, their synthesis
      intermediates and transformation products in wastewater effluents and ambient
      waters by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - Macrolide antibiotics are a prominent group of emerging contaminants frequently
      found in wastewater effluents and wastewater-impacted aquatic environments. In
      this work, a novel analytical method for simultaneous determination of parent
      macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin, erythromycin, clarithromycin and
      roxithromycin), along with their synthesis intermediates, byproducts, metabolites
      and transformation products in wastewater and surface water was developed and
      validated. Samples were enriched using solid-phase extraction on Oasis HLB
      cartridges and analyzed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to
      electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The target macrolide compounds
      were separated on an ACE C18 PFP column and detected using multiple reaction
      monitoring in positive ionization polarity. The optimized method, which included
      an additional extract clean-up on strong anion-exchange cartridges (SAX),
      resulted in high recoveries and accuracies, low matrix effects and improved
      chromatographic separation of the target compounds, even in highly complex
      matrices, such as raw wastewater. The developed method was applied to the
      analysis of macrolide compounds in wastewater and river water samples from
      Croatia. In addition to parent antibiotics, several previously unreported
      macrolide transformation products and/or synthesis intermediates were detected in
      municipal wastewater, some of them reaching MUg/L levels. Moreover, extremely
      high concentrations of macrolides up to mg/L level were found in pharmaceutical
      industry effluents, indicating possible importance of this source to the total
      loads into ambient waters. The results revealed a significant contribution of
      synthesis intermediates and transformation products to the overall mass balance
      of macrolides in the aquatic environment.

PMID- 28625677
TI  - Profiling of Vitis vinifera L. canes (poly)phenolic compounds using comprehensive
      two-dimensional liquid chromatography.
AB  - Grapevine canes, a pruning-derived by-product, possess a great amount of
      bioactive (poly)phenolic compounds belonging to different chemical classes, thus,
      having a good potential for further valorization. However, in order to properly
      design valorization strategies, the precise chemical composition of this material
      has to be known. Up to now, this chemical characterization has been based on
      analysis of different groups of components individually, due to difficulties
      related to their huge chemical variability. In this work, a comprehensive two
      dimensional liquid chromatography-based method (LC*LC) is developed to obtain the
      profiles of (poly)phenolic compounds present in grapevine canes from several
      varieties. Three different set-ups have been tested and compared; the combination
      of diol and C18 columns produced the best results, allowing the characterization
      of the (poly)phenolic profile in around 80min. This way, 81 different components
      were detected in the samples; most of them could be tentatively assigned using
      the information provided by the DAD and MS detectors employed. Indeed, it has
      been possible to detect in a single run components belonging to stilbenoids,
      procyanidins and prodelphinidins of varying degrees of polymerization, some of
      them not formerly described in this natural source. The method has shown
      extremely good separation capabilities, and is characterized by high effective
      peak capacity (842) and orthogonality (A0=78%). The obtained results demonstrate
      that Vitis vinifera L. canes may retain a great potential to be used as an
      underexploited natural source of bioactive compounds, with potential applications
      in different fields.

PMID- 28625678
TI  - Rapid protein production from stable CHO cell pools using plasmid vector and the
      cumate gene-switch.
AB  - To rapidly produce large amounts of recombinant proteins, the generation of
      stable Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell pools represents a useful alternative to
      large-scale transient gene expression (TGE). We have developed a cell line
      (CHOBRI/rcTA) allowing the inducible expression of recombinant proteins, based on
      the cumate gene switch. After the identification of optimal plasmid DNA topology
      (supercoiled vs linearized plasmid) for PEIproTM mediated transfection and of
      optimal conditions for methionine sulfoximine (MSX) selection, we were able to
      generate CHOBRI/rcTA pools producing high levels of recombinant proteins.
      Volumetric productivities of up to 900mg/L were reproducibly achieved for a Fc
      fusion protein and up to 350mg/L for an antibody after 14days post-induction in
      non-optimized fed-batch cultures. In addition, we show that CHO pool volumetric
      productivities are not affected by a freeze-thaw cycle or following maintenance
      in culture for over one month in the presence of MSX. Finally, we demonstrate
      that volumetric protein production with the CR5 cumate-inducible promoter is
      three- to four-fold higher than with the human CMV or hybrid EF1alpha-HTLV
      constitutive promoters. These results suggest that the cumate-inducible
      CHOBRI/rcTA stable pool platform is a powerful and robust system for the rapid
      production of gram amounts of recombinant proteins.

PMID- 28625679
TI  - Phenotype databases for genetic screens in human cells.
AB  - Genetic screens are powerful tools to identify components that make up biological
      systems. Perturbations introduced by methods such as RNA interference (RNAi) or
      CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing lead to biological phenotypes that can be
      examined to understand the molecular function of genes in the cell. Over the
      years, many of such experiments have been conducted providing a wealth of
      knowledge about genotype-to-phenotype relationships. These data are a rich source
      of information and it is in a common interest to make them available in a
      simplified and integrated format. Thus, an important challenge is that genetic
      screening data can be stored in databases in standardized ways, allowing users to
      gain new biological insights through data mining and integrated analyses. Here,
      we provide an overview of available phenotype databases for human cells. We
      review in detail two databases for high-throughput screens, GenomeRNAi and
      GenomeCRISPR, and describe how these resources are integrated into the German
      Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure de.NBI as part of the European
      infrastructure for life-science information ELIXIR.

PMID- 28625680
TI  - Plant-made potyvirus-like particles used for log-increasing antibody sensing
      capacity.
AB  - Deployment of the elongated flexuous virions of Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), a
      potyvirus, for peptide display on their external surface has been previously
      reported by us. Nonetheless, both in TuMV and other potyviruses some peptides
      hinder the ability of the virus to infect host plants. We found that a peptide
      derived from the human thrombin receptor (TR) inhibited TuMV infectivity. In an
      effort to get around this problem, TuMV virus-like particles (VLPs) were produced
      in plants by transient high-level expression of wild-type or recombinant coat
      protein (CP). Significant production of both recombinant and non-recombinant CP
      proteins was obtained from plant leaves. Assembled particles of each of these two
      proteins into VLPs were observed under the electron microscope. The capacity of
      TR-CP VLPs to log-increase the ability of TR antibody-sensing was confirmed.
      These results confirm that the use of VLPs is an effective way to overcome the
      problem of displaying infectivity-interfering peptides. This is yet another way
      of exploiting the use of plant-made flexuous elongated VLPs for
      nanobiotechnological purposes.

PMID- 28625681
TI  - Variation of calcium, copper and iron levels in serum, bile and stone samples of
      patients having different types of gallstone: A comparative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data among the human population has shown a
      significantly increased incidence of gallstone (GS) disease worldwide. It was
      studied that some essential (calcium) and transition elements (iron and copper)
      in bile play an important role in the development of GS. METHOD: The estimation
      of calcium, copper and iron were carried out in the serum, gall bladder bile and
      different types of GS (cholesterol, mixed and pigmented) of 172 patients, age
      ranged 20-55years. For comparative purpose age matched referents not suffering
      from GS diseases were also selected. Biliary concentrations of calcium (Ca), iron
      (Fe) and copper (Cu) were correlated with their concentrations in serum and
      different types of GS samples. The ratio of Ca, Fe and Cu in bile with serum was
      also calculated. Understudy metals were determined by flame atomic absorption
      spectroscopy after acid decomposition of matrices of selected samples. RESULTS:
      The Ca concentrations in serum samples were significantly higher in patients with
      pigmented GS as compared to controls (p<0.005), whereas for patients having
      cholesterol and mixed GS the concentrations were on the lower side. Biliary Ca
      concentrations of patients were found to be higher than controls, but difference
      was significant for pigmented GS patients (p>0.001). The contents of Cu and Fe in
      serum and bile of all patients (except female cholesterol GS patient have low
      serum iron concentration) were found to be higher than control, but difference
      was significant in those patients who have pigmented GS. The concentration of Ca,
      Fe and Cu in different types GS were found in the order,
      Pigmented>mixed>cholesterol. The bile/serum ratio for Ca, Cu and Fe was found to
      be significantly higher in pigmented GS patients. Gall bladder bile was slightly
      alkaline in patients as compared to referents. The density of bile was found to
      be higher in patients as compared to the referents. Various functional groups
      present in different types of GS samples were confirmed by Fourier transform
      infra-red spectroscopy. CONCLUSION: The higher density and pH of bile, elevated
      concentrations of transition elements in all types of biological samples (serum,
      bile and GS), could be an important factor for the formation of different types
      of GS.

PMID- 28625682
TI  - Are circadian rhythms new pathways to understand Autism Spectrum Disorder?
AB  - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a frequent neurodevelopmental disorder. ASD is
      probably the result of intricate interactions between genes and environment
      altering progressively the development of brain structures and functions.
      Circadian rhythms are a complex intrinsic timing system composed of almost as
      many clocks as there are body cells. They regulate a variety of physiological and
      behavioral processes such as the sleep-wake rhythm. ASD is often associated with
      sleep disorders and low levels of melatonin. This first point raises the
      hypothesis that circadian rhythms could have an implication in ASD etiology.
      Moreover, circadian rhythms are generated by auto-regulatory genetic feedback
      loops, driven by transcription factors CLOCK and BMAL1, who drive transcription
      daily patterns of a wide number of clock-controlled genes (CCGs) in different
      cellular contexts across tissues. Among these, are some CCGs coding for synapses
      molecules associated to ASD susceptibility. Furthermore, evidence emerges about
      circadian rhythms control of time brain development processes.

PMID- 28625683
TI  - A developmental and clinical perspective of rhythmic interpersonal coordination:
      From mimicry toward the interconnection of minds.
AB  - Imitation plays a critical role in the development of intersubjectivity and
      serves as a prerequisite for understanding the emotions and intentions of others.
      In our review, we consider spontaneous motor imitation between children and their
      peers as a developmental process involving repetition and perspective-taking as
      well as flexibility and reciprocity. During childhood, this playful dynamic
      challenges developing visuospatial abilities and requires temporal coordination
      between partners. As such, we address synchrony as form of communication and
      social signal per se, that leads, from an experience of similarity, to the
      interconnection of minds. In this way, we argue that, from a developmental
      perspective, rhythmic interpersonal coordination through childhood imitative
      interactions serves as a precursor to higher- level social and cognitive
      abilities, such as theory of mind (TOM) and empathy. Finally, to clinically
      illustrate our idea, we focus on developmental coordination disorder (DCD), a
      condition characterized not only by learning difficulties, but also childhood
      deficits in motor imitation. We address the challenges faced by these children on
      an emotional and socio-interactional level through the perspective of their
      impairments in intra- and interpersonal synchrony.

PMID- 28625684
TI  - Brand Medications and Medicare Part D: How Eye Care Providers' Prescribing
      Patterns Influence Costs.
AB  - PURPOSE: To quantify costs of eye care providers' Medicare Part D prescribing
      patterns for ophthalmic medications and to estimate the potential savings of
      generic or therapeutic drug substitutions and price negotiation. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Eye care providers prescribing
      medications through Medicare Part D in 2013. METHODS: Medicare Part D 2013
      prescriber public use file and summary file were used to calculate medication
      costs by physician specialty and drug. Savings from generic or therapeutic drug
      substitutions were estimated for brand drugs. The potential savings from price
      negotiation was estimated using drug prices negotiated by the United States
      Veterans Administration (USVA). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total cost of brand and
      generic medications prescribed by eye care providers. RESULTS: Eye care providers
      accounted for $2.4 billion in total Medicare part D prescription drug costs and
      generated the highest percentage of brand name medication claims compared with
      all other providers. Brand medications accounted for a significantly higher
      proportion of monthly supplies by volume, and therefore, also by total cost for
      eye care providers compared with all other providers (38% vs. 23% by volume, P <
      0.001; 79% vs. 56% by total cost, P < 0.001). The total cost attributable to eye
      care providers is driven by glaucoma medications, accounting for $1.2 billion
      (54% of total cost; 72% of total volume). The second costliest category, dry eye
      medications, was attributable mostly to a single medication, cyclosporine
      ophthalmic emulsion (Restasis, Allergan, Irvine, CA), which has no generic
      alternative, accounting for $371 million (17% of total cost; 4% of total volume).
      If generic medications were substituted for brand medications when available,
      $148 million would be saved (7% savings); if generic and therapeutic
      substitutions were made, $882 million would be saved (42% savings). If Medicare
      negotiated the prices for ophthalmic medications at USVA rates, $1.09 billion
      would be saved (53% savings). CONCLUSIONS: Eye care providers prescribe more
      brand medications by volume than any other provider group. Efforts to reduce
      prescription expenditures by eye care providers should focus on increasing the
      use of generic medications, primarily through therapeutic substitutions. Policy
      changes enabling Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices could decrease
      costs to Medicare.

PMID- 28625685
TI  - Objective Quantification of Anterior Chamber Inflammation: Measuring Cells and
      Flare by Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the ability of swept-source (SS) optical coherence tomography
      (OCT) of the anterior segment (AS) to measure anterior chamber (AC) inflammation
      (both flare and cells) objectively. To compare OCT-derived inflammatory indices
      with standard techniques. DESIGN: Prospective evaluation of a diagnostic test.
      PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with anterior uveitis (active or inactive) and
      controls. METHODS: Participants underwent an AC inflammation evaluation
      including: clinical cell and flare grading and laser flare photometry (LFP).
      Uveitis patients were divided into active or inactive uveitis status according to
      clinical grading. Anterior segment SS-OCT scans were obtained for each
      participant. Tomographic images were analyzed to count the AC cells, and to
      calculate to absolute measurements of aqueous signal intensity. The absolute
      values were compared with the signal measured by the scan outside the eye,
      generating an optical density ratio (aqueous-to-air relative intensity [ARI]
      index). Correlations between OCT-derived AC inflammatory indexes and LFP,
      clinical grading, participant category (active or inactive uveitis, control),
      age, gender, and central corneal thickness (CCT) were assessed. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Correlation between OCT-derived AC inflammatory indexes (ARI index and
      AC cells on OCT) and standard clinical techniques (LFP, clinical cell grading).
      RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-seven eyes (70 active uveitis, 97 inactive uveitis,
      and 70 controls) were included. Anterior chamber cells count on OCT did not
      differ between inactive uveitis and controls, but was significantly higher in
      active uveitis compared to the other categories (both P < 0.0001). All groups had
      different LFP (all P < 0.0001). Active uveitis had significantly higher ARI index
      compared with inactive uveitis and controls (both P < 0.0001). Interobserver
      agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient) for ARI index was 0.78. The ARI
      index correlated positively with age (P = 0.043) and negatively with CCT (P =
      0.006). The ARI index correlated with LFP in the active uveitis group (P <
      0.0001), but not in the others. Anterior chamber cells on OCT increased among all
      cell clinical grades (P < 0.0001). The ARI index increased among all flare
      clinical grades (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Anterior segment SS-OCT could be used
      for a comprehensive assessment of AC inflammation, providing objective
      measurements of inflammatory cells and aqueous flare.

PMID- 28625686
TI  - The Influence of Contamination and Cleaning on the Strength of Modular Head Taper
      Fixation in Total Hip Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraoperative interface contamination of modular head-stem taper
      junctions of hip implants can lead to poor fixation strength, causing fretting
      and crevice corrosion or even stem taper fracture. Careful cleaning before
      assembly should help to reduce these problems. The purpose of this study was to
      determine the effect of cleaning (with and without drying) contaminated taper
      interfaces on the taper fixation strength. METHODS: Metal or ceramic heads were
      impacted onto titanium alloy stem tapers with cleaned or contaminated (fat or
      saline solution) interfaces. The same procedure was performed after cleaning and
      drying the contaminated interfaces. Pull-off force was used to determine the
      influence of contamination and cleaning on the taper strength. RESULTS: Pull-off
      forces after contamination with fat were significantly lower than those for
      uncontaminated interfaces for both head materials. Pull-off forces after
      application of saline solution were not significantly different from those for
      uncontaminated tapers. However, a large variation in taper strength was observed,
      pull-off forces for cleaned and dried tapers were similar to those for
      uncontaminated tapers for both head materials. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative
      contamination of taper interfaces may be difficult to detect but has a major
      influence on taper fixation strength. Cleaning of the stem taper with saline
      solution and drying with gauze directly before assembly allows the taper strength
      of the pristine components to be achieved. Not drying the taper results in a
      large variation in pull-off forces, emphasizing that drying is essential for
      sufficient and reproducible fixation strength.

PMID- 28625687
TI  - Can Surgeons Reduce the Risk for Dislocation After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty
      Performed Using the Posterolateral Approach?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hip dislocation is one of the most common postoperative complications
      after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Potential contributors include patient- and
      surgical-related factors. We performed a retrospective cohort study to identify
      risk factors for postoperative dislocation in patients receiving THA via the
      posterolateral approach. METHODS: We assessed 1326 consecutive primary THAs
      performed between 2010 and 2015. Patient information was documented, and plain
      radiographic films were used to evaluate cup positioning, hip offset, and hip
      length change. A multiple logistic regression was used to identify risk factors
      for dislocation. Follow-up was coordinated by the Danish National Patient
      Registry. RESULTS: Age and American Society of Anesthesiologists scores were
      higher in dislocating THA compared with those in the nondislocating THA. Cup
      anteversion was less in dislocating THA compared with that in nondislocating THA.
      Independent risk factors for cup dislocation were increased age, body mass index
      <25 and >30 kg/m2, and leg shortening of >5 mm. CONCLUSION: Surgeons should aim
      for a shortening of leg length <5 mm to reduce the risk of postoperative
      dislocation in primary THA. Although anteversion was reduced for dislocating THA,
      there is likely no universal safe zone for cup positioning. Hip stability is
      multifactorial, and optimal cup positioning may vary from patient to patient.

PMID- 28625688
TI  - Electrically atomised formulations of timolol maleate for direct and on-demand
      ocular lens coatings.
AB  - Advances in nanotechnology have enabled solutions for challenging drug delivery
      targets. While the eye presents numerous emerging opportunities for delivery,
      analysis and sensing; issues persist for conventional applications. This includes
      liquid phase formulation localisation on the ocular surface once administered as
      formulated eye-drops; with the vast majority of dosage (>90%) escaping from the
      administered site due to tear production and various drainage mechanisms. The
      work presented here demonstrates a single needle electrohydrodynamic (EHD)
      engineering process to nano-coat (as an on demand and controllable fiber
      depositing method) the surface of multiple contact lenses rendering formulations
      to be stationary on the lens and at the bio-interface. The coating process was
      operational based on ejected droplet charge and glaucoma drug timolol maleate
      (TM) was used to demonstrate surface coating optimisation, bio-surface permeation
      properties (flux, using a bovine model) and various kinetic models thereafter.
      Polymers PVP, PNIPAM and PVP:PNIPAM (50:50%w/w) were used to encapsulate the
      active. Nano-fibrous and particulate samples were characterised using SEM, FTIR,
      DSC and TGA to confirm structural and thermal stability of surface coated
      formulations. More than 52% of nano-structured coatings (for all formulations)
      were <200nm in diameter. In vitro studies show coatings to exhibit biphasic
      release profiles; an initial burst release followed by sustained release; with TM
      loaded PNIPAM coating releasing most drug after 24h (89.8%). Kinetic modelling
      (Higuchi, Korsmeyer-Peppas) was indicative of quasi-Fickian diffusion whilst
      biological evaluation demonstrates adequate ocular tolerability. Results from
      permeation studies indicate coated lenses are ideal to reduce dosing regimen,
      which in turn will reduce systemic drug absorption. Florescent microscopy
      demonstrated probe and probe embedded coating behaviour from lens surface in
      vitro. The multiple lens surface coating method demonstrates sustained drug
      release yielding promising results; suggesting both novel device and method to
      enhance drug activity at the eyes surface which will reduce formulation drainage.

PMID- 28625689
TI  - Multiple and complex influences of connexins and pannexins on cell death.
AB  - Cell death is a fundamental process for organogenesis, immunity and cell renewal.
      During the last decades a broad range of molecular tools were identified as
      important players for several different cell death pathways (apoptosis,
      pyroptosis, necrosis, autosis...). Aside from these direct regulators of cell
      death programs, several lines of evidence proposed connexins and pannexins as
      potent effectors of cell death. In the present review we discussed the potential
      roles played by connexins, pannexins and innexins in the different cell death
      programs at different scales from gap junction intercellular communication to
      protein-protein interactions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled:
      Gap Junction Proteins edited by Jean Claude Herve.

PMID- 28625690
TI  - What Have Patients Been Hearing From Providers Since the 2012 USPSTF
      Recommendation Against Routine Prostate Cancer Screening?
AB  - BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to determine the relationship between prostate
      specific antigen (PSA)-related information obtained from the provider and PSA
      test uptake. With recent focus on patient-provider communication (PC) and the
      guidelines recommending against PSA tests for prostate cancer (PCa), PC regarding
      the PSA test might affect PSA screening rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the
      fourth edition of the Health Information National Trends Survey, a nationally
      representative US survey on the use of cancer-related information. The survey was
      conducted in 3 cycles: October 2011 to January 2012 (cycle 1); October 2012 to
      January 2013 (cycle 2); September 2013 to October 2013 (cycle 3). Logistic
      regression was used to study the effect of PC on respondents' uptake of the PSA
      test. RESULTS: Most of the respondents were 51 to 65 years old, white, with
      college or higher education, were married, and had health insurance. PC regarding
      the PSA test greatly increased the chances of screening for PCa using the PSA
      test in all 3 cycles (odds ratio [OR], 2.51 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.03
      3.10] in cycle 1; OR, 3.50 [95% CI, 2.51-4.88] in cycle 2; OR, 2.69 [95% CI, 2.02
      3.58] in cycle 3). CONCLUSION: Our study showed that PC increased the likelihood
      of patients undergoing PSA screening. In light of the 2012 US Preventive Services
      Task Force guidelines recommending against screening for PCa, PC seemed to have
      an opposite effect. Although updated PC that educates patients on the risks and
      benefits of PSA screening is needed, patients classically overemphasize benefits
      and underemphasize risks-which might increase rather than decrease PSA screening
      rates.

PMID- 28625691
TI  - A Case of Locally Advanced Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer With Remarkable
      Response to Nivolumab.

PMID- 28625692
TI  - Implementation of clinical effectiveness guidelines for solid organ injury after
      trauma: 10-year experience at a level 1 pediatric trauma center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diagnostic imaging of pediatric blunt abdominal trauma is evolving in
      light of increased attention to radiation exposure. We hypothesize that the
      implementation of imaging guidelines has reduced total CT scans without missing
      clinically significant injury. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed blunt trauma
      patients age 0-17 with solid organ injury who underwent CT scan at our academic
      level 1 pediatric trauma center between 2005 and 2014. Variables including total
      annual trauma admissions and CT scans, demographics, injury characteristics, and
      procedures were recorded. Descriptive statistics, Fisher exact and rank sum
      testing were performed. p<0.05 defined significance. RESULTS: Overall percentage
      of abdominal CT scans decreased significantly after protocol implementation.
      There were 498 solid organ injuries in 403 subjects. There was a significant
      decrease in the median percentage of low grade injuries (1.3% versus 0.6%;
      p=0.019) but no difference in high grade injuries (1.3% versus 1.1%; p=0.394). No
      patient had death, readmission or delayed diagnosis of injury requiring
      intervention. CONCLUSION: Implementation of imaging guidelines for blunt
      abdominal trauma decreased the incidence of low grade solid organ injuries at our
      institution, but did not inhibit diagnosis and safe management of high grade
      injuries. Selective imaging of trauma patients decreases childhood radiation
      exposure and does not result in delayed bleeding or death. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Level III, retrospective study.

PMID- 28625693
TI  - Long-term functional outcomes after replacement of the esophagus in pediatric
      patients: A systematic literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The indications of esophageal replacement (ER) in pediatric patients
      include long gap esophageal atresia (LGEA), intractable post-corrosive esophageal
      strictures (PCES), and some rare esophageal diseases. Various conduits and
      procedures are currently used worldwide with a lack of consensus regarding the
      ideal substitute to replace the esophagus replacement. The short-term outcomes of
      these advanced procedures are well known; there are few data available describing
      long-term functional outcomes of these patients with long life expectancy.
      OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to investigate the long-term
      functional outcomes of the most widely used techniques for ER in pediatric
      patients based on a comprehensive literature search covering the last 10years.
      METHODS: Eligible were all clinical studies reporting outcomes after
      esophagectomy in pediatric patients, which contained information on at least
      3years of follow-up after the operation. The review was conducted in accordance
      with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
      (PRISMA) guidelines. A systematic web-based search using MEDLINE, the Cochrane
      Library and EMBASE databases was performed, reviewing all medical literature
      published between January 2006 and December 2015. RESULTS: The scientific quality
      of the data was generally poor, converging toward only 14 full-text articles for
      the final analysis. The stomach was the preferred organ for esophageal
      replacement, where the tubulization of the stomach resulted in significant
      gastroesophageal reflux. Dysphagia symptoms were more seldom reported, but
      several authors presented growing figures with the length of follow-up. Dumping
      syndrome and delayed gastric emptying were only scarcely reported upon. Following
      colonic graft, chronic gastrocolic reflux affects these patients, in the range of
      35-70.8%, while 4 studies reported any dysphagia from 2.7% to 50% of the
      children. Only one study reported the outcome of the use of a long jejunal
      segment, where presence of symptoms of functional obstruction was mentioned in
      46% of cases. Very few if any data were available on a structured assessment of
      postprandial dumping and disturbed bowel functions. CONCLUSIONS: Available data
      in pediatric patients, on the long-term functional outcomes after esophageal
      replacement with a gastric tube, colonic graft or a long jejunal segment, are of
      poor scientific quality. Although symptoms are frequently reported currently no
      conclusions can be drawn regarding potential advantages of one graft over
      another. TYPE OF STUDY: Treatment study, systematic review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      IV.

PMID- 28625694
TI  - The incidence of chylous ascites after liver transplantation and the proposal of
      a diagnostic and management protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No protocol has been established for the diagnosis and management of
      chylous ascites after liver transplantation (LT). In this study, we
      retrospectively reviewed our cases of posttransplant chylous ascites (PTCA) and
      aimed to propose a diagnostic and management protocol. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 96 LT recipients who underwent
      LT at our department. The incidence of PTCA and the associated risk factors were
      analyzed and our protocol for chylous ascites was evaluated. RESULTS: PTCA
      occurred in 6 (6.3%) patients (mean age: 10.7+/-11.0years) at a mean of 10.8+/
      3.6days after LT. The primary disease in all of PTCA cases was biliary atresia
      (BA). The periportal lymphadnopathy was an independent risk factor for PTCA. In
      all cases PTCA successfully resolved according to our protocol. Octreotide was
      administered in 4 of our 6 PTCA cases. The mean postoperative hospital stay was
      40.2+/-8.4days, which was similar to that of cases without PTCA. CONCLUSIONS: The
      incidence of PTCA in LT patients, especially in those with BA, is relatively
      high. Our diagnostic criteria and our management protocol were helpful for
      patients with refractory ascites after LT. TYPE OF STUDY: Diagnostic test: Level
      II. Treatment study: Level III.

PMID- 28625695
TI  - Arbitrary and semantic associations in subjective memory impairment and amnestic
      mild cognitive impairment among Taiwanese individuals: A cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Researchers have recently proposed a preclinical stage of
      dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT), referred to as subjective memory impairment
      (SMI), with the aim of developing methods for the early detection of DAT and
      subsequent intervention. It has been proposed that the objective memory functions
      of individuals with SMI are normal; however, arbitrary and semantic associations
      are both used to describe the processes of memory. No previous studies have
      investigated these processes among individuals with SMI. METHODS: Cross-sectional
      analysis was used to compare the memory function of individuals with SMI,
      amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), or DAT. One hundred and eighty-three
      participants were recruited from the Memory Clinic of National Taiwan University
      Hospital and communities in northern Taiwan, including individuals with no memory
      complaints (HC, n = 30) and individuals with SMI (n = 61), aMCI-single domain (n
      = 24), aMCI-multiple domain (n = 33), or DAT (n = 35). The Word Sequence Learning
      Test (WSLT) was used to assess the formation of arbitrary associations and the
      Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition was used to
      assess the formation of semantic associations. RESULTS: Compared to the HC group,
      the SMI group performed poorly only on the WSLT, whereas the other groups
      performed poorly on both of the memory tasks. This study demonstrated that SMI
      individuals tend to perform poorly in the formation of arbitrary associations.
      CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that tasks requiring arbitrary associations may
      provide greater sensitivity in the detection cognitive changes associated with
      preclinical DAT.

PMID- 28625697
TI  - Surgical site infections in very small hospitals in inner Brazil: Unveiling a
      relevant issue for developing countries.

PMID- 28625698
TI  - A cold hard menace: A contaminated ice machine as a potential source for
      transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.
AB  - During an investigation of potential sources of transmission of multidrug
      resistant gram-negative bacilli on a spinal cord injury unit, we recovered
      genetically related carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from
      the stool of 3 patients, the hands of a nurse, and an ice machine water outlet
      spout and drain. Our findings suggest that contaminated ice machines could serve
      as a potential reservoir for dissemination of multidrug-resistant gram-negative
      bacilli.

PMID- 28625696
TI  - Comparative Visualization of the RNA Suboptimal Conformational Ensemble In Vivo.
AB  - When a ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecule folds, it often does not adopt a single,
      well-defined conformation. The folding energy landscape of an RNA is highly
      dependent on its nucleotide sequence and molecular environment. Cellular
      molecules sometimes alter the energy landscape, thereby changing the ensemble of
      likely low-energy conformations. The effects of these energy landscape changes on
      the conformational ensemble are particularly challenging to visualize for large
      RNAs. We have created a robust approach for visualizing the conformational
      ensemble of RNAs that is well suited for in vitro versus in vivo comparisons. Our
      method creates a stable map of conformational space for a given RNA sequence. We
      first identify single point mutations in the RNA that maximally sample suboptimal
      conformational space based on the ensemble's partition function. Then, we cluster
      these diverse ensembles to identify the most diverse partition functions for
      Boltzmann stochastic sampling. By using, to our knowledge, a novel nestedness
      distance metric, we iteratively add mutant suboptimal ensembles to converge on a
      stable 2D map of conformational space. We then compute the selective 2' hydroxyl
      acylation by primer extension (SHAPE)-directed ensemble for the RNA folding under
      different conditions, and we project these ensembles on the map to visualize. To
      validate our approach, we established a conformational map of the Vibrio
      vulnificus add adenine riboswitch that reveals five classes of structures. In the
      presence of adenine, projection of the SHAPE-directed sampling correctly
      identified the on-conformation; without the ligand, only off-conformations were
      visualized. We also collected the whole-transcript in vitro and in vivo SHAPE-MaP
      for human beta-actin messenger RNA that revealed similar global folds in both
      conditions. Nonetheless, a comparison of in vitro and in vivo data revealed that
      specific regions exhibited significantly different SHAPE-MaP profiles indicative
      of structural rearrangements, including rearrangement consistent with binding of
      the zipcode protein in a region distal to the stop codon.

PMID- 28625699
TI  - Influence of staff infection control training on infection-related quality
      measures in US nursing homes.
AB  - Health care-associated infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality
      in US nursing home residents. Ongoing training of nursing home staff is vital to
      the implementation of infection prevention and control processes. Our aim was to
      describe associations between methods, frequency, and timing of staff infection
      prevention and control training and infection-related quality measures. In this
      national survey of nursing homes, timing of staff infection prevention and
      control training was associated with reduced indwelling urinary catheter use.

PMID- 28625700
TI  - The effectiveness of sterilization for flexible ureteroscopes: A real-world
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are no guidelines or quality benchmarks specific to
      ureteroscope reprocessing, and patient injuries and infections have been linked
      to ureteroscopes. This prospective study evaluated ureteroscope reprocessing
      effectiveness. METHODS: Reprocessing practices at 2 institutions were assessed.
      Microbial cultures, biochemical tests, and visual inspections were conducted on
      sterilized ureteroscopes. RESULTS: Researchers examined 16 ureteroscopes after
      manual cleaning and sterilization using hydrogen peroxide gas. Every ureteroscope
      had visible irregularities, such as discoloration, residual fluid, foamy white
      residue, scratches, or debris in channels. Tests detected contamination on 100%
      of ureteroscopes (microbial growth 13%, adenosine triphosphate 44%, hemoglobin
      63%, and protein 100%). Contamination levels exceeded benchmarks for clean
      gastrointestinal endoscopes for hemoglobin (6%), adenosine triphosphate (6%), and
      protein (100%). A new, unused ureteroscope had hemoglobin and high protein levels
      after initial reprocessing, although no contamination was found before
      reprocessing. CONCLUSIONS: Flexible ureteroscope reprocessing methods were
      insufficient and may have introduced contamination. The clinical implications of
      residual contamination and viable microbes found on sterilized ureteroscopes are
      unknown. Additional research is needed to evaluate the prevalence of suboptimal
      ureteroscope reprocessing, identify sources of contamination, and determine
      clinical implications of urinary tract exposure to reprocessing chemicals,
      organic residue, and bioburden. These findings reinforce the need for frequent
      audits of reprocessing practices and the routine use of cleaning verification
      tests and visual inspection as recommended in reprocessing guidelines.

PMID- 28625701
TI  - One needle, one syringe, only one time? A survey of physician and nurse
      knowledge, attitudes, and practices around injection safety.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To inform development, targeting, and penetration of materials from a
      national injection safety campaign, an evaluation was conducted to assess
      provider knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to unsafe injection
      practices. METHODS: A panel of physicians (n = 370) and nurses (n = 320) were
      recruited from 8 states to complete an online survey. Questions, using 5-point
      Likert and Spector scales, addressed acceptability and frequency of unsafe
      practices (eg, reuse of a syringe on >1 patient). Results were stratified to
      identify differences among physician specialties and nurse practice locations.
      RESULTS: Unsafe injection practices were reported by both physicians and nurses
      across all surveyed physician specialties and nurse practice locations. Twelve
      percent (12.4%) of physicians and 3% of nurses indicated reuse of syringes for >1
      patient occurs in their workplace; nearly 5% of physicians indicated this
      practice usually or always occurs. A higher proportion of oncologists reported
      unsafe practices occurring in their workplace. CONCLUSIONS: There is a dangerous
      minority of providers violating basic standards of care; practice patterns may
      vary by provider group and specialty. More research is needed to understand how
      best to identify providers placing patients at risk of infection and modify their
      behaviors.

PMID- 28625702
TI  - National trends in the frequency of bladder catheterization and physician
      diagnosed catheter-associated urinary tract infections: Results from the Medicare
      Patient Safety Monitoring System.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is unclear if bladder catheterization and catheter-associated
      urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates have changed since the implementation of
      public reporting in 2011. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Medicare Patient
      Safety Monitoring System, a national, chart abstraction-based surveillance
      system, for hospitalized adults with a principal discharge diagnosis of heart
      failure (HF), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or pneumonia and patients who
      had undergone certain major surgeries. We assessed bladder catheterization
      frequency (percentage of patients catheterized) and risk-adjusted CAUTI frequency
      (percentage of catheterized patients developing CAUTI) from 2009-2014. RESULTS:
      Bladder catheterization frequency declined significantly (6.6% for AMI patients,
      8.0% for HF patients, and 5.7% for surgical patients). For pneumonia patients,
      there was a nonsignificant increase of 1.1%. The risk-adjusted CAUTI rate among
      AMI patients decreased by 9.7% each year relative to the year before. For
      surgical patients, the decrease was 9.1% per year. There was no significant
      decline among HF or pneumonia patients. The overall burden of CAUTI among
      surgical patients was higher than for the other conditions because surgical
      patients were more likely to be catheterized. CONCLUSIONS: There were
      statistically significant declines in observed bladder catheterization frequency
      and adjusted CAUTI frequency in some patient populations between 2009 and 2014.

PMID- 28625703
TI  - Sterilization of dental handpieces.

PMID- 28625704
TI  - Mental health consequences of exercise withdrawal: A systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A sedentary lifestyle has been associated with mental health
      disorders. Many medical conditions result in the cessation of exercise, which may
      increase the risk of developing mental health problems. The purpose of this
      article is to systematically review the literature examining the effects of
      exercise withdrawal on mental health. METHOD: Literature was searched using
      PubMed, PsycINFO, and SPORTdiscus for studies that experimentally manipulated the
      withdrawal of exercise and included mental health as outcome measure. RESULTS: A
      total of 19 studies met inclusion criteria (total N=689 with 385 individuals
      participating in an exercise withdrawal condition). Exercise withdrawal
      consistently resulted in increases in depressive symptoms and anxiety. Other
      mental health outcomes were investigated infrequently. Severe mental health
      issues requiring clinical intervention after experimentally controlled exercise
      withdrawal was rare. Heterogeneity in methods and outcomes was observed,
      especially in terms of the duration of exercise withdrawal (range 1 to 42days,
      median=7days), with stronger effects if exercise withdrawal exceeded 2weeks.
      CONCLUSION: Experimentally controlled exercise withdrawal has adverse
      consequences for mental health. These observations in healthy individuals may
      help to understand the onset of mental health problems in response to acute and
      chronic medical conditions associated with reduced physical activity. Future
      research is needed to investigate potential mechanisms explaining the adverse
      mental health consequences of cessation of exercise that will provide new targets
      for clinical interventions.

PMID- 28625705
TI  - The feasibility of improved live-dead distinction in qPCR-based microbial source
      tracking.
AB  - PCR-based microbial source tracking (MST) has become a useful tool to identify
      dominant sources of fecal pollution in water. The method has previously been
      successfully combined with viability PCR (using propidium monoazide) allowing the
      preferential detection of membrane-intact bacteria. This study aimed at further
      improving the selectivity for intact cells when targeting host-specific markers
      in Bacteroidales bacteria. One approach was to increase amplicon sizes that had
      been shown to be useful for other applications of viability PCR. For this
      purpose, two different amplicon sizes were compared when targeting either the
      genus of Bacteroidales or subgroups thereof specifically associated with human
      and ruminant fecal material. When applied to different environmental samples, the
      proposed proportion of intact cells could drop by up to 38% (for sewage treatment
      effluent from 64 to 26%) when targeting longer sequences. Furthermore co
      incubation of the viability dye with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was found to be
      beneficial, although this observation is currently still empirical. When
      examining signal decay of artificially contaminated unfiltered river water over
      six weeks, the PMA treatment effect was observed from the beginning, but the
      ratio of intact and damaged cells remained constant over time with signals
      disappearing at the same rate independent of PMA treatment. In this instance the
      contribution of other factors to overall signal decay seemed more important than
      loss of membrane integrity.

PMID- 28625706
TI  - Utility of Acridine Orange staining for detection of bacteria from positive blood
      cultures.
AB  - The diagnostic performance of AO stain was evaluated for the detection of
      bacteria and or fungi from positive blood cultures. The sensitivity of Gram stain
      (GS) was 98.26% while Acridine Orange (AO) stain proved to be more sensitive
      (100%) with a Positive and Negative Predictive Value of 100% each. The
      specificity of both the stains was 100%. Overall agreement between the two stains
      was 98.23% (688/700). The organisms that were missed by GS and positive by AO
      were Candida species (Sutton, 2006) and Gram negative bacilli (GNB) (Sutton,
      2006). Sensitivity of GS was 82.35% and AO was 100% among mixed cultures.
      Immediate reporting of the results of AO stain would have a significant impact on
      clinical management of patients with serious blood stream infections.

PMID- 28625707
TI  - [Algorithms based on medico-administrative data in the field of endocrine,
      nutritional and metabolic diseases, especially diabetes].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Medico-administrative databases represent a very interesting source
      of information in the field of endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases. The
      objective of this article is to describe the early works of the Redsiam working
      group in this field. METHODS: Algorithms developed in France in the field of
      diabetes, the treatment of dyslipidemia, precocious puberty, and bariatric
      surgery based on the National Inter-schema Information System on Health Insurance
      (SNIIRAM) data were identified and described. RESULTS: Three algorithms for
      identifying people with diabetes are available in France. These algorithms are
      based either on full insurance coverage for diabetes or on claims of diabetes
      treatments, or on the combination of these two methods associated with
      hospitalizations related to diabetes. Each of these algorithms has a different
      purpose, and the choice should depend on the goal of the study. Algorithms for
      identifying people treated for dyslipidemia or precocious puberty or who
      underwent bariatric surgery are also available. CONCLUSION: Early work from the
      Redsiam working group in the field of endocrine, nutritional and metabolic
      diseases produced an inventory of existing algorithms in France, linked with
      their goals, together with a presentation of their limitations and advantages,
      providing useful information for the scientific community. This work will
      continue with discussions about algorithms on the incidence of diabetes in
      children, thyroidectomy for thyroid nodules, hypothyroidism, hypoparathyroidism,
      and amyloidosis.

PMID- 28625708
TI  - [Algorithms for the identification of hospital stays due to osteoporotic femoral
      neck fractures in European medical administrative databases using ICD-10 codes: A
      non-systematic review of the literature].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic hip fractures (OHF) are associated with significant
      morbidity and mortality. The French medico-administrative database (SNIIRAM)
      offers an interesting opportunity to improve the management of OHF. However, the
      validity of studies conducted with this database relies heavily on the quality of
      the algorithm used to detect OHF. The aim of the REDSIAM network is to facilitate
      the use of the SNIIRAM database. The main objective of this study was to present
      and discuss several OHF-detection algorithms that could be used with this
      database. METHODS: A non-systematic literature search was performed. The Medline
      database was explored during the period January 2005-August 2016. Furthermore, a
      snowball search was then carried out from the articles included and field experts
      were contacted. The extraction was conducted using the chart developed by the
      REDSIAM network's "Methodology" task force. RESULTS: The ICD-10 codes used to
      detect OHF are mainly S72.0, S72.1, and S72.2. The performance of these
      algorithms is at best partially validated. Complementary use of medical and
      surgical procedure codes would affect their performance. Finally, few studies
      described how they dealt with fractures of non-osteoporotic origin, re
      hospitalization, and potential contralateral fracture cases. CONCLUSIONS: Authors
      in the literature encourage the use of ICD-10 codes S72.0 to S72.2 to develop
      algorithms for OHF detection. These are the codes most frequently used for OHF in
      France. Depending on the study objectives, other ICD10 codes and medical and
      surgical procedures could be usefully discussed for inclusion in the algorithm.
      Detection and management of duplicates and non-osteoporotic fractures should be
      considered in the process. Finally, when a study is based on such an algorithm,
      all these points should be precisely described in the publication.

PMID- 28625709
TI  - Review and analysis of physical exercise at hormonal and brain level, and its
      influence on appetite.
AB  - Due to the currently growing rate of obesity, it is important to maintain good
      control of food intake. The main purpose of the present study is to determine the
      influence of physical exercise on appetite, changes in hormone concentrations,
      and changes in certain neuronal regions. To achieve this, a literature search was
      conducted using different data bases. The results show how exercise produces
      changes in the appetite perception, in the amount of energy intake, and in
      different weight-control related hormones, as well as in specific neuronal
      responses. In conclusion, it can be shown that exercise leads to changes in
      appetite, hunger, and energy intake. In addition, exercise decreases the ghrelin
      levels and increases concentrations of leptin. Likewise, it is shown how physical
      exercise alters the responses of certain neuronal regions after visualizing
      specific food elements decreasing so the appetite or the intake of them.

PMID- 28625710
TI  - Effect of an individualised physical exercise program on lipid profile in
      sedentary patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
AB  - : Physical exercise has become in an important tool in the reduction of
      cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of an unsupervised
      physical exercise program that on the physical condition and the lipid profile.
      METHOD: The final sample included 49 sedentary men and women, who were non
      smokers, with dyslipidaemia, overweight, and type1 obesity. The 4-month program
      included walking for 30-60minutes every day, and for three days a week, 30minutes
      of cycling at an intensity of 40-60% of maximum functional capacity, as well as
      isometric abdominals and static stretching. Anthropometrics, physical condition
      (6minute test), and the lipid profile were evaluated before and after the
      physical exercise program. The objective was to achieve a caloric expenditure
      between 1200-2000kcal/week. RESULTS: At the end of the program it was observed,
      in both sexes, that there was a decrease in total cholesterol (P<0.02), LDL
      cholesterol (P<0.01), VLDL cholesterol (P<0.01), and triglycerides (P<0.05), and
      an increase HDL cholesterol (P<0.05). There was also an increase in the distance
      travelled in the 6minute test of 52m in men and 39.5m in women (P<0.002), plus a
      decrease in the perception of fatigue on the Borg scale of 1.19 in men, and 0.96
      in women (P<0.01). There were no anthropometric changes. CONCLUSIONS: The
      physical exercise improved physical condition and the lipid profile in the sample
      that has been studied, with 64% of participants continuing to do it.

PMID- 28625711
TI  - Why Parents Seek Care for Acute Illness in the Clinic or the ED: The Role of
      Health Literacy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the decision to seek care and decision-making regarding
      location of care among parents with low and adequate health literacy. METHODS:
      Parents of children 8 years old or younger who presented for 'sick child' visits
      at a clinic or a nonurgent emergency department (ED) visit (triage level 5) were
      interviewed. The Newest Vital Sign was used to categorize parental health
      literacy. Interviewers followed a semistructured interview guide to understand:
      1) care-seeking for current illness, and 2) choice of clinic or ED. Themes
      emerged using a grounded theory process, facilitated by NVivo version 10.0
      software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). Themes included the
      experiences of low and adequate health literacy in the clinic as well as in the
      ED. RESULTS: Fifty semistructured interviews were completed with parents who
      brought their child to the ED for a nonurgent visit (n = 30) and clinic parents
      (n = 20) with 56% possessing low health literacy. Parents with low health
      literacy were more inclined to overestimate severity of illness and seek care
      sooner to gain answers about the illness and treatment options, and visit the
      clinic only when an appointment was available within hours. Parents with adequate
      health literacy sought reassurance for their ongoing illness management and
      valued close relationships with their physician, and were willing to wait longer
      for an appointment. Fever, vomiting, and young child age prompted some parents to
      seek expedient care regardless of health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiving skills
      (eg, assessing and treating illness, understanding illness severity, and
      navigating the health care system) in addition to physician-parent relationships
      and perception of care seem to influence the behavior of parents managing their
      child's mild acute illness. These factors might be amenable to a future health
      literacy intervention.

PMID- 28625712
TI  - How common is remission in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: A systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The ideal goal of treatment for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
      is disease remission. However, many sets of remission criteria have been
      developed and no systematic review of remission in JIA exists. The current
      systematic review investigated (1) how remission has been defined across JIA
      clinical cohorts and (2) the frequency of remission overall and within disease
      categories. METHODS: Studies using prospective inception cohorts published after
      1972 were selected if they estimated remission in cohorts of >=50 patients.
      Articles focusing on specific medical interventions, not defining remission
      clearly or not reporting disease duration at remission assessment were excluded.
      Studies were selected from Medline, Embase, PubMed and bibliographies of selected
      articles. Risks of selection, missing outcome data and outcome reporting biases
      were assessed. RESULTS: Within 17 studies reviewed, 88% had majority female
      participants and patient disease duration ranged from 0.5 to 17 years. Thirteen
      sets of criteria for clinically inactive disease and remission were identified.
      Uptake of Wallace's preliminary criteria was good in studies recruiting or
      following patients after their publication (78%). Remission frequencies increased
      with longer disease duration from 7% within 1.5 years to 47% by 10 years
      following diagnosis. Patients with persistent oligoarticular and rheumatoid
      factor positive polyarticular JIA were most and least likely to achieve
      remission, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Achievement of remission increased with
      longer disease duration, but many patients remain in active disease, even in
      contemporary cohorts. Multiple sets of outcome criteria limited comparability
      between studies.

PMID- 28625714
TI  - Proteomic analysis of seminal plasma from locally-adapted "Curraleiro Pe-Duro
      bulls" (Bos taurus): identifying biomarkers involved in sperm physiology in
      endangered animals for conservation of biodiversity.
AB  - The present study was aimed at evaluating the seminal plasma proteins and sperm
      parameters of Curraleiro Pe-Duro bulls. Semen was collected from 10 bulls by
      electroejaculation, and sperm parameters were evaluated in fresh and frozen
      thawed semen. Seminal plasma proteins were analyzed by 2-D SDS-PAGE and mass
      spectrophotometry. Tools in computational biology were used to generate
      bioinformatic knowledge and evaluate gene ontology, protein-protein interactions,
      phylogenetic trees and multiple sequence alignments. Sperm motility in fresh and
      frozen-thawed semen was 78.8+/-1.8% and 21.2+/-1.6%, respectively. Pearson's
      correlations were evaluated (p<0.05). Sperm motility and vigor in fresh semen
      were correlated with clusterin, TIMP2 and cathepsin S (r=0.64-0.71) and sperm
      defects were related to inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase and BSP 5 (r=0.78-0.80).
      Clusterin, BSP 5, alpha-enolase, creatine kinase M-type, glyceraldehyde-3
      phosphate dehydrogenase, BSP 3, albumin, and 5'-nucleotidase and legumain were
      correlated with acrosome intact live sperm (r=0.80-0.64). Associations were
      detected between sperm vigor and spermadhesin 1 (r=-0.89), and between sperm
      defects in fresh semen and spermadhesin 1 and clusterin (r=-0.81). Sperm motility
      in frozen-thawed semen was associated with BSP 1, spermadhesin 1, clusterin and
      spermadhesin Z13 (r=0.64-0.85). The percent of motile sperm after freeze-thawing
      was negatively correlated (r=-0.64) with the amount of spermadhesin 1 in the
      seminal plasma. Based on in silico analysis, TIMP2 interacted with BSP1, BSP3,
      BSP5 and metalloproteinases. Molecular functions of proteins associated with
      sperm parameters were binding, catalytic activity and enzymatic regulation. Amino
      acid sequences of spermadhesin 1 and BSP 1 from Bos taurus, and other domestic
      species were similar. Phylogenetic tree analysis demonstrated that clusterin from
      Bos taurus was related to Ovis aries and domains of clusterin, spermadhesin 1,
      BSP 1 and inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase were conserved as well. In summary,
      specific seminal proteins are associated with sperm parameters of locally-adapted
      bulls. Use of the endangered mammalian as a model may assist in understanding
      aspects of evolutionary adaptations and could improve assisted reproductive
      biotechnologies.

PMID- 28625713
TI  - Individual- and Area-Level SES in Diabetes Risk Prediction: The Multi-Ethnic
      Study of Atherosclerosis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if adding SES to risk
      prediction models based upon traditional risk factors improves the prediction of
      diabetes. METHODS: Risk prediction models without and with individual- and area
      level SES predictors were compared using the prospective Multi-Ethnic Study of
      Atherosclerosis. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to estimate hazard
      ratios for SES predictors and to generate 10-year predicted risks for 5,021
      individuals without diabetes at baseline followed from 2000 to 2012. C-statistics
      were used to compare model discrimination, and the proportion of individuals
      reclassified into higher or lower risk categories with the addition of SES
      predictors was calculated. The accuracy of risk prediction by SES was assessed by
      comparing observed and predicted risks across tertiles of the SES variables.
      Statistical analyses were performed in 2015-2016. RESULTS: Over a median of 9.2
      years of follow-up, 615 individuals developed diabetes. Individual- and area
      level SES variables did not significantly improve model discrimination or
      reclassify substantial numbers of individuals across risk categories. Models
      without SES predictors generally underestimated risk for low-SES individuals or
      individuals residing in low-SES areas (underestimates ranging from 0.31% to
      1.07%) and overestimated risk for high-SES individuals or individuals residing in
      high-SES areas (overestimates ranging from 0.70% to 1.30%), and the addition of
      SES variables largely mitigated these differences. CONCLUSIONS: Standard diabetes
      risk models may underestimate risk for low-SES individuals and overestimate risk
      for those of high SES. Adding SES predictors helps correct this systematic
      misestimation, but may not improve model discrimination.

PMID- 28625715
TI  - Discovery of simplified leucyladenylate sulfamates as novel leucyl-tRNA
      synthetase (LRS)-targeted mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1)
      inhibitors.
AB  - Leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LRS) has been reported to be a possible mediator of
      intracellular amino acids signaling to mTORC1. Given that mTORC1 is associated
      with cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, the LRS-mediated mTORC1 pathway may
      offer an alternative strategy in anticancer therapy. In this study, we developed
      a series of simplified analogues of leucyladenylate sulfamate (1) as LRS-targeted
      mTORC1 inhibitors. We replaced the adenylate group with a N-(3,4
      dimethoxybenzyl)benzenesulfonamide (2a) or a N-(2-phenoxyethyl)benzenesulfonamide
      groups (2b) that can maintain specific binding, but has more favorable
      physicochemical properties such as reduced polarity and asymmetric centers. Among
      these simplified analogues, compound 16 and its constrained analogue 22
      effectively inhibited S6K phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner and
      exhibited cancer cell specific cytotoxicity against six different types of cancer
      cells. This result supports that LRS is a viable target for novel anticancer
      therapy.

PMID- 28625716
TI  - Application of in-vitro screening methods on hypoxia inducible factor prolyl
      hydroxylase inhibitors.
AB  - Anemia resulting from the reduced expression of erythropoietin (EPO) is a common
      complication of patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Hypoxia inducible
      transcription factor-alpha (HIF-alpha), which adapts cellular hypoxia condition,
      regulates the expression of many downstream genes including the EPO gene. Hypoxia
      inducible transcription factor prolyl hydroxylase 2 (HIF-PHD2), as the key
      regulator of hypoxia response, is function of hydroxylating specify proline
      residues of HIF-alpha, which may lead to the degradation of HIF-alpha and
      eventually cause disenabling the expression of erythropoietin. Therefore, it is
      valid to improve anemia by inhibiting HIF-PHD2. In-vitro screening plays a vital
      role in searching for novel small molecule HIF-PHD2 inhibitors, thus, this review
      classified in-vitro screening methods which are used to hit novel HIF-PHD2
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28625717
TI  - Clinical impact of non-antibiotic recommendations by a multi-disciplinary
      antimicrobial stewardship team.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The multi-disciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team at the study
      hospital conducts prospective review and feedback on all inpatient orders of
      piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems. In addition, the team provides non
      antibiotic recommendations (i.e. additional investigations and infectious disease
      reviews). This study aimed to describe the impact of these recommendations on
      patient outcomes. METHODS: Patients on carbapenem and piperacillin-tazobactam who
      received at least one non-antibiotic recommendation between January 2012 and
      August 2014 were included in this study. Acceptance and rejection of non
      antibiotic recommendations by the managing physician were compared. The primary
      outcome was 30-d mortality. RESULTS: Non-antibiotic recommendations were made in
      166 patients. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between
      patients for whom recommendations were accepted and patients for whom
      recommendations were rejected. Thirty-day mortality (18.0% vs. 34.5%, P = 0.02)
      was significantly lower in patients who had at least one non-antibiotic
      recommendation accepted. Multi-variate analysis found that Charlson's comorbidity
      score [odds ratio (OR) 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.42, P = 0.03],
      APACHE II score (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.19, P < 0.01), hepatobiliary source of
      infection (OR 10.19, 95% CI 1.44-72.13, P = 0.02) and acceptance of at least one
      non-antibiotic recommendation (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17-0.88, P = 0.02) were
      independently associated with 30-d mortality. CONCLUSIONS: During prospective
      review and feedback of piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems, acceptance of non
      antibiotic recommendations was found to be associated with a reduction in 30-d
      mortality.

PMID- 28625718
TI  - Synaptic functions of endocannabinoid signaling in health and disease.
AB  - Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are a family of lipid molecules that act as key
      regulators of synaptic transmission and plasticity. They are synthetized "on
      demand" following physiological and/or pathological stimuli. Once released from
      postsynaptic neurons, eCBs typically act as retrograde messengers to activate
      presynaptic type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1) and induce short- or long-term
      depression of neurotransmitter release. Besides this canonical mechanism of
      action, recent findings have revealed a number of less conventional mechanisms by
      which eCBs regulate neural activity and synaptic function, suggesting that eCB
      mediated plasticity is mechanistically more diverse than anticipated. These
      mechanisms include non-retrograde signaling, signaling via astrocytes,
      participation in long-term potentiation, and the involvement of mitochondrial
      CB1. Focusing on paradigmatic brain areas, such as hippocampus, striatum, and
      neocortex, we review typical and novel signaling mechanisms, and discuss the
      functional implications in normal brain function and brain diseases. In summary,
      eCB signaling may lead to different forms of synaptic plasticity through
      activation of a plethora of mechanisms, which provide further complexity to the
      functional consequences of eCB signaling. This article is part of the Special
      Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".

PMID- 28625719
TI  - Atypical dopamine transporter inhibitors R-modafinil and JHW 007 differentially
      affect D2 autoreceptor neurotransmission and the firing rate of midbrain dopamine
      neurons.
AB  - Abuse of psychostimulants like cocaine that inhibit dopamine (DA) reuptake
      through the dopamine transporter (DAT) represents a major public health issue,
      however FDA-approved pharmacotherapies have yet to be developed. Recently a class
      of ligands termed "atypical DAT inhibitors" has gained attention due to their
      range of effectiveness in increasing extracellular DA levels without
      demonstrating significant abuse liability. These compounds not only hold promise
      as therapeutic agents to treat stimulant use disorders but also as experimental
      tools to improve our understanding of DAT function. Here we used patch clamp
      electrophysiology in mouse brain slices to explore the effects of two atypical
      DAT inhibitors (R-modafinil and JHW 007) on the physiology of single DA neurons
      in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area. Despite their commonalities
      of being DAT inhibitors that lack cocaine-like behavioral profiles, these
      compounds exhibited surprisingly divergent cellular effects. Similar to cocaine,
      R-modafinil slowed DA neuron firing in a D2 receptor-dependent manner and rapidly
      enhanced the amplitude and duration of D2 receptor-mediated currents in the
      midbrain. In contrast, JHW 007 exhibited little effect on firing, slow DAT
      blockade, and an unexpected inhibition of D2 receptor-mediated currents that may
      be due to direct D2 receptor antagonism. Furthermore, pretreatment with JHW 007
      blunted the cellular effects of cocaine, suggesting that it may be valuable to
      investigate similar DAT inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents. Further
      exploration of these and other atypical DAT inhibitors may reveal important
      cellular effects of compounds that will have potential as pharmacotherapies for
      treating cocaine use disorders.

PMID- 28625721
TI  - Kiloniella majae sp. nov., isolated from spider crab (Maja brachydactyla) and
      pullet carpet shell clam (Venerupis pullastra).
AB  - Ten Gram-negative, rod-shaped and motile bacterial strains were isolated from
      spider crab (M27.10, M27.11a, F36.1, F36.4, M56.1, F76.17b, M146.1, M166.3 and
      M166.6) and pullet carpet shell clam (SBRF 1.10) collected in the coast of
      Galicia. Analyses of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the strains belong to the
      genus Kiloniella and have high similarity with the species Kiloniella spongiae
      (99.44-99.86%) and Kiloniella litopenaei (99.0-99.5%). Strains M56.1T (=CECT
      9195, =LMG 29925), M146.1 (=CECT 9193, =LMG 29926) and SBRF 1.10 (=CECT 9194,
      =LMG 29927) were selected on the basis of genotyping by enterobacterial
      repetitive intergenic consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR). Phylogenetic analysis based on
      concatenated sequences of the genes gyrB, ftsZ, rpoD and mreB showed that the
      isolates form a differentiated branch within the genus Kiloniella. Moreover, the
      average nucleotide identity (ANIm, ANIb and OrthoANI) and in silico estimated DNA
      DNA reassociation values between selected Galician isolates and Kiloniella
      species were below the established cut-off for species deliniation. The results
      obtained in the genetic and phenotypical analyses indicate that the isolates
      represent a new species of the genus Kiloniella, for which the name Kiloniella
      majae sp. nov. is proposed with strain M56.1T (=CECT 9195T, =LMG 29925T) as the
      type strain.

PMID- 28625722
TI  - The Number of Ports in Lung Resection Surgery: A Pointless Debate.

PMID- 28625723
TI  - GOLD 2017: The Spanish Perspective.

PMID- 28625720
TI  - The cannabinoid system and pain.
AB  - Chronic pain states are highly prevalent and yet poorly controlled by currently
      available analgesics, representing an enormous clinical, societal, and economic
      burden. Existing pain medications have significant limitations and adverse
      effects including tolerance, dependence, gastrointestinal dysfunction, cognitive
      impairment, and a narrow therapeutic window, making the search for novel
      analgesics ever more important. In this article, we review the role of an
      important endogenous pain control system, the endocannabinoid (EC) system, in the
      sensory, emotional, and cognitive aspects of pain. Herein, we briefly cover the
      discovery of the EC system and its role in pain processing pathways, before
      concentrating on three areas of current major interest in EC pain research; 1.
      Pharmacological enhancement of endocannabinoid activity (via blockade of EC
      metabolism or allosteric modulation of CB1receptors); 2. The EC System and stress
      induced modulation of pain; and 3. The EC system & medial prefrontal cortex
      (mPFC) dysfunction in pain states. Whilst we focus predominantly on the
      preclinical data, we also include extensive discussion of recent clinical
      failures of endocannabinoid-related therapies, the future potential of these
      approaches, and important directions for future research on the EC system and
      pain. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in
      Cannabinoid Neurobiology".

PMID- 28625724
TI  - The Binary System of Ibuprofen-Nicotinamide Under Nanoscale Confinement: From
      Cocrystal to Coamorphous State.
AB  - Coamorphous systems have gained success in stabilizing amorphous drugs and
      improving their solubility and dissolution. Here we proposed to confine a binary
      mixture of drug and coformer (CF) within nanopores to obtain a nanoconfined
      coamorphous (NCA) system. For proving feasibility of this proposal, a poorly
      water-soluble drug (ibuprofen) and a frequently used pharmaceutical CF
      (nicotinamide) were loaded into nanopores of mesoporous silica microspheres. The
      solid state of NCA system was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry,
      X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectrum, and solid-state nuclear magnetic
      resonance. With large numbers of nanopores, mesoporous silica microspheres appear
      to be a feasible carrier to transform a cocrystal system into coamorphism by
      nanoscale confinement. Benefiting from both nanoscale confinement and CF, the NCA
      system of ibuprofen achieved synchronic increase in dissolution properties and
      physical stability. Consequently, the NCA strategy is effective in achieving
      coamorphous state and offers a promising alternative for formulating poorly water
      soluble drugs.

PMID- 28625725
TI  - Closing the Gap: Counting and Sizing of Particles Across Submicron Range by Flow
      Cytometry in Therapeutic Protein Products.
AB  - Quantification and size distribution characterization of subvisible particles in
      parenteral biopharmaceutics, present as both proteinaceous and nonproteinaceous
      particles in the size range from 0.1 to 100 MUm, are important for
      biopharmaceutical industry due to their potential safety and efficacy
      implications. Although a number of analytical techniques are available to count
      and size subvisible particles, characterization of particles <=2 MUm remains a
      significant challenge due to technical limitations of existing particle counting
      instruments. In this article, we demonstrate the ability of an optimized flow
      cytometry system to detect and quantify size distribution of subvisible particles
      without additional labeling that includes the critical submicron range in
      biopharmaceutical formulations. In addition, these qualitative and quantitative
      determinations are performed in a high-throughput manner using sample volumes
      that allow statistically significant evaluations. This approach can be used not
      only to ascertain the quality of therapeutic protein products but also to
      evaluate numerous conditions during the screening of drug candidates and their
      prospective formulations.

PMID- 28625726
TI  - Pulmonary Administration of Soluble Antigen Arrays Is Superior to Antigen in
      Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.
AB  - Antigen-specific immunotherapy has been used to hyposensitize patients to
      allergens and offers an enticing approach for attenuating autoimmune diseases.
      Applying antigen-specific immunotherapy to mucosal surfaces such as the lungs may
      engage unique immune response pathways to improve efficacy. Pulmonary delivery of
      soluble antigen arrays (SAgAs) was explored in mice with experimental autoimmune
      encephalomyelitis (EAE), a multiple sclerosis model. SAgAs were designed to
      impede immune response to autoantigen epitopes and are composed of a hyaluronan
      backbone with peptides PLP139-151 (proteolipid protein) and LABL, a disease
      causing proteolipid peptide epitope and an intracellular cell-adhesion molecule-1
      ligand, respectively. Pulmonary instillation of SAgAs decreased disease score,
      improved weight gain, and decreased incidence of disease in EAE mice compared to
      pulmonary delivery of hyaluronic acid polymer, LABL, or PLP. Interestingly,
      treating with PLP alone also showed some improvement. Splenocytes from SAgA
      treated animals showed increased interferon-gamma levels, and interleukin-6 (IL
      6) and IL-17 were elevated in SAgA-treated animals compared to PLP treatments. IL
      10, IL-2, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels showed no significant
      difference, yet trends across all cytokines suggested SAgAs induced a very
      different immune response compared to treatment with PLP alone. This work
      suggests that codelivery of peptide components is essential when treating EAE via
      pulmonary instillation, and the immune response may have shifted toward immune
      tolerance.

PMID- 28625727
TI  - Incomplete Loading of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Fasted State Simulated Intestinal
      Fluid Micelles Within the Diffusion Layers of Dispersed Drug Particles During
      Dissolution.
AB  - Poorly water soluble drug candidates have been common in developmental pipelines
      over the last several decades. This has fueled considerable research around
      understanding how bile salt and model micelles can improve drug particle
      dissolution rates and human drug exposure levels. However, in the pharmaceutical
      context only a single mechanism of how micelles load solute has been assumed,
      that being the direct loading mechanism put forth by Cussler and coworkers (Am
      Inst Chem Eng J. 1976;22(6):1006-1012) 40 years ago. In this model, micelles load
      at the particle surface and will be loaded to their equilibrium loading values.
      More recently, Kumar and Gandhi and coworkers (Langmuir. 2003;19:4014-4026)
      developed a comprehensive theory of micelle solubilization which also features an
      indirect loading mechanism which they argue should operate in ionic surfactant
      systems. In this mechanism, micelles cannot directly load at the solute particle
      surface and thus may not reach equilibrium loading values within the particle
      diffusion layer. In this work, we endeavor to understand if the indirect micelle
      loading mechanism represents a plausible description in the pharmaceutical
      context. The overall data in SLS and FaSSIF systems obtained here, as well as
      several other previously published datasets, can be described by the indirect
      micelle loading mechanism. Implications for pharmaceutical development of poorly
      soluble compounds are discussed.

PMID- 28625728
TI  - Treatment of persistent ventricular tachycardia: Drugs or ablation?
AB  - Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) reduce the mortality risk
      associated with recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) and can frequently
      terminate VT episodes painlessly, but do not prevent recurrent episodes. For
      patients with symptomatic recurrences, frequent asymptomatic recurrences, ICD
      shocks, or VT storm, most clinicians recommend strategies to suppress VT. The
      proarrhythmic mortality risk of antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) may be mitigated by
      the presence of an ICD, but these medications are limited by high recurrence
      rates, and unfavorable side effect profiles. Catheter ablation is an alternative
      or adjunctive option, but is also limited by incomplete efficacy and procedural
      risk.

PMID- 28625729
TI  - Vaccinols J-S, ten new salicyloid derivatives from the marine mangrove-derived
      endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis vaccinii.
AB  - Ten new salicyloid derivatives, namely vaccinols J-S (1-10), along with five
      known compounds (11-15) were isolated from Pestalotiopsis vaccinii (cgmcc3.9199)
      endogenous with the mangrove plant Kandelia candel (L.) Druce (Rhizophoraceae).
      Their structures including absolute configurations were established on the basis
      of spectroscopic analysis, optical rotation, CD spectra, quantum ECD
      calculations. To the best of our knowledge, vaccinol J (1) is the first example
      of salicyloid derivatives containing 2-methylfuran moiety. All of the new
      compounds were tested for their anti-enterovirus 7l (EV71) and cytotoxic
      activities. Among them, vaccinol J (1) exhibited in vitro anti-EV71 with IC50
      value of 30.7MUM (IC50 177.0MUM for the positive control ribavirin).

PMID- 28625730
TI  - Terpenoids from Curcuma wenyujin increased glucose consumption on HepG2 cells.
AB  - Thirty four terpenoids, including two new cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids
      containing conjugated aromatic-ketone moieties, curcujinone A (1) and curcujinone
      B (2), were isolated from 95% ethanol extract of the root tubers of Curcuma
      wenyujin. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, especially
      2D NMR and HRMS techniques. The relative and absolute configurations of 1 and 2
      were identified by quantum chemical DFT and TDDFT calculations of the 13C NMR
      chemical shifts, ECD spectra, and specific optical rotations. All compounds and
      extracts were evaluated for their anti-diabetic activities with a glucose
      consumption model on HepG2 Cells. The petroleum fraction CWP (10MUg/mL) and
      compounds curcumenol (4), 7alpha,11alpha-epoxy-5beta-hydroxy-9-guaiaen-8-one (5),
      curdione (17), (1S, 4S, 5S 10S)-germacrone (18), zederone (20), a mixture of
      curcumanolide A (25) and curcumanolide B (26), gajutsulactone B (27), and
      wenyujinin C (30) showed promising activities with over 45% increasing of glucose
      consumption at 10MUM.

PMID- 28625731
TI  - Antibacterial neolignans from the leaves of Melaleuca bracteata.
AB  - Phytochemical study on the leaves of Melaleuca bracteata resulted in the
      isolation of ten compounds including three new neolignans, named melaleucins A-C
      (1-3). Among them, melaleucin B shares a rarely occurring nor-neolignan skeleton,
      and both melaleucins B and C bear a novel aldehyde moiety, which might also be
      response for the delicate fragrance of M. bracteata. Their structures were
      extensively assigned by spectral data interpretation and biomimetic total
      synthesis. Moreover, their biosynthetic pathway with oxidative radical coupling
      and Michael addition as critical reactions was also confirmed. The antimicrobial
      activity evaluation revealed that melaleucin A exhibited considerable
      antimicrobial activity towards methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PMID- 28625732
TI  - New cucurbitane triterpenoids with cytotoxic activities from Hemsleya
      penxianensis.
AB  - Seven new cucurbitane triterpenoids, Pengxianencins A-G (1-7) including one
      alkaloid, were isolated from the ethanol extract of the tubers of Hemsleya
      penxianensis. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive
      spectroscopic data, including 1D and 2D NMR spectra as well as HR-ESI-MS. The
      evaluation of inhibition activity against human Hela, MCF-7, and A-549 cell lines
      showed that compounds 1, 4, 6, 7 have different levels of cytotoxic activities,
      with IC50 values ranging from 1.67 to 45.28MUM.

PMID- 28625733
TI  - New grape stems' isolated phenolic compounds modulate reactive oxygen species,
      glutathione, and lipid peroxidation in vitro: Combined formulations with vitamins
      C and E.
AB  - The antioxidant potential of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) stems has been reported in
      the last decade although no identification of the individual compounds
      responsible for such action has been done. In this work, polyphenolic extract of
      grape stems was processed resorting to semi-preparative HPLC, allowing to obtain
      5 purified polyphenols (caftaric acid, malvidin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O
      glucuronide, mailvidin-3-O-(6-O-caffeoyl)-glucoside, and Sigma-viniferin), which
      were fully characterized by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MSn. Isolated compounds were featured on
      their radical scavenging capacity (DPPH and ABTS), cell viability, anti
      inflammatory activity, and capacity to modulate the level of reactive oxygen
      species, glutathione, lipid peroxidation, and overall oxidative stress in a
      biological model (human keratinocytes) in vitro, under basal and oxidative
      conditions. The results obtained noticed the combinations malvidin-3-O
      glucoside+Vitamin E and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide+vitamin C as the most
      effective, allowing to improve the capacity of complete extracts or individual
      compounds, and being candidates to be used in the development of new functional
      products.

PMID- 28625734
TI  - Synthesis and cardiomyocyte protection activity of crocetin diamide derivatives.
AB  - A series of novel diamide derivatives (2-8) of crocetin (1) were synthesized and
      evaluated for their cardioprotective activity in vitro. Using well-established
      model of hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells, we investigated the effects of 9
      compounds and positive drug nicorandil on cellular cytotoxicity by MTT assay,
      mitochondrial viable staining, LDH activity and mitochondrial membrane potential
      (MMP). Among the new derivatives, compounds 3 and 4 with good liposolubility
      showed significantly potent activity than crocetin (1) against hypoxia-induced
      cytotoxicity. Further mechanisms studies indicated that the cardioprotective
      effect of compounds 3 and 4 was due to these abilities by decreasing LDH release,
      preserving mitochondrial viabilities and reducing oxidative stress-induced
      depolarization of MMP. Our results demonstrated that compounds 3 and 4 as a new
      class of crocetin diamide derivatives could be developed as potential agents in
      our further drug development studies for ischemic heart disease.

PMID- 28625735
TI  - Analgesic and physiological effect of electroacupuncture combined with epidural
      lidocaine in goats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate physiological and antinociceptive effects of
      electroacupuncture (EA) with lidocaine epidural nerve block in goats. STUDY
      DESIGN: Prospective experimental trial. ANIMALS: Forty-eight hybrid male goats
      weighing 27 +/- 2 kg. METHODS: The goats were randomly assigned to six groups:
      L2.2, epidural lidocaine (2.2 mg kg-1); L4.4, epidural lidocaine (4.4 mg kg-1);
      EA; EA-L1.1, EA with epidural lidocaine (1.1 mg kg-1); EA-L2.2, EA with epidural
      lidocaine (2.2 mg kg-1); and EA-L4.4, EA with epidural lidocaine (4.4 mg kg-1).
      EA was administered for 120 minutes. Epidural lidocaine was administered 25
      minutes after EA started. Nociceptive thresholds of flank and thigh regions,
      abdominal muscle tone, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), respiratory
      frequency (fR) and rectal temperature were recorded at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and
      180 minutes. RESULTS: Lidocaine dose-dependently increased nociceptive
      thresholds. There were no differences in nociceptive thresholds between L4.4 and
      EA from 30 to 120 minutes. The threshold in EA-L2.2 was lower than in EA-L4.4
      from 30 to 120 minutes, but higher than in EA-L1.1 from 30 to 150 minutes or in
      L4.4 from 30 to 180 minutes. The abdominal muscle tone in EA-L2.2 was higher at
      30 minutes, but lower at 90 and 120 minutes than at 0 minutes. There were no
      differences in muscle tone between L4.4 and L2.2 or EA-L4.4, and between any two
      of the three EA-lidocaine groups from 0 to 180 minutes. The fR and HR decreased
      in L4.4 at 60 and 90 minutes compared with 0 minutes. No differences in fR, HR,
      MAP and temperature among the groups occurred from 30 to 180 minutes. CONCLUSIONS
      AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: EA combined with 2.2 mg kg-1 epidural lidocaine provides
      better antinociceptive effect than 4.4 mg kg-1 epidural lidocaine alone in goats.
      EA provided antinociception and allowed a decrease in epidural lidocaine dose.

PMID- 28625736
TI  - Use of bioconjugation with cytochrome P450 enzymes.
AB  - Bioconjugation, defined as chemical modification of biomolecules, is widely
      employed in biological and biophysical studies. It can expand functional
      diversity and enable applications ranging from biocatalysis, biosensing and even
      therapy. This review summarizes how chemical modifications of cytochrome P450
      enzymes (P450s or CYPs) have contributed to improving our understanding of these
      enzymes. Genetic modifications of P450s have also proven very useful but are not
      covered in this review. Bioconjugation has served to gain structural information
      and investigate the mechanism of P450s via photoaffinity labeling, mechanism
      based inhibition (MBI) and fluorescence studies. P450 surface acetylation and
      protein cross-linking have contributed to the investigation of protein complexes
      formation involving P450 and its redox partner or other P450 enzymes. Finally,
      covalent immobilization on polymer surfaces or electrodes has benefited the areas
      of biocatalysis and biosensor design. This article is part of a Special Issue
      entitled: Cytochrome P450 biodiversity and biotechnology, edited by Erika
      Plettner, Gianfranco Gilardi, Luet Wong, Vlada Urlacher, Jared Goldstone.

PMID- 28625737
TI  - Insights into the conformations and dynamics of intrinsically disordered proteins
      using single-molecule fluorescence.
AB  - Most proteins are not static structures, but many of them are found in a dynamic
      state, exchanging conformations on various time scales as a key aspect of their
      biological function. An entire spectrum of structural disorder exists in proteins
      and obtaining a satisfactory quantitative description of these states remains a
      challenge. Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy techniques are uniquely
      suited for this task, by measuring conformations without ensemble averaging and
      kinetics without interference from asynchronous processes. In this paper we
      review some of the recent successes in applying single-molecule fluorescence to
      different disordered protein systems, including interactions with their cellular
      targets and self-aggregation processes. We also discuss the implementation of
      computational methods and polymer physics models that are essential for inferring
      global dimension parameters for these proteins from smFRET data. Regarding future
      directions; 3- or 4-color FRET methods can provide multiple distances within a
      disordered ensemble simultaneously. In addition, integrating complementary
      experimental data from smFRET, NMR and SAXS will provide meaningful constraints
      for molecular simulations and will lead to more accurate structural
      representations of disordered proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue
      entitled: Biophysics in Canada, edited by Lewis Kay, John Baenziger, Albert
      Berghuis and Peter Tieleman.

PMID- 28625739
TI  - Changes in the fine root proteome of Fagus sylvatica L. trees associated with P
      deficiency and amelioration of P-deficiency.
AB  - : Phosphorus is often the least available macronutrient in soil. Lack in
      phosphorus has detrimental effect on growth and biomass production of European
      Fagus sylvatica L., a major trees species in temperate forests. In contrast to
      leaf tissues, few studies have examined changes in the root system and no study
      has ever investigated the proteomic changes affected in beech roots by a lack in
      available phosphate (P). Here, we studied roots of young Fagus sylvatica L. trees
      in their native soils from two forests sites with contrasting availability of P:
      one P rich and P poor soil. To understand also the response to P fertilization,
      the trees were fertilized with triple superphosphate and the proteome of fine
      roots of all conditions was compared. Gel-free mass-spectrometry-based shotgun
      proteomics revealed that the proteome was differentially affected by diverging P
      availabilities. The proteomic changes that took place as the result of P
      fertilization were dependent on the supply level of P before the fertilization.
      When P was supplied to the P-rich soil proteins related to cell biogenesis
      exhibited increased abundances. Addition of P to soil that was strongly limited
      in P resulted in increased abundance of proteins associated with amino acid
      metabolism and transport. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)
      forests have a huge ecological and economic value across Europe. In recent years,
      however, these forest sites increasingly suffer under phosphorus (P) deficiency.
      As the consequence, growth and vitality of beech forests is impaired. For this
      reason, this study was conducted with the aim to identify and understand
      proteomic impairments and adjustments that evolve in the fine roots under both, a
      P deficiency and an amelioration thereof. For this, we analyzed (1) the fine root
      proteome of young beech trees grown (2) at two soil sites that contrast in their
      degree of availability P (low vs. high) in dependency (3) to a fertilization with
      P. This experiment revealed fundamental differences with respect to proteomic
      changes in dependency on the severity of P limitation and helped to identify
      processes that take place after amelioration of the deficiency. This information
      is useful to understand which physiological processes are impaired under P
      deficiency and, thus, impair growth. The fertilization experiment enabled to
      identify developmental processes that take place in fine roots when concentration
      of available P was increased. They are "cellular component organization and
      biogenesis" in the P rich soil and "synthesis of organonitrogen-containing
      compounds" in the P poor soil.

PMID- 28625738
TI  - Mechanisms of Paradoxical Activation of AMPK by the Kinase Inhibitors SU6656 and
      Sorafenib.
AB  - SU6656, a Src kinase inhibitor, was reported to increase fat oxidation and reduce
      body weight in mice, with proposed mechanisms involving AMP-activated protein
      kinase (AMPK) activation via inhibition of phosphorylation of either LKB1 or AMPK
      by the Src kinase, Fyn. However, we report that AMPK activation by SU6656 is
      independent of Src kinases or tyrosine phosphorylation of LKB1 or AMPK and is not
      due to decreased cellular energy status or binding at the ADaM site on AMPK.
      SU6656 is a potent AMPK inhibitor, yet binding at the catalytic site
      paradoxically promotes phosphorylation of Thr172 by LKB1. This would enhance
      phosphorylation of downstream targets provided the lifetime of Thr172
      phosphorylation was sufficient to allow dissociation of the inhibitor and
      subsequent catalysis prior to its dephosphorylation. By contrast, sorafenib, a
      kinase inhibitor in clinical use, activates AMPK indirectly by inhibiting
      mitochondrial metabolism and increasing cellular AMP:ADP and/or ADP:ATP ratios.

PMID- 28625740
TI  - Comparative proteomic analysis of two transgenic low-gliadin wheat lines and non
      transgenic wheat control.
AB  - : Gluten proteins are major determinants of the bread making quality of wheat,
      but also of important wheat-related disorders, including coeliac disease (CD),
      and allergies. We carried out a proteomic study using the total grain proteins
      from two low-gliadin wheat lines, obtained by RNAi, and the untransformed wild
      type as reference. The impact of silencing on both target and on non-target
      proteins was evaluated. Because of the great protein complexity, we performed
      separate analyses of four kernel protein fractions: gliadins and glutenin
      subunits, and metabolic and CM-like proteins, by using a classical 2D
      electrophoresis gel based approach followed by RP-HPLC/nESI-MS/MS. As a result of
      the strong down-regulation of gliadins, the HMW-GS, metabolic and
      chloroform/methanol soluble proteins were over-accumulated in the transgenic
      lines, especially in the line D793, which showed the highest silencing of
      gliadins. Basing on these data, and considering that metabolic proteins and
      chloroform/methanol soluble proteins (CM-like), such as the alpha-amylase/trypsin
      inhibitor family, beta-amylase and serpins, were related to wheat allergens,
      further in vivo analysis will be needed, especially those related to clinical
      trials in controlled patients, to determine if these lines could be used for food
      preparation for celiac or other gluten intolerant groups. BIOLOGICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Several enteropathies and allergies are related to wheat proteins.
      Biotechnological techniques such as genetic transformation and RNA interference
      have allowed the silencing of gliadin genes, providing lines with very low
      gliadin content in the grains. We report a proteomic-based approach to
      characterize two low-gliadin transgenic wheat lines obtained by RNAi technology.
      These lines harbor the same silencing fragment, but driven by two different
      endosperm specific promoters (gamma-gliadin and D-hordein). The comprehensive
      proteome analysis of these transgenic lines, by combining two-dimensional
      electrophoresis and RP-HPLC/nESI-MS/MS, provided a large number of spots
      differentially expressed between the control and the transgenic lines. Hence, the
      results of this study will facilitate further safety evaluation of these
      transgenic lines.

PMID- 28625741
TI  - The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on auditory hallucination
      in patients with schizophrenia.

PMID- 28625742
TI  - The gender gap in schizophrenia research.

PMID- 28625743
TI  - Time consumption in mind-reading: A potentially important factor for social
      cognition assessment in early psychosis.

PMID- 28625744
TI  - The anterior sagittal transrectal approach (ASTRA) for cases associated with
      rectal implantation of the urethra: A retrospective review of six cases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Severe genital abnormalities such as urogenital sinus and urethral
      duplication with ectopic urethra in the rectum represent a major challenge in
      reconstructive urology. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to review our cases presenting with
      functional ectopic urethra implanted in the rectum that were treated through an
      ASTRA approach. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of all patients who had
      undergone an ASTRA approach from 2005-2016. We collected data with interest to
      primary diagnosis, clinical presentation, additional procedure, immediate
      clinical outcome, complications, bowel habits after surgery, voiding and bladder
      emptying pattern and long term follow-up. RESULTS: Since 2005, we treated 6 cases
      using this method, consisting of 3 patients with congenital aphallia and 3 with Y
      type urethral duplication. Two aphallia patients underwent De Castro's
      neophalloplasty with simultaneous anastomosis of proximal urethra to a tubed
      buccal mucosa neourethra and one had a neophalloplasty with transverse skin flaps
      and primary perineal urethrostomy. Two patients with Y-type urethral duplication
      had a complete urethroplasty performed (one end-to-end anastomosis and a two
      stage repair). Last patient had a definitive perineal urethrostomy. At mean
      follow-up of 83.5 meses, only one patient voids through the urethra, four have a
      Mitrofanoff channel and two have a perineal urethrostomy. Immediate follow-up was
      uneventful and none of our patients had any bowel complications nor fecal
      incontinence. DISCUSSION: Domini et al. were the first proponents of the anterior
      sagittal transanorectal approach (ASTRA) as an alternative to classic Pena
      approach. Later, De Castro popularized specifically this technique as a relevant
      part of his neophalloplasty procedure to treat congenital aphallia. We did not
      find in this series any complications related to ASTRA technique in regards to
      bowel habits, fecal incontinence or infection but most of cases we tried to
      create a new anterior urethra and connect to the proximal stump failed. Moreover,
      we are skeptic to support simultaneous urethral repair when there is a dysplastic
      bulbar segment between the proximal stump and the end of the penile urethra
      normally at penoscrotal junction area by urethral duplication. Treatment at two
      stages is also prone to fail in the midterm. At end, most of them will have
      either a Mitrofanoff or perineal urethral stoma as shown in our data. CONCLUSION:
      The ASTRA approach proved to be useful for cases of rectal implantation of the
      urethra. No complications related to anterior sphincter incision were documented.
      We believe it should be regarded as the treatment of choice for cases alike ours.

PMID- 28625745
TI  - Lifelong dietary intervention does not affect hematopoietic stem cell function.
AB  - Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) undergo a profound functional decline during
      normal aging. Because caloric or dietary restriction has been shown to delay
      multiple aspects of the aging process in many species, we explored the
      consequences of lifelong caloric restriction, or conversely, lifelong excess
      caloric intake, on HSC numbers and function. Although caloric restriction
      prevented age-dependent increases in bone marrow cellularity, caloric restriction
      was not able to prevent functional decline of aged, long-term HSC functioning. A
      lifelong high-fat diet also did not affect HSC function. We conclude that
      lifelong caloric interventions fail to prevent or induce loss of age-associated
      HSC functioning.

PMID- 28625746
TI  - The fragmentation mechanism and immune-protective effect of CfTEP in the scallop
      Chlamys farreri.
AB  - Thioester-containing proteins (TEPs), characterized by a unique intrachain beta
      cysteinyl-gamma-glutamyl thioester bond, form an ancient and diverse family of
      secreted proteins that play central roles in the innate immune response. But the
      existence form and immune protection mechanism of TEP in invertebrates still
      remain unclear, especially in the mollusks. The fragmentation and the immune
      protective effect of thioester bond in CfTEP, a previously identified thioester
      containing protein in scallop Chlamys farreri, were characterized in the present
      study. During the early embryonic development of scallop, the mRNA transcript of
      CfTEP could be detected in all the stages, and its expression levels in D-larvae,
      veliger larvae and eye-spot larvae were significantly higher than that in eggs.
      The CfTEP protein was also detected in peripheral of D-larvae, veliger larvae and
      eye-spot larva by immunofluorescence. In the adult scallop, the CfTEP protein was
      mainly distributed in the hepatopancreas, gill, kidney, gonad, and mantle. The
      expression of CfTEP mRNA in the hemocytes of adult scallop was significantly up
      regulated when the scallops were stimulated by LPS, PGN or beta-glucan. Two bands
      (100 and 55 kDa) were detected using anti-CfTEP-R1 (spanned the C-terminal
      portion of the thioester, A2M-comp and A2M-recep domain, 942-1472), and a single
      band (46 kDa) was detected by using anti-CfTEP-R2 (the N-terminal portion of the
      following A2M-N-2 domain, 452-496) in the serum of scallop at 12 h after LPS
      stimulation. When the thioester bond of CfTEP protein was inactivated by
      injecting methylamine, the survival rate of scallop was significantly decreased
      after challenged by Vibrio angulillarum. All these results suggested that CfTEP
      protein existed as fragments similar to vertebrate C3, and played central roles
      in the immune response against pathogen in the innate immunity of scallops.

PMID- 28625747
TI  - Molecular identification and characterization of haptoglobin in teleosts revealed
      an important role on fish viral infections.
AB  - Haptoglobin (Hp) molecule has been cloned and characterized in two marine
      teleosts (gilthead seabream and European sea bass), obtaining putative proteins
      of 319 residues encoded by an ORF of 960 bp in both species. However, the matrix
      of similarity revealed low identities among bony fish species 78.9% (seabream-sea
      bass), 43% (seabream/seabass-zebrafish) and lower than 20% with sharks and human.
      The protein sequences showed a signal peptide from the position 1 to 23, a
      trypsin domain from 47 to 297, and several predicted disulfide bridges and
      glycosylation sites. The expression of hp transcript levels during ontogeny
      showed a progressive increase of expression in seabream whilst remained almost
      unaltered in sea bass. By tissues, this gene was found constitutively expressed
      with the highest levels on liver in both species. The main results on hp
      transcript levels showed the up-regulation in gilthead seabream suffering from
      naturally occurring lymphocystis disease; and the down-regulation and up
      regulation after nodavirus infection in the resistant gilthead seabream and the
      susceptible European sea bass, respectively. These findings demonstrate for the
      first time an important role of haptoglobin against viral infections, operating
      differently in two of the most important marine farmed fish species.

PMID- 28625748
TI  - Comparison of liposomal drug formulations for transdermal iontophoretic drug
      delivery.
AB  - This study was aimed to evaluate the in vitro transdermal direct/pulsed current
      iontophoretic delivery of an amphiphilic model compound from various lipid
      vesicle-encapsulated formulations compared to free-drug formulation.
      Conventional, pegylated, ultradeformable liposomes (transfersomes) and ethosomes
      loaded with a negatively charged drug diclofenac sodium (DS) were prepared and
      characterized. All the liposomes possessed an average size of ~100-150nm and
      negative zeta potential. No changes in colloidal stability were detected after 8h
      incubation of any vesicle formulation under constant or pulsed iontophoretic
      current. DS was released from all the liposome formulations with a similar,
      limited rate (~50% in 24h), leading therefore to significantly lower transdermal
      fluxes across full-thickness porcine skin compared to the respective free drug
      formulation. From the tested lipid vesicle formulations, the transfersomes
      resulted in the highest passive flux and the ethosomes in the highest
      iontophoretic flux under direct constant current treatment. Higher negative
      surface charge of the vesicle led to better transport efficiency due to the
      higher mobility of the drug carrier under electric field. Pulsed current
      iontophoresis had no advantage over constant current treatment in combination
      with any type of lipid vesicular nanocarriers, in contrast to what has been
      described earlier with drug-loaded polymeric nanocarriers.

PMID- 28625749
TI  - Preclinical evaluation of melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1-R) specific 68Ga- and 44Sc
      labeled DOTA-NAPamide in melanoma imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE: Alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) enhances melanogenesis
      in melanoma malignum by binding to melanocortin-1 receptors (MC1-R). Earlier
      studies demonstrated that alpha-MSH analog NAPamide molecule specifically binds
      to MC1-R receptor. Radiolabeled NAPamide is a promising radiotracer for the non
      invasive detection of melanin producing melanoma tumors by Positron Emission
      Tomography (PET). In this present study the MC1-R selectivity of the newly
      developed Sc-44-labeled DOTA-NAPamide was investigated in vitro and in vivo using
      melanoma tumors. METHODS: DOTA-NAPamide was labeled with Ga-68 and Sc-44
      radionuclides. The MC1-R specificity of Ga-68- and Sc-44-labeled DOTA-NAPamide
      was investigated in vitro and in vivo using MC1-R positive (B16-F10) and negative
      (A375) melanoma cell lines. For in vivo imaging studies B16-F10 and A375 tumor
      bearing mice were injected with 44Sc/68Ga-DOTA-NAPamide (in blocking studies with
      alpha-MSH) and whole body PET/MRI scans were acquired. Radiotracer uptake was
      expressed in terms of standardized uptake values (SUVs). RESULTS: 44Sc/68Ga
      labeled DOTA-NAPamide were produced with high specific activity (approx. 19
      GBq/MUmol) and with excellent radiochemical purity (99%<). MC1-R positive B16-F10
      cells showed significantly (p<=0.01) higher in vitro radiotracer accumulation
      than that of receptor negative A375 melanoma cells. In animal experiments, also
      significantly (p<=0.01) higher Ga-68-DOTA-NAPamide (SUVmean: 0.38+/-0.02), and Sc
      44-DOTA-NAPamide (SUVmean: 0.52+/-0.13) uptake was observed in subcutaneously
      growing B16-F10 tumors, than in receptor negative A375 tumors, where the SUVmean
      values of Ga-68-DOTA-NAPamide and Sc-44-DOTA-NAPamide were 0.04+/-0.01 and 0.07+/
      0.01, respectively. Tumor-to-muscle (T/M SUVmean) ratios were approximately 15
      fold higher in B16-F10 tumor-bearing mice, than that of A375 tumors, and this
      difference was also significant (p<=0.01) using both radiotracers after 60 min
      incubation time. CONCLUSION: Our newly synthesized 44Sc-labeled DOTA-NAPamide
      probe showed excellent binding properties to melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1-R)
      positive melanoma cell and tumors. Due to its high specificity and sensitivity
      44Sc-DOTA-NAPamide is a promising radiotracer in molecular imaging of malignant
      melanoma.

PMID- 28625750
TI  - Postoperative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass
      Grafting According to the Anesthetic Agent: A Retrospective Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of two anesthetic agents (sevoflurane or
      propofol) on postoperative delirium (POD) in patients undergoing off-pump
      coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). DESIGN: Retrospective observational
      design. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred ninety-two
      patients undergoing off-pump CABG who were anesthetized with sevoflurane or
      propofol. METHODS: Incidence of POD, laboratory data, and pre-, intra-, and 24
      hour postoperative clinical variables were reviewed retrospectively. The
      independent predictors of POD were evaluated. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The
      cumulative incidence of POD after off-pump CABG was 10.6% (31 of 292 patients)
      and the incidence rates of POD were not statistically significant in the
      sevoflurane and propofol groups (13% [20 of 156 patients] and 8% [11 of 136
      patients], respectively; p = 0.137). Other variables, including the laboratory
      and clinical data also did not differ significantly between the anesthetic
      groups. Age >=75 years (odds ratio [OR], 4.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44
      16.27; p = 0.011), postoperative pneumonia (OR, 10.84; 95% CI, 3.32-35.34; p <
      0.001), 6 or more packed red blood cell units transfusion in the first 24 hours
      postoperatively (OR, 5.30; 95% CI, 1.32-21.27; p = 0.019), and 24-hour
      postoperative albumin <3.0 g/dL (OR, 3.38; 95% CI, 1.20-9.31; p = 0.021) were
      independent predictors of POD after off-pump CABG. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of
      POD in patients undergoing off pump-CABG did not differ between those receiving
      sevoflurane versus propofol-based anesthesia.

PMID- 28625751
TI  - Stellate Ganglion Block: Important Weapon in the Anesthesiologists'
      Armamentarium.

PMID- 28625752
TI  - Neurologic Complications of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence on neurologic complications in adult
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients with regard to incidence,
      pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis, monitoring techniques, prevention, and
      management. DESIGN: Literature review. SETTING: Observational studies and case
      reports from a variety of institutions. PARTICIPANTS: Adult ECMO patients.
      INTERVENTIONS: Six electronic databases were searched from their dates of
      inception to October 2016. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The range of neurologic
      complications reported in adult ECMO patients included stroke, intracranial
      hemorrhage, and brain death. Due to a lack of standardized reporting, their true
      incidence may have been underestimated significantly. A variety of
      pathophysiologic mechanisms and risk factors have been proposed. Some of these
      are specific to venoarterial ECMO, whereas others may be more relevant to
      venovenous ECMO (eg, rapid correction of hypercarbia). With regard to diagnosis
      and monitoring, clinical examination alone can be challenging and insufficiently
      sensitive, particularly for the confirmation of brain death. Computed tomography
      is the main imaging modality for acute neurologic assessment because magnetic
      resonance imaging is not feasible in these patients. Options for neuromonitoring
      are limited, although cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy may be useful. There
      are very limited data to guide the management of specific complications such as
      intracranial hemorrhage, which remains a leading cause of mortality in ECMO
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: ECMO can be lifesaving and is being used increasingly for
      severe respiratory and/or cardiac failure. However, it remains associated with
      significant neurologic morbidity and mortality. Greater research clearly is
      needed to determine the best approach to the assessment and management of
      neurologic complications in this rapidly growing patient population.

PMID- 28625753
TI  - Detection of Acute Arterial Occlusion During Artery Bypass Surgery for a Lower
      Extremity by Monitoring Regional Saturation of Oxygen of the Sole of the Foot.

PMID- 28625754
TI  - Inefficacy of Platelet Transfusion in a Heart Transplant Patient Under Continuous
      Ticagrelor.

PMID- 28625755
TI  - Multilevel engineering of the upstream module of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis
      in Saccharomyces cerevisiae for high production of polymer and drug precursors.
AB  - A multilevel approach was implemented in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to optimize the
      precursor module of the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis pathway, which is a rich
      resource for synthesizing a great variety of chemicals ranging from polymer
      precursor, to nutraceuticals and pain-relief drugs. To facilitate the discovery
      of novel targets to enhance the pathway flux, we incorporated the computational
      tool YEASTRACT for predicting novel transcriptional repressors and OptForce
      strain-design for identifying non-intuitive pathway interventions. The multilevel
      approach consisted of (i) relieving the pathway from strong transcriptional
      repression, (ii) removing competing pathways to ensure high carbon capture, and
      (iii) rewiring precursor pathways to increase the carbon funneling to the desired
      target. The combination of these interventions led to the establishment of a S.
      cerevisiae strain with shikimic acid (SA) titer reaching as high as 2.5gL-1, 7
      fold higher than the base strain. Further expansion of the platform led to the
      titer of 2.7gL-1 of muconic acid (MA) and its intermediate protocatechuic acid
      (PCA) together. Both the SA and MA production platforms demonstrated increases in
      titer and yield nearly 300% from the previously reported, highest-producing S.
      cerevisiae strains. Further examination elucidated the diverged impacts of
      disrupting the oxidative branch (ZWF1) of the pentose phosphate pathway on the
      titers of desired products belonging to different portions of the pathway. The
      investigation of other non-intuitive interventions like the deletion of the Pho13
      enzyme also revealed the important role of the transaldolase in determining the
      fate of the carbon flux in the pathways of study. This integrative approach
      identified novel determinants at both transcriptional and metabolic levels that
      constrain the flux entering the aromatic amino acid pathway. In the future, this
      platform can be readily used for engineering the downstream modules toward the
      production of important plant-sourced aromatic secondary metabolites.

PMID- 28625756
TI  - Limitation of ischaemic tissue response in a reconstruction with short ischaemia
      time during free flap surgery.

PMID- 28625757
TI  - Sentinel node biopsy status is strongly predictive of survival in cutaneous
      melanoma: Extended follow-up of Oxford patients from 1998 to 2014.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is widely used as a key
      investigatory tool for cutaneous melanoma, with results incorporated into the
      latest AJCC staging guidelines. We present the results of our extended follow-up
      of sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma over a sixteen-year period. METHODS:
      Data were collected prospectively from June 1998 to December 2014 from a single
      tertiary skin cancer referral centre. Chi-squared analysis was used to analyse
      patient demographics and primary tumour pathology. Survival analysis was
      conducted using Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. RESULTS:
      Over a sixteen-year period 1527 patients underwent SLNB in 1609 basins, with 2876
      nodes harvested. 347 patients (23%) had a positive biopsy. The most common
      primary tumour sites for males was the back (32%); women had a significantly
      higher number of melanomas occurring on the lower and upper limbs (45% and 26%
      respectively) [all p < 0.0001, Chi-squared]. Mean follow-up time was 4.9 years.
      Patients with a positive SLNB at diagnosis were significantly more likely to die
      from melanoma (subhazard ratio 5.59, p = 0.000, 95% CI 3.59-8.69). Breslow
      thickness and ulceration were also significant predictors of melanoma-specific
      mortality. For patients with a primary Breslow >4.0 mm ten-year disease free
      survival was 52% for SLNB negative and 26% for SLNB positive patients. For
      Breslow thicknesses of 2.01-4 mm these values were 66% and 32% respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Sentinel lymph node biopsy status is strongly predictive of survival
      across all thicknesses of primary cutaneous melanoma.

PMID- 28625758
TI  - Body contouring after obesity surgery is associated with a weight loss benefit
      among patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo obesity surgery often require body contouring
      procedures to eliminate excess skin. Recent studies suggest that body contouring
      surgery may provide psychological benefits to patients after obesity surgery.
      However, it remains unclear how body contouring may affect weight loss
      maintenance after obesity surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of
      patients who underwent obesity surgery with or without body contouring at a
      single institution from 2000 to 2005. Charts were reviewed for demographic,
      medical, and surgical information. The primary outcome of interest was the
      difference in weight loss maintenance among patients who underwent body
      contouring versus those who did not. RESULTS: A total of 318 patients were
      included for analysis in this study, of which 70 underwent obesity surgery with
      body contouring and 248 underwent obesity surgery without body contouring. The
      mean change in BMI among patients who did not undergo body contouring was 19.7
      kg/m2. The mean change in BMI among patients who underwent body contouring was
      22.1 kg/m2. Among patients who underwent body contouring surgery, 2.9% (2/70) of
      patients did not maintain at least a 20% decrease in body weight during the
      entire follow-up period (mean follow-up time 92.2 months). Among patients who did
      not undergo body contouring surgery, 10% (25/248) of patients did not maintain at
      least a 20% decrease in body weight during the entire follow-up period (mean
      follow-up time 39.0 months) (chi2 = 3.67, p = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Body
      contouring surgery may have a positive effect on weight loss maintenance after
      body contouring determined from the mean weight change and on percentage of
      patients who maintain at least a 20% decrease in body weight.

PMID- 28625759
TI  - Predictive value of serum HCG concentrations in pregnancies achieved after single
      fresh or vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer.
AB  - Possible differences between serum HCG levels in pregnancies achieved after
      transfer of a single fresh or a vitrified-warmed blastocyst were evaluated. Out
      of 1130 single blastocyst transfers resulting in positive HCG results, 789 were
      single fresh blastocyst transfers and 341 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst
      transfers. The initial serum HCG levels of 869 clinical intrauterine pregnancies
      were evaluated, 638 after the transfer of a single fresh blastocysts and 231
      after the transfer of a single vitrified-warmed blastocysts. The HCG levels from
      cycles resulting in a clinical intrauterine pregnancy were significantly higher
      after the transfer of a single vitrified-warmed blastocyst (383 +/- 230 IU/l)
      versus a fresh transfer (334 +/- 192 IU/l; P = 0.01). Threshold values for
      predicting a clinical pregnancy for a fresh blastocyst were 111 IU/l and for a
      vitrified-warmed blastocyst 137 IU/l. Our study shows that the overall beta-HCG
      levels are comparable after the transfer of a fresh or vitrified-warmed
      blastocyst, suggesting that vitrification most probably does not affect the
      ability of the embryos to produce beta-HCG. This study further shows that when
      clinicians counsel patients, they should take into account that higher HCG levels
      are needed after a vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer to predict a clinical
      intrauterine pregnancy.

PMID- 28625760
TI  - Multifetal pregnancy reduction of triplets to twins compared with non-reduced
      triplets: a meta-analysis.
AB  - The current systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the perinatal outcomes
      in twin pregnancies following multifetal pregnancy reduction (MPR) compared with
      non-reduced triplet pregnancies. All studies comparing perinatal outcome of twin
      pregnancies following MPR to non-reduced triplet pregnancies were considered.
      MEDLINE, non-indexed MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
      Trials and Web of Science were searched for relevant published articles up to
      August 2016. The search yielded 653 publications of which 92 were assessed for
      eligibility. A total of 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the
      outcomes of pregnancies following MPR were better compared with expectantly
      managed triplets. The MPR group delivered at a later gestational age and was less
      likely to be delivered before 32 or 28 weeks' gestation. Newborns in the MPR
      group had significantly higher birthweight at delivery (mean difference 500 g
      [95% CI 439.95, 560.04]). Rates of pregnancy loss before 24 weeks' gestation and
      overall infant survival were comparable between the groups. This meta-analysis
      suggests that MPR of triplet pregnancies to twins is associated with improved
      perinatal outcome compared with non-reduced triplets. Should primary prevention
      of high order multiple pregnancy fail, MPR is an appropriate alternative to
      minimize the perinatal morbidity and mortality of triplet pregnancies.

PMID- 28625761
TI  - Impact of vitamin D levels on ovarian reserve and ovarian response to ovarian
      stimulation in oocyte donors.
AB  - Recently, growing interest in vitamin D has emerged from findings that
      demonstrate a low vitamin D status in populations. Similarly, much interest has
      been shown in the role that anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) plays in reproductive
      physiology. Considerable confusion as to whether vitamin D status is related to
      ovarian function can be found in the literature. Our retrospective study was
      performed from June 2014 to April 2015. Oocyte donors were recruited and
      stimulated under the antagonist protocol with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone
      (GnRH) agonist to trigger ovulation. In 851 stimulation cycles, we determined the
      association among serum total and bioavailable vitamin D levels, ovarian reserve
      and response to ovarian stimulation and the reproductive outcome in their
      recipients. We showed that vitamin D levels were unrelated to ovarian reserve or
      ovarian response after ovarian stimulation; in oocyte recipients, gestational
      outcome did not differ according to a donor's vitamin D serum status. No
      correlation was observed between serum AMH and vitamin D. Bioavailable vitamin D
      was not related to recipients' ongoing pregnancy rate. Highly prevalent vitamin D
      insufficiency neither impaired ovarian reserve nor response or oocyte quality in
      egg donors. No evidence was found for recommending the analysis of vitamin D
      status in oocyte donors.

PMID- 28625762
TI  - Fungal peritonitis by Thermoascus crustaceus in a peritoneal dialysis patient
      from Chile.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fungal peritonitis is a relatively uncommon infection in peritoneal
      dialysis patients. However, it can be associated with significant morbimortality.
      In recent reports, Candida species and other filamentous fungi have been reported
      as being aetiological agents. Thermoascus species are ubiquitous, thermophilic
      fungi, with an anamorph in the Paecilomyces genus. Here we present the first
      report of fungal peritonitis by Thermoascus crustaceus from Chile. CASE REPORT:
      We present the case of an 83-year-old female patient, with a history of
      cholecystectomy, hernia repair, severe arterial hypertension, hip and knee
      osteoarthritis and several episodes of peritoneal dialysis with a cloudy exudate.
      Bacterial cultures were negative. In addition, a history of two months with
      intermittent fever peaks mainly in the evening was reported. Blood culture
      bottles inoculated with peritoneal fluid revealed the presence of fungal growth.
      Morphological and molecular studies allowed us to identify the aetiological agent
      as Thermoascus crustaceus. An antifungal susceptibility test was performed using
      the M38-A2 method, developed by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute
      (CLSI). The MIC values to amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole and
      echinochandins were 0.5, 0.25, 0.25 and 0.125MUg/ml, respectively. Antifungal
      treatment with amphotericin B was prescribed, with good patient progress.
      CONCLUSIONS: Fungal peritonitis is a very rare entity. Moreover, the spectrum of
      fungal pathogens continues to expand, a reason for which morphological and
      molecular studies are necessary for a rapid diagnosis.

PMID- 28625763
TI  - Effects of tectonics and large scale climatic changes on the evolutionary history
      of Hyalomma ticks.
AB  - Hyalomma Koch, 1844 are ixodid ticks that infest mammals, birds and reptiles, to
      which 27 recognized species occur across the Afrotropical, Palearctic and
      Oriental regions. Despite their medical and veterinary importance, the
      evolutionary history of the group is enigmatic. To investigate various taxonomic
      hypotheses based on morphology, and also some of the mechanisms involved in the
      diversification of the genus, we sequenced and analysed data derived from two
      mtDNA fragments, three nuclear DNA genes and 47 morphological characters.
      Bayesian and Parsimony analyses based on the combined data (2242 characters for
      84 taxa) provided maximum resolution and strongly supported the monophyly of
      Hyalomma and the subgenus Euhyalomma Filippova, 1984 (including H. punt
      Hoogstraal, Kaiser and Pedersen, 1969). A predicted close evolutionary
      association was found between morphologically similar H. dromedarii Koch, 1844,
      H. somalicum Tonelli Rondelli, 1935, H. impeltatum Schulze and Schlottke, 1929
      and H. punt, and together they form a sister lineage to H. asiaticum Schulze and
      Schlottke, 1929, H. schulzei Olenev, 1931 and H. scupense Schulze, 1919.
      Congruent with morphological suggestions, H. anatolicum Koch, 1844, H. excavatum
      Koch, 1844 and H. lusitanicum Koch, 1844 form a clade and so also H. glabrum
      Delpy, 1949, H. marginatum Koch, 1844, H. turanicum Pomerantzev, 1946 and H.
      rufipes Koch, 1844. Wide scale continental sampling revealed cryptic divergences
      within African H. truncatum Koch, 1844 and H. rufipes and suggested that the
      taxonomy of these lineages is in need of a revision. The most basal lineages in
      Hyalomma represent taxa currently confined to Eurasia and molecular clock
      estimates suggest that members of the genus started to diverge approximately
      36.25 million years ago (Mya). The early diversification event coincides well
      with the collision of the Indian and Eurasian Plates, an event that was also
      characterized by large scale faunal turnover in the region. Using S-Diva, we also
      propose that the closure of the Tethyan seaway allowed for the genus to first
      enter Africa approximately 17.73Mya. In concert, our data supports the notion
      that tectonic events and large scale global changes in the environment
      contributed significantly to produce the rich species diversity currently found
      in the genus Hyalomma.

PMID- 28625764
TI  - Genome-wide identification and expression profiling of EIL gene family in woody
      plant representative poplar (Populus trichocarpa).
AB  - This study aimed to improve current understanding on ethylene-insensitive 3-like
      (EIL) members, least explored in woody plants such as poplar (Populus trichocarpa
      Torr. & Grey). Herein, seven putative EIL members were identified in P.
      trichocarpa genome and were roughly annotated either as EIN3-like sequence
      associated with ethylene pathway or EIL3-like sequences related with sulfur (S)
      pathway. Motif-distribution pattern of proteins also corroborated this
      annotation. They were distributed on six chromosomes (chr1, 3, 4 and 8-10), and
      were revealed to encode a protein of 509-662 residues with nuclear localization.
      The presence of ethylene insensitive 3 (EIN3; PF04873) domain (covering first 80
      280 residues from N-terminus) was confirmed by Hidden Markov Model-based search.
      The first half of EIL proteins (~80-280 residues including EIN3 domain) was
      substantially conserved. The second half (~300-600 residues) was considerably
      diverged. Additionally, first half of proteins harbored acidic, proline-rich and
      glutamine-rich sites, and supported the essentiality of these regions in the
      transcriptional-activation and protein-function. Moreover, identified six
      segmental and one-tandem duplications demonstrated the negative or purifying
      selective nature of mutations. Furthermore, expression profile analysis indicated
      the possibility of a crosstalk between EIN3- and EIL3-like genes, and co
      expression networks implicated their interactions with very diverse panels of
      biological molecules.

PMID- 28625765
TI  - Flavin-dependent epitranscriptomic world.
AB  - RNAs molecules fulfill key roles in the expression and regulation of the genetic
      information stored within the DNA chromosomes. In addition to the four canonical
      bases, U, C, A and G, RNAs harbor various chemically modified derivatives which
      are generated post-transcriptionally by specific enzymes acting directly at the
      polymer level. More than one hundred naturally occurring modified nucleosides
      have been identified to date, the largest number of which is found in tRNAs and
      rRNA. This remarkable biochemical process produces widely diversified RNAs
      further expanding the functional repertoires of these nucleic acids.
      Interestingly, several RNA-modifying enzymes use a flavin bioorganic molecule as
      a coenzyme in RNA modification pathways. Some of these reactions are simple while
      others are extremely complex using challenging chemistry orchestrated by large
      flavoenzymatic systems. In this review, we summarize recent knowledges on the
      flavin-dependent RNA-modifying enzymes and discuss the relevance of their
      activity within a cellular context.

PMID- 28625766
TI  - Amine oxidation by d-arginine dehydrogenase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - d-Arginine dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PaDADH) is a flavin
      dependent oxidoreductase, which is part of a novel two-enzyme racemization system
      that functions to convert d-arginine to l-arginine. PaDADH contains a
      noncovalently linked FAD that shows the highest activity with d-arginine. The
      enzyme exhibits broad substrate specificity towards d-amino acids, particularly
      with cationic and hydrophobic d-amino acids. Biochemical studies have established
      the structure and the mechanistic properties of the enzyme. The enzyme is a true
      dehydrogenase because it displays no reactivity towards molecular oxygen. As
      established through solvent and multiple kinetic isotope studies, PaDADH
      catalyzes an asynchronous CH and NH bond cleavage via a hydride transfer
      mechanism. Steady-state kinetic studies with d-arginine and d-histidine are
      consistent with the enzyme following a ping-pong bi-bi mechanism. As shown by a
      combination of crystallography, kinetic and computational data, the shape and
      flexibility of loop L1 in the active site of PaDADH are important for substrate
      capture and broad substrate specificity.

PMID- 28625767
TI  - Early life stress perturbs the function of microglia in the developing rodent
      brain: New insights and future challenges.
AB  - The role of the innate immune system in mediating some of the consequences of
      childhood abuse and neglect has received increasing attention in recent years.
      Most of the work to date has focused on the role that neuroinflammation plays in
      the long-term adult psychiatric and medical complications associated with
      childhood maltreatment. The effects of stress-induced neuroinflammation on
      neurodevelopment have received little attention because until recently this issue
      has not been studied systematically in animal models of early life stress. The
      primary goal of this review is to explore the hypothesis that elevated
      corticosterone during the first weeks of life in mice exposed to brief daily
      separation (BDS), which is a mouse model of early life stress, disrupts
      microglial function during a critical period of brain development. We propose
      that perturbations of microglial function lead to abnormal maturation of several
      neuronal and non-neuronal cellular processes resulting in behavioral
      abnormalities that emerge during the juvenile period and persist in adulthood.
      Here, we highlight recent work demonstrating that exposure to BDS alters
      microglial cell number, morphology, phagocytic activity, and gene expression in
      the developing hippocampus in a manner that extends into the juvenile period.
      These changes in microglial function are associated with abnormalities in
      developmental processes mediated by microglia including synaptogenesis, synaptic
      pruning, axonal growth, and myelination. We examine the changes in microglial
      gene expression in the context of previous work demonstrating developmental and
      behavioral abnormalities in BDS mice and in other animal models of early life
      stress. The possible utility of these findings for developing novel PET imaging
      to assess microglial function in individuals exposed to childhood maltreatment is
      also discussed.

PMID- 28625769
TI  - Mechanisms of aortic dissection smooth muscle cell phenotype switch.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of Nanog homeobox (NANOG) in thoracic
      aortic dissection (TAD) and the role of NANOG in regulating human aortic vascular
      smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) phenotype switch. METHODS: Aortic specimens were
      collected from 20 patients undergoing TAD and 10 controls. VSMCs were isolated by
      adherent cultivation approach. The expression of NANOG, osteopontin (OPN), and
      VSMCs phenotype markers were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase
      chain reaction, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. Cell
      counting, scratch wound-healing assay, Transwell migration, and apoptosis assays
      were used for cell function assessment. Deoxyribonucleic acid-protein binding
      detection was performed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: Our experiment
      results showed that NANOG and OPN were highly expressed in TAD aortic wall and
      VSMCs, both accompanying VSMCs phenotype switch. Overexpression of NANOG induced
      the up-regulation of VSMCs synthetic marker matrix metalloproteinase 2 and the
      down-regulation of VSMCs contractile markers alpha-smooth muscle actin and smooth
      muscle 22alpha. Overexpression of NANOG also enhanced the proliferation,
      migration, and antiapoptosis capabilities of VSMCs. The results also showed that
      these functions of NANOG was via OPN and NANOG directly up-regulated OPN by
      binding to its promoter region. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that NANOG is
      highly expressed in TAD aortic wall and VSMCs. Increased NANOG promotes VSMCs
      phenotype switch by directly up-regulating OPN through binding to its promoter
      region.

PMID- 28625770
TI  - Secondary sclerosing cholangitis following cardiac surgery: An uncommon but
      deadly gastrointestinal complication.

PMID- 28625768
TI  - Screening and characterization of lactic acid bacterial strains that produce
      fermented milk and reduce cholesterol levels.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To screen for and characterize lactic acid bacteria strains with the
      ability to produce fermented milk and reduce cholesterol levels. METHODS: The
      strains were isolated from traditional fermented milk in China. In vitro and in
      vivo evaluation of cholesterol-reduction were used to identify and verify strains
      of interest. Characteristics were analyzed using spectrophotometry and plate
      counting assays. RESULTS: The isolate HLX37 consistently produced fermented milk
      with strong cholesterol-reducing properties was identified as Lactobacillus
      plantarum (accession number: KR105940) and was thus selected for further study.
      The cholesterol reduction by strain HLX37 was 45.84%. The isolates were acid
      tolerant at pH 2.5 and bile-tolerant at 0.5% (w/v) in simulated gastric juice (pH
      2.5) for 2h and in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 8.0) for 3h. The auto
      aggregation rate increased to 87.74% after 24h, while the co-aggregation with
      Escherichia coli DH5 was 27.76%. Strain HLX37 was intrinsically resistant to
      antibiotics such as penicillin, tobramycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, vancomycin
      and amikacin. Compared with rats in the model hyperlipidemia group, the total
      cholesterol content in the serum and the liver as well as the atherogenic index
      of rats in the viable fermented milk group significantly decreased by 23.33%,
      32.37% and 40.23%, respectively. Fewer fat vacuoles and other lesions in liver
      tissue were present in both the inactivated and viable fermented milk groups
      compared to the model group. CONCLUSION: These studies indicate that strain HLX37
      of L. plantarum demonstrates probiotic potential, potential for use as a
      candidate for commercial use for promoting health.

PMID- 28625772
TI  - Discussion.

PMID- 28625771
TI  - Comparison of plasma to tissue DNA mutations in surgical patients with non-small
      cell lung cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Noninvasive liquid biopsies of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be
      used to assess non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but previous work focused on
      patients with advanced-stage cancer. Thus, we evaluated the feasibility and their
      potential clinical application of circulating tumor DNA approached for surgical
      patients with NSCLC. METHOD: Consecutive patients with suspected lung cancer who
      underwent curative-intent lung resection were enrolled prospectively in this
      study. Targeted DNA sequencing with a next-generation sequencing platform was
      used to identify a series of somatic mutations in matched tumor tissue DNA (tDNA)
      and plasma ctDNA samples. Plasma was collected before, during, and after surgery.
      Concordance was defined as matched tDNA and ctDNA with the same identified
      mutations or with no mutations. RESULTS: In the enrolled 76 patients with lung
      cancer who were included, 31 had concordant mutations and 21 had no mutation in
      both ctDNA and tDNA, yielding an overall concordance of 68.4%. ctDNA samples
      obtained before and during surgery had the same mutations with a low variance in
      mutation frequency (1.2%) that was reduced to an average of 0.28% after surgery
      (P < .001). More patients were positive as assayed by ctDNA (48; 63.2%) than with
      serum tumor protein markers (36; 49.3%). The area under the curve was greater in
      ctDNA (0.887, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.788-0.986) than for the 2
      prediction models (0.803, 95% CI, 0.647-0.959; 0.69, 95% CI, 0.512-0.869) for
      estimating malignancy of solitary pulmonary nodules. CONCLUSION: ctDNA mutation
      analysis for stage I-III surgical patients with NSCLC is feasible. More studies
      are needed to investigate its clinical application.

PMID- 28625773
TI  - Reoperative root replacement: To do or not to do.

PMID- 28625774
TI  - Revisiting Ginsberg and Rubinstein's study.

PMID- 28625775
TI  - The Ross procedure is the best operation to treat aortic stenosis in young and
      middle-aged adults.

PMID- 28625776
TI  - Beta-carotene preferentially regulates chicken myoblast proliferation withdrawal
      and differentiation commitment via BCO1 activity and retinoic acid production.
AB  - The enzyme beta-carotene oxygenase 1 (BCO1) catalyzes the breakdown of provitamin
      A, including beta-carotene (BC), into retinal, prior to its oxidation into
      retinoic acid (RA). Allelic variation at the BCO1 locus results in differential
      expression of its mRNA and affects carotenoid metabolism specifically in chicken
      Pectoralis major muscle. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate
      the potential myogenic effect of BC and the underlying mechanisms in chicken
      myoblasts. BCO1 mRNA was detected in myoblasts derived from chicken satellite
      cells. Treating these myoblasts with BC led to a significant decrease in BrdU
      incorporation. This anti-proliferative effect was confirmed by a cell cycle study
      using flow cytometry. BC also significantly increased the differentiation index,
      suggesting a positive effect on the commitment of avian myoblasts to myogenic
      differentiation. Addition of DEAB, a specific inhibitor of RALDH activity,
      significantly reduced BC anti-proliferative and pro-differentiating effects,
      suggesting that BC exerted its biological effect on chicken myoblasts through
      activation of the RA pathway. We also observed that in myoblast showing decreased
      BCO1 expression consecutive to a natural mutation or to a siRNA treatment, the
      response to BC was inhibited. Nevertheless, BCO1 siRNA transfection increased
      expression of BCO2 which inhibited cell proliferation in control and BC treated
      cells.

PMID- 28625778
TI  - Analysis of phytoplankton assemblage structure in the Mediterranean Sea based on
      high-throughput sequencing of partial 18S rRNA sequences.
AB  - Studying taxonomic and ecological diversity of phytoplankton assemblages is often
      difficult because morphological analysis cannot provide a complete description of
      their composition. Therefore, more robust and feasible approaches have to be
      chosen to elucidate the interactions between environmental and human pressures
      and phytoplankton assemblages. The Ocean Sampling Day (OSD) allowed collecting
      seawater samples from a wide range of oceanic regions including the Mediterranean
      Sea. In this study, a total of 754,167 V4-18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) metabarcodes
      derived from 20 plankton samples collected at 19 sampling sites across the
      coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea were analyzed to explore the relationships
      between phytoplankton assemblages' composition, sub-regional environmental
      features and human pressures. We reduced the whole set of autotroph plankton
      (1398 OTUs) to a smaller number of ecologically relevant entities (205 taxa) and
      used the latter for analysing the structure of phytoplankton assemblages.
      Chaetoceros was the only genus occurring in all the samples, while the number of
      taxa was maximum in the W Mediterranean. Based on the assigned OTUs, the
      structure of E Mediterranean phytoplankton was the most homogeneous. Further,
      phytoplankton assemblages from the three Mediterranean sub-regions (Western,
      Adriatic and Eastern) were significantly different (R=0.25, p=0.0136) based on
      Jaccard similarity. We also observed that phytoplankton diversity and human
      impact on marine ecosystems were not significantly related to each other based on
      Mantel's test.

PMID- 28625779
TI  - Multiple Isoforms of Nesprin1 Are Integral Components of Ciliary Rootlets.
AB  - SYNE1 (synaptic nuclear envelope 1) encodes multiple isoforms of Nesprin1
      (nuclear envelope spectrin 1) that associate with the nuclear envelope (NE)
      through a C-terminal KASH (Klarsicht/Anc1/Syne homology) domain (Figure 1A) [1
      4]. This domain interacts directly with the SUN (Sad1/Unc84) domain of Sun
      proteins [5-7], a family of transmembrane proteins of the inner nuclear membrane
      (INM) [8, 9], to form the so-called LINC complexes (linkers of the nucleoskeleton
      and cytoskeleton) that span the entire NE and mediate nuclear positioning [10
      12]. In a stark departure from this classical depiction of Nesprin1 in the
      context of the NE, we report here that rootletin recruits Nesprin1alpha at the
      ciliary rootlets of photoreceptors and identify asymmetric NE aggregates of
      Nesprin1alpha and Sun2 that dock filaments of rootletin at the nuclear surface.
      In NIH 3T3 cells, we show that recombinant rootletin filaments also dock to the
      NE through the specific recruitment of an ~600-kDa endogenous isoform of Nesprin1
      (Nes1600kDa) and of Sun2. In agreement with the association of Nesprin1alpha with
      photoreceptor ciliary rootlets and the functional interaction between rootletin
      and Nesprin1 in fibroblasts, we demonstrate that multiple isoforms of Nesprin1
      are integral components of ciliary rootlets of multiciliated ependymal and
      tracheal cells. Together, these data provide a novel functional paradigm for
      Nesprin1 at ciliary rootlets and suggest that the wide spectrum of human
      pathologies linked to truncating mutations of SYNE1 [13-15] may originate in part
      from ciliary defects.

PMID- 28625780
TI  - Enhanced Depolymerization of Actin Filaments by ADF/Cofilin and Monomer Funneling
      by Capping Protein Cooperate to Accelerate Barbed-End Growth.
AB  - A living cell's ability to assemble actin filaments in intracellular motile
      processes is directly dependent on the availability of polymerizable actin
      monomers, which feed polarized filament growth [1, 2]. Continued generation of
      the monomer pool by filament disassembly is therefore crucial. Disassemblers like
      actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin and filament cappers like capping
      protein (CP) are essential agonists of motility [3-8], but the exact molecular
      mechanisms by which they accelerate actin polymerization at the leading edge and
      filament turnover has been debated for over two decades [9-12]. Whereas filament
      fragmentation by ADF/cofilin has long been demonstrated by total internal
      reflection fluorescence (TIRF) [13, 14], filament depolymerization was only
      inferred from bulk solution assays [15]. Using microfluidics-assisted TIRF
      microscopy, we provide the first direct visual evidence of ADF's simultaneous
      severing and rapid depolymerization of individual filaments. Using a conceptually
      novel assay to directly visualize ADF's effect on a population of pre-assembled
      filaments, we demonstrate how ADF's enhanced pointed-end depolymerization causes
      an increase in polymerizable actin monomers, thus promoting faster barbed-end
      growth. We further reveal that ADF-enhanced depolymerization synergizes with CP's
      long-predicted "monomer funneling" [16] and leads to skyrocketing of filament
      growth rates, close to estimated lamellipodial rates. The "funneling model"
      hypothesized, on thermodynamic grounds, that at high enough extent of capping,
      the few non-capped filaments transiently grow much faster [15], an effect
      proposed to be very important for motility. We provide the first direct
      microscopic evidence of monomer funneling at the scale of individual filaments.
      These results significantly enhance our understanding of the turnover of cellular
      actin networks.

PMID- 28625781
TI  - ADF/Cofilin Accelerates Actin Dynamics by Severing Filaments and Promoting Their
      Depolymerization at Both Ends.
AB  - Actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilins contribute to cytoskeletal dynamics by
      promoting rapid actin filament disassembly. In the classical view, ADF/cofilin
      sever filaments, and capping proteins block filament barbed ends whereas pointed
      ends depolymerize, at a rate that is still debated. Here, by monitoring the
      activity of the three mammalian ADF/cofilin isoforms on individual skeletal
      muscle and cytoplasmic actin filaments, we directly quantify the reactions
      underpinning filament severing and depolymerization from both ends. We find that,
      in the absence of monomeric actin, soluble ADF/cofilin can associate with bare
      filament barbed ends to accelerate their depolymerization. Compared to bare
      filaments, ADF/cofilin-saturated filaments depolymerize faster from their pointed
      ends and slower from their barbed ends, resulting in similar depolymerization
      rates at both ends. This effect is isoform specific because depolymerization is
      faster for ADF- than for cofilin-saturated filaments. We also show that,
      unexpectedly, ADF/cofilin-saturated filaments qualitatively differ from bare
      filaments: their barbed ends are very difficult to cap or elongate, and
      consequently undergo depolymerization even in the presence of capping protein and
      actin monomers. Such depolymerizing ADF/cofilin-decorated barbed ends are
      produced during 17% of severing events. They are also the dominant fate of
      filament barbed ends in the presence of capping protein, because capping allows
      growing ADF/cofilin domains to reach the barbed ends, thereby promoting their
      uncapping and subsequent depolymerization. Our experiments thus reveal how
      ADF/cofilin, together with capping protein, control the dynamics of actin
      filament barbed and pointed ends. Strikingly, our results propose that
      significant barbed-end depolymerization may take place in cells.

PMID- 28625782
TI  - Complex Sexual Deception in an Orchid Is Achieved by Co-opting Two Independent
      Biosynthetic Pathways for Pollinator Attraction.
AB  - Sexually deceptive orchids lure their specific male pollinators using volatile
      semiochemicals that mimic female sex pheromones. To date, the semiochemicals
      known to be involved consist of blends of chemically and biosynthetically related
      compounds. In contrast, we report that (S)-beta-citronellol and 2-hydroxy-6
      methylacetophenone, two biosynthetically distinct compounds, are the active
      semiochemicals in Caladenia plicata, which is pollinated by male Zeleboria sp.
      thynnine wasps. They are also sex pheromone components of the female Zeleboria. A
      1:4 blend elicits a high rate of attempted copulation (~70%) in bioassays,
      equivalent to rates observed at orchid flowers. Whereas beta-citronellol is well
      known, 2-hydroxy-6-methylacetophenone appears to be previously unknown as a
      floral volatile. Production of the two compounds is restricted to glandular sepal
      tips; thus, differential expression analysis of contrasting floral tissue
      transcriptomes was employed to illuminate the biosynthesis. As expected,
      production of (S)-beta-citronellol commences with the terpene synthase GES1
      catalyzing the irreversible conversion of geranyl diphosphate (GPP) to geraniol.
      Contrary to prediction, biosynthesis subsequently proceeds in three steps,
      commencing with the oxidation of geraniol to geranial by alcohol dehydrogenase
      ADH3, followed by the enantioselective reduction of a double bond in geranial by
      geranial reductase GER1 to give (S)-beta-citronellal. Finally, ADH3-catalyzed
      reduction of (S)-beta-citronellal results in (S)-beta-citronellol. In line with
      previous work on insects showing that 2-hydroxy-6-methylacetophenone is derived
      from a polyketide pathway, we report a differentially expressed polyketide
      synthase (PKS) gene candidate. Thus, in this unique example of sexual deception,
      pollination is achieved by co-opting and regulating two independent biosynthetic
      pathways of floral volatile compounds. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

PMID- 28625784
TI  - Heightened sympathetic arousal is demonstrated by skin conductance responsivity
      to auditory stimuli in a small cohort of neonates with opiate withdrawal.
AB  - To determine the effects of auditory stimulus on skin conductance (SC) in infants
      with severe neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) that required morphine treatment
      (MT) compared with NAS infants that did not require morphine treatment (non-MT).
      We prospectively enrolled opiate-exposed term infants without polysubstance
      exposure. Skin conductance responses to an auditory stimulus (ringing a bell for
      3s) near the time of discharge were obtained. Skin conductance was measured
      before, during, and after the stimulus. Non-parametric tests were used to
      determine between group and within phase differences. Infants were off MT at the
      time of SC measurement in response to an auditory stimulus. In a 2-group
      comparison of MT vs. non-MT infants, there was significantly higher SC
      responsivity to an auditory stimulus (p <0.05) in the MT group as compared with
      the non-MT group near discharge. The mean +SE peak morphine dose was
      0.85+0.20mg/kg/day in the MT group. The mean Length of Stay (LOS) was 32 vs. 7 (p
      <0.05) days respectively, for the MT vs. the non-MT group. Our preliminary data
      suggest that in infants with severe NAS symptoms, higher sympathetic arousal in
      response to an auditory stimulus persists at discharge, underscoring the need for
      ongoing evaluation and specialized care at home.

PMID- 28625783
TI  - Probabilistic Invasion Underlies Natural Gut Microbiome Stability.
AB  - Species compositions of gut microbiomes impact host health [1-3], but the
      processes determining these compositions are largely unknown. An unexplained
      observation is that gut species composition varies widely between individuals but
      is largely stable over time within individuals [4, 5]. Stochastic factors during
      establishment may drive these alternative stable states (colonized versus non
      colonized) [6, 7], which can influence susceptibility to pathogens, such as
      Clostridium difficile. Here we sought to quantify and model the dose response,
      dynamics, and stability of bacterial colonization in the fruit fly (Drosophila
      melanogaster) gut. Our precise, high-throughput technique revealed stable between
      host variation in colonization when individual germ-free flies were fed their own
      natural commensals (including the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum). Some flies
      were colonized while others remained germ-free even at extremely high bacterial
      doses. Thus, alternative stable states of colonization exist even in this low
      complexity model of host-microbe interactions. These alternative states are
      driven by a fundamental asymmetry between the inoculum population and the stably
      colonized population that is mediated by spatial localization and a population
      bottleneck, which makes stochastic effects important by lowering the effective
      population size. Prior colonization with other bacteria reduced the chances of
      subsequent colonization, thus increasing the stability of higher-diversity guts.
      Therefore, stable gut diversity may be driven by inherently stochastic processes,
      which has important implications for combatting infectious diseases and for
      stably establishing probiotics in the gut.

PMID- 28625785
TI  - Cerebral ischemia/repefusion injury: From bench space to bedside.
AB  - While stroke research represents the primary interface between circulation and
      brain research, the hemostasis system also carries a pivotal role in the
      mechanism of vascular brain injury. The complex interrelated events triggered by
      the energy crisis have a specific spatial and temporal pattern arching from the
      initial damage to the final events of brain repair. The complexity of the
      pathophysiology make it difficult to model this disease, therefore it is
      challenging to find appropriate therapeutic targets. The ever-persistent
      antagonism between the positive results of drug candidates in the experimental
      stroke models and the failures of the clinical trials prompts changes in the
      research strategy, especially in the field of potential neuroprotective
      therapies. System biology approach could initiate new directions in the future
      for both preclinical and clinical research. Incentive methods aimed at anti
      apoptosis mechanisms and the augmentation of post-ischemic brain repair could
      benefit the facts, that these processes can be targeted much longer following the
      cell-necrosis in the hyper-acute phase. Sequential monitoring of candidate genes
      and proteins responsible for stroke progression and post-stroke repair seems to
      be useful both in therapeutic target-identification, and in clinical testing.
      Understanding the mechanism behind the effect of selegiline and other drugs
      capable of activating the anti-apoptotic gene expression could help to find new
      approaches to enhance the regenerative potential in the remodeling of neuronal
      and microvascular networks.

PMID- 28625786
TI  - Drug induces depression-like phenotypes and alters gene expression profiles in
      Drosophila.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental illness that
      affects more than 350 million people worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms
      of depression are currently unclear. Studies suggest that Drosophila and humans
      have similar depression-like symptoms under pressure. In this research, we choose
      Drosophila melanogaster as the animal model to explore the molecular mechanisms
      that trigger depression. RESULTS: We found that feeding D. melanogaster with the
      medium containing Levodopa or Chlorpromazine could induce depression-like
      phenotypes in both behavioral and biochemical biomarkers, including significantly
      decreased food intake, mating frequency, serotonin (5-HT) concentration, and
      increased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration as well as reduced activity of
      superoxide dismutase (SOD). Moreover, the progeny of Chlorpromazine-treated flies
      also showed these depression-like features. By RNA-seq technology, we identified
      467 genes that were differentially expressed between Chlorpromazine treated (CPZ)
      and control male flies [fold-change of >=2 (q-value<5%)]. When comparing CPZ with
      control flies, 312 genes were upregulated and 155 genes downregulated.
      Differential expression of genes related to metabolic pathway, Parkinson's
      disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and lysozyme pathways were
      observed. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed that 19
      genes are differentially expressed in CPZ and control male flies. CONCLUSIONS:
      Levodopa, or Chlorpromazine can induce depression-like phenotypes in D.
      melanogaster regarding changes of appetite and sexual activity, and some key
      biochemical markers. A total of 467 genes were identified by RNA-seq analysis to
      have at least a 2-fold-change in expression between CPZ and control flies,
      including genes involved in metabolism, neurological diseases and lysozyme
      pathways. Our data provide additional insight into molecular mechanisms
      underlying depressive disorders in humans and may also contribute to clinical
      treatment.

PMID- 28625787
TI  - Structural Snapshots and Loop Dynamics along the Catalytic Cycle of
      Glycosyltransferase GpgS.
AB  - Glycosyltransferases (GTs) play a central role in nature. They catalyze the
      transfer of a sugar moiety to a broad range of acceptor substrates. GTs are
      highly selective enzymes, allowing the recognition of subtle structural
      differences in the sequences and stereochemistry of their sugar and acceptor
      substrates. We report here a series of structural snapshots of the reaction
      center of the retaining glucosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase (GpgS). During this
      sequence of events, we visualize how the enzyme guides the substrates into the
      reaction center where the glycosyl transfer reaction takes place, and unveil the
      mechanism of product release, involving multiple conformational changes not only
      in the substrates/products but also in the enzyme. The structural data are
      further complemented by metadynamics free-energy calculations, revealing how the
      equilibrium of loop conformations is modulated along these itineraries. The
      information reported here represent an important contribution for the
      understanding of GT enzymes at the molecular level.

PMID- 28625789
TI  - Maltoporin LamB Unfolds beta Hairpins along Mechanical Stress-Dependent Unfolding
      Pathways.
AB  - Upon mechanical pulling at either terminal end, beta barrel outer membrane
      proteins stepwise unfold beta strands or beta hairpins until entirely extracted
      from the membrane. This unique unfolding pathway has been described for beta
      barrels comprising 8, 14, or 22 beta strands. Here we mechanically unfold the 18
      stranded beta barrel outer membrane protein LamB from Escherichia coli. We find
      that its mechanical unfolding pathway is shaped by the stepwise unfolding of beta
      hairpins. However, we also observe that beta hairpins can unfold groupwise.
      Thereby, beta hairpins unfolding at higher pulling forces show a higher
      probability to unfold collectively, whereas beta hairpins unfolding at lower
      forces tend to unfold individually. This result suggests that the collective
      unfolding of beta hairpins resembles a far-from-equilibrium process, whereas the
      unfolding of individual beta hairpins describes a closer-to-equilibrium process.
      Our findings support a direct link between outer membrane protein structure and
      the unfolding pathway and contribute to a better understanding of their unfolding
      in response to mechanical stress.

PMID- 28625788
TI  - Structural and Functional Trends in Dehydrating Bimodules from trans
      Acyltransferase Polyketide Synthases.
AB  - In an effort to uncover the structural motifs and biosynthetic logic of the
      relatively uncharacterized trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases, we have
      begun the dissection of the enigmatic dehydrating bimodules common in these
      enzymatic assembly lines. We report the 1.98 A resolution structure of a
      ketoreductase (KR) from the first half of a type A dehydrating bimodule and the
      2.22 A resolution structure of a dehydratase (DH) from the second half of a type
      B dehydrating bimodule. The KR, from the third module of the bacillaene synthase,
      and the DH, from the tenth module of the difficidin synthase, possess features
      not observed in structurally characterized homologs. The DH architecture provides
      clues for how it catalyzes a unique double dehydration. Correlations between the
      chemistries proposed for dehydrating bimodules and bioinformatic analysis
      indicate that type A dehydrating bimodules generally produce an alpha/beta-cis
      alkene moiety, while type B dehydrating bimodules generally produce an alpha/beta
      trans, gamma/delta-cis diene moiety.

PMID- 28625790
TI  - Preprotein Conformational Dynamics Drive Bivalent Translocase Docking and
      Secretion.
AB  - Most bacterial secretory proteins destined beyond the plasma membrane are
      secreted post-translationally by the Sec translocase. In the first step of
      translocation, preproteins are targeted for binding to their 2-site receptor
      SecA, the peripheral ATPase subunit of the translocase. We now reveal that
      secretory preproteins use a dual-key mechanism to bridge the signal peptide and
      mature domain receptor sites and cooperatively enhance their affinities. Docking
      of targeting-competent mature domains requires that their extensive disorder is
      finely tuned. This is achieved through amino-terminal mature domain regions
      acting as conformational rheostats. By being linked to the rheostats, signal
      peptides regulate long-range preprotein disorder. Concomitant conformational
      changes in SecA sterically adapt its two receptor sites to optimally recognize
      hundreds of dissimilar preproteins. This novel intramolecular conformational
      crosstalk in the preprotein chains and the dynamic interaction with their
      receptor are mechanistically coupled to preprotein engagement in the translocase
      and essential for secretion.

PMID- 28625791
TI  - On Plant Modularity Traits: Functions and Challenges.
AB  - On-spot persistence, space occupancy, and recovery after damage are key plant
      functions largely understudied. Traits relevant to these functions are difficult
      to assess because of their relationships to plant modularity. We suggest that
      developing collection protocols for these traits is feasible and could facilitate
      their inclusion in global syntheses.

PMID- 28625792
TI  - Remembering the basics: interventions to improve sputum collection for
      tuberculosis diagnosis.

PMID- 28625777
TI  - Safety and tolerability of subcutaneous trastuzumab for the adjuvant treatment of
      human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive early breast cancer: SafeHer
      phase III study's primary analysis of 2573 patients.
AB  - AIM: To assess the safety and tolerability of adjuvant subcutaneous trastuzumab
      (Herceptin(r) SC, H SC), delivered from an H SC Vial via hand-held syringe
      (Cohort A) or single-use injection device (Cohort B), with or without
      chemotherapy, for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive stage
      I to IIIC early breast cancer (EBC) in the phase III SafeHer study (NCT01566721).
      METHODS: Patients received 600 mg fixed-dose H SC every 3 weeks for 18 cycles.
      The chemotherapy partner was at the investigators' discretion (H SC monotherapy
      was limited to <=10% of the population). Data from the first H SC dose until 28
      days (plus a 5-day window) after the last dose are presented. Results are
      descriptive. RESULTS: In the overall population, 2282/2573 patients (88.7%)
      experienced adverse events (AEs). Of the above, 128 (5.0%) patients experienced
      AEs leading to study drug discontinuation; 596 (23.2%) experienced grade >= 3 AEs
      and 326 (12.7%) experienced serious AEs. Grade >= 3 cardiac disorders were
      reported in 24 patients (0.9%), including congestive heart failure in eight
      (0.3%). As expected, the AE rates varied according to the timing of chemotherapy
      in both cohorts, with higher rates in concurrent versus sequential chemotherapy
      subgroups. In the concurrent chemotherapy subgroup, AEs were more common during
      the actual period of concurrent chemotherapy compared with the period when
      patients did not receive concurrent chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: SafeHer confirms
      the safety and tolerability of the H SC 600 mg fixed dose for 1 year (every 3
      weeks for 18 cycles) as adjuvant therapy with concurrent or sequential
      chemotherapy for HER2-positive EBC. These primary analysis results are consistent
      with the known safety profile for intravenous H and H SC.

PMID- 28625794
TI  - [Rupture of ventricular false tendon without cardiopathy].

PMID- 28625793
TI  - Comparison of sputum collection methods for tuberculosis diagnosis: a systematic
      review and pairwise and network meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The performance of laboratory tests to diagnose pulmonary
      tuberculosis is dependent on the quality of the sputum sample tested. The
      relative merits of sputum collection methods to improve tuberculosis diagnosis
      are poorly characterised. We therefore aimed to investigate the effects of sputum
      collection methods on tuberculosis diagnosis. METHODS: We did a systematic review
      and meta-analysis to investigate whether non-invasive sputum collection methods
      in people aged at least 12 years improve the diagnostic performance of laboratory
      testing for pulmonary tuberculosis. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest,
      Web of Science, CINAHL, and Embase up to April 14, 2017, to identify relevant
      experimental, case-control, or cohort studies. We analysed data by pairwise meta
      analyses with a random-effects model and by network meta-analysis. All diagnostic
      performance data were calculated at the sputum-sample level, except where authors
      only reported data at the individual patient-level. Heterogeneity was assessed,
      with potential causes identified by logistic meta-regression. FINDINGS: We
      identified 23 eligible studies published between 1959 and 2017, involving 8967
      participants who provided 19 252 sputum samples. Brief, on-demand spot sputum
      collection was the main reference standard. Pooled sputum collection increased
      tuberculosis diagnosis by microscopy (odds ratio [OR] 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9,
      p<0.0001) or culture (1.7, 1.2-2.4, p=0.01). Providing instructions to the
      patient before sputum collection, during observed collection, or together with
      physiotherapy assistance increased diagnostic performance by microscopy (OR 1.6,
      95% CI 1.3-2.0, p<0.0001). Collecting early morning sputum did not significantly
      increase diagnostic performance of microscopy (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9-2.6, p=0.2) or
      culture (1.4, 0.9-2.4, p=0.2). Network meta-analysis confirmed these findings,
      and revealed that both pooled and instructed spot sputum collections were
      similarly effective techniques for increasing the diagnostic performance of
      microscopy. INTERPRETATION: Tuberculosis diagnoses were substantially increased
      by either pooled collection or by providing instruction on how to produce a
      sputum sample taken at any time of the day. Both interventions had a similar
      effect to that reported for the introduction of new, expensive laboratory tests,
      and therefore warrant further exploration in the drive to end the global
      tuberculosis epidemic. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust, Joint Global Health Trials
      consortium, Innovation For Health and Development, and Bill & Melinda Gates
      Foundation.

PMID- 28625795
TI  - [Right-side aortic arch with aberrant left subclavian artery and Kommerell's
      diverticulum. A cause of vascular ring].
AB  - The right-side aortic arch may be associated with aberrant left subclavian
      artery, in some cases this artery originates from an aneurismal dilation of the
      aorta called Kommerell's diverticulum. A report is presented on 2 cases of
      vascular ring formed by a right-side aortic arch, anomalous left subclavian
      artery, Kommerell's diverticulum and left patent ductus arteriosus. A review the
      literature was also performed as regards the embryological development and the
      imaging methods used to help in the diagnosis of this rare vascular anomaly.

PMID- 28625796
TI  - The characterization of RHEB gene and its responses to hypoxia and thermal
      stresses in the small abalone Haliotis diversicolor.
AB  - RHEB (Ras Homolog Enriched in Brain) is a GTP-binding protein that is
      ubiquitously expressed in humans and other mammals. The protein is largely
      involved in the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and regulates the
      cell cycle progression and growth. The goal of this study was to characterize the
      RHEB gene in the small abalone Haliotis diversicolor, and identify the responses
      of RHEB gene to stresses of hypoxia or/and thermal. The objectives were to: 1)
      clone the full-length cDNA RHEB gene in the H. diversicolor (HdRHEB); 2) quantify
      the expression of HdRHEB gene in tissues of haemocytes, mantle, kidney, gill,
      digestive tract, colleterial gland, and hepatopancreas by using RT-PCR, and 3)
      evaluate the responses of HdRHEB in gill and haemocyte to stresses of hypoxia
      (0.2mg/l00ml), thermal (31 degrees C), and combination of hypoxia (0.4mg/l00ml)
      and thermal (30 degrees C) at exposure time of 0, 4, 24, 96, and 192h. The full
      length cDNA of HdRHEB was 1044bp encoding a peptide of 182 amino acid residues.
      Expression of HdRHEB gene was detected in all of the 7 tissues and showed the
      highest in mantle (P<0.05). Under hypoxia, expression of HdRHEB in gill increased
      significantly at 4h, 24h and 96h (P<0.05), and that in haemocyte increased
      significantly at 24h, 96h and 192h (P<0.05). Under thermal stress, expression of
      HdRHEB gene in gill decreased significantly at 4h and 24h, while expression in
      haemocyte decreased significantly all the time. Under thermal and hypoxia
      stresses, expression of HdRHEB gene in gill and haemocyte was up-regulated
      significantly at 24h and 96h (P<0.05). The results in this study demonstrated for
      the first time that RHEB gene in abalones is able to response to stress stimuli
      of hypoxia or/and thermal.

PMID- 28625797
TI  - Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma - From diagnosis to
      treatment.
AB  - Breast lymphomas comprise a rare group of malignant breast tumors. Among these, a
      new entity has emerged as a potentially under-diagnosed disease. Breast implant
      associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BI-ALCL) most often manifests as a
      late periprosthetic effusion between 1 and 10 years after the implantation of
      silicone or saline-filled breast prostheses. BI-ALCL is an anaplastic lymphoma
      kinase-negative T-cell lymphoma that has a distinctively different clinical
      course than other breast lymphomas or ALCLs. Diagnosis is based on aspiration of
      the effusion around the implant and CD30 positivity of the sample. Every
      periprosthetic effusion after breast augmentation or reconstruction using
      implants should be considered as potential BI-ALCL until proven otherwise. The
      majority of cases at diagnosis are in the in situ stage, i.e., confined to the
      lumen around the prosthesis. Most patients have an excellent prognosis when
      complete removal of the capsule and prosthesis with negative margins is achieved
      surgically. Some patients, however, develop infiltrative disease with a
      potentially life-threatening clinical course. Treatment planning regarding the
      extent of surgery and role of adjuvant therapy, especially in advanced cases,
      requires further investigation.

PMID- 28625798
TI  - Melanoma patient imaging in the era of effective systemic therapies.
AB  - Imaging plays a critical role in the current multi-disciplinary management of
      patients with melanoma. It is used for primary disease staging, surgical
      planning, and surveillance in high-risk patients, and for monitoring the effects
      of systemic or loco-regional therapies. Several different imaging modalities have
      been utilised in the past. Contemporary imaging practises vary geographically
      depending on clinical guidelines, physician preferences, availability and cost.
      Targeted therapies and immunotherapies have revolutionised the treatment of
      patients with metastatic melanoma over the last few years. With this have come
      new patterns of disease that were not observed after conventional therapies, and
      new criteria to assess therapeutic responses. In this article we review the role
      of imaging for patients with melanoma in the era of effective systemic therapies
      and discuss likely future developments.

PMID- 28625799
TI  - Continuous glucose monitoring in a cystic fibrosis patient to predict pulmonary
      exacerbation?
AB  - Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) experience a significant decline in pulmonary
      status before the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). We
      hypothesized that hyperglycemia may be a factor in the decline of pulmonary
      function and increased frequency of pulmonary exacerbations. Long term continuous
      glucose monitoring (CGM) has not been reported in patients with CF and impaired
      glucose tolerance. We performed CGM for three months in a 17year old male with
      F508del and F553X CF mutations, baseline forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1) of
      92% predicted, and impaired glucose tolerance to evaluate changes in glucose
      levels prior to the diagnosis of a pulmonary exacerbation. Results revealed
      elevated overnight, fasting and post-prandial glucose levels up to one week prior
      to diagnosis of a pulmonary exacerbation compared to baseline. In addition, mean
      glucose was elevated and the patient spent a greater percentage of time with
      interstitial glucose>140mg/dL up to one week prior to diagnosis of a pulmonary
      exacerbation. This emphasizes the hypothesis that hyperglycaemia may be a factor
      in pulmonary exacerbations in this population. This case study strengthens the
      evidence base to support larger longitudinal studies to understand the impact of
      glycaemic control and pulmonary function in patients with CF and glucose
      intolerance.

PMID- 28625800
TI  - Arsenic alters transcriptional responses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and
      decreases antimicrobial defense of human airway epithelial cells.
AB  - Arsenic contamination of drinking water and food threatens the health of hundreds
      of millions of people worldwide by increasing the risk of numerous diseases.
      Arsenic exposure has been associated with infectious lung disease in
      epidemiological studies, but it is not yet understood how ingestion of low levels
      of arsenic increases susceptibility to bacterial infection. Accordingly, the goal
      of this study was to examine the effect of arsenic on gene expression in primary
      human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells and to determine if arsenic altered
      epithelial cell responses to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen.
      Bronchial epithelial cells line the airway surface, providing a physical barrier
      and serving critical roles in antimicrobial defense and signaling to professional
      immune cells. We used RNA-seq to define the transcriptional response of HBE cells
      to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and investigated how arsenic affected HBE gene
      networks in the presence and absence of the bacterial challenge. Environmentally
      relevant levels of arsenic significantly changed the expression of genes involved
      in cellular redox homeostasis and host defense to bacterial infection, and
      decreased genes that code for secreted antimicrobial factors such as lysozyme.
      Using pathway analysis, we identified Sox4 and Nrf2-regulated gene networks that
      are predicted to mediate the arsenic-induced decrease in lysozyme secretion. In
      addition, we demonstrated that arsenic decreased lysozyme in the airway surface
      liquid, resulting in reduced lysis of Microccocus luteus. Thus, arsenic alters
      the expression of genes and proteins in innate host defense pathways, thereby
      decreasing the ability of the lung epithelium to fight bacterial infection.

PMID- 28625801
TI  - Clinical features, antifungal susceptibility, and outcome of Candida
      guilliermondii fungemia: An experience in a tertiary hospital in mid-Taiwan.
AB  - BACKGROUNDS: Candida guilliermondii is rarely isolated from clinical specimen. C.
      guilliermondii fungemia is seldom reported in the literature. The aims of this
      study were to report the clinical features, antifungal susceptibility, and
      outcomes of patients with C. guilliermondii fungemia. METHODS: From 2003 to 2015,
      we retrospectively analyzed the clinical and laboratory data of patients with C.
      guilliermondii fungemia in a tertiary hospital in mid-Taiwan. We performed a
      multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify the risk factors of
      mortality. The Sensititre YeastOne microtiter panel assessed the susceptibility
      of antifungal agents. RESULTS: In this study, we identified 36 patients with C.
      guilliermondii fungemia. The median age of patients was 50.5 years (range, 17
      days to 96 year) and 20 cases (56%) were male. The incidence of C. guilliermondii
      fungemia was 0.05 per 1000 admissions. Malignancy was the most common co
      morbidity, and 25 (69%) patients had central venous catheter in place. Thirty-day
      overall mortality was 16.7%. In multivariate logistical regression analysis,
      catheter retention was an independent risk factor of mortality. According to
      epidemiological cutoff values, most clinical isolates (21/22, 95.5%) belonged to
      the wild-type MIC distributions for amphotericin B and flucytosine; however, the
      isolates were less susceptible to fluconazole (68%) and echinocandins (77-91%).
      CONCLUSION: Despite the lower mortality rate associated with C. guilliermondii
      fungemia, the removal of a central venous catheter remained an independent factor
      influencing the outcome of patients. The clinical significance of less
      susceptibility of C. guilliermondii to triazoles and echinocandins remains to be
      elucidated.

PMID- 28625802
TI  - A questionable conclusion by Ido Stahl et al.

PMID- 28625803
TI  - Reply to letter to the editor titled "a questionable conclusion by Ido Stahl et
      al."

PMID- 28625804
TI  - Visibility of healthcare research institutes through the Web of Science database.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The strategic importance of healthcare research institutes (HRIs) in
      health sciences research in Spain has motivated this analysis of the feasibility
      of studing their contribution to the Spanish scientific output through their
      presence as a signatory institution in the publications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We
      identified the output of the HRIs in the Web of Science database, comparing their
      observed output (the institutes are explicitly listed in the authors' workplace)
      and potential output (estimated based on the linked hospitals). RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSIONS: The studies based on scientific publications do not help us reliably
      identify the contribution of the HRIs because their observed production is much
      lower than the potential output, although their visibility tends to increase over
      time. This article highlights the importance of HRI members including the
      institute among their work addresses to increase the visibility of these
      organisations and to facilitate studies aimed at assessing their activity in the
      national and international context.

PMID- 28625805
TI  - Responsiveness and minimal important difference of the urticaria control test.

PMID- 28625806
TI  - A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover trial of pioglitazone
      for severe asthma.

PMID- 28625808
TI  - Relationship between EASI and SCORAD severity assessments for atopic dermatitis.

PMID- 28625809
TI  - Influence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on the risk of persistent and
      recurrent disease in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and elevated
      antithyroglobulin antibodies after initial therapy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who have negative
      serum thyroglobulin after initial therapy, the risk of structural disease is
      higher among those with elevated antithyroglobulin antibodies compared to
      patients without antithyroglobulin antibodies. Other studies suggest that the
      presence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is associated with a lower risk of
      persistence/recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma. OBJECTIVE: This
      prospective study evaluated the influence of chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on
      the risk of persistence and recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients
      with negative thyroglobulin but elevated antithyroglobulin antibodies after
      initial therapy. METHODS: This was a prospective study. Patients with clinical
      examination showing no anomalies, basal Tg<1ng/mL, and elevated antithyroglobulin
      antibodies 8-12 months after ablation were selected. The patients were divided
      into two groups: Group A, with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis on histology;
      Group B, without histological chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. RESULTS: The time
      of follow-up ranged from 60 to 140 months. Persistent disease was detected in 3
      patients of Group A (6.6%) and in 6 of Group B (8.8%) (p=1.0). During follow-up,
      recurrences were diagnosed in 2 patients of Group A (4.7%) and in 5 of Group B
      (8%) (p=0.7). Considering both persistent and recurrent disease, structural
      disease was detected in 5 patients of Group A (11.1%) and in 11 of Group B
      (16.1%) (p=0.58). There was no case of death related to the disease. CONCLUSION:
      Our results do not support the hypothesis that chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is
      associated with a lower risk of persistent or recurrent disease, at least in
      patients with persistently elevated antithyroglobulin antibodies after initial
      therapy for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PMID- 28625811
TI  - Intra-operative radiological diagnosis of a tip roll-over electrode array
      displacement using fluoroscopy, when electrophysiological testing is normal: the
      importance of both techniques in cochlear implant surgery.

PMID- 28625810
TI  - Evaluating the ototoxicity of an anti-MRSA peptide KR-12-a2.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus is an emerging problem
      for the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media, and also for pediatric
      tympanostomy tube otorrhea. To date, there are no effective topical antibiotic
      drugs to treat methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus otorrhea. OBJECTIVE:
      In this study, we evaluated the ototoxicity of topical KR-12-a2 solution on the
      cochlea when it is applied topically in the middle ear of guinea pigs. METHODS:
      The antimicrobial activity of KR-12-a2 against methicillin-resistant
      staphylococcus aureus strains was examined by using the inhibition zone test.
      Topical application of KR-12-a2 solution, gentamicin and phosphate buffered
      saline were applied in the middle ear of the guinea pigs after inserting
      ventilation tubes. Ototoxicity was assessed by auditory brainstem evoked response
      and scanning electron microscope examination. RESULTS: KR-12-a2 produced an
      inhibition zone against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus from 6.25
      MUg. Hearing threshold in the KR-12-a2 and PBS groups were similar to that before
      ventilation tube insertion. However, the gentamicin group showed elevation of the
      hearing threshold and there were statistically significant differences compared
      to the phosphate buffered saline or the KR-12-a2 group. In the scanning electron
      microscope findings, the KR-12-a2 group showed intact outer hair cells. However,
      the gentamicin group showed total loss of outer hair cells. In our experiment,
      topically applied KR-12-a2 solution did not cause hearing loss or cochlear damage
      in guinea pigs. CONCLUSION: In our experiment, topically applied KR-12-a2
      solution did not cause hearing loss or cochlear damage in guinea pigs. The KR-12
      a2 solution can be used as ototopical drops for treating methicillin-resistant
      staphylococcus aureus otorrhea; however, further evaluations, such as the
      definition of optimal concentration and combination, are necessary.

PMID- 28625807
TI  - Evidence for altered levels of IgD in the nasal airway mucosa of patients with
      chronic rhinosinusitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: IgD is an enigmatic antibody isotype best known when coexpressed with
      IgM on naive B cells. However, increased soluble IgD (sIgD) levels and increased
      IgD+IgM- B-cell populations have been described in the human upper respiratory
      mucosa. OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether levels of sIgD and IgD+ B cell counts are
      altered in nasal tissue from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We
      further characterized IgD+ B-cell populations and explored clinical and local
      inflammatory factors associated with tissue sIgD levels. METHODS: sIgD levels
      were measured by means of ELISA in nasal tissues, nasal lavage fluid, sera, and
      supernatants of dissociated nasal tissues. IgD+ cells were identified by using
      immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Inflammatory mediator levels in tissues
      were assessed by using real-time PCR and multiplex immunoassays. Bacterial
      cultures from the middle meatus were performed. Underlying medical history and
      medicine use were obtained from medical records. RESULTS: sIgD levels and numbers
      of IgD+ cells were significantly increased in uncinate tissue (UT) of patients
      with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps (CRSsNP) compared with that of
      control subjects (4-fold, P < .05). IgD+ cells were densely scattered in the
      periglandular regions of UT from patients with CRSsNP. We also found that
      IgD+CD19+CD38bright plasmablast numbers were significantly increased in tissues
      from patients with CRSsNP compared with control tissues (P < .05). Among numerous
      factors tested, IL-2 levels were increased in UT from patients with CRSsNP and
      were positively correlated with tissue IgD levels. Additionally, supernatants of
      IL-2-stimulated dissociated tissue from patients with CRSsNP had significantly
      increased sIgD levels compared with those in IL-2-stimulated dissociated control
      tissue ex vivo (P < .05). Tissue from patients with CRS with preoperative
      antibiotic use or those with pathogenic bacteria showed higher IgD levels
      compared with tissue from patients without these variables (P < .05). CONCLUSION:
      sIgD levels and IgD+CD19+CD38bright plasmablast counts were increased in nasal
      tissue of patients with CRSsNP. IgD levels were associated with increased IL-2
      levels and the presence of pathogenic bacteria. These findings suggest that IgD
      might contribute to enhancement mucosal immunity or inflammation or respond to
      bacterial infections in patients with CRS, especially CRSsNP.

PMID- 28625812
TI  - Did the Great Recession increase suicides in the USA? Evidence from an
      interrupted time-series analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Research suggests that the Great Recession of 2007-2009 led to nearly
      5000 excess suicides in the United States. However, prior work has not accounted
      for seasonal patterning and unique suicide trends by age and gender. METHODS: We
      calculated monthly suicide rates from 1999 to 2013 for men and women aged 15 and
      above. Suicide rates before the Great Recession were used to predict the rate
      during and after the Great Recession. Death rates for each age-gender group were
      modeled using Poisson regression with robust variance, accounting for seasonal
      and nonlinear suicide trajectories. RESULTS: There were 56,658 suicide deaths
      during the Great Recession. Age- and gender-specific suicide trends before the
      recession demonstrated clear seasonal and nonlinear trajectories. Our models
      predicted 57,140 expected suicide deaths, leading to 482 fewer observed than
      expected suicides (95% confidence interval -2079, 943). CONCLUSIONS: We found
      little evidence to suggest that the Great Recession interrupted existing
      trajectories of suicide rates. Suicide rates were already increasing before the
      Great Recession for middle-aged men and women. Future studies estimating the
      impact of recessions on suicide should account for the diverse and unique suicide
      trajectories of different social groups.

PMID- 28625813
TI  - Neurogenesis in the aging brain.
AB  - Adult neurogenesis is the process of producing new neurons from neural stem cells
      (NSCs) for integration into the brain circuitry. Neurogenesis occurs throughout
      life in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the lateral ventricle and
      the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. However, during
      aging, NSCs and their progenitors exhibit reduced proliferation and neuron
      production, which is thought to contribute to age-related cognitive impairment
      and reduced plasticity that is necessary for some types of brain repair. In this
      review, we describe NSCs and their niches during tissue homeostasis and how they
      undergo age-associated remodeling and dysfunction. We also discuss some of the
      functional ramifications in the brain from NSC aging. Finally, we discuss some
      recent insights from interventions in NSC aging that could eventually translate
      into therapies for healthy brain aging.

PMID- 28625814
TI  - A multi-technique characterization of the stability of surfactant containing
      solid dispersion based buccal patches prepared by hot melt injection moulding.
AB  - This study investigates the stability of typically complex multi-component
      hydrophilic solid dispersions that could be used in a clinical application.
      Felodipine solid dispersions in two types of blends consisting of PEG, PEO and
      Tween 80 or Vit E TPGS were prepared by hot melt-injection moulding (HMIM) across
      a range of drug loadings and subjected to a range of storage conditions.
      Microscopy, thermal analysis, spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction were used
      to characterize the systems. The semi-solid surfactant TPGS showed a better
      solubilizing effect on the drug than the liquid surfactant Tween 80 in the fresh
      state and offered some degree of protection over the chemical degradation of
      PEG/PEO. Better storage stability was observed for the systems with low drug
      loading. Crystallization of a new metastable polymorphic form of felodipine in
      the patches with drug loadings at and above the saturation point was observed.
      Quantitative comparison of the data sets was achieved by a normalisation process
      and calculation of statistical variance. TPGS containing patches were more
      sensitive to the aging process than Tween containing patches. For both
      surfactants, such instability is more responsive to the storage temperature than
      humidity. This study established a methodology for probing the complex
      stabilities of multi-component dispersions.

PMID- 28625815
TI  - Risk of Pneumonia Caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci in Inflammatory Bowel Disease:
      The Role of Concomitant Pulmonary Comorbidities.

PMID- 28625816
TI  - A Prospective Multicenter Study Evaluating Learning Curves and Competence in
      Endoscopic Ultrasound and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Among
      Advanced Endoscopy Trainees: The Rapid Assessment of Trainee Endoscopy Skills
      Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: On the basis of the Next Accreditation System, trainee
      assessment should occur on a continuous basis with individualized feedback. We
      aimed to validate endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde
      cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) learning curves among advanced endoscopy trainees
      (AETs) by using a large national sample of training programs and to develop a
      centralized database that allows assessment of performance in relation to peers.
      METHODS: ASGE recognized training programs were invited to participate, and AETs
      were graded on ERCP and EUS exams by using a validated competency assessment tool
      that assesses technical and cognitive competence in a continuous fashion. Grading
      for each skill was done by using a 4-point scoring system, and a comprehensive
      data collection and reporting system was built to create learning curves by using
      cumulative sum analysis. Individual results and benchmarking to peers were shared
      with AETs and trainers quarterly. RESULTS: Of the 62 programs invited, 20
      programs and 22 AETs participated in this study. At the end of training, median
      number of EUS and ERCP performed/AET was 300 (range, 155-650) and 350 (125-500),
      respectively. Overall, 3786 exams were graded (EUS, 1137; ERCP-biliary, 2280;
      ERCP-pancreatic, 369). Learning curves for individual end points and overall
      technical/cognitive aspects in EUS and ERCP demonstrated substantial variability
      and were successfully shared with all programs. The majority of trainees achieved
      overall technical (EUS, 82%; ERCP, 60%) and cognitive (EUS, 76%; ERCP, 100%)
      competence at conclusion of training. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the
      feasibility of establishing a centralized database to report individualized
      learning curves and confirm the substantial variability in time to achieve
      competence among AETs in EUS and ERCP. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02509416.

PMID- 28625817
TI  - Natural History of Adult Ulcerative Colitis in Population-based Cohorts: A
      Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: A comprehensive knowledge of the natural history of ulcerative
      colitis (UC) helps understand disease evolution, identify poor prognostic markers
      and impact of treatment strategies, and facilitates shared decision-making. We
      systematically reviewed the natural history of UC in adult population-based
      cohort studies with long-term follow-up. METHODS: Through a systematic literature
      review of MEDLINE through March 31, 2016, we identified 60 studies performed in
      17 population-based inception cohorts reporting the long-term course and outcomes
      of adult-onset UC (n = 15,316 UC patients). RESULTS: Left-sided colitis is the
      most frequent location, and disease extension is observed in 10%-30% of patients.
      Majority of patients have a mild-moderate course, which is most active at
      diagnosis and then in varying periods of remission or mild activity; about 10%
      15% of patients experience an aggressive course, and the cumulative risk of
      relapse is 70%-80% at 10 years. Almost 50% of patients require UC-related
      hospitalization, and 5-year risk of re-hospitalization is ~50%. The 5-year and 10
      year cumulative risk of colectomy is 10%-15%; achieving mucosal healing is
      associated with lower risk of colectomy. About 50% of patients receive
      corticosteroids, although this proportion has decreased over time, with a
      corresponding increase in the use of immunomodulators (20%) and anti-tumor
      necrosis factor (5%-10%). Although UC is not associated with an increased risk of
      mortality, it is associated with high morbidity and work disability, comparable
      to Crohn's disease. CONCLUSIONS: UC is a disabling condition over time.
      Prospective cohorts are needed to evaluate the impact of recent strategies of
      early use of disease-modifying therapies and treat-to-target approach with
      immunomodulators and biologics. Long-term studies from low-incidence areas are
      also needed.

PMID- 28625818
TI  - Quantitative assessment of lung and bladder cancer risk and oral exposure to
      inorganic arsenic: Meta-regression analyses of epidemiological data.
AB  - Inorganic arsenic (iAs) in drinking water varies geographically and is prevalent
      worldwide. While exposures in the US are generally low, there are some areas with
      higher levels of naturally occurring iAs (potentially >100MUg/L) where residents
      rely on unregulated drinking water wells. Much of the evidence on the association
      between iAs and cancer comes from epidemiological studies conducted in South
      American and Asian populations. These populations have generally been exposed to
      much higher levels of iAs and have differing underlying characteristics, both of
      which make comparing them to Western populations difficult. A key question is
      whether and how one should extrapolate from these high exposure studies to
      estimate cancer risk at lower exposures. We conducted an independent analysis to
      determine the most appropriate cancer endpoints, studies, and models to support
      an oral carcinogenicity assessment of iAs, taking into consideration factors that
      affect the apparent potency of iAs across geographically and culturally distinct
      populations. We identified bladder and lung cancer as high-priority endpoints and
      used meta-regression to pool data across studies from different regions of the
      world to derive oral cancer slope factors (CSFs) and unit risks (excess risk per
      MUg/L) for iAs based on the background risks of bladder and lung cancer in the
      US. We also calculated concentrations of iAs in water that are not likely to
      result in cancer risk above what is considered acceptable by the United States
      Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). While we derived these factors assuming
      a linear, no-threshold relationship between iAs and cancer risk, we also
      evaluated the shape of the dose-response curves and assessed the evidence for
      overall nonlinearity. Overall, we found that the incremental risks of bladder and
      lung cancer associated with iAs were relatively low. The sensitivity analyses we
      conducted suggested that populations with relatively high iAs exposures appeared
      to drive the pooled cancer risk estimates, but many of our other tested
      assumptions did not substantially alter these estimates. Finally, we found that
      the mode of action evidence supports there being a threshold, but making a robust
      quantitative demonstration of a threshold using epidemiological data is
      difficult. When considered in the context of typical exposure levels in the US,
      our potency estimates indicate that iAs-induced cancer risk is much lower than
      observed bladder and lung cancer incidences. This suggests that the low iAs
      levels to which much of the general US population is exposed likely do not result
      in substantial additional cancer risk.

PMID- 28625819
TI  - Outcomes of relocation of basilic vein in brachiobasilic fistulas in chronic
      renal failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In patients without or with injured cephalic vein, using the basilic
      vein for creating arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the best way for hemodialysis.
      In order to create AVF, the basilic vein should be superficialized and
      lateralized. This study sought to examine outcome of relocation of basilic vein
      in brachiobasilic fistulas in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). METHODS:
      We evaluated the outcome of creation of brachiobasilic fistula with transposition
      of basilic vein in 27 patients (14 males and 13 females with mean age of 60.03 +/
      8.04 years) with CRF. The success rate and complications were recorded during
      the follow-up period. The fistula was regarded efficient if cannulation was
      feasible conveniently and a minimum flow rate of 250 ml/min for 4 h at least for
      3 consecutive hemodialysis sessions through both lines was documented 30 days
      postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean time gap between previous AVF creation or try
      and the relocation of basilic vein was 3.55 months. Thirty days postoperatively,
      85.2% of the created AVFs were efficiently working. There were postoperative
      complications in 40.7% of patients including venous hypertension (14.8%),
      bleeding (7.4%), hematoma (7.4%) and distal paresthesia (11.1%). CONCLUSIONS:
      Brachiobasilic AVF fistula provides a suitable option for vascular access in
      cases with failed previous AVF. Relocation of basilic vein for brachiobasilic AVF
      is technically feasible, safe and with excellent patency in short-term and
      complication rates are acceptable.

PMID- 28625820
TI  - The effect of economic downturn on the volume of surgical procedures: A
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Economic downturn can have a wide range of effects on medicine at
      both individual and national levels. We aim to describe these effects in relation
      to surgical volume to guide future planning for physician specialization, patient
      expectations in the face of economic crises, or estimating healthcare
      expenditure. We hypothesized that because of high out-of-pocket costs, cosmetic
      procedure volumes would be most affected by economic decline. METHODS: A
      systematic review was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, and ABI/INFORMS. The main
      search terms were "economic recession" and "surgical procedures, operative".
      Studies were included if surgical volumes were measured and economic indicators
      were used as predictors of economic conditions. RESULTS: Twelve studies were
      included, and the most common subject was cosmetic (n = 5), followed by
      orthopedic (n = 2) and cardiac surgeries (n = 2). The majority of studies found
      that in periods of economic downturn, surgical volume decreased. Among the eight
      studies using Pearson's correlation analysis, there were no significant
      differences between cosmetic procedures and other elective procedures, indicating
      that cosmetic procedures may display trends similar to those of non-cosmetic
      elective procedures in periods of economic downturn. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical volume
      generally decreased when economic indicators declined, observed for both elective
      and non-elective surgery fields. However, a few specific procedure volumes such
      as vasectomy and caesarean section for male babies increased during the economic
      downturn. Knowledge of these trends can be useful for future surgical planning
      and distribution of healthcare resources.

PMID- 28625821
TI  - The use of study registration and protocols in plastic surgery research: A
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2013, the Declaration of Helsinki changed to mandate that all
      research studies involving human subjects, rather than just clinical trials
      alone, must have a protocol registered in a publicly accessible database prior to
      the enrolment of the first patient. The objective of this work was to assess the
      number of research studies involving human participants published in leading
      journals of plastic surgery that had either published a protocol or registered a
      protocol with a publicly accessible database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      systematic review examined all research articles involving human participants
      published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Journal of Plastic
      Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and The Annals of Plastic Surgery from 1st
      April 2014-31st March 2015. The primary outcome measure was whether each study
      had either published or registered a protocol with any mainstream registry
      database. ClinicalTrials.gov, the International Standard Randomized Control Trial
      Number (ISRCTN) registry, the WHO (World Health Organisation) International
      Clinical Trials Registry Platform, The Cochrane Collaboration, the Research
      Registry, PROSPERO and PubMed were all reviewed. RESULTS: Of 595 included
      articles, the most common study designs were case series (n = 185, 31.1%). There
      were 24 randomized controlled trials (RCTs, 4.0%). A total of 24 studies had a
      protocol registered (4.0%). The most common database to register a protocol was
      with ClinicalTrials.gov (n = 17). The study design that most commonly had a
      registered protocol was the RCT (n = 8 of 24, 33.3% of RCTs). Three studies
      published a protocol in a journal (0.6%). CONCLUSION: Publication or registration
      of protocols for recent studies involving human participants in major plastic
      surgery journals is low. There is considerable scope to improve this and guidance
      is provided.

PMID- 28625822
TI  - Comparison of the expression and spatial localization of glucose transporters in
      the rat, bovine and human lens.
AB  - The energy required to drive lens transparency is derived from the metabolism of
      glucose. In the lens, the uptake of glucose is likely to involve either
      facilitative glucose uptake mediated by members of the GLUT family or Na+
      dependent glucose uptake via members of the SGLT family, or both. While GLUT1 and
      GLUT3 have previously been identified in the rat lens, the expression of SGLTs is
      unknown. Since antibodies directed against the N and C-terminal epitopes of the
      GLUT and SGLT family are now commercially available, the purpose of this study is
      to extend our screening of glucose transporters in the rat lens to include the
      SGLTs and compare the expression profiles of GLUTs and SGLTs in the different
      regions of the rat, bovine and human lens. Using a combination of reverse
      transcriptase PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry, we have shown that
      GLUT1 appears to be the predominant glucose transporter in the rat lens since it
      was expressed in all regions of the lens. In contrast GLUT3, SGLT1 and SGLT2 had
      more restricted expression patterns and were only found localised to the inner
      cortex and core regions of the rat lens. GLUT1 was the only transporter found in
      the epithelium and appears to exist as a full length form in this region, while
      in differentiating fiber cells; GLUT1 appears to undergo a modification to its N
      terminus. Translating our work to bovine and human lenses revealed that GLUT1 is
      the only glucose transporter expressed in bovine and human lenses. While GLUT1 in
      the bovine lens appears to be unmodified throughout the entire lens, GLUT1 in
      human lenses appears to be N-terminally modified in all regions, including the
      epithelium. Finally, it appears that GLUT1 expression is maintained in all
      regions of the human lens with increasing age indicating that there is no further
      regional or age-dependent processing of GLUT1 in the human lens. Taken together,
      these studies have identified GLUT1 to be the primary transporter that mediates
      glucose uptake in the rat, bovine and human lens.

PMID- 28625823
TI  - The leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor-1 modulating cell
      apoptosis and inflammatory cytokines secretion in THP-1 cells after Helicobacter
      pylori infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative, microaerophilic bacteria
      usually found in the stomach, which may evade its host's immune system and
      present long-term symptoms in affected individuals. This study aimed to evaluate
      the functional role of leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor-1
      (LAIR-1) in the strategies and underlying molecular mechanisms by which H. pylori
      escapes the host's immune responses. METHODS: LAIR-1 knockdown THP-1 cells were
      used to detect cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-10,
      and activation of intracellular signaling induced by H. pylori. RESULTS: Cell
      apoptosis, cell proliferation, IL-8, and IL-10 were increased in THP-1 cells
      after 24 h of H. pylori infection. Functional analysis indicated LAIR-1 silencing
      obviously inhibited the phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha, eIF2alpha, JNK, and
      Smad2 in the THP-1 after H. pylori infection. In addition, there were no
      significant differences in proliferation rates between control siRNA group and
      LAIR-1 siRNA group regardless of whether THP-1 cells were infected by H. pylori.
      CONCLUSION: These results together indicated that LAIR-1 modulated cell apoptosis
      and inflammatory cytokines secretion in THP-1 cells, which might help sustain
      inflammation and prevent removal of the bacteria by the immune responses.

PMID- 28625824
TI  - Polymorphism study of Cryptosporidium hominis gp60 subtypes circulating in
      Tunisia.
AB  - Cryptosporidium spp. are a major cause of gastrointestinal diseases in humans
      worldwide. While a single subtype of Cryptosporidium hominis has been shown to be
      responsible for several large outbreaks related to water contamination in
      developed countries, little is known about the epidemiology of C. hominis in
      developing countries. This study reports the first genetic characterization of C.
      hominis at the subtype level in several human populations in Tunisia using the
      gp60 gene. Eighteen isolates were identified as C. hominis by a restriction
      fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. The prevalence of this species in
      different human populations ranges from 1.53% to 13.04% with a high prevalence
      being reported in immunocompromised children (13.04%) followed by patients with
      malignent myeloma (5.5%) and HIV-infected patients (4.59%). The gp60 analysis on
      C. hominis isolates, performed in 14 cases, showed the presence of a single
      subtype family: "Ia". Different subtypes were identified within this family
      (A11G1R1, A12R3, A23G1R1, A26G1R1, A27G1R1, A28G1R1). The IaA26G1R1 subtype was
      the most dominant subtype described in this area (50%). Despite the high genetic
      diversity of Cryptosporidium spp, a low heterogeneity at the subtype level was
      observed within C. hominis circulating in Tunisia. This distribution is an
      indicator for intensive and stable anthroponotic cryptosporidiosis in this
      region. Besides, the presence of a unique genotype in 5 HIV-infected patients
      attending the same hospital ward suggests the possible occurrence of hospital
      acquired infection and underlines the need to implement preventive measures to
      avoid nosocomial transmission.

PMID- 28625825
TI  - Red blood cell transfusion in surgical cancer patients: Targets, risks,
      mechanistic understanding and further therapeutic opportunities.
AB  - Anemia is present in more than half of cancer patients and appears to be an
      independent prognostic factor of short- and long-term adverse outcomes. It
      increases in the advanced period of cancer and perioperatively, in patients with
      solid tumors who undergo surgery. As a result, allogeneic red blood cell (RBC)
      transfusion is an indispensable treatment in cancer. However, its safety remains
      controversial, based on several laboratory and clinical data reporting a linkage
      with increased risk for cancer recurrence, infection and cancer-related
      mortality. Immunological, inflammatory and thrombotic reactions mediated by the
      residual leukocytes and platelets, the stored RBCs per se, the biological
      response modifiers and the plasticizer of the unit may underlie infection and
      tumor-promoting effects. Although the causality between transfusion and infection
      has been established, the effects of transfusion on cancer recurrence remain
      confusing; this is mainly due to the extreme biological heterogeneity that
      characterizes RBC donations and cancer context. In fact, the functional interplay
      between donation-associated factors and recipient characteristics, including
      tumor biology per se, inflammation, infection, coagulation and immune activation
      state and competence may synergistically and individually define the clinical
      impact of each transfusion in any given cancer patient. Our understanding of how
      the potential risk is mediated is important to make RBC transfusion safer and to
      pave the way for novel, promising and highly personalized strategies for the
      treatment of anemia in surgical cancer patients.

PMID- 28625827
TI  - Cells as advanced therapeutics: State-of-the-art, challenges, and opportunities
      in large scale biomanufacturing of high-quality cells for adoptive
      immunotherapies.
AB  - Therapeutic cells hold tremendous promise in treating currently incurable,
      chronic diseases since they perform multiple, integrated, complex functions in
      vivo compared to traditional small-molecule drugs or biologics. However, they
      also pose significant challenges as therapeutic products because (a) their
      complex mechanisms of actions are difficult to understand and (b) low-cost
      bioprocesses for large-scale, reproducible manufacturing of cells have yet to be
      developed. Immunotherapies using T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) have already
      shown great promise in treating several types of cancers, and human mesenchymal
      stromal cells (hMSCs) are now extensively being evaluated in clinical trials as
      immune-modulatory cells. Despite these exciting developments, the full potential
      of cell-based therapeutics cannot be realized unless new engineering technologies
      enable cost-effective, consistent manufacturing of high-quality therapeutic cells
      at large-scale. Here we review cell-based immunotherapy concepts focused on the
      state-of-the-art in manufacturing processes including cell sourcing, isolation,
      expansion, modification, quality control (QC), and culture media requirements. We
      also offer insights into how current technologies could be significantly improved
      and augmented by new technologies, and how disciplines must converge to meet the
      long-term needs for large-scale production of cell-based immunotherapies.

PMID- 28625828
TI  - Precision monitoring of immunotherapies in solid organ and hematopoietic stem
      cell transplantation.
AB  - Pharmacological immunotherapies are a key component of post-transplant therapy in
      solid-organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In current clinical
      practice, immunotherapies largely follow a one-size fits all approach, leaving a
      large portion of transplant recipients either over- or under-immunosuppressed,
      and consequently at risk of infections or immune-mediated complications. Our goal
      here is to review recent and rapid advances in precision and genomic medicine
      approaches to monitoring of post-transplant immunotherapies. We will discuss
      recent advances in precision measurements of pharmacological immunosuppression,
      measurements of the plasma and gut microbiome, strategies to monitor for
      allograft injury and post-transplant malignancies via circulating cell-free DNA,
      and comprehensive measurements of the B and T cell immune cell repertoire.

PMID- 28625829
TI  - Combinatorial immunotherapy and nanoparticle mediated hyperthermia.
AB  - Immune checkpoint therapy has become the first widely adopted immunotherapy for
      patients with late stage malignant melanoma, with potential for a wide range of
      cancers. While some patients can experience long term disease remission, this is
      limited only to a subset of patients and tumor types. The path forward to expand
      this therapy to more patients and tumor types is currently thought to be
      combinatorial treatments, the combination of immunotherapy with other treatments.
      In this review, the combinatorial approach of immune checkpoint therapy combined
      with nanoparticle-assisted localized hyperthermia is discussed, starting with an
      overview of the different nanoparticle hyperthermia approaches in development, an
      overview of the state of immune checkpoint therapy, recent reports of immune
      checkpoint therapy and nanoparticle-assisted hyperthermia in a combinatorial
      approach, and finally a discussion of future research topics and areas to be
      explored in this new combinatorial approach to cancer treatment.

PMID- 28625826
TI  - Drug discovery and therapeutic delivery for the treatment of B and T cell tumors.
AB  - Hematological malignancies manifest as lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma, and
      remain a burden on society. From initial therapy to endless relapse-related
      treatment, societal burden is felt not only in the context of healthcare cost,
      but also in the compromised quality of life of patients. Long-term therapeutic
      strategies have become the standard in keeping hematological malignancies at bay
      as these cancers develop resistance to each round of therapy with time. As a
      result, there is a continual need for the development of new drugs to combat
      resistant disease in order to prolong patient life, if not to produce a cure.
      This review aims to summarize advances in targeting lymphoma, leukemia, and
      myeloma through both cutting-edge and well established platforms. Current
      standard of treatment will be reviewed for these malignancies and emphasis will
      be made on new therapy development in the areas of antibody engineering,
      epigenetic small molecule inhibiting drugs, vaccine development, and chimeric
      antigen receptor cell engineering. In addition, platforms for the delivery of
      these and other drugs will be reviewed including antibody-drug conjugates, micro-
      and nanoparticles, and multimodal hydrogels. Lastly, we propose that tissue
      engineered constructs for hematological malignancies are the missing link in
      targeted drug discovery alongside mouse and patient-derived xenograft models.

PMID- 28625830
TI  - Bioengineering strategies for inducing tolerance in autoimmune diabetes.
AB  - Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease marked by the destruction of insulin
      producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets. Strategies to delay onset or
      prevent the autoimmune recognition of beta cell antigens or T cell-mediated
      killing of beta cells have mainly focused on systemic immunomodulation and
      antigen-specific immunotherapy. To bridge the fields of type 1 diabetes
      immunology and biomaterials engineering, this article will review recent trends
      in the etiology of type 1 diabetes immunopathology and will focus on the
      contributions of emerging bioengineered strategies in the fight against beta cell
      autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes.

PMID- 28625832
TI  - A Diet Low in FODMAPs Reduces Symptoms in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
      and A Probiotic Restores Bifidobacterium Species: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Dietary restriction of fermentable carbohydrates (a low FODMAP
      diet) has been reported to reduce symptoms in some patients with irritable bowel
      syndrome (IBS). We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled study to determine
      its effects on symptoms and the fecal microbiota in patients with IBS. METHODS:
      We performed a 2*2 factorial trial of 104 patients with IBS (18-65 years old),
      based on the Rome III criteria, at 2 hospitals in the United Kingdom. Patients
      were randomly assigned (blinded) to groups given counselling to follow a sham
      diet or diet low in FODMAPs for 4 weeks, along with a placebo or multistrain
      probiotic formulation, resulting in 4 groups (27 receiving sham diet/placebo, 26
      receiving sham diet/probiotic, 24 receiving low FODMAP diet /placebo, and 27
      receiving low FODMAP diet/probiotic). The sham diet restricted a similar number
      of staple and non-staple foods as the low FODMAP diet; the diets had similar
      degrees of difficulty to follow. Dietary counselling was given to patients in all
      groups and data on foods eaten and compliance were collected. The incidence and
      severity of 15 gastrointestinal symptoms and overall symptoms were measured daily
      for 7 days before the study period; along with stool frequency and consistency.
      At baseline, global and individual symptoms were measured, along with generic and
      disease-specific health-related quality of life, using standard scoring systems.
      All data were collected again at 4 weeks, and patients answered questions about
      adequate symptom relief. Fecal samples were collected at baseline and after 4
      weeks and analyzed by quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. The co-primary
      endpoints were adequate relief of symptoms and stool Bifidobacterium species
      abundance at 4 weeks. RESULTS: There was no significant interaction between the
      interventions in adequate relief of symptoms (P = .52) or Bifidobacterium species
      (P = .68). In the intention-to-treat analysis, a higher proportion of patients in
      the low FODMAP diet had adequate symptom relief (57%) than in the sham diet group
      (38%), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = .051). In
      the per-protocol analysis, a significantly higher proportion of patients on the
      low FODMAP diet had adequate symptom relief (61%) than in the sham diet group
      (39%) (P = .042). Total mean IBS-Severity Scoring System score was significantly
      lower for patients on the low FODMAP diet (173 +/- 95) than the sham diet (224 +/
      89) (P = .001), but not different between those given probiotic (207 +/- 98) or
      placebo (192 +/- 93) (P = .721) Abundance of Bifidobacterium species was lower in
      fecal samples from patients on the low FODMAP diet (8.8 rRNA genes/g) than
      patients on the sham diet (9.2 rRNA genes/g) (P = .008), but higher in patients
      given probiotic (9.1 rRNA genes/g) than patients given placebo (8.8 rRNA genes/g)
      (P = .019). There was no effect of the low FODMAP diet on microbiota diversity in
      fecal samples. CONCLUSIONS: In a placebo-controlled study of patients with IBS, a
      low FODMAP diet associates with adequate symptom relief and significantly reduced
      symptom scores compared with placebo. It is not clear whether changes resulted
      from collective FODMAP restriction or removal of a single component, such as
      lactose. Co-administration of the multistrain probiotic increased numbers of
      Bifidobacterium species, compared with placebo, and might be given to restore
      these bacteria to patients on a low FODMAP diet. Trial registration no:
      ISRCTN02275221.

PMID- 28625831
TI  - Engineering challenges for brain tumor immunotherapy.
AB  - Malignant brain tumors represent one of the most devastating forms of cancer with
      abject survival rates that have not changed in the past 60years. This is partly
      because the brain is a critical organ, and poses unique anatomical,
      physiological, and immunological barriers. The unique interplay of these barriers
      also provides an opportunity for creative engineering solutions. Cancer
      immunotherapy, a means of harnessing the host immune system for anti-tumor
      efficacy, is becoming a standard approach for treating many cancers. However, its
      use in brain tumors is not widespread. This review discusses the current
      approaches, and hurdles to these approaches in treating brain tumors, with a
      focus on immunotherapies. We identify critical barriers to immunoengineering
      brain tumor therapies and discuss possible solutions to these challenges.

PMID- 28625833
TI  - Colorectal Cancer Cell Line Proteomes Are Representative of Primary Tumors and
      Predict Drug Sensitivity.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Proteomics holds promise for individualizing cancer
      treatment. We analyzed to what extent the proteomic landscape of human colorectal
      cancer (CRC) is maintained in established CRC cell lines and the utility of
      proteomics for predicting therapeutic responses. METHODS: Proteomic and
      transcriptomic analyses were performed on 44 CRC cell lines, compared against
      primary CRCs (n=95) and normal tissues (n=60), and integrated with genomic and
      drug sensitivity data. RESULTS: Cell lines mirrored the proteomic aberrations of
      primary tumors, in particular for intrinsic programs. Tumor relationships of
      protein expression with DNA copy number aberrations and signatures of post
      transcriptional regulation were recapitulated in cell lines. The 5 proteomic
      subtypes previously identified in tumors were represented among cell lines.
      Nonetheless, systematic differences between cell line and tumor proteomes were
      apparent, attributable to stroma, extrinsic signaling, and growth conditions.
      Contribution of tumor stroma obscured signatures of DNA mismatch repair
      identified in cell lines with a hypermutation phenotype. Global proteomic data
      showed improved utility for predicting both known drug-target relationships and
      overall drug sensitivity as compared with genomic or transcriptomic measurements.
      Inhibition of targetable proteins associated with drug responses further
      identified corresponding synergistic or antagonistic drug combinations. Our data
      provide evidence for CRC proteomic subtype-specific drug responses. CONCLUSIONS:
      Proteomes of established CRC cell line are representative of primary tumors.
      Proteomic data tend to exhibit improved prediction of drug sensitivity as
      compared with genomic and transcriptomic profiles. Our integrative proteogenomic
      analysis highlights the potential of proteome profiling to inform personalized
      cancer medicine.

PMID- 28625834
TI  - Association Between Natural Killer Cell Activity and Colorectal Cancer in High
      Risk Subjects Undergoing Colonoscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Low activity of natural killer (NK) cells has been associated
      with increased risk of cancer and has been reported in patients with colorectal
      cancer (CRC). Activity of NK cells can be measured in a small volume of whole
      blood by a commercially available test. We investigated whether this test could
      be used to identify patients with CRC, using findings from colonoscopy as a
      reference standard. METHODS: We performed an open-label, prospective, cross
      sectional study of 872 high-risk subjects (more than 40 years old) screened for
      CRC by colonoscopy at a university hospital in Montreal, Canada from October 2014
      through January 2016. Blood samples were collected on the day of colonoscopy,
      prior to the procedure. The test involves stimulation of whole blood with
      cytokine that induces NK cells to secrete interferon gamma (IFNG), which is
      quantified by an ELISA. Tissue samples were taken from lesions during the
      colonoscopy and analyzed histologically; subjects were classified as having no
      evidence of disease, adenomatous polyps of less than 10 mm, of 10 mm or more, or
      CRC. We used the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test to compare NK cell activity
      between subjects with no evidence of CRC and subjects found to have CRC. Receiver
      operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the ability of the
      test to identify individuals with CRC. The primary objective was to determine the
      difference in NK cell activity between subjects with vs without CRC. The
      secondary objective was the test performance, based on receiver operating
      characteristic analysis, and cut-off value that most accurately identified
      individuals with CRC. RESULTS: We found a significant difference in NK cell
      activity between the 23 subjects with CRC (based on pathology analysis) and the
      849 subjects without CRC: subjects found to have CRC by colonoscopy had a median
      level of 86.0 pg IFNG/mL (inter-quartile range, 43.3-151.0 pg IFNG/mL), whereas
      subjects without CRC had a median level of 298.1 pg IFNG/mL (inter-quartile
      range, 100.4-920.2 pg IFNG/mL) (P = .0002). The cut-off value that most
      accurately identified subjects with CRC was 181 pg/mL. The NK cell activity test
      identified subjects with CRC with 87.0% sensitivity, 60.8% specificity, a
      positive predictive value of 5.7%, and a negative predictive value of 99.4%. The
      odds ratio for detection of CRC in subjects with low NK cell activity vs subjects
      with higher NK cell activity was 10.3 (95% CI, 3.03-34.9). CONCLUSIONS: Using
      colonoscopy as the reference standard, a test for NK cell activity in whole blood
      samples identified patients with CRC with 87.0% sensitivity and a negative
      predictive value of 99.4%. Subjects with low NK cell activity had a 10-fold
      higher risk of CRC compared with subjects with high NK cell activity. This test
      might be used in clinical practice to assess patients for risk of CRC.
      Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT02291198.

PMID- 28625836
TI  - Molecular interaction studies of acetylcholinesterase with potential
      acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from the root of Rhodiola crenulata using
      molecular docking and isothermal titration calorimetry methods.
AB  - (-)-Epicatechin gallate ((-)-ECG), 1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloylglucose (PGG),
      rhodionin, herbacetin and rhodiosin isolated from the root of Rhodiola crenulata
      exhibited potent, dose-dependent inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase
      (AChE) with IC50 ranged from 57.50+/-5.83 to 2.43+/-0.34MUg/mL. With the aim of
      explaining the differences in activity of these active ingredients and clarifying
      how they inhibit AChE, the AChE-inhibitor interactions were further explored
      using molecular docking and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) methods in the
      present study. Molecular docking studies revealed that all compounds except PGG
      showed binding energy values ranging from -10.30 to -8.00kcal/mol while the
      binding energy of galantamine, a known AChE inhibitor, was -9.53kcal/mol; they
      inhibited the AChE by binding into the ligand pocket with the similar binding
      pattern to that of galantamine by interacting with Glu199 of AChE. Inhibition
      constant of these active ingredients had a positive correlation with binding
      energy. The interaction between AChE and PGG was further evaluated with the ITC
      method and the results indicated that the PGG-AChE interaction was relevant to
      AChE concentration. The results revealed a possible mechanism for the AChE
      inhibition activity of these bioactive ingredients, which may provide some help
      in lead compounds optimization in the future.

PMID- 28625835
TI  - Robust composite silk fibers pulled out of silkworms directly fed with
      nanoparticles.
AB  - This paper reports the impacts of direct feeding silkworms with different
      nanoparticles (Cu, Fe, and TiO2) on the morphology, structures, and mechanical
      properties of the resulting silk fiber (SF). The contents of the Cu nanoparticles
      were 38 times higher in the posterior silk glands and only 2-3 times higher in
      the SF and in the middle silk glands compared with the controlled groups.
      Significant changes of the surface morphology, structures, and diameter of the Cu
      nanoparticle fed SF have been observed, which are attributed to a slight SF
      protein reconstruction or conformational change in the mixture of silk fibroin
      and sericin in the silk glands. The resulting Cu-containing SF exhibits good
      tensile strength of 360MPa and reaches a strain of 38%, which are 89% and 36%
      higher than those of the natural SF. This study offers a new green strategy for
      the easy modification to achieve robust composite SF.

PMID- 28625837
TI  - Enhanced corrosion inhibition effect of chitosan for St37 in 15% H2SO4
      environment by silver nanoparticles.
AB  - The inhibitive performance of chitosan and silver nanoparticles - chitosan (AgNPs
      Chi) composite towards St37 steel corrosion in 15% H2SO4 solution was studied
      using weight loss and electrochemical techniques in addition to surface
      morphological examination. Results obtained show that chitosan could fairly
      protect St37 steel surface by 45%. Inhibition efficiency above 94% has been
      achieved with AgNPs-Chi composite. AgNPs-Chi composite performs better at longer
      immersion time and elevated temperature. AgNPs-Chi retards both anodic and
      cathodic redox reactions. The mode of adsorption of AgNPs-Chi onto St37 surface
      has been described using Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Surface screening results
      ascertain the adsorption of AgNPs-Chi molecules on St37 surface.

PMID- 28625838
TI  - Comparison of 'time to detection' values between BacT/ALERT VIRTUO and BacT/ALERT
      3D instruments for clinical blood culture samples.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The early detection of bacteraemia and fungemia is of paramount
      importance to guide antimicrobial therapy in septic patients. In this study the
      'time to detection' (TTD) value for the new blood culture system BacT/ALERT
      VIRTUO (VIRTUO) was evaluated in 1462 positive clinical bottles and compared with
      the TTD for 1601 positive clinical bottles incubated in the BacT/ALERT 3D system
      (BTA-3D). METHODS: The most representative microorganisms isolated from bottles
      incubated in both blood culture systems were divided into eight categories (in
      order of frequency): coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), Escherichia coli,
      Enterobacteriaceae (other than E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp,
      viridans group streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida spp. RESULTS:
      The comparison of TTD values for the two blood culture systems strongly indicated
      that growth of the first five groups listed above was detected earlier with
      VIRTUO than with BTA-3D (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The new VIRTUO blood culture
      system can reduce the TTD for more than 75% of isolated microorganisms.

PMID- 28625840
TI  - Survival of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp fed on diets supplemented with Dunaliella
      sp. is improved after challenges by Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
AB  - Survival of Litopenaeus vannamei was evaluated during a Vibrio parahaemolyticus
      infection. This bacteria has been causing significant economic losses in the
      shrimp industry due to the appearance of early mortality syndrome (EMS), also
      known as acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND). Control of bacteria in
      ponds is difficult to achieve with antibiotics due to environmental infections
      and antibiotic resistance. New methods have been proposed to control and prevent
      the impact of bacterial infections. The physiological response indicated by
      plasma biochemical parameters in shrimp can determine their health and stress
      status. Meanwhile, shrimp immunology is the key factor in establishing strategies
      to control diseases. Immunostimulants are the best alternative to antibiotics to
      prevent or minimize disease damage, and at the same time, these stimulants
      improve the immune system in shrimp. Four diets containing 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3% of
      Dunaliella sp. with high beta-carotene content were tested in the present study.
      After 20days of feeding, organisms were infected with V. parahaemolyticus.
      Protein, glucose, lactate, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, as well as
      activity of prophenoloxidase and phenoloxidase, were determined 48 h post
      infection (hpi). Shrimp fed a diet with 3% Dunaliella sp. showed the highest
      survival. Glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, as well as
      prophenoloxidase and phenoloxidase activity, were not observed to be suitable
      indicators during this bacterial infection. The results indicated that the
      inclusion of Dunaliella sp. in diet increases survival in L. vannamei infected
      with V. parahaemolyticus.

PMID- 28625839
TI  - Surveillance of upper respiratory infections using a new multiplex PCR assay
      compared to conventional methods during the influenza season in Taiwan.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To improve diagnosis as part of laboratory surveillance in Taiwan,
      influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance was conducted using a new multiplex PCR
      assay (FilmArray) and the results compared to those of conventional methods The
      study was performed during the winter months. METHODS: Throat swabs from patients
      with an ILI presenting to physicians in sentinel practices were collected during
      the 2016-2017 influenza season. RESULTS: A total of 52 samples tested positive by
      FilmArray Respiratory Panel. Forty percent were influenza A virus, and subtype
      H3N2 virus was the major epidemic strain. However, nearly 60% of ILI cases seen
      at sentinel sites were caused by non-influenza pathogens. The results of the
      FilmArray assay and cell culture were identical, and this assay was more
      sensitive than a rapid influenza diagnostic test. Genetic analyses revealed new
      influenza A H3N2 variants belonging to a novel subclade 3C.2a2. CONCLUSIONS: The
      FilmArray assay facilitates urgent testing and laboratory surveillance for common
      viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens. This study demonstrated the use of a
      highly sensitive assay using clinical samples that is feasible for application
      worldwide. This may lead to an increased rate of diagnosis of viral infections
      and to improved patient outcomes, and in particular to a reduction in the overuse
      of antibiotics and antivirals.

PMID- 28625841
TI  - Identification of a new subtilisin-like protease NbSLP2 interacting with
      cytoskeletal protein septin in Microsporidia Nosema bombycis.
AB  - Nosema bombycis is the pathogen of pebrine which brings heavy losses to
      sericulture every year. As a member of serine proteases, subtilisin-like protease
      (SLP) is related to the pathogenicity in fungi. In this study, we characterized a
      novel 63.8kDa subtilisin-like protease NbSLP2 with a predicted transmembrane
      domain from Microsporidia, N. bombycis. RT-PCR showed that the transcript of
      NbSLP2 was detected from third day post infection. Immunofluorescence assay (IFA)
      indicated that NbSLP2 mainly scattered around the spore wall of N. bombycis. Co
      immunoprecipitation data and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass
      spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis revealed that NbSLP2 directly interacts with
      septin2 of N. bombycis, which is a cytoskeletal protein. IFA showed that NbSLP2
      and Nbseptin2 co-localized beneath the spore wall. NbSLP2 can be pulled down by
      Nbseptin2, further confirming the interaction between NbSLP2 and Nbseptin2. As an
      important serine protease with a transmembrane domain, NbSLP2 interacting with
      Nbseptin2, a scaffold protein adjacent to the membrane may provide advantages to
      stabilize the NbSLP2 for its hydrolysis function.

PMID- 28625842
TI  - Dynamics of scientific publications on the MERS-CoV outbreaks in Saudi Arabia.
AB  - Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging disease
      with a relatively high case fatality rate. Most cases have been reported from
      Saudi Arabia, and the disease epidemic potential is considered to be limited.
      However, human-human transmission has occurred, usually in the context of
      healthcare facility-associated outbreaks. The scientific and medical community
      depends on timely publication of epidemiological information on emerging diseases
      during outbreaks to appropriately target public health responses. In this review,
      we considered the academic response to four MERS CoV outbreaks that occurred in
      Al-Hasa in 2013, Jeddah in 2014 and Riyadh in 2014 and 2015. We analysed 68
      relevant epidemiology articles. For articles for which submission dates were
      available, six articles were submitted during the course of an outbreak. One
      article was published within a month of the Al-Hasa outbreak, and one each was
      accepted during the Jeddah and Riyadh outbreaks. MERS-CoV epidemiology articles
      were cited more frequently than articles on other subjects in the same journal
      issues. Thus, most epidemiology articles on MERS-CoV were published with no
      preferential advantage over other articles. Collaboration of the research
      community and the scientific publishing industry is needed to facilitate timely
      publication of emerging infectious diseases.

PMID- 28625843
TI  - Re: The Economic Implications of a Reusable Flexible Digital Ureteroscope: A Cost
      Benefit Analysis.

PMID- 28625844
TI  - Post-prostatectomy Radiotherapy: Does "Salvage" Really Equal "Adjuvant"?

PMID- 28625845
TI  - Injury and defective regeneration of the epithelial basement membrane in corneal
      fibrosis: A paradigm for fibrosis in other organs?
AB  - Myofibroblast-mediated fibrosis is important in the pathophysiology of diseases
      in most organs. The cornea, the transparent anterior wall of the eye that
      functions to focus light on the retina, is commonly affected by fibrosis and
      provides an optimal model due to its simplicity and accessibility. Severe
      injuries to the cornea, including infection, surgery, and trauma, may trigger the
      development of myofibroblasts and fibrosis in the normally transparent connective
      tissue stroma. Ultrastructural studies have demonstrated that defective
      epithelial basement membrane (EBM) regeneration after injury underlies the
      development of myofibroblasts from both bone marrow- and keratocyte-derived
      precursor cells in the cornea. Defective EBM permits epithelium-derived
      transforming growth factor beta, platelet-derived growth factor, and likely other
      modulators, to penetrate the stroma at sustained levels necessary to drive the
      development of vimentin+ alpha-smooth muscle actin+ desmin+ (V+A+D+) mature
      myofibroblasts and promote their persistence. Defective versus normal EBM
      regeneration likely relates to the severity of the stromal injury and a resulting
      decrease in fibroblasts (keratocytes) and their contribution of EBM components,
      including laminin alpha-3 and nidogen-2. Corneal fibrosis may resolve over a
      period of months to years if the inciting injury is eliminated through keratocyte
      facilitated regeneration of normal EBM, ensuing apoptosis of myofibroblasts, and
      reorganization of disordered extracellular matrix by repopulating keratocytes. We
      hypothesize the corneal model of fibrosis associated with defective BM
      regeneration and myofibroblast development after epithelial or parenchymal injury
      may be a paradigm for the development of fibrosis in other organs where chronic
      injury or defective BM underlies the pathophysiology of disease.

PMID- 28625846
TI  - Biogenesis of the Flagellar Switch Complex in Escherichia coli: Formation of Sub
      Complexes Independently of the Basal-Body MS-Ring.
AB  - Direction switching in the flagellar motor of Escherichia coli is under the
      control of a complex on the rotor formed from the proteins FliG, FliM, and FliN.
      FliG lies at the top of the switch complex (i.e., nearest the membrane) and is
      arranged with its C-terminal domain (FliGC) resting on the middle domain (FliGM)
      of the neighboring subunit. This organization requires the protein to adopt an
      open conformation that exposes the surfaces engaging in intersubunit FliGC/FliGM
      contacts. In a recent study, Baker and coworkers [13] obtained evidence that FliG
      in the cytosol is monomeric and takes on a more compact conformation, with FliGC
      making intramolecular contact with FliGM of the same subunit. In the present
      work, we examine the conformational preferences and interactions of FliG through
      in vivo crosslinking experiments in cells that lack either all other flagellar
      proteins or just the MS-ring protein FliF. The results indicate that FliG has a
      significant tendency to form multimers independently of other flagellar
      components. The multimerization of FliG is promoted by FliF and also by FliM.
      FliM does not multimerize efficiently by itself but does so in the presence of
      FliG. Thus, pre-assemblies of the switch-complex proteins can form in the cytosol
      and might function as intermediates in assembly.

PMID- 28625848
TI  - Regulation of E2s: A Role for Additional Ubiquitin Binding Sites?
AB  - Attachment of ubiquitin to proteins relies on a sophisticated enzyme cascade that
      is tightly regulated. The machinery of ubiquitylation responds to a range of
      signals, which remarkably includes ubiquitin itself. Thus, ubiquitin is not only
      the central player in the ubiquitylation cascade but also a key regulator. The
      ubiquitin E3 ligases provide specificity to the cascade and often bind the
      substrate, while the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) have a pivotal role in
      determining chain linkage and length. Interaction of ubiquitin with the E2 is
      important for activity, but the weak nature of these contacts has made them hard
      to identify and study. By reviewing available crystal structures, we identify
      putative ubiquitin binding sites on E2s, which may enhance E2 processivity and
      the assembly of chains of a defined linkage. The implications of these new sites
      are discussed in the context of known E2-ubiquitin interactions.

PMID- 28625847
TI  - HnRNP A1 Alters the Structure of a Conserved Enterovirus IRES Domain to Stimulate
      Viral Translation.
AB  - Enteroviruses use a type I Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) structure to
      facilitate protein synthesis and promote genome replication. Type I IRES elements
      require auxiliary host proteins to organize RNA structure for 40S ribosomal
      subunit assembly. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 stimulates
      enterovirus 71 (EV71) translation in part through specific interactions with its
      stem loop II (SLII) IRES domain. Here, we determined a conjoined NMR-small angle
      x-ray scattering structure of the EV71 SLII domain and a mutant that
      significantly attenuates viral replication by abrogating hnRNP A1 interactions.
      Native SLII adopts a locally compact structure wherein stacking interactions in a
      conserved 5'-AUAGC-3' bulge preorganize the adjacent helices at nearly orthogonal
      orientations. Mutating the bulge sequence to 5'-ACCCC-3' ablates base stacking in
      the loop and globally reorients the SLII structure. Biophysical titrations reveal
      that the 5'-AUAGC-3' bulge undergoes a conformational change to assemble a
      functional hnRNP A1-RNA complex. Importantly, IRES mutations that delete the
      bulge impair viral translation and completely inhibit replication. Thus, this
      work provides key details into how an EV71 IRES structure adapts to hijack a
      cellular protein, and it suggests that the SLII domain is a potential target for
      antiviral therapy.

PMID- 28625850
TI  - Structure and Function of Viral Deubiquitinating Enzymes.
AB  - Post-translational modification of cellular proteins by ubiquitin regulates
      numerous cellular processes, including innate and adaptive immune responses.
      Ubiquitin-mediated control over these processes can be reversed by cellular
      deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), which remove ubiquitin from cellular targets and
      depolymerize polyubiquitin chains. The importance of protein ubiquitination to
      host immunity has been underscored by the discovery of viruses that encode
      proteases with deubiquitinating activity, many of which have been demonstrated to
      actively corrupt cellular ubiquitin-dependent processes to suppress innate
      antiviral responses and promote viral replication. DUBs have now been identified
      in diverse viral lineages, and their characterization is providing valuable
      insights into virus biology and the role of the ubiquitin system in host
      antiviral mechanisms. Here, we provide an overview of the structural biology of
      these fascinating viral enzymes and their role innate immune evasion and viral
      replication.

PMID- 28625849
TI  - Leveraging Reciprocity to Identify and Characterize Unknown Allosteric Sites in
      Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases.
AB  - Drug-like molecules targeting allosteric sites in proteins are of great
      therapeutic interest; however, identification of potential sites is not trivial.
      A straightforward approach to identify hidden allosteric sites is demonstrated in
      protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) by creation of single alanine mutations in
      the catalytic acid loop of PTP1B and VHR. This approach relies on the reciprocal
      interactions between an allosteric site and its coupled orthosteric site. The
      resulting NMR chemical shift perturbations (CSPs) of each mutant reveal clusters
      of distal residues affected by acid loop mutation. In PTP1B and VHR, two new
      allosteric clusters were identified in each enzyme. Mutations in these allosteric
      clusters altered phosphatase activity with changes in kcat/KM ranging from 30% to
      nearly 100-fold. This work outlines a simple method for identification of new
      allosteric sites in PTP, and given the basis of this method in thermodynamics, it
      is expected to be generally useful in other systems.

PMID- 28625851
TI  - Care in post-traumatic syndrome due to gender violence: a case report.
AB  - This article describes a clinical case of a patient attended at a continuous care
      point for a generalized anxiety disorder, principally due to abuse suffered from
      her ex partner. The patient was followed up at family nursing clinic, and the
      appropriate nursing interventions were developed to cover a series of needs
      prioritized by nurses using the AREA method and taking into account the
      prioritization of the user herself.

PMID- 28625852
TI  - Evolution of care indicators after an early discharge intervention in preterm
      infants.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the evolution of health outcomes in preterm infants
      included in an early discharge programme. METHOD: Controlled, non-randomised
      trial with an intervention group and a control group children admitted to the
      Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves of
      Granada were included in the study. The intervention group comprised preterm
      infants admitted to the neonatal unit clinically stable, whose family home was
      located within 20km. from the hospital. They were discharged two weeks before the
      established time and a skilled nurse in neonatal care monitored them at home. The
      control group comprised infants who could not be included in home monitoring due
      to the distance to the hospital criterion or because their families did not give
      their consent and who received the usual care until their discharge. The study
      variables were the outcome indicators of the Nursing Outcomes Classification.
      RESULTS: Differences were found in the Nursing Outcomes Classification scores in
      the intervention group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The early
      discharge of preterm infants followed up at home by an expert nurse in neonatal
      care is a health service that achieves results in preparating parents for the
      care of their child, enabling them to learn about the health services, adapt to
      their new life, and establishbreastfeeding times. It constitutes safe
      intervention for children and is beneficial to parents.

PMID- 28625853
TI  - Photoelicitation: a useful tool to investigate management of the vulnerability of
      homeless women.
AB  - AIMS: The proposal of the manuscript is to provide a methodological reflection on
      the use of photo-elicitation as a data gathering strategy to explore
      vulnerability management among homeless women. METHODS: A grounded theory study
      was carried out. Photo elicitation was one of the data gathering techniques used
      between February 2015 and February 2017. Five women were selected through
      intentional sampling. All of them were over 18 years old and residents in 4
      shelters within the Madrid Care for the Homeless network. Participants used
      disposable cameras or mobile phones to record their experiences living in the
      shelters or on the street through photographs. An interview was conducted with
      each participant in order to explore the meaning of the photos after they were
      developed. Data analysis comprised, firstly, describing the obvious content of
      the photos and, secondly, comparing it with the latent content provided by
      participants during the interviews. RESULTS: Only 3 women finished the task.
      Through data analysis some theoretical proposals were discovered, which
      contributed to a deeper knowledge of some previously established categories and
      subcategories such as: "The good professionals", "The safe places in the street"
      and "The threats in the street". CONCLUSIONS: Photo-elicitation enabled an
      approach to participants' experiences with minimal imposition, allowing them much
      of the control over the data production. However, it is a demanding technique
      that requires deep reflection before its implementation, on the part of both
      participants and researchers.

PMID- 28625854
TI  - Promoting healthier children's meals at quick-service and full-service
      restaurants: Results from a pilot and feasibility study.
AB  - High-calorie restaurant foods contribute to childhood overweight. Increased
      consumer demand for healthier kids' meals may motivate the restaurant industry to
      provide additional healthy options. This study pilot-tested a combination of four
      strategies (toy incentive, placemats, server prompts, signage) designed to
      increase demand for healthier kids' meals, which were defined as those eligible
      for the National Restaurant Association's Kids LiveWell program. Relative sales
      of healthier kids' meals were examined before (n = 3473 total kids' meal orders)
      and during Month 1 (n = 3546 total kids' meal orders) and Month 2 of
      implementation (n = 3645 total kids' meal orders) of an 8-week intervention in
      two locations each of a quick-service (QSR) and full-service (FSR) restaurant
      chain. Convenience samples of children (n = 27) and their parents (n = 28) were
      surveyed regarding parent and child perceptions of intervention components.
      Findings regarding the effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention were
      mixed. At the FSRs, the relative percentage of monthly sales from healthier kids'
      meals increased from 5.0% of kids' meal orders at baseline to 8.3% during Month
      1, ending at 6.4% during Month 2. At the QSRs, the relative percentage of monthly
      sales from healthier kids' entrees decreased from 27.5% at baseline to 25.2%
      during Month 1, ending at 25.9% during Month 2. Implementation quality tracking
      showed that consistent implementation of intervention components was a challenge;
      parent- and child-reported awareness of intervention components supported this
      finding. Future directions are discussed, aiming to build upon these findings and
      maximize the feasibility, effectiveness, and sustainability of efforts to promote
      healthier eating in restaurants.

PMID- 28625855
TI  - Children's purchase behavior in the snack market: Can branding or lower prices
      motivate healthier choices?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Children's dietary-related diseases and their associated costs have
      expanded dramatically in many countries, making children's food choice a policy
      issue of increasing relevance. As children spend a considerable amount of money
      on energy-dense, nutrient-poor (EDNP) products, a better understanding of the
      main drivers of children's independent food purchase decisions is crucial to move
      this behavior toward healthier options. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is
      to investigate the role of branding and price in motivating children to choose
      healthier snack options. METHODS: The study investigates snack choices of
      children ages 8 to 11, using a survey and a purchase experiment. The research
      took place in after-school programs of selected schools in the Boston area.
      Participants included 116 children. Products in the choice experiment differed on
      three factors: product type, brand, and price. Data were analyzed using
      aggregated and mixed logit models. RESULTS: Children's purchase decisions are
      primarily determined by product type (Importance Value (IV) 56.6%), while brand
      (IV 22.8%) and price (IV 20.6%) prove to be of less relevance. Only those
      children who state that they like the familiar brand reveal a preference for the
      branded product in their purchase decision. Price is a significant predictor of
      choice when controlling for whether or not children obtain an allowance.
      CONCLUSION: It is not simple brand awareness but a child's liking of the brand
      that determines whether a brand is successful in motivating a child to choose a
      product. The extent of children's experience with money influences their price
      responsiveness. To the extent that children who receive an allowance are
      primarily the ones buying food snacks, higher prices for EDNP snacks could be
      successful in motivating children to choose a healthier option.

PMID- 28625856
TI  - Nitroglycerin increases serotonin transporter expression in rat spinal cord but
      anandamide modulated this effect.
AB  - Migraine is one of the most prevalent neurological diseases, which affects 16% of
      the total population. The exact pathomechanism of this disorder is still not well
      understood, but it seems that serotonin and its transporter have a crucial role
      in the pathogenesis. One of the animal models of migraine is the systemic
      administration of nitroglycerin (NTG), a nitric oxide (NO) donor. NO can initiate
      a central sensitization process in the trigeminal system, which is also present
      in migraineurs. Recent studies showed that the endocannabinoid system has a
      modulatory role on the trigeminal activation and sensitization. Our aim was to
      investigate the effect of an endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide (AEA) on the NTG
      induced changes on serotonin transporter (5-HTT) expression in the upper cervical
      spinal cord (C1-C2) of the rat, where most of the trigeminal nociceptive
      afferents convey. The animals were divided into four groups. Rats in the first
      group, called placebo, received only the vehicle solution as treatment. In the
      second group, they were treated with an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of NTG
      (10mg/kg). Rats in the third and fourth groups received i.p. AEA (2*5mg/kg) half
      hour before and one hour after the placebo or NTG treatment. Four hours after
      placebo/NTG injection, the animals were perfused and the cervical spinal cords
      were removed for immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Our results show that
      both NTG and AEA alone are able to increase 5-HTT expression in the C1-C2
      segments. Combination of NTG and AEA has an opposing effect on this marker,
      nullifying the effects of non-combined administration, probably by negative
      feedback mechanisms.

PMID- 28625857
TI  - Validation of the Visible Occlusal Plaque Index (VOPI) in estimating caries
      lesion activity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study appraises the construct validity of the Visible
      Occlusal Plaque Index (VOPI) along with its sub-types, convergent and
      discriminant validity. METHODS: 618 10-15year old Brazilian adolescents were
      included. The VOPI has a four-point ordinal scale ranging from no plaque to heavy
      plaque. VOPI scores and caries status on permanent molars were mapped and
      recorded at individual anatomical sites of the groove-fossa-system and at surface
      level. Outcomes were presence of sound site/surface and site/surface with active
      or inactive caries lesions (non-cavitated or cavitated). RESULTS: Construct
      validity was assumed based on qualitative assessment as no plaque (score 0) and
      thin plaque (score 1) reflected the theoretical knowledge that a regular
      disorganization of the dental biofilm either maintains the caries process at sub
      clinical levels or inactivate it clinically. The VOPI also showed convergent
      validity since the likelihood that anatomical sites with no or thin plaque had
      inactive lesions simultaneously with sites with thick plaque (score 2) or heavy
      plaque (score 3) having active lesions were overall significant (RR=1.0-7.8). At
      surface level, discriminant validity of the VOPI was evidenced with multivariable
      analysis (GEE), by its ability to discriminate between the groups of adolescents
      with different oral hygiene status; negative association between adolescents with
      thick and heavy plaque and those with sound occlusal surfaces was found (OR=0.3,
      p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The VOPI has construct as well as convergent and
      discriminant validity and is therefore recommended as an additional clinical tool
      to estimate caries lesions activity and support treatment decisions. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: The Visible Occlusal Plaque Index is an additional clinical tool to
      the assessment of oral hygiene and caries lesion activity. The VOPI is
      recommended to standardize and categorize information on the occlusal biofilm,
      thus being suitable for direct application in research and clinical settings.

PMID- 28625858
TI  - Stem cells, pluripotency and glial cell markers in peripheral blood of bipolar
      patients on long-term lithium treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of long-term lithium treatment on very
      small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) and the mRNA expression of pluripotency
      and glial markers, in peripheral blood, in patients with bipolar disorder (BD).
      METHODS: Fifteen BD patients (aged 53+/-7years) not treated with lithium, with
      duration of illness >10years, 15 BD patients (aged 55+/-6years) treated with
      lithium for 8-40years (mean 16years) and 15 control subjects (aged 50+/-5years)
      were included. The number of VSELs was measured by flow cytometric analysis.
      Assessment of the mRNA levels of pluripotency markers (Oct-4, Sox 2 and Nanog)
      and glial markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein - GFAP, Olig1 and Olig2) was
      performed, using the Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS:
      In BD patients not taking lithium, the number of VSELs was significantly higher
      than in control subjects and correlated with the duration of illness. The
      expression of pluripotency markers was significantly higher than in the controls
      and correlated with the number of VSELs. The mRNA levels of the Olig1 and Olig 2
      were higher than in the controls and those of the GFAP were higher than in
      patients receiving lithium. In lithium-treated BD patients the number of VSELs
      was similar to controls and correlated negatively with the duration of lithium
      treatment and serum lithium concentration. The mRNA levels of Oct-4, Sox-2, GFAP
      and Olig1 were not different from controls. The mRNA expression of Nanog was
      significantly higher and correlated with the number of VSELs. The mRNA expression
      of Olig 2 was higher than in the BD patients not taking lithium. CONCLUSION: Long
      term treatment with lithium may suppress the activation of regenerative processes
      by reducing the number of VSELs circulating in PB. These cells, in BD patients
      not treated with lithium, may provide a new potential biological marker of the
      illness and its clinical progress. The higher expression of peripheral mRNA
      markers in BD patients may involve ongoing inflammatory process, compensatory
      mechanisms and regenerative responses. Long-term lithium treatment may attenuate
      these mechanisms, especially in relation to the transcription factors Oct-4, Sox
      2, GFAP and Olig1.

PMID- 28625860
TI  - Impact of telephone counseling on the quality of life of patients discharged
      after coronary artery bypass grafts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the impact of telephone counseling on
      quality of life in patients with coronary artery bypass graft. METHODS: A quasi
      experimental study was conducted with 71 discharged patients after coronary
      artery bypass graft surgery at Ekbatan Edcuational hospital in Hamadan, Iran, in
      2014. The patients were randomly allocated into intervention (n=36) and control
      group (n=35). The intervention group received education and counseling about
      therapeutic plan via telephone after discharge. Patients in the control group
      received only routines. All patients completed the quality of life questionnaire
      before and after the intervention period of five weeks. RESULTS: There was no
      significant difference between intervention and control group about quality of
      life before intervention (p=0.696). However, there was significant and positive
      deference between the two groups in favor of the telephone counseling after the
      intervention (P=0.01) and control group (P=0.04). Quality of life in the
      intervention group was significantly better compared to control group (P=0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Telephone counseling could be a cost-effective patient counseling
      plan for therapeutic adherence after coronary artery bypass surgery in order to
      improve the patients' quality of life. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Telephone
      counseling is feasible to implement and well accepted for patient counseling for
      many diseases.

PMID- 28625859
TI  - Harmine produces antidepressant-like effects via restoration of astrocytic
      functions.
AB  - Depression is a world-wide disease with no effective therapeutic methods.
      Increasing evidence indicates that astrocytic pathology contributes to the
      formation of depression. In this study, we investigated the effects of harmine, a
      natural beta-carboline alkaloid and potent hallucinogen, known to modulate
      astrocytic glutamate transporters, on chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)-induced
      depressive-like behaviors and astrocytic dysfunctions. Results showed that
      harmine treatment (10, 20mg/kg) protected the mice against the CUS-induced
      increases in the immobile time in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced
      swimming test (FST), and also reversed the reduction in sucrose intake in the
      sucrose preference experiment. Harmine treatment (20mg/kg) prevented the
      reductions in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels and
      hippocampal neurogenesis induced by CUS. In addition, harmine treatment (20mg/kg)
      increased the protein expression levels of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) and
      prevented the CUS-induced decreases in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)
      protein expressions in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, suggesting that
      restoration of astrocytic functions may be a potential mechanism underlying the
      antidepressant-like effects of harmine. This opinion was proved by the results
      that administration of mice with l-Alpha-Aminoadipic Acid (L-AAA), a gliotoxin
      specific for astrocytes, attenuated the antidepressant-like effects of harmine,
      and prevented the improvement effects of harmine on BDNF protein levels and
      hippocampal neurogenesis. These results provide further evidence to confirm that
      astrocytic dysfunction contributes critically to the development of depression
      and that harmine exerts antidepressant-like effects likely through restoration of
      astrocytic functions.

PMID- 28625861
TI  - The policy effects of feed-in tariff and renewable portfolio standard: A case
      study of China's waste incineration power industry.
AB  - Among the regulatory policies, feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio
      standards (RPS) are the most popular to promote the development of renewable
      energy power industry. They can significantly contribute to the expansion of
      domestic industrial activities in terms of sustainable energy. This paper uses
      system dynamics (SD) to establish models of long-term development of China's
      waste incineration power industry under FIT and RPS schemes, and provides a case
      study by using scenario analysis method. The model, on the one hand, not only
      clearly shows the complex logical relationship between the factors but also
      assesses policy effects of the two policy tools in the development of the
      industry. On the other hand, it provides a reference for scholars to study
      similar problems in different countries, thereby facilitating an understanding of
      waste incineration power's long-term sustainable development pattern under FIT
      and RPS schemes, and helping to provide references for policy-making
      institutions. The results show that in the perfect competitive market, the
      implementation of RPS can promote long-term and rapid development of China's
      waste incineration power industry given the constraints and actions of the
      mechanisms of RPS quota proportion, the TGC valid period, and fines, compared
      with FIT. At the end of the paper, policy implications are offered as references
      for the government.

PMID- 28625862
TI  - Recent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic ring and acetabular
      fracture.

PMID- 28625863
TI  - Reply to the Letter by M. Nikolic and A. Stankovic.

PMID- 28625864
TI  - A systematic study of the effect of low pH acid treatment on anti-drug antibodies
      specific for a domain antibody therapeutic: Impact on drug tolerance, assay
      sensitivity and post-validation method assessment of ADA in clinical serum
      samples.
AB  - We developed a homogeneous bridging anti-drug antibody (ADA) assay on an electro
      chemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) platform to support the immunogenicity
      evaluation of a dimeric domain antibody (dAb) therapeutic in clinical studies.
      During method development we evaluated the impact of different types of acid at
      various pH levels on polyclonal and monoclonal ADA controls of differing
      affinities and on/off rates. The data shows for the first time that acids of
      different pH can have a differential effect on ADA of various affinities and this
      in turn impacts assay sensitivity and drug tolerance as defined by these
      surrogate controls. Acid treatment led to a reduction in signal of intermediate
      and low affinity ADA, but not high affinity or polyclonal ADA. We also found that
      acid pretreatment is a requisite for dissociation of drug bound high affinity
      ADA, but not for low affinity ADA-drug complexes. Although we were unable to
      identify an acid that would allow a 100% retrieval of ADA signal post-treatment,
      use of glycine pH3.0 enabled the detection of low, intermediate and high affinity
      antibodies (Abs) to various extents. Following optimization, the ADA assay method
      was validated for clinical sample analysis. Consistencies within various
      parameters of the clinical data such as dose dependent increases in ADA rates and
      titers were observed, indicating a reliable ADA method. Pre- and post-treatment
      ADA negative or positive clinical samples without detectable drug were reanalyzed
      in the absence of acid treatment or presence of added exogenous drug respectively
      to further assess the effectiveness of the final acid treatment procedure. The
      overall ADA results indicate that assay conditions developed and validated based
      on surrogate controls sufficed to provide a reliable clinical data set. The
      effect of low pH acid treatment on possible pre-existing ADA or soluble
      multimeric target in normal human serum was also evaluated, and preliminary data
      indicate that acid type and pH also affect drug-specific signal differentially in
      individual samples. The results presented here represent the most extensive
      analyses to date on acid treatment of a wide range of ADA affinities to explore
      sensitivity and drug tolerance issues. They have led to a refinement of our
      current best practices for ADA method development and provide a depth of data to
      interrogate low pH mediated immune complex dissociation.

PMID- 28625865
TI  - Reply to Theilen et al 2017: Economic evaluations of clinician training - Make
      your research meaningful to decision makers.

PMID- 28625866
TI  - Genome analysis of crude oil degrading Franconibacter pulveris strain DJ34
      revealed its genetic basis for hydrocarbon degradation and survival in oil
      contaminated environment.
AB  - Franconibacter pulveris strain DJ34, isolated from Duliajan oil fields, Assam,
      was characterized in terms of its taxonomic, metabolic and genomic properties.
      The bacterium showed utilization of diverse petroleum hydrocarbons and electron
      acceptors, metal resistance, and biosurfactant production. The genome
      (4,856,096bp) of this strain contained different genes related to the degradation
      of various petroleum hydrocarbons, metal transport and resistance, dissimilatory
      nitrate, nitrite and sulfite reduction, chemotaxy, biosurfactant synthesis, etc.
      Genomic comparison with other Franconibacter spp. revealed higher abundance of
      genes for cell motility, lipid transport and metabolism, transcription and
      translation in DJ34 genome. Detailed COG analysis provides deeper insights into
      the genomic potential of this organism for degradation and survival in oil
      contaminated complex habitat. This is the first report on ecophysiology and
      genomic inventory of Franconibacter sp. inhabiting crude oil rich environment,
      which might be useful for designing the strategy for bioremediation of oil
      contaminated environment.

PMID- 28625868
TI  - Distinct characteristics of neonatal platelet reactivity.
AB  - Platelets undergo a process of developmental maturation, and hence its regulation
      of vascular integrity and control of hemostasis at various stages of neonatal
      ages deserves better characterization. Functional assays for platelets require a
      larger volume of blood than what is feasible to collect in neonates, creating a
      technical hurdle that has been a challenge to investigate neonatal platelets. For
      this reason, the current knowledge of neonatal platelet function has been based
      on studies from cord blood-derived platelets as a surrogate for neonatal
      peripheral blood. Studies indicate that neonatal platelets are hypofunctional to
      various agonists, although neonates tend to maintain normal hemostasis. This
      apparently paradoxical finding may be due to several factors, such as elevated
      functionally potent von Willebrand factor multimers or hematocrit levels, in the
      neonatal blood that enhance the platelet and vessel wall interaction, and
      counteract platelet hyporeactivity. This review describes the functional
      characteristics of neonatal platelets, differences in platelet reactivity between
      neonates and adults, and potential biomarkers of platelet activation.

PMID- 28625869
TI  - An historical perspective on the pioneering experiments of John Saunders.
AB  - John Saunders was a highly skilled embryologist who pioneered the study of limb
      development. His studies on chick embryos provided the fundamental framework for
      understanding how vertebrate limbs develop. This framework inspired generations
      of scientists and formed the bridge from experimental embryology to molecular
      mechanisms. Saunders investigated how feathers become organized into tracts in
      the skin of the chick wing and also identified regions of programmed cell death.
      He discovered that a region of thickened ectoderm that rims the chick wing bud -
      the apical ectodermal ridge - is required for outgrowth and the laying down of
      structures along the proximo-distal axis (long axis) of the wing, identified the
      zone of polarizing activity (ZPA; polarizing region) that controls development
      across the anteroposterior axis ("thumb to little finger "axis) and contributed
      to uncovering the importance of the ectoderm in development of structures along
      the dorso-ventral axis ( "back of hand to palm" axis). This review looks in depth
      at some of his original papers and traces how he made the crucial findings about
      how limbs develop, considering these findings both in the context of contemporary
      knowledge at the time and also in terms of their immediate impact on the field.

PMID- 28625870
TI  - Pax3- and Pax7-mediated Dbx1 regulation orchestrates the patterning of
      intermediate spinal interneurons.
AB  - Transcription factors are key orchestrators of the emergence of neuronal
      diversity within the developing spinal cord. As such, the two paralogous proteins
      Pax3 and Pax7 regulate the specification of progenitor cells within the
      intermediate neural tube, by defining a neat segregation between those fated to
      form motor circuits and those involved in the integration of sensory inputs. To
      attain insights into the molecular means by which they control this process, we
      have performed detailed phenotypic analyses of the intermediate spinal
      interneurons (IN), namely the dI6, V0D, V0VCG and V1 populations in compound null
      mutants for Pax3 and Pax7. This has revealed that the levels of Pax3/7 proteins
      determine both the dorso-ventral extent and the number of cells produced in each
      subpopulation; with increasing levels leading to the dorsalisation of their fate.
      Furthermore, thanks to the examination of mutants in which Pax3 transcriptional
      activity is skewed either towards repression or activation, we demonstrate that
      this cell diversification process is mainly dictated by Pax3/7 ability to repress
      gene expression. Consistently, we show that Pax3 and Pax7 inhibit the expression
      of Dbx1 and of its repressor Prdm12, fate determinants of the V0 and V1
      interneurons, respectively. Notably, we provide evidence for the activity of
      several cis-regulatory modules of Dbx1 to be sensitive to Pax3 and Pax7
      transcriptional activity levels. Altogether, our study provides insights into how
      the redundancy within a TF family, together with discrete dynamics of expression
      profiles of each member, are exploited to generate cellular diversity.
      Furthermore, our data supports the model whereby cell fate choices in the neural
      tube do not rely on binary decisions but rather on inhibition of multiple
      alternative fates.

PMID- 28625867
TI  - Understanding the Holobiont: How Microbial Metabolites Affect Human Health and
      Shape the Immune System.
AB  - The human gastrointestinal tract is populated by a diverse, highly mutualistic
      microbial flora, which is known as the microbiome. Disruptions to the microbiome
      have been shown to be associated with severe pathologies of the host, including
      metabolic disease, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease. Mood and behavior are
      also susceptible to alterations in the gut microbiota. A particularly striking
      example of the symbiotic effects of the microbiome is the immune system, whose
      cells depend critically on a diverse array of microbial metabolites for normal
      development and behavior. This includes metabolites that are produced by bacteria
      from dietary components, metabolites that are produced by the host and
      biochemically modified by gut bacteria, and metabolites that are synthesized de
      novo by gut microbes. In this review, we highlight the role of the intestinal
      microbiome in human metabolic and inflammatory diseases and focus in particular
      on the molecular mechanisms that govern the gut-immune axis.

PMID- 28625872
TI  - Decreased enteritis resistance ability by dietary low or excess levels of lipids
      through impairing the intestinal physical and immune barriers function of young
      grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).
AB  - The current study explores the hypothesis that low or excess levels of lipids
      decrease the enteritis resistance ability through impairing the intestinal
      physical and immune barrier function of young grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon
      idella). A total of 540 young grass carp with an average initial weight of 261.41
      +/- 0.53 g were fed diets containing six graded levels of lipids at 5.9, 21.4,
      36.0, 50.2, 66.6 and 80.1 g/kg for 8 weeks. After that, a challenge trial was
      conducted by injection of Aeromonas hydrophila over 2 weeks. The results show
      that compared with optimal lipids level, low or excess levels of lipids impair
      fish immune barrier function through declining humoral compounds and down
      regulating the mRNA levels of interleukin 4/13A (IL-4(13)A) [not in the proximal
      intestine (PI)], IL-4(13)B, IL-6, IL-10, transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF
      beta1), inhibitor of kappaBalpha (IkappaBalpha), TOR and ribosomal p70S6 kinase
      (S6K1) (P < 0.05), and up-regulating tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha),
      interferon gamma2 (IFN-gamma2), IL-1beta, IL-8, IL-12 p40 (not p35), nuclear
      factor kappaB p65 (NF-kappaB p65), IkappaB kinase alpha (IKKalpha), IKKbeta,
      IKKgamma, and eIF4E-binding protein (4EBP) in the intestine of young grass carp
      (P < 0.05). In addition, low or excess levels of lipids also decrease young grass
      carp physical barrier function through down-regulating the mRNA levels of zonula
      occludens (ZO-1), ZO-2b [only in the distal intestine (DI)], Claudin b, c, 3, 12,
      15a, 15b (only in the DI), 7b (not 7a) and Occludin by MAPKK 6/p38 MAPK (not
      JNK)/MLCK signaling molecules, down-regulating B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and
      inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) and up-regulating the mRNA levels of
      apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), Caspase-3, -8 and -9 and Fas
      ligand (FasL) (not in the DI), and decreasing antioxidant ability via Kelch-like
      ECH-associating protein 1 (Keap1)/NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling
      molecules in the intestine. Based on the quadratic regression analysis for the
      enteritis resistance ability, LA activities and GSH content in the MI were
      established to be 54.5, 49.91 and 47.83 g lipid/kg diets, respectively.

PMID- 28625871
TI  - miR-27 regulates chondrogenesis by suppressing focal adhesion kinase during
      pharyngeal arch development.
AB  - Cranial neural crest cells are a multipotent cell population that generate all
      the elements of the pharyngeal cartilage with differentiation into chondrocytes
      tightly regulated by temporal intracellular and extracellular cues. Here, we
      demonstrate a novel role for miR-27, a highly enriched microRNA in the pharyngeal
      arches, as a positive regulator of chondrogenesis. Knock down of miR-27 led to
      nearly complete loss of pharyngeal cartilage by attenuating proliferation and
      blocking differentiation of pre-chondrogenic cells. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK)
      is a key regulator in integrin-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion and
      has been proposed to function as a negative regulator of chondrogenesis. We show
      that FAK is downregulated in the pharyngeal arches during chondrogenesis and is a
      direct target of miR-27. Suppressing the accumulation of FAK in miR-27 morphants
      partially rescued the severe pharyngeal cartilage defects observed upon knock
      down of miR-27. These data support a crucial role for miR-27 in promoting
      chondrogenic differentiation in the pharyngeal arches through regulation of FAK.

PMID- 28625873
TI  - An approach to the study of the immunity functions of bivalve haemocytes:
      Physiology and molecular aspects.
AB  - The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is an ecologically and
      economically important species. It has been used in programs of monitoring of
      pollution, since it is sessile organism that is capable of accumulating
      pollutants in tissues through filter feeding. Due to an increase of pollutants in
      the environment, marine mussels present physiological alterations that compromise
      their innate immune system, which can latter lead to opportunistic diseases. The
      haemocytes are the cells in charge of the immune response in the Mediterranean
      mussel and in other mollusks. In this review, we summarize the physiological and
      genetic response capacity of these immune cells to the presence of xenobiotics,
      pathogens and the interplay. The identification of the basic mechanisms of
      immunity and their modulation in mussels can give important information for the
      possible utilization of this species as an invertebrate model for studies on
      innate immunity, future immunotoxicological studies, and predict changes in the
      community for the future.

PMID- 28625874
TI  - Negative regulation of the RLH signaling by the E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF114.
AB  - The retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like helicases (RLH)s are cytoplasmic
      pattern recognition receptors expressed in both immune and non-immune cells that
      are essential for detection of intracellular RNA products, primarily of viral
      origin. Upon binding to viral RNA, RLHs interact with mitochondrial antiviral
      signaling protein (MAVS) to activate interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral
      responses. The RLH/MAVS signaling pathway is regulated by
      ubiquitination/deubiquitination, in which several ubiquitin-editing proteins play
      critical roles. The really interesting new gene (RING) finger protein 114
      (RNF114) was originally identified as a psoriasis susceptibility gene broadly
      expressed in human tissues. Earlier studies implicated RNF114 in regulating
      cellular dsRNA responses, cell cycle progression, NF-kappaB activity and T-cell
      activation. We found that RNF114 inhibited cellular dsRNA responses and RLH
      mediated IFN production. RNF114 functioned as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and MAVS
      was identified as a potential target for RNF114-mediated polyubiquitination and
      degradation. Splenocytes and blood harvested from RNF114 KO showed increased
      basal IFN level and sensitized responses to dsRNA. However, RNF114 knockout mice
      failed to exhibit enhance resistance to infection by two acute RNA viruses. These
      data suggested the potential physiological function of RNF114 in inflammation and
      host antiviral responses, but demonstrate complexity in the regulation of innate
      immunity by ubiquitin ligases.

PMID- 28625876
TI  - Mental health in Zimbabwe: a health systems analysis.
AB  - There has been little external analysis of Zimbabwe's mental health system. We
      did a systems analysis to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for mental
      health service improvement in Zimbabwe and to generate cost-effective, policy
      relevant solutions. We combined in-depth interviews with a range of key
      stakeholders in health and mental health, analysis of mental health laws and
      policies, and publicly available data about mental health. Five themes are key to
      mental health service delivery in Zimbabwe: policy and law; financing and
      resources; criminal justice; workforce, training, and research; and beliefs about
      mental illness. We identified human resources, rehabilitation facilities,
      psychotropic medication, and community mental health as funding priorities.
      Moreover, we found that researchers should prioritise measuring the economic
      impact of mental health and exploring substance use, forensic care, and mental
      health integration. Our study highlights forensic services as a central component
      of the mental health system, which has been a neglected concept. We also describe
      a tailored process for mental health systems that is transferable to other low
      income settings and that garners political will, builds capacity, and raises the
      profile of mental health.

PMID- 28625875
TI  - Individual differences in functional connectivity during naturalistic viewing
      conditions.
AB  - Naturalistic viewing paradigms such as movies have been shown to reduce
      participant head motion and improve arousal during fMRI scanning relative to task
      free rest, and have been used to study both functional connectivity and stimulus
      evoked BOLD-signal changes. These task-based hemodynamic changes are synchronized
      across subjects and involve large areas of the cortex, and it is unclear whether
      individual differences in functional connectivity are enhanced or diminished
      under such naturalistic conditions. This work first aims to characterize
      variability in BOLD-signal based functional connectivity (FC) across 2 distinct
      movie conditions and eyes-open rest (n=31 healthy adults, 2 scan sessions each).
      We found that movies have higher within- and between-subject correlations in
      cluster-wise FC relative to rest. The anatomical distribution of inter-individual
      variability was similar across conditions, with higher variability occurring at
      the lateral prefrontal lobes and temporoparietal junctions. Second, we used an
      unsupervised test-retest matching algorithm that identifies individual subjects
      from within a group based on FC patterns, quantifying the accuracy of the
      algorithm across the three conditions. The movies and resting state all enabled
      identification of individual subjects based on FC matrices, with accuracies
      between 61% and 100%. Overall, pairings involving movies outperformed rest, and
      the social, faster-paced movie attained 100% accuracy. When the parcellation
      resolution, scan duration, and number of edges used were increased, accuracies
      improved across conditions, and the pattern of movies>rest was preserved. These
      results suggest that using dynamic stimuli such as movies enhances the detection
      of FC patterns that are unique at the individual level.

PMID- 28625877
TI  - RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment, isodecyl alcohol, CAS registry
      number 25339-17-7.

PMID- 28625878
TI  - RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment, Methyl hexyl oxo cyclopentanone
      carboxylate, CAS Registry Number 37172-53-5.

PMID- 28625879
TI  - RIFM fragrance ingredient safety assessment, benzenepropanenitrile, 4-ethyl
      .alpha.,.alpha.-dimethyl, CAS Registry Number 134123-93-6.

PMID- 28625880
TI  - Predicting biomedical metadata in CEDAR: A study of Gene Expression Omnibus
      (GEO).
AB  - A crucial and limiting factor in data reuse is the lack of accurate, structured,
      and complete descriptions of data, known as metadata. Towards improving the
      quantity and quality of metadata, we propose a novel metadata prediction
      framework to learn associations from existing metadata that can be used to
      predict metadata values. We evaluate our framework in the context of experimental
      metadata from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). We applied four rule mining
      algorithms to the most common structured metadata elements (sample type,
      molecular type, platform, label type and organism) from over 1.3million GEO
      records. We examined the quality of well supported rules from each algorithm and
      visualized the dependencies among metadata elements. Finally, we evaluated the
      performance of the algorithms in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F
      measure. We found that PART is the best algorithm outperforming Apriori,
      Predictive Apriori, and Decision Table. All algorithms perform significantly
      better in predicting class values than the majority vote classifier. We found
      that the performance of the algorithms is related to the dimensionality of the
      GEO elements. The average performance of all algorithm increases due of the
      decreasing of dimensionality of the unique values of these elements (2697
      platforms, 537 organisms, 454 labels, 9 molecules, and 5 types). Our work
      suggests that experimental metadata such as present in GEO can be accurately
      predicted using rule mining algorithms. Our work has implications for both
      prospective and retrospective augmentation of metadata quality, which are geared
      towards making data easier to find and reuse.

PMID- 28625881
TI  - Effects of exposure to biomass burning on pulmonary inflammatory markers and
      pulmonary function in individuals with COPD.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has many benefits for individuals
      with COPD. However, it is not clear whether PR could prevent the hazards of air
      pollution exposure. This study aimed to analyze the effects of biomass burning
      exposure on pulmonary inflammatory markers and pulmonary function in individuals
      with COPD, participants and non-participants of PR. METHODS: 35 subjects were
      divided into three groups: individuals with COPD who received PR (G1, n=15),
      those who did not (G2, n=10), and a control group composed of healthy individuals
      without COPD (CG, n=10). Measurements of lung function and concentrations of IL
      6, IL-10, and TNF-alpha in exhaled breath condensate samples were collected. The
      assessment and concentrations of particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide
      (NO2), ozone (O3), temperature (T), and relative air humidity (RAH) were recorded
      in biomass burning and non-burning periods. RESULTS: There was a significant
      increase in the concentrations of air pollutants in the biomass burning period.
      In this period, an increase in IL-6 (G1p=0.041, G2 p=.012), and a reduction in
      the FEV1/FVC ratio (G1p=0.021, G2 p=.007) were observed in individuals with COPD.
      In G1, the increase in IL-6 concentrations correlated positively with O3
      (r=0.693; p=.006), and negatively with RAH (r=-0.773; p=.003) in the burning
      period. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with COPD exposed to biomass burning
      demonstrated increased pulmonary inflammation and a reduction in the FEV1/FVC
      ratio, regardless of their engagement in PR.

PMID- 28625882
TI  - Analysis of sarcoidosis in the Oporto region (Portugal).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology.
      Epidemiological studies of different populations are essential because clinical
      presentation, organ involvement, disease severity, and prognosis vary
      significantly according to region and population. The aim of this study was to
      assess epidemiological and clinical characteristics, staging factors, and
      clinical course in patients with sarcoidosis from a tertiary hospital in Oporto,
      Portugal. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with sarcoidosis and at
      least 2 years of follow-up evaluated at the Centro Hospitalar de Sao Joao between
      2000 and 2014. RESULTS: We identified 409 patients with sarcoidosis (females,
      58.9%; mean age at diagnosis, 38.9+/-13.4 years; smokers, 14.4%]. All the
      patients were diagnosed according to the ERS/ATS/WASOG consensus statement and
      64.1% had evidence of noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas in biopsy
      specimens. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed as part of the diagnostic work-up
      in 289 patients and 90.2% had lymphocytosis (CD4/CD8 ratio >=3.5 in 60.9% of
      cases). Exertion dyspnea, cough, and constitutional symptoms were the most common
      presenting symptoms; 10.1% of patients were asymptomatic, 22.8% had Lofgren
      syndrome, and 50.5% had extrathoracic involvement. Radiographic stages of disease
      according to the Scadding criteria were as follows: stage 0 (5.2%), stage I
      (33.7%), stage II (47.0%), stage III (8.4%), and stage IV (5.7%). Impaired
      respiratory function was observed in 45.6% patients and was mostly mild. Systemic
      treatment was administered in 58.6% of cases. Overall, 45.3% of patients
      experienced disease resolution. CONCLUSION: The epidemiological and clinical
      characteristics of this cohort of patients with sarcoidosis from the Oporto
      region in northern Portugal revealed epidemiological and clinical characteristics
      that were generally similar to those described in other Western Europe
      populations and in the US ACCESS study. However, we found a higher proportion of
      patients who progressed to chronic forms.

PMID- 28625883
TI  - TCR+CD3+CD4-CD8- effector T cells in psoriasis.
AB  - The autoimmune/inflammatory disorder psoriasis is characterized by keratinocyte
      proliferation and immune cell infiltration of the skin. TCR+CD3+CD4-CD8- "double
      negative" (DN) T cells can derive from CD8+ T cells through the down-regulation
      of CD8. The inhibitory molecule programmed death (PD-)1 is expressed on activated
      T cells and plays a role in the maintenance of peripheral tolerance. A subset of
      DN T cells, characterized by the expression of PD-1, has recently been
      demonstrated to be self-reactive. We demonstrate that a majority of DN T cells
      exhibits effector memory phenotypes, express IFN-gamma, and fail to proliferate.
      DN T cells from psoriasis patients are characterized by reduced DNA methylation
      of the IFNG gene and increased PD-1 expression. Furthermore, PD-1 positive DN T
      cells infiltrate the epidermis in psoriatic skin lesions. Our observations offer
      additional insight into the molecular pathophysiology of plaque psoriasis and
      show promise as potential disease biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for
      future interventions.

PMID- 28625884
TI  - Lack of evidence for post-vaccine onset of autoimmune/lymphoproliferative
      disorders, during a nine-month follow-up in multiply vaccinated Italian military
      personnel.
AB  - Anecdotal case reports, amplified by mass media and internet-based opinion
      groups, have recently indicated vaccinations as possibly responsible for
      autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation development. Multiply vaccinated Italian
      military personnel (group 1, operating in Italy, group 2, operating in Lebanon)
      were followed-up for nine months to monitor possible post-vaccine
      autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation onset. No serious adverse event was noticed in
      both groups. Multivariate analysis of intergroup differences only showed a
      significant association between lymphocyte increase and tetanus/diphtheria
      vaccine administration. A significant post-vaccine decrease in autoantibody
      positivity was observed. Autoantibodies were also studied by microarray analysis
      of self-proteins in subjects exposed to >=4 concurrent vaccinations, without
      observing significant difference among baseline and one and nine months post
      vaccine. Moreover, HLA-A2 subjects have been analyzed for the possible CD8T-cell
      response to apoptotic self-epitopes, without observing significant difference
      between baseline and one month post-vaccine. Multiple vaccinations in young
      adults are safe and not associated to autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation onset
      during a nine-month-long follow-up.

PMID- 28625886
TI  - Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases in Urban Slums: Opportunities for
      Intervention.
AB  - Urban slums provide conditions that increase the risk of exposure to vector-borne
      and zoonotic pathogens. Large interventions, such as social and sanitary changes,
      are a priority but their implementation is challenging. Integration between the
      multidisciplinary understanding of pathogens' dynamics and community
      participatory approaches is a key prevention strategy.

PMID- 28625885
TI  - DOCK8 deficiency: Insights into pathophysiology, clinical features and
      management.
AB  - Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency is a combined immunodeficiency that
      exemplifies the broad clinical features of primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs),
      extending beyond recurrent infections to include atopy, autoimmunity and cancer.
      It is caused by loss of function mutations in DOCK8, encoding a guanine
      nucleotide exchange factor highly expressed in lymphocytes that regulates the
      actin cytoskeleton. Additional roles of DOCK8 have also emerged, including
      regulating MyD88-dependent Toll-like receptor signaling and the activation of the
      transcription factor STAT3. DOCK8 deficiency impairs immune cell migration,
      function and survival, and it impacts both innate and adaptive immune responses.
      Clinically, DOCK8 deficiency is characterized by allergic inflammation as well as
      susceptibility towards infections, autoimmunity and malignancy. This review
      details the pathophysiology, clinical features and management of DOCK8
      deficiency. It also surveys the recently discovered combined immunodeficiency due
      to DOCK2 deficiency, highlighting in the process the emerging spectrum of PIDs
      resulting from DOCK protein family abnormalities.

PMID- 28625887
TI  - Time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy: Recent progress.
AB  - Time-resolved cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) combines the known advantages of
      single-particle cryo-EM in visualizing molecular structure with the ability to
      dissect the time progress of a reaction between molecules in vitro. Here some of
      the recent progress of this methodology and its first biological applications are
      outlined.

PMID- 28625888
TI  - Combined venom profiling and cytotoxicity screening of the Radde's mountain viper
      (Montivipera raddei) and Mount Bulgar Viper (Montivipera bulgardaghica) with
      potent cytotoxicity against human A549 lung carcinoma cells.
AB  - Here we report the first characterization of the endemic Mount Bulgar Viper
      (Montivipera bulgardaghica) and Radde's mountain viper (Montivipera raddei) venom
      by a combined approach using intact mass profiling and bottom-up proteomics. The
      cytotoxicity screening of crude venom as well as isolated serine proteases
      revealed a high activity against A549 human lung carcinoma cells. By means of
      intact mass profiling of native and reduced venom we observed basic and acidic
      phospholipases type A2. Moreover, the analysis revealed snake venom
      metalloproteases, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, disintegrins, snake venom
      serine proteases, C-type lectins, a vascular endothelial growth factor and an L
      amino acid oxidase.

PMID- 28625889
TI  - Massive attack of honeybee on macaws (Ara ararauna and Ara chloropterus) in
      Brazil - A case report.
AB  - Three adult birds of the species Ara chloropterus and five of the species Ara
      ararauna from a conservation breeding facility suffered a massive attack by
      honeybees. The A. chloropterus birds presented swollen puncture lesions with
      stingers (mainly in the facial regions without feathers), swelling of the eyelids
      and subcutaneous tissue, and respiratory distress, and they were treated with
      intramuscular injections of 1.67 mg/kg of promethazine and 10 mg/kg of
      hydrocortisone followed by removal of the stingers. Complete remission of the
      clinical signs occurred 48 hours after start of treatment. The five A. ararauna
      birds died before they arrived at the veterinary hospital, and the necropsies
      found stingers in the areas of the face without feathers and the subcutaneous
      tissue, which were associated with erythema, bruising, and swelling. Food content
      from the crop was found in the oral cavity and the tracheal lumen, and marked
      congestion was observed in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, brain, and
      cerebellum. Among the histopathological findings, significant swelling of the
      myocytes in the endocardium and vascular dilation with erythroid repletion were
      observed, and there were multifocal areas of centrilobular necrosis associated
      with severe congestion and hemorrhaging in the hepatic tissue. Severe acute
      tubular necrosis and hydropic-vacuolar degeneration were observed in the kidneys.
      The clinical signs and pathological findings suggest envenomation due to a
      massive bee attack, the first such report for Psittacidae.

PMID- 28625891
TI  - Who can be a legitimate author on an article?

PMID- 28625890
TI  - Acute effects of coffee on skin blood flow and microvascular function.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Studies on the acute effects of coffee on the microcirculation have
      shown contradicting results. This study aimed to investigate if intake of
      caffeine-containing coffee changes blood flow and microvascular reactivity in the
      skin. METHODS: We measured acute changes in cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC)
      in the forearm and the tip of the finger, the microvascular response to
      transdermal iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)
      and post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) in the skin, after intake of
      caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. RESULTS: Vasodilatation during iontophoresis
      of ACh was significantly stronger after intake of caffeinated coffee compared to
      after intake of decaffeinated coffee (1.26+/-0.20PU/mmHg vs. 1.13+/-0.38PU/mmHg,
      P<0.001). Forearm CVC before and after PORH were not affected by caffeinated and
      decaffeinated coffee. After intake of caffeinated coffee, a more pronounced
      decrease in CVC in the fingertip was observed compared to after intake of
      decaffeinated coffee (-1.36PU/mmHg vs. -0.52PU/mmHg, P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS:
      Caffeine, as ingested by drinking caffeinated coffee acutely improves endothelium
      dependent microvascular responses in the forearm skin, while endothelium
      independent responses to PORH and SNP iontophoresis are not affected. Blood flow
      in the fingertip decreases markedly during the first hour after drinking
      caffeinated coffee compared to decaffeinated coffee.

PMID- 28625892
TI  - Consumers' acceptance of medicinal herbs: An application of the technology
      acceptance model (TAM).
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The shift in consumers' preferences from
      synthetic to 'natural' products has led to a resurgence of interest in medicinal
      plants, particularly in developing countries. However, research data about
      consumers' preferences for particular products is hard to find. AIMS AND
      OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to contribute to the general
      understanding of consumers' intention for selecting medicinal herbs for
      consumption. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Factors underpinning consumers' acceptance of
      medicinal herbs were studied with the technology acceptance model (TAM) in Rasht
      City of Iran using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: Most respondents had low
      to moderate familiarity with consumption of medicinal herbs. However, about half
      of the respondents (47.5%) showed a high level of acceptance of medicinal herbs.
      Herbs like spearmint (Mentha spicata L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), basil
      (Ocimum basilicum L.), Damask rose (Rosa * damascena Herrm.), saffron (Crocus
      sativus L.), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J.Presl), flixweed [Descurainia sophia
      (L.) Webb ex Prantl], red feathers (Echium amoenum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.), and green
      tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze] had the highest consumption rate among the
      majority (over 75%) of citizens of Rasht. The highest rate of perceived
      usefulness of medicinal herbs was related to their perceived role in healing
      diseases. The variable of importance of use of medicinal herbs had the strongest
      direct effect and the variables of perceived usefulness and attitude towards use
      had the second and third strongest direct effect on the acceptance of medicinal
      herbs' use at p < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide a useful evaluation of the
      acceptance of medicinal herbs and may serve as a benchmark for future research
      and evaluation concerning the use of medicinal herbs over time. For plant
      producers, more effective and targeted crop development should be encouraged,
      whereas for retailers better marketing and delivery strategies should be sought.

PMID- 28625893
TI  - Investigation of the influence of emotions on working memory capacity using ERP
      and ERSP.
AB  - Recent studies have reported that there are individual differences in working
      memory (WM), and that WM may be affected by emotions. To date, it remains
      controversial whether emotions impair or facilitate WM and whether there are
      individual differences in their effect on WM. In this study, three emotions
      (negative, neutral, and positive) were induced by a video database that was
      established according to the emotional stimuli habit of Chinese people. A change
      detection paradigm was used to examine the effect of emotions on the visual WM.
      Participants were divided into high- and low-capacity groups according to their
      WM capacity. The behavioral results revealed that both negative and positive
      emotions may enhance WM capacity in the high-capacity group compared with the
      neutral emotion. In contrast, an opposite effect was observed in the low-capacity
      group. Analysis of the contralateral delay activity and P300 components
      demonstrated significantly higher amplitudes in the high-capacity group following
      positive and negative emotions; the effects were opposite in the low-capacity
      group. The event-related spectral perturbation results demonstrated a more
      powerful event-related synchronization in the alpha-band (300-400ms) in the low
      capacity group in positive and negative emotions; opposite results were observed
      in the high-capacity group. The consistence of the behavioral and
      electrophysiological results suggests interindividual differences in the impact
      of emotions on the WM capacity. Moreover, both positive and negative emotions can
      facilitate WM capacity in the high-capacity group, while they impair WM capacity
      in the low-capacity group.

PMID- 28625894
TI  - Evaluation of protective immunity induced by DNA vaccination with genes encoding
      Toxoplasma gondii GRA17 and GRA23 against acute toxoplasmosis in mice.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii, an obligatory intracellular protozoan, can cause serious
      public health problems and economic losses worldwide. Two novel dense granule
      proteins (GRA17 and GRA23) were recently identified as T. gondii-secreted
      proteins which are localized to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) and
      can mediate the movement of small molecules between the host cell and
      parasitophorous vacuole (PV). In the present study, we evaluated the protective
      immunity induced by DNA vaccination with genes encoding GRA17 and GRA23 against
      acute toxoplasmosis in mice. Eukaryotic expressing plasmids pVAX-TgGRA17 and pVAX
      TgGRA23 were constructed. Then, BALB/c mice were intramuscularly immunized with
      pVAX-TgGRA17, pVAX-TgGRA23, or pVAX-TgGRA17 + pVAX-TgGRA23 followed by challenge
      infection with the highly virulent RH strain of T. gondii. The specific immune
      responses and protective efficacy against T. gondii were examined by cytokine and
      serum antibody measurements, lymphocyte proliferation assays, flow cytometry of
      lymphocytes and the survival time after challenge. Our results showed that mice
      immunized with pVAX-TgGRA17, pVAX-TgGRA23, or pVAX-TgGRA17 + pVAX-TgGRA23 induced
      specific humoral and cellular responses, with higher level of IgG antibody,
      increased levels of Th1-type cytokines IFN-gamma and IL-12 (p70), and CD3+CD4+CD8
      and CD3+CD8+CD4- T cells, as well as prolonged survival time (9.1 +/- 0.32 days
      for pVAX-TgGRA17, 10.8 +/- 0.79 days for pVAX-TgGRA23, and 12.6 +/- 2.55 days for
      pVAX-TgGRA17 + pVAX-TgGRA23) compared to the blank control (7.11 +/- 0.33 days),
      PBS control (7.22 +/- 0.44 days), and pVAX I control (7.11 +/- 0.33 days). These
      results demonstrated that both TgGRA17 and TgGRA23 are potential vaccine
      candidates, TgGRA23 has a better immunogenicity, and co-immunization of pVAX
      TgGRA17 and pVAX-TgGRA23 induces better protective efficacy.

PMID- 28625895
TI  - Expression analyses of salinity stress- associated ESTs in Aeluropus littoralis.
AB  - Salinity is among the most important abiotic stresses affecting crop production
      throughout the earth. Halophyte plants can sustain high salinity levels,
      therefore elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying their salinity resistance
      is beneficial for crop improvement. Aeluropus littoralis, a halophyte weed, is a
      great genetic resource for this purpose. Isolated expressed sequence taq (EST)
      sequences from A. littoralis under salinity stress, have given us the chance to
      find and analyze transcripts of genes involved in response to salinity.
      Transcriptome analyses indicated the expression levels of mRNAs corresponding to
      10 of sequences were increased under treatments. All mRNAs were significantly
      induced under salt treatment with the highest peaks observed at different hours
      of treatments. Moreover, the full-length cDNA of vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (VP)
      was isolated utilizing 3' and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends polymerase
      chain reaction (RACE-PCR) and characterized (GenBank accession number of
      KT253223.1). The extracted full-length of VP was 2732 bp, which contained ORF of
      2292 bp encoding 763 amino acids.

PMID- 28625896
TI  - Lateralization of housekeeping genes in the brain of one-day old chicks.
AB  - Real-time quantitative PCR is an exceptionally sensitive method that can detect
      even very small differences in gene expression and, as such, it is essential to
      use suitable reference genes. Domestic chickens are used in a wide range of
      studies including neurobiology, behavior, ecology and disease transmission. In
      recent avian gene expression experiments, 18S (18S ribosomal RNA), beta actin
      (ACTB) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) have frequently been
      used; however, there is not enough evidence that these reference genes are
      suitable for all types of experiments. There is considerable evidence for
      lateralization in numerous learning tasks and for differences in the functional
      contribution of the two brain hemispheres. Therefore, the purpose of this study
      was to identify a set of reference genes for chick brain region called an
      intermediate medial mesopallium (IMM), which is connected with memory formation
      in the chick brain, whilst also taking into consideration the differences between
      the left and right hemispheres. This study evaluated the expression stability of
      eleven candidate housekeeping genes in the IMM region of the 1-day old chick
      brain. In our experimental system, the most reliable results were given by the
      NormFinder algorithm. The results show for the first time that ACTB, commonly
      used as an avian reference gene, is not suitable for investigation of gene
      expression in the chick brain and that brain lateralization exact selection of
      different reference gens for each hemisphere. For memory process investigations
      using tasks in one-day old chicks the most effective reference genes for the left
      hemisphere were HMBS and SDHA, and for the right hemisphere the most effective
      was RPL19.

PMID- 28625897
TI  - Differential expression of long noncoding RNAs in congenital microtia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyse lncRNA expression profiles in microtia using bioinformatics
      analysis. METHODS: We examined lncRNA expression profiles in residual ear
      cartilage and normal ear cartilage from individual congenital microtia patients.
      RESULTS: The gene chips used in this study included 30586 lncRNAs and 26109 mRNA
      probes. Intotal, 180 lncRNAs with differential expression weredetected in the
      residual ear cartilage compared with the normal cartilage, including 74 up
      regulated and 106down-regulated lncRNAs. Signalling pathway analysis highlighted
      glyceride metabolism, osteoclast differentiation, andtumour growth. The results
      of qRT-PCR analysis were consistent with those of themicroarray. CONCLUSION:
      Differential expression of lncRNAs occurs in microtia. These lncRNAs and related
      signalling pathways may play an important role in the occurrence and development
      ofmicrotia.

PMID- 28625898
TI  - Doctor says you are cured, but you still feel the pain. Borrelia DNA persistence
      in Lyme disease.
AB  - Lyme disease is a zoonosis caused by infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). A
      great amount of research has attempted to elucidate the mechanisms by which Bb
      causes inflammation and chronic symptomatology in some patients. Patients often
      seek unconventional treatments that lack scientific evidence, as medical care is
      unable to effectively explain and treat their illness. Bb-DNA can persist for
      long periods of time in some individuals, even after antibiotic therapy. Herein,
      scientific rationale is presented for a new therapeutic approach against
      remaining bacterial DNA, and/or increasing the ability of human macrophages to
      remove extracellular Bb DNA.

PMID- 28625899
TI  - Medulloblastoma with Atypical Dynamic Imaging Changes: Case Report with
      Literature Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We analyzed a case of medulloblastoma with atypical dynamic imaging
      changes retrospectively to summarize the atypical magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) features of medulloblastoma by reviewing the literature. METHODS: An
      atypical case of medulloblastoma in the cerebellar hemisphere confirmed by
      pathology was analyzed retrospectively, and the literature about it was reviewed.
      RESULTS: The radiologic findings of the patient were based on 3 examinations. The
      first examination showed that the cortex of the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere
      had diffuse nodular thickening, with a high signal on diffusion-weighted imaging
      and significant enhancement. Contrast enhancement MRI 1 year later showed the
      signal of cerebellar hemisphere returned to normal but revealed an enhanced
      nodule. A reexamination 6 months later showed an irregular mass with a high
      density shadow in the cerebellar vermis on CT scan. The T2-weighted image
      revealed multiple degenerative cysts, and the mass had significant enhancement.
      CONCLUSION: The radiologic characteristics of atypical medulloblastomas vary in
      adults and children. Understanding the radiologic characteristics of
      medulloblastomas, such as MRI features, age of onset, and location of atypical
      medulloblastomas, can help improve the diagnosis of medulloblastomas.

PMID- 28625900
TI  - Delayed Brainstem Hemorrhage Secondary to Mild Traumatic Head Injury: Report of
      Case with Good Recovery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In clinical practice, secondary traumatic brainstem hemorrhage often
      develops during descending transtentorial herniation due to raised intracranial
      pressure, which is known as Duret hemorrhage. Although usually considered a fatal
      and irreversible event, in rare circumstances, victims of Duret hemorrhage could
      gain favorable outcomes. To our knowledge, secondary brainstem hemorrhage due to
      mild traumatic head injury without descending transtentorial herniation has never
      been reported. In this report, we present a case of delayed brainstem hemorrhage
      secondary to a relatively mild traumatic brain injury that experienced a rapid
      and favorable recovery. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 48-year-old man was admitted for a
      motorcycle accident. Head computed tomography 2 hours after the accident revealed
      mild subarachnoid hemorrhage at the interpeduncular cistern. In the following in
      hospital days, he experienced 2 episodes of mental state deterioration and
      increase of the SAH and hematoma extension to the brainstem. A digital
      subtraction angiography was performed with no positive finding of vascular
      anomaly and evident cerebral vasospasm. He experienced a rapid and favorable
      recovery. His Glasgow Outcome Scale score was 5 at 3 months' follow-up.
      CONCLUSIONS: We present a rare case of secondary traumatic brainstem hemorrhage
      that experienced a rapid and good recovery process. The mechanism is still
      obscure to us and needs to be further studied. Although traumatic brainstem
      hemorrhage usually means a fatal event to most of the patients, some patients may
      experience a favorable recovery. This rare circumstance should be stressed in
      prognosis consultation and clinical management of these kinds of patients.

PMID- 28625901
TI  - Effect of Aspirin in Postoperative Management of Adult Ischemic Moyamoya Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aspirin has been implicated in the postoperative management of
      moyamoya disease (MMD) in order to avoid bypass failure and decrease the
      incidence of subsequent stroke. However, its effect has not been completely
      determined yet. METHODS: In this study, we retrospectively reviewed data of 184
      adult patients (197 hemispheres) presented with ischemic-onset MMD who had
      undergone direct or combined revascularization in our hospital, to clarify the
      effect of postoperative aspirin therapy in the management of moyamoya disease.
      Fifty-nine hemispheres that had been administered with aspirin (100 mg/day) after
      bypass surgery were defined as the "aspirin group," whereas 138 that hadn't been
      given aspirin postoperatively were defined as the "control group". RESULTS: Among
      197 hemispheres, the mortality rate was 0. The incidence of postoperative newly
      developed infarction, transient ischemic attack, and hemorrhage were not
      significantly different between the aspirin and control groups. The patency rate
      of bypass graft was not significantly different between the groups, either.
      Notably, more patients experienced major stroke in the control group (9/138) than
      the aspirin group (1/59), but no statistical difference was found (P > 0.05). In
      the aspirin group, more patients had improved outcome than the control group (P =
      0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that aspirin might not decrease the
      incidence of postoperative ischemic stroke or increase patency rate of bypass
      graft, but it does not increase the risk of hemorrhages, either. Also,
      postoperative aspirin therapy might improve outcome. More studies are needed to
      provide evidence for postoperative antiplatelet therapy in MMD management.

PMID- 28625902
TI  - Obesity in Neurosurgery: A Narrative Review of the Literature.
AB  - Obesity is an important consideration in neurosurgical practice. Of Australian
      adults, 28.3% are obese and it is estimated that more than two thirds of
      Australia's population will be overweight or obese by 2025. This review of the
      effects of obesity on neurosurgical procedures shows that, in patients undergoing
      spinal surgery, an increased body mass index is a significant risk factor for
      surgical site infection, venous thromboembolism, major medical complications,
      prolonged length of surgery, and increased financial cost. Although outcome
      scores and levels of patient satisfaction are generally lower after spinal
      surgery in obese patients, obesity is not a barrier to deriving benefit from
      surgery and, when the natural history of conservative management is taken into
      account, the long-term benefits of surgery may be equivalent or even greater in
      obese patients than in nonobese patients. In cranial surgery, the impact of
      obesity on outcome and complication rates is generally lower. Specific exceptions
      are higher rates of distal catheter migration after shunt surgery and
      cerebrospinal fluid leak after posterior fossa surgery. Minimally invasive
      approaches show promise in mitigating some of the adverse effects of obesity in
      patients undergoing spine surgery but further studies are needed to develop
      strategies to reduce obesity-related surgical complications.

PMID- 28625903
TI  - The Need for Clinical Practice Guidelines in Assessing and Managing Perioperative
      Neurologic Deficit: Results from a Survey of the AOSpine International Community.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: There is no standardized approach to assess and manage perioperative
      neurologic deficit (PND) in patients undergoing spinal surgery. This survey aimed
      to evaluate the awareness and usage of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) as
      well as investigate how surgeons performing spine surgeries feel about and manage
      PND and how they perceive the value of developing CPGs for the management of PND.
      METHODS: An invitation to participate was sent to the AOSpine International
      community. Questions were related to the awareness, usage of CPGs, and
      demographics. Results from the entire sample and subgroups were analyzed.
      RESULTS: Of 770 respondents, 659 (85.6%) reported being aware of the existence of
      guideline(s), and among those, 578 (87.7%) acknowledged using guideline(s).
      Overall, 58.8% of surgeons reported not feeling comfortable managing a patient
      who wakes up quadriplegic after an uneventful multilevel posterior cervical
      decompression with instrumented fusion. Although 22.9% would consider an
      immediate return to the operating room, the other 77.1% favored conducting some
      kind of investigation/medical intervention first, such as performing magnetic
      resonance imaging (85.9%), administrating high-dose corticosteroids (50.2%), or
      increasing the mean arterial pressure (44.7%). Overall, 90.6% of surgeons
      believed that CPGs for the management of PND would be useful and 94.4% would be
      either likely or extremely likely to use these CPGs in their clinical practice.
      CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents are aware and routinely use CPGs in their practice.
      Most surgeons performing spine surgeries reported not feeling comfortable
      managing PND. However, they highly value the creation and are likely to use CPGs
      in its management.

PMID- 28625904
TI  - Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Because of Distal Superior Cerebellar Artery Dissection
      in Neurofibromatosis Type 1.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare disease with an incidence of
      1 in every 3000 births. Numerous studies have focused on the main function of NF1
      as a tumor suppressor, whereas few have examined the cerebrovascular
      abnormalities observed in patients with NF1. It is worth noting that intracranial
      aneurysms are uncommon in this condition. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a case of
      NF1 with a dissection of the distal segment of the superior cerebellar artery. A
      36-year-old woman presented with a distal superior cerebellar artery (SCA)
      dissection causing subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subsequently, because of the rich
      collateral blood flow distal to the dissection, N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) glue
      embolization was unsuccessful. Therefore, direct trapping of the artery was
      necessary. The patient was discharged after an uneventful postoperative period,
      and has remained without complications. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of
      subarachnoid hemorrhage because of a distal SCA dissection in patients with NF1,
      NBCA glue embolization may be a safer option than microsurgery or coil
      embolization, in the acute phase, considering the possible vulnerability of the
      vessel wall, accessibility, morphology of the lesions, and the risk of developing
      unpredictable infarcts in the case of parent artery occlusion. However, regular
      reevaluation of the blood flow is necessary to monitor recurrence, given the rich
      collateral circulation.

PMID- 28625905
TI  - Influence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features on Surgical Decision-Making in
      Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Results from a Global Survey of AOSpine
      International Members.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We conducted a survey to understand how specific pathologic features
      on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) influence surgeons toward an anterior or
      posterior surgical approach in degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). METHODS: A
      questionnaire was sent out to 6179 AOSpine International members via e-mail. This
      included 18 questions on a 7-point Likert scale regarding how MRI features
      influence the respondent's decision to perform an anterior or posterior surgical
      approach. Influence was classified based on the mean and mode. Variations in
      responses were assessed by region and training. RESULTS: Of 513 respondents,
      51.7% were orthopedic surgeons, 36.8% were neurosurgeons, and the remainder were
      fellows, residents, or other. In ascending order, multilevel bulging disks,
      cervical kyphosis, and a high degree of anterior cord compression had a moderate
      to strong influence toward an anterior approach. A high degree of posterior cord
      compression had a moderate to strong influence, whereas multilevel compression,
      ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, ligamentum flavum
      enlargement, and congenital stenosis had a moderate influence toward a posterior
      approach. Neurosurgeons chose anterior approaches more and posterior approaches
      less in comparison with orthopedic surgeons (P < 0.01). Of note, 59.8% of
      respondents were equally comfortable performing multilevel (3 or more levels)
      anterior and posterior procedures, whereas 61.5% did not feel comfortable in
      determining the surgical approach based on MRI alone. CONCLUSIONS: Specific DCM
      pathology influences the choice for anterior or posterior surgical approach.
      These data highlight factors based on surgeon experience, training, and region of
      practice. They will be helpful in defining future areas of investigation in an
      effort to provide individualized surgical strategies and optimize patient
      outcomes.

PMID- 28625906
TI  - Impact of Associated Nidal Lesions in Outcome of Brain Arteriovenous
      Malformations After Radiosurgery with or without Embolization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Radiosurgery is a valuable option to treat arteriovenous
      malformations. There are correlations between some morphologic nidal features and
      final results, and the benefits of preradiosurgical embolization have not been
      well established thus far. METHODS: Analysis of a longitudinal cohort of 47
      consecutive patients who underwent radiosurgery with or without previous
      embolization. Embolizations were performed exclusively with n-butyl
      cyanoacrylate. Radiosurgery was delivered either as a single fraction or divided
      in up to 5 equal fractions. Clinical and radiologic follow-up of at least 36
      months was obtained. Presence of nidal lesions, such as aneurysms, venous outflow
      stenosis, venous outflow ectasias, and/or intranidal arteriovenous fistulas, were
      evaluated, and their relation with outcome and complications were studied.
      RESULTS: Of the patients, 68.1% presented with hemorrhagic event; of these, 62.5%
      harbored intranidal arteriovenous fistulas, 83.3% had venous ectasias, and 90%
      had venous outflow stenosis. Occlusion rate of embolization plus radiosurgery was
      46.1%, and stereotactic radiosurgery alone was 52.4% (P = 0.671). Variables
      significantly associated with obliteration were lower nidus volume, lack of
      intranidal arteriovenous fistula, higher stereotactic radiosurgery dose, and
      lower radiosurgical-based arteriovenous malformation scale score. CONCLUSIONS: An
      untreated arteriovenous fistula inside the arteriovenous malformation at the
      moment of stereotactic radiosurgery was associated with lower cure rates (P =
      0.001). Embolization followed by radiosurgery was not superior to radiosurgery
      alone; however, targeted embolization of intranidal arteriovenous fistulas to
      increase obliteration rates and to protect the patient from bleeding during the
      radiosurgery latency period should be considered.

PMID- 28625908
TI  - "On the Spot": The Use of Four-Dimensional Computed Tomography Angiography to
      Differentiate a True Spot Sign From a Distal Intracranial Aneurysm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage may arise from underlying
      abnormalities, including aneurysms. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is
      widely used for the detection of possible underlying causes, which is important
      because it may have immediate therapeutic consequences. In addition, CTA is used
      to detect the so-called spot sign, indicating active hemorrhage, which carries a
      worse prognosis. However, CTA is a snapshot in time. Four-dimensional (4D) CTA is
      a dynamic type of imaging and has emerged as a valuable imaging technique for
      different neurovascular disorders. CASE DESCRIPTION: Two patients with
      intracerebral hemorrhage both showed an assumed spot sign on CTA, suggesting
      active hemorrhage. Additional 4D-CTA showed true active hemorrhage in one patient
      and a distal intracranial aneurysm in the other. This aneurysm was initially
      falsely interpreted as a spot sign on conventional CTA. CONCLUSIONS: Our case
      findings show how 4D-CTA can discern active bleeding from aneurysmal hemorrhage
      in cases with hemorrhagic stroke. This finding proves the additional value of
      this relatively new technique, because the detected underlying disorders have
      different therapeutic consequences in the acute setting.

PMID- 28625907
TI  - Long-Standing Isolated Autoimmune Hypothalamitis Diagnosed with Endoscopic
      Transventricular Biopsy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hypothalamitis, which is among the causes of acquired
      central diabetes insipidus, has seldom been described in the literature. This
      condition is probably provoked by the production of anti-vasopressin-secreting
      cell antibodies and antihypothalamus antibodies and is often associated with
      pituitary or polyendocrine autoimmunity. Correct diagnosis and immediate
      treatment are essential to avoid the progression of the pathologic process. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: A woman diagnosed with central diabetes insipidus 12 years ago, who
      had panhypopituitarism and mild memory deficit, came to our attention. She
      refused radiologic studies. Magnetic resonance imaging performed in our unit
      showed a contrast-enhancing hypothalamic lesion. Lumbar puncture was negative for
      neoplastic markers. We decided to perform a biopsy of the lesion to obtain a
      histopathologic examination of the tissue and chose an endoscopic
      transventricular approach to reach the floor of the third ventricle. Autoimmune
      hypothalamitis was diagnosed and treatment with steroids and azathioprine was
      started. The lesion size decreased and was stable after 17 months of follow-up.
      CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic transventricular approach has proved to be an
      effective and safe way to obtain tissue samples for histopathologic examination
      from a region that is usually difficult to reach; it also gives direct
      visualization of the lesion, which makes sampling easier. The lesion size
      decreased after treatment but no clinical improvement was detected, either on the
      cognitive or on the endocrinologic side.

PMID- 28625909
TI  - Multilevel Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion with Zero-Profile Devices:
      Analysis of Safety and Feasibility, with Focus on Sagittal Alignment and Impact
      on Clinical Outcome: Single-Institution Experience and Review of Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In multilevel degenerative conditions posterior approaches are often
      preferred, but anterior approaches provide comparable clinical results and better
      alignment. Anterior plating entails higher rates of soft tissue injuries and
      dysphagia, particularly in multilevel cases. This study evaluates efficacy and
      safety of zero-profile devices in 3- and 4-level anterior cervical diskectomy and
      fusion, analyzing patients' clinical and radiologic long-term outcomes. METHODS:
      We prospectively enrolled 24 patients with cervical spondylotic
      myeloradiculopathy who underwent 3- and 4-level anterior cervical diskectomy and
      fusion with the zero-profile device. Mean follow-up was 39 months (range 24-72).
      Nurick grading was used for myelopathy, Neck Disability Index and Visual Analog
      Scale scores for arm and neck pain, and Short Form 36 survey for physical and
      mental health status. Postoperative radiograph and computed tomography were
      obtained after surgery, at 6 and 12 months, and at last follow-up to assess
      fusion rate and complications. Cervical alignment was measured by Cobb angle.
      Incidence of postoperative dysphagia was monitored according to Bazaz dysphagia
      index. RESULTS: On last computed tomography scan, fusion was present in 49% of
      spaces (40 of 82). Mean neck and arm pain visual analog scale decreased from 6.7
      1.6 (P < 0.01) and 5.9-0.9 (P < 0.01), respectively. Improvements in the Short
      Form 36 survey and Neck Disability Index were documented (P < 0.01). Lordosis was
      restored in all patients. Five of 24 patients complained of mild dysphagia
      (20.8%): in three (12.5%) short-term dysphagia and in two (8.3%) medium-term
      dysphagia. No long-term dysphagia (>=6 months) was observed. CONCLUSION: Anterior
      cervical diskectomy and fusion with a zero-profile device is effective and safe
      for 3- and 4-level cervical spondylotic myeloradiculopathy. It allows to restore
      cervical lordosis and achieve long-term satisfactory clinical outcome.

PMID- 28625910
TI  - A high fat diet enhances the sensitivity of chick adipose tissue to the effects
      of centrally injected neuropeptide Y on gene expression of adipogenesis
      associated factors.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine how dietary macronutrient composition
      and exogenous neuropeptide Y (NPY) affect mRNA abundance of factors associated
      with lipid metabolism in chick adipose tissue. Chicks were fed one of three
      isocaloric (3000kcal metabolizable energy (ME)/kg) diets after hatch: high
      carbohydrate (HC; control), high fat (HF; 30% of ME from soybean oil) or high
      protein (HP; 25% crude protein). On day 4 post-hatch, vehicle or 0.2nmol of NPY
      was injected intracerebroventricularly and abdominal and subcutaneous fat depots
      collected 1h later. In abdominal fat, mRNA abundance of peroxisome proliferator
      activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4)
      increased after NPY injection in HF diet-fed chicks. NPY injection decreased
      expression of PPARgamma and sterol regulatory element-binding transcription
      factor 1 (SREBP1) in the subcutaneous fat of HC diet-fed chicks, whereas SREBP1
      expression was increased in the subcutaneous fat of HF diet-fed chicks after NPY
      injection. An acutely increased central concentration of NPY in chicks affects
      adipose tissue physiology in a depot- and diet-dependent manner. The chick may
      serve as a model to understand the relationship between diet and the brain-fat
      axis' role in maintaining whole body energy homeostasis, as well as to understand
      metabolic distinctions among fat depots.

PMID- 28625911
TI  - White shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei recombinant lactate dehydrogenase: Biochemical
      and kinetic characterization.
AB  - Shrimp lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is induced in response to environmental
      hypoxia. Two protein subunits deduced from different transcripts of the LDH gene
      from the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (LDHvan-1 and LDHvan-2) were identified.
      These subunits are expressed by alternative splicing. Since both subunits are
      expressed in most tissues, the purification of the enzyme from the shrimp will
      likely produce hetero LDH containing both subunits. Therefore, the aim of this
      study was to overexpress, purify and characterize only one subunit as a
      recombinant protein, the LDHvan-2. For this, the cDNA from muscle was cloned and
      overexpressed in E. coli as a fusion protein containing an intein and a chitin
      binding protein domain (CBD). The recombinant protein was purified by chitin
      affinity chromatography column that retained the CBD and released solely the full
      and active LDH. The active protein appears to be a tetramer with molecular mass
      of approximately 140 kDa and can use pyruvate or lactate as substrates, but has
      higher specific activity with pyruvate. The enzyme is stable between pH 7.0 to
      8.5, and between 20 and 50  degrees C with an optimal temperature of 50  degrees
      C. Two pKa of 9.3 and 6.6, and activation energy of 44.8 kJ/mol degrees K were
      found. The kinetic constants Km for NADH was 23.4 +/- 1.8 MUM, and for pyruvate
      was 203 +/- 25 MUM, while Vmax was 7.45 MUmol/min/mg protein. The shrimp LDH that
      is mainly expressed in shrimp muscle preferentially converts pyruvate to lactate
      and is an important enzyme for the response to hypoxia.

PMID- 28625912
TI  - Isolation of recombinant human untagged glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
      from E. coli producer strain.
AB  - The goal of the present work was expression of human glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase (hGAPDH) without additional tag constructions in E. coli cells and
      elaboration of the procedure for purification of untagged hGAPDH from the extract
      of the producer cells. We present a simple method for purification of untagged
      hGAPDH including ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration on a G-100
      Sephadex column. The method allows isolation of 2 mg of pure hGAPDH from 600 ml
      of cell culture (7 g of the cell biomass). The specific activity of the freshly
      purified hGAPDH constitutes 117 +/- 5 MUmol NADH/min per mg protein (pH 9.0, 22 
      degrees C), which is close to the specific activity of rabbit muscle
      glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase determined under the same conditions and
      several times exceeds the specific activity of his-tagged GAPDH preparations. The
      high enzymatic activity suggests that the recombinant enzyme retains its native
      structure. The described procedure may be useful for researchers who need a
      preparation of native hGAPDH without admixture of misfolded forms for their
      investigations.

PMID- 28625913
TI  - Use of rodent data for cancer risk assessment of smokeless tobacco in the
      regulatory context.
AB  - To support risk management decisions, information from different fields has been
      integrated in this presentation to provide a realistic quantitative cancer risk
      assessment of smokeless tobacco. Smoking among Swedish men is currently below
      10%, while about 20% use a special smokeless tobacco (snus) as a substitute for
      cigarettes. Epidemiological data and molecular biomarkers demonstrate that rodent
      bioassays with tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) overestimate cancer risk from
      snus by more than one order of magnitude. The underlying reasons are discussed.
      DNA damage constitutes a necessary, although not sufficient prerequisite for
      cancer initiation. Individuals who have not used tobacco exhibit DNA lesions
      identical with those induced by TSNA. No increase above this adduct background
      can be shown from snus, and extensive epidemiological studies in Sweden have
      failed to demonstrate elevated cancer risks even in long term users. A "bench
      mark" for acceptable risk of 1/10(6) derived from rodent data has been suggested
      when regulating snus. By relating similarly derived estimates for some food
      contaminants, the implementation even of a limit of 1/10(4) may be unrealistic.
      The management of smokeless tobacco products has rarely been based on a
      scientifically sound risk assessment, where attention is given to the
      outstandingly higher hazards associated with smoking.

PMID- 28625914
TI  - Prioritizing disease-causing microbes based on random walking on the
      heterogeneous network.
AB  - As we all know, the microbiota show remarkable variability within individuals. At
      the same time, those microorganisms living in the human body play a very
      important role in our health and disease, so the identification of the
      relationships between microbes and diseases will contribute to better
      understanding of microbes interactions, mechanism of functions. However, the
      microbial data which are obtained through the related technical sequencing is too
      much, but the known associations between the diseases and microbes are very less.
      In bioinformatics, many researchers choose the network topology analysis to solve
      these problems. Inspired by this idea, we proposed a new method for
      prioritization of candidate microbes to predict potential disease-microbe
      association. First of all, we connected the disease network and microbe network
      based on the known disease-microbe relationships information to construct a
      heterogeneous network, then we extended the random walk to the heterogeneous
      network, and used leave-one-out cross-validation and ROC curve to evaluate the
      method. In conclusion, the algorithm could be effective to disclose some
      potential associations between diseases and microbes that cannot be found by
      microbe network or disease network only. Furthermore, we studied three
      representative diseases, Type 2 diabetes, Asthma and Psoriasis, and finally
      presented the potential microbes associated with these diseases by ranking
      candidate disease-causing microbes, respectively. We confirmed that the discovery
      of the new associations will be a good clinical solution for disease mechanism
      understanding, diagnosis and therapy.

PMID- 28625916
TI  - ER stress disturbs SR/ER-mitochondria Ca2+ transfer: Implications in Duchenne
      muscular dystrophy.
AB  - Besides its role in calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis, the sarco-endoplamic reticulum
      (SR/ER) controls protein folding and is tethered to mitochondria. Under
      pathophysiological conditions the unfolded protein response (UPR) is associated
      with disturbance in SR/ER-mitochondria crosstalk. Here, we investigated whether
      ER stress altered SR/ER-mitochondria links, Ca2+ handling and muscle damage in WT
      (Wild Type) and mdx mice, the murine model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).
      In WT mice, the SR/ER-mitochondria links were decreased in isolated FDB muscle
      fibers after injection of ER stress activator tunicamycin (TM). Ca2+ imaging
      revealed an increase of cytosolic Ca2+ transient and a decrease of mitochondrial
      Ca2+ uptake. The force generating capacity of muscle dropped after TM. This
      impaired contractile function was accompanied by an increase in autophagy markers
      and calpain-1 activation. Conversely, ER stress inhibitors restored SR/ER
      mitochondria links, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and improved diaphragm
      contractility in mdx mice. Our findings demonstrated that ER stress-altered SR/ER
      mitochondria links, disturbed Ca2+ handling and muscle function in WT and mdx
      mice. Thus, ER stress may open up a prospect of new therapeutic targets in DMD.

PMID- 28625915
TI  - High fat diet-induced obesity increases myocardial injury and alters cardiac
      STAT3 signaling in mice after polymicrobial sepsis.
AB  - Little is known about how obesity affects the heart during sepsis and we sought
      to investigate the obesity-induced cardiac effects that occur during
      polymicrobial sepsis. Six-week old C57BL/6 mice were randomized to a high fat
      (HFD) (60% kcal fat) or normal diet (ND) (16% kcal fat). After 6weeks of feeding,
      mice were anesthetized with isoflurane and polymicrobial sepsis was induced by
      cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Plasma and cardiac tissue were obtained for
      analysis. Echocardiography was performed on a separate cohort of mice at 0 and
      18h after CLP. Following 6-weeks of dietary intervention, plasma cardiac troponin
      I was elevated in obese mice at baseline compared to non-obese mice but troponin
      increased only in non-obese septic mice. IL-17a expression was 27-fold higher in
      obese septic mice versus non-obese septic mice. Cardiac phosphorylation of STAT3
      at Ser727 was increased at baseline in obese mice and increased further only in
      obese septic mice. Phosphorylation of STAT3 at Tyr705 was similar in both groups
      at baseline and increased after sepsis. SOCS3, a downstream protein and negative
      regulator of STAT3, was elevated in obese mice at baseline compared to non-obese
      mice. After sepsis non-obese mice had an increase in SOCS3 expression that was
      not observed in obese mice. Taken together, we show that obesity affects cardiac
      function and leads to cardiac injury. Furthermore, myocardial injury in obese
      mice during sepsis may occur through alteration of the STAT3 pathway.

PMID- 28625917
TI  - The cholangiocyte primary cilium in health and disease.
AB  - Cholangiocytes, like most cells, express primary cilia extending from their
      membranes. These organelles function as antennae which detect stimuli from bile
      and transmit the information into cells regulating several signaling pathways
      involved in secretion, proliferation and apoptosis. The ability of primary cilia
      to detect different signals is provided by ciliary associated proteins which are
      expressed in its membrane. Defects in the structure and/or function of these
      organelles lead to cholangiociliopathies that result in cholangiocyte
      hyperproliferation, altered fluid secretion and absorption. Since primary cilia
      dysfunction has been observed in several epithelial tumors, including
      cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), primary cilia have been proposed as tumor suppressor
      organelles. In addition, the loss of cilia is associated with dysregulation of
      several molecular pathways resulting in CCA development and progression. Thus,
      restoration of the primary cilia may be a potential therapeutic approach for
      several ciliopathies and CCA.

PMID- 28625918
TI  - Body composition by DXA.
AB  - Body composition measurements from DXA have been available since DXA technology
      was developed 30years ago, but are historically underutilized. Recently, there
      have been rapid developments in body composition assessment including the
      analysis and publication of representative data for the US, official usage
      guidance from the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, and
      development of regional body composition measures with clinical utility. DXA body
      composition is much more than whole body percent fat. In this paper celebrating
      30years of DXA for body composition, we will review the principles of DXA soft
      tissue analysis, practical clinical and research applications, and what to look
      for in the future.

PMID- 28625919
TI  - C1q/TNF-related protein 1 promotes endothelial barrier dysfunction under
      disturbed flow.
AB  - Endothelial hyper-permeability is a major determinant factor that contributes to
      the accelerated development of atherosclerotic lesions at hemodynamically
      disturbed sites. Previously, we showed that C1q/TNF related protein (CTRP) 1
      promotes endothelium-leukocyte interactions and inflammatory responses in
      vascular cells. Here, we sought to investigate the role of CTRP1 in modulation of
      endothelial permeability under disturbed flow condition. By using en face
      staining of mouse aorta, we found CTRP1 expression was significantly increased in
      vascular endothelial cells under disturbed flow as compared to steady laminar
      flow. Vascular permeability to Evans blue dye was notably enhanced in CTRP1
      knockin mice as compared to wild type animals, whereas aortic hyper-permeability
      at disturbed sites was remarkably restored after deletion of CTRP1. In cultured
      endothelial cells, treatment of CTRP1 led to increased permeability to
      fluorescent-labelled dextran and apparent formation of paracellular holes as
      observed after disturbed flow exposure, which was evidently reduced in the
      presence of a CTRP1-specific neutralizing antibody. Mechanistically, we found
      activation of VEGFR2 by CTRP1 might be involved in vascular hyper-permeability
      under disturbed flow condition. Taken together, this study suggests that CTRP1 is
      a mechano-sensitive proinflammatory factor that mediates disturbed flow-induced
      vascular barrier dysfunction. Inhibition of CTRP1 may inhibit the pathogenesis of
      atherosclerosis at early stage.

PMID- 28625920
TI  - C-terminal tail of NADPH oxidase organizer 1 (Noxo1) mediates interaction with
      NADPH oxidase activator (Noxa1) in the NOX1 complex.
AB  - NOX1 (NADPH oxidase) similar to phagocyte NADPH oxidase, is expressed mainly in
      the colon epithelium and it is responsible for host defense against microbial
      infections by generating ROS (reactive oxygen species). NOX1 is activated by two
      regulatory cytosolic proteins that form a hetero-dimer, Noxo1 (NOX organizer 1)
      and Noxa1 (NOX activator 1). The interaction between Noxa1 and Noxo1 is critical
      for activating NOX1. However no structural studies for interaction between Noxa1
      and Noxo1 has not been reported till date. Here, we studied the inter-molecular
      interaction between the SH3 domain of Noxa1 and Noxo1 using pull-down assay and
      NMR spectroscopy. 15N/13C-labeled SH3 domain of Noxa1 has been purified for
      hetero-nuclear NMR experiments (HNCACB, CBCACONH, HNCA, HNCO, and HSQC). TALOS
      analysis using backbone assignment data of the Noxa1 SH3 domain showed that the
      structure primarily consists of beta-sheets. Data from pull-down assay between
      the Noxo1 and Noxa1 showed that the SH3 domains (Noxa1) is responsible for
      interaction with Noxo1 C-terminal tail harboring proline rich region (PRR). The
      concentration-dependent titration of the Noxo1 C-terminal tail to Noxa1 shows
      that Noxo1 particularly in the RT loop: Q407*, H408, S409, A412*, G414*, E416,
      D417, L418, and F420; n-Src loop: C430, E431*, V432*, A435, W436, and L437; and
      terminal region: I447; F448*, F452* and V454 interact with Noxa1. Our results
      will provide a detailed understanding for interaction between Noxa1 and Noxo1 at
      the molecular level, providing insights into their cytoplasmic activity-mediated
      functioning as well as regulatory role of C-terminal tail of Noxo1 in the NOX1
      complex.

PMID- 28625921
TI  - Binding of coronin 1B to TbetaRI negatively regulates the TGFbeta1 signaling
      pathway.
AB  - Coronin 1B is an actin-binding protein that regulates several actin-dependent
      cellular processes including migration and endocytosis. However, the role of
      coronin 1B in the tumor growth factor (TGF)beta signaling pathway is largely
      unknown. Here, we investigated whether coronin 1B affects the TGFbeta signaling
      cascade and found that coronin 1B negatively regulates the TGFbeta signaling
      pathway. Immunoprecipitation and glutathione-S-transferase-pulldown assays
      revealed that coronin 1B directly associated with TGFbeta receptor I (TbetaRI).
      Overexpression of coronin 1B inhibited the TGFbeta1-induced interaction between
      TbetaRI and Smad2/3 in plasmid-transfected HEK293T cells. Coronin 1B was basally
      bound to TbetaRI in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), but TGFbeta1
      stimulation did not affect their association, suggesting constitutive binding
      between coronin 1B and TbetaRI. Overexpression of coronin 1B suppressed TGFbeta1
      induced activation of a Smad-binding element-luciferase reporter construct and a
      plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 promoter-luciferase reporter construct in
      HEK293T cells. By contrast, depletion of coronin 1B by siRNA transfection
      increased TGFbeta1-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation and PAI-1 expression in VSMCs.
      These results suggest that coronin 1B regulates the TGFbeta1 signaling cascade by
      constitutively interacting with TbetaRI and inhibiting the binding of Smad2/3 to
      TbetaRI in response to TGFbeta1 stimulation.

PMID- 28625922
TI  - Macrophage infiltration regulates the adipose ECM reconstruction and the fibrosis
      process after fat grafting.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fat grafting experiences a regeneration process from free
      lipoaspirate to intact adipose tissue. The adipose extracellular matrixes (ECM)
      provide the structure and biochemical support for surrounding cells; inflammatory
      cells, like macrophages, regulate the process. Our hypothesis states that
      transferred fat undergoes ECM remodeling after fat grafting and this process is
      regulated by macrophage infiltration. METHODS: Lipoaspirate was injected
      subcutaneously into the back of nude mice. The micro-structure of the fat grafts
      was observed and evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and collagen
      I immunohistostaining. The gene transcription level of collagen proteins and the
      matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were assessed by qRT-PCR. Local injection of
      clodronate-encapsulated liposome was used to evaluate the role of macrophages of
      fat grafts at different stages in ECM remodeling, depletion of macrophages, at
      different time points (Week 1 and Week 4). RESULTS: Results from the SEM analysis
      showed that liposuction caused severe damage to the ECM structure in freshly
      aspirated adipose tissue. On Day 1 post-transplantation, the surface of
      adipocytes was covered with platelets and this secreted fibrin network on the fat
      grafts. An integral adipose structure was already established with an intact ECM
      at the end of Week 1. The early depletion of macrophages remarkably hindered ECM
      reconstruction process by down-regulating the expression of collagen proteins and
      MMPs. Expression of Collagen I was significantly decreased after depletion of
      macrophages in both gene and protein levels. Results also showed that the
      depletion of macrophages at the later stage of fat grafting resulted in less
      fibrosis and capsule formation. CONCLUSION: Free fat aspirates undergo a prompt
      ECM reconstruction process and completed in the first week; this process can be
      initiated with platelets and mainly modulated by inflammatory cells such as
      macrophages. It was also observed that prolonged macrophage infiltration
      contributes to fibrosis and capsule formation in fat grafts.

PMID- 28625923
TI  - Preliminary identification of endometrial cancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Stem cells play a critical role in endometrial cancer progression. However, the
      current methodologies used to isolate endometrial cancer stem cells (ECSCs)
      remain unsatisfactory. The ECSCs were isolated by serumfree suspension
      cultivation. The stem cells-related genes CD44, CD133, Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog were
      analyzed, and the biological behaviour of ECSCs was evaluated in vitro and vivo.
      The results suggest that (i) serumfree suspension cultivation is non-toxic and a
      convenient way for isolating the ECSCs, and is not limited to specific surface
      markers; (ii) Ishikawa cells can be used as an effective source of ECSCs, and the
      obtained ECSCs expressing the pluripotent stem cells markers CD44, CD133, Oct4,
      Sox2, and Nanog; (iii) ECSCs originated from Ishikawa cells showed an increased
      ability to invasion and metastasis in vitro, and exhibited a high proliferative
      capacity and pluripotency in vivo and vitro. These findings indicate that
      serumfree suspension cultivation is an effective method for isolating ECSCs from
      Ishikawa cells, and the obtained ECSCs are tumorigenic and display stem cell-like
      properties.

PMID- 28625924
TI  - Protoporphyrin IX fluorescence as potential indicator of psoriasis severity and
      progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In psoriatic lesions, fluorescence diagnosis with blue
      light can detect protoporphyrin IX accumulation, especially after topical 5
      aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) application. However, variable fluorescence
      distributions, interpersonal variations and long incubation time limit its wide
      application in clinic. This study is aimed to identify a consistent and
      convenient method to facilitate diagnosis and evaluation of psoriatic lesions.
      METHODS: 104 psoriatic lesions from 30 patients were evaluated. Single lesion PSI
      scoring and fluorescence by macrospectrofluorometry were recorded on each lesion
      before and after treatment with narrow-band UVB. RESULTS: Punctate red
      fluorescence, emitted mainly by protoporphyrin IX, is observed in some psoriatic
      lesions. According to psoriasis severity index, fluorescence-positive lesions are
      more severe than lesions without fluorescence. We found a significant positive
      correlation between psoriasis severity and fluorescence intensity from
      protoporphyrin IX. CONCLUSIONS: Protoporphyrin IX-induced red fluorescence can be
      used as a novel and convenient approach for psoriasis diagnosis and progression
      evaluation.

PMID- 28625925
TI  - Vanadium exposure-induced striatal learning and memory alterations in rats.
AB  - Occupational and environmental exposure to vanadium has been associated with
      toxicities in reproductive, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. The
      knowledge on whether and how vanadium exposure caused neurobehavioral changes
      remains incomplete. This study was designed to investigate the changes in
      learning and memory following drinking water exposure to vanadium, and to conduct
      the preliminary study on underlying mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      exposed to vanadium dissolved in drinking water at the concentration of 0.0, 0.5,
      1.0 and 2.0g/L, as the control, low-, medium-, and high- dose groups,
      respectively, for 12 weeks. The results by the Morris water maze test showed that
      the time for the testing animal to find the platform in the high exposed group
      was increased by 82.9% and 49.7%, as compared to animals in control and low-dose
      groups (p<0.05). There were significantly fewer rats in the medium- and high-
      dose groups than in the control group who were capable of crossing the platform
      (p<0.05). Quantitation of vanadium by atomic absorption spectrophotometry
      revealed a significant dose-dependent accumulation of vanadium in striatum
      (r=0.931, p<0.01). Histopathological examination further demonstrated a
      degenerative damage in vanadium-exposed striatum. Interestingly, with the
      increase of the dose of vanadium, the contents of neurotransmitter ACh, 5-HT and
      GABA in the striatum increased; however, the levels of Syn1 was significantly
      reduced in the exposed groups compared with controls (p<0.05). These data suggest
      that vanadium exposure apparently reduces the animals' learning ability. This
      could be due partly to vanadium's accumulation in striatum and the ensuing
      toxicity to striatal structure and synaptic plasticity. Further research is
      warranted for mechanistic understanding of vanadium-induced neurotoxicity.

PMID- 28625926
TI  - Prenatal caffeine exposure induced high susceptibility to metabolic syndrome in
      adult female offspring rats and its underlying mechanisms.
AB  - Our previous studies have demonstrated that prenatal caffeine exposure (PCE)
      induced an intrauterine programming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA)
      associated neuroendocrine metabolism in 3-month-old offspring rats. In this
      study, we aimed to confirm this programming disorder and high susceptibility to
      metabolic syndrome (MS) in 10-month-old female PCE offspring with postnatal catch
      up growth. We found that PCE female offspring rats showed decreased bodyweight
      but a higher rate of weight gain after birth. Moreover, in the offspring, basal
      hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance were observed before unpredictable
      chronic stress (UCS), but serum total cholesterol (TCH) levels and
      triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), TCH/HDL-C and low
      density lipoprotein-cholesterol/HDL-C (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio changes were increased
      after UCS, accompanied by morphological damage of the related tissues. These
      results suggested that PCE adult female offspring rats were highly susceptible to
      MS, which is related to HPAA-associated neuroendocrine-metabolic programming
      disorder.

PMID- 28625927
TI  - Entrainment and high-density three-dimensional mapping in right atrial
      macroreentry provide critical complementary information: Entrainment may unmask
      "visual reentry" as passive.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With the recent advent of high-density (HD) 3-dimensional (3D)
      mapping, the utility of entrainment is uncertain. However, the limitations of
      visual representation and interpretation of these high-resolution 3D maps are
      unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the strengths and
      limitations of both HD 3D mapping and entrainment mapping during mapping of right
      atrial macroreentry. METHODS: Fifteen patients were studied. The number and type
      of circuits accounting for >=90% of the tachycardia cycle length using HD 3D
      mapping were verified using systematic entrainment mapping. Entrainment sites
      with an unexpectedly long postpacing interval despite proximity to the active
      circuit were evaluated. RESULTS: Based on HD 3D mapping, 27 circuits were
      observed: 12 peritricuspid, 2 upper loop reentry, 10 lower loop reentry, and 3
      lateral wall circuits. With entrainment, 17 of the 27 circuits were active: all
      12 peritricuspid and 2 upper loop reentry. However, lower loop reentry was
      confirmed in only 3 of 10, and none of the 3 lateral wall circuits were present.
      Mean percentage of tachycardia cycle length covered by active circuits was 98% +/
      1% vs 97% +/- 2% for passive circuits (P = .09). None of the 345 entrainment
      runs terminated tachycardia or changed tachycardia mechanism. In 8 of 15
      patients, 13 examples of unexpectedly long postpacing interval were observed at
      entrainment sites located distal to localized zones of slow conduction seen on HD
      3D mapping. CONCLUSION: Using HD 3D mapping, "visual reentry" may be due to
      passive circuitous propagation rather than a critical reentrant circuit. HD 3D
      mapping provides new insights into regional conduction and helps explain unusual
      entrainment phenomena.

PMID- 28625928
TI  - Second-generation cryoballoon ablation in the setting of left common pulmonary
      veins: Procedural findings and clinical outcome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A left common pulmonary vein (LCPV) accounts for the most frequent PV
      variation. Use of the cryoballoon (CB) for isolating these veins is still
      debatable. To date, no data are available regarding the feasibility, acute PV
      isolation, and clinical outcome of the second-generation CB (CB-A) in this
      setting. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the performance
      of the CB-A in patients with LCPVs. METHODS: In a total cohort of 433 patients
      having undergone CB-A ablation for drug-refractory atrial fibrillation together
      with preprocedural computed tomographic scanning, 146 patients presented an LCPV.
      Measurement of ostial area and trunk distance was performed, together with
      analysis of procedural and fluoroscopic data in order to determine the ablation
      strategy. The latter 146 LCPV+ patients were compared for outcome with a cohort
      of 146 propensity-score matched LCPV- patients. RESULTS: Electrical isolation
      could be achieved in all left-sided veins. A long left common trunk (>15 mm) was
      found in 25% (37/146) of the LCPV+ patients. LCPVs treated with a single-shot
      freeze strategy presented a longer trunk (22 +/- 5 mm vs 9 +/- 4 mm, P <.001) and
      smaller ostial area (305 +/- 109 mm2 vs 400 +/- 108 mm2, P <.001) compared to
      LCPV patients in whom a segmental (superior and inferior) freeze was delivered.
      Survival free from atrial fibrillation was similar between LCPV+ and LCPV-
      patients during mean follow-up of 19 +/- 10 months (log rank P = .33).
      CONCLUSION: CB-A ablation in LCPV+ patients is effective and showed no difference
      in clinical outcome compared to LCPV- patients.

PMID- 28625930
TI  - The geriatric medicine rolled around to the four winds.

PMID- 28625929
TI  - Verification of a novel atrial fibrillation cryoablation dosing algorithm guided
      by time-to-pulmonary vein isolation: Results from the Cryo-DOSING Study
      (Cryoballoon-ablation DOSING Based on the Assessment of Time-to-Effect and
      Pulmonary Vein Isolation Guidance).
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are no recommendations on the optimal dosing for cryoablation
      of atrial fibrillation (Cryo-AF). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to
      develop and prospectively test a Cryo-AF dosing protocol guided exclusively by
      time-to-pulmonary vein (PV) isolation (TT-PVI) in patients undergoing a first
      time Cryo-AF. METHODS: In this multicenter study, we examined the acute/long-term
      safety/efficacy of Cryo-AF using the proposed dosing algorithm (Cryo-AFDosing; n
      = 355) against a conventional, nonstandardized approach (Cryo-AFConventional; n =
      400) in a nonrandomized fashion. RESULTS: Acute PV isolation was achieved in
      98.9% of patients in Cryo-AFDosing (TT-PVI = 48 +/- 16 seconds) vs 97.2% in Cryo
      AFConventional (P = .18). Cryo-AFDosing was associated with shorter (149 +/- 34
      seconds vs 226 +/- 46 seconds; P <.001) and fewer (1.7 +/- 0.8 vs 2.9 +/- 0.8; P
      <.001) cryoapplications, reduced overall ablation (16 +/- 5 minutes vs 40 +/- 14
      minutes; P <.001), fluoroscopy time (13 +/- 6 minutes vs 29 +/- 13 minutes; P
      <.001), left atrial dwell time (51 +/- 14 minutes vs 118 +/- 25 minutes; P
      <.001), and total procedure time (84 +/- 23 minutes vs 145 +/- 49 minutes; P
      <.001) but similar nadir balloon temperature (-47 degrees C +/- 8 degrees C vs 
      48 degrees C +/- 6 degrees C; P = .41) and total thaw time (43 +/- 27 seconds vs
      45 +/- 19 seconds; P = .09) as compared to Cryo-AFConventional. Adverse events
      (2.0% vs 2.7%; P = .48), including persistent phrenic nerve palsy (0.6% vs 1.2%;
      P = .33) and 12-month freedom from all atrial arrhythmias (82.5% vs 78.3%; P =
      .14), were similar between Cryo-AFDosing and Cryo-AFConventional. However, Cryo
      AFDosing was specifically associated with fewer atypical atrial
      flutters/tachycardias during long-term follow-up (8.5% vs 13.5%; P = .02) as well
      as fewer late PV reconnections at redo procedures (5.0% vs 18.5%; P <.001).
      CONCLUSION: A novel Cryo-AF dosing algorithm guided by TT-PVI can help
      individualize the ablation strategy and yield improved procedural endpoints and
      efficiency as compared to a conventional, nonstandardized approach.

PMID- 28625931
TI  - Overview of the risk areas associated with care in nursing homes.
AB  - As the number of dependant elderly people rises, the place occupied by nursing
      homes in the French health care system becomes more and more important, and the
      question of resident safety is more significant than ever. A transfer of the
      notions developed for hospitals is useful but insufficient, as they mainly focus
      on the technical facet of care. In order to propose a wider view of risk
      management in nursing homes, we reviewed the French medical literature published
      between 2005 and 2016 in search of articles about adverse events related to
      health care in French nursing homes. Forty-nine articles were included and
      allowed the identification of 11, unequally documented: technical care and
      support, falls, infections and outbreaks, drugs and medical devices, resident
      identification, food, home accident, information, suicide, health care management
      and civil rights. We propose a patient-centered conceptual mapping of these risks
      that could be updated depending on the results of our future studies.

PMID- 28625932
TI  - Frailty in elderly: a brief review.
AB  - The identification of frail older persons is a public health priority. Frailty is
      defined as an extreme vulnerability of the organism to endogenous and exogenous
      stressors, a syndrome that exposes the individual at higher risk of negative
      health-related outcomes as well as a transition phase between successful aging
      and disability. The theoretical concept of frailty is largely agreed, its
      practical translation still presents some limitations due to the existence of
      multiple tools and operational definition. In this brief review, we would like to
      clarify the frailty concept regarding scientific literature.

PMID- 28625933
TI  - Experience for caregivers of dependent elderly persons with dementia.
AB  - Dependent elderly people with dementia require constant attention and significant
      care most of which are provided by family caregivers. The aim of our study is to
      highlight the feelings of caregivers of elderly with dementia and dependent. This
      qualitative study based on grounded theory method with semi-structured interviews
      with caregivers of dependent elderly. A comparative analysis of interviews to
      interview was conducted to identify themes, from the codes compared on a semantic
      level. 39 caregivers were interviewed until data saturation. The average age of
      caregivers was 61 years and 7 months IC (55 years 8 months 63 years and 4
      months), consisting of 28 women and 11 men. Data analysis revealed six main
      themes: family duty, social isolation, an acceptance of the illness, stress and
      depression, physical morbidity and financial costs. The acceptance of the illness
      of his loved one is an indispensable element in the construction process of the
      caregiver close relationship dependent. But the balance between personal life and
      caregiving is not easy, caregivers have reported effects on their health since
      they occupy that role. Caregivers seem less watching their health and ignore some
      signs of disease. Caring for a family member with an illness such as dementia is
      extremely difficult, and many caregivers experience negative experiences such as
      stress or depression worse.

PMID- 28625934
TI  - Evaluation of the quality of medical certificates in the context of the opening
      of a measure of legal protection for adults over 60 years of age.
AB  - In France between 700,000 and 800,000 people will be covered by legal protection.
      The opening of any measure is conditioned by a detailed medical certificate. It
      is drawn up by a doctor registered on the list drawn up by the public prosecutor.
      No specific training is required. A single piece of legislation frames the
      content of the certificates. We therefore investigated whether the medical
      certificates currently produced were in compliance with the code of civil
      procedure. 111 medical certificates collected and anonymized by the tribunal
      d'instance of Saint-Etienne, from 4 January to 3 April 2016. The certificates
      concerned applications for the opening of legal protection for adults over 60
      years of age. 57% of detailed medical certificates satisfied the requirements of
      article 1219 of the code of civil procedure, with no difference between requests
      for curatorship and guardianship. 76% of adults had cognitive impairment, 14% had
      a psychiatric disability, and 10% had a functional disability. 72% medical
      certificates proposed a guardianship measure, 21% a reinforced curatorship and 7%
      a simple curatorship. The circumstances justifying the opening of a measure of
      protection and the way of life of the adult were respectively found in 32% and
      83% of the certificates. In 49% of the cases, the doctors dispensed the majority
      of hearing with the judge and the right to vote was retained in 10% of the adults
      subject to a guardianship application. The study showed a deficiency in the
      application of article 1219 of the code of civil procedure but also in the
      information that was requested. The drafting of the detailed medical certificate
      requires specific medical and legal knowledge. This raises the question of the
      training of doctors on the list of public prosecutors. Like the medical
      assessment carried out in the context of the assessment of bodily injury, the
      detailed medical certificate must become a real expertise carried out by doctors
      trained in this exercise.

PMID- 28625935
TI  - Evaluation of prescription along three health-care periods in the elderly.
AB  - Polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate prescriptions and inadequate coordination
      between prescribers are among main factors explaining the occurrence of adverse
      drug events in elderly patients. Prospective and descriptive study of medication
      prescriptions for elderly patients during a continuous period of health-care:
      entry in an acute geriatric unit (T1), at discharge (T2) and two months after
      hospitalization (T3). A global iatrogenic risk was defined: presence of poly
      pharmacy and/or PPI (Laroche criteria) and/or absence of quality indicators for
      prescription according to the French health authority. For the 79 patients (mean
      age 87), mean number of medication decreased from 7.33 (T1) to 6 (T2) (p=0.0018)
      and 6 (T3). Number of quality indicators for prescription improved from 6.67 (T1)
      to 6.92 (T2) (p=0.001) then decreased to 6.84 (T3). Number of PPI decreased from
      1.16 to 0.42 between T1 and T2 (p=0.001) then increased to 0.59 at T3. The global
      iatrogenic risk indicator fluctuated from 80% (T1) to 64% (T2) and 75% (T3).
      Selected interventions were developed to prevent adverse drug events during
      hospitalization and ambulatory follow-up. If geriatric intervention can enhance
      quality of prescription, iatrogenic risk remains frequent all along health-care
      follow-up. A local study of prescriptions can be a first step to develop an
      adequate program for adverse drug events prevention.

PMID- 28625936
TI  - Do medical French students know how to properly score a mini mental state
      examination?
AB  - The mini mental state examination (MMSE) is a validated tool to assess global
      cognitive function. Training is required before scoring. Inaccurate scoring can
      lead to inappropriate medical decisions. In France, MMSE is usually scored by
      medical students. To assess if medical French students know how to properly score
      a mini mental state examination. Two " physician-patient " role playings
      performed by 2 specialized physicians, were performed in front of University
      Paris V medical students. Role playing A: Scoring of a MMSE according to a script
      containing five tricks; Role playing B: Find the 5 errors committed in a pre
      filled MMSE form, according to the second script. One hundred and five students
      (64.4% of women, 49.5% in fifth medical school year) anonymously participated.
      Eighty percent of students had already scored a MMSE and 40% had been previously
      trained to MMSE scoring. Forty five percent of students previously scored an
      MMSE, without previously being trained. In test A, 16% of students did not commit
      any errors, 45.7% one error and 38.1% two errors. In test B, the proportion of
      students who provided 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 good answers was 3.3%, 29.7%, 29.7%,
      25.3%, 7.7% and 4.4% respectively. No association between medical school year,
      previous training to MMSE scoring and performances at both tests were found.
      French students do not properly score MMSE. MMSE scoring is not enough or
      accurately taught (by specialists). The university will provide on line the tests
      and a short filmed teaching course performed by neuropsychological specialists.

PMID- 28625937
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28625938
TI  - Language disturbances after non-thalamic subcortical stroke: a review of the
      literature.
AB  - Language disorders following subcortical non-thalamic stroke show great
      variability across literature and a well-defined profile in these aphasic
      disturbances is yet to be established. The lack of recent and consistent
      literature on the subject complicates the management of subcortical aphasia. The
      aim of this study is to review the literature describing oral language
      disturbances following subcortical non-thalamic stoke affecting the basal ganglia
      and the surrounding white matter. A review of the literature of three databases
      (PubMed, PsycNet and LLBA), identifying research articles from 1997 to 2015, was
      completed. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Checklist
      for the assessment of methodological quality. Twenty-two articles met criteria
      for review and oral language assessment data were extracted for 114 subjects. The
      results suggest a predominance of deficits in more complex and demanding language
      levels (ex. discourse, syntax) and in language production (vs comprehension).
      Rapid recovery is expected, especially for lexical-semantic and receptive
      deficits. These findings show the importance of a complete oral language
      evaluation after subcortical stoke and provide recent data relative to expected
      deficits and recovery to guide clinicians in the management of these patients.
      They also suggest that a descriptive approach of the deficits may be more
      efficient and accurate than the use of a traditional classification of aphasia.

PMID- 28625939
TI  - Promoting the maintenance of satisfactory communication: strategies used by
      caregivers and medical staff with people suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The goal of this literature review was to determine communication strategies that
      foster interactions between individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and
      caregivers or medical staff. A search of PubMed and PsycINFO databases was
      conducted using combinations of the following terms: Alzheimer, family,
      caregiver, communication, language, treatment, intervention, therapy,
      communication strategies, functional communication and daily living activities.
      Studies were chosen based on the original language of the text, year of
      publication, peer-review status and specificity of the results regarding
      communication strategies in AD. This review covers 14 articles published between
      1994 and 2014. The in-depth analysis of these studies shows that various
      communication strategies used by caregivers and medical staff are effective to
      promote interactions with people with AD at different stages of the disease. For
      caregivers, these strategies include producing short and syntactically simple
      sentences, relying on semantic memory rather than on episodic memory, providing
      more information and reformulate, removing potential distractions from the
      environment, specifying the topic of the conversation, using precise terms to
      identify communication breakdowns. Other strategies also appeared to be effective
      for medical staff, such as asking close-ended questions, providing response
      choices, verbalizing the actions performed during medical care and activities,
      paying attention to the needs expressed through verbal and non-verbal messages,
      adopting a supportive way of speaking. Furthermore, other communication
      strategies rather appear to be harmful to functional communication. These harmful
      strategies involve insisting that the person produce a specific word, asking
      him/her to repeat or tune out in case of communication breakdown. Finally,
      contradictory outcomes are reported for some strategies such as speaking slowly,
      repeating or rephrase questions and information. This article provides some
      useful avenues to better interact with people with AD. Further studies are needed
      to confirm and refine some results, in particular as regards the effectiveness of
      communication strategies at the different stages of the disease through
      longitudinal research design.

PMID- 28625940
TI  - Prodromal stage of disease (dementia) with Lewy bodies, how to diagnose in
      practice?
AB  - Disease with Lewy bodies or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), particularly at the
      prodromal stage, is a complex disease to diagnose because of different clinical
      beginnings and variable paths in terms of clinical expression. Thus DLB can be
      entcountered in different input modes: mild cognitive impairment, depression,
      acute behavioral disorders, confusion and delirium, or sleep disorders. In the
      aim to better diagnose the disease, should be sought obviously to search for the
      key symptoms: fluctuations, hallucinations, extra-pyramidal syndrome, and REM
      sleep behavior disorder. These symptoms are more subtle at the prodromal stage
      (mild neurocognitive disorder) than at the major stage. Thus fluctuations can be
      cognitive, simply as attentionnal fluctuations, or of alertness, such as
      sleepiness or more frequent nap; the visual phenomena can begin by sensation of
      passage, sensation of presence, or illusions; the extra-pyramidal syndrome can be
      really subtle such as isolated amimia or rigidity detected only with Froment's
      manoeuvre. The frequent accompagnying symptoms are autonomic symptoms such as
      rhinorrhea or constipation, or sensorial symptoms such as olfactory impairment.
      The clinician has to be aware of the frequent presence of geriatric syndroms,
      also at the prodromal stage and including: falls, orthostatic hypotension,
      syncopa, urinary troubles, depression, delirium (after surgery, during
      infection...). On neuropsychological tests, sub-cortical frontal syndrome is
      frequent, visual memory impairment, visuospatial impairment and visuo
      constructive difficulties are also characteristics. On brain MRI, isolated
      diminished insula is to look for. CSF analysis is usually normal but sometimes
      with low Abeta-42. Dat-Scan and MIBG scintigraphy were not enough explored in
      this context. Thus, with every patient presenting a compatible input mode, the
      search for symptoms of DLB has to be systematic, in the aim to have an
      etiological diagnosis of prodromal DLB, to avoid adverse drug events
      (neuroleptics) and to optimize care for patients.

PMID- 28625941
TI  - Meditation and successful aging: can meditative practices counteract age-related
      cognitive decline?
AB  - Life expectancy is constantly increasing in the developed countries due to
      medical, hygiene and socio-economic advances. Unfortunately, a longer life not
      always corresponds to a healthier life. Indeed, aging is associated with growing
      risk factors for illness associated with societal conditions (isolation,
      maltreatment), and neurodegenerative diseases. Even normal aging is associated
      with a cognitive decline that can hinder independence and quality of life of
      elderly. Thus, one major societal challenge is to build policies that support
      people of all ages to maintain a maximum health and functional capacity
      throughout their lives. Meditation could be a promising intervention in
      contrasting the negative effects of aging. Indeed, it has been shown to enhance
      cognitive efficiency in several domains, such as attention and executive
      functions in young adults. Nevertheless, whether these effects extend to old
      participants is still a matter of debate. Few studies have directly investigated
      this issue, reporting encouraging results in a large panel of cognitive
      functions, such as: attention, executive functions and memory. However, a final
      conclusion about the causal role of meditation and the generalization of these
      results is made difficult due to several methodological limitations. We propose a
      roadmap for future studies to pass these limitations with the hope that the
      present work would contribute to the development of the young research field of
      meditation in gerontology.

PMID- 28625942
TI  - Cognitive stimulation in healthy older adults: a cognitive stimulation program
      using leisure activities compared to a conventional cognitive stimulation
      program.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare two methods of cognitive stimulation for the
      cognitive functions. The first method used an usual approach, the second used
      leisure activities in order to assess their benefits on cognitive functions
      (speed of processing; working memory capacity and executive functions) and
      psychoaffective measures (memory span and self esteem). 67 participants over 60
      years old took part in the experiment. They were divided into three groups: 1
      group followed a program of conventional cognitive stimulation, 1 group a program
      of cognitive stimulation using leisure activities and 1 control group. The
      different measures have been evaluated before and after the training program.
      Results show that the cognitive stimulation program using leisure activities is
      as effective on memory span, updating and memory self-perception as the program
      using conventional cognitive stimulation, and more effective on self-esteem than
      the conventional program. There is no difference between the two stimulated
      groups and the control group on speed of processing. Neither of the two cognitive
      stimulation programs provides a benefit over shifting and inhibition. These
      results indicate that it seems to be possible to enhance working memory and to
      observe far transfer benefits over self-perception (self-esteem and memory self
      perception) when using leisure activities as a tool for cognitive stimulation.

PMID- 28625944
TI  - Intractable ictal vomiting: a new form of reflex epilepsy?
AB  - In this description of the clinical course of a young female with persistent and
      protracted vomiting along with occasional loss of consciousness and subtle motor
      manifestations, the differential diagnosis is debated. The epileptic origin of
      her symptoms was substantiated by the presence of interictal epileptiform
      discharges and dramatic response to valproate monotherapy. Possible lobar
      localizations are discussed with the support of existing literature on this rare
      ictal manifestation [Published with video sequence on
      www.epilepticdisorders.com].

PMID- 28625945
TI  - HIV: treatment catching-up is a priority in West and Central Africa.

PMID- 28625946
TI  - Educational needs of epileptologists regarding psychiatric comorbidities of the
      epilepsies: a descriptive quantitative survey.
AB  - Psychiatric disorders are relatively frequent comorbidities in epilepsy and they
      have an impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. This is a report
      from the Task Force on Education of the ILAE Commission on Neuropsychiatry based
      on a survey about educational needs of epileptologists regarding management of
      the psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy. The Task Force designed a quantitative
      questionnaire to survey the self-perceived confidence of child and adult
      epileptologists and psychiatrists in managing major psychiatric comorbidities of
      epilepsy to identify: (1) critical areas of improvement from a list of skills
      that are usually considered necessary for effective management of these
      conditions, and (2) the preferred educational format for improving these skills.
      A total of 211 respondents from 36 different countries participated in the
      survey. Confidence and usefulness scores suggest that responders would most value
      education and training in the management of specific clinical scenarios. Child
      neurologists identified major Axis I disorders, such as mood and anxiety
      disorders, while adult neurologists identified attention deficit hyperactivity
      disorder, intellectual disabilities, and autistic spectrum disorder as key areas.
      Both adult and child neurologists identified screening skills as the priority.
      Psychiatrists mainly valued specific training in the management of psychiatric
      complications of epilepsy surgery or psychiatric adverse events of antiepileptic
      drugs. Sessions during congresses and face-to-face meetings represent the
      preferred educational format, while e-learning modules and review papers were
      chosen by a minority of respondents. Results of this survey identify key areas
      for improvement in managing the psychiatric comorbidities of epilepsy and suggest
      specific strategies to develop better training for clinicians involved in
      epilepsy care.

PMID- 28625947
TI  - Intracranial investigation of a patient with nodular heterotopia and hippocampal
      sclerosis: dealing with a dual pathology.
AB  - The pre-operative assessment and surgical management of patients with dual
      pathology is challenging. We describe a patient with drug-resistant focal
      epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis and extensive periventricular nodular
      heterotopia in the same hemisphere. The semiology, scalp EEG, and imaging were
      divergent, but the presence of focal interictal and ictal epileptic discharges of
      the putative ictal onset zone resulted in successful localization of the
      epileptogenic zone. A less aggressive resection was performed based on
      intracranial EEG recording. The patient has been seizure-free for three years
      since resection. Electroclinical hypotheses and challenges in defining the
      epileptogenic network are discussed.

PMID- 28625948
TI  - Anticholinesterase activity and identification of huperzine A in three Mexican
      lycopods: Huperzia cuernavacensis, Huperzia dichotoma and Huperzia linifolia
      (Lycopodiaceae).
AB  - Huperzine A (Hup A), the alkaloid produced by the Chinese medicinal plant
      Huperzia serrata, has been documented to be a promising agent for the treatment
      of Alzheimer's disease due to its potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChEI)
      activity. The search for anticholinesterase natural products, as well as for
      alternative sources of Hup A in Mexican lycopods, prompted us to investigate
      these plants. The action of methanolic and alkaloidal extracts of three Huperzia
      species (H. cuernavacensis, H. dichotoma, and H. linifolia) was evaluated using
      an in vitro anticholinesterase activity assay. Also, chromatographic and
      spectroscopic analyses were employed to detect the presence of Hup A. Methanolic
      and alkaloidal extracts of H. cuernavacensis showed IC50 =5.32+/-0.8MUg/mL and
      0.74+/-0.05MUg/mL; H. dichotoma displayed AChEI with IC50 values =14.11+/
      2.1MUg/mL and 0.64+/-0.09MUg/mL; and H. linifolia presented IC50 =158.37+/
      8.7MUg/mL and 4.2+/-1.24MUg/mL, respectively, compared to the control Hup A
      (IC50= 0.16+/-0.03MUg/mL). Hup A was identified in the extracts of H. dichotoma,
      but it was not detected in the extracts of H. cuernavacensis and H. linifolia by
      1H NMR techniques. This study reveals H. dichotoma as a new source of Hup A, and
      presents H. linifolia and H. cuernavacensis as potential candidates to obtain
      other anticholinesterase compounds useful in the Alzheimer's disease treatment.

PMID- 28625949
TI  - Discussion on the risk factors of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) after
      the kidney transplantation.
AB  - To discuss the risk factors of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) after the
      kidney transplantation. Retrospective analysis on the data of 1106 patients who
      had been underwent kidney allotransplantation in People's Hospital of Zhengzhou
      from July, 2010 to Dec, 2014 and conformed to the inclusion criteria was taken.
      Cox proportional hazard model was used to analyze the risk factors of developing
      CVD after the kidney transplantation. 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12
      months before and after the operation, the data collection and following-up
      visits were respectively arranged. 12 months after the operation, the following
      up visits were arranged once a half year until the end of March, 2014. 216
      (19.5%) patients developed CVD after the kidney transplantation. Among them, 47
      (4.2%) patients developed CVD within the first three months after the operation,
      which accounted for 26.8% in the CVD patients; 125 (11.3%) patients developed CVD
      within the first one year after the operation, which accounted for 47.9% in the
      CVD patients. 51 (4.6%) patients died after the operation. Among them, 19 (2.7%)
      patients died of CVD, which accounted for 37.3% in the whole died patients.
      Multiple factors analysis revealed that the following were the risk factors to
      develop CVD after the kidney transplantation: The age of receptors was greater
      than 50 (OR=2.39, 95%CI 1.15-3.60); The receptors had diabetes before the surgery
      (OR=3.18, 95%CI 1.56-6.42); The receptors had CVD medical history before the
      surgery (OR=3.85, 95%CI 2.15-7.54); The primary diseases of receptors were
      diabetic nephropathy (DN) (OR=2.12, 95%CI 1.14-3.98); The preoperative dialysis
      time was greater than 12 months(OR=1.27, 95%CI 0.98-1.38); The postoperative
      serum creatinine of the receptors was greater than 200 MUmol/L (OR=2.78, 95%CI
      1.35~4.53); The delayed graft failure (DGF) occurred (OR=1.24, 95%CI 1.02~1.42);
      Acute rejection appeared(AR)(OR=2.98, 95%CI 1.56~5.72); Renal allograft
      dysfunction appeared (OR=4.86, 95%CI 3.15~7.78). The morbidity of CVD is high
      after the kidney transplantation and the risk factors are diversified. That
      revising or excluding relevant risk factors may lower the morbidity of developing
      CVD and is in favor of the long-term survival for the transplanted kidney.

PMID- 28625950
TI  - Effect of solvent polarity on the extraction of components of pharmaceutical
      plastic containers.
AB  - A study of the extraction of polymeric material and dyes from the pharmaceutical
      plastic containers using various organic solvents was conducted to evaluate the
      effect of polarity on the extraction process. The plastic containers used
      included semi-opaque, opaque, transparent and amber colored and the solvent used
      were acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, acetone, dichloroethane, chloroform and
      water. The determination of extractable material was carried out by gravimetric
      and spectrometric methods. The yield of extractable materials from containers in
      60 h was 0.10-1.29% (w/w) and the first-order rate constant (kobs) for the
      extraction of polymeric material ranged from 0.52-1.50 * 10-3 min-1 and for the
      dyes 6.43- 6.74 x10-3min-1. The values of (kobs) were found to be an inverse
      function of solvent dielectric constant and decreased linearly with the solvent
      acceptor number. The extractable polymeric materials exhibited absorption in the
      200-400 nm region and the dyes in the 300-500nm region. The rates of extraction
      of polymeric material and dyes from plastic containers were dependent on the
      solvent dielectric constant. The solvents of low polarity were more effective in
      the extraction of material indicating that the extracted material were of low
      polarity or have non-polar character. The dyes were soluble in acetone and
      chloroform. No plastic material was found to be extracted from the containers in
      aqueous solution.

PMID- 28625951
TI  - Evaluation of supplementing active peptide's effect on recovering skeletal muscle
      micro-injury after track and field exercises.
AB  - : To explore the effect of supplementing active peptide on recovering skeletal
      muscle injury after track and field exercises. METHOD: choose 80 patients
      (contain teenagers) with skeletal muscle micro-injury after the track and field
      exercises from March 2015 to July 2016, divide them into two groups. Normal
      treatment of micro-injury of skeletal muscle is given to the control group while
      active peptide is supplemented to the experimental group based on normal
      treatment. Compare the two groups to find the differences in relevant indexes of
      skeletal muscle after track and field exercises. RESULT: Patients with micro
      injury of skeletal muscle after track and field exercises may have inflammation
      at the early stage, so they need a long time for recovery. Relevant indexes of
      the experimental group after the treatment of supplementing active peptide are
      better than those of the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: To supplement active
      peptide can promote the synthesis of protein, which is conducive to the recovery
      of micro-injury on skeletal muscle and reduce the extravasations of creatine
      kinase in the cell, so as to improve the patients' anti-fatigue ability and
      endurance level.

PMID- 28625952
TI  - Daily consumption of commercial chicken feed and meat lead to alterations in
      serum cholesterol and steroidal sex hormones in female rats.
AB  - Poultry consumption is increased worldwide owing to better taste, easy
      availability and low cost. The present study was designed to investigate the
      effects of the chicken feed, conventional chicken meat and organic chicken meat
      on the % growth rate, serum cholesterol, progesterone, testosterone and estrogen
      levels in female rats. Hundred female Albino Wistar rats were randomly assigned
      to four groups (n=25). Group I was control rats fed on standard chow, group II
      treated with commercial chicken feed, group III rats fed with conventional
      chicken meat and group IV with organic chicken meat for a period of 6 weeks. %
      Growth rate, serum cholesterol, progesterone, testosterone and estrogen levels
      were estimated after the treatment. The present study showed significant increase
      in growth rate, serum cholesterol levels and imbalance in serum steroidal hormone
      levels. It is therefore, suggested from the present study that the intake of
      commercial chicken feed and commercial chicken meat may be the potential cause of
      development of polycystic ovary syndrome in females due to steroid hormonal
      imbalance.

PMID- 28625953
TI  - The relationship between the expressions of tumor associated fibroblasts Cav-1
      and MCT4 and the prognosis of papillary carcinoma of breast.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of Cav-1 and MCT4 in
      the tumor stroma CAFs. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the
      expression of Cav-1 and MCT4 in 86 cases of IMPC, with 105 cases of non-specific
      invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC-NOS) as control. Their differential expression in
      different histological types were compared and relationship between the
      expression of Cav-1 and IMPC in the MCT4 and the main pathological features such
      as age, tumor size and histological grades were analyzed. The study confirmed
      that the loss expression of Cav-1 on CAFs and the up-regulation of MCT4 may be
      the possible mechanisms of CAFs in tumorigenesis, which may be one of the
      molecular mechanisms leading to the poor prognosis of IMPC. The expression of
      CAFs related proteins in tumor microenvironment suggested that CAFs could be used
      as the target of tumor therapy and provide new evidence for the treatment of
      breast cancer.

PMID- 28625954
TI  - Attenuation of cadmium-induced decline in spatial, habituation and recognition
      memory by long-term administration of almond and walnut supplementation: Role of
      cholinergic function.
AB  - Excessive exposure of cadmium which is regarded as a neurotoxin can stimulate
      aging process by inducing abnormality in neuronal function. It has been reported
      that supplementation of almond and walnut attenuate age-related memory loss.
      Present study was designed to investigate the weekly administration of cadmium
      for one month on learning and memory function with relation to cholinergic
      activity. Cadmium was administered at the dose of 50 mg/kg/week. Whereas, almond
      and walnut was supplemented at the dose of 400 mg/kg/day along with cadmium
      administration to separate set of rats. At the end of experiment, memory function
      was assessed by Morris water maze, open field test and novel object recognition
      test. Results of the present study showed that cadmium administration
      significantly reduced memory retention. Reduced acetylcholine levels and elevated
      acetyl cholinesterase activity were also observed in frontal cortex and
      hippocampus of cadmium treated rats. Malondialdehyde levels were also
      significantly increased following the administration of cadmium. Daily
      supplementation of almond and walnut for 28 days significantly attenuated cadmium
      induced memory impairment in rats. Results of the present study are discussed in
      term of cholinergic activity in cadmium-induced memory loss and its attenuation
      by nuts supplementation in rats.

PMID- 28625955
TI  - Experiment of vitreous liquefaction induced by C3F8.
AB  - To investigate the effect and safety of vitreous liquefaction induced by C3F8 (an
      inert gas) injected into vitreous cavit of rabbit eyes. 24 rabbits (48 eyes) were
      randomly divided into four groups, named group A, group B, group C and group D,
      with 6 rabbits in each group. The right eye in each rabbit was taken as the
      experimental eye while the left as the control eye. The experimental eyes in
      group A were injected with 0.1mL disinfectant air; the experimental eyes in group
      B, group C and group D were all injected with C3F8 0.1mL, 0.2mL and 0.3mL
      respectively after receiving anterior chamber penetration; and the controlled
      eyes in all group were injected with 0.1mL balanced salt solution (BSS). During
      the first 7 d after injection, all the rabitts' eyes were examined by slit lamp,
      ophthalmoscope, intraocular pressure (IOP) and dark-adapted retina
      Electroretinography (ERG) each day. After that, the examination of IOG and ERP
      were reviewed weekly. Besides, B ultrasound should be examined to observe the
      situation of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in the 4th and 8th weeks. The
      rabbits were killed in the end of the 8th week, with their specimens examined by
      the light microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM). Except group A, all the experimental eyes were
      produced with vitreous liquefaction. In group C and group D, in addition to the
      produced vitreous liquefaction, posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), even
      complete PVD, were induced in different extent. But in group B, the vitreous body
      was returned to the gel state at 2 weeks after gas absorption. In group C and
      group D, the vitreous body was not found to recover its original state at 8
      weeks. In group D, there was a little increase of intraocular pressure, a mild
      delay of wave a and wave b after ERG in the 4th day after the gas injection.
      While there was no such situation in other groups. After the examination of B
      ultrasound in the 8th week, the complete PVD occurred in group C (with 2
      experimental eyes occurred) and group D (with 4 experimental eyes occurred).
      Light microscope and transmission electron microscope examination showed no
      obvious abnormality. Smooth inner limiting membrane could be seen in the eye with
      PVD occurred when scanning electron microscope used. The injection of C3F8 into
      rabbit eyes can improve the vitreous liquefaction of the vitreous body and a
      certain volume of C3F8 can successfully and safely induce the PVD, and a larger
      volume of C3F8 was also effective but with a transient high IOP in rabbit eyes.

PMID- 28625956
TI  - Comparison of Anti BPH capsule (herbal) and Terazosin HCl in the treatment of
      benign prostate hyperplasia.
AB  - Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a disease of senile age, usually occurring>
      60 years of age. BPH is a disease that involves cell proliferation of the
      prostate. Pathological hyperplasia affects the elements of the glandular and
      connective tissue of the prostate. This study is designed to scrutinize the
      efficacy and tolerability of herbal drug Anti BPH capsule for the management of
      benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), in this study we select the 100 patients in
      which 50 received the Anti BPH capsule and 50 received the Terazosin HCl. We use
      the American Urological Association BPH Symptom Score Index Questionnaire to
      measure the quality of life of the patients. We compare the before treatment and
      after treatment results for each symptom. We record the following symptoms,
      incomplete emptying of bladder, Frequency, Intermittency, Urgency, Weak stream,
      Straining, Nocturia and weight of prostate gland by USG. We compare the both drug
      by using paired sample t-test. The level of significance of incomplete emptying
      of bladder before treatment and after treatment is 0.013 in test group and 0.032
      in control group. Similarly the level of significance of Frequency before
      treatment and after treatment in test groups in, intermittency, Urgency, Weak
      stream, staining, Nocturia and mean weight of prostate gland are 0.007, 0.015,
      0.044, 0.012, 0.017, 0.004 and 0.020; where as in control group afford as 0.031,
      0.044, 0.044, 0.032, 0.024, 0.009 and 0.035 respectively. The herbal drug Anti
      BPH capsule is more effective in the treatment of BPH than Allopathic medicine
      Terazosin HCl.

PMID- 28625957
TI  - Studies on antihyperlipidemic and endothelium modulatory activities of polyherbal
      formulation (POL4) and its ingredients in high fat diet-fed rats.
AB  - A compound herbal formulation (POL4) is used traditionally in interior parts
      (Distt. Badin) of Sindh, Pakistan, for the treatment of metabolic disorders like
      diabetes and hyperlipidemia. This study is aimed to determine the effectiveness
      of POL4 and its ingredients in hyperlipidemia and associated endothelial
      dysfunction and hypertension. POL4 is composed of equal proportion of Nigella
      sativa, Cichorium intybus, Trigonella foenum graecum and Gymnema sylvestre mixed
      in powdered form. Chronic (6 to 7 weeks) administration of POL4 and its
      ingredients mixed in diet caused a notable attenuation in total cholesterol, low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, atherogenic index, C-reactive
      protein and glucose, while it has increased high density lipoprotein levels. POL4
      intervention markedly (p<0.01) reduced systolic blood pressure in rats to 127+/
      1.92 vs. 145.4+/-1.07 mm of Hg using tail-cuff method and significantly (p<0.05)
      improved endothelium-dependent relaxation (75+/-2.88 vs. 82.75+/-1.22%) to
      acetylcholine in isolated aortae of rats in treatment groups using force
      transducer and PowerLab system. Similar activities were assessed on the part of
      ingredients of POL4. These findings indicate that POL4 and its ingredients
      possess antihyperlipidemic, endothelium-dependent modulatory and antihypertensive
      activities, thus providing an evidence to the vernacular use of POL4 in
      hyperlipidemia and hypertension.

PMID- 28625958
TI  - Pain management of pancreatic cancer patients with high-intensity focused
      ultrasound therapy.
AB  - This study was performed to evaluate cancer pain control of high-Intensity
      focused ultrasound ablation (HIFU) and to manage the HIFU treatment pain in
      advanced pancreatic cancer patients with analgesics. We collected 71 locally
      advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with HIFU from 2013 March to 2014
      January in our hospital. The cancer pain (pre-HIFU and two weeks after HIFU) and
      HIFU treatment pain were evaluated respectively. The numeric rating scale (NRS)
      was used as the tool of pain evaluation. The related factors with pains were
      analyzed. The 70.42% cancer painless rate before HIFU was improved to 92.96%
      (P<0.05) 2 weeks after HIFU in 71 advanced pancreatic cancer patents without
      analgesics adjustment. The HIFU treatment pain occurred in 42 of 71 treated
      patients (59.15 %). The average duration was 3.93 days and pain score was 3.22.
      HIFU can improve cancer pain relief further in the advanced pancreatic cancer
      patients with third ladder analgesics, meanwhile HIFU treatment pain can be
      managed easy because of its short duration and low pain score.

PMID- 28625959
TI  - Curative effect of Maimendong decoction in treating advanced lung cancer with Qi
      Yin deficiency cough.
AB  - The objective of this paper is to analyze the curative effect of Maimendong
      Decoction in treating advanced lung cancer with Qi-Yin deficiency cough. 60
      patients with advanced lung cancer with Qi-Yin deficiency cough admitted to our
      hospital were selected and randomly divided into two groups, among which 30 cases
      treated with Maimendong Decoction were experimental group, and another 30 cases
      treated with ambroxol hydrochloride oral solution were control group. After
      treatment, the clinical therapeutic effects of the two groups were compared and
      analyzed. After 40 d treatment, the total effective rate of the treatment group
      was significantly higher than that of control group, with statistical
      significance (P<0.05). There is a definitive therapeutic effect of Maimendong
      Decoction in the treatment of advanced lung cancer with Qi-Yin deficiency cough,
      which is worthy of application and promotion in clinic.

PMID- 28625960
TI  - Production of an antibiotic enterocin from a marine actinobacteria strain H1003
      by metal-stress technique with enhanced enrichment using response surface
      methodology.
AB  - Elicitation by chemical means including heavy metals is one of a new technique
      for drug discoveries. In this research, the effect of heavy metals on marine
      actinobacteria Streptomyces sp. H-1003 for the production of enterocin, with a
      strong broad spectrum activity, along optimized fermented medium was firstly
      investigated. The optimum metal stress conditions consisted of culturing marine
      actinobacteria strain H-1003 with addition of cobalt ions at 2mM in optimized
      Gause's medium having starch at 20mg/L for 10 days at 180 revolution/min. Under
      these conditions, enterocin production was enhanced with a value of 5.33mg/L,
      which was totally absent at the normal culture of strain H-1003 and much higher
      than other tested metal-stress conditions. This work triumphantly announced a
      prodigious effect of heavy metals on marine actinobacteria with fringe benefits
      as a key tool of enterocin production.

PMID- 28625961
TI  - Effect of Atorvastatin on lower extremity function of patients with hypertension
      and peripheral arterial disease.
AB  - This paper aims to discuss the short-term effect of Atorvastatin on lower
      extremity function of patients with hypertension and peripheral arterial disease
      (PAD). 40 patients with hypertension and ankle-brachial index (ABI) less than 0.9
      were divided into the control group (20 cases) and Atorvastatin group (20 cases)
      and treated for 6 months. The variation between the 6-min walk and the gait speed
      of 4-m-walk before and after the treatment were respectively observed. With
      regard to the two groups, differences of the drop-out values before and after the
      treatment were adjusted in accordance with gender, ages, body mass index (BMI),
      difference values of systolic pressure, ABI, difference values of total
      cholesterol (TC), difference values of low density lipoprotein, triacylglycerol,
      smoking and drug-taking situation. After the treatment, the 6-min walk had no
      obvious change between the two groups (P>0.05), but the 4-m normal and rapid
      walking speed changed obviously (P<0.01). Short-term therapy with atorvastatin
      can significantly delay the decline of the walking speed in short distance and
      improve the lower-extremity function of patients with hypertension and PAD.

PMID- 28625962
TI  - Application research on nerve sparing radical hysterectomy for rectal function.
AB  - This paper aims to discuss the clinical significance of laparotomy nerve sparing
      radical hysterectomy (NSRH) on rectal function of early cervical cancer patients,
      compared with conventional radical hysterectomy. 30 cases of early cervical
      carcinoma patients who had received surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of
      Zhengzhou University from June 2010 to June 2014 were selected as subjects.
      Patients were divided into two groups, with 15 in each gorup, in which Group A
      had received NSRH, B received CRH, and all them were in stage IB-IIA1. In the
      surgery, 2 cases of patients in NSRH group failed in nerve sparing operation, and
      were grouped into CRH group. The postoperative condition of two groups were
      observed, recorded and compared as well, especially the comparison between the
      postoperative recovery condition of rectal function of two groups. The comparison
      were conducted between two groups on the operation time, bleeding volume,
      quantity of cleaned pelvic lymph node, resection length of parametrium, resection
      length of vagina, etc. There was no statistical significance (P>0.05). The
      postoperative urinary catheter indwelling time in NSRH group was shorter than CRH
      group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The postoperative maximum urine
      flow, maximum cystometric capacity, maximum detrusor pressure and urinary
      complications in NSRH group were significantly better than the postoperative
      condition in CRH group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). NSRH surgery was
      safe and reliable, which not only had obvious advantage in improving
      postoperative rectal function and bladder function, but also had a significantly
      effect on improving postoperative life quality as well. The results proved that
      patients had low disease morbidity and with great clinical significance.

PMID- 28625963
TI  - Identification and lead-in characterization of novel B3 metallo-beta-lactamases.
AB  - Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) are zinc ion dependent enzymes that are
      responsible for the emergence and spread of beta-lactam resistance among
      bacterial pathogens. There are uncharacterized putative MBLs in the environment
      and their emergence is major interference in the generation of universal MBL
      inhibitors so it is important to identify and characterize novel MBLs. In this
      study two novel MBLs from Luteimonas sp. J29 and Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana were
      identified using B3 MBLs as query in BLAST database search. 3D models of putative
      MBLs generated by SWISS-MODEL server taking AIM-1 as a structural template were
      verified using web based structure assessment and validation programs. Multiple
      sequence alignment revealed that residues important for substrate binding were
      conserved and loop region residues (156-162 and 223-230) important for catalysis
      are variable in these novel MBLs. Homology models showed typical MBL
      alpha/beta/beta/alpha sandwich fold containing six alpha helices, twelve beta
      strands and metal interacting residues are conserved in similar way as with other
      B3 MBLs. We report promising putative B3 MBLs with some variations and substrate
      docking studies revealed that novel MBLs have attributes close to acquired B3
      MBLs.

PMID- 28625964
TI  - Antegrade Dissection and Reentry as Part of the Hybrid Chronic Total Occlusion
      Revascularization Strategy: A Subanalysis of the RECHARGE Registry (Registry of
      CrossBoss and Hybrid Procedures in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and United
      Kingdom).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Development of the CrossBoss and Stingray devices for antegrade
      dissection and reentry (ADR) of chronic total occlusions has improved
      historically suboptimal outcomes. However, the outcomes, safety, and failure
      modes of the technique have to be studied in a larger patient cohort. This
      preplanned substudy of the RECHARGE registry (Registry of CrossBoss and Hybrid
      Procedures in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and United Kingdom) aims to
      evaluate the value and use of ADR and determine its future position in
      contemporary chronic total occlusion intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients
      were selected if an ADR strategy was applied. Outcomes, safety, and failure modes
      of the technique were assessed. The ADR technique was used in 23% (n=292/1253) of
      the RECHARGE registry and was mainly applied for complex lesions (Japanese
      chronic total occlusion score=2.7+/-1.1). ADR was the primary strategy in 30%
      (n=88/292), of which 67% were successful. Bail-out ADR strategies were successful
      in 63% (n=133/210). The Controlled ADR (ie, combined CrossBoss-Stingray) subtype
      was applied most frequently (32%; n=93/292) and successfully (81%; n=75/93).
      Overall per-lesion success rate was 78% (n=229/292), after use of additional bail
      out strategies. The inability to reach the distal target zone (n=48/100) or to
      reenter (n=43/100) most commonly led to failure. ADR-associated major events
      occurred in 3.4% (n=10/292). CONCLUSIONS: Although mostly applied as a bail-out
      strategy for complex lesions, the frequency, outcomes, and low complication rate
      of the ADR technique and its subtypes confirm the benefit and value of the
      technique in hybrid chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention,
      especially when antegrade wiring or retrograde approaches are not feasible.
      CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique
      identifier: NCT02075372.

PMID- 28625965
TI  - Letter by Muntane-Carol et al Regarding Article, "Bioresorbable Vascular
      Scaffolds for the Treatment of Chronic Total Occlusions: An International
      Multicenter Registry".

PMID- 28625966
TI  - Response by Mitomo et al to Letter Regarding Article, "Bioresorbable Vascular
      Scaffolds for the Treatment of Chronic Total Occlusions: An International
      Multicenter Registry".

PMID- 28625967
TI  - RNase II regulates RNase PH and is essential for cell survival during starvation
      and stationary phase.
AB  - RNase II is the most active exoribonuclease in Escherichia coli cell extracts.
      Yet, its removal appears to have no deleterious effect on growing cells. Here, we
      show that RNase II is required for cell survival during prolonged stationary
      phase and upon starvation. The absence of RNase II leads to greatly increased
      rRNA degradation and to the accumulation of rRNA fragments, both of which lead to
      a decline in cell survival. The deleterious effects of RNase II removal can be
      completely reversed by the simultaneous absence of a second exoribonuclease,
      RNase PH, an enzyme known to be required to initiate ribosome degradation in
      starving cells. We have now found that the role of RNase II in this process is to
      regulate the amount of RNase PH present in starving cells, and it does so at the
      level of RNase PH stability. RNase PH normally decreases as much as 90% during
      starvation because the protein is unstable under these conditions; however, in
      the absence of RNase II the amount of RNase PH remains relatively unchanged.
      Based on these observations, we propose that in the presence of RNase II,
      nutrient deprivation leads to a dramatic reduction in the amount of RNase PH,
      thereby limiting the extent of rRNA degradation and ensuring cell survival during
      this stress. In the absence of RNase II, RNase PH levels remain high, leading to
      excessive ribosome loss and ultimately to cell death. These findings provide
      another example of RNase regulation in response to environmental stress.

PMID- 28625969
TI  - Correction for Wertz et al., "Genomic and Physiological Characterization of the
      Verrucomicrobia Isolate Didymococcus colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., Reveals
      Microaerophily and Nitrogen Fixation Genes".

PMID- 28625968
TI  - Long-Term Dose-Dependent Agalsidase Effects on Kidney Histology in Fabry Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dose-dependent clearing of podocyte
      globotriaosylceramide has previously been shown in patients with classic Fabry
      disease treated with enzyme replacement. Our study evaluates the dose-dependent
      effects of agalsidase therapy in serial kidney biopsies of patients treated for
      up to 14 years. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Twenty patients
      with classic Fabry disease (12 men) started enzyme replacement therapy at a
      median age of 21 (range =7-62) years old. Agalsidase-alpha or -beta was
      prescribed for a median of 9.4 (range =5-14) years. The lower fixed dose group
      received agalsidase 0.2 mg/kg every other week throughout the follow-up period.
      The higher dose group received a range of agalsidase doses (0.2-1.0 mg/kg every
      other week). Dose changes were made due to disease progression, suboptimal
      effect, or agalsidase-beta shortage. Serial kidney biopsies were performed along
      with clinical assessment and biomarkers and scored according to recommendations
      from the International Study Group of Fabry Nephropathy. RESULTS: No statistical
      differences were found in baseline or final GFR or albuminuria. Kidney biopsies
      showed significant reduction of podocyte globotriaosylceramide in both the lower
      fixed dose group (-1.39 [SD=1.04]; P=0.004) and the higher dose group (-3.16
      [SD=2.39]; P=0.002). Podocyte globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) reduction correlated
      with cumulative agalsidase dose (r=0.69; P=0.001). Arterial/arteriolar intima Gb3
      cleared significantly in the higher dose group, all seven patients with baseline
      intimal Gb3 cleared the intima, one patient gained intimal Gb3 inclusions
      (P=0.03), and medial Gb3 did not change statistically in either group. Residual
      plasma globotriaosylsphingosine levels remained higher in the lower fixed dose
      group (20.1 nmol/L [SD=11.9]) compared with the higher dose group (10.4 nmol/L
      [SD=8.4]) and correlated with cumulative agalsidase dose in men (r=0.71; P=0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Reduction of podocyte globotriaosylceramide was found in patients
      with classic Fabry disease treated with long-term agalsidase on different dosing
      regimens, correlating with cumulative dose. Limited clearing of
      arterial/arteriolar globotriaosylceramide raises concerns regarding long-term
      vascular effects of current therapy. Residual plasma globotriaosylsphingosine
      correlated with cumulative dose in men.

PMID- 28625971
TI  - Peripheral leptochoroid: clinical and anatomical findings.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the clinical findings and anatomical
      characteristics of patients with a thinned peripheral choroid (leptochoroid)
      presenting with bilateral macular geographical hyperpigmented fundus and compare
      with matched controls. METHODS: A retrospective, observational case series of 44
      eyes (24 patients): 22 study eyes (12 study patients) with clinical findings of
      leptochoroid (geographical hyperpigmented fundus centred in the macula) matched
      with 22 control eyes (12 control patients). All eyes received enhanced depth
      imaging optical coherence tomography at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
      Two independent observers performed all measurements. Statistical analysis was
      used to correlate interobserver findings, and compare patient and eye
      characteristics. RESULTS: Study patients had a female predominance and median age
      of 70 years. Iris colour and refractive error of these eyes were varied: 8 eyes
      were myopic (one of which was highly myopic with a refractive error of -9.00) and
      14 eyes were emmetropic or hyperopic (up to+3.00). The best-corrected visual
      acuity was 20/40 or better in all study eyes. The geographical macular areas of
      relative hyperpigmentation correspond to normal choroidal thickness compared with
      controls (p=0.74). The relative hypopigmented surrounding fundus had
      significantly thinner choroid compared with controls (p value=0.0001). Choroidal
      thickness had a strong interobserver correlation (r=0.99, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION:
      Described here is a clinical entity referred to as peripheral leptochoroid. It
      appears as geographical hyperpigmented fundus centred in the macula, with
      adjacent relative hypopigmented fundus. Compared with matched normal subjects,
      the hyperpigmented and hypopigmented fundus correspond with equivocal and
      decreased choroidal thickness, respectively.

PMID- 28625972
TI  - Prevalence, subtypes, severity and determinants of ocular trauma: The Singapore
      Chinese Eye Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence, subtypes, severity and determinants of
      ocular trauma (OT) in a population-based study in Singapore. METHODS: We included
      3353 Chinese adults aged >=40 years from the Singapore Chinese Eye Study, a
      population-based study, conducted between 2009 and 2011. OT was defined as self
      reported history of any eye injury requiring medical attention with or without
      hospitalisation, and further classified as blunt object, sharp object or chemical
      burns related. Age and gender-standardised prevalence was estimated using the
      2010 Singapore Chinese population census. Multivariable models were used to
      assess the independent associations of OT with age, gender, income, education,
      literacy, alcohol consumption, smoking and history of falls. RESULTS: The mean
      (SD) age was 59.7 (9.9) years and 49.4% were male. There were 138 OT cases,
      giving a crude and age and gender-standardised prevalence of 4.1% (95% CI 3.5% to
      4.8%) and 4.4% (95% CI 3.7% to 5.2%), respectively. Of these, 45 (32.6%), 56
      (40.6%) and 10 (7.3%) were blunt object, sharp object and chemical burns-related
      trauma, respectively. Twenty eight (20.3%) required hospitalisation, with no
      difference between subtypes. In multivariable models, men (OR (95% CI): 2.80
      (1.79-4.39)), younger persons (per year decrease in age (1.03 (1.00-1.05)) and
      lower education levels (1.8 (1.25-2.60); comparing <=6 years vs >6 years of
      education) were independent determinants of OT. CONCLUSIONS: OT affected one in
      25 adults, with 20% of these requiring hospitalisation. Because OT is
      preventable, raising awareness and education strategies in the population would
      allow prevention of vision loss particularly in men, and younger and lesser
      educated individuals.

PMID- 28625973
TI  - Prevalence and correlates of electronic cigarette use among Canadian students:
      cross-sectional findings from the 2014/15 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and
      Drugs Survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, youth tobacco use has declined, and electronic
      cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have entered the market. The aims of this study were to
      describe the prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth in Canada, by province,
      across sociodemographic variables and smoking-related correlates; and to examine
      associations among e-cigarette use, sociodemographic variables and smoking
      related correlates, with adjustment for other factors. METHODS: The 2014/15
      Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, a biennial, school-based
      survey, was administered to students in grades 6-12 in all Canadian provinces.
      Logistic regression models were fitted to estimate odds of ever and past 30-day e
      cigarette use by sociodemographic variables and smoking-related correlates.
      RESULTS: A total of 336 schools from 128 school boards (47% of eligible schools
      approached) and 42 094 students (66% of eligible students approached)
      participated in the survey. In Canada, 17.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.4%
      18.9%) of students in grades 6-12 reported ever using e-cigarettes, and 5.7% (95%
      CI 5.2%-6.3%) reported past 30-day use. Substantial variation was observed across
      provinces. Female students had decreased odds of past 30-day use relative to male
      students (odds ratio [OR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.86), whereas current smokers (OR
      10.0, 95% CI 6.66-15.02) and experimental smokers (OR 3.61, 95% CI 2.40-5.42) had
      increased odds relative to never smokers. Students who perceived that access was
      easy also had increased odds of using e-cigarettes relative to students who
      perceived that access was difficult (OR 3.86, 95% CI 2.96-5.03). Students who
      believed that regular use entailed slight risk (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52-0.88) and
      those who did not know risk levels (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.21-0.46) had decreased odds
      compared with those perceiving no risk. INTERPRETATION: Our data confirm that
      many youth used e-cigarettes in the 30 days preceding the survey, although rates
      were substantially higher among current and experimental smokers than among
      students who had never tried smoking.

PMID- 28625974
TI  - Pseudobulbar affective disorder, emotion and the brain.

PMID- 28625975
TI  - A Naturally Generated Decoy of the Prostate Apoptosis Response-4 Protein
      Overcomes Therapy Resistance in Tumors.
AB  - Primary tumors are often heterogeneous, composed of therapy-sensitive and
      emerging therapy-resistant cancer cells. Interestingly, treatment of therapy
      sensitive tumors in heterogeneous tumor microenvironments results in apoptosis of
      therapy-resistant tumors. In this study, we identify a prostate apoptosis
      response-4 (Par-4) amino-terminal fragment (PAF) that is released by diverse
      therapy-sensitive cancer cells following therapy-induced caspase cleavage of the
      tumor suppressor Par-4 protein. PAF caused apoptosis in cancer cells resistant to
      therapy and inhibited tumor growth. A VASA segment of Par-4 mediated its binding
      and degradation by the ubiquitin ligase Fbxo45, resulting in loss of Par-4
      proapoptotic function. Conversely, PAF, which contains this VASA segment,
      competitively bound to Fbxo45 and rescued Par-4-mediated induction of cancer cell
      specific apoptosis. Collectively, our findings identify a molecular decoy
      naturally generated during apoptosis that inhibits a ubiquitin ligase to overcome
      therapy resistance in tumors. Cancer Res; 77(15); 4039-50. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28625976
TI  - A Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen Identifies Genes Critical for Resistance to FLT3
      Inhibitor AC220.
AB  - Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant hematopoietic disease and the most
      common type of acute leukemia in adults. The mechanisms underlying drug
      resistance in AML are poorly understood. Activating mutations in FMS-like
      tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) are the most common molecular abnormality in AML.
      Quizartinib (AC220) is a potent and selective second-generation inhibitor of
      FLT3. It is in clinical trials for the treatment of relapsed or refractory FLT3
      ITD-positive and -negative AML patients and as maintenance therapy. To understand
      the mechanisms of drug resistance to AC220, we undertook an unbiased approach
      with a novel CRISPR-pooled library to screen new genes whose loss of function
      confers resistance to AC220. We identified SPRY3, an intracellular inhibitor of
      FGF signaling, and GSK3, a canonical Wnt signaling antagonist, and demonstrated
      reactivation of downstream FGF/Ras/ERK and Wnt signaling as major mechanisms of
      resistance to AC220. We confirmed these findings in primary AML patient samples.
      Expression of SPRY3 and GSK3A was dramatically reduced in AC220-resistant AML
      samples, and SPRY3-deleted primary AML cells were resistant to AC220.
      Intriguingly, expression of SPRY3 was greatly reduced in GSK3 knockout AML cells,
      which positioned SPRY3 downstream of GSK3 in the resistance pathway. Taken
      together, our study identified novel genes whose loss of function conferred
      resistance to a selective FLT3 inhibitor, providing new insight into signaling
      pathways that contribute to acquired resistance in AML. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4402
      13. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28625977
TI  - Acetylation of Mastermind-like 1 by p300 Drives the Recruitment of NACK to
      Initiate Notch-Dependent Transcription.
AB  - Although it has long been appreciated that p300 acts as a critical Notch
      coactivator, the mechanistic details of p300 in Notch-mediated transcription
      remain unclear. We previously demonstrated that PEAK1-related kinase activating
      pseudokinase 1 (NACK), also known as SGK223, is a critical coactivator of Notch
      signaling and binds to the Notch1 ternary complex. Herein we report that p300 and
      CBP acetylate Mastermind-like 1 (Maml1) on amino acid residues K188 and K189 to
      recruit NACK to the Notch1 ternary complex, which results in the recruitment of
      RNA polymerase II to initiate transcription. NACK is recruited to the ternary
      complexes containing Maml1 and Maml3, but not Maml2. Simultaneous inhibition of
      p300/CBP and Notch has a synergistic effect in esophageal adenocarcinoma. In
      summary, this study provides a deeper mechanistic understanding of the assembly
      of the Notch transcriptional complex and provides rationale and proof of concept
      for a combinatorial therapeutic attack on Notch-dependent cancers. Cancer Res;
      77(16); 4228-37. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28625978
TI  - The Alkylating Chemotherapeutic Temozolomide Induces Metabolic Stress in IDH1
      Mutant Cancers and Potentiates NAD+ Depletion-Mediated Cytotoxicity.
AB  - IDH1-mutant gliomas are dependent upon the canonical coenzyme NAD+ for survival.
      It is known that PARP activation consumes NAD+ during base excision repair (BER)
      of chemotherapy-induced DNA damage. We therefore hypothesized that a strategy
      combining NAD+ biosynthesis inhibitors with the alkylating chemotherapeutic agent
      temozolomide could potentiate NAD+ depletion-mediated cytotoxicity in mutant IDH1
      cancer cells. To investigate the impact of temozolomide on NAD+ metabolism,
      patient-derived xenografts and engineered mutant IDH1-expressing cell lines were
      exposed to temozolomide, in vitro and in vivo, both alone and in combination with
      nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibitors, which block NAD+
      biosynthesis. The acute time period (<3 hours) after temozolomide treatment
      displayed a burst of NAD+ consumption driven by PARP activation. In IDH1-mutant
      expressing cells, this consumption reduced further the abnormally lowered basal
      steady-state levels of NAD+, introducing a window of hypervulnerability to NAD+
      biosynthesis inhibitors. This effect was selective for IDH1-mutant cells and
      independent of methylguanine methyltransferase or mismatch repair status, which
      are known rate-limiting mediators of adjuvant temozolomide genotoxic sensitivity.
      Combined temozolomide and NAMPT inhibition in an in vivo IDH1-mutant cancer model
      exhibited enhanced efficacy compared with each agent alone. Thus, we find IDH1
      mutant cancers have distinct metabolic stress responses to chemotherapy-induced
      DNA damage and that combination regimens targeting nonredundant NAD+ pathways
      yield potent anticancer efficacy in vivo Such targeting of convergent metabolic
      pathways in genetically selected cancers could minimize treatment toxicity and
      improve durability of response to therapy. Cancer Res; 77(15); 4102-15. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28625979
TI  - Intestine-Specific Homeobox Gene ISX Integrates IL6 Signaling, Tryptophan
      Catabolism, and Immune Suppression.
AB  - The intestine-specific homeobox transcription factor intestine-specific homeobox
      (ISX) is an IL6-inducible proto-oncogene implicated in the development of
      hepatocellular carcinoma, but its mechanistic contributions to this process are
      undefined. In this study, we provide evidence that ISX mediates a positive
      feedback loop integrating inflammation, tryptophan catabolism, and immune
      suppression. We found that ISX-mediated IL6-induced expression of the tryptophan
      catabolic enzymes Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3
      dioxygenase in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, resulting in an ISX-dependent
      increase in the tryptophan catabolite kynurenine and its receptor aryl
      hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Activation of this kynurenine/AHR signaling axis
      acted through a positive feedback mechanism to increase ISX expression and
      enhance cellular proliferation and tumorigenic potential. RNAi-mediated
      attenuation of ISX or AHR reversed these effects. In an IDO1-dependent manner,
      ectopic expression of ISX induced expression of genes encoding the critical
      immune modulators CD86 (B7-2) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), through
      which ISX conferred a significant suppressive effect on the CD8+ T-cell response.
      In hepatocellular carcinoma specimens, expression of IDO1, kynurenine, AHR, and
      PD-L1 correlated negatively with survival. Overall, our results identified a feed
      forward mechanism of immune suppression in hepatocellular carcinoma organized by
      ISX, which involves kynurenine-AHR signaling and PD-L1, offering insights into
      immune escape by hepatocellular carcinoma, which may improve its therapeutic
      management. Cancer Res; 77(15); 4065-77. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28625980
TI  - Functional Analysis of a Novel beta-(1,3)-Glucanase from Corallococcus sp. Strain
      EGB Containing a Fascin-Like Module.
AB  - A novel beta-(1,3)-glucanase gene designated lamC, cloned from Corallococcus sp.
      strain EGB, contains a fascin-like module and a glycoside hydrolase family 16
      (GH16) catalytic module. LamC displays broad hydrolytic activity toward various
      polysaccharides. Analysis of the hydrolytic products revealed that LamC is an exo
      acting enzyme on beta-(1,3)(1,3)- and beta-(1,6)-linked glucan substrates and an
      endo-acting enzyme on beta-(1,4)-linked glucan and xylan substrates. Site
      directed mutagenesis of conserved catalytic Glu residues (E304A and E309A)
      demonstrated that these activities were derived from the same active site.
      Excision of the fascin-like module resulted in decreased activity toward beta
      (1,3)(1,3)-linked glucans. The carbohydrate-binding assay showed that the fascin
      like module was a novel beta-(1,3)-linked glucan-binding module. The functional
      characterization of the fascin-like module and catalytic module will help us
      better understand these enzymes and modules.IMPORTANCE In this report of a
      bacterial beta-(1,3)(1,3)-glucanase containing a fascin-like module, we reveal
      the beta-(1,3)(1,3)-glucan-binding function of the fascin-like module present in
      the N terminus of LamC. LamC displays exo-beta-(1,3)/(1,6)-glucanase and endo
      beta-(1,4)-glucanase/xylanase activities with a single catalytic domain. Thus,
      LamC was identified as a novel member of the GH16 family.

PMID- 28625982
TI  - Stress Survival Islet 2, Predominantly Present in Listeria monocytogenes Strains
      of Sequence Type 121, Is Involved in the Alkaline and Oxidative Stress Responses.
AB  - The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is able to survive a variety of
      stress conditions leading to the colonization of different niches like the food
      processing environment. This study focuses on the hypervariable genetic hot spot
      lmo0443 to lmo0449 haboring three inserts: the stress survival islet 1 (SSI-1),
      the single-gene insert LMOf2365_0481, and two homologous genes of the
      nonpathogenic species Listeria innocua: lin0464, coding for a putative
      transcriptional regulator, and lin0465, encoding an intracellular PfpI protease.
      Our prevalence study revealed a different distribution of the inserts between
      human and food-associated isolates. The lin0464-lin0465 insert was predominantly
      found in food-associated strains of sequence type 121 (ST121). Functional
      characterization of this insert showed that the putative PfpI protease Lin0465 is
      involved in alkaline and oxidative stress responses but not in acidic, gastric,
      heat, cold, osmotic, and antibiotic stresses. In parallel, deletion of lin0464
      decreased survival under alkaline and oxidative stresses. The expression of both
      genes increased significantly under oxidative stress conditions independently of
      the alternative sigma factor sigmaB Furthermore, we showed that the expression of
      the protease gene lin0465 is regulated by the transcription factor lin0464 under
      stress conditions, suggesting that lin0464 and lin0465 form a functional unit. In
      conclusion, we identified a novel stress survival islet 2 (SSI-2), predominantly
      present in L. monocytogenes ST121 strains, beneficial for survival under alkaline
      and oxidative stresses, potentially supporting adaptation and persistence of L.
      monocytogenes in food processing environments.IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenes
      strains of ST121 are known to persist for months and even years in food
      processing environments, thereby increasing the risk of food contamination and
      listeriosis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this remarkable niche
      specific adaptation is still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the genomic islet
      SSI-2, predominantly present in L. monocytogenes ST121 strains, is beneficial for
      survival under alkaline and oxidative stress conditions, which are routinely
      encountered in food processing environments. Our findings suggest that SSI-2 is
      part of a diverse set of molecular determinants contributing to niche-specific
      adaptation and persistence of L. monocytogenes ST121 strains in food processing
      environments.

PMID- 28625981
TI  - Heterologous Expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans CO Dehydrogenase Alone
      or Together with the Acetyl Coenzyme A Synthase Enables both Reduction of CO2 and
      Oxidation of CO by Clostridium acetobutylicum.
AB  - With recent advances in synthetic biology, CO2 could be utilized as a carbon
      feedstock by native or engineered organisms, assuming the availability of
      electrons. Two key enzymes used in autotrophic CO2 fixation are the CO
      dehydrogenase (CODH) and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) synthase (ACS), which
      form a bifunctional heterotetrameric complex. The CODH/ACS complex can reversibly
      catalyze CO2 to CO, effectively enabling a biological water-gas shift reaction at
      ambient temperatures and pressures. The CODH/ACS complex is part of the Wood
      Ljungdahl pathway (WLP) used by acetogens to fix CO2, and it has been well
      characterized in native hosts. So far, only a few recombinant CODH/ACS complexes
      have been expressed in heterologous hosts, none of which demonstrated in vivo CO2
      reduction. Here, functional expression of the Clostridium carboxidivorans
      CODH/ACS complex is demonstrated in the solventogen Clostridium acetobutylicum,
      which was engineered to express CODH alone or together with the ACS. Both strains
      exhibited CO2 reduction and CO oxidation activities. The CODH reactions were
      interrogated using isotopic labeling, thus verifying that CO was a direct product
      of CO2 reduction, and vice versa. CODH apparently uses a native C. acetobutylicum
      ferredoxin as an electron carrier for CO2 reduction. Heterologous CODH activity
      depended on actively growing cells and required the addition of nickel, which is
      inserted into CODH without the need to express the native Ni insertase protein.
      Increasing CO concentrations in the gas phase inhibited CODH activity and altered
      the metabolite profile of the CODH-expressing cells. This work provides the
      foundation for engineering a complete and functional WLP in nonnative host
      organisms.IMPORTANCE Functional expression of CO dehydrogenase (CODH) from
      Clostridium carboxidivorans was demonstrated in C. acetobutylicum, which is
      natively incapable of CO2 fixation. The expression of CODH, alone or together
      with the C. carboxidivorans acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS), enabled C. acetobutylicum
      to catalyze both CO2 reduction and CO oxidation. Importantly, CODH exhibited
      activity in both the presence and absence of ACS. 13C-tracer studies confirmed
      that the engineered C. acetobutylicum strains can reduce CO2 to CO and oxidize CO
      during growth on glucose.

PMID- 28625983
TI  - Strain-Level Metagenomic Analysis of the Fermented Dairy Beverage Nunu Highlights
      Potential Food Safety Risks.
AB  - The rapid detection of pathogenic strains in food products is essential for the
      prevention of disease outbreaks. It has already been demonstrated that whole
      metagenome shotgun sequencing can be used to detect pathogens in food but, until
      recently, strain-level detection of pathogens has relied on whole-metagenome
      assembly, which is a computationally demanding process. Here we demonstrated that
      three short-read-alignment-based methods, i.e., MetaMLST, PanPhlAn, and
      StrainPhlAn, could accurately and rapidly identify pathogenic strains in spinach
      metagenomes that had been intentionally spiked with Shiga toxin-producing
      Escherichia coli in a previous study. Subsequently, we employed the methods, in
      combination with other metagenomics approaches, to assess the safety of nunu, a
      traditional Ghanaian fermented milk product that is produced by the spontaneous
      fermentation of raw cow milk. We showed that nunu samples were frequently
      contaminated with bacteria associated with the bovine gut and, worryingly, we
      detected putatively pathogenic E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains in a
      subset of nunu samples. Ultimately, our work establishes that short-read
      alignment-based bioinformatics approaches are suitable food safety tools, and we
      describe a real-life example of their utilization.IMPORTANCE Foodborne pathogens
      are responsible for millions of illnesses each year. Here we demonstrate that
      short-read-alignment-based bioinformatics tools can accurately and rapidly detect
      pathogenic strains in food products by using shotgun metagenomics data. The
      methods used here are considerably faster than both traditional culturing methods
      and alternative bioinformatics approaches that rely on metagenome assembly;
      therefore, they can potentially be used for more high-throughput food safety
      testing. Overall, our results suggest that whole-metagenome sequencing can be
      used as a practical food safety tool to prevent diseases or to link outbreaks to
      specific food products.

PMID- 28625984
TI  - Indole-Induced Reversion of Intrinsic Multiantibiotic Resistance in Lysobacter
      enzymogenes.
AB  - Lysobacter species are a group of environmental bacteria that are emerging as a
      new source of antibiotics. One characteristic of Lysobacter is intrinsic
      resistance to multiple antibiotics, which had not been studied. To understand the
      resistance mechanism, we tested the effect of blocking two-component regulatory
      systems (TCSs) on the antibiotic resistance of Lysobacter enzymogenes, a prolific
      producer of antibiotics. Upon treatment with LED209, an inhibitor of the
      widespread TCS QseC/QseB, L. enzymogenes produced a large amount of an unknown
      metabolite that was barely detectable in the untreated culture. Subsequent
      structural elucidation by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) unexpectedly revealed
      that the metabolite was indole. Indole production was also markedly induced by
      adrenaline, a known modulator of QseC/QseB. Next, we identified two TCS genes, L.
      enzymogenesqseC (Le-qseC) and Le-qseB, in L. enzymogenes and found that mutations
      of Le-qseC and Le-qseB also led to a dramatic increase in indole production. We
      then chemically synthesized a fluorescent indole probe that could label the
      cells. While the Le-qseB (cytoplasmic response regulator) mutant was clearly
      labeled by the probe, the Le-qseC (membrane sensor) mutant was not labeled. It
      was reported previously that indole can enhance antibiotic resistance in
      bacteria. Therefore, we tested if the dramatic increase in the level of indole
      production in L. enzymogenes upon blocking of Le-qseC and Le-qseB would lead to
      enhanced antibiotic resistance. Surprisingly, we found that indole caused the
      intrinsically multiantibiotic-resistant bacterium L. enzymogenes to become
      susceptible. Point mutations at conserved amino acids in Le-QseC also led to
      antibiotic susceptibility. Because indole is known as an interspecies signal,
      these findings may have implications.IMPORTANCE The environmental bacterium
      Lysobacter is a new source of antibiotic compounds and exhibits intrinsic
      antibiotic resistance. Here, we found that the inactivation of a two-component
      regulatory system (TCS) by an inhibitor or by gene deletion led to a remarkable
      increase in the level of production of a metabolite in L. enzymogenes, and this
      metabolite was identified to be indole. We chemically synthesized a fluorescent
      indole probe and found that it could label the wild type and a mutant of the TCS
      cytoplasmic response regulator but not a mutant of the TCS membrane sensor.
      Indole treatment caused the intrinsically multidrug-resistant bacterium L.
      enzymogenes to be susceptible to antibiotics. Mutations of the TCS sensor also
      led to antibiotic susceptibility. Because indole is known as an interspecies
      signal between gut microbiota and mammalian hosts, the observation that indole
      could render intrinsically resistant L. enzymogenes susceptible to common
      antibiotics may have implications.

PMID- 28625985
TI  - Periplasmic Nicotine Dehydrogenase NdhAB Utilizes Pseudoazurin as Its
      Physiological Electron Acceptor in Agrobacterium tumefaciens S33.
AB  - Agrobacterium tumefaciens S33 can grow with nicotine as the sole source of
      carbon, nitrogen, and energy via a novel hybrid of the pyridine pathway and the
      pyrollidine pathway. Characterization of the enzymes involved in the hybrid
      pathway is important for understanding its biochemical mechanism. Here we report
      that the molybdenum-containing nicotine dehydrogenase (NdhAB), which catalyzes
      the initial step of nicotine degradation, is located in the periplasm of strain
      S33, while the 6-hydroxynicotine oxidase and 6-hydroxypseudooxynicoine oxidase
      are in the cytoplasm. This is consistent with the fact that NdhA has a Tat signal
      peptide. Interestingly, an ORF adjacent to the ndhAB gene was verified to encode
      a copper-containing electron carrier, pseudoazurin (Paz), that has a typical
      signal peptide of bacterial Paz. Both were transported into the periplasm after
      being produced in the cytoplasm. We purified NdhAB from the periplasmic fraction
      of strain S33 and found that, with Paz as the physiological electron acceptor,
      NdhAB catalyzed the hydroxylation of nicotine at a specific rate of 110.52 +/-
      8.09 MUmol min-1 mg protein-1, where the oxygen atom in the hydroxyl group of the
      product 6-hydroxynicotine was derived from H2O. The apparent Km values for
      nicotine and Paz were 1.64 +/- 0.07 MUM and 3.61 +/- 0.23 MUM, respectively.
      NAD(P)+, O2, and ferredoxin could not serve as electron acceptors. Disruption of
      the paz gene disabled the strain for nicotine degradation, indicating that Paz is
      required for nicotine catabolism in the strain. These findings help our
      understanding of electron transfer during nicotine degradation in
      bacteria.IMPORTANCE Nicotine is a toxic and addictive N-heterocyclic aromatic
      alkaloid produced in tobacco. Its catabolism in organisms and degradation in
      tobacco wastes have become the major concerns of health and the environment.
      Bacteria usually decompose nicotine using the classical strategy of hydroxylating
      the pyridine ring with the help of activated oxygen by nicotine dehydrogenase,
      which binds one molybdopterin, two [lsqb]2Fe2S[rsqb] clusters, and usually one
      FAD as well. However, the physiological electron acceptor for the reaction is
      still unknown. In this study, we found the two-component nicotine dehydrogenase
      from Agrobacterium tumefaciens S33, naturally lacking FAD-binding domain, is
      located in the periplasmic space and uses a copper-containing electron carrier,
      pseudoazurin, as its physiological electron acceptor. We report here the role of
      pseudoazurin in a reaction catalyzed by a molybdopterin-containing hydroxylase
      occurring in the periplasmic space. These results provide new biochemical
      knowledge in microbial degradation of N-heterocyclic aromatic compound.

PMID- 28625986
TI  - The Irr and RirA Proteins Participate in a Complex Regulatory Circuit and Act in
      Concert To Modulate Bacterioferritin Expression in Ensifer meliloti 1021.
AB  - In this work we found that the bfr gene of the rhizobial species Ensifer
      meliloti, encoding a bacterioferritin iron storage protein, is involved in iron
      homeostasis and the oxidative stress response. This gene is located downstream of
      and overlapping the smc03787 open reading frame (ORF). No well-predicted RirA or
      Irr boxes were found in the region immediately upstream of the bfr gene although
      two presumptive RirA boxes and one presumptive Irr box were present in the
      putative promoter of smc03787 We demonstrate that bfr gene expression is enhanced
      under iron-sufficient conditions and that Irr and RirA modulate this expression.
      The pattern of bfr gene expression as well as the response to Irr and RirA is
      inversely correlated to that of smc03787 Moreover, our results suggest that the
      small RNA SmelC759 participates in RirA- and Irr-mediated regulation of bfr
      expression and that additional unknown factors are involved in iron-dependent
      regulation.IMPORTANCEE. meliloti belongs to the Alphaproteobacteria, a group of
      bacteria that includes several species able to associate with eukaryotic hosts,
      from mammals to plants, in a symbiotic or pathogenic manner. Regulation of iron
      homeostasis in this group of bacteria differs from that found in the well-studied
      Gammaproteobacteria In this work we analyzed the effect of rirA and irr mutations
      on bfr gene expression. We demonstrate the effect of an irr mutation on iron
      homeostasis in this bacterial genus. Moreover, results obtained indicate a
      complex regulatory circuit where multiple regulators, including RirA, Irr, the
      small RNA SmelC759, and still unknown factors, act in concert to balance bfr gene
      expression.

PMID- 28625987
TI  - Metabolic Engineering of Actinobacillus succinogenes Provides Insights into
      Succinic Acid Biosynthesis.
AB  - Actinobacillus succinogenes, a Gram-negative facultative anaerobe, exhibits the
      native capacity to convert pentose and hexose sugars to succinic acid (SA) with
      high yield as a tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate. In addition, A.
      succinogenes is capnophilic, incorporating CO2 into SA, making this organism an
      ideal candidate host for conversion of lignocellulosic sugars and CO2 to an
      emerging commodity bioproduct sourced from renewable feedstocks. In this work, we
      report the development of facile metabolic engineering capabilities in A.
      succinogenes, enabling examination of SA flux determinants via knockout of the
      primary competing pathways-namely, acetate and formate production-and
      overexpression of the key enzymes in the reductive branch of the TCA cycle
      leading to SA. Batch fermentation experiments with the wild-type and engineered
      strains using pentose-rich sugar streams demonstrate that the overexpression of
      the SA biosynthetic machinery (in particular, the enzyme malate dehydrogenase)
      enhances flux to SA. Additionally, removal of competitive carbon pathways leads
      to higher-purity SA but also triggers the generation of by-products not
      previously described from this organism (e.g., lactic acid). The resultant
      engineered strains also lend insight into energetic and redox balance and
      elucidate mechanisms governing organic acid biosynthesis in this important
      natural SA-producing microbe.IMPORTANCE Succinic acid production from
      lignocellulosic residues is a potential route for enhancing the economic
      feasibility of modern biorefineries. Here, we employ facile genetic tools to
      systematically manipulate competing acid production pathways and overexpress the
      succinic acid-producing machinery in Actinobacillus succinogenes Furthermore, the
      resulting strains are evaluated via fermentation on relevant pentose-rich sugar
      streams representative of those from corn stover. Overall, this work demonstrates
      genetic modifications that can lead to succinic acid production improvements and
      identifies key flux determinants and new bottlenecks and energetic needs when
      removing by-product pathways in A. succinogenes metabolism.

PMID- 28625988
TI  - Modification of a Pollen Trap Design To Capture Airborne Conidia of Entomophaga
      maimaiga and Detection of Conidia by Quantitative PCR.
AB  - The goal of this study was to develop effective and practical field sampling
      methods for quantification of aerial deposition of airborne conidia of
      Entomophaga maimaiga over space and time. This important fungal pathogen is a
      major cause of larval death in invasive gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) populations
      in the United States. Airborne conidia of this pathogen are relatively large
      (similar in size to pollen), with unusual characteristics, and require
      specialized methods for collection and quantification. Initially, dry sampling
      (settling of spores from the air onto a dry surface) was used to confirm the
      detectability of E. maimaiga at field sites with L. dispar deaths caused by E.
      maimaiga, using quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods. We then measured the signal
      degradation of conidial DNA on dry surfaces under field conditions, ultimately
      rejecting dry sampling as a reliable method due to rapid DNA degradation. We
      modified a chamber-style trap commonly used in palynology to capture settling
      spores in buffer. We tested this wet-trapping method in a large-scale (137-km)
      spore-trapping survey across gypsy moth outbreak regions in Pennsylvania
      undergoing epizootics, in the summer of 2016. Using 4-day collection periods
      during the period of late instar and pupal development, we detected variable
      amounts of target DNA settling from the air. The amounts declined over the season
      and with distance from the nearest defoliated area, indicating airborne spore
      dispersal from outbreak areas.IMPORTANCE We report on a method for trapping and
      quantifying airborne spores of Entomophaga maimaiga, an important fungal pathogen
      affecting gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) populations. This method can be used to
      track dispersal of E. maimaiga from epizootic areas and ultimately to provide
      critical understanding of the spatial dynamics of gypsy moth-pathogen
      interactions.

PMID- 28625989
TI  - Rapid, high-throughput identification of anthrax-causing and emetic Bacillus
      cereus group genome assemblies using BTyper, a computational tool for virulence
      based classification of Bacillus cereus group isolates using nucleotide
      sequencing data.
AB  - The Bacillus cereus group comprises nine species, several of which are
      pathogenic. Differentiating between isolates that may cause disease and those
      that do not is a matter of public health and economic importance, but can be
      particularly challenging due to the high genomic similarity of the group. To this
      end, we have developed BTyper, a computational tool that employs a combination of
      (i) virulence gene-based typing, (ii) multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), (iii)
      panC clade typing, and (iv) rpoB allelic typing to rapidly classify B. cereus
      group isolates using nucleotide sequencing data. BTyper was applied to a set of
      662 B. cereus group genome assemblies to (i) identify anthrax-associated genes in
      non-B. anthracis members of the B. cereus group, and (iI) identify assemblies
      from B. cereus group strains with emetic potential. With BTyper, anthrax toxin
      genes cya, lef and pagA were detected in 8 genomes classified in NCBI as B.
      cereus that clustered into two distinct groups using k-medoids clustering, while
      B. anthracis poly-gamma-D-glutamate capsule biosynthesis genes capABCDE or
      hyaluronic acid capsule gene hasA were detected in an additional 16 assemblies
      classified as either B. cereus or B. thuringiensis isolated from clinical,
      environmental, and food sources. Emetic toxin genes cesABCD were detected in 24
      assemblies belonging to panC clades III and VI that had been isolated from food,
      clinical, and environmental settings. The command line version of BTyper is
      available at https://github.com/lmc297/BTyper In addition, BMiner, a companion
      application for analyzing multiple BTyper output files in aggregate, can be found
      at https://github.com/lmc297/BMinerImportanceBacillus cereus is a foodborne
      pathogen that is estimated to cause tens of thousands of illnesses each year in
      the United States alone. Even with molecular methods, it can be difficult to
      distinguish non-pathogenic B. cereus group isolates from their pathogenic
      counterparts, including the human pathogen B. anthracis, which is responsible for
      anthrax, as well as insect pathogen B. thuringiensis By using the variety of
      typing schemes employed by BTyper, users can rapidly classify, characterize, and
      assess the virulence potential of any isolate using its nucleotide sequencing
      data.

PMID- 28625990
TI  - Bioavailability of Carbohydrate Content in Natural and Transgenic Switchgrasses
      for the Extreme Thermophile Caldicellulosiruptor bescii.
AB  - Improving access to the carbohydrate content of lignocellulose is key to reducing
      recalcitrance for microbial deconstruction and conversion to fuels and chemicals.
      Caldicellulosiruptor bescii completely solubilizes naked microcrystalline
      cellulose, yet this transformation is impeded within the context of the plant
      cell wall by a network of lignin and hemicellulose. Here, the bioavailability of
      carbohydrates to C. bescii at 70 degrees C was examined for reduced lignin
      transgenic switchgrass lines COMT3(+) and MYB Trans, their corresponding parental
      lines (cultivar Alamo) COMT3(-) and MYB wild type (WT), and the natural variant
      cultivar Cave-in-Rock (CR). Transgenic modification improved carbohydrate
      solubilization by C. bescii to 15% (2.3-fold) for MYB and to 36% (1.5-fold) for
      COMT, comparable to the levels achieved for the natural variant, CR (36%).
      Carbohydrate solubilization was nearly doubled after two consecutive microbial
      fermentations compared to one microbial step, but it never exceeded 50% overall.
      Hydrothermal treatment (180 degrees C) prior to microbial steps improved
      solubilization 3.7-fold for the most recalcitrant line (MYB WT) and increased
      carbohydrate recovery to nearly 50% for the least recalcitrant lines [COMT3(+)
      and CR]. Alternating microbial and hydrothermal steps (T->M->T->M) further
      increased bioavailability, achieving carbohydrate solubilization ranging from 50%
      for MYB WT to above 70% for COMT3(+) and CR. Incomplete carbohydrate
      solubilization suggests that cellulose in the highly lignified residue was
      inaccessible; indeed, residue from the T->M->T->M treatment was primarily glucan
      and inert materials (lignin and ash). While C. bescii could significantly
      solubilize the transgenic switchgrass lines and natural variant tested here,
      additional or alternative strategies (physical, chemical, enzymatic, and/or
      genetic) are needed to eliminate recalcitrance.IMPORTANCE Key to a microbial
      process for solubilization of plant biomass is the organism's access to the
      carbohydrate content of lignocellulose. Economically viable routes will
      characteristically minimize physical, chemical, and biological pretreatment such
      that microbial steps contribute to the greatest extent possible. Recently,
      transgenic versions of plants and trees have been developed with the intention of
      lowering the barrier to lignocellulose conversion, with particular focus on
      lignin content and composition. Here, the extremely thermophilic bacterium
      Caldicellulosiruptor bescii was used to solubilize natural and genetically
      modified switchgrass lines, with and without the aid of hydrothermal treatment.
      For lignocellulose conversion, it is clear that the microorganism, plant biomass
      substrate, and processing steps must all be considered simultaneously to achieve
      optimal results. Whether switchgrass lines engineered for low lignin or natural
      variants with desirable properties are used, conversion will depend on microbial
      access to crystalline cellulose in the plant cell wall.

PMID- 28625991
TI  - Different Amplicon Targets for Sequencing-Based Studies of Fungal Diversity.
AB  - Target-gene amplicon sequencing is the most exploited high-throughput sequencing
      application in microbial ecology. The targets are taxonomically relevant genes,
      with 16S rRNA being the gold standard for bacteria. As for fungi, the most
      commonly used target is the internal transcribed spacer (ITS). However, the
      uneven ITS length among species may promote preferential amplification and
      sequencing and incorrect estimation of their abundance. Therefore, the use of
      different targets is desirable. We evaluated the use of three different target
      amplicons for the characterization of fungal diversity. After an in silico primer
      evaluation, we compared three amplicons (the ITS1-ITS2 region [ITS1-2], 18S
      ribosomal small subunit RNA, and the D1/D2 domain of the 26S ribosomal large
      subunit RNA), using biological samples and a mock community of common fungal
      species. All three targets allowed for accurate identification of the species
      present. Nevertheless, high heterogeneity in ITS1-2 length was found, and this
      caused an overestimation of the abundance of species with a shorter ITS, while
      both 18S and 26S amplicons allowed for more reliable quantification. We
      demonstrated that ITS1-2 amplicon sequencing, although widely used, may lead to
      an incorrect evaluation of fungal communities, and efforts should be made to
      promote the use of different targets in sequencing-based microbial ecology
      studies.IMPORTANCE Amplicon-sequencing approaches for fungi may rely on different
      targets affecting the diversity and abundance of the fungal species. An
      increasing number of studies will address fungal diversity by high-throughput
      amplicon sequencing. The description of the communities must be accurate and
      reliable in order to draw useful insights and to address both ecological and
      biological questions. By analyzing a mock community and several biological
      samples, we demonstrate that using different amplicon targets may change the
      results of fungal microbiota analysis, and we highlight how a careful choice of
      the target is fundamental for a thorough description of the fungal communities.

PMID- 28625992
TI  - Flow Cytometry Is a Powerful Tool for Assessment of the Viability of Fungal
      Conidia in Metalworking Fluids.
AB  - Fungal contamination of metalworking fluids (MWF) is a dual problem in automated
      processing plants because resulting fungal biofilms obstruct cutting, drilling,
      and polishing machines. Moreover, some fungal species of MWF comprise pathogens
      such as Fusarium solani Therefore, the development of an accurate analytical tool
      to evaluate conidial viability in MWF is important. We developed a flow
      cytometric method to measure fungal viability in MWF using F. solani as the model
      organism. To validate this method, viable and dead conidia were mixed in several
      proportions and flow was cytometrically analyzed. Subsequently, we assessed the
      fungicidal activity of two commercial MWF using flow cytometry (FCM) and compared
      it with microscopic analyses and plating experiments. We evaluated the fungal
      growth in both MWF after 7 days using quantitative PCR (qPCR) to assess the
      predictive value of FCM. Our results showed that FCM distinguishes live from dead
      conidia as early as 5 h after exposure to MWF, whereas the microscopic
      germination approach detected conidial viability much later and less accurately.
      At 24 h, microscopic analyses of germinating conidia and live/dead analyses by
      FCM correlated well, although the former consistently underestimated the
      proportion of viable conidia. In addition, the reproducibility and sensitivity of
      the flow cytometric method were high and allowed assessment of the fungicidal
      properties of two commercial MWF. Importantly, the obtained flow cytometric
      results on viability of F. solani conidia at both early time points (5 h and 24
      h) correlated well with fungal biomass measurements assessed via a qPCR
      methodology 7 days after the start of the experiment.IMPORTANCE This result shows
      the predictive power of flow cytometry (FCM) in assessing the fungicidal capacity
      of MWF formulations. It also implies that FCM can be implemented as a rapid
      detection tool to estimate the viable fungal load in an industrial processing
      matrix (MWF).

PMID- 28625993
TI  - Survival of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus in Tissues Derived from
      Experimentally Infected Chickens.
AB  - Eurasian lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus has been a
      severe threat to the poultry industry since its emergence in 1996. The carcass or
      tissues derived from infected birds may present the risk of the virus spreading
      to humans, animals, and the surrounding environment. In this study, we
      investigated the survival of the virus in feather, muscle, and liver tissues
      collected from six chickens (Gallus gallus) experimentally infected with HPAI
      H5N1 virus. The tissues were stored at +4 degrees C or +20 degrees C, and viral
      isolation was performed at different times for 360 days. The maximum periods for
      viral survival were observed in samples stored at +4 degrees C in all tissue
      types and were 240 days in feather tissues, 160 days in muscle, and 20 days in
      liver. The viral infectivity at +20 degrees C was maintained for a maximum of 30
      days in the feather tissues, 20 days in muscle, and 3 days in liver. The viral
      inactivation rates partly overlapped in the feather and muscle tissues at the two
      temperatures. The virus was inactivated rapidly in the liver. Our experimental
      results indicate that the tissue type and temperature can greatly influence the
      survival of HPAI H5N1 virus in the tissues of infected chickens.IMPORTANCE Highly
      pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H5N1 subtype can cause massive losses of
      poultry, and people need to handle a large number of chicken carcasses
      contaminated with the virus at outbreak sites. This study evaluated how long the
      virus can keep its infectivity in the three types of tissues derived from
      chickens infected with the virus. Our experimental results indicate that the
      virus can survive in tissues for a specific period of time depending on the
      tissue type and temperature. Our results are valuable for better understanding of
      viral ecology in the environment and for reducing the risk of the virus spreading
      via bird tissues contaminated with the virus.

PMID- 28625994
TI  - The Small Protein HemP Is a Transcriptional Activator for the Hemin Uptake Operon
      in Burkholderia multivorans ATCC 17616.
AB  - Iron and heme play very important roles in various metabolic functions in
      bacteria, and their intracellular homeostasis is maintained because high
      concentrations of free forms of these molecules greatly facilitate the Fenton
      reaction-mediated production of large amounts of reactive oxygen species that
      severely damage various biomolecules. The ferric uptake regulator (Fur) from
      Burkholderiamultivorans ATCC 17616 is an iron-responsive global transcriptional
      regulator, and its fur deletant exhibits pleiotropic phenotypes. In this study,
      we found that the phenotypes of the fur deletant were suppressed by an additional
      mutation in hemP The transcription of hemP was negatively regulated by Fur under
      iron-replete conditions and was constitutive in the fur deletant. Growth of a
      hemP deletant was severely impaired in a medium containing hemin as the sole iron
      source, demonstrating the important role of HemP in hemin utilization. HemP was
      required as a transcriptional activator that specifically binds the promoter
      containing region upstream of a Fur-repressive hmuRSTUV operon, which encodes the
      proteins for hemin uptake. A hmuR deletant was still able to grow using hemin as
      the sole iron source, albeit at a rate clearly lower than that of the wild-type
      strain. These results strongly suggested (i) the involvement of HmuR in hemin
      uptake and (ii) the presence in ATCC 17616 of at least part of other unknown
      hemin uptake systems whose expression depends on the HemP function. Our in vitro
      analysis also indicated high-affinity binding of HemP to hemin, and such a
      property might modulate transcriptional activation of the hmu operon.IMPORTANCE
      Although the hmuRSTUV genes for the utilization of hemin as a sole iron source
      have been identified in a few Burkholderia strains, the regulatory expression of
      these genes has remained unknown. Our analysis in this study using B. multivorans
      ATCC 17616 showed that its HemP protein is required for expression of the
      hmuRSTUV operon, and the role of HemP in betaproteobacterial species was
      elucidated for the first time, to our knowledge, in this study. The HemP protein
      was also found to have two additional properties that have not been reported for
      functional homologues in other species; one is that HemP is able to bind to the
      promoter-containing region of the hmu operon to directly activate its
      transcription, and the other is that HemP is also required for the expression of
      an unknown hemin uptake system.

PMID- 28625995
TI  - NOVEL ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE DETERMINANTS FROM AGRICULTURAL SOIL EXPOSED TO
      ANTIBIOTICS WIDELY USED IN HUMAN MEDICINE AND ANIMAL FARMING.
AB  - Antibiotic resistance has emerged globally as one of the biggest threats to human
      and animal health. Although the excessive use of antibiotics is recognized for
      accelerating the selection for resistance, there is a growing body of evidence
      suggesting that natural environments are "hotspots" for the development of both
      ancient and contemporary resistance mechanisms. Given that pharmaceuticals can be
      entrained onto agricultural land through anthropogenic activities, this could be
      a potential driver for the emergence and dissemination of resistance in soil
      bacteria. Using functional metagenomics, we interrogated the "resistome" of
      bacterial communities found in a collection of Canadian agricultural soil, some
      of which had been receiving antibiotics widely used in human medicine
      (macrolides) or food animal production (sulfamethazine, chlortetracycline and
      tylosin) for up to 16 years. Of the 34 new antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)
      recovered, the majority were predicted to encode for (multi)drug efflux systems,
      while a few share little to no homology with established resistance determinants.
      We characterized several novel gene products, including putative enzymes that can
      confer high-level resistance against aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, and broad
      range of beta-lactams, with respect to their resistance mechanisms and clinical
      significance. By coupling high-resolution proteomics analysis with functional
      metagenomics, we discovered an unusual peptide, PPPAZI 4, encoded within an
      alternative open-reading frame not predicted by bioinformatics tools. Expression
      of the proline-rich PPPAZI 4 can promote resistance against different macrolides
      but not other ribosomal-targeting antibiotics, implicating a new macrolide
      specific resistance mechanism that could be fundamentally linked to the
      evolutionary design of this peptide.IMPORTANCE Antibiotic resistance is a
      clinical phenomenon with an evolutionary link to the microbial pangenome. Genes
      and protogenes encoding for specialized and potential resistance mechanisms are
      abundant in natural environments, but understanding of their identity and genomic
      context remain limited. Our discovery of several previously-unknown antibiotic
      resistance genes from uncultured soil microorganisms indicates that soil is a
      significant reservoir of resistance determinants, which, once acquired and "re
      purposed" by pathogenic bacteria, can have serious impacts on therapeutic
      outcomes. This study provides valuable insights into the diversity and identity
      of resistance within the soil microbiome. The finding of a novel peptide-mediated
      resistance mechanism involving an unpredicted gene product also highlights the
      usefulness of integrating proteomics analysis into metagenomics-driven gene
      discovery.

PMID- 28625996
TI  - Natural DNA transformation is functional in Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris KW2.
AB  - Lactococcus lactis is one of the most commonly used lactic acid bacteria in the
      dairy industry. Activation of competence for natural DNA transformation in this
      species would greatly improve the selection of novel strains with desired genetic
      traits. Here, we investigated the activation of natural transformation in L.
      lactis ssp. cremoris KW2, a strain of plant origin whose genome encodes the
      master competence regulator ComX and the complete set of proteins usually
      required for natural transformation. In the absence of knowledge about competence
      regulation in this species, we constitutively overproduced ComX in a reporter
      strain of late competence phase activation and showed, by transcriptomic
      analyses, a ComX-dependent induction of all key competence genes. We further
      demonstrated that natural DNA transformation is functional in this strain and
      requires the competence DNA uptake machinery. Since constitutive ComX
      overproduction is unstable, we alternatively expressed comX under the control of
      an endogenous xylose-inducible promoter. This regulated system was used to
      successfully inactivate the adaptor protein MecA and subunits of the Clp
      proteolytic complex, which were previously shown to be involved in ComX
      degradation in streptococci. In the presence of a low amount of ComX, the
      deletion of mecA, clpC, or clpP genes markedly increased the activation of the
      late competence phase and transformability. Altogether, our results report the
      functionality of natural DNA transformation in L. lactis and pave the way for the
      identification of signaling mechanisms that trigger the competence state in this
      species.IMPORTANCELactococcus lactis is a lactic acid bacterium of major
      importance, which is used as a starter species for milk fermentation, a host for
      heterologous protein production, and a delivery platform for therapeutic
      molecules. Here, we report the functionality of natural transformation in L.
      lactis ssp. cremoris KW2 by the overproduction of the master competence regulator
      ComX. The developed procedure enables a flexible approach to modify the
      chromosome with single point mutation, sequence insertion, or sequence
      replacement. These results represent an important step for the genetic
      engineering of L. lactis that will facilitate the design of strains optimized for
      industrial applications. This will also help to discover natural regulatory
      mechanisms controlling competence in the genus Lactococcus.

PMID- 28625997
TI  - Quantifying Vibrio cholerae enterotoxicity in a zebrafish infection model.
AB  - Vibrio cholerae is the etiological agent of cholera, an acute intestinal
      infection in humans characterized by voluminous watery diarrhea. Cholera is
      spread through ingestion of contaminated food or water, primarily in developing
      countries that lack the proper infrastructure for proper water and sewage
      treatment. Vibrio cholerae is an aquatic bacterium that inhabits coastal and
      estuarine areas, and is known to have several environmental reservoirs, including
      fish. Our laboratory has recently described the use of the zebrafish as a new
      animal model for the study of V. cholerae intestinal colonization, pathogenesis,
      and transmission.As early as six hours after exposure to V. cholerae, zebrafish
      develop diarrhea. Prior work in our laboratory has shown that this is not due to
      the action of cholera toxin. We hypothesize that accessory toxins produced by V.
      cholerae are the cause of diarrhea in infected zebrafish. In order to assess the
      effects of accessory toxins in the zebrafish, it was necessary to develop a
      method of quantifying diarrheal volume as a measure of pathogenesis. Here, we
      have adapted cell density, protein, and mucin assays, along with enumeration of
      V. cholerae in the zebrafish intestinal tract and in the infection water, to
      achieve this goal. Combined, these assays should help us determine which toxins
      have the greatest diarrheagenic effect in fish, and consequently, which toxins
      may play a role in environmental transmission.Importance Identification of the
      accessory toxins that cause diarrhea in zebrafish can help us understand more
      about the role of fish in the wild as aquatic reservoirs for V. cholerae It is
      plausible that accessory toxins can act to prolong colonization and subsequent
      shedding of V. cholerae back into the environment, thus perpetuating and
      facilitating transmission during an outbreak. It is also possible that accessory
      toxins help to maintain low levels of intestinal colonization in fish, giving V.
      cholerae an advantage when environmental conditions are not optimal for survival
      in the water. Studies such as this one are critical because fish could be an
      overlooked source of cholera transmission in the environment.

PMID- 28625998
TI  - Structures, Compositions, and Activities of Live Shewanella Biofilms Formed on
      Graphite Electrodes in Electrochemical Flow Cells.
AB  - An electrochemical flow cell equipped with a graphite working electrode (WE) at
      the bottom was inoculated with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 expressing an anaerobic
      fluorescent protein, and biofilm formation on the WE was observed over time
      during current generation at WE potentials of +0.4 and 0 V (versus standard
      hydrogen electrodes), under electrolyte-flow conditions. Electrochemical analyses
      suggested the presence of unique electron-transfer mechanisms in the +0.4-V
      biofilm. Microscopic analyses revealed that, in contrast to aerobic biofilms,
      current-generating biofilm (at +0.4 V) was thin and flat (~10 MUm in thickness),
      and cells were evenly and densely distributed in the biofilm. In contrast, cells
      were unevenly distributed in biofilm formed at 0 V. In situ fluorescence staining
      and biofilm recovery experiments showed that the amounts of extracellular
      polysaccharides (EPSs) in the +0.4-V biofilm were much smaller than those in the
      aerobic and 0-V biofilms, suggesting that Shewanella cells suppress the
      production of EPSs at +0.4 V under flow conditions. We suggest that Shewanella
      cells perceive electrode potentials and modulate the structure and composition of
      biofilms to efficiently transfer electrons to electrodes.IMPORTANCE A promising
      application of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is to save energy in wastewater
      treatment. Since current is generated in these MFCs by biofilm microbes under
      horizontal flows of wastewater, it is important to understand the mechanisms for
      biofilm formation and current generation under water-flow conditions. Although
      massive work has been done to analyze the molecular mechanisms for current
      generation by model exoelectrogenic bacteria, such as Shewanella oneidensis,
      limited information is available regarding the formation of current-generating
      biofilms over time under water-flow conditions. The present study developed
      electrochemical flow cells and used them to examine the electrochemical and
      structural features of current-generating biofilms under water-flow conditions.
      We show unique features of mature biofilms actively generating current, creating
      opportunities to search for as-yet-undiscovered current-generating mechanisms in
      Shewanella biofilms. Furthermore, information provided in the present study is
      useful for researchers attempting to develop anode architectures suitable for
      wastewater treatment MFCs.

PMID- 28625999
TI  - Andrea Ventura: Decrypting noncoding RNAs.
AB  - Ventura explores the biological functions of noncoding RNAs in cancer and
      development.

PMID- 28626001
TI  - KRS: A cut away from release in exosomes.
AB  - Cancer cells often trigger an inflammatory process, which in some cases may be
      driven by the presence of lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KRS) in the medium. Kim et al.
      (2017. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201605118) now demonstrate that
      cleavage of the KRS by caspase-8 inside cells triggers its interaction with
      syntenin and its release in inflammatory exosomes.

PMID- 28626000
TI  - BAIAP3, a C2 domain-containing Munc13 protein, controls the fate of dense-core
      vesicles in neuroendocrine cells.
AB  - Dense-core vesicle (DCV) exocytosis is a SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide
      sensitive fusion attachment protein receptor)-dependent anterograde trafficking
      pathway that requires multiple proteins for regulation. Several C2 domain
      containing proteins are known to regulate Ca2+-dependent DCV exocytosis in
      neuroendocrine cells. In this study, we identified others by screening all (~139)
      human C2 domain-containing proteins by RNA interference in neuroendocrine cells.
      40 genes were identified, including several encoding proteins with known roles
      (CAPS [calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion 1], Munc13-2, RIM1, and
      SYT10) and many with unknown roles. One of the latter, BAIAP3, is a secretory
      cell-specific Munc13-4 paralog of unknown function. BAIAP3 knockdown caused
      accumulation of fusion-incompetent DCVs in BON neuroendocrine cells and lysosomal
      degradation (crinophagy) of insulin-containing DCVs in INS-1 beta cells. BAIAP3
      localized to endosomes was required for Golgi trans-Golgi network 46 (TGN46)
      recycling, exhibited Ca2+-stimulated interactions with TGN SNAREs, and underwent
      Ca2+-stimulated TGN recruitment. Thus, unlike other Munc13 proteins, BAIAP3
      functions indirectly in DCV exocytosis by affecting DCV maturation through its
      role in DCV protein recycling. Ca2+ rises that stimulate DCV exocytosis may
      stimulate BAIAP3-dependent retrograde trafficking to maintain DCV protein
      homeostasis and DCV function.

PMID- 28626002
TI  - Ride the wave: Retrograde trafficking becomes Ca2+ dependent with BAIAP3.
AB  - The functions of four of the five proteins in the mammalian uncoordinated-13
      (Munc13) family have been identified as priming factors in SNARE-dependent
      exocytosis. In this issue, Zhang et al. (2017. J. Cell Biol.
      https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201702099) show that the fifth member, BAIAP3 (brain
      specific angiogenesis inhibitor I-associated protein 3), acts in retrograde
      trafficking by returning secretory vesicle material to the trans-Golgi network.
      In its absence, secretory vesicle formation is impaired, leading to accumulation
      of immature vesicles, or lysosomal vesicle degradation.

PMID- 28626003
TI  - Transcriptional Complexity and Distinct Expression Patterns of auts2 Paralogs in
      Danio rerio.
AB  - Several genes that have been implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have
      multiple transcripts. Therefore, comprehensive transcript annotation is critical
      for determining the respective gene function. The autism susceptibility candidate
      2 (AUTS2) gene is associated with various neurological disorders, including
      autism and brain malformation. AUTS2 is important for activation of transcription
      of neural specific genes, neuronal migration, and neurite outgrowth. Here, we
      present evidence for significant transcriptional complexity in the auts2 gene
      locus in the zebrafish genome, as well as in genomic loci of auts2 paralogous
      genes fbrsl1 and fbrs Several genes that have been implicated in ASDs are large
      and have multiple transcripts. Neurons are especially enriched with longer
      transcripts compared to nonneural cell types. The human autism susceptibility
      candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene is ~1.2 Mb long and is implicated in a number of
      neurological disorders including autism, intellectual disability, addiction, and
      developmental delay. Recent studies show AUTS2 to be important for activation of
      transcription of neural specific genes, neuronal migration, and neurite
      outgrowth. However, much remains to be understood regarding the transcriptional
      complexity and the functional roles of AUTS2 in neurodevelopment. Zebrafish
      provide an excellent model system for studying both these questions. We undertook
      genomic identification and characterization of auts2 and its paralogous genes in
      zebrafish. There are four auts2 family genes in zebrafish: auts2a, auts2b,
      fbrsl1, and fbrs The absence of complete annotation of their structures hampers
      functional studies. We present evidence for transcriptional complexity of these
      four genes mediated by alternative splicing and alternative promoter usage.
      Furthermore, the expression of the various paralogs is tightly regulated both
      spatially and developmentally. Our findings suggest that auts2 paralogs serve
      distinct functions in the development and functioning of target tissues.

PMID- 28626004
TI  - Sex Chromosome Evolution, Heterochiasmy, and Physiological QTL in the Salmonid
      Brook Charr Salvelinus fontinalis.
AB  - Whole-genome duplication (WGD) can have large impacts on genome evolution, and
      much remains unknown about these impacts. This includes the mechanisms of coping
      with a duplicated sex determination system and whether this has an impact on
      increasing the diversity of sex determination mechanisms. Other impacts include
      sexual conflict, where alleles having different optimums in each sex can result
      in sequestration of genes into nonrecombining sex chromosomes. Sex chromosome
      development itself may involve sex-specific recombination rate (i.e.,
      heterochiasmy), which is also poorly understood. The family Salmonidae is a model
      system for these phenomena, having undergone autotetraploidization and subsequent
      rediploidization in most of the genome at the base of the lineage. The salmonid
      master sex determining gene is known, and many species have nonhomologous sex
      chromosomes, putatively due to transposition of this gene. In this study, we
      identify the sex chromosome of Brook Charr Salvelinus fontinalis and compare sex
      chromosome identities across the lineage (eight species and four genera).
      Although nonhomology is frequent, homologous sex chromosomes and other
      consistencies are present in distantly related species, indicating probable
      convergence on specific sex and neo-sex chromosomes. We also characterize strong
      heterochiasmy with 2.7-fold more crossovers in maternal than paternal haplotypes
      with paternal crossovers biased to chromosome ends. When considering only
      rediploidized chromosomes, the overall heterochiasmy trend remains, although with
      only 1.9-fold more recombination in the female than the male. Y chromosome
      crossovers are restricted to a single end of the chromosome, and this chromosome
      contains a large interspecific inversion, although its status between males and
      females remains unknown. Finally, we identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for
      21 unique growth, reproductive, and stress-related phenotypes to improve
      knowledge of the genetic architecture of these traits important to aquaculture
      and evolution.

PMID- 28626005
TI  - The Auxin Biosynthetic TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE RELATED TaTAR2.1-3A Increases
      Grain Yield of Wheat.
AB  - Controlling the major auxin biosynthetic pathway to manipulate auxin content
      could be a target for genetic engineering of crops with desired traits, but
      little progress had been made because low or high auxin contents often cause
      developmental inhibition. Here, we performed a genome-wide analysis of bread
      wheat (Triticum aestivum) to identify the Tryptophan Aminotransferase of
      Arabidopsis1/Tryptophan Aminotransferase-Related (TAA1/TAR) genes that function
      in the tryptophan-dependent pathway of auxin biosynthesis. Sequence mining
      together with gene cloning identified 15 TaTAR genes, among which 12 and three
      genes were phylogenetically close to Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) AtTAR2
      and AtTAR3, respectively. TaTAR2.1 had the most abundant transcripts in the
      TaTAR2 genes and was expressed mainly in roots and up-regulated by low nitrogen
      (N) availability. Knockdown of TaTAR2.1 caused vegetative and reproductive
      deficiencies and impaired lateral root (LR) growth under both high- and low-N
      conditions. Overexpressing TaTAR2.1-3A in wheat enhanced LR branching, plant
      height, spike number, grain yield, and aerial N accumulation under different N
      supply levels. In addition, overexpressing TaTAR2.1-3A in Arabidopsis elevated
      auxin accumulation in the primary root tip, LR tip, LR primordia, and cotyledon
      and hypocotyl and increased primary root length, visible LR number, and shoot
      fresh weight under high- and low-N conditions. Our results indicate that TaTAR2.1
      is critical for wheat growth and also shows potential for genetic engineering to
      reach the aim of improving the grain yield of wheat.

PMID- 28626006
TI  - AtAIRP2 E3 Ligase Affects ABA and High-Salinity Responses by Stimulating Its
      ATP1/SDIRIP1 Substrate Turnover.
AB  - AtAIRP2 is a cytosolic RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase that positively regulates an
      abscisic acid (ABA) response in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Yeast two
      hybrid screening using AtAIRP2 as bait identified ATP1 (AtAIRP2 Target Protein1)
      as a substrate of AtAIRP2. ATP1 was found to be identical to SDIRIP1, which was
      reported recently to be a negative factor in ABA signaling and a target protein
      of the RING E3 ligase SDIR1. Accordingly, ATP1 was renamed ATP1/SDIRIP1. A
      specific interaction between AtAIRP2 and ATP1/SDIRIP1 and ubiquitination of
      ATP1/SDIRIP1 by AtAIRP2 were demonstrated in vitro and in planta. The turnover of
      ATP1/SDIRIP1 was regulated by AtAIRP2 in cell-free degradation and protoplast
      cotransfection assays. The ABA-mediated germination assay of 35S:ATP1/SDIRIP1
      RNAi/atairp2 double mutant progeny revealed that ATP1/SDIRIP1 acts downstream of
      AtAIRP2. AtAIRP2 and SDIR1 reciprocally complemented the ABA- and salt
      insensitive germination phenotypes of sdir1 and atairp2 mutants, respectively,
      indicating their combinatory roles in seed germination. Subcellular localization
      and bimolecular fluorescence complementation experiments in the presence of
      MG132, a 26S proteasome inhibitor, showed that AtAIRP2 and ATP1/SDIRIP1 were
      colocalized to the cytosolic spherical body, which lies in close proximity to the
      nucleus, in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaf cells. The 26S proteasome
      subunits RPN12a and RPT1 and the molecular chaperones HSP70 and HSP101 were
      colocalized to these discrete punctae-like structures. These results raised the
      possibility that AtAIRP2 and ATP1/SDIRIP1 interact in the cytosolic spherical
      compartment. Collectively, our data suggest that the down-regulation of
      ATP1/SDIRIP1 by AtAIRP2 and SDIR1 RING E3 ubiquitin ligases is critical for ABA
      and high-salinity responses during germination in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28626007
TI  - Establishment of Photosynthesis through Chloroplast Development Is Controlled by
      Two Distinct Regulatory Phases.
AB  - Chloroplasts develop from undifferentiated proplastids present in meristematic
      tissue. Thus, chloroplast biogenesis is closely connected to leaf development,
      which restricts our ability to study the process of chloroplast biogenesis per
      se. As a consequence, we know relatively little about the regulatory mechanisms
      behind the establishment of the photosynthetic reactions and how the activities
      of the two genomes involved are coordinated during chloroplast development. We
      developed a single cell-based experimental system from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis
      thaliana) with high temporal resolution allowing for investigations of the
      transition from proplastids to functional chloroplasts. Using this unique cell
      line, we could show that the establishment of photosynthesis is dependent on a
      regulatory mechanism involving two distinct phases. The first phase is triggered
      by rapid light-induced changes in gene expression and the metabolome. The second
      phase is dependent on the activation of the chloroplast and generates massive
      changes in the nuclear gene expression required for the transition to
      photosynthetically functional chloroplasts. The second phase also is associated
      with a spatial transition of the chloroplasts from clusters around the nucleus to
      the final position at the cell cortex. Thus, the establishment of photosynthesis
      is a two-phase process with a clear checkpoint associated with the second
      regulatory phase allowing coordination of the activities of the nuclear and
      plastid genomes.

PMID- 28626009
TI  - Abdominal Aortic Calcification Among Individuals With and Without Diabetes: The
      Jackson Heart Study.

PMID- 28626008
TI  - A Dual Role for the OsK5.2 Ion Channel in Stomatal Movements and K+ Loading into
      Xylem Sap.
AB  - The roles of potassium channels from the Shaker family in stomatal movements have
      been investigated by reverse genetics analyses in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis
      thaliana), but corresponding information is lacking outside this model species.
      Rice (Oryza sativa) and other cereals possess stomata that are more complex than
      those of Arabidopsis. We examined the role of the outward Shaker K+ channel gene
      OsK5.2. Expression of the OsK5.2 gene (GUS reporter strategy) was observed in the
      whole stomatal complex (guard cells and subsidiary cells), root vasculature, and
      root cortex. In stomata, loss of OsK5.2 functional expression resulted in lack of
      time-dependent outward potassium currents in guard cells, higher rates of water
      loss through transpiration, and severe slowdown of stomatal closure. In line with
      the expression of OsK5.2 in the plant vasculature, mutant plants displayed a
      reduced K+ translocation from the root system toward the leaves via the xylem.
      The comparison between rice and Arabidopsis show that despite the strong
      conservation of Shaker family in plants, substantial differences can exist
      between the physiological roles of seemingly orthologous genes, as xylem loading
      depends on SKOR and stomatal closure on GORK in Arabidopsis, whereas both
      functions are executed by the single OsK5.2 Shaker in rice.

PMID- 28626010
TI  - Hyperglycemia Is the Main Mediator of Prediabetes- and Type 2 Diabetes-Associated
      Impairment of Microvascular Function: The Maastricht Study.

PMID- 28626011
TI  - Effects of Ventral Striatum Lesions on Stimulus-Based versus Action-Based
      Reinforcement Learning.
AB  - Learning the values of actions versus stimuli may depend on separable neural
      circuits. In the current study, we evaluated the performance of rhesus macaques
      with ventral striatum (VS) lesions on a two-arm bandit task that had randomly
      interleaved blocks of stimulus-based and action-based reinforcement learning
      (RL). Compared with controls, monkeys with VS lesions had deficits in learning to
      select rewarding images but not rewarding actions. We used a RL model to quantify
      learning and choice consistency and found that, in stimulus-based RL, the VS
      lesion monkeys were more influenced by negative feedback and had lower choice
      consistency than controls. Using a Bayesian model to parse the groups' learning
      strategies, we also found that VS lesion monkeys defaulted to an action-based
      choice strategy. Therefore, the VS is involved specifically in learning the value
      of stimuli, not actions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Reinforcement learning models of
      the ventral striatum (VS) often assume that it maintains an estimate of state
      value. This suggests that it plays a general role in learning whether rewards are
      assigned based on a chosen action or stimulus. In the present experiment, we
      examined the effects of VS lesions on monkeys' ability to learn that choosing a
      particular action or stimulus was more likely to lead to reward. We found that VS
      lesions caused a specific deficit in the monkeys' ability to discriminate between
      images with different values, whereas their ability to discriminate between
      actions with different values remained intact. Our results therefore suggest that
      the VS plays a specific role in learning to select rewarded stimuli.

PMID- 28626012
TI  - Pharmacological Modulation of Noradrenergic Arousal Circuitry Disrupts Functional
      Connectivity of the Locus Ceruleus in Humans.
AB  - State-dependent activity of locus ceruleus (LC) neurons has long suggested a role
      for noradrenergic modulation of arousal. However, in vivo insights into
      noradrenergic arousal circuitry have been constrained by the fundamental
      inaccessibility of the human brain for invasive studies. Functional magnetic
      resonance imaging (fMRI) studies performed during site-specific pharmacological
      manipulations of arousal levels may be used to study brain arousal circuitry.
      Dexmedetomidine is an anesthetic that alters the level of arousal by selectively
      targeting alpha2 adrenergic receptors on LC neurons, resulting in reduced firing
      rate and norepinephrine release. Thus, we hypothesized that dexmedetomidine
      induced altered arousal would manifest with reduced functional connectivity
      between the LC and key brain regions involved in the regulation of arousal. To
      test this hypothesis, we acquired resting-state fMRI data in right-handed healthy
      volunteers 18-36 years of age (n = 15, 6 males) at baseline, during
      dexmedetomidine-induced altered arousal, and recovery states. As previously
      reported, seed-based resting-state fMRI analyses revealed that the LC was
      functionally connected to a broad network of regions including the reticular
      formation, basal ganglia, thalamus, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), precuneus,
      and cerebellum. Functional connectivity of the LC to only a subset of these
      regions (PCC, thalamus, and caudate nucleus) covaried with the level of arousal.
      Functional connectivity of the PCC to the ventral tegmental area/pontine
      reticular formation and thalamus, in addition to the LC, also covaried with the
      level of arousal. We propose a framework in which the LC, PCC, thalamus, and
      basal ganglia comprise a functional arousal circuitry.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
      Electrophysiological studies of locus ceruleus (LC) neurons have long suggested a
      role for noradrenergic mechanisms in mediating arousal. However, the fundamental
      inaccessibility of the human brain for invasive studies has limited a precise
      understanding of putative brain regions that integrate with the LC to regulate
      arousal. Our results suggest that the PCC, thalamus, and basal ganglia are key
      components of a LC-noradrenergic arousal circuit.

PMID- 28626013
TI  - Sleep Disrupts High-Level Speech Parsing Despite Significant Basic Auditory
      Processing.
AB  - The extent to which the sleeping brain processes sensory information remains
      unclear. This is particularly true for continuous and complex stimuli such as
      speech, in which information is organized into hierarchically embedded
      structures. Recently, novel metrics for assessing the neural representation of
      continuous speech have been developed using noninvasive brain recordings that
      have thus far only been tested during wakefulness. Here we investigated, for the
      first time, the sleeping brain's capacity to process continuous speech at
      different hierarchical levels using a newly developed Concurrent Hierarchical
      Tracking (CHT) approach that allows monitoring the neural representation and
      processing-depth of continuous speech online. Speech sequences were compiled with
      syllables, words, phrases, and sentences occurring at fixed time intervals such
      that different linguistic levels correspond to distinct frequencies. This enabled
      us to distinguish their neural signatures in brain activity. We compared the
      neural tracking of intelligible versus unintelligible (scrambled and foreign)
      speech across states of wakefulness and sleep using high-density EEG in humans.
      We found that neural tracking of stimulus acoustics was comparable across
      wakefulness and sleep and similar across all conditions regardless of speech
      intelligibility. In contrast, neural tracking of higher-order linguistic
      constructs (words, phrases, and sentences) was only observed for intelligible
      speech during wakefulness and could not be detected at all during nonrapid eye
      movement or rapid eye movement sleep. These results suggest that, whereas low
      level auditory processing is relatively preserved during sleep, higher-level
      hierarchical linguistic parsing is severely disrupted, thereby revealing the
      capacity and limits of language processing during sleep.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
      Despite the persistence of some sensory processing during sleep, it is unclear
      whether high-level cognitive processes such as speech parsing are also preserved.
      We used a novel approach for studying the depth of speech processing across
      wakefulness and sleep while tracking neuronal activity with EEG. We found that
      responses to the auditory sound stream remained intact; however, the sleeping
      brain did not show signs of hierarchical parsing of the continuous stream of
      syllables into words, phrases, and sentences. The results suggest that sleep
      imposes a functional barrier between basic sensory processing and high-level
      cognitive processing. This paradigm also holds promise for studying residual
      cognitive abilities in a wide array of unresponsive states.

PMID- 28626014
TI  - BACE1 Cleavage Site Selection Critical for Amyloidogenesis and Alzheimer's
      Pathogenesis.
AB  - Mutations in amyloid beta precursor protein (APP) gene alter APP processing,
      either causing familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) or protecting against dementia.
      Under normal conditions, beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) cleaves APP at
      minor Asp1 site to generate C99 for amyloid beta protein (Abeta) production, and
      predominantly at major Glu11 site to generate C89, resulting in truncated Abeta
      production. We discovered that A673V mutation, the only recessive AD-associated
      APP mutation, shifted the preferential beta-cleavage site of BACE1 in APP from
      the Glu11 site to the Asp1 site both in male and female transgenic mice in vivo
      and in cell lines and primary neuronal culture derived from timed pregnant rats
      in vitro, resulting in a much higher C99 level and C99/C89 ratio. All other
      mutations at this site, including the protective Icelandic A673T mutation,
      reduced C99 generation, and decreased the C99/C89 ratio. Furthermore, A673V
      mutation caused stronger dimerization between mutant and wild-type APP, enhanced
      the lysosomal degradation of the mutant APP, and inhibited gamma-secretase
      cleavage of the mutant C99 to generate Abeta, leading to recessively inherited
      AD. The results demonstrate that APP673 regulates APP processing and the BACE1
      cleavage site selection is critical for amyloidogenesis in AD pathogenesis, and
      implicate a pharmaceutical potential for targeting the APP673 site for AD drug
      development.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is
      essential for amyloid beta protein production. We discovered that A673V mutation
      shifted the BACE1 cleavage site from the Glu11 to the Asp1 site, resulting in
      much higher C99 level and C99/C89 ratio. All other mutations at this site of
      amyloid beta precursor protein (APP) reduced C99 generation and decreased the
      C99/C89 ratio. Furthermore, A673V mutation resulted in stronger dimerization
      between mutant and wild-type APP, enhanced the lysosomal degradation of the
      mutant APP, and inhibited gamma-secretase cleavage of the mutant C99 to generate
      amyloid beta protein, leading to recessively inherited Alzheimer's disease (AD).
      The results demonstrate that APP673 regulates APP processing, and the BACE1
      cleavage site selection is critical for amyloidogenesis in AD pathogenesis, and
      implicate a pharmaceutical potential for targeting the APP673 site for AD drug
      development.

PMID- 28626015
TI  - Reciprocal Interaction of Dendrite Geometry and Nuclear Calcium-VEGFD Signaling
      Gates Memory Consolidation and Extinction.
AB  - Nuclear calcium is an important signaling end point in synaptic excitation
      transcription coupling that is critical for long-term neuroadaptations. Here, we
      show that nuclear calcium acting via a target gene, VEGFD, is required for
      hippocampus-dependent fear memory consolidation and extinction in mice. Nuclear
      calcium-VEGFD signaling upholds the structural integrity and complexity of the
      dendritic arbor of CA1 neurons that renders those cells permissive for the
      efficient generation of synaptic input-evoked nuclear calcium transients driving
      the expression of plasticity-related genes. Therefore, the gating of memory
      functions rests on the reciprocally reinforcing maintenance of an intact dendrite
      geometry and a functional synapse-to-nucleus communication axis. In psychiatric
      and neurodegenerative disorders, therapeutic application of VEGFD may help to
      stabilize dendritic structures and network connectivity, which may prevent
      cognitive decline and could boost the efficacy of extinction-based exposure
      therapies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study uncovers a reciprocal relationship
      between dendrite geometry, the ability to generate nuclear calcium transients in
      response to synaptic inputs, and the subsequent induction of expression of
      plasticity-related and dendritic structure-preserving genes. Insufficient nuclear
      calcium signaling in CA1 hippocampal neurons and, consequently, reduced
      expression of the nuclear calcium target gene VEGFD, a dendrite maintenance
      factor, leads to reduced-complexity basal dendrites of CA1 neurons, which
      severely compromises the animals' consolidation of both memory and extinction
      memory. The structure-protective function of VEGFD may prove beneficial in
      psychiatric disorders as well as neurodegenerative and aging-related conditions
      that are associated with loss of neuronal structures, dysfunctional excitation
      transcription coupling, and cognitive decline.

PMID- 28626016
TI  - The mTOR Substrate S6 Kinase 1 (S6K1) Is a Negative Regulator of Axon
      Regeneration and a Potential Drug Target for Central Nervous System Injury.
AB  - The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) positively regulates axon growth in the
      mammalian central nervous system (CNS). Although axon regeneration and functional
      recovery from CNS injuries are typically limited, knockdown or deletion of PTEN,
      a negative regulator of mTOR, increases mTOR activity and induces robust axon
      growth and regeneration. It has been suggested that inhibition of S6 kinase 1
      (S6K1, gene symbol: RPS6KB1), a prominent mTOR target, would blunt mTOR's
      positive effect on axon growth. In contrast to this expectation, we demonstrate
      that inhibition of S6K1 in CNS neurons promotes neurite outgrowth in vitro by
      twofold to threefold. Biochemical analysis revealed that an mTOR-dependent
      induction of PI3K signaling is involved in mediating this effect of S6K1
      inhibition. Importantly, treating female mice in vivo with PF-4708671, a
      selective S6K1 inhibitor, stimulated corticospinal tract regeneration across a
      dorsal spinal hemisection between the cervical 5 and 6 cord segments (C5/C6),
      increasing axon counts for at least 3 mm beyond the injury site at 8 weeks after
      injury. Concomitantly, treatment with PF-4708671 produced significant locomotor
      recovery. Pharmacological targeting of S6K1 may therefore constitute an
      attractive strategy for promoting axon regeneration following CNS injury,
      especially given that S6K1 inhibitors are being assessed in clinical trials for
      nononcological indications.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite mTOR's well-established
      function in promoting axon regeneration, the role of its downstream target, S6
      kinase 1 (S6K1), has been unclear. We used cellular assays with primary neurons
      to demonstrate that S6K1 is a negative regulator of neurite outgrowth, and a
      spinal cord injury model to show that it is a viable pharmacological target for
      inducing axon regeneration. We provide mechanistic evidence that S6K1's negative
      feedback to PI3K signaling is involved in axon growth inhibition, and show that
      phosphorylation of S6K1 is a more appropriate regeneration indicator than is S6
      phosphorylation.

PMID- 28626017
TI  - Amyloid-beta Peptide Is Needed for cGMP-Induced Long-Term Potentiation and
      Memory.
AB  - High levels of amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) have been related to Alzheimer's
      disease pathogenesis. However, in the healthy brain, low physiologically relevant
      concentrations of Abeta are necessary for long-term potentiation (LTP) and
      memory. Because cGMP plays a key role in these processes, here we investigated
      whether the cyclic nucleotide cGMP influences Abeta levels and function during
      LTP and memory. We demonstrate that the increase of cGMP levels by the
      phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors sildenafil and vardenafil induces a parallel
      release of Abeta due to a change in the approximation of amyloid precursor
      protein (APP) and the beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1. Moreover,
      electrophysiological and behavioral studies performed on animals of both sexes
      showed that blocking Abeta function, by using anti-murine Abeta antibodies or APP
      knock-out mice, prevents the cGMP-dependent enhancement of LTP and memory. Our
      data suggest that cGMP positively regulates Abeta levels in the healthy brain
      which, in turn, boosts synaptic plasticity and memory.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
      Amyloid-beta (Abeta) is a key pathogenetic factor in Alzheimer's disease.
      However, low concentrations of endogenous Abeta, mimicking levels of the peptide
      in the healthy brain, enhance hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and
      memory. Because the second messenger cGMP exerts a central role in LTP
      mechanisms, here we studied whether cGMP affects Abeta levels and function during
      LTP. We show that cGMP enhances Abeta production by increasing the APP/BACE-1
      convergence in endolysosomal compartments. Moreover, the cGMP-induced enhancement
      of LTP and memory was disrupted by blockade of Abeta, suggesting that the
      physiological effect of the cyclic nucleotide on LTP and memory is dependent upon
      Abeta.

PMID- 28626018
TI  - Dissecting the Function of Hippocampal Oscillations in a Human Anxiety Model.
AB  - Neural oscillations in hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are a
      hallmark of rodent anxiety models that build on conflict between approach and
      avoidance. Yet, the function of these oscillations, and their expression in
      humans, remain elusive. Here, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to investigate
      neural oscillations in a task that simulated approach-avoidance conflict, wherein
      23 male and female human participants collected monetary tokens under a threat of
      virtual predation. Probability of threat was signaled by color and learned
      beforehand by direct experience. Magnitude of threat corresponded to a possible
      monetary loss, signaled as a quantity. We focused our analyses on an a priori
      defined region-of-interest, the bilateral hippocampus. Oscillatory power under
      conflict was linearly predicted by threat probability in a location consistent
      with right mid-hippocampus. This pattern was specific to the hippocampus, most
      pronounced in the gamma band, and not explained by spatial movement or anxiety
      like behavior. Gamma power was modulated by slower theta rhythms, and this theta
      modulation increased with threat probability. Furthermore, theta oscillations in
      the same location showed greater synchrony with mPFC theta with increased threat
      probability. Strikingly, these findings were not seen in relation to an increase
      in threat magnitude, which was explicitly signaled as a quantity and induced
      similar behavioral responses as learned threat probability. Thus, our findings
      suggest that the expression of hippocampal and mPFC oscillatory activity in the
      context of anxiety is specifically linked to threat memory. These findings
      resonate with neurocomputational accounts of the role played by hippocampal
      oscillations in memory.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We use a biologically relevant
      approach-avoidance conflict test in humans while recording neural oscillations
      with magnetoencephalography to investigate the expression and function of
      hippocampal oscillations in human anxiety. Extending nonhuman studies, we can
      assign a possible function to hippocampal oscillations in this task, namely
      threat memory communication. This blends into recent attempts to elucidate the
      role of brain synchronization in defensive responses to threat.

PMID- 28626019
TI  - Neural Mechanisms of Updating under Reducible and Irreducible Uncertainty.
AB  - Adaptive decision making depends on an agent's ability to use environmental
      signals to reduce uncertainty. However, because of multiple types of uncertainty,
      agents must take into account not only the extent to which signals violate prior
      expectations but also whether uncertainty can be reduced in the first place. Here
      we studied how human brains of both sexes respond to signals under conditions of
      reducible and irreducible uncertainty. We show behaviorally that subjects' value
      updating was sensitive to the reducibility of uncertainty, and could be
      quantitatively characterized by a Bayesian model where agents ignore expectancy
      violations that do not update beliefs or values. Using fMRI, we found that neural
      processes underlying belief and value updating were separable from responses to
      expectancy violation, and that reducibility of uncertainty in value modulated
      connections from belief-updating regions to value-updating regions. Together,
      these results provide insights into how agents use knowledge about uncertainty to
      make better decisions while ignoring mere expectancy violation.SIGNIFICANCE
      STATEMENT To make good decisions, a person must observe the environment
      carefully, and use these observations to reduce uncertainty about consequences of
      actions. Importantly, uncertainty should not be reduced purely based on how
      surprising the observations are, particularly because in some cases uncertainty
      is not reducible. Here we show that the human brain indeed reduces uncertainty
      adaptively by taking into account the nature of uncertainty and ignoring mere
      surprise. Behaviorally, we show that human subjects reduce uncertainty in a
      quasioptimal Bayesian manner. Using fMRI, we characterize brain regions that may
      be involved in uncertainty reduction, as well as the network they constitute, and
      dissociate them from brain regions that respond to mere surprise.

PMID- 28626020
TI  - Lack of effect of vitamin D3 supplementation in autism: a 20-week, placebo
      controlled RCT.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Data suggest a potential role for vitamin D in autism spectrum
      disorder (ASD). We wanted to assess the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation
      compared with placebo in children with ASD. DESIGN: This was a double-blind,
      randomised, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: A paediatric outpatient centre at
      high latitude over the winter season in Dublin, Ireland (53 degrees N). PATIENTS:
      42 children with ASD. INTERVENTIONS: 2000 IU vitamin D3 supplementation or
      placebo daily for 20 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessments were completed at
      baseline and after 20 weeks of supplementation. The primary outcome was the
      stereotypic behaviour subscale from the Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC).
      Secondary exploratory outcomes included additional subscales from the ABC, the
      Social Responsiveness Scale and rating on the Developmental Disabilities
      Children's Global Assessment Scale (DD-CGAS) as well as biochemical parameters of
      total vitamin D status (25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)), immunity and systemic
      inflammation. RESULTS: 38 children completed the trial. Baseline 25(OH)D was
      54.2+/-19.7 nmol/L. Following vitamin D3 supplementation, there was a significant
      increase in 25(OH)D to 83.8 nmol/L (p=0.0016) but no effect on the primary
      endpoint. However, there was an improvement in self-care on DD-CGAS (p=0.02). In
      contrast, there was also a trend toward decreased inappropriate speech in the
      placebo group (p=0.08). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation had no effect on
      the primary outcome with limited and inconsistent effects in children with ASD.
      Considering the other promising data as well as the relative safety and cheapness
      of vitamin D supplementation, further trials are warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      NCT02508922.

PMID- 28626021
TI  - Acute segmental poliomyelitis-like flaccid paralysis in an adult in the UK,
      associated with enterovirus D68.
AB  - Enterovirus D68 has been associated with a poliomyelitis-like illness, notably
      during an outbreak in 2014, and particularly affecting children in the USA. We
      report a case of acute segmental flaccid paralysis with respiratory involvement
      in an adult in the UK, with enterovirus D68 detected in a sputum sample. MR
      imaging of cervical spinal cord showed a longitudinally extensive T2
      hyperintensity in the anterior cord. Cerebrospinal fluid showed an elevated white
      cell count, predominantly lymphocytic, with otherwise normal constituents and
      negative viral PCRs. His respiratory function improved after intravenous
      immunoglobulin, suggesting that this may be useful in such cases. Clinicians
      should consider enterovirus D68 infection in the differential diagnosis of
      Guillain-Barre syndrome, particularly the pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variant.

PMID- 28626022
TI  - Apraxia: another view.

PMID- 28626024
TI  - Intersectin 2 controls actin cap formation and meiotic division in mouse oocytes
      through the Cdc42 pathway.
AB  - Intersectins (ITSNs), an evolutionarily conserved adaptor protein family, have
      been implicated in multiple biologic processes; however, their functions in
      mammalian oocytes have not been addressed. Here, we report delayed meiotic
      resumption and defective cytokinesis upon specific depletion of ITSN2 in mouse
      oocytes. In particular, abnormal spindle, misaligned chromosomes, and loss of
      cortical actin cap are readily observed in ITSN2-depleted oocytes. Similarly, a
      small molecule that targets the Cdc42-ITSN interaction also disrupts oocyte
      maturation and actin polymerization. Moreover, we find that ITSN2 depletion
      reduces the activity of Cdc42 in oocytes and, of note, that forced expression of
      the dominant-positive mutant of Cdc42, in part, prevents the effects of ITSN2
      knockdown on actin cap formation. In addition, the localization of WASP and Arp2,
      the downstream effector proteins of Cdc42, is altered in ITSN2-depleted oocytes
      accordingly. In summary, our data support a model in which ITSN2 depletion
      induces the inactivation of Cdc42, which, in turn, influences the distribution
      and function of Arp2/3 and WASP, consequently disrupting oocyte polarity
      establishment and meiotic division.-Zhang, J., Ma, R., Li, L., Wang, L., Hou, X.,
      Han, L., Ge, J., Li, M., Wang, Q. Intersectin 2 controls actin cap formation and
      meiotic division in mouse oocytes through the Cdc42 pathway.

PMID- 28626023
TI  - Microarray analysis of aging-associated immune system alterations in the rostral
      ventrolateral medulla of F344 rats.
AB  - The rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is an area of the brain stem that
      contains diverse neural substrates that are involved in systems critical for
      physiological function. There is evidence that aging affects some neural
      substrates within the RVLM, although age-related changes in RVLM molecular
      mechanisms are not well established. The goal of the present study was to
      characterize the transcriptomic profile of the aging RVLM and to test the
      hypothesis that aging is associated with altered gene expression in the RVLM,
      with an emphasis on immune system associated gene transcripts. RVLM tissue
      punches from young, middle-aged, and aged F344 rats were analyzed with Agilent's
      whole rat genome microarray. The RVLM gene expression profile varied with age,
      and an association between chronological age and specific RVLM gene expression
      patterns was observed [P < 0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.3]. Functional
      analysis of RVLM microarray data via gene ontology profiling and pathway analysis
      identified upregulation of genes associated with immune- and stress-related
      responses and downregulation of genes associated with lipid biosynthesis and
      neurotransmission in aged compared with middle-aged and young rats.
      Differentially expressed genes associated with the complement system and
      microglial cells were further validated by quantitative PCR with separate RVLM
      samples (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.1). The present results have identified age-related
      changes in the transcriptomic profile of the RVLM, modifications that may provide
      the molecular backdrop for understanding age-dependent changes in physiological
      regulation.

PMID- 28626025
TI  - Intranasal administration of mesenchymoangioblast-derived mesenchymal stem cells
      abrogates airway fibrosis and airway hyperresponsiveness associated with chronic
      allergic airways disease.
AB  - Structural changes known as airway remodeling (AWR) characterize chronic/severe
      asthma and contribute to lung dysfunction. Thus, we assessed the in vivo efficacy
      of induced pluripotent stem cell and mesenchymoangioblast-derived mesenchymal
      stem cells (MCA-MSCs) on AWR in a murine model of chronic allergic airways
      disease (AAD)/asthma. Female Balb/c mice were subjected to a 9-wk model of
      ovalbumin (Ova)-induced chronic AAD and treated intravenously or intranasally
      with MCA-MSCs from weeks 9 to 11. Changes in airway inflammation (AI), AWR, and
      airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) were assessed. Ova-injured mice presented with
      AI, goblet cell metaplasia, epithelial thickening, increased airway TGF-beta1
      levels, subepithelial myofibroblast and collagen accumulation, total lung
      collagen concentration, and AHR (all P < 0.001 vs. uninjured control group).
      Apart from epithelial thickness, all other parameters measured were
      significantly, although not totally, decreased by intravenous delivery of MCA
      MSCs to Ova-injured mice. In comparison, intranasal delivery of MCA-MSCs to Ova
      injured mice significantly decreased all parameters measured (all P < 0.05 vs.
      Ova group) and, most notably, normalized aberrant airway TGF-beta1 levels,
      airway/lung fibrosis, and AHR to values measured in uninjured animals. MCA-MSCs
      also increased collagen-degrading gelatinase levels. Hence, direct delivery of
      MCA-MSCs offers great therapeutic benefit for the AWR and AHR associated with
      chronic AAD.-Royce, S. G., Rele, S., Broughton, B. R. S., Kelly, K., Samuel, C.
      S. Intranasal administration of mesenchymoangioblast-derived mesenchymal stem
      cells abrogates airway fibrosis and airway hyperresponsiveness associated with
      chronic allergic airways disease.

PMID- 28626026
TI  - Protein kinase Cbeta activates fat mass and obesity-associated protein by
      influencing its ubiquitin/proteasome degradation.
AB  - Protein kinase Cbeta (PKCbeta) is a serine-threonine kinase associated with
      obesity and diabetic complications; its activation contributes to weight gain,
      and deletion of its gene results in resistance to genetic- and diet-induced
      obesity. Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein is a recently identified
      RNA demethylase, and its overexpression in mice leads to increased body weight as
      well as fat mass. Although sharing some features in anabolism regulation, PKCbeta
      and FTO have not been investigated together; therefore, their relationship has
      not been established. We report that PKCbeta positively regulates FTO on the
      posttranslation level, evidenced by the facts that PKCbeta activation contributes
      to high-glucose-induced FTO up-regulation, and overexpression of PKCbeta
      suppresses ubiquitin-proteasome degradation of FTO, whereas PKCbeta inactivation
      acts in the opposite manner. It was also found that PKCbeta can phosphorylate FTO
      on threonine, and this phosphorylation requires both catalytic and regulatory
      domains of PKCbeta. Moreover, PKCbeta inhibition can suppress 3T3-L1 cell
      differentiation in normal and FTO-overexpressing cells but not in FTO-silenced or
      -inhibited cells. We propose that PKCbeta acts to suppress the degradation of FTO
      protein and reveals the associated role of PKCbeta and FTO in adipogenesis,
      suggesting a new pathway that affects the development of obesity and metabolic
      diseases.-Tai, H., Wang, X., Zhou, J., Han, X., Fang, T., Gong, H., Huang, N.,
      Chen, H., Qin, J., Yang, M., Wei, X., Yang, L., Xiao, H. Protein kinase Cbeta
      activates fat mass and obesity-associated protein by influencing its
      ubiquitin/proteasome degradation.

PMID- 28626027
TI  - Selective activation of epidermal growth factor receptor in renal proximal tubule
      induces tubulointerstitial fibrosis.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in the pathogenesis
      of diabetic nephropathy and renal fibrosis; however, the causative role of
      sustained EGFR activation is unclear. Here, we generated a novel kidney fibrotic
      mouse model of persistent EGFR activation by selectively expressing the EGFR
      ligand, human heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (hHB-EGF), in renal proximal
      tubule epithelium. hHB-EGF expression increased tyrosine kinase phosphorylation
      of EGFR and the subsequent activation of downstream signaling pathways, including
      ERK and AKT, as well as the profibrotic TGF-beta1/SMAD pathway. Epithelial
      specific activation of EGFR was sufficient to promote spontaneous and progressive
      renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, as characterized by increased collagen
      deposition, immune cell infiltration, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA)
      positive myofibroblasts. Tubule-specific EGFR activation promoted epithelial
      dedifferentiation and cell-cycle arrest. Furthermore, EGFR activation in
      epithelial cells promoted the proliferation of alpha-SMA+ myofibroblasts in a
      paracrine manner. Genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of EGFR tyrosine kinase
      activity or downstream MEK activity attenuated the fibrotic phenotype. This study
      provides definitive evidence that sustained activation of EGFR in proximal
      epithelia is sufficient to cause spontaneous, progressive renal
      tubulointerstitial fibrosis, evident by epithelial dedifferentiation, increased
      myofibroblasts, immune cell infiltration, and increased matrix deposition.
      Overstreet, J. M., Wang, Y., Wang, X., Niu, A., Gewin, L. S., Yao, B., Harris, R.
      C., Zhang, M.-Z. Selective activation of epidermal growth factor receptor in
      renal proximal tubule induces tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

PMID- 28626028
TI  - Excess centrosomes induce p53-dependent senescence without DNA damage in
      endothelial cells.
AB  - Tumor blood vessels support tumor growth and progression. Centrosomes are
      microtubule organization centers in cells, and often up to 30% of tumor
      endothelial cells (ECs) acquire excess (>2) centrosomes. Although excess
      centrosomes can lead to aneuploidy and chromosome instability in tumor cells, how
      untransformed ECs respond to excess centrosomes is poorly understood. We found
      that the frequency of primary human ECs with excess centrosomes was quickly
      reduced in a p53-dependent manner. Excess centrosomes in ECs were associated with
      p53 phosphorylation at Ser33, increased p21 levels, and decreased cell
      proliferation and expression of senescence markers, but independent of DNA damage
      and apoptosis. Aspects of the senescence-associated phenotype were also observed
      in mouse ECs that were isolated from tumors with excess centrosomes. Primary ECs
      with excess centrosomes in vascular sprouts also had elevated Ser33 p53
      phosphorylation and expressed senescence markers. Our work demonstrates that
      nontransformed ECs respond differently to excess centrosomes than do most tumor
      cells-they undergo senescence in vascular sprouts and vessels, which suggests
      that pathologic outcomes of centrosome overduplication depend on the
      transformation status of cells.-Yu, Z., Ruter, D. L., Kushner, E. J., Bautch, V.
      L. Excess centrosomes induce p53-dependent senescence without DNA damage in
      endothelial cells.

PMID- 28626029
TI  - A homozygous founder mutation in TRAPPC6B associates with a neurodevelopmental
      disorder characterised by microcephaly, epilepsy and autistic features.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transport protein particle (TRAPP) is a multisubunit complex that
      regulates membrane trafficking through the Golgi apparatus. The clinical
      phenotype associated with mutations in various TRAPP subunits has allowed
      elucidation of their functions in specific tissues. The role of some subunits in
      human disease, however, has not been fully established, and their functions
      remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to expand the range of neurodevelopmental
      disorders associated with mutations in TRAPP subunits by exome sequencing of
      consanguineous families. METHODS: Linkage and homozygosity mapping and candidate
      gene analysis were used to identify homozygous mutations in families. Patient
      fibroblasts were used to study splicing defect and zebrafish to model the
      disease. RESULTS: We identified six individuals from three unrelated families
      with a founder homozygous splice mutation in TRAPPC6B, encoding a core subunit of
      the complex TRAPP I. Patients manifested a neurodevelopmental disorder
      characterised by microcephaly, epilepsy and autistic features, and showed
      splicing defect. Zebrafish trappc6b morphants replicated the human phenotype,
      displaying decreased head size and neuronal hyperexcitability, leading to a lower
      seizure threshold. CONCLUSION: This study provides clinical and functional
      evidence of the role of TRAPPC6B in brain development and function.

PMID- 28626030
TI  - Gender, race and the presentation of acute coronary syndrome and serious
      cardiopulmonary diagnoses in ED patients with chest pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between reported chest pain symptoms and a
      diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and serious cardiopulmonary diagnoses
      (SCPD) in black males, white males, black females and white females. METHODS:
      This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of 4162 ED patients
      with chest pain enrolled between 1999 and 2008. We used logistic regression,
      adjusting for age and cardiovascular comorbidities to test the association
      between 24 chest pain symptoms and 30-day ACS for the primary outcome and SCPD as
      the secondary outcome. RESULT: In black males, diaphoresis was associated with
      ACS (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.13), while in white males, left arm radiation,
      pressure/tightness and substernal pain were associated with ACS (OR 1.73, 95% CI
      1.16 to 2.59; OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.59; OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.11,
      respectively). In black females, diaphoresis, palpitations and left arm radiation
      were associated with ACS (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.35; 1.66, 95% CI 1.13 to
      2.45; 1.44, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.03, respectively) while pleuritic pain, and left
      anterior chest pain lowered ACS risk (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.5 to 0.96; 0.54, 95% CI
      0.35 to 0.84). No symptoms predicted ACS or SCPD in white females. Fewer but
      similar symptoms predicted SCPD in white males and black females. No symptoms
      predicted SCPD in black males. CONCLUSION: Chest pain symptoms are important
      predictors of ACS and SCPD in certain combinations of race and gender but less so
      in others. These differences might explain difficulties using symptoms to
      identify patients at higher or lower risk of ACS and SCPD in practice.

PMID- 28626036
TI  - Treating ER+ Breast Cancer with CDK4/6 Inhibitors.
AB  - Data from the MONARCH2, PALOMA-1, and TREnd trials strongly support using CDK4/6
      inhibitors alongside standard endocrine therapy for advanced ER-positive breast
      cancer. Including these targeted agents not only improves progression-free
      survival but may reverse acquired resistance to hormone treatment.

PMID- 28626038
TI  - Phenology of perennial, native grass, belowground axillary buds in the northern
      mixed-grass prairie.
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Vegetative reproduction from belowground bud banks is the
      primary driver of grassland systems. Despite the importance of bud banks, the
      timing of recruitment and the crucial link between formation and maintenance is
      unknown. METHODS: We assessed patterns of belowground bud development, dormancy,
      and mortality associated with three perennial native grasses in the northern
      Great Plains. Temperature and soil moisture were measured below the soil surface
      to determine relationships with belowground bud development. KEY RESULTS: Blue
      grama (Bouteloua gracilis) generated more buds over winter that remained dormant;
      whereas, C3 species needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa comata) and western
      wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), maintained limited dormant buds throughout
      winter. Soil temperature was a good predictor for C4 species bud production;
      whereas, soil moisture was a reliable predictor for C3 buds. Distinct differences
      existed between C4 species blue grama and C3 species needle-and-thread, whereas
      C3 species western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) was intermediate, indicating
      there is likely a species-specific continuum between the C3 and C4 extremes
      rather than a stark difference. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to predict belowground
      bud development is a novel insight to native perennial grasses. Native grass
      species' strategies and adaptability regarding belowground bud bank size and bud
      phenology are important factors optimizing tiller recruitment given the variable
      growing conditions. Patterns of bud dormancy and development will provide insight
      to the underlying mechanisms by which management practices and fluctuations in
      precipitation amount and growing season length can alter mixed-grass prairie
      plant community dynamics.

PMID- 28626037
TI  - Autopolyploidization, geographic origin, and metabolome evolution in Arabidopsis
      thaliana.
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Autopolyploidy, or whole-genome duplication, is a recurrent
      phenomenon in plant evolution. Its existence can be inferred from the presence of
      massive levels of genetic redundancy revealed by comparative plant phylogenomics.
      Whole-genome duplication is theoretically associated with evolutionary novelties
      such as the development of new metabolic reactions and therefore contributes to
      the evolution of new plant metabolic profiles. However, very little is yet known
      about the impact of autopolyploidy on the metabolism of recently formed
      autopolyploids. This study provides a better understanding of the relevance of
      this evolutionary process. METHODS: In this study, we compared the metabolic
      profiles of wild diploids, wild autotetraploids, and artificial autotetraploids
      of Arabidopsis thaliana using targeted ultra-high performance liquid
      chromatography-triple quadrupole- mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ-MS) metabolomics.
      KEY RESULTS: We found that wild and artificial A. thaliana autotetraploids
      display different metabolic profiles. Furthermore, wild autotetraploids display
      unique metabolic profiles associated with their geographic origin. CONCLUSIONS:
      Autopolyploidy might help plants adapt to challenging environmental conditions by
      allowing the evolution of novel metabolic profiles not present in the parental
      diploids. We elaborate on the causes and consequences leading to these distinct
      profiles.

PMID- 28626039
TI  - The role of idioblasts in leaf water relations of tropical Rhododendron.
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Although much is known about the anatomy of idioblasts, the
      relationship of leaf idioblasts to leaf physiology is poorly known. Our goal was
      to understand the relationship between idioblast abundance and leaf water
      relations. Tropical epiphytic and shrub Rhododendron species were the model
      system. METHODS: Leaf succulence and idioblast metrics of 61 plants representing
      17 species were compared with stomatal and water relation metrics. Correlation,
      ANOVA, and regression were used to understand which water relation traits were
      best aligned with the proportion of the leaf occupied by idioblasts for epiphytic
      and shrub species. KEY RESULTS: Idioblast volume per leaf area varied from 1.4
      9.5 mm3.cm-2 among accessions, and an index of stomatal area per leaf area varied
      from 0.08-3.3. Succulence, stomatal, and water relation metrics varied
      significantly among species. Total idioblast volume was negatively correlated
      with leaf succulence metrics, and positively correlated with relative water
      content at the turgor loss point. Idioblasts were better related to capacitance
      in thin leaves. All idioblast metrics were significantly greater in epiphytic
      species. CONCLUSIONS: Leaf idioblasts can have a significant effect on leaf
      lamina water relations. Idioblasts likely function as a water buffering system
      for thin leaves in tropical Rhododendron species. The association of idioblast
      prominence with leaf water buffering is greatest for epiphytic species with thin
      leaves. Thus, the proliferation of leaf idioblasts may have been an important
      innovation for Rhododendron species diversification into tropical epiphytic
      habitats.

PMID- 28626040
TI  - Pollinia transfer on moth legs in Hoya carnosa (Apocynaceae).
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The genus Hoya (Apocynaceae; Asclepiadoideae) is
      characterized by a set of complex floral characters unique among the asclepiads,
      but their role in pollination is poorly understood. Here, we report a new
      mechanism of asclepiad pollination in the wax plant Hoya carnosa: the pollinaria
      are transferred on the legs of medium or large settling moths. METHODS: Floral
      visitors and their behavior were observed on Amami-Oshima Island during 2013
      2015, and the efficacy of different pollinators was determined by counting the
      pollinarium loads on different flower visitors. The floral characters were
      studied to establish the process of pollination in relation to pollinator
      behavior on the flower. KEY RESULTS: Hoya carnosa was visited by various settling
      moths at night, but pollinia attachment was confirmed predominantly on the legs
      of the large moth Erebus ephesperis (Noctuidae) and less frequently on the legs
      of the medium-sized moths Bastilla arcuata (Crambidae) and Cleora injectaria
      (Geometridae). The moths walked around and searched for nectar on the
      inflorescence, and the corpusculum became clipped to the arolia (adhesive pads on
      moth tarsi) as they stepped on the pollinaria between the staminal corona. The
      downward spherical inflorescence of aggregated flowers with flat, velvety petals
      and a slippery corona provides restricted footholds for the visitors, which
      efficiently leads pollinator legs to the pollinaria. CONCLUSIONS: Although the
      pollination system of Hoya is largely unknown, pollination by insect legs may be
      a major pollination system in this genus because these basic floral characters
      are shared among many species.

PMID- 28626041
TI  - Reply to Yang et al.: Coastal wetlands are not well represented by protected
      areas for endangered birds.

PMID- 28626042
TI  - Protect coastal wetlands in China to save endangered migratory birds.

PMID- 28626044
TI  - Revascularisation compared with initial medical therapy for non-ST-elevation
      acute coronary syndromes in the elderly: a meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Whether revascularisation is superior to medical therapy in older
      populations presenting with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTEACS)
      remains contentious, with inconclusive evidence from randomised trials. We aimed
      to compare routine invasive therapy with initial medical management in the
      elderly presenting with NSTEACS. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Controlled
      Trial Register were searched for studies comparing routine invasive therapy with
      initial medical management in patients >=75 years old presenting with NSTEACS.
      Endpoints included long-term mortality, myocardial infarction (MI),
      revascularisation, rehospitalisation, stroke and major bleeding reported as ORs.
      RESULTS: Four randomised trials and three observational studies met inclusion
      criteria, enrolling a total of 20 540 patients followed up from 6 months to 5
      years. Routine invasive therapy reduced mortality (OR 0.67, CI 0.61 to 0.74), MI
      (OR 0.56, CI 0.45 to 0.70) and stroke (OR 0.53, CI 0.30 to 0.95). Analyses
      restricted to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) confirmed a reduction in MI (OR
      0.51, CI 0.40 to 0.66), revascularisation (OR 0.27, CI 0.13 to 0.56) and a trend
      to reduced mortality (OR 0.84, CI 0.66 to 1.06) at the expense of major bleeding
      (OR 2.19, CI 1.12 to 4.28). Differences in major bleeding were unapparent in more
      recent studies. CONCLUSION: Routine invasive therapy reduces MI and repeat
      revascularisation and may reduce mortality at the expense of major bleeding in
      elderly patients with NSTEACS. Our findings highlight the need for further RCTs
      to better determine the effect on mortality and contemporary bleeding risk.

PMID- 28626045
TI  - Care Innovations: Sharing Practical Care Delivery Tools and Discoveries.

PMID- 28626046
TI  - Perpetual change: autophagy, the endothelium, and response to vascular injury.
AB  - Current studies of vascular health, aging, and autophagy emphasize how the
      endothelium adapts to stress and contributes to disease. The endothelium is far
      from an inert barrier to blood-borne cells, pathogens, and chemical signals;
      rather, it actively translates circulating mediators into tissue responses,
      changing rapidly in response to physiologic stressors. Macroautophagy-the
      cellular ingestion of effete organelles and protein aggregates to provide
      anabolic substrates to fuel bioenergetics in times of stress-plays an important
      role in endothelial cell homeostasis, vascular remodeling, and disease. These
      roles include regulating vascular tone, sustaining or limiting cell survival, and
      contributing to the development of atherosclerosis secondary to infection,
      inflammation, and angiogenesis. Autophagy modulates these critical functions of
      the endothelium in a dynamic and perpetual response to tissue and intravascular
      cues.

PMID- 28626047
TI  - With a Little Help From My Friends: Seeking Consistent and Persuasive Evidence.

PMID- 28626048
TI  - Contributors to the Excess Stroke Mortality in Rural Areas in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke mortality is 30% higher in the rural United
      States. This could be because of either higher incidence or higher case fatality
      from stroke in rural areas. METHODS: The urban-rural status of 23 280 stroke-free
      participants recruited between 2003 and 2007 in the REGARDS study (Reasons for
      Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) was classified using the Rural-Urban
      Commuting Area scheme as residing in urban, large rural town/city, or small rural
      town or isolated areas. The risk of incident stroke was assessed using
      proportional hazards analysis, and case fatality (death within 30 days of stroke)
      was assessed using logistic regression. Models were adjusted for demographics,
      traditional stroke risk factors, and measures of socioeconomic status. RESULTS:
      After adjustment for demographic factors and relative to urban areas, stroke
      incidence was 1.23-times higher (95% confidence intervals, 1.01-1.51) in large
      rural town/cities and 1.30-times higher (95% confidence intervals, 1.03-1.62) in
      small rural towns or isolated areas. Adjustment for risk factors and
      socioeconomic status only modestly attenuated this association, and the
      association became marginally nonsignificant (P=0.071). There was no association
      of rural-urban status with case fatality (P>0.47). CONCLUSIONS: The higher stroke
      mortality in rural regions seemed to be attributable to higher stroke incidence
      rather than case fatality. A higher prevalence of risk factors and lower
      socioeconomic status only modestly contributed to the increased risk of incident
      stroke risk in rural areas. There was no evidence of higher case fatality in
      rural areas.

PMID- 28626049
TI  - Dose-Dependent Effect of Statin Pretreatment on Preventing the Periprocedural
      Complications of Carotid Artery Stenting.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We investigated whether statin pretreatment can dose
      dependently reduce periprocedural complications in patients undergoing carotid
      artery stenting because of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. METHODS: We
      enrolled a consecutive series of 397 symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (>=50%
      stenosis on conventional angiography) treated with carotid artery stenting at 2
      tertiary university hospitals over a decade. Definition of periprocedural
      complications included any stroke, myocardial infarction, and death within 1
      month after or during the procedure. Statin pretreatment was divided into 3
      categories according to the atorvastatin equivalent dose: none (n=158; 39.8%),
      standard dose (<40 mg of atorvastatin, n=155; 39.0%), and high dose (>=40 mg;
      n=84; 21.2%). A multivariable logistic regression analysis with the generalized
      estimating equation method was used to investigate independent factors in
      periprocedural complications. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 68.7 years
      (81.6% men). The periprocedural complication rates across the 3 categories of
      statin use were 12.0%, 4.5%, and 1.2%. After adjustment, a change in the
      atorvastatin dose category was associated with reduction in the odds of
      periprocedural complications for each change in dose category (standard-dose
      statin: odds ratio, 0.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-0.81; high-dose statin:
      odds ratio, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.96; P for trend=0.01).
      Administration of antiplatelet drugs was also an independent factor in
      periprocedural complications (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.69). CONCLUSIONS: This
      study shows that statin pretreatment may reduce the incidence of periprocedural
      complications dose dependently in patients with symptomatic carotid artery
      stenting.

PMID- 28626050
TI  - Admission Brain Cortical Volume: An Independent Determinant of Poststroke
      Cognitive Vulnerability.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Several markers of poststroke cognitive impairment have
      been reported. The role of brain cortical volume remains uncertain. The aim of
      this study was to evaluate the influence of brain cortical volume on cognitive
      outcomes using a voxel-based morphometry approach in subjects without prestroke
      dementia. METHODS: Ischemic stroke patients were prospectively recruited 24 to 72
      hours post stroke (M0). Cognition was evaluated at M0, 3 months, and 1 year (M12)
      using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Isaacs set test, and the Zazzo's
      cancellation task. A 3-T brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed at M0.
      Grey matter (GM) was segmented using Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 software.
      Association between global GM volume and cognitive score slopes between M0 and
      M12 was evaluated using a linear mixed model. Correlations between focal GM
      volumes and changes in cognitive performance were evaluated using Statistical
      Parametric Mapping 12. RESULTS: Two-hundred forty-eight patients were included
      (mean age 65+/-SD 14 years old, 66% men). Global GM volume was significantly
      associated with changes in Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores (beta=0.01;
      P=0.04) and in the number of errors on the Zazzo's cancellation task (beta=-0.02;
      P=0.04) independently of other clinical/radiological confounders. Subjects with
      lower GM volumes in the left fronto-temporo-insular cortex were more vulnerable
      to transient Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Isaacs set test impairment.
      Subjects with lower GM volumes in right temporo-insular cortex, together with
      basal ganglia, were more vulnerable to transient cognitive impairment on the
      Zazzo's cancellation task. CONCLUSIONS: Smaller cortical volumes in fronto
      temporo-insular areas measured 24 to 72 hours post stroke are associated with
      cognitive vulnerability in the subacute stroke phase.

PMID- 28626051
TI  - Letter by Kawada Regarding Article, "Silent Brain Infarctions and Leukoaraiosis
      in Patients With Retinal Ischemia: A Prospective Single-Center Observational
      Study".

PMID- 28626043
TI  - The Diverse Roles of Arrestin Scaffolds in G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling.
AB  - The visual/beta-arrestins, a small family of proteins originally described for
      their role in the desensitization and intracellular trafficking of G protein
      coupled receptors (GPCRs), have emerged as key regulators of multiple signaling
      pathways. Evolutionarily related to a larger group of regulatory scaffolds that
      share a common arrestin fold, the visual/beta-arrestins acquired the capacity to
      detect and bind activated GPCRs on the plasma membrane, which enables them to
      control GPCR desensitization, internalization, and intracellular trafficking. By
      acting as scaffolds that bind key pathway intermediates, visual/beta-arrestins
      both influence the tonic level of pathway activity in cells and, in some cases,
      serve as ligand-regulated scaffolds for GPCR-mediated signaling. Growing evidence
      supports the physiologic and pathophysiologic roles of arrestins and underscores
      their potential as therapeutic targets. Circumventing arrestin-dependent GPCR
      desensitization may alleviate the problem of tachyphylaxis to drugs that target
      GPCRs, and find application in the management of chronic pain, asthma, and
      psychiatric illness. As signaling scaffolds, arrestins are also central
      regulators of pathways controlling cell growth, migration, and survival,
      suggesting that manipulating their scaffolding functions may be beneficial in
      inflammatory diseases, fibrosis, and cancer. In this review we examine the
      structure-function relationships that enable arrestins to perform their diverse
      roles, addressing arrestin structure at the molecular level, the relationship
      between arrestin conformation and function, and sites of interaction between
      arrestins, GPCRs, and nonreceptor-binding partners. We conclude with a discussion
      of arrestins as therapeutic targets and the settings in which manipulating
      arrestin function might be of clinical benefit.

PMID- 28626052
TI  - Evolution of the Modified Rankin Scale and Its Use in Future Stroke Trials.

PMID- 28626053
TI  - Histological Composition and the Origin of the Thrombus: A New Diagnostic Assay
      for Secondary Stroke Prevention?

PMID- 28626054
TI  - Prediction of Recurrent Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack After Noncardiogenic
      Posterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Posterior circulation ischemic stroke (IS) is generally
      considered an illness with a poor prognosis. However, there are no effective
      rating scales to predict recurrent stroke following it. Therefore, our aim was to
      identify clinical or radiological measures that could assist in predicting
      recurrent cerebral ischemic episodes. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 723
      noncardiogenic posterior circulation IS patients with onset of symptoms <7 days.
      Stroke risk factors, admission symptoms and signs, topographical distribution and
      responsible cerebral artery of acute infarcts, and any recurrent IS or transient
      ischemic attack (TIA) within 1 year were assessed. Cox regression was used to
      identify risk factors associated with recurrent IS or TIA within the year after
      posterior circulation IS. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients (5.5%) had recurrent IS
      or TIA within 1 year of posterior circulation IS. Multivariate Cox regression
      identified chief complaint with dysphagia (hazard ratio [HR], 4.16; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 1.69-10.2; P=0.002), repeated TIAs within 3 months
      before the stroke (HR, 15.4; 95% CI, 5.55-42.5; P<0.0001), responsible artery
      stenosis >=70% (HR, 7.91; 95% CI, 1.00-62.6; P=0.05), multisector infarcts (HR,
      5.38; 95% CI, 1.25-23.3; P=0.02), and not on antithrombotics treatment at
      discharge (HR, 3.06; 95% CI, 1.09-8.58; P=0.03) as independent predictors of
      recurrent IS or TIA. CONCLUSIONS: Some posterior circulation IS patients are at
      higher risk for recurrent IS or TIA. Urgent assessment and preventive treatment
      should be offered to these patients as soon as possible.

PMID- 28626055
TI  - Ischemic Stroke: What Does the Histological Composition Tell Us About the Origin
      of the Thrombus?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The introduction of stent retrievers allows for a
      complete extraction and histological analysis of human thrombi. Ischemic stroke
      is a major health issue, and differentiation of underlying causes is highly
      relevant to prevent recurrent stroke. Therefore, histopathologic analysis of the
      embolic clots after removal may provide valuable information about underlying
      pathologies. This study analyzes histological clot composition and aims to
      identify specific patterns that might help to distinguish causes of ischemic
      stroke. METHODS: Patients with occlusion of the carotid-T or middle cerebral
      artery who underwent thrombectomy at our university medical center between
      December 2013 and February 2016 were included. Samples were histologically
      analyzed (hematoxylin and eosin, Elastica van Gieson, and Prussian blue),
      additionally immunohistochemistry for CD3, CD20, and CD68/KiM1P was performed.
      These data, along with additional clinical and interventional parameters, were
      compared for different stroke subtypes, as defined by the TOAST (Trial of Org
      10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) classification. RESULTS: One hundred eighty
      seven patients were included, of these, in 77 patients, cardioembolic; in 46
      patients, noncardioembolic; and in 64 patients, cryptogenic pathogenesis was
      determined. Cardioembolic thrombi had higher proportions of fibrin/platelets
      (P=0.027), less erythrocytes (P=0.005), and more leucocytes (P=0.026) than
      noncardioembolic thrombi. We observed a strong overlap of cryptogenic strokes and
      cardioembolic strokes concerning thrombus histology. The immunohistochemical
      parameters CD3, CD20, and CD68/KiM1P showed no statistically noticeable
      differences between stroke subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Histological thrombus features
      vary significantly according to the underlying cause and may help to
      differentiate between cardioembolic and noncardioembolic stroke. In addition, our
      study supports the hypothesis that most cryptogenic strokes have a cardioembolic
      cause.

PMID- 28626056
TI  - Early Reperfusion After Brain Ischemia Has Beneficial Effects Beyond Rescuing
      Neurons.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent studies show that successful endovascular
      thrombectomy 6 to 12 hours after stroke onset enhances functional outcomes 3
      months later. In this study, we investigated the effects of reperfusion after
      ischemia on repair processes in the ischemic areas, as well as on functional
      recovery, using mouse stroke models. METHODS: We examined time-dependent
      histological changes and functional recovery after transient middle cerebral
      artery occlusion of different durations, including permanent middle cerebral
      artery occlusion, using the CB-17 (CB-17/lcr-+/+Jcl) mouse strain, which has poor
      pial collateral blood flow. RESULTS: Large microtubule-associated protein 2
      negative areas of neuronal death were produced in mice subjected to >=60 minutes
      of ischemia followed by reperfusion on day 1, while restricted microtubule
      associated protein 2-negative regions were observed in mice subjected to a 45
      minute period of ischemia. A substantial reduction in microtubule-associated
      protein 2-negative areas was observed on day 7 in mice given early reperfusion
      and was associated with better functional recovery. Kluver-Barrera staining
      demonstrated that white matter injury on day 1 was significantly lesser in mice
      with reperfusion. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy revealed that a
      greater number of endothelial cells were present in the infarct areas in mice
      with earlier reperfusion and were associated with a more rapid recruitment of
      platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta-positive pericytes and subsequent
      intrainfarct fibrosis. Early reperfusion also resulted in a greater accumulation
      of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes in peri-infarct areas.
      Peri-infarct astrogliosis was attenuated in platelet-derived growth factor
      receptor beta heterozygous knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS: Early reperfusion after
      ischemia enhances the survival of endothelial cells and pericytes within ischemic
      areas even after the infarct is established, resulting in efficient intrainfarct
      fibrosis and peri-infarct astrogliosis. These effects might be associated with
      efficient peri-infarct reorganization and functional recovery.

PMID- 28626058
TI  - Risk of Stroke With Various Types of Menopausal Hormone Therapies: A National
      Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Double-blind randomized studies on the effects of oral
      postmenopausal hormone therapies were stopped mainly because of increased risk of
      stroke. We aimed to assess the risk of all strokes and various subtypes
      associated with hormone therapy and explore the influence of regimens and routes
      of administration. METHODS: A national historical cohort of women aged 51 to 70
      years from 1995 to 2010 was established by linking 5 Danish registries. The
      National Registry of Medicinal Product Statistics provided information on hormone
      therapy exposure and the National Patient or Cause of Death Registries supplied
      data regarding stroke diagnoses (ischemic/hemorrhagic/subarachnoid hemorrhage).
      Multiply adjusted rate ratios with time-varying covariates were fitted in Poisson
      regression models. RESULTS: Of the 980 003 included women, 20 199 suffered a
      stroke (78% ischemic, 12% hemorrhagic, and 10% subarachnoid hemorrhage). In
      total, 36% of women used hormone therapy. Current use conferred a relative rate
      of 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.22). Compared with never users, the
      increased rate ratio of all stroke with continuous, cyclic combined
      estrogen/progestin, and estrogen only oral therapies were 1.29 (95% confidence
      interval, 1.21-1.37), 1.11 (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.20), and 1.18 (95%
      confidence interval, 1.10-1.26), respectively. The increased risk was because of
      ischemic stroke, but not hemorrhagic stroke. Transdermal application of hormone
      therapy was not associated with risk of stroke. Vaginal estrogen was associated
      with a decreased risk of stroke. CONCLUSIONS: In a national setting, we found an
      increased risk of stroke, based on ischemic stroke, with oral hormone therapies
      that was comparable to findings from randomized studies. We found no risk of
      stroke with transdermal application and a reduced risk with vaginal estrogen.

PMID- 28626057
TI  - Abnormal P-Wave Axis and Ischemic Stroke: The ARIC Study (Atherosclerosis Risk In
      Communities).
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Abnormal P-wave axis (aPWA) has been linked to incident
      atrial fibrillation and mortality; however, the relationship between aPWA and
      stroke has not been reported. We hypothesized that aPWA is associated with
      ischemic stroke independent of atrial fibrillation and other stroke risk factors
      and tested our hypothesis in the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk In
      Communities), a community-based prospective cohort study. METHODS: We included 15
      102 participants (aged 54.2+/-5.7 years; 55.2% women; 26.5% blacks) who attended
      the baseline examination (1987-1989) and without prevalent stroke. We defined
      aPWA as any value outside 0 to 75 degrees  using 12-lead ECGs obtained during
      study visits. Each case of incident ischemic stroke was classified in accordance
      with criteria from the National Survey of Stroke by a computer algorithm and
      adjudicated by physician review. Multivariable Cox regression was used to
      estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association of aPWA
      with stroke. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 20.2 years, there were 657
      incident ischemic stroke cases. aPWA was independently associated with a 1.50
      fold (95% confidence interval, 1.22-1.85) increased risk of ischemic stroke in
      the multivariable model that included atrial fibrillation. When subtyped, aPWA
      was associated with a 2.04-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.42-2.95) increased
      risk of cardioembolic stroke and a 1.32-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.03-1.71)
      increased risk of thrombotic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: aPWA is independently
      associated with ischemic stroke. This association seems to be stronger for
      cardioembolic strokes. Collectively, our findings suggest that alterations in
      atrial electric activation may predispose to cardiac thromboembolism independent
      of atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28626059
TI  - Electromechanical-Assisted Training for Walking After Stroke: A Major Update of
      the Evidence.

PMID- 28626060
TI  - Response by Golsari and Thomalla to Letter Regarding Article, "Silent Brain
      Infarctions and Leukoaraiosis in Patients With Retinal Ischemia: A Prospective
      Single-Center Observational Study".

PMID- 28626061
TI  - Intensive Blood Pressure Lowering in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

PMID- 28626062
TI  - Insights into the function of n-3 PUFAs in fat-1 transgenic cattle.
AB  - The n-3 PUFAs have many beneficial effects on human health, including roles in
      immunity, neurodevelopment, and preventing cardiovascular disease. In this study,
      we established reliable model fat-1 transgenic cattle using transgenic technology
      and performed a systematic investigation to examine the function of n-3 PUFAs.
      Our results showed that expression of the fat-1 gene improved several biochemical
      parameters related to liver function and to plasma glucose and plasma lipid
      metabolism. Results of global gene and plasma protein expression analysis showed
      that 310 genes and 13 plasma proteins differed significantly in the blood of fat
      1 transgenic cattle compared with WT cattle, reflecting their regulatory roles in
      the immune and cardiovascular systems. Finally, changes in the gut microflora
      were also noted in the fat-1 transgenic cattle, suggesting novel roles for n-3
      PUFAs in the metabolism of glucose and lipids, as well as anti-stress properties.
      To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report using multiple parallel
      analyses to investigate the role of n-3 PUFAs using models such as fat-1
      transgenic cattle. This study provides novel insights into the regulatory
      mechanism of fat-1 in the immune and cardiovascular systems, as well as its anti
      stress role.

PMID- 28626063
TI  - No fuzzy space for intracellular Na+ in healthy ventricular myocytes.

PMID- 28626064
TI  - Monitoring C3aR Expression Using a Floxed tdTomato-C3aR Reporter Knock-in Mouse.
AB  - C3a exerts multiple biologic functions through activation of its cognate C3a
      receptor. C3-/- and C3aR-/- mice have been instrumental in defining important
      roles of the C3a/C3aR axis in the regulation of acute and chronic inflammatory
      diseases, including ischemia/reperfusion injury, allergic asthma, autoimmune
      nephritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Surprisingly little is known about C3aR
      expression and function in immune and stromal cells. To close this gap, we
      generated a floxed tandem-dye Tomato (tdTomato)-C3aR reporter knock-in mouse,
      which we used to monitor C3aR expression in cells residing in the lung, airways,
      lamina propria (LP) of the small intestine, brain, visceral adipose tissue, bone
      marrow (BM), spleen, and the circulation. We found a strong expression of
      tdTomato-C3aR in the brain, lung, LP, and visceral adipose tissue, whereas it was
      minor in the spleen, blood, BM, and the airways. Most macrophage and eosinophil
      populations were tdTomato-C3aR+ Interestingly, most tissue eosinophils and some
      macrophage populations expressed C3aR intracellularly. BM-derived dendritic cells
      (DCs), lung-resident cluster of differentiation (CD) 11b+ conventional DCs (cDCs)
      and monocyte-derived DCs, LP CD103+, and CD11b+ cDCs but not pulmonary CD103+
      cDCs and splenic DCs were tdTomato-C3aR+ Surprisingly, neither BM, blood, lung
      neutrophils, nor mast cells expressed C3aR. Similarly, all lymphoid-derived cells
      were tdTomato-C3aR-, except some LP-derived type 3 innate lymphoid cells.
      Pulmonary and LP-derived epithelial cells expressed at best minor levels of C3aR.
      In summary, we provide novel insights into the expression pattern of C3aR in
      mice. The floxed C3aR knock-in mouse will help to reliably track and
      conditionally delete C3aR expression in experimental models of inflammation.

PMID- 28626065
TI  - Metabolic Reprogramming Commits Differentiation of Human CD27+IgD+ B Cells to
      Plasmablasts or CD27-IgD- Cells.
AB  - B cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as
      systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the relevance of the metabolic
      pathway in the differentiation of human B cell subsets remains unknown. In this
      article, we show that the combination of CpG/TLR9 and IFN-alpha markedly induced
      the differentiation of CD27+IgD+ unswitched memory B cells into CD27hiCD38hi
      plasmablasts. The response was accompanied by mammalian target of rapamycin
      complex 1 (mTORC1) activation and increased lactate production, indicating a
      shift to glycolysis. However, CpG alone induced the differentiation of unswitched
      memory B cells into CD27-IgD- memory B cells with high cytokine production, but
      such differentiation was suppressed by IFN-alpha. AMP-activated protein kinase
      activation enhanced the differentiation to CD27-IgD- B cells, but it attenuated
      mTORC1 activation and differentiation into plasmablasts. High mTORC1 activation
      was noted in CD19+ B cells of patients with SLE and correlated with plasmablast
      differentiation and disease activity. Taken together, differential metabolic
      reprogramming commits the differentiation of human unswitched memory B cells into
      plasmablasts (the combination of CpG and IFN-alpha amplifies mTORC1-glycolysis
      pathways) or CD27-IgD- memory B cells (CpG alone amplifies the AMP-activated
      protein kinase pathway). The former metabolic pathway may play a pivotal role in
      SLE.

PMID- 28626066
TI  - Cytoplasmic Form of Carlr lncRNA Facilitates Inflammatory Gene Expression upon NF
      kappaB Activation.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of
      inflammation. To further understand the interaction between inflammatory
      signaling pathways and lncRNAs, we characterized the function of cardiac and
      apoptosis-related lncRNA (Carlr), an lncRNA expressed in both mouse and human
      cells of diverse tissues. Carlr expression is increased following NF-kappaB
      signaling in macrophages, with concomitant translocation to, and enrichment of,
      the transcript in the cytoplasm. Knockdown of Carlr results in impaired
      expression of NF-kappaB pathway genes and influences the interaction between
      macrophages and intestinal cells in an inflammatory environment. In human celiac
      disease patient samples, increased levels of the Carlr transcript were detected
      in the cytoplasm, alongside elevated expression of NF-kappaB pathway genes. These
      findings suggest that increased Carlr expression and/or cytoplasmic localization
      is required for efficient NF-kappaB signaling and is associated with the inflamed
      tissue state observed in human celiac disease.

PMID- 28626067
TI  - The Impact of a Population-Based Screening Program on Income- and Immigration
      Related Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Screening.
AB  - Background: A population-based program promoting the Fecal Occult Blood Test
      (FOBT) for colorectal cancer screening was introduced in 2008 in Ontario, Canada,
      where opportunistic screening with colonoscopy had been increasing in frequency.
      We evaluated the impact of the program on income and immigration-related
      disparities in screening.Methods: We used linked administrative data to calculate
      colorectal cancer screening rates for eligible Ontarians in each year between
      2001/02 (n = 2,852,619) and 2013/14 (n = 4,139,304). We quantified disparities
      using an "inequality ratio" of screening rates in the most disadvantaged group
      relative to the most advantaged group. We performed segmented logistic regression
      analyses stratified by screening modality and adjusted for age, sex, rurality,
      comorbidity, and morbidity.Results: Between 2001/02 and 2013/14, the income and
      immigration inequality ratios narrowed from 0.74 to 0.80 and 0.55 to 0.69,
      respectively. Before the screening program, the income inequality ratio was
      widening by 1% per year (95% CI 1% to 1%); in the year it was introduced, it
      narrowed by 4% (95% CI 2% to 7%) and in the years following, it remained stable
      [0% decrease (95% CI 1% decrease to 0% decrease) per year]. Results were similar
      for immigration-related disparities. After program introduction, disparities in
      receiving FOBT were narrowing at a faster rate while disparities in receiving
      colonoscopy were widening at a slower rate.Conclusions: Introduction of a
      population-based screening program promoting FOBT for colorectal cancer was
      associated with only modest improvements in immigration and income-related
      disparities.Impact: Reducing immigration and income-related disparities should be
      a focus for future research and policy work. Disparities in Ontario seem to be
      driven by a higher uptake of colonoscopy among more advantaged groups. Cancer
      Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(9); 1401-10. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28626068
TI  - Colorectal Cancer Screening: How Health Gains and Cost-Effectiveness Vary by
      Ethnic Group, the Impact on Health Inequalities, and the Optimal Age Range to
      Screen.
AB  - Background: Screening programs consistently underserve indigenous populations
      despite a higher overall burden of cancer. In this study, we explore the likely
      health gains and cost-effectiveness of a national colorectal cancer screening
      program for the indigenous Maori population of New Zealand (NZ).Methods: A Markov
      model estimated: health benefits (quality-adjusted life-year; QALY), costs, and
      cost-effectiveness of biennial immunochemical fecal occult blood testing (FOBTi)
      of 50- to 74-year-olds from 2011. Input parameters came from literature reviews,
      the NZ Bowel Screening Programme Pilot, and NZ linked health datasets. Equity
      analyses substituted non-Maori values for Maori values of background
      (noncolorectal cancer) morbidity and mortality, colorectal cancer survival and
      incidence, screening coverage, and stage-specific survival. We measured the
      change in "quality-adjusted life expectancy" (QALE) as a result of the
      intervention.Results: Based upon a threshold of GDP per capita (NZ$45,000),
      colorectal cancer screening in NZ using FOBTi is cost-effective: NZ$2,930
      (US$1,970) per QALY gained [95% uncertainty interval: cost saving to $6,850
      (US$4,610)]. Modeled health gains per capita for Maori were less than for non
      Maori: half for 50- to 54-year-olds (0.031 QALYs per person for Maori vs. 0.058
      for non-Maori), and a fifth (0.003 c.f. 0.016) for 70- to 74-year-olds and ethnic
      inequalities in QALE increased with colorectal cancer screening.Conclusions:
      Colorectal cancer screening in NZ using FOBTi is likely to be cost-effective but
      risks increasing inequalities in health for Maori.Impact: To avoid or mitigate
      the generation of further health inequalities, attention should be given to
      underserved population groups when planning and implementing screening programs.
      Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(9); 1391-400. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28626069
TI  - How Many Deaths from Colorectal Cancer Can Be Prevented by 2030? A Scenario-Based
      Quantification of Risk Factor Modification, Screening, and Treatment in Norway.
AB  - Background: Colorectal cancer mortality can be reduced through risk factor
      modification (adherence to lifestyle recommendations), screening, and improved
      treatment. This study estimated the potential of these three strategies to modify
      colorectal cancer mortality rates in Norway.Methods: The potential reduction in
      colorectal cancer mortality due to risk factor modification was estimated using
      the software Prevent, assuming that 50% of the population in Norway-who do not
      adhere to the various recommendations concerning prevention of smoking, physical
      activity, body weight, and intake of alcohol, red/processed meat, and fiber
      started to follow the recommendations. The impact of screening was quantified
      assuming implementation of national flexible sigmoidoscopy screening with 50%
      attendance. The reduction in colorectal cancer mortality due to improved
      treatment was calculated assuming that 50% of the linear (positive) trend in
      colorectal cancer survival would continue to persist in future years.Results:
      Risk factor modification would decrease colorectal cancer mortality by 11%
      (corresponding to 227 prevented deaths: 142 men, 85 women) by 2030. Screening and
      improved treatment in Norway would reduce colorectal cancer mortality by 7% (149
      prevented deaths) and 12% (268 prevented deaths), respectively, by 2030. Overall,
      the combined effect of all three strategies would reduce colorectal cancer
      mortality by 27% (604 prevented deaths) by 2030.Conclusions: Risk factor
      modification, screening, and treatment all have considerable potential to reduce
      colorectal cancer mortality by 2030, with the largest potential reduction
      observed for improved treatment and risk factor modification.Impact: The
      estimation of these health impact measures provides useful information that can
      be applied in public health decision-making. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev;
      26(9); 1420-6. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28626070
TI  - Potential Susceptibility Loci Identified for Renal Cell Carcinoma by Targeting
      Obesity-Related Genes.
AB  - Background: Obesity is an established risk factor for renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
      Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of RCC have identified several
      susceptibility loci, additional variants might be missed due to the highly
      conservative selection.Methods: We conducted a multiphase study utilizing three
      independent genome-wide scans at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDA RCC GWAS and MDA
      RCC OncoArray) and National Cancer Institute (NCI RCC GWAS), which consisted of a
      total of 3,530 cases and 5,714 controls, to investigate genetic variations in
      obesity-related genes and RCC risk.Results: In the discovery phase, 32,946 SNPs
      located at +/-10 kb of 2,001 obesity-related genes were extracted from MDA RCC
      GWAS and analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Proxies (R2 > 0.8)
      were searched or imputation was performed if SNPs were not directly genotyped in
      the validation sets. Twenty-one SNPs with P < 0.05 in both MDA RCC GWAS and NCI
      RCC GWAS were subsequently evaluated in MDA RCC OncoArray. In the overall meta
      analysis, significant (P < 0.05) associations with RCC risk were observed for SNP
      mapping to IL1RAPL2 [rs10521506-G: ORmeta = 0.87 (0.81-0.93), Pmeta = 2.33 * 10
      5], PLIN2 [rs2229536-A: ORmeta = 0.87 (0.81-0.93), Pmeta = 2.33 * 10-5], SMAD3
      [rs4601989-A: ORmeta = 0.86 (0.80-0.93), Pmeta = 2.71 * 10-4], MED13L [rs10850596
      A: ORmeta = 1.14 (1.07-1.23), Pmeta = 1.50 * 10-4], and TSC1 [rs3761840-G: ORmeta
      = 0.90 (0.85-0.97), Pmeta = 2.47 * 10-3]. We did not observe any significant cis
      expression quantitative trait loci effect for these SNPs in the TCGA KIRC
      data.Conclusions: Taken together, we found that genetic variation of obesity
      related genes could influence RCC susceptibility.Impact: The five identified loci
      may provide new insights into disease etiology that reveal importance of obesity
      related genes in RCC development. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(9); 1436
      42. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28626071
TI  - NLRX1 dampens oxidative stress and apoptosis in tissue injury via control of
      mitochondrial activity.
AB  - Mitochondrial dysfunction is the most prominent source of oxidative stress in
      acute and chronic kidney disease. NLRX1 is a receptor of the innate immune system
      that is ubiquitously expressed and localized in mitochondria. We investigated
      whether NLRX1 may act at the interface of metabolism and innate immunity in a
      model of oxidative stress. Using a chimeric mouse model for renal ischemia
      reperfusion injury, we found that NLRX1 protects against mortality, mitochondrial
      damage, and epithelial cell apoptosis in an oxidative stress-dependent fashion.
      We found that NLRX1 regulates oxidative phosphorylation and cell integrity,
      whereas loss of NLRX1 results in increased oxygen consumption, oxidative stress,
      and subsequently apoptosis in epithelial cells during ischemia-reperfusion
      injury. In line, we found that NLRX1 expression in human kidneys decreased during
      acute renal ischemic injury and acute cellular rejection. Although first
      implicated in immune regulation, we propose that NLRX1 function extends to the
      control of mitochondrial activity and prevention of oxidative stress and
      apoptosis in tissue injury.

PMID- 28626072
TI  - 5-HT causes splanchnic venodilation.
AB  - Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] causes relaxation of the isolated superior
      mesenteric vein, a splanchnic blood vessel, through activation of the 5-HT7
      receptor. As part of studies designed to identify the mechanism(s) through which
      chronic (>=24 h) infusion of 5-HT lowers blood pressure, we tested the hypothesis
      that 5-HT causes in vitro and in vivo splanchnic venodilation that is 5-HT7
      receptor dependent. In tissue baths for measurement of isometric contraction, the
      portal vein and abdominal inferior vena cava relaxed to 5-HT and the 5-HT1/7
      receptor agonist 5-carboxamidotryptamine; relaxation was abolished by the 5-HT7
      receptor antagonist SB-269970. Western blot analyses showed that the abdominal
      inferior vena cava and portal vein express 5-HT7 receptor protein. In contrast,
      the thoracic vena cava, outside the splanchnic circulation, did not relax to
      serotonergic agonists and exhibited minimal expression of the 5-HT7 receptor.
      Male Sprague-Dawley rats with chronically implanted radiotelemetry transmitters
      underwent repeated ultrasound imaging of abdominal vessels. After baseline
      imaging, minipumps containing vehicle (saline) or 5-HT (25 MUg.kg-1.min-1) were
      implanted. Twenty-four hours later, venous diameters were increased in rats with
      5-HT-infusion (percent increase from baseline: superior mesenteric vein, 17.5 +/-
      1.9; portal vein, 17.7 +/- 1.8; and abdominal inferior vena cava, 46.9 +/- 8.0)
      while arterial pressure was decreased (~13 mmHg). Measures returned to baseline
      after infusion termination. In a separate group of animals, treatment with SB
      269970 (3 mg/kg iv) prevented the splanchnic venodilation and fall in blood
      pressure during 24 h of 5-HT infusion. Thus, 5-HT causes 5-HT7 receptor-dependent
      splanchnic venous dilation associated with a fall in blood pressure.NEW &
      NOTEWORTHY This research is noteworthy because it combines and links, through the
      5-HT7 receptor, an in vitro observation (venorelaxation) with in vivo events
      (venodilation and fall in blood pressure). This supports the idea that splanchnic
      venodilation plays a role in blood pressure regulation.

PMID- 28626074
TI  - A-type K+ channels contribute to the prorenin increase of firing activity in
      hypothalamic vasopressin neurosecretory neurons.
AB  - Recent studies have supported an important contribution of prorenin (PR) and its
      receptor (PRR) to the regulation of hypothalamic, sympathetic, and neurosecretory
      outflows to the cardiovascular system, including systemic release of vasopressin
      (VP), both under physiological and cardiovascular disease conditions. Still, the
      identification of precise cellular mechanisms and neuronal/molecular targets
      remain unknown. We have recently shown that PRR is expressed in VP neurons and
      that their activation increases neuronal activity. However, the underlying ionic
      channel mechanisms are undefined. Here, we performed patch-clamp
      electrophysiology from identified VP neurons in acute hypothalamic slices
      obtained from enhanced green fluorescent protein-VP transgenic rats. Voltage
      clamp recordings showed that PR inhibited the magnitude of A-type K+ current (IA;
      ~50% at -25 mV), a subthreshold voltage-dependent current that restrains VP
      firing activity. PR also increased the inactivation rate of IA and shifted the
      steady-state voltage-dependent inactivation function toward more hyperpolarized
      membrane potential (~7 mV shift), thus resulting in less channel availability to
      be activated at any given membrane potential. PR also inhibited a sustained
      component of IA ("window" current). PR-mediated changes in action potential
      waveform and increased firing activity were occluded when IA was blocked by 4
      aminopyridine. Finally, PR failed to increase superoxide production within the
      supraoptic nucleus/paraventricular nucleus, and PR excitatory effects persisted
      in slices treated with the SOD mimetic tempol. Taken together, these experiments
      indicated that PR excitatory effects on vasopressin neurons involve inhibition of
      IA, due, in part, to increases in its voltage-dependent inactivation properties.
      Moreover, our results indicate that PR effects did not involve an increase in
      oxidative stress.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Here, we demonstrate that prorenin/the prorenin
      receptor is an important signaling unit for the regulation of vasopressin firing
      activity and, thus, systemic hormonal release. We identified A-type K+ channels
      as key molecular targets mediating prorenin stimulation of vasopressin neuronal
      activity, thus standing as a potential therapeutic target for neurohumoral
      activation in cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28626073
TI  - Increased vascular and uteroplacental matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -7 levels
      and collagen type I deposition in hypertension in pregnancy: role of TNF-alpha.
AB  - Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related disorder manifested as maternal hypertension
      in pregnancy (HTN-Preg) and fetal growth restriction. Placental ischemia could be
      an initiating event that leads to abnormal vascular and uteroplacental remodeling
      in HTN-Preg; however, the molecular targets and intermediary mechanisms involved
      are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that placental ischemia could target
      vascular and uteroplacental matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) through an
      inflammatory cytokine-mediated mechanism. MMP levels and distribution were
      measured in the aorta, uterus, and placenta of normal pregnant (Preg) rats and
      pregnant rats with reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP). Maternal blood
      pressure was higher and the litter size and pup weight were lower in RUPP
      compared with Preg rats. Gelatin zymography showed prominent uterine MMP-2 and
      MMP-9 activity that was dependent on the amount of loaded protein. At saturating
      protein loading, both gelatin and casein zymography revealed two additional bands
      corresponding to MMP-1 and MMP-7 that were greater in the aorta, uterus, and
      placenta of RUPP compared with Preg rats. Western blots and immunohistochemistry
      confirmed increased MMP-1 and MMP-7 in the aorta, uterus, and placenta of RUPP
      versus Preg rats. The levels of MMP-1 and MMP-7 substrate collagen type I were
      greater in tissues of RUPP compared with Preg rats. In organ culture, TNF-alpha
      increased MMP-1 and MMP-7 in the aorta, uterus, and placenta of Preg rats, and a
      TNF-alpha antagonist prevented the increases in MMPs in tissues of RUPP rats.
      Thus, placental ischemia, possibly through TNF-alpha, increases vascular and
      uteroplacental MMP-1 and MMP-7, which, in turn, alter collagen deposition and
      cause inadequate tissue remodeling in HTN-Preg. Cytokine antagonists may reverse
      the increase in MMP-1 and MMP-7 expression/activity and, in turn, restore proper
      vascular and uteroplacental remodeling in HTN-Preg and preeclampsia.NEW &
      NOTEWORTHY The molecular mechanisms of preeclampsia are unclear, making it
      difficult to predict, prevent, or manage the pregnancy-associated disorder. This
      study showed that placental ischemia, possibly through the release of TNF-alpha,
      causes increases in the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-7,
      which could alter collagen deposition and cause inadequate uteroplacental and
      vascular remodeling in hypertension in pregnancy. The data suggest that targeting
      MMP-1 and MMP-7 and their upstream modulators, such as TNF-alpha, could provide a
      new approach in the management of hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia.

PMID- 28626077
TI  - Radiation-induced HFpEF model as a potential tool for the exploration of novel
      therapeutic targets.

PMID- 28626076
TI  - Cardiac fibroblast transcriptome analyses support a role for interferogenic,
      profibrotic, and inflammatory genes in anti-SSA/Ro-associated congenital heart
      block.
AB  - The signature lesion of SSA/Ro autoantibody-associated congenital heart block
      (CHB) is fibrosis and a macrophage infiltrate, supporting an experimental focus
      on cues influencing the fibroblast component. The transcriptomes of human fetal
      cardiac fibroblasts were analyzed using two complementary approaches. Cardiac
      injury conditions were simulated in vitro by incubating human fetal cardiac
      fibroblasts with supernatants from macrophages transfected with the SSA/Ro
      associated noncoding Y ssRNA. The top 10 upregulated transcripts in the
      stimulated fibroblasts reflected a type I interferon (IFN) response [e.g., IFN
      induced protein 44-like (IFI44L), of MX dynamin-like GTPase (MX)1, MX2, and
      radical S-adenosyl methionine domain containing 2 (Rsad2)]. Within the fibrotic
      pathway, transcript levels of endothelin-1 (EDN1), phosphodiesterase (PDE)4D,
      chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL)2, and CXCL3 were upregulated, while others,
      including adenomedullin, RAP guanine nucleotide exchange factor 3 (RAPGEF3),
      tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)1, TIMP3, and dual specificity
      phosphatase 1, were downregulated. Agnostic Database for Annotation,
      Visualization and Integrated Discovery analysis revealed a significant increase
      in inflammatory genes, including complement C3A receptor 1 (C3AR1), F2R-like
      thrombin/trypsin receptor 3, and neutrophil cytosolic factor 2. In addition,
      stimulated fibroblasts expressed high levels of phospho-MADS box transcription
      enhancer factor 2 [a substrate of MAPK5 (ERK5)], which was inhibited by BIX
      02189, a specific inhibitor of ERK5. Translation to human disease leveraged an
      unprecedented opportunity to interrogate the transcriptome of fibroblasts freshly
      isolated and cell sorted without stimulation from a fetal heart with CHB and a
      matched healthy heart. Consistent with the in vitro data, five IFN response genes
      were among the top 10 most highly expressed transcripts in CHB fibroblasts. In
      addition, the expression of matrix-related genes reflected fibrosis. These data
      support the novel finding that cardiac injury in CHB may occur secondary to
      abnormal remodeling due in part to upregulation of type 1 IFN response genes.NEW
      & NOTEWORTHY Congenital heart block is a rare disease of the fetal heart
      associated with maternal anti-Ro autoantibodies which can result in death and for
      survivors, lifelong pacing. This study provides in vivo and in vitro
      transcriptome-support that injury may be mediated by an effect of Type I
      Interferon on fetal fibroblasts.

PMID- 28626078
TI  - State-space representation of the extended Guyton's model.

PMID- 28626079
TI  - The PRKAG2 gene and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: an energetically imbalanced
      relationship.

PMID- 28626080
TI  - Cyp2c44-mediated decrease of 15-HETE exacerbates pulmonary hypertension.

PMID- 28626075
TI  - Sex differences in vascular physiology and pathophysiology: estrogen and androgen
      signaling in health and disease.
AB  - Sex differences between women and men are often overlooked and underappreciated
      when studying the cardiovascular system. It has been long assumed that men and
      women are physiologically similar, and this notion has resulted in women being
      clinically evaluated and treated for cardiovascular pathophysiological
      complications as men. Currently, there is increased recognition of fundamental
      sex differences in cardiovascular function, anatomy, cell signaling, and
      pathophysiology. The National Institutes of Health have enacted guidelines
      expressly to gain knowledge about ways the sexes differ in both normal function
      and diseases at the various research levels (molecular, cellular, tissue, and
      organ system). Greater understanding of these sex differences will be used to
      steer future directions in the biomedical sciences and translational and clinical
      research. This review describes sex-based differences in the physiology and
      pathophysiology of the vasculature, with a special emphasis on sex steroid
      receptor (estrogen and androgen receptor) signaling and their potential impact on
      vascular function in health and diseases (e.g., atherosclerosis, hypertension,
      peripheral artery disease, abdominal aortic aneurysms, cerebral aneurysms, and
      stroke).

PMID- 28626081
TI  - Why publish in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory
      Physiology?

PMID- 28626082
TI  - Significant role of the cardiopostural interaction in blood pressure regulation
      during standing.
AB  - Cardiovascular and postural control systems have been studied independently
      despite the increasing evidence showing the importance of cardiopostural
      interaction in blood pressure regulation. In this study, we aimed to assess the
      role of the cardiopostural interaction in relation to cardiac baroreflex in blood
      pressure regulation under orthostatic stress before and after mild exercise.
      Physiological variables representing cardiovascular control (heart rate and
      systolic blood pressure), lower limb muscle activation (electromyography), and
      postural sway (center of pressure derived from force and moment data during sway)
      were measured from 17 healthy participants (25 +/- 2 yr, 9 men and 8 women)
      during a sit-to-stand test before and after submaximal exercise. The
      cardiopostural control (characterized by baroreflex-mediated muscle-pump effect
      in response to blood pressure changes, i.e., muscle-pump baroreflex) was assessed
      using wavelet transform coherence and causality analyses in relation to the
      baroreflex control of heart rate. Significant cardiopostural blood pressure
      control was evident counting for almost half of the interaction time with blood
      pressure changes that observed in the cardiac baroreflex (36.6-72.5% preexercise
      and 34.7-53.9% postexercise). Thus, cardiopostural input to blood pressure
      regulation should be considered when investigating orthostatic intolerance. A
      reduction of both cardiac and muscle-pump baroreflexes in blood pressure
      regulation was observed postexercise and was likely due to the absence of
      excessive venous pooling and a less stressed system after mild exercise. With
      further studies using more effective protocols evoking venous pooling and muscle
      pump activity, the cardiopostural interaction could improve our understanding of
      the autonomic control system and ultimately lead to a more accurate diagnosis of
      cardiopostural dysfunctions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We examined the interaction between
      cardiovascular and postural control systems during standing before and after mild
      exercise. Significant cardiopostural input to blood pressure regulation was
      shown, suggesting the importance of cardiopostural integration when investigating
      orthostatic hypotension. In addition, we observed a reduction of baroreflex
      mediated blood pressure regulation after exercise.

PMID- 28626083
TI  - Cellular and disease functions of the Prader-Willi Syndrome gene MAGEL2.
AB  - Melanoma antigen L2 (MAGEL2 or MAGE-L2) is a member of the MAGE family of
      ubiquitin ligase regulators. It is maternally imprinted and often paternally
      deleted or mutated in the related neurodevelopmental syndromes, Prader-Willi
      Syndrome (PWS) and Schaaf-Yang Syndrome (SHFYNG). MAGEL2 is highly expressed in
      the hypothalamus and plays an important role in a fundamental cellular process
      that recycles membrane proteins from endosomes through the retromer sorting
      pathway. MAGEL2 is part of a multi-subunit protein complex consisting of MAGEL2,
      the TRIM27 E3 ubiquitin ligase, and the USP7 deubiquitinating enzyme. The MAGEL2
      USP7-TRIM27 (or MUST) complex facilitates the retromer recycling pathway through
      ubiquitination and activation of the WASH actin nucleation promoting factor. This
      review provides an overview of the MAGE protein family of ubiquitin ligases
      regulators and details the molecular and cellular role of MAGEL2 in
      ubiquitination, actin regulation and endosomal sorting processes, as well as
      MAGEL2 implications in PWS and SHFYNG disorders. The physiological functions of
      MAGEL2, elucidated through the study of Magel2 knockout mouse models, are also
      discussed.

PMID- 28626084
TI  - Optimization of RAS/BRAF Mutational Analysis Confirms Improvement in Patient
      Selection for Clinical Benefit to Anti-EGFR Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal
      Cancer.
AB  - In metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), recent studies have shown the importance
      to accurately quantify low-abundance mutations of the RAS pathway because anti
      EGFR therapy may depend on certain mutation thresholds. We aimed to evaluate the
      added predictive value of an extended RAS panel testing using two commercial
      assays and a highly sensitive and quantitative digital PCR (dPCR). Tumor samples
      from 583 mCRC patients treated with anti-EGFR- (n = 255) or bevacizumab- (n =
      328) based therapies from several clinical trials and retrospective series from
      the TTD/RTICC Spanish network were analyzed by cobas, therascreen, and dPCR. We
      evaluated concordance between techniques using the Cohen kappa index. Response
      rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were correlated
      to the mutational status and the mutant allele fraction (MAF). Concordance
      between techniques was high when analyzing RAS and BRAF (Cohen kappa index around
      0.75). We observed an inverse correlation between MAF and response in the anti
      EGFR cohort (P < 0.001). Likelihood ratio analysis showed that a fraction of 1%
      or higher of any mutated alleles offered the best predictive value. PFS and OS
      were significantly longer in RAS/BRAF wild-type patients, independently of the
      technique. However, the predictability of both PFS and OS were higher when we
      considered a threshold of 1% in the RAS scenario (HR = 1.53; CI 95%, 1.12-2.09
      for PFS, and HR = 1.9; CI 95%, 1.33-2.72 for OS). Although the rate of mutations
      observed among techniques is different, RAS and BRAF mutational analysis improved
      prediction of response to anti-EGFR therapy. Additionally, dPCR with a threshold
      of 1% outperformed the other platforms. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1999-2007.
      (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28626085
TI  - Diabetes insipidus is an unfavorable prognostic factor for response to
      glucocorticoids in patients with autoimmune hypophysitis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Autoimmune hypophysitis (AH) has a variable clinical presentation
      and natural history; likewise, its response to glucocorticoid therapy is often
      unpredictable. OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical and radiological findings
      associated with response to glucocorticoids. DESIGN AND METHODS: 12 consecutive
      patients with AH, evaluated from 2008 to 2016. AH was the exclusion diagnosis
      after ruling out other pituitary masses and secondary causes of hypophysitis.
      Mean follow-up time was 30 +/- 27 months (range 12-96 months). RESULTS: MRI
      identified two main patterns of presentation: global enlargement of the pituitary
      gland or panhypophysitis (n = 4, PH), and pituitary stalk abnormality only, or
      infundibulo-neuro-hypophysitis (n = 8, INH). Multiple tropin defects were more
      common in PH (100%) than those in INH (28% P = 0.014), whereas diabetes insipidus
      was more common in INH (100%) than that in PH (50%; P = 0.028). All 4 PH and 4
      out of 8 INH were treated with glucocorticoids. Pituitary volume significantly
      reduced in all PH patients (P = 0.012), defective anterior pituitary function
      recovered only in the two patients without diabetes insipidus (50%) and
      panhypopituitarism persisted, along with diabetes insipidus, in the remaining 2
      (50%). In all INH patients, either treated or untreated, pituitary stalk diameter
      reduced (P = 0.008) but diabetes insipidus persisted in all. CONCLUSIONS:
      Glucocorticoid therapy may improve anterior pituitary function in a subset of
      patients but has no effect on restoring posterior pituitary function. Diabetes
      insipidus appears as a negative prognostic factor for response to
      glucocorticoids.

PMID- 28626086
TI  - Nursing skill mix in European hospitals: cross-sectional study of the association
      with mortality, patient ratings, and quality of care.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of hospital nursing skill mix with
      patient mortality, patient ratings of their care and indicators of quality of
      care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional patient discharge data, hospital characteristics
      and nurse and patient survey data were merged and analysed using generalised
      estimating equations (GEE) and logistic regression models. SETTING: Adult acute
      care hospitals in Belgium, England, Finland, Ireland, Spain and Switzerland.
      PARTICIPANTS: Survey data were collected from 13 077 nurses in 243 hospitals, and
      18 828 patients in 182 of the same hospitals in the six countries. Discharge data
      were obtained for 275 519 surgical patients in 188 of these hospitals. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient mortality, patient ratings of care, care quality,
      patient safety, adverse events and nurse burnout and job dissatisfaction.
      RESULTS: Richer nurse skill mix (eg, every 10-point increase in the percentage of
      professional nurses among all nursing personnel) was associated with lower odds
      of mortality (OR=0.89), lower odds of low hospital ratings from patients
      (OR=0.90) and lower odds of reports of poor quality (OR=0.89), poor safety grades
      (OR=0.85) and other poor outcomes (0.80<OR<0.93), after adjusting for patient and
      hospital factors. Each 10 percentage point reduction in the proportion of
      professional nurses is associated with an 11% increase in the odds of death. In
      our hospital sample, there were an average of six caregivers for every 25
      patients, four of whom were professional nurses. Substituting one nurse assistant
      for a professional nurse for every 25 patients is associated with a 21% increase
      in the odds of dying. CONCLUSIONS: A bedside care workforce with a greater
      proportion of professional nurses is associated with better outcomes for patients
      and nurses. Reducing nursing skill mix by adding nursing associates and other
      categories of assistive nursing personnel without professional nurse
      qualifications may contribute to preventable deaths, erode quality and safety of
      hospital care and contribute to hospital nurse shortages.

PMID- 28626087
TI  - Effect of Obesity and Underweight Status on Perioperative Outcomes of Congenital
      Heart Operations in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults: An Analysis of Data
      From the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extreme body mass index (BMI; either very high or very low) has been
      associated with increased risk of adverse perioperative outcome in adults
      undergoing cardiac surgery. The effect of BMI on perioperative outcomes in
      congenital heart disease patients has not been evaluated. METHODS: A multicenter
      retrospective cohort study was performed studying patients 10 to 35 years of age
      undergoing a congenital heart disease operation in the Society of Thoracic
      Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database between January 1, 2010, and December
      31, 2015. The primary outcomes were operative mortality and a composite outcome
      (1 or more of operative mortality, major adverse event, prolonged hospital length
      of stay, and wound infection/dehiscence). The associations between age- and sex
      adjusted BMI percentiles and these outcomes were assessed, with adjustment for
      patient-level risk factors, with multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 18
      337 patients (118 centers), 16% were obese, 15% were overweight, 53% were normal
      weight, 7% were underweight, and 9% were severely underweight. Observed risks of
      operative mortality (P=0.04) and composite outcome (P<0.0001) were higher in
      severely underweight and obese subjects. Severely underweight BMI was associated
      with increased unplanned cardiac operation and reoperation for bleeding. Obesity
      was associated with increased risk of wound infection. In multivariable analysis,
      the association between BMI and operative mortality was no longer significant.
      Obese (odds ratio, 1.28; P=0.008), severely underweight (odds ratio, 1.29;
      P<0.0001), and underweight (odds ratio, 1.39; P=0.002) subjects were associated
      with increased risk of composite outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and underweight
      BMI were associated with increased risk of composite adverse outcome
      independently of other risk factors. Further research is necessary to determine
      whether BMI represents a modifiable risk factor for perioperative outcome.

PMID- 28626091
TI  - [Effect of SLC7A5 on the proliferation of tumor cells and its relationship with
      transforming growth factor-beta1 ?signal pathway].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the biological effects of amino acid transporter gene
      SLC7A5 (solute carrier family 7, member 5) on tumor cells and the regulatory
      mechanism at transcriptional level.? Methods: The expression of SLC7A5 was
      examined in human normal tissues and corresponding tumor tissues by Gene
      Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The recombinant plasmid of SLC7A5 gene was
      constructed, and the effect of the SLC7A5 gene on tumor cell proliferation was
      investigated by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow
      cytometry. SLC7A5 gene promoter and transcription factor binding sites were
      predicted through bioinformatics analysis, and the gene promoter recombinant
      plasmid was constructed. Then the dual luciferase reporter gene assay and reverse
      transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to explore the
      regulation of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) signal on SLC7A5 gene
      expression.? Results: The GEO database analysis showed that the distribution of
      SLC7A5 was tissue specific, and its expression level was significantly higher in
      the tumor tissues than that in the corresponding normal tissues. The results of
      MTT and flow cytometry showed that SLC7A5 could promote cell proliferation.
      Results from the promoter analysis, reporter gene assay and RT-PCR confirmed that
      TGF-beta1 could up-regulate the activity of SLC7A5 promoter and promote the
      expression of the SLC7A5 gene.? Conclusion: SLC7A5 gene plays a role in promoting
      tumor development, which is regulated by the TGF-beta1 signaling pathway.

PMID- 28626088
TI  - Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
      Mellitus: International Insights From the TECOS Trial (Trial Evaluating
      Cardiovascular Outcomes With Sitagliptin).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intensive risk factor modification significantly improves outcomes
      for patients with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. However, the
      degree to which secondary prevention treatment goals are achieved in
      international clinical practice is unknown. METHODS: Attainment of 5 secondary
      prevention parameters-aspirin use, lipid control (low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol <70 mg/dL or statin therapy), blood pressure control (<140 mm Hg
      systolic, <90 mm Hg diastolic), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or
      angiotensin receptor blocker use, and nonsmoking status-was evaluated among 13
      616 patients from 38 countries with diabetes mellitus and known cardiovascular
      disease at entry into TECOS (Trial Evaluating Cardiovascular Outcomes With
      Sitagliptin). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between
      individual and regional factors and secondary prevention achievement at baseline.
      Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to determine the
      association between baseline secondary prevention achievement and cardiovascular
      death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. RESULTS: Overall, 29.9% of patients with
      diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease achieved all 5 secondary prevention
      parameters at baseline, although 71.8% achieved at least 4 parameters. North
      America had the highest proportion (41.2%), whereas Western Europe, Eastern
      Europe, and Latin America had proportions of ~25%. Individually, blood pressure
      control (57.9%) had the lowest overall attainment, whereas nonsmoking status had
      the highest (89%). Over a median 3.0 years of follow-up, a higher baseline
      secondary prevention score was associated with improved outcomes in a step-wise
      graded relationship (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.47
      0.77 for those patients achieving all 5 measures versus those achieving <=2).
      CONCLUSIONS: In an international trial population, significant opportunities
      exist to improve the quality of cardiovascular secondary prevention care among
      patients with diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, which in turn could
      lead to reduced risk of downstream cardiovascular events. CLINICAL TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00790205.

PMID- 28626092
TI  - [p53 gene mutations of familial breast cancer and early-onset breast cancer in
      part population of southern China].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the site and characteristic of p53 gene mutations in
      familial or early-onset breast cancer patients in part population of southern
      China.? Methods: A total of 150 patients with familial and early-onset breast
      cancer in parts population of southern China were enrolled. Genomic DNA was
      isolated from each peripheral blood sample, and the entire coding sequence and
      exon and intron splicing region of p53 gene were amplificated by PCR in the 150
      patients. The mutation analysis were detected by denaturing high performance
      liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and confirmed by DNA sequence analysis.? Results:
      In the 150 patients with familial and early-onset breast cancer, 6 mutations
      including one novel pathogenic mutation 869_888 ins20 (insert mutation) and 5
      previously reported pathogenic mutations (deletion mutation 643_660del18 and 4
      missense mutation 91G>A, 215C>G, 537T>G, 743G>A) were identified in p53 gene
      encoding region in 9 patients of breast cancer. Moreover, one same sense mutation
      141G>A in exon 4, one 16 bases deletion in intron 3, and 9 single nucleotide
      polymorphisms in p53 gene introns were also identified. The total mutation
      frequency of p53 gene in 150 patients with familial breast cancer and early-onset
      breast cancer from part population of southern China was 6.00%, and the mutation
      frequency of familial breast cancer and early-onset breast cancer was 6.81% and
      6.25%, respectively.? Conclusion: The total mutation frequency of p53 gene in 150
      patients with familial breast cancer and early-onset breast cancer from
      partpopulation of southern China is higher than the frequency previously
      reported. The pathogenicity of the novel mutations (insert mutation) 869_888ins20
      will be confirmed by function analysis in the future study. The deletion mutation
      643_660del18 enriches the p53 gene mutation database among Chinese population,
      which is probably the specific mutation of breast cancer in Chinese population.

PMID- 28626093
TI  - [Expression of regulatory factor R-spondin family in ?Wnt signaling pathway in
      colorectal cancer and ?its clinical significance].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of R-spondin family in colorectal cancer
      tissues and adjacent tissues, and to evaluate its relationship with clinic
      pathological stage.? Methods: A total of 64 samples of colorectal cancer tissues
      and adjacent tissues were collected from the patients, who received radical
      surgery in Xiangya Hospital, Central South University between January 2014 and
      August 2014. The mRNA and protein expression levels of R-spondin 1-4 and beta
      catenin in the colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were detected by
      qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The relationship between the expression level
      of R-spondin 1-4 and the clinic-pathological factors were analyzed to explore the
      correlation between the expression level of R-spondin 1-4 and beta-catenin in
      colorectal cancer.? Results: Compared with the adjacent tissues, the mRNA and
      protein expression levels of R-spondin 1 were elevated in the colorectal cancer
      tissues (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of R-spondin 2-4 were
      increased in the colorectal cancer tissues than those in the normal tissues
      (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the colorectal cancer
      tissues and adjacent tissues (P>0.05). The expression level of R-spondin 1 was
      positively correlated with the nuclear expression of beta-catenin in the
      colorectal cancer tissues (r=0.6307, P<0.05).? Conclusion: Compared with the
      adjacent tissues, the mRNA and protein expression levels of R-spondin 1 are
      significantly elevated in the colorectal cancer tissues. R-spondin 1 may play a
      role in promoting carcinogenesis by regulating the activity of beta-catenin in
      the downstream of Wnt signaling pathway.

PMID- 28626094
TI  - [Effect of trehalose on survival rate for ?fat cells after cryopreservation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore effects of trehalose as a cryopreserve agent on survival
      rate of fatty tissue after cryopreservation.? Methods: The liposuction was used
      on the abdomen of adult female. After centrifugation and purification, adipose
      was randomized into the following three groups, the trehalose group, the fetal
      bovine serum (FBS)+10%DMSO group and the physiological saline group. The
      specimens were cryopreserved at -196 C for 3 months and then the HE staining,
      glucose transfer method and CK method were used to detect the cell survival rate
      in each group.? Results: The activity of adipose in the trehalose group and
      FBS+10%DMSO group adipose was higher than that in the physiological saline group
      (P<0.05); while there was no significant difference between the trehalose group
      and FBS+10%DMSO group (P>0.05).? Conclusion: As cryoprotectant, trehalose could
      keep fat cell viability, and adipose tissue can be used for clinical
      transplantation after 3 months' freezing.

PMID- 28626095
TI  - [Role of the autophagy in the treatment of neuropathic pain with pulsed
      radiofrequency].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To detect the effect of pulse radiofrequency (PRF) treatment on the
      neuropathic pain established by L5-spinal nerve ligation (SNL) on rats, and to
      investigate if PRF treatment would affect the expression of autophagy related
      protein LC3 and autophagy related receptor P62 at the dorsal horn.? Methods: A
      total of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a Sham
      group, a SNL group, and a SNL+PRF group. The 50% paw withdrawal mechanical
      threshold (PWMT) was detected at 1 day before and 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days post
      operation by using Von-Frey filaments. The autophagy related protein LC3 and
      autophagy related receptor P62 were investigated by Western blot.? Results:
      Compared with the Sham group, the PWMT significantly decreased in the SNL group
      at each time points (P<0.05); in SNL+PRF group, PRF treatment could elevate the
      PWMT at the 1st day post-operation and lasted for 28 days (P<0.05). What's more,
      SNL could elevate the LC3-II and P62 levels at the 7th day post-operation
      (P<0.05), which were decreased by the PRF treatment (P<0.05).? Conclusion: PRF
      treatment could improve SNL-induced the neuropathic pain, which might be partly
      due to the regulatory effects on the autophagy levels at the spinal dorsal horn.

PMID- 28626096
TI  - [Analgesic effect of buccal acupuncture on acute arthritis in rabbits and
      underlying mechanisms].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the analgesic effect of acupuncture and to explore its
      central analgesic mechanism in rheumatoid arthritis rabbits.? Methods: A total of
      60 flap-eared white rabbits were randomly assigned into a normal control group
      (n=6), a model group (n=6), a body-acupuncture group (n=24), and a buccal
      acupuncture group (n=24). The later 2 groups were further randomly assigned into
      0, 0.5, 1, and 2 h subgroups, with 6 cases in each group. The rheumatoid
      arthritis model was established by induction of egg-albumin. In the body
      acupuncture group, bilateral "Xiyan" and "Zusanli" were punctured for 15 s while
      in the buccal acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to "Xi" for 15 s, with
      the needle retaining for 30 min. The pain threshold was detected with PL-200,
      taking struggle movements of rabbits as a measurement index, response latency
      from irradiation to struggling movements as the rabbit's pain threshold. The
      contents of beta-endorplhin (beta-EP) and cholecystokinin-8 (CCK-8) in
      cerebrospinal fluid were examined by radioimmunoassay.? Results: Compared with
      the control group, pain threshold and CCK-8 levels decreased significantly
      (P<0.01) and the concentration of beta-EP significantly increased (P<0.05) in the
      model group. The pain threshold in the body-acupuncture group and the buccal
      acupuncture group at 0 and ?1 h (P<0.05 or P<0.01) increased significantly, while
      the beta-EP and CCK-8 contents in the body-acupuncture group and the buccal
      acupuncture group were significantly higher than those in the model group (P<0.01
      or P<0.05). Both beta-EP and CCK-8 contents in the buccal acupuncture group at 0
      h were significantly higher than those in the body-acupuncture group (P<0.05).?
      Conclusion: The analgesic effect of buccal acupuncture is superior to that of
      body-acupuncture. Both buccal acupuncture and body-acupuncture can effectively
      raise the pain threshold in acute arthritis rabbits, which is closely associated
      with their effects in the up-regulation of beta-EP and CCK-8 contents in
      cerebrospinal fluid.

PMID- 28626097
TI  - [Visceral sensitivity, gut barrier function and autonomic nerve function in
      patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate visceral sensitivity, gut barrier function and autonomic
      nerve function (ANF) in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel
      syndrome (IBS-D), and to explore their roles in IBS-D pathophysiology.? Methods:
      A total of 46 IBS-D patients (IBS-D group) were selected from the Department of
      Gastroenterology of China-Japan Friendship Hospital from October 2015 to March
      2016, and 20 healthy volunteer were served as a control group (HC group).
      Clinical and psychological symptoms were evaluated by questionnaire, and visceral
      sensitivity to rectal balloon distention, gut barrier function and autonomic
      nerve function (ANF) were examined. The difference in the above-mentioned indexes
      were compared between the 2 groups, and the correlations in the parameters were
      analyzed in the IBS-D group.? Results: The scores of IBS symptom severity scale
      (IBS-SSS), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and
      visceral sensitivity index (VSI) were significantly higher in the IBS-D group
      than those in the HC group (P<0.01). In the visceral sensitivity test, maximum
      tolerable threshold in the IBS-D group was significantly decreased compared to
      that in the HC group (P<0.01); there was no significant difference in first
      sensation threshold and defecating sensation threshold between the two groups
      (P>0.05). As gut barrier function markers, the serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and d
      lactate were significantly increased in the IBS-D group (P<0.05). In ANF test,
      the total score and parasympathetic score as well as the proportion of abnormal
      scores in the IBS-D group were significantly higher than those in the HC group
      (P<0.05). In IBS-D group, the HAMA, VSI and serum DAO were positively correlated
      with IBS-SSS (r=0.528, 0.575, 0.507; P<0.01), while the 3 visceral sensitivity
      thresholds were negatively correlated with IBS-SSS (r=?-0.636, -0.476, -0.697;
      P<0.01); in addition to the IBS-SSS, the HAMA, HAMD, VSI and serum DAO were also
      significant negatively correlated with the visceral sensitivity thresholds (all
      P<0.05); no significant correlations were found between the ANF and the other
      parameters.? Conclusion: IBS-D patients show psychological symptoms, visceral
      hypersensitivity, impaired gut barrier function and abnormal ANF characterized by
      parasympathetic dysfunction; the former 3 factors are all associated with disease
      severity, and thus may play vital roles in IBS-D pathophysiology.

PMID- 28626098
TI  - [Association between glycosylated hemoglobin and ?non-alcoholic fatty liver
      disease in ?health examination population].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)
      levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in population who underwent
      periodic heath examination.? Methods: A total of 912 subjects were selected from
      the health examination adults in University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital from
      June to November 2013, and they were assigned into a NAFLD group, an else hepatic
      disease group, and a control group. The physical examination results of these
      subjects were analyzed retrospectively. ? Results: The prevalence of NAFLD was
      29.7%. The related factors such as age, body mass index, and the levels of
      systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol,
      triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, HbA1c and
      alanine aminotransferase in the NAFLD group were higher than those in the else
      hepatic disease group and the control group (P<0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase
      levels in the NAFLD group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).
      High density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the NAFLD group were lower than
      those in the else hepatic disease group and the control group (P<0.05). According
      to the quartile of HbA1c level, these subjects were divided into 4 groups, Q1,
      Q2, Q3, and Q4, and the prevalence of NAFLD in the Q1,Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 17.5%,
      21.5%, 31%, and 59.4%, respectively. The prevalence of NAFLD increased along with
      the increase in the level of HbA1c (chi2=100.092, P<0.05). Logistic regression
      analysis showed that the risk factor for NAFLD was increased in the subjects of
      Q4 as compared with the subjects of Q1 after adjusting for the related factors
      including age, gender, body mass index, etc.? Conclusion: There is a positive
      correlation between the prevalence of NAFLD and HbA1c level, and the risk of
      NAFLD increases with the elevating level of HbA1c. High HbA1c level is an
      independent risk factor for NAFLD. Thus it should be listed as a routine medical
      test in the health examination.

PMID- 28626099
TI  - [A cross-sectional study on the correlation between MRI signal for IPFP and knee
      osteoarthritis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between MRI signal for infrapatellar
      fat pad (IPFP) and pathological changes in knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and to
      analyze the role of IPFP in the development of knee osteoarthritis.? Methods: A
      total of 114 subjects (without special knee disease) were enrolled for this
      study. The intensity of MRI signal for IPFP was determined by fat-suppressed
      proton-density-weighted turbospin-echo magnetic resonance imaging. Based on the
      cartilage defects and osteophytes of knee joint, the subjects were divided into a
      KOA group and a control group. The difference of MRI signal for IPFP between two
      groups was analyzed.? Results: After excluding the potential confounders of age,
      gender and BMI, the intensity of MRI signal for IPFP was positively correlated
      with defections in patellar, medial femur, lateral tibial or knee joint (OR 1.333
      to 2.168, P 0.006 to 0.023); the intensity of MRI signal for IPFP was also
      positively correlated with osteophytes in patellar, medial femur, lateral tibial
      or knee joint (OR 1.309 to1.781, P 0.004 to 0.046); the intensity of MRI signal
      for IPFP in the KOA group was significantly higher than that in the control group
      (P=0.028).? Conclusion: The increase in the density of MRI signal for IPFP is an
      imaging manifestation for knee degeneration. IPFP inflammation and endocrine
      abnormalities may play an important role in KOA.

PMID- 28626100
TI  - [Neuronavigator-assisted microsurgical resection of glioma located in cerebral
      functional areas].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate value of neuronavigator-assisted microsurgery of glioma
      located in cerebral functional areas.? Methods: Patients with glioma located in
      cerebral functional areas were underwent operation in Xiangya Hospital. Of 64
      patients, 34 patients were performed neuronavigator-assisted microsurgery, and 30
      were underwent routine surgical operation.? Results: The neuronavigator-assisted
      microsurgery group showed high complete resection rate with low neurological
      deficit and cerebral edema compared with the routine surgical group (P<0.05).?
      Conclusion: Neuronavigator-assisted microsurgery is effective and characterized
      by accurate location, personalized operative incision design, and higher rate of
      tumor resection.

PMID- 28626101
TI  - [Comparison of short-term outcomes between minimally invasive McKeown
      esophagectomy and Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal cancer].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To summarize the outcomes of 74 patients with minimally invasive
      McKeown esophagectomy (MIE-McKeown), and to discuss the short-term outcomes by
      comparing with Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (ILE) procedure.? Methods: A total of 74
      patients with esophageal carcinoma underwent MIE-McKeown in Xiangya Hospital from
      November 2014 to July 2016 were retrospectively reviewed, and 85 patients
      underwent ILE procedure were selected as a control group. Perioperative and short
      term outcomes were analyzed.? Results: Compared with the ILE group, patients
      underwent MIE-McKeown had less blood loss, less pulmonary infection, longer
      resection length and more harvested lymph nodes (P<0.05), but they had more
      anastomotic leakage and stricture rate, longer operation time and hospital stay
      as well (P<0.05). The total rate of lymph node metastatic in all patients was
      52.8%, and the rate of cervical lymph node metastases was 9.5% in the MIE-McKeown
      group. Multiple carcinomas were found in 16 cases, and 7 were proximally located.
      The distance from the distal margin of the second lesion to the center of the
      main lesion was 20-85 (50.7+/-23.0) mm, while the distance in 9 second carcinomas
      distally located was 30-90 (57.8+/-20.5) mm.? Conclusion: Compared with Ivor
      Lewis esophagectomy procedure, MIE-McKeown procedure has a more complete lesion
      dissection and more harvested lymph nodes with smaller incisions, better short
      term outcomes and more safety. It is an appropriate procedure for esophagectomy.
      However, it should be optimized for its high rate of anastomotic leakage and
      stricture.

PMID- 28626102
TI  - [Effects of dexmedetomidine on perioperative cardiac adverse events in elderly
      patients with ?coronary heart disease].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine on perioperative cardiac
      adverse events in elderly patients with coronary heart disease.? Methods: Sixty
      elderly patients, who were diagnosed as coronary heart disease and underwent
      gastric cancer operation, were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=30): the
      dexmedetomidine group (Dex group) and the control group. In the Dex group,
      dexmedetomidine was administered intravenously at 0.5 MUg/(kg.h) after a bolus
      infusion at 0.5 MUg/kg for 10 min before anesthesia induction. In the control
      group, equal volume of normal saline was infused instead of dexmedetomidine. The
      2 groups received the same anesthesia treatment. The venous bloods were collected
      at the preoperative 0 h and postoperative 24 h. The concentrations of cardiac
      troponin (cTnI), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and
      hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were determined. The ECG was monitored
      at the above time and the postoperative incidence of cardiac adverse events was
      recorded.? Results: The levels of cTnI, NT-proBNP and hs-CRP in serum were
      elevated in the 2 groups after the operation. Compared with the control group,
      the levels of cTnI, NT-proBNP and hs-CRP were significantly decreased in the Dex
      group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the incidence of bradycardia
      were significantly increased, while the myocardial ischemia and tachycardia were
      significantly decreased in the Dex group during the operation (P<0.05); the
      incidence of silent myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia was significantly reduced
      at 3 days after operation in the Dex group (P<0.05).? Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine
      could decrease the incidence of cardiac adverse events in elderly patients with
      coronary heart disease.

PMID- 28626103
TI  - [Study on lifestyle in patients with gastroesophageal ?reflux disease].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between certain unhealthy lifestyles
      and the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), thus to provide the
      lifestyle guidelines for GERD patients.? Methods: Retrospective study were
      conducted for 402 GERD and 276 non-GERD out-patients in Department of
      Gastroenterology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University from August,
      2014 to August, 2015 based on questionnaire survey, then the correlation of
      unhealthy lifestyles with GERD were analyzed.? Results: The top 10 common
      symptoms for GERD were as follows: reflux, acid regurgitation, postprandial
      fullness, heartburn, swallow obstruction or pain, epigastric burning sensation,
      paraesthesia pharynges, poststernal pain, chronic laryngopharyngitis, and chronic
      cough. The top 8 unhealthy habits closely related to GERD were as follows: fast
      eating, over-eating, spicy preferred diet, sweets preferred diet, anxious, soup
      preferred diet, high-fat diet, and hot eating. Single-factor analysis showed that
      GERD was markedly correlated to gender (male), age (>=60 years), BMI, smoking,
      alcohol, fast-eating, over-eating, hot-eating, spicy preferred diet, high-fat
      diet, acid preferred diet, sweets preferred diet, hard food preference, strong
      tea preference, coffee preference, immediately on bed after meal, difficult
      defecation, dyscoimesis, anxious, and too tight belt, respectively (P<0.05).
      Logistic multiple regression analysis indicated that the largest risk factor for
      GERD was the fast-eating (OR=3.214, 95% CI 2.171 to 4.759, P<0.001) followed by
      the over-eating (OR=2.936, 95% CI 1.981 to 4.350, P<0.001), elderly population
      (OR=2.047, 95% CI 1.291 to 3.244, P=0.002), too tight belt (OR=2.003, 95% CI
      1.013 to 3.961, P=0.046), and hot-eating (OR=1.570, 95% CI 1.044 to 2.362,
      P=0.030).? Conclusion: The elderly people are at high risk for GERD, and
      unhealthy habits like fast-eating, over-eating, too tight belt, and hot-eating is
      closely related to GERD. The lifestyles such as chewing food thoroughly,
      splitting the meals up, warm and cool diet, keeping patients out of the too tight
      belt are necessary for GERD patients.

PMID- 28626104
TI  - [Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency among overweight and obese
      preschool children in ?Yuelu District of Changsha].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency
      among 3-5 years old overweight and obese children in Yuelu district of Changsha
      and to give scientific suggestion for children health promotion.? Methods: Based
      on the stratified cluster sampling method, 2 872 children aged 3-5 years old from
      Yuelu district were enrolled from Oct to Dec 2015. All participants have received
      biochemical and physical examination. According to the body mass index, the
      prevalence rates of vitamin D insufficiency [serum 25(OH)D level 20-<30 ng/mL]
      and deficiency [serum 25(OH)D level<20 ng/mL] among normal weight,
      overweight/obese children were calculated, respectively. Multivariate logistic
      regression was used to evaluate the association between overweight/obese and
      vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency.? Results: The prevalence rates of vitamin D
      insufficiency/deficiency among children aged 3-5 years old were 39.6% (95% CI
      37.8% to 41.4%) and 19.5% (95% CI 18.1% to 21.0%), respectively. Compared to
      children with normal weight, overweight/obese children had higher prevalence rate
      of vitamin D insufficiency [48.6% (95% CI 44.4% to 52.9%)] and deficiency [24.6%
      (95% CI 21.1% to 28.4%)] (P<0.017). After adjustment with confounding variables,
      the associations between overweight/obese and vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency
      were still statistically significant [for insufficiency ORadj=1.17 (95% CI 1.06
      to 1.43); for deficiency ORadj=1.22 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.51)].? Conclusion: Compared
      with normal weight children, overweight/obese children have higher prevalence
      rate of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency. More attention should be paid to
      those populations for prevention of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency.

PMID- 28626105
TI  - [Association rule regarding chronic disease-relevant risk factors for the adults
      in Haidian District].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association patterns of chronic disease-relevant
      risk factors for the adults in Haidian District.? Methods: Data for chronic
      disease-relevant risk factors for 3 219 adults in Haidian District in 2014 were
      collected and analyzed. SPSS 18.0 was used for statistical description and
      logistic regression. SPSS Modeler 14.1 was used to explore the association among
      the chronic disease-relevant risk factors.? Results: Among men, 5 patterns of
      chronic disease-relevant risk factors were identified, which suggested that heavy
      drinking, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, and physical inactivity were
      associated with smoking while inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables and
      smoking were associated with physical inactivity. Among women, one pattern of
      chronic disease-relevant risk factor was identified, which suggested that
      inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables was associated with physical
      inactivity.? Conclusion: Chronic disease-relevant risk factors are
      intercorrelated among the adults in Haidian District. Information on patterns of
      chronic disease-relevant risk factors could assist interventions targeting
      multiple behaviors simultaneously.

PMID- 28626106
TI  - [SEEDi: Basic strategies for the primary and secondary prevention of
      atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease].
AB  - ABCDE strategy, mainly based on drugs or medications and the lifestyle
      modification (named as "main medical strategy"), is popular in the guideline for
      primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
      (ASCVD) in China and foreign countries. Here, the author recommends a non
      invasive and non-pharmacologic "Zhongzi" rule, which includes 4 healthy elements:
      Sleep, emotion, exercise, and diet (SEED), and also called SEED intervention
      (SEEDi) strategy. It is the basic strategy for primary and secondary prevention
      of non-infectious diseases, especially for ASCVD. The strategy of SEEDi could
      decrease ASCVD morbidity and mortality. If the strategy of SEEDi is conducted
      positively and widely in the clinical work, it will achieve "three major changes"
      for ASCVD: From passive to active, from how to treat to how to prevent, and from
      hospital treatment to home care. It will create a new situation with less costs
      and better effects in ASCVD prevention and treatment in China. The morbidity and
      mortality for ASCVD will decrease significantly, and the prognosis and quality of
      life (QOL) will be improved significantly.

PMID- 28626107
TI  - [Molecular basis for prostate carcinogenesis].
AB  - Prostate cancer is the most prevalent male urogenital malignancy. Androgen
      deprivation therapy is the principal method for initial treatment for the
      patients, but the majority of them will eventually develop progressive disease, a
      status called castration-resistant prostate carcinoma. Lots of susceptibility
      genes, tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, and their variations relevant to the
      occurrence and development of prostate cancer have been revealed by the studies
      of molecular oncology. These findings on the molecular basis of prostate
      carcinogenesis will further improve the strategies on prevention, diagnosis and
      clinical management for prostate carcinoma.

PMID- 28626108
TI  - [A case of partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 7].
AB  - Partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 7 is a rare disease and is prone
      to missing the diagnosis or being misdiagnosed. Here we present a case of a 13
      year-old boy that showed symptoms such as growth-retardation, moderate
      intellectual disability, hypotelorism, microcephaly, epicanthal folds, genu varum
      and lumbar vertebral cleft, but it did not show serious symptoms like cleft lip,
      urogenital malformation and hypotonia. He was eventually diagnosed as partial
      deletion of the long arm of chromosome 7 syndrome through gene analysis.
      Considering the rare incidence of this disease and more rarely for being
      hospitalized to endocrine ward due to growth retardation, this case report can
      provide more information for clinic diagnosis and differential diagnosis for
      growth retardation.

PMID- 28626109
TI  - [Secondary infection of traumatic pulmonary cyst misdiagnosed as cholesterol
      encapsulated pleural effusion: a rare case and review of literature].
AB  - Pulmonary cyst is a relatively common benign lesion. It is easy to be
      misdiagnosed when the cyst complicated with infection. This paper reported a case
      of a giant traumatic pulmonary cyst (diameter 10 cm) combined with chronic
      infection. Firstly, the patient was diagnosed as cholesterol pleurisy after
      undergoing thoracoscopic biopsy. With repeated pleural effusion, the patient was
      scheduled for right anterolateral thoracotomy, which showed a thin-walled cyst
      (10 cm in diameter) attached to parietal and diaphragm, with the stem of cavity
      originated from the right lower lobe after the cyst cavity was dissociated.
      Pathological examination revealed that it was apseudocyst, which could be
      diagnosed as traumatic pulmonary cyst combined with chronic infection according
      to history of trauma. After undergoing right lower lobectomy and stripping of
      fiberboard, the prognosis was good. Traumatic pulmonary cyst, which was
      discovered interval 10 years after chest trauma, was rare. Traumatic pulmonary
      cyst combined with cholesterol cystic fluid was very rare. Huge pulmonary cyst
      complicated with infection was easily misdiagnosed as loculated pleural effusion.
      Therefore, to be correct diagnosis and treatment, clinician must carefully ask
      medical history. In addition, early image examination should be considered in
      those patients with chest trauma whether there are clinical symptoms or not.

PMID- 28626110
TI  - [One case of gastric duplication cyst with?ectopic pancreas in adults].
AB  - Gastric duplication cyst is a very rare gastrointestinal tract malformation that
      accounts for 2%-4% of alimentary tract duplications. It is a diagnostic dilemma
      for doctors because its clinical and radiological manifest is usually
      nonspecific. At the present stage, it can only rely on surgery. We should pay
      attention to ectopic pancreas resection and ligation of pancreatic duct during
      operation. There was one case of gastric duplication cyst with ectopic pancreas
      in adults from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University.

PMID- 28626111
TI  - [Initial experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy for
      complicated cases].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present our initial experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic
      prostatectomy (RALP) for complicated cases.? Methods: Clinical and pathological
      data from 4 complicated prostate cancer cases, who underwent RALP from October to
      November in 2015, were analyzed retrospectively. All the cases were conducted
      transurethral plasmakinetic enucleation of prostate and hormonal therapy before
      RALP.? Results: All surgeries were done successfully. The age, baseline prostatic
      special antigen, clinical tumor stage, operation time and estimated blood loss
      were 58-70 years, 6.04-70.15 ng/mL, T2b-T3b, 210-360 min and 50-250 mL,
      respectively. No blood transfusion was needed. All surgical margin were
      negative.? Conclusion: Although previous transurethral surgeries and hormonal
      therapies may increase the difficulty for operations, RALP is still appropriate
      for the complicated cases of prostate cancer.

PMID- 28626112
TI  - Experience with long-term administration of tolvaptan to patients with acute
      decompensated heart failure.
AB  - Tolvaptan (TLV) is an oral selective vasopressin type 2 receptor antagonist. Long
      term use of TLV is not recommended in patients with heart failure (HF) if fluid
      retention disappears and/or body weight is within the target range. However, some
      patients require long-term use of TLV. The current study investigated the
      efficacy and safety of long-term use of TLV. Subjects were 258 consecutive
      patients with HF who received TLV during hospitalization from January 2011 to
      March 2015. The rate of continuing administration of TLV was evaluated. Moreover,
      the one-year mortality rate and rate of re-hospitalization either with or without
      TLV were investigated. Results at discharge and one year later were compared for
      patients who continued to receive TLV one year after discharge. Oral concomitant
      medications, blood pressures, heart rate, blood tests, chest X-ray and
      transthoracic echocardiography were investigated. In-hospital and one-year
      mortality rates were 15.9% and 27.8%, respectively. Moreover, the mortality rate
      and/or rate of re-hospitalization within one year was 54.4%. The rate of re
      hospitalization for HF was significantly higher in patients who continued to
      receive TLV after discharge compared to patients who ceased receiving TLV after
      discharge (p < 0.001). However, the subjects who continued to receive TLV for up
      to one year after discharge tended to have a longer duration until re
      hospitalization for HF and significantly decreased brain natriuretic peptide
      levels (577.6 +/- 528.5 pg/mL to 397.3 +/- 365.8 pg/mL, p = 0.015). Long-term use
      of TLV might delay re-hospitalization for HF in patients with severe HF. Large
      scale clinical studies are necessary to verify these results.

PMID- 28626113
TI  - Effects of beta-estradiol on cold-sensitive receptor channel TRPM8 in
      ovariectomized rats.
AB  - Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8) is
      associated with sensitivity to cold sensation in mammals. A previous study
      demonstrated that TRPM8 was overexpressed in the skin of ovariectomized (OVX)
      rats due to the loss of estrogen. In the present study, we investigated whether
      estrogen replacement restricts overexpression of the TRPM8 channel in the skin of
      OVX rats. We divided 15 Sprague Dawley rats into three groups: a non-operated
      group (NON-OPE), an ovariectomy group (OVX), and a group subjected to estrogen
      replacement during 4 weeks beginning 7 days after ovariectomy (OVX + E2). Five
      weeks later, TRPM8 channel mRNA and protein in lumbar skin were quantified by
      real-time RT-PCR, protein ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. The OVX + E2 group
      exhibited a trend for decreased expression of the TRPM8 channel in the lumbar
      skin in comparison with the OVX group, whereas ELISA data and
      immunohistochemistry data and immunohistochemistry graphs relating to TRPM8
      protein did not show any obvious differences between the OVX group and the OVX +
      E2 group. Estrogen replacement may restrict the overexpression of TRPM8 in the
      dermis of OVX rats.

PMID- 28626114
TI  - Thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulation downregulates autophagy and promotes
      apoptosis in chondrocytes.
AB  - Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) patients have normal thyroid hormone levels but
      increased thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level in serum. It has been reported
      that high TSH is related to abnormal skeletal development in mice with
      hypothyroidism. However, the cellular mechanism is not fully understood. In the
      present study, we aim to investigate the direct effects of TSH stimulation on
      chondrocytes, and the putative role of autophagy in this process. By using EdU
      incorporation assay and flow cytometry for mitochondrial membrane potential
      assay, we demonstrated deceased proliferation and promoted apoptosis in TSH
      stimulated primary mouse chondrocytes. And the balance of Bcl-2 and BAX
      expression on protein level was broken. More interestingly, the expression of
      autophagic markers Beclin-1 and LC3II was reduced in TSH stimulated chondrocytes,
      accompanied by less autophagosomes and accumulated p62 protein, indicating an
      impaired autophagic flux. More interestingly, mTOR was upregulated and AMPK
      activity was decreased in TSH stimulated PMCs, suggesting that mTOR/AMPK pathway
      is get involved in the regulation of TSH on autophagy in PMCs. Collectively, we
      found an increased apoptosis and suppressed autophagy in TSH stimulated primary
      chondrocytes, which is meaningful in understanding the effects of increased TSH
      level on articular cartilage and the role of autophagy in this process, and thus
      provide a potential novel therapeutic target in related cartilage damages.

PMID- 28626115
TI  - Reappraisal of "cyst fluid only" on thyroid fine-needle aspiration cytology.
AB  - According to the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC),
      cyst fluid only (CFO) cases are classified in the non-diagnostic category. To
      date, no large study focusing on CFO has been conducted. To reassess the
      diagnostic significance of CFO, we compared CFO nodules with non-diagnostic
      nodules excluding CFO (ND-other). We reviewed the conventional thyroid smears of
      715 CFO and 766 ND-other nodules. We compared the timing of and findings at re
      aspiration, the histology of resected specimens, and the proportion of malignant
      nodules between the two groups. Re-aspiration was performed in 9.0% of CFO and
      23.8% of ND-other cases. In 12.5% of CFO and 49.4% of ND-other cases, the
      interval between the first and second aspirations was <3 months. Despite this,
      there were no cases in which cytological interpretation was complicated by the
      first aspiration. Overall, 77 CFO nodules (10.8%) were surgically resected; 14
      were malignant. In all cases in which re-aspiration cytology revealed malignancy,
      the initial ultrasound interpretation was a high or intermediate suspicion
      pattern. The proportion of malignancies subsequently diagnosed in nodules
      initially classified as CFO and ND-other was 2.0% and 5.6%, respectively
      (p<0.01). As CFO and ND-other thyroid nodules have different clinical management
      and malignancy rates, we would like to assert that CFO and ND-other nodules
      should be separated, and that the former should be considered diagnostic. In
      terms of clinical management, we recommend that only CFO cases with concerning
      features on ultrasound undergo re-aspiration.

PMID- 28626116
TI  - Mitochondrial quality control by mitochondrial ubiquitin ligase MITOL/MARCH5.

PMID- 28626117
TI  - Physiological roles of mitochondria and mitofusins on Ca2+ signaling in smooth
      muscles.

PMID- 28626118
TI  - Mitochondrial proteolysis and its roles in stress responses.

PMID- 28626119
TI  - Eco-pharma of approved drug focused on mitochondria fission.

PMID- 28626120
TI  - Toward understanding structure and function of neural circuits in the visual
      system.

PMID- 28626121
TI  - In silico drug discovery by supercomputer "K".

PMID- 28626122
TI  - Pharmacological properties and clinical findings of rifaximin (RIFXIMA(r) TABLETS
      200 mg).

PMID- 28626123
TI  - Significance of Intratracheal Instillation Tests for the Screening of Pulmonary
      Toxicity of Nanomaterials.
AB  - Inhalation tests are the gold standard test for the estimation of the pulmonary
      toxicity of respirable materials. Intratracheal instillation tests have been used
      widely, but they yield limited evidence of the harmful effects of respirable
      materials. We reviewed the effectiveness of intratracheal instillation tests for
      estimating the hazards of nanomaterials, mainly using research papers featuring
      intratracheal instillation and inhalation tests centered on a Japanese national
      project. Compared to inhalation tests, intratracheal instillation tests induced
      more acute inflammatory responses in the animal lung due to a bolus effect
      regardless of the toxicity of the nanomaterials. However, nanomaterials with high
      toxicity induced persistent inflammation in the chronic phase, and nanomaterials
      with low toxicity induced only transient inflammation. Therefore, in order to
      estimate the harmful effects of a nanomaterial, an observation period of 3 months
      or 6 months following intratracheal instillation is necessary. Among the
      endpoints of pulmonary toxicity, cell count and percentage of neutrophil,
      chemokines for neutrophils and macrophages, and oxidative stress markers are
      considered most important. These markers show persistent and transient responses
      in the lung from nanomaterials with high and low toxicity, respectively. If the
      evaluation of the pulmonary toxicity of nanomaterials is performed in not only
      the acute but also the chronic phase in order to avoid the bolus effect of
      intratracheal instillation and inflammatory-related factors that are used as
      endpoints of pulmonary toxicity, we speculate that intratracheal instillation
      tests can be useful for screening for the identification of the hazard of
      nanomaterials through pulmonary inflammation.

PMID- 28626124
TI  - Two Cases of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Suggestive of Complicating Multifocal
      Micronodular Pneumocyte Hyperplasia: A Case Report.
AB  - Multifocal micronodular pneumocyte hyperplasia (MMPH) is pathologically
      characterized by multifocal nodular hyperplasia of type II pneumocyte-like cells.
      MMPH is usually complicated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). MMPH patients
      tend to be asymptomatic or only slightly symptomatic. MMPH tends to progress
      slowly and needs no treatment. We herein describe two cases of MMPH with its
      characteristic radiological features and clinical manifestations of TSC. Case 1:
      a 20-year-old female with definitive TSC in infancy. Chest CT at the age of 18
      revealed multiple nodular opacities and ground-glass attenuations in a scattered
      and random distribution in the bilateral lungs. Case 2: a 44-year-old female with
      probable TSC at 36 years of age. Chest CT at the age of 43 showed random areas of
      small ground-glass attenuations, predominantly in the upper lung fields. Case 1
      and Case 2 have had no respiratory symptoms or radiographic changes in the recent
      two years and four years, respectively. Although pathological examinations of the
      lung were not performed because consent for surgical lung biospies was
      unobtainable, we considered that these pulmonary manifestations were most likely
      MMPH with TSC because of these characteristic radiographical findings of multiple
      nodular opacities and ground-glass attenuations of 10 mm or less in size and
      their scattered distribution, and because there have been no abnormal laboratory
      data or changes in their chest radiological findings for years. Neither patient
      is under treatment for pulmonary lesions. Although MMPH is a rare disease,
      multiple nodules and ground-glass attenuations on lung imaging findings should be
      considered as pulmonary manifestations in patients with TSC.

PMID- 28626126
TI  - Conduct of Occupational Health During Major Disasters: A Comparison of Literature
      on Occupational Health Issues in the World Trade Center Terrorist Attack and the
      Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Accident.
AB  - Workers who respond to large-scale disasters can be exposed to health hazards
      that do not exist in routine work. It is assumed that learning from past cases is
      effective for preparing for and responding to such problems, but published
      information is still insufficient. Accordingly, we conducted a literature review
      about the health issues and occupational health activities at the World Trade
      Center (WTC) terrorist attack and at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident
      to investigate how occupational health activities during disasters should be
      conducted. Seven studies about the WTC attack were extracted and categorized into
      the following topics: "in relation to emergency systems including occupational
      health management"; "in relation to improvement and prevention of health effects
      and occupational hygiene"; and "in relation to care systems aimed at mitigating
      health effects." Studies about the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident have
      been used in a previous review. We conclude that, to prevent health effects in
      workers who respond to large-scale disasters, it is necessary to incorporate
      occupational health regulations into the national response plan, and to develop
      practical support functions that enable support to continue for an extended
      period, training systems for workers with opportunities to report accidents, and
      care systems to mitigate the health effects.

PMID- 28626125
TI  - The Importance of the Maternal/Self-Role Satisfaction for Reducing Anxiety: A
      Cross-Sectional Survey of Japanese Mothers.
AB  - Women who rear children have two types of roles: the maternal role and the self
      role. Previous studies have suggested that maternal role satisfaction is related
      to anxiety, but the importance of self-role satisfaction in promoting the health
      of mothers has received less attention. The changing roles of women in society,
      especially in urban areas, have altered mothers' views of child-rearing. Our
      primary focus was on the relationship between maternal/self-role satisfaction and
      anxiety in mothers. To examine this, we conducted a cross-sectional survey using
      self-administered questionnaires that were distributed in 2011 to 2,342 mothers
      attending the 18-month health checkup of their children, in 7 cities of the Tokyo
      metropolitan area. A total of 881 responded (effective response rate = 38.0%).
      Multiple regression analysis revealed that maternal role satisfaction and self
      role satisfaction were both significantly and negatively associated with anxiety.
      Thus, self-role satisfaction should be considered alongside maternal role
      satisfaction in evaluating and reducing anxiety. Health care professionals in
      community settings should conduct comprehensive assessments of maternal role
      satisfaction and self-role satisfaction.

PMID- 28626127
TI  - A Case of Retroperitoneal Paraganglioma.
AB  - We report a surgical case of retroperitoneal paraganglioma. A paraganglioma is a
      catecholamine-producing tumor originating in the chromaffin cells of the
      sympathetic ganglion. It is a kind of pheochromocytoma which occurs on the
      outside of the adrenal gland. The patient was a 72 year old male with a history
      of hypertension and a pacemaker implantation. A mass in the ventral side of the
      right iliopsoas muscle was detected during a routine contrasting computed
      tomography (CT) examination for checking his pacemaker. The mass was considered
      to be malignant, and a laparotomy and mass enucleation was performed. It was
      diagnosed as phaeochromocytoma, based on the pathology and immunestology of the
      excised specimen. The hypertension was cured soon after the surgery. Nine months
      after surgery, there is no evidence of any abnormality or recurrence. There is a
      previous report of a recurrence 25 years after surgery, so a careful follow-up of
      this patient will be necessary in the future.

PMID- 28626128
TI  - A Case of Matrix-Producing Carcinoma of the Breast.
AB  - A 61-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of a right breast mass.
      A 19 mm hard mass was palpable in the A area of the right breast. A contrast
      enhanced MRI showed rim enhancement at the peripheral region of the tumor, which
      was thought to represent the carcinoma component mainly at the periphery and the
      matrix component inside the tumor. A low density mass with rim enhancement at the
      peripheral region was observed in a contrast-enhanced CT, the same as in the MRI.
      Neither axillary lymph node metastasis nor distant metastasis was observed. A
      core needle biopsy of the tumor lead to a diagnosis of matrix-producing carcinoma
      (MPC). A breast-conserving mastectomy with sentinel lymph nodes biopsy was
      performed on the right breast MPC (T1c, N0, M0 Stage I). Histopathologically, the
      tumor demonstrated overt carcinoma with direct transition to a cartilaginous or
      osseous matrix and lacked an intervening spindle cell component.
      Immunohistochemistry showed estrogen receptor (ER) (-), progesterone receptor
      (PgR) (-), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) (-), and Ki67 index of
      50%, so-called triple negative breast cancer. The tumor was also positive for SRY
      related HMG box-9 (SOX9), which is a useful marker of chondroid differentiation
      in normal and neoplastic tissues. The patient lived free from recurrence for 5
      years, even though her adjuvant therapy was only radiation therapy without
      adjuvant chemotherapy. MPC is an uncommon and relatively rare variant of
      metaplastic carcinoma, and the prognosis for patients with MPC is poorer than
      that for patients with ordinary breast cancer. Here we report a case of MPC of
      the breast with characteristic rim enhancement in contrast-enhanced MRI and CT.
      The intrinsic subtype and prognosis of MPC is controversial, and then we may need
      more experience with MPC cases.

PMID- 28626129
TI  - Nursing Education Trial Using a Virtual Nightingale Ward.
AB  - Nursing department students are expected to correctly grasp the entire concept of
      nursing through their education. The authors created a movie of a Nightingale
      ward (virtual ward, hereafter) with an architectural computer design software for
      education. The students' reaction to the virtual ward was categorized into three
      viewpoints: that of nurses, of patients, and of nurses and patients in common.
      Most of the reactions in each viewpoint were: "easy to observe patients" in the
      nurses' viewpoint; "no privacy" in the patients' viewpoint; and "wide room" in
      the common viewpoint, respectively. These reactions show the effectiveness of
      using a virtual ward in nursing education. Because these reactions are
      characteristics of a Nightingale ward, and even students, who have generally less
      experiences, recognized these characteristics from the both viewpoints of nurses
      and patients.

PMID- 28626130
TI  - Examination of a New Desorption Method for Solid Adsorption Method of Working
      Environment Measurement -Attempt to Improve Desorption Efficiency of Organic
      Solvents from a Coconut-Shell-Activated Carbon Using Surfactant Solutions-.
AB  - For a new desorption method development for working environment measurement,
      desorption efficiency of organic solvent vapors from an activated carbon was
      examined using desorption solutions that consisted of anionic and nonionic
      surfactants. Ten MUl of an aqueous solution of isopropyl alcohol or methyl ethyl
      ketone diluted with distilled water was spiked into a 10 ml vial with a coconut
      shell-activated carbon (100 mg). The vial was left for 24 h, and 5 ml a
      desorption solution was added. Afterwards, the vial was put into an incubator at
      60 degrees C and left for 24 h, then the desorption efficiency was determined by
      analyzing the headspace gas in the vial with a gas chromatograph equipped with
      flame ionization detector. By adding one or four kinds of nonionic surfactants to
      the aqueous solution containing two kinds of anionic surfactants, the effect
      adding nonionic surfactant to the desorption efficiency was investigated, but
      improvement of desorption efficiency was not observed. On the other hand,
      desorption efficiency varied depending on the production lot of the coconut-shell
      activated carbon tube used as the adsorbent.

PMID- 28626131
TI  - Homozygous DUOXA2 mutation (p.Tyr138*) in a girl with congenital hypothyroidism
      and her apparently unaffected brother: Case report and review of the literature.
AB  - Mutations in DUOXA2, encoding dual oxidase maturation factor 2, is a rare genetic
      cause of congenital hypothyroidism. Only four biallelic DUOXA2 mutation carriers
      have been described to date. This study was conducted to report the clinical and
      genetic findings of a DUOXA2 mutation-carrying family, and to review the
      previously reported cases. The proband was a 4-year-old girl, who was diagnosed
      as having congenital hypothyroidism in the frame of newborn screening. She had a
      high serum TSH level (138 mU/L) and a low free T4 level (0.4 ng/dL).
      Ultrasonography revealed goiter. She was immediately treated with levothyroxine.
      At age 3 years, reevaluation of her thyroid function showed a slightly elevated
      serum TSH level (11.0 mU/L) with normal free T4 level. Screening of the eleven
      congenital hypothyroidism-related genes demonstrated a previously reported
      nonsense DUOXA2 mutation (p.Tyr138*) in the homozygous state. Unexpectedly, we
      also found that the elder brother of the proband, who had no significant past
      medical history, had the identical homozygous mutation. Using expression
      experiments with HEK293 cells, we confirmed that p.Tyr138* was a loss-of-function
      mutation. In the literature, clinical courses of three patients were described,
      showing characteristic age-dependent improvement of the thyroid function. In
      conclusion, The proband showed comparable clinical phenotype to previously
      reported cases, while her brother was unaffected. The phenotypic spectrum of
      DUOXA2 mutations could be broader than currently accepted.

PMID- 28626132
TI  - Performance of Palm-Based C16/18 Methyl Ester Sulphonate (MES) in Liquid
      Detergent Formulation.
AB  - Liquid detergents are more convenient than powdered detergents as they dissolve
      readily in water, generate less dust and dosing is easy. However, the stability
      of liquid detergents is an issue of concern. Therefore, the objective of this
      research is to study the formulation requirement to produce heavy-duty liquid
      detergents based on palm-based methyl esters sulphonate (MES) with desirable
      properties and performance. MES is produced from renewable and sustainable
      feedstock suitable to replace the conventional fossil-based surfactant, linear
      alkyl benzene sulphonates (LAS). Five palm-based liquid detergents (PBLDs) were
      formulated using C16/18 MES as the primary surfactant. The physical properties,
      washing performance, stability and biodegradability of PBLDs were evaluated.
      Performance of the PBLDs was evaluated against two commercial liquid detergents
      which use LAS and alcohol glucoside as surfactant (benchmark product) and it was
      found that the PBLDs exhibited excellent performance. PBLDs can be formulated
      with or without phosphates and still demonstrate good detergency. The stability
      study of PBLDs indicated that no appreciable hydrolysis occurred. PBLDs exhibited
      better biodegradability profiles compared to commercial detergent containing LAS.
      PBLDs passed the 60% biodegradability level within 3 to 8 d, while commercial
      detergent took 24 d. It was shown that palm-based C16/18 MES could be potentially
      formulated into liquid detergents and gave better performance than LAS based
      liquid detergent. Attributes of C16/18 MES should not be overlooked, which
      include an abundant and naturally derived palm stearin as raw material and
      environmental safety profiles that are superior to most synthetic surfactants.

PMID- 28626133
TI  - Simple Synthesis Hydrogenated Castor Oil Fatty Amide Wax and Its Coating
      Characterization.
AB  - A simple method for incorporating amine groups in hydrogenated castor oil (HCO)
      to produce wax for beeswax or carnauba wax substitution in packaging and coating
      was developed. From the conversion rate of the products, HCO was reacted with
      ethanolamine at 150 degrees C for 5 h, and the molar ratio of HCO and
      ethanolamine was 1:4. The hardness of the final product was seven times higher
      than that of beeswax, the cohesiveness of the final product was 1.3 times higher
      than that of beeswax and approximately one half of that of carnauba wax, and the
      melting point of the final product is 98 degrees C. The Fourier transform
      Infrared spectroscopy showed that the amide groups were incorporated to form the
      amide products. In coating application, the results showed that the force of the
      final product coating cardboard was higher than that of beeswax and paraffin wax
      and less than that of carnauba wax. After 24 h soaking, the compression forces
      were decreased. HCO fatty acid wax can be an alternative wax for carnauba wax and
      beeswax in coating applications.

PMID- 28626134
TI  - Synthesis and Detection by HPLC of 3-Oxohexadecanoyl-CoA for the Study of
      Peroxisomal Bifunctional Proteins.
AB  - 3-oxohexadecanoyl-CoA was synthesized for the study of D-bifunctional protein (EC
      4. 2. 1. 107, EC 4. 2. 1. 119, EC 1. 1. 1. n12) and L-bifunctional protein (EC 4.
      2. 1. 17, EC 5. 3. 3. 8, EC 1. 1. 1. 35). First, tetradecanal was subjected to
      the Reformatsky reaction with ethyl bromoacetate, and the product was then
      converted into ethyl 3-oxohexadecanoate. After acetalization of the 3-oxo ester
      with ethylene glycol, 3,3-ethlenedioxyhexadecanoic acid was obtained by alkaline
      hydrolysis. The acid was condensed with coenzyme A (CoA) by the mixed anhydride
      method, and the resulting CoA ester was deprotected with 4 M HCl to obtain 3
      oxohexadecanoyl-CoA. In addition, the behavior of the CoA ester under several
      conditions of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was also
      investigated. We established separation detection of (R)-3-hydroxyhexadecanoyl
      CoA, (S)-3-hydroxyhexadecaboyl-CoA, 3-oxohexadecanoyl-CoA, and trans-2
      hexadecenoyl-CoA.

PMID- 28626135
TI  - Adsorption of the Three-phase Emulsion on Various Solid Surfaces.
AB  - The present study investigates the adsorption of the three-phase emulsion on
      various solid/water interfaces. Vesicles can be used as emulsifiers in the three
      phase emulsions and act as an independent phase unlike the surfactant used in
      conventional emulsions; therefore, it is expected that the three-phase emulsion
      formed by the adhesion of vesicles to the oil/water interface will adsorb on
      various solid/water interfaces. The cationic three-phase emulsion was prepared to
      encourage emulsion adsorption on negatively charged solid substrates in water.
      The emulsifier polyoxyethylene-(10) hydrogenated castor oil was rendered cationic
      by mixing with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and then used to
      prepare the cationic three-phase emulsion of hexadecane-in-water. Three solid
      substrates (silicon, glass, and copper) were dipped in the cationic emulsion and
      the emulsion was found to adsorb on the solid substrates while maintaining its
      structure. The amount of hexadecane adsorbed on the various surfaces was
      investigated by gas chromatography and found to increase with increasing
      hexadecane concentration in the emulsion and eventually plateaued just like
      molecular adsorption. The maximum surface coverage of the emulsion on the
      substrates was approximately 80%. However, even the equivalent nonionic three
      phase emulsion was found to adsorb on the three solid surfaces. This was
      attributed to a novel mechanism of irreversible adhesion via the van der Waals
      attractive force.

PMID- 28626136
TI  - Effect of Hydroxyl Groups on Solubilization States of Alkandiols in DTAB
      Micelles: Application of a Differential Conductivity Technique.
AB  - The partition coefficients, Kx, of 1,2-alkanediols and alpha,omega-alkanediols
      between dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) micelles and water, and the
      change of the degree of counterion dissociation, dalpha/dXam, on DTAB micelles
      associated with solubilization of the alkanediols are determined by a
      differential conductivity technique. The standard Gibbs energy change of transfer
      per methylene group, DeltaG0(CH2), is estimated from a dependence of logarithmic
      value of the Kx on the carbon number of alkyl chain in the alkanediols. The
      dalpha/dXam is independent of the carbon number of alkyl chain in the
      alkanediols. Comparing the present results with those of DTAB/1-alkanols system,
      it is suggested that solubilization states of the alkanediols in DTAB micelles
      are as follows: 1,2-alkanediols are solubilized as its alkyl chain is oriented to
      micellar interior just like 1-alkanols, while alpha,omega-alkanediols are
      solubilized as its alkyl chain is partly located in micellar surface region.

PMID- 28626137
TI  - Novel Palm Fatty Acid Functionalized Magnetite Nanoparticles for Magnetic Solid
      Phase Extraction of Trace Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Environmental
      Samples.
AB  - A novel adsorbent, palm fatty acid coated magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNP-FA)
      was successfully synthesized with immobilization of the palm fatty acid onto the
      surface of MNPs. The successful synthesis of MNP-FA was further confirmed by X
      Ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX)
      analyses and water contact angle (WCA) measurement. This newly synthesized MNP-FA
      was applied as magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the
      enrichment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), namely fluoranthene (FLT),
      pyrene (Pyr), chrysene (Cry) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) from environmental samples
      prior to High Performance Liquid Chromatography- Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD)
      analysis. The MSPE method was optimized by several parameters such as amount of
      sorbent, desorption solvent, volume of desorption solvent, extraction time,
      desorption time, pH and sample volume. Under the optimized conditions, MSPE
      method provided a low detection limit (LOD) for FLT, Pyr, Cry and BaP in the
      range of 0.01-0.05 ng mL-1. The PAHs recoveries of the spiked leachate samples
      ranged from 98.5% to 113.8% with the RSDs (n = 5) ranging from 3.5% to 12.2%,
      while for the spiked sludge samples, the recoveries ranged from 81.1% to 119.3%
      with the RSDs (n = 5) ranging from 3.1% to 13.6%. The recyclability study
      revealed that MNP-FA has excellent reusability up to five times. Chromatrographic
      analysis demonstrated the suitability of MNP-FA as MSPE adsorbent for the
      efficient extraction of PAHs from environmental samples.

PMID- 28626138
TI  - Evaluation of Sorption Mechanism of Pb (II) and Ni (II) onto Pea (Pisum sativum)
      Peels.
AB  - The present study was carried out to know the sorption mechanism of Pb (II) and
      Ni (II) in aqueous solution using pea peels under the influence of sorbent dose,
      pH, temperature, initial metal ion concentration and contact time. SEM and FTIR
      were used for characterization of pea peels. The study showed that solution pH
      affects sorption process and the optimum pH for Pb (II) was 6.0 while for that of
      Ni (II) was 7.0. Pseudo-second order kinetic model was found to be the most
      suitable one to explain the kinetic data not only due to high value of R2 (>0.99)
      but also due to the closeness of the experimental sorption capacity values to
      that of calculated sorption capacity values of pseudo second order kinetic model.
      It can be seen from the results that Freundlich isotherm explains well the
      equilibrium data (R2>0.99). Sorption capacity of pea peels was 140.84 and 32.36
      for Pb (II) and Ni (II) mg g-1 respectively. The positive value of DeltaH degrees
      and negative values of DeltaG degrees  suggest that sorption of Pb (II) and Ni
      (II) onto pea peels is an endothermic and spontaneous process respectively.

PMID- 28626139
TI  - Synthesis of Ricinoleic Acid Estolides by the Esterification of Ricinoleic Acids
      Using Functional Acid Ionic Liquids as Catalysts.
AB  - Estolides of ricinoleic acid (RA) have been used as lubricants and pigment
      dispersant in many industries. In this paper, functional acid ionic liquids (ILs)
      were firstly used as catalysts to prepare RA estolides by the esterification of
      RAs in solvent-free system. Different ILs were used as catalysts for the
      esterification. Effect of reaction variables (IL amount, reaction temperature and
      reaction time) on the esterification were also investigated and optimized using
      response surface methodology (RSM). Among all tested ILs, [BSO3HMIM]TS showed the
      best performance for the esterification. Arrhenius equation for the
      esterification was lnV0 =14.897-7558.7/T, and the activation energy (Ea) was
      62.84 kJ/mol. A high degree of polymerization with an acid value of 48.0+/-2.5 mg
      KOH/g was achieved at the optimized conditions (IL load 12%, reaction temperature
      140 degrees C, and reaction time 12 h). The effect of reaction variables on the
      esterification decreased in the order of catalyst loading of IL > reaction
      temperature > reaction time.

PMID- 28626140
TI  - Long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation Improves Mood in Elderly
      Japanese Men.
AB  - Although several studies have reported the effects of long-chain polyunsaturated
      fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation on the mood in healthy adults, the effects of
      LCPUFA on elderly individuals remain unclear. Thus, we hypothesized that LCPUFA
      supplementation improves mood in the elderly. To address this hypothesis, 115
      elderly Japanese men aged 55-64 years were assigned and randomly allocated to the
      LCPUFA or placebo group. Participants received 4 weeks of supplementation with
      LCPUFA-containing oil (docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 300 mg/day, eicosapentaenoic
      acid (EPA) 100 mg/day, arachidonic acid (ARA) 120 mg/day) or a placebo oil. Mood
      was assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) before and after
      supplementation as the secondary outcome in a previously performed randomized
      controlled trial on cognitive function. A total of 113 participants completed the
      supplementation period. One hundred participants (LCPUFA, n = 51; placebo, n =
      49) who were eligible for evaluation of mood were analyzed. Increases in vigor
      scores on POMS, reflecting a positive mood, were significantly larger in the
      LCPUFA group than in the placebo group (LCPUFA, +1.8; placebo, -0.5). No
      significant differences were observed in changes in other negative mood scores
      between groups. DHA and ARA content in plasma phospholipids were increased by
      0.8% and 0.7%, respectively, in the LCPUFA group, and were significantly larger
      than those in the placebo group. Dietary DHA, EPA, and ARA intake was unchanged
      during the study. These results suggest that LCPUFA supplementation may improve
      vigor (positive mood) in elderly Japanese men.

PMID- 28626141
TI  - Dietary Starfish Oil Prevents Hepatic Steatosis and Hyperlipidemia in C57BL/6N
      Mice Fed High-fat Diet.
AB  - Starfish oil (SO) is characterized by functional lipids, including n-3
      polyunsaturated fatty acid (both in the form of triacylglycerol and in the form
      of phospholipid), and carotenoids, which may exert beneficial effects on
      metabolic disorders in obesity-associated diseases. In the present study, the
      effect of SO on dysregulation of lipid metabolism was examined using C57BL/6N
      mice treated with high-fat (HF) diet. Mice were fed HF, HF with 2% SO, or HF with
      5% SO diet for 8 weeks. Weight gain, blood glucose, serum and hepatic lipid
      contents, and hepatic fatty acid composition were measured. Fatty acid beta
      oxidation activity was monitored by measuring the catabolic rate of 13C-labeled
      fatty acid, assessed as 13CO2/12CO2 ratio using isotope ratio mass spectrometry
      (IR-MS). Although there were no differences in body weight or white adipose
      tissue weight among the test groups, dietary SO reduced blood glucose, and dose
      dependently improved hyperlipidemia and decreased hepatic lipid accumulation.
      Analysis of hepatic fatty acid composition revealed a significant decrease in the
      ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid, which is attributed
      to stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity. IR-MS analysis suggested that beta-oxidation
      activity was enhanced in the mice treated with 5% SO. These results demonstrate
      that dietary SO improves lipid metabolism measures in HF diet-induced obese mice,
      suggesting that SO holds promise as an agent for the prevention and treatment of
      lipid metabolism disorders in the liver.

PMID- 28626142
TI  - Surface Modification of PDMS and Plastics with Zwitterionic Polymers.
AB  - Surface modification of PDMS, polycarbonate, and acrylic resin was examined using
      various methacryl polymers bearing sulfobetaine, phosphoryl choline, and
      oligoethylene glycol units. We have found that zwitterionic polymers are adsorbed
      on the PDMS surface treated with plasma. The surface of PDMS is stable to keep
      high hydrophilicity after a month of the modification. On the other hand, one of
      sulfobetaine polymers showed distinguished adsorption behavior in the case of
      polycarbonate surface treated with plasma. Suppression effect for nonspecific
      adsorption of BSA was evaluated using polycarbonate and acrylic resin modified
      with the polymers. The modified surfaces showed suppression effect for
      nonspecific adsorption of BSA compared with the surface only treated with plasma.

PMID- 28626143
TI  - Effect of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Intake on Endurance Exercise Performance and
      Anti-fatigue in Student Athletes.
AB  - Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) intake has been reported to reduce body fat mass
      or increase lean body mass and to improve exercise outcome by modulating
      testosterone in humans. These reports have studied mostly overweight subjects;
      few were athletes. Therefore, in this study, the effect of CLA intake on
      endurance performance and anti-fatigue in student athletes was investigated. A
      double-blind, crossover study was conducted with 10 male student athletes. Each
      subject was administered with either CLA (net 0.9 g/day) or a placebo for 14
      days. They were subjected to an exercise tolerance test (steady loading) using a
      cycle ergometer on days 0 and 14. Peak VO2 was determined for each subject using
      a graded loading test. The steady loading test was performed with a pedaling
      exercise load of 50% peak VO2 for 40 min and then with a load of 70% peak VO2
      until exhaustion. Blood sampling and measurement of critical flicker frequency
      (CFF) were performed before and after exercise. The rate of perceived exertion
      (RPE) was measured serially during exercise. In the results, amount of body
      weight variation significantly increased and amount of body fat percentage
      variation tended to decrease by CLA intake, it might have an effect by increase
      in muscle mass. In addition, amount of exercise time variation significantly
      increased, amount of variation of CFF before and after exercise tended to
      increase, that of RPE during exercise tended to decrease, and that of creatine
      phosphokinase before and after exercise tended to decrease in the CLA group.
      These results suggested that CLA intake for 14 days might have an effect on
      endurance performance and anti-fatigue in student athletes.

PMID- 28626144
TI  - Glass Bead-based Genetic Transformation:An Efficient Method for Transformation of
      Thraustochytrid Microorganisms.
AB  - Here, we describe a new method for genetic transformation of thraustochytrids,
      well-known producers of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like docosahexaenoic
      acid, by combining mild glass (zirconia) bead treatment and electroporation.
      Because the cell wall is a barrier against transfer of exogenous DNA into cells,
      gentle vortexing of cells with glass beads was performed prior to electroporation
      for partial cell wall disruption. G418-resistant transformants of thraustochytrid
      cells (Aurantiochytrium limacinum strain SR21 and thraustochytrid strain 12B)
      were successfully obtained with good reproducibility. The method reported here is
      simpler than methods using enzymes to generate spheroplasts and may provide
      advantages for PUFA production by using genetically modified thraustochytrids.

PMID- 28626145
TI  - Hydrophilic Polymer Embolism in the Lung as an Adverse Event - Autopsy Case of
      Thromboembolisms in Multiple Organs Associated With Heparin-Induced
      Thrombocytopenia.

PMID- 28626146
TI  - Mitral Valve Structure in Addition to Myocardial Viability Determines the Outcome
      of Functional Mitral Regurgitation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) reduces functional mitral
      regurgitation (MR) associated with ischemic heart disease, although the
      predictive factors or mechanisms of reversibility of functional MR after CABG are
      not fully understood.We investigated whether mitral valve structure is associated
      with the outcome of functional MR after CABG.Methods and Results:From a
      consecutive series of 98 patients with mild-moderate functional MR preoperatively
      who underwent isolated CABG, we enrolled 66 patients who were followed up for >1
      year postoperatively using echocardiography. The degree of MR was reduced in 34
      patients (52%) postoperatively, in association with a lower rate of in-hospital
      treatment for cardiac failure in the long term, compared with the 32 patients
      (48%) with residual MR postoperatively. The patients with reduced MR
      postoperatively had longer estimated coaptation length and more anteriorly or
      centrally directed MR jets than those without reduced MR. On statistical
      analysis, the addition of estimated coaptation length and jet direction to the
      reported predictors (ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension,
      and tenting height) more accurately predicted changes in post-CABG MR than the
      reported 3 factors alone. CONCLUSIONS: Residual MR was associated with the
      emergence of congestive heart failure in the long term after CABG. A specific
      mitral valve structure, such as large mitral leaflet size or predominant
      tethering of the posterior leaflet, was a predictive factor for the reversibility
      of post-CABG functional MR.

PMID- 28626147
TI  - Depleted Leukocyte Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number Correlates With Unfavorable Left
      Ventricular Volumetric and Spherical Shape Remodeling in Acute Myocardial
      Infarction After Primary Angioplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Left ventricular (LV) shape influences LV systolic function. It is
      possible to assess LV shape using 3-D echocardiography sphericity index (SI).
      Maintaining mitochondrial DNA copy number (MCN) is important for preserving
      mitochondrial function and LV systolic function after acute myocardial infarction
      (AMI). Information is limited, however, regarding the relationship between
      leukocyte MCN and the subsequent change in LV shape after AMI.Methods and
      Results:Fifty-five AMI patients undergoing primary angioplasty were recruited.
      Plasma MCN was measured before primary angioplasty using quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction. 3-D echocardiography measurement of SI was performed at baseline,
      and at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up. AMI subjects with MCN lower than the median
      had a higher 6-month SI and LV volume compared with those with higher MCN.
      Baseline echocardiographic parameters were similar between the 2 groups. MCN was
      negatively correlated with 3- and 6-month SI, and 3- and 6-month LV volume. On
      multiple linear regression analysis, baseline plasma MCN could predict LV SI and
      LV volume at 6 months after primary angioplasty for AMI, even after adjusting for
      traditional prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: In AMI patients, higher plasma
      leukocyte MCN at baseline was associated with favorable LV shape and remodeling
      at 6-month follow-up. Plasma leukocyte MCN may provide a novel prognostic
      biomarker for LV remodeling after AMI.

PMID- 28626148
TI  - Prevalence of Thin-Cap Fibroatheroma in Relation to the Severity of Anatomical
      and Physiological Stenosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The relationship between the features of morphologically unstable
      plaque and physiological lesion severity remains elusive. We aimed to investigate
      this relationship using optical coherence tomography (OCT)-derived high-risk
      plaque characteristics and fractional flow reserve (FFR) as the degree of
      anatomical and physiological stenosis severity.Methods and Results:We
      investigated 286 de novo intermediate and severe coronary lesions in 248 patients
      who underwent OCT and FFR examinations. Lesions were divided into tertiles based
      on either FFR or quantitative coronary angiographic diameter stenosis (QCA-%DS).
      The OCT findings were compared among the tertiles of FFR and QCA-%DS. FFR and QCA
      tertiles were defined as follows: FFR-T1 (FFR <0.74), FFR-T2 (0.74<=FFR<=0.81),
      and FFR-T3 (FFR >0.81); and QCA-T1 (%DS >=61%), QCA-T2 (51%<=%DS<61%), and QCA-T3
      (%DS <51%). The prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was significantly
      greater in FFR-T1 (20.0%) than in FFR-T2 and FFR-T3 (7.0%, P=0.03 and 7.7%,
      P=0.04, respectively), although no significant differences were observed among
      the QCA tertiles. CONCLUSIONS: Physiological severity of coronary stenosis
      evaluated by FFR correlated with plaque instability in terms of TCFA. Preferable
      clinical outcomes for lesions with negative FFR based on the existing clinical
      evidence might be attributable to less likelihood of TCFA.

PMID- 28626149
TI  - Use of CHA2DS2-VASc Score to Predict New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Chronic
      Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients - Large-Scale Longitudinal Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of CHA2DS2-VASc
      score in predicting new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods and Results:A total of 50,430 COPD
      patients were enrolled in this study. The area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curve (AUC) and the Cox model c-statistic were used to assess the
      association between new-onset AF risk and CHA2DS2-VASc score in COPD patients.
      After adjustment for comorbidities other than the components of CHA2DS2-VASc
      score, risk of new-onset AF in COPD patients increased from 1.24 (95% confidence
      interval (CI): 1.01-1.52) for a score of 1, to 2.15 (95% CI: 1.62-2.86) for score
      >=6 (trend test, P<0.001), compared with CHA2DS2-VASc score 0. The AUC for
      CHA2DS2-VASc score in predicting new-onset AF in COPD patients was 0.69 (95% CI:
      0.68-0.70). The c-statistic of Cox model in predicting incident AF was 0.73.
      CONCLUSIONS: Risk of new-onset AF in COPD patients increased with increasing
      CHA2DS2-VASc score. The predictive ability of the score was moderate. CHA2DS2
      VASc score might be used as a screening tool for AF in COPD patients.

PMID- 28626151
TI  - Changes in social interaction over 20 years and the effects of community
      resources use among community-dwelling elderly persons.
AB  - Objectives Recently, social isolation has been reported to be a critical problem
      among Japanese elderly persons. However, few studies have compared social
      interaction in the past and the present or investigated its predictive factors.
      This study aimed to clarify the transitional changes in social interaction over
      20 years and explore the factors related to social interaction focusing on the
      use of community resources.Methods The participants were community-dwelling
      elderly persons aged 65 years and over. A survey was conducted 8 times from 1994
      to 2014 in the suburban area of Tobishima, Japan. The Index of Social Interaction
      Scale was used and each subscale and the total score were calculated.
      Subsequently, the 2014 scores were compared with the 1994 scores using the
      Wilcoxon rank sum test. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to clarify the
      factors related to social interaction, focusing on the association between the
      use of community resources (local elderly management center, health care center,
      health promotion facility, library) in 2011 and social interaction 3 years later.
      Age, gender, disease, and mobility were also entered into the model as control
      variables.Results Comparing social interaction in 1994 and 2014, total scores
      were found to have significantly increased in all age groups. Independence scores
      significantly increased in the overall group and in females aged 75-84. Curiosity
      scores also increased in both males and females. These results show that social
      interaction has increased over 2 decades. In addition, the use of local elderly
      management and health care centers, and health promotion facilities was
      associated with total social interaction scores 3 years later.Conclusion The
      current study clarified changes in social interaction, both comprehensively and
      for each of its aspects, among community-dwelling elderly adults. Increasing
      social isolation has been reported in recent years; however, the current study
      showed that social interaction, including social curiosity and independence, has
      increased over 20 years. The effect of preventive intervention in local elderly
      management centers, health care centers, and health promotion facilities may be
      one of the causes for this increase.

PMID- 28626150
TI  - Comparison of sperm subpopulation structures in first and second ejaculated semen
      from Japanese black bulls by a cluster analysis of sperm motility evaluated by a
      CASA system.
AB  - In the present study, bull sperm in the first and second ejaculates were divided
      into subpopulations based on their motility characteristics using a cluster
      analysis of data from computer-assisted sperm motility analysis (CASA). Semen
      samples were collected from 4 Japanese black bulls. Data from 9,228 motile sperm
      were classified into 4 clusters; 1) very rapid and progressively motile sperm, 2)
      rapid and circularly motile sperm with widely moving heads, 3) moderately motile
      sperm with heads moving frequently in a short length, and 4) poorly motile sperm.
      The percentage of cluster 1 varied between bulls. The first ejaculates had a
      higher proportion of cluster 2 and lower proportion of cluster 3 than the second
      ejaculates.

PMID- 28626152
TI  - Development of risk assessment scales for Needed Support/Long-Term Care
      certification: A longitudinal study using the Kihon Checklist and medical
      assessment data.
AB  - Objectives This study aimed to develop risk assessment scales for predicting the
      incidence of Needed Support/Long-Term Care certification, by aggregating data
      from the Kihon Checklist, medical assessments, and long-term care insurance
      certification during a follow-up period (a maximum of 4 years and 2 months)
      conducted in a municipality.Methods This retrospective cohort study included
      72,127 older adults aged 65 years or older living in K City (an ordinance
      designated city) who responded to the Kihon Checklist in 2011. We linked their
      medical assessment data (examined/unexamined, blood pressure, and five blood
      biochemical items) from 2011 and information on the incidence of long-term care
      insurance certification from 2011 to 2015 to the Kihon Checklist data (the 12
      essential items and seven optional items from the Needs Survey). We constructed
      four Cox proportional hazards models as follows: 1) age, sex, and the Needs
      Survey's 12 essential items; 2) model 1 plus seven optional items; 3) model 2
      plus examined/unexamined at medical assessment; and 4) model 3 plus blood
      pressure and five blood biochemical items, as independent variables. Recent
      requirement for Support/Long-Term Care certification was included as an outcome
      with stepwise forward selection. We assigned scores for each item based on the
      non-standardized regression coefficients obtained (B) and the sum of those scores
      was used to establish the risk assessment scales for predicting Needed
      Support/Long-Term Care certification from each model. A receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to estimate the sensitivity and
      specificity in order to compare predictive validity of the scales.Results During
      the follow-up period, 11,039 (15.3%) individuals required a new incidence of a
      Needed Support/Needed Long-Term Care certification. A risk assessment scale of 0
      55 was established based on age, sex, and the 10 essential items from the Needs
      Survey's. The incidence of certification were 3.2%, 14.7%, 31.6%, 56.7%, and
      75.0% at scores of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50, respectively. The area under the ROC
      curve (AUC) was 0.783, and the sensitivity and the specificity were 0.705 and
      0.731, respectively (cut-off: 21/22). These values remained almost unchanged
      despite the addition of optional and medical assessment items (AUC: 0.786-0.787,
      sensitivity: 0.721-0.730, and specificity: 0.710-0.717).Conclusion Although the
      medical assessment data was not aggregated, the scale developed from the Kihon
      Checklist's 10 items (included in the Needs Survey's essential items) is useful
      for predicting the incidence of Needed Support/Long-Term Care certification. The
      scale, which evaluates the risk of needed support/long-term care at individual
      and community levels, was developed using the existing Kihon Checklist data or
      the Needs Survey's data collected subsequently by municipalities.

PMID- 28626153
TI  - Association between lifestyle factors assessed by standard question items of
      specific health checkup and the incidence of metabolic syndrome and hypertension
      in community dwellers: A five-year cohort study of National Health Insurance
      beneficiaries in Habikino City.
AB  - Objective From April 2008, specific health checkups have been implemented to
      prevent metabolic syndrome (MetS) and related cardiovascular diseases based on
      assurance of medical care for the elderly in Japan. In its "Standard Health
      Checkup and Counseling Guidance Program," 22 standard question items are
      recommended to assess health conditions of Japanese citizens. However, there are
      few community-based studies to clarify the relationship between question items
      and new onset of high risk conditions for cardiovascular diseases such as MetS.
      Accordingly, we performed a 5-year follow-up study of community dwellers who
      participated in health checkups of National Health Insurance beneficiaries in
      Habikino City, Osaka.Method Lifestyle factors assessed by standard question items
      in 2008 were defined as exposures at baseline survey. In the analysis of MetS, we
      followed-up 4,720 participants without MetS; and in the analysis of hypertension,
      we followed-up 3,326 participants without hypertension until the end of March in
      2013. New-onset MetS or hypertension during follow-up were defined as outcomes.
      Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the relationship between
      lifestyle factors and the incidence of MetS or hypertension after adjustment for
      age and waist circumference.Results The median follow-up period for incidence of
      MetS was 3.1 years for men and 3.6 years for women. We observed 570 new cases of
      MetS during follow-up. For men, "taking dinner within 2 hours before going to
      sleep" and "body weight increase by 10 kg or greater from 20 years old" were
      significantly associated with MetS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 1.09-1.88 and HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.19-1.75, respectively).
      Occasional consumption of alcohol in men was negatively associated with MetS. For
      women, "increase or decrease of body weight by 3 kg or greater within 1 year" and
      "body weight increase by 10 kg or greater from age of 20" were significantly
      associated with MetS (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.40-2.40 and HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.52
      2.68, respectively). Daily alcohol consumption from 1 to less than 2 gou (about
      23 to 45 g of ethanol) in women was positively associated with MetS (HR, 2.64;
      95% CI, 1.51-4.64). We observed 1,045 new cases of hypertension; however, except
      for daily alcohol consumption for men, no lifestyle factors were associated with
      incidence of hypertension.Conclusion Most standard question items of specific
      health checkups did not predict new-onset MetS or hypertension, at least within 5
      years. Thus, development of more predictive question items is warranted.

PMID- 28626154
TI  - Medical examination, cancer screening, and health information channels of people
      with sight impairment: A survey of the resisters of a braille library or a sight
      impairment support group.

PMID- 28626155
TI  - Errata: Public health activities in Osaka: A way of implementing collective
      medicine.
AB  - Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi(JAPANESE JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH), Vol. 64 (2017) No. 4
      p. 179-189: p189(Ref. 16).

PMID- 28626156
TI  - A method to establish a mouse model of bone marrow microenvironment injury.
AB  - A normal bone marrow microenvironment plays a very important role in the normal
      functioning of hematopoietic stem cells. Once disturbed, this microenvironment
      can become favorable for the occurrence of blood disorders, cancers, and other
      diseases. Therefore, further studies on the bone marrow microenvironment should
      be performed to reveal regulatory and stem cell fate determination mechanisms and
      promote the development of bone marrow transplantation, tissue repair and
      regenerative medicine, and other fields. A small animal model for further
      research is also urgently needed. In this study, an electric shock device was
      designed to elicit a femur bone marrow microenvironment injury in mice. A wire
      was inserted into the distal femur but not into the proximal femur, and the bone
      marrow microenvironment was evidently damaged by application of 100 +/- 10 V for
      1.5 +/- 0.5 min ; mortality, however, was low in the mice. Gross observation,
      hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, bright-field microscopy,
      and micro-CT scanning were also conducted. A large number of new blood
      capillaries and sinusoids appeared in the injured distal femur after 2 weeks. The
      capillaries in the injured femur disappeared after 4 weeks, and mature blood
      vessels were scattered throughout the injured area. Red blood cells disappeared,
      and the cellular structure and trabecular bone were better than those observed 2
      weeks previously. Thus, we developed a simply operated, accurate, reliable, and
      easily controlled small animal model as a good technical platform to examine
      angiogenesis and segmentation damage in the bone marrow microenvironment.

PMID- 28626157
TI  - Protein restriction does not affect body temperature pattern in female mice.
AB  - Daily torpor is a physiological adaptation in mammals and birds characterized by
      a controlled reduction of metabolic rate and body temperature during the resting
      phase of circadian rhythms. In laboratory mice, daily torpor is induced by
      dietary caloric restriction. However, it is not known which nutrients are related
      to daily torpor expression. To determine whether dietary protein is a key factor
      in inducing daily torpor in mice, we fed mice a protein-restricted (PR) diet that
      included only one-quarter of the amount of protein but the same caloric level as
      a control (C) diet. We assigned six non-pregnant female ICR mice to each group
      and recorded their body weights and core body temperatures for 4 weeks. Body
      weights in the C group increased, but those in the PR group remained steady or
      decreased. Mice in both groups did not show daily torpor, but most mice in a food
      restricted group (n=6) supplied with 80% of the calories given to the C group
      exhibited decreased body weights and frequently displayed daily torpor. This
      suggests that protein restriction is not a trigger of daily torpor; torpid
      animals can conserve their internal energy, but torpor may not play a significant
      role in conserving internal protein. Thus, opportunistic daily torpor in mice may
      function in energy conservation rather than protein saving.

PMID- 28626158
TI  - Ducks as a potential reservoir for Pasteurella multocida infection detected using
      a new rOmpH-based ELISA.
AB  - Pasteurella multocida is an important pathogen of numerous domestic poultry and
      wild animals and is associated with a variety of diseases including fowl cholera.
      The aim of this study was to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) based on recombinant outer-membrane protein H (rOmpH) for detection
      of anti-P. multocida antibodies in serum to determine their prevalence in Chinese
      ducks. The P. multocida ompH gene was cloned into pET32a, and rOmpH was expressed
      in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Western blotting revealed that purified rOmpH was
      recognized by duck antisera against P. multocida, and an indirect ELISA was
      established. During analysis of serum samples (n=115) from ducks, the rOmpH ELISA
      showed 95.0% specificity, 100% sensitivity and a 92.0% kappa coefficient (95%
      confidence interval 0.844-0.997) as compared with a microtiter agglutination
      test. Among 165 randomly selected serum samples, which were collected in 2015 and
      originated from six duck farms across Fujian Province, China, anti-P. multocida
      antibodies were detected in 22.42% of apparently healthy ducks, including 25 of
      90 sheldrakes (27.8%), eight of 50 Peking ducks (16.0%) and four of 25 Muscovy
      ducks (16%). Overall, the data suggest that rOmpH is a suitable candidate antigen
      for the development of an indirect ELISA for detection of P. multocida in ducks;
      moreover, our results showed that ducks could serve as a potential reservoir for
      P. multocida infection.

PMID- 28626159
TI  - Limbal xanthogranuloma in a dog.
AB  - A 10-year-old female spayed American Pitt Bull Terrier was presented with a slow
      growing mass on the temporal limbus area of the right eye. Canine nodular
      granulomatous episclerokeratitis was suspected, and the affected eye was treated
      with 1% prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension and 0.03% Tacrolimus
      ophthalmic solution. As the lesion did not respond to the medical treatments and
      continued to grow, the mass was excised by lamellar sclerokeratectomy.
      Microscopically, the mass was composed of granulomatous inflammation with
      intrahistiocytic lipids and lakes of acicular cholesterol clefts, histopathology
      findings consistent with xanthogranuloma. To the authors' knowledge, this is the
      first canine report of limbal xanthogranuloma.

PMID- 28626160
TI  - Effect of Anemia on Cardiovascular Hemodynamics, Therapeutic Strategy and
      Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure and Hemodynamic Congestion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of anemia on cardiovascular hemodynamics,
      therapeutic strategies and clinical outcomes in heart failure (HF)
      patients.Methods and Results:We divided 198 consecutive HF patients who underwent
      right heart catheterization before in-hospital HF treatment into 2 groups
      according to the presence or absence of hemodynamic congestion (HC: mean
      pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >=15 mmHg and/or mean right atrial pressure
      >=10 mmHg). The hemoglobin level correlated with the cardiac index (CI) and
      systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) (r=-0.34 and 0.42, P<0.05,
      respectively), and was the strongest contributor of SVRI only in the HC group.
      Anemic patients more frequently required intravenous inotropic support despite
      having higher CI and lower SVRI than non-anemic patients in the HC group. The
      novel hemodynamic subsets based on mean right atrial pressure and estimated left
      ventricular stroke work index but not Forrester subsets appropriately predicted
      the need for intravenous inotropic support. The probability of hospitalization
      for worsening HF during 2-year follow-up period was significantly higher in
      anemic patients than in non-anemic patients in the HC group. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia
      had a direct effect on cardiovascular hemodynamics and thus can confound
      therapeutic planning in HF patients with HC. The novel hemodynamic subsets can be
      applied in daily clinical practice regardless of the presence or absence of
      anemia.

PMID- 28626161
TI  - Morning and Evening Blood Pressures Are Associated With Intima-Media Thickness in
      a General Population - The Hisayama Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The association of morning and evening home blood pressures (HBPs)
      with carotid atherosclerosis has been uncertain in general populations, so we
      aimed to investigate it in a general Japanese population.Methods and Results:We
      performed a cross-sectional survey of 2,856 community-dwelling individuals aged
      >=40 years to examine the association of morning and evening HBPs with carotid
      mean intima-media thickness (IMT). The age- and sex-adjusted geometric averages
      of carotid mean IMT increased significantly with increasing morning HBP (optimal:
      0.67 mm; normal: 0.69 mm; high normal: 0.72 mm; grade 1 hypertension: 0.74 mm;
      and grade 2+3 hypertension: 0.76 mm) and with increasing evening HBP (0.68 mm,
      0.71 mm, 0.73 mm, 0.76 mm, and 0.78 mm, respectively) (both P for trend <0.001).
      These associations remained significant even after adjusting for potential
      confounding factors. Likewise, both isolated morning hypertension (morning HBP
      >=135/85 mmHg and evening HBP <135/85 mmHg) and isolated evening hypertension
      (evening HBP >=135/85 mmHg and morning HBP <135/85 mmHg) as well as sustained
      hypertension (both morning and evening HBP >=135/85 mmHg) were significantly
      associated with thicker mean IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that both
      morning and evening HBPs were significantly associated with carotid
      atherosclerosis in this general Japanese population.

PMID- 28626162
TI  - Intervention of the Nuss Procedure on the Mental Health of Pectus Excavatum
      Patients.
AB  - Pectus excavatum (PE) is the most common congenital chest wall deformity, but
      little is known about the influence of the Nuss surgical procedure on mental
      health of patients with PE. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of
      the PE Nuss surgical procedure on mental health in Chinese patients and identify
      the predictors of psychological status for PE. Patients with PE (n = 266)
      underwent a standard surgical procedure by the same surgeon and did the Symptom
      Checklist 90 (SCL-90) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) questionnaires
      before and 1 year after surgery. Additionally, platelet reactivity of
      postoperative PE patients was assessed. We found that PE patients after surgery
      performed better in the questionnaires and the frequency of mental health
      problems in the patients was lower than before. Most significantly, four mental
      disorders were alleviated after surgery, namely somatization, interpersonal
      sensitivity, depression, and anxiety. What is more, age, suffering year, and
      platelet aggregation responses to serotonin and epinephrine of PE patients
      partially were involved with the postoperative alleviation of mental disorders.
      In conclusion, the mental health level of PE patients could be effectively
      improved via the Nuss surgical procedure, and the earlier surgery might turn out
      better.

PMID- 28626163
TI  - Lower Serum Levels of miR-29c-3p and miR-19b-3p as Biomarkers for Alzheimer's
      Disease.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNA that participate in
      posttranscriptional gene regulation. However, little is understood about the
      roles of miRNAs in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we used next
      generation sequencing on RNA extracted from the serum samples of 20 AD patients
      and 20 controls, yielding a total of 72 miRNAs with significantly changed
      expression levels. Among these candidates, we selected 9 miRNAs with most
      significant alteration in disease, and validated their expression levels using RT
      qPCR analysis on serum samples from 45 AD patients and 40 control subjects. Thus,
      the serum levels of miR-146a-5p, 106b-3p, 195-5p, 20b-5p, and 497-5p were
      significantly higher, while those of miR-125b-3p, 29c-3p, 93-5p and 19b-3p were
      significantly lower in AD patients, compared with control subjects. Two miRNAs,
      miR-29c-3p and miR-19b-3p, were selected because both RNA deep-sequencing and q
      PCR methods indicated lower serum levels of these miRNAs in AD patients.
      Computational analysis predicted that 3'-untranslated region of signal
      transduction and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) mRNA is targeted both by
      miR-29c-3p and miR-19b-3p. Using SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, we showed
      that transfection with miR-29c-3p or miR-19b-3p inhibitor significantly increased
      STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, Water maze test, which assesses the learning
      and memory deficits in rodents, showed that escape latency was significantly
      shorter in AD rats with overexpression of miR-29c-3p or miR-19b-3p than in
      control AD rats. These results suggest that miR-29c-3p or miR-19b-3p may
      contribute to the cognitive function. In conclusion, the serum levels of miR-29c
      3p and miR-19b-3p are helpful biomarkers for AD.

PMID- 28626164
TI  - Diagnostic Significance of Measuring Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor for the
      Differentiation between Malignant and Tuberculous Pleural Effusion.
AB  - Malignancy and tuberculosis are common causes of lymphocytic exudative pleural
      effusion. However, it is occasionally difficult to differentiate malignant
      pleural effusion from tuberculous pleural effusion. Vascular endothelial growth
      factor (VEGF) is a critical cytokine in the pathogenesis of malignant pleural
      effusion. Endocan is a dermatan sulfate proteoglycan that is secreted by
      endothelial cells. Importantly, endocan mediates the vascular growth-promoting
      action of VEGF. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic significance
      of VEGF and endocan in pleural effusion. We thus measured the levels of VEGF and
      endocan in the pleural effusion and serum samples of patients with lung cancer (n
      = 59) and those with tuberculosis (n = 32) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
      Lung cancer included 40 cases of adenocarcinoma, 13 of squamous cell carcinoma,
      and 6 of small cell carcinoma. Pleural effusion VEGF levels were significantly
      higher in the malignant group than in the tuberculosis group (2,091.47 +/-
      1,624.80 pg/mL vs. 1,291.05 +/- 1,100.53 pg/mL, P < 0.05), whereas pleural
      effusion endocan levels were similar between the two groups (1.22 +/- 0.74 ng/mL
      vs. 0.87 +/- 0.53 ng/mL). The areas under the curve of VEGF and endocan were 0.73
      and 0.52, respectively. Notably, the VEGF levels were similar in malignant
      pleural effusion, irrespective of the histological type of lung cancer. Moreover,
      no significant difference was found in the serum VEGF and endocan levels between
      patients with lung cancer and those with tuberculosis. In conclusion, high VEGF
      levels in pleural effusion are suggestive of malignant pleural effusion.

PMID- 28626165
TI  - Identification and Functional Profiling of Differentially Expressed Long Non
      Coding RNAs in Nasal Mucosa with Allergic Rhinitis.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proved to play important roles in a
      variety of human immune diseases. However, their pathological effects on the
      development of allergic rhinitis (AR) have not been clearly understood. The aim
      of this study was to determine the expression profile of lncRNAs in nasal mucosa
      of AR patients by lncRNA microarray and to predict potential roles of specific
      lncRNAs in the pathogenic mechanisms of AR by analysis of lncRNA-mRNA co
      expression network, Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway. The lncRNA microarray
      analysis showed that a total of 2,259 lncRNAs (1,033 up-regulated and 1,226 down
      regulated) and 704 mRNAs (157 up-regulated and 547 down-regulated) were
      significantly differentially expressed in the nasal mucosa samples from 4 AR
      patients as compared to those from 4 non-allergic subjects (fold change > 2; P <
      0.05). In addition, the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network contained 143 network
      nodes including 76 lncRNAs and 67 mRNAs, in which 117 significant correlation
      pairs presented as positive, and 108 pairs presented as negative. The results
      from GO and pathway analysis indicated that the lncRNAs-coexpressed mRNAs were
      enriched in several biological processes and cellular signaling pathways related
      to AR development, such as positive regulation of interleukin-13 secretion, Fc
      epsilon RI signaling pathway and NF-kappa B signaling pathway. To summary, our
      study provides important information on the molecular mechanisms and biological
      functions of these AR-related lncRNAs, which could be utilized for developing
      novel therapeutic strategies for AR.

PMID- 28626166
TI  - Efficacy of Denosumab for Osteoporosis in Three Female Patients with Osteogenesis
      Imperfecta.
AB  - Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inherited bone disorder that causes fractures
      due to impaired production of collagen type I. In recent years, denosumab, a
      human monoclonal antibody against receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB
      ligand (RANKL), has become widely used as an anti-osteoclastic agent for
      osteoporosis. This study investigated osteoporotic cases of OI to examine effects
      of denosumab on bone fragility. This was a retrospective, consecutive case series
      that included 3 female patients aged 42, 40, and 14 years, respectively. One
      patient carries a point mutation (c.G769A) in the COL1A1 gene, encoding collagen
      type I alpha 1 chain, which causes an amino-acid substitution (p.G257R). By
      contrast, no mutation was found in the analyzed regions of the OI responsive
      genes in another two patients (mother and daughter). These three patients
      underwent subcutaneous injection of denosumab every 6 months. All patients
      underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for bone mineral density (BMD)
      measurement of the lumbar 1-4 spine (L-BMD) and bilateral hips (H-BMD) before and
      during treatment. BMD and laboratory data were evaluated before, between 2 and 4
      months, and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of therapy. No fractures or severe side
      effects, such as hypocalcemia, were observed during denosumab treatment. Both L
      BMD and H-BMD were increased by denosumab. At 24 months, the mean percentage
      changes in L-BMD and H-BMD were 14.7% and 15.1%, respectively. In conclusion, no
      bone fragility fractures occurred during 2 years of denosumab administration in
      OI patients. Denosumab therefore is a good therapeutic option in the OI patients.

PMID- 28626167
TI  - A Human Glucagon-Like Peptide-1-albumin Recombinant Protein with Prolonged
      Hypoglycemic Effect Provides Efficient and Beneficial Control of Glucose
      Metabolism in Diabetic Mice.
AB  - GW002 is a recombinant protein engineered by fusing the C-terminal region of
      human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) to the N-terminal region of human serum
      albumin (HSA) with a peptide linker. This study aims to evaluate its anti
      diabetic effects both in vitro and in vivo. The GLP-1 receptor-dependent
      luciferase reporter plasmid was transiently transfected in NIT-1 cells to
      calculate the half-maximal concentration (EC50) for GLP-1 receptor activation,
      and normal ICR mice and diabetic KKAy mice were acutely injected with GW002 (1,
      3, 9 mg/kg) subcutaneously to evaluate the hypoglycemic action, while the
      diabetic KKAy and db/db mice were treated with GW002 once daily for 7 weeks to
      evaluate the effects on glucose metabolism. The results showed that GW002
      activated GLP-1 receptor in NIT-1 cells with higher EC50 versus exendin-4 (46.7
      vs. 7.89 nM), and single subcutaneous injection of GW002 at doses of 1, 3 and 9
      mg/kg efficiently restrained the glycemia variation after oral glucose loading in
      ICR mice for at least 4 d, as well as reducing the non-fasting blood glucose in
      KKAy mice for about 2 d, while repeated injections of GW002 significantly
      improved abnormal glycaemia, hemoglobin (Hb)A1c levels, oral glucose intolerance
      and beta-cell function in diabetic db/db mice. These results suggested that GW002
      showed prolonged hypoglycemic action by activating its cognate receptor and
      provided efficient control of glucose metabolism. Thus GW002 may be a potential
      treatment for the management of type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28626168
TI  - Indications for Small-bowel Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with Chronic Abdominal
      Pain.
AB  - Objective The aim of the present study is to assess the difference in the
      detection rates of small-bowel lesions in chronic abdominal pain (CAP) patients
      with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and non-IBS. Patients Ninety-nine CAP
      patients who were scheduled to undergo capsule endoscopy (CE) to investigate
      their abdominal symptoms were included in this study. Among the subjects, 34
      patients fulfilled the Rome III criteria for IBS (IBS group); the remaining 65
      patients were categorized as the non-IBS group. CE was performed in both groups
      and the total enteroscopy achievement rate, small-bowel lesion detection rate,
      and the presence of small-bowel lesions were evaluated. We also evaluated the
      patients' blood test results and the rate at which abdominal symptoms improved
      following internal medication. Results Total enteroscopy was achieved in 62%
      (21/34) and 86% (56/65) of the IBS and non-IBS patients, respectively. The total
      enteroscopy achievement rate was significantly higher in non-IBS patients. The
      small-bowel lesion detection rates were 3% (1/34) and 19% (12/65), respectively,
      and the detection rate was significantly higher in the non-IBS patients. In the
      non-IBS patients, mean C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher in the
      patients with small-bowel lesions. The abdominal symptoms of 12 (92%) of the CAP
      patients with small-bowel lesions were improved by internal medication.
      Conclusion CE may be considered for non-IBS CAP patients with high levels of CRP.

PMID- 28626169
TI  - New Discriminant Method for Identifying the Aggressive Disease Phenotype of Non
      alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
AB  - Objective To detect the aggressive phenotype (AP) of non-alcoholic fatty liver
      disease (NAFLD) based on the initial laboratory data and clinical
      characteristics. Methods We enrolled 144 patients with histologically proven
      NAFLD. For the first analysis, 24 NAFLD patients underwent repeat biopsy to
      establish a discriminant formula for predicting the AP of NAFLD (D-APN). The AP
      was defined by NAFLD that had been maintained or progressed to a fibrotic stage
      beyond stage 2. In the second analysis, we analyzed the distribution of the AP in
      each stage of disease and the incidence of the PNPLA3 rs738409 GG genotype in AP
      in 120 other patients. Results After the analysis, the following function was
      found to discriminate the disease phenotype: z=0.150*body mass index
      (kg/m2)+0.085*age (years)+1.112*ln (AST) (IU/L)+0.127*ln (m-AST)-12.96. A
      positive result indicates the AP of NAFLD. The discriminant functions had a
      positive predictive value of 94% and a negative predictive value of 71%. The
      distribution of the AP and the incidence of the PNPLA3 GG genotype in the AP in
      each stage of the disease among the 120 patients were as follows: non-alcoholic
      fatty liver, 30%/33%; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) stage 1, 53%/26%;
      stage 2, 71%/70%; stage 3, 92%/57%; and stage 4, 93%/64%; there was a significant
      increase in the incidence of the AP as the disease progressed (p<0.001).
      Conclusion The new discriminant formula was useful for predicting disease
      progression potential in NAFLD patients and the incidence of the PNPLA3 GG
      genotype was elevated according to the distribution of AP.

PMID- 28626170
TI  - Investigating the Relationship between Morning Glycemic Variability and Patient
      Characteristics Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring Data in Patients with Type 2
      Diabetes.
AB  - Objective To investigate the relationship between patient characteristics and
      morning glycemic variability. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 106 patients
      with type 2 diabetes who underwent continuous glucose monitoring during
      admission. The highest postprandial glucose level (within 3 hours after
      breakfast; 'highest level'), the time from the start of breakfast to the highest
      postprandial glucose level ('highest time'), the difference between the pre
      breakfast and highest postprandial breakfast glucose level ('increase'), the area
      under the curve (AUC; >=180 mg/dL) for the glycemic variability within 3 hours
      after breakfast ('morning AUC'), and the post-breakfast glucose gradient
      ('gradient') were calculated. We analyzed the associations between these factors
      and nocturnal hypoglycemia and the patients' characteristics by using a
      regression analysis. Results After stepwise multivariate adjustment, significant
      independent associations were found between 'highest level' and high age, low
      BMI, and high HbA1c; 'highest time' and high HbA1c, low C-peptide
      immunoreactivity (CPR), and low fasting plasma glucose (FPG); the 'increase' and
      high age, low BMI, high HbA1c, low FPG and hypoglycemia; 'morning AUC' and high
      age, high HbA1c and hypoglycemia; and 'gradient' and long duration of diabetes
      and low BMI. Conclusion Higher age and lower BMI are associated with higher
      'highest' and 'increase' levels. Higher HbA1c levels were linked to a longer
      'highest time', and longer durations of the diabetes, while lower BMI values were
      related to a higher 'gradient'.

PMID- 28626171
TI  - Association between Overall Lifestyle Changes and the Incidence of Proteinuria: A
      Population-based, Cohort Study.
AB  - Objective This study aimed to examine the association between the changes in an
      overall healthy lifestyle, as quantified by the number of unhealthy lifestyle
      factors and obesity status, and the incidence of proteinuria in the general
      Japanese population. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among
      99,404 (men, 36.9%) participants aged from 40-74 years of age who underwent two
      health check-ups with a 1-year interval in Japan between 2008 and 2009. Any
      participants with chronic kidney disease at baseline were excluded. The smoking
      status, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and healthy
      eating habits were combined into a simple overall healthy lifestyle score ranging
      from 0 to 5. The changes in overall healthy lifestyle scores from baseline
      (range, -5 to +5) and the incidence of proteinuria, defined by a dipstick
      urinalysis (score >=1+), were assessed at the second check-up. A logistic
      regression analysis was used to examine the association between the changes in
      overall healthy lifestyle scores and the incidence of proteinuria. Results After
      one year of follow-up, 3.9% of men and 2.4% of women developed proteinuria. Each
      increase (or decrease) in the changes in overall healthy lifestyle scores was
      associated with a reduced (or increased) risk of proteinuria in both men (odds
      ratio (OR) 0.87; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.81-0.94) and women (OR 0.87;
      95%CI, 0.80-0.94) after adjusting for age, baseline lifestyle scores,
      hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hypercholesterolemia. Stratified analyses
      based on age, the presence or absence of hypertension, or diabetes mellitus
      revealed similar results. Conclusion Overall lifestyle changes, even within a
      year, were found to influence the incidence of proteinuria.

PMID- 28626172
TI  - Pulmonary Nocardiosis: A Clinical Analysis of 30 Cases.
AB  - Objective Pulmonary nocardiosis frequently develops as an opportunistic infection
      in patients with malignant tumor and is treated with steroids. This study was
      performed to clarify the clinical features of pulmonary nocardiosis in Japan.
      Methods The patients definitively diagnosed with pulmonary nocardiosis at our
      hospital between January 1995 and December 2015 were retrospectively
      investigated. Results Nineteen men and 11 women (30 in total) were diagnosed with
      pulmonary nocardiosis. Almost all patients were complicated by a non-pulmonary
      underlying disease, such as malignant tumor or collagen vascular disease, or
      pulmonary disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or interstitial
      pneumonia, and 13 patients (43.3%) were treated with steroids or
      immunosuppressors. Gram staining was performed in 29 patients, and a
      characteristic Gram-positive rod was detected in 28 patients (96.6%). Thirty-one
      strains of Nocardia were isolated and identified. Seven strains of Nocardia
      farcinica were isolated as the most frequent species, followed by Nocardia nova
      isolated from 6 patients. Seventeen patients died, giving a crude morality rate
      of 56.7% and a 1-year survival rate of 55.4%. The 1-year survival rates in the
      groups with and without immunosuppressant agents were 41.7% and 59.7%,
      respectively, showing that the outcome of those receiving immunosuppressants
      tended to be poorer than those not receiving them. Conclusion Pulmonary
      nocardiosis developed as an opportunistic infection in most cases. The outcome
      was relatively poor, with a 1-year survival rate of 55.4%, and it was
      particularly poor in patients treated with immunosuppressant agents. Pulmonary
      nocardiosis should always be considered in patients presenting with an
      opportunistic respiratory infection, and an early diagnosis requires sample
      collection and Gram staining.

PMID- 28626173
TI  - Prevalence of Right to Left Shunts in Japanese Patients with Migraine: A Single
      center Study.
AB  - Objective Several studies have shown an increased prevalence of right-to-left
      shunt (RLs) in migraine patients, particularly those with aura. However, the
      prevalence of RLs and its relation to Japanese patients with migraine are
      unknown. We investigated the prevalence of RLs in Japanese patients with
      migraine. Methods In total, 112 consecutive patients with migraine were recruited
      from our headache outpatient clinic. Migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without
      aura (MWOA) were diagnosed according to the International Classification of
      Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (beta-version). Contrast transcranial Doppler
      ultrasound was used to detect RLs, including patent foramen ovale (PFO). Then,
      the associations between RLs and patients' backgrounds and presence of aura were
      assessed. Results The overall prevalence of RLs and PFO in migraine patients was
      54.5% and 43.8%, respectively. The prevalence of RLs and PFO in the MA group were
      significantly higher than in the MWOA group (RLs, 62.9% vs. 44.0%, p=0.046; PFO,
      54.8% vs. 30.0%, p=0.008). There were no marked differences in the prevalence of
      large, middle and small shunts between MA and MWOA patients. Compared with the
      MWOA patients, the MA patients were younger (p=0.013) and had early onset age
      (p=0.013) and increased prevalence of photophobia (p=0.008). Conclusion RLs were
      found in over half of the Japanese patients with migraine. Our study suggests a
      possible link between RLs and MA.

PMID- 28626174
TI  - Lifestyle Changes and Oxidative Stress in a High-incidence Area of Amyotrophic
      Lateral Sclerosis in the Southwestern Kii Peninsula, Japan.
AB  - Objective Lifestyle changes may play an important role in the incidence reduction
      and delay of onset age of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the
      Koza/Kozagawa/Kushimoto (K) area. The aim of this study was to evaluate recent
      lifestyle changes in the K area and to investigate the relationships between
      lifestyle and oxidative stress among the residents. Methods We conducted a
      medical checkup for elderly residents in the K area and the control area and
      evaluated the urinary 8-OHdG levels, cognitive function test scores and metal
      contents in serum and scalp hair, coupled with a lifestyle questionnaire survey
      between 2010 and 2015. Results Recent lifestyle changes among the K residents,
      including a decrease in the Japanese pickle consumption, increase in fresh
      vegetable consumption and decrease in farm work, were evaluated in this study.
      Low consumption of Japanese pickles, high consumption of fresh vegetables, rare
      farm work and low levels of 8-OHdG/creatinine were all associated with high
      scores in the cognitive function tests. Frequent farm work and consumption of
      Japanese pickles was associated with high contents of transition metals, such as
      Mn, Al and V, in the scalp hair. Conclusion These lifestyle changes among
      residents in the K area may be associated with their oxidative stress.

PMID- 28626175
TI  - Characteristics and Gender Differences in the Medical Interview Skills of
      Japanese Medical Students.
AB  - Objective To examine the characteristics of the communication skills of medical
      students, we observed their performance during introductory medical interview
      training with simulated patients (SPs). Methods The subjects of the present study
      included fifth-year medical students (male, n=180, female, n=99) who were
      undergoing clinical training in Japan from 2012 to 2014. Each student was
      assigned to one of four 10-minute clinical scenarios, which was conducted with an
      SP. Three or four teachers observed and assessed the performance of each of the
      students. The overall performance was rated on a 10-point scale, and nine basic
      communication skills that were common to each of the scenarios were rated using a
      four-point scale. The students also assessed their own performance on these
      items. The SPs assessed the students' performance from a patient's perspective on
      four items. Results There were significant correlations between the teacher and
      student scores. However, the students tended to score themselves significantly
      lower than the teachers. The female students were rated significantly higher by
      the teachers on the following four items; 'eye contact and appropriate attitude,'
      'nodding and back-channeling,' 'giving empathic verbal responses,' and
      'acquisition of patient's psychosocial information.' However, the self
      assessments of the female students were only significantly higher than the male
      students in one item, 'acquisition of patient's psychosocial information.' In
      contrast, self-assessments of the male students were significantly higher in two
      items; none of their items was scored higher by the teachers. There was no
      significant gender difference in the assessments made by the SPs. Conclusion
      There were significant gender differences in the communication skills of the
      medical students during introductory training, suggesting the possibility that
      there were gender-specific traits and gender-based differences in the students'
      degrees of readiness.

PMID- 28626176
TI  - Gastroduodenal Intussusception with a Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
      Treated by Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection.
AB  - A 95-year-old Japanese woman presented to our hospital with intermittent vomiting
      and several episodes of melena. Abdominal computed tomography revealed
      intussusception of the gastric tumor into the duodenum. After endoscopic
      reduction, endoscopic ultrasonography identified a hypoechogenic lesion limited
      to the submucosal layer. Endoscopic resection was performed as a localized
      treatment for the prevention of recurrent gastroduodenal intussusception. To our
      knowledge, there have been no other reports describing a gastric gastrointestinal
      stromal tumor presenting with gastroduodenal intussusception and treated using an
      endoscopic submucosal dissection technique.

PMID- 28626177
TI  - Recurrence 30 Years after Surgical Resection of a Localized Rectal Neuroendocrine
      Tumor.
AB  - Localized small rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) without any vascular
      involvement rarely metastasize, and their resection alone is considered curative.
      We herein report a case of localized rectal NET (10*8 mm) without vascular
      involvement. Although resected initially, it recurred as liver metastasis 30
      years later. For rectal NETs smaller than 10 to 20 mm, surveillance for 12 months
      is considered sufficient. However, this case suggests that such tumors can recur
      even 30 years after curative resection. The interval of recurrence is the longest
      among reported cases.

PMID- 28626178
TI  - Hypoglycemic Coma Induced by the Use of Succinic Acid Cibenzoline in Frail Late
      stage Elderly Subjects.
AB  - Succinic acid cibenzoline (CZ) is an antiarrhythmic agent often used for the
      treatment of tachyarrhythmia. However, hypoglycemia should be avoided in the
      treatment of diabetes. We herein report two late-stage elderly subjects who
      experienced a severe and prolonged hypoglycemic coma after the usage of CZ. These
      cases suggest that, when CZ is administered to elderly subjects with renal
      dysfunction and/or frailty, we should be aware of the possibility that this
      medicine may induce hypoglycemia and should adjust the dose as appropriate and
      monitor the concentration of CZ to avoid severe hypoglycemia.

PMID- 28626179
TI  - Two Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia Who Were Successfully Weaned from
      Low-density Lipoprotein Apheresis after Treatment with Evolocumab.
AB  - Two elderly patients (a 76-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman), who had been
      previously diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia (at 58 and 48 years of
      age, respectively) underwent long-term treatment with oral therapy and low
      density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis. As their LDL cholesterol levels remained
      high (>150 mg/dL and >120 mg/dL, respectively) and their familial
      hypercholesterolemia was complicated with angina pectoris, we added evolocumab to
      their prescription. Thereafter, their LDL cholesterol levels decreased rapidly,
      and the patients were successfully weaned from LDL apheresis. Evolocumab therapy
      should thus be considered when LDL apheresis cannot achieve the target LDL
      cholesterol levels, though the prognosis of such treatment remains unclear.

PMID- 28626180
TI  - Pregnancy Is a Risk Factor for Secondary Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis in
      Women with a History of Very Low Birth Weight.
AB  - Low birth weight (LBW) has been known to increase the susceptibility to renal
      injury in adulthood. A 26-year-old woman developed proteinuria in early
      pregnancy; she had been born with very LBW. The clinical course was progressive,
      and an emergency Caesarean section was performed at 36 weeks due to acute kidney
      injury. A renal biopsy provided a diagnosis of post-adaptive focal segmental
      glomerulosclerosis. Increased demand for glomerular filtration during early
      pregnancy appeared to have initiated the renal injury. This report highlights the
      fact that pregnancy might be a risk factor for renal injury in women born with
      LBW.

PMID- 28626181
TI  - Long-term Low-density Lipoprotein Apheresis in a Patient with Refractory
      Idiopathic Membranous Glomerulonephritis.
AB  - A 61-year-old Japanese man developed nephrotic syndrome (NS) due to idiopathic
      membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN). He received immunosuppressive therapy for
      two years, including prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, and cyclosporine A, but the
      NS persisted. Low-density lipoprotein apheresis (LDL-A) was initiated at a
      frequency of twice a month and continued for 9 years (203 sessions in total). His
      proteinuria reduced to less than 1 g daily after 9 years. LDL-A was stopped, and
      the NS has not relapsed for five years. This case suggests that long-term LDL-A
      therapy may be a treatment option for idiopathic MGN refractory to
      immunosuppressive therapy or short-term LDL-A.

PMID- 28626182
TI  - Small Cell Lung Cancer in a 20-year-old Non-Smoking Man with Systemic Sclerosis.
AB  - Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a neuroendocrine tumor, and the median age of
      onset is about 70 years old. A 20-year-old non-smoking man with known systemic
      sclerosis presented with discomfort in his left chest. Chest X-ray showed a mass
      shadow in the left upper zone. A transbronchial lung biopsy revealed small cell
      carcinoma, and imaging studies reached the diagnosis of extensive disease small
      cell lung cancer. He had concurrent interstitial lung disease with a non-specific
      interstitial pneumonia pattern and anti-Scl-70 antibodies. He died eight months
      after the diagnosis during fifth-line chemotherapy. We herein report the youngest
      case to date of SCLC with systemic sclerosis.

PMID- 28626183
TI  - Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia Complicated with IgG4-related Lung Disease.
AB  - As an idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia
      (DIP) is an uncommon form of interstitial lung disease and is considered to be a
      smoking- or dust inhalation-related interstitial pneumonia in the majority of
      cases. However, the details regarding immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related lung
      disease remain unclear and controversial. We herein report the first case of DIP
      complicated with IgG4-related lung disease. Even if a patient has a smoking
      history, we emphasize the importance of exploring the association between DIP and
      IgG4-related lung disease to clarify the pathogenesis of these two disorders.

PMID- 28626184
TI  - A 16-year Follow-up Case of Interstitial Pneumonia with Systemic Sclerosis
      rheumatoid Arthritis Overlap Syndrome.
AB  - Interstitial pneumonia is a common and major comorbidity affecting the prognosis
      of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, there are few reported cases
      of SSc-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) overlap-associated interstitial pneumonia. We
      herein report a case in which the clinical behavior and histopathology of
      interstitial pneumonia with SSc-RA overlap syndrome was followed over a long
      clinical course. When clinicians are deciding on the treatment strategy for
      patients with SSc-RA overlap syndrome-associated interstitial pneumonia, a
      pathological examination of a surgical lung biopsy may be useful.

PMID- 28626185
TI  - Miliary Tuberculosis that Developed after Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin
      Therapy.
AB  - As a treatment for superficial transitional cell carcinoma, Bacillus Calmette
      Guerin (BCG) intravesical instillation can rarely cause unpredictable systemic
      side effects. We describe a patient admitted due to continuous pyrexia and
      general fatigue. He was previously treated with intravesical BCG. Laboratory data
      indicated a hepatic disorder, and chest computed tomography revealed extensive
      bilateral miliary nodules. Transbronchial lung biopsy specimens showed several
      small noncaseating granulomas. The diagnosis was unsolved on the basis of acid
      fast staining, polymerase chain reaction and microbiological cultures, so we
      considered the possibility of BCG side effect-induced granuloma. Two months after
      treatment with antituberculous agents and corticosteroids, his clinical symptoms
      were improved.

PMID- 28626186
TI  - Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome Presenting with Transient Global
      Amnesia.
AB  - A 65-year-old man who had been diagnosed with transient global amnesia (TGA) 15
      years previously was admitted to hospital with complaints of amnesia and
      headache. His symptoms improved on day-2. The initial brain MRI and
      electroencephalography findings were normal. He was diagnosed with a recurrence
      of TGA and discharged. However, he returned with right leg weakness and
      complained of a thunderclap headache. MRI demonstrated subarachnoid hemorrhage
      and multifocal segmental narrowing of the left posterior cerebral artery (PCA)
      and large intracranial arteries, and he was diagnosed with reversible cerebral
      vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). He was discharged on day-30 without any
      neurological deficits. This case suggested that TGA should be interpreted as one
      of the symptoms of RCVS or a prodromal symptom of RCVS.

PMID- 28626187
TI  - Efficacy of Intravenous Cyclophosphamide Pulse Therapy for P-Glycoprotein
      expressing B Cell-associated Active True Renal Lupus Vasculitis in Lupus
      Nephritis.
AB  - True renal lupus vasculitis (TRLV), a vascular lesion usually associated with
      proliferative lupus nephritis (LN), is resistant to conventional treatments. The
      expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) on activated lymphocytes causes drug
      resistance. We herein report a patient with TRLV, minimal change LN,
      overexpression of P-gp on peripheral B cells, and accumulation of P-gp+ B cells
      at the site of TRLV. High-dose corticosteroids combined with intravenous
      cyclophosphamide pulse therapy resulted in clinical remission and the long-term
      normal renal function.

PMID- 28626188
TI  - Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Complicated with Pregnancy-induced Hemophagocytic
      Syndrome.
AB  - A 35-year-old woman with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) was admitted at 11
      weeks' gestation with a persistent fever. Laboratory studies revealed
      pancytopenia, elevated liver enzymes, and hyperferritinemia. Bone marrow
      aspiration confirmed the diagnosis of hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). She had no
      findings of infection or active systemic lupus erythematosus. The administration
      of high-dose corticosteroids resolved the clinical and laboratory findings. She
      delivered a healthy baby at 35 weeks' gestation. This case suggests that DLE can
      be a predisposing factor for pregnancy-induced HPS.

PMID- 28626189
TI  - Successful Switch to Golimumab for Eosinophilia and Skin Symptoms Related to
      Multiple Biologics in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
AB  - Biologics used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rarely cause
      eosinophilia. We herein report a patient with RA being treated with infliximab,
      adalimumab, and tocilizumab who developed eosinophilia with skin symptoms.
      Interestingly, the marked eosinophilia and skin symptoms did not reappear after
      the patient's medication was switched to golimumab. In this case, the presence of
      biologics-specific antibodies suggested that immunogenicity caused the
      eosinophilia. Therefore, switching to a biologic with a lower immunogenicity was
      effective. These findings may be helpful for clinicians treating patients with
      biologics-induced eosinophilia.

PMID- 28626190
TI  - Miliary Tuberculosis in a Young Woman with Hemophagocytic Syndrome: A Case Report
      and Literature Review.
AB  - We herein report a rare case of miliary tuberculosis-associated hemophagocytic
      syndrome (HPS) complicated with respiratory failure. A 19-year-old Japanese woman
      with a fever, general malaise, and chest radiograph abnormalities was referred to
      our hospital. After admission, she developed respiratory failure with
      pancytopenia. A histological examination of lung and bone marrow biopsy samples
      revealed noncaseating granulomas without evidence of acid-fast bacilli or
      lymphoma. In addition, a bone marrow biopsy showed marked histiocyte hyperplasia
      with hemophagocytosis, and a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture grew
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Therefore, a diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis
      associated HPS was made. The patient was successfully treated with
      antituberculous therapy.

PMID- 28626192
TI  - Increased 18F-FDG Uptake in IgG4-related Coronary Periarterial Pseudotumor.

PMID- 28626191
TI  - Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Fatal Case of Severe Fever with
      Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.
AB  - Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging disease caused
      by a novel Bunyavirus with a high mortality rate. We herein report a fatal case
      of an 86-year-old woman with SFTS complaining of a fever, fatigue, and
      bicytopenia. Her condition deteriorated with rapid progression of bleeding
      tendency, disturbance of consciousness, and multiple organ failure leading to
      death on Day 6 of her illness. The histopathological findings in the autopsy
      revealed marked infiltration of macrophages with hemophagocytosis in the bone
      marrow, liver, and spleen leading to a diagnosis of hemophagocytic
      lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). HLH might be a critical pathogenesis in fatal cases of
      SFTS.

PMID- 28626193
TI  - Uremic Tumoral Calcinosis Resolved by Improvements in Hyperphosphatemia.

PMID- 28626194
TI  - Spontaneous Improvement of Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features.

PMID- 28626195
TI  - Pyomyositis in a Patient with AIDS.

PMID- 28626196
TI  - Acute Calcific Prevertebral Tendinitis.

PMID- 28626197
TI  - Evaluation of CYP2D6 Protein Expression and Activity in the Small Intestine to
      Determine Its Metabolic Capability in the Japanese Population.
AB  - CYP2D6 plays an important role in the metabolism of many drugs such as opioids
      and antidepressants. Polymorphisms of the CYP2D6 gene are widely observed in the
      Japanese population, and can affect the first-pass metabolism of orally
      administered drugs. Several CYP enzymes have been identified in the small
      intestine of Caucasians, but intestinal CYP enzymes have not been reported in the
      Japanese population, except for CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. In this study, we evaluated
      the CYP2D6 metabolic capacity by measurement of CYP2D6 mRNA and protein levels
      and activity in the small intestine of Japanese individuals. Normal jejunal
      tissues were obtained from 31 patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy,
      and the CYP2D6*10 variant was identified in these tissues. CYP2D6 mRNA and CYP2D6
      protein levels were analyzed using real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting,
      respectively. Bufuralol 1'-hydroxylation, a marker of CYP2D6 activity, was
      analyzed using HPLC. Frequencies of the CYP2D6*1/*1, *1/*10, and *10/*10
      genotypes in the jejunal tissue were 29.0% (n=9), 35.5% (n=11), and 35.5% (n=11),
      respectively. CYP2D6 protein and activity levels did not differ significantly
      between the genotypes. A positive correlation was found between CYP2D6 protein
      and activity levels. Furthermore, CYP2D6 protein levels and activity in the small
      intestine were significantly lower than those in the liver. These findings
      suggest that the metabolic capacity of CYP2D6 in the small intestine of the
      Japanese population has a relatively small effect on drug metabolism.

PMID- 28626198
TI  - The Therapeutic Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Rat Diabetic Neuropathy Pain and the
      Mechanism.
AB  - : Diabetic neuropathy pain (DNP) is a common chronic complication of diabetes
      characterized by spontaneous pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia. Dexmedetomidine is
      a selective alpha2 adrenergic agonist that relieves sympathetic nervous tension
      and reduces the release of glutamate. Thus, it is possible that dexmedetomidine
      may relieve DNP as well. In this study, we examined the effect of dexmedetomidine
      on DNP in the presence or absence of the alpha2 adrenergic antagonist yohimbine
      in rats utilizing a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes as a model of DNP. To
      examine DNP, we examined behavior using the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT)
      and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) tests, and microglia and astrocyte
      activation was examined by immunofluorescence staining. The levels of pro
      inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)
      1beta in the spinal cord were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (ELISA). Cell apoptosis in spinal cord was examined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl
      transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay.
      Glutamate production in caudal lumbar was measured by HPLC. We found that STZ
      treated rats had decreased pain threshold, elevated activation of microglia but
      not astrocytes, increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased
      apoptosis and glutamate production compared to control animals, and these effects
      were ameliorated by dexmedetomidine treatment. Pretreatment of yohimbine
      abolished almost all of the protective effects of dexmedetomidine except for
      glutamate production. IN CONCLUSION: our data confirmed that dexmedetomidine can
      relieve hyperalgesia in diabetic neuropathy pain, and protect spinal cord cells
      from apoptotic death. The mechanism may be related to dexmedetomidine-mediated
      inhibition of microglia activation, reduction of inflammatory reaction in the
      spinal cord, and suppression of glutamate production.

PMID- 28626199
TI  - Oxygen and Glucose as Stimulation Agents for BOLD Functional MR Imaging of Rabbit
      Liver: A Feasibility Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility of using oxygen and glucose as stimulating
      agents in blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) Functional Magnetic Resonance
      Imaging (fMRI) of rabbit liver and analyze the impacts by blood flow. METHODS:
      Pure oxygen inhalation, intravenous injection and oral administration of glucose
      were given to 11 New Zealand white rabbits to compare the differences of liver
      T2*, aortic flow (AF), portal vein flow (PVF), aortic area (AA) and portal vein
      area (PVA) before and at 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 30 min after administrations. AF
      and PVF were acquired by two dimensional (2D) Phase Contrast MR (2D-PCMR). The
      impacts of AF and PVF upon BOLD fMRI were analyzed. RESULTS: AF and PVF declined
      at 5 min after oxygen inhalation and were significantly different from baseline,
      then reverted to baseline. No significant difference was observed in liver T2*,
      AA and PVA before and after oxygen inhalation. AF, PVF, AA and PVA showed no
      significant difference before and after glucose intravenous injection, while
      liver T2* increased gradually with significant difference. AF and liver T2* were
      significantly different before and after glucose oral administration and
      increased gradually, AA was significantly different before and after glucose
      administration at 10 min and 20 min. PVF and PVA started to be different from
      baseline at 10 min. Greatest variation of T2* (19.6%) was induced by glucose oral
      administration after 30 min. CONCLUSION: Rabbit liver T2* increasing by glucose
      intravenous injection is possibly associated with glycogen synthesis, provides
      the possibility to evaluate liver function. Glucose oral administration
      demonstrated an optimal comparative effect of raising T2*, however, resulted from
      the superposition of increased glycogen synthesis and blood flow. Inhalation of
      pure oxygen didn't alter the rabbit liver T2*, which may possibly result from an
      offset between the increased concentration of oxyhemoglobin and decreased blood
      flow.

PMID- 28626200
TI  - Inferior Vena Cava Thrombi Caused by Enlarged, Solitary Hepatic Cyst.

PMID- 28626201
TI  - Survival and Heart Failure Hospitalization in Patients With Cardiac
      Resynchronization Therapy With or Without a Defibrillator for Primary Prevention
      in Japan - Analysis of the Japan Cardiac Device Treatment Registry Database.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Randomized control trials comparing the effectiveness of cardiac
      resynchronization therapy devices, with (CRT-D) or without (CRT-P) a
      defibrillator, are scarce in heart failure patients with no prior sustained
      ventricular tachyarrhythmias.Methods and Results:The Japan Cardiac Device
      Treatment Registry (JCDTR) has data for 2714 CRT-D and 555 CRT-P recipients for
      primary prevention with an implantation date between January 2011 and August
      2015. Of these patients, follow-up data were available for 717. Over the mean
      follow-up period of 21 months, Kaplan-Meier curves of survival free of combined
      events for all-cause death or heart failure hospitalization (whichever came
      first) diverged between the CRT-D (n=620) and CRT-P (n=97) groups with a rate of
      22% vs. 42%, respectively, at 24 months (P=0.0011). However, this apparent
      benefit of CRT-D over CRT-P was no longer significant after adjustment for
      covariates. With regard to mortality, including heart failure death or sudden
      cardiac death, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: In patients without sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias enrolled
      in the JCDTR, there was no significant difference in mortality between the CRT-D
      and CRT-P groups, despite a lower trend in CRT-D recipients. This study was
      limited by large clinical and demographic differences between the 2 groups.

PMID- 28626202
TI  - Stent Fracture and Peri-Stent Contrast Staining After Everolimus-Eluting Stent
      Implantation - 5-Year Outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stent fracture (SF) and peri-stent contrast staining (PSS) after
      sirolimus-eluting stent implantation are reported to be risk factors of adverse
      events. However, the effect of these after everolimus-eluting stent (EES)
      implantation on long-term outcomes remains unclear.Methods and Results:The study
      sample comprised 636 patients (1,081 lesions) undergoing EES implantation in 2010
      and follow-up angiography within 1 year. The 5-year cumulative rates of target
      lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE: a
      combination of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and TLR) were compared
      between patients with and without SF or PSS. SF was observed in 2.7%, and PSS in
      3.0%. The cumulative rates of MACE and TLR were significantly higher in the SF
      group than in the non-SF group (51.7% vs. 27.5% and 48.3% vs. 13.4%,
      respectively), but showed no significant differences between the PSS and non-PSS
      groups. In a landmark analysis, the rate of TLR within 1 year was significantly
      higher in the SF group than in the non-SF group (44.8% vs. 7.2%), but beyond 1
      year showed no significant difference (6.3% vs 6.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The 5-year
      clinical outcomes suggested that SF after EES implantation is related to
      increased risk of MACE and TLR, especially within 1 year after the procedure, but
      PSS after EES implantation is unrelated.

PMID- 28626203
TI  - Rheological approach for determining yield stresses in flowable resin composites
      prior to setting.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to develop a method for quantifying the fluidity of
      flowable resin composites using determinations of yield stress. Five commercially
      available composites (AliteFlo LV, Flow-it ALC, Venus flow, Tetric N-flow,
      Revolution Formula2) were investigated. Yield stress values were obtained by
      plotting shear stresses for a range of shear rates, followed by fitting of Casson
      fluid models to flow curve data and extrapolation to the stress axis. To confirm
      that yield stress reflected fluidity, apparent viscosity at the lower shear rate
      (0.2 s-1) was calculated from flow curves. Yield stresses ranged from 5.4 to 43.1
      Pa, and were found to capture differences in the fluidity of composites that were
      not captured by viscosity measurement at the low shear rate. Yield stress is
      directly proportional to fluidity, and could serve as a simple and precise
      indicator for selecting flowable resin composites for use in various clinical
      applications.

PMID- 28626204
TI  - Intrapulpal temperature changes during curing of different bulk-fill restorative
      materials.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the intrapulpal temperature changes during
      the curing of different bulk-fill restorative materials. Ten mandibular molar
      teeth were selected and occlusal surfaces were removed to obtain a standard 0.5
      mm occlusal dentin thickness. Five bulk-fill restorative materials and a
      conventional resin composite (control) were applied. The intrapulpal temperature
      changes during the curing of these materials were determined by a device
      simulating pulpal blood microcirculation. The difference between the initial and
      maximum temperature values (Deltat), was recorded. The data were statistically
      analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (p<0.05). There were
      statistically significant differences between materials (p<0.001). The light
      curing bulkfill restoratives exhibited the highest Deltat values. Equia Forte
      showed the lowest Deltat values among all the groups (p<0.05). Bulk-fill
      restorative materials causes significantly different temperature changes in the
      pulp chamber according to curing type. Therefore, clinicians should be considered
      when using these materials.

PMID- 28626205
TI  - Designing an antibacterial acrylic resin using the cosolvent method -Effect of
      ethanol on the optical and mechanical properties of a cold-cure acrylic resin.
AB  - Antimicrobial cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) has low miscibility with acrylic
      resin monomer but can be homogeneously mixed using ethanol as a cosolvent. This
      study investigated the effects of ethanol addition on the properties of a cold
      cure acrylic resin. Ethanol was an excellent cosolvent for CPC and methyl
      methacrylate monomer (MMA), but the cured resin exhibited a strong change in
      coloration to yellow (DeltaE*ab>8) and a drastically reduced bending strength
      (from 97 to 25 MPa) and elastic modulus (from 2.7 to 0.6 GPa) when equal volumes
      of ethanol and monomer were used together, possibly due to the solvation and
      deactivation of radicals by ethanol. However, these unfavorable effects
      diminished when the ethanol/MMA ratio was reduced to 0.25, and became smaller
      when each specimen was depressurized and excess ethanol was removed. Thus, it may
      be possible to develop a molecularly uniform antibacterial acrylic resin with
      acceptable color and strength using this simple technique.

PMID- 28626206
TI  - In vitro/in vivo evaluation of the efficacy of gatifloxacine-loaded PLGA and
      hydroxyapatite composite for treating osteomyelitis.
AB  - Molten 10 wt% gatifloxacine (GLFX-loaded poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) was
      introduced into three-dimensionally interconnected pores and onto the surfaces of
      hydroxyapatite (HA) granules. The composite granules exhibited clinically
      sufficient bactericidal activities against Streptococcus milleri and Bacteroides
      fragilis from 3 h to 10 days. The composite granules were implanted in bone
      defects created by debridement of osteomyelitis lesions in rabbit mandibles.
      After 4-week implantation, inflammation in the composite granule-implanted group
      was significantly smaller than that in the debridement group (p<0.05). Moreover,
      newly formed bone was observed in the pores and on the surface of HA granules of
      the composite. These findings show that GFLX/HA composite controls bacterial
      infection and supports bone regeneration for osteomyelitis treatment.

PMID- 28626207
TI  - Influence of polymerization properties of 4-META/MMA-based resin on the activity
      of fibroblast growth factor-2.
AB  - Dental adhesive resins based on 4-methacryloxyethyl trimellitate anhydride (4
      META)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) have been utilized for root-end filling and the
      bonding of fractured roots. To increase the success rate of these treatments, it
      would be beneficial to promote the healing of surrounding tissue by applying
      growth factors. In this study, the influences of the polymerization properties of
      4-META/MMA-based resins on the activity of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)
      were evaluated in vitro. The temperature increase caused by the heat generation
      during polymerization of the 4-META/MMA-based resin was insufficient to change
      the structure and function of FGF-2. Unpolymerized monomers released from the
      cured 4-META/MMA-based resin had no negative influences on the ability of FGF-2
      to promote the proliferation of osteoblast-like cells. These findings suggest
      that it is possible to use FGF-2 in combination with 4-META/MMA-based resins.

PMID- 28626208
TI  - Posttraumatic stress disorder eliminates association of TrkB rs1187327 with HDL-C
      in Chinese Han adolescents.
AB  - Tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) has been observed to be a common
      player in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the regulation of serum lipids
      levels. However, interplays of PTSD with TrkB on serum lipids levels have not
      been explored yet. This study was to investigate the interplays of PTSD and TrkB
      rs1187327 on serum lipid profiles. Variants of TrkB rs1187327 of 709 high school
      students were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length
      polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses and verified by DNA sequencing. The PTSD
      Checklist Civilian Version (PCL-C) was used to assess PTSD. Colorimetric methods
      were used to determine the serum levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol
      (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDL-C) and glucose. The results show that the GG homozygotes had a
      significantly higher level of HDL-C than the A allele carriers of TrkB rs1187327
      after the adjustment for gender, age and body mass index (BMI) (1.44 +/- 0.299
      mmol/L vs. 1.39 +/- 0.266 mmol/L, p = 0.036). When PTSD was taken into account,
      the higher than the A allele carriers level of HDL-C of the GG homozygotes was
      observed significant after the adjustment for gender, age and BMI only in the
      subjects without PTSD (1.44 +/- 0.293 mmol/ L vs. 1.39 +/- 0.267 mmol/L, p =
      0.030), but not in the subjects with PTSD. These results suggest that the A
      allele of TrkB rs1187327 may be associated with decreased levels of serum HDL-C
      in general healthy adolescents, but not in adolescents with PTSD.

PMID- 28626209
TI  - Paeoniflorin prevents TLR2/4-mediated inflammation in type 2 diabetic
      nephropathy.
AB  - Paeoniflorin is an effective Chinese traditional medicine with anti-inflammatory
      and immune-regulatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the
      underlying renoprotective mechanism of Paeoniflorin. In vivo, db/db mice were
      intraperitoneally injected with Paeoniflorin at a dose of 15, 30, or 60 mg/kg
      respectively. The immunostaining of TLR2, TLR4, CD68, NF-kB p65 and the mRNA
      level of inflammatory factors, together with the protein expression of TLR2/4
      signaling were evaluated. Our data demonstrated that Paeoniflorin could decrease
      the urinary albumin excretion rate and inhibit macrophage infiltration and
      activation through blockage of the TLR2/4 signaling pathway compared with the
      db/db group in vivo. In vitro, RAW264.7 cells were categorized into control,
      bovin serum albumin (BSA)-stimulated, advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
      stimulated, Paeoniflorin intervention and oxidized phospholipid (OxPAPC)
      inhibited groups. The cell viability, the optimal stimulated time and
      concentration were measured as well as the TLR2/4 signaling activation determined
      by RT-PCR, Western blot and ELISA. Our data demonstrated that Paeoniflorin
      reduced the AGEs-induced TLR2/4 activation and inflammatory responses, which was
      consistent with the TLR2/4 inhibitor group. These findings indicate that
      Paeoniflorin prevents macrophage activation via inhibition of TLR2/4 signaling
      expression in type 2 diabetic nephropathy.

PMID- 28626210
TI  - Clinical correspondence to hepatocellular carcinoma-related lesions with atypical
      radiological pattern.
AB  - In patients at risk of hepatocarcinogenesis, tumors are frequently detected with
      atypical radiological patterns related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on
      imaging studies. Despite their high potential for malignancy, whether to resect
      such lesions immediately is controversial. Based on histological findings,
      patients with non-enhanced tumors or enhanced tumors without washout were divided
      into two groups: those with tumors that should be treated containing well,
      moderately, and poorly differentiated HCC (Group 1), and those that can be
      observed containing early HCC, hepatocellular adenoma, focal nodular hyperplasia,
      dysplastic nodules, and regenerative nodules (Group 2), and we elucidated the
      clinical correspondence to these tumors. Seventy-two patients had a single tumor
      with atypical radiological pattern: 39 patients had HCC (Group 1), while 33
      patients had benign tumors or early HCC (Group 2). Among nine baseline variables,
      serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in Group 1 (median, 13.2 ng/mL; range, 0.6
      5881.6) was significantly higher than that in Group 2 (5.6 ng/mL; 0.8-86.3, P =
      0.003). The cut-off value of AFP was 36.4 ng/mL for prediction of Group 1, and
      the median overall and recurrence-free survival periods of 23 patients in the
      high-AFP (>= 36.4 ng/mL) group (5.3 years; 95%CI, 2.1 - N.A. and 1.6 years; 0.5
      2.2) were significantly shorter than those of the 49 patients in the low-AFP (<
      36.4) group (7.5 years; 7.5 - N.A., P = 0.047, and 2.8 years; 1.9-3.3, P =
      0.001). Taken together, HCC-related tumors with an atypical radiological pattern
      could be observed unless serum AFP level is elevated.

PMID- 28626211
TI  - Once malaria is eliminated, more attention should be paid to imported malaria:
      Data from five years of surveillance in the City of Yiwu in eastern China.
AB  - This study reviewed and analyzed data on malaria cases in Yiwu from 2012 to 2016
      via a webbased system for managing and reporting information on infectious
      diseases. A total of 161 cases were diagnosed (77.02% due to Plasmodium
      falciparum, 18.01% due to P. vivax, 4.35% due to P. ovale, and 0.62% due to P.
      malariae). One case was imported from Yunnan Province in China and the others
      were imported from overseas. The ratio of male to female patients was 7.47:1. The
      average age was 36.34 years (SD: 9.63). Most cases (87.58%) were imported from 1
      of 30 countries in Africa. As malaria is gradually being eliminated in China, the
      main task at this stage has transitioned to the prevention and control of cases
      of imported malaria. Particular attention should be paid to malaria cases from
      Africa.

PMID- 28626212
TI  - A Huge Subcutaneous Hematoma in an Adult with Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND Kasabach-Merritt syndrome is a potentially fatal disease that consists
      of hemangioma(s) with thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and
      coagulopathy. Extensive hemangiomatosis is rare. We present the radiological
      features and treatment strategy of a young adult suffering from Kasabach-Merritt
      syndrome with widespread hemangiomas and an infected huge hematoma in the right
      thigh. CASE REPORT A 33-year-old Taiwanese male presented with a painful 20-cm
      mass over his right thigh and gross hematuria for 2 days. Hemangiomatosis was
      bioptically proven in infancy and the patient was under regular follow-up.
      Physical examination revealed normal heart rate, respiratory rate, and body
      temperature. Multiple palpable lumps with brown and purple areas of skin over the
      neck, trunk, and right thigh were noted. Laboratory examinations revealed
      thrombocytopenia anemia and elevated fibrin degradation products. There were no
      signs of sepsis. Blood transfusion and steroid therapy were executed. Computed
      tomography showed a huge complicated subcutaneous hematoma in the right thigh.
      Drainage of the huge hematoma was performed and antibiotics were prescribed.
      After the local infection in the right thigh and the bleeding tendency were
      controlled, the patient was discharged in a stable condition two weeks later.
      CONCLUSIONS A huge infected hematoma and widespread hemangiomas are extremely
      rare complications of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. There are no known treatment
      guidelines currently available. Our patient was successfully treated with
      steroids, drainage, and antibiotics.

PMID- 28626213
TI  - The Efficacy of Imrecoxib and Celecoxib in Axial Spondyloarthritis and Their
      Influence on Serum Dickopff-Related Protein 1 (DKK-1) Levels.
AB  - BACKGROUND To observe and demonstrate therapeutic effects and side effects of two
      selective COX-2 inhibitors, imrecoxib and celecoxib, on patients with axial
      spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and observe the correlation between imaging scores and
      serum DKK-1 levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty patients with axSpA were randomly
      assigned to receive 200 mg imrecoxib or 200 mg celecoxib twice daily. Fifty-one
      patients who completed follow-up were included in the study. At baseline, week 4,
      and week 12, the clinical parameters, inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP), and
      adverse reactions were recorded. Serum DKK-1 levels were investigated by enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay. Radiographic scores were calculated by sacroiliac
      joint SPARCC (Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada) score method at
      baseline serum DKK-1 levels and week 12. RESULTS Patients in the imrecoxib group
      (n=25) and patients in the celecoxib group (n=26) were improved at week 4. At
      week 12, all clinical parameters and inflammatory markers were improved in the
      two groups and the differences was not statistically significant. Serum DKK-1
      levels were decreased and the differences were not statistically significant.
      Serum DKK-1 levels in patients in the imrecoxib group at baseline were negatively
      correlated with all study parameters, while those in the celecoxib group had
      correlations with BASFI (r=-0.048, p=0.027) and Schober test (r=0.437, p=0.048),
      without any correlation with other clinical parameters or inflammatory markers.
      CONCLUSIONS Patients experienced significant improvement in disease activity,
      functional parameters, and inflammatory markers when treated with selective COX-2
      inhibitors for 12 weeks, and the efficacy of imrecoxib was not inferior to
      celecoxib. Selective COX-2 inhibitors imrecoxib and celecoxib had no obvious
      effects on serum DKK-1 levels.

PMID- 28626214
TI  - Growth hormone-releasing hormone is produced by adipocytes and regulates
      lipolysis through growth hormone receptor.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) has a crucial role in growth
      hormone (GH) secretion, but little is known about its production by adipocytes
      and its involvement in adipocyte metabolism. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether
      GHRH and its receptor (GHRH-R) are present in human adipocytes and to study their
      levels in obesity. Also, to analyze the effects of GHRH on human adipocyte
      differentiation and lipolysis. METHODS: GHRH/GHRH-R and GH/GH-R mRNA expression
      levels were analyzed in human mature adipocytes from non-obese and morbidly obese
      subjects. Human mesenchymal stem cells (HMSC) were differentiated to adipocytes
      with GHRH (10-14-10-8 M). Adipocyte differentiation, lipolysis and gene
      expression were measured and the effect of GH-R silencing was determined.
      RESULTS: Mature adipocytes from morbidly obese subjects showed a higher
      expression of GHRH and GH-R, and a lower expression of GHRH-R and GH than non
      obese subjects (P<0.05). A total of 10-14-10-10 M GHRH induced an inhibition of
      lipid accumulation and PPAR-gamma expression (P<0.05), and an increase in
      glycerol release and HSL expression (P<0.05) in human differentiated adipocytes.
      A total of 10-12-10-8 M GHRH decreased GHRH-R expression in human differentiated
      adipocytes (P<0.05). A total of 10-10-10-8 M GHRH increased GH and GH-R
      expression in human differentiated adipocytes (P<0.05). The effects of GHRH at 10
      10 M on adipocyte differentiation and lipolysis were blocked when GH-R expression
      was silenced. CONCLUSIONS: GHRH and GHRH-R are expressed in human adipocytes and
      are negatively associated. GHRH at low doses may exert an anti-obesity effect by
      inhibiting HMSC differentiation in adipocytes and by increasing adipocyte
      lipolysis in an autocrine or paracrine pathway. These effects are mediated by GH
      and GH-R.

PMID- 28626215
TI  - Genetic variation in the obesity gene FTO is not associated with decreased fat
      oxidation: the NEO study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene harbors the strongest
      common genetic variant associated with obesity. Recently, rs1421085-T to -C
      substitution mapped in FTO was shown to induce a developmental shift of human
      adipocytes from an energy-combusting beige to an energy-storing white phenotype
      in vitro. As browning of adipocytes selectively enhances fat oxidation (FatOx),
      we hypothesized that rs1421085-C in FTO is associated with deceased FatOx
      compared with carbohydrate oxidation (CarbOx) and an increased respiratory
      quotient (RQ). METHODS: In the Netherlands Epidemiology of Obesity study, a
      population-based cohort study of middle-aged individuals (45-65 years),
      anthropometry and genotyping was performed (n=5744), in addition to indirect
      calorimetry (n=1246). With linear regression analyses, we examined associations
      of rs1421085 genotype with FatOx, CarbOx and RQ. RESULTS: In the total study
      population, 36.7% carried the rs1421085-TT genotype, 47.6% rs1421085-CT and 15.7%
      rs1421085-CC. Mean (s.d.) age was 56 (6) years, mean (s.d.), body mass index
      (BMI) was 26.3 (4.4) kg m-2 and 56% of the total population were women. Measures
      of adiposity (difference, 95% confidence interval) were higher in CC carriers
      compared with that in rs1421085-TT carriers: BMI +0.56 (0.15, 0.98) kg m-2, waist
      circumference +1.25 (0.02, 2.49) cm and total body fat mass +1.21 (0.28, 2.14)
      kg. However, no differences in mean FatOx (+2.5 (-2.4, 7.4) mg min-1), CarbOx (
      6.1 (-17.4, 5.2) mg min-1) or RQ (-0.01 (-0.02, 0.01)) were observed between the
      two genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: We observed no evidence for associations of rs1421085
      in FTO with FatOx and RQ. This indicates that the rs1421085-C allele in FTO
      induces obesity likely via other pathways than via reduced FatOx.

PMID- 28626216
TI  - Therapeutic effects of CSF1R-blocking antibodies in multiple myeloma.
AB  - Our previous studies showed that macrophages (MFs), especially myeloma-associated
      MFs (MAMs), induce chemoresistance in human myeloma. Here we explored the
      potential of targeting MFs, by using colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R)
      blocking mAbs, to treat myeloma. Our results showed that CSF1R blockade
      specifically inhibited the differentiation, proliferation and survival of murine
      M2 MFs and MAMs, and repolarized MAMs towards M1-like MFs in vitro. CSF1R
      blockade alone inhibited myeloma growth in vivo, by partially depleting MAMs,
      polarizing MAMs to the M1 phenotype, and inducing a tumor-specific cytotoxic CD4+
      T-cell response. Similarly, genetically depleting MFs in myeloma-bearing MMDTR
      mice retarded myeloma growth in vivo. Furthermore, the combination of CSF1R
      blockade and chemotherapy such as bortezomib or melphalan displayed an additive
      therapeutic efficacy against established myeloma. Finally, a fully human CSF1R
      blocking mAb, similar to its murine counterpart, was able to inhibit the
      differentiation, proliferation and survival of human MFs. Thus, this study
      provides the first direct in vivo evidence that MPhis and MAMs are indeed
      important for myeloma development and progression. Our results also suggest that
      targeting MAMs by CSF1R blocking mAbs may be promising methods to (re)sensitize
      myeloma cells to chemotherapy and promote anti-myeloma immune responses in
      patients.

PMID- 28626217
TI  - Irf8 regulates the progression of myeloproliferative neoplasm-like syndrome via
      Mertk signaling in zebrafish.
AB  - Interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-8 is a critical transcription factor involved
      in the pathogenesis of myeloid neoplasia. However, the underlying mechanisms in
      vivo are not well known. Investigation of irf8-mutant zebrafish in this study
      indicated that Irf8 is evolutionarily conserved as an essential neoplastic
      suppressor through tight control of the proliferation and longevity of myeloid
      cells. Surviving irf8 mutants quickly developed a myeloproliferative neoplasm
      (MPN)-like disease with enhanced output of the myeloid precursors, which recurred
      after transplantation. Multiple molecules presented notable alteration and Mertk
      signaling was aberrantly activated in the hematopoietic cells in irf8 mutants.
      Transgenic mertk overexpression in Tg(coro1a:mertk) zebrafish recapitulated the
      myeloid neoplasia-like syndrome in irf8 mutants. Moreover, functional
      interference with Mertk, via morpholino knockdown or genetic disruption,
      attenuated the myeloid expansion phenotype caused by Irf8 deficiency. Therefore,
      Mertk signaling is a critical downstream player in the Irf8-mediated regulation
      of the progression of myeloid neoplasia. Our study extends the understanding of
      the mechanisms underlying leukemogenesis.

PMID- 28626218
TI  - Molecular characterization of EZH2 mutant patients with
      myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms.
AB  - Mutations in the epigenetic regulator gene EZH2 are frequently observed in
      patients with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN; 10-13%) and
      are associated with a poor outcome. To gain more insight into EZH2 pathology, we
      sought to genetically characterize a cohort of 41 EZH2-mutated MDS/MPN patients
      using targeted deep next-generation sequencing (NGS), colony-forming progenitor
      assays and transcriptome analysis. Stable short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated
      downregulation of EZH2 was performed in MDS-derived F-36P, MOLM-13 and OCI-M2
      cells to study EZH2-specific changes. Targeted NGS revealed a complex pattern of
      mutations with a total of 190 individual mutations. EZH2 mutations frequently co
      occur with TET2 (58%), RUNX1 (40%) and ASXL1 (34%) mutations. Colony assays
      indicated EZH2 mutations to be mostly early events in leukemogenesis and showed a
      complex mutational hierarchy. Gene expression data revealed a number of
      differently expressed genes between EZH2 wild-type and mutant patients including
      known EZH2 targets. Comparison of patient transcriptome to EZH2-downregulated
      cell line data revealed several genes as novel EZH2 targets, showing opposite as
      well as unidirectional regulation between cell lines and patients. Some genes,
      such as CXXC5, ETS1 and VAV3 have previously been implied to have a role in
      leukemogenesis. Their precise role in MDS/MPN needs to be further investigated.

PMID- 28626219
TI  - Base excision repair proteins couple activation-induced cytidine deaminase and
      endonuclease G during replication stress-induced MLL destabilization.
AB  - The breakpoint cluster region of the MLL gene (MLLbcr) is frequently rearranged
      in therapy-related and infant acute leukaemia, but the destabilizing mechanism is
      poorly understood. We recently proposed that DNA replication stress results in
      MLLbcr cleavage via endonuclease G (EndoG) and represents the common denominator
      of genotoxic therapy-induced MLL destabilization. Here we performed a siRNA
      screen for new factors involved in replication stress-induced MLL rearrangements
      employing an enhanced green fluorescent protein-based reporter system. We
      identified 10 factors acting in line with EndoG in MLLbcr breakage or further
      downstream in the repair of the MLLbcr breaks, including activation-induced
      cytidine deaminase (AID), previously proposed to initiate MLLbcr rearrangements
      in an RNA transcription-dependent mechanism. Further analysis connected AID and
      EndoG in MLLbcr destabilization via base excision repair (BER) components. We
      show that replication stress-induced recruitment of EndoG to the MLLbcr and
      cleavage are AID/BER dependent. Notably, inhibition of the core BER factor
      Apurinic-apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 protects against MLLbcr cleavage in tumour
      and human cord blood-derived haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, harbouring the
      cells of origin of leukaemia. We propose that off-target binding of AID to the
      MLLbcr initiates BER-mediated single-stranded DNA cleavage, which causes derailed
      EndoG activity ultimately resulting in leukaemogenic MLLbcr rearrangements.

PMID- 28626220
TI  - A phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled trial of darbepoetin alfa in patients
      with anemia and lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.
AB  - The use of darbepoetin alfa to treat anemia in patients with lower-risk
      myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) was evaluated in a phase 3 trial. Eligible
      patients had low/intermediate-1 risk MDS, hemoglobin ?10 g/dl, low transfusion
      burden and serum erythropoietin (EPO) ?500 mU/ml. Patients were randomized 2:1 to
      receive 24 weeks of subcutaneous darbepoetin alfa 500 MUg or placebo every 3
      weeks (Q3W), followed by 48 weeks of open-label darbepoetin alfa. A total of 147
      patients were randomized, with median hemoglobin of 9.3 (Q1:8.8, Q3:9.7) g/dl and
      median baseline serum EPO of 69 (Q1:36, Q3:158) mU/ml. Transfusion incidence from
      weeks 5-24 was significantly lower with darbepoetin alfa versus placebo (36.1%
      (35/97) versus 59.2% (29/49), P=0.008) and erythroid response rates increased
      significantly with darbepoetin alfa (14.7% (11/75 evaluable) versus 0% (0/35
      evaluable), P=0.016). In the 48-week open-label period, dose frequency increased
      from Q3W to Q2W in 81% (102/126) of patients; this was associated with a higher
      hematologic improvement-erythroid response rate (34.7% (34/98)). Safety results
      were consistent with a previous darbepoetin alfa phase 2 MDS trial. In
      conclusion, 24 weeks of darbepoetin alfa Q3W significantly reduced transfusions
      and increased rates of erythroid response with no new safety signals in lower
      risk MDS (registered as EudraCT#2009-016522-14 and NCT#01362140).

PMID- 28626221
TI  - Epidemiology: The global burden of reduced GFR: ESRD, CVD and mortality.

PMID- 28626223
TI  - Development: Tfcp2l1 drives Notch signalling and epithelial diversity in the
      collecting duct.

PMID- 28626222
TI  - The role of epigenetics in renal ageing.
AB  - An ability to separate natural ageing processes from processes specific to
      morbidities is required to understand the heterogeneity of age-related organ
      dysfunction. Mechanistic insight into how epigenetic factors regulate ageing
      throughout the life course, linked to a decline in renal function with ageing, is
      already proving to be of value in the analyses of clinical and epidemiological
      cohorts. Noncoding RNAs provide epigenetic regulatory circuits within the kidney,
      which reciprocally interact with DNA methylation processes, histone modification
      and chromatin. These interactions have been demonstrated to reflect the
      biological age and function of renal allografts. Epigenetic factors control gene
      expression and activity in response to environmental perturbations. They also
      have roles in highly conserved signalling pathways that modulate ageing,
      including the mTOR and insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling pathways,
      and regulation of sirtuin activity. Nutrition, the gut microbiota, inflammation
      and environmental factors, including psychosocial and lifestyle stresses, provide
      potential mechanistic links between the epigenetic landscape of ageing and renal
      dysfunction. Approaches to modify the renal epigenome via nutritional
      intervention, targeting the methylome or targeting chromatin seem eminently
      feasible, although caution is merited owing to the potential for
      intergenerational and transgenerational effects.

PMID- 28626225
TI  - Neurodevelopment: Organizing the second brain.

PMID- 28626226
TI  - Sleep: Labelling sleep generators.

PMID- 28626227
TI  - Neural circuits: An angle on navigation.

PMID- 28626224
TI  - Reference standards for next-generation sequencing.
AB  - Next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides a broad investigation of the genome,
      and it is being readily applied for the diagnosis of disease-associated genetic
      features. However, the interpretation of NGS data remains challenging owing to
      the size and complexity of the genome and the technical errors that are
      introduced during sample preparation, sequencing and analysis. These errors can
      be understood and mitigated through the use of reference standards - well
      characterized genetic materials or synthetic spike-in controls that help to
      calibrate NGS measurements and to evaluate diagnostic performance. The informed
      use of reference standards, and associated statistical principles, ensures
      rigorous analysis of NGS data and is essential for its future clinical use.

PMID- 28626228
TI  - Neurodevelopmental disorders: Taking on FXS with a diabetes drug.

PMID- 28626229
TI  - Linking social context and addiction neuroscience: a computational psychiatry
      approach.

PMID- 28626232
TI  - The RIP3-RIP1-NF-kappaB signaling axis is dispensable for necroptotic cells to
      elicit cross-priming of CD8+ T cells.

PMID- 28626230
TI  - Engineering of obligate intracellular bacteria: progress, challenges and
      paradigms.
AB  - It is estimated that approximately one billion people are at risk of infection
      with obligate intracellular bacteria, but little is known about the underlying
      mechanisms that govern their life cycles. The difficulty in studying Chlamydia
      spp., Coxiella spp., Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Orientia
      spp. is, in part, due to their genetic intractability. Recently, genetic tools
      have been developed; however, optimizing the genomic manipulation of obligate
      intracellular bacteria remains challenging. In this Review, we describe the
      progress in, as well as the constraints that hinder, the systematic development
      of a genetic toolbox for obligate intracellular bacteria. We highlight how the
      use of genetically manipulated pathogens has facilitated a better understanding
      of microbial pathogenesis and immunity, and how the engineering of obligate
      intracellular bacteria could enable the discovery of novel signalling circuits in
      host-pathogen interactions.

PMID- 28626231
TI  - The resilience of the intestinal microbiota influences health and disease.
AB  - The composition of the intestinal microbiota varies among individuals and
      throughout development, and is dependent on host and environmental factors.
      However, although the microbiota is constantly exposed to environmental
      challenges, its composition and function in an individual are stable against
      perturbations, as microbial communities are resilient and resistant to change.
      The maintenance of a beneficial microbiota requires a homeostatic equilibrium
      within microbial communities, and also between the microorganisms and the
      intestinal interface of the host. The resilience of the healthy microbiota
      protects us from dysbiosis-related diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease
      (IBD) or metabolic disorder. By contrast, a resilient dysbiotic microbiota may
      cause disease. In this Opinion article, we propose that microbial resilience has
      a key role in health and disease. We will discuss the concepts and mechanisms of
      microbial resilience against dietary, antibiotic or bacteriotherapy-induced
      perturbations and the implications for human health.

PMID- 28626233
TI  - Themis releases the brakes on TCR signaling during thymocyte selection by
      disabling SHP-1.

PMID- 28626235
TI  - Human gammadelta T cells: rapid, stable and clonally reactive.

PMID- 28626236
TI  - Themis2: setting the threshold for B-cell selection.

PMID- 28626234
TI  - B cell regulation in cancer and anti-tumor immunity.
AB  - The balance between immune effector cells and immunosuppressive cells and how
      this regulates the tumor microenvironment has been well described. A significant
      contribution of immune regulatory cells, including regulatory T cells, to tumor
      progression has been widely reported. An emerging body of evidence has recently
      recognized a role for B cells in modulating the immune response to tumors and
      lymphoid malignancies. Regulatory B cells (Bregs) are a newly designated subset
      of B cells that have been shown to play a pivotal role in regulating immune
      responses involved in inflammation, autoimmunity and, more recently, cancer.
      Bregs can suppress diverse cell subtypes, including T cells, through the
      secretion of anti-inflammatory mediators, such as IL-10, and can facilitate the
      conversion of T cells to regulatory T cells, thus attenuating anti-tumor immune
      responses. Similar B-cell subpopulations have been reported to be recruited to
      the tumor but to acquire their immunosuppressive properties within the tumor bed
      and thereby attenuate anti-tumor immune responses. However, despite a pivotal
      role for Bregs in promoting inflammation and carcinogenesis, the phenotypic
      diversity of the cell surface markers that are unique to Bregs remains unclear in
      mice and humans. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of Bregs and
      review our current knowledge of Bregs and their inhibition of anti-tumor immune
      responses in murine tumor models and cancer patients.

PMID- 28626237
TI  - CD4+ T cells memorize obesity and promote weight regain.
AB  - Body weight regain often causes failure of obesity therapies while the underlying
      mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we report that immune cells,
      especially CD4+ T cells, mediate the 'memory' of previous obese status. In a
      weight gain-loss-regain model, we found that C57BL/6J mice with an obesity
      history showed a much faster rate of body weight regain. This obesity memory
      could last for at least 2 months after previously obese mice were kept at the
      same body weight as non-obese mice. Surprisingly, such obesity memory was
      abrogated by dexamethasone treatment, whereas immunodeficient Rag1-/- and H2A-/-
      mice failed to establish such memory. Rag1-/- mice repossessed the obesity memory
      when immune cells or CD4+ T cells isolated from previously obese mice were
      transferred. Furthermore, depletion of CD4+ T cells led to obesity memory
      ablation. Taken together, we conclude that CD4+ T cells mediate obesity memory
      and promote weight regain.

PMID- 28626238
TI  - IRF1 and BATF: key drivers of type 1 regulatory T-cell differentiation.

PMID- 28626239
TI  - IRFs as competing pioneers in T-cell differentiation.

PMID- 28626240
TI  - Efficacy of Blended Preservice Training for Resource Parents.
AB  - To evaluate a new way of meeting the growing demand for training prospective
      resource parents, our study compared the efficacy of a blended online and in
      person approach with a traditional classroom-only approach. Findings based on a
      sample of 111 resource parent prospects showed significantly greater gains in
      knowledge from pre- to posttest for the blended approach over the classroom-only
      approach. The blended approach also produced dramatically lower dropout rates
      during preservice training. Both groups made significant gains in parenting
      awareness from pre to post, but those gains were greater for the classroom-only
      approach. Post hoc analyses examined this finding more closely. Satisfaction with
      training was comparably high for both groups. Gains in knowledge and awareness
      were sustained at a 3-month follow-up assessment.

PMID- 28626241
TI  - Flow-induced corrosion of absorbable magnesium alloy: In-situ and real-time
      electrochemical study.
AB  - An in-situ and real-time electrochemical study in a vascular bioreactor was
      designed to analyze corrosion mechanism of magnesium alloy (MgZnCa) under mimetic
      hydrodynamic conditions. Effect of hydrodynamics on corrosion kinetics, types,
      rates and products was analyzed. Flow-induced shear stress (FISS) accelerated
      mass and electron transfer, leading to an increase in uniform and localized
      corrosions. FISS increased the thickness of uniform corrosion layer, but filiform
      corrosion decreased this layer resistance at high FISS conditions. FISS also
      increased the removal rate of localized corrosion products. Impedance-estimated
      and linear polarization-measured polarization resistances provided a consistent
      correlation to corrosion rate calculated by computed tomography.

PMID- 28626242
TI  - Work-related change in residential elderly care: Trust, space and connectedness.
AB  - Increasing care needs and a declining workforce put pressure on the quality and
      continuity of long-term elderly care. The need to attract and retain a solid
      workforce is increasingly acknowledged. This study reports about a change
      initiative that aimed to improve the quality of care and working life in
      residential elderly care. The research focus is on understanding the process of
      workforce change and development, by retrospectively exploring the experiences of
      care professionals. A responsive evaluation was conducted at a nursing home
      department in the Netherlands one year after participating in the change program.
      Data were gathered by participant observations, interviews and a focus and
      dialogue group. A thematic analysis was conducted. Care professionals reported
      changes in workplace climate and interpersonal interactions. We identified trust,
      space and connectedness as important concepts to understand perceived change.
      Findings suggest that the interplay between trust and space fostered
      interpersonal connectedness. Connectedness improved the quality of relationships,
      contributing to the well-being of the workforce. We consider the nature and
      contradictions within the process of change, and discuss how gained insights help
      to improve quality of working life in residential elderly care and how this may
      reflect in the quality of care provision.

PMID- 28626243
TI  - Characterization of an Aerosol Microconcentrator for Analysis Using Microscale
      Optical Spectroscopies.
AB  - Efficient microconcentration of aerosols to a substrate is essential for
      effectively coupling the collected particles to microscale optical spectroscopies
      such as laser-induced or spark microplasma, or micro-Raman or infrared
      spectroscopies. In this study, we present detailed characterization of a corona
      based aerosol microconcentration technique developed previously (Diwakar and
      Kulkarni, 2012). The method involves two coaxial electrodes separated by a few
      millimeters, one held at a high electrical potential and the other grounded. The
      particles are collected on the collection (i.e., ground) electrode from a coaxial
      aerosol flow in a one-step charge-and-collect scheme using corona discharge and
      electrical precipitation between the two electrodes. Performance of the corona
      microconcentration method was determined experimentally by measuring collection
      efficiency, wall losses, and particle deposition density. An intrinsic
      spectroscopic sensitivity was experimentally determined for the aerosol
      microconcentrator. Using this sensitivity, we show that corona-based
      microconcentration is much superior to alternative methods, including filtration,
      focused impaction using aerodynamic lens, and spot collection using
      condensational growth. The method offers unique advantages for compact, hand-held
      aerosol analytical instrumentation.

PMID- 28626244
TI  - Grandparents' Education and Infant Health: Pathways across Generations.
AB  - Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing survey linked to
      respondents' medical records (N=2,870), this study examines the association
      between grandparents' education and birth outcomes and explores potential
      pathways underlying this relationship. Results show that having a grandfather
      with less than a high school education was associated with a 93 gram reduction in
      birthweight, a 59% increase in the odds of low birthweight, and a 136% increase
      in the odds of a neonatal health condition, compared to having a grandfather with
      a high school education or more. These associations were partially accounted for
      by mother's educational attainment and marital status, as well as by prenatal
      history of depression, hypertension, and prenatal health behaviors, depending on
      the specific outcome. The findings from this study call for heightened attention
      to the multigenerational influences of educational attainment for infant health.

PMID- 28626245
TI  - Psychological Well-Being among Older Adults: The Role of Partnership Status.
AB  - Today's older adults are increasingly unmarried. Some are in cohabiting unions,
      others are dating, and many remain unpartnered. Unmarried older adults are at
      risk of poorer well-being than the married, but it is unclear whether older
      cohabitors fare worse than or similar to their married counterparts. Nor have
      well-being differences among cohabitors, daters, and unpartnered persons been
      considered. Conceptualizing marital status as a continuum of social attachment,
      data from Waves I and II of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
      are used to examine how older married, cohabiting, dating, and unpartnered
      individuals differ across multiple indicators of psychological well-being. Among
      men, cohabitors appear to fare similarly to the married, and better than daters
      and the unpartnered. In contrast, there are few differences in psychological well
      being by partnership status for women.

PMID- 28626246
TI  - The complexity of divisibility.
AB  - We address two sets of long-standing open questions in linear algebra and
      probability theory, from a computational complexity perspective: stochastic
      matrix divisibility, and divisibility and decomposability of probability
      distributions. We prove that finite divisibility of stochastic matrices is an NP
      complete problem, and extend this result to nonnegative matrices, and completely
      positive trace-preserving maps, i.e. the quantum analogue of stochastic matrices.
      We further prove a complexity hierarchy for the divisibility and decomposability
      of probability distributions, showing that finite distribution divisibility is in
      P, but decomposability is NP-hard. For the former, we give an explicit polynomial
      time algorithm. All results on distributions extend to weak-membership
      formulations, proving that the complexity of these problems is robust to
      perturbations.

PMID- 28626248
TI  - Dental health status and oral health behavior among university students from five
      ASEAN countries.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate dental health status and oral health
      behavior and associated factors among university students in five ASEAN countries
      (Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). Using anonymous
      questionnaires, data were collected from 3,344 undergraduate university students
      (mean age 20.5, SD=1.6; 58.3% female) from five ASEAN countries. Results indicate
      that 27.7% of students reported to have sometimes, most of the time or always
      having tooth ache in the past 12 months, 39.4% reported to have one or more
      cavities, 20.3% did not brush their teeth twice or more times a day, and 30.9%
      had never been to a dentist (or did not know it). In multivariate logistic
      regression analysis, older age, living in a lower middle income country,
      consumption of chocolate or candy, having made a dental care visit, and poor
      mental health was associated with tooth ache in the past 12 months. Being male,
      being 20 to 21 years old, coming from a wealthier family background, living in a
      lower middle income country, frequent consumption of soft drinks, not having
      consulted with a dentist in the past 12 months and weak beliefs in the benefits
      of tooth brushing were associated with inadequate tooth brushing frequency
      (<twice a day). Further, being male, being 20 to 21 years old, inadequate tooth
      brushing frequency, infrequent consumption of chocolate or candy, frequent
      consumption of soft drinks and low physical activity was associated with
      inadequate or never dental care visit. Poor dental health status and oral health
      behaviors were found and various risk factors identified that can be utilized to
      guide interventions to improve oral health programs among university students.

PMID- 28626247
TI  - Time-Resolved SAXS Studies of the Kinetics of Thermally Triggered Release of
      Encapsulated Silica Nanoparticles from Block Copolymer Vesicles.
AB  - Silica-loaded poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)-poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate)
      diblock copolymer vesicles are prepared in the form of concentrated aqueous
      dispersions via polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). As the concentration
      of silica nanoparticles present during the PISA synthesis is increased up to 35%
      w/w, higher degrees of encapsulation of this component within the vesicles can be
      achieved. After centrifugal purification to remove excess non-encapsulated silica
      nanoparticles, SAXS, DCP, and TGA analysis indicates encapsulation of up to
      hundreds of silica nanoparticles per vesicle. In the present study, the thermally
      triggered release of these encapsulated silica nanoparticles is examined by
      cooling to 0  degrees C for 30 min, which causes in situ vesicle dissociation.
      Transmission electron microscopy studies confirm the change in diblock copolymer
      morphology and also enable direct visualization of the released silica
      nanoparticles. Time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering is used to quantify the
      extent of silica release over time. For an initial silica concentration of 5%
      w/w, cooling induces a vesicle-to-sphere transition with subsequent nanoparticle
      release. For higher silica concentrations (20 or 30% w/w) cooling only leads to
      perforation of the vesicle membranes, but silica nanoparticles are nevertheless
      released through the pores. For vesicles prepared in the presence of 30% w/w
      silica, the purified silica-loaded vesicles were cooled to 0  degrees C for 30
      min, and SAXS patterns were collected every 15 s. A new SAXS model has been
      developed to determine both the mean volume fraction of encapsulated silica
      within the vesicles and the scattering length density. Satisfactory data fits to
      the experimental SAXS patterns were obtained using this model.

PMID- 28626249
TI  - Knowledge of free delivery policy among women who delivered at health facilities
      in Oudomxay Province, Lao PDR.
AB  - To promote the utilization of maternal health services and reduce financial
      barriers, the Laos government introduced its "Free Maternal Health Services
      Policy" in 2012. This policy provides free maternal health services for pregnant
      women, which includes costs related to treatment, transportation, food fees,
      referral and an incentive for four antenatal care appointments. This study aims
      to ascertain the knowledge level regarding this policy among Lao women and
      determine their level of satisfaction with the maternal service provision. This
      is a cross-sectional study conducted in Xay district, La district, and Namore
      district of Oudomxay province, in August 2015. Three hundred and sixty women who
      delivered their children at the health facilities from July 2014 to June 2015
      were randomly selected from the list of mothers who lived in each area. The
      majority of women had heard about the free delivery policy and knew that the main
      health services related to delivery and pregnancy were free of charge. Logistic
      regression analysis showed that education level (P=0.026), length of stay
      (P<0.0001) and receiving transportation support (P=0.005) had significant
      associations with the knowledge level. The women were highly satisfied with the
      quality of the services, health care providers, and health facilities. However,
      most mothers were not satisfied with accessibility to health facilities. To
      increase utilization of health facilities and reduce the maternal mortality ratio
      in rural areas, the government needs to improve people's education status and
      health care accessibility.

PMID- 28626250
TI  - Association between changes in visual evoked magnetic fields and non-motor
      features in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Visual dysfunction can be caused by several abnormalities, including dysfunctions
      in the visual cortex and retina. Our aim was to investigate changes in visual
      evoked brain responses in the primary visual cortex associated with Parkinson's
      disease (PD). Sixteen healthy control subjects and ten patients with PD
      participated in this study. We assessed the visual evoked magnetic field (VEF)
      using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Checkerboard pattern reversal (CPR) and
      monotonous grating pattern (MGP) stimulations were used. Magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) was performed to analyze brain volume and generate a tractogram.
      Cognitive and olfactory function, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale
      (UPDRS) scores were evaluated in patients with PD. Four components of the VEF
      (1M, 2M, 3M, 4M) were observed following stimulation. For both stimuli, results
      from the 1M and 2M components were significantly greater and the latency of the
      1M component was increased markedly in the PD group compared with the healthy
      control group. In the PD group, 1M latency correlated with the UPDRS score of 1
      for both stimuli, and a correlation was observed between olfactory function and
      the UPDRS score of 3 for the CPR stimulation alone. We suggest that the
      conduction delay observed following visual stimulation occurs peripherally rather
      than in the primary visual cortex. Degeneration of selective elements of the
      visual system in the retina, possibly midget cells, may be involved.

PMID- 28626251
TI  - Disparity in metabolic risk factors of non-communicable diseases between Palauans
      and Filipinos living in Palau.
AB  - Non-communicable diseases have been recognized as a serious threat to public
      health in Palau. To tackle the problem, different strategies might be necessary
      for populations with different ethnic backgrounds. This study aims to find the
      differences in the prevalence of metabolic risk factors of non-communicable
      diseases between Palauans and Filipinos living in Palau, and examine possible
      determinants of the differences. We selected data of 2,032 participants,
      including native Palauans and Filipinos, from the Palau STEPS Survey 2011-2013
      for this study. Logistic regression models were used to inspect the association
      of each metabolic risk factor with ethnicity by calculating odds ratios adjusted
      for potential confounding factors. Palauans had higher age-standardized
      prevalence of overweight or obesity (84% vs. 45%), hypertension (50% vs. 38%) and
      diabetes (19% vs. 13%) than Filipinos. However, after adjusting for BMI and
      various lifestyle related factors, there are no statistical significant
      differences in the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes between these two
      ethnic groups. Palauan men were less likely to have elevated total cholesterol,
      especially after adjusting for BMI (odds ratio=0.55, 95% confidence interval:
      0.33-0.91), while Palauan women were more likely to have elevated triglycerides
      than their Filipino counterparts (odds ratio=1.45, 95% confidence interval: 1.02
      2.06). Our findings suggested that Palauans' higher BMI distribution might be
      able to explain their higher prevalence of hypertension and partially explain
      their higher diabetes prevalence. Palauans were not consistently more likely to
      have all metabolic risk factors, namely dyslipidemia were less likely to be
      observed in Palauan men.

PMID- 28626252
TI  - Amelioration of arsenic-induced toxic effects in mice by dietary supplementation
      of Syzygium cumini leaf extract.
AB  - Arsenic created a serious public health problem in Bangladesh due to its presence
      in groundwater and dissemination of the toxic effects to millions of people. The
      scarcity of the treatment options to manage this affected population has made the
      situation much worse. To find a promising treatment option, this study was
      undertaken to examine the ameliorating roles of Syzygium cumini leaf extract
      (SLE) against arsenic-induced toxic effects in mice. Swiss albino mice were
      divided into four groups where 'control' group received pure water + normal feed,
      'arsenic (As)' group received sodium arsenite (NaAsO2)-containing water (10 MUg/g
      body weight/day) + normal feed, 'As+SLE' group received NaAsO2-containing water +
      feed supplemented with SLE (50 ug/g body weight/day) and finally the 'SLE' group
      received pure water + feed supplemented with SLE. A gradual increase in body
      weight gain was observed in control mice; however, the body weight gain in As
      exposed mice was decreased. This decrease in body weight gain was prevented in
      As+SLE group mice that received SLE supplemented feed. Arsenic showed a secondary
      effect by causing enlargement of spleen, kidney and liver of 'As' group mice and
      this enlargement of the organs was minimized with SLE supplementation. In
      addition, SLE abrogated arsenic-mediated elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase
      (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), uric acid and
      glucose. These results, therefore, suggest that SLE might have future therapeutic
      value for preventing or reducing arsenic-induced toxic effects.

PMID- 28626253
TI  - Socio-economic and demographic determinants of full immunization among children
      of 12-23 months in Afghanistan.
AB  - Immunization is one of the most cost-effective interventions to reduce vaccine
      preventable diseases morbidity and mortality. Vaccination coverage is very low in
      Afghanistan; National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA) Survey 2008
      estimated the coverage of fully immunized children to be 37%. The current study
      was designed to examine the factors influencing full immunization among children
      aged 12-23 months. Demographic and vaccination data of 2,561 children of 12-23
      months was extracted from the Afghanistan Health Survey (AHS) 2012. The data was
      analyzed by logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95%
      confidence intervals (CI). The study found that 38.8% of the children were fully
      immunized. The coverage for specific vaccines was 80.9% for BCG, 72.0% for OPV3,
      64.8% for measles, and 50.1% for Penta3. Urban residence (AOR = 0.60, 95% CI 0.40
      0.90 relative to rural), children of poorer families (AOR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.10
      1.67 relative to poorest), some education (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.20-2.11 relative
      to no education) and antenatal care (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.44-2.01 relative to not
      received) were found to be significant predicators of full immunization. This
      study indicated that the full-immunization rate in Afghanistan was quite low
      compared to the national target of 90% coverage. Therefore, strategies taking
      into account the identified factors seem to be vital to improve vaccination
      coverage.

PMID- 28626254
TI  - The maximum standardized uptake value increment calculated by dual-time-point 18F
      fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography predicts survival in patients
      with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of dual-time-point
      (DTP) 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) imaging
      in primary oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). The study included 52
      patients who underwent preoperative 18F-FDG PET scans at two time points, namely
      1 h and 2 h after injection. The following PET parameters were calculated:
      maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) for both time points (SUV early, SUV
      delayed); retention index (RI); and SUVmax increment (DeltaSUVmax). Receiver
      operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to define the optimal
      cutoff point for these parameters. Overall survival was calculated using the
      Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors for patients with OTSCC were evaluated
      using the univariate log-rank test and a multivariate Cox proportional hazards
      model. ROC analysis revealed that the area under the curve was higher and more
      accurate for DeltaSUVmax than for the other parameters. Additionally, patients
      with a DeltaSUVmax >=0.9 had significantly worse survival outcomes (28.9% vs
      92.6%; p < 0.01). Univariate analysis showed that prognosis was significantly
      correlated with clinical T stage, local recurrence, perineural invasion, vascular
      invasion, and PET parameters (p < 0.05 for all). Multivariate analysis showed
      that local recurrence (hazard ratio = 3.60; p = 0.02) and DeltaSUVmax (hazard
      ratio = 8.43; p < 0.01) were independent prognostic factors. DeltaSUVmax
      determined using DTP 18F-FDG PET may be an additional prognostic factor in OTSCC
      patients.

PMID- 28626255
TI  - Underlying Cause of Death Recorded during 2013 to 2015 at a Tertiary General
      Hospital in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.
AB  - In Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the cause of death is not
      registered in death reports. As a result, the government cannot produce official
      reports that show mortality according to cause of death. This study aimed to
      report the underlying cause of death in a tertiary general hospital (Mittaphab
      Hospital) in Vientiane capital. Mittaphab hospital is a governmental teaching
      hospital with 300 beds for inpatient services specialized in orthopedics,
      neurology, and hemodialysis. Since a children hospital exists beside Mittaphab
      Hospital, severe pediatric cases are referred to the child hospital. HIV-positive
      cases and sputum positive tuberculosis are also transferred to the other
      specialized hospitals. All of the subjects in this study were patients who died
      in 2013-2015 at Mittaphab Hospital. Paper-based medical charts were examined by a
      medical doctor and staff from the medical records division. This chart review
      revealed that 1,509 patients (1,006 males and 503 females) died in this hospital
      during the study period. Of those, the number of patients aged <20 years and >80
      years was small (6.2% and 7.7%, respectively). The most common underlying causes
      were injury (29.7%), cerebrovascular diseases (26.8%), renal disease (13.3%),
      infectious diseases (12.4%), and malignant neoplasm including brain tumor (4.8%).
      Among those aged 20-59 years, these percentages were 37.9%, 23.7%, 12.3%, 10.2%,
      and 5.0%, respectively. Although the patients visiting the hospital did not
      represent the whole population, the distribution of cause of death in the
      hospital was the only available information reported in Lao PDR.

PMID- 28626256
TI  - Postoperative chemoradiation therapy using high dose cisplatin and fluorouracil
      for high- and intermediate-risk uterine cervical cancer.
AB  - The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze data in patients with
      stage IB-IIB uterine cervical cancer who were treated with concurrent
      chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with high dose cisplatin and fluorouracil as
      postoperative adjuvant therapy. Between February 2003 and November 2011, 76
      patients with FIGO stage IB-IIB cervical cancer were analyzed. Seventy patients
      were treated with postoperative CCRT and 6 patients were treated with radiation
      therapy alone. Data related to overall survival (OS), disease-free survival
      (DFS), toxicity, and failure pattern were analyzed. The median patient age was 45
      years (range, 20-80 years). The median follow-up duration was 63 months (range,
      10-125 months). Fifty-eight patients (76.3%) had a squamous cell histologic type,
      55 patients (72.4%) had lymphovascular invasion, 31 patients (40.8%) had
      parametrial invasion, and 28 patients (36.8%) had lymph node metastases. Five
      year OS and DFS were 96% and 92%, respectively. Five-year DFS in stage IB1
      patients was significantly higher than in stage IB2-IIB patients (p = 0.022).
      Nineteen patients (25%) had grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, 13 patients (17.1%) had
      grade 3 anemia, and 2 patients (2.6%) had grade 3 thrombocytopenia, but none of
      these patients died from the disease. Three patients experienced chronic
      toxicity: one had bladder perforation, one had hydronephrosis, and one
      experienced ileus. CCRT as postoperative adjuvant therapy resulted in good
      survival and outcome without severe toxicity.

PMID- 28626257
TI  - Multi-center rater-blinded study of early intervention with the Hand Incubator
      for breast cancer-related lymphedema (the BEAT-EDEMA trial): Proposal of a
      research protocol.
AB  - Postoperative lymphedema is considered irreversible once it has developed, and
      significantly lowers the patient's quality of life. However, lymphatic function
      has recently been clarified, and it is possible that lymphedema can be cured if
      early treatment is started. This two-arm randomized clinical trial
      (UMIN000026124) will prospectively evaluate 24 patients with early-stage breast
      cancer-related lymphedema at the Nagoya University Hospital and Aichi Cancer
      Center Hospital. The eligibility criteria will be patients who are diagnosed with
      stage 0-1 breast cancer-related lymphedema, as defined by the International
      Society of Lymphology, within 12 weeks after breast cancer surgery. The diagnosis
      of lymphedema will be confirmed using a bioimpedance spectroscopy device (L
      Dex(r)). Participants will be randomized 1:1 into the intervention and control
      groups. The physicians and patients will be aware of their group assignment,
      although treatment efficacy will be evaluated by raters who are blinded to the
      group assignments. The intervention group will complete grasping exercises in the
      Hand Incubator device for 4 weeks. The primary outcome will be the change in the
      affected upper limb's volume after the intervention, as measured using the water
      displacement method. This study may help establish a standard treatment for
      postoperative lymphedema.

PMID- 28626258
TI  - Formative research for the nationwide promotion of a multidisciplinary community
      based educational program on end-of-life care.
AB  - Although one of the most important missions of end-of-life education is to ensure
      proper inter-professional education (IPE), in Japan, end-of-life care IPE has not
      been given enough attention especially in community settings. This study aims at
      developing an effective workshop facilitator training program on end-of-life care
      IPE and acquiring the know-how to set up and efficiently run administrative
      offices. We first developed a tentative facilitation training program and
      conducted it in five cities nationwide. The training strategy was as follows: (1)
      participating in the workshop, (2) attending a lecture on facilitation, (3)
      conducting a preparatory study, (4) attending one workshop session as a
      facilitator, and (5) reflecting on one's attitude as a facilitator based on
      workshop participants' questionnaire, peer-feedback, and video recording. A total
      of 10 trainees completed the training program. We assessed the level of
      improvement in the trainees' facilitation skills and the efficacy of the training
      course using a qualitative approach. This formative study helped us identify
      several aspects needing improvement, especially in the areas of information
      technology and social media. Progress in these areas may have a positive impact
      on the education of community health care professionals whose study hours are
      limited, helping provide continued facilitation training.

PMID- 28626259
TI  - Lao language version of the Revised Hasegawa's Dementia Scale.
AB  - With the aging of society, the number of elderly with reduced cognitive function
      has been increasing worldwide. As a test to measure the cognitive function, the
      Revised Hasegawa's Dementia Scale (HDS-R) has been used in Japan, Korea, and
      China. Since there was no HDS-R version for Laotians, the questionnaire and
      manual were developed through the cooperation of Lao and Japanese researchers.
      Back-translation was conducted to confirm the accuracy of the translation. The
      score on the 9-item HDS-R ranges 0 to 30 points, and reduced cognitive function
      is usually defined as a score of 20 points or lower. After receiving explanation
      regarding the use of the tool and practicing its implementation, 3 female doctors
      interviewed 30 superficially healthy volunteers aged 31 to 84 years (12 males and
      18 females) who lived with his/her family in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. Their
      score distributed from 4 to 30 points, with an average of 24.7 (standard
      deviation 5.4) points. Six (20.0%) participants scored 20 points or lower. The
      discussion before and after the pilot interviews revealed that the following
      changes needed to be made in accordance to the culture of Lao people; 1) order of
      date in Question 2, 2) words to be memorized in Questions 4 and 7, 3) objects to
      be memorized using pictures, not actual objects, in Question 8. Additionally, we
      introduced new two rules; a clear time definition for no reply (10 seconds), and
      repetition of questions twice for those with ear problems. The revised version of
      the HDS-R was thought to be an appropriate standard questionnaire for use in
      studies on cognitive function among Laotians.

PMID- 28626260
TI  - A case of API2-MALT1-positive gastric MALT lymphoma with concomitant diffuse
      large B-cell lymphoma.
AB  - API2-MALT1 translocation-positive gastric marginal zone lymphomas of mucosa
      associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is thought to transform to diffuse
      large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) rarely. A 69-year-old man presented with
      epigastralgia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed multiple ulcerations in the
      stomach. Endoscopic biopsies revealed MALT lymphoma, with Helicobacter pylori
      infection. The patient underwent eradication therapy with no improvement, and was
      thereafter followed without additional therapy at his request. Twelve years after
      initial diagnosis, follow-up computed tomography (CT) showed multiple nodules in
      bilateral lungs, and a needle biopsy revealed MALT lymphoma, the same as in the
      stomach and API2-MALT1 translocation was found. Because he again refused
      additional therapy, follow-up was continued. 15 years after initial diagnosis, CT
      showed lymphadenopathy at the splenic hilum. At first we suspected disease
      progression of gastric MALT lymphoma, however a needle biopsy revealed DLBCL
      without API2-MALT1. Thus, the tumor at the splenic hilum was finally diagnosed as
      a de novo DLBCL as a second malignancy. Although treatment with rituximab given
      his age and his wishes was attempted, he died of DLBCL 15 years after the initial
      diagnosis. We experienced an API2-MALT1-positive gastric MALT lymphoma with
      concomitant DLBCL, not transformed to DLBCL over a 15-year clinical course.

PMID- 28626261
TI  - A case of metachronous left ovarian metastasis 8 years after surgery for cecal
      cancer and right ovarian metastasis: Report of a case.
AB  - Metachronous ovarian metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma is mostly identified
      within 3 years. Here we present a case of a 64-year-old woman with cecal cancer
      who underwent right oophorectomy for ovarian metastasis. Imaging was performed
      because of abdominal bloating; it detected a swollen right ovary with ascites. On
      laparotomy, a right ovarian tumor and cecal cancer were identified. After right
      oophorectomy, a diagnosis of unilateral ovarian metastasis from colon cancer was
      made. One month later, right hemicolectomy was performed. Eight years after
      initial surgery, the patient presented with vaginal bleeding. A computed
      tomography (CT) scan revealed a pelvic mass approximately 10 cm in diameter, but
      no mass was evident on a CT image taken 6 months before. The patient was
      diagnosed with left ovarian metastasis from colon cancer. A third laparotomy
      revealed a left ovarian tumor, but there was no evidence of other metastases or
      peritoneal dissemination. Left oophorectomy was performed. Oophorectomy is
      considered to be associated with a survival benefit in ovarian metastasis without
      other extensive metastasis. However, ovarian metastasis is often bilateral.
      Although complete resection was achieved in the present case, the findings
      support performing prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy if metastasis is
      identified in a unilateral ovary.

PMID- 28626262
TI  - A case of anterior communicating artery aneurysm successfully treated after a
      stent migration during stent assisted endovascular coil embolization.
AB  - Stent migration is a complication associated with endovascular coil embolization
      of intracranial aneurysms. We report a case of anterior communicating artery
      (ACoA) aneurysm that was successfully treated after stent migration during
      endovascular coil embolization without retrieval of the stent. A 47-year-old man
      presented with sudden onset severe headache. Patient was noted to have
      subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured ACoA aneurysm. Emergency endovascular
      coil embolization was performed. The second coil embolization was scheduled for
      the neck-remnant portion with a stent after 16 days from the initial operation.
      At first, a stent was deployed from the right perpendicular division of anterior
      cerebral artery (A2) to the left horizontal division of anterior cerebral artery
      (A1) entirely across the aneurysmal neck. Although the stent position looked
      fine, the stent migrated inferiorly to the proximal A1 portion when its delivery
      wire was withdrawn. Fortunately, the stent could be pushed into the distal A1
      portion, when we trying to re-access the aneurysm thorough the stent with a pig
      tail shaped microguidewire. Additional coil embolization was achieved using the
      assistance of distal tip of the stent as a scaffold of the coil. The patient was
      discharged without any complication on the postoperative day 6. Although there
      are various choices of rescue treatment after stent migration, this is the first
      reported case of stent repositioning with a microguidewire. Our technique may
      represent an effective option in case of stent migration.

PMID- 28626263
TI  - 11C-Choline positive but 18F-FDG negative pancreatic metastasis from renal cell
      carcinoma on PET.
AB  - Choline is a new PET tracer, which uptake may occur via a choline-specific
      transporter protein and be accelerated during the proliferation of tumor cells.
      We report a 61-year-old woman with a metastatic pancreatic tumor from renal cell
      carcinoma, measuring 35*40 mm. PET scans demonstrated accumulation of 11C-choline
      in the metastatic pancreatic tumor, but no accumulation of 18F-FDG. Choline
      PET/CT may play a useful and complementary imaging modality, especially when FDG
      PET/CT does not show expected findings or when the evaluation of tumor viability
      is needed, in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28626264
TI  - Terrestrial and lacustrine gastropods from the Priabonian (upper Eocene) of the
      Sultanate of Oman.
AB  - Terrestrial and aquatic gastropods from the upper Eocene (Priabonian) Zalumah
      Formation in the Salalah region of the Sultanate of Oman are described. The
      assemblages reflect the composition of the continental mollusc fauna of the
      Palaeogene of Arabia, which, at that time, formed parts of the southeastern
      Tethys coast. Several similarities with European faunas are observed at the
      family level, but are rarer at the genus level. These similarities point to an
      Eocene (Priabonian) rather than to a Rupelian age, although the latter
      correlation cannot be entirely excluded. At the species level, the Omani
      assemblages lack any relations to coeval faunas. This suggests the possible
      presence of a distinct biogeographic province during the Palaeogene or may simply
      reflect the extremely sparse non-marine fossil record of the Eocene in the Tethys
      region. The occurrence of the genera Lanistes, Pila, and Gulella along with some
      pomatiids, probably related to extant genera, suggests that the modern African
      Arabian continental faunas can be partly traced back to Eocene times and reflect
      very old autochthonous developments. In contrast, the diverse Vidaliellidae went
      extinct, and the morphologically comparable Neogene Achatinidae may have occupied
      the equivalent niches in extant environments. Carnevalea Harzhauser and Neubauer
      nov. gen., Arabiella Kadolsky, Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. gen., Pyrgulella
      Harzhauser, Kadolsky and Neubauer nov. gen., Salalahia Kadolsky, Harzhauser and
      Neubauer nov. gen., Omanitopsis Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. gen., Arabicolaria
      Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. gen., Pacaudiella Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. gen.,
      Goniodomulus Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. gen., Eoquickia Harzhauser and Neubauer
      nov. gen., Omanillya H. Nordsieck nov. gen. and Omanifera H. Nordsieck nov. gen.
      are introduced as new genera. Pila neuberti Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp.,
      Arabiella arabica Kadolsky, Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp., Pyrgulella parva
      Harzhauser, Kadolsky and Neubauer nov. sp., Salalahia thaytinitiensis Kadolsky,
      Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp., Omanitopsis vandammei Harzhauser and Neubauer
      nov. sp., Procyclotopsis eocenica Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp.,
      Palaeocyclotus kuehschelmi Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp., Arabicolaria arabica
      Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp., Pacaudiella omanica Harzhauser and Neubauer
      nov. sp., Pacaudiella flammulata Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp., Goniodomulus
      solaniformis Harzhauser and Neubauer nov. sp., Cerastus hyznyi Harzhauser and
      Neubauer nov. sp., Omanillya lunellifera H. Nordsieck nov. sp., Omanillya
      costellata H. Nordsieck nov. sp., and Omanifera euclista H. Nordsieck nov. sp.
      are described as new species.

PMID- 28626265
TI  - Computer-aided evaluation of neuroblastoma on whole-slide histology images:
      Classifying grade of neuroblastic differentiation.
AB  - Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most frequently occurring cancerous tumors in
      children. The current grading evaluations for patients with this disease require
      pathologists to identify certain morphological characteristics with microscopic
      examinations of tumor tissues. Thanks to the advent of modern digital scanners,
      it is now feasible to scan cross-section tissue specimens and acquire whole-slide
      digital images. As a result, computerized analysis of these images can generate
      key quantifiable parameters and assist pathologists with grading evaluations. In
      this study, image analysis techniques are applied to histological images of
      haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained slides for identifying image regions
      associated with different pathological components. Texture features derived from
      segmented components of tissues are extracted and processed by an automated
      classifier group trained with sample images with different grades of neuroblastic
      differentiation in a multi-resolution framework. The trained classification
      system is tested on 33 whole-slide tumor images. The resulting whole-slide
      classification accuracy produced by the computerized system is 87.88%. Therefore,
      the developed system is a promising tool to facilitate grading whole-slide images
      of NB biopsies with high throughput.

PMID- 28626266
TI  - Deterring Rearrests for Drinking and Driving.
AB  - This study assesses why some individuals are re-arrested for driving while
      intoxicated (DWI). Using longitudinal data from North Carolina containing
      information on arrests and arrest outcomes, we test hypotheses that individuals
      prosecuted and convicted of DWI are less likely to be re-arrested for DWI. We
      allow for possible endogeneity of prosecution and conviction outcomes by using
      instrumental variables for the prosecutor's prosecution rate and the judge's
      conviction rate. With a three-year follow-up, the probability of DWI re-arrest
      was reduced by 6.6 percent if the person was prosecuted for DWI and, for those
      prosecuted, by 24.5 percent if convicted on this charge. Prosecution and
      conviction for DWI deters re-arrest for DWI.

PMID- 28626267
TI  - A Facile Semi-Synthetic Approach towards Halogen-Substituted Aminobenzoic Acid
      Analogues of Platensimycin.
AB  - Platensimycin (PTM), produced by several strains of Streptomyces platensis, is a
      promising drug lead for infectious diseases and diabetes. The recent pilot-scale
      production of PTM from S. platensis SB12026 has set the stage for the facile semi
      synthesis of a focused library of PTM analogues. In this study, gram-quantity of
      platensic acid (PTMA) was prepared by the sulfuric acid-catalyzed ethanolysis of
      PTM, followed by a mild hydrolysis in aqueous lithium hydroxide. Three PTMA
      esters were also obtained in near quantitative yields in a single step,
      suggesting a facile route to make PTMA aliphatic esters. 1
      [Bis(dimethylamino)methylene]-1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b]pyridinium 3-oxid
      hexafluorophosphate (HATU)-catalyzed coupling of PTMA and 33 aminobenzoates
      resulted in the synthesis of 28 substituted aminobenzoate analogues of PTM, among
      which 26 of them were reported for the first time. Several of the PTM analogues
      showed weak antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus. Our study supported the potential utility to integrate natural product
      biosynthetic and semi-synthetic approaches for structure diversification.

PMID- 28626268
TI  - Sex Differences in Antipsychotic Related Metabolic Functioning in Schizophrenia
      Spectrum Disorders.
AB  - The adverse metabolic risks associated with second generation antipsychotics
      (SGAs) are well known, and likely contribute to the high rate of premature
      mortality due to cardiovascular disease in schizophrenia. Female schizophrenia
      patients appear to be diagnosed with metabolic diseases at higher rates than
      males, which may reflect disparate adverse responses to SGAs. However, the
      relationship between sex, metabolic risk, and drug use is less developed. We
      aimed to explore this relationship further by identifying rates of metabolic
      disease in community dwelling schizophrenia patients by sex and SGA risk.
      Schizophrenia participants (N = 287, 40.4% female) were included in this
      analysis. Oneway-ANOVA and Fisher's Exact Test were used to compare groups, as
      appropriate, and Cohen's d was employed to estimate the effect size of sex. In
      the group as a whole, the rate of metabolic syndrome was higher than previously
      reported, but did not differ by sex. For females, greater metabolic disturbances
      across all medication risk groups were seen in BMI and waist circumference (p <
      0.005) but most commonly in those receiving high risk medication (clozapine or
      olanzapine). Additionally, the number of participants receiving medications for
      these metabolic disturbances was extremely low (<30%). These results suggest that
      female schizophrenia patients taking clozapine or olanzapine represent a group at
      uniquely high risk for metabolic dysfunction and future adverse cardiovascular
      outcomes, and warrant close monitoring by clinicians to prevent worsening of
      metabolic risk through proper monitoring and interventions.

PMID- 28626270
TI  - Impact of a Student Pharmacist Driven Medication Reconciliation and
      Antidepressant Treatment History Project at a Depression Clinic: A Pilot Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To improve treatment of patients with depression, a new pilot service
      project involving student pharmacists who would conduct medication reconciliation
      and review of antidepressant treatment history was created and evaluated.
      EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A prospective study conducted at the University of Michigan
      Depression Center. PRINCIPAL OBSERVATIONS: From an initial sample of 78
      referrals, 41 subjects were reached by phone, with 34 completing medication
      reconciliation and antidepressant treatment history. Of the 34 patients, 25
      (73.5%) had at least one discrepancy identified in their medication list,
      resulting in 164 medication changes in the electronic medical record (EMR). A
      total of 105 past antidepressant trials were documented in the 34 individuals,
      with 34 (32.4%) trials found to be inadequate. Thirteen (38.2%) patients reported
      failure to respond to two different antidepressants from different classes. All
      34 patients participated well in the phone calls and were willing to consult a
      pharmacist at their upcoming clinic visit. CONCLUSIONS: A student pharmacist
      pilot was feasible, identified many discrepancies in the medication record, and
      identified important medication treatment history in patients with depression in
      advance of the clinic visit. The project provides support for a specialized role
      for student pharmacists and demonstrates that interprofessional care can
      contribute to improved treatment of depression.

PMID- 28626269
TI  - The Addition of Amphetamine to Potentially Sedating Medication Regimens: An
      Exploratory Investigation of the Impact upon Reaction Time and Sustained
      Attention.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The addition of amphetamine to a sedating medication may reduce
      sedation but does it augment reaction time and sustained attention for workers?
      The purpose of this exploratory study was gain insight into between group
      differences that would assist hypothesis formation for a subsequent hypothesis
      testing study. METHODS: This study examined psychomotor vigilance task (PVT)
      performance for a group taking potentially sedating medications (opiates,
      benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, barbiturates or polypharmacy) while taking
      amphetamine to a group not taking amphetamine. Data was assessed using two-way
      between groups multivariate analysis of variance. RESULTS: Multivariate testing
      found a (p = .05; eta2 = .044) difference in combined PVT measures between the
      amphetamine use groups. Tests of between-subjects effects established (p = .006;
      eta2 = .042) a difference in the number of minor lapses between the groups.
      Estimated marginal means of minor lapses revealed that the group taking
      amphetamine had 2.8 times the mean number of minor lapses than the group not
      taking amphetamine. A non-statistically significant trend was noted for the
      estimated marginal means of each sedating medication class and the use or nonuse
      of amphetamines that appears to correspond with the sedating medication's effect
      upon the cholinergic component of the attention system. CONCLUSION: Using PVT
      data, this exploratory study has provided information useful for generating the
      hypothesis that co-administration of an amphetamine with a sedating medication
      will result in arousal with a deficit of sustained attention related to the
      sedating medication's level of effect upon cholinergic activity.

PMID- 28626271
TI  - Long-Acting Injectable Paliperidone Palmitate: A Review of Efficacy and Safety.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Summarize and synthesize the current literature regarding long-acting
      injectable paliperidone palmitate for the treatment of schizophrenia. METHODS: A
      literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted in February
      2016, using the following search terms in varying permutations: schizophrenia;
      antipsychotic medication; long-acting injectable; paliperidone palmitate; 3
      monthly injectable. RESULTS: Once-monthly injectable paliperidone palmitate (PDP)
      has demonstrated comparable efficacy as 1st-generation long-acting injectable
      antipsychotics (LAIAs) in reducing disease severity and re-hospitalizations in
      schizophrenic patients. However, PDP leads to significantly less extrapyramidal
      symptoms than these older medications indicating a superior safety profile.
      Compared to oral 2nd-generation antipsychotics, PDP has shown less incidence of
      disease relapse related to medication non-compliance, particularly in real world
      populations. It also showed a similar safety profile as oral 2nd-generation
      antipsychotics, but with greater incidence of mild injection-site pain. A novel 3
      monthly formulation of PDP has shown similar safety and efficacy as once-monthly
      PDP compared to placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, both 1-month and 3-month
      formulations of PDP are safe and effective in the treatment of schizophrenia and
      schizoaffective disorder. They may be most effective in patients with prior
      failed treatment of oral antipsychotics or other LAIAs, in patients with a
      history of medication noncompliance, or in patients with an individual preference
      for less frequent dosing.

PMID- 28626272
TI  - Aripiprazole-induced Asymptomatic Hypertension: A Case Report.
AB  - Aripiprazole is a second generation antipsychotic widely prescribed for the
      treatment of psychiatric diseases. It is generally known that antipsychotics have
      hypotensive effects. In this case report, however, we present the case of a
      medically healthy patient with schizophrenia who developed hypertension (HT)
      after the initiation of aripiprazole. The patient's blood pressure returned to
      normal after discontinuation of aripiprazole, suggesting that aripiprazole may
      have led to asymptomatic acute HT.

PMID- 28626273
TI  - Combined Antipsychotics and Electroconvulsive Therapy in an Acutely Psychotic
      Patient with Treatment-resistant Schizophrenia.
AB  - Treatment of patients with Treatment-resistant Schizophrenia (TRS), who fail to
      respond to multiple antipsychotic trials, including clozapine (CLZ), is
      challenging. Several alternative strategies are reported in studies, one of which
      includes augmenting antipsychotics (AP) with Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We
      discuss a case of an acutely psychotic patient with TRS who responded effectively
      and sustained remission to this strategy which was ECT combined with two AP, CLZ
      and aripiprazole. Notable improvement in clinical and cognitive outcomes was seen
      with just five right unilateral ECT sessions, CLZ titrated up to 62.5 mg/d and
      aripiprazole 20 mg/d with no adverse effects. Nine days into the psychiatric
      hospitalization, patient had decreased total scores on the Positive and Negative
      Syndrome Scale by 44% and an improved score on the St. Louis University Mental
      Status Exam by increasing from 3 to 22. This case report suggests that a subgroup
      of patients with TRS could benefit from a trial of adjunct ECT combined with AP
      to achieve a rapid alleviation of positive and negative symptoms which allows
      patients to have greater functional stability.

PMID- 28626274
TI  - Associations of intelligence across the life course with optimism and pessimism
      in older age.
AB  - Maintaining good cognitive function is important for successful aging, and it has
      been suggested recently that having and optimistic outlook may also be valuable.
      However few have studied the relationship between cognitive ability and
      dispositional optimism and pessimism in older age. It is unclear whether
      associations found previously between cognitive ability and pessimism in older
      age, are evident across the life course, and are consistent at different points
      in older age. In the present study we examined associations between dispositional
      optimism and pessimism measured in the eighth and ninth decade of life and
      childhood and older age cognitive ability, and lifetime change in cognitive
      ability. Participants were two independent narrow-age samples of older
      individuals with mean ages about 73 (n = 847) and 87 (n = 220) years from the
      Lothian Birth Cohorts of 1936 (LBC1936) and 1921 (LBC1921), respectively. Higher
      cognitive ability in childhood and older-age, and healthier cognitive change
      across the lifetime were associated with lower pessimism in older age: age-11 IQ
      (LBC1936: beta = - 0.17, p < 0.001; LBC1921: beta = - 0.29, p = 0.001), older-age
      IQ (LBC1936: beta = - 0.18, p < 0.001; LBC1921: beta = - 0.27, p < 0.001),
      cognitive change (LBC1936: beta = - 0.06, p < 0.04; LBC1921: beta = - 0.15, p =
      0.05). Cognitive ability was not significantly associated with optimism in
      bivariate analyses, and after adjustment for covariates had only small
      associations with optimism and only in the LBC1936. The results are consistent
      with differential associations between cognitive functions and optimism and
      pessimism, and indicate that their associations with cognitive ability are
      similar in the eighth and ninth decades of life.

PMID- 28626276
TI  - Standing and travelling waves in a spherical brain model: The Nunez model
      revisited.
AB  - The Nunez model for the generation of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals is
      naturally described as a neural field model on a sphere with space-dependent
      delays. For simplicity, dynamical realisations of this model either as a damped
      wave equation or an integro-differential equation, have typically been studied in
      idealised one dimensional or planar settings. Here we revisit the original Nunez
      model to specifically address the role of spherical topology on spatio-temporal
      pattern generation. We do this using a mixture of Turing instability analysis,
      symmetric bifurcation theory, centre manifold reduction and direct simulations
      with a bespoke numerical scheme. In particular we examine standing and travelling
      wave solutions using normal form computation of primary and secondary
      bifurcations from a steady state. Interestingly, we observe spatio-temporal
      patterns which have counterparts seen in the EEG patterns of both epileptic and
      schizophrenic brain conditions.

PMID- 28626277
TI  - Linking crop yield anomalies to large-scale atmospheric circulation in Europe.
AB  - Understanding the effects of climate variability and extremes on crop growth and
      development represents a necessary step to assess the resilience of agricultural
      systems to changing climate conditions. This study investigates the links between
      the large-scale atmospheric circulation and crop yields in Europe, providing the
      basis to develop seasonal crop yield forecasting and thus enabling a more
      effective and dynamic adaptation to climate variability and change. Four dominant
      modes of large-scale atmospheric variability have been used: North Atlantic
      Oscillation, Eastern Atlantic, Scandinavian and Eastern Atlantic-Western Russia
      patterns. Large-scale atmospheric circulation explains on average 43% of inter
      annual winter wheat yield variability, ranging between 20% and 70% across
      countries. As for grain maize, the average explained variability is 38%, ranging
      between 20% and 58%. Spatially, the skill of the developed statistical models
      strongly depends on the large-scale atmospheric variability impact on weather at
      the regional level, especially during the most sensitive growth stages of
      flowering and grain filling. Our results also suggest that preceding atmospheric
      conditions might provide an important source of predictability especially for
      maize yields in south-eastern Europe. Since the seasonal predictability of large
      scale atmospheric patterns is generally higher than the one of surface weather
      variables (e.g. precipitation) in Europe, seasonal crop yield prediction could
      benefit from the integration of derived statistical models exploiting the
      dynamical seasonal forecast of large-scale atmospheric circulation.

PMID- 28626278
TI  - Natural stranding of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus Mitchill, 1815) in
      Scot's Bay, Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, from populations of concern in the United
      States and Canada.
AB  - Natural mortality of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) has been determined
      to be low (M = 0.07). Reported herein is the mortality by beach stranding of 11
      Atlantic sturgeon in Scot's Bay, part of the inner Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia,
      Canada on 22 June 2014. Genetic analyses, histological analysis and age
      determination were performed to determine origin, maturity stage and age of the
      stranded Atlantic sturgeon. Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analyses
      indicated that four of the Atlantic sturgeon (2 males and 2 females) were from
      the Saint John River, NB population, which was designated as threatened by the
      Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Seven Atlantic sturgeon
      (1 male, 5 females, 1 unknown) were from the Kennebec River, Maine population,
      that was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in the U. S.
      Ageing of A. oxyrinchus by pectoral fin spine analysis determined that the mean
      age of the individuals from the Saint John River ( [Formula: see text] years, sd
      = 5.0) and the Kennebec River ( [Formula: see text] years, sd = 3.5) were not
      significantly different. This is the first report of a stranding event of
      Atlantic sturgeon, and describes a source of natural mortality affecting
      populations of concern in both Canada and the U. S.

PMID- 28626275
TI  - Phylogeny of saprobic microfungi from Southern Europe.
AB  - During a survey of saprophytic microfungi on decomposing woody, herbaceous debris
      and soil from different regions in Southern Europe, a wide range of interesting
      species of asexual ascomycetes were found. Phylogenetic analyses based on partial
      gene sequences of SSU, LSU and ITS proved that most of these fungi were related
      to Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes and to lesser extent to Leotiomycetes and
      Eurotiomycetes. Four new monotypic orders with their respective families are
      proposed here, i.e. Lauriomycetales, Lauriomycetaceae; Parasympodiellales,
      Parasympodiellaceae; Vermiculariopsiellales, Vermiculariopsiellaceae and
      Xenospadicoidales, Xenospadicoidaceae. One new order and three families are
      introduced here to accommodate orphan taxa, viz. Kirschsteiniotheliales,
      Castanediellaceae, Leptodontidiaceae and Pleomonodictydaceae. Furthermore,
      Bloxamiaceae is validated. Based on morphology and phylogenetic affinities
      Diplococcium singulare, Trichocladium opacum and Spadicoides atra are moved to
      the new genera Paradiplococcium, Pleotrichocladium and Xenospadicoides,
      respectively. Helicoon fuscosporum is accommodated in the genus Magnohelicospora.
      Other novel genera include Neoascotaiwania with the type species N. terrestris
      sp. nov., and N. limnetica comb. nov. previously accommodated in Ascotaiwania;
      Pleomonodictys with P. descalsii sp. nov. as type species, and P. capensis comb.
      nov. previously accommodated in Monodictys; Anapleurothecium typified by A.
      botulisporum sp. nov., a fungus morphologically similar to Pleurothecium but
      phylogenetically distant; Fuscosclera typified by F. lignicola sp. nov., a
      meristematic fungus related to Leotiomycetes; Pseudodiplococcium typified by P.
      ibericum sp. nov. to accommodate an isolate previously identified as Diplococcium
      pulneyense; Xyladictyochaeta typified with X. lusitanica sp. nov., a foliicolous
      fungus related to Xylariales and similar to Dictyochaeta, but distinguished by
      polyphialidic conidiogenous cells produced on setiform conidiophores. Other novel
      species proposed are Brachysporiella navarrica, Catenulostroma lignicola,
      Cirrenalia iberica, Conioscypha pleiomorpha, Leptodontidium aureum,
      Pirozynskiella laurisilvatica, Parasympodiella lauri and Zanclospora iberica. To
      fix the application of some fungal names, lectotypes and/or epitypes are
      designated for Magnohelicospora iberica, Sporidesmium trigonellum, Sporidesmium
      opacum, Sporidesmium asperum, Camposporium aquaticum and Psilonia atra.

PMID- 28626279
TI  - Nutritional status of foster children in the U.S.: Implications for cognitive and
      behavioral development.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Children in foster care are at greater risk for poor health, physical,
      cognitive, behavioral, and developmental outcomes than are children in the
      general population. Considerable research links early nutrition to later
      cognitive and behavioral outcomes. The aim of this narrative review is to examine
      the prevalence of poor nutrition and its relation to subsequent health and
      development in foster children. METHOD: Relevant studies for inclusion were
      identified from numerous sources (e.g., PubMed, Google Scholar, and reference
      sections). Inclusion criteria were studies published between 1990 and 2016 of (i)
      the nutritional status of children in foster care or (ii) the nutritional status
      of children exposed to early adversity (e.g., low-income and internationally
      adopted children) or (iii) the developmental effects of poor nutrition and
      micronutrient deficiencies. RESULTS: Two key findings that have adverse
      implications for cognitive development emerged: (i) the prevalence of anemia and
      iron-deficiency anemia is higher among foster children than among the general
      population of children in the U.S., and (ii) the developmental demands of catch
      up growth post-placement may lead to micronutrient deficiencies even after
      children have begun sufficient dietary intake of these nutrients. Moreover, there
      is a paucity of recent studies on the nutritional status of children in foster
      care, despite the multiple factors that may place them at risk for malnutrition.
      CONCLUSION: Attention to nutritional status among care providers and medical
      professionals may remove one of the possible negative influences on foster
      children's development and in turn significantly alter their trajectories and
      place them on a more positive path early in life. Recommendations for further
      research, policy, and practice are discussed.

PMID- 28626281
TI  - Measurement of uranium-236 in particles by secondary ion mass spectrometry.
AB  - The determination of the relative isotopic abundance by secondary ion mass
      spectrometry of 236U in uranium-containing material is complicated by the
      presence of 235U1H+ ions at the same nominal mass as the uranium isotopic peak.
      The net intensity of the 236U signal is usually determined by a peak-stripping
      procedure, whereby the 235U1H+ contribution is obtained by applying the
      238U1H+/238U+ ratio to the 235U+ signal. The subtraction of one signal from
      another has consequences for the uncertainty of the final 236U abundance
      determination that may be especially significant when the amount of sample is
      limited, as is the case with small uranium particles that are of great interest
      for nuclear safeguards. We have developed a model based on Poisson counting
      statistics to determine the effects of various parameters on the uncertainty of
      the 236U abundance, including uranium enrichment level, hydride-to-parent ratio,
      uranium mass consumed during analysis, single versus multichannel counting, and
      sample substrate composition. The model predictions have been successfully tested
      against experimental measurements of uranium oxide particles of both 3% and 90%
      enrichment in 235U.

PMID- 28626280
TI  - Children's Executive Function in a CPS-Involved Sample: Effects of Cumulative
      Adversity and Specific Types of Adversity.
AB  - Prior research has identified the presence of executive function (EF) deficits in
      child protective service (CPS) involved (versus non-involved) children but
      minimal work has examined predictors that might explain individual differences
      within these CPS-involved children. Here, we sought to characterize EF in a large
      sample (N=694) of CPS-involved children and examine how specific adversities
      (physical abuse, neglect, caregiver domestic violence, and caregiver substance
      dependence) and cumulative adversity (at ages 0-3 and 3-6 years) predict EF (at
      approximately 5-6 years). It was expected that the sample would exhibit low EF
      overall based on previous research in maltreated children. Specific adversity and
      cumulative adversity analyses were largely exploratory given the limited previous
      work in this area. Results indicated poor EF overall, with 43.5% of children
      performing worse than chance. Amongst children who performed greater than chance,
      higher cumulative adversity, physical abuse, and caregiver substance use (at ages
      3-6 years) predicted better EF. These findings join literature documenting that,
      within CPS-involved children, the presence of certain adversities predicts
      variable cognitive function. Findings highlight the potential relevance of
      evolutionary psychology to understanding how alterations in behavior linked to
      harsh and unpredictable early environments may cue accelerated brain development
      underlying relative cognitive advantages, within at-risk, low performing samples.
      Longitudinal studies are critical to determine if the relative EF advantages
      linked to higher adversity persist over time or result in lower EF later on,
      reflecting a more rapid, but overall limited, trajectory of cognitive
      development.

PMID- 28626282
TI  - Learning About Long-Term Complications of Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes: Parents'
      Preferences.

PMID- 28626283
TI  - Assessment of cavitation in artificial approximal dental lesions with near-IR
      imaging.
AB  - Bitewing radiography is still considered state-of-the-art diagnostic technology
      for assessing cavitation within approximal carious dental lesions, even though
      radiographs cannot resolve cavitated surfaces but instead are used to measure
      lesion depth in order to predict cavitation. Clinicians need new technologies
      capable of determining whether approximal carious lesions have become cavitated
      because not all lesions progress to cavitation. Assessing lesion cavitation from
      near-infrared (NIR) imaging methods holds great potential due to the high
      transparency of enamel in the NIR region from lambda=1300-1700-nm, which allows
      direct visualization and quantified measurements of enamel demineralization. The
      objective of this study was to measure the change in lesion appearance between
      non-cavitated and cavitated lesions in artificially generated lesions using NIR
      imaging modalities (two-dimensional) at lambda =1300-nm and lambda=1450-nm and
      cross-polarization optical coherence tomography (CP-OCT) (thee-dimensional)
      lambda =1300-nm. Extracted human posterior teeth with sound proximal surfaces
      were chosen for this study and imaged before and after artificial lesions were
      made. A high speed dental hand piece was used to create artificial cavitated
      proximal lesions in sound samples and imaged. The cavitated artificial lesions
      were then filled with hydroxyapatite powder to simulate non-cavitated proximal
      lesions.

PMID- 28626284
TI  - Near-infrared imaging of enamel hypomineralization due to developmental defects.
AB  - The increasing prevalence of mild hypomineralization due to developmental defects
      on tooth surfaces poses a challenge for caries detection and caries risk
      assessment and reliable methods need to be developed to discriminate such lesions
      from active caries lesions that need intervention. Previous studies have
      demonstrated that areas of hypomineralization are typically covered with a
      relatively thick surface layer of highly mineralized and transparent enamel
      similar to arrested lesions. Seventy-six extracted human teeth with mild to
      moderate degrees of suspicious fluorosis were imaged using near-infrared
      reflectance and transillumination. Enamel hypomineralization was clearly visible
      in both modalities. However, it was difficult to distinguish hypomineralization
      due to developmental defects from caries lesions with contrast measurements
      alone. The location of the lesion on tooth coronal surface (i.e. generalized vs.
      localized) seems to be the most important indicator for the presence of enamel
      hypomineralization due to developmental defects.

PMID- 28626285
TI  - Selective Laser Ablation of Carious Lesions using Simultaneous Scanned Near-IR
      Diode and CO2 Lasers.
AB  - Previous studies have established that carious lesions can be imaged with high
      contrast using near-IR wavelengths coincident with high water absorption, namely
      1450-nm, without the interference of stains. It has been demonstrated that
      computer-controlled laser scanning systems utilizing IR lasers operating at high
      pulse repetition rates can be used for serial imaging and selective removal of
      caries lesions. In this study, a point-to-point scanning system was developed
      integrating a 1450-nm diode laser with the CO2 ablation laser. This approach is
      advantageous since it does not require an expensive near-IR camera. In this pilot
      study, we demonstrate the feasibility of a combined NIR and IR laser system for
      the selective removal of carious lesions.

PMID- 28626286
TI  - Synergistic effect of fluoride and laser irradiation for the inhibition of the
      demineralization of dental enamel.
AB  - Both laser irradiation and fluoride treatment alone are known to provide
      increased resistance to acid dissolution. CO2 lasers tuned to a wavelength of 9.3
      MUm can be used to efficiently convert the carbonated hydroxyapatite of enamel to
      a much more acid resistant purer phase hydroxyapatite (HAP). Further studies have
      shown that fluoride application to HAP yields fluoroapatite (FAP) which is even
      more resistant against acid dissolution. Previous studies show that CO2 lasers
      and fluoride treatments interact synergistically to provide significantly higher
      protection than either method alone, but the mechanism of interaction has not
      been elucidated. We recently observed the formation of microcracks or a "crazed"
      zone in the irradiated region that is resistant to demineralization using high
      resolution microscopy. The microcracks are formed due to the slight contraction
      of enamel due to transformation of carbonated hydroxyapatite to the more acid
      resistant pure phase hydroxyapatite (HAP) that has a smaller lattice. In this
      study, we test the hypothesis that these small cracks will provide greater
      adhesion for topical fluoride for greater protection against acid
      demineralization.

PMID- 28626287
TI  - High-Contrast Reflectance Imaging of Composite Restorations Color-Matched to
      Tooth Structure at 1000-2300-nm.
AB  - A major advantage of composite restoration materials is that they can be color
      matched to the tooth. However, this presents a challenge when composites fail and
      they need to be replaced. Dentists typically spend more time repairing and
      replacing composites than placing new restorations. We have shown in previous
      studies that high-contrast images of composite can be acquired in occlusal
      transmission mode at near-IR wavelengths coincident with higher water absorption.
      The purpose of this study was to determine if similar high-contrast images can be
      acquired in reflectance mode at longer wavelengths where water absorption is even
      higher. Extracted human teeth with existing composite restoration (n=14) were
      imaged at wavelengths from 900-2300 using an extended range InGaAs camera. Our
      results indicate that NIR wavelengths longer than 1400-nm coincident with higher
      water absorption yield the highest contrast between dental composites and tooth
      structure in reflectance.

PMID- 28626288
TI  - Assessment of radicular dentin permeability after irradiation with CO2 laser and
      endodontic irrigation treatments with thermal imaging.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that the permeability changes due to the
      surface modification of dentin can be quantified via thermal imaging during
      dehydration. The CO2 laser has been shown to remove the smear layer and disinfect
      root canals. Moreover, thermal modification via CO2 laser irradiation can be used
      to convert dentin into a highly mineralized enamel-like mineral. The purpose of
      this study is to evaluate the radicular dentin surface modification after CO2
      laser irradiation by measuring the permeability with thermal imaging. Human molar
      specimens (n=12) were sectioned into 4 axial walls of the pulp chamber and
      treated with either 10% NaClO for 1 minute, 5% EDTA for 1 minute, CO2 laser or
      none. The CO2 laser was operated at 9.4 MUm with a pulse duration of 26 MUs,
      pulse repetition rate of 300 Hz and a fluence of 13 J/cm2. The samples were
      dehydrated using an air spray for 60 seconds and imaged using a thermal camera.
      The resulting surface morphological changes were assessed using 3D digital
      microscopy. The images from digital microscopy confirmed melting of the mineral
      phase of dentin. The area enclosed by the time-temperature curve during
      dehydration, DeltaQ, measured with thermal imaging increased significantly with
      treatments with EDTA and the CO2 laser (P<0.05). These results indicate that the
      surface modification due to CO2 laser treatment increases permeability of
      radicular dentin.

PMID- 28626289
TI  - Comparison of High Resolution X-Ray detectors with Conventional FPDs using
      Experimental MTFs and Apodized Aperture Pixel Design for Reduced Aliasing.
AB  - Apodized Aperture Pixel (AAP) design, proposed by Ismailova et. al, is an
      alternative to the conventional pixel design1. The advantages of AAP processing
      with a sinc filter in comparison with using other filters include non-degradation
      of MTF values and elimination of signal and noise aliasing, resulting in an
      increased performance at higher frequencies, approaching the Nyquist frequency3.
      If high resolution small field-of-view (FOV) detectors with small pixels used
      during critical stages of Endovascular Image Guided Interventions (EIGIs) could
      also be extended to cover a full field-of-view typical of flat panel detectors
      (FPDs) and made to have larger effective pixels, then methods must be used to
      preserve the MTF over the frequency range up to the Nyquist frequency of the FPD
      while minimizing aliasing. In this work, we convolve the experimentally measured
      MTFs of an Microangiographic Fluoroscope (MAF) detector, (the MAF-CCD with 35MUm
      pixels) and a High Resolution Fluoroscope (HRF) detector (HRF-CMOS50 with 49.5MUm
      pixels) with the AAP filter and show the superiority of the results compared to
      MTFs resulting from moving average pixel binning and to the MTF of a standard
      FPD. The effect of using AAP is also shown in the spatial domain, when used to
      image an infinitely small point object. For detectors in neurovascular
      interventions, where high resolution is the priority during critical parts of the
      intervention, but full FOV with larger pixels are needed during less critical
      parts, AAP design provides an alternative to simple pixel binning while
      effectively eliminating signal and noise aliasing yet allowing the small FOV high
      resolution imaging to be maintained during critical parts of the EIGI.

PMID- 28626290
TI  - Joint Optimization of Fluence Field Modulation and Regularization in Task-Driven
      Computed Tomography.
AB  - PURPOSE: This work presents a task-driven joint optimization of fluence field
      modulation (FFM) and regularization in quadratic penalized-likelihood (PL)
      reconstruction. Conventional FFM strategies proposed for filtered-backprojection
      (FBP) are evaluated in the context of PL reconstruction for comparison. METHODS:
      We present a task-driven framework that leverages prior knowledge of the patient
      anatomy and imaging task to identify FFM and regularization. We adopted a maxi
      min objective that ensures a minimum level of detectability index (d') across
      sample locations in the image volume. The FFM designs were parameterized by 2D
      Gaussian basis functions to reduce dimensionality of the optimization and basis
      function coefficients were estimated using the covariance matrix adaptation
      evolutionary strategy (CMA-ES) algorithm. The FFM was jointly optimized with both
      space-invariant and spatially-varying regularization strength (beta) - the former
      via an exhaustive search through discrete values and the latter using an
      alternating optimization where beta was exhaustively optimized locally and
      interpolated to form a spatially-varying map. RESULTS: The optimal FFM inverts as
      beta increases, demonstrating the importance of a joint optimization. For the
      task and object investigated, the optimal FFM assigns more fluence through less
      attenuating views, counter to conventional FFM schemes proposed for FBP. The maxi
      min objective homogenizes detectability throughout the image and achieves a
      higher minimum detectability than conventional FFM strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The
      task-driven FFM designs found in this work are counter to conventional patterns
      for FBP and yield better performance in terms of the maxi-min objective,
      suggesting opportunities for improved image quality and/or dose reduction when
      model-based reconstructions are applied in conjunction with FFM.

PMID- 28626292
TI  - A 65k pixel, 150k frames-per-second camera with global gating and micro-lenses
      suitable for fluorescence lifetime imaging.
AB  - This paper presents our work on a 65k pixel single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD)
      based imaging sensor realized in a 0.35MUm standard CMOS process. At a resolution
      of 512 by 128 pixels the sensor is read out in 6.4MUs to deliver over 150k
      monochrome frames per second. The individual pixel has a size of 24MUm2 and
      contains the SPAD with a 12T quenching and gating circuitry along with a memory
      element. The gating signals are distributed across the chip through a balanced
      tree to minimize the signal skew between the pixels. The array of pixels is row
      addressable and data is sent out of the chip on 128 lines in parallel at a
      frequency of 80MHz. The system is controlled by an FPGA which generates the
      gating and readout signals and can be used for arbitrary real-time computation on
      the frames from the sensor. The communication protocol between the camera and a
      conventional PC is USB2. The active area of the chip is 5% and can be
      significantly improved with the application of a micro-lens array. A micro-lens
      array, for use with collimated light, has been designed and its performance is
      reviewed in the paper. Among other high-speed phenomena the gating circuitry
      capable of generating illumination periods shorter than 5ns can be used for
      Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM). In order to measure the lifetime of
      fluorophores excited by a picosecond laser, the sensor's illumination period is
      synchronized with the excitation laser pulses. A histogram of the photon arrival
      times relative to the excitation is then constructed by counting the photons
      arriving during the sensitive time for several positions of the illumination
      window. The histogram for each pixel is transferred afterwards to a computer
      where software routines extract the lifetime at each location with an accuracy
      better than 100ps. We show results for fluorescence lifetime measurements using
      different fluorophores with lifetimes ranging from 150ps to 5ns.

PMID- 28626291
TI  - Machine learning in a graph framework for subcortical segmentation.
AB  - Automated and reliable segmentation of subcortical structures from human brain
      magnetic resonance images is of great importance for volumetric and shape
      analyses in quantitative neuroimaging studies. However, poor boundary contrast
      and variable shape of these structures make the automated segmentation a tough
      task. We propose a 3D graph-based machine learning method, called LOGISMOS-RF, to
      segment the caudate and the putamen from brain MRI scans in a robust and accurate
      way. An atlas-based tissue classification and bias-field correction method is
      applied to the images to generate an initial segmentation for each structure.
      Then a 3D graph framework is utilized to construct a geometric graph for each
      initial segmentation. A locally trained random forest classifier is used to
      assign a cost to each graph node. The max-flow algorithm is applied to solve the
      segmentation problem. Evaluation was performed on a dataset of T1-weighted MRI's
      of 62 subjects, with 42 images used for training and 20 images for testing. For
      comparison, FreeSurfer and FSL approaches were also evaluated using the same
      dataset. Dice overlap coefficients and surface-to-surfaces distances between the
      automated segmentation and expert manual segmentations indicate the results of
      our method are statistically significantly more accurate than the other two
      methods, for both the caudate (Dice: 0.89 +/- 0.03) and the putamen (0.89 +/-
      0.03).

PMID- 28626293
TI  - CD146 Promoter Polymorphism (rs3923594) Is Associated with Recurrence of Clear
      Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma in Chinese Population.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: CD146 is a membrane signal receptor in tumor-induced angiogenesis.
      However, limited studies have focused on the CD146 promoter polymorphisms in
      clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was
      to investigate the association between polymorphisms located in the promoter
      region of the CD146 gene and characteristics of ccRCC in Chinese population. The
      association between the CD146 promoter polymorphisms and CD146 expression was
      also investigated in ccRCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 600 samples
      including 300 ccRCC patients and 300 healthy controls were collected for analysis
      of the CD146 promoter polymorphisms by direct sequence. The CD146 expressions
      were measured by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: We had not found any significant differences
      in genotypic and allelic frequencies of CD146 promoter polymorphisms between
      ccRCC patients and controls. The rs3923594 was associated with stage and
      metastasis (300 cases) and recurrence (263 cases) of ccRCC in Chinese population.
      A significant association was also observed between the rs3923594 and CD146
      expression (227 cases) in ccRCC. CONCLUSIONS: CD146 promoter polymorphisms were
      not associated with the risk of ccRCC in Chinese population. The rs3923594 was an
      independent predictor of recurrence in Chinese patients with localized ccRCC.

PMID- 28626294
TI  - Optical molecular fluorescence determination of ultra-trace beryllium in
      occupational and environmental samples using highly alkaline conditions.
AB  - Exposures to beryllium (Be), even at extremely low levels, can cause severe
      health effects in a percentage of those exposed; consequently, occupational
      exposure limits (OELs) promulgated for this element are the lowest established
      for any element. This work describes the advantages of using highly alkaline dye
      solutions for determination of Be in occupational hygiene and environmental
      samples by means of an optical molecular fluorescence technique after sample
      extraction in 1-3% (w?w-1) aqueous ammonium bifluoride (NH4HF2). Improved
      attributes include the ability to further enhance the detection limits of Be in
      extraction solutions of high acidity with minimal dilution, which is particularly
      beneficial when NH4HF2 solutions of higher concentration are used for extraction
      of Be from soil samples. Significant improvements in Be method detection limits
      (MDLs) are obtained at levels many-fold below those reported previously for this
      methodology. Notably, MDLs for Be of <0.01 ng l-1 / 0.1 ng per sample have been
      attained, which are superior to MDLs routinely reported for this element by means
      of the most widely used ultra-trace elemental measurement technique, inductively
      coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Very low MDLs for Be are essential in
      consideration of reductions in OELs for this element in workplace air by health
      organizations and regulatory agencies in the USA and internationally.
      Applications of enhanced Be measurements to air filter samples, surface wipe
      samples, soils and newly-designed occupational air sampler inserts are
      illustrated.

PMID- 28626295
TI  - Restoring effective sleep tranquility (REST): A feasibility and pilot study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this pilot study was to establish the feasibility of
      completing a future controlled trial of a multi-component cognitive behavioral
      therapy for insomnia program for military veterans with sleep disturbance.
      METHOD: This was a single-arm feasibility and pilot study. Participants were
      United States post-9/11 veterans with service-connected injuries, university
      students, and had self-reported sleep disturbances. Restoring Effective Sleep
      Tranquility was a multi-component cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia
      intervention consisting of seven sessions of group therapy and eight 1:1 sessions
      delivered by occupational therapists. Feasibility and pilot indicators were
      process, resources, management, and scientific, including pre-post-assessments of
      sleep difficulties, dysfunctional sleep beliefs, participation, and pain
      interference. FINDINGS: Indicators were supportive of feasibility, including
      reduced sleep difficulties (for example Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Measure [t =
      3.29, p = .02]), reduced nightmares: t = 2.79, p = .03; fewer dysfunctional sleep
      beliefs: t = 3.63, p = .01, and greater ability to participate in social roles: t
      = -2.86, p = .03, along with trends towards improved satisfaction with
      participation and reduced pain interference. CONCLUSION: The Restoring Effective
      Sleep Tranquility program may reduce sleep difficulties and improve participation
      in US veterans with service-connected injuries, and evidence indicates a
      controlled trial would be feasible to deliver.

PMID- 28626296
TI  - Big Data Analytics with Datalog Queries on Spark.
AB  - There is great interest in exploiting the opportunity provided by cloud computing
      platforms for large-scale analytics. Among these platforms, Apache Spark is
      growing in popularity for machine learning and graph analytics. Developing
      efficient complex analytics in Spark requires deep understanding of both the
      algorithm at hand and the Spark API or subsystem APIs (e.g., Spark SQL, GraphX).
      Our BigDatalog system addresses the problem by providing concise declarative
      specification of complex queries amenable to efficient evaluation. Towards this
      goal, we propose compilation and optimization techniques that tackle the
      important problem of efficiently supporting recursion in Spark. We perform an
      experimental comparison with other state-of-the-art large-scale Datalog systems
      and verify the efficacy of our techniques and effectiveness of Spark in
      supporting Datalog-based analytics.

PMID- 28626297
TI  - Improved Synthesis of the C-Glucuronide/Glycoside of 4-Hydroxybenzylretinone (4
      HBR).
AB  - Improvements in the synthesis of carbon-linked glucuronide/glucoside conjugates
      of cancer chemopreventive retinoids have been achieved starting with 2,3,4,6
      tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose. The revised approach demonstrates better yields,
      eliminates the use of an expensive, carcinogenic protecting group reagent, and
      avoids much painstaking chromatography. The new approach should allow synthesis
      of larger quantities of the agents for detailed animal and mechanistic studies.

PMID- 28626298
TI  - Stress and Coping: Latino Youth Coming of Age in a New Latino Destination.
AB  - Previous research has linked stress to adverse mental health outcomes among
      Latino adolescents living in the United States. The mechanism through which this
      process operates continues to be explored, especially in regions of the country
      where Latin American immigrants and their children have only recently begun to
      migrate. Our study aimed to contextualize the processes of stress and coping
      among Latino adolescents growing up in an emerging Latino destination in the US
      North Carolina (NC). All adolescents in our study were either the first or second
      generation children of immigrants from Latin American countries including
      Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico. We employed a longitudinal
      qualitative design, conducting in-depth interviews with 12 parent-adolescent
      dyads during each adolescent's first year of high school (2006-2007) and four
      years later (2009-2010). We identified four stress-coping trajectories that
      varied on the following dimensions: primary sources of stress, buffers countering
      these stressors, coping approaches and the effects of these processes on
      adolescents' striving for socioeconomic mobility. Our findings underscore the
      interplay between family, school, and community environments within an emerging
      Latino destination.

PMID- 28626299
TI  - NEUTRON RADIOGRAPHY MEASUREMENT OF SALT SOLUTION ABSORPTION IN MORTAR.
AB  - Some concrete pavements in the US have recently exhibited premature joint
      deterioration. It is hypothesized that one component of this damage can be
      attributed to a reaction that occurs when salt-laden water is absorbed in the
      concrete and reacts with the matrix. This study examines the absorption of CaCl2
      solution in mortar via neutron imaging. Mortar specimens were prepared with water
      to cement ratios, (w/c), of 0.36, 0.42 and 0.50 by mass and exposed to chloride
      solutions with concentrations ranging from 0 % to 29.8 % by mass. Depth of fluid
      penetration and moisture content along the specimen length were determined for 96
      h after exposure. At high salt concentration (29.8 %), the sorption rate
      decreased by over 80 % in all samples. Along with changes in surface tension and
      viscosity, CaCl2 reacts with the cement paste to produce products (Friedel's
      salt, Kuzel's salt, or calcium oxychloride) that block pores and reduce
      absorption.

PMID- 28626300
TI  - Comparison of the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles isolation ratio during
      different shoulder abduction exercises.
AB  - [Purpose] To measure the activities of the upper, middle, and lower trapezius and
      serratus anterior muscles during shoulder abduction at two angles and compare
      their relative isolation. [Subjects and Methods] Ten men were enrolled. The
      tester measured the isolation ratios of upper, middle, and lower trapezius and
      serratus anterior muscles during shoulder abduction exercises at 60 degrees  and
      120 degrees . [Results] Neither the upper nor the lower trapezius isolation
      ratios differed statistically between 60 degrees  and 120 degrees . The middle
      trapezius showed higher isolation ratio at 60 degrees  than at 120 degrees . The
      serratus anterior showed higher isolation ratio at 120 degrees  than at 60
      degrees . [Conclusion] The upper, lower, and middle trapezius can be strengthened
      sufficiently with exercises at a low range of angles.

PMID- 28626301
TI  - Effect of neurodevelopmental treatment-based physical therapy on the change of
      muscle strength, spasticity, and gross motor function in children with spastic
      cerebral palsy.
AB  - [Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of neurodevelopmental
      treatment-based physical therapy on muscle tone, strength, and gross motor
      function in children with spastic cerebral palsy. [Subjects and Methods] One
      hundred-seventy-five children with spastic cerebral palsy (88 diplegia; 78
      quadriplegia) received neurodevelopmental treatment-based physical therapy for 35
      minutes per day, 2-3 times per week for 1 year. Spasticity, muscle strength, and
      gross motor function were measured before and after treatment with the Modified
      Ashworth Scale, Manual Muscle Testing, and Gross Motor Function Measure,
      respectively. [Results] Spasticity was significantly reduced after 1 year of
      treatment. The Gross Motor Functional Classification System levels I-II group
      showed a significant increase in muscle strength compared with the Gross Motor
      Functional Classification System levels III-V, and the latter showed a
      significant decrease in spasticity compared with the former. [Conclusion]
      Neurodevelopmental treatment-based physical therapy in children with cerebral
      palsy seems to be effective in reducing spasticity, but does not improve gross
      motor function. Therefore, other interventional approaches are needed to improve
      gross motor function in children with cerebral palsy.

PMID- 28626302
TI  - The immediate effect of diaphragm taping with breathing exercise on muscle tone
      and stiffness of respiratory muscles and SpO2 in stroke patient.
AB  - [Purpose] This study aimed to examine the immediate effects of diaphragm taping
      with breathing exercise on the tone and stiffness in the respiratory muscles of
      patient with stroke. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 28 subjects, 14 in the
      diaphragm taping with breathing exercise group and 14 in the breathing exercise
      group, were administered respective intervention methods. Subsequently, the
      muscle tone and stiffness in upper trapezius, scalene, external oblique abdominal
      and ractus abdominis muscle of both the respiratory muscles were measured.
      [Results] The comparison of respiratory muscles on the affected and non-affected
      sides in stroke patients showed statistically significant declines in the muscle
      tone and stiffness of all measured muscles but not in the stiffness of the
      external oblique abdominal muscle and rectus abdominis muscles. After
      intervention, the diaphragm taping with breathing exercise group exhibited
      statistically significant increases in the muscle tone of all measured muscles
      and in the stiffness of the upper trapezius and scalene muscles, and
      statistically significant declines in the saturation of peripheral oxygen.
      However, the breathing exercise group showed statistically significant increases
      only in the muscle tone of the upper trapezius and external oblique abdominal
      muscles. [Conclusion] This study demonstrated that diaphragm taping with
      breathing exercise had positive effects of immediately increasing the muscles
      tone and stiffness in the respiratory muscles.

PMID- 28626303
TI  - The comparison of clinical features and quality of life after total knee
      replacement.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study is to provide fundamental information for
      efficient management of patients after a total knee replacement (TKR) through the
      evaluation of changes of range of motion, pain, functional level, and quality of
      life. [Subjects and Methods] For a total of 63 knee osteoarthritis patients, VAS,
      KSKS, KSFS, HSS, WOMAC scores and quality of life were evaluated for functional
      levels at pre-operation, post-operation, six months after operation, and 12
      months after operation. [Results] After the TKR operations, participants showed
      significant improvement in KSKS, KSFS, WOMAC, and SF-36 scores when compared to
      pre-operation. [Conclusion] After a TKR operation, ROM, and pain management,
      along with a therapeutic program for improvement of function, should be conducted
      6 months after the operation.

PMID- 28626305
TI  - Inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the fluid goniometer for measuring
      active knee flexion in painful knees; correlations do not mean agreement.
AB  - [Purpose] The fluid goniometer is an instrument for measuring range of motion.
      Reliability of the fluid goniometer has not been established for subjects with
      painful knee joints. The purpose of this study was to determine the inter-rater
      and intra-rater reliability of the fluid goniometer in measuring active knee
      flexion of painful knees and to test its agreement with the gold standard ruler
      goniometer. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-five individuals with either unilateral
      or bilateral painful knees participated in the study. Two raters each took three
      measurements with the same Baseline(r) fluid goniometer on 35 knees. [Results]
      Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were 0.97 for both intra-rater and
      inter-rater measurements, denoting high relative reliability. The large standard
      error of measurement (SEM) value of 6.6 degrees, and the 95% limits of agreement,
      which revealed a potential difference of 18.4 degrees between raters of similar
      subjects, however, revealed poor absolute reliability. The smallest detectable
      difference (SDD) of 18 degrees was also large. [Conclusion] The results revealed
      excellent relative reliability, but a large amount of variability between the
      raters' measurements. The sensitivity of the fluid level of the goniometer to end
      range tremors of the lower leg flexed against gravity in the obligatory prone
      position may contribute significantly to the large variability in knee ROM
      values.

PMID- 28626304
TI  - Obesity and low back pain: a retrospective cohort study of Japanese males.
AB  - [Purpose] This study evaluated whether obesity is a risk factor for low back
      pain, by using body fat percentage (%FAT) and body mass index (BMI) as indices of
      obesity among Japanese males. [Subjects and Methods] This study included 1,152
      males (average age: 28.0 +/- 4.6 years). BMI was calculated from subject's height
      and weight, and %FAT was estimated by the thickness of two parts of skin. Low
      back pain, drinking and smoking were surveyed using a self-administered
      questionnaire, and maximal oxygen uptake was measured by a submaximal exercise
      test using a cycle ergometer. [Results] A significant positive dose-response
      relationship was shown between %FAT and persistent low back pain prevalence.
      Similarly, a significant positive dose-response relationship was confirmed
      between BMI and persistent low back pain. [Conclusion] This study suggests that
      both high %FAT and BMI are risk factors for persistent low back pain.

PMID- 28626306
TI  - Effects of task-oriented circuit training on balance and gait ability in subacute
      stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - [Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the task
      oriented circuit training on balance and gait ability in subacute patients with
      stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Participants were randomly allocated to two
      groups: group 1 (subjects who performed task-oriented circuit training) and group
      2 (subjects who underwent conventional physical therapy). Berg balance scale,
      timed up and go test, functional ambulation category, 6-minute walk test were
      assessed before and after four weeks of training. [Results] There were
      significant differences between groups for the 6-minute walk test. [Conclusion]
      The result of this study showed that task-oriented circuit training could improve
      the gait ability in patients with subacute stroke.

PMID- 28626307
TI  - Effect of breathing maneuver combined with upper extremity exercise on
      respiratory capacity in healthy adult men.
AB  - [Purpose] This study aimed to determine the effect of the breathing maneuver
      combined with dynamic motion of the upper limbs on respiratory capacity in
      healthy adult men. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-four healthy adult men
      participated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control group
      (n=12) or an experimental group (n=12). The subjects in the control group
      performed the breathing maneuver without the upper extremity exercise. The
      subjects in the experimental group performed upper extremity exercise with the
      breathing maneuver three times a week for 4 weeks. Outcomes were measured using
      maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures. [Results] There was a significant
      difference in maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures before and after
      intervention in the experimental group and the control group. In addition, there
      was a significant difference in maximal expiratory pressure between groups after
      intervention. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest the respiration
      maneuver combined with upper extremity exercise could be used as a program for
      clinical respiration training.

PMID- 28626308
TI  - Relationship between trunk function evaluated using the trunk righting test and
      physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
AB  - [Purpose] The present study was to validate the importance of the trunk function
      evaluated by trunk righting test (TRT) with motor function in patients with knee
      osteoarthritis (OA) and to show the clinical use of TRT. [Subjects and Methods]
      This study included 50 patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent total knee
      arthroplasty in our hospital. Correlations between physical functional test, such
      as muscle strength, balance function, and performance and TRT were statistically
      evaluated. [Results] The independent factors for ipsilateral TRT were maximal
      isometric knee extensor strength test and ipsilateral step test. The operator and
      non-operator side TRT were significantly associated with TUG. [Conclusion] The
      results showed that the physical functions are correlated with the trunk function
      evaluated by TRT of patients with knee OA, suggesting that healthcare workers
      must take into consideration the trunk function, as well as lower extremity
      function to improve physical function.

PMID- 28626310
TI  - Can blood pressure be measured during exercise with an automated sphygmomanometer
      based on an oscillometric method?
AB  - [Purpose] This study investigated the reliability of an automated
      sphygmomanometer based on an oscillometric method, when used during exercise.
      [Subjects and Methods] Ten healthy subjects were included. Blood pressure (BP)
      was measured with an automated sphygmomanometer based on a cuff-oscillometric
      method. The experiment consisted of five tests: sitting posture at rest, walking
      with swinging the upper limbs, walking without swinging the upper limbs, walking
      on a treadmill, and riding a bicycle ergometer. Right and left brachial artery BP
      was measured twice at the same times. If the difference in systolic BP on
      bilateral testing was less than 15 mmHg, it was judged to be accurate, and
      accurate measurement rates were calculated. [Results] BP could not be measured in
      most limbs on walking with swinging the upper limbs, walking without swinging the
      upper limbs, or walking on a treadmill. The accurate measurement rates in
      bilateral limbs were 95.0% in sitting posture at rest, 0.0% on walking with
      swinging upper limbs, 5.0% on walking without swinging upper limbs, 15.0% on
      walking on a treadmill, and 65.0% on riding a bicycle ergometer. [Conclusion] An
      automated sphygmomanometer based on an oscillometric method was useful for BP
      measurement only at rest.

PMID- 28626309
TI  - Does the weakening of intrinsic foot muscles cause the decrease of medial
      longitudinal arch height?
AB  - [Purpose] There are no reliable evidences that the weakening of intrinsic foot
      muscles causes the decrease of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) height. The
      purpose of this study was to confirm whether the fatigue of intrinsic foot
      muscles decrease the MLA height during standing and gait using 3D motion analysis
      system. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty healthy male subjects participated in this
      study. Foot kinematics was measured using an Oxford Foot Model before and after
      fatigue-inducing exercises of the abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis
      muscles. [Results] Following fatigue-inducing exercise, in both standing and
      gait, the MLA height did not decrease but slightly increased. In addition, the
      reduction of a rear foot eversion angle was noted. [Conclusion] Fatigue of the
      abductor hallucis and flexor hallucis brevis muscles did not cause a change
      associated with collapsing of the MLA during both standing and gait. This
      suggested that the MLA support force from these muscles would be compensated by
      other MLA support structures, such as extrinsic foot muscles.

PMID- 28626311
TI  - Influence of structural integration and fascial fitness on body image and the
      perception of back pain.
AB  - [Purpose] The aim of this study was to examine the influence of Structural
      Integration and Fascial Fitness, a new form of physical exercise, on body image
      and the perception of back pain. [Subjects and Methods] In total, 33 participants
      with non-specific back pain were split into two groups and performed three
      sessions of Structural Integration or Fascial Fitness within a 3-week period.
      Before and after the interventions, perception of back pain and body image were
      evaluated using standardized questionnaires. [Results] Structural Integration
      significantly decreased non-specified back pain and improved both "negative body
      image" and "vital body dynamics". Fascial Fitness led to a significant
      improvement on the "negative body image" subscale. Benefits of Structural
      Integration did not significantly vary in magnitude from those for fascial
      fitness. [Conclusion] Both Structural Integration and Fascial Fitness can lead to
      a more positive body image after only three sessions. Moreover, the therapeutic
      technique of Structural Integration can reduce back pain.

PMID- 28626312
TI  - Bacterial contamination in physical therapy departments in the State of Kuwait.
AB  - [Purpose] Interferential therapy and electrical stimulation are electrophysical
      modalities commonly used in physical therapy departments to treat patients with
      musculoskeletal problems. These machines are applied directly to the patient's
      skin via a medium or electrodes, which can facilitate the transmission of
      microorganisms from one patient to another. The purpose of this study was to
      determine the extent of microorganism contamination in the machines sponges at
      physical therapy departments in Kuwait hospitals. [Subjects and Methods] Sixty
      samples comprising sponges from interferential therapy and electrical stimulation
      machines, and water from hot pack units were collected from 5 physical therapy
      departments in 5 different hospitals. The samples were analyzed at a Medical
      Laboratory to explore the extent and type of microorganisms present. [Results]
      Forty-one of the 60 samples (68.3%) were positive for microorganism
      contamination. Of the 41 contaminated samples, 28 (68.3%) were sponges and 13
      (31.7%) were water samples. The major microorganisms found were Acinetobacter
      baumannii (21.9%), Serratia marcescens (12.2%), and Staphylococcus lentus (7.3%).
      [Conclusion] Interferential therapy and electrical stimulation in physical
      therapy departments have a high probability of causing cross contamination
      between patients. Physical therapists are encouraged to adhere to safety
      guidelines, such as disinfection management, disposal of used sponges, and
      regular sponge replacement.

PMID- 28626313
TI  - Comparison of the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles isolation ratios during
      the sit-to-stand movement in elderly people.
AB  - [Purpose] To compared activation of the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles
      during the sit-to-stand movement in elderly people. [Subjects and Methods] Ten
      elderly women were enrolled. The activities of the dominant lower extremity
      muscles were measured using a wireless electromyography system. Subjects
      performed natural sit-to-stand tasks. [Results] In the pre-thigh off phase, the
      tibialis anterior isolation ratio was significantly higher than the soleus
      isolation ratio. In the post-thigh off phase, the tibialis and soleus isolation
      ratios did not significantly differ. [Conclusion] This result suggests that
      selective soleus exercises might help to reduce the risk of falling in the
      elderly.

PMID- 28626314
TI  - Effect of sleep posture on neck muscle activity.
AB  - [Purpose] This study investigated the effect of sleep posture on neck muscle
      activity. [Subjects and Methods] The study recruited 20 healthy subjects, who
      were positioned in three supine sleeping positions: both hands at sides, both
      hands on the chest, and dominant hand on the forehead. The activities of the
      scalene and upper trapezius muscles bilaterally were measured by surface
      electromyography. [Results] The upper trapezius and scalene muscle activity on
      the right side was significantly greater in the supine with dominant hand on the
      forehead position than in the other positions. [Conclusion] Sleep posture is
      important and prevent neck and shoulder musculoskeletal pain.

PMID- 28626315
TI  - Availability of the Two-step Test to evaluate balance in frail people in a day
      care service.
AB  - [Purpose] This study evaluated balance tests in users of a day care service who
      needed nursing care or support, and investigated the usefulness of the Two-step
      Test for evaluating balance. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were users of a
      day care service, and had certified need for long-term care or support. All
      subjects were able to undergo the balance evaluations. Balance tests included the
      3-m Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the one-leg standing time, and the Two-step Test.
      [Results] The Two-step Test and other balance tests were strongly correlated.
      [Conclusion] In this study of subjects who needed nursing care or support, the
      results were the same as in a previous study of subjects who did not need nursing
      care or support. The Two-step Test should be considered as an indicator of
      balance ability in elderly individuals requiring nursing care or support.

PMID- 28626316
TI  - Immediate effects of ankle eversion taping on dynamic and static balance of
      chronic stroke patients with foot drop.
AB  - [Purpose] This study evaluates the immediate effect of ankle eversion taping on
      dynamic and static balance of chronic stroke patients with foot drop. [Subjects
      and Methods] This study was conducted with nine subjects who were diagnosed with
      stroke. A cross-over randomized design was used. Each subject performed three
      interventions in a random order. Subjects were randomly assigned to an ankle
      everion taping, placebo taping, and no taping. For dynamic and static balance,
      ability was measured using BIO Rescue. Limit of stability, sway length and sway
      speed for one minute were measured. [Results] The Limit of Stability, Sway length
      and Sway speed differed significantly among the three different taping methods.
      [Conclusion] We conclude that ankle eversion taping that uses kinesiology tape
      instantly increases the dynamic and static balance ability of chronic stroke
      patients with foot drop.

PMID- 28626317
TI  - The effect of the push-up plus on shoulder muscle activation while using a sling
      with a pulley.
AB  - [Purpose] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the push-up plus
      while using a balance ball, a sling, and a sling with a pulley in a creeping
      position on an unstable floor. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were divided
      into three groups of 15 members each who performed the different three type
      methods of push-up plus (with scapulae protruding) in a random order while in a
      creeping posture. The muscle activity of each group in the push-up plus posture
      was measured using electromyography, and the measurement values were compared
      among the groups using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). [Results] The
      intergroup comparison revealed that the activation of the pectoralis major muscle
      of the balance ball exercise group was significantly decreased. In this
      comparison, the activity ratio for the pectoralis major muscles of the balance
      ball exercise group significantly decreased, and the activity ratio of their
      serratus anterior muscles significantly increased. From the post analysis, the
      differences in the activity ratios of the pectoralis major and serratus anterior
      muscles for the balance ball exercise group were significant when compared with
      those of the other groups. [Conclusion] Among the three different exercise
      methods in unstable situations presented in this study, the push-up plus exercise
      in a creeping posture using the balance ball can be recommended for the selective
      strengthening of the serratus anterior muscle.

PMID- 28626318
TI  - The effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on depression,
      visual perception, and activities of daily living in stroke patients.
AB  - [Purpose] The present study aimed to investigate the effects of repetitive
      transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on visual perception, depression, and
      activities of daily livings (ADLs) in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods]
      Forty-four stroke patients were divided equally into an experimental group that
      underwent rTMS and a control group that underwent mock rTMS. Changes in patient
      visual perception, depression, and ADLs were evaluated. All subjects underwent
      treatment for 20 minutes, 5 times per week, for 4 weeks. Beck Depression
      Inventory (BDI), Motor-free Visual Perception Test (MVPT) and Functional
      Independent Measurement (FIM) were respectively used to assess depression, visual
      perception and ADLs. [Results] The experimental group showed significant
      improvements in depression, visual perception, and ADLs between week 1 and 4,
      between week 1 and 8, and between week 4 and 8. Meanwhile, the control group
      showed no differences between week 1 and 4, and although, like in the
      experimental group, a significant difference was observed in depression and
      visual perception between Week 1 and 8, there was no significant difference in
      ADLs. [Conclusion] These demonstrate that rTMS has a positive impact on visual
      perception, depression, and ADLs.

PMID- 28626319
TI  - Short-term effect of spiral taping on the pain and walking performance of
      individuals with chronic ankle instability.
AB  - [Purpose] This study was designed to investigate the effects of spiral taping
      (ST) on the pain and walking performance of individual with chronic ankle
      instability (CAI). [Subjects and Methods] 12 men and 13 women (mean: 21.52 years;
      range: 20-31 years) with unilateral CAI (Cumberland ankle instability score:
      <=24) were included. All the participants received 3 mm-wide ST. The latter was
      applied in a 3 * 4 cross shape onto the medial malleolus, the lateral malleolus,
      and the anterior talotibial joint of the unstable ankle. The pain and walking
      performance were measured on the visual analogue scale (VAS) and with a timed up
      and go test (TUGT) at the baseline and 30 minutes after the intervention.
      [Results] VAS and TUGT scores were significantly improved after application of
      the ST. [Conclusion] The results indicated that ST can improve the pain and
      walking performance of CAI individuals.

PMID- 28626320
TI  - Effects of pulling direction on upper trapezius and rhomboid muscle activity.
AB  - [Purpose] This study examined the activation of the rhomboid muscle according to
      the angle of the arm. [Subjects and Methods] The current study was conducted on
      15 healthy males. The participants performed the pulling exercise in 5
      conditions. The surface electromyography system was used to measure the muscle
      activities of the rhomboid and upper trapezius. [Results] The activity of the
      upper trapezius in condition 5 was significantly increased compared to that in
      condition 4. The activity of the rhomboid in condition 4 was significantly
      increased compared to that in conditions 1 and 5. [Conclusion] This study showed
      that performing a pulling exercise with the arms raised above the head (shoulder
      flexion at 120 degrees ) is more effective for reducing upper trapezius tension,
      while also selectively strengthening the rhomboid muscle.

PMID- 28626321
TI  - The effects of changes in support and inclined boards on lower-extremity muscle
      activity.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of changes in
      support and inclined boards on lower-extremity muscle activity. [Subjects and
      Methods] The study subjects were 15 healthy adult males. Aero-Step equipment was
      used as an unstable support, and an inclined board was used to maintain angles of
      0 degrees  and 20 degrees . Electromyography was employed to analyze lower
      extremity muscle activity. [Results] The vastus lateralis, vastus medialis,
      rectus femoris, gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis anterior muscles showed
      significant differences according to changes in the support and inclined board.
      In post-hoc tests the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and rectus femoris
      muscles showed significantly increased activity when exercises were performed on
      the unstable inclined board (20 degrees ) than the stable support (0 degrees ),
      unstable support (0 degrees ), or stable inclined board (20 degrees ). The
      gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis anterior muscles showed significantly
      increased activity when exercises were performed on the unstable support (0
      degrees ), stable inclined board (20 degrees ), or unstable inclined board (20
      degrees ) than on the stable support (0 degrees ). [Conclusion] An unstable
      support and increased slope of the inclined board may increase lower-extremity
      muscle activity.

PMID- 28626322
TI  - The effect of age on hamstring passive properties after a 10-week stretch
      training.
AB  - [Purpose] Degenerative changes take place in the musculoskeletal system of
      elderly people, resulting in a reduced range of motion. For this reason, stretch
      training is recommended for elderly individuals. To date, there have been no
      studies of the adaptations of the passive properties of muscles following long
      term stretch training. The aim of this study is to investigate the hamstring
      elasticity of elderly people following a 10-week stretch training and compare the
      results to a younger cohort. [Subjects and Methods] The experimental groups
      consisted of 15 younger (24.0 +/- 4.0 years) and 14 older (65.1 +/- 7.9 years)
      individuals. Both experimental groups undertook a standardised 10-week static
      passive hamstring stretch training. Passive properties of the hamstring were
      measured with an instrumented Straight Leg Raise Test. [Results] After a 10-week
      stretch training, there were increases in range of motion, passive resistive
      force and passive elastic energy in both age groups. Passive elastic stiffness
      decreased. Changes of hamstring passive properties did not differ significantly
      between age groups after a 10-week stretch training. [Conclusion] Increasing age
      has a negative effect on muscle passive properties, but older individuals benefit
      from regular stretch training, just as younger individuals do.

PMID- 28626323
TI  - Effect of diaphragm breathing exercise applied on the basis of overload
      principle.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine effects of diaphragm breathing
      exercise applied on the basis overload principle on respiratory function.
      [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 35 normal adults. They
      were randomly assigned to two group; the maneuver-diaphragm exercise group and
      self-diaphragm exercise group. The respiratory function was evaluated using the
      CardioTouch 3000S (BIONET, Korea) as a pulmometry device. [Results] The maneuver
      diaphragm exercise was more effective on functional vital capacity and forced
      expiratory volume at one second when compared to the self-diaphragm exercise.
      [Conclusion] According to the results of this study, although the self-diaphragm
      exercise did not show effects as much as the maneuver one, but the self-diaphragm
      exercise had a similar effects as the maneuver-diaphragm exercise. The self
      diaphragmatic respiration applied on the basis of overload principle may be used
      as an effective respiratory exercise as a part of home respiration program.

PMID- 28626324
TI  - Lower trunk muscle activity-induced alignment and cop position during single-leg
      standing.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify fundamental changes induced by
      lower trunk muscle contraction during single-leg standing. [Subjects and Methods]
      Ten healthy normal males participated in this study. All subjects could
      accurately perform lower trunk muscle contraction-type Abdominal Expansion (AE),
      Abdominal Bracing (AB), and Abdominal Cave-in (AC). The alignment and position of
      the center of foot pressure (COP) during single-leg standing with SLR and step
      position after rotating the body from single-leg standing with maximum SLR were
      measured in each lower trunk muscle contraction type. [Results] When AC was
      performed during single-leg standing with SLR, the SLR angle increased, COP
      shifted backward, and the posterior tilt angle of the trunk and cross step
      distance decreased. [Conclusion] It was assumed that AC during wind-up increases
      the angle of lower limb elevation and decreases the posterior tilt angle of the
      trunk and cross step distance.

PMID- 28626325
TI  - The reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Upper Limb Functional
      Index.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity
      of Upper Limb Functional Index (ULFI), which has been translated into Korean, in
      treating patients with upper limb complaints. [Subjects and Methods] Fourty-nine
      subjects with upper limb disorder, 20 males and 29 females, participated in this
      study. Reliability was determined by using the intra class correlation
      coefficient and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Validity was examined
      by correlating ULFI scores with Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH).
      [Results] Test-retest reliability was 0.90. The criterion-related validity was
      established by a comparison with the Korean version of DASH. [Conclusion] The
      Korean version of ULFI was shown to be a reliable and valid instrument for
      assessing upper limb complaints.

PMID- 28626326
TI  - Effects of measurement posture and stimulation intensity on the nociceptive
      flexion reflex (RIII reflex).
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the measurement
      posture and stimulation intensity on the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII
      reflex). [Subjects and Methods] Thirty normal female adult subjects were selected
      for this study. Their RIII reflexes were measured in three positions and with
      three degrees of stimulation intensity. The measurement posture was randomly
      selected. The analysis items were the stimulation intensity of the induced RIII
      reflex, the amplitude of the RIII reflex, and the numeric rating scale (NRS).
      [Results] The study results showed statistically significant differences in the
      interaction effects between the measurement posture and the stimulation
      intensity. The NRS showed no statistically significant differences in the
      interaction effects but showed statistically significant differences in the main
      effect. The amplitude of the RIII reflex showed no statistically significant
      differences in the interaction effects and showed statistically significant
      differences only in the stimulation intensity. [Conclusion] The study results
      suggest that the RIII reflex may be influenced by the measurement posture and
      stimulation intensity.

PMID- 28626327
TI  - The effects of dynamic exercise using the proprioceptive neuromuscular
      facilitation pattern on posture in healthy adults.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of dynamic exercise
      utilizing the proprioceptor neuromuscular facilitation pattern accompanied by
      abdominal drawing-in exercises on posture in healthy adults. [Subjects and
      Methods] The total number of subjects were 32; 16 were randomly placed in the
      training group, and the remaining 16 made up the control group. The subjects in
      the training group conducted 5 sets of dynamic exercises utilizing the
      proprioceptor neuromuscular facilitation patterns each day, 3 times a week for 6
      weeks. Using BackMapper, their trunk inclination, trunk imbalance, pelvic
      position, pelvic torsion, pelvic rotation and the position of their scapula were
      evaluated. [Results] When the training group's posture pre-test and post-test
      were compared in this study, there was a statistical significance in trunk
      inclination, pelvic position, pelvic torsion, pelvic rotation and the position of
      their scapula. [Conclusion] Dynamic exercise utilizing the proprioceptor
      neuromuscular facilitation patterns increased the posture that are the basis of
      trunk stabilization.

PMID- 28626328
TI  - Differences in attention, hand dexterity, and lower extremity activities in the
      presence or absence of a time limit.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate how a time limit affects
      day-to-day tasks such as attention, hand dexterity, and sit to standing and
      sitting activity. The grounds for using a time limit as a method of learning
      tasks related to daily living are examined based on the results of this
      investigation. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects consisted of 51 healthy
      college students (20 males and 31 females). The task performance time for SESSION
      1, in which there was no time limit, was measured and the task duration privately
      recorded. The task performance for SESSION 2 was then measured with a time limit
      of the same duration as the time recorded for SESSION 1. Attention was measured
      using the trail-making test, hand dexterity using the Purdue pegboard test, and
      lower extremity activity using the sit to standing and sitting test. [Results]
      The levels for the attention, hand dexterity, and lower extremity activities were
      high in the environment in which a time limit was set. The differences between
      the genders depending on the presence or absence of a time limit was
      insignificant. [Conclusion] A time limit environment can be used as a task
      training method for attention, hand dexterity, and lower extremity activities.

PMID- 28626329
TI  - Effects of high intensity laser therapy on pain and function of patients with
      chronic back pain.
AB  - [Purpose] This study examined the effects of High Intensity Laser Therapy on pain
      and function of patients with chronic back pain. [Subjects and Methods] This
      study evenly divided a total of 20 patients with chronic back pain into a
      conservative physical therapy group that received conservative physical therapy,
      and a high intensity laser therapy group that received High Intensity Laser
      Therapy after conservative physical therapy. All patients received the therapy
      three times a week for four weeks. For the high intensity laser therapy group,
      treatment was applied to the L1-L5 and S1 regions for 10 minutes by using a high
      intensity laser device while vertically maintaining the separation distance from
      handpiece to skin at approximately 1 cm. A visual analog scale was used to
      measure the pain and Oswestry Disability Index was used for functional
      evaluation. [Results] In a within-group comparison of the conservative physical
      therapy and high intensity laser therapy groups, both the visual analog scale and
      Oswestry Disability Index significantly decreased. In a between-group comparison
      after treatment, the high intensity laser therapy group showed a significantly
      lower visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index than the conservative
      physical therapy group. [Conclusion] High Intensity Laser Therapy can be an
      effective nonsurgical intervention method for reducing pain and helping the
      performance of daily routines of patients who have chronic back pain.

PMID- 28626330
TI  - The reliability and validity of the Korean version of the spine functional index.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity
      of the Korean version of the Spine Functional Index (K-SFI), a translated version
      of the original SFI used with patients with spinal disorders. [Subjects and
      Methods] Sixty participants with spine disorder, 22 males and 38 females,
      participated in the study. Reliability was determined by using the intra class
      correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency. Validity
      was examined by correlating K-SFI scores with the Roland Morris Disability
      Questionnaire (RMDQ), Neck Disability index (NDI), and the Functional Rating
      Index (FRI). [Results] Test-retest reliability was 0.94. The criterion-related
      validity was established by comparison with the Korean version of the RMDQ, NDI
      and FRI. [Conclusion] The Korean version of the SFI was shown to be a reliable
      and valid instrument for assessing spine complaints.

PMID- 28626331
TI  - The effects of training using EMG biofeedback on stroke patients upper extremity
      functions.
AB  - [Purpose] While electromyography (EMG) biofeedback has been recently used in
      diverse therapeutic interventions for stroke patients, research on its effects
      has been lacking. Most existing studies are confined to functions of the lower
      extremities, and research on upper extremity functional recovery using EMG
      biofeedback training is limited. Therefore, this study examined the effects of
      training using EMG biofeedback on stroke patients' upper extremity functions.
      [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study included 30 hemiplegia patients
      whose disease duration was longer than six months. They were randomly divided
      into a control group (n=15) receiving traditional rehabilitation therapy and an
      experimental group (n=15) receiving both traditional rehabilitation therapy and
      training using EMG biofeedback. The program lasted for a total of four weeks. In
      order to examine the subjects' functional recovery, the author measured their
      upper limb function using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Manual Function Test, and
      activities of daily living using the Functional Independence Measure before and
      after training. [Results] A comparison of the study groups revealed that those in
      the experimental group experienced greater improvement in upper extremity
      function after training in all tests compared to the control group; however,
      there was no significant difference in terms of the activities of daily living
      between the two groups. The results of this study were as follows. [Conclusion]
      Thus, stroke patients receiving intensive EMG biofeedback showed more significant
      upper extremity functional recovery than those who only received traditional
      rehabilitation therapy.

PMID- 28626332
TI  - 3D motion analysis of the wrist splint effect to wrist joint movement.
AB  - [Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the degree of straightness of the wrist
      joint, depending on the use of a wrist splint while opening a bottle cap. Its
      results may provide data for later studies on preventing accidents at workplaces
      and improving efficiency. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty Male and Female in their
      twenties who did not have hand-related diseases, fractures, or history that
      included neurological impairments associated with the hand were selected as
      subjects of the study. Wrist splints were made to fit the hand and lower arm of
      each subject. Evaluation assignments were carried out without and with the
      splints after 10 minutes of rest. To analyze the wrist movement in opening the
      bottle cap, a three-dimensional movement analyzing system by Zebris was used.
      [Results] Wrist angle decreased while opening caps of four different diameters
      while wearing splints, but not when splints were not worn. This means that
      wearing a splint may aid weakened wrist muscles. [Conclusion] Future studies
      should be conducted among subjects with damaged wrist muscles and evaluate the
      subjects in actual workplaces to obtain more objective and more valid data.

PMID- 28626333
TI  - Peripheral circulation indicators in veteran trail runners.
AB  - [Purpose] Competitive sport places strict demands on the cardiovascular systems
      of veteran trail runners. Our research objective was to evaluate the dynamics of
      microcirculation parameters of veteran runners in hypoxic and mid-altitude
      conditions. [Subjects and Methods] Seven male runners from Russia and Italy
      between the ages of 50 and 60 years were examined whilst competing at mid
      altitude (1,500-2,000 m above sea level). The same runners were examined in a
      simulated mid-altitude hypoxic environment, which was a hypoxic chamber with 16%
      oxygen concentration, for 720 minutes. Under both conditions, peripheral
      circulation was studied using a laser Doppler flowmeter attached to the distal
      phalange of the second finger of the subject's right hand. All subjects had a
      microcirculation parameter assessed, which was the standard deviation of the
      erythrocytes flow vibration in peripheral circulation, under both conditions. In
      order to assess the intensity of vasomotor reactions of the microcirculatory
      vessels, the coefficient of variation was used. [Results] In the hypoxic
      environment, a decrease in the microcirculation parameter was noted in the short
      term (360 minutes), with a subsequent compensatory increase in the long-term (720
      minutes). However, the coefficient of variation showed a reverse trend with an
      increase in the vasomotor activity of microvessels from 12.4% to 18.2% at the
      stage of maximum training load within one month in the mid-altitude in the
      hypoxic environment, with a consequent reduction in preparation for the start.
      [Conclusion] In the hypoxic environment, the subjects demonstrated a two-stage
      change in the dynamics of the microcirculation parameter: an initial fall and a
      subsequent increase reaching the initial values. Similar changes were found when
      subjects were competing at mid-altitude. Our results show that the assessment of
      the peripheral circulation in a simulated mid-altitude hypoxic environment can be
      used to determine the readiness of veteran sportsmen for long-term trail running
      in mid-altitude conditions.

PMID- 28626334
TI  - Effect of Neuro-Development Treatment on motor development in preterm infants.
AB  - [Purpose] To investigate the effects of Neuro-Development Treatment on
      development in the preterm infants. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 96
      premature infants were recruited for this study; 62 low birth weight preterm
      infants (<2.5 kg, high risk infants for developmental delay) and 34 premature
      infants (>2.5 kg, low risk infants for developmental delay). High risk infants
      were divided into intervention group (32 infants) and control group (30 infants)
      at time of admission. Low risk infants were into comparative group (34 infants).
      All infants received general nursing care in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
      Additionally, Intervention group received Neuro-Development Treatment for 15
      minutes 4 times per week up to 40 week postconceptional age. We evaluated Test of
      Infant Movement Performance at baseline, 2 weeks after and 40 week
      postconceptional age. [Results] In score on Test of Infant Movement Performance
      there was more increase in intervention group than in control group and
      comparative group. [Conclusion] According to findings in this study, we find that
      Neuro-Development Treatment in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has an effect on
      development in the preterm infants.

PMID- 28626335
TI  - 2-dimensional analysis of low limb taping methods on ambulation for stroke
      patients.
AB  - [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of treatment on
      the type of taping applied before proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation
      treatment. [Subjects and Methods] This study was conducted on thirty patients
      diagnosed with stroke. The study subjects were divided into three groups:
      experimental group 1, experimental group 2, and control group 3. Experimental
      group 1 applied Kinesio taping to the lower limb before applying proprioceptive
      neuromuscular facilitation technique. Experimental group 2 applied McConnell
      taping to the lower limb before applying proprioceptive neuromuscular
      facilitation technique and control group applied only proprioceptive
      neuromuscular facilitation technique. In this study was used Dartfish to analyze
      the gait of the lower limbs. [Results] Experiment group 1 showed a significant
      difference of ankle angle compared to the control group, but a statistically
      significant difference of ankle angle was observed in week 8. Experiment group 1
      and experiment group 2 showed a significantly longer stride length on the
      affected side than the control group. [Conclusion] Application of Kinesio taping
      has a more positive effect on the ambulation than McConnell taping.

PMID- 28626336
TI  - Rehabilitation in a convalescent rehabilitation ward following an acute ward
      improves functional recovery and mortality for hip fracture patients: a sequence
      in a single hospital.
AB  - [Purpose] The convalescent rehabilitation ward (CRW) plays an important role for
      hip fracture patients in Japanese super-aged society. The purpose of this study
      is to clarify the usefulness of the CRW concomitant with acute wards in a single
      hospital. [Subjects and Methods] 110 hip fracture patients were evaluated; 63
      patients were moved from acute wards to the CRW in the same hospital (Group C)
      and 47 patients were treated in acute wards only (Group A). Patient selection was
      determined by each attending doctor. The outcomes were examined from medical
      records. [Results] 90.5% of patients in the group C were discharged to home and
      57.4% in the group A. 92.9% of patients in the group C had regained their
      ambulatory ability at discharge and 88.9% in the group A. The average total
      functional independence measure scores at discharge were 96.4 in the group C and
      85.0 in the group A. The one-year mortality was 2.4% in the group C and 8.3% in
      the group A. [Conclusion] Using a CRW concomitant with acute wards in a single
      hospital could achieve a high home-discharge rate, good functional recovery, and
      low mortality in hip fracture patients.

PMID- 28626337
TI  - Is robot-assisted therapy effective in upper extremity recovery in early stage
      stroke? -a systematic literature review.
AB  - [Purpose] The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the effects of
      robot-assisted therapy on the upper extremity in acute and subacute stroke
      patients. [Subjects and Methods] The papers retrieved were evaluated based on the
      following inclusion criteria: 1) design: randomized controlled trials; 2)
      population: stroke patients 3) intervention: robot-assisted therapy; and 4) year
      of publication: May 2012 to April 2016. Databased searched were: EMBASE, PubMed
      and COCHRAN databases. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used
      to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. [Results] Of the
      637 articles searched, six studies were included in this systematic review. The
      PEDro scores range from 7 to 9 points. [Conclusion] This review confirmed that
      the robot-assisted therapy with three-dimensional movement and a high degree of
      freedom had positive effects on the recovery of upper extremity motor function in
      patients with early-stage stroke. We think that the robot-assisted therapy could
      be used to improve upper extremity function for early stage stroke patients in
      clinical setting.

PMID- 28626338
TI  - Effect of pain scrambler therapy on antineuralgic pain and quality of life after
      shingles.
AB  - [Purpose] The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of pain scrambler
      therapy on antineuralgic pain and quality of life after shingles. [Subjects and
      Methods] Daily pain scrambler therapy was administered to antineuralgic patients
      for 10 days, with each session lasting approximately 40 minutes. Pain was
      measured using the visual analog scale, and quality of life was assessed with the
      short form 36-item (SF-36). [Results] After10 sessions of pain scrambler therapy,
      pain had significantly reduced compared to that experienced prior to treatment.
      The quality of life had also improved following completion of 10 treatment
      sessions. [Conclusion] Pain scrambler therapy decreased patients' post-shingles
      antineuralgic pain and improved quality of life.

PMID- 28626339
TI  - Effects of 2-week intermittent training in hypobaric hypoxia on the aerobic
      energy metabolism and performance of cycling athletes with disabilities.
AB  - [Purpose] The present study aimed at examining changes in aerobic energy
      metabolism and performance in cycling athletes after 2 weeks of intermittent
      training in a multistep hypobaric hypoxia environment. [Subjects and Methods] We
      also aimed at using the findings to propose an efficient training program in
      hypobaric hypoxia for endurance athletes with disabilities. The study
      participants were three cycling athletes with physical disabilities from the
      Korean national team (A, B, and C athletes). They underwent complex (repetition,
      interval, and continued) training with a roller-type cycle in a multistep
      hypobaric hypoxia environment (simulated altitude, 4,000 m above sea level). The
      training was conducted in twelve 60-min sessions for 2 weeks and it was based on
      the ventilatory threshold intensity, measured in an exercise stress test,
      conducted prior to training, at constant temperature (23  degrees C +/- 2 
      degrees C) and humidity conditions (50% +/- 5%). [Results] B and C athletes
      showed no noticeable changes in relative VO2max and HRmax values after training.
      A, B, and C athletes all showed increases in all-out time, 2'09" (13.1%), 2'43"
      (18.7%), and 1'22" (7.4%), respectively after training. Although the relative
      VO2max and HRmax values were not improved, submaximal exercise performance
      ability was improved. [Conclusion] Therefore, 2 weeks of intermittent training in
      a hypobaric hypoxia environment positively affected aerobic energy metabolism and
      performance.

PMID- 28626340
TI  - Conductors for commercial MRI magnets beyond NbTi: requirements and challenges.
AB  - Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), a powerful medical diagnostic tool, is the
      largest commercial application of superconductivity. The superconducting magnet
      is the largest and most expensive component of an MRI system. The magnet
      configuration is determined by competing requirements including optimized
      functional performance, patient comfort, ease of siting in a hospital
      environment, minimum acquisition and lifecycle cost including service. In this
      paper, we analyze conductor requirements for commercial MRI magnets beyond
      traditional NbTi conductors, while avoiding links to a particular magnet
      configuration or design decisions. Potential conductor candidates include MgB2,
      ReBCO and BSCCO options. The analysis shows that no MRI-ready non-NbTi conductor
      is commercially available at the moment. For some conductors, MRI specifications
      will be difficult to achieve in principle. For others, cost is a key barrier. In
      some cases, the prospects for developing an MRI-ready conductor are more
      favorable, but significant developments are still needed. The key needs include
      the development of, or significant improvements in: (a) conductors specifically
      designed for MRI applications, with form-fit-and-function readily integratable
      into the present MRI magnet technology with minimum modifications. Preferably,
      similar conductors should be available from multiple vendors; (b) conductors with
      improved quench characteristics, i.e. the ability to carry significant current
      without damage while in the resistive state; (c) insulation which is compatible
      with manufacturing and refrigeration technologies; (d) dramatic increases in
      production and long-length quality control, including large-volume conductor
      manufacturing technology. In-situ MgB2 is, perhaps, the closest to meeting
      commercial and technical requirements to become suitable for commercial MRI.
      Conductor technology is an important, but not the only, issue in introduction of
      HTS / MgB2 conductor into commercial MRI magnets. These new conductors, even when
      they meet the above requirements, will likely require numerous modifications and
      developments in the associated magnet technology.

PMID- 28626341
TI  - Intercorporeality and aida: Developing an interaction theory of social cognition.
AB  - The aim of this article is to develop an interaction theory (IT) of social
      cognition. The central issue in the field of social cognition has been theory of
      mind (ToM), and there has been debate regarding its nature as either theory
      theory or as simulation theory. Insights from phenomenology have brought a second
      person perspective based on embodied interactions into the debate, thereby
      forming a third position known as IT. In this article, I examine how IT can be
      further elaborated by drawing on two phenomenological notions-Merleau-Ponty's
      intercorporeality and Kimura's aida. Both of these notions emphasize the sensory
      motor, perceptual, and non-conceptual aspects of social understanding and
      describe a process of interpersonal coordination in which embodied interaction
      gains autonomy as an emergent system. From this perspective, detailed and nuanced
      social understanding is made possible through the embodied skill of synchronizing
      with others.

PMID- 28626342
TI  - Effects of Src Kinase Inhibition on Expression of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B
      after Brain Hypoxia in a Piglet Animal Model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) in conjunction with protein
      tyrosine kinases (PTKs) regulate cellular processes by posttranslational
      modifications of signal transduction proteins. PTP nonreceptor type 1B (PTP-1B)
      is an enzyme of the PTP family. We have previously shown that hypoxia induces an
      increase in activation of a class of nonreceptor PTK, the Src kinases. In the
      present study, we investigated the changes that occur in the expression of PTP-1B
      in the cytosolic component of the brain of newborn piglets acutely after hypoxia
      as well as long term for up to 2 weeks. METHODS: Newborn piglets were divided
      into groups: normoxia, hypoxia, hypoxia followed by 1 day and 15 days in FiO2
      0.21, and hypoxia pretreated with Src kinase inhibitor PP2, prior to hypoxia
      followed by 1 day and 15 days. Hypoxia was achieved by providing 7% FiO2 for 1
      hour and PTP-1B expression was measured via immunoblotting. RESULTS: PTP-1B
      increased posthypoxia by about 30% and persisted for 2 weeks while Src kinase
      inhibition attenuated the expected PTP-1B-increased expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      study suggests that Src kinase mediates a hypoxia-induced increased PTP-1B
      expression.

PMID- 28626343
TI  - Anti-OSM Antibody Inhibits Tubulointerstitial Lesion in a Murine Model of Lupus
      Nephritis.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of oncostatin M (OSM) in
      tubulointerstitial lesion (TIL) in lupus nephritis (LN). We found that OSM was
      highly expressed in the renal tissue of LN mice. OSM is one of the interleukin-6
      cytokine family members. In order to clarify the role and mechanism of OSM in LN,
      mice with LN were treated with anti-OSM antibody or isotype antibody. We
      evaluated the tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) by
      detecting the E-cadherin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and fibronectin
      (FN) expression. We analyzed the inflammation by observing the monocyte
      chemotactic factor-1 (MCP-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1)
      expression and calculated the tubulointerstitial fibrosis area by Masson
      staining. The results showed that anti-OSM antibody, rather than isotype
      antibody, improved EMT, inflammation, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In
      addition, the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 1 and STAT3
      signaling was activated by tyrosine phosphorylation in LN mouse renal tissue,
      indicating that the phosphorylated STAT1 (p-STAT1) and p-STAT3 were involved in
      kidney injury. Moreover, decreased p-STAT3 instead of p-STAT1 has been observed
      after anti-OSM antibody injection. Thus, we concluded that OSM is associated with
      TIL in lupus nephritis, which may be connected with the activation of STAT3
      rather than that of STAT1.

PMID- 28626344
TI  - Increased Transendothelial Transport of CCL3 Is Insufficient to Drive Immune Cell
      Transmigration through the Blood-Brain Barrier under Inflammatory Conditions In
      Vitro.
AB  - Many neuroinflammatory diseases are characterized by massive immune cell
      infiltration into the central nervous system. Identifying the underlying
      mechanisms could aid in the development of therapeutic strategies specifically
      interfering with inflammatory cell trafficking. To achieve this, we implemented
      and validated a blood-brain barrier (BBB) model to study chemokine secretion,
      chemokine transport, and leukocyte trafficking in vitro. In a coculture model
      consisting of a human cerebral microvascular endothelial cell line and human
      astrocytes, proinflammatory stimulation downregulated the expression of tight
      junction proteins, while the expression of adhesion molecules and chemokines was
      upregulated. Moreover, chemokine transport across BBB cocultures was upregulated,
      as evidenced by a significantly increased concentration of the inflammatory
      chemokine CCL3 at the luminal side following proinflammatory stimulation. CCL3
      transport occurred independently of the chemokine receptors CCR1 and CCR5, albeit
      that migrated cells displayed increased expression of CCR1 and CCR5. However,
      overall leukocyte transmigration was reduced in inflammatory conditions, although
      higher numbers of leukocytes adhered to activated endothelial cells. Altogether,
      our findings demonstrate that prominent barrier activation following
      proinflammatory stimulation is insufficient to drive immune cell recruitment,
      suggesting that additional traffic cues are crucial to mediate the increased
      immune cell infiltration seen in vivo during neuroinflammation.

PMID- 28626345
TI  - Fungal Dimorphism and Virulence: Molecular Mechanisms for Temperature Adaptation,
      Immune Evasion, and In Vivo Survival.
AB  - The thermally dimorphic fungi are a unique group of fungi within the Ascomycota
      phylum that respond to shifts in temperature by converting between hyphae (22-25
      degrees C) and yeast (37 degrees C). This morphologic switch, known as the phase
      transition, defines the biology and lifestyle of these fungi. The conversion to
      yeast within healthy and immunocompromised mammalian hosts is essential for
      virulence. In the yeast phase, the thermally dimorphic fungi upregulate genes
      involved with subverting host immune defenses. This review highlights the
      molecular mechanisms governing the phase transition and recent advances in how
      the phase transition promotes infection.

PMID- 28626347
TI  - Syntactic Complexity Effects of Russian Relative Clause Sentences in Children
      with and without Developmental Language Disorder.
AB  - We investigated relative clause (RC) comprehension in 44 Russian-speaking
      children with typical language (TD) and developmental language disorder (DLD); M
      age = 10.67, SD = 2.84, and 22 adults. Flexible word order and morphological case
      in Russian allowed us to isolate factors that are obscured in English, helping us
      to identify sources of syntactic complexity and evaluate their roles in RC
      comprehension by children with typical language and their peers with DLD. We
      administered a working memory and an RC comprehension (picture-choice) task,
      which contained subject- and object-gap center-embedded and right branching RCs.
      The TD group, but not adults, demonstrated the effects of gap, embedding, and
      case. Their lower accuracy relative to adults was not fully attributable to
      differences in working memory. The DLD group displayed lower than TD children
      overall accuracy, accounted for by their lower working memory scores. While the
      effect of gap and embedding on their performance was not different from what was
      found for the TD group, children with DLD exhibited a diminished effect of case,
      suggesting reduced sensitivity to morphological case markers as processing cues.
      The implications of these results to theories of syntactic complexity and core
      deficits in DLD are discussed.

PMID- 28626346
TI  - Neutrophils in Tuberculosis: Heterogeneity Shapes the Way?
AB  - Infection with M. tuberculosis remains one of the most common infections in the
      world. The outcome of the infection depends on host ability to mount effective
      protection and balance inflammatory responses. Neutrophils are innate immune
      cells implicated in both processes. Accordingly, during M. tuberculosis
      infection, they play a dual role. Particularly, they contribute to the generation
      of effector T cells, participate in the formation of granuloma, and are directly
      involved in tissue necrosis, destruction, and infection dissemination.
      Neutrophils have a high bactericidal potential. However, data on their ability to
      eliminate M. tuberculosis are controversial, and the results of neutrophil
      depletion experiments are not uniform. Thus, the overall roles of neutrophils
      during M. tuberculosis infection and factors that determine these roles are not
      fully understood. This review analyzes data on neutrophil defensive and
      pathological functions during tuberculosis and considers hypotheses explaining
      the dualism of neutrophils during M. tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis
      disease.

PMID- 28626348
TI  - GPU-powered Shotgun Stochastic Search for Dirichlet process mixtures of Gaussian
      Graphical Models.
AB  - Gaussian graphical models are popular for modeling high-dimensional multivariate
      data with sparse conditional dependencies. A mixture of Gaussian graphical models
      extends this model to the more realistic scenario where observations come from a
      heterogenous population composed of a small number of homogeneous sub-groups. In
      this paper we present a novel stochastic search algorithm for finding the
      posterior mode of high-dimensional Dirichlet process mixtures of decomposable
      Gaussian graphical models. Further, we investigate how to harness the massive
      thread-parallelization capabilities of graphical processing units to accelerate
      computation. The computational advantages of our algorithms are demonstrated with
      various simulated data examples in which we compare our stochastic search with a
      Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm in moderate dimensional data examples. These
      experiments show that our stochastic search largely outperforms the Markov chain
      Monte Carlo algorithm in terms of computing-times and in terms of the quality of
      the posterior mode discovered. Finally, we analyze a gene expression dataset in
      which Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms are too slow to be practically useful.

PMID- 28626349
TI  - Identifying Mixtures of Mixtures Using Bayesian Estimation.
AB  - The use of a finite mixture of normal distributions in model-based clustering
      allows us to capture non-Gaussian data clusters. However, identifying the
      clusters from the normal components is challenging and in general either achieved
      by imposing constraints on the model or by using post-processing procedures.
      Within the Bayesian framework, we propose a different approach based on sparse
      finite mixtures to achieve identifiability. We specify a hierarchical prior,
      where the hyperparameters are carefully selected such that they are reflective of
      the cluster structure aimed at. In addition, this prior allows us to estimate the
      model using standard MCMC sampling methods. In combination with a post-processing
      approach which resolves the label switching issue and results in an identified
      model, our approach allows us to simultaneously (1) determine the number of
      clusters, (2) flexibly approximate the cluster distributions in a semiparametric
      way using finite mixtures of normals and (3) identify cluster-specific parameters
      and classify observations. The proposed approach is illustrated in two simulation
      studies and on benchmark datasets. Supplementary materials for this article are
      available online.

PMID- 28626350
TI  - Shape-based Similarity Retrieval of Doppler Images for Clinical Decision Support.
AB  - Flow Doppler imaging has become an integral part of an echocardiographic exam.
      Automated interpretation of flow doppler imaging has so far been restricted to
      obtaining hemodynamic information from velocity-time profiles depicted in these
      images. In this paper we exploit the shape patterns in Doppler images to infer
      the similarity in valvular disease labels for purposes of automated clinical
      decision support. Specifically, we model the similarity in appearance of Doppler
      images from the same disease class as a constrained non-rigid translation
      transform of the velocity envelopes embedded in these images. The shape
      similarity between two Doppler images is then judged by recovering the alignment
      transform using a variant of dynamic shape warping. Results of similarity
      retrieval of doppler images for cardiac decision support on a large database of
      images are presented.

PMID- 28626351
TI  - Measurement of RF propagation around corners in underground mines and tunnels.
AB  - This paper reports measurement results for radio frequency (RF) propagation
      around 90 degrees  corners in tunnels and underground mines, for vertically,
      horizontally and longitudinally polarized signals. Measurements of signal power
      attenuation from a main entry into a crosscut were performed at four frequencies 
      455, 915, 2450 and 5800 MHz - that are common to underground radio communication
      systems. From the measurement data, signal power loss was determined as a
      function of signal coupling from the main entry into the crosscut. The resultant
      power loss data show there are many factors that contribute to power attenuation
      from a main entry into a crosscut, including frequency, antenna polarization and
      cross-sectional entry dimensions.

PMID- 28626352
TI  - Design of intelligent proximity detection zones to prevent striking and pinning
      fatalities around continuous mining machines.
AB  - The continuous mining machine is a key piece of equipment used in underground
      coal mining operations. Over the past several decades these machines have been
      involved in a number of mine worker fatalities. Proximity detection systems have
      been developed to avert hazards associated with operating continuous mining
      machines. Incorporating intelligent design into proximity detection systems
      allows workers greater freedom to position themselves to see visual cues or avoid
      other hazards such as haulage equipment or unsupported roof or ribs. However,
      intelligent systems must be as safe as conventional proximity detection systems.
      An evaluation of the 39 fatal accidents for which the Mine Safety and Health
      Administration has published fatality investigation reports was conducted to
      determine whether the accident may have been prevented by conventional or
      intelligent proximity. Multiple zone configurations for the intelligent systems
      were studied to determine how system performance might be affected by the zone
      configuration. Researchers found that 32 of the 39 fatalities, or 82 percent, may
      have been prevented by both conventional and intelligent proximity systems. These
      results indicate that, by properly configuring the zones of an intelligent
      proximity detection system, equivalent protection to a conventional system is
      possible.

PMID- 28626353
TI  - Processing of Spanish-English Code-Switches by Late Bilinguals.

PMID- 28626354
TI  - Exact-Permutation Based Sign Tests for Clustered Binary Data via Weighted and
      Unweighted Test Statistics.
AB  - Clustered binary data occur frequently in many application areas. When analyzing
      data of this form, ignoring key features, such as the intracluster correlation,
      may lead to inaccurate inference; e.g., inflated Type I error rates. For
      clustered binary data, Gerard and Schucany (2007) proposed an exact test for
      examining whether the marginal probability of a response differs from 0.5, which
      is the null hypothesis considered in the classic sign test. This new test
      maintains the specified Type I error rate and has more power, when compared to
      both the classic sign and permutation tests. The test statistic proposed by these
      authors equally weights the observed data from each cluster, regardless of
      whether the clusters are of equal size. To further improve the performance of the
      Gerard and Schucany test, a weighted test statistic is proposed and two weighting
      schemes are investigated. Seeking to further improve the performance of the
      proposed test, empirical Bayes estimates of the cluster level success
      probabilities are utilized. These adaptations lead to 5 new tests, each of which
      are shown through simulation studies to be superior to the Gerard and Schucany
      (2007) test. The proposed tests are further illustrated using data from a
      chemical repellency trial.

PMID- 28626355
TI  - Classifier Performance in Primary Somatosensory Cortex Towards Implementation of
      a Reinforcement Learning Based Brain Machine Interface.
AB  - Increasingly accurate control of prosthetic limbs has been made possible by a
      series of advancements in brain machine interface (BMI) control theory. One
      promising control technique for future BMI applications is reinforcement learning
      (RL). RL based BMIs require a reinforcing signal to inform the controller whether
      or not a given movement was intended by the user. This signal has been shown to
      exist in cortical structures simultaneously used for BMI control. This work
      evaluates the ability of several common classifiers to detect impending reward
      delivery within primary somatosensory (S1) cortex during a grip force match to
      sample task performed by a nonhuman primate. The accuracy of these classifiers
      was further evaluated over a range of conditions to identify parameters that
      provide maximum classification accuracy. S1 cortex was found to provide highly
      accurate classification of the reinforcement signal across many classifiers and a
      wide variety of data input parameters. The classification accuracy in S1 cortex
      between rewarding and non-rewarding trials was apparent when the animal was
      expecting an impending delivery or an impending withholding of reward following
      trial completion. The high accuracy of classification in S1 cortex can be used to
      adapt an RL based BMI towards a user's intent. Real-time implementation of these
      classifiers in an RL based BMI could be used to adapt control of a prosthesis
      dynamically to match the intent of its user.

PMID- 28626356
TI  - Pilot Study for Grip Force Prediction Using Neural Signals from Different Brain
      Regions.
AB  - The design of brain machine interfaces (BMI) has been improving over the past
      decade. Such improvements have led to advanced capability in terms of restoring
      the functionality of a paralyzed/amputated limb and producing fine controlled
      movements of a robotic arm and hand. However, there is still more to be invested
      towards producing advanced BMI features such as producing appropriate forces when
      gripping and carrying an object using an artificial limb. This feature requires
      direct supervision and control from the brain to produce accurate results. Toward
      this goal, this work investigates the processing of neural signals from four
      brain regions in a nonhuman primate to predict maximum grip force. The signals
      received from each of the primary motor (M1) cortex, primary somatosensory (S1)
      cortex, dorsal premotor (PmD) cortex, and ventral premotor (PmV) cortex are used
      to build regression models to predict the applied maximum grip force. Comparisons
      of model prediction results are presented. The relative prediction accuracy from
      all brain regions would assist in further investigation to build robust
      approaches for controlling the force values. The brain regions and their
      interactions could eventually be summed in a weighted manner to complete the
      targeted approach.

PMID- 28626357
TI  - Test of a 32-channel Prototype ASIC for Photon Counting Application.
AB  - A new low-power application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for Cadmium Zinc
      Telluride (CZT) detectors for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)
      application is being developed at BNL. As the first step, a 32-channel prototype
      ASIC was designed and tested recently. Each channel has a preamplifier followed
      by CR-RC3 shaping circuits and three independent energy bins with comparators and
      16-bit counters. The ASIC was fabricated with TSMC 0.35-MUm complementary metal
      oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process and tested in laboratories. The power
      consumption is around 1 mW/ch with a 2.5-V supply. With a gain of 400 mV/fC and
      the peaking time of 500 ns, the equivalent noise charge (ENC) of 360 e- has been
      measured in room temperature while the crosstalk rate is less than 0.3%. The 10
      bit DACs for global thresholds have an integral nonlinearity (INL) less than
      0.56% and differential nonlinearity (DNL) less than 0.33%. In the presentation,
      we will report the detailed test results with this ASIC.

PMID- 28626358
TI  - Psychosocial correlates of patient-provider family planning discussions among HIV
      infected pregnant women in South Africa.
AB  - Patient-provider family planning discussions and preconception counseling can
      reduce maternal and neonatal risks by increasing adherence to provider
      recommendations and antiretroviral medication. However, HIV-infected women may
      not discuss reproductive intentions with providers due to anticipation of
      negative reactions and stigma. This study aimed to identify correlates of patient
      provider family planning discussions among HIV-infected women in rural South
      Africa, an area with high rates of antenatal HIV and suboptimal rates of
      prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Participants were
      N=673 pregnant HIV-infected women who completed measures of family planning
      discussions and knowledge, depression, stigma, intimate partner violence, and
      male involvement. Participants were, on average, 28 +/- 6 years old, and half of
      them had completed at least 10-11 years of education. Most women were unemployed
      and had a monthly income of less than ~US$76. Fewer than half of the women
      reported having family planning discussions with providers. Correlates of patient
      provider family planning discussions included younger age, discussions about
      PMTCT of HIV, male involvement, and decreased stigma (p < 0.05). Depression was
      indirectly associated with patient-provider family planning discussions through
      male involvement (b = -0.010, bias-corrected 95% confidence interval [bCI] [
      0.019, -0.005]). That is, depression decreased male involvement, and in turn,
      male involvement increased patient-provider family planning discussions.
      Therefore, by decreasing male involvement, depression indirectly decreased family
      planning discussions. Study findings point to the importance of family planning
      strategies that address depression and facilitate male involvement to enhance
      communication between patients and providers and optimize maternal and neonatal
      health outcomes. This study underscores the need for longitudinal assessment of
      men's impact on family planning discussions both pre- and postpartum. Increasing
      support for provision of mental health services during pregnancy is merited to
      ensure the health of pregnant women living with HIV and their infants.

PMID- 28626359
TI  - Noble metal-modified octahedral anatase titania particles with enhanced activity
      for decomposition of chemical and microbiological pollutants.
AB  - Octahedral anatase particles (OAPs) were prepared by hydrothermal (HT) reaction
      of titanate nanowires (TNWs). OAPs were modified with noble metals (Au, Ag, Cu
      and Pt) by two photodeposition methods: in the absence and in the initial
      presence of oxygen in the system. Photocatalytic activities for oxidative
      decomposition of acetic acid and anaerobic dehydrogenation of methanol under
      UV/vis irradiation and for oxidation of 2-propanol under visible light
      irradiation were investigated. Antibacterial activities for bacteria (Escherichia
      coli) and fungi (Candida albicans) were investigated in the dark and under UV
      irradiation and/or visible light irradiation. It was found that the kind of metal
      deposition significantly influenced the properties of photocatalysts obtained and
      thus their photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities. Modification of OAPs with
      metallic deposits resulted in enhanced photocatalytic activities for all tested
      systems. Pt-modified OAPs showed the highest activity for dehydrogenation of
      methanol due to their highest work function and lowest activation overpotential
      of hydrogen evolution. Cu-modified OAPs exhibited the highest activity for
      oxidative decomposition of acetic acid under UV/vis irradiation, probably due to
      the heterojunction between Cu oxides and TiO2. On the other hand, Au-modified
      OAPs showed the highest photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation
      due to their plasmonic properties. Bare OAPs, prepared with various durations of
      the HT reaction, did not have any antibacterial properties in the dark, while
      their activity under UV/vis irradiation was correlated with their photocatalytic
      activities for dehydrogenation of methanol and decomposition of acetic acid.
      Antimicrobial activity of modified OAPs in the dark and under visible light
      irradiation was the highest for Ag-modified OAPs. Under UV irradiation, Cu
      modified OAPs showed the highest activity for inactivation of both bacteria and
      fungi.

PMID- 28626360
TI  - Delays and Disabilities: NP Screening and Care Management.
AB  - Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ND) impair functioning and are associated with
      increased physical and psychological health risks. ND care is increasingly being
      provided by NPs in primary care settings. To assess NP's knowledge and care
      management practices for pediatric patients with potential or existing ND,
      practicing NPs in North Carolina were invited to complete an online survey. NC
      NP's provide care to ND patients in a variety of settings and have varied levels
      of experience with ND. Differences in knowledge, screening, and management
      practices are identified. Methods for improving outcomes and supporting NPs
      providing care for this at-risk population are discussed.

PMID- 28626362
TI  - Nanoporous Gold Biointerfaces: Modifying Nanostructure to Control Neural Cell
      Coverage and Enhance Electrophysiological Recording Performance.
AB  - Nanostructured neural interface coatings have significantly enhanced recording
      fidelity in both implantable and in vitro devices. As such, nano-porous gold (np
      Au) has shown promise as a multifunctional neural interface coating due, in part,
      to its ability to promote nanostructure-mediated reduction in astrocytic surface
      coverage while not affecting neuronal coverage. The goal of this study is to
      provide insight into the mechanisms by which the np-Au nanostructure drives the
      differential response of neurons versus astrocytes in an in vitro model.
      Utilizing microfabricated libraries that display varying feature sizes of np-Au,
      it is demonstrated that np-Au influ-ences neural cell coverage through modulating
      focal adhesion formation in a feature size-dependent manner. The results here
      show that surfaces with small (~30 nm) features control astrocyte spreading
      through inhibition of focal adhesion formation, while surfaces with large (~170
      nm and greater) features control astrocyte spreading through other
      mechanotransduction mechanisms. This cellular response combined with lower
      electrical impedance of np-Au electrodes significantly enhances the fidelity and
      stability of electrophysiological recordings from cortical neuronglia co-cultures
      relative to smooth gold electrodes. Finally, by leveraging the effect of
      nanostructure on neuronal versus glial cell attachment, the use of laser-based
      nanostructure modulation is demonstrated for selectively patterning neurons with
      micrometer spatial resolution.

PMID- 28626363
TI  - HOXB4 Increases Runx1 Expression to Promote the de novo Formation of Multipotent
      Hematopoietic Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The de novo generation of patient-specific hematopoietic stem and
      progenitor cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has become a
      promising approach for cell replacement therapies in the future. However,
      efficient differentiation protocols for producing fully functional human
      hematopoietic stem cells are still missing. In the mouse model, ectopic
      expression of the human homeotic selector protein HOXB4 has been shown to enforce
      the development of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in differentiating pluripotent
      stem cell cultures. However, the mechanism how HOXB4 mediates the formation of
      HSCs capable of long-term, multilineage repopulation after transplantation is not
      well understood yet. METHODS: Using a mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell-based
      differentiation model, we asked whether retrovirally expressed HOXB4 induces the
      expression of Runx1/AML1, a gene whose expression is absolutely necessary for the
      formation of definitive, adult HSCs during embryonic development. RESULTS: During
      ES cell differentiation, basal expression of Runx1 was observed in all cultures,
      irrespective of ectopic HOXB4 expression. However, only in those cultures
      ectopically expressing HOXB4, substantial amounts of hematopoietic progenitors
      were generated which exclusively displayed increased Runx1 expression.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results strongly suggest that HOXB4 does not induce basal Runx1
      expression but, instead, mediates an increase of Runx1 expression which appears
      to be a prerequisite for the formation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor
      cells.

PMID- 28626361
TI  - Molecular Biomarkers of Colorectal Cancer and Cancer Disparities: Current Status
      and Perspective.
AB  - This review provides updates on the efforts for the development of prognostic and
      predictive markers in colorectal cancer based on the race/ethnicity of patients.
      Since the clinical consequences of genetic and molecular alterations differ with
      patient race and ethnicity, the usefulness of these molecular alterations as
      biomarkers needs to be evaluated in different racial/ethnic groups. To accomplish
      personalized patient care, a combined analysis of multiple molecular alterations
      in DNA, RNA, microRNAs (miRNAs), metabolites, and proteins in a single test is
      required to assess disease status in a precise way. Therefore, a special emphasis
      is placed on issues related to utility of recently identified genetic and
      molecular alterations in genes, miRNAs, and various "-omes" (e.g., proteomes,
      kinomes, metabolomes, exomes, methylomes) as candidate molecular markers to
      determine cancer progression (disease recurrence/relapse and metastasis) and to
      assess the efficacy of therapy in colorectal cancer in relation to patient race
      and ethnicity. This review will be useful for oncologists, pathologists, and
      basic and translational researchers.

PMID- 28626364
TI  - Ex vivo Generation of Genetically Modified Macrophages from Human Induced
      Pluripotent Stem Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pluripotent stem cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells
      (iPSCs), have the capacity to differentiate towards all three germ layers and
      have been highlighted as an attractive cell source for the field of regenerative
      medicine. Thus, stable expression of therapeutic transgenes in iPSCs, as well as
      thereof derived progeny of hematopoietic lineage, may lay the foundation for
      innovative cell replacement therapies. METHODS: We have utilized human iPSC lines
      genetically modified by lentiviral vector technology or targeted integration of
      reporter genes to evaluate transgene expression during hematopoietic
      specification and differentiation towards macrophages. RESULTS: Use of lentiviral
      vectors equipped with an ubiquitous chromatin opening element (CBX3-UCOE) as well
      as zinc finger nuclease-mediated targeting of an expression cassette into the
      human adeno-associated virus integration site 1 (AAVS1) safe harbor resulted in
      stable transgene expression in iPSCs. When iPSCs were differentiated along the
      myeloid pathway into macrophages, both strategies yielded sustained transgene
      expression during the hematopoietic specification process including mature CD14+
      and CD11b+ macrophages. CONCLUSION: Combination of human iPSC technology with
      either lentiviral vector technology or designer nuclease-based genome editing
      allows for the generation of transgenic iPSC-derived macrophages with stable
      transgene expression which may be useful for novel cell and gene replacement
      therapies.

PMID- 28626365
TI  - Emergence of CD43-Expressing Hematopoietic Progenitors from Human Induced
      Pluripotent Stem Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ex vivo generation of human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with
      long-term repopulating capacity and multi-lineage differentiation potential
      represents the holy grail of hematopoiesis research. In principle, human induced
      pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide the tool for both studying molecular
      mechanisms of hematopoietic development and the ex vivo production of 'true' HSCs
      for transplantation purposes and lineage-specific cells, e.g. red blood cells,
      for transfusion purposes. CD43-expressing cells have been reported as the first
      hematopoietic cells during development, but whether or not these possess
      multilineage differentiation and long-term engraftment potential is incompletely
      understood. METHODS: We performed ex vivo generation of hematopoietic cells from
      hiPSCs using an embryoid body(EB)-based, xeno-product-free differentiation
      protocol. We investigated the multilineage differentiation potential of different
      FACS-sorted CD43-expressing cell subsets by colony-forming assays in semisolid
      media. Further, erythroid differentiation was investigated in more detail using
      established protocols. RESULTS: By using CD43, we were able to measure
      hematopoietic induction efficiency during hiPSC-derived EB differentiation.
      Further, we determined CD43+ cells as the cell population of origin for in vitro
      erythropoiesis. Furthermore, colony formation demonstrates that the multipotent
      hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell fraction is particulary enriched in the
      CD43hi CD45+ population.

PMID- 28626367
TI  - Towards the Manufacture of Megakaryocytes and Platelets for Clinical Application.
AB  - Platelet transfusions are used in standard clinical practice to prevent
      hemorrhage in patients suffering from thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunctions.
      Recently, a constant rise on the demand of platelets for transfusion has been
      registered. This may be associated with several factors including demographic
      changes, population aging as well as incidence and prevalence of hematological
      diseases. In addition, platelet-regenerative properties have been started to be
      exploited in different areas such as tissue remodeling and anti-cancer therapies.
      These new applications are also expected to increase the future demand on
      platelets. Thus, in vitro generated platelets may constitute a highly desirable
      alternative to meet the rising demand on platelets. Several factors have been
      considered in the road trip of producing in vitro megakaryocytes and platelets
      for clinical application. From selection of the cell source, differentiation
      protocols and culture conditions to the design of optimal bioreactors, several
      strategies have been proposed to maximize production yields while preserving
      functionality. This review summarizes new advances in megakaryocyte and platelet
      differentiation and their production upscaling.

PMID- 28626366
TI  - Current Developments in Mobilization of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells
      and Their Interaction with Niches in Bone Marrow.
AB  - The clinical application of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) has
      evolved from a highly experimental stage in the 1980s to a currently clinically
      established treatment for more than 20,000 patients annually who suffer from
      hematological malignancies and other severe diseases. Studies in numerous murine
      models have demonstrated that HSPCs reside in distinct niches within the bone
      marrow environment. Whereas transplanted HSPCs travel through the bloodstream and
      home to sites of hematopoiesis, HSPCs can be mobilized from these niches into the
      blood either physiologically or induced by pharmaceutical drugs. Firstly, this
      review aims to give a synopsis of milestones defining niches and mobilization
      pathways for HSPCs, including the identification of several cell types involved
      such as osteoblasts, adventitial reticular cells, endothelial cells, monocytic
      cells, and granulocytic cells. The main factors that anchor HSPCs in the niche,
      and/or induce their quiescence are vascular cell adhesion molecule(VCAM)-1, CD44,
      hematopoietic growth factors, e.g. stem cell factor (SCF) and FLT3 Ligand,
      chemokines including CXCL12, growth-regulated protein beta and IL-8, proteases,
      peptides, and other chemical transmitters such as nucleotides. In the second part
      of the review, we revise the current understanding of HSPC mobilization. Here, we
      discuss which mechanisms found to be active in HSPC mobilization correspond to
      the mechanisms relevant for HSPC interaction with niche cells, but also deal with
      other mediators and signals that target individual cell types and receptors to
      mobilize HSPCs. A multitude of questions remain to be addressed for a better
      understanding of HSPC biology and its implications for therapy, including more
      comprehensive concepts for regulatory circuits such as calcium homeostasis and
      parathormone, metabolic regulation such as by leptin, the significance of
      autonomic nervous system, the consequences of alteration of niches in aged
      patients, or the identification of more easily accessible markers to better
      predict the efficiency of HSPC mobilization.

PMID- 28626369
TI  - Biophysical and Biochemical Markers of Red Blood Cell Fragility.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Red blood cells (RBCs) undergo a natural aging process occurring in
      the blood circulation throughout the RBC lifespan or during routine cold storage
      in the blood bank. The aging of RBCs is associated with the elevation of
      mechanical fragility (MF) or osmotic fragility (OF) of RBCs, which can lead to
      cell lysis. The present study was undertaken to identify RBC properties that
      characterize their susceptibility to destruction under osmotic/mechanical stress.
      METHODS: RBCs were isolated from freshly donated blood or units of packed RBCs
      (PRBCs) and suspended in albumin-supplemented phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). In
      addition, PRBCs were separated by filtration through a microsphere column into
      two fractions: enriched with rigid (R-fraction) and deformable (D-fraction)
      cells. The RBCs were subjected to determination of deformability, MF and OF,
      moreover, the level of cell surface phosphatidylserine (PS) and the stomatin
      level in isolated RBC membranes were measured. RESULTS: In the RBC population,
      the cells that were susceptible to mechanical and osmotic stress were
      characterized by low deformability and increased level of surface PS. The OF/MF
      was higher in the R-fraction than in the D-fraction. Stomatin was depleted in
      destroyed cells and in the R-fraction. CONCLUSION: RBC deformability, the levels
      of surface PS, and membrane stomatin can be used as markers of RBC fragility.

PMID- 28626368
TI  - Crosstalk between Stem and Progenitor Cellular Mediators with Special Emphasis on
      Vasculogenesis.
AB  - The cellular components and molecular processes of signaling during
      vasculogenesis have been investigated for decades. Considerable efforts have been
      made to unravel regulatory mechanisms of vasculogenesis through crosstalk between
      vasculogenic playmakers located in the vascular niche, namely hematopoietic stem
      cells, endothelial progenitor cells, and mesenchymal stem and progenitor cells.
      Recent studies have increased the knowledge about signaling events within
      vascular microenvironment that leads to vasculogenesis. Findings from these
      recent studies indicate the impact of cellular crosstalk through signaling
      pathways such as vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, wingless and Notch
      signaling in vasculogenesis and vascular development. In this review, we
      highlight the signaling signature between stem and progenitor cellular mediators
      during vasculogenesis. We further focus on hematopoietic stem cell-endothelial
      progenitor cell crosstalk during vasculogenesis and discuss their potential
      implications and benefits for therapeutic interventions and regenerative therapy.

PMID- 28626370
TI  - Donor Safety in Haemapheresis: Development of an Internet-Based Registry for
      Comprehensive Assessment of Adverse Events from Healthy Donors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Currently, there is an extensive but highly inconsistent body of
      literature regarding donor adverse events (AEs) in haemapheresis. As the reports
      diverge with respect to types and grading of AEs, apheresis procedures and
      machines, the range of haemapheresis-related AEs varies widely from about 0.03%
      to 6.6%. METHODS: The German Society for Transfusion Medicine and
      Immunohaematology (DGTI) formed a 'Haemapheresis Vigilance Working Party'
      (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Hamapheresevigilanz; AGHV) to create an on-line registry for
      comprehensive and comparable AE assessment with all available apheresis devices
      in all types of preparative haemapheresis: plasmapheresis (PLS), plateletpheresis
      (PLT), red blood cell apheresis, all kind of leukaphereses (autologous/allogeneic
      blood stem cell apheresis, granulocyte apheresis, lymphocyte/monocyte apheresis)
      and all possible types of multi-component apheresis. To ensure the comparability
      of the data, the AGHV adopted the 'Standard for Surveillance of Complications
      Related to Blood Donation' from the International Society for Blood Transfusion
      in cooperation with the International Haemovigilance Network (IHN) and the
      American Association of Blood Banks for AE acquisition and automated evaluation.
      The registry is embedded in a prospective observational multi-centre study with a
      study period of 7 years. RESULTS: A preliminary evaluation encompassed the time
      period from January, 2012 to December, 2015. During this time, the system proved
      to be safe and stable. Out of approximately 345,000 haemaphereses 16,477 AEs were
      reported (4.9%) from 20 participating centres. The majority of AEs occurred in
      PLSs (63%), followed by PLT (34.5%) and SC (2.2%). Blood access injuries (BAI)
      accounted for about 55% of the supplied AEs, whereas citrate toxicity symptoms,
      vasovagal reactions and technical events (e.g. disposable leakages, software
      failures) rather equally affected haemaphereses at 8-15%. Out of 12,348 finalized
      AEs, 8,759 (70.1%) were associated with a procedure-related break-off, with BAI
      being the prevailing cause (5,463/8,759; 62.4%). An automated centre- and
      procedure-specific AE evaluation according to the latest IHN standard and AGHV
      pre-settings is available within a few minutes. CONCLUSIONS: An on-line
      electronic platform for comprehensive assessment and centre-specific automated
      evaluation of AEs in haemaphereses has been developed and proved to be stable and
      safe over a period of 4 years.

PMID- 28626371
TI  - Carcinoma of the Papilla of Vater after Diversion Operation for
      Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction.
AB  - Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) is a congenital malformation that is
      associated with biliary cancer development. When patients are diagnosed with PBM,
      a diversion operation is recommended. Although a risk remains for developing
      residual bile duct carcinoma following diversion, the development of a carcinoma
      of the ampulla of Vater after a diversion operation for PBM is rare. We present a
      treated case of carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater after a diversion operation for
      PBM. A 65-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain. She had undergone
      extrahepatic bile duct resection and cholecystectomy 2 years 9 months previously
      for the treatment of type Ic PBM according to the Todani classification. At the
      current admission for evaluation of the abdominal pain, computed tomography and
      magnetic resonance imaging showed only dilation of the main pancreatic duct.
      However, gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a tumor at the papilla of Vater, and
      biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma of the papilla of Vater. We performed pylorus
      preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy, and the pathological diagnosis was moderately
      differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma of the papilla of Vater with no metastasis
      to the lymph nodes. The patient remained in good health for 3 years
      postoperatively. Carcinoma of the papilla of Vater after a diversion operation
      for PBM is rare. In this case, a diagnosis could not be made by computed
      tomography or magnetic resonance imaging; the definitive diagnosis was obtained
      with gastrointestinal endoscopy. Careful postoperative follow-up with
      gastrointestinal endoscopy in addition to imaging examination may be needed after
      a diversion operation for PBM.

PMID- 28626372
TI  - Acute Appendicitis Caused by Previous Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for an
      Adenoma Adjacent to the Appendiceal Orifice.
AB  - Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a groundbreaking treatment for tumors
      adjacent to the appendiceal orifice that are difficult to remove by conventional
      endoscopic mucosal resection, and successful cases are increasingly reported.
      However, little is known about the subsequent complications, especially long-term
      complications. A female in her early 70s with a 15-mm cecal tumor adjacent to the
      appendiceal orifice - discovered incidentally during a screening colonoscopy -
      underwent hybrid ESD of the lesion. We completely resected the tumor, and she was
      discharged 5 days later with a pathological diagnosis of high-grade tubular
      adenoma. Ten months postoperatively, she experienced sudden-onset right lower
      quadrant pain and was diagnosed with acute appendicitis at another hospital. Due
      to suspicion that her condition was the result of residual tumor, her surgeon
      performed an emergency laparoscopic cecectomy. The pathological examination of
      the resected specimen showed thick scarring adjacent to the appendiceal orifice
      and no residual tumor. The previous ESD was identified as the cause of the scar,
      and the scar was the only finding to account for the patient's appendicitis. This
      case is significant because the patient required additional surgery due to a
      complication of ESD. Further, it indicates that acute appendicitis may be a late
      complication of submucosal dissection near the appendiceal orifice. As ESD
      becomes more widely used, it is likely that more cecal tumors will be treated
      endoscopically. It is important to be aware of the late complications of ESD for
      these tumors.

PMID- 28626373
TI  - Biliary-Pleural Fistula following Portal Vein Embolization for Perihilar
      Cholangiocarcinoma.
AB  - Biliary-pleural fistula (BPF), an abnormal communication between the biliary
      tract and pleural space, is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication
      following percutaneous biliary intervention. We report a case of BPF following
      portal vein embolization (PVE) in a 79-year-old woman with obstructive jaundice
      secondary to perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. The patient successfully underwent
      right-sided PVE; however, the patient developed a symptomatic right-sided bilious
      pleural effusion the following day. Despite aggressive drainage of the pleural
      effusion with a large-bore chest tube and maximal medical management, the patient
      died from respiratory failure and pneumonia. Although rare, knowledge of this
      complication is important when performing PVE in patients with biliary
      obstruction because it can be life-threatening. Early recognition and management
      of this complication are crucial to avoid a poor outcome.

PMID- 28626374
TI  - Bochdalek Hernia in an Adult with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.
AB  - Bochdalek hernia (BH) can be a life-threatening condition in infants.
      Approximately 85.3% of newborns with a BH are immediately at high risk and have a
      high mortality rate due to respiratory insufficiency [Kocakusak et al.: Hernia
      2005;9: 284-287]. However, BH is almost asymptomatic in adults and discovered
      only incidentally [Wilkins et al.: Clin Imaging 1994;18: 224-229]. Complicated BH
      in adults might present with visceral incarceration and lethal complications.
      Upper gastrointestinal bleeding and acute pancreatitis are rarely reported in the
      literature as complications of BH in adults. Here we report the case of a 42-year
      old male who presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and acute
      pancreatitis. He was found to have abdominal visceral organ herniation to the
      posterior right thoracic cavity. His diagnosis was achieved early and with a
      close follow-up, we succeeded in stabilizing the patient's condition. Then he was
      subjected to reconstructive thoracotomy for hernial repair and restoring
      abdominal viscera.

PMID- 28626375
TI  - Intravenous Bevacizumab Therapy in a Patient with Hereditary Hemorrhagic
      Telangiectasia, ENG E137K, Alcoholic Cirrhosis, and Portal Hypertension.
AB  - Intravenous bevacizumab decreased mucosal bleeding in some patients with
      hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). We treated a 47-year-old male who
      had HHT, severe epistaxis, and gastrointestinal bleeding, alcoholic cirrhosis,
      and portal hypertension with intravenous bevacizumab 2.5 mg/kg every 2 weeks. We
      tabulated these measures weekly during weeks 1-33 (no bevacizumab); 34-57
      (bevacizumab); and 58-97 (no bevacizumab): hemoglobin (Hb) levels; platelet
      counts; units of transfused packed erythrocytes (PRBC units); and quantities of
      iron infused as iron dextran to support erythropoiesis. We performed univariate
      and multivariable analyses. We sequenced his ENG and ACVRL1 genes. Epistaxis and
      melena decreased markedly during bevacizumab treatment. He reported no adverse
      effects due to bevacizumab. Mean weekly Hb levels were significantly higher and
      mean weekly PRBC units and quantities of intravenous iron were significantly
      lower during bevacizumab treatment. We performed a multiple regression on weekly
      Hb levels using these independent variables: bevacizumab treatment (dichotomous);
      weekly platelet counts; weekly PRBC units; and weekly quantities of intravenous
      iron. There was 1 positive association: (bevacizumab treatment; p = 0.0046) and 1
      negative association (PRBC units; p = 0.0004). This patient had the novel ENG
      mutation E137K (exon 4; c.409G->A). Intravenous bevacizumab treatment 2.5 mg/kg
      every 2 weeks for 24 weeks was well-tolerated by a patient with HHT due to ENG
      E137K and was associated with higher weekly Hb levels and fewer weekly PRBC
      units.

PMID- 28626376
TI  - Successful Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis C-Autoimmune Hepatitis Overlap
      Syndrome due to Daclatasvir and Asunaprevir.
AB  - Persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may induce autoimmune diseases and
      chronic hepatitis C is sometimes accompanied by autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).
      However, we are worried about the treatment for chronic hepatitis C-AIH overlap
      syndrome because interferon-based antiviral therapies may enhance autoimmunity
      and immunosuppressive corticosteroid administration may promote viral
      replication. Here, we report a patient having chronic hepatitis C-AIH overlap
      syndrome treated with the direct-acting antivirals (DAA), daclatasvir and
      asunaprevir. A 50-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of positive
      anti-HCV antibody and liver dysfunction at a health checkup. Blood tests showed
      increased immunoglobulin G (IgG) and a high titer of antinuclear antibody (ANA)
      in addition to elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HCV-RNA.
      Infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells in Glisson's capsule and severe
      interface hepatitis were observed in biopsied specimen, which fulfilled the
      criteria of AIH. We first started oral corticosteroid administration, and serum
      ALT levels decreased once but elevated again. We commenced daclatasvir and
      asunaprevir (60 and 200 mg/day, respectively) and serum HCV-RNA became negative
      after 6 weeks. Adverse effects were not found during the DAA treatment, and serum
      ALT, IgG, and ANA were significantly decreased. Corticosteroid could be tapered
      and stopped, but no recurrence occurred. DAA treatment appears to be effective
      and safe for the patients with chronic hepatitis C-AIH overlap syndrome.

PMID- 28626377
TI  - Kidney Injury due to Ureteral Obstruction Caused by Compression from Infected
      Simple Hepatic Cyst.
AB  - Simple hepatic cysts are common and most often asymptomatic. In symptomatic
      cases, hemorrhage, rupture, and infection are major complications. However,
      urinary tract obstruction caused by a simple hepatic cyst is rare. We treated an
      82-year-old Japanese man with an infected giant hepatic cyst causing right
      hydronephrosis who had a past history of left nephrectomy for renal cell
      carcinoma. The patient underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage and
      sclerotherapy with minocycline hydrochloride for the infected hepatic cyst. Right
      hydronephrosis was relieved, and renal dysfunction improved with regression of
      the hepatic cyst after treatment. This is the first report of hydronephrosis due
      to ureteral obstruction caused by compression from a hepatic cyst.

PMID- 28626378
TI  - Partial Hepatectomy with Middle Hepatic Vein Reconstruction Using a Left Inferior
      Vena Cava Graft.
AB  - Duplicated inferior vena cava (IVC) is a rare congenital anomaly. We describe the
      utility of a new graft from the left IVC in a patient with duplicated IVC for
      reconstructing the middle hepatic vein (MHV) after partial hepatectomy with MHV
      resection. A 67-year-old woman with hepatitis C was found to have a liver tumor.
      Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed that the tumor, which was attached to the
      MHV, was hepatocellular carcinoma. Central bisectionectomy (S4, S5, and S8
      resection) could not be tolerated because of poor liver function and a low future
      liver remnant volume. Therefore, partial hepatectomy with MHV resection was
      performed. The left IVC was harvested as a venous graft and was substituted for
      the resected MHV. She recovered uneventfully and was discharged on postoperative
      day 12. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of using the left
      IVC as a venous graft. The left IVC is a good candidate graft for the MHV or for
      portal vein reconstruction because of its length, diameter, and easy harvesting
      (it did not require an extra incision) in a patient with duplicated IVC.

PMID- 28626379
TI  - Fifteen-Year-Old Male with Type 2 Autoimmune Pancreatitis: An Argument for
      Endoscopy.
AB  - Type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis, an increasingly recognized etiology of
      pancreatitis in patients less than 20 years old, has characteristically been
      diagnosed with the histological finding of duct-centric pancreatitis in a patient
      who lacks elevated serum immunoglobulin G4. We present the case of a nonobese 15
      year-old male, without any chronic medical conditions, who presented with the
      chief complaint of abdominal pain. The laboratory study results were remarkable
      for a lipase level of 5,419 U/L and a gamma-glutamyl transferase level of 373
      U/L. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed delayed contrast
      enhancement of the pancreas, diffuse parenchymal enlargement, and lack of normal
      lobulation. The patient's serum immunoglobulin G4 level was found to be 66 mg/dL,
      which was within normal limits and supportive of a diagnosis of type 2 autoimmune
      pancreatitis. Despite the absence of intestinal complaints, the patient underwent
      subsequent endoscopy due to the correlation of type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis
      with inflammatory bowel disease that has been described in recent literature. Pan
      colonic mild colitis was visualized, and the patient began treatment with
      steroids, to which he quickly responded. Performing endoscopy on this patient
      allowed for confident initiation of early therapy for both autoimmune
      pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease, and may have limited further
      surgical intervention and disease progression. For these reasons, this case
      highlights the utility of endoscopy in pediatric patients with suspected type 2
      autoimmune pancreatitis, even in the absence of intestinal symptoms.

PMID- 28626380
TI  - Clinical and Pathologic Remission of Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis with Serum
      Derived Bovine Immunoglobulin Added to the Standard Treatment Regimen.
AB  - Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that is
      particularly troublesome for pediatric patients, as current therapeutic options
      consist of biologic agents and steroids which alter the immune response and have
      the harmful side effect of leaving the patient more susceptible to opportunistic
      infections and eventual surgery. Another option for therapy exists in the form of
      serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin/protein isolate (SBI), the key ingredient in
      a medical food, EnteraGam(r). The FDA has reviewed the safety of SBI and issued a
      no challenge letter to the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) findings for this
      medical food. The product also has no known food or drug interactions, no
      significant adverse effects, and no contraindications, save for beef allergy. SBI
      has been shown to induce clinical remission in adult populations and to decrease
      markers of inflammation in pediatric patients. Here, we present a detailed case
      of pediatric UC, including documentation of mucosal healing and decrease in
      pediatric UC activity index in a difficult to treat pediatric patient, after the
      addition of SBI to this patient's treatment regimen.

PMID- 28626381
TI  - Nilotinib-Induced Acute Pancreatitis in a Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.
AB  - Nilotinib, a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used for treatment
      of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); it has been widely used especially for
      imatinib-resistant CML. Despite being a novel drug in this therapeutic class, it
      has the potential to be harmful. We present the case of an elderly woman who
      developed life-threatening acute pancreatitis as an adverse event after having
      started the drug. There is only one reported case in the literature of nilotinib
      induced acute pancreatitis. The purpose of this case report is to educate
      physicians who prescribe this medication to be aware of potential life
      threatening adverse events. As more and more therapies are available, physicians
      should be aware of potential effects of cancer treatment that could be life
      threatening to patients.

PMID- 28626382
TI  - A Symptomatic Coffee Bean: Acute Sigmoid Volvulus.
AB  - An acute sigmoid volvulus is due to the torsion of the sigmoid colon around its
      mesenteric axis. It mainly occurs in elderly patients and represents an abdominal
      emergency requiring urgent treatment. A 53-year-old male patient with severe
      craniocerebral injury and traumatic subarachnoidal bleeding 3 weeks prior
      presented on the ward with distended abdomen without abdominal pain, muscular
      defense, or resistances. He featured large volume diarrhea within the last few
      hours without signs of bleeding. A plain abdominal X-ray demonstrated a coffee
      bean sign indicating a sigmoid volvulus. A consequent CT scan of the abdomen
      revealed a deep outlet obstruction with massively dilated, elongated and twisted
      loop of the sigmoid colon and no signs of perforation. We performed emergency
      colonoscopy under the assumption of an acute sigmoid volvulus. After careful
      insertion of the endoscope completely refraining from insufflation of air or CO2,
      endoscopic reposition of the sigma could be achieved and a colonic drainage was
      placed over an inserted guide wire up to the proximal transverse colon. No
      relapse occurred and a diagnostic colonoscopy after 4 weeks revealed no tumor or
      polyps. Our report describes a classic case of acute sigmoid volvulus and
      undermines the potential of colonoscopy as conservative primary treatment of
      choice.

PMID- 28626383
TI  - An Alternative Approach to the Terminal Management of Ogilvie Syndrome.
AB  - Ogilvie syndrome is defined as colonic pseudo-obstruction due to nonmechanical
      causes. Mortality of nearly 50% is associated with perforation of the distended,
      pseudo-obstructed colon. While conservative medical therapy has proven to be
      beneficial in a majority of cases, >3% of patients have significant distention or
      perforation of the colon that warrants surgical resection. The case of a 48-year
      old male with progressive abdominal discomfort and distention 12 days following
      knee replacement surgery is presented. He was subsequently diagnosed with colonic
      pseudo-obstruction and definitively treated with subtotal colectomy and
      colostomy. We propose that a more conservative approach to treatment of colonic
      pseudo-obstruction may prevent the need for colostomy, significantly improving
      quality of life.

PMID- 28626384
TI  - Acute Pancreatitis: An Atypical Presentation.
AB  - Acute pancreatitis is an important cause of acute upper abdominal pain. Because
      its clinical features are similar to a number of other acute illnesses, it is
      difficult to make a diagnosis only on the basis of symptoms and signs. The
      diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is based on 2 of the following 3 criteria: (1)
      abdominal pain consistent with pancreatitis, (2) serum lipase and/or amylase >=3
      times the upper limit of normal, and (3) characteristic findings from abdominal
      imaging. The sensitivity and specificity of lipase in diagnosing acute
      pancreatitis are undisputed. However, normal lipase level should not exclude a
      pancreatitis diagnosis. In patients with atypical pancreatitis presentation,
      imaging is needed. We experienced two cases of acute pancreatitis associated with
      normal serum enzyme levels. Both patients were diagnosed based on clinical and
      radiological evidence. They were successfully treated with intravenous fluids and
      analgesics with clinical and laboratory improvement. The importance of this case
      series is the unlikely presentation of acute pancreatitis. We believe that more
      research is needed to determine the exact proportion of acute pancreatitis
      patients who first present with normal serum lipase, since similar cases have
      been seen in case reports.

PMID- 28626385
TI  - Urinary Tract Infection Associated with a Celiac Crisis: A Preceding or
      Precipitating Event?
AB  - Celiac crisis is a rare life-threatening presentation of celiac disease that
      manifests as profuse diarrhea, hypoproteinemia, and severe metabolic
      disturbances. It may be precipitated by a general immune stimulus such as
      surgery, infection, or pregnancy. We report the case of a 26-year-old woman who
      presented with a celiac crisis, potentially triggered by a preceding urinary
      tract infection. Metabolic derangement is caused by malabsorption and profuse
      diarrhea, which can be unremitting unless the celiac crisis is recognized, and
      treatment with gluten restriction is initiated.

PMID- 28626386
TI  - Minimal Effects of Age and Exposure to a Noisy Environment on Hearing in Alpha9
      Nicotinic Receptor Knockout Mice.
AB  - Studies have suggested a role of weakened medial olivocochlear (OC) efferent
      feedback in accelerated hearing loss and increased susceptibility to noise. The
      present study investigated the progression of hearing loss with age and exposure
      to a noisy environment in medial OC-deficient mice. Alpha9 nicotinic
      acetylcholine receptor knockout (alpha9KO) and wild types were screened for
      hearing loss using auditory brainstem responses. alpha9KO mice housed in a quiet
      environment did not show increased hearing loss compared to wild types in young
      adulthood and middle age. Challenging the medial OC system by housing in a noisy
      environment did not increase hearing loss in alpha9KO mice compared to wild
      types. ABR wave 1 amplitudes also did not show differences between alpha9KO mice
      and wild types. These data suggest that deficient medial OC feedback does not
      result in early onset of hearing loss.

PMID- 28626387
TI  - The Case for Abandoning Therapeutic Chelation of Copper Ions in Alzheimer's
      Disease.
AB  - The "therapeutic chelation" approach to treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) evolved
      from the metals hypothesis, with the premise that small molecules can be designed
      to prevent transition metal-induced amyloid deposition and oxidative stress
      within the AD brain. Over more than 20 years, countless in vitro studies have
      been devoted to characterizing metal binding, its effect on Abeta aggregation,
      ROS production, and in vitro toxicity. Despite a lack of evidence for any
      clinical benefit, the conjecture that therapeutic chelation is an effective
      approach for treating AD remains widespread. Here, the author plays the devil's
      advocate, questioning the experimental evidence, the dogma, and the value of
      therapeutic chelation, with a major focus on copper ions.

PMID- 28626388
TI  - Increasing N-acetylaspartate in the Brain during Postnatal Myelination Does Not
      Cause the CNS Pathologies of Canavan Disease.
AB  - Canavan disease is caused by mutations in the gene encoding aspartoacylase
      (ASPA), a deacetylase that catabolizes N-acetylaspartate (NAA). The precise
      involvement of elevated NAA in the pathogenesis of Canavan disease is an ongoing
      debate. In the present study, we tested the effects of elevated NAA in the brain
      during postnatal development. Mice were administered high doses of the
      hydrophobic methyl ester of NAA (M-NAA) twice daily starting on day 7 after
      birth. This treatment increased NAA levels in the brain to those observed in the
      brains of Nur7 mice, an established model of Canavan disease. We evaluated
      various serological parameters, oxidative stress, inflammatory and
      neurodegeneration markers and the results showed that there were no pathological
      alterations in any measure with increased brain NAA levels. We examined oxidative
      stress markers, malondialdehyde content (indicator of lipid peroxidation),
      expression of NADPH oxidase and nuclear translocation of the stress-responsive
      transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF-2) in
      brain. We also examined additional pathological markers by immunohistochemistry
      and the expression of activated caspase-3 and interleukin-6 by Western blot. None
      of the markers were increased in the brains of M-NAA treated mice, and no
      vacuoles were observed in any brain region. These results show that ASPA
      expression prevents the pathologies associated with excessive NAA concentrations
      in the brain during postnatal myelination. We hypothesize that the pathogenesis
      of Canavan disease involves not only disrupted NAA metabolism, but also excessive
      NAA related signaling processes in oligodendrocytes that have not been fully
      determined and we discuss some of the potential mechanisms.

PMID- 28626389
TI  - Rac1 Guides Porf-2 to Wnt Pathway to Mediate Neural Stem Cell Proliferation.
AB  - The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the anti-proliferative effects
      of preoptic regulator factor 2 (Porf-2) on neural stem cells (NSCs) remain
      largely unknown. Here, we found that Porf-2 inhibits the activity of ras-related
      C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1) protein in hippocampus-derived rat NSCs.
      Reduced Rac1 activity impaired the nuclear translocation of beta-catenin,
      ultimately causing a repression of NSCs proliferation. Porf-2 knockdown enhanced
      NSCs proliferation but not in the presence of small molecule inhibitors of Rac1
      or Wnt. At the same time, the repression of NSCs proliferation caused by Porf-2
      overexpression was counteracted by small molecule activators of Rac1 or Wnt. By
      using a rat optic nerve crush model, we observed that Porf-2 knockdown enhanced
      the recovery of visual function. In particular, optic nerve injury in rats led to
      increased Wnt family member 3a (Wnt3a) protein expression, which we found
      responsible for enhancing Porf-2 knockdown-induced NSCs proliferation. These
      findings suggest that Porf-2 exerts its inhibitory effect on NSCs proliferation
      via Rac1-Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Porf-2 may therefore represent and interesting
      target for optic nerve injury recovery and therapy.

PMID- 28626391
TI  - Commentary: The Brain Basis for Misophonia.

PMID- 28626390
TI  - Profiles of VGF Peptides in the Rat Brain and Their Modulations after
      Phencyclidine Treatment.
AB  - From the VGF precursor protein originate several low molecular weight peptides,
      whose distribution in the brain and blood circulation is not entirely known.
      Among the VGF peptides, those containing the N-terminus portion were altered in
      the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) and hypothalamus of schizophrenia patients.
      "Hence, we aimed to better investigate the involvement of the VGF peptides in
      schizophrenia by studying their localization in the brain regions relevant for
      the disease, and revealing their possible modulations in response to certain
      neuronal alterations occurring in schizophrenia". We produced antibodies against
      different VGF peptides encompassing the N-terminus, but also C-terminus-, TLQP-,
      GGGE- peptide sequences, and the so named NERP-3 and -4. These antibodies were
      used to carry out specific ELISA and immunolocalization studies while mass
      spectrometry (MS) analysis was also performed to recognize the intact brain VGF
      fragments. We used a schizophrenia rat model, in which alterations in the
      prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response occurred after PCP
      treatment. In normal rats, all the VGF peptides studied were distributed in the
      brain areas examined including hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus,
      accumbens and amygdaloid nuclei and also in the plasma. By liquid chromatography
      high resolution mass, we identified different intact VGF peptide fragments,
      including those encompassing the N-terminus and the NERPs. PCP treatment caused
      behavioral changes that closely mimic schizophrenia, estimated by us as a
      disruption of PPI of the acoustic startle response. The PCP treatment also
      induced selective changes in the VGF peptide levels within certain brain areas.
      Indeed, an increase in VGF C-terminus and TLQP peptides was revealed in the
      prefrontal cortex (p < 0.01) where they were localized within parvoalbumin and
      tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) containing neurons, respectively. Conversely, in the
      nucleus accumbens, PCP treatment produced a down-regulation in the levels of VGF
      C-terminus-, N-terminus- and GGGE- peptides (p < 0.01), expressed in GABAergic-
      (C-terminus/GGGE) and somatostatin- (N-terminus) neurons. These results confirm
      that VGF peptides are widely distributed in the brain and modulated in specific
      areas involved in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28626392
TI  - Sensing the Worst: Neurophenomenological Perspectives on Neutral Stimuli
      Misperception in Schizophrenia Spectrum.
AB  - While investigating social cognitive impairments in schizophrenia, prominent
      evidence has been found that patients with schizophrenia show a tendency to
      misclassify neutral stimuli as negatively valenced. Within this population,
      patients presenting delusions are more prone to this phenomenon. In a previous
      study, Schizophrenia spectrum (SzSp) patients rated positive, negative and
      neutral stimuli that were multimodally presented, while assessed with a checklist
      exploring anomalous subjective experiences and evaluated for positive and
      negative symptomatology. In the present work, we aimed to further explore the
      relationship between neutral stimuli misperception, anomalous experiences and
      positive/negative symptoms in SzSp patients. To this end, we adopted a
      dimensional approach by reconstructing from available data: (1) four a priori
      scales representing essential dimensions of SzSp experiential pathology following
      Parnas et al. (2005); and (2) five clinically meaningful factors to describe
      illness severity derived by Toomey et al. (1997). Results showed that although
      overall patients correctly recognized the target emotions, those who
      misinterpreted neutral auditory cues as negatively valenced also presented higher
      scores in Perplexity (PY), Bizarre Delusions (BD) and Disorganization (Di)
      dimensions. Moreover, a positive association between BD and both PY and Self
      Disorder (SD) dimensions emerged, suggesting that psychotic symptoms may be
      directly linked to patients' subjectivity. In an attempt to comprehensively
      capture the multilayered neutral stimuli misperception phenomenon in SzSp, we
      aimed at bridging phenomenology and neurobiology by connecting the levels of
      molecular neurochemistry (i.e., altered dopaminergic neurotransmission), system
      neuroscience (aberrant salience of perceptual details) and psychopathology (the
      chain involving hyper-reflexivity, self-disorders and the emergence of
      delusions).

PMID- 28626393
TI  - A SSVEP Stimuli Encoding Method Using Trinary Frequency-Shift Keying Encoded
      SSVEP (TFSK-SSVEP).
AB  - SSVEP is a kind of BCI technology with advantage of high information transfer
      rate. However, due to its nature, frequencies could be used as stimuli are
      scarce. To solve such problem, a stimuli encoding method which encodes SSVEP
      signal using Frequency Shift-Keying (FSK) method is developed. In this method,
      each stimulus is controlled by a FSK signal which contains three different
      frequencies that represent "Bit 0," "Bit 1" and "Bit 2" respectively. Different
      to common BFSK in digital communication, "Bit 0" and "Bit 1" composited the
      unique identifier of stimuli in binary bit stream form, while "Bit 2" indicates
      the ending of a stimuli encoding. EEG signal is acquired on channel Oz, O1, O2,
      Pz, P3, and P4, using ADS1299 at the sample rate of 250 SPS. Before original EEG
      signal is quadrature demodulated, it is detrended and then band-pass filtered
      using FFT-based FIR filtering to remove interference. Valid peak of the processed
      signal is acquired by calculating its derivative and converted into bit stream
      using window method. Theoretically, this coding method could implement at least 2
      n-1 (n is the length of bit command) stimulus while keeping the ITR the same.
      This method is suitable to implement stimuli on a monitor and where the frequency
      and phase could be used to code stimuli is limited as well as implementing
      portable BCI devices which is not capable of performing complex calculations.

PMID- 28626394
TI  - Erratum.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1159/000447353.].

PMID- 28626395
TI  - Erratum.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1159/000453608.].

PMID- 28626396
TI  - Erratum.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1159/000450598.].

PMID- 28626397
TI  - Erratum.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1159/000447352.].

PMID- 28626398
TI  - Esophageal Metastasis from Rectal Cancer Successfully Treated with Fluorouracil
      Based Chemotherapy with Bevacizumab: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - Esophageal metastasis from colorectal carcinoma is uncommon, and diagnosis of
      esophageal metastasis is difficult. We report a case of a 54-year-old woman with
      postoperative recurrence of rectal cancer metastasizing to the esophagus. She
      underwent rectectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy with fluorouracil, leucovorin plus
      oxaliplatin for stage IIIB rectal cancer. Three years later, she presented with
      dysphagia and cough. Computed tomography showed thickening of the esophagus wall,
      enlargement of the lymph nodes in the mediastinum and abdomen, and ground-glass
      opacities in the right lung. Endoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor of the
      midthoracic esophagus. Histopathological analysis of the tumor biopsy showed
      infiltration of adenocarcinoma cells into the stroma of the esophagus; tumor
      cells were positive for caudal type homeobox 2 and negative for thyroid
      transcription factor 1. A transbronchial biopsy indicated pulmonary lymphangitic
      carcinomatosis of rectal adenocarcinoma. Based on those findings, she was
      diagnosed with recurrent rectal cancer. She received fluorouracil-based
      chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, which ameliorated her symptoms and induced a
      durable response without severe adverse events. Diagnosis of esophageal
      metastasis from rectal cancer can thus be made by repeated biopsy. Furthermore,
      aggressive systemic treatment with fluorouracil-containing chemotherapy and
      bevacizumab is a treatment option for colorectal cancer patients with esophageal
      metastasis.

PMID- 28626399
TI  - Sigmoid Adenocarcinoma with Regional Scrotal Metastasis.
AB  - Colorectal cancer is a common disease, representing the third and second most
      common cause of cancer death in the United States in women and men, respectively.
      [Ahnen et al.: Mayo Clin Proc 2014;89: 216-224; Siegel et al.: CA Cancer J Clin
      2016;66: 7]. It is estimated that 20% of patients have distant metastatic disease
      at time of diagnosis [Ahnen et al.: Mayo Clin Proc 2014;89: 216-224; Siegel et
      al.: CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66: 7]. The most common metastatic sites include
      regional lymph nodes, liver, lungs, and peritoneum via lymphatic/hematogenous
      dissemination as well as contiguous and transperitoneal routes [Ahnen et al.:
      Mayo Clin Proc 2014;89: 216-224; Siegel et al.: CA Cancer J Clin 2016;66: 7].
      Upon review of the literature, we found that metastatic colon cancer to the
      scrotum is rare. The following case report proved to be a unique example of this
      type of metastasis. This rare regional metastasis is theorized to have resulted
      from a colo-urethro-scrotal fistula that precipitated from the patient's prior
      traumatic event.

PMID- 28626400
TI  - Long-Term Efficacy of S-1 Chemotherapy plus Administration of Octreotide for a
      Patient with Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumor (Gastrinoma).
AB  - Metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (gastrinomas) have a poor prognosis. Octreotide
      can reduce gastrin levels and alleviate hormonal symptoms, and possibly slow
      tumor growth as well. No drugs were available except streptozocin for the
      treatment of metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) in 2008. We report
      a case of PNET in a 53-year-old woman with multiple liver tumors treated with S-1
      plus octreotide. After 6 months from the initiation of the treatment, the
      pancreatic tumor and liver metastases regressed, and the patient achieved partial
      response without the development of any serious adverse event. For more than 8
      years, the patient has remained asymptomatic without disease progression and is
      continuing treatment with octreotide and S-1. A marked suppression of gastrin
      levels has also been achieved. Combination therapy with octreotide and S-1 has
      been effective and well tolerated in patients with metastatic gastrinoma.

PMID- 28626401
TI  - Pneumothorax during Pemetrexed Treatment in a Patient with Non-Small Cell Lung
      Cancer: A Case Report and Literature Review.
AB  - Pemetrexed is a multitargeted antifolate that has demonstrated antitumor activity
      in non-small cell lung cancer. A 70-year-old male presented with a stage IV non
      small cell lung cancer. The patient was treated with pemetrexed as third-line
      chemotherapy. However, a pneumothorax occurred 16 days after the administration
      of the second cycle of pemetrexed. The pneumothorax was slight and the patient
      was observed without undergoing any additional treatment. Twenty-four days after
      its initial occurrence, the pneumothorax had improved. This is the first case of
      pneumothorax that has been observed during pemetrexed treatment. Pneumothorax
      during chemotherapy is rare; however, it is a life-threatening complication and
      should not be overlooked.

PMID- 28626402
TI  - Effect of the Combination of Trabectedin and Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in a
      BRCA2 Mutation Carrier with Recurrent Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The current standard of care for ovarian cancer is optimal
      cytoreduction with adjuvant chemotherapy based on a platinum/taxane combination.
      Although the response rate to this therapy is high, most patients ultimately
      relapse. Response to second-line therapy and prognosis are linked to the platinum
      free interval (PFI); when both improve, the PFI increases. As a result, there is
      an increasing interest in the PFI extension strategies including platinum-free
      combinations. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old postmenopausal woman presented
      with ovarian serous carcinoma with peritoneal carcinomatosis. First-line
      neoadjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin plus paclitaxel was initiated, followed
      by surgery and carboplatin plus paclitaxel chemotherapy. Eight months after the
      last cycle, CT revealed extensive supra- and infradiaphragmatic node involvement,
      and second-line chemotherapy was initiated with trabectedin and pegylated
      liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). Partial response was achieved and successfully
      maintained for 18 cycles. After the 18th cycle and a 25-month PFI, CT imaging
      evidenced disease progression. As the patient was a BRCA2 mutation carrier, third
      line chemotherapy was initiated with carboplatin and gemcitabine every 3 weeks.
      After the third cycle, imaging confirmed complete response, which was maintained
      after the sixth and final cycle. Maintenance treatment with olaparib was
      initiated. At present - 6 months after the start of maintenance chemotherapy with
      olaparib - the patient is disease free. CONCLUSIONS: Second-line chemotherapy
      with a nonplatinum combination - trabectedin plus PLD - was effective in a BRCA2
      mutation carrier with recurrent partially platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28626403
TI  - A Twenty-Four-Year-Old Woman with Left Flank Lipoma-Like Hibernoma.
AB  - A 24-year-old woman presented with a 5-month history of a left flank mass that
      was painful on palpation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 10.0 * 6.0 * 2.5
      cm mass consistent with lipoma. A fatty lobulated mass was excised and subjected
      to H&E staining and immunohistochemical analyses. The specimen consisted of
      mature univacuolated adipocytic cells, with intermixed multivacuolated
      eosinophilic granular cells. No atypia or hyperchromasia was identified. Most of
      the cells were S100 positive and Ki-67 immunonegative. A diagnosis of a lipoma
      like hibernoma was rendered. Hibernomas are rare benign lipomatous tumors that
      show differentiation toward brown fat. The lipoma-like hibernoma subtype is rare
      and can be misdiagnosed as atypical lipoma or well-differentiated liposarcoma.
      Here we describe an example of this rare tumor.

PMID- 28626405
TI  - Erratum.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1159/000464440.].

PMID- 28626404
TI  - Case of Ovarian Cancer in a Woman with Undiagnosed Graves' Disease: A Case Report
      and Review of the Literature.
AB  - Epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) is a leading cause of death among females in the
      United States, due in part to challenges of diagnosis in the early stages of the
      disease. While efforts are underway to develop a high-quality screening test, it
      is equally important to consider whether high-risk populations are appropriate to
      screen. One such population may be females with hyperthyroidism, as epidemiologic
      studies have shown an association between this condition and OC. In this report,
      we present a case of a female with OC and Graves' disease to highlight the
      potential significance of this association.

PMID- 28626406
TI  - Late-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Like Syndrome after Ipilimumab Therapy: A
      Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antitumor immunotherapy has become a major player in cancer therapy.
      Ipilimumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody against the cytotoxic T lymphocyte
      associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), an important downregulator of T-cell activation.
      Ipilimumab has demonstrated tumor regression and improvement in overall survival
      in patients with metastatic melanoma. Unfortunately, immune activation induced by
      this drug has been associated with several immune-mediated adverse effects,
      namely diarrhea and colitis. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 71-year
      old male patient diagnosed with BRAF wild-type metastatic melanoma treated with
      three cycles of ipilimumab, after which he developed grade 3 enteritis. The
      patient improved on treatment with steroids, and ipilimumab was permanently
      discontinued at this point. Three years later, the patient's diarrhea returned
      and colonoscopy revealed active chronic colitis with ulceration resembling
      inflammatory bowel disease. He was started on Asacol (mesalamine). The patient
      did not report extraintestinal symptoms typically associated with inflammatory
      bowel disease, nor did he have a personal or family history of bowel disorders.
      Moreover, his presentation was not typical of inflammatory bowel disease in the
      elderly. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a link between ipilimumab-induced grade
      3 enteritis and late-onset inflammatory bowel disease-like syndrome. To our
      knowledge, the case is the first in the literature to report late-onset
      inflammatory bowel disease-like syndrome years after discontinuation of
      ipilimumab treatment.

PMID- 28626407
TI  - Systemic Therapy Outcomes in Adult Patients with Ewing Sarcoma Family of Tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) is a rare but curable bone
      neoplastic entity. The current standard of care involves chemotherapy and local
      disease control with surgery or radiation regardless of the extent of disease at
      presentation. Data that document the effectiveness of the current approach in the
      adult patient population are limited. METHODS: We performed a retrospective
      review including all ESFT patients older than 19 years of age who received
      systemic therapy between January 2002 and December 2013 at our institution. The
      main study outcome was overall survival; secondary outcomes were objective
      response rate, disease-free survival, and progression-free survival. RESULTS:
      Eighteen patients with ESFT were identified. The median overall survival for the
      entire group was 20.65 months (range 0.43-114.54). In patients with localized
      disease, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were 90, 80, and 70%,
      respectively. Age was not correlated with overall survival (r = 0.58, p = 0.76).
      The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 70%. In patients with metastatic
      disease, the 1-year survival rate was 40%. In patients treated in the neoadjuvant
      and palliative setting with chemotherapy, we observed an objective response rate
      of 61.54%. The time to progression in patients with metastatic disease treated
      with chemotherapy ranged from 0.69 to 4.93 months. CONCLUSION: In this group of
      adult patients with ESFT treated with multimodality therapy, the outcomes were
      similar to those reported in well-known larger clinical trials that typically
      included younger patients. Age was not associated with worse survival.

PMID- 28626408
TI  - PD-1 Checkpoint Inhibitor Associated Autoimmune Encephalitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report first-hand narrative experience of autoimmune encephalitis
      and to briefly review currently available evidence of autoimmune encephalitis in
      cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. SETTING: A case study
      is presented on the management of a patient who developed autoimmune encephalitis
      during nivolumab monotherapy occurring after 28 weeks on anti-PD-1 monotherapy
      (nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks) for non-small cell lung cancer. RESULTS: No
      substantial improvement was observed by antiepileptic treatment. After
      administration of 80 mg methylprednisolone, neurologic symptoms disappeared
      within 24 h and the patient fully recovered. CONCLUSIONS: Immune checkpoint
      inhibitor treatment can lead to autoimmune encephalitis. Clinical trial data
      indicate a frequency of autoimmune encephalitis of >=0.1 to <1% with a higher
      probability during combined or sequential anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 therapy than
      during anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 monotherapy. Further collection of evidence and
      translational research is warranted.

PMID- 28626409
TI  - HIV-Associated Cerebellar Dysfunction and Improvement with Aminopyridine Therapy:
      A Case Report.
AB  - Apart from infectious causes and cerebellar dysfunction associated with acquired
      immune deficiency syndrome dementia or HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder,
      cerebellar dysfunction in HIV-positive individuals has been ascribed to granule
      cell neuronopathy as well as primary cerebellar atrophy without identifiable
      etiology. We report the case of a patient with progressive cerebellar dysfunction
      as the primary manifestation of HIV infection. No symptom improvement was seen
      under combination antiretroviral therapy, which had been established upon
      diagnosis, but the patient improved rapidly under 4-aminopyridine treatment,
      which was recommended 1 year later. Our report, adding to the rather small number
      of reports of HIV-associated cerebellar atrophy and dysfunction as a primary
      manifestation of HIV infection, draws attention to HIV as a possible differential
      etiology of a cerebellar syndrome. Further, rapid improvement of symptom severity
      under 4-aminopyridine treatment warrants further investigation with longer-term
      follow-up into the effectiveness of this compound in gait disorder associated
      with HIV infection.

PMID- 28626410
TI  - Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Coinciding with Spinocerebellar Ataxia
      Type 31.
AB  - We report the unusual case of a 63-year-old man with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA)
      type 31 who developed neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) 14 years
      after the onset of cerebellar symptoms. In addition to cerebellar atrophy,
      magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple high-intensity areas in the brain and
      a long thoracic cord lesion from Th1/2 to Th11. The combination of NMOSD and
      SCA31 is accidental. However, our case suggests that inflammatory processes could
      be involved in the pathogenesis of NMOSD and SCA31.

PMID- 28626411
TI  - Dissociated Crossed Speech Areas in a Tumour Patient.
AB  - In the past, the eloquent areas could be deliberately localised by the invasive
      Wada test. The very rare cases of dissociated crossed speech areas were
      accidentally found based on the clinical symptomatology. Today functional
      magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-based imaging can be employed to non-invasively
      localise the eloquent areas in brain tumour patients for therapy planning. A 41
      year-old, left-handed man with a low-grade glioma in the left frontal operculum
      extending to the insular cortex, tension headaches, and anomic aphasia over 5
      months underwent a pre-operative speech area localisation fMRI measurement, which
      revealed the evidence of the transhemispheric disposition, where the dominant
      Wernicke speech area is located on the left and the Broca's area is strongly
      lateralised to the right hemisphere. The outcome of the Wada test and the
      intraoperative cortico-subcortical stimulation mapping were congruent with this
      finding. After tumour removal, language area function was fully preserved. Upon
      the occurrence of brain tumours with a risk of impaired speech function, the rare
      dissociate crossed speech areas disposition may gain a clinically relevant
      meaning by allowing for more extended tumour removal. Hence, for its
      identification, diagnostics which take into account both brain hemispheres, such
      as fMRI, are recommended.

PMID- 28626412
TI  - Congenital Bilateral C2 Transverse Foramina Stenosis Causing Adult-Onset
      Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency and Posterior Circulation Stroke.
AB  - Vertebrobasilar insufficiency leading to posterior circulation infarcts caused by
      congenital hypoplasia of the bilateral transverse foramina at the C2 level,
      affecting the caliber and flow of the bilateral distal cervical vertebral
      arteries in an adult, has not been previously reported. A 41-year-old male
      presented with episodic dizziness for a period of 1 year prior to consultation.
      Computed tomography angiography of the head and neck demonstrated congenital
      hypoplasia of the bilateral C2 transverse foramina, with absence of the vertebral
      arteries in each of the foramina and collateral reconstitution of diminutive
      intracranial vertebral artery segments. Brain MRI showed postinfarction
      encephalomalacia in the bilateral cerebellar hemispheres. The patient was
      considered not a surgical or endovascular candidate and was managed
      conservatively with antiplatelet therapy. Congenital anomalies of the bilateral
      cervical transverse foramina may present with vertebrobasilar insufficiency and
      infarction in adulthood.

PMID- 28626413
TI  - The Crossed Flexor Plantar Response in Patients with Klippel-Feil Syndrome.
AB  - The plantar reflex is one of most important and widely tested components of the
      neurological examination. We describe 3 subjects with Klippel-Feil syndrome and
      mirror movements where unilateral cutaneous stimulation of the foot leads to
      flexor plantar responses in both feet. We discuss the evidence which suggests
      that this "crossed flexor" plantar response reveals a transcortical pathway for
      the flexor plantar response.

PMID- 28626414
TI  - An Unusual Differential Diagnosis of Orbital Cavernous Hemangioma: Ancient
      Schwannoma.
AB  - Schwannomas are rare lesions of the orbit that can be confused with cavernous
      hemangioma on imaging studies. We report the case of an 84-year-old woman with a
      9-year history of a tumoral lesion in the inferolateral left orbit. The imaging
      studies did not reveal specific characteristics, only bone remodeling due to the
      long evolution of the tumor. The patient underwent complete excision of the tumor
      by anterior orbitotomy via the inferior conjunctival fornix. The
      histopathological examination revealed an ancient schwannoma, a variant of
      schwannoma with uncommon histological features. The follow-up was uneventful. The
      present case emphasizes the importance of considering neural tumors in the
      differential diagnosis of orbital masses with bone changes and degenerative
      alterations such as hemorrhagic areas, cysts, and/or calcifications.

PMID- 28626415
TI  - A Case of Childhood-Onset Giant Cell Tumor that Caused Optic Nerve Atrophy in
      Both Eyes.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the case of a female patient who
      had a giant cell tumor in the paranasal sinus during childhood, and while
      undergoing multiple resection surgeries experienced optic atrophy in both eyes.
      CASE PRESENTATION: This study involved a 35-year-old woman who was previously
      diagnosed with a giant cell tumor of the paranasal sinus bone at age 13. A CT
      scan revealed a large tumor extending from the sphenoid sinus to the ethmoid
      sinus. At age 14, a tumor resection was performed in conjunction with radiation
      therapy. However, after resection and radiation therapy there were repeated
      recurrences, and additional resections were performed. Ophthalmically, there was
      marked optical atrophy in both eyes, and Goldmann visual field perimetry revealed
      that only the arcuate peripheral area remained on the nasal side of the right
      eye, and that there were dark spots in the paracentral area of the left eye.
      CONCLUSIONS: In this case, a large giant cell tumor occurred in the sphenoid
      sinus and ethmoid sinus during childhood, and it is thought that optic atrophy
      was caused by compressive optic neuropathy. The sphenoid sinus and ethmoid
      sinuses are anatomically close to the optic nerve, and when a tumor grows larger
      at this site it can easily put pressure on the optic nerve. Therefore, early
      detection and treatment are important.

PMID- 28626416
TI  - Multiquadrant Subtenon Triamcinolone Injection for Acute Corneal Graft Rejection:
      A Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We report a case of reversal of an acute corneal graft rejection
      following multiquadrant subtenon triamcinolone injection. CASE PRESENTATION: A 19
      year-old woman who had acute corneal graft rejection failed to show resolution of
      the graft rejection after standard treatment with systemic, intravenous, and
      topical steroids. The graft rejection, however, responded to injection of
      triamcinolone in multiple subtenon quadrants. CONCLUSIONS: For corneal graft
      rejection, multiquadrant subtenon triamcinolone injections may be a safe adjunct
      to systemic treatment.

PMID- 28626417
TI  - Spironolactone as an Adjunctive Treatment in Neovascular Age-Related Macular
      Degeneration.
AB  - Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a potentially sight
      threatening condition. The current standard-of-care treatment regimen is serial
      intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor injections. While these
      typically have great success, they do carry exceptional treatment burden on the
      patient, cost burden due to their required frequency of use, and the risk of
      endophthalmitis, which can be devastating. This case report explores an
      alternative potential option as a treatment adjunct for neovascular AMD (nAMD),
      and identifies some of the overlap between nAMD and central serous
      chorioretionpathy. Future research is needed to better understand the role of
      mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment in this disease spectrum.

PMID- 28626418
TI  - Rapid Cataract Progression after Nd:YAG Vitreolysis for Vitreous Floaters: A Case
      Report and Literature Review.
AB  - PURPOSE: We report a case of rapid cataract progression after Nd:YAG vitreolysis
      for vitreous floaters. CASE REPORT: A 55-year-old man presented with acute onset
      of blurred vision following Nd:YAG vitreolysis for symptomatic floaters in the
      left eye. His initial best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/1,000 in the
      left eye. Ocular examinations showed frost-like opacities of the lens and a
      suspected break of the posterior capsule in the left eye. There were no
      detectable retinal lesions. Cataract surgery was then arranged. Posterior
      capsular rupture and vitreous loss occurred during surgery, which required a
      subsequent pars plana vitrectomy. After the surgery, BCVA in the left eye
      gradually improved to 20/20 and was maintained during a 1-year follow-up period.
      CONCLUSION: Crystalline lens injuries and rapid cataract progression may occur
      following Nd:YAG vitreolysis. While dealing with this type of complicated
      cataract, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of posterior lens capsule
      rupture during surgery and the need for combined vitrectomy.

PMID- 28626419
TI  - Shallow Anterior Chamber in a Severe Case of Unilateral Acute Central Serous
      Retinal Detachment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atypical serous chorioretinopathy can present with symptoms similar
      to those of other pachychoroid diseases; however, a proper differential diagnosis
      will prevent unnecessary intensive treatments. To this end, we report on the
      shallowness of anterior chamber and transitory anterior vitreous cells in a
      patient with atypical severe serous retinal detachment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 42
      year-old woman presented with unilateral visual loss accompanied by mild, vague
      eye pain for 4 days. Spectral-domain OCT scans of the left eye showed macular and
      peripapillary serous detachment. Optical biometry showed the clinically
      significant shallow anterior chamber. CONCLUSIONS: Severe central serous
      chorioretinopathy can show up in an atypical fashion with macular, extramacular,
      juxtapapillary serous detachments, temporary existence of anterior vitreous
      cells, clinically detectable decreased anterior chamber depth, and mild eye pain
      of short duration.

PMID- 28626421
TI  - Divergent Metabolic Regulation of Autophagy and mTORC1-Early Events in
      Alzheimer's Disease?
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disease associated with the production
      and deposition of amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) aggregates and neurofibrillary
      tangles, which lead to synaptic and neuronal damage. Reduced autophagic flux has
      been widely associated with the accumulation of autophagic vacuoles (AV), which
      has been proposed to contribute to aggregate build-up observed in AD. As such,
      targeting autophagy regulation has received wide review, where an understanding
      as to how this mechanism can be controlled will be important to neuronal health.
      The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), which was found to be
      hyperactive in AD brain, regulates autophagy and is considered to be
      mechanistically important to aberrant autophagy in AD. Hormones and nutrients
      such as insulin and leucine, respectively, positively regulate mTORC1 activation
      and are largely considered to inhibit autophagy. However, in AD brain there is a
      dysregulation of nutrient metabolism, linked to insulin resistance, where a role
      for insulin treatment to improve cognition has been proposed. Recent studies have
      highlighted that mitochondrial proteins such as glutamate dehydrogenase and the
      human branched chain aminotransferase protein, through metabolism of leucine and
      glutamate, differentially regulate mTORC1 and autophagy. As the levels of the
      hBCAT proteins are significantly increased in AD brain relative to aged-matched
      controls, we discuss how these metabolic pathways offer new potential therapeutic
      targets. In this review article, we highlight the core regulation of autophagy
      through mTORC1, focusing on how insulin and leucine will be important to consider
      in particular with respect to our understanding of nutrient load and AD
      pathogenesis.

PMID- 28626420
TI  - Restless Legs Syndrome: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Diagnosis and
      Management.
AB  - Restless legs syndrome (RLS), a common neurological sensorimotor disorder in
      western countries, has gained more and more attention in Asian countries. The
      prevalence of RLS is higher in older people and females. RLS is most commonly
      related to iron deficiency, pregnancy and uremia. The RLS symptoms show a
      significant circadian rhythm and a close relationship to periodic limb movements
      (PLMs) in clinical observations, while the pathophysiological pathways are still
      unknown. The diagnostic criteria have been revised in 2012 to improve the
      validity of RLS diagnosis. Recent studies have suggested an important role of
      iron decrease of brain in RLS pathophysiology. Dopaminergic (DA) system
      dysfunction in A11 cell groups has been recognized long ago from clinical
      treatment and autopsy. Nowadays, it is believed that iron dysfunction can affect
      DA system from different pathways and opioids have a protective effect on DA
      system. Several susceptible single nucleotide polymorphisms such as BTBD9 and
      MEIS1, which are thought to be involved in embryonic neuronal development, have
      been reported to be associated with RLS. Several pharmacological and non
      pharmacological treatment are discussed in this review. First-line treatments of
      RLS include DA agents and alpha2delta agonists. Augmentation is very common in
      long-term treatment of RLS which makes prevention and management of augmentation
      very important for RLS patients. A combination of different types of medication
      is effective in preventing and treating augmentation. The knowledge on RLS is
      still limited, the pathophysiology and better management of RLS remain to be
      discovered.

PMID- 28626423
TI  - Ubiquitin-Proteasome-Collagen (CUP) Pathway in Preterm Premature Rupture of Fetal
      Membranes.
AB  - Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) occurs before 37 gestational weeks, with preterm
      premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) and spontaneous preterm labor (sPTL)
      as the predominant adverse outcomes. Previously, we identified altered expression
      of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and message RNAs (mRNAs) related to the
      ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) in human placentas following pregnancy loss and
      PTB. We therefore hypothesized that similar mechanisms might underlie PPROM. In
      the current study, nine pairs of ubiquitin-proteasome-collagen (CUP) pathway
      related mRNAs and associated lncRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in
      PPROM and sPTL. Pathway analysis showed that the functions of their protein
      products were inter-connected by ring finger protein. Twenty variants including
      five mutations were identified in CUP-related genes in sPTL samples. Copy number
      variations were found in COL19A1, COL28A1, COL5A1, and UBAP2 of sPTL samples. The
      results reinforced our previous findings and indicated the association of the CUP
      pathway with the development of sPTL and PPROM. This association was due not only
      to the genetic variation, but also to the epigenetic regulatory function of
      lncRNAs. Furthermore, the findings suggested that the loss of collagen content in
      PPROM could result from degradation and/or suppressed expression of collagens.

PMID- 28626424
TI  - Relationship of Mycotoxins Accumulation and Bioactive Components Variation in
      Ginger after Fungal Inoculation.
AB  - Ginger has got increasing worldwide interests due to its extensive biological
      activities, along with high medical and edible values. But fungal contamination
      and mycotoxin residues have brought challenges to its quality and safety. In the
      present study, the relationship of content of mycotoxins accumulation and
      bioactive components variation in ginger after infection by toxigenic fungi were
      investigated for the first time to elucidate the influence of fungal
      contamination on the inherent quality of ginger. After being infected by
      Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus carbonarius for different periods, the
      produced mycotoxins was determined by an immunoaffinity column clean-up based
      ultra-fast liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, and the
      main bioactive components in ginger were analyzed by ultra performance liquid
      chromatography-photodiode array detection. The results showed that consecutive
      incubation of ginger with A. flavus and A. carbonarius within 20 days resulted in
      the production and accumulation of aflatoxins (especially AFB1) and ochratoxin A,
      as well as the constant content reduction of four bioactive components, which
      were confirmed through the scanning electron microscope images. Significantly
      negative correlation was expressed between the mycotoxins accumulation and
      bioactive components variation in ginger, which might influence the quality and
      safety of it. Furthermore, a new compound was detected after inoculation for 6
      days, which was found in our study for the first time.

PMID- 28626422
TI  - Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors: Do They Have a Therapeutic Potential in
      Cardiac Fibrosis?
AB  - Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that is characterized by a
      peculiar mechanism of action. In fact, S1P, which is produced inside the cell,
      can act as an intracellular mediator, whereas after its export outside the cell,
      it can act as ligand of specific G-protein coupled receptors, which were
      initially named endothelial differentiation gene (Edg) and eventually renamed
      sphingosine 1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs). Among the five S1PR subtypes, S1PR1,
      S1PR2 and S1PR3 isoforms show broad tissue gene expression, while S1PR4 is
      primarily expressed in immune system cells, and S1PR5 is expressed in the central
      nervous system. There is accumulating evidence for the important role of S1P as a
      mediator of many processes, such as angiogenesis, carcinogenesis and immunity,
      and, ultimately, fibrosis. After a tissue injury, the imbalance between the
      production of extracellular matrix (ECM) and its degradation, which occurs due to
      chronic inflammatory conditions, leads to an accumulation of ECM and,
      consequential, organ dysfunction. In these pathological conditions, many factors
      have been described to act as pro- and anti-fibrotic agents, including S1P. This
      bioactive lipid exhibits both pro- and anti-fibrotic effects, depending on its
      site of action. In this review, after a brief description of sphingolipid
      metabolism and signaling, we emphasize the involvement of the S1P/S1PR axis and
      the downstream signaling pathways in the development of fibrosis. The current
      knowledge of the therapeutic potential of S1PR subtype modulators in the
      treatment of the cardiac functions and fibrinogenesis are also examined.

PMID- 28626425
TI  - Lemons, or Squeezed for Resources? Information Symmetry and Asymmetric Resources
      in Biotechnology.
AB  - Thousands of biotech companies are developing promising products, but have
      insufficient resources to complete the clinical testing process, while large,
      well-funded companies have increasingly focused on the need to access external
      innovation. As a result, licensing deals are an essential and growing part of
      this industry. Yet, casting a shadow over the licensing market is the classic
      Lemons Problem: Does asymmetrical information put licensees at a severe
      disadvantage, leading to a market dominated by inferior opportunities, with the
      best products retained for internal development? Our analysis of clinical stage
      products developed over three decades shows that there is no Lemons Problem. We
      discuss the results of this first apples-to-apples analysis of the biomedical
      licensing market, and suggest reasons why the Lemons Problem does not exist where
      it might be most expected-in a high technology, knowledge-based industry.

PMID- 28626427
TI  - Distinctive Steady-State Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Responses to Passive
      Robotic Leg Exercise during Head-Up Tilt: A Pilot Study in Neurological Patients.
AB  - Introduction: Robot-assisted tilt table therapy was proposed for early
      rehabilitation and mobilization of patients after diseases such as stroke. A
      robot-assisted tilt table with integrated passive robotic leg exercise (PE)
      mechanism has the potential to prevent orthostatic hypotension usually provoked
      by verticalization. In a previous study with rather young healthy subjects
      [average age: 25.1 +/- 2.6 years (standard deviation)], we found that PE effect
      on the cardiovascular system depends on the verticalization angle of the robot
      assisted tilt table. In the current study, we investigated in an older population
      of neurological patients (a) whether they show the same PE effects as younger
      healthy population on the cardiovascular system at different tilt angles, (b)
      whether changing the PE frequency (i.e., stepping speed) influences the PE effect
      on the cardiovascular system, (c) whether PE could prevent orthostatic
      hypotension, and finally, (d) whether PE effect is consistent from day to day.
      Methods: Heart rate (HR), and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (sBP, dBP)
      in response to PE at two different tilt angles (alpha = 20 degrees , 60 degrees )
      with three different PE frequencies (i.e., 0, 24, and 48 steps per minute) of 10
      neurological patients [average age: 68.4 +/- 13.5 years (standard deviation)]
      were measured on 2 consecutive days. Linear mixed models were used to develop
      statistical models and analyze the repeated measurements. Results: The models
      show that: PE significantly increased sBP and dBP but had no significant effect
      on HR. (a) Similar to healthy subjects the effect of PE on sBP was dependent on
      the tilt angle with higher tilt angles resulting in a higher increase. Head-up
      tilting alone significantly increased HR and dBP but resulted in a non
      significant drop in sBP. PE, in general, had a more additive effect on increasing
      BP. (b) The effect of PE was not influenced by its speed. (c) Neither during head
      up tilt alone nor in combination with PE did participants experience orthostatic
      hypotension. (d) The measurement day was not a statistically significant factor
      regarding the effects of verticalization and PE on the cardiovascular response.
      Conclusion: We provide evidence that PE can increase steady-state values of sBP
      and dBP in neurological patients during head-up tilt. Similar to healthy subjects
      the effect on sBP depends on the verticalization angle of the robot-assisted tilt
      table. PE might have the potential to prevent orthostatic hypotension, but as the
      amount of drop in BP in response to head-up tilting was not leading to
      orthostatic hypotension in our patients, we could neither conclude nor reject
      such a preventive compensatory effect. Furthermore, we found that changing the PE
      speed does not influence the steady-state cardiovascular response.

PMID- 28626426
TI  - Potential of Central, Eastern and Western Africa Medicinal Plants for Cancer
      Therapy: Spotlight on Resistant Cells and Molecular Targets.
AB  - Cancer remains a major health hurdle worldwide and has moved from the third
      leading cause of death in the year 1990 to second place after cardiovascular
      disease since 2013. Chemotherapy is one of the most widely used treatment modes;
      however, its efficiency is limited due to the resistance of cancer cells to
      cytotoxic agents. The present overview deals with the potential of the flora of
      Central, Eastern and Western African (CEWA) regions as resource for anticancer
      drug discovery. It also reviews the molecular targets of phytochemicals of these
      plants such as ABC transporters, namely P-glycoprotein (P-gp), multi drug
      resistance-related proteins (MRPs), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP,
      ABCG2) as well as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/ErbB-1/HER1), human
      tumor suppressor protein p53, caspases, mitochondria, angiogenesis, and
      components of MAP kinase signaling pathways. Plants with the ability to
      preferentially kills resistant cancer cells were also reported. Data compiled in
      the present document were retrieved from scientific websites such as PubMed,
      Scopus, Sciencedirect, Web-of-Science, and Scholar Google. In summary, plant
      extracts from CEWA and isolated compounds thereof exert cytotoxic effects by
      several modes of action including caspases activation, alteration of
      mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), induction of reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) in cancer cells and inhibition of angiogenesis. Ten strongest cytotoxic
      plants from CEWA recorded following in vitro screening assays are: Beilschmiedia
      acuta Kosterm, Echinops giganteus var. lelyi (C. D. Adams) A. Rich., Erythrina
      sigmoidea Hua (Fabaceae), Imperata cylindrical Beauv. var. koenigii Durand et
      Schinz, Nauclea pobeguinii (Pobeg. ex Pellegr.) Merr. ex E.M.A., Piper capense
      L.f., Polyscias fulva (Hiern) Harms., Uapaca togoensis Pax., Vepris soyauxii
      Engl. and Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich. Prominent antiproliferative
      compounds include: isoquinoline alkaloid isotetrandrine (51), two benzophenones:
      guttiferone E (26) and isoxanthochymol (30), the isoflavonoid 6alpha
      hydroxyphaseollidin (9), the naphthyl butenone guieranone A (25), two
      naphthoquinones: 2-acetylfuro-1,4-naphthoquinone (4) and plumbagin (37) and
      xanthone V1 (46). However, only few research activities in the African continent
      focus on cytotoxic drug discovery from botanicals. The present review is expected
      to stimulate further scientific efforts to better valorize the African flora.

PMID- 28626428
TI  - Molecular Surgery Concept from Bench to Bedside: A Focus on TRPV1+ Pain-Sensing
      Neurons.
AB  - "Molecular neurosurgery" is emerging as a new medical concept, and is the
      combination of two partners: (i) a molecular neurosurgery agent, and (ii) the
      cognate receptor whose activation results in the selective elimination of a
      specific subset of neurons in which this receptor is endogenously expressed. In
      general, a molecular surgery agent is a selective and potent ligand, and the
      target is a specific cell type whose elimination is desired through the molecular
      surgery procedure. These target cells have the highest innate sensitivity to the
      molecular surgery agent usually due to the highest receptor density being in
      their plasma membrane. The interaction between the ligand and its receptor evokes
      an overactivity of the receptor. If the receptor is a ligand-activated non
      selective cation channel, the overactivity of receptor leads to excess Ca2+ and
      Na+ influx into the cell and finally cell death. One of the best known examples
      of such an interaction is the effect of ultrapotent vanilloids on TRPV1
      expressing pain-sensing neurons. One intrathecal resiniferatoxin (RTX) dose
      allows for the receptor-mediated removal of TRPV1+ neurons from the peripheral
      nervous system. The TRPV1 receptor-mediated ion influx induces necrotic
      processes, but only in pain-sensing neurons, and usually within an hour. Besides
      that, target-specific apoptotic processes are also induced. Thus, as a nano
      surgery scalpel, RTX removes the neurons responsible for generating pain and
      inflammation from the peripheral nervous system providing an option in clinical
      management for the treatment of morphine-insensitive pain conditions. In the
      future, the molecular surgery concept can also be exploited in cancer research
      for selectively targeting the specific tumor cell.

PMID- 28626430
TI  - Behavior Patterns of Antisocial Teenagers Interacting with Parents and Peers: A
      Longitudinal Study.
AB  - Antisocial behavior may begin during childhood and if maintained during
      adolescence, is likely to continue and escalate during adulthood. During
      adolescence, in particular, it has been established that antisocial behavior may
      be reinforced and shaped by exchanges between the teenager and his parents and
      peers, although the molecular process of these relations is as yet unknown. This
      paper explores the patterns of social interaction established by adolescents with
      and without the risk of engaging in antisocial behavior in order to understand
      the exchanges of them with their most important social groups, during 2 years.
      The study involved a sample of 70 adolescents classified into these two groups
      (with risk of antisocial behavior and control group). They were video-recorded
      interacting with one of their parents and one of their peers, independently. The
      interaction was done about the negotiation of conflictive conversational topics.
      Those video-records were registered by pairs of trained observers, using an
      observational catalog with nineteen behavioral categories, to know about the
      molecular interactional patterns characteristics. Thirty participants were
      evaluated only once, 30 were evaluated two times, and the other 10 were evaluated
      three times, the evaluations were performed annually. It was found that a higher
      occurrence of eye contact and use of open questions and elaborate answers appears
      to act as a protective factor for engaging in antisocial behavior.

PMID- 28626429
TI  - The Potential for Circulating Tumor Cells in Pancreatic Cancer Management.
AB  - Pancreatic cancer is one the most lethal malignancies. Only a small proportion of
      patients with this disease benefit from surgery. Chemotherapy provides only a
      transient benefit. Though much effort has gone into finding new ways for early
      diagnosis and treatment, average patient survival has only been improved in the
      order of months. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are shed from primary tumors,
      including pre-malignant phases. These cells possess information about the genomic
      characteristics of their tumor source in situ, and their detection and
      characterization holds potential in early cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and
      treatment. Liquid Biopsies present an alternative to tumor biopsy that are hard
      to sample. Below we summarize current methods of CTC detection, the current
      literature on CTCs in pancreatic cancer, and future perspectives.

PMID- 28626431
TI  - Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Online Social Therapy for Youth Mental Health.
AB  - Introduction: Benefits from mental health early interventions may not be
      sustained over time, and longer-term intervention programs may be required to
      maintain early clinical gains. However, due to the high intensity of face-to-face
      early intervention treatments, this may not be feasible. Adjunctive internet
      based interventions specifically designed for youth may provide a cost-effective
      and engaging alternative to prevent loss of intervention benefits. However, until
      now online interventions have relied on human moderators to deliver therapeutic
      content. More sophisticated models responsive to user data are critical to inform
      tailored online therapy. Thus, integration of user experience with a
      sophisticated and cutting-edge technology to deliver content is necessary to
      redefine online interventions in youth mental health. This paper discusses the
      development of the moderated online social therapy (MOST) web application, which
      provides an interactive social media-based platform for recovery in mental
      health. We provide an overview of the system's main features and discus our
      current work regarding the incorporation of advanced computational and artificial
      intelligence methods to enhance user engagement and improve the discovery and
      delivery of therapy content. Methods: Our case study is the ongoing Horyzons site
      (5-year randomized controlled trial for youth recovering from early psychosis),
      which is powered by MOST. We outline the motivation underlying the project and
      the web application's foundational features and interface. We discuss system
      innovations, including the incorporation of pertinent usage patterns as well as
      identifying certain limitations of the system. This leads to our current
      motivations and focus on using computational and artificial intelligence methods
      to enhance user engagement, and to further improve the system with novel
      mechanisms for the delivery of therapy content to users. In particular, we cover
      our usage of natural language analysis and chatbot technologies as strategies to
      tailor interventions and scale up the system. Conclusions: To date, the
      innovative MOST system has demonstrated viability in a series of clinical
      research trials. Given the data-driven opportunities afforded by the software
      system, observed usage patterns, and the aim to deploy it on a greater scale, an
      important next step in its evolution is the incorporation of advanced and
      automated content delivery mechanisms.

PMID- 28626432
TI  - Visible Social Interactions Do Not Support the Development of False Belief
      Understanding in the Absence of Linguistic Input: Evidence from Deaf Adult
      Homesigners.
AB  - Congenitally deaf individuals exhibit enhanced visuospatial abilities relative to
      normally hearing individuals. An early example is the increased sensitivity of
      deaf signers to stimuli in the visual periphery (Neville and Lawson, 1987a).
      While these enhancements are robust and extend across a number of visual and
      spatial skills, they seem not to extend to other domains which could potentially
      build on these enhancements. For example, congenitally deaf children, in the
      absence of adequate language exposure and acquisition, do not develop typical
      social cognition skills as measured by traditional Theory of Mind tasks. These
      delays/deficits occur despite their presumed lifetime use of visuo-perceptual
      abilities to infer the intentions and behaviors of others (e.g., Pyers and
      Senghas, 2009; O'Reilly et al., 2014). In a series of studies, we explore the
      limits on the plasticity of visually based socio-cognitive abilities, from
      perspective taking to Theory of Mind/False Belief, in rarely studied individuals:
      deaf adults who have not acquired a conventional language (Homesigners). We
      compared Homesigners' performance to that of two other understudied groups in the
      same culture: Deaf signers of an emerging language (Cohort 1 of Nicaraguan Sign
      Language), and hearing speakers of Spanish with minimal schooling. We found that
      homesigners performed equivalently to both comparison groups with respect to
      several visual socio-cognitive abilities: Perspective Taking (Levels 1 and 2),
      adapted from Masangkay et al. (1974), and the False Photograph task, adapted from
      Leslie and Thaiss (1992). However, a lifetime of visuo-perceptual experiences
      (observing the behavior and interactions of others) did not support success on
      False Belief tasks, even when linguistic demands were minimized. Participants in
      the comparison groups outperformed the Homesigners, but did not universally pass
      the False Belief tasks. Our results suggest that while some of the social
      development achievements of young typically developing children may be
      dissociable from their linguistic experiences, language and/or educational
      experiences clearly scaffolds the transition into False Belief understanding. The
      lack of experience using a shared language cannot be overcome, even with the
      benefit of many years of observing others' behaviors and the potential neural
      reorganization and visuospatial enhancements resulting from deafness.

PMID- 28626433
TI  - War or Peace? How the Subjective Perception of Great Power Interdependence Shapes
      Preemptive Defensive Aggression.
AB  - Why do great powers with benign intentions end up fighting each other in wars
      they do not seek? We utilize an incentivized, two-person "Preemptive Strike Game"
      (PSG) to explore how the subjective perception of great power interdependence
      shapes defensive aggression against persons from rival great powers. In Study 1,
      college students from the United States (N = 115), China (N = 106), and Japan (N
      = 99) made PSG decisions facing each other. This natural experiment revealed that
      Chinese and Japanese participants (a) made more preemptive attacks against each
      other and Americans than against their compatriots, and that (b) greater
      preexisting perceptions of bilateral competition increased intergroup attack
      rates. In Study 2, adult Americans (N = 127) watched real CNN expert interviews
      portraying United States-China economic interdependence as more positive or
      negative. This randomized experiment revealed that the more positive portrayal
      reduced preemptive American strikes against Chinese (but not Japanese), while the
      more negative portrayal amplified American anger about China's rise, increasing
      preemptive attacks against Chinese. We also found, however, that preemptive
      strikes were primarily defensive and not offensive. Interventions to reduce
      defensive aggression and promote great power peace are discussed.

PMID- 28626434
TI  - The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing on Attention, Negative Affect and Stress in
      Healthy Adults.
AB  - A growing number of empirical studies have revealed that diaphragmatic breathing
      may trigger body relaxation responses and benefit both physical and mental
      health. However, the specific benefits of diaphragmatic breathing on mental
      health remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the effect
      of diaphragmatic breathing on cognition, affect, and cortisol responses to
      stress. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either a breathing
      intervention group (BIG) or a control group (CG). The BIG received intensive
      training for 20 sessions, implemented over 8 weeks, employing a real-time
      feedback device, and an average respiratory rate of 4 breaths/min, while the CG
      did not receive this treatment. All participants completed pre- and post-tests of
      sustained attention and affect. Additionally, pre-test and post-test salivary
      cortisol concentrations were determined in both groups. The findings suggested
      that the BIG showed a significant decrease in negative affect after intervention,
      compared to baseline. In the diaphragmatic breathing condition, there was a
      significant interaction effect of group by time on sustained attention, whereby
      the BIG showed significantly increased sustained attention after training,
      compared to baseline. There was a significant interaction effect of group and
      time in the diaphragmatic breathing condition on cortisol levels, whereby the BIG
      had a significantly lower cortisol level after training, while the CG showed no
      significant change in cortisol levels. In conclusion, diaphragmatic breathing
      could improve sustained attention, affect, and cortisol levels. This study
      provided evidence demonstrating the effect of diaphragmatic breathing, a mind
      body practice, on mental function, from a health psychology approach, which has
      important implications for health promotion in healthy individuals.

PMID- 28626435
TI  - Reproducibility in Psychological Science: When Do Psychological Phenomena Exist?
AB  - Scientific evidence has recently been used to assert that certain psychological
      phenomena do not exist. Such claims, however, cannot be made because (1)
      scientific method itself is seriously limited (i.e., it can never prove a
      negative); (2) non-existence of phenomena would require a complete absence of
      both logical (theoretical) and empirical support; even if empirical support is
      weak, logical and theoretical support can be strong; (3) statistical data are
      only one piece of evidence and cannot be used to reduce psychological phenomena
      to statistical phenomena; and (4) psychological phenomena vary across time,
      situations and persons. The human mind is unreproducible from one situation to
      another. Psychological phenomena are not particles that can decisively be tested
      and discovered. Therefore, a declaration that a phenomenon is not real is not
      only theoretically and empirically unjustified but runs counter to the
      propositional and provisional nature of scientific knowledge. There are only
      "temporary winners" and no "final truths" in scientific knowledge. Psychology is
      a science of subtleties in human affect, cognition and behavior. Its phenomena
      fluctuate with conditions and may sometimes be difficult to detect and reproduce
      empirically. When strictly applied, reproducibility is an overstated and even
      questionable concept in psychological science. Furthermore, statistical measures
      (e.g., effect size) are poor indicators of the theoretical importance and
      relevance of phenomena (cf. "deliberate practice" vs. "talent" in expert
      performance), not to mention whether phenomena are real or unreal. To better
      understand psychological phenomena, their theoretical and empirical properties
      should be examined via multiple parameters and criteria. Ten such parameters are
      suggested.

PMID- 28626436
TI  - Judgments at Gaze Value: Gaze Cuing in Banner Advertisements, Its Effect on
      Attention Allocation and Product Judgments.
AB  - Banner advertising is a popular means of promoting products and brands online.
      Although banner advertisements are often designed to be particularly attention
      grabbing, they frequently go unnoticed. Applying an eye-tracking procedure, the
      present research aimed to (a) determine whether presenting human faces (static or
      animated) in banner advertisements is an adequate tool for capturing consumers'
      attention and thus overcoming the frequently observed phenomenon of banner
      blindness, (b) to examine whether the gaze of a featured face possesses the
      ability to direct consumers' attention toward specific elements (i.e., the
      product) in an advertisement, and (c) to establish whether the gaze direction of
      an advertised face influences consumers subsequent evaluation of the advertised
      product. We recorded participants' eye gaze while they viewed a fictional online
      shopping page displaying banner advertisements that featured either no human face
      or a human face that was either static or animated and involved different gaze
      directions (toward or away from the advertised product). Moreover, we asked
      participants to subsequently evaluate a set of products, one of which was the
      product previously featured in the banner advertisement. Results showed that,
      when advertisements included a human face, participants' attention was more
      attracted by and they looked longer at animated compared with static banner
      advertisements. Moreover, when a face gazed toward the product region,
      participants' likelihood of looking at the advertised product increased
      regardless of whether the face was animated or not. Most important, gaze
      direction influenced subsequent product evaluations; that is, consumers indicated
      a higher intention to buy a product when it was previously presented in a banner
      advertisement that featured a face that gazed toward the product. The results
      suggest that while animation in banner advertising constitutes a salient feature
      that captures consumers' visual attention, gaze cuing can be an effective tool
      for driving viewers' attention toward specific elements in the advertisement and
      even shaping consumers' intentions to purchase the advertised product.

PMID- 28626437
TI  - Counter-Stereotypes and Feminism Promote Leadership Aspirations in Highly
      Identified Women.
AB  - Although women who highly identify with other women are more susceptible to
      stereotype threat effects, women's identification might associate with greater
      leadership aspirations contingent on (1) counter-stereotype salience and (2)
      feminist identification. When gender counter-stereotypes are salient, women's
      identification should associate with greater leadership aspiration regardless of
      feminism, while when gender stereotypes are salient, women's identification would
      predict greater leadership aspirations contingent on a high level of feminist
      identification. In our study US-based women (N = 208) attended to gender
      stereotypic (vs. counter-stereotypic) content. We measured identification with
      women and identification with feminism, and, following the manipulation,
      leadership aspirations in an imagined work scenario. The interaction between
      identification with women, identification with feminism, and attention to
      stereotypes (vs. counter-stereotypes) significantly predicted leadership
      aspirations. In the counter-stereotypic condition women's identification
      associated with greater leadership aspirations regardless of feminist
      identification. In the stereotypic condition women's identification predicted
      leadership aspirations only at high levels of feminist identification. We
      conclude that salient counter-stereotypes and a strong identification with
      feminism may help high women identifiers increase their leadership aspirations.

PMID- 28626438
TI  - Sensitivity to Stroke Emerges in Kindergartners Reading Chinese Script.
AB  - To what extent are young children sensitive to individual stroke, the smallest
      unit of writing in Chinese that carries no phonological or semantic information?
      The present study examined Chinese kindergartners' sensitivity to stroke and the
      contribution of reading ability and age to stroke sensitivity. Fifty five
      children from Beijing, including 28 4-year-olds (Mage = 4.55 years, SD = 0.28, 16
      males) and 29 5-year-olds (Mage = 5.58 years, SD = 0.30, 14 males), were
      administered an orthographic matching task and assessed on non-verbal IQ and
      Chinese word reading. In the orthographic matching task, children were asked to
      decide whether two items were exactly the same or different in three conditions,
      with stimuli being correctly written characters (e.g., ""), stroke-missing or
      redundant characters (e.g., ""), and Tibetan alphabets (e.g., ""), respectively.
      The stimuli were presented with E-prime 2.0 software and were displayed on a
      Surface Pro. Children responded by touching the screen and reaction time was used
      as a measure of processing efficiency. The 5-year-olds but not the 4-year-olds
      processed correctly written characters more efficiently than stroke
      missing/redundant characters, suggesting emergence of stroke sensitivity from age
      5. The 4- and 5-year-olds both processed correctly written characters more
      efficiently than Tibetan alphabets, ruling out the possibility that the 5 year
      olds' sensitivity to stroke was due to the unusual look of the stimuli.
      Hierarchical regression analyses showed that Chinese word reading explained 10%
      additional variance in stroke sensitivity after having statistically controlled
      for age. Age did not account for additional variance in stroke sensitivity after
      having considered Chinese word reading. Taken together, findings of this study
      revealed that despite the visually highly complex nature of Chinese and the fact
      that individual stroke carries no phonological or semantic information, children
      develop sensitivity to stroke from age 5 and such sensitivity is significantly
      associated with reading experience.

PMID- 28626439
TI  - Attentive Observation Is Essential for the Misattribution of Agency to Self
      Performance.
AB  - Recent studies have repeatedly demonstrated a false memory phenomenon in which
      people falsely remember having performed an action by oneself when in fact they
      have only observed the action by another person. We investigated the attentional
      effect to the action itself on the observation inflation. Fifty-four participants
      first performed and read actions (Phase 1); then, they observed the action video
      that showed another's actions (Phase 2), some of which they had not performed in
      Phase 1. In the Phase 2, they were required to focus on either the actor's
      performance (i.e., attentive observation condition) or irrelevant objects, which
      were presented in the background (i.e., inattentive observation condition) to
      modulate their attention. Around 2 weeks later, participants took a surprise
      source-memory test (Phase 3). In this phase, we asked them to judge whether they
      "performed," "read," or "not presented" the action in Phase 1. Three participants
      were removed from analysis, because they could not attend Phase 3 within 10-16
      days after completion of the second phase. We found observation inflation only in
      the attentive condition, which contradicted the notions from other false memory
      studies that showed that attention to the target stimuli reduced false memory in
      general. We discussed the observation inflation mechanism from the perspective of
      the "like me" system, including the mirror neuron system, self-ownership, and
      self-agency.

PMID- 28626440
TI  - Executive Function in Adolescence: Associations with Child and Family Risk
      Factors and Self-Regulation in Early Childhood.
AB  - Executive functions are important higher-order cognitive skills for goal-directed
      thought and action. These capacities contribute to successful school achievement
      and lifelong wellbeing. The importance of executive functions to children's
      education begins in early childhood and continues throughout development. This
      study explores contributions of child and family factors in early childhood to
      the development of executive function in adolescence. Analyses draw on data from
      the nationally representative study, Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal
      Study of Australian Children. Participants are 4819 children in the Kindergarten
      Cohort who were recruited at age 4-5 years. Path analyses were employed to
      examine contributions of early childhood factors, including family socio-economic
      position (SEP), parenting behaviors, maternal mental health, and a child
      behavioral risk index, to the development of executive function in adolescence.
      The influence of children's early self-regulatory behaviors (attentional
      regulation at 4-5 years and approaches to learning at 6-7 years) were also taken
      into account. A composite score for the outcome measure of executive function was
      constructed from scores on three Cogstate computerized tasks for assessing
      cognition and measured visual attention, visual working memory, and spatial
      problem-solving. Covariates included child gender, age at assessment of executive
      function, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, speaking a language other
      than English at home, and child's receptive vocabulary skills. There were
      significant indirect effects involving child and family risk factors measured at
      4-5 years on executive function at age 14-15 years, mediated by measures of self
      regulatory behavior. Child behavioral risk, family SEP and parenting behaviors
      (anger, warmth, and consistency) were associated with attentional regulation at 4
      5 years which, in turn, was significantly associated with approaches to learning
      at 6-7 years. Both attentional regulation and approaches to learning were
      directly associated with executive functioning at 14-15 years. These findings
      suggest that children's early self-regulatory capacities are the basis for later
      development of executive function in adolescence when capabilities for planning
      and problem-solving are important to achieving educational goals.

PMID- 28626441
TI  - Teaching Improvisation through Processes. Applications in Music Education and
      Implications for General Education.
AB  - Improvisation is an articulated multidimensional activity based on an
      extemporaneous creative performance. Practicing improvisation, participants
      expand sophisticated skills such as sensory and perceptual encoding, memory
      storage and recall, motor control, and performance monitoring. Improvisation
      abilities have been developed following several methodologies mainly with a
      product-oriented perspective. A model framed under the socio-cultural theory of
      learning for designing didactic activities on processes instead of outcomes is
      presented in the current paper. The challenge is to overcome the mere
      instructional dimension of some practices of teaching improvisation by designing
      activities that stimulate self-regulated learning strategies in the students. In
      the article the present thesis is declined in three ways, concerning the
      following three possible areas of application: (1) high-level musical learning,
      (2) musical pedagogy with children, (3) general pedagogy. The applications in the
      music field focusing mainly on an expert's use of improvisation are discussed.
      The last section considers how these ideas should transcend music studies,
      presenting the benefits and the implications of improvisation activities for
      general learning. Moreover, the application of music education to the following
      cognitive processes are discussed: anticipation, use of repertoire, emotive
      communication, feedback and flow. These characteristics could be used to outline
      a pedagogical method for teaching music improvisation based on the development of
      reflection, reasoning, and meta-cognition.

PMID- 28626442
TI  - Influence of Cognitive Functioning on Age-Related Performance Declines in
      Visuospatial Sequence Learning.
AB  - Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate how age-related performance
      differences in a visuospatial sequence learning task relate to age-related
      declines in cognitive functioning. Method: Cognitive functioning of 18 younger
      and 18 older participants was assessed using a standardized test battery.
      Participants then undertook a perceptual visuospatial sequence learning task.
      Various relationships between sequence learning and participants' cognitive
      functioning were examined through correlation and factor analysis. Results: Older
      participants exhibited significantly lower performance than their younger
      counterparts in the sequence learning task as well as in multiple cognitive
      functions. Factor analysis revealed two independent subsets of cognitive
      functions associated with performance in the sequence learning task, related to
      either the processing and storage of sequence information (first subset) or
      problem solving (second subset). Age-related declines were only found for the
      first subset of cognitive functions, which also explained a significant degree of
      the performance differences in the sequence learning task between age-groups.
      Discussion: The results suggest that age-related performance differences in
      perceptual visuospatial sequence learning can be explained by declines in the
      ability to process and store sequence information in older adults, while a set of
      cognitive functions related to problem solving mediates performance differences
      independent of age.

PMID- 28626443
TI  - Eye Movements Reveal Optimal Strategies for Analogical Reasoning.
AB  - Analogical reasoning refers to the process of drawing inferences on the basis of
      the relational similarity between two domains. Although this complex cognitive
      ability has been the focus of inquiry for many years, most models rely on
      measures that cannot capture individuals' thought processes moment by moment. In
      the present study, we used participants' eye movements to investigate reasoning
      strategies in real time while solving visual propositional analogy problems
      (A:B::C:D). We included both a semantic and a perceptual lure on every trial to
      determine how these types of distracting information influence reasoning
      strategies. Participants spent more time fixating the analogy terms and the
      target relative to the other response choices, and made more saccades between the
      A and B items than between any other items. Participants' eyes were initially
      drawn to perceptual lures when looking at response choices, but they nonetheless
      performed the task accurately. We used participants' gaze sequences to classify
      each trial as representing one of three classic analogy problem solving
      strategies and related strategy usage to analogical reasoning performance. A
      project-first strategy, in which participants first extrapolate the relation
      between the AB pair and then generalize that relation for the C item, was both
      the most commonly used strategy as well as the optimal strategy for solving
      visual analogy problems. These findings provide new insight into the role of
      strategic processing in analogical problem solving.

PMID- 28626444
TI  - Aging with Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Dizziness: The Importance of
      Undiagnosed Peripheral Vestibular Disorders.
AB  - Recent studies showed a link between cerebral small vessel white matter disease
      (SVD) and dizziness: patients whose dizziness cannot be explained by vestibular
      disease show severe SVD and gait abnormalities; however, little is still known
      about how SVD can cause this symptom. The primary aim of this study is to examine
      the possible underlying causes of dizziness in neurovascular patients; this is in
      order to assess whether treatable causes could be routinely disregarded. A
      secondary aim is to possibly define a central oculomotor pattern induced per se
      by SVD. This could help the diagnosis of SVD-related dizziness. In this single
      blind prospective study, 60 patients referred to a neurovascular clinic because
      of dizziness and SVD on imaging were divided into an L-SVD and a H-SVD group (low
      and high SVD burden, respectively), and then blindly examined with
      vestibulometric tests. In H-SVD group, the percentage of unexplained dizziness
      reached 82.8%. There was a higher prevalence of peripheral vestibular
      abnormalities in the L-SVD patient group (51.6%) than in the H-SVD (17.2%; p =
      0.012). We found no differences in central oculomotor findings between the two
      groups. Although oculomotricity does not show any consistent pattern, a severe
      SVD can directly represent a cause of dizziness. However, a patient with mild SVD
      is more likely to suffer by a peripheral vestibular disorder. Therefore, given
      the high incidence of vestibular disease in neurovascular or geriatric clinics,
      clinicians should be cautious when ascribing dizziness solely to the presence of
      SVD as easily treatable peripheral vestibular causes may be missed.

PMID- 28626445
TI  - Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Linked to Age of Onset and Reading Recognition
      in Multiple Sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) exert a psychological and
      physiological toll that increases risk of chronic conditions, poorer social
      functioning, and cognitive impairment in adulthood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the
      relationship between childhood adversity and clinical disease features in
      multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: Sixty-seven participants with MS completed the
      ACE assessment and neuropsychological assessments as part of a larger clinical
      trial of cognitive remediation. RESULTS: Adverse childhood experience scores, a
      measure of exposure to adverse events in childhood, significantly predicted age
      of MS onset (r = -0.30, p = 0.04). ACEs were also linked to reading recognition
      (a proxy for premorbid IQ) (r = -0.25, p = 0.04). ACE scores were not related to
      age, current disability, or current level of cognitive impairment measured by the
      Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). CONCLUSION: Childhood adversity may increase
      the likelihood of earlier age of onset and poorer estimated premorbid IQ in MS.

PMID- 28626446
TI  - GnRH Induces ERK-Dependent Bleb Formation in Gonadotrope Cells, Involving
      Recruitment of Members of a GnRH Receptor-Associated Signalosome to the Blebs.
AB  - We have previously described a signaling complex (signalosome) associated with
      the GnRH receptor (GnRHR). We now report that GnRH induces bleb formation in the
      gonadotrope-derived LbetaT2 cells. The blebs appear within ~2 min at a turnover
      rate of ~2-3 blebs/min and last for at least 90 min. Formation of the blebs
      requires active ERK1/2 and RhoA-ROCK but not active c-Src. Although the following
      ligands stimulate ERK1/2 in LbetaT2 cells: EGF > GnRH > PMA > cyclic adenosine
      monophosphate (cAMP), they produced little or no effect on bleb formation as
      compared to the robust effect of GnRH (GnRH > PMA > cAMP > EGF), indicating that
      ERK1/2 is required but not sufficient for bleb formation possibly due to
      compartmentalization. Members of the above mentioned signalosome are recruited to
      the blebs, some during bleb formation (GnRHR, c-Src, ERK1/2, focal adhesion
      kinase, paxillin, and tubulin), and some during bleb retraction (vinculin), while
      F-actin decorates the blebs during retraction. Fluorescence intensity
      measurements for the above proteins across the cells showed higher intensity in
      the blebs vs. intracellular area. Moreover, GnRH induces blebs in primary
      cultures of rat pituitary cells and isolated mouse gonadotropes in an ERK1/2
      dependent manner. The novel signalosome-bleb pathway suggests that as with the
      signalosome, the blebs are apparently involved in cell migration. Hence, we have
      extended the potential candidates which are involved in the blebs life cycle in
      general and for the GnRHR in particular.

PMID- 28626447
TI  - Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Glomerulopathies.
AB  - Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is generally associated with hypothyroidism. It
      affects ~2% of the female population and 0.2% of the male population. The
      evidence of thyroid function- and thyroid autoantibody-unrelated microproteinuria
      in almost half of patients with AIT and sometimes heavy proteinuria as in the
      nephrotic syndrome point to a link of AIT with renal disease. The most common
      renal diseases observed in AIT are membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative
      glomerulonephritis, minimal change disease, IgA nephropathy, focal segmental
      glomerulosclerosis, antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) vasculitis,
      and amyloidosis. Different hypotheses have been put forward regarding the
      relationship between AIT and glomerulopathies, and several potential mechanisms
      for this association have been considered. Glomerular deposition of
      immunocomplexes of thyroglobulin and autoantibodies as well as the impaired
      immune tolerance for megalin (a thyrotropin-regulated glycoprotein expressed on
      thyroid cells) are the most probable mechanisms. Cross-reactivity between
      antigens in the setting of genetic predisposition has been considered as a
      potential mechanism that links the described association between ANCA vasculitis
      and AIT.

PMID- 28626448
TI  - The Common Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Receptor (FSHR) Promoter Polymorphism
      FSHR -29G > A Affects Androgen Production in Normal Human Small Antral Follicles.
AB  - Follicle-stimulating hormone receptors (FSHRs) are almost exclusively expressed
      on granulosa cells, and FSH action is probably most clearly reflected in
      intrafollicular hormone milieu of antral follicles. Little is known about the
      possible effects of the common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) FSHR -29G > A
      (rs1394205) on hormonal conditions in humsan small antral follicles (hSAFs)
      obtained from women in the natural menstrual cycle. This study investigated the
      follicle fluid (FF) concentrations of anti-Mullerian hormone, estradiol,
      progesterone, androstenedione, and testosterone in hSAF in relation to the
      different genotypes of FSHR -29G > A. FF from 362 follicles was collected in 95
      women undergoing fertility preservation, who did not suffer from a disease that
      directly affected ovarian function. The testosterone levels of the minor A/A
      genotype were significantly increased compared to the A/G and the G/G genotype.
      Furthermore, significantly reduced androstenedione levels were observed for the
      G/G genotype, as compared to the A/G genotype, while the other hormones did not
      show statistical significant differences. In conclusion, the androgen levels of
      hSAF were significantly elevated in the minor SNP genotype in the FSHR promoter
      polymorphism FSHR -29G > A.

PMID- 28626449
TI  - Characterization of Feruloyl Esterases Produced by the Four Lactobacillus
      Species: L. amylovorus, L. acidophilus, L. farciminis and L. fermentum, Isolated
      from Ensiled Corn Stover.
AB  - Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play important roles in silage fermentation, which
      depends on the production of sufficient organic acids to inhibit the growth of
      undesirable microorganisms. However, LAB are not able to degrade cellulose and
      hemicellulose. Bacteria and fibrolytic enzymes are usually used as inoculants to
      improve the silage quality and digestibility. In the present study, we isolated
      four Lactobacillus strains (L. amylovorus CGMCC 11056, L. acidophilus CCTCC
      AB2010208, L. farciminis CCTCC AB2016237 and L. fermentum CCTCC AB2010204) with
      feruloyl esterase (FAE) activities from ensiled corn stover (CS) by a plate
      screening assay. The genes encoding FAEs were cloned and hetero-expressed in
      Escherichia coli. The optimal temperature and pH of these purified enzymes ranged
      from 45 to 50 degrees C and from 7.0 to 8.0, respectively. They could hydrolyze
      hydroxycinnamoyl esters in a substrate-specific manner when methyl ferulate,
      methyl caffeate, methyl rho-coumarate and methyl sinapinate were used as
      substrates. Moreover, these four FAEs were able to hydrolyze CS to release
      hydroxycinnamic acids. Furthermore, these strains could degrade hydroxycinnamic
      esters, and L. amylovorus CGMCC 11056 was the most efficient strain among these
      four isolates. These results provided a new target for the development of
      inoculants to improve silage quality and digestibility.

PMID- 28626450
TI  - Microbial Phosphorus Solubilization and Its Potential for Use in Sustainable
      Agriculture.
AB  - The use of excess conventional Phosphorus (P) fertilizers to improve agricultural
      productivity, in order to meet constantly increasing global food demand,
      potentially causes surface and ground water pollution, waterway eutrophication,
      soil fertility depletion, and accumulation of toxic elements such as high
      concentration of selenium (Se), arsenic (As) in the soil. Quite a number of soil
      microorganisms are capable of solubilizing/mineralizing insoluble soil phosphate
      to release soluble P and making it available to plants. These microorganisms
      improve the growth and yield of a wide variety of crops. Thus, inoculating
      seeds/crops/soil with Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms (PSM) is a promising
      strategy to improve world food production without causing any environmental
      hazard. Despite their great significance in soil fertility improvement,
      phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms have yet to replace conventional chemical
      fertilizers in commercial agriculture. A better understanding of recent
      developments in PSM functional diversity, colonizing ability, mode of actions and
      judicious application should facilitate their use as reliable components of
      sustainable agricultural systems. In this review, we discussed various soil
      microorganisms that have the ability to solubilize phosphorus and hence have the
      potential to be used as bio fertilizers. The mechanisms of inorganic phosphate
      solubilization by PSM and the mechanisms of organic phosphorus mineralization are
      highlighted together with some factors that determine the success of this
      technology. Finally we provide some indications that the use of PSM will promote
      sustainable agriculture and conclude that this technology is ready for commercial
      exploitation in various regions worldwide.

PMID- 28626451
TI  - Dependency of B-1 Cells in the Maintenance of Splenic Interleukin-10 Producing
      Cells and Impairment of Macrophage Resistance in Visceral Leishmaniasis.
AB  - Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by Leishmania protozoa
      parasites transmitted by infected sand fly vectors. This disease represents the
      second in mortality among tropical infections and is associated to a profound
      immunosuppression state of the host. The hallmark of this infection-induced host
      immunodeviation is the characteristic high levels of the regulatory interleukin
      10 (IL-10) cytokine. In the present study, we investigated the role of B-1 cells
      in the maintenance of splenic IL-10 levels that could interfere with resistance
      to parasite infection. Using an experimental murine infection model with
      Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi we demonstrated an improved resistance of B-1
      deficient BALB/XID mice to infection. BALB/XID mice developed a reduced
      splenomegaly with diminished splenic parasite burden and lower levels of IL-10
      secretion of purified splenocytes at 30 days post-infection, as compared to
      BALB/c wild-type control mice. Interestingly, we found that resident peritoneal
      macrophages isolated from BALB/XID mice were more effective to control the
      parasite load in comparison to cells isolated from BALB/c wild-type mice. Our
      findings point to a role of B-1 cells in the host susceptibility to visceral
      leishmaniasis.

PMID- 28626452
TI  - Proteomic Differences between Developmental Stages of Toxoplasma gondii Revealed
      by iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomics.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii has a complex two-host life-cycle between intermediate host and
      definitive host. Understanding proteomic variations across the life-cycle stages
      of T. gondii may improve the understanding of molecular adaption mechanism of T.
      gondii across life-cycle stages, and should have implications for the development
      of new treatment and prevention interventions against T. gondii infection. Here,
      we utilized LC-MS/MS coupled with iTRAQ labeling technology to identify
      differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) specific to tachyzoite (T), bradyzoites
      containing cyst (C) and sporulated oocyst (O) stages of the cyst-forming T.
      gondii Prugniuad (Pru) strain. A total of 6285 proteins were identified in the
      three developmental stages of T. gondii. Our analysis also revealed 875, 656, and
      538 DEPs in O vs. T, T vs. C, and C vs. O, respectively. The up- and down
      regulated proteins were analyzed by Gene Ontology enrichment, KEGG pathway and
      STRING analyses. Some virulence-related factors and ribosomal proteins exhibited
      distinct expression patterns across the life-cycle stages. The virulence factors
      expressed in sporulated oocysts and the number of up-regulated virulence factors
      in the cyst stage were about twice as many as in tachyzoites. Of the 79 ribosomal
      proteins identified in T. gondii, the number of up-regulated ribosomal proteins
      was 33 and 46 in sporulated oocysts and cysts, respectively, compared with
      tachyzoites. These results support the hypothesis that oocyst and cystic stages
      are able to adapt to adverse environmental conditions and selection pressures
      induced by the host's immune response, respectively. These findings have
      important implications for understanding of the developmental biology of T.
      gondii, which may facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic targets to better
      control toxoplasmosis.

PMID- 28626453
TI  - Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Influence Microflora in Ileal Digesta and Correlate Well
      with Blood Metabolites.
AB  - Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are used widely in consumer and industrial
      products, however, their influence on gut microbiota and metabolism and their
      mutual interactions are not fully understood. In this study, the effects of ZnO
      NPs on ileal bacterial communities, plasma metabolites, and correlations between
      them were investigated. Hens were fed with different concentrations of ZnO NPs
      [based on Zn; 0 mg/kg (control), 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, and 100 mg/kg] for 9 weeks.
      Subsequently, ileal digesta and blood plasma were collected for analysis of
      microflora and metabolites, respectively. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene
      of ileal digesta microbiota was sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform.
      The predominant bacterial community in the ileum belongs to the phylum
      Firmicutes. The richness of the bacterial community was negatively correlated
      with increasing amounts of ZnO NPs (r = -0.636, P < 0.01); when ZnO NP levels
      were at 100 mg/kg, microbiota diversity was significantly decreased (P < 0.05).
      The community structure determined by LEfSe analysis indicated that Bacilli,
      Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria were changed, and Lactobacillus was reduced by
      ZnO NPs. Moreover, metabolism as analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
      indicated that glucose, some amino acids, and other metabolites were changed by
      ZnO NPs. Choline, lactate, and methionine were positively correlated with
      bacterial richness. In summary, ZnO NPs could influence the levels of microflora
      in ileal digesta, particularly Lactobacillus. Furthermore, the richness of the
      microbiota was related to changes in choline, lactate, and methionine metabolism.

PMID- 28626455
TI  - Editorial: Resource Recovery from Wastewater by Biological Technologies.

PMID- 28626454
TI  - A Syst-OMICS Approach to Ensuring Food Safety and Reducing the Economic Burden of
      Salmonellosis.
AB  - The Salmonella Syst-OMICS consortium is sequencing 4,500 Salmonella genomes and
      building an analysis pipeline for the study of Salmonella genome evolution,
      antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Metadata, including phenotypic as well
      as genomic data, for isolates of the collection are provided through the
      Salmonella Foodborne Syst-OMICS database (SalFoS), at
      https://salfos.ibis.ulaval.ca/. Here, we present our strategy and the analysis of
      the first 3,377 genomes. Our data will be used to draw potential links between
      strains found in fresh produce, humans, animals and the environment. The ultimate
      goals are to understand how Salmonella evolves over time, improve the accuracy of
      diagnostic methods, develop control methods in the field, and identify prognostic
      markers for evidence-based decisions in epidemiology and surveillance.

PMID- 28626456
TI  - Bactericidal Effect of Photodynamic Therapy, Alone or in Combination with
      Mupirocin or Linezolid, on Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - Antibiotic treatments frequently fail due to the development of antibiotic
      resistance, underscoring the need for new treatment strategies. Antimicrobial
      photodynamic therapy (aPDT) could constitute an alternative therapy. In bacterial
      suspensions of Staphylococcus aureus, which is commonly implicated in cutaneous
      and mucosal infections, we evaluated the in vitro efficacy of aPDT, using the
      photosensitizing agents rose bengal (RB) or methylene blue (MB), alone or
      combined with the antibiotics mupirocin (MU) or linezolid (LN). RB or MB, at
      concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 10 MUg/ml, were added to S. aureus ATCC 29213
      suspensions containing >108 cells/ml, in the absence or presence of MU or LN (1
      or 10 MUg/ml). Suspensions were irradiated with a white metal halide (lambda 420
      700 nm) or light-emitting diode lamp (lambda 515 and lambda 625 nm), and the
      number of viable bacteria quantified by counting colony-forming units (CFU) on
      blood agar. Addition of either antibiotic had no significant effect on the number
      of CFU/ml. By contrast, RB-aPDT and MB-aPDT effectively inactivated S. aureus, as
      evidenced by a 6 log10 reduction in bacterial growth. In the presence of MU or
      LN, the same 6 log10 reduction was observed in response to aPDT, but was achieved
      using significantly lower concentrations of the photosensitizers RB or MB. In
      conclusion, the combination of MU or LN and RB/MB-aPDT appears to exert a
      synergistic bactericidal effect against S. aureus in vitro.

PMID- 28626458
TI  - Corrigendum: Identification of Rare PB2-D701N Mutation from a Patient with Severe
      Influenza: Contribution of the PB2-D701N Mutation to the Pathogenicity of Human
      Influenza.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 575 in vol. 8, PMID: 28421062.].

PMID- 28626457
TI  - Characterization of Novel Integrons, In1085 and In1086, and the Surrounding Genes
      in Plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae, and the Role for attCaadA16 Structural
      Features during attI1 * attC Integration.
AB  - Novel class 1 integrons In1085 and In1086, containing the class D beta-lactamase 
      encoding gene blaOXA, were identified in clinical enterobacterial strains. In
      this study, we aimed to characterize the genetic contexts of In1085 and In1086,
      with the goal of identifying putative mechanisms of integron mobilization. Four
      plasmids, approximately 5.3, 5.3, 5.7, and 6.6 kb, from 71 clinical
      Enterobacteriaceae strains were found to contain class 1 integrons (In37, In62,
      In1085, and In1086, respectively). Two of these plasmids, pEco336 and pNsa292,
      containing In1085 and In1086, respectively, were further characterized by
      antibiotic susceptibility testing, conjugation experiments, PCR, sequencing, and
      gene mapping. The OXA-type carbapenemase activities of the parental strains were
      also assessed. The results revealed that the novel integrons had different
      genetic environments, and therefore demonstrated diverse biochemical
      characteristics. Using evolutionary inferences based on the recombination of gene
      cassettes, we also identified a role for attCaadA16 structural features during
      attI1 * attC insertion reactions. Our analysis showed that gene cassette
      insertions in the bottom strand of attCaadA16 in the correct orientation lead to
      the expression the encoded genes from the Pc promoter. Our study suggests that
      the genetic features harbored within the integrons are inserted in a discernable
      pattern, involving the stepwise and parallel evolution of class 1 integron
      variations under antibiotic selection pressures in a clinical setting.

PMID- 28626459
TI  - The Immunogenicity and Immune Tolerance of Pluripotent Stem Cell Derivatives.
AB  - Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can undergo unlimited self-renewal and
      differentiate into all cell types in human body, and therefore hold great
      potential for cell therapy of currently incurable diseases including neural
      degenerative diseases, heart failure, and macular degeneration. This potential is
      further underscored by the promising safety and efficacy data from the ongoing
      clinical trials of hESC-based therapy of macular degeneration. However, one main
      challenge for the clinical application of hESC-based therapy is the allogeneic
      immune rejection of hESC-derived cells by the recipient. The breakthrough of the
      technology to generate autologous-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by
      nuclear reprogramming of patient's somatic cells raised the possibility that
      autologous iPSC-derived cells can be transplanted into the patients without the
      concern of immune rejection. However, accumulating data indicate that certain
      iPSC-derived cells can be immunogenic. In addition, the genomic instability
      associated with iPSCs raises additional safety concern to use iPSC-derived cells
      in human cell therapy. In this review, we will discuss the mechanism underlying
      the immunogenicity of the pluripotent stem cells and recent progress in
      developing immune tolerance strategies of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)
      derived allografts. The successful development of safe and effective immune
      tolerance strategy will greatly facilitate the clinical development of hPSC-based
      cell therapy.

PMID- 28626460
TI  - Differential Effect of Cytomegalovirus Infection with Age on the Expression of
      CD57, CD300a, and CD161 on T-Cell Subpopulations.
AB  - Immunosenescence is a progressive deterioration of the immune system with aging.
      It affects both innate and adaptive immunity limiting the response to pathogens
      and to vaccines. As chronic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is probably one of
      the major driving forces of immunosenescence, and its persistent infection
      results in functional and phenotypic changes to the T-cell repertoire, the aim of
      this study was to analyze the effect of CMV-seropositivity and aging on the
      expression of CD300a and CD161 inhibitory receptors, along with the expression of
      CD57 marker on CD4+, CD8+, CD8+CD56+ (NKT-Like) and CD4-CD8- (DN) T-cell subsets.
      Our results showed that, regardless of the T-cell subset, CD57-CD161-CD300a+ T
      cells expand with age in CMV-seropositive individuals, whereas CD57-CD161+CD300a+
      T-cells decrease. Similarly, CD57+CD161-CD300a+ T-cells expand with age in CMV
      seropositive individuals in all subsets except in DN cells and CD57-CD161+CD300a-
      T-cells decrease in all T-cell subsets except in CD4+ T-cells. Besides, in young
      individuals, CMV latent infection associates with the expansion of CD57+CD161
      CD300a+CD4+, CD57-CD161-CD300a+CD4+, CD57+CD161-CD300a+CD8+, CD57-CD161
      CD300a+CD8+, CD57+CD161-CD300a+NKT-like, and CD57+CD161-CD300a+DN T-cells.
      Moreover, in young individuals, CD161 expression on T-cells is not affected by
      CMV infection. Changes of CD161 expression were only associated with age in the
      context of CMV latent infection. Besides, CD300a+CD57+CD161+ and CD300a
      CD57+CD161+ phenotypes were not found in any of the T-cell subsets studied except
      in the DN subpopulation, indicating that in the majority of T-cells, CD161 and
      CD57 do not co-express. Thus, our results show that CMV latent infection impact
      on the immune system depends on the age of the individual, highlighting the
      importance of including CMV serology in any study regarding immunosenescence.

PMID- 28626461
TI  - Neoglycoconjugate of Tetrasaccharide Representing One Repeating Unit of the
      Streptococcus pneumoniae Type 14 Capsular Polysaccharide Induces the Production
      of Opsonizing IgG1 Antibodies and Possesses the Highest Protective Activity As
      Compared to Hexa- and Octasaccharide Conjugates.
AB  - Identifying protective synthetic oligosaccharide (OS) epitopes of Streptococcus
      pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides (CPs) is an indispensable step in the
      development of third-generation carbohydrate pneumococcal vaccines. Synthetic
      tetra-, hexa-, and octasaccharide structurally related to CP of S. pneumoniae
      type 14 were coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA), adjuvanted with aluminum
      hydroxide, and tested for their immunogenicity in mice upon intraperitoneal prime
      boost immunizations. Injections of the conjugates induced production of
      opsonizing anti-OS IgG1 antibodies (Abs). Immunization with the tetra- and
      octasaccharide conjugates stimulated the highest titers of the specific Abs.
      Further, the tetrasaccharide ligand demonstrated the highest ability to bind OS
      and CP Abs. Murine immune sera developed against tetra- and octasaccharide
      conjugates promoted pathogen opsonization to a higher degree than antisera
      against conjugated hexasaccharide. For the first time, the protective activities
      of these glycoconjugates were demonstrated in mouse model of generalized
      pneumococcal infections. The tetrasaccharide conjugate possessed the highest
      protective activities. Conversely, the octasaccharide conjugate had lower
      protective activities and the lowest one showed the hexasaccharide conjugate.
      Sera against all of the glycoconjugates passively protected naive mice from
      pneumococcal infections. Given that the BSA-tetrasaccharide induced the most
      abundant yield of specific Abs and the best protective activity, this OS may be
      regarded as the most promising candidate for the development of conjugated
      vaccines against S. pneumoniae type 14 infections.

PMID- 28626462
TI  - Editorial: Inflammatory Signaling in Bone Marrow Failure and Hematopoietic
      Malignancy.

PMID- 28626464
TI  - Toward Unveiling the Mechanisms for Transcriptional Regulation of Proline
      Biosynthesis in the Plant Cell Response to Biotic and Abiotic Stress Conditions.
AB  - Proline accumulation occurs in plants following the exposure to a wide array of
      stress conditions, as well as during numerous physiological and adaptive
      processes. Increasing evidence also supports the involvement of proline
      metabolism in the plant response to pathogen attack. This requires that the
      biosynthetic pathway is triggered by components of numerous and different signal
      transduction chains. Indeed, several reports recently described activation of
      genes coding for enzymes of the glutamate pathway by transcription factors (TFs)
      belonging to various families. Here, we summarize some of these findings with
      special emphasis on rice, and show the occurrence of a plethora of putative TF
      binding sites in the promoter of such genes.

PMID- 28626465
TI  - Altered Expression of OsNLA1 Modulates Pi Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
      Plants.
AB  - Current agricultural practices rely on heavy use of fertilizers for increased
      crop productivity. However, the problems associated with heavy fertilizer use,
      such as high cost and environmental pollution, require the development of crop
      species with increased nutrient use efficiency. In this study, by using
      transgenic approaches, we have revealed the critical role of OsNLA1 in phosphate
      (Pi) accumulation of rice plants. When grown under sufficient Pi and nitrate
      levels, OsNLA1 knockdown (Osnla1-1, Osnla1-2, and Osnla1-3) lines accumulated
      higher Pi content in their shoot tissues compared to wild-type, whereas, over
      expression lines (OsNLA1-OE1, OsNLA1-OE2, and OsNLA1-OE3) accumulated the least
      levels of Pi. However, under high Pi levels, knockdown lines accumulated much
      higher Pi content compared to wild-type and exhibited Pi toxicity symptoms in the
      leaves. In contrast, the over-expression lines had 50-60% of the Pi content of
      wild-type and did not show such symptoms. When grown under limiting nitrate
      levels, OsNLA1 transgenic lines also displayed a similar pattern in Pi
      accumulation and Pi toxicity symptoms compared to wild-type suggesting an
      existence of cross-talk between nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P), which is
      regulated by OsNLA1. The greater Pi accumulation in knockdown lines was a result
      of enhanced Pi uptake/permeability of roots compared to the wild-type. The cross
      talk between N and P was found to be nitrate specific since the knockdown lines
      failed to over-accumulate Pi under low (sub-optimal) ammonium level. Moreover,
      OsNLA1 was also found to interact with OsPHO2, a known regulator of Pi
      homeostasis, in a Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) assay. Taken together, these results
      show that OsNLA1 is involved in Pi homeostasis regulating Pi uptake and
      accumulation in rice plants and may provide an opportunity to enhance P use
      efficiency by manipulating nitrate supply in the soil.

PMID- 28626463
TI  - Cereal Crop Proteomics: Systemic Analysis of Crop Drought Stress Responses
      Towards Marker-Assisted Selection Breeding.
AB  - Sustainable crop production is the major challenge in the current global climate
      change scenario. Drought stress is one of the most critical abiotic factors which
      negatively impact crop productivity. In recent years, knowledge about molecular
      regulation has been generated to understand drought stress responses. For
      example, information obtained by transcriptome analysis has enhanced our
      knowledge and facilitated the identification of candidate genes which can be
      utilized for plant breeding. On the other hand, it becomes more and more evident
      that the translational and post-translational machinery plays a major role in
      stress adaptation, especially for immediate molecular processes during stress
      adaptation. Therefore, it is essential to measure protein levels and post
      translational protein modifications to reveal information about stress inducible
      signal perception and transduction, translational activity and induced protein
      levels. This information cannot be revealed by genomic or transcriptomic
      analysis. Eventually, these processes will provide more direct insight into
      stress perception then genetic markers and might build a complementary basis for
      future marker-assisted selection of drought resistance. In this review, we survey
      the role of proteomic studies to illustrate their applications in crop stress
      adaptation analysis with respect to productivity. Cereal crops such as wheat,
      rice, maize, barley, sorghum and pearl millet are discussed in detail. We provide
      a comprehensive and comparative overview of all detected protein changes involved
      in drought stress in these crops and have summarized existing knowledge into a
      proposed scheme of drought response. Based on a recent proteome study of pearl
      millet under drought stress we compare our findings with wheat proteomes and
      another recent study which defined genetic marker in pearl millet.

PMID- 28626466
TI  - Identification, Characterization, and Functional Validation of Drought-responsive
      MicroRNAs in Subtropical Maize Inbreds.
AB  - MicroRNA-mediated gene regulation plays a crucial role in controlling drought
      tolerance. In the present investigation, 13 drought-associated miRNA families
      consisting of 65 members and regulating 42 unique target mRNAs were identified
      from drought-associated microarray expression data in maize and were subjected to
      structural and functional characterization. The largest number of members (14)
      was found in the zma-miR166 and zma-miR395 families, with several targets.
      However, zma-miR160, zma-miR390, zma-miR393, and zma-miR2275 each showed a single
      target. Twenty-three major drought-responsive cis-regulatory elements were found
      in the upstream regions of miRNAs. Many drought-related transcription factors,
      such as GAMYB, HD-Zip III, and NAC, were associated with the target mRNAs.
      Furthermore, two contrasting subtropical maize genotypes (tolerant: HKI-1532 and
      sensitive: V-372) were used to understand the miRNA-assisted regulation of target
      mRNA under drought stress. Approximately 35 and 31% of miRNAs were up-regulated
      in HKI-1532 and V-372, respectively. The up-regulation of target mRNAs was as
      high as 14.2% in HKI-1532 but was only 2.38% in V-372. The expression patterns of
      miRNA-target mRNA pairs were classified into four different types: Type I- up
      regulation, Type II- down-regulation, Type III- neutral regulation, and Type IV-
      opposite regulation. HKI-1532 displayed 46 Type I, 13 Type II, and 23 Type III
      patterns, whereas V-372 had mostly Type IV interactions (151). A low level of
      negative regulations of miRNA associated with a higher level of mRNA activity in
      the tolerant genotype helped to maintain crucial biological functions such as ABA
      signaling, the auxin response pathway, the light-responsive pathway and endosperm
      expression under stress conditions, thereby leading to drought tolerance. Our
      study identified candidate miRNAs and mRNAs operating in important pathways under
      drought stress conditions, and these candidates will be useful in the development
      of drought-tolerant maize hybrids.

PMID- 28626467
TI  - Mutation in HvCBP20 (Cap Binding Protein 20) Adapts Barley to Drought Stress at
      Phenotypic and Transcriptomic Levels.
AB  - CBP20 (Cap-Binding Protein 20) encodes a small subunit of the cap-binding complex
      (CBC), which is involved in the conserved cell processes related to RNA
      metabolism in plants and, simultaneously, engaged in the signaling network of
      drought response, which is dependent on ABA. Here, we report the enhanced
      tolerance to drought stress of barley mutant in the HvCBP20 gene manifested at
      the morphological, physiological, and transcriptomic levels. Physiological
      analyses revealed differences between the hvcbp20.ab mutant and its WT in
      response to a water deficiency. The mutant exhibited a higher relative water
      content (RWC), a lower stomatal conductance and changed epidermal pattern
      compared to the WT after drought stress. Transcriptome analysis using the Agilent
      Barley Microarray integrated with observed phenotypic traits allowed to conclude
      that the hvcbp20.ab mutant exhibited better fitness to stress conditions by its
      much more efficient and earlier activation of stress-preventing mechanisms. The
      network hubs involved in the adjustment of hvcbp20.ab mutant to the drought
      conditions were proposed. These results enabled to make a significant progress in
      understanding the role of CBP20 in the drought stress response.

PMID- 28626468
TI  - Efficacy and Safety of MLC601 in the Treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment: A
      Pilot, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by declined
      cognitive function greater than that expected for a person's age. The clinical
      significance of this condition is its possible progression to dementia. MLC601 is
      a natural neuroprotective medication that has shown promising effects in
      Alzheimer disease. Accordingly, we conducted this randomized, double-blind,
      placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MLC601 in MCI
      patients. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with a diagnosis of MCI were recruited.
      The included participants were randomly assigned to groups to receive either
      MLC601 or placebo. An evaluation of global cognitive function was performed at
      baseline as well as at 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits. Global cognitive
      function was assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Alzheimer's
      Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) scores. Efficacy was
      evaluated by comparing global function scores between the 2 groups during the
      study period. Safety assessment included adverse events (AEs) and abnormal
      laboratory results. RESULTS: Seventy patients completed the study, 34 in the
      MLC601 group and 36 in the placebo group. The mean changes (+/-SD) in cognition
      scores over 6 months in the MLC601 group were -2.26 (+/-3.42) for the MMSE and
      3.82 (+/-6.16) for the ADAS-cog; in the placebo group, they were -2.66 (+/-3.43)
      for the MMSE and 4.41 (+/-6.66) for the ADAS-cog. The cognition changes based on
      both MMSE and ADAS-cog scores were statistically significant between the placebo
      and the MLC601 group (p < 0.001). Only 5 patients (14.7%) reported minor AEs in
      the MLC601 group, the most commonly reported of which were gastrointestinal, none
      of them leading to patient withdrawal. CONCLUSION: MLC601 has shown promising
      efficacy and acceptable AEs in MCI patients.

PMID- 28626469
TI  - Serum Amino Acid Profiles in Normal Subjects and in Patients with or at Risk of
      Alzheimer Dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Abnormalities in the plasma amino acid profile have been
      reported in Alzheimer disease (AD), but no data exist for the prodromal phase
      characterized by subjective memory complaint (SMC). It was our aim to understand
      if serum amino acid levels change along the continuum from normal to AD, and to
      identify possible diagnostic biomarkers. METHODS: Serum levels of 15 amino acids
      and 2 organic acids were determined in 4 groups of participants - 29 with
      probable AD, 18 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 24 with SMC, and 46
      cognitively healthy subjects (HS) - by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.
      RESULTS: Glutamate, aspartate, and phenylalanine progressively decreased, while
      citrulline, argi-ninosuccinate, and homocitrulline progressively increased, from
      HS over SMC and MCI to AD. The panel including these 6 amino acids and 4 ratios
      (glutamate/citrulline, citrulline/phenylalanine, leucine plus
      isoleucine/phenylalanine, and arginine/phenylalanine) discriminated AD from HS
      with about 96% accuracy. Other panels including 20 biomarkers discriminated SMC
      or MCI from AD or HS with an accuracy ranging from 88 to 75%. CONCLUSION: Amino
      acids contribute to a characteristic metabotype during the progression of AD
      along the continuum from health to frank dementia, and their monitoring in
      elderly individuals might help to detect at-risk subjects.

PMID- 28626471
TI  - Early-versus Late-Onset Alzheimer Disease: Long-Term Functional Outcomes, Nursing
      Home Placement, and Risk Factors for Rate of Progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Whether age at onset influences functional deterioration in
      Alzheimer disease (AD) is unclear. We, therefore, investigated risk factors for
      progression in activities of daily living (ADL) and nursing home placement (NHP)
      in cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI)-treated patients with early-onset AD (EOAD)
      versus late-onset AD (LOAD). METHODS: This 3-year, prospective, observational,
      multicenter study included 1,017 participants with mild-to-moderate AD; 143 had
      EOAD (onset <65 years) and 874 LOAD (onset >=65 years). Possible sociodemographic
      and clinical factors that could affect functional outcome and NHP were analyzed
      using mixed-effects models and logistic regression, respectively. RESULTS:
      Younger individuals exhibited longer illness duration before AD diagnosis,
      whereas 6-month functional response to ChEI therapy, 3-year changes in ADL
      capacities, time from diagnosis to NHP, and survival time in nursing homes were
      similar between the groups. In LOAD, a higher ChEI dose, no antidepressant use,
      and lower education level were protective factors for slower instrumental ADL
      (IADL) decline. In EOAD, antihypertensives/cardiac therapy implied faster IADL
      progression but lower risk of NHP. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the clinical
      importance of an earlier diagnosis and treatment initiation and the need for
      functional evaluations in EOAD. Despite the age differences between EOAD and
      LOAD, a similar need for nursing homes was observed.

PMID- 28626470
TI  - Multi-Infarct Dementia: A Historical Perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multi-infarct dementia (MID), a prominent subtype of vascular
      dementia (VaD), has only achieved recognition in the last 4 decades. Since its
      original description, the characterization, etiological understanding, and
      therapeutic direction of MID and other VaD subtypes has progressed at an
      astounding rate. SUMMARY: This paper divides the landmark discoveries and
      emergence of new research strategies for MID into decade-defining patterns so
      that a condensed picture of the total history of MID and its eventual inclusion
      as a VaD subtype emerges. This paper follows the first descriptive decade, a
      shift to a preventative focus, a renewed interest coinciding with timely advances
      in research technology, and a hopeful return to treatment possibilities for VaD.
      KEY MESSAGE: Concisely tracing the historical lineage of the modern understanding
      of MID, both as a singular entity and as part of the VaD con-stellation of
      disorders, provides a novel perspective on the foundation upon which future
      advances in combating vascular contributions to dementia will be based.

PMID- 28626472
TI  - In IgA Nephropathy, Glomerulosclerosis Is Associated with Increased Urinary CD80
      Excretion and Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor-Positive Podocyturia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Podocyturia may determine the evolution to podocytopenia,
      glomerulosclerosis, and renal failure. According to the Oxford classification of
      IgA nephropathy (IgAN), the S1 lesion describes glomerulosclerosis. Urokinase
      type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) participates in podocyte attachment,
      while CD80 increases in glomerulosclerosis. We measured uPAR-positive urinary
      podocytes and urinary CD80 (uCD80) in controls and in IgAN subjects with M1E0S0T0
      and M1E0S1T0 Oxford scores to assess a potential association between podocyturia,
      inflammation, and glomerulosclerosis. METHODS: The groups were as follows:
      controls (G1), n = 20 and IgAN group (G2), n = 39, subdivided into M1E0S0T0
      (G2A), n = 21 and M1E0S1T0 (G2B), n = 18. Among the included variables, we
      determined uPAR-positive podocytes/gram of urinary creatinine (gUrCr) and uCD80
      ng/gUrCr. Biopsies with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy <10% were
      included. RESULTS: Groups were not different in age and gender; urinary protein
      creatinine (uP/C) ratio, Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD
      EPI) equation, uPAR-positive podocytes/gUrCr, and uCD80 were significantly
      increased in G2 versus G1. G2A and G2B were not different in age, gender,
      hypertension, and follow-up. G2B displayed significantly higher uP/C, uPAR
      positive podocytes, uCD80, and lower CKD-EPI versus G2A. Strong significant
      correlations were encountered between uCD80 and podocyturia in G2A and G2B.
      However, when G1 was compared to G2A and G2B separately, the differences with
      respect to uP/C, uPAR-positive podocytes, and podocyturia were significantly
      stronger versus G2B than versus G2A. CONCLUSIONS: IgAN presents elevated uCD80
      excretion and uPAR-positive podocyturia, while CD80 correlates with podocyturia.
      Glomerulosclerosis (S1) at the time of biopsy is associated with higher uP/C,
      lower renal function, increased uPAR-positive podocyturia, and CD80 excretion,
      and is independent of M1. In IgAN, uPAR may participate in podocyte detachment.

PMID- 28626473
TI  - Clinical Applicability of Whole-Exome Sequencing Exemplified by a Study in Young
      Adults with the Advanced Cryptogenic Cholestatic Liver Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The proper use of new medical tests in clinical practice requires the
      establishment of their value and range of diagnostic usefulness. While whole
      exome sequencing (WES) has already entered the medical practice, recognizing its
      diagnostic usefulness in multifactorial diseases has not yet been achieved. AIMS:
      The objective of this study was to establish usability of WES in determining
      genetic background of chronic cholestatic liver disease (CLD) in young patients.
      METHODS: WES was performed on six young patients (between 17 and 22 years old)
      with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis due to CLD and their immediate families.
      Sequencing was performed on an Ion Proton sequencer. RESULTS: On average, 19,673
      variants were identified, of which from 7 to 14 variants of an individual were
      nonsynonymous, homozygous, recessively inherited, and considered in silico as
      pathogenic. Although monogenic cause of CLD has not been determined, several
      heterozygous rare variants and polymorphisms were uncovered in genes previously
      known to be associated with CLD, including ATP8B1, ABCB11, RXRA, and ABCC4,
      indicative of multifactorial genetic background. CONCLUSIONS: WES is a
      potentially useful diagnostic tool in determining genetic background of
      multifactorial diseases, but its main limitation results from the lack of
      opportunities for direct linkage between the uncovered genetic variants and
      molecular mechanisms of disease.

PMID- 28626475
TI  - Stereospecific pharmacokinetic characterization of liquiritigenin in the rat.
AB  - Liquiritigenin is a chiral flavonoid present in licorice and other medicinal
      plants. The nature of its biological fate with respect to the individual
      enantiomers has not been examined. In this study, we characterize, for the first
      time, the stereoselective pharmacokinetics of liquiritigenin. Liquiritigenin was
      intravenously (20 mg/kg) and orally (50 mg/kg) administered to male Sprague
      Dawley rats (n = 4 per route of administration). Concentrations in serum and
      urine were characterized via stereospecific reversed-phase, isocratic HPLC method
      with UV detection. Serum concentrations were quantified but rapidly fell to
      undetectable levels. S-liquiritigenin showed a short half-life (0.25-0.54 h),
      while a better estimation of half-life (26-77 h) and other pharmacokinetic
      parameters was observed using urinary data. The flavonoid is predominantly
      excreted via non-renal routes (fe values of 0.16-3.46 %), and undergoes rapid and
      extensive phase II metabolism. Chiral differences in the chemical structure of
      the compound result in some pharmacokinetic differences. Serum concentrations
      rapidly declined, making modeling difficult. S-liquiritigenin showed an increased
      urinary half-life.

PMID- 28626474
TI  - Status and Prospects of Robotic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Our Experience
      and a Review of the Literature.
AB  - Since the first report of robotic gastrectomy, experienced laparoscopic surgeons
      have used surgical robots to treat gastric cancer and resolve problems associated
      with laparoscopic gastrectomy. However, compared with laparoscopic gastrectomy,
      the superiority of robotic procedures has not been clearly proven. There are
      several advantages to using robotic surgery for gastric cancer, such as reduced
      estimated blood loss during the operation, a shorter learning curve, and a larger
      number of examined lymph nodes than conventional laparoscopic gastrectomy. The
      increased operation time observed with a robotic system is decreasing because
      surgeons have accumulated experience using this procedure. While there is limited
      evidence, long-term oncologic outcomes appear to be similar between robotic and
      laparoscopic gastrectomy. Robotic procedures have a significantly greater
      financial cost than laparoscopic gastrectomy, which is a major drawback. Recent
      clinical studies tried to demonstrate that the benefits of robotic surgery
      outweighed the cost, but the overall results were disappointing. Ongoing studies
      are investigating the benefits of robotic gastrectomy in more complicated and
      challenging cases. Well-designed randomized control trials with large sample
      sizes are needed to investigate the benefits of robotic gastrectomy compared with
      laparoscopic surgery.

PMID- 28626476
TI  - Chemical compositions and biological activities of Scutellaria pinnatifida A.
      Hamilt aerial parts.
AB  - Phytochemical analysis of the methanolic and dichloromethane extracts of the
      aerial parts of Scutellaria pinnatifida led to the isolation of a
      phenylpropanoid, 1-o-feruloyl-beta-D-glucose (1), two known flavonoids including
      luteolin-7-o-glucoside (2) and apigenin-7-o-glucoside (3), three known
      phenylethanoid glycosides composed of phlomisethanoside (4), syringalide A (5),
      and verbascoside (6), and oleic acid (7). Isolation and structural elucidation of
      compounds were accomplished by HPLC and spectroscopic methods (UV, 1H-NMR, 13C
      NMR). The extracts were also evaluated for their radical scavenging activity and
      insecticidal property by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and contact
      toxicity method, respectively. Among the extracts, the methanol extract showed
      the most potent free radical scavenging activity with a RC50 value of 0.044 +/-
      0.350 mg/mL which could be attributed to the presence of the isolated phenolic
      compounds. In the case of insecticidal activity, the n-hexane extract displayed
      the most potent activity and caused 10%, 15%, and 40% mortality to Oryzaephilus
      mercator at the concentration of 5, 10, and 15 mg/mL after 4 h of exposure.

PMID- 28626477
TI  - In vitro evaluation of dihydropyridine-3-carbonitriles as potential cytotoxic
      agents through PIM-1 protein kinase inhibition.
AB  - PIM-1 protein kinase inhibitor belongs to a novel class of serine/threonine
      kinases. As PIM-1 is overexpressed in cancer cells and possesses oncogenic
      functions, its inhibition provides a new option in cancer therapy. In this study,
      in vitro inhibitory effects of seven analogues of 1, 2-dihydropyridine-3
      carbonitrile derivatives Ia-c, IIa-d on the activity of recombinant PIM-1 were
      evaluated using dimethylthiazol diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The PIM
      1 protein kinase inhibitory potencies and the cytotoxicity effects of tested
      compounds were respectively as follows: Ic > IIa > Ia > IIb > Ib > IId > IIc and
      IIb > IIa > Ia > IIc > Ic > Ib > IId, respectively. The compound Ic with
      methylthio imidazole substituent at C-3 position and benzodioxole substituent at
      C-6 position of 2-imino-1, 2-dihydropyridine-3- carbonitrile structure showed the
      strongest PIM-1 inhibitory effect (IC50 = 111.01 nM), while the compound IIc with
      methythio imidazole substituent at C-3 position and benzodioxole substituent at C
      6 position of 2-oxo-1, 2-dihydropyridine-3- carbonitrile structure exhibited the
      least inhibition activity (IC50 = 433.71 nM). The docking results showed that all
      tested compounds localized appropriately in the middle of binding cavity after
      docking procedure, demonstrating suitable interactions between ligands and
      protein. This study demonstrated that the PIM-1 inhibitory potencies of newly
      synthesized compounds were in submicromolar concentrations (IC50 < 150 nM) while
      they exhibited low cytotoxicity on HT-29 cell line (IC50> 130 MUM). Altogether,
      our data indicated that compounds Ic, IIa, Ia could be considered as new potent
      non-toxic PIM-1 inhibitors which could be used in combination with routine anti
      proliferative drugs.

PMID- 28626478
TI  - Comparative effects of chronic administrations of gabapentin, pregabalin and
      baclofen on rat memory using object recognition test.
AB  - Memory impairment is one of the greatest concerns when it comes to long-term CNS
      affecting drug administration. Drugs like gabapentin, pregabalin and baclofen are
      administered in a long-term period in conditions such as epilepsy, neuropathic
      pain, spasticity associated with spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis.
      Despite their wide spread use, few data are available on the effects of these
      drugs on cognitive functions, such as learning memory. In the present study, the
      effects of long-term administration of gabapentin, pregabalin and baclofen on
      memory were investigated in a comparative manner. Male Wistar rats received
      intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of gabapentin (30 mg/kg), pregabalin (30 mg/kg),
      baclofen (3 mg/kg), combination of gabapentin/baclofen (30/3 mg/kg) and
      combination of pregabalin/baclofen (30/3 mg/kg) once a day for 3 weeks respective
      to their groups. After the end of treatments, rat memories were assessed using
      the object-recognition task. The discrimination and recognition indices (RI and
      DI) in the T2 trials were used as the memory indicating factors. The results
      showed that daily i.p. administrations of pregabalin but not gabapentin or
      baclofen significantly decreased DI and RI compared to saline group. In
      combination groups, either gabapentin or pregabalin impaired discrimination
      between new and familiar objects. Our findings suggested that pregabalin alone or
      in combination with baclofen significantly caused cognitive deficits.

PMID- 28626479
TI  - The allele frequency of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 in the Southern Khorasan population.
AB  - The genetic factors are determinants in required dosage changes of warfarin among
      which are polymorphisms of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes. The present study aimed to
      determine the allele and genotype frequency of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes in Birjand
      population. This study was conducted on 120 individuals who referred to Imam Reza
      and Vali-Asr hospitals for PT/INR test. After extracting the genomic DNA, the
      considered sequences were amplified by PCR, and restriction fragment length
      polymorphism analysis was done by AvaII and KpnI enzymes to determine allele
      polymorphisms. Moreover, related sequences of VKORC1, after amplification, were
      sequenced for determining the genotype. Allelic and genotypic frequencies as well
      as Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity,
      and polymorphism information content were calculated by PowerMarker V 3.25
      software. Amongst 120 individuals in this study with the mean age of 58.12 +/-
      12.7 years, 80.8%, 9.1%, and 10% exhibited the alleles of 1, 2, and 3 CYP2C9
      gene, respectively. The genotype frequencies of 1/1, 1/2, 2/2, 3/1, 3/2, and 3/3
      of this gene were found to be 64.1, 15.8, 0, 17.5, 2.5, and 0 %, respectively. In
      -1639 G>A region, VKORC1 had normal homozygote genotype (GG) and in 1173 C>T
      region, heterozygote (CT) with the frequency of 48.7% and 45.9% had the most
      prevalence. Compared with other populations, there is a considerable difference
      between the allele frequency of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genetic variance. Since 35.8%
      of the selected populations carry an abnormal allele causing sensitivity to
      warfarin, the specialists at medical centers must be informed about the genotypes
      of patients before prescribing warfarin.

PMID- 28626480
TI  - Development of dry powder inhaler containing tadalafil-loaded PLGA nanoparticles.
AB  - Inhalable dry powders containing poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)
      nanoparticles (NPs) were developed for the delivery of tadalafil (TAD) for
      treatment of life-treating pulmonary arterial hypertension. Taguchi design was
      employed to evaluate the effects of different formulation variables on the
      physicochemical characteristics of PLGA-NPs prepared using emulsion solvent
      evaporation method. Inhalable PLGA-NPs of TAD were successfully prepared by co
      spray drying the PLGA-NPs with inert carriers. Physicochemical characteristics
      and in vitro deposition of the aerosolized drug were also evaluated. The
      optimized formulation was prepared using 7.5 mg of PLGA, 2.5 mg of TAD,
      sonication time of 6 min and 2% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the stabilizer. The
      optimized aqueous/oil phase ratio for PLGA-NPs preparation was 10:1. Polymer/drug
      ratio was the most effective parameter on the release efficiency. Encapsulation
      efficiency, zeta potential and particle size of PLGA-NPs were more affected by
      aqueous/organic phase ratio. The spray dried powders containing PLGA-NPs had a
      mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) in the range of 1.4-2.8 MUm that was
      suitable for TAD delivery to the deep region of lung. The presence of L- leucine
      in mannitol containing formulations decreased the interparticulate forces between
      particles and increased significantly the process yield and fine particle
      fraction (FPF). The results indicated that prepared dry powders containing TAD
      loaded PLGA-NPs were suitable for inhalation and has the potential for the
      treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PMID- 28626481
TI  - Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical and docking study of the novel analogues
      based on hybridization of common pharmacophores as potential anti-breast cancer
      agents.
AB  - In an attempt to identify some new potential leads as anti-breast cancer agents,
      novel hybrid compounds were designed by molecular hybridization approach. These
      derivatives were structurally derived from hybrid benzofuran-imidazole and
      quinazolinone derivatives, which had shown good cytotoxicity against the breast
      cancer cell line (MCF-7). Since aromatase enzyme (CYP19) is highly expressed in
      the MCF-7 cell line, the binding of these novel hybrid compounds to aromatase was
      investigated using the docking method. In this study, due to the positive charge
      on the imidazole ring of the designed ligands and also, the presence of heme iron
      in the active site of the enzyme, it was decided to optimize the ligand inside
      the protein to obtain more realistic atomic charges for it. Quantum
      mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) method was used to obtain more accurate
      atomic charges of ligand for docking calculations by considering the polarization
      effects of CYP19 on ligands. It was observed that the refitted charge improved
      the binding energy of the docked compounds. Also, the results showed that these
      novel hybrid compounds were adopted properly within the aromatase binding site,
      thereby suggesting that they could be potential inhibitors of aromatase. The main
      binding modes in these complexes were through hydrophobic and H bond interactions
      showing agreement with the basic physicochemical features of known anti aromatase
      compounds. Finally, the complex structures obtained from the docking study were
      used for single point QM/MM calculations to obtain more accurate electronic
      interaction energy, considering the electronic polarization of the ligand by its
      protein environment.

PMID- 28626482
TI  - The possible mechanisms of analgesia produced by microinjection of morphine into
      the lateral habenula in the acute model of trigeminal pain in rats.
AB  - This study aimed to assess the effect of intra-habenular injection of morphine on
      acute trigeminal pain in rats. Also here, we examined the involvement of raphe
      nucleus opioid and 5HT3 receptors on the antinociceptive activity of intra
      habenular morphine to explore the possibility of existence of descending
      antinociceptive relay between the habenula and raphe nucleus. The numbers of eye
      wiping response elicited by applying a drop (40 MUL) of NaCl (5 M) solution on
      the corneal surface were taken as an index of acute trigeminal nociception. Intra
      habenular microinjection of morphine at a dose of 2 MUg was without effect,
      whereas at doses of 5 and 8 MUg significantly produced antinociception.
      Microinjection of naltrexone (4 MUg) and ondansetron (1 MUg) into the dorsal
      raphe nucleus prior to intra-habenular saline did not produce any significant
      effect on corneal pain perception. Pretreatment of the raphe nucleus with
      ondansetron but not naltrexone prevented intra habenular morphine (8 MUg) induced
      antinociception. Also, intra habenular injection of lidocaine (2%, 0.5 MUL
      reduced corneal pain response. Moreover, intra-habenular microinjection of L
      glutamic acid (1 and 2 MUg/site) did not produce any analgesic activity in this
      model of pain. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the activation of
      the habenular MU opioid receptor by microinjection of morphine or inhibition of
      habenular neurons by microinjection of lidocaine produced an analgesic effect in
      the acute trigeminal model of pain in rats. The analgesic effect of intra
      habenular morphine was blocked by intra-dorsal raphe injection of serotonin 5-HT3
      antagonist.

PMID- 28626483
TI  - Bioassay-directed isolation of falcarindiol and isoacetovanillon from Pycnocycla
      caespitosa based on KCl-induced contraction in rat uterus smooth muscles.
AB  - Hydroalcoholic extract and essential oil of aerial parts of Pycnocycla caespitosa
      have spasmolytic activity on rat ileum contractions. The objective of this
      research was to separate fractions of total hydroalcoholic extract of P.
      caespitosa guided by their spasmolytic activity on rat uterus. Aerial parts of P.
      caespitosa were extracted with ethanol. The concentrated extract was subjected to
      column chromatography and thin layer chromatography (TLC) for isolation
      fractions, then one of the bioactive fractions was subjected to further isolation
      to find its active components. Five fractions were obtained (Fr.1-Fr.5) and their
      anti-spasmodic activities were examined on uterus contraction induced by KCl (80
      mM) and compared with ritodrine. In addition, spasmolytic effect of Fr.4 (one of
      the bioactive fractions) was determined on rat uterus induced by oxytocin (0.0005
      IU/mL) and compared with ritodrine. Hydroalcoholic extract of P. caespitosa
      (0.032-2 mg/mL) reduced the responses to KCl but the inhibitory effect was not
      complete with 2 mg/mL extract in the bath. Four fractions (Fr.1, Fr.2, Fr.3 and
      Fr.4) (32-500 MUg/mL) inhibited rat uterus contractions on the uterus while Fr.4
      was slightly more active than others (IC50 = 146 +/- 23 MUg/mL). Falcarindiol and
      isoacetovanillone were identified from Fr.4 using phytochemical methods including
      high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
      and TLC. In conclusion, in this research bioactivity guided technique was
      successfully used for separation of active fraction of P. caespitosa.
      Falcarindiol and isoacetovanillone were identified from the active fraction which
      inhibited both tonic and rhythmic contractile responses in rat isolated uterus.

PMID- 28626484
TI  - Cognitive enhancing of pineapple extract and juice in scopolamine-induced amnesia
      in mice.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the cognitive enhancing of
      pineapple juice and ethanolic extract in scopolamine-induced cognitive deficit
      mice. The ethanolic extract of pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) was prepared
      by maceration method and its juice was obtained by a homogenizer. Object
      recognition task was used to evaluate the mice memory. Exploration time in the
      first and second trial was recorded. The differences in exploration time between
      a familiar and a novel object in the second trial were taken as a memory index.
      Animals were randomly assigned into 15 groups of 6 each including: control group
      (normal saline + vehicle), positive control group (scopolamine + rivastigmine),
      seven experimental groups (received scopolamine alone or scopolamine + ethanolic
      extract of pineapple in different doses), six other experimental groups were
      treated by ethanolic extract or juice of pineapple in different doses.
      Scopolamine (100 MUL, 1 mg/kg, i.p.) and pineapple juice or extract (50, 75 and
      100 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered 40 and 30 min before starting the second trial
      in the experimental groups. Object discrimination was impaired after scopolamine
      administration. Results showed that juice and ethanolic extract of pineapple
      significantly restored object recognition ability in mice treated with
      scopolamine. These finding suggested that pineapple had a protective role against
      scopolamine-induced amnesia, indicating its ability in management of cognitive
      disorders.

PMID- 28626485
TI  - Isolation and Characterization of Isofraxidin 7-O-(6'-O-p-Coumaroyl)-beta
      glucopyranoside from Artemisia capillaris Thunberg: A Novel, Nontoxic
      Hyperpigmentation Agent That Is Effective In Vivo.
AB  - Abnormalities in skin pigmentation can produce disorders such as albinism or
      melasma. There is a research need to discover novel compounds that safely and
      effectively regulate pigmentation. To identify novel modulators of pigmentation,
      we attempted to purify compounds from a bioactive fraction of the Korean
      medicinal plant Artemisia capillaris Thunberg. The novel compound isofraxidin 7-O
      (6'-O-p-coumaroyl)-beta-glucopyranoside (compound 1) was isolated and its
      pigmentation activity was characterized in mammalian melanocytes. Compound 1
      stimulated melanin accumulation and increased tyrosinase activity, which
      regulates melanin synthesis. Moreover, compound 1 increased the expression of
      tyrosinase and the key melanogenesis regulator microphthalmia-associated
      transcription factor (MITF) in melanocytes. Compared to the parent compound,
      isofraxidin, compound 1 produced greater effects on these pigmentation
      parameters. To validate compound 1 as a novel hyperpigmentation agent in vivo, we
      utilized the zebrafish vertebrate model. Zebrafish treated with compound 1 showed
      higher melanogenesis and increased tyrosinase activity. Compound 1 treated
      embryos had no developmental defects and displayed normal cardiac function,
      indicating that this compound enhanced pigmentation without producing toxicity.
      In summary, our results describe the characterization of novel natural product
      compound 1 and its bioactivity as a pigmentation enhancer, demonstrating its
      potential as a therapeutic to treat hypopigmentation disorders.

PMID- 28626486
TI  - Solanum paranense Extracts and Solanine Present Anti-Inflammatory Activity in an
      Acute Skin Inflammation Model in Mice.
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the S.
      paranense crude extract, S. paranense alkaloid fraction, and solanine alkaloid.
      These samples reduce the croton oil-induced ear edema in a dose-dependent manner
      and a maximum inhibition of 81%, 98%, and 80% in the doses of 1.0, 0.73, and 0.37
      mg/ear, respectively. Moreover, the samples inhibit the MPO activity with an
      inhibition maximum of 51%, 40%, and 46% in the doses of 1.0, 0.73, and 0.37
      mg/ear, respectively. Similar results were found for dexamethasone 0.10 mg/ear
      (positive control), which showed inhibitions of ear edema and MPO activity of
      100% and 65%, respectively. These results found probably are related to the
      presence of solanine which is present in significant quantity in the alkaloid
      fraction and others as rutin and rosmarinic, chlorogenic, and gallic acids. These
      results support the use of S. paranense for the treatment of inflammatory skin
      disorders.

PMID- 28626487
TI  - Identification of the Chemical Constituents in Simiao Wan and Rat Plasma after
      Oral Administration by GC-MS and LC-MS.
AB  - Simiao Wan (SMW), an important multiherbal formula used in traditional Chinese
      medicine, is extensively used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. However, the
      knowledge of the bioactive components of SMW remains unclear. Thus, gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (LC-MS) were used to analyze the chemical constituents of volatile
      and nonvolatile extracts of SMW, as well as its absorbed components in rat plasma
      after oral SMW administration. Identification of several compounds was enabled by
      comparison of retention times, MS spectra, and MS/MS spectral data with the
      standard substance and reference materials reported in the literature. In the
      volatile extracts, GC-MS identified 26 compounds in vitro, three of which
      observed in blood by GC-MS. In the nonvolatile extracts, LC-MS identified 49
      compounds in SMW; 18 compounds containing 7 prototype compounds, 5 metabolites,
      and 6 unknown compounds were absorbed by blood. The proposed GC-MS and LC-MS
      method was appropriate not only for the rapid screening and identification of
      multiple components of an SMW extract but also for screening its bioactive
      constituents in vivo. The proposed method could be a promising tool for the
      quality control of other Chinese herbal medicines.

PMID- 28626488
TI  - Hepatotoxicity in Rats Induced by Aqueous Extract of Polygoni Multiflori Radix,
      Root of Polygonum multiflorum Related to the Activity Inhibition of CYP1A2 or
      CYP2E1.
AB  - The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the
      hepatotoxicity induced by Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR, root of Polygonum
      multiflorum Thunb., He Shou Wu) and the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 in the rat
      liver. Levels of rat serum transaminases ALT and AST were not altered but the
      activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 in the rat liver was significantly inhibited after
      oral administration of aqueous extract of PMR under the experimental dosage.
      However, levels of ALT and AST were significantly increased and the activity of
      CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 was significantly decreased after injection of specific
      inhibitor for CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 combined with oral administration of aqueous
      extract of PMR, especially under the repeated treatment over interval times.
      Liver histopathological observation showed that a moderate liver injury occurred
      in rats receiving PMR treatment with the activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 inhibited,
      but there was no significant liver damage in rats receiving PMR treatment or CYP
      inhibitor alone. These suggested that low level activity of CYP1A2 or CYP2E1 from
      genetic polymorphism among people might be one of the important reasons for the
      hepatotoxicity induced by PMR in clinical practice.

PMID- 28626489
TI  - Conference report on the Indo Global Summit on Head and Neck Oncology (IGSHNO
      2017-BMCON-IV), 24-26 February 2017, Jaipur, India.
AB  - 'The multidisciplinary approach: expanding treatment horizons for head and neck
      cancer' was the major theme of the Indo Global Summit on Head and Neck Oncology
      (IGSHNO 2017-BMCON-IV). The meeting, held in Jaipur (Rajasthan, India) from 24 to
      26 February 2017, assembled 600 participants from India and worldwide. It was
      organised by the Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (BMCHRC),
      Jaipur. BMCHRC Jaipur is one of the largest superspeciality oncology research and
      treatment centres in north India. The vision of BMCHRC has been to foster
      collaboration between oncologists, encouraging dialogue in an open forum that
      improves the care and outcomes of patients with cancer using the latest advances
      in cancer treatment. IGSHNO 2017 was part of this aim and vision. The organising
      team, including Dr Anil Gupta (Organising Secretary), Dr Lalit Mohan Sharma
      (Organising Secretary), Dr Pawan Singhal (Chairperson, scientific programme), Dr
      Tej Prakash Soni (Treasurer, Organising Secretary, Radiotherapy workshop), Dr
      Umesh Bansal and Dr Dinesh Yadav (Joint Organising Secretary), Dr Anjum Khan
      (Organising Secretary, Palliative care workshop), Dr Gaurav Pal Singh (Organising
      Secretary, Dental and prosthodontics workshop) and Dr (Maj Gen) SC Pareek
      (Medical Director, BMCHRC, Jaipur, India) worked hard for the previous 6 months
      to make this conference a successful academic event. IGSHNO 2017, held over three
      days, is a chance for oncologists from different parts of India to come together
      and discuss ongoing research, recent announcements and introduce new developments
      in head and neck cancer. It consisted of 51 lectures, seven debates, 10 panel
      discussions, oral paper presentations, e-poster sessions, a quiz for postgraduate
      students, a live surgery workshop, a prosthodentics workshop for dentists, a
      radiotherapy contouring workshop for radiation oncologists, a pain and palliative
      care workshop and a meet the expert session-all focusing on the multidisciplinary
      treatment of head and neck cancer. Special highlights from IGSHNO 2017 included
      the radiotherapy contouring workshop, the live surgery workshop by
      internationally renowned head and neck oncosurgeons, the dental and
      prosthodontics workshop and the pain and palliative care workshop.

PMID- 28626490
TI  - Soft-tissue sarcomas in the head and neck: 25 years of experience.
AB  - : Sarcomas are infrequent and heterogeneous tumours. They represent 1-2% of all
      malignant neoplasms in adults and between 4% and 10% of head and neck cancers.
      METHODS: The research was retrospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional.
      RESULTS: A study population of 62 patients with a mean age of 44 years was
      obtained; the most frequent location was the soft tissues of the neck (25.3%) and
      the mean tumour size was 7.1 cm; the most frequent diagnosis was undifferentiated
      pleomorphic sarcoma (25.5%) and the majority were stage III (41.4%). The lowest
      survival rates were associated with T2a and T2b tumours (p = 0.014), the presence
      of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.001), advanced stages (p = 0.003), and invasion
      of bone, blood vessels and/or nerves (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Late diagnosis is
      the main factor associated with decreased survival in patients with head and neck
      sarcomas.

PMID- 28626491
TI  - The impact of a coordinated joint multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Timely access to cancer treatment is expected to improve patients'
      satisfaction and treatment outcome. A joint multidisciplinary breast cancer
      clinic (JMDBCC) was developed in January 2011 which aimed to accelerate access to
      breast cancer care. Here, we assess the efficacy of this approach. METHODS:
      Metric data of access to care in 2010 represent the pre-JMDBCC era while those
      during the subsequent 5 years (2011-2015 inclusive) represent the post-JMDBCC
      era. The JMDBCC is comprised of three separate but closely adjacent subclinics
      conducted at the same time representing the three main relevant clinic-based
      disciplines supported by a breast cancer coordinator. The primary aim of the
      clinic is to provide service to new patients within 7 days at each of the
      following stages: acceptance to first clinic visit (S1), first clinic visit to
      completion of appropriate investigations (S2), and completion of investigations
      to start of active treatment (S3). Thus, the total duration from acceptance to
      treatment (S1-3) is aimed to be within 21 days. RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty
      visits to the relevant clinics were recorded at the pre-JMDBCC era. Mean time
      metrics for new patients were as follows: 13, 18, 21, and 46 days for S1, S2, S3,
      and S1-3, respectively. The JMDBCC achieved reduction in all time metrics from
      the first year of implementation, reaching 3.6, 4.9, 7.3, and 15.9 days for S1,
      S2, S3, and S1-3, respectively, in year 2015. The number of new patients and
      total recorded clinic visits increased from 49/550, respectively, in the pre
      JMDBCC era to 92/654, 183/1816, 158/2797, 174/4426, and 180/5883 in subsequent
      years. CONCLUSIONS: A JMDBCC dramatically accelerates access to specialist
      multidisciplinary care. All institutions managing patients with breast cancer are
      encouraged to adopt such a coordinated service. The impact of an effective JMDBCC
      on disease-specific outcome should be addressed in future studies.

PMID- 28626492
TI  - Cross-formational flow of water into coalbed methane reservoirs: controls on
      relative permeability curve shape and production profile.
AB  - Coalbed methane (CBM) wells tend to produce large volumes of water, especially
      when there is hydraulic connectivity between coalbed and nearby formations. Cross
      formational flow between producing coal and adjacent formations can have
      significant production and environmental implications, affecting economic
      viability of production from these shallow reservoirs. Such flows can also affect
      how much gas can be removed from a coalbed prior to mining and thus can have
      implications for methane control in mining as well. The aim of this paper is to
      investigate the impact of water flow from an external source into coalbed on
      production performance and also on reservoir variables including cleat porosity
      and relative permeability curves derived from production data analysis. A
      reservoir model is constructed to investigate the production performance of a CBM
      well when cross-formational flow is present between the coalbed and the overlying
      formation. Results show that cleat porosity calculated by analysis of production
      data can be more than one order of magnitude higher than actual cleat porosity.
      Due to hydraulic connectivity, water saturation within coalbed does not
      considerably change for a period of time, and hence, the peak of gas production
      is delayed. Upon depletion of the overlying formation, water saturation in
      coalbed quickly decreases. Rapid decline of water saturation in the coalbed
      corresponds to a sharp increase in gas production. As an important consequence,
      when cross-flow is present, gas and water relative permeability curves, derived
      from simulated production data, have distinctive features compared to the initial
      relative permeability curves. In the case of cross-flow, signatures of relative
      permeability curves are concave downward and low gas permeability for a range of
      water saturation, followed by rapid increase afterward for water and gas,
      respectively. The results and analyses presented in this work can help to assess
      the impact of cross-formational flow on reservoir variables derived from
      production data analysis and can also contribute to identifying hydraulic
      connectivity between coalbed and adjacent formations.

PMID- 28626493
TI  - A Kinematic Study of Prosodic Structure in Articulatory and Manual Gestures:
      Results from a Novel Method of Data Collection.
AB  - The primary goal of this work is to examine prosodic structure as expressed
      concurrently through articulatory and manual gestures. Specifically, we
      investigated the effects of phrase-level prominence (Experiment 1) and of
      prosodic boundaries (Experiments 2 and 3) on the kinematic properties of oral
      constriction and manual gestures. The hypothesis guiding this work is that
      prosodic structure will be similarly expressed in both modalities. To test this,
      we have developed a novel method of data collection that simultaneously records
      speech audio, vocal tract gestures (using electromagnetic articulometry) and
      manual gestures (using motion capture). This method allows us, for the first
      time, to investigate kinematic properties of body movement and vocal tract
      gestures simultaneously, which in turn allows us to examine the relationship
      between speech and body gestures with great precision. A second goal of the paper
      is thus to establish the validity of this method. Results from two speakers show
      that manual and oral gestures lengthen under prominence and at prosodic
      boundaries, indicating that the effects of prosodic structure extend beyond the
      vocal tract to include body movement.

PMID- 28626494
TI  - Towards a consensus on the understanding and analysis of the pulse waveform:
      Results from the 2016 Workshop on Arterial Hemodynamics: Past, present and
      future.
AB  - This paper aims to summarize and map contemporary views on some contentious
      aspects of arterial hemodynamics that have remained unresolved despite years of
      research. These were discussed during a workshop entitled Arterial hemodynamics:
      past, present and future held in London on June 14 and 15, 2016. To do this we
      formulated a list of potential consensus statements informed by discussion at the
      meeting in London and quantified the degree of agreement and invited comments
      from the participants of the workshop. Overall the responses and comments show a
      high measure of quantitative agreement with the various proposed 'consensus'
      statements. Taken together, these statements seem a useful basis for proceeding
      with a more detailed and comprehensive consensus document on the current
      understanding and approaches to analysis of the pulse waveform. Future efforts
      should be directed at identifying remaining areas of dispute and future topics
      for research.

PMID- 28626496
TI  - Suppurative Flexor Tenosynovitis Secondary to Hematogenous Seeding.

PMID- 28626495
TI  - Control of protein orientation on gold nanoparticles.
AB  - Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have attracted much attention due to their potential
      applications in nano-medicine. While numerous studies have quantified
      biomolecular adsorption to Au NPs in terms of equilibrium binding constants, far
      less is known about biomolecular orientation on nanoparticle surfaces. In this
      study, the binding of the protein alpha-synuclein to citrate and (16
      mercaptohexadecyl) trimethylammonium bromide (MTAB) coated 12 nm Au NPs is
      examined by heteronuclear single quantum coherence NMR spectroscopy to provide
      site-specific measurements of protein-nanoparticle binding. Molecular dynamics
      simulations support the orientation assignments, which show N-terminus binding to
      the Au NP for citrate-capped NPs, and C-terminus binding for the MTAB-capped NPs.

PMID- 28626497
TI  - Hepatoprotective Effect of Polyphenol-Enriched Fraction from Folium Microcos on
      Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Acetaminophen-Induced Liver Injury in Mice.
AB  - Folium Microcos (FM), the leaves of Microcos paniculata L., shows various
      biological functions including antioxidant activity and alpha-glucosidase
      inhibitory effect. However, its therapeutic potential in acute liver injury is
      still unknown. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effect and underlying
      mechanisms of the polyphenol-enriched fraction (FMF) from Folium Microcos. FMF
      exhibited strong free radical scavenging activities and prevented HepG2/Hepa1-6
      cells from hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2-) induced ROS production and apoptosis in
      vitro. Antioxidant activity and cytoprotective effects were further verified by
      alleviating APAP-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Western blot analysis revealed
      that FMF pretreatment significantly abrogated APAP-mediated phosphorylation of
      MAPKs, activation of proapoptotic protein caspase-3/9 and Bax, and restored
      expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl2. APAP-intoxicated mice pretreated with
      FMF showed increased nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related
      factor (Nrf2) and elevated hepatic expression of its target genes,
      NAD(P)H:quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1). HPLC analysis
      revealed the four predominantly phenolic compounds present in FMF: narcissin,
      isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside, isovitexin, and vitexin. Consequently, these
      findings indicate that FMF possesses a hepatoprotective effect against APAP
      induced hepatotoxicity mainly through dual modification of ROS/MAPKs/apoptosis
      axis and Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response, which may be attributed to the
      strong antioxidant activity of phenolic components.

PMID- 28626498
TI  - Tubulin Beta-3 Chain as a New Candidate Protein Biomarker of Human Skin Aging: A
      Preliminary Study.
AB  - Skin aging is a complex process, and a lot of efforts have been made to identify
      new and specific targets that could help to diagnose, prevent, and treat skin
      aging. Several studies concerning skin aging have analyzed the changes in gene
      expression, and very few investigations have been performed at the protein level.
      Moreover, none of these proteomic studies has used a global quantitative labeled
      proteomic offgel approach that allows a more accurate description of aging
      phenotype. We applied such an approach on human primary keratinocytes obtained
      from sun-nonexposed skin biopsies of young and elderly women. A total of 517
      unique proteins were identified, and 58 proteins were significantly
      differentially expressed with 40 that were downregulated and 18 upregulated with
      aging. Gene ontology and pathway analysis performed on these 58 putative
      biomarkers of skin aging evidenced that these dysregulated proteins were mostly
      involved in metabolism and cellular processes such as cell cycle and signaling
      pathways. Change of expression of tubulin beta-3 chain was confirmed by western
      blot on samples originated from several donors. Thus, this study suggested the
      tubulin beta-3 chain has a promising biomarker in skin aging.

PMID- 28626499
TI  - The Effects of Blast Exposure on Protein Deimination in the Brain.
AB  - Oxidative stress and calcium excitotoxicity are hallmarks of traumatic brain
      injury (TBI). While these early disruptions may be corrected over a relatively
      short period of time, long-lasting consequences of TBI including impaired
      cognition and mood imbalances can persist for years, even in the absence of any
      evidence of overt injury based on neuroimaging. This investigation examined the
      possibility that disordered protein deimination occurs as a result of TBI and may
      thus contribute to the long-term pathologies of TBI. Protein deimination is a
      calcium-activated, posttranslational modification implicated in the autoimmune
      diseases rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, where aberrant deimination
      creates antigenic epitopes that elicit an autoimmune attack. The present study
      utilized proteomic analyses to show that blast TBI alters the deimination status
      of proteins in the porcine cerebral cortex. The affected proteins represent a
      small subset of the entire brain proteome and include glial fibrillary acidic
      protein and vimentin, proteins reported to be involved in autoimmune-based
      pathologies. The data also indicate that blast injury is associated with an
      increase in immunoglobulins in the brain, possibly representing autoantibodies
      directed against novel protein epitopes. These findings indicate that aberrant
      protein deimination is a biomarker for blast TBI and may therefore underlie
      chronic neuropathologies of head injury.

PMID- 28626502
TI  - Reflections, Predictions, and Admonitions.

PMID- 28626500
TI  - Mitophagy Transcriptome: Mechanistic Insights into Polyphenol-Mediated Mitophagy.
AB  - Mitochondria are important bioenergetic and signalling hubs critical for myriad
      cellular functions and homeostasis. Dysfunction in mitochondria is a central
      theme in aging and diseases. Mitophagy, a process whereby damaged mitochondria
      are selectively removed by autophagy, plays a key homeostatic role in
      mitochondrial quality control. Upregulation of mitophagy has shown to mitigate
      superfluous mitochondrial accumulation and toxicity to safeguard mitochondrial
      fitness. Hence, mitophagy is a viable target to promote longevity and prevent age
      related pathologies. Current challenge in modulating mitophagy for cellular
      protection involves identification of physiological ways to activate the pathway.
      Till date, mitochondrial stress and toxins remain the most potent inducers of
      mitophagy. Polyphenols have recently been demonstrated to protect mitochondrial
      health by facilitating mitophagy, thus suggesting the exciting prospect of
      augmenting mitophagy through dietary intake. In this review, we will first
      discuss the different surveillance mechanisms responsible for the removal of
      damaged mitochondrial components, followed by highlighting the transcriptional
      regulatory mechanisms of mitophagy. Finally, we will review the functional
      connection between polyphenols and mitophagy and provide insight into the
      underlying mechanisms that potentially govern polyphenol-induced mitophagy.

PMID- 28626503
TI  - Does a Free Office Visit Affect Primary Care-Seeking Behavior? A Study of New
      Exchange Health Plan Enrollees in Mississippi.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Given the positive association between primary care and overall
      health, several health plans are offering doctors' visits without patient copay,
      with the intent to increase primary care use. However, the effectiveness of these
      offers has not been established in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the
      impact of a free primary care provider (PCP) office visit offered by a health
      plan on primary care-seeking behaviors. METHODS: This nonrandomized concurrent
      control study used event/trials logistic regression to compare the differences in
      primary care utilization between new exchange enrollees in Mississippi who were
      offered a free nonpreventive PCP visit and concurrent controls from Georgia and
      Tennessee who were not offered a free visit, between January 1, 2014, and
      December 31, 2014, which was the first year of the exchange plans. Regression
      models adjusted for age, sex, plan type, rural-urban designation, and enrollment
      month. Visits to alternative sites of care were also assessed. RESULTS: The
      adjusted number of nonpreventive PCP visits did not differ between the states
      (odds ratio [OR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1.00). Mississippi
      residents were significantly more likely to go to the emergency department than
      the Georgia-Tennessee cohort (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.28-1.39), but they were less
      likely to visit an urgent care center (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.09-0.11) or a retail
      clinic (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.11-0.17) than their counterparts. CONCLUSIONS:
      Despite being eligible for a free nonpreventive visit, enrollees in Mississippi
      were no more likely than their counterparts in Georgia and Tennessee to visit a
      PCP. These findings suggest that removing the cost barrier alone may be
      insufficient to change primary care-seeking behaviors, and other barriers to care
      should be addressed.

PMID- 28626501
TI  - NADPH Oxidases: Insights into Selected Functions and Mechanisms of Action in
      Cancer and Stem Cells.
AB  - NADPH oxidases (NOX) are reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) generating enzymes
      regulating numerous redox-dependent signaling pathways. NOX are important
      regulators of cell differentiation, growth, and proliferation and of mechanisms,
      important for a wide range of processes from embryonic development, through
      tissue regeneration to the development and spread of cancer. In this review, we
      discuss the roles of NOX and NOX-derived ROS in the functioning of stem cells and
      cancer stem cells and in selected aspects of cancer cell physiology.
      Understanding the functions and complex activities of NOX is important for the
      application of stem cells in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and
      development of new therapies toward invasive forms of cancers.

PMID- 28626504
TI  - Comparing Healthcare Utilization and Costs Among Medicaid-Insured Patients with
      Chronic Noncancer Pain with and without Opioid-Induced Constipation: A
      Retrospective Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Constipation is a common adverse effect of opioid use and has been
      associated with increased healthcare utilization and costs among patients
      receiving opioids for pain management. OBJECTIVE: To compare the healthcare
      utilization and costs of Medicaid patients with chronic noncancer pain with and
      without constipation who were receiving opioids. METHODS: This retrospective,
      claims-based study was conducted using data from the Truven Health MarketScan
      Medicaid Multi-State database. Patients with no evidence of cancer who initiated
      opioid therapy between January 1, 2009, and June 30, 2013, were eligible for the
      study. Patients had to have continuous enrollment in the database in the 6 months
      before and 12 months after opioid initiation, with no evidence of substance abuse
      or functional or inflammatory bowel disease. Medical and pharmacy claims during
      the 12 months after opioid initiation were evaluated for a diagnosis of
      constipation or for prescription or over-the-counter medications indicative of
      constipation. All-cause healthcare utilization and costs were measured over the
      same period and were compared between propensity score-matched cohorts of
      patients with evidence of constipation and patients without constipation.
      RESULTS: Of the 25,744 patients meeting the study inclusion criteria, 2716
      (10.5%) had evidence of constipation. After 1:1 propensity score matching, the 2
      cohorts had similar demographic and clinical characteristics (ie, mean age, 47
      years; 26%-27% male). During the 12-month follow-up period, healthcare
      utilization was more frequent among patients with constipation, including
      inpatient admissions and emergency department visits, than in the matched
      patients without constipation. The total all-cause mean healthcare costs were
      substantially higher among the patients with constipation ($28,234; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], $24,307-$32,160) than in the patients without
      constipation ($13,709; 95% CI, $12,618-$14,801), with a median cost difference of
      $4166 per patient (P <.001). CONCLUSION: Among Medicaid enrollees who receive
      opioids for chronic noncancer pain, constipation is associated with increased all
      cause healthcare utilization and costs.

PMID- 28626505
TI  - Payers' Perspective: Incorporating Real-World Evidence in Patient Care.
AB  - The following summaries represent a sample of the many real-world, evidence-based
      studies presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Managed Care
      Pharmacy (AMCP), March 27-30, 2017, in Denver, CO.

PMID- 28626507
TI  - Guru Insights.

PMID- 28626506
TI  - Impact of Nonadherence to Inhaled Corticosteroid/LABA Therapy on COPD
      Exacerbation Rates and Healthcare Costs in a Commercially Insured US Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence of poor patient adherence to medications for chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is well-documented, but its impact on
      disease exacerbation rates and associated healthcare costs remains unclear.
      OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between adherence levels to different
      inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA) and COPD
      exacerbation rates and costs in a commercially insured population. METHODS: In
      this observational cohort study, patients with COPD (aged >=40 years) who were
      treatment-naive to inhaled corticosteroid/LABA and were initiating budesonide
      plus formoterol or fluticasone plus salmeterol between March 1, 2009, and January
      31, 2014, were identified in a national representative claims database and were
      followed for up to 12 months. The date of the first prescription fill for either
      drug was defined as the index date. Patients were divided into 4 cohorts based on
      adherence to the index therapy, which was measured by proportion of days covered
      (PDC); the cohorts were classified as adherent (PDC >=0.8), mildly nonadherent
      (0.5 <= PDC <0.8), moderately nonadherent (0.3 <= PDC <0.5), and highly
      nonadherent (PDC <0.3). Each nonadherent group was matched in a 1:1 ratio to the
      adherent group independently, based on prognostically important variables, using
      propensity score analyses. Exacerbation rates and healthcare costs were analyzed
      for 1 year after treatment initiation. RESULTS: During the study period, 13,657
      eligible patients with COPD initiated inhaled corticosteroid/LABA; of these, only
      1898 (13.9%) patients were adherent during follow-up. Group matching resulted in
      1572 patients per group for comparison 1 (adherent vs mildly nonadherent), 1604
      patients for comparison 2 (adherent vs moderately nonadherent), and 1755 patients
      for comparison 3 (adherent vs highly nonadherent). The moderately and highly
      nonadherent cohorts had higher exacerbation rates than the adherent patients
      (comparison 2: rate ratio [RR], 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.21; P
      = .03; comparison 3: RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.01-1.21; P = .02). Adherent patients
      incurred significantly lower healthcare costs than all the nonadherent groups
      (comparison 1, $22,671 vs $25,545; P <.01; comparison 2, $22,508 vs $24,303; P
      <.01; comparison 3, $22,460 vs $25,148; P <.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients adhered to
      their inhaled corticosteroid/LABA treatments had lower COPD exacerbation rates
      and lower healthcare costs compared with the moderately and highly nonadherent
      patients. Better adherence to maintenance therapies may help to reduce the
      clinical and economic burdens of COPD.

PMID- 28626509
TI  - Academic Detailing Has a Positive Effect on Prescribing and Decreasing
      Prescription Drug Costs: A Health Plan's Perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: When initiated by a health plan, academic detailing can be used to
      change prescribing practices, which can lead to increased safety and savings.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of academic detailing on prescribing and
      prescription drug costs of cefixime to a health plan. METHODS: A prospective
      intervention study was carried out that evaluated the prescribing practices and
      prescription drug costs of cefixime. A total of 11 prescribers were detailed by 1
      pharmacist between August 2014 and March 2015. Two of the 11 prescribers did not
      respond to the academic detailing and were not followed up. The physicians'
      prescribing habits and prescription costs were compared before and after
      detailing to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Data were collected
      for approximately 5 months before and after the intervention. Each prescriber
      served as his or her own control. RESULTS: Overall, an approximate 36% reduction
      in the number of cefixime prescriptions written and an approximate 20% decrease
      in prescription costs was seen with academic detailing compared with the year
      before the intervention. In 9 of 11 (82%) prescribers, intervention with academic
      detailing was successful and resulted in fewer prescriptions for cefixime during
      the study period. CONCLUSION: Academic detailing had a positive impact on
      prescribing, by decreasing the number of cefixime prescriptions and lowering the
      drug costs to the health plan.

PMID- 28626508
TI  - Rate of Adverse Events and Healthcare Costs Associated with the Topical Treatment
      of Rosacea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rosacea is a condition more common in women than in men, and in
      people aged >=30 years than in younger patients. Adverse events associated with
      the use of topical medications for rosacea may lead to a lack of treatment
      adherence. Previous studies have reported low treatment adherence rates among
      patients with rosacea. OBJECTIVE: To describe the rate of treatment
      discontinuation resulting from adverse events and the associated healthcare costs
      among patients with rosacea who are receiving a topical medication. METHODS: We
      conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with rosacea based
      on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical
      Modification code 695.3 who were newly initiating topical treatment with
      metronidazole, azelaic acid, sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur, or benzoyl peroxide
      between January 1, 2009, and September 30, 2013. Patients were identified from
      the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database and the Medicare
      Supplemental database and had to be aged >=30 years, have continuous coverage
      with medical and pharmacy benefits >=12 months before treatment and >=3 months
      after treatment inititation, and have no evidence of oral antibiotic use or
      ocular rosacea during the study period. The 3-month period immediately after the
      index date (ie, first topical rosacea treatment) was defined as the postindex
      period and was used to evaluate the outcome measures, which included the rate of
      adverse events, treatment patterns, and healthcare costs. RESULTS: The final
      cohort included 49,351 patients, with a mean age of 54 years, and 74.5% of the
      patients were female. Metronidazole was the most common (72.7%) treatment,
      followed by azelaic acid (21.7%), sodium sulfacetamide/sulfur (3.4%), and benzoyl
      peroxide (2.2%). A total of 6270 (12.7%) patients had a coded adverse event, of
      whom 199 (3.2%) continued treatment despite the adverse event, 466 (7.4%)
      switched to another treatment within 8.8 days, and 5605 (89.4%) discontinued
      therapy within 31.1 days. Patients with adverse events incurred, on average, a
      cost of $325 (medical, $143; pharmacy, $182) in rosacea-related costs; patients
      without adverse events incurred, on average, a cost of $172 (medical, $14;
      pharmacy, $157) in rosacea-related costs. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of adverse
      events associated with current topical drugs for rosacea resulted in treatment
      switch or discontinuation. Drugs with a different mechanism of action or new
      formulations of existing drugs may provide additional treatment options for
      patients and may lead to improved adherence and better symptom control.

PMID- 28626510
TI  - Multispecialty Rating of Evidence-Based Conditions for Intravenous Immunoglobulin
      Therapy Using a 3-Axis Prioritization Algorithm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A 3-axis prioritization algorithm was proposed and was evaluated in a
      US multispecialist pilot study to obtain uniform consensus regarding effective
      practices for the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. OBJECTIVE:
      The primary objective was to use consensus-building methodologies to rate disease
      states for IVIG utilization while considering disease severity and the efficacy
      of alternative therapeutic options to IVIG from the perspective of US
      multispecialists. METHODS: A 7-member multispecialty physician expert panel was
      surveyed to rate 50 disease states and to determine their level of agreement with
      the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) evidence-based
      medicine (EBM) ratings. The disease states were then rated across the 2 domains
      of disease severity and the perceived efficacy of therapeutic alternatives. An
      interquartile deviation (IQD) of <=0.5 was used to determine consensus for
      disease states within each domain. Disease states reaching consensus across both
      domains were ranked according to a 2 * 4 algorithmic scale to establish priority
      for IVIG utilization. RESULTS: Overall, a high level of agreement was found with
      the AAAAI ratings for EBM. Based on an IQD of <=0.5, the panel reached consensus
      on the severity of all 50 disease states. Of the 50 disease states, consensus was
      reached on the efficacy of therapeutic alternatives for 39 disease states. Using
      the same panel of experts, the 11 disease states without consensus in the first
      survey were resurveyed, and consensus was subsequently reached on 4 of them.
      Discussion among the experts, and the resurvey, resulted in expert consensus
      increasing from 78% to 86% postdiscussion and a change in the overall rating of
      IVIG on 4 conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Multispecialty input of 7 experts on evidence
      based IVIG use, augmented with disease severity and efficacy of therapeutic
      alternatives, enables a balanced perspective on IVIG therapy prioritization.
      Moreover, multispecialty dialogue improved consensus building among panel members
      on the effective use of IVIG therapy in several clinical conditions.

PMID- 28626511
TI  - Assessment of Real-World Central Nervous System Events in Patients with Advanced
      Prostate Cancer Using Abiraterone Acetate, Bicalutamide, Enzalutamide, or
      Chemotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) events are frequently reported among
      patients with advanced prostate cancer as a consequence of the treatments used in
      this patient population. OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of CNS events in
      patients with advanced prostate cancer who initiated treatment with abiraterone
      acetate, bicalutamide, enzalutamide, or chemotherapy. METHODS: The Truven Health
      MarketScan Research databases were used to retrospectively identify patients with
      prostate cancer who initiated treatment with abiraterone acetate, enzalutamide,
      bicalutamide, or chemotherapy after September 1, 2012 (ie, the index date). The
      chemotherapy agents included cabazitaxel, docetaxel, mitoxantrone hydrochloride,
      and estramustine, and were used as monotherapy or as combination therapy.
      Patients were followed until December 31, 2014, the end of exposure to treatment,
      or until loss to follow-up. Kaplan-Meier rates and adjusted Cox proportional
      hazard models were used to compare the incidence of CNS events between the
      abiraterone acetate cohort and the other cohorts. A sensitivity analysis of
      patients with a diagnosis of metastasis was also conducted. RESULTS: A total of
      1067 patients receiving abiraterone acetate, 5524 receiving bicalutamide, 592
      receiving enzalutamide, and 256 receiving chemotherapy were identified. After 12
      months, patients who received abiraterone acetate were less likely to have a CNS
      event than patients who received enzalutamide (39.5% vs 46.0%, respectively; P =
      .0036) or chemotherapy (39.5% vs 51.1%, respectively; P = .0277), and were more
      likely to have a CNS event than patients who received bicalutamide (39.5% vs
      34.2%, respectively; P = .0397). After multivariate adjustment, at 12 months,
      patients who initiated abiraterone acetate treatment had 20% (P = .0388)
      reduction in the risk for a CNS event compared with patients who initiated
      enzalutamide; 8% (P = .3622) versus bicalutamide; and 27% (P = .0456) versus
      chemotherapy. The sensitivity analysis yielded similar results. CONCLUSION: The
      results of this large observational study suggest that among patients with
      metastatic prostate cancer, treatment with abiraterone acetate is associated with
      a significantly lower likelihood of having a CNS event compared with treatment
      with enzalutamide or chemotherapy, but not with bicalutamide, even when
      controlling for metastatic disease.

PMID- 28626512
TI  - NON-RIGID REGISTRATION GUIDED BY LANDMARKS AND LEARNING.
AB  - Registration methods frequently rely on prior information in order to generate
      anatomical meaningful transformations between medical scans. In this paper, we
      propose a novel intensity based non-rigid registration framework, which is guided
      by landmarks and a regularizer based on Principle Component Analysis (PCA).
      Unlike existing methods in this domain, the computational complexity of our
      approach reduces with the number of landmarks. Furthermore, our PCA is invariant
      to translations. The additional regularizer is based on the outcome of this PCA.
      We register a skull CT scan to MR scans aquired by a MR/PET hybrid scanner. This
      aligned CT scan can then be used to gain an attenuation map for PET
      reconstruction. As a result we have a Dice coefficient for bone areas at 0.71 and
      a Dice coefficient for bone and soft issue areas at 0.97.

PMID- 28626513
TI  - NONRIGID VOLUME REGISTRATION USING SECOND-ORDER MRF MODEL.
AB  - In this paper, we introduce a nonrigid registration method using a Markov Random
      Field (MRF) energy model with second-order smoothness priors. The registration
      determines an optimal labeling of the MRF energy model where the label
      corresponds to a 3D displacement vector. In the MRF energy model, spatial
      relationships are constructed between nodes using second-order smoothness priors.
      This model improves limitations of first-order spatial priors which cannot fully
      incorporate the natural smoothness of deformations. Specifically, the second
      order smoothness priors can generate desired smoother displacement vector fields
      and do not suffer from fronto-parallel effects commonly occurred in first-order
      priors. The usage of second-order priors in the energy model enables this method
      to produce more accurate registration results. In the experiments, we will show
      comparative results using uni- and multi-modal Brain MRI volumes.

PMID- 28626514
TI  - Where Are Drugs Invented, and Why Does It Matter?
AB  - Globalization has disrupted many industries, initially shifting unskilled labor
      employment from high wage-cost industrialized nations to lower wage-cost emerging
      economies. There has been a trend toward moving increasingly skilled work away
      from industrialized nations, which raises the question-has innovative research
      and development been affected by globalization, and why is relocation of
      innovation much more than a simple economic concern?

PMID- 28626515
TI  - Inhibitors of DNA Gyrase-GyrB Subunit and/or Topoisomerase IV-ParE Subunit May
      Treat Infectious Diseases Caused by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.

PMID- 28626516
TI  - Inhibitors of Adaptor-Associated Kinase 1 (AAK1) May Treat Neuropathic Pain,
      Schizophrenia, Parkinson's Disease, and Other Disorders.

PMID- 28626517
TI  - Janus-Associated Kinase 1 (JAK1) Inhibitors as Potential Treatment for Immune
      Disorders.

PMID- 28626518
TI  - Practical High-Throughput Experimentation for Chemists.
AB  - Large arrays of hypothesis-driven, rationally designed experiments are powerful
      tools for solving complex chemical problems. Conceptual and practical aspects of
      chemical high-throughput experimentation are discussed. A case study in the
      application of high-throughput experimentation to a key synthetic step in a drug
      discovery program and subsequent optimization for the first large scale synthesis
      of a drug candidate is exemplified.

PMID- 28626519
TI  - Discovery of Potent and Selective Tricyclic Inhibitors of Bruton's Tyrosine
      Kinase with Improved Druglike Properties.
AB  - In our continued effort to discover and develop best-in-class Bruton's tyrosine
      kinase (Btk) inhibitors for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas, rheumatoid
      arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, we devised a series of novel
      tricyclic compounds that improved upon the druglike properties of our previous
      chemical matter. Compounds exemplified by G-744 are highly potent, selective for
      Btk, metabolically stable, well tolerated, and efficacious in an animal model of
      arthritis.

PMID- 28626520
TI  - JAK2 JH2 Fluorescence Polarization Assay and Crystal Structures for Complexes
      with Three Small Molecules.
AB  - A competitive fluorescence polarization (FP) assay is reported for determining
      binding affinities of probe molecules with the pseudokinase JAK2 JH2 allosteric
      site. The syntheses of the fluorescent 5 and 6 used in the assay are reported as
      well as Kd results for 10 compounds, including JNJ7706621, NVP-BSK805, and
      filgotinib (GLPG0634). X-ray crystal structures of JAK2 JH2 in complex with NVP
      BSK805, filgotinib, and diaminopyrimidine 8 elucidate the binding poses.

PMID- 28626521
TI  - Identification and Characterization of JAK2 Pseudokinase Domain Small Molecule
      Binders.
AB  - Janus kinases (JAKs) regulate hematopoiesis via the cytokine-mediated JAK-STAT
      signaling pathway. JAKs contain tandem C-terminal pseudokinase (JH2) and tyrosine
      kinase (JH1) domains. The JAK2 pseudokinase domain adopts a protein kinase fold
      and, despite its pseudokinase designation, binds ATP with micromolar affinity.
      Recent evidence shows that displacing ATP from the JAK2 JH2 domain alters the
      hyperactivation state of the oncogenic JAK2 V617F protein while sparing the wild
      type JAK2 protein. In this study, small molecule binders of JAK2 JH2 were
      identified via an in vitro screen. Top hits were characterized using biophysical
      and structural approaches. Development of pseudokinase-selective compounds may
      offer novel pharmacological opportunities for treating cancers driven by JAK2
      V617F and other oncogenic JAK mutants.

PMID- 28626522
TI  - Study of para-Quinone Methide Precursors toward the Realkylation of Aged
      Acetylcholinesterase.
AB  - Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an essential enzyme that can be targeted by
      organophosphorus (OP) compounds, including nerve agents. Following exposure to
      OPs, AChE becomes phosphylated (inhibited) and undergoes a subsequent aging
      process where the OP-AChE adduct is dealkylated. The aged AChE is unable to
      hydrolyze acetylcholine, resulting in accumulation of the neurotransmitter in the
      central nervous system (CNS) and elsewhere. Current therapeutics are only capable
      of reactivating inhibited AChE. There are no known therapeutic agents to reverse
      the aging process or treat aged AChE. Quinone methides (QMs) have been shown to
      alkylate phosphates under physiological conditions. In this study, a small
      library of novel quinone methide precursors (QMPs) has been synthesized and
      examined as potential alkylating agents against model nucleophiles, including a
      model phosphonate. Computational studies have been performed to evaluate the
      affinity of QMPs for the aged AChE active site, and preliminary testing with
      electric eel AChE has been performed.

PMID- 28626523
TI  - Antiobesity Effect of a Short-Length Peptide YY Analogue after Continuous
      Administration in Mice.
AB  - Gastrointestinal peptides such as peptide YY (PYY) can regulate appetite, which
      is relevant to the study of obesity. The intraperitoneal bolus administration of
      PYY3-36 and a 12-amino acid PYY analogue, benzoyl-[Cha27,28,36,Aib31]PYY25-36
      (1), showed similar anorectic activity by activating the Y2 receptor (Y2R).
      However, food intake inhibition and body weight loss were not observed upon
      continuous subcutaneous administration of 1 with osmotic pumps in diet-induced
      obese (DIO) mice. N-Terminal elongation of 1, together with amino acid
      substitution at position 24, led to a hydrophilic 14-amino acid peptide, Ac-[d
      Hyp24,Cha27,28,36,Aib31]PYY23-36 (18), that showed higher affinity and more
      potent agonist activity for Y2R and a robust anorectic activity with potency
      similar to that of PYY3-36. In addition, the continuous subcutaneous
      administration of 18 at 0.3 mg/(kg.day) induced significant body weight loss in
      DIO mice. These results suggest that a short-length PYY analogue can be a lead
      compound for antiobesity therapy in a sustained-release formulation.

PMID- 28626524
TI  - 19F-NMR-Based Dual-Site Reporter Assay for the Discovery and Distinction of
      Catalytic and Allosteric Kinase Inhibitors.
AB  - In modern kinase drug discovery, allosteric inhibitors have become a focus of
      attention due to their potential selectivity, but such compounds are difficult to
      identify. Here we describe an NMR-based competition assay using 19F-containing
      reporter molecules, which allows for rapid identification and discrimination
      between ATP-competitive and allosteric kinase inhibitors. We illustrate the
      principle of such a dual-site competition assay with the example of catalytic and
      allosteric ABL1 kinase inhibitors. The assay can also be used to identify and
      characterize mixed binding modes of well-known drugs, as shown for crizotinib and
      fingolimod.

PMID- 28626525
TI  - Identification of Better Pharmacokinetic Benzothiazinone Derivatives as New
      Antitubercular Agents.
AB  - A series of new 8-nitro-6-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-benzothiazin-4-one(BTZ)
      derivatives containing a C-2 nitrogen spiro-heterocycle moiety based on the
      structures of BTZ candidates BTZ043 and PBTZ169 were designed and synthesized as
      new antitubercular agents. Many of them were found to have excellent in vitro
      activity (MIC < 0.15 MUM) against the drug susceptive Mycobacterium tuberculosis
      H37Rv strain and two clinically isolated multidrug-resistant strains. Compounds
      11l and 11m display acceptable safety, greater aqueous solubility, and better
      pharmacokinetic profiles than PBTZ169, suggesting their promising potential to be
      lead compounds for future antitubercular drug discovery.

PMID- 28626526
TI  - Efficient Divergent Synthesis of New Immunostimulant 4"-Modified alpha
      Galactosylceramide Analogues.
AB  - A synthesis strategy for the swift generation of 4"-modified alpha
      galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) analogues is described, establishing a chemical
      platform to comprehensively investigate the structure-activity relationships
      (SAR) of this understudied glycolipid part. The strategy relies on a late-stage
      reductive ring-opening of a p-methoxybenzylidene (PMP) acetal to regioselectively
      liberate the 4"-OH position. The expediency of this methodology is demonstrated
      by the synthesis of a small yet diverse set of analogues, which were tested for
      their ability to stimulate invariant natural killer T-cells (iNKT) in vitro and
      in vivo. The introduction of a p-chlorobenzyl ether yielded an analogue with
      promising immunostimulating properties, paving the way for further SAR studies.

PMID- 28626527
TI  - Systematic Data Mining Reveals Synergistic H3R/MCHR1 Ligands.
AB  - In this study, we report a ligand-centric data mining approach that guided the
      identification of suitable target profiles for treating obesity. The newly
      developed method is based on identifying target pairs for synergistic positive
      effects and also encompasses the exclusion of compounds showing a detrimental
      effect on obesity treatment (off-targets). Ligands with known activity against
      obesity-relevant targets were compared using fingerprint representations. Similar
      compounds with activities to different targets were evaluated for the mechanism
      of action since activation or deactivation of drug targets determines the
      pharmacological effect. In vitro validation of the modeling results revealed that
      three known modulators of melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHR1) show a
      previously unknown submicromolar affinity to the histamine H3 receptor (H3R).
      This synergistic activity may present a novel therapeutic option against obesity.

PMID- 28626529
TI  - Photoaffinity Labeling of the Human A2A Adenosine Receptor and Cross-link
      Position Analysis by Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Photoaffinity labeling (PAL) is widely used for the identification of ligand
      binding proteins and elucidation of ligand-binding sites. PAL has also been
      employed for the characterization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs);
      however, a limited number of reports has successfully identified their cross
      linked amino acids. This report is the first of its kind to determine the cross
      link position of the human A2A adenosine receptor by PAL with the novel diazirine
      based photoaffinity probe 9.

PMID- 28626528
TI  - Exploitation of Conformational Dynamics in Imparting Selective Inhibition for
      Related Matrix Metalloproteinases.
AB  - Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have numerous physiological functions and share
      a highly similar catalytic domain. Differential dynamical information on the
      closely related human MMP-8, -13, and -14 was integrated onto the benzoxazinone
      molecular template. An in silico library of 28,099 benzoxazinones was generated
      and evaluated in the context of the molecular-dynamics information. This led to
      experimental evaluation of 19 synthesized compounds and identification of
      selective inhibitors, which have potential utility in delineating the
      physiological functions of MMPs. Moreover, the approach serves as an example of
      how dynamics of closely related active sites may be exploited to achieve
      selective inhibition by small molecules and should find applications in other
      enzyme families with similar active sites.

PMID- 28626530
TI  - Discovery of a Series of Indazole TRPA1 Antagonists.
AB  - A series of TRPA1 antagonists is described which has as its core structure an
      indazole moiety. The physical properties and in vitro DMPK profiles are
      discussed. Good in vivo exposure was obtained with several analogs, allowing
      efficacy to be assessed in rodent models of inflammatory pain. Two compounds
      showed significant activity in these models when administered either systemically
      or topically. Protein chimeras were constructed to indicate compounds from the
      series bound in the S5 region of the channel, and a computational docking model
      was used to propose a binding mode for example compounds.

PMID- 28626531
TI  - Saccharin Aza Bioisosteres-Synthesis and Preclinical Property Comparisons.
AB  - Saccharin is a well-known scaffold in drug discovery. Herein, we report the
      synthesis and preclinical property comparisons of three bioisosteres of
      saccharin: aza-pseudosaccharins (cluster B), and two new types of aza-saccharins
      (clusters C and D). We demonstrate a convenient protocol to selectively
      synthesize products in cluster C or D when primary amines are used. Preclinical
      characterization of selected matched-pair products is reported. Through
      comparison of two diastereomers, we highlight how stereochemistry affects the
      preclinical properties. Given that saccharin-based derivatives are widely used in
      many chemistry fields, we foresee that structures exemplified by clusters C and D
      offer new opportunities for novel drug design, creating a chiral center on the
      sulfur atom and the option of substitution at two different nitrogens.

PMID- 28626532
TI  - Development of Quinazoline/Pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones as Agonists of
      Cannabinoid Receptor Type 2.
AB  - Starting from a prototypical structure 1, we describe our efforts to design and
      obtain novel quinazoline/pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones with high CB2 agonist
      potency and selectivity as well as improved physicochemical characteristics,
      mainly hydrophilicity. The most potent and selective CB2 agonists, 8 and 36, in
      this series were also endowed with lower logP values than that of GW842166X and
      lead compound 1. These derivatives appear to be promising lead compounds for the
      development of future CB2 agonists.

PMID- 28626533
TI  - Synthesis and Anti-HCV Activity of a Novel 2',3'-Dideoxy-2'-alpha-fluoro-2'-beta
      C-methyl Guanosine Phosphoramidate Prodrug.
AB  - A novel 2',3'-dideoxy-2'-alpha-fluoro-2'-beta-C-methyl-6-methoxy guanosine (8)
      and its phosphoramidate prodrug (1) have been designed and synthesized. Their
      biological activity was evaluated in both cytotoxicity and cell-based HCV
      replicon assays. Neither compounds exhibited cytotoxicity up to the highest
      concentration tested (100 MUM) in the Huh-7 cell line. The prodrug (1) displayed
      nanomolar level antiviral activity (EC50 = 0.39-1.1 MUM) against the HCV genotype
      (GT) 1a, 1b, 2a, and 1b S282T replicons.

PMID- 28626534
TI  - A Bright Light to Reveal Mobility: Single Quantum Dot Tracking Reveals Membrane
      Dynamics and Cellular Mechanisms.
AB  - This perspective describes recent progress in single quantum dot techniques, with
      an emphasis on their applications in exploring membrane dynamics and cellular
      mechanisms. In these cases, conventional population measurements, such as
      fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, yield only a mean value on an
      ensemble or bulk collection of molecules, where the behavior of individual
      proteins and vehicles is missing. In recent years, the single quantum dot imaging
      approach has been introduced as a sub-category of single molecule fluorescent
      techniques to reveal single protein/vehicle dynamics in real-time. One of the
      major advantages of using single quantum dots is the high signal-to-noise ratio
      originating from their unique photophysical properties such as extraordinarily
      high molar extinction coefficients and large effective Stokes shifts. In addition
      to a brief overview on the principle of single quantum dot imaging techniques, we
      highlight recent discoveries and discuss future directions in the field.

PMID- 28626535
TI  - Assessment Effect of Breast Milk on Diaper Dermatitis.
AB  - Diaper dermatitis is the most common dermatological disease of infancy, which
      occurs and caused by the combined effect of irritants such as diaper, urine and
      faces. In this study, we intend to evaluate the effect of breast milk on the
      healing of diaper dermatitis. This study was a clinical trial of 30 infants
      between 0-12 months of age that were suffering from diaper dermatitis and
      referred to the Health Centers in Tehran, Iran. The subjects were selected by
      open study. Infants were divided into two matched groups: case and control. Data
      gathering tools were the questionnaire that contained two parts: the demographic
      characteristics of infants and the status of care and condition of the lesion.
      Data analysis was performed using SPSS/18 software and Mann-Whitney and Chi
      Square tests were used. The findings revealed a significant difference between
      the case and control groups in the number and lesion score of the rashes at the
      first and third day (P=0.013, P=0.005), these differences were more significant
      at the fifth day (P=0.004, P=0.001). Because of positive effects of breast milk
      on healing of diaper dermatitis, it is proposed that educational programs in
      health centers should be considered by health officials, and the managers would
      play a key role in increasing knowledge behavior changes in mothers.

PMID- 28626536
TI  - School-Based Health Education in Yucatan, Mexico about the Chikungunya Virus and
      Mosquito Illness Prevention.
AB  - The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has been rapidly spreading throughout Latin
      America, utilizing pre-existing vectors to infiltrate the immunologically naive
      populations. With the current rise of the Zika Virus, there is an urgent need for
      more rigorous vector control efforts to prevent further Zika breakout. We
      designed a school-based education module on CHIKV and mosquito prevention and
      presented it to the local students of ages of 6-18 in a rural town called Sudzal
      in Yucatan, Mexico. We distributed questionnaires before and after education to
      test the students' knowledge of CHIKV and mosquito prevention. Chi-squared test
      was performed to determine the efficacy of the presentation in increasing their
      knowledge. The education presentation has proven to effectively educate the local
      residents in several critical methods of mosquito prevention, increasing the
      average test scores by 67% post-education. These include applying repellent,
      staying hydrated during recuperation, and cleaning indoor water containers to
      eliminate breeding sites (P<0.001). Furthermore, the questionnaire captured the
      residents' behavioral patterns regarding CHIKV and mosquito prevention and
      identified cultural, ecological, and socioeconomic factors hindering effective
      implementation of vector control.

PMID- 28626537
TI  - Epidemiological Distribution of Rodents as Potent Reservoirs for Infectious
      Diseases in the Provinces of Mazandaran, Gilan and Golestan, Northern Iran.
AB  - Rodents are mammals that comprise more than 2000 species and approximately 30
      families. There are many morphological and ecological differences among them as
      variations in their shape, size, weight and habitat. In addition to significant
      economic losses, rodents have a major role in the dissemination of infectious
      diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites or other micro-organisms. Rodents
      are important reservoirs of diseases which have been observed in many cities of
      Iran provinces especially along Caspian Sea border to Alborz Mountain. The aim of
      this study is to assess the geographical distribution of rodents in three
      provinces of northern part of Iran as reservoir of potential endemic infectious
      diseases. Rodents in 10 major parts of each of the three provinces of Mazandaran,
      Gilan and Golestan, northern Iran were collected and a total of 404 rodents were
      trapped alive. They were determined by the key characteristics such as gender,
      genus, species, different locations and topological situation. Statistical
      analysis was performed to characterize the study sample and to correlate all
      variables and parameters. The distribution frequencies of three, five and six
      genera of rodents were identified in Mazandaran, Gilan and Golestan provinces
      respectively. The overall distribution frequency of eight genera of rodents in
      the three provinces were identified as Rattus (R.) norvegicus (67.3%), R. rattus
      (13.6%), Apodemus sylvaticus (13.9%), Arvicola (1%), Mus musculus (0.3%), Nesokia
      indica (2.5%), Cricetulus migrates (0.7%) and Rhombomys opimus (0.7%). The
      results of this study determined the geographic distribution of the rodents in
      the three northern provinces of Iran. It is indicated the association of various
      distribution and diversity of rodents with provincial location. The overall
      distribution frequency of eight genera of rodents was recognized in the above
      three provinces geographical locations. This study confirms epidemiological
      distribution of various rodents as potent reservoirs for infectious diseases,
      such as leptospirosis, salmonellosis, tularemia, leishmaniasis, etc. in the three
      provinces.

PMID- 28626538
TI  - Septic Thrombophlebitis with Persistent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
      Aureus Bacteremia and de Novo Resistance to Vancomycin and Daptomycin.
AB  - Persistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia is
      associated with significant risk of mortality, especially when it occurs while on
      appropriate antimicrobial therapy. We herein describe an unusual case of a
      patient with prosthetic aortic tissue valve, who suffered from central venous
      catheter related MRSA bacteremia with septic thrombus formation in the superior
      vena cava. MRSA bacteremia persisted despite removal of the catheter and
      appropriate antimicrobial therapy including vancomycin, rifampin, and daptomycin.
      Subsequently, the MRSA strain exhibited de novo resistance to vancomycin,
      rifampin and daptomycin. Eventually, salvage combination therapy with high dose
      daptomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was successful and achieved
      clearance of MRSA bacteremia. The case illustrates the growing complexity of
      treating MRSA infections.

PMID- 28626539
TI  - Resistance to Colistin in Klebsiella Pneumoniae: A 4.0 Strain?
AB  - The global rise of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria represents an
      increasing threat to patient safety. From the first observation of a carbapenem
      resistant gram-negative bacteria a global spread of extended-spectrum beta
      lactamases and carbapenemases producing Klebsiella pneumoniae has been observed.
      Treatment options for multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae are actually limited to
      combination therapy with some aminoglycosides, tigecycline and to older
      antimicrobial agents. Unfortunately, the prevalence of colistin-resistant and
      tigecycline-resistant K. pneumoniae is increasing globally. Infection due to
      colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae represents an independent risk factor for
      mortality. Resistance to colistin in K. pneumoniae may be multifactorial, as it
      is mediated by chromosomal genes or plasmids. The emergence of transmissible,
      plasmid-mediated colistin resistance is an alarming finding. The absence of new
      agents effective against resistant Gram-negative pathogens means that enhanced
      surveillance, compliance with infection prevention procedures, and antimicrobial
      stewardship programs will be required to limit the spread of colistin-resistant
      K. pneumoniae.

PMID- 28626540
TI  - Acute Crises and Complications of Sickle Cell Anemia Among Patients Attending a
      Pediatric Tertiary Unit in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic Of Congo.
AB  - In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the incidence of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is
      estimated to affect 30,000 to 40,000 neonates per year. However, there is paucity
      of data on acute clinical manifestations in sickle cell children. In these
      circumstances, it is difficult to develop a health care policy for an adequate
      management of sickle cell patients. This was a seven years' retrospective study
      of children admitted with acute sickle cell crisis in the Department of
      Pediatrics in University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic
      of Congo. A total of 108 patients were identified as having SCA. There were 56
      (51%) girls and 52 (49%) boys. Median age was 10.5 years (range 1-24 years). No
      child was diagnosed by neonatal screening. The median age of diagnosis of sickle
      cell anemia was 90 months (range: 8-250 months). The median age at the first
      transfusion was 36 months (range 4-168). In this series, 61 (56.5%) patients were
      eligible for hydroxyurea. However, this treatment was only performed in 4 (6.6%)
      of them. Pain episodes, acute anemic crisis and severe infection represent
      respectively 38.2%, 34.3% and 21.9% of events. Altered sensorium and focal
      deficit were encountered occasionally and represented 3.4% of acute events. Acute
      renal manifestations, cholelithiasis and priapism were rarely reported, in this
      cohort. In Kinshasa, the care of patients suffering from sickle cell anemia is
      characterized by the delayed diagnosis and low detection of organ complications
      compared to reports of Western countries. This situation is due to resources
      deficiencies.

PMID- 28626541
TI  - A Rare Case of Three Distinct Epstein-Barr Virus Associated Lymphoproliferative
      Disorders Over Sixteen Years of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.
AB  - Epstein Barr virus (EBV) is well known to cause different types of malignancies.
      In immunocompromised patients, such as those infected with human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV), there is a higher likelihood of EBV related malignant
      transformation. Diagnosis of EBV related malignancies may be difficult and
      sometimes requires clinical and pathological correlation. It is very rare to have
      more than one type of EBV related malignancy in a single patient. Until now,
      there are no specific guidelines for treatment of EBV related malignancies and
      lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD). We present a patient who developed three
      different types of EBV related LPD during a sixteen-year course of HIV infection.

PMID- 28626542
TI  - Invasive Aspergillosis with Disseminated Skin Involvement in a Patient with Acute
      Myeloid Leukemia: A Rare Case.
AB  - Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is most commonly seen in immunocompromised
      patients. Besides, skin lesions may also develop due to invasive aspergillosis in
      those patients. A 49-year-old male patient was diagnosed with acute myeloid
      leukemia. The patient developed bullous and zosteriform lesions on the skin after
      the 21st day of hospitalization. The skin biopsy showed hyphae. Disseminated skin
      aspergillosis was diagnosed to the patient. Voricanazole treatment was initiated.
      The patient was discharged once the lesions started to disappear.

PMID- 28626543
TI  - Cerebral Stroke in a Teenage Girl with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria.
AB  - We report a case of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in a 14 year-old
      girl presenting a cerebral arterial thrombosis. The initial diagnosis was
      carential anemia due to menarche following identification of slight macrocytic
      anemia, leucopenia and mild thrombocytopenia at routine blood analysis. The child
      was eventually referred to a children's hospital after the onset of progressive
      fatigue, anorexia and paleness. Severe anemia (hemoglobin 6 g/dL) with negative
      Coombs test, mild leucopenia (white blood cells 4.9*109/L) and thrombocytopenia
      (platelets 97*109/L) and high values of lactate dehydrogenase (2855 U/L) were
      identified; a packed red cells transfusion was administered. Her condition
      worsened and she subsequently presented complete right hemiplegia, aphasia and
      coma; magnetic resonance imaging revealed a massive ischemic lesion. A diagnosis
      of PNH was eventually made following high sensitivity flow cytometry, which
      identified a PNH clone (CD66b negative equal to 93.7% of granulocytes). Fast
      recovery from neurologic and hematological problems occurred in response to
      anticoagulant therapy and intravenous therapy with eculizumab. We are convinced
      that PNH should be included in the differential diagnosis of children presenting
      with cytopenia.

PMID- 28626544
TI  - Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome: A Brief Review.
AB  - Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a disease characterized by the triad
      of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute kidney injury.
      The histopathologic lesions of aHUS include thrombotic microangiopathy involving
      the glomerular capillaries and thrombosis involving arterioles or interlobar
      arteries. Extra-renal manifestations occur in up to 20% of patients. The majority
      of aHUS is caused by complement system defects impairing ordinary regulatory
      mechanisms. Activating events therefore lead to unbridled, ongoing complement
      activity producing widespread endothelial injury. Pathologic mutations include
      those resulting in loss-of-function in a complement regulatory gene (CFH, CFI,
      CD46 or THBD) or gain-of-function in an effector gene (CFB or C3). Treatment with
      the late complement inhibitor, eculizumab - a monoclonal antibody directed
      against C5 - is effective.

PMID- 28626545
TI  - Case of Acute ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Infective
      Endocarditis-Management with Intra Coronary Stenting.
AB  - Embolic events from infective endocarditis can cause acute coronary syndrome.
      Mortality rate is high and optimal management might be different from those
      chosen in setting of classic atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. We present
      a case of 56-year-old male who had received 5 weeks of antibiotics for aortic
      valve endocarditis and developed acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction
      in hospital settings. Interestingly, patient had recent left heart
      catheterization that was normal. This was recognized as embolic event from
      sterile vegetation. Patient was managed with balloon angioplasty and placement of
      intracoronary stent. Following re-vascularization, patient chest pain and
      electrocardiogram normalized and he improved in short term. However due to
      multiple comorbidities he had to be intubated and placed on dialysis.

PMID- 28626546
TI  - O Blood Group as a Risk Factor for Helicobacter Pylori IgG Seropositivity Among
      Pregnant Sudanese Women.
AB  - The objective was to investigate the prevalence and the association between blood
      groups and Helicobacter pylori IgG seropositivity among pregnant Sudanese women.
      A cross-sectional survey was carried-out at Saad Abul Ela Maternity Hospital,
      Khartoum, Sudan during the period of July 2014 through December 2015.
      Questionnaires covering socio-demographic and obstetrics information were
      administered. Specific H. pylori IgG antibody was analysed using ELISA. One
      hundred eighty six pregnant women were enrolled. The mean (SD) of the age, parity
      was 28.3 (2.6) years and 2.6 (3.5), respectively. Of the 186 women, 42 (22.6%),
      24 (12.9%), 11(5.9%) and 109 (58.6%) had blood group A, B, AB and O,
      respectively. H. pylori IgG seropositivity rate was 132/186 (71.0%). There was no
      significant difference in age and parity between women with H. pylori IgG
      seropositive and seronegative. Compared with the women with H. pylori IgG
      seronegative, significantly higher numbers of women with H. pylori IgG
      seropositive had O blood group, [84/132(63.6) versus 25/54(46.3), P<0.001]. In
      binary logistic regression, women with O blood group (OR= 2.084, 95% CI=1.060
      4.097, P=0.033) were at a higher H. pylori IgG seropositivity. The current study
      showed that women with blood group O were at higher risk for H. pylori IgG
      seropositivity.

PMID- 28626547
TI  - Structure-guided optimization of quinoline inhibitors of Plasmodium N
      myristoyltransferase.
AB  - The parasite Plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed cause of recurring
      malaria. N-Myristoyltransferase (NMT), an enzyme that catalyses the covalent
      attachment of myristate to the N-terminal glycine of substrate proteins, has been
      described as a potential target for the treatment of this disease. Herein, we
      report the synthesis and the structure-guided optimization of a series of
      quinolines with balanced activity against both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium
      falciparum N-myristoyltransferase (NMT).

PMID- 28626548
TI  - Nonomuraea sp. ATCC 55076 harbours the largest actinomycete chromosome to date
      and the kistamicin biosynthetic gene cluster.
AB  - Glycopeptide antibiotics (GPAs) have served as potent clinical drugs and as an
      inspiration to chemists in various disciplines. Among known GPAs, complestatin,
      chloropeptin, and kistamicin are unique in that they contain an unusual indole
      phenol crosslink. The mechanism of formation of this linkage is unknown, and to
      date, the biosynthetic gene cluster of only one GPA with an indole-phenol
      crosslink, that of complestatin, has been identified. Here, we report the genome
      sequence of the kistamicin producer Nonomuraea sp. ATCC 55076. We find that this
      strain harbours the largest actinobacterial chromosome to date, consisting of a
      single linear chromosome of ~13.1 Mbp. AntiSMASH analysis shows that ~32
      biosynthetic gene clusters and ~10% of the genome are devoted to production of
      secondary metabolites, which include 1,6-dihydroxyphenazine and nomuricin, a new
      anthraquinone-type pentacyclic compound that we report herein. The kistamicin
      gene cluster (kis) was identified bioinformatically. A unique feature of kis is
      that it contains two cytochrome P450 enzymes, which likely catalyze three
      crosslinking reactions. These findings set the stage for examining the
      biosynthesis of kistamicin and its unusual indole-phenol crosslink in the future.

PMID- 28626549
TI  - Stoichiometric to catalytic reactivity of the aryl cycloaurated species with
      arylboronic acids: insight into the mechanism of gold-catalyzed oxidative C(sp2)
      H arylation.
AB  - Based on the well-defined five-membered aryl gold(iii) complexes, [Au(tpy)X2] (3a
      and 3b) and [AuBr(Ph)(tpy)] (7), as well as the aryl gold(iii) complex
      [AuCl2(Ph)(tpy)] (8) (tpy = 2-(o-tolyl)pyridine) as reliable models, we present a
      detailed study of the mechanism for gold(iii)-catalyzed oxidative cross-coupling
      reactions between cycloaurable arenes and arylboronic acids. Here we report the
      direct evidence for a mechanistic proposal including arene C-H activation,
      transmetallation and biaryl reductive elimination. The chelation-assisted C-H
      activation strategy has been used for the development of the gold(iii)-catalyzed
      C-H bond arylation of arenes with aryl reagents to forge extended pi-conjugated
      systems.

PMID- 28626550
TI  - Enantioselective dearomatization of isoquinolines by anion-binding catalysis en
      route to cyclic alpha-aminophosphonates.
AB  - An enantioselective dearomatization of isoquinolines has been developed using
      chiral anion-binding catalysis. This transformation, catalyzed by a simple and
      easy to prepare tert-leucine-based thiourea derivative, makes use of silyl
      phosphite as a nucleophile and generates cyclic alpha-aminophosphonates. This is
      the first time asymmetric anion-binding catalysis has been applied to the
      synthesis of alpha-aminophosphonates.

PMID- 28626551
TI  - Pickering emulsions stabilized by coloured organic pigment particles.
AB  - The possibility of stabilizing emulsions of water and non-polar alkane with pure,
      coloured organic pigment particles is explored. Seven pigment types each
      possessing a primary colour of the rainbow were selected. Their solubility in
      water or heptane was determined using a spectrophotometric method and their
      surface energies were derived from the contact angles of probe liquids on
      compressed disks of the particles. As expected, most of the pigments are
      relatively hydrophobic but pigment orange is quite hydrophilic. At equal volumes
      of oil and water, preferred emulsions were water-in-oil (w/o) for six pigment
      types and oil-in-water (o/w) for pigment orange. The emulsion type is in line
      with calculated contact angles of the particles at the oil-water interface being
      either side of 90 degrees . Their stability to coalescence increases with
      particle concentration. Emulsions are shown to undergo limited coalescence from
      which the coverage of drop interfaces by particles has been determined. In a few
      cases, close-packed primary particles are visible around emulsion droplets. At
      constant particle concentration, the influence of the volume fraction of water
      (phiw) on emulsions was also studied. For the most hydrophilic pigment orange,
      emulsions are o/w at all phiw, whereas they are w/o for the most hydrophobic
      pigments (red, yellow, green and blue). For pigments of intermediate
      hydrophobicity however (indigo and violet), catastrophic phase inversion becomes
      possible with emulsions inverting from w/o to o/w upon increasing phiw. For the
      first time, we link the pigment surface energy to the propensity of emulsions to
      phase invert transitionally or catastrophically.

PMID- 28626552
TI  - A new microfluidic approach for the one-step capture, amplification and label
      free quantification of bacteria from raw samples.
AB  - A microfluidic method to specifically capture and detect infectious bacteria
      based on immunorecognition and proliferative power is presented. It involves a
      microscale fluidized bed in which magnetic and drag forces are balanced to retain
      antibody-functionalized superparamagnetic beads in a chamber during sample
      perfusion. Captured cells are then cultivated in situ by infusing nutritionally
      rich medium. The system was validated by the direct one-step detection of
      Salmonella Typhimurium in undiluted unskimmed milk, without pre-treatment. The
      growth of bacteria induces an expansion of the fluidized bed, mainly due to the
      volume occupied by the newly formed bacteria. This expansion can be observed with
      the naked eye, providing simple low-cost detection of only a few bacteria and in
      a few hours. The time to expansion can also be measured with a low-cost camera,
      allowing quantitative detection down to 4 cfu (colony forming unit), with a
      dynamic range of 100 to 107 cfu ml-1 in 2 to 8 hours, depending on the initial
      concentration. This mode of operation is an equivalent of quantitative PCR, with
      which it shares a high dynamic range and outstanding sensitivity and specificity,
      operating at the live cell rather than DNA level. Specificity was demonstrated by
      controls performed in the presence of a 500* excess of non-pathogenic Lactococcus
      lactis. The system's versatility was demonstrated by its successful application
      to the detection and quantitation of Escherichia coli O157:H15 and Enterobacter
      cloacae. This new technology allows fast, low-cost, portable and automated
      bacteria detection for various applications in food, environment, security and
      clinics.

PMID- 28626553
TI  - Stepwise crystallographic visualization of dynamic guest binding in a nanoporous
      framework.
AB  - Binding sites are at the heart of all host-guest systems, whether biological or
      chemical. When considering binding sites that form covalent bonds with the guest,
      we generally envision a single, highly specific binding motif. Through single
      crystal X-ray crystallography, the dynamic binding of a guest that displays a
      variety of covalent binding motifs in a single site of adsorption is directly
      observed for the first time. The stepwise crystallographic visualization of the
      incorporation of I2 within a porous MOF is presented, wherein the preferred
      binding motifs throughout the uptake process are identified. The guest I2
      molecules initially bind with terminal iodide atoms of the framework to form
      [I4]2- units. However, as the adsorption progresses, the I2 molecules are
      observed to form less energetically favorable I3- groups with the same framework
      iodide atoms, thereby allowing for more guest molecules to be chemisorbed. At
      near saturation, even more binding motifs are observed in the same pores,
      including both physisorbed and chemisorbed guest molecules. Herein, we present
      the successful identification of a unique set of host-guest interactions which
      will drive the improvement of high capacity iodine capture materials.

PMID- 28626554
TI  - Tuning the polarity of charge carriers using electron deficient thiophenes.
AB  - Thiophene-1,1-dioxide (TDO) oligomers have fascinating electronic properties. We
      previously used thermopower measurements to show that a change in charge carrier
      from hole to electron occurs with increasing length of TDO oligomers when single
      molecule junctions are formed between gold electrodes. In this article, we show
      for the first time that the dominant conducting orbitals for thiophene/TDO
      oligomers of fixed length can be tuned by altering the strength of the electron
      acceptors incorporated into the backbone. We use the scanning tunneling
      microscope break-junction (STM-BJ) technique and apply a recently developed
      method to determine the dominant transport channel in single-molecule junctions
      formed with these systems. Through these measurements, we find that increasing
      the electron affinity of thiophene derivatives, within a family of pentamers,
      changes the polarity of the charge carriers systematically from holes to
      electrons, with some systems even showing mid-gap transport characteristics.

PMID- 28626555
TI  - Live imaging of follicle stimulating hormone receptors in gonads and bones using
      near infrared II fluorophore.
AB  - In vivo imaging of hormone receptors provides the opportunity to visualize target
      tissues under hormonal control in live animals. Detecting longer-wavelength
      photons in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) region affords
      reduced photon scattering in tissues accompanied by lower autofluorescence,
      leading to higher spatial resolution at up to centimeter tissue penetration
      depths. Here, we report the conjugation of a small molecular NIR-II fluorophore
      CH1055 to a follicle stimulating hormone (FSH-CH) for imaging ovaries and testes
      in live mice. After exposure to FSH-CH, specific NIR-II signals were found in
      cultured ovarian granulosa cells containing FSH receptors. Injection of FSH-CH
      allowed live imaging of ovarian follicles and testicular seminiferous tubules in
      female and male adult mice, respectively. Using prepubertal mice, NIR-II signals
      were detected in ovaries containing only preantral follicles. Resolving earlier
      controversies regarding the expression of FSH receptors in cultured osteoclasts,
      we detected for the first time specific FSH receptor signals in bones in vivo.
      The present imaging of FSH receptors in live animals using a ligand-conjugated
      NIR-II fluorophore with low cell toxicity and rapid clearance allows the
      development of non-invasive molecular imaging of diverse hormonal target cells in
      vivo.

PMID- 28626556
TI  - Regulating the topology of 2D covalent organic frameworks by the rational
      introduction of substituents.
AB  - The topology of a covalent organic framework (COF) is generally believed to be
      dictated by the symmetries of the monomers used for the condensation reaction. In
      this context, the use of monomers with different symmetries is usually required
      to afford COFs with different topologies. Herein, we report a conceptual strategy
      to regulate the topology of 2D COFs by introducing alkyl substituents into the
      skeleton of a parent monomer. The resulting monomers, sharing the same C2
      symmetry, were assembled with a D2h symmetric tetraamine to generate a dual-pore
      COF or single-pore COFs, depending on the sizes of the substituents, which were
      evidenced using PXRD studies and pore size distribution analyses. These results
      demonstrate that the substituent is able to exert a significant influence on the
      topology of COFs, which is crucial for their application.

PMID- 28626557
TI  - Electrostatically driven resonance energy transfer in "cationic" biocompatible
      indium phosphide quantum dots.
AB  - Indium Phosphide Quantum Dots (InP QDs) have emerged as an alternative to toxic
      metal ion based QDs in nanobiotechnology. The ability to generate cationic
      surface charge, without compromising stability and biocompatibility, is essential
      in realizing the full potential of InP QDs in biological applications. We have
      addressed this challenge by developing a place exchange protocol for the
      preparation of cationic InP/ZnS QDs. The quaternary ammonium group provides the
      much required permanent positive charge and stability to InP/ZnS QDs in
      biofluids. The two important properties of QDs, namely bioimaging and light
      induced resonance energy transfer, are successfully demonstrated in cationic
      InP/ZnS QDs. The low cytotoxicity and stable photoluminescence of cationic
      InP/ZnS QDs inside cells make them ideal candidates as optical probes for
      cellular imaging. An efficient resonance energy transfer (E ~ 60%) is observed,
      under physiological conditions, between the cationic InP/ZnS QD donor and anionic
      dye acceptor. A large bimolecular quenching constant along with a linear Stern
      Volmer plot confirms the formation of a strong ground state complex between the
      cationic InP/ZnS QDs and the anionic dye. Control experiments prove the role of
      electrostatic attraction in driving the light induced interactions, which can
      rightfully form the basis for future nano-bio studies between cationic InP/ZnS
      QDs and anionic biomolecules.

PMID- 28626558
TI  - Multifunctional mixed-metal nanoscale coordination polymers for triple-modality
      imaging-guided photodynamic therapy.
AB  - The one-step self-assembly preparation of multifunctional gadolinium (Gd)
      ytterbium (Yb) mixed-metal nanoscale coordination polymers (NCPs) with Ru[4,4'
      (COOH)2bpy]32+ (LRu , bpy = bipyridyl) as a ligand is reported. The Gd/Yb ratio
      in the NCPs is easily tuned by their ratio in the precursors while the self
      limiting growth is realized with the high coordination valence and rigid steric
      structure of the precursors. The inherent properties of the precursors, including
      the magnetic resonance (MR) response of Gd3+, the X-ray attenuation properties of
      Yb3+, and the red fluorescence and the singlet-oxygen generation of LRu , are
      well retained in the mixed-metal NCPs. In vivo fluorescence-MR-X-ray computed
      tomography (CT), triple-modality imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are
      achieved using the mixed-metal NCPs as a probe. The triple-modality imaging
      integrates the high sensitivity of red fluorescence imaging, the deep penetration
      of MR imaging, and the 3D spatial resolution of CT imaging, thus providing
      comprehensive and complementary imaging information and facilitating the
      efficient imaging-guided PDT. For the first time, triple-modality imaging and a
      PDT agent were prepared with an easy and robust procedure, a tunable mixed-metal
      ratio, a high yield, and endogenous signal units.

PMID- 28626559
TI  - Reversible mechanical protection: building a 3D "suit" around a T-shaped
      benzimidazole axle.
AB  - The T-shaped benzimidazolium/crown ether recognition motif was used to prepare
      suit[1]anes. These novel mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) were fully
      characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction,
      UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. By conversion to a suit[1]ane, a
      simple benzimidazole was shown to be protected from deprotonation by strong base.
      Moreover, it was demonstrated that this unique three-dimensional encapsulation
      can be made reversible, thus introducing the concept of "reversible mechanical
      protection"; a protecting methodology that may have potential applications in
      synthetic organic chemistry and the design of molecular machinery.

PMID- 28626560
TI  - Selective single molecule nanopore sensing of proteins using DNA aptamer
      functionalised gold nanoparticles.
AB  - Single molecule detection methods, such as nanopore sensors have found increasing
      importance in applications ranging from gaining a better understanding of
      biophysical processes to technology driven solutions such as DNA sequencing.
      However, challenges remain especially in relation to improving selectivity to
      probe specific targets or to alternatively enable detection of smaller molecules
      such as small-sized proteins with a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio. In
      this article, we propose a solution to these technological challenges by using
      DNA aptamer-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that act as a molecular carrier
      through the nanopore sensor. We show that this approach offers numerous
      advantages including: high levels of selectivity, efficient capture from a
      complex mixture, enhanced signal, minimized analyte-sensor surface interactions,
      and finally can be used to enhance the event detection rate. This is demonstrated
      by incorporating a lysozyme binding aptamer to a 5 nm AuNP carrier to selectively
      probe lysozyme within a cocktail of proteins. We show that nanopores can reveal
      sub-complex molecular information, by discriminating the AuNP from the protein
      analyte, indicating the potential use of this technology for single molecule
      analysis of different molecular analytes specifically bound to AuNP.

PMID- 28626561
TI  - Enantioselective carbohydrate recognition by synthetic lectins in water.
AB  - Carbohydrate receptors with a chiral framework have been generated by combining a
      tetra-aminopyrene and a C3-symmetrical triamine via isophthalamide spacers
      bearing water-solubilising groups. These "synthetic lectins" are the first to
      show enantiodiscrimination in aqueous solution, binding N-acetylglucosamine
      (GlcNAc) with 16 : 1 enantioselectivity. They also show exceptional affinities.
      GlcNAc is bound with Ka up to 1280 M-1, more than twice that measured for
      previous synthetic lectins, and three times the value for wheat germ agglutinin,
      the lectin traditionally employed to bind GlcNAc in glycobiological research.
      Glucose is bound with Ka = 250 M-1, again higher than previous synthetic lectins.
      The results suggest that chirality can improve complementarity to carbohydrate
      substrates and may thus be advantageous in synthetic lectin design.

PMID- 28626562
TI  - Shining a light on transition metal chalcogenides for sustainable photovoltaics.
AB  - Transition metal chalcogenides are an important family of materials that have
      received significant interest in recent years as they have the potential for
      diverse applications ranging from use in electronics to industrial lubricants.
      One of their most exciting properties is the ability to generate electricity from
      incident light. In this perspective we will summarise and highlight the key
      results and challenges in this area and explain how transition metal
      chalcogenides are a good choice for future sustainable photovoltaics.

PMID- 28626563
TI  - Chemistry with semi-classical electrons: reaction trajectories auto-generated by
      sub-atomistic force fields.
AB  - For a century now, "Lewis dots" have been a mainstay of chemical thinking,
      teaching and communication. However, chemists have assumed that this semi
      classical picture of electrons needs to be abandoned for quantitative work, and
      the recourse in computational simulations has been to the extremes of first
      principles treatments of electrons on the one hand and force fields that avoid
      explicit electrons on the other hand. Given both the successes and limitations of
      these highly divergent approaches, it seems worth considering whether the Lewis
      dot picture might be made quantitative after all. Here we review progress to that
      end, including variations that have been implemented and examples of
      applications, specifically the acid-base behavior of water, several organic
      reactions, and electron dynamics in silicon fracture. In each case, the semi
      classical approach is highly efficient and generates reasonable and readily
      interpreted reaction trajectories in turnkey fashion (i.e., without any input
      about products). Avenues for further progress are also discussed.

PMID- 28626564
TI  - Integration of G-quadruplex and DNA-templated Ag NCs for nonarithmetic
      information processing.
AB  - To create sophisticated molecular logic circuits from scratch, you may not
      believe how common the building blocks can be and how diverse and powerful such
      circuits can be when scaled up. Using the two simple building blocks of G
      quadruplex and silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs), we experimentally construct a series
      of multifunctional, label-free, and multi-output logic circuits to perform
      nonarithmetic functions: a 1-to-2 decoder, a 4-to-2 encoder, an 8-to-3 encoder,
      dual transfer gates, a 2 : 1 multiplexer, and a 1 : 2 demultiplexer. Moreover, a
      parity checker which is capable of identifying odd and even numbers from natural
      numbers is constructed conceptually. Finally, a multi-valued logic gate (ternary
      inhibit gate) is readily achieved by taking this DNA/Ag NC system as a universal
      platform. All of the above logic circuits share the same building blocks,
      indicating the great prospects of the assembly of nanomaterials and DNA for
      biochemical logic devices. Considering its biocompatibility, the novel prototypes
      developed here may have potential applications in the fields of biological
      computers and medical diagnosis and serve as a promising proof of principle in
      the not-too-distant future.

PMID- 28626565
TI  - Site-specific azide-acetyllysine photochemistry on epigenetic readers for
      interactome profiling.
AB  - Chemical modifications on DNA, RNA and histones are recognized by an array of
      'reader' modules to regulate transcriptional programming and cell fate. However,
      identification of reader-specific interacting partners in a dynamic cellular
      environment remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report a chemoproteomic
      approach termed 'interaction-based protein profiling' (IBPP) to characterize
      novel interacting partners of potentially any reader protein. IBPP harnesses a
      photosensitive amino acid introduced into the hydrophobic pocket of a reader
      module to crosslink and enrich transient interacting partners that are
      inaccessible to traditional methods. Using bromodomain-containing protein 4
      (BRD4) as a paradigm, we engineer an 'aromatic cage' of the bromodomain to
      introduce 4-azido-l-phenylalanine (pAzF) without compromising its ability to
      recognize acetylated lysine residues in histone proteins. We establish the
      binding efficiency, substrate specificity and crosslinking ability of the
      engineered 'reader' module in biochemical assays. Applying IBPP, we uncovered
      novel acetylated interacting partners of BRD4, such as transcription factors,
      expanding on its previously unappreciated role in diverse biological processes.
      By setting up an azide-acetyllysine photoreaction deep inside the bromodomain
      aromatic cage as a means to detect protein acetylation, our approach provides a
      potentially general platform for rapid and unbiased profiling of interacting
      partners of diverse epigenetic readers whose functions in eukaryotic gene
      regulation remain convoluted.

PMID- 28626566
TI  - Functional metal-organic framework boosting lithium metal anode performance via
      chemical interactions.
AB  - Dendrite growth and low coulombic efficiency are two major factors that limit the
      utilization of Li metal electrodes in future generations of high-energy-density
      rechargeable batteries. This article reports the first study on metal-organic
      framework (MOF) materials for boosting the electrochemical performance of Li
      metal electrodes and demonstrates the power of molecular-structure
      functionalization for realizing desirable ion transport and Li metal nucleation
      and growth. We show that dendrite-free dense Li deposition and stable Li
      plating/stripping cycling with high coulombic efficiency are enabled by modifying
      a commercial polypropylene separator with a titanium-based MOF (NH2-MIL-125(Ti))
      material. The NH2-MIL-125(Ti)-coated-separator renders Li|Cu cells that can run
      for over 200 cycles at 1 mA cm-2-1 mA h cm-2 with average coulombic efficiency of
      98.5% and Li|Li symmetric cells that can be cycled at 1 mA cm-2-1 mA h cm-2 for
      more than 1200 h without short circuiting. The superior cycling stability is
      attributed to the amine substituents in the NH2-MIL-125(Ti) structure which
      induce increased Li+ transference numbers and uniform and dense early-stage Li
      deposition.

PMID- 28626567
TI  - Shape controlled synthesis of porous tetrametallic PtAgBiCo nanoplates as highly
      active and methanol-tolerant electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction.
AB  - Mechanistic control is a powerful means for manufacturing specific shapes of
      metal nanostructures and optimizing their performance in a variety of
      applications. Thus, we successfully synthesized multimetallic nanoplates
      (PtAgBiCo and PtAgBi) by combining the concepts of crystal symmetry, oxidative
      etching and seed ratio, and tuned their activity, stability and methanol
      tolerance, as well as Pt utilization, for the oxygen reduction reaction in direct
      methanol fuel cells. Systematic studies reveal that the formation of PtAgBiCo
      triangular nanoplates with a high morphological yield (>90%) can be achieved by
      crystallinity alteration, while electrochemical measurements indicate that the
      PtAgBiCo nanoplates have superior electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen
      reduction reaction. The specific and mass activity of the PtAgBiCo nanoplates are
      8 and 5 times greater than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst, respectively. In
      addition, the tetrametallic PtAgBiCo nanoplates exhibit a more positive half-wave
      potential for the oxygen reduction reaction and possess an excellent methanol
      tolerance limit compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

PMID- 28626568
TI  - Dual-targeted peptide-conjugated multifunctional fluorescent probe with AIEgen
      for efficient nucleus-specific imaging and long-term tracing of cancer cells.
AB  - Precisely targeted transportation of a long-term tracing regent to a nucleus with
      low toxicity is one of the most challenging concerns in revealing cancer cell
      behaviors. Here, we report a dual-targeted peptide-conjugated multifunctional
      fluorescent probe (cNGR-CPP-NLS-RGD-PyTPE, TCNTP) with aggregation-induced
      emission (AIE) characteristic, for efficient nucleus-specific imaging and long
      term and low-toxicity tracing of cancer cells. TCNTP mainly consists of two
      components: one is a functionalized combinatorial peptide (TCNT) containing two
      targeted peptides (cNGR and RGD), a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) and a nuclear
      localization signal (NLS), which can specifically bind to a cell surface and
      effectively enter into the nucleus; the other one is an AIE-active
      tetraphenylethene derivative (PyTPE, a typical AIEgen) as fluorescence imaging
      reagent. In the presence of aminopeptidase N (CD13) and integrin alphavbeta3,
      TCNTP can specifically bind to both of them using cNGR and RGD, respectively,
      lighting up its yellow fluorescence. Because it contains CPP, TCNTP can be
      effectively integrated into the cytoplasm, and then be delivered into the nucleus
      with the help of NLS. TCNTP exhibited strong fluorescence in the nucleus of CD13
      and integrin alphavbeta3 overexpression cells due to the specific targeting
      ability, efficient transport capacity and AIE characteristic in a more crowded
      space. Furthermore, TCNTP can be applied for long-term tracing in living cells,
      scarcely affecting normal cells with negligible toxicity in more than ten
      passages.

PMID- 28626569
TI  - Importance of double-resonance effects in two-photon absorption properties of
      Au25(SR)18.
AB  - The two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections of small thiolate-protected gold
      clusters have been shown to be much larger than typical small organic molecules.
      In comparison with larger nanoparticles, their TPA cross-sections per gold atom
      are also found to be larger. Theoretical simulations have suggested that the
      large enhancement of these TPA cross-sections comes from a one-photon double
      resonance mechanism. However, it remains difficult to simulate TPA cross-sections
      of thiolate-protected gold clusters due to their large system size and a high
      density of states. In this work, we report a time-dependent density functional
      theory (TDDFT) study of the TPA spectra of the Au25(SR)18- cluster based on a
      damped response theory formalism. Damped response theory enables a consistent
      treatment of on- and off-resonance molecular properties even for molecules with a
      high density of states, and thus is well-suited for studying the TPA properties
      of gold clusters. Our results indicate that the one- and two-photon double
      resonance effect is much smaller than previously found, and thus is unlikely to
      be the main cause of the large TPA cross-sections found experimentally. The
      effect of symmetry breaking of the Au25(SR)18- cluster due to the ligands on the
      TPA cross-sections has been studied and was found to only slightly increase the
      cross-section. Furthermore, by comparing with larger nanoparticles we find that
      the TPA cross-section per gold atom scales linearly with the diameter of the
      particles, and that the Kerr non-linear response of the Au25(SR)18- cluster is on
      the same order as that of bulk gold films.

PMID- 28626570
TI  - Riboflavin as a bioorthogonal photocatalyst for the activation of a PtIV prodrug.
AB  - Encouraging developments demonstrate that few transition metal and organometallic
      catalysts can operate in a bioorthogonal fashion and promote non-natural
      chemistry in living systems by minimizing undesired side reactions with cellular
      components. These catalytic processes have potential for applications in
      medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. However, the stringent conditions of
      the cell environment severely limit the number of accessible metal catalysts and
      exogenous reactions. Herein, we report an unorthodox approach and a new type of
      bioorthogonal catalytic reaction, in which a metal complex is an unconventional
      substrate and an exogenous biological molecule acts as a catalyst. In this
      reaction, riboflavin photocatalytically converts a PtIV prodrug into cisplatin
      within the biological environment. Due to the catalytic activity of riboflavin,
      cisplatin-like apoptosis is induced in cancer cells under extremely low doses of
      light, potentially preventing systemic off-target reactions. Photocatalytic and
      bioorthogonal turnover of PtIV into PtII species is an attractive strategy to
      amplify the antineoplastic action of metal-based chemotherapeutics with spatio
      temporal control.

PMID- 28626571
TI  - Integrative approach for the analysis of the proteome-wide response to bismuth
      drugs in Helicobacter pylori.
AB  - Bismuth drugs, despite being clinically used for decades, surprisingly remain in
      use and effective for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection, even for
      resistant strains when co-administrated with antibiotics. However, the molecular
      mechanisms underlying the clinically sustained susceptibility of H. pylori to
      bismuth drugs remain elusive. Herein, we report that integration of in-house
      metalloproteomics and quantitative proteomics allows comprehensive uncovering of
      the bismuth-associated proteomes, including 63 bismuth-binding and 119 bismuth
      regulated proteins from Helicobacter pylori, with over 60% being annotated with
      catalytic functions. Through bioinformatics analysis in combination with
      bioassays, we demonstrated that bismuth drugs disrupted multiple essential
      pathways in the pathogen, including ROS defence and pH buffering, by binding and
      functional perturbation of a number of key enzymes. Moreover, we discovered that
      HpDnaK may serve as a new target of bismuth drugs to inhibit bacterium-host cell
      adhesion. The integrative approach we report, herein, provides a novel strategy
      to unveil the molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial metals against pathogens in
      general. This study sheds light on the design of new types of antimicrobial
      agents with multiple targets to tackle the current crisis of antimicrobial
      resistance.

PMID- 28620450
TI  - Predicting Outcomes of Hormone and Chemotherapy in the Molecular Taxonomy of
      Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) Study by Biochemically-inspired
      Machine Learning.
AB  - Genomic aberrations and gene expression-defined subtypes in the large METABRIC
      patient cohort have been used to stratify and predict survival. The present study
      used normalized gene expression signatures of paclitaxel drug response to predict
      outcome for different survival times in METABRIC patients receiving hormone (HT)
      and, in some cases, chemotherapy (CT) agents. This machine learning method, which
      distinguishes sensitivity vs. resistance in breast cancer cell lines and
      validates predictions in patients; was also used to derive gene signatures of
      other HT  (tamoxifen) and CT agents (methotrexate, epirubicin, doxorubicin, and 5
      fluorouracil) used in METABRIC. Paclitaxel gene signatures exhibited the best
      performance, however the other agents also predicted survival with acceptable
      accuracies. A support vector machine (SVM) model of paclitaxel response
      containing genes  ABCB1, ABCB11, ABCC1, ABCC10, BAD, BBC3, BCL2, BCL2L1, BMF,
      CYP2C8, CYP3A4, MAP2, MAP4, MAPT, NR1I2, SLCO1B3, TUBB1, TUBB4A, and TUBB4B was
      78.6% accurate in predicting survival of 84 patients treated with both HT and CT
      (median survival >= 4.4 yr). Accuracy was lower (73.4%) in 304 untreated
      patients. The performance of other machine learning approaches was also evaluated
      at different survival thresholds. Minimum redundancy maximum relevance feature
      selection of a paclitaxel-based SVM classifier based on expression of genes 
      BCL2L1, BBC3, FGF2, FN1, and  TWIST1 was 81.1% accurate in 53 CT patients. In
      addition, a random forest (RF) classifier using a gene signature ( ABCB1, ABCB11,
      ABCC1, ABCC10, BAD, BBC3, BCL2, BCL2L1, BMF, CYP2C8, CYP3A4, MAP2, MAP4, MAPT,
      NR1I2,SLCO1B3, TUBB1, TUBB4A, and TUBB4B) predicted >3-year survival with 85.5%
      accuracy in 420 HT patients. A similar RF gene signature showed 82.7% accuracy in
      504 patients treated with CT and/or HT. These results suggest that tumor gene
      expression signatures refined by machine learning techniques can be useful for
      predicting survival after drug therapies.

PMID- 28626572
TI  - Optical control of a receptor-linked guanylyl cyclase using a photoswitchable
      peptidic hormone.
AB  - The optical control over biological function with small photoswitchable molecules
      has gathered significant attention in the last decade. Herein, we describe the
      design and synthesis of a small library of photoswitchable peptidomimetics based
      upon human atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), in which the photochromic amino acid
      [3-(3-aminomethyl)phenylazo]phenylacetic acid (AMPP) is incorporated into the
      peptide backbone. The endogeneous hormone ANP signals via the natriuretic peptide
      receptor A (NPR-A) through raising intracellular cGMP concentrations, and is
      involved in blood pressure regulation and sodium homeostasis, as well as lipid
      metabolism and pancreatic function. The cis- and trans-isomers of one of our
      peptidomimetics, termed TOP271, exhibit a four-fold difference in NPR-A mediated
      cGMP synthesis in vitro. Despite this seemingly small difference, TOP271 enables
      large, optically-induced conformational changes ex vivo and transforms the NPR-A
      into an endogenous photoswitch. Thus, application of TOP271 allows the reversible
      generation of cGMP using light and remote control can be afforded over
      vasoactivity in explanted murine aortic rings, as well as pancreatic beta cell
      function in islets of Langerhans. This study demonstrates the broad applicability
      of TOP271 to enzyme-dependent signalling processes, extends the toolbox of
      photoswitchable molecules to all classes of transmembrane receptors and utilizes
      photopharmacology to deduce receptor activation on a molecular level.

PMID- 28620450
TI  - Predicting Outcomes of Hormone and Chemotherapy in the Molecular Taxonomy of
      Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) Study by Biochemically-inspired
      Machine Learning.
AB  - Genomic aberrations and gene expression-defined subtypes in the large METABRIC
      patient cohort have been used to stratify and predict survival. The present study
      used normalized gene expression signatures of paclitaxel drug response to predict
      outcome for different survival times in METABRIC patients receiving hormone (HT)
      and, in some cases, chemotherapy (CT) agents. This machine learning method, which
      distinguishes sensitivity vs. resistance in breast cancer cell lines and
      validates predictions in patients; was also used to derive gene signatures of
      other HT  (tamoxifen) and CT agents (methotrexate, epirubicin, doxorubicin, and 5
      fluorouracil) used in METABRIC. Paclitaxel gene signatures exhibited the best
      performance, however the other agents also predicted survival with acceptable
      accuracies. A support vector machine (SVM) model of paclitaxel response
      containing genes  ABCB1, ABCB11, ABCC1, ABCC10, BAD, BBC3, BCL2, BCL2L1, BMF,
      CYP2C8, CYP3A4, MAP2, MAP4, MAPT, NR1I2, SLCO1B3, TUBB1, TUBB4A, and TUBB4B was
      78.6% accurate in predicting survival of 84 patients treated with both HT and CT
      (median survival >= 4.4 yr). Accuracy was lower (73.4%) in 304 untreated
      patients. The performance of other machine learning approaches was also evaluated
      at different survival thresholds. Minimum redundancy maximum relevance feature
      selection of a paclitaxel-based SVM classifier based on expression of genes 
      BCL2L1, BBC3, FGF2, FN1, and  TWIST1 was 81.1% accurate in 53 CT patients. In
      addition, a random forest (RF) classifier using a gene signature ( ABCB1, ABCB11,
      ABCC1, ABCC10, BAD, BBC3, BCL2, BCL2L1, BMF, CYP2C8, CYP3A4, MAP2, MAP4, MAPT,
      NR1I2,SLCO1B3, TUBB1, TUBB4A, and TUBB4B) predicted >3-year survival with 85.5%
      accuracy in 420 HT patients. A similar RF gene signature showed 82.7% accuracy in
      504 patients treated with CT and/or HT. These results suggest that tumor gene
      expression signatures refined by machine learning techniques can be useful for
      predicting survival after drug therapies.

PMID- 28620451
TI  - The refined biomimetic NeuroDigm GELTM model of neuropathic pain in a mature rat.
AB  - Background: Many humans suffering with chronic neuropathic pain have no objective
      evidence of an etiological lesion or disease. Frequently their persistent pain
      occurs after the healing of a soft tissue injury. Based on clinical observations
      over time, our hypothesis was that after an injury in mammals the process of
      tissue repair could cause chronic neural pain. Our objectives were to create the
      delayed onset of neuropathic pain in rats with minimal nerve trauma using a
      physiologic hydrogel, and characterize the rats' responses to known analgesics
      and a targeted biologic. Methods: In mature male Sprague Dawley rats (age 9.5
      months) a percutaneous implant of tissue-derived hydrogel was placed in the
      musculofascial tunnel of the distal tibial nerve. Subcutaneous morphine (3
      mg/kg), celecoxib (10 mg/kg), gabapentin (25 mg/kg) and duloxetine (10 mg/kg)
      were each screened in the model three times each over 5 months after pain
      behaviors developed. Sham and control groups were used in all screenings. A pilot
      study followed in which recombinant human erythropoietin (200 units) was injected
      by the GELTM neural procedure site. Results: The GEL group gradually developed
      mechanical hypersensitivity lasting months. Morphine, initially effective, had
      less analgesia over time. Celecoxib produced no analgesia, while gabapentin and
      duloxetine at low doses demonstrated profound analgesia at all times tested. The
      injected erythropoietin markedly decreased bilateral pain behavior that had been
      present for over 4 months, p <= 0.001. Histology of the GEL group tibial nerve
      revealed a site of focal neural remodeling, with neural regeneration, as found in
      nerve biopsies of patients with neuropathic pain. Conclusion: The refined
      NeuroDigm GELTM model induces a neural response resulting in robust neuropathic
      pain behavior. The analgesic responses in this model reflect known responses of
      humans with neuropathic pain. The targeted recombinant human erythropoietin at
      the ectopic neural lesion appears to alleviate the persistent pain behavior in
      the GELTM model rodents.

PMID- 28620455
TI  - haploR: an R package for querying web-based annotation tools.
AB  - We developed haploR, an R package for querying web based genome annotation tools
      HaploReg and RegulomeDB. haploR gathers information in a data frame which is
      suitable for downstream bioinformatic analyses. This will facilitate post-genome
      wide association studies streamline analysis for rapid discovery and
      interpretation of genetic associations.

PMID- 28620452
TI  - Metabolic reprogramming during the Trypanosoma brucei life cycle.
AB  - Cellular metabolic activity is a highly complex, dynamic, regulated process that
      is influenced by numerous factors, including extracellular environmental signals,
      nutrient availability and the physiological and developmental status of the cell.
      The causative agent of sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei, is an exclusively
      extracellular protozoan parasite that encounters very different extracellular
      environments during its life cycle within the mammalian host and tsetse fly
      insect vector. In order to meet these challenges, there are significant
      alterations in the major energetic and metabolic pathways of these highly
      adaptable parasites. This review highlights some of these metabolic changes in
      this early divergent eukaryotic model organism.

PMID- 28626579
TI  - Treatment of Escape-Maintained Challenging Behavior Using Chained Schedules: An
      Evaluation of the Effects of Thinning Positive plus Negative Reinforcement During
      Functional Communication Training.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Previous research has supported functional communication training
      (FCT) as an effective intervention for reducing challenging behavior. Clinicians
      often program schedule-thinning procedures to increase the portability of the
      treatment (i.e., reinforcement is provided less frequently). For individuals with
      escape-maintained problem behavior, chained schedules have proven effective in
      increasing task completion and supplemental procedures may ameliorate reemergence
      of challenging behavior as access to reinforcement is decreased. The present
      study compared the use of a chained schedule-thinning procedure with and without
      alternative reinforcement (e.g., toys and activities) embedded in an intervention
      in which escape from the task is provided contingent on a request for a break.
      METHOD: Two individuals with escape-maintained challenging behavior participated.
      We compared two treatment conditions, escape-only and escape-to-tangibles, using
      a single-subject, alternating treatments design with each treatment implemented
      in a distinct academic context. RESULTS: With the escape-to-tangibles treatment,
      we reached the final schedule in both contexts with both participants (4
      successes out of 4 applications). We did not reach the final schedule with either
      participant with the escape-only intervention (0 successes out of 2
      applications). CONCLUSION: The current results provided preliminary confirmation
      that providing positive plus negative reinforcement would decrease destructive
      behavior, increase compliance, and facilitate reinforcer-schedule thinning.

PMID- 28620456
TI  - Effects of physical activity on the link between PGC-1a and FNDC5 in muscle,
      circulating Iotarisin and UCP1 of white adipocytes in humans: A systematic
      review.
AB  - Background: Exercise may activate a brown adipose-like phenotype in white adipose
      tissue. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the effects of physical
      activity on the link between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma
      coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1a) and fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5
      (FNDC5) in muscle, circulating Irisin and uncoupling protein one (UCP1) of white
      adipocytes in humans. Methods: Two databases (PubMed 1966 to 08/2016 and EMBASE
      1974 to 08/2016) were searched using an appropriate algorithm. We included
      articles that examined physical activity and/or exercise in humans that met the
      following criteria: a) PGC-1a in conjunction with FNDC5 measurements, and b)
      FNDC5 and/or circulating Irisin and/or UCP1 levels in white adipocytes. Results:
      We included 51 studies (12 randomised controlled trials) with 2474 participants.
      Out of the 51 studies, 16 examined PGC-1a and FNDC5 in response to exercise, and
      only four found increases in both PGC-1a and FNDC5 mRNA and one showed increased
      FNDC5 mRNA. In total, 22 out of 45 studies that examined circulating Irisin in
      response to exercise showed increased concentrations when ELISA techniques were
      used; two studies also revealed increased Irisin levels measured via mass
      spectrometry. Three studies showed a positive association of circulating Irisin
      with physical activity levels. One study found no exercise effects on UCP1 mRNA
      in white adipocytes. Conclusions: The effects of physical activity on the link
      between PGC-1a, FNDC5 mRNA in muscle and UCP1 in white human adipocytes has
      attracted little scientific attention. Current methods for Irisin identification
      lack precision and, therefore, the existing evidence does not allow for
      conclusions to be made regarding Irisin responses to physical activity. We found
      a contrast between standardised review methods and accuracy of the measurements
      used. This should be considered in future systematic reviews.

PMID- 28626580
TI  - Hernias- Is it a primary defect or a systemic disorder? Role of collagen III in
      all hernias- A case control study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The need of this study is to assess the role of collagen III in all
      hernias which include primary inguinal hernias ventral and recurrent abdominal
      hernias. Collagen type III represents the mechanically instable, less cross
      linked collagen synthesized during the early days of wound healing. Quantitative
      assessment of collagen III in scar tissue on transversalis fascia as tissue
      obtained from cases operated for various hernias and compared to that of patients
      operated for abdominal surgeries for indications other than hernia was compared.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we had a total of 90 patients, of which 45
      patients underwent mesh repair for the various hernias and 45 patients who
      underwent laparotomies for various reasons were included as controls. Size of 1 *
      1cm transversalis fascia was taken in both subjects and was sent for quantitative
      assessment using Immunohistochemistry test. All the above cases were randomized
      as per age,sex,BMI, co morbidities and materials used for repair. RESULTS:
      Results were analysed quantitatively and classified into following groups:Based
      on intensity of staining into Mild, Intermediate and Well stained and based on
      Quantity of Collagen III into Grade 0---NIL, Grade 1--1-25%, Grade 2-26-50%,
      Grade 3--51-75%, Grade 4--76-100% (Table 1). In the case group we had 52.4%,35.7%
      and 11.9% of the cases in Grade 4, Grade 3 and Grade 2 which proved that there
      was increased presence of Collagen 3, where as 84.4%,4.4% and 11.1% of patients
      in the control group were classified as Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 0. For the
      quantitative study -Chi square test value -81.279 and the p value < 0.001. For
      the intensity of staining -Chi square test value -57.64 and p value is < 0.001.
      CONCLUSION: This study signifies that ventral, recurrent and primary inguinal
      hernias are not just caused because of a primary defect but an acquired disorder
      with respect to collagen distribution.

PMID- 28626582
TI  - Fluorescent flavonoids for endoplasmic reticulum cell imaging.
AB  - Visualization of subcellular organelles in vivo is critical for basic biomedical
      research and clinical applications. Two new flavonoids with an amide substituent
      were synthesized and characterized. The flavonoids were nearly non-fluorescent in
      aqueous environment, but exhibited two emission peaks (one lambdaem at 495-536 nm
      and the other at 570-587 nm) in organic solvents, which were assigned to the
      excited normal (N*) and tautomer (T*) emission. When the dyes were examined on
      oligodendrocyte cells, they were found to selectively accumulate in the
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a eukaryotic organelle involved in lipid and protein
      synthesis, giving fluorescence turn-on. The ER-selective flavonoids could be a
      valuable tool due to its low molecular mass (<500), large Stokes' shift, low
      toxicity, and biocompatibility.

PMID- 28626581
TI  - Carcinosarcoma of the maxillary sinus: A rare case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Carcinosarcoma is a highly malignant tumor characterized by dual
      malignant histologic differentiation of epithelial and mesenchymal components.
      The tumor is extremely rare in the sinonasal tract, with only 13 cases reported
      since 1957 in the literature. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report a case of a 55-year
      old man with right-sided face pain revealed a mass in the right maxillary sinus
      and nasal cavity. A large incisional biopsy from the nasal cavity concluded the
      diagnosis of carcinosarcoma. The patient was treated with chemoradiation, but no
      significant effect was obtained. The patient died 4 months after initial
      examination. DISCUSSION: In our case, the patient consulted late with a large
      tumor which darkens his prognosis. According to some authors, this histological
      type of tumors is known by local recurrences and its lethal metastases. Prognosis
      is related to location, tumor size, the invasion and stage of disease. Wide
      surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Radiotherapy can be discussed in
      inoperable cases. CONCLUSION: This is an aggressive tumor, rapidly progressive
      with a poor prognosis. The management of this rare condition remains
      undetermined.

PMID- 28626583
TI  - Complete genome sequence and description of Lactococcus garvieae M14 isolated
      from Algerian fermented milk.
AB  - We describe using a polyphasic approach that combines proteomic by matrix
      assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF)
      analysis, genomic data and phenotypic characterization the features of
      Lactococcus garvieae strain M14 newly isolated from the fermented milk (known as
      raib) of an Algerian cow. The 2 188 835 bp containing genome sequence displays a
      metabolic capacity to form acid fermentation that is very useful for industrial
      applications and encodes for two bacteriocins responsible for its eventual
      bioprotective properties.

PMID- 28626584
TI  - Enteric multiplex PCR panels: A new diagnostic tool for amoebic liver abscess?
AB  - Invasive amoebiasis is a life-threatening infection requiring immediate detection
      and treatment. However, diagnosis is challenging because conventional methods
      such as light microscopy and serology are unreliable. Molecular techniques are
      therefore considered the new diagnostic reference standard, but most of the
      developed assays are research tools and not widely available. Recently commercial
      multiplex PCR panels have been introduced which permit the simultaneous detection
      of multiple enteric pathogens including Entamoeba histolytica in stool samples.
      Our report demonstrates for the first time that these new assays might also serve
      as a rapid tool to diagnose amoebic liver abscess in patients with cystic focal
      liver lesions.

PMID- 28626585
TI  - First detection of DS-1-like G1P[8] human rotavirus strains from children with
      diarrhoea in the Philippines.

PMID- 28626586
TI  - Prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases among HIV-positive and HIV
      negative patients eligible for retreatment regimen in Togo using GeneXpert
      MTB/RIF.
AB  - Drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is emerging as an important health problem in
      Togo. From sputum of previously treated TB patients, multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB
      was diagnosed in 24% (10/42) patients via GeneXpert MTB/RIF compared to 25%
      (6/24) patients via conventional drug susceptibility testing (BACTEC MGIT 960
      system). The agreement between these two methods to detect MDR-TB is excellent.
      However, GeneXpert MTB/RIF offers the advantage of rapidly detecting
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in sputum samples in instances where the
      cultures are negative (33%, 14/42) or contaminated (9.5%, 4/42). GeneXpert
      MTB/RIF permitted us to estimate the prevalence of MDR-TB in previously treated
      TB patients and to improve TB diagnostics among HIV-positive and -negative
      patients in Togo, where culturing M. tuberculosis complex from sputum samples is
      challenging.

PMID- 28626587
TI  - KRAS testing and first-line treatment among patients diagnosed with metastatic
      colorectal cancer using population data from ten National Program of Cancer
      Registries in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2011, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended
      KRAS testing for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. Our study assessed
      KRAS testing prevalence and its association with socio-demographic and clinical
      factors and examined first-line treatment. METHODS: Ten state population-based
      registries supported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)
      National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) collected detailed cancer
      information on mCRC cases diagnosed in 2011, including KRAS biomarker testing and
      first-line treatment from ten central cancer registries. Data were analyzed with
      Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 3,608 mCRC
      cases, 27% (n = 992) had a documented KRAS test. Increased age at diagnosis (p <
      0.0001), racial/ethnic minorities (p = 0.0155), public insurance (p = 0.0018),
      and lower census tract education (p = 0.0023) were associated with less KRAS
      testing. Significant geographic variation in KRAS testing (p < 0.0001) ranged
      from 46% in New Hampshire to 18% in California. After adjusting for all
      covariates, age and residence at diagnosis (both p < 0.0001) remained predictors
      of KRAS testing. Non-Hispanic Blacks had less KRAS testing than non-Hispanic
      Whites (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61-0.97). Among those tested and found to have
      normal (wild-type) KRAS, 7% received anti-EGFR treatment; none received such
      treatment among those with KRAS mutated gene. CONCLUSIONS: Despite NCCN guideline
      recommendations, 73% of mCRC cases diagnosed in 2011 had no documented KRAS test.
      Disparities in KRAS testing existed based on age, race, and residence at
      diagnosis. IMPACT: These findings show the capacity of monitoring KRAS testing in
      the US using cancer registry data and suggest the need to understand the low
      uptake of KRAS testing, and associated treatment choices during the first year
      since diagnosis.

PMID- 28626588
TI  - UHRF1 is required for basal stem cell proliferation in response to airway injury.
AB  - Cellular senescence is a cell fate characterized by an irreversible cell cycle
      arrest, but the molecular mechanism underlying this senescence hallmark remains
      poorly understood. Through an unbiased search for novel senescence regulators in
      airway basal cells, we discovered that the epigenetic regulator ubiquitin-like
      with PHD and ring finger domain-containing protein 1 (UHRF1) is critical for
      regulating cell cycle progression. Upon injury, basal cells in the mouse airway
      rapidly induce the expression of UHRF1 in order to stimulate stem cell
      proliferation and tissue repair. Targeted depletion of Uhrf1 specifically in
      airway basal cells causes a profound defect in cell cycle progression.
      Consistently, cultured primary human basal cells lacking UHRF1 do not exhibit
      cell death or differentiation phenotypes but undergo a spontaneous program of
      senescence. Mechanistically, UHRF1 loss induces G1 cell cycle arrest by
      abrogating DNA replication factory formation as evidenced by loss of
      proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) puncta and an inability to enter the
      first cell cycle. This proliferation defect is partially mediated by the p15
      pathway. Overall, our study provides the first evidence of an indispensable role
      of UHRF1 in somatic stem cells proliferation during the process of airway
      regeneration.

PMID- 28626589
TI  - The Effects of Food Labelling on Postexercise Energy Intake in Sedentary Women.
AB  - Food labelling has been previously reported to influence energy intake (EI).
      Whether food labels influence postexercise EI remains to be determined. We
      assessed how food labelling and exercise (Ex) interact to influence food
      perception and postexercise EI. In this randomized crossover design, 14 inactive
      women participated in 4 experimental conditions: Ex (300 kcal at 70% of VO2peak)
      and lunch labelled as low in fat (LF), Ex and lunch labelled as high in fat (HF),
      Rest and LF, and Rest and HF. The lunch was composed of a plate of pasta, yogurt,
      and oatmeal cookies, which had the same nutritional composition across the 4
      experimental conditions. EI at lunch and for the 48-hour period covering the
      testing day and the following day was assessed. Furthermore, perceived
      healthiness of the meal and appetite ratings were evaluated. There were no
      effects of exercise and food labelling on EI. However, meals labelled as LF were
      perceived as heathier, and this label was associated with higher prospective food
      consumption. Initial beliefs about food items had a stronger effect on
      healthiness perception than the different food labels and explain the positive
      correlation with the amount of food consumed (rho = 0.34, P < 0.001).

PMID- 28626590
TI  - Antiglycemic Effect of Water Extractable Arabinoxylan from Wheat Aleurone and
      Bran.
AB  - The studies on the effects of arabinoxylan (AX) polysaccharides on postprandial
      glucose response have resulted in contrasting results owing to the diversity in
      AX structures. Four water extractable AX (WEAX) extracts obtained from wheat
      aleurone and bran were used to investigate (a) the effect of AX on activities of
      alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, (b) influence of AX chemical composition on
      their inhibition potency, and (c) kinetics of enzyme inhibition. alpha-Amylase
      activity was not significantly affected by the presence WEAX fractions regardless
      of type or concentration. WEAX inhibited alpha-glucosidase activity only when
      maltose was used as a substrate but not sucrose. The IC50 values of WEAX (4.88 +/
      0.3-10.14 +/- 0.5 mg/mL) were highly correlated to ferulic acid content (R = 
      0.89), arabinose to xylose ratio (R = -0.67), and relative proportions of xylose
      being unsubstituted (R = 0.69), disubstituted (R = -0.63), and monosubstituted (R
      = -0.76). The Lineweaver-Burk plot suggested an uncompetitive enzyme inhibition
      mode. Thus, our results suggest that antiglycemic properties of WEAX may be
      derived from direct inhibition of alpha-glucosidase activity.

PMID- 28626591
TI  - A Case of Trapezium Avascular Necrosis Treated Conservatively.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the bones of the wrist most commonly
      involves the lunate followed by the proximal pole of the scaphoid and the
      capitate. Trapezium avascular necrosis is extremely rare with only two cases
      reported in the literature, both of which were treated surgically. In this
      article, we report a unique case of trapezium avascular necrosis treated
      conservatively. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old man complaining of a 4-month
      history of mild pain on the base of his right thumb. MRI scan was performed. The
      clinical presentation and the imaging findings indicated avascular osteonecrosis
      of the trapezium. The patient was treated with immobilization of the wrist joint
      for a period of six weeks. Three months later, the patient was free of symptoms
      and the MRI scan revealed a normal trapezium. CONCLUSION: AVN of trapezium is
      extremely rare. Our case shows that immobilization of an early stage avascular
      necrosis of the trapezium might be a treatment option.

PMID- 28626592
TI  - Diffuse B Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Presenting Atypically as Periprosthetic
      Joint Infection in a Total Hip Replacement.
AB  - The occurrence of extranodal primary B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is rare. Total
      hip replacement is one of the most common orthopaedic procedures performed. There
      has been an increased incidence of primary lymphomas involving periprosthetic
      sites. Chronic inflammation due to metal debris arising from the prosthetic
      implants has been evidenced as one of the causes for the development of soft
      tissue lymphomas albeit rarely. We describe a case report of a 77-year-old
      patient who had underwent a cemented total hip replacement in the past who
      further developed large B cell primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. She presented
      initially with signs and symptoms highly suggestive of underlying periprosthetic
      infection. The radiological imaging was also indicative of periprosthetic
      infection. The diagnosis was eventually confirmed after an open biopsy. This case
      underlines the importance of considering and including soft tissue malignancy in
      the differential diagnosis of suspected chronic periprosthetic infection.

PMID- 28626593
TI  - Langerhans Cell Sarcoma: A Case Report Demonstrating Morphological and
      Immunophenotypical Variability within a Single Lesion.
AB  - Langerhans cells are antigen presenting dendritic cells and tumours arising from
      these are rare. The tumours arising from these dendritic cells are divided into
      two categories according to a WHO classification: Langerhans cell histiocytosis
      and Langerhans cell sarcoma. It is the degree of atypia and clinical
      aggressiveness that distinguishes the two subtypes. Langerhans cell sarcoma (LCS)
      is a neoplastic proliferation of Langerhans cells which can occur in skin, bone
      marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and lung. LCS can present with multiple
      cutaneous and systemic lesions. We present a case of Langerhans cell sarcoma with
      a unique morphological appearance and variable immunohistochemical profile within
      a single cutaneous lesion. LCS is a rare malignancy and its diagnosis is based on
      morphology, immunophenotypical examination, and ultrastructural analysis by
      electron microscopy. Our case highlights a unique morphological description of
      LCS wherein the pleomorphic neoplastic cells show epidermotropism and are
      surrounded by a variable amount of inflammatory infiltrate within a single
      cutaneous lesion. A single cutaneous lesion of Langerhans cell sarcoma with
      variable immunohistochemical profile has not been described so far.

PMID- 28626594
TI  - A Case Report: Gastric Mixed Neuroendocrine-Nonneuroendocrine Neoplasm with
      Aggressive Neuroendocrine Component.
AB  - Mixed neuroendocrine-nonneuroendocrine neoplasm (MiNEN) is defined as mixed
      epithelial neoplasms composed of both neuroendocrine and nonneuroendocrine
      components with variable proportions for each component. Neuroendocrine component
      can show morphological features including well- or poorly differentiated
      neuroendocrine neoplasms and nonneuroendocrine component can present different
      tumor types depending on the site of origin. Recently, studies of tumors have
      shown that MiNENs are not as rare as our traditional belief, due to the wide
      application for immunohistochemistry. However, our knowledge of MiNENs is still
      limited. There is no universal consensus about nomenclature, classification, and
      guideline of treatment. Hereby, we would like to present a case report of gastric
      MiNEN with aggressive neuroendocrine component to contribute a small part towards
      common understanding of gastric MiNENs.

PMID- 28626595
TI  - Williams-Beuren Syndrome and Congenital Lobar Emphysema: Uncommon Association
      with Common Pathology?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) and Williams-Beuren Syndrome are
      two rare conditions that have only been reported together in a single case study.
      CASE PRESENTATION: We report another case of a male Caucasian newborn with
      nonspecific initial respiratory distress, with detection of CLE on repeat chest X
      ray on Day 25 of life and concurrent ventricular septal defect, supravalvular
      aortic stenosis, and branch pulmonary stenosis, in whom a 7q11.23 deletion
      consistent with Williams-Beuren Syndrome was made. CONCLUSION: A diagnosis of
      congenital lobar emphysema should prompt further screening for congenital heart
      disease and genetic deletion, and further research is needed to investigate the
      role of elastin gene mutation in the development of the neonatal lung.

PMID- 28626596
TI  - Management of Severe Developmental Regression in an Autistic Child with a 1q21.3
      Microdeletion and Self-Injurious Blindness.
AB  - We report the case of a young boy with nonverbal autism and intellectual
      disability, with a rare de novo 1q21.3 microdeletion. The patient had early and
      extreme self-injurious behaviours that led to blindness, complicated by severe
      developmental regression. A significant reduction in the self-injurious
      behaviours and the recovery of developmental dynamics were attained in a
      multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental inpatient unit. Improvement was obtained
      after managing all causes of somatic pains, using opiate blockers and stabilizing
      the patient's mood. We offered both sensorimotor developmental approach with
      therapeutic body wrap and specific psychoeducation adapted to his blindness
      condition for improving his communication abilities.

PMID- 28626597
TI  - Substance Abuse Counselors' Recovery Status and Self-Schemas: Preliminary
      Implications for Empirically Supported Treatment Implementation.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to better understand the relationship
      between substance abuse counselors' personal recovery status, self-schemas, and
      willingness to use empirically supported treatments for substance use disorders.
      METHODS: A phenomenological qualitative study enrolled 12 practicing substance
      abuse counselors. RESULTS: Within this sample, recovering counselors tended to
      see those who suffer from addiction as qualitatively different from those who do
      not and hence themselves as similar to their patients, while nonrecovering
      counselors tended to see patients as experiencing a specific variety of the same
      basic human struggles everyone experiences, and hence also felt able to relate to
      their patients' struggles. DISCUSSION: Since empirically supported treatments may
      fit more or less neatly within one or the other of these viewpoints, this finding
      suggests that counselors' recovery status and corresponding self-schemas may be
      related to counselor willingness to learn and practice specific treatments.

PMID- 28626598
TI  - Design concerns of room and pillar retreat panels.
AB  - Why do some room and pillar retreat panels encounter abnormal conditions? What
      factors deserve the most consideration during the planning and execution phases
      of mining and what can be done to mitigate those abnormal conditions when they
      are encountered? To help answer these questions, and to determine some of the
      relevant factors influencing the conditions of room and pillar (R & P) retreat
      mining entries, four consecutive R & P retreat panels were evaluated. This
      evaluation was intended to reinforce the influence of topographic changes, depth
      of cover, multiple-seam interactions, geological conditions, and mining geometry.
      This paper details observations were made in four consecutive R & P retreat
      panels and the data were collected from an instrumentation site during retreat
      mining. The primary focus was on the differences observed among the four panels
      and within the panels themselves. The instrumentation study was initially planned
      to evaluate the interactions between primary and secondary support, but produced
      rather interesting results relating to the loading encountered under the current
      mining conditions. In addition to the observation and instrumentation, numerical
      modeling was performed to evaluate the stress conditions. Both the LaModel 3.0
      and Rocscience Phase 2 programs were used to evaluate these four panels. The
      results of both models indicated a drastic reduction in the vertical stresses
      experienced in these panels due to the full extraction mining in overlying seams
      when compared to the full overburden load. Both models showed a higher level of
      stress associated with the outside entries of the panels. These results agree
      quite well with the observations and instrumentation studies performed at the
      mine. These efforts provided two overarching conclusions concerning R & P retreat
      mine planning and execution. The first was that there are four areas that should
      not be overlooked during R & P retreat mining: topographic relief, multiple-seam
      stress relief, stress concentrations near the gob edge, and geologic changes in
      the immediate roof. The second is that in order to successfully retreat an R & P
      panel, a three-phased approach to the design and analysis of the panel should be
      conducted: the planning phase, evaluation phase, and monitoring phase.

PMID- 28626600
TI  - Distant brain recurrence in patients with five or more newly diagnosed brain
      metastases treated with focal stereotactic radiotherapy alone.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To assess the clinical outcomes in patients with greater than 4 newly
      diagnosed brain metastases treated with focal stereotactic radiotherapy alone.
      METHODS: All patients with five or more brain metastases who received focal
      radiotherapy without whole brain radiation or resection were included in this
      retrospective analysis. Distant brain failure (DBF), overall survival (OS) and
      toxicity were reported. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients met inclusion with median
      clinical follow-up of 6.3 months (range: 1.1, 51.4). Twenty-nine patients
      received stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) to a median dose of 20 Gy (16-20), and 7
      received fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) to a median dose of 30 Gy
      (25, 30) in five fractions. The median lesion number and total brain metastases
      volume was 6 (5, 14) and 1.55 cc (0.12, 32.96), respectively. The Kaplan-Meier
      estimate of DBF at six-month was 58%, and survival probability at 1 year was 49%.
      Twenty percent of patients experienced systemic death without CNS relapse. Eight
      percent experienced grade 3 toxicity with no grade 4 or 5 toxicity. Neither tumor
      volume nor number predicted DBF. CONCLUSIONS: DBF, OS and treatment toxicity were
      similar to historical controls with fewer than five metastases treated with focal
      radiation. Focal stereotactic radiotherapy alone without whole brain RT is a
      reasonable treatment strategy for five or more brain metastases.

PMID- 28626599
TI  - Breaking Amides using Nickel Catalysis.
AB  - Amides have been widely studied for decades, but their synthetic utility has
      remained limited in reactions that proceed with rupture of the amide C-N bond.
      Using Ni catalysis, we have found that amides can now be strategically employed
      in several important transformations: esterification, transamidation, Suzuki
      Miyaura couplings, and Negishi couplings. These methodologies provide exciting
      new tools to build C-heteroatom and C-C bonds using an unconventional reactant
      (i.e., the amide), which is ideally suited for use in multi-step synthesis. It is
      expected that the area of amide C-N bond activation using nonprecious metals will
      continue to flourish and, in turn, will promote the growing use of amides as
      synthons in organic synthesis.

PMID- 28626601
TI  - Long-Term Efficacy of GMP Grade Xeno-Free hESC-Derived RPE Cells Following
      Transplantation.
AB  - PURPOSE: Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction underlies the retinal
      degenerative process in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and thus RPE cell
      replacement provides an optimal treatment target. We characterized longitudinally
      the efficacy of RPE cells derived under xeno-free conditions from clinical and
      xeno-free grade human embryonic stem cells (OpRegen) following transplantation
      into the subretinal space of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. METHODS:
      Postnatal (P) day 20 to 25 RCS rats (n = 242) received a single subretinal
      injection of 25,000 (low)-, 100,000 (mid)-, or 200,000 (high)-dose xeno-free RPE
      cells. BSS+ (balanced salt solution) (vehicle) and unoperated eyes served as
      controls. Optomotor tracking (OKT) behavior was used to quantify functional
      efficacy. Histology and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate photoreceptor
      rescue and transplanted cell survival at 60, 100, 150, and 200 days of age.
      RESULTS: OKT was rescued in a dose-dependent manner. Outer nuclear layer (ONL)
      was significantly thicker in cell-treated eyes than controls up to P150.
      Transplanted RPE cells were identified in both the subretinal space and
      integrated into the host RPE monolayer in animals of all age groups, and often
      contained internalized photoreceptor outer segments. No pathology was observed.
      CONCLUSIONS: OpRegen RPE cells survived, rescued visual function, preserved rod
      and cone photoreceptors long-term in the RCS rat. Thus, these data support the
      use of OpRegen RPE cells for the treatment of human RPE cell disorders including
      AMD. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Our novel xeno-free RPE cells minimize concerns of
      animal derived contaminants while providing a promising prospective therapy to
      the diseased retina.

PMID- 28626603
TI  - Impact of isolation method on doubling time and the quality of chondrocyte and
      osteoblast differentiated from murine dental pulp stem cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stem cells are normally isolated from dental pulps using the
      enzymatic digestion or the outgrowth method. However, the effects of the
      isolation method on the quality of the isolated stem cells are not studied in
      detail in murine models. The aim of this study was to compare the matrices
      secreted by osteoblast and chondrocytes differentiated from dental pulp stem
      cells isolated through different means. METHOD: DPSC from murine incisors were
      isolated through either the outgrowth (DPSC-OG) or the enzymatic digestion (DPSC
      ED) method. Cells at passage 4 were used in this study. The cells were
      characterized through morphology and expression of cell surface markers. The
      cells' doubling time when cultured using different seeding densities was
      calculated and analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison post
      test. The ability of cells to differentiate to chondrocyte and osteoblast was
      evaluated through staining and analysis on the matrices secreted. RESULTS: Gene
      expression analysis showed that DPSC-OG and DPSC-ED expressed dental pulp
      mesenchymal stem cell markers, but not hematopoietic stem cell markers. The least
      number of cells that could have been used to culture DPSC-OG and DPSC-ED with the
      shortest doubling time was 5 * 102 cells/cm2 (11.49 +/- 2.16 h) and 1 * 102
      cells/cm2 (10.55 h +/- 0.50), respectively. Chondrocytes differentiated from DPSC
      ED produced  2 times more proteoglycan and at a faster rate than DPSC-OG. FTIR
      revealed that DPSC-ED differentiated into osteoblast also secreted matrix, which
      more resembled a calvaria. DISCUSSION: Isolation approaches might have influenced
      the cell populations obtained. This, in turn, resulted in cells with different
      proliferation and differentiation capability. While both DPSC-OG and DPSC-ED
      expressed mesenchymal stem cell markers, the percentage of cells carrying each
      marker might have differed between the two methods. Regardless, enzymatic
      digestion clearly yielded cells with better characteristics than outgrowth.

PMID- 28626602
TI  - Association between Corneal Biomechanical Properties with Ocular Response
      Analyzer and Also CorvisST Tonometry, and Glaucomatous Visual Field Severity.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the association between corneal biomechanical properties
      measured with the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA) and also CorvisST (CST)
      tonometry, and glaucomatous visual field (VF) severity. METHODS: One hundred
      forty-six eyes of 91 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who performed
      Humphrey Field Analyzer 30-2 or 24-2 SITA-Standard, ORA, and CST within 180 days
      were included in this multicentral, observational cross-sectional study. The
      association between ORA parameters (corneal hysteresis [CH] and corneal resistant
      factor [CRF]), CST parameters (A1 and A2 time, A1 and A2 length, A1 and A2
      velocity, A1 and A2 deformation amplitude, highest deformation amplitude, highest
      concavity time, peak distance, and radius), and other basic parameters (age,
      intraocular pressure with Goldmann applanation tonometry, central corneal
      thickness, and axial length) against mean total deviation (mTD) were analyzed
      using a linear mixed-model and model selection with corrected Akaike Information
      Criterion (AICc). RESULTS: The optimal model of VF severity included ORA's CH as
      well as a number of CST parameters, including A1 length, A2 time, radius, and
      highest concavity deformation amplitude (AICc: 971.7). The possibility this model
      describes visual field severity more accurately than the optimal model without
      CST parameters was 99.98%. CONCLUSION: Glaucomatous VF severity was best
      described by both ORA and CST parameters. Eyes with corneas that experience sharp
      and deep indentation at the maximum deformation, wide indentation at the first
      applanation, and early second applanation in the CST measurement are more likely
      to show advanced VF severity. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: CorvisST tonometry
      parameters are related to VF severity in glaucoma patients.

PMID- 28626604
TI  - Seasonal shifts in accumulation of glycerol biosynthetic gene transcripts in
      mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera:
      Curculionidae), larvae.
AB  - Winter mortality is a major factor regulating population size of the mountain
      pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).
      Glycerol is the major cryoprotectant in this freeze intolerant insect. We report
      findings from a gene expression study on an overwintering mountain pine beetle
      population over the course of 35 weeks. mRNA transcript levels suggest glycerol
      production in the mountain pine beetle occurs through glycogenolytic,
      gluconeogenic and potentially glyceroneogenic pathways, but not from metabolism
      of lipids. A two-week lag period between fall glycogen phosphorylase transcript
      and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase transcript up-regulation suggests that
      gluconeogenesis serves as a secondary glycerol-production process, subsequent to
      exhaustion of the primary glycogenolytic source. These results provide a first
      look at the details of seasonal gene expression related to the production of
      glycerol in the mountain pine beetle.

PMID- 28626605
TI  - No relationship between vertebral column shifts and limb fluctuating asymmetry in
      human foetuses.
AB  - Disturbance from the normal developmental trajectory of a trait during growth-the
      so-called developmental instability-can be observed morphologically through
      phenodeviants and subtle deviations from perfect symmetry (fluctuating
      asymmetry). This study investigates the relationship between phenodeviance in the
      human vertebral column (as a result of axial patterning defects) and limb
      fluctuating asymmetry. Since both types of markers of developmental instability
      have been found associated with congenital abnormalities in humans, we anticipate
      a relationship between them if the concept of developmental instability, measured
      through either phenodeviants or asymmetry, would reflect an organism-wide
      process. Yet we did not find any support for this hypothesis. We argue that the
      vast differences in the developmental processes involved in both systems renders
      these two markers of developmental instability unrelated, in spite of their
      associations with other congenital abnormalities. Our results thus contribute to
      the growing awareness that developmental instability is not an organism-wide
      property.

PMID- 28626606
TI  - The ways parents cope with stress in difficult parenting situations: the
      structural equation modeling approach.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to verify a theoretical model of parents' responses
      to difficulties they experienced with their child. The model presents
      relationships between seven variables: (a) discrepancy between parental goal and
      the child's current level of development, (b) parental experience of a
      difficulty, (c) representation of the child in the parent's mind, (d) parent's
      withdrawal from the parenting situation, (e) seeking help, (f) distancing oneself
      from the situation, and (g) applying pressure on the child. The study involved
      319 parents of preschool children: 66 parents of three-year-olds, 85 parents of
      four-year-olds, 99 parents of five-year-olds and 69 parents of six-year-old
      children. Structural equations modeling (SEM) was used to verify the compounds
      described in the theoretical model. The studies revealed that when a parent is
      experiencing difficulties, the probability increases that the parent will have
      one of two reactions towards that type of stress: withdrawal from the situation
      or applying pressure on the child. Experiencing difficulties has no connection
      with searching for help and is negatively related to distancing oneself from the
      situation.

PMID- 28626607
TI  - Phenotypic variation in dorsal fin morphology of coastal bottlenose dolphins
      (Tursiops truncatus) off Mexico.
AB  - Geographic variation in external morphology is thought to reflect an interplay
      between genotype and the environment. Morphological variation has been well
      described for a number of cetacean species, including the bottlenose dolphin
      (Tursiops truncatus). In this study we analyzed dorsal fin morphometric variation
      in coastal bottlenose dolphins to search for geographic patterns at different
      spatial scales. A total of 533 dorsal fin images from 19 available photo
      identification catalogs across the three Mexican oceanic regions (Pacific Ocean n
      = 6, Gulf of California n = 6 and, Gulf of Mexico n = 7) were used in the
      analysis. Eleven fin shape measurements were analyzed to evaluate fin
      polymorphism through multivariate tests. Principal Component Analysis on log
      transformed standardized ratios explained 94% of the variance. Canonical
      Discriminant Function Analysis on factor scores showed separation among most
      study areas (p < 0.05) with exception of the Gulf of Mexico where a strong
      morphometric cline was found. Possible explanations for the observed differences
      are related to environmental, biological and evolutionary processes. Shape
      distinction between dorsal fins from the Pacific and those from the Gulf of
      California were consistent with previously reported differences in skull
      morphometrics and genetics. Although the functional advantages of dorsal fin
      shape remains to be assessed, it is not unlikely that over a wide range of
      environments, fin shape may represent a trade-off among thermoregulatory
      capacity, hydrodynamic performance and the swimming/hunting behavior of the
      species.

PMID- 28626608
TI  - c-Kit modifies the inflammatory status of smooth muscle cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: c-Kit is a receptor tyrosine kinase present in multiple cell types,
      including vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC). However, little is known about how
      c-Kit influences SMC biology and vascular pathogenesis. METHODS: High-throughput
      microarray assays and in silico pathway analysis were used to identify
      differentially expressed genes between primary c-Kit deficient (KitW/W-v) and
      control (Kit+/+) SMC. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR and functional assays further
      confirmed the differences in gene expression and pro-inflammatory pathway
      regulation between both SMC populations. RESULTS: The microarray analysis
      revealed elevated NF-kappaB gene expression secondary to the loss of c-Kit that
      affects both the canonical and alternative NF-kappaB pathways. Upon stimulation
      with an oxidized phospholipid as pro-inflammatory agent, c-Kit deficient SMC
      displayed enhanced NF-kappaB transcriptional activity, higher
      phosphorylated/total p65 ratio, and increased protein expression of NF-kappaB
      regulated pro-inflammatory mediators with respect to cells from control mice. The
      pro-inflammatory phenotype of mutant cells was ameliorated after restoring c-Kit
      activity using lentiviral transduction. Functional assays further demonstrated
      that c-Kit suppresses NF-kappaB activity in SMC in a TGFbeta-activated kinase 1
      (TAK1) and Nemo-like kinase (NLK) dependent manner. DISCUSSION: Our study
      suggests a novel mechanism by which c-Kit suppresses NF-kappaB regulated pathways
      in SMC to prevent their pro-inflammatory transformation.

PMID- 28626610
TI  - Tiny pollen grains: first evidence of Saururaceae from the Late Cretaceous of
      western North America.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Saururaceae, a very small family of Piperales comprising only six
      species in four genera, have a relatively scanty fossil record outside of Europe.
      The phylogenetic relationships of the four genera to each other are resolved,
      with the type genus Saururus occurring in both eastern North America and East
      Asia. No extant species occurs in western Eurasia. The most exceptional find so
      far has been an inflorescence with in-situ pollen, Saururus tuckerae S.Y.Sm. &
      Stockey from Eocene of North America with strong affinities to extant species of
      Saururus. Recent dated trees suggest, however, an Eocene or younger crown age for
      the family. METHODS: Dispersed fossil pollen grains from the Campanian (82-81 Ma)
      of North America are compared to dispersed pollen grains from the Eocene strata
      containing S. tuckerae, the Miocene of Europe, and extant members of the family
      using combined LM and SEM imaging. RESULTS: The unambiguous fossil record of the
      Saururaceae is pushed back into the Campanian (82-81 Ma). Comparison with re
      investigated pollen from the Eocene of North America, the Miocene of Europe, and
      modern species of the family shows that pollen morphology in Saururaceae is
      highly conservative, and remained largely unchanged for the last 80 million
      years. DISCUSSION: Campanian pollen of Saururaceae precludes young (Eocene or
      younger) estimates for the Saururaceae root and crown age, but is in-line with
      maximum age scenarios. Saururus-type pollen appear to represent the primitive
      pollen morphology of the family. Often overlooked because of its small size,
      dispersed Saururaceae pollen may provide a unique opportunity to map the
      geographic history of a small but old group of Piperales, and should be searched
      for in Paleogene and Cretaceous sediment samples.

PMID- 28626609
TI  - Detection and drug resistance profile of Escherichia coli from subclinical
      mastitis cows and water supply in dairy farms in Saraburi Province, Thailand.
AB  - Subclinical mastitis is a persistent problem in dairy farms worldwide.
      Environmental Escherichia coli is the bacterium predominantly responsible for
      this condition. In Thailand, subclinical mastitis in dairy cows is usually
      treated with various antibiotics, which could lead to antibiotic resistance in
      bacteria. E. coli is also a reservoir of many antibiotic resistance genes, which
      can be conveyed to other bacteria. In this study, the presence of E. coli in milk
      and water samples was reported, among which enteropathogenic E. coli was
      predominant, followed by enteroaggregative E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli,
      which was found only in milk samples. Twenty-one patterns of antibiotic
      resistance were identified in this study. Ampicillin- and carbenicillin-resistant
      E. coli was the most common among the bacterial isolates from water samples.
      Meanwhile, resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin, and sulfamethoxazole
      trimethoprim was the pattern found most commonly in the E. coli from milk
      samples. Notably, only the E. coli from water samples possessed ESBL phenotype
      and carried antibiotic resistance genes, blaTEM and blaCMY-2. This indicates that
      pathogenic E. coli in dairy farms is also exposed to antibiotics and could
      potentially transfer these genes to other pathogenic bacteria under certain
      conditions.

PMID- 28626611
TI  - Discrimination factors of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in meerkat feces.
AB  - Stable isotope analysis of feces can provide a non-invasive method for tracking
      the dietary habits of nearly any mammalian species. While fecal samples are often
      collected for macroscopic and genetic study, stable isotope analysis can also be
      applied to expand the knowledge of species-specific dietary ecology. It is
      somewhat unclear how digestion changes the isotope ratios of animals' diets, so
      more controlled diet studies are needed. To date, most diet-to-feces controlled
      stable isotope experiments have been performed on herbivores, so in this study I
      analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in the diet and feces of
      the meerkat (Suricata suricatta), a small omnivorous mammal. The carbon trophic
      discrimination factor between diet and feces (Delta13Cfeces) is calculated to be
      0.1 +/- 1.50/00, which is not significantly different from zero, and in turn, not
      different than the dietary input. On the other hand, the nitrogen trophic
      discrimination factor (Delta15Nfeces) is 1.5 +/- 1.10/00, which is significantly
      different from zero, meaning it is different than the average dietary input.
      Based on data generated in this experiment and a review of the published
      literature, carbon isotopes of feces characterize diet, while nitrogen isotope
      ratios of feces are consistently higher than dietary inputs, meaning a
      discrimination factor needs to be taken into account. The carbon and nitrogen
      stable isotope values of feces are an excellent snapshot of diet that can be used
      in concert with other analytical methods to better understand ecology, diets, and
      habitat use of mammals.

PMID- 28626612
TI  - Postmortem succession of gut microbial communities in deceased human subjects.
AB  - The human microbiome has demonstrated an importance for the health and
      functioning in living individuals. However, the fate of the microbiome after
      death is less understood. In addition to a better understanding of microbe
      mediated decomposition processes, postmortem succession of human-associated
      microbial communities has been suggested as a possible forensic tool for
      estimating time since death, or postmortem interval (PMI). The objective of our
      study was to document postmortem changes in human gut bacterial communities. Gut
      microflora were repeatedly sampled from the caeca of cadavers as they decayed
      under natural environmental conditions. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing
      revealed that over time, bacterial richness significantly increased (rs  = 0.449)
      while diversity decreased (rs  =  - 0.701). The composition of gut bacterial
      communities changed in a similar manner over time towards a common decay
      community. OTUs belonging to Bacteroidales (Bacteroides, Parabacteroides)
      significantly declined while Clostridiales (Clostridium, Anaerosphaera) and the
      fly-associated Gammaproteobacteria Ignatzschineria and Wohlfahrtiimonas
      increased. Our examination of human caeca microflora in decomposing cadavers adds
      to the growing literature on postmortem microbial communities, which will
      ultimately contribute to a better understanding of decomposition processes.

PMID- 28626613
TI  - Modelling environmental drivers of black band disease outbreaks in populations of
      foliose corals in the genus Montipora.
AB  - Seawater temperature anomalies associated with warming climate have been linked
      to increases in coral disease outbreaks that have contributed to coral reef
      declines globally. However, little is known about how seasonal scale variations
      in environmental factors influence disease dynamics at the level of individual
      coral colonies. In this study, we applied a multi-state Markov model (MSM) to
      investigate the dynamics of black band disease (BBD) developing from apparently
      healthy corals and/or a precursor-stage, termed 'cyanobacterial patches' (CP), in
      relation to seasonal variation in light and seawater temperature at two reef
      sites around Pelorus Island in the central sector of the Great Barrier Reef. The
      model predicted that the proportion of colonies transitioning from BBD to Healthy
      states within three months was approximately 57%, but 5.6% of BBD cases resulted
      in whole colony mortality. According to our modelling, healthy coral colonies
      were more susceptible to BBD during summer months when light levels were at their
      maxima and seawater temperatures were either rising or at their maxima. In
      contrast, CP mostly occurred during spring, when both light and seawater
      temperatures were rising. This suggests that environmental drivers for healthy
      coral colonies transitioning into a CP state are different from those driving
      transitions into BBD. Our model predicts that (1) the transition from healthy to
      CP state is best explained by increasing light, (2) the transition between
      Healthy to BBD occurs more frequently from early to late summer, (3) 20% of CP
      infected corals developed BBD, although light and temperature appeared to have
      limited impact on this state transition, and (4) the number of transitions from
      Healthy to BBD differed significantly between the two study sites, potentially
      reflecting differences in localised wave action regimes.

PMID- 28626614
TI  - Identification of two CiGADs from Caragana intermedia and their transcriptional
      responses to abiotic stresses and exogenous abscisic acid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), as a key enzyme in the gamma 
      aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt, catalyzes the decarboxylation of L-glutamate to
      form GABA. This pathway has attracted much interest because of its roles in
      carbon and nitrogen metabolism, stress responses, and signaling in higher plants.
      The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize genes encoding GADs from
      Caragana intermedia, an important nitrogen-fixing leguminous shrub. METHODS: Two
      full-length cDNAs encoding GADs (designated as CiGAD1 and CiGAD2) were isolated
      and characterized. Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analyses were conducted to
      evaluate their structures and identities to each other and to homologs in other
      plants. Tissue expression analyses were conducted to evaluate their
      transcriptional responses to stress (NaCl, ZnSO4, CdCl2, high/low temperature,
      and dehydration) and exogenous abscisic acid. RESULTS: The CiGADs contained the
      conserved PLP domain and calmodulin (CaM)-binding domain in the C-terminal
      region. The phylogenetic analysis showed that they were more closely related to
      the GADs of soybean, another legume, than to GADs of other model plants.
      According to Southern blotting analysis, CiGAD1 had one copy and CiGAD2-related
      genes were present as two copies in C. intermedia. In the tissue expression
      analyses, there were much higher transcript levels of CiGAD2 than CiGAD1 in bark,
      suggesting that CiGAD2 might play a role in secondary growth of woody plants.
      Several stress treatments (NaCl, ZnSO4, CdCl2, high/low temperature, and
      dehydration) significantly increased the transcript levels of both CiGADs, except
      for CiGAD2 under Cd stress. The CiGAD1 transcript levels strongly increased in
      response to Zn stress (74.3-fold increase in roots) and heat stress (218.1-fold
      increase in leaves). The transcript levels of both CiGADs significantly increased
      as GABA accumulated during a 24-h salt treatment. Abscisic acid was involved in
      regulating the expression of these two CiGADs under salt stress. DISCUSSION: This
      study showed that two CiGADs cloned from C. intermedia are closely related to
      homologs in another legume, soybean. CiGAD2 expression was much higher than that
      of CiGAD1 in bark, indicating that CiGAD2 might participate in the process of
      secondary growth in woody plants. Multiple stresses, interestingly, showed that
      Zn and heat stresses had the strongest effects on CiGAD1 expression, suggesting
      that CiGAD1 plays important roles in the responses to Zn and heat stresses.
      Additionally, these two genes might be involved in ABA dependent pathway during
      stress. This result provides important information about the role of GADs in
      woody plants' responses to environmental stresses.

PMID- 28626615
TI  - Getting off to a good start? Genetic evaluation of the ex situ conservation
      project of the Critically Endangered Montseny brook newt (Calotriton arnoldi).
AB  - Ex situ management strategies play an important role in the conservation of
      threatened species when the wild survival of the species cannot be ensured.
      Molecular markers have become an outstanding tool for the evaluation and
      management of captive breeding programs. Two main genetic objectives should be
      prioritized when planning breeding programs: the maintenance of maximum neutral
      genetic diversity, and to obtain "self-sustaining" captive populations. In this
      study, we use 24 microsatellite loci to analyze and evaluate the genetic
      representativity of the initial phases of the captive breeding program of the
      Montseny brook newt, Calotriton arnoldi, an Iberian endemic listed as Critically
      Endangered. The results show that the initial captive stock has 74-78% of the
      alleles present in the wild populations, and captures roughly 93-95% of their
      total genetic diversity as observed in a previous study on wild newts, although
      it does not reach the desired 97.5%. Moreover, the percentage of unrelatedness
      among individuals does not exceed 95%. Therefore, we conclude that the genetic
      diversity of the captive stock should be improved by incorporating genetic
      material from unrelated wild newts. In recognition of the previously described
      significant genetic and morphological differentiation between eastern and western
      wild populations of C. arnoldi, we suggest maintaining two distinct breeding
      lines, and we do not recommend outbreeding between these lines. Our comparisons
      of genetic diversity estimates between real and distinct sample-sized simulated
      populations corroborated that a minimum of 20 individuals are needed for each
      captive population, in order to match the level of genetic diversity present in
      the wild populations. Thus, the current initial stock should be reinforced by
      adding wild specimens. The captive stock and subsequent cohorts should be
      monitored in order to preserve genetic variation. In order to avoid genetic
      adaptation to captivity, occasionally incorporating previously genotyped
      individuals from the wild into the captive populations is recommended.

PMID- 28626616
TI  - Discrimination of Picea chihuahuana Martinez populations on the basis of
      climatic, edaphic, dendrometric, genetic and population traits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Picea chihuahuana, which is endemic to Mexico, is currently listed as
      "Endangered" on the Red List. Chihuahua spruce is only found in the Sierra Madre
      Occidental (SMO), Mexico. About 42,600 individuals are distributed in forty
      populations. These populations are fragmented and can be classified into three
      geographically distinct clusters in the SMO. The total area covered by P.
      chihuahuana populations is less than 300 ha. A recent study suggested assisted
      migration as an alternative to the ex situ conservation of P. chihuahuana, taking
      into consideration the genetic structure and diversity of the populations and the
      predictions regarding the future climate of the habitat. However, detailed
      background information is required to enable development of plans for protecting
      and conserving species and for successful assisted migration. Thus, it is
      important to identify differences between populations in relation to
      environmental conditions. The genetic diversity of populations, which affect
      vigor, evolution and adaptability of the species, must also be considered. In
      this study, we examined 14 populations of P. chihuahuana, with the overall aim of
      discriminating the populations and form clusters of this species. METHODS: Each
      population was represented by one 50 * 50 m plot established in the center of its
      respective location. Climate, soil, dasometric, density variables and genetic and
      species diversities were assessed in these plots for further analyses. The
      putatively neutral and adaptive AFLP markers were used to calculate genetic
      diversity. Affinity Propagation (AP) clustering technique and k-means clustering
      algorithm were used to classify the populations in the optimal number of
      clusters. Later stepwise binomial logistic regression was applied to test for
      significant differences in variables of the southern and northern P. chihuahuana
      populations. Spearman's correlation test was used to analyze the relationships
      among all variables studied. RESULTS: The binomial logistic regression analysis
      revealed that seven climate variables, the geographical longitude and sand
      proportion in the soil separated the southern from northern populations. The
      northern populations grow in more arid and continental conditions and on soils
      with lower sand proportion. The mean genetic diversity using all AFLP studied of
      P. chihuahuana was significantly correlated with the mean temperature in the
      warmest month, where warmer temperatures are associated to larger genetic
      diversity. Genetic diversity of P. chihuahuana calculated with putatively
      adaptive AFLP was not statistically significantly correlated with any
      environmental factor. DISCUSSION: Future reforestation programs should take into
      account that at least two different groups (the northern and southern cluster) of
      P. chihuahuana exist, as local adaptation takes place because of different
      environmental conditions.

PMID- 28626617
TI  - DOC concentrations across a depth-dependent light gradient on a Caribbean coral
      reef.
AB  - Photosynthates released by benthic primary producers (BPP), such as reef algae
      and scleractinian corals, fuel the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production on
      tropical coral reefs. DOC concentrations near BPP have repeatedly been observed
      to be elevated compared to those in the surrounding water column. As the DOC
      release of BPP increases with increasing light availability, elevated DOC
      concentrations near them will, in part, also depend on light availability.
      Consequently, DOC concentrations are likely to be higher on the shallow, well-lit
      reef terrace than in deeper sections on the fore reef slope. We measured in situ
      DOC concentrations and light intensity in close proximity to the reef alga
      Dictyota sp. and the scleractinian coral Orbicella faveolata along a depth
      dependent light gradient from 5 to 20 m depth and compared these to background
      concentrations in the water column. At 10 m (intermediate light), DOC
      concentrations near Dictyota sp. were elevated by 15 umol C L-1 compared to
      background concentrations in the water column, but not at 5 and 20 m (high and
      low light, respectively), or near O. faveolata at any of the tested depths. DOC
      concentrations did not differ between depths and thereby light environments for
      any of the tested water types. However, water type and depth appear to jointly
      affect in situ DOC concentrations across the tested depth-dependent light
      gradient. Corroborative ex situ measurements of excitation pressure on
      photosystem II suggest that photoinhibition in Dictyota sp. is likely to occur at
      light intensities that are commonly present on Curacaoan coral reefs under high
      light levels at 5 m depth during midday. Photoinhibition may have thereby reduced
      the DOC release of Dictyota sp. and DOC concentrations in its close proximity.
      Our results indicate that the occurrence of elevated DOC concentrations did not
      follow a natural light gradient across depth. Instead, a combination of multiple
      factors, such as water type, light availability (including the restriction by
      photoinhibition), and water movement are proposed to interactively determine the
      DOC concentrations in the close vicinity of BPP.

PMID- 28626618
TI  - Cytoplasmic expression of C-MYC protein is associated with risk stratification of
      mantle cell lymphoma.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the association of C-MYC protein expression and risk
      stratification in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and to evaluate the utility of C
      MYC protein as a prognostic biomarker in clinical practice. METHODS: We conducted
      immunohistochemical staining of C-MYC, Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1),
      CD8, Ki-67, p53 and SRY (sex determining region Y) -11 (SOX11) to investigate
      their expression in 64 patients with MCL. The staining results and other clinical
      data were evaluated for their roles in risk stratification of MCL cases using
      ANOVA, Chi-square, and Spearman's Rank correlation coefficient analysis. RESULTS:
      Immunohistochemical staining in our study indicated that SOX11, Ki-67 and p53
      presented nuclear positivity of tumor cells, CD8 showed membrane positivity in
      infiltrating T lymphocytes while PD-L1 showed membrane and cytoplasmic positivity
      mainly in macrophage cells and little in tumor cells. We observed positive
      staining of C-MYC either in the nucleus or cytoplasm or in both subcellular
      locations. There were significant differences in cytoplasmic C-MYC expression, Ki
      67 proliferative index of tumor cells, and CD8 positive tumor infiltrating
      lymphocytes (CD8+TIL) among three risk groups (P = 0.000, P = 0.037 and P=0.020,
      respectively). However, no significant differences existed in the expression of
      nuclear C-MYC, SOX11, p53, and PD-L1 in MCL patients with low-, intermediate-,
      and high risks. In addition, patient age and serum LDH level were also
      significantly different among 3 groups of patients (P = 0.006 and P = 0.000,
      respectively). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis indicated that
      cytoplasmic C-MYC expression, Ki-67 index, age, WBC, as well as LDH level had
      significantly positive correlations with risk stratification (P = 0.000, 0.015,
      0.000, 0.029 and 0.000, respectively), while CD8+TIL in tumor microenvironment
      negatively correlated with risk stratification of patients (P = 0.006). Patients
      with increased positive cytoplasmic expression of C-MYC protein and decreased
      CD8+TIL appeared to be associated with a poor response to chemotherapy, but the
      correlation was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested
      that assessment of cytoplasmic C-MYC overexpression and cytotoxic T lymphocytes
      (CTLs) by immunohistochemical staining might be helpful for MCL risk
      stratification and outcome prediction. However, large cohort studies of MCL
      patients with complete follow up are needed to validate our speculation.

PMID- 28626619
TI  - African penguins follow the gaze direction of conspecifics.
AB  - Gaze following is widespread among animals. However, the corresponding ultimate
      functions may vary substantially. Thus, it is important to study previously
      understudied (or less studied) species to develop a better understanding of the
      ecological contexts that foster certain cognitive traits. Penguins (Family
      Spheniscidae), despite their wide interspecies ecological variation, have
      previously not been considered for cross-species comparisons. Penguin behaviour
      and communication have been investigated over the last decades, but less is known
      on how groups are structured, social hierarchies are established, and
      coordination for hunting and predator avoidance may occur. In this article, we
      investigated how African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) respond to gaze cues of
      conspecifics using a naturalistic setup in a zoo environment. Our results provide
      evidence that members of the family Spheniscidae follow gaze of conspecifics into
      distant space. However, further tests are necessary to examine if the observed
      behaviour serves solely one specific function (e.g. predator detection) or is
      displayed in a broader context (e.g. eavesdropping on relevant stimuli in the
      environment). In addition, our findings can serve as a starting point for future
      cross-species comparisons with other members of the penguin family, to further
      explore the role of aerial predation and social structure on gaze following in
      social species. Overall, we also suggest that zoo-housed animals represent an
      ideal opportunity to extend species range and to test phylogenetic families that
      have not been in the focus of animal cognitive research.

PMID- 28626621
TI  - Simultaneous Bilateral Intertrochanteric Fractures of the Femur: A Case Report
      and Review of the Literature.
AB  - Simultaneous bilateral intertrochanteric fractures are very rare, and only a few
      cases have been reported in the literature. They usually result from severe
      trauma. They are serious injuries with high morbidity and mortality rates.
      Successful management of these patients involves adequate resuscitation,
      treatment of associated injuries, early single-stage stable fixation, and good
      rehabilitation. We report the case of a 47-year-old male who presented with a
      simultaneous bilateral intertrochanteric fracture along with associated injuries
      following a car crash.

PMID- 28626620
TI  - Tissue Chips to aid drug development and modeling for rare diseases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The technologies used to design, create and use microphysiological
      systems (MPS, "tissue chips" or "organs-on-chips") have progressed rapidly in the
      last 5 years, and validation studies of the functional relevance of these
      platforms to human physiology, and response to drugs for individual model organ
      systems, are well underway. These studies are paving the way for integrated multi
      organ systems that can model diseases and predict drug efficacy and toxicology of
      multiple organs in real-time, improving the potential for diagnostics and
      development of novel treatments of rare diseases in the future. AREAS COVERED:
      This review will briefly summarize the current state of tissue chip research and
      highlight model systems where these microfabricated (or bioengineered) devices
      are already being used to screen therapeutics, model disease states, and provide
      potential treatments in addition to helping elucidate the basic molecular and
      cellular phenotypes of rare diseases. EXPERT OPINION: Microphysiological systems
      hold great promise and potential for modeling rare disorders, as well as for
      their potential use to enhance the predictive power of new drug therapeutics,
      plus potentially increase the statistical power of clinical trials while removing
      the inherent risks of these trials in rare disease populations.

PMID- 28626622
TI  - An Enhanced Understanding of Therapeutic Communities Worldwide.
AB  - Therapeutic communities posit favorable treatment outcomes by relying on the
      community as the healing agent (Deleon 2000). Active treatment participation and
      treatment tenure are two domains that are positive predictors of positive
      treatment outcomes over time. Some of the more important domains that remain to
      be thoroughly investigated in international research on therapeutic community
      (TC) treatment outcome studies are the underlying effects of culture on the
      treatment process. Cultural components play a significant role, as also reported
      by various TC participants over the years (such as the effects of health literacy
      on sustaining abstinence from drug use over the long term, Tiburcio 2008). In
      recent years, health literacy has taken on a significant role in order for
      individuals to readily understand their needs (Schillinger et al 2002; Jorm et al
      1997); or as pertains to feeling shamed in the process (Parikh et al 1996). As
      these and other studies suggest, the cultural competence of the providers is
      equally important. To our knowledge the "International TC Study" and findings
      presented herein constitute one of only a few studies that have conducted
      investigations comparing therapeutic community treatment modifications
      internationally, from the perspective of the participants themselves and which
      consider cultural components of this process. One key advantage of the resulting
      Qualitative datasets and analyses is that it not only includes residents'
      perspectives, and staff experiential elements, but importantly, incorporates
      staff debriefings about their respective interactions at each of the
      international treatment modalities, presenting well rounded depictions of each of
      these milieus. To that end, the data examined here presents an enhanced portrait
      of the provider-patient treatment dynamic, and lends voice to the various aspects
      of treatment participation in light of these cultural issues, and from the
      perspective of providers, as well as the participants.

PMID- 28626623
TI  - Interdisciplinary Management of a Perforated Aneurysmal Arteria Lusoria: A Case
      Report.
AB  - Background  An aberrant right subclavian artery (RSA) or arteria lusoria is the
      most common congenital abnormality of the aortic arch with an incidence of 0.3 to
      3.0%. Case Description  We report a case of a perforated aneurysmal aberrant RSA,
      managed using a hybrid approach. Conclusion  In emergency cases with acute
      bleeding, we recommend an endovascular approach to avoid the lethal sequel of
      arterial leakage. Whenever possible, the pulsatile blood flow to the right arm
      should be restored. Management should be tailored to the nature of the aneurysmal
      aberrant RSA, patient's comorbidities, and concomitant lesions.

PMID- 28626624
TI  - Biocompatibility and in vivo operation of implantable mesoporous PVDF-based
      nanogenerators.
AB  - The rapid developments of implantable biomedical electronics give rise to the
      motivation of exploring efficient and durable self-powered charging system. In
      this paper, we report a mesoporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based
      implantable piezoelectric nanogenerator (NG) for in vivo biomechanical energy
      harvesting. The NG was built with a sponge-like mesoporous PVDF film and
      encapsulated by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). After embedding this NG into
      rodents, a Voc of ~200 mV was produced from the gentle movement of rodent muscle.
      Meanwhile, no toxicity or incompatibility sign was found in the host after
      carrying the packaged NG for 6 weeks. Moreover, the electric output of this NG
      was extremely stable and exhibited no deterioration after 5 days of in vivo
      operation or 1.512 * 108 times mechanical deformation. This NG device could
      practically output a constant voltage of 52 mV via a 1 uF capacitor under living
      circumstance. The outstanding efficiency, magnificent durability and exceptional
      biocompatibility promise this mesoporous PVDF-based NG in accomplishing self
      powered bioelectronics with potentially lifespan operation period.

PMID- 28626625
TI  - Engagement in health and wellness: An online incentive-based program.
AB  - Increasingly, corporate health promotion programs are implementing wellness
      programs integrating principles of behavioral economics. Employees of a large
      firm were provided a customized online incentive program to design their own
      commitments to meet health goals. This study examines patterns of program
      participation and engagement in health promotion activities. Subjects were US
      based employees of a large, nondurable goods manufacturing firm who were enrolled
      in corporate health benefits in 2010 and 2011. We assessed measures of engagement
      with the workplace health promotion program (e.g., incentive points earned,
      weight loss). To further examine behaviors indicating engagement in health
      promotion activities, we constructed an aggregate, employee-level engagement
      index. Regression models were employed to assess the association between employee
      characteristics and the engagement index, and the engagement index and spending.
      4220 employees utilized the online program and made 25,716 commitments. Male
      employees age 18-34 had the highest level of engagement, and male employees age
      55-64 had the lowest level of engagement overall. Prior year health status and
      prior year spending did not show a significant association with the level of
      engagement with the program (p > 0.05). Flexible, incentive-based behavioral
      health and lifestyle programs may reach the broader workforce including those
      with chronic conditions and higher levels of health spending.

PMID- 28626626
TI  - Television viewing time among statin users and non-users. The Polish Norwegian
      Study (PONS).
AB  - Sedentary behavior has emerged as an independent cardiovascular disease risk
      factor. Uncertainty exists about the behaviors of statin users, who may exhibit
      either a healthy adherer or a false reassurance effect. We conducted this study
      in order to assess and compare TV viewing among statin users and nonusers. We
      used data from a cross-sectional study of 12,754 participants, from south-east
      Poland, age 45 to 64 years in 2010-11. Statin use during last 30 days was
      recorded by trained nurses. Participants reported time spent viewing TV/week.
      There were 1728 (13.5%) statin users of which 628 (36.34%) had cardiovascular
      diseases. The prevalence of viewing TV >= 21 h/week was higher among statin users
      (29.72%) compared to non-users (23.10%) and remained 15% higher after adjusting
      for age, sex, education, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other
      chronic diseases (prevalence ratio, PR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.25). We found a
      similar pattern in both those with and without prevalent cardiovascular disease.
      In conclusion, we found a higher prevalence of prolonged TV-viewing among statin
      users than non-users. Future studies are needed to explore innovative behavioral
      interventions and patient counseling strategies to reduce TV viewing among statin
      users.

PMID- 28626627
TI  - Tonsillar ulceration as manifestation of disseminated African histoplasmosis in
      an immunocompetent Portuguese host.
AB  - Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum. Rare in
      Europe but endemic in some regions of Brazil, United States, Africa and Asia.
      Most of the cases are asymptomatic. Disseminated form is defined by the presence
      of an extra-pulmonary focus, particularly associated with immunosuppression. We
      report a case of an unilateral persisted tonsillar ulceration, in an
      immunocompetent Portuguese host, as manifestation of disseminated African
      histoplasmosis 45 years later after living 3 years in Africa.

PMID- 28626628
TI  - Assessing fracture risk in early stage breast cancer patients treated with
      aromatase-inhibitors: An enhanced screening approach incorporating trabecular
      bone score.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Aromatase-inhibitors (AIs) are commonly used for treatment of
      patients with hormone-receptor positive breast carcinoma, and are known to induce
      bone density loss and increase the risk of fractures. The current standard-of
      care screening tool for fracture risk is bone mineral density (BMD) by dual
      energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX(r))
      may be used in conjunction with BMD to identify additional osteopenic patients at
      risk of fracture who may benefit from a bone-modifying agent (BMA). The
      trabecular bone score (TBS), a novel method of measuring bone microarchitecture
      by DXA, has been shown to be an independent indicator of increased fracture risk.
      We report how the addition of TBS and FRAX(r), respectively, to BMD contribute to
      identification of elevated fracture risk (EFR) in postmenopausal breast cancer
      patients treated with AIs. METHODS: 100 patients with early stage hormone
      positive breast cancer treated with AIs, no prior BMAs, and with serial DXAs were
      identified. BMD and TBS were measured from DXA images before and following
      initiation of AIs, and FRAX(r) scores were calculated from review of clinical
      records. EFR was defined as either: BMD <=-2.5 or BMD between -2.5 and -1 plus
      either increased risk by FRAX(r) or degraded microstructure by TBS. RESULTS: At
      baseline, BMD alone identified 4% of patients with EFR. The addition of FRAX(r)
      increased detection to 13%, whereas the combination of BMD, FRAX(r) and TBS
      identified 20% of patients with EFR. Following AIs, changes in TBS were
      independent of changes in BMD. On follow-up DXA, BMD alone detected an additional
      1 patient at EFR (1%), whereas BMD+ FRAX(r) identified 3 additional patients
      (3%), and BMD+FRAX(r)+TBS identified 7 additional patients (7%). CONCLUSIONS: The
      combination of FRAX(r), TBS, and BMD maximized the identification of patients
      with EFR. TBS is a novel assessment that enhances the detection of patients who
      may benefit from BMAs.

PMID- 28626629
TI  - Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Tear Transosseous Repair System: The Sharc-FT Using the
      Taylor Stitcher.
AB  - Transosseous rotator cuff tear repair was first described in 1944. Over the
      years, it has represented the gold standard for such lesions. Through open and
      mini-open approaches, as well as the arthroscopic approach, the transosseous
      repair system represents one of the most reliable surgical techniques from a
      biological and mechanical perspective. Nevertheless, further improvements are
      required. This article describes an arthroscopic rotator cuff tear transosseous
      repair system, developed in collaboration with NCS Lab (Carpi, Italy): the Sharc
      FT using the Taylor Stitcher. Our first experience in the clinical application of
      the arthroscopic technique using the transosseous suture system has shown
      encouraging clinical outcomes, confirming its efficacy. The patient satisfaction
      rate was high, and no patient expressed concern about the implant. The
      complication rate was very low. By improving the suture technique in the
      treatment of rotator cuff tears, a remarkable increase in the success rate in the
      treatment of this pathology could be reached; nevertheless, complications such as
      retears of the rotator cuff still occur.

PMID- 28626630
TI  - Arthroscopic Removal of Proximal Humerus Plates in Chronic Post-traumatic
      Shoulder Stiffness.
AB  - Proximal humerus fracture fixation may be complicated by persistent postsurgical
      stiffness or implant-related problems. Arthroscopic plate removal is a cosmetic
      and functionally beneficial procedure; however, the procedure is technically
      difficult in the presence of severe subdeltoid scarring. The technique described
      here shows an arthroscopic subdeltoid adhesiolysis and proximal humerus plate
      removal using systematic access to 5 regions of screw positions on the plate.
      After initial glenohumeral adhesiolysis, a thorough subacromial and subdeltoid
      bursectomy is performed. The axillary nerve and deltoid are retracted via an
      anterosuperolateral portal, and a posterolateral portal is used for panoramic
      viewing along the plate length. Lateral portals are placed above and below the
      axillary nerve, and these are used for screw removal. Finally, the plate is
      removed via a 1-inch incision along the previous surgical scar. The technique is
      cosmetic and minimally invasive, and early rehabilitation restores range of
      motion and strength. Technical tips for safe dissection in the scarred subdeltoid
      space and guidelines for protection of neurovascular structures are presented.

PMID- 28626631
TI  - Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia: Adjunctive therapy with inhaled steroids.
AB  - Idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (ICEP) is a rare form of diffuse
      parenchymal lung disease first identified by Carrington et al. in 1969. It is
      characterized by the presence of constitutional and respiratory symptoms with
      associated peripheral opacities on imaging and elevated serum and/or
      bronchoalveolar eosinophilia. Although data is limited regarding etiology or
      prevalence, it is known that ICEP has a 2:1 female: male predominance and
      typically affects non-smokers. Diagnosis rests on the clinical constellation of
      respiratory symptoms of at least 2-4 weeks duration, the presence of diffuse
      pulmonary alveolar consolidation, classically described as the "photographic
      negative of pulmonary edema", the presence of eosinophils >=40% on
      bronchoalveolar lavage or >=1000/mm3 eosinophils on peripheral blood and the
      exclusion of other known causes of eosinophilic lung diseases such as drugs,
      toxins, fungi, parasites, and collagen-vascular disorders. A dramatic response is
      achieved with systemic corticosteroids, which is typically dosed over 6 months to
      1 year. Despite this response, approximately 30-50% of patients will relapse upon
      cessation of steroids or during the taper. Although these patients respond well
      to another trial of steroids, the side effects of long term steroids are well
      known, including osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension and cataracts. Inhaled
      corticosteroids as monotherapy has been trialed in the past without success.
      However, we report a case of a patient who underwent treatment with systemic
      corticosteroids followed by inhaled steroids who has remained in remission for 2
      years.

PMID- 28626632
TI  - Synchronous mucinous and non-mucinous lung adenocarcinomas with different
      epidermal growth mutational status.
AB  - In recent years, the spread of more-sensitive diagnostic methods has resulted in
      an increase of synchronous multiple primary lung cancer diagnosis. Nevertheless,
      its occurrence is still rare. Distinction between synchronous lesions from second
      independent primary tumors is a problem when dealing with multiple lung tumors,
      particularly if the histological type is the same. We present a case report of a
      78-year-old female patient referred to our institution due to pneumonia. A
      subsequent thoracic computed tomography (CT) was performed showing two suspicious
      lesions, one in the right upper lobe and the other in the right inferior lobe.
      The CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy of both pulmonary lesions revealed two
      adenocarcinomas, but with a rare combination of distinct morphologic variants, as
      well as different immunophenotypes and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
      gene status. The patient refused surgery and was submitted to stereotactic body
      radiation therapy (SBRT). She maintained tight follow-up and until now, she has
      not shown any signs of relapse or metastasis. A multidisciplinary approach with
      clinical, morphologic and molecular evaluation in multiple lung cancer is
      important to diagnosis and treatment guidance.

PMID- 28626633
TI  - Mediastinal hemangioendothelioma: Case report and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare low-grade vascular
      neoplasm that can arise in the lung, liver, soft tissues or, less commonly, bone.
      Due to its low prevalence of less than one in a million and its non-specific
      clinical features, EHE is often misdiagnosed and managed inappropriately. Here we
      discuss the case of a 58 year-old gentleman with mediastinal EHE and review
      existing literature on pulmonary EHE (PEH). CASE HISTORY: A 58 year-old gentleman
      presented to our outpatient Clinic with chest discomfort and palpitations. A
      whole-body FDG-CT-PET showed an FDG-avid single 6.3cm nodule in the superior
      anterior mediastinum which was fully excised by robotic approach. Histology
      showed a nodular structure with clusters of epithelioid and spindled cells with a
      low proliferative index and mitotic count, suspended in a sclerotic stroma.
      Immunohistochemistry staining was positive for CD3 and CD34, confirming
      endothelial lineage, and SMA, identifying smooth muscle clusters. DISCUSSION: PEH
      typically presents in young Caucasian women, either incidentally as multiple
      small pulmonary nodules on CT or with respiratory symptoms that include cough,
      dyspnoea, chest pain and occasionally pleural effusions. Aetiology and prognosis
      remain unclear, although indicators of poor prognosis include the presence of
      respiratory symptoms, male gender, older age and multi-organ disease. Diagnosis
      is difficult and PEH is often misidentified as chronic granulomatous disease,
      amyloidosis or other malignancy of the lung. Histological features suggestive of
      PEH include nodules of hypocellular sclerotic stroma containing spindle-shaped
      tumour cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, vacuoles containing
      erythrocytes and low mitotic counts. CD31, CD34 and Fli-1 positive
      immunohistochemistry is strongly indicative of epithelioid lineage. There is no
      standard treatment for PEH but curative resection is the preferred treatment
      option where possible, with chemotherapy being used as adjuvant treatment or in
      widespread inoperable disease. CONCLUSION: This case report outlines the
      clinicopathological features that are characteristic of EHE with the hope of
      facilitating correct and early diagnosis in the future.

PMID- 28626634
TI  - An unusual late onset of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis: A case report and
      literature review.
AB  - Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is an uncommon genetic disorder
      associated with alveolar cell injury. This injury is caused in most cases by
      inactivating mutations in SLC34A2 gene, which is responsible for the production
      of a sodium-dependent phosphate co-transporter. The dysfunction or deficiency of
      this transporter leads to the aggregation of local phosphate intra-alveolarly and
      formation of microliths. Most of the patients are asymptomatic at the time of the
      diagnosis but as the disease progress it leads to fatal respiratory or cardiac
      failure. We describe a case of a 63-year-old man referred to our department for a
      surgical lung biopsy. He has been symptomatic for one year with progressive
      shortness of breath and deteriorating exercise tolerance. The imaging was
      suggestive of extensive interstitial bilateral lung disease. Histological
      findings after the lung biopsy by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)
      established the diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis. His sister
      suffered from the same disease and passed away at the age of 54. It is remarkably
      rare for PAM to have such a late onset with a previous normal X-ray and only a
      few cases have been reported worldwide.

PMID- 28626635
TI  - Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis associated with rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus
      cantonensis) migration in two nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) and
      an opossum (Didelphis virginiana) in the southeastern United States.
AB  - Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the rat lungworm, was the cause of neural larval
      migrans in two nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) and one Virginia
      opossum (Didelphis virginiana) from the southeastern United States. Histologic
      findings in all three cases included eosinophilic meningoencephalitis with
      variable numbers of nematode larvae in the meninges or the neuroparenchyma. In
      two of the three cases, nematodes were extracted from brain tissue via a "squash
      prep" method. Identification of the nematodes was confirmed by amplification and
      sequence analysis of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene from all
      three cases. Sequences (704bp) from the two cases from Louisiana were identical
      and 99.7% similar to nematodes detected in the armadillo from Florida. As A.
      cantonensis is now considered endemic in the southern United States, it should be
      considered as an important differential for any wild or domestic animal or human
      patient with neurological signs and eosinophilic meningitis. Many wildlife
      species frequently consume snails and slugs and could serve as sentinels for the
      detection of this parasite in regions where the presence of this parasite has not
      been confirmed. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of neural
      larval migrans due to A. cantonensis in an armadillo and provides additional
      documentation that this nematode can cause disease in wildlife species in the
      southeastern United States.

PMID- 28626636
TI  - An examination of endoparasites and fecal testosterone levels in flying squirrels
      (Glaucomys spp.) using high performance liquid chromatography-ultra-violet (HPLC
      UV).
AB  - The immuno-competence hypothesis proposes that higher levels of testosterone
      increases the susceptibility to parasitism. Here we examined the testosterone
      levels in two species of flying squirrels (Glaucomys): one known to regularly
      host a nematode species (Strongyloides robustus) without ill effects (G. volans)
      and a closely related species that is considered negatively affected by the
      parasite. We quantified fecal testosterone levels in northern and southern flying
      squirrels (G. sabrinus, G. volans) with high-performance liquid chromatography
      ultraviolet spectroscopy (HPLC-UV), and compared levels to endoparasites detected
      in individual squirrels. Qualitatively, we found highest levels of testosterone
      in male northern flying squirrels infected with Strongyloides robustus. This
      analytical approach represents an alternative and equally reliable method to
      using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), for detecting and quantifying
      fecal testosterone levels.

PMID- 28626637
TI  - Transcriptome analysis of reproductive tissue differentiation in Jatropha curcas
      Linn.
AB  - Shoot and inflorescence are central physiological and developmental tissues of
      plants. Flowering is one of the most important agronomic traits for improvement
      of crop yield. To analyze the vegetative to reproductive tissue transition in
      Jatropha curcas, gene expression profiles were generated from shoot and
      inflorescence tissues. RNA isolated from both tissues was sequenced using the
      Ilumina HiSeq 2500 platform. Differential gene expression analysis identified key
      biological processes associated with vegetative to reproductive tissue
      transition. The present data for J. curcas may inform the design of breeding
      strategies particularly with respect to reproductive tissue transition. The raw
      data of this study has been deposited in the NCBI's Sequence Read Archive (SRA)
      database with the accession number SRP090662.

PMID- 28626638
TI  - Transcriptome of barley under three different heavy metal stress reaction.
AB  - In the present study, we used Illumina sequencing technology (HiSeq 2000) to
      sequence the transcriptome of barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. Morex) under three
      different heavy metal stress conditions: copper, zinc and cadmium. For each of
      those metals, the concentration causing a 50% inhibitory effect for root growth
      (EC50) was determined. We sequenced the total RNA of both roots and shoots from
      barley with and without heavy metal treatments in three replicates. Raw reads of
      the transcriptome project have been deposited in NCBI's BioProject accession
      number PRJNA382490. The obtained transcriptomic data will be useful for further
      studies focusing on heavy metal tolerance and comparative transcriptome analysis
      in barley.

PMID- 28626639
TI  - A non-mosaic PORCN mutation in a male with severe congenital anomalies
      overlapping focal dermal hypoplasia.
AB  - Mutations in the PORCN gene cause the X-linked dominant condition focal dermal
      hypoplasia (FDH). Features of FDH include striated pigmentation of the skin,
      ocular and skeletal malformations. FDH is generally associated with in utero
      lethality in non-mosaic males and most of the currently reported male patients
      show mosaicism due to de novo post-zygotic mutations in the PORCN gene. There is
      only one previous report of a surviving male with an inherited mutation in the
      PORCN gene. Here, we report two male siblings with multiple malformations
      including skeletal, ocular and renal defects overlapping with FDH. A novel PORCN
      mutation (p.Ser250Phe) was identified in a non-mosaic, hemizygous state in one of
      the siblings who survived to 8 years of age. The mother is a heterozygous
      carrier, has a random X-inactivation pattern and is asymptomatic. Findings
      unusual for FDH include dysplastic clavicles and bilateral Tessier IV facial
      clefts. This is the second case report of a non-mosaic PORCN mutation in a male
      individual with multiple congenital anomalies. While the pathogenicity of this
      mutation remains to be further investigated, the survival of a male with a non
      mosaic mutation in PORCN is suggestive of a functionally mild mutation leading to
      an X-linked recessive mode of inheritance.

PMID- 28626640
TI  - Accumulated substancies and calorific capacity in adipose tissue: Physical and
      chemical clinical trial.
AB  - AIM: To study physical and chemical structures and properties including calorific
      value of human adipose tissue in different anatomical location in autopsy
      assigned clinical trial. METHODS: A pilot physical and chemical descriptive
      randomized autopsy-assigned trial. Adipose tissue 252 sampled from 36 individuals
      at autopsy who between 36 and 63 years old died from road accidents.
      Interventions: Chemical functional groups and calorific value were studied using
      infrared and atomic adsorptive spectrometries, elemental chemical analysis and
      differential scanning calorimetry. Adipose tissue was sampled from the 7 various
      anatomical locations. RESULTS: The highest levels of the analysed chemical
      substancies were found in dense atherosclerotic plaque. Dense atherosclerotic
      plaque contains the most of metabolic products, organic and inorganic elements.
      Dense atherosclerotic plaque has the most of calorific value. The lowest
      calorific capacity has a pararenal fat. CONCLUSIONS: Human body lipids serve as a
      harbor for various organic substances, they may absorb different metabolic
      products, and they have different calorific capacity depending on their location
      and forms. Atherosclerotic plaque contains the most of organic and inorganic
      elements, and brings the highest energy potential.

PMID- 28626642
TI  - Bioleaching of incineration fly ash by Aspergillus niger - precipitation of
      metallic salt crystals and morphological alteration of the fungus.
AB  - This study examines the bioleaching of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash
      by Aspergillus niger, and its effect on the fungal morphology, the fate of the
      ash particles, and the precipitation of metallic salt crystals during
      bioleaching. The fungal morphology was significantly affected during one-step and
      two-step bioleaching; scanning electron microscopy revealed that bioleaching
      caused distortion of the fungal hyphae (with up to 10 MUm hyphae diameter) and a
      swollen pellet structure. In the absence of the fly ash, the fungi showed a
      linear structure (with 2-4 MUm hyphae diameter). Energy-dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction confirmed the precipitation of calcium oxalate
      hydrate crystals at the surface of hyphae in both one-step and two-step
      bioleaching. Calcium oxalate precipitation affects bioleaching via the weakening
      of the fly ash, thus facilitating the release of other tightly bound metals in
      the matrix.

PMID- 28626641
TI  - Evaluation of in vitro cytotoxic activity of mono-PEGylated StAP3 (Solanum
      tuberosum aspartic protease 3) forms.
AB  - StAP3 is a plant aspartic protease with cytotoxic activity toward a broad
      spectrum of pathogens, including potato and human pathogen microorganisms, and
      cancer cells, but not against human T cells, human red blood cells or plant
      cells. For this reason, StAP3 could be a promising and potential drug candidate
      for future therapies. In this work, the improvement of the performance of StAP3
      was achieved by means of a modification with PEG. The separation of a mono
      PEGylated StAP3 fraction was easily performed by gel filtration chromatography.
      The mono-PEGylated StAP3 fraction was studied in terms of in vitro antimicrobial
      activity, exhibiting higher antimicrobial activity against Fusarium solani spores
      and Bacillus cereus, but slightly lower activity against Escherichia coli than
      native protein. Such increase in antifungal activity has not been reported
      previously for a PEGylated plant protein. In addition, PEGylation did not affect
      the selective cytotoxicity of StAP3, since no hemolytic activity was observed.

PMID- 28626643
TI  - Process development of short-chain polyols synthesis from corn stover by
      combination of enzymatic hydrolysis and catalytic hydrogenolysis.
AB  - Currently short-chain polyols such as ethanediol, propanediol, and butanediol are
      produced either from the petroleum feedstock or from the starch-based food crop
      feedstock. In this study, a combinational process of enzymatic hydrolysis with
      catalytic hydrogenolysis for short-chain polyols production using corn stover as
      feedstock was developed. The enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated corn stover
      was optimized to produce stover sugars at the minimum cost. Then the stover
      sugars were purified and hydrogenolyzed into polyols products catalyzed by Raney
      nickel catalyst. The results show that the yield of short-chain polyols from the
      stover sugars was comparable to that of the corn-based glucose. The present study
      provided an important prototype for polyols production from lignocellulose to
      replace the petroleum- or corn-based polyols for future industrial applications.

PMID- 28626644
TI  - Mechanism-based site-directed mutagenesis to shift the optimum pH of the
      phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from Rhodotorula glutinis JN-1.
AB  - Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (RgPAL) from Rhodotorula glutinis JN-1
      stereoselectively catalyzes the conversion of the l-phenylalanine into trans
      cinnamic acid and ammonia, and was used in chiral resolution of dl-phenylalanine
      to produce the d-phenylalanine under acidic condition. However, the optimum pH of
      RgPAL is 9 and the RgPAL exhibits low catalytic efficiency at acidic side.
      Therefore, a mutant RgPAL with a lower optimum pH is expected. Based on catalytic
      mechanism and structure analysis, we constructed a mutant RgPAL-Q137E by site
      directed mutagenesis, and found that this mutant had an extended optimum pH 7-9
      with activity of 1.8-fold higher than that of the wild type at pH 7. As revealed
      by Friedel-Crafts-type mechanism of RgPAL, the improvement of the RgPAL-Q137E
      might be due to the negative charge of Glu137 which could stabilize the
      intermediate transition states through electrostatic interaction. The RgPAL-Q137E
      mutant was used to resolve the racemic dl-phenylalanine, and the conversion rate
      and the eeD value of d-phenylalanine using RgPAL-Q137E at pH 7 were increased by
      29% and 48%, and achieved 93% and 86%, respectively. This work provides an
      effective strategy to shift the optimum pH which is favorable to further
      applications of RgPAL.

PMID- 28626645
TI  - An intrabody specific for the nucleophosmin carboxy-terminal mutant and fused to
      a nuclear localization sequence binds its antigen but fails to relocate it in the
      nucleus.
AB  - The cytoplasmic accumulation of NPM1 (NPMc+) is found in acute myeloid leukemia
      (AML) with NPM1 mutation. NPM1 must shuttle between nucleus and cytoplasm to
      assure physiological protein synthesis and, therefore, the elimination of NPMc+
      is not a suitable therapeutic option. We isolated, characterized, and produced a
      functional scFv intrabody fused to nuclear localization signal(s) (NLS) that does
      not recognize NPM1 but binds to the mutant-specific C-terminal NES (nuclear
      export signal) of NPMc+, responsible for its cytoplasmic accumulation. The scFv
      NLS fusion accumulated in the nuclei of wild type cells and strongly bound to its
      antigen in the cytoplasm of NPMc+ expressing cells. However, it failed to
      relocate the majority of NPMc+ in the nucleus, even when fused to four NLS. Our
      results show the technical feasibility of producing recombinant intrabodies with
      defined sub-cellular targeting and nuclear accumulation but the lack of
      information concerning the features that confer variable strength to the signal
      peptides impairs the development of biomolecules able to counteract pathological
      sub-cellular distribution of shuttling proteins.

PMID- 28626646
TI  - Development of fed-batch profiles for efficient biosynthesis of catechol-O
      methyltransferase.
AB  - Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT, EC 2.1.1.6) plays a crucial role in dopamine
      metabolism which has intimately linked this enzyme to some neurodegenerative
      diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. In recent years, in the attempt of
      developing new therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's disease, there has been a
      growing interest in the search for effective COMT inhibitors. In order to do so,
      large amounts of COMT in an active form are needed, and the best way to achieve
      this is by up-scaling its production through biotechnological processes. In this
      work, a fed-batch process for the biosynthesis of the soluble isoform of COMT in
      Escherichia coli is proposed. This final process was selected through the
      evaluation of the effect of different dissolved oxygen concentrations, carbon and
      nitrogen source concentrations and feeding profiles on enzymatic production and
      cell viability, while controlling various parameters (pH, temperature, starting
      time of the feeding and induction phases and carbon source concentration) during
      the process. After several batch and fed-batch experiments, a final specific COMT
      activity of 442.34 nmol/h/mg with approximately 80% of viable cells at the end of
      the fermentation were achieved. Overall, the results described herein provide a
      great improvement on hSCOMT production in recombinant bacteria and provide a new
      and viable option for the use of a fed-batch fermentation with a constant feeding
      profile to the large scale production of this enzyme.

PMID- 28626647
TI  - Use of a capacitive affinity biosensor for sensitive and selective detection and
      quantification of DNA-A model study.
AB  - A capacitive DNA-sensor model system was used to monitor the capture of
      complementary single-stranded DNAs. The sensor chip consisted of a gold
      electrode, which was carefully insulated with a polytyramine layer and covalently
      tagged with 25-mer oligo-C. As low as 10-11 moles per liter of target oligo-G
      could be detected by injecting 250 MUL of sample. Elevated temperature was used
      to reduce non-specific hybridization. Less than 10% of non-target 25-mer oligo-T
      interacted nonspecifically with the oligo-C probes when hybridization process was
      performed at 50  degrees C. Studying the relationship of length of the analyte to
      the signal strength, the output from the capacitive DNA-sensor increased to
      almost the double; from 50 to 88-nF cm-2, when a 25-mer oligo-G was used instead
      of a 15-mer. By sandwich hybridization at room temperature, it was possible to
      further increase the signal, from 78-nF cm-2 for the target 50-mer oligo-G alone,
      to 114-nF cm-2.

PMID- 28626648
TI  - Reusable urine glucose sensor based on functionalized graphene oxide conjugated
      Au electrode with protective layers.
AB  - An electrochemical based system with multiple layers coated on a functionalized
      graphene oxide Au electrode was developed to measure glucose concentration in
      urine in a more stable way. Two types of gold printed circuit boards were
      fabricated and graphene oxide was immobilized on their surface by chemical
      adsorption. Multiple layers, composed of a couple of polymers, were uniformly
      coated on the surface electrode. This device exhibited higher electrochemical
      responses against glucose, a greater resistivity in the presence of
      interferential substances in urine, and durable stabilities for longer periods of
      time than conventional units. The efficiency in current level according to the
      order and ratio of solution was evaluated during the immobilization of the layer.
      The fabricated electrodes were then also evaluated using hyperglycemic clinical
      samples and compared with the patterns of blood glucose measured with
      commercially available glucose meters. Our findings show that not only was their
      pattern similar but this similarity is well correlated.

PMID- 28626649
TI  - Effect of ball-milling on the physicochemical properties of maize starch.
AB  - The effect of ball-milling on physicochemical properties of maize starch was
      evaluated. Results found that the cold water solubility (CWS) of maize starch was
      positively correlated with the time of milling up to 3 h. There was no
      significant influence of using a ceramic pot versus a stainless steel pot on CWS.
      However, following 5 h of ball-milling CWS increased quite dramatically in the
      ceramic pot (72.6%) and in the stainless steel pot (70.7%), as compared to the
      untreated maize starches (2.9%). In addition, as CWS increased, the regions of
      amorphism enlarged at the expense of the crystalline regions, resulting in a
      change from the native starch state (oval with a smooth surface) to having more
      of a rough, abrasive surface. Finally, the transparency of the starch increased
      as CWS increased and that the syneresis of freeze-thawed ball-milled maize starch
      also increased with an increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles.

PMID- 28626650
TI  - Recrystallization inhibition in ice due to ice binding protein activity detected
      by nuclear magnetic resonance.
AB  - Liquid water present in polycrystalline ice at the interstices between ice
      crystals results in a network of liquid-filled veins and nodes within a solid ice
      matrix, making ice a low porosity porous media. Here we used nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) relaxation and time dependent self-diffusion measurements
      developed for porous media applications to monitor three dimensional changes to
      the vein network in ices with and without a bacterial ice binding protein (IBP).
      Shorter effective diffusion distances were detected as a function of increased
      irreversible ice binding activity, indicating inhibition of ice recrystallization
      and persistent small crystal structure. The modification of ice structure by the
      IBP demonstrates a potential mechanism for the microorganism to enhance
      survivability in ice. These results highlight the potential of NMR techniques in
      evaluation of the impact of IBPs on vein network structure and recrystallization
      processes; information useful for continued development of ice-interacting
      proteins for biotechnology applications.

PMID- 28626651
TI  - Microcontact-BSA imprinted capacitive biosensor for real-time, sensitive and
      selective detection of BSA.
AB  - An analytical method is presented, combining novel microcontact imprinting
      technique and capacitive biosensor technology for the detection of BSA. Glass
      cover slips were used for preparation of protein stamps. The microcontact-BSA
      imprinted gold electrodes were prepared in the presence of methacrylic acid (MAA)
      and poly-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) as the cross-linker by bringing
      the protein stamp and the gold electrode into contact under UV-polymerization.
      Real-time BSA detection studies were performed in the concentration range of 1.0
      * 10-20-1.0 * 10-8 M with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.0 * 10-19 M. Cross
      reactivity towards HSA and IgG were 5 and 3%, respectively. The electrodes were
      used for >70 assays during 2 months and retained their binding properties during
      all that time. The NIP (non-imprinted) electrode was used as a reference. The
      microcontact imprinting technology combined with the biosensor applications is a
      promising technology for future applications.

PMID- 28626652
TI  - Multi-response optimization of rhamnolipid production using grey rational
      analysis in Taguchi method.
AB  - The present paper envisages the multi-response optimization of certain process
      parameters like total sugars concentration, C/N ratio and incubation time on
      rhamnolipid yield, surface tension reduction, biomass formation and substrate
      utilization, in rhamnolipid production by a Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutant strain
      grown on clarified blackstrap molasses, under L9 orthogonal array in Taguchi
      design. The results have been analyzed by using grey relational analysis for the
      identification of an optimum level of process parameters. The validity of the
      results was checked though confirmation experiment, under grey relational
      analysis. Subsequently, the rhamnolipid yield improved from 1.45 to 1.50 g/L,
      substrate utilization reduced from 26 to 14% (w/v) and lesser biomass was formed.
      Moreover, the volumetric productivity of the process improved from 0.0086 to
      0.0208 g/L/h by 142%. Furthermore, using analysis of variance method, significant
      contributions of process parameters were determined.

PMID- 28626653
TI  - Enzymatic hydrolysis of steam exploded corncob residues after pretreatment in a
      twin-screw extruder.
AB  - A modified twin-screw extruder incorporated with a filtration device was used as
      a liquid/solid separator for xylose removal from steam exploded corncobs. A face
      centered central composite design was used to study the combined effects of
      various enzymatic hydrolysis process variables (enzyme loading, surfactant
      addition, and hydrolysis time) with two differently extruded corncobs (7% xylose
      removal, 80% xylose removal) on glucose conversion. The results showed that the
      extrusion process led to an increase in cellulose crystallinity, while structural
      changes could also be observed via SEM. A quadratic polynomial model was
      developed for predicting the glucose conversion and the fitted model provided an
      adequate approximation of the true response as verified by the analysis of
      variance (ANOVA).

PMID- 28626654
TI  - Stable lentiviral transformation of CHO cells for the expression of the
      hemagglutinin H5 of avian influenza virus in suspension culture.
AB  - Avian influenza virus H5N1 has caused extensive damage worldwide among poultry
      and humans. Effective expression systems are needed for the production of viral
      proteins required for monitoring this devastating disease. The present study
      deals with the establishment of a stable expression system for the hemagglutinin
      H5 (HAH5) of avian influenza virus using CHO cells in suspension culture
      transduced with a recombinant lentiviral vector. The synthetic gene coding the
      HAH5 protein was inserted in a lentiviral vector with the aim of performing a
      stable transduction of CHO cells. After the selection of recombinant clones, the
      one with the highest expression level was adapted to suspension culture and the
      HAH5 protein was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography from the culture
      supernatant. There were no significant differences when this protein, purified or
      direct from the culture supernatant of CHO or SiHa cells, was utilized in an
      immunologic assay using positive and negative sera as reference. It was also
      demonstrated that the HAH5 protein in its purified form is able to bind anti-HAH5
      antibodies generated with proper and non-proper folded proteins. The results
      demonstrate that the CHO cell line stably transduced with a lentiviral vector
      coding the sequence of the HAH5 protein and cultured in suspension can be a
      suitable expression system to obtain this protein for diagnostic purpose in a
      consistent and reliable manner.

PMID- 28626655
TI  - Comparison of droplet digital PCR and quantitative real-time PCR in mcrA-based
      methanogen community analysis.
AB  - Two different quantitative PCR platforms, droplet digital PCR (dd-PCR) and
      quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), were compared in a mcrA-based methanogen
      community assay that quantifies ten methanogen sub-groups. Both technologies
      exhibited similar PCR efficiencies over at least four orders of magnitude and the
      same lower limits of detection (8 copies MUL-DNA extract-1). The mcrA-based
      methanogen communities in three full-scale anaerobic digesters were examined
      using the two technologies. dd-PCR detected seven groups from the digesters,
      while qPCR did five groups, indicating that dd-PCR is more sensitive for DNA
      quantification. Linear regression showed quantitative agreements between both of
      the technologies (R2 = 0.59-0.98) in the five groups that were concurrently
      detected. Principal component analysis from the two datasets consistently
      indicated a substantial difference in the community composition among the
      digesters and revealed similar levels of differentiation among the communities.
      The combined results suggest that dd-PCR is more promising for examining
      methanogenic archaeal communities in biotechnological processes.

PMID- 28626656
TI  - Effect of small interfering RNAs on matrix metalloproteinase 1 expression.
AB  - Three small double strand siRNAs (506-MMP1, 859-MMP1 and 891-MMP1), each contains
      25-26 nucleotides, with high specific to human MMP1 were designed according to
      mRNA sequence of human MMP1 (NCBI, NM_002421). To monitor the MMP1 gene
      expression, the total RNAs of human skin fibroblast (Detroit 551, BCRC 60118)
      were extracted. One human matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1) partial sequence
      cDNA, included all the three siRNA target sequences, amplified specifically via
      RT-PCR and PCR reactions, and three synthesized siRNA target DNAs were cloned
      individually into pAcGFP1-N3 with green fluorescent protein (GFP). These reporter
      plasmids were then transfected individually into malignant melanoma (MeWo, BCRC
      60540) and the GFP was detected after 48 h. Fluorescence results indicated that
      the 859 siRNA revealed highest inhibitory ability (almost 90%), and was,
      accordingly, transfected into MeWo cells. According to the real-time quantitative
      PCR and western blot, the exhibition ability to silence MMP1 gene expression was
      85-89%.

PMID- 28626657
TI  - Chondroitin sulphate extracted from antler cartilage using high hydrostatic
      pressure and enzymatic hydrolysis.
AB  - Chondroitin sulphate (CS), a major glycosaminoglycan, is an essential component
      of the extracellular matrix in cartilaginous tissues. Wapiti velvet antlers are a
      rich source of these molecules. The purpose of the present study was to develop
      an effective isolation procedure of CS from fresh velvet antlers using a
      combination of high hydrostatic pressure (100 MPa) and enzymatic hydrolysis
      (papain). High CS extractability (95.1 +/- 2.5%) of total uronic acid was
      obtained following incubation (4 h at 50  degrees C) with papain at pH 6.0 in 100
      MPa compared to low extractability (19 +/- 1.1%) in ambient pressure (0.1 MPa).
      Antler CS fractions were isolated by Sephacryl S-300 chromatography and
      identified by western blot using an anti-CS monoclonal antibody. The antler CS
      fraction did not aggregate with hyaluronic acid in CL-2B chromatography and
      possessed DPPH radical scavenging activity at 78.3 +/- 1.5%. The results
      indicated that high hydrostatic pressure and enzymatic hydrolysis procedure may
      be a useful tool for the isolation of CS from antler cartilaginous tissues.

PMID- 28626658
TI  - Preparation of functionalized porous nano-gamma-Al2O3 powders employing colophony
      extract.
AB  - This study reports the synthesis of porous nano alumina employing carboxylato
      alumoxanes [Al(O) x (OH) y (O2CR) z ] n as precursors for controlling the pore
      size, pore size distribution and porosity of the alumina, using a new process
      ecofriendly. The carboxylato-alumoxanes was prepared by the reaction of boehmite
      with carboxylic acids. The boehmite was obtained by the hydrolysis of aluminum
      alkoxide in an aqueous solution. The colophony extract is employed as a source of
      carboxylic acids. The materials were characterized, using XRD, TGA, N2 physical
      adsorption, SEM, TEM, NMR and FTIR. A mechanism was proposed for the formation of
      the synthesized structures. TEM measurements confirmed particle size ranged from
      5 to 8 nm.

PMID- 28626659
TI  - Electron beam irradiation enhances the digestibility and fermentation yield of
      water-soaked lignocellulosic biomass.
AB  - In order to overcome the limitation of commercial electron beam irradiation
      (EBI), lignocellulosic rice straw (RS) was pretreated using water soaking-based
      electron beam irradiation (WEBI). This environment-friendly pretreatment, without
      the formation (or release) of inhibitory compounds (especially
      hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural), significantly increased the enzymatic
      hydrolysis and fermentation yields of RS. Specifically, when water-soaked RS
      (solid:liquid ratio of 100%) was treated with WEBI doses of 1 MeV at 80 kGy, 0.12
      mA, the glucose yield after 120 h of hydrolysis was 70.4% of the theoretical
      maximum. This value was predominantly higher than the 29.5% and 52.1% measured
      from untreated and EBI-treated RS, respectively. Furthermore, after simultaneous
      saccharification and fermentation for 48 h, the ethanol concentration, production
      yield, and productivity were 9.3 g/L, 57.0% of the theoretical maximum, and 0.19
      g/L h, respectively. Finally, scanning electron microscopy images revealed that
      WEBI induced significant ultrastructural changes to the surface of
      lignocellulosic fibers.

PMID- 28626660
TI  - Simply red: A novel spectrophotometric erythroid proliferation assay as a tool
      for erythropoiesis and erythrotoxicity studies.
AB  - Most mammalian cell proliferation assays rely on manual or automated cell
      counting or the assessment of metabolic activity in colorimetric assays, with the
      former being either labor and time intensive or expensive and the latter being
      multistep procedures requiring the addition of several reagents. The
      proliferation of erythroid cells from hematopoietic stem cells and their
      differentiation into mature red blood cells is characterized by the accumulation
      of large amounts of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin concentrations are easily quantifiable
      using spectrophotometric methods due to the specific absorbance peak of the
      molecule's heme moiety between 400 and 420 nm. Erythroid proliferation can
      therefore be readily assessed using spectrophotometric measurement in this range.
      We have used this feature of erythroid cells to develop a simple erythroid
      proliferation assay that is minimally labor/time- and reagent-intensive and could
      easily be automated for use in high-throughput screening. Such an assay can be a
      valuable tool for investigations into hematological disorders where
      erythropoiesis is dysregulated, i.e., either inhibited or enhanced, into the
      development of anemia as a side-effect of primary diseases such as parasitic
      infections and into cyto-(particularly erythro-) toxicity of chemical agents or
      drugs.

PMID- 28626661
TI  - Acalypha indica Linn: Biogenic synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles and
      their cytotoxic effects against MDA-MB-231, human breast cancer cells.
AB  - This study reports the in vitro cytotoxic effect of biologically synthesized
      silver and gold nanoparticles against MDA-MB-231, human breast cancer cells.
      Formation of silver and gold nanoparticles was observed within 30 min and the
      various characterization techniques such as UV-vis spectrophotometer, FE-SEM, TEM
      and XRD studies were confirmed the synthesis of nanoparticles. Further, MTT,
      acridine orange and ethidium bromide (AO/EB) dual staining, caspase-3 and DNA
      fragmentation assays were carried out using various concentrations of silver and
      gold nanoparticles ranging from 1 to 100 MUg/ml. At 100 MUg/ml concentration, the
      plant extract derived nanoparticles exhibited significant cytotoxic effects and
      the apoptotic features were confirmed through caspase-3 activation and DNA
      fragmentation assays. Thus, the results of the present study indicate that
      biologically synthesized silver and gold nanoparticles might be used to treat
      breast cancer; however, it necessitates clinical studies to ascertain their
      potential as anticancer agents.

PMID- 28626662
TI  - Proliferation extent of CD34+ cells as a key parameter to maximize megakaryocytic
      differentiation of umbilical cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor
      cells in a two-stage culture protocol.
AB  - Co-infusion of ex-vivo generated megakaryocytic progenitors with hematopoietic
      stem/progenitor cells (HSC/HPC) may contribute to a faster platelet recovery upon
      umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation. A two stage protocol containing cell
      expansion and megakaryocyte (Mk) differentiation was established using human UCB
      CD34+-enriched cells. The expansion stage used a pre-established protocol
      supported by a human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) feeder layer and
      the differentiation stage used TPO (100 ng/mL) and IL-3 (10 ng/mL). 18% of
      culture-derived Mks had higher DNA content (>4 N) and were able to produce
      platelet-like particles. The proliferation extent of CD34+ cells obtained in the
      expansion stage (FI-CD34+), rather than expansion duration, determined as a key
      parameter for efficient megakaryocytic differentiation. A maximum efficiency
      yield (EY) of 48 +/- 7.7 Mks/input CD34+ cells was obtained for a FI-CD34+ of 17
      +/- 2.5, where a higher FI-CD34+ of 42 +/- 13 resulted in a less efficient
      megakaryocytic differentiation (EY of 22 +/- 6.7 and 19 +/- 4.6 %CD41).

PMID- 28626663
TI  - Screening of Bacillus coagulans strains in lignin supplemented minimal medium
      with high throughput turbidity measurements.
AB  - The aim of this study was to extend the options for screening and
      characterization of microorganism through kinetic growth parameters. In order to
      obtain data, automated turbidimetric measurements were accomplished to observe
      the response of strains of Bacillus coagulans. For the characterization, it was
      decided to examine the influence of varying concentrations of lignin with respect
      to bacterial growth. Different mathematical models are used for comparison:
      logistic, Gompertz, Baranyi and Richards and Stannard. The growth response was
      characterized by parameters like maximum growth rate, maximum population, and the
      lag time. In this short analysis we present a mathematical approach towards a
      comparison of different microorganisms. Furthermore, it can be demonstrated that
      lignin in low concentrations can have a positive influence on the growth of B.
      coagulans.

PMID- 28626664
TI  - Relative examination of antioxidative enzymatic activities in plantlets of
      Cardiospermum halicacabum L. differentiated from hypocotyls in in vivo and ex
      vitro environment.
AB  - A plant regeneration protocol was devised for Cardiospermum halicacabum by means
      of aseptically extracted 7 days old hypocotyls forming adventitious shoots on
      Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium harmonized with 0.7 MUM thidiazuron (TDZ)
      producing a maximum of 18.20 +/- 0.98 number of shoots in 94% cultures following
      4 weeks. Subsequent subculturing for five passages, on a medium without plant
      growth regulators, tempted the highest shoot number (40.00 +/- 1.15) with an
      average shoot length of 6.53 +/- 0.49 cm after the fourth subculture.
      Histological sections confirmed the formation of multiple buds from hypocotyl
      explants. The expression of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase,
      catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase was found to be higher
      in acclimatized plants than in the in vitro cultured ones suggesting the
      involvement of these enzymes in shoot differentiation and in growth under
      external environment partly due to their ability to cope up with oxidative
      stress.

PMID- 28626665
TI  - Biosynthesis and metabolism of beta-d-salicin: A novel molecule that exerts
      biological function in humans and plants.
AB  - beta-d-Salicin 1 (Mahdi et al. [8]) is an interesting medicinal phytochemical
      that exhibits cross functions in plants and humans immunologically. This molecule
      1 (Mahdi et al. [8]) has attracted the attention of scientists in various
      interdisciplinary fields, including chemistry, pharmacology and medicine. The
      biological cross functions of beta-d-salicin 1 (Mahdi et al. [8]) serve in plant
      survival and healing processes via salicylic acid 2 (Pierpont [23]). Thus, this
      raise a question whether plant biosynthesis and human metabolism crosstalk to
      induce therapy via molecular recognition. If so, biotechnology and bioinformatics
      are significant techniques for new strategies in drug development. Thus,
      understanding the biosynthesis, metabolism and the cross-molecular setting of
      recognition may encourage further discussion and research on its medicinal and
      biological activity virtues.

PMID- 28626666
TI  - Evaluation of limiting factors for current density in microbial electrochemical
      cells (MXCs) treating domestic wastewater.
AB  - This study quantitatively assessed three limiting factors for current density in
      a microbial electrochemical cell (MXC) treating domestic wastewater: (1) buffer
      concentration, (2) biodegradability, and (3) particulates. Buffer concentration
      was not significant for current density in the MXC fed with filtered domestic
      wastewater (180 mg COD/L). Current density reduced by 67% in the MXC fed with
      filtered sewage having similar COD concentration to acetate medium, which
      indicates poor biodegradability of soluble organics in the wastewater.
      Particulate matters seriously decreased current density down to 76%, probably due
      to the accumulation of particulates on biofilm anode. Our study quantitatively
      showed that buffer concentration does not limit current density much, but
      biodegradability of soluble organics and fermentation rate of particulate matters
      in domestic wastewater mainly control current density in MXCs.

PMID- 28626668
TI  - Microbial interactions for enhancement of alpha-amylase production by Bacillus
      amyloliquefaciens 04BBA15 and Lactobacillus fermentum 04BBA19.
AB  - Interactions occurring between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and two thermostable
      alpha-amylase producing strains (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 04BBA15 and
      Lactobacillus fermentum 04BBA19) were analyzed by comparing their growth patterns
      obtained in isolation with those obtained in mixture. The difference between the
      patterns was assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) in order to measure how
      much the growth of an organism was affected by other. The results showed two
      types of interactions in mixed culture; commensalism between S. cerevisiae and B.
      amyloliquefaciens 04BBA15 and mutualism between S. cerevisiae and L. fermentum
      04BBA19. In mixed culture, the alpha-amylase production increased significantly
      compared to that observed in monoculture (P < 0.05). Response surface
      optimization of fermentation parameters in mixed cultures (initial yeast to
      bacteria ratio 1.125, temperature 33.5  degrees C, pH 5.5) resulted in about 1.8
      fold higher enzyme production than that observed in the unoptimized fermentation.

PMID- 28626667
TI  - Potential applications of ferulic acid from natural sources.
AB  - Ferulic acid (FA), a ubiquitous natural phenolic phytochemical present in seeds,
      leaves, bothin its free form and covalently conjugated to the plant cell wall
      polysaccharides, glycoproteins,polyamines, lignin and hydroxy fatty acids. FA
      plays a vital role in providing the rigidity to the cell wall and formation of
      other important organic compounds like coniferyl alcohol, vanillin, sinapic,
      diferulic acid and curcumin. FA exhibits wide variety of biological activities
      such as antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antiallergic,
      hepatoprotective, anticarcinogenic, antithrombotic, increase sperm viability,
      antiviral and vasodilatory actions, metal chelation, modulation of enzyme
      activity, activation of transcriptional factors, gene expression and signal
      transduction.

PMID- 28626669
TI  - Presentation on mechanisms and applications of chalcopyrite and pyrite
      bioleaching in biohydrometallurgy - a presentation.
AB  - This review outlines classic and current research, scientific documents and
      research achievements in bioleaching, particularly in respect of the bioleaching
      of chalcopyrite and pyrite. The diversity and commonality of the microbial
      leaching process can be easily studied through comparing the bioleaching
      mechanism and the application of these two metal sulfides. The crystal,
      electronic and surface structures of chalcopyrite and pyrite are summarized in
      detail in this paper. It determines the specific and complicated interaction
      pathways, kinetics of the atmospheric/aqueous oxidation, and the control process
      of bioleaching of the minerals as the precondition. Bioleaching of metal sulfides
      is performed by a diverse group of microorganisms and microbial communities. The
      species of the bacteria which have a significant effect on leaching ores are
      miraculously diverse. The newly identified acidophilic microorganisms with unique
      characteristics for efficient bioleaching of sulfidic minerals are increasing
      sharply. The cell-to-cell communication mechanisms, which are still implicit,
      elusive and intangible at present day, have gradually become a research hotspot.
      The different mineralogy characteristics and the acid solubility of the metal
      sulfides (e.g., chalcopyrite and pyrite) cause two different dissolution
      pathways, the thiosulfate and the polysulfide pathways. The bioleaching
      mechanisms are categorized by contact (an electrostatic attachment) and
      noncontact (planktonic) process, with emphasis on the produce of extracellular
      polymeric substances and formation of biofilm on the surface of the metal
      sulfides in this paper. The division of the direct and indirect effect are not
      adopted due to the redox chain, the reduction of the ferric iron and oxidation of
      the ferrous iron. The molecular oxygen is reduced by the electrons extracted from
      the specific metal sulfide, via a redox chain forming a supercomplex spanning the
      periplasmic space and connecting both outer and inner membrane. The passivation
      of the mineral surface can obviously hinder the dissolution of metal sulfides
      during the bioleaching process, which is significantly affected by the kinetic
      model, microenvironment on the surface of ore and the leach conditions, such as
      temperature, pH and Eh. The new development of mechanism research, enhanced and
      intensified technologies on the bioleaching of chalcopyrite and pyrite, are
      conducted and summarized from the different branches of natural science. Some are
      depicted and explained based on molecular level in this paper. Catalyst and
      catalytic mechanisms in bioleaching and biooxidation for this two sulfide
      minerals have been concluded and applied for several decades, the continuous
      emergence of the new material and technology are also gradually applied into the
      biohydrometallurgy. The industrial applications of the bioleaching on
      chalcopyrite and pyrite are totally based on the understanding of the interaction
      mechanism between microbes and minerals, the optimization of ore leaching
      conditions and the development of new material and the leaching equipment. It is
      not incredible and unimaginable to take a different bioleaching process and
      diagram to deal with the two sulfuric metals, which is vital to succeed in
      elevating the leaching rate of copper.

PMID- 28626670
TI  - Enhanced production and extraction of phenolic compounds from wheat by solid
      state fermentation with Rhizopus oryzae RCK2012.
AB  - Antioxidant phenolic compounds (PCs) are gaining popularity day by day for their
      health promoting properties. Wheat is a very good source of natural antioxidant
      PCs. In the present study, extraction of PCs was improved by solid-state
      fermentation (SSF) of wheat by Rhizopus oryzae RCK2012 which helped to release
      the bound compounds from matrix. Different extraction conditions such as solvent
      composition (water, methanol, 70% methanol, ethanol, 70% ethanol, acetone and 70%
      acetone), extraction temperature (30-60  degrees C), extraction time (15-90 min)
      and solid-to-solvent ratio (1:2.5 to 1:20, w/v) have been optimized for the
      extraction of PCs from R. oryzae fermented wheat. Maximum PCs were extracted by
      water at 40  degrees C within 45 min with solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:15 (w/v).
      Compositional analysis of PCs was carried out by UPLC and TLC. Improved ABTS*+
      [2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)] and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1
      picrylhydrazyl), hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacities,
      ferric reducing property and in vivo antioxidant capacity using Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae were observed in case of freeze-dried water extract of fermented wheat
      as compared to unfermented sample. Hence, SSF could be a promising technology to
      enhance the production and extraction of phenolic compounds for the design of
      different functional foods and for the specific use as nutraceuticals.

PMID- 28626671
TI  - Density-dependent enhancement of methane oxidation activity and growth of
      Methylocystis sp. by a non-methanotrophic bacterium Sphingopyxis sp.
AB  - Methanotrophs are a biological resource as they degrade the greenhouse gas
      methane and various organic contaminants. Several non-methanotrophic bacteria
      have shown potential to stimulate growth of methanotrophs when co-cultured, and
      however, the ecology is largely unknown. Effects of Sphingopyxis sp. NM1 on
      methanotrophic activity and growth of Methylocystis sp. M6 were investigated in
      this study. M6 and NM1 were mixed at mixing ratios of 9:1, 1:1, and 1:9 (v/v),
      using cell suspensions of 7.5 * 1011 cells L-1. Methane oxidation of M6 was
      monitored, and M6 population was estimated using fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (FISH). Real-time PCR was applied to quantify rRNA and expression
      of transcripts for three enzymes involved in the methane oxidation pathway. NM1
      had a positive effect on M6 growth at a 1:9 ratio (p < 0.05), while no
      significant effects were observed at 9:1 and 1:1 ratios. NM1 enhanced the methane
      oxidation 1.34-fold at the 1:9 ratio. NM1 increased the population density and
      relative rRNA level of M6 by 2.4-fold and 5.4-fold at the 1:9 ratio, indicating
      that NM1 stimulated the population growth of M6. NM1 increased the relative
      transcriptional expression of all mRNA targets only at the 1:9 ratio. These
      results demonstrated that NM1 enhanced the methanotrophic activity and growth of
      M6, which was dependent on the proportion of NM1 present in the culture. This
      stimulation can be used as management and enhancement strategies for
      methanotrophic biotechnological processes.

PMID- 28626672
TI  - Evaluation of five in situ lysis protocols for PCR amenable metagenomic DNA from
      mangrove soils.
AB  - Microbes in nature are rarely amenable to growth by standard microbiological
      methods, with the majority being unculturable. Metagenomic methods help to bypass
      and overcome the limitations of traditional culturing method; wherein total
      community DNA is isolated, cloned into suitable vector and host systems. However,
      isolation of total community DNA itself remains a challenge. In this study five
      methods of total community DNA isolation from three different mangrove soils were
      evaluated to test its PCR amenability. The yield and purity of the isolated DNA
      was also analysed. The quantity of DNA by all 5 methods although reasonably high,
      contained residual humic contaminants. Of the five, the method employing liquid
      nitrogen yielded readily amplifiable DNA, while that by all others required
      further downstream processing to achieve purity and PCR amenability.

PMID- 28626673
TI  - Production of melanin by soil microbial isolate on fruit waste extract: two step
      optimization of key parameters.
AB  - In this study, optimization of production parameters influencing melanin
      production in an economical fruit waste extract was attempted using a garden soil
      isolate (Bacillus safensis). Taguchi approach was adopted for screening of
      critical parameters and further optimization was done using a central composite
      design of response surface methodology (RSM). At optimum conditions (pH 6.84 and
      Temp 30.7  degrees C), a significant yield of ~6.96 mg/mL was observed.
      Statistical analysis revealed that the experimental results fitted well to the
      statistical model with model R2 value 0.982. The optimization of process
      parameters using RSM reported a 15% increase in the pigment yield than average
      yield obtained from the studied model. The melanin produced was confirmed by UV
      visible spectroscopy, FTIR and XRD analysis. Moreover melanin obtained has
      significant photoprotective, radical scavenging and metal chelating activity.
      Thus, B. safensis has the potential to be a new source for the production of
      melanin, which is of industrial interest.

PMID- 28626674
TI  - Co-encapsulation of Daphnia magna and microalgae in silica matrices, a stepping
      stone toward a portable microcosm.
AB  - We report on the first silica encapsulation of a metazoan (Daphnia magna), with a
      high initial viability (96% of the population remained active 48 h after
      encapsulation). Moreover, the co-encapsulation of this crustacean and microalgae
      (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata) was achieved, creating inside a silica
      monolith, the smallest microcosm developed to present. This artificial ecosystem
      in a greatly diminished scale isolated inside a silica nanoporous matrix could
      have applications in environmental monitoring, allowing ecotoxicity studies to be
      carried out in portable devices for on-line and in situ pollution level
      assessment.

PMID- 28626675
TI  - Decolouration of industrial metal-complex dyes in successive batches by active
      cultures of Trametes pubescens.
AB  - The decolouration of the metal-complex dyes Bemaplex Navy M-T (150 mg/L) and
      Bezaktiv Blue BA (150 mg/L) in nine successive batches by immobilised cultures of
      the white-rot fungus Trametes pubescens was studied. Two different types of
      immobilisation supports were used: the commercial carriers KaldnesTM K1
      (synthetic supports) and sunflower-seed shells (SS) (natural supports). Bemaplex
      showed more resistance to degradation by T. pubescens cultures than Bezaktiv,
      especially in the K1 cultures. Thus, SS cultures led to decolouration percentages
      higher than 59% for Bemaplex in all the batches save for the last two and higher
      than 50% for Bezaktiv in all the batches except for the 2nd and 9th ones. K1
      cultures showed decolouration percentages for Bemaplex higher than 42% in batches
      1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 and for Bezaktiv higher than 70% in all the batches save for the
      last one. Dye decolouration was mainly due to enzyme action (biodegradation).

PMID- 28626676
TI  - Microbial surfactant mediated degradation of anthracene in aqueous phase by
      marine Bacillus licheniformis MTCC 5514.
AB  - The present study emphasizes the biosurfactant mediated anthracene degradation by
      a marine alkaliphile Bacillus licheniformis (MTCC 5514). The isolate, MTCC 5514
      degraded >95% of 300 ppm anthracene in an aqueous medium within 22 days and the
      degradation percentage reduced significantly when the concentration of anthracene
      increased to above 500 ppm. Naphthalene, naphthalene 2-methyl, phthalic acid and
      benzene acetic acid are the products of degradation identified based on thin
      layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography
      and mass analyses. It has been observed that the degradation is initiated by the
      biosurfactant of the isolate for solubilization through micellation and then the
      alkali pH and intra/extra cellular degradative enzymes accomplish the degradation
      process. Encoding of genes responsible for biosurfactant production (licA3) as
      well as catabolic reactions (C23O) made with suitable primers designed. The study
      concludes in situ production of biosurfactant mediates the degradation of
      anthracene by B. licheniformis.

PMID- 28626677
TI  - Acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibitor activity of some novel pyrazinamide
      condensed 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidines.
AB  - A new series of some novel pyrazinamide condensed 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidines
      was prepared by reacting of N-(3-oxobutanoyl)pyrazine-2-carboxamide with
      urea/thiourea and appropriate aldehyde in the presence of catalytic amount of
      laboratory made p-toluenesulfonic acid as an efficient catalyst. Confirmation of
      the chemical structure of the synthesized compounds (4a-l) was substantiated by
      TLC, different spectral data IR, 1H NMR, mass spectra and elemental analysis. The
      synthesized compounds were evaluated for acetyl and butyl cholinesterase (AChE
      and BuChE) inhibitor activity. The titled compounds exhibited weak, moderate or
      high AChE and BuChE inhibitor activity. Especially, compound (4l) showed the best
      AChE and BuChE inhibitory activity of all the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine
      derivatives, with an IC50 value of 0.11 MUM and 3.4 MUM.

PMID- 28626678
TI  - TiO2 nanoparticle biosynthesis and its physiological effect on mung bean (Vigna
      radiata L.).
AB  - TiO2 nanoparticle (NPs) biosynthesis is a low cost, ecofriendly approach
      developed using the fungi Aspergillus flavus TFR 7. To determine whether TiO2 NPs
      is suitable for nutrient, we conducted a two part study; biosynthesis of TiO2 NP
      and evaluates their influence on mung bean. The characterized TiO2 NPs were
      foliar sprayed at 10 mgL-1 concentration on the leaves of 14 days old mung bean
      plants. A significant improvement was observed in shoot length (17.02%), root
      length (49.6%), root area (43%), root nodule (67.5%), chlorophyll content (46.4%)
      and total soluble leaf protein (94%) as a result of TiO2 NPs application. In the
      rhizosphere microbial population increased by 21.4-48.1% and activity of acid
      phosphatase (67.3%), alkaline phosphatase (72%), phytase (64%) and dehydrogenase
      (108.7%) enzyme was observed over control in six weeks old plants owing to
      application of TiO2 NPs. A possible mechanism has also been hypothesized for TiO2
      NPs biosynthesis.

PMID- 28626679
TI  - Bacterial diversity losses: A potential extracellular driving mechanism involving
      the molecular ecological function of hydrophobic polycyclic aromatic
      hydrocarbons.
AB  - The DNA transformation is vital to the horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The low
      efficiency transformation of bare plasmid exposed to hydrophobic polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) decreases the gene transfer level, and is possibly
      related to the loss of bacterial diversity at present. PAHs have great affinity
      for bare DNA through dispersion force and pi-pi overlap between PAHs and bases.
      These noncovalent interactions between PAHs and bases reduced the
      transformational efficiency of plasmid into bacterial recipients. Meanwhile these
      low-efficiency transformations for plasmid are controlled by the ions like Ca2+
      in environment, in turn, presence of 0.5 mmol L-1 Ca2+ recovered the efficiency
      from 3.2 (phenanthrene), 3.5 (pyrene) to about 4.45 and 4.75, respectively. The
      combination of Ca2+ with the -POO-- groups in DNA forms strong electrovalent
      bonds, weakening the molecular effect of DNA on PAHs and in turn promoting the
      gene transfer exposed to PAHs.

PMID- 28626680
TI  - Laccase production by Pleurotus ostreatus and its application in synthesis of
      gold nanoparticles.
AB  - In this work, the production of fungal laccase was optimized from local isolate
      of Pleurotus ostreatus using solid state fermentation. Factorial design was used
      to study the effect of several nutrients on enzyme production. Purification and
      characterization of the enzyme and the effect of temperature, pH and gamma
      radiation on fungal growth and enzyme production was investigated. Optimization
      of production conditions yielded an enzyme with activity over 32,450 IU/g of
      fermented substrate. Factorial design was capable of establishing the conditions
      that multiplied the activity of the enzyme several folds, consequently, reducing
      the cost of production. The enzyme was capable of decolorizing several dyes with
      over 80% reduction in color confirming the aromatic degrading capability of
      laccase. The enzyme was also used in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles, proving
      that laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus has a strong potential in several
      industrial applications.

PMID- 28626681
TI  - A new nuclear DNA marker from ubiquitin ligase gene region for genetic diversity
      detection of walnut germplasm resources.
AB  - Development of more sensitive nuclear DNA markers for identification of species,
      particularly closely allied taxa has been a challenging task that has attracted
      interest from scientists in fields of biotechnological development and genetic
      diversity detection. In this study, the sequence of the ubiquitin ligase gene
      (UBE3) region of nuclear DNA was tested for applicability and efficacy in
      revealing genetic diversity of walnut resources, with an emphasis on inter- and
      intra-specific levels. Analysis on genetic relationship among the taxa was
      conducted with the neighbor-joining (NJ) method. The number of variable bases in
      the UBE3 region was 20 sites. All nine taxa (species/variety/cultivars) were
      distinguished using the UBE3 sequence. In addition, each taxon was characterized
      molecularly with a unique nucleotide molecular formula using ten variable base
      sites derived from the nuclear DNA UBE3 gene sequence. This study presents a good
      complementary methodology for developing new DNA markers for identification of
      genus Juglans.

PMID- 28626682
TI  - The use of the carbon/nitrogen ratio and specific organic loading rate as tools
      for improving biohydrogen production in fixed-bed reactors.
AB  - This study assessed the effect of the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio on the hydrogen
      production from sucrose-based synthetic wastewater in upflow fixed-bed anaerobic
      reactors. C/N ratios of 40, 90, 140, and 190 (g C/g N) were studied using sucrose
      and urea as the carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. An optimum hydrogen
      yield of 3.5 mol H2 mol-1 sucrose was obtained for a C/N ratio of 137 by means of
      mathematical adjustment. For all C/N ratios, the sucrose removal efficiency
      reached values greater than 80% and was stable after the transient stage.
      However, biogas production was not stable at all C/N ratios as a consequence of
      the continuous decreasing of the specific organic loading rate (SOLR) when the
      biomass accumulated in the fixed-bed, causing the proliferation of H2-consuming
      microorganisms. It was found that the application of a constant SOLR of 6.0 g
      sucrose g-1 VSS d-1 stabilized the system.

PMID- 28626684
TI  - Mechanisms of plastein formation, and prospective food and nutraceutical
      applications of the peptide aggregates.
AB  - Plastein is a protease-induced peptide aggregate with prospective application in
      enhancing the nutritional quality of proteins and debittering protein
      hydrolysates. These properties are yet to be applied in product development
      possibly due to economic considerations (production cost vs. product yields).
      This paper reviews currently proposed mechanisms of plastein formation including
      condensation, transpeptidation and physical interaction of aggregating peptides.
      Emerging findings indicate that plastein possesses bioactivities, thereby
      expanding its prospective application. The role of proteases in inducing peptide
      interaction in plastein remains unclear. Understanding the protease function will
      facilitate the development of efficient proteases and scalable industrial
      processes for plastein production.

PMID- 28626683
TI  - Modelling and simulation of the chondrocyte cell growth, glucose consumption and
      lactate production within a porous tissue scaffold inside a perfusion bioreactor.
AB  - Mathematical and numerical modelling of the tissue culture process in a perfusion
      bioreactor is able to provide insight into the fluid flow, nutrients and wastes
      transport, dynamics of the pH value, and the cell growth rate. Knowing the
      complicated interdependence of these processes is essential for optimizing the
      culture process for cell growth. This paper presents a resolved scale numerical
      simulation, which allows one not only to characterize the supply of glucose
      inside a porous tissue scaffold in a perfusion bioreactor, but also to assess the
      overall culture condition and predict the cell growth rate. The simulation uses a
      simplified scaffold that consists of a repeatable unit composed of multiple
      strands. The simulation results explore some problematic regions inside the
      simplified scaffold where the concentration of glucose becomes lower than the
      critical value for the chondrocyte cell viability and the cell growth rate
      becomes significantly reduced.

PMID- 28626685
TI  - Protein production by Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis in solid state
      cultivation using sugarcane bagasse as support.
AB  - The genus Arthrospira comprises a group of filamentous multicellular
      cyanobacteria and can be used for animal feed and human food. Solid state
      fermentation or cultivation (SSF) involves the use of a culture medium composed
      of solid material with given moisture content. No studies have been published
      about the cultivation of microalgae or cyanobacteria on solid medium.
      Furthermore, although sugar-cane bagasse is used as source of energy in alcohol
      distilleries in Brazil, the excess could be a support to photosynthetic
      microorganism growth. The experimental design methodology was used to evaluate
      the protein production by Arthrospira platensis under SSF using sugarcane bagasse
      as support, taking into account the moisture content of the medium, light
      intensity and inoculum concentration. Moisture was found to have a strong
      influence on the performance of the process. The best conditions were: moisture
      of 98.8%; inoculum concentration of 0.15 g biomass.kg wet culture medium-1 and
      light intensity of 6.0 klx.

PMID- 28626686
TI  - The prospects of Jerusalem artichoke in functional food ingredients and bioenergy
      production.
AB  - Jerusalem artichoke, a native plant to North America has recently been recognized
      as a promising biomass for bioeconomy development, with a number of advantages
      over conventional crops such as low input cultivation, high crop yield, wide
      adaptation to climatic and soil conditions and strong resistance to pests and
      plant diseases. A variety of bioproducts can be derived from Jerusalem artichoke,
      including inulin, fructose, natural fungicides, antioxidant and bioethanol. This
      paper provides an overview of the cultivation of Jerusalem artichoke, derivation
      of bioproducts and applicable production technologies, with an expectation to
      draw more attention on this valuable crop for its applications as biofuel,
      functional food and bioactive ingredient sources.

PMID- 28626687
TI  - Investigations on ideal mode of cell disruption in extremely halophilic
      Actinopolyspora halophila (MTCC 263) for efficient release of glycine betaine and
      trehalose.
AB  - Actinopolyspora halophila produces glycine betaine and trehalose intracellularly
      in considerable quantities. These biomolecules are commercially important as they
      have applications in food, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural sector. Development
      of an efficient cell disruption technique is an important step for the release of
      these biomolecules. In this study, various cell disruption methods such as
      chemical, enzymatic, physico-mechanical and physical methods were evaluated. Cell
      disruption by osmotic shock was found to be the best suited method for A.
      halophila which also has a potential to be industrially scaled up. Cell bursting
      pressure that is generated during osmotic shock in A. halophila was computed
      using Morse equation and was found to be pi = 238.37 +/- 29.54 atm or 2.35 +/-
      0.29 kPa. In addition, it was found that osmotic shock followed a first order
      release rate kinetics in A. halophila. The findings can be used for commercially
      important biomolecules from other halophilic and/or halotolerant microbes.

PMID- 28626688
TI  - Characterization of the bacterial communities of aerobic granules in a 2
      fluorophenol degrading process.
AB  - Aerobic granular sludge constitutes a novel technology for wastewater treatment.
      This study focused on the effect of 2-fluorophenol (2-FP) shock loadings on the
      microbial community diversity present in aerobic granules before and after
      inoculation with a bacterial strain able to degrade 2-FP, Rhodococcus sp. strain
      FP1. After bioaugmentation, apart from strain FP1, five culturable bacteria were
      isolated from the 2-FP degrading granules, belonging to the following genera:
      Serratia, Chryseobacterium, Xanthomonas, Pimelobacter and Rhodococcus. The latter
      two isolates are able to degrade 2-FP. Changes in the aerobic granules' bacterial
      communities related to 2-FP shock loadings were examined using denaturing
      gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA gene pool. Numerical analysis of
      the DGGE profiles showed high diversity with an even distribution of species.
      Based on cluster analysis of the DGGE profiles, the bacterial communities present
      in the aerobic granules changes were related to the sampling time and the 2-FP
      concentration fed.

PMID- 28626689
TI  - Screening of cyanobacteria and microalgae for their ability to synthesize silver
      nanoparticles with antibacterial activity.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess the ability of selected strains of
      cyanobacteria and microalgae to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by
      using two procedures; (i) suspending the live and washed biomass of microalgae
      and cyanobacteria into the AgNO3 solution and (ii) by adding AgNO3 into a cell
      free culture liquid. Ag-NPs were biosynthesized by 14 out of 16 tested strains.
      In most of the cases Ag-NPs were formed both in the presence of biomass as well
      as in the cell-free culture liquid. This indicates that the process of Ag-NPs
      formation involves an extracellular compound such as polysaccharide. TEM analysis
      showed that the nanoparticles were embedded within an organic matrix. Ag-NPs
      varied in shape and sizes that ranged between 13 and 31 nm, depending on the
      organism used. The antibacterial activity of Ag-NPs was confirmed in all but one
      strain of cyanobacterium (Limnothrix sp. 37-2-1) which formed the largest
      particles.

PMID- 28626690
TI  - Comparison on structural modification of industrial lignin by wet ball milling
      and ionic liquid pretreatment.
AB  - As the most abundant aromatic compounds, lignin is still underutilized due to its
      relatively low quality. In order to improve its quality, two pretreatment
      technologies, wet ball milling (WBM) and ionic liquid pretreatment (ILP) were
      tested on the industrial lignin and evaluated on the average molecular weight and
      polydispersity, surface morphology, and functional groups changes. The results
      showed that the lignin pretreated by the WBM with phosphoric acid presented
      dramatic decrease of polydipersity (23%) and increase of phenolic hydroxyl
      content (9%). While, the ILP treated samples exhibited the significant reduction
      of the average molecular weight and polydispersity. The decrease on the particle
      size and the emergence of the porous structure were found when treated with
      [Emim][OAc]. In addition, the remarkable reduction of the methoxy groups were
      observed to be 50% and 45% after treated with [Bmim]Cl and [Emim][OAc],
      respectively.

PMID- 28626691
TI  - A novel method to augment extraction of mangiferin by application of microwave on
      three phase partitioning.
AB  - This work reports a novel approach where three phase partitioning (TPP) was
      combined with microwave for extraction of mangiferin from leaves of Mangifera
      indica. Soxhlet extraction was used as reference method, which yielded 57 mg/g in
      5 h. Under optimal conditions such as microwave irradiation time 5 min, ammonium
      sulphate concentration 40% w/v, power 272 W, solute to solvent ratio 1:20, slurry
      to t-butanol ratio 1:1, soaking time 5 min and duty cycle 50%, the mangiferin
      yield obtained was 54 mg/g by microwave assisted three phase partitioning
      extraction (MTPP). Thus extraction method developed resulted into higher
      extraction yield in a shorter span, thereby making it an interesting alternative
      prior to down-stream processing.

PMID- 28626692
TI  - Efficient utilisation of hydrogel preparations with encapsulated enzymes - a case
      study on catalase and hydrogen peroxide degradation.
AB  - The size of the gel preparation, the concentration of the encapsulated enzyme and
      the ratio of the preparation volume to the volume of the reaction mixture
      influence the reaction efficiency with encapsulated biocatalysts. A model of
      first order enzymatic reaction with substrate diffusion is presented and
      validated by the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide by catalase. The
      Thiele modulus (F) contains the modified (including the enzyme concentration)
      enzymatic reaction constant (k'). Based on the model analysis, the Thiele modulus
      should not exceed a value of 2 (optimally less than 0.5). This value can be
      controlled by appropriate selection of the enzyme concentration inside and the
      size of the capsule. A lower F value gives a flat substrate concentration profile
      inside the gel capsule and all the enzyme molecules are involved in the reaction.
      The optimal diameter of the gel capsule with respect to their separation from the
      reaction mixture is 1-2 mm.

PMID- 28626693
TI  - Co-metabolic formation of substituted phenylacetic acids by styrene-degrading
      bacteria.
AB  - Some soil bacteria are able to metabolize styrene via initial side-chain
      oxygenation. This catabolic route is of potential biotechnological relevance due
      to the occurrence of phenylacetic acid as a central metabolite. The styrene
      degrading strains Rhodococcus opacus 1CP, Pseudomonas fluorescens ST, and the
      novel isolates Sphingopyxis sp. Kp5.2 and Gordonia sp. CWB2 were investigated
      with respect to their applicability to co-metabolically produce substituted
      phenylacetic acids. Isolates were found to differ significantly in substrate
      tolerance and biotransformation yields. Especially, P. fluorescens ST was
      identified as a promising candidate for the production of several phenylacetic
      acids. The biotransformation of 4-chlorostyrene with cells of strain ST was shown
      to be stable over a period of more than 200 days and yielded about 38 mmolproduct
      gcelldryweight-1 after nearly 350 days. Moreover, 4-chloro-alpha-methylstyrene
      was predominantly converted to the (S)-enantiomer of the acid with 40%
      enantiomeric excess.

PMID- 28626694
TI  - Improving the biophysical properties of anti-ricin single-domain antibodies.
AB  - Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) derived from heavy-chain only antibodies
      produced in camelids are attractive immunoreagents due to their small size, high
      affinity, and ability to refold and retain binding activity after denaturation.
      It has been observed that some sdAbs, however, exhibit undesirable properties
      including reduced solubility when subjected to heating or upon long-term storage
      at production-relevant concentrations, which can limit their usefulness. Using a
      multi-step, rational design approach that included consensus-sequence driven
      sequence repairs, the alteration of net protein charge, and the introduction of
      non-native disulfide bonds, augmented solubility and increased melting
      temperatures were achieved. The improved sdAbs tolerated storage in solution at
      high concentration (10 mg/mL) and were able to withstand multiple cycles of
      heating to high temperature (70  degrees C). This work demonstrates a pathway for
      improving the biophysical characteristics of sdAbs which is essential for
      expanding their utility for both diagnostic as well as therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28626695
TI  - A new transient expression system for large-scale production of recombinant
      proteins in plants based on air-brushing an Agrobacterium suspension.
AB  - Plant transient expression using virus-based vectors is advantageous when high
      level of gene expression is desired within a short time. In this study, a new
      system, named "air-brush," has been developed to facilitate a scale-up production
      of recombinant proteins in plants. GFP was expressed successfully in Nicotiana
      benthamiana (Nb) plants by air-brushing an Agrobacterium suspension that
      contained the TMV-based vector p35S-30B-GFP. Key factors influencing the gene
      expression were optimized, including the Agrobacterium cell density, seedling
      age, and the growth temperature of plant materials. In addition, the
      pharmaceutical protein human acidic fibroblast growth factor (ha FGF) was also
      expressed in Nb plants by the air-brush system. The results demonstrated that
      using this system is highly advantageous; it is convenient, quick, easily scaled
      up, and has a higher expression efficiency than leaf infiltration.

PMID- 28626696
TI  - An improved superoxide-generating nanodevice for oxidative stress studies in
      cultured cells.
AB  - The effects of reactive oxygen species on cells have attracted great attention
      from both physiological and pathological aspects. Superoxide (O2-) is the primary
      reactive oxygen species formed in animals. We previously developed an O2-
      generating nanodevice consisting of NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2) and modulated
      activating factors. However, the device was subsequently found to be unstable in
      a standard culture medium. Here we improved the device in stability by cross
      linking. This new nanodevice, Device II, had a half-life of 3 h at 37  degrees C
      in the medium. Device II induced cell death in 80% of HEK293 cells after 24 h of
      incubation. Superoxide dismutase alone did not diminish the effect of the device,
      but eliminated the effect when used together with catalase, confirming that the
      cell death was caused by H2O2 derived from O2-. Flow cytometric analyses revealed
      that Device II induced caspase-3 activation in HEK293 cells, suggesting that the
      cell death proceeded largely through apoptosis.

PMID- 28626697
TI  - Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Curcuma longa rhizome extract against
      Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - The in vitro antimicrobial activity of different fractions obtained from rhizome
      of Curcuma longa was investigated against standard strain and clinical isolates
      of Staphylococcus aureus. The clinical isolates were found more sensitive for
      different fractions, than the standard strain of S. aureus. Scanning electron
      microscopic observations revealed that test pathogen treated with C. longa
      extract showed morphological deformity, with partial lack of the cytoplasmic
      membrane, which leads to cell disruption The ability of rhizome of C. longa
      extracts to inhibit the growth of test pathogen is an indication of its broad
      spectrum antimicrobial potential which may be employed in the management of
      microbial infections.

PMID- 28626698
TI  - Nature curing cancer - review on structural modification studies with natural
      active compounds having anti-tumor efficiency.
AB  - Cancer treatment has raised many drugs and radiation therapies whose side-effects
      are visible. Ongoing research throughout the world for effective treatment mainly
      concentrates on methods either in the form of drugs or therapies against this
      lethal disease. However returning to ayurvedic roots enlightens the fact that
      nature has many efficient components with anti-cancerous, anti-proliferating and
      anti-angiogenesis effects. Evidences confirm the participation of plants extracts
      in synthesizing many medicines against already existing and even emerging
      diseases. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies and structural
      modifications are helping in observing the basis of compounds characteristics to
      exhibit inhibitor's nature against carcinogenic agents by modifying parent
      compounds for creating an improved and potent compound. Many components are under
      clinical trials but most of them still need attention. In this review an attempt
      has been made to focus on the natural components gifted by nature and even
      included in our diet with their structures and sources that could be supportive
      in designing drug either by computational methods or by experimental methods.

PMID- 28626699
TI  - Highly efficient in vitro regeneration, establishment of callus and cell
      suspension cultures and RAPD analysis of regenerants of Swertia lawii Burkill.
AB  - Highly efficient in vitro regeneration system has been developed for Swertia
      lawii Burkill, an important herb used as substitute for Swertia chirayita. Shoot
      tips explants were cultured on MS medium with various phytohormones for multiple
      shoot production. The best shoot production frequency (100%) and maximum shoots
      (10.4 +/- 0.8) were obtained on MS media containing TDZ (3.0 mg l-1) in
      combination with IBA (0.3 mg l-1). Maximum callus induction (95 +/- 4.8%) and
      callus growth (1.7 +/- 0.4 gm) was achieved on MS medium with 2, 4-D (3.0 mg l
      1). Cell suspension cultures were established and studied for their growth
      kinetics. Shoots were rooted best (22.1 +/- 2.5) in 1/2 MS medium with IAA (3.0
      mg l-1). The genetic uniformity of the micropropagated clones was assessed using
      RAPD markers. Out of 405 bands, 400 (98.76%) were monomorphic and rest 5 (1.24%)
      were polymorphic. High multiplication frequency and low risk of genetic
      instability ensures the efficacy of this protocol.

PMID- 28626700
TI  - Purification and properties of an endoglucanase from Thermoascus aurantiacus.
AB  - An Endo-cellulase was purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulfate
      precipitation, ion exchange and size exclusion chromatography from newly isolated
      strain of Thermoascus aurantiacus RBB-1. The recovery and purification fold were
      13.3% and 6.6, respectively, after size exclusion chromatography. The purified
      cellulase has a molecular mass (M) of 35 kDa. Optimum temperature for the enzyme
      was found to be 70  degrees C and stability was upto 80  degrees C for 1 h. Along
      with higher stability at 80  degrees C, enzyme showed half lives of 192 h and 144
      h at 50 and 70  degrees C respectively. The purified cellulase was optimally
      active at pH 4.0 and was stable over a broad pH range of 3.0-7.0. The enzyme
      purified showed apparent Km and Vmax values of 37 mg/ml and 82.6 U/min/mg protein
      respectively with higher salt tolerance of 10% for 1 h.

PMID- 28626701
TI  - Operator training simulation for integrating cultivation and homogenisation in
      protein production.
AB  - Operating training simulators (OTS) are virtual simulation tools used for
      training of process operators in industry in performing procedures and running
      processes. Based on structured mathematical models of the unit operations of a
      bioprocess an OTS can train a process operator by visualising changing conditions
      during the process, allow testing operator actions, testing controller settings,
      experience unexpected technical problems and getting practice in using prescribed
      standard procedures for a plant. This work shows the design of an OTS where two
      sequential steps of a recombinant protein production process, a fed-batch
      cultivation and a high-pressure homogenisation, are integrated. The OTS was
      evaluated on a user test group and showed that the OTS promoted and developed
      their understanding of the process, their capability to identify parameters
      influencing process efficiency and the skills of operating it.

PMID- 28626702
TI  - 1,3-Propanediol production by Klebsiella oxytoca NRRL-B199 from glycerol. Medium
      composition and operational conditions.
AB  - Production of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol using Klebsiella oxytoca NRRL-B199
      has been studied. Medium composition has been optimized by means of a statistical
      design based on the Taguchi method. Strong influences of glycerol and phosphate
      concentrations have been detected on biomass and product yields. Other factors,
      such as magnesium concentration and K:Na ratio, have shown a small influence on
      both responses, biomass and product concentrations. An optimized medium
      composition has been proposed, leading to a final 1,3-propanediol concentration
      of 12.4 g/L with a selectivity of 72% with respect to glycerol consumed at shaken
      bottle-scale. Once the medium composition had been optimized, the scale-up from
      shaken bottles to STBR was conducted. Several experiments in a 2 L STBR have been
      conducted in order to determine the best operating conditions concerning
      temperature and agitation. Under the best operating conditions, i.e., a
      programmed variable stirring rate ranging from 50 to 100 rpm and a temperature of
      37  degrees C, a final concentration of 13.5 g/L of 1,3-propanediol with a
      selectivity of 86% with respect to the glycerol consumed was obtained.

PMID- 28626703
TI  - Protein freeze concentration and micro-segregation analysed in a temperature
      controlled freeze container.
AB  - To examine effects of varied freezing conditions on the development of spatial
      heterogeneity in the frozen protein solution, macroscopic freeze concentration
      and micro-segregation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated in a
      temperature-controlled 200-ml freeze container. Freezing to -40  degrees C
      promoted formation of protein concentration gradients (69-114 MUg ml-1) in frozen
      samples taken from 12 different freezer positions, whereby slow freezing in 4 h
      or longer facilitated the evolution of strong spatial heterogeneities and caused
      local concentration increases by 1.15-fold relative to the initial protein
      concentration (100 MUg ml-1). To visualize protein micro-segregation during phase
      separation, BSA was conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate and confocal laser
      scanning fluorescence microscopy was used to localize and size the freeze
      concentrated protein regions. Slow freezing resulted in distinctly fewer and
      larger protein domains in the frozen bulk than fast freezing. Surface stress on
      the protein during freezing would therefore be minimized at low cooling rates;
      microscopic freeze concentration would however be highest under these conditions,
      potentially favoring protein aggregation.

PMID- 28626704
TI  - Extracellular expression of alkaline phytase in Pichia pastoris: Influence of
      signal peptides, promoters and growth medium.
AB  - Alkaline phytase isolated from pollen grains of Lilium longiflorum (LlALP)
      possesses unique catalytic and thermal stability properties that suggest it has
      the potential to be used as a feed supplement. However, substantial amounts of
      active enzymes are needed for animal feed studies and endogenous levels of LlALP
      in lily pollen are too low to provide the required amounts. Active rLlALP2 (coded
      by LlAlp2, one of two isoforms of alkaline phytase cDNA identified in lily
      pollen) has been successfully expressed in intracellular compartments of Pichia
      pastoris, however enzyme yields have been modest (25-30 mg/L) and purification of
      the enzyme has been challenging. Expression of foreign proteins to the
      extracellular medium of P. pastoris greatly simplifies protein purification
      because low levels of endogenous proteins are secreted by the yeast. In this
      paper, we first describe the generation of P. pastoris strains that will secrete
      rLlALP2 to the extracellular medium. Data presented here indicates that deletion
      of native signal peptides at the N- and C-termini of rLlALP2 enhanced alpha
      mating factor (alpha-MF)-driven secretion by four-fold; chicken egg white
      lysozyme signal peptide was ineffective in the extracellular secretion of
      rLlALP2. Second, we describe our efforts to increase expression levels by
      employing a constitutive promoter from the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase gene (PGAP) in place of the strong, tightly controlled promoter of
      alcohol oxidase 1 gene (PAOX1). PGAP enhanced the extracellular expression levels
      of rLlALP2 compared to PAOX1. Finally, we report on the optimization of the
      culture medium to enhance yields of rLlALP2. The strength of PGAP varies
      depending on the carbon source available for cell growth; secreted expression of
      rLlALP2 was highest when glycerol was the carbon source. The addition of
      histidine and Triton X-100 also enhanced extracellular expression. Taken
      together, the employment of PGAP under optimized culture conditions resulted in
      approximately eight-fold (75-80 mg/L) increase in extracellular activity compared
      to PAOXI (8-10 mg/L). The P. pastoris expression system can be employed as a
      source of active alkaline phytase for animal feed studies.

PMID- 28626705
TI  - Increasing importance of protein flexibility in designing biocatalytic processes.
AB  - Enzymes require some flexibility for catalysis. Biotechnologists prefer stable
      enzymes but often this stabilization comes at the cost of reduced efficiency.
      Enzymes from thermophiles have low flexibility but poor catalytic rates. Enzymes
      from psychrophiles are less stable but show good catalytic rates at low
      temperature. In organic solvents enzymes perform poorly as the prior drying makes
      the enzyme molecules very rigid. Adding water or increasing reaction temperature
      improves flexibility and catalytic rates. In case of hydrolases, flexibility and
      enantioselectivity have interdependence. Understanding the complex role of
      protein flexibility in biocatalysis can help in designing biotechnological
      processes.

PMID- 28626706
TI  - Relative efficiency of zinc sulfide (ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) based
      electrochemical and fluorescence immunoassay for the detection of Staphylococcal
      enterotoxin B (SEB).
AB  - In this paper an attempt was made to detect Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)
      both by electrochemical and fluorescence immunoassay methods using zinc sulphide
      (ZnS) QDs. Wet-chemical method was adopted for the preparation of fluorescent ZnS
      QDs (diameter ~ 5-10 nm). These QDs were bioconjugated with monoclonal antibodies
      and then characterized by various method. A detection limit of 0.02 ng mL-1 by
      fluorescence assay and 1.0 ng mL-1 by electrochemical assay for SEB was achieved.
      While by sandwich ELISA it is possible to detect 0.24 ng mL-1 only. The
      sensitivity of all techniques is very good, since the LD50 of SEB is 20 ng kg-1.
      Electrochemical assay is faster, need low-cost instrument, independent to the
      size of QDs and found to be one of the best alternative methods as compared to
      the other existing methods studied herein. The presented method could be expanded
      to the development of electrochemical and fluorescence biosensors for various
      agents for field and laboratory use.

PMID- 28626707
TI  - Properties of microalgal enzymatic protein hydrolysates: Biochemical composition,
      protein distribution and FTIR characteristics.
AB  - Chlorella vulgaris SAG 211-12, a green microalga, as model organism was
      cultivated photomixotrophically using various organic carbon and nitrogen sources
      at Erlenmeyer scale. The modified medium selected for the experiments was
      standard BG11 supplemented with 5 g l-1 glucose and 1 g l-1 proteose peptone
      (PP). To evaluate the effects of light/dark cycles, 12:12; 18:6 and 24:0
      light/dark cycle conditions were examined on hourly basis. 24:0 continuous
      illumination condition was chosen to continue 2 l continuous stirred tank
      photobioreactor (CSTR) experiments under 1 vvm aeration, 120 rpm mixing time, 23
      +/- 2  degrees C, and 70 MUE m-2 s-1 illumination conditions. The results showed
      significant effect of the culture conditions on the cellular composition. To
      enhance digestibility of the intact cell; dry biomass was digested with
      pancreatin enzyme solution and in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of crude
      biomass (UTS), cell debris (CVA) and protein hydrolysates (CVH) was measured.
      IVPD values of UTS, CVA and CVH were found to be 33-41%, 46-58%, 67-89%;
      respectively with no significant changes regarding culture conditions (p > 0,05).
      Results also showed the positive effect of the enzyme treatment for digestion
      which is a key advantage for nutritional characteristic of the algal biomass.

PMID- 28626708
TI  - Improved activity of lipase immobilized in microemulsion-based organogels for (R,
      S)-ketoprofen ester resolution: Long-term stability and reusability.
AB  - Microemulsion-based organogels (MBGs) were effectively employed for the
      immobilization of four commonly used lipases. During the asymmetric hydrolysis of
      ketoprofen vinyl ester at 30  degrees C for 24 h, lipase from Rhizomucor miehei
      and Mucor javanicus immobilized in microemulsion-based organogels (RML MBGs and
      MJL MBGs) maintained good enantioselectivities (eep were 86.2% and 99.2%,
      respectively), and their activities increased 12.8-fold and 7.8-fold,
      respectively, compared with their free forms. They gave higher yields compared
      with other lipase MBGs and exhibited better enantioselectivity than commercial
      immobilized lipases. Immobilization considerably increased the tolerance to
      organic solvents and high temperature. Both MJL MBGs and RML MBGs showed
      excellent reusability during 30 cycles of repeated 24 h reactions at 30  degrees
      C (over 40 days). The system maintained yields of greater than 50%, while the ees
      values of RML MBGs and MJL MBGs remained nearly constant at 95% and 88%,
      respectively.

PMID- 28626709
TI  - Validation of three viable-cell counting methods: Manual, semi-automated, and
      automated.
AB  - A viable cell count is essential to evaluate the kinetics of cell growth. Since
      the hemocytometer was first used for counting blood cells, several variants of
      the methodology have been developed towards reducing the time of analysis and
      improving accuracy through automation of both sample preparation and counting.
      The successful implementation of automated techniques relies in the adjustment of
      cell staining, image display parameters and cell morphology to obtain equivalent
      precision, accuracy and linearity with respect to the hemocytometer. In this
      study we conducted the validation of three trypan blue exclusion-based methods:
      manual, semi-automated, and fully automated; which were used for the estimation
      of density and viability of cells employed for the biosynthesis and bioassays of
      recombinant proteins. Our results showed that the evaluated attributes remained
      within the same range for the automated methods with respect to the manual,
      providing an efficient alternative for analyzing a huge number of samples.

PMID- 28626710
TI  - The application of the Escherichia coli giant spheroplast for drug screening with
      automated planar patch clamp system.
AB  - Kv2.1, the voltage-gated ion channel, is ubiquitously expressed in variety of
      tissues and dysfunction of this ion channel is responsible for multiple diseases.
      Electrophysiological properties of ion channels are so far characterized with
      eukaryotic cells using the manual patch clamp which requires skilful operators
      and expensive equipments. In this research, we created a simple and sensitive
      drug screen method using bacterial giant spheroplasts and the automated patch
      clamp which does not require special skills. We expressed a eukaryotic voltage
      gated ion channel Kv2.1 in Escherichia coli using prokaryotic codon, and prepared
      giant spheroplasts large enough for the patch clamp. Human Kv2.1 currents were
      successfully recorded from giant spheroplasts with the automated system, and
      Kv2.1-expressed E. coli spheroplasts could steadily reacted to the dose-response
      assay with TEA and 4-AP. Collectively, our results indicate for the first time
      that the bacterial giant spheroplast can be applied for practical pharmaceutical
      assay using the automated patch clamp.

PMID- 28626711
TI  - Effects of light intensity and temperature on photoautotrophic growth of a green
      microalga, Chlorococcum littorale.
AB  - A highly CO2-tolerant green alga, Chlorococcum littorale, was investigated at
      temperatures ranging from 8 to 28  degrees C, light intensities from 30 to 170
      MUmol m-2 s-1, a constant CO2 concentration of 5% (v/v) and atmospheric pressure.
      The experimental results showed that a specific growth rate MU, defined in terms
      of cell growth rate under a logarithmic growth phase, increased with temperature
      up to the maximum value (ca. 22  degrees C), while the MU decreased at higher
      temperatures. These promotion and inhibition of the cell growth rate were
      expressed by both a multiple linear regression and a mathematical model taking
      account of the Arrhenius activation/deactivation energies. Light intensity
      affected on the cell growth was independently treated in the mathematical model.
      The proposed growth model agreed well with the experimental data to within 6.6 %,
      which provides good correlation for both temperature and light intensity effects
      on the microalgal cell growth.

PMID- 28626712
TI  - Modification of a bi-functional diguanylate cyclase-phosphodiesterase to
      efficiently produce cyclic diguanylate monophosphate.
AB  - Cyclic-diGMP is a bacterial messenger that regulates many physiological
      processes, including many attributed to pathogenicity. Bacteria synthesize cyclic
      diGMP from GTP using diguanylate cyclases; its hydrolysis is catalyzed by
      phosphodiesterases. Here we report the over-expression and purification of a bi
      functional diguanylate cyclase-phosphodiesterase from Agrobacterium vitis S4.
      Using homology modeling and primary structure alignment, we identify several
      amino acids predicted to participate in the phosphodiesterase reaction. Upon
      altering selected residues, we obtain variants of the enzyme that efficiently and
      quantitatively catalyze the synthesis of cyclic-diGMP from GTP without hydrolysis
      to pGpG. Additionally, we identify a variant that produces cyclic-diGMP while
      immobilized to NiNTA beads and can catalyze the conversion of [alpha-32P]-GTP to
      [32P]-cyclic-diGMP. In short, we characterize a novel cyclic-diGMP processing
      enzyme and demonstrate its utility for efficient and cost-effective production of
      cyclic-diGMP, as well as modified cyclic-diGMP molecules, for use as probes in
      studying the many important biological processes mediated by cyclic-diGMP.

PMID- 28626713
TI  - Production of a recombinant membrane protein in an Escherichia coli strain for
      the whole cell biosynthesis of phenylacetic acids.
AB  - The styrene oxide isomerase (SOI) represents a membrane-bound enzyme of the
      microbial styrene degradation pathway and has been discussed as promising
      biocatalyst. It catalyzes the isomerization of styrene oxide to
      phenylacetaldehyde. In this study a styC gene, which encodes the SOI of
      Rhodococcus opacus 1CP, was optimized for optimal expression in Escherichia coli
      BL21(DE3) pLysS. The expression of this synthetic styC was investigated and
      subsequently optimized. Highly active biomass was obtained yielding an SOI
      activity of 44.5 +/- 8.7 U mg-1 after 10 h. This represents the highest SOI
      activity reported for crude cell extracts of SOI-containing bacterial strains.
      Remarkably, this biomass can be applied as whole cell biocatalyst for the
      production of phenylacetic acids from styrene oxides. In the case of non
      substituted styrene oxide, nearly 730 mg l-1 phenylacetic acid (~85% yield) was
      formed over a period of 20 days.

PMID- 28626714
TI  - Bioadsorption of a reactive dye from aqueous solution by municipal solid waste.
AB  - The biosorbent was obtained from municipal solid waste (MSW) of the Mostaganem
      city. Before use the MSW was dried in air for three days and washed several
      times. The sorption of yellow procion reactive dye MX-3R onto biomass from
      aqueous solution was investigated as function of pH, contact time and
      temperature. The adsorption capacity of MX-3R was 45.84 mg/g at pH 2-3 and room
      temperature. MX-3R adsorption decreases with increasing temperature. The
      Langmuir, Freundlich and Langmuir-Freundlich adsorption models were applied to
      describe the related isotherms. Langmuir-Freundlich equation has shown the best
      fitting with the experimental data. The pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order
      and intra-particle diffusion kinetic models were used to describe the kinetic
      sorption. The results clearly showed that the adsorption of MX-3R onto biosorbent
      followed the pseudo second-order model. The enthalpy (DeltaH degrees ), entropy
      (DeltaS degrees ) and Gibbs free energy (DeltaG degrees ) changes of adsorption
      were calculated. The results indicated that the adsorption of MX-3R occurs
      spontaneously as an exothermic process.

PMID- 28626715
TI  - Stimulation of rhamnolipid biosurfactants production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      AK6U by organosulfur compounds provided as sulfur sources.
AB  - A Pseudomonas aeruginosa AK6U strain produced rhamnolipid biosurfactants to
      variable extents when grown on MgSO4 or organosulfur compounds as sulfur sources
      and glucose as a carbon source. Organosulfur cultures produced much higher
      biosurfactants amounts compared to the MgSO4 cultures. The surface tension of the
      growth medium was reduced from 72 mN/m to 54 and 30 mN/m in cultures containing
      MgSO4 and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DM-DBT), respectively. AK6U cultures
      produced different rhamnolipid congener profiles depending on the provided sulfur
      source. The dibenzothiophene (DBT) culture produced more diverse and a higher
      number of rhamnolipid congeners as compared to the DBT-sulfone and MgSO4
      cultures. The number of mono-rhamnolipid congeners in the DBT culture was also
      higher than that detected in the DBT-sulfone and MgSO4 cultures. Di-rhamnolipids
      dominated the congener profiles in all the analyzed cultures. The sulfur source
      can have a profound impact on the quality and quantity of the produced
      biosurfactants.

PMID- 28626716
TI  - Highly sensitive detection of influenza virus in saliva by real-time PCR method
      using sugar chain-immobilized gold nanoparticles; application to clinical
      studies.
AB  - A highly sensitive and convenient method for detecting influenza virus was
      developed using modified end-point melt curve analysis of a RT-qPCR SYBR Green
      method and influenza virus-binding sugar chain-immobilized gold-nanoparticles
      (SGNP). Because SGNPs capture influenza viruses, the virus-SGNP complex was
      separated easily by centrifugation. Viral RNA was detected at very low
      concentrations, suggesting that SGNP increased sensitivity compared with standard
      methods. This method was applied to clinical studies. Influenza viruses were
      detected in saliva of patients or inpatients who had been considered influenza
      free by a rapid diagnostic assay of nasal swabs. Furthermore, the method was
      applied to a human trial of prophylactic anti-influenza properties of yogurt
      containing Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92. The incidence of influenza viruses in
      saliva of the L-92 group was found to be significantly lower compared to the
      control group. Thus, this method was useful for monitoring the course of anti
      influenza treatment or preventive measures against nosocomial infection.

PMID- 28626717
TI  - Evaluation of different carbon sources for high frequency callus culture with
      reduced phenolic secretion in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cv. SVPR-2.
AB  - An efficient protocol was developed to control excessive phenolic compound
      secretion during callus culture of cotton. As cotton is naturally rich in
      phenolic compounds factors influencing the phenolic compound secretion, callus
      induction and proliferation were optimized for getting high frequency callus
      culture. Different carbon sources such as fructose, glucose, sucrose and maltose
      were tested at various concentrations to control phenolic secretion in callus
      culture. Among them, 3% maltose was found to be the best carbon source for
      effectively controlling phenolic secretion in callus induction medium. High
      frequency of callus induction was obtained on MSB5 medium supplemented with 3%
      Maltose, 2,4-D (0.90 MUM) and Kinetin (4.60 MUM) from both cotyledon and
      hypocotyl explants. The best result of callus induction was obtained with
      hypocotyl explant (94.90%) followed by cotyledon explant (85.20%). MSB5 medium
      supplemented with 2,4-D (0.45 MUM) along with 2iP (2.95 MUM) gave tremendous
      proliferation of callus with high percentage of response. Varying degrees of
      colors and textures of callus were observed under different hormone treatments.
      The present study offers a solution for controlling phenolic secretion in cotton
      callus culture by adjusting carbon sources without adding any additives and
      evaluates the manipulation of plant growth regulators for efficient callus
      culture of SVPR-2 cotton cultivar.

PMID- 28626718
TI  - Rapid transient expression of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor in two industrial cultivars of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) by
      agroinfiltration.
AB  - We report the production of hGM-CSF cytokine in leaves of industrial tobacco
      cultivars DH-17 and DH-27 by using Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression.
      We prove the concept that very high biomass industrial tobacco plants are
      suitable platforms for rapid, low cost production of foreign proteins. Successful
      transient expression of the GM-CSF was achieved in less than three months,
      opening the possibility for future applications of this approach in rapid
      response production of various proteins of non-plant origin in industrial
      tobacco.

PMID- 28626719
TI  - Rice husk extracted lignin-TEOS biocomposites: Effects of acetylation and silane
      surface treatments for application in nickel removal.
AB  - A novel lignosilicate (LS) composite was synthesized from pre-extracted (hot
      water, 80% ethanol, 0.3 N NaOH) lignin of rice husk (RH) using TEOS as matrix.
      The extracted lignins were subjected to surface modification by acetylation
      followed by in situ synthesis of lignosilicate (LS) composites by sol-gel method
      for application in nickel removal. LS were characterized by FT-IR, scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), particle size
      distribution (PSD) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). FT-IR studies showed
      acetyl group in the range of 1680-1690 cm-1 whereas for adsorbed Si-O-Ni2+ the
      band appeared at 870 cm-1. Findings suggest that alkali extracted LS with mean
      PSD of 14.89 nm are thermally more stable (Tm = 337  degrees C) than ethanol
      (ELS) and hot water (HLS) extracted LS, and exhibit potential for Ni2+ removal
      (38.74%). SEM and PSD (D50) analyses confirmed their rough surfaces and
      dispersive nature, respectively, suitable for metal biosorption.

PMID- 28626720
TI  - Exploring the potential of the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 2 (GPD2)
      promoter for recombinant gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - A control point for keeping redox homeostasis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during
      fermentative growth is the dynamic regulation of transcription for the glycerol-3
      phosphate dehydrogenase 2 (GPD2) gene. In this study, the possibility to steer
      the activity of the GPD2 promoter was investigated by placing it in strains with
      different ability to reoxidise NADH, and applying different environmental
      conditions. Flow cytometric analysis of reporter strains expressing green
      fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the GPD2 promoter was used to
      determine the promoter activity at the single-cell level. When placed in a
      gpd1Deltagpd2Delta strain background, the GPD2 promoter displayed a 2-fold higher
      activity as compared to the strong constitutive glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase (TDH3). In contrast, the GPD2 promoter was found to be inactive
      when cells were cultivated in continuous mode at a growth rate of 0.3 h-1 and in
      conditions with excess oxygen (i.e. with an aeration of 2.5 vvm, and a stirring
      of 800 rpm). In addition, a clear window of operation where the
      gpd1Deltagpd2Delta strain can be grown with the same efficiency as wild type
      yeast was identified. In conclusion, the flow cytometry mapping revealed
      conditions where the GPD2 promoter was either completely inactive or hyperactive,
      which has implications for its implementation in future biotechnological
      applications such as for process control of heterologous gene expression.

PMID- 28626721
TI  - Multicomponent mixtures for cryoprotection and ligand solubilization.
AB  - Mixed cryoprotectants have been developed for the solubilization of ligands for
      crystallization of protein-ligand complexes and for crystal soaking. Low affinity
      lead compounds with poor solubility are problematic for structural studies.
      Complete ligand solubilization is required for co-crystallization and crystal
      soaking experiments to obtain interpretable electron density maps for the ligand.
      Mixed cryo-preserving compounds are needed prior to X-ray data collection to
      reduce radiation damage at synchrotron sources. Here we present dual-use mixes
      that act as cryoprotectants and also promote the aqueous solubility of
      hydrophobic ligands. Unlike glycerol that increases protein solubility and can
      cause crystal melting the mixed solutions of cryo-preserving compounds that
      include precipitants and solubilizers, allow for worry-free crystal preservation
      while simultaneously solubilizing relatively hydrophobic ligands, typical of
      ligands obtained in high-throughput screening. The effectiveness of these mixture
      has been confirmed on a human transthyretin crystals both during crystallization
      and in flash freezing of crystals.

PMID- 28626722
TI  - Optimization of tannase production by a novel Klebsiella pneumoniae KP715242
      using central composite design.
AB  - A novel tannase producing bacterial strain was isolated from rhizospheric soil of
      Acacia species and identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae KP715242. A 3.25-fold
      increase in tannase production was achieved upon optimization with central
      composite design using response surface methodology. Four variables namely pH,
      temperature, incubation period, and agitation speed were used to optimize
      significant correlation between the effects of these variables on tannase
      production. A second-order polynomial was fitted to data and validated by ANOVA.
      The results showed a complex relationship between variables and response given
      that all factors were significant and could explain 99.6% of the total variation.
      The maximum production was obtained at 5.2 pH, 34.97  degrees C temperature,
      103.34 rpm agitation speed and 91.34 h of incubation time. The experimental
      values were in good agreement with the predicted ones and the models were highly
      significant with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.99 and a highly significant
      F-value of 319.37.

PMID- 28626723
TI  - A low cost fermentation medium for potential fibrinolytic enzyme production by a
      newly isolated marine bacterium, Shewanella sp. IND20.
AB  - Agro-residues were used as the substrate for the production of fibrinolytic
      enzyme in solid state fermentation. In this study, two-level full factorial
      design (25) and response surface methodology were applied to optimize a
      fermentation medium for the production of fibrinolytic enzyme from the marine
      isolate Shewanella sp. IND20. The 25 factorial design demonstrated that the
      physical factors (pH and moisture) and nutrient factors (trehalose, casein, and
      sodium dihydrogen phosphate) had significant effect on fibrinolytic enzyme
      production. Central composite design was employed to search for the optimal
      concentration of the three factors, namely moisture, pH, and trehalose, and the
      experimental results were fitted with a second-order polynomial model at 99%
      level (p < 0.0001). The optimized medium showed 2751 U/mL of fibrinolytic
      activity, which was 2.5-fold higher than unoptimized medium. The molecular weight
      of fibrinolytic enzyme was found to be 55.5 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature
      were 8.0 and 50  degrees C, respectively.

PMID- 28626724
TI  - Effect of antibiotics on callus regeneration during transformation of IR 64 rice.
AB  - We report here the effect of antibiotics on the regeneration potential of
      recalcitrant indica rice cultivar, IR64. Different protocols reporting high
      efficiency agro-bacterium-mediated transformation of mature seed-derived
      regenerative calli were used and compared. The putative transgenic (T0) plants
      were analyzed for integration of the transgene through polymerase chain reaction
      and Southern blotting analyses. It was observed that the high-efficiency
      transformation of scutellar-derived regenerative calli could be obtained by using
      maltose as a carbon source and increased quantity of 2,4-D on a medium containing
      a higher concentration of gelling agent. The percentage of regeneration is
      greatly affected by the presence of antibiotics.

PMID- 28626725
TI  - Statistical optimization of harvesting Chlorella vulgaris using a novel bio
      source, Strychnos potatorum.
AB  - The present study was aimed at harvesting microalga, Chlorella vulgaris, by
      bioflocculation using seed powder of clearing nut, Strychnos potatorum. The
      research was essentially the prime step to yield a large biomass for utilising
      the cells in biodiesel production. Optimization of the parameters influencing
      bioflocculation was carried out statistically using RSM. The optimized conditions
      were 100 mg L-1 bioflocculant concentration, 35  degrees C temperature, 150 rpm
      agitation speed and 30 min incubation time and resulted in a maximum efficiency
      of 99.68%. Through cell viability test, using Trypan blue stain, it was found
      that cells were completely intact when treated with bioflocculant, but destroyed
      when exposed to chemical flocculant, alum. The overall study represented that S.
      potatorum could potentially be a bioflocculant of microalgal cells and a
      promising substitute for expensive and hazardous chemical flocculants. Moreover,
      this bioflocculant demonstrated their utility to harvest microalgal cells by
      economically, effectively and in an ecofriendly way.

PMID- 28626726
TI  - Cancer Stem Cells in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Review.
AB  - Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been identified in oral cavity squamous cell
      carcinoma (OCSCC). CSCs possess the ability for perpetual self-renewal and
      proliferation, producing downstream progenitor cells and cancer cells that drive
      tumor growth. Studies of many cancer types including OCSCC have identified CSCs
      using specific markers, but it is still unclear as to where in the stem cell
      hierarchy these markers fall. This is compounded further by the presence of
      multiple CSC subtypes within OCSCC, making investigation reliant on the use of
      multiple markers. This review examines the current knowledge in CSC markers OCT4,
      SOX2, NANOG, ALDH1, phosphorylated STAT3, CD44, CD24, CD133, and Musashi-1,
      specifically focusing on their use and validity in OCSCC CSC research and how
      they may be organized into the CSC hierarchy. OCSCC CSCs also express components
      of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which suggests CSCs may be novel
      therapeutic targets by modulation of the RAS using existing medications.

PMID- 28626728
TI  - Commentary: Fasting-Mimicking Diet Reduces HO-1 to Promote T Cell-Mediated Tumor
      Cytotoxicity.

PMID- 28626727
TI  - Mast Cell Infiltration in Human Brain Metastases Modulates the Microenvironment
      and Contributes to the Metastatic Potential.
AB  - Metastatic brain tumors continue to be a clinical problem, despite new
      therapeutic advances in cancer treatment. Brain metastases (BMs) are among the
      most common mass lesions in the brain that are resistant to chemotherapies, have
      a very poor prognosis, and currently lack any efficient diagnostic tests.
      Predictions estimate that about 40% of lung and breast cancer patients will
      develop BM. Despite this, very little is known about the immunological and
      genetic aberrations that drive tumorigenesis in BM. In this study, we demonstrate
      the infiltration of mast cells (MCs) in a large cohort of human BM samples with
      different tissues of origin for primary cancer. We applied patient-derived BM
      cell models to the study of BM cell-MC interactions. BM cells when cocultured
      with MCs demonstrate enhanced growth and self-renewal capacity. Gene set
      enrichment analyses indicate increased expression of signal transduction and
      transmembrane proteins related genes in the cocultured BM cells. MCs exert their
      effect by release of mediators such as IL-8, IL-10, matrix metalloprotease 2, and
      vascular endothelial growth factor, thereby permitting metastasis. In conclusion,
      we provide evidence for a role of MCs in BM. Our findings indicate MCs'
      capability of modulating gene expression in BM cells and suggest that MCs can
      serve as a new target for drug development against metastases in the brain.

PMID- 28626729
TI  - A New Era of Systemic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Regorafenib and
      Lenvatinib.

PMID- 28626730
TI  - Albumin-Bilirubin Grade and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment Algorithm.

PMID- 28626731
TI  - How to Differentiate Borderline Hepatic Nodules in Hepatocarcinogenesis: Emphasis
      on Imaging Diagnosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rapid advances in liver imaging have improved the evaluation of
      hepatocarcinogenesis and early diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC). In this situation, detection of early-stage HCC in its
      development is important for the improvement of patient survival and optimal
      treatment strategies. Because early HCCs are considered precursors of progressed
      HCC, precise differentiation between a dysplastic nodule (DN), especially a high
      grade DN, and early HCC is important. In clinical practice, these nodules are
      frequently called "borderline hepatic nodules." SUMMARY: This article discusses
      radiological and pathological characteristics of these borderline hepatic nodules
      and offers an understanding of multistep hepatocarcinogenesis by focusing on the
      descriptions of the imaging changes in the progression of DN and early HCC.
      Detection and accurate diagnosis of borderline hepatic nodules are still a
      challenge with contrast enhanced ultrasonography, CT, and MRI with extracellular
      contrast agents. However, gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI may be useful for improving
      the diagnosis of these borderline nodules. KEY MESSAGES: Since there is a net
      effect of incomplete neoangiogenesis and decreased portal venous flow in the
      early stage of hepatocarcinogenesis, borderline hepatic nodules commonly show iso
      or hypovascularity. Therefore, precise differentiation of these nodules remains
      a challenging issue. In MRI using hepatobiliary contrast agents, signal intensity
      of HCCs on hepatobiliary phase (HBP) is regarded as a potential imaging
      biomarker. Borderline hepatic nodules are seen as nonhypervascular and
      hypointense nodules on the HBP, which is important for predicting tumor behavior
      and determining appropriate therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28626732
TI  - Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) Grade as Part of the Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
      Guideline for HCC of the Japan Society of Hepatology: A Comparison with the Liver
      Damage and Child-Pugh Classifications.
AB  - AIM/BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of 3
      classifications for assessing liver function, the liver damage and Child-Pugh
      classifications and the newly proposed albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, in order
      to examine the feasibility of evaluating hepatic function using ALBI grade with
      the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment algorithm used in Japan. METHODS: We
      analyzed the medical records of 3,495 Japanese HCC patients admitted from 2000 to
      2015, which were comprised of 1,580 patients hospitalized in the Ehime Prefecture
      area and used as a training cohort (Ehime group), and 1,915 others who were used
      for validation (validation group). ALBI score used for grading (<=-2.60 = grade
      1, greater than -2.60 to <=-1.39 = grade 2, greater than -1.39 = grade 3) as well
      as clinical features and prognosis (Japan Integrated Staging [JIS], modified JIS,
      ALBI-TNM [ALBI-T] score) were retrospectively investigated. RESULTS: For
      prediction of liver damage A, the values for sensitivity and specificity,
      positive predictive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative
      likelihood ratios of ALBI-1 and Child-Pugh A were similar among the 2 groups.
      Akaike information criterion results showed that prognosis based on ALBI
      grade/ALBI-T score was better than that based on liver damage/modified JIS score
      and Child-Pugh/JIS score (22,291.8/21,989.4, 22,379.6/22,076.0,
      22,392.1/22,075.1, respectively). The cutoff values for ALBI score for
      indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min (ICG-R15) <10, <20, and <30% were 
      2.623 (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.798), -2.470 (AUC: 0.791), and -2.222 (AUC:
      0.843), respectively. The distribution of ICG-R15 (<10%, 10 to <20%, 20 to <30%,
      and >=30%) for ALBI grade 1 was similar to that for liver damage A. There were
      only small differences with regard to therapeutic selection with the Japanese HCC
      treatment algorithm between liver damage and ALBI grade. CONCLUSION: ALBI grade
      is a useful and easy classification system for assessment of hepatic function for
      therapeutic decision making.

PMID- 28626733
TI  - The Overall Survival of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Correlates with
      the Newly Defined Time to Progression after Transarterial Chemoembolization.
AB  - AIM/BACKGROUND: The ultimate aim of any treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC) is to improve overall survival (OS); however, the clinical significance of
      time to progression (TTP) after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is
      unclear. This retrospective study examined the association between OS and the
      newly defined time to TACE progression (TTTP) to assess whether TTTP can be an
      alternative to OS in HCC patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage
      B. METHODS: Between January 2006 and December 2013, 592 patients with HCC (BCLC
      B1, n = 118; BCLC B2, n = 170) underwent TACE. TTTP was then redefined as time to
      progression from the first image taken after TACE. The relationship between TTTP
      and OS was then examined based on survival time. RESULTS: Survival analysis
      revealed significant differences in the OS of patients with BCLC B1 and those
      with BCLC B2 (median OS: 42.3 months, 95% confidence interval [CI] 34.4-50.7; and
      29.3 months, 95% CI 26.1-37.6, respectively, p = 0.0348). The median TTTP values
      were 9.5 months (95% CI 7.0-10.9) and 5.3 months (95% CI 4.6-6.7), respectively
      (p = 0.0078). There was a moderate positive correlation between OS and TTTP for
      both B1 (R2 = 0.6563, p = 0.0045) and B2 (R2 = 0.6433, p = 0.0052) substages.
      There was also a positive correlation between OS and TTTP for the combined B1 and
      B2 substages (R2 = 0.6590, p = 0.0024). CONCLUSIONS: There was a moderate
      correlation between the TTTP and OS of patients with HCC after TACE therapy,
      where the patients with short TTTP represented short OS, indicating that TTTP is
      an alternative parameter for survival analysis of HCC patients with BCLC stage B
      tumors who undergo TACE.

PMID- 28626734
TI  - Beneficial Effect of Maintaining Hepatic Reserve during Chemotherapy on the
      Outcomes of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually develops in chronically damaged liver. We
      investigated hepatic reserves during chemotherapy of patients with advanced HCC
      and compensated liver function to evaluate the effect on patients' outcomes of
      maintaining hepatic reserve after chemotherapy. We retrospectively reviewed the
      medical records of 190 patients with Child-Pugh A with advanced HCC who were
      treated with sorafenib or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). We
      investigated the Child-Pugh score and albumin-bilirubin grade for hepatic
      reserve, and evaluated the effect of the change in Child-Pugh scores on patients'
      outcomes. Subjects were treated with sorafenib (n = 59) or HAIC (n = 131). Of
      patients with Child-Pugh data, 66.7% maintained or improved their Child-Pugh
      score after 4 weeks. Treatment with HAIC was the only factor that significantly
      contributed to maintaining Child-Pugh scores after 4 weeks. The overall survival
      of patients with a higher Child-Pugh score after 4 weeks was shorter than that of
      patients whose Child-Pugh classification was unchanged. Multivariate analysis
      demonstrated that an increased Child-Pugh score after 4 weeks was one of the
      independent unfavorable prognostic factors. The change of hepatic reserve as a
      function of albumin-bilirubin grade did not significantly correlate with
      patients' outcomes. Maintaining the Child-Pugh score during chemotherapy benefits
      the outcomes of patients with advanced HCC, even those with sufficient hepatic
      reserve.

PMID- 28626735
TI  - Third edition of the Central and Eastern European Meeting on Viral Hepatitis and
      Co-infection with HIV.

PMID- 28626736
TI  - Enterococcus spp. and S. aureus colonization in neutropenic febrile children with
      cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Febrile neutropenia is one of the most serious treatment-related
      complications in cancer patients. Susceptible to rapidly progressing infections,
      which result in prolonged hospitalization and use of broad-spectrum antibiotics,
      neutropenic patients are subject to colonization by multiresistant agents, which
      enhances the risk of infections. METHODS: In this study we included samples
      collected with nasal, oropharyngeal and anal swabs from hospitalized children
      with febrile neutropenia following chemotherapy, between March 2014 and 2015,
      aiming to elucidate colonization by S. aureus and Enterococcus spp., as well as
      their resistance profile. RESULTS: S. aureus was found in 22% of the patients and
      14% of the events. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus colonized 13.6% of patients.
      Including anal swabs in the screening increased the identification of colonized
      patients by 20%. Enterococcus spp. was found in 27% of patients and 17% of
      episodes. Enterococcal isolates resistant to vancomycin, accounting for 25% of
      the total, were not isolated in anal swabs at any time, with the oropharyngeal
      site being much more important. The rate of infection by Enterococcus spp. was
      4.5% of all patients and 16% among the colonized patients. CONCLUSION: Especially
      in this population, colonization studies including more sites can yield a higher
      chance of positive results. Establishing the colonization profile in febrile
      neutropenic children following chemotherapy may help to institute an empirical
      antibiotic treatment aimed at antibiotic adequacy and lower induction of
      resistance, thereby decreasing the risk of an unfavorable clinical outcome.

PMID- 28626737
TI  - High level bacterial contamination of secondary school students' mobile phones.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: While contamination of mobile phones in the hospital has been found
      to be common in several studies, little information about bacterial abundance on
      phones used in the community is available. Our aim was to quantitatively
      determine the bacterial contamination of secondary school students' mobile
      phones. METHODS: Altogether 27 mobile phones were studied. The contact plate
      method and microbial identification using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer were used
      for culture studies. Quantitative PCR reaction for detection of universal 16S
      rRNA, Enterococcus faecalis 16S rRNA and Escherichia coli allantoin permease were
      performed, and the presence of tetracycline (tetA, tetB, tetM), erythromycin
      (ermB) and sulphonamide (sul1) resistance genes was assessed. RESULTS: We found a
      high median bacterial count on secondary school students' mobile phones (10.5
      CFU/cm2) and a median of 17,032 bacterial 16S rRNA gene copies per phone.
      Potentially pathogenic microbes (Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter spp.,
      Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus cereus and Neisseria flavescens) were found among
      dominant microbes more often on phones with higher percentage of E. faecalis in
      total bacterial 16S rRNA. No differences in contamination level or dominating
      bacterial species between phone owner's gender and between phone types (touch
      screen/keypad) were found. No antibiotic resistance genes were detected on mobile
      phone surfaces. CONCLUSION: Quantitative study methods revealed high level
      bacterial contamination of secondary school students' mobile phones.

PMID- 28626738
TI  - Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype prevalence and antibiotic resistance among
      young children with invasive pneumococcal disease: experience from a tertiary
      care center in South India.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We performed a study to describe the clinical profile,
      antimicrobial susceptibility and prevalent serotypes of pneumococcal isolates
      from children with suspected invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) admitted to a
      tertiary care hospital in South India. METHODS: Hospitalized children, <= 5 years
      with fever (>38  degrees C); increased respiratory rate or neurological symptoms
      were recruited, (as part of the Alliance for Surveillance of Invasive Pneumococci
      - ASIP - project) from January 2011 to March 2013. Identification of pneumococcal
      isolates from blood or cerebrospinal fluid samples was done by routine culture
      methods. Isolates were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility, and confirmed
      by serotyping (using Quellung's test) and multiplex PCR. RESULTS: Out of the 171
      samples received in the lab, 17 grew pneumococci identified by standard methods.
      Fourteen of them were confirmed by multiplex PCR. Maximum recruitment was
      observed during the months of January and February (36.4%, 28.6%). The average
      age of affected subjects was 21 months. The common clinical presentation was
      pneumonia (42.8%). Two isolates belonging to the 19F and 19B serotypes were
      resistant to penicillin (on Etest). The observed serotype distribution was 6B and
      19F (2 each), and 1, 2, 6A, 9V, 10A, 14, 15A, 19B, 21, 35F (1 each). The overall
      fatality rate was 14.3% (n=2); the S. pneumoniae isolates from these two patients
      belonged to the non-vaccine serotype 19B and vaccine serotype 19F and
      demonstrated in vitro resistance to penicillin and erythromycin. CONCLUSION: Our
      study demonstrates the presence of invasive pneumococcal disease among under-5
      year-old children in India caused by serotypes that are in large part covered by
      available pneumococcal vaccines.

PMID- 28626739
TI  - Systematic review and meta-analysis of imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      prevalence in Iran.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IRPA), due to resistance
      to different classes of antibiotics and its remarkable capacity to survive in
      harsh and adverse conditions such as those in the hospital environment, is
      considered a serious threat to the healthcare system. Given the great impact of
      IRPA on patients' outcome and in order to possibly improve antibiotic
      prescription, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of clinical
      isolates of IRPA in different parts of Iran. METHODS: A systematic literature
      search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Scopus, as
      well as in two Iranian domestic search engines, i.e., Iranian Scientific
      Information Database and Magiran. Finally, after applying exclusion and inclusion
      criteria 37 articles with full-texts describing the prevalence of imipenem
      resistant P. aeruginosa were selected for meta-analysis and systematic review.
      RESULTS: The pooled estimation of 5227 P. aeruginosa isolates in this analysis
      showed that the percentage of imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa is about 54% in
      the Iranian population (95%CI: 0.47-0.62, logit event rate=0.19, 95%CI: 
      0.12,0.49). CONCLUSION: The findings of this analysis show that in the majority
      of Iranian hospitals the relative frequency of IRPA is high, therefore, in order
      to prevent further dissemination of IRPA, more appropriate antibiotic
      prescription and infection control policies must be implemented by decision
      makers.

PMID- 28626740
TI  - Simplified protocol of gel-based multiple locus variable number of tandem repeats
      analysis (MLVA) for Staphylococcus aureus typing.

PMID- 28626741
TI  - Isolation and Identification of Two Phenolic Compounds from a Moderately
      Cytotoxic Fraction of Cousinia verbascifolia Bunge.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little information is available about chemical components of the
      Cousinia genus. A primary cytotoxicity screening on Cousinia verbascifolia showed
      moderate cytotoxic activity against OVCAR-3 ovarian and HT-29 colon cancer cells.
      Therefore, the aim of this study is a phytochemical investigation to identify the
      compounds responsible for this bioactivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extraction was
      done through percolation and fractionations by reverse phase column
      chromatography and normal column chromatography. Using standard 3-(4,5
      dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay Fr.b8 with moderate
      cytotoxicity was selected for identification of major components. Fr.b8 was
      subjected to polyamide column chromatography. More purification was done using a
      new modified recycle high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with flow
      splitter. RESULTS: Two known compounds: Apigenin (flavone) and caffeic acid
      (phenolic acid) were obtained from phenolic bioactive fraction for the first time
      from this plant. CONCLUSIONS: Apigenin and caffeic acid with known antitumor and
      matrix metalloproteinase inhibitory effects seem to be the bioactive components
      responsible for moderate cytotoxicity of phenolic fraction. Recycle HPLC
      following with flow splitting is a new method useful for isolation of closely
      eluted compounds in HPLC chromatogram.

PMID- 28626742
TI  - Association Study of Glutathione S-transferases Gene Polymorphisms (GSTM1 and
      GSTT1) with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease in the South of Iran.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including ulcerative colitis (UC)
      and Crohn's disease (CD), are chronic inflammatory disorders of the
      gastrointestinal tract. A combination of environmental factors and interactions
      with a genetic predisposition are suggested to play an important role in the
      etiology and pathogenesis of the IBD. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are
      multifunctional enzymes involved in the cellular oxidative stress handling.
      Possible associations between GSTs gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to UC
      and CD have been reported in different population. The relationship between GSTM1
      and GSTT1 deletion polymorphisms and susceptibility to UC and CD were
      investigated in the Iranian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was
      performed in 106 IBD patients and 243 age- and sex-matched healthy Iranian
      controls consulting the IBD registry center of the Motahari Clinic, Shiraz
      University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, between 2011 and 2013. GSTM1 and
      GSTT1 genotyping were performed using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and
      differences in the distribution of gene polymorphisms were analyzed statistically
      between the studied groups. RESULTS: Statistically significant higher frequency
      of GSTM1 null genotype was observed in IBD patients (P = 0.01) and in the
      subgroup of patients with UC (P = 0.04) compared to healthy controls, whereas
      this was not true for CD patients. No significant association was found between
      GSTT1 gene polymorphism and UC or CD. CONCLUSIONS: Absence of GSTT1 functional
      gene does not play an important role in the pathophysiology and development of
      IBD, UC, and CD in Iranian population whereas GSTM1 null genotype could be
      considered as a possible genetic predisposing factor for more susceptibility to
      IBD and UC.

PMID- 28626743
TI  - Phytochemical Screening and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Euphorbia turcomanica on Hela
      and HT-29 Tumor Cell Lines.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cancer is a term for a large group of different diseases, all
      involving uncontrolled cell growth. Many of Euphorbiaceae plants have been
      traditionally used for the treatment of ulcers, tumors, warts, and other
      diseases. In addition, in the last decade, there are studies showing cytotoxic
      effects of different species of Euphorbia on tumor cell lines. In this study, we
      attempted to determine if Euphorbia turcomanica possess any cytotoxic activity.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Solvents extracted the plant powder with various
      polarities by a maceration method, and qualitative phytochemical analyzes were
      carried out on them to identify the constituents. On the other hand, the possible
      cytotoxicity of different extracts on Hela and HT-29 tumor cells was measured by
      3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and 50%
      reduction in cell survival was considered as a cytotoxic effect. Analyze of
      variance followed by Student-Newman-Keuls test was used to see the differences
      among the groups. RESULTS: Phytochemical analysis of E. turcomanica showed the
      presence of flavonoid, alkaloid, anthraquinone and tannin in plant aerial parts.
      Methanol-water, acetone, dichloromethane, methanol, and heptane extracts of E.
      turcomanica significantly reduced viability of Hela cells (P < 0.05) with
      inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of 50, 90, 230, 420, and 450 MUg/ml,
      respectively. While methanol-water, dichloromethane, methanol, ethyl acetate, and
      heptane extracts were cytotoxic with IC50 of 43, 115, 125, 250, and 390 MUg/ml,
      respectively (P < 0.05), on HT-29 cells. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that E.
      turcomanica is a good candidate for further study toward cytotoxic agents.

PMID- 28626744
TI  - Central Beneficial Effects of Trimetazidine on Psychomotor Performance in Normal
      Healthy Volunteers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Trimetazidine is a fatty oxidation inhibitor, leading to shifting of
      energy substrate from fatty acid oxidation toward glucose oxidation that leads to
      the reduction of oxygen requirement. The aims of the present study were to
      elucidate the effects of trimetazidine on psychomotor performance and vigilance
      on normal healthy volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 234 subjects (age
      22-25 years) were recruited in this study. The volunteers were randomizing into
      two groups with 117 volunteers in each group. Group I received an inert starch
      capsule served as a control, and Group II received trimetazidine tablet 15
      mg/day. The duration of therapy was 5 days. Test procedure was done at 9.00 a.m.
      on the psychomotor tester. Before the drug administration, prescore values were
      recorded and then after 5 days of therapy, the postscore values were recorded.
      RESULTS: The placebo did not demonstrate a significant effect on all psychomotor
      performances and flicker-fusion elements (P > 0.05). Trimetazidine therapy
      produced a highly significant effect on all components of psychomotor
      performances and flicker-fusion parameters (P < 0.001) compared with pretreatment
      era. CONCLUSION: We conclude that trimetazidine improves psychomotor performance
      and vigilance in normal healthy volunteers through advancing total reaction time
      and critical flicker-fusion frequency.

PMID- 28626745
TI  - Investigating the Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy on Reducing Chronic
      Pain in Patients with Pes Anserine Bursitis: A Randomized, Clinical- Controlled
      Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Knee pain, is one of the most common causes of patients' referring to
      physiatric clinics, and several factors, are involved in its creation. One of
      these factors is pes anserine bursitis (PAB) for which various treatment methods
      are used. This study aims to investigate the effect of this method on reducing
      chronic pain in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This clinical trial was
      conducted in 2013- 2014 on patients with PAB referring to academic, physical
      medicine clinics. The patients with chronic PAB (pain duration more than 3
      months), who were refractory to conservative treatments, were randomly divided
      into two 20-member experimental groups (extracorporeal shock wave therapy [ESWT]
      and sham ESWT). Pain scores of all patients were measured using the Visual Analog
      Scale (VAS) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) (total and present pain indexes
      [TPIs and PPIs]) before intervention, immediately after intervention (3rd week),
      and after 8 weeks. The pain scores were then compared and statistically analyzed.
      RESULTS: In the ESWT group, the mean patient pain score of the VAS and TPI in MPQ
      were significantly lower than in the sham ESWT group immediately after
      intervention (3rd week): P =0.02, P = 0.04 respectively; and 8 weeks after the
      end of treatment: P =0.01, P = 0.000. Moreover, the PPI in both groups had
      significantly decreased over time, although in ESWT group this decrement was
      significantly more than sham ESWT group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results
      showed that ESWT could be effective in reducing the pain and treating PAB.

PMID- 28626746
TI  - Frequency of Cutaneous Fungal Infections and Azole Resistance of the Isolates in
      Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients are more susceptible to cutaneous fungal
      infections. The higher blood sugar levels cause increasing the cutaneous fungal
      infections in these patients. The main objective of this study was to find the
      frequency of fungal infections among cutaneous lesions of diabetic patients and
      to investigate azole antifungal agent susceptibility of the isolates. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: In this study, type 1diabetes (n = 78) and type 2 diabetes (n = 44)
      comprised 47 cases (38.5%) with diabetic foot ulcers and 75 cases (61.5%) with
      skin and nail lesions were studied. Fungal infection was confirmed by direct
      examination and culture methods. Antifungal susceptibility testing by broth
      microdilution method was performed according to the CLSI M27-A and M38-A
      references. RESULTS: Out of 122 diabetic patients, thirty (24.5%) were affected
      with fungal infections. Frequency of fungal infection was 19.1% in patients with
      diabetic foot ulcer and 28% of patients with skin and nail lesions. Candida
      albicans and Aspergillus flavus were the most common species isolated from thirty
      patients with fungal infection, respectively. Susceptibility testing carried out
      on 18 representative isolates (13 C. albicans, five C. glabrata) revealed that 12
      isolates (10 C. albicans and two C. glabrata isolates) (66.6%) were resistant
      (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] >=64 mg/ml) to fluconazole (FCZ).
      Likewise, eight isolates (80%) of Aspergillus spp. were resistant (MIC >=4
      mg/ml), to itraconazole. CONCLUSION: Our finding expands current knowledge about
      the frequency of fungal infections in diabetic patients. We noted the high
      prevalence of FCZ-resistant Candida spp., particularly in diabetic foot ulcers.
      More attention is important in diabetic centers about this neglected issue.

PMID- 28626747
TI  - Risk Assessment to Evaluate if Crayons Complying with the Consumer Product Safety
      Improvement Act of 2008 for Lead, Also Comply with California Proposition 65.

PMID- 28626749
TI  - A Century Spent Combating Rabies in Morocco (1911-2015): How Much Longer?
AB  - Rabies has no known beginning in Morocco and to date, government control efforts
      and plans fail to eradicate the disease. A review and analysis of available
      epidemiological data are crucial to learn lessons from the past and to propose
      effective actions. Legally, animal rabies is a notifiable disease since 1913 and
      legislation has been updated periodically since. Dogs have always been considered
      as both the disease's vector and reservoir, while cattle, other herbivores, and
      humans are victims. Animal rabies cases evolution from 1942 to 2015 is
      characterized by ascending phase then decreasing one following structured rabies
      control plan implementation in 1980s. Indeed, from 1986 to 2010, three rabies
      control plans have been conducted based on free of charge rabies vaccination of
      owned dogs through mass campaigns. The geographical distribution of rabies is
      stable over the years with highest cases number in rich rural areas and around
      cities. Human rabies cases are decreasing over the time (1976-2015) thanks to the
      opening of new antirabic treatment centers in the last decade which permit the
      administration of more PEPs. After a century of rabies control, Morocco
      registered an average of 301 animal cases and 21 human cases annually for the
      last decade (2005-2015). Few reasons led to those limited results. The lack in
      law enforcement and, moreover, the fact that the law do not take into account
      responsible dog ownership aspect are of importance. Lack of dog population
      knowledge and management and intersectoral coordination deficiency are additional
      failure reasons. The gathered data will help to build a new strategy with a focus
      on a "One Health" approach. Dog population ecology parameters' study is of
      primary importance. We estimated dog population to be 2.8 million dogs based on
      human:dog ratio. Enhancing vaccination coverage of dog population is feasible by
      combining parenteral vaccination and complementary oral vaccination. Updating
      legislation by inclusion of responsible dog ownership and law enforcement are
      crucial. Over the last century, Morocco registered a slow decreasing tendency in
      the number of animal and human rabies cases. Urgent strategy need to be
      implemented because rabies elimination is an achievable goal in Morocco.

PMID- 28626750
TI  - Quantifying Preferences of Farmers and Veterinarians for National Animal Health
      Programs: The Example of Bovine Mastitis and Antimicrobial Usage in Switzerland.
AB  - Bovine udder health in Switzerland is of a relatively high level. However,
      antimicrobial usage (AMU) seems high in comparison to other European countries
      also. A new udder health and AMU improvement program could improve this situation
      but it is uncertain whether there is support from the field. This study aimed to
      quantify preferences of dairy farmers and veterinarians for the start and design
      characteristics of a new national udder health and AMU improvement program in
      Switzerland. A total of 478 dairy farmers and 98 veterinarians completed an
      online questionnaire. Questions on their demographics and their mindset toward
      AMU were complemented with an adaptive choice-based conjoint interview, a novel
      conjoint analysis technique to quantify preferences of respondents for
      characteristics of a product for which multiple trade-off decisions must be made
      (here a bovine udder health and AMU improvement program). The conjoint analysis
      was followed by a multivariate multiple regression analysis to identify groups of
      respondents with different program design preferences. Logistic regression models
      were used to associate covariates with respondents' preference to start a new
      udder health and AMU improvement program. Most farmers (55%) and veterinarians
      (62%) were in favor of starting a new voluntary udder health and AMU improvement
      program, but the program design preferences agreed moderately between the two
      stakeholder groups. Farmers preferred an udder health and AMU improvement program
      that did not contain a penalty system for high AMU, was voluntary for all dairy
      herds, and aimed to simultaneously improve udder health and reduce AMU.
      Veterinarians preferred a program that had the veterinary organization and the
      government taking the lead in program design decision making, did not contain a
      penalty system for high AMU, and aimed to simultaneously improve udder health and
      reduce AMU. Differences between groups of farmers and veterinarians concerning
      their start preference were identified. Also, the magnitude of various program
      design preferences changed for farmers with different opinions toward AMU. The
      information obtained from this study may support the decision-making process and
      the communication to the field afterward, when discussing national strategies to
      improve udder health and AMU in Switzerland.

PMID- 28626748
TI  - The Multiple Roles of FGF Signaling in the Developing Spinal Cord.
AB  - During vertebrate embryonic development, the spinal cord is formed by the neural
      derivatives of a neuromesodermal population that is specified at early stages of
      development and which develops in concert with the caudal regression of the
      primitive streak. Several processes related to spinal cord specification and
      maturation are coupled to this caudal extension including neurogenesis, ventral
      patterning and neural crest specification and all of them seem to be crucially
      regulated by Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling, which is prominently
      active in the neuromesodermal region and transiently in its derivatives. Here we
      review the role of FGF signaling in those processes, trying to separate its
      different functions and highlighting the interactions with other signaling
      pathways. Finally, these early functions of FGF signaling in spinal cord
      development may underlay partly its ability to promote regeneration in the
      lesioned spinal cord as well as its action promoting specific fates in neural
      stem cell cultures that may be used for therapeutical purposes.

PMID- 28626751
TI  - Feeder Cell Type Affects the Growth of In Vitro Cultured Bovine Trophoblast
      Cells.
AB  - Trophectoderm cells are the foremost embryonic cells to differentiate with
      prospective stem-cell properties. In the current study, we aimed at improving the
      current approach for trophoblast culture by using granulosa cells as feeders.
      Porcine granulosa cells (PGCs) compared to the conventional mouse embryonic
      fibroblasts (MEFs) were used to grow trophectoderm cells from hatched bovine
      blastocysts. Isolated trophectoderm cells were monitored and displayed
      characteristic epithelial/cuboidal morphology. The isolated trophectoderm cells
      expressed mRNA of homeobox protein (CDX2), cytokeratin-8 (KRT8), and interferon
      tau (IFNT). The expression level was higher on PGCs compared to MEFs throughout
      the study. In addition, primary trophectoderm cell colonies grew faster on PGCs,
      with a doubling time of approximately 48 hrs, compared to MEFs. PGCs feeders
      produced a fair amount of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone. We speculated that
      the supplementation of sex steroids and still-unknown factors during the
      trophoblasts coculture on PGCs have helped to have better trophectoderm cell's
      growth than on MEFs. This is the first time to use PGCs as feeders to culture
      trophectoderm cells and it proved superior to MEFs. We propose PGCs as
      alternative feeders for long-term culture of bovine trophectoderm cells. This
      model will potentially benefit studies on the early trophoblast and embryonic
      development in bovines.

PMID- 28626752
TI  - Protective Effect of a Polyherbal Aqueous Extract Comprised of Nigella sativa
      (Seeds), Hemidesmus indicus (Roots), and Smilax glabra (Rhizome) on Bleomycin
      Induced Cytogenetic Damage in Human Lymphocytes.
AB  - This study was carried out to determine the chemoprotective potential of a
      polyherbal aqueous decoction comprised of Nigella sativa (seeds), Hemidesmus
      indicus (roots), and Smilax glabra (rhizome) against bleomycin induced
      cytogenetic damage in human lymphocytes. Isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes
      (PBLs) were exposed to bleomycin at a dose of 40 ug/mL for 2 hrs in the presence
      or absence of different doses of the decoction (100, 300, and 600 ug/mL).
      Modulatory effect of the decoction on bleomycin induced cytogenetic damage was
      evaluated by (a) degree of chromosomal aberrations (CA), (b) formation of
      micronuclei (MN), and (c) induction of gammaH2AX foci in lymphocytes exposed to
      bleomycin. Lymphocytes pretreated with the decoction showed that a significant
      reduction (p < 0.05) in bleomycin induced (a) stable and unstable chromosome
      aberrations (CA), (b) MN formation, and (c) formation of gammaH2AX foci, when
      compared to lymphocytes treated only with bleomycin. The decoction by itself did
      not induce any significant cytogenetic damage in PBLs. Overall results of the
      present study confirm that the decoction can attenuate the cytogenetic damage
      mediated by bleomycin in human PBLs.

PMID- 28626753
TI  - Health Brokers: How Can They Help Deal with the Wickedness of Public Health
      Problems?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of health broker is a relatively new one in public health.
      Health brokers aim to create support for efforts to optimise health promotion in
      complex or even "wicked" public health contexts by facilitating intersectoral
      collaborations and by exchanging knowledge with different stakeholders. The
      current study aimed to explore the role of health brokers, by examining the
      motivational, contextual, and behaviour-related factors they have to deal with.
      METHODS: Fifteen professionals from various backgrounds and from various policy
      and practice organisations were recruited for a semistructured interview. To
      structure the interviews, we developed the "Health Broker Wheel" (HBW), a
      framework we then specified with more details derived from the interviews.
      RESULTS: We identified seven primary types of behaviour that health brokers need
      to engage in: recognizing opportunities, agenda setting, implementing, network
      formation, intersectoral collaboration, adaptive managing, and leadership.
      Determinants of health brokers' behaviours were identified and categorised as
      capability, opportunities, motivation, and local or national contextual factors.
      CONCLUSION: The health brokers' role can be seen as an operational approach and
      is visualised in the HBW. This framework can assist further research to monitor
      and evaluate this role, and health promotion practitioners can use it as a tool
      to implement the health brokers' role and to facilitate intersectoral
      collaboration.

PMID- 28626754
TI  - Infections Caused by HRSV A ON1 Are Predominant among Hospitalized Infants with
      Bronchiolitis in Sao Paulo City.
AB  - Human respiratory syncytial virus is the main cause of respiratory infections in
      infants. Several HRSV genotypes have been described. Goals. To describe the main
      genotypes that caused infections in Sao Paulo (2013-2015) and to analyze their
      clinical/epidemiological features. Methods. 94 infants (0-6 months) with
      bronchiolitis were studied. Clinical/epidemiological information was collected; a
      search for 16 viruses in nasopharyngeal secretion (PCR-real-time and
      conventional, sequencing, and phylogenetic analyses) was performed. Results. The
      mean age was 2.4 m; 48% were male. The mean length of hospital stay was 4.4 d
      (14% in the Intensive Care Unit). The positive rate of respiratory virus was
      98.9%; 73 cases (77.6%) were HRSV (76,7% HRSVA). HRSVA formed three clusters: ON1
      (n = 34), NA1 (n = 1), and NA2 (n = 4). All HRSVB were found to cluster in the BA
      genotype (BA9-n = 10; BA10-n = 3). Clinical analyses showed no significant
      differences between the genotype AON1 and other genotypes. Conclusion. This study
      showed a high rate of HRSV detection in bronchiolitis. HRSVA ON1, which has
      recently been described in other countries and has not been identified in
      previous studies in the southeast region of Brazil, was predominant. The clinical
      characteristics of the infants that were infected with AON1 were similar to
      infants with infections by other genotypes.

PMID- 28626755
TI  - Can Rehabilitation Influence the Efficiency of Control Signals in Complex Motion
      Strategies?
AB  - The factor determining quality of life in Parkinson's disease (PD) is the
      worsening of a patient's walking ability. The use of external stimuli can improve
      gait when performing complex motor patterns. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the effect of rehabilitation on the effectiveness of control signals in
      people with PD. The study was performed on 42 people with idiopathic PD in the
      third stage of disease. The control group consisted of 19 patients who did not
      participate in rehabilitation activities. The experimental group was
      systematically participating in rehabilitation activities twice a week (60
      minutes) for 9 months. Gait speed, mean step length, and step frequency were
      calculated on the basis of the obtained results. These parameters were compared
      in both groups by single factor variance analyses. The best results were obtained
      using rhythmic external auditory signals. The group with patients actively
      participating in rehabilitation showed statistically significant improvement in
      gait speed (12.35%), mean step length (18.00%), and frequency step (2.40%)
      compared to the control group. The presented research showed the positive effect
      of rehabilitation and was based on the performance of complex motion patterns,
      using external control signals for their effectiveness in new motion tasks.

PMID- 28626756
TI  - A Pilot Study on Bioactive Constituents and Analgesic Effects of MyrLiq(r), a
      Commiphora myrrha Extract with a High Furanodiene Content.
AB  - The analgesic properties of myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) have been known since
      ancient times and depend on the presence of bioactive sesquiterpenes with
      furanodiene skeletons. MyrLiq is a C. myrrha extract with a standardized content
      of curzerene, furanoeudesma-1,3-diene, and lindestrene (12.31 +/- 0.05 g kg-1,
      18.84 +/- 0.02 g kg-1, and 6.23 +/- 0.01 g kg-1, resp.) and a high total
      furanodiene content (40.86 +/- 0.78 g kg-1). A balanced sample of 95 female and
      89 male volunteers (with ages ranging from 18 to older than 60 years) exhibiting
      different pain pathologies, including headache, fever-dependent pain, joint pain,
      muscle aches, lower back pain, and menstrual cramps, was divided into two groups.
      The experimental group received 1 capsule/day containing either 200 mg or 400 mg
      of MyrLiq (corresponding to 8 mg and 16 mg of bioactive furanodienes, resp.) for
      20 days, and the placebo group was given the same number of capsules with no
      MyrLiq. A score was recorded for all volunteers based on their previous
      experience with prescribed analgesics. For the male volunteers, pain alleviation
      was obtained with 400 mg of MyrLiq/day for almost all pathologies, whereas, for
      female volunteers, alleviation of lower back pain and fever-dependent pain was
      observed with only 200 mg of MyrLiq/day. These results indicate that MyrLiq has
      significant analgesic properties.

PMID- 28626757
TI  - ACTN3 Gene and Susceptibility to Sarcopenia and Osteoporotic Status in Older
      Korean Adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little information is available about molecular markers for
      sarcopenia and osteoporosis in Asian populations. OBJECTIVE: This study
      investigated the association of the ACTN3 polymorphism with sarcopenia and
      osteoporotic status in older Korean adults. METHODS: Older Korean 62 men and 270
      women (mean age 73.7 +/- 6.6 years) participated in this study. Body mass index,
      percent body fatness, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, and bone mineral density
      of the lumbar spine, femur, and total body were analyzed with dual-energy X-ray
      absorptiometry. ACTN3 R/X genotyping was determined using TaqMan probes. RESULTS:
      Determination of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using
      binary logistic regression analyses showed that XX homozygotes were at a
      significantly higher risk of sarcopenia (OR = 2.056, 95%  CI = 1.024-4.127, p =
      0.043) and osteoporosis (OR = 2.794, 95%  CI = 1.208-5.461, p = 0.016) than RR
      homozygotes (reference group, OR = 1). The OR of XX homozygotes for having
      sarcopenia remained significant (OR = 2.237, 95%  CI = 1.044-4.836, p = 0.038)
      after adjustments for age, gender, body fatness, and serum vitamin D. The OR of
      XX homozygotes for having osteoporosis was no longer significant (OR = 2.682, 95%
      CI = 0.960-7.942, p = 0.075) after adjustments for the covariates. CONCLUSION:
      Our findings suggest that the ACTN3 R577X genotype may influence decline in
      muscle and bone health phenotypes in older Korean adults.

PMID- 28626758
TI  - A Novel Pan-Flavivirus Detection and Identification Assay Based on RT-qPCR and
      Microarray.
AB  - The genus Flavivirus includes arthropod-borne viruses responsible for a large
      number of infections in humans and economically important animals. While RT-PCR
      protocols for specific detection of most Flavivirus species are available, there
      has been also a demand for a broad-range Flavivirus assay covering all members of
      the genus. It is particularly challenging to balance specificity at genus level
      with equal sensitivity towards each target species. In the present study, a novel
      assay combining a SYBR Green-based RT-qPCR with a low-density DNA microarray has
      been developed. Validation experiments confirmed that the RT-qPCR exhibited
      roughly equal sensitivity of detection and quantification for all flaviviruses
      tested. These PCR products are subjected to hybridization on a microarray
      carrying 84 different oligonucleotide probes that represent all known Flavivirus
      species. This assay has been used as a screening and confirmation tool for
      Flavivirus presence in laboratory and field samples, and it performed
      successfully in international External Quality Assessment of NAT studies. Twenty
      six Flavivirus strains were tested with the assay, showing equivalent or superior
      characteristics compared with the original or even with species-specific RT-PCRs.
      As an example, test results on West Nile virus detection in a panel of 340
      mosquito pool samples from Greece are presented.

PMID- 28626759
TI  - Sertraline Induces Toxicity and Behavioral Alterations in Planarians.
AB  - Toxicity attributed to sertraline has been demonstrated recently in different
      cell types and also in some organisms. We investigated the effect of sertraline
      on planarians, which are considered suitable for investigations in
      neurotoxicology and currently are widely used as an animal model in
      neuropharmacological studies. Planarians treated with 10 uM sertraline showed a
      rapid reduction in their spontaneous movement until they became completely
      motionless and then showed a series of asynchronous paroxysms (seizures) followed
      by progressive tissue damage, beginning 48 h after the sertraline treatment, and
      died approximately 72 h later. Our data showed that sertraline does not cause
      planarian death within the range of therapeutic concentrations; however,
      behavioral alterations were observed with concentrations that can be considered
      compatible with therapeutic ones, such as a significant reduction in planarian
      locomotory activity at 0.4 uM. Treatment with 4 uM sertraline had a significant
      effect, reducing planarian locomotory activity and increasing the number of
      asynchronous paroxysms; both effects were significantly maintained even 24 h
      after the sertraline was withdrawn. These behavioral changes observed at low
      micromolar concentrations suggest that sertraline might have residual biological
      consequences for planarians, even after it is withdrawn.

PMID- 28626760
TI  - Txndc9 Is Required for Meiotic Maturation of Mouse Oocytes.
AB  - Txndc9 (thioredoxin domain containing protein 9) has been shown to be involved in
      mammalian mitosis; however, its function in mammalian oocyte meiosis remains
      unclear. In this study, we initially found that Txndc9 is expressed during
      meiotic maturation of mouse oocytes and higher expression of Txndc9 mRNA and
      protein occurred in germinal vesicle (GV) stage. By using confocal scanning, we
      observed that Txndc9 localized at both nucleus and cytoplasm, especially at
      spindle microtubules. Specific depletion of Txndc9 by siRNA in mouse oocyte
      resulted in decreasing the rate of first polar body extrusion and increasing
      abnormal spindle assemble. Moreover, knockdown of Txndc9 in germinal vesicle (GV)
      stage oocytes led to higher level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lower
      level of antioxidant glutathione (GSH) as compared with control oocytes, which
      indicated that Txndc9 may be involved in mediating the redox balance. In summary,
      our results demonstrated that Txndc9 is crucial for mouse oocyte maturation by
      regulating spindle assembly, polar body extrusion, and redox status.

PMID- 28626761
TI  - Bioremediation of Mercury by Vibrio fluvialis Screened from Industrial Effluents.
AB  - Thirty-one mercury-resistant bacterial strains were isolated from the effluent
      discharge sites of the SIPCOT industrial area. Among them, only one strain
      (CASKS5) was selected for further investigation due to its high minimum
      inhibitory concentration of mercury and low antibiotic susceptibility. In
      accordance with 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences, the strain CASKS5 was
      identified as Vibrio fluvialis. The mercury-removal capacity of V. fluvialis was
      analyzed at four different concentrations (100, 150, 200, and 250 MUg/ml).
      Efficient bioremediation was observed at a level of 250 MUg/ml with the removal
      of 60% of mercury ions. The interesting outcome of this study was that the strain
      V. fluvialis had a high bioremediation efficiency but had a low antibiotic
      resistance. Hence, V. fluvialis could be successfully used as a strain for the
      ecofriendly removal of mercury.

PMID- 28626762
TI  - Comparison of Antibacterial Activity of Lactobacillus plantarum Strains Isolated
      from Two Different Kinds of Regional Cheeses from Poland: Oscypek and Korycinski
      Cheese.
AB  - Oscypek and korycinski are traditional Polish cheeses, exclusively produced in
      Tatra and in Podlasie region, respectively, produced from raw, unpasteurized
      milk. The 29 Lactobacillus plantarum strains were isolated on MRS agar from 12
      cheese samples and used as a material for study. The main purpose of the work was
      to assess the antimicrobial properties and recognition of selected strains for
      the unique antagonistic activity and preservation role in food. It has been found
      that the highest antimicrobial activity was observed in the case of L.
      monocytogenes strains; however, the level of that activity was different
      depending on the Lb. plantarum strain. Strains from oscypek produced broad
      spectrum, and a few strains isolated from korycinski cheese produced a narrow
      spectrum of antimicrobial compounds, other than organic acids and hydrogen
      peroxide. Moreover, the antagonistic activity shown by Lb. plantarum strains is
      connected with the source from which a given strain was isolated. Strains
      isolated from oscypek cheese represented stronger activity against L.
      monocytogenes, whereas strains isolated from korycinski cheese were more active
      against E. coli. Strains Lb. plantarum Os13 and Kor14 could be considered as good
      candidates for protective cultures to extend durability of food products.

PMID- 28626763
TI  - Implant Stability in the Posterior Maxilla: A Controlled Clinical Trial.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the primary and secondary stability of implants in the posterior
      maxilla. METHODS: Patients were allocated into three groups: (A) native bone, (B)
      partially regenerated bone, and (C) nearly totally regenerated bone. Insertion
      torque (IT) and implant stability quotient (ISQ) were measured at placement, to
      evaluate whether satisfactory high primary stability (IT >= 45 N/cm; ISQ >= 60)
      was achieved; ISQ was measured 15, 30, 45, and 60 days after placement, to
      investigate the evolution to secondary stability. RESULTS: 133 implants
      (Anyridge(r), Megagen) were installed in 59 patients: 55 fixtures were placed in
      Group A, 57 in Group B, and 21 in Group C. Fifty-two implants had satisfactory
      high primary stability (IT >= 45 N/cm; ISQ >= 60). A positive correlation was
      found between all variables (IT, ISQ at t = 0, t = 60), and statistically higher
      IT and ISQ values were found for implants with satisfactory high primary
      stability. Significant differences were found for IT and ISQ between the groups
      (A, B, and C); however, no drops were reported in the median ISQ values during
      the healing period. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of the primary and secondary
      implant stability may contribute to higher implant survival/success rates in
      critical areas, such as the regenerated posterior maxilla. The present study is
      registered in the ISRCTN registry with ID ISRCTN33469250.

PMID- 28626764
TI  - Does Chemotherapy for Gynecological Malignancies during Pregnancy Cause Fetal
      Growth Restriction?
AB  - Cancer and pregnancy rarely coincide. Gynecological cancers are among the most
      common malignancies to occur during pregnancy, and chemotherapy with or without
      surgery is the primary treatment option. The main concern of administering
      chemotherapy during pregnancy is congenital malformation, although it can be
      avoided by delaying treatment until after organogenesis. The dose, frequency,
      choice of chemotherapeutic agents, time of treatment commencement, and method of
      administration can be adjusted to obtain the best maternal treatment outcomes
      while simultaneously minimizing fetal toxicity. Use of chemotherapy after the
      first trimester, while seemingly safe, can cause fetal growth restriction.
      However, the exact effect of chemotherapy on such fetal growth restriction has
      not been fully established; information is scarce owing to the rarity of
      malignancy occurring during pregnancy, the lack of uniform treatment protocols,
      different terminologies for defining certain fetal growth abnormalities, the
      influence of mothers' preferred options, and ethical issues. Herein, we present
      up-to-date findings from the literature regarding the impact of chemotherapy on
      fetal growth.

PMID- 28626765
TI  - Serum Metabolomics Profiling to Identify Biomarkers for Unstable Angina.
AB  - Although statistical evidence is clear regarding the dangerousness of unstable
      angina (UA), a form of coronary heart disease (CHD) characterised by high
      mortality and morbidity globally, it is important to recognise that diagnostic
      precision for the condition is unfavourable. In the present research, to gain
      insight into candidate biomarkers, the author draws on 1H NMR-based serum
      metabolic profiling to analyze the unstable angina pectoris (UAP) metabolic
      signatures; this constitutes an effective way to produce medical diagnosis. 101
      unstable angina pectoris patients and 132 healthy controls were enrolled and 22
      serum samples from each group were analyzed. Effective separation was noted
      regarding the UAP and control groups, and, for the former group considered in
      relation to their counterpart, the serum concentrations of Lac, m-I, lipid, VLDL,
      3-HB, and LDL were higher whereas the concentrations of Thr, Cr, Cho, PC/GPC,
      Glu, Gln, Lys, HDL, Ile, Leu, and Val were lower. The conclusion drawn in view of
      the results is that the plasma metabolomics examined by 1H NMR displayed promise
      for biomarker identification for UA. In addition to this, the analysis
      illuminated the metabolic processes of UA.

PMID- 28626767
TI  - Closer to a Uniform Language in Colposcopy: Study on the Potential Application of
      2011 International Federation for Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy Terminology
      in Clinical Practice.
AB  - As the newest colposcopic terminology, the 2011 International Federation for
      Cervical Pathology and Colposcopy (IFCPC) classification provides standardized
      interpretation of colposcopic findings. In this study, we analyzed the
      colposcopic accuracy and the significance of individual findings according to the
      2011 IFCPC classification in 525 patients, reviewed by 13 trained colposcopists.
      Results show that colposcopic diagnoses are in 64.95% perfect agreement with
      cervical pathology, with 63.64% sensitivity and 96.01% specificity for high-grade
      squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL+). And the accuracy is reproducible across
      different experienced examiners. Many individual findings, especially the two new
      signs, inner border sign and ridge sign, are proved to have good predictive
      accuracy, while iodine negativity demonstrates an inferior performance. However,
      the distribution of three cervical transformation zone (TZ) types is
      heterogeneous in examiners. A comparison was also made of the findings of another
      two colposcopists without nomenclature training according to the Reid Colposcopic
      Index (RCI), modified RCI, and Swede Score. Results show that colposcopic
      accuracies in them are lower than in those nomenclature trained colposcopists.
      The 2011 IFCPC nomenclature improves colposcopic accuracy in trained
      colposcopists, like speaking the same language. However, the reproducibility of
      TZ and the predictive value of a few signs remain to be discussed.

PMID- 28626766
TI  - Involvement of the Toll-Like Receptor/Nitric Oxide Signaling Pathway in the
      Pathogenesis of Cervical Cancer Caused by High-Risk Human Papillomavirus
      Infection.
AB  - Human papillomavirus (HPV) can activate Toll-like receptor (TLR)/nitric oxide
      (NO) signaling pathways; however, whether the TLR/NO pathway is involved in
      cervical cancer caused by high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) remains unclear. In this study,
      43 HR-HPV-positive patients with cervical cancer (CC group), 39 HR-HPV-positive
      patients with a healthy cervix (HR-HPV group), and 33 HR-HPV-negative controls
      were recruited. NO concentration in cervical canal and expression of inducible NO
      synthase (iNOS) in cervical tissues were detected. Expressions of key TLR/NO
      pathway genes (TLR3/4/7/8, NF-kappaB p65, and iNOS) in cervical epithelial cells
      were detected by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Expressions of TLR4, NF
      kappaB p65, and iNOS in CaSki, HeLa, and C33a cells were determined by Western
      blot. NO concentration in cervical canal of CC group was significantly higher
      than in other groups (P < 0.05). Positive rates of iNOS in cervical tissues were
      72.1%, 28.2%, and 3.1% in the CC group, HR-HPV group, and controls, respectively
      (P < 0.05). Levels of TLR3, TLR4, TLR7, TLR8, NF-kappaB p65, and iNOS in cervical
      epithelial cells were higher in CC group than in other groups (P < 0.05). Both
      mRNA and protein levels of TLR4, NF-kappaB p65, and iNOS were higher in HPV
      positive HeLa and CaSki cells than in HPV-negative C33a cells (P < 0.05).
      Together, these results suggest that TLR/NO signaling pathway may be involved in
      pathogenesis of cervical cancer caused by HR-HPV.

PMID- 28626768
TI  - Effect of Amplatz Sheath on Cystolithotripsy for Women with Large Bladder Stone.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study compared the effect of endourological procedures with or
      without the Amplatz sheath (AS) on cystolithotripsy. METHODS: We retrospectively
      analysed 18 patients who underwent treatment for bladder stone over 30 mm. This
      study consisted of two groups, namely, patients who underwent cystolithotripsy
      with an AS (AS group) and those who underwent standard procedure without an AS
      (SP group). The stone-free rate, total energy used for operation, operation time,
      days of admission after operation, and complication of both groups were compared.
      RESULTS: The number of patients in the AS and SP groups was 10 and 8,
      respectively. Significant differences were not found between these two groups
      with regard to age, stone burden, stone volume, number of stones, and history of
      neurogenic bladder. All patients in both groups achieved a stone-free state.
      Total energy was significantly increased and operation time was shorter in the AS
      group. No significant difference was observed in terms of days of admission after
      operation. Any complications were not increased by the use of AS. Struvite was
      the most common stone component in both groups. CONCLUSION: Use of an AS can
      shorten the operation time of cystolithotripsy without increasing perioperative
      complication.

PMID- 28626769
TI  - The Effect of Social Support on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
      Mellitus: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Adherence.
AB  - Ample evidence suggests that social support, self-efficacy, and adherence
      significantly, independently, and together affect glycemic control in patients
      with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the pathway from social support to
      glycemic control remains unclear. This study hypothesized that the effect of
      social support on glycemic control was mediated sequentially by self-efficacy and
      adherence. Patients with T2DM were recruited from two hospitals in Guangzhou,
      China, from January 1 to July 31, 2014, and their sociodemographic clinical data
      and their assessments on social support, self-efficacy, and adherence were
      obtained from medical records and self-completed questionnaires. Of the 532
      patients who participated, 35% achieved glycemic control (i.e., HbA1c < 7%).
      Social support, self-efficacy, and adherence had significant correlations with
      each other and with glycemic control (P < 0.05). Regression analyses and
      structural equation modeling showed that better social support was associated to
      better patient self-efficacy, which, in turn, was associated with better medical
      adherence, which was associated with improved glycemic control, and the
      relationship between social support and glycemic control was sequentially and
      completely mediated by self-efficacy and adherence. The five goodness-of-fit
      indices confirmed that our data fitted the hypothesized pathway model strongly.

PMID- 28626770
TI  - Upregulation of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha-Induced Protein 8-Like 2 mRNA Is
      Negatively Correlated with Serum Concentrations of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
      and Interleukin 6 in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced protein 8-like 2 (TIPE2 or
      TNFAIP8L2) is a negative regulator of natural and adaptive immunity. The role of
      TIPE2 in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unknown, although TIPE2 plays
      key roles in preserving inflammatory homeostasis. METHODS: TIPE2 expression was
      measured by Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from T2DM patients and
      healthy controls, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), high-sensitivity C
      reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and other related biometabolic
      parameters were detected using a nephelometer or by ELISA. Differentiated THP-1
      cells were exposed to siTIPE2 and TIPE2 adenovirus. RESULTS: TIPE2 was
      significantly increased in PBMCs from T2DM patients compared with those from
      healthy controls and was negatively correlated with serum TNF-alpha, IL-6, and
      hsCRP concentrations but positively correlated with HbA1c and LDL-C in T2DM
      patients. High glucose treatment (50 mmol/L) can upregulate the expression of
      TIPE2 and cytokine secretion in differentiated THP-1 cells. siTIPE2 infection
      exacerbated the increased TNF-alpha and IL-6 concentrations in differentiated THP
      1 cells under high glucose conditions (50 mmol/L), while infection with TIPE2
      adenovirus reversed the increased TNF-alpha concentration. CONCLUSIONS: The
      present study indicates that TIPE2 may participate in T2DM by regulating TNF
      alpha production.

PMID- 28626771
TI  - Inadequate Triglyceride Management Worsens the Durability of Dipeptidyl Peptidase
      4 Inhibitor in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are often used all over the world and
      exert various beneficial effects including glucose-lowering effect in many
      subjects with type 2 diabetes. It is poorly understood, however, which factors
      are closely related with the durability of glucose-lowering effect by DPP-4
      inhibitor. In this study, we examined retrospectively which factors could mainly
      influence the durability of DPP-4 inhibitor. We enrolled 212 participants with
      type 2 diabetes to whom DPP-4 inhibitor was administered for over 1 year without
      an addition or increase of other hypoglycemic agents. Age and baseline HbA1c
      level were significantly higher in the effective group than those in the
      ineffective group. The effective group had a tendency of smaller amounts of
      weight change, average total cholesterol, and average triglyceride compared with
      the ineffective group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that average
      triglyceride and baseline HbA1c were independent predictors associated with the
      durability of DPP-4 inhibitor. Moreover, an average triglyceride level
      contributed to the durability of DPP-4 inhibitor in the obese group (BMI >= 25
      kg/m2) but not in the nonobese group (BMI < 25 kg/m2). These results suggest the
      importance of strict triglyceride management to maintain the durability of
      glucose-lowering effect by DPP-4 inhibitor, especially in obese subjects with
      type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28626772
TI  - Leptin/Adiponectin Ratios Using Either Total Or High-Molecular-Weight Adiponectin
      as Biomarkers of Systemic Insulin Sensitivity in Normoglycemic Women.
AB  - Plasma leptin/adiponectin ratio (LAR) is negatively associated with insulin
      sensitivity indexes. High-molecular-weight adiponectin (HMWA) was proposed as the
      most biologically active form of this insulin-sensitizing adipokine. There are no
      studies assessing the relative merits of leptin/HMWA ratio over LAR as a
      biomarker of systemic insulin sensitivity. A standard 2-hour oral glucose
      tolerance test (OGTT; 75 g of glucose) and a short minimal-model intravenous
      glucose tolerance test (IVGTT; 0.3 g/kg body weight) were performed in 58 Chilean
      normoglycemic women (age: 27 +/- 6.3 years, BMI 23.6 +/- 3.2 kg/m2). LAR was
      negatively associated with HOMA-S (r = -0.49; p < 0.0001), Matsuda-ISICOMP (r = 
      0.54; p < 0.0001), and the calculated sensitivity index (CSi) derived from IVGTT
      (r = -0.38; p = 0.007). In comparison to LAR, leptin/HMWA ratio did not increase
      neither the linear fit (r2) nor the magnitude of association with insulin
      sensitivity indexes (slope of multiple linear regression). The discriminatory
      capacity of both ratios to classify insulin-resistant versus insulin-sensitive
      subjects was similar for HOMA-S (p = 0.84), Matsuda-ISICOMP (p = 0.43), or CSi (p
      = 0.50). In conclusion, LAR showed consistent negative associations with
      different systemic insulin sensitivity indexes. The use of HMWA to generate
      leptin/HMWA ratio did not show any advantage over LAR as a biomarker of systemic
      insulin sensitivity in normoglycemic women.

PMID- 28626773
TI  - HLA Epitopes: The Targets of Monoclonal and Alloantibodies Defined.
AB  - Sensitization to human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in organ transplant patients
      causes graft rejection, according to the humoral theory of transplantation.
      Sensitization is almost ubiquitous as anti-HLA antibodies are found in almost all
      sera of transplant recipients. Advances in testing assays and amino acid
      sequencing of HLA along with computer software contributed further to the
      understanding of antibody-antigen reactivity. It is commonly understood that
      antibodies bind to HLA antigens. With current knowledge of epitopes, it is more
      accurate to describe that antibodies bind to their target epitopes on the surface
      of HLA molecular chains. Epitopes are present on a single HLA (private epitope)
      or shared by multiple antigens (public epitope). The phenomenon of cross
      reactivity in HLA testing, often explained as cross-reactive groups (CREGs) of
      antigens with antibody, can be clearly explained now by public epitopes. Since
      2006, we defined and reported 194 HLA class I unique epitopes, including 56
      cryptic epitopes on dissociated HLA class I heavy chains, 83 HLA class II
      epitopes, 60 epitopes on HLA-DRB1, 15 epitopes on HLA-DQB1, 3 epitopes on HLA
      DQA1, 5 epitopes on HLA-DPB1, and 7 MICA epitopes. In this paper, we provide a
      summary of our findings.

PMID- 28626774
TI  - Adenosine Triphosphate Promotes Allergen-Induced Airway Inflammation and Th17
      Cell Polarization in Neutrophilic Asthma.
AB  - Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a key mediator to alert the immune dysfunction by
      acting on P2 receptors. Here, we found that allergen challenge caused an increase
      of ATP secretion in a murine model of neutrophilic asthma, which correlated well
      with neutrophil counts and interleukin-17 production. When ATP signaling was
      blocked by intratracheal administration of the ATP receptor antagonist suramin
      before challenge, neutrophilic airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness,
      and Th17-type responses were reduced significantly. Also, neutrophilic
      inflammation was abrogated when airway ATP levels were locally neutralized using
      apyrase. Furthermore, ATP promoted the Th17 polarization of splenic CD4+ T cells
      from DO11.10 mice in vitro. In addition, ovalbumin (OVA) challenge induced
      neutrophilic inflammation and Th17 polarization in DO11.10 mice, whereas
      administration of suramin before challenge alleviated these parameters. Thus, ATP
      may serve as a marker of neutrophilic asthma, and local blockade of ATP signaling
      might provide an alternative method to prevent Th17-mediated airway inflammation
      in neutrophilic asthma.

PMID- 28626775
TI  - Referential choice in a second language: evidence for a listener-oriented
      approach.
AB  - One central question in research on spoken language communication concerns how
      speakers decide how explicit to make a referential expression. In the present
      paper, we address the debate between a discourse-based approach and a listener
      based approach to the choice of referring expressions by testing second language
      (L2) learners of English on the production of English referential expressions,
      and comparing their performance to a group of monolingual speakers of English. In
      two experiments, we found that when native speakers of English use full noun
      phrases, the L2 speakers tend to choose a pronoun, even when the use of a pronoun
      leads to ambiguity. Our results show that the pattern observed is not the result
      of cross-linguistic interference from the L1. Furthermore, a clear dissociation
      is found between calculating the discourse information and taking the listener's
      perspective into account, supporting a listener's based approach to the choice of
      referring expressions.

PMID- 28626776
TI  - Aging and the Resting State: Is Cognition Obsolete?
AB  - Recent years have seen the rise in popularity of the resting state approach to
      neurocognitive aging, with many studies examining age differences in functional
      connectivity at rest and relating these differences to cognitive performance
      outside the scanner. There are many advantages to the resting state that likely
      contribute to its popularity and indeed, many insights have been gained from this
      work. However, there are also several limitations of the resting state approach
      that restrict its ability to contribute to the study of neurocognitive aging. In
      this opinion piece, we consider some of those limitations and argue that task
      based studies are still essential to developing a mechanistic understanding of
      how age affects the brain in a cognitively relevant manner - a fundamental goal
      of neuroscientific research into aging.

PMID- 28626777
TI  - Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Insulin and Glucokinase Gene Therapy for
      Diabetes: 8-Year Follow-Up in Dogs.
AB  - Diabetes is a complex metabolic disease that exposes patients to the deleterious
      effects of hyperglycemia on various organs. Achievement of normoglycemia with
      exogenous insulin treatment requires the use of high doses of hormone, which
      increases the risk of life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes. We developed a gene
      therapy approach to control diabetic hyperglycemia based on co-expression of the
      insulin and glucokinase genes in skeletal muscle. Previous studies proved the
      feasibility of gene delivery to large diabetic animals with adeno-associated
      viral (AAV) vectors. Here, we report the long-term (~8 years) follow-up after a
      single administration of therapeutic vectors to diabetic dogs. Successful, multi
      year control of glycemia was achieved without the need of supplementation with
      exogenous insulin. Metabolic correction was demonstrated through normalization of
      serum levels of fructosamine, triglycerides, and cholesterol and remarkable
      improvement in the response to an oral glucose challenge. The persistence of
      vector genomes and therapeutic transgene expression years after vector delivery
      was documented in multiple samples from treated muscles, which showed normal
      morphology. Thus, this study demonstrates the long-term efficacy and safety of
      insulin and glucokinase gene transfer in large animals and especially the ability
      of the system to respond to the changes in metabolic needs as animals grow older.

PMID- 28626778
TI  - Single Cell-Based Vector Tracing in Patients with ADA-SCID Treated with Stem Cell
      Gene Therapy.
AB  - Clinical improvement in stem cell gene therapy (SCGT) for primary
      immunodeficiencies depends on the engraftment levels of genetically corrected
      cells, and tracing the transgene in each hematopoietic lineage is therefore
      extremely important in evaluating the efficacy of SCGT. We established a single
      cell-based droplet digital PCR (sc-ddPCR) method consisting of the encapsulation
      of a single cell into each droplet, followed by emulsion PCR with primers and
      probes specific for the transgene. A fluorescent signal in a droplet indicates
      the presence of a single cell carrying the target gene in its genome, and this
      system can clearly determine the ratio of transgene-positive cells in the entire
      population at the genomic level. Using sc-ddPCR, we analyzed the engraftment of
      vector-transduced cells in two patients with severe combined immunodeficiency
      (SCID) who were treated with SCGT. Sufficient engraftment of the transduced cells
      was limited to the T cell lineage in peripheral blood (PB), and a small
      percentage of CD34+ cells exhibited vector integration in bone marrow, indicating
      that the transgene-positive cells in PB might have differentiated from a small
      population of stem cells or lineage-restricted precursor cells. sc-ddPCR is a
      simplified and powerful tool for the detailed assessment of transgene-positive
      cell distribution in patients treated with SCGT.

PMID- 28626779
TI  - Optical coherence tomography and visual evoked potentials in pediatric MS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative ability of optical coherence tomography
      (OCT) and pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (pVEPs) to detect visual
      pathway involvement in pediatric-onset MS. METHODS: Pediatric-onset MS
      participants (onset <18 years) and healthy controls (HCs) underwent OCT (Cirrus
      HD-OCT) and pVEPs. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer to inner
      plexiform layer (GCL-IPL), and P100 pVEP latency were measured. Generalized
      estimating equation models were used to compare the groups, adjusting for age and
      intereye correlations. RESULTS: Twenty-four pediatric MS participants, 14 with a
      history of remote (>6 months) optic neuritis (ON) in one eye (8 participants) or
      both the eyes (6 participants), and 24 HCs were enrolled. RNFL thinning (<83 MUm,
      2 SDs below HC eyes) occurred in 50% of ON eyes vs 5% of non-ON eyes. Prolonged
      VEP latency (>109 msec) occurred in 58% of ON eyes and 55% of non-ON eyes. A
      clinical history of ON predicted RNFL (p < 0.001) and GCL-IPL thinning (p =
      0.011), whereas prolonged pVEP latency in children with MS occurred independent
      of ON history. CONCLUSIONS: OCT and pVEPs provide complementary but distinct
      insights. OCT is sensitive to retinal changes in the context of clinical ON,
      whereas pVEPs are useful to detect disseminated lesions of the visual pathway in
      children with MS.

PMID- 28626780
TI  - IgG-specific cell-based assay detects potentially pathogenic MuSK-Abs in
      seronegative MG.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To increase the detection of MuSK-Abs using a CBA and test their
      pathogenicity. METHODS: Sera from 69 MuSK-RIA-positive patients with myasthenia
      gravis (MG) (Definite MuSK-MG), 169 patients negative for MuSK-RIA and AChR-RIA
      (seronegative MG, SNMG), 35 healthy individuals (healthy controls, HCs), and 16
      NMDA receptor-Ab-positive (NMDAR-Ab) disease controls were tested for binding to
      MuSK on a CBA using different secondary antibodies. RESULTS: Initially, in
      addition to 18% of SNMG sera, 11% of HC and 19% of NMDAR-Ab sera showed positive
      binding to MuSK-transfected cells; this low specificity was due to anti-IgG(H+L)
      detection of IgM bound nonspecifically to MuSK. Using an IgG Fc gamma-specific
      secondary antibody, MuSK-Abs were detected by CBA in 68/69 (99%) of Definite MuSK
      MG, 0/35 HCs, 0/16 NMDAR-Ab, and 14/169 (8%) of SNMG sera, providing increased
      sensitivity with high specificity. The RIA-negative, CBA-positive MuSK-IgG sera,
      but not IgM-MuSK-binding sera, reduced agrin-induced AChR clustering in C2C12
      myotubes, qualitatively similar to RIA-positive MuSK-Abs. CONCLUSIONS: An IgG
      specific MuSK-CBA can reliably detect IgG MuSK-Abs and increase sensitivity. In
      the MuSK-CBA, IgG specificity is essential. The positive sera demonstrated
      pathogenic potential in the in vitro AChR-clustering assay, although less
      effective than Definite MuSK-MG sera, and the patients had less severe clinical
      disease. Use of IgG-specific secondary antibodies may improve the results of
      other antibody tests. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III
      evidence that an IgG-specific MuSK-CBA identifies patients with MG.

PMID- 28626781
TI  - Both cladribine and alemtuzumab may effect MS via B-cell depletion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To understand the efficacy of cladribine (CLAD) treatment in MS
      through analysis of lymphocyte subsets collected, but not reported, in the
      pivotal phase III trials of cladribine and alemtuzumab induction therapies.
      METHODS: The regulatory submissions of the CLAD Tablets Treating Multiple
      Sclerosis Orally (CLARITY) (NCT00213135) cladribine and Comparison of Alemtuzumab
      and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis, study one (CARE-MS I) (NCT00530348)
      alemtuzumab trials were obtained from the European Medicine Agency through
      Freedom of Information requests. Data were extracted and statistically analyzed.
      RESULTS: Either dose of cladribine (3.5 mg/kg; 5.25 mg/kg) tested in CLARITY
      reduced the annualized relapse rate to 0.16-0.18 over 96 weeks, and both doses
      were similarly effective in reducing the risk of MRI lesions and disability.
      Surprisingly, however, T-cell depletion was rather modest. Cladribine 3.5 mg/kg
      depleted CD4+ cells by 40%-45% and CD8+ cells by 15%-30%, whereas alemtuzumab
      suppressed CD4+ cells by 70%-95% and CD8+ cells by 47%-55%. However, either dose
      of cladribine induced 70%-90% CD19+ B-cell depletion, similar to alemtuzumab
      (90%). CD19+ cells slowly repopulated to 15%-25% of baseline before cladribine
      redosing. However, alemtuzumab induced hyperrepopulation of CD19+ B cells 6-12
      months after infusion, which probably forms the substrate for B-cell
      autoimmunities associated with alemtuzumab. CONCLUSIONS: Cladribine induced only
      modest depletion of T cells, which may not be consistent with a marked influence
      on MS, based on previous CD4+ T-cell depletion studies. The therapeutic drug
      response relationship with cladribine is more consistent with lasting B-cell
      depletion and, coupled with the success seen with monoclonal CD20+ depletion,
      suggests that B-cell suppression could be the major direct mechanism of action.

PMID- 28626782
TI  - Anti-DPPX encephalitis: prominent nystagmus reflected by extraocular muscle FDG
      PET avidity.

PMID- 28626783
TI  - Vanishing spinal cord after varicella-zoster virus myelitis.

PMID- 28626784
TI  - Acute liver injury in a Glatopa-treated patient with MS.

PMID- 28626785
TI  - Blunted amygdala functional connectivity during a stress task in alcohol
      dependent individuals: A pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scant research has been conducted on neural mechanisms underlying
      stress processing in individuals with alcohol dependence (AD). We examined neural
      substrates of stress in AD individuals compared with controls using an fMRI task
      previously shown to induce stress, assessing amygdala functional connectivity to
      medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: For this novel pilot
      study, 10 abstinent AD individuals and 11 controls completed a modified Trier
      stress task while undergoing fMRI acquisition. The amygdala was used as a seed
      region for whole-brain seed-based functional connectivity analysis. RESULTS:
      After controlling for family-wise error (p = 0.05), there was significantly
      decreased left and right amygdala connectivity with frontal (specifically mPFC),
      temporal, parietal, and cerebellar regions. Subjective stress, but not craving,
      increased from pre-to post-task. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated decreased
      connectivity between the amygdala and regions important for stress and emotional
      processing in long-term abstinent individuals with AD. These results suggest
      aberrant stress processing in individuals with AD even after lengthy periods of
      abstinence.

PMID- 28626786
TI  - Interaction between estradiol and 5-HT1A receptors in the median raphe nucleus on
      acquisition of aversive information and association to the context in
      ovariectomized rats.
AB  - The median raphe nucleus (MRN) is related to stress resistance and defensive
      responses, a crucial source of serotonergic neurons that project to
      prosencephalic structures related to stress and anxiety. Estrogen receptors were
      identified in this mesencephalic structure. It is possible that the estrogen
      action is related to serotonin effect on somatodendritic 5-HT1A receptors,
      inhibiting the function of serotonergic neurons and thus preventing of the stress
      effect and inducing anxiolysis. So, in order to evaluate these aspects, female
      Wistar rats were ovariectomized and 21 days later were given a direct
      microinjection of estradiol benzoate (EB) (1200 ng) into the MRN, preceded by
      microinjections of saline or WAY100.635 (100 ng), a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist.
      Immediately after the two microinjections, the ovariectomized rats were
      conditioned with an aversive event (foot shock) session in a Skinner box. Twenty
      four hours later, they were exposed to the same context in a test session for 5
      min for behavioral assessment: freezing, rearing, locomotion, grooming, and
      autonomic responses (fecal boluses and micturition). EB microinjection in the MRN
      prior to the exposure of animals to the foot shocks in the conditioning session
      did not alter their behavior in this session, but neutralized the association of
      the aversive experience to the context: there was a decrease in the expression of
      freezing and an increased rearing activity in the test session. This effect was
      reversed by prior microinjection of WAY100.635. In conclusion, EB acted on
      serotonergic neurons in the MRN of the ovariectomized rats, impairing the
      association of the aversive experience to the context, by co-modulating the
      functionality of somatodendritic 5-HT1A.

PMID- 28626788
TI  - A high resolution shapefile of the Andean biogeographical region.
AB  - Biogeographical analyses have proven to be an efficient complement to classic
      ecology. An ecoregional layer based on Morrone understanding of the Andean region
      and its sub-regions was constructed. This high-resolution layer was generated
      with GIS software, and it enables to include ecoregions as categorical variables
      into species distribution modeling software.

PMID- 28626787
TI  - 5-HT2A receptor deficiency alters the metabolic and transcriptional, but not the
      behavioral, consequences of chronic unpredictable stress.
AB  - Chronic stress enhances risk for psychiatric disorders, and in animal models is
      known to evoke depression-like behavior accompanied by perturbed neurohormonal,
      metabolic, neuroarchitectural and transcriptional changes. Serotonergic
      neurotransmission, including serotonin2A (5-HT2A) receptors, have been implicated
      in mediating specific aspects of stress-induced responses. Here we investigated
      the influence of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) on depression-like behavior,
      serum metabolic measures, and gene expression in stress-associated neurocircuitry
      of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus in 5-HT2A receptor knockout (5
      [Formula: see text]) and wild-type mice of both sexes. While 5-[Formula: see
      text] male and female mice exhibited a baseline reduced anxiety-like state, this
      did not alter the onset or severity of behavioral despair during and at the
      cessation of CUS, indicating that these mice can develop stress-evoked depressive
      behavior. Analysis of metabolic parameters in serum revealed a CUS-evoked
      dyslipidemia, which was abrogated in 5-[Formula: see text] female mice with a
      hyperlipidemic baseline phenotype. 5-[Formula: see text] male mice in contrast
      did not exhibit such a baseline shift in their serum lipid profile. Specific
      stress-responsive genes (Crh, Crhr1, Nr3c1, and Nr3c2), trophic factors (Bdnf,
      Igf1) and immediate early genes (IEGs) (Arc, Fos, Fosb, Egr1-4) in the PFC and
      hippocampus were altered in 5-[Formula: see text] mice both under baseline and
      CUS conditions. Our results support a role for the 5-HT2A receptor in specific
      metabolic and transcriptional, but not behavioral, consequences of CUS, and
      highlight that the contribution of the 5-HT2A receptor to stress-evoked changes
      is sexually dimorphic.

PMID- 28626789
TI  - Dataset on the electronic and thermal transport properties of quaternary
      compounds of (PbTe)0.95-x(PbSe)x(PbS)0.05.
AB  - The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled
      "High thermoelectric performance in pseudo quaternary compounds of (PbTe)0.95-x
      (PbSe)x(PbS)0.05 by simultaneous band convergence and nano precipitation"
      (Ginting et al., 2017) [1]. We measured electrical and thermal transport
      properties such as temperature-dependent Hall carrier density nH , Hall mobility
      MUH , thermal diffusivity D, heat capacity Cp , and power factor S2sigma in
      (PbTe)0.95-x (PbSe)x(PbS)0.05 (x=0.0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.35, and 0.95)
      compounds with other related compounds from references. From the theoretical
      fitting of thermal conductivity kappa, we found that the temperature-dependent
      thermal conductivity follows nano-structure model as well as alloy scattering.
      Transmission electron microscopy images shows that there are numerous nano-scale
      precipitates in a matrix. Owing to the low thermal conductivity and high power
      factor, we report high thermoelectric performances such as the high ZT,
      engineering ZTeng , efficiency eta.

PMID- 28626790
TI  - Data on records of indoor temperature and relative humidity in a University
      building.
AB  - Good indoor comfort and air quality are essential for correct educational
      development. Most reports in this field focus on primary and secondary school
      buildings, with numerous projects conducted in the Mediterranean Zone. However,
      little has been done in the context of university buildings. Data on indoor
      temperature and relative humidity data acquired trough field surveys of a seminar
      room located in the Architecture Faculty in San Sebastian (Spain) is provided in
      this paper. The seminar room was monitored during a typical spring week. The data
      presented in the article are related to the research article entitled Retrofit
      strategies towards Net Zero Energy Educational Buildings: a case study at the
      University of the Basque Country (Ref. 0378-7788).

PMID- 28626791
TI  - HIV Risk-Reduction Prevention Interventions Targeting African American Adolescent
      Women.
AB  - African American young women are overwhelmingly disproportionately burdened by
      HIV/AIDS in the United States today. The purpose of the current systematic review
      was to identify the characteristics of efficacious HIV risk-reduction prevention
      interventions targeting African American adolescent women in order to inform
      future intervention development and expansion. We searched PubMed, PsychInfo, and
      ProQuest databases for journal articles and dissertations published between 2000
      and 2015 reporting the impacts of HIV risk-reduction prevention interventions in
      the U.S. targeting African American adolescent women under age 25. Twenty
      articles assessing the efficacy of 12 interventions were eligible for inclusion.
      Selected interventions represented a total of 5,556 African American adolescent
      women and primarily drew from self-efficacy and self-empowerment-based
      theoretical frameworks. One intervention targeted girls under age 13; eight
      included participants ages 13-17; ten targeted adolescents aged 18-24 years; and
      five interventions included women over age 24 among their participants. Most
      interventions consisted of in-person knowledge and skills-based group or
      individual sessions led by trained African American female health professionals.
      Three were delivered via personal electronic devices. All programs intervened
      directly at the individual-level; some additionally targeted mothers, friends, or
      sexual partners. Overall, efficacious interventions among this population promote
      gender and ethnic pride, HIV risk-reduction self-efficacy, and skills building.
      They target multiple socio-ecological levels and tailor content to the specific
      age range, developmental period, and baseline behavioral characteristics of
      participants. However, demonstrated sustainability of program impacts to date are
      limited and should be addressed for program enhancements and expansions.

PMID- 28626792
TI  - Is Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Colonization Associated with Worse
      Outcomes in COPD Hospitalizations?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
      colonization is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients,
      its effect on the course of COPD hospitalization remains unknown. METHODS:
      Records of 160 patients hospitalized at our institution January 1, 2008 to May 1,
      2010 with acute exacerbations of COPD who were screened for MRSA were examined
      and outcomes from their hospitalizations were quantified. RESULTS: Of the 160
      patients, 33 (20.6%) were MRSA colonized on screening. These patients had similar
      demographics, spirometry, Charlson Indexes, and APACHE-II scores when compared to
      patients who were not MRSA colonized (n=127), but MRSA colonized patients had
      more hospitalizations within the 2 years prior to admission (2 [1-4.8] versus 1
      [0-3], p = 0.03). While hospitalized, MRSA colonized patients had a longer length
      of stay (9 [5.3-15.5] versus 5 [3-7.8] days, p = 0.01) and more antibiotic days
      (7 [5-10.8] versus 5 [0-7] days, p = 0.01). They were also more likely to receive
      intensive care (51.5% versus 23.6%, p = 0.01) and to develop respiratory failure
      that required noninvasive ventilation (56.3% versus 38.2%, p = 0.05). Trends
      towards increased use of invasive mechanical ventilation and readmission within
      30 days were also present. CONCLUSIONS: COPD patients colonized with MRSA have
      longer hospitalizations, require longer courses of antibiotics, and are more
      likely to require intensive care.

PMID- 28626794
TI  - Febrile ataxia and myokymia broaden the SPG26 hereditary spastic paraplegia
      phenotype.

PMID- 28626795
TI  - Developmental Environmental Exposure Alters the Epigenetic Features of Myometrial
      Stem Cells.

PMID- 28626793
TI  - Acidic pH-targeted chitosan capped mesoporous silica coated gold nanorods
      facilitate detection of pancreatic tumors via multispectral optoacoustic
      tomography.
AB  - We present a cancer nanomedicine based on acidic pH targeted gold nanorods
      designed for multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT). We have designed gold
      nanorods coated with mesoporous silica and subsequently capped with chitosan
      (CMGs). We have conjugated pH-sensitive variant 7 pHLIP peptide to the CMGs (V7
      CMG) to provide targeting specificity to the acidic tumor microenvironment. In
      vitro, treatment of S2VP10 and MiaPaca2 cells with V7-CMG containing gemcitabine
      resulted in significantly greater cytotoxicity with 97% and 96.5% cell death,
      respectively than gemcitabine alone 60% and 76% death at pH 6.5 (S2VP10 pH 6.5
      p=0.009; MiaPaca2 pH 6.5 p=0.0197). In vivo, the V7-CMGs provided the contrast
      and targeting specificity necessary for MSOT of retroperitoneal orthotopic
      pancreatic tumors. In the in vivo S2VP10 model, the V7-CMG particle
      preferentially accumulated within the tumor at 17.1 MSOT a.u. signal compared
      with 0.7 MSOT a.u. in untargeted CMG control in tumor (P = 0.0002). Similarly, V7
      CMG signal was 9.34 MSOT a.u. in the S2013 model compared with untargeted CMG
      signal at 0.15 MSOT a.u. (P = 0.0004). The pH-sensitivity of the targeting pHLIP
      peptide and chitosan coating makes the particles suitable for simultaneous in
      vivo tumor imaging and drug delivery.

PMID- 28626796
TI  - Determining Underground Mining Work Postures Using Motion Capture and Digital
      Human Modeling.
AB  - According to Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) data, during 2008-2012
      in the U.S., there were, on average, 65 lost-time accidents per year during
      routine mining and maintenance activities involving remote-controlled continuous
      mining machines (CMMs). To address this problem, the National Institute for
      Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is currently investigating the
      implementation and integration of existing and emerging technologies in
      underground mines to provide automated, intelligent proximity detection (iPD)
      devices on CMMs. One research goal of NIOSH is to enhance the proximity detection
      system by improving its capability to track and determine identity, position, and
      posture of multiple workers, and to selectively disable machine functions to keep
      workers and machine operators safe. Posture of the miner can determine the safe
      working distance from a CMM by way of the variation in the proximity detection
      magnetic field. NIOSH collected and analyzed motion capture data and calculated
      joint angles of the back, hips, and knees from various postures on 12 human
      subjects. The results of the analysis suggests that lower body postures can be
      identified by observing the changes in joint angles of the right hip, left hip,
      right knee, and left knee.

PMID- 28626797
TI  - Intrathoracic Fat Measurements Using Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT):
      Feasibility and Reproducibility.
AB  - Intrathoracic fat volume, more specifically, epicardial fat volume, is an
      emerging imaging biomarker of adverse cardiovascular events. The purpose of this
      work is to show the feasibility and reproducibility of intrathoracic fat volume
      measurement applied to contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography
      images. A retrospective cohort study of 62 subjects free of cardiovascular
      disease (55% females, age = 49 +/- 11 years) conducted from 2008 to 2011 formed
      the study group. Intrathoracic fat volume was defined as all fat voxels measuring
      -50 to -250 Hounsfield Unit within the intrathoracic cavity from the level of the
      pulmonary artery bifurcation to the heart apex. The intrathoracic fat was
      separated into epicardial and extrapericardial fat by tracing the pericardium.
      The measurements were obtained by 2 readers and compared for interrater
      reproducibility. The fat volume measurements for the study group were 141 +/- 72
      cm3 for intrathoracic fat, 58 +/- 27 cm3 for epicardial fat, and 84 +/- 50 cm3
      for extrapericardial fat. There was no statistically significant difference in
      intrathoracic fat volume measurements between the 2 readers, with correlation
      coefficients of 0.88 (P = .55) for intrathoracic fat volume and -0.12 (P = .33)
      for epicardial fat volume. Voxel-based measurement of intrathoracic fat,
      including the separation into epicardial and extrapericardial fat, is feasible
      and highly reproducible from multidetector computed tomography scans.

PMID- 28626798
TI  - Demographic, Health and Diabetes Self-management Correlates of Medical Skepticism
      Among Rural Older Adults.
AB  - This study examines the demographic, health, and diabetes self-management
      correlates of medical skepticism among an ethnically diverse sample of older (>60
      years) rural adults. Participants (n=564) received a hemoglobin A1c (A1c) test
      and completed a survey including measures of diabetes management behaviors and
      the four-item medical skepticism scale. Significant associations were observed
      between medical skepticism and demographic and health characteristics; overall
      greater medical skepticism was associated with lower A1c values. In multivariate
      analysis, overall medical skepticism scores were inversely associated with
      participating in diabetes education classes and positively associated with
      participating in exercise sessions. Two of the four individual medical skepticism
      items were associated with diabetes management: diabetes class participation and
      exercising and eating > 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables. This study
      shows that a brief medical skepticism tool may be useful in clinical and research
      settings in assessing the degree to which older adults with diabetes adhere to
      diabetes management.

PMID- 28626799
TI  - Acute Ischemic Lesions Associated with Impairments in Expression and Recognition
      of Affective Prosody.
AB  - PURPOSE: We aimed to: (a) review existing data on the neural basis of affective
      prosody;(b) test the hypothesis that there are double dissociations in
      impairments of expression and recognition of affective prosody; and (c) identify
      areas of infarct associated with impaired expression and/or recognition of
      affective prosody after acute right hemisphere (RH) ischemic stroke. METHODS:
      Participants were tested on recognition of emotional prosody in content-neutral
      sentences. Expression was evaluated by measuring variability in fundamental
      frequency. Voxel-based symptom mapping was used to identify areas associated with
      severity of expressive deficits. RESULTS: We found that 9/23 patients had
      expressive prosody impairments; 5/9 of these patients also had impaired
      recognition of affective prosody; 2/9 had selective deficits in expressive
      prosody; recognition was not tested in 2/9. Another 6/23 patients had selective
      impairment in recognition of affective prosody. Severity of expressive deficits
      was associated with lesions in right temporal pole; patients with temporal pole
      lesions had deficits in expression and recognition. CONCLUSIONS: Expression and
      recognition of prosody can be selectively impaired. Damage to right anterior
      temporal pole is associated with impairment of both, indicating a role of this
      structure in a mechanism shared by expression and production of affective
      prosody.

PMID- 28626800
TI  - DNA damage-induced nuclear factor-kappa B activation and its roles in cancer
      progression.
AB  - DNA damage is a vital challenge to cell homeostasis. Cellular responses to DNA
      damage (DDR) play essential roles in maintaining genomic stability and survival,
      whose failure could lead to detrimental consequences such as cancer development
      and aging. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) is a family of transcription
      factors that plays critical roles in cellular stress response. Along with p53, NF
      kappaB modulates transactivation of a large number of genes which participate in
      various cellular processes involved in DDR. Here the authors summarize the recent
      progress in understanding DNA damage response and NF-kappaB signaling pathways.
      This study particularly focuses on DNA damage-induced NF-kappaB signaling cascade
      and its physiological and pathological significance in B cell development and
      cancer therapeutic resistance. The authors also discuss promising strategies for
      selectively targeting this genotoxic NF-kappaB signaling aiming to antagonize
      acquired resistance and resensitize refractory cancer cells to cytotoxic
      treatments.

PMID- 28626801
TI  - B lymphocytes and cancer: a love-hate relationship.

PMID- 28626803
TI  - Estimation of insulin secretion, glucose uptake by tissues, and liver handling of
      glucose using a mathematical model of glucose-insulin homeostasis in lean and
      obese mice.
AB  - Destruction of the insulin-producing beta-cells is the key determinant of
      diabetes mellitus regardless of their types. Due to their anatomical location
      within the islets of Langerhans scattered throughout the pancreas, it is
      difficult to monitor beta-cell function and mass clinically. To this end, we
      propose to use a mathematical model of glucose-insulin homeostasis to estimate
      insulin secretion, glucose uptake by tissues, and hepatic handling of glucose. We
      applied the mathematical model by Lombarte et al. (2013) to compare various rate
      constants representing glucose-insulin homeostasis between lean (11% fat)- and
      high fat diet (HFD; 45% fat)-fed mice. Mice fed HFD (n = 12) for 3 months showed
      significantly higher body weights (49.97 +/- 0.52 g vs. 29.86 +/- 0.46 g),
      fasting blood glucose levels (213.08 +/- 10.35 mg/dl vs. 121.91 +/- 2.26 mg/dl),
      and glucose intolerance compared to mice fed lean diet (n = 12). Mice were
      injected with 1 g/kg glucose intraperitoneally and blood glucose levels were
      measured at various intervals for 120 min. We performed simulation using ArenaTM
      software based on the mathematical model and estimated the rate constants (9
      parameters) for various terms in the differential equations using OptQuestTM. The
      simulated data fit accurately to the observed data for both lean and obese mice,
      validating the use of the mathematical model in mice at different stages of
      diabetes progression. Among 9 parameters, 5 parameters including basal insulin,
      k2 (rate constant for insulin-dependent glucose uptake to tissues), k3 (rate
      constant for insulin-independent glucose uptake to tissues), k4 (rate constant
      for liver glucose transfer), and Ipi (rate constant for insulin concentration
      where liver switches from glucose release to uptake) were significantly different
      between lean- and HFD-fed mice. Basal blood insulin levels, k3, and Ipi were
      significantly elevated but k2 and k4 were reduced in mice fed a HFD compared to
      those fed a lean diet. Non-invasive assessment of the key components of glucose
      insulin homeostasis including insulin secretion, glucose uptake by tissues, and
      hepatic handling of glucose may be helpful for individualized drug therapy and
      designing a customized control algorithm for the artificial pancreas.

PMID- 28626802
TI  - Cohesin Mutations in Myeloid Malignancies.
AB  - Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a hematologic malignancy with a poor prognosis.
      Recent genome-wide sequencing studies have identified frequent mutations in genes
      encoding members of the cohesin complex. Mutations in cohesin contribute to
      myeloid malignancies by conferring enhanced self-renewal of hematopoietic stem
      and progenitor cells but the mechanisms behind this phenotype have not been fully
      elucidated. Of note, cohesin mutations are highly prevalent in acute
      megakaryocytic leukemia associated with Down syndrome (DS-AMKL), where they occur
      in over half of patients. Evidence suggests that cohesin mutations alter gene
      expression through changes in chromatin accessibility and/or aberrant targeting
      of epigenetic complexes. In this review we discuss the pathogenic mechanisms by
      which cohesin mutations contribute to myeloid malignancies.

PMID- 28626804
TI  - Reflectance-based detection for long term environmental monitoring.
AB  - Here, the potential of colorimetric sensors utilizing porphyrin indicators for
      long term environmental monitoring is demonstrated. Prototype devices based on
      commercial color sensing chips (six per device) were combined with in-house
      developed algorithms for data analysis. The devices are intended to provide real
      time sensing of threats. An initial outdoor data set was collected using
      prototype devices with occasional spiked exposure to targets. This data was
      supported by similar data collected in a controlled indoor environment.
      Weaknesses in the noted performance of the devices during these experiments were
      addressed through altering device parameters, algorithm parameters, and array
      element composition. Additional outdoor data sets totaling 1,616 h and indoor
      data sets totaling 728 h were collected in support of assessing these changes to
      the system configuration. The optimized system provided receiver operating
      characteristics (ROC) of specificity 0.97 and sensitivity 1.0.

PMID- 28626805
TI  - In situ polarization and dielectric property measurements of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3
      ferroelectric nanocrystals.
AB  - Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/polycarbonate (PZT/PC) composite films with different
      concentration of PZT ferroelectric nanocrystals are prepared. The polarization
      and dielectric relaxation behavior of PZT ferroelectric nanocrystals are
      characterized using in situ transmittance and X-ray diffraction (XRD)
      measurements for the first time. It's found that 10% PZT/PC composite film has
      the largest orientation change and negligible dielectric relaxation after poling
      (the phi value of 13.8% is almost constant with time even for 168 h). Based on
      the XRD results, we consider that the preferential orientation of PZT
      nanocrystals to align in PC matrix after poling is [001] direction.

PMID- 28626806
TI  - A brief measure to predict exercise behavior: the Archer-Garcia Ratio.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Different forms of conscious and planned physical exercise and
      activity that individuals perform improve not only physical but also
      psychological health, well-being, and both physical and intellectual performance.
      Here we put forward and test the predictive validity of the Archer-Garcia Ratio,
      a brief measure for exercise frequency computed using participants' responses to
      two questions. METHOD: The participants (N = 158) were recruited from a training
      facility in the south of Sweden. The Archer-Garcia Ratio was constructed by
      standardizing (i.e., z-scores) and then summarizing individuals' responses to two
      questions: "How often do you exercise?" (1 = never, 5 = 5 times/week or more) and
      "Estimate the level of effort when you exercise" (1 = none or very low, 10 = very
      high). Participants responded also to the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise
      Questionnaire and allowed the collection of electronic data to track the number
      of times they had trained six months before and both six and twelve months after
      the survey. RESULTS: The Archer-Garcia Ratio predicted, moderately, how often
      individuals had trained during the six months before and both six months and
      twelve months after the survey. CONCLUSION: The Archer-Garcia Ratio is a brief
      and valid self-report measure that can be used to predict actual retrospective
      and prospective exercise behavior. It offers a simple and straightforward form to
      estimate adherence, compliance and propensities of peoples' exercise habits.

PMID- 28626807
TI  - The association between Western and Prudent dietary patterns and fasting blood
      glucose levels in type 2 diabetes and normal glucose metabolism in older
      Australian adults.
AB  - High blood glucose and type 2 diabetes are associated with a range of adverse
      health and cognitive outcomes. One factor that contributes to high blood glucose
      and type 2 diabetes is dietary intake. This study investigated the relationship
      between dietary patterns, fasting blood glucose and diabetes status in a sample
      of 209 participants aged 60-65. Blood plasma glucose was measured from venous
      blood samples. Individual Prudent and Western dietary patterns were estimated
      from a self-completed food frequency questionnaire. The relationship between
      dietary patterns, diabetes, and blood glucose was assessed via general linear
      model analyses controlling for age, sex, height, and total caloric intake.
      Results indicated that there was no association between Prudent diet and fasting
      blood glucose levels, or type 2 diabetes. In contrast, an individual in the upper
      tertile for Western dietary score had a significantly higher risk of having
      diabetes than an individual in the lower tertile for Western dietary score.
      However, there was no significant association between Western diet and fasting
      blood glucose. Western diet may be associated with type 2 diabetes through
      mechanisms beyond impacting blood plasma glucose directly. The fact that the
      association between Western diet and type 2 diabetes remained even when total
      caloric intake was controlled for highlights the need for policy and population
      health interventions targeting the reduction of unhealthy food consumption.

PMID- 28626808
TI  - Attenuation of opioid tolerance by ETB receptor agonist, IRL-1620, is independent
      of an accompanied decrease in nerve growth factor in mice.
AB  - AIM: ETA receptor antagonists reverse opioid tolerance but the involvement of ETB
      receptors is unknown. In morphine or oxycodone tolerant mice we investigated (1)
      the effect of ETB receptor agonist, IRL-1620, on analgesic tolerance; (2) changes
      in expression of the brain ETA and ETB receptors; and (3) alterations in the
      brain VEGF, NGF, PI3K and notch-1 expression. MAIN METHODS: Body weight, body
      temperature, and tail-flick latency were assessed before and after a challenge
      dose of morphine or oxycodone in vehicle or IRL-1620 treated mice. Expression
      studies were carried out using Western blots. KEY FINDINGS: Tail flick latency to
      a challenge dose of opioid was significantly increased by IRL-1620 from 39% to
      100% in morphine tolerant and from 8% to 83% in oxycodone tolerant mice. Morphine
      or oxycodone did not alter ETA or ETB receptor expression. IRL-1620 had no effect
      on ETA however it increased (61%) expression of ETB receptors. IRL-1620-induced
      increase in ETB receptor expression was attenuated by morphine (39.8%) and
      oxycodone (51.8%). VEGF expression was not affected by morphine or oxycodone and
      was unaltered by IRL-1620. However, NGF and PI3K expression was decreased (P <
      0.001) by morphine and oxycodone and was unaffected by IRL-1620. Notch-1
      expression was not altered by morphine, oxycodone or IRL-1620. SIGNIFICANCE: ETB
      receptor agonist, IRL-1620, restored analgesic tolerance to morphine and
      oxycodone, but it did not affect morphine and oxycodone induced decrease in
      NGF/PI3K expression. It is concluded that IRL-1620 attenuates opioid tolerance
      without the involvement of NGF/PI3K pathway.

PMID- 28626809
TI  - Epidermal growth factor prevents APOE4-induced cognitive and cerebrovascular
      deficits in female mice.
AB  - Cerebrovascular dysfunction is re-emerging as a major component of aging, and may
      contribute to the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Two important risk
      factors for cerebrovascular dysfunction are APOE and female sex, which are
      primarily researched in the context of high amyloid-beta (Abeta) levels as found
      in AD. However, APOE4 and sex modulate Abeta-independent pathways that may induce
      cerebrovascular dysfunction as a downstream consequence. Therefore, testing the
      activity of factors that target cerebrovascular dysfunction in Abeta-independent
      models that incorporate APOE4 and female sex is crucial. We have previously
      demonstrated that peripheral administration of the epidermal growth factor (EGF)
      prevents cognitive dysfunction, cerebrovascular leakiness, and cerebrovascular
      coverage deficits in female mice that express APOE4 and overproduce Abeta,
      without affecting Abeta levels. These data raise the question of whether EGF
      protects the cerebrovasculature from general stress-induced damage. Therefore,
      the goal of this study was to determine whether EGF prevents Abeta-independent
      cerebrovascular dysfunction. In eight-month old mice that express human APOE, the
      interaction of APOE4 and female sex induced cognitive dysfunction, increased
      cerebrovascular leakiness and lowered vessel coverage. Importantly, in a
      prevention paradigm (from six to eight and a half months of age), EGF ameliorated
      cognitive decline and cerebrovascular deficits in female mice that express APOE4.
      Thus, developing treatment strategies based on EGF signaling could provide
      alternative therapeutic options for age-related cerebrovascular dysfunction and
      reduce AD risk.

PMID- 28626810
TI  - Human papillomavirus (HPV) in young women in Britain: Population-based evidence
      of the effectiveness of the bivalent immunisation programme and burden of
      quadrivalent and 9-valent vaccine types.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2008, the UK introduced an HPV immunisation programme in girls.
      Population-based prevalence estimates of bivalent (HPV-16/18), quadrivalent (HPV
      6/11/16/18) and 9-valent (HPV-6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58) vaccine types, and
      comparison over time, are needed to monitor impact, evaluate effectiveness and
      guide decision-making on vaccination strategies. METHODS: The third National
      Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) in 2010-12, tested urine for
      HPV from 2569 sexually-experienced women aged 16-44. We report type-specific HPV
      prevalence and compare results with 1798 women in Natsal-2 (1999-2001) using age
      adjusted prevalence ratios (APR). FINDINGS: In Natsal-3, 4.2% of women aged 16
      44y were positive for HPV-16/18 and 2.9% for HPV-6/11. In 16-20 year olds, 4.5%,
      10.8% and 20.7% had at least one bivalent, quadrivalent or 9-valent vaccine type,
      respectively. Three-dose vaccine coverage was 52.0% in women aged 18-20y. In this
      age group, HPV-16/18 prevalence was lower in Natsal-3 than Natsal-2 (5.8% vs
      11.2%; APR=0.48[95%CI: 0.24-0.93]), however, prevalences of HPV-6/11, HPV
      31/33/45 and HPV-52/58 were unchanged. HPV-16/18 prevalence was also unchanged in
      women aged 21-44y (APR=0.85[0.61-1.19]). INTERPRETATION: These probability
      surveys provide evidence of the impact of the bivalent immunisation programme.
      Reductions were specific to HPV-16/18 and to the age group eligible for
      vaccination. However, substantial vaccine-preventable HPV remains.

PMID- 28626811
TI  - The ENRICH Study to evaluate the effectiveness of a combination intervention
      package to improve isoniazid preventive therapy initiation, adherence and
      completion among people living with HIV in Ethiopia: rationale and design of a
      mixed methods cluster randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) prevents tuberculosis among HIV
      positive individuals, however implementation is suboptimal. Implementation
      science studies are needed to identify interventions to address this evidence-to
      program gap. OBJECTIVE: The ENRICH Study is a mixed methods cluster randomized
      trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and acceptability of a combination
      intervention package (CIP) to improve IPT implementation in Ethiopia. DESIGN: Ten
      health centers were randomized to receive the CIP or standard of care. The CIP
      includes: nurse training and mentorship using a clinical algorithm, tool to
      identify IPT-eligible family members, and data review at multidisciplinary team
      meetings; patient transport reimbursement; and adherence support using peer
      educators and interactive voice response messages. Routine data were abstracted
      for all newly-enrolled IPT-eligible HIV-positive patients; anticipated sample
      size was 1400 individuals. A measurement cohort of patients initiating IPT was
      recruited; target enrollment was 500 individuals, to be followed for the duration
      of IPT (6-9 months). Inclusion criteria were: HIV-positive; initiated IPT; age
      >=18; Amharic-, Oromiffa-, Harari-, or Somali-speaking; and capable of informed
      consent. Three groups were recruited from CIP health centers for in-depth
      interviews: IPT initiators; IPT non-initiators; and health care providers.
      Primary outcomes are: IPT initiation; and IPT completion. Secondary outcomes
      include: retention; adherence; change in CD4+ count; adverse events; and
      acceptability. Follow-up is complete. DISCUSSION: The ENRICH Study evaluates a
      CIP targeting barriers to IPT implementation. If the CIP is found effective and
      acceptable, this study has the potential to inform TB prevention strategies for
      HIV patients in resource-limited countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

PMID- 28626812
TI  - Electrocortical Reactivity During Self-referential Processing in Female Youth
      With Borderline Personality Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is debilitating, and
      theoretical models have postulated that cognitive-affective biases contribute to
      the onset and maintenance of BPD symptoms. Despite advances, our understanding of
      BPD pathophysiology in youth is limited. The present study used event-related
      potentials (ERPs) to identify cognitive-affective processes that underlie
      negative self-referential processing in BPD youth. METHODS: Healthy females (n =
      33) and females with BPD (n = 26) 13 to 22 years of age completed a self
      referential encoding task while 128-channel electroencephalography data were
      recorded to examine early (i.e., P1 and P2) and late (late positive potential
      [LPP]) ERP components. Whole-brain standardized low-resolution electromagnetic
      tomography explored intracortical sources underlying significant scalp ERP
      effects. RESULTS: Compared to healthy females, participants with BPD endorsed,
      recalled, and recognized fewer positive and more negative words. Moreover, unlike
      the healthy group, females with BPD had faster reaction times to endorse negative
      versus positive words. In the scalp ERP analyses, the BPD group had greater P2
      and late LPP positivity to negative as opposed to positive words. For P2 and late
      LPP, whole-brain standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography analyses
      suggested that females with BPD overrecruit frontolimbic circuitry in response to
      negative stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings show that females
      with BPD process negative self-relevant information differently than healthy
      females. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

PMID- 28626814
TI  - Latest developments and advances in the prevention of blindness, a global
      perspective.

PMID- 28626813
TI  - Hallucinations as top-down effects on perception.
AB  - The problem of whether and how information is integrated across hierarchical
      brain networks embodies a fundamental tension in contemporary cognitive
      neuroscience, and by extension, cognitive neuropsychiatry. Indeed, the
      penetrability of perceptual processes in a 'top-down' manner by higher-level
      cognition-a natural extension of hierarchical models of perception-may contradict
      a strictly modular view of mental organization. Furthermore, some in the
      cognitive science community have challenged cognitive penetration as an unlikely,
      if not impossible, process. We review the evidence for and against top-down
      influences in perception, informed by a predictive coding model of perception and
      drawing heavily upon the literature of computational neuroimaging. We extend
      these findings to propose a way in which these processes may be altered in mental
      illness. We propose that hallucinations - perceptions without stimulus - can be
      understood as top-down effects on perception, mediated by inappropriate
      perceptual priors.

PMID- 28626815
TI  - Part-time versus full-time occlusion therapy for treatment of amblyopia: A meta
      analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare full-time occlusion (FTO) and part-time occlusion (PTO)
      therapy in the treatment of amblyopia, with the secondary aim of evaluating the
      minimum number of hours of part-time patching required for maximal effect from
      occlusion. METHODS: A literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Science
      Direct, Ovid, Web of Science and Cochrane library. Methodological quality of the
      literature was evaluated according to the Oxford Center for Evidence Based
      Medicine and modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Statistical analyses were performed
      using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (version 2, Biostat Inc., USA). RESULTS: The
      present meta-analysis included six studies [three randomized controlled trials
      (RCTs) and three non-RCTs]. Pooled standardized difference in the mean changes in
      the visual acuity was 0.337 [lower and upper limits: -0.009, 0.683] higher in the
      FTO as compared to the PTO group; however, this difference was not statistically
      significant (P = 0.056, Cochrane Q value = 20.4 (P = 0.001), I2 = 75.49%).
      Egger's regression intercept was 5.46 (P = 0.04). The pooled standardized
      difference in means of visual acuity changes was 1.097 [lower and upper limits:
      0.68, 1.513] higher in the FTO arm (P < 0.001), and 0.7 [lower and upper limits:
      0.315, 1.085] higher in the PTO arm (P < 0.001) compared to PTO less than two
      hours. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis shows no statistically significant
      difference between PTO and FTO in treatment of amblyopia. However, our results
      suggest that the minimum effective PTO duration, to observe maximal improvement
      in visual acuity is six hours per day.

PMID- 28626816
TI  - Evaluation of topical bevacizumab as an adjunct to mitomycin C augmented
      trabeculectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and synergistic effect of topical bevacizumab
      after trabeculectomy surgery with mitomycin C (MMC). METHODS: In this
      prospective, non-randomized, comparative interventional study, 40 eyes from 40
      patients with uncontrolled open-angle glaucoma were studied after they underwent
      primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (0.02% for 2 min). Following the
      procedure topical bevacizumab (4 mg/mL) was used for 2 weeks 4 times daily in
      group A. Patients in group B received routine postoperative care. The outcome
      measures were the intraocular pressure (IOP), number of anti-glaucoma
      medications, complications, and bleb evaluation. RESULTS: Of the 32 eyes that had
      at least 6 months follow-up, 16 were treated with adjuvant topical bevacizumab.
      The mean preoperative IOP in group A improved from 26.7 +/- 9.3 mmHg with 2.8 +/-
      1.3 anti-glaucoma medications to 10.5 +/- 2.8 mmHg with 0.7 +/- 1 anti-glaucoma
      medications at last follow-up (P < 0.001). The mean preoperative IOP in group B
      improved from 21.8 +/- 6.6 mmHg with 3 +/- 0.8 anti-glaucoma medications to 11.4
      +/- 3.6 mmHg with 0.8 +/- 1.2 anti-glaucoma medications at last follow-up (P <
      0.001). There was an overall reduction of 54.4% and 43.7% in the IOP in groups A
      and B, respectively (P = 0.18). The cystic type of bleb was less common in group
      A (P = 0.043). One patient in group A developed a streptococcal corneal ulcer 1.5
      months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Administration of topical bevacizumab 4 mg/ml
      for two weeks following trabeculectomy with mitomycin-C did not significantly
      affect the IOP trend, but significantly decreased the cystic bleb formation in
      short-term follow-up.

PMID- 28626817
TI  - Comparison of current tonometry techniques in measurement of intraocular
      pressure.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare four tonometry techniques: Goldmann applanation tonometer
      (GAT), Dynamic contour tonometer (DCT), Non-contact tonometer (NCT), and Ocular
      Response Analyzer (ORA) in the measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) and the
      impact of some corneal biomechanical factors on their performance. METHODS: In
      this cross-sectional study, volunteers with normal ophthalmic examination and no
      history of eye surgery (except for uncomplicated cataract surgery) or trauma were
      selected. Twenty-five subjects were male, and 21 were female. The mean age was 48
      +/- 19.2 years. Anterior segment parameters were measured with Scheimpflug
      imaging. IOP was measured with GAT, DCT, NCT, and ORA in random order. A 95%
      limit of agreement of IOPs was analyzed. The impact of different parameters on
      the measured IOP with each device was evaluated by regression analysis. RESULTS:
      The average IOP measured with GAT, DCT, NCT, and ORA was 16.4 +/- 3.5, 18.1 +/-
      3.4, 16.2 +/- 3.9, and 17.3 +/- 3.4 mmHg, respectively. The difference of IOP
      measured with NCT and GAT was not significant (P = 0.382). Intraocular pressure
      was significantly different between GAT with DCT and IOPCC (P < 0.001 and P =
      0.022, respectively). The 95% limit of agreement of DCT, NCT, and IOPCC with GAT
      was -5.7 to 2.5, -4.1 to 4.7, and -5.3-3.7 mmHg, respectively. Simple regression
      model corneal resistance factor (CRF) and central corneal thickness (CCT) and
      multivariate model CRF had a significant relationship with IOP measured with the
      four devices. CONCLUSION: Although the mean difference of measured IOP by NCT,
      DCT, and ORA with GAT was less than 2 mmHg, the limit of agreement was relatively
      large. CCT and CRF were important influencing factors in the four types of
      tonometers.

PMID- 28626818
TI  - Astigmatic treatment with photorefractive keratectomy: Investigations of non
      keratometric ocular astigmatism.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of non-keratometric ocular astigmatisms on visual
      and refractive outcomes after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for correction of
      myopic astigmatisms. METHODS: Seventy one eyes of 36 subjects were enrolled in
      this study. Patients underwent PRK for treatment of myopia. Subjects were
      evaluated for refractive error, keratometry, and visual acuity before and six
      months after surgery. Pre- and post-op non-keratometric astigmatisms were
      calculated by vectorial analysis of the difference between the corneal plane
      refractive astigmatism and keratometric astigmatism. Astigmatic analysis explored
      the contribution of non-keratometric astigmatisms. RESULTS: The pre-op spherical
      equivalent (SE) was -6.27 +/- 1.48 with 1.16 +/- 1.02 diopters of corneal plane
      refractive astigmatism and 1.44 +/- 0.47 diopters keratometric astigmatism. Post
      op values were -0.60 +/- 0.85, 0.56 +/- 0.47, and 1.06 +/- 0.57, respectively, 6
      months after surgery. Pre- and post-op non-keratometric astigmatisms were 0.76 +/
      0.41 and 0.76 +/- 0.46, respectively, (P = 0.976) with significant correlation
      (r = 0.37, P = 0.002). Pre-op non-keratometric astigmatisms correlated to the pre
      op SE (r = -0.25, P = 0.04). Pre-op non-keratometric astigmatisms had significant
      correlation with keratometric difference vector of astigmatic correction (r =
      0.369, P = 0.002). Post-op non-keratometric astigmatisms correlated to
      keratometric induced astigmatism (r = 0.334, P = 0.006), keratometric index of
      success (r = 0.571, P < 0.001), and post-op keratometric astigmatism (r = 0.736,
      P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher or lower non-keratometric ocular astigmatisms did
      not have any effect on refractive and visual outcome after PRK. PRK effectively
      corrected total refractive astigmatism through correction of keratometric
      astigmatism and additional adjustment to compensate for non-keratometric ocular
      astigmatisms.

PMID- 28626819
TI  - Comparison of bandage contact lens removal on the fourth versus seventh
      postoperative day after photorefractive keratectomy: A randomized clinical trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of bandage contact lens (BCL) removal on the
      fourth versus seventh post-operative day following photorefractive keratectomy
      (PRK). METHODS: This study recruited eyes of patients who underwent PRK surgery.
      The patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups. In Group 1 BCL was removed on
      the 4th postoperative day, while in Group 2, BCL was removed on the 7th
      postoperative day. After BCL removal, patients were asked to express their pain
      score and eye discomfort. At one and three months follow-up examinations, visual
      acuity scale was assessed. Slit-lamp examination was performed in all visits to
      evaluate complications. RESULTS: 260 eyes of 130 patients underwent PRK. The age
      and sex ratio were not significantly different between the two groups. One month
      after the surgery, the logMAR uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and
      corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) were significantly lower in Group 2 (P
      value = 0.016, 0.001 respectively), however, the UDVA and CDVA were not
      significantly different after 3 months (P > 0.05). In Group 1, filamentary
      keratitis (FK) was observed in 10 (7.6%) eyes, 6 (4.61%) eyes were diagnosed with
      recurrent corneal erosion (RCE) and corneal haze was detected in 3 (2.3%) eyes.
      However, in Group 2, RCE was observed in 4 (2.3%) and FK was noted in 4 (3.07%)
      eyes. No haze was seen in Group 2. The difference in rate of complications was
      statistically significant (14.6% and 6.1% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively, P =
      0.02). Pain and eye discomfort scores were not significantly different (P >
      0.05). There was no major complications including infectious keratitis in either
      groups. CONCLUSION: Following PRK surgery, BCL removal on the seventh
      postoperative day yields faster visual rehabilitation and lower rate of
      postoperative complications with no increase in eye pain, discomfort or
      infection.

PMID- 28626820
TI  - Factors associated with surface epithelial keratopathy after optical penetrating
      keratoplasty.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the various donor and recipient
      factors associated with short-term prevalence of surface epithelial keratopathy
      after optical penetrating keratoplasty (OPK). METHODS: Preoperative and
      postoperative data of 91 eyes of 91 patients were reviewed retrospectively who
      had undergone OPK from March 2013 to February 2016. Donor and recipient data were
      analyzed for age and sex of the donor, cause of death, death to enucleation time
      (DET), death to preservation time (DPT), enucleation to utilisation time (EUT)
      and total time (TT), age and sex of recipient, indications of penetrating
      keratoplasty (PK), associated glaucoma and recipient size (RS). The presence of
      various epitheliopathies were recorded at various postoperative visits. RESULTS:
      The range of age of recipient in this study was 10-83 yrs (mean 49.19 +/- 19.35
      yrs). The donor age ranged in between 17 and 95 years (70.27 +/- 15.11 years).
      Age and preoperative diagnosis of host showed significant influence on
      epitheliopathy till two weeks and one month post-PK (P = 0.032 and 0.05),
      respectively. Donor's age and gender showed significant impact on surface
      keratopathy (SK) till two weeks follow-up with P value of 0.04 and 0.004,
      respectively. DET, DPT, EUT, and TT affected the surface epithelium significantly
      with P value of 0.007, 0.001, 0.05, and 0.03, respectively. On first
      postoperative day 33 (36.26%) eyes developed epithelial defect involving >1/2 of
      cornea. CONCLUSION: Various donor and recipient factors showed influence on
      various epithelial abnormalities of surface epithelium in early postoperative
      period.

PMID- 28626821
TI  - Mesopic visual quality after accelerated corneal cross linking: A 12-month follow
      up study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the 1-year changes of mesopic higher order aberrations
      (HOAs) and contrast sensitivity (CS) after accelerated corneal cross linking
      (CXL) in progressive keratoconus. METHODS: In this prospective case series, 70
      eyes of 62 keratoconic patients underwent accelerated CXL (18 mW/cm2, 5 min).
      HOAs and CS were measured using the OPD Scan III and CSV-1000 CS test charts
      under mesopic conditions before and 6 and 12 months after CXL. RESULTS: At 1
      year, logarithmic mesopic CS in spatial frequencies of 3, 6, 12, and 18 cycles
      per degree (CPD) had increased by 0.05 +/- 0.29 (P = 0.029), 0.04 +/- 0.88 (P =
      0.012), 0.27 +/- 0.46 (P = 0.172), and 0.06 +/- 0.22 (P = 0.020), respectively.
      The decrease in ocular HOAs (0.10 +/- 0.69 MUm, P = 0.992) [coma (0.08 +/- 1.01
      MUm, P = 0.613), trefoil (0.03 +/- 0.37 MUm, P = 0.659), and spherical aberration
      (SA) (0.10 +/- 0.59 MUm, P = 0.743)] and corneal HOAs (0.40 +/- 1.69 MUm, P =
      0.874) [coma (0.39 +/- 1.59 MUm, P = 0.401), trefoil (0.33 +/- 2.16 MUm, P =
      0.368), and SA (1.27 +/- 1.14 MUm, P = 0.354)] were not statistically
      significant. The correlations between mesopic CS and HOAs were weak before and
      after CXL. CONCLUSION: One year after accelerated CXL, CS significantly improved,
      but changes in HOAs were statistically insignificant. CS changes were independent
      of HOAs.

PMID- 28626822
TI  - A prospective randomized trial of azithromycin versus
      trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in treatment of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of oral azithromycin in the treatment of
      toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis. METHODS: A randomized interventional comparative
      study was conducted on 14 patients with ocular toxoplasmosis who were treated
      with oral azithromycin and 13 patients who were treated with oral
      trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for 6-12 weeks. The achievement of treatment
      criteria in the two groups and lesion size reduction were considered as primary
      outcome measures. RESULTS: The resolution of inflammatory activity, decrease in
      the size of retinochoroidal lesions, and final best corrected visual acuity
      (BCVA) did not differ between the two treatment groups. The lesion size declined
      significantly in all patients (P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in
      the reduction of the size of retinal lesions between the two treatment groups (P
      = 0.17). Within each group, there was a significant improvement in BCVA after
      treatment; BCVA increased by 0.24 logMAR in the azithromycin group (P = 0.001)
      and by 0.3 logMAR in the trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole group (P = 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Drug efficacy in terms of reducing the size of retinal lesions and
      visual improvement was similar in a regimen of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or
      azithromycin treatment. Therefore, if confirmed with further studies, therapy
      with azithromycin seems to be an acceptable alternative for the treatment of
      ocular toxoplasmosis.

PMID- 28626823
TI  - A survey of ophthalmologists and gynecologists regarding termination of pregnancy
      and choice of delivery mode in the presence of eye diseases.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the attitudes of ophthalmologists and
      gynecologists in suggesting appropriate approach to pregnancy in different ocular
      conditions. METHODS: Specialty-specific questionnaires on delivery mode and
      abortion indications for ophthalmic patients (refractive, vascular, oncologic,
      retinal, glaucoma, postoperation, posttrauma, and infectious) were designed and
      distributed among physician staff of Farabi Eye Hospital and Yas Women Hospital
      in Tehran. Attitudes and preferences of the ophthalmologists and gynecologists
      were quantified and compared. RESULTS: Participants were 29 ophthalmologists and
      19 gynecologists. Their mean age was 49.73 +/- 7.57 and 46.79 +/- 1.36 years,
      respectively. More than 50-70% ophthalmologists were in favor of normal vaginal
      delivery (NVD) in all ocular diseases. All gynecologists (100%) expressed their
      need for an ophthalmologist's opinion for decision-making. Ophthalmologists' top
      choices for conditions potentially requiring a caesarean section were corneal
      transplants (34.5%), high myopia (23%), retinal detachment (29%), and orbital
      tumors (34.5%), while two gynecologists recommended abortion in the presence of
      intraocular and orbital tumors and retinal detachment. In the case of a history
      of refractive surgery, orbital tumor and intraocular tumor, ophthalmologists
      recommend NVD over caesarean section twice as much as their gynecologist peers.
      For history of retinal detachment, glaucoma, retinal vascular accident and
      intraocular hemorrhage, no single gynecologist recommend NVD. The corresponding
      figure for ophthalmologist-recommended NVD were 67, 84, 72, and 81%. CONCLUSIONS:
      There is extreme inconsistency among ophthalmologists and gynecologists in
      managing ophthalmic-obstetric scenarios, especially for caesarean section
      indications. Clinical guideline development and consultation for decision-making
      in challenging cases are recommended.

PMID- 28626824
TI  - Atypical chronic central serous chorioretinopathy with cystoid macular edema:
      Therapeutic response to medical and laser therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe an atypical case of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy
      (CSCR). METHODS: A 58-year-old man with longstanding, bilateral visual impairment
      was self-referred for a second opinion. RESULTS: Findings by direct
      ophthalmoscopy, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and fundus
      autofluorescence (FAF) were suggestive of atypical, chronic CSCR. Treatment with
      oral anti-mineralocorticoids resulted in moderate improvement, and photodynamic
      therapy (PDT) had minimal effect. CONCLUSION: Chronic CSCR may lack cardinal
      features of CSCR. Once retinal degenerative changes ensue, current treatments may
      not be effective in improving anatomical and visual outcomes in patients with
      chronic CSCR.

PMID- 28626825
TI  - PHACE(S) syndrome: Report of a case with new ocular and systemic manifestations.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe an infant with PHACE(S) syndrome [posterior fossa anomalies
      (P), hemangiomas (H), arterial anomalies (A), cardiac abnormalities and
      coarctation of aorta (C), eye abnormalities (E), and the sternal defects (S)]
      with unusual strabismus, congenital glaucoma, and new systemic manifestations.
      METHODS: A 6-month-old girl was referred with large hemangiomas on the left side
      of the face. RESULTS: In the ocular examination, right esotropia and hypotropia,
      and limitation of elevation in adduction in the right eye were seen. Morning
      glory disk anomaly was seen in the left fundus. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was 28
      mmHg in the right eye and 15 mmHg in the left eye. Brain computed tomography (CT)
      scan demonstrated Dandy-Walker malformation. In the CT angiography of the
      thoracic arteries, coarctation of aorta in descending part, the aberrant origin
      of the left subclavian artery from the end of the aortic arch, and anomalous
      origin of the left vertebral artery from the posterior aspect of the aortic arch
      were found. Therefore, the presence of large facial hemangioma, posterior fossa
      anomaly, aortic arch anomalies, and morning glory disk confirmed the diagnosis of
      PHACE(S) syndrome. Propranolol (0.5 mg/kg/day) was initiated to treat hemangioma
      and coarctation of aorta. Due to uncontrolled glaucoma, goniotomy was performed
      in the right eye 3 months after the first visit. One year after the initial
      visit, the hypotropia and esotropia of the right eye considerably decreased.
      CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this report was the first report of a pattern like
      Brown's syndrome (may be called apparent Brown's syndrome) and the second report
      of the congenital glaucoma in a case of PHACE(S) syndrome. In addition, the
      anomalous origin of the vertebral artery from the aortic arch has not been
      reported in the PHACE(S) syndrome. Thus, the clinicians should perform the
      glaucoma work-up for each patient with this syndrome.

PMID- 28626826
TI  - Adverse drug events leading to emergency department visits at an eye hospital: A
      brief report.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate adverse drug events (ADEs) resulting in emergency department
      visits in an eye hospital. METHOD: Emergency department visits at Farabi Eye
      Hospital were assessed for a 7-day period. The patients' eye disorders and drug
      history were evaluated to detect ADEs. RESULTS: Of 1631 emergency visits, 5
      (0.3%, 95% CI: 0.13-0.71%) were drug related. Tetracaine eye drops accounted for
      4 (80%, 95% CI: 38-96%) cases with corneal involvement. The other case was an
      intense conjunctival injection due to naphazoline eye drops. CONCLUSION: ADEs
      should be considered in differential diagnosis of ocular emergency problems and
      preventive measure should be considered.

PMID- 28626827
TI  - The effect of rapid privatisation on mortality in mono-industrial towns in post
      Soviet Russia: a retrospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Population-level data suggest that economic disruptions in the early
      1990s increased working-age male mortality in post-Soviet countries. This study
      uses individual-level data, using an indirect estimation method, to test the
      hypothesis that fast privatisation increased mortality in Russia. METHODS: In
      this retrospective cohort study, we surveyed surviving relatives of individuals
      who lived through the post-communist transition to retrieve demographic and
      socioeconomic characteristics of their parents, siblings, and male partners. The
      survey was done within the framework of the European Research Council (ERC)
      project PrivMort (The Impact of Privatization on the Mortality Crisis in Eastern
      Europe). We surveyed relatives in 20 mono-industrial towns in the European part
      of Russia (ie, the landmass to the west of the Urals). We compared ten fast
      privatised and ten slow-privatised towns selected using propensity score
      matching. In the selected towns, population surveys were done in which
      respondents provided information about vital status, sociodemographic and
      socioeconomic characteristics and health-related behaviours of their parents, two
      eldest siblings (if eligible), and first husbands or long-term partners. We
      calculated indirect age-standardised mortality rates in fast and slow privatised
      towns and then, in multivariate analyses, calculated Poisson proportional
      incidence rate ratios to estimate the effect of rapid privatisation on all-cause
      mortality risk. FINDINGS: Between November, 2014, and March, 2015, 21 494
      households were identified in 20 towns. Overall, 13 932 valid interviews were
      done (with information collected for 38 339 relatives [21 634 men and 16 705
      women]). Fast privatisation was strongly associated with higher working-age male
      mortality rates both between 1992 and 1998 (age-standardised mortality ratio in
      men aged 20-69 years in fast vs slow privatised towns: 1.13, SMR 0.83, 95% CI
      0.77-0.88 vs 0.73, 0.69-0.77, respectively) and from 1999 to 2006 (1.15, 0.91,
      0.86-0.97 vs 0.79, 0.75-0.84). After adjusting for age, marital status, material
      deprivation history, smoking, drinking and socioeconomic status, working-age men
      in fast-privatised towns experienced 13% higher mortality than in slow-privatised
      towns (95% CI 1-26). INTERPRETATION: The rapid pace of privatisation was a
      significant factor in the marked increase in working-age male mortality in post
      Soviet Russia. By providing compelling evidence in support of the health benefits
      of a slower pace of privatisation, this study can assist policy makers in making
      informed decisions about the speed and scope of government interventions.
      FUNDING: The European Research Council.

PMID- 28626828
TI  - Contribution of risk factors to excess mortality in isolated and lonely
      individuals: an analysis of data from the UK Biobank cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The associations of social isolation and loneliness with premature
      mortality are well known, but the risk factors linking them remain unclear. We
      sought to identify risk factors that might explain the increased mortality in
      socially isolated and lonely individuals. METHODS: We used prospective follow-up
      data from the UK Biobank cohort study to assess self-reported isolation (a three
      item scale) and loneliness (two questions). The main outcomes were all-cause and
      cause-specific mortality. We calculated the percentage of excess risk mediated by
      risk factors to assess the extent to which the associations of social isolation
      and loneliness with mortality were attributable to differences between isolated
      and lonely individuals and others in biological (body-mass index, systolic and
      diastolic blood pressure, and handgrip strength), behavioural (smoking, alcohol
      consumption, and physical activity), socioeconomic (education, neighbourhood
      deprivation, and household income), and psychological (depressive symptoms and
      cognitive capacity) risk factors. FINDINGS: 466 901 men and women (mean age at
      baseline 56.5 years [SD 8.1]) were included in the analyses, with a mean follow
      up of 6.5 years (SD 0.8). The hazard ratio for all-cause mortality for social
      isolation compared with no social isolation was 1.73 (95% CI 1.65-1.82) after
      adjustment for age, sex, ethnic origin, and chronic disease (ie, minimally
      adjusted), and was 1.26 (95% CI 1.20-1.33) after further adjustment for
      socioeconomic factors, health-related behaviours, depressive symptoms, biological
      factors, cognitive performance, and self-rated health (ie, fully adjusted). The
      minimally adjusted hazard ratio for mortality risk related to loneliness was 1.38
      (95% CI 1.30-1.47), which reduced to 0.99 (95% CI 0.93-1.06) after full
      adjustment for baseline risks. INTERPRETATION: Isolated and lonely people are at
      increased risk of death. Health policies addressing risk factors such as adverse
      socioeconomic conditions, unhealthy lifestyle, and lower mental wellbeing might
      reduce excess mortality among the isolated and the lonely. FUNDING: Academy of
      Finland, NordForsk, and the UK Medical Research Council.

PMID- 28626829
TI  - Socioeconomic status as an effect modifier of alcohol consumption and harm:
      analysis of linked cohort data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcohol-related mortality and morbidity are high in socioeconomically
      disadvantaged populations compared with individuals from advantaged areas. It is
      unclear if this increased harm reflects differences in alcohol consumption
      between these socioeconomic groups, reverse causation (ie, downward social
      selection for high-risk drinkers), or a greater risk of harm in individuals of
      low socioeconomic status compared with those of higher status after similar
      consumption. We aimed to investigate whether the harmful effects of alcohol
      differ by socioeconomic status, accounting for alcohol consumption and other
      health-related factors. METHODS: The Scottish Health Surveys are record-linked
      cross-sectional surveys representative of the adult population of Scotland. We
      obtained baseline demographics and data for alcohol consumption (units per week
      and binge drinking) from Scottish Health Surveys done in 1995, 1998, 2003, 2008,
      2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. We matched these data to records for deaths,
      admissions, and prescriptions. The primary outcome was alcohol-attributable
      admission or death. The relation between alcohol-attributable harm and
      socioeconomic status was investigated for four measures (education level, social
      class, household income, and area-based deprivation) using Cox proportional
      hazards models. The potential for alcohol consumption and other risk factors
      (including smoking and body-mass index [BMI]) mediating social patterning was
      explored in separate regression models. Reverse causation was tested by comparing
      change in area deprivation over time. FINDINGS: 50 236 participants (21 777 men
      and 28 459 women) were included in the analytical sample, with 429 986 person
      years of follow-up. Low socioeconomic status was associated consistently with
      strikingly raised alcohol-attributable harms, including after adjustment for
      weekly consumption, binge drinking, BMI, and smoking. Evidence was noted of
      effect modification; for example, relative to light drinkers living in advantaged
      areas, the risk of alcohol-attributable admission or death for excessive drinkers
      was increased (hazard ratio 6.12, 95% CI 4.45-8.41 in advantaged areas; and
      10.22, 7.73-13.53 in deprived areas). We found little support for reverse
      causation. INTERPRETATION: Disadvantaged social groups have greater alcohol
      attributable harms compared with individuals from advantaged areas for given
      levels of alcohol consumption, even after accounting for different drinking
      patterns, obesity, and smoking status at the individual level. FUNDING: Medical
      Research Council, NHS Research Scotland, Scottish Government Chief Scientist
      Office.

PMID- 28626831
TI  - Validating Population Estimates for Harmonized Census Tract Data, 2000-2010.
AB  - Social scientists regularly rely on population estimates when studying change in
      small areas over time. Census tract data in the United States are a prime
      example, since there are substantial shifts in tract boundaries from decade to
      decade. This study compares alternative estimates of the 2000 population living
      within 2010 tract boundaries to the Census Bureau's own re-tabulation. All
      methods of estimation are subject to error; this is the first study to directly
      quantify the error in alternative interpolation methods for U.S. census tracts. A
      simple areal weighting method closely approximates the estimates provided by one
      standard source (the Neighborhood Change Data Base or NCDB), with some
      improvement provided by considering only area not covered by water. More
      information is used by the Longitudinal Tract Data Base (LTDB), which relies on a
      combination of areal and population interpolation as well as ancillary data about
      water-covered areas. Another set of estimates provided by NHGIS uses data about
      land cover in 2001 and the current road network and distribution of population
      and housing units at the block level. Areal weighting alone results in a large
      error in a substantial share of tracts that were divided in complex ways. The
      LTDB and NHGIS perform much better in all situations, but are subject to some
      error when boundaries of both tracts and their component blocks are redrawn.
      Users of harmonized tract data should be watchful for potential problems in
      either of these data sources.

PMID- 28626830
TI  - Overweight, obesity, and risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity: pooled analysis
      of individual-level data for 120 813 adults from 16 cohort studies from the USA
      and Europe.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although overweight and obesity have been studied in relation to
      individual cardiometabolic diseases, their association with risk of
      cardiometabolic multimorbidity is poorly understood. Here we aimed to establish
      the risk of incident cardiometabolic multimorbidity (ie, at least two from: type
      2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke) in adults who are overweight and
      obese compared with those who are a healthy weight. METHODS: We pooled individual
      participant data for BMI and incident cardiometabolic multimorbidity from 16
      prospective cohort studies from the USA and Europe. Participants included in the
      analyses were 35 years or older and had data available for BMI at baseline and
      for type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke at baseline and follow
      up. We excluded participants with a diagnosis of diabetes, coronary heart
      disease, or stroke at or before study baseline. According to WHO recommendations,
      we classified BMI into categories of healthy (20.0-24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0
      29.9 kg/m2), class I (mild) obesity (30.0-34.9 kg/m2), and class II and III
      (severe) obesity (>=35.0 kg/m2). We used an inclusive definition of underweight
      (<20 kg/m2) to achieve sufficient case numbers for analysis. The main outcome was
      cardiometabolic multimorbidity (ie, developing at least two from: type 2
      diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke). Incident cardiometabolic
      multimorbidity was ascertained via resurvey or linkage to electronic medical
      records (including hospital admissions and death). We analysed data from each
      cohort separately using logistic regression and then pooled cohort-specific
      estimates using random-effects meta-analysis. FINDINGS: Participants were 120 
      813 adults (mean age 51.4 years, range 35-103; 71 445 women) who did not have
      diabetes, coronary heart disease, or stroke at study baseline (1973-2012). During
      a mean follow-up of 10.7 years (1995-2014), we identified 1627 cases of
      multimorbidity. After adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors,
      compared with individuals with a healthy weight, the risk of developing
      cardiometabolic multimorbidity in overweight individuals was twice as high (odds
      ratio [OR] 2.0, 95% CI 1.7-2.4; p<0.0001), almost five times higher for
      individuals with class I obesity (4.5, 3.5-5.8; p<0.0001), and almost 15 times
      higher for individuals with classes II and III obesity combined (14.5, 10.1-21.0;
      p<0.0001). This association was noted in men and women, young and old, and white
      and non-white participants, and was not dependent on the method of exposure
      assessment or outcome ascertainment. In analyses of different combinations of
      cardiometabolic conditions, odds ratios associated with classes II and III
      obesity were 2.2 (95% CI 1.9-2.6) for vascular disease only (coronary heart
      disease or stroke), 12.0 (8.1-17.9) for vascular disease followed by diabetes,
      18.6 (16.6-20.9) for diabetes only, and 29.8 (21.7-40.8) for diabetes followed by
      vascular disease. INTERPRETATION: The risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity
      increases as BMI increases; from double in overweight people to more than ten
      times in severely obese people compared with individuals with a healthy BMI. Our
      findings highlight the need for clinicians to actively screen for diabetes in
      overweight and obese patients with vascular disease, and pay increased attention
      to prevention of vascular disease in obese individuals with diabetes. FUNDING:
      NordForsk, Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Finnish Work Environment
      Fund, and Academy of Finland.

PMID- 28626832
TI  - Fragment Binding to beta-Secretase 1 without Catalytic Aspartate Interactions
      Identified via Orthogonal Screening Approaches.
AB  - An approach to identify beta-secretase 1 (BACE1) fragment binders that do not
      interact with the catalytic aspartate dyad is presented. A ThermoFluor (thermal
      shift) and a fluorescence resonance energy transfer enzymatic screen on the
      soluble domain of BACE1, together with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) screen
      on the soluble domain of BACE1 and a mutant of one catalytic Asp (D32N), were run
      in parallel. Fragments that were active in at least two of these assays were
      further confirmed using one-dimensional NMR (WaterLOGSY) and SPR binding
      competition studies with peptidic inhibitor OM99-2. Protein-observed NMR (two
      dimensional 15N heteronuclear single-quantum coherence spectroscopy) and
      crystallographic studies with the soluble domain of BACE1 identified a unique and
      novel binding mode for compound 12, a fragment that still occupies the active
      site while not making any interactions with catalytic Asps. This novel approach
      of combining orthogonal fragment screening techniques, for both wild-type and
      mutant enzymes, as well as binding competition studies could be generalized to
      other targets to overcome undesired interaction motifs and as a hit-generation
      approach in highly constrained intellectual property space.

PMID- 28626834
TI  - Effects of local and spinal administrations of mu-opioids on postoperative pain
      in aged versus adult mice.

PMID- 28626833
TI  - The Lung is a Host Defense Niche for Immediate Neutrophil-Mediated Vascular
      Protection.
AB  - Bloodstream infection is a hallmark of sepsis, a medically emergent condition
      requiring rapid treatment. However, upregulation of host defense proteins through
      toll-like receptors and NFkappaB requires hours after endotoxin detection. Using
      confocal pulmonary intravital microscopy, we identified that the lung provides a
      TLR4-Myd88-and abl tyrosine kinase-dependent niche for immediate CD11b-dependent
      neutrophil responses to endotoxin and Gram-negative bloodstream pathogens. In an
      in vivo model of bacteremia, neutrophils crawled to and rapidly phagocytosed
      Escherichia coli sequestered to the lung endothelium. Therefore, the lung
      capillaries provide a vascular defensive niche whereby endothelium and
      neutrophils cooperate for immediate detection and capture of disseminating
      pathogens.

PMID- 28626835
TI  - Disrupted ER-to-Golgi Trafficking Underlies Anti-HIV Drugs and Alcohol-Induced
      Cellular Stress and Hepatic Injury.
AB  - : Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) are
      involved in anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drugs and alcohol-induced
      liver disease in a significant number of patients infected with HIV. However, the
      precise mechanism by which the drugs and alcohol cause ER stress remains elusive.
      We found that ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (RL) activated two canonical UPR
      branches without activation of the third canonical activating transcription
      factor 6 (ATF6) branch in either HepG2 cells or primary mouse hepatocytes. In the
      RL-treated cells, ATF6 localization in the Golgi apparatus required for its
      activation was reduced; this was followed by Golgi fragmentation and
      dislocation/redistribution of Golgi-resident enzymes. Severities of Golgi
      fragmentation induced by other anti-HIV drugs varied and were correlated with the
      ER stress response. In the liver of mice fed RL, alcohol feeding deteriorated the
      Golgi fragmentation, which was correlated with ER stress, elevated alanine
      aminotransferase, and liver steatosis. The Golgi stress response (GSR) markers
      GCP60 and HSP47 were increased in RL-treated liver cells, and knockdown of
      transcription factor for immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer 3 of the GSR by
      small interfering RNA worsened RL-induced cell death. Cotreatment of
      pharmacological agent H89 with RL inhibited the RL-induced Golgi enzyme
      dislocation and ER stress. Moreover, the coat protein complex II (COPII)
      complexes that mediate ER-to-Golgi trafficking accumulated in the RL-treated
      liver cells; this was not due to interference of RL with the initial assembly of
      the COPII complexes. RL also inhibited Golgi fragmentation and reassembly induced
      by short treatment and removal of brefeldin A. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates
      that ER-to-Golgi trafficking is disrupted by anti-HIV drugs and/or alcohol, and
      this contributes to subsequent ER stress and hepatic injury.

PMID- 28626836
TI  - Pediatric Intussusception: Decreased Surgical Risk with Timely Transfer to a
      Children's Hospital.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intussusception is a potentially life-threatening condition, and a
      frequent cause of bowel obstruction during the first two years of life. We
      hypothesized that patients who were transferred from outside community hospitals,
      or OSH, without tertiary care capabilities for pediatric services to a large
      academic children's hospital with intussusception were more likely to require
      operative management for their intussusception than those who were directly
      admitted. METHODS: The electronic medical record was queried for patients
      presenting to Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago with a
      diagnosis of intussusception (July 1st, 2009-July 1st, 2014). Age, sex, symptom
      duration, radiologic management, and surgical care were recorded. OSH and
      transfer reports were analyzed for those patients that presented as a transfer.
      Statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: We identified 270 patients with
      intussusception. 232 (80%) were successfully treated non-surgically. 58 (20%)
      required surgical management. Of the patients requiring surgery, there were 38
      reductions (24 laparoscopic, 14 open) and 20 bowel resections (1 laparoscopic, 19
      open). Of those patients requiring surgery, 37 (63.8%) had presented as a
      transfer from an OSH. We found that transferred patients, requiring surgery,
      spent a mean 7.77 hours at the OSH compared to 4.03 hours for the transferred
      patients that did not require surgery (p=0.0188). There was no significant
      difference in transport time (p=0.44). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we identified
      the amount of time patients spend at hospitals without pediatric surgical
      capabilities as an independent risk factor necessitating surgical management of
      intussusception. These data suggest that patients with intussusception who
      present to hospitals without pediatric radiology or pediatric surgery, should be
      transferred in an expedited fashion. In the event of a failed enema reduction at
      an OSH, the transport of the patient should not be delayed as this may result in
      a higher likelihood of surgical management.

PMID- 28626837
TI  - The Histogenesis of Ewing Sarcoma.

PMID- 28626838
TI  - Morphological Classification: Application to Cardiac MRI of Tetralogy of Fallot.
AB  - This paper presents an image-based classification method, and applies it to
      classification of cardiac MRI scans of individuals with Tetralogy of Fallot
      (TOF). Clinicians frequently diagnose cardiac disease by measuring the
      ventricular volumes from cardiac MRI scans. Interrater variability is a common
      issue with these measurements. We address this issue by proposing a fully
      automatic approach for detecting structural changes in the heart. We first
      extract morphological features of each subject by registering cardiac MRI scans
      to a template. We then reduce the size of the features via a nonlinear manifold
      learning technique. These low dimensional features are then fed into nonlinear
      support vector machine classifier identifying if the subject of the scan is
      effected by the disease. We apply our approach to MRI scans of 12 normal controls
      and 22 TOF patients. Experimental result demonstrates that the method can
      correctly determine whether subject is normal control or TOF with 91% accuracy.

PMID- 28626839
TI  - Auditory-Tactile integration: Effects of Phase of Sinusoidal Stimulation at 50
      and 250 Hz.
AB  - The perceptual integration of 50- and 250-Hz, 500-ms vibrotactile and auditory
      tones was studied in detection experiments as a function of the relative phase (0
      degrees , 72 degrees , 144 degrees , 216 degrees , and 288 degrees ) of the tone
      pulses. Vibrotactile stimuli were delivered through a single-channel vibrator to
      the left middle fingertip and auditory stimuli were presented diotically through
      headphones in a background of 50 dB SPL broadband noise. The observers were four
      adults with normal hearing. The vibrotactile and auditory stimulus levels used
      each yielded 63-77%-Correct unimodal detection performance in a two-interval two
      alternative forced-choice task. Scores for the auditory-alone and tactile-alone
      conditions averaged roughly 70%-Correct. Mean scores for the auditory plus
      tactile conditions averaged across different phases were 77.1%-Correct at 50 Hz
      and 79.6%-Correct at 250 Hz. At 50 Hz, no differences in performance were
      observed as a function of the relative phase at which the combined auditory and
      tactile signals were presented. At 250 Hz, significantly higher scores were
      observed for one phase combination (72 degrees ) compared to two of the other
      four relative phases. Performance on the auditory plus tactile conditions
      resulted in significant integrative effects and was generally more consistent
      with a "Pythagorean Sum" model than with either an "Algebraic Sum" or an "Optimum
      Single Cannel" model of perceptual integration.

PMID- 28626840
TI  - Role of Lactoferrin in the Carcinogenesis of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

PMID- 28626841
TI  - Incorporating Non-rigid Registration into Expectation Maximization Algorithm to
      Segment MR Images.
AB  - The paper introduces an algorithm which allows the automatic segmentation of
      multi channel magnetic resonance images. We extended the Expectation Maximization
      Mean Field Approximation Segmenter, to include Local Prior Probability Maps.
      Thereby our algorithm estimates the bias field in the image while simultaneously
      assigning voxels to different tissue classes under prior probability maps. The
      probability maps were aligned to the subject using nonrigid registration. This
      allowed the parcellation of cortical sub-structures including the superior
      temporal gyrus. To our knowledge this is the first description of an algorithm
      capable of automatic cortical parcellation incorporating strong noise reduction
      and image intensity correction.

PMID- 28626842
TI  - Automated Segmentation of Knee MRI Using Hierarchical Classifiers and Just Enough
      Interaction Based Learning: Data from Osteoarthritis Initiative.
AB  - We present a fully automated learning-based approach for segmenting knee
      cartilage in presence of osteoarthritis (OA). The algorithm employs a
      hierarchical set of two random forest classifiers. The first is a neighborhood
      approximation forest, the output probability map of which is utilized as a
      feature set for the second random forest (RF) classifier. The output
      probabilities of the hierarchical approach are used as cost functions in a
      Layered Optimal Graph Segmentation of Multiple Objects and Surfaces (LOGISMOS).
      In this work, we highlight a novel post-processing interaction called just-enough
      interaction (JEI) which enables quick and accurate generation of a large set of
      training examples. Disjoint sets of 15 and 13 subjects were used for training and
      tested on another disjoint set of 53 knee datasets. All images were acquired
      using double echo steady state (DESS) MRI sequence and are from the
      osteoarthritis initiative (OAI) database. Segmentation performance using the
      learning-based cost function showed significant reduction in segmentation errors
      (p < 0.05) in comparison with conventional gradient-based cost functions.

PMID- 28626843
TI  - Globally Optimal Label Fusion with Shape Priors.
AB  - Multi-atlas label fusion methods have gained popularity in a variety of
      segmentation tasks given their attractive performance. Graph-based segmentation
      methods are widely used given their global optimality guarantee. We propose a
      novel approach, GOLF, that combines the strengths of these two approaches. GOLF
      incorporates shape priors to the label-fusion problem and provides a globally
      optimal solution even for the multi-label scenario, while also leveraging the
      highly accurate posterior maps from a multi-atlas label fusion approach. We
      demonstrate GOLF for the joint segmentation of the left and right pairs of
      caudate, putamen, globus pallidus and nucleus accumbens. Compared to the
      FreeSurfer and FIRST approaches, GOLF is significantly more accurate on all
      reported indices for all 8 structures. We also present comparisons to a multi
      atlas approach, which reveals further insights on the contributions of the
      different components of the proposed framework.

PMID- 28626844
TI  - Multimodal Registration of White Matter Brain Data via Optimal Mass Transport.
AB  - The elastic registration of medical scans from different acquisition sequences is
      becoming an important topic for many research labs that would like to continue
      the post-processing of medical scans acquired via the new generation of high
      field-strength scanners. In this note, we present a parameter-free registration
      algorithm that is well suited for this scenario as it requires no tuning to
      specific acquisition sequences. The algorithm encompasses a new numerical scheme
      for computing elastic registration maps based on the minimizing flow approach to
      optimal mass transport. The approach utilizes all of the gray-scale data in both
      images, and the optimal mapping from image A to image B is the inverse of the
      optimal mapping from B to A. Further, no landmarks need to be specified, and the
      minimizer of the distance functional involved is unique. We apply the algorithm
      to register the white matter folds of two different scans and use the results to
      parcellate the cortex of the target image. To the best of our knowledge, this is
      the first time that the optimal mass transport function has been applied to
      register large 3D multimodal data sets.

PMID- 28626845
TI  - Temporally Factorized Network Modeling for Evolutionary Network Analysis.
AB  - The problem of evolutionary network analysis has gained increasing attention in
      recent years, because of an increasing number of networks, which are encountered
      in temporal settings. For example, social networks, communication networks, and
      information networks continuously evolve over time, and it is desirable to learn
      interesting trends about how the network structure evolves over time, and in
      terms of other interesting trends. One challenging aspect of networks is that
      they are inherently resistant to parametric modeling, which allows us to truly
      express the edges in the network as functions of time. This is because, unlike
      multidimensional data, the edges in the network reflect interactions among nodes,
      and it is difficult to independently model the edge as a function of time,
      without taking into account its correlations and interactions with neighboring
      edges. Fortunately, we show that it is indeed possible to achieve this goal with
      the use of a matrix factorization, in which the entries are parameterized by
      time. This approach allows us to represent the edge structure of the network
      purely as a function of time, and predict the evolution of the network over time.
      This opens the possibility of using the approach for a wide variety of temporal
      network analysis problems, such as predicting future trends in structures,
      predicting links, and node-centric anomaly/event detection. This flexibility is
      because of the general way in which the approach allows us to express the
      structure of the network as a function of time. We present a number of
      experimental results on a number of temporal data sets showing the effectiveness
      of the approach.

PMID- 28626846
TI  - Salt-bridge networks within globular and disordered proteins: characterizing
      trends for designable interactions.
AB  - There has been considerable debate about the contribution of salt bridges to the
      stabilization of protein folds, in spite of their participation in crucial
      protein functions. Salt bridges appear to contribute to the activity-stability
      trade-off within proteins by bringing high-entropy charged amino acids into close
      contacts during the course of their functions. The current study analyzes the
      modes of association of salt bridges (in terms of networks) within globular
      proteins and at protein-protein interfaces. While the most common and trivial
      type of salt bridge is the isolated salt bridge, bifurcated salt bridge appears
      to be a distinct salt-bridge motif having a special topology and geometry.
      Bifurcated salt bridges are found ubiquitously in proteins and interprotein
      complexes. Interesting and attractive examples presenting different modes of
      interaction are highlighted. Bifurcated salt bridges appear to function as
      molecular clips that are used to stitch together large surface contours at
      interacting protein interfaces. The present work also emphasizes the key role of
      salt-bridge-mediated interactions in the partial folding of proteins containing
      long stretches of disordered regions. Salt-bridge-mediated interactions seem to
      be pivotal to the promotion of "disorder-to-order" transitions in small
      disordered protein fragments and their stabilization upon binding. The results
      obtained in this work should help to guide efforts to elucidate the modus
      operandi of these partially disordered proteins, and to conceptualize how these
      proteins manage to maintain the required amount of disorder even in their bound
      forms. This work could also potentially facilitate explorations of geometrically
      specific designable salt bridges through the characterization of composite salt
      bridge networks. Graphical abstract ?.

PMID- 28626847
TI  - Injury, intense dust exposure, and chronic disease among survivors of the World
      Trade Center terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The World Trade Center attack of September 11, 2001 in New York City
      (9/11) exposed thousands of people to intense concentrations of hazardous
      materials that have resulted in reports of increased levels of asthma, heart
      disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases along with psychological illnesses
      such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Few studies have discriminated
      between health consequences of immediate (short-term or acute) intense exposures
      versus chronic residential or workplace exposures. METHODS: We used proportional
      hazards methods to determine adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) for associations
      between several components of acute exposures (e.g., injury, immersion in the
      dust cloud) and four chronic disease outcomes: asthma, other non-neoplastic lung
      diseases, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, in 8701 persons free of those
      conditions prior to exposure and who were physically present during or
      immediately after the World Trade Center attacks. Participants were followed
      prospectively up to 11 years post-9/11. RESULTS: Heart disease exhibited a dose
      response association with sustaining injury (1 injury type: AHR =2.0, 95% CI
      (Confidence Interval) 1.1-3.6; 2 injury types: AHR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.2-7.9; 3 or
      more injury types: AHR = 6.8, 95% CI 2.0-22.6), while asthma and other lung
      diseases were both significantly associated with dust cloud exposure (AHR = 1.3,
      95% CI 1.0-1.6). Diabetes was not associated with any of the predictors assessed
      in this study. CONCLUSION: In this study we demonstrated that the acute exposures
      of injury and dust cloud that were sustained on 9/11/2001 had significant
      associations with later heart and respiratory diseases. Continued monitoring of
      9/11 exposed persons' health by medical providers is warranted for the
      foreseeable future.

PMID- 28626848
TI  - Older adult falls prevention behaviors 60 days post-discharge from an urban
      emergency department after treatment for a fall.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Falls are a common and debilitating health problem for older adults.
      Older adults are often treated and discharged home by emergency department (ED)
      based providers with the hope they will receive falls prevention resources and
      referrals from their primary care provider. This descriptive study investigated
      falls prevention activities, including interactions with primary care providers,
      among community-dwelling older adults who were discharged home after presenting
      to an ED with a fall-related injury. METHODS: We enrolled English speaking
      patients, aged >= 65 years, who presented to the ED of an urban level one trauma
      center with a fall or fall related injury and discharged home. During subjects'
      initial visits to the ED, we screened and enrolled patients, gathered patient
      demographics and provided them with a flyer for a Matter of Balance course. Sixty
      days post enrollment, we conducted a phone follow-up interview to collect
      information on post-fall behaviors including information regarding the efforts to
      engage family and the primary care provider, enroll in a falls prevention
      program, assess patients' attitudes towards falling and experiences with any
      subsequent falls. RESULTS: Eighty-seven community-dwelling people between the
      ages of 65 and 90 were recruited, the majority (76%) being women. Seventy-one
      percent of subjects reported talking to their provider regarding the fall; 37%
      reported engaging in falls prevention activities. No subjects reported enrolling
      in a fall prevention program although two reported contacting falls program
      staff. Fourteen percent of subjects (n=12) reported a recurrent fall and 8% (7)
      reported returning to the ED after a recurrent fall. CONCLUSIONS: Findings
      indicate a low rate of initiating fall prevention behaviors following an ED visit
      for a fall-related injury among community-dwelling older adults, and highlight
      the ED visit as an important, but underutilized, opportunity to mobilize health
      care resources for people at high risk for subsequent falls.

PMID- 28626850
TI  - Prescribing indicators in primary health care in Belo Horizonte, Brazil:
      associated factors.
AB  - Background The prescription is one of the factors that influences rational use of
      medicines. The evaluation of prescribing indicators should contribute to
      organization of primary health care services. Objective The aim of this study was
      to evaluate prescribing indicators and associated factors in primary health care
      in the northeast health district, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Setting Twenty primary
      health care units in the Northeast Health District, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
      Method The study was cross sectional. Indicators proposed by World Health
      Organization were used to evaluate rational use of medicines. Main outcome
      measure Indicators evaluated were average number of medicines per prescription,
      proportion of medicines with antibiotic, injectable, medicines prescribed by
      generic name and medicines present in the essential medicines list. Results Three
      hundred and ninety-nine patients were interviewed. The average number of
      medicines per prescription was 3.5 (SD 2.2). The proportion of medicines with
      antibiotic, injectable, medicines prescribed by generic name and medicines
      present in the essential medicines list was 17.8, 9.8, 94.9, 91.4%, respectively.
      Patient age >=60 years was positively associated with number of medicines per
      prescription (P = 0.00). Conclusion In the northeast health district of Belo
      Horizonte, the proportion of prescriptions of antibiotics and injections, the
      adoption of prescribing by generic name and the prescribing of essential
      medicines were satisfactory in this study considering reference values for these
      indicators and international scientific literature. However, the mean number of
      prescribed medicines requires a more in-depth evaluation.

PMID- 28626849
TI  - Equal Treatment and Outcomes for Everyone with Multiple Myeloma: Are We There
      Yet?
AB  - Multiple myeloma treatment has changed tremendously over recent years leading to
      overall improvement in patient outcomes. With therapeutic advancements, patient
      care has become increasingly complex and variability is seen in healthcare
      delivery as well as outcomes when various patient subgroups are analyzed based on
      sociodemographic factors. It is imperative to understand this variability so that
      while overall the outcomes get better, specific focus is placed on subgroups that
      may remain disadvantaged and may not be able to fully access the advancements in
      therapeutics. Research in multiple myeloma has specifically looked at several
      such patient subgroups based on socioeconomic status, age, race/ethnicity,
      insurance carrier, and geographic location that may affect healthcare utilization
      and patient outcomes. Exploring and understanding these would certainly help
      address disparities and lead to further equity in healthcare access and,
      hopefully, patient outcomes.

PMID- 28626851
TI  - Counselling pregnant women at the crossroads of Europe and Asia: effect of
      Teratology Information Service in Turkey.
AB  - Background Previous studies from western countries demonstrated the effectiveness
      of Teratology Information Service (TIS) counselling in reducing the teratogenic
      risk perception of pregnant women. Objective To assess whether TIS counselling
      would be effective in reducing the teratogenic risk perception of the Turkish
      pregnant women. Setting A TIS (Terafar) operating in a university hospital in
      Turkey. Methods A cross-sectional survey study. Pregnant women with non
      teratogenic medication exposures were asked to assign scores on visual analogue
      scales (VAS) in response to the questions aiming to measure their teratogenic
      risk perception. The mean score before and after counselling were compared and
      the associations with maternal socio-demographic characteristics were analysed
      using SPSS (Version 20.0). Main outcome measures The differences in the mean
      scores of the perception regarding the baseline risk of pregnancy, own
      teratogenic risk and the likelihood of termination of pregnancy before and after
      counselling and their possible associations with maternal socio-demographic
      characteristics. Results 102 pregnant women participated in the study. The
      counselling significantly reduced the mean own teratogenic risk perception score
      and the mean score for the likelihood of termination of pregnancy whereas the
      mean baseline risk perception score was not significantly changed. Pregnancy week
      <8 and the exposed number of active ingredients <3 were significantly associated
      with the difference in the mean score for the likelihood of termination of
      pregnancy. Conclusions TIS counselling lowers the teratogenic risk perception of
      Turkish pregnant women and increases their likelihood to continue the pregnancy
      as it does in the western countries.

PMID- 28626852
TI  - Global Epidemiology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC Epidemiology).

PMID- 28626853
TI  - Conjunctival melanoma in Southwestern Nigeria: a case series and review of
      literature.
AB  - PURPOSE: Conjunctival melanoma is a rare tumor worldwide and is extremely rare
      among black population. This study aims to report the demographics, clinical
      presentation, treatment, and outcome of patients seen in an indigenous black
      population in Southwestern Nigeria. METHODS: All patients histologically
      diagnosed with conjunctival melanoma and managed in the facility were reviewed.
      Their demographics, clinical presentation, treatment received, outcome of
      treatment, and histopathological features were analyzed. RESULTS: Six patients
      (males = 2) with a mean age of 49.8 years were managed over 11 years (range 25-75
      years). The right eye was involved in three patients, while one patient had
      bilateral non-simultaneous tumor. All six patients presented with pigmented
      growth over the ocular surface of varying duration, confirmed as malignant
      melanoma at histopathology after an excision biopsy (two patients), incision
      biopsy (one patient), or orbital exenteration (three patients). One patient who
      had complete adjuvant treatment postoperatively remained alive and tumor-free at
      7-year follow-up, one patient is presently on chemotherapy, one patient died
      while on admission, and the remaining three patients abandoned further
      postoperative treatment and defaulted from follow-up. CONCLUSION: Conjunctival
      melanoma is a rare ocular malignancy in Southwestern Nigeria, and patients
      present with advanced disease with potential poor outcome.

PMID- 28626854
TI  - Spatial indices of repolarization correlate with non-ST elevation myocardial
      ischemia in patients with chest pain.
AB  - Mild-to-moderate ischemia does not result in ST segment elevation on the
      electrocardiogram (ECG), but rather non-specific changes in the T wave, which are
      frequently labeled as non-diagnostic for ischemia. Robust methods to quantify
      such T wave heterogeneity can have immediate clinical applications. We sought to
      evaluate the effects of spontaneous ischemia on the evolution of spatial T wave
      changes, based on the eigenvalues of the spatial correlation matrix of the ECG,
      in patients undergoing nuclear cardiac imaging for evaluating intermittent chest
      pain. We computed T wave complexity (TWC), the ratio of the second to the first
      eigenvalue of repolarization, from 5-min baseline and 5-min peak-stress Holter
      ECG recordings. Our sample included 30 males and 20 females aged 63 +/- 11 years.
      Compared to baseline, significant changes in TWC were only seen in patients with
      ischemia (n = 10) during stress testing, but not among others. The absolute
      changes in TWC were significantly larger in the ischemia group compared to
      others, with a pattern that seemed to depend on the severity or anatomic
      distribution of ischemia. Our results demonstrate that ischemia-induced changes
      in T wave morphology can be meaningfully quantified from the surface 12-lead ECG,
      suggesting an important opportunity for improving diagnostics in patients with
      chest pain.

PMID- 28626855
TI  - A scaling method to individualise muscle force capacities in musculoskeletal
      models of the hand and wrist using isometric strength measurements.
AB  - Because the force-generating capacities of muscles are currently estimated using
      anatomical data obtained from cadaver specimens, hand musculoskeletal models
      provide only a limited representation of the specific features of individual
      subjects. A scaling method is proposed to individualise muscle capacities using
      dynamometric measurements and electromyography. For each subject, a strength
      profile was first defined by measuring net moments during eight maximum isometric
      contractions about the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints. The capacities of
      the five muscle groups were then determined by adjusting several parameters of an
      initial musculoskeletal model using an optimisation procedure which minimised the
      differences between measured moments and model estimates. Sixteen volunteers,
      including three particular participants (one climber, one boxer and one arthritic
      patient), were recruited. Compared with the initial literature-based model, the
      estimated subject-specific capacities were on average five times higher for the
      wrist muscles and twice as high for the finger muscles. The adjustments for
      particular subjects were consistent with their expected specific characteristics,
      e.g. high finger flexor capacities for the climber. Using the subject-specific
      capacities, the model estimates were markedly modified. The proposed protocol and
      scaling procedure can capture the specific characteristics of the participants
      and improved the representation of their capacities in the musculoskeletal model.

PMID- 28626856
TI  - Delivery parameters, neonatal parameters and incidence of urinary incontinence
      six months postpartum: a cohort study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Contradictory results have been reported regarding most delivery
      parameters as risk factors for urinary incontinence. We investigated the
      association between the incidence of urinary incontinence six months postpartum
      and single obstetric risk factors as well as combinations of risk factors.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was based on the Norwegian Mother and Child
      Cohort Study, conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health during 1998
      2008. This substudy was based on 7561 primiparous women who were continent before
      and during pregnancy. Data were obtained from questionnaires answered at weeks 15
      and 30 of pregnancy and six months postpartum. Data were linked to the Medical
      Birth Registry of Norway. Single and combined delivery- and neonatal parameters
      were analyzed by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Birthweight was
      associated with significantly higher risk of urinary incontinence six months
      postpartum [3541-4180 g: odds ratio (OR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2
      1.6; >4180 g: OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.0]. Fetal presentation, obstetric anal
      sphincter injuries, episiotomy and epidural analgesia were not significantly
      associated with increased risk of urinary incontinence. The following
      combinations of risk factors among women delivering by spontaneous vaginal
      delivery increased the risk of urinary incontinence six months postpartum;
      birthweight >=3540 g and >=36 cm head circumference; birthweight >=3540 g and
      forceps, birthweight >=3540 g and episiotomy; and >=36 cm head circumference and
      episiotomy. CONCLUSION: Some combinations of delivery parameters and neonatal
      parameters seem to act together and may increase the risk of incidence of urinary
      incontinence six months postpartum in a synergetic way.

PMID- 28626857
TI  - Fetal intracranial hemorrhage: role of fetal MRI.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To date, prenatal diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is mainly
      based on ultrasound (US) findings rather than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
      We aimed to investigate the role of MRI in the diagnosis of fetal ICH among
      pregnancies referred to fetal MRI and to characterize the topography of fetal ICH
      using MRI. METHODS: We retrospectively identified fetal ICH cases diagnosed by
      MRI from 2008 to 2015 and reviewed their prenatal and postnatal medical records.
      RESULTS: Of the 2638 MRIs performed during the study period, 36 had ICH (median
      age 27 weeks). The most common US indication for MRI was a suspected cerebral
      anomaly (86%): 20 (55%) fetuses were referred for ventriculomegaly, 8 (22%) for
      ICH, and the other 8 had a variety of different indications. We distinguished two
      broad topographic patterns: (1) those related to hemorrhage of the
      periventricular germinal matrix (GMH, n = 24; 67%) and (2) those not related to
      GMH (non-GMH, n = 12; 33%). GMH fetuses were referred to MRI later (median 28 vs
      22 weeks, p = 0.005). Intrauterine demise was more frequent in non-GMH (58% vs
      4%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging is an important tool in
      prenatal diagnosis of ICH, especially when US describes nonspecific intracranial
      abnormalities. GMH occurs more frequently and later in pregnancy than non-GMH.
      (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28626858
TI  - Antibiotics for acute bronchitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The benefits and risks of antibiotics for acute bronchitis remain
      unclear despite it being one of the most common illnesses seen in primary care.
      OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of antibiotics in improving outcomes and to
      assess adverse effects of antibiotic therapy for people with a clinical diagnosis
      of acute bronchitis. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL 2016, Issue 11 (accessed
      13 January 2017), MEDLINE (1966 to January week 1, 2017), Embase (1974 to 13
      January 2017), and LILACS (1982 to 13 January 2017). We searched the World Health
      Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) and
      ClinicalTrials.gov on 5 April 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled
      trials comparing any antibiotic therapy with placebo or no treatment in acute
      bronchitis or acute productive cough, in people without underlying pulmonary
      disease. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two review authors extracted data
      and assessed trial quality. MAIN RESULTS: We did not identify any new trials for
      inclusion in this 2017 update. We included 17 trials with 5099 participants in
      the primary analysis. The quality of trials was generally good. At follow-up
      there was no difference in participants described as being clinically improved
      between the antibiotic and placebo groups (11 studies with 3841 participants,
      risk ratio (RR) 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99 to 1.15). Participants
      given antibiotics were less likely to have a cough (4 studies with 275
      participants, RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.85; number needed to treat for an
      additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) 6) and a night cough (4 studies with 538
      participants, RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.83; NNTB 7). Participants given
      antibiotics had a shorter mean cough duration (7 studies with 2776 participants,
      mean difference (MD) -0.46 days, 95% CI -0.87 to -0.04). The differences in
      presence of a productive cough at follow-up and MD of productive cough did not
      reach statistical significance.Antibiotic-treated participants were more likely
      to be improved according to clinician's global assessment (6 studies with 891
      participants, RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.79; NNTB 11) and were less likely to have
      an abnormal lung exam (5 studies with 613 participants, RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41 to
      0.70; NNTB 6). Antibiotic-treated participants also had a reduction in days
      feeling ill (5 studies with 809 participants, MD -0.64 days, 95% CI -1.16 to 
      0.13) and days with impaired activity (6 studies with 767 participants, MD -0.49
      days, 95% CI -0.94 to -0.04). The differences in proportions with activity
      limitations at follow-up did not reach statistical significance. There was a
      significant trend towards an increase in adverse effects in the antibiotic group
      (12 studies with 3496 participants, RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.36; NNT for an
      additional harmful outcome 24). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is limited evidence
      of clinical benefit to support the use of antibiotics in acute bronchitis.
      Antibiotics may have a modest beneficial effect in some patients such as frail,
      elderly people with multimorbidity who may not have been included in trials to
      date. However, the magnitude of this benefit needs to be considered in the
      broader context of potential side effects, medicalisation for a self limiting
      condition, increased resistance to respiratory pathogens, and cost of antibiotic
      treatment.

PMID- 28626859
TI  - Very preterm children with fetal growth restriction demonstrated altered white
      matter maturation at nine years of age.
AB  - AIM: This study evaluated the role of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction
      on white matter maturation in schoolchildren without any severe
      neurodevelopmental impairment. METHODS: The study group comprised 56 very preterm
      children and 21 term children born between November 1998 and November 2002 at
      Oulu University Hospital, Finland. The mean gestational age of the preterm
      children was 28.7 (24.1-31.9) weeks. All children underwent diffusion tensor
      imaging at a mean age of 9.0 (8.6-9.6) years. Voxel-wise statistical analyses of
      the imaging data were carried out using tract-based spatial statistics. RESULTS:
      Preterm children with fetal growth restriction had lower fractional anisotropy
      and higher radial diffusivity than term controls (p < 0.05), bilaterally in
      several white matter areas. Preterm children without fetal growth restriction had
      higher mean diffusivity and axial diffusivity than term controls (p < 0.05) in
      analogous areas, but more asymmetrically. CONCLUSION: Preterm children had
      microstructural differences in white matter, compared to term-born children at a
      mean age of nine, and those with poor fetal growth showed widespread changes in
      white matter maturation compared to term-born children. Fetal growth and
      prematurity seemed to affect white matter maturation in a way that was still
      visible at that age.

PMID- 28626860
TI  - The Longitudinal Associations Among Temperament, Parenting, and Turkish
      Children's Prosocial Behaviors.
AB  - In Turkey, responsive behaviors toward kin are expected from children. Despite
      this, we know little about the factors that influence young Turkish children's
      prosocial behaviors. The goal was to explore how temperament and parenting are
      related to children's prosocial development in Turkey. A total of 293 Turkish
      children (Mage  = 49 months; 48.12% females) were followed up for 3 years.
      Mothers completed measures of their child's prosocial behaviors, as well as
      measures of their warmth, inductive reasoning, and the child's approach and
      reactivity. Maternal warmth predicted children's reactivity, and maternal
      induction predicted children's sociability. Children's reactivity was inversely
      related to children's helping behavior and sociability was related to more
      prosocial behavior. Maternal warmth had indirect links with helping through
      lessening children's reactivity.

PMID- 28626861
TI  - Diphenylcyclopropenone for the treatment of cutaneous in-transit melanoma
      metastases - results of a prospective, non-randomized, single-centre study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current treatments for in-transit melanoma (ITM) metastases are
      frequently invasive and do not improve overall survival. Recently, there has been
      increasing investigation into the use of topical agents. Diphenylcyclopropenone
      or diphencyprone (DPCP) is a novel, topical therapy that has been reported to
      have immune-sensitizing properties useful in the treatment of ITM. OBJECTIVE: To
      assess the clinical outcomes of patients treated within a prospective, non
      randomized, non-comparative study using DPCP for cutaneous ITM metastases.
      METHODS: A review was conducted assessing the outcomes of 58 patients
      prospectively treated using DPCP. Patients had satellite or in-transit disease
      (stage IIIB+), with all lesion morphology types included. The patients were
      treated through a single, specialized clinic with regular outpatient follow-up.
      DPCP was topically applied as an aqueous cream in 0.005-1% concentrations once to
      twice per week for up to 24-48 h of duration. To assess variables associated with
      response, a per-protocol statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: Fifty-four
      patients were treated who satisfied eligibility criteria for analysis. The
      overall response rates were as follows: complete response 22%, partial response
      39%, stable disease 24% and progressive disease 15%. The mean time to complete
      response was 10.5 months, mean duration (disease-free interval) 12.3 months and
      recurrence rate in complete responders 41%. Lesion morphology was predictive of
      clinical benefit with a higher response in epidermotropic disease (P < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: DPCP provided a well-tolerated, convenient and efficacious treatment
      for cutaneous ITM metastases. Identifying patterns of response may assist
      treatment selection and improve patient-rated outcomes.

PMID- 28626862
TI  - Acoustic field characterization of a clinical magnetic resonance-guided high
      intensity focused ultrasound system inside the magnet bore.
AB  - PURPOSE: With the expanding clinical application of magnetic resonance-guided
      high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU), acoustic field characterization of
      MR-HIFU systems is needed for facilitating regulatory approval and ensuring
      consistent and safe power output of HIFU transducers. However, the established
      acoustic field measurement techniques typically use equipment that cannot be used
      in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suite, thus posing a challenge to the
      development and execution of HIFU acoustic field characterization techniques. In
      this study, we developed and characterized a technique for HIFU acoustic field
      calibration within the MRI magnet bore, and validated the technique with standard
      hydrophone measurements outside of the MRI suite. METHODS: A clinical Philips MR
      HIFU system (Sonalleve V2, Philips, Vantaa, Finland) was used to assess the
      proposed technique. A fiber-optic hydrophone with a long fiber was inserted
      through a 24-gauge angiocatheter and fixed inside a water tank that was placed on
      the HIFU patient table above the acoustic window. The long fiber allowed the
      hydrophone control unit to be placed outside of the magnet room. The location of
      the fiber tip was traced on MR images, and the HIFU focal point was positioned at
      the fiber tip using the MR-HIFU therapy planning software. To perform acoustic
      field mapping inside the magnet, the HIFU focus was positioned relative to the
      fiber tip using an MRI-compatible 5-axis robotic transducer positioning system
      embedded in the HIFU patient table. To perform validation measurements of the
      acoustic fields, the HIFU table was moved out of the MRI suite, and a standard
      laboratory hydrophone measurement setup was used to perform acoustic field
      measurements outside the magnetic field. RESULTS: The pressure field scans along
      and across the acoustic beam path obtained inside the MRI bore were in good
      agreement with those obtained outside of the MRI suite. At the HIFU focus with
      varying nominal acoustic powers of 10-500 W, the peak positive pressure and peak
      negative pressure measured inside the magnet bore were 3.87-68.67 MPa and 3.56
      12.06 MPa, respectively, while outside the MRI suite the corresponding pressures
      were 3.27-67.32 MPa and 3.06-12.39 MPa, respectively. There was no statistically
      significant difference (P > 0.05) between measurements inside the magnet bore and
      outside the MRI suite for the p+ and p- at any acoustic power level. The spatial
      peak pulse-average intensities (ISPPA ) for these powers were 312-17816 W/cm2 and
      220-15698 W/cm2 for measurements inside and outside the magnet room,
      respectively. In addition, when the scanning step size of the HIFU focus was
      increased from 100 MUm to 500 MUm, the execution time for scanning a 4 * 4 mm2
      area decreased from 210 min to 10 min, the peak positive pressure decreased by
      14%, the peak negative pressure decreased by 5%, and the lateral full width at
      half maximum dimension of pressure profiles increased from 1.15 mm to 1.55 mm.
      CONCLUSIONS: The proposed hydrophone measurement technique offers a convenient
      and reliable method for characterizing the acoustic fields of clinical MR-HIFU
      systems inside the magnet bore. The technique was validated for use by
      measurements outside the MRI suite using a standard hydrophone calibration
      technique. This technique can be a useful tool in MR-HIFU quality assurance and
      acoustic field assessment.

PMID- 28626863
TI  - Prolactin correction for adequacy of petrosal sinus cannulation may diminish
      diagnostic accuracy in Cushing's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Petrosal venous prolactin concentrations have been promoted to improve
      the diagnostic accuracy of inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS), beyond that
      achieved with ACTH measurement alone, in diagnosing a pituitary ACTH source and
      determining corticotrophinoma side (L/R). Our objective was to assess the effect
      of using prolactin to confirm adequacy of petrosal cannulation in a cohort of
      patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort
      study. PATIENTS: Thirteen patients with clinical and biochemical Cushing's
      syndrome who underwent IPSS. MEASUREMENTS: Serum prolactin and ACTH in peripheral
      and inferior petrosal sinus blood before and after corticotrophin-releasing
      hormone (CRH) injection. RESULTS: Thirteen consecutive patients were diagnosed
      with Cushing's disease using uncorrected ACTH ratios. The side of PRL excess was
      the same as the side of ACTH excess in all cases. Use of various published
      prolactin-related equations suggested that the ACTH non-dominant side was not
      cannulated in four, six or seven patients depending on the equation used. The
      equations generally decreased the central-to-peripheral gradient on the
      uncorrected ACTH dominant side, increased the central-to-peripheral gradient on
      the contralateral side and diminished or even reversed the ACTH intersinus
      gradient. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent co-lateralisation of prolactin and ACTH in IPSS
      strongly suggests that prolactin cannot act as an independent guide to the
      diagnosis and lateralisation of Cushing's disease. All patients with Cushing's
      disease had a prolactin intersinus gradient towards the tumourous side of the
      pituitary, for likely biological reasons. PRL-corrected ACTH concentrations may
      threaten the sensitivity and specificity of IPSS in diagnosing Cushing's disease
      and conceal lateralisation.

PMID- 28626864
TI  - Detecting genetic association through shortest paths in a bidirected graph.
AB  - Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) commonly use marginal association tests
      for each single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Because these tests treat SNPs as
      independent, their power will be suboptimal for detecting SNPs hidden by linkage
      disequilibrium (LD). One way to improve power is to use a multiple regression
      model. However, the large number of SNPs preclude simultaneous fitting with
      multiple regression, and subset regression is infeasible because of an exorbitant
      number of candidate subsets. We therefore propose a new method for detecting
      hidden SNPs having significant yet weak marginal association in a multiple
      regression model. Our method begins by constructing a bidirected graph locally
      around each SNP that demonstrates a moderately sized marginal association signal,
      the focal SNPs. Vertexes correspond to SNPs, and adjacency between vertexes is
      defined by an LD measure. Subsequently, the method collects from each graph all
      shortest paths to the focal SNP. Finally, for each shortest path the method fits
      a multiple regression model to all the SNPs lying in the path and tests the
      significance of the regression coefficient corresponding to the terminal SNP in
      the path. Simulation studies show that the proposed method can detect
      susceptibility SNPs hidden by LD that go undetected with marginal association
      testing or with existing multivariate methods. When applied to real GWAS data
      from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), our method detected
      two groups of SNPs: one in a region containing the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene,
      and another in a region close to the semaphorin 5A (SEMA5A) gene.

PMID- 28626865
TI  - Positional changes of maxillary central incisors following orthodontic treatment
      using single-crown implants as fixed reference markers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This follow-up study (1) compares tooth displacement of central
      incisors in patients with and without pre-implant orthodontic treatment and (2)
      investigates whether sex, age, or orthodontic retention have an effect on tooth
      displacement after the insertion of single-crown implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Fifty-seven patients - thirty-seven with (test group) and twenty without pre
      implant orthodontic treatment (control group) - were rehabilitated with 89 single
      crown implants in the upper maxilla. Clinical and radiographic data, clinical
      photographs, and dental casts were collected during baseline examinations after
      prosthetic rehabilitation and at the final follow-up examination at least 5 years
      later. A total of 114 dental casts were digitalized and aligned using a software
      program to measure changes in the positions of the central incisors. RESULTS:
      After a follow-up period of at least five years, 87% of the central incisors
      measured in the test group were displaced >0.25 mm vertically compared with 70%
      in the control group. Seventy-eight percent of the test group teeth had moved
      >0.25 mm horizontally compared with 55% in the control group. These differences
      were not significant, and there were no significant correlations with patient age
      or sex. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients had minor vertical (60%) or
      horizontal (67%) tooth displacement of the central incisors (0.25-0.75 mm) after
      a minimum follow-up period of 5 years. This study found no significant
      differences in tooth displacement comparing patients with and without pre-implant
      orthodontic treatment. No significant effect of sex, age, orthodontic retention,
      or implant location was observed on tooth displacement.

PMID- 28626866
TI  - Activation of catalase by pioglitazone: Multiple spectroscopic methods combined
      with molecular docking studies.
AB  - Pioglitazone is an important prescription antidiabetic drug with positive roles
      in controlling high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the present
      study, we investigated the effects of pioglitazone on the structure and function
      of bovine liver catalase (BLC) using different spectroscopic and theoretical
      methods. UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence,
      and circular dichroism studies revealed conformational changes in the BLC
      structure and heme group in the presence of different concentrations of
      pioglitazone. Kinetic studies indicated that pioglitazone can increase BLC
      activity by approximately threefold compared with free enzyme. The fluorescence
      quenching data showed one binding site for pioglitazone, and the binding
      constants at 298, 304, and 310 K were calculated as 5.01 * 107  M-1 , 5.8 * 107 
      M-1 , and 6.6 * 107  M-1 , respectively. The static type of quenching mechanism
      was mainly involved in the quenching of intrinsic emission of the enzyme.
      Thermodynamic data suggested that hydrophobic interactions played a major role in
      the binding reaction of pioglitazone with BLC. The molecular docking studies
      indicated that pioglitazone interacts with the cavity in the middle of the beta
      barrel and wrapping domain of BLC. Thus, pioglitazone can increase catalase
      activity by changing the BLC structure.

PMID- 28626867
TI  - Kind of blue: A systematic review and meta-analysis of music interventions in
      cancer treatment.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Music may be a valuable and low-cost coping strategy for cancer
      patients. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify the
      psychological and physical effects of music interventions in cancer treatment.
      METHODS: We included randomized, controlled trials with adult patients in active
      cancer treatment exposed to different music interventions versus control
      conditions. Qualitative studies and systematic reviews were excluded. We
      identified a total of 2624 records through 2 systematic searches (June 2015 and
      September 2016) in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Cinahl, Web of Science, Cochrane, and
      PsycINFO and used Risk of Bias Assessment, GRADE and Checklist for Reporting
      Music-Based Interventions to evaluate the music applied and quality of the
      studies. We conducted meta-analyses using Review Manager (version 5.3). PROSPERO
      reg. no. CRD42015026024. RESULTS: We included 25 RCT's (N = 1784) of which 20
      were eligible for the meta-analysis (N = 1565). Music reduced anxiety (SMD -0.80
      [95% CI, -1.35 to -0.25]), pain (SMD -0.88 [95% CI -1.45 to -0.32]), and improved
      mood (SMD -0.55 [95% CI, -0.98 to -0.13]). However, studies were hampered by
      heterogeneity with I2 varying between 54% and 96%. Quality of the studies ranged
      from very low to low. The most effective mode of music intervention appeared to
      be passive listening to self-selected, recorded music in a single session design.
      CONCLUSIONS: Music may be a tool in reducing anxiety, pain, and improving mood
      among patients with cancer in active treatment. However, methodological
      limitations in the studies conducted so far prevent firm conclusions.

PMID- 28626868
TI  - Intrathecal dexamethasone vs. meperidine for prevention of shivering during
      transurethral prostatectomy: a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Shivering is a common complication after spinal anesthesia. Also,
      during transurethral prostatectomy a large amount of irrigating fluids is used
      which may cause hypothermia and shivering. We hypothesized that intrathecal
      dexamethasone could effectively attenuate post-spinal shivering following
      transurethral prostatectomy as intrathecal meperidine. METHODS: Ninety male
      patients, ASA II-III, 50-75 years old were included in this prospective and
      randomized double-blind study. Patients were divided into three equal groups;
      Group D received 8 mg dexamethasone, Group M received 0.2 mg/kg meperidine, and
      Group C received 2 ml of normal saline, each in addition to intrathecal
      hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5%. Shivering incidence, intensity and recurrence, dose
      of IV meperidine required to treat shivering, and adverse events were recorded
      for 150 min after the start of spinal anesthesia. RESULTS: The number of patients
      with shivering was higher in Group C (13) than in Group D (2) and Group M (3)
      with no differences between Group D and M; P = 0.001. Intensity and recurrence of
      shivering and dose of IV meperidine used to treat shivering were higher in Group
      C compared to Group D and Group M; P = 0.01, P = 0.064, and P = 0.004,
      respectively. Adverse events were not different between groups except sedation
      and pruritus which occurred only in Group M compared to Group D and Group C; P =
      0.005 and P = 0.001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal dexamethasone was as
      effective as intrathecal meperidine in attenuation of shivering compared to
      placebo in patients scheduled for prostate surgery under spinal anesthesia with
      less adverse events.

PMID- 28626870
TI  - The chicken or the egg? Sildenafil therapy for fetal cardiovascular dysfunction
      during hypoxic development: studies in the chick embryo.

PMID- 28626871
TI  - Successful living donor liver retransplantation for graft failure within 7 days
      due to acute de novo donor-specific anti-human leukocyte antigen antibody
      mediated rejection.
AB  - Growing evidence suggests a relationship between antibody-mediated rejection
      (AMR) and early graft failure due to a previously unknown etiology in liver
      transplantation (LTx). We herein report a 3-year-old boy who developed rapid
      graft failure due to de novo donor-specific antibody (DSA)-driven AMR a week
      after living donor LTx, requiring a second transplant on the 10th day after the
      first LTx. The pathology of the first graft showed massive necrosis in zone 3
      along with positive C4d and inflammatory cell infiltrates in portal areas. The
      mean fluorescence intensity against human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR15, which was
      possessed by both the first and the second donor, peaked at 12 945 on the day
      before the second LTx. Antithymocyte globulin, plasma exchange along with i.v.
      immunoglobulin, rituximab, and the local infusion of prostaglandin E1, steroids,
      and Mesilate gabexate through a portal catheter were provided to save the second
      graft. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show a clear association
      between de novo DSA and acute AMR within 7 days of a LTx. Furthermore, we
      successfully rescued the recipient with a second graft despite possessing the
      same targeted HLA. The rapid decision to carry out retransplantation and specific
      strategies overcoming AMR were crucial to achieving success in this case of
      immunologically high-risk LTx.

PMID- 28626869
TI  - Identification of miRNAs involved in DRG neurite outgrowth and their putative
      targets.
AB  - Peripheral neurons regenerate their axons after injury. Transcriptional
      regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) is one possible mechanism controlling
      regeneration. We profiled miRNA expression in mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons
      after a sciatic nerve crush, and identified 49 differentially expressed miRNAs.
      We evaluated the functional role of each miRNA using a phenotypic analysis
      approach. To predict the targets of the miRNAs we employed RNA-Sequencing and
      examined transcription at the isoform level. We identify thousands of
      differentially expressed isoforms and bioinformatically associate the miRNAs that
      modulate neurite growth with their putative target isoforms to outline a network
      of regulatory events underlying peripheral nerve regeneration. MiR-298, let-7a,
      and let-7f enhance neurite growth and target the majority of isoforms in the
      differentially expressed network.

PMID- 28626872
TI  - A Longitudinal Analysis of Well-Being of Ghanaian Children in Transnational
      Families.
AB  - This study is the first to employ panel data to examine well-being outcomes-self
      rated health, happiness, life satisfaction, and school enjoyment-of children in
      transnational families in an African context. It analyzes data collected in 2013,
      2014, and 2015 from secondary schoolchildren and youth (ages 12-21) in Ghana (N =
      741). Results indicate that children with fathers, mothers, or both parents away
      and those cared for by a parent, a family, or a nonfamily member are equally or
      more likely to have higher levels of well-being as children in nonmigrant
      families. Yet, there are certain risk factors-being a female, living in a family
      affected by divorce or by a change in caregiver while parents migrate-that may
      decrease child well-being.

PMID- 28626873
TI  - Assessing prefrontal cortex oxygenation after sport concussion with near-infrared
      spectroscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinicians typically rely on neuropsychological and balance tests to
      track concussion recovery. The aforementioned tests imply impairments that are
      based on performance, but these tests do not directly measure brain physiology
      throughout concussion recovery. Because of these issues, an objective biomarker
      that can index severity and the recovery timeline is needed. Moreover, the number
      of concussions occurring at a recreational level requires the biomarker to be
      easily administered in a cost effective manner, and the results easily
      interpreted. METHODS: To address these issues, near-infrared spectroscopy was
      used to assess the relative changes in oxy (HbO2 )- and deoxyhaemoglobin and the
      associated standard deviations (SD) in the prefrontal cortex. Resting
      haemoglobin, and haemoglobin changes in response to hypercapnia (five repeated
      20s breath holds), was measured in all participants. Data were aggregated into
      healthy baselines (n = 115), and concussed participants on days 1-3 (n = 14), 4-6
      (n = 8), and 7-14 (n = 11). The data were statistically compared using a 1 * 4
      ANOVA. RESULTS: Resting HbO2 values progressively lowered from days 1-3 to 7-14
      (with no differences compared to controls). The second major finding showed that
      hypercapnic HbO2 SD was significantly lower than resting values on days 1-3 and 4
      6, but reversed back towards the healthy control group on day 7-14. CONCLUSION:
      Monitoring cerebral oxygenation changes is a viable biomarker to assess the
      physiological state of the brain following concussion.

PMID- 28626874
TI  - 'Is nitrogen mustard contamination responsible for the reported MT-45 toxicity?'
      Reply from the authors.

PMID- 28626875
TI  - Effect of ketogenic diet and other dietary therapies on anti-epileptic drug
      concentrations in patients with epilepsy.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The ketogenic diet (KD) is an effective high-fat,
      adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet for patients with refractory epilepsy.
      The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of the KD and
      other dietary therapies on the concentrations of anticonvulsants in patients with
      epilepsy. METHODS: Patients with epilepsy who were treated with the KD and other
      dietary therapies for more than 30 days with at least one measurement performed
      both before and during the diet were evaluated. The mean serum concentrations and
      the mean serum concentrations per weight per daily dose per bioavailability (F)
      of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) before and during the treatment were assessed. We
      also compared the rates of events out of reference ranges of the AEDs between
      before and during the KD and other dietary therapies. We compared the serum
      albumin, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase data of patients with
      valproic acid before and during the KD. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: One-hundred
      thirty-nine patients including 81 male patients were enrolled. The median age of
      the patients was 2.91 (0.15-15.46) years. The median duration of the dietary
      therapies was 153 (35-2307) days. After the dietary therapies, the serum
      concentrations of carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, topiramate and
      valproic acid decreased, whereas that of phenobarbital slightly increased.
      However, statistical significance was found only with valproic acid (67.07+/
      25.89 MUg/mL vs 51.00+/-20.19 MUg/mL, P<.05). The serum concentrations per weight
      per daily dose per drug F significantly decreased for valproic acid (1.38+/
      1.39*10-2 vs 0.82+/-0.82*10-2  MUg d mL-1  F-1 ) and phenobarbital (6.66+/
      7.20*10-2 vs 4.75+/-4.07*10-2  MUg d mL-1  F-1 , P<.05). The rate of occurrence
      of events out of reference ranges significantly increased with valproic acid
      (36.08% vs 57.23%, P<.05). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: Most anti-epileptic drug
      serum concentrations remained stable during the KD and other related dietary
      therapies except those of valproic acid. Therefore, serum concentrations of
      valproic acid should be monitored when the KD and other dietary therapies are
      concomitantly administered.

PMID- 28626876
TI  - Optical molecular imaging-guided radiation therapy part 2: Integrated x-ray and
      fluorescence molecular tomography.
AB  - PURPOSE: Differentiating tumor from its surrounding soft tissues is challenging
      for x-ray computed tomography (CT). Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) can
      directly localize the internal tumors targeted with specific fluorescent probes.
      A FMT system was developed and integrated onto a CT-guided irradiator to improve
      tumor localization for image-guided radiation. METHODS: The FMT system was
      aligned orthogonal to the cone-beam CT onboard our previously developed image
      guided small animal arc radiation treatment system (iSMAART). Through rigorous
      physical registration, the onboard CT provides accurate surface contour which is
      used to generate three-dimensional mesh for FMT reconstruction. During FMT
      experiments, a point laser source perpendicular to the rotating axis was used to
      excite the internal fluorophores. The normalized optical images from multiple
      projection angles were adopted for tomographic reconstruction. To investigate the
      accuracy of the FMT in locating the tumor and recovering its volume, in vivo
      experiments were conducted on two breast cancer models: MDA-MB-231 cancer
      xenograft on nude mice and 4T1 cancer xenograft on white mice. Both cancer cell
      lines overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). A novel
      fluorescent poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticle conjugated with
      anti-EGFR was intravenously injected to specifically target the breast cancer
      cells. Another ex vivo experiment on a mouse bearing a surgically implanted
      Indocyanine Green-containing glass tube was conducted, to additionally validate
      the precision of FMT-guided radiation therapy. RESULTS: The FMT can accurately
      localize the single-nodule breast tumors actively targeted with fluorescent
      nanoparticles with localization error < 0.5 mm calculated between the centers of
      mass of tumors in FMT and CT. The reconstructed tumor volume in FMT was
      significantly correlated with that in the iodinated contrast-enhanced CT (R2 =
      0.94, P < 0.001). The FMT was able to guide focal radiation delivery with
      submillimeter accuracy. CONCLUSION: Using the tumor-targeting fluorescent probes,
      the iSMAART with onboard FMT system can accurately differentiate tumors from
      their surrounding soft tissue, guide precise focal radiation delivery, and
      potentially assess tumor response in cancer research.

PMID- 28626877
TI  - Factors associated with the difficulty in hospital acceptance among elderly
      emergency patients: A population-based study in Osaka City, Japan.
AB  - AIM: We aimed to investigate prehospital factors associated with difficulty in
      hospital acceptance among elderly emergency patients. METHODS: We reviewed
      ambulance records in Osaka City from January 2013 through December 2014, and
      enrolled all elderly emergency patients aged >=65 years who were transported by
      on-scene emergency medical service personnel to a hospital that the personnel had
      selected. The definition of difficulty in hospital acceptance was to the
      requirement for >=4 phone calls to hospitals by emergency medical service
      personnel before receiving a decision from the destination hospitals. Prehospital
      factors associated with difficulty in hospital acceptance were examined through
      logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, 72 105 elderly
      patients were included, and 13 332 patients (18.5%) experienced difficulty in
      hospital acceptance. In the simple linear regression model, hospital selection
      time increased significantly with an increasing number of phone calls (R2  =
      0.774). In the multivariable analysis, older age (P for trend <0.001), calls from
      a healthcare facility (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval
      [CI] 1.15-1.32), night-time (AOR 2.17, 95% CI 2.08-2.26) and weekend/holidays
      (AOR 1.43, 95% CI 1.38-1.49) were significantly associated with difficulty in
      hospital acceptance. A positive association was observed between gastrointestinal
      emergency-related symptoms and difficulty in hospital acceptance among elderly
      patients with symptoms of internal disease (AOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.53-1.91).
      CONCLUSIONS: In Japan, which has a rapidly aging population, a comprehensive
      strategy for elderly emergency patients, especially for advanced age groups or
      nursing home residents, is required. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2441-2448.

PMID- 28626878
TI  - Should women be advised to use calcium supplements during pregnancy? A decision
      analysis.
AB  - Adequate calcium intake during pregnancy is important in the prevention of pre
      eclampsia. A substantial proportion of pregnant women do not meet the recommended
      daily calcium intake, even in developed countries. Nonetheless, calcium
      supplementation is not routinely advised to pregnant women in most countries. We
      aimed to predict the impact of advising pregnant women to use calcium supplements
      (1,000 mg/day) on the number of cases of pre-eclampsia prevented and related
      health care costs. By use of a decision-analytic model, we assessed the expected
      impact of advising calcium supplementation to either (1) all pregnant women, (2)
      women at high risk of developing pre-eclampsia, or (3) women with a low dietary
      calcium intake compared with current care. Calculations were performed for a
      hypothetical cohort of 100,000 pregnant women living in a high-income country,
      although input parameters of the model can be adjusted so as to fit other
      settings. The incidence of pre-eclampsia could be reduced by 25%, 8%, or 13% when
      advising calcium supplementation to all pregnant women, women at high risk of pre
      eclampsia, or women with a low dietary calcium intake, respectively. Expected net
      financial benefits of the three scenarios were of ?4,621,465, ?2,059,165, or
      ?2,822,115 per 100,000 pregnant women, respectively. Advising pregnant women to
      use calcium supplements can be expected to cause substantial reductions in the
      incidence of pre-eclampsia as well as related health care costs. It appears most
      efficient to advise calcium supplementation to all pregnant women, not subgroups
      only.

PMID- 28626879
TI  - Snipper, an Eri1 homologue, affects histone mRNA abundance and is crucial for
      normal Drosophila melanogaster development.
AB  - The conserved 3'-5' RNA exonuclease ERI1 is implicated in RNA interference
      inhibition, 5.8S rRNA maturation and histone mRNA maturation and turnover. The
      single ERI1 homologue in Drosophila melanogaster Snipper (Snp) is a 3'-5'
      exonuclease, but its in vivo function remains elusive. Here, we report Snp
      requirement for normal Drosophila development, since its perturbation leads to
      larval arrest and tissue-specific downregulation results in abnormal tissue
      development. Additionally, Snp directly interacts with histone mRNA, and its
      depletion results in drastic reduction in histone transcript levels. We propose
      that Snp protects the 3'-ends of histone mRNAs and upon its absence, histone
      transcripts are readily degraded. This in turn may lead to cell cycle delay or
      arrest, causing growth arrest and developmental perturbations.

PMID- 28626880
TI  - The use of blood coagulation products requires a thorough re-evaluation.

PMID- 28626881
TI  - Direct Growth of High Mobility and Low-Noise Lateral MoS2 -Graphene
      Heterostructure Electronics.
AB  - Reliable fabrication of lateral interfaces between conducting and semiconducting
      2D materials is considered a major technological advancement for the next
      generation of highly packed all-2D electronic circuitry. This study employs seed
      free consecutive chemical vapor deposition processes to synthesize high-quality
      lateral MoS2 -graphene heterostructures and comprehensively investigated their
      electronic properties through a combination of various experimental techniques
      and theoretical modeling. These results show that the MoS2 -graphene devices
      exhibit an order of magnitude higher mobility and lower noise metrics compared to
      conventional MoS2 -metal devices as a result of energy band rearrangement and
      smaller Schottky barrier height at the contacts. These findings suggest that MoS2
      -graphene in-plane heterostructures are promising materials for the scale-up of
      all-2D circuitry with superlative electrical performance.

PMID- 28626883
TI  - Weighting (also) the risk of post-operative nausea and vomiting in bariatric
      surgery: time for opioid free anesthesia.

PMID- 28626882
TI  - Quantitative proteome analysis of plasma microparticles for the characterization
      of HCV-induced hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant
      liver tumor and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Cirrhosis
      induced by hepatitis-C virus (HCV) infection is the most critical risk factor for
      HCC. However, the mechanism of HCV-induced carcinogenesis is not fully
      understood. Plasma microparticles (PMP) contribute to numerous physiological and
      pathological processes and contain proteins whose composition correlates to the
      respective pathophysiological conditions. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We analyzed PMP
      from 22 HCV-induced cirrhosis patients, 16 HCV-positive HCC patients with
      underlying cirrhosis and 18 healthy controls. PMP were isolated using
      ultracentrifugation and analyzed via label-free LC-MS/MS. RESULTS: We identified
      840 protein groups and quantified 507 proteins. 159 proteins were found
      differentially abundant between the three experimental groups. PMP in both
      disease entities displayed remarkable differences in the proteome composition
      compared to healthy controls. Conversely, the proteome difference between both
      diseases was minimal. GO analysis revealed that PMP isolated from both diseases
      were significantly enriched in proteins involved in complement activation, while
      endopeptidase activity was downregulated exclusively in HCC patients. CONCLUSION:
      This study reports for the first time a quantitative proteome analysis for PMP
      from patients with HCV-induced cirrhosis and HCC. Data are available via
      ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD005777.

PMID- 28626885
TI  - Intraocular surgery - assessment and transfer of skills using a virtual-reality
      simulator.

PMID- 28626884
TI  - Empirical Tests of a Brain-Based Model of Executive Function Development.
AB  - Executive function (EF) plays a foundational role in development. A brain-based
      model of EF development is probed for the experiences that strengthen EF in the
      dimensional change card sort task in which children sort cards by one rule and
      then are asked to switch to another. Three-year-olds perseverate on the first
      rule, failing the task, whereas 4-year-olds pass. Three predictions of the model
      are tested to help 3-year-olds (N = 54) pass. Experiment 1 shows that experience
      with shapes and the label "shape" helps children. Experiment 2 shows that
      experience with colors-without a label-helps children. Experiment 3 shows that
      experience with colors induces dimensional attention. The implications of this
      work for early intervention are discussed.

PMID- 28626886
TI  - Investigation of the Integration of Supports for Youth Thriving Into a Community
      Based Mentoring Program.
AB  - A randomized control trial involving 806 youth (ages 10-16; 85.4% low-income
      households) served in U.S. Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates investigated
      effects of incorporating activities to promote youth thriving into mentoring
      relationships over a 15-month period. Outcomes included support for thriving in
      youths' relationships with adults, youths' personal resources for thriving, and
      levels of problem behavior. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed no differences in
      outcomes based on assignment to thriving promotion or standard services. There
      was substantial variability in youth exposure to thriving promotion activities,
      primarily in association with premature endings of mentoring relationships. In
      path analyses, positive engagement with the activities predicted enhanced support
      for thriving from adults and, via this support, increased personal resources for
      thriving and reduced problem behavior.

PMID- 28626887
TI  - Using numerical plant models and phenotypic correlation space to design
      achievable ideotypes.
AB  - Numerical plant models can predict the outcome of plant traits modifications
      resulting from genetic variations, on plant performance, by simulating
      physiological processes and their interaction with the environment. Optimization
      methods complement those models to design ideotypes, that is, ideal values of a
      set of plant traits, resulting in optimal adaptation for given combinations of
      environment and management, mainly through the maximization of performance
      criteria (e.g. yield and light interception). As use of simulation models gains
      momentum in plant breeding, numerical experiments must be carefully engineered to
      provide accurate and attainable results, rooting them in biological reality.
      Here, we propose a multi-objective optimization formulation that includes a
      metric of performance, returned by the numerical model, and a metric of
      feasibility, accounting for correlations between traits based on field
      observations. We applied this approach to two contrasting models: a process-based
      crop model of sunflower and a functional-structural plant model of apple trees.
      In both cases, the method successfully characterized key plant traits and
      identified a continuum of optimal solutions, ranging from the most feasible to
      the most efficient. The present study thus provides successful proof of concept
      for this enhanced modelling approach, which identified paths for desirable trait
      modification, including direction and intensity.

PMID- 28626888
TI  - Clinical and radiographic evaluation of early loaded narrow-diameter implants: 5
      year follow-up of a multicenter prospective clinical study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was initiated to evaluate the 5-year implant survival rate
      and marginal bone levels around a 3.0-mm implant when replacing a single tooth in
      the anterior region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed as a
      prospective, single-arm, multicenter clinical study. Patients missing 12, 22, 32,
      31, 41 or 42 teeth were included, and implants of 3.0 mm diameter and different
      lengths were placed by a one-stage surgery protocol. Definitive cemented crowns
      were placed 6-10 weeks later. Clinical and radiographic measurements were taken
      at implant installation, at loading and at the 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, 48- and 60
      month follow-up visits. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients with 97 implants were
      included in this study. Four implants were lost before loading (4.12% failure
      rate). Implant marginal bone levels did not differ statistically after the 1-year
      follow-up visit. After 5 years, no bone loss was observed for 50.60% of the
      implants and only 8.43% of them lost more than 1 mm. Similarly, probing pocket
      depths and gingival zenith scores did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The
      use of the two-piece narrow 3.0-mm titanium dental implant for the restoration of
      upper lateral or lower incisors is safe and results in stable marginal bone
      levels and probing pocket depths after 5 years of function.

PMID- 28626889
TI  - From basal cell carcinoma morphogenesis to the alopecia induced by hedgehog
      inhibitors: connecting the dots.
AB  - The deciphering of the hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway implicated in the
      tumorigenesis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) led to the development of targeted
      drug therapies, the Hh pathway inhibitors (HPIs) vismodegib and sonidegib. In the
      skin, physiological Hh signalling is activated in growing hair follicles (HFs),
      where it is required for proliferation of the epithelium of HFs during
      morphogenesis and for their postnatal growth. The effects of HPI treatment
      leading to the regression of BCC and the development of alopecia underpin the
      central role of the Hh pathway in BCC formation, as well as hair cycling. Given
      the fact that BCC is a follicular-driven tumour, it is a fine tuning of events
      that regulate hair cycling that may drive towards the formation of benign
      follicular hamartomas or malignant BCC neoplasms. Wnt/beta-catenin signalling
      interacts with the Hh signalling during HF morphogenesis, normal hair cycling and
      BCC development. The aim of this review is to present how key molecular events
      implicated in Hh pathway crosstalk in the HF are also involved in BCC
      pathogenesis and result in the alopecia developed by HPI treatment.

PMID- 28626890
TI  - Transcriptomic analysis of rice aleurone cells identified a novel abscisic acid
      response element.
AB  - Seeds serve as a great model to study plant responses to drought stress, which is
      largely mediated by abscisic acid (ABA). The ABA responsive element (ABRE) is a
      key cis-regulatory element in ABA signalling. However, its consensus sequence
      (ACGTG(G/T)C) is present in the promoters of only about 40% of ABA-induced genes
      in rice aleurone cells, suggesting other ABREs may exist. To identify novel
      ABREs, RNA sequencing was performed on aleurone cells of rice seeds treated with
      20 MUM ABA. Gibbs sampling was used to identify enriched elements, and particle
      bombardment-mediated transient expression studies were performed to verify the
      function. Gene ontology analysis was performed to predict the roles of genes
      containing the novel ABREs. This study revealed 2443 ABA-inducible genes and a
      novel ABRE, designated as ABREN, which was experimentally verified to mediate ABA
      signalling in rice aleurone cells. Many of the ABREN-containing genes are
      predicted to be involved in stress responses and transcription. Analysis of other
      species suggests that the ABREN may be monocot specific. This study also revealed
      interesting expression patterns of genes involved in ABA metabolism and
      signalling. Collectively, this study advanced our understanding of diverse cis
      regulatory sequences and the transcriptomes underlying ABA responses in rice
      aleurone cells.

PMID- 28626892
TI  - Letter to the Editor re: 'Long-term complications of Stevens-Johnson
      syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN): the spectrum of chronic problems
      in patients who survive an episode of SJS/TEN necessitates multidisciplinary
      follow-up'.

PMID- 28626891
TI  - Evaluation of Serum 3-Bromotyrosine Concentrations in Dogs with Steroid
      Responsive Diarrhea and Food-Responsive Diarrhea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The clinical usefulness of serum 3-BrY concentrations for
      subclassifying dogs with food-responsive diarrhea (FRD) and steroid-responsive
      diarrhea (SRD) has not been studied. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To compare serum 3
      BrY concentrations in dogs with FRD, dogs with SRD, and healthy control dogs.
      ANIMALS: 38 dogs with FRD, 14 dogs with SRD, and 46 healthy dogs. METHODS:
      Prospective study. Measurement of 3-BrY concentration in serum samples was
      performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: There was no
      association of peripheral eosinophilia in dogs with FRD, SRD, and healthy control
      dogs (P = 0.069). There was no significant correlation between peripheral
      eosinophil counts and serum 3-BrY concentrations (rho = -0.15, P = 0.13). Serum 3
      BrY concentrations in dogs with SRD (median [range] = 3.27, 0.9-26.23 MUmol/L)
      were significantly higher than in dogs with FRD (median [range] = 0.99, 0.62-8.82
      MUmol/L; P = 0.007) or in healthy dogs (median [range] = 0.62, 0.62-1.79 MUmol/L;
      P < 0.001). Also, serum 3-BrY concentrations in dogs with FRD were significantly
      higher than in healthy dogs (P = 0.025). There was no significant correlation
      between the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index and serum 3-BrY
      concentrations (rho = 0.17, P = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:
      Measurement of serum 3-BrY concentrations, but not the peripheral eosinophil
      count, is helpful for detecting dogs with SRD and FRD.

PMID- 28626893
TI  - Random skin biopsy in the diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Random skin biopsy (RSB) is a method for diagnosis of intravascular
      lymphoma (IVL). However, the indications for RSB to diagnose IVL have not yet
      been established. The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate
      indications for RSB to diagnose IVL. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with fever of
      unknown origin (FUO) and without skin lesion underwent RSB for diagnosis of IVL.
      Clinical data, including fever, neurological symptoms, hematologic disorders,
      organomegaly, bone marrow (BM) study, hypoxemia and serum level of lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH), were evaluated. RESULTS: Seven of 32 patients were
      definitively diagnosed with IVL. In addition to FUO, 2 IVL patients also suffered
      from dyspnea and neurological disorders. Patients who had FUO with accompanying
      hematologic disorders, high LDH, negative BM study and no lymphadenopathy or
      hepatosplenomegaly had a significant tendency to have IVL by RSB (P = .03). FUO
      with hypoxemia was also identified as a significant indication for RSB (P = .02).
      CONCLUSIONS: RSB is a reliable method for diagnosis of IVL, especially in
      patients with FUO and any 1 or more of the 4 following abnormalities: (1)
      hematologic abnormalities; (2) high serum LDH; (3) hypoxemia; and/or, (4) unusual
      neurological symptoms with co-existing hematologic abnormalities and without
      lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly or BM abnormality.

PMID- 28626894
TI  - Timing surgery for previa-accreta: patient selection based on a priori risk
      factors.

PMID- 28626895
TI  - Khat chewing habit produces a significant adverse effect on periodontal, oral
      health: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Although there is a general agreement that a khat chewing habit produces
      clinicopathological changes in the oral mucosa. However there is no reliable
      evidence of the effects of a khat chewing habit on the periodontal tissues. Thus,
      authors aimed to investigate the influence of khat chewing habits on periodontal,
      oral health, by comparing khat chewers to non-chewers in respect of gingival
      recession, periodontal pocketing depth and loss of attachment. A systematic
      review and meta-analysis were conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items
      for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched PubMed, the
      Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus and grey literature. The inclusion
      criteria were all studies with aims of comparing khat chewers and/or sides to non
      chewers and/or sides in respect of gingival recession, periodontal pocketing
      depth and loss of attachment. For continuous data, we computed weighted mean
      difference or standard mean difference analyses. An odds ratio using a random
      effect model was used if heterogeneity was detected; otherwise, a fixed effects
      model with a 95% confidence interval was used for continuous data. Two subgroups
      were analysed: khat chewers vs non-chewers and khat chewer sides vs non-chewer
      sides of the chewer's individuals. A total of 6373 participants were enrolled in
      12 studies (khat chewers=3812, non-chewers=2561). There were statistically
      significant differences between khat and non-chewers in both subgroup analyses
      regarding gingival recession, periodontal pocketing depth and loss of attachment
      (P<.05). The odds ratios for khat chewers compared to non-chewers, in respect of
      depth of periodontal pocket and gingival recession were 4.797 and 6.853
      respectively. The results of this meta-analysis have shown that the khat chewing
      habit produces a destructive and adverse effect on periodontal, oral health.

PMID- 28626896
TI  - Gestation length and racing performance in 115 Thoroughbred foals with incomplete
      tarsal ossification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Incomplete ossification of the cuboidal bones of the carpus and
      tarsus in foals has the potential for significant consequences including chronic
      lameness and decreased athletic ability. OBJECTIVES: To determine if the degree
      of ossification of the cuboidal bones is associated with gestational length and
      if the diagnosis of incomplete ossification is a predictor of performance in
      Thoroughbred racehorses. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: The
      medical records of Thoroughbred foals less than 90 days of age from 1994 to 2011
      were examined and records containing tarsal radiographs identified. Radiographs
      of the tarsus were examined for signs of incomplete ossification and those that
      were incompletely ossified graded on a scale of 1-4 using a modification of a
      previously reported index, with Grade 1 being the least ossified and Grade 4
      being the most. Gestational length was determined by examining breeding records
      and foaling dates reported to the Jockey Club. Race records for 2- and 3-year-old
      affected foals and their maternal siblings were obtained and compared. RESULTS:
      Foals with Grades 1 and 2 ossification were usually premature (gestation length
      <325 days), but Grades 3 and 4 were not. Foals with Grades 2 and 3 ossification
      were significantly less likely to race than their maternal siblings and Grades 1,
      2, 3 and 4 foals earned less money. MAIN LIMITATIONS: A larger sample size of
      foals with Grade 1 ossification would increase the power of the study. Foals
      radiographed at an older age may have had lower ossification scores if
      radiographed earlier. CONCLUSIONS: Incomplete ossification, especially Grades 1
      and 2, is associated with a short gestation length. Foals with Grades 2 and 3
      incomplete ossification were less likely to race and Grades 1, 2 and 3 earned
      around $30,000 less than their maternal siblings.

PMID- 28626897
TI  - Ultrastable Near-Infrared Conjugated-Polymer Nanoparticles for Dually Photoactive
      Tumor Inhibition.
AB  - It is highly desired that satisfactory photoactive agents with ideal
      photophysical characteristics are explored for potent cancer phototherapeutics.
      Herein, bifunctional nanoparticles of low-bandgap donor-acceptor (D-A)-type
      conjugated-polymer nanoparticles (CP-NPs) are developed to afford a highly
      efficient singlet-to-triplet transition and photothermal conversion for near
      infrared (NIR) light-induced photodynamic (PDT)/photothermal (PTT) treatment. CP
      NPs display remarkable NIR absorption with the peak at 782 nm, and perfect
      resistance to photobleaching. Photoexcited CP-NPs undergo singlet-to-triplet
      intersystem crossing through charge transfer in the excited D-A system and
      simultaneous nonradiative decay from the electron-deficient electron acceptor
      isoindigo derivative under single-wavelength NIR light irradiation, leading to
      distinct singlet oxygen quantum yield and high photothermal conversion
      efficiency. Moreover, the CP-NPs display effective cellular uptake and
      cytoplasmic translocation from lysosomes, as well as effective tumor
      accumulation, thus promoting severe light-triggered damage caused by favorable
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and potent hyperthermia. Thus, CP-NPs
      achieve photoactive cell damage through their photoconversion ability for
      synergistic PDT/PTT treatment with tumor ablation. The proof-of-concept design of
      D-A-type conjugated-polymer nanoparticles with ideal photophysical
      characteristics provides a general approach to afford potent photoactive cancer
      therapy.

PMID- 28626898
TI  - Polo-like kinase-1 immunoreactivity is associated with metastases in cutaneous
      melanoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polo-like kinase-1 (PLK-1) is one of the key regulators of cell cycle
      progression. Increased expression of PLK-1 was observed in several tumor types.
      METHODS: We immunohistochemically assessed PLK-1 expression in neoplastic and
      stromal compartments of 96 cutaneous melanomas, and analyzed associations between
      PLK-1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS: PLK-1
      expression in cancer cells was not associated with basic clinical (eg, age,
      gender and tumor location) or histopathological (eg, Breslow thickness, mitotic
      rate and ulceration) parameters. However, increased PLK-1 was more frequent in
      tumors with concurrent regional nodal metastases and positive sentinel lymph node
      biopsy status. All primary tumors associated with co-existing distant metastases
      exhibited high PLK-1 expression in melanoma cells. Conversely, PLK-1 expression
      in stromal cells was more frequent in tumors without nodal metastases. PLK-1
      expression in both compartments was not associated with survival. CONCLUSION: PLK
      1 expression is associated with metastatic potential in cutaneous melanoma.

PMID- 28626899
TI  - Consideration of the presence of inflammation is essential for interpretation of
      serum micronutrient results.

PMID- 28626900
TI  - Oral ofloxacin and clindamycin as an alternative to the classic rifampicin
      clindamycin in hidradenitis suppurativa: retrospective analysis of 65 patients.

PMID- 28626901
TI  - Elevated levels of serum IgM anti-phosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex
      antibodies in patients with cancer-associated vasculitis.

PMID- 28626902
TI  - Haemophilus influenzae oral vaccination for preventing acute exacerbations of
      chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
      are serious conditions in which patients are predisposed to viral and bacterial
      infections resulting in potentially fatal acute exacerbations. Chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease is defined as a lung disease characterised by
      obstruction to lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing. Antibiotic
      therapy has not been particularly useful in eradicating bacteria such as non
      typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) because they are naturally occurring flora
      of the upper respiratory tract in many people. However, they can cause
      opportunistic infection. An oral NTHi vaccine has been developed to protect
      against recurrent infective acute exacerbations in chronic bronchitis.
      OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of an oral, whole-cell NTHi vaccine in
      protecting against recurrent episodes of acute exacerbations of chronic
      bronchitis and COPD in adults. To assess the effectiveness of NTHi vaccine in
      reducing NTHi colonising the respiratory tract during recurrent episodes of acute
      exacerbations of COPD. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following databases: the
      Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2017, Issue 1), MEDLINE
      (1946 to January 2017), Embase (1974 to January 2017), CINAHL (1981 to January
      2017), LILACS (1985 to January 2017), and Web of Science (1955 to January 2017).
      We also searched trials registries and contacted authors of trials requesting
      unpublished data. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials
      comparing the effects of an oral monobacterial NTHi vaccine in adults with
      recurrent acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD when there was overt
      matching of the vaccine and placebo groups on clinical grounds. The selection
      criteria considered populations aged less than 65 years and those older than 65
      years. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed
      trial quality and extracted data from original records and publications for
      incidence and severity of bronchitis episodes and carriage rate of NTHi measured
      in the upper respiratory tract, as well as data relevant to other primary and
      secondary outcomes. MAIN RESULTS: We identified six placebo-controlled randomised
      controlled trials with a total of 557 participants. These trials investigated the
      efficacy of enteric-coated, killed preparations of H influenzae in populations
      prone to recurrent acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD. The vaccine
      preparation and immunisation regimen in all trials consisted of at least three
      courses of formalin-killed H influenzae in enteric-coated tablets taken at
      intervals (e.g. days 0, 28, and 56). Each course generally consisted of two
      tablets taken after breakfast over three consecutive days. In all cases the
      placebo groups took enteric-coated tablets containing glucose. Risk of bias was
      moderate across the studies, namely due to the lack of information provided about
      methods and inadequate presentation of results.Meta-analysis of the oral NTHi
      vaccine showed a small, non-statistically significant reduction in the incidence
      of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or COPD (risk ratio (RR) 0.79, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) 0.57 to 1.10; P = 0.16). There was no significant
      difference in mortality rate between the vaccine and placebo groups (odds ratio
      (OR) 1.62, 95% CI 0.63 to 4.12; P = 0.31).We were unable to meta-analyse the
      carriage levels of NTHi in participants as each trial reported this result using
      different units and tools of measurement. Four trials showed no significant
      difference in carriage levels, while two trials showed a significant decrease in
      carriage levels in the vaccinated group compared with the placebo group.Four
      trials assessed severity of exacerbations measured by requirement for
      antibiotics. Three of these trials were comparable and when meta-analysed showed
      a statistically significant 80% increase in antibiotic courses per person in the
      placebo group (RR 1.81, 95% CI 1.35 to 2.44; P < 0.001). There was no significant
      difference between the groups with regard to hospital admission rates (OR 0.96,
      95% CI 0.13 to 7.04; P = 0.97). Adverse events were reported in five trials but
      were not necessarily related to the vaccine; a point estimate is suggestive that
      they occurred more frequently in the vaccine group, however this result was not
      statistically significant (RR 1.43, 95% CI 0.70 to 2.92; P = 0.87). Quality of
      life was not meta-analysed but was reported in two trials, with results at six
      months showing an improvement in quality of life in the vaccinated group (scoring
      at least two points better than placebo). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Analyses
      demonstrate that NTHi oral vaccination of people with recurrent exacerbations of
      chronic bronchitis or COPD does not yield a significant reduction in the number
      and severity of exacerbations. Evidence was mixed, and the individual trials that
      showed a significant benefit of the vaccine are too small to advocate widespread
      oral vaccination of people with COPD.

PMID- 28626903
TI  - Economical Sponge Phantom for Teaching, Understanding, and Researching A- and B
      Line Reverberation Artifacts in Lung Ultrasound.
AB  - This project evaluated a low-cost sponge phantom setup for its capability to
      teach and study A- and B-line reverberation artifacts known from lung ultrasound
      and to numerically simulate sound wave interaction with the phantom using a
      finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) model. Both A- and B-line artifacts were
      reproducible on B-mode ultrasound imaging as well as in the FDTD-based
      simulation. The phantom was found to be an easy-to-set up and economical tool for
      understanding, teaching, and researching A- and B-line artifacts occurring in
      lung ultrasound. The FDTD method-based simulation was able to reproduce the
      artifacts and provides intuitive insight into the underlying physics.

PMID- 28626904
TI  - Do real world data support and extend our ability to predict reverse remodelling
      following cardiac resynchronization therapy based on QRS morphology and width?

PMID- 28626905
TI  - Genome architecture enables local adaptation of Atlantic cod despite high
      connectivity.
AB  - Adaptation to local conditions is a fundamental process in evolution; however,
      mechanisms maintaining local adaptation despite high gene flow are still poorly
      understood. Marine ecosystems provide a wide array of diverse habitats that
      frequently promote ecological adaptation even in species characterized by strong
      levels of gene flow. As one example, populations of the marine fish Atlantic cod
      (Gadus morhua) are highly connected due to immense dispersal capabilities but
      nevertheless show local adaptation in several key traits. By combining population
      genomic analyses based on 12K single nucleotide polymorphisms with larval
      dispersal patterns inferred using a biophysical ocean model, we show that
      Atlantic cod individuals residing in sheltered estuarine habitats of Scandinavian
      fjords mainly belong to offshore oceanic populations with considerable
      connectivity between these diverse ecosystems. Nevertheless, we also find
      evidence for discrete fjord populations that are genetically differentiated from
      offshore populations, indicative of local adaptation, the degree of which appears
      to be influenced by connectivity. Analyses of the genomic architecture reveal a
      significant overrepresentation of a large ~5 Mb chromosomal rearrangement in
      fjord cod, previously proposed to comprise genes critical for the survival at low
      salinities. This suggests that despite considerable connectivity with offshore
      populations, local adaptation to fjord environments may be enabled by suppression
      of recombination in the rearranged region. Our study provides new insights into
      the potential of local adaptation in high gene flow species within fine
      geographical scales and highlights the importance of genome architecture in
      analyses of ecological adaptation.

PMID- 28626906
TI  - Behavioural implications of traditional treatment and closed-loop automated
      insulin delivery systems in Type 1 diabetes: applying a cognitive restraint
      theory framework.
AB  - As the prevalence of obesity in Type 1 diabetes rises, the effects of emerging
      therapy options should be considered in the context of both weight and glycaemic
      control outcomes. Artificial pancreas device systems will 'close the loop'
      between blood glucose monitoring and automated insulin delivery and may transform
      day-to-day dietary management for people with Type 1 diabetes in multiple ways.
      In the present review, we draw directly from cognitive restraint theory to
      consider unintended impacts that closed-loop systems may have on ingestive
      behaviour and food intake. We provide a brief overview of dietary restraint
      theory and its relation to weight status in the general population, discuss the
      role of restraint in traditional Type 1 diabetes treatment, and lastly, use this
      restraint framework to discuss the possible behavioural implications and
      opportunities of closed-loop systems in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. We
      hypothesize that adopting closed-loop systems will lift the diligence and
      restriction that characterizes Type 1 diabetes today, thus requiring a transition
      from a restrained eating behaviour to a non-restrained eating behaviour.
      Furthermore, we suggest this transition be leveraged as an opportunity to teach
      people lifelong eating behaviour to promote healthy weight status by
      incorporating education and cognitive reappraisal. Our aim was to use a
      transdisciplinary approach to highlight critical aspects of the emerging closed
      loop technologies relating to eating behaviour and weight effects and to promote
      discussion of strategies to optimize long-term health in Type 1 diabetes via two
      key outcomes: glycaemic control and weight management.

PMID- 28626907
TI  - Controlled population-based comparative study of USA and international adult [55
      74] neurological deaths 1989-2014.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A population-based controlled study to determine whether adult (55-74
      years) neurological disease deaths are continuing to rise and are there
      significant differences between America and the twenty developed countries 1989
      91 and 2012-14. METHOD: Total Neurological Deaths (TND) rates contrasted against
      control Cancer and Circulatory Disease Deaths (CDD) extrapolated from WHO data.
      Confidence intervals compare USA and the other countries over the period. The
      Over-75's TND and population increases are examined as a context for the 55-74
      outcomes. RESULTS: Male neurological deaths rose >10% in eleven countries, the
      other countries average rose 20% the USA 43% over the period. Female neurological
      deaths rose >10% in ten counties, averaging 14%, the USA up 68%. USA male and
      female neurological deaths increased significantly more than twelve and seventeen
      countries, respectively. USA over-75s population increased by 49%, other
      countries 56%. Other countries TND up 187% the USA rose fourfold. Male and female
      cancer and CDD fell in every country averaging 26% and 21%, respectively, and 64%
      and 67% for CDD. Male neurological rates rose significantly more than Cancer and
      CCD in every country; Female neurological deaths rose significantly more than
      cancer in 17 countries and every country for CDD. There was no significant
      correlation between increases in neurological deaths and decreases in control
      mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: There are substantial increases in neurological deaths
      in most countries, significantly so in America. Rises in the 55-74 and over-75's
      rates are not primarily due to demographic changes and are a matter of concern
      warranting further investigation.

PMID- 28626908
TI  - Challenges and Perspectives for NASICON-Type Electrode Materials for Advanced
      Sodium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted increasing attention in the past
      decades, because of high overall abundance of precursors, their even geographical
      distribution, and low cost. Apart from inherent thermodynamic disadvantages, SIBs
      have to overcome multiple kinetic problems, such as fast capacity decay, low rate
      capacities and low Coulombic efficiencies. A special case is sodium super ion
      conductor (NASICON)-based electrode materials as they exhibit - besides
      pronounced structural stability - exceptionally high ion conductivity, rendering
      them most promising for sodium storage. Owing to the limiting, comparatively low
      electronic conductivity, nano-structuring is a prerequisite for achieving
      satisfactory rate-capability. In this review, we analyze advantages and
      disadvantages of NASICON-type electrode materials and highlight electrode
      structure design principles for obtaining the desired electrochemical
      performance. Moreover, we give an overview of recent approaches to enhance
      electrical conductivity and structural stability of cathode and anode materials
      based on NASICON structure. We believe that this review provides a pertinent
      insight into relevant design principles and inspires further research in this
      respect.

PMID- 28626909
TI  - Adaptation During a Great Economic Recession: A Cohort Study of Greek and
      Immigrant Youth.
AB  - This study examined how Greek and immigrant youth adapted to school life during
      the economic recession in Greece. Two cohorts of adolescents (Mage  = 12.6 years)
      were compared, one assessed before the crisis and the other during the crisis (N
      = 1,057 and 1,052, respectively). Cohort findings were disaggregated by immigrant
      status, generation, and ethnic group. Crisis-cohort youth experienced more
      economic problems, displayed worse conduct, higher levels of absenteeism, and
      lower self-efficacy than precrisis youth. The cohorts did not differ in well
      being, school engagement, and academic achievement. Most crisis-cohort groups
      showed a pervasive increase in conduct problems compared to the precrisis cohort.
      However, some of these groups also showed an increase in academic achievement.

PMID- 28626910
TI  - Intravenous and Intracavitary Use of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the
      Evaluation and Management of Complicated Pediatric Pneumonia.
AB  - Pediatric pneumonia can be complicated by necrotizing pneumonia or a
      parapneumonic effusion either in the form of an empyema or a clear effusion.
      Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography represent well-established
      modalities for evaluation of complicated pediatric pneumonia. Contrast-enhanced
      ultrasound (CEUS) was recently introduced and is gaining increasing acceptance in
      pediatric imaging. In this case series, we present our initial experience with
      both intravenous and intracavitary use of CEUS in children with complicated
      pneumonia. Intravenous CEUS accurately and confidently showed necrotizing
      pneumonia and delineated pleural effusions, whereas intracavitary CEUS accurately
      identified the chest catheter location and patency and showed the presence of
      loculations, suggesting the use of fibrinolytics.

PMID- 28626911
TI  - Clinical findings and management of 153 horses with large colon sand
      accumulations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of radiographic quantification of sand
      accumulation on the medical versus surgical management of large colon sand
      accumulations. To compare short- and long-term outcomes and complications
      associated with medical and surgical management of these horses. STUDY DESIGN:
      Retrospective. SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 153 horses. METHODS: Medical records
      and abdominal radiographs of horses presented for colic between 2004 and 2014
      were reviewed. Severity of sand accumulation was quantified by tracing and
      measuring a region of interest with a commercial software program. Breed, weight,
      amount of sand, presence of diarrhea at presentation, treatment, and the
      development of complications were recorded. RESULTS: Records from 153 horses were
      reviewed. The mean cross-sectional area of sand accumulation was 692.9 cm2
      (median = 658.7 cm2 , 84.6-1780.7 cm2 ). Increased accumulation of gas on
      radiographs and abnormal transrectal examination findings were associated with an
      increased likelihood of surgery. The most common complication was the development
      of diarrhea (20.3%) with only 4 (2.6%) horses positive for Salmonella spp. Horses
      had a favorable prognosis, with 94.8% of horses treated medically and 94.7% of
      those treated surgically surviving to discharge. CONCLUSION: Increased
      accumulation of gas on radiographs and transrectal palpation of impaction or
      intestinal gas distension increase the likelihood of surgery. Both medical and
      surgical treatments carry a good prognosis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The sheer
      quantity of sand is not a factor when determining surgical intervention.
      Attention should be paid to the presence of increased gas accumulation on rectal
      or radiographic examination.

PMID- 28626912
TI  - Structural Characterisation of Acetogenins from Annona muricata by Supercritical
      Fluid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Acetogenins are plant polyketides known to be cytotoxic and
      proposed as antitumor candidates. They are also suspected to be alimentary
      neurotoxins. Their occurrence as complex mixtures renders their dereplication and
      structural identification difficult using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem
      mass spectrometry and efforts are required to improve the methodology. OBJECTIVE:
      To develop a supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) high-resolution tandem mass
      spectrometry method, involving lithium post-column cationisation, for the
      structural characterisation of Annonaceous acetogenins in crude extracts.
      METHODOLOGY: The seeds of Annona muricata L. were extracted with methanol.
      Supercritical fluid chromatography of the extract, using a 2-ethylpyridine
      stationary phase column, was monitored using a high-resolution quadrupole time-of
      flight mass spectrometer. Lithium iodide was added post-column in the make-up
      solvent. For comparison, the same extract was analysed using high-pressure liquid
      chromatography coupled to the same mass spectrometer, with a column based on
      solid core particles. RESULTS: Sensitivity was similar for both HPLC and SFC
      approaches. Retention behaviour and fragmentation pathways of three different
      isomer groups are described. A previously unknown group of acetogenins was also
      evidenced for the first time. CONCLUSION: The use of SFC-MS/MS allows the
      reduction of the time of analysis, of environmental impact and an increase in the
      chromatographic resolution, compared to liquid chromatography. This new
      methodology enlightened a new group of acetogenins, isomers of montanacin-D.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28626913
TI  - Reply to: Sorbello et al., PONV in bariatric surgery: time for opioid-free
      anaesthesia.

PMID- 28626914
TI  - Synthesis, preclinical, and pharmacokinetic evaluation of a new zoledronate
      derivative as a promising antiosteoporotic candidate using radiolabeling
      technique.
AB  - A novel zoledronic acid (ZL) derivative, 3-(2-ethyl-4-methyi-1H-imidazole-1-yl)-1
      hydroxy-1-phosphonopropyl phosphonic acid (EMIHPBP), was synthesized,
      characterized, and successfully radiolabeled with 99m Tc. The in vivo
      biodistribution of 99m Tc-EMIHPBP was investigated and compared with the
      previously reported zoledronate derivatives aiming to formulate a novel
      zoledronate derivative with a high-potential uptake to bone as a promising
      antiosteoporotic candidate. To further evaluate the bone uptake efficiency, the
      pharmacokinetics of 99m Tc-EMIHPBP was investigated and showed that maximum
      concentration in bone (Cmax ) was 31.60 +/- 0.15%ID/gram after 60 minutes (tmax
      ). Cumulative residence of 99m Tc-EMIHPBP in the bone [AUC (0-infinity)
      (%ID?min/gram bone)] was 3685.23, mean residence time was 384.354 minutes, and
      the calculated bone bioavailability was 15.831%. Finally, the time needed for
      half of the 99m Tc-EMIHPBP formulation to be eliminated from bone (t1/2 ) was
      263.914 minutes. Excellent bone uptake can be obtained 1-hour postinjection with
      high bone/blood ratio of 23.76 detected with gamma counter. The biodistribution
      and kinetic studies could recommend EMIHPBP as a promising antiosteoporotic
      candidate with high selectivity to the skeletal system and rapid clearance from
      soft tissues.

PMID- 28626915
TI  - Editorial covering DDW 2017 (6-9 May 2017).

PMID- 28626916
TI  - Joseph Rudinger memorial lecture: Unexpected functions of angiotensin converting
      enzyme, beyond its enzymatic activity.
AB  - Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is a well-known enzyme, largely studied for
      its action on hypertension, as it produces angiotensin II from angiotensin I.
      This paper describes two original behaviours of ACE. We showed that ACE could
      hydrolyse gastrin, a neuropeptide from the gastrointestinal tract, releasing the
      C-terminal amidated dipeptide H-Asp-Phe-NH2 . This dipeptide is believed to be
      involved in the gastrin-induced acid secretion in the stomach. This hypothetic
      mechanism of action of gastrin resulted in a strategy to rationally design
      gastrin receptor antagonists. Beyond, we showed that the brain renin angiotensin
      system (RAS) could be activated by a new characterized peptide named acein,
      resulting in stimulation of dopamine release within the striatum. This new and
      original 'receptor-like' activity for brain membrane-bound ACE is quite
      significant taking into account the role of dopamine in the brain, particularly
      in neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright (c) 2017 European Peptide Society and
      John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28626917
TI  - Comments regarding "four cases of mucous membrane pemphigoid with clinical
      features of oral lichen planus".

PMID- 28626918
TI  - Marinesco bodies and substantia nigra neuron density in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - AIM: Marinesco bodies (MB) are intranuclear inclusions in pigmented neurons of
      the substantia nigra (SN). While rare in children, frequency increases with
      normal ageing and is high in Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and
      other neurodegenerative disorders. Coinciding with the age-related rise in MB
      frequency is initiation of cell death among SN neurons. Whether MB have a role in
      this process is unknown. Our aim is to examine the association of MB with SN
      neuron density in Parkinson's disease (PD) in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study.
      METHODS: Data on MB and neuron density were measured in SN transverse sections in
      131 autopsied men aged 73-99 years at the time of death from 1992 to 2007.
      RESULTS: Marinesco body frequency was low in the presence vs. absence of PD (2.3%
      vs. 6.6%, P < 0.001). After PD onset, MB frequency declined as duration of PD
      increased (P = 0.006). Similar patterns were observed for SN neuron density. When
      MB frequency was low, neuron density was noticeably reduced in the SN
      ventrolateral quadrant, the region most vulnerable to PD neurodegeneration. Low
      MB frequency was unique to PD as its high frequency in non-PD cases was unrelated
      to parkinsonian signs and incidental Lewy bodies. Frequency was high in the
      presence of Alzheimer's disease and apolipoprotein epsilon4 alleles. CONCLUSIONS:
      While findings confirm that MB frequency is low in PD, declines in MB frequency
      continue with PD duration. The extent to which MB have a distinct relationship
      with PD warrants clarification. Further studies of MB could be important in
      understanding PD processes.

PMID- 28626919
TI  - Letter to the Editor.

PMID- 28626920
TI  - Experimental verification of EGSnrc Monte Carlo calculated depth doses within a
      realistic parallel magnetic field in a polystyrene phantom.
AB  - PURPOSE: Integrating a linac with a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) will
      revolutionize the accuracy of external beam radiation treatments. Irradiating in
      the presence of a strong magnetic field, however, will modify the dose
      distribution. These dose modifications have been investigated previously, mainly
      using Monte Carlo simulations. The purpose of this work is to experimentally
      verify the use of the EGSnrc Monte Carlo (MC) package for calculating percent
      depth doses (PDDs) in a homogeneous phantom, in the presence of a realistic
      parallel magnetic field. METHODS: Two cylindrical electromagnets were used to
      produce a 0.207 T magnetic field parallel to the central axis of a 6 MV photon
      beam from a clinical linac. The magnetic field was measured at discrete points
      along orthogonal axes, and these measurements were used to validate a full 3D
      magnetic field map generated using COMSOL Multiphysics. Using a small parallel
      plate ion chamber, the depth dose was measured in a polystyrene phantom placed
      inside the electromagnet bore at two separate locations: phantom top surface
      coinciding with top of bore, and phantom top surface coinciding with center of
      bore. BEAMnrc MC was used to model the linac head which was benchmarked against
      the linac's commissioning measurements. The depth dose in polystyrene was
      simulated using DOSXYZnrc MC. For the magnetic field case, the DOSXYZnrc code was
      slightly modified to implement the previously calculated 3D magnetic field map to
      be used in the standard electromagnetic macros. RESULTS: The calculated magnetic
      field matched the measurements within 2% of the maximum central field (0.207 T)
      with most points within the experimental uncertainty (1.5%). For the MC linac
      head model, over 93% of all simulated points passed the 2%, 2 mm gamma acceptance
      criterion, when comparing measured and simulated lateral beam and depth dose
      profiles. The parallel magnetic field caused a surface dose increase, compared to
      the no magnetic field case, due to the Lorentz force confining contaminant
      electrons within the beam. The surface dose increase was measured to be
      approximately 10% (relative to no field Dmax ) when the phantom surface coincided
      with the top of the electromagnet's bore. This effect was enhanced by moving the
      phantom surface to the center of the magnet's bore in relatively high magnetic
      field (> 0.13 T). The surface dose for this setup increased by 30% and the entire
      buildup region was affected. When the dimensions and composition of the ion
      chamber air cavity and entrance window were included, EGSnrc was able to
      accurately simulate these dose increases, both at the surface and in the buildup
      region. All the simulated points were within 1% of the measurements for both
      setups. The ferromagnetic linac head was determined to have a negligible effect
      on the final PDD comparison. CONCLUSIONS: Irradiating in the presence of a
      parallel magnetic field causes measurable surface and buildup depth dose
      increases. We have experimentally verified that the EGSnrc Monte Carlo package is
      able to accurately calculate the PDDs with these surface and buildup dose
      modifications in a homogeneous phantom.

PMID- 28626921
TI  - The Arts as a Venue for Developmental Science: Realizing a Latent Opportunity.
AB  - Children in all cultures readily engage in artistic activities, yet the arts
      (dance, drama, drawing, and music) have traditionally been marginal topics in the
      discipline of developmental science. We argue that developmental psychologists
      cannot afford to ignore such naturalistic activities that involve so many basic
      phenomena-attention, engagement, motivation, emotion regulation, understanding of
      others, and so on. Despite historical issues with research methodologies and
      overdrawn conclusions, a current wave of methodologically rigorous studies shows
      the depth of arts learning, as well as how arts engagement can be harnessed for
      transfer to other skills. Here, we present 21 exemplary research case studies,
      covering an age range of 18 months to 17 years old and discuss how the arts are
      no more difficult to study than other real-world developmental phenomena and
      deserve a thorough examination.

PMID- 28626922
TI  - The importance of risk communication and documentation for patients with
      cutaneous adverse drug reactions.

PMID- 28626923
TI  - Comparative performance of deciduous and permanent dental morphology in detecting
      biological relatives.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Dental morphology plays a key role in reconstructing population
      history and evolutionary relationships at global, regional, and intracemetery
      scales. At the inter-individual level, it is assumed that close biological kin
      exhibit greater phenotypic similarity than non-relatives. Heritability estimates
      provide one measure of phenotypic resemblance but are not easily incorporated
      into analyses of archaeological samples. In this study we evaluate the assumption
      that relatives are more similar phenotypically than non-relatives. We compare
      results for permanent dental morphology to those obtained using deciduous dental
      morphology in a matched dataset (Paul & Stojanowski, ). MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Permanent trait expression was scored from dental casts representing 69 sibling
      pairs, curated as part of the longitudinal Burlington Growth Study. Simulating a
      biodistance approach, 22 morphological traits of permanent tooth crowns were used
      to generate 69 inter-relative and 2,076 non-relative Euclidean distances.
      Following distance ordination, family-specific dispersion values were calculated
      from multidimensional scaling coordinates. Output was compared to that of a
      previous study that focused on deciduous crown variation in the same set of
      individuals (Paul & Stojanowski, ). Mantel tests were used to evaluate the
      correlation of a proxy genetic distance matrix to both the permanent and
      deciduous dental distance matrices. RESULTS: On average, inter-relative distances
      generated from morphological traits of permanent tooth crowns were smaller than
      expected by chance based on resampling (p < 0.001). While family-specific
      dispersion varied greatly for both permanent and deciduous datasets, over 75% of
      the families exhibited greater dispersion with permanent traits. This suggests
      that morphological traits of the permanent dentition provide a less faithful
      reflection of biological relatedness than morphological traits of the deciduous
      dentition. Mantel tests indicate that both the deciduous and permanent distance
      matrices are significantly correlated with a matrix of genetic relatedness
      coefficients; however, the magnitude of the correlations was low. DISCUSSION:
      Overall, morphological traits of permanent tooth crowns perform moderately well
      in distinguishing relatives from non-relatives, but deciduous crown variations
      may provide a more direct reflection of the underlying genetic structure of intra
      site or intra-cemetery samples. These findings have implications for
      bioarchaeological research and biodistance practices. In particular,
      morphological traits of the deciduous dentition should be incorporated into
      standard data collection protocols because of their stronger signal of
      relatedness.

PMID- 28626925
TI  - Stoichiometric analysis of oligomeric states of three class-A GPCRs, chemokine
      CXCR4, dopamine-D2, and prostaglandin-EP1 receptors, on living cells.
AB  - G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) form the largest family of transmembrane
      receptors, and their oligomerization has been suggested to be related to their
      functions. Despite extensive studies, their oligomeric states are highly
      controversial. One of the reasons is the overestimation of oligomerization by
      conventional methods. We recently established a stoichiometric analysis method
      for precisely determining the oligomeric state of membrane proteins on living
      cells with the combined use of the coiled-coil labeling method and a spectral
      imaging technique and showed that the prototypical class-A GPCR beta2 -adrenergic
      receptor (beta2 AR) did not form functional oligomers. In this study, we expanded
      our study to three well-studied class-A GPCRs: C-X-C chemokine receptor of
      stromal cell-derived factor-1alpha (CXCR4), dopamine receptor D2 short isotype
      (D2R), and prostaglandin E receptor subtype 1 (EP1R). We found that these
      receptors did not form constitutive homooligomers. The receptors exhibited
      calcium signaling upon agonist stimulation as monomers, although CXCR4 and EP1R
      gradually clustered after fast signaling. We conclude that homooligomerization is
      not necessary for the signal transductions of these four class-A GPCRs. Copyright
      (c) 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28626926
TI  - Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene rs4343 polymorphism increases susceptibility
      to migraine.

PMID- 28626924
TI  - Group 2 ILCs: A way of enhancing immune protection against human helminths?
AB  - Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) play crucial roles in type 2 immune
      responses associated with allergic and autoimmune diseases, viral and helminth
      infections and tissue homoeostasis. Experimental models show that in helminth
      infections ILC2s provide an early source of type 2 cytokines and therefore are
      essential for the induction of potentially protective type 2 responses. Much of
      our knowledge of ILC2s in helminth infections has come from experimental mouse
      models with very few studies analysing ILC2s in natural human infections. In
      attempts to harness knowledge from paradigms of the development of protective
      immunity in human helminth infections for vaccine development, the role of ILC2
      cells could be pivotal. So far, potential vaccines against human helminth
      infections have failed to provide effective protection when evaluated in human
      studies. In addition to appropriate antigen selection, it is apparent that more
      detailed knowledge on mechanisms of induction and maintenance of protective
      immune responses is required. Therefore, there is need to understand how ILC2
      cells induce type 2 responses and subsequently support the development of a
      protective immune response in the context of immunizations. Within this review,
      we summarize the current knowledge of the biology of ILC2s, discuss the
      importance of ILC2s in human helminth infections and explore how ILC2 responses
      could be boosted to efficiently induce protective immunity.

PMID- 28626927
TI  - Carbon Nanotube-Multilayered Graphene Edge Plane Core-Shell Hybrid Foams for
      Ultrahigh-Performance Electromagnetic-Interference Shielding.
AB  - Materials with an ultralow density and ultrahigh electromagnetic-interference
      (EMI)-shielding performance are highly desirable in fields of aerospace, portable
      electronics, and so on. Theoretical work predicts that 3D carbon nanotube
      (CNT)/graphene hybrids are one of the most promising lightweight EMI shielding
      materials, owing to their unique nanostructures and extraordinary electronic
      properties. Herein, for the first time, a lightweight, flexible, and conductive
      CNT-multilayered graphene edge plane (MLGEP) core-shell hybrid foam is fabricated
      using chemical vapor deposition. MLGEPs are seamlessly grown on the CNTs, and the
      hybrid foam exhibits excellent EMI shielding effectiveness which exceeds 38.4 or
      47.5 dB in X-band at 1.6 mm, while the density is merely 0.0058 or 0.0089 g cm-3
      , respectively, which far surpasses the best values of reported carbon-based
      composite materials. The grafted MLGEPs on CNTs can obviously enhance the
      penetration losses of microwaves in foams, leading to a greatly improved EMI
      shielding performance. In addition, the CNT-MLGEP hybrids also exhibit a great
      potential as nano-reinforcements for fabricating high-strength polymer-based
      composites. The results provide an alternative approach to fully explore the
      potentials of CNT and graphene, for developing advanced multifunctional
      materials.

PMID- 28626928
TI  - Predictors for secondary therapy after surgical resection of nonfunctioning
      pituitary adenomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Factors determining recurrence of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas
      (NFAs) that require further therapy are unclear as are postoperative follow-up
      imaging guidelines. We aimed to identify predictors for secondary therapy after
      surgical resection of NFAs and use this knowledge to inform postoperative
      management. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: A single-centre retrospective study of
      surgically resected NFAs in 108 patients followed for up to 15 years. Serial
      tumour images were analysed for size, location and growth rate (GR) and tissue
      analysed for hormone cell type and proliferation indices with secondary treatment
      as outcome measure. RESULTS: Twenty-four of 66 (36%) patients harbouring a
      postoperative remnant required secondary treatment, all occurring within 10
      years. No secondary treatment was required in any of 42 patients with complete
      tumour resection. Age, gender, remnant volume and tumour histology were not
      different between patients requiring and not requiring secondary therapy. Remnant
      GRs in those requiring secondary therapy were more than 10-fold higher (P<.01).
      Tumours with a GR >=80 mm3 /y (Hazard Ratio[HR]: 8.1, Confidence Interval [CI]:
      2.4-27.3,P<.01) and those located in the suprasellar region (HR: 6.1, CI: 1.1-32,
      P=.03) had a higher risk for secondary therapy. Tumour GR in the first three
      postoperative years correlated significantly (r2 =.6, P<.01) with GR during the
      period of follow-up. CONCLUSION: In surgically resected NFAs further treatment is
      dependent on the presence of residual tumour, growth rate and location but not
      tumour histology. Postoperative growth rate of NFAs in the first 3 years of
      imaging can be used to tailor long-term follow-up to optimize use of health
      resources.

PMID- 28626929
TI  - Successful liver transplantation for non-resectable desmoplastic nested spindle
      cell tumor complicated by Cushing's syndrome.
AB  - Desmoplastic spindle cell tumors of liver are rare tumors of low malignant
      potential characterized by well-demarcated nests of spindle and epithelioid cells
      in a dense desmoplastic stroma. While surgery remains the definitive treatment,
      there have been reports of tumor recurrence locally and metastasis which respond
      poorly to chemotherapy. Hepatic transplant has been attempted in cases of
      recurrence or large size of primary tumor. Long-term follow-up and imaging
      surveillance are required as these tumors have shown a tendency for recurrence
      many years after initial therapy.

PMID- 28626930
TI  - Commentary: Positive Youth Development Goes Mainstream.
AB  - Evidence has accumulated that confirms the success of a positive youth
      development (PYD) approach. Importantly, a positive development approach is just
      that-an approach. It is not a particular program or curriculum but a set of
      practices designed to achieve one or more positive outcomes. As such, PYD
      practices can be added onto other programs to make positive outcomes more likely.
      For example, a tutoring program can work hard to hire and train staff to work
      with students in a trusting, respectful relationship. Camp counselors can be
      encouraged to build rapport and positive bonds among the campers.

PMID- 28626931
TI  - Insecticide resistance and intracellular proteases.
AB  - Pesticide resistance is an example of evolution in action with mechanisms of
      resistance arising from mutations or increased expression of intrinsic genes.
      Intracellular proteases have a key role in maintaining healthy cells and in
      responding to stressors such as pesticides. Insecticide-resistant insects have
      constitutively elevated intracellular protease activity compared to corresponding
      susceptible strains. This increase was shown for some cases originally through
      biochemical enzyme studies and subsequently putatively by transcriptomics and
      proteomics methods. Upregulation and expression of proteases have been
      characterised in resistant strains of some insect species, including mosquitoes.
      This increase in proteolysis results in more degradation products (amino acids)
      of intracellular proteins. These may be utilised in the resistant strain to
      better protect the cell from stress. There are changes in insect intracellular
      proteases shortly after insecticide exposure, suggesting a role in stress
      response. The use of protease and proteasome inhibitors or peptide mimetics as
      synergists with improved application techniques and through protease gene
      knockdown using RNA interference (possibly expressed in crop plants) may be
      potential pest management strategies, in situations where elevated intracellular
      proteases are relevant. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28626932
TI  - Dentate gyrus neurogenesis ablation via cranial irradiation enhances morphine
      self-administration and locomotor sensitization.
AB  - Adult dentate gyrus (DG) neurogenesis is important for hippocampal-dependent
      learning and memory, but the role of new neurons in addiction-relevant learning
      and memory is unclear. To test the hypothesis that neurogenesis is involved in
      the vulnerability to morphine addiction, we ablated adult DG neurogenesis and
      examined morphine self-administration (MSA) and locomotor sensitization. Male
      Sprague-Dawley rats underwent hippocampal-focused, image-guided X-ray irradiation
      (IRR) to eliminate new DG neurons or sham treatment (Sham). Six weeks later, rats
      underwent either MSA (Sham = 16, IRR = 15) or locomotor sensitization (Sham = 12,
      IRR = 12). Over 21 days of MSA, IRR rats self-administered ~70 percent more
      morphine than Sham rats. After 28 days of withdrawal, IRR rats pressed the active
      lever 40 percent more than Sham during extinction. This was not a general
      enhancement of learning or locomotion, as IRR and Sham groups had similar operant
      learning and inactive lever presses. For locomotor sensitization, both IRR and
      Sham rats sensitized, but IRR rats sensitized faster and to a greater extent.
      Furthermore, dose-response revealed that IRR rats were more sensitive at a lower
      dose. Importantly, these increases in locomotor activity were not apparent after
      acute morphine administration and were not a byproduct of irradiation or post
      irradiation recovery time. Therefore, these data, along with other previously
      published data, indicate that reduced hippocampal neurogenesis confers
      vulnerability for multiple classes of drugs. Thus, therapeutics to specifically
      increase or stabilize hippocampal neurogenesis could aid in preventing initial
      addiction as well as future relapse.

PMID- 28626933
TI  - Conductive Carbon Nitride for Excellent Energy Storage.
AB  - Conductive carbon nitride, as a hypothetical carbon material demonstrating high
      nitrogen doping, high electrical conductivity, and high surface area, has not
      been fabricated. A major challenge towards its fabrication is that high
      conductivity requires high temperature synthesis, but the high temperature
      eliminates nitrogen from carbon. Different from conventional methods, a facile
      preparation of conductive carbon nitride from novel thermal decomposition of
      nickel hydrogencyanamide in a confined space is reported. New developed nickel
      hydrogencyanamide is a unique precursor which provides self-grown fragments of
      ?N?C?N? or N?C?C?N and conductive carbon (C-sp2 ) catalyst of Ni metal during the
      decomposition. The final product is a tubular structure of rich mesoporous and
      microporous few-layer carbon with extraordinarily high N doping level (~15 at%)
      and high extent of sp2 carbon (~65%) favoring a high conductivity (>2 S cm-1 );
      the ultrahigh contents of nongraphitic nitrogen, redox active pyridinic N (9
      at%), and pyrrolic N (5 at%), are stabilized by forming Ni?N bonds. The
      conductive carbon nitride harvests a large capacitance of 372 F g-1 with >90%
      initial capacitance after 10 000 cycles as a supercapacitor electrode, far
      exceeding the activated carbon electrodes that have <250 F g-1 .

PMID- 28626934
TI  - Thermal physiology: A new dimension of the pace-of-life syndrome.
AB  - Current syndrome research focuses primarily on behaviour with few incorporating
      components of physiology. One such syndrome is the pace-of-life syndrome (POLS)
      which describes covariation between behaviour, metabolism, immunity, hormonal
      response, and life-history traits. Despite the strong effect temperature has on
      behaviour, thermal physiology has yet to be considered within this syndrome
      framework. We proposed the POLS to be extended to include a new dimension, the
      cold-hot axis. Under this premise, it is predicted that thermal physiology and
      behaviour would covary, whereby individual positioning along the thermal
      continuum would coincide with that of the behavioural continuum. This hypothesis
      was tested by measuring thermal traits of delicate skinks (Lampropholis delicata)
      and linking it to their behaviour. Principal components analysis and structural
      equation modelling were used to determine if traits were structured within the
      POLS and to characterize the direction of their interactions. Model results
      supported the inclusion of the cold-hot axis into the POLS and indicated that
      thermal physiology was the driver of this relationship, in that thermal traits
      either constrained or promoted activity, exploration, boldness and social
      behaviour. This study highlights the need to integrate thermal physiology within
      a syndrome framework.

PMID- 28626935
TI  - Editorial Comment to Substitution urethroplasty using oral mucosa graft for male
      anterior urethral stricture disease: Current topics and reviews.

PMID- 28626936
TI  - A pilot study comparing histological and immunophenotypic patterns in stage 4
      skin graft vs host disease from toxic epidermal necrolysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stage 4 skin graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is associated with poor
      prognosis and high mortality rates. Clinical and histologic similarities with
      toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) make it difficult to distinguish between these 2
      life-threatening conditions. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted
      from a tertiary referral center. Skin biopsies were obtained from 11 patients who
      developed stage 4 skin GVHD and 11 patients who developed TEN between 2005 and
      2012. The CD8+/CD4+ T lymphocyte ratios were assessed in lesional skin specimens.
      RESULTS: Average CD8+and CD4+ cell counts co-expressing CD3 were 126.29 (range
      86.42-173.06) and 84.60 (29.87-197.20) for stage 4 skin GVHD patients, and 61.97
      (45.79-146.67) and 7.65 (0.00-39.50) for TEN patients, respectively.
      Immunohistochemical studies of stage 4 skin GVHD and TEN skin demonstrated
      average CD8+/CD4+ ratios of 1.78 (range 0.69-3.09) and 7.33 (1.16-12.3),
      respectively (P = .013). CONCLUSIONS: Stage 4 skin GVHD and TEN are processes
      with cytotoxic profiles. TEN is notable for a greater relative depletion of CD4+
      T lymphocytes compared with stage 4 skin GVHD, while stage 4 skin GVHD tends to
      be more inflammatory than TEN. These data suggest an immunohistologic method by
      which these 2 entities may be distinguished.

PMID- 28626938
TI  - Role of parasite transmission in promoting inbreeding: I. Infection intensities
      drive individual parasite selfing rates.
AB  - Among parasitic organisms, inbreeding has been implicated as a potential driver
      of host-parasite co-evolution, drug-resistance evolution and parasite
      diversification. Yet, fundamental topics about how parasite life histories impact
      inbreeding remain to be addressed. In particular, there are no direct selfing
      rate estimates for hermaphroditic parasites in nature. Our objectives were to
      elucidate the mating system of a parasitic flatworm in nature and to understand
      how aspects of parasite transmission could influence the selfing rates of
      individual parasites. If there is random mating within hosts, the selfing rates
      of individual parasites would be an inverse power function of their infection
      intensities. We tested whether selfing rates deviated from within-host random
      mating expectations with the tapeworm Oochoristica javaensis. In doing so, we
      generated, for the first time in nature, individual selfing-rate estimates of a
      hermaphroditic flatworm parasite. There was a mixed-mating system where tapeworms
      self-mated more than expected with random mating. Nevertheless, individual
      selfing rates still had a significant inverse power relationship to infection
      intensities. The significance of this finding is that the distribution of
      parasite infection intensities among hosts, an emergent property of the
      transmission process, can be a key driver in shaping the primary mating system,
      and hence the level of inbreeding in the parasite population. Moreover, we
      demonstrated how potential population selfing rates can be estimated using the
      predicted relationship of individual selfing rates to intensities and showed how
      the distribution of parasites among hosts can indirectly influence the primary
      mating system when there is density-dependent fecundity.

PMID- 28626939
TI  - Technical Note: A 3-D rendering algorithm for electromechanical wave imaging of a
      beating heart.
AB  - PURPOSE: Arrhythmias can be treated by ablating the heart tissue in the regions
      of abnormal contraction. The current clinical standard provides electroanatomic 3
      D maps to visualize the electrical activation and locate the arrhythmogenic
      sources. However, the procedure is time-consuming and invasive. Electromechanical
      wave imaging is an ultrasound-based noninvasive technique that can provide 2-D
      maps of the electromechanical activation of the heart. In order to fully
      visualize the complex 3-D pattern of activation, several 2-D views are acquired
      and processed separately. They are then manually registered with a 3-D rendering
      software to generate a pseudo-3-D map. However, this last step is operator
      dependent and time-consuming. METHODS: This paper presents a method to generate a
      full 3-D map of the electromechanical activation using multiple 2-D images. Two
      canine models were considered to illustrate the method: one in normal sinus
      rhythm and one paced from the lateral region of the heart. Four standard
      echographic views of each canine heart were acquired. Electromechanical wave
      imaging was applied to generate four 2-D activation maps of the left ventricle.
      The radial positions and activation timings of the walls were automatically
      extracted from those maps. In each slice, from apex to base, these values were
      interpolated around the circumference to generate a full 3-D map. RESULTS: In
      both cases, a 3-D activation map and a cine-loop of the propagation of the
      electromechanical wave were automatically generated. The 3-D map showing the
      electromechanical activation timings overlaid on realistic anatomy assists with
      the visualization of the sources of earlier activation (which are potential
      arrhythmogenic sources). The earliest sources of activation corresponded to the
      expected ones: septum for the normal rhythm and lateral for the pacing case.
      CONCLUSIONS: The proposed technique provides, automatically, a 3-D
      electromechanical activation map with a realistic anatomy. This represents a step
      towards a noninvasive tool to efficiently localize arrhythmias in 3-D.

PMID- 28626940
TI  - Overexpression of Hevea brasiliensis ethylene response factor HbERF-IXc5 enhances
      growth and tolerance to abiotic stress and affects laticifer differentiation.
AB  - Ethylene response factor 1 (ERF1) is an essential integrator of the jasmonate and
      ethylene signalling pathways coordinating a large number of genes involved in
      plant defences. Its orthologue in Hevea brasiliensis, HbERF-IXc5, has been
      assumed to play a major role in laticifer metabolism and tolerance to harvesting
      stress for better latex production. This study sets out to establish and
      characterize rubber transgenic lines overexpressing HbERF-IXc5. Overexpression of
      HbERF-IXc5 dramatically enhanced plant growth and enabled plants to maintain some
      ecophysiological parameters in response to abiotic stress such as water deficit,
      cold and salt treatments. This study revealed that HbERF-IXc5 has rubber-specific
      functions compared to Arabidopsis ERF1 as transgenic plants overexpressing HbERF
      IXc5 accumulated more starch and differentiated more latex cells at the
      histological level. The role of HbERF-IXc5 in driving the expression of some
      target genes involved in laticifer differentiation is discussed.

PMID- 28626937
TI  - Glutamatergic regulation of cognition and functional brain connectivity: insights
      from pharmacological, genetic and translational schizophrenia research.
AB  - The pharmacological modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission to improve
      cognitive function has been a focus of intensive research, particularly in
      relation to the cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. Despite this effort,
      there has been little success in the clinical use of glutamatergic compounds as
      procognitive drugs. Here, we review a selection of the drugs used to modulate
      glutamatergic signalling and how they impact on cognitive function in rodents and
      humans. We highlight how glutamatergic dysfunction, and NMDA receptor
      hypofunction in particular, is a key mechanism contributing to the cognitive
      deficits observed in schizophrenia and outline some of the glutamatergic targets
      that have been tested as putative procognitive targets for this disorder. Using
      translational research in this area as a leading exemplar, namely, models of NMDA
      receptor hypofunction, we discuss how the study of functional brain network
      connectivity can provide new insight into how the glutamatergic system impacts on
      cognitive function. Future studies characterizing functional brain network
      connectivity will increase our understanding of how glutamatergic compounds
      regulate cognition and could contribute to the future success of glutamatergic
      drug validation. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on
      Pharmacology of Cognition: a Panacea for Neuropsychiatric Disease? To view the
      other articles in this section visit
      http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.19/issuetoc.

PMID- 28626942
TI  - Effect of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and glucose ingestion on circulating
      spexin concentration in adolescents.
AB  - Spexin is a novel peptide that has been reported to be down regulated in obese
      adults and children and in normoglycemic adults following glucose ingestion.
      Spexin may therefore have a role in metabolic regulation. The purpose of the
      current study was to determine the effect of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2DM),
      and the effect of glucose ingestion on circulating spexin concentration in
      adolescents. Boys and girls (mean age 16 years old) classified as healthy normal
      weight (NW, n = 22), obese (Ob, n = 10), or obese with T2DM (n = 12) completed
      measurements of body composition, blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and
      blood concentrations of glucose, insulin, and lipids. The median fasting serum
      spexin concentration did not differ between groups (NW: 0.35; Ob: 0.38, T2DM:
      0.34 ng/mL, respectively). In 10 NW participants who completed a standard oral
      glucose tolerance test, spexin concentration was unchanged at 30 and 120 minutes
      relative to the fasting baseline. Finally, spexin was not significantly
      correlated with any of the body composition, fitness, or blood biochemical
      measurements. These data do not support the proposed role of spexin as a
      metabolic regulator or biomarker of glucose control in adolescents.

PMID- 28626943
TI  - Bending, Curling, Rolling, and Salient Behavior of Molecular Crystals Driven by
      [2+2] Cycloaddition of a Styrylbenzoxazole Derivative.
AB  - We report interesting photomechanical behaviors of the dynamic molecular crystals
      of (E)-2-(2,4-dichlorostyryl)benzo[d]oxazole (BOACl24). The photosalient effect
      of the rod-like crystal based on a metal-free olefin driven by photodimerization
      is observed. Moreover, the needle-like crystals of BOACl24 exhibit a reversible
      bending away from a UV light source. The nanofibers curl easily under UV
      irradiation in an organogel, in which the photo-induced rolling of a small slice
      occurs. This suggests that the rapid release of the accumulated strain during
      photodimerization may lead to a photosalient effect, and the bending or curling
      happens when the strain is released slowly. Notably, [2+2] cycloaddition takes
      place between two different conformational isomers of BOACl24 on account of the
      rotation of the benzoxazole ring around the C-C bond in an excited state before
      photodimerization. Such topo-photochemical reaction has not been reported
      elsewhere.

PMID- 28626941
TI  - Binding of canonical Wnt ligands to their receptor complexes occurs in ordered
      plasma membrane environments.
AB  - While the cytosolic events of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling (canonical Wnt
      signaling) pathway have been widely studied, only little is known about the
      molecular mechanisms involved in Wnt binding to its receptors at the plasma
      membrane. Here, we reveal the influence of the immediate plasma membrane
      environment on the canonical Wnt-receptor interaction. While the receptors are
      distributed both in ordered and disordered environments, Wnt binding to its
      receptors selectively occurs in more ordered membrane environments which appear
      to cointernalize with the Wnt-receptor complex. Moreover, Wnt/beta-catenin
      signaling is significantly reduced when the membrane order is disturbed by
      specific inhibitors of certain lipids that prefer to localize at the ordered
      environments. Similarly, a reduction in Wnt signaling activity is observed in
      Niemann-Pick Type C disease cells where trafficking of ordered membrane lipid
      components to the plasma membrane is genetically impaired. We thus conclude that
      ordered plasma membrane environments are essential for binding of canonical Wnts
      to their receptor complexes and downstream signaling activity.

PMID- 28626944
TI  - Food insecurity and eating disorder pathology.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to investigate eating disorder (ED)
      pathology in those living with food insecurity. A secondary aim was to
      investigate whether any-reason dietary restraint, weight self-stigma, and worry
      increased as level of food insecurity increased. METHOD: Participants (N = 503)
      seeking food from food pantries completed questionnaires assessing level of food
      insecurity, demographics, ED pathology, dietary restraint, weight self-stigma,
      and worry. RESULTS: Consistent with hypotheses, participants with the highest
      level of food insecurity (i.e., adults who reported having hungry children in
      their household) also endorsed significantly higher levels of binge eating,
      overall ED pathology, any-reason dietary restraint, weight self-stigma, and worry
      compared to participants with lower levels of food insecurity. Contrary to
      hypotheses, compensatory behaviors also increased as level of food insecurity
      worsened. Overall, 17% of those in the child hunger food insecurity group
      reported clinically significant ED pathology. DISCUSSION: This is the first study
      to assess the full spectrum of ED pathology in a low-income, marginalized
      population with food insecurity. Given that food insecurity is a global concern,
      results from this study suggest that greater attention to the association between
      ED pathology and food insecurity is warranted by researchers around the world.

PMID- 28626945
TI  - European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn., Lepidoptera: Crambidae): comparing
      the performance of a new bisexual lure with that of synthetic sex pheromone in
      five countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Phenylacetaldehyde is a flower volatile and attractant for among
      others the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis. The addition of 4
      methoxyphenethyl alcohol has recently been reported to increase O. nubilalis
      catches four to five times, yielding a bisexual lure for the species. RESULTS:
      The bisexual lure significantly outperformed synthetic pheromone lures of O.
      nubilalis at 11 out of 13 experiments conducted in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy,
      Slovenia and Turkey. CONCLUSION: The bisexual lure will provide growers with a
      new and efficient method for detection and monitoring of O. nubilalis. (c) 2017
      Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28626946
TI  - Do changes in gene expression contribute to sexual isolation and reinforcement in
      the house mouse?
AB  - Expression divergence, rather than sequence divergence, has been shown to be
      important in speciation, particularly in the early stages of divergence of traits
      involved in reproductive isolation. In the two European subspecies of house mice,
      Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus, earlier studies have
      demonstrated olfactory-based assortative mate preference in populations close to
      their hybrid zone. It has been suggested that this behaviour evolved following
      the recent secondary contact between the two taxa (~3,000 years ago) in response
      to selection against hybridization. To test for a role of changes in gene
      expression in the observed behavioural shift, we conducted a RNA sequencing
      experiment on mouse vomeronasal organs. Key candidate genes for pheromone-based
      subspecies recognition, the vomeronasal receptors, are expressed in these organs.
      Overall patterns of gene expression varied significantly between samples from the
      two subspecies, with a large number of differentially expressed genes between the
      two taxa. In contrast, only ~200 genes were found repeatedly differentially
      expressed between populations within M. m. musculus that did or did not display
      assortative mate preferences (close to or more distant from the hybrid zone,
      respectively), with an overrepresentation of genes belonging to vomeronasal
      receptor family 2. These receptors are known to play a key role in recognition of
      chemical cues that handle information about genetic identity. Interestingly, four
      of five of these differentially expressed receptors belong to the same
      phylogenetic cluster, suggesting specialization of a group of closely related
      receptors in the recognition of odorant signals that may allow subspecies
      recognition and assortative mating.

PMID- 28626948
TI  - Racial and ethnic differences among children with new-onset autoimmune Type 1
      diabetes.
AB  - AIM: To compare demographic and clinical characteristics among children from
      ethnic minorities and non-Hispanic white children with new-onset autoimmune Type
      1 diabetes. METHODS: We analysed a single-centre series of 712 children with new
      onset autoimmune Type 1 diabetes between January 2008 and March 2011. The median
      (range) age was 9.7 (0.3-18.1) years, the mean (sd) BMI percentile was 69.7
      (25.4) and 48.3% of the cohort were girls. The cohort comprised 57.3% non
      Hispanic white, 20.5% Hispanic and 14.8% African-American children, and 7.4% were
      of other, mixed or unknown race. RESULTS: The Hispanic subgroup, compared with
      non-Hispanic white subgroup, had a higher mean (sd) C-peptide level [0.82 (1.62)
      vs 0.55 (0.47) ng/ml; P=0.004), and a greater proportion of children with
      elevated BMI (overweight or obesity; 49.6% vs 32.5%; P<0.001) and diabetic
      ketoacidosis (51.8% vs 38.2%; P=0.006). The African-American group had a higher
      mean (sd) glucose level [24.4 (12.8) vs 21.4 (10.7) mmol/l; P=0.017], a greater
      proportion of children with ketoacidosis (56.7% vs 38.2%; P=0.001), a greater
      proportion with elevated BMI (52.9% vs 32.5%; P<0.001), and a lower proportion of
      children at pre-pubertal stage (49.0% vs 61.6%; P=0.01), and tended to have
      higher C-peptide levels [0.65 (0.59) vs 0.55 [0.47] ng/ml; P=0.079) compared with
      the non-Hispanic white children. The differences in C-peptide levels compared
      with non-Hispanic white children persisted for Hispanic (P=0.01) but not African
      American children (P=0.29) after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, ketoacidosis,
      glucose, Tanner stage and autoantibody number. CONCLUSION: At the onset of
      paediatric autoimmune Type 1 diabetes, Hispanic, but not African-American
      children had higher C-peptide levels, after adjustment for potential confounders,
      compared with non-Hispanic white children. These findings suggest that ethnicity
      may contribute to the heterogeneity of Type 1 diabetes pathogenesis, with
      possible implications for intervention.

PMID- 28626947
TI  - Pharmacokinetic study of bortezomib administered intravenously in Taiwanese
      patients with multiple myeloma.
AB  - This phase 4, single-arm, non-randomized, open-label, post approval commitment
      study evaluated the pharmacokinetics and safety of bortezomib in Taiwanese
      patients with multiple myeloma. Patients (>=20 years) with measurable secretory
      multiple myeloma (serum monoclonal IgG >=10, IgA/IgE >=5, IgD >=0.5 g/L, IgM
      present [regardless of level], and urine M protein of >=200 mg/24 h) received
      intravenous bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 , twice weekly for 2 weeks, followed by a 10-day
      resting phase (days 12 to 21). Pharmacokinetics and safety were assessed at pre
      specified time points. All enrolled patients (n = 18, men: 11; women: 7)
      completed the study. Mean (SD) Cmax (maximum observed plasma concentration) on
      day 11 was 266 (77.5) ng/mL, approximately 60% higher compared with non-Asian
      patients receiving a similar bortezomib regimen but with overlapping ranges.
      Because of the protracted terminal phase, half-life (t1/2 ), area under the
      plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUCinfinity ), volume of
      distribution (Vz ), and systemic clearance were not assessable. All patients
      experienced treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs); 78% were drug-related.
      Most commonly reported TEAEs were thrombocytopenia (n = 11 [61%]), neutropenia (n
      = 9 [50%]), leukopenia (n = 6 [33%]), and diarrhoea (n = 6 [33%]); the most
      common serious adverse event was pneumonia (n = 2 [11%]). One patient had a dose
      reduction due to a TEAE of thrombocytopenia. Overall, bortezomib exposure (AUC)
      in Taiwanese patients (AUClast [SD]: 230 [147] ng.h/mL) with twice weekly
      intravenous administration was comparable with non-Asian population (AUClast
      [SD]: 241 [82] ng.h/mL). Bortezomib treatment was associated with manageable
      toxicity profile and did not limit the continuity of therapy.

PMID- 28626949
TI  - Diagnosis and treatment of concurrent dermal malignant melanoma and melanocytomas
      in a pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dermal melanocytic neoplasms are common in some even-toed ungulates
      (Artiodactyla), yet this entity has not been reported in the pygmy hippopotamus
      to date. Concurrent occurrence of multiple benign and malignant melanocytic
      neoplasms is unusual. Malignant transformation occurs in a small percentage of
      benign melanocytic tumours in people but this phenomenon has not been well
      documented in animals. OBJECTIVES: To report the diagnosis and treatment of
      concurrent dermal melanocytomas and malignant melanomas in a pygmy hippopotamus.
      ANIMALS: A 36-year-old intact male pygmy hippopotamus, part of a zoological
      collection, housed with a 10-year-old female of the same species, presented with
      multiple raised and pigmented skin masses. METHODS: Initial impression smears of
      one ulcerated lesion were consistent with inflammation; subsequent
      histopathological findings from a skin biopsy revealed an underlying malignant
      melanoma. The animal was anaesthetised, ultrasonographic imaging of the local
      lymph nodes indicated no local involvement and all skin lesions were removed.
      Recovery from anaesthesia was unremarkable, skin healing was within normal limits
      for the species. There was no sign of recurrence 34 months post-surgery. RESULTS:
      A diagnosis of malignant melanomas and concurrent melanocytomas was made on
      histopathological evaluation. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: To the best of
      the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of melanocytic neoplasia
      in the pygmy hippopotamus. The occurrence of both benign and malignant
      melanocytic skin tumours should be considered in this species.

PMID- 28626950
TI  - Myxoid variant of primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma: First 2
      cases.
AB  - Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a CD30+ T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma with
      2 main clinical presentations: primary cutaneous ALCL (pcALCL) and systemic ALCL
      (sALCL). While rare cases of myxoid sALCL have been reported, there are no
      previous cases of myxoid pcALCL reported. We present 2 unusual cases of pcALCL
      showing prominent collections of dermal mucin closely intermingling with the
      anaplastic lymphocytes. Patient 1 was a 30-year-old woman who presented with
      ulcerated nodules on her neck, abdomen, chest and shoulders. A systemic lymphoma
      was excluded by physical examination, positron emission tomography and computed
      tomography (PET-CT) scan, as well as by bone marrow biopsy and flow cytometry
      studies. The patient was closely followed-up for 10 months without evidence of
      systemic involvement. The biopsy showed diffuse infiltration of the dermis by a
      CD2+, CD30+, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative ALCL. Patient 2 was a 55
      year-old woman who presented with a single nodule on her right arm. A systemic
      lymphoma was excluded by physical examination as well as by a PET-CT scan. The
      biopsy showed diffuse and dense lymphoid infiltration of the whole biopsy by a
      CD3+, CD4+, CD30+, ALK-negative ALCL. The atypical lymphocytes were intermingled
      with large amounts of dermal stromal mucin.

PMID- 28626951
TI  - Considering the unintentional consequences of pollinator gardens for urban native
      plants: is the road to extinction paved with good intentions?
AB  - Urban centers are important foci for plant biodiversity and yet widespread
      planting of wildflower gardens in cities to sustain pollinator biodiversity is on
      the rise, without full consideration of potential ecological consequences. The
      impact of intentional wildflower plantings on remnant native plant diversity in
      urban and peri-urban settings has not received attention, although shared
      pollinators are likely to mediate several types of biotic interactions between
      human-introduced plants and remnant native ones. Additionally, if wildflower
      species escape gardens these indirect effects may be compounded with direct ones.
      We review the potential positive and negative impacts of wildflower gardens on
      urban native flowering plants, and we reveal substantial gaps in our knowledge.
      We present a roadmap for research to address whether wildflower gardens, while
      benefiting pollinators, could also hasten the extinction of native remnant plants
      in urban settings, or whether they could have other effects that enrich urban
      biodiversity. Goals of future wildflower mixes should consider the totality of
      potential interactions.

PMID- 28626952
TI  - Multivariate binary classification of imbalanced datasets-A case study based on
      high-dimensional multiplex autoimmune assay data.
AB  - The classification of a population by a specific trait is a major task in
      medicine, for example when in a diagnostic setting groups of patients with
      specific diseases are identified, but also when in predictive medicine a group of
      patients is classified into specific disease severity classes that might profit
      from different treatments. When the sizes of those subgroups become small, for
      example in rare diseases, imbalances between the classes are more the rule than
      the exception and make statistical classification problematic when the error rate
      of the minority class is high. Many observations are classified as belonging to
      the majority class, while the error rate of the majority class is low. This case
      study aims to investigate class imbalance for Random Forests and Powered Partial
      Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PPLS-DA) and to evaluate the performance of
      these classifiers when they are combined with methods to compensate imbalance
      (sampling methods, cost-sensitive learning approaches). We evaluate all
      approaches with a scoring system taking the classification results into
      consideration. This case study is based on one high-dimensional multiplex
      autoimmune assay dataset describing immune response to antigens and consisting of
      two classes of patients: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus
      Erythemathodes (SLE). Datasets with varying degrees of imbalance are created by
      successively reducing the class of RA patients. Our results indicate possible
      benefit of cost-sensitive learning approaches for Random Forests. Although
      further research is needed to verify our findings by investigating other datasets
      or large-scale simulation studies, we claim that this work has the potential to
      increase awareness of practitioners to this problem of class imbalance and
      stresses the importance of considering methods to compensate class imbalance.

PMID- 28626953
TI  - Translation and validation of the Insulin Treatment Appraisal Scale in Hong Kong
      primary care patients.
AB  - AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus often delay the
      initiation or titration of insulin treatment due to psychological factors. This
      phenomenon is referred to as psychological insulin resistance (PIR). The Insulin
      Treatment Appraisal Scale (ITAS) is a 20-item instrument for assessing PIR. A
      previous Chinese version of the ITAS (C-ITAS) was found to be subject to problems
      arising from its translation. The present study aimed to translate and validate
      this instrument, which will facilitate research and aid in counseling in a
      clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The C-ITAS was modified to develop the
      Hong Kong version of the C-ITAS (C-ITAS-HK) according to published guidelines for
      the translation of transcultural research. A total of 328 diabetes mellitus
      patients who were followed-up in 10 different publically funded primary care
      outpatient clinics were recruited for self-administration of the C-ITAS-HK.
      Demographic data were recorded, and clinical data (e.g., presence of diabetes
      mellitus complications) were obtained from case records. The C-ITAS-HK results
      were subjected to psychometric analysis, including the assessment of Cronbach's
      alpha, factor analysis and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Factor analysis
      supported a two-factor structure with good internal consistency (whole scale
      0.846, negative subscale 0.882, positive subscale 0.619). The test-retest
      reliability correlation coefficients for all items were positive, at 0.871,
      0.782, and 0.692 for the whole scale, negative subscale and positive subscale,
      respectively. The ITAS scores differed significantly between participants with
      PIR and those without in the expected direction, suggesting good discriminant
      validity. CONCLUSIONS: The C-ITAS-HK is a valid tool for measuring and assessing
      PIR in the Hong Kong primary care diabetes mellitus population.

PMID- 28626955
TI  - Expression profile of urothelial transcription factors in bladder biopsies with
      interstitial cystitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To characterize interstitial cystitis pathology based on the
      expression profile of urothelial tissue-specific master transcription factors.
      METHODS: Bladder carcinoma cell lines derived from the urothelial stem cells
      (epithelial or mesenchymal) were used to identify candidate urothelial master
      transcription factors. Gene expression was measured with quantitative reverse
      transcription polymerase chain reaction. From the initial screening of 170
      transcription factors (human homologs of Drosophila segmentation genes and known
      master transcription factors from a database), 28 transcription factors were
      selected. Subsequently, messenger ribonucleic acid from bladder biopsies of
      interstitial cystitis patients was purified, and gene expression levels of known
      urothelial marker genes and candidate master transcription factors were measured.
      Multivariate expression data were analyzed with spss software. RESULTS: Factor
      analysis decomposed the expression profile into four axes: principal axis 1
      included retinoic acid receptors and 17 candidate master transcription factors.
      Principal axis 2 included KRT5 and five candidates. Principal axis 3 included
      transcription factor TP63 and two candidates. Principal axis 4 included SHH and
      two candidates. Principal component analysis segregated biopsies from Hunner's
      lesion in the principal component 1 (retinoic acid)/principal component 2
      (SOX13)/principal component 3 (TP63) space. CONCLUSIONS: Urothelial master
      transcription factors could serve as novel diagnostic markers and potentially
      explain the molecular pathology of interstitial cystitis.

PMID- 28626954
TI  - Isolated growth hormone deficiency due to the R183H mutation in GH1: Clinical
      analysis of a four-generation family.

PMID- 28626957
TI  - Graves' disease with severe neutropenia: Any clues?

PMID- 28626956
TI  - Markedly increased incidence of critical illness in adults with Type 1 diabetes.
AB  - AIMS: To compare the incidence of and mortality after intensive care unit
      admission in adults with paediatric-onset Type 1 diabetes vs the general
      population. METHODS: Using population-based administrative data from Manitoba,
      Canada, we identified 814 cases of paediatric-onset Type 1 diabetes, and 3579
      general population controls matched on age, sex and region of residence. We
      estimated the incidence of intensive care unit admission in adulthood, and
      compared the findings between populations using incidence rate ratios and
      multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for age, sex,
      comorbidity and socio-economic status. We estimated age- and sex-standardized
      mortality rates after intensive care unit admission. RESULTS: Between January
      2000 and October 2009, the average annual incidence of intensive care unit
      admission among prevalent cohorts was 910 per 100 000 in the Type 1 diabetes
      population, and 106 per 100 000 in matched controls, an eightfold increased risk
      (incidence rate ratio 8.6; 95% CI 5.5, 14.0). The adjusted risk of intensive care
      unit admission was elevated to a greater extent among women with Type 1 diabetes
      compared with matched women (hazard ratio 14.7; 95% CI 7.2, 29.4) than among men
      with Type 1 diabetes compared with matched men (hazard ratio 4.92; 95% CI 10.3,
      2.36) The most common reasons for admission in the diabetes cohort were diabetic
      ketoacidosis, infection and ischaemic heart disease. At 30%, 5-year mortality was
      higher in the diabetes cohort than in the matched cohort (relative risk 5.7; 95%
      CI 1.2, 8.9). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the general population, the risk of
      intensive care unit admission was higher in adults with paediatric-onset Type 1
      diabetes, and mortality after admission was also higher.

PMID- 28626958
TI  - Letter to the Editor.

PMID- 28626959
TI  - Intramolecular Singlet Fission in an Antiaromatic Polycyclic Hydrocarbon.
AB  - Singlet fission (SF), in which one singlet exciton (S1 ) splits into two triplets
      (T1 ) on adjacent molecules through a correlated triplet-pair 1 (TT) state,
      requires precise but difficult tuning of exciton energetics and intermolecular
      electronic couplings in the solid state. Antiaromatic 4npi dibenzopentalenes
      (DPs) are demonstrated as a new class of single-chromophore-based intramolecular
      SF materials that exhibit an optically allowed S2 state with E(S2 )>2*E(T1 ) and
      an optically forbidden S1 state. Ultrafast population transfer from a high-lying
      S2 state to a 1 (TT) state was observed in monomeric solution of styryl
      substituted DP (SDP) on a sub-picosecond timescale. There is evidence of exciton
      diffusion (ED) of the 1 (TT) state to yield two individual long-lived triplets in
      SDP thin film. The overall triplet yield via intramolecular SF and subsequent
      triplet-pair diffusion can be as high as 142+/-10 % in thin film.

PMID- 28626960
TI  - Whole-Blood Taurine Concentrations in Cats With Intestinal Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased delivery of taurine-conjugated bile acids to the distal
      bowel can lead to dysbiosis resulting in colitis in mouse models of inflammatory
      bowel disease. A similar situation also could occur in cats with intestinal
      disease and might therefore result in decreased whole-body taurine concentration.
      HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine whether whole-blood taurine concentrations
      are decreased at the time of diagnosis in cats with intestinal disease and to
      correlate concentrations with clinical and laboratory variables. ANIMALS: Twenty
      one cats with chronic inflammatory enteropathy and 7 cats with intestinal
      neoplasia from the University of Bristol. METHODS: Cats that had undergone a
      thorough investigation consisting of a CBC, serum biochemistry, serum cobalamin
      and folate concentrations, transabdominal ultrasound examination and
      histopathology of intestinal biopsy specimens, as well as additional testing if
      indicated, were included. Whole-blood from these cats collected at the time of
      histologic diagnosis and stored in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid was
      retrospectively analyzed for taurine with an automated high-performance liquid
      chromatography amino acid analyzer. RESULTS: Although whole-blood taurine
      concentrations remained within the reference range, those cats with predominantly
      large intestinal clinical signs had significantly lower concentrations than did
      cats with small intestinal and mixed bowel clinical signs (P = 0.033) and this
      difference also was significant when assessed only in cats with chronic
      inflammatory enteropathy (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:
      Additional studies are needed to determine whether large intestinal signs in cats
      with chronic inflammatory enteropathy are caused by alterations in the microbiota
      arising as a consequence of increased delivery of taurine-conjugated bile acids.

PMID- 28626961
TI  - Comparing polyarteritis nodosa in children and adults: a single center study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a necrotizing vasculitis of medium/small
      arteries. We aimed to examine the characteristics of adult- and childhood-onset
      PAN. METHODS: Fifteen pediatric (? 18 years) and 22 adult PAN patients who
      fulfilled the Ankara 2008 and American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria,
      respectively, were included in the study. RESULTS: Five children had cutaneous
      and all the rest of the patients had systemic PAN. Weight loss was more common
      (59.1% vs. 20%, P = 0.041) and presence of an angiography at diagnosis was more
      frequent (81.8% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.003) in adults than children.
      Arthralgia/arthritis and skin involvement were more common in children (86.7% vs.
      59.1%; 93.3% vs. 72.7%, respectively) while renal and neurologic involvement were
      more frequently observed in adult patients (50% vs. 20%; 59.1% vs. 40%,
      respectively) (P > 0.05 for all). Cutaneous PAN patients were treated with
      corticosteroids only. All but one adult patient received cyclophosphamide while
      mycophenolate mofetil was used in five and cyclophosphamide was used in four
      children as induction treatment. The median duration of induction treatment was
      longer in adults than children (12 vs. 3 months, respectively; P = 0.004). The
      most common maintenance drug was mycophenolate mofetil in children and
      azathioprine in adults. The mortality rate was 13.6% (n = 3) and 0% in adults and
      children, respectively. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study
      comparing characteristics of adult and childhood onset PAN. Our results have
      suggested that juvenile PAN had a more benign course (with less renal and
      neurologic involvement, shorter duration of induction treatment) than adult onset
      PAN.

PMID- 28626962
TI  - Three-dimensional motion corrected sensitivity encoding reconstruction for multi
      shot multi-slice MRI: Application to neonatal brain imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE: To introduce a methodology for the reconstruction of multi-shot, multi
      slice magnetic resonance imaging able to cope with both within-plane and through
      plane rigid motion and to describe its application in structural brain imaging.
      THEORY AND METHODS: The method alternates between motion estimation and
      reconstruction using a common objective function for both. Estimates of three
      dimensional motion states for each shot and slice are gradually refined by
      improving on the fit of current reconstructions to the partial k-space
      information from multiple coils. Overlapped slices and super-resolution allow
      recovery of through-plane motion and outlier rejection discards artifacted shots.
      The method is applied to T2 and T1 brain scans acquired in different views.
      RESULTS: The procedure has greatly diminished artifacts in a database of 1883
      neonatal image volumes, as assessed by image quality metrics and visual
      inspection. Examples showing the ability to correct for motion and robustness
      against damaged shots are provided. Combination of motion corrected
      reconstructions for different views has shown further artifact suppression and
      resolution recovery. CONCLUSION: The proposed method addresses the problem of
      rigid motion in multi-shot multi-slice anatomical brain scans. Tests on a large
      collection of potentially corrupted datasets have shown a remarkable image
      quality improvement. Magn Reson Med 79:1365-1376, 2018. (c) 2017 The Authors
      Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of
      International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access
      article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which
      permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
      work is properly cited.

PMID- 28626964
TI  - Impact of prior distributions and central tendency measures on Bayesian
      intravoxel incoherent motion model fitting.
AB  - PURPOSE: Bayesian model fitting has been proposed as a robust alternative for
      intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model-fitting parameter estimation. However,
      consensus regarding choice of prior distribution and posterior distribution
      central tendency measure is needed. The aim of this study was to compare the
      quality of IVIM parameter estimates produced by different prior distributions and
      central tendency measures, and to gain knowledge about the effect of these
      choices. METHODS: Three prior distributions (uniform, reciprocal, and lognormal)
      and two measures of central tendency (mean and mode) found in the literature were
      studied using simulations and in vivo data from a tumor mouse model. RESULTS:
      Simulations showed that the uniform and lognormal priors were superior to the
      reciprocal prior, especially for the parameters D and f and clinically relevant
      SNR levels. The choice of central tendency measure had less effect on the
      results, but had some effects on estimation bias. Results based on simulations
      and in vivo data agreed well, indicating high validity of the simulations.
      CONCLUSIONS: Choice of prior distribution and central tendency measure affects
      the results of Bayesian IVIM parameter estimates. This must be considered when
      comparing results from different studies. The best overall quality of IVIM
      parameter estimates was obtained using the lognormal prior. Magn Reson Med
      79:1674-1683, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
      Medicine.

PMID- 28626963
TI  - Exercise training modulates the hepatic renin-angiotensin system in fructose-fed
      rats.
AB  - NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? What are the effects of
      exercise training on the hepatic renin-angiotensin system and their contribution
      to damage resulting from fructose overload in rats? What is the main finding and
      its importance? Exercise training attenuated the deleterious actions of the
      angiotensin-converting enzyme/angiotensin II/angiotensin II type 1 receptor axis
      and increased expression of the counter-regulatory (angiotensin-converting enzyme
      2/angiotensin (1-7)/Mas receptor) axis in the liver. Therefore, our study
      provides evidence that exercise training modulates the hepatic renin-angiotensin
      system, which contributes to reducing the progression of metabolic dysfunction
      and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in fructose-fed rats. The renin-angiotensin
      system (RAS) has been implicated in the development of metabolic syndrome. We
      investigated whether the hepatic RAS is modulated by exercise training and
      whether this modulation improves the deleterious effects of fructose overload in
      rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into (n = 8 each) control (CT), exercise
      control (CT-Ex), high-fructose (HFr) and exercise high-fructose (HFr-Ex) groups.
      Fructose-drinking rats received d-fructose (100 g l-1 ). After 2 weeks, CT-Ex and
      HFr-Ex rats were assigned to a treadmill training protocol at moderate intensity
      for 8 weeks (60 min day-1 , 4 days per week). We assessed body mass, glucose and
      lipid metabolism, hepatic histopathology, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and
      angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity, the angiotensin concentration
      and the expression profile of proteins affecting the hepatic RAS, gluconeogenesis
      and inflammation. Neither fructose overload nor exercise training influenced body
      mass gain and serum ACE and ACE2 activity. The HFr group showed
      hyperinsulinaemia, but exercise training normalized this parameter. Exercise
      training was effective in preventing hepatic steatosis and in preventing
      triacylglycerol and glycogen accumulation. Furthermore, exercise improved the
      response to the deleterious effects of HFr overload by normalizing the
      gluconeogenesis pathway and the protein levels of interleukin-6 and tumour
      necrosis factor-alpha. The HFr rats displayed increased hepatic ACE activity and
      protein expression and angiotensin II concentration, which were attenuated by
      exercise training. Exercise training restored the ACE2/angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas
      receptor axis. Exercise training may favour the counter-regulatory
      ACE2/angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor axis over the classical RAS (ACE/angiotensin
      II/angiotensin II type 1 receptor axis), which could be responsible for the
      reduction of metabolic dysfunction and the prevention of non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease.

PMID- 28626965
TI  - The growth of epidemiology in diabetes research.

PMID- 28626966
TI  - Anode Improvement in Rechargeable Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.
AB  - Owing to their theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg-1 , lithium-sulfur
      batteries represent a promising future energy storage device to power electric
      vehicles. However, the practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries suffer
      from poor cycle life and low Coulombic efficiency, which is attributed, in part,
      to the polysulfide shuttle and Li dendrite formation. Suppressing Li dendrite
      growth, blocking the unfavorable reaction between soluble polysulfides and Li,
      and improving the safety of Li-S batteries have become very important for the
      development of high-performance lithium sulfur batteries. A comprehensive review
      of various strategies is presented for enhancing the stability of the anode of
      lithium sulfur batteries, including inserting an interlayer, modifying the
      separator and electrolytes, employing artificial protection layers, and
      alternative anodes to replace the Li metal anode.

PMID- 28626967
TI  - Strategy over operation: neural activation in subtraction and multiplication
      during fact retrieval and procedural strategy use in children.
AB  - Arithmetic development is characterized by strategy shifts between procedural
      strategy use and fact retrieval. This study is the first to explicitly
      investigate children's neural activation associated with the use of these
      different strategies. Participants were 26 typically developing 4th graders (9-
      to 10-year-olds), who, in a behavioral session, were asked to verbally report on
      a trial-by-trial basis how they had solved 100 subtraction and multiplication
      items. These items were subsequently presented during functional magnetic
      resonance imaging. An event-related design allowed us to analyze the brain
      responses during retrieval and procedural trials, based on the children's verbal
      reports. During procedural strategy use, and more specifically for the
      decomposition of operands strategy, activation increases were observed in the
      inferior and superior parietal lobes (intraparietal sulci), inferior to superior
      frontal gyri, bilateral areas in the occipital lobe, and insular cortex. For
      retrieval, in comparison to procedural strategy use, we observed increased
      activity in the bilateral angular and supramarginal gyri, left middle to inferior
      temporal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, and superior medial frontal gyrus.
      No neural differences were found between the two operations under study. These
      results are the first in children to provide direct evidence for alternate neural
      activation when different arithmetic strategies are used and further unravel that
      previously found effects of operation on brain activity reflect differences in
      arithmetic strategy use. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4657-4670, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28626968
TI  - 3D Printing All-Aromatic Polyimides using Mask-Projection Stereolithography:
      Processing the Nonprocessable.
AB  - High-performance, all-aromatic, insoluble, engineering thermoplastic polyimides,
      such as pyromellitic dianhydride and 4,4'-oxydianiline (PMDA-ODA) (Kapton),
      exhibit exceptional thermal stability (up to ~600  degrees C) and mechanical
      properties (Young's modulus exceeding 2 GPa). However, their thermal resistance,
      which is a consequence of the all-aromatic molecular structure, prohibits
      processing using conventional techniques. Previous reports describe an energy
      intensive sintering technique as an alternative technique for processing
      polyimides with limited resolution and part fidelity. This study demonstrates the
      unprecedented 3D printing of PMDA-ODA using mask-projection stereolithography,
      and the preparation of high-resolution 3D structures without sacrificing bulk
      material properties. Synthesis of a soluble precursor polymer containing photo
      crosslinkable acrylate groups enables light-induced, chemical crosslinking for
      spatial control in the gel state. Postprinting thermal treatment transforms the
      crosslinked precursor polymer to PMDA-ODA. The dimensional shrinkage is
      isotropic, and postprocessing preserves geometric integrity. Furthermore, large
      area mask-projection scanning stereolithography demonstrates the scalability of
      3D structures. These unique high-performance 3D structures offer potential in
      fields ranging from water filtration and gas separation to automotive and
      aerospace technologies.

PMID- 28626969
TI  - Different patterns of expression of cell cycle control and local invasion-related
      proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma affecting young patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) predominantly affects males in
      the fifth decade of life; nevertheless, an increased incidence in young patients
      has been reported worldwide, and the clinical and behavioral characteristics of
      tumors in this group are controversial, and the literature shows divergent
      results. PURPOSE: To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognostic
      significance of the immunoexpression of cell cycle and local invasion proteins in
      OSCC affecting young patients (<=40 years old). METHODS: A tissue microarray was
      performed with 132 OSCC samples (61 cases of young patients vs 71 cases of
      elderly patients) and submitted to immunohistochemical reactions with Ki67, p53,
      p16, Bcl-2, Cyclin D1, C-ErbB2, p21, Myc, EGFR, MMP-9, SMA, Cathepsin K and FGF-2
      antibodies. RESULTS: Clinicopathological features and survival rates were similar
      in both groups. Although overexpression of EGFR (P=.042) and MMP-9 (P=.001) was
      more frequent in young patients, only C-ErbB-2 (P=.048) and SMA (P=.048)
      expression correlated with lower disease-free survival (DFS) in this group of
      patients. CONCLUSION: Clinicopathological features and survival rates are similar
      between younger and older patients with OSCC. The different patterns of C-ErbB2,
      EGFR, MMP-9, and SMA expression between the groups merits further investigation
      to understand their role in the early tumor onset in young patients.

PMID- 28626970
TI  - Surgical treatment of peri-implantitis intrabony lesions by means of
      deproteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen: 7-year-results.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of the
      surgical treatment of single peri-implantitis intrabony defects, by means of
      deproteinized bovine bone mineral with 10% collagen (DBBMC). MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: The original population consisted of 26 patients with one crater-like
      defect, around either sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) or titanium plasma
      sprayed (TPS) dental implants, with a probing depth (PD) >=6 mm and no implant
      mobility (Roccuzzo et al. J Clin Periodontol. 2011; 38: 738). Implants were
      mechanically debrided and treated using EDTA gel and chlorhexidine gel. The bone
      defects were filled with DBBMC, and the flap was sutured around the non-submerged
      implant. Patients were placed on an individually tailored supportive periodontal
      therapy (SPT). RESULTS: Two patients were lost to follow-up. During SPT,
      additional antibiotic and/or surgical therapy was necessary in eight implants,
      and four of these were removed for biologic complications. At 7-year, the
      survival rate was 83.3% for SLA implants and 71.4% for TPS. PD was significantly
      reduced from 6.6 +/- 1.3 to 3.2 +/- 0.7 mm in SLA and 7.2 +/- 1.5 to 3.4 +/- 0.6
      mm in TPS. Bleeding on probing decreased from 75.0 +/- 31.2% to 7.5 +/- 12.1%
      (SLA) and from 90.0 +/- 12.9% to 30.0 +/- 19.7% (TPS). When successful therapy
      was defined as PD <=5 mm, absence of bleeding/suppuration on probing, and no
      further bone loss, treatment success was obtained in 2 of 14 (14.3%) of the TPS
      and in 7 of 12 (58.3%) of the SLA implants. CONCLUSIONS: Seven years after
      surgical treatment with DBBMC, patients, in an adequate SPT, maintained
      sufficient peri-implant conditions in many cases, particularly around SLA
      implants. Nevertheless, some patients required further treatment and some lost
      implants. The clinical decision on whether implants should be treated or removed
      should be based on several factors, including implant surface characteristics.

PMID- 28626971
TI  - Genetics and developmental biology of cooperation.
AB  - Despite essential progress towards understanding the evolution of cooperative
      behaviour, we still lack detailed knowledge about its underlying molecular
      mechanisms, genetic basis, evolutionary dynamics and ontogeny. An international
      workshop "Genetics and Development of Cooperation," organized by the University
      of Bern (Switzerland), aimed at discussing the current progress in this research
      field and suggesting avenues for future research. This review uses the major
      themes of the meeting as a springboard to synthesize the concepts of genetic and
      nongenetic inheritance of cooperation, and to review a quantitative genetic
      framework that allows for the inclusion of indirect genetic effects. Furthermore,
      we argue that including nongenetic inheritance, such as transgenerational
      epigenetic effects, parental effects, ecological and cultural inheritance,
      provides a more nuanced view of the evolution of cooperation. We summarize those
      genes and molecular pathways in a range of species that seem promising candidates
      for mechanisms underlying cooperative behaviours. Concerning the neurobiological
      substrate of cooperation, we suggest three cognitive skills necessary for the
      ability to cooperate: (i) event memory, (ii) synchrony with others and (iii)
      responsiveness to others. Taking a closer look at the developmental trajectories
      that lead to the expression of cooperative behaviours, we discuss the dichotomy
      between early morphological specialization in social insects and more flexible
      behavioural specialization in cooperatively breeding vertebrates. Finally, we
      provide recommendations for which biological systems and species may be
      particularly suitable, which specific traits and parameters should be measured,
      what type of approaches should be followed, and which methods should be employed
      in studies of cooperation to better understand how cooperation evolves and
      manifests in nature.

PMID- 28626972
TI  - NIRCa: An artificial neural network-based insulin resistance calculator.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Direct measurement of insulin sensitivity in children with type 1
      diabetes is cumbersome and time consuming. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to
      develop novel, accurate machine learning-based methods of insulin resistance
      estimation in children with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: A hyperinsulinemic
      hyperglycemic clamp study was performed to evaluate the glucose disposal rate
      (GDR) in a study group consisting of 315 patients aged 7.6 to 19.7 years. The
      group was randomly divided into a training and independent testing set for model
      performance assessment. GDR was estimated on the basis of simple clinical
      variables using 2 non-linear methods: artificial neural networks (ANN) and
      multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARSplines). The results were compared
      against the most frequently used predictive model, based on waist circumference,
      triglyceride (TG), and HbA1c levels. RESULTS: The reference model showed moderate
      performance ( R 2 = 0.26) with a median absolute percentage error of 49.1%, and
      with the worst fit observed in young (7-12 years) children ( R 2 = 0.17).
      Predictions of the MARSplines model were significantly more accurate than those
      of the reference model (median error 3.6%, R 2 = 0.44 P < .0001). The predictions
      of the ANN, however, showed significantly lower error than those of the reference
      model (P < .0001) and MARSplines (P < .0001) and better fit regardless of patient
      age. ANN-estimated GDRs were within a +/-20% error range in 75% of cases with a
      median error of 0.6% and an R 2 = 0.66. The predictive tool is available at
      http://link.konsta.com.pl/gdr. CONCLUSIONS: The developed GDR estimation model
      reliant on ANN allows for an optimized prediction of GDR for research and
      clinical purposes.

PMID- 28626973
TI  - Role of parasite transmission in promoting inbreeding: II. Pedigree
      reconstruction reveals sib-transmission and consequent kin-mating.
AB  - Even though parasitic flatworms are one of the most species-rich groups of
      hermaphroditic organisms, we know virtually nothing of their mating systems
      (selfing or kin-mating rates) in nature. Hence, we lack an understanding of the
      role of inbreeding in parasite evolution. The natural mating systems of parasitic
      flatworms have remained elusive due to the inherent difficulty in generating
      progeny-array data in many parasite systems. New developments in pedigree
      reconstruction allow direct inference of realized selfing rates in nature by
      simply using a sample of genotyped individuals. We built upon this advancement by
      utilizing the closed mating systems, that is, individual hosts, of endoparasites.
      In particular, we created a novel means to use pedigree reconstruction data to
      estimate potential kin-mating rates. With data from natural populations of a
      tapeworm, we demonstrated how our newly developed methods can be used to test for
      cosibling transmission and inbreeding depression. We then showed how independent
      estimates of the two mating system components, selfing and kin-mating rates,
      account for the observed levels of inbreeding in the populations. Thus, our
      results suggest that these natural parasite populations are in inbreeding
      equilibrium. Pedigree reconstruction analyses along with the new companion
      methods we developed will be broadly applicable across a myriad of parasite
      species. As such, we foresee that a new frontier will emerge wherein the diverse
      life histories of flatworm parasites could be utilized in comparative
      evolutionary studies to broadly address ecological factors or life history traits
      that drive mating systems and hence inbreeding in natural populations.

PMID- 28626974
TI  - Refractory cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa: Successful treatment with etanercept.

PMID- 28626975
TI  - Congenital syphilis.

PMID- 28626976
TI  - Prevalence of sleep problems in Japanese preschoolers in a medium-sized city:
      Community-based survey using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire.
AB  - Although the mean score of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ)
      differs between countries, there are no normative data for the CSHQ of Japanese
      preschoolers based on a community sample. The aims of this study were therefore
      to present normative data for the CSHQ and determine the prevalence and
      characteristics of sleep problems in Japanese preschoolers. Parents or the
      primary caregiver of 482 preschoolers aged 4-5 years completed the CSHQ and the
      Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Approximately 80% of preschoolers scored
      above the cut-off for sleep disturbance on the CSHQ. In addition, co-sleeping was
      prevalent in Japanese preschoolers but the habit of co-sleeping contributed
      little to behavioral and emotional problems. Sleep problems appear to be
      prevalent in Japanese preschoolers based on the CSHQ, and could be associated
      with the Japanese sleep habit of co-sleeping.

PMID- 28626978
TI  - A fast multitarget inverse treatment planning strategy optimizing dosimetric
      measures for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: In this study, we introduce a novel, fast, inverse treatment planning
      strategy for interstitial high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy with multiple
      regions of interest solely based on dose-volume-histogram-related dosimetric
      measures (DMs). METHODS: We present a new problem formulation of the objective
      function that approximates the indicator variables of the standard DM
      optimization problem with a smooth logistic function. This problem is optimized
      by standard gradient-based methods. The proposed approach is then compared
      against state-of-the-art optimization strategies. RESULTS: All generated plans
      fulfilled prescribed DMs for all organs at risk. Compared to clinical practice, a
      statistically significant improvement (p=0.01) in coverage of target structures
      was achieved. Simultaneously, DMs representing high-dose regions were
      significantly reduced (p=0.01). The novel optimization strategies run-time was
      (0.8 +/- 0.3) s and thus outperformed the best competing strategies of the state
      of the art. In addition, the novel DM-based approach was associated with a
      statistically significant (p=0.01) increase in the number of active dwell
      positions and a decrease in the maximum dwell time. CONCLUSIONS: The generated
      plans showed a clinically significant increase in target coverage with fewer hot
      spots, with an optimization time approximately three orders of magnitude shorter
      than manual optimization currently used in clinical practice. As optimization is
      solely based on DMs, intuitive, interactive, real-time treatment planning, which
      motivated the adoption of manual optimization in our clinic, is possible.

PMID- 28626977
TI  - Magnetic compression anastomosis for postoperative biliary atresia.
AB  - We report a case of successful magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) for
      obstructed cyst-jejunostomy in a young woman who had undergone surgery for type 1
      biliary atresia (BA) on day 78 of life. A 16-year-old girl was admitted with
      obstructive jaundice. Jaundice resolved with percutaneous trans-hepatic
      cholangiodrainage (PTCD) but contrast medium injected from the PTCD tube did not
      flow through the anastomosis. Magnets were placed on each side of the
      anastomosis, in the cyst and the jejunum, to compress the partition. On
      postoperative day (POD) 6, the anastomosis was recanalized and the PTCD tube
      placed trans-anastomotically until POD 245. The patient remained free from
      jaundice after removal of the PTCD tube. MCA can be a useful and less invasive
      procedure for treating biliary tract anastomotic obstruction in patients with BA.

PMID- 28626979
TI  - Electro-clinical criteria and surgical outcome: Is there a difference between
      mesial and lesional temporal lobe epilepsy?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy syndrome (MTLE) with specific
      electrophysiological and clinical characteristics and hippocampal sclerosis (HS)
      on MRI is considered the prototype of a syndrome with good surgical prognosis.
      Ictal onset zones in MTLE have been found to extend outside the hippocampus and
      neocortical seizures often involve mesial structures. It can, thus, be questioned
      whether MTLE with HS is different from lesional temporal epilepsies with respect
      to electro-clinical characteristics and surgical prognosis. We assessed whether
      MTLE with HS is distinguishable from lesional TLE and which criteria determine
      surgical outcome. METHODS: People in a retrospective cohort of 389 individuals
      with MRI abnormalities who underwent temporal lobectomy, were divided into "HS
      only" or "lesional" TLEs. Twenty-six presented with dual pathology and were
      excluded from further analysis. We compared surgical outcome and electro-clinical
      characteristics. RESULTS: Over half (61%) had "HS only." Four electro-clinical
      characteristics (age at epilepsy onset, febrile seizures, memory dysfunction and
      contralateral dystonic posturing) distinguished "HS only" from "lesional" TLE,
      but there was considerable overlap. Seizure freedom 2 years after surgery (Engel
      class 1) was similar: 67% ("HS only") vs 69% ("lesional" TLE). Neither presence
      of HS nor electro-clinical criteria was associated with surgical outcome.
      CONCLUSIONS: Despite small differences in electrophysiological and clinical
      characteristics between MTLE with HS and lesional TLE, surgical outcomes are
      similar, indicating that aetiology seems irrelevant in the referral for temporal
      surgery.

PMID- 28626980
TI  - Comparison of management regimens following ultrasound diagnosis of nontubal
      ectopic pregnancies: a retrospective cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review management options for nontubal ectopic pregnancies. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
      POPULATION: A total of 100 nontubal pregnancies: 1 abdominal, 32 caesarean scar,
      14 cervical, 41 cornual-interstitial, 12 ovarian. METHODS: Cases were classified
      according to ectopic site. Management categories were medical, surgical,
      combination or expectant. Use of minimally invasive approaches (ultrasound-guided
      intra-sac injections or selective surgical techniques) was identified. Primary
      management was considered to be successful if no further unplanned interventions
      were required. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Success of primary management and frequency
      of unplanned interventions. RESULTS: A high rate of success (82%) was
      demonstrated for all management regimens, with minimal morbidity and no deaths
      occurring. A high success rate was shown when the primary management regimen was
      systemic methotrexate or ultrasound-guided intra-sac injection (88%). The success
      rate for primary surgical management was 57%. High success rates were reported
      for both primary management with ultrasound-guided injections or in combination
      with systemic methotrexate (94%) and for primary management with systemic
      methotrexate alone (81%). Seventy-five per cent of women managed with minimally
      invasive surgical approaches avoided the need for more extensive surgery, but
      required longer follow up and additional interventions. CONCLUSION: Minimally
      invasive approaches were found to be safe and effective treatment for women
      desiring to conserve fertility. Ultrasound-guided intra-sac injection and
      laparoscopic ectopic removal procedures aimed at preserving reproductive organs
      should be included as minimally invasive primary management tools in addition to
      the well-recognised option of systemic methotrexate. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Nontubal
      ectopics: minimally invasive procedures a safe alternative to surgery in selected
      cases.

PMID- 28626982
TI  - Vaginal seeding or vaginal microbial transfer from the mother to the caesarean
      born neonate: a commentary regarding clinical management.

PMID- 28626981
TI  - Post-discharge nausea and vomiting after total intravenous anaesthesia and
      standardised PONV prophylaxis for ambulatory surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of post-discharge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) after
      ambulatory anaesthesia using total intravenous anaesthesia with a risk-stratified
      anti-emetic approach is not well documented in the literature. In this study, we
      outline such an approach. The goal was to achieve an acceptably low rate of PDNV
      both immediately and the day after surgery. METHODS: With ethics committee
      approval, adult patients undergoing outpatient surgery received a Propofol-based
      general anaesthetic plus standardised PONV-prophylaxis corresponding to their
      Apfel risk-score (0-4); ondansetron (risk-score 2), additional dexamethasone
      (risk-score 3), and additional droperidol (risk-score 4). On post-operative days
      one and two, patients scored PDNV and pain (numeric rating scale (NRS); 0 = none
      at all; 10 = worst imaginable). On post-operative day two, patients indicated the
      level of interference of PDNV and/or pain with their quality of life. Data are
      descriptive (%) or mean. RESULTS: There were 222 patients included (age 43 years,
      44% female, anaesthesia time 95 min). On the day of surgery, 69.4% of patients
      did not experience any nausea, 10.4% complained about severe (NRS > 6) nausea,
      6.3% experienced vomiting or retching. On the first and second postoperative day,
      nausea was absent in 88.7% of patients and 97.3%, respectively. Quality of life
      was impacted (NRS >= 4) more by pain (32.8% of cases), than by PDNV (13.6%).
      CONCLUSION: Acceptably low rates of PDNV were achieved with the proposed
      standardised approach to PDNV prophylaxis. For almost 90% of patients, PDNV was
      not an issue the first day after surgery. Pain after discharge was a more common
      problem.

PMID- 28626983
TI  - Comparison of systemic pharmacodynamic effects of two combination pressurized
      metered dose inhalers that deliver salmeterol and fluticasone propionate.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to test the systemic pharmacodynamic effects of
      the salmeterol component of two pressurized metered dose inhalers that delivered
      a combination of salmeterol and fluticasone propionate (SM/FP). METHODS: This was
      a six-way crossover study in 43 adult subjects, using a single blind design
      (subject blinded to product and clinical assessor blinded for all measurements).
      Each subject received single doses of two, six, and twelve inhalations from test
      and reference products that delivered SM/FP as 25/125 mcg per inhalation. Heart
      rate, QTcB, and plasma potassium and glucose were monitored over 6 h. RESULTS:
      Safety equivalence was shown by relative potency analysis for primary endpoints
      of maximum heart rate and maximum QTcB, since the 90% confidence intervals for
      both endpoints were within the acceptance limit of (0.67, 1.50). There were six
      secondary analyses for relative potency and equivalence was met for five of these
      endpoints. There were also 18 pairwise comparisons performed at each dose level.
      No statistical differences (95% confidence intervals included zero) among these
      pairwise comparisons were seen at the two-inhalation dose (therapeutic dose) or
      the six-inhalation dose. At the supratherapeutic dose of twelve inhalations, the
      test product was either comparable to or statistically less than that of the
      reference product for all comparisons. Overall, the results demonstrated
      comparable systemic safety. No differences were seen between the products in
      reported adverse events. CONCLUSION: The safety equivalence of the systemic
      pharmacodynamic effects of the SM component of the test and reference SM/FP
      products was demonstrated.

PMID- 28626984
TI  - Biologically Controlled Morphology and Twinning in Guanine Crystals.
AB  - Guanine crystals are widely used in nature as components of multilayer
      reflectors. Guanine-based reflective systems found in the copepod cuticle and in
      the mirror of the scallop eye are unique in that the multilayered reflectors are
      tiled to form a contiguous packed array. In the copepod cuticle, hexagonal
      crystals are closely packed to produce brilliant colors. In the scallop eye,
      square crystals are tiled to obtain an image-forming reflecting mirror. The tiles
      are about 1 MUm in size and 70 nm thick. According to analysis of their electron
      diffraction patterns, the hexagon and square tiles are not single crystals.
      Rather, each tile type is a composite of what appears to be three crystalline
      domains differently oriented and stacked onto one another, achieved through a
      twice-repeated twinning about their ?011? and ?021? crystal axes, respectively.
      By these means, the monoclinic guanine crystal mimics higher symmetry hexagonal
      and tetragonal structures to achieve unique morphologies.

PMID- 28626985
TI  - PASH syndrome (pyoderma gangrenosum, acne and hidradenitis suppurativa): a
      disease with genetic heterogeneity.

PMID- 28626986
TI  - Trends in sleep studies performed for Medicare beneficiaries.
AB  - OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To quantify trends and characteristics of sleep studies
      performed for Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. STUDY DESIGN:
      Retrospective longitudinal study of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
      Services' Part B National Summary Data and Medicare Provider Utilization and
      Payment Data from 2000 to 2014. METHODS: Sleep study data were analyzed according
      to type of study performed, total expenditure amount, provider specialty, and
      geographic location. RESULTS: In 2014, 845,569 sleep studies were completed by
      1.4% of Medicare beneficiaries for a total of $189 million. Since 2010, annual
      expenditures for sleep studies have declined, whereas the number of studies
      performed has increased by 9.1%. In 2014, polysomnography, split-night
      polysomnography, and unattended home sleep studies accounted for 40%, 48%, and
      12%, respectively, of total sleep studies. This represents a dramatic growth in
      the number of unattended sleep studies performed since 2000, when they
      represented only 0.9%. Pulmonologists, independent diagnostic testing facilities,
      and neurologists are the top specialties that bill for sleep studies. Sleep
      medicine is a growing specialty and ranked fifth among providers, whereas
      otolaryngologists ranked eighth. CONCLUSIONS: The healthcare burden of
      administering sleep studies is substantial, although the annual cost is
      declining. Unattended sleep studies contribute to decreasing costs and should be
      considered for patients who meet the correct indications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.
      Laryngoscope, 127:2891-2896, 2017.

PMID- 28626988
TI  - Photodermatitis in a woman on antiretroviral therapy: report of a rare cutaneous
      adverse drug reaction of efavirenz and review of literature.

PMID- 28626987
TI  - Prolactinomas diagnosed in the postmenopausal period: Clinical phenotype and
      outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Most prolactinomas in females are diagnosed during the reproductive
      age, and the majority are microadenomas. Prolactinomas detected in the
      postmenopausal period are less common with limited published data on their
      presentation and prognosis. Our objective was to assess the presenting clinical,
      biochemical and imaging findings, as well as the outcomes of women diagnosed with
      a prolactinoma in the postmenopausal period. DESIGN AND METHODS: We undertook a
      retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with prolactinoma after menopause
      and followed up in a large UK pituitary centre. Information on presentation,
      management and outcomes was collected. RESULTS: Seventeen women with a median age
      at diagnosis of 63 years (range 52-78) were identified. Headaches and/or visual
      deterioration were the most commonly reported complaints at detection of the
      adenoma (47%). Acute pituitary apoplexy was diagnosed at presentation or during
      follow-up in 18% of the cases. The median serum prolactin was 12 364 mU/L (range
      2533-238 479). Macroprolactinomas comprised 94% of the tumours, and 88% of them
      had supra/parasellar extension. All patients with macroprolactinoma were offered
      dopamine agonist, and normal prolactin was achieved in 94% of them (median follow
      up 91.5 months). Adenoma shrinkage was observed in all women. Improvement or
      resolution of visual disturbances documented at presentation was observed in 86%
      of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical phenotype of prolactinomas diagnosed in the
      postmenopausal period is characterized by dominance of macroadenomas, with
      frequent supra/parasellar extension and a relative high rate of acute pituitary
      apoplexy. In this group of patients, the response of the macroadenomas to
      dopamine agonists is good.

PMID- 28626989
TI  - Electrical isolation of the left atrial appendage by Maze-like catheter substrate
      modification: A reproducible strategy for pulmonary vein isolation nonresponders?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The ablation strategy for atrial fibrillation (AF) despite
      pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is controversial. Left atrial appendage isolation
      (LAAI) may contribute to improve outcome. We describe an ablation approach ("Maze
      like"-LAAI) that (1) modifies the underlying LA substrate by linear ablation (2)
      eliminates the LAA as a putative AF trigger site and (3) incorporates an
      unambiguous procedural endpoint. The role of LAA closure (LAAC) after LAAI was
      investigated. METHODS: Patients with atrial tachyarrhythmias nonresponsive to PVI
      underwent a LAAI ablation procedure. LAAI was achieved by combining (a) an
      anterior line, (b) a LA roof line and (c) a mitral isthmus line. Patients
      continued oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy or underwent LAAC  >=6 weeks after
      LAAI. RESULTS: Maze-like LAAI was attempted in our center in 107 of 3,611 AF
      ablation procedures (2.9%) and achieved in 88 of 107 patients (82%). In 8 of 107
      (7%) patients cardiac tamponade occurred, all managed conservatively. During
      follow-up sinus rhythm was established in 65% at 1 year. After LAAI, 45 patients
      remained on OAC and 40 underwent LAAC. In both groups 1 patient experienced a
      bleeding complication. Thromboembolism exclusively occurred in the OAC group in 3
      (7%) patients. CONCLUSION: LAA isolation by Maze-like substrate modification may
      be considered a viable option for PVI non-responders. It offers a reproducible
      approach with an unambiguous procedural endpoint and leads to a favorable
      clinical outcome. However, extensive LA ablation increased the risk of tamponade.
      Consecutive LAA occlusion may offer a nonpharmacologic strategy to overcome the
      high thromboembolic risk associated with absent mechanical LAA contraction.

PMID- 28626991
TI  - Discharge Against Medical Advice of Elderly Inpatients in the United States.
AB  - Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is associated with greater risk of
      hospital readmission and higher morbidity, mortality, and costs, but with a
      rapidly increasing elderly inpatient population, there is a lack of national data
      on DAMA in this subgroup. The National Inpatient Sample (2003-2013 for trends,
      2013 for multivariable analysis, n = 29,290,852) was used to describe trends in
      DAMA in elderly inpatients, to study diagnosis codes associated with admission,
      and to assess factors associated with DAMA using multivariable logistic
      regression. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are reported for
      risk factors of interest. Although DAMA rates in individuals aged 65 and older
      were one fourth of those found in individuals aged 18 to 64, an increasing trend
      was found in both groups. From 2003 to 2013, rates increased in individuals aged
      18 to 64 (from 1.44% to 1.78%) and in those aged 65 and older (from 0.37% to
      0.42% (both P < .001). In both age groups, individuals admitted for mental
      illness had the highest risk of DAMA. Factors associated with higher adjusted
      odds of DAMA were generally similar between age groups, although risk of DAMA was
      higher in elderly adults than in those aged 18 to 64 for blacks (OR 1.65, 95% CI
      1.49-1.82 vs OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.12-1.20), Hispanics (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.41-1.77 vs
      OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.79-0.87), and those in the lowest income quartile (OR 1.57, 95%
      CI 1.43-1.72 vs OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.08-1.17), suggesting that race/ethnicity and
      poverty are more pronounced as risk factors for DAMA in elderly inpatients.

PMID- 28626992
TI  - Recurrent conjunctivitis secondary to Gram-positive bacillus, Bacillus
      thuringiensis.

PMID- 28626990
TI  - Exhaled breath profiles in the monitoring of loss of control and clinical
      recovery in asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease, associated with
      episodes of exacerbations. Therapy with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) targets
      airway inflammation, which aims to maintain and restore asthma control. Clinical
      features are only modestly associated with airways inflammation. Therefore, we
      hypothesized that exhaled volatile metabolites identify longitudinal changes
      between clinically stable episodes and loss of asthma control. OBJECTIVES: To
      determine whether exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as measured by gas
      chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS) and electronic nose (eNose) technology
      discriminate between clinically stable and unstable episodes of asthma. METHODS:
      Twenty-three patients with (partly) controlled mild to moderate persistent asthma
      using ICS were included in this prospective steroid withdrawal study. Exhaled
      metabolites were measured at baseline, during loss of control and after recovery.
      Standardized sampling of exhaled air was performed, after which samples were
      analysed by GC/MS and eNose. Univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), followed
      by multivariate principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce data
      dimensionality. Next paired t tests were utilized to analyse within-subject
      breath profile differences at the different time-points. Finally, associations
      between exhaled metabolites and sputum inflammation markers were examined.
      RESULTS: Breath profiles by eNose showed 95% (21/22) correct classification for
      baseline vs loss of control and 86% (19/22) for loss of control vs recovery.
      Breath profiles using GC/MS showed accuracies of 68% (14/22) and 77% (17/22) for
      baseline vs loss of control and loss of control vs recovery, respectively.
      Significant associations between exhaled metabolites captured by GC/MS and sputum
      eosinophils were found (Pearson r>=.46, P<.01). CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE:
      Loss of asthma control can be discriminated from clinically stable episodes by
      longitudinal monitoring of exhaled metabolites measured by GC/MS and particularly
      eNose. Part of the uncovered biomarkers was associated with sputum eosinophils.
      These findings provide proof of principle for monitoring and identification of
      loss of asthma control by breathomics.

PMID- 28626993
TI  - Izatt-Christensen Award: H. L. Anderson / Cram Lehn Pedersen Prize: T. F. A. de
      Greef / Bob Hay Lectureship: S. M. Goldup and S. L. Cockroft.

PMID- 28626994
TI  - Promoting Inclusion Via Cross-Group Friendship: The Mediating Role of Change in
      Trust and Sympathy.
AB  - To understand the conditions fostering positive outcomes of inclusive schooling,
      this two-wave study examined the role of individual change in trust and sympathy
      for adolescents' cross-group friendships and inclusive attitudes toward students
      with low academic achievement. Cross-group friendships, intergroup trust,
      intergroup sympathy, and inclusive attitudes were obtained from surveys completed
      by 1,122 Swiss adolescents (Mage T1  = 11.54 years, Mage T2  = 12.58 years) from
      61 school classes. Results from a parallel latent change score model revealed
      that the number of cross-group friendships positively related to individual
      change in trust and sympathy; this growing trust and sympathy in turn predicted
      adolescents' inclusive attitudes. These findings are discussed regarding theories
      of intergroup contact and inclusive schooling.

PMID- 28626995
TI  - 'Synaptic autocontrol'.

PMID- 28626996
TI  - Vortex-ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with
      gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analysis of volatile bioactive
      components and comparative pharmacokinetic study of the herb-herb interactions in
      Guanxin Shutong Capsule.
AB  - Guanxin Shutong Capsule, an effective traditional Chinese medicine, is widely
      used for coronary heart disease clinically. Volatile components are one of its
      important bioactive constituents. To better understand the material basis for the
      therapeutic effects, the components of Guanxin Shutong Capsule absorbed into the
      blood and their metabolites were identified based on gas chromatography with mass
      spectrometry coupled with vortex-ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid
      microextraction. As a result, three prototypes and 15 metabolites were identified
      or tentatively characterized in rat plasma. Subsequently, a pharmacokinetic study
      was carried out to monitor the concentrations of the main bioactive constituents
      and metabolites (isoborneol, borneol, eugenol, and camphor) by gas chromatography
      with mass spectrometry in rat plasma following oral administration of single herb
      extract and different combinations of herbs in this prescription. Compared to
      other groups, a statistically significant difference of the pharmacokinetic
      properties was obtained when the total complex prescription was administered,
      indicating possible drug-drug interactions among the complex ingredients of
      Guanxin Shutong Capsule. These findings provided an experimental basis concerning
      the clinical application and medicinal efficacy of Guanxin Shutong Capsule in the
      treatment of coronary heart disease.

PMID- 28626997
TI  - Discovery of a Calcium-Dependent Enzymatic Cascade for the Selective Assembly of
      Hapalindole-Type Alkaloids: On the Biosynthetic Origin of Hapalindole U.
AB  - Hapalindole U (4) is a validated biosynthetic precursor to ambiguine alkaloids
      (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 5780), of which biogenetic origin remains
      unknown. The recent discovery of AmbU4 (or FamC1) protein encoded in the
      ambiguine biosynthetic pathway (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 15366), an
      isomerocyclase that can rearrange and cyclize geranylated indolenine (2) to a
      previously unknown 12-epi-hapalindole U (3), raised the question whether 3 is a
      direct precursor to 4 or an artifact arising from the limited in vitro
      experiments. Here we report a systematic approach that led to the discovery of an
      unprecedented calcium-dependent AmbU1-AmbU4 enzymatic complex for the selective
      formation of 4. This discovery refuted the intermediacy of 3 and bridged the
      missing links in the early-stage biosynthesis of ambiguines. This work further
      established the isomerocyclases involved in the biogenesis of hapalindole-type
      alkaloids as a new family of calcium-dependent enzymes, where the metal ions are
      shown critical for their enzymatic activities and selectivities.

PMID- 28626998
TI  - Large coverage black-bright blood interleaved imaging sequence (LaBBI) for 3D
      dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of vessel wall.
AB  - PURPOSE: To propose a large coverage black-bright blood interleaved imaging
      sequence (LaBBI) for 3D dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) of the vessel
      wall. METHODS: LaBBI consists of a 3D black-blood stack-of-stars golden angle
      radial acquisition with high spatial resolution for vessel wall imaging and a 2D
      bright-blood Cartesian acquisition with high temporal resolution for arterial
      input function estimation. The two acquisitions were performed in an interleaved
      fashion within a single scan. Simulations, phantom experiments, and in vivo tests
      in three patients were performed to investigate the feasibility and performance
      of the proposed LaBBI. RESULTS: In simulation tests, the estimated Ktrans and vp
      by LaBBI were more accurate than conventional bright-blood DCE-MRI with lower
      root mean square error in all the tested conditions. In phantom test, no signal
      interference was found on the 2D scan in LaBBI. Pharmacokinetic analysis of the
      patients' data acquired by LaBBI showed that Ktrans was higher in fibrous tissue
      (0.0717 +/- 0.0279 min-1 ), while lower in necrotic core (0.0206 +/- 0.0040 min-1
      ) and intraplaque hemorrhage (0.0078 +/- 0.0007 min-1 ), compared with normal
      vessel wall (0.0273 +/- 0.0052 min-1 ). CONCLUSION: The proposed LaBBI sequence,
      with high spatial and temporal resolution, and large coverage blood suppression,
      was promising to probe the perfusion properties of vessel wall lesions. Magn
      Reson Med 79:1334-1344, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic
      Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28626999
TI  - Presence of time-dependent diffusion in the brachial plexus.
AB  - PURPOSE: This work describes the development of a method to measure the variation
      of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with diffusion time (Delta) in the
      brachial plexus, as a potential method of probing microstructure. METHODS:
      Diffusion-weighted MRI with body signal suppression was used to highlight the
      nerves from surrounding tissues, and sequence parameters were optimized for
      sensitivity to change with diffusion time. A porous media-restricted diffusion
      model based on the Latour-Mitra equation was fitted to the diffusion time
      dependent ADC data from the brachial plexus nerves and cord. RESULTS: The ADC was
      observed to reduce at long diffusion times, confirming that diffusion was
      restricted in the nerves and cord in healthy subjects. T2 of the nerves was
      measured to be 80 +/- 5 ms, the diffusion coefficient was found to vary from (1.5
      +/- 0.1) * 10-3 mm2 /s at a diffusion time of 18.3 ms to (1.0 +/- 0.2) * 10-3 mm2
      /s at a diffusion time of 81.3 ms. CONCLUSION: A novel method of probing
      restricted diffusion in the brachial plexus was developed. Resulting parameters
      were comparable with values obtained previously on biological systems. Magn Reson
      Med 79:789-795, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
      Medicine.

PMID- 28627000
TI  - Pencil beam scanned protons for the treatment of patients with Ewing sarcoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few data exist regarding the clinical outcome of patients with Ewing
      sarcoma (EWS) treated with pencil beam scanning proton therapy (PT). We report
      the outcome of children, adolescents and young adults (AYA) treated with PT at
      the Paul Scherrer Institute. MATERIALS: Thirty-eight patients (median age, 9.9
      years) received a median dose of 54.9 Gy(RBE) (where RBE is relative biologic
      effectiveness). Size of the tumor ranged from 1.7 to 24 cm. Most common primary
      site was axial/pelvic (n = 27; 71%). Four patients (11%) presented with
      metastases at diagnosis. Twenty (53%) patients had chemo-PT only. Median follow
      up was 49.6 months (range, 9.2-131.7). RESULTS: The 5-year actuarial rate of
      local control (LC), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival
      (OS) were 81.5%, 76.4%, and 83.0%, respectively. All local recurrences occurred
      in field and in patients with nonextremity primaries. Six patients died, all of
      tumor progression. Age < 10 years was a favorable factor of borderline
      significance for LC (P = 0.05) and OS (P = 0.05), but was significant for DMFS (P
      = 0.003). Tumor volume <200 ml was a significant prognostic factors for DMFS (P =
      0.03), but not for OS (P = 0.07). Metastasis at diagnosis was a strong predictor
      of local failure (P = 0.003). Only two grade 3 late toxicities were observed. The
      5-year actuarial rate of grade 3 toxicity-free survival was 90.9%. CONCLUSIONS:
      These preliminary data suggest that the outcomes of children and AYA with EWS are
      good and PT was well tolerated with few late adverse events. The local and
      distant tumor control for older patients with large pre-PT tumor volumes remains
      problematic.

PMID- 28627001
TI  - Tissue blood flow to a pedicled jejunal autograft in the dog: A pilot study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the viability of a pedicled jejunal autograft after
      ligation of up to 3 jejunal arteries. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective crossover study.
      ANIMALS: Three adult dogs. METHODS: Dogs were instrumented for measurement of
      hemodynamic parameters. Two segments of jejunum with 4 arcadial vessels were
      isolated from the abdomen in each dog. An individual ligature was secured around
      the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd jejunal artery. The 1st jejunal artery was maintained to
      serve as the sole blood supply to the pedicled segment of jejunum. Colored
      microspheres were used to evaluate the effect of each ligation on tissue blood
      flow. RESULTS: Mean arterial blood pressure (P = .709) and heart rate (P = .905)
      did not differ between ligation groups. Tissue blood flow to a pedicled segment
      of jejunum was unchanged after ligation of 3 jejunal arteries. CONCLUSION: Tissue
      blood flow of an isolated jejunal segment maintained in normal position remains
      unaffected, when supplied by a single jejunal artery, after ligation of up to 3
      concurrent jejunal arteries.

PMID- 28627002
TI  - Does personalized melanoma genomic risk information trigger conversations about
      skin cancer prevention and skin examination with family, friends and health
      professionals?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Receiving information about genomic risk of melanoma might trigger
      conversations about skin cancer prevention and skin examinations. OBJECTIVES: To
      explore conversations prompted by receiving personalized genomic risk of melanoma
      with family, friends and health professionals. METHODS: We used a mixed-methods
      approach. Participants without a personal history and unselected for a family
      history of melanoma (n = 103, aged 21-69 years, 53% women) completed
      questionnaires 3 months after receiving a personalized melanoma genomic risk
      assessment. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 30 participants in
      high, average and low genomic risk categories, and data were analysed
      thematically. RESULTS: From the questionnaires, 74% of participants communicated
      their genomic risk information with family, and 49% with friends. Communication
      with a health professional differed by risk level: 41%, 16% and 12% for high,
      average and low risk, respectively (P = 0.01). Qualitative analysis showed that
      perceived 'shared risk' and perceived interest of family and friends were
      motivations for discussing risk or prevention behaviours. The information
      prompted conversations with family and health professionals about sun protection
      and skin checks, and general conversations about melanoma risk with friends.
      Reasons for not discussing with family included existing personal or family
      health concerns, or existing high levels of sun protection behaviour among family
      members. CONCLUSIONS: Personalized melanoma genomic risk information can prompt
      risk-appropriate discussions about skin cancer prevention and skin examinations
      with family and health professionals. Sharing this information with others might
      increase its impact on melanoma prevention and skin examination behaviours, and
      this process could be used to encourage healthy behaviour change within families.

PMID- 28627003
TI  - Sonographic screening for Wilms tumor in children with CLOVES syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: CLOVES syndrome is associated with somatic mosaic PIK3CA mutations
      and characterized by congenital lipomatous overgrowth, vascular malformations,
      epidermal nevi, and skeletal anomalies. Wilms tumor (WT) is a malignant embryonal
      renal neoplasm associated with hemihypertrophy and certain overgrowth disorders.
      After identifying WT in a child with CLOVES, we questioned whether
      ultrasonographic screening was necessary in these patients. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed patients with CLOVES syndrome in our Vascular Anomalies
      Center at Boston Children's Hospital between 1998 and 2016 to identify those who
      developed WT. A PubMed literature search was also conducted to find other
      patients with both conditions. RESULTS: A total of 122 patients with CLOVES
      syndrome were found in our database (mean age 7.7 years, range 0-53 years). Four
      patients developed WT; all were diagnosed by 2 years of age. The incidence of WT
      in our CLOVES patient population (3.3%) was significantly greater than the
      incidence of WT in the general population (1/10,000) (P < 0.001). Four additional
      patients with WT and CLOVES syndrome were identified in our literature review.
      CONCLUSION: Patients with CLOVES syndrome have an increased risk of WT. Given the
      benefits of early detection and treatment, children with CLOVES syndrome should
      be considered for quarterly abdominal ultrasonography until age 7 years.
      Screening may be most beneficial for patients under 3 years of age.

PMID- 28627004
TI  - Utility of the urine reagent strip leucocyte esterase assay for the diagnosis of
      meningitis in resource-limited settings: meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis often requires cytometry, chemistry
      and/or microbiologic culture capabilities. Unfortunately, laboratory resources in
      low-resource settings (LRS) often lack the capacity to perform these studies. We
      sought to determine whether the presence of white blood cells in CSF detected by
      commercially available urine reagent strips could aid in the diagnosis of
      bacterial meningitis. METHODS: We searched PubMed for studies published between
      1980 and 2016 that investigated the use of urine reagent strips to identify
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. We assessed studies in any language that
      enrolled subjects who underwent lumbar puncture and had cerebrospinal fluid
      testing by both standard laboratory assays and urine reagent strips. We
      abstracted true-positive, false-negative, false-positive and true-negative counts
      for each study using a diagnostic threshold of >=10 white blood cells per
      microlitre for suspected bacterial meningitis and performed mixed regression
      modelling with random effects to estimate pooled diagnostic accuracy across
      studies. RESULTS: Our search returned 13 studies including 2235 participants.
      Urine reagent strips detected CSF pleocytosis with a pooled sensitivity of 92%
      (95% CI: 84-96), a pooled specificity of 98% (95% CI: 94-99) and a negative
      predictive value of 99% when the bacterial meningitis prevalence is 10%.
      CONCLUSIONS: Urine reagent strips could provide a rapid and accurate tool to
      detect CSF pleocytosis, which, if negative, can be used to exclude diagnosis of
      bacterial meningitis in settings without laboratory infrastructure. Further
      investigation of the diagnostic value of using protein, glucose and bacteria
      components of these strips is warranted.

PMID- 28627005
TI  - Serum Interleukin-37: a new player in Lupus Nephritis?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Interleukin-37 (IL-37) has been proved to be a fundamental natural
      suppressor of innate immunity and inflammatory responses in autoimmune diseases
      such as systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). The purpose of this study was to
      assess serum IL-37 level in SLE patients and its correlation with disease
      activity and clinical and laboratory manifestations of SLE patients.
      PATIENTS/METHODS: The serum level of IL-37 was assessed and analyzed in 100 SLE
      patients and 50 healthy controls by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (ELISA). Clinical and laboratory manifestations and disease activity using SLE
      Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) were also assessed. RESULTS: IL-37 serum level
      was significantly higher among SLE patients than controls. It has statistically
      significant correlation with disease activity, renal and mucocutaneous
      involvement in SLE patients. CONCLUSION: IL-37 level is elevated in SLE patients
      in comparison to healthy controls and is correlated to high disease activity,
      mucocutaneous and renal involvement.

PMID- 28627006
TI  - Parents' perceptions during the transition to home for their child with a
      congenital heart defect: How can we support families of children with hypoplastic
      left heart syndrome?
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to explore the literature related to
      transitions in healthcare between the hospital and home that caregivers
      experience with a child who has a congenital heart defect (CHD), specifically
      related to hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). DESIGN AND METHODS: A
      systematic literature review was conducted searching OVID Medline, CINAHL, and
      PubMed to discover the caregivers' perceptions on their transitions between
      hospital care and home care of their child with a CHD. Articles included those
      with focus on the transitions of caregivers between hospital and home care for
      children with CHD. Excluded articles were studies focused on adolescents,
      transition to adult healthcare, mortality results, other diseases associated with
      CHDs, comparison of CHD treatments, feasibility studies, differences in care
      between hospitals, home monitoring, and comparison of videoconference and
      telephone home communication. RESULTS: Ten articles were selected. Many parents
      voiced their concerns with feeding their child, learning medical skills and
      knowledge, reported a disrupted relationship between parents and their child, and
      identified stress and anxiety associated with taking care of a child with a CHD.
      PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: There were limited studies on caregivers' transitions with
      a child with HLHS, but there also was limited focus on the caregivers'
      experiences with transitions between hospital and home care for their child with
      any CHD. Research on the transition experience between hospital care and home
      care for caregivers of children born with a CHD, and a specific focus on HLHS
      from the caregivers' viewpoint, would provide insight into the perspective of
      caregivers during the numerous transitions.

PMID- 28627007
TI  - Optical molecular imaging-guided radiation therapy part 1: Integrated x-ray and
      bioluminescence tomography.
AB  - PURPOSE: X-ray CT faces challenges in differentiating tumors from surrounding
      healthy tissues. A bioluminescence tomography (BLT) system which can directly
      reconstruct the internal luminescent tumors, was developed and integrated with CT
      system to accurately guide radiation dose delivery. METHODS: The BLT system,
      employing a lens-coupled CCD camera, was physically registered with an onboard
      cone beam CT system in an image-guided small animal arc radiation treatment
      system (iSMAART). The onboard CT provides animal anatomy and accurate surface
      contour used to construct the three-dimensional mesh for the BLT reconstruction.
      Bioluminescence projections were captured from multiple angles, once every 90
      degrees  rotation. The BLT reconstruction was performed on an orthotopic prostate
      tumor model to evaluate its robustness and accuracy in locating and delineating
      bioluminescent tumors. The location and volume of the tumor identified from
      iodinated contrast CT was used to validate the BLT performance. Phantom
      experiment was also conducted to confirm the precision of BLT-guided radiation.
      RESULTS: The BLT was able to accurately locate the bioluminescent tumors with <
      0.5 mm error. The tumor volume in BLT was significantly correlated with that in
      the iodinated contrast CT (R2 = 0.81, P < 0.001). Phantom experiments further
      validated that BLT can be used to guide radiation with submillimeter accuracy.
      CONCLUSION: Together with CT, BLT can provide precision radiation guidance and
      robust tumor volume assessment in small animal cancer research.

PMID- 28627008
TI  - Invasive Trichophyton rubrum mimicking blastomycosis in a patient with solid
      organ transplant.
AB  - We present a case of tissue invasive Trichophyton rubrum (T. rubrum)
      histologically mimicking blastomycosis in a patient with kidney transplant on
      chronic immunosuppression. Invasive dermatophyte infections are rare, and present
      a diagnostic challenge to the dermatopathologist due to atypical clinical and
      histopathological presentations.

PMID- 28627009
TI  - Iron-Catalyzed Radical Decarboxylative Oxyalkylation of Terminal Alkynes with
      Alkyl Peroxides.
AB  - An iron-catalyzed oxyalkylation of alkynes with alkyl peroxides as the alkylating
      reagents has been investigated. Alkyl peroxides are readily available from
      aliphatic acids and serve simultaneously as the alkylating reagents and internal
      oxidants. Primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl groups of aliphatic acids were
      readily incorporated into C-C triple bonds and diverse alpha-alkylated ketones
      were synthesized. Mechanism studies revealed that this reaction involves highly
      reactive alkyl free radicals. A unique equilibrium between lauric acid and water
      catalyzed by the iron(III) catalyst was observed.

PMID- 28627010
TI  - A turtle cognition research demonstration enhances visitor engagement and keeper
      animal relationships.
AB  - Environmental enrichment techniques present animals with cognitive challenges
      while providing them opportunities to make choices and exert control over their
      environment. In this way, cognitive research and training is enriching to animals
      and can be used as a form of enrichment in zoos and aquariums. Cognitive research
      demonstrations also provide an opportunity to enhance visitor experience, as well
      as foster interactions between animals and keepers. We investigated how cognitive
      research sessions involving eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) at
      Disney's Animal Kingdom(r) impacted both the rate of visitors coming to the
      exhibit and the amount of time they spent engaged. Further, we used a
      questionnaire to assess the impact of keeper participation in these sessions on
      their relationships with and perceptions of the turtles. While visitation rate to
      the exhibit was not impacted, cognitive research sessions held visitor attention
      for longer than keeper interpretation or at times during which no keepers or
      researchers were present. We also found that keepers that had worked with the
      turtles for longer and keepers that regularly participated in cognitive research
      sessions reported stronger bonds with the turtles. Our research suggests that use
      of cognitive research and training demonstrations for guest viewing in zoos and
      aquariums may enhance visitor learning opportunities by increasing the amount of
      time they spend at the exhibit. Our study also provides evidence that
      participation in such demonstrations by zoo and aquarium professionals can be
      related to improved keeper-animal bonds, potentially resulting in better
      husbandry and enhanced animal welfare.

PMID- 28627011
TI  - When Gesture Becomes Analogy.
AB  - Analogy researchers do not often examine gesture, and gesture researchers do not
      often borrow ideas from the study of analogy. One borrowable idea from the world
      of analogy is the importance of distinguishing between attributes and relations.
      Gentner (, ) observed that some metaphors highlight attributes and others
      highlight relations, and called the latter analogies. Mirroring this logic, we
      observe that some metaphoric gestures represent attributes and others represent
      relations, and propose to call the latter analogical gestures. We provide
      examples of such analogical gestures and show how they relate to the categories
      of iconic and metaphoric gestures described previously. Analogical gestures
      represent different types of relations and different degrees of relational
      complexity, and sometimes cohere into larger analogical models. Treating
      analogical gestures as a distinct phenomenon prompts new questions and
      predictions, and illustrates one way that the study of gesture and the study of
      analogy can be mutually informative.

PMID- 28627012
TI  - Effect of Betamethasone on Fetal Pulmonary and Umbilical Artery Doppler
      Velocimetry and Relationship With Respiratory Distress Syndrome Development.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major cause of neonatal
      morbidity and mortality. It is primarily a disease of premature neonates. The aim
      of this study was to evaluate the impact of maternal betamethasone administration
      on the fetal pulmonary arteries (PAs) and umbilical arteries (UAs) and the
      correlation between RDS development and PA Doppler results. METHODS: Forty
      singleton pregnancies between 24 and 34 gestational weeks with a diagnosis of
      preterm birth were included prospectively. They received corticosteroids to
      enhance fetal lung maturity. Fetal PA and UA Doppler parameters were evaluated
      before and 48 to 72 hours after steroid administration. Maternal records were
      matched to neonatal charts, and demographic and outcome data were abstracted.
      RESULTS: There were no differences between groups for maternal age, body mass
      index, mode of delivery, and mean GA at steroid administration. Apgar scores at 1
      and 5 minutes were significantly lower for neonates who developed RDS (P < .05).
      There were no statistically significant differences in PA Doppler results between
      fetuses who developed RDS and those who did not, and there were no significant
      differences in PA Doppler results before and after steroid administration for
      both groups. The UA pulsatility and resistive indices were significantly lower
      after steroid administration for the neonates who developed RDS (P < .05).
      CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in PA Doppler indices for
      fetuses with or without RDS after steroid administration.

PMID- 28627013
TI  - Regular exercise improves the well-being of parents of children with cancer.
AB  - AIM: Parents of children with cancer describe impaired physical and social
      functioning, sleep disturbance and poor mental health. Exercise-related
      interventions impact positively on these quality of life domains, but have not
      been examined in this population. The aim of this longitudinal pilot study was to
      explore the feasibility of a 12-week pedometer-monitored walking intervention
      among parents of children with cancer, assessing adherence to a set activity
      target of 70,000 steps per week, and to explore the benefits of physical activity
      on mental and physical health. METHODS: Parents were provided with a pedometer
      and requested to achieve a daily step count of 10,000 steps per day for 12 weeks.
      Mood, well-being and psychological distress were examined using validated
      questionnaires (Profile of Mood States 2nd edition [POMS-2], Distress Thermometer
      for Parents [DT-P] and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales [DASS-42]) at baseline,
      midpoint (6 weeks) and endpoint (12 weeks) to identify changes in these domains
      with increased activity. RESULTS: Fifteen parents were recruited. The majority
      increased their counts during the first 4 weeks of the study and maintained this
      to week 8 (n = 12). Time-dependent improvements were identified in the following
      psychometric test outcomes at week 12: DT-P score (likelihood ratio test [LRT] P
      = 0.02), POMS-2 total mood disturbance (LRT P = 0.03), fatigue inertia (LRT P =
      0.009), tension anxiety (LRT P = 0.007) and vigour activity (LRT P = 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Mental health benefits of a pedometer-based exercise intervention
      for parents of children with cancer were identified. Such programs should be
      included in a holistic approach to improve the psychological outcomes of parents
      whose children are receiving treatment for cancer.

PMID- 28627015
TI  - Small Proteins Encoded by Unannotated ORFs are Rising Stars of the Proteome,
      Confirming Shortcomings in Genome Annotations and Current Vision of an mRNA.
AB  - Short ORF-encoded peptides and small proteins in eukaryotes have been hiding in
      the shadow of large proteins for a long time. Recently, improved identifications
      in MS-based proteomics and ribosome profiling resulted in the detection of large
      numbers of small proteins. The variety of functions of small proteins is also
      emerging. It seems to be the right time to reflect on why small proteins remained
      invisible. In addition to the obvious technical challenge of detecting small
      proteins, they were mostly forgotten from annotations and they escaped detection
      because they were not sought. In this review, we identify conventions that need
      to be revisited, including the assumption that mature mRNAs carry only one coding
      sequence. The large-scale discovery of small proteins and of their functions will
      require changing some paradigms and undertaking the annotation of ORFs that are
      still largely perceived as irrelevant coding information compared to already
      annotated coding sequences.

PMID- 28627014
TI  - Review article: Paediatric status epilepticus in the pre-hospital setting: An
      update.
AB  - Paediatric status epilepticus (SE) is a medical emergency and a common critical
      condition confronting pre-hospital providers. Management in the pre-hospital
      environment is challenging but considered extremely important as a potentially
      modifiable factor on outcome. Recent data from multicentre clinical trials,
      quality observational studies and consensus documents have influenced management
      in this area, and is important to both pre-hospital providers and emergency
      physicians. The objective of this review was to: (i) present an overview of the
      available evidence relevant to pre-hospital care of paediatric SE; and (ii)
      assess the current pre-hospital practice guidelines in Australia and New Zealand.
      The review outlines current definitions and guidelines of SE management, regional
      variability in pre-hospital protocols within Australasia and aspects of pre
      hospital care that could potentially be improved. Contemporary data is required
      to determine current practice in our setting. It is important that paediatric
      neurologists, emergency physicians and pre-hospital care providers are all
      engaged in future endeavours to improve clinical care and knowledge translation
      efforts for this patient group.

PMID- 28627016
TI  - Unique clinical conditions associated with different acinar regions of fibrosis
      in long-term surviving pediatric liver grafts.
AB  - In the majority of long-term survivors after PLTx, graft fibrosis has been
      identified. Recently, subtypes of graft fibrosis have been described based on
      their predominant acinar localization. We aimed to evaluate whether the
      development of portal, perisinusoidal, and centrilobular distribution of graft
      fibrosis is related to patient or transplantation-related parameters. We reviewed
      the histological features in protocol liver biopsies taken at 1 and 5 years after
      PLTx of 47 children on a tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen. Fibrosis was
      assessed according to the LAFSc. The prevalence of portal fibrosis increased from
      31% to 62%, sinusoidal from 68% to 79%, and centrilobular from 76% to 85%. The
      presence of portal fibrosis was associated with total bilirubin and gammaGT
      levels (each P<.02) and tended to be associated with biliary complications
      (P=.06). Sinusoidal fibrosis was associated with prior rejection episodes (P<.02)
      and centrilobular fibrosis with the presence of HLA mismatches (P=.02). In
      conclusion, using the LAFSc, we found a high incidence of progressive fibrosis in
      the 1-year and 5-year protocol biopsies after PLTx. Progression of fibrosis was
      observed in all acinar compartments, and each of the three locations is
      associated with different clinical conditions.

PMID- 28627018
TI  - The nucleotide-free state of heterotrimeric G proteins alpha-subunit adopts a
      highly stable conformation.
AB  - Deciphering the mechanism of activation of heterotrimeric G proteins by their
      cognate receptors continues to be an intriguing area of research. The recently
      solved crystal structure of the ternary complex captured the receptor-bound alpha
      subunit in an open conformation, without bound nucleotide has improved our
      understanding of the activation process. Despite these advancements, the
      mechanism by which the receptor causes GDP release from the alpha-subunit remains
      elusive. To elucidate the mechanism of activation, we studied guanine nucleotide
      induced structural stability of the alpha-subunit (in response to
      thermal/chaotrope-mediated stress). Inherent stabilities of the inactive (GDP
      bound) and active (GTP-bound) forms contribute antagonistically to the difference
      in conformational stability whereas the GDP-bound protein is able to switch to a
      stable intermediate state, GTP-bound protein loses this ability. Partial
      perturbation of the protein fold reveals the underlying influence of the bound
      nucleotide providing an insight into the mechanism of activation. An extra
      stable, pretransition intermediate, 'empty pocket' state (conformationally active
      state like) in the unfolding pathway of GDP-bound protein mimics a gating system 
      the activation process having to overcome this stable intermediate state. We
      demonstrate that a relatively more complex conformational fold of the GDP-bound
      protein is at the core of the gating system. We report capturing this threshold,
      'metastable empty pocket' conformation (the gate) of alpha-subunit of G protein
      and hypothesize that the receptor activates the G protein by enabling it to
      achieve this structure through mild structural perturbation.

PMID- 28627017
TI  - Functional expression of calcium-permeable canonical transient receptor potential
      4-containing channels promotes migration of medulloblastoma cells.
AB  - KEY POINTS: The proton sensing ovarian cancer G protein coupled receptor 1 (OGR1,
      aka GPR68) promotes expression of the canonical transient receptor potential
      channel subunit TRPC4 in normal and transformed cerebellar granule precursor
      (DAOY) cells. OGR1 and TRPC4 are prominently expressed in healthy cerebellar
      tissue throughout postnatal development and in primary cerebellar medulloblastoma
      tissues. Activation of TRPC4-containing channels in DAOY cells, but not non
      transformed granule precursor cells, results in prominent increases in [Ca2+ ]i
      and promotes cell motility in wound healing and transwell migration assays.
      Medulloblastoma cells not arising from granule precursor cells show neither
      prominent rises in [Ca2+ ]i nor enhanced motility in response to TRPC4 activation
      unless they overexpressTRPC4. Our results suggest that OGR1 enhances expression
      of TRPC4-containing channels that contribute to enhanced invasion and metastasis
      of granule precursor-derived human medulloblastoma. ABSTRACT: Aberrant
      intracellular Ca2+ signalling contributes to the formation and progression of a
      range of distinct pathologies including cancers. Rises in intracellular Ca2+
      concentration occur in response to Ca2+ influx through plasma membrane channels
      and Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores, which can be mobilized in
      response to activation of cell surface receptors. Ovarian cancer G protein
      coupled receptor 1 (OGR1, aka GPR68) is a proton-sensing Gq -coupled receptor
      that is most highly expressed in cerebellum. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most
      common paediatric brain tumour that arises from cerebellar precursor cells. We
      found that nine distinct human MB samples all expressed OGR1. In both normal
      granule cells and the transformed human cerebellar granule cell line DAOY, OGR1
      promoted expression of the proton-potentiated member of the canonical transient
      receptor potential (TRPC) channel family, TRPC4. Consistent with a role for TRPC4
      in MB, we found that all MB samples also expressed TRPC4. In DAOY cells,
      activation of TRPC4-containing channels resulted in large Ca2+ influx and
      enhanced migration, while in normal cerebellar granule (precursor) cells and MB
      cells not derived from granule precursors, only small levels of Ca2+ influx and
      no enhanced migration were observed. Our results suggest that OGR1-dependent
      increases in TRPC4 expression may favour formation of highly Ca2+ -permeable
      TRPC4-containing channels that promote transformed granule cell migration.
      Increased motility of cancer cells is a prerequisite for cancer invasion and
      metastasis, and our findings may point towards a key role for TRPC4 in
      progression of certain types of MB.

PMID- 28627019
TI  - Identification of differentially regulated maize proteins conditioning Sugarcane
      mosaic virus systemic infection.
AB  - Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) is the most important cause of maize dwarf mosaic
      disease. To identify maize genes responsive to SCMV infection and that may be
      involved in pathogenesis, a comparative proteomic analysis was performed using
      the first and second systemically infected leaves (termed 1 SL and 2 SL,
      respectively). Seventy-one differentially expressed proteins were identified in 1
      SL and 2 SL upon SCMV infection. Among them, eight proteins showed the same
      changing patterns in both 1 SL and 2 SL. Functional annotations of regulated
      proteins and measurement of photosynthetic activity revealed that photosynthesis
      was more inhibited and defensive gene expression more pronounced in 1 SL than in
      2 SL. Knockdown of regulated proteins in both 1 SL and 2 SL by a brome mosaic
      virus-based gene silencing vector in maize indicated that protein disulfide
      isomerase-like and phosphoglycerate kinase were required for optimal SCMV
      replication. By contrast, knockdown of polyamine oxidase (ZmPAO) significantly
      increased SCMV accumulation, implying that ZmPAO activity might contribute to
      resistance or tolerance. The results suggest that combining comparative proteomic
      analyses of different tissues and virus-induced gene silencing is an efficient
      way to identify host proteins supporting virus replication or enhancing
      resistance to virus infection.

PMID- 28627020
TI  - Structural studies of a hyperthermophilic thymidylate kinase enzyme reveal
      conformational substates along the reaction coordinate.
AB  - : Thymidylate kinase (TMK) is a key enzyme which plays an important role in DNA
      synthesis. It belongs to the family of nucleoside monophosphate kinases, several
      of which undergo structure-encoded conformational changes to perform their
      function. However, the absence of three-dimensional structures for all the
      different reaction intermediates of a single TMK homolog hinders a clear
      understanding of its functional mechanism. We herein report the different
      conformational states along the reaction coordinate of a hyperthermophilic TMK
      from Aquifex aeolicus, determined via X-ray diffraction and further validated
      through normal-mode studies. The analyses implicate an arginine residue in the
      Lid region in catalysis, which was confirmed through site-directed mutagenesis
      and subsequent enzyme assays on the wild-type protein and mutants. Furthermore,
      the enzyme was found to exhibit broad specificity toward phosphate group acceptor
      nucleotides. Our comprehensive analyses of the conformational landscape of TMK,
      together with associated biochemical experiments, provide insights into the
      mechanistic details of TMK-driven catalysis, for example, the order of substrate
      binding and the reaction mechanism for phosphate transfer. Such a study has
      utility in the design of potent inhibitors for these enzymes. DATABASE:
      Structural data are available in the PDB under the accession numbers 2PBR, 4S2E,
      5H5B, 5XAI, 4S35, 5XB2, 5H56, 5XB3, 5H5K, 5XB5, and 5XBH.

PMID- 28627021
TI  - Superficial papular neuroma: Case series of a new entity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dermal neural lesions arise in various circumstances and may be
      difficult to classify. METHODS: We describe the clinical, histopathologic and
      immunophenotypic features of a series of terminally differentiated neural lesions
      not described previously, to our knowledge. RESULTS: Four cases from men aged 58
      to 66 years were included. Some lesions reportedly bled, but no inciting trauma
      or prior biopsies were reported. None recurred after biopsy, with follow-up
      ranging from 19 to 113 months. All lesions were papular, with vertically oriented
      S100-positive spindled cells and nerve fibers in the papillary dermis. Slight
      epidermal hyperplasia, dilated superficial thin-walled vessels and minimal to
      mild inflammation were seen in each. Fibers were uniformly fine in 3 cases, with
      slightly thicker central fibers in the fourth. Three had parakeratotic scale.
      None were associated with dermal fibrosis or adnexal proliferation. Neurofilament
      stained axons in each. EMA was negative in all cases. CD34, melan-A and HMB45
      were negative when performed. CONCLUSIONS: We report a small series of benign
      neural lesions and propose the name "superficial papular neuroma" for this
      distinct entity. Awareness is important to understand the clinical significance
      of these lesions and avoid misinterpretation that could lead to overtreatment,
      unnecessary work-up and increased cost.

PMID- 28627022
TI  - DFT Studies of Dimerization Reactions of Boroles.
AB  - Boroles undergo dimerization reactions to give Diels-Alder (DA) dimers, bridged
      bicyclic (BB) dimers or spiro dimers (SD) depending on the substituents on the
      borole. We performed DFT calculations to investigate how different substituents
      at the carbon atoms of the butadiene backbone as well as at the boron atom
      influence the dimerization reaction pathways. The DFT results show that, in
      general, both the DA and BB dimers are easily accessible kinetically, and the DA
      dimers are thermodynamically more stable than the BB dimers. When the substituent
      substituent repulsive steric interactions are alleviated to a certain extent, the
      BB dimers are more stable than the DA dimer, and become accessible. The SD dimers
      are generally kinetically difficult to obtain. However, we found that aryl
      substituents promote the formation of the SD dimers.

PMID- 28627023
TI  - Cinchona alkaloid derivatives catalyzed asymmetric aza-Friedel-crafts reaction of
      alpha-naphthols with aryl aldimines.
AB  - Cinchona alkaloid derivatives as organocatalysts were applied in the asymmetric
      aza-Friedel-Crafts reaction of alpha-naphthol with aryl aldimines. The desired
      chiral aminoarylnaphthols were obtained in 85% enantiomeric excess.

PMID- 28627024
TI  - The applicability of a weight loss grading system in cancer cachexia: a
      longitudinal analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A body mass index (BMI) adjusted weight loss grading system (WLGS) is
      related to survival in patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to examine
      the applicability of the WLGS by confirming its prognostic validity, evaluating
      its relationship to cachexia domains, and exploring its ability to predict
      cachexia progression. METHODS: An international, prospective observational study
      of patients with incurable cancer was conducted. For each patient, weight loss
      grade was scored 0-4. Weight loss grade 0 represents a high BMI with limited
      weight loss, progressing through to weight loss grade 4 representing low BMI and
      a high degree of weight loss. Survival analyses were used to confirm prognostic
      validity. Analyses of variance were used to evaluate the relationship between the
      WLGS and cachexia domains [anorexia, dietary intake, Karnofsky performance status
      (KPS), and physical and emotional functioning]. Cox regression was used to
      evaluate if the addition of cachexia domains to the WLGS improved prognostic
      accuracy. Predictive ability of cachexia progression was assessed by estimating
      proportion of patients progressing to a more advanced weight loss grade. RESULTS:
      One thousand four hundred six patients were analysed (median age 66 years; 50%
      female, 63% KPS <= 70). The overall effect of the WLGS on survival was
      significant as expressed by change in -2 log likelihood (P < 0.001) and persisted
      after adjustment for age, sex, and cancer type and stage (P < 0.001). Median
      survival decreased across the weight loss grades ranging from 407 days (95% CI
      312-502)-weight loss grade 0 to 119 days (95% CI 93-145)-weight loss grade 4. All
      cachexia domains significantly deteriorated with increasing weight loss grade,
      and deterioration was greatest for dietary intake, with a difference
      corresponding to 0.87 standard deviations between weight loss grades 0 and 4. The
      addition of KPS, anorexia, and physical and emotional functioning improved the
      prognostic accuracy of the WLGS. Likelihood of cachexia progression was greater
      in patients with weight loss grade 2 (39%) than that with weight loss grade 0
      (19%) or 1 (22%). CONCLUSIONS: The WLGS is related to survival, cachexia domains,
      and the likelihood of progression. Adding certain cachexia domains to the WLGS
      improves prognostic accuracy.

PMID- 28627025
TI  - Novel RANKL DE-loop mutants antagonize RANK-mediated osteoclastogenesis.
AB  - Bone is a dynamic tissue that is maintained by continuous renewal. An imbalance
      in bone resorption and bone formation can lead to a range of disorders, such as
      osteoporosis. The receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANK)-RANK-ligand (RANKL)
      pathway plays a major role in bone remodeling. Here, we investigated the effect
      of mutations at position I248 in the DE-loop of murine RANKL on the interaction
      of RANKL with RANK, and subsequent activation of osteoclastogenesis. Two single
      mutants, RANKL I248Y and I248K, were found to maintain binding and have the
      ability to reduce wild-type RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. The generation of
      RANK-antagonists is a promising strategy for the exploration of new therapeutics
      against osteoporosis.

PMID- 28627026
TI  - Two NHX-type transporters from Helianthus tuberosus improve the tolerance of rice
      to salinity and nutrient deficiency stress.
AB  - The NHX-type cation/H+ transporters in plants have been shown to mediate Na+ (K+
      )/H+ exchange for salinity tolerance and K+ homoeostasis. In this study, we
      identified and characterized two NHX homologues, HtNHX1 and HtNHX2 from an
      infertile and salinity tolerant species Helianthus tuberosus (cv. Nanyu No. 1).
      HtNHX1 and HtNHX2 share identical 5'- and 3'-UTR and coding regions, except for a
      342-bp segment encoding 114 amino acids (L272 to Q385 ) which is absent in
      HtNHX2. Both hydroponics and soil culture experiments showed that the expression
      of HtNHX1 or HtNHX2 improved the rice tolerance to salinity. Expression of
      HtNHX2, but not HtNHX1, increased rice grain yield, harvest index, total nutrient
      uptake under K+ -limited salt-stress or general nutrient deficiency conditions.
      The results provide a novel insight into NHX function in plant mineral nutrition.

PMID- 28627027
TI  - Elevated serum myostatin level is associated with worse survival in patients with
      liver cirrhosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to elucidate the relationship between serum myostatin levels
      and other markers including skeletal muscle mass and to investigate the influence
      of serum myostatin levels on survival for patients with liver cirrhosis (LC).
      METHODS: A total of 198 LC subjects were analysed in this study. Myostatin levels
      were measured using stored sera. We retrospectively investigated the relationship
      between myostatin level and other markers, and the influence of myostatin level
      on overall survival (OS). Assessment of skeletal muscle mass was performed using
      the psoas muscle index (PMI) on computed tomography images at baseline. PMI
      indicates the sum of bilateral psoas muscle mass calculated by hand tracing at
      the lumber three level on computed tomography images divided by height squared
      (cm2 /m2 ). The study cohort was divided into two groups based on the median
      myostatin value in each gender. RESULTS: Our study cohort included 108 male and
      90 female patients with a median age of 67.5 years. The median (range) myostatin
      level for male patients was 3419.6 pg/mL (578.4-12897.7 pg/mL), whereas that for
      female patients was 2662.4 pg/mL (710.4-8782.0 pg/mL) (P = 0.0024). Median
      (range) serum myostatin level for Child-Pugh A patients (n = 123) was 2726.0
      pg/mL (578.4-12667.2 pg/mL), whereas that for Child-Pugh B or C patients (n = 75)
      was 3615.2 pg/mL (663.3-12897.7 pg/mL) (P = 0.0011). For the entire cohort, the 1
      , 3-, 5-, and 7-year cumulative OS rates were 93.94%, 72.71%, 50.37%, and 38.47%,
      respectively, in the high-myostatin group and 96.97%, 83.27%, 73.60%, and 69.95%,
      respectively, in the low-myostatin group (P = 0.0001). After excluding
      hepatocellular carcinoma patients (at baseline) from our analysis (n = 158), the
      1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year cumulative OS rates were 96.0%, 77.93%, 52.97%, and
      39.08%, respectively, in the high-myostatin group and 96.39%, 87.58%, 77.63%, and
      73.24%, respectively, in the low-myostatin group (P = 0.0005). Higher age (P =
      0.0111) and lower PMI (P < 0.0001) were identified as significant predictors of
      poorer OS in our multivariate analysis, while higher serum myostatin (P = 0.0855)
      tended to be a significant adverse predictor. In both genders, PMI, serum
      albumin, prothrombin time, and branched-chain amino acid to tyrosine ratio showed
      a significantly inverse correlation with myostatin levels, and serum ammonia
      levels showed a significantly positive correlation with myostatin levels.
      CONCLUSIONS: Higher serum myostatin levels correlated with muscle mass loss,
      hyperammonemia, and impaired protein synthesis, as reflected by lower serum
      albumin levels and lower branched-chain amino acid to tyrosine ratio levels. High
      serum myostatin levels were also associated with a reduced OS rate in LC
      patients.

PMID- 28627028
TI  - Common Findings in Late-Gestation Fetal Echocardiography.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Fetal echocardiography provides detailed information about cardiac
      structure and function in utero. Limited information is available regarding
      normal findings late in pregnancy. We therefore sought to identify and describe
      common cardiac findings in late gestation. METHODS: Fetuses with structurally
      normal hearts were identified in mid gestation within a subset of pregnant women
      in a prospective study. The atrioventricular valves, right and left atria, aortic
      isthmus and ductus arteriosus dimensions and flow abnormalities, aneurysm of the
      septum primum, and presence and grade of tricuspid regurgitation were assessed
      throughout pregnancy. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to
      characterize changes in quantitative and qualitative fetal echocardiographic
      parameters by gestational age (GA). RESULTS: Forty fetuses between 24 and 38
      weeks' GA were studied. Each had a fetal echocardiographic study completed before
      and after 34 weeks' gestation, which were compared. Tricuspid-to-mitral valve and
      right-to-left atrium ratios increased with GA (P < .001). More frequently noted
      after 34 weeks were tapering of the ductus arteriosus (2.5% versus 32%),
      prominent aortic isthmus diastolic flow (5% versus 67%), prominent ductus
      arteriosus diastolic flow (2.5% versus 25%), trivial or mild tricuspid
      regurgitation (35% versus 80%), and aneurysms of the septum primum (37.5% versus
      80%). These findings all increased linearly with GA (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Atrioventricular valve and right/left atrium disproportion, mild ductus
      arteriosus tapering, prominent aortic isthmus and ductus arteriosus diastolic
      flow, trivial or mild tricuspid regurgitation, and aneurysms of the septum primum
      are frequently identified after 34 weeks' GA. Their identification suggests that
      these fetal echocardiographic findings in isolation are likely normal and are
      results of the physiologic alterations that occur late in the third trimester.

PMID- 28627029
TI  - Treatment by a moisturizer of xerosis and cracks of the feet in men and women
      with diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate a moisturizer containing urea, glycerine and petrolatum for
      healing deep open fissures on the feet of people with diabetes. If left
      untreated, open fissures, an entry point for bacteria, can lead to infection,
      ulceration and further complications. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind,
      multicentre study at 19 hospitals, general practices and diabetologists in France
      and Belgium included participants with diabetes and a deep open target fissure on
      their heel. Participants were randomized to test cream or placebo (1 : 1) for 4
      weeks. Complete target fissure healing after 4 weeks (primary criterion) and 2
      weeks, target fissure closure, overall fissure healing and xerosis were assessed.
      RESULTS: Some 167 participants were randomized (80 to test cream; 87 to placebo);
      all were included in the efficacy analyses. The percentage of participants with
      complete target fissure healing after 4 weeks was higher with test cream than
      placebo (46.3% vs. 33.3%): the difference did not reach statistical significance
      (P = 0.088). Fewer participants still had a deep open target fissure with test
      cream than placebo, the difference was statistically significant and clinically
      relevant after 2 (24.7% vs. 42.7%, P = 0.027) and 4 weeks (6.4% vs. 24.1%, P =
      0.002). The difference in overall fissure healing between test cream and placebo
      was significant (P < 0.001) and test cream resulted in greater xerosis
      improvement (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002 at 2 and 4 weeks, respectively). CONCLUSION:
      The activity of the test cream for treating feet fissures of people with diabetes
      was confirmed by an improvement in open fissure healing and xerosis. The cream
      was well tolerated.

PMID- 28627031
TI  - The Influence of Oxygen Atoms on Conformation and pi-pi Stacking of Ladder-Type
      Donor-Based Polymers and Their Photovoltaic Properties.
AB  - A novel ladder-type donor pyran-bridged indacenodithiophene (IDTP) is developed
      by introducing two oxygen atoms into indacenodithiophene unit. IDTP possesses a
      twisted backbone and leads to facially asymmetric arrangement of side chains,
      resulting in enhanced local pi-pi stacking of according polymer poly[(5,5,11,11
      tetrakis(4-octylphenyl)-5,11-dihydrothieno[2',3':5,6]pyrano[3,4-g]thieno[3,2
      c]isochromene)-alt-4,7-(5-fluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PIDTP)-FBT, which
      shows extended absorption range. Moreover, oxygen atoms render deeper highest
      occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) levels of poly[indacenodithiophene-alt-4,7-(5
      fluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PIDTP)-FBT compared with PIDT-FBT, therefore
      bringing a higher open-circuit voltage (Voc ).

PMID- 28627030
TI  - MiR-375/SLC7A11 axis regulates oral squamous cell carcinoma proliferation and
      invasion.
AB  - We aimed to detect the functions of miR-375/SLC7A11 axis on oral squamous cell
      carcinoma (OSCC) cell proliferation and invasion. Expression levels of miR-375
      and SLC7A11 in OSCC tissues and cells were measured with RT-qPCR and western
      blot. Targeting site was predicted by TargetScan and confirmed by dual luciferase
      reporting assay. By way of manipulating the expression level of miR-375 and
      SLC7A11 in CAL-27 and Tca8113 cell lines, the cell biological abilities were
      evaluated. MTT, colony formation, Transwell, wound healing assays and flow
      cytometry were used to detect OSCC cell viability, proliferation, invasion,
      migration and apoptosis, respectively. MiR-375 was significantly downregulated in
      OSCC tissues and cells compared to adjacent tissue and normal oral cell line
      respectively while SLC7A11 was upregulated. Targeting relationship was verified
      by luciferase reporting assay, and miR-375 could effectively suppress SLC7A11
      level in OSCC cells. Replenishing of miR-375 significantly repressed OSCC cell
      viability, proliferation, invasion and migration and induced cell apoptosis and
      G1/G0 arrest. Overexpression of SLC7A11 recovered those biological abilities in
      miR-375 upregulated cells. Collective data suggested that miR-375 served as a
      tumor suppressor via regulating SLC7A11. Replenishing of miR-375 or knockout of
      SLC7A11 could be therapeutically exploited.

PMID- 28627032
TI  - Tooth autotransplantation as a pillar for 3D regeneration of the alveolar process
      after severe traumatic injury: A case report.
AB  - In dental traumatology, the loss of teeth and the supporting alveolar bone in
      children compromise the proper development of maxillofacial structures and also
      limit the solutions that can be offered. In this case report, multidisciplinary
      management is described of a child with a significant loss of alveolar bone and
      associated teeth due to a traffic accident at 8 years of age. The management
      involved staged teeth autotransplantation into surgically prepared sites with
      bone expanders, orthodontic treatment and dental implants. The 3D regeneration of
      the alveolar process was successfully stimulated by teeth autotransplantation. At
      the 4-year follow-up visit, evaluation of the autotransplanted teeth and the
      implants indicated a successful outcome for the patient.

PMID- 28627033
TI  - Silodosin versus naftopidil in the treatment of premature ejaculation: A
      prospective multicenter trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of two alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonists with
      different affinities for alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes, silodosin and naftopidil,
      in the treatment of premature ejaculation. METHODS: This was a prospective, open
      label, multicenter trial. A total of 26 patients with untreated acquired
      premature ejaculation were enrolled. Premature ejaculation was defined based on
      the International Society for Sexual Medicine recommendation. Patients self
      administered on demand silodosin 4 mg or naftopidil 25 mg 1 h before intercourse,
      alternating drugs at least three times each. Clinical global impression change
      for premature ejaculation, premature ejaculation profile, and intravaginal
      ejaculation latency time were evaluated at baseline and during treatment.
      RESULTS: Due to clinical global impression change, 24 patients (92%) and 12
      patients (46%) reported improvement in their own premature ejaculation problems
      under silodosin and nafitopidil administration, respectively. Silodosin treatment
      produced a significantly higher improvement rate compared with naftopidil (P =
      0.0002). Objectively, silodosin significantly prolonged intravaginal ejaculation
      latency time compared with baseline and naftopidil (P < 0.01). Mean intravaginal
      ejaculation latency times were 1.9, 4.1, and 7.6 min at baseline, control and
      with silodosin, respectively. The rate of reduced semen volume during silodosin
      treatment was higher than during naftopidil treatment. There were no adverse
      systemic effects in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Silodosin, a highly selective
      alpha1A-adrenoceptor antagonist, produces greater improvements in premature
      ejaculation profiles and related symptoms along with intravaginal ejaculation
      latency time in acquired premature ejaculation patients with or without erectile
      dysfunction. This result supports the clinical use of silodosin as an alternative
      treatment for premature ejaculation.

PMID- 28627034
TI  - Brief mindfulness meditation group training in aphasia: exploring attention,
      language and psychophysiological outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stroke is currently the leading cause of long-term disability in
      adults in the United States. There is a need for accessible, low-cost treatments
      of stroke-related disabilities such as aphasia. AIMS: To explore an intervention
      for aphasia utilizing mindfulness meditation (MM). This preliminary study
      examines the feasibility of teaching MM to individuals with aphasia. Since
      physiological measures have not been collected for those with aphasia, the study
      was also an exploration of the potential attention, language and physiological
      changes after MM in adults with aphasia during a brief, daily group training.
      METHODS & PROCEDURES: A 5-day MM group training was provided to adults with
      aphasia (n = 5) with a waitlist control group (n = (3) who engaged in 'mind
      wandering'. Participants were assigned to groups in a pseudo-random manner. A
      double baseline (2 days apart) was administered prior to the training and/or
      control group beginning. Both the training and the control groups met in a group
      setting. Salivary cortisol, heart rate and heart rate variability were measured
      during each day for both groups. Measures of attention, auditory comprehension
      and fluency were collected immediately after the study period and 1 week post
      completion. OUTCOME & RESULTS: This study reinforces findings from previous work
      indicating that adults with aphasia can learn MM. Although not statistically
      significant, the training group demonstrated improved fluency immediately after
      MM; however, changes were not maintained at follow-up. Physiological measures
      showed little effect associated with MM training. No changes in attention were
      observed for either group. CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS: This is an emerging area of
      interest due to the potential low cost of MM training. Furthermore, MM is easily
      taught to patients, suggesting the possibility for widespread use in clinical
      practice as a supplement to existing language-focused interventions.

PMID- 28627035
TI  - Detection of the HLA-DQB1 allele, DQB1*03:82, in a Kazakh patient with acute
      myeloid leukemia.
AB  - HLA-DQB1*03:82 differs from DQB1*03:01 at nucleotide 223 in exon 2 from G to A.

PMID- 28627036
TI  - Validation of masks for determination of VO2 max in horses exercising at high
      intensity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The need for a horse to be ridden while wearing a measurement device
      that allows unrestricted ventilation and gas exchange has hampered accurate
      measurement of its maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) under field conditions.
      OBJECTIVES: Design and validate a facemask with the potential to measure VO2 max
      accurately in the field. STUDY DESIGN: Experiment with 6 * 6 Latin square design.
      METHODS: Two variations of a mask and associated electronic control module (ECM)
      were designed to enable breath-by-breath measurement of airflows through two 7.8
      cm diameter pneumotachometers located 7.5 cm in front of each narus. The ECM was
      comprised of an analogue-to-digital converter and a lithium-ion battery that
      provided power and signal filtering to the pneumotachometers and an oxygen
      sensing cell, and powered a pump connected to gas sampling ports between the
      nares and pneumotachometers. Airflow and oxygen content of inspired and expired
      gases were recorded through the ECM and electronically transferred to a notebook.
      VO2 was determined from these recordings using a customised software program.
      Mask B encased the lower jaw. Mask R left the jaw free so the horse could wear a
      bit if ridden. VO2 max and arterial blood gases were measured in 6 horses during
      multiple treadmill tests. Each mask was worn twice and results compared to those
      from an established open flow-through system (O) by ANOVA-RM (P<0.05). System
      utility was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient of 4
      independent raters. RESULTS: Blood gases and VO2 max (151.9+/-7.0 [mean+/-s.d.;
      O], 151.5+/-9.6 [B], 149.5+/-7.5 [R] ml/[kg.min]) were not different between
      masks. VO2 max measures were reproducible for each mask. Intraclass correlation
      coefficient between raters = 0.99. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Some rebreathing of expired
      air from mask dead space. CONCLUSION: Masks capable of measuring VO2 max during
      treadmill exercise were developed, tested and found to be accurate. Mask R has
      potential application to measurement of VO2 max under field conditions.

PMID- 28627037
TI  - Quantitative Gd-DOTA uptake from cerebrospinal fluid into rat brain using 3D VFA
      SPGR at 9.4T.
AB  - PURPOSE: We propose a quantitative technique to assess solute uptake into the
      brain parenchyma based on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). With this
      approach, a small molecular weight paramagnetic contrast agent (Gd-DOTA) is
      infused in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and whole brain gadolinium
      concentration maps are derived. METHODS: We implemented a 3D variable flip angle
      spoiled gradient echo (VFA-SPGR) longitudinal relaxation time (T1) technique, the
      accuracy of which was cross-validated by way of inversion recovery rapid
      acquisition with relaxation enhancement (IR-RARE) using phantoms. Normal Wistar
      rats underwent Gd-DOTA infusion into CSF via the cisterna magna and continuous
      MRI for approximately 130 min using T1-weighted imaging. Dynamic Gd-DOTA
      concentration maps were calculated and parenchymal uptake was estimated. RESULTS:
      In the phantom study, T1 discrepancies between the VFA-SPGR and IR-RARE sequences
      were approximately 6% with a transmit coil inhomogeneity correction. In the in
      vivo study, contrast transport profiles indicated maximal parenchymal retention
      of approximately 19% relative to the total amount delivered into the cisterna
      magna. CONCLUSION: Imaging strategies for accurate 3D contrast concentration
      mapping at 9.4T were developed and whole brain dynamic concentration maps were
      derived to study solute transport via the glymphatic system. The newly developed
      approach will enable future quantitative studies of the glymphatic system in
      health and disease states. Magn Reson Med 79:1568-1578, 2018. (c) 2017
      International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28627038
TI  - Estimating the number of female sex workers in Cote d'Ivoire: results and lessons
      learned.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report on the results of three size estimations of the populations
      of female sex workers (FSW) in five cities in Cote d'Ivoire and on operational
      lessons learned, which may be relevant for key population programmes in other
      parts of the world. METHODS: We applied three methods: mapping and census,
      capture-recapture and service multiplier. All were applied between 2008 and 2009
      in Abidjan, San Pedro, Bouake, Yamoussoukro and Abengourou. RESULTS: Abidjan was
      the city with the highest number of FSW by far, with estimations between 7880
      (census) and 13 714 (service multiplier). The estimations in San Pedro, Bouake
      and Yamoussoukro were very similar, with figures ranging from 1160 (Yamoussoukro,
      census) to 1916 (San Pedro, capture-recapture). Important operational lessons
      were learned, including strategies for mapping, the importance of involving peer
      sex workers for implementing the capture-recapture and the identification of the
      right question for the multiplier method. CONCLUSIONS: Successful application of
      three methods to estimate the population size of FSW in five cities in Cote
      d'Ivoire enabled us to make recommendations for size estimations of key
      population in low-income countries.

PMID- 28627039
TI  - Consensus-building on developing dysphagia competence: a North West of England
      perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dysphagia has been an increasing area of practice for speech and
      language therapists (SLTs) for over 20 years, and throughout that period there
      has been debate about how practical skills in dysphagia can best be developed.
      The implementation of the new Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
      (RCSLT) framework was considered from a regional perspective seeking to establish
      consensus across different speech and language therapy settings. AIM: To explore
      practical solutions to the development of dysphagia competency in new graduates
      whilst acknowledging the wide variation in staffing and clinical dysphagia
      experience across the geographical and clinical landscape in the North West of
      England. METHODS & PROCEDURES: A four-phase study involved a literature search;
      interviews with experts in the field of dysphagia; a survey to identify current
      practice; and a two-round Delphi process. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: Five themes emerged
      for dysphagia competency development: development of practical skills;
      supervision; clinical excellence networks; workforce planning; and postgraduate
      formal training. Challenges, and solutions to these, were identified through the
      phases of the study. A model for dysphagia competency development relevant to the
      North West context was achieved by consensus. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS: There
      are many practical ways of developing dysphagia competency. The themes and model
      generated provide constructive support to services in adopting the most
      appropriate methods for their own settings.

PMID- 28627040
TI  - A Facile Approach Toward Scalable Fabrication of Reversible Shape-Memory Polymers
      with Bonded Elastomer Microphases as Internal Stress Provider.
AB  - The present communication reports a novel strategy to fabricate reversible shape
      memory polymer that operates without the aid of external force on the basis of a
      two-phase structure design. The proof-of-concept material, crosslinked styrene
      butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS, dispersed phase)/polycaprolactone-based
      polyurethane (PU, continuous phase) blend, possesses a closely connected
      microphase separation structure. That is, SBS phases are chemically bonded to
      crosslinked PU by means of a single crosslinking agent and two-step crosslinking
      process for increasing integrity of the system. Miscibility between components in
      the blend is no longer critical by taking advantage of the reactive blending
      technique. It is found that a suitable programming leads to compressed SBS, which
      serves as internal expansion stress provider as a result. The desired two-way
      shape-memory effect is realized by the joint action of the temperature-induced
      reversible opposite directional deformabilities of the crystalline phase of PU
      and compressed SBS, accompanying melting and orientated recrystallization of the
      former. Owing to the broadness of material selection and manufacturing
      convenience, the proposed approach opens an avenue toward mass production and
      application of the smart polymer.

PMID- 28627041
TI  - Prior exercise speeds pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics and increases critical
      power during supine but not upright cycling.
AB  - NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Critical power (CP)
      represents the highest work rate for which a metabolic steady state is
      attainable. The physiological determinants of CP are unclear, but research
      suggests that CP might be related to the time constant of phase II oxygen uptake
      kinetics (tauVO2). What is the main finding and its importance? We provide the
      first evidence that tauVO2 is mechanistically related to CP. A reduction of
      tauVO2 in the supine position was observed alongside a concomitant increase in
      CP. This effect may be contingent on measures of oxygen availability derived from
      near-infrared spectroscopy. Critical power (CP) is a fundamental parameter
      defining high-intensity exercise tolerance and is related to the time constant of
      phase II pulmonary oxygen uptake kinetics (tauVO2). To test the hypothesis that
      this relationship is causal, we determined the impact of prior exercise
      ('priming') on CP and tauVO2 in the upright and supine positions. Seventeen
      healthy men were assigned to either upright or supine exercise groups, whereby
      CP, tauVO2 and muscle deoxyhaemoglobin kinetics (tau[HHb] ) were determined via
      constant-power tests to exhaustion at four work rates with (primed) and without
      (control) priming exercise at ~31%Delta. During supine exercise, priming reduced
      tauVO2 (control 54 +/- 18 s versus primed 39 +/- 11 s; P < 0.001), increased
      tau[HHb] (control 8 +/- 4 s versus primed 12 +/- 4 s; P = 0.003) and increased CP
      (control 177 +/- 31 W versus primed 185 +/- 30 W, P = 0.006) compared with
      control conditions. However, priming exercise had no effect on tauVO2 (control 37
      +/- 12 s versus primed 35 +/- 8 s; P = 0.82), tau[HHb] (control 10 +/- 5 s versus
      primed 14 +/- 10 s; P = 0.10) or CP (control 235 +/- 42 W versus primed 232 +/-
      35 W; P = 0.57) during upright exercise. The concomitant reduction of tauVO2 and
      increased CP following priming in the supine group, effects that were absent in
      the upright group, provide the first experimental evidence that tauVO2 is
      mechanistically related to critical power. The increased tau[HHb+Mb] suggests
      that this effect was mediated, at least in part, by improved oxygen availability.

PMID- 28627042
TI  - Deciding about nursing home care in dementia: A conjoint analysis of how older
      people balance competing goals.
AB  - AIM: "Don't put me in a home" is a common preference of older people, but so too
      is "I don't want to be a burden on my family." These and other goals often
      conflict with each other when people have worsening dementia and the issue of
      possible nursing home admission arises. METHODS: Community-dwelling older
      hospital patients were asked to imagine that they lived alone, had dementia and
      were experiencing increasing practical difficulties, and were presented with 11
      possible "outcome packages." Conjoint analysis was used to investigate how
      participants ranked possible outcomes and traded-off between these factors: place
      of residence (home or nursing home), burden on their family, risk of harm and
      duration of life. RESULTS: Of 122 potential participants, 102 inpatients aged 65
      80 years completed the study. Of these participants, 46 (46%) patients give the
      greatest weight to reducing the burden on their family, 39 (39%) to remaining at
      home, 11 (11%) to minimizing the risk of harm and five (5%) to maximizing the
      length of life. There were no significant clinical or demographic differences
      between these groups. There was a strong negative correlation (Spearman's rho 
      0.59, P < 0.0001) between importance scores for place of residence and for burden
      on family. CONCLUSIONS: There are important differences in how individual older
      people would balance the competing priorities of reducing the burden on their
      family and remaining at home in the event of developing dementia. Geriatr
      Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2435-2440.

PMID- 28627044
TI  - Adherence to treatment in patients with Behcet's disease.
AB  - AIM: Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic, inflammatory disease with multisystem
      involvement. Adherence to treatment is low in chronic diseases as well as
      inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. This study assessed factors associated with
      non-adherence to treatment in patients with BD. METHODS: All the patients with BD
      who visited in the outpatient clinic of Connective Tissue Diseases Research
      Center in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were included in the study.
      Adherence to treatment was evaluated by the consideration of medication
      compliance and appointment-keeping behavior. The relationships between adherence
      rate and six groups of variables were examined. A regression analysis was
      performed. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients (84 male and 53 female) were
      included. Totally, 50.7% of the patients were non-adherent to treatment. Side
      effects of medications and the high cost of treatment were the most frequent
      causes of non-adherence. Non-adherence was significantly more common in men,
      patients with low income, patients who were unaware of the disease complications,
      employed persons, and in patients who were on treatment with non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). CONCLUSIONS: Non-adherence is common in patients
      with BD. Male sex, low income, low knowledge about the disease, being employed
      and being on treatment with NSAIDs are the main risk factors for non-adherence.

PMID- 28627043
TI  - Fabrication of Millimeter-Long Carbon Tubular Nanostructures Using the Self
      Rolling Process Inherent in Elastic Protein Layers.
AB  - Millimeter-long conducting fibers can be fabricated from carbon nanomaterials via
      a simple method involving the release of a prestrained protein layer. This study
      shows how a self-rolling process initiated by polymerization of a micropatterned
      layer of fibronectin (FN) results in the production of carbon nanomaterial-based
      microtubular fibers. The process begins with deposition of carbon nanotube (CNT)
      or graphene oxide (GO) particles on the FN layer. Before polymerization,
      particles are discrete and nonconducting, but after polymerization the carbon
      materials become entangled to form an interconnected conducting network clad by
      FN. Selective removal of FN using high-temperature combustion yields freestanding
      CNT or reduced GO microtubular fibers. The properties of these fibers are
      characterized using atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The data
      suggest that this method may provide a ready route to rapid design and
      fabrication of aligned biohybrid nanomaterials potentially useful for future
      electronic applications.

PMID- 28627045
TI  - Heart rate and its reduction in chronic heart failure and beyond.
AB  - Heart rate (HR) is associated with cardiovascular outcomes in all the stages of
      the cardiovascular continuum as well as in patients with pulmonary,
      cerebrovascular, and renal disease, sepsis, cancer, and erectile dysfunction. In
      patients with cardiovascular disease, but also in the general population,
      increased HR represents an important indicator of mortality with each
      acceleration of HR over 70 b.p.m. increasing the risk. In patients in sinus
      rhythm with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), a HR
      >70 b.p.m. increased the risk of hospitalization, and >75 b.p.m. the risk of
      cardiovascular death as shown in the Systolic Heart Failure Treatment with the If
      Inhibitor Ivabradine Trial (SHIFT). Reducing HR with ivabradine by 11 b.p.m.
      (placebo-controlled) reduced the primary composite endpoint (cardiovascular death
      and hospitalization for worsening heart failure). Ivabradine was well tolerated
      showing benefit irrespective of age or diabetes status, and also in the presence
      of low systolic blood pressure and severe heart failure (SHIFT trial). Therefore,
      HR qualifies as a modifiable risk factor in heart failure. In patients with
      stable coronary disease, HR is a risk marker but HR reduction with ivabradine
      does not improve outcomes. The role of selective HR lowering remains unclear in
      patients with pulmonary, renal, cerebrovascular, and other diseases, as the
      potential benefit of interventions on HR has not been explored in these
      conditions. Future studies should scrutinize if HR reduction improves outcomes,
      defining HR as a potential risk factor and therapeutic target in other conditions
      beyond heart failure.

PMID- 28627046
TI  - Donor-specific antibodies are associated with micro- and macrovascular coronary
      disease, restrictive myocardial damage, and poor outcome in heart-transplanted
      patients.
AB  - AIMS: We examined the relationship between donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA)
      presence and graft function, hemodynamics, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV),
      and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in stable long-term heart-transplanted
      (HTx) patients. METHODS: Sera from 79 patients (median 7.5 years after HTx) were
      analyzed for DSA presence. Graft function was evaluated by echocardiography and
      right heart catheterization. CAV burden was determined by coronary angiography,
      optical coherence tomography (OCT), and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR).
      Patients were prospectively followed after DSA assessment. MACE included
      significant CAV progression, heart failure, treated rejection, and cardiovascular
      death. RESULTS: Sixty patients had no DSA, and 19 patients were sensitized. The
      vasculopathy burden by angiography, OCT, and CFVR was more pronounced in DSA
      positive patients than in DSA-negative patients. DSA-positive patients had higher
      pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (16 [8; 21] vs 9 mm Hg [7; 11], P<.05) and
      right atrial pressure (8 [6; 9] vs 4 mm Hg [2; 6], P<.01) and lower global
      longitudinal strain (-13% [-10; -15] vs -16% [-14; -17], P<.01) than DSA-negative
      patients. DSA presence was a strong MACE predictor (HR 4.7 (95% CI 2.0-11.4),
      P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: DSA-positive patients had higher vasculopathy burden,
      higher filling pressures, and lower longitudinal myocardial deformation than DSA
      negative patients. The DSA presence was a strong MACE predictor.

PMID- 28627047
TI  - Hysterectomy trends in Australia, 2000-2001 to 2013-2014: joinpoint regression
      analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Hysterectomy is a common gynecological procedure, particularly in
      middle and high income countries. The aim of this paper was to describe and
      examine hysterectomy trends in Australia from 2000-2001 to 2013-2014. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: For women aged 25 years and over, data on the number of
      hysterectomies performed in Australia annually were sourced from the National
      Hospital and Morbidity Database. Age-specific and age-standardized hysterectomy
      rates per 10 000 women were estimated with adjustment for hysterectomy prevalence
      in the population. Using joinpoint regression analysis, we estimated the average
      annual percentage change over the whole study period (2000-2014) and the annual
      percentage change for each identified trend line segment. RESULTS: A total of 431
      162 hysterectomy procedures were performed between 2000-2001 and 2013-2014; an
      annual average of 30 797 procedures (for women aged 25+ years). The age
      standardized hysterectomy rate, adjusted for underlying hysterectomy prevalence,
      decreased significantly over the whole study period [average annual percentage
      change -2.8%; 95% confidence interval (CI) -3.5%, -2.2%]. The trend was not
      linear with one joinpoint detected in 2008-2009. Between 2000-2001 and 2008-2009
      there was a significant decrease in incidence (annual percentage change -4.4%;
      95% CI -5.2%, -3.7%); from 2008-2009 to 2013-2014 the decrease was minimal and
      not significantly different from zero (annual percentage change -0.1%; 95% CI 
      1.7%, 1.5%). A similar change in trend was seen in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS:
      Hysterectomy rates in Australian women aged 25 years and over have declined in
      the first decade of the 21st century. However, in the last 5 years, rates appear
      to have stabilized.

PMID- 28627048
TI  - Derivatives of Holomycin and Cyclopropaneacetic Acid from Streptomyces sp. DT
      A37.
AB  - On the basis of the one strain-many compounds strategy, five compounds including
      two new holomycin derivatives 2 - 3, two new cyclopropaneacetic acid derivatives
      4 - 5, together with one known compound holomycin (1) were isolated from a marine
      derived bacterium Streptomyces sp. DT-A37. Their structures were elucidated using
      NMR and HR-ESI-MS analyses. All these compounds were evaluated for their
      antimicrobial activity, cytotoxic activity, and inhibitory activity against BRD4
      protein. Compound 1 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against H1975 cells with IC50
      value of 1 MUm, and its minimal inhibitory concentration values against
      Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were both 64 MUm.

PMID- 28627049
TI  - Making group inferences using sparse representation of resting-state functional
      mRI data with application to sleep deprivation.
AB  - Past studies on drawing group inferences for functional magnetic resonance
      imaging (fMRI) data usually assume that a brain region is involved in only one
      functional brain network. However, recent evidence has demonstrated that some
      brain regions might simultaneously participate in multiple functional networks.
      Here, we presented a novel approach for making group inferences using sparse
      representation of resting-state fMRI data and its application to the
      identification of changes in functional networks in the brains of 37 healthy
      young adult participants after 36 h of sleep deprivation (SD) in contrast to the
      rested wakefulness (RW) stage. Our analysis based on group-level sparse
      representation revealed that multiple functional networks involved in memory,
      emotion, attention, and vigilance processing were impaired by SD. Of particular
      interest, the thalamus was observed to contribute to multiple functional networks
      in which differentiated response patterns were exhibited. These results not only
      further elucidate the impact of SD on brain function but also demonstrate the
      ability of the proposed approach to provide new insights into the functional
      organization of the resting-state brain by permitting spatial overlap between
      networks and facilitating the description of the varied relationships of the
      overlapping regions with other regions of the brain in the context of different
      functional systems. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4671-4689, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627050
TI  - Effects of a community disability prevention program for frail older adults at 48
      month follow up.
AB  - AIM: The present prospective study was carried out to determine whether
      participation in community-based intervention studies exerted a positive impact
      on disability prevention in older adults with physical frailty. METHODS: A total
      of 514 community-dwelling older adults (aged >=65 years) with physical frailty
      who had undergone baseline assessment and participated in community-based
      intervention studies (participants) or did not (non-participants) were included
      in the present study. Non-participants were selected through propensity score
      matching, to balance potential covariates at baseline. Disability incidence was
      followed up at 48 months as a main outcome. Demographic data (age, sex and
      medical history), global cognitive function, grip strength, walking speed, and
      blood test results including serum albumin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor
      at baseline were included as covariates. RESULTS: Disability incidence rates
      differed significantly between participants (11.3%) and non-participants (19.8%)
      of community-based intervention studies during the 48-month follow-up period (P =
      0.007). Participation in community-based intervention studies (hazard ratio 0.55,
      95% confidence interval 0.35-0.88) was significantly associated with the
      incidence of disability in older adults with physical frailty. CONCLUSIONS:
      Participation in community-based intervention studies could reduce the incidence
      of disability in older adults with physical frailty. Thus, strategies designed to
      increase the number of participants in community-based intervention programs
      should be considered in community-based approaches for the prevention of
      disability in older adults with physical frailty. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17:
      2347-2353.

PMID- 28627051
TI  - Investigating the job satisfaction of healthcare providers at primary healthcare
      centres in Lebanon: A national cross-sectional study.
AB  - Low job satisfaction is linked to higher staff turnover and intensified shortages
      in healthcare providers (HCP). This study investigates the level of, and factors
      associated with, HCP job satisfaction in the national primary healthcare (PHC)
      network in Lebanon. The study adopts a cross-sectional design to survey HCP at 99
      PHC centres distributed across the country between October 2013 and May 2014. The
      study questionnaire consisted of four sections: socio-demographics/professional
      background, employment characteristics, level of job satisfaction (Measure of Job
      Satisfaction scale) and level of professional burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory
      HSS scale). A total of 1,000 providers completed the questionnaire (75.8%
      response rate). Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to
      identify factors significantly associated with job satisfaction. Findings of the
      study highlight an overall mean job satisfaction score of 3.59 (SD 0.54)
      indicating that HCP are partially satisfied. Upon further examination, HCP were
      least satisfied with pay, training and job prospects. Gender, age, career plans,
      salary, exposure to violence, and level of burnout were significantly associated
      with the overall level of job satisfaction which was also associated with
      increased likelihood to quit. Overall, the study highlights how compensation,
      development and protection of PHC HCP can influence their job satisfaction.
      Recommendations include the necessity of developing a nationally representative
      committee, led by the Ministry of Public Health, to examine the policies and
      remuneration scales within the PHC sector and suggest mechanisms to bridge the
      pay differential with other sectors. The effective engagement of key stakeholders
      with the development, organisation and evaluation of professional development
      programmes offered to HCP in the PHC sector remains crucial. Concerned
      stakeholders should assess and formulate initiatives and programmes that enrich
      the physical, psychological and professional well-being of their HCP. The
      aforementioned suggestions are necessary to strengthen and sustain PHC HCP and
      support the provision of universal health coverage to the Lebanese population.

PMID- 28627052
TI  - Influence of different protein sources in the broiler diet on the presence of
      Campylobacter spp. in excreta and caecal content.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to examine possible effects of a different
      protein supply on the presence of Campylobacter in excreta and caecal content of
      broiler chickens. Therefore, 220 one-day-old chickens were fed five different
      diets in the experimental period (day 8 onwards). In the control group (CON; n =
      3 boxes), a soya bean-based industrially produced complete diet containing 5-10%
      whole wheat and coccidiostats was fed, whereas in the remaining groups, four own
      made complete diets with four protein sources and combinations (4 * 2 boxes; soya
      bean meal-based diet = SBM; rapeseed meal-containing diet = RSM; haemoglobin meal
      containing diet = HGP; algae-containing diet = ALG) were offered. During the 6
      week trial period, data concerning performance parameters, excreta and litter
      characteristics and microbiological analysis of excreta and caecal content at
      dissection were collected. The qualitative bacteriological investigation was
      based on the EN ISO 10272-1:2006, taken from the official collection of analysis
      methods in accordance with S 64 LFBG. For quantitative bacteriological tests, a
      10-fold dilution series was made followed by culture-based quantification methods
      on approved selective media in duplicate. Comparing the results of the final
      dissection (day 44/45), nearly all samples of animals receiving the own-made
      complete diet were Campylobacter positive in the caecal content, whereas only
      seven of fifteen samples were positive in the CON group. With regard to the CFU
      in the caecal content, the counts of Campylobacter were significantly lower for
      animals fed the commercial diet (2.47 +/- 3.06 vs. 7.36 +/- 0.66 log10  CFU/g).
      When only the positive animals were evaluated, significant differences were also
      found between the CON group and the total of the other groups (5.30 +/- 2.08 vs.
      7.54 +/- 1.70 log10  CFU/g). Although significant differences were seen in the
      results, no final recommendation can be given how to create a diet to reduce an
      infection with Campylobacter.

PMID- 28627053
TI  - Recovery of insulin sensitivity and optimal body composition after rapid weight
      loss in obese dogs fed a high-protein medium-carbohydrate diet.
AB  - This study investigated the effects of an experimental high-protein medium
      carbohydrate diet (protein level, 46% metabolizable energy, ME). First,
      postprandial plasma glucose and insulin kinetics were determined in steady-state
      overweight/obese Beagle dogs (28%-41% excess body weight) for an experimental
      high-protein medium-carbohydrate diet (protein level, 46% ME) and a commercial
      high-carbohydrate medium-protein diet (protein level, 24%ME) in obese dogs.
      Secondly, all the dogs were included in a weight loss programme. They were fed
      the high-protein medium-carbohydrate diet, and the energy allocation was
      gradually reduced until they reached their optimal body weight. Insulin
      sensitivity and body composition were evaluated before and after weight loss
      using a euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp and the deuterium oxide dilution
      technique respectively. For statistical analysis, linear mixed effect models were
      used with a significance level of 5%. Postprandial plasma glucose and insulin
      concentrations were substantially lower with the high-protein medium-carbohydrate
      diet than the high-carbohydrate medium-protein diet. These differences can be
      explained mainly by the difference in carbohydrate content between the two diets.
      Energy restriction (35% lower energy intake than in the obese state) resulted in
      a 2.23 +/- 0.05% loss in body weight/week, and the dogs reached their optimal
      body weight in 12-16 weeks. Weight loss was associated with a significant
      increase in insulin sensitivity. The high-protein medium-carbohydrate diet
      allowed fat-free mass preservation despite a relatively high rate of weekly
      weight loss. The increase in insulin sensitivity indicated improved control of
      carbohydrate metabolism, possible due to weight loss and to the nature of the
      diet. Thus, a high-protein medium-carbohydrate diet is a good nutritional
      solution for managing the weight of overweight dogs. This diet may improve
      glycaemic control, which could be beneficial for preventing or managing impaired
      glucose tolerance in obese dogs and for safe and successful weight loss while
      preserving lean body mass.

PMID- 28627054
TI  - Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder supplementation on growth performance and
      intestinal morphology in broiler chickens.
AB  - Due to public health hazards of subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in poultry
      feed, there is a need for alternatives. Moringa oleifera is a phytobiotic, which
      is reported to possess antimicrobial and immuno-modulatory properties. This study
      aimed to investigate effects of M. oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) supplementation on
      growth performance and intestinal microarchitecture of broiler chickens. Day-old
      broiler chicks (n = 100) were randomly divided into five groups with four
      replicates each having five birds. Birds were fed a corn-based basal diet or the
      same diet supplemented with 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5% MOLP. Body weight and feed
      conversion ratio were recorded on weekly basis. On day 35, two birds per
      replicate were selected to collect samples of duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecal
      tonsils and bursa of Fabricius. Tissue samples were stained with haematoxylin and
      eosin or combined alcian blue and PAS technique. Supplementation of MOLP had no
      effect on feed intake, feed conversion ratio, bursa weight and intra-epithelial
      lymphocytes (IEL) count. Birds fed with 1.2% MOLP had higher (p < 0.05) body
      weight, length and empty weight of small intestine, and weight of empty and
      filled ceca. Villus height (duodenum, jejunum, ileum), villus surface area
      (duodenum) and villus height:crypt depth (ileum) were higher (p < 0.05) in 1.2%
      MOLP group compared with non-supplemented group. In duodenum, total goblet cell
      count was higher (p < 0.05) in all the supplemented groups when compared with non
      supplemented birds. Acidic mucin count was higher (p < 0.05) in duodenum, jejunum
      and ileum of 1.2% MOLP group compared with the control group. Bursal follicle
      count was higher (p < 0.05) in 1.2% MOLP group compared with non-supplemented
      group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 1.2% MOLP modulated intestinal
      microarchitecture and acidic mucin production without any apparent effect on
      growth.

PMID- 28627055
TI  - Cholelithiasis in adult bearded dragons: retrospective study of nine adult
      bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) with cholelithiasis between 2013 and 2015 in
      southern Germany.
AB  - With an increased number of pet reptiles, many diseases occur due to nutritional
      disorders. Between 2013 and 2015, irregular gallbladder contents
      (sludge/choleliths) in adult bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) were recorded in
      many of the routinely conducted necropsies at the reptile rescue station in
      Munich (Auffangstation fur Reptilien, Munchen e.V., Munich, Germany). Nine
      animals, six from the rescue station and three from an associated veterinary
      practice (Tierarztliche Praxis fur Exoten, Augsburg, Germany), were studied.
      Gallbladder contents from all animals were analysed at the Institute for Clinical
      Chemistry in Zurich, Switzerland. In three of nine animals, one cholelith
      composed of 100% calcium carbonate (CaCO3 ) was detected and it precipitated
      either as pure calcite or as a calcite:vaterite combination. In the remaining six
      animals, analyses suggested a protein-based material. The detection of
      choleliths/sludge was not anticipated at necropsy or surgery in eight of nine
      animals. The diet of the six animals from the rescue station was retrospectively
      described as mainly insects, whereas the diet of the three animals from the
      veterinary practice also contained little plant matter. Fed insect species were
      mealworm larva (Tenebrio molitor), house cricket (Acheta domestica), migratory
      locust (Locusta migratoria) and zophobas larva (Zophobas morio), all high in
      protein and fat. In other species, a nidus must be present for CaCO3 to
      precipitate. As a protein-based sludge was detected in six gallbladders, it is
      possible that a high-protein diet could lead to such a nidus and subsequently to
      cholelith formation. Cholelithiasis seems to be a rising problem in adult bearded
      dragons and is likely underdiagnosed, as many choleliths were found at necropsy.
      This rise in cholelithiasis may correlate with an unnatural high-protein, high
      fat insect-based diet instead of a balanced plant-based diet.

PMID- 28627056
TI  - Feed intake patterns of sport ponies and warmblood horses following iso-energetic
      intake of pelleted fibre-rich mixed feed, muesli feed and semicrushed oat grains.
AB  - The aim of the study was to compare diverse feed intake patterns in sport ponies
      and warmblood-type horses after feeding iso-energetic amounts of three different
      concentrates: a pelleted fibre-rich mixed feed (PF), a muesli feed (MF) and
      semicrushed oat grains (OG). Four sport ponies and six warmblood-type horses
      received the concentrates and meadow hay according to maintenance (0.52 MJ
      metabolizable energy (ME) kg body weight (BW)0.75 /day). Both breeds were
      allocated at random to three groups and received once daily for 8 days either OG
      (1 g starch/kg BW/meal) or iso-energetic quantities of PF and MF according to a
      crossover design. On the 8th day, feed intake patterns (chewing frequency (CF) in
      number of chewings (NC), NC/s), feed intake time (FITDM , min/kg dry matter (DM);
      FIT(neutral detergent fibre)NDF , min/kg NDF) and chewing intensity (CI, NC/kg
      DM) were measured using modified halters. In warmbloods, PF tended to be ingested
      faster than MF and OG (10.3 +/- 1.9, 13.0 +/- 1.3, 14.4 +/- 2.0 min/kg DM,
      respectively; p = 0.05). In ponies, a similar trend was observed (13.5 +/- 2.5,
      13.6 +/- 2.0 and 15.4 +/- 1.1 min/kg DM, respectively; p > 0.05). Ponies needed
      more time to ingest PF than warmbloods (p < 0.05). The CF of ponies was affected
      by the type of concentrate (PF and MF 1.43 +/- 0.11 vs. OG 1.28 +/- 0.093 NC/s; p
      < 0.05). The results indicate that concentrate intake of breeds follows a similar
      pattern and that breed differences were limited to PF only. In both breeds, PF
      induced chewing patterns different from those observed for OG and/or MF. However,
      an interpretation of these differences needs to take into consideration the
      diverse chemical compositions of the concentrates. Upcoming studies should
      address the throwback regarding PF and also examine the metabolic consequences of
      concentrate intake in ponies.

PMID- 28627057
TI  - Vitamin D metabolism in growing pigs: influence of UVB irradiation and dietary
      vitamin D supply on calcium homeostasis, its regulation and bone metabolism.
AB  - The aim of this study was to prove whether pigs are able to synthesize vitamin D
      (vitD) in the skin and to investigate the influence of ultraviolet irradiation
      (UVB) on vitD status and calcium (Ca) homeostasis of growing pigs. Thirty-two 11
      week-old pigs were kept without access to sunlight and divided into four groups
      receiving the following treatment in a 2 * 2 factorial design: (i) UVB
      irradiation or not and (ii) vitD in feed or not. Blood, urine and faeces were
      sampled every third week. In serum, vitD metabolites, Ca, phosphorus (P),
      magnesium (Mg) and bone markers were analysed. Digestibility of Ca, P and Mg as
      well as urinary excretion of these minerals was analysed. After 14 weeks, the
      animals were slaughtered, and samples of skin, intestines, kidneys and bones
      (metatarsus) were taken for further analyses: sterols of vitD synthesis in the
      skin, Ca flux rates in the intestines, expression of genes involved in Ca
      transport in the intestines and kidneys, bone mineral density (BMD) with the aid
      of peripheral quantitative computer tomography and bone mineral content by ashing
      the metatarsus. Irradiated animals showed higher levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol
      and tachysterol in the skin, higher levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 1,25
      dihydroxycholecalciferol in the serum and higher Ca net flux rates were
      determined in Ussing chambers. In contrast, the expression of genes involved in
      Ca transport in the intestines and kidneys was not altered. Similarly, the
      digestibility of Ca and P as well as the urinary excretion was not affected. With
      respect to the metatarsus, no differences in mineral contents and BMD were found
      between groups. At the end of the study, some subclinical signs of beginning vitD
      'insufficiency' were observed in the group without access to vitD (represented by
      higher expression of 1alpha-hydroxylase in the kidney and increased parathyroid
      hormone in serum).

PMID- 28627058
TI  - Survey: nutrition, body condition and activities of dogs in Switzerland.
AB  - Interest in species-appropriate activities and nutrition of dogs increases. A
      huge variety of feedstuff available, myths and different feeding theories confuse
      dog owners and lead to inadequate nutrition of their pets. As one result, obesity
      in pets can be observed with a high incidence in veterinary practice. Although
      comorbidities of obesity are well known, only few pet owners realize consequently
      the necessity of weight reduction to support their pet's health. We hypothesized
      that pet owners in Switzerland underestimate body condition of their dogs and are
      unsure about how to manage nutritional challenges. This study assessed the
      current nutrition, owner's perception of body weight and body condition score
      (BCS) of their dog. At a dog exhibition, dog owners filled in a questionnaire on
      age, breed, activity, housing, nutrition and source of information for questions
      concerning nutrition. Owners evaluated the BCS with the help of a poster and
      determined the ideal weight of their dog. Body weight was measured and BCS
      evaluated by two veterinarians. The study included 43 bitches [25 (58%) spayed]
      and 35 male dogs [21 (60%) neutered] with an age of 4.7 +/- 3.6 years (mean +/-
      STD). Average current body weight was 18.9 kg +/- 14.1 and corresponded
      approximately to the ideal body weight estimated by the owners (18.6 kg +/-
      14.1). Four (5%) of the dogs were judged by the owners to be underweight, 55
      (70%) ideal, 14 (18%) overweight and five (6%) obese. Owner's evaluation of BCS
      averaged 4.54 +/- 1.13; veterinary's evaluation was significantly higher with
      5.20 +/- 1.20 (difference of 0.77 +/- 0.59; P < 0.05). Although the awareness of
      the importance of adequate nutrition and activity for pets is rising among pet
      owners, they are overwhelmed by the variety of diets and sources of information
      available. This might lead to malnutrition and identifies a clear need for
      competent specialists of pet nutrition.

PMID- 28627059
TI  - First detailed nutritional survey in a referral companion animal population.
AB  - Optimal nutrition in every life stage and certainly in diseased animals will
      contribute greatly to improve overall health and quality of life. The 5th VA
      guidelines have been designed to help veterinarians to implement a nutritional
      assessment into every patient, every time it comes into their practice. This
      nutritional survey in referral patients was conducted by one person skilled in
      acquiring detailed nutritional information and evaluating nutritional status. Two
      goals were set as follows: first to gain more insight into the nutritional status
      and management of referred patients and second to gain more insight in the
      nutritional recommendations given by the treating veterinarian. Using an online
      survey program, a detailed nutritional survey was designed using the 5th VA
      guidelines as a roadmap. Ultimately, 100 surveys were completed using referral
      patients with following results: only 15% of referred patients were cats; obesity
      occurrence was high with 53% of cats and 35% of dogs being overweight or obese;
      eleven per cent of animals had an abnormal MCS; and five of seven dogs with an
      abnormal MCS dogs died within 6 months. Several nutritional risk factors were
      undiagnosed and consequently untreated in these patients. Therefore, continued
      efforts must be made to educate practicing veterinarians into using the
      nutritional guidelines. The routine use of these guidelines by veterinarians will
      ultimately improve the nutritional status of all companion animals and might
      reduce the prevalence of diseases where poor nutrition or management has a
      contributing role.

PMID- 28627060
TI  - Clinical nutrition counselling service in the veterinary hospital: retrospective
      analysis of equine patients and nutritional considerations.
AB  - Nutrition plays a very important role in the healthy and in the ill horse.
      Although research in this field clearly shows that incorrect nutritional
      practices may lead to severe pathologies, inappropriate feeding plans often
      continue to be used. A clinical nutrition counselling (CNC) service could thus be
      of great use to both horse owners and veterinarians. The aim of this study was to
      provide information on equine patients referred to the CNC service of the
      University of Turin and to provide standard dietary protocols as used in our
      Veterinary Teaching Hospital for the most common nutrition-related pathologies.
      The data were obtained by retrospective analysis of the nutritional records of
      referred equine patients. The data collected included information about
      anamnesis, nutritional assessment, current diet, referring person and follow-up
      of each patient. Sixty-one horses were included in the study. The majority were
      adult males. The most common breeds were the Italian Saddle Horse and the
      Friesian Horse. Old horses (>19 years) had a statistically lower BCS than brood
      mares or other adult horses (p < 0.01). The most common nutritional pathologies
      were chronic weight loss (CWL), chronic diarrhoea (CD) and equine gastric ulcer
      syndrome. All horses received first-cut meadow hay; 85% also ate concentrates.
      Young horses (<2 years) received more hay as a percentage of body weight (BW)
      than old horses or adults. The hay percentage of BW per day given to animals with
      CWL was statistically higher than those with CD (p < 0.01). The concentrate
      percentage of BW given to old horses was statistically lower compared to that
      given to young horses (p < 0.05). The concentrate percentage of BW per day given
      to horses with colic was statistically higher than that given to horses with CD
      (p < 0.05). 28% of cases were referred by the owner and 72% by a veterinarian.
      Follow-up evaluation was deemed to be 'good' in 92% cases and 'poor' in 8%. In
      summary, the CNC service could provide an epidemiological observatory to study
      the prevalence of nutritional issues in the equine population.

PMID- 28627061
TI  - Glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of adult healthy warm-blooded mares
      following feeding with Jerusalem artichoke meal.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the impact of the supplementation of a pre-biotic
      compound [Jerusalem artichoke meal (JAM)] on the glycaemic and insulinaemic
      response in healthy, non-obese warm-blooded horses. Six adult mares [mean body
      weight (bwt) 529 +/- 38.7 kg; body condition score 5.1 +/- 0.49/9] were used. In
      two equal meals per day, the horses received crushed oat grains (1 g starch/kg
      bwt per day) and meadow hay (2 kg/100 kg bwt per day) which together were likely
      to meet the energy recommendation for light work (GfE, ). Additionally, they
      received either 0.15 g fructo-oligosaccharides and inulin (FOS+INU)/kg bwt per
      day via commercial JAM or maize cob meal without grains as control (CON) in 2 * 3
      week periods according to a crossover design. Blood was collected on d21 of the
      feeding period at different ante- and postprandial (PP) time points (-60, 0, 30,
      60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 300 min), and the plasma glucose and serum insulin
      levels were determined. Feeding JAM vs. CON did not change the PP peak of glucose
      or insulin (glucose: 6.3 +/- 0.40 vs. 7.0 +/- 0.87 mmol/l; insulin: 0.508 +/-
      0.087 vs. 0.476 +/- 0.082 nmol/l) nor did it cause different AUCs until 120 and
      300 min PP for glucose and insulin, respectively (AUC120 , glucose: 997 +/- 41.6
      vs. 1015 +/- 41.63 mmol/l per minute, insulin: 49 +/- 6.3 vs. 42 +/- 6.3 nmol/l
      per minute; AUC300 , glucose: 1943 +/- 142.3 vs. 2115 +/- 142.3 mmol/l per
      minute, insulin: 94 +/- 14.8 vs. 106 +/- 14.8 nmol/l per minute; p > 0.05).
      Following JAM vs. CON feeding, glucose and insulin levels declined more rapidly
      until 240 min PP and tended to be lower (p = 0.053 and p = 0.056, respectively)
      at this time point. This result might be promising and should further be studied
      more detailed.

PMID- 28627062
TI  - Effects of a carbohydrase complex added in different inclusion rates in feeds for
      broilers on growth performance, digesta viscosity and foot pad health.
AB  - Foot pad dermatitis (FPD) is a widespread disease in poultry and important for
      economic and animal welfare reasons. It is well recognized that using non-starch
      polysaccharide (NSP)-degrading enzymes can affect excreta/litter quality (not
      only in terms of moisture content but also regarding water evaporation) at high
      stocking densities and might help to prevent FPD and further negative effects of
      NSP. This study aimed to evaluate effects of a carbohydrase complex (CC) in
      different dietary inclusion rates on performance, digesta viscosity and foot pad
      health in broilers from 9 to 37 days of life. In total, 240 broilers were divided
      into 12 floor pens of 20 birds and received one of four different experimental
      diets. The four wheat- and soyabean meal-based diets only differed in the
      inclusion rate of CC: 0%, 50%, 100% and 500% of the recommended dose of CC (Endo
      1,4-beta-xylanase and Endo-1,3(4)-beta-glucanase; 50 g/t). The addition of CC led
      to a significant decrease of digesta viscosity in the proximal small intestine, a
      tendency of improved feed conversion ratio, and significantly favoured FPD-scores
      (Treatment 2). At the higher tested inclusion rate of CC (500% of recommended
      dose), the FPD score was worser than in the treatments with 50% and 100% of the
      recommended enzyme dosage. No improvements among treatments were observed in
      terms of body weight and dry matter content of excreta and litter at the end of
      trial. The low positive effects on foot pad health in this study were presumably
      associated with the low NSP content in the experimental diets (soluble
      arabinoxylans: 7.38 g/kg as fed). In conclusion, the addition of the evaluated CC
      reduced digesta viscosity. An improvement of foot pad health could only be seen
      in the treatment with 50% of the recommended enzyme dosage in the diet.

PMID- 28627063
TI  - Beet pulp intake and hairball faecal excretion in mixed-breed shorthaired cats.
AB  - Hairball formation may induce vomiting and intestinal obstruction in predisposed
      cats. Some insoluble fibres as sugarcane fibre and cellulose can prevent hairball
      formation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of beet pulp
      consumption, a moderate soluble and fermentable fibre source, on faecal
      trichobezoars excretion in adult shorthaired cats fed kibble diets. Eighteen
      mixed-breed shorthaired cats and three extruded diets were used as follows: a
      basal diet without added fibre source (PB0-8.8% dietary fibre); BP8-8% inclusion
      of beet pulp (17.5% of dietary fibre); BP16-16% inclusion of beet pulp (23.8% of
      dietary fibre). The cats were fed during 31 days and faeces quantitatively
      collected during three periods of 3 days each (from days 3-5; 15-17; 26-28).
      Gastrointestinal transit time was determined in the last 3 days of study (from
      days 29-31). The trichobezoars were separated from faeces, collected, dried and
      washed in ether for complete removal of all faecal material. The results were
      submitted to repeated-measure analysis of variance and means evaluated by
      polynomial contrast (p < 0.05). Beet pulp increased faecal production (p < 0.001)
      and reduced gastrointestinal transit time (p = 0.003). No alterations were found
      on trichobezoar faecal excretion, both as considered in number per cat per day of
      mg per cat per day (p > 0.05). Beet pulp intake did not reduce the number or the
      size of hairballs eliminated via faeces of shorthaired cats.

PMID- 28627064
TI  - Effects of isoenergetic quantities of a low-starch muesli feed high in fat and
      fibre vs. oat grains on the glycemic and insulinemic responses and feed intake
      patterns in sport ponies.
AB  - Aim of this study was to compare glycemic and insulinemic responses and feed
      intake patterns in sport ponies after feeding isoenergetic quantities of low
      starch muesli feed high in fat and fibre (FF) or oat grains (OG). Six sport
      ponies were randomly assigned to one of these two treatment groups for 2 * 3
      weeks according to a crossover-design. Ponies received two equal meals/day of
      either semi-crushed OG (1 g starch/kg bwt*meal-1 ) or an isoenergetic quantity of
      FF. Hay was also given in two equal meals/day and provided the remaining
      metabolisable energy up to 1.3-fold maintenance level. On day 21, blood was
      sampled 1 h after each pony received 0.5 kg hay (0 min). Then, the concentrate
      was provided and blood sampled 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240 and 300 min thereafter.
      Plasma glucose and serum insulin were analysed, and the areas under the curve
      (AUC) was calculated 120 and 300 min postprandial (PP). Feed intake patterns were
      measured in 4 ponies/group via a modified halter. OG was ingested faster than FF
      (feed intake time; FITDM in min/kg DM: 8.8 +/- 1.6 vs. 15.9 +/- 1.62, p < 0.05)
      combined with a higher chewing frequency (p < 0.05). The AUCsgluc120/300,
      ins120/300 were statistically higher with OG than FF (mmol/L*min-1 : AUCgluc120 :
      776 +/- 128 vs. 676 +/- 80.4; AUCgluc300 : 1811 +/- 295.3 vs. 1569 +/- 126.3;
      nmol/L*min-1 : AUCins120 : 38 +/- 18 vs. 22 +/- 8.1; AUCins300 : 83 +/- 39 vs. 35
      +/- 12; p < 0.05). Plasma glucose tended to decline following the intake of FF,
      which might be beneficial for equines with reduced glucose tolerance. This,
      however, requires further investigation. In this study, the ponies consumed OG
      unexpectedly rapidly. The rate of feed intake was similar to the results
      previously reported in the literature for warmblood horses.

PMID- 28627065
TI  - Evaluation of an in vitro system to simulate equine foregut digestion and the
      influence of acidity on protein and fructan degradation in the horse's stomach.
AB  - The aim of this study was to improve an in vitro system in order to gather
      optimized information on the digestion of different forages in the horse's upper
      gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, foregut digestion of several forages was
      simulated in vitro (Part 1). The effect of different pH values on in vitro
      fructan degradation of two selected grasses (Part 2) was tested subsequently.
      Part 1: We hypothesized that our system produces representative results
      simulating digestive processes in the upper alimentary tract, but neglects
      microbial fermentation. In vitro digestion of six forages (grass mixture for
      horses, grass mixture for cows (GMC), tall fescue, English perennial ryegrass
      (ER), white clover, lucerne) was performed in two phases with pepsin and
      pancreatin. The results are consistent with current data from in vivo studies,
      including a degradation of crude protein and monosaccharides as well as a
      relative increase in fibres. Interestingly, a loss of fructan was measured in two
      feedstuffs (ER/GMC: 4.1/4.4% DM fructan before and 0.59/0.00% DM after simulated
      foregut digestion). Part 2: As fructans are thought not to be fragmented by
      digestive enzymes, another hypothesis was developed: acidic hydrolysis leads to a
      degradation of fructans. To evaluate the influence of gastric pH on the digestion
      of fructan and protein, different pH values (2, 3 and 4) were adjusted in a
      second series of in vitro foregut digestion trials with ER and GMC. As expected,
      the highest degradation of protein was seen at the lowest pH (protein in ER/GMC
      at pH 2: 6.11/8.28% DM and at pH 4: 7.73/10.64% DM), whereas fructan degradation
      was highest at pH 4 (fructan in ER/GMC at pH 2: 1.63/1.95% DM and at pH 4:
      1.31/0.91% DM). We presume that not only acidic hydrolysis but also plant enzymes
      cause the loss of fructans in an acidic environment.

PMID- 28627066
TI  - Little differences in digestive efficiency for protein and fat in mammals of
      different trophic guilds and digestive strategies: data constraints or
      fundamental functional similarity?
AB  - Carnivores do not vary markedly in their digestive efficiency for protein and
      fat, but whether they resemble other trophic guilds (omnivores and herbivores) in
      this respect has not been evaluated. We collated data on apparent crude protein
      (CP) and crude fat (ether extracts, EE) digestibility in 157 mammal species,
      applying the Lucas principle of regressing digestible nutrient content against
      nutrient content, where the slope of the regression equation represents the true
      digestibility and the intercept the metabolic losses per unit dry matter intake.
      The data collection is marked by the evident uneven distribution of dietary
      nutrient contents across trophic guilds and differences in the nutrient range by
      which different species have been evaluated, making statistical interpretation
      difficult. Results indicate a lower true digestibility of CP in herbivores
      compared to carnivores, most likely due to a lower digestibility of fibre-bound
      protein in herbivore diets. Metabolic CP losses did not appear to differ between
      trophic guilds, but herbivores had higher metabolic EE losses, compatible with
      the hypothesis that a higher proportion of metabolic CP losses were bound in
      microbes that also contain lipids in herbivores. Among herbivores, no clear
      pattern was evident that would indicate a difference in metabolic losses
      associated with microbes between digestive strategies (coprophagy,
      foregut/hindgut fermentation). Foregut fermenters had a lower true EE
      digestibility, possibly linked to the hydrogenation of lipids in their
      forestomach prior to digestion. The results do not demonstrate clear differences
      in digestive efficiency and metabolic losses for protein and fat between
      mammalian trophic guilds and digestive strategies, leading to the hypothesis that
      the process of CP and EE digestion is not physiologically challenging and hence
      does not lead to a noticeable differentiation between species or species groups.

PMID- 28627067
TI  - A by-product of swine slaughtering as a protein source in broiler diets: effects
      on performance, composition of excreta, litter quality and on foot pad health.
AB  - Foot pad dermatitis (FPD) is of great concern in poultry industry, and dietary
      strategies are needed to improve foot pad health because of animal welfare and
      economic reasons. As the main factor for the development of FPD is the DM content
      of litter (consisting mainly of excreta; Kamphues et al., 2011), there are
      different dietary approaches to influence this disease pattern. In two
      consecutive trials, a total of 200 broilers were kept from day 7 until the 35th
      day of life. They were divided into four groups at each trial and fed with one of
      four experimental diets, based on wheat and corn mainly, but differing in the
      protein source: Group 1 was fed a diet with soya bean meal (SBM) as the main
      protein source, whereas Group 2, Group 3 and Group 4 were assigned to diets with
      4, 8 and 12% of a protein-rich (66.7% CP in DM) by-product of swine slaughtering
      [Swine Protein Meal (SPM); in exchange for SBM]. The inclusion of 12% SPM
      resulted in a decreased dietary potassium content of about 3 g/kg diet (Group 1
      vs. 4). Increasing dietary levels of the by-product (8 and 12%) led to lowered
      feed intake (Group 1 vs. 4: ~10%) and weight gain (Group 1 vs. Group 4: ~8.5%).
      Although highest DM contents of excreta and litter were determined in Group 4,
      foot pad health was not influenced positively as hypothesized. Remarkable was the
      observed 'stickiness' of excreta when the by-product was included in the diet at
      increasing levels, presumably due to the high proportion of bones in the by
      product. In conclusion, substituting SBM by 4% of the by-product of swine
      slaughtering in broiler diets did not impair performance parameters, but led to
      the most favourable foot pad scores in this study.

PMID- 28627068
TI  - Feed restriction regime in a rabbit line selected for growth rate alters oocyte
      maturation manifested by alteration in MSY2 gene expression.
AB  - Young rabbit females selected for growth rate may have nutritional needs, which
      may not be met with the common practice of feed restriction during rearing in
      commercial rabbit production. The aim of this study was to analyse whether two
      different feeding programmes: ad libitum or restricted (130 g/day) feeding,
      applied in young rabbit females for 1 month at the end of rearing, could modulate
      the origin of ovulation process and the quality of the oocytes. At 16 weeks of
      age, 34 females were randomly assigned to restricted or ad libitum feeding,
      maintaining these conditions for a month. Then, in an initial experiment,
      transcriptional profiling of hypothalamus-hypophysis tissue was performed to
      assess failure to ovulate. In the second experiment, the gene expression analysis
      of some candidate genes related to oocytes quality was performed. Our results
      demonstrated that neither of the two feeding programmes modified the
      transcription of hypothalamus-hypophysis tissue, while the only differences in
      MSYR expression were found in in vivo mature oocytes ready for successful
      fertilization. Specifically, MSYR was over-expressed in oocytes from females fed
      ad libitum. MSYR is one of the most abundant proteins in the oocyte and has
      proven to be a key regulator of maternal RNA transcription and translation. This
      finding suggests that MSYR gene is a promising gene in our understanding of the
      relationship between high growth rate and reproductive performance decline.

PMID- 28627069
TI  - Who delivers where? The effect of obstetric risk on facility delivery in East
      Africa.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Skilled attendance at birth is key for the survival of pregnant
      women. This study investigates whether women at increased risk of maternal and
      newborn complications in four East African countries are more likely to deliver
      in a health facility than those at lower risk. METHODS: Demographic and Health
      Survey data for Kenya 2014, Rwanda 2014-15, Tanzania 2015-16 and Uganda 2011 were
      used to study women with a live birth in the three years preceding the survey. A
      three-level obstetric risk index was created using known risk factors.
      Generalised linear Poisson regression was used to investigate the association
      between obstetric risk and facility delivery. RESULTS: We analysed data from 13
      119 women across the four countries of whom 42-45% were considered at medium risk
      and 12-17% at high risk, and the remainder were at low risk. In Rwanda, 93% of
      all women delivered in facilities but this was lower (59-66%) in the other three
      countries. There was no association between a woman's obstetric risk level and
      her place of delivery in any country; greater wealth and more education were,
      however, independently strongly associated with facility delivery. CONCLUSIONS:
      In four East African countries, women at higher obstetric risk were not more
      likely to deliver in a facility than those with lower risk. This calls for a
      renewed focus on antenatal risk screening and improved communication on birth
      planning to ensure women with an increased chance of maternal and newborn
      complications are supported to deliver in facilities with skilled care.

PMID- 28627070
TI  - Lack of immunogenicity of hydrolysed wheat flour in patients with coeliac disease
      after a short-term oral challenge.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A gluten-free diet is currently the only reliable therapeutic
      strategy that is approved for coeliac disease (CD). For many patients, however,
      compliance remains inadequate. AIM: To investigate the immunogenicity of wheat
      flour that was pre-treated with selected lactobacilli and fungal proteases
      (hydrolysed wheat gluten) in coeliac patients. METHODS: The immunogenicity of
      hydrolysed wheat gluten was evaluated both in vitro in intestinal T cell lines
      (TCLs) and in vivo in treated CD patients after a short-term gluten challenge.
      Twenty treated CD patients were enrolled and equally randomised into two groups.
      The patients ate bread that was prepared with hydrolysed wheat flour or natural
      wheat flour (10 g of gluten/d for 3 days). The interferon (INF)-gamma responses
      to natural gliadin and a 33-mer peptide were assessed by the enzyme-linked
      immunospot (ELISPOT) assay on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) both
      before and 6 days after the start of the challenge. RESULTS: Hydrolysed wheat was
      not able to activate the TCLs from the coeliac intestinal mucosa. Consistent with
      the in vitro results, no significant increase in INF-gamma secretion was observed
      in patients who consumed hydrolysed wheat flour. Conversely, the consumption of
      natural wheat gluten mobilised INF-gamma secreting cells in the blood (P<.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: We confirm that fermentation of wheat flour with sourdough
      lactobacilli and fungal proteases is capable of abolishing the T cell
      immunogenicity of gluten in coeliac patients. Our data also validate the short
      term oral challenge as a useful tool for testing the efficacy of novel
      therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28627071
TI  - Oral health status of children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - AIM: To compare the oral health status of children and adolescents affected by
      intellectual disabilities with their unaffected counterparts. METHOD: Citations
      published in English were searched from electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web
      of Science, and Scopus) from their start dates to March 2017. The whole process
      was conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews
      and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The PICO (population, intervention/interest,
      comparator, outcome) principle was used to formulate the topic. Studies were
      synthesized through qualitative summary or, whenever possible, meta-analysis.
      RESULTS: The initial search yielded 2393 records. Thirty-nine studies from 22
      countries were identified for qualitative analysis; 26 studies were eligible for
      meta-analysis. Participants with intellectual disabilities had higher levels of
      dental plaque, worse gingival status, fewer decayed and filled permanent teeth,
      and similar caries experience between males and females. These findings were
      supported by both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Various patterns of
      caries experiences were indicated by qualitative analysis, but it was not
      substantiated by meta-analysis. INTERPRETATION: There is increasing worldwide
      interest in oral health status of children with intellectual disabilities.
      Differences in dental plaque deposition, gingival inflammation, and the number of
      decayed and filled permanent teeth were investigated between children and
      adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities. Evidence remains elusive
      about the pattern of caries experience among those children.

PMID- 28627072
TI  - Reply to "Clinical and therapeutic implications of BRAF mutation heterogeneity in
      metastatic melanoma" by Mesbah Ardakani et al.

PMID- 28627073
TI  - Determination of Radical-Radical Distances in Light-Active Proteins and Their
      Implication for Biological Magnetoreception.
AB  - Light-generated short-lived radial pairs have been suggested to play pivotal
      roles in cryptochromes and photolyases. Cryptochromes are very probably involved
      in magnetic compass sensing in migratory birds and the magnetic-field-dependent
      behavior of insects. We examined photo-generated transient states in the
      cryptochrome of Drosophila melanogaster and in the structurally related DNA
      repair enzyme Escherichia coli DNA photolyase. Using pulsed EPR spectroscopy, the
      exchange and dipolar contributions to the electron spin-spin interaction were
      determined in a straightforward and direct way. With these parameters, radical
      pair partners may be identified and the magnetoreceptor efficiency of
      cryptochromes can be evaluated. We present compelling evidence for an extended
      electron-transfer cascade in the Drosophila cryptochrome, and identified W394 as
      a key residue for flavin photoreduction and formation of a spin-correlated
      radical pair with a sufficient lifetime for high-sensitivity magnetic-field
      sensing.

PMID- 28627074
TI  - MOF-Based Metal-Doping-Induced Synthesis of Hierarchical Porous Cu?N/C Oxygen
      Reduction Electrocatalysts for Zn-Air Batteries.
AB  - A transition-metal-nitrogen/carbon (TM-N/C, TM = Fe, Co, Ni, etc.) system is a
      popular, nonprecious-metal oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst for
      fuel cell and metal-air battery applications. However, there remains a lack of
      comprehensive understanding about the ORR electrocatalytic mechanism on these
      catalysts, especially the roles of different forms of metal species on
      electrocatalytic performance. Here, a novel Cu?N/C ORR electrocatalyst with a
      hybrid Cu coordination site is successfully fabricated with a simple but
      efficient metal-organic-framework-based, metal-doping-induced synthesis strategy.
      By directly pyrolyzing Cu-doped zeolitic-imidazolate-framework-8 polyhedrons, the
      obtained Cu?N/C catalyst can achieve a high specific surface area of 1182 m2 g-1
      with a refined hierarchical porous structure and a high surface N content of
      11.05 at%. Moreover, regulating the Cu loading can efficiently tune the states of
      Cu(II) and Cu0 , resulting in the successful construction of a highly active
      hybrid coordination site of N?Cu(II)?Cu0 in derived Cu?N/C catalysts. As a
      result, the optimized 25% Cu?N/C catalyst possesses a high ORR activity and
      stability in 0.1 m KOH solution, as well as excellent performance and stability
      in a Zn-air battery.

PMID- 28627075
TI  - Chemistry of Two Distinct Aeolid Spurilla Species: Ecological Implications.
AB  - The lipophilic extracts of two marine aeolid nudibranch molluscs of the genus
      Spurilla collected in distinct geographical areas have been chemically analyzed.
      The Et2 O extracts of the nudibranchs were dominated by the presence of usual
      fatty acids and sterols and contained terpenoid compounds 1 - 3 as minor
      metabolites. Spurillin A (1) and spurillin B (3) were new molecules whereas cis
      gamma-monocyclofarnesol (2) was already reported in the literature as a synthesis
      product. Interestingly, bursatellin (4), previously isolated from anaspidean
      molluscs of the genus Bursatella, was found in the butanol extract of both
      Spurilla species. Compounds 1 - 4 were not detected in the extracts of the sea
      anemone preys collected together with the molluscs.

PMID- 28627076
TI  - Supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals: Challenges and
      opportunities for providers in Chicago, USA.
AB  - Chronically homeless individuals often have extensive health, mental health and
      psychosocial needs that pose barriers to obtaining and maintain supportive
      housing. This study aims to qualitatively explore supportive housing providers'
      experiences and challenges with housing chronically homeless individuals and
      examine opportunities to improve supportive housing systems of care. In 2014, we
      conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 65 programme administrators and
      case managers of supportive housing programmes in Chicago, IL. Data were analysed
      using an inductive thematic content analysis. Analysis revealed four themes that
      capture the primary challenges faced by housing providers: housing priorities,
      funding cuts, co-ordinated entry and permanency of housing. Housing for the
      chronically homeless has been prioritised, yet service providers are being
      expected to provide the necessary services to meet the needs of this population
      without commensurate funding increases or agency capacity. Additionally, case
      managers and administrators discussed the tension over housing tenure and the
      permanency of supportive housing. Findings provide qualitative insight into the
      challenges providers face implementing supportive housing for chronically
      homeless individuals.

PMID- 28627077
TI  - Phase-Separable Polyisobutylene Palladium-PEPPSI Precatalysts: Synthesis and
      Application in Buchwald-Hartwig Amination.
AB  - This paper reports the efficient synthesis of the first class of
      polyisobutylene(PIB)-supported palladium-PEPPSI precatalyst (PEPPSI = pyridine
      enhanced precatalyst preparation, stabilization, and initiation). The new
      complexes are employed in Buchwald-Hartwig amination of aryl chlorides and are
      found to be reasonably active in the titled cross-coupling reaction. The
      supported catalysts are tested in polar (1,4-dioxane and 1,2-dimethoxyethane) as
      well as in aliphatic reaction media (toluene and n-heptane) and display superior
      activity in the highly lipophilic solvent (n-heptane). The catalytic efficacy of
      PIB-Pd-PEPPSI precatalyst is measured to be comparable to its nonsupported
      analog. Pd-leaching is determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
      (ICP-MS) after a simple liquid/liquid extraction and is found to be 2 ppb in the
      product phase, translating into a recovery of ~99.8% of the palladium.

PMID- 28627078
TI  - Gas adsorption in Mg-porphyrin-based porous organic frameworks: A computational
      simulation by first-principles derived force field.
AB  - A novel type of porous organic frameworks, based on Mg-porphyrin, with diamond
      like topology, named POF-Mgs is computationally designed, and the gas uptakes of
      CO2 , H2 , N2 , and H2 O in POF-Mgs are investigated by Grand canonical Monte
      Carlo simulations based on first-principles derived force fields (FF). The FF,
      which describes the interactions between POF-Mgs and gases, are fitted by
      dispersion corrected double-hybrid density functional theory, B2PLYP-D3. The good
      agreement between the obtained FF and the first-principle energies data confirms
      the reliability of the FF. Furthermore our simulation shows the presence of a
      small amount of H2 O (<= 0.01 kPa) does not much affect the adsorption quantity
      of CO2 , but the presence of higher partial pressure of H2 O (>= 0.1 kPa) results
      in the CO2 adsorption decrease significantly. The good performance of POF-Mgs in
      the simulation inspires us to design novel porous materials experimentally for
      gas adsorption and purification. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627079
TI  - Persistently misunderstood and malignant: the case of heart failure vs. cancer.

PMID- 28627080
TI  - Comparison of subconjunctival scarring after microincision vitrectomy surgery
      using 20-, 23-, 25- and 27-gauge systems in rabbits.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare subconjunctival scarring after vitrectomy in rabbit eyes
      using different gauge systems by analysing anterior segment optical coherence
      tomography (AS-OCT) images and histological sections. METHODS: Vitrectomy using
      20-, 23-, 25- and 27-gauge systems was performed for rabbits. Anterior segment
      optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) images of the incision sites were obtained
      before and at day 1, 7 and 1 month after surgery. We measured the thickness of
      conjunctival epithelium, stroma, Tenon's capsule and total conjunctiva of these
      three layers, then determined the preservation rates of the borderlines between
      each layer. Surgical invasion was estimated by histological observation. RESULTS:
      The thickness of total conjunctiva, or the thickness of both conjunctival stroma
      and Tenon's capsule in the 20-gauge group was significantly thicker than that in
      the 27-gauge group at day 1 and day 7 after surgery. Preservation rates of the
      conjunctival stroma/Tenon's capsule borderline were significantly lower in the 20
      gauge group than in the 25- and 27-gauge groups at day 1, day 7 and 1 month.
      Preservation rates of the Tenon's capsule/sclera borderline were significantly
      lower in the 20-gauge group than in the 25- and 27-gauge groups at 1 month. In
      the 27-gauge group, the number of alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive fibroblasts
      was significantly smaller than in the 20-gauge group at day 7. CONCLUSION: Based
      on the finding of AS-OCT and histology, micro incision vitreous surgery,
      especially using 27-gauge, contributed to less subconjunctival scarring
      postoperatively. Therefore, the 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) may be a
      more effective technique for preserving the structure of conjunctiva.

PMID- 28627081
TI  - Arginase-2, a miR-1299 target, enhances pigmentation in melasma by reducing
      melanosome degradation via senescence-induced autophagy inhibition.
AB  - Expression profiles revealed miR-1299 downregulation concomitant with arginase-2
      (ARG2) upregulation in hyperpigmented skin of melasma patients. Opposite
      regulation of tyrosinase and PMEL17 by miR-1299 and inverse relationship between
      miR-1299 and ARG2 expression denoted a role of miR-1299 in pigmentation with ARG2
      as a miR-1299 target. ARG2 overexpression or knock-down in keratinocytes, the
      main source of ARG2 in epidermis, positively regulated tyrosinase and PMEL17
      protein levels, but not mRNA levels or melanosome transfer. ARG2 overexpression
      in keratinocytes reduced autophagy equivalent to 3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor
      which also increased tyrosinase and PMEL17 protein levels, whereas ARG2 knock
      down induced opposite results. Autophagy inducer rapamycin reduced ARG2-increased
      tyrosinase and PMEL17 protein levels. Also, autophagy was reduced in late passage
      induced senescent keratinocytes showing ARG2 upregulation. ARG2, but not 3-MA,
      stimulated keratinocyte senescence. These results suggest that ARG2 reduces
      autophagy in keratinocytes by stimulating cellular senescence, resulting in skin
      pigmentation by reducing degradation of transferred melanosomes.

PMID- 28627082
TI  - Dependence and resistance in community mental health care-Negotiations of user
      participation between staff and users.
AB  - : WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Implementation of user participation is
      described as a change from a paternalistic healthcare system to ideals of
      democratization where users' voices are heard in relational interplays with
      health professionals. The ideological shift involves a transition from welfare
      dependency and professional control towards more active service-user roles with
      associated rights and responsibilities. A collaborative relationship between
      users and professionals in mental health services is seen as important by both
      parties. Nevertheless, the health professionals find it challenging in practice
      to reorient their roles and to find productive ways to cooperate. WHAT THIS PAPER
      ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This study illuminates how user participation is
      negotiated and involves multiple and shifting subject positions in the
      collaboration between users and professionals in community mental health care. By
      taking different positions, the relationship between users and professionals
      develops through dynamic interaction. This study challenges understandings of
      equality and implicit "truths" in user participation by illuminating subtle forms
      of power and dilemmas that arise in user-professional negotiations. WHAT ARE THE
      IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Instead of denying the appearance of power, it is
      important to question the execution of power in the interplay between users and
      professionals. Focusing on the negotiation processes between users and
      professionals is important for increasing reflection on and improving
      understanding of the dynamic in collaboration and speech. By focusing on
      negotiations, power can be used in productive ways in user-professional
      relationships. ABSTRACT: Introduction Implementation of user participation is
      considered important in today's mental health care. Research shows, however, that
      user participation lacks clarity and provokes uncertainty regarding shifting
      roles. Aim To investigate negotiation of user participation in a microstudy of
      interplay between users and health professionals in community mental health care.
      Method This qualitative study is based on semi-structured in-depth interviews,
      involving ten service users and ten professionals in community mental health care
      in Norway. The analysis is inspired by Willig's model for Foucauldian discourse
      analysis. Results The study illuminates the dynamic nature of user participation
      that arises through negotiation between users' and professionals' positions as
      change enablers, dependents, resisters, persuaders and knowledge holders.
      Discussion Discourses of user participation allow for different subject positions
      in mental health care. User participation also involves government and questions
      of power, as well as ambitions of change and control. Professionals act in
      different ways to make and keep users active, participating, enterprising and
      self-governing, and users respond and take part within the same discursive
      framework. Implications for practice Awareness of subjects' positions in
      discourses is important to increase reflection on the dynamic interplay in user
      professional collaboration.

PMID- 28627083
TI  - A review of important electroencephalogram features for the assessment of brain
      maturation in premature infants.
AB  - : This review describes the maturational features of the baseline
      electroencephalogram (EEG) in the neurologically healthy preterm infant. Features
      such as continuity, sleep state, synchrony and transient waveforms are described,
      even from extremely preterm infants and includes abundant illustrated examples.
      The physiological significance of these EEG features and their relationship to
      neurodevelopment are highlighted where known. This review also demonstrates the
      importance of multichannel conventional EEG monitoring for preterm infants as
      many of the features described are not apparent if limited channel EEG monitors
      are used. CONCLUSION: This review aims to provide healthcare professionals in the
      neonatal intensive care unit with guidance on the more common normal maturational
      features seen in the EEG of preterm infants.

PMID- 28627084
TI  - Water-Catalyzed Oxidation of Few-Layer Black Phosphorous in a Dark Environment.
AB  - Black phosphorus (BP) shows great potential in electronic and optoelectronic
      devices owing to its semiconducting properties, such as thickness-dependent
      direct bandgap and ambipolar transport characteristics. However, the poor
      stability of BP in air seriously limits its practical applications. To develop
      effective schemes to protect BP, it is crucial to reveal the degradation
      mechanism under various environments. To date, it is generally accepted that BP
      degrades in air via light-induced oxidation. Herein, we report a new degradation
      channel via water-catalyzed oxidation of BP in the dark. When oxygen co-adsorbs
      with highly polarized water molecules on BP surface, the polarization effect of
      water can significantly lower the energy levels of oxygen (i.e. enhanced electron
      affinity), thereby facilitating the electron transfer from BP to oxygen to
      trigger the BP oxidation even in the dark environment. This new degradation
      mechanism lays important foundation for the development of proper protecting
      schemes in black phosphorus-based devices.

PMID- 28627085
TI  - Examining levels, distribution and correlates of health insurance coverage in
      Kenya.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the levels, inequalities and factors associated with health
      insurance coverage in Kenya. METHODS: We analysed secondary data from the Kenya
      Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) conducted in 2009 and 2014. We examined the
      level of health insurance coverage overall, and by type, using an asset index to
      categorise households into five socio-economic quintiles with quintile 5 (Q5)
      being the richest and quintile 1 (Q1) being the poorest. The high-low ratio
      (Q5/Q1 ratio), concentration curve and concentration index (CIX) were employed to
      assess inequalities in health insurance coverage, and logistic regression to
      examine correlates of health insurance coverage. RESULTS: Overall health
      insurance coverage increased from 8.17% to 19.59% between 2009 and 2014. There
      was high inequality in overall health insurance coverage, even though this
      inequality decreased between 2009 (Q5/Q1 ratio of 31.21, CIX = 0.61, 95% CI 0.52
      0.0.71) and 2014 (Q5/Q1 ratio 12.34, CIX = 0.49, 95% CI 0.45-0.52). Individuals
      that were older, employed in the formal sector; married, exposed to media; and
      male, belonged to a small household, had a chronic disease and belonged to rich
      households, had increased odds of health insurance coverage. CONCLUSION: Health
      insurance coverage in Kenya remains low and is characterised by significant
      inequality. In a context where over 80% of the population is in the informal
      sector, and close to 50% live below the national poverty line, achieving high and
      equitable coverage levels with contributory and voluntary health insurance
      mechanism is problematic. Kenya should consider a universal, tax-funded mechanism
      that ensures revenues are equitably and efficiently collected, and everyone
      (including the poor and those in the informal sector) is covered.

PMID- 28627086
TI  - The hypertension of hemophilia is associated with vascular remodeling in the
      joint.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Hemophilic arthropathy is associated with pronounced vascular joint
      remodeling. Also, compared to the general population, PWH have a higher
      prevalence of hypertension not explained by usual risk factors. As vascular
      remodeling in various vascular beds is a hallmark of hypertension, we
      hypothesized that vascular joint remodeling is associated with elevated blood
      pressures and hypertension. METHODS: Elbows, knees, and ankles of 28 adult PWH
      were evaluated for vascular abnormalities with MSKUS/PD, as well as for
      radiographic and clinical status and pain. Logistic and linear regression models
      were fitted to examine associations between hypertension, blood pressure, and PD
      score. RESULTS: The extent of vascular abnormalities was associated with
      hypertension and blood pressures. Hypertensive patients had a higher PD score
      compared to nonhypertensive patients, and the risk of hypertension increased
      steeply with PD score. SBP was also strongly associated with PD score, while DBP
      was only weakly associated. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular remodeling in hemophilic joints
      is associated with hypertension and elevated blood pressures. As hypertension is
      a grave risk factor for intracranial hemorrhage, a prominent cause of mortality
      in hemophilia patients, future studies are needed to address the causal pathways
      between vascular joint remodeling and blood pressure.

PMID- 28627087
TI  - Familial seborrhoeic keratosis associated with multiple 'pure reticulated
      acanthomas' and infundibulocystic basal cell carcinomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A variety of genodermatoses with multiple cutaneous tumours and
      germline genetic alterations, such as PTCH1 mutations, have been described. Other
      cutaneous syndromes have been associated with somatic gene mutations, such as
      FGFR3 in familial seborrhoeic keratosis. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical,
      dermoscopic and histopathological features of multiple cutaneous lesions, mostly
      infundibulocystic basal cell carcinomas (ICBCCs) and pure reticulated acanthomas,
      present in a family affected by familial seborrhoeic keratosis. In addition, we
      tested for possible germline alterations in FGFR3 and PTCH1. METHODS: Ten members
      of one family were clinically examined and 92 skin biopsy specimens were
      evaluated. Blood samples from six individuals were analysed for FGFR3 and PTCH1
      germline alterations. We reviewed the literature concerning genetic FGFR3
      alterations in seborrhoeic keratosis. RESULTS: Individuals of all generations
      affected by familial seborrhoeic keratosis also presented other skin tumours that
      corresponded histologically to reticulated acanthomas without apocrine or
      sebaceous differentiation, as well as ICBCCs. In addition, two novel germline
      variants, p.Pro449Ser (c.1345C>T) in FGFR3 and p.Pro725Ser (c.2173C>T) in exon 14
      of PTCH1 were identified in five participants. CONCLUSIONS: We characterize for
      the first time the clinical, dermoscopic and histopathological features of
      multiple reticulated acanthomas without apocrine or sebaceous differentiation,
      for which we propose the term 'pure reticulated acanthoma', and ICBCCs associated
      with familial seborrhoeic keratosis. We identified FGFR3 and PTCH1 germline
      polymorphisms whose influence in the development of reticulated acanthomas is
      unknown.

PMID- 28627088
TI  - Astrogliosis and impaired aquaporin-4 and dystrophin systems in idiopathic normal
      pressure hydrocephalus.
AB  - AIMS: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is one subtype of dementia
      that may improve following drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This
      prospective observational study explored whether expression of the water channel
      aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and the anchoring molecule dystrophin 71 (Dp71) are altered at
      astrocytic perivascular endfeet and in adjacent neuropil of iNPH patient.
      Observations were related to measurements of pulsatile and static intracranial
      pressure (ICP). METHODS: The study included iNPH patients undergoing overnight
      monitoring of the pulsatile/static ICP in whom a biopsy was taken from the
      frontal cerebral cortex during placement of the ICP sensor. Reference (Ref)
      biopsies were sampled from 13 patients who underwent brain surgery for epilepsy,
      tumours or cerebral aneurysms. The brain tissue specimens were examined by light
      microscopy, immunohistochemistry, densitometry and morphometry. RESULTS: iNPH
      patients responding to surgery (n = 44) had elevated pulsatile ICP, indicative of
      impaired intracranial compliance. As compared to the Ref patients, the cortical
      biopsies of iNPH patients revealed prominent astrogliosis and reduced expression
      of AQP4 and Dp71 immunoreactivities in the astrocytic perivascular endfeet and in
      parts of the adjacent neuropil. There was a significant correlation between
      degree of astrogliosis and reduction of AQP4 and Dp71 at astrocytic perivascular
      endfeet. CONCLUSIONS: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus patients
      responding to CSF diversion present with abnormal pulsatile ICP, indicative of
      impaired intracranial compliance. A main histopathological finding was
      astrogliosis and reduction of AQP4 and of Dp71 in astrocytic perivascular
      endfeet. We propose that the altered AQP4 and Dp71 complex contributes to the
      subischaemia prevalent in the brain tissue of iNPH.

PMID- 28627089
TI  - Analysis of PTPN22, ZFAT and MYO9B polymorphisms in Turner Syndrome and risk of
      autoimmune disease.
AB  - Turner syndrome (TS) is one of the most common sexual chromosome abnormalities
      and is clearly associated with an increased risk of autoimmune diseases,
      particularly thyroid disease and coeliac disease (CD). Single-nucleotide
      polymorphism analyses have been shown to provide correlative evidence that
      specific genes are associated with autoimmune disease. Our aim was to study the
      functional polymorphic variants of PTPN22 and ZFAT in relation to thyroid disease
      and those of MYO9B in relation to CD. A cross-sectional comparative analysis was
      performed on Mexican mestizo patients with TS and age-matched healthy females.
      Our data showed that PTPN22 C1858T (considered a risk variant) is not associated
      with TS (X2  = 3.50, p = .61, and OR = 0.33 [95% CI = 0.10-1.10]). Also, ZFAT was
      not associated with TS (X2  = 1.2, p = .28, and OR = 1.22 [95% CI = 0.84-1.79]).
      However, for the first time, rs2305767 MYO9B was revealed to have a strong
      association with TS (X2  = 58.6, p = .0001, and OR = 10.44 [95% C = 5.51-19.80]),
      supporting a high level of predisposition to CD among TS patients. This report
      addresses additional data regarding the polymorphic variants associated with
      autoimmune disease, one of the most common complications in TS.

PMID- 28627090
TI  - Silver-Catalyzed Stereoselective Aminosulfonylation of Alkynes.
AB  - A silver-catalyzed intermolecular aminosulfonylation of terminal alkynes with
      sodium sulfinates and TMSN3 is reported. This three-component reaction proceeds
      through sequential hydroazidation of the terminal alkyne and addition of a
      sulfonyl radical to the resultant vinyl azide. The method enables the
      stereoselective synthesis of a wide range of beta-sulfonyl enamines without
      electron-withdrawing groups on the nitrogen atom. These enamines are found to be
      suitable for a variety of further transformations.

PMID- 28627091
TI  - Acute myeloid leukemia in a child with dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8)
      deficiency.

PMID- 28627092
TI  - The contextual-level effects of social trust on health in transitional countries:
      Instrumental variable analysis of 26 countries.
AB  - We analyse the effect of contextual-level social capital on health status in a
      sample of 26 transitional countries of Central and South Europe, Mongolia, and
      the former Soviet Union for 2006-2010 (N = 51 911). Contextual-level social
      capital is conceptualized as country-level social trust, while health status is
      conceptualized as self-rated health. We use ordinary least squares and
      instrumental variable regressions to address endogeneity and especially to rule
      out reverse causality. Both instrumental variable and ordinary least squares
      regressions suggest a strong positive effect of country-level trust on health.
      This finding is consistent for the whole sample as well as separate regional
      estimations.

PMID- 28627094
TI  - Spectrum of hepatitis B and renal involvement.
AB  - Renal involvement in hepatitis B occurs in various spectrums and its knowledge is
      important for clinicians in management of patients. The renal diseases most
      commonly associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection include membranous
      nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and Polyarteritis nodosa.
      The widespread use of hepatitis B vaccination has decreased the incidence of HBV
      related renal diseases. The incidence of HBV infection in dialysis patients has
      significantly decreased over the past few decades because of screening of blood
      products for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B core antibody,
      implementation of infection control measures and hepatitis B vaccination. The
      definition of acute kidney injury has been recently modified in cirrhotic
      population, helping in prognosis and prediction of mortality. The most common
      etiologies of acute kidney injury in this cirrhotic population, which account for
      80% to 90% of all cases, include volume depletion, acute tubular necrosis and
      hepatorenal syndrome. Treatment with oral nucleoside/tide analogues (NA) brought
      a new paradigm in the management of HBsAg positive glomerulonephritis, kidney
      transplant recipients and dialysis patients, resulting in effective viral
      suppression, reduced hepatic complications and improved patient survival, without
      compromising renal allograft outcome. NAs are cleared by the kidneys and
      therefore their dosage has to be adjusted in all patients with impaired renal
      function. This article reviews the recent knowledge of the pathogenesis and
      treatment of HBV-related glomerulonephritis and discusses the management of
      hepatitis B in patients on dialysis, kidney transplant recipients and cirrhotics,
      which is continuously evolving.

PMID- 28627095
TI  - Sporotrichosis masquerading as pyoderma gangrenosum.

PMID- 28627093
TI  - Characterization of thrombosis in patients with Proteus syndrome.
AB  - Patients with overgrowth and complex vascular malformation syndromes, including
      Proteus syndrome have an increased risk of thromboembolism. Proteus syndrome is a
      mosaic, progressive overgrowth disorder involving vasculature, skin, and
      skeleton, and caused by a somatic activating mutation in AKT1. We conducted a
      comprehensive review of the medical histories and hematologic evaluations of 57
      patients with Proteus syndrome to identify potential risk factors for thrombosis.
      We found that six of ten patients, who were deceased, died secondary to deep
      venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism. Of the remaining 47 living patients,
      six had thromboembolic events that all occurred postoperatively and in an
      affected limb. Eleven of 21 patients had an abnormal hypercoagulable panel
      including Factor V Leiden heterozygotes, antithrombin III deficiency, positive
      lupus anticoagulant, or Protein C or S deficiencies. We observed that eight of 17
      patients had an abnormal D-dimer level >0.5 mcg/dl, but deep venous thromboses
      occurred in only four of those with D-dimer >1.0 mcg/dl. We conclude that the
      predisposition to thrombosis is likely to be multifaceted with risk factors
      including vascular malformations, immobility, surgery, additional prothrombotic
      factors, and possible pathophysiologic effects of the somatic AKT1 mutation on
      platelet function or the vascular endothelium. The D-dimer test is useful as a
      screen for thromboembolism, although the screening threshold may need to be
      adjusted for patients with this disorder. We propose developing a registry to
      collect D-dimer and outcome data to facilitate adjustment of the D-dimer
      threshold for Proteus syndrome and related disorders, including PIK3CA-Related
      Overgrowth Spectrum.

PMID- 28627096
TI  - High titer of anti-citrullinated peptide antibody is a risk factor for severe
      carotid atherosclerotic plaque in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the
      TOMORROW study.
AB  - AIM: Cardiovascular disease is one of the complications of rheumatoid arthritis
      (RA). We researched the morbidity and severity of existing carotid
      atherosclerosis plaque and associated risk factors in patients with RA. METHOD:
      This study included 413 participants, including 208 patients with RA and 205 age-
      and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Carotid ultrasound, clinical data collection
      and assessment of cardiovascular risk factors were performed. Atherosclerotic
      plaque was defined as an intima-media thickness >= 1.1 mm. Severity of plaque was
      assessed by plaque score, defined as the sum of the maximal thickness of all
      plaques in bilateral carotid arteries. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 200
      patients with RA and 202 controls. Carotid plaque was observed more frequently in
      patients with RA than controls (47.0 vs. 36.1%, P = 0.027). Moreover, plaque
      score was significantly higher in RA patients (P = 0.032). In logistic regression
      analysis, RA represented an independent risk factor for the presence of plaque
      (adjusted odds ratio, 1.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.74). Comparing RA
      patients with and without plaque, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP)
      antibodies titer was significantly higher in patients with plaque (315.8 +/-
      454.1 U/mL) than in patients without (165.7 +/- 281.1 U/mL; P = 0.005). Moreover,
      multiple linear regression analysis clarified that anti-CCP antibody titer was
      associated with plaque score in patients with RA. CONCLUSION: High prevalence of
      any carotid plaques and severe carotid plaques were more frequent in patients
      with RA. High titer of anti-CCP antibodies represented a risk factor for severe
      carotid atherosclerotic plaque in patients with RA.

PMID- 28627097
TI  - Stability of outcomes after 5 years of treatment in an early intervention
      programme.
AB  - AIM: It has been hypothesized that the first 5 years are critical in determining
      long-term recovery from psychotic disorders. We examine stability in recovery
      indices after 5 years for 56 patients treated in an early intervention programme
      for psychosis. METHODS: Assessments of symptom remission and functional recovery
      were carried out 5 and 10 years after initiation of treatment. RESULTS: Although
      overall rates of recovery were comparable at both times, there were significant
      changes for individuals reflecting both improvement and deterioration.
      CONCLUSIONS: Evidence concerning the critical period hypothesis should examine
      stability in individuals rather than relying on cumulative indices.

PMID- 28627098
TI  - Effect of Concomitant Birth Defects and Genetic Anomalies on Infant Mortality in
      Tetralogy of Fallot.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A substantial proportion of infants born with tetralogy of Fallot
      (TOF) die in infancy. A better understanding of the heterogeneity associated with
      TOF, including extracardiac malformations and chromosomal anomalies is vital to
      stratifying risk and optimizing outcomes during infancy. METHODS: Using the North
      Carolina Birth Defects Monitoring Program, infants diagnosed with TOF and born
      between 2003 and 2012 were included. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to
      estimate cumulative 1-year mortality, stratified by the presence of concomitant
      birth defects (BDs) and chromosomal anomalies. Multivariable logistic regression
      was used to estimate the direct effect of each concomitant BD, after adjusting
      for all others. RESULTS: A total of 496 infants with TOF were included, and 15%
      (n = 76) died. The number of concomitant BD systems was significantly associated
      with the risk of death at 1-year, p < 0.0001. Specifically, the risk of mortality
      was 8% among infants with TOF with or without additional cardiac defects, 16%
      among infants with TOF and 1 extracardiac BD system, 19% among infants with 2
      extracardiac BD systems, and 39% among infants with >= 3 extracardiac BD systems.
      After adjustment, concomitant eye and gastrointestinal defects were significantly
      associated increased with 1-year mortality, odds ratio 2.83 (95% confidence
      interval, 1.08-7.32) and odds ratio 4.43 (95% confidence interval, 1.57, 12.45),
      respectively. Infants with trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 were also significantly more
      likely to die, p < 0.0001. CONCLUSION: Both concomitant BDs and genetic anomalies
      increase the risk of mortality among infants with TOF. Future studies are needed
      to identify the underlying genetic and socioeconomic risk factors for high-risk
      TOF infants. Birth Defects Research 109:1154-1165, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627099
TI  - Fossils, proxies, and models: Geobiology at critical transitions in the
      Proterozoic-Paleozoic.

PMID- 28627100
TI  - Subcutaneous extraskeletal osteosarcoma in a metatarsal footpad in a cat.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extraskeletal osteosarcomas (ESOSAs) are rare neoplasms in humans and
      animals. In cats, ESOSA has been reported to arise from orbital, ocular,
      intestinal, mammary and subcutaneous locations. Subcutaneous ESOSA occurs most
      commonly at sites used for vaccination including interscapular, dorsal lumbar or
      thigh areas. Previous reports of feline cases have not documented the use of
      advanced diagnostic imaging to exclude a primary bone tumour. OBJECTIVE: To
      describe the clinicopathological and advanced imaging findings of a subcutaneous
      ESOSA occurring in a metatarsal footpad of a cat and to report the one year
      follow-up status. ANIMAL: A 9-year-old neutered male domestic short hair cat.
      METHODS: Physical, abdominal ultrasonographic and computed tomographic
      examinations, and excisional biopsy for histopathological and immunohistochemical
      evaluation. RESULTS: The cat presented with mild focal erythematous swelling of
      the left metatarsal pad. ESOSA was diagnosed through advanced diagnostic imaging
      and histopathological examinations. Histopathological findings were consistent
      with osteosarcoma. No primary bone disease was observed on computed tomography.
      The owners declined limb amputation. One year after diagnosis, the cat was alive
      without disease progression. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Extraskeletal
      osteosarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue
      swelling in footpads in cats. Advanced diagnostic imaging is recommended to
      exclude primary bone tumours.

PMID- 28627101
TI  - Depletion of cdc-25.3, a Caenorhabditis elegans orthologue of cdc25, increases
      physiological germline apoptosis.
AB  - In Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites, physiological germline apoptosis is
      higher in cdc-25.3 mutants than in wild-type. The elevated germline apoptosis in
      cdc-25.3 mutants seems to be induced by accumulation of double-stranded DNA
      breaks (DSBs). Both DNA damage and synapsis checkpoint genes are required to
      increase the germline apoptosis. Notably, the number of germ cells that lose P
      granule components, PGL-1 and PGL-3, increase in cdc-25.3 mutants, and the
      increase in germline apoptosis requires the activity of SIR-2.1, a Sirtuin
      orthologue. These results suggest that elevation of germline apoptosis in cdc
      25.3 mutants is induced by accumulation of DSBs, leading to a loss of PGL-1 and
      PGL-3 in germ cells, which promotes cytoplasmic translocation of SIR-2.1, and
      finally activates the core apoptotic machinery.

PMID- 28627103
TI  - Intimacy: The drama and beauty of encountering the Other.

PMID- 28627102
TI  - Quantitation of gamma-aminobutyric acid in equine plasma by hydrophilic
      interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - gamma-Aminobutyric acid is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the
      central nervous system and regulates the neuronal excitability. There has been
      anecdotal evidence that gamma-aminobutyric acid has been used within a few hours
      prior to competition in equine sports to calm down nervous horses. However,
      regulating the use of gamma-aminobutyric acid is challenging because it is an
      endogenous substance in the horse. gamma-Aminobutyric acid is usually present at
      low ng/mL levels in equine plasma; therefore, a sensitive method has to be
      developed to quantify these low background levels. Measuring low concentrations
      of endogenous gamma-aminobutyric acid is essential to establish a threshold that
      can be used to differentiate levels attributable to exogenous administrations of
      gamma-aminobutyric acid. A hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled
      with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the
      quantitation of gamma-aminobutyric acid in equine plasma. Calibrators were
      prepared in artificial surrogate matrix consisting of 35 mg/mL equine serum
      albumin in phosphate buffered saline. Samples were prepared by protein
      precipitation with acetonitrile. Utilizing this methodology, a total of 403
      equine plasma samples collected post-competition from horses participating in
      equestrian events in Canada were analyzed.

PMID- 28627104
TI  - Intimacy: The tank in the bedroom.

PMID- 28627105
TI  - Reverie-informed research interviewing.
AB  - Drawing on Thomas Ogden's notion of 'reverie', the role of self-reflection in
      research interviewing is explored. Ogden views reverie as a co-created
      intersubjective phenomenon, a 'third', distinct from both analyst and patient.
      Two face-to-face research interviews with adolescent depression sufferers are
      described, showing how reverie can be used to help overcome impasse, and develop
      research hypotheses. Participant-centred research interviews were thus shown to
      be enhanced by psychoanalytically informed self-reflection as accessed through
      reverie. The role of reverie in research interviewing, in part spontaneous and
      ineffable, in part defined and systematic, is discussed.

PMID- 28627106
TI  - Letter from Argentina.

PMID- 28627107
TI  - Intimacy thwarted and established: Following a girl from infancy to child
      psychotherapy.

PMID- 28627109
TI  - High-power Magnetotherapy: A New Weapon in Urinary Incontinence?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common urinary system
      diseases that mostly affects women but also men. We evaluated the therapeutic
      efficacy of functional magnetic stimulation (FMS) as potential UI treatment with
      improvements in the pelvic floor musculature, urodynamic tests and quality of
      life. METHODS: A total of 20 UI patients (10 females and 10 men, mean age 64, 14
      years), including 10 with stress UI, four with urgency UI and six with mixed UI,
      were treated with FMS (20 min/session) twice a week for 3 weeks. The patients'
      impressions, records in urinary diaries, and scores of three life stress
      questionnaires (overactive bladder symptom questionnaire [OAB-q], urogenital
      distress inventory questionnaire-short form [UDI-6], incontinence impact
      questionnaire-short form [IIQ-7]) were performed pre- and post-treatment.
      RESULTS: Significant reductions (P < 0.01) of micturition number and nocturia
      after magnetic treatment were evidenced. The urodynamic tests recorded a
      significant increase in cystometric capacity (147 +/- 51.3%), in maximum urethral
      closure pressure (110 +/- 34%), in urethral functional length (99.8 +/- 51.8%),
      and in pressure transmission ratio (147 +/- 51.3%) values compared with the
      baseline values. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest that FMS with
      Magneto STYM (twice weekly for 3 weeks) improves the UI and may be an effective
      treatment for this urogenital disease.

PMID- 28627110
TI  - Patient preferences for healthcare delivery through community pharmacy settings
      in the USA: A discrete choice study.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: In order to improve public health, it is necessary
      to facilitate patients' easy access to affordable high-quality primary health
      care, and one enhanced approach to do so may be to provide primary healthcare
      services in the community pharmacy setting. Discrete choice experiments to
      evaluate patient demand for services in pharmacy are relatively limited and have
      been hampered by a focus on only a few service alternatives, most focusing on
      changes in more traditional pharmacy services. The study aim was to gauge patient
      preferences explicitly for primary healthcare services that could be delivered
      through community pharmacy settings in the USA, using a very large sample to
      accommodate multiple service delivery options. METHODS: An online survey was
      administered to a total of 9202 adult patients from the general population. A
      subsequent online survey was administered to 50 payer reimbursement decision
      makers. The patient survey included a discrete choice experiment (DCE) which
      showed competing scenarios describing primary care service offerings. The
      respondents chose which scenario would be most likely to induce them to switch
      from their current pharmacy, and an optimal patient primary care service model
      was derived. The likelihood this model would be reimbursed was then determined in
      the payer survey. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The final optimal service configuration
      that would maximize patient preference included the pharmacy: offering
      appointments to see a healthcare provider in the pharmacy, having access to their
      full medical record, provide point-of-care diagnostic testing, offer health
      preventive screening, provide limited physical examinations such as measuring
      vital signs, and drug prescribing in the pharmacy. The optimal model had the
      pharmacist as the provider; however, little change in demand was evident if the
      provider was a nurse-practitioner or physician's assistant. The demand for this
      optimal model was 2-fold higher (25.5%; 95% Bayesian precision interval (BPI)
      23.5%-27.0%) than for a base pharmacy offering minimal primary care services
      (12.6%; 95% BPI 12.2%-13.2%), and was highest among Hispanic (30.6%; 95% BPI:
      25.7%-34.3%) and African American patients (30.7%; 95% BPI: 27.1%-35.2%). In the
      second reimbursement decision-maker survey, the majority (66%) indicated their
      organization would be likely to reimburse the services described in the optimal
      patient model if provided in the pharmacy setting. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION:
      This United States national study provides empirical support for a model of
      providing primary care services through community pharmacy settings that would
      increase access, with the potential to improve the public health.

PMID- 28627111
TI  - European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA): results with the
      European baseline series, 2013/14.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Contact allergy is a common condition and can severely interfere with
      daily life or professional activities. Due to changes in exposures, such as
      introduction of new substances, new products or formulations and regulatory
      intervention, the spectrum of contact sensitization changes. OBJECTIVE: To
      evaluate the current spectrum of contact allergy to allergens present in the
      European baseline series (EBS) across Europe. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of
      data collected by the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA,
      www.essca-dc.org) in consecutively patch-tested patients, 2013/14, in 46
      departments in 12 European countries. RESULTS: Altogether, 31 689 patients were
      included in the analysis. Compared to a similar analysis in 2004, the prevalence
      of contact allergy to methylisothiazolinone went up to around 20% in several
      departments. In comparison, contact allergy to the metals nickel, cobalt and
      chromium remained largely stable, at 18.1%, 5.9% and 3.2%, respectively, similar
      to mostly unchanged prevalence with fragrance mix I, II and Myroxylon pereirae
      (balsam of Peru) at 7.3%, 3.8% and 5.3%, respectively. In the subgroup of
      departments diagnosing (mainly) patients with occupational contact dermatitis,
      the prevalence of work-related contact allergies such as epoxy resin or rubber
      additives was found to be increased, compared to general dermatology departments.
      CONCLUSION: Continuous surveillance of contact allergy based on network data
      offers the identification of time trends or persisting problems, and thus enables
      focussing in-depth research (subgroup analyses, exposure analysis) on areas where
      it is needed.

PMID- 28627112
TI  - Asymptotic distribution of ?AUC, NRIs, and IDI based on theory of U-statistics.
AB  - The change in area under the curve (?AUC), the integrated discrimination
      improvement (IDI), and net reclassification index (NRI) are commonly used
      measures of risk prediction model performance. Some authors have reported good
      validity of associated methods of estimating their standard errors (SE) and
      construction of confidence intervals, whereas others have questioned their
      performance. To address these issues, we unite the ?AUC, IDI, and three versions
      of the NRI under the umbrella of the U-statistics family. We rigorously show that
      the asymptotic behavior of ?AUC, NRIs, and IDI fits the asymptotic distribution
      theory developed for U-statistics. We prove that the ?AUC, NRIs, and IDI are
      asymptotically normal, unless they compare nested models under the null
      hypothesis. In the latter case, asymptotic normality and existing SE estimates
      cannot be applied to ?AUC, NRIs, or IDI. In the former case, SE formulas proposed
      in the literature are equivalent to SE formulas obtained from U-statistics theory
      if we ignore adjustment for estimated parameters. We use Sukhatme-Randles-deWet
      condition to determine when adjustment for estimated parameters is necessary. We
      show that adjustment is not necessary for SEs of the ?AUC and two versions of the
      NRI when added predictor variables are significant and normally distributed. The
      SEs of the IDI and three-category NRI should always be adjusted for estimated
      parameters. These results allow us to define when existing formulas for SE
      estimates can be used and when resampling methods such as the bootstrap should be
      used instead when comparing nested models. We also use the U-statistic theory to
      develop a new SE estimate of ?AUC. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28627113
TI  - Can tissue dielectric constant measurements assess circulating blood volume
      changes in patients undergoing haemodialysis?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The tissue dielectric constant (TDC) method uses an open-ended
      coaxial probe to achieve non-invasive measurement of water content in skin. The
      aim of our study was to test the hypothesis that the changes in circulating blood
      volume would be associated with the changes in TDC values in patients undergoing
      haemodialysis. METHODS: In this prospective descriptive study, TDC measurements
      were performed for three parts of the body (the face, shin and hand) before and
      after patients underwent haemodialysis (N = 83). The primary outcome measure was
      the correlation between the amount of water removal and DeltaTDC at each body
      site measured (DeltaTDC = posthaemodialysis TDC-prehaemodialysis TDC). The
      secondary outcome measure was the mean difference in TDC value before and after
      haemodialysis. RESULTS: The TDC values measured at each part of the body were
      significantly reduced after haemodialysis, but the percentage difference between
      pre- haemodialysis and posthaemodialysis was small for the face, shin and hand,
      with %mean +/- SE values of -4.4 +/- 0.70, -3.2 +/- 0.98 and -6.0 +/- 1.6; 95 per
      cent confidence intervals (lower bound to upper bound) of 3.0-5.8, 1.3-5.2 and
      2.7-9.2; and P values of P = 0.000, P = 0.000 and P = 0.000, respectively. The
      inverse correlation between DeltaTDC and the amount of water removal was also
      weak (correlation at the face, r = -0.25, P = 0.028; at the shin, r = -0.26, P =
      0.018; and at the hand, no significant correlation). CONCLUSION: Our results
      indicate that TDC measurement can be used to assess the changes in local oedema,
      but may be unlikely to evaluate real-time changes in the circulating blood volume
      in a clinical setting.

PMID- 28627115
TI  - Pup recycling regulates the proteasome.
AB  - The Pup proteasome system (PPS) in bacteria is equivalent to the eukaryotic
      ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) that allows controlled protein degradation.
      Unlike the UPS, however, the PPS machinery and regulation is still poorly
      understood. In this issue of The FEBS Journal, Gur and colleagues combine
      experimental and modelling analyses to show how the PPS maintains steady-state
      levels of protein pupylation and consequently tightly controlled protein
      degradation.

PMID- 28627117
TI  - The cognitive features of idiopathic and DYT1 dystonia.
AB  - Dystonia is a common movement disorder. In this paper, we review the literature
      on cognitive function in idiopathic and DYT1 dystonia. In idiopathic or DYT1
      dystonia, cognition is largely intact with only isolated executive dysfunction.
      Dystonia patients also have increased temporal and spatial discrimination
      thresholds, considered endophenotypes of the disorder because deficits are also
      shown by unaffected relatives and nonmanifesting carriers of the DYT1 mutation.
      Anticholinergic medication in high doses can be associated with memory impairment
      in dystonia. The successful treatment of dystonia with botulinum toxin injections
      or deep brain stimulation does not produce any major adverse effects on
      cognition. The aspects of cognition that require further investigation in future
      studies of dystonia include inhibitory control, decision making, and social
      cognition. (c) 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

PMID- 28627118
TI  - Optical Microresonators for Sensing and Transduction: A Materials Perspective.
AB  - Optical microresonators confine light to a particular microscale trajectory, are
      exquisitely sensitive to their microenvironment, and offer convenient readout of
      their optical properties. Taken together, this is an immensely attractive
      combination that makes optical microresonators highly effective as sensors and
      transducers. Meanwhile, advances in material science, fabrication techniques, and
      photonic sensing strategies endow optical microresonators with new
      functionalities, unique transduction mechanisms, and in some cases, unparalleled
      sensitivities. In this progress report, the operating principles of these sensors
      are reviewed, and different methods of signal transduction are evaluated.
      Examples are shown of how choice of materials must be suited to the analyte, and
      how innovations in fabrication and sensing are coupled together in a mutually
      reinforcing cycle. A tremendously broad range of capabilities of microresonator
      sensors is described, from electric and magnetic field sensing to mechanical
      sensing, from single-molecule detection to imaging and spectroscopy, from
      operation at high vacuum to in live cells. Emerging sensing capabilities are
      highlighted and put into context in the field. Future directions are imagined,
      where the diverse capabilities laid out are combined and advances in scalability
      and integration are implemented, leading to the creation of a sensor unparalleled
      in sensitivity and information content.

PMID- 28627119
TI  - Australian Century.
AB  - Let the corks pop! This year, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI), a
      partner of the Asian Chemical Editorial Society (ACES) and co-owner of Chemistry 
      An Asian Journal, celebrates its 100th anniversary. This special issue honors
      that occasion. In the Editorial, Chemistry - An Asian Journal Editor Theresa
      Kueckmann and RACI CEO Roger Stapleford look at the connection between the
      journal, ACES and RACI and how RACI has become a driving force in connecting
      chemists among themselves and within Australian society.

PMID- 28627120
TI  - New insights into human primordial germ cells and early embryonic development
      from single-cell analysis.
AB  - Human preimplantation developmental studies are difficult to accomplish due to
      associated ethical and moral issues. Preimplantation cells are rare and exist
      only in transient cell states. From a single cell, it is very challenging to
      analyse the origination of the heterogeneity and complexity inherent to the human
      body. However, recent advances in single-cell technology and data analysis have
      provided new insights into the process of early human development and germ cell
      specification. In this Review, we examine the latest single-cell datasets of
      human preimplantation embryos and germ cell development, compare them to bulk
      cell analyses, and interpret their biological implications.

PMID- 28627121
TI  - Cushing's syndrome caused by use of synthetic ocular steroid.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Cases of Cushing's syndrome (CS) following ocular
      steroid use have been reported in recent years, albeit rarely. CASE DESCRIPTION:
      We report a case of iatrogenic CS in a child induced by fluorometholone
      containing eyedrops. Our patient was referred to our endocrinology clinic due to
      rapid weight gain. His history revealed that 1.5 months previously he had been
      started on fluorometholone eyedrops. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: To the best of
      our knowledge, no cases of CS have been reported following ocular fluorometholone
      use. Although eyedrops containing potent glucocorticoids may lead to CS,
      fluorometholone, a relatively less potent steroid, may also cause the syndrome,
      as in our case.

PMID- 28627122
TI  - A biotinylated peptide, BP21, as a novel potent anti-anaphylactic agent targeting
      platelet-activating factor.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an important mediator of anaphylaxis and is
      therefore an anti-anaphylactic drug target. We recently reported that synthetic N
      terminally biotinylated peptides (BP4-BP29) inhibit PAF by directly interacting
      with PAF and its metabolite/precursor lyso-PAF. In this study, we investigated
      whether the biotinylated peptides can inhibit anaphylactic reactions in vivo. In
      mouse models of anaphylaxis, one of the peptides, BP21, markedly and dose
      dependently inhibited hypothermia with a maximum dose-response within 30 min
      after administration, even at doses 20 times lesser than doses of the known PAF
      antagonist CV-3988. In contrast, the anti-hypothermic effect of BGP21, in which
      the Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly sequence in BP21 was modified to a Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly sequence,
      was less than that of BP21. The alanine scanning and shuffling the amino acid
      residues of BP4 (Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly) demonstrated that the Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly consensus
      sequence is important for the inhibitory effect of the peptide on hypothermia.
      BP21 also suppressed vascular permeability during anaphylaxis with a maximum dose
      response within 30 min of administration. In a rat model of hind paw oedema, BP21
      significantly inhibited the oedema induced by PAF but not that induced by the
      other pro-inflammatory mediators, such as histamine, serotonin, and bradykinin.
      Tryptophan fluorescence measurements showed that BP21 interacted with PAF, but
      not with histamine, serotonin, or bradykinin. In contrast, BGP21 did not interact
      with PAF. These results suggest that biotinylated peptides, especially BP21, can
      specifically and markedly inhibit anaphylactic reactions in vivo and that this
      involves direct interaction of its Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly region with PAF. Therefore, a
      biotinylated peptide, BP21, can be used as novel potential anti-anaphylactic
      drugs targeting PAF. Copyright (c) 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley &
      Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28627123
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and Relative Bioavailability of Orally Administered Innovator
      Formulated Itraconazole Capsules and Solution in Healthy Dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Itraconazole is commonly used for treatment of systemic and cutaneous
      mycoses in veterinary medicine. Two formulations, capsule and solution, are used
      interchangeably in dogs. However, marked differences in bioavailability have been
      reported in other species. Similar investigations have not been performed in
      dogs. OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare pharmacokinetics of itraconazole in
      dogs after oral administration of commercially available capsule and solution
      formulations intended for use in humans. ANIMALS: Eight healthy, adult, purpose
      bred dogs. METHODS: Dogs received approximately 10 mg/kg of innovator-formulated
      itraconazole solution and capsule PO in randomized, crossover design with a 10
      day washout period. To ensure maximal absorption, solution was administered to
      fasted dogs, whereas capsules were co-administered with food. Blood samples were
      collected at predetermined time points, and plasma drug concentrations were
      measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography. Pharmacokinetic parameters
      were determined with compartmental analysis. RESULTS: The mean relative
      bioavailability of the capsule was 85% that of the solution, but drug absorption
      was variable, and overall drug concentrations were similar between formulations.
      Mean elimination half-lives of both formulations were nearly identical at
      approximately 33 hours. Regardless of formulation, simulations suggest that a
      loading dose of 20 mg/kg, followed by 10 mg/kg once every 24 hours, will result
      in plasma concentrations considered to be adequate in most dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND
      CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Contrary to findings reported in other species, overall drug
      exposures after capsule and solution administration are not substantially
      different in dogs. Despite some pharmacokinetic differences between itraconazole
      capsule and solution, formulation-specific dosages do not appear to be necessary.

PMID- 28627124
TI  - Cross-resistance to purified Bt proteins, Bt corn and Bt cotton in a Cry2Ab2-corn
      resistant strain of Spodoptera frugiperda.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gene-pyramiding by combining two or more dissimilar Bacillus
      thuringiensis (Bt) proteins into a crop has been used to delay insect resistance.
      The durability of gene-pyramiding can be reduced by cross-resistance. Fall
      armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a major target pest of the Cry2Ab2 protein
      used in pyramided Bt corn and cotton. Here, we provide the first experimental
      evaluation of cross-resistance in S. frugiperda selected with Cry2Ab2 corn to
      multiple Bt sources including purified Bt proteins, Bt corn and Bt cotton.
      RESULTS: Concentration - response bioassays showed that resistance ratios for
      Cry2Ab2-resistant (RR) relative to Cry2Ab2-susceptible (SS) S. frugiperda were 
      1.4 for Cry1F, 1.2 for Cry1A.105, >26.7 for Cry2Ab2, >10.0 for Cry2Ae and -1.1
      for Vip3A. Larvae of Cry2Ab2-heterozygous (RS), SS and RR S. frugiperda were all
      susceptible to Bt corn and Bt cotton containing Cry1 (Cry1F or Cry1A.105) and/or
      Vip3A proteins. Pyramided Bt cotton containing Cry1Ac + Cry2Ab2 or Cry1Ab +
      Cry2Ae were also effective against SS and RS, but not RR. CONCLUSION: These
      findings suggest that Cry2Ab2-corn-selected S. frugiperda is not cross-resistant
      to Cry1F, Cry1A.105 or Vip3A protein, or corn and cotton plants containing these
      Bt proteins, but it can cause strong cross-resistance to Cry2Ae and Bt crops
      expressing similar Bt proteins. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28627125
TI  - The role of long-term physical exercise on performance and brain activation
      during the Stroop colour word task in fibromyalgia patients.
AB  - The Stroop colour word test (SCWT) has been widely used to assess changes in
      cognitive performance such as processing speed, selective attention and the
      degree of automaticity. Moreover, the SCWT has proven to be a valuable tool to
      assess neuronal plasticity that is coupled to improvement in performance in
      clinical populations. In a previous study, we showed impaired cognitive
      processing during SCWT along with reduced task-related activations in patients
      with fibromyalgia. In this study, we used SCWT and functional magnetic resonance
      imagingFMRI to investigate the effects of a 15-week physical exercise
      intervention on cognitive performance, task-related cortical activation and
      distraction-induced analgesia (DIA) in patients with fibromyalgia and healthy
      controls. The exercise intervention yielded reduced fibromyalgia symptoms,
      improved cognitive processing and increased task-related activation of amygdala,
      but no effect on DIA. Our results suggest beneficial effects of physical exercise
      on cognitive functioning in FM.

PMID- 28627126
TI  - Consumption of obesogenic foods in non-Hispanic black mother-infant dyads.
AB  - Obesity continues to be a problem in the United States. Of particular concern is
      the epidemic of early childhood obesity. A significant predictor of child diet is
      maternal diet, but little is known about this relationship during infancy. This
      study examined the association between maternal and infant consumption of key
      food groups from 6 to 18 months using data from the Infant Care, Feeding, and
      Risk of Obesity Study, a prospective cohort of 217 non-Hispanic black, low
      income, first-time mothers. Using data from 24-hr dietary recalls collected
      during in-home visits at 6, 9, 12, and 18 months, we assessed longitudinal
      associations between mother and child intake of both energy-dense, nutrient-poor
      (obesogenic) food groups and fibre-, nutrient-rich food groups using random
      intercept logistic regression. Both mothers and their infants had high intake of
      sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and sweets and low intake of vegetables and
      whole grains. Infant consumption of key food groups was strongly associated with
      maternal consumption, suggesting the need for focused interventions to target
      maternal diet as a pathway to decreasing risk for the establishment of poor
      dietary patterns early in life.

PMID- 28627127
TI  - Metal-Organic-Framework-Derived Hybrid Carbon Nanocages as a Bifunctional
      Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution.
AB  - The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are
      cornerstone reactions for many renewable energy technologies. Developing cheap
      yet durable substitutes of precious-metal catalysts, especially the bifunctional
      electrocatalysts with high activity for both ORR and OER reactions and their
      streamlined coupling process, are highly desirable to reduce the processing cost
      and complexity of renewable energy systems. Here, a facile strategy is reported
      for synthesizing double-shelled hybrid nanocages with outer shells of Co-N-doped
      graphitic carbon (Co-NGC) and inner shells of N-doped microporous carbon (NC) by
      templating against core-shell metal-organic frameworks. The double-shelled NC@Co
      NGC nanocages well integrate the high activity of Co-NGC shells into the robust
      NC hollow framework with enhanced diffusion kinetics, exhibiting superior
      electrocatalytic properties to Pt and RuO2 as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for
      ORR and OER, and hold a promise as efficient air electrode catalysts in Zn-air
      batteries. First-principles calculations reveal that the high catalytic
      activities of Co-NGC shells are due to the synergistic electron transfer and
      redistribution between the Co nanoparticles, the graphitic carbon, and the doped
      N species. Strong yet favorable adsorption of an OOH* intermediate on the high
      density of uncoordinated hollow-site C atoms with respect to the Co lattice in
      the Co-NGC structure is a vital rate-determining step to achieve excellent
      bifunctional electrocatalytic activity.

PMID- 28627128
TI  - Signatures of soft sweeps across the Dt1 locus underlying determinate growth
      habit in soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.].
AB  - Determinate growth habit is an agronomically important trait associated with
      domestication in soya bean. Previous studies have demonstrated that the emergence
      of determinacy is correlated with artificial selection on four nonsynonymous
      mutations in the Dt1 gene. To better understand the signatures of the soft sweeps
      across the Dt1 locus and track the origins of the determinate alleles, we
      examined patterns of nucleotide variation in Dt1 and the surrounding genomic
      region of approximately 800 kb. Four local, asymmetrical hard sweeps on four
      determinate alleles, sized approximately 660, 120, 220 and 150 kb, were
      identified, which constitute the soft sweeps for the adaptation. These variable
      sized sweeps substantially reflected the strength and timing of selection and
      indicated that the selection on the alleles had been completed rapidly within
      half a century. Statistics of EHH, iHS, H12 and H2/H1 based on haplotype data had
      the power to detect the soft sweeps, revealing distinct signatures of extensive
      long-range LD and haplotype homozygosity, and multiple frequent adaptive
      haplotypes. A haplotype network constructed for Dt1 and a phylogenetic tree based
      on its extended haplotype block implied independent sources of the adaptive
      alleles through de novo mutations or rare standing variation in quick succession
      during the selective phase, strongly supporting multiple origins of the
      determinacy. We propose that the adaptation of soya bean determinacy is guided by
      a model of soft sweeps and that this model might be indispensable during crop
      domestication or evolution.

PMID- 28627129
TI  - Cobalt-Based Active Species Molecularly Immobilized on Carbon Nanotubes for the
      Oxygen Reduction Reaction.
AB  - Hybrid systems in which molecule-based active species are combined with nanoscale
      materials may offer valuable routes to enhance catalytic performances for
      electrocatalytic reactions. The development of rationally designed, cost
      effective, efficient catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a
      crucial challenge for applications in fuel cells and metal-air batteries. A new
      hybrid ORR catalyst has been synthesized through a well-defined reaction between
      Co-based organometallic molecules and N-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes
      (MWCNTs) at room temperature. The hybrid ORR catalyst shows excellent catalytic
      performance with an onset potential of 0.95 V [vs. the reversible hydrogen
      electrode (RHE)], superior durability, and good methanol tolerance. Chemical and
      structural characterization after many reaction cycles reveals that the Co-based
      organometallic species maintained the original structure of cobalt(II)
      acetylacetonate with coordination to the heteroatoms of the MWCNTs. A thorough
      electrochemical investigation indicates that the major catalytically active site
      is Co-O4 -NCNT .

PMID- 28627132
TI  - A Porphyrin Complex as a Self-Conditioned Electrode Material for High-Performance
      Energy Storage.
AB  - The novel functionalized porphyrin [5,15-bis(ethynyl)-10,20
      diphenylporphinato]copper(II) (CuDEPP) was used as electrodes for rechargeable
      energy-storage systems with an extraordinary combination of storage capacity,
      rate capability, and cycling stability. The ability of CuDEPP to serve as an
      electron donor or acceptor supports various energy-storage applications. Combined
      with a lithium negative electrode, the CuDEPP electrode exhibited a long cycle
      life of several thousand cycles and fast charge-discharge rates up to 53 C and a
      specific energy density of 345 Wh kg-1 at a specific power density of 29 kW kg-1
      . Coupled with a graphite cathode, the CuDEPP anode delivered a specific power
      density of 14 kW kg-1 . Whereas the capacity is in the range of that of ordinary
      lithium-ion batteries, the CuDEPP electrode has a power density in the range of
      that of supercapacitors, thus opening a pathway toward new organic electrodes
      with excellent rate capability and cyclic stability.

PMID- 28627134
TI  - U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval summary: Eltrombopag for the treatment
      of pediatric patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenia.
AB  - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved eltrombopag for pediatric
      patients with chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenia (ITP) ages >=6 on June
      11, 2015, and ages >=1 on August 24, 2015. Approval was based on the FDA review
      of two randomized trials that included 159 pediatric patients with chronic ITP
      who had an insufficient response to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, or
      splenectomy. This manuscript describes the basis for approval of these
      applications. The FDA concluded that eltrombopag has shown efficacy and a
      favorable benefit to risk profile for pediatric patients with chronic ITP.

PMID- 28627135
TI  - In Situ Electrochemistry of Rechargeable Battery Materials: Status Report and
      Perspectives.
AB  - The development of rechargeable batteries with high performance is considered to
      be a feasible way to satisfy the increasing needs of electric vehicles and
      portable devices. It is of vital importance to design electrodes with high
      electrochemical performance and to understand the nature of the
      electrode/electrolyte interfaces during battery operation, which allows a direct
      observation of the complicated chemical and physical processes within the
      electrodes and electrolyte, and thus provides real-time information for further
      design and optimization of the battery performance. Here, the recent progress in
      in situ techniques employed for the investigations of material structural
      evolutions is described, including characterization using neutrons, X-ray
      diffraction, and nuclear magnetic resonance. In situ techniques utilized for in
      depth uncovering the electrode/electrolyte phase/interface change mechanisms are
      then highlighted, including transmission electron microscopy, atomic force
      microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The real-time monitoring
      of lithium dendrite growth and in situ detection of gas evolution during
      charge/discharge processes are also discussed. Finally, the major challenges and
      opportunities of in situ characterization techniques are outlined toward new
      developments of rechargeable batteries, including innovation in the design of
      compatible in situ cells, applications of dynamic analysis, and in situ
      electrochemistry under multi-stimuli. A clear and in-depth understanding of in
      situ technique applications and the mechanisms of structural evolutions,
      surface/interface changes, and gas generations within rechargeable batteries is
      given here.

PMID- 28627133
TI  - Mesocorticolimbic hemodynamic response in Parkinson's disease patients with
      compulsive behaviors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: PD patients treated with dopamine therapy can develop maladaptive
      impulsive and compulsive behaviors, manifesting as repetitive participation in
      reward-driven activities. This behavioral phenotype implicates aberrant
      mesocorticolimbic network function, a concept supported by past literature.
      However, no study has investigated the acute hemodynamic response to dopamine
      agonists in this subpopulation. OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypothesis that
      dopamine agonists differentially alter mesocortical and mesolimbic network
      activity in patients with impulsive-compulsive behaviors. METHODS: Dopamine
      agonist effects on neuronal metabolism were quantified using arterial-spin
      labeling MRI measures of cerebral blood flow in the on-dopamine agonist and off
      dopamine states. The within-subject design included 34 PD patients, 17 with
      active impulsive compulsive behavior symptoms, matched for age, sex, disease
      duration, and PD severity. RESULTS: Patients with impulsive-compulsive behaviors
      have a significant increase in ventral striatal cerebral blood flow in response
      to dopamine agonists. Across all patients, ventral striatal cerebral blood flow
      on-dopamine agonist is significantly correlated with impulsive-compulsive
      behavior severity (Questionnaire for Impulsive Compulsive Disorders in
      Parkinson's Disease- Rating Scale). Voxel-wise analysis of dopamine agonist
      induced cerebral blood flow revealed group differences in mesocortical
      (ventromedial prefrontal cortex; insular cortex), mesolimbic (ventral striatum),
      and midbrain (SN; periaqueductal gray) regions. CONCLUSIONS: These results
      indicate that dopamine agonist therapy can augment mesocorticolimbic and striato
      nigro-striatal network activity in patients susceptible to impulsive-compulsive
      behaviors. Our findings reinforce a wider literature linking studies of
      maladaptive behaviors to mesocorticolimbic networks and extend our understanding
      of biological mechanisms of impulsive compulsive behaviors in PD. (c) 2017
      International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

PMID- 28627136
TI  - Enhancer of rudimentary homologue interacts with scaffold attachment factor B at
      the nuclear matrix to regulate SR protein phosphorylation.
AB  - Scaffold attachment factor B1 (SAFB1) is an integral component of the nuclear
      matrix of vertebrate cells. It binds to DNA on scaffold/matrix attachment region
      elements, as well as to RNA and a multitude of different proteins, affecting
      basic cellular activities such as transcription, splicing and DNA damage repair.
      In the present study, we show that enhancer of rudimentary homologue (ERH) is a
      new molecular partner of SAFB1 and its 70% homologous paralogue, scaffold
      attachment factor B2 (SAFB2). ERH interacts directly in the nucleus with the C
      terminal Arg-Gly-rich region of SAFB1/2 and co-localizes with it in the insoluble
      nuclear fraction. ERH, a small ubiquitous protein with striking homology among
      species and a unique structure, has also been implicated in fundamental cellular
      mechanisms. Our functional analyses suggest that the SAFB/ERH interaction does
      not affect SAFB1/2 function in transcription (e.g. as oestrogen receptor alpha co
      repressors), although it reverses the inhibition exerted by SAFB1/2 on the
      splicing kinase SR protein kinase 1 (SRPK1), which also binds on the C-terminus
      of SAFB1/2. Accordingly, ERH silencing decreases lamin B receptor and SR protein
      phosphorylation, which are major SRPK1 substrates, further substantiating the
      role of SAFB1 and SAFB2 in the co-ordination of nuclear function.

PMID- 28627137
TI  - Effect of sympathetic nerve blockade on low-frequency oscillations of forearm and
      leg skin blood flow in healthy humans.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To Examine the effect of inhibiting sympathetic function on cutaneous
      vasomotion in the forearm and leg. METHODS: Intradermal microdialysis fibers were
      placed in the forearm and leg, one as an untreated control (lactated Ringer's)
      and the other perfused with bretylium tosylate to block sympathetic nerves. Skin
      blood flow was monitored using laser Doppler flowmetry. Baseline was collected
      for 10 minutes before local skin temperature was increased to 42 degrees C.
      Spectral analysis was performed using a Morlet wavelet. RESULTS: Bretylium
      tosylate increased skin blood flow during baseline in the forearm (d=1.6, P<.05)
      and leg (d=0.5, P<.05) and decreased skin blood flow at both sites during both
      the initial peak (d>=1.0, P<.05) and plateau (d>=0.8, P<.05). Treatment with
      bretylium tosylate reduced wavelet amplitude associated with neural activity
      during baseline in the forearm (d=1.6, P<.05) and leg (d=0.9, P<.05). This
      reduction in wavelet amplitude at bretylium tosylate-treated sites was also
      observed during the initial vasodilation to local heating in both the forearm
      (d=1.6, P<.05) and leg (d=1.4, P<.05) and during the sustained vasodilation in
      both the forearm (d=1.6, P<.05) and leg (d=1.2, P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data
      support that the frequency band (0.021-0.052 Hz) associated with neurogenic
      activity appears to be correct having a large sympathetic component.

PMID- 28627138
TI  - Predictors of BRCA1/2 genetic testing among Black women with breast cancer: a
      population-based study.
AB  - Evidence shows that Black women diagnosed with breast cancer are substantially
      less likely to undergo BRCA testing and other multipanel genetic testing compared
      to White women, despite having a higher incidence of early-age onset breast
      cancer and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Our study identifies predictors
      of BRCA testing among Black women treated for breast cancer and examines
      differences between BRCA testers and nontesters. We conducted an analysis of 945
      Black women ages 18-64 diagnosed with localized or regional-stage invasive breast
      cancer in Pennsylvania and Florida between 2007 and 2009. Logistic regression was
      used to identify predictors of BRCA 1/2 testing. Few (27%) (n = 252) of the
      participants reported having BRCA testing. In the multivariate analysis, we found
      that perceived benefits of BRCA testing (predisposing factor) ([OR], 1.16; 95%
      CI: 1.11-1.21; P < 0.001), income (enabling factor) ([OR], 2.10; 95% CI: 1.16
      3.80; p = 0.014), and BRCA mutation risk category (need factor) ([OR], 3.78; 95%
      CI: 2.31-6.19; P < 0.001) predicted BRCA testing. These results suggest that
      interventions to reduce disparities in BRCA testing should focus on identifying
      patients with high risk of mutation, increasing patient understanding of the
      benefits of BRCA testing, and removing financial and other administrative
      barriers to genetic testing.

PMID- 28627139
TI  - Direct Electro-oxidation of Dimethyl Ether on Pt-Cu Nanochains.
AB  - A new platinum-copper alloy electrocatalyst for the direct electro-oxidation of
      dimethyl ether (DME) has been synthesized in an easy and low-cost approach and
      studied by using an array of techniques, including X-ray diffraction, scanning
      electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and
      elemental analysis. Structural characterization revealed that the synthesized
      PtCu nanoparticles (3 nm on average) formed homogeneous nanochains without
      aggregation of metallic platinum or copper. The catalyst's activity towards
      electro-oxidation of DME was tested using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and in membrane
      electrode assembly (MEA) in a full cell and was found to be promising. The direct
      DME fuel cell (DDMEFC) studied in this work has relatively high energy density,
      of 13.5 mW cm-1 and thus shows great potential as fuel for low power fuel cells.
      The newly synthesized PtCu catalyst exhibited almost double the performance of
      commercial PtRu in electrocatalytic DME oxidation.

PMID- 28627141
TI  - [Non-tenured researchers: a successful story].

PMID- 28627140
TI  - [Non-tenured public health researchers in Italy: bibliometric data from a public
      institute for treatment and research (IRCCS)].

PMID- 28627142
TI  - [Theatre in jail: a starting point for a social epidemiology project?]

PMID- 28627144
TI  - [Environmental pollution: is epidemiological research always the best response?]

PMID- 28627143
TI  - [Causal inference in epidemiology: a fruitful debate].

PMID- 28627145
TI  - [What can I eat, doc?]

PMID- 28627146
TI  - [HIA guidelines: the Report of the Italian National Institute for Health forgets
      epidemiology].

PMID- 28627147
TI  - [Medicina Democratica: 40 years of battles for health].

PMID- 28627148
TI  - [To get in the game].

PMID- 28627149
TI  - [Are there no monitoring stations? We'll build them ourselves].

PMID- 28627150
TI  - [Applying a set of indicators to evaluate the primary health care].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: to develop a system of indicators to monitor the quality of health
      care, in terms of safety, effectiveness, and appropriateness to allow the
      integrated promotion of the welfare of the effectiveness and quality. DESIGN:
      retrospective study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: all general practitioners (GPs)
      with at least 100 patients in loading at 1.1.2015 were included. The setting
      chosen is the Primary Care of the Agency for Health Protection of the Province of
      Milan (Northern Italy). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: for each GPs 39 indicators were
      calculated, including 7 on the mix of patients, 4 on prevention, 5 on ER, 5 on
      hospital admissions, 8 on outpatient, and 10 on pharmaceutical prescription. The
      correlations between individual indicators were considered and patterns to
      classify the GPs were determined by the factor analysis and the multiple
      correspondence analysis. RESULTS: among the expected correlations, we observed
      those between institutional colorectal screening and institutional breast cancer
      screening. Among not-expected correlations, the one between pump-inhibitor drugs
      and routines blood chemistry in the population between 20 and 50 years identifies
      a positive association between two practices of unrecognized clinical validity.
      Classifying the 2,217 GPs on the basis of the maximum factorial score, six main
      factors were identified. CONCLUSION: using approaches based on multivariate
      methods, interventions aimed at changing the profile of MMG exerting the
      government primary health care can be proposed, not only by means of system rules
      or approaches based on economic incentives, but on complex governance mechanisms.

PMID- 28627151
TI  - [Assessment of an algorithm to identify paediatric-onset celiac disease cases
      through administrative healthcare databases].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: to assess the role of four administrative healthcare databases
      (pathology reports, copayment exemptions, hospital discharge records, gluten-free
      food prescriptions) for the identification of possible paediatric cases of celiac
      disease. DESIGN: population-based observational study with record linkage of
      administrative healthcare databases. SETTING AND PARTICIPANT S: children born
      alive in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Northern Italy) to resident mothers in
      the years 1989-2012, identified using the regional Medical Birth Register. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: we defined possible celiac disease as having at least one of
      the following, from 2002 onward: 1. a pathology report of intestinal villous
      atrophy; 2. a copayment exemption for celiac disease; 3. a hospital discharge
      record with ICD-9-CM code of celiac disease; 4. a gluten-free food prescription.
      We evaluated the proportion of subjects identified by each archive and by
      combinations of archives, and examined the temporal relationship of the different
      sources in cases identified by more than one source. RESULT S: out of 962
      possible cases of celiac disease, 660 (68.6%) had a pathology report, 714 (74.2%)
      a copayment exemption, 667 (69.3%) a hospital discharge record, and 636 (66.1%) a
      gluten-free food prescription. The four sources coexisted in 42.2% of subjects,
      whereas 30.2% were identified by two or three sources and 27.6% by a single
      source (16.9% by pathology reports, 4.2% by hospital discharge records, 3.9% by
      copayment exemptions, and 2.6% by gluten-free food prescriptions). Excluding
      pathology reports, 70.6% of cases were identified by at least two sources. A
      definition based on copayment exemptions and discharge records traced 80.5% of
      the 962 possible cases of celiac disease; whereas a definition based on copayment
      exemptions, discharge records, and gluten-free food prescriptions traced 83.1% of
      those cases. The temporal relationship of the different sources was compatible
      with the typical diagnostic pathway of subjects with celiac disease. CONCLUSIONS:
      the four sources were only partially consistent. A relevant proportion of all
      possible cases of paediatric celiac disease were identified exclusively by
      pathology reports.

PMID- 28627152
TI  - [Effectiveness of inspections in the construction sites on reducing innjuries: a
      pilot study in a Health Unit of Piedmont Region (Northern Italy)].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: to describe a pilot study to evaluate the impact on injury rates of
      Occupational health and safety (OHS) inspections conducted in the construction
      sites of the Novara Health Unit territory during 2005-2007. DESIGN: study design
      is "treated/non treated" where: "treated" are construction companies inspected
      during 2005-2007 and not inspected in the periods before and after; "non treated"
      are construction companies never inspected during 2002-2010. SETTING AND
      PARTICIPANTS: two information sources have been used: Italian Workers'
      Compensation Authority databases and Novara Health Unit inspection database. The
      period of analysis is 2002-2010 divided into sub-periods: pre-inspection (2002
      2004); inspection (2005-2007); post-inspection (2008-2010). MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: two injury rates, total and serious, have been calculated and the
      difference-in-differences (DID) method was used to assess the effectiveness.
      RESULTS: passing from pre-inspection to post-inspection period, the rate of total
      injuries in the companies inspected decreased more than the rate of the companies
      not inspected (DID: -1,95; 95%CI -15,30; 11,39). No effect was shown on severe
      injuries (DID: -0,27; 95%CI -7,84;7,31). CONCLUSION: the inspections conducted
      during 2005-2007 on the construction sites operating in the Novara Health Unit
      territory seem to have had a slight positive impact on reducing the injury rates.
      The procedures developed in this pilot study can be used in other Italian Health
      Units. Further research is needed to confirm the results and to clarify the
      mechanism by which the inspections were effective.

PMID- 28627153
TI  - [Implementation of DNA-HPV primary screening in Italian cervical cancer screening
      programmes. Results of the MIDDIR Project].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: to obtain data on conversion paths to HPV testing as part of
      screening programmes and to harmonize the introduction of HPV testing in primary
      cervical cancer screening protocols of Italian programmes. DESIGN: survey by
      questionnaire on strategies adopted by screening programmes for transition to
      primary HPV testing; systematic review of the literature; discussion among
      experts. SETTING AND PARTICIPANT S: managers of Italian Regions' cervical cancer
      screening programmes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: transition planning; activity
      volumes; modalities of centralization; criteria for dismissal; staff training;
      communication initiatives. RESULTS: nine cervical screening programmes responded
      to the survey. Most of them chose to schedule a transition of a few years to
      allow for adjustment of the volume of activity in the passage from the three-year
      screening interval to the five-year one. To select women to be given precedence,
      7 programmes use the age, starting from the oldest. The liquid base is the choice
      by far preferred both for HPV test and for Pap test. The reading of HPV test
      "born" already centralized, but a centralization process is in place also for
      cytology. CONCLUSIONS: the survey on conversion strategies to primary HPV testing
      showed the opportunity to schedule a transition phase. For HPV test, cost,
      organization, and quality benefits of centralization are clear, thus the central
      organization should be preferred and managed immediately. Moreover, the need for
      a centralization of cytology is evident. The tariff scheme should be based on the
      whole process rather than on single performances. Dismissal strategies have to be
      tailored on peculiarities of single services, but some typologies can be
      outlined.

PMID- 28627154
TI  - [Mortality study in a cohort of workers employed in the hot working processing of
      plastics and rubber].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: to study mortality rates among workers in companies manufacturing
      thermoplastic and rubber articles (excluding tyres). DESIGN: cohort study.
      SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: the cohort includes 4,543 workers employed up to 2000
      in 131 companies in the Province of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna Region, Northern
      Italy) exposed to emissions from hot processing of plastics (3,937) and rubber
      (606). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: general- and cause-specific Standardized Mortality
      Rates (SMR), with 95% confidence intervals; entire reference population resides
      in the Emilia-Romagna Region. RESULTS: excess mortality for all causes (116 Obs;
      SMR: 1.20; 95%CI 1.00-1.44) and for lung cancer (18 Obs; SMR: 1.67; 95%CI 1.05
      2.65) in men of the rubber factories. Increased mortality rates for oesophageal
      cancers in women (3 Obs; SMR: 5.41; 95%CI 1.74-16.8) and in men (6 Obs; SMR:
      2.16; 95%CI 0.97-4.81), for malignant tumours of pancreas (16 Obs; SMR: 1.65;
      95%CI 1.01- 2.70), rectum (11 Obs; SMR: 2.17; 95%CI 1.20-3.92) and kidney (11
      Obs; SMR: 1.98; 95%CI 1.10-3.58) in men occupied in plastic processing.
      CONCLUSION: in this study, we observed an excess of mortality rates for lung
      cancer in men of rubber factories and for malignant tumours of the digestive
      tract, pancreas, and kidney in workers employed in the production of plastic
      articles. Nevertheless, these results must be interpreted with caution, because
      exposures to non-occupational risk factors, like tobacco smoke or other
      occupational exposures outside the companies concerned, are not known. The
      results suggest to continue epidemiological surveillance.

PMID- 28627155
TI  - [Environmental justice in the epidemiological surveillance system of residents in
      Italian National Priority Contaminated Sites (SENTIERI Project)].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: descriptive evaluation of distributional justice in the
      epidemiological surveillance system of populations residing in Italian National
      priority Contaminated Sites (NPCSs) of SENTIERI project. Analysis of the
      feasibility of monitoring different Environmental Justice dimensions in SENTIERI.
      DESIGN: descriptive study and ecological meta-analysis. SETTING AN PARTICIPANTS:
      residents in 298 municipalities included in 44 NPCSs in SENTIERI. Description of
      their level of deprivation and mortality analysis by deprivation level in the
      first period evaluated in SENTIERI, years 1995-2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: an
      index of multiple deprivation at municipality level DI-SENTIERI, built using 4
      indicators based on variables from the Italian 2001 Census, was used to describe
      deprivation in communities living in NPCSs. The risk of mortality for all causes
      and all tumors in the pool of NPCSs municipalities by deprivation level was
      assessed using meta-Standardized Mortality Ratios (meta-SMRs). RESULTS: sixty
      percent of municipalities (No. 179) in NPCSs belong to the two more deprived
      quintiles. The socioeconomic disadvantage of communities resident in NPCS has a
      North-South gradient: the proportion of municipalities belonging to the two more
      deprived quintiles is 29% in the North, 68% in the Centre, 92% in the South. Meta
      SMRs for all causes in less deprived municipalities were 98 (90%CI 95-100) in men
      e 101 (90%CI 97-104) in women, the values for all cancers were 99 (90%CI 94-103)
      in men and 100 (90%CI 95-105) in women. The corresponding estimates in more
      deprived municipalities were, respectively in men and women, 103 (90%CI 101- 104)
      and 102 (90%CI 100-104) for all causes, 104 (90%CI 102-106) and 102 (90%CI 100
      104) for all cancers. CONCLUSIONS: residents in NPCSs are exposed to
      environmental stressors and are generally more deprived. The socioeconomic
      disadvantage is mostly affecting Central and Southern Italy populations.
      Furthermore, in these deprived communities the risk of mortality for all diseases
      and all cancers is higher. Populations living in NPCSs are affected by
      distributional injustice. To monitor the different dimensions of Environmental
      Justice, the DI-SENTIERI should be developed and other socioeconomic indicators
      implemented.

PMID- 28627156
TI  - [TNM Classification of malignant tumours - Eighth edition: which news?]
AB  - The eighth edition of TNM classification of malignant tumours has been published
      by the Union for International Cancer Control in January 2017. As for the
      previous editions - from the third on - it has been translated into Italian and
      recently published in our Country. This article explains the main changes from
      the previous edition: new classifications, some major revisions of cancer staging
      rules, the introduction of a grid of prognostic factors for each neoplasia and
      the addition of two chapters. These two chapters are about the essential TNM and
      the paediatric tumours, and have been developed in order to facilitate the use of
      data by Cancer Registries.

PMID- 28627157
TI  - [Indicators to measure benefits of COP21 on health will be forthcoming].

PMID- 28627158
TI  - Evaluation of Serum Interleukin-21 and HLA-C1 Polymorphism in Pediatrician
      Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Early Diagnosis of Acute Graft-Versus
      Host Disease
AB  - Background: Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a
      strategy used for treatment of different malignant diseases. However, success of
      allo-HSCT can be hampered by graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD). Natural killer
      (NK) cells may play an important role in activating antigen presenting cells and
      subsequent activation of T cells. The main purpose of this study was the
      evaluation of IL-21, as a blood biomarker, for early detection of acute GVHD
      (aGVHD) in children after HSCT and also the study of human leukocytes antigen
      (HLA)-C1 polymorphism, as a targeting ligand for NK cells in these patients.
      Methods: Fifty one children receiving HSCT were studied. Blood samples were
      collected at -8, 7, and 14 days of transplantation. The -8-day samples were
      analyzed for HLA-C1 polymorphism by PCR-sequence-specific primer technique and
      pre-transplantation IL-21 assay. To study the serum levels of IL-21, two blood
      samples were collected on days +7 and +14 and analyzed by ELISA technique.
      Results: The results indicated that the incidence of aGVHD in pediatric is
      associated with a polymorphism of HLA-C1, as alleles HLA-C01:12 (P<0.001), HLA
      C01:22 (P<0.004), and HLA-C01:67 (P<0.009). On the other hand, the serum levels
      of IL-21 in children with aGVHD were decreased after transplantation compared to
      before transplantation. The serum levels of the IL-21 at 14 days after
      transplantation had a significant correlation with the occurrence of aGVHD
      (P=0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, there is a significant
      correlation between HLA-C1 polymorphisms and the serum levels of IL-21 with the
      incidence of aGVHD.

PMID- 28627159
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627160
TI  - [Early detection of autism spectrum disorders: emerging symptoms and biomarkers].
AB  - Early recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in patients before the age
      of 24 months significantly enhances the prognosis of affected children. That's
      why researchers try to identify behavioral and/or neurophysiological precursors
      in the first months of life of children. Prospective studies are specifically
      performed in infant siblings at risk of ASD. The longitudinal high-risk sibling
      studies of ASD follow a cohort of children with an older sibling already
      diagnosed with ASD. Of these, 10-20% will be diagnosed with ASD during their
      third year. This review aims to summarize the clinical and neurophysiological
      studies investigating early markers associated with the emergence of autistic
      symptoms in children.

PMID- 28627161
TI  - Synthesis and Properties of Covalently Linked AzaBODIPY-BODIPY Dyads and
      AzaBODIPY-(BODIPY)2 Triads.
AB  - The azaBODIPYs containing one and two formyl functional groups on the 1,7-aryl
      groups present at the azaBODIPY core were synthesized over sequence of steps and
      characterized by mass, NMR, absorption, and electrochemical techniques. The
      monoformylated and diformylated azaBODIPYs are very useful synthons to prepare a
      wide variety of new fluorescent compounds. The mono- and diformylated azaBODIPYs
      were treated with pyrrole under mild acidic conditions followed by column
      chromatographic purification to afford azaBODIPYs appended with one and two
      dipyrromethanyl groups. The dipyrramethanyl groups of azaBODIPYs were oxidized
      with DDQ and complexed with BF3.Et2O to obtain covalently linked azaBODIPY-BODIPY
      dyads and azaBODIPY-(BODIPY)2 triads. The dyads and triads were characterized in
      detail by HR-MS, 1D and 2D NMR, absorption, fluorescence, and electrochemical
      techniques and the structure of one of the triads was deduced by X-ray
      crystallography. The crystal structure of azaBODIPY-(BODIPY)2 triad revealed that
      the two BODIPY units were in perpendicular orientation with azaBODIPY unit. The
      absorption and electrochemical studies indicated a weak interaction among the
      BODIPY and azaBODIPY moieties and the moieties retain their independent
      characteristic features in dyads and triads. The preliminary fluorescence studies
      supported an efficient energy transfer from BODIPY unit(s) to azaBODIPY unit in
      dyads and triads.

PMID- 28627162
TI  - Fabrication and Characterization of Surfaces Modified with Carboxymethylthio
      Ligands for Chelate-Assisted Trapping of Copper.
AB  - The metal ion chelating property was conferred onto silicon (Si) and gold (Au)
      surfaces by direct electrografting of the 4-[(carboxymethyl)thio]benzenediazonium
      cation (4-CMTBD). Infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry showed the presence of
      characteristic phenyl and carbonyl vibrational bands on the functionalized
      surfaces as a proof of existence of surface-bound organic units of 4
      [(carboxymethyl)thio]benzene, (4-CMTB). The loss of diazonium group (N=N+) upon
      electrografting of 4-CMTBD was investigated using IR spectroscopy. A Faradaic
      efficiency of about 18.8-20.0% was realized in mass deposition experiments for
      grafting 4-CMTB on the Au surface using an electrochemical quartz crystal
      microbalance technique. Raman spectroscopy performed on the Si-(4-CMTB) surface
      after treatment with copper (Cu) ion solution provided evidence of metal ion
      chelation based on an observed v(Cu-O) peak at about 487 cm-1 and a v(Cu-S)
      signal at about 267 cm-1. The binding of Cu ions by the chelating ligands also
      caused a red shift of about 10 cm-1 in the Raman spectrum of the Si-(4-CMTB)-Cu
      surface within the spectral region, characteristic of the v(C-O) signal. X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy investigations showed indications of the Cu(II) ion
      species chelated by the surface-bound carboxymethylthio ligands. The
      functionalized surface, Si-(4-CMTB), constitutes an alternative metal ion
      chelating surface that may potentially be developed for applications in trace
      level trapping of Cu ions.

PMID- 28627163
TI  - Molecular Structures and Functions of Chlorophylls-a Esterified with
      Geranylgeranyl, Dihydrogeranylgeranyl, and Tetrahydrogeranylgeranyl Groups at the
      17-Propionate Residue in a Diatom, Chaetoceros calcitrans.
AB  - The 17-propionate ester group of chlorophyll(Chl)-a in some oxygenic phototrophs
      was investigated using HPLC. Chls-a esterified with partially dehydrogenated
      forms of a phytyl group were found in fully grown cells of a diatom, Chaetoceros
      calcitrans: geranylgeranyl (GG), dihydrogeranylgeranyl (DHGG), and
      tetrahydrogeranylgeranyl (THGG). Chls-a bearing such esterifying groups were
      reported to be found only in greening processes of higher plants, and thus these
      Chls-a have been thought to be biosynthetic precursors for phytylated Chl-a.
      Their molecular structures were unambiguously determined using 1H and 13C NMR
      spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. In particular, the positions of C?C double
      bonds in DHGG were identified at C2?C3, C6?C7, and C14?C15, and those in THGG
      were determined to be at C2?C3 and C14?C15. Notably, the present DHGG was
      different from the previously determined DHGG of bacteriochlorophyll-a in purple
      bacteria (C2?C3, C10?C11, and C14?C15). Moreover, thylakoid membranes as well as
      fucoxanthin-chlorophyll-a/c proteins called FCPs were isolated from the diatom,
      and their Chl-a compositions were analyzed. Chls-a esterified with GG, DHGG, and
      THGG were detected by HPLC, indicating that such Chls-a were not merely
      biosynthetic precursors, but photosynthetically active pigments.

PMID- 28627165
TI  - Room-Temperature Processed Nb2O5 as the Electron-Transporting Layer for Efficient
      Planar Perovskite Solar Cells.
AB  - In this work, we demonstrate high-efficiency planar perovskite solar cells
      (PSCs), using room-temperature sputtered niobium oxide (Nb2O5) as the electron
      transporting layer (ETL). Widely spread ETL-like TiO2 often requires high
      temperature (>450  degrees C) sintering, which is not desired for the fabrication
      of flexible devices. The amorphous Nb2O5 (labeled as a-Nb2O5) ETL, without any
      heat treatment, can give a best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.1% for
      planar PSCs. Interestingly, the crystalline Nb2O5 (labeled as c-Nb2O5), with high
      temperature (500  degrees C) annealing, results in a very similar PCE of 17.2%,
      indicating the great advantage of a-Nb2O5 in energy saving. We thus carried out a
      systematical investigation on the properties of the a-Nb2O5 film. The Hall effect
      measurements indicate both high mobility and conductivity of the a-Nb2O5 film.
      Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements define the Fermi levels of a-Nb2O5 and
      c-Nb2O5 as -4.31 and -4.02 eV, respectively, which allow efficient electron
      extraction at the Nb2O5/perovskite interface, regardless of the additional heat
      treatment on Nb2O5 film. Benefitting from the low-temperature process, we further
      demonstrated flexible PSCs based on a-Nb2O5, with a considerable PCE of 12.1%.
      The room-temperature processing and relatively high device performance of a-Nb2O5
      suggest a great potential for its application in optoelectrical devices.

PMID- 28627164
TI  - Thermodynamic and Structural Adaptation Differences between the Mesophilic and
      Psychrophilic Lactate Dehydrogenases.
AB  - The thermodynamics of substrate binding and enzymatic activity of a glycolytic
      enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), from both porcine heart, phLDH (Sus scrofa;
      a mesophile), and mackerel icefish, cgLDH (Chamapsocephalus gunnari; a
      psychrophile), were investigated. Using a novel and quite sensitive fluorescence
      assay that can distinguish protein conformational changes close to and distal
      from the substrate binding pocket, a reversible global protein structural
      transition preceding the high-temperature transition (denaturation) was
      surprisingly found to coincide with a marked change in enzymatic activity for
      both LDHs. A similar reversible structural transition of the active site
      structure was observed for phLDH but not for cgLDH. An observed lower substrate
      binding affinity for cgLDH compared to that for phLDH was accompanied by a larger
      contribution of entropy to DeltaG, which reflects a higher functional plasticity
      of the psychrophilic cgLDH compared to that of the mesophilic phLDH. The natural
      osmolyte, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), increases stability and shifts all
      structural transitions to higher temperatures for both orthologs while
      simultaneously reducing catalytic activity. The presence of TMAO causes cgLDH to
      adopt catalytic parameters like those of phLDH in the absence of the osmolyte.
      Our results are most naturally understood within a model of enzyme dynamics
      whereby different conformations of the enzyme that have varied catalytic
      parameters (i.e., binding and catalytic proclivity) and whose population profiles
      are temperature-dependent and influenced by osmolytes interconvert among
      themselves. Our results also show that adaptation can be achieved by means other
      than gene mutations and complements the synchronic evolution of the cellular
      milieu.

PMID- 28627166
TI  - Self-Assembled Conjugated Polymer/Chitosan-graft-Oleic Acid Micelles for Fast
      Visible Detection of Aliphatic Biogenic Amines by "Turn-On" FRET.
AB  - A fluorescent "turn-on" sensor for fast measurement of aliphatic biogenic amines
      (BAs) was developed based on fluorescent carboxylated polyfluorene
      (PFTBTCOOH)/chitosan-graft-oleic acid (CS-graft-OA) micelles. In this system,
      biobased CS-graft-OA micelles, prepared by graft modification of CS with OA,
      serve as the vector of the hydrophobic fluorescent probe. Bright turn-on
      fluorescence was achieved by the intermolecular fluorescence resonance energy
      transfer of the encapsulated PFTBTCOOH, driven by the formation of an
      electrostatic complex with aliphatic BAs, which facilitate visual identification.
      The peak intensity ratio of the PFTBTCOOH/CS-graft-OA micelles toward an
      increasing amount of aliphatic BAs was calibrated, giving a linear relationship.
      The fluorescence response of PFTBTCOOH/CS-graft-OA micelles to aliphatic BAs in
      milk and yogurt matrixes reaches a detection concentration as low as 10 MUM,
      showing that the PFTBTCOOH/CS-graft-OA micelle solution is a potential
      chemosensor for fast and selective detection of trace aliphatic BAs, which is of
      great significance to public health and food safety.

PMID- 28627167
TI  - Plasma Pharmacokinetics, Bioavailability, and Tissue Distribution of Four C
      Glycosyl Flavones from Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) Seed Extracts in Rat by
      Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - The main polyphenols in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) seed (MBS), an edible legume
      with various biological activities, are C-glycosyl flavones (vitexin, isovitexin,
      isovitexin-6"-O-alpha-l-glucoside, and dulcinoside). In our study, a validated
      ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC
      MS/MS) method was developed to quantitate the concentrations of four C-glycosyl
      flavones from MBS extracts in the plasma and various tissues of rats and
      successfully applied to study their pharmacological profile and tissue
      distribution in vivo. Four C-glycosyl flavones were rapidly absorbed after oral
      administration, achieving a Cmax at around 1.5 h, and they could be distributed
      widely and rapidly in tested tissues. The concentrations of four C-glycosyl
      flavones in all of the tested tissues decreased obviously in 4 h, which indicated
      that there was not a trend of long-term accumulation of them. This is the first
      time to report on pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies of four C
      glycosyl flavones in rat. The results provided a significative basis for the
      application of MBS.

PMID- 28627169
TI  - Influence of the Fruit Juice Carriers on the Ability of Lactobacillus plantarum
      DSM20205 to Improve in Vitro Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Its Probiotic
      Properties.
AB  - This study investigates the influence of tomato and feijoa juices as fermentable
      carriers of Lactobacillus plantarum (LP DSM20205) on the ability of the bacterium
      to improve intestinal barrier function using the trans-epithelial electrical
      resistance (TEER) assay in an apical anaerobic model. The survival of LP DSM20205
      in different fruit juices during in vitro digestion, its adhesion capacity, and
      potential cytotoxic effect on Caco-2 cells were also studied. The results showed
      that carrier fruit juices have a significant influence on LP DSM20205 growth,
      survival during in vitro digestion, adhesion capacity, and TEER. All fermented
      samples were not cytotoxic to Caco-2 cells. The fermented tomato juice showed the
      largest improvement to intestinal barrier integrity. The digested fermented
      juices did not increase TEER, although the LP DSM20205 in these samples adhered
      well. Therefore, LP DSM20205 has the potential to be used as a probiotic in the
      production of fermented tomato and feijoa juices.

PMID- 28627168
TI  - Mitochondria-Associated Apoptosis in Human Melanoma Cells Induced by Cardanol
      Monoene from Cashew Nut Shell Liquid.
AB  - Cardanol monoene (CM) is the major phenolic component extracted from cashew nut
      shell liquid (CNSL), which has been relevant to wide range of biological effects.
      In this study, we found that CM could inhibit the M14 human melanoma cells
      proliferation in a dose dependent and time dependent manner, and the IC50 values
      were determined to be 23.15 +/- 2.42 MUM and 12.30 +/- 1.67 MUM after 24 and 48 h
      treatment, respectively. The flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that CM
      induced M14 cell cycle arrest at the S phase, along with the collapse of
      mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) and the accumulation of reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) level in cells, but the apoptotic cells reduced when treated
      with Z-VAD-FMK (pan-caspase inhibitor). Western blotting showed that the
      expressions of p53, cytosol cytochrome C, cleaved-caspase-3, and cleaved-PARP
      were up-regulated, and the expression level of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio increased
      significantly. The 2527 significant differentially expressed genes were obtained
      by RNA-seq, which were assigned to 270 KEGG pathways. These results indicated
      that CM induced M14 cells apoptosis via the ROS triggered mitochondrial
      associated pathways, which supports the potential application of CM for the
      therapy of melanoma cancer.

PMID- 28627170
TI  - Role of the Nozaki-Hiyama-Takai-Kishi Reaction in the Synthesis of Natural
      Products.
AB  - The Nozaki-Hiyama-Takai-Kishi (NHTK) reaction was discovered in the late 1970s
      and, since then, its main application has been its use in total synthesis. In
      this comprehensive review, the efficiency of the NHKT reaction in the synthesis
      of a great number of different scaffolds present in complex natural products is
      analyzed. The preparation of enol and allylic and propargylic alcohol motifs is
      discussed, highlighting factors such as yield, chemoselectivity,
      stereoselectivity, or the importance of protecting groups. The review is divided
      into two main sections: intermolecular and intramolecular NHTK reactions. A final
      discussion about the current "state-of-art" and future perspectives for the use
      of this transformation in total synthesis is also included.

PMID- 28627171
TI  - Commercial Applications for Enzyme-Mediated Protein Conjugation: New Developments
      in Enzymatic Processes to Deliver Functionalized Proteins on the Commercial
      Scale.
AB  - The field of protein conjugation most commonly refers to the chemical, enzymatic,
      or chemoenzymatic formation of new covalent bonds between two polypeptides, or
      between a single polypeptide and a new molecule (polymer, small molecule, nucleic
      acid, carbohydrate, etc.). Due to the modest selectivity of chemical methods for
      protein conjugation, there are increased efforts to develop biocatalysts that
      confer regioselectivity for site-specific modification, thereby complementing the
      existing toolbox of chemical conjugation strategies. This review summarizes key
      advances in the use of enzymes to functionalize proteins with commercial
      relevance. The examples put forth have demonstrated value at the industrial level
      or show promising industrial potential in the laboratory.

PMID- 28627173
TI  - Ternary Gold Hydrides: Routes to Stable and Potentially Superconducting
      Compounds.
AB  - In a search for gold hydrides, an initial discouraging result of no theoretical
      stability in any binary AuHn at P < 300 GPa was overcome by introducing alkali
      atoms as reductants. A set of AAuH2 compounds, A = Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs, is
      examined; of these, certain K, Rb, and Cs compounds are predicted to be
      thermodynamically stable. All contain AuH2- molecular units and are
      semiconducting at P = 1 atm, and some form metallic and superconducting
      symmetrically bonded AuHAu sheets under compression. To induce metallicity by
      bringing the Au atoms closer together under ambient conditions, we examined
      alkaline earth ion substitution for two A, i.e., materials of composition
      AE(AuH2)2. For AE = Ba and Sr, the materials are already marginally metallic at P
      = 1 atm and the combination of high and low phonon frequencies and good electron
      phonon coupling leads to reasonably high calculated superconducting transition
      temperatures for these materials.

PMID- 28627172
TI  - Regiodivergent Glycosylations of 6-Deoxy-erythronolide B and Oleandomycin-Derived
      Macrolactones Enabled by Chiral Acid Catalysis.
AB  - This work describes the first example of using chiral catalysts to control site
      selectivity for the glycosylations of complex polyols such as 6
      deoxyerythronolide B and oleandomycin-derived macrolactones. The regiodivergent
      introduction of sugars at the C3, C5, and C11 positions of macrolactones was
      achieved by selecting appropriate chiral acids as catalysts or through
      introduction of stoichiometric boronic acid-based additives. BINOL-based chiral
      phosphoric acids (CPAs) were used to catalyze highly selective glycosylations at
      the C5 positions of macrolactones (up to 99:1 rr), whereas the use of SPINOL
      based CPAs resulted in selectivity switch and glycosylation of the C3 alcohol (up
      to 91:9 rr). Additionally, the C11 position of macrolactones was selectively
      functionalized through traceless protection of the C3/C5 diol with boronic acids
      prior to glycosylation. Investigation of the reaction mechanism for the CPA
      controlled glycosylations revealed the involvement of covalently linked anomeric
      phosphates rather than oxocarbenium ion pairs as the reactive intermediates.

PMID- 28627174
TI  - Integrative Analysis of Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury and Remote Ischemic
      Preconditioning in Mice.
AB  - Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is a strategy to induce resistance in a
      target organ against the oxidative stress and injury caused by ischemia and
      reperfusion (IR). RIPC harnesses the body's endogenous protective capabilities
      through brief episodes of IR applied in organs remote from the target. Few
      studies have analyzed this phenomenon in the kidney. Furthermore, the window of
      protection representing RIPC efficacy has not been fully elucidated. Here, we
      performed a multiomics study to specify those associated with protective effects
      of RIPC against the IR injury. A total of 30 mice were divided to four groups:
      sham, IR only, late RIPC + IR, and early RIPC + IR. We found that IR clearly led
      to tubular injury, whereas both preconditioning groups exhibited attenuated
      injury after the insult. In addition, renal IR injury produced changes of the
      metabolome in kidney, serum, and urine specimens. Furthermore, distinctive mRNA
      and associated protein expression changes supported potential mechanisms. Our
      findings revealed that RIPC effectively reduces renal damage after IR and that
      the potential mechanisms differed between the two time windows of protection.
      These results may potentially be extended to humans to allow non- or minimally
      invasive diagnosis of renal IR injury and RIPC efficacy.

PMID- 28627175
TI  - Pull-and-Paste of Single Transmembrane Proteins.
AB  - How complex cytoplasmic membrane proteins insert and fold into cellular membranes
      is not fully understood. One problem is the lack of suitable approaches that
      allow investigating the process by which polypeptides insert and fold into
      membranes. Here, we introduce a method to mechanically unfold and extract a
      single polytopic alpha-helical membrane protein, the lactose permease (LacY),
      from a phospholipid membrane, transport the fully unfolded polypeptide to another
      membrane and insert and refold the polypeptide into the native structure.
      Insertion and refolding of LacY is facilitated by the transmembrane
      chaperone/insertase YidC in the absence of the SecYEG translocon. Insertion into
      the membrane occurs in a stepwise, stochastic manner employing multiple
      coexisting pathways to complete the folding process. We anticipate that our
      approach will provide new means of studying the insertion and folding of membrane
      proteins and to mechanically reconstitute membrane proteins at high spatial
      precision and stoichiometric control, thus allowing the functional programming of
      synthetic and biological membranes.

PMID- 28627176
TI  - Correction to "Proteomic Characterization of the Cellular Response to Nitrosative
      Stress Mediated by S-Nitrosoglutathione Reductase Inhibition".

PMID- 28627177
TI  - Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Selective C-H Acetoxylation and Hydroxylation Reactions.
AB  - An efficient Cp*Rh(III)-catalyzed, chelation-assisted C(sp2)-H acetoxylation and
      hydroxylation reaction has been developed for the first time. The reaction
      proceeds under mild conditions and allows for selective preparation of C-H
      acetoxylation and hydroxylation products, thus providing a good complement to
      previous C-H oxygenation reactions and expanding the field of Cp*Rh(III)
      catalyzed C-H functionalizations.

PMID- 28627178
TI  - Turning the Page: Advancing Paper-Based Microfluidics for Broad Diagnostic
      Application.
AB  - Infectious diseases are a major global health issue. Diagnosis is a critical
      first step in effectively managing their spread. Paper-based microfluidic
      diagnostics first emerged in 2007 as a low-cost alternative to conventional
      laboratory testing, with the goal of improving accessibility to medical
      diagnostics in developing countries. In this review, we examine the advances in
      paper-based microfluidic diagnostics for medical diagnosis in the context of
      global health from 2007 to 2016. The theory of fluid transport in paper is first
      presented. The next section examines the strategies that have been employed to
      control fluid and analyte transport in paper-based assays. Tasks such as mixing,
      timing, and sequential fluid delivery have been achieved in paper and have
      enabled analytical capabilities comparable to those of conventional laboratory
      methods. The following section examines paper-based sample processing and
      analysis. The most impactful advancement here has been the translation of nucleic
      acid analysis to a paper-based format. Smartphone-based analysis is another
      exciting development with potential for wide dissemination. The last core section
      of the review highlights emerging health applications, such as male fertility
      testing and wearable diagnostics. We conclude the review with the future outlook,
      remaining challenges, and emerging opportunities.

PMID- 28627179
TI  - Water-Lean Solvents for Post-Combustion CO2 Capture: Fundamentals, Uncertainties,
      Opportunities, and Outlook.
AB  - This review is designed to foster the discussion regarding the viability of
      postcombustion CO2 capture by water-lean solvents, by separating fact from
      fiction for both skeptics and advocates. We highlight the unique physical and
      thermodynamic properties of notable water-lean solvents, with a discussion of how
      such properties could translate to efficiency gains compared to aqueous amines.
      The scope of this review ranges from the purely fundamental molecular-level
      processes that govern solvent behavior to bench-scale testing, through process
      engineering and projections of process performance and cost. Key discussions of
      higher than expected CO2 mass transfer, water tolerance, and compatibility with
      current infrastructure are presented along with current limitations and suggested
      areas where further solvent development is needed. We conclude with an outlook of
      the status of the field and assess the viability of water-lean solvents for
      postcombustion CO2 capture.

PMID- 28627180
TI  - Nano Ce2O2S with Highly Enriched Oxygen-Deficient Ce3+ Sites Supported by N and S
      Dual-Doped Carbon as an Active Oxygen-Supply Catalyst for the Oxygen Reduction
      Reaction.
AB  - The design of rare-earth-metal oxide/oxysulfide catalysts with high activity and
      durability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is still a grand challenge at
      present. In this study, Ce-species (Ce2O2S/CeO2)/N, S dual-doped carbon (Ce
      species/NSC) catalysts with promising oxygen storage/release capacities are
      prepared at different temperatures (800-1000  degrees C) to enhance the ORR
      efficiency. Mechanisms for the effects of temperature on crystalline phase
      transition between CeO2 and Ce2O2S and structure evolution of Ce-species/NSCs are
      inferred to better understand their catalytic activity. Porous Ce2O2S/NSC (950 
      degrees C) catalyst as the air-breathing cathode exhibits a maximum power density
      of 1087.2 mW m-2, which is higher than those of other Ce-species/NSCs and
      commercial Pt/C (989.13 mW m-2) in microbial fuel cells. The decline of the power
      density of Ce2O2S/NSC (950  degrees C) cathode is 8.7% after 80 days of
      operation, which is far lower than that of Pt/C (36.7%). Ce2O2S/NSC (950  degrees
      C) has a four-electron selectivity toward the ORR and a low charge-transfer
      resistance (5.49 Omega), contributing to high ORR activity and durability. The
      promising ORR catalytic activity of Ce2O2S/NSC (950  degrees C) is attributed to
      its high specific surface area (338.9 m2 g-1), varied active sites, high
      electrical conductivity, and sufficient oxygen vacancies in the Ce2O2S skeleton.
      The high content of Ce3+ in Ce2O2S/NSC (950  degrees C) facilitates the formation
      of more oxygen-deficient Ce3+ sites that generate more oxygen vacancies to
      release/store more oxygen to stabilize the available oxygen for the ORR. Thus,
      this study provides a new perspective for preparation and application of this new
      type of the ORR catalyst.

PMID- 28627181
TI  - Running for your sperm; benefits of physical exercise on seminal quality

PMID- 28627182
TI  - Predictive factors of hypertriglyceridemia in inhospital patients during total
      parenteral nutrition
AB  - Introduction: Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a kind of nutritional support
      indicated for patients whose clinical situation makes it impossible to cover
      their nutritional requirements enterally. Despite the fact that TPN is a safe and
      effective therapy, some complications have been described. One of the most
      frequent is hypertriglyceridemia. The etiology of this metabolic complication is
      complex and multifactorial.Objetive: The aim of this work was to determine risk
      factors associated with the development of hypertrilgyceridemia in adult
      inhospital non critical patients who carry TPN for a short term. A secondary aim
      was to evaluate the effect that a lipid emulsion fortified with omega-3
      poliunsaturated fatty acids causes on this metabolic complication.Material and
      methods: This is an observational retrospective cohort study, in which adult
      inhospital non critical patients have been included. Only those who needed TPN
      during more than seven days were included. Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as
      plasma triglycerides levels higher than 200 mg/dl. The lipid emulsions were
      composed whether by a combination of 50% long-chain (LCT) and medium-chain (MCT)
      triglycerides or 40% LCT/50% MCT/10% omega-3. Clinical, nutritonal and
      biochemical parameters were included. Analitical samples were obtained before
      starting TPN, and weekly until withdrawal. Multivariate logistic regression
      analysis was used to identify predictive factors of the appearance of
      hypertriglyceridemia.Results: One hundred and one patients were included (61.4%
      male). Thirty-three per cent of them developed hypertriglyceridemia. In the
      multivariate analysis the independent risk factors associated with the presence
      of hypertriglyceridemia were the initial plasmatic triglycerides levels, the body
      mass index (BMI) and an input of glucose in the TPN higher than 3.1 g/kg/day. The
      infusion of a lipid emulsion fortified with 3-omega fatty acids was associated
      with a nonsignificant reduction of the risk of appearance of
      hypertriglyceridemia.Conclusion: The patient's clinical metabolic situation, as
      well as the load of carbohydrates in the TPN are essential for the development of
      the TPN-associated hypertriglyceridemia. The administration of a lipid emulsion
      fortified with omega-3 fatty acids is safe, even though it was not associated
      with a signifi cant protective effect over the risk of appearance of this
      metabolic complication.

PMID- 28627183
TI  - Gastrostomy vs nasogastric tube feeding in patients with head and neck cancer
      during radiotherapy alone or combined chemoradiotherapy
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) submitted to radiotherapy
      alone or combined chemoradiotherapy present a high prevalence of malnutrition at
      baseline. Prophylactic use of gastrostomy has been suggested for these patients
      for delivering enteral nutrition. On the other hand, other authors have failed to
      demonstrate the effectiveness of this measure over nasogastric tube feeding.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 40 patients with HNC with moderate or severe
      malnutrition who were offered either prophylactic percutaneous gastrostomy before
      starting oncologic treatment or close follow-up with nutritional counseling with
      the placement of a nasogastric tube when necessary. RESULTS: There were no
      significant changes throughout the study period in weight (p = 0.338), body mass
      index (BMI) (p = 0.314) or serum proteins (p = 0.729), and these changes showed
      no differences between the gastrostomy vsnasogastric tube feeding groups. The
      amount of delivered energy was above the estimated energy needs with both
      gastrostomy and nasogastric tube feeding, but there were no differences in the
      total energy provided by enteral nutrition between groups. Patients in the
      gastrostomy group received enteral nutrition support for a longer period of time
      (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Both gastrostomy and nasogastric tube feeding are
      effective methods of delivering enteral nutrition in patients with HNC submitted
      to radiotherapy alone or combined chemoradiotherapy, with no differences between
      them in terms of avoiding further nutritional deterioration.

PMID- 28627184
TI  - Establishment of a clinical pathway for home enteral nutrition prescription in
      Murcia. Profile and sample characteristics
AB  - Introduction: Before 2010, prescribed home enteral nutrition (HEN) in Murcia was
      characterized by the great variability of the receptor patients, in addition to a
      higher use compared with other geographical areas. Objectives: Developing and
      describing a clinical pathway for attending candidates for HEN, and analyzing
      their profi le and prescription characteristics. Methods: Establishment of a
      clinical pathway for HEN prescription. Bidirectional observational study of the
      samples of HEN in a specific area (Health Area I of the Region of Murcia) during
      2010 (HEN1) and 2013-14 (HEN2).Results: An official management statement was
      established, generalizing the clinical pathway for the rest of the regional areas
      (Instruction no. 4/2012 of July 12th). Although most prevalent diseases in both
      samples were neurological, followed, with a wide spread, by oncological and
      digestive cases, there was a signifi cant difference regarding distribution. The
      HEN1 sample showed a great number of no candidate patients according to the
      management statement. In both samples, the most prevalent route of administration
      was oral, but with a trend reversal to feeding tube and gastrostomy in HEN2,
      where the specifi c formulas were also reduced. Conclusions: The profile of HEN,
      before and after the deployment of the clinical pathway, changes signifi cantly
      concerning the main disease, the route of administration and the formula. It has
      been proved that there is a need for controlling HEN for an appropriate
      prescription.

PMID- 28627185
TI  - Adherence and tolerance as key in brake on weight loss in cancer patients with
      nutritional risk after intervention with a high calorie nutritional and specific
      hyperproteic supplement
AB  - Background: In patients with nutritional risk, the European Society for Clinical
      Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) recommends nutritional supplements during cancer
      treatment to prevent weight loss.Objectives: Our goal is to determine the
      acceptability, compliance and tolerance of a hyperproteic, high-calorie, omega-3
      enriched supplement in cancer patients.Methods: Unicentric, prospective
      observational study in cancer patients with hyperproteic, high-calorie, rich in
      omega 3 and low volume nutritional supplement. Thirty patients with malnutrition
      or risk of malnutrition were included. Supplementation lasted six days.
      Compliance (packaging used), acceptability (Madrid scale), anthropometric
      variables and gastrointestinal adverse events (AEs) were evaluated.Results:
      Seventy per cent were men, with an average age of 60 years (range 32-79), with
      lung (43.3%), ENT (26.7%) and breast neoplasms (13.3%), stage III-IV (56.7%), and
      treated with radiotherapy (93.3%), chemotherapy (60%) and surgery (16.7%). The
      product was accepted by all patients. A compliance rate of 100% was observed.
      Gastrointestinal AE (grade II) related to the supplement was observed in two
      patients (6.7%). Both subjects had previous gastrointestinal diseases. The median
      weight, body mass index (BMI) and protein intake increased during supplementation
      (0.2 kg, 0.1 kg/m2 and 6.2 g). No differences were observed regarding calorie,
      fat and carbohydrates intake.Conclusion: The high acceptance and compliance with
      the specific nutritional supplement was associated with an improved nutritional
      status for cancer patients, and reversed the weight loss without severe
      gastrointestinal problems, or producing intake displacement.

PMID- 28627186
TI  - Glycemic index, glycemic load and insulin response of two formulas of isoglucose
      with different sweeteners and dietary fiber in healthy adults and type-2 diabetes
AB  - Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the glycemic index (GI) and
      glycemic load (GL) of two formulas with the same glucose content with different
      sweeteners and dietary fiber for diabetics in healthy adults and in patients with
      type-2 diabetes (DM2).Methodology: In this randomized, double-blind crossover
      research, eleven healthy people and six with DM2 consumed two enteral formulas,
      Glucerna SR(r), Laboratorios Abbott C.A. (GF) and Enterex Diabetic(r), Victus
      C.A. (EF), sweetened with fructose y sucralose, with 1.2 and 1.3 g/100 ml of
      fiber source respectively (four times). Additionally, they consumed glucose
      solution once, obtaining blood samples at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min for
      controls; in the diabetics, minutes 150 and 180 were added for measuring blood
      glucose, basal and postprandial insulin after two and three hours.Results: The
      incremental area under the curve (IAUC) was lower for the formulas rather than
      for SG. In the healthy controls was 12,857 +/- 422 for EF and 11,601 +/- 272 for
      GF (p < 0.014). In diabetics, this curve reduced for GF (28,656 +/- 123) compared
      to EF (29,855 +/- 496) (p < 0.01). The IG resulted in 58.07 +/- 8.4 and 60.7 +/-
      2 for GF and EF, respectively, in the controls, and 65.16 +/- 0.2 and 68.06 +/- 1
      in diabetics, without significant differences, as well as in post-prandial
      insulin. Conclusions: The GI and the GL of the two formulas resulted in an
      intermediate value in both groups, with a glycemic profile inferior to SG. No
      significant differences were observed regarding insulin behavior, showing that
      the absorption rate of carbohydrates in these formulas is slower, with a lower
      glycemic impact than the pattern product; thus, making its indication acceptable
      for the diabetic patient.

PMID- 28627187
TI  - [Is plasma selenium correlated to transthyretin levels in critically ill
      patients?]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Selenium is an essential trace element, but critically ill patients
      using total parenteral nutrition (PN) do not receive selenium because this
      mineral is not commonly offered. Threfore, the eval uation of plasma selenium
      levels is very important for treating or preventing this deficiency. Recent
      studies have shown that transthyretin may reflect the selenium intake and could
      be considered a biomarker. However, this issue is still little explored in the
      literature. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the correlation of
      transthyretin with the plasma selenium of critically ill patients receiving PN.
      METHOD: This was a prospective cohort study with 44 patients using PN without
      selenium. Blood samples were carried out in 3 stages: initial, 7th and 14th day
      of PN. In order to evaluate the clinical condition and the inflammatory process,
      albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), transthyretin, creatinine and HDL cholesterol
      levels were observed. To assess the selenium status, plasma selenium and
      glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in whole blood were measured. Descriptive analyses
      were performed and the ANOVA, Mann-Whitney and Spearman's coefficient tests were
      conducted; we assumed a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: A positive correlation
      of selenium with the GPx levels (r = 0.46; p = 0.03) was identified. During two
      weeks, there was a positive correlation of transthyretin with plasma selenium (r
      = 0.71; p = 0.05) regardless of the CRP values. CONCLUSION: Transthyretin may
      have reflected plasma selenium, mainly because the correlation was verified after
      the acute phase.

PMID- 28627188
TI  - Effect of glutamine on liver injuries induced by intestinal ischemia-reperfusion
      in rats
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury may cause cell and
      tissue damage, reaching also other organs such as the liver. Because of the
      involvement of free radicals in I/R injury, treatment options with antioxidants
      have been studied and tested. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of glutamine
      (Gln) in the liver of animals with intestinal I/R injury. METHODS: We used 20
      male Wistar rats divided into four groups: sham-operated (SO); glutamine + sham
      operated (G+SO); intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R); glutamine + intestinal
      ischemia-reperfusion (G+I/R). The superior mesenteric artery was clamped for 30
      minutes and reperfused for 15 minutes. Gln (25 mg/kg/day) diluted in 1 ml of
      saline was administered intraperitoneally on the two days before I/R induction.
      RESULTS: Levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
      aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lipid peroxidation (LPO)
      and expressions of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) showed
      a significant reduction in the G+I/R group as compared with the I/R group. The
      activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase
      (GPx), and the levels of glutathione (GSH) showed an increase in the G+I/R group
      as compared with the I/R group. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with Gln reduced
      oxidative, tissue damage and showed a decrease expression of inflammatory
      mediators.

PMID- 28627189
TI  - [Nitrogenous content in parenteral nutrition: a four-year experience in a general
      hospital. Critically-ill patient specificity].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There have been several studies focusing on caloric intake during
      the last years, while protein content relevance has been underestimated. Some
      recent evidence has shown that protein deficiency has also an impact on patient
      outcomes. We have studied the nitrogen (N) content in parenteral nutrition (PN)
      bags administered to adult patients in a Spanish tertiary level hospital for four
      years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients who received parenteral nutrition in the
      general ward and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were recorded. Caloric and protein
      content were registered and adjusted to weight and length of stay. Data were
      compared among three group of patients: those in the general ward, those in the
      ICU and those requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). The one-factor analysis
      of variance (ANOVA) test was used after checking data normality and
      homoscedasticity. RESULTS: There was an increase in the mean g N/stay year after
      year (p < 0.01) from 14 to 15.5 g, with a decrease in non-protein caloric content
      (p < 0.001) from 111.6 to 101.8 kcal/g N. The range was established from 4.1 to
      32.6 g. PN diets with >= 18 g N% ranged from 12.8% (2010) to 19.6% (2013). There
      were significant differences among the groups when comparing the variable g
      N/stay (p < 0.0001): 13.5 general ward vs15.9 ICU patients vs17.6 ICU with RRT,
      also when referring to adjusted weight. CONCLUSIONS: According to most recent
      recommendations nitrogen has been provided in higher amounts than previously,
      especially in critical care patients with RRT.

PMID- 28627190
TI  - [Relationships between umbilical vein and mother iron status].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Iron is an essential micronutrient in the growing fetus. OBJECTIVE:
      The purpose of this study is to find the possible correlations that may exist
      between maternal and fetal iron status and newborn weight. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      The study included 97 mothers scheduled to give birth by elective caesarean
      section in the central maternity of Tebessa (east of Algeria) between January and
      August 2014. The blood collection was sampled from the antecubital vein of the
      mother and the umbilical vein. The mean concentrations of parameters in maternal
      and fetal sides, respectively, were 10.64 +/- 1.37 g/dl and 14.83 +/- 1.79 g/dl
      for hemoglobin, 51.57 +/- 20.82 ug/dl and 112.47 +/- 32.34 MUg/dl for serum iron,
      and 12.37 +/- 9.58 ng/ml and 109.64 +/- 58.76 ng/ml for serum ferritin. Except
      for ferritin, other fetal parameters were correlated with those of mothers. Birth
      weight was only significantly correlated with maternal hemoglobin (r = 0.22, p =
      0.02) and hematocrit (r = 0.2, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The fetal-maternal
      exchanges of iron were highlighted and iron status of the newborn was linked to
      that of the mother. The low maternal hemoglobin was associated with low newborn
      weight.

PMID- 28627191
TI  - [Associations between insulin resistance and three B-vitamins in European
      adolescents: the HELENA study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether adolescents with high body mass index (BMI), or fat
      mass index (FMI), in combination with insulin resistance (assessed with the
      Homeostatic Model Assessment [HOMA] index), had also lower blood vitamin B6,
      folate and vitamin B12 concentrations. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Six hundred and
      fifteen adolescents from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in
      Adolescence (HELENA) study, with data on B-vitamins (both intakes and status),
      and BMI, FMI, HOMA, were selected. Intakes were assessed by two non-consecutive
      24-h recalls. B-vitamins biomarkers were measured by chromatography and
      immunoassay. Analysis of covariance was applied to elucidate the differences in B
      vitamins between combinations of groups defined according to the median of the z
      scores of markers of body composition and insulin sensitivity. RESULTS: When
      considering energy intakes and education of the mother in the model, in females,
      vitamin B6 intakes were higher in the high BMI/high HOMA group than in the high
      BMI-low HOMA group. Similarly, vitamin B6 intakes were higher in the high
      FMI/high HOMA group than in the low FMI/low HOMA group. Plasma vitamin B12 was
      significantly lower in males in the high FMI/high HOMA group than in the low
      FMI/low HOMA group, keeping also significant their trends throughout the groups,
      a fact that can be observed also for females (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adolescents
      with combined higher adiposity and higher HOMA insulin sensitivity showed lower
      vitamin B12 plasma concentrations. These differences do not seem to be explained
      by dietary vitamin B12 intake.

PMID- 28627192
TI  - [Excess weight in patients with cystic fibrosis: is it always beneficial?]
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The primary objective of this study was to find out the prevalence
      of overweight and obese status, as well as their association to pulmonary
      function, total cholesterol and vitamin D in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a multicenter descriptive and cross-sectional
      study. Twelve Spanish hospitals participated. 451 patients with CF were included.
      Adults were classified according to body mass index (BMI) and children were
      classified according to BMI percentiles (WHO tables). Pearson's correlation,
      Anova, Student's t-test and multiple linear regression were conducted. RESULTS:
      Mean age was 12.3 (range 4-57) years old, 51% were male and 18% had pancreatic
      sufficiency. Participants were classified in five nutritional status categories:
      12% were malnourished; 57%, at nutritional risk; 24%, normally nourished; 6%,
      overweight; and 1%, obese. Pulmonary function in overweight or obese patients (91
      +/- 19%) was better than in malnourished patients (77 +/- 24%) (p = 0.017).
      However, no difference was observed between those at nutritional risk (86 +/-
      19%) or normally nourished (90 +/- 22%) groups. Overweight and obese patients had
      higher levels of total cholesterol (p = 0.0049), a greater proportion of
      hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.001), as well as lower levels of 25 OH vitamin D (p =
      0.058). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of overweight and obese was 6 and 1%. Excess
      weight status does not offer any benefit in pulmonary function in comparison to
      normally nourished patients.

PMID- 28627193
TI  - [Menus offered in long-term care homes: quality of meal service and nutritional
      analysis].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Institutionalization is a risk factor for malnutrition. Low energy
      intake and/or nutrient deficiencies are considered to be the main causes.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of meals and meal service as well as the
      nutritional value of the main menus (regular menu, menu for diabetics, and pureed
      menu) offered in three long-term care (LTC) homes located in the metropolitan
      area of Granada (Spain). METHODS: Cross-sectional study. A validated "quality of
      meals and meal service" set of indicators was applied. The menus were assessed by
      weighed food records on 14 consecutive days. The results were compared with the
      dietary reference intakes (DRIs) and the recommended number of servings. RESULTS:
      Important deficiencies in the quality of meals and meal service have been
      reported. Average energy varies from 1,788 to 2,124 kcal/day in the regular
      menus, from 1,687 to 1,924 kcal/day in the menus for diabetics, and from 1,518 to
      1,639 kcal/day in the pureed menus. Average protein varied from 71.4 to 75.4
      g/day, from 72.6 to 76.1 g/day, and from 50.5 to 54.7 g/day, respectively. None
      of the menus complied with the recommendations for fiber, potassium, magnesium,
      iodine, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, nor for vegetables, fruit, milk products,
      olive oil, legumes, or nuts. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to ensure the
      implementation of regular routines for controlling the quality of meals and meal
      service as well as the nutritional value of the menus offered in LTC homes.

PMID- 28627194
TI  - Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk in diabetic population of El Hierro,
      Canary Islands
AB  - Introduction: In the Canary Islands there is a high prevalence of vascular risk
      factors.Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of 300 patients with
      type 2 diabetes in El Hierro, in the Canary Islands.Methods: Patients were
      assessed at the Internal Medicine Unit of the hospital from 1982 to 2010, and
      followed up until December 2014 or until death. The sample is composed of 154
      women and 156 men (52%).Results: mean age was 66.40 +/- 11.60 years, with an
      average follow-up time of 11.04 +/- 4.93 years, and 80.3% were diagnosed of
      metabolic syndrome, signifi cantly more frequent among women (86.43% vs74.67%,
      chi2 = 5.62, p = 0.018). During the follow-up period, 51 patients died and a
      signifi cant proportion developed new cardiovascular complications, such as heart
      failure (6.7%), ischemic heart disease (17.3%), atrial fi brillation (14.3%),
      stroke 7%), or peripheral arterial disease (6.9%). Cox regression analysis showed
      that, although advanced age was the major factor involved in the development of
      all these complications and in mortality, low cholesterol levels were related to
      the development of ischemic heart disease and mortality, results that were not
      dependent on the consumption of statins (as in other examples of inverse
      epidemiology). Ethanol consumption was related to the incidence of peripheral
      arterial disease.Conclusions: Old age was the main factor involved in the
      development of complications and mortality. In addition, low cholesterol levels
      were related to the development of ischemic heart disease and mortality.

PMID- 28627195
TI  - Exercise improved semen quality and reproductive hormone levels in sedentary
      obese adults
AB  - INTRODUCTION: From the previously published literature on the relationship
      between obesity and infertility, it is clear that male obesity negatively impacts
      semen quality. Accordingly, this study was conducted to determine whether regular
      exercise may improve semen quality in sedentary obese adults. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Ninety obese adults were randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 45)
      or control group (n = 45). Participants in the intervention group performed a 16
      week aerobic training program in a treadmill, three sessions per week, consisting
      of a warm-up (10-15 minutes), 35-50 minutes treadmill exercise (increasing five
      minutes per four weeks) at a work intensity of 50-65% of peak heart rate
      (increasing a 5% per four weeks) and cooling-down (5-10 minutes). Semen quality
      assessment included semen volume, sperm concentration and the percentages of
      progressive motility and normal morphology. Serum levels of follicle-stimulating
      hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone and estradiol were
      determined by ELISA. Body composition and physical fitness were also assessed.
      RESULTS: After the completion of the training program, sperm count, motility and
      normal morphology were significantly increased. A second key finding was that
      exercise improved reproductive hormone levels by increasing serum testosterone.
      Lastly, significant correlations were found between seminal outcomes and
      abdominal obesity. CONCLUSION: A short-term intervention program based on aerobic
      training improved semen quality in sedentary obese adults. This finding may be
      explained, at least in part, by an improvement of the reproductive hormone
      profile.

PMID- 28627196
TI  - Comparison of gene expression profile between blood cells and white adipose
      tissue of patients with obesity
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Gene expression analyses from peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMC) and white adipose tissue are conflicting. It seems that results from
      single tissue are not enough to explain how changes affect humans as a complex
      biological system. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare, from obesity
      subjects, PBMC and white adipose tissue gene expression that regulates
      adipogenesis (perilipin 1 [PLIN1], adrenoreceptor beta 3 [ADRB3] and peroxisome
      proliferator-activated receptor [PPARG2]) and the energy metabolism (uncoupling
      protein UCP1, UCP2 and UCP3) process. METHODS: This study enrolled 35 obese
      patients, with a body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg/m2 (obesity group [OG]), and ten
      eutrophic health subjects, 18 > BMI > 24.9 kg/m2 (control group [CG]).
      Anthropometric and body composition data were assessed at recruitment using
      standardized protocols. Samples of peripheral blood and subcutaneous adipose
      tissue (biopsy) were collected to analyze gene expression by RT-qPCR technique.
      For statistical analysis, we used the Shapiro-Wilk test and Wilcoxon tests by the
      SPSS software version 20.0; a p < 0.05 significance level was adopted. RESULTS:
      There were significant differences of PLIN1, ADRB3, PPARG2 and UCP3 expression
      between blood against adipose tissue samples, showing that these genes are
      upregulated in adipose tissue. UCP2 expression was upregulated in PBMC.
      CONCLUSION: The PLIN1, ADRB3, PPARG2 and UCP3 genes were preferentially expressed
      in adipose tissue. However, UCP2 was upregulated in PBMC, suggesting that this
      gene may be assessed in a peripheral blood cell, which is easily accessible, safe
      and practical.

PMID- 28627197
TI  - Dietary antioxidant quality score (DAQs) is associated with bone mass assessed by
      calcaneal quantitative ultrasound in young women
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that intake of antioxidants could positively
      influence bone mass by preventing bone metabolism against oxidative stress.
      OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the possible influence of single antioxidant
      intakes and dietary antioxidant quality score (DAQs) on calcaneal quantitative
      ultrasound (QUS) in a population of young adults. METHODS: A total of 605 young
      Spanish adults participated in this study (median age 20.38 +/- 2.67). Bone mass
      was measured by calcaneal QUS to determine broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA,
      dB/MHz) parameter. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance
      analysis and dietary intakes were determined using a 72-hour diet recall
      interview. DAQs was applied to calculate antioxidant nutrients intake. Linear
      regression analyses were performed to investigate the possible influence of DAQs
      on calcaneal QUS. RESULTS: Most of young adults showed a low-quality antioxidant
      intake (only 17.6% of women and 20.3% of men had a score of 4 or 5 in DAQs). A
      positive correlation between DAQs and BUA was observed in women (r = 0.117; p =
      0.024). Linear regression analysis revealed that DAQs was significantly
      associated with BUA parameter in women after adjusting by body weight, height,
      calcium intake and physical activity (PA) (p = 0.035). No significant
      associations between single antioxidant and calcaneus QUS measurement were found.
      CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that high-quality antioxidant intakes could
      influence bone health in young women. Future studies should further investigate
      the protective role of antioxidant nutrients against osteoporosis.

PMID- 28627198
TI  - Triceps skinfold compressibility in hospitalized patients
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore triceps skinfold (TSF) compressibility and its associated
      factors among hospitalized patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted among hospitalized adult patients. Evolution of tissue compressibility
      during two seconds was registered and 120 TSF values were obtained using a
      digital calliper. Compressibility was determined according to the difference
      between the initial value and the final value (TSF difference) and according to
      time (tau). Multivariable linear regression models were performed in order to
      identify factors associated with TSF compressibility. RESULTS: One hundred and
      six patients (30.2% aged >= 65 years) composed the study sample. Compressibility
      based on TSF difference was independently associated with TSF thickness
      (regression coefficient, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38, 0.01-0.05, p =
      0.002) and nutritional risk (regression coefficient, 95% CI = 0.23, 0.12-1.23, p
      = 0.018), but time of compressibility (tau) was not significantly associated with
      any of the studied variables. CONCLUSIONS: Among a sample of hospitalized
      patients, undernutrition risk and higher TSF thickness were factors independently
      associated with higher compressibility assessed by the difference between the
      initial and final TSF value. Time of compressibility (tau) was not affected by
      any of the studied factors.

PMID- 28627199
TI  - Hand span influences optimal grip span in adolescents with Down syndrome
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The hand grip strength test provides useful and reliable
      information about overall health. Different studies have investigated the optimal
      grip span for determining maximal hand grip strength in different populations
      such as adults, adolescents and children without disabilities. OBJECTIVE: To
      ascertain whether there is an optimal grip span for determining maximal hand grip
      strength in adolescents with Down syndrome (DS). METHODS: Twenty-seven right
      handed youths with DS (seven females) aged 15.5 +/- 3.6 years were evaluated in
      this methodological study. Each hand was randomly tested on ten times using five
      different grip spans, allowing one-minute rest between attempts. The hand span
      was measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the small finger with the
      hand widely opened. To confirm the usefulness of the optimal grip span, a new
      group of 15 adolescents with DS were recruited. RESULTS: An optimal grip span was
      identified for the dominant hand in adolescents with DS. The equation relating
      grip span as a function of dominant hand span in this group is formulated as
      follows: y = 0.342x - 1.161 cm (r = 0.63, p < 0.05). In the case of non-dominant
      hand, a tendency towards a linear association (p = 0.058) was found; the equation
      is formulated as follows: y = 0,210x + 1.324 cm. CONCLUSION: It is important to
      standardize the procedure and increase reliability when measuring hand grip
      strength in DS population. The values stated in this study are recommended to
      assess hand grip strength in adolescents with Down syndrome.

PMID- 28627200
TI  - Body composition changes after sport detraining period
AB  - Introduction: The infl uence of exercise in trained subjects has beneficial
      effects in the physical fi tness and body composition; however, detraining has an
      unfavorable effect in all of them. Objective: The current study was designed to
      ascertain the infl uence of a six week-detraining period on body composition in
      both well-trained young soccer players (GE, n = 43) and sedentary male
      adolescents (GC, n = 10). Methods: Forty-three well-trained soccer players and
      ten sedentary adolescents accepted to participate in the study. Body composition
      measurements included fat mass and skeletal muscle mass (SMM), which were
      estimated by anthropometry. In addition, total body water (TBW), intracellular
      water (ICW) and extracellular water (ECW) were assessed by bioelectrical
      impedance analysis (BIA) at the end of training and after detraining periods.
      Results: After the six-week-detraining period, signifi cant increments were found
      in TBW (35.5 +/- 5.2 vs.36.7 +/- 4.9 kg; p < 0.001), ICW (14.2 +/- 1.8 vs. 14.8
      +/- 1.6 kg; p < 0.001) and ECW (21.5 +/- 3.6 vs. 22.0 +/- 3.4 kg; p < 0.001) in
      soccer players. Conversely, no changes were observed in ECW/TBW (0.4 +/- 0.02 vs.
      0.4 +/- 0.02; p > 0.05) and ICW/TBW (0.6 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.597 +/- 0.02; p > 0.05)
      ratios. Finally, fat mass was significantly increased (8.6 +/- 3.2 vs. 8.95 +/-
      3.1 kg; p < 0.01) in the detrained group. No signifi cant changes were found in
      SMM (21.2 +/- 2.5 vs. 22.22 +/- 2.8 kg, p > 0.05). Conclusions: After a six-week
      detraining period, body composition changed signifi cantly in well-trained
      adolescents. The main fi nding of this study was that increments of TBW and water
      distribution were observed in the soccer group, which refl ects an increase of
      fat free mass compartment. The physiological importance of this miss-adaptation
      needs to be elucidated in future research. Further studies on this topic are
      still required to assess its impact on physical performance.

PMID- 28627201
TI  - Degree of malnutrition and its relationship with major structural and eating
      factors in Honduran preschool population. Prevalence of breastfeeding
AB  - Introduction: Child malnutrition remains a serious public health problem in
      Honduras, with a national prevalence according to the World Health Organization
      (WHO) reference values of 29% in children under fi ve. In addition, the average
      chronic malnutrition in the region amounts to 80% in poor and indigenous
      communities, making Honduras the second country in Central America with the
      highest incidence of chronic malnutrition. Another problem of the region is the
      early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding: only 29.7% of children were
      exclusively breastfed until they were six months. Therefore, the study seeks to
      understand, identify and quantify the situation determinants and provide
      information for the design of public policies.Material and method:: The study
      consisted of a cross-sectional descriptive anthropometric assessment in which the
      nutritional status and the prevalence of undernourishment, malnutrition and
      malnutrition in 141 children aged between six months and fi ve years, belonging
      to urban and rural regions of the country, were analyzed, as well as assessing
      the prevalence of breastfeeding in fi ve Honduran departments (Intibuca, Lempira,
      Atlantida, Olancho and Francisco Morazan).Results and conclusion: When making the
      analysis by departments, differences regarding nutritional status and
      breastfeeding were observed between urban and rural areas, the latter being
      doubled in the case of chronic malnutrition and underweight, with percentages of
      14.6% in urban areas versus28.8% in rural areas, and 4.6% in urban areas compared
      to 9% in rural areas, respectively. However, with respect to acute malnutrition
      and overweight in both regions, similar values were observed, above 1.1% for
      acute and 14% for overweight malnutrition. In relation to exclusive breastfeeding
      for six months, the departments of Olancho and Lempira maintained it for two
      years, with a percentage distribution of 80% and 48%, respectively. It must be
      noted that 36% of mothers did not provide breastfeeding, with the highest rate
      (15%) in the department of Francisco Morazan.

PMID- 28627202
TI  - Maternal underweight and perinatal outcomes: a restrospective cohort study
AB  - Introduction: Some studies have linked maternal underweight with adverse
      perinatal outcomes such as spontaneous abortion, abruptio placentae,small for
      gestational age newborn, intrauterine growth retardation and preterm
      birth.Objective: To determine the influence of maternal underweight in the onset
      of labor, route of delivery, birth weight, Apgar score and preterm birth.Methods:
      Retrospective cohort study. We included pregnant women from the Hospital
      Universitario de Puerto Real. Period of study: 2002-2011. Study group:
      underweight at the beginning of gestation (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2). Control group:
      pregnant women with normal body mass index (BMI) at the beginning of gestation
      (18.5-24.9 kg/m2). The risk (OR) of induction of labor, cesarean section, small
      for gestational age newborn, macrosomia, 5' Apgar score < 7, and preterm birth
      was calculated.Results: The prevalence of underweight was 2.5% versus 58.9% of
      pregnant women who had a normal BMI. We found no significant differences in the
      rate of induction of labor, fetal macrosomia, Apgar at 5' < 7 or preterm
      delivery. Maternal underweight was associated with a decreased risk of caesarean
      section (adjusted OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.89) and an increased risk of small
      for gestational age newborn (adjusted OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.90).Conclusions:
      Maternal underweight at the start of pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of
      caesarean section and a greater risk of small for gestational age newborns (birth
      weight < P10).

PMID- 28627203
TI  - Association between meal intake behavior and blood pressure in Spanish adults
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Eating frequency has been suggested to modify blood
      pressure. Yet, the results are inconclusive, possibly because eating frequency,
      particularly meal intake behavior (MIB), does not differentiate between meals and
      snacks. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine the association between more
      specific MIBs, like the consumption of the three main meals, the intake of
      forenoon and afternoon meals and snacking between the regular meals, and
      systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP). METHODS: This cross-sectional study
      includes 1,314 Spanish adults aged 20-79 years. Data collection occurred during
      cardiovascular health day events organized in four Spanish cities (Madrid, Las
      Palmas, Seville and Valencia) in 2008. Linear regression analysis was performed
      to assess the independent association between the mentioned MIBs and SBP/DBP,
      controlling for several confounders in multiples models. RESULTS: After adjusting
      for sex, age and individual risk factors, having an afternoon meal was associated
      with lower SBP (beta -3.91, 95% CI [-6.33, -1.49]) and DBP (beta -2.35, 95% CI [
      3.76, -0.94]). This association was attenuated when introducing dietary intake
      and waist circumference in the predictive models (SBP: beta -2.83, 95% CI [-5.25,
      -0.40]; DBP: beta -1.67, 95% CI [-3.04, -0.31]), although it still remained
      significant. None of the other investigated MIBs showed any associations with
      SBP/DBP. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that SBP/DBP might be reduced by the
      intake of an afternoon meal. However, population-based prospective studies are
      needed in order to confirm the consequences of the investigated associations on
      health.

PMID- 28627204
TI  - Iodine levels are associated with oxidative stress and antioxidant status in
      pregnant women with hypertensive disease
AB  - BACKGROUND: The antioxidant function of iodine and iodine deficiency as a risk
      factor of preeclampsia have been previously reported. AIM: To analyze the
      association between iodine deficiency, oxidative stress and antioxidant status
      with hypertensive disease of pregnancy (HPD). METHOD: Fifty-seven pregnant women
      were recruited in the last trimester of pregnancy; 20 were diagnosed with
      hypertensive disease (HPD) of pregnancy and 37 were normotensive pregnant women.
      Urinary iodine concentration (UIC), TSH, free T4 (fT4), total antioxidant status
      (FRP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and oxidative stress (TBARS)
      were evaluated by colorimetric methods. RESULTS: UIC median for all pregnant
      women was 151.9 ug/l. The UIC for pregnant women with HPD was 50-149 ug/l,
      compared to 150-249 ug/l in normotensive women. No significant differences in
      levels of TSH and fT4 in normotensive pregnant compared with HPD women were
      found. Pregnant women with HPD had significant high levels of TBARS, and
      significant low levels of FRP, SOD, CAT and UIC compared to normotensive
      pregnant. In addition, pregnant women with optimal levels of UIC had a higher SOD
      activity (r = 0.354, p = 0.011), while iodine deficiency was associated with HPD
      (r = -0,281, p = 0.039). Similarly, pregnant women with HPD had a significant
      negative association with SOD activity (r = -0.702, p = 0.005), CAT (r = -0.409,
      p = 0.002), and FRP (r = -0.624, p = 0.003), and a positive association with
      TBARS (r = 0.744, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Iodine contributes to redox balance
      during pregnancy; its deficiency is associated with HPD. This study shows the
      importance of iodine during pregnancy.

PMID- 28627205
TI  - A low fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet is a
      balanced therapy for fibromyalgia with nutritional and symptomatic benefits
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia is a chronic rheumatic disease producing widespread
      pain, associated to a major comorbidity -irritable bowel syndrome. Low FODMAPS
      diet (low fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols diet) has been
      effective in controlling irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Overweight is an
      aggravating factor for fibromyalgia. We studied effects of low fermentable oligo
      di-mono-saccharides and polyols diets on fibromyalgia symptoms and weight status.
      METHODS: A longitudinal study was performed on 38 fibromyalgia patients using a
      four-week, repeated assessment as follow: M1 = first assessments/presentation of
      individual low fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols diet; M2 =
      second assessments/reintroduction of FODMAPs; M3 = final assessments/nutritional
      counselling. The assessment instruments applied were: Fibromyalgia Survey
      Questionnaire (FSQ); Severity Score System (IBS-SSS); visual analogic scale
      (VAS). Body mass-index/composition and waist circumference (WC) were also
      measured. Daily macro-micronutrients and FODMAP intake were quantified at each
      moment of the study. RESULTS: The studied cohort was 37% overweight, 34% obese
      (average body mass-index 27.4 +/- 4.6; excess fat mass 39.4 +/- 7%). Weight, body
      mass-index and waist circumference decreased significantly (p < 0.01) with low
      fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols diet, but no significant effect
      on body composition was observed. All fibromyalgiasymptoms, including somatic
      pain, declined significantly post-LFD (p < 0.01); as well for severity of
      fibromyalgia [Fibromyalgia survey questionnaire: M1 = 21.8; M2 = 16.9; M3 = 17.0
      (p < 0.01)]. The intake of essential nutrients (fiber, calcium, magnesium and
      vitamin D) showed no significant difference. The significant reduction in FODMAP
      intake (M1 = 24.4 g; M2 = 2.6g; p < 0.01) reflected the "Diet adherence" (85%).
      "Satisfaction with improvement of symptoms" (76%), showed correlating with "diet
      adherence" (r = 0.65; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results are highly encouraging,
      showing low fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols diets as a
      nutritionally balanced approach, contributing to weight loss and reducing the
      severity of FM fibromyalgiasymptoms.

PMID- 28627206
TI  - Investigation on the endemic characteristics of Metorchis orientalisin Huainan
      area, China
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the endemic characteristics of Metorchis orientalis (M.
      orientalis)in the Huainan area, Anhui province, China. METHODS: The first
      intermediate host, second-intermediate host and reservoir hosts were collected,
      and the endemic characteristics of M. orientalis were examined through field
      investigation and artificial infection. RESULTS: Investigation was completed in
      89 domestic ducks, 156 domestic chicken, 41 domestic geese, 20 domestic cats and
      19 dogs. The infection rate of M. orientaliswas 18.0% (16/89) in ducks, 12.2%
      (19/156) in chicken, 9. 8% (4/41) in geese, 5.0% (1/20) in cats and 5.3% (1/19)
      in dogs. Sixty-seven cercariae of M. orientaliswere identified in 1,000
      Parafossarulu s striatulus,with a natural infection rate of 6.7%, and 19
      cercariae occurred in 300 Pseudorasbora parva, with a natural infection rate of
      6.33%. The activity of the cercariae of M. orientaliswas associated with light
      intensity and temperature. The full life cycle of M. orientalisranged from 120 to
      140 days; it occurred approximately in 89 days in snails, 28 days in fish and 20
      days in ducks. CONCLUSION: M. orientalisis prevalent in the Huainan area, and it
      may complete its life cycle in Parafossarulus striatulus, Pseudorasbora parva and
      natively rais ed ducks.

PMID- 28627207
TI  - The effect of defatted cocoa powder on cholesterol-induced changes of serum
      lipids in rats
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cocoa has been known for many health benefits, but its lipid
      lowering activity still remains unresolved. OBJECTIVES: To investigate effects of
      varying amounts of defatted cocoa on serum lipids in cholesterol-fed rats.
      METHODS: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into four
      cholesterol-free (control) and four cholesterol-supplemented (experimental) diets
      containing 0, 1, 2 or 3% defatted cocoa (DC) and given ad libitumto the rats for
      ten weeks. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low- and very low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDL-C and VLDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and
      triglycerides (TG) were quantified, atherogenic index (AI) was calculated, and
      other biological parameters were assessed. RESULTS: Food intake and body weight
      did not respond to DC. Compared to 0% DC, 3% DC had the most prominent effect on
      serum lipids inducing significant fall in LDL-C and TG, and rise in TC/TG in
      cholesterol-deprived rats, and increase in VLDL-C and AI, and decrease in HDL-C
      in cholesterol-fed rats. Compared to cholesterol-deprived rats, 3% DC caused
      significant rise in VLDL-C, AI and TC/TG, and fall in TG in cholesterol-fed rats.
      This lipid-modifying effect was markedly substantiated by corresponding linear
      trend responses to DC. Differences in lipid variables of rats fed on DC diets
      were less evident. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that, in contrast to cholesterol
      free situations, defatted cocoa is seemingly incapable of counteracting the
      atherogenic effect of cholesterol in rats, perhaps in an interaction that is
      likely to have clinical implications in cardiometabolic conditions.

PMID- 28627208
TI  - Irisin is weakly associated with usual physical activity in young overweight
      women
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine if irisin plasma levels are associated with regular
      physical activity, body composition and metabolic parameters in women subjected
      to calorie restriction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We studied 42 women aged 34 +/- 13
      years with a body mass index of 27.7 +/- 1.8 kg/m2, who were subjected to a
      calorie restriction for three months. At baseline and at the end of the study,
      weight, waist and hip circumference, laboratory parameters, body composition by
      DEXA, resting and activity energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and 72
      hours actigraphy were measured. Fasting serum irisin was quantified using an
      ELISA kit. RESULTS: After the intervention period, participants lost 1.5 (0.4
      3.4) kg and irisin levels did not change. Irisin baseline levels were positively
      but weakly correlated with the level of physical activity. This association was
      lost at the end of the intervention. No association was found between irisin
      levels and body composition or insulin sensitivity or their changes after calorie
      restriction. No association between serum irisin levels and PGC-1alphaexpression
      in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum irisin was observed. CONCLUSIONS:
      Fasting serum irisin was weakly associated with usual physical activity and did
      not change after calorie restriction.

PMID- 28627209
TI  - Anorexia and bulimia nervosa: virtual diffusion of the disease as a lifestyle
AB  - Introduction: Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the onset of eating
      disorders (ED) such as anorexia and bulimia nervosas. Body dissatisfaction, a
      precipitating factor for ED, leads adolescents to seek information on the
      Internet about diets. In this context, pro-Ana (proanorexia) and pro-Mia
      (probulimia) are on-line pages that promulgate highly harmful contents for health
      related to weight loss and ED.Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze
      quantity, quality and social diffusion strategies used by pro-Ana and pro-Mia
      webpages.Methods: A web search was done in the Google Chrome browser, using the
      keywords "anorexia", "bulimia", "eating disorders", "Ana and Mia", "pro-Ana and
      pro-Mia", "anorexic nation", "obesity", "healthy lifestyles" and "healthy
      nutrition". The top 20 results for each search were selected and analyzed
      according to positioning rates (PageRank, PR). The quality of these resources was
      analyzed by a previously published questionnaire. Finally, a study of the
      diffusion in social networks like Facebook and Twitter was performed for pro-Ana
      and pro-Mia pages using SharedCount.Results: Searches for pro-Ana and pro-Mia
      reported more than a million entries. The pages were poorly positioned. Blog
      contents were the most shared between all the analyzed pages.Conclusions: pro-Ana
      and pro-Mia are resources with a clear intention to establish a contact with
      people with an eating disorder or who are at risk for developing one, in order to
      strengthen the communication through the blogosphere.

PMID- 28627210
TI  - Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG reduces hepatic fibrosis in a model of chronic liver
      disease in rats
AB  - BACKGROUND: The intestinal dysbiosis is common in chronic liver disease and can
      induce to inflammatory responses and mediate the collagen deposition in the
      liver. AIM: To evaluate the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for the
      treatment of liver fibrosis in a model of chronic cholestatic liver disease in
      rats. METHODS: Male adult Wistar rats (n = 29) were submitted to common bile duct
      ligation (BDL groups) or manipulation of common bile duct without ligation (Ctrl
      groups).Two weeks after surgery, each group was randomly divided to receive 1 ml
      of PBS (Ctrl and BDL) or PBS containing 2.5 x 107 CFU of LGG (Ctrl-P and BDL-P)
      through gavages for 14 days. Euthanasia occurred 33 days after surgery when
      samples of blood and liver tissue were collected. RESULTS: The hepatic gene
      expression of Tlr4, Tnfalpha, IL-6, Tgfbeta, and metalloproteinase-2 and -9 were
      higher in the BDL groups in comparison to Ctrl. The ductular reaction evaluated
      by immunocontent of cytokeratin-7 (CK7) and the content of collagen were
      increased in BDL groups. Also, there was an imbalance in the antioxidant defenses
      (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and an increase in the oxidative stress
      marker sulfhydryl in BDL groups. The treatment with LGG significantly reduced
      gene expression of IL-6, collagen deposition, and ductular reaction in hepatic
      tissue of animals from BDL-P groups. CONCLUSION: The treatment with the probiotic
      LGG was able to reduce liver fibrosis, ductular reaction, and hepatic gene
      expression of IL-6 in a model of cholestatic liver disease in rats.

PMID- 28627211
TI  - Egg intake and cardiovascular disease: a scientifi c literature review
AB  - Eggs are a highly nutritive food. They contain high quality protein and several
      nutrients with potential health benefi ts. Nevertheless, the appearance of
      cardiovascular disease as an important public health issue, with high morbidity
      and mortality rates worldwide, along with the identifi cation of high blood
      cholesterol levels as a risk factor for this disease, was responsible for the
      advice to limit dietary cholesterol (and, therefore, eggs) that was promoted by
      health care professionals and institutions during the 70s. To date, several
      cohort studies show that the intake of one egg a day does not increase
      cardiovascular risk in the general population. However, this evidence is not
      clear among diabetic patients, and raises the questionwhether its consumption in
      large quantities is entirely safe in this particular population. Additionally,
      intervention studies have shown that egg consumption does not adversely affect
      cardiovascular risk factors neither in healthy individuals nor in those with
      cardiometabolic disease. Moreover, these studies suggest that the incorporation
      of egg to the diet could bring additional benefits such as promoting a less
      atherogenic lipid profile.

PMID- 28627212
TI  - Efficacy of enteral nutritional support after hospital discharge in major
      gastrointestinal surgery patients: a systematic review
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Nutritional support for malnourished patients undergoing
      gastrointestinal surgery reduces the complication rate and shortens the length of
      stay. The efficacy of nutritional support after hospital discharge was analyzed
      in this systematic review. METHODS: The search strategy (nutrition OR "enteral
      nutrition" OR "nutritional supplements" OR "oral nutritional supplements" OR "sip
      feed" OR "sip feeding" OR "dietary counseling") AND ("patient discharge" OR
      discharge OR postdischarge) AND (surgery OR operation OR "surgical procedure")
      was followed in Medline, CENTRAL, and Trip databases. Inclusion criteria
      comprised: type of study (randomized controlled trial), language (English,
      Spanish), and subjects (patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery). The risk
      of bias was assessed by using the Cochrane methodology. RESULTS: Five studies
      which were published in six different articles and recruited 446 patients were
      included. A high risk of bias was detected for most of them. Nutritional support
      improved energy intake and protein intake when high-protein oral supplements were
      provided. The intervention was associated with better weight prognosis, but the
      data about body composition were inconsistent. In most of the trials, nutritional
      intervention did not enhance functional capacity or quality of life. None of the
      studies analyzed the effects on complications after discharge. CONCLUSION:
      Nutritional support provided at discharge may increase dietary intake and improve
      body weight, but the low quality of studies can weaken the validity of results.

PMID- 28627213
TI  - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) pathophysiology in obese children and
      adolescents: update
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Although the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was first identified in
      1980, it presents multifactorial and unclear pathophysiology. In this review, we
      intend to update the pathophysiological mechanisms of a high morbidity and
      mortality associated disease that is affecting obese children worldwide. DATA
      SOURCES: The PubMed and the Cochrane Library databases were used in the search
      strategy for articles related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and published
      in the last three decades. DATA SUMMARY: This review describes the current
      knowledge on the different mechanisms related to the pathophysiology of
      nonalcoholic fatty liver disease focused on histological, anatomical and
      biochemical aspects involved in triggering steatohepatitis and leading to
      cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical research and advanced technological
      resources demonstrated several determinants pathophysiological mechanisms of
      nonalcoholic fatty liver disease trying to assist in their treatment and change
      its natural course.

PMID- 28627214
TI  - Effects of green tea and its epigallocatechin (EGCG) content on body weight and
      fat massin humans: a systematic review
AB  - The prevalence and incidence of overweight and obesity worldwide continues to
      increase, as well as diseases related to these conditions. This is attributed to
      an increase in energy intake and a decrease in energy expenditure. Consumption of
      green tea has been linked to a reduction in body fat and body weight. However,
      research on green tea has been very diverse. This review assesses the
      investigations that have been made with green tea and its epigallocatechin
      gallato (EGCG) content, evaluating its effect on body fat and body weight in
      humans. A search was made in the PubMed and Web of the Science databases that
      gave a first total result of 424 potential articles; 409 were excluded and 15
      articles were used for this systematic review. Research has been very varied,
      however, daily consumption of green tea with doses of EGCG between 100 and 460
      mg/day has shown greater effectiveness on body fat and body weight reduction in
      intervention periods of 12 weeks or more. In addition, the use of caffeine doses
      between 80 and 300 mg/day has been shown to be an important factor for this
      effects, when the participants did not have a high caffeine intake (> 300 mg/day)
      prior to the intervention.

PMID- 28627215
TI  - The health educator network as a nutrition education strategy: the example of the
      EDALNUprogramme (1963-1994)
AB  - Food and nutrition education is an essential tool to ensure public health. The
      year 1961 saw the launch of the Food and Nutrition Education Programme(EDALNU),
      which helped Spanish population to complete their nutrition transition. The aim
      of this study was to analyze the characteristicsof the health education network
      which was created as part of the program.A total of 46,752 people, 94% of whom
      were women, received training on food and nutrition. Of these, 89.54% obtained
      the basic certificate, and8.80% were awarded the diploma. Some 1,407 courses were
      given, reaching a peak in 1979 with 131 courses and 4,029 students. The most
      active provinces were Madrid, with 26.65% of the courses; Valencia, with 7.60%;
      Murcia, with 7.53%, and Malaga, with 6.75%. The Spanish Ministry of Culture and
      Education organized the largest number of courses (26.23%), followed by the
      Women's Section (11.16%) and Catholic Action (5.12%). Diploma courses were taught
      for 160 hours, while basic courses lasted 40 hours.The training delivered was
      affected by changes in the EDALNU program and the Spanish administrative and
      political structure. Our researchrevealed that the development and gender balance
      of the network of trainers presented regional inequalities, and that a wide range
      of institutionswere involved in delivering the courses

PMID- 28627216
TI  - Pediatric parenteral nutrition: clinical practice guidelines from the Spanish
      Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SENPE), the Spanish Society of
      Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (SEGHNP) and the Spanish
      Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH)
AB  - Introduction:Parenteral nutrition (PN) in childhood is a treatment whose
      characteristics are highly variable depending on the age and pathology of the
      patient.Material and methods: The Standardization and Protocols Group of the
      Spanish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SENPE) is an
      interdisciplinary group formed by members of the SENPE, the Spanish Society of
      Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Pediatric Nutrition (SEGHNP) and the Spanish
      Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SEFH) that intends to update this issue. For this,
      a detailed review of the literature has been carried out, looking for the
      evidences that allow us to elaborate a Clinical Practice Guide following the
      criteria of the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine.Results: This
      manuscript summarizes the recommendations regarding indications, access routes,
      requirements, modifi cations in special situations, components of the mixtures,
      prescription and standardization, preparation, administration, monitoring,
      complications and home NP. The complete document is published as a monographic
      number.Conclusions: This guide is intended to support the prescription of
      pediatric PN. It provides the basis for rational decisions in the context of the
      existing evidence. No guidelines can take into account all of the often
      compelling individual clinical circumstances.

PMID- 28627218
TI  - Performance evaluation of three platforms with ultrasensitive ligand-binding
      assay potential.
AB  - AIM: We evaluated three immunoassay-based technologies and their biomarker kits,
      by determining precision, parallelism and detectability of analytes of interest.
      MATERIALS & METHODS: We compared ultrasensitive assays for three biomarkers:
      interleukins IL-6, IL-13 and IL-17A using kits obtained from Roche (IMPACT
      platform - proprietary platform), Singulex (Erenna(r)) and Quanterix (SimoaTM).
      We defined the true LLOD as the LLOQs, and provided disease-specific parallelism
      results and detectability levels for endogenous analyte, which were good across
      platforms, though they varied from analyte to analyte. CONCLUSION: We highlight a
      simplified approach employed for evaluating ultrasensitive kits and provide an
      overview of the methodologies used to compare available assays. All three
      platforms are able to detect very low-level analytes. We recommend all three
      platforms for detection of very low-level analytes.

PMID- 28627217
TI  - Using Plantar Electrical Stimulation to Improve Postural Balance and Plantar
      Sensation Among Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Double
      Blinded Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: People with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) often exhibit
      deteriorations in motor-performance mainly due to lack of plantar-sensation. The
      study explored effectiveness of plantar electrical-stimulation therapy to enhance
      motor-performance among people with DPN. DESIGN AND METHODS: Using a double
      blinded model, 28 volunteers with DPN (age: 57.8 +/- 10.2 years) were recruited
      and randomized to either intervention (IG: n = 17) or control (CG: n = 11) group.
      Both groups received identical plantar-stimulation devices for six weeks of daily
      use at home; however, only the IG devices were set to deliver stimulation.
      Balance (ankle, hip, and center of mass [COM] sway) and gait (stride velocity
      [SV], stride time [ST], stride length [SL], and cadence) were measured using
      validated wearable sensors. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at six-week.
      Clinical assessment including vascular as measured by ankle-brachial-index (ABI)
      and plantar-sensation as quantified by vibratory plantar threshold (VPT) were
      also measured at baseline and six weeks. RESULTS: No difference were observed
      between groups for baseline characteristics ( P > .050). Posttherapy, ankle and
      COM sway with eyes open were significantly improved ( P < .05, Cohen's effect
      size d = 0.67-0.76) in the IG with no noticeable changes in CG. All gait
      parameters were significantly improved in the IG with highest effect size
      observed for cadence ( d = 1.35, P = .000). Results revealed improvement in VPT (
      P = .004, d = 1.15) with significant correlation with stride velocity improvement
      ( r = .56, P = .037). ABI was improved in the IG in particulate among those with
      ABI>1.20 ( P = .041, d = 0.99) Conclusion: This study suggests that daily home
      use of plantar electrical-stimulation may be a practical means to enhance motor
      performance and plantar-sensation in people with DPN.

PMID- 28627219
TI  - Accuracy Assessment of an Improved Version of an Established Blood Glucose
      Monitoring System for Self-Testing Following ISO 15197:2013.

PMID- 28627220
TI  - The German Version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10): Evaluation of
      Dimensionality, Validity, and Measurement Invariance With Exploratory and
      Confirmatory Bifactor Modeling.
AB  - The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a popular instrument for measuring the degree
      to which individuals appraise situations in their lives as excessively
      uncontrollable and overloaded. Despite its widespread use (e.g., for evaluating
      intervention effects in stress management studies), there is still no agreement
      on its factor structure. Hence, the aim of the present study was to examine the
      dimensionality, measurement invariance (i.e., across gender, samples, and time),
      reliability, and validity of the PSS. Data from 11,939 German adults (73% women)
      were used to establish an exploratory bifactor model for the PSS with one general
      and two specific factors and to cross-validate this model in a confirmatory
      bifactor model. The model displayed strong measurement invariance across gender
      and was replicated in Study 2 in data derived from six randomized controlled
      trials investigating a web-based stress management training. In Study 2 (overall
      N = 1,862), we found strong temporal invariance. Also, our analyses of concurrent
      and predictive validity showed associations with depressive symptoms, anxiety,
      and insomnia severity for the three latent PSS factors. These results show the
      implications of the bifactor structure of the PSS that might be of consequence in
      empirical research.

PMID- 28627222
TI  - Reply: Extensive Bruising and Elevated Rivaroxaban Plasma Concentration in a
      Patient Receiving Cobicistat-Boosted Elvitegravir.

PMID- 28627221
TI  - RETRACTED: Management and Family Burdens Endorsed by Parents of Youth <7 Years
      Old With Type 1 Diabetes.

PMID- 28627223
TI  - Advances in derivatization approaches for increasing the sensitivity of small
      molecules.

PMID- 28627224
TI  - Real-Time Smart Textile-Based System to Monitor Pressure Offloading of Diabetic
      Foot Ulcers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The lifetime risk of developing a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is at
      least 25%. A DFU carries a 50% risk for infection and at least 20% of those
      receive some form of amputation. The most significant parameter that prevents or
      delays ulcer healing is high plantar pressure. To improve the patient's healing
      process, the DFU's plantar pressure should remain cumulatively low. Therefore, a
      tool that continuously measures the DFU loading, and provides real-time feedback
      can improve the healing outcome. METHODS: We report the development of a system
      capable of continuously measuring the pressure, which could have applications to
      monitor DFU. The system contains a textile pressure sensor attached to a
      stretchable band, hardware that collects data and transmits them via Bluetooth to
      a phone, an app that gathers the data and stores them in the cloud, and a web
      dashboard that displays the data to the clinician. The sensor was characterized
      in vitro using the system, and the web-dashboard was developed and tested on
      simulated patient data. RESULTS: We demonstrate the feasibility of developing the
      system and characterize the pressure response of the device. As a result, we
      demonstrate a viable method for monitoring DFU off-loading in real time.
      CONCLUSIONS: The presented study demonstrates the feasibility to develop a
      simple, modular wearable system that opens up new possibilities for diabetic foot
      ulcer care by providing a way of monitoring the pressure under the ulcer in real
      time.

PMID- 28627225
TI  - The Relationships Between BNP and Neurocardiac Injury Severity, Noninvasive
      Cardiac Output, and Outcomes After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Neurocardiac injury, a type of myocardial dysfunction associated
      with neurological insult to the brain, occurs in 31-48% of aneurysmal
      subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is commonly
      used to diagnose neurocardiac injury. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), another
      cardiac marker, is more often used to evaluate degree of heart failure. The
      purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between BNP and (a)
      neurocardiac injury severity according to cTnI, (b) noninvasive continuous
      cardiac output (NCCO), and (c) outcomes in aSAH patients. METHOD: This
      descriptive longitudinal study enrolled 30 adult aSAH patients. Data collected
      included BNP and cTnI levels and NCCO parameters for 14 days and outcomes
      (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] and mortality) at discharge and 3 months.
      Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate associations between BNP
      and cTnI, NCCO, and outcomes. RESULTS: BNP was significantly associated with
      cTnI. For every 1 unit increase in log BNP, cTnI increased by 0.05 ng/ml ( p =
      .001). Among NCCO parameters, BNP was significantly associated with thoracic
      fluid content ( p = .0003). On multivariable analyses, significant associations
      were found between BNP and poor mRS. For every 1 unit increase in log BNP,
      patients were 3.16 times more likely to have a poor mRS at discharge ( p = .021)
      and 5.40 times more likely at 3 months ( p < .0001). CONCLUSION: There were
      significant relationships between BNP and cTnI and poor outcomes after aSAH. BNP
      may have utility as a marker of neurocardiac injury and outcomes after aSAH.

PMID- 28627226
TI  - Light Absorptive Properties of Articular Cartilage, ECM Molecules, Synovial
      Fluid, and Photoinitiators as Potential Barriers to Light-Initiated Polymer
      Scaffolding Procedures.
AB  - Objective Many in vivo procedures to repair chondral defects use ultraviolet (UV)
      photoinitiated in situ polymerization within the cartilage matrix. Chemical
      species that absorb UV light might reduce the effectiveness of these procedures
      by acting as light absorption barriers. This study evaluated whether any of the
      individual native biochemical components in cartilage and synovial fluid
      interfered with the absorption of light by common scaffolding photosensitizers.
      Materials UV-visible spectroscopy was performed on each major component of
      cartilage in solution, on bovine synovial fluid, and on four photosensitizers,
      riboflavin, Irgacure 2959, quinine, and riboflavin-5'-phosphate. Molar extinction
      and absorption coefficients were calculated at wavelengths of maximum absorbance
      and 365 nm. Intact articular cartilage was also examined. Results The individual
      major biochemical components of cartilage, Irgacure 2959, and quinine did not
      exhibit a significant absorption at 365 nm. Riboflavin and riboflavin-5'
      phosphate were more effectual light absorbers at 365 nm, compared with the
      individual native species. Intact cartilage absorbed a significantly greater
      amount of UV light in comparison with the native species. Conclusion Our results
      indicate that none of the individual native species in cartilage will interfere
      with the absorption of UV light at 365 nm by these commonly used photoinitiators.
      Intact cartilage slices exhibited significant light absorption at 365 nm, while
      also having distinct absorbance peaks at wavelengths less than 300 nm.
      Determining the UV absorptive properties of the biomolecules native to articular
      cartilage and synovial fluid will aid in optimizing scaffolding procedures to
      ensure sufficient scaffold polymerization at a minimum UV intensity.

PMID- 28627228
TI  - Affinity extraction LC-MS for small-molecule drug quantification: considerations,
      challenges and potential applications.

PMID- 28627227
TI  - Smarter Sole Survival: Will Neuropathic Patients at High Risk for Ulceration Use
      a Smart Insole-Based Foot Protection System?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study examined adherence to alert-based cues for plantar pressure
      offloading in patients with diabetic foot disease. METHOD AND DESIGN:
      Participants (n = 17) with in diabetic foot remission (history of neuropathic
      ulceration) were instructed to wear a smart insole system (the SurroSense Rx,
      Orpyx Medical Technologies Inc, Calgary, Canada) over a three-month period. This
      device is designed to cue offloading to manage unprotected sustained plantar
      pressures in an effort to prevent foot ulceration. A successful response to an
      alert was defined as pressure offloading, which occurred within 20 minutes of the
      alert onset. Patient adherence, defined as daily hours of device wear, was
      determined using sensor data and patient questionnaires. Changes in these
      parameters were assessed monthly. RESULTS: Patients demonstrating increased
      adherence over the course of the study received more alerts (0.82 +/- 0.31
      alerts/hour) than patients whose adherence did not improve (0.36 +/- 0.46
      alerts/hour, P = .156). By the final stages of the study, participants who had
      received at least one alert every two hours were more adherent with offloading
      than participants who received fewer alerts (52.5 +/- 4.1% vs 24.7 +/- 22.4%, P =
      .043). Furthermore, duration of time from alert generation to successful
      offloading was significantly greater in the group receiving fewer alerts. This
      was measured in the third month with an effect size Cohen's d = 1.739, P = .043.
      CONCLUSION: The results suggest a minimum number of alerts (one every two hours)
      is required for patients with diabetic neuropathy to optimally respond to
      offloading cues from a smart insole system.

PMID- 28627230
TI  - Relationship between community hospital versus pre-hospital location of
      randomisation and clinical outcomes in ST-elevation myocardial infarction
      patients: insights from the Stream study.
AB  - AIMS: The STREAM study randomly assigned ST-elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI) patients to receive a pharmacoinvasive versus primary percutaneous
      coronary intervention reperfusion strategy. We assessed whether there was an
      association between outcomes based on randomisation at a community hospital
      versus a prehospital location. METHODS/RESULTS: Community hospital patients
      (358/1866 (19.2%)) were compared to prehospital patients and their outcomes
      categorised into pharmacoinvasive according to their treatment assignment.
      Compared to prehospital patients, community hospital patients had more diabetes
      (17.8% vs. 11.5%, P=0.001), higher Killip Class >1 (9.4% vs. 5.0%, P=0.002) and
      thrombolysis in myocardial infarction risk scores ?5 (18.2% vs. 12.4%, P=0.005).
      The 30-day primary endpoint (death, shock, congestive heart failure and re
      infarction) for community hospital patients was 14.9% versus 13.2% for
      prehospital patients ( P=0.403). Community hospital pharmacoinvasive patients
      tended to receive less rescue (35.1% vs. 42.8%, P=0.062); when deployed their
      rescue was delayed 43 minutes. Community hospital patients undergoing primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention experienced a delay of 31 minutes versus
      prehospital patients. Pharmacoinvasive patients receiving scheduled angiography
      from a community hospital and prehospital patients had comparable times to
      angiography (17.7 vs. 18.7 hours) and low event rates (6.2% vs. 8.0%). Although
      the interaction between randomisation location and treatment received on the
      primary endpoint was not significant ( Pinteraction=0.065) those pharmacoinvasive
      patients requiring rescue from community hospitals had worse outcomes than
      prehospital rescue patients (odds ratio 2.28, 95% confidence interval 1.16-4.49).
      CONCLUSION: Within STREAM, STEMI patients randomly assigned at community
      hospitals had a higher baseline risk but similar outcomes compared to those
      studied prehospital patients irrespective of successful pharmacoinvasive therapy
      or primary percutaneous coronary intervention. However, worse outcomes in the
      pharmacoinvasive patients requiring rescue in community hospitals emphasises
      their need for immediate transfer to a percutaneous coronary intervention-capable
      hospital.

PMID- 28627229
TI  - Cobicistat Versus Ritonavir: Similar Pharmacokinetic Enhancers But Some Important
      Differences.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe properties of cobicistat and ritonavir; compare boosting
      data with atazanavir, darunavir, and elvitegravir; and summarize antiretroviral
      and comedication interaction studies, with a focus on similarities and
      differences between ritonavir and cobicistat. Considerations when switching from
      one booster to another are discussed. DATA SOURCES: A literature search of
      MEDLINE was performed (1985 to April 2017) using the following search terms:
      cobicistat, ritonavir, pharmacokinetic, drug interactions, booster,
      pharmacokinetic enhancer, HIV, antiretrovirals. Abstracts from conferences,
      article bibliographies, and product monographs were reviewed. STUDY SELECTION AND
      DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant English-language studies or those conducted in humans
      were considered. DATA SYNTHESIS: Similar exposures of elvitegravir, darunavir,
      and atazanavir are achieved when combined with cobicistat or ritonavir.
      Cobicistat may not be as potent a CYP3A4 inhibitor as ritonavir in the presence
      of a concomitant inducer. Ritonavir induces CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C9, 2C19, and uridine
      5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase, whereas cobicistat does not. Therefore,
      recommendations for cobicistat with comedications that are extrapolated from
      studies using ritonavir may not be valid. Pharmacokinetic properties of the
      boosted antiretroviral can also affect interaction outcome with comedications.
      Problems can arise when switching patients from ritonavir to cobicistat regimens,
      particularly with medications that have a narrow therapeutic index such as
      warfarin. CONCLUSIONS: When assessing and managing potential interactions with
      ritonavir- or cobicistat-based regimens, clinicians need to be aware of important
      differences and distinctions between these agents. This is especially important
      for patients with multiple comorbidities and concomitant medications. Additional
      monitoring or medication dose adjustments may be needed when switching from one
      booster to another.

PMID- 28627231
TI  - A Novel Risk Scoring System to Predict Cardiovascular Death in Patients With
      Acute Myocardial Infarction: CHA2DS2-VASc-CF Score.
AB  - The present study aimed to determine the long-term prognostic validity of the
      CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In
      addition, we formulated a novel scoring system, the CHA2DS2-VASc-CF (which
      includes cigarette smoking and a family history of coronary artery disease as
      risk factors). This study included 4373 consecutive patients with AMI who
      presented to the emergency department of our hospital and underwent cardiac
      catheterization procedures between December 2009 and September 2016. Among these
      patients, 1427 were diagnosed with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and
      2946 were diagnosed with non-STEMI. The study included 4373 patients. The study
      population was divided into 2 groups according to the occurrence of
      cardiovascular death during the follow-up period. Multivariate logistic
      regression analysis showed that the CHA2DS2-VASc-CF score, CHA2DS2-VASc score,
      major adverse cardiac events, current cigarette smoking, older age, hypertension,
      and family history of coronary artery disease were significantly higher, and that
      the left ventricular ejection fraction and glomerular filtration rate were
      significantly lower in the cardiovascular death (+) group. Using a cutoff score
      of >3 for the CHA2DS2-VASc-CF score, long-term cardiovascular death was predicted
      with a sensitivity of 78.4% and specificity of 76.4%. The CHA2DS2-VASc-CF score
      is suitable for use in all patients with AMI, regardless of the type of
      treatment, presence of atrial fibrillation, and type of AMI. This risk score,
      which is easy to calculate, provides important prognostic data. In the future, we
      think that interventional cardiologists will be able to use this novel scoring
      system to identify patients with a high risk of long-term cardiovascular death.

PMID- 28627232
TI  - Development and Validation of the Self-Awareness of Falls in Elderly Scale Among
      Elderly Inpatients.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to develop the Self-Awareness of Falls in
      Elderly (SAFE) scale and test its reliability and validity among elderly
      inpatients. A cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling were used to
      test the validity and reliability of the SAFE scale. Explanatory factor analysis
      and confirmatory factor analysis yielded an acceptable goodness of model fit,
      confirming the 21 items in the SAFE scale that were distributed among four
      factors: awareness of activity safety and environment, awareness of physical
      functions, awareness of medication, and awareness of cognitive behavior. The
      values of interrater reliability and Cronbach's alpha were at least .70,
      indicating that reliability of the SAFE scale was acceptable. The SAFE scale is
      the first instrument to measure self-awareness of fall risk among high-risk
      groups. Further management and fall prevention can then be designed to reduce the
      incidence of falls among elderly people in clinical care.

PMID- 28627233
TI  - Raman Spectroscopic Detection for Simulants of Chemical Warfare Agents Using a
      Spatial Heterodyne Spectrometer.
AB  - Raman spectroscopic detection is one of the suitable methods for the detection of
      chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and simulants. Since the 1980s, many researchers
      have been dedicated to the research of chemical characteristic of CWAs and
      simulants and instrumental improvement for their analysis and detection. The
      spatial heterodyne Raman spectrometer (SHRS) is a new developing instrument for
      Raman detection that appeared in 2011. It is already well-known that SHRS has the
      characteristics of high spectral resolution, a large field-of-view, and high
      throughput. Thus, it is inherently suitable for the analysis and detection of
      these toxic chemicals and simulants. The in situ and standoff detection of some
      typical simulants of CWAs, such as dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), diisopropyl
      methylphosphonate (DIMP), triethylphosphate (TEP), diethyl malonate (DEM), methyl
      salicylate (MES), 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), and malathion, were tried.
      The achieved results show that SHRS does have the ability of in situ analysis or
      standoff detection for simulants of CWAs. When the laser power was set to as low
      as 26 mW, the SHRS still has a signal-to-noise ratio higher than 5 in in situ
      detection. The standoff Raman spectra detection of CWAs simulants was realized at
      a distance of 11 m. The potential feasibility of standoff detection of SHRS for
      CWAs simulants has been proved.

PMID- 28627234
TI  - Detection of the Freshness State of Cooked Beef During Storage Using
      Hyperspectral Imaging.
AB  - The freshness of meat products during storage has received unprecedented
      attention. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of a
      hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technique to determine the freshness state of cooked
      beef during storage and identify the contaminated areas on the surface of spoiled
      samples. Hyperspectral images of cooked beef were acquired in the wavelength
      range of 400-1000 nm and the freshness state of all samples was divided into
      three classes (freshness, medium freshness, and spoilage) using the measured
      total viable count (TVC) of bacteria. Fifteen feature spectra variables were
      extracted by random frog (RF); based on this, six optimal wavelength variables
      were further selected by correlation analysis (CA). Partial least squares (PLS)
      and least squares-support vector machine (LS-SVM) classification models were
      established using different spectral variables. The results indicated that the
      performance of the RF-CA-LS-SVM classification model with a high overall
      classification accuracy of 97.14%, the results of sensitivity and specificity in
      the range of 0.92-1, and the kappa coefficient of 0.9575 in the prediction set
      were obviously superior to other models. Spoiled samples were further obtained
      using a RF-CA-LS-SVM model, and then six feature images were extracted and
      further fused by principal component analysis (PCA). A PC3 image was used to
      segment successfully the contaminated areas from normal areas of cooked beef
      images using the Otsu threshold algorithm. The results demonstrated that HSI has
      great potential in classifying the freshness of cooked beef and identifying the
      contaminated areas. This current study provides a foundational basis for the
      classification and grading of meat production in further online detection.

PMID- 28627235
TI  - Translating Guidelines Into Practice: Interpreting the 2016 ACC Expert Consensus
      Decision Pathway on the Role of Non-Statin Therapies for LDL-Cholesterol Lowering
      in the Management of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In 2016, the American College of Cardiology released a decision
      pathway, based on expert consensus, to guide use of non-statin agents in the
      management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. The purpose of this
      article is to assist practitioners, health systems and managed care entities with
      interpreting this consensus statement in order to simplify implementation of the
      recommendations into patient care. METHODS: Major themes from the consensus
      statement are briefly summarized and explained. Drug therapy recommendations are
      condensed into a single algorithm, while tables correlate each recommended
      regimen with the appropriate patient population from both a patient-level and
      systems-level perspective. Finally, a patient case with evidence-based decision
      support is explored. RESULTS: These tools allow practitioners to make appropriate
      patient-specific decisions about the use of non-statin pharmacotherapy and enable
      health systems and managed care entities to more readily identify guideline
      appropriate use of these agents upon review of patient profiles or prescribing
      patterns. CONCLUSION: This article provides resources for healthcare providers
      that facilitate uptake of these recommendations into clinical practice.

PMID- 28627236
TI  - Estrogen Receptor 1 ( ESR1) Gene Polymorphisms and Obesity Phenotypes in a
      Population of Young Adults.
AB  - Obesity is considered an increasingly serious health problem determined by
      multiple genetic and environmental factors. Estrogens have been found to play a
      major role in body weight and adiposity regulation through estrogen receptor 1 (
      ESR1). The aim of this study was to determine whether genotype and haplotype
      frequencies of ESR1 polymorphisms are associated with body composition measures
      in a population of 572 young adults. A lack of significant association between
      genotypes of ESR1 gene polymorphisms and obesity phenotypes was seen after
      adjustment for confounding factors. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis
      identified a single LD block for the ESR1 gene including PvuII and XbaI single
      nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (pairwise r2 = .66). None of the haplotypes
      identified revealed statistically significant associations with any of the
      obesity phenotypes. Our results suggest that polymorphisms of the ESR1 gene do
      not contribute significantly to the genetic risk for obesity phenotypes in a
      population of young Caucasian adults.

PMID- 28627237
TI  - Characteristic Analysis of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Randomized
      Controlled Trials of Oncology: A Comparison of Published Studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been widely used by
      cancer patients and oncologists in the past decades. The present study aimed to
      examine and compare the characteristics and registration status of published
      studies in a sample of recently published CAM randomized controlled trial (RCT)
      reports of oncology in leading journals of 3 categories: general and internal
      medicine (GIM), clinical oncology (CO), and CAM. METHODS: Articles published in
      the top 5 journals of the 3 categories from 2006 to 2015 were searched in PubMed.
      Basic characteristics, registration information, impact factor, and citations
      were identified and extracted from the included RCTs. Data were summarized by
      frequency, mean, and median and compared using chi2 test and Kruskal-Wallis H
      test. RESULTS: A total of 59 RCTs were included; among them, 34 (58%) could be
      identified with a registration number. GIM journals (15) enjoyed the highest
      average number of citations per article, followed by CO (12) and CAM (3) journals
      ( P < .0001). ClinicalTrials.gov was the most popular registry for these RCTs. Of
      the RCTs registered in ClinicalTrials.gov , 24% (4/17) of the published studies
      in CO journals put their results in the registry; however, no study in GIM and
      CAM journals put the result in the registry ( P = .372). CONCLUSION: The top GIM,
      CO, and CAM journals rarely published CAM RCTs of oncology from 2006 to 2015, and
      the CAM articles of oncology were less cited. However, there was a clear
      improvement in the trial registration rate over the past decades.

PMID- 28627238
TI  - Immune responses to killed reassorted influenza virus supplemented with natural
      adjuvants.
AB  - In this study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of a supplemented
      killed influenza virus (V) by Echinacea purpurea (E) and Nigella sativa (N)
      extracts and effect of changing the route of immunization from intramuscular (IM)
      to intraperitoneal (IP). At the 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th-week post-IM immunizations
      (WPIMI), the supplemented V with N (VN) induced the most significant IgM response
      unlike N alone. At the 2nd WPIMI, V or VN induced the highest significant IgG
      levels. At the 2nd-week post-IP immunization (WPIPI), E and VN induced the most
      significant IgG levels. Both at the 3rd and 4th WPIMI or WPIPI, various
      treatments induced significant increases in IgG. At the 4th WPIMI, E, V, and V
      with E (VE) induced significant increases in the CD4+ thymocytes while all IP
      treatments caused significant increase in their counts. V and VN induced the most
      significant IM induction of CD8+ thymocytes while their best IP stimulation was
      induced by N, VE, and VN. At the 4th WPIMI, various treatments caused significant
      increases in the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) CD4+, CD8+ counts. WPIPI with V or
      VE caused significant increases in both the CD4+- and CD8+ MLN cells, whereas VN
      significantly induced CD8+ MLN cells only. WPIPI with various treatments caused
      significant increases in the B-cell counts and the peak was obtained by VN.

PMID- 28627239
TI  - Complex multicellular functions at a unicellular eukaryote level: Learning,
      memory, and immunity.
AB  - According to experimental data, eukaryote unicellulars are able to learn, have
      immunity and memory. Learning is carried out in a very primitive form, and the
      memory is not neural but an epigenetic one. However, this epigenetic memory,
      which is well justified by the presence and manifestation of hormonal imprinting,
      is strong and permanent in the life of cell and also in its progenies. This
      memory is epigenetically executed by the alteration and fixation of methylation
      pattern of genes without changes in base sequences. The immunity of unicellulars
      is based on self/non-self discrimination, which leads to the destruction of non
      self invaders and utilization of them as nourishment (by phagocytosis). The tools
      of learning, memory, and immunity of unicellulars are uniformly found in plasma
      membrane receptors, which formed under the effect of dynamic receptor pattern
      generation, suggested by Koch et al., and this is the basis of hormonal
      imprinting, by which the encounter between a chemical substance and the cell is
      specifically memorized. The receptors and imprinting are also used in the later
      steps of evolution up to mammals (including man) in each mentioned functions.
      This means that learning, memory, and immunity can be deduced to a unicellular
      eukaryote level.

PMID- 28627240
TI  - Quercetin Has Antimetastatic Effects on Gastric Cancer Cells via the Interruption
      of uPA/uPAR Function by Modulating NF-kappab, PKC-delta, ERK1/2, and AMPKalpha.
AB  - Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignancy with few effective treatment options after
      metastasis occurs. Quercetin (Qu) intake has been associated with reduced
      incidence and slow development of GC, probably due to its anti-proliferative and
      apoptotic effects, but it is unclear whether Qu can inhibit the metastatic
      activity. The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA)/uPA receptor (uPAR) system
      plays an important role in cancer metastasis. In this study, we measured both uPA
      activity and uPAR expression in GC and pericarcinous tissues, and we investigated
      the correlation between uPAR expression and the migratory and invasive activities
      of various GC cell lines. GC BGC823 and AGS cells were subjected to treatment
      with 10 MUM Qu for 72 hours and uPAR knockdown, alone or in combination, before
      evaluating cell metastasis. The results showed that uPA activity and uPAR
      expression were higher in GC tissues than in pericarcinous tissues. Migratory and
      invasive activities of GC cell lines positively correlated with uPAR expression.
      Qu treatment decreased BGC823 and AGS cell migration and invasion, accompanied by
      reduced uPA and uPAR protein expression. Both Qu treatment and uPAR knockdown
      decreased matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 activity and blocked Pak1-Limk1
      cofilin signaling. Qu treatment was associated with inhibition of NF-kappab, PKC
      delta, and ERK1/2, and with AMPKalpha activation. Specific inhibitors of NF
      kappab, PKC, and ERK1/2, and an AMPKalpha activator suppressed uPA and uPAR
      expression in GC cells. Collectively, Qu showed an antimetastatic effect on GC
      cells via the interruption of uPA/uPAR function and modulation of NF-kappab, PKC
      delta, ERK1/2, and AMPKalpha. This suggests that Qu is a promising agent against
      GC metastasis.

PMID- 28627241
TI  - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Layout and Nurses' Work.
AB  - Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) remain one of the few areas in hospitals
      that still use an open bay (OPBY) design for patient stays greater than 24 hr,
      housing multiple infants, staff, and families in one large room. This creates
      high noise levels, contributes to the spread of infection, and affords families
      little privacy. These problems have given rise to the single-family room NICU.
      This represents a significant change in the care environment for nurses. This
      literature review answers the question: When compared to OPBY layout, how does a
      single family room layout impact neonatal nurses' work? Thirteen studies
      published between 2006 and 2015 were located. Many studies reported both positive
      and negative effects on nurses' work and were therefore sorted by their cited
      advantages and disadvantages. Advantages included improved quality of the
      physical environment; improved quality of patient care; improved parent
      interaction; and improvements in nurse job satisfaction, stress, and burnout.
      Disadvantages included decreased interaction among the NICU patient care team,
      increased nurse workload, decreased visibility on the unit, and difficult
      interactions with family. This review suggests that single-family room NICUs
      introduce a complex situation in which trade-offs occur for nurses, most
      prominently the trade-off between visibility and privacy. Additionally, the
      literature is clear on what elements of nurses' work are impacted, but how the
      built environment influences these elements, and how these elements interact
      during nurses' work, is not as well understood. The current level of research and
      directions for future research are also discussed.

PMID- 28627242
TI  - The Effects of a Mindfulness Meditation Program on Quality of Life in Cancer
      Outpatients: An Exploratory Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies have investigated the efficacy of mindfulness
      meditation (MM) in managing quality of life (QoL) in cancer populations, yet only
      a few have studied the Asian population. The aim of this exploratory study is to
      evaluate the effect of a MM program on the QoL outcomes in Taiwanese cancer
      outpatients. METHODS: Patients with various cancer diagnoses were enrolled and
      assigned to the MM group and usual care (UC) group. The meditation intervention
      consisted of 3 sessions held monthly. The outcomes of the whole intervention were
      measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF)
      instrument. RESULTS: A total of 35 participants in the MM group and 34 in the UC
      group completed the study. The results showed that the postintervention scores
      were significantly higher than the preintervention scores in the MM group. In the
      UC group, there was no significant difference between preintervention and
      postintervention scores, except for the lower environment domain scores. There
      was no significant difference between the follow-up scores and postintervention
      scores in the MM group, indicating that improvement can be maintained for 3
      months after completing the MM course. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides
      preliminary outcomes of the effects on the QoL in Taiwanese cancer patients. The
      results suggest that MM may serve as an effective mind-body intervention for
      cancer patients to improve their QoL, and the benefits can persist over a 3-month
      follow-up period. This occurred in a diverse cancer population with various
      cancer diagnoses, strengthening the possibility of general use.

PMID- 28627243
TI  - Hypoglycemia and Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With Diabetes: Does
      Association With Adverse Outcomes Remain When Number of Glucose Tests Performed
      Is Accounted For?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypoglycemia is associated with increased length of stay in hospital
      patients, but previous studies have not considered the confounding effect of
      increased hypoglycemia detection associated with increased capillary blood
      glucose (CBG) measurement in prolonged admissions. We aimed to determine the
      effect of recorded hypoglycemia on length of stay of hospital inpatients (LOS)
      when this mathematical association is subtracted. METHODS: CBG data were analyzed
      for inpatients within our health board area (01/2009-01/2015). A simulated CBG
      data set was generated for each patient with an identical sampling frequency to
      the measured CBG data set. The mathematical component of increased LOS was
      determined using the simulated data set. Subtraction of this confounding
      mathematical association was used to provide measurement of the true clinical
      association between recorded hypoglycemia (CBG < 4 mmol [< 72mg/dl]) and LOS.
      RESULTS: A total of 196 962 admissions of 52 475 individuals with known diabetes
      were analyzed. 68 809 admissions of 29 551 individuals had >4 CBG measurements
      made and were included in analysis. After subtraction of the mathematical
      association of increased sample number, the clinical effect of recorded
      hypoglycemia is reduced-but persists-compared to previous studies. 1-2 days with
      recorded hypoglycemia has a relatively minor effect on LOS. LOS increases rapidly
      if there are >=3 days with recorded hypoglycemia, with an increase of 0.75 days
      LOS per additional day with hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: This technique increases
      accuracy of economic modeling of the impact of hypoglycemia on health care
      systems. This could assist study of the impact of hypoglycemia on other outcomes
      by factoring for bias of increased sample numbers.

PMID- 28627244
TI  - A comparative study of Mentha arvensis L. and Mentha haplocalyx Briq. by HPLC.
AB  - We have developed a new method to simultaneously determine five marker compounds
      in Menthae Herba via HPLC/PDA - including hesperidin (1), rosmarinic acid (2),
      diosmin (3), didymin (4) and buddleoside (5). The newly developed method was
      successfully used to analyse for two species (Mentha arvensis L. and Mentha
      haplocalyx Briq.) of Menthae Herba, and the satisfactory results were obtained
      from the validation of developed method. The pattern analysis could greatly
      discriminate between M. arvensis L. and M. haplocalyx Briq. In conclusion, the
      proposed HPLC/PDA method is suitable for quality evaluation of Menthae Herba.

PMID- 28627245
TI  - Phytochemical screening and in-vitro evaluation of pharmacological activities of
      peels of Musa sapientum and Carica papaya fruit.
AB  - Aqueous, absolute and 80% ethanolic extract of fruit peels of Musa sapientum and
      Carica papaya were investigated for their antibacterial activity, measured by
      disc diffusion method and antioxidant activity, measured by four different
      methods. Papaya and banana peels were found to contain terpenoids, tannins,
      alkaloids, saponins steroid, phenols, fixed oils and fats. 80% ethanolic extract
      of banana peel was found to contain highest total phenolic content (TPC), total
      flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity but in papaya peel, highest TPC
      and reducing activity was shown by water extract while, TFC and radical
      scavenging activity was given by 80% ethanolic extract. In banana, water extract
      showed highest antibacterial activity against tested bacteria while in case of
      papaya, absolute ethanolic extract showed highest antibacterial activity. The
      present study revealed that peels of banana and papaya fruits are potentially
      good source of antioxidant and antibacterial agents.

PMID- 28627246
TI  - How Much Hemolysis Is Acceptable When Undertaking Deep Lancing for Finger Stick
      Derived Capillary Plasma Glucose Measurement?

PMID- 28627247
TI  - Exploring Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Associated With Meditation Among
      Patients With Melanoma.
AB  - AIM: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with
      meditation among people with melanoma and investigate the relationship between
      perceived stress, trait mindfulness, and meditation. Factors associated with
      interest to participate in an online meditation program were also explored.
      METHODS: A survey-based cross-sectional study of 291 patients attending a
      melanoma outpatient clinic assessed knowledge of meditation, attitudes toward
      meditation using Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory (DMPI), and
      meditation experience. Perceived stress and trait mindfulness were measured using
      the Perceived Stressed Scale and Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale,
      respectively. RESULTS: Participants who had tried meditation (43%) were likely to
      be younger, female, and have completed higher education or be employed. Perceived
      stress score was higher among women, younger participants, and those treated in
      the past year but did not differ by melanoma stage. Participants reported a good
      understanding of the potential benefits of meditation, but even among people with
      meditation experience, common misconceptions prevailed. The main barrier to
      meditation was a perceived lack of knowledge about meditation . Higher DMPI
      scores were associated with lower education, moderate to low access to service
      centers, or living in disadvantaged neighborhoods . Participants practicing
      meditation that involved self-reflection reported less stress and higher trait
      mindfulness compared with participants practicing another type of meditation.
      People interested in participating in an online meditation-based program reported
      higher perceived stress than those not interested. CONCLUSION: A meditation-based
      intervention teaching self-reflective practices, targeted at people with
      melanoma, may have the potential to assist them with managing their stress.

PMID- 28627248
TI  - Methodological challenges involved in compiling the Nahua pharmacopeia.
AB  - Recent work in the history of science has questioned the Eurocentric nature of
      the field and sought to include a more global approach that would serve to
      displace center-periphery models in favor of approaches that take seriously local
      knowledge production. Historians of Iberian colonial science have taken up this
      approach, which involves reliance on indigenous knowledge traditions of the
      Americas. These traditions present a number of challenges to modern researchers,
      including availability and reliability of source material, issues of translation
      and identification, and lack of systematization. This essay explores the
      challenges that emerged in the author's attempt to compile a pre-contact Nahua
      pharmacopeia, the reasons for these challenges, and the ways they may - or may
      not - be overcome.

PMID- 28627249
TI  - Astrology in court: The Spanish Inquisition, authority, and expertise.
AB  - Astrology, its legitimacy, and the limits of its acceptable practice were debated
      in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Europe. Many of the related arguments were
      mediated by the work of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and the responses to it.
      Acknowledging the complexities of the relationship between astrological ideas and
      Christian teachings, this paper focuses on the Catholic debates by specifically
      considering the decisions about astrology taken by the Spanish Inquisition. The
      trials of astrologers are examined with the aim of understanding the role of
      experts in astrology in early modern Spain. This study brings into view the
      specific nature of the debate on astrology in Spain, the consequences of the
      actions of the Inquisition and the social control it exerted. The historical
      events discussed comprise a particular case and also mirror the general debates
      about astrology taking place in early modern Europe. The experts' opinions
      expressed in trials and in reports about the discipline received by the
      Inquisition reveal two key traits of the debate: the dispute about who had the
      authority to decide on the legitimacy of astrology and the disagreement about
      what constituted natural and judicial astrological practices. These led to
      different opinions about what was to be done with each defendant and about what
      content in their books ought to be forbidden.

PMID- 28627250
TI  - Exploring the Frequency Domain of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Signals to
      Improve Characterization of Glucose Variability and of Diabetic Profiles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices measure interstitial
      glucose concentrations (normally every 5 minutes), allowing observation of
      glucose variability (GV) patterns during the whole day. This information could be
      used to improve prescription of treatments and of insulin dosages for people
      suffering diabetes. Previous efforts have been focused on proposing indices of GV
      either in time or glucose domains, while the frequency domain has been explored
      only partially. The aim of this work is to explore the CGM signal in the
      frequency domain to understand if new indexes or features could be identified and
      contribute to a better characterization of glucose variability. METHODS: The
      direct fast Fourier transform (FFT) and the Welch method were used to analyze CGM
      signals from three different profiles: people at risk of developing type 2
      diabetes (P@R), T2D patients, and type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients. RESULTS: The
      results suggests that features extracted from the FFT (ie, the localization and
      power of the maximum peak of the power spectrum and the bandwidth at 3 dB) are
      able to provide a characterization for all the three populations under study
      compared with the Welch approach. CONCLUSIONS: Such preliminary results can
      represent a good insight for futures investigations with the possibility of
      building and using new indexes of glucose variability based on the frequency
      features.

PMID- 28627251
TI  - Direct Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Analysis for Complete
      Characterization of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Capsid Proteins.
AB  - The requirement for robust analytical methods to characterize adeno-associated
      virus (AAV) vectors is immediate, as the field advances more AAV gene therapies
      into the clinic and onto commercialization. AAV capsid proteins (VPs) are
      critical for viral infectivity and vector potency. Thus, complete
      characterization of the constituent viral capsid proteins of AAV vectors,
      including their sequences and post-translational modifications (PTMs), is highly
      recommended to ensure AAV product quality and consistency. Typically, SDS-PAGE
      analysis followed by in-gel enzymatic digestion and liquid chromatography/tandem
      mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is used for the characterization of viral capsid
      proteins. However, due to the limited recovery of digested peptides from the gel,
      determination of N-terminal sequences of VPs has not been reported to date. In
      this study, a direct liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) intact
      protein analysis was developed to characterize viral capsid proteins in a variety
      of AAV serotypes. Both N- and C-terminal sequences of six AAV serotypes have been
      identified based on accurate mass measurement. This method can be used to confirm
      the identity of AAV serotype and monitor potential capsid protein heterogeneity.
      Complete sequence confirmation of AAV2 VPs was achieved through LC/MS/MS analysis
      of peptides generated using multiple enzymatic digestions. LC/MS/MS analysis
      confirmed the sequences for both N- and C-termini of capsid VPs and revealed
      acetylation on the N-termini of VP1 and VP3, consistent with LC/MS intact protein
      analysis.

PMID- 28627252
TI  - Phytochemical and antioxidant properties of some Cassia species.
AB  - In this study, the antioxidant activity of aqueous and ethanol extracts of four
      plants from the genus Cassia were evaluated by various antioxidant assays,
      including ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH free radical scavenging,
      metal chelating activity, phosphomolybdenum reducing power, hydrogen peroxide
      radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, deoxyribose degradation and beta
      carotene bleaching assay. The various antioxidant activities were compared to
      standard antioxidant such as ascorbic acid. All the extracts showed antioxidant
      activity in the tested methods. Among the four species, Cassia auriculata has
      been found to possess highest activity in most of the tested models. In addition
      to the antioxidant activity, the total phenolics and flavonoids were measured in
      the extracts. The ethanolic extract exhibited highest phenolics and flavonoid
      contents and had also shown potent antioxidant activity in comparison to the
      aqueous extracts. The possible antioxidant mechanism of the ethanol extract can
      be due to its hydrogen or electron donating and direct free radical scavenging
      properties. Hence, the ethanol extract represents a source of potential
      antioxidants that could be used in pharmaceutical industries.

PMID- 28627253
TI  - Protective effects of quercetin on nicotine induced oxidative stress in 'HepG2
      cells'.
AB  - Nicotine is a natural component of tobacco plants and is responsible for the
      addictive properties of tobacco. Nicotine has been recognized to result in
      oxidative stress by inducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The
      purpose of this work was to estimate the hepatotoxicity effect of nicotine on
      viability and on antioxidant defense system in cultures of HepG2 cell line and
      the other hand, ameliorative effect of quercetin (Q) as an antioxidant was
      analyzed. Nicotine induced concentration dependent loss in HepG2 cell line
      viability. The results indicated that nicotine decreased activity of superoxide
      dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) and increased activities of
      catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione (GSH) content in
      the HepG2 cells. Q significantly increased activity of SOD, GR and GSH content
      and decreased activity of GPX in nicotine + Q groups. Our data demonstrate that Q
      plays a protective role against the imbalance elicited by nicotine between the
      production of free radicals and antioxidant defense systems, and suggest that
      administration of this antioxidant may find clinical application where cellular
      damage is a consequence of ROS.

PMID- 28627254
TI  - Randomized Trial of a Lifestyle Physical Activity Intervention for Breast Cancer
      Survivors: Effects on Transtheoretical Model Variables.
AB  - This study examined whether a physical activity intervention affects
      transtheoretical model (TTM) variables that facilitate exercise adoption in
      breast cancer survivors. Sixty sedentary breast cancer survivors were randomized
      to a 6-month lifestyle physical activity intervention or standard care. TTM
      variables that have been shown to facilitate exercise adoption and progress
      through the stages of change, including self-efficacy, decisional balance, and
      processes of change, were measured at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.
      Differences in TTM variables between groups were tested using repeated measures
      analysis of variance. The intervention group had significantly higher self
      efficacy ( F = 9.55, p = .003) and perceived significantly fewer cons of exercise
      ( F = 5.416, p = .025) at 3 and 6 months compared with the standard care group.
      Self-liberation, counterconditioning, and reinforcement management processes of
      change increased significantly from baseline to 6 months in the intervention
      group, and self-efficacy and reinforcement management were significantly
      associated with improvement in stage of change. The stage-based physical activity
      intervention increased use of select processes of change, improved self-efficacy,
      decreased perceptions of the cons of exercise, and helped participants advance in
      stage of change. These results point to the importance of using a theory-based
      approach in interventions to increase physical activity in cancer survivors.

PMID- 28627255
TI  - Retraction Notice.

PMID- 28627257
TI  - Toward the Development of a Glucose Dehydrogenase-Based Saliva Glucose Sensor
      Without the Need for Sample Preparation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Strict glycemic control is known to be a vital key in the management
      of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, traditional methods face limitations in their
      efficacy due to the pain and invasiveness of needle pricking which often
      discourages DM patients from performing the required number of tests per day.
      Saliva glucose (SG) sensing has long been considered a noninvasive alternative to
      blood glucose monitoring for diabetes management, however the sample preparation
      and sensor detection limit have been deemed as challenges to overcome. Herein, we
      describe a preliminary clinical validation of a disposable SG sensor without any
      requirement for sample preparation. METHODS: The sensor utilizes glucose
      dehydrogenase flavine-adenine dinucleotide (GDH-FAD) in conjunction with
      disposable screen printed electrodes to measure glucose levels in saliva
      collected directly from 9 healthy subjects. Cyclic voltammetry and amperometric
      time (Amp-it) assays were used to develop calibration curves and test subjects.
      Sensor calibration was performed using simulated saliva at 6.5 pH and 37oC.
      RESULTS: The lower limit of detection was determined to be 0.11 mg/dL. A lag time
      of 15 minutes with a positive correlation between SG and BG levels was found,
      which agrees with literature results. The detected SG ranges from 2.38 to 3.40
      mg/dL over a BG range of 90 to 143 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: This is the first reported
      use of measuring SG with GDH-FAD without prior sample preparation. Upon
      optimization, the sensor has the potential to serve as a supplement to blood
      glucose monitoring.

PMID- 28627256
TI  - Potential Contributions of Antioxidants to Cancer Therapy: Immunomodulation and
      Radiosensitization.
AB  - Antioxidants play important roles in the maintenance of cellular integrity and
      thus are critical in maintaining the homeostasis of the host immune system. A
      balance between the levels of pro-oxidants and antioxidants defines the cellular
      fate of genomic integrity via maintaining the redox status of the cells. An
      aberration in this balance modulates host immunity that affects normal cellular
      signaling pathways resulting in uncontrolled proliferation of cells leading to
      neocarcinogenesis. For decades, there have been scientific debates on the use of
      antioxidants for the treatment of human cancers. This review is focused on
      current updates on the implications of antioxidant use as adjuncts in cancer
      therapy with an emphasis on immunomodulation and radiosensitization.

PMID- 28627258
TI  - New water soluble glycosides of 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid: A paradigm.
AB  - Though several glycosides of various triterpenes are known, but surprisingly no
      boswellic acid glycosides are reported so far. With a view to make water soluble
      boswellic acids, prepared glycosides of 11-keto boswellic acid for the first
      time. Naturally occurring boswellic acids which are anti-inflammatory agents are
      lipophylic in nature and thus, become a limiting factor in terms of their
      bioavailability. Among boswellic acids, 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid is found to
      exhibit superior biological activity and hence successfully prepared its glucosyl
      and maltosyl derivatives viz., 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid-24-O-beta-D
      glucopyranoside (9) and 11-keto-beta-boswellic acid-24-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl
      (1 -> 4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (15) which are water soluble. Both these
      compounds are soluble in water to the extent of 10% (w/w) which is very
      significant.

PMID- 28627259
TI  - First total synthesis of a novel amide alkaloid derived from Aconitum taipeicum
      and its anticancer activity.
AB  - A concise total synthesis of a naturally occurring 3-isopropyl
      tetrahydropyrrolo[1, 2-a]pyrimidine-2, 4(1H, 3H)-dione (ITPD) isolated from
      Aconitum taipeicum with a three-step approach was depicted in this study for the
      first time. Two key intermediates, diethyl isopropylmalonate (2) and pyrrolidin-2
      amine (3), being synthsesised separately from initial diethyl malonate (4) and 3,
      4-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-5-amine (5), were utilised to obtain the compound entitled
      ITPD. ITPD showed a promising anticancer activity in vitro on SMMC-7721 cell
      lines. Flow cytometry and cell cycle analysis revealed that ITPD could induce
      apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in S phase. The occurrence of apoptosis possibly
      attributed to the mechanism that ITPD could mediate the mitochondrial pathway
      through activating caspase-3/9 and increasing the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 to finally
      trigger cell apoptosis and DNA damage. Collectively, the possibility to produce
      sufficient quantity of synthetic ITPD provided the base for further bio
      evaluation in vivo and in vitro. The bioactive assay suggested that it may be a
      potential candidate for further chemical optimisation and use in cancer therapy.

PMID- 28627260
TI  - A novel and efficient synthesis of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic ester and amide
      derivatives/conjugates and assessment of their antioxidant activity.
AB  - Phenolic acids, a sub-class of polyphenols, are widely studied. By contrary, 3,4
      dihydroxyphenylacetic acid is scarcely studied. For this purpose, a series of 3,4
      dihydroxyphenylacetic acid ester and amide derivatives/conjugates were
      synthesised for the first time. A systematic study has been performed to
      quantitatively identify the functional groups present in these compounds using
      different techniques such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR and ESI MS. The synthesised
      compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant activity by a DPPH
      radical-scavenging assay. Their physico-chemical profile is also studied using
      Molinspiration tool. Among all tested compounds, amidoester 36 showed the best
      scavenging activity possessing an EC50 17 MUMU and improved physico-chemical
      properties compared to the parent compound.

PMID- 28627261
TI  - Maternal Psychological Distress and Perceived Impact on Child Feeding Practices
      in South Kivu, DR Congo.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Maternal mental health problems are associated with poor child growth
      and suboptimal child feeding practices, yet little qualitative research has been
      conducted to understand mothers' perceptions about how maternal mental ill health
      and child nutrition are related. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to
      understand maternal perceptions on sources of psychological distress, and how
      distress impacts functioning, especially related to childcare and feeding
      practices among mothers of young children in South Kivu, DR Congo. METHODS:
      Mothers of young children who were participating in a larger study were eligible.
      Using purposive sampling, participants were selected if they had high or low
      levels of psychological distress, based on their mean item score on measures of
      symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Twenty in-depth
      interviews and 2 focus group discussions were conducted, with a total of 35
      mothers. Key informant interviews were conducted with 5 local health workers.
      Audio recordings were transcribed and coded, and the analysis was guided by
      Grounded Theory methodology. RESULTS: Major themes to emerge were that women's
      husbands were a significant source of distress, with husbands' infidelity,
      abandonment, and lack of financial support mentioned by participants.
      Psychological distress resulted in appetite and weight loss, and poor nutritional
      status made it difficult to breastfeed. Participants perceived psychological
      distress caused milk insufficiency and difficulty breastfeeding. CONCLUSION:
      Mothers experiencing psychological distress may need greater support for maternal
      nutrition and breastfeeding, and engaging fathers through responsible parenting
      interventions may reduce psychological distress and have a positive impact on
      child health.

PMID- 28627262
TI  - A longitudinal study investigating cervical changes during labor using a wireless
      ultrasound device.
AB  - PURPOSE: Cervical assessment during digital vaginal examination (DVE) includes
      assessing cervical dilatation, effacement, position and consistency. Only
      cervical dilatation during labor has been previously researched. We investigated
      cervical changes, including cervical dilatation and effacement, using a wireless
      ultrasound (US) device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a longitudinal study
      investigating cervical changes during labor using a wireless US device. Twenty
      five women in labor participated in a serial comparison of cervical dilatation,
      length and thickness measured during intrapartum transperineal sonography using a
      wireless mobile US device (SONON) with measurements of cervical dilatation and
      effacement obtained during serial DVEs. RESULTS: Intrapartum sonography showed
      strong correlation with DVE in assessing cervical changes during labor including
      the measurement of cervical dilatation and thickness (p < .001). The failure rate
      of cervical length image collection was high; therefore, we could not determine
      the correlation between cervical length and effacement. CONCLUSIONS: We developed
      a new technique for evaluating effacement with cervical thickness. Cervical
      dilation and thickness using a transperineal intrapartum US demonstrated
      significant correlation with DVE findings. The use of a wireless US device is
      convenient and may be advantageous in the labor ward; however, further research
      is needed to define the role of this wireless device.

PMID- 28627263
TI  - Association of interleukin-1A insertion/deletion gene polymorphism and possible
      high risk factors with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Egyptian patients.
AB  - CONTEXT: Interleukin-1A (IL-1A) is a cytokine involved in inflammatory process.
      IL-1A (rs3783553) gene polymorphism is comprised in the regulation of IL-1A
      expression. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate association of IL-1A (I/D)
      gene polymorphism with NAFLD and its component traits among Egyptian populations.
      METHODS: The study included 75 healthy subjects and 75 patients with NAFLD.
      Different genotypes of IL-1A (I/D) gene polymorphism were determined by PCR-PAGE
      technique, serum IL-1A level and other biochemical parameters were measured.
      RESULTS: The major D allele was significantly associated with NAFLD patients (p =
      .002). DD genotype showed a significant increase in BMI and decrease in HDL-C.
      Also serum IL-1A was significantly correlated with the DD genotype. Serum IL-1A
      showed a significant positive correlation with BMI, triglycerides, total
      cholesterol, LDL-C, VLDL-C and FBG, and a significant negative correlation with
      HDL-C. CONCLUSIONS: Major D allele of IL-1A (I/D) gene polymorphism is associated
      with NAFLD in the Egyptian population.

PMID- 28627264
TI  - Utility of in vitro and in vivo systems for studying the permeability of
      capsaicin and nonivamide through different intestinal regions.
AB  - 1. The present study determined and compared the permeability of capsaicin and
      nonivamide along the length of the intestine in rats. Accordingly, the purpose
      was to evaluate this synthetic analog as a clinical substitute for capsaicin.. 2.
      Permeabilities of capsaicin and nonivamide were measured in experiments utilizing
      Ussing chambers and in vivo methods. Capsaicin concentrations were examined by
      liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). 3. Both capsaicin
      (0.80 * 10-6 cm/s) and nonivamide (0.22 * 10-6 cm/s, p > 0.05) had poor
      permeabilities across the jejunal membrane. The permeability of nonivamide (10.12
      * 10-6 cm/s) was significantly greater than that of capsaicin (5.34 * 10-6 cm/s,
      p < 0.05) across the iliac membrane. In contrast, the permeability of nonivamide
      (8.42 * 10-6 cm/s) across the colonic membrane was markedly lower than that of
      capsaicin (14.48 * 10-6 cm/s, p < 0.05). In accordance with the in vitro study,
      the drug concentration-time curve of nonivamide was significantly higher in the
      ileum (F = 14.18, p < 0.05) but lower in the colon (F = 11.86, p < 0.05) compared
      with capsaicin. 4. The results demonstrate that capsaicin and nonivamide exhibit
      varying permeabilities across several different intestinal tissues. The relevance
      of such extended investigations to healthcare is underscored by the lower cost of
      nonivamide versus capsaicin, along with potential application in prevention and
      management of the disease.

PMID- 28627266
TI  - Anti-inflammatory effect of a novel formulation of coconut inflorescence sap
      against ox-LDL induced inflammatory responses in human peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells by modulating TLR-NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
AB  - Oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox LDL) induced inflammatory response was
      reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The
      purpose of this study was to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of a novel
      formulation of coconut inflorescence sap (CSP); COCOZENTM against ox-LDL induced
      inflammatory responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs). The
      hPBMCs were isolated from healthy human volunteers and cultured in collagen
      coated plates at 37  degrees C. The cells were grouped as Group I (Control),
      Group II (ox-LDL treated) and Group III (ox-LDL + CSP treated). Further analysis
      of inflammatory markers, reactive oxygen species, mRNA and protein expression
      levels indicated increased expressions of TLR-4, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and VCAM-1 in ox
      LDL treated group along with the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. Other
      inflammatory markers such as LOX, PGE2, NO, total COX and lipid peroxidation
      level were also found to be significantly (p < .05) increased upon Ox-LDL
      treatment. The treatment with CSP on the other hand was found to down regulate
      and reverse the ox-LDL-induced alterations indicating its potential anti
      inflammatory effect on hPBMCs via TLR-NF-kappaB signaling pathway.

PMID- 28627265
TI  - ATM, radiation, and the risk of second primary breast cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: It was first suggested more than 40 years ago that heterozygous carriers
      for the human autosomal recessive disorder Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) might also
      be at increased risk for cancer. Subsequent studies have identified the
      responsible gene, Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), characterized genetic
      variation at this locus in A-T and a variety of different cancers, and described
      the functions of the ATM protein with regard to cellular DNA damage responses.
      However, an overall model of how ATM contributes to cancer risk, and in
      particular, the role of DNA damage in this process, remains lacking. This review
      considers these questions in the context of contralateral breast cancer (CBC).
      CONCLUSIONS: Heterozygous carriers of loss of function mutations in ATM that are
      A-T causing, are at increased risk of breast cancer. However, examination of a
      range of genetic variants, both rare and common, across multiple cancers,
      suggests that ATM may have additional effects on cancer risk that are allele
      dependent. In the case of CBC, selected common alleles at ATM are associated with
      a reduced incidence of CBC, while other rare and predicted deleterious variants
      may act jointly with radiation exposure to increase risk. Further studies that
      characterize germline and somatic ATM mutations in breast cancer and relate the
      detected genetic changes to functional outcomes, particularly with regard to
      radiation responses, are needed to gain a complete picture of the complex
      relationship between ATM, radiation and breast cancer.

PMID- 28627267
TI  - beta-Cyclodextrin-based ternary complexes of haloperidol and organic acids: the
      effect of organic acids on the drug solubility enhancement.
AB  - Haloperidol (HALO) is a weak base with very low aqueous solubility that is used
      as an antipsychotic drug. This study aimed to improve its solubility by forming
      HALO/beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD)-based ternary complexes with organic acids. The
      solubility of HALO/beta-CD binary and HALO/beta-CD/organic acid ternary complexes
      in different media (i.e. citrate buffer pH 3 and 6) was explored. The
      stoichiometric ratio between the drug and beta-CD was 1:1 in all complexes
      formed. The solubility of HALO/beta-CD binary complexes significantly increased
      in citrate buffer pH 3 compared with citrate buffer pH 6. For the ternary
      complexes, HALO/beta-CD/tartaric acid and HALO/beta-CD/lactic acid in citrate
      buffer pH 3 increased HALO solubility compared with HALO/beta-CD/succinic acid
      due to their higher unionized species. The highest stability constant and
      complexation efficiency values in citrate buffer pH 3 were shown by the ternary
      complexes with lactic acid followed by tartaric acid and succinic acid,
      respectively. Results indicated that lactic acid provided the greatest binding
      strength and solubilization efficiency for the complex.

PMID- 28627268
TI  - The significance of drug-to-lipid ratio to the development of optimized liposomal
      formulation.
AB  - Liposomes are considered to be one of the most extensively investigated drug
      delivery nanosystems. Each drug can be loaded either in the liposomal hydrophilic
      core or within the lipidic bilayer and delivered eventually to the proper site
      into the organism. There are already many marketed approved liposomal products.
      The development of a liposomal product is a quite complicated process, while many
      critical parameters have to be investigated during the preparation process. The
      present study deals with the drug-to-lipid ratio (D/L ratio), which is a critical
      process parameter, expresses the actual capacity of the liposome to accommodate
      the drug and can play a key role at the optimization of every liposomal
      formulation. D/L ratio is affected by the composition, the different biomaterials
      and the loading method being used, so the improvement of D/L ratio can optimize
      the liposomal formulation. D/L ratio can be used as an index of the effectiveness
      of the preparation method too. Furthermore, D/L ratio influences the therapeutic
      efficacy of the liposomal product, expressing the actual dose of the drug being
      administrated. There is a variety of analytical methods, quantifying the drug and
      the lipids and estimating eventually the D/L ratio. According to the regulatory
      framework of nanomedicine, about the development of nanosimilars, D/L ratio is a
      necessary element for the nanosimilar product description and the statement of
      product comparability.

PMID- 28627269
TI  - Profiling and identification of chlorogenic acid metabolites in rats by ultra
      high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass
      spectrometer.
AB  - 1. Chlorogenic acids (CGAs), one kind of major bioactive constituents isolated
      from Flos Lonicera Japonica, possess many biological activities, such as
      antibacterial, antioxidant and antiviral activities. In this study, we
      established an efficient strategy using ultra-high-performance liquid
      chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ
      Orbitrap MS) to profile the in vivo metabolic fate of CGAs in rat urine and
      plasma. 2. The extract from Flos Lonicera Japonica was orally administrated to
      Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at a dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight. Then, a combination
      of various post-acquisition data mining methods, including high-resolution
      extracted ion chromatogram (HREIC) and multiple mass defect filters (MMDFs) and
      diagnostic product ions (DPIs), were adopted to characterize the known and
      unknown CGA metabolites in SD rats. 3. As a result, a total of 68 CGA metabolites
      were unambiguously or tentatively screened and characterized. These metabolites,
      including 18 prototype compounds and 50 metabolites, were deduced to be yielded
      via methylation, hydrogenation, demethylation, dehydration, sulfate conjugation,
      glucuronide conjugation, glycosylation conjugation and their composite reactions,
      which mainly occurred to caffeoylquinic acids, dicaffeoylquinic acids, p
      coumaroylquinic acids and feruloylquinic acids. 4. In conclusion, this study
      profiled CGA metabolites, which are useful in understanding the in vivo metabolic
      fate, effective forms, and pharmacological and toxic actions of CGAs.

PMID- 28627271
TI  - Vancomycin Trough Concentration Poorly Characterizes AUC: Is It Time to
      Transition to AUC-Based Vancomycin Monitoring?

PMID- 28627270
TI  - Novel benzopyran derivatives and their therapeutic applications: a patent review
      (2009-2016).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The benzopyran derivatives present a wide variety of biological
      activity and behaviour. At the same time the benzopyran derivatives support their
      use as therapeutic agents for multiple diseases. Their structural characteristics
      correlated to physicochemical properties seem to define the extent of the
      biological activity. Areas covered: This review summarizes new patents published
      on new benzopyran derivatives from 2009 to 2016. Expert opinion: Many benzopyran
      derivatives have vivo/vitro biological responses. Their clinical evaluation will
      be critical to assess therapeutic utility. The compounds containing benzopyran
      moiety is well defined as lead compounds for design of new more promising
      molecules.

PMID- 28627272
TI  - Depression and insomnia are independently associated with satisfaction and
      enjoyment of life in medication-overuse headache patients.
AB  - Objective Medication-overuse headache is often comorbid with emotional
      disturbances and disordered personality traits. The aim of the present study was
      to determine whether depression and insomnia complaints were associated with
      satisfaction and enjoyment with one's own life in medication-overuse headache
      patients, and whether insomnia complaints were able to explain part of the
      variance of Quality of Life explained by depression. Methods Participants were
      187 consecutive adult outpatients admitted to the Regional Referral Headache
      Centre of the Sant'Andrea Hospital in Rome, Italy. Patients were administered the
      Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, the Beck Depression
      Inventory - II, and the Athens Insomnia Scale. Results The Beck Depression
      Inventory was associated with all the dimensions of the Quality of Life Enjoyment
      and Satisfaction Questionnaire, with more severe depression being associated
      independently with lower satisfaction and enjoyment with one's own life. The
      Athens Insomnia Scale was independently and significantly associated only with
      physical health, such that patients with more insomnia complaints were 3.1 times
      ( p < 0.001) more likely to report lower physical health satisfaction.
      Conclusions Our findings confirmed that medication-overuse headache patients has
      a negative impact on quality of life and suggested that depression and insomnia
      were independently associated with satisfaction and enjoyment of life in
      medication-overuse headache patients. The early recognition and appropriate
      treatment of comorbid psychopathological symptoms are crucial to improve
      satisfaction and enjoyment of life in medication-overuse headache patients.

PMID- 28627274
TI  - The Relation Between Aggression and the Living Group Climate in a Forensic
      Treatment Unit for Adolescents: A Pilot Study.
AB  - In the current study, the associations between inpatient aggression and the
      living group climate as perceived by the adolescents admitted to a forensic
      psychiatric treatment unit, are investigated based on carefully registered
      longitudinal data. Multilevel regression analyses revealed a significant inverse
      relation between the number and severity of aggressive incidents and the amount
      of support, as well as with the possibilities of growth perceived by the
      adolescents. No significant associations of aggression and the perception of
      repression or atmosphere are found. Our study reveals preliminary evidence for
      the relation between the prevalence of aggressive incidents and how the
      adolescents perceive social contextual factors in daily forensic treatment
      practices. Moreover, preliminary evidence that evidence-based treatment programs
      and psychiatric care have an important influence on experienced possibilities for
      growth and support and as such prevent institutional aggression, is found.

PMID- 28627273
TI  - Nanoparticle interactions with co-existing contaminants: joint toxicity,
      bioaccumulation and risk.
AB  - With their growing production and application, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are
      increasingly discharged into the environment. The released NPs can potentially
      interact with pre-existing contaminants, leading to biological effects
      (bioaccumulation and/or toxicity) that are poorly understood. Most studies on NPs
      focus on single analyte exposure; the existing literature on joint toxicity of
      NPs and co-existing contaminants is rather limited but beginning to develop
      rapidly. This is the first review paper evaluating the current state of knowledge
      regarding the joint effects of NPs and co-contaminants. Here, we review: (1)
      methods for investigating and evaluating joint effects of NPs and co
      contaminants; (2) simultaneous toxicities from NPs co-exposed with organic
      contaminants, metal/metalloid ions, dissolved organic matter (DOM), inorganic
      ligands and additional NPs; and (3) the influence of NPs co-exposure on the
      bioaccumulation of organic contaminants and heavy metal ions, as well as the
      influence of contaminants on NPs bioaccumulation. In addition, future research
      needs are discussed so as to better understand risk associated with NPs
      contaminant co-exposure.

PMID- 28627275
TI  - The Effects of Exercise on Patient-Reported Outcomes and Performance-Based
      Physical Function in Adults With Acute Leukemia Undergoing Induction Therapy:
      Exercise and Quality of Life in Acute Leukemia (EQUAL).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fatigue is a distressing symptom for adults with acute leukemia,
      often impeding their ability to exercise. OBJECTIVES: 1) Examine effects of a 4
      week mixed-modality supervised exercise program (4 times a week, twice a day) on
      fatigue in adults with acute leukemia undergoing induction chemotherapy. 2)
      Evaluate effects of exercise program on cognition, anxiety, depression, and sleep
      disturbance. 3) Evaluate effect of intervention on adherence to exercise.
      METHODS: 17 adults (8 intervention, 9 control), aged 28-69 years, newly diagnosed
      with acute leukemia were recruited within 4 days of admission for induction
      treatment. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) (fatigue, cognition, anxiety,
      depression, sleep disturbance, mental health, and physical health) and fitness
      performance-based measures (Timed Up and Go [TUG], Karnofsky Performance Status,
      and composite strength scoring) were assessed at baseline and at discharge.
      Changes in PRO and performance-based physical function measures from baseline to
      time of discharge were compared between groups using Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests.
      RESULTS: With PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System)
      Fatigue, we found a median change in fatigue (-5.95) for the intervention group,
      which achieved a minimally important difference that is considered clinically
      relevant. Intervention group reduced their TUG performance by 1.73 seconds,
      whereas the control group remained fairly stable. A concerning finding was that
      cognition decreased for both groups during their hospitalization. 80% adherence
      of visits completed with a mean of 6 sessions attended per week. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      study provides information on the impact of exercise on symptomatology, with
      focus on fatigue and other psychosocial variables in acute leukemia.

PMID- 28627276
TI  - Comprehensive graphical presentation of data from incurred sample reanalysis.
AB  - AIM: Incurred sample reanalysis (ISR) contributes to the reliability of
      pharmacokinetic studies. Despite regulatory guidelines having adopted ISR
      methodology, graphical presentation of data has been overlooked. MATERIALS &
      METHODS: Different graphs were tested for datasets including limited, standard
      and large numbers of ISR pairs. The datasets covered both passed and failed
      cases. RESULTS: We have developed a combination of complementary plots enabling
      the visual inspection of ISR data quality: %difference versus mean concentration
      and cumulative ISR plot. The former shows individual ISR datapoints and
      concentration-dependent trends, while the latter presents the contribution of
      individual pairs to the overall result as well as time-dependent trends.
      CONCLUSION: The proposed visualization of ISR data shows at a glance whether
      acceptance criteria for each sample and whole experiment are met or not.
      Standardized graphical presentation of ISR outcomes may increase quality of
      bioanalytical data.

PMID- 28627277
TI  - Anti-acne drugs in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Despite the impressive increase of knowledge on acne etiology
      accumulated during the last 20 years, few efforts have been overtaken to
      introduce new therapeutic regiments targeting the ideal treatment of acne. The
      increasing emergence of microbial resistance associated with antibiotics,
      teratogenicity, particularly associated with systemic isotretinoin, and the need
      for an adverse drug profile, which can be tolerated by the patient, make the need
      of new pathogenesis relevant anti-acne agents an emerging issue. Areas covered: A
      search for phase 1 and 2 acne treatment trials in the US National Institutes of
      Health database of clinical trials and the European Medicines Agency database
      with the key words 'acne' and 'treatment' was carried out, on 6 January 2017.
      Expert opinion: The detected trials mostly investigate topical agents that may
      act via sebosuppressive effects, antimicrobial properties or anti-inflammatory
      actions. The compounds under investigation include olumacostat glasaretil,
      cortexolone 17alpha-propionate, stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 inhibitors, agents
      affecting the melanocortin system, omiganan, and minocycline. Systemic studied
      anti-acne drugs include finasteride, biologics, low dose anti-inflammatory
      antibiotics, and leukotriene B4 inhibitors.

PMID- 28627278
TI  - Methotrexate for the treatment of pediatric alopecia areata.
AB  - PURPOSE: Alopecia areata is a form of nonscarring hair loss that occurs in
      pediatric and adult patients, with presentation varying from round or ovoid
      patches of alopecia to alopecia totalis or universalis. While frustrating for
      patients, it can also be frustrating for clinicians to treat, as there is no
      definitive treatment. Dermatologists are very familiar with the use of
      methotrexate for psoriasis and other inflammatory skin diseases, and this
      medication is generally well tolerated in children. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study
      presents a case series reviewing the efficacy of methotrexate in our pediatric
      patients with alopecia areata, making use of a retrospective chart review design
      from 2011 to 2016. RESULTS: In this data set, 8/14 subjects (57%) experienced
      good regrowth with methotrexate, while 3/14 (21%) had a response that could not
      be assessed due to loss to follow-up or premature discontinuation of the
      medication. No cases discontinued the medication due to recognized methotrexate
      side effects. CONCLUSIONS: This review suggests methotrexate is a generally safe
      and often effective medication in pediatric alopecia areata.

PMID- 28627279
TI  - Maternal autoimmune disorders and fetal defects.
AB  - Maternal autoantibodies can cross the placenta and cause fetal damage. This
      article summarizes the development and management of fetal thyroid goiter in
      response to maternal Graves' disease and/or its treatment with antithyroid
      medication, fetal heart block due to maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies,
      fetal athrogryposis multiplex congenita in association with maternal myasthenia
      gravis and fetal brain hemorrhage due to maternal autoimmune thrombocytopenia.

PMID- 28627280
TI  - The targeting effect of Hm2E8b-NCTD-liposomes on B-lineage leukaemia stem cells
      is associated with the HLF-SLUG axis.
AB  - To identify an agent with specific activity against B-lineage leukaemia stem
      cells (B-LSCs), we generated norcantharidin (NCTD)-encapsulated liposomes
      modified with a novel humanised anti-human CD19 monoclonal antibody, Hm2E8b
      (Hm2E8b-NCTD-liposomes). These liposomes were specially designed to recognise and
      kill B-LSCs in vitro, and to decrease non-specific cytotoxicity to untargeted
      cells. Hm2E8b-NCTD-liposomes selectively ablated B-LSCs through targeting hepatic
      leukaemia factor (HLF), which is implicated in haematopoietic stem cell
      regulation and is overexpressed in LSCs. Hm2E8b-NCTD-liposomes decreased HLF
      protein levels and induced apoptosis in the HAL-01 cell line harbouring the
      oncoprotein E2A-HLF. This resulted in modulation of the expression of several
      molecules that govern survival pathways, including HLF, SLUG, NFIL3 and C-Myc,
      thereby causing the induction of p53 and the mitochondrial caspase cascade.
      Therefore, the potent in vitro effect of Hm2E8b-NCTD-liposomes on B-LSC activity
      and survival pathways have the potential to be exploited clinically with
      appropriate drug combinations.

PMID- 28627281
TI  - Mirroring "meaningful" actions: sensorimotor learning modulates imitation of goal
      directed actions.
AB  - Imitation is important in the development of social and technological skills
      throughout the lifespan. Experiments investigating the acquisition and modulation
      of imitation (and of its proposed neural substrate, the mirror neuron system)
      have produced evidence that the capacity for imitation depends on associative
      learning in which connections are formed between sensory and motor
      representations of actions. However, evidence that the development of imitation
      depends on associative learning has been found only for non-goal-directed
      actions. One reason for the lack of research on goal-directed actions is that
      imitation of such actions is commonly confounded with the tendency to respond in
      a spatially compatible manner. However, since the most prominent account of
      mirror neuron function, and hence of imitation, suggests that these cells encode
      goal-directed actions, it is important to establish whether sensorimotor learning
      can also modulate imitation of goal-directed actions. Experiment 1 demonstrated
      that imitation of goal-directed grasping can be measured while controlling for
      spatial compatibility, and Experiment 2 showed that this imitation effect can be
      modulated by sensorimotor training. Together these data support the hypothesis
      that the capacity for behavioural imitation, and the properties of the mirror
      neuron system, are constructed in the course of development through associative
      learning.

PMID- 28627282
TI  - Gallic acid-PAMAM and gallic acid-phospholipid conjugates, physicochemical
      characterization and in vivo evaluation.
AB  - Gallic acid (GA) is a naturally occurring compound with valuable antioxidant
      activity. Its oral bioavailability is limited by its high metabolism and rapid
      clearance. In this paper, GA was conjugated with two different materials,
      phosphatidylcholine (PC) and polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer. The prepared
      conjugates were characterized by FTIR, DSC, and SEM. Also, they were tested for
      drug content and in vitro drug release. It was found that GA conjugation with
      both materials have significantly prolonged its release up to 12 h. In vivo
      hepatoprotective activity of free and conjugated GA was studied in rats after
      carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced oxidative damage in rat liver through
      measurement of different liver marker enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
      alanine aminotransferase (ALT)), in addition to the total protein and albumin
      level in rat serum. Also, histopathological examination of liver cell of all rat
      groups was done. Results showed that both prepared conjugates have significantly
      reduced the hepatic marker enzymes accompanied by normalizing total protein and
      albumin levels in rat serum and with respect to CCl4-induced group (p < .05).
      Histopathological examination showed that pretreatment of rats with GA-PC or GA
      PAMAM before CCL4 could reduce the induced cellular histopathological changes. It
      appears that conjugation of GA could enhance its bioavailability and increase its
      hepatoprotective effect.

PMID- 28627283
TI  - Epidemiological investigation of euthanasia in an Ontario animal shelter.
AB  - Objectives The objective was to evaluate factors associated with euthanasia in an
      animal shelter in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Methods Data from 3737
      cats admitted to the shelter between January and December 2011 were evaluated.
      Results Overall, 1989/3737 (53%) of admitted cats were euthanized. Male cats had
      greater odds of being euthanized than females (odds ratio [OR] 1.63, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 1.29-2.05; P <0.001) and surrendered cats were more
      likely to be euthanized than strays (OR 38.0, 95% CI 14.8-97.69; P <0.001). Black
      cats were more likely to be euthanized than cats of another color (OR 1.45, 95%
      CI 1.16-1.80; P <0.001). Cats that spent >5 days in the shelter were more likely
      to be euthanized than those that spent <5 days in the shelter (OR 1.57, 95% CI
      1.25-1.97; P <0.001). Cats that spent >20 days in the shelter were less likely to
      be euthanized than those that spent <5 days in the shelter (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.19
      0.34; P <0.001). Age, an age quadratic term, neuter status and interactions among
      these variables were statistically significant; the odds of unneutered animals
      being euthanized was high and relatively stable across age groups, but in
      neutered animals the odds of being euthanized increased with age before
      plateauing in older cats. Conclusions and relevance With >50% of the cats
      admitted to the shelter in 2011 euthanized, it is important to understand the
      contributing risk factors that predispose shelter cats to euthanasia and what
      changes can be made to the shelter system and in owner education to lower the
      incidence of euthanasia.

PMID- 28627284
TI  - Treatment of Neotrombicula species infestation in cats using a 10% (w/v) fipronil
      topical spot-on formulation: a pilot study.
AB  - Objectives Few data are available concerning therapeutic aspects of feline
      trombiculiasis. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 10% w/v fipronil-based
      spot-on solution in 15 cats with natural Neotrombicula species infestation.
      Methods Ten cats received 1 drop per affected site on day (D)0 and D14, with the
      rest of the 0.5 ml pipette applied on the skin between the shoulders. Five cats
      served as non-treated controls. Parasite score (0 = absent; 3 = severe, >10
      parasites/zone) was assessed on D0, D14 and D28 on all animals. Skin lesions
      (SCORing Feline Allergic Dermatitis lesion severity scale [SCORFAD]) and
      investigator pruritus scale (IPS; 0 = cat comfortable, grooming like any normal
      cat; 4 = cat uncomfortable, pruritic all the time) were assessed on treated cats
      on the same days. Global assessment of efficacy, tolerance and ease of use (GAS;
      1 = very poor; 5 = excellent) was assessed on D28. Results All the cats completed
      the study. Parasite scores of the control cats were maintained throughout the
      trial (mean +/- SD: D0 4 +/- 0.7, D14 3.2 +/- 1.1 and D28 3.2 +/- 0.4). In
      treated cats, SCORFAD (D0 3.2 +/- 5.4, D14 1.1 +/- 2.1 [ P <0.002] and D28 0.5 +/
      1.3 [ P <0.002]), parasite (D0 3.9 +/- 1.3, D14 1.2 +/- 0.8 [ P <0.005] and D28
      0.4 +/- 0.5 [ P <0.005]) and IPS (D0 1 +/- 1.2, D14 0.5 +/- 1.1 [ P <0.05] and
      D28 0.3 +/- 0.7 [ P <0.05]) scores significantly decreased throughout the trial.
      On D28, the GAS was 4.2 +/- 0.9. There were no adverse effects from treatment.
      Conclusions and relevance The 10% w/v fipronil preparation appeared to be
      effective, safe and practical in the treatment of localised Neotrombicula species
      infestation in these cats.

PMID- 28627285
TI  - Older Military Veteran Care: Many Still Believe They Are Forgotten.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Almost 44% of our nation's 23 million men and women veterans are 65
      years of age or older. Most are proud of their service, yet many believe their
      services for our country were forgotten, especially those in combat between 1950
      and 1975. PURPOSE: Further information to ultimately assist their holistic well
      being will be important for nursing practice as countless older veterans are
      beginning to obtain more care within civilian facilities. Using the Korean War
      (1950-1953) as a backdrop to illustrate the interconnectiveness of older veteran
      physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns that can occur from a military
      deployment, the major purposes of this article are to provide a brief historical
      snapshot of that war and discuss prior-era military environmental situations that
      now are producing the lingering effects from their combat exposure. DESIGN:
      Relevant literature about the Korean War and Veterans was compiled. FINDINGS:
      Some of these health risks for both the Korean men and women veterans are cold
      exposure, neurologic, and posttraumatic stress disorder concerns, as well as the
      need for hepatitis C and suicide assessments. CONCLUSIONS: To ultimately improve
      their bio-psycho-socio-spiritual well-being, prompt identification of the older
      military veteran, their lingering combat effects, and reminiscing will be
      important.

PMID- 28627286
TI  - Constipation-Related Health Care Utilization in Children Before and After
      Hospitalization for Constipation.
AB  - We studied constipation-related health care among children before and after
      constipation admission. Index admissions for constipation in 2010-2011 were
      identified in the Truven Marketscan Database, which includes children receiving
      Medicaid in 10 states. We measured number of and spending for outpatient
      constipation visits 12 months before and after index hospitalizations. We also
      measured spending for constipation hospitalizations and rehospitalization rate.
      There were 780 index constipation admissions. The median number of outpatient
      constipation visits was 1 (interquartile range [IQR] = 0, 3) in the 12 months
      before and 2 (IQR [0, 4]) after admission ( P = .001). Median outpatient spending
      for constipation was $110 (IQR [0, 429]) before and $132 (IQR [0, 431]) after
      admission ( P = .2). Median spending for index constipation admissions was $5295
      (IQR [2756, 8267]); 78 children (10%) were rehospitalized for constipation within
      12 months. Constipation-related health care utilization increased after
      constipation admission. Median spending for one constipation admission was 50
      times the median spending for 12 months of outpatient constipation visits.

PMID- 28627287
TI  - Utilizing the Electronic Health Record to Improve Advance Care Planning: A
      Systematic Review.
AB  - PURPOSE: Advance care planning may ensure care that is concordant with patient
      wishes. However, advance care plans are frequently absent when needed due to
      failure to engage patients in planning, inability to access prior documentation,
      or poor documentation quality. Interventions utilizing tools within the
      electronic health record (EHR) may address these barriers at the point of care.
      We aimed to identify EHR interventions previously utilized to improve advance
      care plans. METHODS: We systematically searched 7 databases for observational and
      experimental studies of EHR interventions associated with advance care plans. We
      abstracted information on the study populations, EHR and non-EHR components of
      the interventions, and the efficacy for advance care plan-related outcomes.
      RESULTS: We identified 16 articles that contained an EHR intervention to improve
      advance care plans. Study populations, study designs, and EHR components of the
      interventions were heterogeneous. Documentation templates were the most common
      EHR tool reported (n = 8), followed by automated prompts (n = 7) and electronic
      order sets (n = 5). The most common reported outcomes were documentation of an
      advance care planning conversation in the EHR (n = 7) and the placement of code
      status orders (n = 7). All studies reporting efficacy (n = 9) demonstrated an
      improvement in 1 or more advance care planning outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The use of
      EHR interventions may improve advance care plan completion and availability at
      the point of care. Further work should seek to develop and evaluate standardized
      EHR tools for advance care planning.

PMID- 28627288
TI  - Biocompatibility of filomicelles prepared from poly(ethylene glycol)-polylactide
      diblock copolymers as potential drug carrier.
AB  - A series of poly(ethylene glycol)-polylactide (PEG-PLA) diblock copolymers were
      synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide using monomethoxy PEG as
      macroinitiator and zinc lactate as catalyst. Filomicelles were prepared from the
      resulting copolymers by co-solvent evaporation method. The biocompatibility of
      the various filomicelles was evaluated with the aim of assessing their potential
      as drug carriers. Various aspects of biocompatibility were considered, including
      agar diffusion test, MTT assay, release of cytokines, hemolytic test, dynamic
      clotting time, protein adsorption in vitro, and zebrafish embryonic compatibility
      in vivo. The results revealed that the filomicelles present good
      cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility in vitro. Moreover, the cumulative
      effects of filomicelles throughout embryos deveploping stages have no toxicity in
      vivo. It is thus concluded that filomicelles prepared from PEG-PLA copolymers
      with outstanding biocompatibility are promising as potential drug carrier.

PMID- 28627289
TI  - Snap-N-Send: A valid and reliable method for assessing the energy intake of elite
      adolescent athletes.
AB  - To ensure that elite adolescent athletes meet their unique training, growth and
      maturation demands, it is imperative to have access to valid measures of energy
      intake. Contemporary methods demand close attention-to-detail, meaning that
      athletes often do not fully adhere to real-time protocols. This study represents
      the first investigation of a real-time dietary assessment designed using a
      comprehensive behaviour change framework (COM-B). In a crossover design, 12 elite
      adolescent male rugby players recorded their energy intake via an estimated food
      diary (est-FD) and photography-based mobile assessment ('Snap-n-Send'), combined
      with a 24-h dietary recall interview. Two 4-day assessment periods were divided
      into three separate recording environments: 96 h free-living and researcher
      observed; 72 h free-living and 10 h researcher-observed. Assessment periods were
      one month apart. All foods and beverages were provided and weighed by the
      research team to quantify actual intakes. 'Snap-n-Send' reported a small mean
      bias for under-reporting across 96 h (-0.75 MJ day-1; 95% confidence interval
      [CI] for bias = -5.7% to -2.2%, p < .001), 72 h (-0.76 MJ day-1; 95% CI for bias
      = -5.6% to -2.1%, p = .004) and 10 h (-0.72 MJ day-1; 95% CI for bias = -8.1% to 
      0.1%; p = .067) environments. The est-FD reported a moderate mean bias for under
      reporting across 96 h (-2.89 MJ day-1; 95% CI for bias = -17.9% to -10.2%; p <
      .001), 72 h (-2.88 MJ day-1; 95% CI for bias = -17.9% to -10.1%; p < .001) and 10
      h (-2.52 MJ day-1;-26.1% to -5.3%; p = .023) environments. Results evidence the
      ability of 'Snap-n-Send' to accurately assess the diet of elite adolescent
      athletes, signalling the exciting promise of this comprehensive and theoretical
      behavioural approach within valid dietary assessment.

PMID- 28627290
TI  - Continuous adductor canal block added to local infiltration analgesia (LIA) after
      total knee arthroplasty has no additional benefits on pain and ambulation on
      postoperative day 1 and 2 compared with LIA alone.
AB  - Background and purpose - The additional effects of a continuous adductor canal
      block (ACB) compared with a single-dose local infiltration anesthesia (LIA) after
      total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not been widely researched. Both methods have
      good effect individually. We hypothesized that a continuous ACB added to a single
      dose LIA would lower pain scores while ambulating on postoperative day 1 (POD1)
      and postoperative day 2 (POD2). Patients and methods - 69 participants were
      included in this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
      The TKA was performed under spinal analgesia and every participant was given
      single-dose LIA intraoperatively. Patients were then randomized into 2 groups,
      treatment group receiving 0.2% ropivacaine and control group receiving normal
      saline. First a 20 mL bolus was given into the adductor canal and 4 hours later a
      continuous flow at 6 mL/h was initiated for 2 postoperative days through a
      catheter placed in the adductor canal. Results - Worst pain score during movement
      of the operated knee on POD1 and POD2 was similar between the groups. No other
      ambulation tests done on POD1 and POD2 showed any statistically significant
      difference. Morphine consumption on the day of surgery, POD1 and POD2 was similar
      between the groups. Interpretation - The results indicate no benefit of
      continuous infusion ACB added to a single-dose LIA compared with LIA alone on
      pain while ambulating on POD1 and POD2. Furthermore, the ACB showed no
      superiority in ambulation ability on the 2 postoperative days.

PMID- 28627291
TI  - Early Complications, Morbidity, and Mortality in Octogenarians and Nonagenarians
      Undergoing Posterior Intra-Operative Spinal Navigation-Based C1/2 Fusion for Type
      II Odontoid Process Fractures.
AB  - Type II odontoid fractures represent the most common cervical spine injury in the
      elderly. The decision for surgical treatment is still controversial, particularly
      with regard to the elevated peri-operative risk attributed to frequent
      comorbidities and poor bone quality. The purpose of this study was to assess both
      short-term mortality and mid-term clinical and radiological outcome in the
      elderly. Between January 2007 and December 2015, 35 patients with type II
      odontoid process fractures who underwent posterior atlanto-axial instrumentation
      using a modified Goel-Harms technique were retrospectively analyzed and
      prospectively examined clinically and radiologically. Comorbidities, mortality,
      and length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay were determined, as
      were medical and surgical complications. Quality of life was measured using the
      EuroQol five dimensions (EQ-5D) and Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires at final
      follow-up. Average age was 86.5 years. All patients had severe comorbidities pre
      operatively. No in-hospital mortality was observed. Average length of hospital
      stay was 13.8 days and 2.0 days for the ICU. Three patients developed
      cardiopulmonary complications; one wound infection developed post-operatively.
      Mean follow-up was 22 months (range, 6-72 months). The quality of life measured
      by EQ-5D showed a good outcome (0.7 +/- 0.1). All SF-36 domains were reduced in
      comparison to a representative group. Solid bony fusion could be achieved in all
      patients. Atlanto-axial fusion by using intra-operative spinal navigation is a
      safe and effective procedure in the elderly, with few complications and
      preservation of favorable post-operative quality of life. The overall major
      complication rate was 11%. Surgery in the very old should be considered as first
      choice treatment.

PMID- 28627292
TI  - Mood-dependent retrieval in visual long-term memory: dissociable effects on
      retrieval probability and mnemonic precision.
AB  - Although memories are more retrievable if observers' emotional states are
      consistent between encoding and retrieval, it is unclear whether the consistency
      of emotional states increases the likelihood of successful memory retrieval, the
      precision of retrieved memories, or both. The present study tested visual long
      term memory for everyday objects while consistent or inconsistent emotional
      contexts between encoding and retrieval were induced using background grey-scale
      images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). In the study
      phase, participants remembered colours of sequentially presented objects in a
      negative (Experiment 1a) or positive (Experiment 2a) context. In the test phase,
      participants estimated the colours of previously studied objects in either
      negative versus neutral (Experiment 1a) or positive versus neutral (Experiment
      2a) contexts. Note, IAPS images in the test phase were always visually different
      from those initially paired with the studied objects. We found that reinstating
      negative context and positive context at retrieval resulted in better mnemonic
      precision and a higher probability of successful retrieval, respectively.
      Critically, these effects could not be attributed to a negative or positive
      context at retrieval alone (Experiments 1b and 2b). Together, these findings
      demonstrated dissociable effects of emotion on the quantitative and qualitative
      aspects of visual long-term memory retrieval.

PMID- 28627293
TI  - New evidence of relative age effects in "super-elite" sportsmen: a case for the
      survival and evolution of the fittest.
AB  - The relative age effect (RAE) describes an overrepresentation of players born
      early (Q1) in a selection year and is highly prevalent within youth sport
      pathways. However, a dearth of research has investigated the RAE at the "super
      elite" level. The present research assessed the presence of RAE in super-elite
      performers. Study 1 investigated RAEs in the world's best international Test
      cricketers (N = 262) over a 20-year period according to a robust and stringent
      "super-elite" criteria. Results revealed the RAE (Q1) when all disciplines were
      combined. Upon closer examination, this effect was also observed for the batting
      and spin bowling disciplines, whereas no RAE was found for the pace bowling
      discipline. Study 2 investigated RAEs in super-elite rugby union players (N =
      691) over a 20 year period. Results revealed the RAE for backs (Q1) and a
      reversal of the traditional RAE (Q4) for forwards, and when all rugby union
      positions were combined. These findings provide new evidence of RAEs at the super
      elite level and present both inter and intra sports differences. Potential
      explanations for these findings are explored, owing to the survival and evolution
      of the fittest concepts, and the implications for future research and applied
      practice are presented.

PMID- 28627295
TI  - Socialization of prosocial behavior: Gender differences in the mediating role of
      child brain volume.
AB  - Evidence has been accumulating for the impact of normal variation in caregiving
      quality on brain morphology in children, but the question remains whether
      differences in brain volume related to early caregiving translate to behavioral
      implications. In this longitudinal population-based study (N = 162), moderated
      mediation was tested for the relation between parental sensitivity and child
      prosocial behavior via brain volume, in boys and girls. Both maternal and
      paternal sensitivity were repeatedly observed between 1 and 4 years of age. Brain
      volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging measurements at age 8, and
      self-reported prosocial behavior of children was assessed at 9 years of age.
      Parental sensitivity was positively related to child brain volume, and to child
      prosocial behavior at trend level. Child brain volume was negatively related to
      child prosocial behavior. A significant gender-by-brain interaction was found,
      illustrating that daughters of sensitive parents were more prosocial and that
      less prosocial behavior was reported for girls with a larger total brain volume.
      Child gender significantly moderated the indirect effect of parental sensitivity
      on prosocial behavior via total brain volume. A significant indirect pathway was
      found only in girls. The results warrant replication but indicate the importance
      of considering gender when studying the behavioral implications of differences in
      brain volume related to early caregiving experiences.

PMID- 28627294
TI  - Polyphenolic characterisation and bioactivity of an Oxalis pes-caprae L. leaf
      extract.
AB  - The present work is focused on the characterisation of the polyphenolic content
      of an Oxalis pes-caprae L. leaf extract and on the evaluation of its bioactivity
      with particular interest on its vascular activity and antioxidant potential. The
      polyphenolic content was characterised by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS. The vascular
      activity was evaluated according to the influence on the serotonergic and
      adrenergic systems of the human internal mammary artery (HIMA). Antioxidant and
      neuroprotective studies were also conducted. Several luteolin and apigenin
      derivatives were identified as main constituents of the extract, which did not
      present any contractile effect nor had any effect on the serotonergic system of
      HIMA. However, it showed antagonistic effect on the adrenergic system, inhibiting
      the contraction to noradrenaline (reduction of 58.44% of maximum contraction).
      The extract showed antioxidant activity and standardised luteolin and apigenin
      derivatives showed neuroprotective potential, particularly homoorientin.

PMID- 28627296
TI  - Sexual Violation of Patients by Physicians: A Mixed-Methods, Exploratory Analysis
      of 101 Cases.
AB  - A mixed-method, exploratory design was used to examine 101 cases of sexual
      violations in medicine. The study involved content analysis of cases to
      characterize the physicians, patient-victims, the practice setting, kinds of
      sexual violations, and consequences to the perpetrator. In each case, a criminal
      law framework was used to examine how motives, means, and opportunity combined to
      generate sexual misconduct. Finally, cross-case analysis was performed to
      identify clusters of causal factors that explain specific kinds of sexual
      misconduct. Most cases involved a combination of five factors: male physicians
      (100%), older than the age of 39 (92%), who were not board certified (70%),
      practicing in nonacademic settings (94%) where they always examined patients
      alone (85%). Only three factors (suspected antisocial personality, physician
      board certification, and vulnerable patients) differed significantly across the
      different kinds of sexual abuse: personality disorders were suspected most
      frequently in cases of rape, physicians were more frequently board certified in
      cases of consensual sex with patients, and patients were more commonly vulnerable
      in cases of child molestation. Drawing on study findings and past research, we
      offer a series of recommendations to medical schools, medical boards, chaperones,
      patients, and the national practitioners database.

PMID- 28627297
TI  - A Bayesian Simulation Model for Breast Cancer Screening, Incidence, Treatment,
      and Mortality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The important but complicated research questions regarding the
      optimization of mammography screening for the detection of breast cancer are
      unable to be answered through any single trial or a simple meta-analysis of
      related trials. The Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Network (CISNET) breast
      groups provide answers using complex statistical models to simulate population
      dynamics. Among them, the MD Anderson Cancer Center (Model M) takes a unique
      approach by not making any assumptions on the natural history of breast cancer,
      such as the distribution of the indolent time before detection, but simulating
      only the observable part of a woman's disease and life. METHODS: The simulations
      start with 4 million women in the age distribution found in the year 1975, and
      follow them over several years. Input parameters are used to describe their
      breast cancer incidence rates, treatment efficacy, and survival. With these
      parameters, each woman's history of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and
      survival are generated and recorded each year. Research questions can then be
      answered by comparing the outcomes of interest, such as mortality rates, quality
      adjusted life years, number of false positives, differences between hypothetical
      scenarios, such as different combinations of screening and treatment strategies.
      We use our model to estimate the relative contributions of screening and
      treatments on the mortality reduction in the United States, for both overall and
      different molecular (ER, HER2) subtypes of breast cancer. RESULTS: We estimate
      and compare the benefits (life-years gained) and harm (false-positives, over
      diagnoses) of mammography screening strategies with different frequencies
      (annual, biennial, triennial, mixed) and different starting (40 and 50 years) and
      end ages (70 and 80 years). CONCLUSIONS: We will extend our model in future
      studies to account for local, regional, and distant disease recurrences.

PMID- 28627298
TI  - A Prospective Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound-Based Evaluation of the Acute and
      Cumulative Effects of Sport-Related Concussion on Neurovascular Coupling Response
      Dynamics.
AB  - Sport-related concussion has been shown to alter cerebral blood flow (CBF) both
      acutely and chronically, and may exert cumulative effects across multiple
      injuries. Such dysfunction may be mediated by trauma-induced deficits to CBF
      control mechanisms, though our understanding of these effects is limited,
      including dynamics of neurovascular coupling (NVC) responses (i.e., CBF responses
      to neurologic demand). A total of 179 junior-level contact sport athletes
      completed preseason testing; 42 reported never having experienced a concussion
      (Hx-) while 31 had endured three or more (Hx3+). A total of 18 athletes suffered
      concussions during the study period and were re-tested 3 days, 2 weeks, and 1
      month post-injury. NVC dynamics were indexed via CBF velocity in the posterior
      (PCAv) and middle (MCAv) cerebral arteries during cycles of 20 sec eyes closed
      and 40 sec eyes open to a visual stimulus (reading). Acutely following
      concussion, peak rate of PCAv increase during the activation phase was delayed by
      over 50% and PCAv response magnitude was elevated by over 30%, compared with
      preseason. Response magnitude remained elevated at 2 weeks despite symptom
      resolution. Independent medical clearance for full return-to-play was inversely
      related to the magnitude of increase in the NVC response at 3 days post-injury.
      No post-injury changes were observed in MCAv, blood pressure, or end-tidal carbon
      dioxide levels during visual stimulation. No NVC metric differences were observed
      between the Hx- and Hx3+ groups at preseason. Via multiple potential mechanisms,
      acute sport-related concussion may induce compensatory alterations in NVC
      response dynamics that may be related to clinical recovery. Such effects do not
      appear to be persistent across multiple injuries.

PMID- 28627299
TI  - Improving Student Commitment to Healthcare-Related Design Practice by Improving
      the Studio Learning Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This case study explores the influence of the healthcare design studio
      experience on students' short-term professional goals as measured through rates
      of healthcare-related certification and internship/employment. BACKGROUND: The
      value and relevance of interior design is evident in the healthcare design
      sector. However, interior design students may not perceive this value if it is
      not communicated through their design education. Students' experience in the
      design studio plays a crucial role in determining career choices, and students
      may be more committed to career goals when there is clear connection between
      major coursework and professional practice. METHOD: The authors compared
      healthcare-related certification and internship/employment levels between two
      student cohorts in a capstone undergraduate interior design healthcare design
      studio course. The first cohort was led by the existing curriculum. The second
      cohort was led by the revised curriculum that specifically aimed at encouraging
      students to commit to healthcare-related design practice. RESULTS: When measured
      at 3 months from graduation, the second cohort, led by the revised curriculum,
      saw a 30% increase in Evidence-based Design Accreditation and Certification exam
      pass rates and a 40% increase in healthcare-related internship/employment.
      CONCLUSION: The challenge of interior design education is to instill in emerging
      professionals not only professional competence but also those professional
      attitudes that will make them better prepared to design spaces that improve
      quality of life, particularly in healthcare environments. The results exceeded
      the project goals, and so this could be considered a promising practice for
      courses focused on healthcare design education.

PMID- 28627300
TI  - Reduced Effective Emotion Regulation in Night Owls.
AB  - Previous research has demonstrated a clear link between late chronotype and
      depression. The vulnerability factors underpinning this link, however, are
      unclear. Here the relationship between two specific emotion regulation
      strategies, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, and chronotype was
      investigated using multiple regression. Two hundred and forty participants (age
      range 18-80, 189 females) completed validated self-report questionnaires assaying
      chronotype, neuroticism, depressive symptomatology, sleep quality, and emotion
      regulation. Eveningness was associated with increased expressive suppression, and
      morningness was associated with increased cognitive reappraisal after controlling
      for age, gender, depressive symptomatology, neuroticism, and sleep quality. Trait
      expressive suppression and reduced cognitive reappraisal are known to increase
      depression risk. Our results suggest that eveningness is associated with impaired
      emotion regulation, which may confer risk for future depression. These findings
      suggest modifiable markers that could be therapeutically targeted to prevent the
      onset of depression in late chronotype individuals.

PMID- 28627301
TI  - Learned Changes in Outcome Associability.
AB  - When a cue reliably predicts an outcome, the associability of that cue will
      change. Associative theories of learning propose this change will persist even
      when the same cue is paired with a different outcome. These theories, however, do
      not extend the same privilege to an outcome; an outcome's learning history is
      deemed to have no bearing on subsequent new learning involving that outcome. Two
      experiments were conducted which sought to investigate this assumption inherent
      in these theories using a serial letter-prediction task. In both experiments
      participants were exposed, in Stage 1, to a predictable outcome ('X') and an
      unpredictable outcome ('Z'). In Stage 2 participants were exposed to the same
      outcomes preceded by novel cues which were equally predictive of both outcomes.
      Both experiments revealed that participants' learning toward the previously
      predictable outcome was more rapid in Stage 2 than the previously unpredicted
      outcome. The implications of these results for theories of associative learning
      are discussed.

PMID- 28627302
TI  - Taking Costs and Diagnostic Test Accuracy into Account When Designing Prevalence
      Studies: An Application to Childhood Tuberculosis Prevalence.
AB  - BACKGROUND: When planning a study to estimate disease prevalence to a pre
      specified precision, it is of interest to minimize total testing cost. This is
      particularly challenging in the absence of a perfect reference test for the
      disease because different combinations of imperfect tests need to be considered.
      We illustrate the problem and a solution by designing a study to estimate the
      prevalence of childhood tuberculosis in a hospital setting. METHODS: All possible
      combinations of 3 commonly used tuberculosis tests, including chest X-ray,
      tuberculin skin test, and a sputum-based test, either culture or Xpert, are
      considered. For each of the 11 possible test combinations, 3 Bayesian sample size
      criteria, including average coverage criterion, average length criterion and
      modified worst outcome criterion, are used to determine the required sample size
      and total testing cost, taking into consideration prior knowledge about the
      accuracy of the tests. RESULTS: In some cases, the required sample sizes and
      total testing costs were both reduced when more tests were used, whereas, in
      other examples, lower costs are achieved with fewer tests. CONCLUSION: Total
      testing cost should be formally considered when designing a prevalence study.

PMID- 28627303
TI  - The 'surprise' question in paediatric palliative care: A prospective cohort
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The question 'would you be surprised if this patient died in the next
      12-months' is widely used for identifying adult patients in the last year of
      life. However, this has not yet been studied in children. AIM: To assess the
      prognostic accuracy of the surprise question when used by a multidisciplinary
      team to predict survival outcomes of children with life-limiting conditions over
      a 3 and 12 month period. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study.
      SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Six multidisciplinary team members working in a children's
      hospice answered a 3 and 12 month surprise question about 327 children who were
      either newly referred or receiving care at the hospice between 2011 and 2013.
      RESULTS: The prognostic accuracy of the multidisciplinary team for the 3 (and
      12)month surprise question were: sensitivity 83.3% (83.3%), specificity 93.2%
      (70.7%), positive predictive value 41.7% (23.6%), negative predictive value 99%
      (97.5%) and accuracy 92.6% (71.9%). Patients with a 'no' response had an
      increased risk of death at 3 (hazard ratio, 22.94, p ? 0.001) and 12 months
      (hazard ratio, 6.53, p ? 0.001). CONCLUSION: The surprise question is a highly
      sensitive prognostic tool for identifying children receiving palliative care who
      are in the last 3 and 12 months of life. The tool is accurate at recognising
      children during stable periods demonstrated through a high negative predictive
      value. In practice, this tool could help identify children who would benefit from
      specialist end of life care, act as a marker to facilitate communications on
      advance care planning and assist in resource allocation.

PMID- 28627304
TI  - The effects of selected phytochemicals on biofilm formed by five methicillin
      resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of 0.1% thyme oil (TO), trans
      cinnamaldehyde (TC), ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA), caffeic acid
      (CA), lavender essential oil (LO), geranium essential oil (GO) and tee tree oil
      (TTO) to control biofilms formed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      (MRSA) strains. Depending on the strains, TO reduced 59.7-85% of biofilm mass,
      while TC 52.9-82.4% after 48 h of treatment. Reduction of metabolic activity of
      biofilms in ranges 79.3-86% and 85.9-88.7% was observed after 48 h of TC and TO
      of treatment, respectively. In the case of some strains, reduction of biofilm
      mass in the presence of FA, CA, GO, LO and TTO was not observed. This study
      showed that TO and TC might have therapeutic potential as an inhibitory agents
      for use in MRSA biofilm-related infections.

PMID- 28627305
TI  - Variability of Diabetes Alert Dog Accuracy in a Real-World Setting.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetes alert dogs (DADs) are growing in popularity as an
      alternative method of glucose monitoring for individuals with type 1 diabetes
      (T1D). Only a few empirical studies have assessed DAD accuracy, with inconsistent
      results. The present study examined DAD accuracy and variability in performance
      in real-world conditions using a convenience sample of owner-report diaries.
      METHOD: Eighteen DAD owners (44.4% female; 77.8% youth) with T1D completed
      diaries of DAD alerts during the first year after placement. Diary entries
      included daily BG readings and DAD alerts. For each DAD, percentage hits (alert
      with BG <= 5.0 or >= 11.1 mmol/L; <=90 or >=200 mg/dl), percentage misses (no
      alert with BG out of range), and percentage false alarms (alert with BG in range)
      were computed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and
      true positive rates were also calculated. RESULTS: Overall comparison of DAD Hits
      to Misses yielded significantly more Hits for both low and high BG. Total
      sensitivity was 57.0%, with increased sensitivity to low BG (59.2%) compared to
      high BG (56.1%). Total specificity was 49.3% and PLR = 1.12. However, high
      variability in accuracy was observed across DADs, with low BG sensitivity ranging
      from 33% to 100%. Number of DADs achieving >= 60%, 65% and 70% true positive
      rates was 71%, 50% and 44%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DADs may be able to detect
      out-of-range BG, but variability across DADs is evident. Larger trials are needed
      to further assess DAD accuracy and to identify factors influencing the complexity
      of DAD accuracy in BG detection.

PMID- 28627307
TI  - Sleep Quality Associated With Different Work Schedules: A Longitudinal Study of
      Nursing Staff.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the differences in sleep parameters between nurses working a
      slow, forward rotating shift and those working a fixed day shift. METHOD: A
      longitudinal parallel-group comparison design was used in this prospective study.
      Participants (female) were randomly assigned to a rotating shift or a fixed day
      shift group. Participants in the rotating shift group worked day shift for the
      first 4 weeks, followed by evening shift for the second and night shift the
      third. Those in the day shift group worked day shift for all 12 weeks. Each kept
      a sleep diary and wore an actigraph (actigraph data were used to calculate total
      sleep time [TST], sleep onset latency [SOL], wake after sleep onset [WASO], and
      sleep efficiency [SE]) for 12 days, from Workday 1-4 in each of Weeks 4, 8, and
      12. RESULTS: TST in nurses working evening rotating shift was higher than that
      for those working the day or night rotating shift and fixed day shift. WASO was
      significantly longer on Day 2 for rotating shift participants working evening
      versus day shift. SOL and SE were significantly shorter and lower in rotating
      shift nurses working night versus both day and evening shifts. CONCLUSIONS: A
      comprehensive understanding of the sleep patterns and quality of nurses with
      different work shifts may lead to better management of work shifts that reduces
      the influence of shift work on sleep quality.

PMID- 28627308
TI  - Hormonal and Neuromuscular Responses to Breastfeeding: A Pilot Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Difficult breastfeeding in the first weeks after birth may result in
      muscle tension in infants and activation of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary
      adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Our primary objective
      was to examine the feasibility of collecting neuroendocrine markers of maternal
      HPA axis and SNS activation (salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase [sAA]) and
      electromyographic (EMG) markers of infant distress during feeding in the first 2
      weeks after birth. We also examined the relationships of these indices to each
      other and to mother-infant interactive behaviors during feeding. METHODS: We
      recruited mothers in the postpartum unit of a teaching hospital and observed a
      feeding in the dyad's home. Cortisol and sAA were sampled before feeding, 10 min
      into feeding, at feeding end, and 20 min after feeding. Infant muscle activity
      was recorded continuously with an EMG data logger. We used the Nursing Child
      Assessment Feeding Scale to measure mother-infant interaction. RESULTS: The 20
      mothers reported no disruption to breastfeeding and no change in infant behavior
      due to collection measures. Mean cortisol levels decreased significantly; there
      was no significant change in sAA levels. Relationships were found between
      interactive behavior and trends in neuroendocrine biomarkers. Longer bursts of
      infant muscle activity were associated with higher levels of maternal cortisol
      during feeding but not mother-infant interactive behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal
      salivary biomarkers and their association with feeding behaviors can be a useful
      tool for clinical longitudinal research beginning soon after birth. Infant EMG
      data may be useful for assessing maternal arousal.

PMID- 28627309
TI  - Measuring Light at Night and Melatonin Levels in Shift Workers: A Review of the
      Literature.
AB  - Shift work, especially that involving rotating and night shifts, is associated
      with an increased risk of diseases, including cancer. Attempts to explain the
      association between shift work and cancer in particular have focused on the
      processes of melatonin production and suppression. One hypothesis postulates that
      exposure to light at night (LAN) suppresses melatonin, whose production is known
      to slow the development of cancerous cells, while another proposes that circadian
      disruption associated with shift work, and not just LAN, increases health risks.
      This review focuses on six studies that employed quantitative measurement of LAN
      and melatonin levels to assess cancer risks in shift workers. These studies were
      identified via searching the PubMed database for peer-reviewed, English-language
      articles examining the links between shift work, LAN, and disease using the terms
      light at night, circadian disruption, health, risk, cancer, shift work, or
      rotating shift. While the results indicate a growing consensus on the
      relationship between disease risks (particularly cancer) and circadian disruption
      associated with shift work, the establishment of a direct link between LAN and
      disease has been impeded by contradictory studies and a lack of consistent,
      quantitative methods for measuring LAN in the research to date. Better protocols
      for assessing personal LAN exposure are required, particularly those employing
      calibrated devices that measure and sample exposure to workplace light
      conditions, to accurately assess LAN's effects on the circadian system and
      disease. Other methodologies, such as measuring circadian disruption and
      melatonin levels in the field, may also help to resolve discrepancies in the
      findings.

PMID- 28627311
TI  - Landmark cure rate models with time-dependent covariates.
AB  - We propose a class of landmark cure rate models by incorporating time-dependent
      covariates. The landmark approach enables us to obtain dynamic predictions of a
      patient's survival probabilities as new clinical information emerges during the
      follow-up time. The proposed method extends the landmark model for failure time
      data with a possible cure fraction. We specify a series of landmark time points,
      and for each of time point, we construct a landmark data set consisting of only
      those at-risk individuals at the landmark time. The time-dependent covariates can
      be fixed at the values evaluated at the landmark time point. Through landmarking,
      our framework accommodates the Cox proportional hazards model, accelerated
      failure time model and censored quantile regression model in the presence of a
      cure proportion. We conduct simulation studies to assess the estimation accuracy
      of the proposed method, and illustrate it with data from a heart transplant
      study.

PMID- 28627310
TI  - Comparing cluster-level dynamic treatment regimens using sequential, multiple
      assignment, randomized trials: Regression estimation and sample size
      considerations.
AB  - Cluster-level dynamic treatment regimens can be used to guide sequential
      treatment decision-making at the cluster level in order to improve outcomes at
      the individual or patient-level. In a cluster-level dynamic treatment regimen,
      the treatment is potentially adapted and re-adapted over time based on changes in
      the cluster that could be impacted by prior intervention, including aggregate
      measures of the individuals or patients that compose it. Cluster-randomized
      sequential multiple assignment randomized trials can be used to answer multiple
      open questions preventing scientists from developing high-quality cluster-level
      dynamic treatment regimens. In a cluster-randomized sequential multiple
      assignment randomized trial, sequential randomizations occur at the cluster level
      and outcomes are observed at the individual level. This manuscript makes two
      contributions to the design and analysis of cluster-randomized sequential
      multiple assignment randomized trials. First, a weighted least squares regression
      approach is proposed for comparing the mean of a patient-level outcome between
      the cluster-level dynamic treatment regimens embedded in a sequential multiple
      assignment randomized trial. The regression approach facilitates the use of
      baseline covariates which is often critical in the analysis of cluster-level
      trials. Second, sample size calculators are derived for two common cluster
      randomized sequential multiple assignment randomized trial designs for use when
      the primary aim is a between-dynamic treatment regimen comparison of the mean of
      a continuous patient-level outcome. The methods are motivated by the Adaptive
      Implementation of Effective Programs Trial which is, to our knowledge, the first
      ever cluster-randomized sequential multiple assignment randomized trial in
      psychiatry.

PMID- 28627313
TI  - An Integrative Theoretical Model of Public Support for Ex-Offender Reentry.
AB  - Prior research suggests that public and ex-offender characteristics are
      associated with attitudes toward ex-offenders and support for their reentry;
      however, research examining reasons for these associations is limited. Research
      also is limited on the association between attitudes toward ex-offenders
      generally, and support for their reentry, specifically. Implicit theory offers a
      new approach to explaining public attitudes through beliefs in the fixed or
      malleable nature of people (i.e., mindsets). We developed and tested an
      integrative model applying implicit theory to investigate mechanisms through
      which beliefs explain support for reentry. Results showed that growth mindsets
      predicted more positive attitudes toward ex-offenders, which, in turn, predicted
      greater support for reentry. Belief in a just world, prior contact with an ex
      offender, and political orientation were among the covariates of reentry support.
      Beyond supporting the application of implicit theory in this context, findings
      suggest that anti-stigma interventions should target growth mindsets to promote
      community reintegration.

PMID- 28627314
TI  - Thicker endometrial linings are associated with better IVF outcomes: a cohort of
      6331 women.
AB  - Our objective was to determine if a correlation exists between endometrial
      thickness measured on the day of ovulation trigger during an in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) cycle and pregnancy outcomes among non-cancelled cycles. We
      performed a retrospective cohort study looking at 6331 women undergoing their
      first, fresh autologous IVF cycle from 1 May 2004 to 31 December 2012 at Boston
      IVF (Waltham, MA). Our primary outcome was the risk ratio (RR) of live birth and
      positive beta-hCG. We found that thicker endometrial linings were associated with
      positive beta-hCG and live birth rates. For each additional millimetre of
      endometrial thickness, we found a statistically significant increased risk of
      positive beta-hCG (adjusted RR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.09-1.18) and live birth (RR:
      1.08; 95% CI: 1.05-1.11). There was no association between endometrial thickness
      and miscarriage (RR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.91-1.07). Similar results were seen when
      categorizing endometrial thickness. Compared with an endometrial thickness >7 to
      <11 mm, the likelihood of a live birth was significantly higher for an
      endometrial thickness >=11 mm (adjusted RR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.11-1.37) and
      significantly lower for the <=7 mm group (adjusted RR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.45-0.90).
      In conclusion, thicker endometrial linings were associated with increased
      pregnancy and live birth rates.

PMID- 28627315
TI  - Bioabsorbable Fixation Screw for Proximal Interphalangeal Arthrodesis of Lesser
      Toe Deformities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although standard fixation of proximal interphalangeal (PIP)
      arthrodesis by K-wire is relatively inexpensive and well established, it does
      have some drawbacks, making newer fixation devices interesting. The aim of this
      study was to clinically and radiologically assess the operative correction of the
      lesser toe deformation in the form of a PIP arthrodesis using a bioabsorbable 2.7
      mm fixation screw. METHODS: From January 2011 until October 2013, 34 patients
      underwent a PIP arthrodesis using the TRIM-IT (Arthrex) 2.7-mm fixation screw and
      were contacted for this retrospective cohort study. At an average of 3.3 years
      after the operation, 24 patients and 26 toes were evaluated clinically,
      radiologically, through pedobarography, and a patient-satisfaction survey.
      RESULTS: Using the PLLA screw for fixation, 84.6% showed bony union of the
      arthrodesis, and 84.6% were satisfied. Mean AOFAS score was 82.7 points and thus
      regarded as good. The mean VAS score was 1.3/10. Overall, 73.1% of the toes
      showed good alignment, and 7.7% had a painless recurrence of deformity and were
      still satisfied with the intervention. In addition, 34.6% had floating toes, but
      only 4.2% without Weil osteotomy or encroachment. Further, 3.8% were advised to
      undergo a revision because of severe misalignment. CONCLUSION: The 2.7-mm
      bioabsorbable fixation screw yielded results that were comparable to other
      fixation devices for PIP fusion fixation regarding success rate, revisions, and
      patient acceptance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective case series.

PMID- 28627316
TI  - Associations between management practices and colostrum quality on New Zealand
      dairy farms.
AB  - AIMS: To describe colostrum quality in spring-calving dairy herds in New Zealand,
      in terms of Brix, pH and total and coliform bacterial counts and to investigate
      associations between farm management practices and these measures of colostrum
      quality. METHODS: In June 2015, commercial dairy farms (n=105), located in North
      and South Islands of New Zealand, were visited shortly after the first cows had
      calved, and when approximately 50% and 80% of the herd had calved (early, middle
      and late visits). One litre of pooled colostrum that was being fed to newborn
      calves was collected at each visit and used to determine Brix, pH, total
      bacterial and coliform counts. A survey of calf management practices was
      conducted with the herd manager or calf rearer after the final visit. RESULTS: Of
      298 pooled colostrum samples tested 29/298 (9.7%) had Brix >22%. Brix was higher
      on farms where calves were picked up twice daily compared with once daily (18.2
      (95% CI=16.5-19.9)% vs. 15.9% (95% CI=15.2-16.6)%; p=0.012), and was lower where
      first milking colostrum was combined with colostrum obtained at later milkings
      (15.0 (95% CI=13.9-16.1)%) compared with where it was not (16.9 (95% CI=16.3
      17.6)%; p=0.002). Vaccination of all cows against calf diarrhoeal pathogens was
      associated with increased Brix compared with no vaccination (18.1 (95% CI=16.6
      19.6)% vs. 16.3 (95% CI=15.6-17.0)%; p=0.033). Mean pH of samples tested
      decreased from 5.97 (95% CI=5.84-6.09) to 5.58 (95% CI=5.45-5.71) for early and
      late-season visits, respectively (p<0.001). Of 268 samples tested, 23 (8.6%) had
      bacterial counts below the recommended threshold of 1.00*105 cfu/mL. Mean
      bacterial counts increased from 2.75 (95% CI=1.80-3.70)*108 to 4.99 (95% CI=3.95
      6.03)*108 cfu/mL for early and late-season visits, respectively (p<0.001). Of 259
      samples tested, 23 (8.9%) had coliform counts below the recommended threshold of
      1.00*104 cfu/mL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: On a large majority of dairy
      farms included in this study the pooled colostrum fed to newborn calves had sub
      optimal Brix and excessive bacterial counts. Farm-level risk factors such as
      twice daily pick up of calves from the paddocks, herd vaccination and feeding
      pooled colostrum that did not combine colostrum obtained at later milkings with
      first milking colostrum were associated with colostrum quality measures.

PMID- 28627317
TI  - The European system for the control of the safety of food-contact materials needs
      restructuring: a review and outlook for discussion.
AB  - The present European system to assure the safety of migrates from food-contact
      materials (FCMs) needs improvement. It is proposed to implement better the self
      control by the producers through improved official control and more attractive
      listing of approved substances and materials (the latter being subject of another
      discussion paper). The initial concept of a positive list for the substances
      used, a limit for the overall migration and regulation of compliance testing was
      recognised as insufficient long ago, as it does not properly cover reaction
      products (including oligomers) and impurities. It also turned out to be
      unrealistic to cover all 17 types of FCMs owing to lack of resources by the
      authorities. Therefore, European Union legislation shifted the focus to the
      compliance work carried out by the business operators (in-house documentation and
      declaration of compliance). However, this approach has not been properly
      implemented. This is partly due to lack or unsuccessful control by authorities. A
      suitable structure of this control still needs to be built. It is proposed that
      specialised document-collection centres working with dedicated tools harmonised
      throughout Europe be created. Further, since most migrating substances are not
      listed, the toxicological evaluation reported by industry must be checked by risk
      assessment authorities. Finally, effective and harmonised measures are needed to
      react in case of non-compliance. The currently large gap between the legal
      requirements and reality must be bridged by introducing flexibility: authorised
      work plans by industry are proposed. It is also proposed to encourage certified
      private institutes to approve compliance work, driven by the attractive listing
      of approved materials and exploiting market forces. In the long run, the focus of
      the authorities might change from evaluating the substances used and regulating
      migration testing to the evaluation of the compliance work performed by industry,
      which means moving from legislation supporting industry towards checking self
      control.

PMID- 28627318
TI  - Effects of gamma rays on the regeneration of murine hair follicles in the natural
      hair cycle.
AB  - PURPOSE: This review evaluates the effects of gamma-rays on the regeneration of
      murine hair follicles in the natural hair cycle. A series of studies were
      performed to investigate this issue, in which the whole bodies of C57BL/10JHir
      mice in the 1st telogen phase of the hair cycle were irradiated with gamma-rays.
      RESULTS: The dermis of the irradiated skin showed a decrease in hair follicle
      density and induction of curved hair follicles along with the presence of white
      hairs and hypopigmented hair bulbs in the 2nd and 3rd anagen phases. An increased
      frequency of hypopigmented hair bulbs was still observed in the later hair cycle
      at postnatal day 200. There was no significant difference in the number of stem
      cells in the hair bulge region between control and irradiated skin. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results show that the effects of gamma-rays on the pigmentation of murine
      hair follicles are persistently carried over to later hair cycles, although those
      on the number and structure of hair follicles appear to be hidden by the effects
      of aging. Our findings may be important for understanding the mechanisms of the
      actions of stem cells on hair regeneration in connection with age-related
      phenotypes.

PMID- 28627319
TI  - Selection and Evaluation of Media for Behavioral Health Interventions Employing
      Critical Media Analysis.
AB  - Although a growing number of psychosocial health promotion interventions use the
      critical analysis of media to facilitate behavior change, no specific guidelines
      exist to assist researchers and practitioners in the selection and evaluation of
      culturally relevant media stimuli for intervention development. Mobilizing Our
      Voices for Empowerment is a critical consciousness-based health enhancement
      intervention for HIV-positive Black young gay/bisexual men that employs the
      critical analysis of popular media. In the process of developing and testing this
      intervention, feedback on media stimuli was collected from youth advisory board
      members (n = 8), focus group participants (n = 19), intervention participants (n
      = 40), and intervention facilitators (n = 6). A thematic analysis of qualitative
      data resulted in the identification of four key attributes of media stimuli and
      participants' responses to media stimuli that are important to consider when
      selecting and evaluating media stimuli for use in behavioral health interventions
      employing the critical analysis of media: comprehension, relevance, emotionality,
      and action. These four attributes are defined and presented as a framework for
      evaluating media, and adaptable tools are provided based on this framework to
      guide researchers and practitioners in the selection and evaluation of media for
      similar interventions.

PMID- 28627320
TI  - An Exploratory Study on the Anti-inflammatory Effects of Fucoidan in Relation to
      Quality of Life in Advanced Cancer Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conventional anticancer therapies still cause difficulties with
      selective eradication and accompanying side effects that reduce patients' quality
      of life (QOL). Fucoidan is extracted from seaweeds and has already exhibited
      broad bioactivities, including anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties, in
      basic studies. It is expected to enhance therapeutic efficacy and minimize side
      effects in cancer patients; however, despite its potential benefits, there are
      very few clinical trials using fucoidans. Therefore, we performed an exploratory
      clinical study for advanced cancer patients to examine the efficacy of fucoidans,
      especially focusing on inflammation in relation to QOL scores. METHODS: We
      conducted a prospective, open-label clinical study for advanced cancer patients
      using fucoidans via oral administration; 20 advanced cancer patients with
      metastases were recruited and were given 400 mL/d fucoidan (10 mg/mL) for at
      least 4 weeks. Inflammatory biomarkers, including high-sensitivity C-reactive
      protein and various cytokines, and QOL scores were monitored before treatment,
      after 2 weeks, and after 4 weeks of fucoidan ingestion. RESULTS: The main
      proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, and
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were significantly reduced after 2 weeks
      of fucoidan ingestion. QOL scores, including fatigue, stayed almost stable
      without significant changes during the study period. The univariate and
      multivariate analyses revealed that the responsiveness of IL-1beta was a
      significant independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: This is the first study
      providing evidence of the anti-inflammatory effects of fucoidans for advanced
      cancer patients. In future studies, larger blinded, controlled trials are
      required to establish the efficacy of fucoidan as supportive care for cancer
      patients, especially those undergoing chemotherapy.

PMID- 28627321
TI  - Diabetes Knowledge, Management, and Prevention Among Haitian Immigrants in
      Philadelphia.
AB  - Purpose Guided by the PEN-3 Cultural Model, the purpose of this study is to
      generate culturally framed insight into diabetes knowledge, management, and
      prevention among Haitians. Despite the disproportionate distribution of type II
      diabetes mellitus among US minorities, limited research explores outcomes within
      racial ethnic groups. It is particularly important to disaggregate the large
      racial-ethnic groups of black given the population growth among foreign-born
      blacks, such as Haitians, whose population has more than quadrupled in recent
      decades. Methods Focus group interviews were employed to understand diabetes
      knowledge, management, and prevention in the Haitian immigrant population in
      Philadelphia. Interviews were conducted in 2 groups: (1) people living with
      diabetes and (2) an at-risk sample for diabetes (defined as 30 and older with
      self-reported family history of diabetes). Interviews were recorded and
      transcribed verbatim in preparation for content analysis. Results Of the 10
      participants, who were recruited through a Philadelphia church-based population,
      ages ranged from 41 to 91, with an average of 65. Content analysis revealed 3
      emergent themes across: (1) cultural identity, including person, extended family,
      and neighborhood; (2) relationships and expectations, including perceptions,
      enablers, and nurturers; and (3) cultural empowerment, including positive,
      existential, and negative. Conclusions Results may inform culturally appropriate
      diabetes interventions for Haitians. Future research should explore compliance
      with food recommendations as well as the cultural competency of health care
      professional's information delivery.

PMID- 28627322
TI  - Orienting to see what's important: Learn to ignore the irrelevant.
AB  - The current study used a triad judgment task to assess whether blocking by
      comparison type in a triad judgment task could lead people to pay less attention
      to surface-level (irrelevant) features and pay more attention to deep
      (structural) features of information. A sample of 313 participants recruited
      through Mechanical Turk participated in this study. On each triad, participants
      were asked to evaluate which of two source scenarios went best with the target
      scenario. Three types of triads were constructed with materials related to the
      ability to perceive ethical issues within the practice of psychology. One type of
      triad contrasted a scenario that was similar to the target in terms of surface
      level features and a scenario that was similar in terms of deep features (similar
      surface-similar deep, SS/SD). A second triad type contrasted a scenario that was
      similar in terms of deep features with an unrelated scenario (similar deep
      unrelated, SD/U). The third contrasted a scenario that was similar in terms of
      surface features with an unrelated scenario (similar surface-unrelated, SS/U).
      There were 10 triads of each type. We found that with all the blocking orders
      except two, participants reliably chose the SS scenario over the SD scenario for
      the SS/SD triads. However, participants who started out with the SD/U triads did
      not. The results provide evidence that people often have the ability to perceive
      the deep, but they are distracted by the surface-level features. The results also
      show that people can be oriented away from being distracted by the surface-level
      features so that they can see the deep.

PMID- 28627323
TI  - Perspective of alphavbeta6-Integrin Imaging for Clinical Management of Pancreatic
      Carcinoma and Its Precursor Lesions.
AB  - beta6-integrin immunohistochemistry analysis of a large number of pancreatic
      ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, 383 primary tumors, 7 lymph node, and 8 distant
      metastases) and 34 pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) specimens
      revealed a high prevalence of alphavbeta6-integrin expression in PDAC primaries
      (88%) and in almost all metastases, as well as in PanIN (57%). These findings
      underscore the high potential of a novel alphavbeta6-integrin targeting positron
      emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceutical, Ga-68-Avebehexin, for early
      diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28627324
TI  - Preparation, characterization, and in vitro cytotoxicity of chitosan hydrogels
      containing silver nanoparticles.
AB  - Hydrogels, chitosan as well as silver nanoparticles become in recent years
      materials characterized by a great interest. In present paper hydrogel based on
      chitosan and containing mentioned type of nano-sized particles have been
      synthesized by means of photopolymerization. Sorption capacity in selected
      liquids as well as behavior in simulated body fluid (such as Ringer's liquid)
      have been determined. Particularly attention was paid to the studies on toxicity
      of the hydrogels in relation to the epidermal cells as well as on their impact on
      growth of selected strain of bacteria (Escherichia coli). Furthermore, impact of
      introduction of nanosilver into hydrogel matrix on its properties has also been
      defined. Surface morphology of attained hydrogels by means of SEM analysis and
      chemical structure using spectroscopy have been checked. The most interesting
      conclusion is the fact that proposed chitosan based hydrogels modified with
      nanosilver do not affect negatively on epidermal cells. However, they inhibit a
      growth of E. coli. These two observations make them very interesting from the
      medical point of view.

PMID- 28627325
TI  - The Association Between Handgrip Strength and Diabetes on Activities of Daily
      Living Disability in Older Mexican Americans.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the independent and joint
      effects of muscle weakness and diabetes on incident activities of daily living
      (ADL) disability in older Mexican Americans. METHOD: A subsample of 2,270 Mexican
      Americans aged at least 65 years at baseline were followed for 19 years. Handgrip
      strength was normalized to body weight (normalized grip strength [NGS]). Weakness
      was defined as NGS <=0.46 in males and <=0.30 in females. Diabetes and ADL
      disability were self-reported. RESULTS: Compared with participants that were not
      weak and did not have diabetes, those that had diabetes only, were weak only, and
      were both weak and had diabetes experienced a 1.94 (95% confidence interval [CI]
      = [1.89, 1.98]), 1.17 (CI = [1.16, 1.19]), and 2.12 (CI = [2.08, 2.16]) higher
      rate for ADL disability, respectively. DISCUSSION: Muscle weakness and diabetes
      were independently and jointly associated with higher rates for ADL disability in
      older Mexican Americans.

PMID- 28627326
TI  - Triphenylamines Induce Cell Death Upon 2-Photon Excitation.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising therapeutic method for several
      diseases, in particular for cancer. This approach uses a photosensitizer, oxygen,
      and an external light source to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) at lethal
      doses to induce cell death. One drawback of current PDT is the use of visible
      light which has poor penetration in tissues. Such a limitation could be overcome
      by the use of novel organic compounds compatible with photoactivation under near
      infrared light excitation. Triphenylamines (TPAs) are highly fluorescent
      compounds that are efficient to induce cell death upon visible light excitation
      (458 nm), but outside the biological spectral window. Interestingly, we recently
      showed that TPAs target cytoplasmic organelles of living cells, mainly
      mitochondria, and induce a high ROS production upon 2-photon excitation (in the
      760-860 nm range), leading to a fast apoptosis process. However, we observed
      significant differences among the tested TPA compounds in terms of cell
      distribution and time courses of cell death-related events (apoptosis vs
      necrosis). In summary, TPAs represent serious candidates as photosensitizers that
      are compatible with 2-photon excitation to simultaneously trigger and imaging
      cell death although the relationship between their subcellular localization and
      the cell death mechanism involved is still a matter of debate.

PMID- 28627327
TI  - Paolo Mantegazza and the dream of 'making' science popular circa 1860-1900.

PMID- 28627329
TI  - Passages on Brazilian scientific cinema.
AB  - The article examines the conditions of production and recognition of scientific
      cinema in Brazil by comparing three distinct moments and contexts: the first
      moment takes place in the nineteenth century, and it is related to the
      contribution of a Brazilian astronomer otherwise little known to Brazilian film
      scholars, the second addresses Benedito Junqueira Duarte's voluminous mid
      twentieth-century filmography, and the third moment documents recent scientific
      film experiences within ultra high resolution movies transmitted over photonic
      networks. Future trajectories for aesthetic concerns and practical issues such as
      the archiving of ultra high definition cinema are usefully informed by these
      histories of scientific cinema, even as a current generation of multidisciplinary
      teams including scientists, filmmakers, computer scientists, and network
      engineers reinvent, rediscover, and necessarily expand the scientific cinema
      toward concerns of real time collaboration and teaching.

PMID- 28627331
TI  - Dynamic Transmit-Receive Beamforming by Spatial Matched Filtering for Ultrasound
      Imaging with Plane Wave Transmission.
AB  - During conventional ultrasound imaging, the need for multiple transmissions for
      one image and the time of flight for a desired imaging depth limit the frame rate
      of the system. Using a single plane wave pulse during each transmission followed
      by parallel receive processing allows for high frame rate imaging. However, image
      quality is degraded because of the lack of transmit focusing. Beamforming by
      spatial matched filtering (SMF) is a promising method which focuses ultrasonic
      energy using spatial filters constructed from the transmit-receive impulse
      response of the system. Studies by other researchers have shown that SMF
      beamforming can provide dynamic transmit-receive focusing throughout the field of
      view. In this paper, we apply SMF beamforming to plane wave transmissions (PWTs)
      to achieve both dynamic transmit-receive focusing at all imaging depths and high
      imaging frame rate (>5000 frames per second). We demonstrated the capability of
      the combined method (PWT + SMF) of achieving two-way focusing mathematically
      through analysis based on the narrowband Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction theory.
      Moreover, the broadband performance of PWT + SMF was quantified in terms of
      lateral resolution and contrast from both computer simulations and experimental
      data. Results were compared between SMF beamforming and conventional delay-and
      sum (DAS) beamforming in both simulations and experiments. At an imaging depth of
      40 mm, simulation results showed a 29% lateral resolution improvement and a 160%
      contrast improvement with PWT + SMF. These improvements were 17% and 48% for
      experimental data with noise.

PMID- 28627330
TI  - GPU-accelerated Kernel Regression Reconstruction for Freehand 3D Ultrasound
      Imaging.
AB  - Volume reconstruction method plays an important role in improving reconstructed
      volumetric image quality for freehand three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound imaging.
      By utilizing the capability of programmable graphics processing unit (GPU), we
      can achieve a real-time incremental volume reconstruction at a speed of 25-50
      frames per second (fps). After incremental reconstruction and visualization, hole
      filling is performed on GPU to fill remaining empty voxels. However, traditional
      pixel nearest neighbor-based hole-filling fails to reconstruct volume with high
      image quality. On the contrary, the kernel regression provides an accurate volume
      reconstruction method for 3D ultrasound imaging but with the cost of heavy
      computational complexity. In this paper, a GPU-based fast kernel regression
      method is proposed for high-quality volume after the incremental reconstruction
      of freehand ultrasound. The experimental results show that improved image quality
      for speckle reduction and details preservation can be obtained with the parameter
      setting of kernel window size of [Formula: see text] and kernel bandwidth of 1.0.
      The computational performance of the proposed GPU-based method can be over 200
      times faster than that on central processing unit (CPU), and the volume with size
      of 50 million voxels in our experiment can be reconstructed within 10 seconds.

PMID- 28627332
TI  - Dissociation between wanting and liking for alcohol and caffeine: A test of the
      Incentive Sensitisation Theory.
AB  - Limited human studies have directly tested the dissociation between wanting and
      liking with human substance users, a core tenet of the Incentive Sensitisation
      Theory (IST). The aim of this study is to test the dissociation between wanting
      and liking in humans across two commonly used licit substances, alcohol and
      caffeine. The STRAP-R (Sensitivity To Reinforcement of Addictive and other
      Primary Rewards) questionnaire was administered to 285 alcohol users (mean
      age=33.30, SD= 8.83) and 134 coffee users (mean age=33.05, SD=8.10) ranging in
      their levels of substance use to assess wanting and liking. Findings showed that
      in high risk alcohol users wanting may drive alcohol consumption more so than
      liking, compared with low risk alcohol users. However, wanting and liking did not
      significantly dissociate as alcohol consumption increased. These findings
      partially support IST. Additionally, IST was not supported in coffee users. It is
      possible that caffeine functions differently at the neurological level compared
      with alcohol, perhaps explaining the lack of dissociation emerging in coffee
      users as caffeine use increased. Nevertheless, the current study makes several
      contributions to IST research. Future studies should focus on utilising the STRAP
      R with a clinically dependent sample to test the dissociation between wanting and
      liking.

PMID- 28627333
TI  - Influence of preservation methods on the quality of colostrum sourced from New
      Zealand dairy farms.
AB  - AIMS: To assess the effect of two temperatures (ambient temperature and 4 degrees
      C), three preservation methods (no preservative, yoghurt and potassium sorbate),
      and two periods of storage (3 and 7 days) on Brix and total bacterial and
      coliform counts of colostrum collected from New Zealand dairy farms. METHODS: One
      litre of colostrum destined to be fed to newborn calves was collected from 55 New
      Zealand dairy farms in the spring of 2015. Six aliquots of 150 mL were obtained
      from each colostrum sample, with two aliquots left untreated, two treated with
      potassium sorbate and two with yoghurt, and one of each pair of aliquots stored
      at ambient temperature and the other at 4 degrees C. All samples were tested for
      Brix, total bacterial counts and coliform counts before treatment (Day 0), and
      after 3 and 7 days of storage. The effect of preservation method and storage
      temperature on the change in Brix, bacterial and coliform counts after 3 or 7
      days of storage was analysed using multivariable random effects models. RESULTS:
      For all outcome variables there was a temperature by preservation interaction.
      For aliquots preserved with potassium sorbate, changes in Brix and bacterial
      counts did not differ between aliquots stored at ambient temperature or 4 degrees
      C, but for aliquots preserved with yoghurt or no preservative the decrease in
      Brix and increase in bacterial counts was greater for aliquots stored at ambient
      temperature than 4 degrees C (p<0.001). For aliquots preserved with potassium
      sorbate, coliform counts decreased at both temperatures, but for aliquots
      preserved with yoghurt or no preservative coliform counts increased for aliquots
      stored at 4 degrees C, but generally decreased at ambient temperatures (p<0.001).
      There was also an interaction between duration of storage and temperature for
      bacterial counts (p<0.001). The difference in the increase in bacterial counts
      between aliquots stored at 4 degrees C and ambient temperature after 3 days was
      greater than between aliquots stored at 4 degrees C and ambient temperature after
      7 days. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Use of potassium sorbate to preserve
      colostrum for 3 or 7 days resulted in little or no reduction in Brix and a lower
      increase in total bacterial counts than colostrum stored without preservative or
      with yoghurt added. Colostrum quality was not affected by storage temperature for
      samples preserved with potassium sorbate, but storage at 4 degrees C resulted in
      better quality colostrum than storage at ambient temperatures for colostrum with
      no preservative or yoghurt added.

PMID- 28627334
TI  - Wheelchair pushing and turning: lumbar spine and shoulder loads and recommended
      limits.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine how simulated manual wheelchair
      pushing influences biomechanical loading to the lumbar spine and shoulders. Sixty
      two subjects performed simulated wheelchair pushing and turning in a laboratory.
      An electromyography-assisted biomechanical model was used to estimate spinal
      loads. Moments at the shoulder joint, external hand forces and net turning torque
      were also assessed. Multiple linear regression techniques were employed to
      develop biomechanically based wheelchair pushing guidelines relating resultant
      hand force or net torque to spinal load. Male subjects experienced significantly
      greater spinal loading (p < 0.01), and spine loads were also increased for
      wheelchair turning compared to straight wheelchair pushing (p < 0.001).
      Biomechanically determined maximum acceptable resultant hand forces were 17-18%
      lower than psychophysically determined limits. We conclude that manual wheelchair
      pushing and turning can pose biomechanical risk to the lumbar spine and
      shoulders. Psychophysically determined maximum acceptable push forces do not
      appear to be protective enough of this biomechanical risk. Practitioner Summary:
      This laboratory study investigated biomechanical risk to the low back and
      shoulders during simulated wheelchair pushing. Manual wheelchair pushing posed
      biomechanical risk to the lumbar spine (in compression and A/P shear) and to the
      shoulders. Biomechanically determined wheelchair pushing thresholds are presented
      and are more protective than the closest psychophysically determined equivalents.

PMID- 28627335
TI  - Effects of exposure pathways on the accumulation and phytotoxicity of silver
      nanoparticles in soybean and rice.
AB  - The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) raises concerns both about
      their accumulation in crops and human exposure via crop consumption. Plants take
      up AgNPs through their leaves and roots, but foliar uptake has been largely
      ignored. To better understand AgNPs-plant interactions, we compared the uptake,
      phytotoxicity and size distribution of AgNPs in soybean and rice following root
      versus foliar exposure. At similar AgNP application levels, foliar exposure led
      to 17-200 times more Ag bioaccumulation than root exposure. Root but not foliar
      exposure significantly reduced plant biomass, while root exposure increased the
      malondialdehyde and H2O2 contents of leaves to a larger extent than did foliar
      exposure. Following either root or foliar exposure, Ag-containing NPs larger
      (36.0-48.9 nm) than the originally dosed NPs (17-18 nm) were detected within
      leaves. These particles were detected using a newly developed macerozyme R-10
      tissue extraction method followed by single-particle inductively coupled plasma
      mass spectrometry. In response to foliar exposure, these NPs were stored in the
      cell wall and plamalemma of leaves. NPs were also detected in planta following Ag
      ion exposure, indicating their in vivo formation. Leaf-to-leaf and root-to-leaf
      translocation of NPs in planta was observed but the former did not alter the size
      distribution of the NPs. Our observations point to the possibility that fruits,
      seeds and other edible parts may become contaminated by translocation processes
      in plants exposed to AgNPs. These results are an important contribution to
      improve the risk assessment of NPs under environmental exposure scenarios.

PMID- 28627336
TI  - [Chinese expert consensus on the medical measures for inhalation injury due to
      the poisoning smoke grenade explosion in 2017].

PMID- 28627337
TI  - [Consensus on diagnosis and treatment of black spider stung in Xinjiang region].

PMID- 28627338
TI  - [Problems of flying medical treatment and transport in critically ill patients
      are worthy of attention and research].

PMID- 28627339
TI  - [Evaluation of adsorption effect of activated charcoal on oral paraquat
      poisoning: an experimental study on large animal].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the adsorption effect of activated charcoal suspension on
      paraquat (PQ) in gastrointestinal tract of beagles exposed to PQ. METHODS: Twenty
      healthy male beagles were randomly divided into experimental group and control
      group, with 6 beagles in each group. 20% PQ solution (a dose of 30 mg/kg) was
      prescribed through stomach for beagles in both groups. After exposure to PQ for
      30 minutes, the beagles in experimental group were given activated charcoal
      suspension (1.0 g/kg of type I activated charcoal powder mixed with 100 mL of
      normal saline) by gavage, while the control group was only given equal volume of
      normal saline. After exposure to PQ for 10 minutes, 30 minutes, and 1, 2, 4, 8,
      12, 24, and 48 hours, blood was collected from hepatic portal veins and
      peripheral veins to detect the PQ concentration change in the plasma. The
      toxicokinetics software DAS 2.1.1 was applied to analyze PQ concentration and
      compare the change in toxicokinetics parameters between the both groups. The
      change in vital signs including heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and pulse
      oxygen saturation (SpO2) was dynamically monitored 10 minutes before exposure, 4
      hours and each day from the 1st to the 7th day after exposure. RESULTS: After
      exposure to PQ, the poison concentration in the plasma of hepatic portal veins
      and peripheral veins in the control group rose quickly and reached peak 4 hours
      later. It fell quickly at first, and fell slowly 8 hours later. But in the
      experimental group, the increase rate to the peak was significantly slow.
      Besides, PQ peak fell more obviously than that in the control group and it was
      about 50% of the control group (MUg/L: 123.50+/-11.67 vs. 255.18+/-12.29 in blood
      from hepatic portal veins, 122.35+/-11.72 vs. 250.86+/-11.15 in blood from
      peripheral veins). After 8 hours it fell much more quickly than that of the
      control group. After exposure to PQ for 48 hours, PQ concentration in the plasma
      was still lower than that of the control group (MUg/L: 0.53+/-0.18 vs. 15.98+/
      5.58 in blood from hepatic portal veins, 0.31+/-0.01 vs. 15.03+/-4.82 in blood
      from peripheral veins, both P < 0.01). With the toxicokinetics analysis, compared
      with the control group, the maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve
      (AUC) of PQ in the plasma of hepatic portal veins and peripheral veins in the
      experimental group were significantly decreased [Cmax (MUg/L): 125.07+/-9.49 vs.
      255.18+/-12.29 in blood from hepatic portal veins, 123.38+/-9.52 vs. 250.86+/
      11.15 in blood from peripheral veins; AUC (mg*L-1*h-1): 1.6+/-0.2 vs. 3.3+/-0.4
      in blood from hepatic portal veins, 1.5+/-0.2 vs. 3.2+/-0.3 in blood from
      peripheral veins], time to the peak (Tmax) of PQ was slowed (hours: 5.3+/-1.9 vs.
      4.0+/-0.0 in blood from hepatic portal veins, 4.7+/-1.5 vs. 4.0+/-0.0 in blood
      from peripheral veins), and PQ plasma half-life (t1/2) and mean retention time
      (MRT) were significantly shortened [t1/2 (hours): 3.8+/-1.2 vs. 15.4+/-3.7 in
      blood from hepatic portal veins, 3.5+/-1.0 vs. 15.5+/-2.7 in blood from
      peripheral veins; MRT (hours): 8.0+/-1.5 vs. 13.4+/-1.2 in blood from hepatic
      portal veins, 7.6+/-1.3 vs. 13.3+/-1.2 in blood from peripheral veins; all P <
      0.01]. After exposure to PQ, HR and RR in both the experimental group and the
      control group increased and reached to the peak about the 4th day and then the
      increase rate began to slow down gradually; SpO2 slowed down gradually and
      reached to the valley about the 4th day and then it began to recover, but the
      change range of vital signs in the experimental group was smaller than that of
      the control group, and the parameters were significantly better than those of
      control group [4-day HR (bpm): 134.50+/-3.04 vs. 142.00+/-6.43, 4-day RR
      (times/min): 31.00+/-0.58 vs. 34.33+/-0.94, 4-day SpO2: 0.900+/-0.006 vs. 0.873+/
      0.005, all P < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: Activated charcoal administrated at 30 minutes
      after PQ poisoning can slow down the increase rate of PQ concentration in the
      plasma, decrease the peak concentration and has less influence on vital signs in
      beagles.

PMID- 28627340
TI  - [Experimental study on formation of neutrophil extracellular traps in human
      peripheral blood induced by paraquat in vitro].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore whether paraquat (PQ) can induce the formation of
      neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in human peripheral blood. METHODS:
      Neutrophils were isolated from healthy human peripheral blood, and the cells were
      identified by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) strain. The cells were treated with
      different concentrations of PQ [0 (as control), 200, 400, 600, 800, 1 000 and 1
      200 MUmol/L], and the cell viability was measured by cell proliferation and CCK-8
      cytotoxicity detection kit, and the median lethal concentration of PQ was
      selected. The cells were treated with the median lethal concentration of PQ (PQ
      poisoning group), and the untreated cells were served as the control.
      Immunofluorescence staining was adopted to evaluate NETs formation. PicoGreen dye
      was used to determine the quantitative content of circulating free DNA. Western
      Blot was used to determine the expressions of citrullinated histone 3 (H3Cit) and
      myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the supernatant. RESULTS: The purity of neutrophils was
      about 95% by HE staining. The cells were treated with different concentrations of
      PQ, and the result showed that the viability of cells was (58+/-2)% with 800
      MUmol/L PQ for treatment. The immunofluorescence showed that there were few
      expressions of H3Cit and MPO in neutrophils in the control group, and there was
      no NETs formation, which was composed of DNA, H3Cit and MPO. Compared with the
      control group, a large amount of NETs was generated from neutrophils stimulated
      by 800 MUmol/L of PQ. Meanwhile, quantitative result showed that the content of
      cell free DNA in the supernatant was significantly increased in PQ poisoning
      group as compared with that of control group (MUg/L: 2 235+/-462 vs. 561+/-87, P
      < 0.01). The protein expressions of H3Cit and MPO in the supernatant were also
      significantly increased as compared with those of control group [H3Cit protein
      expression (gray value): 0.23+/-0.03 vs. 0.11+/-0.01, MPO protein expression
      (gray value): 0.47+/-0.05 vs. 0.21+/-0.04, both P < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: 800
      MUmol/L of PQ can induce the formation of NETs in human peripheral blood.

PMID- 28627341
TI  - [Protective effects of valproic acid on gut barrier function after major burn
      injury and its mechanism].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential protective effects of valproic acid (VPA)
      on gut barrier function after major burn injury in rats and its mechanism.
      METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into sham + normal
      saline (NS), sham + VPA, scald + NS, and scald + VPA groups, with 10 rats in each
      group. Rat with 55% total body surface area (TBSA) third-degree severe-burns
      model was reproduced by immersing into 80  degrees C water, and the rats in sham
      groups were given sham-burns by immersing into 37  degrees C water. The rats
      after severe-burns were immediately treated with 0.25 mL of 300 mg/kg VPA or NS
      by subcutaneous injection. Rats were sacrificed at 2 hours and 6 hours after
      injury, and abdominal aortic blood and ileal tissue were harvested. The levels of
      vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The intestinal permeability was evaluated by
      fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) determination. The
      histomorphological changes in gut barrier were evaluated by Chiu grading system.
      Levels of acetylated lysine at the ninth position of histone 3 protein (Ac-H3K9),
      hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha), zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) and myosin
      light chain kinase (MLCK) were determined by immunofluorescence staining and
      Western Blot. RESULTS: Compared with sham + NS group, rats in scald + NS group
      showed intestinal mucosal damage 2 hours after burn injury, as well as increased
      mucosal permeability, protein expression levels of HIF-1alpha, VEGF, MLCK, and
      lowered levels of AC-H3K9 and ZO-1. These changes were much more prominent at 6
      hours after injury. VPA treatment significantly attenuated the burn-induced
      intestinal damage. Compared with scald + NS group, the protective effects in
      scald + VPA group was not evident at 2 hours after injury; however, intestinal
      damage was much less severe at 6 hours after injury (Chiu score: 2.03+/-0.27 vs.
      3.12+/-0.15), intestinal permeability was significantly decreased [FITC-dextran
      (MUg/L): 709+/-76 vs. 1 138+/-75], histone acetylation was enhanced [Ac-H3K9
      (gray value): 1.55+/-0.12 vs. 0.48+/-0.12], ZO-1 degradation was significantly
      inhibited (gray value: 0.69+/-0.12 vs. 0.43+/-0.16), the protein expression
      levels of VEGF and MLCK were significantly down-regulated [VEGF (ng/mg): 51.7+/
      3.7 vs. 71.2+/-4.3, MLCK (gray value): 1.98+/-0.20 vs. 2.80+/-0.24], while the
      HIF-1alpha protein expression levels were significantly reduced at both 2 hours
      and 6 hours after injury (gray value: 2.50+/-0.39 vs. 3.88+/-0.42 at 2 hours,
      1.83+/-0.42 vs. 4.42+/-0.41 at 6 hours, all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Severe burn
      injury can induce histone deacetylation, ZO-1 degradation and intestinal barrier
      dysfunction. VPA can improve the levels of histone acetylation and ZO-1, and
      protect intestinal epithelial barrier function. These may probably be mediated
      through inhibiting HIF-1alpha and its downstream gene VEGF and MLCK.

PMID- 28627342
TI  - [Baicalein attenuates acute lung injury induced by intestinal
      ischemia/reperfusion via inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB pathway in mice].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of baicalein (Bai) on acute lung injury
      (ALI) induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and its mechanism in mice.
      METHODS: Twenty-four male C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups by random
      number table: namely sham group, I/R group and Bai+I/R group, with 8 mice in each
      group. Intestinal I/R induced lung injury model was reproduced by clamping
      superior mesenteric artery for 90 minutes, followed by reperfusion. Bai (100
      mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected 1 hour before ischemic challenge in the
      Bai+I/R group. The mice in sham group underwent the similar procedure with I/R
      group but without vascular occlusion. All mice were sacrificed at 4 hours of
      reperfusion, and blood was collected from inferior vena cava and lung tissues
      were harvested. Lung tissues were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE), and
      histological changes were examined under light microscope for pathological score.
      Lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio was calculated. Lung cell apoptosis was determined by
      TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique. Serum levels of tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha and
      IL-6 in lung tissues were determined by real-time quantitative reverse
      transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The protein expression levels
      of cytoplasmic inhibitory factor-alpha of nuclear factor-kappaB (IkappaB-alpha)
      and nucleus NF-kappaB were determined by Western Blot. RESULTS: Under light
      microscope, a normal lung tissue structure was shown in the sham group and no
      evidence of obvious lung injury was found. In the I/R group, the alveolar
      structure was seriously damaged. The alveolar wall was widened and there was
      significant interstitial edema and leukocytes infiltration. In the Bai+I/R group,
      pathological damage was significantly decreased as indicated by reduced lung
      tissue edema and leukocytes infiltration. Compared with the sham group, the lung
      pathological scores, W/D ratio and cellular apoptosis in the I/R group were
      significantly increased. Both serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contents and lung TNF
      alpha and IL-6 mRNA expressions were significantly increased. Furthermore, I/R
      significantly resulted in a decrease of IkappaB-alpha in the cytoplasm and an
      increase of NF-kappaB in the nucleus. Notably, Bai treatment significantly
      attenuated ALI induced by intestinal I/R injury. Compared with the I/R group, the
      lung pathological scores and W/D ratio in the Bai+I/R group were significantly
      decreased (lung pathological score: 4.59+/-1.17 vs. 6.27+/-1.34, W/D ratio:
      3.79+/-0.28 vs. 4.32+/-0.57), cellular apoptosis was significantly decreased
      [(4.85+/-2.47)% vs. (8.15+/-2.33)%], both serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 contents and
      lung TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expressions were significantly decreased [serum TNF
      alpha (pg/L): 124.18+/-30.49 vs. 167.72+/-38.65, IL-6 (ng/L): 1.65+/-0.69 vs.
      2.43+/-0.57; lung TNF-alpha mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 4.75+/-2.38 vs. 7.69+/-2.32,
      IL-6 mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 16.45+/-4.39 vs. 27.69+/-6.82], additionally, Bai
      pretreatment significantly increased cytoplasmic IkappaB-alpha protein expression
      (gray value: 0.47+/-0.11 vs. 0.27+/-0.09), while decreased nuclear NF-kappaB
      protein expression (gray value: 0.57+/-0.13 vs. 1.07+/-0.14, all P < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Bai could attenuate intestinal I/R injury induced ALI via the
      inhibition of inflammation and apoptosis.

PMID- 28627343
TI  - [Study on the role of autophagy in heme oxygenase 1 preventing hepatic
      ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the role of autopahgy in the protective mechanism of heme
      oxygenase 1 (HO-1) against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS:
      Forty healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly (random number table)
      divided into five groups (n = 8 in each group), namely sham group, model group,
      cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) group, zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) group and 6-amino
      3-methylpurine (3-MA) group. Partial hepatic I/R model was established by
      clamping the pedicles of left and median lobes for 1 hour and reopening for 6
      hours in rats, and the rats in sham group were only received celiotomp without
      hepatic I/R. In the CoPP group, CoPP (a HO-1 inducer, 5 mg/kg) was administered
      i.p 24 hours before I/R. In the ZnPP or 3-MA group, besides pretreatment with
      CoPP, the rats were given ZnPP (a HO-1 inhibitor, 25 mg/kg) or 3-MA (an autophagy
      inhibitor, 30 mg/kg) i.p 1 hour before I/R. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
      was determined with automatic biochemistry analyzer. The hepatic pathological
      scores (PS) were determined under light microscope using hematoxylin-eosin (HE)
      staining. The hepatocyte apoptosis index (AI) was assessed with terminal
      dexynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining.
      Autophagosomes in liver tissue were counted under electron microscope. The mRNA
      expressions of HO-1, caspase-3, Beclin-1 and Atg-5 in the liver were determined
      by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The HO-1 activity
      was also measured by the generation of bilirubin with the method of double-wave
      spectrophotometry. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the level of serum ALT
      significantly increased in the I/R group (U/L: 560.3+/-73.6 vs. 49.1+/-13.8, P <
      0.01), HE staining showed a severe hepatic injury (PS: 12.0+/-2.0 vs. 1.3+/-0.9,
      P < 0.01), TUNEL staining showed a higher hepatocytes apoptosis and the
      expression of caspase-3 significantly increased [AI: (19.38+/-3.07)% vs. (3.25+/
      1.28)%, caspase-3 mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 4.62+/-0.40 vs. 1.05+/-0.15, both P <
      0.01]. However, there was no significant difference in the expression of HO-1 and
      the genes associated with autophagy between the two groups. In the CoPP group,
      the hepatic injury was blunted compared with that in the I/R group [ALT (U/L):
      223.3+/-34.4 vs. 560.3+/-73.6, PS: 5.6+/-2.3 vs. 12.0+/-2.0, AI: (11.38+/-2.39)%
      vs. (19.38+/-3.07)%, caspase-3 mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 2.42+/-0.33 vs. 4.62+/
      0.40, all P < 0.01]. HO-1 was induced in the CoPP group and autophagy was also
      increased significantly after I/R when compared with those in the I/R group [HO-1
      mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 3.01+/-0.71 vs. 1.14+/-0.20, HO-1 activity (pmol*mg-1*h
      1): 259+/-37 vs. 113+/-26, the number of autophagosomes: 8.75+/-0.87 vs. 1.25+/
      0.71, Beclin-1 mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 2.85+/-0.28 vs. 1.15+/-0.11, Atg-5 mRNA (2
      DeltaDeltaCt): 2.44+/-0.25 vs. 1.14+/-0.12, all P < 0.01]. In the ZnPP group, the
      activity of HO-1 was much lower than that in the CoPP group, and as a result
      autophagy was decreased and liver injury was increased. In the 3-MA group,
      although there was no difference in the activity of HO-1 compared with that in
      the CoPP group, autophagy was inhibited, and the protective effect of CoPP was
      eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: HO-1 could regulate the level of autophagy during liver
      I/R, and in turn autophagy might mediate the protective effects of HO-1 against
      liver I/R injury.

PMID- 28627344
TI  - [Protective effect of BAG-1L mediated by lentivirus in human neuroblastoma cells
      induced by hypoxia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of lentivirus mediated Bcl-2
      associated athanogene 1L (BAG-1L) over-expression on human neuroblastoma cells
      (SH-SY5Y) induced by hypoxia/re-oxygenation, and to study its effect on the
      phosphoinositide 3 kinase serine/threonine protein kinase (PI3K/AKT) pathway.
      METHODS: SH-SY5Y cells were cultured in vitro, and the cells at logarithmic phase
      were collected, and they were divided into recombined lentiviral infection group
      [infected by lentivirus containing BAG-1L and green fluorescent protein (GFP)
      gene], vector control group (infected by lentivirus containing GFP without BAG-1L
      gene) and cell control group (non-infection). Western Blot was used to detect the
      expression of BAG-1L in target cells after infection for 48 hours. SH-SY5Y cells
      were subjected to hypoxia for 8 hours and re-oxygenation for 24 hours, then the
      cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to detect the cell activity, and the
      apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry after allophycocyanin labeled annexin
      V/7-amino actinomycin D (Annexin V-APC/7-AAD) staining. Western Blot was used to
      detect the protein expressions of BAG-1L, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), AKT and
      phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT). RESULTS: After infection for 48 hours, exogenous BAG
      1L protein bands were observed in recombined lentiviral infection group, but not
      observed in cell control group and vector control group. After hypoxia/re
      oxygenation treatment, the cell viability in recombined lentiviral infection
      group was significantly higher than that in cell control group and vector control
      group (A value: 0.689+/-0.036 vs. 0.425+/-0.013, 0.400+/-0.012), apoptosis was
      significantly decreased [apoptosis rate: (26.97+/-1.82)% vs. (36.60+/-1.45)%,
      (35.77+/-3.74)%], the protein levels of BAG-1L, HSP70 and p-AKT were
      significantly increased [BAG-1L protein (gray value): 2.405+/-0.167 vs. 0.529+/
      0.141, 0.601+/-0.099; HSP70 protein (gray value): 0.997+/-0.123 vs. 0.634+/
      0.091, 0.584+/-0.106; p-AKT protein (gray value): 1.234+/-0.118 vs. 0.661+/
      0.210, 0.712+/-0.199, all P < 0.01], but the protein level of AKT was slightly
      increased (gray value: 1.103+/-0.269 vs. 0.646+/-0.188, 0.791+/-0.326) without
      statistically significant differences (both P > 0.05). There was no significant
      difference in all parameters between cell control group and vector control group
      (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lentivirus mediated BAG-1L gene over-expression can
      protect nerve cells against hypoxic injury and apoptosis, and the protective
      effect may be related to the activation increase of pathway on PI3K/AKT.

PMID- 28627345
TI  - [Effects of microRNA-21 inhibitor on apoptosis of type II alveolar epithelial
      cells in rats with hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of microRNA-21 (miR-21) inhibitor on apoptosis
      of type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEC II) in rats with hyperoxia-induced
      acute lung injury (HALI). METHODS: Eighty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided
      into air-control group, hyperoxia injury group, empty-virus control group (200
      MUL solution with lentivirus was dropped into the nasal) and miR-21 inhibitor
      pretreatment group (200 MUL solution with lentivirus contained miR-21 inhibitor
      was dropped through the nasal) by random number table. After treatment, the rats
      in all groups were fed in the hyperoxia incubator with oxygen concentration
      exceeding 90% for production of HALI model, and the rats in air-control group
      were fed normally without any treatment. Ten rats were selected at 0, 24, 48 and
      72 hours after exposure in hyperoxia environment respectively, and the general
      changes of lung tissues were observed in light microscope. The right lung tissues
      were harvested to observe the pathological changes under light microscopy. The
      left lung tissues of other 10 rats in each group were harvested at 48 hours after
      execution, the miR-21 expression was determined by real-time fluorescence
      quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the
      protein expression of cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3 (caspase-3) was
      determined by Western Bolt, and apoptosis of AEC II was detected by TdT-mediated
      dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). RESULTS: (1) No abnormal appearance in lung
      tissues was observed at all time points in the air-control group. In hyperoxia
      injury group, the lung injury would be more severe if the exposure time was
      longer, and lung tissues turned dark red after exposure for 72 hours, with patchy
      hemorrhage in several places; the structure of lung tissues was disordered, the
      alveolar wall was broken, the alveolar septum was significantly edematous and
      broadened, and there was plenty of inflammatory cell infiltration and edema fluid
      appeared inside the alveolar space. In miR-21 inhibitor pretreatment group, the
      degree of lung tissue injury was more severe than that of the hyperoxia injury
      group, and there was no significant change in empty-virus control group. (2)
      Compared with air-control group, miR-21 expression of the hyperoxia injury group
      was significantly decreased (2-DeltaDeltaCt: 0.021+/-0.005 vs. 0.037+/-0.006),
      and the protein expression of caspase-3 was significantly increased (A value:
      0.423+/-0.081 vs. 0.123+/-0.023, both P < 0.05). After pretreatment with miR-21
      inhibitor, the expression of miR-21 was further decreased (2-DeltaDeltaCt:
      0.014+/-0.003 vs. 0.021+/-0.005), while the protein expression of caspase-3 was
      further increased (A value: 0.691+/-0.085 vs. 0.423+/-0.081, both P < 0.05).
      There were no statistically significant differences in the expression of miR-21
      (2-DeltaDeltaCt: 0.025+/-0.007 vs. 0.021+/-0.005) and caspase-3 (A value: 0.475+/
      0.062 vs. 0.423+/-0.081) between empty-virus control group and hyperoxia injury
      group (both P > 0.05). (3) Compared with air-control group, the apoptosis cells
      in hyperoxia injury group were increased, which was further increased after
      pretreatment of miR-21 inhibitor, but no changes were found in empty-virus
      control group. CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of miR-21 expression in vivo could
      aggravate the injury of lung tissue in HALI rats, and increase the apoptosis of
      AEC II.

PMID- 28627346
TI  - [Study on Rac1/MAPK/ERK pathway mediated mechanism and role in rats with
      ventilator induced lung injury].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate
      1/mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase
      (Rac1/MAPK/ERK) signal pathway in rats with ventilator induced lung injury (VILI)
      and its mechanism. METHODS: Thirty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided
      into spontaneous respiration group, normal tidal volume (VT) group and high VT
      group with 10 rats in each group. The rats in spontaneous respiration group were
      kept their spontaneous breathing. The rats in normal VT group and high VT group
      were performed tracheal intubation after tracheostomy, and underwent mechanical
      ventilation on bilateral lungs with 6 mL/kg and 40 mL/kg VT respectively with
      maintenance anesthesia. After 4-hour ventilation, heart blood, bronchoalveolar
      lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were harvested. The levels of interleukins
      (IL-1beta, IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), myeloperoxidase (MPO)
      and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) in serum and BALF were determined
      by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lung wet/dry radio (W/D) was
      determined. The lung tissues were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and
      pathological changes were observed, and pathological scores were evaluated. The
      ultra structure changes in type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEC II) were
      observed with transmission electron microscope. The positive expressions of
      phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) were determined
      by immunohistochemistry, and those of Rac1 and F-actin were determined by
      immunofluorescence. The mRNA expressions of ERK and Rac1 were determined by real
      time fluorescent quantitation reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT
      qPCR), and protein expressions of Rac-1, p-ERK and F-actin were determined by
      Western Blot. RESULTS: (1) Compared with spontaneous breathing group, lung W/D in
      both mechanical ventilation groups was significantly increased, with more
      significant increase in the high VT group (6.64+/-0.88 vs. 1.79+/-0.36, P <
      0.01). (2) There was no obvious pathological changes in the lung tissue and AEC
      II of the spontaneously breathing group. In the normal VT group, there was slight
      edema and infiltration of inflammatory cells; AEC II had less lamellar bodies and
      uniform distribution of the villi of the alveolar epithelium. In the high VT
      group, the edema of the lung tissue, the widening of the pulmonary septum, the
      alveolus congestion, the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and alveolar
      structure disorder were found; and AEC II was irregular, the number of lamellar
      bodies in the plastids was decreased and was unevenly distributed. The pulmonary
      histopathological score in the high VT group was significantly higher than that
      in the spontaneous breathing group and the normal VT group (12.00+/-2.00 vs.
      6.00+/-1.51, 8.50+/-0.53, both P < 0.01). (3) Compared with spontaneous breathing
      group, IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, MPO, and MIP-2 in serum and BALF in both
      mechanical ventilation groups were significantly increased, with more significant
      increase in the high VT group [serum IL-1beta (ng/L): 104.2+/-15.1 vs. 20.3+/
      8.3, IL-6 (ng/L): 46.6+/-11.5 vs. 22.7+/-7.5, TNF-alpha (ng/L): 39.4+/-6.5 vs.
      5.4+/-1.9, MPO (ng/L): 0.66+/-0.24 vs. 0.06+/-0.03, MIP-2 (ng/L): 109.2+/-25.8
      vs. 22.8+/-8.4; BALF IL-1beta (ng/L): 121.5+/-25.6 vs. 24.0+/-7.5, IL-6 (ng/L):
      136.7+/-32.7 vs. 31.4+/-10.5, TNF-alpha (ng/L): 98.0+/-14.8 vs. 10.1+/-2.6, MPO
      (ng/L): 0.80+/-0.31 vs. 0.08+/-0.04, MIP-2 (ng/L): 144.4+/-28.9 vs. 41.2+/-20.7;
      all P < 0.01]. (4) There were only a few p-ERK, Rac1 and F-actin positive
      expressions in the spontaneous breathing group. The positive expressions in
      normal VT group were increased. In high VT group, the positive expression of p
      ERK was significantly increased; Rac1 and F-actin were mainly distributed in the
      cell membrane and cytoplasm respectively, the positive expressions were further
      enhanced. (5) The gene expressions of ERK and Rac1, and protein expressions of p
      ERK, Rac1 and F-actin in the high VT group were significantly higher than those
      in the spontaneous breathing group and normal VT group [ERK mRNA (2
      DeltaDeltaCt): 8.23+/-2.83 vs. 1, 3.02+/-1.38, p-ERK protein (gray value): 1.15+/
      0.36 vs. 0.61+/-0.23, 0.88+/-0.22; Rac1 mRNA (2-DeltaDeltaCt): 4.45+/-2.26 vs. 1,
      1.22+/-0.39, Rac1 protein (gray value): 0.91+/-0.16 vs. 0.48+/-0.11, 0.55+/-0.10;
      F-actin protein (gray value): 0.70+/-0.09 vs. 0.49+/-0.08, 0.55+/-0.04; all P <
      0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: F-actin expression in lung tissue was up-regulated in rats
      with VILI, which resulted in reconstruction of AEC II cyto-skeleton, and
      variation of cell membrane permeability through Rac1/MAPK/ERK signaling pathway
      during VILI.

PMID- 28627347
TI  - [Clinical effect of pulmonary rehabilitation therapy including respiratory
      exercise and vibration expectoration on patients with pulmonary infection after
      abdominal surgery].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of pulmonary rehabilitation therapy
      including respiratory exercise and vibration expectoration on patients with
      pulmonary infection after abdominal surgery. METHODS: A retrospective case
      control study was conducted. Seventy-six patients with pulmonary infection after
      abdominal surgery admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal
      University from September 2015 to September 2016 were enrolled. According to
      whether accept the pulmonary rehabilitation therapy or not, the patients were
      divided into two groups. In the control group (n = 35), the conventional
      expectoration method was adopted. The patients in pulmonary rehabilitation group
      (n = 41) received both methods of the control group and pulmonary rehabilitation
      treatment, including respiratory exercise (effective cough, lip reduction
      breathing), respiratory exercise device (respiratory exerciser tri-ball), and
      vibrated expectoration. The 24-hour sputum volume, degree of comfort,
      inflammatory and pulmonary function parameters, and recovery situation were
      recorded in the two groups. RESULTS: (1) There were no significant differences in
      the parameters of inflammation and pulmonary function before treatment between
      the two groups. After treatment, the white blood cell (WBC) and C-reactive
      protein (CRP) in both groups were significantly decreased, and the forced
      expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) were
      significantly increased. The above changes in pulmonary rehabilitation group were
      more significant than those of the control group [WBC (*109/L): 11.12+/-2.88 vs.
      13.42+/-2.62 at 3 days, 8.22+/-1.48 vs. 9.27+/-1.92 at 5 days; CRP (mg/L):
      13.47+/-4.77 vs. 16.03+/-4.94 at 3 days, 9.69+/-1.56 vs. 11.77+/-1.41 at 5 days;
      FEV1 (L): 2.48+/-0.14 vs. 2.29+/-0.16 at 3 days, FEV1/FVC: 0.78+/-0.04 vs. 0.75+/
      0.04 at 3 days; all P < 0.05]. (2) The 24-hour sputum volume within 3 days of
      pulmonary rehabilitation group were significantly higher than that of the control
      group (mL: 30.51+/-4.15 vs. 18.30+/-3.64 at 1 day, 31.08+/-3.22 vs. 20.37+/-3.20
      at 2 days, 29.03+/-2.55 vs. 19.03+/-2.51 at 3 days, all P < 0.01]. (3) In the
      pulmonary rehabilitation group, the recovery time of pulmonary infection symptoms
      (days: 5.44+/-1.45 vs. 6.20+/-1.55), the days of antibiotic use (days: 12.61+/
      3.15 vs. 15.03+/-3.78), the time of getting out of the bed (days: 4.05+/-0.74 vs.
      4.51+/-0.89), and the hospital days (days: 19.95+/-3.90 vs. 22.00+/-4.42) were
      significantly shorter than those of the control group (all P < 0.05), and the
      degree of comfort was significantly better than that of the control group
      (comfort score: 2.71+/-0.90 vs. 2.14+/-0.91, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The
      application of pulmonary rehabilitation including respiratory exercise and
      vibration expectoration in abdominal surgery patients with pulmonary infection
      can promote recovery, and it has a good clinical and practical application value.

PMID- 28627348
TI  - [Effect of hydrogen-rich water on the CD34 expression in lesion boundary brain
      tissue of rats with traumatic brain injury].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of hydrogen-rich water on the CD34 expression
      and angiogenesis in lesion boundary brain tissue of rats with traumatic brain
      injury (TBI). METHODS: A total of 54 adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were
      divided into three groups by random number table: namely sham-operated group
      (sham group), trauma group (TBI group), and trauma + hydrogen-rich water group
      (TBI+HW group), the rats in each group were subdivided into 1, 3 and 7 days
      subgroups according to the time points after trauma, with 6 rats in each
      subgroup. The TBI model was reproduced by using a modified Feency method for free
      fall impact, and the rats in sham group were not given brain impact after
      craniotomy. The rats in TBI+HW group were given intraperitoneal injection of
      hydrogen-rich water (5 mL/kg) after TBI model reproduction, and then once a day
      until being sacrificed, and the rats in sham group and TBI group were given the
      same amount of normal saline. The neurological severity scores (NSS) for
      neurologic deficits were calculated at corresponding time points, and then the
      rats were sacrificed for brain tissue at 3 mm around lesion boundary. After
      hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the pathological changes in lesion boundary
      brain tissue were observed under light microscope. The expression of CD34+ cells
      was observed by immunohistochemical analysis, which markers were used to count
      the newborn blood capillary sprouts around the traumatic brain tissue. The
      protein expression of CD34 was determined by Western Blot. RESULTS: NSS scores at
      all time points in sham group were 0. NSS scores in TBI and TBI+HW groups showed
      a decreased tendency with time prolongation after TBI, which showed more
      significant in TBI+HW group, NSS scores at 3 days and 7 days were significantly
      lower than those of TBI group (3 day: 8.67+/-0.52 vs. 11.56+/-1.94, 7 days:
      7.33+/-0.52 vs. 8.17+/-0.98, both P < 0.05). Under light microscope, the brain
      tissue of rats in sham group was normal. After injury, pathological changes in
      lesion boundary brain tissue in TBI group were characterized by obvious
      hemorrhagic necrosis, severe brain edema, a large number of degeneration and
      necrosis of nerve cells and inflammatory cell infiltration, and the pathological
      changes were more obvious at 3 days. The edema area in TBI+HW group was slightly
      smaller than that of TBI group, and the surrounding edema was slightly reduced.
      It was shown by immunohistochemistry that only a very small number of
      neoformative capillaries were found in sham group. The number of neoformative
      capillaries in lesion boundary brain tissue was gradually increased with time
      prolongation in TBI group. The number of neoformative capillaries in TBI+HW group
      was more significantly, which was significantly higher than that of TBI group at
      3 days and 7 days after injury (cells/HP: 10.59+/-1.88 vs. 8.61+/-1.22 at 3 days,
      23.20+/-3.16 vs. 17.01+/-2.64 at 7 days, both P < 0.05). It was shown by Western
      Blot that the expression of CD34 protein at all time points in TBI group was
      significantly increased as compared with that of sham group. The expression of
      CD34 protein at 1 day and 3 days in TBI+HW group was slightly increased as
      compared with that of TBI group without significant difference, but it was
      significantly up-regulated at 7 days after injury, which was significantly higher
      than that of TBI group (gray value: 1.36+/-0.36 vs. 0.74+/-0.08, P < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Hydrogen-rich water promote CD34+ cells home to the site of injured
      tissue in rats with TBI, is involved in angiogenesis, and improve clinical
      outcomes during brain functional recovery.

PMID- 28627349
TI  - [Clinical application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation with abdominal lifting and
      compression in emergency treatment].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of cardiopulmonary resuscitation
      (CPR) with abdominal lifting and compression on patients with breathing and
      cardiac arrest induced by severe chest trauma. METHODS: Sixty-six breathing and
      cardiac arrest patients induced by severe chest trauma admitted to the General
      Hospital of Jingyuan Coal Industry Group Company from October 2011 to October
      2016 were enrolled, and they were divided into abdominal lifting and compression
      group (n = 32) and unarmed abdominal compression group (n = 34) by random number
      table. The patients in both two groups were given the airway open, respiration
      support, defibrillation treatment, venous access establishment, vasoactive drugs
      application and other conventional treatments. On the basis of the routine
      treatment, the patients in abdominal lifting and compression group were given
      application of abdominal lifting and compression device with 100 times/min
      frequency and continuously alternating press down to lift the abdomen, the
      amplitude of pressing and pulling were 3-5 cm below or above the original level
      of the abdomen. Those in unarmed abdominal compression group were given abdominal
      CPR pressing method by hand, the frequency of pressing and depth of subsidence
      was the same as abdominal lifting and compression group. Heart rate (HR) and
      arterial blood gas at 30 minutes after CPR as well as the success rate of
      resuscitation were compared between the two groups. The changes in HR, mean
      arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse oxygen saturation (SpO2) before and 30 minutes
      and 60 minutes after CPR were dynamically observed in patients with restoration
      of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after abdominal lifting and compression CPR
      treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the unarmed abdominal compression group, HR
      (bmp: 136.13+/-6.14 vs. 148.45+/-5.16) and arterial partial pressure of carbon
      dioxide [PaCO2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 48.51+/-2.60 vs. 62.51+/-2.50] at 30
      minutes after CPR in abdominal lifting and compression group were significantly
      lowered, and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was significantly
      increased (mmHg: 88.07+/-3.92 vs. 74.12+/-2.12, all P < 0.05). Four patients with
      ROSC were found in abdominal lifting and compression group, and 2 in unarmed
      abdominal compression group. The success rate of resuscitation in abdominal
      lifting and compression group was significantly higher than that of unarmed
      abdominal compression group (12.50% vs. 5.82%, P < 0.05). In 4 patients with ROSC
      after abdominal lifting and compression CPR showed a downward trend in HR and an
      upward trend in MAP and SpO2 with CPR time prolongation. CONCLUSIONS: The effect
      of abdominal lifting and compression CPR is better than that of unarmed abdominal
      compression CPR, which is of great value for the life saving of patients with
      breathing and cardiac arrest induced by severe chest trauma.

PMID- 28627350
TI  - [Construction and outlook of sharing information in pre-hospital emergency and
      emergency disposal in hospital].

PMID- 28627351
TI  - [Experience of aero-medical evacuation of a patient with severe craniocerebral
      injury: a case report].

PMID- 28627352
TI  - [Acute cor pulmonale in acute respiratory distress syndrome].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe respiratory
      condition that is characterized by rapidly progressive hypoxemia with
      noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Despite the improvement of therapeutic methods,
      the mortality of ARDS is in the range of 40%-50% all over the world. Some studies
      have shown that a significant number of patients with ARDS had acute cor
      pulmonale (ACP), and ACP is independently associated with the mortality of
      patients with ARDS, which has attracted wide attention in recent years. This
      paper reviewed recent related studies, summarized the prevalence, pathogenesis
      and diagnostic approaches of ACP in ARDS, especially echocardiography which was
      considered as a cornerstone for ACP diagnosis, and elucidated the beneficial
      effects of right ventricular protective ventilatory strategy and prone
      positioning on the pulmonary vasculature and right heart, in order to provide a
      novel idea for the therapy of ACP in ARDS.

PMID- 28627353
TI  - [Ultrasonographic evaluation of diaphragm structure and function].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Diaphragm is the principal respiratory muscle. Diaphragm dysfunction
      resulting from mechanical ventilation, chronic cardiopulmonary disease, medicine,
      cardio-thoracic surgery, septic shock and chronic malnutrition predisposes to
      weaning failure from mechanical ventilation and prolongs intensive care unit
      (ICU) stay. Traditionally, the method of assessment of diaphragm structure and
      function was invasive, lacking specific, and was difficult to be used bedside. A
      number of recent studies have been suggested that ultrasonographic evaluation has
      been proposed as an accurate, safe and noninvasive method of quantification of
      diaphragm structure and function. This article reviews the related researches of
      technique and the clinical applications of ultrasonography in the evaluation of
      diaphragmatic structure and function, which may possibly result in timely
      identification of patients with diaphragm dysfunction and improve the assessment
      of recovery from diaphragm weakness.

PMID- 28627354
TI  - [Principle and influence factors of aerosolized antibiotics in the treatment of
      ventilator associated pneumonia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is a challenging complication of
      critical illness. Aerosolized antibiotic is an option for the management of VAP
      currently, as it is reported that it could increase levels of drug in alveolar
      without increasing systemic toxicity. The articles that focused on the
      aerosolized antibiotics in the treatment of VAP and its influence factors were
      reviewed, and it was found that to achieve maximum drug delivery efficiency and
      reduce the influence of nebulization method, some factors, such as ventilation
      modes, tidal volume, nebulizer type, should be adjusted and monitored during the
      treatment.

PMID- 28627355
TI  - [Recent advances in the pathogenesis and treatment of hypoproteinemia after
      surgical stress].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: After major operation, a series of complicated pathological and
      physiological changes will occur during the trauma and stress state. The protein
      synthesis is affected, which results in negative nitrogen balance. In addition,
      the release of inflammatory factors can damage the capillary endothelial cells
      and increase the permeability of micrangium, induce vascular colloidal albumin
      leakage to the extravascular tissue, decrease plasma albumin, make wound edema,
      eventually lead to postoperative hypoproteinemia. Except for albumin supplement,
      it should be aimed at the mechanism to control the stress response and reduce the
      leakage caused by the release of inflammatory factors to solve this problem
      radically in clinical work. The reports about the causes and treatment of
      hypoproteinemia after major surgery were reviewed to provide evidence for
      clinical treatment.

PMID- 28627356
TI  - Aquatic therapy for children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a pilot
      feasibility randomised controlled trial and mixed-methods process evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare disease that causes the
      progressive loss of motor abilities such as walking. Standard treatment includes
      physiotherapy. No trial has evaluated whether or not adding aquatic therapy (AT)
      to land-based therapy (LBT) exercises helps to keep muscles strong and children
      independent. OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of recruiting boys with DMD to
      a randomised trial evaluating AT (primary objective) and to collect data from
      them; to assess how, and how well, the intervention and trial procedures work.
      DESIGN: Parallel-group, single-blind, randomised pilot trial with nested
      qualitative research. SETTING: Six paediatric neuromuscular units. PARTICIPANTS:
      Children with DMD aged 7-16 years, established on corticosteroids, with a North
      Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) score of 8-34 and able to complete a 10-m walk
      without aids/assistance. Exclusions: > 20% variation between baseline screens 4
      weeks apart and contraindications. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were allocated on
      a 1 : 1 ratio to (1) optimised, manualised LBT (prescribed by specialist
      neuromuscular physiotherapists) or (2) the same plus manualised AT (30 minutes,
      twice weekly for 6 months: active assisted and/or passive stretching regime;
      simulated or real functional activities; submaximal exercise). Semistructured
      interviews with participants, parents (n = 8) and professionals (n = 8) were
      analysed using Framework analysis. An independent rater reviewed patient records
      to determine the extent to which treatment was optimised. A cost-impact analysis
      was performed. Quantitative and qualitative data were mixed using a triangulation
      exercise. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility of recruiting 40 participants in 6
      months, participant and therapist views on the acceptability of the intervention
      and research protocols, clinical outcomes including NSAA, independent assessment
      of treatment optimisation and intervention costs. RESULTS: Over 6 months, 348
      children were screened - most lived too far from centres or were enrolled in
      other trials. Twelve (30% of target) were randomised to AT (n = 8) or control (n
      = 4). People in the AT (n = 8) and control (n = 2: attrition because of parental
      report) arms contributed outcome data. The mean change in NSAA score at 6 months
      was -5.5 [standard deviation (SD) 7.8] for LBT and -2.8 (SD 4.1) in the AT arm.
      One boy suffered pain and fatigue after AT, which resolved the same day.
      Physiotherapists and parents valued AT and believed that it should be delivered
      in community settings. The independent rater considered AT optimised for three
      out of eight children, with other children given programmes that were too
      extensive and insufficiently focused. The estimated NHS costs of 6-month service
      were between L1970 and L2734 per patient. LIMITATIONS: The focus on delivery in
      hospitals limits generalisability. CONCLUSIONS: Neither a full-scale frequentist
      randomised controlled trial (RCT) recruiting in the UK alone nor a twice-weekly
      open-ended AT course delivered at tertiary centres is feasible. Further
      intervention development research is needed to identify how community-based pools
      can be accessed, and how families can link with each other and community
      physiotherapists to access tailored AT programmes guided by highly specialised
      physiotherapists. Bayesian RCTs may be feasible; otherwise, time series designs
      are recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN41002956.
      FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research
      (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in
      Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 27. See the NIHR Journals Library
      website for further project information.

PMID- 28627358
TI  - Long-Term Changes in Bone Height After Mandibular Reconstruction Using a Free
      Fibula Graft in an Elderly Population.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study evaluated short-term and long-term changes in bone height
      after mandibular reconstruction using an osteotomized fibula graft, with the aim
      of identifying factors associated with atrophy of the graft in an elderly
      population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study involved patients who
      underwent mandibular reconstruction using a free vascularized fibula graft from
      2005 through 2015 and had at least 12 months of follow-up. Postoperative
      panoramic radiographs were used to measure bone height at standardized locations
      on each segment of the graft at 1 year postoperatively and at later follow-up.
      RESULTS: The sample was composed of 30 patients (15 men, 15 women; mean age, 62.6
      years; age range, 50 to 80 years). According to the HCL classification (H,
      hemimandibular segment including the condyle; C, central segment including both
      mandibular canine teeth; L, lateral segment without the condyle), mandibular
      defect types were L (n = 19), LC (n = 7), LCL (n = 3), and H (n = 1). There were
      0 to 3 segmental osteotomies with the fibula graft. None of the patients received
      an osseointegrated dental implant during a mean follow-up of 4.0 years (range,
      1.5 to 9.7 yr). All patients underwent reconstruction of the mandibular body, 10
      of whom also underwent reconstruction of the mandibular ramus. Atrophy of the
      fibula graft was observed in 9.9 and 15.0% of the body segment and 5.9 and 6.6%
      of the ramal segment at 1 year postoperatively and at later follow-up,
      respectively. Graft hypertrophy occurred in the ramal segment in 2 patients.
      Multivariate analysis showed a significantly higher rate of graft atrophy in
      women than in men at later follow-up (P = .033). CONCLUSIONS: Fibula grafts
      showed long-term stability, and in 2 cases even a gain in bone height, in this
      elderly population. Female gender was identified as a risk factor for atrophy of
      the fibula bone graft in the body segment of the reconstructed mandible.

PMID- 28627357
TI  - The heat shock protein 90 of Toxoplasma gondii is essential for invasion of host
      cells and tachyzoite growth.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular apicomplexan parasite that infects
      almost all warm-blooded vertebrates. Heat shock proteins (HSP) regulate key
      signal transduction events in many organisms, and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)
      plays an important role in growth, development, and virulence in several
      parasitic protozoa. Here, we discovered increased transcription of the Hsp90 gene
      under conditions for bradyzoite differentiation, i.e. alkaline and heat shock
      conditions in vitro, suggesting that Hsp90 may be connected with bradyzoite
      development in T. gondii. A knockout of the TgHsp90 strain (DeltaHsp90) and a
      complementation strain were constructed. The TgHsp90 knockout cells were found to
      be defective in host-cell invasion, were not able to proliferate in vitro in Vero
      cells, and did not show long-time survival in mice in vivo. These inabilities of
      the knockout parasites were restored upon complementation of TgHsp90. These data
      unequivocally show that TgHsp90 contributes to bradyzoite development, and to
      invasion and replication of T. gondii in host cells.

PMID- 28627359
TI  - Evaluation of Early Postoperative Complications Following Tracheotomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the early postoperative
      complications related to tracheotomy performed by surgeons and residents in the
      Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) at the University of Florida
      College of Dentistry (UFCD; Gainesville, FL). The authors hypothesized that
      complications with this surgical technique would be substantially different among
      the different medical diagnoses of these patients and the number of complications
      would positively correlate with the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)
      physical status classification. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors implemented a
      retrospective study of all patients who underwent a tracheotomy procedure by the
      UFCD OMS department from July 2011 through March 2015. Patients were evaluated
      for medical comorbidities (predictor variables) and tracheotomy complications
      (outcome variable) within 1 week of the procedure and were compared across ASA
      classes. RESULTS: A total of 319 patients were evaluated in this retrospective
      study. There were 14 patients identified with recorded complications, including
      11 patients with a bleeding complication (3.4%), and 3 patients with other
      complications (0.9%). The other complications included dislodgement of the tube,
      subcutaneous emphysema, and cellulitis. The distribution of patients across ASA
      groups was not statistically different for patients with no bleeding versus
      bleeding complications (P > .05 by chi2 test). However, the distribution of
      patient gender was found to differ across ASA groups (P < .001 by chi2 test). The
      proportion of men to women in the bleeding complications group was not
      statistically different (P > .1 by binomial test). However, mean age was found to
      be statistically different for bleeding complications between men and women (63.4
      yr for men; 42.7 yr for women; P < .05 by t test). CONCLUSIONS: The result of
      this study supports a low rate of complications after a tracheotomy procedure
      performed by faculty and residents at the UFCD OMS department and is lower than
      published tracheotomy complication rates reported by other surgical specialties.

PMID- 28627361
TI  - Incorporating the airway microbiome into asthma phenotyping: Moving toward
      personalized medicine for noneosinophilic asthma.

PMID- 28627360
TI  - The Plasmodium falciparum exported protein PF3D7_0402000 binds to erythrocyte
      ankyrin and band 4.1.
AB  - Plasmodium falciparum extensively modifies the infected red blood cell (RBC),
      resulting in changes in deformability, shape and surface properties. These
      alterations suggest that the RBC cytoskeleton is a major target for modification
      during infection. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to these changes are
      largely unknown. To begin to address this question, we screened for exported P.
      falciparum proteins that bound to the erythrocyte cytoskeleton proteins ankyrin 1
      (ANK1) and band 4.1 (4.1R), which form critical interactions with other
      cytoskeletal proteins that contribute to the deformability and stability of RBCs.
      Yeast two-hybrid screens with ANK1 and 4.1R identified eight interactions with P.
      falciparum exported proteins, including an interaction between 4.1R and
      PF3D7_0402000 (PFD0090c). This interaction was first identified in a large-scale
      screen (Vignali et al., Malaria J, 7:211, 2008), which also reported an
      interaction between PF3D7_0402000 and ANK1. We confirmed the interactions of
      PF3D7_0402000 with 4.1R and ANK1 in pair-wise yeast two-hybrid and co
      precipitation assays. In both cases, an intact PHIST domain in PF3D7_0402000 was
      required for binding. Complex purification followed by mass spectrometry analysis
      provided additional support for the interaction of PF3D7_0402000 with ANK1 and
      4.1R. RBC ghost cells loaded with maltose-binding protein (MBP)-PF3D7_0402000
      passed through a metal microsphere column less efficiently than mock- or MBP
      loaded controls, consistent with an effect of PF3D7_0402000 on RBC rigidity or
      membrane stability. This study confirmed the interaction of PF3D7_0402000 with
      4.1R in multiple independent assays, provided the first evidence that
      PF3D7_0402000 also binds to ANK1, and suggested that PF3D7_0402000 affects
      deformability or membrane stability of uninfected RBC ghosts.

PMID- 28627362
TI  - How to predict global trends in HCC mortality if neglecting more than half the
      world's cases?

PMID- 28627364
TI  - Modulating perceptual complexity and load reveals degradation of the visual
      working memory network in ageing.
AB  - Previous neuroimaging studies have reported a posterior to anterior shift of
      activation in ageing (PASA). Here, we explore the nature of this shift by
      modulating load (1,2 or 3 items) and perceptual complexity in two variants of a
      visual working memory task (VWM): a 'simple' color and a 'complex' shape change
      detection task. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to record
      changes in activation in younger (N=24) and older adults (N=24). Older adults
      exhibited PASA by showing lesser activation in the posterior cortex and greater
      activation in the anterior cortex when compared to younger adults. Further, they
      showed reduced accuracy at loads 2 and 3 for the simple task and across all loads
      for the complex task. Activation in the posterior and anterior cortices was
      modulated differently for younger and older adults. In older adults, increasing
      load in the simple task was accompanied by decreasing activation in the posterior
      cortex and lack of modulation in the anterior cortex, suggesting the inability to
      encode and/or maintain representations without much aid from higher-order
      centres. In the complex task, older adults recruited verbal working memory areas
      in the posterior cortex, suggesting that they used adaptive strategies such as
      labelling the shape stimuli. This was accompanied by reduced activation in the
      anterior cortex reflecting the inability to exert top-down modulation to typical
      VWM areas in the posterior cortex to improve behavioral performance.

PMID- 28627365
TI  - Mitochondria/metabolic reprogramming in the formation of neurons from peripheral
      cells: Cause or consequence and the implications to their utility.
AB  - The induction of pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from differentiated cells such as
      fibroblasts and their subsequent conversion to neural progenitor cells (NPC) and
      finally to neurons is intriguing scientifically, and its potential to medicine is
      nearly infinite, but unrealized. A better understanding of the changes at each
      step of the transformation will enable investigators to better model neurological
      disease. Each step of conversion from a differentiated cell to an iPSC to a NPC
      to neurons requires large changes in glycolysis including aerobic glycolysis, the
      pentose shunt, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the electron transport chain and in
      the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These mitochondrial/metabolic
      changes are required and their manipulation modifies conversions. These same
      mitochondrial/metabolic processes are altered in common neurological diseases so
      that factors related to the disease may alter the cellular transformation at each
      step including the final phenotype. A lack of understanding of these interactions
      could compromise the validity of the disease comparisons in iPSC derived neurons.
      Both the complexity and potential of iPSC derived cells for understanding and
      treating disease remain great.

PMID- 28627363
TI  - Effect of interferon-based and -free therapy on early occurrence and recurrence
      of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although treatment for hepatitis C virus has been
      dramatically improved by the development of direct-acting antiviral agents
      (DAAs), whether interferon (IFN)-free therapy reduces hepatocarcinogenesis in an
      equivalent manner to IFN-based therapy remains controversial. The aims of this
      study were to evaluate the occurrence and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with DAAs and to identify
      biomarkers of HCC development after antiviral treatment. METHODS: A
      restrospective review of a prospective database of 1,897 CHC patients who were
      treated with IFN-based (1,145) or IFN-free therapies (752) was carried out.
      Cumulative HCC occurrence and recurrence rates were compared using propensity
      score-matched analysis. Predictors of HCC development after viral eradication
      were identified by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Propensity score-matched
      analysis showed no significant difference in HCC occurrence (p=0.49) and
      recurrence rates (p=0.54) between groups treated with IFN-based or IFN-free
      therapies. In multivariate analysis, higher levels of post-treatment alpha
      fetoprotein (AFP) or Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive Mac-2 binding
      protein (WFA+M2BP) were independently associated with HCC occurrence and
      recurrence after viral eradication. Only post-treatment WFA+M2BP level was
      significantly associated with HCC occurrence and recurrence among patients
      without severe fibrosis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic
      (ROC) curve for WFA+M2BP levels was greater than that for AFP levels in ROC
      analysis. CONCLUSION: The risks of early HCC occurrence and recurrence after
      viral eradication were similar between IFN-based and IFN-free therapies. Post
      treatment levels of WFA+M2BP may be helpful screening biomarkers for assessing
      the risk of HCC after IFN-free therapy. Patients with high WFA+M2BP levels after
      antiviral treatment, even without severe fibrosis, must be followed up carefully
      for HCC development. Lay summary: The risks of early HCC occurrence and
      recurrence after viral eradication were similar between IFN-based and IFN-free
      therapies. Post-treatment levels of WFA+M2BP may be helpful screening biomarkers
      for assessing the risk of HCC after IFN-free therapy.

PMID- 28627366
TI  - PQBP1, an intrinsically disordered/denatured protein at the crossroad of
      intellectual disability and neurodegenerative diseases.
AB  - PQBP1 (polyglutamine binding protein-1) is the earliest identified molecule among
      the group of disease-related intrinsically disordered/denatured proteins. PQBP1
      interacts with splicing-related factors via the disordered/denatured domain and
      regulates post-transcriptional gene expression. The mutations cause intellectual
      disability due to decreased dendritic spines and abnormal expression of synapse
      molecules in neurons, and microcephaly due to elongated cell cycle time and
      abnormal expression of cell cycle proteins in neural stem progenitor cells.
      Meanwhile, PQBP1 interacts with polyglutamine tract sequences translated from CAG
      triplet disease genes via their disordered/denatured structures. The second hit
      on PQBP1 by such neurodegenerative disease proteins is supposed to similarly
      impair synapse functions in neuron and proliferation of stem cells. The
      alteration of gene expression profile and consequently induced phenotypes of
      neuron and stem cells via secondary impairment of the intrinsically
      disordered/denatured protein PQBP1, which are similar to developmental disorders
      by PQBP1 gene mutations, could be a part of the main pathologies shared by
      multiple neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28627367
TI  - Nrf2 pathway activation upon rotenone treatment in human iPSC-derived neural stem
      cells undergoing differentiation towards neurons and astrocytes.
AB  - Activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway occurs ubiquitously in most cell types
      upon induction of oxidative stress. Rotenone, an inhibitor of mitochondrial
      complex I, can be used to trigger oxidative stress, stimulate the activation of
      Nrf2 pathway in neuronal and astrocytic cells and assess neurotoxicity. We have
      previously demonstrated that an acute treatment with rotenone can induce Nrf2
      activation, which leads to astrocyte activation and dopaminergic (DA) neuronal
      cell death in a mixed neuronal/astrocytic cell model derived from human induced
      pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). In this study, we characterized the effects of a
      repeated dose treatment with rotenone (14 days) on hiPSC-derived neural stem
      cells (NSCs) undergoing differentiation, assessing the expression and the
      activation of the Nrf2 pathway. Our results show that Nrf2 signaling increases
      during NSC differentiation. Moreover, we observed that rotenone treatment induced
      a progressive activation of Nrf2 signaling together with a induction of astrocyte
      reactivity, a reduction of neurite length leading to neuronal cell death, in
      particular of DA neurons. Altogether these data indicate that hiPSC-NSC models
      are relevant test systems for the evaluation of Nrf2 pathway activation upon
      induced oxidative stress, allowing further understanding of the molecular
      mechanisms underlying exposure to (developmental) neurotoxicants.

PMID- 28627368
TI  - Photoactivation of ERK/CREB/VMAT2 pathway attenuates MPP+-induced neuronal injury
      in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease.
AB  - The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) pumps dopamine from cytoplasm into
      synaptic vesicles for subsequent release, and the deficits of VMAT2 has been
      implicated in the dopaminergic neuronal cell loss which is considered as a
      typical pathological feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). Low-power laser
      irradiation (LPLI), a potent noninvasive physiotherapy approach, is capable of
      penetrating into nerve tissue to exert beneficial effects such as promoting nerve
      regeneration and ATP production. In the present study, we demonstrated that LPLI
      protects against MPP+-induced neurotoxicity via upregulation of VMAT2 in SH-SY5Y
      human dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells. The photoactivation of ERK phosphorylated
      cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) at Ser133, and thus increased the
      ability of CREB binding to the promoter region of VMAT2, leading to elevated
      VMAT2 expression, which contributes to dopamine release and cell survival. Taken
      together, for the first time to our knowledge, the results showed that LPLI
      attenuates MPP+-induced neurotoxicity through activation of ERK/CREB/VMAT2
      pathway, suggesting that the manipulation of VMAT2 by LPLI may provide a
      potential therapeutic strategy for PD.

PMID- 28627369
TI  - PLEKHO2 is essential for M-CSF-dependent macrophage survival.
AB  - Macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) is crucial for macrophage survival;
      however, the mechanism associated with this signaling has not been fully
      elucidated. Here, we identified pleckstrin homology domain-containing family O
      member 2 (PLEKHO2), a protein with unknown function, as a novel regulator of
      macrophage survival in vitro and in vivo. We found that PLEKHO2-deficient mice
      exhibited severe reductions in macrophage population in the peritoneal cavity,
      spleen, and blood, and that PLEKHO2 expression was upregulated during macrophage
      differentiation and maturation. Additionally, PLEKHO2-deficient bone marrow
      derived macrophages displayed increased apoptotic cell death in the absence of M
      CSF, although PLEKHO2 deficiency did not affect macrophage differentiation and
      proliferation. Furthermore, although signaling pathways downstream of M-CSF
      appeared unaffected, caspase activation was elevated in PLEKHO2-deficient
      macrophages. Our results provided genetic evidence of roles for PLEKHO2 in
      promoting macrophage survival.

PMID- 28627371
TI  - Structure-activity relationship study of tetrapeptide inhibitors of the Vascular
      Endothelial Growth Factor A binding to Neuropilin-1.
AB  - Neuropilin-1 is considered as one of the key receptors responsible for signaling
      pathways involved in pathological angiogenesis necessary for tumor progression,
      therefore targeting of VEGF165 binding to NRP-1 could be a relevant strategy for
      antiangiogenic treatment. It was shown before that the VEGF165/NRP-1 interaction
      can be inhibited by short tetrapeptides with K/RXXR sequence. Here, we present a
      structure-activity relationship study of the systematic optimization of amino
      acid residues in positions 1-3 in the above tetrapeptides. All the 13 synthesized
      analogs possessed C-terminal arginine that is a necessary element for interaction
      with NRP-1. The obtained results of the inhibitory activity and modeling by
      molecular dynamics indicate that simultaneous interactions of the basic amino
      acid residues in position 1 and 4 (Arg) with Neuropilin-1 are crucial and their
      cooperation strongly affects the inhibitory activity. In addition, the binding
      strength is modulated by the flexibility of the peptide backbone (in the central
      part of the peptide), and the nature of the side chain of the amino acids at the
      second or third position. A dramatic decrease in the activity to the receptor is
      observed in flexible derivatives that are missing proline residues. The results
      described in this paper should prove useful for future studies aimed at
      establishing the best pharmacophore for inhibitors of VEGF165 binding to NRP-1.

PMID- 28627372
TI  - Regulatory role of melatonin and BMP-4 in prolactin production by rat pituitary
      lactotrope GH3 cells.
AB  - The effects of melatonin on prolactin production and its regulatory mechanism
      remain uncertain. We investigated the regulatory role of melatonin in prolactin
      production using rat pituitary lactotrope GH3 cells by focusing on the bone
      morphogenetic protein (BMP) system. Melatonin receptor activation, induced by
      melatonin and its receptor agonist ramelteon, significantly suppressed basal and
      forskolin-induced prolactin secretion and prolactin mRNA expression in GH3 cells.
      The melatonin MT2 receptor was predominantly expressed in GH3 cells, and the
      inhibitory effects of melatonin on prolactin production were reversed by
      treatment with the receptor antagonist luzindole, suggesting functional
      involvement of MT2 action in the suppression of prolactin release. Melatonin
      receptor activation also suppressed BMP-4-induced prolactin expression by
      inhibiting phosphorylation of Smad and transcription of the BMP-target gene Id-1,
      while BMP-4 treatment upregulated MT2 expression. Melatonin receptor activation
      suppressed basal, BMP-4-induced and forskolin-induced cAMP synthesis; however,
      BtcAMP-induced prolactin mRNA expression was not affected by melatonin or
      ramelteon, suggesting that MT2 activation leads to inhibition of prolactin
      production through the suppression of Smad signaling and cAMP synthesis.
      Experiments using intracellular signal inhibitors revealed that the ERK pathway
      is, at least in part, involved in prolactin induction by GH3 cells. Thus, a new
      regulatory role of melatonin involving BMP-4 in prolactin secretion was uncovered
      in lactotrope GH3 cells.

PMID- 28627370
TI  - Chasing c-Kit through the heart: Taking a broader view.
AB  - Stem cell mediated cardiac repair is an exciting and controversial area of
      cardiovascular research that holds the potential to produce novel, revolutionary
      therapies for the treatment of heart disease. Extensive investigation to define
      cell types contributing to cardiac formation, homeostasis and regeneration has
      produced several candidates, including adult cardiac c-Kit+ expressing stem and
      progenitor cells that have even been employed in a Phase I clinical trial
      demonstrating safety and feasibility of this therapeutic approach. However, the
      field of cardiac cell based therapy remains deeply divided due to strong
      disagreement among researchers and clinicians over which cell types, if any, are
      the best candidates for these applications. Research models that identify and
      define specific cardiac cells that effectively contribute to heart repair are
      urgently needed to resolve this debate. In this review, current c-Kit reporter
      models are discussed with respect to myocardial c-Kit cell biology and function,
      and future designs imagined to better represent endogenous myocardial c-Kit
      expression.

PMID- 28627373
TI  - Development and application of a population physiologically based pharmacokinetic
      model for penicillin G in swine and cattle for food safety assessment.
AB  - Penicillin G is a widely used antimicrobial in food-producing animals, and one of
      the most predominant drug residues in animal-derived food products. Due to
      reduced sensitivity of bacteria to penicillin, extralabel use of penicillin G is
      common, which may lead to violative residues in edible tissues and cause adverse
      reactions in consumers. This study aimed to develop a physiologically based
      pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict drug residues in edible tissues and
      estimate extended withdrawal intervals for penicillin G in swine and cattle. A
      flow-limited PBPK model was developed with data from Food Animal Residue
      Avoidance Databank using Berkeley Madonna. The model predicted observed drug
      concentrations in edible tissues, including liver, muscle, and kidney for
      penicillin G both in swine and cattle well, including data not used in model
      calibration. For extralabel use (5* and 10* label dose) of penicillin G, Monte
      Carlo sampling technique was applied to predict times needed for tissue
      concentrations to fall below established tolerances for the 99th percentile of
      the population. This model provides a useful tool to predict tissue residues of
      penicillin G in swine and cattle to aid food safety assessment, and also provide
      a framework for extrapolation to other food animal species.

PMID- 28627374
TI  - Characterization of the concurrent metabolic changes in brain and plasma during
      insulin-induced moderate hypoglycemia using 1H NMR spectroscopy in juvenile rats.
AB  - Treatment of hypoglycemia in children is currently based on plasma glucose
      measurements. This approach may not ensure neuroprotection since plasma glucose
      does not reflect the dynamic state of cerebral energy metabolism. To determine
      whether cerebral metabolic changes during hypoglycemia could be better
      characterized using plasma metabolomic analysis, insulin-induced acute
      hypoglycemia was induced in 4-week-old rats. Brain tissue and concurrent plasma
      samples were collected from hypoglycemic (N=7) and control (N=7) rats after
      focused microwave fixation to prevent post-mortem metabolic changes. The
      concentration of 29 metabolites in brain and 34 metabolites in plasma were
      determined using 1H NMR spectroscopy at 700MHz and examined using partial least
      squares-discriminant analysis. The sensitivity of plasma glucose for detecting
      cerebral energy failure was assessed by determining its relationship to brain
      phosphocreatine. The brain and plasma metabolite profiles of the hypoglycemia
      group were distinct from the control group (brain: R2=0.92, Q2=0.31; plasma:
      R2=0.95, Q2=0.74). Concentration differences in glucose, ketone bodies and amino
      acids were responsible for the intergroup separation. There was 45% concordance
      between the brain and plasma metabolite profiles. Brain phosphocreatine
      correlated with brain glucose (control group: R2=0.86; hypoglycemia group:
      R2=0.59; p<0.05), but not with plasma glucose. The results confirm that plasma
      glucose is an insensitive biomarker of cerebral energy changes during
      hypoglycemia and suggest that a plasma metabolite profile is superior for
      monitoring cerebral metabolism.

PMID- 28627375
TI  - Modulation of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor ameliorates harmaline-induced
      essential tremor in rat.
AB  - Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common movement disorders with unknown
      etiology. Despite lack of effective clinical treatments, some potential
      therapeutic factors and modulation of some neurotransmitters have been utilized
      to ameliorate motor symptoms in the animal models of tremor. In the current
      study, male Wistar rats (n=10 in each group) weighing 40-60g were divided into
      vehicle control groups (saline or DMSO), saline/DMSO+harmaline (30mg/kg,
      i.p.)+fingolimod (FTY720) (1mg/kg, i.p, 1h before harmaline injection) groups.
      Open field, rotarod, wire grip and foot print tests were used to evaluate motor
      function. The results demonstrated that administration of FTY720 can improve
      harmaline-induced tremor in rats. Moreover, FTY720 ameliorated gait disturbance.
      The results showed that FTY720 can recover step width, left and right step
      length; however, FTY720 failed to recover mobility duration. FTY720 also improved
      falling time and time spent in wire grip and rotarod, respectively. The current
      study provides the first evidence for the effectiveness of FTY720 on motor
      function in the harmaline model of ET. Furthermore, neuroprotective effects of
      FTY720 demonstrated in this study offer sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR)
      modulators as a potential neuroprotective candidate against substance-induced
      tremor and a possible strategy for the treatment of patients with tremor.

PMID- 28627376
TI  - Inhaled salbutamol dose delivered by jet nebulizer, vibrating mesh nebulizer and
      metered dose inhaler with spacer during invasive mechanical ventilation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patient receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) may benefit
      from medical aerosol, but guidance on dosing with different aerosol devices is
      limited to in-vitro studies. The study was designed to compare aerosol delivery
      with five different types of aerosol generators during IMV. METHOD: In randomized
      design, 60 (30 female) mechanically ventilated chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (COPD) patients were assigned to one of 5 groups. Groups 1-4 received
      5000 MUg salbutamol using Aerogen Pro (PRO), Aerogen Solo (SOLO), NIVO vibrating
      mesh and jet nebulizers (JN), respectively, while group 5 received 800 MUg (8
      puffs) of salbutamol via metered dose inhaler with AeroChamber-MV (MDI-AC). All
      devices were place in the inspiratory limb of ventilator downstream from
      humidifier which was switched off while delivery. Patients received the inhaled
      dose on day 1 and provided urine 30 post dosing. They also recived the same
      inhaled dose with a filter before the endotracheal tube on day 2. Amount of
      salbutamol excreted in urine 30 min post inhalation and the amount deposited on
      the filter from all the COPD patients were determined as indeces of pulmonary
      deposition and systemic absorption, respectively. RESULTS: No significant
      difference was found between the 3 vibrating mesh nebulizers (VMNs). The in-vivo
      and ex-vivo testing showed that all the VMNs resulted in better aerosol delivery
      compared to JN (p < 0.01). However, MDI-AC resulted in better aerosol delivery to
      VMNs but must be accompanied with careful attention and proper delivery of MDI-AC
      doses by healthcare provider. CONCLUSIONS: VMNs can be exchanged with each other,
      with no dose adjustment. However, dose adjustment is a must when replacing VMNs
      by JN or MDI-AC. This similarity and difference between the 5 aerosol delivery
      methods suggest that for IMV patients, aerosol delivery methods should be chosen
      or substituted with care.

PMID- 28627377
TI  - Mikania glomerata Sprengel extract and its major compound ent-kaurenoic acid
      display activity against bacteria present in endodontic infections.
AB  - The search for new, effective and safe antimicrobial compounds from plant sources
      has continued to play an important role in the maintenance of human health since
      ancient times. Such compounds can be used to help to eradicate microorganisms
      from the root canal system, preventing/healing periapical diseases. Mikania
      glomerata (Spreng.), commonly known as "guaco," is a native climbing plant from
      Brazil that displays a wide range of pharmacological properties. Many of its
      activities have been attributed to its phytochemical composition, which is mainly
      composed of diterpenes, such as ent-kaurenoic acid (KA). The present study
      evaluated the potential activity of an ent-kaurenoic-rich (KA) extract from
      Mikania glomerata (i.e. Mikania glomerata extract/MGE) and its major compound KA
      against bacteria that can cause endodontic infections. Time-kill assays were
      conducted and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal
      concentration (MBC), anti-biofilm activity, and synergistic antimicrobial
      activity of MGE and KA were determined. The MGE exhibited MIC and MBC values,
      which ranged from 6.25 to 100 MUg/mL and 12.5 to 200 MUg/mL respectively. The MIC
      and MBC results obtained for the KA, ranged from 3.12 to 100 MUg/mL and 3.12 to
      200 MUg/mL respectively. Time-kill and anti-biofilm activity assays conducted for
      KA at concentrations between 3.12 and 12.5 MUg/mL exhibited bactericidal activity
      between 6 and 72 h of incubation and 50% inhibition of biofilm formation for
      Porphyromonas gingivalis (clinical isolate), Propionibacterium acnes (ATCC 6919),
      Prevotella nigrescens (ATCC 33563), P. melaninogenica (ATCC 25845),
      Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (ATCC 43717). For synergistic antimicrobial
      activity, KA combined with chlorhexidine dichlorohydrate (CHD) had an additive
      effect with increased efficacy against P. gingivalis (clinical isolate) compared
      to CHD alone. It was concluded that M. glomerata extract and its major compound
      ent-kaurenoic acid (KA) showed in vitro antibacterial activity, the latter being
      a potential biofilm inhibitory agent. They may play important roles in the search
      for novel sources of agents that can act against bacteria present in endodontic
      infections.

PMID- 28627378
TI  - Practical risk score for 5-, 10-, and 20-year prediction of dementia in elderly
      persons: Framingham Heart Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: With a rapidly aging population, general practitioners are
      confronting the challenge of how to determine those who are at greatest risk for
      dementia and potentially need more specialized follow-up to mitigate symptoms
      early in its course. We created a practical dementia risk score and provided
      individualized estimates of future dementia risk. METHODS: Using the Framingham
      Heart Study data, we built our prediction model using Cox proportional hazard
      models and developed a point system for the risk score and risk estimates.
      RESULTS: The score system used total points ranging from -1 to 31 and stratifies
      individuals into different levels of risk. We estimated 5-, 10-, and 20-year
      dementia risk prediction and incorporated these into the points system.
      DISCUSSION: This risk score system provides a practical tool because all included
      predictors are easy to assess by practitioners. It can be used to estimate future
      probabilities of dementia for individuals.

PMID- 28627379
TI  - Microvascular changes in Down syndrome with Alzheimer's-type pathology: Insights
      into a potential vascular mechanism for Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The mechanism triggering degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      remains uncertain. Therapeutic failure following amyloid beta (Abeta) removal
      casts doubt on amyloid neurotoxicity per se as the primary cause of AD. Impaired
      microvascular function has been suggested as an alternative etiology. People with
      Down syndrome (DS) develop Alzheimer's pathology, but whether microvascular
      impairment also occurs in DS (as in AD) is unknown. METHODS: We examined brain
      microvasculature in five DS subjects with AD-type histopathology, seven AD cases,
      and seven controls without AD-type pathology. We counted microvessels in five
      anatomic regions and assessed endothelial integrity by CD31 immunohistochemistry.
      RESULTS: Microvascular numbers and endothelial integrity were significantly
      diminished in DS brains compared with controls and were similar to AD brains.
      DISCUSSION: People with DS and trisomy 21 produce a large amount of Abeta. If
      Alzheimer's pathology occurred in DS without microvascular loss or endothelial
      impairment, a direct neurotoxic Abeta mechanism would be supported and
      microvascular impairment rejected. The observation of microvascular impairment in
      DS with Alzheimer's disease changes fails to reject the microvascular hypothesis
      and provides some support for this potential mechanism of injury.

PMID- 28627380
TI  - Post-traumatic stress disorder and risk of dementia among members of a health
      care delivery system.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with an
      increased risk of dementia in male veterans, but little is known in females and
      civilians. METHODS: PTSD and comorbidities were abstracted from medical records
      from 1/1/1996 to 12/31/2001. Dementia incidence from 1/1/2002 to 12/31/2014 in
      499,844 health care members aged 60+ years over an average of 8.2 years. Cox
      proportional hazard models were adjusted for age, demographics, and
      comorbidities. RESULTS: PTSD was associated with increased risk of dementia over
      an average of 8 years of follow-up (females: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.59, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] = 1.30-1.95; males: HR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.51-2.55).
      There was a two-fold risk of dementia in those with both PTSD and depression
      (females: HR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.66-2.59; males: HR = 2.06; 95% CI = 1.47-2.91)
      versus those without. DISCUSSION: PTSD was a risk factor for dementia in both
      sexes, with a heightened risk in those with comorbid depression.

PMID- 28627381
TI  - Mechanosensing in hypothalamic osmosensory neurons.
AB  - Osmosensory neurons are specialized cells activated by increases in blood
      osmolality to trigger thirst, secretion of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin,
      and elevated sympathetic tone during dehydration. In addition to multiple
      extrinsic factors modulating their activity, osmosensory neurons are
      intrinsically osmosensitive, as they are activated by increased osmolality in the
      absence of neighboring cells or synaptic contacts. This intrinsic osmosensitivity
      is a mechanical process associated with osmolality-induced changes in cell
      volume. This review summarises recent findings revealing molecular mechanisms
      underlying the mechanical activation of osmosensory neurons and highlighting
      important roles of microtubules, actin, and mechanosensitive ion channels in this
      process.

PMID- 28627382
TI  - BPAG1, a distinctive role in skin and neurological diseases.
AB  - Spectraplakins are multifunctional cytoskeletal linker proteins that act as
      important communicators, connecting cytoskeletal components with each other and
      to cellular junctions. Bullous pemphigoid antigen 1 (BPAG1)/dystonin is a member
      of spectraplakin family and expressed in various tissues. Alternative splicing of
      BPAG1 gene produces various isoforms with unique structure and domains. BPAG1
      plays crucial roles in numerous biological processes, such as cytoskeleton
      organization, cell polarization, cell adhesion, and cell migration as well as
      signaling transduction. Genetic mutation of BPAG1 isoforms is the miscreant of
      epidermolysis bullosa and multifarious, destructive neurological diseases. In
      this review, we summarize the recent advances of BPAG1's role in various
      biological processes and in skin and neurological diseases.

PMID- 28627383
TI  - Science communication at scientific societies.
AB  - Scientific societies can play a key role in bridging the research and practice of
      scientists' engagement of public audiences. Societies are beginning to support
      translation of science communication research, connections between scientists and
      audiences, and the creation of opportunities for scientists to engage publics
      without extensive customization. This article suggests roles, strategies, and
      mechanisms for scientific societies to promote and enhance their member's
      engagement of public audiences.

PMID- 28627384
TI  - Cadherin genes and evolutionary novelties in the octopus.
AB  - All animals with large brains must have molecular mechanisms to regulate neuronal
      process outgrowth and prevent neurite self-entanglement. In vertebrates, two
      major gene families implicated in these mechanisms are the clustered
      protocadherins and the atypical cadherins. However, the molecular mechanisms
      utilized in complex invertebrate brains, such as those of the cephalopods, remain
      largely unknown. Recently, we identified protocadherins and atypical cadherins in
      the octopus. The octopus protocadherin expansion shares features with the
      mammalian clustered protocadherins, including enrichment in neural tissues,
      clustered head-to-tail orientations in the genome, and a large first exon
      encoding all cadherin domains. Other octopus cadherins, including a newly
      identified cadherin with 77 extracellular cadherin domains, are elevated in the
      suckers, a striking cephalopod novelty. Future study of these octopus genes may
      yield insights into the general functions of protocadherins in neural wiring and
      cadherin-related proteins in complex morphogenesis.

PMID- 28627385
TI  - Advances in antibody-drug conjugates: A new era of targeted cancer therapy.
AB  - Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a potent class of anticancer therapeutics,
      comprise a high-affinity antibody (Ab) and cytotoxic payload coupled via a
      suitable linker for selective tumor cell killing. In the initial phase of their
      development, two ADCs, Mylotarg(r), and Adcetris(r) were approved by the US Food
      and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating hematological cancer, but the real
      breakthrough came with the discovery of the breast cancer-targeting ADC,
      Kadcyla(r). With advances in bioengineering, linker chemistry, and potent
      cytotoxic payload, ADC technology has become a more powerful tool for targeted
      cancer therapy. In addition, ADCs with improved safety using humanized Abs with a
      unified 'drug:antibody ratio' (DAR) have been achieved. Concomitantly, there has
      been a significant increase in the number of clinical trials with anticancer ADCs
      with high translation potential.

PMID- 28627386
TI  - Big data analysis of global advances in pharmaceutics and drug delivery 1980
      2014.
AB  - This review provides a comprehensive perspective of the global research advances
      and frontiers in pharmaceutics from 1980 to 2014. Furthermore, a historical view
      and future prospects of drug delivery are discussed.

PMID- 28627387
TI  - Observational fear learning in degus is correlated with temporal vocalization
      patterns.
AB  - Some animals learn to fear a situation after observing another individual come to
      harm, and this learning is influenced by the animals' social relationship and
      history. An important but sometimes overlooked factor in studies of observational
      fear learning is that social context not only affects observers, but may also
      influence the behavior and communications expressed by those being observed. Here
      we sought to investigate whether observational fear learning in the degu (Octodon
      degus) is affected by social familiarity, and the degree to which vocal
      expressions of alarm or distress contribute. 'Demonstrator' degus underwent
      contextual fear conditioning in the presence of a cagemate or stranger observer.
      Among the 15 male pairs, observers of familiar demonstrators exhibited higher
      freezing rates than observers of strangers when returned to the conditioning
      environment one day later. Observer freezing during testing was, however, also
      related to the proportion of short- versus long- inter-call-intervals (ICIs) in
      vocalizations recorded during prior conditioning. In a regression model that
      included both social relationship and ICI patterns, only the latter was
      significant. Further investigation of vocalizations, including use of a novel,
      directed k-means clustering approach, suggested that temporal structure rather
      than tonal variations may have been responsible for communicating danger. These
      data offer insight into how different expressions of distress or fear may impact
      an observer, adding to the complexity of social context effects in studies of
      empathy and social cognition. The experiments also offer new data on degu alarm
      calls and a potentially novel methodological approach to complex vocalizations.

PMID- 28627388
TI  - Improved soluble bacterial expression and properties of the recombinant flavonoid
      glucosyltransferase UGT73G1 from Allium cepa.
AB  - Glycosylation of quercetin using flavonol-specific glycosyltransferases offers an
      alternate method for isoquercitrin production. Obtaining sufficient quantities of
      bioactive enzymes is an important prerequisite for highly effective biocatalysis
      and biotransformation. In this study, a codon-optimized gene for the flavonoid
      glucosyltransferase UGT73G1 from Allium cepa was heterologously expressed in the
      preferred prokaryotic expression host Escherichia coli. By combining expression
      as a fusion protein with 6-histidine tags with coexpression with molecular
      chaperones, increased soluble expression of UGT73G1 was achieved in E. coli. Two
      terminal 6-histidine tags contributed more to the expression than molecular
      chaperones, as demonstrated by comparison of specific activities in crude
      extracts obtained from the recombinant E. coli strains. Studies of the catalytic
      properties of purified UGT73G1 indicated that its activity was significantly
      promoted by Mn2+ and Mg2+, while it was strongly inhibited by Cu2+. These
      expression strategies enhanced the solubility and activity of the overexpressed
      protein and enabled characterization of this plant-derived glucosyltransferase
      expressed in a prokaryotic host.

PMID- 28627389
TI  - Association of genetic variation in B-cell activating factor with chronic
      hepatitis B virus infection.
AB  - The outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is considered to be related to
      the host immunogenetic susceptibility. B cell activating factor (BAFF) is
      involved in both B cell and T cell mediated immunity and its circulating levels
      were shown to be significantly elevated in HBV-related liver diseases. This study
      examined BAFF rs9514828 and rs12583006 polymorphisms in 386 patients with various
      liver diseases related to chronic HBV infection, 69 HBV infection resolvers, and
      191 healthy controls. Both rs9514828 and rs12583006 polymorphisms and serum BAFF
      levels were determined in 232 patients with chronic HBV infection, and 61 healthy
      controls. The results showed that patients with chronic hepatitis had higher
      frequencies of rs9514828 genotype TT (19.75% vs. 11.86%, OR=2.397, 95% CI=1.121
      5.125, P=0.023), genotypes CT+TT (74.69% vs. 63.55%, OR=1.478, 95% CI=1.050
      2.080, P=0.045), and allele T (47.22% vs. 37.72%, OR=1.478, 95% CI=1.050-2.080,
      P=0.025) compared with patients with cirrhosis. Patients with chronic HBV
      infection and HBV infection resolvers had higher frequency of rs9514828 and
      rs12583006 haplotype TA compared with healthy controls (21.6% vs. 15.0%,
      OR=1.672, 95% CI=1.138-2.456, P=0.009 and 27.3% vs. 15.0%, OR=2.258, 95%CI=1.272
      4.007, P=0.005, respectively). The rs9514828 and rs12583006 genotypes had no
      significant association with serum BAFF levels. These results suggest that the
      rs9514828 allele T may predispose to the liver inflammation in chronic HBV
      infection, and the rs9514828 and rs12583006 polymorphisms may combinatorially
      confer susceptibility to chronic HBV infection and resolution of the infection,
      possibly not through direct effect on serum BAFF levels.

PMID- 28627390
TI  - Classification of hydrocolloids based on in vitro starch digestibility and
      rheological properties of Segoami gel.
AB  - The influence of hydrocolloids on in vitro starch digestibility and rheological
      properties of Segoami (a new rice variety fortified with amylose and dietary
      fiber) gel was investigated in terms of type (sodium alginate, arabic gum, guar
      gum, locust bean gum, and xanthan gum) and addition levels (0.3-0.7% for rice
      flour weight) of hydrocolloids. In addition, the behavior of hydrocolloids was
      analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) based on both properties of
      various Segoami-hydrocolloids gels. The first and second principle components
      (PC) explained 80.93% of the total variation; PC1 and PC2 explained 50.40% and
      30.53% of the total variance, respectively, implying that the two components
      provided a strong summary of the data. PC1, represented in vitro starch
      digestibility and was affected by the addition level of hydrocolloids: PC2,
      represented rheological parameters and was highly affected by the type of
      hydrocolloids. Moreover, there was a non-linear relationship between in vitro
      starch digestibility and rheological properties of Segoami-hydrocolloids gels.
      The hydrocolloids used in this study showed similar features according to the
      addition levels of hydrocolloids regardless of type. Segoami-0.5% arabic gum gel
      was the optimum preparation for retarding in vitro starch digestibility and
      maintaining rheological properties.

PMID- 28627392
TI  - The great barrier belief: The blood-brain barrier and considerations for juvenile
      toxicity studies.
AB  - Juvenile animal studies can be warranted to support the development of pediatric
      medicines. Drugs acting on the CNS or those which penetrate into the brain merit
      particular attention. The blood-brain barrier is functionally mature at birth,
      but undergoes functional postnatal modulation to provide a suitable
      microenvironment for the developing brain. In the past, dosing in rat juvenile
      studies has often commenced at 4 or 7days of age. However, rodents are very
      neurologically immature at birth compared with humans. We suggest that dosing of
      rat pups below two weeks of age is generally not warranted for the assessment of
      pediatric drugs. In the rare circumstances where exposure of younger rats is
      required to address a particular concern (e.g., an indication in preterm babies),
      consideration should be given to likely misleading signals of toxicity arising
      from high brain penetration of the drug, which may not be predictive for the
      human.

PMID- 28627391
TI  - Low molecular weight fucoidan and its fractions inhibit renal epithelial
      mesenchymal transition induced by TGF-beta1 or FGF-2.
AB  - We investigated the renal protective effects of low molecular weight fucoidan
      (LMWF) and its two fractions (F0.5 and F1.0), which were extracted from Laminaria
      japonica, on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by transforming
      growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) in HK-2
      human renal proximal tubular cells. Cell morphology and EMT markers (fibronectin
      and alpha-smooth muscle actin) demonstrated that cells treated with TGF-beta1 or
      FGF-2 developed EMT to a significant extent. Treatment with LMWF or its fractions
      markedly attenuated the EMT and decreased expression of the EMT markers. The F1.0
      fraction, the sulfated fucan fraction, was found to be the main active component
      of LMWF, and heparanase (HPSE) was a key factor in renal tubular epithelial trans
      differentiation. The F1.0 fraction inhibited elevated HPSE and matrix
      metallopeptidase 9 expression, thereby attenuating the progress of EMT.

PMID- 28627393
TI  - The potential and challenges of CRISPR-Cas in eradication of hepatitis B virus
      covalently closed circular DNA.
AB  - Current antiviral therapy fails to cure chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)
      infection, primarily because of the persistence of covalently closed circular DNA
      (cccDNA). Although nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) can inhibit the reverse
      transcriptase of HBV and suppress its replication to levels below the detection
      limit, viremia often rebounds after cessation of therapy. Nuclear cccDNA serves
      as the HBV replicative template and exhibits extraordinary stability, and is not
      affected by NAs. Therefore, curing chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires novel
      therapy for purging cccDNA from patients. The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a newly
      developed programmable genome-editing tool and allows for sequence-specific
      cleavage of DNA. Compared to other genome-editing tools, the CRIPSR/Cas9 system
      is advantageous for its simplicity and flexibility of design. Theoretically, Cas9
      can be redirected to specifically cleave any desired genome sequences simply by
      designing guide RNAs with about 20 nucleotides that match the particular
      sequences of genomes with downstream protospacer adjacent motifs. Recently, it
      has been demonstrated that the CRIPSR/Cas9 system can specifically destruct HBV
      genomes in vitro and in vivo. Although promising, the CRISPR/Cas9 system faces
      several challenges that need to be overcome for the clinical application, namely,
      off-target cleavage and the in vivo delivery efficiency. Cutting integrated HBV
      genomes by CRISPR/Cas9 also raises serious concern because this has the risk of
      genome instability. In summary, the CRISPR/Cas9 system bears the potential for
      curing CHB as long as several challenging issues can be successfully solved.

PMID- 28627394
TI  - Novel non-canonical genetic rearrangements termed "complex structural variations"
      in HBV genome.
AB  - BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important
      worldwide public health issue. Further knowledge on the characteristics of HBV
      will facilitate its eradication. Genome structural variations (SVs) are defined
      by its canonical form such as duplication, deletion, and insertion. However,
      recent studies have reported complex SVs that cannot be explained by those
      canonical SVs. A HBV strain (UK2) with an unusual genome structure rearrangement
      that was completely different from known mutations or rearrangements was
      previously reported. Thus, this study was conducted to confirm the rearrangement
      in UK2 as a novel complex SV, and to find additional HBV strains with complex
      SVs. Further, the contribution of complex SVs in hepadnavirus variability was
      investigated. METHODS: The genome rearrangement pattern in UK2 was analyzed.
      Further, a search of online databases retrieved additional HBV strains which were
      candidates to harbor complex SVs. The architecture of each rearrangement in the
      candidate strains was analyzed by bioinformatical tools. In addition, alignment
      of woolly monkey hepatitis virus (WMHV) and HBV from human and non-human primates
      was performed to investigate the contribution of complex SVs to variability of
      hepadnavirus. RESULTS: The rearrangement in UK2 was confirmed as a complex SV. An
      additional 15 HBV strains were retrieved from databases, and confirmed as
      harboring complex SVs. Complex combinations of deletion, insertion, and
      duplication characterized the novel rearrangements. The complex SVs in six
      strains (37.5%) were composed of deletion, insertion, and duplication. The
      complex SVs in another six strains (37.5%) consisted of deletion and insertion,
      followed by insertions and duplication in three strains (18.8%), and deletion and
      duplication in one strain (6.3%). In addition, unique preS1 promoter insertions,
      which contained the hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 binding site, were observed in
      seven (43.8%) of 16 strains. Further, analysis of the genetic sequences of WMHV
      and HBV from human and non-human primates showed that complex combinations of
      deletions and insertions accounted for their genetic differences. CONCLUSIONS:
      Non-canonical genetic rearrangements termed complex SVs were observed in HBV.
      Further, complex SVs accounted for the genetic differences of WMHV and HBV from
      human and non-human primates.

PMID- 28627395
TI  - The opioid epidemic is an historic opportunity to improve both prevention and
      treatment.
AB  - The current narrative describing the national opioid epidemic as the result of
      overprescribing opioid pain medicines fails to capture the full dimensions of the
      problem and leads to inadequate and even confounding solutions. Overlooked is the
      fact that polysubstance use is nearly ubiquitous among overdose deaths,
      demonstrating that the opioid overdose death problem is bigger than opioids. The
      foundation of the nation's opioid overdose crisis - and the totality of the
      nation's drug epidemic - is widespread recreational pharmacology, the use of
      drugs for fun or "self-medication." The national focus on opioid overdose deaths
      provides important new opportunities in both prevention and treatment to make
      fundamental changes to the way that substance use disorders and related problems
      are understood and managed. The first-ever US Surgeon General's report on
      addiction provides a starting point for systemic changes in the nation's approach
      to preventing, treating and managing substance use disorders as serious, chronic
      diseases. New prevention efforts need to encourage youth to grow to adulthood not
      using alcohol, nicotine, marijuana or other drugs for reasons of health. New
      addiction treatment efforts need to focus on achieving long-term recovery
      including no use of alcohol, marijuana and other drugs.

PMID- 28627396
TI  - Prostate Mass as a First Manifestation of Myeloid Sarcoma in a Patient With an
      Occult Acute Myeloid Leukemia-A Case Report.
AB  - Myeloid sarcoma (MS) with either primary or secondary prostate involvement is
      extremely rare. Its diagnostic is particularly challenging when prostate lesion
      precedes the systemic manifestation of a myeloproliferative disorder. We report
      such a case in a 44-year-old man with a prostate mass as a first manifestation of
      myeloid sarcoma associated with acute myeloid leukemia. The diagnosis of
      lymphoproliferative disorder was suspected in the prostate magnetic resonance
      imaging, and myeloid sarcoma was confirmed after transrectal ultrasound-guided
      prostate core biopsy.

PMID- 28627398
TI  - Stones First! A Gas Pyelo-nephroscopy Strategy for Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty and
      Renal Stone Extraction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report our experience on gas endoscopy as the first step of pelvi
      ureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction repair when complicated by nephrolithiasis.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stone formation because of urine stasis is a known
      complication of PUJ obstruction and an indication for its surgical repair. The
      undisputed results of the Anderson-Hynes dismembered pyeloplasty make it a quasi
      gold standard; however, the identification and extraction of calyceal stones
      through the laparoscopic route can be challenging. Between 2009 and 2016, 39
      patients underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty at Ygia Polyclinic, with a subgroup
      of 6 patients having concomitant calyceal stones. These 6 patients first
      underwent gas pyelo-nephroscopy before dismembering the PUJ. Demographic data,
      intraoperative technical details, outcomes, as well as postoperative outcomes,
      were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: We report a small series (n = 6) with 3
      minor modifications of the laparoscopic repair of PUJ obstruction complicated by
      stones. One modification is to carry out a pyelo-nephroscopy for stone extraction
      before dismembering the junction. The second modification is the use of gas
      medium to distend the renal cavity, and the third is the use of a flexible
      cystoscope. Postoperative recovery was uncomplicated in all 6 patients, with
      successful relief of the PUJ obstruction and stable stone free results
      demonstrated on follow-up for all patients. CONCLUSION: We claim that these
      modifications overcome the usual challenges related to working in a collapsed
      cavity and using fluid media, while achieving desirable outcomes.

PMID- 28627397
TI  - Long-Term Efficacy of Young-Dees Bladder Neck Reconstruction: Role of the
      Associated Bladder Neck Injection for the Treatment of Children With Urinary
      Incontinence.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term efficacy of Young-Dees bladder neck
      reconstruction (YDBNR) alone versus YDBNR plus bladder neck injection (BNI) in
      patients with urinary incontinence caused by urethral sphincter insufficiency.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1987 and 2006, we assessed the continence rates
      obtained with YDBNR and BNI as a supplementary treatment for persistent outlet
      insufficiency in patients with neurogenic bladder (group 1, n = 35) and bladder
      exstrophy (group 2, n = 20). Median postoperative follow-up was 16 years (range:
      5-29). RESULTS: A total of 55 children (23 males and 32 females) underwent YDBNR
      at the median age of 7.6 years (range: 1.9-17.25). Only 10 patients (18%) were
      considered continent after the isolated YDBNR; 17% (n = 6/35) from group 1 and
      20% (n = 4/20) from group 2 (p = 1). Because of unsatisfactory results after
      YDBNR, 81.8% (n = 45/55) received BNI. Fifteen patients (33%) became continent
      with an average of 2.29 injections (+/-1.1); 44.8% (n = 13/29) from group 1 and
      12.5% (n = 2/16) from group 2. A significant difference was found on comparing
      the social continence rate attained with YDBNR plus BNI between patients from
      group 1 and group 2 (54% vs 30%, P = .04). The difference between males and
      females in terms of continence rates was not statistically significant.
      CONCLUSION: Long-term results of YDBNR are modest. BNI does increase the results
      of YDBNR, especially in patients with neurogenic bladder.

PMID- 28627399
TI  - Elucidation of the impact of cell culture conditions of Caco-2 cell monolayer on
      barrier integrity and intestinal permeability.

PMID- 28627400
TI  - Improved tacrolimus skin permeation by co-encapsulation with clobetasol in lipid
      nanoparticles: Study of drug effects in lipid matrix by electron paramagnetic
      resonance.
AB  - Combined therapy with corticosteroids and immunosuppressant-loaded nanostructured
      lipid carriers (NLC) could be useful in the treatment of skin diseases. To
      circumvent NLC loading capacity problems, loaded drugs should have different
      physicochemical characteristics, such as tacrolimus (TAC) and clobetasol (CLO).
      Therefore, in the present study, TAC and CLO were encapsulated in NLC (TAC-NLC,
      CLO-NLC and TAC+CLO-NLC), coated or otherwise with chitosan. Electron
      paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of different spin labels was used to
      investigate the impact of drug and oil incorporation on the lipid dynamic
      behavior of the lipid matrices. In addition, the impact of co-encapsulation on
      drug release and skin permeation was evaluated. Entrapment efficiency was greater
      than 90% for both drugs, even when the maximum drug loading achieved for TAC-NLC
      and CLO-NLC was kept at TAC+CLO-NLC, because TAC is more soluble in the solid
      lipid and CLO in the liquid lipid. EPR data indicated that both drugs reduced the
      lipid fluidity near the polar surface of the lipid matrix, which suggests their
      presence in this region. In addition, EPR data showed that liquid lipid is also
      present in more superficial regions of the nanoparticle matrix. CLO was released
      faster than TAC from TAC+CLO-NLC, probably because it is more soluble in the
      liquid lipid. TAC skin penetration was affected by CLO. A 5-fold increase in TAC
      penetration was observed from TAC+CLO-NLC when compared to TAC-NLC formulations.
      Coating also increased TAC and CLO permeation to deeper skin layers (1.8-fold and
      1.6-fold, respectively). TAC+CLO-NLC seems to be an effective strategy for
      topical delivery of TAC and CLO, and thus constitutes promising formulations for
      the treatment of skin diseases.

PMID- 28627401
TI  - Educational nutrition messaging at breakfast reduces snack intake and influences
      snack preferences in adult men and women.
AB  - Breakfast skipping is associated with increased risk of weight gain and obesity
      in young adults, possibly due to increased snacking later in the day. Recent
      research suggests that providing and animal versus a plant source of protein at
      breakfast can reduce snack intake later in the day. In addition, providing
      nutrition information via a nutrition label, front-of-pack information, or via
      text messaging has been shown to help individuals make healthier food choices.
      The objective of this study was to determine if educational nutrition messaging
      and protein source influenced snack intake 2 h following the breakfast meal.
      Participants (n = 33) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: educational
      nutrition messaging (EM; n = 16) or no messaging (NM; n = 17) group. The study
      was conducted using a randomized, cross-over design in which each participant
      received each of two breakfast beverages, whey protein- (WP) and pea protein (PP)
      based. Appetite was assessed at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after each test
      breakfast using visual analog scales. Participants were then provided with a
      selection of healthy and unhealthy snacks for 60 min. There was no effect of
      protein source on appetite or snack intake. However, participants presented with
      EM had reduced snack intake over the snacking period compared to NM (P = 0.058)
      and, of the snacks consumed, the EM group consumed a higher percentage of healthy
      versus unhealthy snacks compared to NM (P < 0.0001), resulting in lower calorie
      intake. Taken together these data suggest that protein source, as part of a
      higher protein breakfast, does not affect appetite response or snack intake, but
      EM may help play a role in reducing snack intake between meals.

PMID- 28627402
TI  - Attention! Can choices for low value food over high value food be trained?
AB  - People choose high value food items over low value food items, because food
      choices are guided by the comparison of values placed upon choice alternatives.
      This value comparison process is also influenced by the amount of attention
      people allocate to different items. Recent research shows that choices for food
      items can be increased by training attention toward these items, with a paradigm
      named cued-approach training (CAT). However, previous work till now has only
      examined the influence of CAT on choices between two equally valued items. It has
      remained unclear whether CAT can increase choices for low value items when people
      choose between a low and high value food item. To address this question in the
      current study participants were cued to make rapid responses in CAT to certain
      low and high value items. Next, they made binary choices between low and high
      value items, where we systematically varied whether the low and high value items
      were cued or uncued. In two experiments, we found that participants overall
      preferred high over low value food items for real consumption. More important,
      their choices for low value items increased when only the low value item had been
      cued in CAT compared to when both low and high value items had not been cued.
      Exploratory analyses revealed that this effect was more pronounced for
      participants with a relatively small value difference between low and high value
      items. The present research thus suggests that CAT may be used to boost the
      choice and consumption of low value items via enhanced attention toward these
      items, as long as the value difference is not too large. Implications for
      facilitating choices for healthy food are discussed.

PMID- 28627403
TI  - Accepting Hearts From Hepatitis C-Positive Donor: Can We Expand the Donor Pool?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Until recently, transplantation from hepatitis C-positive donors was
      relatively contraindicated as eradication of active hepatitis C previously
      required an interferon-based regimen that has been associated with rejection in
      solid organ transplantation. New interferon-free treatment regimens for hepatitis
      C have fewer adverse events and higher cure rates than interferon-based regimens.
      Interferon-free regimens have been shown to be safe in the liver transplantation
      literature, but little is known about the safety and efficacy of treatment in
      heart transplantation. CASE DESCRIPTION AND DISCUSSION: Here we report a case of
      successful eradication of hepatitis C with a non-interferon-based regimen using
      ledipasvir-sofosbuvir following combined orthotopic heart and liver
      transplantation. Based on the prevalence of hepatitis C in the general
      population, inclusion of hepatitis C-positive donors for heart transplantation
      can expand this component of the donor pool 3- to 6-fold. CONCLUSIONS: In
      carefully selected patients and recipients, inclusion of hepatitis C-positive
      donors may allow for expansion of the donor pool.

PMID- 28627404
TI  - Pattern and Outcome of Heart Failure-Related Hospitalization Over 5 Years in a
      Remote Australian Population: A Retrospective Administrative Data Cohort of 617
      Indigenous and non-Indigenous Cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to understand the pattern and outcomes for
      heart failure (HF)-related hospitalization among Indigenous and non-Indigenous
      patients living in Central Australia. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective
      analysis of administrative data for patients presenting with a primary or
      secondary diagnosis of HF to Central Australia's Alice Springs Hospital during
      2008-2012 was performed. The population rate of admission and subsequent outcomes
      (including mortality and readmission) during the 5-year study period were
      examined. A total of 617 patients, aged 55.8 +/- 17.5 years and 302 (49%) female
      constituted the study cohort. The 446 Indigenous patients (72%) were
      significantly younger (50.8 +/- 15.9 vs 68.7 +/- 14.9; P < .001) and clinically
      more complex compared with the non-Indigenous patients. Annual prevalence of any
      HF hospitalization was markedly higher in the Indigenous population (1.9%, 95% CI
      1.7-2.1) compared with the non-Indigenous population (0.5%, 95% CI 0.4-0.6); the
      greatest difference being for women. Overall, non-Indigenous patients had poorer
      outcomes and were significantly more likely to die (P < .0001), but this was
      largely driven by age differences. Alternatively, Indigenous patients were
      significantly more likely to have a higher number of hospitalizations, although
      indigeneity was not a predictor for 30- or 365-day rehospitalization from the
      index admission. CONCLUSION: The pattern of HF among Indigenous Australians in
      Central Australia is characterized by a younger population with more clinically
      complex cases and greater health care utilization.

PMID- 28627405
TI  - The effects of dietary leucine on the growth performances, body composition,
      metabolic abilities and innate immune responses in black carp Mylopharyngodon
      piceus.
AB  - The present study was focused on the growth, body composition, metabolic
      abilities and innate immune responses in juvenile black carp Mylopharyngodon
      piceus fed with six levels of dietary leucine (7.3, 12.4, 16.2, 21.9, 28.3 and
      34.5 g kg-1) for 9 weeks. Results showed that the highest weight gain (WG) and
      the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was obtained at 23.5 and 23.9 g kg-1
      dietary leucine using second-order polynomial model, respectively. Adequate
      dietary leucine content (21.9 and 28.3 g kg-1) could significantly up-regulate
      the expression levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and ghrelin (GRL) in the brain of
      black carp juveniles. The protein efficiency ratio (PER), feed efficiency ratio
      (FER) and protein deposition ratio (PDR) were also significantly increased by
      adequate dietary leucine content (21.9 and 28.3 g kg-1) (p < 0.05). Adequate
      dietary leucine content (21.9 and 28.3 g kg-1) could significantly up-regulate
      the activities of metabolic enzymes, such as alpha amylase, trypsin, chymotrypsin
      and elastase in the liver of Black carp (p < 0.05). However, the activities of
      alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and leucine
      aminopeptidase (LAP) were significantly reduced in the fish serum by adequate
      dietary leucine content (21.9 and 28.3 g kg-1) compared with leucine-deficient
      diet (7.3 and 12.4 g kg-1). In addition, 21.9 and 28.3 g kg-1 dietary leucine
      could significantly increase complement component 3 (C3) and C4 contents,
      lysozyme (LYZ) activities in the serum compared with the leucine-deficient diet
      (7.3 and 12.4 g kg-1) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, optimal dietary leucine could also
      significantly up-regulate the mRNA expression levels of LYZ, interferon alpha
      (IFN-alpha), hepcidin (HEPC), natural resistance-associated macrophage protein
      (NRAMP), C3 and C9 in the blood of juvenile black carp compared with the leucine
      deficient diets (7.3 and 12.4 g kg-1) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results
      suggest that adequate dietary leucine (21.9 and 28.3 g kg-1) could increase
      growth performances, improve metabolic abilities and then enhance non-specific
      immunities in black carp juveniles.

PMID- 28627406
TI  - Multi-omics facilitated variable selection in Cox-regression model for cancer
      prognosis prediction.
AB  - MOTIVATION: New developments in high-throughput genomic technologies have enabled
      the measurement of diverse types of omics biomarkers in a cost-efficient and
      clinically-feasible manner. Developing computational methods and tools for
      analysis and translation of such genomic data into clinically-relevant
      information is an ongoing and active area of investigation. For example, several
      studies have utilized an unsupervised learning framework to cluster patients by
      integrating omics data. Despite such recent advances, predicting cancer prognosis
      using integrated omics biomarkers remains a challenge. There is also a shortage
      of computational tools for predicting cancer prognosis by using supervised
      learning methods. The current standard approach is to fit a Cox regression model
      by concatenating the different types of omics data in a linear manner, while
      penalty could be added for feature selection. A more powerful approach, however,
      would be to incorporate data by considering relationships among omics datatypes.
      METHODS: Here we developed two methods: a SKI-Cox method and a wLASSO-Cox method
      to incorporate the association among different types of omics data. Both methods
      fit the Cox proportional hazards model and predict a risk score based on mRNA
      expression profiles. SKI-Cox borrows the information generated by these
      additional types of omics data to guide variable selection, while wLASSO-Cox
      incorporates this information as a penalty factor during model fitting. RESULTS:
      We show that SKI-Cox and wLASSO-Cox models select more true variables than a
      LASSO-Cox model in simulation studies. We assess the performance of SKI-Cox and
      wLASSO-Cox using TCGA glioblastoma multiforme and lung adenocarcinoma data. In
      each case, mRNA expression, methylation, and copy number variation data are
      integrated to predict the overall survival time of cancer patients. Our methods
      achieve better performance in predicting patients' survival in glioblastoma and
      lung adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28627407
TI  - Sources, mechanisms, and consequences of chemical-induced mitochondrial toxicity.

PMID- 28627409
TI  - Comments on: "Microbial flora on cell-phones in an orthopedic surgery room before
      and after decontamination." by J. Murgier, J.F. Coste, E. Cavaignac, X. Bayle
      Iniguez, P. Chiron, P. Bonnevialle, J.M. Laffosse, published in Orthop Traumatol
      Surg Res. 2016;102:1093-1096.

PMID- 28627408
TI  - Developmental exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide and depressive-like behavior
      in adult offspring: Implication of glutamate excitotoxicity and oxidative stress.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that maternal exposure to glyphosate-based
      herbicide (GBH) leads to glutamate excitotoxicity in 15-day-old rat hippocampus.
      The present study was conducted in order to investigate the effects of subchronic
      exposure to GBH on some neurochemical and behavioral parameters in immature and
      adult offspring. Rats were exposed to 1% GBH in drinking water (corresponding to
      0.36% of glyphosate) from gestational day 5 until postnatal day (PND)-15 or
      PND60. Results showed that GBH exposure during both prenatal and postnatal
      periods causes oxidative stress, affects cholinergic and glutamatergic
      neurotransmission in offspring hippocampus from immature and adult rats. The
      subchronic exposure to the pesticide decreased L-[14C]-glutamate uptake and
      increased 45Ca2+ influx in 60-day-old rat hippocampus, suggesting a persistent
      glutamate excitotoxicity from developmental period (PND15) to adulthood (PND60).
      Moreover, GBH exposure alters the serum levels of the astrocytic protein S100B.
      The effects of GBH exposure were associated with oxidative stress and depressive
      like behavior in offspring on PND60, as demonstrated by the prolonged immobility
      time and decreased time of climbing observed in forced swimming test. The
      mechanisms underlying the GBH-induced neurotoxicity involve the NMDA receptor
      activation, impairment of cholinergic transmission, astrocyte dysfunction, ERK1/2
      overactivation, decreased p65 NF-kappaB phosphorylation, which are associated
      with oxidative stress and glutamate excitotoxicity. These neurochemical events
      may contribute, at least in part, to the depressive-like behavior observed in
      adult offspring.

PMID- 28627410
TI  - Current and upcoming mitochondrial targets for cancer therapy.
AB  - Mitochondria are essential intracellular organelles that regulate energy
      metabolism, cell death, and signaling pathways that are important for cell
      proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, mitochondria are fundamentally
      implicated in cancer biology, including initiation, growth, metastasis, relapse,
      and acquired drug resistance. Based on these implications, mitochondria have been
      proposed as a major therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In addition to
      classical view of mitochondria in cancer biology, recent studies found novel
      pathophysiological roles of mitochondria in cancer. In this review, we introduce
      recent concepts of mitochondrial roles in cancer biology including mitochondrial
      DNA mutation and epigenetic modulation, energy metabolism reprogramming,
      mitochondrial channels, involvement in metastasis and drug resistance, and cancer
      stem cells. We also discuss the role of mitochondria in emerging cancer
      therapeutic strategies, especially cancer immunotherapy and CRISPR-Cas9 system
      gene therapy.

PMID- 28627411
TI  - Impact of Procedural Training on Pregnancy Outcomes and Career Satisfaction in
      Female Postgraduate Medical Trainees in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compared with nonprocedural fields, procedural specialization
      requires longer training, less flexible schedules, and greater physical demands.
      The impact of these factors on pregnancy, maternity outcomes, and career
      satisfaction has not been well described. STUDY DESIGN: Data were gathered from
      738 US postgraduate medical trainee mothers via an anonymous, IRB-approved online
      survey. Univariate analysis was performed using chi-square tests. A logistic
      regression model was used to investigate the impact of procedural training on
      odds of assisted reproduction use and pregnancy complications, adjusting for age
      at first pregnancy. RESULTS: Of the 738 respondents, 221 (30.0%) were in
      procedural fields. A greater percentage of procedural trainees were more than 30
      years old at the time of first pregnancy (52.9% vs 43.1%; p = 0.01). Controlling
      for maternal age, procedural trainees were significantly more likely to require
      assisted reproduction (odds ratio [OR] 1.28; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.61; p = 0.04), and
      trended toward increased odds of prolonged time to conceive (OR 1.62; 95% CI 0.99
      to 2.65; p = 0.06). After delivery, procedural trainees also had higher adjusted
      odds of shorter maternity leave (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.18; p = 0.03) and were
      significantly more likely to report a desire to have chosen a less demanding
      specialty or job (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.40 to 2.72; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Procedural trainees have higher rates of assisted reproduction, shorter maternity
      leave, and are ultimately more likely to express career dissatisfaction. These
      findings illustrate the need for adequate support for trainee mothers,
      particularly in procedural specialties.

PMID- 28627412
TI  - Macrophages Regulate Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction-Induced Renal
      Lymphangiogenesis through C-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 2-Dependent
      Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-AKT-Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Signaling and
      Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1alpha/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C Expression.
AB  - Lymphangiogenesis occurs during renal fibrosis in patients with chronic kidney
      diseases and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C is required for the
      formation of lymphatic vessels; however, the underlying mechanisms remain
      unclear. We demonstrate that macrophages can regulate unilateral ureteral
      obstruction (UUO)-induced renal lymphangiogenesis by expressing high levels of
      VEGF-C by C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2)-mediated signaling. Mice
      deficient in Ccr2 manifested repressed lymphangiogenesis along with attenuated
      renal injury and fibrosis after UUO induction. The infiltrated macrophages after
      UUO induction generated a microenvironment in favor of lymphangiogenesis, which
      likely depended on Ccr2 expression. Mechanistic studies revealed that CCR2 is
      required for macrophages to activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT
      mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in response to its ligand
      monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 stimulation, whereas hypoxia-inducible factor
      (HIF)-1alpha is downstream of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling. HIF-1alpha directly bound
      to the VEGF-C promoter to drive its expression to enhance lymphangiogenesis.
      Collectively, we characterized a novel regulatory network in macrophages, in
      which CCR2 activates PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling to mediate HIF-1alpha expression,
      which then drives VEGF-C expression to promote lymphangiogenesis.

PMID- 28627413
TI  - Modeling Esophagitis Using Human Three-Dimensional Organotypic Culture System.
AB  - Esophagitis, whether caused by acid reflux, allergic responses, graft-versus-host
      disease, drugs, or infections, is a common condition of the gastrointestinal
      tract affecting nearly 20% of the US population. The instigating agent typically
      triggers an inflammatory response. The resulting inflammation is a risk factor
      for the development of esophageal strictures, Barrett esophagus, and esophageal
      adenocarcinoma. Research into the pathophysiology of these conditions has been
      limited by the availability of animal and human model systems. Three-dimensional
      organotypic tissue culture (OTC) is an innovative three-dimensional multicellular
      in vitro platform that recapitulates normal esophageal epithelial stratification
      and differentiation. We hypothesized that this platform can be used to model
      esophagitis to better understand the interactions between immune cells and the
      esophageal epithelium. We found that human immune cells remain viable and respond
      to cytokines when cultured under OTC conditions. The acute inflammatory
      environment induced in the OTC significantly affected the overlying epithelium,
      inducing a regenerative response marked by increased cell proliferation and
      epithelial hyperplasia. Moreover, oxidative stress from the acute inflammation
      induced DNA damage and strand breaks in epithelial cells, which could be reversed
      by antioxidant treatment. These findings support the importance of immune cell
      mediated esophageal injury in esophagitis and confirms the utility of the OTC
      platform to characterize the underlying molecular events in esophagitis.

PMID- 28627415
TI  - Examination to assess the clinical examination and documentation of spine
      pathology among orthopedic residents.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
      (ACGME) guidelines requires residency programs to teach and evaluate residents in
      six overarching "core competencies" and document progress through educational
      milestones. To assess the progress of orthopedic interns' skills in performing a
      history, physical examination, and documentation of the encounter for a
      standardized patient with spinal stenosis, an objective structured clinical
      examination (OSCE) was conducted for 13 orthopedic intern residents, following a
      1-month boot camp that included communications skills and curriculum in history
      and physical examination. Interns were objectively scored based on their
      performance of the physical examination, communication skills, completeness and
      accuracy of their electronic medical record (EMR), and their diagnostic
      conclusions gleaned from the patient encounter. PURPOSE: The purpose of this
      study was to meaningfully assess the clinical skills of orthopedic post-graduate
      year (PGY)-1 interns. The findings can be used to develop a standardized
      curriculum for documenting patient encounters and highlight common areas of
      weakness among orthopedic interns with regard to the spine history and physical
      examination and conducting complete and accurate clinical documentation. STUDY
      SETTING: A major orthopedic specialty hospital and academic medical center.
      METHODS: Thirteen PGY-1 orthopedic residents participated in the OSCE with the
      same standardized patient presenting with symptoms and radiographs consistent
      with spinal stenosis. Videos of the encounters were independently viewed and
      objectively evaluated by one investigator in the study. This evaluation focused
      on the completeness of the history and the performance and completion of the
      physical examination. The standardized patient evaluated the communication skills
      of each intern with a separate objective evaluation. Interns completed these same
      scoring guides to evaluate their own performance in history, physical
      examination, and communications skills. The interns' documentation in the EMR was
      then scored for completeness, internal consistency, and inaccuracies. RESULTS:
      The independent review revealed objective deficits in both the orthopedic
      interns' history and the physical examination, as well as highlighted trends of
      inaccurate and incomplete documentation in the corresponding medical record.
      Communication skills with the patient did not meet expectations. Further, interns
      tended to overscore themselves, especially with regard to their performance on
      the physical examination (p<.0005). Inconsistencies, omissions, and inaccuracies
      were common in the corresponding medical notes when compared with the events of
      the patient encounter. Nine of the 13 interns (69.2%) documented at least one
      finding that was not assessed or tested in the clinical encounter, and four of
      the 13 interns (30.8%) included inaccuracies in the medical record, which
      contradicted the information collected at the time of the encounter. CONCLUSIONS:
      The results of this study highlighted significant shortcomings in the
      completeness of the interns' spine history and physical examination, and the
      accuracy and completeness oftheir EMR note. The study provides a valuable
      exercise for evaluating residents in a multifaceted, multi-milestone manner that
      more accurately documents residents' clinical strengths and weaknesses. The study
      demonstrates that orthopedic residents require further instruction on the
      complexities of the spinal examination. It validates a need for increased
      systemic support for improving resident documentation through comprehensive
      education and evaluation modules.

PMID- 28627414
TI  - AKT Hyperactivation and the Potential of AKT-Targeted Therapy in Diffuse Large B
      Cell Lymphoma.
AB  - AKT signaling is important for proliferation and survival of tumor cells. The
      clinical significance of AKT activation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
      is not well analyzed. Here, we assessed expression of phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT)
      in 522 DLBCL patients. We found that high levels of p-AKT nuclear expression,
      observed in 24.3% of the study cohort, were associated with significantly worse
      progression-free survival and Myc and Bcl-2 overexpression. However, multivariate
      analysis indicated that AKT hyperactivation was not an independent factor. miRNA
      profiling analysis demonstrated that 63 miRNAs directly or indirectly related to
      the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway
      were differentially expressed between DLBCLs with high and low p-AKT nuclear
      expression. We further targeted AKT signaling using a highly selective AKT
      inhibitor MK-2206 in 26 representative DLBCL cell lines and delineated signaling
      alterations using a reverse-phase protein array. MK-2206 treatment inhibited
      lymphoma cell viability, and MK-2206 sensitivity correlated with AKT activation
      status in DLBCL cells. On MK-2206 treatment, p-AKT levels and downstream targets
      of AKT signaling were significantly decreased, likely because of the decreased
      feedback repression; Rictor and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase expression and
      other compensatory pathways were also induced. This study demonstrates the
      clinical and therapeutic implications of AKT hyperactivation in DLBCL and
      suggests that AKT inhibitors need to be combined with other targeted agents for
      DLBCL to achieve optimal clinical efficacy.

PMID- 28627416
TI  - A combined application of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and
      isothermal micro-calorimetry for calorespirometric analysis.
AB  - Calorespirometry is the simultaneous analysis of the rate of heat emission (Rq),
      O2 consumption (RO2) and CO2 production (RCO2) by living systems such as tissues
      or organism cultures. The analysis provides useful knowledge about thermodynamic
      parameters relevant for e.g. biotechnology where parameter based yield
      maximization (fermentation) is relevant. The determination of metabolism related
      heat emission is easy and normally done by a calorimeter. However, measuring the
      amount of consumed O2 and produced CO2 can be more challenging, as additional
      preparation or instrumentation might be needed. Therefore, tunable diode laser
      absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) was investigated as an alternative approach for
      respirometric analysis in order to facilitate the data collection procedure. The
      method determines by a spectroscopic laser non-invasively CO2 and O2 gas
      concentration changes in the respective vial headspaces. The gathered growth data
      from Pseudomonas aeruginosa cultured in two different scarce media was used to
      compute respiratory quotient (RQ) and calorespirometric ratios (CRCO2 [Rq/RCO2],
      CRO2 [Rq/RO2]). A comparison of the computed (experimental) values (for RQ, CRCO2
      and CRO2) with values reported in the literature confirmed the appropriateness of
      TDLAS in calorespirometric studies. Thus, it could be demonstrated that TDLAS is
      a well-performing and convenient way to evaluate non-invasively respiratory rates
      during calorespirometric studies. Therefore, the technique is definitively worth
      to be investigated further for its potential use in research and in diverse
      productive environments.

PMID- 28627417
TI  - Regulation of primary motor cortex excitability by repetitive passive finger
      movement frequency.
AB  - Somatosensory input induced by passive movement activates primary motor cortex
      (M1). We applied repetitive passive movement (RPM) of different frequencies to
      test if modulation of M1 excitability depends on RPM frequency. Twenty-seven
      healthy subjects participated in this study. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs)
      elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to left M1 were recorded from
      the right first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) to assess corticospinal
      excitability (experiment 1: n=15), and F-waves were measured from the right FDI
      as an index of spinal motoneuron excitability (experiment 2: n=15). Passive
      abduction/adduction of the right index finger was applied for 10min at 0.5, 1.0,
      3.0, and 5.0Hz. Both 0.5Hz-RPM and 1.0Hz-RPM decreased MEPs for 2min (p<0.05),
      and 5.0Hz-RPM decreased MEPs for 15min compared with baseline (p<0.05); however,
      there was no difference in MEPs after 3.0Hz-RPM. No F-wave changes were observed
      following any RPM intervention. Based on the results of experiments 1 and 2, we
      investigated whether RPM modulates cortical inhibitory circuit using the paired
      pulse TMS technique (experiment 3: n=12). Short-interval intracortical inhibition
      (SICI) was measured using paired-pulse TMS (inter-stimulus interval of 3ms)
      before and after 1.0, 3.0, and 5.0Hz-RPM. Both 1.0 and 5.0Hz-RPM increased SICI
      compared with baseline (p<0.05). These experiments suggest that M1 excitability
      decreases after RPM depending on movement frequency, possibly through frequency
      dependent enhancement of cortical inhibitory circuit in M1.

PMID- 28627418
TI  - Alterations in neuronal control of body weight and anxiety behavior by
      glutathione peroxidase 4 deficiency.
AB  - Elevated levels of oxidative stress and neuronal inflammation in the hypothalamus
      or ventral midbrain, respectively, represent common denominators for obesity and
      Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, little is known about defense mechanisms that
      protect neurons in these regions from oxidative damage. Here, we aimed to assess
      whether murine Gpx4, a crucial antioxidant enzyme that protects neurons from
      membrane damage and ferroptosis, is critical for the protection from neuronal
      inflammation in two distinct pathophysiologic diseases, namely metabolic
      dysfunction in diet-induced obesity or PD. Gpx4 was deleted from either AgRP or
      POMC neurons in the hypothalamus, essential for metabolic homeostasis, or from
      dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain, governing behaviors such as anxiety
      or voluntary movement. To induce a pro-inflammatory environment, AgRP and POMC
      neuron-specific Gpx4 knockout mice were subjected to high-fat high-sucrose (HFHS)
      diet. To exacerbate oxidative stress in dopaminergic neurons of the ventral
      midbrain, we systemically co-deleted the PD-related gene DJ-1. Gpx4 was
      dispensable for the maintenance of cellular health and function of POMC neurons,
      even in mice exposed to obesogenic conditions. In contrast, HFHS-fed mice with
      Gpx4 deletion from AgRP neurons displayed increased body adiposity. Gpx4
      expression and activity were diminished in the hypothalamus of HFHS-fed mice
      compared to standard diet-fed controls. Gpx4 deletion from dopaminergic neurons
      induced anxiety behavior, and diminished spontaneous locomotor activity when DJ-1
      was co-deleted. Overall, these data suggest a physiological role for Gpx4 in
      balancing metabolic control signals and inflammation in AgRP but not POMC
      neurons. Moreover, Gpx4 appears to constitute an important rheostat against
      neuronal dysfunction and PD-like symptoms in dopaminergic circuitry within the
      ventral midbrain.

PMID- 28627420
TI  - Distinct neural processes support post-success and post-error slowing in the stop
      signal task.
AB  - Executive control requires behavioral adaptation to environmental contingencies.
      In the stop signal task (SST), participants exhibit slower go trial reaction time
      (RT) following a stop trial, whether or not they successfully interrupt the motor
      response. In previous fMRI studies, we demonstrated activation of the right
      hemispheric ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, in the area of inferior frontal
      gyrus, pars opercularis (IFGpo) and anterior insula (AI), during post-error
      slowing (PES). However, in similar analyses we were not able to identify regional
      activities during post-success slowing (PSS). Here, we revisited this issue in a
      larger sample of participants (n=100) each performing the SST for 40 min during
      fMRI. We replicated IFGpo/AI activation to PES (p<=0.05, FWE corrected). Further,
      PSS engages decreased activation in a number of cortical regions including the
      left inferior frontal cortex (IFC; p<=0.05, FWE corrected). We employed Granger
      causality mapping to identify areas that provide inputs each to the right
      IFGpo/AI and left IFC, and computed single-trial amplitude (STA) of stop trials
      of these input regions as well as the STA of post-stop trials of the right
      IFGpo/AI and left IFC. The STAs of the right inferior precentral sulcus and
      supplementary motor area (SMA) and right IFGpo/AI were positively correlated and
      the STAs of the left SMA and left IFC were positively correlated (slope>0,
      p's<=0.01, one-sample t test), linking regional responses during stop success and
      error trials to those during PSS and PES. These findings suggest distinct neural
      mechanisms to support PSS and PES.

PMID- 28627419
TI  - ARX polyalanine expansion mutations lead to migration impediment in the rostral
      cortex coupled with a developmental deficit of calbindin-positive cortical
      GABAergic interneurons.
AB  - The Aristaless-related homeobox gene (ARX) is indispensable for interneuron
      development. Patients with ARX polyalanine expansion mutations of the first two
      tracts (namely PA1 and PA2) suffer from intellectual disability of varying
      severity, with seizures a frequent comorbidity. The impact of PA1 and PA2
      mutations on the brain development is unknown, hindering the search for
      therapeutic interventions. Here, we characterized the disturbances to cortical
      interneuron development in mice modeling the two most common ARX polyalanine
      expansion mutations in human. We found a consistent ~40-50% reduction of
      calbindin-positive interneurons, but not Stt+ or Cr+ interneurons, within the
      cortex of newborn hemizygous mice (p=0.024) for both mutant strains compared to
      wildtype (p=0.011). We demonstrate that this was a consequence of calbindin
      precursor cells being arrested or delayed at the ventral subpallium en route of
      tangential migration. Ex-vivo assay validated this migration deficit in PA1 cells
      (p=0.0002) suggesting that the defect is contributed by intrinsic loss of Arx
      function within migrating cells. Both humans and mice with PA1 mutations present
      with severe clinical features, including intellectual disability and infantile
      spasms. Our data further demonstrated the pathogenic mechanism was robustly
      shared between PA1 and PA2 mutations, as previously reported including Arx
      protein reduction and overlapping transcriptome profiles within the developing
      mouse brains. Data from our study demonstrated that cortical calbindin
      interneuron development and migration is negatively affected by ARX polyalanine
      expansion mutations. Understanding the cellular pathogenesis contributing to
      disease manifestation is necessary to screen efficacy of potential therapeutic
      interventions.

PMID- 28627421
TI  - HLA-G*14bp Insertion and the KIR2DS1-HLAC2 Complex Impact on Behavioral
      Impairment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
AB  - Activating KIR-HLA-C ligand complexes and HLA-G*14bp insertion/deletion (+/-)
      polymorphism were associated to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and were
      suggested to correlate with inflammation during fetal development. We evaluated
      whether HLA-G*14bp(+/-) and KIR-HLA-C complexes are associated with cognitive and
      behavioral scores and EEG profile in 119 ASD children (58 from Sardinia, 61 from
      Peninsular Italy). KIR2DS1-C2; KIR2DS2-C1; KIR2DL1-C2; KIR2DL2-C1; KIR2DL3-C1 and
      HLA-G*14bp(+/-) were molecularly genotyped by Single Specific Primer PCR and gel
      electrophoresis. Univariate linear model analysis adjusted for age, gender and
      provenience showed statistically higher scores of Childhood Autism Rating Scale
      (CARS) and Autistic Core Behavior in KIR2DS1-C2+/HLA-G*14bp+ASD children (43.7+/
      1.5, p=0.03; 3.3+/-0.1, p=0.03, respectively). These results suggested a
      synergistic polygenic association of KIR2DS1-HLAC2+/HLA-G*14bp+ pattern with
      behavioral impairment in ASD children.

PMID- 28627422
TI  - Down-Regulation of KV4 Channel in Drosophila Mushroom Body Neurons Contributes to
      Abeta42-Induced Courtship Memory Deficits.
AB  - Accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) is widely believed to be an early event in
      the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Kv4 is an A-type K+ channel, and
      our previous report shows the degradation of Kv4, induced by the Abeta42
      accumulation, may be a critical contributor to the hyperexcitability of neurons
      in a Drosophila AD model. Here, we used well-established courtship memory assay
      to investigate the contribution of the Kv4 channel to short-term memory (STM)
      deficits in the Abeta42-expressing AD model. We found that Abeta42 over
      expression in Drosophila leads to age-dependent courtship STM loss, which can be
      also induced by driving acute Abeta42 expression post-developmentally.
      Interestingly, mutants with eliminated Kv4-mediated A-type K+ currents (IA) by
      transgenically expressing dominant-negative subunit (DNKv4) phenocopied Abeta42
      flies in defective courtship STM. Kv4 channels in mushroom body (MB) and
      projection neurons (PNs) were found to be required for courtship STM.
      Furthermore, the STM phenotypes can be rescued, at least partially, by
      restoration of Kv4 expression in Abeta42 flies, indicating the STM deficits could
      be partially caused by Kv4 degradation. In addition, IA is significantly
      decreased in MB neurons (MBNs) but not in PNs, suggesting Kv4 degradation in
      MBNs, in particular, plays a critical role in courtship STM loss in Abeta42
      flies. These data highlight causal relationship between region-specific Kv4
      degradation and age-dependent learning decline in the AD model, and provide a
      mechanism for the disturbed cognitive function in AD.

PMID- 28627423
TI  - Severe developmental timing defects in the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH)
      deficient silkworm, Bombyx mori.
AB  - The insect neuropeptide prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) triggers the
      biosynthesis and release of the molting hormone ecdysone in the prothoracic gland
      (PG), thereby controlling the timing of molting and metamorphosis. Despite the
      well-documented physiological role of PTTH and its signaling pathway in the PG,
      it is not clear whether PTTH is an essential hormone for ecdysone biosynthesis
      and development. To address this question, we established and characterized a
      PTTH knockout line in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. We found that PTTH knockouts
      showed a severe developmental delay in both the larval and pupal stages. Larval
      phenotypes of PTTH knockouts can be classified into three major classes: (i)
      developmental arrest during the second larval instar, (ii) precocious
      metamorphosis after the fourth larval instar (one instar earlier in comparison to
      the control strain), and (iii) metamorphosis to normal-sized pupae after
      completing the five larval instar stages. In PTTH knockout larvae, peak levels of
      ecdysone titers in the hemolymph were dramatically reduced and the timing of
      peaks was delayed, suggesting that protracted larval development is a result of
      the reduced and delayed synthesis of ecdysone in the PG. Despite these defects,
      low basal levels of ecdysone were maintained in PTTH knockout larvae, suggesting
      that the primary role of PTTH is to upregulate ecdysone biosynthesis in the PG
      during molting stages, and low basal levels of ecdysone can be maintained in the
      absence of PTTH. We also found that mRNA levels of genes involved in ecdysone
      biosynthesis and ecdysteroid signaling pathways were significantly reduced in
      PTTH knockouts. Our results provide genetic evidence that PTTH is not essential
      for development, but is required to coordinate growth and developmental timing.

PMID- 28627424
TI  - Channeling in native microbial pathways: Implications and challenges for
      metabolic engineering.
AB  - Intracellular enzymes can be organized into a variety of assemblies, shuttling
      intermediates from one active site to the next. Eukaryotic compartmentalization
      within mitochondria and peroxisomes and substrate tunneling within multi-enzyme
      complexes have been well recognized. Intriguingly, the central pathways in
      prokaryotes may also form extensive channels, including the heavily branched
      glycolysis pathway. In vivo channeling through cascade enzymes is difficult to
      directly measure, but can be inferred from in vitro tests, reaction
      thermodynamics, transport/reaction modeling, analysis of molecular diffusion and
      protein interactions, or steady state/dynamic isotopic labeling. Channeling
      presents challenges but also opportunities for metabolic engineering
      applications. It rigidifies fluxes in native pathways by trapping or excluding
      metabolites for bioconversions, causing substrate catabolite repressions or
      inferior efficiencies in engineered pathways. Channeling is an overlooked
      regulatory mechanism used to control flux responses under environmental/genetic
      perturbations. The heterogeneous distribution of intracellular enzymes also
      confounds kinetic modeling and multiple-omics analyses. Understanding the scope
      and mechanisms of channeling in central pathways may improve our interpretation
      of robust fluxomic topology throughout metabolic networks and lead to better
      design and engineering of heterologous pathways.

PMID- 28627425
TI  - A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis Stressing the Importance of Long-Term Follow
      Up after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for beta-Thalassemia.
AB  - Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is curative in patients with
      beta-thalassemia major. However, most reports on HCT outcomes lack long-term
      follow-up data with the exception of single-center reports. An international
      multicenter retrospective data collection and analysis was conducted in 176 beta
      thalassemia patients who were 1 year or beyond after first HCT to evaluate follow
      up methods and outcomes at 7 centers. Median age at HCT was 5.5 years (range, .6
      to 18.5), and median follow-up was 7 years (range, 1 to 20). HCT was
      predominantly from HLA-matched related donors (91%) with bone marrow as stem cell
      source (91%) and myeloablative conditioning regimens (88%). Late mortality or
      persistent chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was rare (<2%). Graft
      rejection was reported in 23% (24% of these occurred beyond 1 year) post-HCT. Of
      119 patients with donor chimerism results available for >=4 years post-HCT, 50%
      had >95%, 22% had 50% to 95%, 7% had 20% to 50% and 25 (21%) had <20% donor
      chimerism. Organ dysfunction was identified in 10% pre-HCT and in 20% post-HCT
      even without complete clinical details on all patients. Hypogonadism and elevated
      creatinine for age were most commonly reported and significantly higher in
      recipients >= 7 years at the time of HCT (P = .007) and in those with pre
      existing morbidity before HCT (P = .02). Outcomes were unaffected by pre-HCT
      ferritin or GVHD. Mean z scores for height and weight were low at baseline and
      remained low post-HCT (79%), confirming that growth impairment from disease
      lacked recovery post-HCT during this follow-up period. HCT for beta-thalassemia
      has a high rate of cure and low mortality, especially in the young and from HLA
      matched related donors. Half of the number of recipients live with mixed
      chimerism that requires continued follow-up because of a risk of late graft
      rejection (14%). Organ function after HCT when <7 years of age was generally
      preserved. Hypogonadism, renal dysfunction, and growth impairment that failed to
      correct were late complications identified most frequently in older transplant
      recipients. Systematic follow-up of individual organs such as lung and heart were
      inadequate but important. These data support the development of simple measures
      of uniformly tracking long-term HCT outcomes and organ functions in children and
      adolescents who undergo HCT for thalassemia, allowing for systematic
      identification and implementation of standardized surveillance strategies and
      interventions.

PMID- 28627426
TI  - Neurodegenerative signaling factors and mechanisms in Parkinson's pathology.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive degenerative disorder of
      central nervous system which is mainly characterized by selective loss of
      dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostrial pathway. Clinical symptoms of this
      devastating disease comprise motor impairments such as resting tremor,
      bradykinesia, postural instability and rigidity. Current medications only provide
      symptomatic relief but fail to halt the dopaminergic neuronal death. While the
      etiology of dopaminergic neuronal death is not fully understood, combination of
      various molecular mechanisms seems to play a critical role. Studies from
      experimental animal models have provided crucial insights into the molecular
      mechanisms in disease pathogenesis and recognized possible targets for
      therapeutic interventions. Recent findings implicate the involvement of abnormal
      protein accumulation and phosphorylation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative
      damage and deregulated kinase signaling as key molecular mechanisms affecting the
      normal function as well survival of dopaminergic neurons. Here we discuss the
      relevant findings on the PD pathology related mechanisms and recognition of the
      cell survival mechanisms which could be used as targets for neuroprotective
      strategies in preventing this devastating disorder.

PMID- 28627427
TI  - Efficacy and safety of a once-daily single-tablet regimen of tenofovir,
      lamivudine, and efavirenz assessed at 144 weeks among antiretroviral-naive and
      experienced HIV-1-infected Thai adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of a new single-tablet regimen (STR)
      of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) 300mg, lamivudine (3TC) 300mg, and
      efavirenz (EFV) 600mg in HIV-infected Thai patients. METHODS: This was a
      prospective study performed for 144 weeks among 51 treatment-naive patients and
      49 experienced patients on separate tablets of TDF, 3TC, and EFV with HIV RNA<50
      copies/ml. CD4, HIV RNA, liver and renal function, and lipid profiles were
      assessed at baseline, weeks 12, 24, and 48, and then every 24 weeks. RESULTS: The
      median baseline CD4 cell count was 512 cells/MUl for treatment-experienced
      patients and 230 cells/MUl for treatment-naive patients. Median baseline log10
      HIV-1 RNA for treatment-naive subjects was 4.9 copies/ml. From the intention-to
      treat (ITT) analysis, the proportion of subjects with HIV RNA <50 copies/ml at
      week 48, 96, and 144 was 95%, 94%, and 94%, respectively, for antiretroviral
      experienced patients and 88%, 90%, and 80%, respectively, for antiretroviral
      naive patients. One virological failure at week 12 had primary drug resistance of
      K70R, T69D, V75L. Three serious adverse events occurred (tension headache,
      infective endocarditis, and cervical dysplasia) and another three discontinued
      the study drug due to EFV intolerance. CONCLUSIONS: This generic STR TDF/3TC/EFV
      is effective and well-tolerated. These findings lend support to the use of this
      generic STR as first-line antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings.

PMID- 28627428
TI  - Occupational exposure of cashew nut workers to Kyasanur Forest disease in Goa,
      India.
AB  - A series of suspected cases of Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) in subjects
      returning to Belgaum in Karnataka State from Goa, India, is reported herein. KFD
      was confirmed in 13 out of 76 cases, either by real time RT-PCR or IgM ELISA. No
      case fatality was recorded. KFD virus positivity was also recorded among humans
      and monkeys from Sattari taluk in Goa during the same period. The envelope gene
      sequence of positive human samples from Belgaum showed highest identity of 99.98%
      to 99.99% with sequences of KFD virus isolated from human cases and monkeys from
      Goa. KFD activity has been reported from Goa among humans and monkeys since 2015.
      However, it has not been reported from Belgaum to date. These findings suggest
      that the cases (migrant laborers) contracted infection during cashew nut
      harvesting from KFD-affected Keri village, Sattari taluk, Goa and became ill
      after or during migration from the affected area to their native residence.

PMID- 28627429
TI  - Impact of rotavirus vaccination on child mortality, morbidity, and rotavirus
      related hospitalizations in Bolivia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The public health impact of rotavirus vaccination in countries with
      high child mortality rates remains to be established. The RV1 rotavirus vaccine
      was introduced in Bolivia in August 2008. This study describes the trends in
      deaths, hospitalizations, and healthcare visits due to acute gastroenteritis
      (AGE) and in rotavirus-related hospitalizations, among children <5 years of age,
      during the pre- and post-vaccination periods. METHODS: Data were obtained from
      the National Health Information System to calculate vaccine coverage and AGE
      related health indicators. Trend reductions in the main health indicators were
      examined using the pre-vaccine period as baseline. The effect of vaccination on
      the epidemiology of rotavirus-related AGE was assessed using data from the active
      surveillance hospitals. RESULTS: Compared with the 2001-2008 pre-vaccine
      baseline, the mean number of rotavirus-related hospitalizations was reduced by
      40.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 21.7-66.4%) among children <5years of age in
      the post-vaccine period (2009-2013). Reductions were most pronounced in children
      <1year of age, eligible for vaccination. The mean proportions of AGE-related
      deaths, AGE-related hospitalizations, and AGE-related healthcare visits during
      2009-2014 were reduced by 52.5% (95% CI 47.4-56.3), 30.2% (95% CI 23.5-36.1), and
      12.9% (95% CI 12.0-13.2), respectively. The greatest effect in reduction of AGE
      related deaths was found during the months with seasonal peaks of rotavirus
      disease. Over the post-vaccine period, changes in rotavirus epidemiology were
      observed, manifested by variations in seasonality and by a shift in the mean age
      of those with rotavirus infection. CONCLUSIONS: The significant decrease in main
      AGE-related health indicators in children <5years of age after the introduction
      of rotavirus vaccine provides evidence of a substantial public health impact of
      rotavirus vaccination in Bolivia, as a measure for protecting children against
      AGE.

PMID- 28627430
TI  - Changes in eosinophil count during bacterial infection: revisiting an old marker
      to assess the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Eosinopenia as a criterion of sepsis has been the subject of debate
      for decades. Different authors have proposed different cut-off values. METHODS: A
      prospective study was conducted from February to August 2016. Hospitalized adults
      suffering from a bacterial infection with eosinopenia, defined as an eosinophil
      count <100/mm3, were included. Patients were divided into two groups according to
      the first day of effective antimicrobial therapy. They were observed for 5days in
      order to evaluate whether recovery from eosinopenia was predictive of an
      appropriate antibiotic regimen. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-two patients were
      screened and 96 were included. Group 1 patients (n=70) received effective
      antimicrobial therapy from day 0. Their eosinophil count increased significantly
      between day 0 and day 1 (p<0.0001). Group 2 patients (n=26) received delayed
      effective antimicrobial therapy, and there was no significant difference in
      eosinophil count between day 0 and day 1 (p=0.55). Moreover, eosinophil counts
      normalized on day 5 in both groups. The mean duration of antimicrobial therapy
      was comparable in the two groups (7.7+/-1.16 days). The antibiotics most often
      prescribed in both groups were intravenous cephalosporins. During follow-up, all
      patients were considered to be cured after day 30. CONCLUSIONS: The eosinophil
      count appears to normalize faster than C-reactive protein (CRP) and
      polymorphonuclear neutrophils in eosinopenic patients on appropriate
      antimicrobial therapy. This simple test is easy to perform as part of a regular
      complete blood count, with no additional costs as required for CRP or
      procalcitonin.

PMID- 28627431
TI  - Evaluation of the Quantamatrix Multiplexed Assay Platform system for simultaneous
      detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the rifampicin resistance gene using
      cultured mycobacteria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) from
      non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is of primary importance for infection control
      and the selection of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Up to date data on rifampicin (RIF)
      resistant tuberculosis (TB) is essential for the early management of multidrug
      resistant TB. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a newly
      developed multiplexed, bead-based bioassay (Quantamatrix Multiplexed Assay
      Platform, QMAP) for the rapid differentiation of 23 Mycobacterium species
      including MTBC and RIF-resistant strains. METHODS: A total of 314 clinical
      Mycobacterium isolates cultured from respiratory specimens were used in this
      study. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the QMAP system for
      Mycobacterium species were 100% (95% CI 99.15-100%, p<0.0001) and 97.8% (95% CI
      91.86-99.87%, p<0.0001), respectively. The results of conventional drug
      susceptibility testing and the QMAP Dual-ID assay were completely concordant for
      all clinical isolates (100%, 95% CI 98.56-100%). Out of 223 M. tuberculosis (MTB)
      isolates, 196 were pan-susceptible and 27 were resistant to RIF according to QMAP
      results. All of the mutations in the RIF resistance-determining region detected
      by the QMAP system were confirmed by rpoB sequence analysis and a REBA MTB-Rifa
      reverse blot hybridization assay. The majority of the mutations (n=26, 96.3%),
      including those missing wild-type probe signals, were located in three codons
      (529-534, 524-529, and 514-520), and 17 (65.4%) of these mutations were detected
      by three mutation probes (531TTG, 526TAC, and 516GTC). CONCLUSIONS: The entire
      QMAP system assay takes about 3h to complete, while results from the culture
      based conventional method can take up to 48-72h. Although improvements to the
      QMAP system are needed for direct respiratory specimens, it may be useful for
      rapid screening, not only to identify and accurately discriminate MTBC from NTM,
      but also to identify RIF-resistant MTB strains in positive culture samples.

PMID- 28627432
TI  - High diversity of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Central Asian
      Strain isolates in Nepal.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) poses a
      major public health problem in Nepal. Although it has been reported as one of the
      dominant genotypes of MTB in Nepal, little information on the Central Asian
      Strain (CAS) family is available, especially isolates related to multidrug
      resistance (MDR) cases. This study aimed to elucidate the genetic and
      epidemiological characteristics of MDR CAS isolates in Nepal. METHODS: A total of
      145 MDR CAS isolates collected in Nepal from 2008 to 2013 were characterized by
      spoligotyping, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem
      repeat (MIRU-VNTR) analysis, and drug resistance-associated gene sequencing.
      RESULTS: Spoligotyping analysis showed CAS1_Delhi SIT26 as predominant (60/145,
      41.4%). However, by combining spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR typing, it was possible
      to successfully discriminate all 145 isolates into 116 different types including
      18 clusters with 47 isolates (clustering rate 32.4%). About a half of these
      clustered isolates shared the same genetic and geographical characteristics with
      other isolates in each cluster, and some of them shared rare point mutations in
      rpoB that are thought to be associated with rifampicin resistance. CONCLUSIONS:
      Although the data obtained show little evidence that large outbreaks of MDR-TB
      caused by the CAS family have occurred in Nepal, they strongly suggest several
      MDR-MTB transmission cases.

PMID- 28627433
TI  - Comparison of G protein sequences of South African street rabies viruses showing
      distinct progression of the disease in a mouse model of experimental rabies.
AB  - Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease and infections generally lead to a fatal
      encephalomyelitis in both humans and animals. In South Africa, domestic (dogs)
      and the wildlife (yellow mongoose) host species maintain the canid and mongoose
      rabies variants respectively. In this study, pathogenicity differences of South
      African canid and mongoose rabies viruses were investigated in a murine model, by
      assessing the progression of clinical signs and survivorship. Comparison of
      glycoprotein gene sequences revealed amino acid differences that may underpin the
      observed pathogenicity differences. Cumulatively, our results suggest that the
      canid rabies virus may be more neurovirulent in mice than the mongoose rabies
      variant.

PMID- 28627434
TI  - A different kind of love - lipid droplet contact sites.
AB  - Lipid droplets (LDs) store lipids and hence serve as energy reservoir and as a
      source for building-blocks for the organelle membrane systems. LD biology
      therefore depends on tight communication with other organelles. The unique
      architecture of LDs, consisting of a neutral lipid core shielded by a
      phospholipid-monolayer, is however an obstacle to bulk-exchange of bilayer
      bounded vesicles with other organelles. In recent years, it is emerging that
      contact sites, places where two organelles are positioned in close proximity
      allowing vesicle-independent communication, are an important way to integrate LDs
      into the organellar landscape. However, few LD contact sites have been studied in
      depth and our understanding of their structure, extent and function is only
      starting to emerge. Here, we highlight recent findings on the functions of LD
      contact sites and on the proteins involved in their formation and hypothesize
      about the unique characteristics of the contact sites formed by these intriguing
      organelles. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Recent Advances in
      Lipid Droplet Biology edited by Rosalind Coleman and Matthijs Hesselink.

PMID- 28627436
TI  - Folate-targeted polymersomes loaded with both paclitaxel and doxorubicin for the
      combination chemotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - : Combination chemotherapy is a promising method of improving cancer treatment,
      but the distinct pharmacokinetics of combined drugs and non-specific drug
      distribution slow down the development in the clinic. In this study, folate (FA)
      receptor-targeted polymersomes with apparent bilayered lamellar structure were
      successfully developed to co-encapsulate a hydrophobic-hydrophilic
      chemotherapeutic drug pair (PTX and DOX) in a single vesicle for enhancing the
      combination chemotherapeutic effect. Hydrophobic PTX was loaded into the thick
      hydrophobic lamellar membrane by the self-assembly of triblock copolymer PCL8000
      PEG8000-PCL8000, while hydrophilic DOX was encapsulated into the hydrophilic
      reservoir using a trans-membrane ammonium sulfate gradient method. In vitro
      release study indicated that the drugs were released from the polymersomes in a
      controlled and sustained manner. Cellular uptake study indicated that FA-targeted
      Co-PS had higher internalization efficiency in FA receptor-overexpressing BEL
      7404 cells than non-targeted Co-PS. In vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that
      FA-targeted Co-PS exhibited less cytotoxic effect than free drug cocktail, but
      suppressed the growth of tumor cells more efficiently than non-targeted Co-PS. Ex
      vivo imaging biodistribution studies revealed that FA-targeted Co-PS led to
      highly efficient targeting and accumulation in the BEL-7404 xenograft tumor.
      Furthermore, the in vivo antitumor study showed that the combination chemotherapy
      of polymersomes to BEL-7404 tumor via intravenous injection was superior to free
      drug cocktail treatment, and the FA-targeted Co-PS exhibited significantly higher
      tumor growth inhibition than non-targeted Co-PS group. Therefore, the newly
      developed FA-targeted co-delivery polymersomes hold great promise for
      simultaneous delivery of multiple chemotherapeutics and would have great
      potential in tumor-targeting and combination chemotherapy. STATEMENT OF
      SIGNIFICANCE: Combination chemotherapy is a promising method of improving cancer
      treatment, but the distinct pharmacokinetics of combined drugs and non-specific
      drug distribution slow down the development in the clinic. In our study, novel
      folate-targeted co-delivery polymersomes (Co-PS) were successfully developed to
      encapsulate a hydrophobic-hydrophilic chemotherapeutic drug pair (paclitaxel and
      doxorubicin) into the different compartments of the vesicle. In vivo studies
      revealed that the combination chemotherapy of polymersomes to BEL-7404 xenograft
      tumor via intravenous injection was superior to free drug cocktail treatment, and
      the FA-targeted Co-PS exhibited significantly higher tumor growth inhibition than
      non-targeted Co-PS group. Therefore, the newly developed FA-targeted co-delivery
      polymersomes hold great promise for simultaneous delivery of multiple
      chemotherapeutics and would have great potential in tumor-targeting and
      combination chemotherapy.

PMID- 28627437
TI  - Molecular characterization and functional analysis of PPARalpha promoter in
      yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco.
AB  - Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) is a ligand
      activated transcription factor that plays critical roles in the regulation of
      many important physiological processes. In the present study, the 1686-bp
      PPARalpha promoter for yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco was first cloned
      and characterized. The transcription start site (TSS) of PPARalpha gene was
      mapped using RLM-5'RACE method. The luciferase vectors were constructed and
      transiently transfected into HepG2 cells and HEK293 cells, respectively, for
      functional analysis of promoters. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the putative
      core promoter regions including a TATA-box and a CAAT-box located at -35bp and 
      75bp upstream of the TSS, respectively. A cluster of putative binding sites of
      several transcription factors, such as AP1, C2H2ZFP, E-box, HNF4alpha, NF-kappaB,
      PPAR, Sp1 and STAT1, were identified. Deletion analysis indicated that these
      transcriptional factor binding sites were essential to the basal promoter
      activity. Subsequent mutation analysis showed that the PPARalpha promoter
      activity was down-regulated following mutation of the TFBSs including NF-kappaB,
      PPAR and HNF4alpha, indicating that these TFBSs were responsible for PPARalpha
      activation. Furthermore, the transcription activity of the PPARalpha promoter was
      increased and PPARalpha mRNA expression was up-regulated after fenofibrate
      treatment. Overall, the present study provided new insights into the mechanisms
      for transcriptional regulation of PPARalpha in fish.

PMID- 28627435
TI  - Establishing the lipid droplet proteome: Mechanisms of lipid droplet protein
      targeting and degradation.
AB  - Lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived
      organelles that mediate the sequestration of neutral lipids (e.g. triacylglycerol
      and sterol esters), providing a dynamic cellular storage depot for rapid lipid
      mobilization in response to increased cellular demands. LDs have a unique
      ultrastructure, consisting of a core of neutral lipids encircled by a
      phospholipid monolayer that is decorated with integral and peripheral proteins.
      The LD proteome contains numerous lipid metabolic enzymes, regulatory scaffold
      proteins, proteins involved in LD clustering and fusion, and other proteins of
      unknown functions. The cellular role of LDs is inherently determined by the
      composition of its proteome and alteration of the LD protein coat provides a
      powerful mechanism to adapt LDs to fluctuating metabolic states. Here, we review
      the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern LD protein
      targeting and degradation. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled:
      Recent Advances in Lipid Droplet Biology edited by Rosalind Coleman and Matthijs
      Hesselink.

PMID- 28627438
TI  - Genome wide identification, phylogeny, and expression of bone morphogenetic
      protein genes in tetraploidized common carp (Cyprinus carpio).
AB  - Bone morphogenetic proteins (Bmps) are a group of signaling molecules known to
      play important roles during formation and maintenance of various organs, not only
      bone, but also muscle, blood and so on. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is one of
      the most intensively studied fish due to its economic and environmental
      importance. Besides, common carp has encountered an additional round of whole
      genome duplication (WGD) compared with many closely related diploid teleost,
      which make it one of the most important models for genome evolutionary studies in
      teleost. Comprehensive genome resources of common carp have been developed
      recently, which facilitate the thorough characterization of bmp gene family in
      the tetraploidized common carp genome. We identified a total of 44 bmps from the
      common carp genome, which are twice as many as that of zebrafish. Phylogenetic
      analysis revealed that most of bmps are highly conserved. Comparative analysis
      was performed across six typical vertebrate genomes. It appeared that all the bmp
      genes in common carp were duplicated. Obviously, the expansion of the bmp gene
      family in common carp was due to the latest additional round of whole genome
      duplication and made it more abundant than other diploid teleosts. Expression
      signatures were assessed in major tissues, including gill, intestine, liver,
      spleen, skin, heart, gonad, muscle, kidney, head kidney, brain and blood, which
      demonstrated the comprehensive expression profiles of bmp genes in the
      tetraploidized genome. Significant gene expression divergences were observed
      which revealed substantial functional divergences of those duplicated bmp genes
      post the latest WGD event. The conserved synteny blocks of bmp5s revealed the
      genome rearrangement of common carp post the 4R WGD. The whole set of bmp gene
      family in common carp provides insight into gene fate of tetraploidized common
      carp genome post recent WGD.

PMID- 28627439
TI  - Mitochondrial prohibitin and its ubiquitination during spermatogenesis of the
      swimming crab Charybdis japonica.
AB  - It has been proposed that prohibitin (PHB) involved in multiple cellular
      functions, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, senescence
      and carcinogenesis. Various cellular compartment location of PHB demonstrates its
      diverse roles. Based on the full-length sequence of PHB gene, we analyzed the
      deduced amino acid sequence and the predicted protein structure of this gene in
      the swimming crab Charybdis japonica. It shows that the structure and function of
      PHB are conservative. The expression level of PHB mRNA and protein in different
      tissues were analyzed by sqRT-PCR and western blot respectively, which showed its
      high expression in testis. We then traced PHB protein by immunofluorescence, and
      we found its diverse distribution in cytoplasm and mitochondria at different
      stages. We propose that PHB may participate actively in spermatogenic cell anti
      apoptosis, cell nucleus distortion as well as acrosome morphogenesis during the
      spermatogenesis in Charybdis japonica. Furthermore, PHB was found to be
      ubiquitinated at different levels. Its signal was weak in spermatocytes and Stage
      1 spermatids, stronger in stage 2-4 spermatids, and lowest in mature sperm. Our
      data shows that PHB may mediate the paternal mitochondrial material degradation
      by ubiquitination. We conclude that PHB is indispensable in the spermatogenesis
      of the swimming crab Charybdis japonica through different testis developmental
      stages.

PMID- 28627440
TI  - MicroRNA-21 regulates hepatic glucose metabolism by targeting FOXO1.
AB  - Abnormal activation of hepatic gluconeogenesis is a major contributor to fasting
      hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes; however, the potential role of microRNAs in
      gluconeogenesis remains unclear. Here, we showed that hepatic expression levels
      of microRNA-21 (miR-21) were decreased in db/db and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced
      diabetic mice. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of miR-21 decreased the
      expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose-6-phosphatase
      (G6Pase) and inhibited glucose production in primary mouse hepatocytes. Silencing
      of miR-21 reversed this effect. Overexpression of miR-21 in the livers of db/db
      and HFD-induced mice was able to suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis, subsequently
      decreasing blood glucose levels and improving glucose and insulin intolerance.
      Furthermore, overexpression of miR-21 in primary mouse hepatocytes and mouse
      livers decreased the protein levels of FOXO1 and increased hepatic insulin
      sensitivity. By contrast, silencing of miR-21 increased the protein levels of
      FOXO1, subsequently leading to a decrease in insulin sensitivity and impaired
      glucose intolerance in C57BL/6 mice fed with high-fat diet for 4weeks. Finally,
      we confirmed that FOXO1 was a potential target of miR-21. These results suggest
      that miR-21 is a critical regulator in hepatic gluconeogenesis and may provide a
      novel therapeutic target for treating insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28627441
TI  - Clinical and genetic characteristics of 17 Chinese patients with glycogen storage
      disease type IXa.
AB  - Glycogen storage disease (GSD) type IXa is caused by PHKA2 mutation, which
      accounts for about 75% of all the GSD type IX cases. Here we first summarized the
      clinical data and analyzed the PHKA2 gene of 17 Chinese male patients suspected
      of having GSD type IXa. Clinical symptoms of our patients included hepatomegaly,
      growth retardation, and liver dysfunction. The clinical and biochemical
      manifestations improved and even disappeared with age. We detected 14 mutations
      in 17 patients, including 8 novel mutations; exons 2 and 4 were hot spots in this
      research. In conclusion, glycogen storage disease type IXa is a mild disorder
      with a favorable prognosis, and there was no relationship between genotype and
      phenotype of this disease.

PMID- 28627442
TI  - The association of rs710886 in lncRNA PCAT1 with bladder cancer risk in a Chinese
      population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The long noncoding RNA PCAT1 is an important gene involved in urinary
      tumors. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between polymorphisms
      in PCAT1 and bladder cancer susceptibility. METHODS: A two-stage case-control
      study was conducted to assess the association between four tagging SNPs (i.e.,
      rs4871771, rs1902432, rs16901904 and rs710886) and bladder cancer risk. Odds
      ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with
      unconditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: At the
      first stage of discovery, we identified that SNP rs710886A>G was significantly
      associated with bladder cancer risk (OR=0.86, 95% CI=0.74-0.99, P=0.046). At the
      following stage of validation, individuals with GG genotype were found to have a
      significant reduction in bladder cancer risk compared with those carrying AA
      genotype (adjusted OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.74-0.93, P=0.001). Furthermore, stratified
      analyses showed that protective effect of rs710886 was more pronounced in
      subgroup of age>60 and never smoking, and had little to do with sex. Besides,
      rs710886 was identified as an eQTL for PCAT1. G allele was consistent with lower
      PCAT1 expression. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that genetic variants in
      lncRNA PCAT1 were associated with bladder cancer susceptibility and the SNP
      rs710886 may act as a potential biomarker for bladder cancer risk.

PMID- 28627443
TI  - Impact of the BCR-ABL1 fusion transcripts on different responses to Imatinib and
      disease recurrence in Iranian patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One genomic breakpoint can result in variable BCR-ABL1 transcript
      types due to alternative splicing. The influence of different BCR-ABL1 transcript
      types on clinical outcome is still controversial. AIM OF THE STUDY: The objective
      of this analysis was to determine the impact of transcript type on response,
      clinical outcome, recurrence risk after treatment with Imatinib mesylate in
      Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) patients. METHODS: Sixty CML patients in chronic
      phase were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)
      and banding standard protocols. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in
      collective incidence of complete cytogenetic response (CCR) between the e14a2 and
      e13a2 groups (P=0.04). The median time to achieve CCR was shorter in e14a2
      patients than to e13a2 (P=0.01). This finding is paralleled by the molecular
      response where the median of the BCR-ABL1/ABL1 expression levels were
      significantly lower in e14a2 transcript compared to e13a2 type at 3, 6, 9 and
      12months from the start of therapy (P<0.01). The probability of recurrence after
      treatment discontinuation was 9.33 fold higher in e13a2 transcript, that is
      reported here for the first time (chi2=5.49; P=0.01; OR: 9.33; 95% CI: 1.59,
      54.67). No significant difference was observed regarding overall survival (OS),
      although Patients with e14a2 transcript displayed a significant tendency toward a
      higher event free survival (EFS) ratio (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: We found that
      patients with the e14a2 transcript achieved better and faster responses to
      Imatinib mesylate. In this study, parallel data regarding molecular and
      cytogenetic responses, impact of transcript type on the probability of recurrence
      might suggest a general outcome that the type of transcript can be used as a
      prognostic marker at diagnosis.

PMID- 28627444
TI  - Associative role of TYMS6bpdel polymorphism and resulting hyperhomocysteinemia in
      the pathogenesis of preterm delivery and associated complications: A study from
      Northeast India.
AB  - : Aberrations including genetic alterations in folate pathway are detrimental in
      multiple disease pathogenesis, including pregnancy. The present study is based on
      the screening of the associative role of TYMS 14946bp deletion(del) polymorphism
      and associated hyperhomocysteinemia in susceptibility to preterm delivery (PTD),
      which is strongly associated with neonatal mortality and morbidity. METHODS: A
      total of 209 PTD cases {extremely preterm (n=22), very preterm (n=43) and
      moderately preterm (n=144)} and 194 term delivery cases were evaluated for TYMS
      14946bp deletion and its association with preterm delivery, pregnancy outcome,
      baby birth weight and homocysteine estimation. RESULTS: The results showed that
      the distribution of TYMS 14946bp del/del genotype significantly increased the
      risk of PTD [OR=2.801, p=0.002] and is associated with fetal death. The TYMS 6bp
      ins/del and 6bp del/del genotype was associated with low birth weight (LBW)
      compared to 6bp ins/ins genotype in both term and PTD groups, and in case of very
      (p=0.024) and moderately (p=0.045) sub-cohorts of PTD significantly. Elevated
      serum homocysteine levels were significantly associated with PTD (p<0.001) and
      fetal death (p=0.013); and was also found to significantly correlate with TYMS
      14946bp del/del genotype in all the pregnancy cases (p=0.008). TYMS 6bp del/del
      genotype was associated with higher homocysteine levels compared to ins/ins
      (p=0.005) and ins/del (p=0.062) genotypes within the PTD group. CONCLUSION: The
      study provides crucial information regarding the importance of TYMS6bpdel/del
      genotype and associated hyperhomocysteinemia in susceptibility to PTD, fetal
      death and LBW; and thus indicating their prognostic significance of TYMS 6bp
      del/del genotype in PTD which is of clinical importance.

PMID- 28627445
TI  - Right-sided acute diverticulitis: A single Western center experience.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Right sided diverticular disease is a rare condition in Western
      countries whereas is common amongst Asian population. The aim of this study is to
      evaluate options and outcomes for the treatment of right colonic diverticulitis.
      METHOD: We included only patients undergoing surgery with right colon
      diverticulitis (RCD) proven at histological specimen examination from September
      2011 to December 2016. RESULTS: We performed 18 operations for RCD. Age was lower
      compared to left sided disease (49 +/- 16 vs 67 +/- 14; P < 0.001). Three
      patients were Asian (16.7%). RCD was diagnosed preoperatively in 8 cases (44.4%),
      whereas appendicitis was suspected in 9 cases (50%) and neoplasm in one (5.6%).
      We performed resection with anastomosis in 13 patients (72.2%) and in 5 cases we
      performed a diverticulectomy. Laparoscopy was performed in 14 cases (77.8%).
      Postoperative morbidity occurred in 3 patients (16.7%; grade 2 or 3a according to
      Clavien-Dindo) with no mortality. No postoperative events occured after
      diverticulectomy with shorter hospital stay (4 +/- 1.5 vs 11 +/- 13; P = 0.022),
      as no recurrence or need for elective surgery after a mean follow-up of 20
      months. CONCLUSION: RCD is a rare but not irrelevant condition. Minimally
      invasive surgery is often feasible and complication rate is low. In selected
      patients, diverticulectomy can be a valid alternative to treat this condition
      providing improved postoperative results.

PMID- 28627446
TI  - Lipid profile and suicide attempt in bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis of
      published and unpublished data.
AB  - Evidence suggests an association between low lipid levels and suicidality in
      subjects with severe mental disorders. This is the first systematic review and
      meta-analysis aimed at exploring differences in lipid profile between suicide
      attempters and non-attempters with bipolar disorder. We included observational
      studies providing comparative cross-sectional data on total cholesterol, LDL
      cholesterol and triglycerides levels. We searched main Electronic Databases,
      identifying 11 studies that met our inclusion criteria, including also
      unpublished data. Meta-analyses based on random-effects models were carried out,
      generating pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs). Heterogeneity among
      studies was estimated using the I2 index. The meta-analyses included data on
      lipid profile from 11 studies based on 288 subjects with and 754 without suicide
      attempt, respectively. No differences in total cholesterol (SMD: -0.10; 95%CI: 
      0.30 to 0.10; p=0.34), LDL-cholesterol (SMD: -0.26; 95%CI: -0.65 to 0.13;
      p=0.19), and triglycerides (SMD: -0.06; 95%CI: -0.31 to 0.19; p=0.63) were
      detected. Heterogeneity across studies was low-moderate and no risk of
      publication bias was found. Subgroup analyses showed no differences on effect
      size across different study characteristics, including different time-frames of
      suicide attempt, except for small sample size. Therefore, the evidence for an
      association between serum lipid profile and suicidality in bipolar disorder
      cannot be claimed. More research is needed to better understand the mechanisms
      underlying suicidal behaviours in bipolar patients, exploring further peripheral
      biomarkers as this may help clinicians screen and prevent suicidality.

PMID- 28627447
TI  - Pain with traumatic brain injury and psychological disorders.
AB  - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the cause for long-term disability in more than 3
      million patients in the US alone, with chronic pain being the most frequently
      reported complain. To date, predisposing mechanisms for chronic pain in TBI
      patients are largely unknown. Psychological disorders, including post-traumatic
      stress disorder, depression and anxiety following TBI are commonly reported
      comorbidities to post-traumatic pain. Long term consequences can be debilitating
      and affect quality of life even when the injury is mild. In this review, we
      present the most commonly reported chronic pain conditions across the spectrum of
      severity of TBI, mainly focusing on mild TBI. We discuss chronic post- traumatic
      headaches, widespread pain as well as post-traumatic central pain. We discuss
      pain in the context of injury severity and military versus civilian populations.
      We are only starting to understand the biological mechanisms behind post
      traumatic pain and associated psychological distress following TBI, with genetic,
      biochemical and imaging studies pointing to the dopaminergic, neurotrophic
      factors and the role of Apolipoprotein. Physiological and neurological mechanisms
      are proposed to partially explain this interaction between post-traumatic pain
      and psychological distress. Nevertheless, the evidence for the role of structural
      brain damage remains incomplete and to a large extent debatable, as it is still
      difficult to establish clear causality between brain trauma and chronic pain.
      Finally, general aspects of management of chronic pain post-TBI are addressed.

PMID- 28627448
TI  - Opiate exposure state controls dopamine D3 receptor and cdk5/calcineurin
      signaling in the basolateral amygdala during reward and withdrawal aversion
      memory formation.
AB  - The dopamine (DA) D3 receptor (D3R) is highly expressed in the basolateral
      nucleus of the amygdala (BLA), a neural region critical for processing opiate
      related reward and withdrawal aversion-related memories. Functionally, D3R
      transmission is linked to downstream Cdk5 and calcineurin signaling, both of
      which regulate D3R activity states and play critical roles in memory-related
      synaptic plasticity. Previous evidence links D3R transmission to opiate-related
      memory processing, however little is known regarding how chronic opiate exposure
      may alter D3R-dependent memory mechanisms. Using conditioned place preference
      (CPP) and withdrawal aversion (conditioned place aversion; CPA) procedures in
      rats, combined with molecular analyses of BLA protein expression, we examined the
      effects of chronic opiate exposure on the functional role of intra-BLA D3R
      transmission during the acquisition of opiate reward or withdrawal aversion
      memories. Remarkably, we report that the state of opiate exposure during
      behavioural conditioning (opiate-naive/non-dependent vs. chronically exposed and
      in withdrawal) controlled the functional role of intra-BLA D3R transmission
      during the acquisition of both opiate reward memories and withdrawal-aversion
      associative memories. Thus, whereas intra-BLA D3R blockade had no effect on
      opiate reward memory formation in the non-dependent state, blockade of intra-BLA
      D3R transmission prevented the formation of opiate reward and withdrawal aversion
      memory in the chronically exposed state. This switch in the functional role of
      D3R transmission corresponded to significant increases in Cdk5 phosphorylation
      and total expression levels of calcineurin, and a corresponding decrease in intra
      BLA D3R expression. Inhibition of either intra-BLA Cdk5 or calcineurin reversed
      these effects, switching intra-BLA associative memory formation back to a D3R
      independent mechanism.

PMID- 28627449
TI  - MicroRNA-214 regulates immunity-related genes in bovine mammary epithelial cells
      by targeting NFATc3 and TRAF3.
AB  - In human, microRNA-214 (miR-214) plays crucial roles in mechanisms of immunity.
      However, the potential importance of miR-214 in immune mechanisms in dairy cows
      has not been investigated. In this study, we assessed potential immunity-related
      functions of miR-214 in human 293A cells and in bovine mammary epithelial cells
      (BMECs). We found that NFATc3 and TRAF3 could be targeted by miR-214 in both 293A
      cells and BMECs. We also found that miR-214 indirectly inhibited the expression
      of MAP3K14, TBK1 and inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1beta. Taken together,
      our data revealed miR-214 regulated immunity-related genes by targeting NFATc3
      and TRAF3, which provides insight into the molecular basis of immunity.

PMID- 28627450
TI  - Impact of fixation artifacts and threshold selection on high resolution melting
      analysis for KRAS mutation screening.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has expanded with
      monoclonal antibodies targeting epidermal growth factor receptor, but is
      restricted to patients with a wild-type (WT) KRAS mutational status. The most
      sensitive assays for KRAS mutation detection in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded
      (FFPE) tissues are based on real-time PCR. Among them, high resolution melting
      analysis (HRMA), is a simple, fast, highly sensitive, specific and cost-effective
      method, proposed as adjunct for KRAS mutation detection. However the method to
      categorize WT vs mutant sequences in HRMA is not clearly specified in available
      studies, besides the impact of FFPE artifacts on HRMA performance hasn't been
      addressed either. METHODS: Avowedly adequate samples from 104 consecutive mCRC
      patients were tested for KRAS mutations by TherascreenTM (FDA Validated test),
      HRMA, and HRMA with UDG pre-treatment to reverse FFPE fixation artifacts.
      Comparisons of KRAS status allocation among the three methods were done. Focusing
      on HRMA as screening test, ROC curve analyses were performed for HRMA and HMRA
      UDG against TherascreenTM, in order to evaluate their discriminative power and to
      determine the threshold of profile concordance between WT control and sample for
      KRAS status determination. RESULTS: Comparing HRMA and HRMA-UDG against
      TherascreenTM as surrogate gold standard, sensitivity was 1 for both HRMA and
      HRMA-UDG; and specificity and positive predictive values were respectively 0.838
      and 0.939; and 0.777 and 0.913. As evaluated by the McNemar test, HRMA-UDG
      allocated samples to a WT/mutated genotype in a significatively different way
      from HRMA (p > 0.001). On the other hand HRMA-UDG did not differ from
      TherascreenTM (p = 0.125). ROC-curve analysis showed a significant discriminative
      power for both HRMA and HRMA-UDG against TherascreenTM (respectively, AUC of
      0.978, p > 0.0001, CI 95% 0.957-0.999; and AUC of 0.98, p > 0.0001, CI 95% 0.000
      1.0). For HRMA as a screening tool, the best threshold (degree of concordance
      between sample curves and WT control) was attained at 92.14% for HRMA
      (specificity of 0.887), and at 92.55% for HRMA-UDG (specificity of 0.952).
      CONCLUSIONS: HRMA is a highly sensitive method for KRAS mutation detection, with
      apparently adequate and statistically significant discriminative power. FFPE
      sample fixation artifacts have an impact on HRMA results, so for HRMA on FFPE
      samples pre-treatment with UDG should be strongly suggested. The choice of the
      threshold for melting curve concordance has also great impact on HRMA
      performance. A threshold of 93% or greater might be adequate if using HRMA as a
      screening tool. Further validation of this threshold is required.

PMID- 28627451
TI  - Leadless pacemaker surrounded by three valvular prostheses.

PMID- 28627452
TI  - Engineering of unconventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica for efficient succinic
      acid production from glycerol at low pH.
AB  - Yarrowia lipolytica is considered as a potential candidate for succinic acid
      production because of its innate ability to accumulate citric acid cycle
      intermediates and its tolerance to acidic pH. Previously, a succinate-production
      strain was obtained through the deletion of succinate dehydrogenase subunit
      encoding gene Ylsdh5. However, the accumulation of by-product acetate limited
      further improvement of succinate production. Meanwhile, additional pH adjustment
      procedure increased the downstream cost in industrial application. In this study,
      we identified for the first time that acetic acid overflow is caused by CoA
      transfer reaction from acetyl-CoA to succinate in mitochondria rather than
      pyruvate decarboxylation reaction in SDH negative Y. lipolytica. The deletion of
      CoA-transferase gene Ylach eliminated acetic acid formation and improved succinic
      acid production and the cell growth. We then analyzed the effect of
      overexpressing the key enzymes of oxidative TCA, reductive carboxylation and
      glyoxylate bypass on succinic acid yield and by-products formation. The best
      strain with phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (ScPCK) from Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae and endogenous succinyl-CoA synthase beta subunit (YlSCS2)
      overexpression improved succinic acid titer by 4.3-fold. In fed-batch
      fermentation, this strain produced 110.7g/L succinic acid with a yield of 0.53g/g
      glycerol without pH control. This is the highest succinic acid titer achieved at
      low pH by yeast reported worldwide, to date, using defined media. This study not
      only revealed the mechanism of acetic acid overflow in SDH negative Y.
      lipolytica, but it also reported the development of an efficient succinic acid
      production strain with great industrial prospects.

PMID- 28627453
TI  - Design and development of multi-walled carbon nanotube-liposome drug delivery
      platforms.
AB  - The aim of this study is to design and develop delivery platforms made of
      liposomes and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). We used different lipids
      with different main transition temperature (Tm) and differently functionalized
      MWCNTs with organic addends possessing either positive or negative charge. The
      phospholipids used for the formulations were 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3
      phosphocholine (DPPC) (Tm=41 degrees C) and L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine,
      hydrogenated Soy (HSPC) (Tm=53 degrees C). By Differential Scanning Calorimetry
      (DSC), we studied the interaction between the DPPC and HSPC bilayers and MWCNTs.
      Liposome-MWCNTs delivery platforms prepared according to the protocol used in the
      literature. We used dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering in order to
      investigate the physicochemical characteristics of these mixed nanocarriers. The
      presence of MWCNTs causes alterations of the size of the conventional HSPC and
      DPPC liposomes. The zeta-potential values of mixed nanocarriers are near zero.
      This observation indicates the effective incorporation of MWCNTs into the lipid
      bilayer of liposomes. Fluorescence spectroscopy has been utilized to exact some
      qualitative information on the internal nanostructure and nanoenvironment of the
      lipid/carbon nanotube mixed structures. Finally, we conclude that we successfully
      prepare and completely characterize mixed nanocarriers composed of lipids and
      MWCNTs, with low toxicity as indicated by in vitro screening.

PMID- 28627454
TI  - Synthesis, physiochemical characterization, and in vitro antitumor activity of
      the amide and pH cleavable hydrazone conjugates of gamma-tocotrienol isomer of
      vitamin E with methoxy-poly(ethylene) glycol.
AB  - The anticancer activity of water soluble methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG)
      derivatives of tocotrienol (T3) isomers of vitamin E was previously found to be
      reduced when compared to the parent free isomers. This could be due to the ester
      bond formation between the mPEG and the 6-OH group on the chroman moiety of the
      T3 isomer. To further investigate, the objectives of the current study were to
      (1) synthesize and characterize stable amide and cleavable hydrazone conjugates
      between mPEG and carbon-5 on the chroman moiety of T3, and (2) examine the
      cytotoxicity of the newly synthesized mPEG conjugates against breast (MCF-7 and
      MDA-MB-231) and pancreatic (BxPC-3 and PANC-1) cancer cells. Conjugates were
      synthesized by direct conjugation of succinyl chloride derivatives of mPEG to the
      alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocotrienol isomers of vitamin E, and were
      characterized by 1H NMR, FT-IR, and mass spectrometry. The micelles of the amide
      and hydrazone self-assembled conjugates were characterized for size, zeta, CMC,
      and stability at different pH media. The hydrolysis of the hydrazone conjugate
      was pH dependent with highest release at acidic (pH 5.5) conditions, whereas the
      amide conjugate was stable in all tested media. The amide conjugate nonetheless
      showed greater cytotoxicity than the hydrazone conjugate, which suggested that
      maintaining solubility and the presence of free 6-OH group are important for
      gamma-T3 to exert anticancer activity in vitro. The results from the current
      study demonstrated the importance of considering the nature of the chemical bond
      between T3 and mPEG when designing functional ingredients for use in drug
      delivery.

PMID- 28627456
TI  - Effect of the surface layer on drug release from delefilcon-A (Dailies Total1(r))
      contact lenses.
AB  - Contact lenses are receiving significant attention for delivering ophthalmic
      drugs with higher bioavailability compared to eye drops. Here we explore drug
      transport from delefilcon-A Dailies Total1(r) lenses which are designed to have a
      thin, high-water content layer on the surface. Our goal is to determine the
      impact of this high water content layer on drug transport for both hydrophobic
      (dexamethasone and cyclosporine) and hydrophilic (timolol and levofloxacin)
      drugs. Drugs were loaded into the lens by soaking in aqueous drug solutions till
      equilibrium, followed by release in phosphate buffered saline. The concentration
      data during release was fitted to the diffusion equation without considering the
      surface layer. If fits were poor, the surface layer was include in the model, as
      a burst release. Results showed that surface layer resulted in a burst release of
      about 35% of the loaded drug for the two hydrophilic drugs, and the model did not
      fit the data unless the surface layer was incorporated as a burst release. For
      the hydrophobic drugs, there was no burst release and the model fitted the data
      without including the surface layer likely because of the low partition
      coefficient of the hydrophobic drugs in the surface layer compared to the lens.
      The results further confirm the presence of the high water content surface layer
      on the Dailies Total1(r) lenses. The release profile of the burst release for
      hydrophilic drugs could be therapeutically useful for antibiotics where a high
      dose is desirable initially. The effect of vitamin E loading-an established
      procedure for increasing drug release time in other commercial lenses, was also
      tested on the release of timolol maleate and levofloxacin. A 20% vitamin E
      loading was found to increase the release time of timolol and levofloxacin by a
      factor of 5 and 3-fold respectively, but this increase proved much less effective
      compared to vitamin E's effect on other commercial silicone hydrogels.

PMID- 28627455
TI  - Gemcitabine-vitamin E conjugates: Synthesis, characterization, entrapment into
      nanoemulsions, and in-vitro deamination and antitumor activity.
AB  - Gemcitabine is the first line therapy for pancreatic cancer. It is, however,
      extensively metabolized to the inactive form by deamination enzymatic reaction.
      Conjugation of gemcitabine with fatty acids on its 4-amino group was found to
      protect it from deamination deactivation reaction. The objective of the present
      study was to test the in-vitro anticancer activity of gemcitabine conjugated to
      the gamma-tocotrienol isomer of vitamin E against pancreatic tumor cells. This
      objective was based on reported studies in which it was demonstrated that free
      tocotrienol isomers of vitamin E can potentiate the anticancer activity of
      gemcitabine. To accomplish this objective, a full synthesis scheme for
      gemcitabine conjugation to fatty acids (stearic and linoleic) and the tocopherol
      and tocotrienol isomers of vitamin E (alpha-T and gamma-T3) was presented. The
      conjugates were characterized by 1H NMR and mass spectrometry analysis and tested
      for their susceptibility to deamination. Also discussed is the impact of
      entrapping the conjugates into nanoemulsions on the physiochemical properties of
      the delivery system and the in vitro anticancer activity of gemcitabine against
      Bx-PC-3 and PNAC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. In-vitro enzymatic deamination study
      showed that the gamma-T3 conjugate of gemcitabine was least affected by
      deamination deactivation reaction when compared with the free and conjugated
      gemcitabine in solution. Furthermore, in-vitro cytotoxicity study demonstrated
      that entrapment of gemcitabine-lipid conjugates into nanoemulsions significantly
      enhanced their anticancer activity when compared to the free drug. It was
      concluded that conjugation to the gamma-T3 isomer is a viable option for
      gemcitabine delivery and is worthy of further investigation.

PMID- 28627457
TI  - Analysis of the origins of content non-uniformity in high-shear wet granulation.
AB  - In this study, the origins of granule content non-uniformity in the high-shear
      wet granulation of a model two-component pharmaceutical blend were investigated.
      Using acetaminophen as the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and
      microcrystalline cellulose as the excipient, the distribution of the API across
      the granule size classes was measured for a range of conditions that differed in
      the duration of the initial dry mixing stage, the overall composition of the
      blend and the wet massing time. The coarse granule fractions were found to be
      systematically sub-potent, while the fines were enriched in the API. The extent
      of content non-uniformity was found to be dependent on two factors - powder
      segregation during dry mixing and redistribution of the API between the granule
      size fractions during the wet massing phase. The latter was demonstrated in an
      experiment where the excipient was pre-granulated, the API was added later and
      wet massed. The content non-uniformity in this case was comparable to that
      obtained when both components were present in the granulator from the beginning.
      With increasing wet massing time, the extent of content non-uniformity decreased,
      indicating that longer wet massing times might be a solution for systems with a
      natural tendency for component segregation.

PMID- 28627458
TI  - siRNA-loaded biodegradable nanocarriers for therapeutic MAPK1 silencing against
      cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.
AB  - Ototoxicity represents a major adverse side-effect of cis
      diamminedichloroplatinum-II (cisplatin, CDDP). The mitogen-activated protein
      kinase (MAPK) pathway is thought to play a central role in potentiating the
      apoptotic effect of CDDP within the cochlea. We hypothesized that prophylactic
      inhibition of MAPK signaling, using small interfering RNA (siRNA), might confer a
      protective effect against CDDP-induced apoptosis within the auditory sensory
      epithelia. To enhance the therapeutic utility of this approach, we synthesized
      biocompatible siMAPK1-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) and performed physicochemical
      characterizations for size, morphology, drug loading and release kinetics, using
      dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy and spectrophotometric analyses,
      respectively. Our findings show 183.88+/-6.26 nm-sized spherical siMAPK1-loaded
      NPs with -27.12+/-6.65mV zeta potential and 112.78+/-0.24pmol/mg of siMAPK1
      loading that exhibit a sustained release profile for prolonged therapeutic
      efficacy. Synthesized NPs were validated for biocompatibility and
      prophylactically protected against CDDP-induced cytotoxicity in HEI-OC1 cells and
      hair cell loss in murine organotypic cochlear explants. Our study confirms a
      pivotal role for MAPK1 signaling as a potentiating factor for CDDP-induced
      apoptosis and cochlear hair cell loss, and highlights siMAPK1 NP treatment as a
      therapeutic strategy for limiting the ototoxic side-effects associated with
      systemic CDDP administration.

PMID- 28627459
TI  - Peripheral blood gene expression of acute phase proteins in people with first
      episode psychosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a growing interest in the association between schizophrenia
      and the activation of inflammatory system with signs of acute phase (AP)
      response. Majority of such studies had focused on C-reactive protein (CRP). The
      aims of the present study were (i) to examine the gene expression profiles of
      other acute phase proteins (APP), namely haptoglobin (HP), alpha-1 antitrypsin
      (A1T), and alpha-2 macroglobulin (A2M) in patients with first episode psychosis
      (FEP) over a period of three months and (ii) to explore the association between
      APP levels and severity of symptoms. METHODS: In this study, HP, A1T and A2M gene
      expression levels from whole blood were measured at recruitment, 1- and 3-month
      follow-up visits using quantitative PCR (qPCR) in 43 patients with FEP and in 57
      healthy controls. Diagnoses was ascertained on the Structured Clinical Interview
      for DSM-IV-TR. Severity of symptoms in patients was assessed on the Positive and
      Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and a previously validated 5-factor PANSS
      structure was applied in the subsequent analyses. RESULTS: The FEP sample
      comprised of 28 (65.1%) individuals with schizophrenia, 12 (27.9%) with
      schizophreniform disorder and 3 (7%) with schizoaffective disorder. HP gene
      expression level was noted to be significantly higher in patients than controls
      at all three time points: recruitment (P=0.049), 1-month follow up (P=0.002) and
      3-month follow up (P=0.005). PANSS positive, depression, and excitement symptom
      factors showed significant associations with HP (P=0.002), A1T (P=0.016) and A2M
      (P=0.034), respectively. These findings remained significant after controlling
      for age, gender, smoking status and accumulated chlorpromazine dosage.
      CONCLUSION: The current study provides information on HP, A1T and A2M gene
      expression profiles in FEP patients and their associations with psychopathology.
      This provides support for the hypothesis that inflammation is related to
      schizophrenia and further encourages studies on immune-inflammatory markers to
      understand the relationship between inflammation and schizophrenia.

PMID- 28627460
TI  - Polysaccharides from Epimedium koreanum Nakai with immunomodulatory activity and
      inhibitory effect on tumor growth in LLC-bearing mice.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Epimedium koreanum Nakai is documented as tonic
      herbal in China for over a thousand years and has the potential to enhance the
      body's immunity according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
      Polysaccharides are one of the most important effective compounds in Epimedium
      koreanum Nakai. Accumulating evidence indicated polysaccharides derived from
      traditional Chinese medicine have potent immune-enhancing properties and
      relatively nontoxic effects in cancer treatment. However, information about
      immunological regulation in tumor of Epimedium koreanum Nakai polysaccharides is
      limited and the reports of purification, characterization of polysaccharides have
      remained less. The purpose of our study was to further investigate the active
      polysaccharides from Epimedium koreanum Nakai by evaluating the immune-regulation
      activities in tumor-bearing mice and provide reasonable explanation for
      traditional application. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We firstly purified Epimedium
      koreanum polysaccharide (EPS) from crude extracts and evaluated EPS in vitro
      using immunological experiments including maturation and Ag presentation function
      of DCs, CD4 T-cell differentiation and secretion of anti-cancer cytokines. In LLC
      bearing mice model, we investigated its antitumor activities through evaluation
      of tumor cell proliferative activity, calculation of immune organ indexes and
      relative host immune system function tests. RESULTS: Results showed that EPS (180
      * 104Da) was composed of mannose (Man), rhamnose (Rha), glucuronic acid (GlcUA),
      galactosamine (GalN), glucose (Glc), galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara) and
      fructose (Fuc). Chemical composition assay indicated EPS was a fraction with
      28.20% uronic acid content. FT-IR suggested the presence of pyraoid ring in EPS
      and SEM displayed smooth surface embedded by several pores. Moreover, Our study
      suggested EPS could remarkably stimulate macrophages to secrete substantial anti
      cancer cytokines and promote maturation as well as Ag presentation function of
      DCs. Strikingly, CD4 T-cell differentiation and increased INF-gamma production
      stimulated by EPS-activated macrophages were observed in the research.
      Furthermore, EPS exhibited prominent antitumor activities through regulating host
      immune system function in LLC-bearing mice. Taken together, experimental findings
      suggested EPS could be regarded as a potential immune-stimulating modifier for
      cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: Our studies demonstrated the polysaccharide (180 *
      104Da) purified from Epimedium koreanum Nakai could promote maturation and Ag
      presentation function of DCs, increase the level of immunomodulatory cytokines
      and activate CD4 T-cell differentiation. Furthermore, it may inhibit the tumor
      growth in LLC-bearing mice through regulating host immune system function.

PMID- 28627461
TI  - 8-methoxypsoralen reduces AKT phosphorylation, induces intrinsic and extrinsic
      apoptotic pathways, and suppresses cell growth of SK-N-AS neuroblastoma and SW620
      metastatic colon cancer cells.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) is a furanocoumarin and
      an active compound of a traditional Egyptian medicinal plant Ammi majus L, whose
      juice/fruit has been used for many years in folk phototherapy for the treatment
      of vitiligo or a hyperproliferative skin disorder, psoriasis. 8-MOP together with
      UVA light is also used as an anticancer drug for the treatment of cutaneous T
      cell lymphoma. However, furanocoumarins exert anticancer activity even without UV
      irradiation. AIM OF THE STUDY: Evaluation UV-independent anticancer activity of 8
      MOP in human cancer cell lines and identification of the mechanisms involved in
      this action. Results could provide new data about a potential role of 8-MOP in
      prevention and growth suppression in a broad spectrum of cancers. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: 8-MOP (99%, HPLC/MS assay) was isolated from A. majus fruits by
      chromatographic methods. The effect of 8-MOP on cell viability was evaluated by
      the MTT test in several human cancer cell lines. Anti-proliferative activity of 8
      MOP was evaluated by the BrdU assay in neuroblastoma (SK-N-AS) and metastatic
      colon cancer (SW620) cells. The Hoechst/PI staining was used for morphological
      analysis of cell death. An annexin V-FITC/PI double labelling and Cell Death
      Detection ELISA kit were used to detect apoptosis. The expression of apoptosis
      associated proteins and the AKT activation status were determined by Western blot
      analysis. RESULTS: 8-MOP inhibited cell growth in several cancer cell lines. The
      SK-N-AS and SW620 cells were the most sensitive to the compound. 8-MOP reduced
      the phosphorylation of AKT308, decreased the expression of Bcl-2, increased the
      Bax protein level, and activated caspases -8, -9, and -3 in both cell lines.
      CONCLUSIONS: 8-MOP impairs the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway and, independently of
      photoactivation, can inhibit the growth of neuroblastoma and colon cancer cells
      by induction of apoptosis via intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

PMID- 28627462
TI  - Clinical and Pathological Staging Validation in the Eighth Edition of the TNM
      Classification for Lung Cancer: Correlation between Solid Size on Thin-Section
      Computed Tomography and Invasive Size in Pathological Findings in the New T
      Classification.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to validate the new eighth edition of the
      TNM classification and to elucidate whether radiological solid size corresponds
      to pathological invasive size incorporated in this T factor. METHODS: We analyzed
      the data on 1792 patients who underwent complete resection from 2003 to 2011 at
      the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan. We reevaluated preoperative thin
      section computed tomography (TSCT) to determine solid size and pathological
      invasive size using the fourth edition of the WHO classification and reclassified
      them according to the new TNM classification. The discriminative power of
      survival curves by the seventh edition was compared with that by the eighth
      edition by using concordance probability estimates and Akaike's information
      criteria calculated using a univariable Cox regression model. Pearson's
      correlation coefficient was calculated to elucidate the correlation between
      radiological solid size using TSCT and pathological invasive size. RESULTS: The
      overall survival curves in the eighth edition were well distinct at each clinical
      and pathological stage. The 5-year survival rates of patients with clinical and
      pathological stage 0 newly defined were both 100%. The concordance probability
      estimate and Akaike's information criterion values of the eighth edition were
      higher than those of the seventh edition in discriminatory power for overall
      survival. Solid size on TSCT scan and pathological invasive size showed a
      positive linear relationship, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was
      calculated as 0.83, which indicated strong correlation. CONCLUSIONS: This TNM
      classification will be feasible regarding patient survival, and radiological
      solid size correlates significantly with pathological invasive size as a new T
      factor.

PMID- 28627463
TI  - Pre-operative assessment of residual disease in locally advanced breast cancer
      patients: A sequential study by quantitative diffusion weighted MRI as a function
      of therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: The potential of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in assessing
      pathologic response and surgical margins in locally advanced breast cancer
      patients (n=38) undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy was investigated. METHODS:
      DWI was performed at pre-therapy (Tp0), after I (Tp1) and III (Tp3) NACT at 1.5T.
      Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of whole tumor (ADCWT), solid tumor (ADCST),
      intra-tumoral necrosis (ADCNec) was determined. Further, ADC of 6 consecutive
      shells (5mm thickness each) including tumor margin to outside tumor margins (OM1
      to OM5) was calculated and the data analyzed to define surgical margins. RESULTS:
      Of 38 patients, 6 were pathological complete responders (pCR), 19 partial
      responders (pPR) and 13 were non-responders (pNR). Significant increase was
      observed in ADCST and ADCWT in pCR and pPR following therapy. Pre-therapy ADC was
      significantly lower in pCR compared to pPR and pNR indicating the heterogeneous
      nature of tumor which may affect drug perfusion and consequently the response.
      ADC of outside margins (OM1, OM2, and OM3) was significantly different among pCR,
      pPR and pNR at Tp3 which may serve as response predictive parameter. Further, at
      Tp3, ADC of outside margins (OM1, OM2, and OM3) was significantly lower compared
      to that seen at Tp0 in pCR, indicating the presence of residual disease in these
      shells. CONCLUSION: Pre-surgery information may serve as a guide to define cancer
      free margins and the extent of residual disease which may be useful in planning
      breast conservation surgery.

PMID- 28627464
TI  - Analysis of protein complexes in Arabidopsis leaves using size exclusion
      chromatography and label-free protein correlation profiling.
AB  - Protein complexes are fundamentally important for diverse cellular functions, and
      create functionalities that could never be achieved by a single polypeptide.
      Knowledge of the protein complex assemblies that exist in plant cells are
      limited. To close this gap, we applied an integrative proteomic approach that
      combines cell fractionation, protein chromatography and quantitative mass
      spectrometry (MS) to analyze the oligomerization state of thousands of proteins
      in a single experiment. Soluble extracts from intact Arabidopsis leaves were
      fractionated using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and abundance profiles
      across the column fractions were quantified using label-free precursor ion (MS1)
      intensity. In duplicate experiments, we reproducibly detected 1693 proteins, of
      which 983 proteins were cytosolic. Based on the SEC profiles, approximately one
      third of all of the soluble proteins were predicted to be oligomeric. Our dataset
      includes both subunits of previously known complexes as well as hundreds of new
      protein complexes. The label-free MS1-based quantification method described here
      produced a highly useful dataset for the plant biology community, and provided a
      foundation to incorporate orthogonal protein complex separation methods so the
      composition and dynamics of protein complexes can be analyzed based on LC/MS
      profile data alone.

PMID- 28627465
TI  - Differential proteome analysis of hippocampus and temporal cortex using label
      free based 2D-LC-MS/MS.
AB  - : Hippocampus and temporal cortex are important brain regions, which play
      distinct, but complimentary roles in mediating learning and memory. Herein, we
      utilized label-free differential proteome strategy to explore function of normal
      human hippocampus and temporal cortex in learning and memory. As a result, a
      total of 5529 and 5702 proteins were identified in hippocampus and temporal
      cortex, respectively, 516 of which were significantly differential expressed,
      with abundance span 5 orders of magnitudes. Pathways analysis showed that
      temporal cortex was involved in growth of axons growth and synapse density
      regulation, through which could regulate long-term potentiation and long-term
      retention of trace memory. Hippocampus was involved in regulation of cell
      survival and cell viability, and regulates neurons proliferation by actin
      dynamics changes, through which involved in both short-term memory and long-term
      memory. Four selected differential proteins were further validated by Western
      blot and immunohistochemistry. For the first time, we identified proteins and
      associated pathways of hippocampus and temporal cortex in human cognition process
      using proteomic strategy, which would provide references for generating
      corresponding insights in hippocampus and temporal cortex-related cognitive
      function. The original data files can be downloaded at
      http://211.102.209.254/page/PSV023.html;?url=1489542083729AFHp (password: kYxh).
      SIGNIFICANCE: This study explored the potential molecular mechanism of
      hippocampus and temporal cortex in human cognition function using proteomics
      strategy, which will offer a baseline reference for further cognitive disorders
      study and reveal insights into physiology of temporal cortex and hippocampus.

PMID- 28627467
TI  - Time to review the gold standard for genotyping vancomycin-resistant enterococci
      in epidemiology: Comparing whole-genome sequencing with PFGE and MLST in three
      suspected outbreaks in Sweden during 2013-2015.
AB  - Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a challenge to the health-care system
      regarding transmission rate and treatment of infections. VRE outbreaks have to be
      controlled from the first cases which means that appropriate and sensitive
      genotyping methods are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the
      applicability of whole genome sequencing based analysis compared to Pulsed-Field
      Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) in
      epidemiological investigations as well as the development of a user friendly
      method for daily laboratory use. Out of 14,000 VRE - screening samples, a total
      of 60 isolates positive for either vanA or vanB gene were isolated of which 38
      were from patients with epidemiological links from three suspected outbreaks at
      Uppsala University Hospital. The isolates were genotypically characterised with
      PFGE, MLST, and WGS based core genome Average Nucleotide Identity analysis
      (cgANI). PFGE was compared to WGS and MLST regarding reliability, resolution, and
      applicability capacity. The PFGE analysis of the 38 isolates confirmed the
      epidemiological investigation that three outbreaks had occurred but gave an
      unclear picture for the largest cluster. The WGS analysis could clearly
      distinguish six ANI clusters for those 38 isolates. As result of the comparison
      of the investigated methods, we recommend WGS-ANI analysis for epidemiological
      issues with VRE. The recommended threshold for Enterococcus faecium VRE outbreak
      strain delineation with core genome based ANI is 98.5%. All referred sequences of
      this study are available from the NCBI BioProject number PRJNA301929.

PMID- 28627466
TI  - Patterns of intra-articular injection use after initiation of treatment in
      patients with knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe and evaluate longitudinal use of intra-articular
      injections after treatment initiation among adults with radiographically
      confirmed knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHOD: Using data from the Osteoarthritis
      Initiative (OAI), we included participants with radiographically confirmed OA
      (Kellgren-Lawrence grade (K-L) >= 2) in >=1 knee at baseline. With 9 years of
      data, 412 participants newly initiating hyaluronic acid or corticosteroid
      injections with their index visit were identified. For each type of injection
      initiated, socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were described by
      patterns of treatments (one-time use, switched, or continued injections).
      Multinomial logistic models estimated the extent to which patient-reported
      symptoms (post-initial injection and changes over time) were associated with
      patterns of injection use. RESULTS: Of those initiating injections, ~19%
      switched, ~21% continued injection type, and ~60% did not report any additional
      injections. For participants initiating corticosteroid injections, greater
      symptoms post-initial injection were associated with lower odds of continued use
      compared to one-time users (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for Western Ontario and
      McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) pain: 0.91; 95%, confidence
      interval (CI): 0.83 to 0.99; aORstiffness: 0.77; CI: 0.63 to 0.94; aORphysical
      function: 0.97; CI: 0.94 to 1.00). Symptom changes over time (e.g., worsened or
      improved) were not associated with patterns of injections use. CONCLUSION: After
      treatment initiation, the proportion of patients switching injection use and one
      time users was substantial. Symptoms post-initial injection appear to be
      associated with patterns of injection use. The extent to which these patterns are
      an indication of lack of impact on patient-reported symptoms should be explored.

PMID- 28627468
TI  - A novel chalcone derivative, LQFM064, induces breast cancer cells death via p53,
      p21, KIT and PDGFRA.
AB  - This study shows the design, synthesis and antitumoral potential evaluation of a
      novel chalcone-like compound, (E)-3- (3, 5-di-ter-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1- (4
      hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one [LQFM064) (4)], against human breast
      adenocarcinoma MCF7 cells. Some toxicological parameters were also investigated.
      LQFM064) (4) exhibited cytotoxic activity against MCF7 cells (IC50=21MUM), in a
      concentration dependent-manner, and triggered significant changes in cell
      morphology and biochemical/molecular parameters, which are suggestive of an
      apoptosis inductor. LQFM064) (4) (21MUM) induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase
      with increased p53 and p21 expressions. It was also shown that the compound (4)
      did not interfere directly in p53/MDM2 complexation of MCF7 cells. In these
      cells, externalization of phosphatidylserine, cytochrome c release, increased
      expression of caspases-7, -8 and -9, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and
      ROS overgeneration were also detected following LQFM064 (4) treatment. Further
      analysis revealed the activation of both apoptotic pathways via modulation of the
      proteins involved in the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways with an increase in TNF
      R1, Fas-L and Bax levels and a reduction in Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, KIT
      proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase, insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) and
      platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA) were downregulated, while
      glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) and interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5)
      expressions were increased by LQFM064 (4)-triggered cytotoxic effects in MCF7
      cells. Moreover, it can be inferred that compound (4) has a moderate acute oral
      systemic toxicity hazard, since its estimated LD50 was 452.50mg/kg, which
      classifies it as UN GHS Category 4 (300mg/kg>LD50<2000mg/kg). Furthermore,
      LQFM064 (4) showed a reduced potential myelotoxicity (IC50=150MUM for mouse bone
      marrow hematopoietic progenitors). In conclusion, LQFM064 (4) was capable of
      inducing breast cancer cells death via different cytotoxic pathways. Thus, it is
      a promising alternative for the treatment of neoplasias, especially in terms of
      the drug resistance development.

PMID- 28627469
TI  - Modeling and comparison of release profiles: Effect of the dissolution method.
AB  - During the last decades, the study of the in vitro dissolution of pharmaceuticals
      has been strongly encouraged by the FDA in order to determine its relationship
      with the in vivo bioavailability of a drug. In this work immediate and extended
      release formulations containing diclofenac, a BCS class II drug, were studied
      using different dissolution methods. The release profiles obtained in USP
      Apparatus II and USP Apparatus IV were evaluated and compared to determine the
      effect of the fluid dynamic conditions on the release. The influence of the
      mixing conditions (i.e. the paddle rotation speed in USP Apparatus II or the
      inlet flow rate in USP Apparatus IV) on the drug release were evaluated, finding
      that, for the extended release formulations, they do not affect significantly the
      release profile. An in vitro device simulating the peristaltic contractions of
      the stomach during the digestion was used to simulate fluid dynamics closer to
      the real physiology. The tablets were found to behave in a completely different
      way if tested in the artificial stomach. Both model-independent and model
      dependent approaches were used to compare and fit the dissolution profiles,
      respectively. Fit factors were used as indicators of similarity of two
      dissolution profiles; model equations (such as zero-order, first-order, or
      Korsmeyer-Peppas equations) were used to fit the experimental data. With the
      identification of the best fitting model by the use of correlation factors and
      Akaike Information Criterion, the transport phenomena that determine the behavior
      of each formulation were identified.

PMID- 28627470
TI  - Investigation of itraconazole ternary amorphous solid dispersions based on
      povidone and Carbopol.
AB  - We investigate a ternary system that consists of itraconazole (ITZ) and two
      polymers: povidone K12 and Carbopol 907. The interactions between these two
      polymers and their effects on the properties of ternary ITZ amorphous solid
      dispersions (ASDs) are studied. These two polymers can form a water-insoluble
      complex in acidic aqueous media. The critical pH is determined to be 4.17. The
      weight percentage of Carbopol 907 in the interpolymer complex range from 59 to
      70%, depending on the initial ratios between these two polymers in the starting
      solutions. This complexation is driven by a negative enthalpy change from the H
      bonding between the two polymers and a positive entropy change from the freed
      water molecules. Due to the slow precipitation of the interpolymer complex in
      aqueous media, the attempt to prepare ternary ASD using solvent-controlled
      coprecipitation is not successful. Melt extrusion is identified to be the only
      viable method to prepare this ternary ASD. We find that interpolymer complex
      based ASDs are physically less stable and demonstrate the poorest drug-release
      properties when compared to individual polymer-based binary ASDs. This study
      illustrates that the too strong interaction between polymers in ternary ASDs is
      detrimental to their performance.

PMID- 28627471
TI  - Phospholipid-drug conjugates as a novel oral drug targeting approach for the
      treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
AB  - The enzyme phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is overexpressed in the inflamed intestine in
      inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, and in this work we aimed to exploit
      PLA2 as a prodrug-activating enzyme for a novel PL-drug conjugate, thereby
      liberating the free drug specifically in the targeted diseased tissue(s). The
      proposed prodrug contains a drug moiety covalently bound through a linker to the
      sn-2 position of a phospholipid (PL). The NSAID diclofenac was used as model
      molecule, and four different linker lengths (2, 4, 6 and 8 -CH2 units) were
      studied. The four PL-diclofenac conjugates were synthesized and characterized by
      LC/MS and NMR. PLA2-mediated activation of the prodrugs was analyzed in-vitro,
      and the remaining intact complex and free drug liberation were assessed after
      incubation with PLA2. The rate and degree of PLA2-mediated activation were highly
      dependent on the linker length; 2- and 4-carbon linker conjugates were activated
      to lower extent than the 6-carbon conjugate, and longer linker again decreased
      the affinity towards PLA2. The 6-carbon linker conjugate was found to be the
      optimal and released ~95% of the free drug after incubation with PLA2, whereas
      only ~20% were delivered by the 2-carbon linker prodrug. The 6-carbon linker
      conjugate was shown to be stable in intestinal perfusate, fresh plasma, and pH4.0
      and 6.8 buffers, but not at pH1.0. In conclusion, the results of this work
      confirm the feasibility of our general aim to exploit PLA2 as a prodrug
      activating enzyme of PL-drug conjugates. This may provide a novel oral drug
      targeting approach in IBD therapy.

PMID- 28627472
TI  - Molecular Dynamics as a tool for in silico screening of skin permeability.
AB  - Prediction of skin permeability can have manifold applications ranging from drug
      delivery to toxicity prediction. Along with the semi-empirical or mechanistic
      models proposed in the last decades, Molecular Dynamics simulations have recently
      become a fruitful tool for investigating membrane permeability, in particular as
      they allow the involved mechanisms to be modelled at a molecular level. Despite
      their significant structural complexity, Molecular Dynamics simulations can also
      be utilized to study permeation through the lipid matrix that characterizes the
      stratum corneum. In this work, Steered Molecular Dynamics simulations are
      performed on a suitably developed stratum corneum lipid matrix model. Regardless
      of their actual tortuous path within the stratum corneum, the permeants, taken
      from a Fully Validated dataset of 80 compounds of known permeability coefficient,
      are moved through the bilayer along its normal. This allows the exploration of
      all the possible conformational and physicochemical constraints the molecule
      experiences when moving through the bilayer. The so performed Steered Molecular
      Dynamics simulations are then utilized to extract the corresponding lipophilicity
      and diffusion parameters as computed by subdividing the entire path in 18 regions
      of different polarity and composition. Correlative analyses showed that the water
      lipids interface is the best performing region and that significant enhancements
      can be gained by including parameters accounting for the temperature effect.
      Taken together, the developed models possess an enhanced predictive power
      compared to the existing equations and statistics are approaching the best
      possible results, given the uncertainty in the utilized permeability data.

PMID- 28627473
TI  - Glycyrrhetic acid, but not glycyrrhizic acid, strengthened entecavir activity by
      promoting its subcellular distribution in the liver via efflux inhibition.
AB  - Entecavir (ETV) is a superior nucleoside analogue used to treat hepatitis B virus
      (HBV) infection. Although its advantages over other agents include low viral
      resistance and the elicitation of a sharp decrease in HBV DNA, adverse effects
      such as hepatic steatosis, hepatic damage and lactic acidosis have also been
      reported. Glycyrrhizin has long been used as hepato-protective medicine. The
      clinical combination of ETV plus glycyrrhizin in China displays better
      therapeutic effects and lower rates of liver damage. However, there is little
      evidence explaining the probable synergistic mechanism that exists between these
      two drugs from a pharmacokinetics view. Here, alterations in the plasma
      pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, subcellular distribution, and in vitro and
      in vivo antiviral activity of ETV after combination with glycyrrhizic acid (GL)
      were analysed to determine the synergistic mechanisms of these two drugs.
      Specific efflux transporter membrane vesicles were also used to elucidate their
      interactions. The primary active GL metabolite, glycyrrhetic acid (GA), did not
      affect the plasma pharmacokinetics of ETV but promoted its accumulation in
      hepatocytes, increasing its distribution in the cytoplasm and nucleus and
      augmenting the antiviral efficiency of ETV. These synergistic actions were
      primarily due to the inhibitory effect of GA on MRP4 and BCRP, which transport
      ETV out of hepatocytes. In conclusion, GA interacted with ETV at cellular and
      subcellular levels in the liver through MRP4 and BCRP inhibition, which enhanced
      the antiviral activity of ETV. Our results partially explain the synergistic
      mechanism of ETV and GL from a pharmacokinetics view, providing more data to
      support the use of these compounds together in clinical HBV treatment.

PMID- 28627474
TI  - Sox9 positive periosteal cells in fracture repair of the adult mammalian long
      bone.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The phases of fracture healing have been well characterized.
      However, the exact source and genetic profile of the skeletal progenitors that
      participate in bone repair is somewhat unclear. Sox9 expression in skeletal
      elements precedes bone and cartilage formation and a Sox9+ cell type is retained
      in the adult periosteum. We hypothesized that Sox9+ periosteal cells are
      multipotent skeletal progenitors normally participating in fracture repair.
      METHODS: To test this hypothesis we used tamoxifen (TM)-mediated lineage tracing
      of Sox9+ cells in Sox9CreErt2:Td-Tomato mice. Intact femora were analyzed with
      immunostaining and RNA sequencing to evaluate the skeletal distribution and gene
      expression profile of Td-Tomato positive, Sox9-descendent cells in the adult
      femur. To assess the role of Td-tomato+cells in the fracture healing process,
      mice underwent a closed mid-diaphyseal femoral fracture. Fractured hind limbs
      were analyzed by X-ray, histology and immuno-staining at 3, 9 or 56days post
      fracture. RESULTS: In the intact adult mouse femur, Td-Tomato-labeled cells were
      observed in the primary spongiosa, periosteum and endosteum. RNA sequencing
      showed that Td-Tomato positive periosteal cells were co-enriched for Sox9
      transcripts, and mRNAs for osteoblast and chondrocyte specific genes. In a
      femoral fracture model, we showed that pre-labeled Td-Tomato positive descendent
      cells were mobilized during the early stages of bone repair (day 3 post-op)
      contributing to the fracture repair process by differentiating into chondrocytes,
      osteoblasts and osteocytes. CONCLUSION: A Sox9+ skeletal progenitor population
      resides in the adult periosteum. Fate tracing studies show that descendants of
      the Sox9+ periosteal progenitors give rise to chondrocytes, osteoblasts and
      mature cortical osteocytes in repair of the fractured femur. To our knowledge
      this is the first report of a reparative Sox9+ progenitor population in the
      periosteum of the adult long bone. Taken together with developmental studies, our
      data suggest a broad role for Sox9+ osteochondroprogenitors in development and
      repair of the mammalian skeleton.

PMID- 28627475
TI  - Joint-specific risk of impaired function in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva
      (FOP).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) causes progressive
      disability due to heterotopic ossification from episodic flare-ups. Using data
      from 500 FOP patients (representing 63% of all known patients world-wide), age-
      and joint-specific risks of new joint involvement were estimated using parametric
      and nonparametric statistical methods. RESULTS: Compared to data from a 1994
      survey of 44 individuals with FOP, our current estimates of age- and joint
      specific risks of new joint involvement are more accurate (narrower confidence
      limits), based on a wider range of ages, and have less bias due to its greater
      comprehensiveness (captures over three-fifths of the known FOP patients
      worldwide). For the neck, chest, abdomen, and upper back, the estimated hazard
      decreases over time. For the jaw, lower back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers,
      hip, knee, ankle, and foot, the estimated hazard increases initially then either
      plateaus or decreases. At any given time and for any anatomic site, the data
      indicate which joints are at risk. CONCLUSIONS: This study of approximately 63%
      of the world's known population of FOP patients provides a refined estimate of
      risk for new involvement at any joint at any age, as well as the proportion of
      patients with uninvolved joints at any age. Importantly, these joint-specific
      survival curves can be used to facilitate clinical trial design and to determine
      if potential treatments can modify the predicted trajectory of progressive joint
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28627477
TI  - Corrigendum to "The interdigitating loop of the enolase superfamily as a
      specificity binding determinant or 'flying buttress'" [Biochim. Biophys. Acta]
      1865 (2017) 619-630.

PMID- 28627476
TI  - Deciphering the protein-protein interaction network regulating hepatocellular
      carcinoma metastasis.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of mortality related
      to cancer all over the world. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of
      HCC metastasis, we analyzed the proteome of three HCC cell lines with different
      metastasis potentials by quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analysis. As
      a result, we identified 378 cellular proteins potentially associated to HCC
      metastasis, and constructed a highly connected protein-protein interaction (PPI)
      network. Functional annotation of the network uncovered prominent pathways and
      key roles of these proteins, suggesting that the metabolism and cytoskeleton
      biological processes are greatly involved with HCC metastasis. Furthermore, the
      integrative network analysis revealed a rich-club organization within the PPI
      network, indicating a hub center of connections. The rich-club nodes include
      several well-known cancer-related proteins, such as proto-oncogene non-receptor
      tyrosine kinase (SRC) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2). Moreover, the differential
      expressions of two identified proteins, including PKM2 and actin-related protein
      2/3 complex subunit 4 (ARPC4), were validated using Western blotting. These two
      proteins were revealed as potential prognostic markers for HCC as shown by
      survival rate analysis.

PMID- 28627480
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28627478
TI  - A glimpse into the specialization history of the lipases/acyltransferases family
      of CpLIP2.
AB  - Lipases/acyltransferases homologous to CpLIP2 from Candida parapsilosis belong to
      the alpha/beta hydrolase superfamily as lipase A from Moesziomyces antarcticus
      (Candida antarctica), and constitute a consistent phylogenetic subgroup with at
      least 56% identity. Lipases/acyltransferases share the phenotypic characteristic
      of a high acyltransfer activity even in aqueous media with very high water
      thermodynamic activity. Previous mutagenesis and evolution strategies have given
      insights into the role of key residues and protein subdomains in the reaction and
      substrate specificities of these enzymes. However, multiple mutations are often
      deleterious for the activity and the identification of all the residues that
      historically led to the function is complicated. A new complementary approach to
      elucidate structural determinant was conducted in this study, based on the
      resurrection of ancestral proteins to understand how the evolution led to the
      present properties of the biocatalysts. By doing so, the comparison with the
      extant proteins can lead to the identification of key residues involved in the
      enzymes' specialization. Using Ancestral Sequence Reconstruction, we have
      generated a putative ancestral lipases/acyltransferases, PaleoLAc. This enzyme
      shares a high level of identity with CpLIP2 but has a different catalytic
      behavior. PaleoLAc allowed the identification of putative key residues involved
      in acyltransfer ability and supports the hypothesis that this exceptional
      property within the lipases/acyltransferases family is linked to a cluster of
      residues in the vicinity of the active site. As a representative of the ancestral
      origin of the diversity of the catalytic behaviors observed in modern
      lipases/acyltransferases, PaleoLAc constitutes a powerful tool for further
      engineering toward targeted specialization.

PMID- 28627481
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28627483
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28627484
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28627485
TI  - Limitations of vitamin D supplementation trials: Why observational studies will
      continue to help determine the role of vitamin D in health.
AB  - Observational studies have shown that low vitamin D status is associated with an
      increased risk of a wide range of diseases. The body of observational evidence
      now is so large, that there have been many calls for randomized controlled trials
      (RCT) of vitamin D supplementation to confirm once and for all whether increasing
      body vitamin D levels prevents these diseases. These calls have arisen because of
      concern that confounding and reverse causation may explain many of the results
      from observational studies. However, RCTs also are prone to limitations that
      compromise their validity. These include low response rates that affect their
      external validity; and biases that affect their internal validity, such as
      recruitment of vitamin D sufficient people which decreases the power to detect
      beneficial effects, studies of long-term outcomes requiring participation for
      many years which decreases compliance and retention, and easy access for
      participants to vitamin D supplements and blood testing which increase
      contamination and unblinding. Because of these potential limitations, it is
      possible that RCTs of vitamin D supplementation may not to give a clear answer by
      themselves. Future decisions about the role of vitamin D in health are likely to
      be based on the evidence from a range of study designs including RCTs, mendelian
      randomization studies and other observational designs.

PMID- 28627487
TI  - Epicellular coccidiosis in goldfish.
AB  - In a goldfish stock held in a pet fish pond, heavy coccidian infection, caused by
      an epicellularly developing Goussia species, appeared in April of 3 consecutive
      years (2014 to 2016). The shape and size of the oocysts resembled those of an
      inadequately described species, Goussia carassiusaurati (Romero-Rodriguez, 1978).
      In histological sections, gamogonic and sporogonic stages infested mostly the
      second fifth of the intestine, where almost all epithelial cells were infected.
      Both gamonts and young oocysts occurred intracellularly but in an
      extracytoplasmal position, seemingly outside the cells. Oocysts were shed non
      sporulated. Spheroid to ellipsoidal non-sporulated oocysts measured 12.4 * 13.5
      um on average, but after 48 h sporulation in tap water they reached a size of 16
      * 13 um. The 4 elliptical sporocysts located loosely within the sporulated
      oocysts measured 13 * 5.4 um. The oocysts and sporocysts were smaller than those
      of the better-known Goussia species G. aurati (Hoffman, 1965).

PMID- 28627486
TI  - The association between detected drug resistance mutations and CD4+ T-cell
      decline in HIV-positive individuals maintained on a failing treatment regimen.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To analyse the effect of drug resistance mutations (DRM) on CD4+ T
      cell (CD4) trends in HIV-positive people maintained on virologically failing
      antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: Individuals from two large cohorts
      experiencing virological failure (VF) while maintained on ART with >=1 CD4 count
      and >=1 resistance test were included. CD4 slopes were estimated using linear
      mixed models. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the effect of
      clusters of mutations, defined using extracted component based scores from the
      PCA, on CD4 decline. RESULTS: 5,357 individuals contributing 7,661 VF episodes
      were included: any DRM were detected in 88.8% of episodes. After adjustment, CD4
      counts declined less steeply during episodes where DRM were detected compared to
      episodes with no DRM (difference =28 cells/mm3/year, 95% CI =18, 39; P<0.001).
      Among individuals with at least one DRM, we found evidence that any
      nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) resistance, the
      reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations M184V, D67N and T215Y as well as the
      protease mutations V82A and I54V were associated with reduced CD4 declines. The
      detection of any non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance, the
      RT mutations V179D and L74V were associated with steeper CD4 declines. The
      presence of some mutation patterns similar to the clusters identified by the PCA
      also affected the CD4 decline. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of resistance and of
      certain DRM during VF of ART has a small but significant favourable effect on CD4
      decline.

PMID- 28627488
TI  - Diversity of Veronaea botryosa from different hosts and evaluation of laboratory
      challenge models for phaeohyphomycosis in Acipenser transmontanus.
AB  - Veronaea botryosa has been identified as a pathogen of cultured white sturgeon
      Acipenser transmontanus. In 2015, samples from 19 white sturgeon were received
      for diagnosis, of which 14 cultured positive for V. botryosa. Intraspecific
      variability among V. botryosa isolates from different clinically affected hosts
      and geographic regions was investigated using repetitive extragenic palindromic
      PCR fingerprinting (rep-PCR). The rep-PCR profiles of 16 V. botryosa isolates
      from a human, sea turtles, and cultured fish were distinct from those of other
      phaeoid fungi belonging to the genera Cladophialophora and Exophiala. To gain a
      better understanding of the pathogenesis of V. botryosa mycosis, 5 laboratory
      challenge methods were evaluated in white sturgeon fingerlings. Intramuscular
      (IM) and intracoelomic (IC) injection challenges produced cumulative mortalities
      of 13.3% (8/60) and 3.3% (2/60), respectively, and V. botryosa was recovered from
      100% (10/10) of dead fingerlings. Affected fish exhibited abnormal orientation
      and/or failure to maintain neutral buoyancy, emaciation, coelomic distension,
      exophthalmos, cutaneous erythema, and ulcerated skin. After 6 wk, surviving fish
      were euthanized, and samples of liver were taken for mycological evaluation.
      Viable fungus was detected in 90% and 100% of fish surviving IM and IC challenge,
      respectively. No V. botryosa-associated mortality was detected in other groups
      challenged by immersion, immersion with abrasion, or orally. Both IM and IC
      challenge routes appear suitable for the induction of V. botryosa infection in
      white sturgeon and can serve as models for the study of disease pathogenesis
      associated with this emergent pathogen.

PMID- 28627489
TI  - Treatment of Francisella infections via PLGA- and lipid-based nanoparticle
      delivery of antibiotics in a zebrafish model.
AB  - We tested the efficiency of 2 different antibiotics, rifampicin and oxolinic
      acid, against an established infection caused by fish pathogen Francisella
      noatunensis ssp. orientalis (F.n.o.) in zebrafish. The drugs were tested in the
      free form as well as encapsulated into biodegradable nanoparticles, either
      polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles or nanostructured lipid
      carriers. The most promising therapies were PLGA-rifampicin nanoparticles and
      free oxolinic acid; the PLGA nanoparticles significantly delayed embryo mortality
      while free oxolinic acid prevented it. Encapsulation of rifampicin in both PLGA
      and nanostructured lipid carriers enhanced its efficiency against F.n.o.
      infection relative to the free drug. We propose that the zebrafish model is a
      robust, rapid system for initial testing of different treatments of bacterial
      diseases important for aquaculture.

PMID- 28627490
TI  - Genotyping and antimicrobial resistance genes of Yersinia ruckeri isolates from
      rainbow trout farms.
AB  - In this study, we compared 142 Yersinia ruckeri isolates collected between 2013
      and 2016 from 6 different regions in Turkey. A total of 18 different genogroups
      were found, though most of the isolates clustered into the same genogroup as
      serotype O1. As immunization of fish with inactivated Y. ruckeri by injection,
      immersion, or feeding provide minimal protection against Y. ruckeri infection in
      Turkey, many fish producers use antimicrobials unrestrictedly, resulting in
      antimicrobial resistance in aquatic pathogens. Accordingly, we investigated
      resistance to the antimicrobials most commonly used to treat yersiniosis. More
      than 80% of the Y. ruckeri isolates were susceptible to sulfamethoxazole
      trimethoprim (SXT), florfenicol (FFC), and tetracycline, whereas none were
      susceptible to sulfamethoxazole. The most commonly used antimicrobials (SXT and
      FFC) can be effectively administered because the resistance levels to these drugs
      are the lowest among those reported for agents used to control enteric red mouth
      disease (12.6 and 14.7%, respectively). In conclusion, to the best of our
      knowledge, this study is the first characterization of the antimicrobial
      resistance genes floR, sulI, tetC, tetD, and tetE in Y. ruckeri isolates from
      aquaculture. Additionally, we detected the sulII gene but not the tetA, tetB,
      tetM, tetS, or sulIII genes.

PMID- 28627491
TI  - Survival, growth performance and immune capacity of the juvenile lined seahorse
      Hippocampus erectus fed with rifampicin-treated copepods.
AB  - Gastrointestinal disease is one of the most serious diseases in cultured seahorse
      juveniles. Treatment with antimicrobials of live food (i.e. copepods and Artemia)
      that is used to feed the juveniles may be a promising measure to alleviate the
      occurrence of gastrointestinal disease. However, relevant investigations are
      rare. In the present study, we first investigated the antimicrobial efficacies on
      bacteria within copepods that were treated with 4 antimicrobials, including 3
      antibiotics (i.e. enrofloxacin hydrochloride, oxytetracycline and rifampicin
      [RFP]) that are approved for use in aquaculture and 1 disinfectant (i.e. povidone
      iodine). We then assessed the effects of copepods treated with the antimicrobial
      that had the best antimicrobial efficacy on survival, growth performance and
      immune capacity of juvenile lined seahorses Hippocampus erectus. The results
      showed that RFP had the best antimicrobial efficacy on both Pseudoalteromonas
      spp. and Vibrio spp., 2 dominant bacteria with potential pathogenicity within the
      copepods; the proper concentration of RFP was 6 mg l-1. Moreover, H. erectus
      juveniles fed with RFP-treated copepods demonstrated an improved survivorship and
      immune capacity and had a lower abundance of pathogenic bacteria within their
      gastrointestinal tracts compared to juveniles fed with untreated copepods. These
      results suggest that treating live food with RFP is a potential measure for
      reducing the incidence of gastrointestinal disease in seahorse juveniles.

PMID- 28627492
TI  - Fate of redspotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) in experimentally
      challenged Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum.
AB  - Redspotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV), genus Betanodavirus, family
      Nodaviridae, is the causative agent of viral encephalopathy and retinopathy
      (otherwise known as viral nervous necrosis) and can infect several fish species
      worldwide. Betanodaviruses, including RGNNV, are very resilient in the aquatic
      environment, and their presence has already been reported in several wild marine
      species including invertebrates. In order to investigate the interaction between
      a bivalve mollusc (Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum) and RGNNV, we optimised a
      culture-based method. The bioaccumulation of the pathogenic RGNNV by R.
      philippinarum and the potential shedding of viable RGNNV from RGNNV-exposed clams
      were evaluated through a culture-based method. R. philippinarum clearly
      accumulated viable RGNNV in their hepatopancreatic tissue and were able to
      release viable RGNNV via faecal matter and filtered water into the surrounding
      environment. The role of clams as bioaccumulators and shedders of viable RGGNV
      could put susceptible cohabiting cultured fish at risk. RGNNV-contaminated
      molluscs could behave as reservoirs for this virus and may modify the virus
      epidemiology.

PMID- 28627493
TI  - Parasitic infections in the East Asian finless porpoise Neophocaena
      asiaeorientalis sunameri living off the Chinese Yellow/Bohai Sea coast.
AB  - Parasitic disease is among the major causes of health problems in marine mammals.
      However, little information on parasitic species composition and infection levels
      in finless porpoises (Neophocaena spp.) is available. In this study, we report
      the first systematic survey on parasitic infections in the East Asian finless
      porpoise N. asiaeorientalis sunameri (EAFP) living off the Chinese Yellow/Bohai
      Sea coast. Using both morphological and molecular methods, 5 parasitic helminths
      were identified: Campula oblonga in the liver and pancreas; Synthesium seymouri
      in the pyloric stomach and duodenum ampulla; Anisakis pegreffii in the
      forestomach, main stomach, and esophagus; Halocercus sp. in the lungs; and
      Crassicauda magna in the mammary glands and muscle. Among these helminths, C.
      oblonga (80.7%), S. seymouri (80.7%), A. pegreffii (80.7%), and Halocercus sp.
      (77.4%) were the most prevalent, whereas C. magna (6.5%) were only observed in 2
      EAFP individuals. All juvenile and adult EAFPs were parasitized by at least 3
      parasites species (C. oblonga, S. seymouri, and A. pegreffii), whereas in
      neonates, only Halocercus sp. were detected. We observed no significant
      difference in parasite prevalence between males and females. In addition, A.
      pegreffii and C. magna represented new infection records in Neophocaena. A
      pathological examination associated with parasitic lesions in EAFPs showed damage
      or destruction of cells or tissues to some extent. This study represents the
      first systematic survey on parasitic infections in EAFPs, providing important and
      valuable parasitological information for the research and conservation of this
      coastal marine mammal.

PMID- 28627494
TI  - First record of proliferative kidney disease agent Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae
      in wild brown trout and European grayling in Finland.
AB  - The myxozoan endoparasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae causes temperature-driven
      proliferative kidney disease (PKD) in salmonid fishes. Despite the economic and
      ecological importance of PKD, information about the distribution of the parasite
      is still scarce. Here, we report for the first time the occurrence of T.
      bryosalmonae in wild brown trout Salmo trutta and European grayling Thymallus
      thymallus populations in Finland. We detected T. bryosalmonae at high prevalence
      in both brown trout and European grayling from the transboundary Finnish-Russian
      River Koutajoki system (Rivers Oulankajoki, Kuusinkijoki, Kitkajoki,
      Maaninkajoki, and Juumajoki) in north-eastern Finland. In southern Finland, T.
      bryosalmonae was detected in River Siuntionjoki young-of-the-year brown trout
      collected both in 2015 and 2016 (100% prevalence), while the parasite was not
      observed in fish from 3 other rivers (Ingarskila, Mustajoki, and Vantaanjoki)
      flowing to the Gulf of Finland. Our results, together with those from recent
      studies of Atlantic salmon, indicate that T. bryosalmonae is distributed over
      much higher latitudes in northern Europe than previously appreciated. We expect
      that increasing water temperatures will likely cause new PKD outbreaks in these
      more northerly regions in the future.

PMID- 28627495
TI  - Disease and mortality among Yesso scallops Patinopecten yessoensis putatively
      caused by infection with Francisella halioticida.
AB  - During the fall of 2015, up to 40% mortality occurred in juvenile Yesso scallops
      Patinopecten yessoensis at an aquaculture site in Baynes Sound, British Columbia,
      Canada. Macroscopic lesions were present in 11% of the scallops, and
      histopathology consisting of multifocal and diffuse haemocyte infiltration was
      observed in 44% of the specimens examined. Histologically, small Gram-negative
      intracellular bacteria-like particles were observed within necrotic haemocytes of
      the lesions, suggesting a bacterial aetiology. DNA was extracted from adductor
      muscle lesions of diseased scallops, and the 16s rDNA gene as well as the DNA
      directed RNA polymerase beta subunit (rpoB) were amplified by PCR. Sequence
      analyses of the resulting 413 and 925 bp fragments were a 100% match to the
      reference sequence for Francisella halioticida, originally described as the cause
      of mortality in abalone from Japan. Isolation and culture of the bacteria was not
      possible at the time, as no further diseased specimens were available. Results
      from in situ hybridization assays as well as examination by transmission electron
      microscopy provide further evidence supporting the hypothesis that F. halioticida
      was the most probable causative agent of the lesions and mortality.

PMID- 28627496
TI  - Controllable synthesis of nickel bicarbonate nanocrystals with high homogeneity
      for a high-performance supercapacitor.
AB  - The electrochemical performance of supercapacitors might be associated with the
      homogeneous structure of the electrode materials. However, the relationship
      between the degree of uniformity for the electrode materials and the
      electrochemical performance of the supercapacitor is not clear. Herein, we
      synthesize two types of nickel bicarbonate nanocrystals with different degrees of
      uniformity to investigate this relationship. As the electroactive material, the
      nickel bicarbonate nanocrystals with a homogeneous structure could provide a
      larger space and offer more exposed atoms for the electrochemical reaction than
      the nanocrystals with a heterogeneous structure. The homogeneous nickel
      bicarbonate nanocrystals exhibit better electrochemical performance and show
      excellent specific capacitance (1596 F g-1 at 2 A g-1 and 1260 F g-1 at 30 A g
      1), which is approximately twice that of the heterogeneous nickel bicarbonate
      nanocrystals. The cycling stability for the homogeneity (~80%) is higher than the
      inhomogeneity (~61%) at a high current density of 5 A g-1.

PMID- 28627497
TI  - Fluorescent carbon nanodots facilely extracted from Coca Cola for temperature
      sensing.
AB  - A novel method for the fabrication of carbon nanodots (CDs) is introduced:
      extracting CDs from the well-known soft drink Coca Cola via dialysis. The
      obtained CDs are of good monodispersity with a narrow size distribution (average
      diameter of 3.0 nm), good biocompatibility, high solubility (about 180 mg ml-1)
      and stable fluorescence even at a high salt concentration. Furthermore, they are
      sensitive to the temperature change with a linear relationship between the
      fluorescence intensity and temperature from 5  degrees C-95  degrees C. The CDs
      have been applied in high stable temperature sensing. This protocol is quite
      simple, green, cost-effective and technologically simple, which might be used for
      a range of applications including sensing, catalysts, drug and gene delivery, and
      so on.

PMID- 28627498
TI  - Highly stable red-emitting polymer dots for cellular imaging.
AB  - Polymer dots (Pdots) have emerged as a new type of fluorescent probe material for
      biomedical applications and have attracted great interest due to their excellent
      optical properties and biocompatability. In this work, we report on a red
      emitting P3HT Pdot fluorescent probe for intracellular bioimaging. The as
      prepared Pdot fluorescent probe exhibits good stability and has a large Stokes
      shift (121 nm) compared to molecules in tetrahydrofuran (THF). Furthermore, the
      probe shows low cytotoxicity, broad absorption spectrum, resistance against
      photodegradation, and good water dispersibility. These advantageous
      characteristics make P3HT Pdots a promising fluorescent probe material for
      bioimaging.

PMID- 28627499
TI  - First-principles studies of chromium line-ordered alloys in a molybdenum
      disulfide monolayer.
AB  - Density functional theory calculations have been performed to study the
      thermodynamic stability, structural and electronic properties of various chromium
      (Cr) line-ordered alloy configurations in a molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) hexagonal
      monolayer for band gap engineering. Only the molybdenum (Mo) sites were
      substituted at each concentration in this study. For comparison purposes,
      different Cr line-ordered alloy and random alloy configurations were studied and
      the most thermodynamically stable ones at each concentration were identified. The
      configurations formed by the nearest neighbor pair of Cr atoms are energetically
      most favorable. The line-ordered alloys are constantly lower in formation energy
      than the random alloys at each concentration. An increase in Cr concentration
      reduces the lattice constant of the MoS2 system following the Vegard's law. From
      density of states analysis, we found that the MoS2 band gap is tunable by both
      the Cr line-ordered alloys and random alloys with the same magnitudes. The
      reduction of the band gap is mainly due to the hybridization of the Cr 3d and Mo
      4d orbitals at the vicinity of the band edges. The band gap engineering and
      magnitudes (1.65 eV to 0.86 eV) suggest that the Cr alloys in a MoS2 monolayer
      are good candidates for nanotechnology devices.

PMID- 28627500
TI  - Nanowire-based thermoelectrics.
AB  - Research on thermoelectrics has seen a huge resurgence since the early 1990s. The
      ability of tuning a material's electrical and thermal transport behavior upon
      nanostructuring has led to this revival. Nevertheless, thermoelectric
      performances of nanowires and related materials lag far behind those achieved
      with thin-film superlattices and quantum dot-based materials. This is despite the
      fact that nanowires offer many distinct advantages in enhancing the
      thermoelectric performances of materials. The simplicity of the strategy is the
      first and foremost advantage. For example, control of the nanowire diameters and
      their surface roughnesses will aid in enhancing their thermoelectric
      performances. Another major advantage is the possibility of obtaining high
      thermoelectric performances using simpler nanowire chemistries (e.g., elemental
      and binary compound semiconductors), paving the way for the fabrication of
      thermoelectric modules inexpensively from non-toxic elements. In this context,
      the topical review provides an overview of the current state of nanowire-based
      thermoelectrics. It concludes with a discussion of the future vision of nanowire
      based thermoelectrics, including the need for developing strategies aimed at the
      mass production of nanowires and their interface-engineered assembly into
      devices. This eliminates the need for trial-and-error strategies and complex
      chemistries for enhancing the thermoelectric performances of materials.

PMID- 28627501
TI  - Two-dimensional hybrid layered materials: strain engineering on the band
      structure of MoS2/WSe2 hetero-multilayers.
AB  - In this paper, we report a comprehensive modeling and simulation study of
      constructing hybrid layered materials by alternately stacking MoS2 and WSe2
      monolayers. Such hybrid MoS2/WSe2 hetero-multilayers exhibited direct bandgap
      semiconductor characteristics with bandgap energy (E g) in a range of 0.45-0.55
      eV at room temperature, very attractive for optoelectronics (wavelength range 2.5
      2.75 MUm) based on thicker two-dimensional (2D) materials. It was also found that
      the interlayer distance has a significant impact on the electronic properties of
      the hetero-multilayers, for example a five orders of magnitude change in the
      conductance was observed. Three material phases, direct bandgap semiconductor,
      indirect bandgap semiconductor, and metal were observed in MoS2/WSe2 hetero
      multilayers, as the interlayer distance decreased from its relaxed (i.e.,
      equilibrium) value of about 6.73 A down to 5.50 A, representing a vertical
      pressure of about 0.8 GPa for the bilayer and 1.5 GPa for the trilayer. Such new
      hybrid layered materials are very interesting for future nanoelectronic pressure
      sensor and nanophotonic applications. This study describes a new approach to
      explore and engineer the construction and application of tunable 2D
      semiconductors.

PMID- 28627502
TI  - Domain wall magnetoresistance in BiFeO3 thin films measured by scanning probe
      microscopy.
AB  - We measure the magnetotransport properties of individual 71 degrees  domain walls
      in multiferroic BiFeO3 by means of conductive-atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) in
      the presence of magnetic fields up to one Tesla. The results suggest anisotropic
      magnetoresistance at room temperature, with the sign of the magnetoresistance
      depending on the relative orientation between the magnetic field and the domain
      wall plane. A consequence of this finding is that macroscopically averaged
      magnetoresistance measurements for domain wall bunches are likely to
      underestimate the magnetoresistance of each individual domain wall.

PMID- 28627503
TI  - Three-layered polyplex as a microRNA targeted delivery system for breast cancer
      gene therapy.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs, play an important role in modulating
      cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Since miRNAs can regulate
      multiple cancer-related genes simultaneously, regulating miRNAs could target a
      set of related oncogenic genes or pathways. Owing to their reduced immune
      response and low toxicity, miRNAs with small size and low molecular weight have
      become increasingly promising therapeutic drugs in cancer therapy. However, one
      of the major challenges of miRNAs-based cancer therapy is to achieve specific,
      effective, and safe delivery of therapeutic miRNAs into cancer cells. Here we
      provide a strategy using three-layered polyplex with folic acid as a targeting
      group to systemically deliver miR-210 into breast cancer cells, which results in
      breast cancer growth being inhibited.

PMID- 28627504
TI  - Nature of the spin-glass phase in dense packings of Ising dipoles with random
      anisotropy axes.
AB  - Using tempered Monte Carlo simulations, we study the the spin-glass phase of
      dense packings of Ising dipoles pointing along random axes. We consider systems
      of dipoles (i) placed on the sites of a simple cubic lattice with lattice
      constant d, and (ii) placed at the center of random close packed spheres of
      diameter d that occupy 64% of the volume. For both cases, we find a spin-glass
      phase below a certain temperature T sg. By analysing the data obtained for the
      overlap parameter, the associated correlation length, as well as the statistics
      of the overlap distributions of individual samples, we find a behavior consistent
      with quasi-long-range order in the spin-glass phase, similar to the one
      previously found in strongly diluted dipolar systems.

PMID- 28627505
TI  - Monitoring alert and drowsy states by modeling EEG source nonstationarity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: As a human brain performs various cognitive functions within ever
      changing environments, states of the brain characterized by recorded brain
      activities such as electroencephalogram (EEG) are inevitably nonstationary. The
      challenges of analyzing the nonstationary EEG signals include finding
      neurocognitive sources that underlie different brain states and using EEG data to
      quantitatively assess the state changes. APPROACH: This study hypothesizes that
      brain activities under different states, e.g. levels of alertness, can be modeled
      as distinct compositions of statistically independent sources using independent
      component analysis (ICA). This study presents a framework to quantitatively
      assess the EEG source nonstationarity and estimate levels of alertness. The
      framework was tested against EEG data collected from 10 subjects performing a
      sustained-attention task in a driving simulator. MAIN RESULTS: Empirical results
      illustrate that EEG signals under alert versus drowsy states, indexed by reaction
      speeds to driving challenges, can be characterized by distinct ICA models. By
      quantifying the goodness-of-fit of each ICA model to the EEG data using the model
      deviation index (MDI), we found that MDIs were significantly correlated with the
      reaction speeds (r  =  -0.390 with alertness models and r  =  0.449 with
      drowsiness models) and the opposite correlations indicated that the two models
      accounted for sources in the alert and drowsy states, respectively. Based on the
      observed source nonstationarity, this study also proposes an online framework
      using a subject-specific ICA model trained with an initial (alert) state to track
      the level of alertness. For classification of alert against drowsy states, the
      proposed online framework achieved an averaged area-under-curve of 0.745 and
      compared favorably with a classic power-based approach. SIGNIFICANCE: This ICA
      based framework provides a new way to study changes of brain states and can be
      applied to monitoring cognitive or mental states of human operators in attention
      critical settings or in passive brain-computer interfaces.

PMID- 28627506
TI  - Antiferromagnetism, charge density wave, and d-wave superconductivity in the
      extended t-J-U model: role of intersite Coulomb interaction and a critical
      overview of renormalized mean field theory.
AB  - In the first part of the paper, we study the stability of antiferromagnetic (AF),
      charge density wave (CDW), and superconducting (SC) states within the t-J-U-V
      model of strongly correlated electrons by using the statistically consistent
      Gutzwiller approximation (SGA). We concentrate on the role of the intersite
      Coulomb interaction term V in stabilizing the CDW phase. In particular, we show
      that the charge ordering appears only above a critical value of V in a limited
      hole-doping range delta. The effect of the V term on SC and AF phases is that a
      strong interaction suppresses SC, whereas the AF order is not significantly
      influenced by its presence. In the second part, separate calculations for the
      case of a pure SC phase have been carried out within an extended approach (the
      diagrammatic expansion for the Gutzwiller wave function, DE-GWF) in order to
      analyze the influence of the intersite Coulomb repulsion on the SC phase with the
      higher-order corrections included beyond the SGA method. The upper concentration
      for the SC disappearance decreases with increasing V, bringing the results closer
      to experiment. In appendices A and B we discuss the ambiguity connected with the
      choice of the Gutzwiller renormalization factors within the renormalized mean
      filed theory when either AF or CDW orders are considered. At the end, we overview
      briefly the possible extensions of the current models to put descriptions of the
      SC, AF, and CDW states on equal footing.

PMID- 28627508
TI  - Corrigendum: An approach to and web-based tool for infectious disease outbreak
      intervention analysis.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep46076.

PMID- 28627507
TI  - Semivertical Incision: An Aesthetically and Electrophysiologically Effective Mini
      Incision Technique for Carpal Tunnel Decompression.
AB  - BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to present the clinical results of our
      retrospective series of carpal tunnel release (CTR) operations. For these
      operations we used a unique type of incision, for the first time, for treatment
      of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) consisting of a 1-cm semi-vertical (SV) incision
      made into the wrist crease for macroscopic open CTR. MATERIAL AND METHODS This
      retrospective study included 114 patients (101 females and 13 males) with CTR who
      were operated upon in our neurosurgery clinic between December 2010 and June
      2015. Patient ages ranged from 35 to 83 years (mean 55.05+/-12.04 years). In
      total, 127 hands (73 right and 54 left) were operated upon using the SV skin
      incision technique. After an average follow-up of 18 months (ranging from 6 to 30
      months), clinical and electrophysiological (EP) evaluations were performed.
      RESULTS A review of the English language literature published since 1957, when
      Phalen first popularised the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, determined
      that no previous reports of the mini-open incision technique as described in our
      study have been published. In our retrospective patient case review, we found
      that after operations using the SV incision technique, statistically significant
      differences were detected in electromyography (EMG) improvements (p<0.01). In
      addition, patients who showed improvement in EMG studies (n=90) were satisfied
      with the result of their surgery. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that 1-cm
      skin SV incision was a cosmetically satisfying, fast, and safe approach to CTR
      that was not only clinically effective but also electrophysiologically effective.

PMID- 28627509
TI  - Corrigendum: Developing informative microsatellite markers for non-model species
      using reference mapping against a model species' genome.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep23087.

PMID- 28627510
TI  - Glycogen controls Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan and resistance to oxidative
      stress.
AB  - A high-sugar diet has been associated with reduced lifespan in organisms ranging
      from worms to mammals. However, the mechanisms underlying the harmful effects of
      glucose are poorly understood. Here we establish a causative relationship between
      endogenous glucose storage in the form of glycogen, resistance to oxidative
      stress and organismal aging in Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that glycogen
      accumulated on high dietary glucose limits C. elegans longevity. Glucose released
      from glycogen and used for NADPH/glutathione reduction renders nematodes and
      human hepatocytes more resistant against oxidative stress. Exposure to low levels
      of oxidants or genetic inhibition of glycogen synthase depletes glycogen stores
      and extends the lifespan of animals fed a high glucose diet in an AMPK-dependent
      manner. Moreover, glycogen interferes with low insulin signalling and accelerates
      aging of long-lived daf-2 worms fed a high glucose diet. Considering its
      extensive evolutionary conservation, our results suggest that glycogen metabolism
      might also have a role in mammalian aging.

PMID- 28627511
TI  - Fronts and waves of actin polymerization in a bistability-based mechanism of
      circular dorsal ruffles.
AB  - During macropinocytosis, cells remodel their morphologies for the uptake of
      extracellular matter. This endocytotic mechanism relies on the collapse and
      closure of precursory structures, which are propagating actin-based, ring-shaped
      vertical undulations at the dorsal (top) cell membrane, a.k.a. circular dorsal
      ruffles (CDRs). As such, CDRs are essential to a range of vital and pathogenic
      processes alike. Here we show, based on both experimental data and theoretical
      analysis, that CDRs are propagating fronts of actin polymerization in a bistable
      system. The theory relies on a novel mass-conserving reaction-diffusion model,
      which associates the expansion and contraction of waves to distinct counter
      propagating front solutions. Moreover, the model predicts that under a change in
      parameters (for example, biochemical conditions) CDRs may be pinned and fluctuate
      near the cell boundary or exhibit complex spiral wave dynamics due to a wave
      instability. We observe both phenomena also in our experiments indicating the
      conditions for which macropinocytosis is suppressed.

PMID- 28627512
TI  - Non-equilibrium steady states in supramolecular polymerization.
AB  - Living systems use fuel-driven supramolecular polymers such as actin to control
      important cell functions. Fuel molecules like ATP are used to control when and
      where such polymers should assemble and disassemble. The cell supplies fresh ATP
      to the cytosol and removes waste products to sustain steady states. Artificial
      fuel-driven polymers have been developed recently, but keeping them in sustained
      non-equilibrium steady states (NESS) has proven challenging. Here we show a
      supramolecular polymer that can be kept in NESS, inside a membrane reactor where
      ATP is added and waste removed continuously. Assembly and disassembly of our
      polymer is regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, respectively.
      Waste products lead to inhibition, causing the reaction cycle to stop. Inside the
      membrane reactor, however, waste can be removed leading to long-lived NESS
      conditions. We anticipate that our approach to obtain NESS can be applied to
      other stimuli-responsive materials to achieve more life-like behaviour.

PMID- 28627513
TI  - A bioinspired and biocompatible ortho-sulfiliminyl phenol synthesis.
AB  - Synthetic methods inspired by Nature often offer unique advantages including mild
      conditions and biocompatibility with aqueous media. Inspired by an ergothioneine
      biosynthesis protein EgtB, a mononuclear non-haem iron enzyme capable of
      catalysing the C-S bond formation and sulfoxidation, herein, we discovered a mild
      and metal-free C-H sulfenylation/intramolecular rearrangement cascade reaction
      employing an internally oxidizing O-N bond as a directing group. Our strategy
      accommodates a variety of oxyamines with good site selectivity and intrinsic
      oxidative properties. Combining an O-N bond with an X-S bond generates a C-S bond
      and an S=N bond rapidly. The newly discovered cascade reaction showed excellent
      chemoselectivity and a wide substrate scope for both oxyamines and sulfenylation
      reagents. We demonstrated the biocompatibility of the C-S bond coupling reaction
      by applying a coumarin-based fluorogenic probe in bacterial lysates. Finally, the
      C-S bond coupling reaction enabled the first fluorogenic formation of
      phospholipids, which self-assembled to fluorescent vesicles in situ.

PMID- 28627514
TI  - Simultaneous overactivation of Wnt/beta-catenin and TGFbeta signalling by miR-128
      3p confers chemoresistance-associated metastasis in NSCLC.
AB  - Cancer chemoresistance and metastasis are tightly associated features. However,
      whether they share common molecular mechanisms and thus can be targeted with one
      common strategy remain unclear in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we
      report that high levels of microRNA-128-3p (miR-128-3p) is key to concomitant
      development of chemoresistance and metastasis in residual NSCLC cells having
      survived repeated chemotherapy and correlates with chemoresistance,
      aggressiveness and poor prognosis in NSCLC patients. Mechanistically, miR-128-3p
      induces mesenchymal and stemness-like properties through downregulating multiple
      inhibitors of Wnt/beta-catenin and TGF-beta pathways, leading to their
      overactivation. Importantly, antagonism of miR-128-3p potently reverses
      metastasis and chemoresistance of highly malignant NSCLC cells, which could be
      completely reversed by restoring Wnt/beta-catenin and TGF-beta activities.
      Notably, correlations among miR-128-3p levels, activated beta-catenin and TGF
      beta signalling, and pro-epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition/pro-metastatic
      protein levels are validated in NSCLC patient specimens. These findings suggest
      that miR-128-3p might be a potential target against both metastasis and
      chemoresistance in NSCLC.

PMID- 28627515
TI  - Lipid-mediated PX-BAR domain recruitment couples local membrane constriction to
      endocytic vesicle fission.
AB  - Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) involves membrane-associated scaffolds of the
      bin-amphiphysin-rvs (BAR) domain protein family as well as the GTPase dynamin,
      and is accompanied and perhaps triggered by changes in local lipid composition.
      How protein recruitment, scaffold assembly and membrane deformation is
      spatiotemporally controlled and coupled to fission is poorly understood. We show
      by computational modelling and super-resolution imaging that phosphatidylinositol
      3,4-bisphosphate [PI(3,4)P2] synthesis within the clathrin-coated area of
      endocytic intermediates triggers selective recruitment of the PX-BAR domain
      protein SNX9, as a result of complex interactions of endocytic proteins competing
      for phospholipids. The specific architecture induces positioning of SNX9 at the
      invagination neck where its self-assembly regulates membrane constriction,
      thereby providing a template for dynamin fission. These data explain how lipid
      conversion at endocytic pits couples local membrane constriction to fission. Our
      work demonstrates how computational modelling and super-resolution imaging can be
      combined to unravel function and mechanisms of complex cellular processes.

PMID- 28627516
TI  - Cooperative tumour cell membrane targeted phototherapy.
AB  - The targeted delivery of therapeutics using antibodies or nanomaterials has
      improved the precision and safety of cancer therapy. However, the paucity and
      heterogeneity of identified molecular targets within tumours have resulted in
      poor and uneven distribution of targeted agents, thus compromising treatment
      outcomes. Here, we construct a cooperative targeting system in which synthetic
      and biological nanocomponents participate together in the tumour cell membrane
      selective localization of synthetic receptor-lipid conjugates (SR-lipids) to
      amplify the subsequent targeting of therapeutics. The SR-lipids are first
      delivered selectively to tumour cell membranes in the perivascular region using
      fusogenic liposomes. By hitchhiking with extracellular vesicles secreted by the
      cells, the SR-lipids are transferred to neighbouring cells and further spread
      throughout the tumour tissues where the molecular targets are limited. We show
      that this tumour cell membrane-targeted delivery of SR-lipids leads to uniform
      distribution and enhanced phototherapeutic efficacy of the targeted
      photosensitizer.

PMID- 28627517
TI  - Corrigendum: A proteinaceous organic matrix regulates carbonate mineral
      production in the marine teleost intestine.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep34494.

PMID- 28627519
TI  - Tumour Immunology: LAP targeting reduces tolerogenic cells in cancer.

PMID- 28627518
TI  - The unique immunological and microbial aspects of pregnancy.
AB  - The comparison of the immunological state of pregnancy to an immunosuppressed
      host-graft model continues to lead research and clinical practice to ill-defined
      approaches. This Review discusses recent evidence that supports the idea that
      immunological responses at the receptive maternal-fetal interface are not simply
      suppressed but are instead highly dynamic. We discuss the crucial role of
      trophoblast cells in shaping not only the way in which immune cells respond to
      the invading blastocyst but also how they collectively react to external stimuli.
      We also discuss the role of the microbiota in promoting a tolerogenic maternal
      immune system and highlight how subclinical viral infections can disrupt this
      status quo, leading to pregnancy complications.

PMID- 28627521
TI  - Regulatory T cells: Subset-specific suppression.

PMID- 28627523
TI  - Pulse wave analysis and diabetes mellitus. A systematic review.
AB  - Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the primary cause of death in diabetic patients
      and one of the explanations may be increased arterial stiffness. Arterial
      stiffness assessment using pulse wave analysis, is a predictive factor of CV
      events. The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge of relations
      between diabetes mellitus and pulse wave analysis. A MEDLINE search was performed
      to retrieve both original and review articles addressing the relations and
      influences on arterial stiffness in diabetics. Pulse wave analysis is considered
      as a gold standard in CV risk evaluation for patients at risk, especially
      diabetics. Arterial stiffness assessment may be helpful for choosing more
      aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, particularly in younger
      patients to reduce the incidence of CV disease in these patients.

PMID- 28627522
TI  - DOT1L safeguards cartilage homeostasis and protects against osteoarthritis.
AB  - Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent and crippling joint disease, and lacks
      curative treatment, as the underlying molecular basis is unclear. Here, we show
      that DOT1L, an enzyme involved in histone methylation, is a master protector of
      cartilage health. Loss of DOT1L disrupts the molecular signature of healthy
      chondrocytes in vitro and causes osteoarthritis in mice. Mechanistically, the
      protective function of DOT1L is attributable to inhibition of Wnt signalling, a
      pathway that when hyper-activated can lead to joint disease. Unexpectedly, DOT1L
      suppresses Wnt signalling by inhibiting the activity of sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), an
      important regulator of gene transcription. Inhibition of SIRT1 protects against
      osteoarthritis triggered by loss of DOT1L activity. Modulating the DOT1L network
      might therefore be a therapeutic approach to protect the cartilage against
      osteoarthritis.

PMID- 28627520
TI  - Unique aspects of the perinatal immune system.
AB  - The early stages of life are associated with increased susceptibility to
      infection, which is in part due to an ineffective immune system. In the context
      of infection, the immune system must be stimulated to provide efficient
      protection while avoiding insufficient or excessive activation. Yet, in early
      life, age-dependent immune regulation at molecular and cellular levels
      contributes to a reduced immunological fitness in terms of pathogen clearance and
      response to vaccines. To enable microbial colonization to be tolerated at birth,
      epigenetic immune cell programming and early life-specific immune regulatory and
      effector mechanisms ensure that vital functions and organ development are
      supported and that tissue damage is avoided. Advancement in our understanding of
      age-related remodelling of immune networks and the consequent tuning of immune
      responsiveness will open up new possibilities for immune intervention and vaccine
      strategies that are designed specifically for early life.

PMID- 28627524
TI  - Screening for mutations in two exons of FANCG gene in Pakistani population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fanconi anemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of genetic
      instability. It is both molecularly and clinically, a heterogeneous disorder. Its
      incidence is 1 in 129,000 births and relatively high in some ethnic groups.
      Sixteen genes have been identified among them mutations in FANCG gene are most
      common after FANCA and FANCC gene mutations. OBJECTIVE: To study mutations in
      exon 3 and 4 of FANCG gene in Pakistani population. METHODS: Thirty five patients
      with positive Diepoxybutane test were included in the study. DNA was extracted
      and amplified for exons 3 and 4. Thereafter Sequencing was done and analyzed for
      the presence of mutations. RESULTS: No mutation was detected in exon 3 whereas a
      carrier of known mutation c.307+1 G>T was found in exon 4 of the FANCG gene.
      CONCLUSION: Absence of any mutation in exon 3 and only one heterozygous mutation
      in exon 4 of FANCG gene points to a different spectrum of FA gene pool in
      Pakistan that needs extensive research in this area.

PMID- 28627525
TI  - Inflammatory, anti-inflammatory and regulatory cytokines in relatively healthy
      lung tissue as an essential part of the local immune system.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The innate and adaptive immune systems in lungs are maintained not
      only by immune cells but also by non-immune tissue structures, locally providing
      wide intercellular communication networks and regulating the local tissue immune
      response. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the appearance and
      distribution of inflammatory, anti-inflammatory and regulatory cytokines in
      relatively healthy lung tissue samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated lung
      tissue specimens obtained from 49 patients aged 9-95 years in relatively healthy
      study subjects. Tissue samples were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining.
      Interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-7
      (IL-7), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were detected by an immunohistochemistry (IMH)
      method. The number of positive structures was counted semiquantitatively by
      microscopy. Non-parametric tests were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: IL-1
      positive cells were mostly found in the bronchial cartilage and alveolar
      epithelium. Immunoreactive lung macrophages were also found. The numbers of IL-4,
      IL-6, IL-7, and IL-10 containing cells were also found in the bronchial
      epithelium (in addition to those previously listed). The number of positive
      structures varied from occasional to moderate, but was graded higher in
      cartilage. Overall, fewer IL-1-positive cells and more IL-10-positive cells were
      found. Almost no positive structures for all examined cytokines were found in
      connective tissue and bronchial glands. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively healthy lung
      tissue exhibits anti-inflammatory response patterns. The cytokine distribution
      and appearance suggest persistent stimulation of cytokine expression in lung
      tissue and indicate the presence of local regulatory and modulating patterns. The
      pronounced cytokine distribution in bronchial cartilage suggests the involvement
      of a compensatory local immune response in the supporting tissue.

PMID- 28627526
TI  - Polymeric carbon nitride for solar hydrogen production.
AB  - If solar hydrogen production from water is to be a realistic candidate for
      industrial hydrogen production, the development of photocatalysts, which avoid
      the use of expensive and/or toxic elements is highly desirable from a
      scalability, cost and environmental perspective. Metal-free polymeric carbon
      nitride is an attractive material that can absorb visible light and produce
      hydrogen from water. This article reviews recent developments in polymeric carbon
      nitride as used in photocatalysis and then develops the discussion focusing on
      the three primary processes of a photocatalytic reaction: light-harvesting,
      carrier generation/separation/transportation and surface reactions.

PMID- 28627527
TI  - Non-fullerene acceptors based on central naphthalene diimide flanked by rhodanine
      or 1,3-indanedione.
AB  - Through the combination of central naphthalene diimide and terminal rhodanine or
      1,3-indanedione functionalities, two new non-fullerene electron acceptors, coded
      as N3 and N4, were designed, synthesized and characterized. Both of the materials
      exhibited good solubility, thermal stability, and displayed energy levels
      matching those of the conventional and routinely used donor polymer poly(3-hexyl
      thiophene) (P3HT). A high power conversion efficiency of 4.76% was obtained in
      simple, solution-processable bulk-heterojunction devices (P3HT : N3 1 : 1.2)
      which is the best result for central NDI-based small molecular non-fullerene
      acceptors.

PMID- 28627528
TI  - Novel chemical probes for the investigation of nonribosomal peptide assembly.
AB  - Chemical probes were devised and evaluated for the capture of biosynthetic
      intermediates involved in the bio-assembly of the nonribosomal peptide
      echinomycin. Putative intermediate peptide species were isolated and
      characterised, providing fresh insights into pathway substrate flexibility and
      paving the way for novel chemoenzymatic approaches towards unnatural peptides.

PMID- 28627529
TI  - The effect of Y3+ substitution on the structural, optical band-gap, and magnetic
      properties of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles.
AB  - In this study we investigated the structural, optical band-gap, and magnetic
      properties of CoYxFe2-xO4 (0 <= x <= 0.04) nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using
      a combustion reaction method without the need for subsequent heat treatment or
      the calcing process. The particle size measured from X-ray diffraction (XRD)
      patterns and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images confirms the
      nanostructural character in the range of 16-36 nm. The optical band-gap (Eg)
      values increase with the Y3+ ion (x) concentration being 3.30 and 3.58 eV for x =
      0 and x = 0.04, respectively. The presence of yttrium in the cobalt ferrite (Y
      doped cobalt ferrite) structure affects the magnetic properties. For instance,
      the saturation magnetization, Ms and remanent magnetization, Mr, decrease from 69
      emu g-1 to 33 and 28 to 12 emu g-1 for x = 0 and x = 0.04, respectively. On the
      other hand the coercivity, Hc, increases from 1100 to 1900 Oe for x = 0 and x =
      0.04 at room temperature. Also we found that Ms, Mr, and Hc decreased with
      increasing temperature up to 773 K. The cubic magnetocrystalline constant, K1,
      determined by using the "law of approach" (LA) to saturation decreases with Y3+
      ion concentration and temperature. K1 values for x = 0 (x = 0.04) were 3.3 * 106
      erg cm-3 (2.0 * 106 erg cm-3) and 0.4 * 106 erg cm-3 (0.3 * 106 erg cm-3) at 300
      K and 773 K, respectively. The results were discussed in terms of inter-particle
      interactions induced by thermal fluctuations, and Co2+ ion distribution over
      tetrahedral A-sites and octahedral B-sites of the spinel structure due to Y3+ ion
      substitution.

PMID- 28627530
TI  - Ionic liquids containing tricyanomethanide anions: physicochemical
      characterisation and performance as electrochemical double-layer capacitor
      electrolytes.
AB  - We investigated the use of fluorine free ionic liquids (ILs) containing the
      tricyanomethanide anion ([C(CN)3]) as an electrolyte in electrochemical double
      layer capacitors (EDLCs). Three cations were used; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium
      ([Im1,4]), N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium ([Pyr1,4]) and N-butyl-N
      methylpiperidinium ([Pip1,4]). Their physicochemical properties are discussed
      alongside with their performance as electrolytes. We found that the cyano-based
      ILs present higher ionic conductivity (9.4, 8.7 and 4.2 mS cm-1 at 25  degrees C
      for [Im1,4], [Pyr1,4] and [Pip1,4], respectively) than the widely studied IL
      containing the bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion, namely [Pyr1,4][Tf2N]
      (2.7 mS cm-1 at 25  degrees C). Of the three ILs investigated, [Pip1,4][C(CN)3]
      presents the widest electrochemical stability window, 3.0 V, while
      [Pyr1,4][C(CN)3] is stable up to 2.9 V and its [Tf2N] analogue can operate at 3.5
      V. Despite operating at a lower voltage, [Pyr1,4][C(CN)3] EDLC is capable of
      delivering up to 4.5 W h kg-1 when operating at high specific power of 7.2 kW kg
      1, while its [Pyr1,4][Tf2N] counterpart only delivered 3.0 W h kg-1 when operated
      at similar power.

PMID- 28627532
TI  - Phenanthroline-based metal-organic frameworks for Fe-catalyzed Csp3-H amination.
AB  - We report here the synthesis of a robust and highly porous Fe-phenanthroline
      based metal-organic framework (MOF) and its application in catalyzing challenging
      inter- and intramolecular C-H amination reactions. For the intermolecular
      amination reactions, a FeBr2-metalated MOF selectively functionalized secondary
      benzylic and allylic C-H bonds. The intramolecular amination reactions utilizing
      organic azides as the nitrene source required the reduction of the FeBr2
      metalated MOF with NaBHEt3 to generate the active catalyst. For both reactions,
      Fe or Zr leaching was less than 0.1%, and MOFs could be recycled and reused with
      no loss in catalytic activity. Furthermore, MOF catalysts were significantly more
      active than the corresponding homogeneous analogs. This work demonstrates the
      great potential of MOFs in generating highly active, recyclable, and reusable
      earth abundant metal catalysts for challenging organic transformations.

PMID- 28627533
TI  - Time-resolved X-ray scattering by electronic wave packets: analytic solutions to
      the hydrogen atom.
AB  - Modern pulsed X-ray sources permit time-dependent measurements of dynamical
      changes in atoms and molecules via non-resonant scattering. The planning,
      analysis, and interpretation of such experiments, however, require a firm and
      elaborated theoretical framework. This paper provides a detailed description of
      time-resolved X-ray scattering by non-stationary electronic wave packets in
      atomic systems. A consistent application of the Waller-Hartree approximation is
      discussed and different contributions to the total differential scattering signal
      are identified and interpreted. Moreover, it is demonstrated how the scattering
      signal of wave packets in the hydrogen atom can be expressed analytically. This
      permits simulations without numerical integration and establishes a benchmark for
      both efficiency and accuracy. Based on that, scattering patterns of an exemplary
      wave packet in the hydrogen atom are computed for different points in time. In
      doing so, distinct features of time-resolved X-ray scattering by non-stationary
      electronic wave packets are illustrated and accentuated in greater detail than it
      has been done before.

PMID- 28627534
TI  - Encapsulation of a {Cu16} cluster containing four [Cu4O4] cubanes within an
      isopolyoxometalate {W44} cluster.
AB  - We report a {Cu16} embedded within a {W44} cluster containing four cubane-like
      [Cu4O4] units within an isopolyoxotungstate (isoPOT) in a {Na4Cu4[(H2W11O38)
      (CH3COO)(OH)3]}4.88H2O (1) and a polyanion Cu-linked {W11} chain
      Na6Cu2[(H2W11O38)(CH3COO)(OH)].26H2O (2). Electronically, the redox properties
      show that both compounds 1 and 2 undergo irreversible reductions resulting in the
      demetalation of the compounds, whilst the magnetic behavior of 1 and 2 shows a
      weak antiferromagnetic and a stronger ferromagnetic coupling, respectively.

PMID- 28627535
TI  - A first-principles study on the adsorption of ethylenediamine on Ge(100).
AB  - We have performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the atomic and
      electronic structures of ethylenediamine on Ge(100). The two amine groups in
      ethylenediamine can interact with germanium surface atoms through a N-H
      dissociative nucleophilic reaction and/or N-dative bonding with an electron
      deficient down Ge atom. Of the monodentate and row-bridged bidentate structures
      that formed, the dative-bonded configurations were found to be more stable than
      the NH dissociative adsorption structures. The formation of row-bridged
      bidentate, structures is more favorable than that of on-top or end-bridged
      structures. In simulated STM images, the three types of row-bridged adsorption
      structure have characteristic features, and the row-bridged dative-bonded
      configuration gives rise to features due to both adsorbed ethylenediamine
      molecules and the underlying Ge atoms.

PMID- 28627540
TI  - Mixing scheme of an aqueous solution of tetrabutylphosphonium trifluoroacetate in
      the water-rich region.
AB  - We have studied the mixing scheme of an aqueous solution of ionic liquid
      tetrabutylphosphonium trifluoroacetate, [P4,4,4,4]CF3COO, in the water-rich
      region. The mixture shows phase separation with a lower critical solution
      temperature. To learn how the solute [P4,4,4,4]CF3COO species interact with each
      other in the dilute region, the third derivative quantities of Gibbs energy in
      terms of enthalpy, H, and volume, V, are evaluated. In the present study using up
      to the third derivative quantities, we conclude that [P4,4,4,4]CF3COO turns out
      to be an extremely strong hydrophobe. This finding may hint that the present IL
      is not dissociated in this water-rich region, despite the large dielectric
      permittivity of solvent water and as such it works as an extremely strong
      hydrophobe. An earlier 1-propanol (1P) probing study showed that [P4,4,4,4]+ is a
      significant amphiphile with a strong hydrophobicity and an equally strong
      hydrophilicity, and CF3COO- is a modest amphiphile. However, the 1-propanol (1P)
      probing methodology effectively uses the fourth derivative of G, and is capable
      of providing deeper information on the effect of the test solute on H2O. To
      reconcile the present conclusion with the earlier observations described above,
      we propose to conduct the 1P-probing of the ionic liquid salt, [P4,4,4,4]CF3COO.

PMID- 28627541
TI  - Amino acid functionalisation using the 2-phosphaethynolate anion. A facile route
      to (phosphanyl)carbonyl-amino acids.
AB  - We describe the reactivity of the 2-phosphaethynolate anion (PCO-) towards
      enantiomerically pure alpha-amino acids (AAs) resulting in the formation of novel
      salts of phosphinecarboxamides bearing chiral functionalities. These
      transformations occurred quantitatively with all but one of the amino acids
      trialled (the basic amino acid arginine was found to be unreactive). The
      resulting ionic species can be readily protonated to afford N
      (phosphanyl)carbonyl-amino acids, a novel group of amino acids bearing primary
      phosphine functionalities.

PMID- 28627542
TI  - Gas-phase vibrational spectroscopy of triphenylamine: the effect of charge on
      structure and spectra.
AB  - The effect of ionization by oxidation and protonation on the structure and IR
      spectrum of isolated, gas-phase triphenylamine (TPA) has been investigated by
      infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in the fingerprint
      range from 600 cm-1 to 1800 cm-1 using an infrared free electron laser. IR
      spectra calculated using density functional theory (DFT) convincingly reproduce
      the experimental data. Spectral and structural differences are identified among
      neutral TPA, TPA+ and protonated TPA and qualitatively related to effects of
      resonance delocalization. As a consequence of electron delocalization, computed
      structural parameters for TPA remain virtually unchanged upon removal of an
      electron. Nonetheless, CC and CN stretching vibrations in the IR spectra of TPA+
      undergo a red shift of up to 52 cm-1 as compared to those in TPA. Since
      ionization also strongly influences the relative band intensities, a vibrational
      projection analysis was used to correlate vibrational modes of TPA with those of
      TPA+. The experimental IR spectrum of gas-phase protonated TPA indicates that
      protonation occurs on the nitrogen atom, despite delocalization of the lone
      electron pair. Upon protonation, the structure changes from the nearly planar
      geometry to a near-tetrahedral configuration.

PMID- 28627543
TI  - Potential energy construction in the diabatic picture for quantum mechanical rate
      constants of intermolecular proton transfer.
AB  - We propose a simple method for potential construction in the diabatic picture and
      the estimation of thermal rate constants for intermolecular proton transfer
      reactions using quantum dynamics simulations carried out on the constructed
      potentials. For symmetrical and asymmetrical proton transfer pairs, the obtained
      potentials and rate constants were in good agreement with the reference values.
      Furthermore, our method is used for the analysis of proton transfer in
      crystalline imidazolium succinate and discusses the proton conductivity in terms
      of intermolecular proton transfer. This approach can be used to estimate proton
      transfer rate constants for large molecular systems, even when the calculation of
      the transition state is impossible.

PMID- 28627544
TI  - Anchoring ceria nanoparticles on graphene oxide and their radical scavenge
      properties under gamma irradiation environment.
AB  - Polymer networks such as those of epoxy resin, as common protection materials,
      possess radiolytic oxidation degradation effects under gamma irradiation
      environment, which have a great accelerating effect on the ageing rate and
      severely limit their potential applications for metal protection in the nuclear
      industry. To overcome this, we report a simple scheme of anchoring crystalline
      ceria nanoparticles onto graphene sheets (CG) and incorporate it into the epoxy
      resin, followed by thermal polymerization to obtain CeO2/graphene-epoxy
      nanocomposite coating (CGNS). We had proven that graphene might act as
      "interwalls" in the epoxy matrix, which will result in space location-obstruct
      effect as well as absorb the radicals induced by gamma-ray irradiation. Moreover,
      owing to the interconversion of cerium ions between their +3 and +4 states
      coupled with the formation of oxygen vacancy defects, electron spin resonance
      (ESR) detection shows that CeO2/graphene (CG) could act as a preferable radical
      scavenger and achieve better performance in trapping radicals than single
      graphene based composite. Electrochemical data strongly demonstrate that
      CeO2/graphene is capable of maintaining the anti-corrosion properties under gamma
      irradiation environment. Therefore, the designed hybrid CeO2/graphene-epoxy
      composite can be considered as potential candidates for protective coatings in
      nuclear industry.

PMID- 28627545
TI  - Three-component reactions of isocyanoacetates, amines and 3-formylchromones
      initiated by an unexpected aza-Michael addition.
AB  - We present herein a new mode of three-component reactions between
      isocyanoacetates, amines and 3-formylchromones. Both experimental and DFT studies
      revealed that this Ag-catalyzed unusual transformation is initiated by a facile
      aza-Michael addition instead of the conventional imine condensation. This
      catalytic method enables an efficient synthesis of polysubstituted pyrroles.

PMID- 28627547
TI  - Probing the electronic structure of a copper(ii) complex by CW- and pulse-EPR
      spectroscopy.
AB  - Nucleophilic attack by the carbanion -:CH2COCH3 at the carbonyl group of di-2
      pyridyl ketone, (py)2CO, in the presence of CuII under moderately basic
      conditions has yielded the cationic mononuclear complex
      [Cu{(py)2C(CH2COCH3)(OH)}2](NO3)2.2H2O (1.2H2O) in ~40% yield, where
      (py)2C(CH2COCH3)(OH) is the ligand bis(2-pyridine-2-yl)butane-1-ol-3-one. The
      CuII atom of the cation sits on a crystallographically imposed inversion center.
      The neutral molecule is coordinated to the metal ion as a tridentate fac
      chelating ligand through the hydroxyl oxygen atom and two 2-pyridyl nitrogen
      atoms. The pyridyl nitrogens are strongly coordinated to the metal ion, while the
      hydroxyl oxygen atoms form weak bonds with CuII. The coordination geometry at the
      CuII center is elongated octahedral. Various interactions build the crystal
      structure of the complex and Hirshfeld surface analysis was applied to evaluate
      the magnitude of interactions between the different chemical species in the
      crystal of 1.2H2O. IR, Raman and UV/VIS data of the solid complex are discussed
      in terms of the coordination mode of (py)2C(CH2COCH3)(OH), the ionic nature of
      nitrates and the stereochemistry at copper(ii). The complex was studied in a
      frozen solution (MeOH-toluene, 1 : 1 v/v) by CW-EPR spectroscopy and advanced EPR
      methods such as ENDOR and HYSCORE. The results show that the low symmetry of the
      cation is retained in solution, with the four nitrogen atoms arranged in a square
      planar configuration and the unpaired electron residing in an orbital pointing
      towards them. The bonding parameters in the first coordination sphere and the
      spin density distribution have been fully analyzed based on the ligand hyperfine
      coupling constants.

PMID- 28627546
TI  - Theoretical study of gas and solvent phase stability and molecular adsorption of
      noncanonical guanine bases on graphene.
AB  - The gas and solvent phase stability of noncanonical (Gua)n nucleobases is
      investigated in the framework of dispersion-corrected density functional theory
      (DFT). The calculated results strongly support the high tendency for the
      dimerization of (Gua)n bases in both gas and solvent phases. An interplay between
      intermolecular and bifurcated H-bonds is suggested to govern the stability of
      (Gua)n bases which bears a correlation with the description of dispersion
      correction terms employed in the DFT calculations. For example, a higher polarity
      is predicted for (Gua)n bases by the dispersion-corrected DFT in contrast to the
      non-polar nature of (Gua)3 and (Gua)4 predicted by the hybrid meta-GGA
      calculations. This distinct variation becomes significant under physiological
      conditions as polar (Gua)n is likely to exhibit greater stabilization in the gas
      phase compared to solvated (Gua)n. Graphene acting as a substrate induces
      modification in base configurations via maximization of pi-orbital overlap
      between the base and substrate. In solvent, the substrate-induced effects are
      further heightened with lowering of the dipole moments of (Gua)n as also
      displayed by the corresponding isosurface of the electrostatic potential. The
      graphene-induced stability in both gas and solvent phases appears to fulfill one
      of the prerequisite criteria for molecular self-assembly. The DFT results
      therefore provide atomistic insights into the stability and molecular assembly of
      free-standing noncanonical (Gua)n nucleobases which can be extended to
      understanding the self-assembly process of functional biomolecules on 2D
      materials for potential biosensing applications.

PMID- 28627548
TI  - Tunable photoluminescence and room temperature ferromagnetism of In2S3:Dy3+,Tb3+
      nanoparticles.
AB  - Trivalent lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials have unique spectral and
      magnetic properties, which have been extensively investigated due to their
      potential application prospects in a number of new technologies. The rare earth
      Dy3+ and Tb3+ ions co-doped beta-In2S3 dilute nanoparticles with different doping
      concentrations were successfully synthesized by a gas-liquid phase chemical
      deposition method. The band gap energy could be tuned by varying the doping
      concentration from 3.17 to 3.51 eV. The In2S3:Dy3+,Tb3+ nanoparticles exhibited
      strong photoluminescence emission peaks and room temperature ferromagnetism.
      Under excitation at 352 nm, the intrinsic emission and transitions of 5D4 -> 7F6
      for Tb3+ and 4F9/2 -> 6H13/2 for Dy3+ were observed. The saturation
      magnetizations presented an increasing trend and then decreased as the doping
      concentration increased. This can be ascribed to the fact that the enhanced
      antiferromagnetic interaction suppresses the ferromagnetic behavior after the
      doping concentration reaches a certain value. In addition, VASP first-principles
      calculations were used to further shed light on the magnetic origin and chemical
      bonding mechanism of the as-prepared samples. It was found that the magnetism
      could be attributed to In vacancies and the co-doped system is in favor of the
      formation of In vacancies. This study provides experimental and theoretical
      guidance for the design and synthesis of promising candidates for optical,
      magnetic, and spintronic applications.

PMID- 28627549
TI  - Self-assembly of silver(i)-based high-energy metal-organic frameworks (HE-MOFs)
      at ambient temperature and pressure: synthesis, structure and superior explosive
      performance.
AB  - Two new high-energy metal-organic frameworks (HE-MOFs), {Ag2(DNMAF)(H2O)2}n (1)
      and {Ag2(DNMAF)}n (2) were prepared using potassium 4,4'-bis(dinitromethyl)-3,3'
      azofurazanate (K2DNMAF) in a self-assembly strategy. Compound 1 exhibits a 3D HE
      MOF structure with coordinated water molecules. Compound 2 exhibits compact
      solvent-free 3D HE-MOFs. Both compounds show good thermostability (decomposition
      temperature (Td) of 211 and 218  degrees C) and superior detonation velocities
      (D) of 9673 m s-1 and 10 242 m s-1, detonation pressures (P) of 50.01 GPa and
      58.30 GPa, and heat of detonation (Q) of 1.95 kcal g-1 and 2.19 kcal g-1,
      respectively, which are even higher than those of RDX and HMX.

PMID- 28627550
TI  - A novel universal colorimetric sensor for simultaneous dual target detection
      through DNA-directed self-assembly of graphene oxide and magnetic separation.
AB  - A novel universal colorimetric sensor for simultaneous dual target detection
      through DNA-directed self-assembly of graphene oxide and magnetic separation has
      been designed for the first time.

PMID- 28627551
TI  - Gold-loaded nanoporous iron oxide nanocubes: a novel dispersible capture agent
      for tumor-associated autoantibody analysis in serum.
AB  - Autoantibodies are produced against tumor associated antigens (TAAs) long before
      the appearance of any symptoms and thus can serve as promising, non-invasive
      biomarkers for early diagnosis of cancer. Current conventional methods for
      autoantibody detection are highly invasive and mostly provide diagnosis in the
      later stages of cancer. Herein we report a new electrochemical method for early
      detection of p53 autoantibodies against colon cancer using a strategy that
      combines the strength of gold-loaded nanoporous iron oxide nanocube
      (Au@NPFe2O3NC)-based capture and purification while incorporating the inherent
      simplicity, inexpensive, and portable nature of the electrochemical and naked-eye
      colorimetric readouts. After the functionalisation of Au@NPFe2O3NC with p53
      antigens, our method utilises a two-step strategy that involves (i) magnetic
      capture and isolation of autoantibodies using p53/Au@NPFe2O3NC as 'dispersible
      nanocapture agents' in serum samples and (ii) subsequent detection of
      autoantibodies through a peroxidase-catalyzed reaction on a commercially
      available disposable screen-printed electrode or naked-eye detection in an
      Eppendorf tube. This method has demonstrated a good sensitivity (LOD = 0.02 U mL
      1) and reproducibility (relative standard deviation, %RSD = <5%, for n = 3) for
      detecting p53 autoantibodies in serum and has also been successfully applied to
      analyse a small cohort of clinical samples obtained from colorectal cancer. We
      believe that the highly inexpensive, rapid, sensitive, and specific nature of our
      assay could potentially aid in the development of an early diagnostic tool for
      cancer and related diseases.

PMID- 28627552
TI  - Graphite exfoliation in cellulose solutions.
AB  - Shaking graphite powder dispersed in an aqueous alkaline cellulose solution
      produces stable dispersions of hydrophilic, thin graphite sheets with lateral
      dimensions reaching many micrometers. The X-ray diffractogram and Raman spectrum
      of the exfoliated graphite differ from the well-known graphite patterns.
      Analytical transmission electron micrographs show cellulose bound to the surface
      of thin lamellae and this is confirmed by scanning probe micrographs. The
      dispersant properties of dissolved cellulose are assigned to its adsorption on
      graphite by juxtaposition of the hydrophobic planes on both substances, forming
      hydrophilic particles. This method uses only simple and easily accessible
      chemicals, processed under mild conditions. The resulting nanographite-cellulose
      dispersions are suitable for making conductive lignocellulosic nanocomposites and
      coatings.

PMID- 28627553
TI  - Evans-Showell-type polyoxometalate constructing novel 3D inorganic architectures
      with alkaline earth metal linkers: syntheses, structures and catalytic
      properties.
AB  - Four new architectures containing [Co2Mo10H4O38]6- polyoxoanions,
      (C2N2H10)2[Sr(H2O)5][Co2Mo10H4O38].2H2O 1,
      (C2N2H10)2[Ba(H2O)3][Co2Mo10H4O38].3H2O 2,
      (C3N2H12)2[Sr(H2O)5][Co2Mo10H4O38].3H2O 3 and
      (C3N2H12)[Ba(H2O)4][Ba(H2O)4][Co2Mo10H4O38].2H2O 4 (C2N2H10 = ethylenediamine;
      C3N2H12 = 1,3-propanediamine) have been synthesized and characterized by
      elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, solid diffuse reflective spectroscopy, TG
      analysis, powder X-ray diffraction and single crystal X-ray diffraction.
      Compounds 1 and 2 obtained in the presence of ethylenediamine, are made of Evans
      Showell-type anions [Co2Mo10H4O38]6-, linked by Sr2+ or Ba2+ cations to form 3D
      frameworks. To our knowledge, compound 1(2) represents the first example of 3D
      architecture in which the Evans-Showell anions [Co2Mo10H4O38]6- were linked by
      pure alkaline earth cations. When propanediamine was used instead of
      ethylenediamine, compounds 3 and 4 with 2D networks were obtained. This
      phenomenon indicates that the organic cations, which adjust the reaction pH
      values, can induce different dimensional inorganic frameworks. As heterogeneous
      catalysts, compounds 1-4 show excellent catalytic performance in the
      cyanosilylation of carbonyl compounds. Furthermore, these catalytic reactions
      were performed under solvent-free conditions using only a low amount of the
      catalysts, and these catalysts can be recovered and reused without displaying any
      significant loss of activity. As far as we know, compounds 1-4 represent the
      first examples of cyanosilylation catalyzed by POM-based species containing
      alkaline earth metal cations.

PMID- 28627554
TI  - Group 2 metal (Mg, Ca, Sr) silylamides supported by a cyclen-derived macrocyclic
      polyamine.
AB  - Heteroleptic bis(silyl)amides of magnesium and calcium [(L)M{N(SiMe3)2}] [M = Mg,
      Ca; LH = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane; (Me3TACD)H] were
      previously synthesized from LH and [M{N(SiMe3)2}2]. Strontium bis(silyl)amides
      [Sr{N(SiMe3)2}2(thf)2] and [Sr{N(SiHMe2)2}2(thf)2/3] reacted with LH to give
      different types of products, depending on the presence of the beta-SiH function.
      While the former underwent protonolysis to give the amido-bridged dimer
      [(L)Sr{N(SiMe3)2}]2 (1), the latter gave the adduct [(LH)Sr{N(SiHMe2)2}2] (2) as
      a stable solid. 2 slowly underwent an intramolecular Si-H/H-N dehydrocoupling in
      solution to give [{(L)SiMe2N(SiHMe2)}Sr{N(SiHMe2)2}] (3) by liberating H2. The
      results of transamination of 1 with HN(SiHMe2)2 depended on the relative
      stoichiometric ratio. A 1 : 1 mixture in n-pentane gave
      [{(L)SiMe2N(SiHMe2)}Sr{N(SiMe3)2}] (4) and H2, while excess HN(SiHMe2)2 gave the
      adduct 2 under similar conditions. Compounds 2 and 3 exhibit Sr?H-Si interactions
      according to X-ray crystallography, NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Lighter congeners
      of elusive [(L)Sr{N(SiHMe2)2}] were isolable for Mg (5) and Ca (6).

PMID- 28627555
TI  - Nanopatterning of GeTe phase change films via heated-probe lithography.
AB  - The crystallization of amorphous germanium telluride (GeTe) thin films is
      controlled with nanoscale resolution using the heat from a thermal AFM probe. The
      dramatic differences between the amorphous and crystalline GeTe phases yield
      embedded nanoscale features with strong topographic, electronic, and optical
      contrast. The flexibility of scanning probe lithography enables the width and
      depth of the features, as well as the extent of their crystallization, to be
      controlled by varying probe temperature and write speed. Together, these
      technologies suggest a new approach to nanoelectronic and opto-electronic device
      fabrication.

PMID- 28627556
TI  - Copper(i)-catalyzed asymmetric exo-selective [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine
      ylides with beta-trifluoromethyl beta,beta-disubstituted enones.
AB  - The employment of beta,beta-disubstituted enones as dipolarophiles poses a
      considerable challenge due to their steric hindrance and low reactivity. A copper
      catalyzed asymmetric exo-selective dipolar cycloaddition of beta-trifluoromethyl
      beta,beta-disubstituted enones with azomethine ylides was developed, which
      provides an efficient access to valuable pyrrolidines bearing a
      trifluoromethylated all-carbon quaternary stereocenter. Up to quantitative yields
      with up to >20 : 1 dr and 99% ee were delivered. A broad substrate scope, good
      functional group tolerance, high stereoselectivity, as well as diverse
      synthetically valuable transformations of the products make this approach highly
      attractive.

PMID- 28627557
TI  - Towards the photophysical studies of humin by-products.
AB  - Biomass conversion into chemicals, materials and fuels emerged in the past decade
      as the most promising alternative to the current petroleum-based industry.
      However, the chemocatalytic conversion of biomass and bio-derived sugars often
      leads to numerous side-products, such as humins. The limited characterization of
      humin materials restricts their study for possible future applications. Thus,
      herein photophysical studies on humins and separated humin fractions were carried
      out using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques. This paper aims
      to add to the literature important information for scientists involved in the
      photophysical studies.

PMID- 28627558
TI  - Triplet sensitization by perovskite nanocrystals for photon upconversion.
AB  - The potential of three-dimensional (3D) metal-halide perovskites to sensitize
      organic triplets is unveiled. Nanocrystals of surface-modified inorganic cesium
      lead halide perovskites (CsPbX3, X = Br/I) are found to work as efficient triplet
      sensitizers for photon upconversion based on triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA
      UC) at low excitation intensity.

PMID- 28627559
TI  - A luminescent lanthanide approach towards direct visualization of primary cilia
      in living cells.
AB  - We report a direct imaging tool, HGEu001, for primary cilia in living cells,
      which is specific, and based on the UV light or near infrared laser (via two
      photon excitation) induced long-lived europium luminescence.

PMID- 28627560
TI  - Asymmetric tandem conjugate addition-protonation to forge chiral secondary C-O
      bonds for quaternary carbon stereocenters at the nonadjacent beta-position.
AB  - A direct strategy to construct chiral secondary C-O bonds for quaternary carbon
      stereocenters at the nonadjacent beta-position is described. Methylene 1,3
      oxazolidine-2,4-diones were for the first time employed in an asymmetric reaction
      as viable electrophiles undergoing a tandem conjugate addition-protonation
      process. Using an l-amino acid-based urea-tertiary amine catalyst, the reaction
      with 3-substituted oxindoles gave valuable protonation adducts featuring 1,3
      quaternary-tertiary (C-O) nonadjacent stereocenters in high yields and excellent
      stereoselectivities. The method was successfully extended to sulphur nucleophiles
      for synthesizing chiral 1,3-sulfur-tertiary alcohol derivatives with bioactive
      importance.

PMID- 28627561
TI  - A promising single atom catalyst for CO oxidation: Ag on boron vacancies of h-BN
      sheets.
AB  - Single atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted broad research interest in recent
      years due to their importance in various fields, such as environmental protection
      and energy conversion. Here, we discuss the mechanisms of CO oxidation to CO2
      over single Ag atoms supported on hexagonal boron-nitride sheets (Ag1/BN) through
      systematic van der Waals inclusive density functional theory (DFT-D)
      calculations. The Ag adatom can be anchored onto a boron defect (VB), as
      suggested by the large energy barrier of 3.12 eV for Ag diffusion away from the
      VB site. Three possible mechanisms (i.e., Eley-Rideal, Langmuir-Hinshelwood, and
      termolecular Eley-Rideal) of CO oxidation over Ag1/BN are investigated. Due to
      "CO-Promoted O2 Activation", the termolecular Eley-Rideal (TER) mechanism is the
      most relevant one for CO oxidation over Ag1/BN and the rate-limiting reaction
      barrier is only 0.33 eV. More importantly, the first principles molecular
      dynamics simulations confirm that CO oxidation via the TER mechanism may easily
      occur at room temperature. Analyses with the inclusion of temperature and entropy
      effects further indicate that the CO oxidation via the TER mechanism over Ag1/BN
      is thermodynamically favorable in a broad range of temperatures.

PMID- 28627562
TI  - A novel combined chemical kinetic and trapping method for probing the
      relationships between chemical reactivity and interfacial H2O, Br- and H+ ion
      molarities in CTAB/C12E6 mixed micelles.
AB  - A delicate balance-of-forces governs the interactions responsible for surfactant
      self-assembly and chemical reactivity within them. Chemical reactions in micellar
      media generally occur in the interfacial region of micelles that is a complex
      mixture of: water, headgroups, counterions, co-ions, acids or bases, organic
      solvents, and the reactants themselves. We have carried out a detailed study of a
      complex chemical reaction in mixed CTAB/C12E6 micelles by using the chemical
      kinetic (CK) and chemical trapping (CT) methods. The results provide a detailed
      quantitative treatment of the reaction of the anion of the antioxidant t
      butylhydroquinone, TBHQ-, with 4-hexadecylbenzenediazonium, 16-ArN2+, within the
      interfacial region of the mixed micelles in the C12E6 mole fraction range of 0 to
      1 at three different total surfactant concentrations. CK experiments showed that
      this reaction is monophasic in C12E6 micelles, but biphasic in mixed micelles.
      The results were fully consistent with a complex mechanism in which TBHQ- reacts
      with 16-ArN2+ to give a transient diazoether intermediate that competitively
      breaks down into products and or reverts to starting materials. The kinetics are
      the same in mixed micelles of CTAB/C12E6 (grow) and CTAB/C12E8 (don't grow)
      showing that the rates only depend on micelle composition, not shape. CT results
      provided estimates of interfacial molarities of H2O are approximately constant at
      ca. 39 and Br- decreases from ca. 2.75 to 0.05 moles per liter of interfacial
      volume as C12E6 mole fraction increases from 0 to 1. Combined CK/CT results
      provided values for interfacial pH, ranging from ca. 4.25 in cationic micelles to
      1.5 in nonionic micelles despite a constant bulk pH of 1.5 and the TBHQ
      interfacial pKa = 3.8 at all C12E6 molar fractions. In totality, these results
      yielded an extraordinary amount of quantitative information about the
      relationships between the chemical reactivity and interfacial compositions of the
      mixed micelles.

PMID- 28627563
TI  - Highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline
      by a Z-scheme g-C3N4/Bi3TaO7 nanocomposite photocatalyst.
AB  - Spatial separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs is one of the most
      important factors that determine the efficiency of a photocatalyst. It is well
      acknowledged that the fabrication of heterogeneous photocatalysts with two
      different inorganic semiconductors is a good strategy to effectively improve the
      charge separation of electrons and holes. This study describes a novel visible
      light-induced g-C3N4/Bi3TaO7 composite photocatalyst with superior photocatalytic
      properties toward the degradation of tetracycline (TC) by visible light
      irradiation. The formation of heterojunctions significantly improves the
      separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, which is confirmed by the
      photocurrent density and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Electron spin
      resonance examination and trapping experiments confirm that the photoinduced
      active species (OH and O2-) are responsible for the degradation of tetracycline.
      Based on the experimental results, a possible Z-scheme system reaction mechanism
      for the g-C3N4/Bi3TaO7 composite towards the degradation of TC under visible
      light was proposed.

PMID- 28627564
TI  - Methanol-methanol and methanol-water systems: the intermolecular interactions
      controlling the transition from small clusters to the liquid phase.
AB  - The present paper focuses on the characterization of the properties of methanol
      and water molecules in gas and liquid environments. A force field for methanol
      methanol and methanol-water interactions, useful to be applied in Molecular
      Dynamics (MD) simulations, is proposed. The electrostatic interaction
      contributions, arising from permanent charge and/or from anisotropic charge
      distributions originating from permanent electric multipoles (Vel), different in
      gas and in liquid phases, are combined with the non electrostatic ones (Vnel),
      defined by means of Improved Lennard-Jones (ILJ) functions [F. Pirani et al.,
      Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2008, 10, 5489-5503]. Interestingly, the relevant
      parameters of the ILJ functions are not fitted to reproduce the selected
      properties of the systems but calculated from the molecular polarizability, which
      is considered the key property to define size (or Pauli) repulsion and dispersion
      and induction attractions. The constructed force field predicts binding energies
      and geometries of the methanol-methanol and methanol-water dimers, in good
      agreement with available data. On the other hand, several bulk and structural
      properties of liquid methanol, such as densities, vaporization enthalpies,
      diffusion coefficients, coefficients of cubic thermal expansion, heat capacities
      at constant pressure and some relevant radial distribution functions, calculated
      considering 2744 molecules and different conditions of pressure and temperature,
      have also been found to be in good agreement with experimental data. The study
      has been completed by calculating the density values at 298 K and 1 bar of some
      methanol-water mixtures, which have also been found to be in good agreement with
      experimental data.

PMID- 28627565
TI  - A stable gold(i)-enyne species obtained by alkyne carboauration in a complex
      rearrangement.
AB  - An unprecedented tetranuclear gold derivative with unusual gold-enyne moieties is
      prepared by a mild and neat rearrangement of a dinuclear gold complex with a
      bridging bis(diphenylphosphino)alkyne and terminal alkynyl ligands. The complex
      originates as a consequence of an intramolecular addition of the AuC[triple bond,
      length as m-dash]CTol fragment to the internal diphosphine triple bond
      Ph2PC[triple bond, length as m-dash]CPPh2. The crystal structure of the
      tetranuclear complex shows a dinuclear metallacycle with a very short AuAu bond
      interaction and bridging phosphino-enyne ligands. This disposition clearly
      stabilises the elusive vinyl gold species omnipresent as intermediates in gold
      catalysed reactions.

PMID- 28627566
TI  - Theoretical study of one-electron-oxidized salen complexes of group 7 (Mn(iii),
      Tc(iii), and Re(iii)) and group 10 metals (Ni(ii), Pd(ii), and Pt(ii)) with the
      3D-RISM-GMC-QDPT method: localized vs. delocalized ground and excited states in
      solution.
AB  - One-electron oxidized salen complexes of Mn(iii) and Ni(ii) were recently
      reported to be unique mixed-valence compounds. Their electronic structures are
      sensitive to the salen ligand and solvation. We systematically investigated a
      series of one-electron oxidized salen complexes of group 7 metals (Mn(iii),
      Tc(iii), and Re(iii)) and their group 10 analogues (Ni(ii), Pd(ii), and Pt(ii))
      using the general multi-configuration reference quasi-degenerate perturbation
      theory (GMC-QDPT) which was combined with the three-dimensional reference
      interaction site model self-consistent field theory (3D-RISM-SCF) to incorporate
      the solvation effect. The calculated absorption spectra and electronic structures
      agree with the experimental observation. The one-electron oxidized salen
      complexes of group 10 metals with a symmetrical salen ligand have a delocalized
      electronic structure belonging to class III (Robin-Day classification) in weakly
      polar solvents. The tendency for taking a delocalized electronic structure
      increases in the order Pd(ii) < Ni(ii) < Pt(ii). When the salen ligand is
      asymmetrical, the one-electron oxidized complexes have a localized electronic
      structure belonging to class II. The group 7 analogues of Mn(iii) and Tc(iii)
      have a localized electronic structure belonging to class II even in weakly polar
      solvents and even with a symmetrical salen ligand. However, the one-electron
      oxidized Re(iii) complex has no mixed-valence nature because one-electron
      oxidation occurs on the Re center. Theoretical study shows that the solvation
      effect plays a crucial role in determining the mixed-valence character, class II
      or III, and thereby its incorporation in the calculation is indispensable for
      correctly describing geometries, electronic structures, and the inter-valence
      absorption spectra of these complexes. The d orbital energy is one of the most
      important factors for determining the localization/delocalization electronic
      structures in these complexes. Detailed discussion of these factors is presented.

PMID- 28627567
TI  - Dissecting binding of a beta-barrel membrane protein by phage display.
AB  - Membrane proteins (MPs) constitute a third of all proteomes, and contribute to a
      myriad of cellular functions including intercellular communication, nutrient
      transport and energy generation. For example, TonB-dependent transporters (TBDTs)
      in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria play an essential role
      transporting iron and other nutrients into the bacterial cell. The inherently
      hydrophobic surfaces of MPs complicates protein expression, purification, and
      characterization. Thus, dissecting the functional contributions of individual
      amino acids or structural features through mutagenesis can be a challenging
      ordeal. Here, we apply a new approach for the expedited protein characterization
      of the TBDT ShuA from Shigella dysenteriae, and elucidate the protein's initial
      steps during heme-uptake. ShuA variants were displayed on the surface of an M13
      bacteriophage as fusions to the P8 coat protein. Each ShuA variant was analyzed
      for its ability to display on the bacteriophage surface, and functionally bind to
      hemoglobin. This technique streamlines isolation of stable MP variants for rapid
      characterization of binding to various ligands. Site-directed mutagenesis studies
      targeting each extracellular loop region of ShuA demonstrate no specific
      extracellular loop is required for hemoglobin binding. Instead two residues,
      His420 and His86 mediate this interaction. The results identify a loop
      susceptible to antibody binding, and also a small molecule motif capable of
      disrupting ShuA from S. dysenteriae. The approach is generalizable to the
      dissection of other phage-displayed TBDTs and MPs.

PMID- 28627568
TI  - Synthesis and temperature-dependent studies of a perovskite-like manganese
      formate framework templated with protonated acetamidine.
AB  - We report the synthesis, crystal structure, thermal, dielectric, phonon and
      magnetic properties of the [CH3C(NH2)2][Mn(HCOO)3] (AceMn) compound. Our results
      show that this compound crystallizes in the perovskite-like orthorhombic
      structure, space group Imma. It undergoes a structural phase transition at 304 K
      into a monoclinic structure, space group P21/n. X-ray diffraction, dielectric, IR
      and Raman studies show that the ordering of the acetamidinium cations triggers
      the phase transition. Low-temperature magnetic studies show that this compound
      exhibits weak ferromagnetic properties below 9.0 K.

PMID- 28627569
TI  - Porphyrin-based photosensitizers and their DNA conjugates for singlet oxygen
      induced nucleic acid interstrand crosslinking.
AB  - The development of methods for the generation of site-selective interstrand
      crosslinks (ICLs) in synthetic oligonucleotides provides a platform for the study
      of ICL repair mechanisms and the stabilisation of DNA-based materials. Our group
      has previously reported on the use of a furan moiety as a masked reactive
      functionality for ICL generation and recently introduced the use of 1O2 as an
      efficient light-induced oxidant. Here, the use of porphyrin-based
      photosensitizers (PSs) has been explored for ICL generation. The efficiency of
      the ICL reaction has been investigated using PSs added into solution as well as
      attached to oligonucleotide probes. Interestingly, even a highly hydrophobic
      phthalocyanine was able to produce ICLs. Either in solution or conjugated to an
      ON, chlorin e6 was the most efficient ICL generator for the current purpose.

PMID- 28627571
TI  - The fractal correlation between relaxation dynamics and atomic-level structures
      observed in metallic glasses by computer simulation.
AB  - In the present study, atomistic simulation reveals that the microscopic mechanism
      of the relaxation dynamics in amorphous materials is governed by the activating
      atoms that jump more than half of the average nearest neighbor distance within a
      given time. Based on the unsupervised machine-learning algorithm, hierarchical
      clustering analysis shows that the activating atoms are excited in a cooperative
      and avalanche-like model to form activating units. Correlation analysis suggests
      that large free volumes facilitate the formation of activating atoms.
      Interestingly, a fractal correlation is found between the number and size of the
      activating units, indicating that when the maturation temperature, i.e.
      percolation threshold, is reached the activating units form a complicated and
      connected body in space.

PMID- 28627570
TI  - Determination of bending rigidity and tilt modulus of lipid membranes from real
      space fluctuation analysis of molecular dynamics simulations.
AB  - We have recently developed a novel computational methodology (termed RSF for Real
      Space Fluctuations) to quantify the bending rigidity and tilt modulus of lipid
      membranes from real-space analysis of fluctuations in the tilt and splay degrees
      of freedom as sampled in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In this article, we
      present a comprehensive study that combines results from the application of the
      RSF method to a wide range of lipid bilayer systems that encompass membranes of
      different fluidities and sizes, including lipids with saturated and unsaturated
      lipid tails, single and multi-component lipid systems, as well as non-standard
      lipids such as the four-tailed cardiolipin. By comparing the material properties
      calculated with the RSF method to those obtained from experimental data and from
      other computational methodologies, we rigorously demonstrate the validity of our
      approach and show its robustness. This should allow for future applications of
      even more complex lipidic assemblies, whose material properties are not tractable
      by other computational techniques. In addition, we discuss the relationship
      between different definitions of the tilt modulus appearing in current literature
      to address some important unresolved discrepancies in the field.

PMID- 28627572
TI  - A general strategy to add diversity to ruthenium arene complexes with bioactive
      organic compounds via a coordinated (4-hydroxyphenyl)diphenylphosphine ligand.
AB  - Esterification of (4-hydroxyphenyl)diphenylphosphine, coordinated to the [Ru(eta6
      p-cymene)Cl2] fragment, allows a series of bioactive carboxylic acids to be
      introduced directly into the organometallic molecule. Evaluation of the compounds
      on human ovarian cancer cells reveals synergistic enhancements in their
      antiproliferative activity relative to their bioactive organic and organometallic
      precursors.

PMID- 28627573
TI  - Surface-specific vibrational spectroscopy of the water/silica interface:
      screening and interference.
AB  - Surface-specific vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy (V-SFG) is
      frequently used to obtain information about the molecular structure at charged
      interfaces. Here, we provide experimental evidence that not only screening of
      surface charges but also interference limits the extent to which V-SFG probes
      interfacial water at sub-mM salt concentrations. As a consequence, V-SFG yields
      information about the ~single monolayer interfacial region not only at very high
      ionic strength, where the surface charge is effectively screened, but also for
      pure water due to the particularly large screening length at this low ionic
      strength. At these low ionic strengths, the large screening lengths cause
      destructive interference between contributions in the surface region. A recently
      proposed theoretical framework near-quantitatively describes our experimental
      findings by considering only interference and screening. However, a comparison
      between NaCl and LiCl reveals ion specific effects in the screening efficiency of
      different electrolytes. Independent of electrolyte, the hydrogen bonding strength
      of water right at the interface is enhanced at high electrolyte concentrations.

PMID- 28627574
TI  - Knockout driven fragmentation of porphyrins.
AB  - We have studied collisions between tetraphenylporphyrin cations and He or Ne at
      center-of-mass energies in the range 50-110 eV. The experimental results were
      interpreted in view of density functional theory calculations of dissociation
      energies and classical molecular dynamics simulations of how the molecules
      respond to the He/Ne impact. We demonstrate that prompt atom knockout strongly
      contributes to the total destruction cross sections. Such impulse driven
      processes typically yield highly reactive fragments and are expected to be
      important for collisions with any molecular system in this collision energy
      range, but have earlier been very difficult to isolate for biomolecules.

PMID- 28627575
TI  - Label-free detection of aggregated platelets in blood by machine-learning-aided
      optofluidic time-stretch microscopy.
AB  - According to WHO, about 10 million new cases of thrombotic disorders are
      diagnosed worldwide every year. Thrombotic disorders, including atherothrombosis
      (the leading cause of death in the US and Europe), are induced by occlusion of
      blood vessels, due to the formation of blood clots in which aggregated platelets
      play an important role. The presence of aggregated platelets in blood may be
      related to atherothrombosis (especially acute myocardial infarction) and is,
      hence, useful as a potential biomarker for the disease. However, conventional
      high-throughput blood analysers fail to accurately identify aggregated platelets
      in blood. Here we present an in vitro on-chip assay for label-free, single-cell
      image-based detection of aggregated platelets in human blood. This assay builds
      on a combination of optofluidic time-stretch microscopy on a microfluidic chip
      operating at a high throughput of 10 000 blood cells per second with machine
      learning, enabling morphology-based identification and enumeration of aggregated
      platelets in a short period of time. By performing cell classification with
      machine learning, we differentiate aggregated platelets from single platelets and
      white blood cells with a high specificity and sensitivity of 96.6% for both. Our
      results indicate that the assay is potentially promising as predictive diagnosis
      and therapeutic monitoring of thrombotic disorders in clinical settings.

PMID- 28627576
TI  - 1,2-Diaza-4-phosphaferrocenes: synthesis, structural characterization, 57Fe
      Mossbauer spectrum analysis, and DFT calculation.
AB  - Two 1,2-diaza-4-phosphaferrocenes [(eta5-3,5-R2dp)Fe(eta5-CpMe5)] (R = tBu (3),
      Ph (4)) with a single eta5 ring containing two nitrogen atoms are prepared.
      Mossbauer spectroscopic, electrochemical, and density functional theory (DFT)
      studies have provided a more detailed understanding of the electronic structures
      and stabilities of these complexes.

PMID- 28627577
TI  - Facile access to 2,2-disubstituted indolin-3-ones via a cascade Fischer
      indolization/Claisen rearrangement reaction.
AB  - An efficient approach for the synthesis of 2,2-disubstituted indolin-3-ones is
      described. From readily accessible aryl hydrazines and allyloxyketones, 2,2
      disubstituted indolin-3-ones could be obtained in good to excellent yields under
      mild reaction conditions via a cascade Fischer indolization/Claisen rearrangement
      process. This protocol provides a facile entry to 2,2-disubstituted indolin-3
      ones, which have been applied in the construction of the benzofuroindoline
      framework related to Phalarine.

PMID- 28627578
TI  - A two-dimensional porous framework: solvent-induced structural transformation and
      selective adsorption towards malachite green.
AB  - A two-dimensional porous framework SHU-1 could undergo solvent-induced structural
      transformations to SHU-1a in methanol and SHU-1b in water. SHU-1, SHU-1a and SHU
      1b showed selective adsorption towards malachite green.

PMID- 28627579
TI  - Correlation analysis of protein quality characteristics with gluten-free bread
      properties.
AB  - The interest in gluten-free cereal products has increased significantly over the
      last number of years and there is still a high demand for high quality products.
      This study aims to establish possible connections between protein properties and
      dough and bread quality which could advance the knowledge for gluten-free product
      development. The objective of the present study was to correlate protein
      properties with bread characteristics. Therefore, a wide range of tests
      (solubility, emulsifying, foaming, water hydration properties) was performed to
      characterize a range of food proteins (potato, pea, carob, lupin and soy).
      Furthermore, the performance of these proteins in a dough matrix (pasting,
      rheology) and bread formulation (volume, structure, and texture) was analysed.
      Statistical analysis showed significant (p < 0.05) correlations between protein
      properties, dough properties and final bread characteristics. The addition of the
      proteins to the gluten-free bread formulation affected pasting rheological and
      bread characteristics such as crumb density, crumb hardness and specific volume.
      The addition of potato and soy protein resulted in the lowest volume with a dense
      crumb structure and a low consumer acceptance score. However, lupin, pea and
      carob containing gluten-free breads had a higher specific volume and softer and
      less dense crumb structure. The protein solubility (r, 0.89; p < 0.01) and its
      foaming properties (r, 0.97; p < 0.05) were found to be the most important
      protein properties with correlations significantly with dough properties and
      bread quality.

PMID- 28627580
TI  - Cation distribution and vacancies in nickel cobaltite.
AB  - Samples of nickel cobaltite, a mixed oxide occurring in the spinel structure
      which is currently extensively investigated because of its prospective
      application as ferromagnetic, electrocatalytic, and cost-effective energy storage
      material were prepared in the form of nanocrystals stabilized in a highly porous
      silica aerogel and as unsupported nanoparticles. Nickel cobaltite nanocrystals
      with average size 4 nm are successfully grown for the first time into the silica
      aerogel provided that a controlled oxidation of the metal precursor phases is
      carried out, consisting in a reduction under H2 flow followed by mild oxidation
      in air. The investigation of the average oxidation state of the cations and of
      their distribution between the sites within the spinel structure, which is
      commonly described assuming the Ni cations are only located in the octahedral
      sites, has been carried out by X-ray absorption spectroscopy providing evidence
      for the first time that the unsupported nickel cobaltite sample has a Ni : Co
      molar ratio higher than the nominal ratio of 1 : 2 and a larger than expected
      average overall oxidation state of the cobalt and nickel cations. This is
      achieved retaining the spinel structure, which accommodates vacancies to
      counterbalance the variation in oxidation state.

PMID- 28627581
TI  - Controlled self-assembly of alginate microgels by rapidly binding molecule pairs.
AB  - Controlled self-assembly of cell-encapsulating microscale polymeric hydrogels
      (microgels) could be advantageous in a variety of tissue engineering and
      regenerative medicine applications. Here, a method of assembly by chemical
      modification of alginate polymer with binding pair molecules (BPM) was explored.
      Alginate was modified with several types of BPM, specifically biotin and
      streptavidin and click chemistry compounds, and fabricated into 25-30 MUm
      microgels using a microfluidic platform. These microgels were demonstrated to
      self-assemble under physiological conditions. By combining complementary
      microgels at a high ratio, size-defined assemblages were created, and the effects
      of BPM type and assembly method on the number of microgels per assemblage and
      packing density were determined. Furthermore, a magnetic process was developed to
      separate assemblages from single microgels, and allow formation of multilayer
      spheroids. Finally, cells were singly encapsulated into alginate microgels and
      assembled using BPM-modified alginate, suggesting potential applications in
      regenerative medicine.

PMID- 28627582
TI  - miR-27 inhibits the NF-kappaB signaling pathway by targeting leptin in
      osteoarthritic chondrocytes.
AB  - Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease. An increasing number
      of studies point to the role of microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) in the pathogenesis of
      OA. An earlier study suggested that miR-27b was associated with OA; however, the
      precise mechanisms regarding the involvement of the miR-27 in the progression of
      OA remain unclear. In the present study, we first analyzed the effects of miR-27
      on OA. In vitro, the degree of miR-27 expression was decreased in chondrocytes
      obtained from patients with OA. Transfection with miR-27 mimic increased the
      viability of CH8 cells and induced the expression of type-II collagen, type-X
      collagen, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and aggrecan (ACAN). The results of luciferase
      activity assay revealed that miR-27 directly targeted the 3'-untranslated region
      (3'-UTR) of leptin. The results of western blot analysis and ELISA indicated that
      the concentration of leptin was decreased after the CH8 cells were transfected
      with miR-27 mimic. In vivo, a rat model of OA was established by anterior
      cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). When the rats with OA were injected with
      miR-27 lentiviral overexpression vector, the results of ELISA revealed that the
      levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were decreased. The results of western blot
      analysis revealed that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and MMP-13 expression
      levels were decreased, and the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) pathway was
      inhibited. On the whole, our results suggest that the upregulation of miR-27
      inhibits the pathogenesis of OA by targeting leptin and inhibiting the NF-kappaB
      signaling pathway. Thus, miR-27 exerts protective effects against OA.

PMID- 28627583
TI  - Deoxyactein protects pancreatic beta-cells against methylglyoxal-induced
      oxidative cell damage by the upregulation of mitochondrial biogenesis.
AB  - Methylglyoxal (MG) is one of the major precursors of advanced glycation end
      products (AGEs), which are considered to be one of the causes of diabetes and its
      complications. The root and rhizomes of black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) have
      long been used medicinally, and deoxyactein is one of its major constituents. In
      the present study, the protective effects of deoxyactein against MG-induced
      oxidative cell damage were investigated in insulin-producing pancreatic beta
      cells. We found that deoxyactein protected the pancreatic beta-cells against MG
      induced cell death. Pre-treatment with deoxyactein significantly reduced the
      levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), interleukin-1beta (IL
      1beta), cardiolipin peroxidation, and protein adduct accumulation induced by MG.
      Pre-treatment of the cells with deoxyactein restored glyoxalase I activity and
      insulin secretion which were reduced by MG, and increased the mRNA expression of
      insulin 2 (INS2) and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox protein-1 (PDX-1). It also
      increased the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide
      dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX). Furthermore, treatment with
      deoxyactein increased the levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator
      activated receptor-gamma co-activator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha). These findings
      indicate that deoxyactein may exert beneficial effects on pancreatic beta-cells
      via the upregulation of mitochondrial biogenesis. Taken together, these results
      suggest that deoxyactein may be used for the prevention of pancreatic beta-cell
      damage.

PMID- 28627584
TI  - Gastric electrical stimulation improves enteric neuronal survival.
AB  - Research and clinical experience with vagotomy have confirmed that damage to the
      central nervous system severely affects physiological movement in the
      gastrointestinal system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of
      synchronized dual-pulse gastric electrical stimulation (SGES) on the apoptosis of
      enteric neurons and the possible pathways involved in these effects in
      vagotomized rats. For this purpose, Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomized
      into a control group, an early subdiaphragmatic vagotomized group (ESDV group),
      an early subdiaphragmatic vagotomized group with short-term SGES (ESDV + SSGES
      group), a terminal subdiaphragmatic vagotomized group (TSDV group) and a terminal
      subdiaphragmatic vagotomized group with long-term SGES (TSDV + LSGES group). The
      expression levels of connexin 43 (Cx43), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic
      factor (GDNF), p-Akt, pan-Akt and PGP9.5 were assessed by RT-qPCR, western blot
      analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Apoptosis was determined by terminal
      deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. We found
      that Cx43 expression was decreased in the ESDV and TSDV groups, but was
      significantly upregulated in the SSGES and LSGES groups. In addition, the GDNF
      and PGP9.5 expression levels were significantly decreased in the ESDV group
      compared with the control and TSDV groups and were upregulated in both the SSGES
      and LSGES groups. The LSGES group exhibited a clear increase in p-Akt expression
      compared with the TSDV group. Fewer TUNEL-positive cells were observed in the
      SSGES and LSGES groups than in the ESDV and TSDV groups. More TUNEL-positive
      cells were found in the stomach of rats subjected to subdiaphragmatic vagotomy.
      On the whole, our data indicate that SGES improved enteric neuronal survival,
      possibly through GDNF and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathways.

PMID- 28627586
TI  - Hsp70 acetylation prevents caspase-dependent/independent apoptosis and autophagic
      cell death in cancer cells.
AB  - Cancer cells are continuously challenged by adverse environmental factors
      including hypoxia, metabolite restriction, and immune reactions, and must adopt
      diverse strategies to survive. Heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 plays a central role
      in protection against stress-induced cell death by maintaining protein
      homeostasis and interfering with the process of programmed cell death. Recent
      findings have suggested that Hsp70 acetylation is a key regulatory modification
      required for its chaperone activity, but its relevance in the process of
      programmed cell death and the underlying mechanisms involved are not well
      understood. In this study, we sought to investigate mechanisms mediated by Hsp70
      acetylation in relation to apoptotic and autophagic programmed cell death. Upon
      stress-induced apoptosis, Hsp70 acetylation inhibits apoptotic cell death,
      mediated by Hsp70 association with apoptotic protease-activating factor (Apaf)-1
      and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), key modulators of caspase-dependent and 
      independent apoptotic pathways, respectively. Hsp70 acetylation also attenuated
      autophagic cell death associated with upregulation of autophagy-related genes and
      autophagosome induction. Collectively, these results suggest that the acetylation
      of Hsp70 plays key regulatory roles in cell death pathways as well as in its
      function as a chaperone, together enabling cellular protection in response to
      stress.

PMID- 28627585
TI  - Role of metadherin in estrogen-regulated gene expression.
AB  - The disruption of estrogen signaling is widely associated with the development of
      breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers. As a multifunctional mediator of
      carcinogenesis, metadherin (MTDH)/astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1)
      overexpression has been associated with numerous types of cancer, with reported
      roles in tumor initiation, proliferation, invasion, metastasis and
      chemoresistance. At the molecular level, MTDH has been shown to interact with
      proteins that drive tumorigenesis, including nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB),
      promyelocytic leukaemia zinc finger (PLZF), BRCA2- and CDKN1A (p21Cip1/Waf-1/mda
      6)-interacting protein alpha (BCCIPalpha) and staphylococcal nuclease and tudor
      domain containing 1 (SND1). Through the analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas
      (TCGA) datasets for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive endometrial and breast
      cancers, we found that over 25% of all gene expression correlated with MTDH.
      Using Affymetrix microarrays, we characterized the differences in gene expression
      between estrogen-treated parental and MTDH-deficient endometrial and breast
      cancer cells. We also explored a possible interaction between MTDH and ER by
      immunoprecipitation, and found that MTDH and ER associated in both breast and
      endometrial cancer cells in response to estrogen. Reciprocal co
      immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that acute estrogen stimulation
      promoted the interaction of MTDH with ER in the nucleus. These data, to the best
      of our knowledge, provide the first evidence that MTDH and ERalpha interact in
      the nucleus with estrogen treatment to regulate gene expression.

PMID- 28627588
TI  - IL-22 expression is increased variedly in the initial phase, onset and chronic
      phase of a pristane-induced arthritis rat model.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression pattern of T
      helper (Th) 17 and Th22 cell-related factors in a pristane-induced arthritis
      (PIA) rat model. PIA rats were divided into the initial phase group [day (D) 6
      post-pristane injection], the onset of clinical arthritis group (D12), the acute
      arthritis group (D26) and the chronic arthritis group (D70). Rats injected with
      saline alone were used as the control group. The mRNA expression levels of
      interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-17F, interferon (IFN)-gamma, IL-22, IL-22 receptor (R)
      1, IL-22 binding protein (BP) and RAR-related orphan receptor alpha were examined
      in the spleen and/or synovium of the various phases of PIA rats by reverse
      transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. The results
      demonstrated that, in the spleen, IL-22 exhibited an increasing trend in both the
      initial phase and the onset of disease, while the ratio of IL-22R1/IL-22BP
      increased in both phases, compared with the control group. During the acute
      arthritis phase, IL-17F and IFN-gamma were significantly increased and IL-17A
      exhibited an increasing tendency in the synovium, compared with the control
      group. In the chronic phase, IL-22, IL-22R1 and IFN-gamma were increased in the
      spleen, while IL-22 exhibited an increasing trend in the synovium. In addition,
      immunohistochemistry analysis was used to evaluate the expression of IL-17A, IL
      21, IL-22 and IL-22R1 in the ankle joints of D26 PIA rats. IL-17A was mainly
      expressed in infiltrated inflammatory cells in the synovium. IL-21 and IL-22 were
      both expressed in the inflammatory cells and in the articular chondrocyte of the
      proliferative zone. IL-22R1 was expressed in proliferating synovial cells. In
      conclusion, Th17 and Th22-related factor expression varied in different disease
      progression phases and in different tissues in PIA rats. IL-22 expression
      exhibited an increasing trend in the initial phase and the onset phase of
      arthritis and increased significantly with progression to chronic arthritis in
      the PIA rat model. It is thought that IL-22 may serve an important role in the
      pathological process of PIA, particularly in the chronic fluctuation phase.
      Therefore, it may be a candidate molecule for the treatment of rheumatoid
      arthritis.

PMID- 28627587
TI  - Effects of salinomycin and 17-AAG on proliferation of human gastric cancer cells
      in vitro.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of 17
      AAG combined with salinomycin treatment on proliferation and apoptosis of the SGC
      7901 gastric cancer cell line. An MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation
      of SGC-7901 cells. Morphological alterations of cells were observed under
      inverted phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopes. Cell cycle and apoptosis
      were assessed by flow cytometry analysis. The protein expression of nuclear
      factor (NF)-kappaB p65 and Fas-ligand (L) were evaluated by immunocytochemistry.
      Salinomycin with a concentration range of 1-32 umol/l was demonstrated to inhibit
      growth of SGC-7901 cells effectively, affect the morphology and apoptosis rate of
      cells, and arrest SGC-7901 cells in S phase. Furthermore, salinomycin
      significantly increased the protein expression of Fas-L and decreased the protein
      expression of NF-kappaB p65. The alterations in SGC-7901 cells co-treated with
      salinomycin and 17-AAG were more significant compared with cells treated with one
      drug only. In conclusion, the individual use of salinomycin and combined use with
      17-AAG may significantly inhibit SGC-7901 gastric cancer cell proliferation and
      induce cell apoptosis. The potential mechanisms may be associated with
      upregulation of Fas-L and downregulation of NF-kappaB. These results provide a
      basis for the potential use of salinomycin in gastric cancer treatment.

PMID- 28627589
TI  - Effect of the spinal apelin-APJ system on the pathogenesis of chronic
      constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats.
AB  - Apelin is hypothesized to serve a dual function in pain processing. Spinal
      administration of apelin induces hyperalgesia, while opioid receptors are
      implicated in the antinociceptive effects of apelin in acute nociceptive models.
      However, whether the apelin-apelin receptor (APJ) system is involved in
      neuropathic pain remains to be elucidated. The present study aimed to evaluate
      the impact and mechanism of the spinal apelin-APJ system in neuropathic pain.
      Chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve produced sustained spinal
      apelin and APJ upregulation, which was associated with mechanical allodynia and
      heat hyperalgesia development in the hind-paw plantar surface. Immunofluorescence
      demonstrated that apelin and APJ were localized to the superficial dorsal horns.
      In order to further clarify the function of the apelin-APJ system, a single
      intrathecal administration of ML221, an APJ antagonist, was used; this
      transiently reduced CCI-induced pain hypersensitivity. However, apelin-13 (the
      isoform which binds most strongly to APJ) exhibited no effect on the nociceptive
      response, suggesting an essential role for the spinal apelin-APJ system in
      neuropathic pain sensitization. The present study demonstrated that a single
      application of ML221 alleviated mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia 7 days
      following CCI, in a dose-dependent manner. Intraspinal delivery of ML221, at the
      onset of and in fully-established neuropathic pain, persistently attenuated CCI
      induced pain hypersensitivity, indicating that the apelin-APJ system was involved
      in initiating and maintaining pain. It was demonstrated, using immunoblotting,
      that intrathecal ML221 downregulated phosphorylated extracellular signal-related
      kinase (ERK) in the rat spinal cord dorsal horn, suggesting that the effect of
      apelin on neuropathic pain may be mediated via ERK signaling. The results of the
      present study suggested that the spinal apelin-APJ system may drive neuropathic
      pain. Inhibition of APJ may provide novel pharmacological interventions for
      neuropathic pain.

PMID- 28627590
TI  - Activation of Sonic hedgehog signal by Purmorphamine, in a mouse model of
      Parkinson's disease, protects dopaminergic neurons and attenuates inflammatory
      response by mediating PI3K/AKt signaling pathway.
AB  - In Parkinson's disease (PD), microglial activation-mediated neuroinflammation is
      associated with dopaminergic neurons degeneration in the substantia nigra pars
      compacta. Previous studies that have investigated this neurodegenerative disease
      have reported that the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway, through inhibiting
      the inflammatory processes, exerts a beneficial neuroprotective effect. However,
      the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of
      this signaling pathway remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to
      further investigate these mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. At first, BV2
      microglial cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to induce an
      inflammatory response. It was observed that the activation of SHH signaling by
      Purmorphamine attenuated the LPS-induced inflammatory response, increased the
      expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 through the phosphatidylinositol 3
      kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase (Akt) intracellular signaling pathway
      and inhibited nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2, independently of the
      PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, the blockade of the PI3K/Akt signaling
      pathway by intranasal administration of LY294002, significantly reduced the SHH
      associated neuroprotective effects on dopaminergic neurons, improved motor
      functions, and increased the microglial activation and inflammatory response in a
      mouse model of PD induced using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. In
      conclusion, the data of the present study reported that anti-inflammatory and
      neuroprotective effects can be obtained in BV2 microglial cells and in a mouse
      model of PD by successive activation of the SHH and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.

PMID- 28627591
TI  - Chinese herbal medicine Xinji pill protects the heart from ischemia/reperfusion
      injury through the Akt/Nrf2 pathway.
AB  - The cardioprotective drugs used for treatment against ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R)
      injury have been well evaluated and are considered inadequate. The Chinese herbal
      medicine formula, Xinji pill (XJP) has been used traditionally for the prevention
      and treatment of ischemic heart diseases for decades. In the present study, the
      cardioprotective effects of XJP against MI/R injury were assessed in vivo and its
      possible mechanism was examined. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were selected for
      establishing an MI/R model, which was induced by ischemia for 30 min followed by
      24 h reperfusion. Drugs and saline were administered intragastrically from day 14
      prior to MI/R. Blood samples were collected for biochemical detection. The rats
      were then sacrificed and cardiac muscle tissues were harvested. The mRNA
      expression levels of antioxidant genes were measured by reverse transcription
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the protein levels were measured by
      western blotting. Pretreatment with XJP for 14 days protected the heart against
      I/R-induced myocardial function disorder, protected against heart injury, as
      demonstrated by normalized serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine
      kinase, and suppressed oxidative stress. XJP markedly upregulated the expression
      of antioxidant genes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione
      reductase and glutathione peroxidase, and promoted the protein expression of heme
      oxygenase-1 and NFE2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the heart tissues. Furthermore,
      Akt kinase was confirmed to be upstream of Nrf2 in the XJP treatment. LY294002, a
      specific inhibitor of Akt, significantly eliminated the cardioprotective effects
      of XJP. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that XJP exhibited notable
      cardioprotective properties, in which the Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway may be
      involved.

PMID- 28627593
TI  - Suppressive effect of an aqueous extract of Diospyros kaki calyx on dust mite
      extract/2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions.
AB  - Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease, affecting
      10-20% of individuals worldwide. Therefore, the discovery of drugs for treating
      AD is an attractive subject and important to human health. Diospyros kaki and
      Diospyros kaki (D. kaki) folium exert beneficial effects on allergic
      inflammation. However, the effect of D. kaki calyx on AD remains elusive. The
      present study evaluated the effects of an aqueous extract of D. kaki calyx
      (AEDKC) on AD-like skin lesions using mouse and keratinocyte models. We used a
      mouse AD model by the repeated skin exposure of house dust mite extract
      [Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE)] and 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to
      the ears. In addition, to determine the underlying mechanism of its operation,
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)
      activated keratinocytes (HaCaT) were used. Oral administration of AEDKC decreased
      AD-like skin lesions, as demonstrated by the reduced ear thickness, serum
      immunoglobulin E (IgE), DFE-specific IgE, IgG2a, histamine level and inflammatory
      cell infiltration. AEDKC inhibited the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines
      and a chemokine via downregulation of nuclear factor-kappaB and signal transducer
      and activator of transcription 1 in HaCaT cells. On examination of the AD-related
      factors in vivo and in vitro, it was confirmed that AEDKC decreased AD-like skin
      lesions. Taken together, the results suggest that AEDKC is a potential drug
      candidate for the treatment of AD.

PMID- 28627594
TI  - MicroRNA-320 inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion in
      retinoblastoma by targeting specificity protein 1.
AB  - Research into the expression and function of microRNAs (miRNAs/miR) in human
      cancer has provided novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying
      carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Aberrant miRNA expression has been
      reported in retinoblastoma (RB) and several other types of human cancer. The
      present study demonstrated that miR-320 is significantly downregulated in RB
      tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-320 was demonstrated
      to inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion of RB cells. Bioinformatic
      analysis identified specificity protein 1 (SP1) as a potential target gene of miR
      320. Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that the SP1 3'-untranslated region
      contains a direct binding site for miR-320, and restoration of miR-320 expression
      decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of SP1. Notably, SP1 silencing
      induced a similar effect on the proliferation, migration and invasion of RB cells
      as that observed with miR-320 overexpression, further supporting the hypothesis
      that SP1 is a direct functional target of miR-320 in RB. In conclusion, these
      findings indicate that miR-320 may be an effective therapeutic target for the
      treatment of RB.

PMID- 28627592
TI  - Triptolide exerts protective effects against fibrosis following ileocolonic
      anastomosis by mechanisms involving the miR-16-1/HSP70 pathway in IL-10-deficient
      mice.
AB  - Surgeries, particularly ileocecal resection (ICR), are often required in the
      treatment of Crohn's disease (CD). However, recurrences are common for patients
      who undergo ICR, and anastomotic fibrosis is the main cause of re-operation. The
      present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of triptolide (TPL) in
      ameliorating fibrosis following ileocolonic anastomosis. A model of IL-10-/- mice
      undergoing ICR was used to study postsurgical inflammation and fibrosis of
      anastomosis. For this purpsose, interleukin (IL)-10-/- mice were randomly divided
      into 3 groups as follows: the control group, the saline-treated group subjected
      to ICR (ST-ICR) and the TPL-treated group subjected to ICR (TT-ICR). Wild-type
      (WT) mice of matching ages were assigned to the WT group. The effects of TPL
      treatment on ileocolonic anastomosis were determined by histopathological
      evaluation, western blot analysis and ELISA. The analysis of the effects of TPL
      treatment on microRNA-16-1 (miR-16-1) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)
      expression was carried out by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. Compared with
      the control group, significantly higher inflammation scores following anastomosis
      were observed in the ST-ICR group (P<0.05), although reversion was observed in
      the TT-ICR group, which was consistent with changes in the area of CD4+ cell
      infiltration. The elevated fibrosis scores and the overexpression of procollagen
      I and III in the ST-ICR group were all inhibited by TPL. With an increase in the
      severity of inflammation and fibrosis, the levels of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) increased;
      however, a significant decrease in these levels was observed following treatment
      with TPL (P<0.05). The results of RT-qPCR revealed that the upregulated miR-16-1
      levels in the ST-ICR group were significantly reduced by TPL. HSP70, which can be
      inhibited by miR-16-1, ameliorates anastomotic inflammation and fibrosis. Thus,
      the present study demonstrates that TPL exerts a protective effect against
      fibrosis following anastomosis in CD. The miR-16-1/HSP70 signaling pathway, which
      can be regulated by TPL, may thus represent a novel therapeutic option in CD that
      deserves further investigation.

PMID- 28627595
TI  - Elevated expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 in dorsal
      root ganglia of rats with endometriosis.
AB  - Pain is the most pronounced complaint of women with endometriosis, however the
      underlying mechanism is still poorly understood. In the present study, the
      authors evaluate the effect of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1
      (TRPV1) of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) on endometriosis-associated pain. A total of
      36 SD rats were randomly divided into a sham group (n=9) and a Model group
      (n=27), accepted auto-transplanted pieces of fat or uterus to the pelvic cavity.
      At 4 weeks, the Model group was randomly subdivided into the following groups:
      ENDO group (no treatment, n=9), BCTC group (Model + BCTC, an antagonist of TRPV1,
      n=9), Vehicle group (Model + cyclodextrin, the vehicle of BCTC, n=9). Tail-flick
      test was performed prior to surgery, 1 h prior to and following treatment of BCTC
      or cyclodextrin. The expression of TRPV1, substance P (SP), calcitonin gene
      related peptide (CGRP) in L1-L6 DRG was measured via immunohistochemistry,
      western blotting and RT-qPCR. The results indicated that the Model group
      exhibited a significant decrease in tail flick latency compared to pre-surgical
      baseline, and the expression of TRPV1, SP, CGRP protein and mRNA in L1-L6 DRG
      significantly increased compared to the sham group. BCTC significantly improved
      tail flick latency, and downregulated the expression of TRPV1, SP and CGRP
      protein and mRNA levels in L1-L6 DRG compared to ENDO group. However, there were
      no significant differences of those in Vehicle group compared with the ENDO
      group. Taken together, the current study provides evidence that TRPV1 expressed
      in DRG may serve an important role in endometriosis-associated pain.

PMID- 28627596
TI  - Regulation of type II collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-13 and cell
      proliferation by interleukin-1beta is mediated by curcumin via inhibition of NF
      kappaB signaling in rat chondrocytes.
AB  - Curcumin possesses strong anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatoid and anti-oxidative
      activities, and has the potential to inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)
      signaling. Cartilage damage in osteoarthritis (OA) is largely mediated by
      interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) via activation of various transcription factors,
      including NF-kappaB and activator protein-1. The aim of the present study was to
      determine whether IL-1beta induces matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13)
      expression and inhibits type II collagen expression, as well as to examine
      whether cell proliferation may be inhibited by curcumin through the inhibition of
      NF-kappaB signaling. The effects of curcumin were investigated in rat articular
      chondrocyte cell cultures treated with IL-1beta in the presence or absence of
      curcumin or the NF-kappaB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. Western blotting
      and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction were conducted
      to evaluate protein and mRNA expression levels of type II collagen, MMP-13, NF
      kappaB inhibitor alpha (IkappaBalpha), phosphorylated-IkappaBalpha and NF-kappaB
      subunit p65/RelA. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to
      examine the effects of curcumin on the expression, phosphorylation and nuclear
      translocation of NF-kappaB-associated proteins. The effects of curcumin on cell
      proliferation were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Curcumin was
      demonstrated to inhibit the IL-1beta-induced activation of NF-kappaB by
      suppressing IkappaBalpha phosphorylation and p65/RelA nuclear translocation.
      These events were associated with the downregulation of MMP-13 expression and the
      upregulation of type II collagen expression, both of which are considered to be
      NF-kappaB targets. CCK-8 assays revealed that co-treatment with curcumin resulted
      in increased proliferation in IL-1beta-treated chondrocytes. These findings
      implicated curcumin as a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent for the
      treatment of OA via inhibition of NF-kappaB signaling.

PMID- 28627597
TI  - Significance of dynamic changes in gastric smooth muscle cell apoptosis, PI3K-AKT
      mTOR and AMPK-mTOR signaling in a rat model of diabetic gastroparesis.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the significance of cell
      apoptosis, the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT)-mammalian
      target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and the 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated
      protein kinase (AMPK)-mTOR pathways in the process of diabetic gastroparesis.
      Changes in gastric smooth muscle cells of diabetic rats with induced
      gastroparesis were examined. The diabetic rat model was established by dividing
      animals into a normal control group and diabetic model groups examined at 2, 4
      and 6 weeks. Diabetic gastroparesis was evaluated by examining the rates of
      gastric residual pigment, whereas flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis
      of gastric smooth muscle cells. The expression levels of PI3K and phosphorylated
      (p-) AKT, AMPK, mTOR, tuberous sclerosis complex 2, p70 ribosomal S6 kinase, and
      eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4-binding protein 1 were determined in
      gastric muscles using western blot analysis. Diabetic gastroparesis was confirmed
      in models at 6 weeks. The apoptosis of gastric smooth muscle cells gradually
      increased in all diabetic groups, and significant changes were observed in key
      proteins involved in PI3K-AKT-mTOR and AMPK-mTOR signaling. The results indicated
      that apoptosis was important in the occurrence of diabetic gastroparesis, and the
      PI3K-AKT-mTOR and AMPK-mTOR pathways were activated during the apoptotic
      processes, but were incapable of regulating apoptosis.

PMID- 28627599
TI  - HMOX-1 inhibits TGF-beta-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the MCF-7
      breast cancer cell line.
AB  - Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism underlying metastatic
      breast cancer. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in EMT. Heme
      oxygenase-1 (HMOX-1) can reduce oxidative stress. However, the effect of HMOX-1
      on the EMT process in breast cancer cells is unknown. We treated the MCF-7 breast
      cancer cell line with the HMOX-1 inducer hemin and observed that hemin induced
      HMOX-1 expression and inhibited migration, invasion and ROS generation in
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-treated MCF-7 cells using quantitative
      RT-qPCR, western blotting, wound-healing and cell invasion assays as well as
      fluorescent probe DCFDA. Hemin inhibited TGF-beta-induced EMT in the MCF-7 cells,
      whereas HMOX-1 siRNA attenuated the suppressive effect of hemin as determined by
      the expression and cellular distribution of selected EMT markers. In summary, our
      results revealed that hemin treatment increased HMOX-1 expression and inhibited
      TGF-beta-induced EMT in MCF-7 cells.

PMID- 28627598
TI  - Curcumin exerts its tumor suppressive function via inhibition of NEDD4
      oncoprotein in glioma cancer cells.
AB  - Glioblastoma is the most common brain cancer in adults. It represents one of the
      top ten malignant tumors with an average survival time of nine months despite
      treatments with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Curcumin is a
      phytochemical turmeric isolated from root of the Curcuma longa plant.
      Accumulating evidence have proved that curcumin targets numerous cancer signaling
      pathways. The E3 ubiquitin ligase NEDD4, neural precursor cell expressed
      developmentally downregulated protein 4, is frequently overexpressed in various
      cancers. However, whether curcumin regulates NEDD4 expression has not been
      described in human cancers. Therefore, in this study, we explored the roles of
      NEDD4 in glioma cell proliferation, apoptosis and mobility. We further
      investigated whether curcumin exerts its antitumor activities via suppressing
      NEDD4 expression. We found that curcumin reduced the expression of NEDD4 and
      Notch1 and pAKT, leading to glioma cell growth inhibition, apoptosis, and
      suppression of migration and invasion. Moreover, deletion of NEDD4 expression
      enhanced the sensitivity of glioma cells to curcumin treatment. Thus,
      inactivation of NEDD4 by curcumin could be a promising approach for therapeutic
      intervention.

PMID- 28627600
TI  - MicroRNA-7-5p regulates the expression of TFF3 in inflammatory bowel disease.
AB  - Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) serves an important role in intestinal mucosal damage and
      healing, and contributes to the pathogenesis and treatment of inflammatory bowel
      disease (IBD). The aim of the present study was to determine the association
      between TFF3 and microRNA-7-5p (miR-7-5p) in IBD. Tissue immunohistochemistry was
      applied to evaluate the relative expression of TFF3, and reverse transcription
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the expression
      of miR-7-5p in lesional tissue obtained from patients with IBD and healthy
      control tissues. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to investigate whether
      TFF3 was a target of miR-7-5p, and western blotting was performed to determine
      the expression of TFF3 when miR-7-5p was overexpressed or suppressed. The protein
      expression levels of TFF3 were decreased and miR-7-5p was overexpressed in the
      lesional tissue of patients with IBD compared with in healthy control tissues.
      TFF3 was identified as a target of miR-7-5p, and TFF3 protein expression was
      negatively regulated by miR-7-5p in human colonic epithelial LS174T cells. The
      present study demonstrated a negative association between the expression of miR-7
      5p and TFF3 in IBD lesional tissues and normal tissues. In conclusion, TFF3 was
      identified as a novel target of miR-7-5p and miR-7-5p may serve as a promising
      therapeutic target for IBD.

PMID- 28627601
TI  - An in vitro study on the effects of the combination of salinomycin with cisplatin
      on human gastric cancer cells.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of cisplatin (DDP)
      combined with salinomycin (SAL) on the gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901, as well
      as to explore the mechanisms underlying their actions. An MTT assay was used to
      evaluate the inhibitory effects of SAL, DDP and their combination on gastric
      cancer cell proliferation. Morphological alterations of cancer cells following
      treatment were observed under an inverted phase-contrast microscope and a
      fluorescence microscope. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were analyzed using
      flow cytometry. The expression of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB p65 and Fas protein
      ligand (L) in cancer cells was assessed using immunocytochemistry. The present
      results demonstrated that the combination of SAL and DDP significantly inhibited
      the proliferation (P<0.05) and altered the morphological characteristics of SGC
      7901 cells, thus suggesting that SAL may enhance the susceptibility of gastric
      cancer cells to DDP. In addition, treatment with a combination of SAL and DDP
      resulted in S phase-arrest and increased the apoptotic rate of SGC-7901 cells.
      Furthermore, marked FasL upregulation and NF-kappaB p65 downregulation were
      observed in cancer cells treated with the combination of SAL and DDP. The results
      of the present study demonstrated that the combination of SAL and DDP induced the
      apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells, and suggested that the underlying
      mechanism may involve the upregulation of FasL and downregulation of NF-kappaB
      p65.

PMID- 28627602
TI  - Molecular profiling of locally-advanced rectal adenocarcinoma using microRNA
      expression (Review).
AB  - Treatment for locally-advanced rectal cancer (LARC) typically consists of
      neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by total mesorectal excision. Recently, there
      has been growing interest in non-operative management for patients who are
      medically-inoperable or wish to avoid surgical morbidity and permanent colostomy.
      Approximately 50% of patients who receive pre-operative neoadjuvant
      chemoradiation develop some degree of pathologic response. Approximately 10-20%
      of patients are found to have a complete pathologic response, a finding which has
      frequently been shown to predict better clinical outcomes, including local
      regional control, distant metastasis and survival. Many recent studies have
      evaluated the role of molecular biomarkers in predicting response to neoadjuvant
      therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an emerging class of biomarkers that have the
      potential to predict which patients are most likely to benefit from pre-operative
      therapy and from a selective surgical approach. Here, we review the published
      literature on microRNAs as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in rectal cancer
      after pre-operative therapy. In the future, the development of prospectively
      validated miRNA signatures will allow clinical implementation of miRNAs as
      prognostic and predictive signatures in LARC.

PMID- 28627603
TI  - Role of stem cell factor in the regulation of ICC proliferation and detrusor
      contraction in rats with an underactive bladder.
AB  - Stem cell factor (SCF) is critical in regulating the proliferation,
      differentiation and function of the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), which are
      closely associated with smooth muscle dysfunction. The present study aimed to
      examine the effect of SCF on ICC proliferation and detrusor contraction in rats
      with an underactive bladder. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups
      comprising control, control+SCF, detrusor underactivity (DU), and DU+SCF groups.
      The ICC count was determined using immunofluorescence; serum levels of SCF were
      determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; mRNA and protein levels of
      c-kit and SCF in tissues were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses, respectively. Detrusor
      contractility was determined using muscle strips, based on the contraction
      amplitude and frequency determined in each specimen. Significantly fewer ICCs
      were observed in the DU group, in addition to decreased expression levels of SCF
      and c-kit, compared with the control group. In addition, the detrusor contraction
      frequency and amplitude were markedly reduced. However, the administration of SCF
      significantly increased the number of ICCs, and the levels of SCF and c-kit in
      animals with DU, and resulted in markedly amplified detrusor contraction
      frequency and amplitude. Similarly, the number of ICCs and levels of SCF and c
      kit were higher in the control+SCF group, compared with the control group.
      Overall, these findings suggested that exogenous SCF improved the organ
      dysfunction caused by reduced ICC number, providing a novel approach for organ
      repair.

PMID- 28627604
TI  - The C-terminus domain of the hepatitis B virus x protein stimulates the
      proliferation of mouse foetal hepatic progenitor cells, although it is not
      required for the formation of spheroids.
AB  - The hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein is an important factor in hepatitis B virus
      (HBV)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The C-terminal region of HBx
      plays a major role in the replication of HBV. Notably, HBx promotes the expansion
      and tumourigenesis of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) in mice. However, it
      remains unclear as to whether the C-terminal region of HBx is required for the
      stimulation fo the proliferation of mouse foetal HPCs (FHPCs). In our study, we
      used EpCAM+, CD133+ and CD49f+ FHPCs, which are bipotential clonogenic cells.
      These FHPCs transformed into mature hepatocytes and cholangiocytes when cultured
      under conditions that facilitate differentiation. Compared with the FHPCs grown
      as monolayers, spherical cell proliferation occurred more rapidly. Furthermore,
      spherically cultured FHPCs can grow in semi-solid agar and tend to maintain the
      morphology and characteristics of stem cells compared with growth in rat tail
      collagen. Notably, we also demonstrate that the C-terminus of HBx stimulates the
      proliferation of FHPCs, but is not required for the formation of spheroids,
      similar to hepatic cancer stem cells. These findings enhance our understanding of
      the HBx-induced tumourigenicity of FHPCs and may aid in the treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28627605
TI  - Mesenchymal stem cells promote endothelial progenitor cell proliferation by
      secreting insulin-like growth factor-1.
AB  - Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)
      interact with each other. EPCs are able to promote the self-renewal of MSCs as
      niche cells in murine bone marrow, and MSCs are able to promote EPC proliferation
      in vitro in a co-culture system. It has previously been reported that MSCs can
      secrete insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which serves critical functions in
      EPC proliferation. However, the mechanism underlying the IGF-1-mediated
      proliferation of EPCs remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to reveal
      the molecular mechanisms regulating this process. The effects of IGF-1, which is
      secreted by MSCs, on EPC proliferation via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were
      examined by MTT assay, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction and western blot analysis. The present study treated EPCs with various
      concentrations of IGF-1. The results demonstrated that IGF-1 significantly
      induced the proliferation of cultured EPCs. However, this effect was offset by
      treatment with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002. These
      results indicated that the pro-proliferative effects of IGF-1 are mediated in
      response to the PI3K/protein kinase B signaling pathway.

PMID- 28627606
TI  - Effects of ischemic preconditioning on PDGF-BB expression in the gerbil
      hippocampal CA1 region following transient cerebral ischemia.
AB  - Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is induced by exposure to brief durations of
      transient ischemia, which results in ischemic tolerance to a subsequent longer or
      lethal period of ischemia. In the present study, the effects of IPC (2 min of
      transient cerebral ischemia) were examined on immunoreactivity of platelet
      derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB and on neuroprotection in the gerbil hippocampal
      CA1 region following lethal transient cerebral ischemia (LTCI; 5 min of transient
      cerebral ischemia). IPC was subjected to a 2-min sublethal ischemia and a LTCI
      was given 5-min transient ischemia. The animals in all of the groups were given
      recovery times of 1, 2 and 5 days and change in PDGF-BB immunoreactivity was
      examined as was the neuronal damage/death in the hippocampus induced by LTCI.
      LTCI induced a significant loss of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1
      region 5 days after LTCI, and significantly decreased PDGF-BB immunoreactivity in
      the CA1 pyramidal neurons from day 1 after LTCI. Conversely, IPC effectively
      protected the CA1 pyramidal neurons from LTCI and increased PDGF-BB
      immunoreactivity in the CA1 pyramidal neurons post-LTCI. In conclusion, the
      results demonstrated that LTCI significantly altered PDGF-BB immunoreactivity in
      pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region, whereas IPC increased the
      immunoreactivity. These findings indicated that PDGF-BB may be associated with
      IPC-mediated neuroprotection.

PMID- 28627607
TI  - Inactivation of AKT, ERK and NF-kappaB by genistein derivative, 7
      difluoromethoxyl-5,4'-di-n-octylygenistein, reduces ovarian carcinoma
      oncogenicity.
AB  - Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have central functions in cancer formation and
      development. Aberrant expression of AKT, ERK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways
      have been reported in several types of CSCs. Phytochemicals from dietary
      compounds possess anti-CSC properties, and have been characterized as promising
      therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of many types of cancers. We
      previously showed that the newly synthesized genistein derivative, 7
      difluoromethoxyl-5,4'-di-n-octylygenistein (DFOG), can inhibit the self-renewal
      ability of ovarian cancer stem cells (OVCSLCs). In the present study, we further
      assessed whether various signaling pathways are regulated by DFOG. We found that
      spheroids derived from the SKOV3 cell line possessed OVCSLC properties and DFOG
      efficiently inhibited the stemness of the OVCSLCs. In addition, the suppression
      of spheroid and colony formation by DFOG was associated with inhibition of AKT
      and ERK1/2 protein phosphorylation, and NF-kappaB activity in OVCSLCs from the
      SKOV3 cells. Importantly, DFOG inhibited the oncogenicity of the OVCSLCs by
      activation of FoxO3a and/or inactivation of FoxM1 by the targeting of multiple
      pro-survival (AKT and ERK1/2) and proinflammatory (NF-kappaB) pathways, providing
      a new avenue for the treatment of ovarian carcinoma in humans.

PMID- 28627608
TI  - Silencing of LSD1 gene modulates histone methylation and acetylation and induces
      the apoptosis of JeKo-1 and MOLT-4 cells.
AB  - Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) has been identified and biochemically
      characterized in epigenetics; however, the pathological roles of its dysfunction
      in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia remain to
      be elucidated. In this study, we evaluated LSD1, and histone H3 lysine 4
      (H3K4)me1 and H3K4me2 expression in patients with MCL and silenced LSD1 in JeKo-1
      and MOLT-4 cells, in order to define its role in JeKo-1 and MOLT-4 cell
      proliferation and apoptosis. We retrospectively analyzed the protein expression
      of LSD1, and mono- and dimethylated H3K4 (H3K4me1 and H3K4me2), and cyclin D1 and
      Ki67 in 30 cases of MCL by immunohistochemistry. The correlation of LSD1, H3K4me1
      and H3K4me2 with Ki67 was determined by statistical analysis. LSD1 was silenced
      by small interfering RNA (siRNA). Cell apoptosis and cell proliferation were
      detected by flow cytometry and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The protein expression levels of LSD1,
      histone methylated H3K4, histone acetylated H3, cyclin D1, apoptotic proteins,
      p15 and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) were examined by western blot analysis.
      We demonstrated that LSD1 was upregulated, and that H3K4me1 and H3K4me2 were
      downregulated in the cases with MCL, compared to those with proliferative
      lymphadenitis (p<0.05). LSD1 positively correlated with Ki67 in MCL [Cohen's
      kappa (kappa)=0.667, p<0.01]. There was no significant correlation between
      H3K4me1 and H3K4me2, and Ki67 (kappa=-0.182, p>0.05, kappa=-0.200, p>0.05). The
      silencing of LSD1 decreased the levels of the apoptosis-related proteins, Bcl-2,
      pro-caspase-3 and C-myc, and decreased those of DNMT1 and increased p15, and
      resulted in the loss of cell viability and the induction apoptosis. The silencing
      of LSD1 increased the expression of H3K4me1 and H3K4me2, and histone acetylated
      H3 in the JeKo-1 and MOLT-4 cells. LSD1 siRNA also decreased cyclin D1 expression
      in the JeKo-1 cells. On the whole, our findings demonstrate that the
      overexpression of LSD1 may be associated with the pathogenesis in MCL. We
      demonstrated that the silencing of LSD1 is capable of removing the mono- and
      dimethyl groups from H3K4, and upregulating the histone acetylation of H3 in JeKo
      1 and MOLT-4 cells. The silencing of LSD1 inhibited cell growth and induced cell
      apoptosis. Of note, in JeKo-1 cells, the silencing of LSD1 decreased cyclin D1
      expression, which is one of the genes that contribute to the pathogenesis of MCL.
      LSD1 may thus be a possible therapeutic target in MCL and acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia MOLT-4 cells.

PMID- 28627609
TI  - MicroRNA-149 contributes to scarless wound healing by attenuating inflammatory
      response.
AB  - A fibrotic or pathological scar is an undesired consequence of skin wound healing
      and may trigger a series of problems. An attenuated inflammatory response is a
      significant characteristic of fetal skin wound healing, which can contribute to
      the scarless healing of fetal skin. According to deep sequencing data, microRNA
      149 (miR-149) expression was increased in mid-gestational compared with that in
      late-gestational fetal skin keratinocytes. It was demonstrated that
      overexpression of miR-149 in HaCaT cells can downregulate the expression of pro
      inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 at basal
      levels and in inflammatory conditions. Furthermore, miR-149 was revealed to
      indirectly accelerate transforming growth factor-beta3 and collagen type III
      expression in fibroblasts, which are essential cells in extracellular matrix
      remodeling. In a rat skin wound model, miR-149 improved the quality of the
      arrangement of collagen bundles and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration during
      skin wound healing. These results indicate that miR-149 may be a potential
      regulator in improving the quality of skin wound healing.

PMID- 28627610
TI  - Silencing DEK downregulates cervical cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis via the
      DEK/p-Ser9-GSK-3beta/p-Tyr216-GSK-3beta/beta-catenin axis.
AB  - Cervical cancer is the second most common gynecological malignancy. The
      mechanisms of the genesis and progression of cervical cancer are complicated and
      not thoroughly understood. DEK is reported as an oncogene in various cancers,
      such as acute myeloid leukemia, bladder cancer, breast cancer and hepatocellular
      cancer. However, its role in cervical cancer has not been well studied. In our
      study, we confirmed the DEK protein as an oncoprotein in cervical cancer tissues
      which is correlated to cervical cancer FIGO staging and tumor type. Moreover, in
      vitro loss of DEK inhibited cervical cancer cell proliferation, migration and
      invasion. We proved that silencing DEK downregulated Wnt/beta-catenin and MMP-9,
      and silencing DEK increased GSK-3beta activity via regulating its phosphorylation
      instead of translation. Silencing DEK reduced p-Ser9-GSK-3beta and increased p
      Tyr216-GSK-3beta, which resulted in beta-catenin degradation. Finally, the
      xenograft model in nude mice proved that silencing DEK impaired cervical cancer
      cell tumorigenicity. This research unveiled the function of DEK in tumorigenesis
      and metastasis via the DEK/p-Ser9-GSK-3beta/p-Tyr216-GSK-3beta/beta-catenin axis
      in cervical cancer and gave insights into DEK-targeting therapy for patients
      suffering from cervical cancer.

PMID- 28627611
TI  - Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell-like phenotype induced by
      Twist1 contribute to acquired resistance to irinotecan in colon cancer.
AB  - Inherent and acquired chemoresistance reduce the effectiveness of irinotecan in
      the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the molecular
      mechanisms underlying this resistance process are still unclear. Twist1 is one of
      the master transcription factors of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our
      previous study indicated that Twist1 is overexpressed in colon cancer tissues,
      and demonstrated that Twist1 plays a crucial role in the chemoresistance of CRC.
      In the present study, we further investigated how Twist1 contribute to acquired
      resistance to irinotecan in colon cancer. The irinotecan-resistant cells were
      established by gradual adaptation of increasing irinotecan concentrations in LoVo
      cells, named LoVo/CPT-11R cells. Results showed that cell viabilities to
      different anticancer drugs were markedly increased in LoVo/CPT-11R cells compared
      to LoVo cells. Moreover, LoVo/CPT-11R cells displayed EMT, CSC-like cellular
      morphology and relative biomarkers were also significantly increased. In
      addition, overexpressed Twist1 LoVo cells were established by lentivirus
      transfection assay, named LoVo/Twist1 cells. Results showed that the LoVo/Twist1
      cells perform a distinctly decreased sensitivity to irinotecan, downregulated
      expression of E-cadherin, upregulated expression of cluster of differentiation 44
      (CD44), and a significant enhancement of invasion and migration potential by
      regulation of MMP2 compared with control cells. In contrast, the inhibition of
      Twist1 transfected with siRNA could enhance the irinotecan sensitivity in
      LoVo/CPT-11R cells and downregulate the expression of vimentin and CD44. Our data
      provide evidence that EMT and CSC-like phenotype induced by Twist1 contribute to
      acquire resistance to irinotecan and enhanced migration and invasion in colon
      cancer.

PMID- 28627612
TI  - Targeted inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress: New hope for renal fibrosis
      (Review).
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a very high mortality rate and remains a global
      health challenge. Inhibiting renal fibrosis is one of the most promising
      therapeutic strategies for CKD. Recent studies have indicated that endoplasmic
      reticulum stress (ERS) serves an active role in the development of acute and
      chronic kidney disease, especially with regards to renal fibrosis. In the current
      review, the authors summarize the latest understanding of the role of ERS during
      the onset of renal fibrosis. ERS promotes renal fibrosis through multiple
      signaling pathways, such as transforming growth factor-beta, epithelial
      mesenchymal transition and oxidative stress. In addition, ERS also causes
      podocyte damage, leading to increased proteinuria and the development of renal
      fibrosis in rat models. In conclusion, targeted inhibition of ERS may become a
      promising therapeutic strategy for renal fibrosis.

PMID- 28627613
TI  - Translocation of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli effector Tir to the plasma
      membrane via host Golgi apparatus.
AB  - The translocated intimin receptor (Tir) is a canonical type III secretion system
      effector, secreted by the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (E. coli). This
      receptor alters the regular cellular processing of host cells, to promote
      intracellular bacterial replication and evasion of the host immune system. Tir is
      translocated and integrated into the host cell plasma membrane, a process
      required for its pathogenic activity in these cells, however, the underlying
      mechanisms of how this occurs remain to be elucidated. The present study used
      immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy to demonstrate that the Tir of
      enterohemorrhagic E. coli was localized to the plasma membrane and colocalized
      with the 58K Golgi protein of the host cells. Treatment with brefeldin A
      destroyed the Golgi structure, inhibited the formation of actin pedestal and
      blocked the localization of Tir on the host cell plasma membrane. The results of
      the present study suggested that Tir is translocated to the host plasma membrane
      in a Golgi-dependent manner. It may mimic the activities of eukaryotic secretory
      proteins in order to make use of the Golgi apparatus for transportation and
      integration into the plasma membrane. These findings reveal a novel trafficking
      pathway for the translocation of bacterial secretory effectors to their specific
      subcellular compartments.

PMID- 28627614
TI  - CagA promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of GES-1 cells by upregulating
      TRAF1/4-1BB.
AB  - Cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) is one of the most important virulence factors
      of Helicobacter pylori, and serves a role in H. pylori-mediated tumorigenesis in
      gastric cancer. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be
      elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of CagA on the
      proliferation and apoptosis of GES-1 cells, and the underlying mechanism. A CagA
      eukaryotic expression plasmid was constructed and transfected into GES-1 cells.
      The mRNA and protein levels of CagA, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated
      factor 1 (TRAF1) and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9 (4-1BB)
      were determined using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction and western blot analysis, respectively. Western blot and ELISA analysis
      was used to detect the release of interleukin (IL)-8. An MTT assay and flow
      cytometric analysis was used to assess cell viability and apoptosis,
      respectively. Ectopic expression of CagA markedly increased TRAF1 and 4-1BB mRNA
      and protein levels in GES-1 cells. CagA increased the expression and release of
      IL-8 in GES-1 cells. The expression of CagA significantly promoted the
      proliferation (P<0.05) and inhibited the apoptosis (P<0.05) of GES-1 cells. In
      conclusion, CagA upregulated TRAF1/4-1BB, thereby promoting the proliferation and
      inhibiting the apoptosis of GES-1 cells.

PMID- 28627615
TI  - Synthesis of folate-chitosan nanoparticles loaded with ligustrazine to target
      folate receptor positive cancer cells.
AB  - In addition to its vasodilatory effect, ligustrazine (LZ) improves the
      sensitivity of multidrug resistant cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. To
      enhance the specificity of LZ delivery to tumor cells/tissues, folate-chitosan
      nanoparticles (FA-CS-NPs) were synthesized by combination of folate ester with
      the amine group on chitosan to serve as a delivery vehicle for LZ (FA-CS-LZ-NPs).
      The structure of folate-chitosan and characteristics of FA-CS-LZ-NPs, including
      its size, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and release rates were
      analyzed. MCF-7 (folate receptor-positive) and A549 (folate receptor-negative)
      cells cultured with or without folate were treated with FA-CS-LZ-NPs, CS-LZ-NPs
      or LZ to determine cancer-targeting specificity of FA-CS-LZ-NPs. Fluorescence
      intensity of intracellular LZ was observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy,
      and concentration of intracellular LZ was detected by HPLC. The average size of
      FA-CS-LZ-NPs was 182.7+/-0.56 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency and loading
      capacity was 59.6+/-0.23 and 15.3+/-0.16% respectively. The cumulative release
      rate was about 95% at pH 5.0, which was higher than that at pH 7.4. There was
      higher intracellular LZ accumulation in MCF-7 than that in A549 cells and
      intracellular LZ concentration was not high when MCF-7 cells were cultured with
      folate. These results indicated that the targeting specificity of FA-CS-LZ-NPs
      was mediated by folate receptor. Therefore, the FA-CS-LZ-NPs may be a potential
      folate receptor-positive tumor cell targeting drug delivery system that could
      possibly overcome multidrug resistance during cancer therapy.

PMID- 28627616
TI  - Distinct cellular phenotype linked to defective DNA interstrand crosslink repair
      and homologous recombination.
AB  - Repair of DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) predominantly involves the Fanconi
      anemia (FA) pathway and homologous recombination (HR). The HR repair system
      eliminates DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) that emerge during ICLs removal. The
      current study presents a novel cell line, CL-V8B, representing a new
      complementation group of Chinese hamster cell mutants hypersensitive to DNA
      crosslinking factors. CL-V8B exhibits increased sensitivity to various DNA
      damaging agents, including compounds leading to DSBs formation (bleomycin and 6
      thioguanine), and is extremely sensitive to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase
      inhibitor (>400-fold), which is typical for HR-defective cells. In addition, this
      cell line exhibits a reduced number of spontaneous and induced sister chromatid
      exchanges, which suggests likely impairment of HR in CL-V8B cells. However, in
      contrast to other known HR mutants, CL-V8B cells do not show defects in Rad51
      foci induction, but only slight alterations in the focus formation kinetics. CL
      V8B is additionally characterized by a considerable chromosomal instability, as
      indicated by a high number of spontaneous and MMC-induced chromosomal
      aberrations, and a twice as large proportion of cells with abnormal centrosomes
      than that in the wild type cell line. The molecular defect present in CL-V8B does
      not affect the efficiency and stabilization of replication forks. However,
      stalling of the forks in response to replication stress is observed relatively
      rarely, which suggests an impairment of a signaling mechanism. Exposure of CL-V8B
      to crosslinking agents results in S-phase arrest (as in the wild type cells), but
      also in larger proportion of G2/M-phase cells and apoptotic cells. CL-V8B
      exhibits similarities to HR- and/or FA-defective Chinese hamster mutants
      sensitive to DNA crosslinking agents. However, the unique phenotype of this new
      mutant implies that it carries a defect of a yet unidentified gene involved in
      the repair of ICLs.

PMID- 28627617
TI  - Sorafenib controls the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ovarian cancer cells
      via EGF and the CD44-HA signaling pathway in a cell type-dependent manner.
AB  - Cluster of differentiation (CD) 44 and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are closely
      involved in cellular migration and have been used as stem cell markers. Although
      the hyaluronan (HA)-binding CD44 is responsible for enhanced cellular motility,
      the mechanism underlying its actions in various cell types and clinical
      conditions have yet to be elucidated. In the present study, the multikinase
      inhibitor sorafenib was used to investigate the diverse effects of EGF
      stimulation on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ovarian cancer cells
      using immunoblotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In
      addition, the association between EGF and CD44/HA signaling pathways in the
      control of mesenchymal phenotype was determined by gene silencing with small
      interfering RNA transfection. EGF stimulation of ovarian cancer cells increased
      cellular migration, mesenchymal transition, CD44 expression and the activation of
      matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. Sorafenib effectively suppressed the
      loss of epithelial characteristics in EGF-treated SK-OV-3 ovarian cancer cells,
      via targeting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal
      regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Although treatment of Caov-3 ovarian cancer cells
      with sorafenib blocked the expression of mesenchymal phenotypes following EGF
      stimulation, EGF-activated Caov-3 cells exhibited reduced MAPK/ERK signaling.
      Furthermore, EGF-activated Caov-3 cells increased the expression of hyaluronan
      synthase 2 and HA-CD44 ligation in EGF-exposed Caov-3 cells, which resulted in
      the activation of the Ras/Raf/MEK signaling pathway, amplification of migratory
      activity and the expression of mesenchymal markers, including N-cadherin and
      vimentin. Furthermore, silencing EGFR in SK-OV-3 cells and CD44 in Caov-3 cells
      suppressed their migratory activity, through inhibition of the MAPK/ERK pathway.
      The present results suggested that EGF-mediated signaling may regulate metastasis
      and invasion of ovarian cancer cells, in a cancer cell type-dependent manner.

PMID- 28627618
TI  - Hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha regulates autophagy via the p27-E2F1 signaling
      pathway.
AB  - Autophagy is a highly conserved process by which the cell contents are delivered
      to lysosomes for degradation, or are used to provide macromolecules for energy
      generation under conditions of nutritional starvation. It has previously been
      demonstrated that cancer cells in hypoxic regions, with an oxygen concentration
      below the normal physiological level, express hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)
      1alpha, in order to adapt and survive. HIF-1alpha is important in the regulation
      of oxygen homeostasis and the transcription of hundreds of genes in response to
      conditions of hypoxia, hence maintaining energy and redox homeostasis. To
      determine if HIF-1alpha modulates autophagy and the underlying molecular
      mechanisms regulating this process, the human esophageal cancer EC109 and IMR90
      human diploid fibroblast cell lines were exposed to normoxic or hypoxic
      conditions and the expression levels of various proteins subsequently examined.
      Small interfering RNA was used to silence p27, in order to investigate its role
      in the process of HIF-1alpha regulated autophagy. Hypoxia induced autophagy in
      IMR90 cells and it was revealed that immature IMR90 cells demonstrated an
      increased rate of autophagy compared with mature cells. HIF-1alpha promoted EC109
      cell autophagy via positively modulating p27, whereas silencing of p27 abolished
      the autophagy induced by hypoxia. The present study identified the primary
      components of the p27-E2F1 signaling pathway by which HIF-1alpha regulates
      autophagy. A previously unidentified mechanism is here presented, via which
      cancer cells may generate energy, or obtain macromolecules for survival.

PMID- 28627619
TI  - Expression of Dicer in rheumatoid arthritis is associated with disease activity
      and balances the production of TNF-alpha.
AB  - Gene expression can be altered through RNA interference (RNAi), including
      microRNA (miRNA) or small interfering RNA. Alterations of miRNAs in rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) have been reported, however, the components of the RNAi machinery
      in RA remain to be fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to detect
      the levels of Dicer, Argonaute2 and Drosha, components of the RNAi machinery, in
      the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with RAusingreverse
      transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and to compare the results
      with disease activity and clinical features. Disease activity was assessed using
      the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28). Transfection and stimulation of cultured
      cells were conducted to determine the biological function of Dicer. ELISA was
      used to test tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha protein levels. It was found that
      the mRNA expression levels of Dicer and Drosha were upregulated in patients with
      RA, and that the increased level of Dicer was correlated with disease activity in
      patients with RA. Dicer and TNF-alpha were activated in the serum of patients
      with RA. The activation of Dicer suppressed the production of TNF-alpha. These
      results suggested that Dicer can balance the production of TNF-alpha, and thus
      may serve as a regulator of the immune response in patients with RA.

PMID- 28627620
TI  - Protective effect of human serum amyloid P on CCl4-induced acute liver injury in
      mice.
AB  - Human serum amyloid P (hSAP), a member of the pentraxin family, inhibits the
      activation of fibrocytes in culture and inhibits experimental renal, lung, skin
      and cardiac fibrosis. As hepatic inflammation is one of the causes of liver
      fibrosis, in the present study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of
      hSAP against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury. Our data indicated
      that hSAP attenuated hepatic histopathological abnormalities and significantly
      decreased inflammatory cell infiltration and pro-inflammatory factor expression.
      Moreover, CCl4-induced apoptosis in the mouse liver was inhibited by hSAP, as
      measured by terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick-end labeling
      (TUNEL) assay and cleaved caspase-3 expression. hSAP significantly restored the
      expression of B cell lymphoma/leukemia (Bcl)-2 and suppressed the expression of
      Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) in vivo. The number of hepatocytes in early
      apoptosis stained with Annexin V was significantly reduced by 28-30% in the hSAP
      treatment group compared with the CCl4 group, and the expression of Bcl-2 was
      increased, whereas the expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3 were significantly
      inhibited in the hSAP pre-treatment group compared with the CCl4 group. hSAP
      administration also inhibited the migration and activation of hepatic stellate
      cells (HSCs) in CCl4-injured liver and suppressed the activation of isolated
      primary HSCs induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 in vitro.
      Collectively, these findings suggest that hSAP exerts a protective effect againts
      CCl4-induced hepatic injury by suppressing the inflammatory response and
      hepatocyte apoptosis, potentially by inhibiting HSC activation.

PMID- 28627621
TI  - Identification of different macrophage subpopulations with distinct activities in
      a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to characterize the phenotypic shift, quantity
      and role changes in different subgroups of retinal macrophages in a mouse model
      of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). The mRNA expression levels of macrophage M1
      and M2 subgroup marker genes and polarization-associated genes were analyzed by
      RT-qPCR. The number of M1 and M2 macrophages in our mouse model of OIR was
      analyzed by flow cytometry at different time points during the progression of
      OIR. Immunofluorescence whole mount staining of the retinas of mice with OIR was
      performed at different time points to examine the influx of macrophages, as well
      as the morphological characteristics and roles of M1 and M2 macrophages. An
      increased number of macrophages was recruited during the progression of
      angiogenesis in the retinas of mice with OIR due to the pro-inflammatory
      microenvironment containing high levels of cell adhesion and leukocyte
      transendothelial migration molecules. RT-qPCR and flow cytometric analysis at
      different time points revealed a decline in the number of M1 cells from a
      significantly high level at post-natal day (P)13 to a relatively normal level at
      P21, as well as an increase in the number of M2 cells from P13 to P21 in the mice
      with OIR, implicating a shift of macrophage polarization towards the M2 subtype.
      Immunofluorescence staining suggested that the M1 cells interacted with
      endothelial tip cells at the vascular front, while M2 cells embraced the emerging
      vessels and bridged the neighboring vessel sprouts. Thus, our data indicate that
      macrophages play an active role in OIR by contributing to the different steps of
      neovascularization. Our findings indicate that tissue macrophages may be
      considered as a potential target for the anti-angiogenic therapy of ocular
      neovascularization disease.

PMID- 28627622
TI  - Human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells protect against UVA irradiation
      induced human dermal fibroblast senescence, in vitro.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to determine if human amnion-derived mesenchymal
      stem cells (HAMSCs) exert a protective effect on ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation
      induced human dermal fibroblast (HDF) senescence. A senescence model was
      constructed as follows: HDFs (104-106 cells/well) were cultured in a six-well
      plate in vitro and then exposed to UVA irradiation at 9 J/cm2 for 30 min.
      Following the irradiation period, HDFs were co-cultured with HAMSCs, which were
      seeded on transwells. A total of 72 h following the co-culturing, senescence
      associated beta-galactosidase staining was performed and reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) content and mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim) were detected in
      the HDFs via flow cytometric analysis. The results demonstrated that the
      percentage of HDFs, detected via staining with X-gal, were markedly decreased
      when co-cultured with human HAMSCs, compared with the group that were not co
      cultured. The ROS content was decreased and the mitochondrial membrane potential
      (Deltapsim) recovered in cells treated with UVA and HAMSCs, compared with that of
      cells treated with UVA alone. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction revealed the significant effects of HAMSCs on the HDF senescence marker
      genes p53 and matrix metalloproteinase-1 mRNA expression. In addition to this,
      western blot analysis verified the effects of HAMSCs on UVA induced senescence,
      providing a foundation for novel regenerative therapeutic methods. Furthermore,
      the results suggested that activation of the extracellular-signal regulated
      kinase 1/2 mitogen activated protein kinase signal transduction pathway, is
      essential for the HAMSC-mediated UVA protective effects. The decrease in ROS
      content additionally indicated that HAMSCs may exhibit the potential to treat
      oxidative stress-mediated UVA skin senescence in the future.

PMID- 28627623
TI  - P18 peptide, a functional fragment of pigment epithelial-derived factor, inhibits
      angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma via modulating VEGF/VEGFR2 signalling
      pathway.
AB  - The P18 peptide is a functional fragment of pigment epithelial-derived factor
      (PEDF), which is an endogenic angiogenesis inhibitor. This study sought to
      determine the anti-angiogenic bioactivity of the P18 peptide in hepato-cellular
      carcinoma (HCC) and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Xenograft tumour
      growth assays demonstrated the P18 peptide suppressed angiogenesis of HCC in
      vivo. Wound healing, Transwell and Matrigel-culture assays indicated that the P18
      peptide inhibited the cell migration and tube formation of endothelial cells
      (ECs) in vitro. Cell viability and apoptosis assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK
      8) and flow cytometry assays suggested that the P18 peptide inhibited
      angiogenesis by inducing apoptosis of ECs. Angiogenesis- and signal transduction
      associated molecules analysed by western blot demonstrated that the P18 peptide
      targets vascular endothelial cell growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) on ECs. In
      conclusion, by inhibiting the phosphorylation of VEGFR2, the P18 peptide
      modulates signalling transduction between VEGF/VEGFR2 and suppresses activation
      of the PI3K/Akt cascades, leading to an increase in mitochondrial-mediated
      apoptosis and anti-angiogenic activity. This bioactivity of the P18 peptide may
      represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28627624
TI  - Pro-oxidant activity of sulforaphane and cisplatin potentiates apoptosis and
      simultaneously promotes autophagy in malignant mesothelioma cells.
AB  - Sulforaphane (SFN) is an isothiocyanate compound derived from glucoraphanin,
      which is found in cruciferous vegetables, and has been heralded as a
      chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent. The present study investigated the
      effects of SFN on enhancing the anticancer role of cisplatin (cis
      dichlorodiammineplatinum; CDDP) in H-28 malignant mesothelioma cells. At
      concentrations demonstrating limited toxicity in MeT-5A normal human mesothelial
      cells, combination treatment with the two compounds exhibited synergistic growth
      inhibiting and apoptosis-promoting activities, as demonstrated by a series of
      proapoptotic events, including reactive oxygen species accumulation, loss of
      mitochondrial membrane potential, upregulation of p53 expression, increased B
      cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) associated X protein/Bcl-2 ratio, activation of caspase
      3, the occurrence of a sub-G0/G1 peak and an increase in cells with pyknotic and
      fragmented nuclei, Annexin V-phycoerythrin-positive staining and G2/M phase
      transition delay in the cell cycle. The phosphorylation levels of Akt and
      mammalian target of rapamycin were reduced by the combination treatment, which
      was accompanied by a significant increase in the level of autophagosomal marker
      protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B-II and the accumulation
      of acidic vesicular organelles. Pretreatment with the antioxidant N
      acetylcysteine attenuated both apoptosis and autophagy, whereas inhibition of
      autophagy by bafilomycin A1 potentiated apoptotic cell death following the
      combination treatment with SFN and CDDP. Considering the pro-oxidant-based
      combinational approach, the results of the present study provide a rationale for
      targeting cytoprotective autophagy as a potential therapeutic strategy for
      malignant mesothelioma.

PMID- 28627625
TI  - Effects of metal ions on the structure and activity of a human anti-cyclin D1
      single-chain variable fragment AD5.
AB  - Cyclin D1 has become a potential target for anti-tumor therapy. Recently, a novel
      human anti-cyclin D1 single-chain variable fragment (AD5) was identified, which
      demonstrated specific binding activity to cyclin D1 and exhibited anti-tumor
      effects. However, the detailed characteristics of AD5 remain unclear. In the
      present study, the structure and activity of AD5 in the presence of copper II
      (Cu2+) or iron III (Fe3+) metal ions was investigated by fluorescence
      spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
      Cu2+ and Fe3+ were able to bind to AD5 and quench the fluorescence intensity of
      AD5 primarily by static quenching, which slightly altered the conformation of AD5
      at temperatures of 293, 298 and 303 K; however, these temperatures demonstrated
      different effects on the activity of AD5. These results may be of value for the
      clinical application of anti-cyclin D1 single chain antibodies in the future.

PMID- 28627626
TI  - HMGB1 regulates P-glycoprotein expression in status epilepticus rat brains via
      the RAGE/NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
AB  - Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in the brain is an important mechanism
      involved in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), an
      inflammatory cytokine, significantly increases following seizures and may be
      involved in upregulation of P-gp. However, the underlying mechanisms remain
      elusive. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of HMGB1 and its
      downstream signaling components, receptor for advanced glycation end-product
      (RAGE) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), on P-gp expression in rat brains
      during status epilepticus (SE). Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was administered to
      rats prior to induction of SE by pilocarpine, to block transcription of the genes
      encoding HMGB1 and RAGE, respectively. An inhibitor of NF-kappaB,
      pyrrolidinedithiocarbamic acid (PDTC), was utilized to inhibit activation of NF
      kappaB. The expression levels of HMGB1, RAGE, phosphorylated-NF-kappaB p65 (p
      p65) and P-gp were detected by western blotting. The relative mRNA expression
      levels of the genes encoding these proteins were measured using reverse
      transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the cellular
      localization of the proteins was determined by immunofluorescence. Pre-treatment
      with HMGB1 siRNA reduced the expression levels of RAGE, p-p65 and P-gp. PDTC
      reduced the expression levels of P-gp. These findings suggested that
      overexpression of P-gp during seizures may be regulated by HMGB1 via the RAGE/NF
      kappaB signaling pathway, and may be a novel target for treating DRE.

PMID- 28627627
TI  - Stromal antigen 2 functions as a tumor suppressor in bladder cancer cells.
AB  - Stromal antigen 2 (STAG2) is a subunit of the cohesion complex that plays an
      important role in the normal segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis or
      meiosis. However, the effect of STAG2 on the bladder cancer cell proliferation,
      migration, and invasion has not yet been fully clarified. In this study, we aimed
      to characterize STAG2 expression and functional significance in BC and adjacent
      normal tissue. Notably, STAG2 expression was markedly lower in BC cells and tumor
      tissues than their normal counterparts at the gene and protein levels. Moreover,
      clinicopathological analysis showed that the low STAG2 expression is associated
      with TNM stage. Functional analysis demonstrated that STAG2 overexpression
      attenuated cell proliferation via G1-phase arrest, invasion, and migration, and
      promoted apoptosis in BC cell lines, while the opposite was observed with STAG2
      knockdown cells. Furthermore, STAG2 overexpression upregulated E-cadherin,
      caspase-3, and caspase-7 and downregulated vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase
      (MMP)2, and MMP9. Collectively, these data suggest that STAG2 acts as a tumor
      suppressor gene in bladder cancer and may be a potential therapeutic target in
      BC.

PMID- 28627628
TI  - Phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligonucleotides against human telomerase
      reverse transcriptase sensitize cancer cells to radiotherapy.
AB  - Emergence of resistance, unavoidable systemic toxicity and unsatisfactory
      efficacy arethe main obstacles for traditional cancer therapy. Combination with
      phosphorothioate modified antisense oligonucleotides (PS-ASODN) against human
      telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) may enhance the therapeutic effect of
      irradiation. However, the effect of PS-ASODN against hTERT on the anti-tumor
      effects of irradiation in liver cancer remain unclear. In the current study,
      Walker 256 cells were transfected with hTERT PS-ASODN. Cell proliferation and
      cell viability were measured using the MTT assay and cell senescence was examined
      by SA-beta-gal staining. Telomerase activity was determined by telomeric repeat
      amplification protocol-polymerase chain reaction-ELISA. Cell apoptosis was
      assayed by flow cytometry and DNA damage was determined by the comet assay.The PS
      ASODN was demonstrated to have an inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and
      accelerated effect on cell senescence by inhibiting telomerase activity. PS-ASODN
      promoted the irradiation-induced inhibition of cell viability and telomerase
      activity, and irradiation-induced DNA damage and cell apoptosis via the
      activation of apoptosis-associated proteins. Taken together, these results
      indicated that combined treatment of PS-ASODN with irradiation significantly
      enhanced tumor inhibition. Therefore, PS-ASODN provides an experimental
      foundation for gene therapy and is proposed for application in clinical treatment
      of liver cancer combined with radiotherapy.

PMID- 28627629
TI  - Reducing autophagy and inducing G1 phase arrest by aloperine enhances radio
      sensitivity in lung cancer cells.
AB  - Aloperine (ALO), an isolated alkaloid from the leaves of Sophora alopecuroides
      (S. alopecuroides), has been suggested to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antitumor
      properties, and has been traditionally used to treat various diseases, including
      cancers. However, little is known about the effects of ALO on the radio
      sensitivity of lung cancer cells. In the present study, we confirmed that agent
      ALO inhibits cell growth, promotes cell aopotosis and induces G1 phase arrest and
      consequently enhanced the radio-sensitivity in radio-resistant lung cancer cells
      A549/IR. Mechanically, ALO markedly down-regulates the G1/S transition
      regulators, CDK4/6 and cyclin D1. Moreover, ALO decreases cell autophagy
      signaling, which is characterized by downregulated Beclin1 and upregulated p62,
      two key autophagy-associated proteins. We also observed that autophagy
      inhibitors, bafilomycin A1 (BafA) and chloroquine (CQ), could sensitize the radio
      resistant cells to the ionizing radiation (IR) treatment, which is similar to the
      effect of ALO. Taken together, the findings from the present study suggest that
      inhibition of cell autophagy by ALO shows marked results in radio-resistant lung
      cancer cells, and is shown to enhance the effect of IR.

PMID- 28627631
TI  - Effect of OATP1B1 genetic polymorphism on the uptake of tamoxifen and its
      metabolite, endoxifen.
AB  - Overexpression lentivirus platform was established of OATP1B1 (organic anion
      transporting polypeptides 1B1) wild-type and mutant type genetic polymorphism in
      vitro, and using this platform we investigated and compared the uptake of
      tamoxifen and its metabolites by mutating the 388 and the 521 bases. The
      overexpression lentivirus cell platforms were successfully constructed, including
      OATP1B1*1a-HEK293T and OATP1B1*1b-HEK293T and OATP1B1*5-HEK293T cell model, the
      infection efficiency is not less than 80%. It shows a high level of gene
      expression at the mRNA and protein level. The tamoxifen and endoxifen can be
      taken up into the cells through organic anion transporter polypeptide 1B1, and
      OATP1B1521T>C inhibits the function of the transport protein, resulting in the
      content of drug in cell lysis liquid in OATP1B1*5-HEK293T group is lower than in
      OATP1B1*1a-HEK293T group (tamoxifen or endoxifen), with statistical significance.
      The content of the drug in cell lysis liquid in OATP1B1*1b-HEK293T group and the
      OATP1B1*1a-HEK293T group, similar with no statistical significance. These results
      suggest that tamoxifen and endoxifen can be transported by OATP1B1. However,
      OATP1B1 521T>C can inhibit the effects of OATP1B1 on tamoxifen and endoxifen in
      the cells.

PMID- 28627630
TI  - Gene expression profiling of human blastocysts from in vivo and 'rescue IVM' with
      or without melatonin treatment.
AB  - To evaluate the effect of melatonin supplementation in maturation medium for
      human 'rescue IVM' and investigate differences in transcriptomic profile of
      blastocysts developed from oocytes matured in vitro with/without melatonin
      treatment and in vivo, a total of 314 GV oocytes and 320 MI oocytes were
      collected from 200 patients younger than 35 years old undergoing ICSI cycle. The
      oocytes were randomly distributed in the control group (no melatonin) and four
      other groups of varying melatonin concentrations (10-11, 10-9, 10-7, 10-5 mol/l).
      Gene profiling was performed on blastocysts developed from in vivo maturation
      oocytes (in vivo group), and in vitro maturation (IVM) oocytes with an optimal
      concentration of melatonin treatment (IVM-anti group) or without melatonin (IVM
      group). The ratio of high quality blastocysts was significantly higher in the
      groups treated with 10-5 mol/l melatonin compared with others groups. The large
      scale analysis of the transcriptome revealed significant differences in mRNA
      expression levels. In each group, nine blastocysts were selected for gene
      expression profiling. The differentially expressed genes were involved in
      cysteine and methionine metabolism, regulation of apoptotic process, mineral
      absorption, steroid hormone biosynthesis, Wnt signaling, p53 signaling pathway
      and other functions. The findings indicated that the IVM procedure may
      potentially affect DNA methylation and the canonical Wnt signaling pathway.
      Exogenous melatonin positively influenced quality of blastocysts, which may be
      mediated via upregulation of p53 signaling and correcting DNA methylation changes
      caused by 'rescue IVM'. However, this study reflected what was generally referred
      to as 'rescue IVM' and was not a true reflection of clinical IVM techniques.
      Therefore, melatonin required further investigation as a promising supplement for
      use in IVM.

PMID- 28627632
TI  - Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the 5' upstream region of the
      C4BPA gene with essential hypertension in a northeastern Han Chinese population.
AB  - A previous study of the authors using microarray analysis indicated that the
      expression of complement component 4 binding protein (C4BP)A is upregulated in
      essential hypertension (EH) patients, but the association between C4BPA
      variations and EH has not yet been clearly demonstrated. Since the 5' upstream
      region is known to serve important roles in the gene expression regulation, the
      present study aimed to identify and analyze the association of single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5' upstream region between the C4BPA gene with EH in
      a case-control study among a northeastern Han Chinese population through direct
      sequencing as well as genotype detection. A total of 822 unrelated participants
      were included. The higher expression level of C4BPA in the peripheral blood of
      patients with EH was verified through reverse transcription-quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction and ELISA. A total of four SNPs, rs73079108,
      rs74148971, rs77660718 and rs11120211 were identified in the 5' upstream region
      of C4BPA. Association analysis demonstrated that the genotypic frequencies of
      rs73079108 were significantly different between EH and the control groups
      (P=0.011), and A allelic frequency was lower in EH (P<0.001). Logistic regression
      analysis indicated that the rs73079108 polymorphism was closely associated with
      EH (AA:GA:GG genetic model: P=0.007, odds ratio (OR)=0.604, 95% confidence
      interval (CI) [0.418-0.873]; AA+GA:GG genetic model: P=0.005, OR=0.806, 95%
      CI[0.382-0.841]), and the A allele may be a protective factor. Subgroup analysis
      by sex and BMI presented concordant conclusions in female and non-obese samples.
      Further analysis indicated that rs73079108 was associated with systolic blood
      pressure (P<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (P=0.001) and fast blood glucose
      (FBG) (P=0.021). In addition, rs73079108 GA and GG carriers reported a
      significant increase in the level of the protein encoded by C4BPA than those of
      AA carriers. The rs73079108 polymorphism in the 5' upstream region of C4BPA was
      associated with EH, and rs73079108-A may be an independent predictor.

PMID- 28627633
TI  - Robust cancer-specific gene expression by a novel cassette with hTERT and CMV
      promoter elements.
AB  - We developed and validated a novel hTERT/CMV promoter element-driven gene
      expression cassette that can robustly enhance cancer-specific gene expression.
      The following gene expressional elements were located in tandem within the
      plasmid construct: [hTERT core promoter, cytomegalovirus (CMV) minimized
      promoter, RU5' sequence, an inserted gene, BGH polyA, hTERT enhancer]; this is
      hereafter referred to as the hT/Cm-R-hT construct. Using various human cancer
      cell lines and normal cells, the cancer-specific transcription of the green
      fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was examined by western blotting and fluorescence
      microscopy. Cancer-specific gene expression was robustly achieved in the hT/Cm-R
      hT plasmid in comparison to the other control hT/Cm-driven construct. Notably,
      the expression level of GFP observed in the hT/Cm-R-hT-driven construct was
      superior to that of the control plasmid with the conventional CMV promoter in
      HEK293 cells, which are known to possess higher hTERT activity than normal cells.
      We next examined the availability of hT/Cm-R-hT in detecting the target GFP
      expressing cancer cells from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
      The hT/Cm-R-hT plasmid successfully induced cancer-specific gene expression; the
      robust expression of GFP was observed in target HeLa cancer cells, whereas GFP
      was not visibly expressed in normal PBMCs. The plasmid allowed for the selective
      visualization of viable HeLa cancer cells in mixed cell cultures containing up to
      10000-fold more PBMCs. These findings indicate that the hT/Cm-R-hT expressional
      system is a valuable tool for detecting viable cancer cells mixed with normal
      cells. The current system can therefore be applied to the in vitro detection of
      cancer cells that are disseminated in the blood and other types of body fluid in
      vivo. Since the current system can also be applied to other types of vectors,
      including virus vectors, this approach using the hTERT promoter-based construct
      is expected to become a valuable tool for enhancing cancer-specific gene
      expression.

PMID- 28627634
TI  - DTX3L is upregulated in glioma and is associated with glioma progression.
AB  - Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors of the central nervous system
      (CNS). Due to the poor prognosis of glioma patients, it is urgent to develop more
      effective therapies. Deltex-3-like (DTX3L), also known as B-lymphoma and BAL
      associated protein (BBAP), has been reported to play an important role in the
      progression of many tumors. This study aimed to investigate the clinical
      significance and biological function of DTX3L in human glioma. Clinically, the
      protein expression level of DTX3L is increased in glioma tissues compared with
      that observed in normal brain tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated
      that DTX3L was highly expressed in the glioma tissues and its level was
      correlated with the grade of malignancy. Multivariate analysis revealed the
      association between high expression of DTX3L and the poor prognosis of glioma
      patients. In addition, knockdown of DTX3L by siRNA transfection increased glioma
      cell apoptosis. Moreover, suppression of DTX3L expression was shown to
      significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of glioma cells. These data
      indicate that DTX3L plays an important role in the pathogenic process of glioma,
      suggesting that DTX3L could be a potential prognostic biomarker for glioma.

PMID- 28627635
TI  - Concomitant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection promotes lung tumor growth
      through enhancing Treg development.
AB  - Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in humans. An increased population of
      CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the tumor-associated microenvironment
      plays an important role in cancer immune evasion. The exact role and the involved
      mechanisms of concomitant H37Rv infection in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
      development are still not clear. Here, we showed that H37Rv infection promoted
      NSCLC cell growth with a higher percentage of Tregs found in draining lymph
      nodes. We also determined in vitro that H37Rv infection induced macrophage
      maturation and PD-L1 expression, which promoted Treg proportion, with enhanced
      proliferation suppression function. Mechanism analysis revealed that AKT-mTORC1
      signal was important for PD-L1 expression induced by H37Rv infection. Suppressing
      of AKT-mTORC1 signal by rapamycin or raptor deficiency showed decreased PD-L1
      levels which further reduced Treg proportion in a co-culture system. Finally,
      tumor-bearing mice injected with H37Rv plus rapamycin enhance the immune response
      of lung cancer compared with injected with H37Rv alone. This study demonstrated
      that concomitant H37Rv infection promote NSCLC tumor immune eacape through
      enhancing Treg proportion.

PMID- 28627637
TI  - Lentiviral vector-mediated co-overexpression of VEGF and Bcl-2 improves
      mesenchymal stem cell survival and enhances paracrine effects in vitro.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation has emerged as a promising therapy
      for ischemic heart disease; however, the low survival rate of transplanted cells
      limits their therapeutic efficacy. The aim of this study was to investigate
      whether the dual genetic modification of vascular endothelial growth factor
      (VEGF) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) confers a higher expression level of the
      target genes, better survival and a stronger paracrine effect in MSCs in an
      adverse environment than the modification of the individual genes. For this
      purpse, a lentiviral vector was constructed by using a self-cleaving T2A peptide
      sequence to link and achieve the co-overexpression of VEGF and Bcl-2. Rat MSCs
      were transfected to obtain cell lines that exhibited a stable overexpression. An
      in vitro model of oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) was applied to mimic the
      ischemic microenvironment, and cell apoptosis, autophagy and the paracrine
      effects were then determined. Compared with the MSCs in which individual genes
      were modified and the control MSCs, the MSCs which were subjected to dual genetic
      modification had a higher expression level of the target genes, a more rapid
      proliferation, reduced apoptosis, decreased autophagy and an enhanced paracrine
      effect. Furthermore, the suppression of autophagy was found to contribute to the
      inhibition of apoptosis in this in vitro OGD model. On the whole, these data
      indicate that the co-overexpression of VEGF and Bcl-2 protects MSCs in an
      ischemic environment by inhibiting apoptosis, suppressing autophagy and enhancing
      the paracrine effects.

PMID- 28627636
TI  - Formulation and characterization of EGCG for the treatment of superficial bladder
      cancer.
AB  - In the United States, the annual incidence of bladder cancer is approximately
      70,000 new cases, with a mortality rate of approximately 15,000/year. The most
      common subtype (70%) of bladder cancer is superficial, namely hte non-muscle
      invasive disease form limited to the urothelium. The rate of progression and
      recurrence is up to 40 and 70%, respectively. Urothelial cell carcinoma of the
      bladder is typically treated with transurethral resection. The cancerous cells
      can float onto the adjacent epithelium, increasing the risk of recurrence. The
      standard of care is to offer adjuvant intravesical agents to reduce the risk of
      progression and recurrence. Current intravesical treatments are costly and are
      associated with special biohazard handling protocols. Patients are treated with
      intravesical therapy with bacillus Calmetter-Guerin (BCG) bacterium, or mitomycin
      C (MMC) following resection, both of which can cause moderate to severe side
      effects which are rarely life-threatening. We previously examined the efficacy of
      epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in comparison with MMC to prevent tumor cell
      implantation/growth in an animal model of superficial bladder cancer. Experiments
      revile that EGCG is slightly more effective than MMC at decreasing tumor cell
      implantation and consequent cancer growth in a bladder. This treatment requires
      the stringent sterile requirement of EGCG. EGCG can be unstable when sterilized
      at high temperatures. Thus, we evaluated two low temperature sterilization
      methods, such as ionizing radiation or the filtration method followed by freeze
      drying. Both methods ensure the sterility of the sample; however, infrared and
      HPLC analysis revealed a slightly better stability of irradiated EGCG over the
      filtration method. The concentration of stable free radicals following
      irradiation was low, which are unlikely to exert any damaging effects to EGCG.
      Therefore, we consider that radiation will be the preferred method of EGCG
      sterilization, and that this may prove useful for the effective use of EGCG in
      the treatment of bladder cancer.

PMID- 28627639
TI  - MicroRNA-187 inhibits tumor growth and metastasis via targeting of IGF-1R in
      hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the primary and most frequently occurring type
      of malignant liver cancer, accounting for 70-85% of total liver cancer cases
      worldwide. It has previously been demonstrated that the aberrant expression of
      microRNAs (miR) contributes to carcinogenesis and progression of various human
      malignancies, including HCC. However, mechanisms underlying the differential
      expression and specific roles of miR-187 in HCC remain to be elucidated,
      particularly regarding how the modulation of malignant phenotypes in HCC cells
      occurs. The present study demonstrated that miR-187 was significantly
      downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Restoration of miR-187 expression
      inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in HCC. Furthermore, insulin
      like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) was demonstrated to act as a direct target
      gene of miR-187 in HCC. IGF-1R knockdown mimicked the effects of miR-187
      overexpression in HCC, resulting in a significant inhibition of cell
      proliferation, migration and invasion. The results of the present study
      demonstrated that miR-187 acted as a tumor suppressor in HCC progression via
      direct targeting of IGF-1R. miR-187 may therefore exhibit the potential to act as
      a novel and therapeutic target for HCC treatment in the future.

PMID- 28627638
TI  - Meiotic defects and decreased expression of genes located around the chromosomal
      breakpoint in the testis of a patient with a novel 46,X,t(Y;1)(p11.3;p31)
      translocation.
AB  - Balanced translocations are known to be associated with infertility, spontaneous
      abortions and birth defects in mammals. Spermatocyte spreading and immunostaining
      were applied to detect meiotic prophase I progression, homologous chromosome
      pairing, synapsis and recombination in an azoospermic reciprocal translocation
      46,X,t(Y;1)(p11.3;p31) carrier. Histological examination of testicular sections
      revealed a severely reduced number of germ cells with no spermatids or sperm in
      the carrier. A significant reduction in XY recombination was observed in the
      patient. The number of MLH1 foci on autosomes that are not involved in the
      translocation per cell was also significantly decreased in our patient as
      compared to the controls, which indicates an inter-chromosomal effect (ICE) of
      the translocation on recombination. An increase in leptotene (P<0.001) and
      zygotene (P<0.001) and a decrease in pachytene spermatocytes (P<0.001) were
      observed in the carrier when compared with the controls, indicating disturbed
      meiotic progression in the patient. Increased RAD51 foci during pachytene
      (P=0.02) in the spermatocytes of the patient were noted. A decreased expression
      of the genes (USP1, INSL5, LEPR and MSH4) critical for meiosis/spermatogenesis
      and located around the breakpoint region of chromosome 1 was observed in the
      46,X,t(Y;1) carrier, which may further exacerbate the meiotic failure such as
      reduced recombination on autosomes and ultimately cause spermatogenesis arrest.
      In summary, we report a series of events that may have caused infertility in our
      46,X,t(Y;1) carrier. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report
      shedding light on how, possibly, a reciprocal translocation affects meiosis at
      the molecular level in azoospermia patients.

PMID- 28627640
TI  - The function of miRNAs in hepatocarcinogenesis induced by hepatitis B virus X
      protein (Review).
AB  - MicroRNAs are short RNAs that play a crucial role in all biological processes
      through post-transcriptional regulation for protein-coding genes and inducing
      mRNA degradation. Hepatitis B virus infection has been considered as a major risk
      factor in hepatocellular carcinoma, further research indicates that hepatitis B
      virus X protein (HBx) is one of the critical links of hepatocarcinogenesis. HBx
      takes part in hepatocarcinogenesis via regulating transcription, signal
      transduction, apoptosis, protein degradation and DNA repair. miRNA is the
      important target gene of HBx, their interaction impacts many tumor processes,
      such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis, differentiation and
      adipogenesis. In the present study we reviewed the current state of knowledge of
      regulation pathway of HBx acting on miRNAs, and focused on the role of their
      interplay in hepatocarcinogenesis.

PMID- 28627641
TI  - Osteopontin deficiency protects mice from cholesterol gallstone formation by
      reducing expression of intestinal NPC1L1.
AB  - Homeostasis of cholesterol is regulated by absorption in the intestine and
      synthesis in the liver. The authors previously demonstrated that OPN
      (osteopontin) exhibits the ability to alter hepatic cholesterol metabolism, thus
      affecting cholesterol gallstone formation in mice. The present study investigated
      the role of OPN in cholesterol gallstone formation, focusing on its effect on
      intestinal absorption of cholesterol. OPN gene knockout (OPN-/-) mice and wild
      type mice were respectively fed with a chow or lithogenic diet (LD) for 8 weeks.
      Following an 8-week LD period, the incidence of gallstone, bile composition,
      level of serum and fecal lipids and the expression of intestinal associated genes
      were analyzed. OPN-/- mice were protected from gallstone formation induced by 8
      weeks' LD-feeding. This protective effect from OPN deficiency was associated with
      alterations in bile composition, including a reduced concentration of biliary
      cholesterol. Additionally, plasma cholesterol level was decreased in LD-fed OPN-/
      mice. The alterations primarily resulted from the decreased expression of
      intestinal Niemann-Pick C1-like (NPC1 L) 1, which is important in the intestinal
      absorption of cholesterol. The present study demonstrated that OPN deficiency
      reduced intestinal absorption of cholesterol by suppressing the expression of
      NPC1L1, thus protecting mice from cholesterol gallstone formation.

PMID- 28627642
TI  - Effect of retinoid X receptor-alpha nuclear export inhibition on apoptosis of
      neurons in vivo and in vitro.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is characte-rized by excessive apoptosis of
      neurons, is considered to be a global public health crisis. Retinoid-induced
      apoptosis is dependent on the orphan nuclear receptor Nur77, a transcription
      factor that is expressed predominantly in brain tissues. Nur77 nuclear export
      requires retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRalpha) as a carrier. However, the
      involvement of Nur77 in mediating beta-amyloid (Abeta)-induced neuronal apoptosis
      has not yet been elucidated. The primary aim of the present study was to
      investigate the potential of Nur77 in Abeta-induced neuron apoptosis, and to
      evaluate the effect of RXRalpha nuclear export inhibition on neuronal apoptosis.
      Mouse neuroblastoma Neuro-2a (N2a) cells and mouse hippocampi were treated with
      Abeta25-35 or Abeta25-35 combined with a RXRalpha ligand, 9-cis-retinoid acid (9
      cis-RA), while untreated cells and mice served as controls. The expression of
      RXRalpha and Nur77 was determined using western blotting and reverse
      transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses, and the
      translocation of RXRalpha and Nur77 was detected using confocal microscopy. In
      addition, the apoptosis and viability of N2a cells was detected using flow
      cytometry and MTT assays, respectively, and the expression of B cell lymphoma 2
      (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X (Bax) was quantified by western blotting. No
      significant alterations in the protein or mRNA expression levels of RXRalpha and
      Nur77 in N2a cells or mouse hippocampi among the three groups were observed.
      Abeta25-35 treatment resulted in elevated cytoplasmic protein ratios of RXRalpha
      and Nur77 in N2a cells when compared with controls, while combined treatment with
      Abeta25-35 and 9-cis-RA reduced cytoplasmic protein ratios of RXRalpha and Nur77
      to 6.67 and 5.44% in N2a cells, respectively. The MTT assay results revealed a
      significant reduction in the viability of N2a cells following treatment with
      Abeta25-35 for 24 h when compared with the controls, while the viability of N2a
      cells treated with Abeta25-35 plus 9-cis-RA significantly increased from 53.65 to
      84.10%. Western blotting revealed elevated Bax expression and reduced Bcl-2
      expression in Abeta25-35-treated N2a cells when compared with controls, while
      combined treatment with Abeta25-35 and 9-cis-RA recovered Bcl-2 expression from
      0.46-fold in cells treated with Abeta25-35 alone to 2.44-fold (relative to the
      control) and decreased Bax expression from 2.52-fold in cells treated with
      Abeta25-35 alone to 0.99-fold (relative to the control). Flow cytometry analysis
      revealed that the apoptotic rate of untreated N2a cells was 4.36%, while a 15.1%
      apoptotic rate was detected in cells exposed to Abeta25-35 for 24 h and a ~5.31%
      apoptotic rate was observed in N2a cells treated with Abeta25-35 plus 9-cis-RA.
      In conclusion, treatment with Abeta25-35 or Abeta25-35 plus 9-cis-RA demonstrated
      no significant effect on the protein and mRNA expression levels of RXRalpha and
      Nur77. In addition, inhibition of RXRalpha nuclear export reduced neuronal
      apoptosis. The results of the present study may provide novel insight into the
      development of novel anti-AD agents.

PMID- 28627643
TI  - Niclosamide attenuates inflammatory cytokines via the autophagy pathway leading
      to improved outcomes in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury.
AB  - Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a debilitating condition that leads to
      loss renal function and damage to kidney tissue in the majority of patients with
      acute kidney disease. Previous studies have indicated that autophagy serves a
      protective function in renal I/R injury. In the present study, the effect of the
      anthelmintic niclosamide in the regulation of inflammatory responses in kidney
      I/R was investigated. A total of 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided
      into the following 5 groups (n=8 in each group): Sham group; renal I/R injury;
      renal I/R injury plus 3-methyladenine (3-MA) treatment (15 mg/kg); renal I/R
      injury plus niclosamide (25 mg/kg); and renal I/R injury plus rapamycin (10
      mg/kg). The expression levels of autophagy-associated proteins in kidney samples
      obtained from rats with I/R injury were examined using reverse transcription
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting techniques. In
      addition, histopathological alterations, the expression of cytokines and renal
      function were evaluated. Treatment with niclosamide was associated with induction
      of autophagy and an overall improvement in renal function. There was an increased
      expression of autophagosome-associated proteins, suggesting a strong correlation
      between autophagy and improvement of renal function. The increased levels of anti
      inflammatory cytokines and decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines
      provided additional evidence that niclosamide may be effective for the treatment
      of renal I/R injury. Clinical studies are required to further validate the
      results of the present study.

PMID- 28627644
TI  - 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine promotes migration of acute monocytic leukemia cells via
      activation of CCL2-CCR2-ERK signaling pathway.
AB  - 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza) has been approved for clinical use in the
      treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It
      inhibits cell proliferation and induces cell differentiation by demethylating
      various genes, including tumor suppressor genes, transcription factors, and genes
      encoding cell cycle inhibitors. Although it has demonstrated efficacy in the
      clinic, drug resistance following 5-Aza treatment occurs. Cell migration and
      invasion following 5-Aza treatment are considered to be the key factors
      underlying drug resistance; however, there is currently limited information
      regarding the detailed mechanisms involved. In the present study, the THP-1
      monocytic leukemia cell line was employed. The anti-leukemic functions of 5-Aza
      in THP-1 cells were first investigated. The results demonstrated that 5-Aza
      induced differentiation and inhibited THP-1 cell growth. Notably, 5-Aza
      significantly promoted THP-1 cell migration. Using reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      analyses, 5-Aza treatment was observed to upregulate the expression of chemokine
      (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) in THP-1
      cells. In addition, the results demonstrated that CCL2 induced extracellular
      signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation by CCR2 in 5-Aza-treated THP-1
      cells. Treatment with a CCR2 or ERK inhibitor inhibited the 5-Aza-induced
      increase in THP-1 cell migration. In conclusion, the results of the present study
      provide an insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the 5-Aza-induced
      increase in THP-1 cell migration, as well as a potential strategy to overcome
      drug resistance in AML therapy.

PMID- 28627645
TI  - Therapeutic strategies for alcoholic liver disease: Focusing on inflammation and
      fibrosis (Review).
AB  - Excessive alcohol consumption is the most common cause of liver disease in the
      world. Chronic alcohol abuse leads to liver damage, liver inflammation, fibrosis
      and hepatocellular carcinoma. Inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha and interferon-gamma, induce liver injury, which leads to the develo
      pment of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Hepatoprotective cytokines, such as
      interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, are also associated with ALD. IL-6 improves ALD via
      the activation of STAT3 and the subsequent induction of a variety of
      hepatoprotective genes in hepatocytes. Alcohol consumption promotes liver
      inflammation by incre-asing the translocation of gut-derived endotoxins to the
      portal circulation and by activating Kupffer cells through the
      lipopolysaccharide/Toll-like receptor 4 pathways. Oxidative stress and microflora
      products are also associated with ALD. Hepatic stellate cells play an important
      role in angiogenesis and liver fibrosis. Anti-angiogenic therapy has been found
      to be effective in the prevention of fibrosis. This suggests that blocking
      angiogenesis could be a promising therapeutic option for patients with advanced
      fibrosis. This review discusses the main pathways associated with liver
      inflammation and liver fibrosis as well as new therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28627646
TI  - Unifying mechanism in the initiation of breast cancer by metabolism of estrogen
      (Review).
AB  - Excessive exposure to estrogen is associated with increased risk of breast
      cancer. The mechanisms of carcinogenesis in the breast caused by estrogen
      metabolism include formation of depurinating adducts which are released from DNA
      to generate apurinic sites, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
      Excess ROS not only exerts genotoxicity by indirectly increasing genomic
      instability, but also stimulates progression of mammary carcinogenicity by
      inducing a redox-associated signaling pathway. Estrogen metabolism enzymes serve
      an important role in estrogen metabolism. Alterations in the expression and
      activity of estrogen metabolism enzymes may influence estrogen metabolism
      homeostasis. The present review discusses the process of estrogen metabolism, the
      role of estrogen metabolites and ROS in breast carcinogenesis, and the effect of
      metabolism enzyme polymorphisms on generation of pro-carcinogens and breast
      cancer susceptibility.

PMID- 28627647
TI  - Differences in telomerase activity and the effects of AZT in aneuploid and
      euploid cells in colon cancer.
AB  - Telomerase-targeted treatments for cancer have received a great deal of attention
      because telomerase is detected in nearly all cancer cells but is not expressed in
      most normal tissues. Aneuploidy refers to a chromosome number that is not a
      multiple of the base chromosome number and can indicate either hypo- or
      hyperploid chromosome numbers. Most solid tumors are aneuploid. In the present
      study, we sought to determine whether there are differences in telomerase
      activity and hTERT gene expression between aneuploid and euploid cells.
      Furthermore, we investigated telomerase inhibitor 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine
      (AZT)-induced cell apoptosis using the p53-Puma/Noxa/Bax pathway and cell cycle
      arrest using the p53-p21 pathway in both aneuploid and euploid cells. Our results
      demonstrate that telomerase activity and hTERT gene expression were higher in
      aneuploid than in euploid cells. In addition, AZT exerted time- and dose
      dependent cytotoxic effects on both aneuploid and euploid cells, and aneuploid
      cells were more sensitive to AZT-induced cytotoxicity. In addition, both the p53
      Puma/Noxa/Bax pathway and the cell cycle arrest-associated p53-p21 pathway were
      involved in the AZT-induced suppression of tumor cells. Importantly, aneuploid
      cells were more sensitive to AZT-induced cell cycle arrest (p53-p21) and DNA
      double-strand breaks (gamma-H2AX), while euploid cells were more sensitive to AZT
      induced apoptosis (p53-Puma/Bax/Noxa).

PMID- 28627648
TI  - Characterization of a blaNDM-1-harboring plasmid from a Salmonella enterica
      clinical isolate in China.
AB  - The plasmid-mediated transmission of antibiotic resistance genes has been
      reported to be involved in the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria,
      and poses a serious threat for the success of bacterial infection treatment and
      human health worldwide. The present study used a 454 GS-FLX pyrosequencing system
      to determine the ~140 kb nucleotide sequence of plasmid pHS36-NDM, which was
      identified in a Salmonella Stanley isolate from the stool sample of an 11-month
      old girl at Lishui Central Hospital, China, and which contains a New Delhi
      metallo-beta-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) carbapenem resistance gene (blaNDM-1). The 181
      open reading frames encode proteins with functions including replication, stable
      inheritance, antibiotic resistance and mobile genetic elements. Both horizontal
      transfer and passage stability-related genes were identified in pHS36-NDM,
      including a conserved type 4 secretion system and stbA (stable plasmid
      inheritance protein A). Two multidrug resistance gene islands were identified:
      The ISEcp1-blaCMY transposition unit which contains a CMY-6 beta-lactamase gene
      (blaCMY-6) and a quaternary ammonium compound resistance gene (sugE); and the
      intI1-ISCR27 accessory region, which contained a trimethoprim resistance gene
      (dfrA12), two aminoglycoside resistance genes (aadA2 and rmtC), a truncated
      quaternary ammonium compound resistance gene (qacE?1), a sulfonamide resistance
      gene (sul1), the blaNDM-1 carbapenemase and a bleomycin resistance gene (bleMBL).
      pHS36-NDM shared high homology with other blaNDM-1-containing plasmids reported
      in Sweden, Italy and Japan. However, no previous international travel history was
      documented for the patient and her family, even to neighboring cities.
      Furthermore, pHS36-NDM is of a different incompatibility group to other published
      blaNDM-1-carrying plasmids reported in China, with low homology in the
      surrounding structure of blaNDM-1. The present study will facilitate the
      understanding of the underlying resistance and dispersal mechanism of pHS36-NDM,
      and will deepen our recognition of the ongoing spread of the blaNDM-1-containing
      plasmids.

PMID- 28627650
TI  - The inhibitory effects of deep-sea water on doxorubicin-induced epithelial
      mesenchymal transition.
AB  - It has been revealed that the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition
      (EMT) is associated with drug resistance, leading to tumor recurrence and
      metastasis. Recent studies have shown that chemotherapeutic agents, besides their
      therapeutic effects, can induce EMT and enhance invasive and metastatic
      properties of tumor cells. Previously, we revealed that deep-sea water (DSW)
      exhibited antimetastatic effects in several human cancer cell lines. In the
      present study, we investigated the effects of DSW on doxorubicin-induced EMT in
      MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. When treated with doxorubicin, MCF-7 cells
      displayed characteristics of EMT, such as, mesenchymal markers (vimentin and
      fibronectin) and EMT-related transcription factors (Slug and Snail-1) in their
      RNA expression. However, DSW efficiently inhibited doxorubicin-induced EMT,
      revealing the decreased expression of vimentin, fibronectin, Slug and Snail-1.
      Moreover, treatment of MCF-7 cells with DSW significantly suppressed their
      increased migratory ability by doxorubicin as determined by wound-healing assay.
      We further demonstrated that the inhibitory effects of DSW on doxorubicin-induced
      EMT appeared to be mediated by inhibition of the ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and PI3K/AKT
      signaling pathways. Collectively, our data revealed that DSW has the potential to
      abolish undesired side-effects of doxorubicin by targeting EMT.

PMID- 28627649
TI  - Hypoxia serves a key function in the upregulated expression of vascular adhesion
      protein-1 in vitro and in a rat model of hemorrhagic shock.
AB  - Hemorrhagic shock following major trauma results in mortality, but the function
      of vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1), implicated in intracranial hemorrhage,
      remains unknown. This study aimed to determine whether expression of the AOC3
      gene and its encoded protein, VAP-1, is altered by hypoxia. Rat hepatic
      sinusoidal endothelial cells (RHSECs) and rat intestinal microvascular
      endothelial cells (RIMECs) were transduced with a viral vector carrying AOC3, and
      AOC3 mRNA expression levels were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction. VAP-1 protein expression levels were measured by
      western blot analysis and compared between normoxic and hypoxic conditions.
      Following this, AOC3 mRNA and VAP-1 protein expression levels in hepatic and
      intestinal tissues were assessed in a rat model of hemorrhagic shock with or
      without fluid resuscitation; and serum semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase
      (SSAO) activity was measured by fluorometric assays. The effects of 2
      bromoethylamine (2-BEA) on AOC3/VAP-1 levels and 24 h survival were investigated.
      AOC3 mRNA and VAP-1 protein levels were increased in RHSECs and RIMECs by
      hypoxia, and in hepatic and intestinal tissues from rats following hemorrhagic
      shock. Hypoxia increased serum SSAO activity in these animals. 2-BEA reduced AOC3
      mRNA and VAP-1 protein levels in hepatic and intestinal tissues from rats
      following hemorrhagic shock, and appeared to improve survival in animals not
      receiving resuscitation following hemorrhagic shock. In conclusion, hemorrhagic
      shock upregulates AOC3/VAP-1 expressions, and this potentially occurs via
      hypoxia. Therefore, inhibition of VAP-1 may be beneficial in the setting of
      hemorrhagic shock. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and to
      establish whether VAP-1 may be a valid target for the development of novel
      therapies for hemorrhagic shock.

PMID- 28627651
TI  - SOX4 promotes melanoma cell migration and invasion though the activation of the
      NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
AB  - SOX4 has been reported to be abnormally expressed in many types of cancer,
      including melanoma. However, its role in cell proliferation and metastasis
      remains controversial. In this study, SOX4 was downregulated or overexpressed in
      A375, A2058 and A875 melanoma cells by siRNA or lentivirus transfection,
      respectively. Cell metastasis was observed by Transwell assay. In an aim to
      elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we determined the expression of nuclear
      factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) by real-time PCR assay and western blot analysis. Our
      data indicated that SOX4 knockdown inhibited melanoma cell migration and
      invasion. In the melanoma cells in which SOX4 was downregulated, the expression
      levels of NF-kappaB/p65, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 were suppressed
      at both the mRNA and protein levels. Conversely, the overexpression of SOX4
      promoted melanoma cell migration and invasion. In the melanoma cells in which
      SOX4 was overexpressed, the expression levels of NF-kappaB/p65, MMP2 and MMP9
      were increased at both the mRNA and protein level. On the whole, our findings
      indicate that SOX4 promotes melanoma cell migration and invasion through the
      activation of the NF-kappaB/p65 signaling pathway. Thus, SOX4 may prove to be a
      potential therapeutic target for the treatment of melanoma.

PMID- 28627652
TI  - Eriodictyol 7-O-beta-D glucopyranoside from Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt. ameliorates
      lipid disorders via protecting mitochondrial function and suppressing
      lipogenesis.
AB  - Coreopsis tinctoria (snow chrysanthemum) has been reported to exert
      antihyperlipidemic effects. The present study aimed to identify the active
      compounds of Coreopsis tinctoria and to investigate the molecular mechanisms
      underlying its effects on lipid dysregulation by measuring lipid levels, reactive
      oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and fatty acid synthesis. The present results
      demonstrated that snow chrysanthemum aqueous extracts significantly reduced serum
      lipid levels and oxidative stress in vivo. The main compounds that were isolated
      were identified as flavanomarein (compound 1) and eriodictyol 7-O-beta-D
      glucopyranoside (compound 2). Compounds 1 and 2 demonstrated potent antioxidative
      properties, including free radical scavenging activity, inhibition of lipid
      peroxidation, as well as lipid-lowering effects in human HepG2 hepatocellular
      carcinoma cells treated with free fatty acids (FFAs). Compound 2 was revealed to
      suppress the elevation of triglyceride levels and inhibit lipid peroxidation
      following FFA treatment. In addition, it was demonstrated to significantly reduce
      intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and improve the mitochondrial
      membrane potential and adenosine triphosphate levels, thus protecting
      mitochondrial function in FFA-treated HepG2 cells. Furthermore, compound 2
      markedly suppressed the protein expression levels of disulfide-isomerase A3
      precursor and fatty acid synthase, thus suppressing FFA-induced lipogenesis in
      HepG2 cells. In conclusion, the present study identified compound 2 as one of the
      main active compounds in Coreopsis tinctoria responsible for its lipid-lowering
      effects. Compound 2 was revealed to possess antihyperlipidemic properties,
      exerted via reducing oxidative stress, protecting mitochondrial function and
      suppressing lipogenesis.

PMID- 28627653
TI  - miR-543 functions as a tumor suppressor in glioma in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Gliomas are the most common primary central nervous system tumors and account for
      approximately 80% of malignant brain tumors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of
      small non-coding, regulatory RNA molecules that mediate the expression levels of
      specific proteins. As a member of the miRNA family, miR-543 plays a tumor
      suppressive or an oncogenic role in different types of tumors. However, the
      expression and role of miR-543 in glioma remain unknown. In the present study,
      the expression level of miR-543 in glioma cell lines and tissues was
      investigated. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments was then performed to
      elucidate the function of miR-543 in glioma. Moreover, proteomic profiling was
      applied in this study to determine the landscape of differentially expressed
      proteins associated with miR-543-mediated carcinogenesis in glioma. We found that
      the expression level of miR-543 was greatly downregulated in glioma cell lines
      and tissues. Furthermore, the expression level of miR-543 was negatively
      associated with high-grade glioma. Functional studies demonstrated that miR-543
      in glioma cells induced apoptosis and inhibited growth, the cell cycle, migration
      and invasion. In addition, the in vivo study showed that miR-543 suppressed
      tumorigenicity of glioma cells. In the present study, a label-free quantitative
      proteomic approach was performed and 339 proteins were identified as dysregulated
      after miR-543 was overexpressed. Among these dysregulated proteins, 165 were
      upregulated and 174 were downregulated. Moreover, multiple pathways were
      significantly enriched and were probably involved in miR-543-mediated
      tumorigenesis, including RNA degradation and the inositol phosphate metabolism
      pathway. In conclusion, miR-543 may function as a tumor suppressor in glioma and
      may serve as a future therapeutic target in therapy for patients with glioma.

PMID- 28627654
TI  - Bioinformatics analysis of transcription profiling of solid pseudopapillary
      neoplasm of the pancreas.
AB  - Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is a low-grade malignant
      neoplasm that accounts for ~5% of cystic pancreatic tumors and ~0.9-2.7% of
      exocrine pancreatic tumors. The transcription profiling data (GSE43795) of 14 SPN
      and 6 control samples were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO)
      database. Using the Limma package, Student's t-tests were performed to identify
      differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SPN and control samples [with the
      following criterion: False discovery rate (FDR)<0.01 and log2 fold-change
      (FC)>=3]. Pathway and functional enrichment analyses were performed to
      investigate the biological processes that the DEGs were involved in. Protein
      protein interaction (PPI) network and sub-network analyses were conducted to
      comprehensively understand the interactions between DEGs. The screened DEGs were
      further annotated according to information relating to transcription factors and
      tumor associated genes (TAGs). A total of 710 upregulated and 710 downregulated
      DEGs were observed, including 74 transcriptional factors and 124 TAGs. Membrane
      metallo-endopeptidase (MME), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were also
      identified as key TAGs. Following PPI network analysis, hub nodes of epidermal
      growth factor receptor (EGFR), proto-oncogene tyrosine protein kinase Fyn (FYN),
      c-JUN (JUN), glucagon (GCG), c-Myc (MYC) and CD44 were identified, the majority
      of which participate in the epidermal growth factor receptor (ErbB) and
      gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) signaling pathways. A sub-network involving
      70 gene nodes was also identified, with EGFR as the central gene. MME, MMP-2 and
      MMP-9 contribute to proliferative diabetic retinopathy and also involved in SPN.
      The genes EGFR, FYN, JUN, GCG, MYC and CD44 may therefore be key genes in SPN,
      and the ErbB and GnRH signaling pathways may be an important contributor to SPN
      progression.

PMID- 28627655
TI  - Elevated expression of miR-155 is associated with the differentiation of CD8+ T
      cells in patients with HIV-1.
AB  - The differentiation and response ofCD8+ T cells is vital in host defense against
      human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). MicroRNA (miR)-155 is an important
      regulator of T cell differentiation. However, the profile of miR-155 in HIV-1
      infected individuals and its association with CD8+ T cell differentiation remain
      to be fully elucidated. The present cross-sectional study was performed involving
      63 HIV-1-infected patients undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy
      (HAART), 31 HAART-naive patients and 35 healthy controls. The levels of miR-155
      in CD8+ T cells were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction analysis. Subsets of CD8+ T cell differentiation were detected
      using flow cytometry. The results revealed that the discord controllers and HAART
      naive patients showed higher percentages of effector and effector memory cells,
      and lower percentages of naive cells (P<0.05). The levels of miR-155 in CD8+ T
      cells from the HIV-1-infected patients were higher, particularly in the discord
      controllers and HAART naive patients (P<0.01). The expression levels of miR-155
      were positively correlated with the percentages of effector and effector memory
      CD8+ T cells, and negatively correlated with the percentages of naive and central
      memory CD8+ T cells (P<0.01). Taken together, these findings suggested that the
      levels of miR-155 in CD8+ T cells of patients with HIV-1 were increased and asso
      ciated with CD8+ T cell differentiation.

PMID- 28627656
TI  - Adipokines and free fatty acids regulate insulin sensitivity by increasing
      microRNA-21 expression in human mature adipocytes.
AB  - Obesity is a global public health concern and may lead to a variety of
      complications. Previous studies have indicated that adipokines and energy-source
      materials contribute to obesity and obesity-associated insulin resistance.
      MicroRNAs (miRs) are endogenous 20- to 25-nucleotide non-coding RNAs associated
      with fat metabolism. It has been indicated that miR-21 is associated with
      adipogenesis and metabolic syndrome. In the present study, the expression of miR
      21 in human mature adipocytes was analyzed using reverse transcription
      quantitative-polymerase chain reaction following treatment with adipokines,
      including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, leptin, resistin
      and energy source materials, including free fatty acids (FFAs) and glucose. The
      current study demonstrated that the expression of miR-21 in human mature
      adipocytes was upregulated following treatment with TNF-alpha, IL-6, leptin,
      resistin and FFAs. However, low- and high-glucose did not have an effect on miR
      21 expression. These results confirmed that TNF-alpha, IL-6, leptin, resistin and
      FFAs may contribute to obesity and obesity-associated insulin resistance via
      upregulating miR-21 in human mature adipocytes. Therefore, miR-21 may be a key
      regulatory factor of obesity and obesity-associated insulin resistance, and
      represents a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of these disorders.

PMID- 28627657
TI  - shRNA-mediated NP knockdown inhibits the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes induced by
      H1N1pdm2009 influenza virus.
AB  - Acute influenza-associated myocarditis varies in clinical severity ranging
      between asymptomatic and fulminant varieties. The most severe cases can result in
      impaired cardiac function-associated mortality; however, the mechanism underlying
      the development of viral myocarditis has yet to be fully elucidated. The present
      study investigated the apoptosis induced in H9C2 cardiomyocytes by infection with
      the H1N1pdm2009 virus. The H9C2 cells were transfected with nucleoprotein (NP)
      specific short hairpin (sh) RNA, and viral replication was re-evaluated in H9C2
      cells infected with the H1N1pdm2009 virus, as was the apoptosis induced by the
      virus. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western
      blot analysis were performed to measure the expression of NP and apoptosis
      associated molecules. A plaque forming assay was used to quantify viral
      replication in H9C2 cells. An MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis were
      performed to determine the virus-associated alterations in cellular viability and
      apoptosis, respectively. Results demonstrated that the H1N1pdm2009 virus
      replicated effectively in H9C2 cells and promoted apoptosis in association with
      the viral infection. The expression levels of apoptosis-associated markers,
      including released cytochrome c and activated caspase-3 were markedly promoted in
      the H1N1pdm2009-infected H9C2 cells. However, the NP-specific shRNA-mediated NP
      knockdown significantly inhibited viral infection in the cells. The virus-induced
      apoptosis of the H9C2 cells was also significantly reduced by the shRNA, which
      occurred via a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells through downregulating
      the levels of apoptosis-associated markers. Taken together, the present study
      demonstrated the key pathogenic role of NP in H1N1pdm2009-induced apoptosis of
      cardiomyocytes, and this marker of the influenza virus may be important in
      influenza virus-associated acute myocarditis. In addition, NP-specific shRNA may
      be an effective agent for inhibiting influenza virus-induced apoptosis in
      cardiomyocytes or in influenza virus-associated acute myocarditis.

PMID- 28627658
TI  - Shikonin promotes adriamycin-induced apoptosis by upregulating caspase-3 and
      caspase-8 in osteosarcoma.
AB  - Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor. Cancer cells employ
      a host of mechanisms to develop resistance to adriamycin (ADM) or other
      chemotherapeutic drugs. Shikonin (SK), an active constituent extracted from a
      Chinese medicinal herb, has been shown to cooperate with ADM in the treatment of
      osteosarcoma and certain other types of cancer by contributing to the response
      rate of chemotherapy and the side effects. The aim of the present study was to
      investigate the role and underlying mechanism of SK in chemotherapy for
      osteosarcoma. In the present study, a CCK-8 assay was performed to assess cell
      survival rate in vitro. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the
      expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein (Bax), caspase-3,
      caspase-8, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Flow cytometry was used to
      analyze cell cycle and cell death. The survival rate of cells decreased
      significantly in a dose- and time-dependent manner when treated with a
      combination of SK and ADM. Western blot analysis revealed increased expression
      levels of Bax, caspase-3, caspase-8 and PARP in U2OS and MG63 cells 48 h
      following treatment with SK and ADM. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the
      combined treatment of SK and ADM significantly induced apoptosis in the
      osteosarcoma cells. Taken together SK cooperated with ADM to promote apoptosis,
      possibly by inducing caspase-3- and caspase-8-dependent apoptosis. SK may be a
      potential enhancer in the treatment of drug-resistant primary osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28627659
TI  - Effects of Saikosaponin D on apoptosis in human U87 glioblastoma cells.
AB  - Saikosaponin D (SSd) is a type of Saponin derivative, which is a component
      extracted from Bupleurum falactum. SSd has been reported to exert anticancer
      activities. However, the effects of SSd on gliomas have not been elucidated. The
      aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmacological functions and
      potential molecular mechanisms of SSd in human U87 glioblastoma cells. The cells
      were treated with SSd at various concentrations for 48 h, the cell viability was
      assessed with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assay, and the
      activation of Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal
      kinases (JNK) and caspase-3 was assessed by western blotting. In addition,
      apoptosis levels were analyzed with Hoechst 33258 and Annexin V staining. The
      results demonstrated that treatment of the U87 glioma cells with SSd markedly
      suppressed cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Meanwhile, SSd
      treatment enhanced apoptosis in the U87 cells. Furthermore, SSd significantly
      inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, and promoted phosphorylated-JNK and
      cleaved caspase-3 expression. The present study revealed the potential
      therapeutic effects of SSd in the treatment of gliomas, and the cytotoxic effects
      of SSd in U87 cells were at least partly attributed to the depression of
      phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt and ERK protein expression levels, and
      activation of JNK and caspase-3 expression.

PMID- 28627660
TI  - Inhibition of autophagy by berberine enhances the survival of H9C2 myocytes
      following hypoxia.
AB  - Hypoxia may induce apoptosis and autophagy to promote cardiomyocyte injury. The
      present study investigated the effect of berberine, a natural extract of Rhizoma
      Coptidis, on hypoxia-induced autophagy and apoptosis in the H9c2 rat myocardial
      cell line. Expression levels of apoptosis and autophagy markers were upregulated
      in H9c2 myocytes during hypoxia and cell viability was reduced. However,
      berberine significantly reduced hypoxia-induced autophagy in H9c2 myocytes, as
      demonstrated by the ratio of microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3
      I/II and the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa
      protein-interacting protein 3, and promoted cell viability. In addition,
      expression levels of the Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic protein were significantly
      downregulated, and expression levels of pro-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2-associated X
      protein and cleaved caspase-3 were upregulated during hypoxia injury in cardiac
      myocytes. This was reversed by treatment with berberine or the autophagy
      inhibitor 3-methyladenine, whereas the autophagy agonist rapamycin had the
      opposite effects, suggesting that berberine reduces myocyte cell death via
      inhibition of autophagy and apoptosis during hypoxia. In addition, Compound C, a
      5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor, reduced
      apoptosis and autophagy in hypoxic myocytes, suggesting that the activation of
      the AMPK signaling pathway may be involved in this process. These findings
      suggested that berberine protects cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis via
      inhibition of autophagy and suppression of AMPK activation. Therefore, berberine
      may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of patients with cardiac
      myocyte injury and ischemia.

PMID- 28627662
TI  - MicroRNA-363-3p is downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma and inhibits
      tumorigenesis by directly targeting specificity protein 1.
AB  - microRNAs exhibit important regulatory roles in tumorigenesis and tumor
      development, such as in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed
      to investigate the expression and functional roles of microRNA (miR)-363-3p in
      HCC. miR-363-3p expression levels in a number of HCC tissues and cell lines were
      measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The effects of miR
      363-3p expression on HCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were exa
      mined by MTT assay, Transwell migration and invasion assay, respectively. The
      effects of miR-363-3p on its downstream target gene, specificity protein 1 (SP1),
      were examined by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and
      western blotting. An SP1 overexpression vector was subsequently transfected into
      HCC cells to assess any selective effects on miR-363-3p in modulating HCC. The
      results revealed that miR-363-3p expression levels were downregulated in both HCC
      tissues and cell lines, and this low expression level was correlated with tumor
      size, tumor-node-metastasis stage and venous infiltration in patients with HCC.
      Upregulation of miR-363-3p inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion
      in HCC cell cultures. In HCC cells transfected with an SP1 expression vector the
      miR-363-3p-induced tumor suppressive roles on cell proliferation, migration and
      invasion were reversed. In conclusion, results from the present study indicated
      that miR-363-3p is a tumor suppressor in HCC and functions through a mechanism
      involving SP1, suggesting that miR-363-3p may be a potential new therapeutic
      target for the treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28627661
TI  - Altered expression of PPAR-gamma and TRPC in neonatal rats with persistent
      pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a life-threatening
      disease that is commonly observed in the neonatal intensive care unit. PPHN is
      pathologically characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling and, in particular,
      pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation. Decreased expression
      levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), which is
      a member of the nuclear receptor hormone superfamily, in combination with
      elevated expressions of transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily C,
      member 1 (TRPC1) and TRPC6 contributes to the PASMC proliferation and excessive
      pulmonary vascular remodeling in adult pulmonary hypertension (PH). Whether PPAR
      gamma, TRPC1 and TRPC6 affect the development of vascular remodeling in PPHN
      model rats remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the
      roles of PPAR-gamma, TRPC1 and TRP6 on the pathogenesis of PPHN in rats. The rat
      model of PPHN was established by exposure to hypoxic conditions and indomethacin
      treatment. Lung tissues, hearts and blood from PPHN model and Control rats were
      collected and examined. Parameters, including the percentage of medial wall
      thickness (WT %), the percentage of medial wall area (WA %), right ventricular
      hypertrophy (RVH) and the plasma concentration of B-type natriuretic peptide
      (BNP) were used to estimate the development of PPHN. The expression levels of
      PPAR-gamma, TRPC1 and TRPC6 in lung tissues were detected by
      immunohistochemistry, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction. Significant increases were observed in the WT %, WA %,
      RVH and plasma BNP in the PPHN group compare with the Control group (P<0.01). In
      addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of PPAR-gamma were markedly
      downregulated (P<0.05 vs. Control). In the PPHN group, the protein expression
      levels of TRPC1 and TRPC6 were higher compared to the control group; however,
      there was no difference in the mRNA expression levels (P>0.05). In conclusion,
      the present study successfully established a PPHN rat model, and the altered
      expressions of PPAR-gamma, TRPC1 and TRPC6 in the pulmonary artery located in the
      lungs of newborn rats with PPHN suggested that these proteins may be important
      mediators of PPHN.

PMID- 28627663
TI  - Chondromodulin-I expression and correlation with angiogenesis in human
      osteoarthritic cartilage.
AB  - The present study aimed to evaluate the expression and localization of
      chondromodulin-I (ChM-I) in human osteoarthritic cartilage and its correlation
      with vascular invasion during osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Osteochondral
      specimens were collected from patients with OA, as well as from young and aged
      donors without joint diseases. The grade and the number of vascular channels
      terminating in non-calcified cartilage of these collected specimens were assessed
      by Safranin-O/Fast green staining. ChM-I expression in articular cartilage was
      examined by immunohistochemistry, western blotting and reverse transcription
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses. ChM-I protein and mRNA levels in
      articular cartilage appeared to be consistent between the normal young and aged
      groups (P>0.05). In mildly degene-rated cartilage, ChM-I expression decreased in
      the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the superficial zone and in the cytoplasm of
      the superficial and middle zone compared with normal cartilage (P<0.05). In
      moderately degenerated cartilage, ChM-I protein expression was reduced in the ECM
      of all zones of articular cartilage, but the immunostaining intensity in the
      cytoplasm was increased. In severely degenerated cartilage, ChM-I expression was
      detected primarily in the cytoplasm of the cluster-forming chondrocytes. The
      density of vascular channels was correlated with the ChM-I expression levels in
      cartilage ECM. ChM-I expression was reduced in OA cartilage matrix, compared with
      normal cartilage (both young and aged), and correlated with angiogenesis,
      indicating that loss of ChM-I may promote angiogenesis in OA cartilage.
      Expression of ChM-I protein in the cytoplasm was decreased in mildly degenerated
      cartilage, whereas ChM-I expression increased in moderately degenerated cartilage
      accompanied by chondrocyte proliferation. These findings suggested that
      attenuation of ChM-I in the cartilage ECM may be due to decreased expression of
      ChM-I in cytoplasm of early stage OA and increased depletion of ChM-I in the ECM
      of advanced stage OA.

PMID- 28627664
TI  - Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate suppresses heat stress-induced endothelial cell
      apoptosis by promoting NO production through upregulating the PI3K/AKT/eNOS
      pathway.
AB  - Heat shock is a life-threatening disease involving systematic inflammation that
      is closely related to endothelial injury and can lead to multiple organ
      dysfunction syndrome. Sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) has various functions
      in the vascular endothelium. In the present study, STS is presented to suppress
      heat stress-induced apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs)
      and high ambient temperature-induced systematic inflammation in Sprague Dawley
      rats. In addition, the STS apoptosis-suppression mechanism was explored. The
      results presented in the present study demonstrated that the PI3K/AKT pathway was
      stimulated by STS treatment and that eNOS phosphorylation at Ser-1177 was also
      upregulated, resulting in increased nitric oxide production in HUVECs under heat
      stress. Using specific inhibitors, the authors confirmed that STS-induced
      endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation at Ser-1177 was
      activated by protein kinase B phosphorylation at Ser-473, involving activation of
      phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K). The results suggested that STS suppresses
      heat stress-induced apoptosis of HUVECs via the PI3K/AKT/eNOS pathway and may be
      used in heat shock treatment as a vascular endothelial protection mechanism.

PMID- 28627665
TI  - N-acetylcysteine ameliorates repetitive/stereotypic behavior due to its
      antioxidant properties without activation of the canonical Wnt pathway in a
      valproic acid-induced rat model of autism.
AB  - N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is widely used as an antioxidant, and previous studies
      have suggested that it may have potential as an alternative therapeutic strategy
      for the treatment of patients with autism. However, the exact effects of NAC
      administration on the development of autism, as well as the molecular mechanisms
      underlying its actions, have yet to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed
      to investigate the effects of NAC on the oxidative status of rats in a valproic
      acid (VPA)-induced model of autism, and to examine the involvement of the
      canonical Wnt signaling pathway in the actions of NAC. Rats exposed to VPA were
      monitored for behavioral changes, and oxidative stress indicators and key
      molecules of the canonical Wnt pathway were investigated using colorimetric and
      western blot analysis, respectively. The present results demonstrated that NAC
      ameliorated repetitive and stereotypic activity in autism model rats.
      Furthermore, NAC was revealed to relieve oxidative stress, as demonstrated by the
      increased glutathione and reduced malondialdehyde levels compared with VPA
      treated rats. However, NAC did not appear to affect the activity of the canonical
      Wnt signaling pathway. The present findings suggested that the beneficial effects
      of NAC in autism may be associated with its antioxidative properties, and may not
      be mediated by the canonical Wnt pathway. However, it may be hypothesized that
      the canonical Wnt pathway can be indirectly regulated by NAC through the
      activation of other signaling pathways or upstream factors. Taken together, the
      present study has contributed to the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that
      underlie the actions of NAC in autism, suggesting its potential for the
      development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with
      autism.

PMID- 28627666
TI  - Expression pattern of Zinc finger protein 185 in mouse testis and its role in
      regulation of testosterone secretion.
AB  - Zinc finger protein 185 (ZNF185) belongs to the ZNF family and is involved in
      cell proliferation and differentiation. To the best of our knowledge, the
      association between ZNF185 and male reproduction is unknown. In the present
      study, the expression and localization of ZNF185 in mouse testis, as well as its
      role in testosterone secretion, cell cycle progression and apoptosis of mouse
      Leydig cells were investigated. The results of the immunofluorescence analysis
      indicated that ZNF185 was highly expressed in Leydig cells of the mouse testis,
      and primarily localized in the cytoplasm. The results of quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction and western blot analyses further validated that ZNF185 expression
      was significantly higher in Leydig cells and sperm compared with that in Sertoli
      cells. Subsequently, the expression pattern of ZNF185 in mouse testis was
      determined at different developmental stages. The results demonstrated that the
      expression of ZNF185 was highest in the testis of 10-week-old mice and lowest in
      2-week-old mice. Furthermore, the role of ZNF185 in Leydig cells of the mouse
      testis was investigated. Different concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH)
      were used to stimulate the Leydig cells and subsequently the expression of
      ZNF185, and testosterone concentration was detected. The results revealed that LH
      upregulated the expression of ZNF185 and testosterone secretion, and ZNF185
      expression was significantly positively correlated with testosterone secretion.
      To further validate whether ZNF185 was involved in testosterone secretion,
      lentiviral-mediated RNA interference was used to knock down ZNF185 expression in
      Leydig cells. The results demonstrated that ZNF185 expression and testosterone
      secretion of Leydig cells were decreased significantly. In addition, the results
      demonstrated that the knockdown of ZNF185 expression did not significantly affect
      cell cycle progression or apoptosis. Taken together, the results of the present
      study revealed that ZNF185 was highly expressed in Leydig cells of the testis and
      involved in the secretion of testosterone. These results have contributed to the
      elucidation of the mechanism underlying male reproduction and may provide a novel
      target for the treatment of infertility, and the development of a contraceptive
      vaccine.

PMID- 28627667
TI  - Loss of miR-449a-caused PrLZ overexpression promotes prostate cancer metastasis.
AB  - Distant metastasis is the worst prognostic factor for PCa patients. It has been
      reported that miR-449a enhances radiosensitivity of prostate cancer cells, but
      the function of miR449a in metastasis of prostate cancer is mainly unknown. In
      the present study, we strove to investigate the function and diagnostic value of
      miR-449a in metastasis of prostate cancer. qRT-PCR was used to quantify the
      expression of miR449a and PrLZ in PCa cell lines and tissues. we found that
      miR449a expression was decreased in PCa cell lines. Moreover, miR-449a was
      downregulated in PCa tissues, especially in primary lesion tissues of metastatic
      PCa patients. CCK8, FACS, transwell and tube formation assay were performed to
      assess growth and metastasis of PCa cells in vitro. Lentivirus mediated miR-449a
      overexpression suppressed proliferation of LNcap and PC-3, and miR-449a also
      significantly inhibited invasion and angiogenesis ability of LNcap and PC-3. IHC
      showed that PrLZ was upregulated in PCa tissues. Luciferase assay and western
      blotting verified that miR-449a targeted PrLZ expression. Moreover, PrLZ shRNA
      also significantly suppressed proliferation and metastasis of LNcap and PC-3. In
      addition, western blotting revealed that miR-449a overexpression and PrLZ shRNA
      all remarkably inhibited the stemness features in LNcap and PC-3. Furthermore,
      BALB/c nude mouse subcutaneous xenograft model was uesd to verify the function of
      miR-449a and PrLZ. Our results showed that miR-449a and PrLZ shRNA significantly
      suppressed PC-3 tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Our studies suggested that
      miR-449a decreased in malignant process of PCa and was accompanied by excess
      expression of PrLZ. The loss of miR-449a caused PrLZ overexpression regulated
      prostate cancer progression and metastasis via regulating the stemness features
      of prostate cancer cells. The diagnostic value of miR-449a as a distant
      metastasis predictor of PCa needs further investigation.

PMID- 28627668
TI  - Potential genetic damage to nematode offspring following exposure to triclosan
      during pregnancy.
AB  - Triclosan (TCS) is widely used as broad-spectrum antibacterial agent. However, it
      may threaten the health of human offspring if the mother is exposed to TCS during
      pregnancy. The present study aimed to identify potential mechanisms behind the
      toxic effect of TCS on the offspring of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans),
      using this nematode as a suitable animal model. The results of the current study
      demonstrated that the locomotory behavior and reproductive capacity of C. elegans
      offspring was severely affected by prenatal exposure to different concentrations
      of TCS. A high-throughput gene microarray was performed to investigate molecular
      alterations in C. elegans offspring following TCS exposure during pregnancy.
      Microarray results indicated that 113 genes were differentially expressed
      following TCS treatment compared with the control group. Gene ontology analysis
      demonstrated that these dysregulated genes were primarily associated with neuron
      development, muscular strength and reproduction. Pathway analysis results
      demonstrated that differentially expressed genes participated in several
      signaling pathways, including arginine, proline, and purine metabolism,
      progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation and neuroactive ligand-receptor
      interaction. Finally, 7 TCS toxicity-associated genes were confirmed by reverse
      transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The present study indicates
      that TCS exposure during pregnancy may disturb the locomotory behavior and
      reproductive capacity of C. elegans offspring, primarily through 7 TCS toxicity
      associated genes, which merits further study from an environmental health
      perspective.

PMID- 28627669
TI  - Recovery of spinal cord injury following electroacupuncture in rats through
      enhancement of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.
AB  - Electroacupuncture (EA) has been demonstrated to promote the functional recovery
      of neurons following spinal cord injury (SCI); however, the mechanisms underlying
      its effects have yet to be elucidated. The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway has
      been implicated in the regulation of the balance between growth, proliferation
      and differentiation of neural precursor cells. The present study aimed to
      investigate the effects of EA therapy on Wnt/beta-catenin-regulated gene
      expression and neuronal recovery in rats with SCI. The Allen method was used to
      establish SCI in rats, and alterations in Wnt1 and Nestin mRNA and protein
      expression levels in response to SCI were determined on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 post
      injury using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and
      western blot analysis. To evaluate the effects of EA treatment on SCI, the
      following four treatment groups were employed: SCI, SCI + EA, SCI + lithium
      chloride (LiCl) and SCI + LiCl + EA. The protein expression levels of Wnt1,
      Nestin and nuclear beta-catenin were evaluated on day 3 post-treatment, and
      neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) protein expression levels were evaluated on day
      21 post-treatment using western blot analysis. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan
      scoring method was used to evaluate spinal cord recovery on day 28 post-treatment
      across the four treatment groups. EA therapy at the Dazhui and Mingmen
      acupuncture points significantly increased the expression levels of Wnt1, Nestin,
      beta-catenin and NeuN, thus suggesting that EA therapy may promote spinal cord
      recovery following injury. The underlying mechanism was demonstrated to involve
      enhanced Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, which may promote the proliferation and
      differentiation of neural stem cells. However, further studies are required to
      elucidate the detailed effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of EA therapy
      on SCI.

PMID- 28627671
TI  - Downregulation of Notch1 inhibits the invasion and metastasis of human gastric
      cancer cells SGC7901 and MKN74 in vitro through PTEN activation and
      dephosphorylation of Akt and FAK.
AB  - Migration and invasion are both vital causes of mortality in patients with
      gastric cancer. Therefore, the inhibition of these tumour cell processes is of
      great importance in gastric cancer therapy. Activation of Notch has been reported
      in many cancers. The critical role of Notch and its regulation in tumourigenesis
      has been noted. Although the studies on Notch in the field of cancer have been
      performed extensively, the role of Notch1 signalling in gastric cancer requires
      further study. Inactivation of PTEN has been observed in the development of many
      malignant tumors, and loss of PTEN function has been implicated in tumorigenic
      processes. Notch acts as an upstream signalling pathway that regulates PTEN
      activities. However, the effect of Notch on invasion and metastasis in gastric
      cancer and the regulation of PTEN during this process remain poorly understood.
      In the present study, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to knock down Notch1
      expression in gastric cancer cell lines SGC7901 and MKN74. The mRNA and protein
      expression of Notch1, PTEN, Akt and FAK were measured upon depletion of Notch1.
      phospho-PTEN, phospho-Akt and phospho-FAK expression were measured using western
      blot analysis. Migration and invasion assays were also used after Notch1
      depletion. Our results showed that the knockdown of Notch1 leads to the
      inhibition of cell invasion and metastasis of human gastric cancer cells SCG7901
      and MKN74 in vitro. Compared to control and mock groups, PTEN activities were
      significantly promoted following depletion of Notch1, and the expression of
      Phospho-Akt and Phospho-FAK were downregulated. Taken together, our findings
      suggest that Notch1 could be used as a therapeutic target to inhibit cell
      invasion and migration in gastric cancer.

PMID- 28627670
TI  - Intermedin improves cardiac function and sympathetic neural remodeling in a rat
      model of post myocardial infarction heart failure.
AB  - Emerging evidence has suggested that intermedin (IMD), a novel member of the
      calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) family, has a wide range of
      cardioprotective effects. The present study investigated the effects of long-term
      administration of IMD on cardiac function and sympathetic neural remodeling in
      heart failure (HF) rats, and studied potential underlying mechanism. HF was
      induced in rats by myocardial infarction (MI). Male Sprague Dawley rats were
      randomly assigned to either saline or IMD (0.6 ug/kg/h) treatment groups for 4
      weeks post-MI. Another group of sham-operated rats served as controls. Cardiac
      function was assessed by echocardiography, cardiac catheterization and plasma
      level of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). Cardiac sympathetic neural remodeling
      was assessed by immunohistochemistical study of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and
      growth associated protein 43 (GAP43) immunoreactive nerve fibers. The protein
      expression levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), TH and GAP43 in the ventricular
      myocardium were studied by western blotting. Ventricular fibrillation threshold
      (VFT) was determined to evaluate the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia.
      Oxidative stress was assessed by detecting the activity of superoxide dismutase
      and the level of malondialdehyde. Compared with rats administrated with saline,
      IMD significantly improved cardiac function, decreased the plasma BNP level,
      attenuated sympathetic neural remodeling, increased VFT and suppressed oxidative
      stress. In conclusion, these results indicated that IMD prevents ventricle
      remodeling and improves the performance of a failing heart. In addition, IMD
      attenuated sympathetic neural remodeling and reduced the incidence of ventricular
      arrhythmia, which may contribute to its anti-oxidative property. These results
      implicate IMD as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of HF.

PMID- 28627672
TI  - Inhibition of Skp2 suppresses the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma
      cells.
AB  - Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common bone tumor that mainly affects children and young
      adults. S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) has been characterized to play
      a critical oncogenic role in a variety of human malignancies. However, the
      biological function of Skp2 in OS remains largely obscure. In the present study,
      we elucidated the role of Skp2 in cell growth, cell cycle, apoptosis and
      migration in OS cells. We found that depletion of Skp2 inhibited cell growth in
      both MG-63 and SW 1353 cells. Moreover, we observed that depletion of Skp2
      triggered cell apoptosis in two OS cell lines. Furthermore, downregulation of
      Skp2 induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase in OS cells. Notably, our wound
      healing assay results revealed that inhibition of Skp2 suppressed cell migration
      in OS cells. Invariably, our western blot results demonstrated that depletion of
      Skp2 in OS cells inhibited activation of pAkt and increased p27 expression in OS
      cells, suggesting that Skp2 exerted its oncogenic function partly through the
      regulation of Akt and p27. Our findings revealed that targeting Skp2 could be a
      promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of OS.

PMID- 28627673
TI  - Release characteristics of bone-like hydroxyapatite/poly amino acid loaded with
      rifapentine microspheres in vivo.
AB  - Bone-like hydroxyapatite/poly amino acid (BHA/PAA) is a potential bone repair
      material. Rifapentine-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres (RPMs)
      are bioactive and efficient controlled-release delivery systems used in vitro.
      The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo drug release
      characteristics of RPM-loaded BHA/PAA on a rabbit model of bone defect. RPM was
      combined with BHA/PAA to obtain the drug-loaded, slow-releasing bioactive
      material. Bone defects were generated in New Zealand white rabbits and the
      rabbits were then implanted with RPM-loaded BHA/PAA. High-performance liquid
      chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the concentrations of rifapentine in
      the plasma and the local muscle tissues of the treated rabbits. Hematoxylin and
      eosin (H&E) staining and biochemical analyses were performed to elucidate
      potential side effects of RPM-loaded BHA/PAA on the heart, liver and kidney
      histopathology and functions of the treated rabbits. The biocompatibility and
      osteogenic ability of RPM-loaded BHA/PAA was evaluated by H&E staining. The
      results demonstrated that the material was completely degraded and absorbed at 12
      weeks following implantation and new trabecular bone and cartilage tissues had
      formed. The in vivo release tests revealed that RPM-loaded BHA/PAA exhibited
      sustained release profiles of rifapentine and the drug concentration in the
      muscle tissues remained higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration of
      rifapentine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis for as long as 12 weeks. In
      addition, RPM-loaded BHA/PAA had no long-term side effects to the heart, liver
      and kidney of the treated rabbits. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated
      that RPM-loaded BHA/PAA slowly and continuously released rifapentine in vivo and
      exhibited no side effects on heart, liver and kidney tissues and function.
      Furthermore, RPM-loaded BHA/PAA promoted new bone formation, while it was
      gradually degraded and absorbed. The present study provided a theoretical basis
      for the potential advancement in developing novel treatments for osteoarticular
      tuberculosis.

PMID- 28627674
TI  - miR-200c serves an important role in H5V endothelial cells in high glucose by
      targeting Notch1.
AB  - Diabetic vasculopathy is the leading cause of impairment and death in diabetic
      patients, a variety of factors are involved in its underlying pathological
      process, however, endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction serves a significant role in
      the process. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as potential therapeutic candidates,
      due to their ability to regulate multiple targets involved in ECs. The aim of the
      present study was to investigate the role of miR-200c in regulating ECs in high
      glucose condition. To investigate the role of miR-200c in regulating
      hyperglycemia induced ECs by targeting Notch1, ECs H5V cells were cultured in
      high sugar conditions to initiate the inhibition of Notch1, the same cells in
      normal medium as the control. H5V cells were transfected with miR-200c mimics,
      miR-200c inhibitors or scrambled oligonucleotide controls, respectively. Notch1
      and Hes1 mRNA and protein expression level were detected by reverse transcription
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The present
      study reported that miR-200c was highly expressed by high glucose stimulation in
      H5V cells, however Notch1 was inhi-bited by high glucose, and it was also
      depressed by miR-200c in high glucose conditions. Notch1 was identified as the
      target gene of miR-200c, luciferase reporter assays confirmed the biochemical
      relationship for miR-200c decreasing Notch1. The current findings revealed that
      miR-200c may inhibit Notch1 expression in high glucose conditions, which
      suggested that miR-200c mediating Notch1/Hes1 may involve in the process of
      vascular damage caused by hyperglycemia.

PMID- 28627675
TI  - Distinctive crypt shape in a sessile serrated adenoma/polyp: Distribution of Ki67
      , p16INK4a-, WNT5A-positive cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes.
AB  - Serrated lesions in the colorectum are currently predominantly classified as
      hyperplastic polyps (HPs), sessile serrated adenomas/polyps (SSA/Ps), and
      traditional serrated adenomas (TSAs) according to their morphology. However, the
      histological morphology and the molecular changes in the serrated lesions are
      still unclear. We performed immunohistochemistry for Ki67, p16INK4a, and WNT5A in
      human HPs (n=22), SSA/Ps (n=41), and TSAs (n=19). The distribution of Ki67 and
      p16INK4a positive cells in TSAs was different from that in HPs and SSA/Ps. Co
      expression of Ki67 and P16INK4a was infrequent in HPs and SSA/Ps; p16INK4a
      positive cells were found in the crypt cleft and stromal WNT5A-positive stromal
      cells were localized near the cleft in SSA/Ps, while intraepithelial lymphocytes
      (IELs) in SSA/Ps were more abundant than HPs. In conclusion, our study provides
      evidence that HPs branch because of the increase in and patchy distribution of
      senescent and proliferative cells, with increased and misdistributed stromal and
      inflammatory cells, which might contribute to creation of L- and/or T-shaped
      crypts, which are of distinctive shapes in SSA/Ps. Our findings may facilitate
      better understanding and therapy in the serrated lesions.

PMID- 28627676
TI  - Luteolin inhibits angiogenesis by blocking Gas6/Axl signaling pathway.
AB  - Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) induces the activation of Axl receptor
      tyrosine kinase (Axl), which plays an important role in angiogenic processes,
      including proliferation, migration, invasion, tube formation and pericyte
      recruitment of endothelial cells. The inhibition of Gas6/Axl pathway has been
      demonstrated to be an effective anti-angiogenic therapy. Luteolin, which is a
      natural active flavonoid, has been reported to possess anti-angiogenic effects.
      However, the underlying mechanism of luteolin in anti-angiogenesis is not fully
      understood. Herein, we report that luteolin significantly inhibited the Gas6
      induced proliferation, migration, invasion and tube formation of human
      microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1s) in vitro, and suppressed the Gas6
      induced recruitment of human brain vascular pericytes (HBVPs) to the endothelial
      tubes. Luteolin also suppressed Gas6-induced microvessel sprouting in aortic ring
      assay and neovascularization in chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. The anti
      angiogenic effect of luteolin may be associated with the inhibition of the
      Gas6/Axl pathway and its downstream phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein
      kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways. Taken
      together, the present study provides new evidence regarding an anti-angiogenic
      mechanism of luteolin, and supports the notion that the dietary intake of
      luteolin contributes to the treatment of pathological angiogenesis.

PMID- 28627677
TI  - Integrated analysis of the potential roles of miRNA-mRNA networks in triple
      negative breast cancer.
AB  - Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a type of breast cancer where the tumor
      cells are negative for the estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth
      factor 2 receptors. To date, expression profiling of microRNA (miRNA/miR) and
      mRNA sequences have been widely applied for the diagnosis of TNBC. In the present
      study, an integrated analysis of miRNA-mRNA profiling arrays was performed. A
      total of five dysregulated miRNAs in patients with TNBC were identified,
      including upregulated miR-558 expression and downregulated miR-320d-1, miR-548v,
      miR-99a and miR-21 expression. In addition, 49 potential target mRNA sequences
      were identified. Bioinformatics analyses were performed on the identified miRNAs
      and mRNAs, including gene ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
      pathway and miRNA-mRNA network analyses. A total of 31 GO terms and three
      signaling pathways were identified. The results indicated that the differentially
      expressed miRNAs and their potential target mRNAs may affect the pathogenesis of
      TNBC, and may therefore be considered as promising biomarkers for the early
      diagnosis and targeted therapy of patients with TNBC.

PMID- 28627678
TI  - Bevacizumab counteracts VEGF-dependent resistance to erlotinib in an EGFR-mutated
      NSCLC xenograft model.
AB  - Erlotinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor
      (TKI), shows superior efficacy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) harboring activating EGFR mutations (EGFR Mut+). However, almost all
      tumors eventually develop resistance to erlotinib. Recently, the Phase II JO25567
      study reported significant prolongation of progression-free survival (PFS) by
      erlotinib plus bevacizumab combination compared with erlotinib in EGFR Mut+
      NSCLC. Herein, we established a preclinical model which became refractory to
      erlotinib after long-term administration and elucidated the mode of action of
      this combination. In this model, tumor regrowth occurred after remarkable
      shrinkage by erlotinib; regrowth was successfully inhibited by erlotinib plus
      bevacizumab. Tumor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was greatly reduced
      by erlotinib in the erlotinib-sensitive phase but significantly increased in the
      erlotinib-refractory phase despite continued treatment with erlotinib. Although
      EGFR phosphorylation remained suppressed in the erlotinib-refractory phase,
      phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK), phosphorylated AKT,
      and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3)
      were markedly higher than in the erlotinib-sensitive phase; among these, pERK was
      suppressed by erlotinib plus bevacizumab. MVD was decreased significantly more
      with erlotinib plus bevacizumab than with each drug alone. In conclusion, the
      erlotinib plus bevacizumab combination demonstrated promising efficacy in the
      B901L xenograft model of EGFR Mut+ NSCLC. Re-induction of VEGF and subsequent
      direct or indirect VEGF-dependent tumor growth was suggested as a major mechanism
      of erlotinib resistance, and erlotinib plus bevacizumab achieved remarkably
      prolonged antitumor activity in this model.

PMID- 28627680
TI  - BMP-7 suppresses excessive scar formation by activating the BMP-7/Smad1/5/8
      signaling pathway.
AB  - Scarring is the inevitable consequence of wound repair, which may cause
      significant physical and mental pain to patients when excessive. Bone
      morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) has been proved to inhibit TGF-beta-induced
      fibrosis in various tissues including dermal papilla cells. However, the effect
      of BMP-7 on hypertrophic scarring, a common proliferative disorder of dermal
      fibroblasts, has not been determined. To overcome this problem, the present study
      established a mouse model of thermal injury to investigate the inhibitory effects
      of BMP-7 on scar formation. The histological analysis of scar tissues was
      performed by H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. Western blot assay was used to
      determine the level changes of related proteins and TUNEL assay was performed to
      assess the apoptosis of scar tissues. The results demonstrated that BMP-7
      promoted wound healing and inhibited scar formation when compared with untreated
      mice. Collagen deposition and the expression of fibrotic proteins were suppressed
      in the scar tissues of mice treated with BMP-7. In addition, BMP-7 induced
      fibroblast apoptosis in scar tissues. Furthermore, activation of the BMP
      7/Smad1/5/8 signaling pathway may have been involved in the inhibitory effects of
      BMP-7 on scar formation. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate
      that BMP-7 may inhibit excessive scar formation via activation of the BMP
      7/Smad1/5/8 signaling pathway. The results present a potential alternative
      therapeutic strategy for the treatment of hypertrophic scarring.

PMID- 28627681
TI  - B7-H3 promotes the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of cervical cancer
      cells and is an indicator of poor prognosis.
AB  - B7-H3 is an immune regulatory molecule whose aberrant expression in tumors is
      associated with adverse outcomes. Upregulation of B7-H3 may promote tumor cell
      proliferation and metastasis in vitro, but the role of B7-H3 in cervical cancer
      has not yet been investigated. We measured B7-H3 expression in 90 cervical cancer
      patient and 20 non-cervical lesion patient tissues using immunohistochemistry and
      in 30 cervical cancer patient and 30 healthy donor blood samples using ELISA. The
      association of B7-H3 expression and the prognosis of cervical cancer patients was
      investigated. B7-H3 knockdown in CaSki and SiHa cell lines was performed using
      small hairpin (sh)RNA lentiviral transfection and B7-H3 overexpression in CaSki
      and HeLa cell lines was performed using plasmid-vector lentivirus transduction.
      Cell proliferation, invasion and migration were then measured using MTT and
      Transwell assays in vitro. B7-H3 expression was significantly higher in the
      cervical cancer tissues compared to that noted in the normal cervical tissues
      (mean 72.22 vs. 15.00%; p<0.001). Using Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses, our data
      revealed that patients with strong intensity staining were significantly more
      likely to have a worse prognosis. The B7-H3 level in cervical cancer patient
      blood was significantly higher than that in the normal donors (13.41+/-6.12 vs.
      9.90+/-3.16 ng/ml; p=0.007). MTT assay revealed that high expression of B7-H3
      promoted cervical cancer cell proliferation. Transwell assay data revealed that
      high expression of B7-H3 enhanced cervical cancer cell migration and invasion
      (CaSki, p=0.003; HeLa, p=0.03). In conclusion, expression of B7-H3 was
      significantly higher in cervical cancer tissues compared to normal cervical
      tissues, and this high expression was associated with worse prognosis for
      cervical cancer patients. In addition, B7-H3 promoted proliferation, invasion and
      migration of cervical cancer and may be a potential target for treating cervical
      cancer.

PMID- 28627679
TI  - Exosomes: New players in cancer (Review).
AB  - The past decade has witnessed an exponential increase in research on exosomes.
      For many years considered to be extracellular debris, exosomes are now considered
      important mediators in intercellular communication. The capability of exosomes to
      transfer proteins, DNA, mRNA, as well as non-coding RNAs has made them an
      attractive focus of research into the pathogenesis of different diseases,
      including cancer. Increasing evidence suggests that tumor cells release a large
      sum of exosomes, which may not only influence proximal tumor cells and stromal
      cells in local microenvironment, but also can exert systemic effects when
      participating in blood circulation. In this study, we review the current
      understanding on this topic. The literature outlines two broad facets of exosomes
      in cancer: 1) promotion of tumor growth, tumorigenesis, tumor angiogenesis, tumor
      immune escape, drug resistance, and metastasis and 2) their role as promising
      biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and even as potential treatment targets for
      cancer patients.

PMID- 28627682
TI  - Microvesicles released from human embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem
      cells inhibit proliferation of leukemia cells.
AB  - Human embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells (hESC-MSCs) are able to
      inhibit proliferation of leukemia cells. Microvesicles released from human
      embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells (hESC-MSC-MVs) might play an
      important part in antitumor activity. Microvesicles were isolated by
      ultracentrifugation and identified under a scanning electron microscopy and
      transmission electron microscope separately. After 48-h cocultured with hESC-MSCs
      and hESC-MSC-MVs, the number of K562 and HL60 was counted and tumor cell
      viability was measured by CCK8 assay. The expression of proteins Bcl-2 and Bax
      were estimated by western blotting. Transmission electron microscope and western
      blot analysis were adopted to evaluate the autophagy level. Results showed that
      both hESC-MSCs and hESC-MSC-MVs inhibited proliferation of leukemia cells in a
      concentration-dependent manner. hESC-MSC-MVs reduced the ratio of Bcl/Bax,
      enhanced the protein level of Beclin-1 and LC3-II conversion, thus upregulating
      autophagy and apoptosis. In conclusion, microvesicles released from human
      embryonic stem cell derived-mesenchymal stem cells inhibited tumor growth and
      stimulated autophagy and excessive autophagy might induce apoptosis.

PMID- 28627683
TI  - Regulatory role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 in breast
      cancer by activating the protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase 3beta
      signaling pathway.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is an endogenous
      adaptor of innate and adaptive immune responses, and serves a crucial role in
      tumor necrosis factor receptor and toll-like/interleukin-1 receptor signaling.
      Although studies have demonstrated that TRAF6 has oncogenic activity, its
      potential contributions to breast cancer in human remains largely uninvestigated.
      The present study examined the expression levels and function of TRAF6 in breast
      carcinoma (n=32) and adjacent healthy (n=25) tissue samples. Compared with
      adjacent healthy tissues, TRAF6 protein expression levels were significantly
      upregulated in breast cancer tissues. Reverse transcription-quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed a significant upregulation of the
      cellular proliferative marker Ki-67 and proliferation cell nuclear antigen
      expression levels in breast carcinoma specimens. Furthermore, protein expression
      levels of the accessory molecule, transforming growth factor beta-activated
      kinase 1 (TAK1), were significantly increased in breast cancer patients, as
      detected by western blot analysis. As determined by MTT assay, TRAF6 exerted
      profoundly proliferative effects in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line; however,
      these detrimental effects were ameliorated by TAK1 inhibition. Notably, protein
      kinase B (AKT)/glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3beta phosphorylation levels were
      markedly upregulated in breast cancer samples, compared with adjacent healthy
      tissues. In conclusion, an altered TRAF6-TAK1 axis and its corresponding
      downstream AKT/GSK3beta signaling molecules may contribute to breast cancer
      progression. Therefore, TRAF6 may represent a potential therapeutic target for
      the treatment of breast cancer.

PMID- 28627684
TI  - Beneficial effects of Huaiqihuang on hyperglycemia-induced MPC5 podocyte
      dysfunction through the suppression of mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic
      reticulum stress.
AB  - The present study was performed to investigate the effect of Huaiqihuang (HQH) on
      hyperglycemia (HG)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum
      (ER) stress in MPC5 podocytes. The effects of HQH and HG on cell viability were
      assessed using an MTT assay. mRNA and protein expression levels were evaluated
      using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western
      blot analysis, respectively. Cell apoptosis was assessed using terminal
      deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling, whereas
      reactive oxygen species production and alterations in mitochondrial membrane
      potential were assessed using flow cytometry. DNA damage was evaluated using a
      comet assay. The results demonstrated that treatment of podocytes with HQH
      markedly suppressed the HG-induced generation of reactive oxygen species. HQH
      also significantly improved mitochondrial membrane potential in podocytes exposed
      to HG. When the podocytes were treated with HG, Ca2+ levels were significantly
      increased, compared with those in the control group, whereas treatment of the
      podocytes with HQH significantly reversed the HG-induced upregulation of Ca2+
      secretion. Treatment of the podocytes with HQH significantly reversed the HG
      induced upregulation of glucose-related protein 78 (GRP78) and C/EBP-homologous
      protein, which were used as indicators of ER stress. Furthermore, GRP78 loss-of
      function attenuated HG-induced podocyte dysfunction, including cell apoptosis and
      DNA damage. In conclusion, beneficial effects of HQH on HG-induced MPC5 podocyte
      dysfunction were observed, and occurred through the suppression of mitochondrial
      dysfunction and ER stress.

PMID- 28627685
TI  - Metabolomic analysis based on 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
      metabolic profiles in tuberculous, malignant and transudative pleural effusion.
AB  - Pleural effusion is a common clinical manifestation with various causes. Current
      diagnostic and therapeutic methods have exhibited numerous limitations. By
      involving the analysis of dynamic changes in low molecular weight catabolites,
      metabolomics has been widely applied in various types of disease and have
      provided platforms to distinguish many novel biomarkers. However, to the best of
      our knowledge, there are few studies regarding the metabolic profiling for
      pleural effusion. In the current study, 58 pleural effusion samples were
      collected, among which 20 were malignant pleural effusions, 20 were tuberculous
      pleural effusions and 18 were transudative pleural effusions. The small molecule
      metabolite spectrums were obtained by adopting 1H nuclear magnetic resonance
      technology, and pattern-recognition multi-variable statistical analysis was used
      to screen out different metabolites. One-way analysis of variance, and Student
      Newman-Keuls and the Kruskal-Wallis test were adopted for statistical analysis.
      Over 400 metabolites were identified in the untargeted metabolomic analysis and
      26 metabolites were identified as significantly different among tuberculous,
      malignant and transudative pleural effusions. These metabolites were
      predominantly involved in the metabolic pathways of amino acids metabolism,
      glycometabolism and lipid metabolism. Statistical analysis revealed that eight
      metabolites contributed to the distinction between the three groups: Tuberculous,
      malignant and transudative pleural effusion. In the current study, the
      feasibility of identifying small molecule biochemical profiles in different types
      of pleural effusion were investigated reveal novel biological insights into the
      underlying mechanisms. The results provide specific insights into the biology of
      tubercular, malignant and transudative pleural effusion and may offer novel
      strategies for the diagnosis and therapy of associated diseases, including
      tuberculosis, advanced lung cancer and congestive heart failure.

PMID- 28627686
TI  - Hypoxia- and acidosis-driven aberrations of secreted microRNAs in endometrial
      cancer in vitro.
AB  - Due to their post-transcriptional regulatory impact on gene expression, microRNAs
      (miRNA, miRs) influence decisively cellular processes of differentiation,
      proliferation and apoptosis. In oncogenic pathways various miRNAs exert either
      oncogenic or tumor suppressor activities in a stage-specific manner.
      Dysregulation of miRNA expression pattern has been associated with several human
      cancers including endometrial cancer (EC). In the present study, expression
      profile alterations of EC associated secreted miRNAs were determined under the
      microenvironmental stress situations hypoxia and acidosis occurring in tumor
      progression and metastasis. The potential influence of hypoxia and acidosis vs.
      control conditions on the expression levels of 24 EC-relevant miRNA types was
      quantitatively accessed via real-time PCR in three established EC in vitro
      models. Expression data were analyzed statistically. In vitro application of
      hypoxia resulted in downregulation of miR-15a, miR-20a, miR-20b and miR-128-1 in
      Ishikawa cells (type I EC) and upregulation of miR-21 in EFE-184 cells (type I
      EC). Acidosis triggered upregulation of tumor promoting miR-125b in AN3-CA cell
      (type II EC), whereas in Ishikawa cells (type I EC) miRNAs with tumor suppressive
      function were found altered in divergent directions, both up- (let-7a) and down-
      (miR-22) regulated. Our current findings emphasize the functional importance of
      secreted miRNAs in the immediate response of EC cells to exogenic stress
      situations such as the typical tumor epiphenomena hypoxia and acidosis. Focusing
      on the specific potential of secreted, thus circulating miRNA molecules,
      alterations in expression levels not only influence intracellular gene expression
      and signaling cascades, but also transfer the induction of (tumor)biological
      cellular changes to adjacent cells.

PMID- 28627687
TI  - microRNA-205 acts as a tumor suppressor and directly targets YAP1 in glioma.
AB  - Glioma is the most common form of primary malignant tumor that occurs in the
      central nervous system. The underlying molecular mechanism of the carcinogenesis
      and progression of glioma remains to be elucidated. It is well-established that
      microRNAs (miRs) are associated with the regulation of glioma initiation and
      progression, and may represent a novel effective therapeutic strategy for the
      treatment of glioma. In the present study, the expression, roles and molecular
      mechanisms of miR-205 in glioma were investigated. The expression levels of miR
      205 in glioma tissues, normal brain tissues, human glioma and normal HEB glial
      cell lines were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction (RT-qPCR). To explore the functional roles of miR-205 in glioma
      cells, a Cell Counting kit 8 assay, and Transwell migration and invasion assays
      were employed. The molecular mechanisms underlying the roles of miR-205 in glioma
      cells were investigated using bioinformatics analysis, a luciferase reporter
      assay, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. The results of the present study
      demonstrated that miR-205 expression was markedly low in glioma tissues and cell
      lines compared with normal brain tissue and a glial cell line. Upregulation of
      miR-205 in vitro decreased cell viability, migration and invasion in glioma.
      Further investigation of the potential molecular mechanism demonstrated that the
      tumor suppressive functions of miR-205 in regulating the proliferation, migration
      and invasion of glioma cells were mediated by a direct target gene, yes
      associated protein 1 (YAP1). The results of the present study suggested that miR
      205 inhibited glioma growth and metastasis by directly targeting YAP1, and that
      miR-205 should be investigated as a novel therapeutic target for anti-cancer
      treatment.

PMID- 28627688
TI  - Danger-recognizing proteins, beta-defensin-128 and histatin-3, as potential
      biomarkers of recurrent coronary events.
AB  - Conventional risk factors have limited ability to predict recurrent events in
      subjects with first-time coronary artery disease (CAD). This aim of this study
      was to identify novel biomarkers using comparative global proteome analysis to
      improve the risk assessment for recurrent coronary events. We used samples from
      phase-I of the Indian Atherosclerosis Research Study (IARS), consisting of 2,332
      subjects, of whom 772 were CAD-affected subjects, including 152 with recurrent
      events identified during a 5-year follow-up period. Global proteome analysis was
      performed on serum samples of 85 subjects with recurrent coronary events and 85
      age- and gender-matched subjects with first-time CAD using surface-enhanced laser
      desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry with CM10 arrays. TagIdent
      was used for protein identification followed by validation by western blot
      analysis and ELISA. Data were analyzed by logistic analysis, Cox-regression,
      hazards ratio, C-statistics and combined-marker risk score using SPSS version-17
      and R-package version-2.13.0 software. We identified 16 significantly
      differentially expressed protein peaks. Of these, 2 peaks corresponding to m/z
      8588 and 1864 were identified as beta-defensin-128 and histatin-3, belonging to
      the danger-recognizing peptide family, which exhibited a significant independent
      association with recurrent events (odds ratios of 7.49 and 1.4, respectively). C
      statistics improved significantly from 0.677 for conventional risk factors alone
      to 0.800 (p-value=0.001) in combination with beta-defensin-128 and histatin-3
      with a hazards ratio of 1.833. A combined risk score of beta-defensin-128 and
      histatin-3 could reclassify 112 out of the 170 subjects into intermediate- and
      high-risk groups. On the whole, our data indicate that beta-defensin-128 and
      histatin-3 may be potential biomarkers whch may be used to improve risk the
      stratification for recurrent coronary events.

PMID- 28627689
TI  - Expression of cell cycle-related proteins in oropharyngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma based on human papilloma virus status.
AB  - The molecular association between human papilloma virus (HPV) and cell cycle
      related (CCR) proteins is not fully understood in oropharyngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma (OPSCC). Herein, we examined the expression levels of CCRs in OPSCCs
      based on HPV status. In situ hybridization (ISH)- and polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR)-based assays were used to detect HPV status in 98 OPSCCs, and CCRs were
      detected by immunostaining. Of 98 tumors, 47 had HPV-positive tumors by either
      ISH- or PCR-based assays. Concordance analysis between ISH- and PCR-based tests
      showed a good agreement in OPSCC. Expression of p16 was moderate, consistent with
      HPV positivity as determined by ISH-based analysis. High p53-, phospho (p)-Rb-,
      SKP2-, cyclin D1-, and p-c-myc-positive rates were correlated with HPV-negative
      tumors, whereas high p16- and p27-positive rates were associated with HPV
      positive tumors. The positive rates for p21 and cyclin A did not differ between
      HPV-positive and HPV-negative tumors. Finally, Ki-67 positivity was commonly
      observed for both types of OPSCCs. Although expression of p16 is thought to be a
      marker of HPV infection, ISH- or PCR-based tests should be used for HPV
      detection. In addition, our results regarding CCRs may be helpful for
      understanding the carcinogenesis of OPSCC.

PMID- 28627690
TI  - Data mining and pathway analysis of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase with
      natural language processing.
AB  - Human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a crucial enzyme in the pentose
      phosphate pathway, and serves an important role in biosynthesis and the redox
      balance. G6PD deficiency is a major cause of neonatal jaundice and acute
      hemolyticanemia, and recently, G6PD has been associated with diseases including
      inflammation and cancer. The aim of the present study was to conduct a search of
      the National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed library for articles
      discussing G6PD. Genes that were identified to be associated with G6PD were
      recorded, and the frequency at which each gene appeared was calculated. Gene
      ontology (GO), pathway and network analyses were then performed. A total of 98
      G6PD-associated genes and 33 microRNAs (miRNAs) that potentially regulate G6PD
      were identified. The 98 G6PD-associated genes were then sub-classified into three
      functional groups by GO analysis, followed by analysis of function, pathway,
      network, and disease association. Out of the 47 signaling pathways identified,
      seven were significantly correlated with G6PD-associated genes. At least two out
      of four independent programs identified the 33 miRNAs that were predicted to
      target G6PD. miR-1207-5P, miR-1 and miR-125a-5p were predicted by all four
      software programs to target G6PD. The results of the present study revealed that
      dysregulation of G6PD was associated with cancer, autoimmune diseases, and
      oxidative stress-induced disorders. These results revealed the potential roles of
      G6PD-regulated signaling and metabolic pathways in the etiology of these
      diseases.

PMID- 28627691
TI  - Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi induces caspase-dependent apoptosis via mitogen
      activated protein kinase activation and the generation of reactive oxygen species
      signaling pathways in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
AB  - Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract (SBGE) is used in traditional herbal
      medicine and has also been used clinically to ameliorate the symptoms of various
      inflammatory diseases and cancer. In women, breast cancer is one of the most
      common diseases and numerous women succumb to it. The present study was
      undertaken to investigate the mechanism responsible for the SBGE-induced
      apoptosis of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. SBGE was administered to cells at
      concentrations between 100 and 500 mg/ml, and cell viabilities were identified
      using an MTT assay. B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 X-associated protein
      (Bax) family members were identified by western blotting, and the mRNA expression
      levels of the pro-apoptosis genes Fas, Fas ligand (FasL) and tumor necrosis
      factor (TNF)-alpha were assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain
      reaction. It was identified that SBGE treatment for 24 h inhibited MCF-7
      proliferation and increased the sub-G1 phase ratio. SBGE suppressed mitochondrial
      membrane potentials and SBGE-induced apoptotic cell death was identified to be
      associated with downregulation of Bcl-2, but upregulation of Bax. SBGE-activated
      caspases 3 and 9, and increased reactive oxygen species generation. However, SBGE
      had no effect on the expression levels of Fas, FasL or TNF-alpha. Furthermore,
      mitogen-activated protein kinase and C-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitors inhibited
      SBGE-induced cell death. These results suggested that SBGE be considered as an
      agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

PMID- 28627692
TI  - The role of intestinal endotoxemia in a rat model of aluminum neurotoxicity.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the effects of intestinal endotoxemia
      (IETM) in a rat model of aluminum neurotoxicity established by D-galactose and
      aluminum trichloride (AlCl3). Adult Wistar rats were administered D-galactose and
      AlCl3 to create the aluminum neurotoxicity model. The learning and memory
      abilities of the rats were subsequently observed using a Morris water maze test
      and the serum levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
      alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, diamine oxidase (DAO), glutamine (Gln) and glutaminase
      were measured. The expression of S-100beta in the serum was detected using an
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of the amyloid beta
      protein (Abeta) precursor (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1), beta-site APP-cleaving
      enzyme (BACE), zona occludens protein (ZO)-1 and Abeta 1-40 in the brain of rats
      were detected via reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, western
      blotting and immunohistochemistry. The levels of LPS, TNF-alpha, IL-1, DAO, Gln
      and S-100beta in serum and the mRNA and protein expression levels of APP, PS1,
      BACE and Abeta1-40 in the brain were markedly increased in the model rats
      compared with controls. The level of glutaminase in the serum and the expression
      of ZO-1 in the brain were decreased in the model rats compared with controls.
      IETM was present in the rat model of aluminum neurotoxicity established by D
      galactose and AlCl3 and may be important in the development of this
      neurotoxicity.

PMID- 28627693
TI  - Renal denervation attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive
      rats via regulation of autophagy.
AB  - It has been suggested that renal denervation (RD) may attenuate left ventricular
      (LV) hypertrophy. However, the role that autophagy serves in this process is
      currently unclear. In the present study, utilizing a model of hypertension
      induced cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneous hypertensive rats, it was demonstrated
      that RD was significantly associated with a reduction in LV hypertrophy.
      Furthermore, a decrease in the myocardial mRNA of hypertrophy-associated genes
      was demonstrated in RD rats compared with sham controls. In addition, RD in
      hypertension-induced LV hypertrophy rats was associated with the attenuation of
      cellular autophagic response over activation at a physiological level. This was
      indicated by a reduction in the expression of Beclin-1, autophagy related 9A and
      microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 II/I in RD rats to
      physiological levels that are observed in control rats. Furthermore, the number
      of autophagosomes was restored to physiological levels in the cardiomyocytes of
      RD rats. The results of the current study suggest that RD may attenuate LV
      hypertrophy via the regulation of autophagic responses.

PMID- 28627694
TI  - Investigation of the neuroprotective effects of a novel synthetic compound via
      the mitochondrial pathway.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of a novel
      synthetic compound (5zou) on differentiated PC12 cells against 6-hydroxydopamine
      (6-OHDA) and L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) neurotoxin-induced cell injury and the
      potential mechanisms involved. 5zou is a 2, 2-disubstituted 1,2-dihydropyridine.
      PC12 cells were treated with 6-OHDA and L-Glu to establish neurotoxic cell
      models. MTT assay, DCFH-DA staining, Fluo-4-AM staining, JC-1 staining and
      western blotting were used to determine the changes in cell viability,
      intracellular reactive oxygen species concentration, Ca2+ influx, mitochondrial
      membrane potential and the protein expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and B
      cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL). Morphological analysis demonstrated the
      effect of 5zous on neuritogenesis and differentiation in PC12 cells. The results
      suggested that 5zou rescued the cell viability, intracellular ROS level, Ca2+
      influx, mitochondrial membrane potential, and expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL,
      which were altered by 6-OHDA and L-Glu. The study confirmed that 5zou has
      neuroprotective effects on neurotoxin-induced differentiated PC12 cells injury,
      potentially via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

PMID- 28627695
TI  - Targeted CDX2 expression inhibits aggressive phenotypes of colon cancer cells in
      vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Loss of caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) is associated with the development of human
      colorectal cancer, while human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)
      frequently occurs in variety of human cancers. We investigated the effects of
      restoration of CDX2 expression using a hypoxia-inducible hTERT promoter-driven
      vector (pLVX-5HRE-hTERTp-CDX2-3FLAG) on colon cancer cell viability, cell cycle
      distribution, apoptosis, colony formation, invasion ability and xenograft tumor
      growth in nude mice. CDX2 overexpression significantly inhibited viability,
      colony formation, and the invasion and migration ability of LoVo cells, and
      induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro, especially under hypoxic
      culture conditions. Overexpression of CDX2 under normoxic conditions
      significantly suppressed the expression of TGF-beta, cyclin D1, uPA, MMP-9, MMP
      2, and Bcl-2, and stimulated the expression of collagen IV, laminin-1, and Bax.
      Overexpression of CDX2 reduced colon cancer xenograft tumor formation in nude
      mice which was associated with downregulation of Ki-67. In conclusion,
      overexpression of CDX2 using a hypoxia-inducible hTERT promoter-driven vector
      suppressed malignant progression of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.
      These results suggest that pLVX-5HRE-hTERTp-CDX2-3FLAG gene therapy may be a
      promising novel approach to treat colon cancer.

PMID- 28627696
TI  - Desipramine induces apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
AB  - Antitumor effects of antidepressants have been reported in many cancer cell
      lines. However, anti-proliferative effects of desipramine, a tricyclic
      antidepressant, in hepatocellular carcinoma are currently unknown. In this study,
      we examined the effects of desipramine in human hepatoma Hep3B cells. To evaluate
      anti-proliferative effects of desipramine in Hep3B cells, we determined cell
      viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane
      potential (MMP), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity, and
      intracellular Ca2+ levels after desipramine treatment. Desipramine reduced cell
      viability, increased ROS production, and decreased MMP activity in Hep3B cells.
      In addition, desipramine activated MAPKs (ERK 1/2, JNK, and p38) and increased
      intracellular Ca2+ levels. Pro-apoptotic effects of desipramine were abolished
      after MAPK inhibitors (PD98059, SB203580, and SP600125) or N-acetyl-L-cysteine
      (NAC), as a ROS scavenger, treatments. These findings suggest that desipramine
      shows anti-proliferative effects in Hep3B cells mediated by promotion of
      apoptosis, activation of MAPK signaling, and increase in intracellular Ca2+
      levels.

PMID- 28627698
TI  - MicroRNA-508-5p suppresses metastasis in human gastric cancer by targeting S
      phase kinase-associated protein 2.
AB  - S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (SKP2), a potent oncogene was revealed to be
      upregulated in gastric cancer (GC) tissue samples, in which SKP2 was inversely
      correlated with microRNA (miR)-508-5p transcripts. In present study, the
      functional effect of miR-508-5p on SKP2 and its metastatic potential were
      investigated in SGC-7901 GC cells. Significant downregulation of the miR-508-5p
      transcript was associated with the progression of GC. Furthermore, the
      overexpression of miR-508-5p was demonstrated to inhibit the proliferation,
      migration and invasion of SGC-7901 cells, as well as induced cell apoptosis and
      cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in vitro. The overexpression of miR-508-5p
      was able to downregulate the expression of the SKP2 oncogene, through a mechanism
      by which miR-508-5p directly targeted the SKP2 gene. Thus, regulating
      transcriptional and post-transcriptional SKP2 expression, as demonstrated using
      luciferase reporter assays, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction analysis and immunoblotting assays. The results of the present study
      identified that miR-508-5p functionally affects the SKP2 gene and reduces
      metastatic potential in GC, suggesting a novel role of miR-508-5p in the
      regulation of SKP2 and cell cycle.

PMID- 28627699
TI  - miR-30a inhibits glioma progression and stem cell-like properties by repression
      of Wnt5a.
AB  - miR-30a has been found to be dysregulated in diverse cancers and involved in the
      regulation of tumor progression. However, there is scarce research on the role of
      miR-30a in glioma. In the present study, we assessed the expression level of miR
      30a in glioma tissues and cell lines. The microRNA microarray analysis revealed
      low expression of miR-30a in glioma tissues and cells vs. the control.
      Furthermore, we found that stable miR-30a inhibited cell proliferation, G1 phase
      arrest and stem cell-like formation in glioma. Moreover, to investigate the
      molecular mechanism of miR-30a on glioma cell phenotypes, we identified Wnt5a as
      a new direct target gene for miR-30a by bioinformatic assay, luciferase assay and
      western blot analysis. Further functional studies suggested that miR-30a
      suppressed metastasis, sphere formation and glioma growth by targeting Wnt5a
      signal pathway. Collectively, our findings suggested for the first time that miR
      30a may function as a tumor suppressor in glioma by targeting Wnt5a.

PMID- 28627697
TI  - Cancer drug delivery in the nano era: An overview and perspectives (Review).
AB  - Nanomaterials are increasingly used as drug carriers for cancer therapy.
      Nanomaterials also appeal to researchers in the areas of cancer diagnosis and
      biomarker discovery. Several antitumor nanodrugs are currently being tested in
      preclinical and clinical trials and show promise in therapeutic and other
      settings. We review the development of nanomaterial drug carriers, including
      liposomes, polymer nanoparticles, dendritic polymers, and nanomicelles, for the
      diagnosis and treatment of various cancers. The prospects of nanomaterials as
      drug carriers for future clinical applications are also discussed.

PMID- 28627700
TI  - Isolation of rat Schwann cells based on cell sorting.
AB  - The present study presented a protocol that can be used to obtain rapidly a high
      purity of proliferating rat Schwann cells from freshly dissociated rat peripheral
      nerves. The sciatic nerves of newborn rats (1-3 day old) were dissociated, and
      the Schwann cells (SCs) were purified using fluorescence-activated cell sorting
      (FACS) based on the SC membrane-specific expression of the low-affinity nerve
      growth factor receptor, p75NGFR and oligodendrocyte marker 4. Following sorting,
      the cells were plated on poly-l-lysine-coated dishes in SC culture medium
      containing DMEM with 10% FBS, 1% penicillin/streptomycin, 2 uM forskolin and 10
      ng/ml HRG. The purified rat SCs were propagated for passaging until confluent.
      This protocol resulted in SC cultures, which were >98% pure. This FACS-based
      protocol can be used to facilitate future investigations of general SC biology.

PMID- 28627702
TI  - Lentivirus-mediated knockdown of chondroitin polymerizing factor inhibits glioma
      cell growth in vitro.
AB  - Glioma is the most common primary tumor in the central nervous system,
      characterized by rapid progression, aggressive behavior, frequent recurrence and
      poor prognosis. In the present study we demonstrated that chondroitin
      polymerizing factor (CHPF) is highly expressed in human glioma tissues and 4
      glioma cell lines. To explore the role of CHPF in glioma, a lentiviral vector
      expressing CHPF shRNA was constructed and transfected into the glioma U251 cells,
      which stably downregulated the expression levels of the CHPF gene in U251 cells
      in vitro. U251 cell proliferation inhibition rates were determined by MTT assay.
      The effect of survivin shRNA on U251 cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis
      was determined by flow cytometry. Compared to the shRNA-Ctrl group of cells, the
      shRNA-CHPF group of cells exhibited decreased proliferation and a significant
      increase in the proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase. In addition, we found
      that knockdown of the expression of CHPF increased apoptosis in glioma U251
      cells. Therefore, our results confirmed that CHPF promotes growth and inhibits
      apoptosis in glioma U251 cells. Thus, by in vivo and in vitro data, the present
      study suggests that CHPF could be a new potential therapeutic target for glioma.

PMID- 28627701
TI  - Mangiferin positively regulates osteoblast differentiation and suppresses
      osteoclast differentiation.
AB  - Mangiferin is a polyphenolic compound present in Salacia reticulata. It has been
      reported to reduce bone destruction and inhibit osteoclastic differentiation.
      This study aimed to determine whether mangiferin directly affects osteoblast and
      osteoclast proliferation and differentiation, and gene expression in MC3T3-E1
      osteoblastic cells and osteoclast-like cells derived from primary mouse bone
      marrow macrophage cells. Mangiferin induced significantly greater WST-1 activity,
      indicating increased cell proliferation. Mangiferin induced significantly
      increased alkaline phosphatase staining, indicating greater cell differentiation.
      Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) demonstrated that
      mangiferin significantly increased the mRNA level of runt-related transcription
      factor 2 (RunX2), but did not affect RunX1 mRNA expression. Mangiferin
      significantly reduced the formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase
      positive multinuclear cells. RT-PCR demonstrated that mangiferin significantly
      increased the mRNA level of estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta), but did not affect
      the expression of other osteoclast-associated genes. Mangiferin may inhibit
      osteoclastic bone resorption by suppressing differentiation of osteoclasts and
      promoting expression of ERbeta mRNA in mouse bone marrow macrophage cells. It
      also has potential to promote osteoblastic bone formation by promoting cell
      proliferation and inducing cell differentiation in preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells
      via RunX2. Mangiferin may therefore be useful in improving bone disease outcomes.

PMID- 28627703
TI  - Overexpression of microRNA-495 suppresses the proliferation and invasion and
      induces the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells by targeting high-mobility group
      nucleosome-binding domain 5.
AB  - It has been suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) act as critical regulators in
      tumorigenesis. MicroRNA-495 (miR-495) has been suggested as a cancer-associated
      miRNA in various types of cancers; however, the role of miR-495 in osteosarcoma
      is unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine whether miR-495 is
      involved in osteosarcoma, and to investigate the potential molecular mechanism of
      its involvement. We found that miR-495 was significantly downregulated in
      osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, as detected by real-time quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Overexpression of miR-495 inhibited
      osteosarcoma cell proliferation in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- ,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide, colony formation and cell cycle assays.
      Overexpression of miR-495 induced osteosarcoma cell apoptosis. Moreover, miR-495
      overexpression also inhibited osteosarcoma cell invasion. Bioinformatics and
      luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that miR-495 targets the 3'-untranslated
      region of high-mobility group nucleosome-binding domain 5 (HMGN5), a potential
      oncogene in various types of cancers. Overexpression of miR-495 inhibited the
      expression of HMGN5, cyclin B1, Bcl-2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9. In
      addition, restoration of HMGN5 protein expression abrogated the miR-495-induced
      effects. Taken together, the present study indicated that miR-495 suppresses the
      proliferation and invasion and induces the apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells by
      targeting HMGN5, providing a novel insight into the molecular pathogenesis of
      osteosarcoma and suggesting a potential molecular target for the development of
      an miRNA-targeted therapeutic strategy for osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28627704
TI  - Matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 contribute to functional integrity and noise
      induced damage to the blood-labyrinth-barrier.
AB  - The cochlear blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB), located in the stria vascularis, is
      critical for the homeostasis of cochlear solutes and ion transport. Significant
      disruption to the BLB occurs early during noise-induced hearing loss. Matrix
      metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 are important molecules known to be capable of
      degrading tight junction (TJ) proteins. The TJ proteins are important components
      of the extracellular matrix (ECM), required to maintain BLB integrity and
      permeability. Previous studies have demonstrated that MMP-2 and -9, rich in
      healthy cochlea, serve an essential role in regulating the cochlear response to
      acoustic trauma. The present study investigated the localization and function of
      MMP-2 and -9 in the BLB by determining their associated gene expression and
      activity under normal conditions and after noise exposure. Analysis of gene
      expression by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed expression of 15 MMP-associated
      genes, including genes for MMP-2 and -9, in healthy stria vascularis. Expression
      of these MMP genes was dynamically regulated by noise trauma to the cochlea, and
      accompanied by alterations in tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) and
      the TJ protein zona-occludens 1 (ZO-1). These alterations suggested that MMP-2
      and -9 serve an important role in maintaining the integrity of BLB and in
      response to acoustic trauma. MMP-2, MMP-9 and ZO-1 protein expression levels in
      the stria vascularis by immunofluorescence, and observed that the stable
      expression of MMP-2 and -9 in healthy stria was markedly increased following
      noise exposure, consistent with the RNA-seq results. The compact structure of ZO
      1 in the BLB loosened, and strial capillaries exhibited markedly increased
      leakage of Evans blue dye following acoustic trauma. These data indicated that
      mediation of MMP-2 and -9 in structural damage to TJ proteins, including ZO-1,
      may be an important mechanism in the breakdown of the BLB following acoustic
      trauma. Additionally, these results indicated that MMPs are involved in
      regulating the integrity and permeability of the BLB, which may provide a
      theoretical basis for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.

PMID- 28627706
TI  - The Wnt inhibitor LGK-974 enhances radiosensitivity of HepG2 cells by modulating
      Nrf2 signaling.
AB  - Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) is a master regulator of
      antioxidant and detoxification activities that can eliminate reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) produced via irradiation. However, Nrf2 overexpression in liver
      cancer cells may cause both radioresistance and chemoresistance. Reducing Nrf2
      levels can enhance the radiosensitivity of HepG2 cells. Wingless/int-3A (Wnt3A)
      is a Wnt family protein that mainly activates the canonical Wnt signaling
      pathway. Recent studies showed that the Axin1-GSK-3beta protein complex, a
      component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway, can capture Nrf2 and facilitate
      its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in the cytoplasm. This protein
      complex is degraded upon activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. In the present
      study, we treated HepG2 cells with the Wnt3A inhibitor LGK-974, an effective and
      specific PORCN inhibitor that can prevent the formation of a proper folding of
      the Wnt protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. We found that HepG2 cells became
      more sensitive to radiation with increasing LGK-974 concentrations. Upon 2 Gy or
      4 Gy irradiation, the cells treated with LGK-974 more frequently underwent
      apoptosis and grew less rapidly. PCR and western blot results showed that
      inhibiting the secretion of Wnt3A blocked the Wnt signaling pathway and prevented
      Nrf2 signaling. Notably, the Wnt inhibitor may serve as a radiosensitizing drug.

PMID- 28627705
TI  - Targeting the PD-L1/DNMT1 axis in acquired resistance to sorafenib in human
      hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Molecule-targeted therapy, such as sorafenib, is one of the effectively
      therapeutic options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However,
      acquired resistance to sorafenib has been found in some HCC patients, resulting
      in poor prognosis. It is reported that PD-L1 and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs)
      contribute to drug resistance. In this study, by inducing sorafenib-resistant HCC
      cell lines, we investigated their molecular and functional characteristics. Our
      data indicated that highly upregulated DNMT1 was positively correlated with PD-L1
      overexpression in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. We demonstrate that PD-L1
      regulate DNMT1 through STAT3 signaling pathway. Knockdown of PD-L1 induced DNMT1
      dependent DNA hypomethylation and restored the expression of methylation-silenced
      CDH1. Moreover, inactivation of NFkappaB blocked PD-L1/STAT3/DNMT1 pathway in
      sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Functionally, genetic or pharmacological
      disruption of PD-L1 or/and DNMT1 sensitize HCC resistance to sorafenib.
      Importantly, dual inactivation of PD-L1 and DNMT1 by their inhibitor
      synergistically disrupts the colony formation of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells.
      These results demonstrate that targeting NFkappaB/PDL1/STAT3/DNMT1 axis is a new
      therapeutic strategy for preventing or overcoming the acquired resistance to
      sorafenib in HCC patients.

PMID- 28627707
TI  - Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide suppresses hydrogen peroxide-triggered injury
      of human skin fibroblasts via upregulation of SIRT1.
AB  - Tremella fuciformis polysaccharide (TFPS), which is the extract of Tremella
      fuciformis Berk, has previously been demonstrated to exhibit potent anti
      oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. However, the mechanisms
      underlying these protective and therapeutic effects remain to be elucidated. The
      aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of TFPS on
      hydrogen peroxide-induced injury of human skin fibroblasts and to elucidate the
      aforementioned underlying mechanisms. A hydrogen peroxide-induced human skin
      fibroblast injury model was firstly established. MTT and reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) production assays, in addition to terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase
      dUTP nick end labeling, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction and western blotting, were performed to investigate the protective
      effects of TFPS. Hydrogen peroxide decreased human skin fibroblast viability with
      a concurrent increase in ROS generation and cell apoptosis. Treatment with 0-400
      ug/ml TFPS alone for up to 48 h did not result in alteration in cell viability.
      Notably, TFPS pre-treatment reduced oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in
      hydrogen peroxide-treated skin fibroblasts. In addition, there was profound
      inhibition of p16, p21, p53 and caspase-3 expression, and activation of
      extracellular-signal regulated kinase and Akt serine/threonine kinase 1,
      following TFPS pre-treatment. Furthermore, it was revealed that TFPS additionally
      protected fibroblasts via the upregulation of SIRT1 expression, and this was
      abrogated by the SIRT1 inhibitor niacinamide. These results indicated that TFPS
      alleviated hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in skin
      fibroblasts via upregulation of SIRT1 expression, indicating that TFPS may act as
      a potential therapeutic agent for oxidative-stress-associated skin diseases and
      aging.

PMID- 28627708
TI  - Alterations in AQP4 expression and polarization in the course of motor neuron
      degeneration in SOD1G93A mice.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease
      characterized by selective degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. The
      disease progression is associated with the astrocytic environment. Aquaporin-4
      (AQP4) water channels are the most abundant AQPs expressed in astrocytes,
      exerting important influences on central nervous system homeostasis. The present
      study aimed to characterize the alterations in AQP4 expression and loca-lization
      in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) G93A transgenic mice. SOD1G93A mice were
      sacrificed during the presymptomatic, disease onset and end stages and
      immunostaining was performed on spinal cord sections to investigate neuronal
      loss, glial activation and AQP4 expression in the spinal cord. It was observed
      that global AQP4 expression increased in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice as the
      disease progressed. However, AQP4 polarization decreased as the disease
      progressed, and AQP4 polarized localization at the endfeet of astrocytes was
      decreased in the spinal ventral horn of SOD1G93A mice at the disease onset and
      end stages. Meanwhile, motor neuron dege-neration and decreased glutamate
      transporter 1 expression in astrocytes in SOD1G93A mice were observed as the
      disease progressed. The results of the present study demonstrated that AQP4
      depolarization is a widespread pathological condition and may contribute to motor
      neuron degeneration in ALS.

PMID- 28627709
TI  - The homologous recombination protein RAD51 is a promising therapeutic target for
      cervical carcinoma.
AB  - RAD51 is one of the pivotal enzymes for DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by
      the homologous recombination (HR) pathway, which implies it as a promising and
      novel target for cancer therapy. Recent findings have indicated RAD51 protein is
      overexpressed in a variety of tumors. The high-expression of RAD51 is related to
      poor prognosis. RAD51 is involved in the repair of DNA damage and the generation
      of genetic diversity by an evolutionarily conserved mechanism. However, the exact
      mechanism of Rad51 in the progression of cervical cancer remains unclear. RI-1 is
      a small molecule that inhibits the central recombination protein RAD51. In this
      study, we found that RAD51 was highly expressed in invasive squamous cervical
      cancer (SCC). The administration of RI-1 inhibited cell growth in vitro and
      reduced growth of tumor xenografts in vivo with cervical cancer cells (HeLa and
      SiHa). Further investigation suggested that RAD51 protein significantly promoted
      the cell cycle transition from the G0/G1 to S phase. In addition, the inhibition
      of RAD51 reduced the level of the cell cycle related protein cyclin D1, but
      increased the levels of p21 mRNA and protein. As a DNA DSB repair enzyme, the
      expression of RAD51 in tumor cells possibly affects their sensitivity to anti
      cancer agents. Additionally, in experiments using cisplatin and ionizing
      radiation, RI-1 treated cervical cancer cells, HeLa and SiHa, were sensitized to
      a greater extent than the untreated control. Thus, HR inhibition of RAD51 may
      provide yet another mechanism of therapeutic target for the chemosensitization
      and radiosensitization of cervical cancer with RI-1. Collectively, our data
      demonstrated for the first time that inhibition of RAD51 suppressed the cervical
      cancer cell proliferation and the growth of cervical cancer xenografts by
      attenuating cell cycle transition, which could be a functional link between RAD51
      and cyclin D1 and p21.

PMID- 28627710
TI  - Oil and eicosapentaenoic acid production by the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum
      cultivated outdoors in Green Wall Panel (GWP(r)) reactors.
AB  - Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a widely studied diatom and has been proposed as a
      source of oil and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly
      eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Recent studies indicate that lipid accumulation
      occurs under nutritional stress. Aim of this research was to determine how
      changes in nitrogen availability affect productivity, oil yield, and fatty acid
      (FA) composition of P. tricornutum UTEX 640. After preliminary laboratory trials,
      outdoor experiments were carried out in 40-L GWP(r) reactors under different
      nitrogen regimes in batch. Nitrogen replete cultures achieved the highest
      productivity of biomass (about 18 g m-2  d-1 ) and EPA (about 0.35 g m-2  d-1 ),
      whereas nitrogen-starved cultures achieved the highest FA productivity (about 2.6
      g m-2  d-1 ). The annual potential yield of P. tricornutum grown outdoors in
      GWP(r) reactors is 730 kg of EPA per hectare under nutrient-replete conditions
      and 5,800 kg of FA per hectare under nitrogen starvation. Biotechnol. Bioeng.
      2017;114: 2204-2210. (c) 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering
      Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627711
TI  - Fermentation strategy for second generation ethanol production from sugarcane
      bagasse hydrolyzate by Spathaspora passalidarum and Scheffersomyces stipitis.
AB  - Alcoholic fermentation of released sugars in pretreatment and enzymatic
      hydrolysis of biomass is a central feature for second generation ethanol (E2G)
      production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae used industrially in the production of first
      generation ethanol (E1G) convert sucrose, fructose, and glucose into ethanol.
      However, these yeasts have no ability to ferment pentose (xylose). Therefore, the
      present work has focused on E2G production by Scheffersomyces stipitis and
      Spathaspora passalidarum. The fermentation strategy with high pitch, cell
      recycle, fed-batch mode, and temperature decrease for each batch were performed
      in a hydrolyzate obtained from a pretreatment at 130 degrees C with NaOH solution
      (1.5% w/v) added with 0.15% (w/w) of anthraquinone (AQ) and followed by enzymatic
      hydrolysis. The process strategy has increased volumetric productivity from 0.35
      to 0.38 g . L-1  . h-1 (first to third batch) for S. stipitis and from 0.38 to
      0.81 g . L-1  . h-1 for S. passalidarum (first to fourth batch). Mass balance for
      the process proposed in this work showed the production of 177.33 kg ethanol/ton
      of sugar cane bagasse for S. passalidarum compared to 124.13 kg ethanol/ton of
      sugar cane bagasse for S. stipitis fermentation. The strategy proposed in this
      work can be considered as a promising strategy in the production of second
      generation ethanol. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2211-2221. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627712
TI  - Acral dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with myoid differentiation: A report of 2
      cases.
AB  - Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a low-grade mesenchymal neoplasm with a
      tendency for local recurrence; it is rarely metastatic. Dermatofibrosarcoma
      protuberans typically arises in the trunk and proximal extremities. However, it
      can arise in unusual sites such as the hands and feet. Several variants have been
      described, including DFSP with myoid differentiation, which is very uncommon.
      This variant tends to be observed more with the fibrosarcomatous variant, and it
      can be either in the form of myoid bundles and nodules with no vascular
      relationship or represent hyperplastic blood vessels within the tumor. Here, we
      report 2 cases of DFSP with myoid differentiation (ordinary and fibrosarcomatous)
      on the foot. To the best of our knowledge, these cases represent the first 2
      cases of acral DFSP with myoid differentiation.

PMID- 28627713
TI  - Process development of human multipotent stromal cell microcarrier culture using
      an automated high-throughput microbioreactor.
AB  - Microbioreactors play a critical role in process development as they reduce
      reagent requirements and can facilitate high-throughput screening of process
      parameters and culture conditions. Here, we have demonstrated and explained in
      detail, for the first time, the amenability of the automated ambr15 cell culture
      microbioreactor system for the development of scalable adherent human mesenchymal
      multipotent stromal/stem cell (hMSC) microcarrier culture processes. This was
      achieved by first improving suspension and mixing of the microcarriers and then
      improving cell attachment thereby reducing the initial growth lag phase. The
      latter was achieved by using only 50% of the final working volume of medium for
      the first 24 h and using an intermittent agitation strategy. These changes
      resulted in >150% increase in viable cell density after 24 h compared to the
      original process (no agitation for 24 h and 100% working volume). Using the same
      methodology as in the ambr15, similar improvements were obtained with larger
      scale spinner flask studies. Finally, this improved bioprocess methodology based
      on a serum-based medium was applied to a serum-free process in the ambr15,
      resulting in >250% increase in yield compared to the serum-based process. At both
      scales, the agitation used during culture was the minimum required for
      microcarrier suspension, NJS . The use of the ambr15, with its improved control
      compared to the spinner flask, reduced the coefficient of variation on viable
      cell density in the serum containing medium from 7.65% to 4.08%, and the switch
      to serum free further reduced these to 1.06-0.54%, respectively. The combination
      of both serum-free and automated processing improved the reproducibility more
      than 10-fold compared to the serum-based, manual spinner flask process. The
      findings of this study demonstrate that the ambr15 microbioreactor is an
      effective tool for bioprocess development of hMSC microcarrier cultures and that
      a combination of serum-free medium, control, and automation improves both process
      yield and consistency. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2253-2266. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627715
TI  - Transition and Alkali Metal Complex Ternary Amides for Ammonia Synthesis and
      Decomposition.
AB  - A new complex ternary amide, Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ], which simultaneously contains both
      transition and alkali metal catalytic sites, is developed. This is in line with
      the recently reported TM-LiH composite catalysts, which have been shown to
      effectively break the scaling relations and achieve ammonia synthesis under mild
      conditions. Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] can be facilely synthesized by mechanochemical
      reaction at room temperature. It exhibits two temperature-dependent polymorphs,
      that is, a low-temperature orthorhombic and a high-temperature monoclinic
      structure. Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] decomposes to N2 , H2 , NH3 , Mn3 N2 , and RbNH2
      under inert atmosphere; whereas it releases NH3 at a temperature as low as 80 
      degrees C under H2 atmosphere. Those unique behaviors enable Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ],
      and its analogue K2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ], to be excellent catalytic materials for ammonia
      decomposition and synthesis. Experimental results show both ammonia decomposition
      onset temperatures and conversion rates over Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] and K2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ]
      are similar to those of noble metal Ru-based catalysts. More importantly, these
      ternary amides exhibit superior capabilities in catalyzing NH3 synthesis, which
      are more than 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of Mn nitride and twice of
      that of Ru/MgO. The in situ SR-PXD measurement shows that manganese nitride,
      synergistic with Rb/KH or Rb/K(NH2 )x H1-x , are likely the active sites. The
      chemistry of Rb2 /K2 [Mn(NH2 )x ] and Rb/K(NH2 )x H1-x with H2 /N2 and NH3
      correlates closely with the catalytic performance.

PMID- 28627714
TI  - Migraine Subclassification via a Data-Driven Automated Approach Using
      Multimodality Factor Mixture Modeling of Brain Structure Measurements.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The current subclassification of migraine is according to headache
      frequency and aura status. The variability in migraine symptoms, disease course,
      and response to treatment suggest the presence of additional heterogeneity or
      subclasses within migraine. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to subclassify
      migraine via a data-driven approach, identifying latent factors by jointly
      exploiting multiple sets of brain structural features obtained via magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Migraineurs (n = 66) and healthy controls (n =
      54) had brain MRI measurements of cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and
      volumes for 68 regions. A multimodality factor mixture model was used to
      subclassify MRIs and to determine the brain structural factors that most
      contributed to the subclassification. Clinical characteristics of subjects in
      each subgroup were compared. RESULTS: Automated MRI classification divided the
      subjects into two subgroups. Migraineurs in subgroup #1 had more severe allodynia
      symptoms during migraines (6.1 +/- 5.3 vs. 3.6 +/- 3.2, P = .03), more years with
      migraine (19.2 +/- 11.3 years vs 13 +/- 8.3 years, P = .01), and higher Migraine
      Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores (25 +/- 22.9 vs 15.7 +/- 12.2, P = .04).
      There were not differences in headache frequency or migraine aura status between
      the two subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Data-driven subclassification of brain MRIs based
      upon structural measurements identified two subgroups. Amongst migraineurs, the
      subgroups differed in allodynia symptom severity, years with migraine, and
      migraine-related disability. Since allodynia is associated with this imaging
      based subclassification of migraine and prior publications suggest that allodynia
      impacts migraine treatment response and disease prognosis, future migraine
      diagnostic criteria could consider allodynia when defining migraine subgroups.

PMID- 28627716
TI  - A Cherry Seed-Derived Spice, Mahleb, is Recognized by Anti-Almond Antibodies
      Including Almond-Allergic Patient IgE.
AB  - There are a number of examples of immunologic cross-reactivity elicited by
      pollens, fruits, seeds, and nuts of closely related plant species. Such cross
      reactivity is of particular concern for patients with food allergies. In this
      report, we investigated a spice (mahleb) that is prepared from the kernel of the
      St. Lucie cherry, Prunus mahaleb, for cross-reactivity with almond (Prunus
      dulcis), using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot. Almond
      and mahleb are members of the same genus. Cross-reactivity between the mahleb and
      almond was demonstrated by reaction of cherry and almond kernel protein extracts
      with antibodies raised against almond proteins. Almond-specific murine monoclonal
      IgG, rabbit polyclonal IgG, and almond-allergic serum IgE each exhibited cross
      reactivity with cherry kernel protein. Because of the demonstrated cross
      reactivity between almond and mahleb, these findings should be of special concern
      to almond-allergic patients and attending medical personnel.

PMID- 28627717
TI  - Direction-dependent contraction forces on cell boundaries induce collective
      migration of epithelial cells within their sheet.
AB  - During early embryonic development, epithelial cells form a monolayer sheet and
      migrate in a definite direction. This phenomenon, called epithelial cell
      migration, is an important topic in developmental biology. A characteristic
      feature of this process is attachment to adjacent cells during migration, which
      is necessary for maintaining the integrity of the sheet. However, it is unclear
      how these cohesive cells migrate without breaking their attachments. A mechanism
      for this phenomenon was recently proposed, in which direction-dependent
      contraction forces acting on cell boundaries induce unidirectional epithelial
      migration. In this review, we examine this proposed mechanism from various
      aspects and provide theoretical background for the collective migration of
      epithelial cells. This information may be helpful for investigators to realize
      the basic principles underlying collective epithelial migration and devise new
      mechanisms for it.

PMID- 28627718
TI  - Motor performance in children with Noonan syndrome.
AB  - Although problems with motor performance in daily life are frequently mentioned
      in Noonan syndrome, the motor performance profile has never been systematically
      investigated. The aim of this study was to examine whether a specific profile in
      motor performance in children with Noonan syndrome was seen using valid norm
      referenced tests. The study assessed motor performance in 19 children with Noonan
      syndrome (12 females, mean age 9 years 4 months, range 6 years 1 month to 11
      years and 11 months, SDS 1 year and 11 months). More than 60% of the parents of
      the children reported pain, decreased muscle strength, reduced endurance, and/or
      clumsiness in daily functioning. The mean standard scores on the Visual Motor
      Integration (VMI) test and Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2, Dutch
      version (MABC-2-NL) items differed significantly from the reference scores. Grip
      strength, muscle force, and 6 min Walking Test (6 MWT) walking distance were
      significantly lower, and the presence of generalized hypermobility was
      significantly higher. All MABC-2-NL scores (except manual dexterity) correlated
      significantly with almost all muscle strength tests, VMI total score, and VMI
      visual perception score. The 6 MWT was only significantly correlated to grip
      strength. This is the first study that confirms that motor performance, strength,
      and endurance are significantly impaired in children with Noonan syndrome.
      Decreased functional motor performance seems to be related to decreased visual
      perception and reduced muscle strength. Research on causal relationships and the
      effectiveness of interventions is needed. Physical and/or occupational therapy
      guidance should be considered to enhance participation in daily life.

PMID- 28627719
TI  - The frontal assessment battery in clinical practice: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The frontal assessment battery (FAB) is a brief tool designed to
      evaluate executive function. Some studies have particularly focused on assessing
      its applicability addressing two issues: first, on detecting the brain regions
      responsible for the FAB performance, and second, on determining its capability
      for differential diagnosis. Our aim was to summarize and analyze critically the
      studies that assessed the neuroanatomical correspondence and the differential
      diagnostic value of the FAB in several study populations suffering from different
      pathologies. METHODS: We completed a literature search in MEDLINE (via PubMed)
      database by using the term "frontal assessment battery" and the combination of
      this term with "applicability" or "use" or "usefulness". The search was limited
      to articles in English or Spanish languages, published between 1 September 2000
      and 30 September 2016, human studies, and journal articles. RESULTS: A total of
      32 studies met inclusion criteria. Seventeen studies were aimed at identifying
      the brain regions or the neural substrates involved in executive functions
      measured by the FAB and 15 studies at verifying that the FAB was an appropriate
      tool for the differential diagnosis in neurological diseases. CONCLUSION: Our
      study showed that the FAB may be an adequate assessment tool for executive
      function and may provide useful information for differential diagnosis in several
      diseases. Given that the FAB takes short time and is easy to administer, its
      usage may be of great interest as part of a full neuropsychological assessment in
      clinical settings. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28627720
TI  - The concept of medicalisation reassessed: a rejoinder.

PMID- 28627721
TI  - Making sense: further studies of living with chronic illness.

PMID- 28627722
TI  - Pterostilbene Inhibits Lipogenic Activity similar to Resveratrol or Caffeine but
      Differently Modulates Lipolysis in Adipocytes.
AB  - The anti-obesity effects of resveratrol shown in rodents are not transposed into
      an efficient therapy of human obesity. Consequently, the search for molecules
      mimicking or surpassing resveratrol actions is ongoing. The natural phenolic
      compound pterostilbene exhibits beneficial health effects and has the capacity to
      limit fat mass in animal models. In this study, we tested whether pterostilbene
      modulates triacylglycerol accumulation/breakdown. Prolonged exposure to
      pterostilbene or resveratrol inhibited adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-F442A
      preadipocytes. Acute effects on lipolysis, antilipolysis and lipogenesis were
      determined for pterostilbene in mouse adipocytes, and compared with resveratrol.
      Pterostilbene was also tested on glycerol release and glucose uptake in
      subcutaneous human adipocytes. Dose-response analyses did not reveal a clear
      lipolytic effect in both species. The antilipolytic effect of insulin was
      improved by pterostilbene at 1-10 MUM in mouse fat cells only, while at 1 mM, the
      phenolic compound was antilipolytic in human fat cells in a manner not additive
      to insulin. Pterostilbene dose-dependently inhibited glucose incorporation into
      lipids similarly to resveratrol and caffeine. However, only the former did not
      inhibit insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Indeed, pterostilbene abolished the
      insulin lipogenic effect without inhibiting its antilipolytic action and rapid
      activation of glucose uptake. Pterostilbene therefore exhibits a unique panel of
      direct interactions with adipocytes that relies on its reported anti-obesity and
      antidiabetic properties. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28627723
TI  - Vitamin D enhances omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids-induced apoptosis in
      breast cancer cells.
AB  - Breast cancer is a leading type of cancer in women and generally classified into
      three subtypes of ER+ /PR+ , HER2+ and triple negative. Both omega-3
      polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D3 play positive role in the reduction of
      breast cancer incidence. However, whether combination of omega-3 polyunsaturated
      fatty acids and vitamin D3 has stronger protective effect on breast
      carcinogenesis still remains unknown. In this study, we show that the combination
      of omega-3 free fatty acids (omega-3 FFAs) and 1alpha, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3
      (VD3 ) dramatically enhances cell apoptosis among three subtypes of breast cancer
      cell lines. Bcl-2 and total PARP protein levels are decreased in combined
      treatment MCF-7 and SK-BR-3 cells. Caspase signals play a vital role in cell
      apoptosis induced by combination. Moreover, Raf-MAPK signaling pathway is
      involved in the apoptosis induction by combination of omega-3 FFAs+VD3 . These
      results demonstrate that the induction of cell apoptosis by combined treatment is
      dependent on different signaling pathways in three subtypes of breast cancer cell
      lines.

PMID- 28627724
TI  - Comparative Echogenicity of an Epidural Catheter and 2 New Catheters Designed for
      Ultrasound-Guided Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blocks.
AB  - Visualization of the catheter during ultrasound-guided continuous nerve block
      performance may be difficult but is an essential skill for regional
      anesthesiologists. The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate 2 newer
      catheters designed for enhanced echogenicity and compare them to a widely used
      catheter not purposely designed for ultrasound guidance. Outcomes were the
      numbers of first-place rankings among all 3 catheters and scores on individual
      echogenicity criteria as assessed by 2 blinded reviewers. Catheters designed for
      echogenicity are not superior to an older regional anesthesia catheter, and
      results suggest that catheter preference for ultrasound-guided placement may be
      subjective.

PMID- 28627725
TI  - Proteomic analysis of host cell protein dynamics in the supernatant of Fc-fusion
      protein-producing CHO DG44 and DUKX-B11 cell lines in batch and fed-batch
      cultures.
AB  - Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most widely used host cell lines for
      the commercial production of therapeutic proteins including Fc-fusion proteins.
      During the culture of recombinant CHO (rCHO) cells, host cell proteins (HCPs),
      secreted from viable cells and released from dead cells, accumulate
      extracellularly, potentially impairing product quality. In this study, the HCPs
      that accumulated extracellularly in batch and fed-batch cultures of Fc-fusion
      protein-producing rCHO cell lines (DG-Fc and DUKX-Fc) were identified and
      quantified using nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC
      MS/MS), followed by gene ontology and functional analysis. When the proteome
      database of Cricetulus griseus was used as a reference to identify the HCPs, more
      HCPs were identified for DG-Fc (1632 HCPs in batch culture and 1733 HCPs in fed
      batch culture) than for DUKX-Fc (1114 HCPs in batch culture and 1002 HCPs in fed
      batch culture). Clustering analysis of HCPs, which were classified into four
      clusters according to their concentration profiles during culture, showed that
      the concentration profiles of HCPs affecting the quality of Fc-fusion proteins
      correlated with changes in Fc-fusion protein quality. Taken together, the dataset
      of HCPs obtained in this study using the two different rCHO cell lines provides
      insights into the determination of appropriate target proteins to be removed
      during the culture and purification steps so as to ensure good Fc-fusion protein
      quality. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2267-2278. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals,
      Inc.

PMID- 28627726
TI  - The Arl3 and Arl1 GTPases co-operate with Cog8 to regulate selective autophagy
      via Atg9 trafficking.
AB  - The Arl3-Arl1 GTPase cascade plays important roles in vesicle trafficking at the
      late Golgi and endosomes. Subunits of the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG)
      complex, a tethering factor, are important for endosome-to-Golgi transport and
      contribute to the efficient functioning of the cytoplasm-to-vacuole targeting
      (Cvt) pathway, a well-known selective autophagy pathway. According to our
      findings, the Arl3-Arl1 GTPase cascade co-operates with Cog8 to regulate the Cvt
      pathway via Atg9 trafficking. arl3cog8Delta and arl1cog8Delta exhibit profound
      defects in aminopeptidase I maturation in rich medium. In addition, the Arl3-Arl1
      cascade acts on the Cvt pathway via dynamic nucleotide binding. Furthermore, Atg9
      accumulates at the late Golgi in arl3cog8Delta and arl1cog8Delta cells under
      normal growth conditions but not under starvation conditions. Thus, our results
      offer insight into the requirement for multiple components in the Golgi-endosome
      system to determine Atg9 trafficking at the Golgi, thereby regulating selective
      autophagy.

PMID- 28627727
TI  - Development of HGF-binding aptamers with the combination of G4 promoter-derived
      aptamer selection and in silico maturation.
AB  - We describe the selection of aptamers based on bioinformatics-based approaches
      without Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). SELEX
      is a potent method; however, it is time intensive and the PCR-amplification step,
      which is essential step for SELEX, leads to the loss of good aptamers. We have
      developed an aptamer-screening method, G4 promoter-derived aptamer selection
      (G4PAS), and an aptamer-improving method, in silico maturation (ISM). They are
      based on in silico sequence selection and computer assisted directed evolution,
      respectively. In this study, we succeeded in identifying new aptamers against
      hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by G4PAS as well as improving the specificity of
      the HGF aptamers by ISM. Using ISM improved the specificity of the aptamer for
      HGF by up to 45-fold in comparison with the original aptamer. These methods
      enable easy and efficient identification of good aptamers, and the combination of
      G4PAS with ISM can thus serve as a potent approach for aptamer identification.
      Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2196-2203. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627728
TI  - Can atrophic-erosive oral lichen planus promote cardiovascular diseases? A
      population-based study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Lichen planus has been recently associated with an increased risk of
      cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The oral manifestations can be divided into white
      hyperkeratotic lesions (WL) and atrophic and erosive lesions (RL). The aim of
      this report was to compare the presence of CVDs between patients affected by WL
      or RL, to test the hypothesis that RL are associated with an increased incidence
      of CVDs. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients were analysed through a complete
      collection of all the risk factors for CVDs. The primary endpoint was the
      occurrence of a cardiovascular event-acute coronary syndrome (ACS), any
      revascularization or stroke/TIA. A multivariable logistic regression model,
      adjusted for age at diagnosis, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption,
      diabetes, hypertension, CVDs familiarity and periodontitis, was performed.
      RESULTS: A prospective cohort of 307 patients has been evaluated; 185 (60.3%) had
      WL and 122 RL (39.7%). Twenty-four patients had a CVD. ACS occurred more
      frequently in RL (adjusted odds ratio 5.83; 95% CI: 1.16-29.39), mainly due to
      the higher risk of it after the histological diagnosis of Oral lichen planus OLP
      (odds ratio 4.23; 95% CI: 0.66-27.23). CONCLUSION: Patients with RL could
      possibly have a higher risk of developing ACS. Further analysis on larger cohort
      is however warranted.

PMID- 28627729
TI  - The immune deficiency of chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.
AB  - The syndrome originally described by Dr. Angelo DiGeorge had immunodeficiency as
      a central component. When a 22q11.2 deletion was identified as the cause in the
      majority of patients with DiGeorge syndrome, the clinical features of 22q11.2
      deletion syndrome became so expansive that the immunodeficiency became less
      prominent in our thinking about the syndrome. This review will focus on the
      immune system and the changes in our understanding over the past 50 years.
      Initially characterized as a pure defect in T cell development, we now appreciate
      that many of the clinical features related to the immunodeficiency are well
      downstream of the limitation imposed by a small thymus. Dysfunctional B cells
      presumed to be secondary to compromised T cell help, issues related to T cell
      exhaustion, and high rates of atopy and autoimmunity are aspects of management
      that require consideration for optimal clinical care and for designing a cogent
      monitoring approach. New data on atopy are presented to further demonstrate the
      association.

PMID- 28627730
TI  - Does involvement of local NGOs enhance public service delivery? Cautionary
      evidence from a malaria-prevention program in India.
AB  - Partnerships between government and non-state actors that aim to enhance the
      quality or efficiency of service delivery are increasingly common in today's
      development policy landscape. We investigate the impacts of such an approach
      using data from an experimental supportive intervention to India's malaria
      control program that leveraged local non-state capacity in order to promote
      mosquito net usage and recommended fever care-seeking patterns. The supportive
      activities were conducted simultaneously by 3 NGOs, contracted out by the Indian
      government, in 2 endemic districts in the state of Odisha. We find that program
      impact significantly varied by location. Examining 3 potential sources of this
      variation (differential population characteristics, differential health worker
      characteristics, and differential implementer characteristics), we provide
      evidence that both population and NGO characteristics significantly affected the
      success of the program. Specifically, the results suggest that the quality and
      effort of the local implementer played a key role in the differential
      effectiveness. We discuss these findings as they relate to the external validity
      of development policy evaluations and, specifically, for the ability of health
      and other service delivery systems to benefit from limited non-state capacity in
      underresourced areas.

PMID- 28627731
TI  - Cell migration analysis: A low-cost laboratory experiment for cell and
      developmental biology courses using keratocytes from fish scales.
AB  - Cell and developmental processes are complex, and profoundly dependent on spatial
      relationships that change over time. Innovative educational or teaching
      strategies are always needed to foster deep comprehension of these processes and
      their dynamic features. However, laboratory exercises in cell and developmental
      biology at the undergraduate level do not often take into account the time
      dimension. In this article, we provide a laboratory exercise focused in cell
      migration, aiming to stimulate thinking in time and space dimensions through a
      simplification of more complex processes occurring in cell or developmental
      biology. The use of open-source tools for the analysis, as well as the whole
      package of raw results (available at http://github.com/danielprieto/keratocyte)
      make it suitable for its implementation in courses with very diverse budgets.
      Aiming to facilitate the student's transition from science-students to science
      practitioners we propose an exercise of scientific thinking, and an evaluation
      method. This in turn is communicated here to facilitate the finding of common
      caveats and weaknesses in the process of producing simple scientific
      communications describing the results achieved. (c) 2017 by The International
      Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(6):475-482, 2017.

PMID- 28627732
TI  - The Acute Effect of Loperamide on Ileostomy Output: A Randomized, Double-Blinded,
      Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study.
AB  - High stoma output is a common problem in patients with ileostomy and can lead to
      dehydration and electrolyte disturbances. The first drug of choice to reduce
      stoma output is often loperamide. The aim was to assess the acute effect of
      loperamide on (a) ileostomy output in g/day, (b) gastrointestinal transit time
      and (c) patient-reported effects. A total of 12 patients completed this double
      blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study, consisting of a 3-day
      treatment period with loperamide 12 mg/day or placebo followed by the reverse
      after a washout period of 5-7 days. Patients collected stoma output and noted
      food and fluid intake over 48 hr and swallowed a capsule with radiopaque markers
      for the determination of gastrointestinal transit time over 24 hr. At the end of
      the study, patients were asked to report their treatment sequence. Ileostomy
      output was significantly reduced during loperamide treatment (p < 0.02) with a
      median of 16.5% (range -5% to 46%). Transit time was reduced significantly for
      the passage of 10% of the markers (p = 0.02), but not for 50% and 100% of the
      markers. Fifty-eight per cent (N = 7) of the patients reported the correct
      treatment sequence (p = 0.41). Loperamide 12 mg/day reduced ileostomy output
      statistically significantly, but with varying effects among patients and without
      reaching the clinical significance of 20% set-up by this study. Dose-response
      studies should be performed, and standard treatment doses of loperamide should be
      reassessed. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT02266849.

PMID- 28627733
TI  - Response of renal tubular cells to differential types and doses of calcium
      oxalate crystals: Integrative proteome network analysis and functional
      investigations.
AB  - We have previously identified changes in the cellular proteome of renal tubular
      cells induced by low-dose (100 MUg/mL) and high-dose (1000 MUg/mL) calcium
      oxalate monohydrate (COM) and dihydrate (COD) crystals. However, the functional
      significance of such expression data remained unclear. In this study, we
      performed comparative analyses and functional investigations of four proteomic
      datasets to define potential mechanisms by which renal tubular cells responded to
      differential crystal types and doses. The data showed that high-dose induced
      greater changes than low-dose, whereas COM induced more changes than COD.
      Luciferin-luciferase ATP assay revealed increased intracellular ATP level by high
      dose of both COM and COD. OxyBlot assay and Western blotting showed accumulated
      intracellular oxidized proteins but decreased ubiquitinated proteins by high-dose
      of both crystals. Flow cytometric analysis of cell death showed that high-dose of
      both crystals, particularly COM, significantly increased cell death. Also,
      crystal adhesion assay showed higher degree of cell-crystal adhesion in high-dose
      and COM when compared to low-dose and COD, respectively. Finally, pretreatment of
      epigallocatechin-3-gallate revealed a protective effect on COM/COD crystals
      induced oxidative stress and cell-crystal adhesion. Collectively, these data may
      provide a better understanding of cellular responses of renal tubular cells to
      COM/COD crystals in kidney stone disease.

PMID- 28627734
TI  - Role of cytoskeletal mechanics and cell membrane fluidity in the intracellular
      delivery of molecules mediated by laser-activated carbon nanoparticles.
AB  - Exposure of cells and nanoparticles to near-infrared nanosecond pulsed laser
      light can lead to efficient intracellular delivery of molecules while maintaining
      high cell viability by a photoacoustic phenomenon known as transient nanoparticle
      energy transduction (TNET). Here, we examined the influence of cytoskeletal
      mechanics and plasma membrane fluidity on intracellular uptake of molecules and
      loss of cell viability due to TNET. We found that destabilization of actin
      filaments using latrunculin A led to greater uptake of molecules and less
      viability loss caused by TNET. Stabilization of actin filaments using
      jasplakinolide had no significant effect on uptake or viability loss caused by
      TNET. To study the role of plasma membrane fluidity, we increased fluidity by
      depletion of membrane cholesterol using methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and decreased
      fluidity by enrichment of the membrane with cholesterol using water-soluble
      cholesterol. Neither of these membrane fluidity changes significantly altered
      cellular uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. We conclude that weakening
      mechanical integrity of the cytoskeleton can increase intracellular uptake and
      decrease loss of cell viability, while plasma membrane fluidity does not appear
      to play a significant role in uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. The
      positive effects of cytoskeletal weakening may be due to an enhanced ability of
      the cell to recover from the effects of TNET and maintain viability. Biotechnol.
      Bioeng. 2017;114: 2390-2399. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627735
TI  - Genetic alterations in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma.
AB  - Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is a peripheral T-cell neoplasm with a
      dismal prognosis. It is caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1)
      retrovirus. A long latency period from HTLV-1 infection to ATL onset suggests
      that not only HTLV-1 proteins, such as Tax and HBZ, but also additional genetic
      and/or epigenetic events are required for ATL development. Although many studies
      have demonstrated the biological functions of viral genes, alterations of
      cellular genes associated with ATL have not been fully investigated. Recently, a
      large-scale integrated genetic analysis revealed the entire landscape of somatic
      aberrations in ATL. This neoplasm is characterized by frequent gain-of-function
      alterations in components of the T-cell receptor/NF-kappaB signaling pathway,
      including activating mutations in the PLCG1, PRKCB, CARD11 and VAV1 genes, and
      CTLA4-CD28 and ICOS-CD28 fusions. Importantly, molecules associated with immune
      surveillance, such as HLA-A/B, CD58 and FAS, are affected recurrently. Among
      them, one notable lesion occurs as frequent structural variations that truncate
      the PD-L1 3'-untranslated region, leading to its overexpression. Other genetic
      targets include transcription factors (IRF4, IKZF2, and GATA3) and chemokine
      receptors (CCR4, CCR7 and GPR183), which are functionally relevant in normal T
      cells. A substantial proportion of ATL cases show widespread accumulation of
      repressive epigenetic changes, such as trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 and
      DNA hypermethylation of CpG islands, which coordinately modulate multiple
      pathways, including Cys2-His2 zinc finger genes involved in silencing
      retroelements. Here we review the current understanding of the genetic/epigenetic
      aberrations in ATL, focusing on their relevance in its molecular pathogenesis.

PMID- 28627736
TI  - Enzyme-free cell detachment mediated by resonance vibration with temperature
      modulation.
AB  - Cell detachment is an essential process in adherent cell culture. However,
      trypsinization, which is the most popular detachment technique used in culture,
      damages cellular membranes. Reducing cellular membrane damage during detachment
      should improve the quality of cell culture. In this article, we propose an enzyme
      free cell detachment method based on resonance vibration with temperature
      modulation. We developed a culture device that can excite a resonance vibration
      and control temperature. We then evaluated the cell detachment ratio and the
      growth response, observed the morphology, and analyzed the cellular protein of
      the collected cells-mouse myoblast cell line (C2C12). With the temperature of 10
      degrees C and the maximum vibration amplitude of 2 MUm, 77.9% of cells in number
      were successfully detached compared with traditional trypsinization. The 72-h
      proliferation ratio of the reseeded cells was similar to that with
      trypsinization, whereas the proliferation ratio of proposed method was 12.6%
      greater than that of trypsinization after freezing and thawing. Moreover, the
      cells can be collected relatively intact and both intracellular and cell surface
      proteins in the proposed method were less damaged than in trypsinization. These
      results show that this method has definite advantages over trypsinization, which
      indicates that it could be applied to subcultures of cells that are more
      susceptible to trypsin damage for mass culture of sustainable clinical use.
      Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2279-2288. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627737
TI  - Caries treatment decisions among undergraduate and postgraduate students
      supported by visual detection systems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The difficulties of caries diagnosis and the level of examiner's
      experience may influence the treatment decision, resulting excessive and
      inefficient intervention. AIM: This randomized experimental study evaluated
      caries treatment decisions made by undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG)
      students when examination was performed through conventional visual clinical
      examination (CVCE) and when supported by ICDAS (IC) or Nyvad's (NY) criteria.
      DESIGN: Four UG and four PG initially analyzed, by CVCE, 300 primary incisors and
      molars surfaces of 25 children aged 5-12 years, and choose between no treatment,
      non-operative, and operative treatment. Students were randomized between IC (2UG;
      2PG) and NY (2UG; 2PG) and, after one week of receiving training, repeated
      evaluations and treatment suggestions. Reference standard was established by two
      researchers' consensus. Sensitivity, specificity, ROC analysis, and kappa were
      calculated. Treatment decisions were analyzed by means of contingency tables.
      RESULTS: Only sensitivity showed statistical difference (P < 0.05). Operative
      treatment had high percentage for initial lesions at first evaluation for both
      criteria; second evaluation showed higher percentage of non-operative treatments
      for the same lesions. CONCLUSIONS: IC and NY present satisfactory performance in
      primary teeth by UG and PG, and their use may assistance UG to adopt a less
      interventionist approach for initial enamel lesions.

PMID- 28627738
TI  - Systematic review on the proteomic profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposed
      to drugs.
AB  - The authors present an overview about proteomics studies in Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis exposed to some anti-tuberculosis drugs and new candidates, using
      two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. To date, that the
      authors have knowledge, this is the first studies that was performed specifically
      in M. tuberculosis using systematic review on electronic literature conducted in
      three databases using the following search terms: tuberculosis OR mycobacterium
      tuberculosis, proteome OR proteomics, and mass spectrometry electrospray
      ionization OR matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization OR two-dimensional gel
      electrophoresis. By electronic search, 622 abstracts of the original articles
      published from November 2003 to March 2016 were selected. After the selection,
      four articles fulfill proposed criteria and were included in this study. The
      studies reported changes in the protein profile of M. tuberculosis after exposure
      to isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin and two new drugs
      candidates, SQ109 and ATB107. In conclusion, the proteins changes were related to
      the synthesis of mycolic acids, cellular metabolism pathways, bacterial stress
      and starvation.

PMID- 28627739
TI  - Use of a protein engineering strategy to overcome limitations in the production
      of "Difficult to Express" recombinant proteins.
AB  - Certain recombinant proteins are deemed "difficult to express" in mammalian
      expression systems requiring significant cell and/or process engineering to
      abrogate expression bottlenecks. With increasing demand for the production of
      recombinant proteins in mammalian cells, low protein yields can have significant
      consequences for industrial processes. To investigate the molecular mechanisms
      that restrict expression of recombinant proteins, naturally secreted model
      proteins were analyzed from the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP)
      protein family. In particular, TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 were subjected to detailed
      study. TIMP proteins share significant sequence homology (~50% identity and ~70%
      similarity in amino acid sequence). However, they show marked differences in
      secretion in mammalian expression systems despite this extensive sequence
      homology. Using these two proteins as models, this study characterized the
      molecular mechanisms responsible for poor recombinant protein production. Our
      results reveal that both TIMP-2 and TIMP-3 are detectable at mRNA and protein
      level within the cell but only TIMP-2 is secreted effectively into the
      extracellular medium. Analysis of protein localization and the nature of
      intracellular protein suggest TIMP-3 is severely limited in its post
      translational processing. To overcome this challenge, modification of the TIMP-3
      sequence to include a furin protease-cleavable pro-sequence resulted in secretion
      of the modified TIMP-3 protein, however, incomplete processing was observed.
      Based on the TIMP-3 data, the protein engineering approach was optimized and
      successfully applied in combination with cell engineering, the overexpression of
      furin, to another member of the TIMP protein family (the poorly expressed TIMP
      4). Use of the described protein engineering strategy resulted in successful
      secretion of poorly (TIMP-4) and non-secreted (TIMP-3) targets, and presents a
      novel strategy to enhance the production of "difficult" recombinant targets.
      Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2348-2359. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627740
TI  - Biofabrication of soft tissue templates for engineering the bone-ligament
      interface.
AB  - Regenerating damaged tissue interfaces remains a significant clinical challenge,
      requiring recapitulation of the structure, composition, and function of the
      native enthesis. In the ligament-to-bone interface, this region transitions from
      ligament to fibrocartilage, to calcified cartilage and then to bone. This
      gradation in tissue types facilitates the transfer of load between soft and hard
      structures while minimizing stress concentrations at the interface. Previous
      attempts to engineer the ligament-bone interface have utilized various scaffold
      materials with an array of various cell types and/or biological cues. The primary
      goal of this study was to engineer a multiphased construct mimicking the ligament
      bone interface by driving differentiation of a single population of mesenchymal
      stem cells (MSCs), seeded within blended fibrin-alginate hydrogels, down an
      endochondral, fibrocartilaginous, or ligamentous pathway through spatial
      presentation of growth factors along the length of the construct within a custom
      developed, dual-chamber culture system. MSCs within these engineered constructs
      demonstrated spatially distinct regions of differentiation, adopting either a
      cartilaginous or ligamentous phenotype depending on their local environment.
      Furthermore, there was also evidence of spatially defined progression toward an
      endochondral phenotype when chondrogenically primed MSCs within this construct
      were additionally exposed to hypertrophic cues. The study demonstrates the
      feasibility of engineering spatially complex soft tissues within a single MSC
      laden hydrogel through the defined presentation of biochemical cues. This novel
      approach represents a new strategy for engineering the ligament-bone interface.
      Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2400-2411. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627741
TI  - Proteomics approach to identify novel metastatic bone markers from the secretome
      of PC-3 prostate cancer cells.
AB  - Prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer diagnosed, and the most frequent
      cause of worldwide male cancer-related deaths annually. The limitations of
      current prostate cancer screening tests demand the identification of novel
      biomarkers for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer bone metastasis. In the
      present study, we performed a proteomic analysis of secreted proteins from the
      prostate cancer bone metastasis cell line, PC-3, and the normal prostate cell
      line, RWPE-1. We thus quantified 917 proteins, of which 68 were found to be
      secreted at higher levels by PC-3 than by RWPE-1 cells via LC-MS/MS. To
      characterize the highly secreted proteins in the PC-3 cell line and thereby
      identify biomarker proteins, we divided the quantifiable proteins into four
      quantitative categories (Q1-Q4). The KEGG lysine degradation and osteoclast
      differentiation pathways were demonstrated to be enriched in the highly secreted
      Q4 protein group. Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta family proteins related
      to osteoclast differentiation were identified as key regulators of PC-3 cell
      proliferation. Immunoblotting was used to confirm the observed high level of
      pentraxin, follistatin, TGF-beta family members, and serpin B3 secretion by PC-3
      cells. From the collective results of the present study, we suggest that serpin
      B3 is a promising novel biomarker candidate for the diagnosis of prostate cancer
      bone metastasis.

PMID- 28627742
TI  - Fabrication of single-walled carbon nanohorns incorporated a monolithic column
      for capillary electrochromatography.
AB  - Single-walled carbon nanohorns have received great interest for their unique
      properties and diverse potential applications. Herein, we demonstrated the
      feasibility of single-walled carbon nanohorns incorporated poly(styrene
      divinylbenzene) monolith as the stationary phase for capillary
      electrochromatography, which were prepared by one-step in situ copolymerization.
      Single-walled carbon nanohorns were dispersed in styrene to give a stable and
      homogeneous suspension. The monolithic column gave effective separation for a
      wide range of aromatic compounds, which was based on hydrophobicity and pi-pi
      electrostatic stacking of single-walled carbon nanohorns. The precisions of
      migration time and peak area varied in the ranges of 1.4-1.9% for intraday trials
      and 1.7-3.5% for interday trials, and 3.2-6.7% for intraday trials and 4.1-7.4%
      for interday trials, and 3.6-7.2% for inter-column trials and 5.2-21.3% for inter
      column trials, respectively, indicating the good reproducibility of single-walled
      carbon nanohorns embedded monolithic columns.

PMID- 28627743
TI  - Polygenic scores for schizophrenia and educational attainment are associated with
      behavioural problems in early childhood in the general population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies in adults have identified numerous
      genetic variants related to psychiatric disorders and related traits, such as
      schizophrenia and educational attainment. However, the effects of these genetic
      variants on behaviour in the general population remain to be fully understood,
      particularly in younger populations. We investigated whether polygenic scores of
      five psychiatric disorders and educational attainment are related to emotional
      and behaviour problems during early childhood. METHODS: From the Generation R
      Study, we included participants with available genotype data and behavioural
      problems measured with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at the age of 3 (n =
      1,902), 6 (n = 2,202) and 10 years old (n = 1,843). Polygenic scores were
      calculated for five psychiatric disorders and educational attainment. These
      polygenic scores were tested for an association with the broadband internalizing
      and externalizing problem scales and the specific CBCL syndrome scale scores.
      RESULTS: Analysis of the CBCL broadband scales showed that the schizophrenia
      polygenic score was associated with significantly higher internalizing scores at
      3, 6 and 10 years and higher externalizing scores at age 3 and 6. The educational
      attainment polygenic score was associated with lower externalizing scores at all
      time points and lower internalizing scores at age 3. No associations were
      observed for the polygenic scores of bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder
      and autism spectrum disorder. Secondary analyses of specific syndrome scores
      showed that the schizophrenia polygenic score was strongly related to the Thought
      Problems scores. A negative association was observed between the educational
      attainment polygenic score and Attention Problems scores across all age groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Polygenic scores for adult psychiatric disorders and educational
      attainment are associated with variation in emotional and behavioural problems
      already at a very early age.

PMID- 28627744
TI  - Femtosecond Charge-Injection Dynamics at Hybrid Perovskite Interfaces.
AB  - With a power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 22 %, perovskite solar cells
      (PSCs) have thrilled photovoltaic research. However, the interface behavior is
      still not understood and is a hot topic of research: different processes occur
      over a hierarchy of timescales, from femtoseconds to seconds, which makes
      perovskite interface physics intriguing. Herein, through femtosecond transient
      absorption spectroscopy with spectral coverage extending into the crucial IR
      region, the ultrafast interface-specific processes at standard and newly
      molecularly engineered perovskite interfaces in state-of-the-art PSCs are
      interrogated. Ultrafast interfacial charge injection occurs with a time constant
      of 100 fs, resulting in hot transfer from energetic charges and setting the
      timescale for the first step involved in the complex charge-transfer process.
      This is also true for 20 % efficient devices measured under real operation, for
      which the femtosecond injection is followed by a slower picosecond component.
      These findings provide compelling evidence for the femtosecond interfacial charge
      injection step and demonstrate a robust method for the straightforward
      identification of interfacial non-equilibrium processes on the ultrafast
      timescale.

PMID- 28627745
TI  - 16-Year follow-up of an avulsed maxillary central incisor after replantation
      following 10-h storage: An unusual case.
AB  - Tooth avulsion is a type of dental injury defined as the complete displacement of
      a tooth out of the alveolar socket, and the lack of prompt treatment measures can
      result in the loss of function, poor quality of life, and psychological and
      social problems. However, several factors may not permit the immediate
      replantation of an avulsed tooth; therefore, delayed replantation has emerged as
      an alternative to meet the esthetic, functional, and psychological demands of
      patients. Here it was described that the successful replantation of an avulsed
      maxillary central incisor in a 9-year-old boy who presented at the clinic with
      the tooth stored in unfavorable conditions as dry and then in olive oil-milk
      mixture almost 10 h after the event. The tooth has remained in its socket healthy
      for 16 years after treatment. The patient was satisfied with both esthetics and
      function.

PMID- 28627746
TI  - Hepatic perivascular mesenchymal stem cells with myogenic properties.
AB  - Pericytes are multipotent mesenchymal stem cells located on the walls of blood
      vessels in various organs and are characterized as CD146+ cells. In this study,
      we first immunohistochemically detected pericytes in the perivascular regions of
      liver from two mouse genotypes, namely wild-type (WT) and myostatin null (Mstn-/-
      ). We further isolated pericytes using sorting as CD146+ CD34- CD56- CD45- cells.
      The main finding of this study involves the contrasting fibrogenic vs. myogenic
      behaviour of liver pericytes from WT and Mstn-/- mice, respectively. Sorted
      CD146+ liver pericytes (WT and Mstn-/- ) expressed PDGFRbeta, NG2, vimentin,
      adult stem cell markers CD73, CD105, CD44 and could be readily differentiated
      into adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages. Furthermore, these CD146+
      cells from WT and Mstn-/- livers did not express myostatin, in contrast to the
      total liver tissue of WT. The absence of alphaSMA and GFAP made these cells
      easily distinguishable from hepatic stellate cells. When subjected to standard
      myogenic differentiation with low serum the CD146+ cells from WT liver
      differentiated into myofibroblasts (fibrogenic) and the CD146+ cells from Mstn-/-
      liver differentiated into multinucleated myotubes (myogenic). Finally, we
      transplanted CD146+ pericytes into tibialis anterior muscle of dystrophic mice
      and established the generation of novel myofibres, thereby proving their cell
      therapy potential. The liver tissue microenvironment with myostatin in WT and the
      absence of myostatin in Mstn-/- conditions might exert a paracrine effect in
      determining the fate of pericyte-like cells in the liver.

PMID- 28627747
TI  - Spontaneous intercostal artery bleeding in a hemodialysis patient.
AB  - Spontaneous rupture of an intercostal artery (ICA) is a rare but could be a life
      threatening emergency requiring prompt diagnosis and intervention for optimal
      outcome. We report a patient presented with swelling in his right-side back which
      started immediately after scheduled hemodialysis and continued to increase in
      size. Contrast computed tomography scan revealed soft tissue attenuated lesion
      with internal enhancing dots which suggested expanding hematoma with active
      bleeding. Arteriography detected focal contrast extravasation from seventh ICA,
      and transcatheter arterial embolization was successfully done. To the best of our
      knowledge, this is the first report describing spontaneous bleeding of ICA in a
      hemodialysis patient.

PMID- 28627748
TI  - On-line reaction monitoring by mass spectrometry, modern approaches for the
      analysis of chemical reactions.
AB  - The application of on-line mass spectrometry for direct analysis of chemical and
      other types of process continues to grow in importance and impact. The ability of
      the technique to characterize many aspects of a chemical reaction such as product
      and impurity formation, along with reactant consumption in a single experiment is
      key to its adoption and development. Innovations in ionization techniques and
      mass spectrometry instrumentation are enabling this adoption. An increasing range
      of ambient ionization techniques make on-line mass spectrometry applicable to a
      large range of chemistries. The academic development and commercialization of
      small footprint portable/transportable mass spectrometers is providing technology
      that can be positioned with any process under investigation. These developments,
      coupled with research into new ways of sampling representatively from both the
      condensed and gaseous phases, are positioning mass spectrometry as an essential
      technology for on-line process optimization, understanding and intelligent
      control. It is recognized that quantitative capability of mass spectrometry in
      this application can cause some resistance to its adoption, but research
      activities to tackle this limitation are on-going.

PMID- 28627749
TI  - Determining the impact of cell mixing on signaling during development.
AB  - Cell movement and intercellular signaling occur simultaneously to organize
      morphogenesis during embryonic development. Cell movement can cause relative
      positional changes between neighboring cells. When intercellular signals are
      local such cell mixing may affect signaling, changing the flow of information in
      developing tissues. Little is known about the effect of cell mixing on
      intercellular signaling in collective cellular behaviors and methods to quantify
      its impact are lacking. Here we discuss how to determine the impact of cell
      mixing on cell signaling drawing an example from vertebrate embryogenesis: the
      segmentation clock, a collective rhythm of interacting genetic oscillators. We
      argue that comparing cell mixing and signaling timescales is key to determining
      the influence of mixing. A signaling timescale can be estimated by combining
      theoretical models with cell signaling perturbation experiments. A mixing
      timescale can be obtained by analysis of cell trajectories from live imaging.
      After comparing cell movement analyses in different experimental settings, we
      highlight challenges in quantifying cell mixing from embryonic timelapse
      experiments, especially a reference frame problem due to embryonic motions and
      shape changes. We propose statistical observables characterizing cell mixing that
      do not depend on the choice of reference frames. Finally, we consider situations
      in which both cell mixing and signaling involve multiple timescales, precluding a
      direct comparison between single characteristic timescales. In such situations,
      physical models based on observables of cell mixing and signaling can simulate
      the flow of information in tissues and reveal the impact of observed cell mixing
      on signaling.

PMID- 28627750
TI  - Emergent Low-Symmetry Phases and Large Property Enhancements in Ferroelectric
      KNbO3 Bulk Crystals.
AB  - The design of new or enhanced functionality in materials is traditionally viewed
      as requiring the discovery of new chemical compositions through synthesis. Large
      property enhancements may however also be hidden within already well-known
      materials, when their structural symmetry is deviated from equilibrium through a
      small local strain or field. Here, the discovery of enhanced material properties
      associated with a new metastable phase of monoclinic symmetry within bulk KNbO3
      is reported. This phase is found to coexist with the nominal orthorhombic phase
      at room temperature, and is both induced by and stabilized with local strains
      generated by a network of ferroelectric domain walls. While the local
      microstructural shear strain involved is only ~0.017%, the concurrent symmetry
      reduction results in an optical second harmonic generation response that is over
      550% higher at room temperature. Moreover, the meandering walls of the low
      symmetry domains also exhibit enhanced electrical conductivity on the order of 1
      S m-1 . This discovery reveals a potential new route to local engineering of
      significant property enhancements and conductivity through symmetry lowering in
      ferroelectric crystals.

PMID- 28627751
TI  - Synthesis of gem-Dinitromethylated and Fluorodinitromethylated Derivatives of
      5,5'-Dinitro-bis-1,2,4-triazole as Promising High-Energy-Density Materials.
AB  - gem-Dinitromethylated and fluorodinitromethylated 5,5'-dinitro-3,3'-bis-1,2,4
      triazole (DNBT) (2 and 3) along with seven ionic derivatives 4-9, were
      synthesized and characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopies, elemental analysis,
      single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry
      (DSC). XRD revealed that compounds 2 and 3 crystallized in the monoclinic P21 /n
      space group and compound 5 crystallized in the monoclinic P21 /c space group. The
      physicochemical properties of the as-synthesized compounds 2-9 were investigated
      and the results indicated that compounds 3, 6, and 7 exhibited a good balance
      between high energy and low sensitivity, demonstrating their potential as new
      high-energy-density materials (HEDMs). The proposed synthetic strategy for
      introducing gem-dinitromethyl and fluorodinitromethyl groups into the DNBT
      framework to prepare materials with high energy and low sensitivity suitable for
      HEDMs looks promising.

PMID- 28627752
TI  - Patterning on Topography for Generation of Cell Culture Substrates with
      Independent Nanoscale Control of Chemical and Topographical Extracellular Matrix
      Cues.
AB  - The cell microenvironment plays an important role in many biological processes,
      including development and disease progression. Key to this is the extracellular
      matrix (ECM), a complex biopolymer network serving as the primary insoluble
      signaling network for physical, chemical, and mechanical cues. In vitro, the
      ability to engineer the ECM at the micro- and nanoscales is a critical tool to
      systematically interrogate the influence of ECM properties on cellular responses.
      Specifically, both topographical and chemical surface patterning has been shown
      to direct cell alignment and tissue architecture on biomaterial surfaces,
      however, it has proven challenging to independently control these surface
      properties. This protocol describes a method termed Patterning on Topography
      (PoT) to engineer 2D nanopatterns of ECM proteins onto topographically complex
      substrates, which enables independent control of physical and chemical surface
      properties. Applications include interrogation of fundamental cell-surface
      interactions and engineering interfaces that can direct cell and/or tissue
      function. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28627753
TI  - Traction Force Microscopy in 3-Dimensional Extracellular Matrix Networks.
AB  - Cell migration through a three-dimensional (3-D) matrix depends strongly on the
      ability of cells to generate traction forces. To overcome the steric hindrance of
      the matrix, cells need to generate sufficiently high traction forces but also
      need to distribute these forces spatially in a migration-promoting way. This unit
      describes a protocol to measure spatial maps of cell traction forces in 3-D
      biopolymer networks such as collagen, fibrin, or Matrigel. Traction forces are
      computed from the relationship between measured force-induced matrix deformations
      surrounding the cell and the known mechanical properties of the matrix. The
      method does not rely on knowledge of the cell surface coordinates and takes
      nonlinear mechanical properties of the matrix into account. (c) 2017 by John
      Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28627754
TI  - Labeling and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Exosomes Isolated from Adipose Stem
      Cells.
AB  - Adipose stem cells (ASC) represent a promising therapeutic approach for
      neurodegenerative diseases. Most biological effects of ASC are probably mediated
      by extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, which influence the surrounding
      cells. Current development of exosome therapies requires efficient and
      noninvasive methods to localize, monitor, and track the exosomes. Among imaging
      methods used for this purpose, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has advantages:
      high spatial resolution, rapid in vivo acquisition, and radiation-free operation.
      To be detectable with MRI, exosomes must be labeled with MR contrast agents, such
      as ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (USPIO). Here, we set
      up an innovative approach for exosome labeling that preserves their morphology
      and physiological characteristics. We show that by labeling ASC with USPIO before
      extraction of nanovesicles, the isolated exosomes retain nanoparticles and can be
      visualized by MRI. The current work aims at validating this novel USPIO-based
      exosome labeling method by monitoring the efficiency of the labeling with MRI
      both in ASC and in exosomes. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28627755
TI  - Labeling DNA Replication Foci to Visualize Chromosome Territories In Vivo.
AB  - While a detailed understanding of chromatin dynamics is needed to explain how
      higher-order chromatin organization influences nuclear function, the molecular
      principles that regulate chromatin mobility in mammalian nuclei remain largely
      unknown. Here we describe experimental tools to follow chromatin dynamics by
      labeling DNA during S phase. Using these methods, we have found that foci labeled
      during early and mid/late S phase have significantly different dynamic behavior.
      Spatially constrained heterochromatic foci restrict long-range transformations of
      the chromosome territory (CT) structure while providing a structural framework on
      which highly mobile euchromatic foci undergo positional oscillations that drive
      local changes in the chromosome shape. Despite often dramatic mobility, we have
      demonstrated a preservation of structural integrity which ensures that DNA from
      neighboring CTs is not able to mix freely within the same nuclear space. Finally,
      other potential applications of the presented protocols are discussed. (c) 2017
      by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28627756
TI  - Microcontact Peeling: A Cell Micropatterning Technique for Circumventing Direct
      Adsorption of Proteins to Hydrophobic PDMS.
AB  - Microcontact printing (MUCPr) is one of the most popular techniques used for cell
      micropatterning. In conventional MUCPr, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp with
      microfeatures is used to adsorb extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins onto the
      featured surface and transfer them onto particular areas of a cell culture
      substrate. However, some types of functional proteins other than ECM have been
      reported to denature upon direct adsorption to hydrophobic PDMS. Here we describe
      a detailed protocol of an alternative technique--microcontact peeling (MUCPe)-
      that allows for cell micropatterning while circumventing the step of adsorbing
      proteins to bare PDMS. This technique employs microfeatured materials with a
      relatively high surface energy such as copper, instead of using a microfeatured
      PDMS stamp, to peel off a cell-adhesive layer present on the surface of
      substrates. Consequently, cell-nonadhesive substrates are exposed at the specific
      surface that undergoes the physical contact with the microfeatured material.
      Thus, although MUCPe and MUCPr are apparently similar, the former does not
      comprise a process of transferring biomolecules through hydrophobic PDMS. (c)
      2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28627757
TI  - Super-Resolution Microscopy and Single-Protein Tracking in Live Bacteria Using a
      Genetically Encoded, Photostable Fluoromodule.
AB  - Visualization of dynamic protein structures in live cells is crucial for
      understanding the mechanisms governing biological processes. Fluorescence
      microscopy is a sensitive tool for this purpose. In order to image proteins in
      live bacteria using fluorescence microscopy, one typically genetically fuses the
      protein of interest to a photostable fluorescent tag. Several labeling schemes
      are available to accomplish this. Particularly, hybrid tags that combine a
      fluorescent or fluorogenic dye with a genetically encoded protein (such as
      enzymatic labels) have been used successfully in multiple cell types. However,
      their use in bacteria has been limited due to challenges imposed by a complex
      bacterial cell wall. Here, we describe the use of a genetically encoded
      photostable fluoromodule that can be targeted to cytosolic and membrane proteins
      in the Gram negative bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Additionally, we summarize
      methods to use this fluoromodule for single protein imaging and super-resolution
      microscopy using stimulated emission depletion. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons,
      Inc.

PMID- 28627758
TI  - Spectral library-based glycopeptide analysis-detection of circulating galectin-3
      binding protein in pancreatic cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease
      characterized by its late diagnosis, poor prognosis and rapid development of drug
      resistance. Using the data-independent acquisition (DIA) technique, the authors
      applied a spectral library-based proteomic approach to analyze N-glycosylated
      peptides in human plasma, in the context of pancreatic cancer study. EXPERIMENTAL
      DESIGN: The authors extended the application of DIA to the quantification of N
      glycosylated peptides enriched from plasma specimens from a clinically well
      defined cohort that consists of patients with early stage PDAC, chronic
      pancreatitis and healthy subjects. RESULTS: The analytical platform was evaluated
      in light of its robustness for quantitative analysis of large-scale clinical
      specimens. The authors analysis indicated that the level of N-glycosylated
      peptides derived from galectin-3 binding proteins (LGALS3BP) were frequently
      elevated in plasma from PDAC patients, concurrent with the altered N
      glycosylation of LGALS3BP observed in the tumor tissue. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL
      RELEVANCE: The glycosylation form of LGALS3BP influences its function in the
      galectin network, which profoundly involves in cancer progression, immune
      response and drug resistance. As one of the major binding ligands of galectin
      network, discovery of site specific N-glycosylation changes of LGALS3BP in
      association of PDAC may provide useful clues to facilitate cancer detection or
      phenotype stratification.

PMID- 28627759
TI  - Vibrational biospectroscopy characterizes biochemical differences between cell
      types used for toxicological investigations and identifies alterations induced by
      environmental contaminants.
AB  - The use of cell-based assays is essential in reducing the number of vertebrates
      used in the investigation of chemical toxicities and in regulatory toxicology
      assessment. An important factor in obtaining meaningful results that can be
      accurately extrapolated is the use of biologically appropriate cell lines. In the
      present preliminary study, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared
      (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with multivariate analysis was used to assess the
      fundamental biomolecular differences between a commonly used cell line, MCF-7
      cells, and an environmentally relevant cell line derived from mallard (Anas
      platyrhynchos) dermal fibroblasts. To better understand differences in basic cell
      biochemistry, the cells were analyzed in the untreated state or post exposure to
      polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ester (PBDE)
      congeners. The main spectral peaks in spectra from both cell types were
      associated with cellular macromolecules, particularly proteins and lipids, but
      the spectra also revealed some cell-specific differences. Spectra from untreated
      mallard fibroblasts spectra contained a large peak associated with lipids. The
      cell-related differences in lipids and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were also
      identified as regions of spectral alteration induced by PBDE and PCB exposure.
      Although lipid alterations were observed in post treatment spectra from both cell
      types, these may be of more significance to mallard fibroblasts, which may be the
      result of increased intracellular lipid as determined by Nile red staining.
      Untreated MCF-7 cell spectra contained unique peaks related to DNA and nucleic
      acids. The DNA-associated spectral regions were also identified as areas of
      considerable alteration in MCF-7 cells exposed to some congeners including PBDE
      47 and PCB 153. The findings indicate that in their native state, MCF-7 and
      mallard cells have unique biochemical differences, which can be identified using
      ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Such differences in biochemical composition may influence
      cell susceptibility to environmental contaminants and therefore influence the
      choice of cell type used in toxicology experiments. To our knowledge, the present
      study is the first study to analyze the biochemistry of a mallard dermal
      fibroblast cell line and to use ATR-FTIR spectroscopy for this purpose. Thus ATR
      FTIR spectroscopy is demonstrated to be a useful tool for exploration of
      biomolecular variation at the cellular level and with further development, it
      could be used as part of a panel of cell-based assays to indicate when different
      results might be seen in environmental species compared with currently used cell
      lines. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3127-3137. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28627760
TI  - Reproductive phenology of Melastomataceae species with contrasting reproductive
      systems: contemporary and historical drivers.
AB  - Flowering and fruiting are key events in the life history of plants, and both are
      critical to their reproductive success. Besides the role of evolutionary history,
      plant reproductive phenology is regulated by abiotic factors and shaped by biotic
      interactions with pollinators and seed dispersers. In Melastomataceae, a dominant
      Neotropical family, the reproductive systems vary from allogamous with biotic
      pollination to apomictic, and seed dispersal varies from dry (self-dispersed) to
      fleshy (animal-dispersed) fruits. Such variety in reproductive strategies is
      likely to affect flowering and fruiting phenologies. In this study, we described
      the reproductive phenology of 81 Melastomataceae species occurring in two
      biodiversity hotspots: the Atlantic rain forest and the campo rupestre. We aim to
      disentangle the role of abiotic and biotic factors defining flowering and
      fruiting times of Melastomataceae species, considering the contrasting breeding
      and seed dispersal systems, and their evolutionary history. In both vegetation
      types, pollinator-dependent species had higher flowering seasonality than
      pollinator-independent ones. Flowering patterns presented phylogenetic signal
      regardless of vegetation type. Fruiting of fleshy-fruited species was seasonal in
      campo rupestre but not in Atlantic rain forest; the fruiting of dry-fruited
      species was also not seasonal in both vegetation types. Fruiting showed a low
      phylogenetic signal, probably because the influence of environment and dispersal
      agents on fruiting time is stronger than the phylogenetic affinity. Considering
      these ecophylogenetic patterns, our results indicate that flowering may be shaped
      by the different reproductive strategies of Melastomataceae lineages, while
      fruiting patterns may be governed mainly by the seed dispersal strategy and
      flowering time, with less phylogenetic influence.

PMID- 28627762
TI  - Quantitative NMR Approach to Optimize the Formation of Chemical Building Blocks
      from Abundant Carbohydrates.
AB  - The future role of biomass-derived chemicals relies on the formation of diverse
      functional monomers in high yields from carbohydrates. Recently, it has become
      clear that a series of alpha-hydroxy acids, esters, and lactones can be formed
      from carbohydrates in alcohol and water solvents using tin-containing catalysts
      such as Sn-Beta. These compounds are potential building blocks for polyesters
      bearing additional olefin and alcohol functionalities. An NMR approach was used
      to identify, quantify, and optimize the formation of these building blocks in the
      Sn-Beta-catalyzed transformation of abundant carbohydrates. Record yields of the
      target molecules can be achieved by obstructing competing reactions through
      solvent selection.

PMID- 28627761
TI  - Biological effects of hydrogen peroxide administered intratumorally with or
      without irradiation in murine tumors.
AB  - Despite insufficient laboratory data, radiotherapy after intratumoral injection
      of hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) is increasingly being used clinically for
      radioresistant tumors. Especially, this treatment might become an alternative
      definitive treatment for early and advanced breast cancer in patients who refuse
      any type of surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological
      effects and appropriate combination methods of irradiation and H2 O2 in vivo.
      SCCVII tumor cells transplanted into the legs of C3H/HeN mice were used.
      Chronological changes of intratumoral distribution of oxygen bubbles after
      injection of H2 O2 were investigated using computed tomography. The effects of H2
      O2 alone and in combination with single or five-fraction irradiation were
      investigated using a growth delay assay. The optimal timing of H2 O2 injection
      was investigated. Immunostaining of tumors was performed using the hypoxia marker
      pimonidazole. Oxygen bubbles decreased gradually and almost disappeared after 24
      h. Administration of H2 O2 produced 2-3 days' tumor growth delay. Tumor regrowth
      was slowed further when H2 O2 was injected before irradiation. The group
      irradiated immediately after H2 O2 injection showed the longest tumor growth
      delay. Dose-modifying factors were 1.7-2.0 when combined with single irradiation
      and 1.3-1.5 with fractionated irradiation. Pimonidazole staining was weaker in
      tumors injected with H2 O2 . H2 O2 injection alone had modest antitumor effects.
      Greater tumor growth delays were demonstrated by combining irradiation and H2 O2
      injection. The results of the present study could serve as a basis for evaluating
      results of various clinical studies on this treatment.

PMID- 28627763
TI  - Suspected Methadone Toxicity: from Hospital to Autopsy Bed.
AB  - High mortality rates have been reported for methadone in both adults and
      children. We aimed to determine the pattern of toxicity, possible underlying
      diseases and treatment challenges in patients referred to our centre with early
      diagnosis of methadone toxicity and who later died. Medical files of all
      methadone-poisoned patients who had been admitted to a referral centre of
      toxicology between March 2011 and March 2016, died during the hospital stay and
      sent for autopsy to Legal Medicine Organization were retrospectively evaluated.
      In a total of 94 patients, autopsy findings and laboratory evaluations showed
      that cause of death was pure methadone toxicity in 57 (60.6%). Other causes of
      death were ischaemic heart disease in ten, co-ingestions (toxicities including
      methadone) in eight, brain haemorrhage, multi-organ failure and pneumosepsis
      (each in four), meningitis/encephalitis in three and head trauma and other
      toxicities (other than methadone but including an opioid, each in two) patients.
      Time of cardiopulmonary arrest was significantly different between those with
      pure methadone toxicity and those who died due to other causes (p = 0.01).
      Patients who had died due to co-ingestions and other toxicities were younger (p =
      0.029) and took more bolus doses of naloxone (p = 0.042). In methadone users,
      especially in older ages and those with trivial response to naloxone
      administration, loss of consciousness should not be strictly attributed to
      methadone toxicity. In such patients, thorough evaluation for other possible
      causes of loss of consciousness is mandatory.

PMID- 28627764
TI  - A Simple Route to Strong Carbon-13 NMR Signals Detectable for Several Minutes.
AB  - Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suffer from
      low sensitivity and limited nuclear spin memory lifetimes. Although
      hyperpolarization techniques increase sensitivity, there is also a desire to
      increase relaxation times to expand the range of applications addressable by
      these methods. Here, we demonstrate a route to create hyperpolarized
      magnetization in 13 C nuclear spin pairs that last much longer than normal
      lifetimes by storage in a singlet state. By combining molecular design and low
      field storage with para-hydrogen derived hyperpolarization, we achieve more than
      three orders of signal amplification relative to equilibrium Zeeman polarization
      and an order of magnitude extension in state lifetime. These studies use a range
      of specifically synthesized pyridazine derivatives and dimethyl p-tolyl phenyl
      pyridazine is the most successful, achieving a lifetime of about 190 s in low
      field, which leads to a 13 C-signal that is visible for 10 minutes.

PMID- 28627765
TI  - Measurement of surface topography and stiffness distribution on cross-section of
      Xenopus laevis tailbud for estimation of mechanical environment in embryo.
AB  - The stress distribution inside a Xenopus laevis tailbud embryo was estimated to
      examine the cause of the straightening and elongation. The embryos were cut in
      the middle, yielding a cross-section perpendicular to the body axis. The section
      was not flat, owing to the residual stress relief. The stress needed to restore
      the flatness corresponded to the stress inside the embryo and was calculated
      using the surface topography and Young's-moduli in the section. We found the
      areas of the notochord (Nc), neural tube (NT), and abdominal tissue (AT) bulged
      in the cross-section, which revealed that compressive forces acted in these
      tissues. The moduli of the Nc, NT, and AT were in the order of several thousand,
      hundred, and tens of pascals, respectively. In the Nc, the compressive force was
      largest and increased with the development, suggesting Nc playing a central role
      in the elongation. The bending moment generated by the AT was 10 times higher
      than that by the Nc in the early stages of the tailbud formation, and the two
      were similar in the latter stages, suggesting that the compressive force in the
      AT was the major cause of the straightening during the early stage. The
      straightening and elongation could be orchestrated by changes in the compressive
      forces acting on the Nc, NT, and AT over time. For the sake of simplicity, we
      calculated the compressive force only and neglected the tensile force. Thus, it
      should be noted that the amount of the compressive force was somewhat
      overestimated.

PMID- 28627766
TI  - Recent applications of metal-organic frameworks in sample pretreatment.
AB  - Metal-organic frameworks are promising materials in diverse analytical
      applications especially in sample pretreatment by virtue of their diverse
      structure topology, tunable pore size, permanent nanoscale porosity, high surface
      area, and good thermostability. According to hydrostability, metal-organic
      frameworks are divided into moisture-sensitive and water-stable types. In the
      actual applications, both kinds of metal-organic frameworks are usually
      engineered into hybrid composites containing magnetite, silicon dioxide,
      graphene, or directly carbonized to metal-organic frameworks derived carbon.
      These metal-organic frameworks based materials show good extraction performance
      to environmental pollutants. This review provides a critical overview of the
      applications of metal-organic frameworks and their composites in sample
      pretreatment modes, that is, solid-phase extraction, magnetic solid-phase
      extraction, micro-solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, and stir
      bar solid extraction.

PMID- 28627767
TI  - Clinical significance of post-progression survival in lung cancer.
AB  - Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) are two common
      endpoints in cancer trials. OS is usually preferred, because it is reliable,
      precise, meaningful, and can easily be documented. However, subsequent lines of
      therapy might confound the effects of first-line treatment on OS. Whether PFS or
      OS is the more appropriate endpoint in clinical trials of metastatic cancer
      remains controversial. Previous reports on lung cancer have shown that an
      increase in PFS does not necessarily result in an increase in OS; however, post
      progression survival (PPS) is strongly associated with OS after early-line
      treatment. The significance of PPS after first and second-line therapy at the
      individual level in patients with advanced lung cancer has also recently been
      reported. Findings of previous reports indicate that PPS is highly associated
      with OS after first and second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced non
      small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, whereas PFS is only moderately
      associated with OS. Therefore, subsequent treatment after disease progression
      following early-line treatments may greatly influence OS. This review
      demonstrates that even in advanced lung cancer, PPS, rather than PFS, has become
      more strongly associated with OS over the years, potentially because of intensive
      post-study treatments. As a result of the increasing impact of PPS on OS, a PFS
      related advantage does not necessarily indicate an OS-related advantage. Thus,
      the prolongation of PPS might limit the classical role of OS for assessing true
      efficacy derived from early-line chemotherapy in future clinical trials.

PMID- 28627768
TI  - Spatially Resolved Large Magnetization in Ultrathin BiFeO3.
AB  - Here, a quantitative magnetic depth profile across the planar interfaces in
      BiFeO3 /La0.7 Sr0.3 MnO3 (BFO/LSMO) superlattices using polarized neutron
      reflectometry is obtained. An enhanced magnetization of 1.83 +/- 0.16 MUB /Fe in
      BFO layers is observed when they are interleaved between two manganite layers.
      The enhanced magnetic order in BFO persists up to 200 K. The depth dependence of
      magnetic moments in BFO/LSMO superlattices as a function of the BFO layer
      thickness is also explored. The results show the enhanced net magnetic moment in
      BFO from the LSMO/BFO interface extends 3-4 unit cells into BFO. The interior
      part of a thicker BFO layer has a much smaller magnetization, suggesting it still
      keeps the small canted AFM state. The results exclude charge transfer,
      intermixing, epitaxial strain, and octahedral rotations/tilts as dominating
      mechanisms for the large net magnetization in BFO. An explanation-one suggested
      by others previously and consistent with the observations-attributes the
      temperature dependence of the net magnetization of BFO to strong orbital
      hybridization between Fe and Mn across the interfaces. Such orbital
      reconstruction would establish an upper temperature limit for magnetic ordering
      of BFO.

PMID- 28627769
TI  - Corneal ring infiltrate secondary to Staphylococcus aureus-induced endogenous
      endophthalmitis: a case report.

PMID- 28627770
TI  - Electrochemically Powered, Energy-Conserving Carbon Nanotube Artificial Muscles.
AB  - While artificial muscle yarns and fibers are potentially important for many
      applications, the combination of large strokes, high gravimetric work capacities,
      short cycle times, and high efficiencies are not realized for these fibers. This
      paper demonstrates here electrochemically powered carbon nanotube yarn muscles
      that provide tensile contraction as high as 16.5%, which is 12.7 times higher
      than previously obtained. These electrochemical muscles can deliver a contractile
      energy conversion efficiency of 5.4%, which is 4.1 times higher than reported for
      any organic-material-based artificial muscle. All-solid-state parallel muscles
      and braided muscles, which do not require a liquid electrolyte, provide tensile
      contractions of 11.6% and 5%, respectively. These artificial muscles might
      eventually be deployed for a host of applications, from robotics to perhaps even
      implantable medical devices.

PMID- 28627771
TI  - Clinical Experience with the Integrase Inhibitors Dolutegravir and Elvitegravir
      in HIV-infected Patients: Efficacy, Safety and Tolerance.
AB  - Two integrase inhibitors (INSTIs), dolutegravir (DTG) and elvitegravir/cobicistat
      (EVG/COBI), have joined recently the pharmacotherapy arsenal against HIV. This
      study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of these INSTIs in the last two
      years. A retrospective observational study in patients who started DTG or
      EVG/COBI from January 2015 to January 2017 at a reference hospital in north
      western Spain was done. Epidemiological, clinical and immunovirological data were
      recorded. A statistical analysis was performed with SPSS software. A total of 542
      DTG (n = 275)- or EVG/COBI (n = 267)-based therapies were initiated during the
      study period. Overall, more than 90% of naive and pre-treated patients had
      virological suppression in both groups after 48 weeks of initiation of treatment
      per-protocol snapshot analysis. During follow-up, 10.2% of patients were treated
      with DTG and 4.5% of those treated with EVG discontinued due to adverse events
      (AE). In the case of DTG mainly related to neuropsychiatric disturbances (70.4%)
      and for EVG/COBI with gastrointestinal discomfort (50%). Female sex [HR 2.255
      (95%CI 1.121-4.535), p = 0.023] and DTG treatment [HR 2.453 (95%CI 1.221-4.931),
      p = 0.012] were associated with AE discontinuations. Specifically for
      neuropsychiatric events, DTG treatment [HR 5.906 (95%CI 1.954-17.846), p = 0.002]
      and receiving abacavir/lamivudine/DTG [HR 4.380 (95%CI 1.348-14.233), p = 0.014]
      were identified as predictive risk factors for treatment discontinuations in two
      different multivariate analyses. A high percentage of AE discontinuations not
      previously described in clinical trials has been observed, especially with DTG.
      Female gender and DTG treatment were identified as risk factors for AE
      discontinuation. DTG-based therapies, especially in combination with
      abacavir/lamivudine, were associated with an increased risk of treatment
      discontinuation due to neuropsychiatric AE.

PMID- 28627772
TI  - Bactericidal Effect of Calcium Oxide (Scallop-Shell Powder) Against Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa Biofilm on Quail Egg Shell, Stainless Steel, Plastic, and Rubber.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal effect of calcium oxide
      (CaO) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on quail eggshells and major egg
      contacting surfaces (stainless steel, plastic, and rubber). The samples were
      subjected to CaO treatments (0%, 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.25%, and
      0.30%) for 1 min. All the CaO treatments significantly reduced P. aeruginosa
      biofilms on all tested surfaces as compared to controls. In comparison of biofilm
      stability, the strongest and most resistant biofilm was formed on eggshell
      against the CaO treatment, followed by rubber, stainless steel, and plastic. In
      evaluation of bactericidal effect, the largest reduction (3.16 log CFU) was
      observed in plastic even at the lowest concentration of CaO (0.01%), whereas the
      least reduction was found in eggshells, regardless of CaO concentration. In
      addition, stainless steel showed a significant reduction in biofilm formation at
      all concentrations except 0.10% to 0.15% CaO. At 0.30% CaO, the reduction of P.
      aeruginosa in biofilms on stainless steel, plastic, rubber, and eggshell were
      5.48, 6.37, 4.87, and 3.14 log CFU/cm2 (CFU/egg), respectively. Biofilm reduction
      after CaO treatment was also observed by field emission scanning electron
      microscopy (FE-SEM). Based on the FE-SEM images, we observed that P. aeruginosa
      biofilms formed compact aggregations on eggshell surfaces with CaO treatments up
      to 0.30%. More specifically, a 0.20% CaO treatment resulted in the reductions of
      3 to 6 log CFU in all materials.

PMID- 28627774
TI  - Decreased expression of WNT2 in villi of unexplained recurrent spontaneous
      abortion patients may cause trophoblast cell dysfunction via downregulated
      Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.
AB  - WNT2 has been reported to be important for placental development, especially for
      the proper vascularization of the placenta. However, its precise role in first
      trimester trophoblast cells is still unknown. WNT2 expression in the villous
      tissues of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) patients was
      compared with that of healthy women by Western blot. The function of WNT2 in HTR
      8/SVneo trophoblast cells was evaluated by altering the cellular WNT2 level
      through overexpression and shRNA knockdown. The molecular mechanism of the effect
      of WNT2 on trophoblast cells was investigated. The association of WNT2 with the
      Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway was studied through Western blot and
      immunofluorescence. Results showed that WNT2 protein expression was significantly
      decreased in villi of the URSA group compared with the control group. In vitro
      studies showed that WNT2 could promote human trophoblast cell proliferation and
      migration through activating the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. Moreover,
      upon the knockdown of WNT2, trophoblast cell proliferation and migration were
      significantly suppressed. In conclusion, our study indicated that WNT2 plays an
      important role in trophoblast function. WNT2 insufficiency might cause impaired
      trophoblast cell proliferation and migration via downregulation of Wnt/beta
      catenin signaling pathway.

PMID- 28627773
TI  - Oleanolic acid derivative DKS26 exerts antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects
      in diabetic mice and promotes glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion and expression in
      intestinal cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an important target
      for diabetes therapy based on its key role in maintaining glucose and lipid
      homeostasis. This study was designed to investigate antidiabetic and
      hepatoprotective effects of a novel oleanolic acid derivative DKS26 in diabetic
      mice and elucidate its underlying GLP-1 related antidiabetic mechanisms in vitro
      and in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The therapeutic effects of DKS26 were
      investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced and db/db diabetic mouse models.
      Levels of plasma glucose, glycosylated serum protein (GSP), lipid profiles,
      insulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
      oral glucose tolerance (OGT), pancreatic islets and hepatic histopathological
      morphology, liver lipid levels and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines were
      assessed. Intestinal NCI-H716 cells and diabetic models were used to further
      validate its potential GLP-1-related antidiabetic mechanisms. KEY RESULTS: DKS26
      treatment (100 mg.kg-1 .day-1 ) decreased plasma levels of glucose, GSP, ALT and
      AST; ameliorated OGT and plasma lipid profiles; augmented plasma insulin levels;
      alleviated islets and hepatic pathological morphology; and reduced liver lipid
      accumulation, inflammation and necrosis in vivo. Furthermore, DKS26 enhanced GLP
      1 release and expression, accompanied by elevated levels of cAMP and
      phosphorylated PKA in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: DKS26
      exerted hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic and islets protective effects, which were
      associated with an enhanced release and expression of GLP-1 mediated by the
      activation of the cAMP/PKA signalling pathway, and alleviated hepatic damage by
      reducing liver lipid levels and inflammation. These findings firmly identified
      DKS26 as a new viable therapeutic option for diabetes control.

PMID- 28627775
TI  - Ensemble Architecture for Prediction of Enzyme-ligand Binding Residues Using
      Evolutionary Information.
AB  - Enzyme interactions with ligands are crucial for various biochemical reactions
      governing life. Over many years attempts to identify these residues for
      biotechnological manipulations have been made using experimental and
      computational techniques. The computational approaches have gathered impetus with
      the accruing availability of sequence and structure information, broadly
      classified into template-based and de novo methods. One of the predominant de
      novo methods using sequence information involves application of biological
      properties for supervised machine learning. Here, we propose a support vector
      machines-based ensemble for prediction of protein-ligand interacting residues
      using one of the most important discriminative contributing properties in the
      interacting residue neighbourhood, i. e., evolutionary information in the form of
      position-specific- scoring matrix (PSSM). The study has been performed on a non
      redundant dataset comprising of 9269 interacting and 91773 non-interacting
      residues for prediction model generation and further evaluation. Of the various
      PSSM-based models explored, the proposed method named ROBBY (pRediction Of
      Biologically relevant small molecule Binding residues on enzYmes) shows an
      accuracy of 84.0 %, Matthews Correlation Coefficient of 0.343 and F-measure of
      39.0 % on 78 test enzymes. Further, scope of adding domain knowledge such as
      pocket information has also been investigated; results showed significant
      enhancement in method precision. Findings are hoped to boost the reliability of
      small-molecule ligand interaction prediction for enzyme applications and drug
      design.

PMID- 28627777
TI  - Cation-Driven Self-Assembly of a Gold(I)-Based Metallo-Tweezer.
AB  - A combination of self-complementary pi-pi-stacking interactions and metallophilic
      interactions triggered the self-assembly of a new digold(I) metallo-tweezer in
      the presence of several types of M+ ions. Titrations by fluorescence spectroscopy
      enabled the determination of the association constants of the resulting inclusion
      duplex complexes.

PMID- 28627776
TI  - The Catechol-O-methyltransferase Val(108/158)Met Genetic Polymorphism cannot be
      Recommended as a Biomarker for the Prediction of Venlafaxine Efficacy in Patients
      Treated in Psychiatric Settings.
AB  - The antidepressant venlafaxine is known to increase the turnover of cerebral
      monoamines, which are catabolized by the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). The
      COMT (Val(108/158)Met, rs4680) genetic polymorphism affects the cerebral COMT
      activity. But whether this genetic polymorphism is associated with response to
      venlafaxine remains unclear. We assessed the impact of the COMT Val(108/158)Met,
      rs4680 genetic polymorphism on the efficacy of venlafaxine in depressed patients.
      This study was nested in the METADAP cohort, a real-world naturalistic treatment
      study in psychiatric settings. A total of 206 Caucasian patients with a unipolar
      major depressive episode (DSM-IVTR) treated with venlafaxine and evaluated with
      the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were studied. One hundred and eighty
      patients were genotyped for the COMT Val(108/158)Met, rs4680 genetic polymorphism
      and classified into three genotype subgroups: Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met. The
      COMT genotype was the explanatory variable, and the variables to be explained
      were HDRS score, HDRS score improvement over time, response rate and remission
      rate. Venlafaxine had a trend to higher efficacy in the Val/Val patients as
      compared to Met/Met carriers, as shown by the HDRS score improvement after 3
      months of treatment, but this result was not significant in mixed models
      [Val/Val: 59.78% (+/-22.4); Val/Met: 51.64% (+/-26.3); Met/Met: 39.52% (+/
      27.6)]. The percentage of responders and remitters after 3 months of treatment
      was not significantly different in the three genotype groups, although coherent
      trends were shown. The COMT Val(108/158)Met, rs4680 genetic polymorphism cannot
      be recommended as a biomarker for the prediction of venlafaxine efficacy in
      patients treated in psychiatric settings.

PMID- 28627778
TI  - Engineering CHO cells with an oncogenic KIT improves cells growth, resilience to
      stress, and productivity.
AB  - An optimized biomanufacturing process in mammalian cells is contingent on the
      ability of the producing cells to reach high viable cell densities. In addition,
      at the peak of growth, cells need to continue producing the biological entity at
      a consistent quality. Thus, engineering cells with robust growth performance and
      resilience to variable stress conditions is highly desirable. The tyrosine kinase
      receptor, KIT, plays a key role in cell differentiation and the survival of
      several immune cell types. Its oncogenic mutant, D816V, endows cells with high
      proliferation capacity, and resistance to kinase inhibitors. Importantly, this
      onco-KIT mutant when introduced into various cell types is arrested in the
      endoplasmic reticulum in a constitutively active form. Here, we investigated the
      effect of oncogenic D816V KIT on the performance of CHO-K1 cells under
      conventional tissue culture growth settings and when adapted, to shaking
      conditions. The onco-KIT promoted global protein synthesis, elevated the
      expression of a secretable transgene, enhanced proliferation, and improved the
      overall titers of a model glycoprotein. Moreover, the expression of the onco-KIT
      endowed the cells with a remarkable resistance to various stress conditions. Our
      data suggest that the introduction of onco-KIT can serve as a strategy for
      improving glycoprotein biomanufacturing. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2560-2570.
      (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28627779
TI  - New horizon for breast cancer biomarker discoveries: What might the liquid biopsy
      of nipple aspirate fluid hold?
AB  - The existence of cellular, molecular and biochemical heterogeneity of human
      breast cancers reveals the intricacy of biomarkers complexity, stimulating
      studies on new approaches (like "liquid biopsies") for the improvements in
      precision medicine. Breast cancer is recognized as a leading cause of morbidity
      and mortality worldwide with tumors significantly diverse and containing many
      types of cells showing different genetic and epigenetic profiles. In this field,
      the technology of liquid biopsy (applied to a fluid produced by breast gland,
      named nipple aspirate fluids, NAF) highlights the power of combining basic and
      clinical research. NAF is the mirror of the entire ductal/alveolar breast tree
      providing almost complete proteomic profile and a valuable source for biomarker
      discovery, in non-invasive manner than tissue biopsies. The liquid biopsy
      technology using NAF may represent the outstanding breakthrough of proteomic
      cancer research revealing novel diagnostic and prognostic applications. In
      conjunction to metabolomic and degradome profiling, the use of NAF as liquid
      biopsy approach will improve the detection of changes in the cellular
      microenvironment of the breast tumors, understanding molecular and biochemical
      mechanisms which drive breast tumor initiation, maintenance and progression, and
      finally enhancing the development of novel drug targets and new treatment
      strategies.

PMID- 28627781
TI  - Retraction: 'Early hominin biogeography in Island Southeast Asia' by Roy Larick
      and Russell L. Ciochon.

PMID- 28627780
TI  - From Lithium-Ion to Sodium-Ion Batteries: Advantages, Challenges, and Surprises.
AB  - Mobile and stationary energy storage by rechargeable batteries is a topic of
      broad societal and economical relevance. Lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology is
      at the forefront of the development, but a massively growing market will likely
      put severe pressure on resources and supply chains. Recently, sodium-ion
      batteries (SIBs) have been reconsidered with the aim of providing a lower-cost
      alternative that is less susceptible to resource and supply risks. On paper, the
      replacement of lithium by sodium in a battery seems straightforward at first, but
      unpredictable surprises are often found in practice. What happens when replacing
      lithium by sodium in electrode reactions? This review provides a state-of-the art
      overview on the redox behavior of materials when used as electrodes in lithium
      ion and sodium-ion batteries, respectively. Advantages and challenges related to
      the use of sodium instead of lithium are discussed.

PMID- 28627782
TI  - Elwyn LaVerne Simons: 1930-2016.

PMID- 28627783
TI  - Elwyn Simons: Opening windows into Madagascar's past.

PMID- 28627784
TI  - Dr. Elwyn LaVerne Simons: Leader in Lemur Conservation.

PMID- 28627785
TI  - Species, genera, and phylogenetic structure in the human fossil record: a modest
      proposal.
AB  - Because of the greater morphological distances among them, genera should be more
      robustly recognizable in the fossil record than species are. But there are
      clearly upper as well as lower bounds to their species inclusivity. Currently,
      the vast majority of fossils composing the large and rapidly expanding
      paleoanthropological record are crammed into one of two genera (Australopithecus
      vs Homo), expanding the latter, especially, far beyond any reasonable
      morphological or phylogenetic limits. This excessive inclusivity obscures both
      diversity and the complexities of phylogenetic structure within the hominid
      family.

PMID- 28627786
TI  - The North African Middle Stone Age and its place in recent human evolution.
AB  - The North African Middle Stone Age (NAMSA, ~300-24 thousand years ago, or ka)
      features what may be the oldest fossils of our species as well as extremely early
      examples of technological regionalization and 'symbolic' material culture
      (d'Errico, Vanhaeren, Barton, Bouzouggar, Mienis, Richter, Hublin, McPherron,
      Louzouet, & Klein, ; Scerri, ; Richter, Grun, Joannes-Boyau, Steele, Amani, Rue,
      Fernandes, Raynal, Geraads, Ben-Ncer Hublin, McPherron, ). The geographic
      situation of North Africa and an increased understanding of the wet-dry climatic
      pulses of the Sahara Desert also show that North Africa played a strategic role
      in continental-scale evolutionary processes by modulating human dispersal and
      demographic structure (Drake, Blench, Armitage, Bristow, & White, ; Blome, Cohen,
      Tryon, Brooks, & Russell, ). However, current understanding of the NAMSA remains
      patchy and subject to a bewildering array of industrial nomenclatures that mask
      underlying variability. These issues are compounded by a geographic research bias
      skewed toward non-desert regions. As a result, it has been difficult to test long
      established narratives of behavioral and evolutionary change in North Africa and
      to resolve debates on their wider significance. In order to evaluate existing
      data and identify future research directions, this paper provides a critical
      overview of the component elements of the NAMSA and shows that the timing of many
      key behaviors has close parallels with others in sub-Saharan Africa and Southwest
      Asia.

PMID- 28627787
TI  - Psychiatric and cognitive characteristics of individuals with Danon disease
      (LAMP2 gene mutation).
AB  - Danon disease (DD) is a rare X-linked disorder caused by loss-of-function
      mutations in the LAMP2 gene, which encodes lysosome-associated membrane protein.
      It is characterized by the triad of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, myopathy, and
      intellectual disability. Whereas the molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms
      underlying this disorder have been previously reported and continue to be
      explored, the cognitive deficits and psychiatric comorbidities manifested in DD
      remain an understudied topic. We systematically assessed cognitive abilities and
      psychiatric comorbidities in 13 males and females. Most of the participants in
      our cohort (n = 9; 75%) had an IQ score within the normal range, while only one
      participant had intellectual disability. Participants' performance on the
      Cognitive Neuropsychiatric Battery (CNB) showed only mildly impaired cognitive
      abilities in most modules, except in the executive functioning test, which was
      low compared to healthy controls. Of note, 69% of the participants met criteria
      for at least one psychiatric disorder, mainly mood and anxiety disorders,
      occurring alone or in combination in the same patient. The results of the present
      study challenge earlier reports suggesting that mental retardation is a core
      constituent in DD. Of importance, it underscores the need to refer Danon patients
      to psychiatric assessment.

PMID- 28627788
TI  - Risk factors associated with treatment refusal in lung cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of lung cancer is increasing with longer life
      expectancy. Refusal of active treatment for cancer is prone to cause patients to
      experience more severe symptoms and shorten survival. The purpose of this study
      was to define the factors related to refusal or abandonment of active therapy in
      lung cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 617 patients from
      medical records from 2010 to 2014. Two groups were formed: 149 patients who
      refused anti-cancer treatment and allowed only palliative care were classified
      into the non-treatment group, while the remaining 468 who received anti-cancer
      treatment were classified into the treatment group. RESULTS: The groups differed
      significantly in age, employment, relationship status, number of offspring,
      educational status, body mass index, presence of chest and systemic symptoms,
      Charlson Comorbidity Index, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, and tumor
      node metastasis stage ( P < 0.05). In logistic regression analysis, age (odds
      ratio [OR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.13), educational status
      lower than high school (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.2-3.2), no history of surgery (OR 2.29,
      95% CI 1.4-3.7), body mass index < 18.5 (OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.3-4.7), and a high
      Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of 3 or 4 (OR 5.02, 95% CI 2.3-10.8)
      were significant factors for refusal of cancer treatment. CONCLUSION: Individual
      factors, such as old age, low educational status, low weight, and poor
      performance status can influence refusal of cancer treatment in patients with
      lung cancer, and should be considered prior to consultation with patients.

PMID- 28627789
TI  - gamma-Functionalizations of Amines through Visible-Light-Mediated, Redox-Neutral
      C-C Bond Cleavage.
AB  - Cleavage of unstrained C-C bonds under mild, redox-neutral conditions represents
      a challenging endeavor which is accomplished here in the context of a flexible,
      visible-light-mediated, gamma-functionalization of amines. In situ generated C
      centered radicals are harvested in the presence of Michael acceptors, thiols and
      alkyl halides to efficiently form new C(sp3 )-C(sp3 ), C(sp3 )-H and C(sp3 )-Br
      bonds, respectively.

PMID- 28627790
TI  - Regional cerebral blood flow in opiate dependence relates to substance use and
      neuropsychological performance.
AB  - Neuroimaging of opiate-dependent individuals indicates both altered brain
      structure and function. Magnetic resonance-based arterial spin labeling has been
      used to measure noninvasively cerebral blood flow (i.e. perfusion) in alcohol,
      tobacco and stimulant dependence; only one arterial spin labeling paper in opiate
      dependent individuals demonstrated frontal and parietal perfusion deficits.
      Additional research on regional brain perfusion in opiate dependence and its
      relationship to cognition and self-regulation (impulsivity, risk taking and
      decision making) may inform treatment approaches for opiate-dependent
      individuals. Continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging at 4 T
      and neuropsychological measures assessed absolute brain perfusion levels,
      cognition and self-regulation in 18 cigarette smoking opiate-dependent
      individuals (sODI) stable on buprenorphine maintenance therapy. The sODI were
      compared with 20 abstinent smoking alcohol-dependent individuals (a substance
      dependent control group), 35 smoking controls and 29 nonsmoking controls. sODI
      had lower perfusion in several cortical and subcortical regions including regions
      within the brain reward/executive oversight system compared with smoking alcohol
      dependent individuals and nonsmoking controls. Perfusion was increased in
      anterior cingulate cortex and globus pallidus of sODI. Compared with all other
      groups, sODI had greater age-related declines in perfusion in most brain
      reward/executive oversight system and some other regions. In sODI, lower regional
      perfusion related to greater substance use, higher impulsivity and weaker
      visuospatial skills. Overall, sODI showed cortical and subcortical hypoperfusion
      and hyperperfusion. Relating to neuropsychological performance and substance use
      quantities, the frontal perfusion alterations are clinically relevant and
      constitute potential targets for pharmacological and cognitive-based therapeutic
      interventions to improve treatment outcome in opiate dependence.

PMID- 28627791
TI  - No evidence of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with resolved infection
      treated with direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C in a large real-world
      cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has been observed following
      interferon (IFN)-based treatment in HBV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected
      patients. Recent reports suggest that reactivation may also occur in both
      hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive and HBsAg-negative patients during
      HCV treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). AIM: To investigate the rate
      of patients with HBV reactivation during IFN-based and IFN-free HCV treatment in
      a large real-world cohort. METHODS: A total of 848 patients with chronic
      hepatitis C were treated with different combinations of DAAs. Among patients with
      available outcome and HBV data, there were 272 patients hepatitis B core antibody
      (HBcAb)-positive (HBsAg-positive, n=9; HBsAg-negative, n=263), and 536 were HBcAb
      negative. All HBcAb-positive patients were tested for HBV DNA at the end of DAA
      therapy and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels were frequently measured during
      therapy and follow-up. RESULTS: Seventy-three percent (n=192/263) of HBsAg
      negative/HBcAb-positive patients had elevated ALT levels at baseline, which
      declined to normal values in all but 18 patients, and no HBV reactivation was
      observed. Eight patients had detectable but not quantifiable HBV DNA (<20 IU/mL)
      at end of treatment, but none were associated with elevated ALT. Five of nine
      HBsAg-positive/HBcAb-positive patients experienced transient or permanent HBV
      reactivation, three of whom required nucleos(t)ide treatment during (n=1) or
      after (n=2) DAA therapy. CONCLUSIONS: HBV reactivation was not observed in HBsAg
      negative/HBcAb-positive patients but common in HBsAg-positive/HBcAb-positive
      patients treated with different combinations of DAAs for HCV.

PMID- 28627795
TI  - Keynote Speaker.

PMID- 28627793
TI  - Increased Sympathetic Outflow Induces Adaptation to Acute Experimental Pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are interrelationships between the autonomic nervous system and
      pain. This study aims to explore the effect of different autonomic manipulations
      on pain perception and modulation. METHODS: Twenty healthy subjects (10 men and
      10 women, mean age 25 +/- 3 years) participated in this single-blinded, semi
      randomized, controlled study, which included 2 study visits. Warm detection
      thresholds, heat pain thresholds, conditioned pain modulation (CPM), and pain
      adaptation were tested before and after administration of phenylephrine,
      clonidine, yohimbine, and saline. RESULTS: Changes in heart rate and blood
      pressure were found after all the pharmacological interventions. The only effect
      on pain measures was that yohimbine enhanced pain adaptation capacity while
      phenylephrine reduced it (P = 0.032). Several significant correlations were found
      between autonomic and pain parameters; greater decreases in heart rate after
      phenylephrine were associated with reduced pain ratings (r2 = 0.288, P = 0.018).
      In addition, enhanced pain adaptation was associated with higher total vascular
      resistance (r2 = 0.442, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Different effects of acute
      autonomic manipulations on experimental pain were found: an increase in
      sympathetic tone induced by yohimbine led to reduced pain sensitivity; a decrease
      in sympathetic tone with no effect on vagal-parasympathetic tone induced by
      phenylephrine led to reduction in pain adaptation capacity; and a decrease in
      sympathetic tone and increase in vagal parasympathetic tone by clonidine led to
      no change in pain adaptation capacity. While increased sympathetic outflow does
      facilitate pain adaptation, activation of either the sympathetic or
      parasympathetic limbs of the autonomic nervous system does not affect pain
      thresholds or CPM. Finally, a correlation exists between nociception and
      cardiovascular parameters only due to baroreflex activation.

PMID- 28627792
TI  - beta-Catenin in desmoid-type fibromatosis: deep insights into the role of T41A
      and S45F mutations on protein structure and gene expression.
AB  - Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DF) is a rare mesenchymal lesion with high risk of
      local recurrence. Specific beta-catenin mutations (S45F) appeared to be related
      to this higher risk compared to T41A-mutated or wild-type (WT). We explored the
      influence of both mutations and WT on structure stability and affinity of beta
      catenin for alpha-catenin and the pattern of gene expression that may influence
      DF behavior. Using 33 surgically resected primary DFs harboring T41A (n = 14),
      S45F (n = 10), or WT (n = 9), we performed a comparative molecular analysis by
      protein/protein interaction modeling, gene expression by DASL microarrays, human
      inflammation gene panel, and assessment of immune system-based biomarkers by
      immunohistochemistry. Mutated proteins were more stable than WT and formed a
      weaker complex with alpha-catenin. Consensus unsupervised gene clustering
      revealed the presence of two DF group-mutated (T41A + S45F) and WT (P = 0.0047).
      The gene sets 'Inflammatory-Defense-Humoral Immune Response' and 'Antigen
      Binding' were significantly enriched in T41A. The deregulation of 16 inflammation
      related genes was confirmed. Low numbers of T cells and tumor-associated
      macrophages (TAM) infiltrating the tumors and low/absent PD-1/PD-L1 expression
      were also identified. We demonstrated that mutated DFs (T41A or S45F) and WT are
      two distinct molecular subgroups with regard to beta-catenin stability, alpha
      catenin affinity, and gene expression profiling. A different inflammation
      signature characterized the two mutated groups, suggesting mediation either by
      T41A or by S45F. Finally, all mutated cases showed a low number of TIL and TAM
      cells and a low or absent expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 consistent with beta
      catenin activation insensitive to checkpoint blockade.

PMID- 28627796
TI  - Foreword.

PMID- 28627798
TI  - II. Topic Sessions.

PMID- 28627799
TI  - IV. Posters.

PMID- 28627800
TI  - I. Plenary Sessions.

PMID- 28627801
TI  - III. Young Investigator Oral Communications.

PMID- 28627802
TI  - The length of patient and primary care time interval in the pathways to treatment
      in symptomatic oral cancer. A quantitative systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the relative length of the patient and primary care
      intervals in symptomatic oral cancer. DESIGN: Quantitative systematic review.
      SEARCH STRATEGY: Oral cancer OR oral squamous cell carcinoma OR oropharyngeal
      cancer AND time interval OR diagnostic delay. SETTING: Primary and secondary
      care. PARTICIPANTS: Oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: We computed five measures (patient, primary care, diagnosis, total
      diagnosis and total treatment intervals). Most studies did not provide any
      dispersion measure. We then used the sample size of each study to compute a
      weighted average of the mean intervals. When the median was provided, we assumed
      normality of the distribution of the means and used the median as a proxy of the
      mean. RESULTS: A total of 1089 articles were identified, and 22 met the inclusion
      criteria, reporting on 2710 patients from Europe, USA, India, Australia, Japan,
      Argentina and Iran. The weighted average of patient interval was 80.3 days.
      Primary care interval was five times shorter: 15.8 days. The diagnostic interval
      was appreciably shorter (47.9 days) when compared with the patient interval
      during symptomatic period. CONCLUSIONS: Patient interval represents the major
      component of waiting times since the detection of the first signs/symptoms to the
      definitive diagnosis of oral cancer. Thus, strategies focused on high-risk
      patients should be prioritised. Interventions aimed at optimising the health
      systems should be implemented by monitoring and facilitating diagnostic and
      treatment pathways of patients with oral cancer.

PMID- 28627803
TI  - Base-Mediated Generation of Ketenimines from Ynamides: Direct Access to
      Azetidinimines by an Imino-Staudinger Synthesis.
AB  - Ynamides were used as precursors for the in situ generation of highly reactive
      ketenimines that could be trapped with imines in a [2+2] cycloaddition. This
      imino-Staudinger synthesis led to a variety of imino-analogs of beta-lactams,
      namely azetidinimines (20 examples), that could be further functionalized through
      a broad range of transformations.

PMID- 28627806
TI  - Improving the Quantum Yields of Perylene Diimide Aggregates by Increasing
      Molecular Hydrophobicity in Polar Media.
AB  - Here we report the quantum yield of four aggregated perylene diimide (PDI)
      species that vary by the length of the branched side chains attached at the N,N'
      imide positions. The PDI molecules were dissolved in binary water:methanol
      solvents as a means to vary the solvent polarity and control the degree of
      aggregation in solution. By performing spectroscopy, kinetics, and light
      scattering experiments, the nature of the molecular interactions in the solutions
      was determined. The maximum quantum yield of the aggregated molecules increased
      from 0.04 for the shortest chain molecule (B2) to 0.20 for the largest chain
      molecule (B13). The higher quantum yield of B13 compared with B2 correlates well
      with an increase in the fluorescence lifetime. The monomer emission lifetime was
      4.8 ns whereas a lifetime as high as 21.2 ns was measured for the B13 aggregate
      fluorescence. A shorter sub-nanosecond lifetime was also measured for suspended
      colloids in B5, B9, and B13. The enhanced quantum yield is attributed to an
      increase of disorder in the B13 aggregates. As the polarity of the solution
      increases, the hydrophobic effect further enhances the disorder, and, therefore,
      the quantum yields in these particles.

PMID- 28627804
TI  - The Effect of Genetic Polymorphisms in SLCO2B1 on the Lipid-Lowering Efficacy of
      Rosuvastatin in Healthy Adults with Elevated Low-Density Lipoprotein.
AB  - Rosuvastatin is an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor widely used for treating
      hypercholesterolaemia. We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms in solute
      carrier organic anion transporter 2B1 (SLCO2B1) affect the lipid-lowering effect
      of rosuvastatin in healthy adults with elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL).
      This study included 18 volunteers with LDL levels above 130 mg/dL. Rosuvastatin
      (20 mg) was administered once a day for 8 weeks. Blood samples were drawn before
      and after the 8-week treatment to measure changes in lipid levels. The presence
      of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of SLCO2B1 (c.935G>A and c.1457C>T),
      SLCO1B1 (c.521C>T, c.388A>G and c.-11187G>A) and ABCG2 (c.421C>A) was determined
      by genotyping. Responses to rosuvastatin were compared between wild-type and
      variant genotypes using permutation test on each polymorphism. In volunteers with
      SLCO2B1 c.935G>A (rs12422149) variant, rosuvastatin was less effective at
      lowering LDL (mean % decrease: GG 62.8% GA 50.6% AA 49.3%, p = 0.012) and
      apoprotein B (mean % decrease: GG 52.1% GA 42.8% AA 42.8%, p = 0.036). Regarding
      SLCO2B1 c.1457C>T (rs2306168) SNP, there was no significant difference between
      wild-type and variant genotypes. This study demonstrated that SLCO2B1 c.935G>A
      (rs12422149) polymorphism influenced the lipid-lowering effects of rosuvastatin
      in volunteers with hypercholesterolaemia.

PMID- 28627805
TI  - Predicting the Enzymatic Hydrolysis Half-lives of New Chemicals Using Support
      Vector Regression Models Based on Stepwise Feature Elimination.
AB  - The enzymatic hydrolysis of chemicals, which is important for in vitro drug
      metabolism assays, is an important indicator of drug stability profiles during
      drug discovery and development. Herein, we employed a stepwise feature
      elimination (SFE) method with nonlinear support vector machine regression (SVR)
      models to predict the in vitro half-lives in human plasma/blood of various
      esters. The SVR model was developed using public databases and literature
      reported data on the half-lives of esters in human plasma/blood. In particular,
      the SFE method was developed to prevent over fitting and under fitting in the
      nonlinear model, and it provided a novel and efficient method of realizing
      feature combinations and selections to enhance the prediction accuracy. Our final
      developed model with 24 features effectively predicted an external validation set
      using the time-split method and presented reasonably good R2 values (0.6) and
      also predicted two completely independent validation datasets with R2 values of
      0.62 and 0.54; thus, this model performed much better than other prediction
      models.

PMID- 28627807
TI  - Catalytic Oxidation of Alcohol to Carboxylic Acid with a Hydrophobic Cobalt
      Catalyst in Hydrocarbon Solvent.
AB  - A hydrophobic cobalt catalyst was synthesized and proved to be effective in
      alcohol oxidation under the assistance of hydrocarbon solvent with oxygen as the
      terminal oxidant. A series of catalysts with different water contact angles was
      applied to investigate the hydrophobic effect. Further insight into the reaction
      process was gained by reaction kinetics, isotopic effect, etc. It showed that the
      hydrocarbon solvent participated in the alcohol oxidation, and with the aid of
      the in situ generated free radicals, the alpha-C-H bond was smoothly activated
      and the alcohol was converted to carbonyl compounds. The hydrophobic effect
      promoted the alcohol oxidation by affecting the solvent oxidation.

PMID- 28627808
TI  - Evaluation of a pharmaceutical risk-sharing agreement when patients are screened
      for the probability of success.
AB  - We analyze a game-theoretic model of a risk-sharing agreement between a payer and
      a pharmaceutical firm. The drug manufacturer chooses the price while the payer
      sets the rebate rate and decides which patients are eligible for treatment. The
      manufacturer provides the payer with a rebate for nonresponding patients. We
      generalize on the existing literature, by making both price and rebate rate
      decision variables, allowing the rebate rate to be different from 100%, and
      incorporating 2 types of administrative costs. We identify a threshold for the
      expected probability of response for classifying the drug as a mass-market or
      niche type and investigate the optimal solutions for both types. We also identify
      a threshold for the rebate rate at which the net benefits become equal for
      responding and nonresponding patients. Through numerical examples, we examine how
      various parameters impact the drug manufacturer's and the payer's optimal
      solution.

PMID- 28627810
TI  - Development of emotional and behavioral problems in neurofibromatosis type 1
      during young childhood.
AB  - This retrospective longitudinal study in young children with neurofibromatosis
      type 1 (NF1) aimed to identify if, and how early problems in behavior,
      intelligence, and language development are associated with later behavioral
      problems. At the first assessment at preschool age, we evaluated language skills,
      intelligence, and emotional and behavioral problems as reported by parents. The
      second assessment at school-age we evaluated intelligence, and emotional and
      behavioral problems as reported by parents and teachers. Association of baseline
      assessments with secondary assessment was evaluated using multivariable linear
      regression analysis. Of the 61 patients (25 males, 36 females; mean age 4;5 years
      [SD 1;1 years]) with NF1 who had a first assessment, 38 children (21 males, 17
      females; mean age 7;11 years [SD 2;1 years]) had a second assessment after a mean
      period of 3;5 years. Longitudinal data on behavioral problems were collected for
      23 of these children. Intelligence and language development were not associated
      with internalizing problems. Parent-rated internalizing behavioral problems
      significantly increased with age in this subgroup. Baseline internalizing
      problems predicted later internalizing problems (adjusted R2  = 0.33, p = 0.003).
      The presence of these problems at pre-school age may be predictive of
      internalizing problems at a later age.

PMID- 28627809
TI  - Ivabradine Reduces Digitalis-induced Ventricular Arrhythmias.
AB  - The I(f) channel inhibitor ivabradine is recommended for treatment of heart
      failure but also affects potassium currents and thereby prolongs ventricular
      repolarization. The aim of this study was to examine the electrophysiological
      effects of ivabradine on digitalis-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Thirteen
      rabbit hearts were isolated and Langendorff-perfused. After obtaining baseline
      data, the digitalis glycoside ouabain was infused (0.2 MUM). Monophasic action
      potentials and ECG showed a significant abbreviation of QT interval (-34 ms, p <
      0.05) and action potential duration (APD90 ; -27 ms, p < 0.05). The shortening of
      ventricular repolarization was accompanied by a reduction in effective refractory
      period (ERP; -27 ms, p < 0.05). Thereafter, hearts were additionally treated with
      ivabradine (5 MUM). Of note, this did not exert significant effects on QT
      interval (-4 ms, p = ns) or APD90 (-15 ms, p = ns) but resulted in an increase in
      ERP (+17 ms, p < 0.05). This led to a significant increase in post-repolarization
      refractoriness (PRR, +32 ms, p < 0.01) as compared with sole ouabain treatment.
      Under baseline conditions, ventricular fibrillation (VF) was inducible by a
      standardized pacing protocol including programmed stimulation and burst
      stimulation in four of 13 hearts (31%; 15 episodes). After application of 0.2 MUM
      ouabain, eight of 13 hearts were inducible (62%, 49 episodes). Additional
      infusion of 5 MUM ivabradine led to a significant suppression of VF. Only four
      episodes could be induced in two of 13 hearts (15%). In this study, ivabradine
      reduced digitalis-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Ivabradine did not affect
      ventricular repolarization in the presence of digitalis treatment but
      demonstrated potent anti-arrhythmic properties based on an increase in both ERP
      and PRR. The study further characterizes the beneficial electrophysiological
      profile of ivabradine.

PMID- 28627811
TI  - Energy-based Neural Networks as a Tool for Harmony-based Virtual Screening.
AB  - In Energy-Based Neural Networks (EBNNs), relationships between variables are
      captured by means of a scalar function conventionally called "energy". In this
      article, we introduce a procedure of "harmony search", which looks for compounds
      providing the lowest energies for the EBNNs trained on active compounds. It can
      be considered as a special kind of similarity search that takes into account
      regularities in the structures of active compounds. In this paper, we show that
      harmony search can be used for performing virtual screening. The performance of
      the harmony search based on two types of EBNNs, the Hopfield Networks (HNs) and
      the Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs), was compared with the performance of
      the similarity search based on Tanimoto coefficient with "data fusion". The AUC
      measure for ROC curves and 1 %-enrichment rates for 20 targets were used in the
      benchmarking. Five different scores were computed: the energy for HNs, the free
      energy and the reconstruction error for RBMs, the mean and the maximum values of
      Tanimoto coefficients. The performance of the harmony search was shown to be
      comparable or even superior (significantly for several targets) to the
      performance of the similarity search. Important advantages of using the harmony
      search for virtual screening are very high computational efficiency of
      prediction, the ability to reveal and take into account regularities in active
      structures, flexibility and interpretability of models, etc.

PMID- 28627812
TI  - Genetics of alcohol consumption in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Individual variation in alcohol consumption in human populations is determined by
      genetic, environmental, social and cultural factors. In contrast to humans,
      genetic contributions to complex behavioral phenotypes can be readily dissected
      in Drosophila, where both the genetic background and environment can be
      controlled and behaviors quantified through simple high-throughput assays. Here,
      we measured voluntary consumption of ethanol in ~3000 individuals of each sex
      from an advanced intercross population derived from 37 lines of the Drosophila
      melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel. Extreme quantitative trait loci mapping
      identified 385 differentially segregating allelic variants located in or near 291
      genes at P < 10-8 . The effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated
      with voluntary ethanol consumption are sex-specific, as found for other alcohol
      related phenotypes. To assess causality, we used RNA interference knockdown or
      P{MiET1} mutants and their corresponding controls and functionally validated 86%
      of candidate genes in at least one sex. We constructed a genetic network
      comprised of 23 genes along with a separate trio and a pair of connected genes.
      Gene ontology analyses showed enrichment of developmental genes, including
      development of the nervous system. Furthermore, a network of human orthologs
      showed enrichment for signal transduction processes, protein metabolism and
      developmental processes, including nervous system development. Our results show
      that the genetic architecture that underlies variation in voluntary ethanol
      consumption is sexually dimorphic and partially overlaps with genetic factors
      that control variation in feeding behavior and alcohol sensitivity. This
      integrative genetic architecture is rooted in evolutionarily conserved features
      that can be extrapolated to human genetic interaction networks.

PMID- 28627813
TI  - Effect of the Oxidant-Antioxidant System in Seminal Plasma on Varicocele and
      Idiopathic Infertility in Male Humans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate seminal oxidant-antioxidant
      activity in idiopathic and varicocele infertility in men. METHODS: Total anti
      oxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), paraoxonase (PON1), aryl
      esterase (ARE), and total thiol levels (TTL) were measured in seminal plasma with
      an autoanalyzer. The TOS/TAC ratio was determined as the oxidative stress index
      (OSI). A histopathological evaluation of the sperm was performed in the andrology
      laboratory of the hospital. Number, motility, morphology, volume, pH, and
      leukocytes were evaluated in all samples according to World Health Organization
      criteria. The three study groups were as follows: G1, males with idiopathic
      infertility; G2, males with varicocele infertility; and G3, normal healthy males
      (had fathered a child in the last 2 years). Each group was composed of 36 men
      (age, 25 - 40 years). The Rel Assay Diagnostics kit was used to determine the
      levels of the parameters. The study was conducted according to the principles of
      the declaration of Helsinki and was approved by Sakarya University Medicine
      Faculty Ethic Committee (e.n: 16214662/050.01.04/07). Statistical significance
      was assumed if p < 0.05. All statistical evaluations were performed using SPSS
      (version 20.0 for Windows; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: No differences
      were detected between the mean values of antioxidant parameters among the three
      groups (Kruskal-Wallis test). The p-values of the test parameters (TAC, TOS,
      PON1, ARE, TTL, OSI) are respectively: 0.494, 0.548, 0.068, 0.151, 0.202, 0.873.
      The antioxidant parameters of all subjects were compared using the MannWhitney U
      test in both groups as fertile (G3) and infertile (G1 + G2). The PON1 levels in
      infertile subjects were significantly higher than those in fertile subjects.
      There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.042). The other
      antioxidant parameters had no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05).
      The ARE was not performed in group 3 (control) due to a methodological problem.
      CONCLUSIONS: PON1 levels in infertile subjects were significantly higher than
      those of fertile subjects.

PMID- 28627814
TI  - Prognostic Role of Circulating Soluble uPAR in Various Cancers: a Systematic
      Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Soluble uPAR (suPAR) is a soluble fraction of uPAR which is an
      important cell surface receptor. Recent evidence suggests that circulating suPAR
      levels are elevated in multiple malignancies and associated with prognosis of
      patients, although the results are not consistent. This study aimed to analyze
      the effect of suPAR on the prognosis in various carcinomas through a systematic
      review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Eligible studies were searched in PubMed and
      EMBASE. Data were extracted from studies investigating the relationship between
      circulating suPAR and survival in patients with cancers. A meta-analysis of the
      hazard ratio (HR) was then performed to evaluate the prognostic role of suPAR in
      various carcinomas. Pooled HRs of suPAR for overall survival (OS) were calculated
      to measure the effect of circulating suPAR level on prognosis. RESULTS: After the
      literature search and systematic review, 12 articles regarding suPAR (I - III +
      II - III) including 2878 patients were included in a meta-analysis, which
      indicated a significantly poor OS in patients with high expression levels of
      circulating suPAR in subgroups of colorectal cancer (CRC), ovarian cancer, breast
      cancer, and prostate cancer (total HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.46 - 1.81) , and this effect
      is most obvious in patients with CRC (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.47 - 1.89). No evidence
      of heterogeneity and publication bias was present. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      suggested that suPAR is a promising biomarker in the prediction of prognosis in
      patients with cancers. However, further studies are warranted to validate its
      clinical application and biological implication with tumor development.

PMID- 28627815
TI  - The Levels of Serum Irisin as a Predictor of Insulin Resistance in Han Chinese
      Adults with Metabolically Healthy Obesity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum irisin levels and analyze
      its related factors in Han adults with metabolically healthy obesity. METHODS:
      This cross-sectional study included 75 metabolically healthy, non-obese adults
      and 51 metabolically healthy, obese adults. Anthropometric measurements,
      including height, weight, waist circumference (WC), and blood pressure, were
      performed. All patients underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) after 8
      hours of fasting, and the levels of glucose, insulin, lipids, and serum irisin
      were measured. RESULTS: The levels of serum irisin (5.40 +/- 1.69 vs. 6.46 +/-
      1.37 ug/mL) were significantly lower in the metabolically healthy obese group (p
      < 0.05). Irisin correlated positively with high density lipoprotein cholesterol
      (HDL-C) (r = 0.303) and correlated negatively with body mass index (BMI) (r = 
      0.389), WC (r = -0.324), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r = -0.441), HOMA-IR (r = 
      0.429), triglycerides (TG) (r = -0.185), total cholesterol (TC) (r = -0.209), low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (r = -0.157) (p < 0.05). Multiple
      regression analysis revealed that FPG (beta = -1.720, p = 0.001) and HOMA-IR
      (beta = -0.399, p = 0.006) were still significantly associated with irisin. Serum
      irisin (beta = -0.246, p = 0.005) and BMI (beta = 0.078, p = 0.043) were
      significant independent predictors for HOMAIR. CONCLUSIONS: Serum irisin levels
      were reduced in metabolically healthy, obese Han adults. Irisin reduction appears
      to be associated with elevated FPG and insulin resistance but not obesity. In
      additional, falling irisin may increase the occurrence of insulin resistance in
      metabolically healthy Han adults and should be examined in future studies.

PMID- 28627816
TI  - Spectrophotometric Determination of Selenium Through Triiodide Anion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Selenium is a chemical element found in the human body that plays a
      crucial role in its regulation. Depending on the concentration, it may have
      beneficial or have toxic effects. Selenium is incorporated as selenocysteine
      amino acid residue in selenoproteins which play an important role in many
      biological functions: anti-oxidant defense, regulation of the immune function and
      of the inflammatory response, metabolism of thyroid hormones, functioning of the
      central nervous system, biosynthesis of DNA and RNA, fertility, and reproduction.
      Excess selenium, altough less common than selenium deficiency, has equally
      important negative effects. METHODS: Given the importance of selenium
      quantification in various samples, the study proposes a simple and direct
      spectrophotometric determination of selenium using triiodide anions. The method
      is based on the oxidation of iodide in acidic medium by selenium (IV) contained
      in the sample, to form elemental iodine which, in turn, reacts with the excess
      iodide to form the triiodide anions, the most stable soluble species in aqueous
      solution. Triiodide is colored from yellow to brown, depending on the
      concentration. The coloured compound has maximum absorbance at specific
      wavelengths and thus, the stage of interaction with a chromogenic agent is
      eliminated. Due to the sensitivity of the reaction, the detection limit of
      triiodide, and therefore selenium, is extended toward lower values. RESULTS: The
      optimal conditions for the measurements were established: lambda = 290 nm, pH =
      1.0 - 1.5, reaction time = 15 minutes. Two areas of selenium detection were
      determined from the samples: 0.025 - 0.100 ppm, and 0.1 - 4.0 ppm. The detection
      limit of selenium was lowered at 0.100 ppm and even at 0.025 ppm, which
      significantly improves the sensitivity of the determination. Types of samples
      were specified which are suitable for analysis using the proposed method and
      explained why, in case of biological fluids, it must be used only accompanied by
      an adequate digestion method of the samples. CONCLUSIONS: Selenium can be
      measured by direct spectrophotometric determination of the triiodide anion
      resulting from the oxidation of iodide by selenium (IV) compounds from the
      sample. In this regard, a simple, direct, and sensitive determination method of
      selenium from the samples by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, without the use of
      chromogenic agents has been optimized.

PMID- 28627817
TI  - Turbidimetric Determination of Fecal Calprotectin Using Two Table Top Chemistry
      Analyzers: Mindray BS-200E and Cobas(r) c111.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fecal calprotectin assays are widely used in diagnosis and monitoring
      of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with suspected IBD. The most
      frequently used technique is ELISA and microtiter plates. Turbidimetric assays
      for analysis of fecal calprotectin can significantly reduce turnaround time. Many
      laboratories may be reluctant to run fecal samples on their large chemistry
      analyzers. The aim of this study was to evaluate fecal calprotectin particle
      enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay (PETIA) on smaller chemistry analyzers that
      could be dedicated for fecal samples. METHODS: The BUHLMANN fCAL(r) turbo assay
      was validated on two table top chemistry analyzers, Mindray BS-200E and cobas(r)
      c111. RESULTS: The assay was linear in the range between 20 and 1,900 ug/g with a
      limit of quantification around 20 ug/g on both instruments. The total coefficient
      of variation was < 7% in the range between 50 and 1,300 ug/g on both instruments.
      No antigen excess hook effect was observed up to 18,000 ug/g on the Mindray BS
      200E and up to 20,000 ug/g on cobas(r) c111. The BUHLMANN fCAL(r) turbo assay
      showed a high correlation with the BUHLMANN fCAL(r) ELISA. CONCLUSIONS: Running
      the BUHLMANN fCAL(r) turbo on Mindray BS-200E or cobas(r) c111 chemistry
      analyzers can provide rapid test results without exposing large routine chemistry
      analyzers to stool samples.

PMID- 28627818
TI  - Maternal Serum PLGF, PAPPA, beta-hCG and AFP Levels in Early Second Trimester as
      Predictors of Preeclampsia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying women at risk of preeclampsia (PE) by maternal serum
      screening is conducive to prompt gestational management and thereby improve both
      maternal and perinatal outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate
      the association between the concentrations of maternal serum placental growth
      factor (PLGF), pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPPA), free beta-human
      chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG), and alphaFetoprotein (AFP) and the development
      of preeclampsia early in the second trimester. METHODS: Forty pregnant women
      subsequently developed mild PE, 21 pregnant women subsequently developed severe
      PE, and 61 cases of normotensive controls were included. Maternal serum
      concentrations of PLGF, PAPPA, beta-hCG, and AFP were measured at 15 - 20 weeks
      of gestation. RESULTS: Serum PLGF level was lower in women who subsequently
      developed PE than in normotensive controls. However, the significant difference
      was only found between the severe PE and control groups (p = 0.015). Serum PAPPA,
      beta-hCG, and AFP levels were not significantly different between the PE and
      control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Serum PLGF level was lower in women who subsequently
      developed severe PE early in the second trimester, suggesting its role in
      prediction of PE.

PMID- 28627819
TI  - Analysis of Respiratory Viral Infections Detected Using Multiplex Real-Time PCR
      in Hwaseong, Korea from 2013 to 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated the incidences and age-related/seasonal variations of
      respiratory virus infections in a regional area in Korea. METHODS: A total of
      3,467 respiratory specimens from patients with acute respiratory infection
      symptoms in a teaching hospital were tested for respiratory viruses during 2013 -
      2015. RESULTS: At least one virus was detected in 2,561 of the 3,467 specimens
      (73.9%), and 706 patients (20.4%) were positive for two or more viruses. The most
      frequently detected viruses were rhinovirus (23.9%), respiratory syncytial virus
      B (15.5%), and adenovirus (12.5%). Most of the patients (with and without a
      detected virus) were children. Young children (< 5 years old) were significantly
      more likely to have two or more viruses compared to older individuals (p <
      0.0001). Most viruses exhibited seasonal variations. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      revealed the incidence of respiratory virus infections. These findings can
      enhance our understanding of the distribution of respiratory viruses according to
      patient age and season.

PMID- 28627820
TI  - Performance of the Liaison(r) XL Murex recHTLV-I/II Immunoassay in the Detection
      of HTLV-1/2 Antibodies in Serum.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and 2 (HTLV-1/2) immunoassays
      are used for blood screen- ing from blood products, milk, and organ donors.
      METHODS: We assessed the performance of the DiaSorin Liaison(r) XL murex recHTLV
      I/II immunoassay relative to the Abbott Architect(r) rHTLV-I/II immunoassay and
      with the Innogenetics immunoblot as confirmation. RESULTS: A panel of HTLV
      positive (n = 66) and negative (n = 30) sera was tested in both techniques within
      the same freeze/thaw cycle. The specificity and sensitivity of DiaSorin
      immunoassay were 100% and 78.8%, respectively. Abbott and DiaSorin immunoassays
      showed a correlation in chemiluminiscent signals to cutoff (S/CO) (Pearson r =
      0.92). Half of the samples (34/66) from the seropositive panel were not confirmed
      by immunoblot (S/CO < 5 in both techniques). CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirmed that
      the DiaSorin Liaison(r) XL murex recHTLV-I/II immunoassay is an effective
      platform for HTLV screening. Due to false-positive reaction, especially for
      samples with low S/CO, each seropositive sample should be confirmed by
      immunoblot.

PMID- 28627821
TI  - The Value of Serum Complement C1q in the Diagnosis of Acute Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between the levels of serum
      complement C1q and the risk and severity of acute ischemic stroke, a total of 154
      patients with acute ischemic stroke and 42 healthy volunteers as normal controls
      were enrolled in the present study. METHODS: According to the onset time of
      stroke, patients were divided into three groups. Using an immune transmission
      turbidity method, the levels of serum complement C1q were detected to investigate
      the relationship between the level of serum complement C1q and the incidence and
      severity of acute ischemic stroke. The risk factors of these groups were
      calculated using a conditional logistic regression model. The assessment of
      neurological function impairment was carried out according to the National
      Institute of Health Stroke Scale. Then correlation anal- ysis was carried out
      between the level of serum complement C1q among patients with acute ischemic
      stroke and the degree of neurological function impairment. RESULTS: The results
      showed that the level of serum complement C1q was higher in the ischemic stroke
      group than in the control group. Using a conditional logistic regression model it
      was discovered that serum complement C1q was the independent pathogenic factor of
      cerebral infarction. There also was a decreasing trend in the level of serum
      complement C1q with the extension of the onset time and an increasing trend in
      the level of serum complement C1q with the increase in the maximum diameter of
      infarction volume. CONCLUSIONS: Serum complement C1q is an independent risk
      factor for acute outbreak of ischemic stroke, whose level is closely related to
      the outbreak and infarct size and neurological function impairment.

PMID- 28627822
TI  - Development of a One Step Reverse Transcription-Loop-Mediated Isothermal
      Amplification System for a Highly Sensitive Detection of Rabbit Hepatitis E
      Virus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute viral hepatitis in
      areas with poor sanitation. Rabbit is one of important animal reservoirs of the
      virus. Reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP)
      system is a novel nucleic acid amplification assay, for which the specificity and
      sensitivity are much higher than that of conventional PCR. However, previously
      reported RT-LAMP system cannot detect rabbit HEV, which was identified recently
      and seems to be another potential source of human HEV infection. METHODS: In this
      study, genotype 4 HEV strains and rabbit HEV strains were used to verify the
      applicability of the previously reported HEV RT-LAMP. A new specific one step RT
      LAMP system was developed and evaluated to amplify rabbit HEV RNA. In order to
      test the sensitivity of the newly-developed assay, serial dilutions (from 5 x 103
      to 5 x 10-1/uL) of the rabbit HEV RNA were used as template to be detected by RT
      LAMP, real-time RTPCR, and nested RT-PCR. Specificity of the new assay was
      further evaluated using HAV, HBV, and HCV. With this new assay, 46 rabbit fecal
      samples were retrospectively investigated with real-time RT-PCR and nested RTPCR
      in parallel. RESULTS: The detection limit of this newly-developed RT-LAMP assay
      reached as low as 10 copies/reaction and no cross-reactivity was observed with
      other hepatitis viruses including hepatitis A, B, and C virus, which indicated
      that this assay has much higher sensitivity and specificity than that of nested
      RT-PCR and real time RT-PCR. Furthermore, among 46 rabbit fecal samples, there
      were four positive samples determined by those three assays and one positive
      sample only detected by HEV RT-LAMP and real-time RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Using a
      combination of sensitivity, specificity, and evaluation of clinical samples, this
      study provides the first data on the usefulness of RT-LAMP in the diagnosis of
      rabbit HEV RNA.

PMID- 28627823
TI  - Hepatitis C: an Overview of Various Laboratory Assays with their Mode of
      Diagnostic Cooperation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This review describes in chronological order the different assays for
      hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies, for the core antigen and for the HCV-RNA.
      METHODS: By ascending chronological order, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (ELISA), rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), HCV-Ab IgG avidity index (HCV AI), and
      Cy3-labeled microarray assay have been described for HCV antibodies in addition
      to ELISA for the total HCV core antigen (Ag). RESULTS: The recombinant immunoblot
      assay (RIBA) is a confirmatory test for HCV-Ab in blood, which is no longer
      needed due to the use of the sensitive third and fourth generation ELISA in
      addition to HCV-RNA detection by the Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain
      Reaction (RT-PCR). ELISA and RIBA measure current and prior exposure to HCV
      infection, but cannot discriminate between the two. RT-PCR is performed after
      ELISA for the diagnosis of HCV infection whether acute, chronic, false positive
      or false negative ELISA. CONCLUSIONS: The cooperation between ELISA and RT-PCR in
      the diagnosis of HCV infection has been tabulated and discussed. HCV genotyping
      and subtyping testing is essential in pre-treatment evaluation of the patients
      for setting valuable treatment strategies and in understanding the epidemiology
      of the virus.

PMID- 28627824
TI  - Clinical Utility of Thiol/Disulfide Homeostasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, the usefulness of thiol/disulfide homeostasis (TDH) in
      various diseases is being widely investigated. In this mini-review, our aim is to
      clarify the role of TDH in clinical practice in the light of current literature.
      METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the existing literature describing
      the clinical utility of TDH in the clinical setting. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL
      were used as data sources. Two reviewers conducted independent screening and data
      extraction. Use of TDH in each system was investigated separately. RESULTS: A
      total of 35 studies were detected in this mini-review. Our results revealed the
      protective role of TDH and its utility as a diagnostic marker in many common
      diseases in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: Maintenance of TDH as a crucial part
      of antioxidant defense system is critical in diagnosis and prognosis of
      potentially lethal diseases.

PMID- 28627825
TI  - The Comparison of Urinary Stones Between She Minority and Han Nationality in East
      Fujian, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to compare the incidence of urinary
      stones of She minority and Han nationality and analyze the composition of urinary
      stones. METHODS: The study was performed in 381 cases with 181 She minority and
      200 Han nationality. The composition of stones was mainly analyzed by infrared
      absorption spectrum. The incidence of urinary stones at different ages, different
      gender and different parts was compared between She minority and Han nationality.
      RESULTS: The urinary stone incidence of males was about twice as high as in women
      in She minority and Han nationality, and the incidence reached its maximum
      between the ages of 41 and 60, but the incidence decreased after 60 years of age.
      The distribution characteristics of urethra stones between She minority and Han
      nationality showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). The differences of
      carbonate apatite and struvite in male and female were statistically significant
      between She minority and Han nationality (p < 0.05). The level of Ca2+ and HPO42-
      in serum showed significant difference between She minority and Han nationality
      (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: According to these results, we put forward corresponding
      preventive measures of urinary stones in She minority.

PMID- 28627826
TI  - Automated Hematology Analyzer for Cell Counting in Body Fluid.

PMID- 28627827
TI  - A Case of Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia with Temporary Appearance of 7S IgM Half
      Molecule.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We encountered a rare case of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia with
      temporary appearance of 7S IgM half molecule and with monoclonal proteins binding
      to agarose gel. METHODS: The patient's serum and urine were analyzed using sodium
      dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. The N
      terminal amino acid sequences of the IgM with abnormal mass (68 kDa) were
      determined and compared with those of known immunoglobulin. RESULTS: The 68 kDa
      IgM consisted of a defective MU chain (36 kDa) and an intact kappa chain. N
      terminal amino acid sequence analysis demonstrated that the defective MU chain
      had the variable region of IgM. The agarose gel-binding ability of the IgM-kappa
      M-protein was lost after reduction or alkaline treatment of serum. CONCLUSIONS:
      The 7S half molecule IgM in the present case may miss a large part of the
      constant region of the u chain.

PMID- 28627829
TI  - MiR-29a and Messenger RNA Expression of Bone Turnover Markers in Canonical Wnt
      Pathway in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies showed that the canonical Wnt pathway and miR-29a play
      important roles in the pathogenesis of bone formation. We studied the levels of
      miR-29a and messenger RNA (mRNA) of bone turnover markers in the canonical Wnt
      pathway in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: The levels of miR-29a and mRNA
      of bone turnover markers in canonical Wnt pathway from peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction in 38 patients with AS and 32 healthy controls. Correlation analysis was
      conducted between the levels of miR-29a and mRNA and clinical measurements using
      Spearman's correlation test. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls, the levels of
      miR-29a, Dickkopf (DKK)-1, beta-catenin and Runx2 mRNA were significantly higher
      in AS patients (p < 0.05). In contrast, the levels of Gsk-3beta mRNA was
      significantly lower in AS patients than that in healthy controls (p < 0.05). Gsk
      3beta mRNA was positively correlated with beta-catenin mRNA expression (p < 0.05)
      and no other correlation was observed between any other markers (p > 0.05). Only
      DKK-1 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with disease course (p < 0.05)
      and no other correlation was observed between markers and clinical measurements
      (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The osteoblastic marker miR-29a and downstream mRNA of
      canonical Wnt signaling was upregulated in AS, suggesting their possible role in
      new bone formation in AS.

PMID- 28627828
TI  - The Relationship Between the MTHFR C677T Genotypes to Serum Anti-Mullerian
      Hormone Concentrations and In Vitro Fertilization/Intracytoplasmic Sperm
      Injection Outcome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The expression of the 5,10-methylentetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR)
      gene in human oocytes and preimplantation embryos suggests that the MTHFR gene is
      involved in folliculogenesis and female reproduction. Considering the importance
      of the MTHFR gene on female reproduction, the aim of this study was to evalu- ate
      the influence of MTHFR C677T polymorphism on ovarian marker reserve, particularly
      serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, and ovarian response as well as
      clinical pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization (IVF)/ intracytoplasmic
      sperm injection (ICSI). METHODS: A total of 137 women who underwent ART treatment
      due to male factor infertility enrolled in this study. Genotyping of MTHFR C677T
      polymorphism and serum AMH concentrations were performed by polymerase chain
      reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique and an
      ultrasensitive enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Women with the
      TT genotype showed significantly higher AMH levels (4.5 +/- 3.2 ng/mL) compared
      to carriers of other genotypes after ovarian stimulation. We observed a
      nonsignificant trend towards lower clinical pregnancy rates in patients with the
      TT (23.1%) versus CT (48.4%) genotypes (p = 0.2). No significant differences
      existed in terms of miscarriage and live birth rates among the groups.
      Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the duration of infertility and
      AFC were important predictive variables for the live birth rate. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results confirmed that the presence of the T mutant allele of the 677
      polymorphism in the MTHFR gene led to an increased trend in AMH levels.
      Interestingly, we observed that the numbers of oocytes retrieved decreased in the
      mutated genotypes. We have not observed this trend in relation to oocyte
      maturity. The influence of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism on embryo quality and
      pregnancy rate after ART cycles remains unclear.

PMID- 28627830
TI  - FLT3-ITD Mutations in Egyptian Patients of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Correlation
      with Cytogenetic, FAB Subgroups and Prognosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: FLT3-ITD mutations are common in AML subgroups, particularly in Acute
      Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). It infers poor prognosis in AML patients; however,
      its prognostic value in APL is still controversial. We aimed to assess the
      distribution and prognostic value of FLT3-ITD mutation within AML subgroups,
      focusing on APL. METHODS: In NCI, Cairo University, 346 newly diagnosed AML
      patients were included. Morphological, immunophenotypic and cytogenetic analysis
      were done at presentation and fixed follow-up points with monitoring in follow up
      visits of patients. FLT3-ITD mutations were detected using RT-PCR. RESULTS: FLT3
      ITD mutations were detected in 18.5% of AML patients with significant higher
      incidence in M3 patients (35.5%, p = 0.027) in comparison to other types. There
      was significant negative association between FLT3ITD mutations and CD34
      expression (p = 0.026). FLT3 wild patients had a significantly better response on
      Day 35 than the mutant group (p = 0.046). Overall Survival (OS) of the wild group
      was significantly better than that of the mutant group (p = 0.003). In APL
      patients, OS of wild-FLT3 patients was significantly better than of those with
      mutant FLT3 (p = 0.018). In non-APL patients, favorable cytogenetic changes -
      t(8;21) and inv(16) - are more common in FLT3 wild group (12.8%) than in FLT3
      mutant group (6.3%). In non-APL patients, FLT3-ITD mutation retained its adverse
      prognostic effect (p = 0.016). CD34 expression affected survival in both FLT3
      mutant and wild groups. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that FLT3-ITD mutations infer
      poor prognostic effects both in AML patients generally and in the APL group
      specifically. CD34 may have a prognostic impact in FLT3-ITD mutant patients,
      which is to be further investigated.

PMID- 28627831
TI  - Whole-Blood Thiopurine S-Methyltransferase Genotype and Phenotype Concordance in
      Iranian Kurdish Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thiopurine methyl transferase (TPMT), a drug-metabolizing enzyme,
      catalyzes methylation and consequently, the metabolism of thiopurine compounds
      used for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Individuals who are
      homozygous recessive or have extremely low TPMT activity need to avoid
      thiopurines because of concern for significant leukopenia. The aim of this
      research was to determine TPMT phenotypes and genotypes in IBD patients to
      predict the risk of thiopurine toxicity before treatment. METHODS: The present
      case-control study consisted of 210 ulcerative colitis patients and 212 unrelated
      healthy controls from the population of western Iran. TPMT phenotype and genotype
      were determined by HPLC and allele specific PCR and PCR-RFLP, respectively.
      RESULTS: TPMT phenotyping and genotyping were compatible and demonstrated no
      frequency for deficient, 2.2% for low, and 97.8% for normal-activity which is
      different compared with the results of other studies. There was a significant
      negative correlation between TPMT activities as calculated based on
      nmol6MTG/gHb/h and the Hb levels in both UC (r = -0.54, p < 0.001) and control
      groups (r = -0.27, p < 0.001). Interestingly, a significant positive correlation
      between Hb levels and TPMT activities was seen when the enzyme activity was
      calculated in mU/L in both UC patients (r = 0.14, p = 0.05) and in control
      subjects (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). The overall concordance rate between TPMT
      phenotypes and genotypes of mutants to alleles (9 out of 422), based on receiver
      operating characteristic (ROC) curve, yielded a sensitivity of 94.7% and
      specificity of 90% for mU/L and a sensitivity of 85.6% and specificity of 90% for
      nmol6MTG/gHb/h. CONCLUSIONS: The use of mU/L is more appropriate than
      nmol6MTG/gHb/h for expressing TPMT activity, and there is better correlation
      between genotypes and phenotypes of TPMT based on mU/L. The frequency of known
      mutant TPMT alleles in western Iran (Kurd population) is low suggesting low risk
      of thiopurine drug toxicity in IBD patients from this region.

PMID- 28627832
TI  - Molecular Epidemiological Traits of Group A Rotaviruses in Japanese Children
      During Transitional Period of Rotavirus Vaccine Implementation, 2011 - 2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Group A rotavirus (RVA) vaccines have been introduced in Japan since
      2011. To investigate the molecular epidemiological traits of RVA during the
      transitional period of rotavirus vaccine implementation in Japan, this study was
      undertaken by following up three-decade long surveillance conducted in the same
      regions. METHODS: RVA were screened and genotyped by RT-PCR from diarrheal
      samples collected from non-hospitalized patients in six localities (Hokkaido,
      Tokyo, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kyoto, and Saga) during 2011 - 2014. Selected samples
      were sequenced to elucidate the evolutionary trend. RESULTS: Among 1858
      specimens, the detection rate of RVA declined to 4.0% in 2013 - 2014 from 17.9%
      in 2011 - 2012 and 22.1% in 2012 - 2013. G1P[8] was the most predominant genotype
      in the first two years accounting for more than half, and G9P[8] showed the
      highest detection rate as 35.0% in the last year. Interestingly, the proportional
      rate of G2 strains in the studied period increased from 0% to 25%. VP6 genotyping
      revealed that DS-1 like reassortant G1P[8] strains were detected all over Japan
      and their prevalence fluctuated greatly from 35.0% to 89.5%. Sequence analysis of
      VP6 showed that strains in the current strains were closely related but distinct
      from the original reference strains, namely Wa and DS-1. CONCLUSIONS: The
      detection rates of RVA, their GP combinations, prevalence of reassortant strains
      varied greatly after the introduction of rotavirus vaccines in Japan. Continuous
      monitoring is warranted to refine future vaccine strategy.

PMID- 28627833
TI  - Comparison of the Analytical Performance Between cobas EGFR Assay and PCR-Clamp
      Method in the Detection of EGFR Mutations in Japanese Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
      Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: EGFR, a tyrosine-kinase, plays an important role in the progression
      of lung cancer. Since genetic abnormality of EGFR alters the effects of tyrosine
      kinase inhibitors targeting EGFR, molecular analyses of EGFR have recently gained
      more attention in the treatment of lung cancer. However, several different
      techniques are available and which method is superior has not been determined. In
      this study, we compared two recently developed PCR-based techniques, PCR-clamp
      method and cobas EGFR assay. METHODS: Ninety-four surgical samples and 58 biopsy
      samples from patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) were
      included in the study. Samples with positive and negative genetic abnormalities,
      66 and 28 respectively, were chosen for PCR-Clamp methods. Those same samples
      were reanalyzed with cobas EGFR assay. RESULTS: The concordance between PCR-Clamp
      and cobas EGFR methods was 95.7%. PCR-Clamp failed to detect four mutations that
      were detected with cobas EGFR assay. These two methods were further tested by
      analyzing 58 random biopsy samples. The concordance for the biopsy samples was
      93.1%, and PCR-Clamp, again, failed to detect three mutations that were detected
      with cobas EGFR assay. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed both methods detected most
      of the known EGFR mutations and the concordance was similar to those previously
      reported in different ethnicities. However, in our study, PCR-Clamp method failed
      to detect a total of seven mutations that were detected with cobas EGFR assay.
      Thus, we concluded that cobas EGFR assay is an easier and more accurate screening
      assay than PCR-Clamp method in detecting EGFR genetic abnormalities.

PMID- 28627834
TI  - Characteristics and Distribution of Penile Lesions in Croatian Men with
      Laboratory-Confirmed Low-Risk and High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies that compare penoscopic evaluation with the results of
      molecular human papillomavirus (HPV) testing are scarce. This study assessed and
      compared both type and distribution of various penile lesions using penoscopy
      (peniscopy) technique in Croatian men with different, laboratory-confirmed HPV
      status. METHODS: From a large cohort of men attending an outpatient STD clinic
      for HPV testing, a total of 120 patients were randomly selected and grouped into
      those positive for low-risk HPV, high-risk HPV, both low-risk and highrisk HPV,
      and those with negative results. Samples for HPV-DNA detection were taken by
      penile brushing and tested with the hc2 HPV DNA Test using Hybrid Capture 2
      technology. Lesions were observed by photocolposcope after the application of
      aqueous 5% acetic acid, and classified as flat (macular), papular, papillary,
      classical condyloma, PIN-suspicious and non-specific lesions. RESULTS: The
      results have shown that flat and non-specific acetowhite lesions were the most
      common overall. All groups differed significantly with respect to papular and
      papillary lesions. A combination of heterogeneous lesions (i.e., a mixed
      penoscopic pattern) was commonly observed in all HPV-positive groups, but was
      significantly lower in the HPV-negative group. A majority of lesions were located
      in the coronal sulcus, and the four groups differed with respect to the location
      only considering the lesions of the penile shaft. Distribution of lesions in
      different sites did not appear to be significantly different with respect to the
      group, although differences within the high-risk HPV group and the group with
      both low-risk and high-risk HPV were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Penoscopy is
      relevant, but not a conclusive diagnostic tool for differentiating HPV from non
      HPV findings in men - thus combining it with an HPV DNA test represents a more
      reliable approach.

PMID- 28627835
TI  - Clinical and Molecular Delineation of a Novel Cys1050Phe Missense Mutation in the
      ABCC9 Gene in a Korean Patient with Cantu Syndrome.
AB  - Cantu syndrome is characterized by congenital hypertrichosis, cardiomegaly, and
      osteochondrodysplasia and is recognized as a rare syndrome. Although it has
      previously been reported that the majority of affected individuals have a
      relatively good prognosis, there are no reports on long-term follow up. Here we
      report the first case of Cantu syndrome in Korea and the associated changes in
      overall development with rehabilitation over several months.

PMID- 28627836
TI  - DNA-Based Identification of a Carbonized Victim by Kinship Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our study will present the DNA identification of a carbonized victim
      using the DNA genotyping and by comparing the victim's DNA genotype with his
      parents' genotypes. METHODS: Blood obtained from the heart chambers was used for
      the identification of the carbonized body's genotype. Biological samples were
      also obtained by buccal swabs from his biological parents. We used an ABI 7500
      real-time PCR system for quantification and a ProFlex PCR System to amplify. PCR
      products were separated on an ABI 3500 genetic analyser and identified using
      GeneMapper ID-X vers. 1.4 software. RESULTS: We obtained the three DNA genotypes
      (mother, father, and carbonized victim). Using maternity and paternity DNA
      testing we established that the victim's genetic profile matched the DNA profiles
      of his biological parents. The probability of maternity (PM) and probability of
      paternity (PP) were of 99.99999% for each of the parents. CONCLUSIONS: Body
      fluids (blood, saliva) represent a better source for DNA compared to hard tissue,
      and its processing times are shorter than those for bone or teeth.

PMID- 28627837
TI  - Natural Antioxidant Vitamins Status in Pregnancies Complicated with Intrauterine
      Growth Restriction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The weight of the infant at birth is a powerful predictor of infant
      growth and survival and is dependent on maternal health and nutrition during
      pregnancy. Pregnant women have a defense mechanism against increased oxidative
      stress composed of antioxidant enzymes and natural antioxidant vitamins like
      vitamin C and E. Therefore, we evaluated whether differences exist in serum
      levels of vitamin C and E in pregnant women complicated with intrauterine growth
      restriction (IUGR). METHODS: This study was done in 180 pregnant women admitted
      in hospital for delivery. Blood samples were collected and stored at -70 degrees
      C until analysis. Among 180 pregnant women 150 were identified as IUGR pregnant
      women according to the weight of the infant and the remaining 30 normal healthy
      pregnant women as controls. Blood hemoglobin and serum vitamin C and E levels
      were measured in both groups. RESULTS: The mean hemoglobin concentration was
      significantly decreased (p< 0.001) in IUGR pregnant women (8.92 +/- 1.35 g/dL) as
      compared to the normal healthy pregnant women (10.51 +/- 1.04 g/dL) in our study.
      The serum concentration of vitamin C in the group of pregnant women with IUGR was
      0.54 +/- 0.15 mg/dL, whereas in the group of normal healthy pregnant women it was
      0.91 +/- 0.23 mg/dL. The serum vitamin E level in the normal healthy pregnant
      women group was 1.22 +/- 0.35 mg/dL and 0.65 +/- 0.24 mg/dL in IUGR pregnant
      women group. The serum vitamin C and E level in IUGR pregnant women group was
      found to be significantly decreased as compared to the normal healthy pregnant
      women group. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates the importance of natural
      antioxidants vitamin C and E against increased oxidative stress in pregnancies
      complicated with IUGR. Therefore, it may be useful to measure serum vitamin C and
      E levels in IUGR pregnant women. This study suggests further research to
      investigate the role of these natural antioxidant vitamins in fetal growth at
      various gestation stages.

PMID- 28627838
TI  - Residual Negative Pressure in Vacuum Tubes Might Increase the Risk of Spurious
      Hemolysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We planned a study to establish whether spurious hemolysis may occur
      when negative pressure remains in vacuum tubes. METHODS: Four tubes with
      different vacuum levels (-54, -65, -74, and -86 kPa) were used to examine blood
      drawn from one healthy volunteer; the tubes were allowed to stand for different
      times (1, 2, 3, and 4 hours). The plasma was separated and immediately tested for
      free hemoglobin (FHb). Thirty patients were enrolled in a verification
      experiment. RESULTS: The degree of hemolysis observed was greater when the
      remaining negative pressure was higher. Significant differences were recorded in
      the verification experiment. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that residual
      negative pressure might increase the risk of spurious hemolysis.

PMID- 28627839
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627840
TI  - Teaching clinical reasoning is more like detective work than you might imagine.
AB  - When supervising a medical student or a doctor in training, it is useful to know
      the different stages of clinical reasoning in order to identify at what stage the
      learner encounters a difficulty in making the right decision. Is he having
      trouble characterizing the clinical problem ? Is he generating the right
      hypotheses that are adapted to the data collection ? Is it a problem of
      verification of assumptions ? Of interpreting the data ? Of presumptive diagnosis
      or a poor choice of an intervention plan ? By making a pedagogical diagnosis, the
      supervisor will be more effective in adapting his recommendations in a more
      targeted way to the specific difficulties of the student or young colleague.

PMID- 28627841
TI  - Clinical decision making : from theory to practice... and backward.
AB  - Being able to analyze all the successive steps of decision making from the first
      contact with the patient to the final diagnosis is complex because it refers
      sometimes to intuitive elements proper to each clinician. However, understanding
      how they integrate probabilities of diseases into their clinical practice and
      manage diagnostic uncertainties is crucial. This allows a more rational practice
      of medicine and identifying factors related to the patient, physician or context
      that may modify the clinical decision making. Furthermore, the use of tools such
      as clinical scores has taken an important place with the evidence based medicine.
      Given the fact that they are partly theoretical, it is necessary to assess
      whether these recommendations are in line with clinical practice.

PMID- 28627842
TI  - Ultrasonography : an useful diagnostic tool for the general practitioner.
AB  - The ultrasound has become an increasingly popular tool in the clinical assessment
      of patients, not least in the field of general medicine. The technical evolution
      as well as the recent changes of the application of ultrasounds allows for rapid
      and targeted exams that has the potential to improve the care of patients. With
      the help of recent articles regarding ultrasound (US) in general medical
      practice, this article presents several useful indications for the primary care
      physician as well as shows today's training in Switzerland and demonstrates the
      need of an adapted training to better respond to today's need.

PMID- 28627843
TI  - Using the HEADSSS guide to teach students diagnostic skills in adolescent health
      Views from students participating in interprofessional courses.
AB  - Over the past few years, an interprofessional team of lecturers in Geneva has
      developed courses entitled " adolescent health and development ". These courses
      are open to students in medicine, nursing and nutrition, as well as to other
      interested health professionals. Using vignettes, students who participated in
      the courses present their thoughts on the use of the HEADSSS interview guide in
      the diagnostic approach with adolescents. These optional courses provide an
      opportunity to explore infrequently taught domains of the curriculum in a
      creative way. They give students the chance to develop common practice skills
      providing the basis for improved inter-professional collaborations in the future.

PMID- 28627844
TI  - Patient care in family medicine : what's new in the 2016 literature findings ?
AB  - During the last two decades in Europe, the scope of activities regarding chronic
      diseases management in family medicine has increased while technical activities
      and preventative care have decreased. A new literature review and meta-analysis
      confirms that the use of electronic health records improves the quality of care.
      In the field of interprofessionnality, the task delegation in chronic care
      management to nurses or medical assistants is a source of satisfaction for these
      professionals. At the same time, this could improve patients' quality of life.
      Finally, a systematic literature review reports the major assets according to the
      family physicians regarding their occupation i.e. freedom to organize and manage
      their own work, good balance between workload and income and high intellectual
      stimulation.

PMID- 28627845
TI  - Efficacy of interprofessionnality : evidence and challenges.
AB  - Skillmix is often proposed as a measure to address the growing needs of an aging
      population with its expected increase in chronic diseases. This article reports
      on a symposium on interprofessional collaboration which took place in the canton
      of Valais in Switzerland. Reviews of the literature on interprofessional
      collaboration show evidence in favor of the effectiveness of having interactions
      between physicians, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists. A critical analysis
      of different forms of coordinated care within family medicine supports the
      effectiveness of these approaches. However, these approaches now need to be
      tested in Switzerland.

PMID- 28627846
TI  - Drug-induced myopathies.
AB  - Drug myopathies are frequent and their identification important because of their
      potential morbidity. Apart from statins, the drugs most often involved are
      glucocorticoids, antimalarials, colchicine, and antiretrovirals. These myopathies
      are largely preventable, particularly those that occur in combinations of
      treatments or in the presence of comorbidities. Their relatively specific
      presentation often makes it possible to approach the diagnosis and to target the
      possible molecule to be interrupted. In general, they are spontaneously and
      rapidly reversible upon discontinuation of the drug, with the exception of statin
      induced autoimmune necrotizing myopathy ; however, the latter is reversible under
      immunosuppressants, when initiated early enough.

PMID- 28627847
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627848
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627849
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627850
TI  - To prevent and deal with medical problems on board.
AB  - As more and more quality of life becomes a goal of personnel and sustainable
      development, long-distance travel is becoming more widespread. Sailing around the
      world is an example of this evolution. The keys to a successful journey are
      rigorous preparation and adherence to some prevention rules. Medical or surgical
      emergencies are rare, and can often be dealt with by remote medical contact. New
      communication technologies such as satellite phones make it possible to seek
      medical advice from professionals, or even for sailers to treat themselves with
      very short prior training, provided that the required equipment and medicines
      have been embarked before leaving. Sophisticated rescue can also be organized.
      These technological innovations have changed the security and lives of sailors
      and explorers in remote areas of the world.

PMID- 28627851
TI  - Zika virus: practical guidelines.
AB  - Zika virus suddenly emerged in Latin America in 2015-2016. Congenital
      malformations have been observed in infected pregnant women, causing a major
      public health impact in affected countries, particularly in Brazil. In addition,
      sexual transmission of Zika virus has been well documented. This led to the
      development of prevention strategies and recommendations for travellers visiting
      at risk countries. These documents are regularly amended depending on the
      evolution of scientific knowledge, the epidemiologic trends and the national and
      international guidelines. Through practical cases, we present here the guidelines
      developed by the Geneva University Hospitals.

PMID- 28627852
TI  - Multidrug-resistant bacteria and travel.
AB  - Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem which affects also tropical
      countries. Travelers to these regions expose themselves to the risk of being
      colonised and infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria. The region visited, the
      occurrence of diarrhoea and the use of antibiotics are the principal risk factors
      leading to colonisation with multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, which can
      affect up to 80% of travellers. Colonisation with meticillin resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin resistant enterococci are often due to
      contacts with the health care system of the visited country. For the practitioner
      evaluating a patient returning from abroad it is important to consider the risk
      of infection with multidrug-resistant bacteriae. Screening for these bacteriae in
      the stool or by mucocutaneous swabs can be discussed in certain situations.

PMID- 28627853
TI  - Determinants of outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases : the case of
      Chikungunya in Indian ocean, 2004-2007.
AB  - Emerging outbreaks of arboviroses are most often tied to the convergence of a set
      of factors which have physical and environmental, genetic and biological,
      ecological, social, political and economic origins. Thirteen out of these factors
      are known as main determinants of emerging infectious disease outbreaks. This
      paper assesses the role of these factors from exploring the Chikungunya outbreak
      which occurred in Indian Ocean in 2004-2007, as case study. Chikungunya is an
      alphavirus borne and transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

PMID- 28627854
TI  - Swiss and tropical snakebites: the clinical management.
AB  - With increasing trips to tropical areas, as well as a high number of venomous
      snake holders in the country, the frequency of snake bites is likely to increase.
      Even if in 50 % of cases, the bites do not lead to clinical envenoming, rapid and
      effective management is essential to successful treatment, which includes supply
      with the polyvalent or specific antivenom and recognition of the signs and
      symptoms justifying its administration. We will deal here mainly with local and
      tropical snake envenoming that Swiss practitioners could encounter in their
      offices or the emergency rooms and propose scenarios according to the syndromes.

PMID- 28627856
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627855
TI  - Multiplex PCR gastro-intestinal panels for the management of traveller's diarrhea
      : are they accurate and useful?
AB  - Until recently, the search for enteropathogens causing travellers' diarrhea was
      based on stool culture (Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp.),
      direct microscopy with (Cryptosporidium spp.) or without specific staining
      (Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica) or specific antigen detection (Giardia
      lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica). Molecular analyses are progressively replacing
      traditional diagnostic methods but their clinical usefulness remains to be better
      defined. This article attempts to describe the advantages and disadvantages of
      these new molecular methods and to illustrate situations where they could be
      useful using clinical cases frequently encountered in the practice of travel
      medicine.

PMID- 28627857
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627858
TI  - ?

PMID- 28627859
TI  - Use of dynamic movement orthoses to improve gait stability and trunk control in
      ataxic patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with cerebellar ataxia show increased upper body movements,
      which have an impact on balance and walking. AIM: In this study, we investigated
      the effect of using dynamic movement orthoses (DMO), designed as elastic suits,
      on trunk motion and gait parameters. DESIGN: Longitudinal uncontrolled study.
      SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation unit. POPULATION: Eleven patients (7 men, 4
      women; mean age: 49.9+/-9.5 years) with degenerative cerebellar ataxia were
      enrolled in this study. METHODS: Linear overground gait of patients was recorded
      by means of an optoelectronic gait analysis system before DMO use (DMO-) and
      during DMO use (DMO+). Time-distance parameters, lower limb joint kinematics,
      body sway, trunk oscillations, and gait variability (coefficient of variation
      [CV]) were recorded. Patient satisfaction with DMO device was measured using
      Quebec user evaluation of satisfaction with assistive technology. RESULTS: When
      using the DMO, patients showed a significant decrease in stance phase duration,
      double support phase duration, swing phase CV, pelvic range of motion (ROM), body
      sway, and trunk ROMs. A significant increase was observed in the swing phase
      duration and knee joint ROM. Out of 11 patients, 10 were either quite satisfied
      (8 points) or very satisfied (2 points) with the assistive device. CONCLUSIONS:
      The DMO reduce the upper body motion and in improve balance-related gait
      parameters. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: We propose use of DMO as an
      assistive/rehabilitative device in the neurorehabilitation of cerebellar ataxia
      to improve the trunk control and gait stability. DMO may be considered a
      prototype that can be modified in terms of material characteristics, textile
      layers, elastic components, and diagonal and lateral seams.

PMID- 28627860
TI  - The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 can predict the
      institutionalization of patients with stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0
      (WHODAS 2.0) is a well-known questionnaire used to evaluate disability. We can
      not only evaluate disability but also obtain additional information by using the
      standardized WHODAS 2.0 scores. AIM: To predict the institutionalization of the
      patients with stroke by using the standardized WHODAS 2.0 scores. DESIGN:
      Observational study. SETTING: The data of 10,255 patients with stroke were
      acquired from the Data Bank of Persons with Disabilities (TDPD) in Taiwan.
      POPULATION: Patients with either ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke during chronic
      stage. METHODS: For the patients with stroke, we used a chi2 analysis for the
      categorical variables, and an independent Student's t test to compare the
      standardized WHODAS 2.0 scores in the six domains between different groups. We
      also generated a receiver operating characteristic curve using the standardized
      WHODAS 2.0 scores, and applied Youden Index to calculating the optimal cut-off
      point on the ROC curve. Then, we used a binary logistic regression analysis to
      determine risk factors for the institutionalization. RESULTS: All WHODAS 2.0
      domains had higher scores in the institution group than in the community group.
      The ROC curve used to predict the institutionalization of patients with stroke
      revealed that all WHODAS 2.0 domains were statistically significant. The
      cognition, and mobility domains and the sum of WHODAS 2.0 scores were more
      accurate for predicting the risk of institutionalization in a long-term care
      facility. In a logistic regression analysis, standardized WHODAS 2.0 scores >=69,
      residence in an urban area, and severity of impairment were factors for
      predicting the institutionalization of the patients with stroke. CONCLUSIONS:
      WHODAS 2.0 scores, urbanization level, and severity of impairment were positive
      factors for the institutionalization of patients with stroke in long-term care
      facilities, whereas the female sex and an age of >=85 years were negative
      factors. The cognition and mobility domains and standardized WHODAS 2.0 scores
      were more accurate for predicting the institutionalization of patients with
      stroke. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: Proper analysis of the functioning status
      and risk factors, as well as prediction of discharge destination for the patients
      with stroke can help the healthcare system reduce unnecessary expenditures and
      make the allocation of social resources more efficient.

PMID- 28627861
TI  - Effectiveness of aquatic therapy for the control of pain and increased
      functionality in people with Parkinson's disease: a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gait, balance disorders and pain associated with Parkinson's disease
      represent important therapeutic challenges, as they are related with an increased
      risk of falls, together with disability and physical decline. AIM: To compare the
      effects of an aquatic ai chi training program on the perception of pain, the
      maintenance of balance and the functional independence of patients with
      Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: A single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING:
      Parkinson's associations and municipal pools. POPULATION: Thirty individuals from
      two Parkinson's associations in Spain participated in the study. INCLUSION
      CRITERIA: individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in stages 1 to 3 (Hoehn
      and Yahr Scale), older than 40 years, in the off phase (not medicated) and with a
      score greater or equal to 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination Scale, without
      any medical contraindications and who accepted the study norms. METHODS: The
      experimental group (N.=15 patients) participated in a program of aquatic ai chi.
      The control group (N.=15) received therapy on dry land. The intervention lasted
      10 weeks with sessions held twice weekly. The pain VAS, Tinetti, Berg, Test Get
      Up and Go, Five Times Test and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale were
      used. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the baseline and one
      month follow up assessments in pain perception values (F=26.89, P<0.001), and the
      Tinetti Test (F=21.57, P<0.001) in the experimental group compared to the control
      group (P<0.05) with the exception of the FTSTS (P=0.006). In the control group,
      improvements were only seen on the VAS Pain Scale (F=8.3, P=0.004) and these were
      less significant than the changes found in the experimental group. Regarding the
      scores obtained on the UPDRS scale in the experimental group, there were
      significant differences in activities of daily living and motor examination, with
      the exception of mentation, behavior and mood. CONCLUSIONS: An aquatic ai chi
      program appears to be a valid treatment option for patients diagnosed with mild
      to moderate Parkinson's disease for the treatment of pain, balance and functional
      capacity. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: Physical exercise performed in water
      has positive effects on some of the necessary elements that contribute towards
      improved biomechanical gait patterns in our patients with Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 28627862
TI  - Feasibility and efficacy of wearable devices for upper limb rehabilitation in
      patients with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wearable devices based on inertial measurement units through wireless
      sensor networks have many applications such as real-time motion monitoring and
      functional outcome assessment of stroke rehabilitation. However, additional
      investigations are warranted to validate their clinical value, particularly in
      detecting the synergy patterns of movements after stroke. AIM: The aim of this
      study was to explore the feasibility and efficacy of wearable devices for upper
      limb rehabilitation in patients with chronic stroke and to compare the
      intervention effects (e.g., neurological recovery, active range of motion, and
      deviation angle) with those in a control group. DESIGN: A single-blind,
      randomized-controlled pilot study. SETTING: Rehabilitation ward. METHODS: A total
      of 18 patients with chronic stroke were randomly distributed into a device group
      and control group. Both groups received conventional rehabilitation;
      nevertheless, the device group was additionally subjected to 15 daily sessions at
      least three times a week for 5 weeks. The outcome measures included the upper
      extremity subscores of the Fugl-Meyer assessment, active range of motion, and
      deviation angle. These measurements were performed pre- and post-treatment.
      RESULTS: All five Fugl-Meyer assessment subscores improved in both the device and
      control groups after intervention; in particular, the "shoulder/elbow/forearm"
      subscore (P=0.02, 0.03) and "total score" (P=0.03, 0.03) substantially improved.
      The active range of motion of shoulder flexion and abduction substantially
      improved at pre-post treatment in both the device (P=0.02, 0.03) and control
      (P=0.02, 0.03) groups. The deviation angle of shoulder external rotation during
      shoulder abduction substantially improved in the device group (P=0.02), but not
      in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The designed wearable devices are practical
      and efficient for use in chronic patients with stroke. CLINICAL REHABILITATION
      IMPACT: Wearable devices are expected to be useful for future internet-of-things
      rehabilitation clinical trials at home and in long-term care institutions.

PMID- 28627863
TI  - Endovascular treatment of mycotic aortic aneurysms: a paradigm shift.
AB  - Treatment of mycotic aortic aneurysms (MAAs) composes a particularly difficult
      challenge. Open repair has been considered the gold standard, despite lack of
      evidence supporting its superiority compared with the emerging alternative
      endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). This review discusses the pros and cons of
      EVAR for MAAs by dissecting the three largest publications on MAAs, and concludes
      that there has been a paradigm shift in treatment of MAAs for the benefit of
      EVAR.

PMID- 28627864
TI  - Type II endoleaks: when and how.
AB  - Although most type II endoleaks are self-limiting, the most common indication for
      secondary intervention after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is type II
      endoleak. However, it is still debatable when to treat them. Furthermore,
      different intervention techniques are available to treat type II endoleaks. The
      aim of this review is to look at current evidence and updates on type II
      endoleaks after EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm and their management.

PMID- 28627865
TI  - The value of color Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis of lower extremity
      vascular disease in type 2 diabetes and an analysis of related factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper is to explore the application and clinical
      significance of color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) in diagnosing lower extremity
      vascular disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: The lower
      extremity arteries of 81 patients with T2DM and 50 control patients were examined
      by CDU for blood vessel diameter, intima-media thickness, plaque on the vessel
      wall, lumen stenosis and filling defect in blood flow. The occurrence of diabetes
      mellitus was investigated in additional T2DM patients of various ages. RESULTS:
      Left popliteal artery, left and right dorsal artery of the foot; the incidence of
      atherosclerotic plaque, stenosis and occlusion of the lower extremity vascular
      lumen of T2DM patients was significantly higher than that in the control group.
      Vascular disease in the lower extremities was mainly small and medium vascular
      disease (lower than popliteal artery), especially the dorsal artery of the foot,
      for which the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The elder
      patients had a greater chance of lower extremity arterial disease. CONCLUSIONS:
      CDU is the examination method of preference for T2DM patients with lower
      extremity vascular disease. It has a very important clinical significance for
      early diagnosis, prevention and treatment.

PMID- 28627866
TI  - Cardiovascular disease in PCOS is related to severe insulin resistance, not mild.

PMID- 28627867
TI  - Two-Dimensional Imine-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks as a Platform for
      Selective Oxidation of Olefins.
AB  - Two-dimensional imine-linked covalent organic frameworks with hydroxyl groups,
      TAPT-DHTA-COFHX and TAPT-DHTA-COFDMF, were respectively constructed by the
      condensation of 1,3,5-tris-(4-aminophenyl)triazine and 2,5-dihydroxyl
      terephthalaldehyde under solvothermal and reflux conditions. Both COFs possess
      excellent thermal stability and a similar eclipsed stacking structure verified by
      XRD patterns. However, TAPT-DHTA-COFHX presented a larger surface area (2238
      m2/g) and higher crystallinity than TAPT-DHTA-COFDMF. Significantly, copper ions
      are efficiently incorporated into the pores of these two COFs via the
      coordination interaction with hydroxyl groups and imine linkers. The obtained
      copper-containing COFs (Cu-COFHX and Cu-COFDMF) were employed in the selective
      oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde. Cu-COFHX with superior surface area (1886
      m2/g) and pore volume (1.11 cm3/g) exhibited excellent catalytic performance and
      recyclability. This strategy not only provides a convenient approach to design
      imine-linked 2D COFs with hydroxyl groups, but also develops their novel
      application for catalysis.

PMID- 28627868
TI  - Alkaline Phosphatase-Instructed Self-Assembly of Gadolinium Nanofibers for
      Enhanced T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumor.
AB  - Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an important enzyme but using ALP-instructed self
      assembly of gadolinium nanofibers for enhanced T2-weighted magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) of tumor has not been reported. In this work, we rationally
      designed a hydrogelator Nap-FFFYp-EDA-DOTA(Gd) (1P) which, under the catalysis of
      ALP, was able to self-assemble into gadolinium nanofibers to form hydrogel Gel I
      for enhanced T2-weighted MR imaging of ALP activity in vitro and in tumor. T2
      phantom MR imaging indicated that the transverse relaxivity (r2) value of Gel I
      was 33.9% higher than that of 1P and both of them were 1 order of magnitude
      higher than that of Gd-DTPA. In vivo T2-weighted MR imaging showed that, at 9.4
      T, ALP-overexpressing HeLa tumors of 1P-injected mice showed obviously enhanced
      T2 contrast. We anticipate that, by replacing ALP with other enzymes, our
      approach could be applied for MR diagnosis of other diseases in the future.

PMID- 28627869
TI  - Effects of Detergent Micelles on Lipid Binding to Proteins in Electrospray
      Ionization Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - A wide variety of biological processes rely upon interactions between proteins
      and lipids, ranging from molecular transport to the organization of the cell
      membrane. It was recently established that electrospray ionization mass
      spectrometry (ESI-MS) is capable of capturing transient interactions between
      membrane proteins and their lipid environment, and a detailed understanding of
      the underlying processes is therefore of high importance. Here, we apply ESI-MS
      to investigate the factors that govern complex formation in solution and gas
      phases by comparing nonselective lipid binding with soluble and membrane
      proteins. We find that exogenously added lipids did not bind to soluble proteins,
      suggesting that lipids have a low propensity to form electrospray ionization
      adducts. The presence of detergents at increasing micelle concentrations, on the
      other hand, resulted in moderate lipid binding to soluble proteins. A direct ESI
      MS comparison of lipid binding to the soluble protein serum albumin and to the
      integral membrane protein NapA shows that soluble proteins acquire fewer lipid
      adducts. Our results suggest that protein-lipid complexes form via contacts
      between proteins and mixed lipid/detergent micelles. For soluble proteins, these
      complexes arise from nonspecific contacts between the protein and detergent/lipid
      micelles in the electrospray droplet. For membrane proteins, lipids are
      incorporated into the surrounding micelle in solution, and complex formation
      occurs independently of the ESI process. We conclude that the lipids in the
      resulting complexes interact predominantly with sites located in the
      transmembrane segments, resulting in nativelike complexes that can be
      interrogated by MS.

PMID- 28627870
TI  - Encapsulation of Autoinducer Sensing Reporter Bacteria in Reinforced Alginate
      Based Microbeads.
AB  - Quorum sensing, in which bacteria communities use signaling molecules for inter-
      and intracellular communication, has been intensively studied in recent decades.
      In order to fabricate highly sensitive easy-to-handle point of care biosensors
      that detect quorum sensing molecules, we have developed, as is reported here,
      reporter bacteria loaded alginate-methacrylate (alginate-MA) hydrogel beads. The
      alginate-MA beads, which were obtained by electrostatic extrusion, were
      reinforced by photo-cross-linking to increase stability and thereby to reduce
      bacteria leaching. In these beads the genetically engineered fluorescent reporter
      bacterium Escherichia coli pTetR-LasR-pLuxR-GFP (E. coli pLuxR-GFP) was
      encapsulated, which responds to the autoinducer N-(3-oxododecanoyl)homoserine
      lactone secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After encapsulation in alginate-MA
      hydrogel beads with diameters in the range of 100-300 MUm that were produced by
      an electrostatic extrusion method and rapid photo-cross-linking, the E. coli
      pLuxR-GFP were found to possess a high degree of viability and sensing activity.
      The encapsulated bacteria could proliferate inside the hydrogel beads, when
      exposed to bacteria culture medium. In media containing the autoinducer N-(3
      oxododecanoyl)homoserine lactone, the encapsulated reporter bacteria responded
      with a strong fluorescence signal due to an increased green fluorescent protein
      (GFP) expression. A prototype dipstick type sensor developed here underlines the
      potential of encapsulation of viable and functional reporter bacteria inside
      reinforced alginate-methacrylate hydrogel beads for whole cell sensors for
      bacteria detection.

PMID- 28627871
TI  - The Sulfur-Linked Analogue of O-GlcNAc (S-GlcNAc) Is an Enzymatically Stable and
      Reasonable Structural Surrogate for O-GlcNAc at the Peptide and Protein Levels.
AB  - Synthetic proteins bearing site-specific posttranslational modifications have
      revolutionized our understanding of their biological functions in vitro and in
      vivo. One such modification, O-GlcNAcylation, is the dynamic addition of beta-N
      acetyl glucosamine to the side chains of serine and threonine residues of
      proteins, yet our understanding of the site-specific impact of O-GlcNAcylation
      remains difficult to evaluate in vivo because of the potential for enzymatic
      removal by endogenous O-GlcNAcase (OGA). Thioglycosides are generally perceived
      to be enzymatically stable structural mimics of O-GlcNAc; however, in vitro
      experiments with small-molecule GlcNAc thioglycosides have demonstrated that OGA
      can hydrolyze these linkages, indicating that S-linked beta-N-acetyl glucosamine
      (S-GlcNAc) on peptides or proteins may not be completely stable. Here, we first
      develop a robust synthetic route to access an S-GlcNAcylated cysteine building
      block for peptide and protein synthesis. Using this modified amino acid, we
      establish that S-GlcNAc is an enzymatically stable surrogate for O-GlcNAcylation
      in its native protein setting. We also applied nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy and computational modeling to find that S-GlcNAc is an good
      structural mimic of O-GlcNAc. Finally, we demonstrate that site-specific S
      GlcNAcylation results in biophysical characteristics that are the same as those
      of O-GlcNAc within the context of the protein alpha-synuclein. While this study
      is limited in focus to two model systems, these data suggest that S-GlcNAc
      broadly resembles O-GlcNAc and that it is indeed a stable analogue in the context
      of peptides and proteins.

PMID- 28627873
TI  - Ni and NiO Nanoparticles Decorated Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets: Facile
      Synthesis and High-Performance Nonenzymatic Glucose Detection in Human Serum.
AB  - Ni-MOF (metal-organic framework)/Ni/NiO/carbon frame nanocomposite was formed by
      combing Ni and NiO nanoparticles and a C frame with Ni-MOF using an efficient one
      step calcination method. The morphology and structure of Ni-MOF/Ni/NiO/C
      nanocomposite were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy disperse
      spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. Ni-MOF/Ni/NiO/C nanocomposites were immobilized onto
      glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) with Nafion film to construct high-performance
      nonenzymatic glucose and H2O2 electrochemical sensors. Cyclic voltammetric (CV)
      study showed Ni-MOF/Ni/NiO/C nanocomposite displayed better electrocatalytic
      activity toward glucose oxidation as compared to Ni-MOF. Amperometric study
      indicated the glucose sensor displayed high performance, offering a low detection
      limit (0.8 MUM), a high sensitivity of 367.45 mA M-1 cm-2, and a wide linear
      range (from 4 to 5664 MUM). Importantly, good reproducibility, long-time
      stability, and excellent selectivity were obtained within the as-fabricated
      glucose sensor. Furthermore, the constructed high-performance sensor was utilized
      to monitor the glucose levels in human serum, and satisfactory results were
      obtained. It demonstrated the Ni-MOF/Ni/NiO/C nanocomposite can be used as a good
      electrochemical sensing material in practical biological applications.

PMID- 28627872
TI  - Xanthohumol Blocks Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in
      Vitro and Reduces Neointima Formation in Vivo.
AB  - Xanthohumol (1) is a principal prenylated chalcone found in hops. The aim of this
      study was to examine its influence on platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB
      triggered vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration in vitro
      and on experimentally induced neointima formation in vivo. Quantification of
      resazurin conversion indicated that 1 can inhibit PDGF-BB-induced VSMC
      proliferation concentration-dependently (IC50 = 3.49 MUM). Furthermore, in a
      wound-healing assay 1 potently suppresses PDGF-BB-induced VSMC migration at 15
      MUM. Tested in a mouse femoral artery cuff model, 1 significantly reduces
      neointima formation. Taken together, we show that 1 represses PDGF-BB-induced
      VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro as well as neointima formation in vivo.
      This novel activity suggests 1 as an interesting candidate for further studies
      addressing a possible therapeutic application to counteract vascular
      proliferative disease.

PMID- 28627874
TI  - Impact of Postsynthetic Modification on the Electrical and Magnetic Properties of
      Materials.
AB  - Postsynthetic modification is a promising tool for introducing multifunctional
      properties in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The effects of postsynthetic metal
      addition/exchange in a barium-based MOF have been well examined toward their
      magnetic and electrical properties. The rattling motion of the extraframework
      organic cation is responsible for the ferroelectric behavior. The strong magnetic
      frustration in Tb@1 is found to arise from the nearly triangular arrangement of
      Tb3+ ions in its secondary building unit along the chain direction.

PMID- 28627875
TI  - Preparation of Gemini Surfactant/Conjugated Polymer Aggregates for Enhanced
      Fluorescence and Bioimaging Application.
AB  - Conjugated polymers have great potential applications in bioimaging. However, the
      aggregation of conjugated polymers driven by electrostatic and hydrophobic
      interactions in aqueous media results in the reduction of photoluminescence
      quantum efficiency. In present work we synthesized a carboxylate gemini
      surfactant [sodium 2,6-didodecyl-4-hydroxy-2,6-diaza-1,7-heptanedicarboxylate
      (SDHC)] to adjust the aggregation behaviors and fluorescence properties of
      conjugated polymers [anionic poly(2-methoxy-5-propyloxy sulfonate phenylene
      vinylene) (MPS-PPV) and cationic poly(3-alkoxy-4-methylthiophene) (PMNT)]. This
      gemini surfactant shows very low critical micellar concentration (CMC) in aqueous
      solution and forms vesicles above CMC. In neutral and acidic conditions, MPS-PPV
      combines with the SDHC vesicles mainly via hydrophobic interactions and forms the
      aggregates in which the photoluminescence quantum efficiency of MPS-PPV is highly
      enhanced from 0.1% to 27%. As to PMNT, the molecules are located in the bilayer
      of SDHC vesicles through both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, and
      this structure prevents the production and release of reactive oxygen species.
      Moreover, SDHC is nontoxic and can effectively decrease the dark- and
      photocytotoxicity of MPS-PPV and PMNT, laying a good foundation for their
      bioimaging application. The living cell imaging indicates that the
      surfactant/conjugated polymer aggregates can stain the MCF-7 cells with main
      location in the lysosome. This work provides insight into how to improve the
      fluorescence properties and bioimaging applications of conjugated polymers by
      surfactants.

PMID- 28627876
TI  - Graphene Decorated by Indium Sulfide Nanoparticles as High-Performance Anode for
      Sodium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - We report a highly performing anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs)
      composed of graphene decorated by indium sulfide (In2S3). The composite is
      synthesized by a facile hydrothermal pathway with subsequent annealing and is
      characterized by defined structure and well-tailored morphology, as is indeed
      demonstrated by X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy as well as high-resolution
      microscopy. These optimal characteristics allow the electrode to perform
      remarkably in sodium cell by achieving a maximum specific capacity as high as 620
      mAh g-1 and the still-relevant value of 335 mAh g-1 at an extremely high current
      (i.e., 5 A g-1). The high storage capacity, the long cycle life, and the
      impressive rate capability of the composite may be attributed to the synergetic
      effect between uniform In2S3 nanoparticles and the graphene matrix. These
      features suggest that the In2S3-graphene is a viable choice for application as an
      anode material in high-performance SIBs.

PMID- 28627878
TI  - Tilted Two-Dimensional Array Multifocus Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy.
AB  - A simple and efficient two-dimensional multifocus confocal Raman
      microspectroscopy featuring the tilted-array technique is demonstrated. Raman
      scattering from a 4 * 4 square foci array passing through a 4 * 4 confocal
      pinhole array is tilted with a periscope. The tilted array of Raman scattering
      signals is dispersed by an imaging spectrograph onto a CCD detector, giving 16
      independent Raman spectra formed as 16 bands with different heights on the
      sensor. Use of a state-of-the-art imaging spectrograph enables high-precision
      wavenumber duplicability of the 16 spectra. This high duplicability makes the
      simultaneously obtained spectra endurable for multivariate spectral analyses,
      which is demonstrated by a singular value decomposition analysis for Raman
      spectra of liquid indene. Although the present implementation attains only 16
      measurement points, the number of points can be extended to larger than 100
      without any technical leaps. Limit of parallelization depends on the interval of
      measurement points as well as the performance of the optical system. Criteria for
      finding the maximum feasible number are discussed.

PMID- 28627877
TI  - Detection and Quantification of Hydrogen Peroxide in Aqueous Solutions Using
      Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer.
AB  - The development of new analytical methods to accurately quantify hydrogen
      peroxide is of great interest. In the current study, we developed a new magnetic
      resonance (MR) method for noninvasively quantifying hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in
      aqueous solutions based on chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST), an
      emerging MRI contrast mechanism. Our method can detect H2O2 by its specific CEST
      signal at ~6.2 ppm downfield from water resonance, with more than 1000 times
      signal amplification compared to the direct NMR detection. To improve the
      accuracy of quantification, we comprehensively investigated the effects of sample
      properties on CEST detection, including pH, temperature, and relaxation times. To
      accelerate the NMR measurement, we implemented an ultrafast Z-spectroscopic (UFZ)
      CEST method to boost the acquisition speed to 2 s per CEST spectrum. To
      accurately quantify H2O2 in unknown samples, we also implemented a standard
      addition method, which eliminated the need for predetermined calibration curves.
      Our results clearly demonstrate that the presented CEST-based technique is a
      simple, noninvasive, quick, and accurate method for quantifying H2O2 in aqueous
      solutions.

PMID- 28627879
TI  - The beta1'-beta2' Motif of the RNase H Domain of Human Immunodeficiency Virus
      Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase Is Responsible for Conferring Open Conformation to
      the p66 Subunit by Displacing the Connection Domain from the Polymerase Cleft.
AB  - The heterodimeric human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase is
      composed of p66 and p51 subunits. While in the p51 subunit, the connection domain
      is tucked in the polymerase cleft; it is effectively displaced from the cleft of
      the catalytically active p66 subunit. How is the connection domain relocated from
      the polymerase cleft of p66? Does the RNase H domain have any role in this
      process? To answer this question, we extended the C-terminal region of p51 by
      stepwise addition of N-terminal motifs of RNase H domain to generate p54, p57,
      p60, and p63 derivatives. We found all of the C-terminal extended derivatives of
      p51 assume open conformation, bind to the template-primer, and catalyze the
      polymerase reaction. Glycerol gradient ultracentrifugation analysis showed that
      only p54 sedimented as a monomer, while other derivatives were in a homodimeric
      conformation. We proposed a model to explain the monomeric conformation of
      catalytically active p54 derivative carrying additional 21-residues long beta1'
      beta2' motif from the RNase H domain. Our results indicate that the beta1'-beta2'
      motif of the RNase H domain may be responsible for displacing the connection
      domain from the polymerase cleft of putative monomeric p66. The unstable
      elongated p66 molecule may then readily dimerize with p51 to assume a stable
      dimeric conformation.

PMID- 28627881
TI  - Defining Cancer Cell Bioenergetic Profiles Using a Dual Organelle-Oriented
      Chemosensor Responsive to pH Values and Electropotential Changes.
AB  - Cell fate is largely shaped by combined activity of different types of
      organelles, which often feature functionally critical parameters that succumb to
      pathological inducers. We herein report the analysis of cell bioenergetic
      profiles with a dual organelle-oriented chemosensor (RC-AMI), partitioning in
      mitochondria to give blue fluorescence and in lysosomes to give red fluorescence.
      Responsive to lysosomal pH and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsim),
      two parameters crucial to cell bioenergetics, RC-AMI enables dual colored
      reporting of lysosomal acidity and DeltaPsim, revealing upregulated DeltaPsim and
      imbalance dramatically shifted favoring DeltaPsim over lysosomal acidity in
      cancer cells whereas the tendency is reversed in starved cells. Complementing
      classical homo-organelle-specific sensors, this dual organelle-oriented and
      fluorescently responsive probe offers a new tool to detect imbalance between
      lysosomal acidity and mitochondrial DeltaPsim, an index critical for cancer
      bioenergetics.

PMID- 28627880
TI  - Site-Specific Fucosylation Analysis Identifying Glycoproteins Associated with
      Aggressive Prostate Cancer Cell Lines Using Tandem Affinity Enrichments of Intact
      Glycopeptides Followed by Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Fucosylation (Fuc) of glycoproteins plays an important role in regulating protein
      function and has been associated with the development of several cancer types
      including prostate cancer (Pca). Therefore, the research of Fuc glycoproteins has
      attracted increasing attention recently in the analytical field. Herein, a
      strategy based on lectin affinity enrichments of intact glycopeptides followed by
      mass spectrometry has been established to evaluate the specificities of various
      Fuc-binding lectins for glycosite-specific Fuc analysis of nonaggressive (NAG)
      and aggressive (AG) Pca cell lines. The enrichment specificities of Fuc
      glycopeptides using lectins (LCA, PSA, AAL, LTL, UEA I, and AOL) and MAX
      extraction cartridges alone, or in tandem, were evaluated. Our results showed
      that the use of lectin enrichment significantly increased the ratio of
      fucosylated glycopeptides to total glycopeptides compared to MAX enrichment.
      Furthermore, tandem use of lectin followed by MAX increased the number of
      identifications of Fuc glycopeptides compared to using lectin enrichment alone.
      LCA, PSA, and AOL showed stronger binding capacity than AAL, LTL, and UEA I.
      Also, LCA and PSA bound specifically to core Fuc, whereas AOL, AAL, and UEA I
      showed binding to both core Fuc and branch Fuc. The optimized enrichment method
      with tandem enrichment of LCA followed by MAX (LCA-MAX) was then applied to
      examine the Fuc glycoproteomes in two NAG and two AG Pca cell lines. In total,
      973 intact Fuc glycopeptides were identified and quantified from 252 Fuc proteins
      by using the tandem-mass-tags (TMT) labeling and nanoliquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS) analysis. Further data analysis revealed that 51 Fuc
      glycopeptides were overexpressed more than 2-fold in AG cell lines compared to
      NAG cells. The analysis of protein core fucosylation has great potential for
      aiding our understanding of invasive activity of AG Pca and may lead to the
      development of diagnostic approaches for AG Pca.

PMID- 28627882
TI  - Switching between Anion-Binding Catalysis and Aminocatalysis with a Rotaxane Dual
      Function Catalyst.
AB  - The "off" state for aminocatalysis by a switchable [2]rotaxane is shown to
      correspond to an "on" state for anion-binding catalysis. Conversely, the
      aminocatalysis "on" state of the dual-function rotaxane is inactive in anion
      binding catalysis. Switching between the different states is achieved through the
      stimuli-induced change of position of the macrocycle on the rotaxane thread. The
      anion-binding catalysis results from a pair of triazolium groups that act
      together to CH-hydrogen-bond to halide anions when the macrocycle is located on
      an alternative (ammonium) binding site, stabilizing the in situ generation of
      benzhydryl cation and oxonium ion intermediates from activated alkyl halides. The
      aminocatalysis and anion-binding catalysis sites of the dual-function rotaxane
      catalyst can be sequentially concealed or revealed, enabling catalysis of both
      steps of a tandem reaction process.

PMID- 28627883
TI  - Mechanism of Vanadium Leaching during Surface Weathering of Basic Oxygen Furnace
      Steel Slag Blocks: A Microfocus X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Electron
      Microscopy Study.
AB  - Basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking slag is enriched in potentially toxic V
      which may become mobilized in high pH leachate during weathering. BOF slag was
      weathered under aerated and air-excluded conditions for 6 months prior to SEM/EDS
      and MUXANES analysis to determine V host phases and speciation in both primary
      and secondary phases. Leached blocks show development of an altered region in
      which free lime and dicalcium silicate phases were absent and Ca-Si-H was
      precipitated (CaCO3 was also present under aerated conditions). MUXANES analyses
      show that V was released to solution as V(V) during dicalcium silicate
      dissolution and some V was incorporated into neo-formed Ca-Si-H. Higher V
      concentrations were observed in leachate under aerated conditions than in the air
      excluded leaching experiment. Aqueous V concentrations were controlled by
      Ca3(VO4)2 solubility, which demonstrate an inverse relationship between Ca and V
      concentrations. Under air-excluded conditions Ca concentrations were controlled
      by dicalcium silicate dissolution and Ca-Si-H precipitation, leading to
      relatively high Ca and correspondingly low V concentrations. Formation of CaCO3
      under aerated conditions provided a sink for aqueous Ca, allowing higher V
      concentrations limited by kinetic dissolution rates of dicalcium silicate. Thus,
      V release may be slowed by the precipitation of secondary phases in the altered
      region, improving the prospects for slag reuse.

PMID- 28627885
TI  - Absolute Quantification of Water in Microporous Solids with 1H Magic Angle
      Spinning NMR and Standard Addition.
AB  - Zeolites are microporous materials driving industrial scale adsorption, ion
      exchange, and catalytic processes. Their water content dramatically impacts their
      properties, but its quantification with Karl Fisher titration or thermal
      gravimetric analysis is problematic. When standard addition of water is combined
      with 1H magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR detection, absolute quantification of
      water in microporous materials becomes possible. The method was demonstrated on
      five different, commercially available zeolites.

PMID- 28627884
TI  - Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry Reveals Calcium Binding Properties
      and Allosteric Regulation of Downstream Regulatory Element Antagonist Modulator
      (DREAM).
AB  - Downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM) is an EF-hand Ca2+
      binding protein that also binds to a specific DNA sequence, downstream regulatory
      elements (DRE), and thereby regulates transcription in a calcium-dependent
      fashion. DREAM binds to DRE in the absence of Ca2+ but detaches from DRE under
      Ca2+ stimulation, allowing gene expression. The Ca2+ binding properties of DREAM
      and the consequences of the binding on protein structure are key to understanding
      the function of DREAM. Here we describe the application of hydrogen-deuterium
      exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) and site-directed mutagenesis to investigate
      the Ca2+ binding properties and the subsequent conformational changes of full
      length DREAM. We demonstrate that all EF-hands undergo large conformation changes
      upon calcium binding even though the EF-1 hand is not capable of binding to Ca2+.
      Moreover, EF-2 is a lower-affinity site compared to EF-3 and -4 hands. Comparison
      of HDX profiles between wild-type DREAM and two EF-1 mutated constructs
      illustrates that the conformational changes in the EF-1 hand are induced by long
      range structural interactions. HDX analyses also reveal a conformational change
      in an N-terminal leucine-charged residue-rich domain (LCD) remote from Ca2+
      binding EF-hands. This LCD domain is responsible for the direct interaction
      between DREAM and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and regulates the
      recruitment of the co-activator, CREB-binding protein. These long-range
      interactions strongly suggest how conformational changes transmit the Ca2+ signal
      to CREB-mediated gene transcription.

PMID- 28627886
TI  - Experimentally Validated Model Enables Debottlenecking of in Vitro Protein
      Synthesis and Identifies a Control Shift under in Vivo Conditions.
AB  - Cell-free (in vitro) protein synthesis (CFPS) systems provide a versatile tool
      that can be used to investigate different aspects of the transcription
      translation machinery by reducing cells to the basic functions of protein
      formation. Recent improvements in reaction stability and lysate preparation offer
      the potential to expand the scope of in vitro biosynthesis from a research tool
      to a multifunctional and versatile platform for protein production and synthetic
      biology. To date, even the best-performing CFPS systems are drastically slower
      than in vivo references. Major limitations are imposed by ribosomal activities
      that progress in an order of magnitude slower on the mRNA template. Owing to the
      complex nature of the ribosomal machinery, conventional "trial and error"
      experiments only provide little insight into how the desired performance could be
      improved. By applying a DNA-sequence-oriented mechanistic model, we analyzed the
      major differences between cell-free in vitro and in vivo protein synthesis. We
      successfully identified major limiting elements of in vitro translation, namely
      the supply of ternary complexes consisting of EFTu and tRNA. Additionally, we
      showed that diluted in vitro systems suffer from reduced ribosome numbers. On the
      basis of our model, we propose a new experimental design predicting 90% increased
      translation rates, which were well achieved in experiments. Furthermore, we
      identified a shifting control in the translation rate, which is characterized by
      availability of the ternary complex under in vitro conditions and the initiation
      of translation in a living cell. Accordingly, the model can successfully be
      applied to sensitivity analyses and experimental design.

PMID- 28627888
TI  - Investigation of Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Its Remediation Pathway with
      Reaction-Based Fluorescent Probes.
AB  - Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is considered a serious problem related to
      public health, due to its unpredictability and acute response. The level of
      peroxynitrite (ONOO-) generated in liver has long been regarded as a biomarker
      for the prediction and measurement of DILI. Herein we present two reaction-based
      fluorescent probes (Naph-ONOO- and Rhod-ONOO-) for ONOO- through a novel and
      universally applicable mechanism: ONOO--mediated deprotection of alpha-keto caged
      fluorophores. Among them, Rhod-ONOO- can selectively accumulate and react in
      mitochondria, one of the main sources of ONOO-, with a substantial lower
      nanomolar sensitivity of 43 nM. The superior selectivity and sensitivity of two
      probes enable real-time imaging of peroxynitrite generation in lipopolysaccharide
      stimulated live cells, with a remarkable difference from cells doped with other
      interfering reactive oxygen species, in either one- or two-photon imaging modes.
      More importantly, we elucidated the drug-induced hepatotoxicity pathway with Rhod
      ONOO- and revealed that CYP450/CYP2E1-mediated enzymatic metabolism of
      acetaminophen leads to ONOO- generation in liver cells. This is the first time to
      showcase the drug-induced hepatotoxicity pathways by use of a small-molecule
      fluorescent probe. We hence conclude that fluorescent probes can engender a
      deeper understanding of reactive species and their pathological revelations. The
      reaction-based fluorescent probes will be a potentially useful chemical tool to
      assay drug-induced hepatotoxicity.

PMID- 28627887
TI  - Controlling the Catalytic Functions of DNAzymes within Constitutional Dynamic
      Networks of DNA Nanostructures.
AB  - Mimicking complex cellular dynamic chemical networks being up-regulated or down
      regulated by external triggers is one of the challenges in systems chemistry.
      Constitutional dynamic networks (CDNs), composed of exchangeable components that
      respond to environmental triggers by self-adaption, provide general means to
      mimic biosystems. We use the structural and functional information encoded in
      nucleic acid nanostructures to construct effector (input)-triggered
      constitutional dynamic networks that reveal adaptable catalytic properties.
      Specifically, CDNs composed of four exchangeable constituents, AA', BA', AB', and
      BB', are constructed. In the presence of an effector (input) that controls the
      stability of one of the constituents, the input-guided up-regulation or down
      regulation of the CDN's constituents proceeds. As effectors we apply the fuel
      strand stabilization of one of the CDN constituents by the formation of the T-A.T
      triplex structure, or by the K+-ion-induced stabilization of one of the CDN
      constituents, via the formation of a K+-ion-stabilized G-quadruplex. Energetic
      stabilization of one of the CDN constituents leads to a new dynamically adapted
      network composed of up-regulated and down-regulated constituents. By applying
      counter triggers to the effector units, e.g., an antifuel strand or 18-crown-6
      ether, reconfiguration to the original CDNs is demonstrated. The performance of
      the CDNs is followed by the catalytic activities of the constituents and by
      complementary quantitative gel electrophoresis experiments. The orthogonal
      triggered and switchable operation of the CDNs is highlighted.

PMID- 28627889
TI  - Measuring Spatially Resolved Collective Ionic Transport on Lithium Battery
      Cathodes Using Atomic Force Microscopy.
AB  - One of the main challenges in improving fast charging lithium-ion batteries is
      the development of suitable active materials for cathodes and anodes. Many
      materials suffer from unacceptable structural changes under high currents and/or
      low intrinsic conductivities. Experimental measurements are required to optimize
      these properties, but few techniques are able to spatially resolve ionic
      transport properties at small length scales. Here we demonstrate an atomic force
      microscope (AFM)-based technique to measure local ionic transport on LiFePO4 to
      correlate with the structural and compositional analysis of the same region. By
      comparing the measured values with density functional theory (DFT) calculations,
      we demonstrate that Coulomb interactions between ions give rise to a collective
      activation energy for ionic transport that is dominated by large phase boundary
      hopping barriers. We successfully measure both the collective activation energy
      and the smaller single-ion bulk hopping barrier and obtain excellent agreement
      with values obtained from our DFT calculations.

PMID- 28627891
TI  - Effect of Deep Eutectic Solvent Nanostructure on Phospholipid Bilayer Phases.
AB  - Phospholipids are shown by solvent penetration experiments to form lamellar
      phases and spontaneously spawn vesicles in a wide range of deep eutectic solvents
      (DESs) composed of alkylammonium halide salts and glycerol or ethylene glycol,
      which are shown to be nanostructured by X-ray scattering. In contrast with
      molecular solvents, the chain melting temperature of each phospholipid, which
      determines the stability of the swellable bilayer phase, depends on the structure
      of the cation, anion, and molecular H-bond donor that constitute the DES. Chain
      melting is most sensitive to the length of the alkyl chain of the cation, which
      is partitioned between apolar domains in the bulk, nanostructured DES and those
      within the lipid bilayer. This is moderated by the structures of the anion and
      the molecular hydrogen bond donor, which determine the extent of polar/apolar
      segregation in the bulk liquid.

PMID- 28627890
TI  - Improved Description of Sulfur Charge Anisotropy in OPLS Force Fields: Model
      Development and Parameterization.
AB  - The atomic point-charge model used in most molecular mechanics force fields does
      not represent well the electronic anisotropy that is featured in many directional
      noncovalent interactions. Sulfur participates in several types of such
      interactions with its lone pairs and sigma-holes. The current study develops a
      new model, via the addition of off-atom charged sites, for a variety of sulfur
      compounds in the OPLS-AA and OPLS/CM5 force fields to address the lack of charge
      anisotropy. Parameter optimization is carried out to reproduce liquid-state
      properties, torsional and noncovalent energetics from reliable quantum mechanical
      calculations, and electrostatic potentials. Significant improvements are obtained
      for computed free energies of hydration, reducing the mean unsigned errors from
      ca. 1.4 to 0.4-0.7 kcal/mol. Enhanced accuracy in directionality and energetics
      is also obtained for molecular complexes with sulfur-containing hydrogen and
      halogen bonds. Moreover, the new model reproduces the unusual conformational
      preferences of sulfur-containing compounds with 1,4-intramolecular chalcogen
      bonds. Transferability of the new force field parameters to cysteine and
      methionine is verified via molecular dynamic simulations of blocked dipeptides.
      The study demonstrates the effectiveness of using off-atom charge sites to
      address electronic anisotropy, and provides a parametrization methodology that
      can be applied to other systems.

PMID- 28627892
TI  - Approach to Fabricating a Compact Gold Nanoparticle Film with the Assistance of a
      Surfactant.
AB  - We report a facile method to fabricate a compact Au nanoparticle film with the
      assistance of surfactants. First, the dodecanethiol-coated Au nanoparticles were
      floated on the surface of the toluene/acetonitrile solvent mixture and adjusted
      to an expanded dispersion by changing the mixture ratio. Silicone oil was then
      added as a surfactant to compress the floating nanoparticles from the original
      loose status to a closely packed arrangement that produced a compact nanoparticle
      film. The relationship of the compressed film area to the silicone oil
      concentration was plotted and compared to the surface tension curve of silicone
      oil. The results were quite consistent, suggesting that the surface location of
      the surfactant induced the nanoparticles' compression. The resulting nanoparticle
      film was uniform and sufficiently robust to be transferred to the solid
      substrate. Moreover, it could be applied to catalyze the reduction of 4
      nitrophenol. Our study indicated that the utilization of surfactants to compress
      the well-dispersed nanoparticles on the liquid surface is a simple, fast, and
      adaptable method of fabricateing compact nanoparticle films with great promise
      for future applications.

PMID- 28627893
TI  - Green and Facile Esterification Procedure Leading to Crystalline-Functionalized
      Graphite Oxide.
AB  - A simple and eco-friendly procedure of esterification of graphite oxide (GO),
      which uses acetic anhydride as a model reagent and ethyl acetate as a green
      solvent, is reported. The procedure leads to high functionalization degrees (at
      least up to 4.5 mol % of acetyl groups, referred to as graphitic C atoms) and it
      is much more effective than the literature method based on pure acetic anhydride.
      Surprisingly, our acetylation procedure does not destroy or reduce GO
      crystallinity but, irrespective of a substantial increase of distance between GO
      layers (from 0.84 nm up to 0.95 nm), leads to an increased order in the direction
      perpendicular to the graphitic planes. This phenomenon indicates that acetyl
      groups of acetylated GO (AcGO) are easily accommodated between graphitic layers,
      even improving interlayer order. The esterification procedure is generally
      applicable with various anhydrides providing differently functionalized graphite
      oxide. Dispersion of crystalline functionalized GO in volatile organic solvents
      followed by solvent fast removal, can easily lead to complete exfoliation.

PMID- 28627894
TI  - Surface Functionalization of Black Phosphorus via Potassium toward High
      Performance Complementary Devices.
AB  - Two-dimensional black phosphorus configured field-effect transistor devices
      generally show a hole-dominated ambipolar transport characteristic, thereby
      limiting its applications in complementary electronics. Herein, we demonstrate an
      effective surface functionalization scheme on few-layer black phosphorus, through
      in situ surface modification with potassium, with a view toward high performance
      complementary device applications. Potassium induces a giant electron doping
      effect on black phosphorus along with a clear bandgap reduction, which is further
      corroborated by in situ photoelectron spectroscopy characterizations. The
      electron mobility of black phosphorus is significantly enhanced to 262 (377) cm2
      V-1 s-1 by over 1 order of magnitude after potassium modification for two
      terminal (four-terminal) measurements. Using lithography technique, a spatially
      controlled potassium doping technique is developed to establish high-performance
      complementary devices on a single black phosphorus nanosheet, for example, the p
      n homojunction-based diode achieves a near-unity ideality factor of 1.007 with an
      on/off ratio of ~104. Our findings coupled with the tunable nature of in situ
      modification scheme enable black phosphorus as a promising candidate for further
      complementary electronics.

PMID- 28627895
TI  - Electroanalytical Assessment of the Effect of Ni:Fe Stoichiometry and
      Architectural Expression on the Bifunctional Activity of Nanoscale NiyFe1-yOx.
AB  - Electrocatalysis of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction
      reaction (ORR) was assessed for a series of Ni-substituted ferrites (NiyFe1-yOx,
      where y = 0.1 to 0.9) as expressed in porous, high-surface-area forms (ambigel
      and aerogel nanoarchitectures). We then correlate electrocatalytic activity with
      Ni:Fe stoichiometry as a function of surface area, crystallite size, and free
      volume. In order to ensure in-series comparisons, calcination at 350  degrees
      C/air was necessary to crystallize the respective NiyFe1-yOx nanoarchitectures,
      which index to the inverse spinel structure for Fe-rich materials (y <= 0.33),
      rock salt for the most Ni-rich material (y = 0.9), and biphasic for intermediate
      stoichiometry (0.5 <= y <= 0.67). In the intermediate Ni:Fe stoichiometric range
      (0.33 <= y <= 0.67), the OER current density at 390 mV increases monotonically
      with increasing Ni content and increasing surface area, but with different
      working curves for ambigels versus aerogels. At a common stoichiometry within
      this range, ambigels and aerogels yield comparable OER performance, but do so by
      expressing larger crystallite size (ambigel) versus higher surface area
      (aerogel). Effective OER activity can be achieved without requiring supercritical
      fluid extraction as long as moderately high surface area, porous materials can be
      prepared. We find improved OER performance (eta decreases from 390 to 373 mV) for
      Ni0.67Fe0.33Ox aerogel heat-treated at 300  degrees C/Ar, owing to an increase in
      crystallite size (2.7 to 4.1 nm). For the ORR, electrocatalytic activity favors
      Fe-rich NiyFe1-yOx materials; however, as the Ni-content increases beyond y =
      0.5, a two-electron reduction pathway is still exhibited, demonstrating that
      bifunctional OER and ORR activity may be possible by choosing a nickel ferrite
      nanoarchitecture that provides high OER activity with sufficient ORR activity.
      Assessing the catalytic activity requires an appreciation of the multivariate
      interplay among Ni:Fe stoichiometry, surface area, crystallographic phase, and
      crystallite size.

PMID- 28627896
TI  - Multifaceted alpha-Enaminone: Adaptable Building Block for Synthesis of
      Heterocyclic Scaffolds Through Conceptually Distinct 1,2-, 1,3-, 1,4-, and C-O
      Bond Forming Annulations.
AB  - The new reactivity of alpha,beta-unsaturated enaminones driven by their "dual
      electronic attitude" is reported. We introduce unexplored, alpha-enaminone
      synthones and reveal the unusual functionalities of these building blocks. The
      feasibility of this new concept is demonstrated in the direct functionalization
      of enaminone precursors, such as alkylation; 1,2- 1,3-, or 1,4-addition; and C-O
      bond formation. The general and potential applicability is presented through the
      collective synthesis of several important classes of heterocycles via controlled
      cyclizations of easily accessible common precursors. The rapid composition of
      novel key alpha-enaminone synthones yields an assembly of oxazines, azaspirones,
      quinolinones, and quinolinols in a regio- and chemoselective fashion.

PMID- 28627897
TI  - Multicolour Electrochromic Film Based on a TiO2@poly[Ni(salen)] Nanocomposite
      with Excellent Electrochemical Stability.
AB  - We report the electrochromic properties of a polymeric nanocomposite prepared by
      potentiodynamic deposition of transition-metal complex [Ni(3-Mesalen)],
      designated as [1], in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with an average
      size of 9.7 +/- 1.1 nm. Entrapment of TiO2 NPs in the poly[1] matrix was
      confirmed by several techniques. The nanocomposite TiO2@poly[1] films showed
      similar electrochemical responses to the original (nanoparticle-free) poly[1]
      films, but with higher electroactive surface coverages (Gamma), showing the
      advantage of the nanocomposite preparation. The results indicated that the
      electronic structure of poly[1] was retained in the nanocomposite; nonetheless, a
      lower epsilon value was obtained for the charge-transfer band of the former,
      revealing superior stability of the nanocomposite for ligand high oxidation
      states. The TiO2@poly[1] nanocomposite showed interesting color changes, from
      yellow (reduced state) to green and russet (oxidized states), with enhanced
      electrochemical stability, demonstrated by a charge loss of only 7.3% over ca. 10
      000 redox cycles surpassing the original polymer film stability: the loss of
      electroactivity is a factor of ca. 2 less than for pristine poly[1]. Furthermore,
      an enhancement of 16.7% in the optical modulation (DeltaOD = 0.48) was also
      observed for the nanocomposite, confirming the benefit of TiO2 incorporation into
      the EC properties of the original polymer film.

PMID- 28627898
TI  - Subjective Reactions to International Research Participation: An Illustration of
      Ethical Considerations With Women Heading Households in Sri Lanka.
AB  - here are unique ethical considerations in conducting international research with
      war and disaster-affected populations that are important for ensuring adequate
      protection of participants. Of particular importance is the distress that
      participants may experience as a result of being asked about traumatic stressors,
      psychological symptoms, and life problems. In this study, trauma-affected Tamil
      women in Eastern Sri Lanka were asked to report on their research-participation
      experience after taking part in a larger study on risk and resiliency. Results
      indicated that most participants experienced emotional upset as a result of
      taking part in the study. However, the degree of distress was generally not more
      than they anticipated, and most participants reported they would have
      participated had they known in advance how they would feel. Most participants
      perceived some benefit as a result of participating and agreed that items were
      personally relevant. Emotional distress from participation positively correlated
      with culturally specific symptoms of anxiety and depression. Contextual stressors
      and social support were not associated with participation-related distress. We
      discuss these findings as well as general issues that might arise in
      international research with trauma-affected populations. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28627899
TI  - Parenting stress as a mediator of trauma exposure and mental health outcomes in
      young children.
AB  - Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) significantly impacts outcomes
      for children in behavioral health systems of care (SOCs). The present study built
      on previous research that found parenting stress influences outcomes for children
      exposed to PTEs. The sample included 184 young children and their families who
      were enrolled in an early childhood SOC. Path analyses demonstrated that
      parenting stress mediated the relationship between the number of PTEs a child
      experienced and caregiver-reported internalizing/externalizing problem behaviors
      at baseline. Parenting stress also mediated PTEs and internalizing problem
      behaviors at 6 months. In response to the culmination of these studies, we
      discuss ways SOCs can support parents to help alleviate parenting stress.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627900
TI  - Individual versus peer grit: Influence on later individual literacy achievement
      of dual language learners.
AB  - The objective of this short-term longitudinal study was to examine individual
      versus classroom peer effects of grit on later individual literacy achievement in
      elementary school. The dual language learner, largely Latina/o sample included
      students from the 3rd through the 5th grades. Participants completed a literacy
      achievement performance task at 3 time points over 4 months, in addition to
      student-reported grit at the first time point. Classroom peer grit, not
      individual grit, was a strong, significant predictor of an individual's later
      literacy achievement, adjusting for previous literacy achievement, age, gender,
      home language, and classroom clusters. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627901
TI  - Cone of gaze in positive schizotypy: Relationship to referential thinking and
      social functioning.
AB  - Eye contact is an essential means of nonverbal communication, providing
      information about attention, emotion, mental state, facial expressions, and
      identity/gender (Itier & Batty, 2009). Although studies suggest that patients
      with schizophrenia endorse direct gaze more often than controls in ambiguous gaze
      circumstances, gaze perception in schizotypy remains unstudied. This study
      investigated whether individuals with positive schizotypic features incorrectly
      perceive that others are looking at them and whether this is related to
      referential thinking and psychosocial functioning. Schizotypic individuals (n =
      33) and controls (n = 29) completed a newly developed measure of gaze perception,
      a cone of gaze task (Gamer & Hecht, 2007). Results reveal that individuals in the
      schizotypy group report feeling as though they are being looked at across a wider
      range of angles than controls. Consistent with our hypotheses, this wider cone of
      gaze is associated with increased referential thinking and poorer psychosocial
      functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627902
TI  - Responses to dominance challenge are a function of psychopathy level: A
      multimethod study.
AB  - This study assesses the relationship between psychopathy and dominance, both as a
      trait level and in 2 interpersonal contexts. Following the interpersonal
      circumplex model, we expected that interacting with a dominant interviewer would
      reduce dominance displays by low psychopathy participants (interpersonal
      complementarity) but might increase such displays in those with higher
      psychopathy (anticomplementarity). Psychopathic traits and dominance were
      assessed in a community sample (N = 91) using multiple dominance indicators: self
      reported overall dominance level, job preference, dominance displays observed
      during identical interviews with a subordinate and dominant interviewer, and
      baseline and postinterview measures of personal space and testosterone level.
      Psychopathic traits were positively related to dominance on both trait measures
      and in the interviews. As a trait, higher self-reported psychopathy scores were
      associated with higher levels of self-reported dominance and preference for
      supervisory job positions. Higher Factor 1 psychopathy scores were associated
      with increased dominance display in interaction with the dominant interviewer.
      Higher Factor 2 scores were associated with allowing the dominant interviewer to
      approach more closely (reduced physical distancing). Psychopathy was partly
      related to a delayed increase in testosterone levels after interaction.
      Psychopathic traits may include a general tendency to dominate, a tendency which
      increases when interacting with a dominant other. The emotional/interpersonal
      psychopathy factor is specifically related to increased dominance displays when
      interacting with a dominant individual, while the behavioral factor of
      psychopathy is related to reduced physical distancing of a dominant partner. At
      higher psychopathy levels the general rule of dominant-subordinate reciprocity
      during social interaction is reversed. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627903
TI  - Predictors of substance use in youth with borderline personality disorder.
AB  - Concomitant substance misuse in adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD)
      is associated with a more severe course of illness and poorer outcomes. Previous
      research has found an association between the number of borderline personality
      features and substance misuse in community samples. This study examined the
      relationship between substance use and severity of BPD in youth presenting for
      the first time for treatment (first presentation) of BPD. Participants were 117
      help-seeking youth aged 15-25 years (93 females; Mage = 19.0 years, SD = 2.8)
      with BPD. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to investigate whether the
      severity of BPD predicted substance use. After adjusting for demographic factors
      and concurrent mental state pathology, BPD independently predicted alcohol
      dependence, amphetamine use in the previous month, or use of 2 or more illicit
      substances in the previous month but not daily tobacco use or cannabis use in the
      previous month. BPD might increase the probability that an individual will engage
      in higher-risk behaviors, such as amphetamine and polysubstance use, or
      problematic alcohol use. These findings support the need for assessment of youth
      with BPD for alcohol, amphetamine, and polysubstance use along with the need for
      routine screening in drug and alcohol services for BPD features. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28627904
TI  - The development of real-time stability supports visual working memory
      performance: Young children's feature binding can be improved through perceptual
      structure.
AB  - Working memory is a basic cognitive process that predicts higher-level skills. A
      central question in theories of working memory development is the generality of
      the mechanisms proposed to explain improvements in performance. Prior theories
      have been closely tied to particular tasks and/or age groups, limiting their
      generalizability. The cognitive dynamics theory of visual working memory
      development has been proposed to overcome this limitation. From this perspective,
      developmental improvements arise through the coordination of cognitive processes
      to meet demands of different behavioral tasks. This notion is described as real
      time stability, and can be probed through experiments that assess how changing
      task demands impact children's performance. The current studies test this account
      by probing visual working memory for colors and shapes in a change detection task
      that compares detection of changes to new features versus swaps in color-shape
      binding. In Experiment 1, 3- to 4-year-old children showed impairments specific
      to binding swaps, as predicted by decreased real-time stability early in
      development; 5- to 6-year-old children showed a slight advantage on binding
      swaps, but 7- to 8-year-old children and adults showed no difference across trial
      types. Experiment 2 tested the proposed explanation of young children's binding
      impairment through added perceptual structure, which supported the stability and
      precision of feature localization in memory-a process key to detecting binding
      swaps. This additional structure improved young children's binding swap
      detection, but not new-feature detection or adults' performance. These results
      provide further evidence for the cognitive dynamics and real-time stability
      explanation of visual working memory development. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627906
TI  - Evidence of a goal-directed process in human Pavlovian-instrumental transfer.
AB  - Cues that signal rewards can motivate reward-seeking behaviors, even for outcomes
      that are not currently desired. Three experiments examined this phenomenon, using
      an outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) design and an outcome
      devaluation procedure. In Experiment 1, participants learned to perform one
      response to earn crisps points and another response to earn popcorn points. One
      outcome was then devalued by adulterating it to make it taste unpleasant. On
      test, overall response choice was biased toward the outcome that had not been
      devalued, indicating goal-directed control. Stimuli that signaled crisps and
      popcorn also biased instrumental response choice toward their respective outcomes
      (a PIT effect). Most importantly, the strength of this bias was not influenced by
      the devaluation manipulation. In contrast, Experiment 2 demonstrated that when
      stimuli signaled equal probability of the two outcomes, cue-elicited response
      choice was sensitive to the devaluation manipulation. Experiment 3 confirmed this
      conclusion by demonstrating a selective avoidance of the cued, devalued outcome.
      Together, these data support a goal-directed model of PIT in which expected
      outcome probability and value make independent contributions to response choice.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627905
TI  - Mind-wandering in healthy aging and early stage Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The frequency of mind-wandering (MW) decreases as a function of age in
      healthy individuals. One possible explanation is that MW is a resource-dependent
      process, and cognitive resources decline with age. The present study provides the
      first investigation of MW in the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) to
      further examine the resource model and discontinuities between healthy aging and
      AD. METHOD: Three large cohorts completed the Sustained Attention to Response
      Task (SART): a healthy middle-aged group (mean age = 61.79 +/- 5.84 years; N =
      270), a healthy older adult group (mean age = 76.58 +/- 5.27 years; N = 282), and
      a group with early stage AD (mean age = 76.08 +/- 7.17; N = 77), comparable in
      age to the second group. RESULTS: Self-reports of MW during the SART decreased as
      a function of age, and there was a further decrease in the AD group. All 3 groups
      produced faster responses on trials before No-Go errors, suggesting MW occurred
      in all cohorts. After No-Go errors, healthy older adults slowed
      disproportionately compared with middle-aged adults. This was not evident in AD
      individuals who showed posterror slowing comparable with that in the middle-aged
      group. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased self-reported MW in older adults and the
      further decline in AD are consistent with the cognitive resource account of MW.
      Behavioral indices suggest that AD is on a continuum with healthy aging, with the
      exception of posterror slowing that may suggest performance monitoring deficits
      in early AD individuals (e.g., lack of error awareness). (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28627907
TI  - The role of empathy in experiencing vicarious anxiety.
AB  - With depictions of others facing threats common in the media, the experience of
      vicarious anxiety may be prevalent in the general population. However, the
      phenomenon of vicarious anxiety-the experience of anxiety in response to
      observing others expressing anxiety-and the interpersonal mechanisms underlying
      it have not been fully investigated in prior research. In 4 studies, we
      investigate the role of empathy in experiencing vicarious anxiety, using film
      clips depicting target victims facing threats. In Studies 1 and 2, trait
      emotional empathy was associated with greater self-reported anxiety when
      observing target victims, and with perceiving greater anxiety to be experienced
      by the targets. Study 3 extended these findings by demonstrating that trait
      empathic concern-the tendency to feel concern and compassion for others-was
      associated with experiencing vicarious anxiety, whereas trait personal distress
      the tendency to experience distress in stressful situations-was not. Study 4
      manipulated state empathy to establish a causal relationship between empathy and
      experience of vicarious anxiety. Participants who took an empathic perspective
      when observing target victims, as compared to those who took an objective
      perspective using reappraisal-based strategies, reported experiencing greater
      anxiety, risk-aversion, and sleep disruption the following night. These results
      highlight the impact of one's social environment on experiencing anxiety,
      particularly for those who are highly empathic. In addition, these findings have
      implications for extending basic models of anxiety to incorporate interpersonal
      processes, understanding the role of empathy in social learning, and potential
      applications for therapeutic contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627908
TI  - First evidence for "The backup plan paradox".
AB  - This research is a first test of the backup plan paradox. We hypothesized that
      investing in a backup plan may facilitate the conditions that it was developed to
      address: Plan A's insufficiency. Five studies provide initial, primarily
      correlative support for the undermining effect of investing in a backup plan.
      Study 1 (n= 160) demonstrated that the more participants perceived they had
      invested in developing a backup plan (preparing a "crib sheet"), the more likely
      they were to use it, although greater investments were unrelated to backup plan
      utility. Studies 2-4 used a simulated negotiation task. Study 2 (n = 247)
      demonstrated that when goal-relevant resources are limited, investing in
      developing backup plans and perceiving them as highly instrumental can decrease
      goal performance through the indirect effect of increased means replacing. Study
      3 (n = 248) replicated this effect when goal-relevant resources were plentiful.
      Study 4 (n = 204) used an experimental variant of the simulated negotiation task
      and demonstrated that simply having a backup plan is not detrimental, but
      perceiving backup plans to be highly instrumental decreased goal performance,
      again through the indirect effect of increased means replacing. Study 5 (n = 160)
      replicated findings from Studies 1-4 using a lab-based motor task (throwing a
      ball). Together, these results provide first evidence that backup plans can
      introduce costs that may jeopardize goal performance. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627909
TI  - Thought-control difficulty motivates structure seeking.
AB  - Struggling to control one's mind can change how the world appears. In prior
      studies testing the compensatory control theory, reduced control over the
      external environment motivated the search for perceptual patterns and other forms
      of structured knowledge, even in remote domains. Going further, the current
      studies test whether difficulty controlling thoughts similarly predicts structure
      seeking. As hypothesized, thought-control difficulty positively predicted
      perceptions of causal connections between remote events (Study 1a) and
      nonexistent objects in visual noise (Study 1b). This effect was mediated by
      aversive arousal (Study 2) and caused specifically by thought-control difficulty
      as distinct from general difficulty (Study 3). Study 4 replicated the effect with
      a sample of meditators learning to control their thoughts, showing that thought
      control difficulty was a powerful predictor of structure seeking. These findings
      reveal a novel form of motivated perception. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627910
TI  - At-home partner sleep functioning over the course of military deployment.
AB  - Although the negative effects of deployment on the health of military spouses
      have been studied, research on sleep disruptions remains limited. This study
      investigates trajectories of sleep complaints over the course of deployment and
      predictors of these changes among a cohort of at-home partners. Data were drawn
      from the Readiness and Resilience in National Guard Soldiers (RINGS-2) project, a
      prospective, longitudinal study of National Guard soldiers deployed to
      Iraq/Kuwait (2011-2012) and their intimate partners. Spouses or cohabiting
      partners (N = 686) of soldiers completed assessments of risk/protective factors 2
      to 5 months before their partners' deployment (Time 1), 4 months (Time 2) and 8
      months (Time 3) into the deployment, and 2 to 3 months following the soldiers'
      return (Time 4). Latent class growth analyses (LCGA) revealed quadratic change in
      partners' sleep over the deployment cycle, characterized by 4 distinct
      trajectories: resilient (61%), deployment-onset sleep problems (22%), deployment
      improvement (10%), and chronic (7%) groups. Predeployment and during deployment
      predictors of partners' sleep complaints varied by group and included negative
      emotionality, depression symptoms, alcohol use, low negative communication, and
      family stressors. Understanding the course of sleep complaints and potentially
      modifiable risk-factors among at-home partners during deployment may be useful
      for prevention and targeted intervention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627911
TI  - Ethnic differences in mothering qualities and relations to academic achievement.
AB  - Although qualities of mothering behavior have been consistently linked with
      children's academic outcomes, mothers from different ethnic groups may emphasize
      different dimensions with their children. The present investigation aims to
      evaluate and compare the dimensionality of mothering in low-income African
      American (n = 151) and Mexican American (n = 182) mothers during early childhood
      and its predictive utility for children's academic achievement. Video-recorded
      mother-child interactions with children at 21/2 and 31/2 years of age were rated
      using 6 mothering quality items from a widely used global rating system. A
      bifactor measurement model of these 6 items yielded a general sensitive support
      factor and a specific intrusive-insensitive factor. The bifactor model fit the
      data significantly better at both time points than either a single-factor or a 2
      factor model. Invariance testing supported the stability of the measurement model
      across the 2 time points. Invariance testing by ethnicity indicated differences
      in factor loadings as well as mean levels of the specific factor of intrusive
      insensitivity. The specific factor reflecting intrusive-insensitive mothering at
      age 21/2 years was associated with poorer subsequent reading achievement for
      African American but not Mexican American children, suggesting the specific
      factor reflected qualitatively different parenting constructs for the 2 ethnic
      groups. Critical examination of what constitutes more optimal parenting yielded
      both similar and dissimilar characteristics and their relations across culturally
      different groups of families. Such knowledge should contribute to the development
      of more effective interventions for ethnically diverse families. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28627912
TI  - Cognitive-behavioral versus psychodynamic therapy for major depression: Secondary
      outcomes of a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In a randomized clinical trial, we compared the efficacy of cognitive
      behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy for adult outpatient
      depression on measures of psychopathology, interpersonal functioning, pain, and
      quality of life. METHOD: There were 341 Dutch adults (70.1% female, mean age =
      38.9, SD = 10.3) meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders
      Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for a major depressive episode and with a
      Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score >=14, who were randomized to 16
      sessions of individual manualized CBT or short-term psychodynamic supportive
      psychotherapy. Severely depressed patients (HAM-D >24) received additional
      antidepressant medication according to a protocol. Outcome measures included the
      Brief Symptom Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Outcome Questionnaire, a visual
      analogue scale for pain, and EuroQol. Data were analyzed with mixed model
      analyses using intention-to-treat samples. Noninferiority margins were
      prespecified as Cohen's d = -0.30. RESULTS: Across treatment conditions, 45-60%
      of the patients who completed posttreatment assessment showed clinically
      meaningful change for most outcome measures. We found no significant differences
      between the treatment conditions on any of the outcome measures at both
      posttreatment and follow-up. Noninferiority of psychodynamic therapy to CBT was
      shown for posttreatment and follow-up anxiety measures as well as for
      posttreatment pain and quality of life measures, but could not be consistently
      demonstrated for the other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that
      shows that psychodynamic therapy can be at least as efficacious as CBT for
      depression on important aspects of patient functioning other than depressive
      symptom reduction. These findings extend the evidence-base of psychodynamic
      therapy for depression, but replication is needed by means of rigorously designed
      noninferiority trials. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627913
TI  - Effect of attentional retraining on cognition, craving, and smoking in African
      American smokers.
AB  - African American cigarette smokers have lower rates of cessation than Whites and
      live in communities with a higher number of tobacco advertisements. Exposure to
      smoking cues may promote smoking and undermine cessation. It may be possible to
      reduce attention to smoking cues ("attentional bias"). In this study, we
      investigated the effect of attentional retraining (AR) on attentional bias and
      smoking in African American smokers. Nontreatment- seeking African American
      smokers (N = 64) were randomly assigned to an AR or control condition.
      Participants were given a mobile device for 2 weeks and prompted to complete up
      to 3 AR (or control) trainings per day. Participants completed assessments of
      attentional bias, craving, and smoking both in the lab and in the field.
      Participants in the AR and control conditions completed an average of 29.07 AR
      (SD = 12.48) and 30.61 control training tasks (SD = 13.07), respectively. AR
      reduced attentional bias assessed in the laboratory, F(1, 126) = 9.20, p = .003,
      and field, F(1, 374) = 6.18, p = .01. This effect generalized to new stimuli, but
      not to new tasks. AR did not significantly reduce craving or biological measures
      of smoking. Smoking assessed on the mobile device declined over days in the AR
      group, F(1, 26) = 10.95, p = .003, but not in the control group, F(1, 27) = 0.02,
      p = .89. Two weeks of AR administered on a mobile device reduced attentional bias
      in African American smokers and had mixed effects on smoking. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28627916
TI  - Individual differences in reliance on intuition predict harsher moral judgments.
AB  - The notion that intuition guides moral judgment is widely accepted. Yet, there is
      a dearth of research examining whether individual differences in reliance on
      intuition influence moral judgment. Five studies provided evidence that faith in
      intuition (FI) predicts higher condemnation of moral transgressions. Studies 1
      and 2 (combined N = 543) demonstrated that FI predicted higher moral condemnation
      of strange actions characterized by ambiguous harm. This association maintained
      controlling for a host of relevant ideological and emotional "third" variables.
      Three experiments demonstrated this relationship to be robust in the face of
      manipulations. In Study 3 (N = 320), participants rated whether moral scenarios
      involved harm or victims prior to (vs. after) moral judgments. Although
      considering harm and victims prior to judgments lowered condemnation toward these
      actions, the manipulation did not moderate the association between FI and
      condemnation. FI related to moral condemnation of unconventional actions even
      after consideration of harm and victims. In Study 4 (N = 236), a manipulation
      designed to enhance deliberation lowered overall moral condemnation (vs. control
      group), but did not attenuate the relationship between FI and moral condemnation.
      In Study 5 (N = 204), participants quickly categorized actions according to
      whether or not they were immoral, harmful, or involved victims. FI predicted
      higher condemnation of ambiguously harmful actions even when these judgments were
      made rapidly. Implications for examining individual differences in intuition in
      the context of dominant theories in moral psychology (dyadic morality, Moral
      Foundations Theory) are addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627914
TI  - Group motivational interviewing for homeless young adults: Associations of change
      talk with substance use and sexual risk behavior.
AB  - Homeless young adults exhibit high rates of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and
      sexual risk behaviors. This study is a secondary analysis of data collected in a
      randomized clinical trial of AWARE, a new 4 session group motivational
      interviewing intervention. AWARE mainly focused on alcohol use and sexual risk
      behavior given focus group feedback. We used sequential coding to analyze how the
      group process affected both AOD use and sexual risk behavior at 3-month follow up
      among homeless young adults by examining facilitator behavior and participant
      change talk (CT) and sustain talk (ST). We analyzed 57 group session digital
      recordings of 100 youth (69% male, 74% heterosexual, 28% non-Hispanic white, 23%
      African American, 26% Hispanic, 23% multiracial/other; mean age 21.75). Outcomes
      included importance and readiness to change AOD use and risky sexual behavior,
      AOD use and consequences, number of partners and unprotected sex, and condom self
      efficacy. Sequential analysis indicated that facilitator open-ended questions and
      reflections of CT increased Group CT. Group CT was associated with a lower
      likelihood of being a heavy drinker 3 months later; Group ST was associated with
      decreased readiness and confidence to change alcohol use. There were no
      associations with CT or ST for drug use or risky sexual behavior. Facilitator
      speech and peer responses were related to CT and ST during the group sessions
      with this high risk population, which were then associated with individual
      changes for alcohol use. Further research is needed to explore associations with
      drug use and sexual risk behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627915
TI  - Long-term classroom functioning and its association with neuropsychological and
      academic performance following traumatic brain injury during early childhood.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study utilized ecobehavioral assessment to examine
      classroom functioning several years following early childhood traumatic brain
      injury (TBI) or orthopedic injury (OI) and its association with injury factors,
      neuropsychological abilities, and academic performance. METHOD: Participants
      included 39 children with moderate to severe TBI and 51 children with OI
      sustained between ages 3 and 7 years. At 7.2 (+/- 1.3) years post injury,
      ecobehavioral assessment was used to examine classroom functioning. Additional
      outcomes included neuropsychological tests, parent and teacher ratings of
      dysexecutive behavior, and teacher ratings of academic performance. Groups were
      compared on measures controlling for demographic characteristics, and
      associations among outcomes were examined using linear regression. RESULTS:
      Children with TBI showed lower academic engagement relative to children with OI,
      as well as more frequent individual teacher attention for children with more
      severe injuries. For children with TBI, difficulties in classroom functioning
      were associated with lower cognitive flexibility and higher parent and teacher
      ratings of dysexecutive behavior. Lower scores on a test of fluid reasoning and a
      greater frequency of individual teacher attention were also associated with lower
      academic performance in children with TBI. CONCLUSIONS: Difficulties in classroom
      functioning are evident several years after early childhood TBI and were
      associated with greater injury severity, neuropsychological weaknesses, and
      poorer academic performance. Children with impaired cognitive flexibility and
      fluid reasoning skills were at greatest risk for these difficulties and
      associated weaknesses in academic performance. Instructional interactions may be
      a potential target for intervention to promote academic progress in at-risk
      children. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627917
TI  - Functional intimacy: Needing-But not wanting-The touch of a stranger.
AB  - Intimacy is often motivated by love, but sometimes it is merely functional. For
      example, disrobing and being touched at an airport security check serves the goal
      of catching a flight, not building a relationship. We propose that this
      functional intimacy induces discomfort, making people prefer greater social
      distance from their interaction partner. Supporting this prediction, participants
      who considered (Experiments 1 and 2) or experienced (Experiment 3) more
      physically intimate medical procedures preferred a health provider who is less
      social. Increased psychological intimacy also led people to prefer social
      distance from cleaning and health providers (Experiments 4-5), a preference
      revealed by nonverbal behavior (e.g., turning away and looking away, Experiments
      6-7). These patterns of distancing are unique to functional (vs. romantic)
      intimacy (Experiment 7). Although creating social distance may be an effective
      strategy for coping with functional intimacy, it may have costs for service
      providers. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627918
TI  - Development and validation of the Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems.
AB  - The interpersonal circumplex (IPC) is a well-established model of social behavior
      that spans basic personality and clinical science. Although several measures are
      available to assess interpersonal functioning (e.g., motives, traits) within an
      IPC framework, researchers studying interpersonal difficulties have relied
      primarily on a single measure, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex
      Scales (IIP-C; Horowitz, Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 2000). Although the IIP-C is a
      widely used measure, it is currently the only measure specifically designed to
      assess maladaptive interpersonal behavior using the IPC framework. The purpose of
      the current study is to describe a new 64-item measure of interpersonal problems,
      called the Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems (CSIP). Interpersonal
      problems derived from a pool of 400 personality-related problems were assessed in
      two large university samples. In the scale development sample (N = 1,197), items
      that best characterized each sector of the IPC were identified, and a set of
      eight 8-item circumplex scales was developed. Psychometric properties of the
      resulting measure were then examined in the validation sample (N = 757). Results
      from confirmatory circumplex structural analyses indicated that the CSIP fit well
      to a quasi-circumplex model. The CSIP converged with the IIP-C and the Revised
      Interpersonal Adjective Scales (Wiggins, 1995), and associated in theoretically
      expected ways with broader assessments of adaptive- and maladaptive-range
      personality traits and symptoms of psychological distress. The CSIP augments the
      IIP-C with additional content, thereby helping to extend the underlying
      constructs, and provides an alternative means for studying the interpersonal
      consequences of personality and psychopathology. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627919
TI  - The association between parent-reported and observed parenting: A multi-level
      meta-analysis.
AB  - The purpose of the present meta-analysis was to investigate the strength of the
      association between parent-reported and observed parenting, and to investigate
      which specific characteristics of participants, questionnaires, or observational
      procedures moderate this association. A systematic search of relevant peer
      reviewed articles published between January 2000 and December 2014 yielded 36
      articles (N = 8,510) and 89 effect sizes. Results from a 3-level random-effects
      meta-analysis demonstrated a weak, yet significant, overall association of r =
      .17 between parent-reported and observed parenting. The magnitude of the effect
      size depended on questionnaire length (larger effect for more items) and the type
      of parenting investigated (largest effects for negative parent behaviors, next
      largest effects for positive parent behaviors, and smallest effect for
      controlling parent behaviors). In conclusion, this study shows that the strength
      of the association between parent-reported and observed parenting is small but
      significant. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627920
TI  - Reliability and validity of a Spanish language assessment of children's social
      emotional learning skills.
AB  - Few Spanish language tools are available for assessing important social-emotional
      learning (SEL) skills. The present study presents evidence of the psychometric
      properties of a Spanish-language version of SELweb (SELweb-S), a web-based system
      for assessing children's ability to recognize others' emotions and perspectives,
      solve social problems, and engage in self-control. With a sample of 524 students
      in Grades K to 3, we examined the reliability and validity of SELweb-S. This
      study provided evidence that (a) individual assessment modules exhibited moderate
      to high internal consistency and moderate 6-month temporal stability, (b)
      composite assessment scores exhibited high reliability, (c) assessment module
      scores fit a theoretically coherent factor structure, and (d) performance on
      SELweb-S assessment modules was positively related to teacher-reported SEL
      skills. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of direct assessments
      of SEL skills in languages other than English. In addition, we highlight the
      importance of abiding by rigorous recommendations in the literature for the
      translation and cultural adaptation of assessments. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627921
TI  - Risk factors for concurrent suicidal ideation and violent impulses in military
      veterans.
AB  - Suicide and violence are significant problems in a subset of Iraq/Afghanistan-era
      veterans. This study investigates how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
      resilience in veterans are associated with suicidal ideation and violent impulses
      while controlling for known covariates of both adverse outcomes. Structured
      clinical interviews were conducted of N = 2,543 Iraq/Afghanistan-era U.S.
      veterans. Compared with veterans denying suicidal ideation or violent impulses (n
      = 1,927), veterans endorsing both (n = 171) were more likely to meet diagnostic
      criteria for PTSD, report childhood abuse, combat exposure, physical pain
      symptoms, and drug misuse, and less likely to endorse self-direction/life
      purpose. Veterans reporting concurrent suicidal ideation and violent impulses had
      higher odds of misusing drugs and reporting pain symptoms relative to veterans
      reporting suicidal ideation only (n = 186) and had lower odds of endorsing self
      direction/life purpose compared with veterans reporting violent impulses only (n
      = 259). The findings underscore the importance of examining drug abuse, physical
      pain symptoms, and self-direction/life purpose, as well as PTSD and history of
      trauma, in the context of clinical assessment and empirical research aimed at
      optimizing risk management of suicide and violence in military veterans.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627922
TI  - Inconsistent responding on the MMPI-2-RF and uncooperative attitude: Evidence
      from cognitive performance validity measures.
AB  - It is generally well understood that possible reasons for inconsistent responding
      on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2
      RF), as measured by the Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN-r) and True
      Response Inconsistency (TRIN-r) scales, include reading or language limitations,
      cognitive impairment, and intentional random responding; however, the
      interpretive recommendations for the test suggest that higher scores on these
      scales can also result from an uncooperative test-taking approach. This study
      utilized a sample of 3,457 predominately non-head injury disability claimants to
      examine the association between inconsistent responding on the MMPI-2-RF and
      performance on cognitive tests as well performance validity tests (PVTs), an
      independent indicator of uncooperative test-taking attitude. Analysis of variance
      found that both VRIN-r and TRIN-r were associated with statistically lower
      cognitive test scores. These analyses also supported that TRIN-r was associated
      with poor performance on collaterally administered PVTs in a subsample of
      individuals with average reading levels. Illustrating the practical effects of
      these results, in follow-up relative risk ratio analyses, individuals with
      elevations on TRIN-r were at up to five times greater risk of PVT failure than
      those without elevations. Overall, the results of this study provide some support
      for the interpretation that inconsistent responding on the MMPI-2-RF is
      associated not only with cognitive/reading problems or limitations but also an
      uncooperative test-taking approach, particularly for elevated TRIN-r scores.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627923
TI  - Examination of the Triarchic Assessment Procedure for Inconsistent Responding in
      six non-English language samples.
AB  - The Triarchic Assessment Procedure for Inconsistent Responding (TAPIR; Mowle et
      al., 2016) was recently developed to identify inattentiveness or comprehension
      difficulties that may compromise the validity of responses on the Triarchic
      Psychopathy Measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010). The TAPIR initially was constructed
      and cross-validated using exclusively English-speaking participants from the
      United States; however, research using the TriPM has been increasingly conducted
      internationally, with numerous foreign language translations of the measure
      emerging. The present study examined the cross-language utility of the TAPIR in
      German, Dutch, Swedish, and Italian translations of the TriPM using 6 archival
      samples of community members, university students, forensic psychiatric
      inpatients, forensic detainees, and adolescents residing outside the United
      States (combined N = 5,404). Findings suggest that the TAPIR effectively detects
      careless responding across these 4 translated versions of the TriPM without the
      need for language-specific modifications. The TAPIR total score meaningfully
      discriminated genuine participant responses from both fully and partially
      randomly generated data in every sample, and demonstrated further utility in
      detecting fixed "all true" or "all false" response patterns. In addition, TAPIR
      scores were reliably associated with inconsistent responding scores from another
      psychopathy inventory. Specificity for a range of tentative cut scores for
      assessing profile validity was modestly reduced among our samples relative to
      rates previously obtained with the English version of the TriPM; however, overall
      the TAPIR appears to demonstrate satisfactory cross-language generalizability.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627924
TI  - Clusters of financially incentivized chronic pain patients using the Minnesota
      Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF).
AB  - The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)-2 Restructured Form (MMPI
      2-RF) has been shown to have clinical utility in the assessment of individuals
      with chronic pain (e.g., predicting surgical outcomes). The purpose of this study
      was to explore the ability of the MMPI-2-RF Validity Scales in profiling patients
      with chronic pain who had external financial incentive (e.g., workers'
      compensation claims) and determine the associations between Validity Scale
      response patterns and important outcomes. Cluster analysis identified 2 similarly
      sized clusters of patients with very different MMPI-2-RF profiles. Cluster 1 was
      characterized by valid responding and showed mean elevations on the somatic and
      low positive emotion Restructured Clinical scales. Cluster 2 was characterized by
      patients overreporting on the MMPI-2-RF Validity Scales, who also demonstrated
      elevations on 7 of the 9 RC scales. Cluster membership was differentially
      associated with clinical variables: patients in Cluster 2 had greater self
      reported pain and disability, were less likely to have spine-related findings on
      imaging and were more likely to be classified as probable or definite
      malingerers. These results support the utility of the MMPI-2-RF Validity scales
      in distinguishing between credible and noncredible responses from patients with
      chronic pain seen within a medico-legal context. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627925
TI  - Will delay discounting predict intention to quit smoking?
AB  - Intention to quit cigarette smoking is significantly associated with making
      quitting attempts and actual quitting. Delay discounting is significantly
      associated with smoking initiation and success in quitting. To our knowledge, no
      studies have investigated the relationship between delay discounting and
      intention to quit smoking. In 2 separate observational, cross-sectional studies,
      the current investigation examines the relationship between delay discounting and
      intention to quit smoking within groups of smokers. Experiment 1 used data
      collected online and an adjusting-delay discounting task; Experiment 2 used data
      collected in the laboratory and an adjusting-amount discounting task. A total of
      242 participants and 142 participants completed the online and on laboratory
      experiments, respectively. In both studies, participants with higher intention to
      quit smoking had significantly lower rates of discounting. These associations
      between intention to quit smoking and rates of delay discounting further support
      recent characterizations of delay discounting as a candidate behavioral marker of
      addiction. Understanding cognitive factors affecting treatment initiation such as
      intention to change, and the effects of delay discounting on these factors, in
      addition to the mechanisms by which they influence treatment outcomes might be
      essential to developing, disseminating, and implementing treatment interventions.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627926
TI  - Using crowdsourcing to examine behavioral economic measures of alcohol value and
      proportionate alcohol reinforcement.
AB  - Online crowdsourcing websites such as Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) are
      increasingly being used in addictions research. However, there is a relative
      paucity of such research examining the validity of administering behavioral
      economic alcohol-related measures, via an online crowdsourcing platform. This
      study sought to validate an alcohol purchase task (APT) for assessing demand and
      a questionnaire measure of proportionate alcohol reinforcement, using an online
      sample of participants recruited via MTurk. Participants (N = 865, 59% female)
      were recruited via MTurk to complete the APT, proportionate alcohol reinforcement
      questionnaire, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and
      demographics. Responses on the APT were highly systematic (<3% nonsystematic
      data) and conformed to prototypical demand curves. Correlation analyses revealed
      significant associations among AUDIT total scores with a majority of the alcohol
      demand indices (r values .08-53, p values < .05) as well as proportionate alcohol
      reinforcement, r = .43, p < .001. Regression analyses controlling for relevant
      covariates indicated that intensity, BP, Omax, elasticity, and reinforcement
      ratio predicted significant variance in AUDIT scores. This study further supports
      the use of online crowdsourcing websites for investigating behavioral economic
      determinants of alcohol misuse. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627928
TI  - Craving and acute effects of alcohol in youths' daily lives: Associations with
      alcohol use disorder severity.
AB  - Identifying factors associated with the progression from recreational to
      pathological drinking in youth holds high clinical and theoretical importance.
      The present study tested cross-sectional associations of alcohol use disorder
      (AUD) severity with putative mechanisms of AUD progression among youth ages 15-24
      years, namely acute subjective effects of alcohol and craving. Male (n = 44) and
      female (n = 42) youth completed ecological momentary assessments when not
      drinking, just before drinking, and while drinking in the natural environment via
      handheld wireless devices. Youth were recruited from the community and were
      frequent and heavy drinkers, the majority (93%) with at least 1 AUD symptom (M =
      3.4, SD = 2.4). Findings from youths' daily lives suggested that how youth feel
      while they drink depends, in part, on their severity of AUD pathology. In support
      of hypotheses, youths with more progressed drinking pathology (i.e., those with
      more symptoms of AUD) reported greater reductions in craving and tension while
      drinking, relative to nondrinking times. In partial support of hypotheses, males
      with greater AUD symptomatology reported marginally attenuated increases in
      stimulatory states while drinking; however, contrary to hypotheses, females with
      greater AUD symptomatology reported enhanced increases in stimulation while
      drinking. This research leveraged ecological momentary assessment methods to
      study subjective responses to alcohol and craving in youths' daily lives and to
      cross-sectionally test putative associations with AUD etiology. This work adds to
      literature supporting subjective responses to alcohol in the pathogenesis of
      alcoholism, specifically by highlighting their importance during the period in
      life when alcohol problems typically first emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627927
TI  - A reinforcement sensitivity model of affective and behavioral dysregulation in
      marijuana use and associated problems.
AB  - This study tested a model linking sensitivity to punishment (SP) and reward (SR)
      to marijuana use and problems via affect lability and poor control. A 6-month
      prospective design was used in a sample of 2,270 young-adults (64% female). The
      hypothesized SP * SR interaction did not predict affect lability or poor control,
      but did predict use likelihood at baseline. At low levels of SR, SP was
      associated with an increased likelihood of abstaining, which was attenuated as SR
      increased. SP and SR displayed positive main effects on both affect lability and
      poor control. Affect lability and poor control, in turn, mediated effects on the
      marijuana outcomes. Poor control predicted both increased marijuana use and,
      controlling for use level, greater intensity of problems. Affect lability
      predicted greater intensity of problems, but was not associated with use level.
      There were few prospective effects. SR consistently predicted greater marijuana
      use and problems. SP however, exhibited both risk and protective pathways.
      Results indicate that SP is associated with a decreased likelihood of marijuana
      use. However, once use is initiated SP is associated with increased risk of
      problems, in part, due to its effects on both affect and behavioral
      dysregulation. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28627930
TI  - Randomized comparative efficacy and safety study of intermittent simvastatin
      versus fenofibrate in hemodialysis.
AB  - AIM: Compare the safety and efficacy of intermittent fenofibrate versus
      simvastatin in chronic hemodialysis patients. PATIENTS & METHODS: Sixty patients
      received either fenofibrate 100 mg or simvastatin 20 mg after their dialysis
      session (parallel study). The safety and efficacy of drugs on lipid profile,
      oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), glutathione peroxidase and C-reactive
      protein were compared before and after 16-week treatment. RESULTS: After
      treatment, significant increase in glutathione peroxidase, significant decrease
      in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and ox-LDL (p
      < 0.05) and no significant changes in C-reactive protein (p > 0.05) were observed
      in both groups. Both drugs were well tolerated with no serious side effects
      reported by the patients. CONCLUSION: Both drugs have comparable efficacy and
      safety when used as intermittent low dose regimen in hemodialysis. Larger studies
      with longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm our new findings.

PMID- 28627931
TI  - Hyperacoustic hypoacusis: A new pontine syndrome-Case report.
AB  - We herein report a unique case of a lateral pontine demyelinating lesion
      presenting with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and paradoxical ipsilateral
      hyperacusis. The association of unilateral hearing loss and ipsilateral
      hyperacusis is a rare manifestation of a central nervous system lesion. The
      paradoxical combination of these symptoms strongly suggests pontine dysfunction
      and prompts urgent neurological evaluation.

PMID- 28627932
TI  - Short-term prognostic effect of prior cerebrovascular and peripheral artery
      disease in patients with acute coronary syndrome: Can we do better?
AB  - BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate the impact of prior cerebrovascular and/or
      peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute
      coronary syndromes. METHODS: From 1 October 2010 to 26 February 2016, 13,904
      acute coronary syndrome patients were enrolled in a national multicentre
      registry. They were divided into four groups: prior stroke/transient ischaemic
      attack (stroke/TIA); prior PAD; prior stroke/TIA and PAD; none. The endpoints
      included in-hospital mortality and a composite endpoint of death, re-infarction
      and stroke during hospitalization. RESULTS: 6.3% patients had prior stroke/TIA,
      4.2% prior PAD and 1.4% prior stroke/TIA and PAD. Prior stroke/TIA and/or PAD
      patients were less likely to receive evidence-based medical therapies (dual
      antiplatelet therapy: stroke/TIA= 88.6%, PAD= 86.6%, stroke/TIA+PAD= 85.7%, none=
      92.2%, p<0.001; beta-blockers: stroke/TIA= 77.1%, PAD= 72.1%, stroke/TIA+PAD=
      71.9%, none= 80.8%, p<0.001; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin
      receptor blockers: stroke/TIA= 86.3%, PAD= 83.6%, stroke/TIA+PAD= 83.2%, none=
      87.1%, p=0.030) and to undergo percutaneous revascularization (stroke/TIA= 52.8%,
      PAD= 45.6%, stroke/TIA+PAD= 43.7%, none= 67.9%, p<0.001), despite more extensive
      coronary artery disease (three-vessel disease: stroke/TIA= 29.1%, PAD= 38.3%,
      stroke/TIA+PAD= 38.3%, none= 20.2%, p<0.001). In a multivariable analysis, prior
      stroke/TIA+PAD was a predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio= 2.828, 95%
      confidence interval 1.001-7.990) and prior stroke/TIA (odds ratio= 1.529, 95%
      confidence interval 1.056-2.211), prior PAD (odds ratio= 1.618, 95% confidence
      interval 1.034-2.533) and both conditions (odds ratio= 3.736, 95% confidence
      interval 2.002-6.974) were associated with the composite endpoint. CONCLUSION: A
      prior history of stroke/TIA and/or PAD was associated with lower use of medical
      therapy and coronary revascularization and with worst short-term prognosis. An
      individualized management may improve their poor prognosis.

PMID- 28627929
TI  - Design of the HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus) study: A study to evaluate the feasibility of
      an enhanced test, link-to-care, plus treat approach for HIV prevention in the
      United States.
AB  - Background/Aims HIV continues to be a major public health threat in the United
      States, and mathematical modeling has demonstrated that the universal effective
      use of antiretroviral therapy among all HIV-positive individuals (i.e. the "test
      and treat" approach) has the potential to control HIV. However, to accomplish
      this, all the steps that define the HIV care continuum must be achieved at high
      levels, including HIV testing and diagnosis, linkage to and retention in clinical
      care, antiretroviral medication initiation, and adherence to achieve and maintain
      viral suppression. The HPTN 065 (Test, Link-to-Care Plus Treat [TLC-Plus]) study
      was designed to determine the feasibility of the "test and treat" approach in the
      United States. Methods HPTN 065 was conducted in two intervention communities,
      Bronx, NY, and Washington, DC, along with four non-intervention communities,
      Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Miami, FL; and Philadelphia, PA. The study consisted of
      five components: (1) exploring the feasibility of expanded HIV testing via social
      mobilization and the universal offer of testing in hospital settings, (2)
      evaluating the effectiveness of financial incentives to increase linkage to care,
      (3) evaluating the effectiveness of financial incentives to increase viral
      suppression, (4) evaluating the effectiveness of a computer-delivered
      intervention to decrease risk behavior in HIV-positive patients in healthcare
      settings, and (5) administering provider and patient surveys to assess knowledge
      and attitudes regarding the use of antiretroviral therapy for prevention and the
      use of financial incentives to improve health outcomes. The study used
      observational cohorts, cluster and individual randomization, and made novel use
      of the existing national HIV surveillance data infrastructure. All components
      were developed with input from a community advisory board, and pragmatic methods
      were used to implement and assess the outcomes for each study component. Results
      A total of 76 sites in Washington, DC, and the Bronx, NY, participated in the
      study: 37 HIV test sites, including 16 hospitals, and 39 HIV care sites. Between
      September 2010 and December 2014, all study components were successfully
      implemented at these sites and resulted in valid outcomes. Our pragmatic approach
      to the study design, implementation, and the assessment of study outcomes allowed
      the study to be conducted within established programmatic structures and
      processes. In addition, it was successfully layered on the ongoing standard of
      care and existing data infrastructure without disrupting health services.
      Conclusion The HPTN 065 study demonstrated the feasibility of implementing and
      evaluating a multi-component "test and treat" trial that included a large number
      of community sites and involved pragmatic approaches to study implementation and
      evaluation.

PMID- 28627933
TI  - The impact of child and family stressors on the self-rated health of mothers of
      children with autism spectrum disorder: Associations with depressed mood over a
      12-year period.
AB  - Employing a cohort sequential design and multilevel modeling, the effects of
      child and family stressors and maternal depressed mood on the self-rated health
      of 110 mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder were assessed over a 12
      year period when children in the study were 7-19 years old. Findings indicate a
      significant decline in self-rated health over time. In addition, child and family
      stressors, as well as maternal depressed mood, exerted significant between
      persons effects on self-rated health such that mothers who reported more
      stressors and depressed mood across the study period were less likely to rate
      themselves in better health across that period. In addition, a significant within
      person relationship between maternal depressed mood and self-rated health was
      found, indicating that at times when mothers reported higher levels of depressed
      mood than usual (their personal average across the study), they were
      significantly less likely to report better self-rated health. Finally, maternal
      depressed mood partially mediated the between-persons effects of child and family
      stressors on self-rated health such that increased stressors led to increased
      maternal depressed mood which, in turn, led to poorer maternal self-rated health.
      Findings suggest that chronic stressors erode maternal health over time and that
      depression may be an important mechanism linking stressors to decreased maternal
      health.

PMID- 28627934
TI  - Adult patient decision-making regarding implantation of complex cardiac devices:
      a scoping review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Complex cardiac rhythm management device (CRMD) therapy provides an
      important treatment option for people at risk of sudden cardiac death. Despite
      the survival benefit, device implantation is associated with significant physical
      and psychosocial concerns presenting considerable challenges for the decision
      making process surrounding CRMD implantation for patients and physicians. AIMS:
      The purpose of this scoping review was to explore what is known about how adult
      (>16 years) patients make decisions regarding implantation of CRMD therapy.
      METHODS: Published, peer reviewed, English language studies from 2000 to 2016
      were identified in a search across eight healthcare databases. Eligible studies
      were concerned with patient decision-making for first time device implantation.
      Quality assessment was completed using the mixed methods appraisal tool for all
      studies meeting the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The findings of eight
      qualitative and seven quantitative studies, including patients who accepted or
      declined primary or secondary sudden cardiac death prevention devices, were
      clustered into two themes: knowledge acquisition and the process of decision
      making, exposing similarities and distinctions with the treatment decision-making
      literature. CONCLUSION: The review revealed some insight in to the way patients
      approach decision-making but also exposed a lack of clarity and research activity
      specific to CRMD patients. Further research is recommended to support the
      development and application of targeted decision support mechanisms.

PMID- 28627935
TI  - Interactions between primary sclerosing cholangitis and inflammatory bowel
      disease: implications in the adult liver transplant setting.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver
      disease which is associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in most cases.
      As there is currently no medical therapy which alters the natural history of PSC,
      liver transplantation may be required. Areas covered: We searched for articles in
      PubMed and critically reviewed current literature on the interrelationship
      between PSC and IBD with a specific focus on considerations for patients in the
      liver transplant setting. Expert commentary: PSC is an uncommon disease which
      limits available studies to be either retrospective or contain relatively small
      numbers of patients. Based on observations from these studies, the behavior and
      complications of PSC and IBD impact on each other both before and after a liver
      transplant. Both these autoimmune conditions and their associated cancer risk
      also influence patient selection for transplantation and may be impacted by
      immunosuppression use post-transplant. Hence, a complex interplay exists between
      PSC, IBD and liver transplantation which requires clarification with ongoing
      research.

PMID- 28627936
TI  - The Microorganisms on Nurses' and Health Care Workers' Uniforms in the Intensive
      Care Units.
AB  - The objective of this study was to identify the types of microorganisms present
      on uniforms of nurses, physicians, respiratory therapist, students, and
      housekeepers in intensive care units (ICUs). A convenience sampling was used to
      recruit the participants ( N = 115) who work at military hospital in Jordan.
      Environmental cultures ( N = 305) were taken from the participants who were
      nurses, physicians, students, respiratory therapists, and housekeepers. The
      number of participating nurses was 58 (50.43%). There were 24 types of
      microorganisms found on the participants' uniforms. Staphylococcus epidermidis
      was found 59 times (61.3%) on the three areas of uniform culture. High level of
      contamination was found among all the participants, and it was the highest in
      physicians (85%) followed by nurse (79.3%) (chi2 = 24.87, p < .001). None of the
      participants' characteristics have correlated significantly with the uniform
      contamination. High percentages of uniform's contamination among all those who
      work in the ICUs were found.

PMID- 28627937
TI  - The safety of intra-articular injections for the treatment of knee
      osteoarthritis: a critical narrative review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: International guidelines recommend that the management of knee
      osteoarthritis (OA) combine both nonpharmacological and pharmacological
      interventions. Intra-articular (IA) therapies are considered part of this
      multimodal approach and are well-established Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
      and European Medicines Agency (EMA)-approved treatments. Areas covered: Safety
      data for knee OA, including IA corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich
      plasma and botulinum toxin are critically reviewed, and evidence- and pratice
      based measures to improve safety of IA therapies are discussed. Expert opinion:
      The incidence of AEs attributable to IA therapies across clinical trials in knee
      OA is very low, and barely reaches significance when compared to the incidence of
      AEs in the comparator group. These events are exceptionally serious. Mild
      differences between products have been inconsistently reported mainly for IA HA.
      One can distinguish self-limited AEs such as post-injection pain and swelling
      that are the most frequently reported AEs, from AEs that are not self-limited but
      rare such as septic arthritis. The safety of IA therapies can be improved by
      applying simple measures designed to prevent AEs. However, even though no
      specific safety concerns have been raised to date about IA therapies, the quality
      of evidence is low, and there is a need to improve the monitoring and reporting
      of safety data from clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance.

PMID- 28627938
TI  - "I've got somebody there, someone cares": what support is most valued following a
      stroke?
AB  - PURPOSE: There is often a need for increased support following a stroke. This
      study explored what types of support are provided by different network members
      and what support functions are most valued. METHODS: Adults with first stroke
      were recruited from a stroke unit and participated in in-depth interviews 8-15
      months poststroke. Framework Analysis was used to build thematic and explanatory
      accounts of the data. RESULTS: Twenty-nine participants took part. Main themes to
      emerge were as follows: the spouse was the most important provider of support;
      children were a relatively stable source of support, although many participants
      expressed reservations about worrying a child; relatives and friends typically
      provided social companionship and emotional support rather than on-going
      practical support. The only universally valued support function was the sense
      that someone was concerned and cared. Other valued functions were as follows:
      social companionship including everyday social "chit chat"; practical support
      provided sensitively; and, for many, sharing worries and sensitive encouragement.
      The manner and context in which support was provided was important: support was
      easiest to receive when it communicated concern, and was part of a reciprocal,
      caring relationship. CONCLUSIONS: As well as measuring supportive acts,
      researchers and clinicians should consider the manner and context of support.
      Implications for rehabilitation The manner in which support was provided
      mattered: support was easier to receive when it communicated concern. The spouse
      was the most important source of all support functions; children, relatives and
      friends were important providers of emotional and social companionship support.
      Researchers and clinicians should not only focus on what support is received, but
      also the context (e.g., contribution, reciprocity, quality of relationship) and
      manner (e.g., responsiveness, sensitivity) of the support.

PMID- 28627939
TI  - Off-label prescribing for children with chronic diseases in Nigeria; findings and
      implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prescribing medicines in an off-label manner for children with
      chronic conditions is sparsely documented, even more so among developing
      countries. This needs addressing. The objective of this research was to
      investigate the extent of off-label prescribing among children with epilepsy,
      asthma, and sickle cell anaemia in Nigeria. METHODS: Prescriptions for children
      <=16 years documented in their case files that attended paediatric clinics in
      Lagos, Nigeria, for these three conditions between January and October 2015, were
      reviewed retrospectively to extract data on the medicines prescribed. British
      National Formulary for children and American Hospital Formulary Service Drug
      information were used as references. RESULTS: 477 patients received 1746
      prescriptions. Off-label prescriptions were seen in 7.7% of prescriptions,
      related to dose (93; 68.9%), indication (22; 16.3%), and age (20; 14.8%). Nervous
      system (525; 30.1%) and anti-infective (441; 25.2%) medicines were the most
      prescribed but only 9.5% and 8.2% of the respective prescriptions were off-label.
      Children with epilepsy received the most number (94; 69.6%) of off-label
      prescriptions. The three chronic conditions did not associate significantly with
      the category of off-label medicine prescribed (p = 0.925). CONCLUSION: Off-label
      prescribing for children with epilepsy, asthma and sickle cell anaemia occurs.
      Encouragingly, the overall rate appears low in Nigeria.

PMID- 28627940
TI  - Delivery of drugs, growth factors, genes and stem cells via intrapericardial,
      epicardial and intramyocardial routes for sustained local targeted therapy of
      myocardial disease.

PMID- 28627941
TI  - Detecting social-cognitive deficits after traumatic brain injury: An ALE meta
      analysis of fMRI studies.
AB  - PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in significant social
      dysfunction, which is represented by impairment to social-cognitive abilities
      (i.e. social cognition, social attention/executive function and communication).
      This study is aimed to explore brain networks mediating the social dysfunction
      after TBI and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: We performed a quantitative
      meta-analysis using the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) approach on
      functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of social-cognitive
      abilities following TBI. Sixteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria
      resulting in a total of 190 patients with TBI and 206 controls enrolled in the
      ALE meta-analysis. RESULTS: The temporoparietal junction (TPJ) and the medial
      prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were the specific regions that social cognition
      predominantly engaged. The cingulate gyrus, frontal gyrus and inferior parietal
      lobule were the main regions related to social attention/executive functions.
      Communication dysfunction, especially related to language deficits, was found to
      show greater activation of the temporal gyrus and fusiform gyrus in TBI.
      CONCLUSION: The current ALE meta-analytic findings provide evidence that patients
      have significant social-cognitive disabilities following TBI. The relatively
      limited pool of literature and the varied fMRI results from published studies
      indicate that social-cognitive abilities following TBI is an area that would
      greatly benefit from further investigation.

PMID- 28627943
TI  - The efficacy and safety of adjuvant interferon-alfa therapy in the evolving
      treatment landscape for resected high-risk melanoma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Patients with resected stage II or III melanoma are at high risk of
      recurrence, with 5-year mortality rate of 40-60%. Adjuvant interferon-alfa has
      demonstrated a small RFS and OS benefit versus observation in this patient
      population. However, the adjuvant treatment landscape is evolving rapidly. Areas
      covered: This review aims to summarize the safety and efficacy profiles of
      adjuvant IFNalpha/PEG-IFNalpha, revisit the controversy surrounding its
      application, and reappraise its position in the rapidly changing treatment
      landscape of resected melanoma. A literature search using PubMed database was
      undertaken using search words melanoma, interferon-alfa, pegylated interferon
      alfa, adjuvant therapy. Expert opinion: Currently, there is no international
      consensus regarding the optimal dosing schedule for adjuvant IFNalpha, but HD
      IFNalpha-2b remains the most widely used regimen. The AEs of HD IFNalpha-2b are
      substantial; however, toxicity management experience amassed over the past 2
      decades has significantly improved safety. Many exciting studies are ongoing to
      examine the roles of immune checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF-targeted therapies in
      the adjuvant setting and will further delineate the role of adjuvant IFNalpha.

PMID- 28627942
TI  - Diffusion imaging of mild traumatic brain injury in the impact accelerated rodent
      model: A pilot study.
AB  - PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: There is a need to understand pathologic processes of the
      brain following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Previous studies report
      axonal injury and oedema in the first week after injury in a rodent model. This
      study aims to investigate the processes occurring 1 week after injury at the time
      of regeneration and degeneration using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the
      impact acceleration rat mTBI model. RESEARCH DESIGN: Eighteen rats were subjected
      to impact acceleration injury, and three rats served as sham controls. Seven days
      post injury, DTI was acquired from fixed rat brains using a 7T scanner. Group
      comparison of Fractional Anisotropy (FA) values between traumatized and sham
      animals was performed using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS), a method that
      we adapted for rats. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: TBSS revealed white matter
      regions of the brain with increased FA values in the traumatized versus sham
      rats, localized mainly to the contrecoup region. Regions of increased FA included
      the pyramidal tract, the cerebral peduncle, the superior cerebellar peduncle and
      to a lesser extent the fibre tracts of the corpus callosum, the anterior
      commissure, the fimbria of the hippocampus, the fornix, the medial forebrain
      bundle and the optic chiasm. CONCLUSION: Seven days post injury, during the
      period of tissue reparation in the impact acceleration rat model of mTBI,
      microstructural changes to white matter can be detected using DTI.

PMID- 28627945
TI  - [Model concept of the health economic evaluation of low-dose CT lung cancer
      screening in Hungary].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is a rapidly progressing, often life-threatening
      disease that constitutes a huge societal burden. Because of the scarce resources
      of the Hungarian health care system, the cost-effectiveness of introducing low
      dose computed tomography screening is a relevant health policy matter. AIM: The
      aim of this study is to design a model concept for assessing the cost
      effectiveness of low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening in Hungary,
      and to define the required steps for performing the analysis. METHOD: A targeted
      literature review was conducted to identify and synthesize the evidence on
      efficacy and effectiveness of screening, and results were evaluated based on
      adaptability to Hungarian settings. We also summarized the available Hungarian
      scientific evidence and reconstructed the potential patient pathways. RESULTS: In
      accordance with these findings, we recommend to perform the full health-economic
      evaluation of low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screening using a complex
      model structure that consists of several sub-models and is capable to follow the
      population at risk on life-time horizon. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed cost
      effectiveness model will be suitable to provide data for further analyses that
      support decision-making on introducing low-dose computed tomography lung cancer
      screening as public health program. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(25): 963-975.

PMID- 28627947
TI  - [The standardized mortality numbers of patients with gastrointestinal tumors and
      cardiovascular diseases in four wine regions and in one not-wine region of
      Hungary between 2000-2010].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Eating habits act on mortalities from gastrointestinal tumors and
      cardiovascular diseases. AIM: To investigate the role of wine drinking on these
      mortalities in Hungary. METHOD: The standardized mortality data of people from
      206,159 subjects died of gastrointestinal tumors and cardiovascular diseases
      between 2000-2010 were compared in four wine regions: Tokaj (white), Eger (red),
      Balaton (white), Szekszard/Villany (red) and in Hodmezovasarhely (not-wine
      region). RESULTS: The significantly smallest number of tumors (664) occurred in
      Tokaj, but the cardiovascular mortality here was the highest (5955). On the other
      hand, the fewest cardiovascular mortality occurred in Szekszard/Villany (3907),
      but showing here (831) and in Eger (934) the highest values of tumor death.
      CONCLUSIONS: The protective effect of red wine on cardiovascular mortality was
      verified. Surprisingly, the low value of gastrointestinal mortality in "Tokaj" -
      besides the higher level of selenium in tap water - shows some hidden features of
      these white wines. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(25): 992-998.

PMID- 28627946
TI  - [The connection between maltreatment and preterm birth - in the light of
      psychomotor development at 2 years old].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Preterm children' development and harmful affecting factors to
      development are important aspects of public health, because in our country the
      number of preterm birth is very high. AIM: Description of psychomotor development
      of preterm children (Brunet-Lezine; Bayley-III) and connection between
      psychomotor development and maternal abuse history (own questionnaire). METHOD:
      Extremely (<1000 g) and very low (1000-1500 g) birth weight preterm children at
      23-30 months (n = 35) and their mothers' abuse history were measured. RESULTS:
      Lower birth weight was associated with lower psychomotor development quotients
      and higher development risk. Strong associations were found between maternal
      history of childhood abuse and the development quotients. CONCLUSIONS: We would
      like to draw attention to the importance of assessing preterm children, as well
      as to the importance of maltreatment and the severity of its consequences. With
      the early recognition of necessity for developmental interventions we can prevent
      problems in the future. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(25): 976-983.

PMID- 28627950
TI  - The association between supportive relatives and lower occurrence of anxiety and
      depression in heart patients: Results from a nationwide survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Approximately 30-40% of heart patients develop anxiety and/or
      depression, which might influence recovery and long-term survival. Research has
      suggested that support from relatives may decrease anxiety and depression among
      heart patients; however, the results are inconsistent and often based on small
      study populations. AIM: The paper aimed to investigate the association between
      having supportive relatives and the occurrence of anxiety and depression in heart
      patients. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study among Danish patients
      diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or
      heart valve disease. Presence of supportive relatives was measured as the degree
      to which the patients felt that they had relatives they could count on, while
      symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and
      Depression Scale (HADS). Multiple logistic regression analyses accounting for
      confounders were used to examine the association between supportive relatives and
      anxiety/depression. RESULTS: The questionnaire was answered by 2496 heart
      patients, corresponding to 50% of the invited population. Patients with low or
      some degree of supportive relatives had a higher odds ratio (OR) of anxiety than
      patients with a high degree (OR = 2.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-2.37;
      OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.57-3.08, respectively). Likewise, patients with low or some
      degree of supportive relatives had a higher OR of depression than patients with a
      high degree (OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.40-2.66; OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.37-2.60,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of supportive relatives was found to be
      associated with lower occurrence of anxiety and depression. Health professionals
      should focus on including relatives in the treatment and rehabilitation of heart
      patients.

PMID- 28627948
TI  - [Renal transplantations in the Centre for Nephrology in Szombathely, 1976-2016].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The organized nephrological care in Szombathely commenced its
      activities in 1976. AIM: Follow-up of our patients who has undergone a kidney
      transplantation. METHOD: We used the local and national databases. RESULTS: 213
      patients (7 preemptive, 206 dialyzed) had 240 renal transplantations. Only 11 of
      them were living organ donation. Between 69 transplantations (Tx) were carried
      out between 1976-1995, and 163 Tx were done in the second 20 years. 122 patients
      (57%) are still alive (the average survival of these patients in renal
      replacement therapy - RRT - are 11.4 years), and 7 of them had transplantation
      between 1976-1995. The longest survival time was 35.1 years. Prevalence of
      patients on RRT at the end of 2016 was 1367 pmp in our county (32.5% living with
      functioning graft). CONCLUSIONS: Number of transplanted patients has grown in the
      last decade. Proportion of living organ donation was minimal. Orv Hetil. 2017;
      158(25): 984-991.

PMID- 28627951
TI  - The safety of Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The approval of ibrutinib has revolutionized the therapeutic
      landscape of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Currently ibrutinib is indicated
      for patients that are both treatment naive as well as those with relapsed CLL.
      Ibrutinib is generally well-tolerated with durable responses that improve over
      time in most patients. Important toxicities include atrial fibrillation and
      bleeding. Areas cover: This review covers the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics,
      safety and efficacy of ibrutinib in the treatment of CLL. We also compare
      ibrutinib with other kinase inhibitors and chemoimmunotherapy regimens using data
      from clinical trials. A literature search utilized the PubMed database. Expert
      opinion: Despite the efficacy and tolerability of ibrutinib, important questions
      remain, which include selection of patients receiving ibrutinib in the first and
      subsequent lines of treatment, optimal dosing, sequential use of ibrutinib versus
      other kinase inhibitors and combination therapy. Prospective studies should
      incorporate minimal residual disease (MRD) status as a clinical endpoint to
      determine whether patients can be taken off kinase inhibitors.

PMID- 28627952
TI  - Clinical efficacy of piperacillin/tazobactam in the treatment of complicated skin
      and soft tissue infections.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs) are skin and
      soft tissue infections (SSTIs) that involve deep soft tissue. cSSTIs often
      require surgical intervention and/or hospitalization. cSSTIs are associated with
      significant mortality and morbidity, and carry a significant burden on health
      care systems. Piperacillin/tazobactam has been regarded as a standard treatment
      for cSSTIs because of its antibiotic spectrum, safety and clinical efficacy.
      Several antibiotics, as compared to piperacillin/tazobactam, have been evaluated
      in the treatment of cSSTIs. Areas covered: This review summarizes randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the clinical efficacy of
      piperacillin/tazobactam for the treatment of cSSTIs. Expert opinion:
      Piperacillin/tazobactam, which covers most causative organisms in cSSTIs, is the
      drug of choice for the treatment of cSSTIs. Other options such as ertapenem and
      moxifloxacin may be reasonable where multiple daily dosing or intravenous
      administration is inappropriate. But in general, they should be avoided as an
      empirical treatment because of their highly association with resistant bacteria,
      which are becoming a global threat. Therefore, piperacilin/tazobactam is
      appropriate as an empirical therapy for the treatment of SSTIs and should be de
      escalated as soon as causative organisms are identified, their drug-sensitivity
      results are available, and clinical condition becomes stable.

PMID- 28627953
TI  - Role of diffusion-weighted imaging in head and neck lesions: Pictorial review.
AB  - Head and neck cancers are very common worldwide, causing significant morbidity
      and mortality. Squamous cell carcinoma originating from the epithelial lining of
      the upper aerodigestive tract is the most common histology. Many patients with
      head and neck cancers present with advanced stage disease requiring aggressive
      treatment consisting of extensive surgery and chemo-radiation. Appropriate
      treatment planning as well as prognosis of tumors depends to a large extent on
      accurate histological diagnosis and differentiation of malignant from benign
      lesions. Routine imaging modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic
      resonance imaging give volumetric and morphologic information. However, these
      modalities cannot be reliably used as a substitute for biopsy in treatment
      planning. However, diffusion-weighted imaging has shown promise in tissue
      characterization for primary tumors and nodal metastases, differentiation of
      recurrent tumor from post therapeutic changes, prediction and monitoring of
      treatment response, and many other clinical scenarios as described later in this
      article. In this review article, we describe the imaging findings in applications
      of diffusion-weighted imaging in the head and neck lesions and discuss their
      added value over anatomic imaging.

PMID- 28627954
TI  - Reliability analysis of Cobb measurement in degenerative lumbar scoliosis using
      endplate versus pedicle as bony landmarks.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Degenerative changes of endplates in older patients and tilting of
      vertebral body in lumbosacral lordosis could make an accurate identification of
      endplates for the Cobb measurement difficult. Pedicles have been proposed as
      alternative landmarks because they are usually better visualized, and offer
      similar clinical validity to the endplates. The objective of this study was to
      investigate the reliability of the pedicle method of Cobb measurement in
      degenerative lumbar scoliosis and compare it with the traditional endplate
      method. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty-four radiographs of degenerative lumbar
      scoliosis were evaluated. The radiographs were classified into groups based on
      the patient's age (< 60 years, 60 to 80 years, and > 80 years), level of lower
      end vertebra (LEV) (LEV at L5, and LEV at or above L4), and curve severity (< 20
      degrees , 20 degrees  to 40 degrees , and > 40 degrees ). Three observers
      independently measured the radiographs using the endplate and pedicle methods
      twice with an interval of 1 week. The intra- and interobserver reliabilities were
      calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: The intra-
      and interobserver ICC values were better for all observers in the > 80 years age
      group using the pedicle method. The intraobserver ICC values of pedicle method
      were also better in the LEV at L5 group, and the interobserver ICC values showed
      a slightly better consistency with the pedicle method. For patients with > 40
      degrees  curves, the intraobserver ICC values for all observers as well as
      interobserver ICC values were better using the endplate method. CONCLUSION: The
      reliabilities of the endplate and pedicle methods for degenerative lumbar
      scoliosis were both excellent. The pedicle method might be better in older
      patients (> 80 years) and those with LEV at L5; while the endplate method could
      have some strength in severe cases (> 40 degrees ).

PMID- 28627955
TI  - Herpes simplex encephalitis with thalamic, brainstem and cerebellar involvement.
AB  - Herpes simplex virus encephalitis is a common and treatable cause of acute
      encephalitis in all age groups. Certain radiological features such as temporal
      parenchymal involvement facilitate the diagnosis. The use of herpes simplex virus
      polymerase chain reaction has expanded the clinical and imaging spectrum. We
      report the case of a young patient who presented with a movement disorder and
      predominant involvement of thalami, brainstem and cerebellum on magnetic
      resonance imaging, and was diagnosed with herpes simplex virus encephalitis.
      Differentiation from Japanese encephalitis may be difficult in these patients,
      especially in endemic areas, and may necessitate the use of relevant
      investigations in all patients.

PMID- 28627956
TI  - Evaluating the effects of Botulinum Toxin A on tear metrics in patients with
      hemifacial spasm.
AB  - Hemifacial spasm has been previously shown to result in dry eye and ocular
      surface diseases. This study was performed to assess the impact of
      chemodenervation with botulinum toxin on clinically-relevant metrics of tears.
      Tear osmolarity and lipid layer thickness were measured in patients with
      hemifacial spasm after they achieved relief from hemifacial spasm via botulinum
      toxin injections. Twelve eyes of 6 patients with hemifacial spasm (2 men and 4
      women; mean age 55.5 years) were assessed in accordance with the Declaration of
      Helsinki and IRB approval. The mean tear osmolarities were 300.8 mOsm (standard
      deviation = 7.44 mOsm) and 293.0 mOsm (standard deviation = 7.01 mOsm) for
      treated and untreated eyes, respectively, and this difference was not
      statistically significant (p = 0.097). The mean lipid layer thicknesses of the
      tear film were 78.7 nm (standard deviation = 18.0 nm) and 71.5 nm (standard
      deviation = 25.2 nm) for treated and untreated eyes, respectively, and these
      values were not statistically significantly different (p = 0.671). Although
      previous investigations have demonstrated significant dry eye disease in patients
      with hemifacial spasm, successful chemodenervation with botulinum toxin appears
      to result in tear osmolarities and lipid layer thicknesses that were comparable
      in treated and untreated eyes. This finding may represent an additional benefit
      to treatment of hemifacial spasm.

PMID- 28627957
TI  - Fronto-striatal network activation leads to less fatigue in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The fronto-striatal network has been implicated in both fatigue, a
      common multiple sclerosis (MS) symptom, and goal attainment, which has been shown
      to reduce fatigue in healthy individuals. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether
      stimulation of the fronto-striatal network through goal attainment (potential
      monetary gain) leads to fatigue reduction in MS and healthy control (HC)
      participants. METHODS: In all, 14 healthy and 19 MS participants performed a
      gambling task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants
      were presented with an opportunity to receive monetary reward during the outcome
      condition of the task but not during the no outcome condition. Self-reported
      fatigue measures were obtained after each condition and outside of the scanner.
      Structural alterations were also examined. RESULTS: A significant decrease in
      fatigue was observed after the outcome condition compared to the no outcome
      condition in both groups. Significantly greater activation was observed in the
      ventral striatum in association with the outcome condition compared to the no
      outcome condition in both groups. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex showed
      significantly greater activation during the no outcome condition compared to the
      outcome condition with greater difference between conditions in the HC group.
      CONCLUSION: This is the first functional neuroimaging study showing that
      stimulation of the fronto-striatal network through goal attainment leads to
      decreased on-task fatigue in MS and healthy participants.

PMID- 28627958
TI  - Pushed monocanalicular intubation versus probing for the treatment of simple and
      incomplete complex types of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction in children
      older than 18 months old.
AB  - This article compares the success rate of pushed monocanalicular intubation
      (Masterka) versus probing for the treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct
      obstruction (CNLDO) in children older than 18 months. In a non-random comparative
      study, 90 eyes with CNLDO underwent either Masterka (45 eyes) or probing (45
      eyes). All procedures were performed by one oculoplastic surgeon. The tubes were
      removed 2 months after the operation. Complete resolution was defined as complete
      absence of clinical signs and symptoms of CNLDO at 6 months after the procedure.
      The mean age at the time of treatment was 28 +/- 18.2 months for Masterka and
      26.7 +/- 18.6 months for probing group. Treatment success was achieved in 33 of
      45 eyes (73.3%) in the Masterka group compared with 22 of 45 eyes (48.9%) in the
      probing group. The difference between the two groups was statistically
      significant (p = 0.017). For the treatment of CNLDO, Masterka might be more
      effective than probing in children older than 18 months.

PMID- 28627959
TI  - Two cases of primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis mimicking subacute meningitis.
AB  - Primary involvement of leptomeninges with melanocytic tumours is rarely seen and
      its diagnosis is challenging. Here we summarise two cases of primary
      leptomeningeal melanomatosis presenting as subacute meningitis. Both cases have
      pleocytosis and high protein on cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and demonstrated
      atypical cells on cytology. On magnetic resonance imaging, there is diffuse
      leptomeningal thickening and avid enhancement of intracranial and intraspinal
      leptomeninges. One of them demonstrates T1 shortening due to magnetic effects of
      melanin, the other case is amelanotic and shows hypointensity on precontrast T1
      weighted images. Both cases can be diagnosed with biopsy. In conclusion, these
      cases highlight the importance of the correct interpretation of cytological and
      magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients with atypical findings.

PMID- 28627960
TI  - Lack of functional normalisation of tumour vessels following anti-angiogenic
      therapy in glioblastoma.
AB  - Neo-angiogenesis represents an important factor for the delivery of oxygen and
      nutrients to a growing tumour, and is considered to be one of the main
      pathodiagnostic features of glioblastomas (GBM). Anti-angiogenic therapy by
      vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) blocking agents has been shown to lead
      to morphological vascular normalisation resulting in a reduction of contrast
      enhancement as seen by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Yet the functional
      consequences of this normalisation and its potential for improved delivery of
      cytotoxic agents to the tumour are not known. The presented study aimed at
      determining the early physiologic changes following bevacizumab treatment. A time
      series of perfusion MRI and hypoxia positron emission tomography (PET) scans were
      acquired during the first week of treatment, in two human GBM xenograft models
      treated with either high or low doses of bevacizumab. We show that vascular
      morphology was normalised over the time period investigated, but vascular
      function was not improved, resulting in poor tumoural blood flow and increased
      hypoxia.

PMID- 28627961
TI  - Microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 inhibitors: a patent review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) catalyzes the
      terminal step of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) generation. It is strongly upregulated
      in inflamed tissues and overexpressed in tumors and it has been recognized as a
      key enzyme in inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, stroke
      and cancer. Thus, a great effort has been devoted in developing synthetic mPGES-1
      inhibitors as novel anti-inflammatory agents. Areas covered: This review article
      summarizes the mPGES-1 inhibitors presented in patent literature from 2000 to
      August 2016 and their biological evaluation, discussing their activities in vitro
      and in vivo. Expert opinion: The side effects of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors on
      the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system showcase the urgent need
      for the discovery of novel potent and safe anti-inflammatory drugs. mPGES-1
      inhibitors may present superior safety in comparison to existing anti
      inflammatory drugs. The first synthetic inhibitor of mPGES-1 was reported in 2001
      and up to now a variety of structurally different inhibitors has been developed.
      However, only recently two inhibitors entered clinical trials and none has
      reached yet the market. More preclinical and clinical studies on mPGES-1
      inhibitors are needed to realize if indeed they may become novel agents for the
      treatment of inflammation and cancer.

PMID- 28627962
TI  - Plasma neurofilament light chain levels in patients with MS switching from
      injectable therapies to fingolimod.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neurofilament light chain (NFL) is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) marker
      of neuroaxonal damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE: To determine the
      correlation of NFL in CSF and serum/plasma, and in plasma after switching from
      injectable MS therapies to fingolimod. METHODS: A first cohort consisted of MS
      patients ( n = 39) and neurological disease controls ( n = 27) where CSF and
      plasma/serum had been collected for diagnostic purposes. A second cohort ( n =
      243) consisted of patients from a post-marketing study of fingolimod. NFL was
      determined with Single Molecule Array (SimoaTM) technology (detection threshold
      1.95 pg/mL). RESULTS: Mean NFL pg/mL (standard deviation ( SD)) was 341 (267) and
      1475 (2358) in CSF and 8.2 (3.58) and 17.0 (16.94) in serum from controls and MS,
      respectively. CSF/serum and plasma/serum levels were highly correlated ( n  = 66,
      rho  = 0.672, p  < 0.0001 and n  = 16, rho  = 0.684, p  = 0.009, respectively).
      In patients starting fingolimod ( n = 243), mean NFL pg/mL ( SD) in plasma was
      reduced between baseline (20.4 (10.7)) and at 12 months (13.5 (7.3), p < 3 * 10
      6), and levels remained stable at 24 months (13.2 (6.2)). CONCLUSION: NFL in
      serum and CSF are highly correlated and plasma NFL levels decrease after
      switching to highly effective MS therapy. Blood NFL measurement can be considered
      as a biomarker for MS therapy response.

PMID- 28627963
TI  - The natural history of recovery of elbow flexion after obstetric brachial plexus
      injury managed without nerve repair.
AB  - : In this study, we report the outcome for spontaneous recovery of elbow flexion
      in obstetric brachial plexus injury managed without nerve reconstruction.
      Excluding those with transient paralysis, our records revealed 152 children with
      obstetric brachial plexus injury born before our unit routinely offered brachial
      plexus reconstruction. Five had had nerve repairs. Of the remainder, only one
      patient had insufficient flexion to reach their mouth. Elbow flexion started to
      recover clinically at a mean age of 4 months for Narakas Group 1, 6 months for
      Group 2, 8 months for Group 3 and 12 months for Group 4. The mean active range of
      elbow flexion, in 44 cases, was 138 degrees . The mean isometric elbow flexion
      strength, in 39 patients, was 63% (range 23%-100%) of the normal side. It appears
      to be rare for elbow flexion not to recover spontaneously, although recovery
      occurs later in more severe injuries. It is doubtful if nerve reconstruction can
      improve elbow flexion above the likely spontaneous recovery in babies with
      obstetric brachial plexus injuries. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

PMID- 28627964
TI  - Comparison of the success rate between monocanalicular and bicanalicular
      intubations in incomplete complex congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
AB  - This article compares the success rate between monocanalicular (MCI) and
      bicanalicular intubations (BCI) in incomplete complex congenital nasolacrimal
      duct obstruction (CNLDO) and evaluate the factors responsible for the success of
      intubation. First, 99 patients with incomplete complex CNLDO underwent MCI
      (Monoka) or BCI (Crawford). Therapeutic success was defined as dye disappearance
      test grade 0-1 and complete resolution of previous symptoms at 12 months' follow
      up. The success rates were compared between two groups. In all cases, the
      correlation of the age, gender, history of probing, and the presence of purulent
      discharges with the improvement in CNLDO symptoms were evaluated. 52 cases in the
      MCI and 47 cases in the BCI group were included. Then, 48 patients (48.5%) had
      history of probing. 26 patients (26.3%) had purulent discharges. The patients in
      the MCI group had lower success rate (59.6%) than the patients in the BCI group
      (74.4%) but the difference was not significant (p = 0.11). No complication
      occurred in the BCI group. In 4 cases (7.6%) in the MCI group, the tubes were
      lost before time of planned removal. In all cases, only preoperative absence of
      the pus was significantly correlated with success (p = 0.09 and OR = 0.39). BCI
      may be a better treatment for the patients with incomplete complex CNLDO. In
      silicone intubation for these cases, preoperative absence of purulent discharges
      could increase the success rate.

PMID- 28627965
TI  - Role of angiopoietin-2, endoglin, and placental growth factor in HIV-associated
      preeclampsia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The factors angiopoeitin-2 (Ang-2), endoglin (Eng), and placental
      growth factor (PlGF) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia
      (PE). This study assessed their serum levels in HIV-negative and HIV-positive
      pregnant normotensive and pre-eclamptic women. METHODS: Participants were
      recruited at the antenatal clinic, serum samples were evaluated using the Bioplex
      Human Cancer Biomarker (panel 2). RESULTS: Ang-2 and Eng levels were higher,
      whilst PlGF levels were lower in the PE compared with the normotensive group.
      Pregnancy type had no significant effect on Ang-2 and showed a significant
      interaction with Eng (p < 0.0001) and PlGF (p = 0.0033). HIV status had no
      significant effect on angiopoeitin-2 (p = 0.4), Eng (p = 0.4), and PlGF (p = 0.7)
      but the levels were slightly higher in the HIV-negative cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study demonstrates an elevation of Ang-2 and Eng in pre-eclamptic compared with
      normotensive pregnant women implicating their role in its pathogenesis.

PMID- 28627966
TI  - Further Evidence of Cucurbit Host Specificity among Acidovorax citrulli Groups
      Based on a Detached Melon Fruit Pathogenicity Assay.
AB  - Bacterial fruit blotch, caused by the gram-negative bacterium Acidovorax
      citrulli, is a serious economic threat to cucurbit crop production worldwide. A.
      citrulli strains can be divided into two genetically distinct groups, with group
      I strains infecting a range of cucurbit species and group II strains being
      predominantly associated with watermelon. Group I and II A. citrulli strains
      differ in their arsenal of type III secreted (T3S) effector proteins and we
      hypothesize that these effectors are critical for cucurbit host preference.
      However, the pathogenicity or virulence assays used for A. citrulli, including
      infiltration of seedling cotyledons and mature fruit rind tissues with cell
      suspensions and spray inoculation of seedlings, lack the sensitivity to
      consistently distinguish strains of the two groups. Here, we describe an
      immature, detached melon fruit assay based on 'Joaquin Gold' melon (Syngenta,
      Rogers Brand) that clearly indicates differences in host specificity between
      group I and II A. citrulli strains. Using this assay, four group I strains (M6,
      AAC213-52, AAC213-55, and XJL12) induced typical water-soaked lesions in melon
      fruit rind tissue 7 to 10 days after pinprick inoculation. In contrast, four
      group II strains (AAC00-1, AAC213-44, AAC213-47, and AAC213-48) did not induce
      water-soaked lesions on detached melon fruit rinds during the same period. These
      data suggest that group I A. citrulli strains have a specific capacity to infect
      immature Joaquin Gold melon fruit, whereas group II strains do not.
      Interestingly, this differential pathogenicity phenotype was not observed on
      foliar seedling tissues of the same melon cultivar, suggesting that host
      preference of A. citrulli strains is specific to immature fruit tissues. Using
      the immature melon fruit inoculation assay, a T3S system mutant of the group I A.
      citrulli strain, M6 (M6DeltahrcV), failed to induce water soaking. This indicates
      that T3S effectors are involved in A. citrulli cucurbit host preference, and that
      this assay is suitable for future studies of unique T3S effectors that
      distinguish group I and II strains.

PMID- 28627967
TI  - Novel region of interest interrogation technique for diffusion tensor imaging
      analysis in the canine brain.
AB  - Purpose We describe a novel technique for measuring diffusion tensor imaging
      metrics in the canine brain. We hypothesized that a standard method for region of
      interest placement could be developed that is highly reproducible, with less than
      10% difference in measurements between raters. Methods Two sets of canine brains
      (three seven-week-old full-brains and two 17-week-old single hemispheres) were
      scanned ex-vivo on a 7T small-animal magnetic resonance imaging system. Strict
      region of interest placement criteria were developed and then used by two raters
      to independently measure diffusion tensor imaging metrics within four different
      white-matter regions within each specimen. Average values of fractional
      anisotropy, radial diffusivity, and the three eigenvalues (lambda1, lambda2, and
      lambda3) within each region in each specimen overall and within each individual
      image slice were compared between raters by calculating the percentage difference
      between raters for each metric. Results The mean percentage difference between
      raters for all diffusion tensor imaging metrics when pooled by each region and
      specimen was 1.44% (range: 0.01-5.17%). The mean percentage difference between
      raters for all diffusion tensor imaging metrics when compared by individual image
      slice was 2.23% (range: 0.75-4.58%) per hemisphere. Conclusion Our results
      indicate that the technique described is highly reproducible, even when applied
      to canine specimens of differing age, morphology, and image resolution. We
      propose this technique for future studies of diffusion tensor imaging analysis in
      canine brains and for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of canine brain
      models of human central nervous system disease.

PMID- 28627969
TI  - Identification of potential inhibitors of Fasciola gigantica thioredoxin1:
      computational screening, molecular dynamics simulation, and binding free energy
      studies.
AB  - Fasciola gigantica is the causative organism of fascioliasis and is responsible
      for major economic losses in livestock production globally. F. gigantica
      thioredoxin1 (FgTrx1) is an important redox-active enzyme involved in maintaining
      the redox homeostasis in the cell. To identify a potential anti-fasciolid
      compound, we conducted a structure-based virtual screening of natural compounds
      from the ZINC database (n = 1,67,740) against the FgTrx1 structure. The ligands
      were docked against FgTrx1 and 309 ligands were found to have better docking
      score. These compounds were evaluated for Lipinski and ADMET prediction, and 30
      compounds were found to fit well for re-docking studies. After refinement by
      molecular docking and drug-likeness analysis, three potential inhibitors
      (ZINC15970091, ZINC9312362, and ZINC9312661) were identified. These three ligands
      were further subjected to molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) to compare the
      dynamics and stability of the protein structure after binding of the ligands. The
      binding free energy analyses were calculated to determine the intermolecular
      interactions. The results suggested that the two compounds had a binding free
      energy of -82.237, and -109.52 kJ.mol-1 for compounds with IDs ZINC9312362 and
      ZINC9312661, respectively. These predicted compounds displayed considerable
      pharmacological and structural properties to be drug candidates. We concluded
      that these two compounds could be potential drug candidates to fight against F.
      gigantica parasites.

PMID- 28627968
TI  - Severe myelinopathy in 49,XXXXY syndrome.
AB  - 49,XXXXY is a rare aneuploidy with neuroanatomic findings scarcely reported in
      the literature. Given the fact that many of its phenotypic characteristics are
      similar to Klinefelter patients, 49,XXXXY has been treated as a variant of
      Klinefelter syndrome in the past. Newer studies have shown that intellectual
      disabilities and cardiac sequelae are more common in 49,XXXXY making the need for
      more precise characterization of the disorder essential. Prior case studies have
      demonstrated focal (and to a lesser extent confluent) white abnormalities as well
      as enlarged perivascular cysts (often in clustered arrangements) in the brains of
      these patients, but high resolution magnetic resonance images of severe
      myelinopathy are infrequently documented. Presented here is an exceptional
      manifestation of this rare disease with substantial findings in the brain
      exhibiting both confluent white matter changes and diffuse perivascular cysts.
      Cases such as this one serve to expand the differential considerations for
      confluent dysmyelinating disease and improve diagnostic efficacy.

PMID- 28627970
TI  - Genome-wide codon usage profiling of ocular infective Chlamydia trachomatis
      serovars and drug target identification.
AB  - Chlamydia trachomatis (C.t) is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacteria
      and is a major causative of infectious blindness and sexually transmitted
      diseases. Among the varied serovars of this organism, A, B and C are reported as
      prominent ocular pathogens. Genomic studies of these strains shall aid in
      deciphering potential drug targets and genomic influence on pathogenesis. Hence,
      in this study we performed deep statistical profiling of codon usage in these
      serovars. The overall base composition analysis reveals that these serovars are
      over biased to AU than GC. Similarly, relative synonymous codon usage also showed
      preference towards A/U ending codons. Parity Rule 2 analysis inferred unequal
      distribution of AT and GC, indicative of other unknown factors acting along with
      mutational pressure to influence codon usage bias (CUB). Moreover, absolute
      quantification of CUB also revealed lower bias across these serovars. The effect
      of natural selection on CUB was also confirmed by neutrality plot, reinforcing
      natural selection under mutational pressure turned to be a pivotal role in
      shaping the CUB in the strains studied. Correspondence analysis (COA) clarified
      that, C.t C/TW-3 to show a unique trend in codon usage variation. Host influence
      analysis on shaping the codon usage pattern also inferred some speculative
      relativity. In a nutshell, our finding suggests that mutational pressure is the
      dominating factor in shaping CUB in the strains studied, followed by natural
      selection. We also propose potential drug targets based on cumulative analysis of
      strand bias, CUB and human non-homologue screening.

PMID- 28627971
TI  - Moving on: Factors associated with caregivers' bereavement adjustment using a
      random population-based face-to-face survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Providing care at end of life has consequences for caregivers'
      bereavement experience. 'Difficulty moving on with life' is an informative and
      unbiased symptom of prolonged grief disorder. Predictors of bereaved caregivers'
      ability to 'move on' have not been examined across the population. AIM: To
      identify the characteristics of bereaved hands-on caregivers who were, and were
      not, able to 'move on' 13-60 months after the 'expected' death of someone close.
      DESIGN: The South Australian Health Omnibus is an annual, random, cross-sectional
      community survey. From 2000 to 2007, respondents were asked about providing care
      for someone terminally ill and their subsequent ability to 'move on'.
      Multivariable logistic regression models explored the characteristics moving on
      and not moving on. SETTING: Respondents were aged ?15 years and lived in
      households within South Australia. They had provided care to someone who had died
      of terminal illness in the preceding 5 years. RESULTS: A total of 922 people
      provided hands-on care. In all, 80% of caregivers (745) had been able to 'move
      on'. Closeness of relationship to the deceased, increasing caregiver age,
      caregiver report of needs met, increasing time since loss, sex and English
      speaking background were significantly associated with 'moving on'. A closer
      relationship to the deceased, socioeconomic disadvantage and being male were
      significantly associated with not 'moving on'. CONCLUSION: These results support
      the relevance of 'moving on' as an indicator of caregivers' bereavement
      adjustment. Following the outcomes of bereaved caregivers longitudinally is
      essential if effective interventions are to be developed to minimise the risk of
      prolonged grief disorder.

PMID- 28627972
TI  - Immunomodulatory effects of cigarette smoke condensate in mouse macrophage cell
      line.
AB  - Increasing evidence has demonstrated that the secretion of cytokines may be
      associated with cigarette smoke-induced immunomodulatory effects, but a
      comprehensive analysis of the cytokine profile for cigarette smoke condensate
      (CSC) exposure is lacking. The aims of this study were to (1) examine the release
      of 20 cytokines induced by CSC from 12 brands of cigarettes in macrophages cells
      (Ana-1) and (2) to investigate the general characteristics of the
      immunomodulatory effects of CSC. Luminex technology was used to simultaneously
      determine the levels of 20 cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL
      4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, granulocyte-macrophage colony
      stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), keratinocyte-derived
      Chemokine (KC), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), macrophage
      inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha), induced protein 10 (IP-10), tumor
      necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),
      monkine inducible by gamma interferon (MIG), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)
      basic) in the supernatants from Ana-1 cells treated with the CSC. The results
      showed that the release of eight cytokines was altered (IL-5, IL-6, IL-12, TNF
      alpha, VEGF, IP-10, MCP-1, and MIP-1alpha) compared with the control. These
      cytokines fall into two major subtypes: proinflammatory cytokines, including IL
      5, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-alpha, and VEGF, and chemokines, including IP-10, MCP-1, and
      MIP-1alpha. Compared with control, the remaining 12 cytokines were not
      significantly affected by CSC from the 12 brands of cigarettes. As a general
      characteristic, CSC exerts potently suppressive immunomodulatory effects on
      cytokine production of Ana-1 cells. Proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines may
      account for or contribute to the immunosuppressive properties of CSC.

PMID- 28627973
TI  - Profile of gene expression of TLR-signaling pathways in colorectal cancer
      tissues.
AB  - Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in transduction of molecular signals in
      immune process such as induction and regulation of immunity, production of
      cytokines, and recognition of specific molecular patterns on the surface of
      microorganisms, but also in cancer development-which was partially proven in
      previous studies. There is a lack of detailed research on differentiating levels
      of TLR expression in colorectal cancer at different stages of its advancement, so
      in our study we want to determine whether there is such a difference of TLRs and
      TLR-connected protein expression. In this study, 83 samples of colorectal
      adenocarcinoma (varying clinical degrees) and 40 slices of healthy colon tissue
      have been analyzed. The delivered material was subjected to homogenization and
      extraction of total RNA. The isolated RNA was subsequently purified and valued
      quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantification was performed using a
      spectrophotometer GeneQuant II. The RNA concentration in the tested samples was
      determined spectrophotometrically. A qualitative assessment was performed by
      performing electrophoresis on a 1% agarose gel stained with ethidium bromide. The
      expression profile of the genes encoding the TLRs was determined using
      oligonucleotide microarray HG-U133A. To determine the mRNA (messenger RNA),
      differentiate cancerous tissue from normal colon using PL-Grid Infrastructure.
      The results were analyzed statistically, taking a significance level P < 0.05. In
      the study were found three proteins, DUSP2, IFNgamma, EIF4A1, associated with TLR
      system, that differentiate early stages of colorectal cancer of healthy tissue,
      moreover eleven, inter alia: vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which
      differentiate high stage of cancer of healthy tissues. The results emphasize the
      role of pathways associated with TLR activation in the pathogenesis of colorectal
      cancer. In summary, molecular studies on the development of colorectal cancer
      will enable the introduction of minimally invasive genetic diagnosis of early
      forms of cancer. In addition, identification of new signaling pathways can
      provide the basis for developing new therapeutic methods.

PMID- 28627974
TI  - MicroRNA-132 protects hippocampal neurons against oxygen-glucose deprivation
      induced apoptosis.
AB  - Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) results in death or long-term neurologic
      impairment in both adults and children. In this study, we investigated the
      effects of microRNA-132 (miR-132) dysregulation on oxygen-glucose deprivation
      (OGD)-induced apoptosis in fetal rat hippocampal neurons, in order to reveal the
      therapeutic potential of miR-132 on HIBI. MiR-132 dysregulation was induced prior
      to OGD exposure by transfection of primary fetal rat hippocampal neurons with miR
      132 mimic or miR-132 inhibitor. The effects of miR-132 overexpression and
      suppression on OGD-stimulated hippocampal neurons were evaluated by detection of
      cell viability, apoptotic cells rate, and the expression of apoptosis-related
      proteins. Besides, TargetScan database and dual luciferase activity assay were
      used to seek a target gene of miR-132. As a result, miR-132 was highly expressed
      in hippocampal neurons following 2 h of OGD exposure. MiR-132 overexpression
      significantly increased OGD-diminished cell viability and reduced OGD-induced
      apoptosis at 12, 24, and 48 h post-OGD. MiR-132 overexpression significantly down
      regulated the expressions of Bax, cytochrome c, and caspase-9, but up-regulated
      BCl-2. Caspase-3 activity was also significantly decreased by miR-132
      overexpression. Furthermore, FOXO3 was a direct target of miR-132, and it was
      negatively regulated by miR-132. To conclude, our results provide evidence that
      miR-132 protects hippocampal neurons against OGD injury by inhibiting apoptosis.

PMID- 28627976
TI  - Administration of rocuronium based on real body weight versus fat-free mass in
      patients with lymphedema.
AB  - Objective To compare the clinical pharmacokinetics of rocuronium when applied
      according to fat-free mass versus real body weight during anesthetic induction of
      patients with lymphedema. Methods Sixty patients with lymphedema (age, 18-60
      years; American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, I-II) undergoing
      elective surgery with general anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups.
      Rocuronium was administered based on the fat-free mass in 30 patients and real
      body weight in 30 patients. General anesthesia was induced with propofol and
      remifentanil by target-controlled infusion. Intubation was attempted when the
      onset time (T1) (time from end of bolus injection to 100% twitch depression)
      reached maximal inhibition, and respiratory support with mechanical ventilation
      was then applied. The T1, clinical duration (time from end of bolus injection to
      recovery of twitch tension to 25% of control), recovery index (time from 25% to
      75% of recovery of T1), and dosage were recorded. Results Complete data were
      recorded for 59 patients, and there were no significant differences in the
      general condition, intubation condition, or median duration of action of
      rocuronium between the two groups. However, the median T1, recovery index, and
      dosage of rocuronium were significantly different. Conclusion Good intubation
      conditions and a shortened clinical duration can be obtained for patients with
      lymphedema when induction with rocuronium is based on the fat-free mass.

PMID- 28627977
TI  - Masquerading bundle branch block as a presenting manifestation of complete
      atrioventricular block that caused syncope.
AB  - A 59-year-old male patient was admitted with the main complaints of stuffiness
      and shortness of breath. An ECG from precordial leads on admission showed
      masquerading bundle branch block. Syncope frequently occurred after admission.
      During syncope episodes, ECG telemetry showed that the syncope was caused by
      intermittent complete atrioventricular block, with the longest RR interval
      lasting for 4.36 s. At the gap of syncope, ECG showed complete right bundle
      branch block accompanied by alternation of left anterior fascicular block and
      left posterior fascicular block. The patient was implanted with a dual-chamber
      permanent pacemaker. Follow-up of 9 months showed no reoccurrence of syncope.

PMID- 28627978
TI  - Scarf pin-related hijab syndrome: A new name for an unusual type of foreign body
      aspiration.
AB  - Background Foreign body aspiration refers to the inhalation of an object into the
      respiratory system and is a serious and potentially fatal event. A distinct group
      of patients has recently been recognized among Muslim nations. These patients
      include women who wear headscarves and place the safety pin in their mouth prior
      to securing the veils, leading to accidental foreign body aspiration. The aim of
      this study was to analyze the main presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and
      outcome of patients with scarf pin aspiration. Methods This prospective study
      involved patients with a history of scarf pin aspiration admitted to a single
      center during an 18-month period. Their main presentation, diagnosis, treatment,
      and outcome were analyzed. Results In total, 27 patients were included. The
      needle was extracted by flexible bronchoscopy in 12 (44.4%) patients, rigid
      bronchoscopy in 13 (48.1%), and thoracotomy in 2 (74%). One patient died during
      rigid bronchoscopy. All remaining 26 patients were satisfied with the
      postsurgical outcome at a mean follow-up of 1 week. Conclusions Scarf pin
      aspiration differs from other types of foreign body aspiration considering the
      specific population affected, and its management algorithm may thus differ from
      that of other foreign bodies. The left main bronchus is the most common site of
      pin impaction. Rigid bronchoscopy is the most commonly performed procedure for
      successful retrieval.

PMID- 28627979
TI  - Association between transforming growth factor-beta 1 gene single nucleotide
      polymorphisms and knee osteoarthritis susceptibility in a Chinese Han population.
AB  - Objective To investigate associations between single polymorphisms (SNPs)
      rs1800469 and rs1982073 in the transforming growth factor-beta1 gene ( TGF-beta1)
      and knee osteoarthritis (OA) susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. Methods
      TGF-beta1 rs1800469 and rs1982073 were genotyped in patients with knee OA and age
      and sex-matched OA-free controls from a Chinese Han population. The association
      was further analyzed according to gender and age. Results A total of 765 patients
      with knee OA and 780 controls were included. CT and CT + CC genotypes of
      rs1982073, and variant C, were associated with a significantly increased risk of
      knee OA. Stratification analysis showed that the association between the OA risk
      and rs1982073 CT heterozygotes compared with TT homozygotes was stronger in
      females and those aged >65 years. In contrast, CT, TT, and CT + TT genotypes of
      rs1800469 were not significantly associated with the risk of knee OA, even after
      further stratification analysis for gender and age. Conclusions The TGF-beta1
      rs1982073 T to C change and the variant C genotype may contribute to knee OA risk
      in the Chinese Han population.

PMID- 28627980
TI  - Long-term follow-up of a hospital-based, multi-intervention programme in type 2
      diabetes mellitus: impact on cardiovascular events and death.
AB  - Objective To report the long-term impact on cardiovascular (CV) outcomes and
      mortality of a 2-year hospital-based multi-interventional care programme as
      compared with general practitioner (GP)-provided standard care. Methods Patients
      with type 2 diabetes with >= 1 additional CV risk factor were randomized to 2
      years of specialist-based, multi-intervention comprising lifestyle modification
      and specific pharmacological treatment, or GP-based standard care. After the 2
      year intervention period, all participants returned to pre-study care, but were
      followed up for CV outcomes and mortality. The primary outcome was time to any
      first severe CV event or death. Results A total of 120 patients (31 women) were
      enrolled in the study. During the mean +/- SD observational period of 8.7 +/- 2.0
      years, 27 patients (16 and 11 in the multi-intervention and standard care groups,
      respectively) experienced at least one primary outcome event, with a hazard ratio
      (HR) if allocated to the multi-intervention group of 1.73 (95% confidence
      interval (CI) 0.80, 3.75). The HR for total mortality was 1.82 (95% CI 0.66,
      5.01). Conclusions Hospital-based multi-intervention in patients with type 2
      diabetes mellitus improved long-term glycaemic control, but failed to reduce CV
      outcomes and deaths. Clinical trials.gov id: NCT00133718.

PMID- 28627981
TI  - Early vitrectomy for dense vitreous hemorrhage in adults with non-traumatic and
      non-diabetic retinopathy.
AB  - Objective To evaluate the etiologies for dense vitreous hemorrhage in adults with
      non-traumatic and reveal management of early vitrectomy for the disease. Methods
      Study included 105 eyes from 105 patients. Outcome measures were etiologies of
      vitreous hemorrhage, formation of retinal and/or disk neovascular membrane (NVM),
      incidence of retinal tear and detachment, visual acuity (VA) and postoperative
      complications. Results Mean time between presentation and surgery was 7.1 days.
      The most common etiologies were retinal vein occlusion (RVO) (58.1%), retinal
      tear (22.9%) and retinal vasculitis (10.4%). Most RVO (77.0%) and retinal
      vasculitis (72.7%) eyes were associated with retinal and/or disk NVM. Retinal
      tear and retinal detachment was found in 24 and 48 eyes, respectively. VA
      improved significantly from 1/70 to 0.6 following vitrectomy. The most common
      postoperative complication was cataract (28.6%). Conclusion RVO, retinal tear and
      retinal vasculitis were the most common causes of dense vitreous hemorrhage.
      Early vitrectomy has a good outcome with acceptable complication rates in this
      setting.

PMID- 28627982
TI  - miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers for
      cardiovascular disease with a particular focus on WO2010091204.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A number of miRNAs have been reported to be critically involved in
      the regulation of cardiovascular disease (CVDs). Therefore, the development of
      potent analogues/inhibitors for miRNAs have thus become a key focus in the
      present drug discovery. In this review, we discuss the basic research and
      clinical use of miRNAs as the early diagnosis and therapeutic targets for CVD. We
      have also focused on the efficiency of therapeutically targeting miR-499, which
      is considered as one of the most promising molecules for treating CVDs. Areas
      covered: In this review, we have discussed the patents and patent applications
      related to miRNAs detected in CVD patients published in recent years. This review
      also covers the expression pattern of miR-499, as well as it highlights functions
      of its inhibitors in CVD. We used Google and Pubmed search engines to find
      relevant patents. Expert opinion: Although a massive number of miRNAs are
      patented as CVD biomarkers, further work is absolutely required to evaluate the
      reliable diagnostic values and therapeutic potential of these candidates.
      Overall, targeting miRNAs is definitely a promising strategy to be investigated
      for diagnosis and treatment of CVDs in future, however, the delivery system and
      off-targets effects are still a difficult challenge need to be elucidated.

PMID- 28627983
TI  - Susceptibility weighted imaging - a problem-solving tool in differentiation of
      cerebellopontine angle schwannomas and meningiomas.
AB  - Background and purpose Vestibular schwannomas and meningiomas of the
      cerebellopontine angle can be differentiated by the presence of foci of blooming
      on susceptibility weighted imaging. Materials and methods In this retrospective
      study, magnetic resonance imaging with susceptibility weighted imaging sequence
      in addition to other routine sequences was done in 73 patients. All the cases
      were studied for the presence of foci of blooming within the tumor on
      susceptibility weighted imaging. Histopathological examination confirmed the
      diagnosis in all cases. Results There were 59 patients in the vestibular
      schwannoma group and 14 in the meningioma group. Susceptibility weighted imaging
      showed presence of blooming (due to microhemorrhages) in all the cases of
      cerebellopontine angle schwannomas. In the meningioma group, 13 cases showed no
      blooming within the lesion; one case showed blooming which was confirmed to be
      due to calcification on computed tomography study. For the detection of foci of
      blooming and predicting histopathologic diagnosis of schwannoma pre-operatively,
      susceptibility weighted imaging showed a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 92%,
      positive predictive value of 98.3%, and negative predictive value of 100%. The
      Fisher exact test showed a statistically significant difference in the
      differentiation of vestibular schwannoma from meningioma on the basis of
      detection of blooming on susceptibility weighted imaging ( p < 0.0001).
      Conclusion Susceptibility weighted imaging is a problem-solving tool in making
      accurate pre-operative differentiation of vestibular schwannoma from meningioma.

PMID- 28627984
TI  - Diagnostic accuracy of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and perfusion
      weighted imaging in brain gliomas follow-up: a single institutional experience.
AB  - Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate whether proton magnetic
      resonance spectroscopy and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are able to
      increase diagnostic accuracy in the follow-up of brain gliomas, identifying the
      progression of disease before it becomes evident in the standard MRI; also to
      evaluate which of the two techniques has the best diagnostic accuracy. Methods
      Eighty-three patients with cerebral glioma (50 high-grade gliomas (HGGs), 33 low
      grade gliomas (LGGs)) were retrospectively enrolled. All patients underwent
      standard MRI, H spectroscopic and perfusion echo-planar imaging MRI. For
      spectroscopy variations of choline/creatine, choline/N-acetyl-aspartate ratio,
      and lipids and lactates peak were considered. For perfusion 2.0 was considered
      the cerebral blood volume cut-off for progression. The combination of functional
      parameters gave a multiparametric score (0-2) to predict outcome. Diagnostic
      performance was determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve, with
      sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive and negative predictive values.
      Results In patients with LGGs a combined score of at least 1 was the best
      predictor for progression (odds ratio (OR) 3.91) with 8.4 months median
      anticipation of diagnosis compared to standard MRI. The individual advanced
      magnetic resonance technique did not show a diagnostic accuracy comparable to the
      combination of the two. Overall diagnostic accuracy area under the curve (AUC)
      was 0.881. In patients with HGGs the multiparametric score did not improve
      diagnostic accuracy significantly. Perfusion MRI was the best predictor of
      progression (OR 3.65), with 6.7 months median anticipation of diagnosis. Overall
      diagnostic accuracy AUC was 0.897. Then spectroscopy and perfusion MRI are able
      to identify tumour progression during follow-up earlier than standard MRI.
      Conclusion In patients with LGGs the combination of the functional parameters
      seems to be the best method for diagnosis of progression. In patients with HGGs
      perfusion is the best diagnostic method.

PMID- 28627986
TI  - Obituary.

PMID- 28627985
TI  - Diagnostic performance of reformatted isotropic thin-section helical CT images in
      the detection of superior semicircular canal dehiscence.
AB  - Purpose The purpose of this article is to assess the diagnostic performance of
      computed tomography (CT) reformatted images for detection of superior
      semicircular canal (SSC) dehiscence. Material and methods Forty-two patients,
      with sound- and/or pressure-induced vestibular symptoms, and 42 control
      participants underwent helical CT examination with a highly collimated beam (0.5
      mm). Reformatted images of the vestibular labyrinth were obtained in the standard
      axial and coronal planes (group A images), and in a plane parallel and
      perpendicular to the SSC (group B images). Diagnostic performance obtained by
      evaluating the group A images alone and the group B images alone was analyzed by
      using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results
      The diagnostic performance of group A images was AUC = 0.929 with an overall
      accuracy of 92.9%. The diagnostic performance of group B images was AUC = 0.988
      with an overall accuracy of 98.8%. The evaluation of group B images alone showed
      an improved diagnostic performance over the group A images alone. Conclusion Thin
      section 0.5-mm collimation CT with reformatted images oriented in the plane
      parallel and perpendicular to the SSC improves diagnostic accuracy in assessing
      for SSC dehiscence in comparison to CT images with reconstructions limited to
      traditional axial and coronal planes.

PMID- 28627987
TI  - Computerised tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of laryngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma: A practical approach.
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common head and neck cancer. This review
      describes the state-of-the-art computerised tomography and magnetic resonance
      imaging protocols of the neck and the normal larynx anatomy, and provides a
      practical approach for the diagnosis and staging of laryngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28627988
TI  - Pharyngeal amyloidomas: Variable appearance on imaging.
AB  - Amyloidomas are rare tumor-like depositions of abnormally folded, insoluble
      proteins that may be seen in the setting of systemic amyloidosis or as isolated
      tumoral deposits. Focal, isolated amyloidomas carry an excellent prognosis
      whereas systemic amyloidoses do not. The ability to identify or suggest
      amyloidoma on imaging studies may help direct laboratory testing and eventual
      diagnosis. Amyloidomas involving the head and neck have been variably described
      from homogeneously T2 hypointense to iso-slightly hyperintense relative to
      skeletal muscle. Herein we present two patients with pharyngeal submucosal
      amyloidomas of differing sizes and imaging characteristics to emphasize their
      potential widely variable imaging appearance and broaden our knowledge of these
      rare lesions.

PMID- 28627989
TI  - Computed tomography detection of extracapsular spread of squamous cell carcinoma
      of the head and neck in metastatic cervical lymph nodes.
AB  - Background and purpose In patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and
      neck (HNSCC), extracapsular spread (ECS) of metastases in cervical lymph nodes
      affects prognosis and therapy. We assessed the accuracy of intravenous contrast
      enhanced computed tomography (CT) and the utility of imaging criteria for
      preoperative detection of ECS in metastatic cervical lymph nodes in patients with
      HNSCC. Materials and methods Preoperative intravenous contrast-enhanced neck CT
      images of 93 patients with histopathological HNSCC metastatic nodes were
      retrospectively assessed by two neuroradiologists for ECS status and ECS imaging
      criteria. Radiological assessments were compared with histopathological
      assessments of neck dissection specimens, and interobserver agreement of ECS
      status and ECS imaging criteria were measured. Results Sensitivity, specificity,
      positive predictive value, and accuracy for overall ECS assessment were 57%, 81%,
      82% and 67% for observer 1, and 66%, 76%, 80% and 70% for observer 2,
      respectively. Correlating three or more ECS imaging criteria with
      histopathological ECS increased specificity and positive predictive value, but
      decreased sensitivity and accuracy. Interobserver agreement for overall ECS
      assessment demonstrated a kappa of 0.59. Central necrosis had the highest kappa
      of 0.74. Conclusion CT has moderate specificity for ECS assessment in HNSCC
      metastatic cervical nodes. Identifying three or more ECS imaging criteria raises
      specificity and positive predictive value, therefore preoperative identification
      of multiple criteria may be clinically useful. Interobserver agreement is
      moderate for overall ECS assessment, substantial for central necrosis. Other ECS
      CT criteria had moderate agreement at best and therefore should not be used
      individually as criteria for detecting ECS by CT.

PMID- 28627991
TI  - APA Annual Convention Division 40 Society for Clinical Neuropsychology Program
      Summary - August 3-6, 2017; Washington, D.C.

PMID- 28627993
TI  - Essays on rising mortality in England and Wales - a MEDLINE search is not
      infallible.

PMID- 28627990
TI  - Systemic metastases from central nervous system ependymoma: case report and
      review of the literature.
AB  - Ependymal tumours in adults are rare, accounting for less than 4% of primary
      tumours of the central nervous system, and exceptionally metastasise outside the
      nervous system. In this study, we present a case of anaplastic ependymoma, which
      developed metastases outside the nervous system less than a year after its
      clinical onset. A healthy 65-year-old woman suddenly presented with drowsiness of
      unknown origin, accompanied by ingravescent fatigue, inability to maintain the
      upright posture, headache, nausea and vomiting. Computed tomography study
      performed in the emergency department showed the presence of an inhomogeneously
      hypodense area, with temporoparietal extension and median line deviation. After
      surgical excision, performed after two days, the bioptic examination demonstrated
      an anaplastic ependymoma with multiple areas of necrosis. The patient was
      submitted to adjuvant radiation therapy. At magnetic resonance imaging follow-up,
      performed three months after surgery, neither local recurrences nor typical 'drop
      metastases' to the spinal area were observed. Three months later, magnetic
      resonance imaging control revealed bone metastases and recurrences in the left
      insula and at the ipsilateral cerebellar hemisphere. Total body computed
      tomography examination showed metastases in the liver, vertebrae and pelvic
      bones, and involvement of paratracheal lymph nodes.

PMID- 28627994
TI  - We're training robots: we need humans.

PMID- 28627996
TI  - Metastasectomy for colorectal cancer: are there clothes on the emperor?

PMID- 28627997
TI  - Events.

PMID- 28627998
TI  - Improving reports of research by more informative abstracts: a personal
      reflection.

PMID- 28627999
TI  - Heritability and genome-wide associations studies of cerebral blood flow in the
      general population.
AB  - Cerebral blood flow is an important process for brain functioning and its
      dysregulation is implicated in multiple neurological disorders. While
      environmental risk factors have been identified, it remains unclear to what
      extent the flow is regulated by genetics. Here we performed heritability and
      genome-wide association analyses of cerebral blood flow in a population-based
      cohort study. We included 4472 persons free of cortical infarcts who underwent
      genotyping and phase-contrast magnetic resonance flow imaging (mean age 64.8 +/-
      10.8 years). The flow rate, cross-sectional area of the vessel, and flow velocity
      through the vessel were measured in the basilar artery and bilateral carotids. We
      found that the flow rate of the basilar artery is most heritable (h2 (SE) = 24.1
      (9.8), p-value = 0.0056), and this increased over age. The association studies
      revealed two significant loci for the right carotid artery area (rs12546630, p
      value = 2.0 * 10-8) and velocity (rs2971609, p-value = 1.4 * 10-8), with the
      latter showing a concordant effect in an independent sample (N = 1350, p-value =
      0.057, meta-analyzed p-value = 2.5 * 10-9). These loci were also associated with
      other cerebral blood flow parameters below genome-wide significance, and
      rs2971609 lies in a known migraine locus. These findings establish that cerebral
      blood flow is under genetic control with potential relevance for neurological
      diseases.

PMID- 28628001
TI  - Can Copper-Coated Surfaces Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections?

PMID- 28628002
TI  - "Bundle" Practices and Ventilator-Associated Events: Not Enough - ERRATUM.

PMID- 28628000
TI  - Epigenetics, inflammation and metabolism in right heart failure associated with
      pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - Right ventricular failure (RVF) is the most important prognostic factor for both
      morbidity and mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but also occurs
      in numerous other common diseases and conditions, including left ventricle
      dysfunction. RVF remains understudied compared with left ventricular failure
      (LVF). However, right and left ventricles have many differences at the
      morphological level or the embryologic origin, and respond differently to
      pressure overload. Therefore, knowledge from the left ventricle cannot be
      extrapolated to the right ventricle. Few studies have focused on the right
      ventricle and have permitted to increase our knowledge on the right ventricular
      specific mechanisms driving decompensation. Here we review basic principles such
      as mechanisms accounting for right ventricle hypertrophy, dysfunction, and
      transition toward failure, with a focus on epigenetics, inflammatory, and
      metabolic processes.

PMID- 28628003
TI  - Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness results from the randomised, Phase
      IIB trial in previously untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia to
      compare fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab with fludarabine,
      cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone and low-dose rituximab: the Attenuated dose
      Rituximab with ChemoTherapy In Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (ARCTIC) trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The conventional frontline therapy for fit patients with chronic
      lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR).
      Rituximab (Mabthera(r), Roche Products Ltd) targets the CD20 antigen, which is
      expressed at low levels in CLL. The standard dose of rituximab in CLL (375 mg/m2
      in cycle 1 and 500 mg/m2 in cycles 2-6) was selected based on toxicity data only.
      Small doses of rituximab (as low as 20 mg) have biological activity in CLL, with
      an immediate reduction in circulating CLL cells and down-regulation of CD20.
      Phase II trials had suggested improved efficacy with the addition of mitoxantrone
      to FCR. The key assumption for the Attenuated dose Rituximab with ChemoTherapy In
      CLL (ARCTIC) trial was that the addition of mitoxantrone to fludarabine,
      cyclophosphamide and low-dose rituximab would be more effective than conventional
      FCR. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone
      and low-dose rituximab (FCM-miniR) (100 mg of rituximab per cycle) was non
      inferior to FCR in frontline CLL. Complete response (CR) rate was the primary end
      point, with the secondary end points being progression-free survival (PFS),
      overall survival (OS), overall response rate, eradication of minimal residual
      disease (MRD), safety and cost-effectiveness. DESIGN: ARCTIC was a UK
      multicentre, randomised, controlled, open, Phase IIB non-inferiority trial in
      previously untreated CLL. A total of 206 patients with previously untreated CLL
      who required treatment, according to the International Workshop on Chronic
      Lymphocytic Leukaemia criteria, were to be randomised to FCR or FCM-miniR. There
      was an independent Data Monitoring and Ethics Committee (DMEC) with a pre-planned
      interim efficacy assessment on 103 participants. RESULTS: The DMEC's interim
      analysis led to early trial closure. Although the response rates in both arms
      were higher than anticipated, FCM-miniR had a lower CR rate than FCR. This was
      partly attributable to the higher toxicity associated with mitoxantrone. A total
      of 100 participants completed FCR, 79 completed FCM-miniR and 21 commenced FCM
      miniR but switched to FCR following DMEC recommendations. The CR rate for
      participants receiving FCR was 76%, compared with 55% for FCM-miniR (adjusted
      odds ratio 0.37; 95% confidence interval 0.19 to 0.73). Key secondary end points
      also showed that FCR was superior, with more participants achieving MRD
      negativity (57% for FCR vs. 46% for FCM-miniR). More participants experienced a
      serious adverse reaction with FCM-miniR compared with FCR (50% vs. 41%). At a
      median of 37.3 months' follow-up, the PFS and OS rates are good compared with
      previous studies, with no significant difference between the treatment arms. The
      economic analysis indicates that because FCM-miniR is less effective than FCR,
      FCM-miniR is not expected to be cost-effective over a lifetime horizon, producing
      a mean cost-saving of -L7723, a quality-adjusted life-year loss of -0.73 and a
      resulting incremental net monetary loss of -L6780. CONCLUSIONS: FCM-miniR is less
      well tolerated, with poorer response rates, than FCR, partly owing to the
      additional toxicity associated with mitoxantrone. In view of this, FCM-miniR will
      not be taken forward into a larger definitive Phase III trial. The trial
      demonstrated that oral FCR yields extremely high response rates compared with
      historical series with intravenous chemotherapy. FUTURE WORK: We shall compare
      the results of ARCTIC with those of the ADMIRE (Does the ADdition of Mitoxantrone
      Improve Response to FCR chemotherapy in patients with CLL?) trial, which compared
      FCR with FCM-R to assess the efficacy of low- versus standard-dose rituximab,
      allowing for the toxicity associated with mitoxantrone. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN16544962. FUNDING: This project was funded by the
      NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in
      Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 28. See the NIHR Journals Library
      website for further project information.

PMID- 28628004
TI  - Visual field map clusters in human frontoparietal cortex.
AB  - The visual neurosciences have made enormous progress in recent decades, in part
      because of the ability to drive visual areas by their sensory inputs, allowing
      researchers to define visual areas reliably across individuals and across
      species. Similar strategies for parcellating higher-order cortex have proven
      elusive. Here, using a novel experimental task and nonlinear population receptive
      field modeling, we map and characterize the topographic organization of several
      regions in human frontoparietal cortex. We discover representations of both polar
      angle and eccentricity that are organized into clusters, similar to visual
      cortex, where multiple gradients of polar angle of the contralateral visual field
      share a confluent fovea. This is striking because neural activity in
      frontoparietal cortex is believed to reflect higher-order cognitive functions
      rather than external sensory processing. Perhaps the spatial topography in
      frontoparietal cortex parallels the retinotopic organization of sensory cortex to
      enable an efficient interface between perception and higher-order cognitive
      processes. Critically, these visual maps constitute well-defined anatomical units
      that future studies of frontoparietal cortex can reliably target.

PMID- 28628006
TI  - Live tracking of moving samples in confocal microscopy for vertically grown
      roots.
AB  - Roots navigate through soil integrating environmental signals to orient their
      growth. The Arabidopsis root is a widely used model for developmental,
      physiological and cell biological studies. Live imaging greatly aids these
      efforts, but the horizontal sample position and continuous root tip displacement
      present significant difficulties. Here, we develop a confocal microscope setup
      for vertical sample mounting and integrated directional illumination. We present
      TipTracker - a custom software for automatic tracking of diverse moving objects
      usable on various microscope setups. Combined, this enables observation of root
      tips growing along the natural gravity vector over prolonged periods of time, as
      well as the ability to induce rapid gravity or light stimulation. We also track
      migrating cells in the developing zebrafish embryo, demonstrating the utility of
      this system in the acquisition of high-resolution data sets of dynamic samples.
      We provide detailed descriptions of the tools enabling the easy implementation on
      other microscopes.

PMID- 28628005
TI  - Emergence of visually-evoked reward expectation signals in dopamine neurons via
      the superior colliculus in V1 lesioned monkeys.
AB  - Responses of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons reflecting expected reward from
      sensory cues are critical for reward-based associative learning. However,
      critical pathways by which reward-related visual information is relayed to DA
      neurons remain unclear. To address this question, we investigated Pavlovian
      conditioning in macaque monkeys with unilateral primary visual cortex (V1)
      lesions (an animal model of 'blindsight'). Anticipatory licking responses to
      obtain juice drops were elicited in response to visual conditioned stimuli (CS)
      in the affected visual field. Subsequent pharmacological inactivation of the
      superior colliculus (SC) suppressed the anticipatory licking. Concurrent single
      unit recordings indicated that DA responses reflecting the reward expectation
      could be recorded in the absence of V1, and that these responses were also
      suppressed by SC inactivation. These results indicate that the subcortical visual
      circuit can relay reward-predicting visual information to DA neurons and
      integrity of the SC is necessary for visually-elicited classically conditioned
      responses after V1 lesion.

PMID- 28628008
TI  - Basophil Histamine Release Induced by Amoxicilloyl-poly-L-lysine Compared With
      Amoxicillin in Patients With IgE-Mediated Allergic Reactions to Amoxicillin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amoxicillin (AX) is the beta-lactam most often involved in IgE
      mediated reactions. Diagnosis is based mainly on skin testing, although
      sensitivity is not optimal. We produced a new AX derivative, amoxicilloyl-poly-L
      lysine (APL), and analyzed its recognition of IgE using the passive histamine
      release test (pHRT). METHODS: The study population comprised patients (n=19) with
      confirmed AX allergy and specific IgE to AX and controls (n=10) with good
      tolerance to AX. pHRT was performed using "IgE-stripped" blood from a single
      donor that was sensitized in vitro by patient sera and incubated with AX or APL.
      Histamine release was determined and expressed as nanograms of histamine released
      per milliliter of blood. RESULTS: The clinical symptoms were anaphylaxis (n=9),
      urticaria (n=7), erythema (n=2), and nondefined immediate reactions (n=1). The
      median (IQR) time interval between reaction and study was 90 (60-240) days and
      between drug intake and development of symptoms 24 (10-60) minutes. The median
      sIgE level was 3.37 (0.95-5.89) kUA/L. The sensitivity of pHRT to APL was 79% and
      the specificity 100%, which were higher than data obtained with pHRT to AX (63%
      sensitivity and 90% specificity). There was a positive correlation between
      maximal histamine release levels obtained with AX and APL (r=0.63). CONCLUSIONS:
      In patients with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to AX, APL showed higher
      sensitivity and specificity than the culprit drug, AX, when tested in vitro by
      pHRT. This indicates that APL can improve the in vitro diagnostic accuracy of
      allergic reactions to AX. Further assessment of skin testing is necessary.

PMID- 28628007
TI  - Direct measurement of conformational strain energy in protofilaments curling
      outward from disassembling microtubule tips.
AB  - Disassembling microtubules can generate movement independently of motor enzymes,
      especially at kinetochores where they drive chromosome motility. A popular
      explanation is the 'conformational wave' model, in which protofilaments pull on
      the kinetochore as they curl outward from a disassembling tip. But whether
      protofilaments can work efficiently via this spring-like mechanism has been
      unclear. By modifying a previous assay to use recombinant tubulin and feedback
      controlled laser trapping, we directly demonstrate the spring-like elasticity of
      curling protofilaments. Measuring their mechanical work output suggests they
      carry ~25% of the energy of GTP hydrolysis as bending strain, enabling them to
      drive movement with efficiency similar to conventional motors. Surprisingly, a
      beta-tubulin mutant that dramatically slows disassembly has no effect on work
      output, indicating an uncoupling of disassembly speed from protofilament strain.
      These results show the wave mechanism can make a major contribution to
      kinetochore motility and establish a direct approach for measuring tubulin
      mechano-chemistry.

PMID- 28628009
TI  - [IMMUNOREHABILITOLOGY: A LOOK FROM THE SOURCES TO THE FUTURE. FROM IMMUNOTHERAPY
      TO PERSONALIZED TARGETED IMMUNOREHABLITATION].
AB  - Development and introduction of modern clinical diagnostic tests (that allow to
      evaluate the functional system of immune homeostasis) into medical practice, a
      huge body of evidence on the leading role of the immune system in pathogenesis
      most acute and chronic diseases and even identification of specific nosological
      forms of immune-mediated diseases forced the scientists to search and develop new
      tools and techniques that have therapeutic effects on the impaired immune
      homeostasis and restore it to the normal state. The introduction of a new concept
      - immunorehabilitation - was an impetus for the accumulation of new knowledge and
      a catalyst for research in clinical immunology. It was Revaz Sepiashvili who
      breathed life into the concept of immunorehabilitation. He was lucky to be at its
      origi. He became not only the founder of the brand new scientific field -
      immunorehabilitation, but also the founder of a new medical science -
      immunorehablitology. In this paper, the author returns to the roots and recalls
      the way that medical science has gone before coming to understand
      immunorehablitology and tells readers about current successes and its development
      prospects.

PMID- 28628010
TI  - [THE MAIN STAGES OF THE PREPARATION OF VIABLE TUMOR CELLS OF BLADDER CANCER: FROM
      ISOLATION OF THE TUMOR MATERIAL TILL CRYOPRESERVATION OF CELL LINES].
AB  - The development of personalized autologous dendritic cell anti-tumor vaccines
      (PDPW) against bladder cancer (BC) is a relevant issue that covers many aspects
      required for its standardization. The article presents personal experimental
      studies related to development of optimal conditions of transportation of
      biological material; temperature and temporary modes for the storage of the
      samples; the materials about the optimal method of disaggregation of the
      biomaterial; there has been shown a comparative analysis of different methods of
      tumor disaggregation; the selection of nutritious growth mediums and growth
      factors for urothelial carcinoma cells (UCC), the conditions of cryopreservation
      of tumor cells for maximum UCC viability, potentially suitable for creating PDPW
      against BC.

PMID- 28628011
TI  - [CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF TUMOR CELLS AND PROSPECTS FOR SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY
      FOR BLADDER CANCER].
AB  - Specific antitumor immunotherapy with autologous dendritic cell vaccines is one
      of the new approaches of modern medicine. For activation of dendritic cells
      highly immunogenic antigens are used, however optimal antigens in case of bladder
      cancer (BC) are still not researched. Cancer-testis antigens (CTA) are the most
      promising target in the context of creation of antitumor vaccines, because they
      are distinguished by pronounced immunogenicity, they are detected in different
      types of tumors and have limited pattern of expression in healthy tissues of
      grown-up organism. Regarding the level of mutational load, bladder cancer (BC)
      holds the third position among all malignant growths, which creates particular
      opportunities for use of immunotherapy in case of this disease. At chromosomal
      level most times the following cytogenetic anomalies specific for BC are
      detected: hyperploidies at 3, 7 and 17 chromosomes and deletion of 9p 21 locus.
      Besides, in the literature there is information about possible monosomy at 2, 3,
      6, 8, 13, 14, 17 and frequent loss of Y chromosome in case of BC. Development of
      personified dendritic cell antitumor vaccines (PDAV) against bladder cancer (BC)
      is a relevant problem, which covers many aspects, necessary for its
      standardization. In particular, in case of cultivation of tumor cells under in
      vitro conditions their transformation goes at higher pace in comparison with in
      vivo tumor development. Moreover, the article presents the results of the study
      of molecular-genetic features of BC of tumor cultures in case of long-term
      cultivation, the level of expression of CTA (MAGE, NY-ESO-1, GAGE, BAGE) by
      urothelial carcinoma cells (UCC). There has been described the karyotypes of
      cells of urothelial low differentiated carcinoma of high malignant potential at
      various passages with prolonged cultivation, as well as the correlation between
      cytogenetic profile and expression of tumor-specific cancer-testis antigens has
      been identified. There have been developed two verified cell line cultures of
      muscle invasive and muscle-non-invasive urothelial carcinoma, that are
      potentially useful for the producing of tumor-associated vaccines against BC.

PMID- 28628012
TI  - CURATIVE TREATMENT OF COLORECTAL CANCER SOLITARY METASTASIS TO LIVER SUBCAPSULE
      BY PERCUTANEOUS US GUIDED RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION USING HYDRODISSECTION (CASE
      REPORT).
AB  - Case report presents the successful treatment of solitary liver metastasis in a
      patient with resected colon cancer. A 39-year-old male underwent left
      hemicolectomy with colostomy formation followed by chemotherapy for a moderately
      differentiated adenocarcinoma of the colon. Two years later, a liver metastatic
      lesion was detected. Patient received chemotherapy; the mass remained stable in
      size, measuring up to 3 cm in diameter. Low-invasive percutaneous curative
      treatment by Radiofrequency ablation was conducted using hydrodissection by
      dielectric fluid intraperitoneal introduction for hydrodissection. The follow-up
      imaging showed the complete response to treatment. The ablation technique
      including peritoneal hydrodissection, described in paper avoids capsular breach
      and appears safe and technically effective in subcapsular lesions treatment.

PMID- 28628014
TI  - [SELECTION OF MINI-INVASIVE PALLIATIVE DECOMPRESSION METHOD IN PATIENTS WITH
      MALIGNANT OBSTRUCTION OF BILIARY DUCTS BASED ON THE STUDY OF BIOCHEMICAL BILE
      INDEXES].
AB  - The article gives our own experience in the determination and study of additional
      laboratory criteria (total lipids, cholesterol, maximum and area
      chemiluminescence, antioxidant activity) at the local level (in bile) in patients
      with bile duct obstruction of malignant etiology. Constellation of metabolic
      disorders allowed to propose an original method for determining the lithogenicity
      of bile (integral indicator of lithogenicity). The obtained data made it possible
      to justify the need to assess the degree of metabolic disturbances in bile, on
      the basis of which it is possible to predict the risk of lithogenesis and the
      duration of stent operation, which in turn helped optimize the algorithm for
      choosing the method of bile ducts decompression aimed at preventing early
      obturation of endoprostheses.

PMID- 28628013
TI  - MODULATION OF ANTITUMOR IMMUNE RESPONSE IN MOUSE PROSTATE CANCER MODEL.
AB  - Aim of study - prostate cancer is second most common cancer in men worldwide, and
      fifth leading cause of death from cancer in men (6.6% of the total men deaths).
      Unfortunately, once cancer spreads outside of prostate, it becomes incurable.
      Androgen deprivation can provide some relief, but resistance will develop
      eventually, and at that time no effective treatment options are left to the
      patient. Therefore, the search of alternative treatment modalities is paramount.
      In this article we evaluated the role of epigenetic modifier 5-azacitidine (5
      AzaC) and immunomodulator - Lenalidomide and their possible impact on the immune
      response in the murine prostate cancer model. We studied their impact on murine
      prostate cancer cells and on dendritic cells (DC), the most potent antigen
      presenting cells known. RM-1 is a murine prostate cancer cell line, resembling
      hormone-independent model, which is a lethal variant of this disease in humans.
      Dendritic cells were obtained from murine bone marrow. Cell proliferation assays
      were performed to evaluate the effect of 5-AzaC and lenalidomide on prostate
      cancer and DC. Flow cytometry, ELISA and real-time PCR was performed to evaluate
      the effect of these compounds on DC and prostate cancer cells. 5-AzaC treatment
      of RM-1 prostate cancer cells and DC resulted in the decreased proliferation for
      both, while lenalidomide had no effect. DC were treated with lenalidomide and the
      expression of surface markers MHC Class I, MHC Class II, CD80, CD86, CD 205, and
      CD40 was increased. Secretion of IL-12 and IL-15 by DC increased significantly
      with addition of 5-AzaC. There was also the change in the expression of
      endothelin receptors on DC, which can affect their function. 5-AzaC also resulted
      in the increased expression of cancer-testis antigen, P1A, by prostate cancer
      cells. Combination of epigenetic modifications and immunomodulation by 5-AzaC and
      lenalidomide should increase tumor immunogenicity and it enhanced DC function.
      Therefore, these compounds might have a role in the treatment of advanced
      prostate cancer.

PMID- 28628015
TI  - LATENT TUBERCULOSIS POTENTIAL BIOMARKERS: REACTIVATION OF INFECTION.
AB  - Tuberculosis continues to be one of the most important infectious causes of death
      worldwide. Despite substantial investments and progress made in expansion of
      directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) strategy, improved treatment
      completion rates and inadequate case detection remains a major obstacle for
      global control of Tuberculosis. The global case detection rate has increased from
      28% to 60%. However, it is estimated that approximately 50% of patients with
      tuberculosis are still not diagnosed or treated appropriately. The current
      diagnostics tests (tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma release assays)
      poorly predict who will develop active disease and the therapeutic options
      available are not optimal for the scale of the intervention that may be required.
      In this article, we discuss a basis of current understanding of latent TB and
      highlight their biomarkers. We conclude that the identification new biomarkers
      which can distinguish various stages within latency are urgently needed in order
      to prioritize those LTB individuals with the highest risk to reactivate the
      infection.

PMID- 28628016
TI  - [ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AND THE RISK OF LIVER FIBROSIS PROGRESSION IN HIV/HCV
      COINFECTED PATIENTS].
AB  - The purpose of the study is to determine the nature of the impact of
      antiretroviral therapy on the development of liver fibrosis in patients
      coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV),
      depending on the order of pathogens acquisition. The fact is that the HIV/HCV
      coinfection is one of the most common pathological conditions worldwide and liver
      disease is a major cause of death for these patients. We have previously
      described the phenomenon, according to which the order of viral pathogens
      acquisition in HIV/HCV coinfected patients has a significant impact on the degree
      of progression of liver fibrosis. Introduction to clinical practice of
      antiretroviral therapy greatly increased the life expectancy of HIV-infected
      patients, however, the impact of ART on a progressive course of liver fibrosis in
      HIV/HCV coinfected patients have not yet been definitively established.

PMID- 28628017
TI  - [COMBINED IMMUNOTHERAPY OF RECONDITIONAL CHRONIC NON-SPECIFIC VULVOVAGINITIS IN
      IMMUNOCOMPROMISED GIRLS].
AB  - Nonspecific chronic vulvovaginitis (CNV) is often a clinical indicator of immune
      deficiency, especially in young girls. The established violations of the
      functioning of various parts of the immune system (IS) in this pathology dictate
      the need to include in the complex of immunomodulatory therapy. The developed
      program of combined immunotherapy for immunocompromised girls allows to reduce
      the severity and duration of exacerbation of CNV, their frequency against the
      background of a significant reduction in the incidence of ARVI. Positive clinical
      effects were observed against the background of the restoration of the
      functioning of the IS. A protective effect was obtained (observation in a
      catamnesis for 1 year) - the duration of a clinically safe period increased from
      6 to 11-11,5 months per year.

PMID- 28628018
TI  - AUTOIMMUNE LIMBIC ENCEPHALITIS (CASE REPORTS).
AB  - Limbic encephalitis (LE) is an autoimmune or paraneoplastic disease that affects
      the medial temporal lobes. The patient will usually present with cognitive
      impairment, psychiatric changes, and seizures. Autoimmune limbic encephalitis
      (LE) is a challenging diagnosis as it is not always included in the typical
      paraneoplastic/autoimmune panels. Anti-GAD antibodies are associated with various
      disease including type I diabetes mellitus, various autoimmune processes, some
      neoplastic and infectious diseases. Thus, it is not as specific as some of the
      antibodies causing LE. We are presenting two cases of isolated anti-GAD antibody
      associated limbic encephalitis. Both patients were adults who developed status
      epilepticus and refractory seizures, cognitive impairment and mood instability.
      Patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum anti- GAD antibodies were elevated
      and after treatment returned to normal reference range. The diagnosis for both
      patients was delayed (by over one month following hospitalization), both patients
      required prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation after discharge. Patient's
      condition improved only after immunotherapy, but required several antiepileptic
      drugs for seizure control. The diagnosis was more difficult in the first patient,
      who had numerous other medical problems including ESRD and moderately severe
      microvascular changes on brain imaging. In this particular patient, it was hard
      to appreciate any signal changes on MRI in the mesial temporal lobes given the
      underlying white matter disease. We recommend inclusion of anti- GAD antibody in
      the paraneoplastic/encephalopathy panels in order to decrease missed cases of
      this important cause of LE as well as to hasten the diagnosis. This is a
      treatable disease, and timely diagnosis is imperative to improve outcomes.

PMID- 28628020
TI  - [STUDY OF CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF METHANOL EXTRACTS OF THE ENDEMIC PLANT OF THE
      GENUS ERYSIMUM OF THE ADJARIAN FLORISTIC DISTRICT OF GEORGIA].
AB  - According to the results, investigated methanolic extracts of endemic plant from
      Adjarian floristic region of Georgia do not have specific cytotoxicity against
      the cell lines of breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 human, which is typical, e.g., for
      plant pigment curcumin. At the same time, the high specific cytotoxicity of 2 and
      3 fractions towards keratinocytes gives reason for considering endemic plant
      extracts, of Adjarian floristic region of Georgia, as a potential pharmacological
      means for topical treatment of pathologies caused by increased proliferation of
      keratinocytes, such as psoriasis.

PMID- 28628019
TI  - [STUDY OF LIPIDS OF THE FRUITS OF USUAL HAZEL-NUT CORYLUS AVELLANA L., GROWING IN
      GEORGIA].
AB  - The aim of this investigation was the study of lipids from the fruits of usual
      hazel-nut Corylus avellana L, growing in Georgia. Ripe fruits was collected in
      the West Georgia, just in Imereti. From the powdered fruits was obtained the sums
      of neutral and pollar lipids. Qualitatively there were established classes
      entered in them. By using High performance liquid chromatography qualitatively
      and quantitatively were identified ten fatty acids, which time of deduction
      hesitate from 4,01 min to 13,00 min. By the analyses there were determined
      unsaturated fatty acids C12:0 to C24:0. The content of unsaturated fatty acids
      considerably is distinquished from the content of the oil from the hazel-nut,
      growing in the other eco-geographical conditions. In the oil of the hazel-nut
      growing in Georgia content of hexadecanoic acid is by far exceled (surpassed)
      than of the oil from the nut growing in the other natural conditions. In the
      other matters dominant acid is octadecanoic acid. The oil from the fruits of
      hazel-nut content physiologically active compounds, which desirably correlation
      is interesting not only for receiving (obtaining) cosmetic means, not is
      important for usage in practical medicine.

PMID- 28628021
TI  - CORRELATION BETWEEN SPIROMETRY DATES AND SPECIAL ALLERGEN- SPECIFIC IGE IN
      PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN WEST GEORGIA.
AB  - The study aimed to establish correlation between airway obstruction and specific
      IgE specificity, managing future treatment in the patients with bronchial asthma,
      among the population of west Georgia. In the study have been involved 56 patients
      (among them 24 males and 32 females) of different ages, with diagnostic bronchial
      asthma (according to GINA recommendation). On the ground of the aim the study
      included the following steps of allegro-diagnostics: I step - Computerized
      spirometry by apparatus ,,SPIROLAB 3". II step - To detect allergenization
      degree, total serum IgE levels, specific IgE and concentration of Phadiatop,
      using modern automated system - "Immuno CAP 100", were estimated in the patients.
      III step- future treatment recommendations. All 56 patients were undergone the
      spirometry measurement. Our results show that of 56 patient 21 (38%) had very
      severe obstruction by spiromatry: Pretest: FEV 1 - 28%; FEF-45%; FEV1/FVC ratio 
      55% on average. Post test: significant bronchodilatation was revealed FEV1> +12%(
      >200 mL) after the inhalation of four puffs of a short - acting beta2
      sympathomimetic agent, e.r., 400 ug of salbutamol. In 19 (33%) patients severe
      bronchoobstruction was established. By spiromometry was revealed: Pre test: FEV 1
      - 42%; FEF-55%; FEV1/FVC ratio -67% on average. Post test: significant
      bronchodilatation was revealed FEV1> +12%( >200 mL) In 14 (25%) patients moderate
      bronchoobstruction was diagnosed, the spiromatry results were. Pretest: FEV 1 -
      52%; FEF-65%; FEV1/FVC ratio - 67% on average. Post test: It was revealed
      significant bronchodilatation FEV1> +12%( >200 mL). Only in 2 (4%) patients were
      diagnosed the normal spiromatry. In the patients with bronchial asthma of a
      specific positivity of specific IgE to the weeds (Wx2) - ambrosia, plantain,
      clasp/tarragon, atriplex - in 23 (53%) on average; tree dust (Tx9) - alder,
      lactarius piperatus, nuts, oak, willow - 11 (19%); and cereals (Gx1) - festuca
      pratensis, lolium temulentum, timoti grass, poa - 9 (16%); Mx2 -Penicillium
      notatum, Cladosporium herbarum, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans,
      Alternaria alternate- 15 (21%) was revealed, only in 5 (9%) patients we cannot
      established the allergy specific IgE. It was established the correlation between
      spiromatry dates and special allergen specific IgE in patient with bronchial
      asthma. The latter is of great importance for providing the effective and safe
      allegro-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) and successful preventive measures.

PMID- 28628022
TI  - [ESTIMATION OF PARAMETERS OF EXTERNAL RESPIRATION OF STUDENTS].
AB  - The close relationship of the respiratory system with other systems and organs,
      its significant participation in the processes of metabolism once again proves
      the exceptional role of the study of respiratory function. On the other hand, the
      health of students is one of the most important social tasks of modern society.
      The aim of the study was detection of parameters of external respiration in
      students of Georgia. 235 students 18 to 21 of ages, were involved in the study,
      who underwent computer spirometry with Spiro lab 3 to achieve the aim of study.
      The research among Georgian students has shown the external respiration function
      with the following characteristics: Pretest (females n=103) - VC=109.5+/-4.5%;
      FVC=99+/-5.25%; FEV1=104+/-3.60%; FEV1/VC=114.5+/-7.5%; PEF=74.5+/-0.79%; MEF 25%
      75%=84+/-7,0%. Males (n=132) VC=99+/-5.25%; FVC=98+/-10.20%; FEV1=100+/-8.38%;
      FEV1/VC=104+/-1.41%; PEF=90+/-2.16; MEF 25%-75%=98+/-7.0%. Therefore, based on
      the research of Georgian students on computer spirometry external respiration
      function revealed the peculiarities of physiological parameters according to
      gender. The study, showed the need for the similar study among the variety of
      population in all age categories. It is really an actual issue for modern
      clinical medicine.

PMID- 28628023
TI  - [RAGWEED ALLERGY IN THE SOUTH OF RUSSIA - IN THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC].
AB  - Allergy to ragweed pollen and other weeds is a global problem due to the rapid
      spread of these grasses around the world. In addition, pollen of short ragweed
      (Ambrosia, Amb) and mugwort (Artemisia, Art) - one of the main causes of
      respiratory allergy - seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (hay fever)
      with/without bronchial asthma patients living in the South of Russia.
      Epidemiological studies on the prevalence of Allergy to Amb and Art among
      patients living in Chechen Republic, absent. Aim - of this retrospective study
      was to investigate the prevalence of sensitization to weed pollen in patients of
      Chechnya. We surveyed allergy (skin prick tests with 13 inhalant allergens) from
      845 patients aged 4-68 years, in Urus-Martan for the period 2013-2016 yrs.
      Polisensitization was defined as the presence of positive skin tests to 2 or more
      extracts of different groups of allergens. ~26% and 21% of patients in the
      Chechen Republic have an allergy to Amb and Art, respectively. Further studies at
      the molecular level will help to establish the geographical variation of the
      sensitization profile to the major component of Amb and Art, which could have
      clinical significance in the proper selection of specific immunotherapy.

PMID- 28628024
TI  - [EVALUATION OF DYNAMIC TELOMERE LENGTH SHORTENING OF LYMPHOCYTES IN
      IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY].
AB  - Nowadays it is common to observe the growth of viral-viral and viral-bacterial co
      infections in children of different ages, due to dysfunction of lymphocytes (DL),
      which can be connected with the process of the accelerated shortening of the end
      structures of chromosomal telomeres, telomere length changes are described in
      lymphocytes of children with chronic mono-infections. The conducted study has
      shown the shortening of telomere lymphocytes in children with CDRT seropositive
      for mixed-herpes viral infections (herpes simplex virus, virus, Epstein-Barr
      virus and cytomegalovirus in various combinations) and for bacterial co
      infections - Chlamydia trachomatis and (or) Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The use of
      regression analysis and attribute analysis (in percent) made possible to
      neutralize age-groups differences of seropositive and seronegative children. Thus
      showed that children, who suffer from chronic diseases of the respiratory tract
      associated with mixed-herpes viral and bacterial co-infections, have more
      pronounced telomere shortening of lymphocytes than seronegative children of the
      same age.

PMID- 28628025
TI  - [PHENOTYPE FACILITIES OF LYMPHOCYTES IN HEMORRHAGIC FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME].
AB  - Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a feral herd disease caused by
      hantaviruses. HERS may be severe and its manifestations include acute renal
      failure, intoxication, hemorrhages and pain syndrome. Hantaviruses as pathogen of
      HFRS wield considerable influence on the character of the immune response, in
      particular, is capable of lymphocytic cytolysis suppressing. It was found that
      cytotoxic T lymphocytes along with NKT and CD8 + regulatory T cells play the key
      role in the immune mechanisms of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. This
      reduces of the activation of lymphocytes with cytotoxic properties are closely
      related to the expression of NKG2D lectin receptors. Immunological signs of heavy
      currents HFRS can serve as a lack of growth on the part of natural killer and a
      significant drop in the number of b-lymphocytes in the blood, correlative related
      to the increase in CD8 + regulatory T cells.

PMID- 28628026
TI  - [DYNAMICS OF OCCURRENCE AND REGRESSION OF NEUTROPHIL EXTRACELLULAR TRAPS IN THE
      EXPERIMENTAL MODEL OF THE WOUND INFECTIOUS-INFLAMMATORY PROCESS].
AB  - The dynamics of the appearance and regression of neutrophilic extracellular traps
      (NETs) in the experimental model of the wound infectious-inflammatory process
      that was caused by infection of open wounds by microbes surrounding environment,
      was studied. It was established that on the second day from the start of the
      experiment a significant number of mature neutrophilic granulocytes show the
      ability to form NETs. The number of NETs was reached its maximum by the 2th and
      4th days from the beginning of the experiment, that was associated with maximum
      occurrence of symptoms of inflammation in the wound. The regression of the wound
      inflammatory process was associated with decreasing of the number of NETs to 7th
      day and the complete disappearance of NETs to 14th day of the experiment, which
      coincided with the healing of wounds.

PMID- 28628027
TI  - Evolution of the topologically protected surface states in superconductor beta
      Bi2Pd from the three-dimensional to the two-dimensional limit.
AB  - The recent discovery of topologically protected surface states in the
      noncentrosymmetric alpha-BiPd and the centrosymmetric beta-[Formula: see text]Pd
      has renewed the interest in the Bi-Pd family of superconductors. We employ first
      principles calculations to investigate the electronic structure and topological
      features of beta-[Formula: see text]Pd, in bulk and in thin films of various
      thicknesses. We find that films of nine or more triple layers could harbor
      topological surface states with Dirac- and Rashba-like band dispersion.

PMID- 28628028
TI  - Electron transport in stepped Bi2Se3 thin films.
AB  - We analyse the electron transport in a 16 quintuple layer thick stepped Bi2Se3
      film grown on Si(1 1 1) by means of scanning tunnelling potentiometry (STP) and
      multi-point probe measurements. Scanning tunnelling microscopy images reveal that
      the local structure of the Bi2Se3 film is dominated by terrace steps and domain
      boundaries. From a microscopic study on the nm scale by STP, we find a mostly
      linear gradient of the voltage on the Bi2Se3 terraces which is interrupted by
      voltage drops at the position of the domain boundaries. The voltage drops
      indicate that the domain boundaries are scatterers for the electron transport.
      Macroscopic resistance measurements (2PP and in-line 4PP measurement) on the um
      scale support the microscopic results. An additional rotational square 4PP
      measurement shows an electrical anisotropy of the sheet conductance parallel and
      perpendicular to the Bi2Se3 steps of about 10%. This is a result of the
      anisotropic step distribution at the stepped Bi2Se3 surface while domain
      boundaries are distributed isotropically. The determined value of the
      conductivity of the Bi2Se3 steps of about 1000 S cm-1 verifies the value of an
      earlier STP study.

PMID- 28628029
TI  - Thermopower and thermal conductivity in the Weyl semimetal NbP.
AB  - The Weyl semimetal NbP exhibits an extremely large magnetoresistance and an ultra
      high mobility. The large magnetoresistance originates from a combination of the
      nearly perfect compensation between electron- and hole-type charge carriers and
      the high mobility, which is relevant to the topological band structure. In this
      work we report on temperature- and field-dependent thermopower and thermal
      conductivity experiments on NbP. Additionally, we carried out complementary heat
      capacity, magnetization, and electrical resistivity measurements. We found a
      giant adiabatic magnetothermopower with a maximum of [Formula: see text] at 50 K
      in a field of 9 T. Such large effects have been observed rarely in bulk
      materials. We further observe pronounced quantum oscillations in both thermal
      conductivity and thermopower. The obtained frequencies compare well with our heat
      capacity and magnetization data.

PMID- 28628030
TI  - A novel flexible cuff-like microelectrode for dual purpose, acute and chronic
      electrical interfacing with the mouse cervical vagus nerve.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Neural reflexes regulate immune responses and homeostasis. Advances in
      bioelectronic medicine indicate that electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve
      can be used to treat inflammatory disease, yet the understanding of neural
      signals that regulate inflammation is incomplete. Current interfaces with the
      vagus nerve do not permit effective chronic stimulation or recording in mouse
      models, which is vital to studying the molecular and neurophysiological
      mechanisms that control inflammation homeostasis in health and disease. We
      developed an implantable, dual purpose, multi-channel, flexible 'microelectrode'
      array, for recording and stimulation of the mouse vagus nerve. APPROACH: The
      array was microfabricated on an 8 um layer of highly biocompatible parylene
      configured with 16 sites. The microelectrode was evaluated by studying the
      recording and stimulation performance. Mice were chronically implanted with
      devices for up to 12 weeks. MAIN RESULTS: Using the microelectrode in vivo, high
      fidelity signals were recorded during physiological challenges (e.g potassium
      chloride and interleukin-1beta), and electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve
      produced the expected significant reduction of blood levels of tumor necrosis
      factor (TNF) in endotoxemia. Inflammatory cell infiltration at the microelectrode
      12 weeks of implantation was limited according to radial distribution analysis of
      inflammatory cells. SIGNIFICANCE: This novel device provides an important step
      towards a viable chronic interface for cervical vagus nerve stimulation and
      recording in mice.

PMID- 28628031
TI  - Kinase-independent functions of RIPK1 regulate hepatocyte survival and liver
      carcinogenesis.
AB  - The mechanisms that regulate cell death and inflammation play an important role
      in liver disease and cancer. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1)
      induces apoptosis and necroptosis via kinase-dependent mechanisms and exhibits
      kinase-independent prosurvival and proinflammatory functions. Here, we have used
      genetic mouse models to study the role of RIPK1 in liver homeostasis, injury, and
      cancer. While ablating either RIPK1 or RelA in liver parenchymal cells (LPCs) did
      not cause spontaneous liver pathology, mice with combined deficiency of RIPK1 and
      RelA in LPCs showed increased hepatocyte apoptosis and developed spontaneous
      chronic liver disease and cancer that were independent of TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1)
      signaling. In contrast, mice with LPC-specific knockout of Ripk1 showed reduced
      diethylnitrosamine-induced (DEN-induced) liver tumorigenesis that correlated with
      increased DEN-induced hepatocyte apoptosis. Lack of RIPK1 kinase activity did not
      inhibit DEN-induced liver tumor formation, showing that kinase-independent
      functions of RIPK1 promote DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. Moreover, mice
      lacking both RIPK1 and TNFR1 in LPCs displayed normal tumor formation in response
      to DEN, demonstrating that RIPK1 deficiency decreases DEN-induced liver tumor
      formation in a TNFR1-dependent manner. Therefore, these findings indicate that
      RIPK1 cooperates with NF-kappaB signaling to prevent TNFR1-independent hepatocyte
      apoptosis and the development of chronic liver disease and cancer, but acts
      downstream of TNFR1 signaling to promote DEN-induced liver tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28628032
TI  - Osteocyte-specific WNT1 regulates osteoblast function during bone homeostasis.
AB  - Mutations in WNT1 cause osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and early-onset
      osteoporosis, identifying it as a key Wnt ligand in human bone homeostasis.
      However, how and where WNT1 acts in bone are unclear. To address this mechanism,
      we generated late-osteoblast-specific and osteocyte-specific WNT1 loss- and gain
      of-function mouse models. Deletion of Wnt1 in osteocytes resulted in low bone
      mass with spontaneous fractures similar to that observed in OI patients.
      Conversely, Wnt1 overexpression from osteocytes stimulated bone formation by
      increasing osteoblast number and activity, which was due in part to activation of
      mTORC1 signaling. While antiresorptive therapy is the mainstay of OI treatment,
      it has limited efficacy in WNT1-related OI. In this study, anti-sclerostin
      antibody (Scl-Ab) treatment effectively improved bone mass and dramatically
      decreased fracture rate in swaying mice, a model of global Wnt1 loss.
      Collectively, our data suggest that WNT1-related OI and osteoporosis are caused
      in part by decreased mTORC1-dependent osteoblast function resulting from loss of
      WNT1 signaling in osteocytes. As such, this work identifies an anabolic function
      of osteocytes as a source of Wnt in bone development and homoeostasis,
      complementing their known function as targets of Wnt signaling in regulating
      osteoclastogenesis. Finally, this study suggests that Scl-Ab is an effective
      genotype-specific treatment option for WNT1-related OI and osteoporosis.

PMID- 28628033
TI  - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with cirrhosis increases familial risk for
      advanced fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk of advanced fibrosis in first-degree relatives of patients
      with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis (NAFLD-cirrhosis) is unknown
      and needs to be systematically quantified. We aimed to prospectively assess the
      risk of advanced fibrosis in first-degree relatives of probands with NAFLD
      cirrhosis. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort of
      26 probands with NAFLD-cirrhosis and 39 first-degree relatives. The control
      population included 69 community-dwelling twin, sib-sib, or parent-offspring
      pairs (n = 138), comprising 69 individuals randomly ascertained to be without
      evidence of NAFLD and 69 of their first-degree relatives. The primary outcome was
      presence of advanced fibrosis (stage 3 or 4 fibrosis). NAFLD was assessed
      clinically and quantified by MRI proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). Advanced
      fibrosis was diagnosed by liver stiffness greater than 3.63 kPa using magnetic
      resonance elastography (MRE). RESULTS: The prevalence of advanced fibrosis in
      first-degree relatives of probands with NAFLD-cirrhosis was significantly higher
      than that in the control population (17.9% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.0032). Compared with
      controls, the odds of advanced fibrosis among the first-degree relatives of
      probands with NAFLD-cirrhosis were odds ratio 14.9 (95% CI, 1.8-126.0, P =
      0.0133). Even after multivariable adjustment by age, sex, Hispanic ethnicity,
      BMI, and diabetes status, the risk of advanced fibrosis remained both
      statistically and clinically significant (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio 12.5;
      95% CI, 1.1-146.1, P = 0.0438). CONCLUSION: Using a well-phenotyped familial
      cohort, we demonstrated that first-degree relatives of probands with NAFLD
      cirrhosis have a 12 times higher risk of advanced fibrosis. Advanced fibrosis
      screening may be considered in first-degree relatives of NAFLD-cirrhosis
      patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION:  UCSD IRB: 140084. FUNDING: National Institute of
      Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and National Institute of
      Environmental Health Sciences, NIH.

PMID- 28628034
TI  - Clonal expansion of genome-intact HIV-1 in functionally polarized Th1 CD4+ T
      cells.
AB  - HIV-1 causes a chronic, incurable disease due to its persistence in CD4+ T cells
      that contain replication-competent provirus, but exhibit little or no active
      viral gene expression and effectively resist combination antiretroviral therapy
      (cART). These latently infected T cells represent an extremely small proportion
      of all circulating CD4+ T cells but possess a remarkable long-term stability and
      typically persist throughout life, for reasons that are not fully understood.
      Here we performed massive single-genome, near-full-length next-generation
      sequencing of HIV-1 DNA derived from unfractionated peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells, ex vivo-isolated CD4+ T cells, and subsets of functionally polarized
      memory CD4+ T cells. This approach identified multiple sets of independent, near
      full-length proviral sequences from cART-treated individuals that were completely
      identical, consistent with clonal expansion of CD4+ T cells harboring intact HIV
      1. Intact, near-full-genome HIV-1 DNA sequences that were derived from such
      clonally expanded CD4+ T cells constituted 62% of all analyzed genome-intact
      sequences in memory CD4 T cells, were preferentially observed in Th1-polarized
      cells, were longitudinally detected over a duration of up to 5 years, and were
      fully replication- and infection-competent. Together, these data suggest that
      clonal proliferation of Th1-polarized CD4+ T cells encoding for intact HIV-1
      represents a driving force for stabilizing the pool of latently infected CD4+ T
      cells.

PMID- 28628035
TI  - The brains of the bones: how osteocytes use WNT1 to control bone formation.
AB  - WNT proteins drive the development and maintenance of many tissues, including
      bone. It is less clear which of the many WNT proteins act on bone or where these
      WNTs act in the skeleton; however, loss-of-function mutations in WNT1 cause bone
      fragility in children and adults. In this issue of the JCI, Joeng and colleagues
      demonstrate that bone formation is under the control of WNT1 produced by
      osteocytes, the cells that reside deep in the bone matrix and form dendritic
      networks. The implication of WNT1 in the control of bone formation identifies a
      potential new target for the treatment of low bone mass disorders, such as
      osteoporosis.

PMID- 28628036
TI  - Arcuate neuropeptide Y inhibits sympathetic nerve activity via multiple
      neuropathways.
AB  - Obesity increases sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) via activation of
      proopiomelanocortin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ArcN), and this action
      requires simultaneous withdrawal of tonic neuropeptide Y (NPY)
      sympathoinhibition. However, the sites and neurocircuitry by which NPY decreases
      SNA are unclear. Here, using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer
      drugs (DREADDs) to selectively activate or inhibit ArcN NPY neurons expressing
      agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in mice, we have demonstrated that this neuronal
      population tonically suppresses splanchnic SNA (SSNA), arterial pressure, and
      heart rate via projections to the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and dorsomedial
      hypothalamus (DMH). First, we found that ArcN NPY/AgRP fibers closely appose PVN
      and DMH presympathetic neurons. Second, nanoinjections of NPY or an NPY receptor
      Y1 (NPY1R) antagonist into PVN or DMH decreased or increased SSNA, respectively.
      Third, blockade of DMH NPY1R reversed the sympathoinhibition elicited by
      selective, DREADD-mediated activation of ArcN NPY/AgRP neurons. Finally,
      stimulation of ArcN NPY/AgRP terminal fields in the PVN and DMH decreased SSNA.
      Considering that chronic obesity decreases ArcN NPY content, we propose that the
      ArcN NPY neuropathway to the PVN and DMH is pivotal in obesity-induced elevations
      in SNA.

PMID- 28628037
TI  - Alloimmune T cells in transplantation.
AB  - Alloimmune T cells are central mediators of rejection and graft-versus-host
      disease in both solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Unique
      among immune responses in terms of its strength and diversity, the T cell
      alloresponse reflects extensive genetic polymorphisms between allogeneic donors
      and recipients, most prominently within the major histocompatibility complex
      (MHC), which encodes human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) in humans. The repertoire of
      alloreactive T cell clones is distinct for every donor-recipient pair and
      includes potentially thousands of unique HLA/peptide specificities. The
      extraordinary magnitude of the primary alloresponse and diversity of the T cell
      population mediating it have presented technical challenges to its study in
      humans. High-throughput T cell receptor sequencing approaches have opened up new
      possibilities for tackling many fundamental questions about this important
      immunologic phenomenon.

PMID- 28628038
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing ameliorates neurotoxicity in mouse model of
      Huntington's disease.
AB  - Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine
      repeat in the Huntingtin gene (HTT). Although suppressing the expression of
      mutant HTT (mHTT) has been explored as a therapeutic strategy to treat
      Huntington's disease, considerable efforts have gone into developing allele
      specific suppression of mHTT expression, given that loss of Htt in mice can lead
      to embryonic lethality. It remains unknown whether depletion of HTT in the adult
      brain, regardless of its allele, could be a safe therapy. Here, we report that
      permanent suppression of endogenous mHTT expression in the striatum of mHTT
      expressing mice (HD140Q-knockin mice) using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated inactivation
      effectively depleted HTT aggregates and attenuated early neuropathology. The
      reduction of mHTT expression in striatal neuronal cells in adult HD140Q-knockin
      mice did not affect viability, but alleviated motor deficits. Our studies suggest
      that non-allele-specific CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing could be used to
      efficiently and permanently eliminate polyglutamine expansion-mediated neuronal
      toxicity in the adult brain.

PMID- 28628039
TI  - ChREBP refines the hepatic response to fructose to protect the liver from injury.
AB  - Overconsumption of fructose and other sugars has been linked to nonalcoholic
      fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, the sugar-associated effects that lead to
      disease are poorly defined. In this issue of the JCI, Zhang and colleagues show
      that the carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) coordinates an
      adaptive response to a high-fructose diet in mice and that loss of this
      transcription factor leads to hepatic inflammation and early signs of fibrosis.
      Intriguingly, ChREBP-dependent effects were due to an exaggerated activation of
      the proapoptotic arms of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response that is
      probably secondary to inappropriate derepression of cholesterol biosynthesis.
      These findings suggest that a previously unknown link exists between ChREBP and
      the regulation of cholesterol synthesis that affects liver injury.

PMID- 28628040
TI  - Lipogenic transcription factor ChREBP mediates fructose-induced metabolic
      adaptations to prevent hepatotoxicity.
AB  - Epidemiologic and animal studies implicate overconsumption of fructose in the
      development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but the molecular mechanisms
      underlying fructose-induced chronic liver diseases remain largely unknown. Here,
      we have presented evidence supporting the essential function of the lipogenic
      transcription factor carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) in
      mediating adaptive responses to fructose and protecting against fructose-induced
      hepatotoxicity. In WT mice, a high-fructose diet (HFrD) activated hepatic
      lipogenesis in a ChREBP-dependent manner; however, in Chrebp-KO mice, a HFrD
      induced steatohepatitis. In Chrebp-KO mouse livers, a HFrD reduced levels of
      molecular chaperones and activated the C/EBP homologous protein-dependent (CHOP
      dependent) unfolded protein response, whereas administration of a chemical
      chaperone or Chop shRNA rescued liver injury. Elevated expression levels of
      cholesterol biosynthesis genes in HFrD-fed Chrebp-KO livers were paralleled by an
      increased nuclear abundance of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2
      (SREBP2). Atorvastatin-mediated inhibition of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis or
      depletion of hepatic Srebp2 reversed fructose-induced liver injury in Chrebp-KO
      mice. Mechanistically, we determined that ChREBP binds to nuclear SREBP2 to
      promote its ubiquitination and destabilization in cultured cells. Therefore, our
      findings demonstrate that ChREBP provides hepatoprotection against a HFrD by
      preventing overactivation of cholesterol biosynthesis and the subsequent CHOP
      mediated, proapoptotic unfolded protein response. Our findings also identified a
      role for ChREBP in regulating SREBP2-dependent cholesterol metabolism.

PMID- 28628041
TI  - HIV persistence: clonal expansion of cells in the latent reservoir.
AB  - While antiretroviral therapy (ART) can reduce HIV-1 to undetectable levels, the
      virus generally reappears if treatment is stopped. Resurgence of the virus is due
      to the reactivation of T cells harboring latent integrated provirus, and recent
      studies indicate that proliferation of these latently infected cells helps
      maintain the HIV-1 reservoir. In this issue of the JCI, Lee et al. evaluated CD4+
      T cell subsets to determine whether certain populations are more likely to harbor
      full-length, replication-competent provirus. The authors identified an enrichment
      of clonally expanded Th1 cells containing intact HIV-1 proviruses, suggesting
      that this polarized subset contributes to the persistence of the reservoir.
      Strategies to target these provirus-harboring cells need to be considered for
      future therapies aimed toward HIV-1 cure.

PMID- 28628042
TI  - A therapeutic T cell receptor mimic antibody targets tumor-associated PRAME
      peptide/HLA-I antigens.
AB  - Preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) is a cancer-testis antigen
      that is expressed in many cancers and leukemias. In healthy tissue, PRAME
      expression is limited to the testes and ovaries, making it a highly attractive
      cancer target. PRAME is an intracellular protein that cannot currently be
      drugged. After proteasomal processing, the PRAME300-309 peptide ALYVDSLFFL (ALY)
      is presented in the context of human leukocyte antigen HLA-A*02:01 molecules for
      recognition by the T cell receptor (TCR) of cytotoxic T cells. Here, we have
      described Pr20, a TCR mimic (TCRm) human IgG1 antibody that recognizes the cell
      surface ALY peptide/HLA-A2 complex. Pr20 is an immunological tool and potential
      therapeutic agent. Pr20 bound to PRAME+HLA-A2+ cancers. An afucosylated Fc form
      (Pr20M) directed antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against PRAME+HLA-A2+
      leukemia cells and was therapeutically effective against mouse xenograft models
      of human leukemia. In some tumors, Pr20 binding markedly increased upon IFN-gamma
      treatment, mediated by induction of the immunoproteasome catalytic subunit
      beta5i. The immunoproteasome reduced internal destructive cleavages within the
      ALY epitope compared with the constitutive proteasome. The data provide rationale
      for developing TCRm antibodies as therapeutic agents for cancer, offer
      mechanistic insight on proteasomal regulation of tumor-associated peptide/HLA
      antigen complexes, and yield possible therapeutic solutions to target antigens
      with ultra-low surface presentation.

PMID- 28628044
TI  - Perioperative Auto-titrated Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment in
      Surgical Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Controlled Trial:
      Erratum.

PMID- 28628043
TI  - Immunotherapy for transplantation-associated viral infections.
AB  - Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections following
      allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are a major cause of
      morbidity and mortality. Early clinical trials demonstrate that adoptive transfer
      of donor-derived virus-specific T cells to restore virus-specific immunity is an
      effective strategy to control CMV and EBV infection after HSCT, conferring
      protection in 70%-90% of patients. The field has evolved rapidly to develop
      solutions to some of the manufacturing challenges identified in early clinical
      studies, such as prolonged in vitro culture, optimization of the purity of the
      virus-specific T cell product, the potential limitations of targeting a single
      viral antigen, and how to manage the patient with a virus-naive donor. This
      Review both discusses the seminal early studies and explores cutting-edge novel
      technologies that broaden the feasibility of and the scope for delivering virus
      specific T cells to patients after HSCT.

PMID- 28628046
TI  - Exploring Organizational Smoking Policies and Employee Vaping Behavior.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cigarette consumption has become global threat to both smokers and
      organizations. However, little is known about organizational smoking and vaping
      policies, and their influence to employees' smoking and vaping behavior. METHODS:
      We collected data from 456 employed smokers, vapers, and/or dual users. Smoking
      and/or vaping behavior, along with perceived organizational smoking/vaping
      policies were examined. RESULTS: Vapers reported perceiving more stringent
      smoking policy, while vapers who reported having workplace vaping policies
      perceived having generally more stringent vaping policy. Most smokers and vapers
      are well informed about smoking policy; however, a considerable portion of them
      do not have a good understanding about organizational vaping policy. CONCLUSIONS:
      Organizations should not consider smoking and vaping to be the same when setting
      policy. Employers should ensure that organizational vaping policies are present
      and clear to all employees.

PMID- 28628045
TI  - Cardio-Respiratory Effects of Air Pollution in a Panel Study of Outdoor Physical
      Activity and Health in Rural Older Adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine cardio-respiratory effects of air pollution in rural older
      adults exercising outdoors. METHODS: Adults 55 and over completed measurements of
      blood pressure, peak expiratory flow and oximetry daily, and of heart rate
      variability, endothelial function, spirometry, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide
      and urinary oxidative stress markers weekly, before and after outdoor exercise,
      for 10 weeks. Data were analyzed using linear mixed effect models. RESULTS:
      Pooled estimates combining 2013 (n = 36 participants) and 2014 (n = 41) indicated
      that an interquartile increase in the air quality health index (AQHI) was
      associated with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in heart rate (2.1%) and
      significant decreases in high frequency power (-19.1%), root mean square of
      successive differences (-9.5%), and reactive hyperemia index (-6.5%).
      CONCLUSIONS: We observed acute subclinical adverse effects of air pollution in
      rural older adults exercising outdoors.

PMID- 28628047
TI  - Improving Body Composition May Reduce the Immune and Inflammatory Responses of
      Firefighters Working in the Heat.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that different body composition and fitness of
      firefighters would affect immune and inflammatory activity after working in the
      heat. METHODS: Forty-two firefighters worked in the heat (100 +/- 5  degrees C).
      Changes in leukocytes, platelets, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), and C
      reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed based on body composition (DXA) and aerobic
      fitness (VO2max). RESULTS: Higher baseline leukocytes were observed for high body
      fat (P = 0.002) and low lean mass (P = 0.023) resulting in the highest peak
      values. Additionally, significantly lower values for TNF-alpha were observed with
      high lean mass at all time points. Platelets were unaffected by fitness or body
      composition. Furthermore, body mass index (BMI) and VO2max played no role.
      CONCLUSIONS: Minimizing body fat and increasing lean mass may reduce immune and
      inflammatory activity of firefighters in the heat.

PMID- 28628048
TI  - Impact of Daily Rest Period on Resting Blood Pressure and Fatigue: A One-Month
      Observational Study of Daytime Employees.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the effects of the daily rest period (DRP) on
      resting blood pressure (BP) and fatigue and determine the optimal DRP for daytime
      workers. METHODS: Fifty-four daytime employees participated in a 1-month
      observational study. BP was measured thrice at the workplace. Employees underwent
      a pre- and post-survey to determine the usual DRP and assess subjective health
      outcomes. To determine the optimal DRP, DRP criteria were set as 11, 12, 13, and
      14 hours. RESULTS: Workers with a shorter DRP had high diastolic BP and fatigue.
      Diastolic BP was higher in the short group than in the long group for the 14-hour
      DRP criteria alone. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter DRP was associated with high diastolic
      BP. We recommend a longer DRP (>=14 hours) for improving workers' cardiovascular
      health.

PMID- 28628049
TI  - Early Access to Physical Therapy and Specialty Care Management for American
      Workers With Musculoskeletal Injuries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of very early
      access to physical therapy and specialty care management in a workers'
      compensation population. METHODS: A prospective pilot (n = 75) was conducted from
      2012 to 2013 in which injured workers with musculoskeletal complaints received
      physical therapy and started care management during their initial occupational
      medicine clinic visit. Two retrospective comparator groups with workers'
      compensation claims from 2009 and 2012 were included in this study. RESULTS: When
      comparing 2009 data with the 2012 to 2013 prospective pilot study, statistically
      significant differences were noted in favor of the prospective pilot for total
      costs per claim, cost of indemnity, number of therapy visits, and time to access
      physical therapy. When compared with the 2012 nonpilot cohort, differences were
      not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Expedited access to physical therapy
      and care management can reduce duration of care, cost of claims, and therapy
      visits.

PMID- 28628050
TI  - Arizona Hospital Discharge and Emergency Department Database: Implications for
      Occupational Health Surveillance.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of the project was to identify trends in emergency
      department visits and inpatient admissions for occupational injury and disease
      frequency and describe the financial impact from specific clinical groups known
      to have occupational risk factors. METHODS: Workers compensation cases among 19
      million records in the Arizona statewide hospital discharge database (HDD) were
      assessed for seven clinical groups from 2008 to 2014, including back, cardiac,
      carpal tunnel syndrome, heat-related, psychiatric, pulmonary, and trauma.
      RESULTS: Cases with cardiac, psychiatric, and pulmonary diagnoses were both
      frequent and expensive. Although incidence was generally stable, charges per case
      rose significantly over the time period. IMPLICATIONS: Inpatient and emergency
      department records provide valuable data that complement other surveillance
      approaches for both occupational illnesses and injuries. Tracking charge as well
      as incidence data is useful.

PMID- 28628053
TI  - Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Responses to Gear Weight Under a Controlled
      Workload.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of personal protective equipment (PPE) weight
      on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), between volunteer firefighters (FF)
      and athletes. METHODS: Athletes and FF were matched by body size and came to the
      lab twice for two treadmill tests. The "Regular" test was completed in normal
      fitness clothing, and PPE test was completed in full structural PPE with
      monitoring of HR assessment every minute and BP each stage. RESULTS: In the FF
      cohort, all submaximal HR and BP levels were different. HRmax and VO2max were
      also different (all P < 0.05). In athletes, HRmax was higher in Regular test than
      PPE. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should examine the effect of different PPE
      weights on HR and BP responses.

PMID- 28628054
TI  - Personal and Workplace Environmental Factors Associated With Reduced Worker
      Productivity Among Older Workers With Chronic Knee Pain: A Cross-Sectional
      Survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore personal and workplace
      environmental factors as predictors of reduced worker productivity among older
      workers with chronic knee pain. METHODS: A questionnaire-based survey was
      conducted among 129 older workers who had participated in a randomized clinical
      trial evaluating dietary supplements. Multivariable analyses were used to explore
      predictors of reduced work productivity among older workers with chronic knee
      pain. RESULTS: The likelihood of presenteeism was higher in those reporting knee
      pain (>=3/10) or problems with other joints, and lower in those reporting job
      insecurity. The likelihood of work transitions was higher in people reporting
      knee pain (>=3/10), a high comorbidity score or low coworker support, and lower
      in those having an occupation involving sitting more than 30% of the day.
      CONCLUSION: Allowing access to sitting and promoting positive affiliations
      between coworkers are likely to provide an enabling workplace environment for
      older workers with chronic knee pain.

PMID- 28628056
TI  - Time for Self-Care: Downtime Recovery as a Buffer of Work and Home/Family Time
      Pressures.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Opportunities for people to recover from stress are insufficient,
      because demanding and excessive life activities leave little time for recovery.
      Downtime is a self-care behavior that can occur in any life domain (ie, work,
      home/family, leisure). METHODS: Using survey data from a cross-section of 422
      U.S. workers, we tested hypotheses regarding downtime as a buffer of the effects
      of time pressure and whether downtime's benefits were related to the domain in
      which it was taken, or influenced by perceived time control. RESULTS: In
      situations of high time pressure, work and home/family downtime were beneficial
      when time control was high, while relaxing leisure was beneficial when time
      control was low. CONCLUSIONS: Downtime is available whenever people recognize
      their need for recovery and respond by entering a state of physical relaxation
      and psychological detachment from stressors.

PMID- 28628055
TI  - Workplace Violence and Training Required by New Legislation Among NJ Nurses.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine nurses' knowledge of the state of
      New Jersey (NJ) Violence Prevention in Health Care Facilities Act, workplace
      violence training, and experience with workplace violence. METHODS: In 2013, 309
      (22.5% response rate) nurses returned a mailed survey. Univariate and
      multivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Ninety percent of respondents were
      female. When the perpetrator was a patient or a family member, the respondents
      experienced verbal abuse the most (57.8%), followed by threats (52.3%), and
      physical assault (38.3%). Respondents who had heard of the regulation (89.6%)
      received a higher proportion of training than those who had not heard of the
      regulation (57.9%) (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who received at least 80% of
      the required training components were more likely to feel more secure at work,
      suggesting that training is an important tool to address workplace violence.

PMID- 28628057
TI  - Advancing Value-Based Medicine: Why Integrating Functional Outcomes With Clinical
      Measures Is Critical to Our Health Care Future.

PMID- 28628058
TI  - JOEM 2016 Reviewers-Thank you and Perspectives.

PMID- 28628059
TI  - Response to "Lung Cancer Risk Among Non-Smoking Firefighters".

PMID- 28628060
TI  - Lung Cancer Risk Among Non-Smoking Firefighters.

PMID- 28628061
TI  - Strengthening the Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program.

PMID- 28628063
TI  - The Relocation of a Health Care Department's Impact on Staff: A Cross-Sectional
      Survey: Erratum.

PMID- 28628065
TI  - Effect of Exercise Intensity and Duration on Postexercise Executive Function
      Erratum.

PMID- 28628064
TI  - Exercise Training Reduces Intrathoracic Fat Regardless of Defective Glucose
      Tolerance.
AB  - PURPOSE: Epicardial (EAT) and pericardial (PAT) fat masses and myocardial
      triglyceride content (MTC) are enlarged in obesity and insulin resistance. We
      studied whether the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate
      intensity continuous training (MICT) similarly decrease ectopic fat in and around
      the heart and whether the decrease is similar in healthy subjects and subjects
      with defective glucose tolerance (DGT). METHODS: A total of 28 healthy men (body
      mass index = 20.7-30.0 kg.m, age = 40-55 yr) and 16 men with DGT (body mass index
      = 23.8-33.5 kg.m, age = 43-53 yr) were randomized into HIIT and MICT
      interventions for 2 wk. EAT and PAT were determined by computed tomography and
      MTC by H-MRS. RESULTS: At baseline, DGT subjects had impaired aerobic capacity
      and insulin sensitivity and higher levels of whole body fat, visceral fat, PAT,
      and EAT (P < 0.05, all) compared with healthy subjects. In the whole group, HIIT
      increased aerobic capacity (HIIT = 6%, MICT = 0.3%; time * training P = 0.007)
      and tended to improve insulin sensitivity (HIIT = 24%, MICT = 8%) as well as
      reduce MTC (HIIT = -42%, MICT = +23%) (time * training P = 0.06, both) more
      efficiently compared with MICT, and without differences in the training response
      between the healthy and the DGT subjects. However, both training modes decreased
      EAT (-5%) and PAT (-6%) fat (time P < 0.05) and not differently between the
      healthy and the DGT subjects. CONCLUSION: Whole body fat, visceral fat, PAT, and
      EAT masses are enlarged in DGT. Both HIIT and MICT effectively reduce EAT and PAT
      in healthy and DGT subjects, whereas HIIT seems to be superior as regards
      improving aerobic capacity, whole-body insulin sensitivity, and MTC.

PMID- 28628066
TI  - Mortality Risk Reductions from Substituting Screen Time by Discretionary
      Activities: Erratum.

PMID- 28628067
TI  - Identifying and Describing Nurse Faculty Workload Issues: A Looming Faculty
      Shortage.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this project was to address factors contributing to the nurse
      faculty shortage. BACKGROUND: There is a demonstrated need to sustain and
      stabilize faculty currently in the workforce to avoid exacerbating the current
      and future faculty shortage in nursing. Recommendations of previous studies focus
      on strategies for recruitment, retention, and ongoing faculty development.
      METHOD: A survey was employed to identify and describe the workload of nurse
      faculty and identify the impact of retirement and other retention issues.
      RESULTS: Findings showed an aging and nondiverse nursing faculty with increased
      and variable workload. There was no standard means of calculating workload. With
      identification of increased workload, faculty are considering retirement at a
      higher than projected rate. CONCLUSION: Four primary areas to address the nursing
      faculty shortage include focus on diversity balance, development of collaborative
      positions (joint appointments), and clear identification of nursing faculty
      workload.

PMID- 28628068
TI  - Exploring Nurse Faculty Incivility and Resonant Leadership.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore the
      relationship between the frequency of interfaculty incivility among nurses in
      academia and observed levels of resonant leadership of immediate supervisors.
      BACKGROUND: Despite mandates to address incivility in health care, nurse faculty
      report high levels of horizontal incivility among their peers. No known
      quantitative research has measured the relationship between nurse faculty-to
      faculty incivility and resonant leadership traits of leaders. METHOD: Nursing
      faculty from 17 universities (n = 260) were emailed an anonymous link to answer
      survey questions about horizontal peer incivility and leaders' management styles.
      RESULTS: There was a significant inverse relationship (Pearson's r, -.560)
      between the frequency of experienced faculty-to-faculty incivility and the level
      of observed resonant leadership behaviors of participants' immediate supervisors.
      CONCLUSION: Resonant supervisory behaviors inversely correlated with nurse
      faculty peer incivility, with potential to impact satisfaction, recruitment, and
      retention.

PMID- 28628069
TI  - Sitting Time: An Increasing Heath Risk Among Nurse Educators.
AB  - Prolonged sitting time (ST) is a distinct risk factor for early mortality and
      cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was
      to examine ST and health of Kentucky nurse educators. The written survey included
      demographic items, general health items, and ST. Total average ST was 10.8 hours
      (workdays) and 8 hours (non-workdays). There was no relationship between body
      mass index and ST; however, the medication used to treat hypertension and
      hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased ST. Nurse educators are at
      risk for negative health effects of prolonged ST, and effective interventions are
      imperative.

PMID- 28628070
TI  - Nursing Doctoral Faculty Perceptions Related to the Effect of Increasing
      Enrollments on Productivity.
AB  - Nursing faculty teaching in research and clinical doctoral programs participated
      in a national survey study to examine the impact of expanded doctoral enrollments
      on the doctoral faculty's scholarly productivity. They were invited to respond to
      an open-ended question soliciting information not already addressed in the
      survey. Results of the analysis are reported here. Findings corroborated the
      review of literature and results of the survey and focus groups that provided the
      basis for the survey's development. Current workloads may be unsustainable,
      jeopardizing the profession's response to Institute of Medicine recommendations.

PMID- 28628071
TI  - Reflective Responses Following a Role-play Simulation of Nurse Bullying.
AB  - A qualitative exploratory design was used for this study to evaluate role-play
      simulation as an active learning strategy. The context for the role-play was
      bullying in nursing practice. Following a simulation, 333 students from five
      college campuses of three universities completed a reflection worksheet.
      Qualitative thematic findings were personal responses, nonverbal communications
      exhibited, actions taken by participants, and the perceived impact of bullying
      during the simulation. Role-play simulation was a highly effective pedagogy,
      eliciting learning at both the cognitive and affective domains.

PMID- 28628072
TI  - Retention of Content Utilizing a Flipped Classroom Approach.
AB  - The flipped classroom experience promotes retention and accountability for
      learning. The authors report their evaluation of a flipped classroom for
      accelerated second-degree nursing students during their primary medical-surgical
      nursing course. Standardized HESI(r) scores were compared between a group of
      students who experienced the flipped classroom and a previous group who had
      traditional teaching methods. Short- and long-term retention was measured using
      standardized exams 3 months and 12 months following the course. Results indicated
      that short-term retention was greater and long- term retention was significantly
      great in the students who were taught using flipped classroom methodology.

PMID- 28628073
TI  - Evaluating the Need for Organ Donation and Transplant-Related Education in
      Nursing Curricula.
AB  - Transplant education has been historically unstructured and inconsistent. The
      purpose of this study was to measure nursing students' knowledge and attitudes
      toward organ donation, allocation, and preparation for practice using a modified
      version of the Organ Donation Attitude Questionnaire II-Student Version. Scores
      were low, particularly regarding brain death and organ allocation. Preparedness
      for practice was related to knowledge of brain death (z = 2.05, p = .04);
      knowledge (t = 2.24, p = .03) and attitude (t = 7.55, p < .0001) were related to
      signing a driver's license. Results support including organ donation and
      transplant education in nursing curricula.

PMID- 28628074
TI  - When the Nursing Student Also Wears Cleats: Successful Nursing Student Athletes.
AB  - Being a nursing student athlete carries both rewards and challenges. There is a
      dearth of nursing literature addressing the subset of nursing student athletes.
      This article offers the characteristics of successful nursing student athletes;
      the challenges they encounter; the advantages of having student athletes in the
      nursing student body; and the student-centered, program-centered, and institution
      centered strategies that need to be in place for their success.

PMID- 28628075
TI  - Using the NLN Faculty Preparation for Global Experiences Toolkit for Successful
      Application for the Fulbright Scholar Award.
AB  - With an increasingly global world and the migration of diverse populations, nurse
      faculty have opportunities to learn and share varied perspectives through
      involvement internationally in research, teaching, and practice. The National
      League for Nursing (NLN) joins with the World Health Organization and the
      International Council of Nurses to promote international nursing standards. One
      way in which nursing faculty can contribute to this goal is by pursuing
      international education, research, and service as a Fulbright scholar. The NLN
      Faculty Preparation for Global Experiences Toolkit complements resources offered
      through the Fulbright program in the preparation of a competitive Fulbright
      application.

PMID- 28628076
TI  - Promoting Simulation Globally: Networking with Nursing Colleagues Across Five
      Continents.
AB  - Simulation education is gaining momentum internationally and may provide the
      opportunity to enhance clinical education while disseminating evidence-based
      practice standards for clinical simulation and learning. There is a need to
      develop a cohesive leadership group that fosters support, networking, and sharing
      of simulation resources globally. The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at
      Case Western Reserve University has had the unique opportunity to establish
      academic exchange programs with schools of nursing across five continents.
      Although the joint and mutual simulation activities have been extensive, each
      international collaboration has also provided insight into the innovations
      developed by global partners.

PMID- 28628077
TI  - Using YouTube in Teaching Pharmacology to Nursing Students.
AB  - Nursing pharmacology can pose a challenge to nursing students as they learn about
      different disease processes and interventions. Having students engage in their
      own learning process aids in the retention of information and gives positive
      reinforcement for exams. Using YouTube as a part of student group presentations
      helps students engage in the learning process and learn difficult pharmacological
      concepts in an alternative classroom setting.

PMID- 28628078
TI  - Nociceptor interleukin 10 receptor 1 is critical for muscle analgesia induced by
      repeated bouts of eccentric exercise in the rat.
AB  - Delayed-onset muscle soreness is typically observed after strenuous or
      unaccustomed eccentric exercise. Soon after recovery, blunted muscle soreness is
      observed on repeated eccentric exercise, a phenomenon known as repeated bout
      effect (RBE). Although regular physical activity decreases muscle hyperalgesia,
      likely because of increased production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine
      interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the skeletal muscle, whether IL-10 also contributes to
      the antinociceptive effect of RBE is unknown. Furthermore, whether IL-10
      attenuates muscle hyperalgesia by acting on muscle nociceptors remains to be
      established. Here, we explored the hypothesis that blunted muscle nociception
      observed in RBE depends on a local effect of IL-10, acting on IL-10 receptor 1
      (IL-10R1) expressed by muscle nociceptors. Results show that after a second bout
      of eccentric exercise, rats exhibited decreased muscle hyperalgesia, indicative
      of RBE, and increased expression of IL-10 in the exercised gastrocnemius muscle.
      Although knockdown of IL-10R1 protein in nociceptors innervating the
      gastrocnemius muscle by intrathecal antisense oligodeoxynucleotide did not change
      nociceptive threshold in naive rats, it unveiled latent muscle hyperalgesia in
      rats submitted to eccentric exercise 12 days ago. Furthermore, antisense also
      prevented the reduction of muscle hyperalgesia observed after a second bout of
      eccentric exercise. These data indicate that recovery of nociceptive threshold
      after eccentric exercise and RBE-induced analgesia depend on a local effect of IL
      10, acting on its canonical receptor in muscle nociceptors.

PMID- 28628079
TI  - Neutralization of mobile antiviral small RNA through peroxisomal import.
AB  - In animals, certain viral proteins are targeted to peroxisomes to dampen the
      antiviral immune response mediated by these organelles1-3. In plants, RNA
      interference (RNAi) mediated by small interfering (si)RNA is the main antiviral
      defence mechanism. To protect themselves against the cell- and non-cell
      autonomous effects of RNAi, viruses produce viral suppressors of RNA silencing
      (VSR)4, whose study is crucial to properly understand the biological cycle of
      plant viruses and potentially find new solutions to control these pathogens. By
      combining biochemical approaches, cell-specific inhibition of RNAi movement and
      peroxisome isolation, we show here that one such VSR, the peanut clump virus
      (PCV)-encoded P15, isolates siRNA from the symplasm by delivering them into the
      peroxisomal matrix. Infection with PCV lacking this ability reveals that
      piggybacking of these VSR-bound nucleic acids into peroxisomes potentiates viral
      systemic movement by preventing the spread of antiviral siRNA. Collectively,
      these results highlight organellar confinement of antiviral molecules as a novel
      pathogenic strategy that may have its direct counterpart in other plant and
      animal viruses.

PMID- 28628080
TI  - Viral suppressors: Combatting RNA silencing.

PMID- 28628081
TI  - O-GlcNAcylation of fumarase maintains tumour growth under glucose deficiency.
AB  - Chromatin-associated fumarase (FH) affects histone methylation via its metabolic
      activity. However, whether this effect is involved in gene transcription remains
      to be clarified. In this study, we show that under glucose deprivation
      conditions, AMPK phosphorylates FH at Ser75, which in turn forms a complex with
      ATF2 and participates in promoter activation. FH-catalysed fumarate in promoter
      regions inhibits KDM2A demethylase activity, and thus maintains the H3K36me2
      profile and facilitates gene expression for cell growth arrest. On the other
      hand, FH is found to be O-GlcNAcylated at the AMPK phosphorylation site; FH-ATF2
      mediated downstream events are impeded by FH O-GlcNAcylation, especially in
      cancer cells that display robust O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) activity.
      Consistently, the FH-Ser75 phosphorylation level inversely correlates with the
      OGT level and poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients. These findings
      uncover a previously uncharacterized mechanism underlying transcription
      regulation by FH and the linkage between dysregulated OGT activity and growth
      advantage of cancer cells under glucose deficiency.

PMID- 28628082
TI  - Quantifying forces in cell biology.
AB  - Cells exert, sense, and respond to physical forces through an astounding
      diversity of mechanisms. Here we review recently developed tools to quantify the
      forces generated by cells. We first review technologies based on sensors of known
      or assumed mechanical properties, and discuss their applicability and
      limitations. We then proceed to draw an analogy between these human-made sensors
      and force sensing in the cell. As mechanics is increasingly revealed to play a
      fundamental role in cell function we envisage that tools to quantify physical
      forces may soon become widely applied in life-sciences laboratories.

PMID- 28628083
TI  - Molecular basis of selective mitochondrial fusion by heterotypic action between
      OPA1 and cardiolipin.
AB  - Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that undergo frequent fusion and
      fission. Optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) is an essential GTPase protein for both
      mitochondrial inner membrane (IM) fusion and cristae morphology. Under
      mitochondria-stress conditions, membrane-anchored L-OPA1 is proteolytically
      cleaved to form peripheral S-OPA1, leading to the selection of damaged
      mitochondria for mitophagy. However, molecular details of the selective
      mitochondrial fusion are less well understood. Here, we showed that L-OPA1 and
      cardiolipin (CL) cooperate in heterotypic mitochondrial IM fusion. We
      reconstituted an in vitro membrane fusion reaction using purified human L-OPA1
      protein expressed in silkworm, and found that L-OPA1 on one side of the membrane
      and CL on the other side are sufficient for fusion. GTP-independent membrane
      tethering through L-OPA1 and CL primes the subsequent GTP-hydrolysis-dependent
      fusion, which can be modulated by the presence of S-OPA1. These results unveil
      the most minimal intracellular membrane fusion machinery. In contrast,
      independent of CL, a homotypic trans-OPA1 interaction mediates membrane
      tethering, thereby supporting the cristae structure. Thus, multiple OPA1
      functions are modulated by local CL conditions for regulation of mitochondrial
      morphology and quality control.

PMID- 28628084
TI  - Long-term imaging of cellular forces with high precision by elastic resonator
      interference stress microscopy.
AB  - Cellular forces are crucial for many biological processes but current methods to
      image them have limitations with respect to data analysis, resolution and
      throughput. Here, we present a robust approach to measure mechanical cell
      substrate interactions in diverse biological systems by interferometrically
      detecting deformations of an elastic micro-cavity. Elastic resonator interference
      stress microscopy (ERISM) yields stress maps with exceptional precision and large
      dynamic range (2 nm displacement resolution over a >1 MUm range, translating into
      1 pN force sensitivity). This enables investigation of minute vertical stresses
      (<1 Pa) involved in podosome protrusion, protein-specific cell-substrate
      interaction and amoeboid migration through spatial confinement in real time.
      ERISM requires no zero-force reference and avoids phototoxic effects, which
      facilitates force monitoring over multiple days and at high frame rates and
      eliminates the need to detach cells after measurements. This allows observation
      of slow processes such as differentiation and further investigation of cells, for
      example, by immunostaining.

PMID- 28628085
TI  - OPA1 and cardiolipin team up for mitochondrial fusion.
AB  - Fusion between the inner membranes of two mitochondria requires the GTPase optic
      atrophy 1 (OPA1), but the molecular mechanism is poorly understood. A study now
      shows that fusion of two liposomes can be performed by OPA1 tethered to just one
      liposome, through an interaction with the phospholipid cardiolipin on the
      opposing liposome.

PMID- 28628086
TI  - Nitrate signalling: Calcium bridges the nitrate gap.

PMID- 28628088
TI  - An individualised risk-adapted protocol of pre- and post transplant zoledronic
      acid reduces bone loss after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: results of a
      phase II prospective trial.
AB  - Bone loss occurs frequently following allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation (alloSCT). The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group
      conducted a prospective phase II study of pretransplant zoledronic acid (ZA) and
      individualised post-transplant ZA to prevent bone loss in alloSCT recipients.
      Patients received ZA 4 mg before conditioning. Administration of post-transplant
      ZA from days 100 to 365 post alloSCT was determined by a risk-adapted algorithm
      based on serial bone density assessments and glucocorticoid exposure. Of 82
      patients enrolled, 70 were alive and without relapse at day 100. A single
      pretransplant dose of ZA prevented femoral neck bone loss at day 100 compared
      with baseline (mean change -2.6+/-4.6%). Using the risk-adapted protocol, 42
      patients received ZA between days 100 and 365 post alloSCT, and this minimised
      bone loss at day 365 compared with pretransplant levels (mean change -2.9+/
      5.3%). Femoral neck bone loss was significantly reduced in ZA-treated patients
      compared with historical untreated controls at days 100 and 365. This study
      demonstrates that a single dose of ZA pre-alloSCT prevents femoral neck bone loss
      at day 100 post alloSCT, and that a risk-adapted algorithm is able to guide ZA
      administration from days 100 to 365 post transplant and minimise further bone
      loss.

PMID- 28628089
TI  - Elevated bone marrow eosinophil count is associated with high incidence of severe
      acute GvHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
AB  - Predicting severe acute GvHD (aGvHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation (HSCT) is challenging but critical. Mild aGvHD may have a
      favorable impact on relapse, whereas severe aGvHD is associated with poor
      outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether elevated eosinophil count
      in the bone marrow (BM) at 1 month after HSCT is associated with a high incidence
      of new and severe aGvHD. We enrolled 101 consecutive patients; median age was 50
      years, and 50.5% patients were male. The median eosinophil concentration in BM at
      1 month after HSCT was 1.1% (quartile 0.4-2.2%). The adjusted hazards ratio at
      95% confidence interval for severe aGvHD was 1.26 (1.12-1.42, P<0.001), per 1%
      increase in eosinophil concentration, and 3.76 (1.41-10.05, P=0.008) for the high
      risk group at a cutoff value of 4.0%. In addition, the predictive accuracy
      described by area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics,
      increased from 0.784 to 0.866 (P=0.033) with the increasing concentration of
      eosinophils. In conclusion, elevated concentration of eosinophils in BM was
      associated with high incidence and predictive accuracy of severe aGvHD. BM
      eosinophil concentration can be one of the key markers to predict aGvHD.

PMID- 28628087
TI  - Chromatin-enriched lncRNAs can act as cell-type specific activators of proximal
      gene transcription.
AB  - We recently described a new class of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are
      distinguished by especially tight chromatin association and whose presence is
      strongly correlated to expression of nearby genes. Here, we examine the cis
      enhancer mechanism of this class of chromatin-enriched RNA (cheRNA) across
      multiple human cell lines. cheRNAs are largely cell type specific and provide the
      most reliable chromatin signature to predict cis-gene transcription in every
      human cell type examined. Targeted depletion of three cheRNAs decreases
      expression of their neighboring genes, indicating potential co-activator
      function, and single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) of one
      cheRNA-distal target gene pair suggests a spatial overlap consistent with a role
      in chromosome looping. Additionally, the cheRNA HIDALGO stimulates the fetal
      hemoglobin subunit gamma 1 (HBG1) gene during erythroid differentiation by
      promoting contacts to a downstream enhancer. Our results suggest that multiple
      cheRNAs activate proximal lineage-specific gene transcription.

PMID- 28628090
TI  - Against the odds: haplo-cord grafts protect from GvHD and relapse.

PMID- 28628091
TI  - The BTG2-PRMT1 module limits pre-B cell expansion by regulating the CDK4-Cyclin
      D3 complex.
AB  - Developing pre-B cells in the bone marrow alternate between proliferation and
      differentiation phases. We found that protein arginine methyl transferase 1
      (PRMT1) and B cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2) are critical components of the pre
      B cell differentiation program. The BTG2-PRMT1 module induced a cell-cycle arrest
      of pre-B cells that was accompanied by re-expression of Rag1 and Rag2 and the
      onset of immunoglobulin light chain gene rearrangements. We found that PRMT1
      methylated cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), thereby preventing the formation of
      a CDK4-Cyclin-D3 complex and cell cycle progression. Moreover, BTG2 in concert
      with PRMT1 efficiently blocked the proliferation of BCR-ABL1-transformed pre-B
      cells in vitro and in vivo. Our results identify a key molecular mechanism by
      which the BTG2-PRMT1 module regulates pre-B cell differentiation and inhibits pre
      B cell leukemogenesis.

PMID- 28628093
TI  - A heme-dependent enzyme forms the nitrogen-nitrogen bond in piperazate.
AB  - Molecules containing a nitrogen-nitrogen (N-N) linkage have a variety of
      structures and biological activities; however, no enzyme has yet been
      demonstrated to catalyze N-N bond formation in an organic molecule. Here we
      report that the heme-dependent enzyme KtzT from Kutzneria sp. 744 catalyzes N-N
      bond formation in the biosynthesis of piperazate, a building block for
      nonribosomal peptides.

PMID- 28628092
TI  - Tissue-resident memory features are linked to the magnitude of cytotoxic T cell
      responses in human lung cancer.
AB  - Therapies that boost the anti-tumor responses of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs)
      have shown promise; however, clinical responses to the immunotherapeutic agents
      currently available vary considerably, and the molecular basis of this is
      unclear. We performed transcriptomic profiling of tumor-infiltrating CTLs from
      treatment-naive patients with lung cancer to define the molecular features
      associated with the robustness of anti-tumor immune responses. We observed
      considerable heterogeneity in the expression of molecules associated with
      activation of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and of immunological-checkpoint
      molecules such as 4-1BB, PD-1 and TIM-3. Tumors with a high density of CTLs
      showed enrichment for transcripts linked to tissue-resident memory cells (TRM
      cells), such as CD103, and CTLs from CD103hi tumors displayed features of
      enhanced cytotoxicity. A greater density of TRM cells in tumors was predictive of
      a better survival outcome in lung cancer, and this effect was independent of that
      conferred by CTL density. Here we define the 'molecular fingerprint' of tumor
      infiltrating CTLs and identify potentially new targets for immunotherapy.

PMID- 28628094
TI  - A water-soluble DsbB variant that catalyzes disulfide-bond formation in vivo.
AB  - Escherichia coli DsbB is a transmembrane enzyme that catalyzes the reoxidation of
      the periplasmic oxidase DsbA by ubiquinone. Here, we sought to convert membrane
      bound DsbB into a water-soluble biocatalyst by leveraging a previously described
      method for in vivo solubilization of integral membrane proteins (IMPs). When
      solubilized DsbB variants were coexpressed with an export-defective copy of DsbA
      in the cytoplasm of wild-type E. coli cells, artificial oxidation pathways were
      created that efficiently catalyzed de novo disulfide-bond formation in a range of
      substrate proteins, in a manner dependent on both DsbA and quinone. Hence, DsbB
      solubilization was achieved with preservation of both catalytic activity and
      substrate specificity. Moreover, given the generality of the solubilization
      technique, the results presented here should pave the way to unlocking the
      biocatalytic potential of other membrane-bound enzymes whose utility has been
      limited by poor stability of IMPs outside of their native lipid-bilayer context.

PMID- 28628095
TI  - A scaffold protein that chaperones a cysteine-sulfenic acid in H2O2 signaling.
AB  - In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Yap1 regulates an H2O2-inducible transcriptional
      response that controls cellular H2O2 homeostasis. H2O2 activates Yap1 by
      oxidation through the intermediary of the thiol peroxidase Orp1. Upon reacting
      with H2O2, Orp1 catalytic cysteine oxidizes to a sulfenic acid, which then
      engages into either an intermolecular disulfide with Yap1, leading to Yap1
      activation, or an intramolecular disulfide that commits the enzyme into its
      peroxidatic cycle. How the first of these two competing reactions, which is
      kinetically unfavorable, occurs was previously unknown. We show that the Yap1
      binding protein Ybp1 brings together Orp1 and Yap1 into a ternary complex that
      selectively activates condensation of the Orp1 sulfenylated cysteine with one of
      the six Yap1 cysteines while inhibiting Orp1 intramolecular disulfide formation.
      We propose that Ybp1 operates as a scaffold protein and as a sulfenic acid
      chaperone to provide specificity in the transfer of oxidizing equivalents by a
      reactive sulfenic acid species.

PMID- 28628096
TI  - Nucleation and growth of a bacterial functional amyloid at single-fiber
      resolution.
AB  - Curli are functional amyloids produced by proteobacteria like Escherichia coli as
      part of the extracellular matrix that holds cells together into biofilms. The
      molecular events that occur during curli nucleation and fiber extension remain
      largely unknown. Combining observations from curli amyloidogenesis in bulk
      solutions with real-time in situ nanoscopic imaging at the single-fiber level, we
      show that curli display polar growth, and we detect two kinetic regimes of fiber
      elongation. Single fibers exhibit stop-and-go dynamics characterized by bursts of
      steady-state growth alternated with periods of stagnation. At high subunit
      concentrations, fibers show constant, unperturbed burst growth. Curli follow a
      one-step nucleation process in which monomers contemporaneously fold and
      oligomerize into minimal fiber units that have growth characteristics identical
      to those of the mature fibrils. Kinetic data and interaction studies of curli
      fibrillation in the presence of the natural inhibitor CsgC show that the
      inhibitor binds curli fibers and predominantly acts at the level of fiber
      elongation.

PMID- 28628097
TI  - Cpf1 proteins excise CRISPR RNAs from mRNA transcripts in mammalian cells.
AB  - Cpf1 is a CRISPR effector protein that has greater specificity than Streptococcus
      pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) in genome-editing applications. Here we show that
      Lachnospiraceae bacterium (Lb) and Acidaminococus sp. (As) Cpf1 orthologs have
      RNase activities that can excise multiple CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) from a single RNA
      polymerase II-driven RNA transcript expressed in mammalian cells. This property
      simplifies modification of multiple genomic targets and can be used to increase
      the efficiency of Cpf1-mediated editing.

PMID- 28628098
TI  - Short-chain alkanes fuel mussel and sponge Cycloclasticus symbionts from deep-sea
      gas and oil seeps.
AB  - Cycloclasticus bacteria are ubiquitous in oil-rich regions of the ocean and are
      known for their ability to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In
      this study, we describe Cycloclasticus that have established a symbiosis with
      Bathymodiolus heckerae mussels and poecilosclerid sponges from asphalt-rich, deep
      sea oil seeps at Campeche Knolls in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Genomic and
      transcriptomic analyses revealed that, in contrast to all previously known
      Cycloclasticus, the symbiotic Cycloclasticus appears to lack the genes needed for
      PAH degradation. Instead, these symbionts use propane and other short-chain
      alkanes such as ethane and butane as carbon and energy sources, thus expanding
      the limited range of substrates known to power chemosynthetic symbioses. Analyses
      of short-chain alkanes in the environment of the Campeche Knolls symbioses
      revealed that these are present at high concentrations (in the MUM to mM range).
      Comparative genomic analyses revealed high similarities between the genes used by
      the symbiotic Cycloclasticus to degrade short-chain alkanes and those of free
      living Cycloclasticus that bloomed during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Our
      results indicate that the metabolic versatility of bacteria within the
      Cycloclasticus clade is higher than previously assumed, and highlight the
      expanded role of these keystone species in the degradation of marine
      hydrocarbons.

PMID- 28628099
TI  - Toxoplasma depends on lysosomal consumption of autophagosomes for persistent
      infection.
AB  - Globally, nearly 2 billion people are infected with the intracellular protozoan
      Toxoplasma gondii1. This persistent infection can cause severe disease in
      immunocompromised people and is epidemiologically linked to major mental
      illnesses2 and cognitive impairment3. There are currently no options for curing
      this infection. The lack of effective therapeutics is due partly to a poor
      understanding of the essential pathways that maintain long-term infection.
      Although it is known that Toxoplasma replicates slowly within intracellular cysts
      demarcated with a cyst wall, precisely how it sustains itself and remodels
      organelles in this niche is unknown. Here, we identify a key role for proteolysis
      within the parasite lysosomal organelle (the vacuolar compartment or VAC) in
      turnover of autophagosomes and persistence during neural infection. We found that
      disrupting a VAC-localized cysteine protease compromised VAC digestive function
      and markedly reduced chronic infection. Death of parasites lacking the VAC
      protease was preceded by accumulation of undigested autophagosomes in the
      parasite cytoplasm. These findings suggest an unanticipated function for parasite
      lysosomal degradation in chronic infection, and identify an intrinsic role for
      autophagy in the T. gondii parasite and its close relatives. This work also
      identifies a key element of Toxoplasma persistence and suggests that VAC
      proteolysis is a prospective target for pharmacological development.

PMID- 28628101
TI  - Dynamic illumination of spatially restricted or large brain volumes via a single
      tapered optical fiber.
AB  - Optogenetics promises precise spatiotemporal control of neural processes using
      light. However, the spatial extent of illumination within the brain is difficult
      to control and cannot be adjusted using standard fiber optics. We demonstrate
      that optical fibers with tapered tips can be used to illuminate either spatially
      restricted or large brain volumes. Remotely adjusting the light input angle to
      the fiber varies the light-emitting portion of the taper over several millimeters
      without movement of the implant. We use this mode to activate dorsal versus
      ventral striatum of individual mice and reveal different effects of each
      manipulation on motor behavior. Conversely, injecting light over the full
      numerical aperture of the fiber results in light emission from the entire taper
      surface, achieving broader and more efficient optogenetic activation of neurons,
      compared to standard flat-faced fiber stimulation. Thus, tapered fibers permit
      focal or broad illumination that can be precisely and dynamically matched to
      experimental needs.

PMID- 28628100
TI  - Hotspots of missense mutation identify neurodevelopmental disorder genes and
      functional domains.
AB  - Although de novo missense mutations have been predicted to account for more cases
      of autism than gene-truncating mutations, most research has focused on the
      latter. We identified the properties of de novo missense mutations in patients
      with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and highlight 35 genes with excess
      missense mutations. Additionally, 40 amino acid sites were recurrently mutated in
      36 genes, and targeted sequencing of 20 sites in 17,688 patients with NDD
      identified 21 new patients with identical missense mutations. One recurrent site
      substitution (p.A636T) occurs in a glutamate receptor subunit, GRIA1. This same
      amino acid substitution in the homologous but distinct mouse glutamate receptor
      subunit Grid2 is associated with Lurcher ataxia. Phenotypic follow-up in five
      individuals with GRIA1 mutations shows evidence of specific learning disabilities
      and autism. Overall, we find significant clustering of de novo mutations in 200
      genes, highlighting specific functional domains and synaptic candidate genes
      important in NDD pathology.

PMID- 28628102
TI  - Regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis by neuronal cell adhesion
      molecule 1.
AB  - Susceptibility to obesity is linked to genes regulating neurotransmission,
      pancreatic beta-cell function and energy homeostasis. Genome-wide association
      studies have identified associations between body mass index and two loci near
      cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) and cell adhesion molecule 2 (CADM2), which
      encode membrane proteins that mediate synaptic assembly. We found that these
      respective risk variants associate with increased CADM1 and CADM2 expression in
      the hypothalamus of human subjects. Expression of both genes was elevated in
      obese mice, and induction of Cadm1 in excitatory neurons facilitated weight gain
      while exacerbating energy expenditure. Loss of Cadm1 protected mice from obesity,
      and tract-tracing analysis revealed Cadm1-positive innervation of POMC neurons
      via afferent projections originating from beyond the arcuate nucleus. Reducing
      Cadm1 expression in the hypothalamus and hippocampus promoted a negative energy
      balance and weight loss. These data identify essential roles for Cadm1-mediated
      neuronal input in weight regulation and provide insight into the central pathways
      contributing to human obesity.

PMID- 28628104
TI  - Active dendritic integration as a mechanism for robust and precise grid cell
      firing.
AB  - Understanding how active dendrites are exploited for behaviorally relevant
      computations is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. Grid cells in medial
      entorhinal cortex are an attractive model system for addressing this question, as
      the computation they perform is clear: they convert synaptic inputs into
      spatially modulated, periodic firing. Whether active dendrites contribute to the
      generation of the dual temporal and rate codes characteristic of grid cell output
      is unknown. We show that dendrites of medial entorhinal cortex neurons are highly
      excitable and exhibit a supralinear input-output function in vitro, while in vivo
      recordings reveal membrane potential signatures consistent with recruitment of
      active dendritic conductances. By incorporating these nonlinear dynamics into
      grid cell models, we show that they can sharpen the precision of the temporal
      code and enhance the robustness of the rate code, thereby supporting a stable,
      accurate representation of space under varying environmental conditions. Our
      results suggest that active dendrites may therefore constitute a key cellular
      mechanism for ensuring reliable spatial navigation.

PMID- 28628103
TI  - A common haplotype lowers PU.1 expression in myeloid cells and delays onset of
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - A genome-wide survival analysis of 14,406 Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases and
      25,849 controls identified eight previously reported AD risk loci and 14 novel
      loci associated with age at onset. Linkage disequilibrium score regression of 220
      cell types implicated the regulation of myeloid gene expression in AD risk. The
      minor allele of rs1057233 (G), within the previously reported CELF1 AD risk
      locus, showed association with delayed AD onset and lower expression of SPI1 in
      monocytes and macrophages. SPI1 encodes PU.1, a transcription factor critical for
      myeloid cell development and function. AD heritability was enriched within the
      PU.1 cistrome, implicating a myeloid PU.1 target gene network in AD. Finally,
      experimentally altered PU.1 levels affected the expression of mouse orthologs of
      many AD risk genes and the phagocytic activity of mouse microglial cells. Our
      results suggest that lower SPI1 expression reduces AD risk by regulating myeloid
      gene expression and cell function.

PMID- 28628105
TI  - Identification of liver-specific enhancer-promoter activity in the 3'
      untranslated region of the wild-type AAV2 genome.
AB  - Vectors based on adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) are powerful tools for gene
      transfer and genome editing applications. The level of interest in this system
      has recently surged in response to reports of therapeutic efficacy in human
      clinical trials, most notably for those in patients with hemophilia B (ref. 3).
      Understandably, a recent report drawing an association between AAV2 integration
      events and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has generated controversy about
      the causal or incidental nature of this association and the implications for AAV
      vector safety. Here we describe and functionally characterize a previously
      unknown liver-specific enhancer-promoter element in the wild-type AAV2 genome
      that is found between the stop codon of the cap gene, which encodes proteins that
      form the capsid, and the right-hand inverted terminal repeat. This 124-nt
      sequence is within the 163-nt common insertion region of the AAV genome, which
      has been implicated in the dysregulation of known HCC driver genes and thus
      offers added insight into the possible link between AAV integration events and
      the multifactorial pathogenesis of HCC.

PMID- 28628106
TI  - Variants in the fetal genome near FLT1 are associated with risk of preeclampsia.
AB  - Preeclampsia, which affects approximately 5% of pregnancies, is a leading cause
      of maternal and perinatal death. The causes of preeclampsia remain unclear, but
      there is evidence for inherited susceptibility. Genome-wide association studies
      (GWAS) have not identified maternal sequence variants of genome-wide significance
      that replicate in independent data sets. We report the first GWAS of offspring
      from preeclamptic pregnancies and discovery of the first genome-wide significant
      susceptibility locus (rs4769613; P = 5.4 * 10-11) in 4,380 cases and 310,238
      controls. This locus is near the FLT1 gene encoding Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1,
      providing biological support, as a placental isoform of this protein (sFlt-1) is
      implicated in the pathology of preeclampsia. The association was strongest in
      offspring from pregnancies in which preeclampsia developed during late gestation
      and offspring birth weights exceeded the tenth centile. An additional nearby
      variant, rs12050029, associated with preeclampsia independently of rs4769613. The
      newly discovered locus may enhance understanding of the pathophysiology of
      preeclampsia and its subtypes.

PMID- 28628107
TI  - Identification of sequence variants influencing immunoglobulin levels.
AB  - Immunoglobulins are the effector molecules of the adaptive humoral immune system.
      In a genome-wide association study of 19,219 individuals, we found 38 new
      variants and replicated 5 known variants associating with IgA, IgG or IgM levels
      or with composite immunoglobulin traits, accounted for by 32 loci. Variants at
      these loci also affect the risk of autoimmune diseases and blood malignancies and
      influence blood cell development. Notable associations include a rare variant at
      RUNX3 decreasing IgA levels by shifting isoform proportions (rs188468174[C>T]: P
      = 8.3 * 10-55, beta = -0.90 s.d.), a rare in-frame deletion in FCGR2B abolishing
      IgG binding to the encoded receptor (p.Asn106del: P = 4.2 * 10-8, beta = 1.03
      s.d.), four IGH locus variants influencing class switching, and ten new
      associations with the HLA region. Our results provide new insight into the
      regulation of humoral immunity.

PMID- 28628108
TI  - Germline hypomorphic CARD11 mutations in severe atopic disease.
AB  - Few monogenic causes for severe manifestations of common allergic diseases have
      been identified. Through next-generation sequencing on a cohort of patients with
      severe atopic dermatitis with and without comorbid infections, we found eight
      individuals, from four families, with novel heterozygous mutations in CARD11,
      which encodes a scaffolding protein involved in lymphocyte receptor signaling.
      Disease improved over time in most patients. Transfection of mutant CARD11
      expression constructs into T cell lines demonstrated both loss-of-function and
      dominant-interfering activity upon antigen receptor-induced activation of nuclear
      factor-kappaB and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Patient T
      cells had similar defects, as well as low production of the cytokine interferon
      gamma (IFN-gamma). The mTORC1 and IFN-gamma production defects were partially
      rescued by supplementation with glutamine, which requires CARD11 for import into
      T cells. Our findings indicate that a single hypomorphic mutation in CARD11 can
      cause potentially correctable cellular defects that lead to atopic dermatitis.

PMID- 28628109
TI  - Truncating mutations in RBM12 are associated with psychosis.
AB  - Thus far, a handful of highly penetrant mutations conferring risk of psychosis
      have been discovered. Here we used whole-genome sequencing and long-range phasing
      to investigate an Icelandic kindred containing ten individuals with psychosis
      (schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or psychotic bipolar disorder). We found
      that all affected individuals carry RBM12 (RNA-binding-motif protein 12)
      c.2377G>T (P = 2.2 * 10-4), a nonsense mutation that results in the production of
      a truncated protein lacking a predicted RNA-recognition motif. We replicated the
      association in a Finnish family in which a second RBM12 truncating mutation
      (c.2532delT) segregates with psychosis (P = 0.020). c.2377G>T is not fully
      penetrant for psychosis; however, we found that carriers unaffected by psychosis
      resemble patients with schizophrenia in their non-psychotic psychiatric disorder
      and neuropsychological test profile (P = 0.0043) as well as in their life
      outcomes (including an increased chance of receiving disability benefits, P =
      0.011). As RBM12 has not previously been linked to psychosis, this work provides
      new insight into psychiatric disease.

PMID- 28628110
TI  - Colonic organoids derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells for modeling
      colorectal cancer and drug testing.
AB  - With the goal of modeling human disease of the large intestine, we sought to
      develop an effective protocol for deriving colonic organoids (COs) from
      differentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or induced pluripotent stem
      cells (iPSCs). Extensive gene and immunohistochemical profiling confirmed that
      the derived COs represent colon rather than small intestine, containing stem
      cells, transit-amplifying cells, and the expected spectrum of differentiated
      cells, including goblet and endocrine cells. We applied this strategy to iPSCs
      derived from patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP-iPSCs) harboring
      germline mutations in the WNT-signaling-pathway-regulator gene encoding APC, and
      we generated COs that exhibit enhanced WNT activity and increased epithelial cell
      proliferation, which we used as a platform for drug testing. Two potential
      compounds, XAV939 and rapamycin, decreased proliferation in FAP-COs, but also
      affected cell proliferation in wild-type COs, which thus limits their therapeutic
      application. By contrast, we found that geneticin, a ribosome-binding antibiotic
      with translational 'read-through' activity, efficiently targeted abnormal WNT
      activity and restored normal proliferation specifically in APC-mutant FAP-COs.
      These studies provide an efficient strategy for deriving human COs, which can be
      used in disease modeling and drug discovery for colorectal disease.

PMID- 28628111
TI  - Interaction of reactive astrocytes with type I collagen induces astrocytic scar
      formation through the integrin-N-cadherin pathway after spinal cord injury.
AB  - Central nervous system (CNS) injury transforms naive astrocytes into reactive
      astrocytes, which eventually become scar-forming astrocytes that can impair
      axonal regeneration and functional recovery. This sequential phenotypic change,
      known as reactive astrogliosis, has long been considered unidirectional and
      irreversible. However, we report here that reactive astrocytes isolated from
      injured spinal cord reverted in retrograde to naive astrocytes when transplanted
      into a naive spinal cord, whereas they formed astrocytic scars when transplanted
      into injured spinal cord, indicating the environment-dependent plasticity of
      reactive astrogliosis. We also found that type I collagen was highly expressed in
      the spinal cord during the scar-forming phase and induced astrocytic scar
      formation via the integrin-N-cadherin pathway. In a mouse model of spinal cord
      injury, pharmacological blockade of reactive astrocyte-type I collagen
      interaction prevented astrocytic scar formation, thereby leading to improved
      axonal regrowth and better functional outcomes. Our findings reveal environmental
      cues regulating astrocytic fate decisions, thereby providing a potential
      therapeutic target for CNS injury.

PMID- 28628114
TI  - Oncoprotein ZNF322A transcriptionally deregulates alpha-adducin, cyclin D1 and
      p53 to promote tumor growth and metastasis in lung cancer.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.296.

PMID- 28628113
TI  - MicroRNA-20a-mediated loss of autophagy contributes to breast tumorigenesis by
      promoting genomic damage and instability.
AB  - Gene expression analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) breast cancer data set
      show that miR-20a is upregulated in human breast cancer, especially in triple
      negative subtype. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis suggests that miR-20a expression
      negatively correlates with the autophagy/lysosome pathway. We report here that
      miR-20a inhibits the basal and nutrient starvation-induced autophagic flux and
      lysosomal proteolytic activity, increases intracellular reactive oxygen species
      levels and DNA damage response by targeting several key regulators of autophagy,
      including BECN1, ATG16L1 and SQSTM1. Re-introduction of exogenous BECN1, ATG16L1
      or SQSTM1 reverses the inhibitory effect of miR-20a on autophagy and decreases
      DNA damage. A negative correlation between miR-20a and its target genes is
      observed in breast cancer tissues. Lower levels of BECN1, ATG16L1 and SQSTM1 are
      more common in triple-negative cancers than in other subtypes. High levels of miR
      20a also associate with higher frequency of copy-number alterations and DNA
      mutations in breast cancer patients. Further studies in a xenograft mouse model
      show that miR-20a promotes tumor initiation and tumor growth. Collectively, these
      findings suggest that miR-20a-mediated autophagy defect might be a new mechanism
      underlying the oncogenic function of miRNA during breast tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28628115
TI  - Stearoyl-CoA-desaturase 1 regulates lung cancer stemness via stabilization and
      nuclear localization of YAP/TAZ.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.75.

PMID- 28628112
TI  - Gut microbiome and serum metabolome alterations in obesity and after weight-loss
      intervention.
AB  - Emerging evidence has linked the gut microbiome to human obesity. We performed a
      metagenome-wide association study and serum metabolomics profiling in a cohort of
      lean and obese, young, Chinese individuals. We identified obesity-associated gut
      microbial species linked to changes in circulating metabolites. The abundance of
      Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a glutamate-fermenting commensal, was markedly
      decreased in obese individuals and was inversely correlated with serum glutamate
      concentration. Consistently, gavage with B. thetaiotaomicron reduced plasma
      glutamate concentration and alleviated diet-induced body-weight gain and
      adiposity in mice. Furthermore, weight-loss intervention by bariatric surgery
      partially reversed obesity-associated microbial and metabolic alterations in
      obese individuals, including the decreased abundance of B. thetaiotaomicron and
      the elevated serum glutamate concentration. Our findings identify previously
      unknown links between intestinal microbiota alterations, circulating amino acids
      and obesity, suggesting that it may be possible to intervene in obesity by
      targeting the gut microbiota.

PMID- 28628117
TI  - A large-scale RNAi screen identifies LCMR1 as a critical regulator of Tspan8
      mediated melanoma invasion.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.219.

PMID- 28628116
TI  - Cadherin composition and multicellular aggregate invasion in organotypic models
      of epithelial ovarian cancer intraperitoneal metastasis.
AB  - During epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) progression, intraperitoneally
      disseminating tumor cells and multicellular aggregates (MCAs) present in ascites
      fluid adhere to the peritoneum and induce retraction of the peritoneal
      mesothelial monolayer prior to invasion of the collagen-rich submesothelial
      matrix and proliferation into macro-metastases. Clinical studies have shown
      heterogeneity among EOC metastatic units with respect to cadherin expression
      profiles and invasive behavior; however, the impact of distinct cadherin profiles
      on peritoneal anchoring of metastatic lesions remains poorly understood. In the
      current study, we demonstrate that metastasis-associated behaviors of ovarian
      cancer cells and MCAs are influenced by cellular cadherin composition. Our
      results show that mesenchymal N-cadherin-expressing (Ncad+) cells and MCAs invade
      much more efficiently than E-cadherin-expressing (Ecad+) cells. Ncad+ MCAs
      exhibit rapid lateral dispersal prior to penetration of three-dimensional
      collagen matrices. When seeded as individual cells, lateral migration and cell
      cell junction formation precede matrix invasion. Neutralizing the Ncad
      extracellular domain with the monoclonal antibody GC-4 suppresses lateral
      dispersal and cell penetration of collagen gels. In contrast, use of a broad
      spectrum matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor (GM6001) to block endogenous
      membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) activity does not fully
      inhibit cell invasion. Using intact tissue explants, Ncad+ MCAs were also shown
      to efficiently rupture peritoneal mesothelial cells, exposing the submesothelial
      collagen matrix. Acquisition of Ncad by Ecad+ cells increased mesothelial
      clearance activity but was not sufficient to induce matrix invasion. Furthermore,
      co-culture of Ncad+ with Ecad+ cells did not promote a 'leader-follower' mode of
      collective cell invasion, demonstrating that matrix remodeling and creation of
      invasive micro-tracks are not sufficient for cell penetration of collagen
      matrices in the absence of Ncad. Collectively, our data emphasize the role of
      Ncad in intraperitoneal seeding of EOC and provide the rationale for future
      studies targeting Ncad in preclinical models of EOC metastasis.

PMID- 28628118
TI  - OncoPPi-informed discovery of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 as a
      novel binding partner of c-Myc.
AB  - Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3) is a dual threonine/tyrosine
      protein kinase that regulates inflammation, proliferation and apoptosis through
      specific phosphorylation and activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein
      kinase. However, the role of MKK3 beyond p38-signaling remains elusive. Recently,
      we reported a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of cancer-associated
      genes, termed OncoPPi, as a resource for the scientific community to generate new
      biological models. Analysis of the OncoPPi connectivity identified MKK3 as one of
      the major hub proteins in the network. Here, we show that MKK3 interacts with a
      large number of proteins critical for cell growth and metabolism, including the
      major oncogenic driver MYC. Multiple complementary approaches were used to
      demonstrate the direct interaction of MKK3 with MYC in vitro and in vivo.
      Computational modeling and experimental studies mapped the interaction interface
      to the MYC helix-loop-helix domain and a novel 15-residue MYC-binding motif in
      MKK3 (MBM). The MBM in MKK3 is distinct from the known binding sites for p38 or
      upstream kinases. Functionally, MKK3 stabilized MYC protein, enhanced its
      transcriptional activity and increased expression of MYC-regulated genes. The
      defined MBM peptide mimicked the MKK3 effect in promoting MYC activity. Together,
      the exploration of OncoPPi led to a new biological model in which MKK3 operates
      by two distinct mechanisms in cellular regulation through its phosphorylation of
      p38 and its activation of MYC through PPI.

PMID- 28628119
TI  - Differential expression of miR16 in glioblastoma and glioblastoma stem cells:
      their correlation with proliferation, differentiation, metastasis and prognosis.
AB  - The function of miR16 in multiforme glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and its stem
      cells (GSCs) remains elusive. To this end, we investigated the patterns of miR16
      expression in these cells and their correlation with malignant behaviors and
      clinical outcomes. The levels of miR16 and its targeted genes in tumor tissue of
      GBM and GBM SGH44, U87, U251 cells as well as their stem cell counterparts were
      measured by qRT-PCR or western blot or immunohistochemistry. Luciferase reporter
      assay was used to confirm the binding of miR16 to 3'-UTR of its target genes. The
      effects of miR16 on malignant behaviors were investigated, including tumor cell
      viability, soft-agar colony formation, GSCs Matrigel colony forming and migration
      and invasion as well as nude mice xenograft model. Differentially expression
      patterns of miR16 in glioblastoma cells and GSCs cells were found in this study.
      Changes of miR16 targeted genes, Bcl2 (B cell lymphoma 2), CDK6 (Cyclin-dependent
      kinase 6), CCND1 (cyclin D1), CCNE1 (cyclin E1) and SOX5 were confirmed in
      glioblastoma cell lines and tissue specimens. In vitro and in vivo studies showed
      that tumor cell proliferation was inhibited by miR16 mimic, but enhanced by miR16
      inhibitor. The expression level of miR16 positively correlates with GSCs
      differentiation, but negatively with the abilities of migration, motility,
      invasion and colony formation in glioblastoma cells. The inhibitory effects of
      miR16 on its target genes were also found in nude mice xenograft model. Our
      findings revealed that the miR16 functions as a tumor suppressor in GSCs and its
      association with prognosis in GBM.

PMID- 28628121
TI  - Universal quinone electrodes for long cycle life aqueous rechargeable batteries.
AB  - Aqueous rechargeable batteries provide the safety, robustness, affordability, and
      environmental friendliness necessary for grid storage and electric vehicle
      operations, but their adoption is plagued by poor cycle life due to the
      structural and chemical instability of the anode materials. Here we report
      quinones as stable anode materials by exploiting their structurally stable ion
      coordination charge storage mechanism and chemical inertness towards aqueous
      electrolytes. Upon rational selection/design of quinone structures, we
      demonstrate three systems that coupled with industrially established cathodes and
      electrolytes exhibit long cycle life (up to 3,000 cycles/3,500 h), fast kinetics
      (>=20C), high anode specific capacity (up to 200-395 mAh g-1), and several
      examples of state-of-the-art specific energy/energy density (up to 76-92 Wh kg-1/
      161-208 Wh l-1) for several operational pH values (-1 to 15), charge carrier
      species (H+, Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+), temperature (-35 to 25  degrees C), and
      atmosphere (with/without O2), making them a universal anode approach for any
      aqueous battery technology.

PMID- 28628120
TI  - Intestinal cancer progression by mutant p53 through the acquisition of
      invasiveness associated with complex glandular formation.
AB  - Tumor suppressor TP53 is frequently mutated in colorectal cancer (CRC), and most
      mutations are missense type. Although gain-of-functions by mutant p53 have been
      demonstrated experimentally, the precise mechanism for malignant progression in
      in vivo tumors remains unsolved. We generated ApcDelta716 Trp53LSL*R270H villin
      CreER compound mice, in which mutant p53R270H was expressed in the intestinal
      epithelia upon tamoxifen treatment, and examined the intestinal tumor phenotypes
      and tumor-derived organoids. Mutant Trp53R270H, but not Trp53-null mutation
      accelerated submucosal invasion with generation of desmoplastic microenvironment.
      The nuclear accumulation of p53 was evident in ApcDelta716 Trp53R270H/R270H
      homozygous tumors like human CRC. Although p53 was distributed to the cytoplasm
      in ApcDelta716 Trp53+/R270H heterozygous tumors, it accumulated in the nuclei at
      the invasion front, suggesting a regulation mechanism for p53 localization by the
      microenvironment. Importantly, mutant p53 induced drastic morphological changes
      in the tumor organoids to complex glandular structures, which was associated with
      the acquisition of invasiveness. Consistently, the branching scores of human CRC
      that carry TP53 mutations at codon 273 significantly increased in comparison with
      those of TP53 wild-type tumors. Moreover, allografted ApcDelta716
      Trp53R270H/R270H organoid tumors showed a malignant histology with an increased
      number of myofibroblasts in the stroma. These results indicate that nuclear
      accumulated mutant p53R270H induces malignant progression of intestinal tumors
      through complex tumor gland formation and acquisition of invasiveness.
      Furthermore, RNA sequencing analyses revealed global gene upregulation by mutant
      p53R270H, which was associated with the activation of inflammatory and innate
      immune pathways. Accordingly, it is possible that mutant p53R270H induces CRC
      progression, not only by a cell intrinsic mechanism, but also by the generation
      or activation of the microenvironment, which may synergistically contribute to
      the acceleration of submucosal invasion. Therefore, the present study indicates
      that nuclear-accumulated mutant p53R270H is a potential therapeutic target for
      the treatment of advanced CRCs.

PMID- 28628122
TI  - Semiconducting polymers: Probing the solid-liquid interface.

PMID- 28628123
TI  - Electrochemical strain microscopy probes morphology-induced variations in ion
      uptake and performance in organic electrochemical transistors.
AB  - Ionic transport phenomena in organic semiconductor materials underpin emerging
      technologies ranging from bioelectronics to energy storage. The performance of
      these systems is affected by an interplay of film morphology, ionic transport and
      electronic transport that is unique to organic semiconductors yet poorly
      understood. Using in situ electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM), we demonstrate
      that we can directly probe local variations in ion transport in polymer devices
      by measuring subnanometre volumetric expansion due to ion uptake following
      electrochemical oxidation of the semiconductor. The ESM data show that poly(3
      hexylthiophene) electrochemical devices exhibit voltage-dependent heterogeneous
      swelling consistent with device operation and electrochromism. Our data show that
      polymer semiconductors can simultaneously exhibit field-effect and
      electrochemical operation regimes, with the operation modality and its
      distribution varying locally as a function of nanoscale film morphology, ion
      concentration and potential. Importantly, we provide a direct test of structure
      function relationships by correlating strain heterogeneity with local stiffness
      maps. These data indicate that nanoscale variations in ion uptake are associated
      with local changes in polymer packing that may impede ion transport to different
      extents within the same macroscopic film and can inform future materials
      optimization.

PMID- 28628124
TI  - Emergence of an enslaved phononic bandgap in a non-equilibrium pseudo-crystal.
AB  - Material systems that reside far from thermodynamic equilibrium have the
      potential to exhibit dynamic properties and behaviours resembling those of living
      organisms. Here we realize a non-equilibrium material characterized by a bandgap
      whose edge is enslaved to the wavelength of an external coherent drive. The
      structure dynamically self-assembles into an unconventional pseudo-crystal
      geometry that equally distributes momentum across elements. The emergent bandgap
      is bestowed with lifelike properties, such as the ability to self-heal to
      perturbations and adapt to sudden changes in the drive. We derive an exact
      analytical solution for both the spatial organization and the bandgap features,
      revealing the mechanism for enslavement. This work presents a framework for
      conceiving lifelike non-equilibrium materials and emphasizes the potential for
      the dynamic imprinting of material properties through external degrees of
      freedom.

PMID- 28628125
TI  - Enhanced insulin sensitivity in successful, long-term weight loss maintainers
      compared with matched controls with no weight loss history.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Weight gain is associated with deterioration in metabolic health,
      whereas weight loss improves insulin sensitivity. This study assesses the impact
      of long-term, successfully maintained weight loss and weight-loss relapse on
      measures of insulin sensitivity and identifies factors that explain variability
      in insulin sensitivity. METHODS: Women (20-45 years) were recruited into four
      groups: reduced-overweight/obese (RED, n=15); body mass index (BMI)-matched
      controls (stable low-weight, n=19), BMI?27 kg m-2; relapsed-overweight/obese
      subjects (REL, n=11); and BMI-matched controls (obese stable weight, n=11),
      BMI?27 kg m-2. A 75 g oral glucose tolerance test determined fasting and 2 h
      plasma glucose and insulin. Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA-IR) and insulin
      sensitivity index (ISI(0,120)) assessed insulin sensitivity. Anthropometric
      measurements, fasting resting metabolic rate (RMR) and respiratory quotient (RQ)
      were measured. Questionnaires and dietary intake were recorded, and physical
      activity was measured using accelerometers. RESULTS: RED were more insulin
      sensitive, characterised by lower fasting (P=0.001) and 2 h insulin (P=0.003)
      levels compared with all other groups. There were no significant differences in
      dietary intake, sedentary, light and moderate activity, RMR or RQ in the RED
      compared with the other three groups. % Body weight (BW) lost (P<0.001), % BW
      regained (P<0.05), body fat %, light activity (P<0.05, only log HOMA), vigorous
      activity (P<0.05) and RQ (P<0.01) predicted 61.4% and 59.7% of variability in log
      HOMA and log ISI(0,120), respectively, in multiple linear regression models.
      CONCLUSION: This study showed sustained enhanced insulin sensitivity in
      successful weight loss maintainers compared with BMI-matched controls with no
      weight loss history. Weight-loss-relapsed individuals were indistinguishable from
      controls. Weight loss itself was the strongest predictor of improved insulin
      sensitivity, whereas weight regain significantly predicted reduced insulin
      sensitivity. Weight-loss maintenance programs are essential to retaining
      metabolic benefits acquired through weight loss. Being physically active,
      reducing sedentary behaviour and, in particular, including small amounts of
      vigorous physical activity significantly predicted improved insulin sensitivity.

PMID- 28628126
TI  - Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and type 2 diabetes incidence in Thai
      adults: results from an 8-year prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is high and
      is increasing in countries undergoing rapid socio-economic development, including
      Thailand. Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake may contribute to the risk of
      developing T2DM. However, few studies have assessed this association in Asian
      populations, and the results have been inconsistent. We aimed to assess that
      association in a prospective study of Thai adults. METHODS: Data were from Thai
      Cohort Study participants surveyed in 2005, 2009 and 2013. The nation-wide sample
      included adult cohort members who were free of diabetes in 2005 and who were
      followed-up in 2013 (n=39 175). We used multivariable logistic regression to
      assess associations between SSB intake and eight-year T2DM incidence. We used a
      counterfactual mediation analysis to explore potential mediation of the SSB
      intake and T2DM-risk relationship. RESULTS: In women (but not men) consuming SSBs
      once or more per day (versus rarely) was associated with increased T2DM incidence
      at the 8-year follow-up (odds ratio (OR)=2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5
      3.9). Obesity in 2009 was found to mediate ~23% of the total association between
      SSB intake in 2005 and T2DM risk in 2013 (natural indirect effect 1.15, 95% CI
      (1.02, 1.31). CONCLUSIONS: Frequent SSB consumption associated with higher T2DM
      incidence in women but not men. We found that a moderate proportion of the SSB
      T2DM relationship was mediated through body mass index (BMI). Our findings
      suggest that targeting SSB consumption can help prevent a national rise in the
      incidence of T2DM.

PMID- 28628127
TI  - RosettaES: a sampling strategy enabling automated interpretation of difficult
      cryo-EM maps.
AB  - Accurate atomic modeling of macromolecular structures into cryo-electron
      microscopy (cryo-EM) maps is a major challenge, as the moderate resolution makes
      accurate placement of atoms difficult. We present Rosetta enumerative sampling
      (RosettaES), an automated tool that uses a fragment-based sampling strategy for
      de novo model completion of macromolecular structures from cryo-EM density maps
      at 3-5-A resolution. On a benchmark set of nine proteins, RosettaES was able to
      identify near-native conformations in 85% of segments. RosettaES was also used to
      determine models for three challenging macromolecular structures.

PMID- 28628128
TI  - Adaptive optics improves multiphoton super-resolution imaging.
AB  - We improve multiphoton structured illumination microscopy using a nonlinear guide
      star to determine optical aberrations and a deformable mirror to correct them. We
      demonstrate our method on bead phantoms, cells in collagen gels, nematode larvae
      and embryos, Drosophila brain, and zebrafish embryos. Peak intensity is increased
      (up to 40-fold) and resolution recovered (up to 176 +/- 10 nm laterally, 729 +/-
      39 nm axially) at depths ~250 MUm from the coverslip surface.

PMID- 28628131
TI  - A CRISPR-Cpf1 system for efficient genome editing and transcriptional repression
      in plants.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2017.18.

PMID- 28628129
TI  - High-speed fixed-target serial virus crystallography.
AB  - We report a method for serial X-ray crystallography at X-ray free-electron lasers
      (XFELs), which allows for full use of the current 120-Hz repetition rate of the
      Linear Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Using a micropatterned silicon chip in
      combination with the high-speed Roadrunner goniometer for sample delivery, we
      were able to determine the crystal structures of the picornavirus bovine
      enterovirus 2 (BEV2) and the cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus type 18 polyhedrin,
      with total data collection times of less than 14 and 10 min, respectively. Our
      method requires only micrograms of sample and should therefore broaden the
      applicability of serial femtosecond crystallography to challenging projects for
      which only limited sample amounts are available. By synchronizing the sample
      exchange to the XFEL repetition rate, our method allows for most efficient use of
      the limited beam time available at XFELs and should enable a substantial increase
      in sample throughput at these facilities.

PMID- 28628132
TI  - Resilience potential of the Ethiopian coffee sector under climate change.
AB  - Coffee farming provides livelihoods for around 15 million farmers in Ethiopia and
      generates a quarter of the country's export earnings. Against a backdrop of
      rapidly increasing temperatures and decreasing rainfall, there is an urgent need
      to understand the influence of climate change on coffee production. Using a
      modelling approach in combination with remote sensing, supported by rigorous
      ground-truthing, we project changes in suitability for coffee farming under
      various climate change scenarios, specifically by assessing the exposure of
      coffee farming to future climatic shifts. We show that 39-59% of the current
      growing area could experience climatic changes that are large enough to render
      them unsuitable for coffee farming, in the absence of significant interventions
      or major influencing factors. Conversely, relocation of coffee areas, in
      combination with forest conservation or re-establishment, could see at least a
      fourfold (>400%) increase in suitable coffee farming area. We identify key coffee
      growing areas that are susceptible to climate change, as well as those that are
      climatically resilient.

PMID- 28628130
TI  - Lipid production in Nannochloropsis gaditana is doubled by decreasing expression
      of a single transcriptional regulator.
AB  - Lipid production in the industrial microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana exceeds
      that of model algal species and can be maximized by nutrient starvation in batch
      culture. However, starvation halts growth, thereby decreasing productivity.
      Efforts to engineer N. gaditana strains that can accumulate biomass and
      overproduce lipids have previously met with little success. We identified 20
      transcription factors as putative negative regulators of lipid production by
      using RNA-seq analysis of N. gaditana during nitrogen deprivation. Application of
      a CRISPR-Cas9 reverse-genetics pipeline enabled insertional mutagenesis of 18 of
      these 20 transcription factors. Knocking out a homolog of fungal Zn(II)2Cys6
      encoding genes improved partitioning of total carbon to lipids from 20% (wild
      type) to 40-55% (mutant) in nutrient-replete conditions. Knockout mutants grew
      poorly, but attenuation of Zn(II)2Cys6 expression yielded strains producing twice
      as much lipid (~5.0 g m-2 d-1) as that in the wild type (~2.5 g m-2 d-1) under
      semicontinuous growth conditions and had little effect on growth.

PMID- 28628134
TI  - [Effects of silver nanoparticle on hemichannel activation and anti-proliferation
      in HaCaT cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on
      hemichannel activity in human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT) and to explore the role
      of hemichannel in AgNP-induced anti-proliferative effect on HaCaT cells. METHODS:
      HaCaT cells were exposed to 0, 0.1, 0.2, 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0 and 20.0 MUg/cm2 of
      AgNPs for 24 h and cell viability was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) staining
      with flow cytometry. Hemichannel activity was examined by ethidium bromide (EB)
      uptake experiments in cells exposed to AgNPs with and without hemichannel
      inhibitor carbenoxolone (CBX). Afterward, HaCaT cells were seeded at a low
      density of 1*104/supcell /cm2 or a normal density of 4*104/supcell /cm2 and
      cultured for 24 h. Cell proliferation was measured by cell counting kit-8 (cck-8)
      in low- or normal-density cultured cells exposed to AgNPs for 24 h with and
      without 100 MUmol/L CBX. RESULTS: Cell viability showed no significant
      differences between the control and AgNP-exposed groups with the concentration
      less than 10 MUg/cm2. Exposure to AgNPs increased EB uptake in a time- and dose
      dependent manner in HaCaT cells and EB fluoresce density was increased to
      116.67%, 124.85% and 139.53% of the control after exposure to 10 MUg/cm2 AgNPs
      for 2 h, 12 h and 24 h. After being treated with 25, 50 and 100 MUmol/L CBX, 10
      MUg/cm2 AgNP-induced increase in EB uptake was significantly reduced in HaCaT
      cells (P<0.01). The cellular proliferation rate was increased in low- and normal
      density cultured cells after AgNPs exposure with 100 MUmol/L CBX. After being
      treated with 100 MUmol/L CBX, 10 MUg/cm2 AgNP-induced anti-proliferation in low
      density cultured cells was significantly restrained (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: AgNPs
      could enhance hemichannel activity of HaCaT cells. Hemichannel activation was
      involved in AgNP-induced anti-proliferative effect.

PMID- 28628133
TI  - HBV RNA pre-genome encodes specific motifs that mediate interactions with the
      viral core protein that promote nucleocapsid assembly.
AB  - Formation of the hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid is an essential step in the viral
      lifecycle, but its assembly is not fully understood. We report the discovery of
      sequence-specific interactions between the viral pre-genome and the hepatitis B
      core protein that play roles in defining the nucleocapsid assembly pathway. Using
      RNA SELEX and bioinformatics, we identified multiple regions in the pre-genomic
      RNA with high affinity for core protein dimers. These RNAs form stem-loops with a
      conserved loop motif that trigger sequence-specific assembly of virus-like
      particles (VLPs) at much higher fidelity and yield than in the absence of RNA.
      The RNA oligos do not interact with preformed RNA-free VLPs, so their effects
      must occur during particle assembly. Asymmetric cryo-electron microscopy
      reconstruction of the T = 4 VLPs assembled in the presence of one of the RNAs
      reveals a unique internal feature connected to the main core protein shell via
      lobes of density. Biophysical assays suggest that this is a complex involving
      several RNA oligos interacting with the C-terminal arginine-rich domains of core
      protein. These core protein-RNA contacts may play one or more roles in regulating
      the organization of the pre-genome during nucleocapsid assembly, facilitating
      subsequent reverse transcription and acting as a nucleation complex for
      nucleocapsid assembly.

PMID- 28628135
TI  - [Effect of nano-TiO2 on intestinal glucose absorption in young rat on the everted
      gut sac model].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on
      intestinal glucose absorption in young rats and its size effect. METHODS: In the
      study, 63 small intestine segments were isolated from 63 Sprague-Dawley rats (SD
      rats, 4-week-old) to prepare the everted gut sac model. In the first part of our
      work, the everted sacs were exposed to 0, 50 mg/L TiO2 nanoparticles (24 nm) for
      2 h with the presence of a series of glucose concentrations (10, 25, 50, 100,
      200, 400, and 800 mmol/L), and the glucose absorbing function of the everted sacs
      were assessed in the process. On the basis of the work, utilizing the same
      method, further study was carried out to compare the effects of TiO2
      nanoparticles (24 nm) and fine-particles (120 nm) on intestinal glucose absorbing
      function with the presence of 400 mmol/L glucose and 0, 10, 50, 200 mg/L TiO2. 3
      intestine segments were used in each group. RESULTS: The cumulative glucose
      absorption increased with time extension and increased glucose concentration. In
      the first part of our work, with the presence of 400 mmol/L glucose, the group
      treated with 50 mg/L TiO2 nanoparticles showed significantly lower cumulative
      glucose absorption and glucose absorbing rate than the control group at the
      exposure time of 30 min (tcumulative absorption=3.254, P<0.05; tglucose absorbing
      rate=3.958, P<0.05), 90 min (tcumulative absorption=3.323, P<0.05; tglucose
      absorbing rate=3.063, P<0.05) and 120 min (tcumulative absorption=2.834, P<0.05;
      tglucose absorbing rate=3.002, P<0.05). At other glucose concentrations,
      statistically significant differences in cumulative glucose absorption or glucose
      absorbing rates were not found between the TiO2 nanoparticle exposed group and
      the control group. In the second part of our work, when compared with the control
      group, no significant downregulations in cumulative glucose absorption or glucose
      absorbing rates were observed in both TiO2 nano-particle treated group and TiO2
      fine particle treated group. Differences between the TiO2 nanoparticle treated
      group and the TiO2 fine particle treated group were not statistically
      significant. CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles may
      downregulate the intestinal glucose absorbing function in young rats, and the
      difference with TiO2 fine particlesis is not obvious.

PMID- 28628136
TI  - [Effects of equol on colon cancer cell proliferation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of equol on the proliferation of colom
      cancer cells and to explore the mechanisms. METHODS: Colon cancer cells
      (DLD1,HCT15,COLO205,LOVO,SW480) were incubated, the cell proliferation was
      identified by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell
      proliferation assay. Reverse transcription PCR and Western blot were used to
      measure the mRNA and the protein expression of estrogen receptor and nuclear
      factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)in the colon cancer cells,
      respectively. Moreover, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium
      bromide cell proliferation assay was used to investigate the effect of estrogen
      receptor(ER) inhibitor,ERalpha agonist, and estrogen receptor ERbetaagonist on
      the cell proliferation. RESULTS: ERalpha was faintly expressed in the DLD-1 and
      HCT-15 cells. However, ERbeta expression in DLD1, HCT15, COLO205, LOVO, and SW480
      colon cancer cells. Different concentrations of equol (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10 MUmol/L)
      significantly inhibited the growth of HCT-15 cell with the expression of ERalpha
      and ERbeta.More-over, different concentrations of equol (0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10
      MUmol/L) significantly inhibited the growth of LOVO, and SW480 cells with the
      ERbeta expression in a dose-dependent manner as demonstrated with a 3-(4,5
      dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cell proliferation assay.
      mRNA expressions of ERalpha and ERbeta in HCT-15 were stimulated significantly.
      Western blotting proved that the protein expressions of ERalpha and ERbeta
      increased with the increasing of equol dose. Moreover we found significant
      difference of Nrf2 protein expression in HCT-15 cell stimulated by different
      concentrationss of equol. After the similation of estrogen receptor inhibitor,
      ERalpha agonist, or ERbeta agonist, we found that only dif-ferent concentrations
      of ERbeta agonist(0, 1, 10, 100, 1 000, 10 000 nmol/L) significantly inhibited
      the growth of HCT-15, LOVO, and SW480 in adose-dependent manner. Estrogen
      receptor inhibitor and ERalpha agonistdid not present significant effect on the
      cell proliferation of HCT-15, LOVO, and SW480. CONCLUSION: Equol inhibited the
      colon cancer cell proliferation by its estrogenic activities and antioxidant
      activities.

PMID- 28628137
TI  - [Antagonistic effect of quercetin on PM2.5 toxicity in the rat's embryonic
      development in vitro].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the antagonistic effect of quercetin on fine particulate
      matter (PM2.5)-induced embryonic developmental toxicity in vitro. METHODS: PM2.5
      was collected on glass fiber filters by PM2.5 samplers during the heating period
      of Dec. 2015 to Mar. 2016 in an area of Haidian District, Beijing City. The
      sampled filters were cut into 1 cm*3 cm pieces followed by sonication. The PM2.5
      suspension was filtered into a 10 cm glass dish through 8 layers of sterile
      carbasus and stored at -80  degrees C until freeze drying. Frozen PM2.5
      suspension was dried by vacuum freeze-drying. In vitro post-implantation whole
      embryo culture was used in this study. Pregnant rats with 9.5 gestation days (GD)
      were killed by cervical dislocation and the uteri were removed into sterile
      Hank's solution. The embryos with intact yolk sacs and ecto placental cones were
      induced by PM2.5, and then subjected to intervention of quercetin at the doses of
      0.1 MUmol/L, 0.5 MUmol/L, 1.0 MUmol/L and 5.0 MUmol/L, respectively. At the end
      of the 48 h culture period, the cultures were terminated, and all embryos were
      removed from the culture bottles and placed in prewarmed Hank's solution for
      evaluation. Morphological evaluation of the embryos was conducted under a
      stereomicroscope using the morphologic scoring system by Brown and Fabro. The
      mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was detected by FACSCalibur
      flow cyto-metry using MitoSOXTM Red staining. RESULTS: An obvious antagonistic
      effect was achieved through quercetin at the dose of 1.0 MUmol/L, which could
      result in an increase of visceral yolk sac (VYS) diameter, crown-rump length and
      head length, somite number, and the differentiation of visceral yolk sac vascular
      vessels. The scores of allantois, flexion, heart, hind brain, midbrain,
      forebrain, auditory system, visual system, olfactory system, branchialarch,
      maxillary process, forelimb bud and hindlimb bud also revealed a significant
      increase and the relative mitochondrial ROS level of embryonic cells was
      significantly decreased when compared with PM2.5 group. Although quercetin at the
      doses of 0.1 MUmol/L, 0.5 MUmol/L, 5.0 MUmol/L also exhibited protective effects
      against PM2.5-induced embryonic developmental toxicity, the protective effect was
      weaker when compared with the dose of 1.0 MUmol/L. CONCLUSION: Quercetin at
      proper dose may be of great benefit for the development of embryos exposed to
      PM2.5 in the uterus of the rats. Quercetin provides an effective strategy for the
      prevention of PM2.5-induced embryonic developmental toxicity. Clearance of
      mitochondrial ROS may be one of its mechanisms.

PMID- 28628138
TI  - [Effects of exposure to ambient particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic
      hydrocarbons on oxidative stress biomarkers in the patients with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of exposure to ambient particulate matter
      (PM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on systemic oxidative stress
      biomarkers in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. METHODS: A
      panel of forty-five diagnosed and stable COPD patients, whose residences were
      within 5 kilometers from Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC), were
      recruited and followed up twice between November 2014 and May 2015. The lung
      function index percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to
      predicted value (FEV1%pred), was measured to reflect the severity of COPD
      patients. The systemic oxidative stress biomarkers malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8
      hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in their urine samples were measured using
      high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA), respectively. Concentrations of ambient air pollutants and levels
      of meteorological factors were measured continuously through the air pollution
      monitoring station located in PKUHSC. PM2.5 samples, which were used for
      measuring the concentrations of PAHs, were collected by PM2.5 high volume air
      sampler. We constructed linear mixed-effects models, including single-pollutant
      model, 2-pollutant models and stratification analysis, to estimate the effects of
      air pollutants on urinary MDA and 8-OHdG after adjusting for confounding factors.
      RESULTS: In our COPD-patient panel, the associations between ultrafine particles
      (UFP) and PAHs and urinary MDA were statistically significant at lag2 (P<0.05).
      For an interquartile range (IQR) increase in UFP and PAHs, respective increases
      of 28% (95%CI: 4%-57%) and 36% (95%CI: 4%-77%) in urinary MDA were observed, and
      the effects became stronger after adjusting for the concentration of black carbon
      (BC). The COPD patients were divided into 2 groups stratified by FEV1%pred. Most
      air pollutants had stronger effects of systemic oxidative stress in the COPD
      patients of FEV1%pred>=50%. In this group, we observed that an IQR increase in
      UFP was associated with a 98% (95%CI: 38%-186%) increase in urinary MDA, and an
      IQR increase in BC, UFP and PAHs were associated with respective increases of 87%
      (95%CI: 32%-166%), 69% (95%CI: 24%-130%) and 156% (95%CI: 66%-294%) in urinary 8
      OHdG. We didn't find significant associations between fine particulate matter
      (PM2.5) and urinary oxidative stress biomarkers. CONCLUSION: Our results
      suggested that exposure to air pollutants, especially UFP and PAHs, was
      responsible for exacerbation of systemic oxidative stress in COPD patients. Most
      air pollutants had stronger effects of systemic oxidative stress in mild to
      moderate COPD patients.

PMID- 28628139
TI  - [Effect of particulate air pollution on hospital admissions for acute
      exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Beijing].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between particulate air pollution and
      hospital admissions for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (AECOPD) in Beijing, and to evaluate the differences of association among
      different subgroups. METHODS: Hospital admissions to intertiary hospitals for
      AECOPD from January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2015 were obtained from the
      electronic hospitalization summary reports (HSRs).We obtained the data on air
      pollution during the study period from the national air pollution monitoring
      system. The data on meteorological variables were obtained from the Chinese
      meteorological bureau. A poison generalized additive model was used to assess the
      effects of particulate pollution on AECOPD with adjustment for the long term
      trend, day of week, holiday effect and meteorological variables. Subgroup
      analyses were also conducted by age and gender, which would help identify higher
      risk groups. RESULTS: A total of 7 884 hospitalizations from 15 tertiary
      hospitals were recorded during the study period, and 69.3% were male patients,
      37.1% were >=80 years of age, 45.5% were 65-79 years of age, and 17.4% were
      younger than 65. The mean (SD) daily concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 were 77.1
      (66.6) MUg/m3, 111.9 (75.8) MUg/m3. Every 10 MUg/m3 increase in particulate
      pollution concentration for a lag of 4 d was associated with an increase in
      hospital admissions for AECOPD as follows: 0.53% (95% CI: 0.01%-1.06%, P=0.0478)
      of PM2.5, 0.53% (95% CI: 0.07%-1.00%, P=0.0250) of PM10, respectively. We found
      differences in risk for AECOPD admissions among the different subgroups. For
      every 10 MUg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10 exposure in the female group there was a
      1.13% (95% CI: 0.19%-2.07%, P=0.018 3) increase, 1.06% (95% CI: 0.22%-1.91%,
      P=0.013 6) increase in admissions, respectively, while in the male group, the
      association was non-significant. The patients of 80 years of age and older
      demonstrated a higher risk of AECOPD, 1.25% (95% CI: 0.40%-2.11%, P=0.004 0)
      increase of PM2.5, 1.18% (95% CI: 0.42%-1.95%, P=0.002 4) increase of PM10,
      respectively, while other subgroups didn't find significant association.
      CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that particulate air pollution was significantly
      associated with hospital admissions for AECOPD in Beijing. The susceptibility to
      particulate pollution varied by gender and age.

PMID- 28628140
TI  - [Correlation study between respiratory death and airborne particles in Beijing:
      Spatiotemporal analysis based on satellite remote sensing data].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To use vertical and humidity correcting method to calibrate aerosol
      optical depth (AOD), and to explore the feasibility of calibrated-AOD as exposure
      index to measure the level of air pollutants from the ground and to establish the
      exposure-response relationship between calibrated-AOD and people's health
      outcomes. METHODS: First of all, we interpolated AOD, PM2.5, relative humidity
      and planetary boundary layer height using Kriging method to obtain data at
      different locations and matched different data with respiratory death in Beijing
      by geographical coordinates. Then, the planetary boundary layer height and
      aerosol hygroscopic growth factor calculated based on relative humidity was used
      to calbrate the AOD. To compare the effects of calibrated-AOD and PM2.5, we used
      standardization method to get non dimensionless calibrated-AOD and PM2.5. At
      last, we used the generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) to estimate the acute
      effects of calibrated-AOD and PM2.5 on respiratory death and chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease (COPD) death, after controlling the time trend, temperature and
      humidity effects, days of the week effect and holiday effects. RESULTS: The
      correlation coefficient between calibrated-AOD and PM2.5 was 0.72. The effects of
      calibrated-AOD on respiratory death and COPD death was the strongest at lag 0-3,
      one unit of calibrated-AOD increases was associated with 3.64% (95%CI: 0.58%
      6.78%) increase of respiratory death and 4.92% (95%CI: 1.81%-8.14%) increase of
      COPD death. As for PM2.5, the strongest effects appeared at lag 0-1, one unit of
      PM2.5 (about 155 MUg/m3) increases was associated with excess risks of 3.96%
      (95%CI: 0.82%-7.19%) and 6.12% (95%CI: 1.44%-11.02%) for respiratory death and
      COPD death respectively. Compared with PM2.5, the effects of calibrated-AOD on
      respiratory death and COPD death had narrower confidence intervals. The
      calibrated-AOD was sensitive to capture the lag effects, and the cumulative lag
      effects of calibrated-AOD were all significant on multiple lag days which
      indicated that the calibrated-AOD was sensitive to capture cumulative lag effects
      of air pollutants on respiratory death and COPD death as well. CONCLUSION: We
      believe that calibrated-AOD can be used as an index to reflect the effects of air
      pollutants on respiratory death in Beijing. In the absence of ground monitoring,
      calibrated-AOD can be used to mea-sure the relationship between air pollutants
      and some health outcomes.

PMID- 28628141
TI  - [Associations of sedentary behavior and physical activity with dyslipidemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze associations of sedentary behavior and physical activity
      with dyslipidemia among residents in Wuhai city. METHODS: Data about social
      demographic characteristics, life style, health status and other covariate
      required for analysis in this study was obtained from a cross-sectional study on
      a total of 11 497 18-79 years old residents in Wuhai City by questionnaire, body
      mea-surement and laboratory examination. In this study, sedentary behavior and
      physical activity were evaluated using international physical activity
      questionnaire long version (IPAQ). IPAQ is widely used all over the world, and
      its reliability and validity have been tested in Chinese population. 2016 Chinese
      Guideline for the Management of Dyslipidemia in Adults was used to define
      dyslipidemia in this study. RESULTS: According to IPAQ scoring protocol, 124
      participants were excluded as a result of reporting more than 960 min of physical
      activity per day. 50.58% of 11 373 participants included in the analysis reported
      more than 4 hours of sedentary behavior per day in this study, thus 49.42%
      participants reported no more than 4 hours of sedentary behavior per day; the
      proportions of these 11 373 participants who reached Low level physical activity,
      Moderate level physical activity and high level physical activity were 23.43%,
      37.29% and 39.28% respectively; and the detection ratios of new cases and
      prevalent cases of dyslipidemia in Wuhai City were 20.46% and 16.13%
      respectively. After controlling for confounders in this study, we found out that
      sedentary behavior increased the risk of new cases of dyslipidemia in women
      (OR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.00-1.36), and increased the risk of prevalent cases of
      dyslipidemia in both men (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.02-1.44) and women (OR=1.24, 95% CI:
      1.04-1.48); as for association of physical activity with dyslipidemia,
      association was found between high level physical activity and prevalent cases of
      dyslipidemia in men in this study (OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.62-0.98), suggested that
      high level physical activity may help to reduce the risk of prevalent cases of
      dyslipidemia in men. CONCLUSION: Our results from this cross-sectional study in
      Wuhai City suggested that sedentary behavior increased the risk of dyslipidemia;
      by contrast, physical activity may help to reduce the risk of dyslipidemia.

PMID- 28628142
TI  - [Epidemic status and secular trends of malnutrition among children and
      adolescents aged 7-18 years from 2005 to 2014 in China].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To understand and analyze the current situation and secular trends for
      prevalence of malnutrition among Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years
      from 2005 to 2014, and to provide important scientific basis for students'
      nutrition improvement. METHODS: All the subjects aged 7-18 years in both sexes
      were sampled from 2005, 2010 and 2014 Chinese National Surveys on Students
      Constitution and Health. According to the new students' health standard of
      "Screening Standard for Malnutrition of school-age children and
      adolescents"(WS/T456-2014) in 2014 of China, the nutritional status of children
      in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities, excluding Hong Kong,
      Macao and Taiwan province) were analyzed and compared in different ages, genders,
      regions and provinces from 2005 to 2014. The Tibetan students was used with the
      data of Tibetan minority and all the other students from 30 provinces (autonomous
      regions, municipalities) were Han minority. RESULTS: The prevalence of
      malnutrition of children and adolescents of Han minority aged 7-18 years in 2014
      was 10.0%. The prevalence of malnutrition components, including stunting, mild
      wasting and moderate severe wasting, were 0.8%, 3.7%, and 5.5%. Compared with
      2005 and 2010, the prevalence of malnutrition of Han children and adolescents in
      2014 had declined with 5.0 and 2.6 percentage points, respectively, and its
      components had declined with 1.0, 1.8, 2.2 and 0.4, 1.1, 1.2 percentage points,
      respectively. The prevalence of malnutrition of 2014 in boys was higher than in
      girls (11.1% vs.8.9%), the rural was higher than the urban (11.0% vs.9.1%) and
      the west (11.7%) was higher than the east (9.0%) and the middle (9.2%). Mild
      wasting of Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years was the main
      component in malnutrition and the stunting in the Han and Tibetan children and
      adolescents only accounted for 8.0% and 7.5%, respectively. Compared with 2005
      and 2010, the prevalence of malnutrition for Chinese children and adolescents
      aged 7-18 years in 2014 had declined with various extents constantly, and there
      was a statistically significant difference among three surveys (P<0.05).
      Provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) with high prevalence of
      malnutrition mainly concentrated in the southwest of China from 2005 to 2014.
      Compared with 2005 and 2010, the prevalence of malnutrition declined in 31
      provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) of China in 2014. The number of
      provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) with high prevalence of
      malnutrition decreased constantly and increased for the number of province
      (autonomous regions, municipalities) with low prevalence. CONCLUSION: The
      prevalence of malnutrition among Chinese children and adolescents aged 7-18 years
      had declined from 2005 to 2014, but the total prevalence of malnutrition was
      still high. Mild wasting was the main component in malnutrition and the
      prevalence of stunting was low. Provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities)
      with high prevalence of malnutrition mainly concentrated in the southwest of
      China.

PMID- 28628143
TI  - [Prevalence of reduced visual acuity among Chinese Han students in 2014].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalence of reduced visual acuity (VA) and to examine
      the association between reduced visual acuity and influencing factors among
      Chinese Han students, so as to provide bases for the prevention and treatment of
      reduced visual acuity. METHODS: Subjects were from 2014 Chinese National Surveys
      on Students' Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). In this survey, 261 832 Han
      students aged 7-22 years participated. Unaided distance VA was measured using a
      retro-illuminated lgMAR chart with tumbling-E optotypes. Ametropia was determined
      by using serial bronchoscopy. Logistic regression was used to assess the
      association between reduced visual acuity and influencing factors. ArcMap 10 was
      used to map the regional distribution of reduced visual acuity. RESULTS:
      Nationwide, the overall prevalence of reduced visual acuity was 66.6%, and was
      highest among the urban girls (73.5%). The prevalence of myopia was 60.8% and
      accounted for more than 90% among the students with reduced visual acuity.
      Compared with 2010 CNSSCH, the increments of reduced visual acuity were highest
      in the students aged 13-15 years (6.8 percentage points). The prevalence of
      reduced visual acuity ranged from 50.6% to 76.2% in each province (autonomous
      region, municipality) in 2014 CNSSCH. The top three of the prevalence of reduced
      visual acuity were Jiangsu (76.2%), Zhejiang (76.0%) and Shandong (75.9%), and
      the lowest three were Hainan (50.6%), Guizhou (53.9%) and Xinjiang (57.6%).
      Logistic regression showed that the girls, urban students, and students who spent
      >=2 h per day in their after school homework were more likely to develop reduced
      visual acuity, but the students with physical activity time >=2 h per day were
      less likely to develop reduced visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Although the situation
      was different in each province (autonomous region, municipality), reduced visual
      acuity has become a public concern affecting the health of students in China.
      Based on the intervention on the key populations, such as urban girls and pre
      adolescent students, we should also continue to strengthen the prevention and
      control for reduced visual acuity among all students.

PMID- 28628144
TI  - [Application of the China-PAR risk prediction model for atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular disease in a rural northern Chinese population].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To validate five-year risk prediction models for atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in a contemporary rural Northern Chinese
      population. METHODS: Totally 6 489 rural adults aged 40 to 79 years without
      clinical ASCVD were enrolled at baseline between June and August 2010, and
      followed up through January 2017. Expected prediction risk using the China-PAR
      (prediction for ASCVD risk in China) model was compared with the pooled cohort
      equations (PCE) reported in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart
      Association guideline. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to obtain the observed
      ASCVD event (including nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease
      death, nonfatal or fatal stroke) rate at 5 years, and the expected-observed
      ratios were calculated to eva-luate overestimation or underestimation in the
      cohort. The participants in the cohort were divided into 4 categories (<5.0%,
      5.0%-7.4%, 7.5%-9.9%, and >=10.0%) for comparisons based on ASCVD prediction
      risk. The models were assessed by discrimination C statistic, calibration chi2,
      and calibration charts and plots for illustration as well. RESULTS: Over an
      average 5.82 years of follow-up in this validation cohort with 6 489 rural
      Chinese participants, 955 subjects developed a first ASCVD event. Recalibrated
      China-PAR model overestimated ASCVD events by 22.2% in men and 33.1% in women,
      while the overestimations were much higher for recalibrated PCE as 67.3% in men
      and 53.1% in women. Gender-specific China-PAR model had C statistics of 0.696
      (95%CI, 0.669-0.723) for men and 0.709 (95%CI, 0.690-0.728) for women, which were
      similar to those of 0.702 (95%CI, 0.675-0.730) for men and 0.714 (95%CI, 0.695
      0.733) for women in the PCE. Calibration chi2 values in China-PAR were 17.2 and
      54.2 for men and women, respectively; however, the PCE showed poorer ca-libration
      (chi2=192.0 for men and chi2=181.2 for women). In addition, the calibration
      charts and plots illustrated good agreement between the observations and the
      predictions only in the China-PAR model, especially for men. CONCLUSION: In this
      validation cohort of rural Northern Chinese adults, the China-PAR model had
      better performance of five-year ASCVD risk prediction than the PCE, indicating
      that recalibrated China-PAR model might be an appropriate tool for risk
      assessment and primary prevention of ASCVD in China.

PMID- 28628146
TI  - [Influence of awareness on the behaviors of Chinese adults with diabetes
      mellitus].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of awareness on the behaviors of Chinese
      adults with diabetes mellitus, so as to provide scientific evidence for
      developing relevant policies and strategies in the prevention and control of
      diabetes. METHODS: Data from the 2013 China Chronic Disease Risk Factor
      Surveillance were used, covering 297 surveillance counties (districts). The
      variables involved in this cross-sectional study included: the prevalence of
      diabetes, the awareness situation, demographic characteristics, behaviors, and
      other information. The study used descriptive analysis to analyze diabetes status
      and chi-square test to determine the difference in the distribution of behaviors
      between patients who were aware of their disease and those who were not. Logistic
      analysis was performed to examine the influence of diabetes awareness on
      patients' behaviors with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: A total
      of 175 670 subjects were involved. The prevalence of self-reported diabetes in
      China in 2013 was 3.9%, while the awareness rate was 38.6%. The percentage of
      current smokers or current drinkers among the patients who were aware of their
      disease (20.2%, 25.0%) was less than that among the patients who were not aware
      (25.8%, 35.0%). The proportion of those who often exercised among the patients
      who were aware of their disease (83.4%) was higher than that among the patients
      who were not aware (79.0%). There was slightly higher proportion of the subjects
      who had insufficient intake of vegetables and fruits or over intake of red meat
      among the patients who were aware of their disease (49.4%, 28.0%) than that among
      the patients who were not aware (48.4%, 26.1%). After controlling urban and rural
      areas, regions, age, gender, nationality, marital status, educational level,
      occupation, and income factors, the possibility of current smoking (OR=0.79) or
      drinking (OR=0.58) among the patients who were aware of their disease was lower
      than among those who were not; the possibility of more than 150-minute physical
      activity per week (OR=1.30) among the patients who were aware of their disease
      was higher than among those who were not. CONCLUSION: The awareness rate of
      diabetes in China still remains low. Kno-wing whether they have diabetes or not
      has an effect on individual choice of behaviors, including smoking, drinking and
      physical activities. Therefore, health education and health examination for
      diabetes should be further expanded with wide cooperation from all relevant
      departments, thus forming an integrated environment involving individuals, health
      systems and socioeconomic policies to prevent and control diabetes.

PMID- 28628145
TI  - [Relationship between glycemic control and visceral adiposity index among the
      patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between glycemic control and visceral
      adiposity index (VAI) among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: A
      community-based epidemiological field study for patients with T2DM aged >= 40
      years was conducted in China.Every participant underwent physical examinations,
      biochemical tests of fasting glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total
      cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL
      C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and so on, and a questionnaire,
      including anthropometric characteristics, lifestyle, disease history, family
      history, and medication use. Those participants with HbA1c >=7.0% were classified
      as the poorly controlled in our analysis of relationship between glycemic control
      and VAI. Anthropometric characteristics, lifestyle, and biochemical indexes of
      the participants were compared among the groups of different VAI levels. Logistic
      models were applied in multiple analysis adjusting for possible confounders.
      RESULTS: A total of 1 607 patients with T2DM were recruited in our analysis with
      a mean age of (59.4+/-8.1) years and an average T2DM duration of (7.0+/-6.4)
      years. Among them, 78.3% were on hypoglycemic therapy. The cutoff points of
      quartiles of VAI were calculated for the males and females, respectively.
      According to the ascending order of the quartiles of VAI, the participants were
      divided into four groups, i.e. Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. The poor glycemic control rate
      for these groups were 60.6%, 65.7%, 70.1%, and 71.0%, respectively (Trend
      chi2=12.20, P<0.001). After adjustment for age, gender, systolic blood pressure
      (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), LDL-C, smoking, cardio-cerebral vascular
      disease (CVD) history, hypoglycemic therapy, T2DM duration, and family history of
      diabetes, the Logistic regression models showed that the glycemic control rate
      was significantly associated with VAI levels among the patients with T2DM.
      Compared with the participants in group Q1, the ORs of poor glycemic control for
      those in groups Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 1.239 (95%CI 0.918 to 1.672), 1.513 (95%CI
      1.117 to 2.050), and 1.535 (95%CI 1.128 to 2.088), respectively (trend P=0.003).
      With each quartile increase in VAI, the OR of poor glycemic control was 1.162
      (95%CI 1.054 to 1.282). CONCLUSION: The glycemic control among the patients with
      T2DM is significantly associated with VAI. High level of VAI is an indicator of
      poor glycemic control.

PMID- 28628147
TI  - [Association between social support and self-management behaviors among patients
      with diabetes in community].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the status quo of directive and nondirective support from
      family or friends among patients with diabetes in community and to explore the
      association between directive, nondirective support from family or friends and
      self-management behaviors. METHODS: The data of the subjects were from the
      "Community Diagnosis in Tongzhou District, Beijing" survey. Questionnaire-based
      investigation, physical examination and glycated hemoglobin test were conducted
      on 474 eligible patients in community. The summary of diabetes self-care
      activities measure (SDSCA) was adopted to investigate the self-management
      behaviors, and directive and nondirective support scale among patients with
      diabetes (DNSS-PD) was adopted to measure the directive and nondirective support
      among patients with diabetes. RESULTS: A total of 452 patients with diabetes were
      included in the analysis. The average score of directive support was 2.53+/-1.07,
      and only 27.6% patients had high level directive support. The average score of
      nondirective support was 3.13+/-1.12 and 50.8% patients had high level
      nondirective support. The average SDSCA total score was 35.38+/-14.21 and the
      corresponding scoring percentage was 45.95%. Only 20.6% patients had optimal self
      management. The total score, score of diet and physical activity, general self
      management situation, diet self-management situation and physical activity self
      management situation of the patients in high level directive support group were
      significantly better than in low level directive support group. The total score,
      score of self-management behaviors in five aspects (diet, physical activity,
      blood glucose self-monitoring, foot care and smoking), general self-management
      situation, self-management situation of five aspects of patients in high level
      nondirective support group were significantly better than in low level
      nondirective support group. Gender (OR=2.729), nondirective support level
      (OR=4.890), age (OR=0.969) and body mass index (BMI) (OR=0.819) were important
      influencing factors of self-management behavior. CONCLUSION: The status quo of
      self-management among patients with diabetes is not optimistic. Patients obtain
      more nondirective support than directive support from family and friends.
      However, the support level of both nondirective and directive support should be
      improved in the future.Both high level directive support and high level
      nondirective support had positive correlation with better self-management
      behaviors. Nondirective support had positive correlation with five aspects of
      self-management behavior, while directive support had positive relation with self
      management behavior in aspects of diet and physical activity. In addition, more
      consideration and support of self-management should be provided for older obese
      male patients with diabetes in community, especially nondirective support.

PMID- 28628148
TI  - [Changes of acquired immune deficiency syndrome related knowledge, attitudes,
      behaviors and their influencing factors among college students in Beijing].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) related
      knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and their influencing factors among college
      students in different years in Beijing, and to provide evidence for targeted
      health education among college students in future. METHODS: College students were
      selected by the stratified cluster sampling method, and a questionnaire survey
      was conducted among college students in year 2006 and 2016 in Beijing. The sample
      sizes were 1 800 and 3 001 college students, respectively. The contents of the
      questionnaire included: socio-demographic characteristics, AIDS related
      knowledge, AIDS related attitude, sex intercourse and its related risk behaviors,
      condom use intension, and AIDS related health education. RESULTS: Compared with
      the year 2006, the average AIDS knowledge scores of college students in year 2016
      dropped from 12.78+/-1.95 to 11.90+/-2.56 (t=12.91, P<0.05), and the correct
      answer rates of questions in the knowledge part were decreased, too. Except for
      belief on condom use, the college students were more negative on AIDS related
      attitude and self-efficacy in year 2016 than in year 2006. Among the students who
      had sex experience, the rates of commercial sex [17.65% (33/187) vs. 6.53%
      (16/245), chi2=13.003, P<0.001] and the rates of homo-sexual intercourse [15.43%
      (29/188) vs. 4.13% (10/242), chi2=16.356, P<0.001] were higher in year 2016 than
      in year 2006. The main way for the students seeking pornographic information was
      changed from books to internet (41.15%) in 2016 compared with the year 2016. In
      2016, the influencing factors of intention on condom use were male (OR=0.713),
      self-efficacy of condom purchase (OR=0.876), never received sex education before
      college (OR=0.752), self-efficacy of condom use (OR=1.135), belief of condom use
      (OR=1.775), and attitude towards AIDS patients (OR=1.136). CONCLUSION: AIDS
      related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among college students have been
      changed, AIDS related health education should be designed and improved based on
      new characteristics of college students. AIDS health education in colleges should
      pay more attention to sex attitude and sex responsibility and self-protection
      awareness among college students as well.

PMID- 28628149
TI  - [Present situation of awareness of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
      knowledge and AIDS-related behaviors among youth students in gay dating sites].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the awareness of acquired immune deficiency syndrome
      (AIDS) knowledge and AIDS-related behaviors among youth students in gay dating
      sites, and to provide evidences for AIDS prevention education through the
      internet. METHODS: The students in gay dating sites, selected by a snowball
      sampling, were interviewed by questionnaires. Chi-square tests were used to
      analyze the awareness of AIDS knowledge among the students of different
      characteristics. The Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors
      associated with ever testing for HIV. RESULTS: In the study, 469 youth students
      in gay dating sites filled in the questionnaires, and a total of 442 (94.2%)
      valid samples were collected. The awareness of HIV/AIDS knowledge for the public
      among the youth students in gay dating sites was 83.9% (371).The awareness of
      HIV/AIDS knowledge for the youth students was 77.1% (341), and the rate of ever
      testing for HIV was 52.0% (230). The awareness of HIV/AIDS knowledge for the
      public in the students were different in different age groups (P=0.001),
      different marital statuses (P<0.001), different sexual orientations (P<0.001),
      and different genders of the first sexual partner (P<0.001). The awareness of
      HIV/AIDS knowledge for the youth students were different in different age groups
      (P=0.010), different marital status (P=0.004), different sexual orientations
      (P<0.001), and different genders of the first sexual partner (P<0.001). The rate
      of ever having sexual intercourse among the youth students in gay dating sites
      was 75.1% (332), and the rate of multiple sexual partnerships among the youth
      students was 41.3% (137). Compared with homosexual orientation, sexual
      orientation as heterosexual (OR=0.282, 95%CI: 0.151 to 0.528) and not sure
      (OR=0.175, 95%CI: 0.035 to 0.885) were risk factors of ever testing for HIV.
      Multiple sexual partnerships (OR=2.103, 95%CI: 1.278 to 3.462) were promoting
      factors of ever testing for HIV. CONCLUSION: The rate of high-risk behaviors
      among the youth students in gay dating sites was high. The concern should be
      raised to heterosexual male students who had tendency to homosexual behavior. The
      AIDS prevention education should be developed in gay dating sites, to improve the
      self-protection awareness of the youth students.

PMID- 28628150
TI  - [Analysis on status and determinants of outpatient service utilization of rural
      floating population in Beijing at different residence time].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the status and identify the determinants of outpatient
      service utilization of rural floating population in Beijing who have different
      accumulated residence time. METHODS: The survey data of rural floating population
      health and health care services in Beijing in 2014 were used, and the migrant
      population aged 18 years and above were taken as the research object. Whether to
      use outpatient service within two weeks was taken as dependent variable, gender,
      age, education level, self-assessment score of socioeconomic status, accumulated
      residence time in Beijing, health insurance, average household income, suffering
      from high blood pressure or diabetes as independent variables. Logistic
      regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors. RESULTS: The
      average age of the research object was 36.7 years, with mostly secondary
      education. The average accumulated residence time in Beijing was 8.4 years. The
      two-week prevalence rate was 10.3%, the two-week visiting rate calculated by
      person-time was 6.0%. The Logistic regression model suggested that, socioeconomic
      status, accumulated residence time and suffering from high blood pressure or
      diabetes were statistically significant determinants of outpatient service
      utilization. CONCLUSION: The research object is a younger and less educated
      population, their health status is better and outpatient service utilization is
      lower. It is found that people who have longer accumulated residence time in
      Beijing have lower outpatient service utilization. This is because people with
      longer residence time have lower age-adjusted two-week prevalence rate. This is
      also because people with longer residence time have larger proportion of taking
      continuous measures under doctor's advice. It does not mean people with longer
      residence time have lower utilization of medical service. The residence time
      variable plays the role of proxy variable. It can solve the problem of variables'
      endoge-neity. At the same time, it can reflect the influence to outpatient
      services utilization of some determinants, which are not included in the model
      but varies with residence time.

PMID- 28628151
TI  - [Assessment and comparison of hospital operating efficiency under different
      management systems].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess and analyze the operation efficiency of 8 commission general
      public hospitals managed directly by National Health and Family Planning
      Commission and 8 municipal general hospitals managed directly by Beijing
      Municipal Administration of Hospitals in Beijing and to provide suggestions on
      improving service capacity and designing relevant health policy. METHODS: Input
      and output data of 8 commission hospitals and 8 municipal hospitals were obtained
      from Beijing Direct-Reported Health Statistics data from 2011 to 2014. Data
      envelopment analysis was used as the hospital operation efficiency measurement
      tool. The CCR and BCC models were built to calculate technical efficiency (TE),
      pure technical efficiency (PTE), scale efficiency (SE) and the status of scale
      efficiency of 16 hospitals in 2011 and 2014; the Malmquist index model was built
      to analyze the total factor productivity change (TFPC), technological change
      (TC), technical efficiency change, pure technical efficiency change and scale
      efficiency change of the 16 hospitals from 2011 to 2014. RESULTS: In 2011, the
      TE, PTE and SE of the commission hospitals were higher than those of the
      municipal hospitals, and the TEs of the commission hospitals and the municipal
      hospitals were 0.918 and 0.873 respectively. In 2014, the TE, PTE and SE of
      commission hospitals were lower than those of the municipal hospitals, and the TE
      of the commission hospitals and the municipal hospitals were 0.906 and 0.951,
      respectively, which was contrary to the results in 2011. According to the
      Malmquist index model, the average of TFPC of the municipal hospitals was larger
      than that of the commission hospitals, the former increased 5.9% and the latter
      increased 2.8% per year; the average of TC was greater than the one in both the
      municipal hospitals and the commission hospitals, with a growth of 3.2% and 2.9%
      per year, respectively; the average growth of PTE in the commission hospitals was
      lower than that of the municipal hospitals, and the average descent of SE in the
      commission hospitals was larger than that in the municipal hospitals. CONCLUSION:
      There are significant differences in the operation efficiency between different
      management systems and the main factors associated with operation efficiency are
      the technological and management level. Given scale efficiency status and
      macroeconomic medical policies, the commission hospitals and the municipal
      hospitals require further adjusting the distribution of medical resources, and it
      is of great significance for all the commission hospitals and the municipal
      hospitals to improve the management level and resource integration capability.

PMID- 28628152
TI  - [Relationship between macrophage capping protein and gastric cancer cell's
      proliferation and migration ability].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of macrophage-capping protein (CapG) on
      migration and proliferation of human gastric cancer cell line. METHODS: Real-time
      PCR method was used to detect the expression of CapG gene in four gastric cancer
      cell lines, and AGS cells with low expression and transfection were selected as
      the research objects. Specific primers were designed for CapG and recombinant
      plasmids synthesized. A lentivirus packaging system which could express CapG was
      constructed, and a cell line stably expressing CapG was established by infecting
      human gastric cancer cell line AGS cells. The effect of overexpression of CapG
      gene on the growth and proliferation of AGS cells was analyzed by CCK8 assay.
      Cells cratch and Transwell assay were used to analyze the effect of
      overexpression of CapG gene on AGS cell migration. RESULTS: After the
      overexpression of CapG, the growth rate of AGS cells was slightly lower than that
      of the control group, but there was no significant difference between the two
      groups (t=2.424, P=0.073). Scratch test showed that the average narrowing
      distance of the scratches in the CapG experimental group was significantly
      reduced compared with the control group, the average narrowing distance of the
      CapG experimental group and the control group was 336.99 MUm and 45.54 MUm, the
      difference was statistically significant (t=14.97, P=0.004). The average number
      of cell penetra-ting membrane in the CapG experimental group and the eGFP control
      group was 176 and 70, the number of the cells in the CapG experimental group was
      significantly higher than that of the control group (t=40.00, P<0.001).
      CONCLUSION: The overexpression of CapG gene has no significant effect on the
      growth and proliferation of AGS cells of gastric cancer cell line. Overexpression
      of CapG gene can promote the migration of AGS cells of gastric cancer cell lines.

PMID- 28628153
TI  - [13 cases of littoral cell angioma in spleens].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological features, morphological
      characteristics, immunophenotypes of littoral cell angioma (LCA) in spleen, and
      to provide new evidence for making diagnosis and avoiding misdiagnosis. METHODS:
      Clinicopathological data, histological characteristics of 13 cases of LCA were
      retrospectively studied and immunohistochemical staining was imposed on the
      paraffi-nembedded specimens, and 5 cases of cavernous hemangioma, 4 cases of
      normal littoral cells of spleens were used as control groups, simultaneously.
      RESULTS: All the 13 LCA patients included 7 males and 6 females, aged from 39 to
      70 years with an average of 54. 2 years and a median age of 55 years. Among these
      tumor patients, 6 cases were accompanied by malignances, benign tumors or
      inflammation states at abdominal cavities, and 7 cases were accidentally
      discovered by physical examinations. Grossly, spleens contained solitary or
      multiple gray red nodules ,which ranged from 0.5 to 6.2 cm in diameter.
      Histologically, tumors were composed by anastomosing vascular spaces which were
      lining by plump, rounded to cuboidal littoral cells that extended into vascular
      lumens. Usually, papillary frameworks that were covered by these cells were also
      seen extending into the lumens in some areas. Other types of histiocytoid cells
      were identified in lumens and the sizes were larger than the littoral cells. Both
      types of cells absented cytologic atypia. Immunohistochemical study demonstrated
      that the littoral cells in all cases were positive for vascular endothelial and
      histiocyte markers, such as CD21, CD31, CD68, polyclone FVIII RAg and ERG, while
      these cells were negative for CD8, CD34, and WT-1. These findings manifested that
      immunophenotype of littoral cell in LCA distinctive from that in controls.
      CONCLUSION: LCA is a benign lesion, which frequently occurs in the elderly. Its
      etiology remains confusion, however, immune dysregulation may associate with it
      because of the concomitance with other tumor or inflammation in some cases. The
      littoral cells in LCA show a hybrid endothelial-histiocytic phenotype on
      immunohistochemistry, therefore these cells may have features that intermediate
      between those of endotheliocytes and histiocytes. Emphasizing the histological
      findings and immunophenotypes is significant for diagnosis and differential
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28628154
TI  - [Morphological changes on cochlear hair cells of rats in simulated weightlessness
      and inboard noise].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To observe the morphological changes on cochlear hair cells of rats in
      simulated weightlessness and inboard noise and to investigate the different
      changes in three turns of hair cells. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy SD rats, all
      males, were randomly divided into four groups: control group, weightlessness
      group, noise group and weightlessness+noise groups (n=8). Then rats were exposed
      to -30 degrees  head down tilt as simulated weightlessness and inboard noise
      including steady-state noise which was (72+/-2) dB SPL and impulse noise up to
      160 dB SPL in spaceship environment. The control group was kept in normal
      condition for 8 weeks. Bilateral auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds
      were tested before and after exposure respectively, and immunofluorescence
      staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEMs) of basilar membrane were applied
      after exposure. RESULTS: ABR threshold shifts of each group were higher after
      exposure. There was difference between ABRs of the experiment groups before and
      after exposure (P<0.05). IF showed that the inner hair cells (IHCs) missing was
      the main damage in the basal turn of weightlessness group, the hair cells in the
      middle turn were swell and in the top turn, the hair cells were not clear. In
      noise group, the main loss happened in the outer hair cells (OHCs) of the
      outermost layer. In weightlessness+noise group, the nuclear missing in the basal
      turn was apparent, and mainly happened at the outermost layer. Meanwhile, the
      missing of hair cells in the middle turn and top turn was seen at the innermost
      layer. SEM showed that the cilia in the basal turn of weightlessness group were
      serious lodging, and occasional absence. Furthermore, the basal cilia in noise
      group became lodged and absent, and the other two turns were seriously missing.
      And in weightlessness+noise group, the cilia missing in the basal turn was
      apparently seen. The damage degree of the four groups: weightlessness+noise
      group>noise group>weightlessness group>control group and the damage degree of the
      four turns of hair cells: basal turn>mid turn>top turn. CONCLUSION: The rats
      exposed to the above environment for 2 weeks displayed obvious changes in cochlea
      morphology, and the weightlessness +noise group had the most obvious damage.

PMID- 28628156
TI  - [Atlantoaxial reduction and fixation guided by the intraoperative CT].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical result of atlantoaxial reduction and fixation
      guided by the intraoperative CT. METHODS: Sixteen cases were retrospectively
      studied, including seven males and nine females, with the mean age of 49.9 years.
      Twelve cases were diagnosed as chronic atlantoaxial instability or dislocation,
      while four cases as acute odontoid fracture and dislocation. Among the sixteen
      cases, fourteen underwent atlantoaxial fusion, while two underwent temporary
      atlantoaxial fixation without fusion. The intraoperative CT was used in the
      setting of: 1. Evaluating the atlantoaxial reduction before the screw insertion;
      2. Guiding the C1 and C2 pedicle drilling (two cases using additional three
      dimensional printing drilling template); 3. Evaluating the position of the screws
      and reduction after the atlantoaxial fixation. In addition, three-dimensional
      drilling template combined with intraoperative CT was used in two cases. CT
      scanning frequency was calculated. To evaluate the accuracy rate of screw
      fixation under the intraoperative CT, 19 cases without the intraoperative CT were
      studied as the control group. RESULTS: Averaged CT scanning frequency was 1.4
      times (Once in eleven cases, twice in four and three times in one). Among the
      sixteen cases, mal-positioned C1 screws were found and revised in two cases. No
      spinal cord injury or vertebral artery injury occurred. The follow-up ranged from
      three to ten months, with the mean of 6.7 months. Fourteen cases achieved solid
      osseous fusion, and two with temporary fixation had odontoid fracture union.
      Anatomic reduction was achieved in all the cases. Eleven cases with preoperative
      myelopathy had postoperative improvement and their mean JOA scores improved from
      12.1 to 14.4. To the last follow-up, no hardware complications were found
      including screw broken, rod broken or fixation loosening. All the screws of
      intraoperative CT group had good positions. For 19 cases of the control group,
      there were two cases of mal-positioned screws (10.5%). CONCLUSION: Advantages of
      atlantoaxial reduction and fixation guided by the intraoperative CT included:
      improving the accuracy of the atlantoaxial screws, exactly evaluating the
      reduction of the atlantoaxial joint, immediately discovering the mal-positioned
      screws and avoiding the revision surgery. A good clinical result was found in the
      preliminary study.

PMID- 28628155
TI  - [3D printed template-assisted and computed tomography image-guided 125-iodine
      seed implantation for supraclavicular metastatic tumor: a dosimetric study].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the dosimetric data between the preoperative plans and
      postoperative verification in personalized 3D printed template-assisted and
      computed tomography (CT) image-guided 125-iodine seed implantation for
      supraclavicular metastatic tumor, and to evaluate the accuracy and feasibility at
      the dosimetry level. METHODS: A total of 14 patients with supraclavicular
      metastatic tumor (including 15 lesions) who received 3D printed template assisted
      and CT image-guided 125-iodine seed implantation in Department of Radiation
      Oncology of Peking University Third Hospital from January to September 2016 were
      enrolled. There were 8 males and 6 females, aged from 46 to 79 years (mean age:
      59.9 years). The Karnofsky performance score (KPS) was from 60 to 90 (median of
      80). There were one patient who had not received radiotherapy before, and one
      patient had received radiotherapy, but the dose was unknown. The remaining 12
      patients had received radiotherapy, with the median of 60 Gy (20-70 Gy), and one
      of them with the dose unknown. All the patients underwent preoperative enhanced
      CT scan, preoperative planning design, 3D printing template, puncture and
      particle implantation, the prescription dose from 110 Gy to 150 Gy. Comparisons
      of the dosimetric parameters between the postoperative verification and
      preoperative plans were made by paired t-test. The dose parameters inclu-ded D90,
      V100, V150, V200, matched peripheral dose (mPD), conformal index (CI), and
      external index (EI). The agreement was evaluated between the preoperative
      planning and postoperative actual dose parameters using Bland-Altman analysis.
      Bland-Altman plot showed the difference against the average of preoperative
      planning and postoperative actual dose parameters with limits of agreement (LoA)
      (broken lines). RESULTS: The difference of all the data between pre- and
      postoperation, included D90, V100, V150, V200, mPD, and CI, which was not
      statistically significant (P>0.05). EI was statistically significant (P<0.05).
      There was poor consistency of D90, V100, V150, V200, and mPD, but better
      consistency of CI and EI. CONCLUSION: Personalized 3D printed template-assisted
      and CT image-guided 125-iodine seed implantation for supraclavicular metastatic
      tumor is accurate and feasible.

PMID- 28628157
TI  - [Biomechanical analysis of the deep radioulnar ligaments stabilizing the distal
      radioulnar joint].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the deep radioulnar ligament in the stability
      of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). METHODS: In the study, 14 fresh cadaver
      upper extremities were randomly divided into two groups. After exposuring the
      palmar and dorsal deep distal radioulnar ligament, one group was marked as palmar
      deep radioulnar ligament, and the other group was marked as dorsal deep
      radioulnar ligament. The pronator teres and the supinator were exposed. A
      Kirschner wire perpendicular to the bone on Lister tubercle of radius was
      inserted, then another Kirschner wire on the same level of ulnar inserted when
      the forearm was in neural position, which was kept parallel to the first
      Kirschner wire. These specimens were mounted on a specially designed jig which
      held the limb rigidly, keeping the elbow flexion and the ulnar fixation. The
      radius could freely rotate around the ulnar. Then 50 N force on the pronator
      teres was applied to simulate the active pronation, and 60 N force on the
      supinator to simulate the active supination. The active pronation was stimulated,
      and the displacement of the distal radius was measured with respect to the ulna.
      The active supination was atimulated, and the displacement of the distal radius
      was measured with respect to the ulna. The palmar deep radioulnar ligament in one
      group was cut, then the displacement of the distal radius measured with respect
      to the ulna when the forearm was in pronation and supination. The dorsal deep
      radioulnar ligament in the other group was cut, and the displacement of the
      distal radius measured with respect to the ulna when the forearm was in pronation
      and supination. RESULTS: After resection of the palmar deep radioulnar ligament,
      the displacement of the distal radius with respect to the ulna was statistically
      significantly different when the forearm was in pronation (t=5.591, P=0.001), but
      there was no difference when the forearm was in supination (t=0.433, P=0.680).
      After resection of the dorsal deep radioulnar ligament, the displacement of the
      distal radius with respect to the ulna was not different when the forearm was in
      pronation (t=1.000, P=0.356), but there was statistically significant difference
      when the forearm was in supination (t=6.225, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: DRUJ is
      unstable when the forearm is in pronation after resection of the palmar deep ra
      dioulnar ligament, and DRUJ is unstable when the forearm is in supination after
      resection of the dorsal deep radioulnar ligament.

PMID- 28628158
TI  - [Effects of PTCH1 mutations on the epithelial proliferation derived from
      keratocystic odontogenic tumour].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the PTCH1 mutation and the
      expression of bcl-2, filaggrin, and loricrin in the keratocystic odontogenic
      tumour (KCOT), as well as the effects of the mutated PTCH1 on the epithelial
      proliferation and differentiation. METHODS: The samples were collected from 20
      cases of KCOT with mutated PTCH1, as well as 20 cases without mutation. All the
      samples were analyzed with immunohistochemical staining, for the purpose of
      investigating the expression of bcl-2, filaggrin, and loricrin. RESULTS: In the
      samples with mutated PTCH1, the epithelia of 60% (12/20) cases expressed
      intensively positive bcl-2 staining, 20% (4/20) expressed moderate staining, and
      20% (4/20) weak staining, but no negative bcl-2 staining samples were
      investigated; it was significantly different from the samples without PTCH1
      mutation, in which 20% (4/20) expressed intensive staining, no moderate staining,
      50% (10/20) weak staining, and 30% (6/20) negative staining were investigated
      (U=72, P=0.001). For the expression of filaggrin, 55% (11/20) of samples with
      PTCH1 mutations were stained weakly and 45% (9/20) showed negative staining,
      while in the samples not harboring PTCH1 mutations, 30% (6/20) cases showed
      moderate positive staining, 40% (8/20) weak staining and 30% (6/20) negative
      staining, no intensive staining was investigated (U=182, P=0.48). The loricrin
      expressed in all the layer of the epithelia in all the samples, while the
      filaggrin was mainly loca-lized within 1-4 layer cells of the epithelia. The
      differences of the expression of filaggrin and loricrin between the samples with
      mutated PTCH1 and without mutated PTCH1 displayed no significance. CONCLUSION: In
      the epithelia of KCOT, the bcl-2 expression was significantly associated with the
      PTCH1 mutation, which suggested that the mutated PTCH1 gene perhaps promotes the
      proliferation of KCOT epithelium.

PMID- 28628159
TI  - [Diagnosis accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology for vascular anomalies].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)
      in diagnosing vascular abnormality in oral and maxillofacial region. METHODS: The
      method of retrospective study was used. The data from the patients who underwent
      FNAC from 2011 to 2014 in Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking
      University School of Stomatology were collected. All the included patients were
      divided into surgery group and non-surgery group. The patients in surgery group
      underwent lesion resection and the postoperative pathological results were
      gained. The patients in non-surgery group underwent periodical sclerotherapy. The
      accuracy of FNAC was identified by histopathologic diagnosis in surgery group and
      the effect of sclerotherapy in non-surgery group. RESULTS: In this study, 93
      patients were involved, including 51 males and 42 females. The median age was 2.5
      years. Among them, 67 cases were judged as vascular abnormality by FNAC, and 63
      cases were in consistent with final diagnosis and 4 cases were not. Among the
      other 26 cases which were diagnosed as other diseases by FNAC, 5 cases were
      accorded with final diagnosis. Therefore, the sensitivity of FNAC on diagnosis of
      vascular abnormity was 93% and its specificity was 84%. Among them, there were 29
      cases in the surgery group and 64 cases in the non-surgery group. FNAC results
      were in consistent with the postoperative pathological results in 20 cases in
      surgery group (69%), and not consistent with pathological results in 9 cases .
      The pathological diagnoses included vascular malformations (3 cases),
      neurofibromas (2 cases), hamartoma (1 case), sebaceous cyst (1 case),
      adenolymphoma (1 case), and descriptive diagnosis (1 case). In non-surgery group,
      FNAC results were in consistent with the clinical effect of sclerotherapy in 61
      cases (95%). There were 3 misdiagnosed cases. The coincident rate between the
      result of FNAC and that of pathological or clinical diagnosis was 86%.
      CONCLUSION: FNAC is a feasible and minimal invasive method to diagnose vascular
      abnormality in oral and maxillofacial region.

PMID- 28628160
TI  - [Evaluation of the correction of the skeletal class III malocclusion by
      distalization of the whole mandible dentition with micro-implant anchorage].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of distalizing mandibular dentition
      with micro-implant in patients with skeletal class III malocclusion. METHODS: In
      the study, 20 patients with skeletal class IIImalocclusion were selected. They
      are consist of 8 males and 12 female with an age range from 16 to 38 years old
      and an average age of (21.5+/-5.6) years.They were treated with straight wire
      technique and the implant were inserted into the mandibular external oblique line
      to distlize the lower dentition to a class I molar relationships. Cephalometrics
      films were taken before and after treatment. The changes of hard tissue and soft
      tissue were analyzed by evaluating 26 measurement measurements. RESULTS: Class I
      molar relationships were achieved, and the profile were improved after treatment.
      ANB increased by (0.80+/-1.02)  degrees ,Wits increased by (1.67+/-1.74) mm,after
      treatment (P<0.05). The lower dentition were significantly retracted after
      treatment with L1-NB distance decreased by(2.64+/-1.50) mm, P<0.05; the mesial
      buccal cusp and mesial root of the lower first molars were retracted by (3.26+/
      1.95) mm and (0.79+/-1.27) mm respectively (P<0.05); the mesial buccal cusp of
      the lower second molars were retracted by (3.06+/-1.80) mm (P<0.05). After
      treatment, mandibular teeth got up-righted distally. From incisors to molar,
      L1/MP, L5/MP, L6/MP, L7/MP angle decreased by (6.37+/-8.53) degrees , (10.59+/
      8.50) degrees , (11.48+/-7.22) degrees , (15.72+/-7.16) degrees on average
      respectively (P<0.05), all of those changes had the statically significant
      effects. Soft tissue change after treatment, the distance from lower lip to
      esthetic plane were decreased by (1.70+/-1.59) mm on average (P<0.05).
      CONCLUSION: Distalizing mandibular dentition with micro-implant can get an
      satisfying result in patients with skeletal class III malocclusion, the lower
      teeth were retracted by controlled tipping movement.

PMID- 28628161
TI  - [Detection and management of the vascular paths in the lateral sinus wall using
      cone beam computed tomography].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To detect the vascular paths in the lateral wall of maxillary sinus
      using cone beam computer tomography (CBCT), and to retrospect the surgical
      managements of avoiding bleeding complication during the lateral approach
      maxillary sinus elevation. METHODS: The documents of 71 consecutive patients with
      81 sides maxillary sinus elevation surgery were collected. The vascular paths in
      the lateral wall of maxillary sinus were detected by the preoperative CBCT, and
      the messages about the vascular in surgical records were analyzed. RESULTS: The
      paths of the vascular could be detected in 77 (95.1%) sides maxillary sinus in
      the reconstruction panoramic images of CBCT. At the position of the first molar,
      the paths of the vascular of the lateral maxillary sinus walls could be detected
      in 54 sides (66.7%) in the reconstruction coronal images of CBCT, and the other
      27 sides (33.3%) could not be detected. Two approximately parallel paths of the
      vascular were found in 3 sides (3.7%) of the lateral maxillary sinus walls. The
      different diagnoses occurred in 6 sinuses between two observers. The kappa of
      diagnostic consistency of the two observers was 0.842 (P<0.001). The mean
      distance between the lower border of the vascular path to the plane of the
      alveolar crest of 54 sides maxillary sinuses was about (13.0+/-4.7) mm. The mean
      distance between lower border of vascular path to the plane of the floor of the
      sinus was (9.3+/-4.8) mm. The vascular path was located in the floor wall in 1
      sinus. During the lateral approach maxillary sinus elevation operation,
      intraosseous vessels were dissected in 4 sides sinus lateral wall, the vascular
      path was avoided consciously in 3 sides, and the sinus elevation surgery had to
      be given up in 1 side for the vessel was torn and bleeding. There were no
      vascular related messages in 73 sides of the lateral approach maxillary sinus
      elevation operation records. CONCLUSION: The vascular paths of maxillary sinus
      wall could be detected by CBCT in most cases. Preoperative CBCT examination was
      proved to be reliable. The vascular paths of maxillary sinus wall should be
      examined carefully. It was helpful to make the surgical design perfectible and
      reduce the risk of tearing the vessel in operation.

PMID- 28628162
TI  - [Distant metastases of malignant salivary gland carcinoma after treated by 125I].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical features of distant metastases from malignant
      salivary gland carcinomas after treated by 125I internal brachy therapy alone.
      METHODS: Between 2002 and 2010, 43 patients with locally advanced unresectable or
      recurrent malignant salivary gland carcinomas were treated by 125I internal
      brachy therapy alone at Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. All
      of them had been follow-up at least 2 years. The primary sites of malignant
      salivary gland carcinomas were the parotid for 12 patients, infratemporal fossa
      for 9 patients, tongue for 7 patients, maxilla for 6 patients, parapharyngeal for
      4 patients, floor of months for 3 patients, submandibular gland for 1 patient,
      and lip for 1 patient. The overall survival rate, local control rate, and distant
      metastases were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Distant metastases occurred in
      23 of the 43 patients (53.5%). Distant metastases developed from 5 to 96 months,
      with an average interval of (27.0+/-23.7) months from the time of initial
      diagnosis, the mean interval was 21 months. The commonest site of distant
      metastases overall was the lung 69.6%(16/23). The most common pathological types
      of distant metastases were adenoid cystic carcinoma (14/23, 60.9%) and
      nonspecific adenocarcinoma (7/23, 30.4%). At the time of the last follow-up, 26
      patients died, and 18 of them due to distant metastases (69.2%, 18/26). In the
      study, 27 patients got complete remission(CR), 12 got partial remission(PR) more
      than 50%, 2 less than 50%, and 2 patients were invalid. The effective rate (CR+
      PR) was 90.7%. The 3 year loco-regional control rate and survival rate were
      60.1%, 82.6%, respectively, and the 5 year's 53.4% and 56.0%. CONCLUSION: The
      125I brachy therapy is a feasible and effective modality for the treatment of
      locally advanced unresectable or recurrent malignant salivary gland carcinomas.
      However, further studies are needed with larger numbers of patients and for a
      longer follow-up assessment. Distant metastasis was the main cause of treatment
      failure, and the lung was the most common site of distant metastases.

PMID- 28628163
TI  - [Quantitative structure-activity relationship model for prediction of
      cardiotoxicity of chemical components in traditional Chinese medicines].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Some quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models have
      been developed to predict cardiac toxicity of drugs, which have limited
      predictive power due to based on hERG channel inhibition. The objective of this
      study was try to develop a QSAR model based on all kinds of cardiac adverse
      effects, and to predict the potential cardiotoxicity of chemical components in
      traditional Chinese medicines (TCM). METHODS: In this study, the compounds data
      of all kinds of cardiac adverse reactions were selected as the training set. The
      QSAR models were constructed based on 1 109 compounds with cardiotoxicity and 789
      compounds without cardiotoxicity, which were available from the Toxicity
      Reference Database (ToxRefDB) and Side Effect Resource (SIDER) database. The
      ADMET Predictor software was applied to calculate and to screen the molecular
      descriptors, and to construct the QSAR models using support vector machine (SVM)
      and artificial neural networks (ANN) algorithm, respectively. The models were
      optimized using compound-based 10-fold cross validation. Then, the predictive
      performance for the potential cardiotoxicity of chemical components in TCM were
      assessed using external validation by 19 components in TCM with cardiotoxicity
      and 10 components in TCM without cardiotoxicity. RESULTS: A total of 220
      molecular descriptors were selected for modeling, and the best model using SVM
      algorithm contained 87 molecular descriptors. The internal validation results
      showed that the predictive sensitivity, specificity, the Youden's index (YI) and
      the Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) were 71%, 70%, 0.41, and 0.41,
      respectively. The best model constructed using ANN algorithm contained 13 neurons
      and 87 molecular descriptors. The internal validation results showed that the
      predictive sensitivity, specificity, the YI and the MCC were 78%, 77%, 0.54, and
      0.54, respectively. Both models were validated using external validation by the
      same set of 29 chemical components in TCM with or without cardiotoxicity, which
      were not included in the training set. The predictive performances of SVM or ANN
      model were as follows, respectively: sensitivity 95%, 95%; specificity 40%, 60%;
      and accuracy 76%, 83%. CONCLUSION: The predictive performance of the QSAR model
      using ANN algorithm was better than that of the model using SVM algorithm. The
      external validation study of 29 chemical components in TCM illustrated that the
      QSAR model was applicable for screening and predicting the potential
      cardiotoxicity of chemical components in TCM.

PMID- 28628164
TI  - Long alkyl side-chains impede exciton interaction in organic light harvesting
      crystals.
AB  - Side-chains at the imidic position of naphthalimide rendered a firm control over
      (i) the degrees of pi-pi overlap and (ii) distances between the perylenimide
      units in a crystalline naphthalimide-perylenimide dyad as determined using single
      crystal XRD and Hirshfeld surface analyses. Steady-state and time-resolved
      electronic spectroscopy in addition to DFT calculations revealed a decline in
      intermolecular excitonic interaction due to interfering alkyl chains.

PMID- 28628165
TI  - Practical in situ-generation of phosphinite ligands for palladium-catalyzed
      carbonylation of (hetero)aryl bromides forming esters.
AB  - An effective method for alkoxycarbonylation of (hetero)aryl bromides is developed
      in the presence of in situ-generated phosphinite ligands tBu2POR (R = nBu, nPr,
      Et or Me). For this purpose commercially available tBu2PCl was used as the pre
      ligand in the presence of different alcohols. For the first time cross coupling
      reactions with two alcohols - one generating the ligand, the other used as
      substrate - were developed. Through this method, ligand optimization can be
      performed in a more efficient manner and the desired products could be obtained
      with good yields and selectivity.

PMID- 28628166
TI  - Nucleopolypeptides with DNA-triggered alpha helix-to-beta sheet transition.
AB  - Synthetic polypeptides are versatile polymers outstandingly relevant to prepare
      bioinspired materials. In this work, we present a new class of smart polypeptide
      polymers, called nucleopolypeptides, having lateral chains functionalized with
      thymidine nucleobases. Structural studies performed by circular dichroism have
      revealed that the secondary structure of the polymers was influenced by
      nucleotide interaction and DNA sequence variation affording a selective helix-to
      beta sheet transition with oligo(AAAAA)6.

PMID- 28628167
TI  - A theoretical study on the morphological phase diagram of supported lipid
      bilayers.
AB  - Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) have been widely used in drug delivery,
      biosensors and biomimetic membranes. The microscopic mechanism of SLB formation
      and stability depends on a number of factors underlying solvent-mediated lipid
      lipid and lipid-substrate interactions. Whereas recent years have witnessed
      remarkable progress in understanding the kinetics of SLB formation, relatively
      little is known about the lipid phase behavior controlling the SLB stability
      under diverse solution conditions. In this work, we examine the structure of SLBs
      using classical density functional theory (CDFT) in the context of a coarse
      grained model that accounts for ion-explicit electrostatic interactions, surface
      hydrophobicity, as well as the molecular characteristics of the lipid tails. A
      morphological phase diagram is constructed in terms of various intrinsic
      properties of lipid molecules (such as the lipid tail length, size and charge of
      the lipid head segments), substrate conditions (such as the surface charge
      density and hydrophobicity), and solution parameters (such as the ion
      concentration and ion type). The morphological phase diagram provides useful
      insights into the rational design and broader application of SLB membranes as
      different types of nano-devices.

PMID- 28628168
TI  - Fracture toughness of wet and dry particulate materials comprised of colloidal
      sized particles: role of plastic deformation.
AB  - This work demonstrates a method of measuring the fracture toughness of
      particulate materials comprised of colloidal sized particles over a wide range of
      saturation. Diametral compression of cylinders containing flaws of controlled
      length was used to measure the mode I fracture toughness. The effect of degree of
      saturation on the fracture toughness of slip cast ceramic grade alumina (d50 =
      0.7 MUm) was investigated. Dry powder compacts have significantly lower fracture
      toughness than when the powder compact is nearly fully saturated. All
      observations are consistent with the fracture mechanism being predominantly
      brittle for the dry samples but predominantly ductile in the nearly saturated
      samples. The additional dissipation that occurs during the ductile fracture of
      the nearly saturated samples is due to plastic deformation in front of the crack
      tip. This well-known mechanism for toughening in metals has been quantified for
      the first time in soft matter. Analysis of the results indicates that the size of
      the plastic dissipation zone is more than an order of magnitude larger in the
      nearly saturated materials compared to the dry material. Understanding the
      fracture mechanisms that control the propagation of cracks through saturated,
      partially saturated and dry particulate materials comprised of colloidal sized
      particles provides additional insight into understanding drying cracks in paint,
      other coatings, ceramics and water treatment sludge.

PMID- 28628169
TI  - Avoiding the pull-in instability of a dielectric elastomer film and the potential
      for increased actuation and energy harvesting.
AB  - Pull-in instability often occurs when a film of a dielectric elastomer is
      subjected to an electric field. In this work, we concoct a set of simple,
      experimentally implementable, conditions that render the dielectric elastomer
      film impervious to pull-in instability for all practical loading conditions. We
      show that a uniaxially pre-stretched film has a significantly large actuation
      stretch in the direction perpendicular to the pre-stretch and find that the
      maximal specific energy of a dielectric elastomer generator can be increased from
      6.3 J g-1 to 8.3 J g-1 by avoiding the pull-in instability.

PMID- 28628170
TI  - Recent advances and perspectives in the design and development of polymyxins.
AB  - Covering: 1947-early 2017, particularly from 2005-early 2017The rise of bacterial
      pathogens with acquired resistance to almost all available antibiotics is
      becoming a serious public health issue. Polymyxins, antibiotics that were mostly
      abandoned a few decades ago because of toxicity concerns, are ultimately
      considered as a last-line therapy to treat infections caused by multi-drug
      resistant Gram-negative bacteria. This review surveys the progress in
      understanding polymyxin structure, and their chemistry, mechanisms of
      antibacterial activity and nephrotoxicity, biomarkers, synergy and combination
      with other antimicrobial agents and antibiofilm properties. An update of recent
      efforts in the design and development of a new generation of polymyxin drugs is
      also discussed. A novel approach considering the modification of the scaffold of
      polymyxins to integrate metabolism and detoxification issues into the drug design
      process is a promising new line to potentially prevent accumulation in the
      kidneys and reduce nephrotoxicity.

PMID- 28628171
TI  - Continuous and discontinuous transitions between two types of capillary bridges
      on a beaded chain pulled out from a liquid.
AB  - Capillary bridges can be used for fabricating new materials and structures. Here,
      we describe theoretically and validate experimentally the mechanism of formation
      of capillary bridges during a process in which a beaded chain is being pulled out
      from a liquid with a planar surface. There are two types of capillary bridges
      present in this system, namely the sphere-planar liquid surface bridge initially
      formed between the spherical bead leaving the liquid bath and the initially
      planar liquid surface, and the sphere-sphere capillary bridge formed between
      neighbouring beads in the part of the chain above the liquid surface. During the
      process of pulling the chain out of the liquid, the sphere-planar liquid surface
      bridge transforms into the sphere-sphere bridge. We show that for monodisperse
      spherical beads comprising the chain, this transition can be either continuous or
      discontinuous. The transition is continuous when the diameter of the spherical
      beads is larger than the capillary length. Otherwise, the transition is
      discontinuous, likewise the capillary force acting on the chain.

PMID- 28628172
TI  - Trichomes as a natural biophysical barrier for plants and their bioinspired
      applications.
AB  - Nature has inspired mankind to create novel inventions with biomimetic structures
      and materials, where plants provide a significant source of inspiration. Plants
      have evolved a range of effective appendages, among which trichomes have
      attracted extensive research interest due to their enormous functions. It is
      important to understand trichome functions and corresponding mechanisms for their
      bioinspired applications. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of
      the diverse functions of trichomes, with emphasis placed upon their roles as
      biophysical barriers that can create a complex three-dimensional (3D) network to
      help the plant adapt to severe environments. Moreover, we also summarize the
      bioinspired applications of four typical trichomes, including needle-like, hook
      like, foliar-like, and antenna-like trichomes. This review offers a new
      perspective of interdisciplinary research on both trichome functions and their
      biomimetic applications.

PMID- 28628174
TI  - Ranking REACH registered neutral, ionizable and ionic organic chemicals based on
      their aquatic persistency and mobility.
AB  - The contaminants that have the greatest chances of appearing in drinking water
      are those that are mobile enough in the aquatic environment to enter drinking
      water sources and persistent enough to survive treatment processes. Herein a
      screening procedure to rank neutral, ionizable and ionic organic compounds for
      being persistent and mobile organic compounds (PMOCs) is presented and applied to
      the list of industrial substances registered under the EU REACH legislation as of
      December 2014. This comprised 5155 identifiable, unique organic structures. The
      minimum cut-off criteria considered for PMOC classification herein are a
      freshwater half-life >40 days, which is consistent with the REACH definition of
      freshwater persistency, and a log Doc < 4.5 between pH 4-10 (where Doc is the
      organic carbon-water distribution coefficient). Experimental data were given the
      highest priority, followed by data from an array of available quantitative
      structure-activity relationships (QSARs), and as a third resort, an original
      Iterative Fragment Selection (IFS) QSAR. In total, 52% of the unique REACH
      structures made the minimum criteria to be considered a PMOC, and 21% achieved
      the highest PMOC ranking (half-life > 40 days, log Doc < 1.0 between pH 4-10).
      Only 9% of neutral substances received the highest PMOC ranking, compared to 30%
      of ionizable compounds and 44% of ionic compounds. Predicted hydrolysis products
      for all REACH parents (contributing 5043 additional structures) were found to
      have higher PMOC rankings than their parents, due to increased mobility but not
      persistence. The fewest experimental data available were for ionic compounds;
      therefore, their ranking is more uncertain than neutral and ionizable compounds.
      The most sensitive parameter for the PMOC ranking was freshwater persistency,
      which was also the parameter that QSARs performed the most poorly at predicting.
      Several prioritized drinking water contaminants in the EU and USA, and other
      contaminants of concern, were identified as PMOCs. This identification and
      ranking procedure for PMOCs can be part of a strategy to better identify
      contaminants that pose a threat to drinking water sources.

PMID- 28628175
TI  - Base-catalyzed cascade synthesis of 2,3-dihydrofuro[2,3-b]pyridines and 2,3
      dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines from N-propargylic beta-enaminones.
AB  - A novel protocol to prepare multi-substituted dihydrofuropyridine and
      dihydropyrrolopyridine derivatives from KOH-catalyzed reactions between readily
      available N-propargylic beta-enaminones and arylaldehydes or N-sulfonyl imines
      has been developed in moderate to good yields.

PMID- 28628178
TI  - Jumping drops on hydrophobic surfaces, controlling energy transfer by timed
      electric actuation.
AB  - Aqueous sessile drops are launched from a super-hydrophobic surface by electric
      actuation in an electrowetting configuration with a voltage pulse of variable
      duration. We show that the jump height, i.e. the amount of energy that is
      transferred from surface energy to the translational degree of freedom, depends
      not only on the applied voltage but also in a periodic manner on the duration of
      the actuation pulse. Specifically, we find that the jump height for a pulse of
      optimized duration is almost twice as high as the one obtained upon turning off
      the voltage after equilibration of the drop under electrowetting. Representing
      the drop by a simple oscillator, we establish a relation between the
      eigenfrequency of the drop and the optimum actuation time required for most
      efficient energy conversion. From a general perspective, our experiments
      illustrate a generic concept how timed actuation in combination with inertia can
      enhance the flexibility and efficiency of drop manipulation operations.

PMID- 28628179
TI  - Nucleated dewetting in supported ultra-thin liquid films with hydrodynamic slip.
AB  - This study reveals the influence of the surface energy and solid/liquid boundary
      condition on the breakup mechanism of dewetting ultra-thin polymer films. Using
      silane self-assembled monolayers, SiO2 substrates are rendered hydrophobic and
      provide a strong slip rather than a no-slip solid/liquid boundary condition. On
      undergoing these changes, the thin-film breakup morphology changes dramatically -
      from a spinodal mechanism to a breakup which is governed by nucleation and
      growth. The experiments reveal a dependence of the hole density on film thickness
      and temperature. The combination of lowered surface energy and hydrodynamic slip
      brings the studied system closer to the conditions encountered in bursting
      unsupported films. As for unsupported polymer films, a critical nucleus size is
      inferred from a free energy model. This critical nucleus size is supported by the
      film breakup observed in the experiments using high speed in situ atomic force
      microscopy.

PMID- 28628180
TI  - Enhancing the biofuel upgrade performance for Pd nanoparticles via increasing the
      support hydrophilicity of metal-organic frameworks.
AB  - In this work, the influence of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of metal
      organic framework (MOF) materials on the catalytic performance of supported Pd
      nanoparticles for biofuel upgrade was studied. We show that the introduction of
      hydrophilic groups on a MOF can greatly enhance the performance of the resultant
      catalyst. Specifically, Pd nanoparticles supported on MIL-101-SO3Na with
      superhydrophilicity (Pd/MIL-101-SO3Na) far outperforms pristine MIL-101 and the
      benchmark catalyst Pd/C in the hydrodeoxygenation reaction of vanillin, a model
      component of pyrolysis oil derived from the lignin fraction. This is attributed
      to a favorable mode of adsorption of the highly water soluble reactants on the
      more hydrophilic support in the vicinity of the catalytically active Pd
      nanoparticles, thereby promoting their transformation.

PMID- 28628181
TI  - Synthesis and antiviral evaluation of base-modified deoxythreosyl nucleoside
      phosphonates.
AB  - l-alpha-2'-Deoxythreosyl nucleoside phosphonates and their phosphonodiamidate
      prodrugs with a hypoxanthine, 2,6-diaminopurine, 2-amino-6
      cyclopropylaminopurine, 7-deazaadenine, 5-fluorouracil and 5-methylcytosine
      heterocycle as a nucleobase were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory
      activity against HIV and HBV. The 2,6-diaminopurine modified analogue 23a
      displayed the most potent activity against HIV, with an EC50 value of 11.17 MUM
      against HIV-1 (IIIB) and an EC50 value of 8.15 MUM against HIV-2 (ROD). The
      application of the prodrug strategy on nucleoside phosphonate 23a led to a 200
      fold boost in anti-HIV potency. None of the compounds showed any activity against
      HBV at the highest concentration tested.

PMID- 28628182
TI  - Prodigiosenes conjugated to tamoxifen and estradiol.
AB  - We report the synthesis of the first click-appended prodigiosene conjugates. Four
      prodigiosene conjugates of estradiol functionalised at the 7alpha-position were
      prepared, as were three prodigiosene conjugates of tamoxifen. The coupling
      between a prodigiosene and an 11-hydroxy estradiol derivative via an ether
      linkage was investigated, as was the 11- and 7-functionalisation of the estradiol
      core. The robustness of estradiol protecting groups was severely challenged by
      reactions typically used to equip such frameworks for 11- and 7
      functionalisation. Specifically, and important to synthesis involving estradiol,
      TBS, TMS and THP are not useful protecting groups for the functionalisation of
      this core. When the chemical features of the therapeutic agent limit the choice
      of protecting group (in this case, prodigiosenes bearing aryl, NH, alkenyl and
      ester groups), click chemistry becomes an attractive synthetic strategy. The anti
      cancer activity of the seven click prodigiosene conjugates was evaluated.

PMID- 28628183
TI  - An unprecedented stereoselective base-induced trimerization of an alpha
      bromovinylsulfone.
AB  - A unprecedented base-induced trimerization of bromovinylsulfone 1 afforded the
      cyclohexene 6 as a single diastereoisomer. Optimization of this reaction gave the
      adduct 6 in 49% yield. A mechanistic rationale for the trimerization involving
      consecutive SN2' additions and [3,3]-rearrangements and a final stereoselective
      intramolecular conjugate addition is proposed and supported by M06-2X density
      functional theory calculations.

PMID- 28628184
TI  - Trends of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in substituted alcohols: a deeper
      investigation.
AB  - Intramolecular hydrogen bonding (IAHB) is one of the most important
      intramolecular interactions and a critical element in adopted molecular
      arrangements. Moreover, slight substitution in a molecule can affect its strength
      to a great extent. It is well established that alkyl groups play a positive role
      in IAHB strength. However, the effects that drive it are specific to each system.
      To investigate the influence of IAHB and its strength dependency on different
      acyclic compounds, the conformational preferences of propane-1,3-diol, 3
      methoxypropan-1-ol, 3-ethoxypropan-1-ol, 3-isopropoxypropan-1-ol, 3-(tert
      butoxy)propan-1-ol, butane-1,3-diol, 3-methoxybutan-1-ol, 3-methylbutane-1-diol,
      and 3-methoxy-3-methylbutan-1-ol were evaluated experimentally using infrared
      spectroscopy theoretically supported by topological and natural bond orbital
      analyses. The most stable conformation of each compound exhibited IAHB and these
      conformers are more populated in the equilibrium for all studied compounds.
      Experimental infrared and topological data suggest that the strength of IAHB
      increases for each methyl group addition. NBO analyses indicate that methyl
      groups in different positions related to an OH moiety affect the charge transfer
      energy involved in intramolecular hydrogen bonding. This occurs mostly due to an
      increase in the spn-hybridized lone pair (LP1O) contribution to the charge
      transfer , which is a result of changes in s-character and orbital energy caused
      by geometrical rearrangements, rehybridization, and/or electronic effects.

PMID- 28628185
TI  - Epidemiology and prevention of influenza in children in Argentina and Brazil.
AB  - A group of influenza experts from Argentina and Brazil got together to discuss
      the burden of influenza in children, review current vaccine coverage rates in
      both countries, analyze vaccine effectiveness, and discuss strategies to improve
      prevention. Active surveillance of respiratory viruses is carried out nationwide
      in both countries. Years 2014 and 2015 were mild influenza seasons; influenza
      virus type A/H3N2 prevailed, whereas type B represented less than 30% of
      isolates. Trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine is included in National
      Immunization Programs for 1) children 6 months to 2 years old in Argentina; 2)
      children 6 months to 5 years old in Brazil; and 3) all high-risk individuals.
      Coverage rates in both countries were about 80% (albeit lower for the second
      dose). Experts from both countries proposed the following strategies to improve
      prevention: 1) increase surveillance; 2) assess effectiveness and long-term
      safety of influenza vaccines; 3) reinforce vaccination programs in order to
      increase coverage rates; and 4) consider introducing more effective vaccines,
      such as adjuvanted trivalent vaccines. In Argentina, estimating case-fatality
      rates was also recommended. Other proposed actions included enhancing education
      of health professionals and the lay community, and better use of communication
      resources to raise awareness of the burden of influenza and promote vaccine
      uptake.

PMID- 28628186
TI  - Knockdown of homeobox containing 1 increases the radiosensitivity of cervical
      cancer cells through telomere shortening.
AB  - Homeobox containing 1 (HMBOX1) modulates telomere length in various types of
      tumor cells by binding to double-stranded telomeric DNA. There is a negative
      correlation between telomere length and radiosensitivity in tumor cells. In the
      present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship among HMBOX1, telomere
      and radiosensitivity in cervical cancer cells. Lentivirus-based shRNAs were used
      to establish stable transfected cell lines in which protein and mRNA levels of
      HMBOX1 were notably decreased. Knockdown of HMBOX1 increased the radiosensitivity
      of HeLa and C33A cells. TERT protein was also decreased while HMBOX1 was
      downregulated. Knockdown of HMBOX1 shortened telomere length in the HeLa cells,
      while TERT overexpression rescued telomere shortening in the HeLa-HMBOX1 cells.
      Knockdown of HMBOX1 increased the apoptosis rate, decreased radiation-induced DNA
      damage foci, and inhibited the expression of ATM, ATR, p-ATM, p-ATR and BRCA1 in
      the homologous recombination repair pathway. Our data suggest a possible role of
      HMBOX1 in regulating radiosensitivity in cervical cancer cells. Moreover, HMBOX1
      may be a potential factor in the radiotherapy of cervical cancer.

PMID- 28628187
TI  - KLF2 inhibits cell growth via regulating HIF-1alpha/Notch-1 signal pathway in
      human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells.
AB  - The transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) has been shown to function
      as a tumor suppressor and regulate biological processes of cancer cells, such as
      cell growth, cell apoptosis and angiogenesis. However, the function and mechanism
      of KLF2 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is still unknown. In the present study, we
      show that the expression of KLF2 is diminished in a cohort of CRC cell lines.
      Also, KLF2 overexpression remarkably inhibits HCT116 and SW480 cell survival and
      proliferation. Moreover, cell death detection ELISA plus assay showed that KLF2
      overexpression increased HCT116 cell proliferation. Caspase-3/7 activity also
      increased in HCT116 cells transfected with PcDNA3.1-KLF2. Further studies showed
      that KLF2 significantly suppresses the expression of Notch-1 and is dependent on
      the decline of the HIF-1alpha level. Most importantly, silencing Notch-1
      expression or HIF-1alpha level both impair the action of KLF2 overexpression in
      CRC cells. Collectively, we demonstrated that KLF2 mediates CRC cell biological
      processes including cell growth and apoptosis via regulating the HIF-1alpha/Notch
      1 signal pathway. These results indicated that KLF2 plays an important role in
      CRC and provided novel insight on the function of KLF2 in tumor progression.

PMID- 28628188
TI  - Silencing of BAG3 promotes the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin
      via inhibition of autophagy.
AB  - Ovarian cancer is the most lethal disease among all gynecological malignancies.
      Interval cytoreductive surgery and cisplatin-based chemotherapy are the
      recommended therapeutic strategies. However, acquired resistance to cisplatin
      remains a big challenge for the overall survival and prognosis in ovarian cancer.
      Complicated molecular mechanisms are involved in the process. At present,
      increasing evidence indicates that autophagy plays an important role in the
      prosurvival and resistance against chemotherapy. In the present study, as a novel
      autophagy regulator, BCL2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) was investigated to
      study its role in cisplatin sensitivity in epithelial ovarian cancer. However,
      whether BAG3 participates in cisplatin sensitivity by inducing autophagy and the
      underlying mechanism in ovarian cancer cells remain to be clarified. Through the
      use of quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analysis, CCK-8 and
      immunofluorescence assays our data revealed that cisplatin-induced autophagy
      protected ovarian cancer cells from the toxicity of the drug and that this
      process was regulated by BAG3. Silencing of BAG3 increased cisplatin-induced
      apoptosis. The results also revealed BAG3 as a potential therapeutic target which
      enhanced the efficacy of cisplatin in ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28628189
TI  - [A statement the Polish Cardiac Society Working Group on Pulmonary Circulation on
      screening for CTEPH patients after acute pulmonary embolism].
AB  - Both pharmacological and invasive treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary
      hypertension (CTEPH) is now available in Poland and the awareness of the disease
      among physicians is growing. Thus, the Polish Cardiac Society's Working Group on
      Pulmonary Circulation in cooperation with independent experts in this field, have
      launched the statement on algorithm to guide a CTEPH diagnosis in patients with
      previous acute pulmonary embolism (APE). In Poland, every year this disease
      affects about 250 patients. CTEPH should be suspected in individuals after APE
      with dyspnea, despite at least 3 months period of effective anticoagulation,
      particularly when specified risk factors are present. Echocardiography is a main
      screening tool. The authors suggest that a diagnostic process of patients with
      significant clinical suspicion of CTEPH and right ventricle overload in
      echocardiography should be performed in reference centres. The document contains
      a list of Polish centres diagnosing patients with suspected CTEPH. Pulmonary
      scintigraphy is a safe and highly sensitive screening test for CTEPH. Multi
      detector computed tomography with precise detection of thromboembolic residues in
      pulmonary circulation is important for planning of pulmonary endarterectomy.
      Right heart catheterisation definitely confirms the presence of pulmonary
      hypertension and direct pulmonary angiography allows for identification of
      lesions suitable for thromboendarterectomy or pulmonary balloon angioplasty. In
      this document a diagnostic algorithm in patients with suspected CTEPH is also
      proposed. With individualised sequential diagnostic strategy each patient can be
      finally qualified for a particular mode of therapy by dedicated CTEPH Heart Team.
      Moreover the document contains short information for the primary care physician
      about the management of patients after APE.

PMID- 28628190
TI  - Response to the letter concerning the article: "Atrial electromechanical delay
      analysed by tissue Doppler echocardiography...".

PMID- 28628191
TI  - Abiotic and biotic factors modulate carrion fate and vertebrate scavenging
      communities.
AB  - Carrion is a valuable nutrient resource used by a diversity of vertebrates across
      the globe. However, vertebrate scavenging ecology remains an understudied area of
      science, especially in regards to how biotic and abiotic factors influence
      scavenging community composition. Here we elucidate how fundamental biotic and
      abiotic factors interact to modulate the efficiency and composition of vertebrate
      scavengers by investigating scavenging dynamics across a large gradient in
      carcass sizes and habitat types representative of many temperate ecosystems, as
      well as between two seasons reflecting differences in invertebrate activity. We
      found carcass size and season influenced carcass fate and persistence, as well as
      the richness and composition of vertebrate scavenger communities utilizing
      carrion resources. Species richness, which increased as carcass size increased
      and was higher during the cool season, had a significant effect on carcass
      persistence. In addition, habitat type influenced carcass detection times by
      vertebrates, and we observed relatively distinct scavenging communities
      associated with carcasses of differing sizes. This research highlights a
      pervasive limitation to the interpretation of results of previous studies as
      research failing to incorporate carcass size and habitat type could result in the
      over or underrepresentation of vertebrate scavengers in food web dynamics.

PMID- 28628192
TI  - Psychiatric disorders with systemic retinoids: a systematic review of case
      reports.

PMID- 28628195
TI  - Heterogeneity of tight junctions in the thick ascending limb.
AB  - Renal tubular transport mechanisms are optimized to be energy efficient and
      tailored to local gradients and transport rates. The combined transcellular
      action of ion channels, transporters, and pumps, together with the paracellular
      pathway, enables kidney function. Monogenetic diseases and mouse models indicate
      that both trans- and paracellular proteins can become disease-causing candidates
      and may be targets for future therapeutic approaches. Recent advances in tight
      junction research have provided new insights into their structure, function, and
      regulation. The thick ascending limb (TAL) is a nephron segment with specific
      requirements for the paracellular pathway. It has to fuel the generation of the
      corticomedullary concentration gradient, to be watertight, and to provide a
      highly selective permeability for Na+ and divalent cations. Tight junction
      composition and function in the TAL is organized along the corticomedullary axis.
      Even on the level of a seemingly homogeneous tubular epithelium like the TAL,
      there is a separation of tight junction protein expression in the strands between
      the respective tricellular nexus of the junctional network. Here, we highlight
      some new insights from our recent work and that of others in this context. In
      addition, we provide some perspectives for the further study of paracellular
      transport mechanisms.

PMID- 28628193
TI  - Modulation of epithelial cell polarity by bacterial pathogens.
AB  - Epithelial cells constitute a physical barrier that aids in protecting the host
      from microbial pathogens. Polarized epithelial cells contain distinct apical and
      basolateral membrane domains separated by intercellular junctions, including
      tight junctions (TJs), which contribute to the maintenance of apical-basal
      polarity. Polarity complexes also contribute to the establishment of TJ
      formation. Several pathogens perturb epithelial TJ barrier function and structure
      in addition to causing a loss of apical-basal polarity. Here, we review the
      impact of pathogenic bacteria on the disruption of cell-cell junctions and
      epithelial polarity.

PMID- 28628194
TI  - Signals that drive T follicular helper cell formation.
AB  - T follicular helper (Tfh) cells are a distinct type of CD4+ T cell specialized in
      providing help to B cells during the germinal centre (GC) reaction. As such, they
      are critical determinants of the quality of an antibody response following
      antigen challenge. Excessive production of Tfh cells can result in autoimmunity
      whereas too few can result in inadequate protection from infection. Hence, their
      differentiation and maintenance must be tightly regulated to ensure appropriate
      but limited help to B cells. Unlike the majority of other CD4+ T-cell subsets,
      Tfh cell differentiation occurs in three phases defined by their anatomical
      location. During each phase of differentiation the emerging Tfh cells express
      distinct patterns of co-receptors, which work together with the T-cell receptor
      (TCR) to drive Tfh differentiation. These signals provided by both TCR and co
      receptors during Tfh differentiation alter proliferation, survival, metabolism,
      cytokine production and transcription factor expression. This review will discuss
      how engagement of TCR and co-receptors work together to shape the formation and
      function of Tfh cells.

PMID- 28628197
TI  - Vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) over-expression induces major
      modifications of striatal cholinergic interneuron morphology and function.
AB  - Striatal cholinergic interneurons (CIN) are pivotal for the regulation of the
      striatal network. Acetylcholine (ACh) released by CIN is centrally involved in
      reward behavior as well as locomotor or cognitive functions. Recently, BAC
      transgenic mice expressing channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) protein under the control of
      the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) promoter (ChAT-ChR2) and displaying almost
      50 extra copies of the VAChT gene were used to dissect cholinergic circuit
      connectivity and function using optogenetic approaches. These mice display over
      expression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and increased
      cholinergic tone. Consequently, ChAT-ChR2 mice are a valuable model to
      investigate hypercholinergic phenotypes. Previous experiments established that
      ChAT-ChR2 mice display an increased sensitivity to amphetamine induced-locomotor
      activity and stereotypes. In the present report, we analyzed the impact of VAChT
      over-expression in the striatum of ChAT-ChR2 mice. ChAT-ChR2 mice displayed
      increased locomotor sensitization in response to low dose of cocaine. In
      addition, we observed a dramatic remodeling of the morphology of CIN in ChAT-ChR2
      transgenic mice. VAChT immunolabeling was markedly enhanced in the soma and
      terminal of CIN from ChAT-ChR2 mice as previously shown (Crittenden et al. 2014).
      Interestingly, the number of cholinergic varicosities was markedly reduced (-87%)
      whereas their size was significantly increased (+177%). Moreover, VAChT over
      expression dramatically modified its trafficking along the somatodendritic and
      axonal arbor. These findings demonstrate that ChAT-ChR2 mice present major
      alterations of CIN neuronal morphology and increased behavioral sensitization to
      cocaine, supporting the notion that the increased levels of VAChT observed in
      these mice make them fundamentally different from wild-type mice.

PMID- 28628196
TI  - Molecular mechanisms of experience-dependent maturation in cortical GABAergic
      inhibition.
AB  - Critical periods (CP) in early post-natal life are periods of plasticity during
      which the neuronal circuitry is most receptive to environmental stimuli. These
      early experiences translate to a more permanent and sophisticated neuronal
      connection in the adult brain systems. Multiple studies have pointed to the
      development of inhibitory circuitry as one of the central factors for the onset
      of critical periods. We discuss several molecular mechanisms regulating
      inhibitory circuit maturation and CP, from gene transcription level to protein
      signaling level. Also, beyond the level of gene sequences, we briefly consider
      recent information on dynamic epigenetic regulation of gene expression through
      histone methylation and acetylation and their implication on timed development of
      the inhibitory circuitry for the onset of CP.

PMID- 28628198
TI  - Pulse frequency and soil-litter mixing alter the control of cumulative
      precipitation over litter decomposition.
AB  - Macroclimate has traditionally been considered the predominant driver of litter
      decomposition. However, in drylands, cumulative monthly or annual precipitation
      typically fails to predict decomposition. In these systems, the windows of
      opportunity for decomposer activity may rather depend on the precipitation
      frequency and local factors affecting litter desiccation, such as soil-litter
      mixing. We used a full-factorial microcosm experiment to disentangle the relative
      importance of cumulative precipitation, pulse frequency, and soil-litter mixing
      on litter decomposition. Decomposition, measured as litter carbon loss, saturated
      with increasing cumulative precipitation when pulses were large and infrequent,
      suggesting that litter moisture no longer increased and/or microbial activity was
      no longer limited by water availability above a certain pulse size. More frequent
      precipitation pulses led to increased decomposition at high levels of cumulative
      precipitation. Soil-litter mixing consistently increased decomposition, with
      greatest relative increase (+194%) under the driest conditions. Collectively, our
      results highlight the need to consider precipitation at finer temporal scale and
      incorporate soil-litter mixing as key driver of decomposition in drylands.

PMID- 28628199
TI  - Measuring Cancer Drug Sensitivity and Resistance in Cultured Cells.
AB  - Measuring the potencies of small-molecule drugs in cell lines is a critical
      aspect of preclinical pharmacology. Such experiments are also prototypical of
      high-throughput experiments in multi-well plates. The procedure is simple in
      principle, but many unrecognized factors can affect the results, potentially
      making data unreliable. The procedures for measuring drug response described here
      were developed by the NIH LINCS program to improve reproducibility. Key features
      include maximizing uniform cell growth during the assay period, accounting for
      the effects of cell density on response, and correcting sensitivity measures for
      differences in proliferation rates. Two related protocols are described: one
      involves an endpoint measure well-suited to large-scale studies and the second is
      a time-dependent measurement that reveals changes in response over time. The
      methods can be adapted to other types of plate-based experiments. (c) 2017 by
      John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628200
TI  - Local Generation and Imaging of Hydrogen Peroxide in Living Cells.
AB  - Described here is a localized H2 O2 generation-detection system consisting of a
      yeast D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) and two spectrally distinct variants of
      biosensor, HyPer2 and HyPerRed based on circularly permutated yellow and red
      fluorescent proteins, respectively, which enables spatiotemporal production and
      examination of the intracellular H2 O2 dynamics. The protocol describes using
      this system in a simple cell culture model. We provide detailed instructions on
      imaging of H2 O2 generated by the activated DAAO. The system can be easily
      optimized for various combinations of cell types, conditions and DAAO/sensor
      subcellular localizations. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628202
TI  - Paper-based Invasion Assays for Quantifying Cellular Movement in Three
      dimensional Tissue-like Structures.
AB  - To elucidate the chemical and environmental conditions that promote invasion of
      cancer cells, an assay is needed in which the chemical landscape of a tumor-like
      environment can be experimentally manipulated and probed. The three-dimensional
      paper-based invasion assays described here simulate poorly vascularized tissue
      and allow the invasion of cancerous cells to be visualized and quantified. These
      cultures are easy to assemble and allow multiple invasion assays to be performed
      in parallel. By using different materials to control gradients formed across the
      culture, the chemotactic potential of small molecules can be evaluated in a more
      representative tissue microenvironment. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628201
TI  - Designing Drug-Response Experiments and Quantifying their Results.
AB  - We developed a Python package to help in performing drug-response experiments at
      medium and high throughput and evaluating sensitivity metrics from the resulting
      data. In this article, we describe the steps involved in (1) generating files
      necessary for treating cells with the HP D300 drug dispenser, by pin transfer or
      by manual pipetting; (2) merging the data generated by high-throughput slide
      scanners, such as the Perkin Elmer Operetta, with treatment annotations; and (3)
      analyzing the results to obtain data normalized to untreated controls and
      sensitivity metrics such as IC50 or GR50 . These modules are available on GitHub
      and provide an automated pipeline for the design and analysis of high-throughput
      drug response experiments, that helps to prevent errors that can arise from
      manually processing large data files. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628203
TI  - Photoactivated In Vivo Proximity Labeling.
AB  - Identification of molecular interactions is paramount to understanding how cells
      function. Most available technologies rely on co-purification of a protein of
      interest and its binding partners. Therefore, they are limited in their ability
      to detect low-affinity interactions and cannot be applied to proteins that
      localize to difficult-to-solubilize cellular compartments. In vivo proximity
      labeling (IPL) overcomes these obstacles by covalently tagging proteins and RNAs
      based on their proximity in vivo to a protein of interest. In IPL, a
      heterobifunctional probe comprising a photoactivatable moiety and biotin is
      recruited by a monomeric streptavidin tag fused to a protein of interest.
      Following UV irradiation, candidate interacting proteins and RNAs are covalently
      biotinylated with tight spatial and temporal control and subsequently recovered
      using biotin as an affinity handle. Here, we describe experimental protocols to
      discover novel protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions using IPL. (c) 2017
      by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628204
TI  - A High-Throughput Process for the Solid-Phase Purification of Synthetic DNA
      Sequences.
AB  - An efficient process for the purification of synthetic phosphorothioate and
      native DNA sequences is presented. The process is based on the use of an
      aminopropylated silica gel support functionalized with aminooxyalkyl functions to
      enable capture of DNA sequences through an oximation reaction with the keto
      function of a linker conjugated to the 5'-terminus of DNA sequences.
      Deoxyribonucleoside phosphoramidites carrying this linker, as a 5'-hydroxyl
      protecting group, have been synthesized for incorporation into DNA sequences
      during the last coupling step of a standard solid-phase synthesis protocol
      executed on a controlled pore glass (CPG) support. Solid-phase capture of the
      nucleobase- and phosphate-deprotected DNA sequences released from the CPG support
      is demonstrated to proceed near quantitatively. Shorter than full-length DNA
      sequences are first washed away from the capture support; the solid-phase
      purified DNA sequences are then released from this support upon reaction with
      tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride in dry dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and precipitated
      in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The purity of solid-phase-purified DNA sequences
      exceeds 98%. The simulated high-throughput and scalability features of the solid
      phase purification process are demonstrated without sacrificing purity of the DNA
      sequences. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628205
TI  - Stereoselective Synthesis of 4'-Selenonucleosides via the Seleno-Michael
      Reaction.
AB  - 5'-Homo-4'-selenonucleosides, a class of next-generation nucleosides, are
      synthesized from D-ribose via a 4-selenosugar intermediate. The key step in
      synthesizing this intermediate is a seleno-Michael reaction. 5'-Homo-4'
      selenouridine and -adenosine are prepared using Pummerer-type and Vorbruggen
      condensation, respectively. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628206
TI  - Water-Medium Synthesis of Nucleoside 5'-Polyphosphates.
AB  - This unit describes a one-pot, two step synthesis of ribonucleoside 5'-di- and 5'
      triphosphates, as well as their purification. The first step of the synthesis
      involves the activation of an unprotected ribonucleoside 5'-monophosphate with 2
      chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolinium hexafluorophosphate and imidazole, in a mixture
      of water/acetonitrile. The resulting phosphorimidazolate intermediate is then
      treated with inorganic phosphate or pyrophosphate to afford the corresponding
      nucleoside 5'-di- or 5'-triphosphates. The attractive features of this strategy
      include the absence of protecting groups on the starting material and convenient
      set up (i.e., use of water, non-dry solvents and reagents, commercially available
      sodium salts). (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628207
TI  - Engineered Polymerases with Altered Substrate Specificity: Expression and
      Purification.
AB  - Polymerase engineering is making it possible to synthesize xeno-nucleic acid
      polymers (XNAs) with diverse backbone structures and chemical functionality. The
      ability to copy genetic information back and forth between DNA and XNA has led to
      a new field of science known as synthetic genetics, which aims to study the
      genetic concepts of heredity and evolution in artificial genetic polymers. Since
      many of the polymerases needed to synthesize XNA polymers are not available
      commercially, researchers must express and purify these enzymes as recombinant
      proteins from E. coli. This unit details the steps needed to express, purify, and
      evaluate the activity of engineered polymerases with altered substrate
      recognition properties. The protocol requires 6 days to complete and will produce
      ~20 mg of pure, nuclease-free polymerase per liter of E. coli bacterial culture.
      (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628208
TI  - Carbocyclic C-C Bond Formation: Intramolecular Radical Ring Closure to Yield
      Diastereomerically Pure (7'S-Me- or 7'R-Me-) Carba-LNA Nucleotide Analogs.
AB  - In light of the impressive gene-silencing properties of carba-LNA modified oligo
      DNA and RNA, both in antisense RNA and siRNA approaches, which have been
      confirmed as proof-of-concept for biochemical applications in post
      transcriptional gene silencing, we envision the true potential of carba-LNA
      modifications to be revealed soon. Herein we provide detailed protocols for
      synthesis of carba-LNA-A, -G, -5-Me C, and -T nucleosides on a medium/large scale
      (gram scale), as well as important guidelines for incorporation of these modified
      carba-LNAs into DNA or RNA oligonucleotides. Creation of a stereoselective C-C
      bond during the 5-exo radical intramolecular cyclization involves trapping of a
      C2' radical intermediate intramolecularly by the vicinal double bond of a C4'
      tethered ?CH2 -CH?CH2 group. All diastereomers of substituted carba-LNAs are now
      available in pure form. The present procedure allows carba-LNA to be
      commercialized for medicinal or biotechnological purposes. (c) 2017 by John Wiley
      & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628209
TI  - Nucleobase Protection of Deoxyribo- and Ribonucleosides.
AB  - Oligonucleotides carrying a variety of chemical modifications including
      conjugates are finding increasing applications in therapeutics, diagnostics,
      functional genomics, proteomics, and as research tools in chemical and molecular
      biology. The successful synthesis of oligonucleotides primarily depends on the
      use of appropriately protected nucleoside building blocks including the exocyclic
      amino groups of the nucleobases, the hydroxyl groups at the 2'-, 3'-, and 5'
      positions of the sugar moieties, and the internucleotide phospho-linkage. This
      unit is a thoroughly revised update of the previously published version and
      describes the recent development of various protecting groups that facilitate
      reliable oligonucleotide synthesis. In addition, various protecting groups for
      the imide/lactam function of thymine/uracil and guanine, respectively, are
      described to prevent irreversible nucleobase modifications that may occur in the
      presence of reagents used in oligonucleotide synthesis. (c) 2017 by John Wiley &
      Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628210
TI  - Synthesis of Oligodeoxynucleotides Containing a C8-2'-Deoxyguanosine Adduct
      Formed by the Carcinogen 3-Nitrobenzanthrone.
AB  - This unit describes the detailed procedure in five parts for the synthesis of the
      C8-2'-deoxyguanosine-3-aminobenzanthrone adduct located in a desired site in an
      oligonucleotide. The synthesis of the protected 2'-deoxyguanosine, O6 -benzyl-N2 
      DMTr-3'-5'-bisTBDMS-C8-Br-2'-deoxyguanosine, is described in the first part. The
      synthesis of the reduced carcinogen 3-aminobenzanthrone is detailed in part two.
      The third part outlines the key step of the adduct formation between the reduced
      carcinogen and the protected nucleoside by a palladium-catalyzed cross coupling
      reaction. The final two parts describe phosphoramidite synthesis from the
      nucleoside-carcinogen adduct followed by its site-specific incorporation into DNA
      by solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The adducted oligonucleotides are
      purified by reversed-phase HPLC and characterized by mass spectrometry. (c) 2017
      by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628211
TI  - Germination phenology determines the propensity for facilitation and competition.
AB  - A single plant can interact both positively and negatively with its neighbors
      through the processes of facilitation and competition, respectively. Much of the
      variation in the balance of facilitation and competition that individuals
      experience can be explained by the degree of physical stress and the sizes or
      ages of plants during the interaction. Germination phenology partly controls both
      of these factors, but its role in defining the facilitation-competition balance
      has not been explicitly considered. I performed an experiment in a population of
      the winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) to test whether germinating
      during physically stressful periods leads to facilitation while germinating
      during periods that promote growth and reproduction leads to competition. I
      manipulated germination and neighbor presence across two years in order to
      quantify the effects of the local plant community on survival, fecundity, and
      total fitness as a function of germination phenology. Neighbors increased
      survival when germination occurred under conditions that were unsuitable for
      survival, but they reduced fecundity in germinants that were otherwise the most
      fecund. Later germination was associated with facilitation in the first year but
      competition in the second year. These episodes of facilitation and competition
      opposed each other, leading to no net effect of neighbors when averaged over all
      cohorts. These results indicate that variation in germination timing can explain
      some of the variation in the facilitation-competition balance in plant
      communities.

PMID- 28628212
TI  - Disturbance-mediated facilitation by an intertidal ecosystem engineer.
AB  - Ecosystem engineers facilitate communities by providing a structural habitat that
      reduces abiotic stress or predation pressure for associated species. However,
      disturbance may damage or move the engineer to a more stressful environment,
      possibly increasing the importance of facilitation for associated communities. In
      this study, we determined how disturbance to intertidal boulders (i.e., flipping)
      and the subsequent movement of a structural ecosystem engineer, the tube-forming
      serpulid worm Galeolaria caespitosa, from the bottom (natural state, low abiotic
      stress) to the top (disturbed state, high abiotic stress) surface of boulders
      influenced the importance of facilitation for intertidal communities across two
      intertidal zones. Theory predicts stronger relative facilitation should occur in
      the harsher environments of the top of boulders and the high intertidal zone. To
      test this prediction, we experimentally positioned boulders with the serpulids
      either face up or face down for 12 months in low and high zones in an intertidal
      boulder field. There were very different communities associated with the
      different boulders and serpulids had the strongest facilitative effects on the
      more stressful top surface of boulders with approximately double the species
      richness compared to boulders lacking serpulids. Moreover, within the serpulid
      matrix itself there was also approximately double the species richness (both
      zones) and abundance (high zone only) of small invertebrates on the top of
      boulders compared to the bottom. The high relative facilitation on the top of
      boulders reflected a large reduction in temperature by the serpulid matrix on
      that surface (up to 10 degrees C) highlighting a key role for modification of the
      abiotic environment in determining the community-wide facilitation. This study
      has demonstrated that disturbance and subsequent movement of an ecosystem
      engineer to a more stressful environment increased the importance of facilitation
      and allowed species to persist that would otherwise be unable to survive in that
      environment.

PMID- 28628213
TI  - Changes in kynurenine pathway metabolism in Parkinson patients with L-DOPA
      induced dyskinesia.
AB  - L-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) is the most effective drug in the
      symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease, but chronic use is associated with
      L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in more than half the patients after 10 years of
      treatment. L-DOPA treatment may affect tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine
      pathway. Altered levels of kynurenine metabolites can affect glutamatergic
      transmission and may play a role in the development of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia.
      In this study, we assessed kynurenine metabolites in plasma and cerebrospinal
      fluid of Parkinson's disease patients and controls. Parkinson patients (n = 26)
      were clinically assessed for severity of motor symptoms (UPDRS) and L-DOPA
      induced dyskinesia (UDysRS). Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid samples were
      collected after overnight fasting and 1-2 h after intake of L-DOPA or other anti
      Parkinson medication. Metabolites were analyzed in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid
      of controls (n = 14), Parkinson patients receiving no L-DOPA (n = 8), patients
      treated with L-DOPA without dyskinesia (n = 8), and patients with L-DOPA-induced
      dyskinesia (n = 10) using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We observed
      approximately fourfold increase in the 3-hydroxykynurenine/kynurenic acid ratio
      in plasma of Parkinson's patients with L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Anthranilic
      acid levels were decreased in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of this patient
      group. 5-Hydroxytryptophan levels were twofold increased in all L-DOPA-treated
      Parkinson's patients. We conclude that a higher 3-hydroxykynurenine/kynurenic
      acid ratio in plasma may serve as a biomarker for L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia.
      Longitudinal studies including larger patients cohorts are needed to verify
      whether the changes observed here may serve as a prognostic marker for L-DOPA
      induced dyskinesia.

PMID- 28628214
TI  - Unconventional role of voltage-gated proton channels (VSOP/Hv1) in regulation of
      microglial ROS production.
AB  - It has been established that voltage-gated proton channels (VSOP/Hv1), encoded by
      Hvcn1, support reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in phagocytic activities
      of neutrophils (El Chemaly et al. ) and antibody production in B lymphocytes
      (Capasso et al. ). VSOP/Hv1 is a potential therapeutic target for brain ischemia,
      since Hvcn1 deficiency reduces microglial ROS production and protects brain from
      neuronal damage (Wu et al. ). In the present study, we report that VSOP/Hv1 has
      paradoxical suppressive role in ROS production in microglia. Extracellular ROS
      production was lower in neutrophils of Hvcn1-/- mice than WT mice as reported. In
      contrast, it was drastically enhanced in isolated Hvcn1-/- microglia as compared
      with cells from WT mice. Actin dynamics was altered in Hvcn1-/- microglia and
      intracellular distribution of cytosolic NADPH oxidase subunit, p67, was changed.
      When expression levels of oxidative stress responsive antioxidant genes were
      compared between WT and Hvcn1-/- in cerebral cortex at different ages of animals,
      they were slightly decreased in Hvcn1-/- mice at younger stage (1 day, 5 days, 3
      weeks old), but drastically increased at aged stage (6 months old), suggesting
      that the regulation of microglial ROS production by VSOP/Hv1 is age-dependent. We
      also performed brain ischemic stroke experiments and found that the
      neuroprotective effect of VSOP/Hv1deficiency on infarct volume depended on the
      age of animals. Taken together, regulation of ROS production by VSOP/Hv1 is more
      complex than previously thought and significance of VSOP/Hv1 in microglial ROS
      production depends on age.

PMID- 28628215
TI  - Monitoring Pathogen-Induced Sickness in Mice and Rats.
AB  - Sickness behavior monitoring, a technique for examining the development of
      sickness symptomatology following infection, is necessary in experiments studying
      neurochemical and physiological changes associated with pathogen-induced immune
      activation. However, the results of sickness behavior monitoring are difficult to
      reconcile due to inconsistencies in protocol methods and rater bias. The protocol
      described herein offers a non-invasive and unbiased approach to assess the
      progression of pathogen-induced sickness behaviors. This simple, straightforward
      method uses a five-point scale to assess animals for the presence of four
      sickness behaviors (i.e., '"0" = no sickness behaviors; "4" = four sickness
      behaviors) at various time points following exposure to a pathogen. This approach
      removes the ambiguity and bias inherent to other methods of sickness behavior
      monitoring that rely on subjective ratings of severity for individual symptoms.
      This protocol has been successfully applied to male and female rodents injected
      intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharide and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid,
      and has been effective in pubertal and adult populations. Protocols for changes
      in body temperature and weight are also provided as physiological markers of
      sickness. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628216
TI  - A Fast, Easy, and Customizable Eight-Color Flow Cytometric Method for Analysis of
      the Cellular Content of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in the Mouse.
AB  - The cell composition of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) is an important
      indicator of airway inflammation. It is commonly determined by cytocentrifuging
      leukocytes on slides, then staining, identifying, and counting them as
      eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, or lymphocytes according to morphological
      criteria under light microscopy, where it is not always easy to distinguish
      macrophages from lymphocytes. We describe here a one-step, easy-to-use, and easy
      to-customize 8-color flow cytometric method for performing differential cell
      count and comparing it to morphological counts on stained cytospins. This method
      identifies BAL cells by a simultaneous one-step immunolabeling procedure using
      antibodies to identify T cells, B cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and
      macrophages. Morphological analysis of flow-sorted cell subsets is used to
      validate this protocol. An important advantage of this basic flow cytometry
      protocol is the ability to customize it by the addition of antibodies to study
      receptor expression at leukocyte cell surfaces and identify subclasses of
      inflammatory cells as needed. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628217
TI  - Mouse Model of Burn Wound and Infection: Thermal (Hot Air) Lesion-Induced
      Immunosuppression.
AB  - The immunosuppression induced by thermal injury renders the burned victim
      susceptible to infection. A mouse model was developed to examine the
      immunosuppression, which was possible to induce even at a minor thermal insult of
      6% total body surface area. After induction of the burn (48 hr) a depression of
      leukocytes in the peripheral blood was found of the burned mice. This depression
      was due to a reduction in the polymorphonuclear cells. The burned mice were not
      able to clear a Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infection, since the infection
      spread to the blood as compared to mice only infected with P. aeruginosa
      subcutaneously. The burn model offers an opportunity to study infections under
      these conditions. The present model can also be used to examine new antibiotics
      and immune therapy. Our animal model resembling the clinical situation is useful
      in developing new treatments of burn wound victims. (c) 2017 by John Wiley &
      Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628218
TI  - Microbiota Analysis Using an Illumina MiSeq Platform to Sequence 16S rRNA Genes.
AB  - The microbiota have been shown to play an important role in diverse biological
      processes including immunity, metabolism, and digestion. Assessing the exact
      composition of the microbiota has proven challenging due to the often unknown
      growth specificities of its members, and culture-based approaches typically fail
      to capture the complete diversity of microorganisms present. Next Generation
      Sequencing (NGS) methods provide an efficient means to gather information about
      cultured and uncultured members of the microbiota. This article provides a method
      to characterize bacterial communities in terms of species composition using high
      throughput sequencing. Briefly, by extracting the entire DNA content of a
      microbiota sample and performing a targeted high-throughput sequencing of the 16S
      rRNA gene, a phylogenetic marker for prokaryotes, prediction of the composition
      of the entire bacterial community is made possible. (c) 2017 by John Wiley &
      Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628219
TI  - Application of SWATH Proteomics to Mouse Biology.
AB  - The quantitative measurement of the proteome has been shown to yield new insights
      into physiology and cell biology that cannot be determined from the genome and
      transcriptome because the quantitative relationship between transcriptome and
      proteome is complex. MS-based proteomics techniques, such as SWATH-MS, have
      recently advanced to the point at which they may be reliably applied by
      biologists who are not specialists in mass spectrometry. Here we provide standard
      protocols for preparation of tissue samples for input into the SWATH-MS
      analytical pipeline. These protocols are designed for high-throughput processing
      of tissues with >=5 mg of sample available for analysis. Studies with extremely
      limited amounts of tissue should consider PCT-SWATH. An experienced single user
      should be able to process 48 samples per day for injection into the mass
      spectrometer, or up to 144 samples a week. The machine time necessary for running
      these samples with SWATH is approximately 1.5 hr per sample. Data acquisition
      protocols are also provided. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28628220
TI  - Importance of endothelial dysfunction biomarkers in patients with Crimean-Congo
      hemorrhagic fever.
AB  - The pathogenesis of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and the cause of
      the hemorrhage are not yet fully understood. However, the endothelium plays a key
      role in the pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate
      endothelial dysfunction markers (asymmetrical dimethyl arginine [ADMA],
      endothelin 1[ET-1], thrombomodulin [TM], von Willebrand factor [vWf], and
      intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM-1]) in serum in patients with CCHF and
      their associations with hemorrhage. Seventy-three patients with CCHF were
      included in the study. All patients' endothelial dysfunction markers were studied
      using routine biochemical and hematological tests. The data obtained were then
      subjected to statistical analysis. Statistically significant differences were
      determined between the patients and healthy control groups at time of
      presentation to hospital in terms of ADMA (P < 0.001), ET-1 (P < 0.001), TM (P =
      0.039), vWf (P < 0.001), and ICAM-1 (P < 0.001) levels. Only the differences in
      TM and vWf were significant between the hemorrhagic and non-hemorrhagic groups (P
      < 0.05). Both serum ADMA and TM levels were significantly higher in the
      hemorrhage and non-hemorrhage CCHF groups on the 5th day compared to the 1st day
      (P < 0.05). Levels of endothelial dysfunction markers in CCHF vary in proportion
      to the damage occurring in the endothelium. ADMA and TM levels were lower in
      periods with mild endothelial injury. They were increased in line with severity
      endothelial injury. They may be an early marker in showing hemorrhage. Elevation
      in ADMA levels and low nitric oxide levels lead to endothelial injury and
      hemorrhage. Soluble TM that entered the circulation in line with the increased
      endothelial injury in hemorrhagic patients has been compromised the coagulation
      cascade.

PMID- 28628221
TI  - Influence of radiofrequency-electromagnetic waves from 3rd-generation cellular
      phones on fertilization and embryo development in mice.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 3rd-generation (3G)
      cellular phone radiofrequency-electromagnetic wave (RF-EMW) exposure on
      fertilization and embryogenesis in mice. Oocytes and spermatozoa were exposed to
      3G cellular phone RF-EMWs, 1.95 GHz wideband code division multiple access, at a
      specific absorption rate of 2 mW/g for 60 min, or to sham exposure. After RF-EMW
      exposure, in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection were
      performed. Rates of fertilization, embryogenesis (8-cell embryo, blastocyst), and
      chromosome aberration were compared between the combined spermatozoa and oocyte
      groups: both exposed, both non-exposed, one exposed, and the other non-exposed.
      Rates of fertilization, embryogenesis, and blastocyst formation did not change
      significantly across the four groups. Considering that the degree of exposure in
      the present study was >=100 times greater than daily exposure of human
      spermatozoa and even greater than daily exposure of oocytes, the present results
      indicate safety of RF-EMW exposure in humans. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:466-473,
      2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28628222
TI  - The value of electrocardiography in prognosticating clinical deterioration and
      mortality in acute pulmonary embolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - The role of electrocardiography (ECG) in prognosticating pulmonary embolism (PE)
      is increasingly recognized. ECG is quickly interpretable, noninvasive,
      inexpensive, and available in remote areas. We hypothesized that ECG can provide
      useful information about PE prognostication. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google
      Scholar, Web of Science, abstracts, conference proceedings, and reference lists
      through February 2017. Eligible studies used ECG to prognosticate for the main
      outcomes of death and clinical deterioration or escalation of therapy. Two
      authors independently selected studies; disagreement was resolved by consensus.
      Ad hoc piloted forms were used to extract data and assess risk of bias. We used a
      random-effects model to pool relevant data in meta-analysis with odds ratios
      (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs); all other data were synthesized
      qualitatively. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 value. We
      included 39 studies (9198 patients) in the systematic review. There was agreement
      in study selection (kappa: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.86-0.96). Most studies were
      retrospective; some did not appropriately control for confounders. ECG signs that
      were good predictors of a negative outcome included S1Q3T3 (OR: 3.38, 95% CI:
      2.46-4.66, P < 0.001), complete right bundle branch block (OR: 3.90, 95% CI: 2.46
      6.20, P < 0.001), T-wave inversion (OR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.19-2.21, P = 0.002),
      right axis deviation (OR: 3.24, 95% CI: 1.86-5.64, P < 0.001), and atrial
      fibrillation (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.45-2.67, P < 0.001) for in-hospital mortality.
      Several ischemic patterns also were significantly predictive. Our conclusion is
      that ECG is potentially valuable in prognostication of acute PE.

PMID- 28628223
TI  - Unsuccessful treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      endocarditis with dalbavancin.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Limited evidence describes dalbavancin use in
      infective endocarditis (IE). CASE DESCRIPTION: A 27-year-old pregnant female
      received 4 weeks of dalbavancin for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      (MRSA) bacteraemia and tricuspid valve IE after conventional therapy was no
      longer an option due to non-compliance. Despite having a smaller cardiac
      vegetation following dalbavancin, she was bacteraemic <2 weeks later with
      vancomycin-intermediate (VISA) and telavancin-non-susceptible S. aureus. WHAT IS
      NEW AND CONCLUSION: This is the first report of unsuccessful IE treatment with
      dalbavancin. Blood cultures grew VISA and lipoglycopeptide-non-susceptible S.
      aureus <2 weeks following dalbavancin. Both outcomes raise concerns about using
      dalbavancin for IE.

PMID- 28628224
TI  - Human exposure to power frequency magnetic fields up to 7.6 mT: An integrated
      EEG/fMRI study.
AB  - We assessed the effects of power-line frequency (60 Hz in North America) magnetic
      fields (MF) in humans using simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and
      functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-five participants were
      enrolled in a pseudo-double-blind experiment involving "real" or "sham" exposure
      to sinusoidal 60 Hz MF exposures delivered using the gradient coil of an MRI
      scanner following two conditions: (i) 10 s exposures at 3 mT (10 repetitions);
      (ii) 2 s exposures at 7.6 mT (100 repetitions). Occipital EEG spectral power was
      computed in the alpha range (8-12 Hz, reportedly the most sensitive to MF
      exposure in the literature) with/without exposure. Brain functional activation
      was studied using fMRI blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD, inversely correlated
      with EEG alpha power) maps. No significant effects were detected on occipital EEG
      alpha power during or post-exposure for any exposure condition. Consistent with
      EEG results, no effects were observed on fMRI BOLD maps in any brain region. Our
      results suggest that acute exposure (2-10 s) to 60 Hz MF from 3 to 7.6 mT (30,000
      to 76,000 times higher than average public exposure levels for 60 Hz MF) does not
      induce detectable changes in EEG or BOLD signals. Combined with previous findings
      in which effects were observed on the BOLD signal after 1 h exposure to 3 mT, 60
      Hz MF, this suggests that MF exposure in the low mT range (<10 mT) might require
      prolonged durations of exposure to induce detectable effects.
      Bioelectromagnetics. 38:425-435, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28628225
TI  - Utilization of the Bridging Strategy for the Development of New Drugs in Oncology
      to Avoid Drug Lag.
AB  - Global trial (GT) strategy and bridging (BG) strategy are currently the main
      clinical development strategies of oncology drugs in Japan, but the relationship
      between development style and drug lag and how the bridging strategy has
      contributed to the solution of drug lag have not been clear. We investigated the
      potential factors that influenced submission lag (SL), and also compared the
      differences in SL among early-initiation BG strategy, late-initiation BG
      strategy, and GT strategy. A stepwise linear regression analysis identified the
      potential factors that shorten SL: development start lag and development style.
      Comparison of the differences in SL among the strategies also indicated that the
      SL in the GT strategy and that in the early-initiation BG strategy were
      significantly shorter than that in the late-initiation BG strategy. The findings
      in our study suggest that the late-initiation BG strategy may not contribute to
      shortening drug lag. Because the number of late-initiation BG studies has not
      decreased, we propose first that pharmaceutical companies should initiate
      clinical development as early as possible in Japan so that they can choose the GT
      strategy as a first option at the next step, and second when they cannot choose
      the GT strategy after investigating differences in exposure between Japanese and
      non-Japanese in a phase 1 study, they should select the early BG strategy to
      avoid future drug lag. It is also important for the regulatory authorities to
      provide reasonable guidance to have a positive impact on strategic decisions,
      even for foreign-capital companies.

PMID- 28628226
TI  - The future of dream science.
AB  - This article describes the future prospects of scientific dream research. Three
      frontiers of investigation hold special promise: neuroscientific studies of the
      brain-mind system's activities during sleep (such as during lucid dreaming);
      systematic analyses of large collections of dream reports from diverse
      populations of people; and psychotherapeutic explorations of the multiple
      dimensions of personal and collective meaning woven into the dream experiences of
      each individual. Several helpful books on the science of sleep and dreaming are
      mentioned for further study.

PMID- 28628227
TI  - MicroRNA-mediated drug resistance in ovarian cancer.
AB  - The development of intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapeutic agents
      used in the treatment of various human cancers is a major obstacle for the
      successful abolishment of cancer. The accumulated efforts in the understanding
      the exact mechanisms of development of multidrug resistance (MDR) have led to the
      introduction of several unique and common mechanisms. Recent studies demonstrate
      the regulatory role of small noncoding RNA or miRNA in the several parts of
      cancer biology. Practically all aspects of cell physiology under normal and
      disease conditions are reported to be controlled by miRNAs. In this review, we
      discuss how the miRNA profile is changed upon MDR development and the pivotal
      regulatory role played by miRNAs in overcoming resistance to chemotherapeutic
      agents. It is hoped that further studies will support the use of these
      differentially expressed miRNAs as prognostic and predictive markers, as well as
      novel therapeutic targets to overcome resistance in ovarian cancer.

PMID- 28628229
TI  - Troxerutin with copper generates oxidative stress in cancer cells: Its possible
      chemotherapeutic mechanism against hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Troxerutin (TXER) a rutin derivative is known for its anticancer effect against
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). As part of large study, recently we have shown
      TXER interact with genetic material and its anti-mutagenic property. In the
      present study we have explored its possible mode of action in HCC. Since TXER
      alone did not show significant anticancer effect on Huh-7 cells, in vitro
      biochemical assays were performed for determining anticancer efficacy of TXER +
      metal complex using transition metals such as Cu, Zn, and Fe. The anticancer
      efficacy of TXER + Cu on Huh-7 cells were evaluated using MTT assay, DCFDA, JC-1
      staining, comet assay, cell cycle analysis, immunocytochemistry, and Western
      blotting. Non-toxic nature of TXER was analyzed on primary rat hepatocytes. The
      in vivo efficacy of TXER was tested in N-nitrosodiethylamine initiated and gamma
      benzene hexachloride and partial hepatectomy promoted rat liver cancer. Liver
      markers, transition metal levels, histopathological examination, and expression
      levels of GST-P, 8-OHdG and Ki-67 were studied to assess the in vivo anticancer
      effect of TXER. We observed that TXER + Cu induced extensive cellular death on
      Huh-7 cells through generating free radicals and did not possess any toxic effect
      on normal hepatocytes. The in vivo studies revealed that TXER possess significant
      anti-cancer effect as assessed through improved liver markers and suppressed GST
      P, 8-OHdG, and Ki-67 expression. TXER treatment reduced the hepatic Cu level in
      cancer bearing animals. Current study brings the putative mechanism involved in
      anti-cancer effect of TXER, further it will help to formulate phytoconstituents
      coupled anti-cancer drug for effective treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28628228
TI  - Epigenetic mechanisms underlying NMDA receptor hypofunction in the prefrontal
      cortex of juvenile animals in the MAM model for schizophrenia.
AB  - Schizophrenia (SCZ) is characterized not only by psychosis, but also by working
      memory and executive functioning deficiencies, processes that rely on the
      prefrontal cortex (PFC). Because these cognitive impairments emerge prior to
      psychosis onset, we investigated synaptic function during development in the
      neurodevelopmental methylazoxymethanol (MAM) model for SCZ. Specifically, we
      hypothesize that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction is
      attributable to reductions in the NR2B subunit through aberrant epigenetic
      regulation of gene expression, resulting in deficient synaptic physiology and PFC
      dependent cognitive dysfunction, a hallmark of SCZ. Using western blot and whole
      cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, we found that the levels of synaptic NR2B
      protein are significantly decreased in juvenile MAM animals, and the function of
      NMDARs is substantially compromised. Both NMDA-mEPSCs and synaptic NMDA-eEPSCs
      are significantly reduced in prelimbic PFC (plPFC). This protein loss during the
      juvenile period is correlated with an aberrant increase in enrichment of the
      epigenetic transcriptional repressor RE1-silencing transcription factor (REST)
      and the repressive histone marker H3K27me3 at the Grin2b promoter, as assayed by
      ChIP-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Glutamate hypofunction has been a
      prominent hypothesis in the understanding of SCZ pathology; however, little
      attention has been given to the NMDAR system in the developing PFC in models for
      SCZ. Our work is the first to confirm that NMDAR hypofunction is a feature of
      early postnatal development, with epigenetic hyper-repression of the Grin2b
      promoter being a contributing factor. The selective loss of NR2B protein and
      subsequent synaptic dysfunction weakens plPFC function during development and may
      underlie early cognitive impairments in SCZ models and patients. Read the
      Editorial Highlight for this article on page 264.

PMID- 28628230
TI  - Thread-Like CMOS Logic Circuits Enabled by Reel-Processed Single-Walled Carbon
      Nanotube Transistors via Selective Doping.
AB  - The realization of large-area electronics with full integration of 1D thread-like
      devices may open up a new era for ultraflexible and human adaptable electronic
      systems because of their potential advantages in demonstrating scalable complex
      circuitry by a simply integrated weaving technology. More importantly, the thread
      like fiber electronic devices can be achieved using a simple reel-to-reel
      process, which is strongly required for low-cost and scalable manufacturing
      technology. Here, high-performance reel-processed complementary metal-oxide
      semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits are reported on 1D fiber substrates by
      using selectively chemical-doped single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)
      transistors. With the introduction of selective n-type doping and a nonrelief
      photochemical patterning process, p- and n-type SWCNT transistors are
      successfully implemented on cylindrical fiber substrates under air ambient,
      enabling high-performance and reliable thread-like CMOS inverter circuits. In
      addition, it is noteworthy that the optimized reel-coating process can facilitate
      improvement in the arrangement of SWCNTs, building uniformly well-aligned SWCNT
      channels, and enhancement of the electrical performance of the devices. The p-
      and n-type SWCNT transistors exhibit field-effect mobility of 4.03 and 2.15 cm2 V
      1 s-1 , respectively, with relatively narrow distribution. Moreover, the SWCNT
      CMOS inverter circuits demonstrate a gain of 6.76 and relatively good dynamic
      operation at a supply voltage of 5.0 V.

PMID- 28628231
TI  - Gene therapy decreases seizures in a model of Incontinentia pigmenti.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is a genetic disease leading to severe
      neurological symptoms, such as epileptic seizures, but no specific treatment is
      available. IP is caused by pathogenic variants that inactivate the Nemo gene.
      Replacing Nemo through gene therapy might provide therapeutic benefits. METHODS:
      In a mouse model of IP, we administered a single intravenous dose of the adeno
      associated virus (AAV) vector, AAV-BR1-CAG-NEMO, delivering the Nemo gene to the
      brain endothelium. Spontaneous epileptic seizures and the integrity of the blood
      brain barrier (BBB) were monitored. RESULTS: The endothelium-targeted gene
      therapy improved the integrity of the BBB. In parallel, it reduced the incidence
      of seizures and delayed their occurrence. Neonate mice intravenously injected
      with the AAV-BR1-CAG-NEMO vector developed no hepatocellular carcinoma or other
      major adverse effects 11 months after vector injection, demonstrating that the
      vector has a favorable safety profile. INTERPRETATION: The data show that the BBB
      is a target of antiepileptic treatment and, more specifically, provide evidence
      for the therapeutic benefit of a brain endothelial-targeted gene therapy in IP.
      Ann Neurol 2017;82:93-104.

PMID- 28628232
TI  - Sensory mapping of pelvic dermatomes in women with interstitial cystitis/bladder
      pain syndrome.
AB  - AIM: To describe a sensory map of pelvic dermatomes in women with Interstitial
      Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS). We hypothesized that if IC/BPS involves
      changes in central processing, then women with IC/BPS will exhibit sensory
      abnormalities in neurologic pelvic dermatomes. METHODS: Women with IC/BPS and
      healthy controls underwent neurologic examination that included evaluation of
      sharp pain sensitivity and vibration in dermatomes T12, L1, L2, S1-5. Peripheral
      nervous system sensitivity to pressure, vibration, and pinprick were scored using
      numeric rating scales (NRS). Bilateral comparisons were made with Wilcoxon signed
      rank test and comparisons between groups were made by the Mann-Whitney U-test.
      RESULTS: Total of 74 women with IC/BPS and 36 healthy counterparts were included.
      IC/BPS and control groups had similar age (43.0 +/- 14.1 and 38.6 +/- 15.3 years,
      P = 0.14) and BMI (28.9 +/- 8.0 kg/m2 and 26.9 +/- 8.4 kg/m2 , P = 0.24),
      respectively. Women with IC/BPS reported hyperalgesia (elevated bilateral NRS
      pain intensity) in all pelvic dermatomes compared to healthy controls. S4-S5
      region had the highest pain intensity in all participants. All IC/BPS
      participants exhibited vibration sensation hypoesthesia, at least unilaterally,
      in all of the pelvic dermatomes except L1 compared to healthy controls.
      CONCLUSION: This detailed map of neurologic pelvic dermatomes in women with
      IC/BPS found hyperalgesia in all pelvic dermatomes, and some evidence of
      vibration sensation hypoesthesia, compared to healthy controls. These findings
      support the hypothesis that IC/BPS may involve changes in central signal
      processing biased towards nociception.

PMID- 28628233
TI  - Spatial and temporal trends of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances in fish
      fillets and water collected from pool 2 of the Upper Mississippi River.
AB  - In 2011, poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were analyzed in surface
      water and fish fillet samples taken from Pool 2 of the Upper Mississippi River, a
      33-mile stretch inclusive of the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (USA)
      metropolitan area. Approximately 100 each of bluegill, freshwater drum,
      smallmouth bass, and white bass were sampled within the study area. Surface water
      samples were also collected from each of the 10 sampling reaches established for
      the study. Water and fillet samples were analyzed for perfluorinated carboxylic
      acids (C4-C12), perfluorinated sulfonic acids (C4, C6, and C8), and
      perfluorooctane sulfonamide. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was observed with
      the greatest frequency in fish fillets and ranged from 3.0 to 760 ng/g wet
      weight. Mean (geometric) PFOS concentrations in bluegill, freshwater drum,
      smallmouth bass, and white bass were 20, 28, 29, and 58 ng/g wet weight,
      respectively. When compared with fish data collected in 2009, a significant
      reduction (p < 0.05) in PFOS concentrations was noted. This finding was confirmed
      based on data from studies conducted in 2012 and 2013. Overall, between 2009 and
      2013, PFOS concentrations decreased by 65, 76, and 50% for bluegill, freshwater
      drum, and white bass, respectively (44% decrease for smallmouth bass from 2009 to
      2012). These declines in fish PFOS concentrations are consistent with ongoing
      efforts to effectively control sources of PFASs to the Mississippi River. Environ
      Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3138-3147. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28628234
TI  - Tumor-Targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R Promotes Tumoricidal CD8+ T Cell
      Tumor Infiltration and Arrests Growth and Metastasis in a Syngeneic Pancreatic
      Cancer Orthotopic Mouse Model.
AB  - The present study determined the effect of the tumor-targeting strain Salmonella
      typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R) on CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
      (TILs) in a syngeneic pancreatic-cancer orthotopic mouse model. The effect of
      tumor-targeting S. typhimurium A1-R on CD8+ TILs was determined on the Pan02
      murine pancreatic-adenocarcinoma implanted orthotopically in the pancreatic tail
      of C57BL/6 immunocompromised mice. Three weeks after orthotopic implantation,
      mice were randomized as follows G1: untreated control group (n = 8); and G2: S.
      typhimurium A1-R-treatment group (n = 8, 1 * 107 colony forming units [CFU]/body,
      iv, weekly, 3 weeks). On the 22nd day from initial treatment, all mice were
      sacrificed and tumors were harvested. The tumor-volume ratio was defined as ratio
      of tumor volume on the 22nd day relative to the 1st day. The tumor volume ratio
      was significantly lower in the S. typhimurium A1-R-treated group (G2) (3.0 +/-
      2.8) than the untreated control (G1) (39.9 +/- 30.7, P < 0.01). Hematoxylin and
      easin (H&E) staining on tumor sections was performed to evaluate tumor
      destruction which was classified according to the Evans grading system and found
      to be much greater in the S. typhimurium A1-R-treated mice (G2). Six mice in G1
      had peritoneal dissemination, whereas no mice showed peritoneal dissemination in
      G2 (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemical staining with anti-mouse CD8+ antibody was
      performed in order to detect TILs determined by calculating the average number of
      CD8+ cells in three high power fields (200*) in the treated and untreated tumors.
      The TIL score was significantly higher in G2 (133.5 +/- 32.2) than G1 (45.1 +/-
      19.4, P < 0.001). The present study demonstrates that S. typhimurium A1-R
      promotes CD8+ T cell infiltration and inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis.
      J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 634-639, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28628235
TI  - Expanded phenotypes and outcomes among 256 LGI1/CASPR2-IgG-positive patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe an expanded phenotypic spectrum and longitudinal outcome
      in 256 LGI1-IgG-seropositive and/or CASPR2-IgG-seropositive patients. METHODS:
      Patients were identified through service neural autoantibody evaluation. Ninety
      five had longitudinal follow-up (7-456 months; median = 35). RESULTS: Among 3,910
      patients tested, 196 were LGI1-IgG positive, 51 were CASPR2-IgG positive, and 9
      were dual positive. Cerebrospinal fluid testing was less sensitive than serum
      testing, detecting only 24 of 38 (63%) LGI1-IgG-positive and 5 of 6 (83%) CASPR2
      IgG-positive patients. LGI1-IgG-positive specimens had higher voltage-gated
      potassium channel-IgG immunoprecipitation values (0.33nmol/l, range = 0.02-5.14)
      than CASPR2-IgG-positive specimens (0.10nmol/l, range = 0.00-0.45, p < 0.001). Of
      patients presenting with pain or peripheral nervous system (PNS) manifestations,
      39% were LGI1-IgG seropositive (7% had solely neuropathy or pain). Multivariate
      analysis identified age as the only significant predictor of central nervous
      system (CNS) versus PNS involvement (>50 years; odds ratio = 15, p < 0.001).
      Paroxysmal dizziness spells (PDS), a unique LGI1-IgG accompaniment (14% of
      patients), frequently delayed the diagnosis. T2-mesiotemporal hyperintensity was
      more common in LGI1-IgG-positive (41%) than in CASPR2-IgG-positive patients (p =
      0.033). T1-bright basal ganglia were confined to LGI1-IgG-positive patients with
      faciobrachial-dystonic seizures (9 of 39, 31%). Cancer was found in 44% of LGI1
      IgG/CASPR2-IgG dual seropositive patients (one-third thymoma). Response to
      initial immunotherapy was favorable in 97%; mean modified Rankin score was 3
      (range = 1-5) at onset and 1.74 (range = 0-6) at last follow-up, with 9% having
      severe refractory disability, 20% being asymptomatic, 28% receiving
      immunotherapy, and 58% receiving antiepileptic medication. INTERPRETATION: Older
      age is a strong predictor of CNS involvement in patients seropositive for CASPR2
      IgG or LGI1-IgG. Pain, peripheral manifestations, and stereotypic paroxysmal
      dizziness spells are common with LGI1-IgG. Response to initial immunotherapy is
      often favorable, but some patients remain severely disabled, requiring long-term
      immunotherapy and/or antiepileptic medications. Ann Neurol 2017;82:79-92.

PMID- 28628236
TI  - Blastomyces dermatitidis peritonitis complicating peritoneal dialysis.
AB  - Fungal peritonitis is an uncommon complication in peritoneal dialysis patients.
      We report a case of blastomyces dermatitis peritonitis in a nonimmunocompromised
      peritoneal dialysis patient, who initially presented with symptoms of lower
      extremity weakness and altered mental status. Peritoneal blastomycosis is rare
      condition and not previously reported in end stage renal disease patients on
      peritoneal dialysis. Fungal peritonitis can present with subtle clinical findings
      so a high index of suspicion is needed as early detection and treatment may
      decrease mortality and morbidity.

PMID- 28628237
TI  - Wing phosphorylation is a major functional determinant of the Lrs14-type biofilm
      and motility regulator AbfR1 in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.
AB  - In response to a variety of environmental cues, prokaryotes can switch between a
      motile and a sessile, biofilm-forming mode of growth. The regulatory mechanisms
      and signaling pathways underlying this switch are largely unknown in archaea but
      involve small winged helix-turn-helix DNA-binding proteins of the archaea
      specific Lrs14 family. Here, we study the Lrs14 member AbfR1 of Sulfolobus
      acidocaldarius. Small-angle X-ray scattering data are presented, which are
      consistent with a model of dimeric AbfR1 in which dimerization occurs via an
      antiparallel coiled coil as suggested by homology modeling. Furthermore, solution
      structure data of AbfR1-DNA complexes suggest that upon binding DNA, AbfR1
      induces deformations in the DNA. The wing residues tyrosine 84 and serine 87,
      which are phosphorylated in vivo, are crucial to establish stable protein-DNA
      contacts and their substitution with a negatively charged glutamate or aspartate
      residue inhibits formation of a nucleoprotein complex. Furthermore, mutation
      abrogates the cellular abundance and transcription regulatory function of AbfR1
      and thus affects the resulting biofilm and motility phenotype of S.
      acidocaldarius. This work establishes a novel wHTH DNA-binding mode for Lrs14
      like proteins and hints at an important role for protein phosphorylation as a
      signal transduction mechanism for the control of biofilm formation and motility
      in archaea.

PMID- 28628238
TI  - A genome-wide association study of 23 agronomic traits in Chinese wheat
      landraces.
AB  - Uncovering the genetic basis of agronomic traits in wheat landraces is important
      for ensuring global food security via the development of improved varieties.
      Here, 723 wheat landraces from 10 Chinese agro-ecological zones were evaluated
      for 23 agronomic traits in six environments. All accessions could be clustered
      into five subgroups based on phenotypic data via discriminant function analysis,
      which was highly consistent with genotypic classification. A genome-wide
      association study was conducted for these traits using 52 303 DArT-seq markers to
      identify marker-trait associations and candidate genes. Using both the general
      linear model and the mixed linear model, 149 significant markers were identified
      for 21 agronomic traits based on best linear unbiased prediction values.
      Considering the linkage disequilibrium decay distance in this study, significant
      markers within 10 cM were combined as a quantitative trait locus (QTL), with a
      total of 29 QTL identified for 15 traits. Of these, five QTL for heading date,
      flag leaf width, peduncle length, and thousand kernel weight had been reported
      previously. Twenty-five candidate genes associated with significant markers were
      identified. These included the known vernalization genes VRN-B1 and vrn-B3 and
      the photoperiod response genes Ppd and PRR. Overall, this study should be helpful
      in elucidating the underlying genetic mechanisms of complex agronomic traits and
      performing marker-assisted selection in wheat.

PMID- 28628239
TI  - Recent Progress on Advanced Materials for Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells Operating Below
      500  degrees C.
AB  - Solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are electricity generators that can convert the
      chemical energy in various fuels directly to the electric power with high
      efficiency. Recent advances in materials and related key components for SOFCs
      operating at ~500  degrees C are summarized here, with a focus on the materials,
      structures, and techniques development for low-temperature SOFCs, including the
      analysis of most of the critical parameters affecting the electrochemical
      performance of the electrolyte, anode, and cathode. New strategies, such as thin
      film deposition, exsolution of nanoparticles from perovskites, microwave plasma
      heating, and finger-like channeled electrodes, are discussed. These recent
      developments highlight the need for electrodes with higher activity and
      electrolytes with greater conductivity to generate a high electrochemical
      performance at lower temperatures.

PMID- 28628240
TI  - Comparative transcriptome analysis of nodules of two Mesorhizobium-chickpea
      associations with differential symbiotic efficiency under phosphate deficiency.
AB  - Phosphate (Pi) deficiency is known to be a major limitation for symbiotic
      nitrogen fixation (SNF), and hence legume crop productivity globally. However,
      very little information is available on the adaptive mechanisms, particularly in
      the important legume crop chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), which enable nodules to
      respond to low-Pi availability. Thus, to elucidate these mechanisms in chickpea
      nodules at molecular level, we used an RNA sequencing approach to investigate
      transcriptomes of the nodules in Mesorhizobium mediterraneum SWRI9-(MmSWRI9)
      chickpea and M. ciceri CP-31-(McCP-31)-chickpea associations under Pi-sufficient
      and Pi-deficient conditions, of which the McCP-31-chickpea association has a
      better SNF capacity than the MmSWRI9-chickpea association during Pi starvation.
      Our investigation revealed that more genes showed altered expression patterns in
      MmSWRI9-induced nodules than in McCP-31-induced nodules (540 vs. 225) under Pi
      deficiency, suggesting that the Pi-starvation-more-sensitive MmSWRI9-induced
      nodules required expression change in a larger number of genes to cope with low
      Pi stress than the Pi-starvation-less-sensitive McCP-31-induced nodules. The
      functional classification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was examined
      to gain an understanding of how chickpea nodules respond to Pi starvation, caused
      by soil Pi deficiency. As a result, more DEGs involved in nodulation,
      detoxification, nutrient/ion transport, transcriptional factors, key metabolic
      pathways, Pi remobilization and signalling were found in Pi-starved MmSWRI9
      induced nodules than in Pi-starved McCP-31-induced nodules. Our findings have
      enabled the identification of molecular processes that play important roles in
      the acclimation of nodules to Pi deficiency, ultimately leading to the
      development of Pi-efficient chickpea symbiotic associations suitable for Pi
      deficient soils.

PMID- 28628241
TI  - Aberrant expression of CD10 and BCL6 in mantle cell lymphoma.
AB  - AIMS: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by distinctive histological and
      molecular features. Aberrant expression of BCL6 and CD10 has been reported
      occasionally, but the biological features of such cases are largely unknown. This
      study aimed to define the epidemiological, histological and cytogenetic
      characteristics of BCL6 and CD10-positive MCLs, also investigating possible
      biological features. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 165 cases of cyclin D1 and
      t(11;14)(q13;q34)-positive MCLs were studied for CD10 and BCL6
      immunohistochemical expression, which was documented in 26 of 165 (15.8%) cases
      (BCL6 17 of 165; CD10 11 of 165; BCL6 and CD10 co-expression two of 165). CD10
      positivity was significantly more frequent in females (63.3%; P < 0.01). Either
      expression correlated significantly with higher mean proliferation index and
      higher prevalence of MUM1 positivity (P < 0.05). Fluorescence in-situ
      hybridization (FISH) for BCL6 (3q27) gene derangements was performed on the BCL6-
      and CD10-positive cases and 98 matched controls: amplifications were documented
      more frequently in BCL6-positive than -negative cases (50.0% versus 19.4% of
      cases) (P < 0.05). The mutational status of the variable immunoglobulin heavy
      chain genes (IGVH) was investigated by Sanger sequencing: five of the six
      successfully tested cases (83.3%) showed no somatic hypermutations. CONCLUSIONS:
      Aberrant CD10 and BCL6 expression defines a subset of MCLs with higher mean Ki-67
      index and higher prevalence of MUM1 expression. BCL6 protein positivity
      correlates with cytogenetic aberrations involving the BCL6 gene. Although
      examined successfully in few cases, the high prevalence of unmutated IGVH genes
      also points at a pregerminal cell origin for these phenotypically aberrant cases.

PMID- 28628242
TI  - Lead-Free Antiferroelectric Silver Niobate Tantalate with High Energy Storage
      Performance.
AB  - Antiferroelectric materials that display double ferroelectric hysteresis loops
      are receiving increasing attention for their superior energy storage density
      compared to their ferroelectric counterparts. Despite the good properties
      obtained in antiferroelectric La-doped Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 -based ceramics, lead-free
      alternatives are highly desired due to the environmental concerns, and AgNbO3 has
      been highlighted as a ferrielectric/antiferroelectric perovskite for energy
      storage applications. Enhanced energy storage performance, with recoverable
      energy density of 4.2 J cm-3 and high thermal stability of the energy storage
      density (with minimal variation of <=+/-5%) over 20-120  degrees C, can be
      achieved in Ta-modified AgNbO3 ceramics. It is revealed that the incorporation of
      Ta to the Nb site can enhance the antiferroelectricity because of the reduced
      polarizability of B-site cations, which is confirmed by the polarization
      hysteresis, dielectric tunability, and selected-area electron diffraction
      measurements. Additionally, Ta addition in AgNbO3 leads to decreased grain size
      and increased bulk density, increasing the dielectric breakdown strength, up to
      240 kV cm-1 versus 175 kV cm-1 for the pure counterpart, together with the
      enhanced antiferroelectricity, accounting for the high energy storage density.

PMID- 28628243
TI  - Using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and toxicity identification
      techniques to characterize the toxicity of oil sands process-affected water: The
      case for classical naphthenic acids.
AB  - Previous assessments of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) toxicity were
      hampered by lack of high-resolution analytical analysis, use of nonstandard
      toxicity methods, and variability between OSPW samples. We integrated ultrahigh
      resolution mass spectrometry with a toxicity identification evaluation (TIE)
      approach to quantitatively identify the primary cause of acute toxicity of OSPW
      to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The initial characterization of OSPW
      toxicity indicated that toxicity was associated with nonpolar organic compounds,
      and toxicant(s) were further isolated within a range of discrete methanol
      fractions that were then subjected to Orbitrap mass spectrometry to evaluate the
      contribution of naphthenic acid fraction compounds to toxicity. The results
      showed that toxicity was attributable to classical naphthenic acids, with the
      potency of individual compounds increasing as a function of carbon number.
      Notably, the mass of classical naphthenic acids present in OSPW was dominated by
      carbon numbers <=16; however, toxicity was largely a function of classical
      naphthenic acids with >=17 carbons. Additional experiments found that acute
      toxicity of the organic fraction was similar when tested at conductivities of 400
      and 1800 MUmhos/cm and that rainbow trout fry were more sensitive to the organic
      fraction than larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Collectively, the
      results will aid in developing treatment goals and targets for removal of OSPW
      toxicity in water return scenarios both during operations and on mine closure.
      Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3148-3157. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28628245
TI  - Effects of resistance training using known vs unknown loads on eccentric-phase
      adaptations and concentric velocity.
AB  - The aims of this study were to compare both eccentric- and concentric-phase
      adaptations in highly trained handball players to 4 weeks of twice-weekly rebound
      bench press throw training with varying loads (30%, 50% and 70% of one-repetition
      maximum [1-RM]) using either known (KL) or unknown (UL) loads and to examine the
      relationship between changes in eccentric- and concentric-phase performance.
      Twenty-eight junior team handball players were divided into two experimental
      groups (KL or UL) and a control group. KL subjects were told the load prior each
      repetition, while UL were blinded. For each repetition, the load was dropped and
      then a rebound bench press at maximum velocity was immediately performed. Both
      concentric and eccentric velocity as well as eccentric kinetic energy and musculo
      articular stiffness prior to the eccentric-concentric transition were measured.
      Results showed similar increases in both eccentric velocity and kinetic energy
      under the 30% 1-RM but greater improvements under 50% and 70% 1-RM loads for UL
      than KL. UL increased stiffness under all loads (with greater magnitude of
      changes). KL improved concentric velocity only under the 30% 1-RM load while UL
      also improved under 50% and 70% 1-RM loads. Improvements in concentric movement
      velocity were moderately explained by changes in eccentric velocity (R2 =.23
      .62). Thus, UL led to greater improvements in concentric velocity, and the
      improvement is potentially explained by increases in the speed (as well as
      stiffness and kinetic energy) of the eccentric phase. Unknown load training
      appears to have significant practical use for the improvement of multijoint
      stretch-shortening cycle movements.

PMID- 28628244
TI  - Phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain: A biomarker of survival for C9ORF72
      associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - As potential treatments for C9ORF72-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
      (c9ALS) approach clinical trials, the identification of prognostic biomarkers for
      c9ALS becomes a priority. We show that levels of phosphorylated neurofilament
      heavy chain (pNFH) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) predict disease status and
      survival in c9ALS patients, and are largely stable over time. Moreover, c9ALS
      patients exhibit higher pNFH levels, more rapid disease progression, and shorter
      survival after disease onset than ALS patients without C9ORF72 expansions. These
      data support the use of CSF pNFH as a prognostic biomarker for clinical trials,
      which will increase the likelihood of successfully developing a treatment for
      c9ALS. Ann Neurol 2017;82:139-146.

PMID- 28628246
TI  - Heterogeneous Catalysis in Zeolites, Mesoporous Silica, and Metal-Organic
      Frameworks.
AB  - Crystalline porous materials are important in the development of catalytic
      systems with high scientific and industrial impact. Zeolites, ordered mesoporous
      silica, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are three types of porous materials
      that can be used as heterogeneous catalysts. This review focuses on a comparison
      of the catalytic activities of zeolites, mesoporous silica, and MOFs. In the
      first part of the review, the distinctive properties of these porous materials
      relevant to catalysis are discussed, and the corresponding catalytic reactions
      are highlighted. In the second part, the catalytic behaviors of zeolites,
      mesoporous silica, and MOFs in four types of general organic reactions (acid,
      base, oxidation, and hydrogenation) are compared. The advantages and
      disadvantages of each porous material for catalytic reactions are summarized.
      Conclusions and prospects for future development of these porous materials in
      this field are provided in the last section. This review aims to highlight recent
      research advancements in zeolites, ordered mesoporous silica, and MOFs for
      heterogeneous catalysis, and inspire further studies in this rapidly developing
      field.

PMID- 28628247
TI  - Scalable Synthesis of 2D Si Nanosheets.
AB  - 2D Si nanomaterials have attracted tremendous attention due to their novel
      properties and a wide range of potential applications from electronic devices to
      energy storage and conversion. However, high-quality and large-scale fabrication
      of 2D Si remains challenging. This study reports a room-temperature and one-step
      synthesis technique that leads to large-scale and low-cost production of Si
      nanosheets (SiNSs) with thickness ~4 nm and lateral size of several micrometers,
      based on the intrinsic delithiation process of chemically leaching lithium from
      the Li13 Si4 alloy. Together with experimental results, a combination of
      theoretical modeling and atomistic simulations indicates that the formation of
      single SiNS arises from spontaneous delamination of nanosheets from their
      substrate due to delithiation-induced mismatch. Subsequently, the synthesized Si
      nanosheets evolve from amorphous to nanocrystalline to crystalline structures
      during annealing at different temperatures. It is demonstrated that these SiNSs
      possess unique mechanical properties, in particular ultralow friction, in
      contrast to their bulk counterparts.

PMID- 28628248
TI  - Kinetic Selectivity and Thermodynamic Features of Competitive Imine Formation in
      Dynamic Covalent Chemistry.
AB  - The kinetic and thermodynamic selectivities of imine formation have been
      investigated for several dynamic covalent libraries of aldehydes and amines. Two
      systems were examined, involving the reaction of different types of primary amino
      groups (aliphatic amines, alkoxy-amines, hydrazides and hydrazines) with two
      types of aldehydes, sulfobenzaldehyde and pyridoxal phosphate in aqueous solution
      at different pD (5.0, 8.5, 11.4) on one hand, 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde and
      salicylaldehyde in organic solvents on the other hand. The reactions were
      performed separately for given amine/aldehyde pairs as well as in competitive
      conditions between an aldehyde and a mixture of amines. In the latter case, the
      time evolution of the dynamic covalent libraries generated was followed, taking
      into consideration the operation of both kinetic and thermodynamic selectivities.
      The results showed that, in aqueous solution, the imine of the aliphatic amine
      was not stable, but oxime and hydrazone formed well in a pH dependent way. On the
      other hand, in organic solvents, the kinetic product was the imine derived from
      an aliphatic amine and the thermodynamic products were oxime and hydrazone. The
      insights gained from these experiments provide a basis for the implementation of
      imine formation in selective derivatization of mono-amines in mixtures as well as
      of polyfunctional compounds presenting different types of amino groups. They may
      in principle be extended to other dynamic covalent chemistry systems.

PMID- 28628249
TI  - Defining a temporal order of genetic requirements for development of
      mycobacterial biofilms.
AB  - Most mycobacterial species spontaneously form biofilms, inducing unique growth
      physiologies and reducing drug sensitivity. Biofilm growth progresses through
      three genetically programmed stages: substratum attachment, intercellular
      aggregation and architecture maturation. Growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis
      biofilms requires multiple factors including a chaperonin (GroEL1) and a nucleoid
      associated protein (Lsr2), although how their activities are linked remains
      unclear. Here it is shown that Lsr2 participates in intercellular aggregation,
      but substratum attachment of Lsr2 mutants is unaffected, thereby genetically
      distinguishing these developmental stages. Further, a suppressor mutation in a
      glycopeptidolipid synthesis gene (mps) that results in hyperaggregation of cells
      and fully restores the form and functions of Deltalsr2 mutant biofilms was
      identified. Suppression by the mps mutation is specific to Deltalsr2; it does not
      rescue the maturation-deficient biofilms of a DeltagroEL1 mutant, thereby
      differentiating the process of aggregation from maturation. Gene expression
      analysis supports a stepwise process of maturation, highlighted by temporally
      separated, transient inductions of iron and nitrogen import genes. Furthermore,
      GroEL1 activity is required for induction of nitrogen, but not iron, import
      genes. Together, the findings begin to define molecular checkpoints during
      development of mycobacterial biofilms.

PMID- 28628250
TI  - Grain subproteome responses to nitrogen and sulfur supply in diploid wheat
      Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum.
AB  - Wheat grain storage proteins (GSPs) make up most of the protein content of grain
      and determine flour end-use value. The synthesis and accumulation of GSPs depend
      highly on nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) availability and it is important to
      understand the underlying control mechanisms. Here we studied how the einkorn
      (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum) grain proteome responds to different
      amounts of N and S supply during grain development. GSP composition at grain
      maturity was clearly impacted by nutrition treatments, due to early changes in
      the rate of GSP accumulation during grain filling. Large-scale analysis of the
      nuclear and albumin-globulin subproteomes during this key developmental phase
      revealed that the abundance of 203 proteins was significantly modified by the
      nutrition treatments. Our results showed that the grain proteome was highly
      affected by perturbation in the N:S balance. S supply strongly increased the rate
      of accumulation of S-rich alpha/beta-gliadin and gamma-gliadin, and the abundance
      of several other proteins involved in glutathione metabolism. Post-anthesis N
      supply resulted in the activation of amino acid metabolism at the expense of
      carbohydrate metabolism and the activation of transport processes including
      nucleocytoplasmic transit. Protein accumulation networks were analyzed. Several
      central actors in the response were identified whose variation in abundance was
      related to variation in the amounts of many other proteins and are thus
      potentially important for GSP accumulation. This detailed analysis of grain
      subproteomes provides information on how wheat GSP composition can possibly be
      controlled in low-level fertilization condition.

PMID- 28628251
TI  - A Network Meta-Analysis of Short and Long-Term Efficacy of Targeted Therapy With
      Single or Double-Drug Regimens in the Treatment of Stage III/IV Malignant
      Melanoma Based on 16 Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - For the treatment of stage III/IV malignant melanoma (MM), a network meta
      analysis (NMA) was conducted to compare the short and long-term efficacy of
      targeted therapy with single or double-drug regimens. All conducted randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) searched from PubMed and Cochrane Library were included
      in the study for direct and indirect comparison for MM. The odds ratio (OR) and
      surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) value of the targeted therapy
      with single or double-drug regimens for treatment of stage III/IV MM were also
      analyzed. To group the treatments according to their similarity with regards to
      both outcomes, cluster analyses were performed. Ultimately, 16 RCTs were
      incorporated for this NMA. The NMA revealed that the overall response rate (ORR)
      values of single-drug regimens (Vemurafenib [Vem], Dabrafenib [Dab], and
      Nivolumab [Niv]) were higher than those of Dacarbazine (Dac). Also the ORR values
      of double-drug regimens (Dab + Trametinib [Dab + Tra], Niv + Ipilimumab [Niv +
      Ipi], and Vem + Cobimetinib [Vem + Cob]) were moderately higher than those of
      Dac. The results of the SUCRA showed that short-term efficacy of single-drug
      regimens (Vem and Dab) were better, while the short-term efficacy of double-drug
      regimens (Dab + Tra and Vem + Cob) were relatively better. It was determined that
      Vem, Dab, and Niv might be the best choice in evaluating the treatment of stage
      III/IV MM among different single-drug targeted therapy regimens, while Dab + Tra,
      Niv + Ipi, and Vem + Cob might have better short-term efficacy among different
      double-drug targeted therapy regimens. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 640-649, 2018. (c)
      2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28628252
TI  - Microstructural Engineering and Architectural Design of Metal-Organic Framework
      Membranes.
AB  - In the past decade, a huge development in rational design, synthesis, and
      application of molecular sieve membranes, which typically included zeolites,
      metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and graphene oxides, has been witnessed. Owing
      to high flexibility in both pore apertures and functionality, MOFs in the form of
      membranes have offered unprecedented opportunities for energy-efficient gas
      separations. Reports on the fabrication of well-intergrown MOF membranes first
      appeared in 2009. Since then there has been tremendous growth in this area along
      with an exponential increase of MOF-membrane-related publications. In order to
      compete with other separation and purification technologies, like cryogenic
      distillation, pressure swing adsorption, and chemical absorption, separation
      performance (including permeability, selectivity, and long-term stability) of
      molecular sieve membranes must be further improved in an attempt to reach an
      economically attractive region. Therefore, microstructural engineering and
      architectural design of MOF membranes at mesoscopic and microscopic levels become
      indispensable. This review summarizes some intriguing research that may
      potentially contribute to large-scale applications of MOF membranes in the
      future.

PMID- 28628253
TI  - 3D Atomic-Scale Insights into Anisotropic Core-Shell-Structured InGaAs Nanowires
      Grown by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition.
AB  - III-V ternary InGaAs nanowires have great potential for electronic and
      optoelectronic device applications; however, the 3D structure and chemistry at
      the atomic-scale inside the nanowires remain unclear, which hinders tailoring the
      nanowires for specific applications. Here, atom probe tomography is used in
      conjunction with a first-principles simulation to investigate the 3D structure
      and chemistry of InGaAs nanowires, and reveals i) the nanowires form a
      spontaneous core-shell structure with a Ga-enriched core and an In-enriched
      shell, due to different growth mechanisms in the axial and lateral directions;
      ii) the shape of the core evolves from hexagon into Reuleaux triangle and grows
      larger, which results from In outward and Ga inward interdiffusion occurring at
      the core-shell interface; and iii) the irregular hexagonal shell manifests an
      anisotropic growth rate on {112}A and {112}B facets. Accordingly, a model in
      terms of the core-shell shape and chemistry evolution is proposed, which provides
      fresh insights into the growth of these nanowires.

PMID- 28628254
TI  - Thermal Light Emission from Monolayer MoS2.
AB  - Layered transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors, such as MoS2 and WSe2 ,
      exhibit a range of fascinating properties and are being currently explored for a
      variety of electronic and optoelectronic devices. These properties include a low
      thermal conductivity and a large Seebeck coefficient, which make them promising
      for thermoelectric applications. Moreover, transition metal dichalcogenides
      undergo an indirect-to-direct bandgap transition when thinned down in thickness,
      leading to strong excitonic photo- and electroluminescence in monolayers. Here,
      it is demonstrated that a MoS2 monolayer sheet, freely suspended in vacuum over a
      distance of 150 nm, emits visible light as a result of Joule heating. Due to the
      poor transfer of heat to the contact electrodes, as well as the suppressed heat
      dissipation through the underlying substrate, the electron temperature can reach
      ~1500-1600 K. The resulting narrow-band light emission from thermally populated
      exciton states is spatially located to an only ~50 nm wide region in the center
      of the device and goes along with a negative differential electrical conductance
      of the channel.

PMID- 28628255
TI  - Still a reasonable goal: Targeting cholesterol in dialysis and advanced chronic
      kidney disease patients.
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have a high burden of cardiovascular
      disease. In the general population, lipid metabolism disorders, which cause the
      initiation and progression of atherosclerotic vascular changes, are major targets
      for preventive and therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular medicine. However,
      data from large cohort studies and from clinical trials suggest that the
      treatment guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention and therapy cannot
      uncritically be transferred from individuals with intact renal function to CKD
      patients. Thus, unlike in the general population, neither plasma levels of HDL
      cholesterol, nor the key parameter of HDL-cholesterol function-that is,
      cholesterol efflux capacity-predicts future cardiovascular events. Therefore, HDL
      cholesterol should presently not be considered as therapeutic target in CKD
      patients. In contrast, lowering of LDL-cholesterol has been shown to reduce
      cardiovascular events at least among nondialysis CKD patients. The cardiovascular
      benefit of targeting LDL-cholesterol among dialysis CKD patients is less evident.
      We strongly believe that at least some subgroups of dialysis patients may profit
      from such treatment, particularly those with highest baseline LDL-cholesterol.
      Finally, as CKD patients have been characterized to have rather high intestinal
      cholesterol absorption, and relatively low hepatic cholesterol synthesis,
      substituting combined statin/ezetimibe treatment for statin monotherapy may be of
      particular benefit for nephrologic patients.

PMID- 28628256
TI  - Cutaneous involvement in luteinized thecomas with sclerosing peritonitis (LTSP)-A
      new finding in a rare syndrome.
AB  - Luteinized thecomas with sclerosing peritonitis (LTSP) is a rare disease
      characterized by ovarian luteinized thecomas and associated fibrosing
      peritonitis. Cutaneous involvement has never been reported. We report a case of
      classical LTSP with skin involvement, outlining the clinical and histopathologic
      features of this novel presentation of a rare syndrome.

PMID- 28628257
TI  - Contrasting gene expression programs correspond with predator-induced phenotypic
      plasticity within and across generations in Daphnia.
AB  - Research has shown that a change in environmental conditions can alter the
      expression of traits during development (i.e., "within-generation phenotypic
      plasticity") as well as induce heritable phenotypic responses that persist for
      multiple generations (i.e., "transgenerational plasticity", TGP). It has long
      been assumed that shifts in gene expression are tightly linked to observed trait
      responses at the phenotypic level. Yet, the manner in which organisms couple
      within- and TGP at the molecular level is unclear. Here we tested the influence
      of fish predator chemical cues on patterns of gene expression within- and across
      generations using a clone of Daphnia ambigua that is known to exhibit strong TGP
      but weak within-generation plasticity. Daphnia were reared in the presence of
      predator cues in generation 1, and shifts in gene expression were tracked across
      two additional asexual experimental generations that lacked exposure to predator
      cues. Initial exposure to predator cues in generation 1 was linked to ~50
      responsive genes, but such shifts were 3-4* larger in later generations.
      Differentially expressed genes included those involved in reproduction,
      exoskeleton structure and digestion; major shifts in expression of genes encoding
      ribosomal proteins were also identified. Furthermore, shifts within the first
      generation and transgenerational shifts in gene expression were largely distinct
      in terms of the genes that were differentially expressed. Such results argue that
      the gene expression programmes involved in within- vs. transgeneration plasticity
      are fundamentally different. Our study provides new key insights into the
      plasticity of gene expression and how it relates to phenotypic plasticity in
      nature.

PMID- 28628258
TI  - Tankyrase inhibition regulates corpus luteum development and luteal function in
      gonadotropin-treated rats.
AB  - Tankyrases are physiological regulators of Axin, a protein involved in several
      cellular processes, including Wnt signaling. Here, we investigated the effect of
      a specific Tankyrase inhibitor (XAV939) in follicular-luteal dynamics, and its
      possible relationship with ovarian vascular development. Studies were designed to
      analyze the effect of intrabursa administration of XAV939 in gonadotropin-treated
      prepubertal rats. In particular, we examined follicle and corpus luteum
      development, steroidogenesis, angiogenic markers, and apoptotic parameters. We
      found that in vivo inhibition of Wnt signaling impaired corpus luteum
      development, with a decrease in the number of corpora lutea balanced by a high
      number of cysts; decreased circulating progesterone levels, likely due to a
      decrease in Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein content in the corpus luteum;
      and increased pro-apoptotic parameters. In addition, Extracellular signal
      regulated kinase phosphorylation, Vascular endothelium growth factor 120 content,
      and endothelial cell area were diminished in corpora lutea of inhibitor-treated
      ovaries. Thus, Wnt/beta-catenin signaling appears to participate in the
      regulation of corpus luteum development and luteal cell function.

PMID- 28628260
TI  - Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Statement on Plagiarism.
AB  - The integrity of the research enterprise is of the utmost importance for the
      advancement of safe and effective medical practice for patients and for
      maintaining the public trust in health care. Academic societies and editors of
      journals are key participants in guarding scientific integrity. Avoiding and
      preventing plagiarism helps to preserve the scientific integrity of professional
      presentations and publications. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
      (SAEM) Ethics Committee discusses current issues in scientific publishing
      integrity and provides a guideline to avoid plagiarism in SAEM presentations and
      publications.

PMID- 28628259
TI  - Exercise prior to, but not concomitant with, stress reverses stress-induced
      delayed skin wound healing.
AB  - Stress-induced prolonged inflammation impairs cutaneous wound healing. Exercise
      may inhibit this effect via an anti-inflammatory mechanism. Our aim was to
      investigate the effect of moderate exercise on skin wound healing in chronically
      stressed mice. Mice were trained five times per week on a treadmill or received
      no training. Mice underwent daily rotational stress from the 6th week until
      euthanasia. During the 8th week, two wounds were created in the dorsum and
      collected 10 days later. A control group only received wounds. Exercise was
      performed prior to and simultaneous with stress for 2 weeks or only prior to
      stress. Stress increased normetanephrine levels 10 days after wounding, resulting
      in an increased amount of inflammatory cells and reduced expression of
      inflammatory cytokines as well as angiogenesis, myofibroblast differentiation and
      matrix deposition. Concomitant exercise and stress potentiated these effects,
      intensifying the delayed wound contraction. When exercise was performed only
      prior to stress, however, the mice showed reduced inflammatory cells in
      granulation tissue 10 days after wounding and improved wound healing compared
      with animals with exercise and concomitant stress. Moderate exercise in
      association with stress potentiates the stress effect; however, when exercise was
      performed prior to stress, wound healing was improved.

PMID- 28628261
TI  - Studying the Conformation of a Receptor Tyrosine Kinase in Solution by Inhibitor
      Based Spin Labeling.
AB  - The synthesis of a spin label based on PD168393, a covalent inhibitor of a major
      anticancer drug target, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is reported.
      The label facilitates the analysis of the EGFR structure in solution by pulsed
      electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. For various EGFR constructs,
      including near-full-length EGFR, we determined defined distance distributions
      between the two spin labels bound to the ATP binding sites of the EGFR dimer. The
      distances are in excellent agreement with an asymmetric dimer of the EGFR. Based
      on crystal structures, this dimer had previously been proposed to reflect the
      active conformation of the receptor but structural data demonstrating its
      existence in solution have been lacking. More generally, our study provides proof
      of-concept that inhibitor-based spin labeling enables the convenient introduction
      of site-specific spin labels into kinases for which covalent or tight-binding
      small-molecule modulators are available.

PMID- 28628262
TI  - Catalytic Enantioselective Reaction of Allenylnitriles with Imines Using Chiral
      Bis(imidazoline)s Palladium(II) Pincer Complexes.
AB  - The first highly enantioselective reaction of allenylnitriles with imines has
      been developed. Excellent yields and enantioselectivities were observed for the
      reaction with various imines using chiral Phebim-PdII complexes. This process
      offers a simple and efficient synthetic route for various functionalized alpha
      vinylidene-beta-aminonitriles and their derivatives.

PMID- 28628263
TI  - Insulin resistance increases the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in
      patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
AB  - AIM: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major complication of patients with non
      alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this retrospective study is to
      determine the risk factors for development of T2DM in patients with biopsy-proven
      NAFLD. METHODS: One hundred and sixty two consecutive patients with biopsy-proven
      NAFLD who received a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test were enrolled as the total
      cohort. Among them, we analyzed 89 patients without T2DM diagnosed by oral
      glucose tolerance test to estimate the cumulative rate for development of T2DM as
      the follow-up cohort. RESULTS: Of 162 patients, the glucose tolerance pattern
      were DM in 45 patients (27.8%), impaired glucose tolerance in 68 (42.0%), and
      normal glucose tolerance in 49 (30.2%). Patients with NAFL tended to be more
      likely to have normal glucose tolerance than those with non-alcoholic
      steatohepatitis (NASH). The serum levels of pre- and post-load insulin were
      significantly higher in the NASH group. Of 89 patients without T2DM, 13 patients
      newly developed T2DM during a follow-up period of 5.2 years. The cumulative rate
      of T2DM incidence was 8.8% at the end of the 5th year and 23.4% at the end of the
      10th year. Multivariate analysis identified homeostasis model of assessment -
      insulin resistance (>=3.85, hazard ratio 40.1, P = 0.033) as an independent risk
      factor for development of T2DM. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with NASH have an
      underlying potential of glucose intolerance. In NAFLD patients, insulin
      resistance is the most important risk factor for the incidence of T2DM.
      Appropriate therapy against insulin resistance could be needed for patients with
      NAFLD to prevent development of T2DM.

PMID- 28628264
TI  - Controlling lactation oestrus: The final frontier for breeding herd management.
AB  - Lactation anoestrus limits the flexibility of modern pig production systems such
      that any increase in lactation length reduces farrowing frequency, and thus
      profit. This review focuses on post-partum development of the sow's reproductive
      system, the physiology of lactation anoestrus and how it can be overcome, as well
      as the fertility of sows mated while lactating. The propensity for sows to
      ovulate spontaneously while lactating is high (24-31%), and a high proportion of
      sows will ovulate rapidly and synchronously in response to combinations of
      altered suckling (split weaning, interrupted suckling), daily boar contact,
      exogenous gonadotrophins, and group housing. The apparent ease with which
      lactation anoestrus can be overcome represents an opportunity to uncouple sow
      mating from weaning, thus reducing the impact of lactation length on
      productivity. This is especially true when considering the benefits of the
      described stimulation methods on the reproductive performance (i.e., shorter
      weaning to oestrus intervals and higher litter sizes) of the low proportion of
      sows that maintain lactation anoestrus.

PMID- 28628265
TI  - Improving preventive locust management: insights from a multi-agent model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preventive management of locust plagues works in some cases but still
      fails frequently. The role of funding institution awareness was suggested as a
      potential facilitating factor for cyclic locust plagues. We designed a multi
      agent system to represent the events of locust plague development and a
      management system with three levels: funding institution, national control unit
      and field teams. A sensitivity analysis identified the limits and improvements of
      the management system. RESULTS: The model generated cyclic locust plagues through
      a decrease in funding institution awareness. The funding institution could
      improve its impact by increasing its support by just a few percent. The control
      unit should avoid hiring too many field teams when plagues bring in money, in
      order to ensure that surveys can be maintained in times of recession. The more
      information the teams can acquire about the natural system, the more efficient
      they will be. CONCLUSION: We argue that anti-locust management should be
      considered as a complex adaptive system. This not only would allow managers to
      prove to funders the random aspect of their needs, but would also enable funders
      and decision-makers to understand and integrate their own decisions into the
      locust dynamics that still regularly affect human populations. (c) 2017 Society
      of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28628266
TI  - Embryo-maternal dialogue during pregnancy establishment and implantation in the
      pig.
AB  - Porcine conceptuses secrete pregnancy-recognition signals (estrogens, including
      estradiol-17beta) that inhibit luteolysis, thereby prolonging progesterone
      production by corpora lutea. The supportive mechanism by which the conceptus also
      inhibits luteolysis is by shifting endometrial prostaglandin (PG) synthesis to
      luteoprotective PGE2. Progesterone stimulates endometrial production of factors
      that are essential for conceptus development. Priming the uterus by progesterone
      and loss of progesterone receptors from the uterine epithelium by D1ay 10-12
      after estrus are key for achieving endometrial receptivity for implantation.
      Conceptus implantation involves a series of events, many resembling the
      inflammatory reaction, that are greatly influenced by cytokines, growth factors,
      and prostaglandins. We herein present a novel, dual role for PGF2alpha in corpora
      lutea that depends on the acquisition of luteolytic sensitivity, based on the
      knowledge that PGF2alpha triggers pathways involved in luteolysis during the
      estrous cycle or/and may have an alternative function in maintaining progesterone
      synthesis during pregnancy. We also point out a new role for PGF2alpha that,
      together with PGE2, can act as embryonic signal mediators. PGF2alpha, which until
      recently was considered undesirable for promoting pregnancy, is now known to
      stimulate conceptus-maternal interactions and angiogenesis in the endometrium.
      This function is in line with other important prostaglandin functions, such as
      stimulating adhesion of trophoblasts (PGE2, PGI2) as well as endometrial vascular
      functions and trophoblast cell proliferation (PGI2). Finally, microRNAs have
      emerged as important post-transcriptional regulators of gene function, adding a
      new area of investigation that may enhance understanding of conceptus-endometrial
      interactions.

PMID- 28628267
TI  - Opto-electrochemical In Situ Monitoring of the Cathodic Formation of Single
      Cobalt Nanoparticles.
AB  - Single-particle electrochemistry at a nanoelectrode is explored by dark-field
      optical microscopy. The analysis of the scattered light allows in situ dynamic
      monitoring of the electrodeposition of single cobalt nanoparticles down to a
      radius of 65 nm. Larger sub-micrometer particles are directly sized optically by
      super-localization of the edges and the scattered light contains complementary
      information concerning the particle redox chemistry. This opto-electrochemical
      approach is used to derive mechanistic insights about electrocatalysis that are
      not accessible from single-particle electrochemistry.

PMID- 28628268
TI  - NiCo2 S4 Materials for Supercapacitor Applications.
AB  - Cobalt-nickel sulfide (NiCo2 S4 ) shows extensive potential for innovative
      photoelectronic and energetic materials owing to distinctive physical and
      chemical properties. In this review, representative strategies for the
      fabrication and application of NiCo2 S4 and composite nanostructures are outlined
      for supercapacitors, with the aim of promoting the development of NiCo2 S4 and
      their composites in the supercapacitor field through an analysis and comparison
      of diverse nanostructures. A brief introduction into the structures, properties,
      and morphologies are presented. Further prospects and promising developments of
      the materials in the supercapacitor field are also proposed.

PMID- 28628269
TI  - Effect of Food Intake on the Pharmacokinetics of a Novel Methylphenidate Extended
      Release Oral Suspension for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
AB  - We conducted an open-label, single-dose, randomized, crossover study in healthy
      adults to assess the impact of food on the bioavailability of 60 mg
      methylphenidate extended-release oral suspension (MEROS; Quillivant XRTM)-a long
      acting stimulant for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-by
      comparing the pharmacokinetic parameters under fed and fasting conditions. When
      MEROS 60 mg was administered under fed conditions compared with fasting
      conditions, the exposure of methylphenidate (d enantiomer) was higher, with a
      mean area under the plasma concentration-vs-time curve (AUC)0-t of 160.2 ng.h/mL
      vs 140.4 ng.h/mL, and a mean AUC0-inf of 163.2 ng.h/mL vs 143.7 ng.h/mL,
      respectively. The ratios of the ln-transformed geometric means for
      methylphenidate for AUC0-t and AUC0-inf were 119.5% (90%CI, 115.7% to 123.5%) and
      119.0% (90%CI, 115.2% to 122.8%), respectively, within the standard 80% to 125%
      bioequivalence acceptance range indicating no food effect on the overall exposure
      (rate and extent). There was a small increase in the peak plasma concentration
      (127.6% [90%CI, 119.9% to 135.8%]). However, this effect was small and not likely
      to be clinically significant. Overall, MEROS 60 mg was safe in both the fed and
      fasting condition when administered to healthy volunteers in this study.

PMID- 28628270
TI  - Serum Klotho, vitamin D, and homocysteine in combination predict the outcomes of
      Chinese patients with multiple system atrophy.
AB  - AIMS: Neuroinflammation contributed to the pathogenesis of multiple system
      atrophy (MSA). We aimed to detect the correlation between inflammatory mediators,
      such as Klotho (Klt), vitamin D (25(OH)D) and homocysteine (Hcy), and disease
      severity among MSA patients. METHODS: A total of 53 MSA patients, 65 PD patients,
      and 62 normal subjects were recruited in our cross-sectional study. Serum Klotho
      (Klt), vitamin D (25(OH)D), and homocysteine (Hcy) levels were measured. Several
      scales were undertaken to assess the motor/nonmotor function and cognitive
      impairment of MSA. RESULTS: Decreased Serum Klt and 25(OH)D levels and increased
      Hcy levels were found in patients with MSA, compared with healthy controls. These
      results were more pronounced in male patients. The three biomarkers also
      displayed differences between MSA and PD subgroups based on genders.
      Interestingly, Klt, 25(OH)D and Hcy levels associated with cognition impairment,
      motor dysfunction, mood/cardiovascular disorder among MSA patients. In addition,
      the combination of Klt, 25(OH)D and Hcy had a better diagnostic ability for
      distinguishing MSA patients from healthy subjects, as well as distinguishing male
      MSA patients from male PD patients. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that Klt,
      25(OH)D and Hcy levels could be a potential predictor for MSA severity
      evaluation.

PMID- 28628272
TI  - Ruthenium-Catalyzed [2+2+2] Cycloaddition of 1,6-Enynes and Unactivated Alkynes:
      Access to Ring-Fused Cyclohexadienes.
AB  - The [2+2+2] intermolecular carbocyclization reactions between 1,6-enynes and
      alkynes catalyzed by [RuCl(cod)(Cp*)] (cod=1,5-cyclooctadiene,
      Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) are reported to provide bicyclohexa-1,3-dienes.
      The presented reaction conditions are compatible with internal and terminal
      alkynes and the chemo- and regioselectivity issues are controlled by the presence
      of substituents at the propargyl carbon center of the alkyne(s) partner(s).

PMID- 28628271
TI  - Surgical treatment of trans-sphincteric anal fistulas with the Fat GRAFT
      technique: a minimally invasive procedure.
AB  - AIM: Anal fistulas are common pathologies with a significant social impact;
      however, their treatment is often complex and the recurrence rate can be
      significant. Some surgical treatments for fistula are also associated with the
      risk of sphincter injury. In this technical note, we aim to evaluate the
      feasibility and efficacy of the Fat GRAFT technique (Fat Grafting in Anal Fistula
      Treatment) in the treatment of recurrent anal fistulas. METHOD: All patients
      presenting with recurrent trans-sphincteric anal fistulas over an 18-month period
      were included. After abdominal fat harvesting and fat preparation, fat grafting
      was performed in the track and peripheral area of the fistula. The internal and
      external openings of the fistula were closed to maximally preserve the retention
      of the adipocyte graft in the fistula. RESULTS: Eleven patients underwent the Fat
      GRAFT procedure (seven men, four women). The average re-injected volume for each
      fistula was 21 ml (range 10-30 ml). The postoperative course was uneventful. At 6
      months three patients developed recurrence (73% healed). There were no
      postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: The Fat GRAFT technique appears to be a
      promising technique with a low risk of anal incontinence, in contrast to other
      techniques. This method was effective in > 70% of patients in a single session.

PMID- 28628273
TI  - Exposure of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Vascular Endothelial and Smooth
      Muscle Cells in Coculture to Hemodynamics Induces Primary Vascular Cell-Like
      Phenotypes.
AB  - Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be differentiated into vascular
      endothelial (iEC) and smooth muscle (iSMC) cells. However, because iECs and iSMCs
      are not derived from an intact blood vessel, they represent an immature
      phenotype. Hemodynamics and heterotypic cell:cell communication play important
      roles in vascular cell phenotypic modulation. Here we tested the hypothesis that
      hemodynamic exposure of iECs in coculture with iSMCs induces an in vivo-like
      phenotype. iECs and iSMCs were cocultured under vascular region-specific blood
      flow hemodynamics, and compared to hemodynamic cocultures of blood vessel-derived
      endothelial (pEC) and smooth muscle (pSMC) cells. Hemodynamic flow-induced gene
      expression positively correlated between pECs and iECs as well as pSMCs and
      iSMCs. While endothelial nitric oxide synthase 3 protein was lower in iECs than
      pECs, iECs were functionally mature as seen by acetylated-low-density lipoprotein
      (LDL) uptake. SMC contractile protein markers were also positively correlated
      between pSMCs and iSMCs. Exposure of iECs and pECs to atheroprone hemodynamics
      with oxidized-LDL induced an inflammatory response in both. Dysfunction of the
      transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) pathway is seen in several vascular
      diseases, and iECs and iSMCs exhibited a transcriptomic prolife similar to pECs
      and pSMCs, respectively, in their responses to LY2109761-mediated transforming
      growth factor beta receptor I/II (TGFbetaRI/II) inhibition. Although there are
      differences between ECs and SMCs derived from iPSCs versus blood vessels,
      hemodynamic coculture restores a high degree of similarity in their responses to
      pathological stimuli associated with vascular diseases. Thus, iPSC-derived
      vascular cells exposed to hemodynamics may provide a viable system for modeling
      rare vascular diseases and testing new therapeutic approaches. Stem Cells
      Translational Medicine 2017;6:1673-1683.

PMID- 28628274
TI  - New technology for using meteorological information in forest insect pest
      forecast and warning systems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Near surface air temperature and rainfall are major weather factors
      affecting forest insect dynamics. The recent developments in remote sensing
      retrieval and geographic information system spatial analysis techniques enable
      the utilization of weather factors to significantly enhance forest pest
      forecasting and warning systems. The current study focused on building forest
      pest digital data structures as a platform of correlation analysis between
      weather conditions and forest pest dynamics for better pest forecasting and
      warning systems using the new technologies. RESULTS: The study dataset contained
      3 353 425 small polygons with 174 defined attributes covering 95 counties of
      Guangxi province of China currently registering 292 forest pest species. Field
      data acquisition and information transfer systems were established with four
      software licences that provided 15-fold improvement compared to the systems
      currently used in China. Nine technical specifications were established including
      codes of forest districts, pest species and host tree species, and standard
      practices of forest pest monitoring and information management. Attributes can
      easily be searched using ArcGIS9.3 and/or the free QGIS2.16 software.
      CONCLUSIONS: Small polygons with pest relevant attributes are a new tool of
      precision farming and detailed forest insect pest management that are
      technologically advanced. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28628275
TI  - Design of a Tunable Self-Oscillating Polymer with Ureido and Ru(bpy)3 Moieties.
AB  - An upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type self-oscillating polymer was
      designed that exhibited rhythmic soluble-insoluble changes induced by the
      Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. The target polymers were prepared by
      conjugating Ru(bpy)3 , a catalyst for the BZ reaction, to ureido-containing
      poly(allylamine-co-allylurea) (PAU) copolymers. The Ru(bpy)3 -conjugated PAUs
      exhibited a UCST-type phase-transition behavior, and the solubility of the
      polymer changed in response to the alternation in the valency of Ru(bpy)3 . The
      ureido content influences the temperature range of self-oscillation, and the
      oscillation occurred at higher temperatures than conventional LCST-type self
      oscillating polymers. Furthermore, the self-oscillating behavior of the Ru-PAU
      could be regulated by addition of urea, which is a unique tuning strategy. We
      envision that novel self-oscillating polymers with widely tunable soluble
      insoluble behaviors can be rationally designed based these UCST-type polymers.

PMID- 28628276
TI  - Acute myeloid leukaemia relapsing after allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell
      transplantation: prognostic factors and impact of initial therapy of relapse.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: We sought to determine factors associated with the overall
      survival from relapse (OSR) of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) after allogeneic
      haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) and the effect of first salvage
      therapy and subsequent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) on OSR. METHODS: Data on
      386 patients from nine Australian centres with relapsed AML post-alloHSCT were
      collected retrospectively. OSR was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
      Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using the log-rank test and
      proportional hazards modelling, respectively and a prognostic index for OSR was
      derived from multivariate modelling. RESULTS: On multivariate analysis, relapse
      within 6 months (hazard ratio (HR) 2.4, P < 0.001) and grade 3-4 acute GVHD
      preceding relapse (HR 2.0, P = 0.004), were associated with inferior OSR.
      Patients with 1-2 factors had inferior OSR compared to those with zero factors
      (all patients: HR 2.3, P < 0.001, patients given salvage: HR 1.8, P < 0.001). The
      first salvage therapy used post-relapse was donor cell therapy (DCT) (second
      alloHSCT or donor lymphocyte infusion) in 75, re-induction chemotherapy (CT) in
      103, radiotherapy in 8 and interferon-alpha in 6. Although re-induction CT death
      rate was low (2%), survival after CT was inferior to DCT (HR 1.9, P < 0.001). No
      survival benefit was seen for patients who developed GVHD following salvage
      therapy (P = 0.405). CONCLUSION: Patients with AML who relapse beyond 6 months
      from alloHSCT without prior grade 3-4 acute GVHD have a better outcome from
      salvage therapy. Salvage treatments employing DCT as the initial treatment of AML
      relapse confer a survival advantage over CT.

PMID- 28628277
TI  - Twelve-month use of herbal medicines as a remedy for mental health problems in
      Japan: A cross-national analysis of World Mental Health Survey data.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this study was to clarify the frequencies and
      sociodemographic and other characteristics around use of herbal medicine as a
      remedy for mental health problems in Japan. METHODS: Data from the World Mental
      Health Japan (WMHJ) Survey and US National Comorbidity Survey Replications were
      analyzed. The WMHJ was conducted in 2002 to 2006, with 4129 respondents. National
      Comorbidity Survey Replications was conducted in 2002 to 2003, with 9282
      respondents. The interview asked the respondents about their use of several types
      of herbs for mental health problems. Frequencies of use of herbal medicine were
      compared between Japan and the United States. Multiple logistic regression
      analyses were conducted to determine sociodemographic and mental health-related
      correlates of 12-month herbal medicine use. Relevant sampling weights were used
      to adjust for the sampling designs. RESULTS: The proportion for use of herbal
      medicines as a remedy for mental health problems in the past 12 months was lower
      (0.4%) in Japan than that in the United States (3.7%). Low education in both
      countries (P < .05) was significantly associated with nonuse of herbal medicine.
      Any anxiety disorder in Japan was significantly associated with herbal medicine
      use (P < .01), while any mental disorder categories were significantly associated
      in the United States (P < .01). DISCUSSION: The frequency for use of herbal
      medicine among patients with mental health problems in the past 12 months was
      much lower in Japan compared to the United States. Persons with high educational
      attainment and anxiety disorders used herbal medicine as a remedy for mental
      health problems more frequently in Japan.

PMID- 28628278
TI  - Interfacial Charge Engineering in Ferroelectric-Controlled Mott Transistors.
AB  - Heteroepitaxial coupling at complex oxide interfaces presents a powerful tool for
      engineering the charge degree of freedom in strongly correlated materials, which
      can be utilized to achieve tailored functionalities that are inaccessible in the
      bulk form. Here, the charge-transfer effect between two strongly correlated
      oxides, Sm0.5 Nd0.5 NiO3 (SNNO) and La0.67 Sr0.33 MnO3 (LSMO), is exploited to
      realize a giant enhancement of the ferroelectric field effect in a prototype Mott
      field-effect transistor. By switching the polarization field of a ferroelectric
      Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) gate, nonvolatile resistance modulation in the Mott transistors
      with single-layer SNNO and bilayer SNNO/LSMO channels is induced. For the same
      channel thickness, the bilayer channels exhibit up to two orders of magnitude
      higher resistance-switching ratio at 300 K, which is attributed to the intricate
      interplay between the charge screening at the PZT/SNNO interface and the charge
      transfer at the SNNO/LSMO interface. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy studies of SNNO/LSMO heterostructures reveal about 0.1
      electron per 2D unit cell transferred between the interfacial Mn and Ni layers,
      which is corroborated by first-principles density functional theory calculations.
      The study points to an effective strategy to design functional complex oxide
      interfaces for developing high-performance nanoelectronic and spintronic
      applications.

PMID- 28628279
TI  - Acyclic Nucleoside Phosphonates Containing 9-Deazahypoxanthine and a Five
      Membered Heterocycle as Selective Inhibitors of Plasmodial 6-Oxopurine
      Phosphoribosyltransferases.
AB  - Acyclic nucleoside phosphonates (ANPs) are an important class of therapeutic
      drugs that act as antiviral agents by inhibiting viral DNA polymerases and
      reverse transcriptases. ANPs containing a 6-oxopurine unit instead of a 6
      aminopurine or pyrimidine base are inhibitors of the purine salvage enzyme,
      hypoxanthine-guanine-[xanthine] phosphoribosyltransferase (HG[X]PRT). Such
      compounds, and their prodrugs, are able to arrest the growth of Plasmodium
      falciparum (Pf) in cell culture. A new series of ANPs were synthesized and tested
      as inhibitors of human HGPRT, PfHGXPRT, and Plasmodium vivax (Pv) HGPRT. The
      novelty of these compounds is that they contain a five-membered heterocycle
      (imidazoline, imidazole, or triazole) inserted between the acyclic linker(s) and
      the nucleobase, namely, 9-deazahypoxanthine. Five of the compounds were found to
      be micromolar inhibitors of PfHGXPRT and PvHGPRT, but no inhibition of human
      HGPRT was observed under the same assay conditions. This demonstrates selectivity
      of these types of compounds for the two parasitic enzymes compared to the human
      counterpart and confirms the importance of the chemical nature of the acyclic
      moiety in conferring affinity/selectivity for these three enzymes.

PMID- 28628280
TI  - Combination antimicrobial susceptibility testing for acute exacerbations in
      chronic infection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antibiotic therapy for acute pulmonary exacerbations in people with
      cystic fibrosis is usually chosen based on the results of antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing of individual drugs. Combination antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing assesses the efficacy of drug combinations including two
      or three antibiotics in vitro and can often demonstrate antimicrobial efficacy
      against bacterial isolates even when individual antibiotics have little or no
      effect. Therefore, choosing antibiotics based on combination antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing could potentially improve response to treatment in people
      with cystic fibrosis with acute exacerbations. This is an updated version of a
      previously published review. OBJECTIVES: To compare antibiotic therapy based on
      conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing to antibiotic therapy based on
      combination antimicrobial susceptibility testing in the treatment of acute
      pulmonary exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis and chronic infection with
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis
      and Genetic Disorders Group Cystic Fibrosis Trials Register which comprises of
      references identified from comprehensive electronic database searches and
      handsearches of relevant journals and abstract books of conference proceedings.
      Date of latest search: 19 December 2016.We also searched ongoing trials
      registries. Date of latest search: 08 March 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised
      and quasi-randomised controlled studies of antibiotic therapy based on
      conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing compared to antibiotic therapy
      based on combination antimicrobial susceptibility testing in the treatment of
      acute pulmonary exacerbations in cystic fibrosis due to chronic infection with
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Both authors independently
      selected studies, assessed their quality and extracted data from eligible
      studies. Additionally, the authors contacted the study investigators to obtain
      further information. MAIN RESULTS: The search identified one multicentre study
      eligible for inclusion in the review. This study prospectively assessed whether
      the use of multiple combination bactericidal antibiotic testing improved clinical
      outcomes in participants with acute pulmonary exacerbations of cystic fibrosis
      who were infected with multiresistant bacteria. A total of 132 participants were
      randomised in the study. The study investigators provided data specific to the 82
      participants who were only infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa for their primary
      outcome of time until next pulmonary exacerbation. For participants specifically
      infected with only Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the hazard ratio of a subsequent
      exacerbation was 0.82, favouring the control group (95% confidence interval 0.44
      to 1.51) (P = 0.52). No further data for any of this review's outcomes specific
      to participants infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa were available. The risk of
      bias for the included study was deemed to be low. The quality of the evidence was
      moderate for the only outcome providing data solely for individuals with
      infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For other outcomes, we were unable to
      judge the quality of the evidence as no data were available for the relevant
      subset of participants. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The current evidence, limited to
      one study, shows that there is insufficient evidence to determine effect of
      choosing antibiotics based on combination antimicrobial susceptibility testing
      compared to choosing antibiotics based on conventional antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing in the treatment of acute pulmonary exacerbations in
      people with cystic fibrosis with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. A
      large international and multicentre study is needed to further investigate this
      issue.The only study included in the review was published in 2005, and we have
      not identified any further relevant studies up to March 2017. We therefore do not
      plan to update this review until new studies are published.

PMID- 28628281
TI  - Genomic analysis of melanoma evolution following a 30-year disease-free interval.
AB  - Ultra-late melanoma recurrence is infrequent, poorly understood and, in most
      cases, difficult to unambiguously distinguish from a new primary melanoma. We
      identified a patient with a second melanoma diagnosed after a 30-year disease
      free interval, and sought to determine if this new lesion was a recurrence of the
      original melanoma. Here we report the genomic sequence analysis of the exomes of
      2 melanoma lesions isolated from the same individual in 1985 and 2015, and their
      comparison to each other and to the germline DNA of the patient. Identification
      of many shared somatic mutations between these lesions proves a lineal
      relationship spanning 30 years. Unlike prior reports of ultra-late melanoma
      recurrence, the availability of the original tumor and the use of comprehensive
      genomic analysis allowed us to confirm that the second lesion is truly a
      recurrence. We demonstrate the acquisition of numerous additional mutations
      during the 3 decade asymptomatic period. These data highlight the low but very
      long-lasting risk of recurrence in this patient population.

PMID- 28628282
TI  - [Image of the month. A case of cement pulmonary embolism.]

PMID- 28628283
TI  - [Case report. Pulmonary embolism complicated by angioneurotic edema.]
AB  - Although angioneurotic oedema (AE) is a rare entity, it sometimes leads to
      devastating consequences. We report the case of an oro-pharyngeal angioneurotic
      attack following the initiation of a fibrinolysis therapy by alteplase and relay
      by heparin in a patient with severe acute pulmonary embolism. In view of this
      original case, we propose to highlight the most recent elements concerning the
      physiopathology of this disease.

PMID- 28628284
TI  - [Coronary artery disease and sport practice].
AB  - Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for many deaths in our western societies.
      Practice of sport activities can decrease their occurrence and improve the
      prognosis of the patients already affected. The practice of a sport, however,
      presents an increased cardiovascular risk during its realization (sudden death,
      myocardial infarction, etc.). An assessment of the risk of complication is
      necessary before allowing patients with ischemic heart disease to practice a
      sport activity. Sport activities in competitions are discouraged for most
      patients, but for the majority, recreational activities should be encouraged. A
      regular medical follow-up is necessary as well as a respect of instructions of
      good sport practice.

PMID- 28628285
TI  - [Fibromyalgia : state of the issue in 2017].
AB  - Fibromyalgia (FM), whose diagnostic criteria were originally established in 1990
      and updated in 2010, consists of a syndrome characterized by the presence of deep
      and diffuse musculoskeletal pain associated with other subjective manifestations
      (sleep, mood, cognitive problems). The prevalence is assessed in the general
      population at 2.2 %. Various risk factors were identified: age, gender, level of
      education and socio-economic status. Various etiological hypotheses have been
      explored, whether in neuroimaging or from the point of view of possible
      neuroendocrine and cytokine perturbations. In addition, various potential
      pathogenic mechanisms have been identified: genetic predisposition, central
      amplification, diffuse inhibitory control failure, muscle as peripheral
      nociceptive afferents. Finally, with regard to treatment and clinical course, the
      first will be multidisciplinary and the second will not be marked by real
      remission. In addition, patients tend to reduce their activities (professional,
      physical or leisure), which degrades and perpetuates the situation, while they
      must remain as active as possible.

PMID- 28628286
TI  - [Contribution of continuous glucose measurement in the management of gestational
      diabetes : a pilot study].
AB  - The prevalence of gestational diabetes increases as a result of universal
      screening, but also because of more stringent diagnostic criteria due to
      decreased set points. This diabetes can lead to severe complications for the
      offspring and / or for the mother. The management of a patient suffering from
      gestational diabetes is based on healthy diet and lifestyle advices. Iterative
      control of capillary glycemia is the usual way to monitor daily blood glucose.
      Continuous blood glucose measurement (CGM) provides reliable and comprehensive
      data over several days. Observing and interpreting the continuously recorded
      glucose concentration values should help to better understand the kinetics of
      glucose and to personalize the treatment. This preliminary study reports the
      results of 12 women with gestational diabetes and describes fluctuations of blood
      glucose levels all day long, particularly in the postprandial period. The CGM
      analysis shows that the maximum concentration of postprandial glucose is reached
      approximately 70 minutes after the morning and midday meals and 110 minutes after
      the evening meal.

PMID- 28628287
TI  - [Professional fatigue syndrome (burnout) : Part 2 : from therapeutic management].
AB  - Burnout or professional fatigue syndrome is the result of exposure to a situation
      in which the strategies of the subject who are supposed to manage the stresses of
      the environment become outdated and inoperative. An imbalance is created between
      the demands and the material, operational and psychological resources to cope
      with them. Many health professions are confronted with the challenge of managing
      burnout, but the general practitioner is very often on the front line. After a
      first article devoted to the epidemiology, diagnosis, causes and consequences of
      the burnout, this second article is focusing on its therapeutic management,
      through listening, sick leave, dietary supplements, antidepressants, behavioural
      and cognitive therapy, professional coaching and multidisciplinary approach.

PMID- 28628288
TI  - [The Mosan Study Group of Pigmented Tumours facing toward the oligometastatic
      cutaneous melanoma].
AB  - The oligometastatic melanoma is a peculiar stage of cancer progression which is
      initially restricted to the initial body area. In most instances, only a small
      number of metastases are simultaneously present. The oligometastatic stage is
      synchronous when metastases are disclosed at the time of initial diagnosis of the
      primary cancer. Metastases are metachronous when they are detected after the
      initial treatment of the primary neoplasm. A variant of the disease is called the
      smouldering disease when cutaneous metastases grow or regress in unison. The
      smouldering disease is granted to a condition when some metastases keep grooving
      when other metastases regress.

PMID- 28628289
TI  - [Neuropsychiatric syndroms in seropositive population].
AB  - The Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic infectious disease. By
      its complexity and the importance of psychiatric syndromes observed among HIV
      patients, the common contribution of somatic and psychiatric health specialists
      is often mandatory. Conversely, more or less 20 % of psychiatric patients are
      infected by the AIDS' virus. Moreover, these troubles would be their second
      reason of hospitalization. These psychiatric symptoms, so caused by HIV, may
      occur before its serological discovery. Thereby, it will be interesting for the
      psychiatrist to acquire enough knowledge about this disease to establish
      preventing actions and strategies of psychoeducation.

PMID- 28628290
TI  - [Pain complaints in a patient with schizophrenia].
AB  - Schizophrenia is a complex pathology. Its prevalence reaches almost 1 %. Its
      semiology can be diversified. Sensorial perception can be altered included pain
      perception. Most of the studies conclude that psychotic patients have a
      hypoalgesia. It's important to consider this fact to avoid missing potentially
      grave somatic disease.

PMID- 28628292
TI  - Environment-Sensitive Turn-On Fluorescent Polyamino Acid: Fingerprinting Protein
      Populations with Post-Translational Modifications.
AB  - The identification of post-translational modifications (PTMs) in proteins has
      been of particular interest in the elucidation of human diseases and the
      improvement of therapeutic proteins. Herein, we report a novel strategy toward
      the construction of fingerprint-based PTM-sensing systems as an alternative to
      conventional specific recognition tools. Our strategy is based on poly-l-lysine
      (PLL) derivatives with two distinct properties suitable to fingerprint-based
      protein-sensing: (i) a turn-on fluorescent signal upon binding to proteins and
      (ii) condition-dependent cross-reactivity toward proteins and PTMs. One type of
      PLL derivative under varying solution properties (pH value and ionic strength)
      was sufficient to construct a sensing array that produces unique fluorescence
      fingerprints for structurally similar mammalian albumins with/without a wide
      variety of chemical modifications corresponding to PTMs. This approach was also
      applicable for the recognition of deviations in physicochemical properties of
      proteins as a result of realistic glycation and phosphorylation events.
      Multivariate analyses of the thus obtained fingerprints successfully identified
      analytes with 100% accuracy (qualitatively and quantitatively) in all cases. This
      study thus demonstrates for the first time a fingerprint-based sensing of
      proteins with/without PTMs using a single, highly accessible, and tunable
      synthetic polymer, and accordingly offers a powerful platform for simple high
      throughput sensing of PTMs in proteins.

PMID- 28628293
TI  - One-Step Device Fabrication of Phosphorene and Graphene Interdigital Micro
      Supercapacitors with High Energy Density.
AB  - Rational engineering and simplified fabrication of high-energy micro
      supercapacitors (MSCs) using graphene and other 2D nanosheets are of great value
      for flexible and integrated electronics. Here we develop one-step mask-assisted
      simplified fabrication of high-energy MSCs (PG-MSCs) based on the interdigital
      hybrid electrode (PG) patterns of stacking high-quality phosphorene nanosheets
      and electrochemically exfoliated graphene in ionic liquid electrolyte. The hybrid
      PG films with interdigital patterns were directly manufactured by layer-by-layer
      deposition of phosphorene and graphene nanosheets with the assistance of a
      customized interdigital mask, and directly transferred onto a flexible substrate.
      The resultant patterned PG films present outstanding uniformity, flexibility,
      conductivity (319 S cm-1), and structural integration, which can directly serve
      as binder- and additive-free flexible electrodes for MSCs. Remarkably, PG-MSCs
      deliver remarkable energy density of 11.6 mWh cm-3, outperforming most nanocarbon
      based MSCs. Moreover, our PG-MSCs show outstanding flexibility and stable
      performance with slight capacitance fluctuation even under highly folded states.
      In addition, our simplified mask-assisted strategy for PG-MSCs is highly flexible
      for simplified production of parallelly and serially interconnected modular power
      sources, without need of conventional metal-based interconnects and contacts, for
      designable integrated circuits with high output current and voltage.

PMID- 28628294
TI  - Fused Deposition Modeling 3D Printing for (Bio)analytical Device Fabrication:
      Procedures, Materials, and Applications.
AB  - In this work, the use of fused deposition modeling (FDM) in a (bio)analytical/lab
      on-a-chip research laboratory is described. First, the specifications of this 3D
      printing method that are important for the fabrication of (micro)devices were
      characterized for a benchtop FDM 3D printer. These include resolution, surface
      roughness, leakage, transparency, material deformation, and the possibilities for
      integration of other materials. Next, the autofluorescence, solvent
      compatibility, and biocompatibility of 12 representative FDM materials were
      tested and evaluated. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of FDM in a number
      of important applications. In particular, we consider the fabrication of fluidic
      channels, masters for polymer replication, and tools for the production of paper
      microfluidic devices. This work thus provides a guideline for (i) the use of FDM
      technology by addressing its possibilities and current limitations, (ii) material
      selection for FDM, based on solvent compatibility and biocompatibility, and (iii)
      application of FDM technology to (bio)analytical research by demonstrating a
      broad range of illustrative examples.

PMID- 28628295
TI  - Cross-Linked Protein Nanofilter with Antibacterial Properties for Multifunctional
      Air Filtration.
AB  - Development of high-performance nanomaterials with not only strong ability to
      trap the pollutants but also good structure stability under varying environmental
      conditions is a critical need for air-filtration applications. However, it has
      been very challenging for a filtering material to simultaneously realize
      multifunctional air filtration and good environmental stability. Here, based on
      our previous studies on protein-based nanofilters, we report a cross-linked
      protein nanofabric to address this challenging issue. It is found that cross
      linked protein nanofabrics can significantly improve the structure stability
      against different moisture levels and temperatures, while maintaining the
      multifunctional filtration performance. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the
      cross-linked protein nanomaterials also possess antibacterial properties, such as
      Shewanella oneidensis bacteria, further improving the environmental stability.
      The effects of cross-linking with different loadings of cross-linking agent on
      the structure stability and filtration performance are further investigated at
      different humidity levels and temperatures. This study provides a cost-effective
      solution for advanced "green" nanomaterials with excellent performance in both
      filtration functions and structure stability under varying environment.

PMID- 28628296
TI  - Enhanced Antibacterial Properties of Self-Assembling Peptide Amphiphiles
      Functionalized with Heparin-Binding Cardin-Motifs.
AB  - The emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria has caused many healthcare
      problems and social burdens. In this study, a type of self-assembled peptide
      amphiphiles (PA) functionalized with a heparin-binding Cardin-motif peptide
      (sequence (AKKARK)2) has been designed to combat bacterial drug resistance. Above
      the critical micelle concentration (CMC) at 45 MUM, these amphiphilic Cardin
      antimicrobial peptide (ACA-PA) can self-assemble into cylindrical supramolecular
      structures (7-10 nm in diameter) via hydrophobic interactions and beta-sheet
      secondary conformation. The ACA-PA displays excellent antibacterial properties
      against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This work also
      demonstrates the effects of molecular self-assembly on antibacterial activity of
      peptide amphiphiles. The ACA-PA exhibits antibacterial activity on Gram-positive
      bacteria in a dose-dependent manner, but in the case of Gram-negative bacteria,
      the antibacterial potency of ACA-PA is remarkably enhanced at concentrations
      above the CMC. The ACA-PA has been shown to cause bacterial cytoplasmic leakage,
      causing localized membrane disruption in Gram-positive bacteria and blisters on
      disorganized membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, these peptide-based
      nanoparticles have promising potential as antimicrobial agents without resorting
      to the use of antibiotics, and, thus, should be further studied for a wide range
      of biomaterial applications.

PMID- 28628297
TI  - Organic Carbon Amendments for Enhanced Biological Attenuation of Trace Organic
      Contaminants in Biochar-Amended Stormwater Biofilters.
AB  - This study sought to evaluate how dissolved organic carbon (DOC) affects
      attenuation of trace organic contaminants (TOrCs) in biochar-amended stormwater
      biofilters. It was hypothesized that (1) DOC-augmented runoff would demonstrate
      enhanced TOrC biodegradation and (2) biochar-amended sand bearing DOC-cultivated
      biofilms would achieve enhanced TOrC attenuation due to sorptive retention and
      biodegradation. Microcosm and column experiments were conducted utilizing actual
      runoff, DOC from straw and compost, and a suite of TOrCs. Biodegradation of TOrCs
      in runoff was more enhanced by compost DOC than straw DOC (particularly for
      atrazine, prometon, benzotriazole, and fipronil). 16S rRNA gene quantification
      and sequencing revealed that growth-induced microbial community changes were,
      among replicates, most consistent for compost-augmented microcosms and least
      consistent for raw runoff microcosms. Compost DOC most robustly enhanced
      utilization of TOrCs as carbon substrates, possibly due to higher residual
      nutrient levels upon TOrC exposure. Sand columns containing just 0.5 wt % biochar
      maintained sorptive TOrC retention in the presence of compost-DOC-cultivated
      biofilms, and TOrC removal was further enhanced by biological activity. Overall,
      these results suggest that coamendment with biochar and compost may robustly
      enhance TOrC attenuation in stormwater biofilters, a finding of significance for
      efforts to mitigate the impacts of runoff on water quality.

PMID- 28628298
TI  - Selective Electrocatalytic Degradation of Odorous Mercaptans Derived from S-Au
      Bond Recongnition on a Dendritic Gold/Boron-Doped Diamond Composite Electrode.
AB  - To improve selectivity of electrocatalytic degradation of toxic, odorous
      mercaptans, the fractal-structured dendritic Au/BDD (boron-doped diamond) anode
      with molecular recognition is fabricated through a facile replacement method. SEM
      and TEM characterizations show that the gold dendrites are single crystals and
      have high population of the Au (111) facet. The distinctive structure endows the
      electrode with advantages of low resistivity, high active surface area, and
      prominent electrocatalytic activity. To evaluate selectivity, the dendritic
      Au/BDD is applied in degrading two groups of synthetic wastewater containing
      thiophenol/2-mercaptobenzimidazole (targets) and phenol/2-hydroxybenzimidazole
      (interferences), respectively. Results show that targets removals reach 91%/94%,
      while interferences removals are only 58%/48% in a short time. The corresponding
      degradation kinetic constants of targets are 3.25 times and 4.1 times that of
      interferences in the same group, demonstrating modification of dendritic gold on
      BDD could effectively enhance electrocatalytic target-selectivity. XPS and EXAFS
      further reveal that the selective electrocatalytic degradation derives from
      preferential recognition and fast adsorption to thiophenol depending on strong Au
      S bond. The efficient, selective degradation is attributed to the synergetic
      effects between accumulative behavior and outstanding electrochemical
      performances. This work provides a new strategy for selective electrochemical
      degradation of contaminants for actual wastewater treatment.

PMID- 28628300
TI  - Application of Struvite Alters the Antibiotic Resistome in Soil, Rhizosphere, and
      Phyllosphere.
AB  - Struvite recovered from wastewater is a renewable source of phosphorus and
      nitrogen and can be used as fertilizer for plant growth. However, antibiotics and
      resistome can be enriched in the struvite derived from wastewater. Robust
      understanding of the potential risks after struvite application to soils has
      remained elusive. Here, we profiled antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile
      genetic elements (MGEs) in struvite, soil, rhizosphere and phyllosphere of
      Brassica using high-throughput quantitative PCR. A total of 165 ARGs and 10 MGEs
      were detected. Application of struvite was found to increase both the abundance
      and diversity of ARGs in soil, rhizosphere and phyllosphere. In addition, ARGs
      shared exclusively between Brassica phyllosphere and struvite were identified,
      indicating that struvite was an important source of ARGs found in phyllosphere.
      Furthermore, OTUs shared between rhizosphere and phyllosphere were found to
      significantly correlate with ARGs, suggesting that microbiota in leaf and root
      could interconnect and ARGs might transfer from struvite to the surface of plants
      via rhizosphere using bacteria as spreading medium. These findings demonstrated
      that struvite as an organic fertilizer can facilitate the spread of antibiotic
      resistance into human food chain and this environment-acquired antibiotic
      resistance should be put into human health risk assessment system.

PMID- 28628299
TI  - Dihydropyrimidine-Thiones and Clioquinol Synergize To Target beta-Amyloid
      Cellular Pathologies through a Metal-Dependent Mechanism.
AB  - The lack of therapies for neurodegenerative diseases arises from our incomplete
      understanding of their underlying cellular toxicities and the limited number of
      predictive model systems. It is critical that we develop approaches to identify
      novel targets and lead compounds. Here, a phenotypic screen of yeast
      proteinopathy models identified dihydropyrimidine-thiones (DHPM-thiones) that
      selectively rescued the toxicity caused by beta-amyloid (Abeta), the peptide
      implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Rescue of Abeta toxicity by DHPM-thiones
      occurred through a metal-dependent mechanism of action. The bioactivity was
      distinct, however, from that of the 8-hydroxyquinoline clioquinol (CQ). These
      structurally dissimilar compounds strongly synergized at concentrations otherwise
      not competent to reduce toxicity. Cotreatment ameliorated Abeta toxicity by
      reducing Abeta levels and restoring functional vesicle trafficking. Notably,
      these low doses significantly reduced deleterious off-target effects caused by CQ
      on mitochondria at higher concentrations. Both single and combinatorial
      treatments also reduced death of neurons expressing Abeta in a nematode,
      indicating that DHPM-thiones target a conserved protective mechanism.
      Furthermore, this conserved activity suggests that expression of the Abeta
      peptide causes similar cellular pathologies from yeast to neurons. Our
      identification of a new cytoprotective scaffold that requires metal-binding
      underscores the critical role of metal phenomenology in mediating Abeta toxicity.
      Additionally, our findings demonstrate the valuable potential of synergistic
      compounds to enhance on-target activities, while mitigating deleterious off
      target effects. The identification and prosecution of synergistic compounds could
      prove useful for developing AD therapeutics where combination therapies may be
      required to antagonize diverse pathologies.

PMID- 28628301
TI  - The Effect of Fluorine Substitution on the Molecular Interactions and Performance
      in Polymer Solar Cells.
AB  - Fluorine (F) substitution on conjugated polymers in polymer solar cells (PSCs)
      has a diverse effect on molecular properties and device performance. We present a
      series of three D-A type conjugated polymers (PBT, PFBT, and PDFBT) based on
      dithienothiophene and benzothiadiazole units with different numbers of F atoms to
      explain the influence of F substitution by comparing the molecular interactions
      of the polymers and the recombination kinetics in PSCs. The preaggregation
      behavior of PFBT and PDFBT in o-DCB at the UV-vis absorption spectra proves that
      both polymers have strong intermolecular interactions. Besides, more closely
      packed structures and change into face-on orientation of fluorinated polymers are
      observed in polymer:PC71BM blends by GIXD which is beneficial for charge
      transport and, ultimately, for current density in PSCs (4.3, 13.0, and 14.5 mA cm
      2 for PBT, PFBT, and PDFBT, respectively). Also, the introduction of F atoms on
      conjugated backbones affects the recombination kinetics by suppressing
      bimolecular recombination, thereby improving the fill factor (0.41, 0.68, and
      0.69 for PBT, PFBT, and PDFBT, respectively). Consequently, the PCE of PSCs
      reached 7.3% without any additional treatment (annealing, solvent additive, etc.)
      in the polymer containing difluorinated BT (PDFBT) that is much higher than
      nonfluorinated BT (PBT ~ 1%) and monofluorinated BT (PFBT ~ 6%).

PMID- 28628302
TI  - Highly Fe3+-Selective Fluorescent Nanoprobe Based on Ultrabright N/P Codoped
      Carbon Dots and Its Application in Biological Samples.
AB  - Measuring the levels of Fe3+ in human body has attracted considerable attention
      for health monitoring as it plays an essential role in many physiological
      processes. In this work, we reported a selective fluorescent nanoprobe for Fe3+
      detection in biological samples based on ultrabright N/P codoped carbon dots. By
      employing adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) as the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus
      source, the N/P codoped carbon dots could be simply prepared through hydrothermal
      treatment. The obtained carbon dots exhibited high quantum yields up to 43.2%, as
      well as excellent photostability, low toxicity, and water solubility. Because of
      the Fe-O-P bonds formed between Fe3+ and the N/P codoped carbon dots, this
      nanoprobe showed high selectivity toward Fe3+ against various potential
      interfering substances in the presence of EDTA. The fluorescence quenching of as
      fabricated carbon dots was observed with the increasing Fe3+ concentration, and
      the calibration curve displayed a wide linear region over the range of 1-150 MUM
      with a detection limit of 0.33 MUM. The satisfactory accuracy was further
      confirmed with the river samples and ferrous sulfate tablets, respectively. With
      the above outstanding properties, these N/P codoped carbon dots were successfully
      applied for direct detection of Fe3+ in biological samples including human blood
      serum and living cells. As compared to the most reported carbon dots-based Fe3+
      sensors, this nanoprobe showed high fluorescence, good accuracy, and excellent
      selectivity, which presents the potential practical application for diagnosis of
      Fe3+ related disease.

PMID- 28628303
TI  - Folate and Heptamethine Cyanine Modified Chitosan-Based Nanotheranostics for
      Tumor Targeted Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy.
AB  - Folate (FA) and heptamethine cyanine (Cy7)-modified chitosan (CF7) was
      synthesized by click chemistry and its self-assembled nanoparticles (CF7Ns) were
      developed for tumor-specific imaging and photodynamic therapy. The
      characterization spectrum confirmed CF7 had a good FA and Cy7 conjugation
      efficacy. The diameter of CF7Ns measured by DLS was about 291.6 nm, and the
      morphology observed with AFM showed filamentous clusters of particles. The
      results of targeting ability of CF7Ns demonstrated enhanced targeting behaviors
      of CF7Ns compared with non-FA-modified nanoparticles C7Ns in FA receptor-positive
      HeLa cells. The cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis assay showed that CF7Ns under
      near-infrared light irradiation led to more apoptotic cell death in HeLa cells to
      improve the therapeutic efficacy. The mechanisms of the photodynamic effects of
      CF7Ns were demonstrated through measurement of intracellular reactive oxygen
      species and the apoptosis-related cytokines. These results suggested that CF7Ns
      are promising tumor targeting carriers for simultaneous fluorescence imaging and
      photodynamic therapy.

PMID- 28628304
TI  - Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) from Nitrate Radical Oxidation of Monoterpenes:
      Effects of Temperature, Dilution, and Humidity on Aerosol Formation, Mixing, and
      Evaporation.
AB  - Nitrate radical (NO3) oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) is
      important for nighttime secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. SOA produced
      at night may evaporate the following morning due to increasing temperatures or
      dilution of semivolatile compounds. We isothermally dilute the oxidation products
      from the limonene+NO3 reaction at 25  degrees C and observe negligible
      evaporation of organic aerosol via dilution. The SOA yields from limonene+NO3 are
      approximately constant (~174%) at 25  degrees C and range from 81 to 148% at 40 
      degrees C. Based on the difference in yields between the two temperatures, we
      calculated an effective enthalpy of vaporization of 117-237 kJ mol-1. The aerosol
      yields at 40  degrees C can be as much as 50% lower compared to 25  degrees C.
      However, when aerosol formed at 25  degrees C is heated to 40  degrees C, only
      about 20% of the aerosol evaporates, which could indicate a resistance to aerosol
      evaporation. To better understand this, we probe the possibility that SOA from
      limonene+NO3 and beta-pinene+NO3 reactions is highly viscous. We demonstrate that
      particle morphology and evaporation is dependent on whether SOA from limonene is
      formed before or during the formation of SOA from beta-pinene. This difference in
      particle morphology is present even at high relative humidity (~70%).

PMID- 28628305
TI  - Variation in Methane Emission Rates from Well Pads in Four Oil and Gas Basins
      with Contrasting Production Volumes and Compositions.
AB  - Atmospheric methane emissions from active natural gas production sites in normal
      operation were quantified using an inverse Gaussian method (EPA's OTM 33a) in
      four major U.S. basins/plays: Upper Green River (UGR, Wyoming), Denver-Julesburg
      (DJ, Colorado), Uintah (Utah), and Fayetteville (FV, Arkansas). In DJ, Uintah,
      and FV, 72-83% of total measured emissions were from 20% of the well pads, while
      in UGR the highest 20% of emitting well pads only contributed 54% of total
      emissions. The total mass of methane emitted as a percent of gross methane
      produced, termed throughput-normalized methane average (TNMA) and determined by
      bootstrapping measurements from each basin, varied widely between basins and was
      (95% CI): 0.09% (0.05-0.15%) in FV, 0.18% (0.12-0.29%) in UGR, 2.1% (1.1-3.9%) in
      DJ, and 2.8% (1.0-8.6%) in Uintah. Overall, wet-gas basins (UGR, DJ, Uintah) had
      higher TNMA emissions than the dry-gas FV at all ranges of production per well
      pad. Among wet basins, TNMA emissions had a strong negative correlation with
      average gas production per well pad, suggesting that consolidation of operations
      onto single pads may reduce normalized emissions (average number of wells per pad
      is 5.3 in UGR versus 1.3 in Uintah and 2.8 in DJ).

PMID- 28628306
TI  - Lysine Deacetylation by HDAC6 Regulates the Kinase Activity of AKT in Human
      Neural Progenitor Cells.
AB  - The AKT family of serine-threonine kinases functions downstream of
      phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) to transmit signals by direct
      phosphorylation of a number of targets, including the mammalian target of
      rapamycin (mTOR), glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK3beta), and beta-catenin.
      AKT binds to phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-triphosphate (PIP3) generated by PI3K
      activation, which results in its membrane localization and subsequent activation
      through phosphorylation by phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1).
      Together, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway plays pivotal roles in many cellular
      systems, including in the central nervous system where it governs both
      neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. Recently, lysine residues (Lys14 and Lys20)
      on AKT, located within its pleckstrin homology (PH) domain that binds to membrane
      bound PIP3, have been found to be acetylated under certain cellular contexts in
      various cancer cell lines. These acetylation modifications are removed by the
      enzymatic action of the class III lysine deacetylases, SIRT1 and SIRT2, of the
      sirtuin family. The extent to which reversible acetylation regulates AKT function
      in other cell types remains poorly understood. We report here that AKT kinase
      activity is modulated by a class IIb lysine deacetylase, histone deacetylase 6
      (HDAC6), in human neural progenitor cells (NPCs). We find that HDAC6 and AKT
      physically interact with each other in the neuronal cells, and in the presence of
      selective HDAC6 inhibition, AKT is acetylated at Lys163 and Lys377 located in the
      kinase domain, two novel sites distinct from the acetylation sites in the PH
      domain modulated by the sirtuins. Measurement of the functional effect of HDAC6
      inhibition on AKT revealed decreased binding to PIP3, a correlated decrease in
      AKT kinase activity, decreased phosphorylation of Ser552 on beta-catenin, and
      modulation of neuronal differentiation trajectories. Taken together, our studies
      implicate the deacetylase activity of HDAC6 as a novel regulator of AKT signaling
      and point to novel mechanisms for regulating AKT activity with small-molecule
      inhibitors of HDAC6 currently under clinical development.

PMID- 28628307
TI  - Present Perspectives of Advanced Characterization Techniques in TiO2-Based
      Photocatalysts.
AB  - TiO2 is the most investigated photocatalyst because of its nontoxicity, low cost,
      chemical stability, and strong photooxidative ability. Because of the morphology-
      and structure-dependent photocatalytic properties of TiO2, accurate
      characterization of the crystal and electronic structures of TiO2-based materials
      and their performance during the photocatalytic process is crucial not only for
      understanding the photocatalytic mechanism but also for providing experimental
      guidelines as well as a theoretical framework for the synthesis of high
      performance photocatalysts. In this review, we focused on the advanced
      characterization techniques that are utilized in the studies on the TiO2
      structures and photocatalytic performance of TiO2 and TiO2-based materials. It is
      therefore anticipated that this review can provide a novel perspective to
      understand the fundamental aspects of photocatalysis and inspire the development
      of new photocatalysts with superior performances.

PMID- 28628308
TI  - Molecular Insights into the Transformation of Dissolved Organic Matter in
      Landfill Leachate Concentrate during Biodegradation and Coagulation Processes
      Using ESI FT-ICR MS.
AB  - Landfill leachate concentrate is a type of refractory organic wastewater with
      high environmental risk. Identification of refractory components and insights
      into the molecular transformations of the organics are essential for the
      development of efficient treatment process. In this report, molecular
      compositions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in leachate concentrate, as well
      as changes after anaerobic/aerobic biodegradation and coagulation with salts,
      were characterized using electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled with Fourier
      transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). DOM in leachate
      concentrate were more saturated and less oxidized with more nitrogen and sulfur
      containing substances (accounting for 50.0%), comparing with natural organic
      matter in Suwannee River. Selectivity for different classes of organics during
      biodegradation and coagulation processes was observed. Substances with low
      oxidation degree (O/C < 0.3) were more reactive during biodegradation process,
      leading to the formation of highly oxidized molecules (O/C > 0.5). Unsaturated
      (H/C < 1.0) and oxidized (O/C > 0.4) substances containing carboxyl groups were
      preferentially removed after coagulation with Al or Fe sulfate. The complementary
      functions of biodegradation and coagulation in the treatment of DOM in leachate
      concentrate were verified at the molecular level. Lignin-derived compounds and
      sulfur-containing substances in leachate concentrate were resistant to
      biodegradation and coagulation treatments. To treat leachate concentrate more
      effectively, processes aimed at removal of such DOM should be developed.

PMID- 28628309
TI  - Dissecting Orthosteric Contacts for a Reverse-Fragment-Based Ligand Design.
AB  - Orthosteric sites on proteins are formed typically from noncontiguous interacting
      sites in three-dimensional space where the composite binding interaction of a
      biological ligand is mediated by multiple synergistic interactions of its
      constituent functional groups. Through these multiple interactions, ligands
      stabilize both the ligand binding site and the local secondary structure.
      However, relative energetic contributions of the individual contacts in these
      protein-ligand interactions are difficult to resolve. Deconvolution of the
      contributions of these various functional groups in natural inhibitors/ligand
      would greatly aid in iterative fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD). In this
      study, we describe an approach of progressive unfolding of a target protein using
      a gradient of denaturant urea to reveal the individual energetic contributions of
      various ligand-functional groups to the affinity of the entire ligand. Through
      calibrated unfolding of two protein-ligand systems: cAMP-bound regulatory subunit
      of Protein Kinase A (RIalpha) and IBMX-bound phosphodiesterase8 (PDE8), monitored
      by amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, we show progressive
      disruption of individual orthosteric contacts in the ligand binding sites,
      allowing us to rank the energetic contributions of these individual interactions.
      In the two cAMP-binding sites of RIalpha, exocyclic phosphate oxygens of cAMP
      were identified to mediate stronger interactions than ribose 2'-OH in both the
      RIalpha-cAMP binding interfaces. Further, we have also ranked the relative
      contributions of the different functional groups of IBMX based on their
      interactions with the orthosteric residues of PDE8. This strategy for
      deconstruction of individual binding sites and identification of the strongest
      functional group interaction in enzyme orthosteric sites offers a rational
      starting point for FBDD.

PMID- 28628310
TI  - Furoxan Nitric Oxide Donors Disperse Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms, Accelerate
      Growth, and Repress Pyoverdine Production.
AB  - The use of nitric oxide (NO) as a signal for biofilm dispersal has been shown to
      increase the susceptibility of many biofilms to antibiotics, promoting their
      eradication. The delivery of NO to biofilms can be achieved by using NO donors
      with different kinetics and properties of NO release that can influence their
      efficacy as biofilm control agents. In this study, the kinetics of three furoxan
      derivatives were evaluated. The effects of these NO donors, which have an
      advantageous pharmacological profile of slower onset with an extended duration of
      action, on Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth, biofilm development, and dispersal were
      also characterized. Compound LL4254, which showed a fast rate of NO release,
      induced biofilm dispersal at approximately 200 MUM. While LL4212 and LL4216 have
      a slower rate of NO release, both compounds could induce biofilm dispersal, under
      the same treatment conditions, when used at higher concentrations. In addition,
      LL4212 and LL4216 were found to promote P. aeruginosa growth in iron-limited
      minimal medium, leading to a faster rate of biofilm formation and glucose
      utilization, and ultimately resulted in early dispersal of biofilm cells through
      carbon starvation. High concentrations of LL4216 also repressed production of the
      siderophore pyoverdine by more than 50-fold, via both NOx-dependent and NOx
      independent mechanisms. The effects on growth and pyoverdine levels exerted by
      the furoxans appeared to be mediated by NO-independent mechanisms, suggesting
      functional activities of furoxans in addition to their release of NO and nitrite.
      Overall, this study reveals that secondary effects of furoxans are important
      considerations for their use as NO-releasing dispersal agents and that these
      compounds could be potentially redesigned as pyoverdine inhibitors.

PMID- 28628311
TI  - Pushing the Limits of Oxygen Balance in 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles.
AB  - Gem-trinitromethyl groups were introduced into a 1,3,4-oxadiazole ring to give
      the first example of a bifunctionalized single five-membered ring with six nitro
      groups. 2,5-Bis(trinitromethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (12) has a high calculated
      crystal density of 2.007 g cm-3 at 150 K (1.941 g cm-3 at 293 K) and a very high
      positive oxygen balance (39.12%), which makes it a strong candidate as a high
      energy dense oxidizer. The dihydroxylammonium and dihydrazinium salts of
      bis(trinitromethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (5 and 6) exhibit excellent calculated
      detonation properties (5, vD = 9266 m s-1, P = 38.9 GPa; 6, vD = 8900 m s-1, P =
      36.3 GPa) and acceptable impact sensitivities (5 20 J, 6 19 J), which are
      superior to those of RDX (7.4 J) and HMX (7.4 J). Such attractive features
      support the application potential of the gem-polynitromethyl group in the design
      of advanced energetic materials. Surprisingly, 2,5-bis(trinitromethyl)-1,3,4
      oxadiazole (12) is more thermally stable and less sensitive than its
      bis(dinitromethyl) analogue, 8.

PMID- 28628312
TI  - A Mononuclear Nonheme Iron(V)-Imido Complex.
AB  - Mononuclear nonheme iron(V)-oxo complexes have been reported previously. Herein,
      we report the first example of a mononuclear nonheme iron(V)-imido complex
      bearing a tetraamido macrocyclic ligand (TAML), [(TAML)FeV(NTs)]- (1). The
      spectroscopic characterization of 1 revealed an S = 1/2 Fe(V) oxidation state, an
      Fe-N bond length of 1.65(4) A, and an Fe-N vibration at 817 cm-1. The reactivity
      of 1 was demonstrated in C-H bond functionalization and nitrene transfer
      reactions.

PMID- 28628313
TI  - Tunneling Kinetics and Nonadiabatic Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Proteins:
      The Effect of Electric Fields and Anharmonic Donor-Acceptor Interactions.
AB  - A proper description of proton donor-acceptor (D-A) distance fluctuations is
      crucial for understanding tunneling in proton-coupled electron transport (PCET).
      The typical harmonic approximation for the D-A potential results in a Gaussian
      probability distribution, which does not appropriately reflect the electronic
      repulsion forces that increase the energetic cost of sampling shorter D-A
      distances. Because these shorter distances are the primary channel for thermally
      activated tunneling, the analysis of tunneling kinetics depends sensitively on
      the inherently anharmonic nature of the D-A interaction. Thus, we have used
      quantum chemical calculations to account for the D-A interaction and developed an
      improved model for the analysis of experimental tunneling kinetics. Strong
      internal electric fields are also considered and found to contribute
      significantly to the compressive forces when the D-A distance distribution is
      positioned below the van der Waals contact distance. This model is applied to
      recent experiments on the wild type (WT) and a double mutant (DM) of soybean
      lipoxygenase-1 (SLO). The compressive force necessary to prepare the tunneling
      active distribution in WT SLO is found to fall in the ~ nN range, which greatly
      exceeds the measured values of molecular motor and protein unfolding forces. This
      indicates that ~60-100 MV/cm electric fields, aligned along the D-A bond axis,
      must be generated by an enzyme conformational interconversion that facilitates
      the PCET tunneling reaction. Based on the absolute value of the measured
      tunneling rate, and using previously calculated values of the electronic matrix
      element, the population of this tunneling-active conformation is found to lie in
      the range 10-5-10-7, indicating this is a rare structural fluctuation that falls
      well below the detection threshold of recent ENDOR experiments. Additional
      analysis of the DM tunneling kinetics leads to a proposal that a disordered (high
      entropy) conformation could be tunneling-active due to its broad range of sampled
      D-A distances.

PMID- 28628314
TI  - Benchmarking the Fundamental Electronic Properties of small TiO2 Nanoclusters by
      GW and Coupled Cluster Theory Calculations.
AB  - We study the vertical and adiabatic ionization potentials and electron affinities
      of bare and hydroxylated TiO2 nanoclusters, as well as their fundamental gap and
      exciton binding energy values, to understand how the clusters' electronic
      properties change as a function of size and hydroxylation. In addition, we have
      employed a range of many-body methods; including G0W0, qsGW, EA/IP-EOM-CCSD, and
      DFT (B3LYP, PBE), to compare the performance and predictions of the different
      classes of methods. We demonstrate that, for bare clusters, all many-body methods
      predict the same trend with cluster size. The highest occupied and lowest
      unoccupied DFT orbitals follow the same trends as the electron affinity and
      ionization potentials predicted by the many-body methods, but are generally far
      too shallow and deep respectively in absolute terms. In contrast, the DeltaDFT
      method is found to yield values in the correct energy window. However, its
      predictions depend upon the functional used and do not necessarily follow trends
      based on the many-body methods. Adiabatic potentials are predicted to be similar
      to their vertical counterparts and holes found to be trapped more strongly than
      excess electrons. The effect of hydroxylation on the clusters is to open up both
      the optical and fundamental gap. Finally, a simple microscopic explanation for
      the observed trends with cluster size and upon hydroxylation is proposed in terms
      of the onsite electrostatic potential.

PMID- 28628315
TI  - A Pseudohypervalent Sulfur Intermediate as an Oxidative Protective Mechanism in
      the Archaea Peroxiredoxin Enzyme ApTPx.
AB  - Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a ubiquitous class of enzymes that have central roles
      in a number of important physiological processes. Using a multiscale
      computational approach, we have investigated the mechanism by which the active
      site cysteine (Cys50) in the typical 2-Cys Prx from Archaea (ApTPx) is oxidized
      by H2O2 to sulfenic acid. In addition, its further oxidation to give a sulfinic
      acid and its possible alternate intramolecular reaction to form an experimentally
      proposed hypervalent sulfurane were examined. Oxidation of Cys50 by H2O2 to give
      the sulfenic acid intermediate occurs in one step with a barrier of 82.1 kJ mol
      1. A two-step pathway is proposed with a very low barrier of 16.5 kJ mol-1 by
      which it can subsequently react with an adjacent histidyl (His42) to form the
      pseudohypervalent sulfurane. This pathway also involves an adjacent aspartyl
      (Asp45), which helps alternate the protonation state of His42. The sulfurane's
      Cys50S...NdeltaHis42 interaction was characterized using QTAIM, NCI, and NBO
      analyses and found to be a noncovalent interaction. Notably, this bond helps
      orient the Cys50SOH moiety such that it is less susceptible to oxidation by H2O2
      to sulfinic acid. Significantly, sulfurane formation is energetically favored to
      further H2O2 oxidation of Cys50SOH to a sulfinic acid, providing a mechanism by
      which the active-site Cys50 is protected against overoxidation.

PMID- 28628316
TI  - Soft-Sphere Continuum Solvation in Electronic-Structure Calculations.
AB  - We present an implicit solvation approach where the interface between the quantum
      mechanical solute and the surrounding environment is described by a fully
      continuous permittivity built up with atomic-centered "soft" spheres. This
      approach combines many of the advantages of the self-consistent continuum
      solvation model in handling solutes and surfaces in contact with complex
      dielectric environments or electrolytes in electronic-structure calculations. In
      addition it is able to describe accurately both neutral and charged systems. The
      continuous function, describing the variation of the permittivity, allows to
      compute analytically the nonelectrostatic contributions to the solvation free
      energy that are described in terms of the quantum surface. The whole methodology
      is computationally stable, provides consistent energies and forces, and keeps the
      computational efforts and runtimes comparable to those of standard vacuum
      calculations. The capabilitiy to treat arbitrary molecular or slab-like
      geometries as well as charged molecules is key to tackle electrolytes within
      mixed explicit/implicit frameworks. We show that, with given, fixed atomic radii,
      two parameters are sufficient to give a mean absolute error of only 1.12 kcal/mol
      with respect to the experimental aqueous solvation energies for a set of 274
      neutral solutes. For charged systems, the same set of parameters provides
      solvation energies for a set of 60 anions and 52 cations with an error of 2.96
      and 2.13 kcal/mol, respectively, improving upon previous literature values. To
      tackle elements not present in most solvation databases, a new benchmark scheme
      on wettability and contact angles is proposed for solid-liquid interfaces and
      applied to the investigation of the stable terminations of a CdS (1120) surface
      in an electrochemical medium.

PMID- 28628317
TI  - Controllability of Polymer Crystal Orientation Using Heterogeneous Nucleation of
      Deformed Polymer Loops Grafted on Two-Dimensional Nanofiller.
AB  - Nowadays, it is a research hotspot to realize the controllability of polymer
      crystal structure in polymer nanocomposites. However, polymer crystals induced by
      two-dimensional filler always exhibit random orientation, which somewhat limit
      the improvement of physical properties of polymer materials. In the current
      paper, dynamic Monte Carlo simulations were performed to explore the methods
      preparing crystals with uniform orientation. Heterogeneous nucleation of deformed
      polymer loops grafted on two-dimensional filler can induce the appearance of a
      special nanohybrid shish-kebab (NHSK) structure, in which the two-dimensional
      filler acts as "shish" and induces the formation of crystals with uniform
      orientation. The grafted deformed chains are first heterogeneously nucleated on
      filler surface, and then free chains participate in crystallization, resulting in
      the formation of the NHSK structure. The NHSK structure can only be formed in the
      systems with high interfacial interactions at high temperatures or moderate
      interfacial interactions at moderate temperatures or low interfacial interactions
      at low temperatures. The method proposed here can be used to achieve the
      controllability of polymer crystal orientation in experiments.

PMID- 28628319
TI  - Mechanism of Phenol Alkylation in Zeolite H-BEA Using In Situ Solid-State NMR
      Spectroscopy.
AB  - The reaction mechanism of solid-acid-catalyzed phenol alkylation with
      cyclohexanol and cyclohexene in the apolar solvent decalin has been studied using
      in situ 13C MAS NMR spectroscopy. Phenol alkylation with cyclohexanol sets in
      only after a majority of cyclohexanol is dehydrated to cyclohexene. As phenol and
      cyclohexanol show similar adsorption strength, this strict reaction sequence is
      not caused by the limited access of phenol to cyclohexanol, but is due to the
      absence of a reactive electrophile as long as a significant fraction of
      cyclohexanol is present. 13C isotope labeling demonstrates that the reactive
      electrophile, the cyclohexyl carbenium ion, is directly formed in a protonation
      step when cyclohexene is the coreactant. In the presence of cyclohexanol, its
      protonated dimers at Bronsted acid sites hinder the adsorption of cyclohexene and
      the formation of a carbenium ion. Thus, it is demonstrated that protonated
      cyclohexanol dimers dehydrate without the formation of a carbenium ion, which
      would otherwise have contributed to the alkylation in the kinetically relevant
      step. Isotope scrambling shows that intramolecular rearrangement of cyclohexyl
      phenyl ether does not significantly contribute to alkylation at the aromatic
      ring.

PMID- 28628318
TI  - Third-Generation Light-Driven Symmetric Molecular Motors.
AB  - Symmetric molecular motors based on two overcrowded alkenes with a notable
      absence of a stereogenic center show potential to function as novel mechanical
      systems in the development of more advanced nanomachines offering controlled
      motion over surfaces. Elucidation of the key parameters and limitations of these
      third-generation motors is essential for the design of optimized molecular
      machines based on light-driven rotary motion. Herein we demonstrate the thermal
      and photochemical rotational behavior of a series of third-generation light
      driven molecular motors. The steric hindrance of the core unit exerted upon the
      rotors proved pivotal in controlling the speed of rotation, where a smaller size
      results in lower barriers. The presence of a pseudo-asymmetric carbon center
      provides the motor with unidirectionality. Tuning of the steric effects of the
      substituents at the bridgehead allows for the precise control of the direction of
      disrotary motion, illustrated by the design of two motors which show opposite
      rotation with respect to a methyl substituent. A third-generation molecular motor
      with the potential to be the fastest based on overcrowded alkenes to date was
      used to visualize the equal rate of rotation of both its rotor units. The
      autonomous rotational behavior perfectly followed the predicted model, setting
      the stage for more advanced motors for functional dynamic systems.

PMID- 28628320
TI  - Dynamics of Charge Injection and Charge Recombination in DNA Mini-Hairpins.
AB  - Steady state spectroscopy, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (fsTA),
      and femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (FSRS) of DNA mini-hairpins
      possessing a diphenylacetylenedicarboxamide (DPA) linker and 1-3 adenine-thymine
      (A-T) or guanine-cytosine (G-C) base pairs have been investigated. Ultraviolet
      and circular dichroism (UV and CD) spectra are consistent with ground state
      conformations that are predominantly base-paired and pi-stacked for conjugates
      possessing two or three base pairs; however, they offer no information concerning
      the conformation of conjugates possessing a single base pair. fsTA spectra are
      indicative of pi-stacked structures excepted in the case of the conjugate
      possessing a single G-C base pair. All of the conjugates display transient
      absorption bands characteristic of the DPA-. anion radical. Conjugates possessing
      two or three G-C base pairs display a transient absorption band characteristic of
      the short-lived G+* cation radical. The mini-hairpins with 1-3 A-T base pairs do
      not display the transient absorption band characteristic of the (An+*) polaron.
      This implies that an A-tract with three base pairs is too short to support
      polaron formation.

PMID- 28628321
TI  - Manganese-Catalyzed Aminomethylation of Aromatic Compounds with Methanol as a
      Sustainable C1 Building Block.
AB  - This study represents the first example of a manganese-catalyzed environmentally
      benign, practical three-component aminomethylation of activated aromatic
      compounds including naphtols, phenols, pyridines, indoles, carbazoles, and
      thiophenes in combination with amines and MeOH as a C1 source. These reactions
      proceed with high atom efficiency via a sequence of dehydrogenation and
      condensation steps which give rise to selective C-C and C-N bond formations,
      thereby releasing hydrogen and water. A well-defined hydride Mn(I) PNP pincer
      complex, recently developed in our laboratory, catalyzes this process in a very
      efficient way, and a total of 28 different aminomethylated products were
      synthesized and isolated yields of up to 91%. In a preliminary study, a related
      Fe(II) PNP pincer complex was shown to catalyze the methylation of 2-naphtol
      rather than its aminomethylation displaying again the divergent behavior of
      isoelectronic Mn(I) and Fe(II) PNP pincer systems.

PMID- 28628322
TI  - Applying Mondrian Cross-Conformal Prediction To Estimate Prediction Confidence on
      Large Imbalanced Bioactivity Data Sets.
AB  - Conformal prediction has been proposed as a more rigorous way to define
      prediction confidence compared to other application domain concepts that have
      earlier been used for QSAR modeling. One main advantage of such a method is that
      it provides a prediction region potentially with multiple predicted labels, which
      contrasts to the single valued (regression) or single label (classification)
      output predictions by standard QSAR modeling algorithms. Standard conformal
      prediction might not be suitable for imbalanced data sets. Therefore, Mondrian
      cross-conformal prediction (MCCP) which combines the Mondrian inductive conformal
      prediction with cross-fold calibration sets has been introduced. In this study,
      the MCCP method was applied to 18 publicly available data sets that have various
      imbalance levels varying from 1:10 to 1:1000 (ratio of active/inactive
      compounds). Our results show that MCCP in general performed well on bioactivity
      data sets with various imbalance levels. More importantly, the method not only
      provides confidence of prediction and prediction regions compared to standard
      machine learning methods but also produces valid predictions for the minority
      class. In addition, a compound similarity based nonconformity measure was
      investigated. Our results demonstrate that although it gives valid predictions,
      its efficiency is much worse than that of model dependent metrics.

PMID- 28628323
TI  - Double Diastereoselective Approach to Chiral syn- and anti-1,3-Diol Analogues
      through Consecutive Catalytic Asymmetric Borylations.
AB  - Homoallylic boronate carboxylate esters derived from unsaturated aldehydes via an
      imination, beta-borylation, imine hydrolysis, and Wittig trapping sequence, were
      subjected to a second boryl addition to give 1,3-diborylated carboxylate esters.
      Control of the absolute and relative stereochemistry of the two new 1,3
      stereogenic centers was achieved through: (1) direct chiral catalyst controlled
      asymmetric borylation of the first stereocenter on the unsaturated imine with
      high e.e.; and (2) a double diastereoselectively controlled borylation of an
      unsaturated ester employing a chiral catalyst to largely overcome directing
      effects from the first chiral boryl center to give poor (mismatched) to good
      (matched) diastereocontrol. Subsequently, the two C-B functions were transformed
      into C-O systems to allow unambiguous stereochemical assignment of the two
      borylation reactions involving oxidation and acetal formation.

PMID- 28628324
TI  - Activation Parameters of Self-Diffusion of Aromatic Chiral Molecules in External
      Magnetic Fields.
AB  - The mobility of aromatic chiral molecules 1-phenylethanol and 1-phenyl-1-propanol
      in liquids was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy depending on the strength of the
      external magnetic field, temperature, and concentration ratio of enantiomers. The
      data obtained were analyzed using Arrhenius law. The activation parameters were
      found to depend on the applied field. This effect is caused by the induced
      magnetic moments in aromatic molecules. The use of strong magnetic fields seems
      to be promising for investigation of intermolecular interactions of chiral
      molecules.

PMID- 28628325
TI  - Tuning Optical Signatures of Single- and Few-Layer MoS2 by Blown-Bubble Bulge
      Straining up to Fracture.
AB  - Emerging atomic layer semiconducting crystals such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)
      are promising candidates for flexible electronics and strain-tunable devices due
      to their ultrahigh strain limits (up to ~20-30%) and strain-tunable bandgaps.
      However, high strain levels, controllable isotropic and anisotropic biaxial
      strains in single- and few-layer MoS2 on device-oriented flexible substrates
      permitting convenient and fast strain tuning, remain unexplored. Here, we
      demonstrate a "blown-bubble" bulge technique for efficiently applying large
      strains to atomic layer MoS2 devices on a flexible substrate. As the strain
      increases via bulging, we achieve continuous tuning of Raman and
      photoluminescence (PL) signatures in single- and few-layer MoS2, including
      splitting of Raman peaks. With proper clamping of the MoS2 crystals, we apply up
      to ~9.4% strain in the flexible substrate, which causes a doubly clamped single
      layer MoS2 to fracture at 2.2-2.6% strain measured by PL and 2.9-3.5% strain
      measured by Raman spectroscopy. This study opens new pathways for exploiting 2D
      semiconductors on stretchable substrates for flexible electronics, mechanical
      transducers, tunable optoelectronics, and biomedical transducers on curved and
      bulging surfaces.

PMID- 28628326
TI  - Improved Sodium-Ion Storage Performance of Ultrasmall Iron Selenide
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - Sodium-ion batteries are potential low-cost alternatives to current lithium-ion
      technology, yet their performances still fall short of expectation due to the
      lack of suitable electrode materials with large capacity, long-term cycling
      stability, and high-rate performance. In this work, we demonstrated that
      ultrasmall (~5 nm) iron selenide (FeSe2) nanoparticles exhibited a remarkable
      activity for sodium-ion storage. They were prepared from a high-temperature
      solution method with a narrow size distribution and high yield and could be
      readily redispersed in nonpolar organic solvents. In ether-based electrolyte,
      FeSe2 nanoparticles exhibited a large specific capacity of ~500 mAh/g (close to
      the theoretical limit), high rate capability with ~250 mAh/g retained at 10 A/g,
      and excellent cycling stability at both low and high current rates by virtue of
      their advantageous nanosizing effect. Full sodium-ion batteries were also
      constructed from coupling FeSe2 with NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode and
      demonstrated impressive capacity and cycle ability.

PMID- 28628327
TI  - Impact of the Niemann-Pick c1 Gene Mutation on the Total Cellular Glycomics of
      CHO Cells.
AB  - Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is an autosomal recessive lipid storage
      disorder, and the majority of cases are caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene. In
      this study, we clarified how a single gene mutation in the NPC1 gene impacts the
      cellular glycome by analyzing the total glycomic expression profile of Chinese
      hamster ovary cell mutants defective in the Npc1 gene (Npc1 KO CHO cells). A
      number of glycomic alterations were identified, including increased expression of
      lactosylceramide, GM1, GM2, GD1, various neolacto-series glycosphingolipids, and
      sialyl-T (O-glycan), which was found to be the major sialylated protein-bound
      glycan, as well as various N-glycans, which were commonly both fucosylated and
      sialylated. We also observed significant increases in the total amounts of free
      oligosaccharides (fOSs), especially in the unique complex- and hybrid-type fOSs.
      Treatment of Npc1 KO CHO cells with 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPBCD),
      which can reduce cholesterol and glycosphingolipid (GSL) storage, did not affect
      the glycomic alterations observed in the GSL-, N-, and O-glycans of Npc1 KO CHO
      cells. However, HPBCD treatment corrected the glycomic alterations observed in
      fOSs to levels observed in wild-type cells.

PMID- 28628328
TI  - pH-Switchable Interaction of a Carboxybetaine Ester-Based SAM with DNA and Gold
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - We describe a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold surface with a
      carboxybetaine ester functionality to control the interaction between DNA and
      gold nanoparticles via pH. The negatively charged phosphate backbone of DNA
      interacts with and adsorbs to the positively charged carboxybetaine esters on the
      SAM. DNA release can be achieved by the hydrolysis of carboxybetaine ester (CBE)
      to a zwitterionic carboxybetaine state. Furthermore, the adsorption of negatively
      charged citrate-capped gold nanoparticles to a SAM-modified plain gold surface
      can be controlled by the pH. The SAM based on carboxybetaine ester allows for the
      homogeneous adsorption of particles, whereas the SAM after hydrolysis at high pH
      repels AuNP adsorption. The antifouling surface properties of the surface
      modified with carboxybetaine were investigated with protein samples.

PMID- 28628329
TI  - Exploring the Formation of Symmetric Gold Nanostars by Liquid-Cell Transmission
      Electron Microscopy.
AB  - The shape-dependent properties of gold nanostars (NSs) have motivated massive
      research efforts in the field of colloidal chemistry to gain a better control
      over the morphology of these promising nanostructures. Nevertheless, this
      challenge requires a better understanding of the atomic-scale processes leading
      to the formation of stellated nanoparticles. We hereby report an unprecedented in
      situ study focused on the seed-mediated synthesis of symmetric gold NSs performed
      by radiolysis in methanol. We take advantage of the spatial and temporal
      resolutions of liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy to unravel the key
      effects of the growth speed, seed-crystal morphology, and dimethylamine
      functionalization on the formation mechanisms, shape, and stability of NSs
      enclosed by high-index facets. Surprisingly, the stellation processes
      transforming icosahedral nanoparticles into NSs with 20 sharp arms entails a
      continuous restructuring of NS facets driven by surface diffusion, which provide
      a fresh look at faceting mechanisms.

PMID- 28628330
TI  - Quantum Spin Hall Effect and Tunable Spin Transport in As-Graphane.
AB  - Tunable spin transport in nanodevices is highly desirable to spintronics. Here,
      we predict existence of quantum spin Hall effects and tunable spin transport in
      As-graphane, based on first-principle density functional theory and tight binding
      calculations. Monolayer As-graphane is constituted by using As adsorbing on
      graphane with honeycomb H vacancies. Owing to the surface strain, monolayer As
      graphane nanoribbons will self-bend toward the graphane side. The naturally
      curved As-graphane nanoribbons then exhibit unique spin transport properties,
      distinctively different from the flat ones, which is a two-dimensional
      topological insulator. Under external stress, one can realize tunable spin
      transport in curved As-graphane nanoribon arrays. Such intriguing mechanical
      bending induced spin flips can offer promising applications in the future
      nanospintronics devices.

PMID- 28628331
TI  - Quantum Cascade Laser Spectral Histopathology: Breast Cancer Diagnostics Using
      High Throughput Chemical Imaging.
AB  - Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microscopy coupled with machine learning
      approaches has been demonstrated to be a powerful technique for identifying
      abnormalities in human tissue. The ability to objectively identify the
      prediseased state and diagnose cancer with high levels of accuracy has the
      potential to revolutionize current histopathological practice. Despite recent
      technological advances in FT-IR microscopy, sample throughput and speed of
      acquisition are key barriers to clinical translation. Wide-field quantum cascade
      laser (QCL) infrared imaging systems with large focal plane array detectors
      utilizing discrete frequency imaging have demonstrated that large tissue
      microarrays (TMA) can be imaged in a matter of minutes. However, this ground
      breaking technology is still in its infancy, and its applicability for routine
      disease diagnosis is, as yet, unproven. In light of this, we report on a large
      study utilizing a breast cancer TMA comprised of 207 different patients. We show
      that by using QCL imaging with continuous spectra acquired between 912 and 1800
      cm-1, we can accurately differentiate between 4 different histological classes.
      We demonstrate that we can discriminate between malignant and nonmalignant stroma
      spectra with high sensitivity (93.56%) and specificity (85.64%) for an
      independent test set. Finally, we classify each core in the TMA and achieve high
      diagnostic accuracy on a patient basis with 100% sensitivity and 86.67%
      specificity. The absence of false negatives reported here opens up the
      possibility of utilizing high throughput chemical imaging for cancer screening,
      thereby reducing pathologist workload and improving patient care.

PMID- 28628332
TI  - Watson-Crick Base Pair Radical Cation as a Model for Oxidative Damage in DNA.
AB  - The deleterious cellular effects of ionizing radiation are well-known, but the
      mechanisms causing DNA damage are poorly understood. The accepted molecular
      events involve initial oxidation and deprotonation at guanine sites, triggering
      hydrogen atom abstraction reactions from the sugar moieties, causing DNA strand
      breaks. Probing the chemistry of the initially formed radical cation has been
      challenging. Here, we generate, spectroscopically characterize, and examine the
      reactivity of the Watson-Crick nucleobase pair radical cation in the gas phase.
      We observe rich chemistry, including proton transfer between the bases and
      propagation of the radical site in deoxyguanosine from the base to the sugar,
      thus rupturing the sugar. This first example of a gas-phase model system
      providing molecular-level details on the chemistry of an ionized DNA base pair
      paves the way toward a more complete understanding of molecular processes induced
      by radiation. It also highlights the role of radical propagation in chemistry,
      biology, and nanotechnology.

PMID- 28628333
TI  - Coupling Targeted and Untargeted Mass Spectrometry for Metabolome-Microbiome-Wide
      Association Studies of Human Fecal Samples.
AB  - Increasing appreciation of the gut microbiome's role in health motivates
      understanding the molecular composition of human feces. To analyze such complex
      samples, we developed a platform coupling targeted and untargeted metabolomics.
      The approach is facilitated through split flow from one UPLC, joint timing
      triggered by contact closure relays, and a script to retrieve the data. It is
      designed to detect specific metabolites of interest with high sensitivity, allows
      for correction of targeted information, enables better quantitation thus
      providing an advanced analytical tool for exploratory studies. Procrustes
      analysis revealed that untargeted approach provides a better correlation to
      microbiome data, associating specific metabolites with microbes that produce or
      process them. With the subset of over one hundred human fecal samples from the
      American Gut project, the implementation of the described coupled workflow
      revealed that targeted analysis using combination of single transition per
      compound with retention time misidentifies 30% of the targeted data and could
      lead to incorrect interpretations. At the same time, the targeted analysis
      extends detection limits and dynamic range, depending on the compounds, by orders
      of magnitude. A software application has been developed as a part of the workflow
      to allows for quantitative assessments based on calibration curves. Using this
      approach, we detect expected microbially modified molecules such as secondary
      bile acids and unexpected microbial molecules including Pseudomonas-associated
      quinolones and rhamnolipids in feces, setting the stage for metabolome-microbiome
      wide association studies (MMWAS).

PMID- 28628334
TI  - Chiral Indolylarylsulfone Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors as New
      Potent and Broad Spectrum Anti-HIV-1 Agents.
AB  - We designed and synthesized a series of chiral indolyarylsulfones (IASs) as new
      HIV-1 NNRTIs. The new IASs 8-37 showed potent inhibition of the HIV-1 WT NL4-3
      strain and of the mutant K103N, Y181C, Y188L, and K103N-Y181C HIV-1 strains. Six
      racemic mixtures, 8, 23-25, 31, and 33, were separated at semipreparative level
      into their pure enantiomers. The (R)-8 enantiomer bearing the chiral (alpha
      methylbenzyl) was superior to the (S)-counterpart. IAS derivatives bearing the
      (S) alanine unit, (S)-23, (S,R)-25, (S)-31, and (S)-33, were remarkably more
      potent than the corresponding (R)-enantiomers. Compound 23 protected hippocampal
      neuronal cells from the excitotoxic insult, while efavirenz (EFV) did not
      contrast the neurotoxic effect of glutamate. The present results highlight the
      chiral IASs as new NNRTIs with improved resistance profile against the mutant HIV
      1 strains and reduced neurotoxic effects.

PMID- 28628335
TI  - Molecular Dipole-Driven Electronic Structure Modifications of DNA/RNA Nucleobases
      on Graphene.
AB  - The emergence of graphene in recent years provides exciting avenues for achieving
      fast, reliable DNA/RNA sensing and sequencing. Here we explore the possibility of
      enhancing electronic fingerprints of nucleobases adsorbed on graphene by tuning
      the surface coverage and modifying molecular dipoles using first-principles
      calculations. We demonstrate that intermolecular interactions have a strong
      influence on the adsorption geometry and the electronic structure of the
      nucleobases, resulting in tilted configurations and a considerable modification
      of their electronic fingerprints in graphene. Our analysis reveals that the
      molecular dipole of the nucleobase molecules plays a dominant role in the
      electronic structure of graphene-nucleobase systems, inducing significant changes
      in the work functions and energy level alignments at the interface. These results
      highlight tunable control of the measured molecular signals in graphene by
      optimizing the surface contact between nucleobases and graphene. Our findings
      have important implications for identification and understanding of molecular
      fingerprints of DNA/RNA nucleobases in graphene-based sensing and sequencing
      methods.

PMID- 28628336
TI  - Effect of Salt Concentration on the pH Responses of Strong and Weak
      Polyelectrolyte Brushes.
AB  - Strong polyelectrolyte brushes (SPB) and weak polyelectrolyte brushes (WPB) have
      different origins with response to pH, which makes their pH-responsive properties
      sensitive to salt concentration in different ways. Herein, we have employed
      poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium chloride] (PMETAC) and poly[2
      (dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) brushes as model systems for SPB and
      WPB, respectively, to investigate the effect of salt concentration on the pH
      responses of SPB and WPB using several surface-sensitive techniques. The pH
      responsive properties of the PMETAC brushes are governed by the reorganization of
      the interchain hydrogen bonds between the grafted chains, whereas the pH response
      of the PDMAEMA brushes is controlled by the charge of the grafted chains. The
      response of the properties of the PMETAC brushes including hydration,
      conformation, and surface wettability becomes weaker with increasing salt
      concentration induced by the competitive adsorption of counterions to the brushes
      between OH- and Cl-. The weakening of the pH response of the PMETAC brushes is
      more remarkable at the relatively high pH values. The pH response of the PDMAEMA
      brushes also exhibits a salt-concentration dependence. As the salt concentration
      increases, the weakening of the pH response of the PDMAEMA brushes is attributed
      to the decrease in osmotic pressure within the brushes at relatively low pH
      values.

PMID- 28628337
TI  - Buckling Under Pressure: Curvature-Based Lipid Segregation and Stability
      Modulation in Cardiolipin-Containing Bilayers.
AB  - Mitochondrial metabolic function is affected by the morphology and protein
      organization of the mitochondrial inner membrane. Cardiolipin (CL) is a unique
      tetra-acyl lipid that is involved in the maintenance of the highly curved shape
      of the mitochondrial inner membrane as well as spatial organization of the
      proteins necessary for respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. Cardiolipin has
      been suggested to self-organize into lipid domains due to its inverted conical
      molecular geometry, though the driving forces for this organization are not fully
      understood. In this work, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to
      study the mechanical properties and lipid dynamics in heterogeneous bilayers both
      with and without CL, as a function of membrane curvature. We find that
      incorporation of CL increases bilayer deformability and that CL becomes highly
      enriched in regions of high negative curvature. We further show that another
      mitochondrial inverted conical lipid, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), does not
      partition or increase the deformability of the membrane in a significant manner.
      Therefore, CL appears to possess some unique characteristics that cannot be
      inferred simply from molecular geometry considerations.

PMID- 28628338
TI  - Community-acquired Tsukamurella pneumonia in a young immunocompetent adult: a
      case misdiagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis and literature review.
AB  - This report describes a case of Tsukamurella pneumonia in a 24-year-old
      immunocompetent woman. The patient was diagnosed as having pulmonary tuberculosis
      and was treated for nearly 9 months. The correct diagnosis was suspected only
      when the results of mycobacteria nucleic acid amplification tests on cultural
      colonies were negative. Tsukamurella was identified from the patient's sputum and
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Here, the
      clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of Tsukamurella
      pneumonia are discussed, along with a literature review. Tsukamurella pneumonia
      may be highly underdiagnosed owing to its similarity with pulmonary tuberculosis
      and the habitual thinking of doctors in countries with a high tuberculosis
      burden. Tsukamurella should be carefully considered in the etiology of
      tuberculosis-like lung diseases.

PMID- 28628339
TI  - Picornavectors. Viruses That Spread Bacteria.

PMID- 28628340
TI  - The Role of QuantiFERON(r)-TB Gold and Tuberculin Skin Test as Diagnostic Tests
      for Intraocular Tuberculosis in HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients in South
      Africa.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare QuantiFERON(r)-TB Gold and tuberculin skin testing as
      diagnostic tests for intraocular tuberculosis in HIV positive and negative
      patients. METHODS: A prospective study evaluating two different tests to help
      diagnose intraocular tuberculosis. RESULTS: Thirty-five of 106 patients (33.0%)
      were diagnosed with intraocular tuberculosis including 11 (31.4%) with HIV
      infection. Patients were 6.95 times more likely to have intraocular tuberculosis
      if TST alone was positive (p < 0.001) versus 2.19 times more likely if
      Quantiferon alone was positive (p = 0.04). Tuberculin skin testing showed
      superior specificity (60.3% vs 33.3%) (p = 0.001) but similar sensitivity (90.3%
      vs 85.7%), positive (54.9% vs 40.5%) and negative predictive values (92.1% vs
      81.5%) compared to Quantiferon. Specificity did not increase significantly if
      both skin testing and Quantiferon were positive. CONCLUSIONS: In South Africa,
      with its high HIV burden and limited public health resources, Quantiferon testing
      should not replace tuberculin skin testing as it provides little additional
      diagnostic information.

PMID- 28628341
TI  - Observational Study of Neural Respiratory Drive During Sleep at High Altitude.
AB  - : Steier, Joerg, Nic Cade, Ben Walker, John Moxham, and Caroline Jolley.
      Observational study of neural respiratory drive during sleep at high altitude.
      High Alt Med Biol. 18:242-248, 2017. AIMS: Ventilation at altitude changes due to
      altered levels of pO2, pCO2 and the effect on blood pH. Nocturnal ventilation is
      particularly exposed to these changes. We hypothesized that an increasing neural
      respiratory drive (NRD) is associated with the severity of sleep-disordered
      breathing at altitude. METHODS: Mountaineers were studied at sea level (London,
      United Kingdom), and at altitude at the Aconcagua (Andes, Argentina). NRD was
      measured as electromyogram of the diaphragm (EMGdi) overnight by a
      transesophageal multi-electrode catheter; results were reported for sea level,
      3,380 m, 4,370 m, and 5,570 m. RESULTS: Four healthy subjects (3 men, age
      31(3)years, body mass index 23.6(0.9)kg/m2, neck circumference 37.0(2.7)cm,
      forced expiratory volume in 1 second 111.8(5.1)%predicted, and forced vital
      capacity 115.5(6.3)%predicted) were studied. No subject had significant sleep
      abnormalities at sea level. Time to ascent to 3,380 m was 1 day, to 4,370 m was 5
      days, and the total nights at altitude were 21 days. The oxygen desaturation
      index (4% oxygen desaturation index [ODI] 0.8(0.4), 22.0 (7.2), 61.4 (26.9),
      144.9/hour, respectively) and the EMGdi (5.2 (1.9), 12.8 (5.1), 14.1 (3.4),
      18.5%, respectively) increased with the development of periodic breathing at
      altitude, whereas the average SpO2 declined (97.5 (1.3), 84.8 (0.5), 81.0 (4.1),
      68.5%, respectively). The average EMGdi correlated well with the 4%ODI (r =
      0.968, p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: NRD sleep increases at altitude in relation to the
      severity of periodic breathing.

PMID- 28628342
TI  - Effect of Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the Aggregation of
      alphaA(66-80) Peptide, a Major Fragment of alphaA-crystallin Involved in Cataract
      Development.
AB  - PURPOSE: Crystallin is a major protein present in eye lens. Peptide fragment
      alphaA(66-80) derived from alphaA-crystallin possesses high aggregation
      propensity and forms amyloid-like structures. alphaA(66-80) aggregates are known
      to interact with soluble crystallins and destabilize native structures that
      subsequently undergo aggregation. Crystallin aggregation in eye lens leads to
      reduction in lens opacity, the condition generally referred to as a cataract.
      Thus, alphaA(66-80) aggregation appears to be an important event during cataract
      development, and therefore, inhibition of alphaA(66-80) aggregation may be an
      attractive strategy to intervene in cataract development. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      alphaA(66-80) peptide derived from alphaA-crystallin possesses high aggregation
      potential and has a crucial role in cataract development. In order to inhibit the
      aggregation of alphaA(66-80) peptide, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major
      active constituent of green tea, was employed. The inhibitory effect was assessed
      by Congo Red (CR) spectral shift assay, Thioflavin-T binding assay, transmission
      electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: The inhibitory
      potential of EGCG toward alphaA-crystallin was clearly observed as in the
      presence of EGCG, the alphaA(66-80) aggregation was considerably inhibited and
      the pre-formed fibrillary aggregates of alphaA(66-80) were found to be
      disassembled. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we are able to successfully
      demonstrate that EGCG efficiently blocks the aggregation of alphaA(66-80) peptide
      in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, it is also evident that EGCG is
      able to disaggregate pre-formed alphaA(66-80) aggregates. The study suggests that
      EGCG can be a potential molecule that can prevent the initiation of cataract as
      well as be helpful in the disease reversal.

PMID- 28628344
TI  - Rituximab Induction and Maintenance Treatment in Patients with Scleritis and
      Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener's).
AB  - AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) induction and
      maintenance treatment for patients with scleritis and granulomatosis with
      polyangiitis (GPA), Wegener's. METHODS: Nine patients (12 eyes) with scleritis
      with GPA who did not respond to corticosteroids and more than one
      immunosuppressive agent who received ongoing maintenance RTX treatment were
      identified. Demographics and outcome measures were recorded. RESULTS: Median
      follow-up time of 30 months (range, 15 to 87 months). All 12 eyes achieved
      remission during the RTX maintenance period with a median time in remission of 14
      months (range, 5-76 months), and median interval between RTX initiation and
      inactive disease of 5 months (range, 2-8 months). Two eyes in two patients
      relapsed. One received steroid eye drops, and the other received a short-term
      increased dose of intravenous corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: RTX was effective as
      an induction and maintenance treatment in our small cohort of patients with GPA
      associated scleritis.

PMID- 28628343
TI  - Chronic Herpetic Retinitis: Clinical Features and Long-Term Outcomes.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Chronic uveitis treated with immunosuppressive agents may have
      unfavorable outcomes due to delays in diagnosis. The aim of this study was to
      review initial data from clinical and ocular assessments and patient outcomes
      following specific treatments for atypical herpes virus ocular infections.
      METHODS: The records of four consecutive patients with recurrent uveitis for at
      least five years treated in our department between 2001 and 2016 were
      retrospectively reviewed. They had atrophic retinal lesions resulting in an
      unfavorable outcome with lesion progression and vision loss under
      immunosuppressive treatment. Varicella zoster virus (1 case) and herpes simplex
      virus type 2 (3 cases) were detected in ocular samples. RESULTS: Uveitis was
      granulomatous and bilateral (3 cases) or unilateral (1 case). Immunosuppressive
      treatments worsened the clinical situation whereas antiherpetic treatments
      improved the control of intraocular inflammation. CONCLUSION: This description
      should be added to the broad repertoire of clinical polymorphisms associated with
      herpes virus infections. Recognizing these cases should be useful due to their
      sensitivity to antiherpetic treatments.

PMID- 28628345
TI  - Personalizing antiplatelet therapies: What have we learned from recent trials?
AB  - Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor antagonist is
      currently the standard of care for the prevention of ischemic events in patients
      with acute coronary syndrome or undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
      Several studies have shown that not all patients benefit from the treatment to
      the same degree and demonstrated that high on-treatment platelet reactivity may
      be associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events, while low on-treatment
      platelet reactivity may be linked to a higher risk of bleeding. Personalized
      antiplatelet treatment strategies based on platelet function monitoring and
      genetic testing constitute a promising tool for the prevention of both stent
      thrombosis and bleeding events, but conclusive evidence that such approaches can
      improve clinical outcomes is lacking. This review presents the most recent
      studies on tailored antiplatelet therapy in the management of coronary heart
      disease, with a focus on the prognosis value of platelet function testing.

PMID- 28628346
TI  - Physician Review Portals Do Not Favor Highly Cited US Ophthalmologists.
AB  - PURPOSE: Physician review portals are becoming increasingly popular among
      patients and often serve as a primary advisory tool during the search for a
      doctor. However, it has not been established whether these platforms favor
      leaders of the field; i.e., physicians with high academic rank. Here, we assessed
      online ratings of US ophthalmologists, selected for their outstanding scientific
      performance. METHODS: This cross-sectional, Internet-based study was performed in
      September 2016. First, we selected US ophthalmologists who published at least one
      manuscript or conference abstract that reached at least 100 citations from 2006
      to 2016. Second, academic impact of preselected physicians, measured by overall
      number of citations or Hirsch index, was correlated with their ratings on two
      physician review portals: healthgrades.com and zocdoc.com. RESULTS: We selected
      105 ophthalmologists who met established criteria. A total of 78 were rated on
      healthgrades.com, but only two were rated on zocdoc.com. The average rating on
      healthgrades.com was 4.2 +/-0.9, similar to the previously reported US mean for a
      physician (~4). The rating did not correlate with the number of citations or with
      Hirsh index. CONCLUSIONS: Highly cited ophthalmologist are not rated
      proportionately to their scientific achievements. Their reviews are positive, but
      do not stand out in comparison to other physicians. Additionally, we found that
      this group of ophthalmologists might be significantly underrepresented on
      particular review websites.

PMID- 28628347
TI  - Preventive treatment with atorvastatin ameliorates endothelial dysfunction of
      small pulmonary arteries in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats.
AB  - This study examined the effects of preventive atorvastatin (Ator) treatment on
      vasodilatation of small pulmonary arteries (SPAs) in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced
      pulmonary hypertensive rats. SD rats were randomly assigned to: normal control
      (Ctr), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), PAH treated with 5 mg/kg/d Ator
      (LAtor), or 10 mg/kg/d Ator (HAtor). PAH was induced by MCT injection (40 mg/kg,
      i.p.). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), right ventricular hypertrophy index
      (RVHI%), endothelium-dependent relaxations (EDdRs), and endothelium-independent
      relaxations (EDiRs) were determined. Four weeks after MCT injection, mPAP was
      higher in PAH group compared to that in Ctr group, and this effect was suppressed
      by Ator treatment (PAH: 32.19 +/- 0.91 mm Hg vs. LAtor: 19.13 +/- 1.01 mm Hg,
      HAtor: 17.55 +/- 0.20 mm Hg, p < 0.05). Similar trend of changes in RVHI% was
      found in the same way. EDdRs of SPA rings in PAH group were markedly decreased 2
      and 4 weeks after MCT injection, while in Ator treated groups, the impairment can
      only be detected 4 weeks after MCT injection. There were no differences in EDiRs
      among all groups 1 week after MCT injection. However, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after
      MCT injection, EDiRs were significantly impaired, while in HAtor and LAtor
      groups, EDiR was only impaired 4 weeks but not 2 weeks after MCT injection.
      Preventive treatment with atorvastatin for 2 weeks ameliorated endothelium
      dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilative dysfunction in small pulmonary
      artery rings of MCT-induced PAH rats. It suggests that MCT-induced damage of
      endothelial function was progressing, and Ator was only beneficial in the early
      stage of MCT-induced PAH.

PMID- 28628348
TI  - Relation between peak knee flexion angle and knee ankle kinetics in single-leg
      jump landing from running: a pilot study on male handball players to prevent ACL
      injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The relationship between knee kinematics and knee-ankle kinetics
      during the landing phase of single leg jumping has been widely studied to
      identify proper strategies for preventing non-contact ACL injury. However, there
      is a lack of study on knee-ankle kinetics at peak knee flexion angle during
      jumping from running. Hence, the purpose of this study is to establish the
      relationship between peak knee flexion angle, knee extension moment, ankle
      plantar flexion moment and ground reaction force in handball players in order to
      protect ACL from excessive stress during single leg jumping. In addition, the
      study also clarifies the role of calf muscles in relieving part of ACL stresses
      with different knee flexion angles during landing. METHODS: Fifteen active male
      elite handball players of Saudi Arabia have participated in this study (Age =
      22.6 +/- 3.5years, Height = 182 +/- 3.7 cm, Weight = 87.5 +/- 10.2 kg). The
      players performed three successful landings of single-leg jump following running
      a fixed distance of about 450cm. The data were collected using a 3D motion
      capture and analysis system (VICON). RESULTS: Pearson product moment correlation
      coefficients showed that greater peak knee flexion angle is related significantly
      to both lesser knee extension moment (r = -.623, P = .013) and vertical component
      of ground reaction force (VGRF) (r = -.688, P = .005) in landing phase. Moreover,
      increasing the peak knee flexion angle in landing phase tends to increase the
      ankle plantar flexion moment significantly (r = .832, P = .000). CONCLUSION: With
      an increase of the peak knee flexion angle during single leg jump landing from
      running, there would be less knee extension moment, low impact force and more
      plantar flexion moment. As such, the clinical implication of this study is that
      there may be a possible protective mechanism by increasing the knee flexion angle
      during landing phase, which tends to protect the ACL from vigorous strain and
      injuries.

PMID- 28628349
TI  - Evaluation of a Client-Centered Linkage Intervention for Patients Newly Diagnosed
      with HIV at an Urban United States LGBT Center: The Linkage to Care Specialist
      Project.
AB  - Linkage to care (LTC) is a key element of the HIV care continuum, and a crucial
      bridge from testing and diagnosis to receipt of antiretroviral therapies and
      viral suppression. In 2012, the Los Angeles LGBT Center hired a full-time LTC
      specialist (LTC-S), who developed a unique client-centered approach to LTC. This
      single-arm demonstration project was designed to systematically evaluate the LTC
      S intervention. Individuals who were newly diagnosed with HIV between March 2014
      and September 2015 were eligible for enrollment. The LTC-S draws heavily from
      principles of motivational interviewing and strengths-based case management,
      helping to normalize fears while guiding clients at a pace that reflects
      individual needs and resources. These tailored, targeted methods facilitate the
      rapid development of rapport, enabling the LTC-S to help clients address
      particular reactions and barriers to care more effectively. Of the 118 newly HIV
      diagnosed individuals who enrolled, 111 (94.1%) saw an HIV primary care provider
      within 3 months of diagnosis; the LTC-S spent an average of 2.1 h working with
      each participant. Enrolled clients were a racially diverse, urban group composed
      primarily of young men who have sex with men. The LTC-S intervention was
      effective in promoting LTC among this sample. Our results demonstrate that client
      centered, resiliency-based LTC services can be seamlessly integrated into an
      existing HIV testing program, thereby increasing the chances that newly diagnosed
      individuals will link to care.

PMID- 28628350
TI  - Custom Cast Ball Attachments Used on Outdated Implants to Restore a Maxillary
      Implant-Supported Overdenture.
AB  - The lack of compatible prosthetic components can be a complication during oral
      rehabilitation using outdated implants. The aim of the present clinical report
      was to describe an alternative technique for the fabrication of a maxillary
      implant-supported overdenture in a patient with 20-year-old dental implants using
      castable spherical patterns and ball attachments. The patient had been wearing a
      relined bar/clip overdenture in the mandible on 4 external-hexagon dental
      implants and a relined complete denture in the maxilla on 4 internal-hexagon
      implants due to abutment screw fracture inside of the implants, losing the
      attachment system. The remaining maxillary dental implants did not possess
      attachments compatible with current systems due to configuration changes by the
      manufacturer in the dental implant's platform and the components over time.
      Therefore, castable spherical patterns and cast ball attachments were used to
      fabricate a maxillary implant-supported overdenture. The mandible rehabilitation
      was performed using 4 osseointegrated dental implants with a fixed implant
      supported prosthesis. The use of cast ball attachments on the maxillary dental
      implants avoided invasive procedures on the remaining implants. Considering the
      lack of available compatible prosthetic components for the osseointegrated
      implants, this technique was considered a viable and satisfactory treatment
      option.

PMID- 28628351
TI  - Sleep in Adolescents and Young Adults in the Year After Cancer Treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer are a vulnerable group
      facing more intense treatments, higher symptom burden, and poorer treatment
      outcomes relative to younger children. Sleep disruption is common during cancer
      treatment and sleep problems persist into adulthood for some survivors of AYA
      cancer. The developmental period of adolescence/emerging adulthood confers
      greater biological and behavioral risk for insufficient sleep relative to older
      or younger ages. Thus, understanding AYA sleep disturbances shortly after
      completing treatment can inform interventions to manage cancer-related symptoms
      and improve quality of life. METHODS: Sixty-one AYA (ages 12-25) within 1 year of
      finishing cancer treatment completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
      and the Minneapolis-Manchester Quality of Life Instrument-Adolescent Form.
      Treatment variables were extracted from electronic medical records. RESULTS:
      Forty-seven percent of participants were classified as "poor sleepers," 41%
      reported prolonged sleep onset latency (>30 minutes), 31% reported sleep
      efficiency suggestive of insomnia, and 33% slept <8 hours nightly. Age moderated
      the relationship between time off treatment and PSQI total score: for younger AYA
      the relationship was positive and for older AYA the relationship was negative.
      Better sleep and higher quality of life were strongly related (r = -0.57, p <
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: For almost half of AYA cancer survivors studied, sleep is
      disrupted as indicated by long sleep-onset latencies, sleep efficiency suggestive
      of insomnia, and inadequate total sleep time. Screening for sleep disturbances
      after AYA complete cancer therapy may reduce the impact of sleep on quality of
      life and identify those at risk for insomnia.

PMID- 28628353
TI  - Effect of Early vs Late Start of Oral Intake on Anastomotic Leakage Following
      Elective Lower Intestinal Surgery: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated a beneficial
      effect of early enteral nutrition (EN) on anastomotic leakage following
      colorectal surgery. Early oral intake is a common form of early EN with various
      clinical benefits, but the effect on anastomotic leakage is unclear. This
      systematic review investigates the effect of early vs late start of oral intake
      on anastomotic leakage following lower intestinal surgery. METHODS: A systematic
      literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane
      databases. Randomized controlled trials were included that compared early (within
      24 hours) vs late start of oral intake following elective surgery of the small
      bowel, colon, or rectum. Meta-analysis was performed for anastomotic leakage,
      overall complications, length of stay, and mortality. Sensitivity analysis was
      performed in which studies of inferior methodological quality were excluded.
      RESULTS: Nine studies including 879 patients met eligibility criteria. Early
      start of oral intake significantly reduced overall complications (odds ratio
      [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.93; P = .02), length of stay
      (mean difference, -0.89; 95% CI, -1.22 to -0.57; P < .001), and anastomotic
      leakage (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.17-0.95; P = .04) compared with late start of oral
      intake. However, in the sensitivity analysis only the overall reduction of length
      of stay remained significant. CONCLUSION: The effect of early oral intake on
      anastomotic leakage is unclear as existing studies are heterogeneous and at risk
      of bias. High-quality studies are needed to study the potential benefit of EN on
      anastomotic healing.

PMID- 28628352
TI  - Characteristics of Hospitalized Cancer Patients Referred for Inpatient Palliative
      Care Consultation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Palliative care is associated with improved patient and family
      outcomes and lower cost of care, but studies estimate that <50% of hospitalized
      adults in the United States who are appropriate for palliative care receive it.
      Few studies have addressed demographic and clinical factors associated with
      receipt of palliative care. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to identify characteristics of
      hospitalized advanced cancer patients that are associated with referral to an
      interdisciplinary hospital-based palliative care team. METHODS: The data are from
      a prospective observational study of hospitalized advanced cancer patients in
      five hospitals. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the
      relationship between patient characteristics and palliative care referral.
      RESULTS: The sample includes 3096 patients; 81% received usual care and 19% were
      referred to palliative care. Advanced cancer patients were twice as likely to
      receive palliative care referral if, at admission, they needed assistance with
      transfer from bed (p = 0.002) and about 1.5 times as likely if they were taking
      medication for pain (p = 0.002), nausea (p = 0.04), or constipation (p = 0.04).
      Patients with more comorbidities (p = 0.001) and higher symptom burden (p =
      0.001) were more likely to be referred. CONCLUSION: Advanced cancer patients were
      more likely to be referred to the palliative care consultation team if they had
      high symptom burden at hospital admission. Overall a minority of advanced cancer
      patients were referred. Standardized screening for palliative care may be needed
      to ensure that advanced cancer patients receive the highest quality of evidence
      based care.

PMID- 28628355
TI  - Adjacent Dental Implants Classification Based on Restorative Design.
AB  - There is controversy in the literature regarding the indicated retentive
      mechanism for implant-supported crowns. When adjacent implants are restored, the
      restoration can be screw retained, cement retained, or a combination of cement
      and screw retained. Adjacent implant-supported crowns can be restored as
      individual implant supported crowns or can be splinted. A classification system
      is proposed when adjacent implants are restored. The classification system
      describes currently available options to restore adjacent implants. Six types of
      prosthetic design options are proposed as Class I through Class VI. In Class I
      design, individual cement-retained crowns are made. In Class II, individual screw
      retained crowns are fabricated. Class III involves fabrication of individual
      screw-retrievable/cement-retained crowns. Class IV prosthetic design involves
      splinted cement-retained implant crowns. Class V prosthetic design involves
      splinted screw-retained crowns, and Class VI involves splinted screw
      retrievable/cement-retained implant supported crowns.

PMID- 28628354
TI  - Soft Tissue Enhancement and Implant Placement Following Partial Mandibulectomy
      Due to Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - Many dental procedures allow for implant placement in partially or totally
      edentulous patients. Despite the availability of various implant and abutment
      types on the market, it often becomes quite challenging to achieve the biological
      and esthetic goals in a patient who has ridge deficiencies. Problems arise from
      the lack of adequate bone quality and quantity. 1 , 2 Soft tissue form and
      maintenance is also a consideration to evaluate. 3 Primary reconstructive
      techniques following segmental mandibulectomy is evolving and improves quality of
      life. A seldom encountered complication is the discovery and treatment of a
      malignant process (for example, squamous cell carcinoma). Oral squamous cell
      carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide and
      accounts for more than 90% of all oral cancers. 4 It is ranked as the sixth
      leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The most common sites of OSCC are
      the lateral ventral surface of the tongue, the floor of the mouth and buccal
      mucosa. For most oral cavity cancers, surgery is the initial treatment of choice
      (often involving the full or partial removal of bony jaw structure). 5 Radiation
      or chemoradiation is added postoperatively if disease is more advanced or has
      high-risk features. Successful cancer therapy can affect the quantity and quality
      of soft tissue in areas where implants are planned, thus affecting the initial
      placement and the long-term success of the implants. Complications can be
      numerous; especially difficult is implant treatment in the mandibular anterior
      area where inadequate alveolar height results in the lingual floor and the
      vestibule becoming contiguous. 6 Further complicating treatment is the presence
      of scar tissue (often found following cancer surgery and radiotherapy). The
      present case is a report of the combination of a soft tissue enhancement and
      implant placement following partial mandibulectomy resulting from the treatment
      of oral squamous cell carcinoma. A video abstract is available for viewing at
      https://youtu.be/dZ9t3j4ufOc?list=PLvRxNhB9EJqbqjcYMbwKbwi8Xpbb0YuHI .

PMID- 28628356
TI  - Clips vs Resilient Liners Used With Bilateral Posterior Prefabricated Bars for
      Retaining Four Implant-Supported Mandibular Overdentures.
AB  - The objective of this research was to clinically compare peri-implant tissue
      health of bar-clips vs silicone-resilient liners used with bilateral posterior
      bars for retaining 4 implant-supported mandibular overdentures. Thirty completely
      edentulous male patients (mean age, 65 years) were randomly assigned into 2 equal
      groups. Each patient received 4 implants in the canine and first molar regions of
      the mandible using a flapless surgical technique. Mandibular overdentures were
      immediately connected to the implants with bilateral prefabricated instant
      adjusting bars. According to the method of retention to the bar, 1 group was
      retained with clips (GI), whereas the other group was retained with a silicone
      resilient soft liner (GII). Peri-implant tissue health was evaluated clinically
      in terms of plaque scores (MPI), bleeding scores (MBI), probing depth (PD), and
      implant stability (IS). MPI, MBI, and PD were measured at mesial, distal, buccal,
      and lingual surfaces of each implant. Evaluations were performed 2 weeks (T0), 6
      months (T6), and 12 months (T12) after overdenture insertion. Implants of GI with
      clips demonstrated significant increase in plaque, bleeding, and PD scores
      compared with those of GII with silicone-resilient liner at all observation
      times. Implants in GI demonstrated a significant decrease in implant stability
      compared with those of GII at T6 and T12 anteriorly and at T12 posteriorly.
      Resilient liners are considered better than bar-clips when used with bilateral
      posterior bars for retaining implant-supported mandibular overdentures in terms
      of peri-implant soft tissue health. Bilateral posterior ready-made bars cannot be
      proposed as a promising design for supporting implant-assisted mandibular
      overdentures.

PMID- 28628357
TI  - Continuous Periosteal Strapping Sutures for Stabilization of Osseous Grafts With
      Resorbable Membranes for Buccal Ridge Augmentation: A Technique Report.
AB  - Alveolar bone loss occurs after extraction with loss of a premolar or anterior
      tooth; the residual supporting alveolar bone loss averages 1.53 mm of crestal
      bone height and 3.87 mm of buccolingual width, with most of the bone loss
      occurring at the facial plate. Socket preservation does not completely preserve
      the original ridge contours but can be an effective means of reducing bone loss
      following extraction. Attempts to rebuild the alveolar ridge structure after
      tooth loss often employ the concept of guided bone regeneration, a technique
      sensitive procedure that routinely involves placement of particulate bone with or
      without fixation screws and either a resorbable or a nonresorbable membrane. We
      present a novel technique for stabilizing a resorbable membrane and underlying
      particulate graft allowing for predictable bone grafting across multiple
      edentulous sites.

PMID- 28628358
TI  - H2B ubiquitination: Conserved molecular mechanism, diverse physiologic functions
      of the E3 ligase during meiosis.
AB  - RNF20/Bre1 mediated H2B ubiquitination (H2Bub) has various physiologic functions.
      Recently, we found that H2Bub participates in meiotic recombination by promoting
      chromatin relaxation during meiosis. We then analyzed the phylogenetic
      relationships among the E3 ligase for H2Bub, its E2 Rad6 and their partner WW
      domain-containing adaptor with a coiled-coil (WAC) or Lge1, and found that the
      molecular mechanism underlying H2Bub is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to
      mammals. However, RNF20 has diverse physiologic functions in different organisms,
      which might be caused by the evolutionary divergency of their domain/motif
      architectures. In the current extra view, we not only elucidate the
      evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanism underlying H2Bub, but also discuss
      the diverse physiologic functions of RNF20 during meiosis.

PMID- 28628360
TI  - Genetic Risk Factors for Folate-Responsive Neural Tube Defects.
AB  - Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the most severe congenital malformations of the
      central nervous system. The etiology is complex, with both genetic and
      environmental factors having important contributions. Researchers have known for
      the past two decades that maternal periconceptional use of the B vitamin folic
      acid can prevent many NTDs. Though this finding is arguably one of the most
      important recent discoveries in birth defect research, the mechanism by which
      folic acid exerts this benefit remains unknown. Research to date has focused on
      the hypothesis that an underlying genetic susceptibility interacts with folate
      sensitive metabolic processes at the time of neural tube closure. Little progress
      has been made searching for risk-causative variants in candidate genes;
      therefore, more complex genetic and epigenetic methodologies are now being
      considered. This article reviews the research to date that has been targeted on
      this important gene-nutrient locus.

PMID- 28628361
TI  - Lipocalin 2: An Emerging Player in Iron Homeostasis and Inflammation.
AB  - Lipocalin 2 (Lcn2), an innate immune protein, has emerged as a critical iron
      regulatory protein during physiological and inflammatory conditions. As a
      bacteriostatic factor, Lcn2 obstructs the siderophore iron-acquiring strategy of
      bacteria and thus inhibits bacterial growth. As part of host nutritional
      immunity, Lcn2 facilitates systemic, cellular, and mucosal hypoferremia during
      inflammation, in addition to stabilizing the siderophore-bound labile iron pool.
      In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the interaction
      between Lcn2 and iron, and its effects in various inflammatory diseases. Lcn2
      exerts mostly a protective role in infectious and inflammatory bowel diseases,
      whereas both beneficial and detrimental functions have been documented in
      neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome, renal disorders, skin disorders,
      and cancer. Further animal and clinical studies are necessary to unveil the
      multifaceted roles of Lcn2 in iron dysregulation during inflammation and to
      explore its therapeutic potential for treating inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28628362
TI  - Weight Loss Surgery in Adolescents.
AB  - Childhood obesity continues to be a national health problem, with growing numbers
      of adolescents (8.7%) affected by severe obesity and its associated
      cardiometabolic risks. Since current nonsurgical methods for treating these
      adolescents have only modest effects, weight loss surgery (WLS) is an alternative
      treatment. An overview of the literature was conducted describing the selection,
      management, and outcomes of adolescents undergoing WLS. Adolescent guidelines
      require physical and emotional maturity as well as serious comorbidities
      associated with body mass index cutoffs higher than those used for adults. Medium
      term to long-term outcomes are similar to those of adults undergoing WLS. Such
      outcomes depend on management by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in
      caring for adolescents who are still developing psychosocially and who are
      relatively more dependent on family supports for continued care. Future
      exploration is needed to elucidate optimal surgical indications for adolescents,
      improved adherence to postoperative care, and the impact of WLS on life
      expectancy. Resulting evidence can better inform the direction for healthcare
      delivery and policy directed toward this at-risk population.

PMID- 28628359
TI  - Genetic Basis for Sex Differences in Obesity and Lipid Metabolism.
AB  - Men and women exhibit significant differences in obesity, cardiovascular disease,
      and diabetes. To provide better diagnosis and treatment for both sexes, it is
      important to identify factors that underlie the observed sex differences.
      Traditionally, sex differences have been attributed to the differential effects
      of male and female gonadal secretions (commonly referred to as sex hormones),
      which substantially influence many aspects of metabolism and related diseases.
      Less appreciated as a contributor to sex differences are the fundamental genetic
      differences between males and females, which are ultimately determined by the
      presence of an XX or XY sex chromosome complement. Here, we review the mechanisms
      by which gonadal hormones and sex chromosome complement each contribute to lipid
      metabolism and associated diseases, and the current approaches that are used to
      study them. We focus particularly on genetic approaches including genome-wide
      association studies in humans and mice, -omics and systems genetics approaches,
      and unique experimental mouse models that allow distinction between gonadal and
      sex chromosome effects.

PMID- 28628365
TI  - To The Last Drop.

PMID- 28628364
TI  - Time to Stop Saying Geriatric Assessment Is Too Time Consuming.

PMID- 28628363
TI  - Efficacy of a Weight Loss Intervention for African American Breast Cancer
      Survivors.
AB  - Purpose African American women with breast cancer have higher cancer-specific and
      overall mortality rates. Obesity is common among African American women and
      contributes to breast cancer progression and numerous chronic conditions. Weight
      loss interventions among breast cancer survivors positively affect weight,
      behavior, biomarkers, and psychosocial outcomes, yet few target African
      Americans. This article examines the effects of Moving Forward, a weight loss
      intervention for African American breast cancer survivors (AABCS) on weight, body
      composition, and behavior. Patients and Methods Early-stage (I-III) AABCS were
      randomly assigned to a 6-month interventionist-guided (n = 125) or self-guided (n
      = 121) weight loss program supporting behavioral changes to promote a 5% weight
      loss. Anthropometric, body composition, and behavioral data were collected at
      baseline, postintervention (6 months), and follow-up (12 months). Descriptive
      statistics and mixed models analyses assessed differences between groups over
      time. Results Mean (+/- standard deviation) age, and body mass index were 57.5
      (+/- 10.1) years and 36.1 (+/- 6.2) kg/m2, respectively, and 82% had stage I or
      II breast cancer. Both groups lost weight. Mean and percentage of weight loss
      were greater in the guided versus self-guided group (at 6 months: 3.5 kg v 1.3kg;
      P < .001; 3.6% v 1.4%; P < .001, respectively; at 12 months: 2.7 kg v 1.6 kg; P <
      .05; 2.6% v 1.6%; P < .05, respectively); 44% in the guided group and 19% in the
      self-guided group met the 5% goal. Body composition and behavioral changes were
      also greater in the interventionist-guided group at both time points. Conclusion
      The study supports the efficacy of a community-based interventionist-guided
      weight loss program targeting AABCS. Although mean weight loss did not reach the
      targeted 5%, the mean loss of > 3% at 6 months is associated with improved health
      outcomes. Affordable, accessible health promotion programs represent a critical
      resource for AABCS.

PMID- 28628366
TI  - Culex Flavivirus During West Nile Virus Epidemic and Interepidemic Years in
      Chicago, United States.
AB  - Culex flavivirus (CxFV) is an insect-specific flavivirus infecting Culex
      mosquitoes, which are important vectors of West Nile virus (WNV). CxFV and WNV
      cocirculate in nature and coinfect Culex mosquitoes, including in a WNV "hotspot"
      in suburban Chicago. We previously identified a positive association between CxFV
      and WNV in mosquito pools collected from suburban Chicago in 2006. To further
      investigate this phenomenon, we compared the spatial and temporal distribution of
      CxFV during an interepidemic year (2011) and an epidemic year (2012) for WNV.
      Both viruses were more prevalent in mosquito pools in 2012 compared to 2011.
      During both years, the CxFV infection status of mosquito pools was associated
      with environmental factors such as habitat type and precipitation frequency
      rather than coinfection with WNV. These results support the idea that WNV and
      CxFV are ecologically associated, perhaps because both viruses respond to similar
      environmental drivers of mosquito populations.

PMID- 28628367
TI  - Learning to spell: Phonology and beyond.
AB  - An understanding of the nature of writing systems and of the typical course of
      spelling development is an essential foundation for understanding the problems of
      children who have serious difficulties in learning to spell. The present article
      seeks to provide that foundation. It argues that the dual-route models of
      spelling that underlie much existing research and practice are based on overly
      simple assumptions about how writing systems work and about how spelling skills
      develop. Many writing systems include not only context-free links from phonemes
      to letters but also context-sensitive phonological patterns, morphological
      influences, and graphotactic patterns. According to an alternative framework, IMP
      (integration of multiple patterns), spellers acquire multiple sources of
      information through use of their statistical-learning skills and through direct
      instruction. Children learn the spelling of a word most easily when different
      patterns converge on the spelling, and they have difficulty when patterns
      conflict. Implications of these ideas for assessment and instruction are
      considered.

PMID- 28628368
TI  - Dietitians' Perspectives on Teaching Nutrition to Medical Students.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The provision of nutrition care by health professionals can
      facilitate improved patient nutrition behaviors. Some education institutions
      include nutrition in their medical curriculum; however, doctors and medical
      students continue to lack competence in providing nutrition care. Dietitians are
      increasingly teaching nutrition to medical students, yet evidence on the topic
      remains anecdotal. It is important to understand the experiences of these
      dietitians to support improvements in undergraduate medical nutrition education.
      The aim of this study was to explore dietitians' perspectives of teaching
      nutrition to medical students. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in
      collaboration with the Need for Nutrition Education/Innovation Programme
      (NNEdPro). Twenty-four dietitians who had provided nutrition education to medical
      students participated in individual semistructured interviews. Participants were
      from Australia (n = 5), New Zealand (n = 1), the United States (n = 6), Canada (n
      = 5), the United Kingdom (n = 5), Germany (n = 1), and Finland (n = 1). Data
      analysis was conducted using a constant comparative approach to thematic
      analysis. RESULTS: The dietitians expressed confidence in their ability to teach
      medical students and believed that they were the most appropriate professionals
      to administer the education. However, they were not confident that medical
      students graduate with sufficient nutrition competence and attributed this to
      poor curriculum planning for nutrition. Dietitians had access to useful resources
      and tools to support education, with opportunity to contribute further to
      integration of nutrition throughout medical curricula. CONCLUSION: This study
      suggests that dietitians are likely appropriate nutrition teachers in medical
      education. However, optimizing dietitians' role requires their further
      involvement in curriculum planning and development. Including dietitians as
      members of medical faculty would facilitate their input on nutrition throughout
      the curriculum, which could enhance the nutrition education of medical students.

PMID- 28628369
TI  - Premier League academy soccer players' experiences of competing in a tournament
      bio-banded for biological maturation.
AB  - Individual differences in the growth and maturation have been shown to impact
      player performance and development in youth soccer. This study investigated
      Premier League academy players' experiences of participating in a tournament bio
      banded for biological maturation. Players (N = 66) from four professional soccer
      clubs aged 11 and 14 years and between 85-90% of adult stature participated in a
      tournament. Players competed in three 11 vs 11 games on a full size pitch with 25
      min halves. Sixteen players participated in four 15-min focus groups and were
      asked to describe their experiences of participating in the bio-banded tournament
      in comparison to age group competition. All players described their experience as
      positive and recommended the Premier League integrate bio-banding into the
      existing games programme. In comparison to age-group competitions, early maturing
      players described the bio-banded games more physically challenging, and found
      that they had to adapt their style of play placing a greater emphasis on
      technique and tactics. Late maturing players considered the games to be less
      physically challenging, yet appreciated the having more opportunity to use,
      develop and demonstrate their technical, physical, and psychological
      competencies. Bio-banding strategies appear to contribute positively towards the
      holistic development of young soccer players.

PMID- 28628370
TI  - Multiple-joint exercises using elastic resistance bands vs. conventional
      resistance-training equipment: A cross-over study.
AB  - Previous studies indicate that elastic resistance bands (ERB) can be a viable
      option to conventional resistance-training equipment (CRE) during single-joint
      resistance exercises, but their efficacy has not been established for several
      commonly used multiple-joint resistance exercises. Thus, we compared muscular
      activation levels in four popular multiple-joint exercises performed with ERB
      (TheraBand(r)) vs. CRE (Olympic barbell or cable pulley machines). In a cross
      over design, men and women (n = 29) performed squats, stiff-legged deadlifts,
      unilateral rows and lateral pulldown using both modalities. Multilevel mixed
      effects linear regression analyses of main and interaction effects, and
      subsequent post hoc analyses were used to assess differences between the two
      resistance-training modalities. CRE induced higher levels of muscle activation in
      the prime movers during all exercises (p < .001 for all comparisons), compared to
      muscle activation levels induced by ERB. The magnitude of the differences was
      marginal in lateral pulldown and unilateral rows and for the erector spinae
      during stiff-legged deadlifts. In squats the quadriceps femoris activations were
      substantially lower for ERB. The differences between ERB and CRE were mostly
      observed during the parts of the contractions where the bands were relatively
      slack, whilst the differences were largely eliminated when the bands became
      elongated in the end ranges of the movements. We conclude that ERB can be a
      feasible training modality for lateral pulldowns, unilateral rows and to some
      extent stiff-legged deadlifts, but not for the squat exercise.

PMID- 28628371
TI  - Sexual Desire Among an Online Sample of Men Sexually Attracted to Children.
AB  - Sexual attraction to children occurs in roughly 3 to 9 percent of the population.
      However, most knowledge about such desires comes from forensic samples, and most
      studies fail to assess preferred sexual activity and sexual partner. A new
      multimodal assessment of sexual desire was used to investigate interest in
      consensual and nonconsensual sex with adults and children in an online sample of
      men sexually attracted to children (n = 101). Desires were compared across
      history of sex offending behavior and preferred gender of child victim. Men who
      have and have not acted on their sexual attractions to children reported similar
      levels of sexual desire. Men primarily attracted to girls reported greater desire
      for sex with adults than did men primarily attracted to boys. Results highlight
      the heterogeneity of men sexually attracted to children as well as possible
      distinctions across gender of children to whom they are primarily attracted.

PMID- 28628372
TI  - Suicide intervention training for college staff: Program evaluation and
      intervention skill measurement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Suicide remains a pressing issue for college communities.
      Consequently, gatekeeper trainings are often provided for staff. This study
      examines the effect of one such program, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills
      Training (ASIST). PARTICIPANTS: 51 college employees received ASIST in August of
      2014 and were compared to 30 wait-list control participants. METHODS: Repeated
      Measures ANOVA were used to analyze pre- and post-training: (a) skills at
      responding to students-at-risk; (b) attitudes toward suicide; (c) knowledge about
      suicide; and (d) comfort/competence/confidence at helping a student-at-risk.
      RESULTS: Significant positive training effects were observed for ASIST on self
      report measures and also for objectively assessed skill at responding, after
      adjusting for a potential scoring limitation of the Suicide Intervention Response
      Inventory, Revised (SIRI-2). CONCLUSIONS: ASIST improved the self-perception of
      college staff at working with students-at-risk of suicide and also their skills
      at performing an intervention. Further, analysis of SIRI-2 data provides support
      for a potential instrument revision.

PMID- 28628373
TI  - Association between Urinary Phytoestrogens and C-reactive Protein in the
      Continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A reduced risk of some cancers and cardiovascular disease associated
      with phytoestrogen intake may be mediated through its effect on serum C-reactive
      protein (CRP; an inflammation biomarker). Therefore, this study examined the
      associations between urinary phytoestrogens and serum CRP. METHODS: Urinary
      phytoestrogen and serum CRP data obtained from 6009 participants aged >= 40 years
      in the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1999
      2010 were analyzed. RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, urinary
      concentrations of total and all individual phytoestrogens were inversely
      associated with serum concentrations of CRP (all p < 0.004). The largest
      reductions in serum CRP (mg/L) per interquartile range increase in urinary
      phytoestrogens (ng/mL) were observed for total phytoestrogens (beta = -0.18; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], -0.22, -0.15), total lignan (beta = -0.15; 95% CI, 
      0.18, -0.12), and enterolactone (beta = -0.15; 95% CI, -0.19, -0.12). A decreased
      risk of having high CRP concentrations (>=3.0 mg/L) for quartile 4 vs quartile 1
      was also found for total phytoestrogens (OR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.53, 0.73), total
      lignan (OR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.54, 0.75), and enterolactone (OR = 0.59; 95% CI,
      0.51, 0.69). CONCLUSION: Urinary total and individual phytoestrogens were
      significantly inversely associated with serum CRP in a nationally representative
      sample of the U.S. POPULATION: 

PMID- 28628375
TI  - Integrating Microbiome and Metabolome Data to Understand Infectious Airway
      Disease.

PMID- 28628374
TI  - Effects of a Multispecies Probiotic Supplement on Bone Health in Osteopenic
      Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The development of alternative approaches to prevent and/or treat
      osteoporosis, as a chronic progressive bone disease, is being considered
      currently. Among dietary supplements, probiotics may have favorable effects on
      bone metabolism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of
      a multispecies probiotic supplementation on bone biomarkers and bone density in
      osteopenic postmenopausal women. METHODS: This randomized double-blind placebo
      controlled clinical trial was performed on 50 patients with osteopenia aged 50-72
      years. Participants were randomly assigned to take either a multispecies
      probiotic supplement (GeriLact; n = 25) or placebo (n = 25) for 6 months.
      GeriLact contains 7 probiotic bacteria species. Participants received 500 mg Ca
      plus 200 IU vitamin D daily. Bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar spine and total
      hip and blood biomarkers including bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP),
      osteocalcin (OC), collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX),
      deoxypyridinoline (DPD), parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-OH vitamin D, and serum
      pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha and interleukin
      [IL]-1beta) were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. RESULTS: The
      multispecies probiotic significantly decreased BALP (p = 0.03) and CTX (p = 0.04)
      levels in comparison with the control group but had no effect on BMD of the spine
      and total hip. Moreover, there was a statistically significant decrease in serum
      PTH (p = 0.01) and TNF-alpha (p = 0.02) in the intervention group compared to the
      placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: These results may suggest the favorable effects of
      the multispecies probiotic supplementation for 6 months on bone health in
      postmenopausal women due to slowing down the rate of bone turnover.

PMID- 28628376
TI  - Becoming a mother: perspectives and experiences of young women in a South African
      Township.
AB  - There has been growing interest in the high levels of pregnancy among young women
      in South Africa. This study aimed to explore a range of perspectives and
      experiences of early motherhood among young women in a township in KwaZulu-Natal,
      South Africa. This was done using in-depth interviews from a small sample of
      young mothers aged 18-24 years. All the young mothers reported that they had had
      their first child while still at school. None of them had intended or planned to
      have a child, and were therefore not ready for motherhood. Limited information on
      pregnancy prevention methods plays a key role in influencing early childbearing.
      Young mothers in the study wanted to assume financial responsibility for their
      children but they were finding it difficult to do so. Many faced numerous
      obstacles as they were no longer in a relationship with the father of their child
      and depended on their own parents for support. Participants described how the
      difficulties they faced in their daily lives and their new roles as mothers
      impacted negatively on their education and career aspirations. The study
      recommends greater involvement of schools and community in addressing the
      challenges of early childbearing.

PMID- 28628377
TI  - Environmental Effects of Intensive Livestock Farming.

PMID- 28628378
TI  - Knowledge and Behavioral Impact of Adult Participation in Child Sexual Abuse
      Prevention: Evaluation of the Protecting God's Children Program.
AB  - This article presents findings from an evaluation of a popular adult training
      program (Protecting God's Children) used in Catholic institutions, including
      schools, churches, and social service agencies. The study explores knowledge and
      behavior change based on pretest/posttest questionnaires administered to over 500
      adults and follow-up questionnaires sent six months after the training. The
      participants in the training were compared to a control group of adults who did
      not participate in the program. The results indicate that participants arrive at
      the training with fairly high rates of preexisting knowledge but that the program
      increases knowledge across demographic groups. Follow-up surveys suggest that the
      new knowledge is retained over six months. The study indicates that the program
      is associated with an increase in participants talking to their own children
      about child sexual abuse. Participants also report sharing information with other
      adults and monitoring behavior around children more closely.

PMID- 28628379
TI  - Visuomotor behaviors and performance in a dual-task paradigm with and without
      vibrotactile feedback when using a myoelectric controlled hand.
AB  - Prosthesis users allocate visual attention to their prosthetic hand while
      performing activities of daily living (ADLs), due to absence of sensory feedback.
      Dual-task assignments present competition for visual attention and may affect the
      performance of ADLs. Vibrotactile feedback (VTF) is a frequently-used method to
      provide prosthesis users with tactile feedback. However, the effect of adding VTF
      on visual attention and performance in a motor dual-task paradigm has not been
      investigated. Our aim was to compare visual attention and performance during ADLs
      in a motor dual-task paradigm when using binary VTF and without using VTF. Forty
      three able-bodied subjects (age 26 +/- 6.6 years) had a myoelectric-controlled
      hand attached to their right hand. The dual task comprised of a computer game
      played with the left hand, while manipulating objects with the artificial hand.
      This was performed with and without VTF in a counter-balanced order of two
      conditions. An eye-tracker monitored visual attention, while time to complete
      each task and the time the virtual car went off-road were recorded. No
      significant differences were found in visual attention or in performance time
      between the two conditions. Further examination of adding VTF to prosthesis users
      is recommended, with disrupted visual feedback and basic grasping tasks.

PMID- 28628380
TI  - Low-frequency noise effects on the rat parotid gland: A transmission electron
      microscopy study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Low-frequency noise (LFN) is a ubiquitous physical stressor known
      to cause degenerative cellular changes and organ alterations with functional
      repercussions both in humans and animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After acceptance
      of the study protocol by a local ethics committee, 20 Wistar rats were randomly
      divided into two equal groups. One group was kept in silence and the other
      continuously exposed to LFN during 13 weeks. The rats had unlimited access to
      water and were fed standard rat chow. After exposure, the animals were sacrificed
      and the parotid glands were excised and prepared for transmission electron
      microscopy. RESULTS: The acinar cells showed marked ultrastructural alterations,
      such as intracellular vacuolization, loss of cell polarity, increased
      heterochromatin, cytoplasmic inclusions, and oncocytic transformation.
      CONCLUSIONS: LFN induces ultrastructural changes in the rat parotid gland that
      correlate with previously described functional changes.

PMID- 28628381
TI  - Monoclonal immunoglobulin-associated proliferative glomerulonephritis
      characterized by organized deposits of striated ultra-substructures: A case
      report.
AB  - We herein report the case of a 64-year-old male who presented with progressive
      glomerulonephritis notable for organized and striated ultra-substructures. The
      patient was diagnosed with hypertension and proteinuria 3 years prior to
      admission and subsequently developed nephrotic syndrome and impairment of renal
      function. Laboratory tests did not reveal any evidence of infections or
      autoimmune diseases. Monoclonal gammopathy was not detected in serum or urine,
      although a small population of abnormal plasma cell clones was detected by flow
      cytometry. A renal biopsy showed mesangial and endocapillary proliferative
      glomerulonephritis with lobular accentuation, accompanied with focal and
      segmental double-contour formation. Additionally, moderate tubulointerstitial
      scarring and arteriosclerosis were noted. Immunofluorescence staining revealed
      positive staining for IgG, IgM, C3, C1q, and fibrinogen. IgG subclass and light
      chain staining showed restricted positivity for IgG1kappa. Electron microscopy
      demonstrated massive amounts of subendothelial deposits with a fibrillary and
      branching profile. At higher magnification, a periodic striated pattern was
      observed within the microfilament-like structures. Immunohistochemical staining
      was negative for myoglobin, laminin, and collagens (type III and IV). Steroid and
      antihypertensive therapy did not show improvement in renal function. The second
      biopsy performed 2 years later revealed a similar lobular proliferative
      glomerulonephritis pattern with more extensive tubulointerstitial damage,
      indicating poor response to immunosuppressive therapy. The patient progressed to
      end-stage renal disease and required hemodialysis. We discuss the possible
      origins of the deposits with unusual substructures observed in this case.

PMID- 28628382
TI  - UnPAKing RUNX3 functions-Both sides of the coin.
AB  - Post translational modifications of RUNX3 have been shown to play an important
      role in directing RUNX3 functions. In this review we highlight the
      phosphorylation dependent functions of RUNX3 as regulated by PAK1 and its
      implications on tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28628383
TI  - Cardiovascular Response of an Acute Exergame Session in Prepubertal Obese
      Children.
AB  - PURPOSE: We aimed to analyze the acute autonomic response of obese and eutrophic
      prepubertal boys to an exergame (EXG) session. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Nine
      eutrophic (8.89 +/- 2.71 years of age and 16.42% +/- 6.30% body fat) and nine
      obese boys (8.70 +/- 1.16 years of age and 40.76% +/- 4.2% body fat)
      participated. Nutritional state was determined using World Health Organization
      guidelines. Variables were collected at rest, immediately post (IP), and 60
      minutes after a 20 minutes EXG session. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity
      was assessed using heart rate variability in time and frequency domains, and data
      were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk and ANOVA tests with Tukey post hoc. RESULTS:
      The obese group demonstrated an increased sympathetic activity at rest when
      compared with the eutrophic group (P < 0.05). The obese group also demonstrated
      an increased parasympathetic activity 60 minutes after the EXG session when
      compared with the eutrophic group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: We concluded that an
      acute session of EXG promoted ANS super compensation. We encourage research on
      chronic ANS response to EXG.

PMID- 28628384
TI  - "Pokemon Go!" May Promote Walking, Discourage Sedentary Behavior in College
      Students.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess self-reported walking and sedentary behavior in young adults
      before and after downloading "Pokemon Go!". MATERIALS AND METHODS: In September
      2016, a sample of 358 (19.8 +/- 2.1 years old, n = 187 females) college students
      who had downloaded "Pokemon Go!" on their cellular telephones (i.e., cell phones)
      were surveyed for weekly walking and sedentary behavior via the International
      Physical Activity Questionnaire. A single interview was administered to
      participants who estimated their walking and sedentary behavior at three time
      points: the week immediately preceding their download of "Pokemon Go!"
      (Baseline), the first week after downloading the game (Time 1), and the week the
      survey was completed (Time 2). Differences in self-reported physical activity and
      sedentary behavior across the three time points and across the two genders were
      compared via analyses of variance. RESULTS: There was a significant main effect
      of time (F >= 49.3, P <= 0.001) for walking and sedentary behavior. Participants
      reported greater (t >= 9.5, P < 0.001) daily walking during Time 1 (218.6 +/-
      156.3 minutes) and Time 2 (182.7 +/- 172.1 minutes) versus the baseline (108.5 +/
      110.8 minutes). Walking behavior was also significantly greater (t = 4.1, P <
      0.001) at Time 1 versus Time 2. Participants reported greater (t >= 6.5, P <
      0.001) daily sedentary behavior during baseline (346.6 +/- 201.3 minutes) versus
      both Time 1 (261.7 +/- 172.4 minutes) and Time 2 (284.3 +/- 175.4 minutes).
      Sedentary behavior was also significantly greater (t = 2.6, P = 0.03) at Time 2
      versus Time 1. There were no effects of gender (F <= 1.8, P >= 0.17). CONCLUSION:
      Playing "Pokemon Go!" was associated with increased self-reported walking and
      decreased sedentary behavior. Such games hold promise as technology that may
      promote physical activity and discourage sedentary behavior.

PMID- 28628385
TI  - Serious Games for Psychotherapy: A Systematic Review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the evolving digital age, media applications are increasingly
      playing a greater role in the field of psychotherapy. While the Internet is
      already in the phase of being established when it comes to the care of mental
      disorders, experimentation is going on with other modern media such as serious
      games. A serious game is a game in which education and behavior change is the
      goal, alongside with entertainment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present
      article was to provide a first empirical overview of serious games applied to
      psychotherapy and psychosomatic rehabilitation. METHOD: Therefore, a systematic
      literature search, including the terms "serious game" or "computer game" and
      "psychotherapy" or "rehabilitation" or "intervention" or "mental disorders" in
      the databases Medline and PsycINFO, was performed. Subsequently, an Internet
      search was conducted to identify studies not published in journals. Publications
      not providing empirical data about effectiveness were excluded. RESULTS: On the
      basis of this systematic literature review, the results of N = 15 studies met
      inclusion criteria. They utilized primarily cognitive behavioral techniques and
      can be useful for treating a range of mental disorders. Serious games are
      effective both as a stand-alone intervention or part of psychotherapy and appeal
      to patients independent of age and sex. CONCLUSION: Included serious games proved
      to be an effective therapeutic component. Nonetheless, findings are not
      conclusive and more research is needed to further investigate the effectiveness
      of serious games for psychotherapeutic purposes.

PMID- 28628386
TI  - Comparison of Path Length and Ranges of Movement of the Center of Pressure and
      Reaction Time and Between Paired-Play and Solo-Play of a Virtual Reality Game.
AB  - AIMS: To test whether paired-play will induce longer path length and ranges of
      movement of the center of pressure (COP), which reflects on balance performance
      and stability, compared to solo-play and to test the difference in the path
      length and ranges of movement of the COP while playing the virtual reality (VR)
      game with the dominant hand compared to playing it with the nondominant hand.
      METHODS: In this cross-sectional study 20 children (age 6.1 +/- 0.7 years old)
      played an arm movement controlled VR game alone and with a peer while each of
      them stood on a pressure measuring pad to track the path length and ranges of
      movement of the COP. RESULTS: The total COP path was significantly higher during
      the paired-play (median 295.8 cm) compared to the COP path during the solo-play
      (median 189.2 cm). No significant differences were found in the reaction time and
      the mediolateral and anterior-posterior COP ranges between solo-play and paired
      play. No significant differences were found between the parameters extracted
      during paired-play with the dominant or nondominant hand. DISCUSSION: Our
      findings imply that the paired-play is advantageous compared to solo-play since
      it induces a greater movement for the child, during which, higher COP velocities
      are reached that may contribute to improving the balance control of the child.
      Apart from the positive social benefits of paired-play, this positive effect on
      the COP path length is a noteworthy added value in the clinical setting when
      treating children with balance disorder.

PMID- 28628387
TI  - A Questionnaire-Based Study on the Perceptions of Canadian Seniors About
      Cognitive, Social, and Psychological Benefits of Digital Games.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study explored the perceptions of seniors who play digital games
      on the potential benefits of these games and on the factors associated with these
      perceptions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed and administered a questionnaire
      to a sample of 590 Canadian seniors in British Columbia and Quebec that addressed
      demographics, digital game practices, and perceived benefits. RESULTS: Results of
      administering the questionnaire showed that cognitive benefits were reported more
      frequently than social or psychological benefits. First language and gender were
      associated with the benefits reported, with fewer Francophones and women
      reporting benefits. The most important factor found was whether or not they
      played online, as playing online was associated with greater perceptions of
      social, as well as cognitive, benefits. CONCLUSION: Social and cognitive benefits
      are reported by seniors from playing digital games and should be investigated
      through future experimental and quasi-experimental research.

PMID- 28628388
TI  - Coordination of AMPA receptor trafficking by Rab GTPases.
AB  - Synaptic connections in the brain are continuously weakened or strengthened in
      response to changes in neuronal activity. This process, known as synaptic
      plasticity, is the cellular basis for learning and memory, and is thought to be
      altered in several neuronal disorders. An important aspect of synaptic plasticity
      is the tightly controlled trafficking and synaptic targeting of the AMPA-type
      glutamate receptors, which are the major mediators of fast excitatory
      transmission in the brain. This review addresses the role of Rab GTPases in AMPA
      receptor trafficking in neurons under basal conditions and during activity
      induced synaptic plasticity, especially during long-term potentiation (LTP) and
      long-term depression (LTD). We highlight the importance of the tight spatio
      temporal control of Rab activity and suggest that this is critical for proper
      neuronal functions. We also discuss how abnormal AMPA receptor trafficking and
      malfunctioning of Rabs can lead to neurologic disorders or memory problems.

PMID- 28628389
TI  - "An Ounce of Prevention . . . ": Will This Be the Future for Idiopathic Pulmonary
      Fibrosis?

PMID- 28628390
TI  - Influence of Screw Surface Treatment on Retention of Implant-Supported Fixed
      Partial Dentures.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a diamond-like carbon (DLC)
      coating on the removal torque of prefabricated implant screws after cyclic
      loading. Four groups with two crowns supported by two implants (n = 5) were
      obtained according to splinted and nonsplinted prosthesis, using titanium or DLC
      screws (splinted crowns with titanium screw [STi], splinted crowns with DLC screw
      [SC], nonsplinted crowns and titanium screw [NSTi], and nonsplinted crowns and
      DLC screw [NSC]). The prosthetic screws were tightened at 32 Ncm and retightened,
      and the specimens were submitted to 106 mechanical cycles (4 Hz/98 N). After
      cyclic loading, loosening torque was evaluated, and the final measurements were
      performed. Data were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test
      (alpha = .005). There was statistically significance in the interaction of screw
      * splinting (P = .003). For the group that used titanium screws, NSTi showed
      smaller removal torque compared with STi. It was concluded that the use of the
      DLC coating screws in nonsplinted prosthesis maintain the torque after cyclic
      loading.

PMID- 28628391
TI  - Interest and Attitudes of Patients With Advanced Cancer With Regard to Secondary
      Germline Findings From Tumor Genomic Profiling.
AB  - PURPOSE: Tumor genomic profiling (TGP) can reveal secondary findings about
      inherited disease risks in a patient with cancer. Little is known about how
      patients with advanced cancer, currently the primary users of TGP, perceive the
      benefits and harms of secondary germline findings. METHODS: We conducted
      semistructured interviews with 40 patients with advanced breast, bladder,
      colorectal, or lung cancer who had TGP. Qualitative interview data were evaluated
      by using a thematic content analysis approach. RESULTS: Most participants
      expressed interest in the prospect of learning their secondary germline findings
      (57%), although a minority was equivocal (29%) or disinterested (14%). Reasons
      for these preferences varied but were influenced by participants' perceptions of
      diverse benefits and harms of this information, which they regarded as relevant
      to themselves; their families; and other patients with cancer, medical science,
      and society. These attitudes were uniquely shaped by participants' personal
      disease experiences and health status. CONCLUSION: Many patients with advanced
      cancer are interested in learning secondary germline findings and hold optimistic
      and perhaps unrealistic beliefs about the potential health benefits. Patients
      also have important concerns about clinical and emotional implications of this
      information. These perceptions are necessary to address to ensure that patients
      make informed decisions about learning secondary germline findings.

PMID- 28628392
TI  - Potential Drug-Drug and Herb-Drug Interactions in Patients With Cancer: A
      Prospective Study of Medication Surveillance.
AB  - PURPOSE: Patients with cancer frequently use herbal supplements and concomitant
      medications along with antineoplastic agents. These patients are at high risk of
      herb-drug interactions (HDIs) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs). We aimed to
      determine clinically relevant DDIs and HDIs leading to pharmaceutical
      intervention. METHODS: Patients starting a new anticancer therapy were asked to
      complete a questionnaire to identify concomitant use of any over-the-counter drug
      or herbal supplement. Potential DDIs and HDIs were identified using two different
      databases. If a potentially clinically relevant DDI was recognized by the
      clinical pharmacist, a notification was sent to the prescribing oncologist, who
      decided whether to carry out a suggested intervention. Regression analyses were
      performed to identify variables associated with clinically relevant DDIs.
      RESULTS: A total of 149 patients were included in this study, with 36 potentially
      clinically relevant DDIs identified in 26 patients (17.4%; 95% CI, 11.3% to
      23.5%), all of them leading to therapy modifications. In total, four patients
      (2.7%; 95% CI, 0.1% to 5.3%) had experienced clinical consequences from DDIs at
      the time of pharmacist notification. Additionally, 84 patients (56.4%; 95% CI,
      48.4% to 64.4%) reported using concurrent herbal supplements, and 122 possible
      HDIs were detected. Concomitant use of two or more drugs was independently
      associated with high risk of a clinically significant DDI (odds ratio, 2.53; 95%
      CI, 1.08 to 5.91; P = .03). CONCLUSION: Potentially clinically relevant DDIs and
      possible HDIs were frequently detected in this prospective study. A
      multidisciplinary approach is required to identify and avoid potentially harmful
      combinations with anticancer therapy.

PMID- 28628393
TI  - Early National Dissemination of Abiraterone and Enzalutamide for Advanced
      Prostate Cancer in Medicare Part D.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Abiraterone and enzalutamide were approved by the Food and Drug
      Administration in 2011 and 2012 to treat men with metastatic castration-resistant
      prostate cancer (mCRPC). Most men with mCRPC are > 65 years of age and thus
      eligible for Medicare Part D. We conducted a study to better understand the early
      dissemination of these drugs across the United States using national Medicare
      Part D data. METHODS: We evaluated the number of prescriptions for abiraterone
      and enzalutamide by provider specialty and hospital referral region (HRR) using
      Medicare Part D and Dartmouth Atlas data. We categorized HRRs by abiraterone and
      enzalutamide prescriptions, adjusted for prostate cancer incidence, and examined
      factors associated with regional variation using multilevel regression models.
      RESULTS: Among providers who wrote the majority of prescriptions for abiraterone
      or enzalutamide in 2013 (n = 2,121), 87.5% were medical oncologists, 3.3% were
      urologists, and 9.2% were other provider specialties. Among prescribers,
      approximately 30% were responsible for three quarters of the claims for
      abiraterone and 20% were responsible for more than half the claims for
      enzalutamide. Some HRRs demonstrated low-prescribing rates despite average
      medical oncology and urology physician workforce density. Our multilevel model
      demonstrated that regional factors potentially influenced variation in care.
      CONCLUSION: The majority of prescriptions written for abiraterone and
      enzalutamide through Medicare Part D in 2013 were written by a minority of
      providers, with marked regional variation across the United States. Better
      understanding of the early national dissemination of these effective but
      expensive drugs can help inform strategies to optimize introduction of new,
      evidence-based mCRPC treatments.

PMID- 28628394
TI  - Nutritional Routine of Tae Kwon Do Athletes Prior to Competition: What Is the
      Impact of Weight Control Practices?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate and assess the
      common dietary and weight management strategies of Tae Kwon Do (TKD) athletes
      prior to national competitions, as well as to examine the relationships between
      these strategies and body weight reduction and sensation of physical condition.
      METHODS: Sixty (n = 60) TKD athletes, 23 women (19.4 +/- 2.9 years) and 37 men
      (20.4 +/- 3.6 years), with at least 12.1 +/- 3.1 years of experience,
      participated in the present study. The athletes recorded their dietary intake and
      physical activity for 3 training days and on a competition day. Bioelectrical
      impedance was used for body composition estimation. RESULTS: Male athletes
      consumed 1918 +/- 685 kcal/24 hours and 1974 +/- 669 kcal/24 hours on training
      and competition days, respectively, and women 1814 +/- 446 kcal/24 hours and 1700
      +/- 439 kcal/24 hours. TKD athletes had significant negative energy balance
      (48.6% +/- 17.8% to 60.3% +/- 26.9%; p < 0.05), with the majority of macro- and
      micronutritional elements being lower than the recommended values, with
      significant differences between them, as well as within groups, between weekdays
      and weekend days (p < 0.05). Females lost most of their weight 2 weeks before the
      games (3.50 +/- 1.00 kg), and males lost most of their weight 3 weeks before
      (3.16 +/- 2.48 kg). The majority of TKD athletes were guided by their coaches for
      weight management strategies. No significant correlations were found between any
      body composition variable, weight loss, and any nutritional intake at any time
      point (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the methods of TKD
      athletes for rapid weight loss are guided by unspecialized professionals, leading
      to significant malnutrition, because certain deficiencies in both macro- and
      micronutrient content are present, with no guaranteed specific reduction of their
      body mass.

PMID- 28628395
TI  - Evaluation of a companion robot based on field tests with single older adults in
      their homes.
AB  - The growing number of older adults places insurmountable load on family members
      and professional caregivers. Assistive technology with the aid of robots can
      present a possible solution. The goal of this article was to test a companion
      robot supporting older adults in their home environments. Eight senior volunteers
      were involved in the field test. They all lived alone and were self-supporting.
      The robot was capable of providing cognitive assistance to manage the user's
      daily routine. Each participant used the robot for 94.9 +/- 19.6 days. The
      primary communication modality was voice communication in their natural language,
      while the touch screen display was also available for interaction with the robot.
      The assistance given in daily living was evaluated by subjective (the user's
      opinion) and objective (logged data) criteria. The most useful and the least
      reliable robot functions according to the users were the navigation and the
      verbal communication. Entertainment, locomotion, and weather forecast were the
      most frequently used functions, while the shopping list was the least popular.
      The companion robot used in the test was accepted enthusiastically by the senior
      subjects. Specific robot functions (mainly navigation in the apartment and the
      speech recognition) require improvement to better accommodate real circumstances.

PMID- 28628396
TI  - Differential in Maximal Aerobic Capacity by Sex in Collegiate Endurance Athletes
      Consuming a Marginally Low Carbohydrate Diet.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although current sports nutrition recommendations advocate for a high
      carbohydrate (CHO) intake among endurance athletes, recent research has suggested
      that training with low CHO availability may augment adaptations to aerobic
      training. The purpose of this study was to observe the dietary habits of
      collegiate distance runners and to investigate the effects of habitual CHO intake
      on aerobic performance [VO2max(post)] during a competitive season. METHODS:
      During an 8-week trial period, 12 (N = 12) collegiate track athletes recorded
      their self-selected dietary intake via 24-hour recall. Analysis of CHO intake was
      conducted by a registered dietitian. Pre [VO2max (pre)] and post [VO2max (post)]
      season aerobic capacity assessments were performed using a one-way analysis of
      covariance (ANCOVA) with 2 covariates controlling for VO2max (pre) and CHO intake
      compared to the variance in VO2max (pre) and VO2max (post) by sex. RESULTS: The
      average CHO was 4.11 +/- 1.03 g/kg body mass (BM), with only one female athlete
      meeting dietary recommendations, consuming >= 6 g/kg BM. Male distance runners on
      average had a lower CHO than females. After adjusting for VO2max (pre) and CHO,
      there were statistically significant differences between VO2max (post) group
      means by sex with a difference of 12.62 ml/kg/min (95% confidence interval [CI],
      2.12-23.12, p = 0.02), with CHO accounting for 18% of the variance in VO2max
      (post). CONCLUSION: Collegiate distance runners exhibited marked improvements in
      maximal aerobic capacity during the in-season while consuming a marginally low
      CHO diet, with a predominant effect in males. Therefore, CHO intakes below
      current recommendations for endurance athletes might not be detrimental to
      aerobic training adaptations.

PMID- 28628397
TI  - Culturally-Informed Interventions for Substance Abuse Among Indigenous Youth in
      the United States: A Review.
AB  - PURPOSE: Given the disproportionately high levels of alcohol and other drug abuse
      among Indigenous youth in the United States, the purpose of this systematic
      review was to explicate the current state of empirically-based and culturally
      informed substance abuse prevention and intervention programs for Indigenous
      youth (ages 9-18). METHOD: The 14 articles that met inclusion criteria for this
      review were analyzed both in terms of the cultural intervention itself (primary
      population, intervention, core tenants, focus of intervention, intervention
      goals, location, intervention location, and program length) and their evaluation
      approach. RESULTS: Results indicate variable integration of cultural components
      with the majority of interventions taking place in schools and treatment
      facilities, targeting primarily individuals. DISCUSSION: There is a current gap
      in research on culturally-informed substance abuse interventions for Indigenous
      youth, which this review begins to address. Promising areas of future research
      and interventions include bringing communities and families into treatment and
      prevention.

PMID- 28628398
TI  - Skill level changes the coordination and variability of standing posture and
      movement in a pistol-aiming task.
AB  - The study investigated the coordination and variability of posture and pistol
      motion for skilled pistol shooters and novices in a pistol-aiming task. The
      participants stood on a force platform and held a pistol with the preferred arm
      to aim for accuracy to a target on 30 s trials. The results revealed that the
      amount of the centre of pressure (COP) and pistol motion was lower for the expert
      than novice group. The time-varying structure of COP as indexed by multiscale
      entropy (MSE) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) was also lower for the
      expert than the novice group. The relative phase between the COP in the anterior
      posterior (AP) and pistol in the AP and between the COP in the medial-lateral
      (ML) and pistol in AP was close to inphase for the both groups. However, for the
      novice group the coordination patterns of posture and pistol motion were more
      variable with the pistol motion leading the posture motion while it was lagging
      in the skilled group. The findings show different qualitative and quantitative
      dynamics in pistol-aiming as a function of skill level with postural control
      foundational to supporting the reduced dispersion and complexity of the skilled
      arm-pistol motion.

PMID- 28628399
TI  - Polymorphisms in Lep and Lepr Genes in Infants: Correlation with Serum Leptin
      Values in the First 6 Months of Life.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Because several studies indicate that polymorphisms in leptin (Lep)
      and leptin receptor (Lepr) genes play a central role in determining obesity, we
      analyzed 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Lep gene (Lep G2548A and
      A19G) and one in the Lepr gene (Lepr A668G) to verify the effect of the 3 SNPs on
      leptin concentrations in infancy. METHODS: We enrolled 80 healthy Caucasian
      infants under 6 months of age, who were genotyped for the 3 SNPs with
      amplification refractory mutation system-mismatch amplification mutation assay
      (ARMS-MAMA) real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum leptin values were
      measured with a radioimmunoassay method. Statistical significance was set at p <
      0.05. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between individually
      analyzed leptin polymorphisms Lep G2548A and A19G and serum leptin levels (p >
      0.05). Because we found that Lep G2548A and A19G are in linkage disequilibrium on
      chromosome 7, we performed the haplotype analysis for Lep G2548A and Lep A19G. We
      obtained higher serum leptin levels in infants with the GG/GG haplotype (p <
      0.05). Regarding receptor, we found higher leptin levels in GG-genotype infants
      for Lepr A668G (p < 0.001). Considering the 3 SNPs together, we found higher
      serum leptin values in GG/GG-GG infants (LepG2548A/A19G-Lepr A668G; p < 0.001).
      CONCLUSION: We obtained higher serum leptin levels in infants with the GG
      genotype for Lepr A668G, with haplotype GG/GG for Lep G2548A/A19G, and with GG/GG
      GG (LepG2548A/A19G-Lepr A668G); thus, it seems that the genotype GG could be a
      protector against obesity development in infancy and adulthood. Moreover, these
      data confirm that not variations in the Lep gene as well as in the Lepr gene
      could play a role in weight gain. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role
      of genetics and the environment in a predisposition toward obesity later in life.

PMID- 28628400
TI  - West Nile Virus: Seroprevalence in Animals in Palestine and Israel.
AB  - West Nile virus (WNV) epidemiological situation in Israel and Palestine, due to
      their unique location, draws attention following to the global spread of West
      Nile fever (WNF). Although much information is available from Israel on clinical
      cases and prevalence of WNV, clinical cases are rarely reported in Palestine, and
      prevalence is not known. The objectives of this study were to determine WNV
      seroprevalence in various domestic animals in Palestine and to reevaluate current
      seroprevalence, force of infection, and risk factors for WNV exposure in horses
      in Israel. Sera samples were collected from 717 animals from Palestine and Israel
      (460 horses, 124 donkeys, 3 mules, 50 goats, 45 sheep, and 35 camels). Two
      hundred and ten horses were sampled twice. The level of WNV antibodies was
      determined using commercial Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Kit.
      Seroprevalence in equids was 73%. Seroprevalence in Israel (84.6%) was
      significantly higher than in Palestine (48.6%). Seroprevalence in horses (82.6%)
      was significantly higher than in donkeys and mules (39.3%). Multivariable
      statistical analysis showed that geographical area, landscape features
      (altitude), environmental factors (land surface temperature during the day
      [LSTD]), species, and age significantly influenced WNV seroprevalence. Fourteen
      of 95 (14.7%) sheep and goats and 14/35 camels (40%) sampled in Palestine were
      seropositive for WNV. Of the horses that were sampled twice, 82.8% were
      seropositive for WNV at the first sampling, and all remained seropositive. Three
      of the seronegative horses, all from Palestine, converted to positive when
      resampled (8.5%). The results indicate that domestic animals in Palestine were
      infected with WNV in the past, and the seroconversion indicates that WNV was
      circulating in Palestine in the summer of 2014. Control measures to prevent human
      infection should be implemented in Palestine. Anti WNV antibodies in domestic
      animals suggest that those species can be used as sentinels for WNV activity in
      areas where most horses are either seropositive or vaccinated.

PMID- 28628401
TI  - Dietary Red and Processed Meat Intake and Markers of Adiposity and Inflammation:
      The Multiethnic Cohort Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The potential influence of dietary factors on inflammation is
      important for cancer prevention. Utilizing data from control participants (312
      men, 911 women) in 2 nested case-control studies of cancer within the Multiethnic
      Cohort, we examined the associations of red and processed meat intake with serum
      levels of leptin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor
      (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin (IL)-6 and the mediator effect of body mass index
      (BMI) on the above associations (if present). METHODS: Multivariable linear
      models were applied to assess the association between red and processed meat
      intake at cohort entry and serum biomarker levels measured 9.1 years later after
      adjusting for covariates and to determine the mediator effect of BMI. RESULTS:
      Overall red and processed meat intake was positively associated with serum leptin
      levels in men (beta = 0.180, p = 0.0004) and women (beta = 0.167, p < 0.0001). In
      women, higher red and processed meat consumption was significantly associated
      with higher CRP (beta = 0.069, p = 0.03) and lower adiponectin levels (beta = 
      0.082, p = 0.005). In mediation analyses with red and processed meat intake and
      BMI as predictors, the associations of red and processed meat with biomarkers
      decreased substantially (as indicated by percentage change in effect: leptin in
      men, 13.4%; leptin in women, 13.7%; adiponectin in women, -4.7%; CRP in women,
      7.4%) and were no longer significant (p > 0.05), whereas BMI remained
      significantly associated with serum leptin (men: beta = 3.209, p < 0.0001; women:
      beta = 2.891, p < 0.0001), adiponectin (women: beta = -1.085, p < 0.0001), and
      CRP (women: beta = 1.581, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The current data suggest that
      the amount of excess body weight or the degree of adiposity may mediate the
      relations between dietary red and processed meat intake and serum biomarkers
      associated with obesity and inflammation.

PMID- 28628402
TI  - Calcium Bioavailability from Mineral Waters with Different Mineralization in
      Comparison to Milk and a Supplement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the bioavailability of
      calcium from 3 mineral waters with different concentrations of minerals with that
      of milk and a calcium supplement. METHODS: A single-center, randomized controlled
      trial with a crossover design with 21 healthy men and women was conducted at the
      Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover. The
      participants consumed the 5 test products providing 300 mg of calcium each on 5
      examination days with 1-week wash-out phases in between. Primary outcome
      variables were the area under the curve of serum calcium levels for 10-hour (AUC0
      10h) and 24-hour urinary calcium excretion. RESULTS: In all groups, no
      significant differences in the AUC0-10h of serum calcium levels as well as in the
      24-hour urinary calcium excretion were observed. Likewise, mean changes in serum
      phosphate and urinary phosphate, as well as serum parathormone, showed no
      differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: Given an equivalent bioavailability
      of calcium in all test products, neither a high concentration of SO42- or of HCO3
      influenced the bioavailability of calcium. Accordingly, the use of mineral water
      with high concentrations of calcium constitutes a calorie-free calcium source
      that can improve calcium supply.

PMID- 28628403
TI  - Old and New MR Tools to Measure Hepatic Steatosis: Is Their Diagnostic Accuracy
      the Same?

PMID- 28628404
TI  - Case 247.

PMID- 28628405
TI  - Further Implications of Off-Label Use of Acetazolamide in the Management of
      Moyamoya Disease in Japan.

PMID- 28628406
TI  - Is the Genetic Paradigm of Cancer Complete?

PMID- 28628409
TI  - Impact of Measurement Time on Clinical Workflow in Different Manual Methods of
      Region of Interest Positioning for ADC Quantification.

PMID- 28628411
TI  - Sports and the Growing Musculoskeletal System: Sports Imaging Series.
AB  - Increased youth participation in sports has resulted in increased injury tolls
      due to shifts toward participation in competitive sports at earlier ages,
      increased training intensity and competition schedules, as well as specialization
      into one sport. The physiology of the growing musculoskeletal system makes the
      growing athlete particularly vulnerable to specific types of injuries.
      Radiologists must understand the differences between pediatric and adult athletes
      to recognize the particular injuries to which these young athletes are prone.
      Imaging and pertinent clinical details of major representative acute and overuse
      injuries characteristic to pediatric athletes will be discussed. (c) RSNA, 2017.

PMID- 28628412
TI  - Stratification, Imaging, and Management of Acute Massive and Submassive Pulmonary
      Embolism.
AB  - While pulmonary embolism (PE) causes approximately 100 000-180 000 deaths per
      year in the United States, mortality is restricted to patients who have massive
      or submassive PEs. This state of the art review familiarizes the reader with
      these categories of PE. The review discusses the following topics:
      pathophysiology, clinical presentation, rationale for stratification, imaging,
      massive PE management and outcomes, submassive PE management and outcomes, and
      future directions. It summarizes the most up-to-date literature on imaging,
      systemic thrombolysis, surgical embolectomy, and catheter-directed therapy for
      submassive and massive PE and gives representative examples that reflect modern
      practice. (c) RSNA, 2017.

PMID- 28628413
TI  - Sir Peter Mansfield, PhD.

PMID- 28628414
TI  - Paraspinal Fat Pad Changes as a Valuable Indicator of Posterior Ligamentous
      Complex Injury in Upper Cervical Spine Trauma.

PMID- 28628415
TI  - Signal Intensity Increase in the Central Nervous System after Previous Gadoxetic
      Acid-enhanced MR Imaging.

PMID- 28628416
TI  - Case 243: Extramedullary Hematopoiesis in an Adrenal Myelolipoma.
AB  - History A 30-year-old man presented to the emergency department with epigastric
      pain. He was vomiting and in distress, and he had a history of thalassemia.
      Physical examination findings were unremarkable. Pertinent blood results were a
      hemoglobin level of 10.5 g/dL (6.52 mmol/L) (normal range, 13.5-18.0 g/dL [8.38
      11.17 mmol/L]) and a bilirubin level of 62 umol/L (normal range, 3-17 umol/L).
      The remaining hematologic and biochemical results were normal. Aortic dissection
      was suspected clinically, so the patient was referred for imaging. Unenhanced and
      arterial phase computed tomographic (CT) images were acquired initially.
      Ultrasonography (US) (images not shown) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were
      performed subsequently. Because of the imaging findings, the patient was referred
      for surgery.

PMID- 28628417
TI  - Motherhood challenges and well-being along with the studentship role among
      Iranian women: A qualitative study.
AB  - This study purposed to explore and describe the experiences of Iranian female
      students with the role of motherhood. This 2015 qualitative study used purposeful
      sampling to select 20 student mothers aged 24-50 who were studying at a state or
      non-state university in an urban area in northwest Iran. Data was collected
      through individual semi-structured interviews and analysed using a qualitative
      content analysis approach. Three main themes were developed during data analysis:
      "simultaneous management", "facilities", and "barriers". The management of
      maternal and family affairs by female students in universities where motherhood
      is not supported is a challenge. The significance of mother-student roles must be
      emphasized and support and education provided for women to gain skills useful in
      playing these roles. Policy makers should devise strategies for bringing change
      to the traditional perspective that motherhood and educational responsibilities
      cannot be met at the same time by one person.

PMID- 28628418
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28628419
TI  - Association of Competition Volume, Club Sports, and Sport Specialization With Sex
      and Lower Extremity Injury History in High School Athletes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High school athletes are increasingly encouraged to participate in 1
      sport year-round to increase their sport skills. However, no study has examined
      the association of competition volume, club sport participation, and sport
      specialization with sex and lower extremity injury (LEI) in a large sample of
      high school athletes. HYPOTHESIS: Increased competition volume, participating on
      a club team outside of school sports, and high levels of specialization will all
      be associated with a history of LEI. Girls will be more likely to engage in
      higher competition volume, participate on a club team, and be classified as
      highly specialized. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level
      3. METHODS: High school athletes completed a questionnaire prior to the start of
      their competitive season regarding their sport participation and previous injury
      history. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate
      associations of competition volume, club sport participation, and sport
      specialization with history of LEI, adjusting for sex. RESULTS: A cohort of 1544
      high school athletes (780 girls; grades 9-12) from 29 high schools completed the
      questionnaire. Girls were more likely to participate at high competition volume
      (23.2% vs 11.0%, chi2 = 84.7, P < 0.001), participate on a club team (61.2% vs
      37.2%, chi2 = 88.3, P < 0.001), and be highly specialized (16.4% vs 10.4%, chi2 =
      19.7, P < 0.001). Athletes with high competition volume, who participated in a
      club sport, or who were highly specialized had greater odds of reporting a
      previous LEI than those with low competition volume (odds ratio [OR], 2.08; 95%
      CI, 1.55-2.80; P < 0.001), no club sport participation (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.20
      1.88; P < 0.001), or low specialization (OR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.88-3.54; P < 0.001),
      even after adjusting for sex. CONCLUSION: Participating in high sport volume, on
      a club team, or being highly specialized was associated with history of LEI.
      Girls were more likely to participate at high volumes, be active on club teams,
      or be highly specialized, potentially placing them at increased risk of injury.
      CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Youth athletes, parents, and clinicians should be aware of
      the potential risks of intense, year-round participation in organized sports.

PMID- 28628420
TI  - Value of Multiparametric US in the Assessment of Intratesticular Lesions.
AB  - Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of multiparametric ultrasonography
      (US) consisting of gray-scale US, color Doppler US, strain elastography, and
      contrast agent-enhanced US in the assessment of intratesticular lesions.
      Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval was obtained for this
      retrospective study. From January 2012 to December 2015, 55 focal testicular
      lesions that were indeterminate on gray-scale US scans were further characterized
      with color Doppler US, strain elastography, and contrast-enhanced US. Strain
      elastography was performed to assess tissue elasticity, and hard lesions were
      defined as malignant. Color Doppler US and contrast-enhanced US were performed to
      determine the absence or presence of vascularization. Avascular lesions were
      defined as benign. Histopathologic results or follow-up examinations served as
      reference standards. Correct classification rate, sensitivity, specificity, and
      likelihood ratio were calculated. Results Of 55 testicular lesions, 43 (78.2%)
      were benign and 12 (21.8%) were malignant. Single-modality sensitivities and
      specificities were 66.7% and 88.4% for color Doppler US, 100% and 76.7% for
      contrast-enhanced US, and 100% and 72.1% for strain elastography, respectively.
      Among 12 malignant lesions, color Doppler US failed to demonstrate
      vascularization in four (33.3%) lesions, which were positive for cancer at
      contrast-enhanced US. By combining strain elastography and contrast-enhanced US,
      a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 93.0% were achieved in differentiating
      benign and malignant focal testicular lesions. Positive likelihood ratio was 5.7
      for color Doppler US, 4.3 for contrast-enhanced US, 3.6 for strain elastography,
      14.3 for strain elastography combined with color Doppler US, and 14.3 for strain
      elastography combined with contrast-enhanced US. Conclusion Multiparametric US
      allows for a reliable differentiation of benign and malignant intratesticular
      lesions and can potentially be useful in deciding whether orchiectomy can be
      replaced with follow-up or less invasive organ-sparing strategies. (c) RSNA,
      2017.

PMID- 28628421
TI  - High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer: Associations between BRCA Mutation Status, CT
      Imaging Phenotypes, and Clinical Outcomes.
AB  - Purpose To investigate the associations between BRCA mutation status and computed
      tomography (CT) phenotypes of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and to
      evaluate CT indicators of cytoreductive outcome and survival in patients with
      BRCA-mutant HGSOC and those with BRCA wild-type HGSOC. Materials and Methods This
      HIPAA-compliant, institutional review board-approved retrospective study included
      108 patients (33 with BRCA mutant and 75 with BRCA wild-type HGSOC) who underwent
      CT before primary debulking. Two radiologists independently reviewed the CT
      findings for various qualitative CT features. Associations between CT features,
      BRCA mutation status, cytoreductive outcome, and progression-free survival (PFS)
      were evaluated by using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards
      regression, respectively. Results Peritoneal disease (PD) pattern, presence of PD
      in gastrohepatic ligament, mesenteric involvement, and supradiaphragmatic
      lymphadenopathy at CT were associated with BRCA mutation status (multiple
      regression: P < .001 for each CT feature). While clinical and CT features were
      not associated with cytoreductive outcome for patients with BRCA-mutant HGSOC,
      presence of PD in lesser sac (odds ratio [OR] = 2.40) and left upper quadrant (OR
      = 1.19), mesenteric involvement (OR = 7.10), and lymphadenopathy in
      supradiaphragmatic (OR = 2.83) and suprarenal para-aortic (OR = 4.79) regions
      were associated with higher odds of incomplete cytoreduction in BRCA wild-type
      HGSOC (multiple regression: P < .001 each CT feature). Mesenteric involvement at
      CT was associated with significantly shorter PFS for both patients with BRCA
      mutant HGSOC (multiple regression: hazard ratio [HR] = 26.7 P < .001) and those
      with BRCA wild-type HGSOC (univariate analysis: reader 1, HR = 2.42, P < .001;
      reader 2, HR = 2.61; P < .001). Conclusion Qualitative CT features differed
      between patients with BRCA-mutant HGSOC and patients with BRCA wild-type HGSOC.
      CT indicators of cytoreductive outcome varied according to BRCA mutation status.
      Mesenteric involvement at CT was an indicator of significantly shorter PFS for
      both patients with BRCA-mutant HGSOC and those with BRCA wild-type HGSOC. (c)
      RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28628422
TI  - T1rho-weighted Dynamic Glucose-enhanced MR Imaging in the Human Brain.
AB  - Purpose To evaluate the ability to detect intracerebral regions of increased
      glucose concentration at T1rho-weighted dynamic glucose-enhanced (DGE) magnetic
      resonance (MR) imaging at 7.0 T. Materials and Methods This prospective study was
      approved by the institutional review board. Nine patients with newly diagnosed
      glioblastoma and four healthy volunteers were included in this study from October
      2015 to July 2016. Adiabatically prepared chemical exchange-sensitive spin-lock
      imaging was performed with a 7.0-T whole-body unit with a temporal resolution of
      approximately 7 seconds, yielding the time-resolved DGE contrast. T1rho-weighted
      DGE MR imaging was performed with injection of 100 mL of 20% d-glucose via the
      cubital vein. Glucose enhancement, given by the relative signal intensity change
      at T1rho-weighted MR imaging (DGErho), was quantitatively investigated in brain
      gray matter versus white matter of healthy volunteers and in tumor tissue versus
      normal-appearing white matter of patients with glioblastoma. The median signal
      intensities of the assessed brain regions were compared by using the Wilcoxon
      rank-sum test. Results In healthy volunteers, the median signal intensity in
      basal ganglia gray matter (DGErho = 4.59%) was significantly increased compared
      with that in white matter tissue (DGErho = 0.65%) (P = .028). In patients, the
      median signal intensity in the glucose-enhanced tumor region as displayed on
      T1rho-weighted DGE images (DGErho = 2.02%) was significantly higher than that in
      contralateral normal-appearing white matter (DGErho = 0.08%) (P < .0001).
      Conclusion T1rho-weighted DGE MR imaging in healthy volunteers and patients with
      newly diagnosed, untreated glioblastoma enabled visualization of brain glucose
      physiology and pathophysiologically increased glucose uptake and may have the
      potential to provide information about glucose metabolism in tumor tissue. (c)
      RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28628423
TI  - Current Considerations for Low-Level Laser Therapy/Photobiomodulation Therapy in
      the Management of Side Effects of Chemoradiation Therapy for Cancer.

PMID- 28628424
TI  - Agaricus blazei extract abrogates rotenone-induced dopamine depletion and motor
      deficits by its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties in Parkinsonic
      mice.
AB  - Neuroinflammation and oxidative damage are the two main malfactors that play an
      important role in the pathogenesis of experimental and clinical Parkinson's
      disease (PD). The current study was aimed to study the possible anti-oxidant and
      anti-inflammatory effects of the methanolic extract of Agaricus blazei (A.
      blazei) against rotenone-induced PD in mice. Male Albino mice were randomized and
      divided into the following groups: control, treated with rotenone (1 mg/kg/day),
      co-treated with rotenone and A. blazei (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg b.w.), and treated
      with A. blazei alone (200 mg/kg b.w.). After the end of the experimental period,
      behavioral studies, biochemical estimations, and protein expression patterns of
      inflammatory markers were studied. Rotenone treatment exhibited enhanced motor
      impairments, neurochemical deficits, oxidative stress, and inflammation, whereas
      oral administration of A. blazei extract attenuated the above-said indices. Even
      though further research is needed to prove its efficacy in clinical studies, the
      results of our study concluded that A. blazei extract offers a promising and new
      therapeutic lead for treatment of PD.

PMID- 28628425
TI  - Fighting the reflux reflex.

PMID- 28628426
TI  - The USPSTF and screening for obstructive sleep apnea: Dispelling misconceptions.

PMID- 28628428
TI  - ERAAs for menopause treatment: Welcome the 'designer estrogens'.
AB  - Estrogen receptor agonist-antagonists (ERAAs) selectively inhibit or stimulate
      estrogen-like action in targeted tissues. This review summarizes how ERAAs can be
      used in combination with an estrogen or alone to treat menopausal symptoms
      (vasomotor symptoms, genitourinary syndrome of menopause), breast cancer or the
      risk of breast cancer, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and other female midlife
      concerns.

PMID- 28628427
TI  - Is there a doctor on board? In-flight medical emergencies.
AB  - Although not legally required to render assistance in the event of a medical
      emergency aboard an airplane, physicians have an ethical obligation to do so and
      should be prepared.

PMID- 28628429
TI  - Apps and fitness trackers that measure sleep: Are they useful?
AB  - Consumers have become increasingly interested in using fitness trackers and
      smartphone applications to quantify sleep. The devices claim to measure various
      sleep parameters, with the result that patients are now showing the data from
      their devices to their clinicians with concerns about their quantity or quality
      of sleep. In general, these devices have major shortcomings and limited utility,
      as they have not been thoroughly evaluated in clinical populations.

PMID- 28628430
TI  - Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and the heart and brain.
AB  - Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) has numerous systemic
      manifestations and complications. This article gives an overview of hypertension,
      cardiac complications, and intracranial aneurysms in ADPKD, their
      pathophysiology, and recent developments in their management.

PMID- 28628431
TI  - A man with progressive dysphagia.

PMID- 28628432
TI  - Black hairy tongue cured concurrently with respiratory infection.

PMID- 28628433
TI  - A 68-year-old man with a blue toe.

PMID- 28628434
TI  - A dermatosis of pregnancy.

PMID- 28628435
TI  - To the Editor: Fungal organisms in the brain.

PMID- 28628436
TI  - Contaminated Stream Water as Source for Escherichia coli O157 Illness in
      Children.
AB  - In May 2016, an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157
      infections occurred among children who had played in a stream flowing through a
      park. Analysis of E. coli isolates from the patients, stream water, and deer and
      coyote scat showed that feces from deer were the most likely source of
      contamination.

PMID- 28628437
TI  - Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections at a Provincial Reference Hospital,
      Cambodia.
AB  - Prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) disease is poorly documented in
      countries with high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB). We describe prevalence, risk
      factors, and TB program implications for NTM isolates and disease in Cambodia. A
      prospective cohort of 1,183 patients with presumptive TB underwent epidemiologic,
      clinical, radiologic, and microbiologic evaluation, including >12-months of
      follow-up for patients with NTM isolates. Prevalence of NTM isolates was 10.8%
      and of disease was 0.9%; 217 (18.3%) patients had TB. Of 197 smear-positive
      patients, 171 (86.8%) had TB confirmed (167 by culture and 4 by Xpert MTB/RIF
      assay only) and 11 (5.6%) had NTM isolates. HIV infection and past TB were
      independently associated with having NTM isolates. Improved detection of NTM
      isolates in Cambodia might require more systematic use of mycobacterial culture
      and the use of Xpert MTB/RIF to confirm smear-positive TB cases, especially in
      patients with HIV infection or a history of TB.

PMID- 28628438
TI  - Haemophilus influenzae Type a Meningitis in Immunocompetent Child, Oman, 2015.
AB  - Meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was eliminated in Oman
      after the introduction of Hib vaccine in 2001. However, a case of H. influenzae
      type a meningitis was diagnosed in a child from Oman in 2015, which highlights
      the need to monitor the incidence of invasive non-Hib H. influenzae disease.

PMID- 28628439
TI  - Locally Acquired mcr-1 in Escherichia coli, Australia, 2011 and 2013.
AB  - We identified discrete importation events of the mcr-1 gene on incompatibility
      group IncI2 plasmids in Escherichia coli isolated from patients in New South
      Wales, Australia, in 2011 and 2013. mcr-1 is present in a small minority of
      colistin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and appears not to be established locally.

PMID- 28628440
TI  - Norovirus GII.17 as Major Epidemic Strain in Italy, Winter 2015-16.
AB  - In winter 2015-16, norovirus GII.17 Kawasaki 2014 emerged as a cause of sporadic
      gastroenteritis in children in Italy. Median patient age was higher for those
      with GII.17 than GII.4 infection (55 vs. 24 months), suggesting limited cross
      protection for older children.

PMID- 28628441
TI  - Novel Retinal Lesion in Ebola Survivors, Sierra Leone, 2016.
AB  - We conducted a case-control study in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to investigate
      ocular signs in Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors. A total of 82 EVD survivors
      with ocular symptoms and 105 controls from asymptomatic civilian and military
      personnel and symptomatic eye clinic attendees underwent ophthalmic examination,
      including widefield retinal imaging. Snellen visual acuity was <6/7.5 in 75.6%
      (97.5% CI 63%-85.7%) of EVD survivors and 75.5% (97.5% CI 59.1%-87.9%) of
      controls. Unilateral white cataracts were present in 7.4% (97.5% CI 2.4%-16.7%)
      of EVD survivors and no controls. Aqueous humor from 2 EVD survivors with
      cataract but no anterior chamber inflammation were PCR-negative for Zaire Ebola
      virus, permitting cataract surgery. A novel retinal lesion following the anatomic
      distribution of the optic nerve axons occurred in 14.6% (97.5% CI 7.1%-25.6%) of
      EVD survivors and no controls, suggesting neuronal transmission as a route of
      ocular entry.

PMID- 28628442
TI  - Phylogeography of Burkholderia pseudomallei Isolates, Western Hemisphere.
AB  - The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei causes melioidosis, which is mainly
      associated with tropical areas. We analyzed single-nucleotide polymorphisms
      (SNPs) among genome sequences from isolates of B. pseudomallei that originated in
      the Western Hemisphere by comparing them with genome sequences of isolates that
      originated in the Eastern Hemisphere. Analysis indicated that isolates from the
      Western Hemisphere form a distinct clade, which supports the hypothesis that
      these isolates were derived from a constricted seeding event from Africa.
      Subclades have been resolved that are associated with specific regions within the
      Western Hemisphere and suggest that isolates might be correlated geographically
      with cases of melioidosis. One isolate associated with a former World War II
      prisoner of war was believed to represent illness 62 years after exposure in
      Southeast Asia. However, analysis suggested the isolate originated in Central or
      South America.

PMID- 28628443
TI  - Novel Avulaviruses in Penguins, Antarctica.
AB  - We identified 3 novel and distinct avulaviruses from Gentoo penguins sampled in
      Antarctica. We isolated these viruses and sequenced their complete genomes;
      serologic assays demonstrated that the viruses do not have cross-reactivity
      between them. Our findings suggest that these 3 new viruses represent members of
      3 novel avulavirus species.

PMID- 28628444
TI  - Case of Nigeria-Acquired Human African Trypanosomiasis in United Kingdom, 2016.
AB  - Human African trypanosomiasis has not been reported in Nigeria since 2012.
      Nevertheless, limitations of current surveillance programs mean that undetected
      infections may persist. We report a recent case of stage 2 trypanosomiasis caused
      by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense acquired in Nigeria and imported into the United
      Kingdom.

PMID- 28628445
TI  - Mycobacterium gordonae in Patient with Facial Ulcers, Nosebleeds, and Positive T
      SPOT.TB Test, China.
AB  - Mycobacterium gordonae is often regarded as a weak pathogen that only
      occasionally causes overt disease. We report a case of M. gordonae infection in
      the facial skin, nasal mucosa, and paranasal sinus in an immunocompetent patient
      and review previous cases. The T-SPOT.TB test might be useful in diagnosing such
      cases.

PMID- 28628446
TI  - Diphtheria in Mayotte, 2007-2015.
AB  - Epidemiology of diphtheria in the southwestern Indian Ocean is poorly documented.
      We analyzed 14 cases of infection with toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae
      reported during 2007-2015 in Mayotte, a French department located in this region.
      Local control of diphtheria is needed to minimize the risk for importation of the
      bacterium into disease-free areas.

PMID- 28628447
TI  - Environmental Factors as Key Determinants for Visceral Leishmaniasis in Solid
      Organ Transplant Recipients, Madrid, Spain.
AB  - During a visceral leishmaniasis outbreak in an area of Madrid, Spain, the
      incidence of disease among solid organ transplant recipients was 10.3% (7/68).
      Being a black person from sub-Saharan Africa, undergoing transplantation during
      the outbreak, and residing <1,000 m from the epidemic focus were risk factors for
      posttransplant visceral leishmaniasis.

PMID- 28628448
TI  - Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Meningococcal Disease in Chile.
AB  - An outbreak of meningococcal disease with a case-fatality rate of 30% and caused
      by predominantly serogroup W of Neisseria meningitidis began in Chile in 2012.
      This outbreak required a case-control study to assess determinants and risk
      factors for infection. We identified confirmed cases during January 2012-March
      2013 and selected controls by random sampling of the population, matched for age
      and sex, resulting in 135 case-patients and 618 controls. Sociodemographic
      variables, habits, and previous illnesses were studied. Analyses yielded adjusted
      odds ratios as estimators of the probability of disease development. Results
      indicated that conditions of social vulnerability, such as low income and
      overcrowding, as well as familial history of this disease and clinical histories,
      especially chronic diseases and hospitalization for respiratory conditions,
      increased the probability of illness. Findings should contribute to direction of
      intersectoral public policies toward a highly vulnerable social group to enable
      them to improve their living conditions and health.

PMID- 28628449
TI  - Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus and Respiratory Disease in
      Exhibition Swine, Michigan, USA, 2015.
AB  - Acute outbreaks of respiratory disease in swine at agricultural fairs in
      Michigan, USA, in 2015 raised concern for potential human exposure to influenza A
      virus. Testing ruled out influenza A virus and identified porcine
      hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus as the cause of influenza-like illness
      in the affected swine.

PMID- 28628450
TI  - Zika Virus Screening among Spanish Team Members After 2016 Rio de Janeiro,
      Brazil, Olympic Games.
AB  - We evaluated the risk for the Spanish Olympic Team acquiring Zika virus in Rio de
      Janeiro, Brazil, during 2016. We recruited 117 team members, and all tested
      negative for Zika virus. Lack of cases in this cohort supports the minimum risk
      estimates made before the Games.

PMID- 28628451
TI  - Detection and Genetic Characterization of Adenovirus Type 14 Strain in Students
      with Influenza-Like Illness, New York, USA, 2014-2015.
AB  - During the 2014-15 influenza season, 13/168 respiratory samples from students
      with influenza-like illness (ILI) at a college in New York, USA, were positive
      for human adenovirus (HAdV); 4/13 samples were positive for HAdV-B14p1. During
      influenza season, HAdV should be included in the differential diagnostic panel
      used to determine the etiology of ILI.

PMID- 28628452
TI  - Rabbit Hepatitis E Virus Infections in Humans, France.
AB  - Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been detected in rabbits, but whether rabbit HEV
      strains can be transmitted to humans is not known. Of 919 HEV-infected patients
      in France during 2015-2016, five were infected with a rabbit HEV strain. None of
      the patients had direct contact with rabbits, suggesting foodborne or waterborne
      infections.

PMID- 28628453
TI  - Mycobacterium chimaera Isolates from Heater-Cooler Units, United Kingdom.

PMID- 28628454
TI  - Disseminated Mycobacterium genavense Infection in Patient with Adult-Onset
      Immunodeficiency.
AB  - We report a case of disseminated Mycobacterium genavense infection resulting from
      neutralizing anti-interferon-gamma autoantibodies in the patient. We identified
      M. genavense targeting the hsp65 gene in an aspiration specimen of the lymph
      node. Adult-onset immunodeficiency caused by neutralizing anti-interferon-gamma
      autoantibodies, in addition to HIV infection, can lead to disseminated
      nontuberculous mycobacterial infection.

PMID- 28628455
TI  - Concurrent Infection with Hepatitis C Virus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
AB  - Little is known about concurrent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). We
      hypothesized that co-infection with HCV and S. pneumoniae would increase risk for
      death and complications. We captured sociodemographic and serologic data for
      adults with IPD in a population-based cohort study in northern Alberta, Canada,
      during 2000-2014. IPD patients infected with HCV were compared with IPD patients
      not infected with HCV for risk of in-hospital deaths and complications by using
      multivariable logistic regression. A total of 355 of 3,251 patients with IPD were
      co-infected with HCV. The in-hospital mortality rate was higher for IPD patients
      infected with HCV. Prevalence of most IPD-related complications (e.g.,
      cellulitis, acute kidney injury, mechanical ventilation) was also higher in HCV
      infected patients. Infection with HCV is common in patients with IPD, and HCV is
      independently associated with an increased risk for serious illness and death.

PMID- 28628456
TI  - Novel Pestivirus Species in Pigs, Austria, 2015.
AB  - A novel pestivirus species was discovered in a piglet-producing farm in Austria
      during virologic examinations of congenital tremor cases. The emergence of this
      novel pestivirus species, provisionally termed Linda virus, in domestic pigs may
      have implications for classical swine fever virus surveillance and porcine health
      management.

PMID- 28628457
TI  - Clonal Clusters and Virulence Factors of Group C and G Streptococcus Causing
      Severe Infections, Manitoba, Canada, 2012-2014.
AB  - The incidence of group C and G Streptococcus (GCGS) bacteremia, which is
      associated with severe disease and death, is increasing. We characterized
      clinical features, outcomes, and genetic determinants of GCGS bacteremia for 89
      patients in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, who had GCGS bacteremia during 2012-2014.
      Of the 89 patients, 51% had bacteremia from skin and soft tissue, 70% had severe
      disease features, and 20% died. Whole-genome sequencing analysis was performed on
      isolates derived from 89 blood samples and 33 respiratory sample controls: 5
      closely related genetic lineages were identified as being more likely to cause
      invasive disease than non-clade isolates (83% vs. 57%, p = 0.002). Virulence
      factors cbp, fbp, speG, sicG, gfbA, and bca clustered clonally into these clades.
      A clonal distribution of virulence factors may account for severe and fatal cases
      of bacteremia caused by invasive GCGS.

PMID- 28628458
TI  - Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae Infection, Turkey, 2016.
AB  - In 2016, Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae was diagnosed for a man in Turkey. He
      had been bitten by a Hyalomma marginatum tick, from which PCR detected
      rickettsial DNA. Sequence analysis of the DNA identified R. sibirica
      mongolitimonae. Immunofluorescence assay of patient serum indicated R. conorii,
      which cross-reacts. PCR is recommended for rickettsiosis diagnoses.

PMID- 28628459
TI  - Francisella tularensis ssp. holarctica in Ringtail Possums, Australia.
AB  - The occurrence of Francisella tularensis outside of endemic areas, such as North
      America and Eurasia, has been enigmatic. We report the metagenomic discovery and
      isolation of F. tularensis ssp. holarctica biovar japonica from diseased ringtail
      possums in Sydney, Australia. This finding confirms the presence of F. tularensis
      in the Southern Hemisphere.

PMID- 28628460
TI  - Risk Factors for Legionella longbeachae Legionnaires' Disease, New Zealand.
AB  - Legionella longbeachae, found in soil and compost-derived products, is a globally
      underdiagnosed cause of Legionnaires' disease. We conducted a case-control study
      of L. longbeachae Legionnaires' disease in Canterbury, New Zealand. Case-patients
      were persons hospitalized with L. longbeachae pneumonia, and controls were
      persons randomly sampled from the electoral roll for the area served by the
      participating hospital. Among 31 cases and 172 controls, risk factors for
      Legionnaires' disease were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of
      smoking >10 years, and exposure to compost or potting mix. Gardening behaviors
      associated with L. longbeachae disease included having unwashed hands near the
      face after exposure to or tipping and troweling compost or potting mix. Mask or
      glove use was not protective among persons exposed to compost-derived products.
      Precautions against inhaling compost and attention to hand hygiene might
      effectively prevent L. longbeachae disease. Long-term smokers and those with
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should be particularly careful.

PMID- 28628461
TI  - Measles Outbreak with Unique Virus Genotyping, Ontario, Canada, 2015.
AB  - The province of Ontario continues to experience measles virus transmissions
      despite the elimination of measles in Canada. We describe an unusual outbreak of
      measles in Ontario, Canada, in early 2015 that involved cases with a unique
      strain of virus and no known association among primary case-patients. A total of
      18 cases of measles were reported from 4 public health units during the outbreak
      period (January 25-March 23, 2015); none of these cases occurred in persons who
      had recently traveled. Despite enhancements to case-patient interview methods and
      epidemiologic analyses, a source patient was not identified. However, the
      molecular epidemiologic analysis, which included extended sequencing, strongly
      suggested that all cases derived from a single importation of measles virus
      genotype D4. The use of timely genotype sequencing, rigorous epidemiologic
      investigation, and a better understanding of the gaps in surveillance are needed
      to maintain Ontario's measles elimination status.

PMID- 28628462
TI  - Attributable Fraction of Influenza Virus Detection to Mild and Severe Respiratory
      Illnesses in HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Patients, South Africa, 2012-2016.
AB  - The attributable fraction (AF) of influenza virus detection to illness has not
      been described for patients in different age groups or with different HIV
      infection statuses. We compared the age group-specific prevalence of influenza
      virus infection among patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute
      or chronic respiratory illness (SARI and SCRI, respectively) with that among
      controls, stratified by HIV serostatus. The overall AF for influenza virus
      detection to illness was 92.6% for ILI, 87.4% for SARI, and 86.2% for SCRI. Among
      HIV-uninfected patients, the AF for all syndromes was highest among persons <1
      and >65 years of age and lowest among persons 25-44 years of age; this trend was
      not observed among HIV-infected patients. Overall, influenza viruses when
      detected in patients with ILI, SARI, or SCRI are likely attributable to illness.
      This finding is particularly likely among children and the elderly irrespective
      of HIV serostatus and among HIV-infected persons irrespective of age.

PMID- 28628464
TI  - Early Evidence for Zika Virus Circulation among Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes, Rio de
      Janeiro, Brazil.
AB  - During 2014-2016, we conducted mosquito-based Zika virus surveillance in Rio de
      Janeiro, Brazil. Results suggest that Zika virus was probably introduced into the
      area during May-November 2013 via multiple in-country sources. Furthermore, our
      results strengthen the hypothesis that Zika virus in the Americas originated in
      Brazil during October 2012-May 2013.

PMID- 28628463
TI  - Operational Research during the Ebola Emergency.
AB  - Operational research aims to identify interventions, strategies, or tools that
      can enhance the quality, effectiveness, or coverage of programs where the
      research is taking place. Medecins Sans Frontieres admitted ~5,200 patients with
      confirmed Ebola virus disease during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and from
      the beginning nested operational research within its emergency response. This
      research covered critical areas, such as understanding how the virus spreads,
      clinical trials, community perceptions, challenges within Ebola treatment
      centers, and negative effects on non-Ebola healthcare. Importantly, operational
      research questions were decided to a large extent by returning volunteers who had
      first-hand knowledge of the immediate issues facing teams in the field. Such a
      method is appropriate for an emergency medical organization. Many challenges were
      also identified while carrying out operational research across 3 different
      countries, including the basic need for collecting data in standardized format to
      enable comparison of findings among treatment centers.

PMID- 28628465
TI  - Cardiopulmonary involvement in Takayasu's arteritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate cardiopulmonary (CP) involvement in patients with
      Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) and assess the impact on disease outcomes. METHODS: A
      retrospective cohort of patients with newly diagnosed TAK from 1984 to 2009 was
      assembled. Demographics, baseline disease characteristics, relapse events,
      surgeries and mortality were abstracted from direct medical record review.
      Angiograms, advanced imaging and cardiac studies were reviewed for evidence of CP
      involvement. Cox models with time-dependent covariates were used to assess the
      association between CP involvement and outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 124 patients
      with TAK were identified. Forty-five (36%) patients had at least one objective CP
      abnormality observed within 6 months of TAK diagnosis. Age at diagnosis was
      higher in those with CP involvement than those without (34.6 vs 30.1 yrs;
      p=0.04). Baseline characteristics and symptoms were similar, except shortness of
      breath, which was more frequently observed at TAK diagnosis in patients with CP
      involvement compared to those without (53% vs 21%; p=0.001). Composite CP
      involvement was not associated with risk of first surgery [Hazard ratio (95% CI):
      1.21 (0.64-2.30); p=0.56]. However, pulmonary hypertension (PH) on echocardiogram
      was significantly associated with risk of first surgery [HR (95% CI): 12.9 (1.86-
      89.14); p=0.01]. CP involvement was not significantly associated with mortality
      [HR (95% CI): 2.51 (0.45- 14.02); p=0.29]. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary
      abnormalities in TAK are common at the time of initial presentation. In this
      population, the presence of PH predicted a 13-fold increased risk for vascular or
      valvular surgery. In this cohort, the presence of CP involvement did not increase
      mortality.

PMID- 28628466
TI  - Evaluation of cancer-associated myositis and scleroderma autoantibodies in breast
      cancer patients without rheumatic disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and dermatomyositis are two
      prototypic autoimmune diseases that are strongly associated with malignancy.
      While specific autoantibodies in these diseases are markers of an increased risk
      of cancer at scleroderma and dermatomyositis onset, it is not known whether these
      autoantibodies are biomarkers of cancer risk in patients without rheumatic
      disease. METHODS: In a matched case-control study of women without rheumatic
      disease, identified from a familial breast cancer cohort, 50 breast cancer cases
      and 50 controls were assayed for 3 autoantibodies that are known markers of
      cancer-associated scleroderma and dermatomyositis: anti-RNA polymerase III, anti
      NXP2, and anti-TIF1gamma. RESULTS: No subject had moderate or strong autoantibody
      positivity. Eleven women were borderline positive for at least one autoantibody.
      The prevalence of borderline autoantibody positivity did not differ between cases
      and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that scleroderma and
      dermatomyositis autoantibodies are cancer biomarkers only in patients with
      clinical manifestations of specific rheumatic diseases and are unlikely to
      improve risk stratification for cancer in the general population. However,
      prospective studies are needed to examine whether scleroderma and dermatomyositis
      autoantibodies are markers of malignancy in other cancer types.

PMID- 28628467
TI  - Juvenile- and adult-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative study in a
      large cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aimed to describe juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus
      (jSLE) features and to establish its differences compared to adult-onset SLE
      (aSLE) from a large national database. METHODS: Data from patients (>=4 ACR
      criteria) included in Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER)
      were analysed. Sociodemographic, clinical, serological, activity, treatment,
      cumulative damage, comorbidities and severity data were collected. Patients with
      disease onset <18 years were described and compared to those with disease onset
      >=18 years. RESULTS: We reviewed 3,428 aSLE patients (89.6% women) and 484 jSLE
      patients (89.8% girls), 93% Caucasian (both groups). Mean age at diagnosis was
      38.1+/-14 and 16.6+/-6.3 years (p<0.001) and mean age at the end of follow-up was
      48.8+/-14.3 and 31.5+/-30 years (p<0.001), respectively. jSLE showed
      significantly more clinical (including lymphadenopathy, fever, malar rash,
      mucosal ulcers, pericarditis, pleuritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, lupus nephritis,
      recurrent nephritis, histologic nephritis changes, thrombocytopenia, haemolytic
      anaemia, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, seizures, lupus headache and
      organic brain syndrome) and immunological (a-dsDNA and a-Sm antibodies,
      hypocomplementaemia) involvement than did aSLE, except for secondary Sjogren's
      syndrome, a-Ro antibodies, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. jSLE also showed more
      SLE family history, longer diagnosis delay, higher SLEDAI and Katz scores, but
      lower Charlson scores than aSLE. Several specific domains were more frequently
      involved in SLICC/ACR DI in jSLE. jSLE patients more frequently underwent all SLE
      related treatment and procedures, as well as dialysis and kidney
      transplantations. CONCLUSIONS: jSLE shares many clinical and serological features
      with aSLE. However, jSLE patients typically manifested more activity, severity,
      cumulative damage in certain areas, than their aSLE counterparts.

PMID- 28628468
TI  - DAPSA, DAS28 and MDA predict long-term treatment regime in psoriatic arthritis.
      The Swedish Early Psoriatic Arthritis Cohort.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe treatment patterns in the Swedish early psoriatic
      arthritis cohort (SwePsA) of the mono-/oligo-arthritic (M/O) and polyarthritis
      (P) and identify early predictive factors for treatment with disease-modifying
      anti-rheumatic (DMARD), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), and tumour
      necrosis factor inhibition (TNFi) after 5 years. METHODS: Data for 198 M/O and P
      PsA were obtained within the programme for SwePsA. Multinomial and binary
      logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between early
      predictive factors and treatment after 5 years adjusted for age at inclusion. The
      analysis of DMARD/NSAID was adjusted for medication at inclusion. RESULTS: After
      inclusion visit, DMARD was prescribed in 30% of M/O and 56% of P PsA; mainly
      methotrexate. TNFi was not prescribed at inclusion, but 23 patients were treated
      at 5-year follow-up. The adjusted OR (95% CI) for treatment with both DMARD and
      NSAID after 5 years was 3.65 (1.34 - 9.89) (p=0.010) for Disease Activity Score
      28 (DAS28) >3.2 and 2.90 (1.20-6.99) (p=0.038) for Disease Activity Index in
      Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) >14 at inclusion. TNFi treatment was, after adjusting
      for age, associated with high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p=0.0043), high C
      reactive protein (p=0.013), DAPSA (p<0.001), not reaching minimal disease
      activity (p=0.001) high health assessment questionnaire (p=0.001), patient's
      overall assessment on the visual analogue scale (VAS) (p=0.009), high pain VAS
      (p=0.007), and high number of tender and swollen joints (p=0.031) at inclusion.
      CONCLUSIONS: Disease activity in early M/O and P PsA is to be considered in
      deciding the level of health care assessment and future pharmacological
      treatment. DAS28 >3.2 and DAPSA>14 early in the disease predict subsequent
      treatment with DMARD. For prediction of biological treatment, not reaching MDA at
      onset of disease, would be the composite index of choice.

PMID- 28628469
TI  - Six-joint ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis: a feasible approach for
      implementing ultrasound in remission.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Subclinical disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) detected by
      imaging methods is predictive for flares and damage. Lack of time is the major
      limitation for not screening for subclinical disease in routine practice. We
      aimed to determine the most feasible protocol to screen patients with no clinical
      disease activity by ultrasound (US). METHODS: A hundred consecutive RA patients
      with no clinical activity according to the physician had an US scan for 38
      joints. The prevalence of power Doppler (PD) signal in each joint was determined
      and different combinations of joints were assessed for their ability to capture
      this information. The most practical combination with a good sensitivity was
      tested in another group of 50 RA patients. RESULTS: Having any PD signal was not
      linked to the disease activity parameters whereas presence of PD of >=2 was
      associated with higher DAS28CRP. Sixty patients had at least one joint with PD of
      grade >=2 (60%). A combination of the wrists and 2nd-3rd MCP joints bilaterally
      (PD-6 joints) was able to detect 45/60 (75%) cases with PD signals and 45% of the
      whole patient population. The correlation between PD-38 and PD-6 joints was
      excellent (r=0.820, p<0.0001). PD-6 joints in the 2nd cohort was also able to
      detect 22/50 (44%) of the whole group. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical disease activity
      could be detected in 60% of RA patients when 38 joints screened by US. Limiting
      the screening to wrists, 2nd-3rd MCPs bilaterally was acceptable as it detected
      75% of cases with subclinical disease and increased the feasibility.

PMID- 28628470
TI  - Vascularity of nail bed by ultrasound to discriminate psoriasis, psoriatic
      arthritis and healthy controls.

PMID- 28628471
TI  - Haematological involvement associated with a mild autoinflammatory phenotype, in
      two patients carrying the E250K mutation of PSTPIP1.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Hyperzincaemia/hypercalprotectinemia (Hz/Hc) syndrome is a recently
      described condition caused by a specific de novo mutation (E250K) affecting
      PSTPIP1 gene. It has a phenotype distinct from classical pyogenic arthritis,
      pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne (PAPA) syndrome that includes severe systemic and
      cutaneous inflammation, hepatosplenomegaly, arthritis without sequelae,
      pancytopenia and failure to thrive. METHODS: We describe an 8-year-old boy who
      presented recurrent right knee swelling mimicking septic arthritis and persistent
      bone marrow involvement, without cutaneous involvement. RESULTS: Molecular
      analysis of the PSTPIP1 gene revealed the presence of a heterozygous E250K
      mutation. No growth failure was detected nor in the patient neither in his
      mother, carrying the same variant. Blood zinc and calprotectin MRP8/14
      concentrations of the patient were found to be markedly increased. Therapy with
      anakinra was started with rapid disappearance of clinical symptoms and
      normalization of CRP levels in 24 hours, but persistence of bone marrow
      involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The patient described has a milder phenotype, with no
      skin features, minor episodes of arthritis with no sequelae and normal growth.
      Compared to the patients with de novo mutations described in the literature,
      familial cases seem to have a milder phenotype. Our case further confirms the
      lack of efficacy of anakinra on bone marrow involvement.

PMID- 28628472
TI  - IFN-gamma, CXCL16, uPAR: potential biomarkers for systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: IFN-gamma, CXCL16 and uPAR have recently been regarded as potential
      biomarkers in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, few researches have
      focused on the comparison of these three markers in SLE. We conducted this study
      to evaluate their role as biomarkers of disease activity and renal damage.
      METHODS: We enrolled 50 SLE patients with or without lupus nephritis (LN) and 15
      healthy control subjects. The levels of IFN-gamma, CXCL16, uPAR in serum, urine
      and renal tissues were detected by ELISA or immunohistochemistry. Relevant
      clinical and laboratory features were recorded. RESULTS: Serum and urine IFN
      gamma, CXCL16 and suPAR levels in SLE patients were significantly higher than
      that in healthy controls. Moreover, LN patients had higher levels than non-LN
      patients. A positive correlation was observed between these markers, and disease
      activity and suPAR had a stronger association with disease activity. The
      expression of these biomarkers in renal tissues was significantly higher in LN
      patients and was also associated with the activity of pathological lesions.
      CONCLUSIONS: IFN-gamma, CXCL16 and uPAR are promising as effective biomarkers of
      disease activity, renal damage, and the activity of pathological lesions in SLE.

PMID- 28628473
TI  - Viruses and cancer: molecular relations and perspectives.

PMID- 28628474
TI  - Prediction of human iron bioavailability using rapid c-ELISAs for human plasma
      hepcidin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepcidin is the central systemic regulator of iron metabolism, but
      its quantification in biological fluids is challenging. Rapid, accurate and user
      friendly methods are needed. Our aim was to assess the ability of hepcidin as
      measured by three different c-ELISA assays to predict iron bioavailability in
      humans. METHODS: The three assays used were commercially available DRG and
      Peninsula assays and the c-ELISA method performed at Radboud University Medical
      Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (Hepcidinanalysis.com), validated by
      comparative measurements with time-of-flight mass spectrometry. We analyzed
      plasma samples (n=37) selected to represent a broad range of hepcidin
      concentrations from a subgroup of healthy, iron-depleted women in a study
      assessing fractional absorption from iron supplements. RESULTS: In single
      regressions, all three c-ELISA assays were predictors of fractional iron
      absorption: R2=0.363 (DRG), R2=0.281 (Peninsula) and R2=0.327
      (Hepcidinanalysis.com). In multiple regressions, models including hepcidin
      measured with either DRG-, Peninsula or Hepcidinanalysis.com explained 55.7%,
      44.5% and 52.5% of variance in fractional absorption, and hepcidin was a strong
      predictor of fractional absorption irrespective of the hepcidin assays used.
      However, we found significant differences in absolute values for hepcidin between
      different methods. Both the DRG assay's (y=0.61x+0.87; R2=0.873) and the
      Peninsula assay's measurements (y=1.88x+0.62; R2=0.770) were correlated with
      Hepcidinanalysis.com. CONCLUSIONS: The biological variability in plasma hepcidin,
      (inter-sample CV) was 5-10-fold higher for both the Peninsula and DRG assay than
      the analytical variably (inter-run within-sample CV) suggesting substantial
      discriminatory power to distinguish biological hepcidin variation. Between
      methods, prediction of iron bioavailability in generally healthy iron depleted
      subjects appears comparable.

PMID- 28628475
TI  - Predictive autoimmunity using autoantibodies: screening for anti-nuclear
      antibodies.

PMID- 28628476
TI  - Differences in physical activity, eating habits and risk of obesity among Kuwaiti
      adolescent boys and girls: a population-based study.
AB  - The study aimed to assess gender differences among Kuwaiti adolescents in healthy
      living choices that impact the risk of obesity. A cross-sectional multistage
      cluster design was employed with a representative sample of 2672 students aged 13
      15 years who completed a self-administered Global School-based Student Health
      (GSHS) survey. The study found that around 48.0% of adolescents were overweight
      and obese. More boys than girls were obese (28.2% vs. 22.3%, p < 0.0001).
      However, boys were more likely than girls to report healthy food choices
      regarding fruit (38.1% vs. 33.2%), and vegetables (21.8% vs. 16.7%). Only 20.7%
      of adolescents reported physical activity for more than 60 min/day, predominately
      by boys rather than girls (30.8% vs. 10.5%, respectively, p < 0.0001).
      Multivariate analysis revealed that male gender, skipping breakfast and physical
      inactivity were significantly correlated with the risk of overweight and obesity
      among adolescents. These results suggest that lifestyle education for promoting
      healthy body masses targeting adolescents should take gender into account.

PMID- 28628477
TI  - Is age of menarche among school girls related to academic performance?
AB  - Background There is strong evidence that the mean age of menarche has declined
      over the last few decades in developed and developing countries. This is of a
      major concern because of its enormous public health implications. This study
      aimed to estimate the age of menarche in Kuwait and investigate the association
      between menarcheal age and academic performance among high school girls in
      Kuwait. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly selected female
      high school students from private and public high schools in all governorates in
      Kuwait. Data on the age of menarche were collected by self-administered
      questionnaire from the students, while data on academic performance were
      extracted from the students' academic records. Results Of the 907 students we
      selected, 800 (88.2%) responded. The mean age of menarche was 12.33 [95%
      confidence interval (CI) 12.18-12.49] years. There was no evidence for
      significant association between age of menarche and students' academic
      performance before or after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion The
      calculated age of menarche among contemporary girls in Kuwait is similar to that
      of the girls in industrialized countries. Early menarcheal age is unlikely to
      lead to adverse behavior that may affect academic performance in our setting.

PMID- 28628478
TI  - Reducing barriers to primary school education for girls in rural Kenya: reusable
      pads' intervention.
AB  - Purpose The current study explored girls' perceptions of the impact of sanitary
      pads' intervention on their school attendance and grades. Methods Participants
      included 150 girls in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade in two rural schools in Kenya.
      Participants completed a questionnaire on menstrual health issues and the
      perceived impact on school attendance and academic performance. Results Results
      indicated that of all participants (150), those who had passed menarche and had
      cloth pads had similar comfort levels at school as those who had not yet had
      their period. Of those who had reached menarche (with pads n = 34, without pads n
      = 91), they answered questions about how much their period interfered with their
      attendance and grades. Those who had received the pads reported significantly
      less negative influence on their attendance and schoolwork than those who did not
      have pads. They also reported significantly lower levels of wanting to hide their
      menstrual cycle from friends and family. In addition, they reported significantly
      higher levels of comfort at home and school than those who did not have pads.
      Finally, those with pads reported significantly lower levels of fear during their
      period. Conclusion These findings suggest providing girls with pads minimizes the
      barriers to successful schooling.

PMID- 28628479
TI  - Chronic pain in high school students is associated with physical activity and
      sleeping hours but not with screen time.
AB  - Background Existing studies on the association between physical activity (PA),
      screen based time and sleeping show conflicting results. Objective This study
      investigates the association between chronic pain at different body regions and
      self-reported PA, screen based time and sleeping hours in high school students.
      Subjects A total of 969 students aged 13-19 years old. Methods Participants
      completed a questionnaire on chronic pain, time spent in moderate and vigorous
      PA, screen based time watching televivsion (TV)/digital versatile discs (DVD),
      playing, using mobile phones and computers and sleeping hours. Univariate and
      multivariate associations between pain and PA, screen based time and sleeping
      hours were investigated. Results In the univariate model time spent in moderate
      and vigorous PA, in screen based activities and sleeping were associated with
      pain in at least one body site. In the multivariate model, screen based
      activities were not associated with pain; sleeping 7 h or less and increased time
      in moderate PA were associated with pain at almost all body sites [odds ratio
      (OR) between 2.69-3.66 and 1.06-1.10, respectively]. Conclusion Time spent in PA
      and sleeping increased the risk of chronic pain in almost all body regions and
      might confound the association between screen based time and pain.

PMID- 28628480
TI  - Kernel-Based Measure of Variable Importance for Genetic Association Studies.
AB  - The identification of genetic variants that are associated with disease risk is
      an important goal of genetic association studies. Standard approaches perform
      univariate analysis where each genetic variant, usually Single Nucleotide
      Polymorphisms (SNPs), is tested for association with disease status. Though many
      genetic variants have been identified and validated so far using this univariate
      approach, for most complex diseases a large part of their genetic component is
      still unknown, the so called missing heritability. We propose a Kernel-based
      measure of variable importance (KVI) that provides the contribution of a SNP, or
      a group of SNPs, to the joint genetic effect of a set of genetic variants. KVI
      can be used for ranking genetic markers individually, sets of markers that form
      blocks of linkage disequilibrium or sets of genetic variants that lie in a gene
      or a genetic pathway. We prove that, unlike the univariate analysis, KVI captures
      the relationship with other genetic variants in the analysis, even when measured
      at the individual level for each genetic variable separately. This is specially
      relevant and powerful for detecting genetic interactions. We illustrate the
      results with data from an Alzheimer's disease study and show through simulations
      that the rankings based on KVI improve those rankings based on two measures of
      importance provided by the Random Forest. We also prove with a simulation study
      that KVI is very powerful for detecting genetic interactions.

PMID- 28628481
TI  - Strengthening Distance Nursing Laboratory Courses Through Application of
      Theoretical Foundations: A Literature Review.
AB  - A literature review was conducted to assess study results and theoretical
      foundations regarding distance nursing lab courses. A variety of education and
      nursing-specific theories were utilized during curriculum development. No two
      studies applied the same theoretical foundations. Further research and
      integration of theoretical foundations, including the synthesis of multiple
      theories regarding the distance teaching of psychomotor skills, will strengthen
      distance nursing lab courses and allow for more effective and evidence-based
      learning of psychomotor skills.

PMID- 28628482
TI  - The Relationship Between Levels of Fidelity in Simulation, Traditional Clinical
      Experiences and Objectives.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of baccalaureate
      nursing students' (BSN) perceived learning effectiveness using the Clinical
      Learning Environments Comparison Survey of different levels of fidelity
      simulation and traditional clinical experiences. A convenience sample of 103
      first semester BSN enrolled in a fundamental/assessment clinical course and 155
      fifth semester BSN enrolled in a leadership clinical course participated in this
      study. A descriptive correlational design was used for this cross-sectional study
      to evaluate students' perceptions after a simulation experience and the
      completion of the traditional clinical experiences. The subscales measured were
      communication, nursing leadership, and teaching-learning dyad. No statistical
      differences were noted based on the learning objectives. The communication
      subscale showed a tendency toward preference for traditional clinical experiences
      in meeting students perceived learning for communication. For student perceived
      learning effectiveness, faculty should determine the appropriate level of
      fidelity in simulation based on the learning objectives.

PMID- 28628483
TI  - SiGe layer thickness effect on the structural and optical properties of well
      organized SiGe/SiO2 multilayers.
AB  - In this work, we report on the production of regular (SiGe/SiO2)20 multilayer
      structures by conventional RF-magnetron sputtering, at 350  degrees C.
      Transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy,
      raman spectroscopy, and x-ray reflectometry measurements revealed that annealing
      at a temperature of 1000  degrees C leads to the formation of SiGe nanocrystals
      between SiO2 thin layers with good multilayer stability. Reducing the nominal
      SiGe layer thickness (t SiGe) from 3.5-2 nm results in a transition from
      continuous SiGe crystalline layer (t SiGe ~ 3.5 nm) to layers consisting of
      isolated nanocrystals (t SiGe ~ 2 nm). Namely, in the latter case, the presence
      of SiGe nanocrystals ~3-8 nm in size, is observed. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was
      applied to determine the evolution of the onset in the effective optical
      absorption, as well as the dielectric function, in SiGe multilayers as a function
      of the SiGe thickness. A clear blue-shift in the optical absorption is observed
      for t SiGe ~ 2 nm multilayer, as a consequence of the presence of isolated
      nanocrystals. Furthermore, the observed near infrared values of n = 2.8 and k =
      1.5 are lower than those of bulk SiGe compounds, suggesting the presence of
      electronic confinement effects in the nanocrystals. The low temperature (70 K)
      photoluminescence measurements performed on annealed SiGe/SiO2 nanostructures
      show an emission band located between 0.7-0.9 eV associated with the development
      of interface states between the formed nanocrystals and surrounding amorphous
      matrix.

PMID- 28628484
TI  - Battling bacterial infection with hexamethylene diisocyanate cross-linked and
      Cefaclor-loaded collagen scaffolds.
AB  - Implant infections remain a major healthcare problem due to the prolonged
      hospitalisation period required to disrupt and treat bacterial biofilm formation,
      and the need for additional surgery to remove/replace the infected implant, which
      if not removed in a timely manner may lead to sepsis. Although localised drug
      administration, via an implanted scaffold, has shown promise in a clinical
      setting, the ideal scaffold cross-linking (to initially withstand the aggressive
      infection environment) and drug (to be effective against infection) have yet to
      be identified. In this work, in the first instance, the biochemical, biophysical,
      and biological properties of collagen sponges as a function of various
      concentrations (0.625%, 1.0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0%) of hexamethylene
      diisocyanate were assessed. Data presented illustrate that hexamethylene
      diisocyanate at 0.625% concentration was able to effectively stabilise collagen
      scaffolds, as judged by the reduction in free amines, adequate resistance to
      collagenase digestion, reduction in swelling, increase in denaturation
      temperature, suitable mechanical properties, and appropriate cytocompatibility.
      Subsequently, collagen scaffolds stabilised with 0.625% hexamethylene
      diisocyanate were loaded with variable concentrations (0, 10, 100, and 500 MUg ml
      1) of Cefaclor and Ranalexin. Both drugs exhibited similar loading efficiency,
      release profile, and cytocompatibility. However, only collagen scaffolds loaded
      with 100 MUg ml-1 Cefaclor exhibited adequate antibacterial properties against
      both 106 and 108 colony-forming units per ml of both Escherichia coli and
      Staphylococcus epidermidis.

PMID- 28628485
TI  - Free-standing Ag triangle arrays a configurable vertical gap for surface enhanced
      Raman spectroscopy.
AB  - Large-area ordered arrays with dense hotspots are highly desirable substrates for
      surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In this paper, we present a quasi-3D
      SERS substrate of free-standing Ag triangle arrays (FATA) which was fabricated by
      nanosphere lithography incorporated with photolithography and Ag covering. A
      significant SERS effect arises from a strongly enhanced local electric field
      within the tiny gaps between the suspended Ag triangle and the Ag baseplate. The
      SERS intensity relative standard deviation is less than 7.6%, leading to
      excellent reliability for Raman detection. The simple fabrication of the Ag film
      covering FATA nanostructures provides a practical solution for large-area, highly
      efficient and reproducible SERS substrates.

PMID- 28628486
TI  - Inactivation of bacterial biofilms using visible-light-activated unmodified ZnO
      nanorods.
AB  - Various zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are widely used for photocatalytic
      antibacterial applications. Since ZnO possesses a wide bandgap, it is believed
      that only UV light may efficiently assist bacterial inactivation, and diverse
      crystal lattice modifications should be applied in order to narrow the bandgap
      for efficient visible-light absorption. In this work we show that even unmodified
      ZnO nanorods grown by an aqueous chemical growth technique are found to possess
      intrinsic defects that can be activated by visible light (lambda = 405 nm) and
      successfully applied for total inactivation of various highly resistant bacterial
      biofilms rather than more sensitive planktonic bacteria. Time-resolved
      fluorescence analysis has revealed that visible-light excitation creates long
      lived charge carriers (tau > 1 MUs), which might be crucial for destructive
      biochemical reactions achieving significant bacterial biofilm inactivation. ZnO
      nanorods covered with bacterial biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis MSCL 302 after
      illumination by visible light (lambda = 405 nm) were inactivated by 2 log, and
      Listeria monocytogenes ATCL3C 7644 and Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilms by 4
      log. Heterogenic waste-water microbial biofilms, consisting of a mixed population
      of mesophilic bacteria after illumination with visible light were also completely
      destroyed.

PMID- 28628487
TI  - Do toddler's fractures of the tibia require evaluation and management by an
      orthopaedic surgeon routinely?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The majority of uncomplicated toddler fractures of the tibia
      (toddler's fractures) do not need an orthopaedic surgeon's intervention or follow
      up. However, inexperienced emergency room physicians, general practitioners and
      orthopaedic trainees and surgeons understandably defer to a cautious approach of
      referral and subsequent frequent clinical and radiographic follow-up. An evidence
      based pathway can help prevent this overtreatment, reduce unnecessary radiation
      exposure and decrease the financial burden on families and the healthcare system.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients who presented for
      management of toddler's fractures to The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
      was performed. RESULTS: A total of 184 (113 boys, 72 girls) patients, of a mean
      age of 1.99 (range: 0.2-3.9) years, were included for review. The included
      patients had attended 2.00+/-1.0 clinic visits and had had 5.86+/-2.7 radiographs
      taken on average. No complications such as cast injuries, nonunion, refracture or
      subsequent deformity needing assessment or intervention were identified.
      CONCLUSION: Toddler's fractures do not require routine orthopaedic surgeon
      assessment, intervention or follow-up. If diagnosed and managed correctly at
      initial presentation, patients with toddler's fractures may be discharged safely
      without the need for further clinician contact. We developed a toddler's fracture
      clinical care pathway to reduce unnecessary orthopaedic surgeon referral and
      clinical and radiographic follow-up, thereby decreasing radiation exposure and
      costs to families and the healthcare system without risking patient outcomes.

PMID- 28628488
TI  - Falls and Physical Activity in Persons With Mild to Moderate Dementia
      Participating in an Intensive Motor Training: Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity is beneficial in people with dementia. As physical
      activity increases risk exposure for falls, safety concerns arise. Prior exercise
      trials in people with dementia have not measured physical activity. Falls in
      relation to exposure time rather than person-years as outcome measure has been
      promoted but not investigated in people with dementia. METHODS: Patients with
      mild to moderate dementia (n=110) were randomized to an intensive, progressive
      strength and functional training intervention or to a low-intensity group
      training for 12 weeks each. Physical activity was measured with a standardized
      questionnaire. Falls were documented prospectively by calendars for 12 months.
      RESULTS: During the intervention, physical activity was significantly higher in
      the intervention group (P<0.001) without an increased fall rate (intervention
      group vs. CONTROL GROUP: 2.89 vs. 1.94; incidence rate ratio, 1.49; 95%
      confidence interval, 0.66-3.36; P=0.333). In the subgroup of multiple fallers,
      the number of falls per 1000 hours of activity was significantly lower in the
      intervention group (8.85 vs. 18.67; P=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Increased physical
      activity during exercise intervention was safe in people with mild to moderate
      dementia. Fall rate adjusted for physical activity is a useful and sensitive
      outcome measure in addition to fall rate per person-years.

PMID- 28628489
TI  - Shifting of the Line of Sight in Tilted Disk Syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the shifting of the line of sight (LoS) and the
      refractive, topographic, and aberrometric parameters that may be associated with
      the shifting of the LoS in eyes with tilted disk syndrome (TDS). METHODS: Eighty
      left eyes of 80 subjects with TDS (Study Group) and 70 left eyes of 70 subjects
      with myopia and astigmatism (Control Group) were included in this study. Line-of
      sight coordinates on the horizontal (x) and vertical (y) axes, refractive,
      topographic, and aberrometric parameters were evaluated. All parameters were
      compared between groups, and correlations were analyzed for the study group.
      RESULTS: In the study group, the LoS significantly shifted to the superotemporal
      direction compared with the control group (P=0.022 and P=0.008 respectively). The
      shift on y-axis was correlated with mean cylindrical refractive error (r=-0.283,
      P=0.011), total root mean square (RMS) (r=0.321, P=0.004), higher-order
      aberration RMS (r=0.300, P=0.007), vertical coma (r=0.430, P<0.001), and vertical
      trefoil values (r=-0.455, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrated a
      superotemporal shifting of the LoS in eyes with TDS. As eyes with TDS have an
      important place among candidates for refractive and multifocal intraocular lens
      implantation surgeries, this shift must be accounted for to prevent
      decentralization and provide satisfactory outcomes.

PMID- 28628490
TI  - Comparison of Efficacy of Difluprednate 0.05% and Loteprednol Gel 0.5% After
      Cataract Surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes and complications of topical difluprednate 0.05%
      and loteprednol gel 0.5% after routine cataract surgery. METHODS: Subjects
      received either difluprednate emulsion 0.05% (n=30 eyes) or loteprednol gel 0.5%
      (n=30 eyes) after routine cataract surgery. Topical steroid drops were initiated
      3 days before cataract surgery and continued for 2 weeks postoperatively.
      Anterior chamber (AC) cell grade, corneal edema, corneal pachymetry, visual
      acuity, ocular surface quality (Oxford scale), and intraocular pressure (IOP)
      were evaluated at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively. RESULTS: Patients
      treated with difluprednate or loteprednol had statistically similar resolution of
      their AC cell grade and corneal edema at 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month
      postoperatively (P>0.05 at each study visit). Difluprednate-treated and
      loteprednol-treated eyes achieved a mean best-corrected visual acuity of at least
      20/25 by 1 week postoperatively (0.055 and 0.061 logarithm of the minimum angle
      of resolution, respectively; P=0.82). The nasal ocular surface quality at 1 week
      had improved in loteprednol-treated eyes compared with difluprednate-treated eyes
      (1.0 vs. 1.9 Oxford score, respectively; P<0.001), but similar at all other
      visits. There was no statistical difference between IOP levels between both
      treatment groups (P>0.05). In the difluprednate-treated group, one patient
      developed rebound inflammation and two patients developed cystoid macular edema
      at their 1-month postoperative visit. CONCLUSIONS: The anti-inflammatory effect,
      visual recovery, and IOP of patients using topical difluprednate or loteprednol
      gel after cataract surgery are equivalent. There may be an additional short-term
      benefit of loteprednol gel in protecting the ocular surface after cataract
      surgery.

PMID- 28628491
TI  - Calcein-acetoxymethy ester enhances the antitumor effects of doxorubicin in
      nonsmall cell lung cancer by regulating the TopBP1/p53RR pathway.
AB  - Calcein acetoxymethyl ester (calcein-AM) treatment has been reported to exert
      antitumor effects in certain cancer cells; however, the detailed mechanism of
      action of calcein-AM in cancers remains unclear, especially in nonsmall cell lung
      cancer (NSCLC). This study focused on the function and mechanism of action of
      calcein-AM in NSCLC. We used cell viability assays, western blotting, and EdU
      proliferation assay combined with calcein-AM treatment or siRNA interference to
      investigate the role of topoisomerase IIbeta binding protein 1 (TopBP1) and p53
      in NSCLC chemotherapy. We found that calcein-AM has antitumor effects in lung
      cancer and enhances the antitumor effects of doxorubicin in NSCLC. Furthermore,
      we found that TopBP1, which we previously showed was involved in doxorubicin
      resistance through upregulation of aberrant p53, was involved in calcein-AM
      mediated increased doxorubicin sensitivity. Doxorubicin upregulated the
      expression of aberrant p53. Calcein-AM repressed the expression of TopBP1, which
      resulted in reduced expression of aberrant p53 and disrupted the antiapoptotic
      activity mediated by the TopBP1/mutp53 pathway in NSCLC. Together, our findings
      show that calcein-AM, the cell-permeable derivative of calcein, exerts
      significant antitumor effects in NSCLC, and can enhance the antitumor effect of
      doxorubicin by regulating the TopBP1/mutp53 pathway. These findings provide novel
      insight into lung cancer treatment.

PMID- 28628493
TI  - The opioid crisis.

PMID- 28628492
TI  - Complete remission of intrathecal metastases with lorlatinib therapy in a heavily
      pretreated ALK-positive lung cancer patient.
AB  - Patients with lung cancer who show EML4-ALK translocation are routinely treated
      with ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors, although in the majority of cases, these
      patients develop resistance over time. The central nervous system is a common of
      site of recurrence in this population, which calls for next-generation drugs that
      can penetrate into the brain and achieve clinically meaningful central nervous
      system activity. Here, I report the case of a female patient diagnosed with
      adenocarcinoma of the lung in 2005, at the age of 46 years, who underwent
      lobectomy and then experienced a series of progression episodes 6 years later.
      Local recurrence was managed by chemotherapy and crizotinib after the patient was
      included in a named patient use programme in 2012. Over the following years, the
      patient repeatedly developed lesions at different sites in the brain and spinal
      cord. Partial remission was obtained twice with local irradiation. When the next
      generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors became available, her treatment was
      switched to brigatinib, which again induced partial remission. Another episode of
      intrathecal progression prompted the prescription of the third-generation ALK
      tyrosine kinase inhibitor lorlatinib. This treatment has resulted in complete
      remission in the patient.

PMID- 28628495
TI  - Congress of the International Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation
      Association (CIRTA) Abstracts.

PMID- 28628494
TI  - Funneling evidence into practice.

PMID- 28628496
TI  - Proton pump inhibitor and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy for the
      management of noncardiac chest pain.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Although gastroesophageal reflux disease is the main cause of
      noncardiac chest pain (NCCP), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) benefit a minority of
      patients. Our prospective study evaluated the effect of PPI and selective
      serotonin reuptake inhibitors on the different subtypes of NCCP characterized by
      impedance-pH monitoring. METHODS: All NCCP patients underwent impedance-pH
      monitoring and on the basis of the results, those with abnormal distal esophageal
      acid exposure received PPIs twice daily (group A), those with a positive symptom
      index for chest pain received citalopram 20 mg and PPI once daily (group B), and
      those with a negative symptom index for chest pain received citalopram 20 mg once
      daily (group C). Therapy was administered for 12 weeks and treatment success was
      defined as complete disappearance of chest pain. RESULTS: From March 2015 to
      March 2016, 63 patients were included (group A=9, group B=18, group C=36). After
      12 weeks of therapy, complete resolution of chest pain was noted in 8/9 (88.9%)
      group A, 13/18 (72.2%) group B, and 24/36 (66.7%) group C patients. CONCLUSION:
      Combined impedance-pH monitoring identifies different subtypes of NCCP patients
      who can receive tailored management. Targeted therapy with PPIs and/or citalopram
      offers complete symptom relief in the great majority of them.

PMID- 28628497
TI  - Predicting short-term and long-term mortality of hospitalized Portuguese patients
      with alcoholic hepatitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcohol abuse can result in a spectrum of liver injury that ranges
      from mild fatty infiltration to alcoholic hepatitis (AH), cirrhosis, and
      hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study aimed to evaluate current scoring
      systems in predicting short-term and long-term mortality because of AH. PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: Records of 170 consecutive patients with AH admitted to a tertiary
      center between January 2005 and October 2015 were reviewed. Clinical and
      biochemical parameters were retrieved for the assessment of AH scores for the day
      of admission (D1) and for the seventh day of hospitalization (D7). Endpoints
      included admission to the ICU, and 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality. RESULTS:
      The Maddrey discriminant function and the Model of End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD)
      were modest predictors of the need for ICU admission. In-hospital, 30-day, 90
      day, and 1-year mortality were 15.9, 18.2, 21.8, and 30.0%, respectively. There
      was a numerical, albeit nonsignificant, trend for higher accuracy using D7
      scores, especially the MELD, in predicting 30-day and 1-year mortality. Overall,
      all scores showed high negative predictive values (30 day: 91.2-98.7% and 1 year:
      78.8-93.7%), but modest positive predictive values (30 day: 30.6-70.8% and 1
      year: 42.1-61.2%). Survival rates were the highest among patients showing a
      decrease in the MELD, Glasgow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score, and Age, serum
      Bilirubin, International normalized ratio, and serum Creatinine score over the
      first week of admission. DISCUSSION: AH scores were comparable in identifying
      patients at low risk of mortality up to 1 year following admission. Reassessment
      of the MELD, Glasgow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score, and Age, serum Bilirubin,
      International normalized ratio, and serum Creatinine score scores after 1 week
      further improved mortality prediction.

PMID- 28628498
TI  - Earlier Physical Therapy Input Is Associated With a Reduced Length of Hospital
      Stay and Reduced Care Needs on Discharge in Frail Older Inpatients: An
      Observational Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pressures on hospital bed occupancy in the English
      National Health Service have focused attention on enhanced service delivery
      models and methods by which physical therapists might contribute to effective
      cost savings, while retaining a patient-centered approach. Earlier access to
      physical therapy may lead to better outcomes in frail older inpatients, but this
      has not been well studied in acute National Health Service hospitals. Our aim was
      to retrospectively study the associations between early physical therapy input
      and length of hospital stay (LOS), functional outcomes, and care needs on
      discharge. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study in a large
      tertiary university National Health Service hospital in the United Kingdom. We
      analyzed all admission episodes of people admitted to the department of medicine
      for the elderly wards for more than 3 months in 2016. Patients were categorized
      into 2 groups: those examined by a physical therapist within 24 hours of
      admission and those examined after 24 hours of admission.The outcome variables
      were as follows: LOS (days), functional measures on discharge (Elderly Mobility
      Scale and walking speed over 6 m), and the requirement of formal care on
      discharge. Characterization variables on admission were age, gender, existence of
      a formal care package, preadmission abode, the Clinical Frailty Scale, Charlson
      Comorbidity Index, the Emergency Department Modified Early Warning Score, C
      reactive protein level on admission, and the 4-item version of the Abbreviated
      Mental Test.The association between the delay to physical therapy input and LOS
      before discharge home was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards regression
      model. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: There were 1022 hospital episodes during the study
      period. We excluded 19 who were discharged without being examined by a physical
      therapist. Of the remaining 1003, 584 (58.2%) were examined within 24 hours of
      admission (early assessment) and 419 (41.8%) after 24 hours of admission (late
      assessment).The median (interquartile range) LOS of the early assessment group
      was 6.7 (3.1-13.7) versus 10.0 (4.2-20.1) days in the late assessment group, P <
      .001. The early assessment group was less likely to require formal care on
      discharge: n = 110 (20.3%) versus n = 105 (27.0%), P = .016. No other
      statistically significant differences were seen between the 2 groups.In the
      unadjusted Cox proportional hazards model, the hazard ratio for early assessment
      compared with late assessment was 1.29 (95% confidence interval: 1.12-1.48, P <
      .001). Early assessment was associated with a 29% higher probability of discharge
      to usual residence within the first 21 days after admission than the late
      assessment. Adjustment for possible confounding variables increased the hazard
      ratio: 1.34 (1.16-1.55), P < .001. CONCLUSIONS: Early physical therapy input was
      associated with a shorter LOS and lower odds of needing care on discharge. This
      may be due to the beneficial effect of early physical therapy in preventing
      hospital-related deconditioning in frail older adults. However, causality cannot
      be inferred and further research is needed to investigate causal mechanisms.

PMID- 28628499
TI  - Psychometric Validation of the Mandarin Version Control Attitudes Scale-Revised
      Questionnaire in Taiwanese Patients With Heart Failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Perceived control is an important construct in patients with heart
      failure (HF) and related to improved health outcomes. There is no reliable and
      valid instrument available for the measurement of perceived control in Taiwan,
      limiting the practical application of the construct in research and clinical
      practice. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and
      validate the Mandarin version of the Control Attitudes Scale-Revised (Mandarin
      CAS-R) in Taiwanese patients with HF. METHODS: The Mandarin CAS-R was developed
      using a translation/back-translation process and semantic equivalence;
      importantly, conceptual equivalence was also examined. Reliability was assessed
      using Cronbach's alpha to determine internal consistency, and item homogeneity
      was assessed using item-total and interitem correlations. Construct validity was
      examined using exploratory factor analysis and hypothesis testing for known
      associations. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-eight patients with HF were included,
      and 5-item Mandarin CAS-R was validated in the study. The model performance was
      acceptable with all factor loadings greater than 0.70, a variance explained of
      55.2%, and a Cronbach's alpha of .79. The 5-item Mandarin CAS-R was associated
      with higher levels of self-care maintenance (beta = 0.395, P < .001), management
      (beta = 0.219, P < .01), and confidence (beta = 0.524, P < .001); perceived
      social support (beta = 0.246, P < .001); and depression (beta = -0.125, P < .05).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study provided evidence of the reliability and validity of the
      5-item Mandarin CAS-R as a measure of perceived control in Taiwanese patients
      with HF.

PMID- 28628500
TI  - Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms and Sex, Race, and Psychological Distress: A
      Literature Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) symptoms are a major component of treatment
      decisions for patients with AF and impact quality of life and functional ability
      yet are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to determine what is
      known about the prevalence of symptoms and the association of symptoms to AF
      characteristics, psychological distress, sex, and race. METHODS: We performed a
      structured review of AF symptoms as of March 2016 using PubMed, EMBASE, and
      CINAHL and reference searches of retrieved articles. Full-text, published, peer
      reviewed, English-language articles were examined. Articles were included if they
      reported original research data on symptom prevalence and type among patients
      with AF. RESULTS: The 3 most common symptoms were dyspnea, palpitations, and
      fatigue. The results suggested that, although AF characteristics are not a
      significant predictor of symptoms, tachycardia, female sex, race, and
      psychological distress have a positive association to symptoms. CONCLUSIONS:
      There is a scarcity of research examining symptoms in AF. Furthermore, the
      inconsistency in measurement methods and the failure to include diverse
      populations in AF research make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions from
      the current literature. Given the prevalence of AF in the United States and the
      impact of symptoms on quality of life and healthcare use, further research
      examining predictors of symptoms and interventions to alleviate symptoms is
      crucial.

PMID- 28628501
TI  - Comparison of Donor Site Drainage Duration and Seroma Rate Between Latissimus
      Dorsi Musculocutaneous Flaps and Thoracodorsal Artery Perforator Flaps.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Donor site seroma formation and prolonged drainage duration are
      common complications of using latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous (LDMC) flaps. The
      present retrospective study aimed to investigate the effect of types of back flap
      harvest on drainage duration and seroma formation rates. METHODS: Adult patients
      (n = 155) who underwent reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi flap from January
      2010 to October 2015 were included in the study, of which 54 patients underwent
      breast reconstruction with a pedicled LDMC flap (LD breast group), 80 patients
      underwent an LDMC flap transfer for purposes other than breast reconstruction (LD
      nonbreast group), and 21 patients underwent soft tissue reconstruction with a
      thoracodorsal artery perforator (TAP) flap (TAP group). Flap size, drainage
      durations, and seroma formation rates at donor sites were compared among the 3
      groups. RESULTS: Flap sizes significantly differed between the LD nonbreast group
      (median value, 185.5 cm) and the other 2 groups (119 cm in the LD breast group.
      127.5 cm in the TAP group), with no significant difference observed between the
      LD breast and TAP groups. The mean drainage duration was 11.6 days for the LD
      breast group. 9.82 days for the LD nonbreast group, and 4.81 days for the TAP
      group. Drainage durations significantly differed among the groups. Seroma
      formation rate of the LD breast group (42.6%) was significantly higher than those
      of the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The type of back flap harvest used
      significantly affected drainage duration and seroma formation rate in the present
      study. Lumbar fat extension with the use of a LDMC flap for breast reconstruction
      may lead to seroma formation. Thoracodorsal artery perforator flaps are
      associated with minimal risks of seroma formation and significantly shortened
      drainage duration compared with LDMC flaps.

PMID- 28628502
TI  - Placebo response in trichotillomania.
AB  - Trichotillomania is a functionally impairing, often overlooked disorder with no
      Food and Drug Administration-approved medications indicated for its treatment.
      The ability of clinical trials to detect the beneficial effects of pharmacologic
      treatment in trichotillomania has been hampered by the high placebo response
      rate. Very little is known about baseline demographic and clinical
      characteristics that may be predictive of placebo response in such patients.
      Overall, 104 participants assigned to placebo were pooled from five double-blind
      trials conducted at three sites in the USA and Canada. Participants were
      classified as placebo responders or nonresponders on the basis of a cutoff of a
      35% reduction in symptom severity on the Massachusetts General Hospital Hair
      Pulling Scale. Baseline group differences were characterized using t-tests and
      equivalent nonparametric tests as appropriate. Thirty-one percent of individuals
      assigned to placebo treatment showed a significant clinical response to placebo.
      Placebo responders (n=32) and nonresponders (n=72) did not differ significantly
      on any demographic or clinical variable. Predictors of placebo response for
      trichotillomania remain elusive and do not appear to be similar to those reported
      for other mental health disorders.

PMID- 28628503
TI  - Influence of Refractive Status on the Higher-Order Aberration Pattern After Small
      Incision Lenticule Extraction Surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the effect of myopia on the pattern change in higher-order
      aberrations after small incision lenticule extraction. METHODS: Sixty eyes of 60
      patients were included: low myopia (<=-3.00 D), moderate myopia (-3.00 D to -6.00
      D), and high myopia (>=-6.00 D). Total higher-order aberrations (tHOA), vertical
      coma ((Equation is included in full-text article.)), horizontal coma ((Equation
      is included in full-text article.)), and spherical aberration ((Equation is
      included in full-text article.)) were measured preoperatively and at
      postoperative 3 months. RESULTS: At the end of 3 months, tHOA changed
      significantly compared with the preoperative values (P < 0.05), except for
      (Equation is included in full-text article.)and (Equation is included in full
      text article.)in the low myopia group. The change in (Equation is included in
      full-text article.), (Equation is included in full-text article.), and (Equation
      is included in full-text article.)in the moderate group (-0.299, -0.175, and
      0.108 MUm) was 2.020, 4.861, and 4.696 times higher than the low group (-0.148, 
      0.036, 0.023 MUm) (P = 0.002, 0.001, 0.001), respectively. The value in the high
      group (-0.331, -0.192, 0.154 MUm) was 1.107, 1.097 (P = 0.478, 0.665), and 1.426
      times (P = 0.047) higher than the moderate group. The degree of myopia was
      positively correlated with Delta(Equation is included in full-text article.)(r =
      0.447; P < 0.001) and Delta(Equation is included in full-text article.)(r =
      0.496; P < 0.001), and negatively correlated with DeltatHOA (r = -0.363, P =
      0.004) and Delta(Equation is included in full-text article.)(r = -0.599; P <
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a different pattern of change in ocular
      aberrations after small incision lenticule extraction in patients with varying
      degrees of myopia. In patients with low myopia, there was no increase in
      (Equation is included in full-text article.)or (Equation is included in full-text
      article.). In high myopia, however, (Equation is included in full-text
      article.)increased with the degree of myopia, whereas the rising rate of coma was
      slowing.

PMID- 28628504
TI  - Morphology and Function of Meibomian Glands and Other Tear Film Parameters in
      Junior High School Students.
AB  - PURPOSE: We measured tear film parameters, including the morphology and function
      of meibomian glands, in junior high school students at 15 years of age. METHODS:
      A total of 111 eyes of 111 students (56 males and 55 females) were enrolled in
      the study. The ocular symptom score (0-14), after-school study time, lipid layer
      thickness (LLT) of the tear film, partial blink rate, lid margin abnormalities (0
      4), tear film breakup time, corneal and conjunctival epithelial damage
      (fluorescein staining score, 0-9), meiboscore as determined by noncontact
      meibography (0-6), Schirmer test value, and meibum grade (0-3) were determined.
      The relationships between parameters were evaluated with the Spearman correlation
      coefficient (rho). RESULTS: The meiboscore was 2.8 +/- 1.2, and the meibum grade
      was 1.8 +/- 1.2. The meiboscore significantly correlated with the meibum grade
      (rho = 0.272, P = 0.004), Schirmer test value (rho = -0.220, P = 0.021), and LLT
      (rho = -0.264, P = 0.005). The breakup time significantly correlated with LLT
      (rho = 0.261, P = 0.006), meibum grade (rho = -0.338, P < 0.001), and fluorescein
      staining score (rho = -0.214, P = 0.025). The partial blink rate significantly
      correlated with the Schirmer test value (rho = -0.240, P = 0.011). The meiboscore
      (P < 0.001) and meibum grade (P = 0.032) were significantly greater in males than
      in females. CONCLUSIONS: The morphology and function of meibomian glands are
      altered even at 15 years of age, with the changes being more prominent in males
      than in females.

PMID- 28628505
TI  - Central Connections of the Lacrimal Functional Unit.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the contribution of each eye to the reflex tear response, after
      unilateral and bilateral topical anesthesia. METHOD: A closed-eye, modified
      Schirmer test was performed bilaterally in 8 normal subjects, in a controlled
      environment chamber set to 23 degrees C, 45% relative humidity, and 0.08 m/s
      airflow. Eye drops were instilled into each eye 10 minutes before the Schirmer
      test. Experiments were as follows: 1) bilateral saline (control), 2) unilateral
      anesthesia (ipsilateral anesthetic; contralateral saline), and 3) bilateral
      anesthesia. RESULTS: There was no difference in between-eye wetting lengths in
      the saline control eyes (P = 0.394) or the bilaterally anesthetized eyes (P =
      0.171). The wetting length was reduced in both eyes after bilateral anesthesia
      compared with saline controls (P = 0.001; P <= 0.0005). After unilateral
      anesthesia, the wetting length was reduced in the anesthetized eye compared with
      its saline control by 51.4% (P <= 0.0005) and compared with its fellow,
      unanesthetized eye (P = 0.005). The fellow eye value was also reduced compared
      with its saline control (P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: The wetting length was reduced
      by topical anesthesia, when instilled bilaterally and ipsilaterally. The latter
      response implies an ipsilateral, reflex sensory drive to lacrimal secretion. In
      the unanesthetized fellow eye, the reduction compared with its saline control was
      not quite significant. This implies a relative lack of central, sensory, reflex
      cross-innervation, although the possibility cannot entirely be ruled out. These
      results are relevant to the possibility of reflex lacrimal compensation from a
      normal fellow eye, in cases of unilateral corneal anesthesia.

PMID- 28628506
TI  - Why we need to research with children, not on children.

PMID- 28628507
TI  - Patient-reported outcomes following neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy
      treatment for esophageal cancer: a scoping review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW OBJECTIVE: The objective of this scoping review is to identify, describe
      and compare studies investigating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in esophageal
      cancer patients following neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemotherapy (CT) and
      surgery or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and surgery.After preliminary
      searching of the literature and consultation with experts in the fields of
      esophageal cancer surgery, behavioral science, information systems and scoping
      review methodology, the following research objectives were defined as follows.

PMID- 28628508
TI  - Efficacy of a respiratory physiotherapy intervention for intubated and
      mechanically ventilated adults with community acquired pneumonia: a systematic
      review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW OBJECTIVES: The objective of the review is to map evidence on the efficacy
      of a respiratory physiotherapy intervention for intubated and mechanically
      ventilated adults with community acquired pneumonia (CAP). Specifically, the
      review seeks to investigate if respiratory physiotherapy interventions can
      achieve the following for intubated and mechanically ventilated adults with CAP.

PMID- 28628509
TI  - Medication safety programs in primary care: a scoping review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW OBJECTIVE/QUESTION: The objective of this scoping review is to examine the
      characteristics of medication safety programs in the primary care setting and to
      map evidence on the outcome measures used to assess the effectiveness of
      medication safety programs in improving patient safety.The current review will be
      guided by the following research questions.

PMID- 28628510
TI  - Effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation on work participation in adults with
      musculoskeletal disorders: an umbrella review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The objective of this umbrella review is to determine
      the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation on work participation in working
      age adults with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). More specifically the review
      will address the following questions.

PMID- 28628511
TI  - Absolute clinical skill decay in the medical, nursing and allied health
      professions: a scoping review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTIONS/OBJECTIVES: The objective of this scoping review is to examine
      and map absolute clinical skill decay in the medical, nursing and allied health
      professions and to map the range of approaches used to address decay of clinical
      skills in these professions.Specifically, the review questions are: which
      clinical skills, performed by which professional groups, are reported to be most
      susceptible to absolute clinical skill decay, and what approaches have been
      reported for addressing absolute clinical skill decay in the medical, nursing and
      allied health professions?In addressing the review questions, the following sub
      questions will also be addressed:It is anticipated that this scoping review will
      inform further systematic review/s on the topic of addressing clinical skill
      decay in the medical, nursing and allied health professions, as well as identify
      gaps in the research knowledge base that will inform further primary research.

PMID- 28628512
TI  - The impact of the Helping Babies Survive program on neonatal outcomes and health
      provider skills: a systematic review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW OBJECTIVE/QUESTION: The objective of this review is to evaluate the impact
      of the Helping Babies Survive program on neonatal outcomes and healthcare
      provider knowledge and skills. This quantitative review will aim to answer the
      following question: What is the impact of the Helping Babies Survive modules
      (Helping Babies Breathe, Essential Care for Every Baby and Essential Care for
      Small Babies) on neonatal outcomes and health provider knowledge and skills?

PMID- 28628513
TI  - Indicators to measure pre-hospital care quality: a scoping review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The current scoping review seeks to locate, examine
      and describe international literature on indicators used to measure pre-hospital
      care quality. Specifically, the review will.

PMID- 28628514
TI  - Effects of dexamethasone on sugammadex reversal times of rocuronium: a systematic
      review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: The objective of the review is to identify the effect
      of dexamethasone on reversal times of rocuronium when utilizing sugammadex as the
      reversal agent. The incidence of the prolonged time to extubation in patients who
      have received concurrent dexamethasone and sugammadex therapies as opposed to
      those who have not received dexamethasone will also be examined.The proposed PICO
      question is as follows: In patients undergoing reversal of aminosteroidal
      neuromuscular blockade with rocuronium, does dexamethasone administration affect
      sugammadex reversal times, as compared to patients who have not received
      dexamethasone?

PMID- 28628515
TI  - Effectiveness of self-administered decision aids for people invited to
      participate in colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The objective is to assess the effectiveness of self
      administered decision aids for people invited to participate in colorectal cancer
      screening. We will evaluate effects on informed choice, decisional conflict,
      knowledge, and participation in colorectal cancer screening.

PMID- 28628516
TI  - Risk factors for readmission to hospital in adult patients with heart failure and
      reduced ejection fraction: a systematic review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The objective of this systematic review is to
      identify and synthesize the best available evidence on risk factors associated
      with hospital readmission at different time points within the first year after
      heart failure (HF) hospitalization in patients suffering from HF with reduced
      ejection fraction (EF).More specifically, the question is: what are the risk
      factors for the prediction of hospital readmission within seven, 15, 30, 60, 90,
      180 and 365 days of discharge in hospitalized patients with HF with reduced EF
      aged 18 years or older?

PMID- 28628517
TI  - Experiences of stigma among family members of persons living with schizophrenia:
      a systematic review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: The aim of this qualitative systematic review is to
      explicate the experiences of stigma among family members of persons living with
      schizophrenia in any setting where they receive care. More specifically, the
      review will: (i) describe the experiences of stigma among family members of
      persons living with schizophrenia, (ii) describe the factors that influence the
      experiences of stigma, and (iii) describe the strategies and approaches used to
      cope with the stigma.

PMID- 28628518
TI  - Identifying predictors of change in the severity of untreated lower urinary tract
      symptoms in men: a systematic review protocol.
AB  - REVIEW OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize the
      best available evidence on the predictors of change in the severity of untreated
      lower urinary tract symptoms in men in a non-hospital setting.

PMID- 28628519
TI  - Comparative efficacy of lifestyle intervention strategies on weight outcomes in
      people with psychosis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis protocol.
AB  - REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE:: (i) To systematically review and rank the efficacy of
      different types of lifestyle intervention strategies on weight outcomes (weight,
      body mass index [BMI], waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) in people with
      psychosis. (The efficacy of different types of lifestyle intervention strategies
      will be ranked by comparing the effect size on weight outcomes in people with
      psychotic disorders.) (ii) To stratify lifestyle interventions that target weight
      outcomes (weight, BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) in people with
      psychosis, according to their inclusion of dietary information that adheres with
      Australian Dietary Guidelines (National Health and Medical Research Council. Eat
      for Health, Australian Dietary Guidelines Canberra National Health and Medical
      Research Council; 2013).Specifically, the review question is: What lifestyle
      intervention strategies targeting weight outcomes (weight, BMI, waist
      circumference and waist-to-hip ratio) in people with psychosis compared to no
      treatment or various control conditions have the best efficacy?

PMID- 28628520
TI  - Effectiveness of teaching strategies to improve critical thinking in nurses in
      clinical practice: a systematic review protocol.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review is to identify and synthesize the best
      available evidence on the effectiveness of teaching strategies aimed at improving
      critical thinking (CT) in registered nurses who provide direct patient care.
      Specifically, the research question is: What are the best teaching strategies to
      improve CT skills in registered nurses who provide direct patient care?

PMID- 28628521
TI  - Experiences of acute pain in children who present to a healthcare facility for
      treatment: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pain is a universal and complex phenomenon that is personal,
      subjective and specific. Despite growing knowledge in pediatric pain, management
      of children's pain remains sub-optimal and is linked to negative behavioral and
      physiological consequences later in life. As there is no synthesis of these
      studies, it was timely to undertake a systematic review. OBJECTIVES: To identify,
      evaluate and synthesize the existing qualitative evidence on children's
      experiences of acute pain, including pain management, within a healthcare
      facility. INCLUSION CRITERIA TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS: Children aged four to 18
      years (inclusive) attending a healthcare facility who experienced acute pain
      associated with any injury, medical condition or treatment. PHENOMENA OF
      INTEREST: Children's experiences and perceptions of their acute pain, pain
      management and expectations of others in managing their pain. Studies on
      children's experiences of pain in the postoperative context were excluded as a
      systematic review exploring this phenomenon had previously been published.
      Studies reporting on children's experiences of chronic pain were also excluded.
      CONTEXT: Any healthcare facility including general practitioners' surgeries,
      hospitals, emergency departments and outpatient clinics. TYPES OF STUDIES:
      Qualitative studies including phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action
      research and feminist research designs. SEARCH STRATEGY: Using a three-step
      search strategy, databases were searched in December 2015 to identify both
      published and unpublished articles from 2000 to 2015. Studies published in
      languages other than English were excluded. METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY: All studies
      that met the inclusion criteria were assessed by at least two independent
      reviewers for methodological quality using a standardized critical appraisal tool
      from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument
      (JBI-QARI). DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted from the papers included in the
      review using standardized data extraction tool from JBI-QARI. DATA SYNTHESIS:
      Findings were pooled using JBI-QARI. Findings were rated according to their level
      of credibility and categorized based on similarity in meaning and then were
      subjected to a meta-synthesis. RESULTS: Four studies were included in this
      review. Two meta-syntheses were generated from five categories based on 21
      findings: first, children can express their pain experiences in terms of cause,
      location, meaning and quality. Children's pain experiences include both physical
      and psychological dimensions. Children's pain experiences are influenced by their
      previous pain experiences, pain expectations and sociocultural factors. Second,
      children use a range of cognitive/behavioral and sensory/physical self-soothing
      strategies not only to help manage their pain, but also rely on the actions and
      presence of others as helpers when they are in pain. CONCLUSION: Children's pain
      is a multi-dimensional complex phenomenon relying upon a multi-modal approach to
      management. Children as young as four years are capable of articulating their
      pain in terms of location, intensity and depth. The way children perceive,
      express and respond to pain is shaped by sociocultural factors, previous pain
      experiences and their expectations of pain. Children, parents and healthcare
      professionals play an important role in managing children's pain experiences.

PMID- 28628522
TI  - Patient experiences of partnering with healthcare professionals for hand hygiene
      compliance: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections pose a significant risk to patients
      in acute healthcare settings such as hospitals. Increasingly, patients are
      encouraged to be active participants and partner with healthcare professionals to
      positively influence their own safety and overall experience throughout their
      healthcare journey. Patient-focused safety initiatives include the empowerment of
      patients to be active partners with healthcare professionals in order to
      influence the hand hygiene behaviors and compliance of the healthcare
      professionals providing care to them. Partnering within the context of
      healthcare, and between the patient and healthcare professional, can be
      considered as a general concept that involves the empowerment of patients to
      participate in their care. Terms used to describe patient partnering within
      healthcare vary and include patient participation, patient-centeredness, patient
      empowerment and patient engagement. Although patients appear generally to have
      positive attitudes and intentions about engaging in their safety and partnering
      in the healthcare setting, their intentions and actual behaviors vary
      considerably. Patients appear less likely to engage in behaviors that require
      questioning of the perceived or real authority of healthcare professionals. A
      patient's intention and subsequent act of partnering with healthcare
      professionals for hand hygiene compliance by the healthcare professional are
      influenced by complex internal, external and social factors as well as cultural,
      behavioral and systematic factors. OBJECTIVES: To determine the best available
      evidence in relation to the experiences of the patient partnering with healthcare
      professionals for hand hygiene compliance. INCLUSION CRITERIA TYPES OF
      PARTICIPANTS: The current review considered qualitative (critical or
      interpretive) papers that included adult in-patients and healthcare professionals
      (medical and nursing staff), in the acute hospital-care setting. Adult was
      considered to be any person aged 18 years or over. It should be noted that
      consumers in this context were patients and vice versa; the term patient is
      therefore used throughout this report for consistency. PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: The
      current review considered studies that investigated the experience of partnership
      between patients and healthcare professionals in relation to hand hygiene
      compliance. This review investigated the phenomena of partnering from both the
      perspectives of the patient and the healthcare professional. TYPES OF STUDIES:
      The current review considered studies that focused on qualitative data including,
      but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography,
      action research and feminist research. As qualitative studies were identified and
      on appraisal found to be of sufficient quality for inclusion, this review did not
      seek alternate forms of evidence such as text and opinion. SEARCH STRATEGY: The
      search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies from 1990 to
      May 2015. Studies published in English were considered for inclusion in this
      review. METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY: Qualitative papers selected for retrieval were
      assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to
      inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from
      the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI
      QARI). DATA EXTRACTION: Qualitative data were extracted from papers included in
      the review using the standardized data extraction tool from JBI-QARI. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: Qualitative research findings were pooled using JBI-QARI. RESULTS:
      Following the systematic search and critical appraisal process, three studies
      were included in the review for data extraction and synthesis of findings. The
      review process resulted in 29 study findings that were aggregated into seven
      categories. The categories generated two meta-synthesized findings. The two final
      synthesized findings were as follows. Synthesized finding 1: Organizational
      structures enable partnering between healthcare professionals and patients for
      hand hygiene compliance; however, the culture, beliefs and behaviors of
      healthcare professionals and patients do not fully support this partnership.
      Synthesized finding 2: Patients have differing levels of knowledge and balance
      partnering in hand hygiene against possible detrimental impacts on the caring
      relationship provided by healthcare professionals, out of concern for their own
      wellbeing, health outcomes, treatment and/or recovery. CONCLUSION: The current
      review highlights the complexity of the patient's experience of partnering with
      healthcare professionals for hand hygiene compliance. The experiences reported
      indicated that there is a possible disparity between the healthcare facility and
      healthcare professionals' promotion and intention of partnering for hand hygiene
      compliance, and the actual patient's acceptance, participation, partnership,
      experience and implementation of this initiative. This disconnect between intent
      and action appears to be influenced by a number of factors including
      organizational structures as well as drivers such as cultural beliefs and
      behavior.

PMID- 28628523
TI  - Effectiveness of surgery for adults with hallux valgus deformity: a systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus (HV) is a common foot deformity. In severe stages of
      this condition, surgery is often necessary. Currently, there is no systematic
      review comparing the effectiveness of surgery over conservative treatment.
      OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to establish the effectiveness of
      surgery compared to conservatory management for adults with HV. INCLUSION
      CRITERIA TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS: The current review included adults (18 years or
      over) with HV deformity, excluding adults with neurological problems causing foot
      deformities, for example, cerebral palsy, neuropathy, stroke and multiple
      sclerosis. TYPES OF INTERVENTIONS: The review included any type of HV surgery
      compared to no surgery, conservative treatment or different types of HV
      surgeries. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was gait measurement, and secondary
      outcomes included quality of life, patient satisfaction, pain assessed using any
      validated assessment tool and adverse events. TYPES OF STUDIES: The review
      included randomized controlled trials. SEARCH STRATEGY: The search strategy aimed
      to find both published and unpublished studies. A three-step search strategy was
      utilized in 16 databases without language and date limitations. METHODOLOGICAL
      QUALITY: Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers
      for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized
      critical appraisal instruments developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).
      DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted from papers included in the review using the
      standardized data extraction tool developed by the JBI. DATA SYNTHESIS:
      Quantitative data were, where possible, pooled in statistical meta-analysis using
      RevMan5 (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Cochrane). Effect sizes
      expressed as risk ratio (for categorical data) and mean differences (MD) or
      standardized MD (for continuous data) and their 95% confidence intervals were
      calculated for analysis. Where statistical pooling was not possible, the findings
      have been presented in narrative form. RESULTS: Searching identified 2412
      citations. After removal of duplicates, paper retrieval and critical appraisal,
      25 studies were included in the review. The included trials were of medium-to
      poor quality.Twenty-four trials compared the effectiveness of different types of
      surgeries. Meta-analysis revealed no difference in level of pain between distal
      chevron-type osteotomy and other surgical procedures (standard mean difference
      [SMD] 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.24 to 0.28). One single trial
      reported that distal chevron osteotomy is more effective than Lindgren osteotomy
      in terms of walking speed (MD -0.24, 95% CI -0.43 to -0.05).One medium quality
      trial assessed the effectiveness of HV surgery compared to conservative or no
      treatment. This trial showed that surgery, specifically distal chevron osteotomy
      of the first metatarsal, is a more effective procedure for pain compared to
      conservative treatment (MD -15.00, 95% CI -22.79 to -7.21) and also no treatment
      in the first year (MD -18.00, 95% CI -25.62 to -10.38). CONCLUSION: The current
      systematic review showed that differences between various types of surgical
      procedures, specifically osteotomies of the first metatarsal on clinical
      outcomes, are minimal. There is evidence from one study, that surgery,
      specifically distal chevron osteotomy of the first metatarsal is a more effective
      procedure than conservative or no treatment in reducing pain in the first year
      following surgery. However, this systematic review has identified that there is a
      lack of high-quality studies comparing similar types of HV treatments that assess
      the same outcomes.

PMID- 28628524
TI  - Experiences of non-specialist nurses caring for patients and their significant
      others undergoing transitions during palliative end-of-life cancer care: a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-specialist nurses, who are providing palliative end-of-life
      cancer care to patients and significant others undergoing psychosocial and
      existential transitions, may experience dissatisfaction, frustration and sorrow.
      On the other hand, they may also experience happiness, increased knowledge and
      personal growth. OBJECTIVE/QUESTION: What are non-specialist nurses' experiences
      when providing palliative end-of-life cancer care that involves the psychosocial
      and existential transitions of their patients and significant others? INCLUSION
      CRITERIA TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS: The current review considered studies that
      included a description of the experiences of non-specialist trained registered
      nurses (RNs) working in non-specialist wards. PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: The current
      review considered studies that investigated experiences of RNs when providing
      palliative end-of-life cancer care that involves the psychosocial and existential
      transitions of their patients and significant others. CONTEXT: The contact and
      care for patients and their significant others during palliative end-of-life
      cancer care. TYPES OF STUDIES: The current review considered studies that focused
      on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology,
      grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. SEARCH
      STRATEGY: The search aimed at finding both published and unpublished studies in
      English, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and German, and was unrestricted by time.
      Eleven electronic databases and seven websites were searched. METHODOLOGICAL
      QUALITY: Methodological validity of the qualitative papers was assessed
      independently by two reviewers using the standardized critical appraisal
      instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review
      Instrument (JBI-QARI). DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted from papers included
      in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the JBI-QARI. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: Qualitative research findings were synthesized using the JBI-QARI.
      RESULTS: A total of 81 findings were extracted from the three studies and
      allocated to five categories and merged into a meta-synthesis with the
      overarching synthesized finding related to the challenges that non-specialist
      nurses faced when providing palliative end-of-life cancer care. The summary of
      findings is illustrated below. CONCLUSION: The studies in this review provided
      useful and credible statements from non-specialist nurses working in non
      specialist wards about their challenges when providing palliative end-of-life
      cancer care to patients and their significant others undergoing psychosocial and
      existential transitions.

PMID- 28628525
TI  - Assessing sensitivity and specificity of the Manchester Triage System in the
      evaluation of acute coronary syndrome in adult patients in emergency care: a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Triage is the first assessment and sorting process used to prioritize
      patients arriving in the emergency department (ED). As a triage tool, the
      Manchester Triage System (MTS) must have a high sensitivity to minimize the
      occurrence of under-triage, but must not compromise specificity to avoid the
      occurrence of overtriage. Sensitivity and specificity of the MTS can be
      calculated using the frequency of appropriately assigned clinical priority levels
      for patients presenting to the ED. However, although there are well established
      criteria for the prioritization of patients with suspected acute coronary
      syndrome (ACS), several studies have reported difficulties when evaluating
      patients with this condition. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to
      synthesize the best available evidence on assessing the sensitivity and
      specificity of the MTS for screening high-level priority adult patients
      presenting to the ED with ACS. METHOD: The current review considered studies that
      evaluated the use of the MTS in the risk classification of adult patients in the
      ED. In this review, studies that investigated the priority level, as established
      by the MTS to screen patients under suspicion of ACS or the sensitivity and
      specificity of the MTS, for screening patients before the medical diagnosis of
      ACS were included. This review included both experimental and epidemiological
      study designs. RESULTS: The results were presented in a narrative synthesis. Six
      studies were appraised by the independent reviewers. All appraised studies
      enrolled a consecutive or random sample of patients and presented an overall
      moderate methodological quality, and all of them were included in this review. A
      total of 54,176 participants were included in the six studies. All studies were
      retrospective. Studies included in this review varied in content and data
      reporting. Only two studies reported sensitivity and specificity values or all
      the necessary data to calculate sensitivity and specificity. The remaining four
      studies presented either a sensitivity analysis or the number of true positives
      and false negatives. However, these four studies were conducted considering only
      data from patients diagnosed with ACS. Sensitivity values were relatively uniform
      among the studies: 0.70-0.80. A specificity of 0.59 was reported in the study
      including only patients with non-traumatic chest pain. On the other hand, in the
      study that included patients with any complaint, the specificity of MTS to screen
      patients with ACS was 0.97. CONCLUSION: The current review demonstrates that the
      MTS has a moderate sensitivity to evaluate patients with ACS. This may compromise
      time to treatment in the ED, an important variable in the prognosis of ACS.
      Atypical presentation of ACS, or high specificity, may also explain the moderate
      sensitivity demonstrated in this review. However, because of minimal data, it is
      not possible to confirm this hypothesis. It is difficult to determine the
      acceptable level of sensitivity or specificity to ensure that a certain triage
      system is safe.

PMID- 28628526
TI  - Determinants of HIV-1 CD4-Independent Brain Adaptation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HIV-1 is known to adapt to the local environment in its usage of
      receptors, and it can become CD4 independent in the brain where the receptor is
      scarce. This adaptation is through amino acid variations, but the patterns of
      such variation are not yet well understood. Given that infection of long-lived
      CD4-low and CD4-negative cells in anatomical compartments such as the brain
      expands cell tropism in vivo and may serve as potential viral reservoirs that
      pose challenge for HIV eradication, understanding the evolution to CD4
      independence and envelope conformation associated with infection in the absence
      of CD4 will not only broaden our insights into HIV pathogenesis but may guide
      functional cure strategies as well. METHODS: We characterize, by site-directed
      mutagenesis, neutralization assay, and structural analysis, a pair of CD4
      dependent (cl2) and CD4-independent (cl20) envelopes concurrently isolated from
      the cerebral spinal fluid of an SHIV-infected macaque with neurological AIDS and
      with minimum sequence differences. RESULTS: Residues different between cl2 and
      cl20 are mapped to the V1V2 and surrounding regions. Mutations of these residues
      in cl2 increased its CD4 independence in infection, and the effects are
      cumulative and likely structural. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that the
      determinants of CD4 independence in vivo mapped principally to V1V2 of gp120 that
      can destabilize the apex of the envelope spike, with an additional change in V4
      that abrogated a potential N-linked glycan to facilitate movement of the V1V2
      domain and further expose the coreceptor-binding site.

PMID- 28628527
TI  - Antiretroviral Prescription and Viral Suppression in a Representative Sample of
      HIV-Infected Persons in Care in 4 Large Metropolitan Areas of the United States,
      Medical Monitoring Project, 2011-2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Comparisons of antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription and viral
      suppression among people in HIV care across US metropolitan areas are limited.
      Medical Monitoring Project, 2011-2013, data were used to describe and compare
      associations between sociodemographics and ART prescription and viral suppression
      for persons receiving HIV care. SETTING: Chicago, Los Angeles County (LAC),
      Philadelphia, and San Francisco in the United States. METHODS: Bivariate and
      multivariable methods were used. RESULTS: The proportion of patients prescribed
      ART (91%-93%) and virally suppressed (79%-88%) was consistent although more
      persons were virally suppressed in San Francisco compared with the other areas,
      and a smaller proportion was virally suppressed in Philadelphia compared with
      Chicago. In the combined cohort, persons aged 30-49 years were less likely than
      persons 50+ (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) -0.97, confidence interval (CI):
      0.94 to 0.99); persons reporting non-injection drug use were less likely than non
      users (aPR = 0.94, CI: 0.90 to 0.98); and Hispanics were more likely than whites
      (aPR - 1.04, CI: 1.01 to 1.08) to be prescribed ART. Blacks (aPR = 0.93; CI: 0.87
      to 0.99) and homeless persons (aPR = 0.87; CI: 0.80 to 0.95) were less likely to
      be virally suppressed in the combined cohort. In LAC, persons aged 30-49 years
      were less likely than those 50+ to be prescribed ART (aPR = 0.94, CI: 0.90 to
      0.98). Younger persons (18-29) (aPR = 0.77; CI: 0.60 to 0.99) and persons with
      less than a high school education (aPR = 0.80; CI: 0.67 to 0.95) in Philadelphia,
      blacks (aPR = 0.90; CI: 0.83 to 0.99) and men who have sex with women only (aPR =
      0.89; CI: 0.80 to 0.99) in Chicago, and homeless individuals in LAC (aPR = 0.80;
      CI: 0.67 to 0.94) were less likely to be virally suppressed. CONCLUSION: Data
      highlight the need to increase ART prescription to achieve viral suppression
      among younger persons, noninjection drug users, blacks, and homeless persons in
      US metropolitan areas and underscores the importance of region-specific
      strategies for affected subgroups.

PMID- 28628528
TI  - Increased Persistence of Initial Treatment for HIV Infection With Modern
      Antiretroviral Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) early improves clinical
      outcomes and prevents transmission. Guidelines for first-line therapy have
      changed with the availability of newer ART agents. In this study, we compared
      persistence and virologic responses with initial ART according to the class of
      anchor agent used. SETTING: An observational clinical cohort study in the
      Southeastern United States. METHODS: All HIV-infected patients participating in
      the UNC Center for AIDS Research Clinical Cohort (UCHCC) and initiating ART
      between 1996 and 2014 were included. Separate time-to-event analyses with regimen
      discontinuation and virologic failure as outcomes were used, including Kaplan
      Meier survival curves and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: One
      thousand six hundred twenty-four patients were included (median age of 37 years
      at baseline, 28% women, 60% African American, and 28% white). Eleven percent
      initiated integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), 33% non-nucleoside reverse
      transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), 20% boosted protease inhibitor, 27% other, and
      9% NRTI only regimens. Compared with NNRTI-containing regimens, INSTI-containing
      regimens had an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.49 (95% confidence interval, 0.35 to
      0.69) for discontinuation and 0.70 (95% confidence interval, 0.46 to 1.06) for
      virologic failure. All other regimen types were associated with increased rates
      of discontinuation and failure compared with NNRTI. CONCLUSIONS: Initiating ART
      with an INSTI-containing regimen was associated with lower rates of regimen
      discontinuation and virologic failure.

PMID- 28628531
TI  - Costs and Length of Stay for the Acute Care of Patients with Motor-Complete
      Spinal Cord Injury Following Cervical Trauma: The Impact of Early Transfer to
      Specialized Acute SCI Center.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) centers aim to optimize outcome
      following SCI. However, there is no timeframe to transfer patients from regional
      to SCI centers in order to promote cost-efficiency of acute care. Our objective
      was to compare costs and length of stay (LOS) following early and late transfer
      to the SCI center. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study involving 116 individuals
      was conducted. Group 1 (n = 87) was managed in an SCI center promptly after the
      trauma, whereas group 2 (n = 29) was transferred to the SCI center only after
      surgery. Direct comparison and multivariate linear regression analyses were used
      to assess the relationship between costs, LOS, and timing to transfer to the SCI
      center. RESULTS: Length of stay was significantly longer for group 2 (median,
      93.0 days) as compared with group 1 (median, 40.0 days; P < 10), and average
      costs were also higher (median, Canadian $17,920.0 vs. $10,521.6; P = 0.004) for
      group 2, despite similar characteristics. Late transfer to the SCI center was the
      main predictive factor of longer LOS and increased costs. CONCLUSIONS: Early
      admission to the SCI center was associated with shorter LOS and lower costs for
      patients sustaining tetraplegia. Early referral to an SCI center before surgery
      could lower the financial burden for the health care system. TO CLAIM CME
      CREDITS: Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at
      http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME CME OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this
      article, the reader should be able to: (1) Determine the optimal timing for
      transfer of individuals with cervical traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in order
      to decrease acute care resource utilization; (2) Determine benefits of a complete
      perioperative management in a specialized SCI center; and (3) Identify factors
      that may influence resource utilization for acute care following motor-complete
      tetraplegia. LEVEL: Advanced ACCREDITATION: The Association of Academic
      Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
      Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.The Association
      of Academic Physiatrists designates this activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA
      Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the
      extent of their participation in the activity.

PMID- 28628529
TI  - Brief Report: Appraising Viral Load Thresholds and Adherence Support
      Recommendations in the World Health Organization Guidelines for Detection and
      Management of Virologic Failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization defines HIV virologic failure as 2
      consecutive viral loads >1000 copies/mL, measured 3-6 months apart, with interval
      adherence support. We sought to empirically evaluate these guidelines using data
      from an observational cohort. SETTING: The Uganda AIDS Rural Treatment Outcomes
      study observed adults with HIV in southwestern Uganda from the time of
      antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and monitored adherence with electronic
      pill bottles. METHODS: We included participants on ART with a detectable HIV RNA
      viral load and who remained on the same regimen until the subsequent measurement.
      We fit logistic regression models with viral resuppression as the outcome of
      interest and both initial viral load level and average adherence as predictors of
      interest. RESULTS: We analyzed 139 events. Median ART duration was 0.92 years,
      and 100% were on a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-based regimen.
      Viral resuppression occurred in 88% of those with initial HIV RNA <1000 copies/mL
      and 42% if HIV RNA was >1000 copies/mL (P <0.001). Adherence after detectable
      viremia predicted viral resuppression for those with HIV RNA <1000 copies/mL (P =
      0.011) but was not associated with resuppression for those with HIV RNA >1000
      copies/mL (P = 0.894; interaction term P = 0.077). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients on
      ART with detectable HIV RNA >1000 copies/mL who remain on the same regimen, only
      42% resuppressed at next measurement, and there was no association between
      interval adherence and viral resuppression. These data support consideration of
      resistance testing to help guide management of virologic failure in resource
      limited settings.

PMID- 28628530
TI  - Effects of salt loading and potassium supplement on the circadian blood pressure
      profile in salt-sensitive Chinese patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Salt-sensitive (SS) patients more frequently showed a
      nondipper blood pressure pattern and were associated with more serious target
      organ damage than non-SS patients. We aimed to investigate whether potassium
      supplement can improve the blunted nocturnal blood pressure fall in SS patients
      exposed to a high-salt diet. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Approximately 49 normotensive
      and mildly hypertensive Chinese patients received a study protocol of a 3 days of
      baseline examination, 7 days of a low-salt diet (3 g NaCl/day), 7 days of a high
      salt diet (18 g NaCl/day), and 7 days of a high-salt diet with a potassium
      supplement (18 g NaCl and 4.5 g KCl/day). The 24 h ambulatory blood pressure was
      determined at the end of each period. RESULTS: A total of 14 patients were
      classified as SS according to the at least 10% increase in their 24-h mean
      arterial pressure after high-salt loading. The night-to-day blood pressure ratio
      was significantly higher in SS patients than in non-SS patients during the high
      salt loading period (systolic 0.96+/-0.01 vs. 0.89+/-0.01, P<0.01; diastolic
      0.96+/-0.01 vs. 0.92+/-0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the high-salt loading period,
      the night-to-day blood pressure ratio was significantly reversed by potassium
      supplement in SS patients (systolic 0.91+/-0.01 vs. 0.96+/-0.01, P<0.05;
      diastolic 0.91+/-0.01 vs. 0.96+/-0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Potassium supplement
      can improve the blunted nocturnal blood pressure fall in SS patients exposed to a
      high-salt diet, but the related mechanism needs to be studied further.

PMID- 28628532
TI  - Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous
      Carpal Tunnel Release: A Cadaveric Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The looped thread carpal tunnel release (TCTR) procedure is a
      minimally invasive percutaneous technique performed under ultrasound (US) to
      transect the transverse carpal ligament in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.
      Study objectives were to evaluate the accuracy of identifying key US landmarks,
      safety, effectiveness, and technical difficulty of TCTR. DESIGN: Fourteen lightly
      embalmed cadaveric distal forearm-hand specimens were subject to US
      identification of key landmarks, TCTR procedure, and post-TCTR dissection.
      Outcome measures of interest were (1) correspondence between key landmarks
      (median nerve and 4 bony pillars of transverse carpal ligament) identified on US
      and anatomical structures exposed by dissection, (2) percentage of the transverse
      carpal ligament transected and location of the transection, (3) frequency of
      damage to adjacent structures, (4) time to complete procedure, and (5) operator
      assessment of technical difficulty of each TCTR procedure (0 = extremely easy, 10
      = extremely difficult). RESULTS: (1) Skin markings delineating the position of US
      visualized landmarks corresponded almost perfectly to anatomical dissection. (2)
      Nine (64.2%) of 14 specimens had complete division of the transverse carpal
      ligament. In the remaining 5 specimens, an average of 68.8% of the ligament was
      transected. (3) No adjacent structures were damaged. (4) Time to complete the
      procedure was on average 9.9 +/- 4.6 minutes. (5) Average procedural difficulty
      was 4.3/10. CONCLUSIONS: Thread carpal tunnel release is potentially a safe,
      quick, and effective procedure to transect the transverse carpal ligament. Future
      clinical investigation is recommended.

PMID- 28628533
TI  - The Association Between Activity Limitation Stages and Admission to Facilities
      Providing Long-term Care Among Older Medicare Beneficiaries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether activity limitation stages are
      associated with admission to facilities providing long-term care (LTC). DESIGN:
      Cohort study using Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data from the 2005-2009
      entry panels. A total of 14,580 community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries 65
      years or older were included. Proportional subhazard models examined associations
      between activity limitation stages and time to first LTC admission, adjusting for
      baseline sociodemographics and health conditions. RESULTS: The weighted annual
      rate of LTC admission was 1.1%. In the adjusted model, compared to activity of
      daily living (ADL) stage 0, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs])
      were 2.0 (1.5-2.7), 3.9 (2.9-5.4), 3.6 (2.5-5.3), and 4.7 (2.5-9.0) for ADL stage
      I (mild limitation), ADL stage II (moderate limitation), ADL stage III (severe
      limitation), and ADL stage IV (complete limitation), respectively. Compared to
      instrumental ADL (IADL) stage 0, the hazard ratios, and 95% CIs for IADL stages I
      to IV were 2.0 (1.4-2.7), 3.7 (2.6-5.4), 4.6 (3.3-6.5), and 7.6 (4.6-12.3),
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Activity limitation stages are strongly associated
      with future admission to LTC and may therefore be useful in identifying specific
      supportive care needs among vulnerable older community-dwelling adults, which may
      reduce or the delay need for admission to LTC.

PMID- 28628534
TI  - Daily Physical Activity in Total Hip Arthroplasty Patients Undergoing Different
      Surgical Approaches: A Cohort Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Muscle weakness due to trauma from the surgical approach is
      anticipated to affect the ability of the patient to undertake daily physical
      activity early after total hip arthroplasty (THA). The objective of this study
      was to compare daily physical activity on days 1 to 4 after discharge, in
      patients following THA performed by 1 of 3 surgical approaches. DESIGN: A cohort
      study included 60 hip osteoarthritis patients, scheduled for THA, allocated to
      direct lateral approach, posterior approach, or anterior approach. Daily physical
      activity was measured by an accelerometer, with upright time per 24 hours as
      primary outcome and walking time, number of steps, and number of upright events
      per 24 hours as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: There were no statistically
      significant group differences in any of the measures of daily physical activity
      (P > 0.290) or between days of follow-up (P > 0.155). Overall, the median
      participant had 3.50 hours (interquartile range, 2.85-4.81 hours) of upright
      time, and participants showed wide variation in all outcomes of daily physical
      activity. CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in daily physical activity
      between THA patients undergoing different surgical approaches. The surgical
      approach may not be a limiting factor for daily physical activity early after
      surgery in a fast-track treatment course.

PMID- 28628535
TI  - Community-Based Rehabilitation to Improve Stroke Survivors' Rehabilitation
      Participation and Functional Recovery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a community
      based rehabilitation appropriate technique (CRAT) intervention program in
      increasing rehabilitation participation and improving functional recovery of
      stroke survivors. DESIGN: This study followed a quasi-experimental design. In
      each of 5 centers servicing approximately 50,000 individuals, 2 communities were
      designated as either the intervention or control community. A CRAT intervention
      program, including 2-year rehabilitation education and 3-month CRAT treatment,
      was regularly implemented in the intervention communities, whereas there was no
      special intervention in the control community. Two sampling surveys, at baseline
      and after intervention, were administered to evaluate the rehabilitation activity
      undertaken. In intervention communities, stroke survivor's motor function, daily
      activity, and social activity were evaluated pretreatment and posttreatment,
      using the Fugl-Meyer Motor Function Assessment, Barthel index, and Social
      Functional Activities Questionnaire. RESULTS: The proportion of individuals
      participating in rehabilitation-related activity was increased significantly (P <
      0.05) in intervention communities, as compared with control communities. In
      intervention communities, the patients' Fugl-Meyer Motor Function Assessment,
      Barthel index, and Social Functional Activities Questionnaire scores were
      significantly improved after rehabilitation (P < 0.05) across all ages and
      disease courses, except for the FAQ scores in patients younger than 50 years (P >
      0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Community-based rehabilitation appropriate technique
      increases rehabilitation participation rates and enhances motor function, daily
      activity, and social activity of stroke survivors.

PMID- 28628536
TI  - Forging Alliances in Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research (FAIRR): A Logic
      Model.
AB  - In a patient-centered care era, rehabilitation can benefit from researcher
      clinician collaboration to effectively and efficiently produce the
      interdisciplinary science that is needed to improve patient-centered outcomes.
      The authors propose the use of the Forging Alliances in Interdisciplinary
      Rehabilitation Research (FAIRR) logic model to provide guidance to rehabilitation
      scientists and clinicians who are committed to growing their involvement in
      interdisciplinary rehabilitation research. We describe the importance and key
      characteristics of the FAIRR model for conducting interdisciplinary
      rehabilitation research.

PMID- 28628538
TI  - Memory Rehabilitation Strategies in Nonsurgical Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: A Review.
AB  - People with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who have not undergone epilepsy surgery
      often complain of memory deficits. Cognitive rehabilitation is employed as a
      remedial intervention in clinical settings, but research is limited and findings
      concerning efficacy and the criteria for choosing different approaches have been
      inconsistent. We aimed to appraise existing evidence on memory rehabilitation in
      nonsurgical individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy and to ascertain the
      effectiveness of specific strategies. A scoping review was preferred given the
      heterogeneous nature of the interventions. A comprehensive literature search
      using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Scholars Portal/PSYCHinfo, Proceedings
      First, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses identified articles published in
      English before February 2016. The search retrieved 372 abstracts. Of 25 eligible
      studies, six were included in the final review. None included pediatric
      populations. Strategies included cognitive training, external memory aids, brain
      training, and noninvasive brain stimulation. Selection criteria tended to be
      general. Overall, there was insufficient evidence to make definitive conclusions
      regarding the efficacy of traditional memory rehabilitation strategies, brain
      training, and noninvasive brain stimulation. The review suggests that cognitive
      rehabilitation in nonsurgical TLE is underresearched and that there is a need for
      a systematic evaluation in this population.

PMID- 28628537
TI  - Needs of Stroke Survivors as Perceived by Their Caregivers: A Scoping Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Caregivers usually are not involved while planning the stroke
      survivor's medical and rehabilitation goals and interventions. This review aimed
      to identify the needs of stroke survivors as perceived by their caregivers.
      DESIGN: A literature search from 2003 to 2014 was conducted using Medline,
      CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar. Sixty-six studies were included. Most
      studies excluded did not encompass caregivers' perspectives. Four reviewers
      screened the titles, abstracts, and full texts of the articles for inclusion. The
      data extracted from these studies were synthetized into metathemes. RESULTS:
      Fifty-two qualitative, ten quantitative survey, and four mixed-methods studies
      were included in the final synthesis. The studies came from 11 countries. The
      data synthesis produced following three metathemes: (a) body functional needs,
      including psychological function, physical function, cognitive function, and
      uncertainty related to function; (b) activity and participatory needs, including
      healthy lifestyle, physical activities, speech, independence, cognitive
      activities, and uncertainty related to activities and participation; and (c)
      environmental needs, encompassing support, services, safety, accommodation and
      accessibility, and uncertainty related to environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS:
      This scoping review identified a range of needs of stroke survivors as perceived
      by their caregivers. Incorporating the caregiver's preferences and values into
      clinical decisions may improve outcomes among stroke survivors.

PMID- 28628539
TI  - Effects of an Off-Axis Pivoting Elliptical Training Program on Gait Function in
      Persons With Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Preliminary Study.
AB  - This preliminary study examined the effects of off-axis elliptical training on
      reducing transverse-plane gait deviations and improving gait function in 8
      individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) (15.5 +/- 4.1 years) who completed an
      training program using a custom-made elliptical trainer that allows transverse
      plane pivoting of the footplates during exercise. Lower-extremity off-axis
      control during elliptical exercise was evaluated by quantifying the root-mean
      square and maximal angular displacement of the footplate pivoting angle. Lower
      extremity pivoting strength was assessed. Gait function and balance were
      evaluated using 10-m walk test, 6-minute-walk test, and Pediatric Balance Scale.
      Toe-in angles during gait were quantified. Participants with CP demonstrated a
      significant decrease in the pivoting angle (root mean square and maximal angular
      displacement; effect size, 1.00-2.00) and increase in the lower-extremity
      pivoting strength (effect size = 0.91-1.09) after training. Reduced 10-m walk
      test time (11.9 +/- 3.7 seconds vs. 10.8 +/- 3.0 seconds; P = 0.004; effect size
      = 1.46), increased Pediatric Balance Scale score (43.6 +/- 12.9 vs. 45.6 +/-
      10.8; P = 0.042; effect size = 0.79), and decreased toe-in angle (3.7 +/- 10.5
      degrees vs. 0.7 +/- 11.7 degrees; P = 0.011; effect size = 1.22) were observed
      after training. We present an intervention to challenge lower-extremity off-axis
      control during a weight-bearing and functional activity for individuals with CP.
      Our preliminary findings suggest that this intervention was effective in
      enhancing off-axis control, gait function, and balance and reducing in-toeing
      gait in persons with CP.

PMID- 28628540
TI  - Evaluating Disability Insurance Assistance as a Specific Intervention by
      Physiatrists at a Cancer Center.
AB  - Because of their expertise, physiatrists provide disability insurance assistance
      for cancer survivors. In this brief report, we perform a descriptive
      retrospective analysis of all new (354) outpatient physiatry consultations from
      January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2013, at a National Cancer Institute
      Comprehensive Cancer Center. Disability and/or work accommodations were brought
      up at some point with the physiatrist during the duration of their care for 131
      (37%) of 354 patients. More than 90% of the discussions took place during the
      first visit. Of those patients who had a documented disability/employment
      discussion, 58 (44.3%) of 131 patients were originally referred for disability
      assistance specifically, and 58 (44.3%) of 131 also had disability insurance
      paperwork completed by the physiatrist. Outcomes of initial physiatry disability
      insurance assistance were 45 (77.6%) of 58 approved/renewed, 5 (8.6%) of 58
      denied, and 8 (13.8%) of 58 unknown/died during the disability application
      process. The median form size was 33 (SD, 25.95) items. This study is the first
      of its kind and provides an initial look at work-related discussions and support
      with disability insurance paperwork as a specific intervention provided by
      physiatrists at a cancer center. The results are compelling and demonstrate that
      physiatrists frequently provide these interventions. These interventions take
      considerable time and effort but are generally successful.

PMID- 28628541
TI  - Apathy Due to Injury of the Prefrontocaudate Tract Following Mild Traumatic Brain
      Injury.
AB  - In this study, we report on a patient who developed apathy resulting from injury
      to the prefrontocaudate tract following mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), which
      was observed on diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). A 46-year-old female patient
      was involved in a bus accident. Her history included intracerebral hemorrhage
      (ICH) in the left putamen 4 years ago before the head trauma, and her family
      reported that she had fully recovered. She developed apathy after the TBI,
      worsening over time. Decreased neural connectivity of the left caudate nucleus
      (CN) to the left upper medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) resulting from the ICH was
      observed on the pre-TBI-DTT, whereas on the post-TBI-DTT (28 months after TBI),
      the neural connectivity of the left CN to the left upper medial PFC was
      increased, whereas that to the left lower medial PFC and orbitofrontal cortex was
      decreased. In the right hemisphere, decreased neural connectivity of the CN to
      the medial PFC and orbitofrontal cortex was observed on the post-TBI-DTT compared
      with the pre-TBI-DTT. Injury of the prefrontocaudate tract was observed in a
      patient with old ICH who developed apathy following mild TBI, using DTT.

PMID- 28628542
TI  - A Rare Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastasis from a Retroperitoneal
      Leiomyosarcoma Presenting as a Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury.
AB  - Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is a rare but well-recognized malignant soft tissue sarcoma
      of smooth muscle origin. Metastases commonly occur in the lungs, liver, kidney,
      brain, and bone. Cases of metastatic osseous lesions or other extradural space
      occupying masses secondary to LMS leading to neurologic compromise are relatively
      commonplace in the literature. Conversely, cases of intramedullary spinal cord
      metastasis (ISCM), an unusual entity as a sequela of any cancer, are exceedingly
      rare as a consequence of LMS. Only 2 cases of an ISCM from LMS are currently
      documented in the literature, and to the best of our knowledge, no case is
      described in the rehabilitation literature. This case report presents a patient
      with a history of longstanding metastatic LMS presenting with incomplete
      paraplegia, neurogenic bowel and bladder, and neuropathic pain. The patient was
      found to have an ISCM of the thoracic spinal cord. She made functional gains with
      concurrent inpatient rehabilitation and radiation but was unable to perform her
      own intermittent catheterization program, bowel program, or transfers and was
      unable to discharge home independently. Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis is
      a rare and potentially devastating consequence of LMS or any primary cancer, but
      can be amenable to common interventions in the acute inpatient rehabilitation
      setting.

PMID- 28628543
TI  - Bilateral Rectus Femoris Muscle Rupture Following Statin Medication.

PMID- 28628544
TI  - Sciatic Nerve Schwannoma in the Gluteal Region Mimicking Sciatica.

PMID- 28628545
TI  - Salbutamol Therapy for Food Impaction in Eosinophilic Oesophagitis.

PMID- 28628547
TI  - Complex Cases: A Force for Change.

PMID- 28628546
TI  - The Impact of Multiple Viral Respiratory Infections on Outcomes for Critically
      Ill Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Advances in molecular diagnosis have led to increased testing for
      single and multiviral respiratory infection in routine clinical practice. This
      study compares outcomes between single and multiviral respiratory infections in
      children younger than 5 years old admitted to the PICU with respiratory failure.
      DESIGN: Retrospective, single-center, cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary-care,
      freestanding children's hospital. PATIENTS: Children younger than 5 years old
      admitted to the PICU with respiratory failure and positive respiratory molecular
      panel. Children with comorbidity or history of similar infections were excluded.
      After exclusions, the children were divided into single or multiviral groups.
      Their demographics and PICU outcomes were compared and analyzed. INTERVENTIONS:
      None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Four hundred seventy-seven children with
      respiratory failure tested positive on respiratory panel, out of which 432 had
      single and 45 had multiple viruses. Children with multiple viruses had a longer
      PICU stay (4.5 d) compared with the single viral group (3 d; p < 0.002).
      Multiviral infections were associated with higher utilization of central line
      (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.6; p = 0.008) but not with the need of invasive
      ventilation requirement or cardiovascular dysfunction. Further analysis among
      invasively ventilated patients showed multiviral infections resulted in higher
      association of prolonged ventilation (> 7 d) (odds ratio, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2-9.4; p
      = 0.01) and bacterial lower respiratory tract infection confirmed by quantitative
      bronchoalveolar lavage (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-11.2; p = 0.03). Infections
      with human rhinovirus/Enterovirus, Adenovirus, parainfluenza, and influenza
      formed a significantly larger proportions of cases (p = 0.00089) as multiviral
      infections compared with individual infections. CONCLUSIONS: Multiviral
      infections were associated with longer PICU stay, with prolonged mechanical
      ventilation, with bacterial lower respiratory infections, and with central line
      requirement. Certain common viruses resulted in higher percentages of PICU
      admission as multiviral infections.

PMID- 28628548
TI  - Clinical Outcome Measures for Lateropulsion Poststroke: An Updated Systematic
      Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Contraversive Lateropulsion, also referred to as
      contraversive pushing, pusher behavior, and pusher syndrome, can be associated
      with increased hospital length of stay, increased health care costs, and delayed
      outcomes in persons with stroke. The purpose of this updated systematic review
      was to identify scales used to classify contraversive lateropulsion, investigate
      literature that addresses their clinimetric properties, and create a resource for
      clinicians recommending use in clinical practice. METHODS: Three databases were
      searched for articles from inception to March 2017. The search strategy followed
      Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. The Consensus-based Standards for the
      selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist was applied to
      evaluate methodological quality. RESULTS: Four hundred three records were
      screened. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Four scales were identified: the
      Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP), the Modified Scale for Contraversive
      Pushing (M-SCP), the Burke Lateropulsion Scale (BLS), and the Swedish Scale for
      Contraversive Pushing (S-SCP). Psychometric property investigation was most
      robust for the SCP and the BLS. Cross-cultural validity has not been fully
      investigated in scales used outside of their country of origin. DISCUSSION AND
      CONCLUSIONS: The BLS is recommended for identifying contraversive lateropulsion.
      The scale assesses the presence of contraversive lateropulsion across several
      functional tasks, from rolling to walking, and is the only scale originally
      written in English. The BLS is the only tool to receive ratings greater than poor
      for reliability and responsiveness. The BLS should be implemented as soon as
      contraversive lateropulsion is suspected to guide frontline clinicians' initial
      plan of care, allow objective identification of change over time, and facilitate
      easier investigation of interventional efficacy.Video Abstract available for
      additional insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1,
      http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A177).

PMID- 28628549
TI  - A Classification System to Guide Physical Therapy Management in Huntington
      Disease: A Case Series.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Individuals with Huntington disease (HD), a rare
      neurological disease, experience impairments in mobility and cognition throughout
      their disease course. The Medical Research Council framework provides a schema
      that can be applied to the development and evaluation of complex interventions,
      such as those provided by physical therapists. Treatment-based classifications,
      based on expert consensus and available literature, are helpful in guiding
      physical therapy management across the stages of HD. Such classifications also
      contribute to the development and further evaluation of well-defined complex
      interventions in this highly variable and complex neurodegenerative disease. The
      purpose of this case series was to illustrate the use of these classifications in
      the management of 2 individuals with late-stage HD. CASE DESCRIPTION: Two
      females, 40 and 55 years of age, with late-stage HD participated in this case
      series. Both experienced progressive declines in ambulatory function and balance
      as well as falls or fear of falling. Both individuals received daily care in the
      home for activities of daily living. INTERVENTION: Physical therapy Treatment
      Based Classifications for HD guided the interventions and outcomes. Eight weeks
      of in-home balance training, strength training, task-specific practice of
      functional activities including transfers and walking tasks, and family/carer
      education were provided. OUTCOMES: Both individuals demonstrated improvements
      that met or exceeded the established minimal detectible change values for gait
      speed and Timed Up and Go performance. Both also demonstrated improvements on
      Berg Balance Scale and Physical Performance Test performance, with 1 of the 2
      individuals exceeding the established minimal detectible changes for both tests.
      Reductions in fall risk were evident in both cases. DISCUSSION: These cases
      provide proof-of-principle to support use of treatment-based classifications for
      physical therapy management in individuals with HD. Traditional classification of
      early-, mid-, and late-stage disease progression may not reflect patients' true
      capabilities; those with late-stage HD may be as responsive to interventions as
      those at an earlier disease stage.Video Abstract available for additional
      insights from the authors (see Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at:
      http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A172).

PMID- 28628550
TI  - Visual and Motor Recovery After "Cognitive Therapeutic Exercises" in Cortical
      Blindness: A Case Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Spontaneous visual recovery is rare after cortical
      blindness. While visual rehabilitation may improve performance, no visual therapy
      has been widely adopted, as clinical outcomes are variable and rarely translate
      into improvements in activities of daily living (ADLs). We explored the potential
      value of a novel rehabilitation approach "cognitive therapeutic exercises" for
      cortical blindness. CASE DESCRIPTION: The subject of this case study was 48-year
      old woman with cortical blindness and tetraplegia after cardiac arrest. Prior to
      the intervention, she was dependent in ADLs and poorly distinguished shapes and
      colors after 19 months of standard visual and motor rehabilitation. Computed
      tomographic images soon after symptom onset demonstrated acute infarcts in both
      occipital cortices. INTERVENTION: The subject underwent 8 months of intensive
      rehabilitation with "cognitive therapeutic exercises" consisting of
      discrimination exercises correlating sensory and visual information. OUTCOMES:
      Visual fields increased; object recognition improved; it became possible to watch
      television; voluntary arm movements improved in accuracy and smoothness; walking
      improved; and ADL independence and self-reliance increased. Subtraction of
      neuroimaging acquired before and after rehabilitation showed that focal glucose
      metabolism increases bilaterally in the occipital poles. DISCUSSION: This study
      demonstrates feasibility of "cognitive therapeutic exercises" in an individual
      with cortical blindness, who experienced impressive visual and sensorimotor
      recovery, with marked ADL improvement, more than 2 years after ischemic cortical
      damage.Video Abstract available for additional insights from the authors (see
      Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at:
      http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A173).

PMID- 28628551
TI  - A Clinical Framework for Functional Recovery in a Person With Chronic Traumatic
      Brain Injury: A Case Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This case study describes a task-specific training
      program for gait walking and functional recovery in a young man with severe
      chronic traumatic brain injury. CASE DESCRIPTION: The individual was a 26-year
      old man 4 years post-traumatic brain injury with severe motor impairments who had
      not walked outside of therapy since his injury. He had received extensive gait
      training prior to initiation of services. His goal was to recover the ability to
      walk. INTERVENTION: The primary focus of the interventions was the restoration of
      walking. A variety of interventions were used, including locomotor treadmill
      training, electrical stimulation, orthoses, and specialized assistive devices. A
      total of 79 treatments were delivered over a period of 62 weeks. OUTCOMES: At the
      conclusion of therapy, the client was able to walk independently with a gait
      trainer for approximately 1km (over 3000 ft) and walked in the community with the
      assistance of his mother using a rocker bottom crutch for distances of 100m (330
      ft). DISCUSSION: Specific interventions were intentionally selected in the
      development of the treatment plan. The program emphasized structured practice of
      the salient task, that is, walking, with adequate intensity and frequency. Given
      the chronicity of this individual's injury, the magnitude of his functional
      improvements was unexpected.Video Abstract available for additional insights from
      the Authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at:
      http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A175).

PMID- 28628552
TI  - A Case Study of High-Velocity, Persistent Geotropic Nystagmus: Is This BPPV?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Deciphering the cause for a persistent, direction
      changing geotropic nystagmus can be difficult. Migraine and light cupula are two
      possible causes, though can be confused with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
      (BPPV) affecting the horizontal semicircular canal. In migraine, the persistent
      geotropic nystagmus tends to be slow; in light cupula, the nystagmus has been
      illustrated to beat in the direction opposite that of prone positioning. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: Here we describe a patient with initial occurrence then recurrence
      of a high velocity (>=30 deg/sec), persistent direction-changing geotropic
      nystagmus and vertigo with an intensity variable based on head position, which
      was difficult to manage. This patient did not have migraine. The case presented
      uniquely as it was unlikely due to canalithiasis of the horizontal semicircular
      canal yet the presentation was not clearly related to the light cupula phenomena
      either. INTERVENTION: In this case, the physical therapist attempted to use the
      barbeque roll canalith repositioning maneuver (CRM) even though the direction
      changing geotropic nystagmus was persistent. The nystagmus did not resolve during
      the clinic visit. OUTCOMES AND DISCUSSION: The persistent, high velocity
      geotropic nystagmus resolved within 1 week, however, this resolution was likely
      spontaneous and not due to the CRM intervention. Our case suggests that physical
      therapists assessing persistent geotropic nystagmus should wait long enough for
      the nystagmus to stop (~2 minutes), test for fatigue by repeating the positional
      nystagmus tests, incorporate a head flexion component as part of the positional
      testing, and attempt to identify a null point.Video Abstract available for
      additional insights from the authors (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1,
      http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A178).

PMID- 28628553
TI  - Single-Case Design, Analysis, and Quality Assessment for Intervention Research.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to describe single-case
      studies and contrast them with case studies and randomized clinical trials. We
      highlight current research designs, analysis techniques, and quality appraisal
      tools relevant for single-case rehabilitation research. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS:
      Single-case studies can provide a viable alternative to large group studies such
      as randomized clinical trials. Single-case studies involve repeated measures and
      manipulation of an independent variable. They can be designed to have strong
      internal validity for assessing causal relationships between interventions and
      outcomes, as well as external validity for generalizability of results,
      particularly when the study designs incorporate replication, randomization, and
      multiple participants. Single-case studies should not be confused with case
      studies/series (ie, case reports), which are reports of clinical management of a
      patient or a small series of patients. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE:
      When rigorously designed, single-case studies can be particularly useful
      experimental designs in a variety of situations, such as when research resources
      are limited, studied conditions have low incidences, or when examining effects of
      novel or expensive interventions. Readers will be directed to examples from the
      published literature in which these techniques have been discussed, evaluated for
      quality, and implemented.

PMID- 28628554
TI  - JNPT Thanks Retiring Editorial Board Members & Welcomes New Editorial Board
      Members.

PMID- 28628555
TI  - JNPT Congratulates APTA Award Winners.

PMID- 28628556
TI  - Real-time imaging of epileptic seizures in rats using electrical impedance
      tomography.
AB  - The presence of multiple or diffuse lesions on imaging is a contraindication to
      surgery for patients with intractable epilepsy. Theoretically, as a functional
      imaging technique, electrical impedance tomography (EIT) can accurately image
      epileptic foci. However, most current studies are limited to examining epileptic
      spikes and few studies use EIT for real-time imaging of seizure activity.
      Moreover, little is known about changes in electrical impedance during seizures.
      In this study, we used EIT to monitor seizure progression in real time and
      analyzed changes in electrical impedance during seizures. EIT and
      electroencephalography data were recorded simultaneously in rats. Sixty-three
      seizures were recorded from the cortices of eight rats. During 54 seizures, the
      average impedance decreased by between 4.86 and 9.17% compared with the baseline.
      Compared with the control group, the average impedance of the experimental group
      decreased significantly (P=0.004). Our results indicate that EIT can be used to
      detect and image electrical impedance reduction within lesions during epileptic
      seizures.

PMID- 28628557
TI  - Excessive hemodynamic activity in the superior frontal cortex during the flanker
      task in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
AB  - Near-infrared spectroscopy studies in children with attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have shown excessive prefrontal activity
      responsible for coping with interference. However, it is possible that the
      previous results were influenced by verbal, reading, and memory developments. The
      flanker task is an interference task that does not require a verbal response,
      reading, or memorization. We examined activity in the superior frontal cortex
      (SFC) during the flanker task in 12 children with ADHD and 14 children with
      typical development using near-infrared spectroscopy. SFC activity was
      significantly greater in children with ADHD than in those with typical
      development. The results showed excessive interference coping activity in
      children with ADHD irrespective of verbal, reading, and memory development.
      Moreover, SFC activity was positively correlated with the inattention subscale
      score of the ADHD rating scale. We suggest that children with ADHD need greater
      SFC activation to cope with interference, and the inefficient mechanism is
      demanding and hard to sustain, which causes inattention symptoms of children with
      ADHD.

PMID- 28628558
TI  - Genetics of pleiotropic effects of dexamethasone.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone have pleiotropic effects,
      including desired antileukemic, anti-inflammatory, or immunosuppressive effects,
      and undesired metabolic or toxic effects. The most serious adverse effects of
      dexamethasone among patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are osteonecrosis
      and thrombosis. To identify inherited genomic variation involved in these severe
      adverse effects, we carried out genome-wide association studies (GWAS) by
      analyzing 14 pleiotropic glucocorticoid phenotypes in 391 patients with acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used the Projection Onto the
      Most Interesting Statistical Evidence integrative analysis technique to identify
      genetic variants associated with pleiotropic dexamethasone phenotypes,
      stratifying for age, sex, race, and treatment, and compared the results with
      conventional single-phenotype GWAS. The phenotypes were osteonecrosis, central
      nervous system toxicity, hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, thrombosis, dexamethasone
      exposure, BMI, growth trajectory, and levels of cortisol, albumin, and
      asparaginase antibodies, and changes in cholesterol, triglycerides, and low
      density lipoproteins after dexamethasone. RESULTS: The integrative analysis
      identified more pleiotropic single nucleotide polymorphism variants (P=1.46*10(
      215), and these variants were more likely to be in gene-regulatory regions
      (P=1.22*10(-6)) than traditional single-phenotype GWAS. The integrative analysis
      yielded genomic variants (rs2243057 and rs6453253) in F2RL1, a receptor that
      functions in hemostasis, thrombosis, and inflammation, which were associated with
      pleiotropic effects, including osteonecrosis and thrombosis, and were in
      regulatory gene regions. CONCLUSION: The integrative pleiotropic analysis
      identified risk variants for osteonecrosis and thrombosis not identified by
      single-phenotype analysis that may have importance for patients with underlying
      sensitivity to multiple dexamethasone adverse effects.

PMID- 28628559
TI  - The miR-1206 microRNA variant is associated with methotrexate-induced oral
      mucositis in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - Five-year survival rates of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have
      reached 90% in the developed countries. However, toxicity because of methotrexate
      (MTX) occurs frequently. Variety in the occurrence of toxicity is partly
      determined by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding regions. Recently,
      five SNPs in non-coding pre-microRNAs and microRNA processing (miRNA) genes were
      identified in association with MTX-induced oral mucositis. This study aimed to
      replicate the association of these miRNA variants in relation to MTX-induced oral
      mucositis in a prospective childhood ALL cohort. Three out of five SNPs with a
      minor allele frequency more than 0.15 [CCR4-NOT transcription complex (CNOT4)
      rs3812265, miR-1206 rs2114358, miR-2053 rs10505168] were analyzed in 117
      pediatric ALL patients treated with 5 g/m MTX (DCOG ALL-10). Oral mucositis was
      defined as grade more than or equal to 3 according to the National Cancer
      Institute criteria. rs2114358 in miR-1206 was associated with oral mucositis
      [odds ratio (OR): 3.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-11.5], whereas we did
      not confirm the association of CNOT4 rs3812265 (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.27-1.80) and
      miR-2053 rs10505168 (OR: 2.50; 95% CI: 0.76-8.24). Our results replicate the
      association between rs2114358 in miR-1206 and MTX-induced oral mucositis in
      childhood ALL. Genetic variation in miR-1206 has potential as a novel biomarker
      to predict MTX-induced toxicity.

PMID- 28628561
TI  - The Surgeon Volume-outcome Relationship: Not Yet Ready for Policy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Increasing surgeon volume may improve outcomes for index operations.
      We hypothesized that there may be surrogate operative experiences that yield
      similar outcomes for surgeons with a low-volume experience with a specific index
      operation, such as esophagectomy. BACKGROUND: The relationship between surgeon
      volume and outcomes has potential implications for credentialing of surgeons.
      Restrictions of privileges based on surgeon volume are only reasonable if there
      is no substitute for direct experience with the index operation. This study was
      aimed at determining whether there are valid surrogates for direct experience
      with a sample index operation-open esophagectomy. METHODS: The Nationwide
      Inpatient Sample (2003-2009) was utilized. Surgeons were stratified into low and
      high-volume groups based on annual volume of esophagectomy. Surrogate volume was
      defined as the aggregate annual volume per surgeon of upper gastrointestinal
      operations including excision of esophageal diverticulum, gastrectomy,
      gastroduodenectomy, and repair of diaphragmatic hernia. RESULTS: In all, 26,795
      esophagectomies were performed nationwide (2003-2009), with a crude inhospital
      mortality rate of 5.2%. Inhospital mortality decreased with increasing volume of
      esophagectomies performed annually: 7.7% and 3.8% for low and high-volume
      surgeons, respectively (P < 0.0001). Among surgeons with a low-volume
      esophagectomy experience, increasing volume of surrogate operations improved the
      outcomes observed for esophagectomy: 9.7%, 7.1%, and 4.3% for low, medium, and
      high-surrogate-volume surgeons, respectively (P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Both
      operation-specific volume and surrogate volume are significant predictors of
      inhospital mortality for esophagectomy. Based on these observations, it would be
      premature to limit hospital privileges based solely on operation-specific surgeon
      volume criteria.

PMID- 28628560
TI  - Genetic coding variants in the niacin receptor, hydroxyl-carboxylic acid receptor
      2, and response to niacin therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Niacin has been used for seven decades to modulate plasma lipids, but
      its mechanism of action is still unclear. We sought to determine whether variants
      in the niacin receptor gene, hydroxyl-carboxylic receptor 2 (HCAR2), are
      associated with lipid response to treatment. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Coding
      variants, rs7314976 (p.R311C) and rs2454727 (p.M317I), were genotyped in 2067
      participants from the Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome with
      Low HDL/High Triglycerides and Impact on Global Health Outcomes (AIM-HIGH) trial.
      AIM-HIGH was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial that was conducted to assess
      the effect of extended-release niacin in patients with cardiovascular disease
      aggressively treated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-lowering therapy.
      RESULTS: There was no association of p.R311C or p.M317I with changes in low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, or high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol at 1 year in groups receiving placebo or extended-release niacin. In
      White patients, the reduction in lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] in response to niacin
      was greater in homozygous carriers of the major 317M allele (-22.7%; P=0.005)
      compared with minor allele carriers (-15.3%). This was directionally consistent
      in the Black participants. Upon combining both groups, the reduction in Lp(a) in
      response to niacin was significantly greater in the homozygous major allele
      carriers (-23.0%; P=0.003) compared with minor allele carriers (-15.2%).
      CONCLUSION: Understanding the genetic contribution toward variation in response
      to niacin therapy, including Lp(a) reduction, could uncover mechanisms by which
      niacin decreases Lp(a), an important independent risk factor for cardiovascular
      disease.

PMID- 28628562
TI  - Robotic Versus Video-assisted Lobectomy/Segmentectomy for Lung Cancer: A Meta
      analysis.
AB  - : : Objective: To compare the safety/efficacy of the robotic-assisted
      lobectomy/segmentectomy (RAL/S) with the video-assisted lobectomy/segmentectomy
      (VAL/S) for radical lung cancer resection. BACKGROUND: It remains uncertain
      whether the newly developed RAL/S is comparable with the VAL/S. METHODS: A
      comprehensive search of online databases was performed. Perioperative outcomes
      were synthesized. Cumulative meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the temporal
      trend of pooled outcomes. Specific subgroups (propensity score matching studies,
      pure lobectomy studies) were examined. RESULTS: Analysis of 14 studies including
      a total of 7438 patients was performed. RAL/S was performed on 3239 patients,
      whereas the other 4199 patients underwent VAL/S. The 30-day mortality [0.7% vs
      1.1%; odds ratio (OR) 0.53, P = 0.045] and conversion rate to open surgery (10.3%
      vs 11.9%; OR 0.57, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients who underwent
      RAL/S than VAL/S. Meanwhile, the postoperative complications (27.5% vs 28.2%; OR
      0.95, P = 0.431), operation time [176.63 vs 162.74 min; standardized mean
      difference (SMD) 0.30, P = 0.086], duration of hospitalization (4.90 vs 5.23
      days; SMD -0.08, P = 0.292), days to tube removal (4.10 vs 3.53 days; SMD 0.25, P
      = 0.120), retrieved lymph node (11.96 vs 10.67; SMD 0.46, P = 0.381), and
      retrieved lymph node station (4.98 vs 4.32; SMD 0.83, P = 0.261) were similar
      between the 2 groups. The cumulative meta-analyses suggested that the relative
      effects between 2 groups have already stabilized. All outcomes of subgroup and
      overall analyses were similar. CONCLUSIONS: This up-to-date meta-analysis
      confirms that RAL/S is a feasible and safe alternative to VAL/S for radical
      resection of lung cancer. Future studies should focus on the long-term benefits
      and cost effectiveness of RAL/S compared with VAL/S.

PMID- 28628563
TI  - Recurrence Risk Stratification After Preoperative Chemoradiation of Esophageal
      Adenocarcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To discern recurrence risk stratification and investigate its
      influence on postoperative surveillance in patients with esophageal
      adenocarcinoma (EAC) after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). BACKGROUND:
      Reports documenting recurrence risk stratification in EAC after neoadjuvant CRT
      are scarce. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2014, 601 patients with EAC who underwent
      neoadjuvant CRT followed by esophagectomy were included for analysis. The
      pattern, site, timing, and frequency of the first recurrence and potential
      prognostic factors for developing recurrences were analyzed. This cohort was used
      as the training set to propose a recurrence risk stratification system, and the
      stratification was further validated in another cohort of 172 patients. RESULTS:
      A total of 150 patients (25.0%) achieved pathologic complete response (pCR) after
      neoadjuvant CRT and the rest were defined as the non-pCR group (n = 451) in the
      training cohort. After a median follow-up of 63.6 months, the pCR group
      demonstrated a significantly lower locoregional (4.7% vs 19.1%) and distant
      recurrence rate (22.0% vs.44.6%) than the non-pCR group (P < 0.001). Based on
      independent prognostic factors, patients were stratified into 4 recurrence risk
      categories: pCR with clinical stage I/II, pCR with clinical stage III, non-pCR
      with pN0, and non-pCR with pN+, with corresponding 5-year recurrence-free
      survival rates of 88.7%, 65.8%, 55.3%, and 33.0%, respectively (P < 0.001). The
      risk stratification was reproducible in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: We
      proposed a recurrence risk stratification system for EAC patients based on
      pathologic response and pretreatment clinical stage. Risk-based postoperative
      surveillance strategies could be developed for different risk categories.

PMID- 28628564
TI  - Risk of Post-transplant Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence Is Higher in
      Recipients of Livers From Male Than Female Living Donors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between donor sex and hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after living donor liver transplantation. BACKGROUND:
      HCC shows a male predominance in incidence and recurrence after tumor resection
      due to sex differences in hepatic sex hormone receptors. There have been no
      studies evaluating the importance of donor sex on post-transplant HCC recurrence.
      METHODS: Of 384 recipients of livers, from living donors, for HCC: 104/120 who
      received grafts from female donors were matched with 246/264 who received grafts
      from male donors using propensity score matching, with an unfixed matching ratio
      based on factors like tumor biology. Survival analysis was performed with death
      as a competing risk event. The primary outcome was overall HCC recurrence.
      RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 39 months. Before matching, recurrence
      probability at 1/2/5 years after transplantation was 6.1/9.7/12.7% in recipients
      with female donors and 11.7/19.2/25.3% in recipients with male donors. Recurrence
      risk was significantly higher with male donors in univariable analysis (hazard
      ratio [HR] = 2.04 [1.15-3.60], P = 0.014) and multivariable analysis (HR=2.10
      [1.20-3.67], P = 0.018). In the matched analysis, recurrence risk was also higher
      with male donors (HR=1.92 [1.05-3.52], P = 0.034): both in intrahepatic
      recurrence (HR=1.92 [1.05-3.51], P = 0.034) and extrahepatic recurrence (HR=1.93
      [1.05-3.52], P = 0.033). Multivariable analysis confirmed the significance of
      donor sex (HR=2.08 [1.11-3.91], P = 0.023). Interestingly, the significance was
      lost when donor age was >40 years. Two external cohorts validated the
      significance of donor sex. CONCLUSIONS: Donor sex appears to be an important
      graft factor modulating HCC recurrence after living donor liver transplantation.

PMID- 28628565
TI  - Open versus Laparoscopic Surgery for Advanced Low Rectal Cancer: A Large,
      Multicenter, Propensity Score Matched Cohort Study in Japan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer is widely performed all over
      the world and several randomized controlled trials have been reported. However,
      the usefulness of laparoscopic surgery compared with open surgery has not been
      demonstrated sufficiently, especially for the low rectal area. OBJECTIVE: The aim
      of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that laparoscopic primary tumor
      resection is safe and effective when compared with the open approach for locally
      advanced low rectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from patients with
      clinical stage II to III low rectal cancer below the peritoneal reflection were
      collected and analyzed. The operations were performed from 2010 to 2011. Short
      term outcomes and long-term prognosis were analyzed with propensity score
      matching. RESULTS: Of 1608 cases collated from 69 institutes, 1500 cases were
      eligible for analysis. The cases were matched into 482 laparoscopic and 482 open
      cases. The mean height of the tumor from the anal verge was 4.6 cm. Preoperative
      treatment was performed in 35% of the patients. The conversion rate from
      laparoscopic to open surgery was 5.2%. Estimated blood loss during laparoscopic
      surgery was significantly less than that during open surgery (90 vs 625 mL, P <
      0.001). Overall, the occurrence of complications after laparoscopic surgeries was
      less than that after open surgeries (30.3% vs 39.2%, P = 0.005). Three-year
      overall survival rates were 89.9% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 86.7-92.4]
      and 90.4% (95% CI 87.4-92.8) in the laparoscopic and open groups, respectively,
      and no significant difference was seen between the 2 groups. No significant
      difference was observed in recurrence-free survival (RFS) between the 2 groups (3
      year RFS: 70.9%, 68.4 to 74.2 vs 71.8%, 67.5 to 75.7). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic
      surgery could be considered as a treatment option for advanced, low rectal cancer
      below the peritoneal reflection, based on the short-term and long-term results of
      this large cohort study (UMIN-ID: UMIN000013919).

PMID- 28628566
TI  - Immediate Impact of Centralization on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Outcomes
      for a Vascular Network in the South West of England: A Retrospective Cohort
      Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the short-term impact of centralization on the
      outcomes of patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a vascular
      network in the South West of England. BACKGROUND: The centralization of vascular
      services has been implemented nationally across the National Health Service to
      improve patient outcomes. The full impact of these major changes has not yet been
      fully analyzed. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study examining outcomes of
      patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, based on prospectively
      entered National Vascular Registry data, pre and post centralization in the South
      West of England. The primary outcome was mortality at 30 days. Secondary measures
      included 30-day morbidity, length of hospital stay, and length of intensive care
      unit stay. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was unchanged pre and post
      centralization (11% vs 12%, P = 0.84). The 30-day morbidity rate was also
      unchanged (24% vs 25%, P = 0.83), as was length of intensive care unit stay (3 vs
      3 days, P = 0.74). Overall length of stay was not significantly different (8 vs 6
      days, P = 0.76). Subgroup analysis of patients with elective, ruptured, and
      symptomatic aneurysm repair demonstrated no differences in 30-day mortality.
      There was a significantly shorter stay post-centralization for patients with
      symptomatic aneurysms (6 vs 12 days pre-centralization, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS:
      The process of centralization of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in a vascular
      network was safe for patients and had no immediate impact on outcomes. Longer
      term outcome measures and financial data will be required to further assess the
      benefit of centralization.

PMID- 28628567
TI  - The Checklist Paradox.

PMID- 28628568
TI  - Irregular Outcomes: Predictors of New Atrial Fibrillation After Noncardiac
      Surgery.

PMID- 28628569
TI  - Estimated Blood Loss: In the Equation of the Beholder.

PMID- 28628570
TI  - Ensuring Optimal Anesthetic Care for Children: A Call to Action.

PMID- 28628571
TI  - Is Experience a Surrogate for Expertise?

PMID- 28628572
TI  - Multimodal Analgesia and the Vigilance of Heimdall.

PMID- 28628573
TI  - Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation.

PMID- 28628574
TI  - Estimating Blood Loss.

PMID- 28628575
TI  - The Analgesia Nociception Index: Tailoring Opioid Administration.

PMID- 28628576
TI  - The Insight From Foresight: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Cyanotic Congenital
      Heart Disease.

PMID- 28628577
TI  - Part of the Steamroller and Not Part of the Road: Better Blood Pressure
      Management Through Automation.

PMID- 28628578
TI  - Neuraxial Anesthesia in Obstetric Patients Receiving Thromboprophylaxis With
      Unfractionated or Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin: A Systematic Review of Spinal
      Epidural Hematoma.
AB  - Venous thromboembolism remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in
      obstetrics with an incidence of 29.8/100,000 vaginal delivery hospitalizations;
      cesarean delivery confers a 4-fold increased risk of thromboembolism when
      compared with vaginal delivery. Revised national guidelines now stipulate that
      the majority of women delivering via cesarean and women at risk for ante- or
      postpartum venous thromboembolism receive mechanical or pharmacological
      thromboprophylaxis. This practice change has important implications for obstetric
      anesthesiologists concerned about the risk of spinal epidural hematoma (SEH)
      among anticoagulated women receiving neuraxial anesthesia. We conducted a
      systematic review of published English language studies (1952-2016) and of the US
      Anesthesia Closed Claims Project Database (1990-2013) to identify cases of SEH
      associated with neuraxial anesthesia and thromboprophylaxis. We also report on
      SEH in obstetric patients receiving thromboprophylaxis and neuraxial anesthesia
      without adherence to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA)
      recommendations. In our review, we initially identified 736 publications of which
      10 met inclusion criteria; these were combined with the 5 cases of SEH identified
      in 546 obstetric Anesthesia Closed Claims reviews. None of these publications
      revealed SEH associated with neuraxial anesthesia and thromboprophylaxis with
      unfractionated heparin or low-molecular-weight heparin in obstetric patients.
      Based on data from 6 reports, 28 parturients had their neuraxial blockade before
      the minimum ASRA recommended time interval between the last anticoagulant dose
      and the neuraxial procedure. Based on data from 2 reports, 52 parturients
      received neuraxial anesthesia without their low-molecular-weight heparin dose
      being discontinued during the intrapartum period. Although the very low level of
      evidence and high heterogeneity in these reports make it difficult to draw
      quantitative conclusions from this systematic review, it is encouraging that this
      comprehensive search did not identify a single case of SEH in an obstetric
      patient receiving thromboprophylaxis and neuraxial anesthesia. Analysis of large
      scale registries (eg, the Anesthesia Incident Reporting System of the Anesthesia
      Quality Institute) with more granular clinical and pharmacological data is needed
      to assess the impact of these practice changes on obstetric SEH incidence. In the
      interim, optimal care of obstetric patients depends on multidisciplinary planning
      of anticoagulation dosing to facilitate neuraxial anesthesia and thoughtful
      weighing of the relative risks and benefits of providing versus withholding
      neuraxial in favor of general anesthesia.

PMID- 28628579
TI  - Distal humeral flexion osteotomy for the treatment of supracondylar extension
      type malunions in children.
AB  - Distal humeral extension-type malunions may occur as a complication following
      improper reduction of supracondylar humerus fractures. We evaluated results after
      distal humeral flexion osteotomies for sagittal realignment of the humeral
      condyle in children. Medical records and radiographs of all patients younger than
      18 years of age, who underwent this procedure because of a clinically relevant
      lack of elbow flexion, were evaluated. In a cohort of 18 children with a mean age
      of 8 years at the time of surgery and a mean follow-up duration of 1 year, elbow
      flexion increased significantly from a mean of 101 degrees  preoperatively to 126
      degrees  at the final follow-up; established radiographic parameters (e.g.
      anterior humeral line, humerocondylar angle) were normalized as well. The distal
      humeral flexion osteotomy is a reliable method to efficiently correct extension
      type malunions and improve impaired elbow flexion in children.

PMID- 28628580
TI  - Scoliosis severity does not impact the risk of scoliosis in family members.
AB  - Does scoliosis severity increase scoliosis risk or severity in relatives? In a
      cohort of 1257 severe idiopathic scoliosis patients, the percentage with at least
      one affected relative was compared across the categories of patient sex, major
      curve severity (Cobb angle), and treatment method. In total, 138 (11%) of 1257
      patients had at least one affected first-degree relative and 59 (5%) had at least
      one affected second-degree relative. As expected, males were more likely to have
      affected first-degree relatives than females (18 vs. 10% with a risk difference
      of -0.0864) [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.14 to -0.03; P=0.0002]. However,
      the major curve severity of the patient (<25 degrees , 25 degrees -49 degrees ,
      and >=50 degrees ) did not impact the prevalence of having at least one affected
      relative (P=0.69). Surgically treated patients had no greater risk than
      nonsurgically treated patients of having either an affected relative or a
      surgically treated relative [11 vs. 11% (odds ratio: 0.912; 95% CI: 0.640-1.299,
      P=0.61), 6 vs. 5% (OR: 0.788; 95% CI: 0.485-1.280, P=0.34), respectively].
      Therefore, our data suggest that scoliosis severity does not independently
      influence the risk of either scoliosis or its severity in family members.

PMID- 28628581
TI  - A Collaborative Approach to Childhood Obesity Surveillance From a Local Health
      Department.
AB  - DuPage County Health Department collected de-identified data from health forms
      submitted by participating schools for academic years 2011-2015 for kindergarten,
      sixth-, and ninth-grade students to determine the prevalence of obesity and
      elevated blood pressure among public school students. The prevalence of obesity
      in students for the 2014-2015 school year was 15.1%, and the prevalence of
      elevated blood pressure was 22.8%. Students in the "obese" body mass index
      percentile category had an elevated blood pressure prevalence of 44.2%, which was
      higher than students in the "nonobese" category (P < .001). Significant
      differences were also observed both by sex and by grade. The results identify the
      need to support implementation and evaluation of policies to reduce childhood
      obesity and improve health outcomes. By partnering with schools to obtain
      preexisting health data, state or local health departments with limited resources
      may replicate these methods to develop a childhood obesity surveillance system.

PMID- 28628582
TI  - Revolving Loan Fund: A Novel Approach to Increasing Access to Long-Acting
      Reversible Contraception Methods in Community Health Centers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a revolving loan
      fund (RLF) on timing of device insertion and long-acting reversible contraception
      (LARC) access among a high-risk urban population at 3 Boston community health
      centers. DESIGN: Three health centers were identified to implement a RLF. Each
      clinic received $5000 from the RLF to purchase LARC devices. Data collected
      through medical record review retrospectively 1 year prior to start of the RLF
      and prospectively for 1 year thereafter included patient demographics, type of
      LARC selected, patient's date of documented interest in a LARC device, and date
      of insertion. The effect of a RLF on delay to LARC insertion was tested using
      negative binomial regression, controlling for site and potential confounding
      variables between the pre- and post-RLF periods. SETTING: Three urban community
      health centers. PARTICIPANTS: Reproductive-aged women who received family
      planning services at the 3 participating health centers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Increasing access to LARC and decreasing wait times to LARC insertion after
      implementation of the RLF. RESULTS: Data on 133 patients in the pre-RLF group and
      205 in the post-RLF group were collected. There were no statistically significant
      differences in demographic or clinical characteristics between the 2 time
      periods. LARC uptake increased significantly from the pre- to post-RLF period,
      specifically among implant users. There was a statistically significant decrease
      in the mean number of days in delay from interest to insertion from the pre- to
      post-RLF period (pre-RLF: 31.3 +/- 50.6 days; post-RLF: 13.6 +/- 16.7 days,
      adjusted P < .001). The reasons for the delay did not differ significantly
      between the 2 time periods. CONCLUSION: The RLF decreased wait time for the
      devices and increased overall insertion rates. This may serve as a promising
      solution to improve LARC access in community health centers. This project could
      be expanded to include more health centers, creating a city wide RLF. This
      expansion could allow for further data analysis, including unintended pregnancy
      rates with LARC delay, LARC continuation rates, and sustainability of a RLF.

PMID- 28628583
TI  - Improving Hypertension Control Population-wide in Minnesota.
AB  - CONTEXT: Hypertension is a common and costly risk factor for cardiovascular
      disease, but just over half of all adults with hypertension have their blood
      pressure controlled nationally. In Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota, the rate of
      hypertension control is approximately 70% despite a rate of hypertension control
      similar to the national average as recently as the first half of the 1990s.
      OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to identify factors in Minneapolis-St
      Paul and state-level policies and programs in Minnesota that may have contributed
      to the more rapid increase in blood pressure control there than that in the rest
      of the nation and to identify factors that can potentially be replicated in other
      jurisdictions. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: The study included analysis of
      trends in hypertension control since 1980 based on the Minnesota Heart Survey and
      the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, as well as interviews with
      health care and public health leaders in Minnesota. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
      Prevalence of hypertension control. RESULTS: Probable contributing factors
      identified include a focus on collaborative and continuous quality improvement; a
      forum for setting statewide clinical guidelines and measures; the willing
      participation from the largest health systems, purchasers, and nonprofit health
      plans; and the use of widely accepted mechanisms for providing feedback to
      clinicians and reporting performance. The relatively high rate of insurance
      coverage and socioeconomic status may have contributed but do not fully explain
      the difference in hypertension control as compared with the rest of the United
      States. CONCLUSIONS: The experience in Minnesota demonstrates that it is possible
      to dramatically increase hypertension control at the population level, across
      health systems, and health plans in a relatively short period of time. Lessons
      learned may be helpful to informing local, state, and national efforts to improve
      hypertension control.

PMID- 28628584
TI  - Distributed Data Networks That Support Public Health Information Needs.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Data networks, consisting of pooled electronic health data assets
      from health care providers serving different patient populations, promote data
      sharing, population and disease monitoring, and methods to assess interventions.
      Better understanding of data networks, and their capacity to support public
      health objectives, will help foster partnerships, expand resources, and grow
      learning health systems. METHODS: We conducted semistructured interviews with 16
      key informants across the United States, identified as network stakeholders based
      on their respective experience in advancing health information technology and
      network functionality. Key informants were asked about their experience with and
      infrastructure used to develop data networks, including each network's utility to
      identify and characterize populations, usage, and sustainability. RESULTS: Among
      11 identified data networks representing hundreds of thousands of patients, key
      informants described aggregated health care clinical data contributing to
      population health measures. Key informant interview responses were thematically
      grouped to illustrate how networks support public health, including (1)
      infrastructure and information sharing; (2) population health measures; and (3)
      network sustainability. CONCLUSION: Collaboration between clinical data networks
      and public health entities presents an opportunity to leverage infrastructure
      investments to support public health. Data networks can provide resources to
      enhance population health information and infrastructure.

PMID- 28628585
TI  - Building Data and Information Capacity in Environmental Public Health: A Best
      Worst Scaling Experiment.
AB  - CONTEXT: Environmental public health practitioners rely on information technology
      (IT) to maintain and improve environmental health. However, current systems have
      limited capacity. A better understanding of the importance of IT features is
      needed to enhance data and information capacity. OBJECTIVE: (1) Rank IT features
      according to the percentage of respondents who rated them as essential to an
      information management system and (2) quantify the relative importance of a
      subset of these features using best-worst scaling. DESIGN: Information technology
      features were initially identified from a previously published systematic review
      of software evaluation criteria and a list of software options from a private
      corporation specializing in inspection software. Duplicates and features
      unrelated to environmental public health were removed. The condensed list was
      refined by a working group of environmental public health management to a final
      list of 57 IT features. The essentialness of features was electronically rated by
      environmental public health managers. Features where 50% to 80% of respondents
      rated them as essential (n = 26) were subsequently evaluated using best-worst
      scaling. SETTING: Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Environmental public health
      professionals in local public health. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Importance scores of
      IT features. RESULTS: The majority of IT features (47/57) were considered
      essential to an information management system by at least half of the respondents
      (n = 52). The highest-rated features were delivery to printer, software
      encryption capability, and software maintenance services. Of the 26 features
      evaluated in the best-worst scaling exercise, the most important features were
      orientation to all practice areas, off-line capability, and ability to view past
      inspection reports and results. CONCLUSIONS: The development of a single, unified
      environmental public health information management system that fulfills the
      reporting and functionality needs of system users is recommended. This system
      should be implemented by all public health units to support data and information
      capacity in local environmental public health. This study can be used to guide
      vendor evaluation, negotiation, and selection in local environmental public
      health, and provides an example of academia-practice partnerships and the use of
      best-worst scaling in public health research.

PMID- 28628586
TI  - Building a Pediatric Oral Health Training Curriculum for Community Health
      Workers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Community health workers (CHWs) are a promising approach to oral
      health promotion in high-risk populations. This article describes the process of
      creating a pediatric oral health CHW training curriculum. DESIGN: Existing
      curricula were identified through outreach efforts to experts in the oral health
      and CHW fields, as well as PubMed and Google searches. After coding basic
      information, curricula were mapped to define oral health domains. Then group
      discussion was employed to determine final curriculum contents. SETTING: United
      States. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Curricula were included if they addressed oral
      health, were in English or Spanish, involved US populations, did not target
      dental clinicians, and whether sufficient data could be obtained. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Curricula were evaluated for delivery format, number of hours, target
      audience, inclusion of CHWs, completeness, and oral health content. RESULTS:
      Eighteen unique curricula were identified; 14 (78%) were CHW specific. Pathologic
      factors, caries formation, toothbrushing basics, flossing, nutrition, sugar
      sweetened beverages, oral health recommendations, baby bottle tooth decay,
      fluoride treatments, and fluoride were covered to some extent in 75% of
      curricula. More than half did not mention types of teeth, oral health during
      pregnancy, antifluoride, cultural humility, and special needs populations. After
      comparing CHW curricula with non-CHW curricula, the original 26 oral health
      domains were condensed into 10 CHW training domains. CONCLUSION: Using existing
      evidence and expert insight, an oral health CHW training curriculum outline was
      created that emphasizes behaviors, social support, and navigation assistance to
      promote preventive oral health behaviors in families of young children. This has
      implications beyond oral health. CHW programs are expanding to address the social
      determinants of health. The process of creating this curriculum and its basic
      elements can be applied to other disease areas. Clearly defined trainings that
      are made publicly available, such as this one, support efforts to standardize the
      CHW field in preparation for CHW certification and reimbursement in the future.

PMID- 28628587
TI  - The Who, What, How, and Why of Estimating Public Health Activity Spending.

PMID- 28628588
TI  - Youth Sports and Physical Activity: Innovative Perspectives on the Role of Health
      Care Professionals.

PMID- 28628589
TI  - Next Steps: The Evolution of Neurologic Physical Therapy Practice and Research.

PMID- 28628590
TI  - The Past, Present, and Future of Neurorehabilitation: From NUSTEP Through IV STEP
      and Beyond.
AB  - PURPOSES: To present the history and aims of the STEP conferences; describe the
      interdependence of prevention, prediction, plasticity, and participation; reflect
      on where we stand today regarding those 4 Ps; and discuss how future
      neurorehabilitation should look for individuals with movement disorders. KEY
      POINTS: Physical therapists have focused primarily on tertiary prevention,
      emphasizing primary/secondary prevention far less. Predicting optimal response to
      intervention is essential for primary prevention. Research examining
      neurorehabilitation effects mediated by brain plasticity is evolving from an
      emphasis on impairment outcomes toward examination of participation outcomes.
      CLINICAL PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS:: (1) Capitalize on primary and secondary
      prevention. (2) Administer simple, environmentally relevant predictive measures.
      (3) Partner with researchers to examine exercise-induced brain plasticity effects
      via neuroimaging. (4) Encourage physical activity to promote secondary prevention
      of lifestyle-related diseases and enhance participation. (5) Integrate
      psychological/social sciences with physiological sciences to move forward with
      advances in mindful health and patient-centered practices.

PMID- 28628591
TI  - Movement System Diagnosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This article presents the concept of movement system
      diagnoses (MSDxs), including an examination of the evolution of the ideas that
      are shaping the development of MSDxs. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: Ideas leading to
      development of the need for MSDxs are traced, and an overview of Diagnosis Dialog
      and points of consensus are provided. Four examples from areas of neurologic and
      pediatric practice where additional work is needed on movement system diagnosis
      are highlighted. CLINICAL PRACTICE: The development and use of MSDxs are deemed
      critical to the future development of practice in pediatric and neurologic
      physical therapy. The prediction of treatment outcomes through research is
      dependent on homogeneous groups of patients with similar signs and symptoms of
      movement system disorders. Only by investigating homogeneous groups with refined
      MSDxs will it be possible to carefully examine and identify interventions that
      are appropriate to a specific diagnosis. Further, our ability to identify
      disordered movements, including inactivity and over-activity that could lead
      across time to disabling conditions presents a strong argument for establishing
      movement system diagnoses that forewarn of the risk of disordered movement poses
      to health. Such movement system diagnoses would guide interventions that deter
      the development of disabling conditions rooted in disordered movement.

PMID- 28628592
TI  - Genetic Variation and Neuroplasticity: Role in Rehabilitation After Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In many neurologic diagnoses, significant interindividual
      variability exists in the outcomes of rehabilitation. One factor that may impact
      response to rehabilitation interventions is genetic variation. Genetic variation
      refers to the presence of differences in the DNA sequence among individuals in a
      population. Genetic polymorphisms are variations that occur relatively commonly
      and, while not disease-causing, can impact the function of biological systems.
      The purpose of this article is to describe genetic polymorphisms that may impact
      neuroplasticity, motor learning, and recovery after stroke. SUMMARY OF KEY
      POINTS: Genetic polymorphisms for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),
      dopamine, and apolipoprotein E have been shown to impact neuroplasticity and
      motor learning. Rehabilitation interventions that rely on the molecular and
      cellular pathways of these factors may be impacted by the presence of the
      polymorphism. For example, it has been hypothesized that individuals with the
      BDNF polymorphism may show a decreased response to neuroplasticity-based
      interventions, decreased rate of learning, and overall less recovery after
      stroke. However, research to date has been limited and additional work is needed
      to fully understand the role of genetic variation in learning and recovery.
      RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Genetic polymorphisms should be considered
      as possible predictors or covariates in studies that investigate neuroplasticity,
      motor learning, or motor recovery after stroke. Future predictive models of
      stroke recovery will likely include a combination of genetic factors and other
      traditional factors (eg, age, lesion type, corticospinal tract integrity) to
      determine an individual's expected response to a specific rehabilitation
      intervention.

PMID- 28628593
TI  - Consideration of Dose and Timing When Applying Interventions After Stroke and
      Spinal Cord Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nearly 4 decades of investigation into the plasticity of
      the nervous system suggest that both timing and dose could matter. This article
      provides a synopsis of our lectures at the IV STEP meeting, which presented a
      perspective of current data on the issues of timing and dose for adult stroke and
      spinal cord injury motor rehabilitation. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: For stroke, the
      prevailing evidence suggests that greater amounts of therapy do not result in
      better outcomes for upper extremity interventions, regardless of timing. Whether
      or not greater amounts of therapy result in better outcomes for lower extremity
      and mobility interventions needs to be explicitly tested. For spinal cord injury,
      there is a complex interaction of timing postinjury, task-specificity, and the
      microenvironment of the spinal cord. Inflammation appears to be a key determinant
      of whether or not an intervention will be beneficial or maladaptive, and specific
      retraining of eccentric control during gait may be necessary. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
      CLINICAL PRACTICE: To move beyond the limitations of our current interventions
      and to effectively reach nonresponders, greater precision in task-specific
      interventions that are well-timed to the cellular environment may hold the key.
      Neurorehabilitation that ameliorates persistent deficits, attains greater
      recovery, and reclaims nonresponders will decrease institutionalization, improve
      quality of life, and prevent multiple secondary complications common after stroke
      and spinal cord injury.

PMID- 28628594
TI  - Telehealth, Wearable Sensors, and the Internet: Will They Improve Stroke Outcomes
      Through Increased Intensity of Therapy, Motivation, and Adherence to
      Rehabilitation Programs?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke, predominantly a condition of older age, is a
      major cause of acquired disability in the global population and puts an
      increasing burden on health care resources. Clear evidence for the importance of
      intensity of therapy in optimizing functional outcomes is found in animal models,
      supported by neuroimaging and behavioral research, and strengthened by recent
      meta-analyses from multiple clinical trials. However, providing intensive therapy
      using conventional treatment paradigms is expensive and sometimes not feasible
      because of social and environmental factors. This article addresses the need for
      cost-effective increased intensity of practice and suggests potential benefits of
      telehealth (TH) as an innovative model of care in physical therapy. SUMMARY OF
      KEY POINTS: We provide an overview of TH and present evidence that a web
      supported program, used in conjunction with constraint-induced therapy (CIT), can
      increase intensity and adherence to a rehabilitation regimen. The design and
      feasibility testing of this web-based program, "LifeCIT," is presented. We
      describe how wearable sensors can monitor activity and provide feedback to
      patients and therapists. The methodology for the development of a wearable device
      with embedded inertial and mechanomyographic sensors, algorithms to classify
      functional movement, and a graphical user interface to present meaningful data to
      patients to support a home exercise program is explained. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
      CLINICAL PRACTICE: We propose that wearable sensor technologies and TH programs
      have the potential to provide most-effective, intensive, home-based stroke
      rehabilitation.

PMID- 28628595
TI  - Activity-Based Therapy: From Basic Science to Clinical Application for Recovery
      After Spinal Cord Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Collaboration between scientists and clinicians
      effectively accelerated translation of scientific evidence for activity-based
      therapies (ABTs) into rehabilitation. This article addresses the basic scientific
      findings of activity-dependent plasticity that led to locomotor training, an ABT,
      and its principles to advance recovery in adult and pediatric populations with
      spinal cord injury (SCI). Expansion to new therapies based on these common
      principles is highlighted, for example, epidural stimulation. The article also
      describes a recently developed measure, the Neuromuscular Recovery Scale (NRS),
      and its psychometric properties. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: Locomotor training has
      led to recovery of walking in some individuals with motor-incomplete SCI even
      years after injury. Recent studies resulted in individuals with motor-complete
      SCI regaining some voluntary movements and standing in the presence of epidural
      stimulation. The level of success for locomotor training and epidural stimulation
      appears dependent on spinal networks maintaining the appropriate central state of
      excitability for the desired task. As these new advances in restorative therapies
      required an outcome measure that measured performance without compensation, the
      NRS was developed. The NRS has strong psychometric properties in adults, and a
      pediatric version is under development. Application of locomotor training in
      children is still novel. Preliminary evidence suggests that locomotor training
      can improve trunk control and also foster participation in children with chronic
      SCI. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: ABTs may effectively promote
      neuromuscular recovery and improve function and participation in adults and
      children post-SCI. Evaluation of outcomes with valid measures, such as the NRS,
      is necessary to document the ability to perform functional tasks and to assess
      progress as function improves.

PMID- 28628597
TI  - Integrating Health Promotion Into Physical Therapy Practice to Improve Brain
      Health and Prevent Alzheimer Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Alzheimer disease is the most common cause of dementia,
      and brain pathology appears years before symptoms are evident. Primary prevention
      through health promotion can incorporate lifestyle improvement across the
      lifespan. Risk factor assessment and identifying markers of disease might also
      trigger preventive measures needed for high-risk individuals and groups. SUMMARY
      OF KEY POINTS: Many potential risk factors are modifiable through exercise, and
      may be responsive to early intervention strategies to reduce the downward slope
      toward disability. Through the use of common clinical tests to identify cognitive
      and noncognitive functional markers of disease, detection and intervention can
      occur at earlier stages, including preclinical stages of disease. Physical
      activity and exercise interventions to address modifiable risk factors and
      impairments can play a pivotal role in the prevention and delay of functional
      decline, ultimately reducing the incidence of dementia. This article discusses
      prevention, prediction, plasticity, and participation in the context of
      preserving brain health and preventing Alzheimer disease and related dementias in
      aging adults. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Rehabilitation professionals
      have opportunities to slow disease progression through research, practice, and
      education initiatives. From a clinical perspective, interventions that target
      brain health through lifestyle changes and exercise interventions show promise
      for preventing stroke and associated neurovascular diseases in addition to
      dementia. Physical therapists are well positioned to integrate primary health
      promotion into practice for the prevention of dementia and other neurological
      conditions in older adults.

PMID- 28628598
TI  - Stepping Up to Rethink the Future of Rehabilitation: IV STEP Considerations and
      Inspirations.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The IV STEP conference challenged presenters and
      participants to consider the state of science in rehabilitation, highlighting key
      area of progress since the previous STEP conference related to prediction,
      prevention, plasticity, and participation in rehabilitation. KEY POINTS: Emerging
      from the thought-provoking discussions was recognition of the progress we have
      made as a profession and a call for future growth. In this summary article, we
      present a recap of the key points and call for action. We review the information
      presented and the field at large as it relates to the 4 Ps: prediction,
      prevention, plasticity, and participation. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Given
      that personalized medicine is an increasingly important approach that was clearly
      woven throughout the IV STEP presentations, we took the liberty of adding a fifth
      "P," Personalized, in our discussion of the future direction of the profession.

PMID- 28628596
TI  - From Disease to Health: Physical Therapy Health Promotion Practices for Secondary
      Prevention in Adult and Pediatric Neurologic Populations.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Over the last decade there has been a substantial
      increase in efforts to better understand how targeted physical activity and
      exercise interventions can be used to minimize secondary consequences arising
      from neurological damage in both adult and pediatric populations. This article
      offers an overview of contemporary research that addresses mediators of
      functional and neuroplastic adaptations associated with physical activity and
      exercise. We emphasize the important role that physical therapists can play to
      increase participation and improve well-being in adults and children with
      neurological disorders. We further highlight potential strategies to foster
      translation of evidence-based findings for use by clinicians and consumers.
      SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: Engagement in physical activity can serve as a powerful
      promoter of health and well-being in adults and youth with neurologic disease,
      and has the potential to alter the course of disease processes. Physical
      therapists can play a key role in promoting fitness and wellness by encouraging
      active living, providing early diagnosis of disease and prescribing targeted
      activity interventions to improve fitness and participation, and helping
      individuals overcome personal and environmental barriers to an active lifestyle.
      RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Physical therapists must adopt a model of
      rehabilitation that emphasizes secondary prevention in adults and youth with
      neurologic diseases. Physical therapists have a unique role in developing forward
      thinking approaches in using innovative health and wellness strategies to promote
      positive changes in activity and exercise behaviors.

PMID- 28628599
TI  - Combat casualty care research for the multidomain battlefield.

PMID- 28628600
TI  - Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and insulin-like growth factor-1
      protein levels after penetrating ballistic-like brain injury in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth
      factor-1 (IGF-1) are essential for neuroplasticity and neuronal survival. Despite
      the importance of these endogenous factors in mediating posttraumatic recovery,
      little is known about their response after penetrating type traumatic brain
      injury. The objective of this study was to quantify the expression levels BDNF
      and IGF-1, two well-known neuroplasticity mediators, after penetrating ballistic
      like brain injury (PBBI). METHODS: Rats were randomly assigned to receive
      unilateral sham or PBBI injuries. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and
      immunohistochemistry, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of BDNF and IGF-1
      expression at acute (1 hour, 6 hours, 1 day) and subacute (2, 3, 7, and 14 days)
      timepoints after injury. RESULTS: BDNF and IGF-1 expression was transiently
      upregulated in both cortex and hippocampus after PBBI. Although BDNF levels
      increased at acute timepoints, IGF-1 expression peaked at 3 days in cortical
      homogenates. Although there was loss of staining in cells bordering the cavity,
      increased BDNF and IGF-1 immunoreactivity was observed in scattered neurons away
      from the contusion site. Glial upregulation of both growth factors was observed
      at early timepoints in the hippocampus. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that
      PBBI results in a brief upregulation of BDNF and IGF-1 during early posttraumatic
      period, providing critical information for interventions aiming to enhance
      neuronal survival and brain plasticity.

PMID- 28628601
TI  - The Damage Control Surgery in Austere Environments Research Group (DCSAERG): A
      dynamic program to facilitate real-time telementoring/telediagnosis to address
      exsanguination in extreme and austere environments.
AB  - Hemorrhage is the most preventable cause of posttraumatic death. Many cases are
      potentially anatomically salvageable, yet remain lethal without logistics or
      trained personnel to deliver diagnosis or resuscitative surgery in austere
      environments. Revolutions in technology for remote mentoring of ultrasound and
      surgery may enhance capabilities to utilize the skill sets of non-physicians.
      Thus, our research collaborative explored remote mentoring to empower non
      physicians to address junctional and torso hemorrhage control in austere
      environments. Major studies involved using remote-telementored ultrasound (RTMUS)
      to identify torso and junctional exsanguination, remotely mentoring resuscitative
      surgery for torso hemorrhage control, understanding and mitigating physiological
      stress during such tasks, and the technical practicalities of conducting damage
      control surgery (DCS) in austere environments. Iterative projects involved
      randomized guiding of firefighters to identify torso (RCT) and junctional (pilot)
      hemorrhage using RTMUS, randomized remote mentoring of MedTechs conducting
      resuscitative surgery for torso exsanguination in an anatomically realistic
      surgical trainer ("Cut Suit") including physiological monitoring, and trained
      surgeons conducting a comparative randomized study for torso hemorrhage control
      in normal (1g) versus weightlessness (0g). This work demonstrated that
      firefighters could be remotely mentored to perform just-in-time torso RTMUS on a
      simulator. Both firefighters and mentors were confident in their abilities, the
      ultrasounds being 97% accurate. An ultrasound-naive firefighter in Memphis could
      also be remotely mentored from Hawaii to identify and subsequently tamponade an
      arterial junctional hemorrhage using RTMUS in a live tissue model. Thereafter,
      both mentored and unmentored MedTechs and trained surgeons completed
      resuscitative surgery for hemorrhage control on the Cut-Suit, demonstrating
      practicality for all involved. While remote mentoring did not decrease blood loss
      among MedTechs, it increased procedural confidence and decreased physiologic
      stress. Therefore, remote mentoring may increase the feasibility of non
      physicians conducting a psychologically daunting task. Finally, DCS in
      weightlessness was feasible without fundamental differences from 1g. Overall, the
      collective evidence suggests that remote mentoring supports diagnosis,
      noninvasive therapy, and ultimately resuscitative surgery to potentially rescue
      those exsanguinating in austere environments and should be more rigorously
      studied.

PMID- 28628602
TI  - Procoagulant activity of human mesenchymal stem cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show great potential for the
      treatment of military and civilian trauma based on their reduced immunogenicity
      and ability to modulate inflammation and immune function in the recipient.
      Although generally considered to be safe, MSCs express tissue factor (TF), a
      potent activator of coagulation. In the current study, we evaluated multiple MSC
      populations for tissue factor expression and procoagulant activity to
      characterize safety considerations for systemic use of MSCs in trauma patients
      who may have altered coagulation homeostasis. METHODS: Multiple MSC populations
      derived from either human adipose tissue or bone marrow were expanded in the
      recommended stem cell media. Stem cell identity was confirmed using a well
      characterized panel of positive and negative markers. Tissue factor expression on
      the cell surface was evaluated by flow cytometry with anti-CD142 antibody.
      Effects on blood coagulation were determined by thromboelastography and
      calibrated automated thrombogram assays using platelet-poor plasma or whole
      blood. RESULTS: Mesenchymal stem cells express tissue factor on their surfaces
      and are procoagulant in the presence of blood or plasma. The adipose-derived MSCs
      (Ad-MSC) evaluated were more procoagulant and expressed more tissue factor than
      bone marrow MSCs (BM-MSCs), which showed a greater variability in TF expression.
      Bone marrow MSCs were identified that exhibited low procoagulant activity,
      whereas all Ad-MSCs examined exhibited high procoagulant activity. The percentage
      of cells in a given population expressing surface tissue factor correlates
      roughly with functional procoagulant activity. Mesenchymal stem cell tissue
      factor expression and procoagulant activity change over time in culture.
      CONCLUSIONS: All MSC populations are not equivalent; care should be taken to
      select cells for clinical use that minimize potential safety problems and
      maximize chance of patient benefit. Adipose-derived MSCs seem more consistently
      procoagulant than BM-MSCs, presenting a potential safety concern for systemic
      administration in coagulopathic patients. Donor variation exists between
      different cell populations, and culture handling conditions may also determine
      coagulation activity. Cells must be routinely monitored during preparation to
      ensure that they retain the desired characteristics before patient
      administration.

PMID- 28628603
TI  - Field and en route resuscitative endovascular occlusion of the aorta: A feasible
      military reality?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe noncompressible torso hemorrhage remains a leading cause of
      potentially preventable death in modern military conflicts. Resuscitative
      endovascular occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has demonstrated potential as an
      effective adjunct to the treatment of noncompressible torso hemorrhage in the
      civilian early hospital and even prehospital settings-but the application of this
      technology for military prehospital use has not been well described. We aimed to
      assess the feasibility of both field and en route prehospital REBOA in the
      military exercise setting, simulating a modern armed conflict. METHODS: Two adult
      male Sus Scrofa underwent simulated junctional combat injury in the context of a
      planned military training exercise. Both underwent zone I REBOA in conjunction
      with standard tactical combat casualty care interventions-one during point of
      injury care and the other during en route flight care. Animals were sequentially
      evacuated to two separate forward surgical teams by rotary wing platform where
      the balloon position was confirmed by chest x-ray. Animals then underwent
      different damage control thoracic and abdominal procedures before euthanasia.
      RESULTS: The first swine underwent immediate successful REBOA at the point of
      injury 7 minutes and 30 seconds after the injury. It required 6 minutes total
      from initiation of procedure to effective aortic occlusion. Total occlusion time
      was 60 minutes. In the second animal, the REBOA placement procedure was initiated
      immediately after take off (17 minutes and 40 seconds after the injury). Although
      the movements and vibration of flight were not significant impediments, we only
      succeeded to put a 6-French (Fr) sheath into a femoral artery during the 14
      minutes flight due to lighting and visualization challenges. After the sheath had
      been upsized in the forward surgical team, the REBOA catheter was primarily
      placed in zone I followed by its replacement to zone III. Both animals survived
      to study completion and the termination of training. No complications were
      observed in either animal. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the potential
      feasibility of REBOA for use during tactical field and en route (flight) care of
      combat casualties. Further study is needed to determine the optimal training and
      utilization protocols required to facilitate the effective incorporation of REBOA
      into military prehospital care capabilities.

PMID- 28628604
TI  - Correlations of Complete Blood Count with Alanine and Aspartate Transaminase in
      Chinese Subjects and Prediction Based on Back-Propagation Artificial Neural
      Network (BP-ANN).
AB  - BACKGROUND The complete blood count (CBC) is the most common examination used to
      monitor overall health in clinical practice. Whether there is a relationship
      between CBC indexes and alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase
      (AST) has been unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study, 572 normal-weight and
      346 overweight Chinese subjects were recruited. The relationship between CBC
      indexes with ALT and AST were analyzed by Pearson and Spearman correlations
      according to their sex, then we conducted colinearity diagnostics and multiple
      linear regression (MLR) analysis. A prediction model was developed by a back
      propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN). RESULTS ALT was related to 4 CBC
      indexes in the male normal-weight group and 3 CBC indexes in the female group. In
      the overweight group, ALT had a similar relationship with the normal group, but
      there was only 1 index related with AST in the normal-weight group and male
      overweight groups. The ALT regression models were developed in normal-weight and
      overweight people, which had better correlation coefficient (R>0.3). After
      training 1000 epochs, the BP-ANN models of ALT achieved higher correlations than
      MLR models in normal-weight and overweight people. CONCLUSIONS ALT is a more
      suitable index than AST for developing a regression model. ALT can be predicted
      by CBC indexes in normal-weight and overweight individuals based on a BP-ANN
      model, which was better than MLR analysis.

PMID- 28628605
TI  - Corrigendum: Reevaluation of Performance of Electric Double-layer Capacitors from
      Constant-current Charge/Discharge and Cyclic Voltammetry.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep38568.

PMID- 28628606
TI  - Splicing stimulates siRNA formation at Drosophila DNA double-strand breaks.
AB  - DNA double-strand breaks trigger the production of locus-derived siRNAs in fruit
      flies, human cells and plants. At least in flies, their biogenesis depends on
      active transcription running towards the break. Since siRNAs derive from a double
      stranded RNA precursor, a major question is how broken DNA ends can generate
      matching sense and antisense transcripts. We performed a genome-wide RNAi-screen
      in cultured Drosophila cells, which revealed that in addition to DNA repair
      factors, many spliceosome components are required for efficient siRNA generation.
      We validated this observation through site-specific DNA cleavage with CRISPR-cas9
      followed by deep sequencing of small RNAs. DNA breaks in intron-less genes or
      upstream of a gene's first intron did not efficiently trigger siRNA production.
      When DNA double-strand breaks were induced downstream of an intron, however, this
      led to robust siRNA generation. Furthermore, a downstream break slowed down
      splicing of the upstream intron and a detailed analysis of siRNA coverage at the
      targeted locus revealed that unspliced pre-mRNA contributes the sense strand to
      the siRNA precursor. Since splicing factors are stimulating the response but
      unspliced transcripts are entering the siRNA biogenesis, the spliceosome is
      apparently stalled in a pre-catalytic state and serves as a signaling hub. We
      conclude that convergent transcription at DNA breaks is stimulated by a splicing
      dependent control process. The resulting double-stranded RNA is converted into
      siRNAs that instruct the degradation of cognate mRNAs. In addition to a potential
      role in DNA repair, the break-induced transcription may thus be a means to cull
      improper RNAs from the transcriptome of Drosophila melanogaster. Since the
      splicing factors identified in our screen also stimulated siRNA production from
      high copy transgenes, it is possible that this surveillance mechanism serves in
      genome defense beyond DNA double-strand breaks.

PMID- 28628607
TI  - Host gene expression analysis in Sri Lankan melioidosis patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Melioidosis is a life threatening infectious disease caused by the
      gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei predominantly found in southeast
      Asia and northern Australia. Studying the host transcription profiles in response
      to infection is crucial for understanding disease pathogenesis and correlates of
      disease severity, which may help improve therapeutic intervention and survival.
      The aim of this study was to analyze gene expression levels of human host factors
      in melioidosis patients and establish useful correlation with disease biomarkers,
      compared to healthy individuals and patients with sepsis caused by other
      pathogens. METHODS: The study population consisted of 30 melioidosis cases, 10
      healthy controls and 10 sepsis cases caused by other pathogens. Total RNA was
      extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC's) of study subjects.
      Gene expression profiles of 25 gene targets including 19 immune response genes
      and 6 epigenetic factors were analyzed by real time quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction (RT-qPCR). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Inflammatory response genes; TLR4, late
      onset inflammatory mediator HMGB1, genes associated with antigen presentation;
      MICB, PSMB2, PSMB8, PSME2, epigenetic regulators; DNMT3B, HDAC1, HDAC2 were
      significantly down regulated, whereas the anti-inflammatory gene; IL4 was up
      regulated in melioidosis patients compared to sepsis cases caused by other
      pathogens. Septicaemic melioidosis cases showed significant down regulation of
      IL8 compared to sepsis cases caused by other pathogens. HMGB1, MICB, PSMB8,
      PSMB2, PSME2, HDAC1, HDAC2 and DNMT3B showed consistent down regulation of gene
      expression in melioidosis patients compared to other sepsis infection,
      irrespective of comorbidities such as diabetes, duration of clinical symptoms and
      antibiotic treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: Specific immune response genes and epigenetic
      regulators are differentially expressed among melioidosis patients and patients
      with sepsis caused by other pathogens. Therefore, these genes may serve as
      biomarkers for disease diagnosis to distinguish melioidosis from cases of sepsis
      due to other infections and therapeutic intervention for melioidosis.

PMID- 28628610
TI  - Outcome of cardiac surgery in patients with congenital heart disease in England
      between 1997 and 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The number of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) is
      increasing worldwide and most of them will require cardiac surgery, once or more,
      during their lifetime. The total volume of cardiac surgery in CHD patients at a
      national level and the associated mortality and predictors of death associated
      with surgery are not known. We aimed to investigate the surgical volume and
      associated mortality in CHD patients in England. METHODS: Using a national
      hospital episode statistics database, we identified all CHD patients undergoing
      cardiac surgery in England between 1997 and 2015. RESULTS: We evaluated 57,293
      patients (median age 11.9years, 46.7% being adult, 56.7% female). There was a
      linear increase in the number of operations performed per year from 1,717 in 1997
      to 5,299 performed in 2014. The most common intervention at the last surgical
      event was an aortic valve procedure (9,276; 16.2%), followed by repair of atrial
      septal defect (9,154; 16.0%), ventricular septal defect (7,746; 13.5%), tetralogy
      of Fallot (3,523; 6.1%) and atrioventricular septal defect (3,330; 5.8%) repair.
      Associated mortality remained raised up to six months following cardiac surgery.
      Several parameters were predictive of post-operative mortality, including age,
      complexity of surgery, need for emergency surgery and socioeconomic status. The
      relationship of age with mortality was "U"-shaped, and mortality was highest
      amongst youngest children and adults above 60 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: The
      number of cardiac operations performed in CHD patients in England has been
      increasing, particularly in adults. Mortality remains raised up to 6-months after
      surgery and was highest amongst young children and seniors.

PMID- 28628608
TI  - TCP4-dependent induction of CONSTANS transcription requires GIGANTEA in
      photoperiodic flowering in Arabidopsis.
AB  - Photoperiod is one of the most reliable environmental cues for plants to regulate
      flowering timing. In Arabidopsis thaliana, CONSTANS (CO) transcription factor
      plays a central role in regulating photoperiodic flowering. In contrast to
      posttranslational regulation of CO protein, still little was known about CO
      transcriptional regulation. Here we show that the CINCINNATA (CIN) clade of class
      II TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1/ CYCLOIDEA/ PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN FACTOR
      (TCP) proteins act as CO activators. Our yeast one-hybrid analysis revealed that
      class II CIN-TCPs, including TCP4, bind to the CO promoter. TCP4 induces CO
      expression around dusk by directly associating with the CO promoter in vivo. In
      addition, TCP4 binds to another flowering regulator, GIGANTEA (GI), in the
      nucleus, and induces CO expression in a GI-dependent manner. The physical
      association of TCP4 with the CO promoter was reduced in the gi mutant, suggesting
      that GI may enhance the DNA-binding ability of TCP4. Our tandem affinity
      purification coupled with mass spectrometry (TAP-MS) analysis identified all
      class II CIN-TCPs as the components of the in vivo TCP4 complex, and the gi
      mutant did not alter the composition of the TCP4 complex. Taken together, our
      results demonstrate a novel function of CIN-TCPs as photoperiodic flowering
      regulators, which may contribute to coordinating plant development with flowering
      regulation.

PMID- 28628609
TI  - A multidimensional integration analysis reveals potential bridging targets in the
      process of colorectal cancer liver metastasis.
AB  - Approximately 9% of cancer-related deaths are caused by colorectal cancer. Liver
      metastasis is a major factor for the high colorectal cancer mortality rate.
      However, the molecular mechanism underlying colorectal cancer liver metastasis
      remains unclear. Using a global and multidimensional integration approach, we
      studied sequencing data, protein-protein interactions, and regulation of
      transcription factor and non-coding RNAs in primary tumor samples and liver
      metastasis samples to unveil the potential bridging molecules and the regulators
      that functionally link different stages of colorectal cancer liver metastasis.
      Primary tumor samples and liver metastasis samples had modules with significant
      overlap and crosstalk from which we identified several bridging genes (e.g. KNG1
      and COX5B), transcription factors (e.g. E2F4 and CDX2), microRNAs (e.g. miR-590
      3p and miR-203) and lncRNAs (e.g. lincIRX5 and lincFOXF1) that may play an
      important role in the process of colorectal cancer liver metastasis. This study
      enhances our understanding of the genetic alterations and transcriptional
      regulation that drive the metastatic process, but also provides the methodology
      to guide the studies on other metastatic cancers.

PMID- 28628611
TI  - Effects of salinity on gonadal development, osmoregulation and metabolism of
      adult male Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis.
AB  - As a catadromous species, salinity is a key parameter that affects gonadal
      development of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis during reproductive
      migration. It is however unclear the effects of salinity on the gonadal
      development of male E. sinensis as well as their physiological responses to
      salinity during reproductive migration. This study investigated the effects of
      four salinities (0 0/00, 6 0/00, 12 0/00 and 18 0/00) on gonadal development,
      osmoregulation and metabolism of adult male E. sinensis over a 40-day period. The
      results showed that elevating salinity promote gonadal development, increase
      hemolymph osmolality and K+ and Mg2+ concentrations (P < 0.05). The 12 0/00
      salinity resulted in the highest contents of taurine and arginine in the
      hemolymph while the highest contents of threonine, phenylalanine, lysine, beta
      alanine, tryptophan, ornithine and total free amino acids were found for 0 0/00
      treatment (P < 0.05). A decreasing trend was detected for the Na+/K+-ATPase
      activity and its mRNA expression level in the posterior gills with salinity (P <
      0.05). Total saturated fatty acids in the anterior gills decreased with
      increasing salinity (P < 0.05); the 0 0/00 treatment had the highest total
      polyunsaturated fatty acids in the posterior gills while total n-6
      polyunsaturated fatty acids increased with salinity (P < 0.05). The hemolymph
      glucose and uric acid showed a decreasing trend as salinity while an increasing
      trend was found for the hemolymph triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (P < 0.05). The 12 0/00 treatment had the highest levels of hemolymph
      malonaldehyde and hepatopancreatic gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (P < 0.05). In
      conclusion, these results suggested that the brackish water promote gonadal
      development of male E. sinensis, and increase osmolality and ionic concentrations
      in hemolymph while reduced the activity of Na+ /K+- ATPase and its mRNA
      expression in the posterior gills as well as metabolism.

PMID- 28628612
TI  - Novel interplay between JNK and Egfr signaling in Drosophila dorsal closure.
AB  - Dorsal closure (DC) is a developmental process in which two contralateral
      epithelial sheets migrate to seal a large hole in the dorsal ectoderm of the
      Drosophila embryo. Two signaling pathways act sequentially to orchestrate this
      dynamic morphogenetic process. First, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling
      activity in the dorsal-most leading edge (LE) cells of the epidermis induces
      expression of decapentaplegic (dpp). Second, Dpp, a secreted TGF-beta homolog,
      triggers cell shape changes in the adjacent, ventrally located lateral epidermis,
      that guide the morphogenetic movements and cell migration mandatory for DC. Here
      we uncover a cell non-autonomous requirement for the Epidermal growth factor
      receptor (Egfr) pathway in the lateral epidermis for sustained dpp expression in
      the LE. Specifically, we demonstrate that Egfr pathway activity in the lateral
      epidermis prevents expression of the gene scarface (scaf), encoding a secreted
      antagonist of JNK signaling. In embryos with compromised Egfr signaling,
      upregulated Scaf causes reduction of JNK activity in LE cells, thereby impeding
      completion of DC. Our results identify a new developmental role for Egfr
      signaling in regulating epithelial plasticity via crosstalk with the JNK pathway.

PMID- 28628613
TI  - Immunosuppressive and angiogenic cytokine profile associated with Bartonella
      bacilliformis infection in post-outbreak and endemic areas of Carrion's disease
      in Peru.
AB  - Analysis of immune responses in Bartonella bacilliformis carriers are needed to
      understand acquisition of immunity to Carrion's disease and may allow identifying
      biomarkers associated with bacterial infection and disease phases. Serum samples
      from 144 healthy subjects from 5 villages in the North of Peru collected in 2014
      were analyzed. Four villages had a Carrion's disease outbreak in 2013, and the
      other is a traditionally endemic area. Thirty cytokines, chemokines and growth
      factors were determined in sera by fluorescent bead-based quantitative suspension
      array technology, and analyzed in relation to available data on bacteremia
      quantified by RT-PCR, and IgM and IgG levels measured by ELISA against B.
      bacilliformis lysates. The presence of bacteremia was associated with low
      concentrations of HGF (p = 0.005), IL-15 (p = 0.002), IL-6 (p = 0.05), IP-10 (p =
      0.008), MIG (p = 0.03) and MIP-1alpha (p = 0.03). In multi-marker analysis, the
      same and further TH1-related and pro-inflammatory biomarkers were inversely
      associated with infection, whereas angiogenic chemokines and IL-10 were
      positively associated. Only EGF and eotaxin showed a moderate positive
      correlation with bacteremia. IgM seropositivity, which reflects a recent acute
      infection, was associated with lower levels of eotaxin (p = 0.05), IL-6 (p =
      0.001), and VEGF (p = 0.03). Only GM-CSF and IL-10 concentrations were positively
      associated with higher levels of IgM (p = 0.01 and p = 0.007). Additionally, IgG
      seropositivity and levels were associated with high levels of angiogenic markers
      VEGF (p = 0.047) and eotaxin (p = 0.006), respectively. Our findings suggest that
      B. bacilliformis infection causes immunosuppression, led in part by
      overproduction of IL-10. This immunosuppression probably contributes to the
      chronicity of asymptomatic infections favoring B. bacilliformis persistence in
      the host, allowing the subsequent transmission to the vector. In addition,
      angiogenic markers associated with bacteremia and IgG levels may be related to
      the induction of endothelial cell proliferation in cutaneous lesions during
      chronic infections, being possible candidate biomarkers of asymptomatic
      infections.

PMID- 28628615
TI  - Flipping chromosomes in deep-sea archaea.
AB  - One of the major mechanisms driving the evolution of all organisms is genomic
      rearrangement. In hyperthermophilic Archaea of the order Thermococcales, large
      chromosomal inversions occur so frequently that even closely related genomes are
      difficult to align. Clearly not resulting from the native homologous
      recombination machinery, the causative agent of these inversions has remained
      elusive. We present a model in which genomic inversions are catalyzed by the
      integrase enzyme encoded by a family of mobile genetic elements. We characterized
      the integrase from Thermococcus nautili plasmid pTN3 and showed that besides
      canonical site-specific reactions, it catalyzes low sequence specificity
      recombination reactions with the same outcome as homologous recombination events
      on DNA segments as short as 104bp both in vitro and in vivo, in contrast to other
      known tyrosine recombinases. Through serial culturing, we showed that the
      integrase-mediated divergence of T. nautili strains occurs at an astonishing
      rate, with at least four large-scale genomic inversions appearing within 60
      generations. Our results and the ubiquitous distribution of pTN3-like integrated
      elements suggest that a major mechanism of evolution of an entire order of
      Archaea results from the activity of a selfish mobile genetic element.

PMID- 28628614
TI  - LAMPhimerus: A novel LAMP assay for detecting Amphimerus sp. DNA in human stool
      samples.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amphimeriasis is a fish-borne disease caused by the liver fluke
      Amphimerus spp. that has recently been reported as endemic in the tropical
      Pacific side of Ecuador with a high prevalence in humans and domestic animals.
      The diagnosis is based on the stool examination to identify parasite eggs, but it
      lacks sensitivity. Additionally, the morphology of the eggs may be confounded
      with other liver and intestinal flukes. No immunological or molecular methods
      have been developed to date. New diagnostic techniques for specific and sensitive
      detection of Amphimerus spp. DNA in clinical samples are needed.
      METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A LAMP targeting a sequence of the Amphimerus sp.
      internal transcribed spacer 2 region was designed. Amphimerus sp. DNA was
      obtained from adult worms recovered from animals and used to optimize the
      molecular assays. Conventional PCR was performed using outer primers F3-B3 to
      verify the proper amplification of the Amphimerus sp. DNA target sequence. LAMP
      was optimized using different reaction mixtures and temperatures, and it was
      finally set up as LAMPhimerus. The specificity and sensitivity of both PCR and
      LAMP were evaluated. The detection limit was 1 pg of genomic DNA. Field testing
      was done using 44 human stool samples collected from localities where fluke is
      endemic. Twenty-five samples were microscopy positive for Amphimerus sp. eggs
      detection. In molecular testing, PCR F3-B3 was ineffective when DNA from fecal
      samples was used. When testing all human stool samples included in our study, the
      diagnostic parameters for the sensitivity and specificity were calculated for our
      LAMPhimerus assay, which were 76.67% and 80.77%, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We have developed and evaluated, for the first time, a
      specific and sensitive LAMP assay for detecting Amphimerus sp. in human stool
      samples. The procedure has been named LAMPhimerus method and has the potential to
      be adapted for field diagnosis and disease surveillance in amphimeriasis-endemic
      areas. Future large-scale studies will assess the applicability of this novel
      LAMP assay.

PMID- 28628616
TI  - Therapeutic administration of a recombinant human monoclonal antibody reduces the
      severity of chikungunya virus disease in rhesus macaques.
AB  - Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that causes a febrile
      syndrome in humans associated with acute and chronic debilitating joint and
      muscle pain. Currently no licensed vaccines or therapeutics are available to
      prevent or treat CHIKV infections. We recently isolated a panel of potently
      neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), one (4N12) of which exhibited
      prophylactic and post-exposure therapeutic activity against CHIKV in
      immunocompromised mice. Here, we describe the development of an engineered CHIKV
      mAb, designated SVIR001, that has similar antigen binding and neutralization
      profiles to its parent, 4N12. Because therapeutic administration of SVIR001 in
      immunocompetent mice significantly reduced viral load in joint tissues, we
      evaluated its efficacy in a rhesus macaque model of CHIKV infection. Rhesus
      macaques that were treated after infection with SVIR001 showed rapid elimination
      of viremia and less severe joint infiltration and disease compared to animals
      treated with SVIR002, an isotype control mAb. SVIR001 reduced viral burden at the
      site of infection and at distant sites and also diminished the numbers of
      activated innate immune cells and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and
      chemokines. SVIR001 therapy; however, did not substantively reduce the induction
      of CHIKV-specific B or T cell responses. Collectively, these results show
      promising therapeutic activity of a human anti-CHIKV mAb in rhesus macaques and
      provide proof-of-principle for its possible use in humans to treat active CHIKV
      infections.

PMID- 28628617
TI  - Comparative analysis of European bat lyssavirus 1 pathogenicity in the mouse
      model.
AB  - European bat lyssavirus 1 is responsible for most bat rabies cases in Europe.
      Although EBLV-1 isolates display a high degree of sequence identity, different
      sublineages exist. In individual isolates various insertions and deletions have
      been identified, with unknown impact on viral replication and pathogenicity. In
      order to assess whether different genetic features of EBLV-1 isolates correlate
      with phenotypic changes, different EBLV-1 variants were compared for
      pathogenicity in the mouse model. Groups of three mice were infected
      intracranially (i.c.) with 102 TCID50/ml and groups of six mice were infected
      intramuscularly (i.m.) with 105 TCID50/ml and 102 TCID50/ml as well as
      intranasally (i.n.) with 102 TCID50/ml. Significant differences in survival
      following i.m. inoculation with low doses as well as i.n. inoculation were
      observed. Also, striking variations in incubation periods following i.c.
      inoculation and i.m. inoculation with high doses were seen. Hereby, the clinical
      picture differed between general symptoms, spasms and aggressiveness depending on
      the inoculation route. Immunohistochemistry of mouse brains showed that the virus
      distribution in the brain depended on the inoculation route. In conclusion,
      different EBLV-1 isolates differ in pathogenicity indicating variation which is
      not reflected in studies of single isolates.

PMID- 28628618
TI  - Solving the influence maximization problem reveals regulatory organization of the
      yeast cell cycle.
AB  - The Influence Maximization Problem (IMP) aims to discover the set of nodes with
      the greatest influence on network dynamics. The problem has previously been
      applied in epidemiology and social network analysis. Here, we demonstrate the
      application to cell cycle regulatory network analysis for Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae. Fundamentally, gene regulation is linked to the flow of information.
      Therefore, our implementation of the IMP was framed as an information theoretic
      problem using network diffusion. Utilizing more than 26,000 regulatory edges from
      YeastMine, gene expression dynamics were encoded as edge weights using time
      lagged transfer entropy, a method for quantifying information transfer between
      variables. By picking a set of source nodes, a diffusion process covers a portion
      of the network. The size of the network cover relates to the influence of the
      source nodes. The set of nodes that maximizes influence is the solution to the
      IMP. By solving the IMP over different numbers of source nodes, an influence
      ranking on genes was produced. The influence ranking was compared to other
      metrics of network centrality. Although the top genes from each centrality
      ranking contained well-known cell cycle regulators, there was little agreement
      and no clear winner. However, it was found that influential genes tend to
      directly regulate or sit upstream of genes ranked by other centrality measures.
      The influential nodes act as critical sources of information flow, potentially
      having a large impact on the state of the network. Biological events that affect
      influential nodes and thereby affect information flow could have a strong effect
      on network dynamics, potentially leading to disease. Code and data can be found
      at: https://github.com/gibbsdavidl/miergolf.

PMID- 28628619
TI  - South African Ebola diagnostic response in Sierra Leone: A modular high biosafety
      field laboratory.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In August 2014, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases
      (NICD) in South Africa established a modular high-biosafety field Ebola
      diagnostic laboratory (SA FEDL) near Freetown, Sierra Leone in response to the
      rapidly increasing number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases. METHODS AND
      FINDINGS: The SA FEDL operated in the Western Area of Sierra Leone, which
      remained a "hotspot" of the EVD epidemic for months. The FEDL was the only
      diagnostic capacity available to respond to the overwhelming demand for rapid EVD
      laboratory diagnosis for several weeks in the initial stages of the EVD crisis in
      the capital of Sierra Leone. Furthermore, the NICD set out to establish local
      capacity amongst Sierra Leonean nationals in all aspects of the FEDL functions
      from the outset. This led to the successful hand-over of the FEDL to the Sierra
      Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation in March 2015. Between 25 August 2014 and
      22 June 2016, the laboratory tested 11,250 specimens mostly from the Western
      Urban and Western Rural regions of Sierra Leone, of which 2,379 (21.14%) tested
      positive for Ebola virus RNA. CONCLUSIONS: The bio-safety standards and the
      portability of the SA FEDL, offered a cost-effective and practical alternative
      for the rapid deployment of a field-operated high biocontainment facility. The SA
      FEDL teams demonstrated that it is highly beneficial to train the national staff
      in the course of formidable disease outbreak and accomplished their full
      integration into all operational and diagnostic aspects of the laboratory. This
      initiative contributed to the international efforts in bringing the EVD outbreak
      under control in Sierra Leone, as well as capacitating local African scientists
      and technologists to respond to diagnostic needs that might be required in future
      outbreaks of highly contagious pathogens.

PMID- 28628620
TI  - Prevalence and determinants of online-sex use in the German population.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The unlimited access to sexual features in the World Wide Web has
      raised concerns about excessive and problematic online-sex use. However, little
      is known about antecedents of internet-sex use of different intensity. Based on a
      representative German sample of 2,522 participants between the ages of 14 and 97
      years, the aims of the present study were (1) to determine the prevalence rates
      of online-sex users with the short version (ISSTGSV) of the Internet Sex
      Screening Test and (2) to associate online-sex use with anxious vs. avoidant
      partner attachment patterns and "Big Five" personality traits as potential
      antecedents. RESULTS: The ISST is a brief, one-dimensional and reliable measure
      of online-sex activities (rtt = .69). Overall, 14.7% of respondents reported
      occasional and 4.2% intensive online-sex use. In multivariate analysis, online
      sex use was significantly positively associated with male sex, younger age,
      unemployment and an anxious partner attachment pattern and negatively with
      conscientiousness and agreeableness. CONCLUSIONS: Arousal and satisfaction by
      virtual enactment of sexual phantasies may be attractive for anxiously attached
      persons who find it difficult to commit to a real life relationship due to fear
      of rejection or low self-esteem. More knowledge about the individual antecedents
      of intensive online-sex use may also be helpful for the development of
      consultation and treatment strategies for excessive and addictive online-sex use.

PMID- 28628621
TI  - Time course of VCAM-1 expression in reperfused myocardial infarction in swine and
      its relation to retention of intracoronary administered bone marrow-derived
      mononuclear cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear
      cells (BMMNC), after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), has been shown to improve
      myocardial function. However, therapeutic efficacy is limited, possibly because
      cell retention rates are low, suggesting that optimization of cell retention
      might increase therapeutic efficacy. Since retention of injected BMMNC is
      observed only within infarcted, but not remote, myocardium, we hypothesized that
      adhesion molecules on activated endothelium following reperfusion are essential.
      Consequently, we investigated the role of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM
      1) in BMMNC retention in swine undergoing reperfused AMI produced by 120 min of
      percutaneous left circumflex coronary occlusion. METHODS AND RESULTS: VCAM-1
      expression in the infarct and remote region was quantified at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 35
      days, post-reperfusion (n>=6 swine per group). Since expression levels were
      significantly higher at 3 days (2.41+/-0.62%) than at 7 days (0.98+/-0.28%;
      p<0.05), we compared the degree of cell retention at those time points in a
      follow-up study, in which an average of 43.106 autologous BMMNCs were infused
      intracoronary at 3, or 7 days, post-reperfusion (n = 6 swine per group) and
      retention was histologically quantified one hour after intracoronary infusion of
      autologous BMMNCs. Although VCAM-1 expression correlated with retention of BMMNC
      within each time point, overall BMMNC retention was similar at day 3 and day 7
      (2.3+/-1.3% vs. 3.1+/-1.4%, p = 0.72). This was not due to the composition of
      infused bone marrow cell fractions (analyzed with flow cytometry; n = 5 per
      group), as cell composition of the infused BMMNC fractions was similar.
      CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that VCAM-1 expression influences to a small
      degree, but is not the principal determinant of, BMMNC retention.

PMID- 28628622
TI  - Urinary catheter-associated microbiota change in accordance with treatment and
      infection status.
AB  - The use of long-term catheterisation to manage insensate bladders, often
      associated with spinal cord injury (SCI), increases the risk of microbial
      colonisation and infection of the urinary tract. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is
      typically diagnosed and treated based on the culturing of organisms from the
      urine, although this approach overlooks low titer, slow growing and non
      traditional pathogens. Here, we present an investigation of the urinary tract
      microbiome in catheterised SCI individuals, using T-RFLP and metagenomic
      sequencing of the microbial community. We monitored three neurogenic patients
      over a period of 12 months, who were part of a larger study investigating the
      efficacy of probiotics in controlling UTIs, to determine how their urinary tract
      microbial community composition changed over time and in relation to probiotic
      treatment regimens. Bacterial biofilms adherent to urinary catheters were
      examined as a proxy for bladder microbes. The microbial community composition of
      the urinary tract differed significantly between individuals. Probiotic therapy
      resulted in a significant change in the microbial community associated with the
      catheters. The community also changed as a consequence of UTI and this shift in
      community composition preceded the clinical diagnosis of infection. Changes in
      the microbiota due to probiotic treatment or infection were transient, resolving
      to microbial communities similar to their pre-treatment communities, suggesting
      that the native community was highly resilient. Based on these results, we
      propose that monitoring a patient's microbial community can be used to track the
      health of chronically catheterized patients and thus, can be used as part of a
      health-status monitoring program.

PMID- 28628623
TI  - Use of the DEKA Arm for amputees with brachial plexus injury: A case series.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Patients with upper limb amputation and brachial plexus injuries have
      high rates of prosthesis rejection. Study purpose is to describe experiences of
      subjects with transhumeral amputation and brachial plexus injury, who were fit
      with, and trained to use, a DEKA Arm. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods study
      utilizing qualitative (e.g. interview, survey) and quantitative data (e.g. self
      report and performance measures). Subject 1, a current prosthesis user, had a
      shoulder arthrodesis. Subject 2, not a prosthesis user, had a subluxed shoulder.
      Both were trained in laboratory and participated in a trial of home use.
      Descriptive analyses of processes and outcomes were conducted. RESULTS: Subject 1
      was fitted with the transhumeral configuration (HC) DEKA Arm using a compression
      release stabilized socket. He had 12 hours of prosthetic training and
      participated in all home study activities. Subject 1 had improved dexterity and
      prosthetic satisfaction with the DEKA Arm and reported better quality of life
      (QOL) at the end of participation. Subject 2 was fit with the shoulder
      configuration (SC) DEKA Arm using a modified X-frame socket. He had 30 hours of
      training and participated in 3 weeks of home activities. He reported less
      functional disability at the end of training as compared to baseline, but
      encountered personal problems and exacerbation of PTSD symptoms and withdrew from
      home use portion at 3 weeks. Both subjects reported functional benefits from use,
      and expressed a desire to receive a DEKA Arm in the future. DISCUSSION: This
      paper reported on two different strategies for prosthetic fitting and their
      outcomes. The advantages and limitations of each approach were discussed.
      CONCLUSION: Use of both the HC and SC DEKA Arm for patients with TH amputation
      and brachial plexus injury was reported. Lessons learned may be instructive to
      clinicians considering prosthetic choices for future cases.

PMID- 28628624
TI  - Heterogeneity of miRNA expression in localized prostate cancer with
      clinicopathological correlations.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the last decade microRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely investigated
      in prostate cancer (PCa) and have shown to be promising biomarkers in diagnostic,
      prognostic and predictive settings. However, tumor heterogeneity may influence
      miRNA expression. The aims of this study were to assess the impact of tumor
      heterogeneity, as demonstrated by a panel of selected miRNAs in PCa, and to
      correlate miRNA expression with risk profile and patient outcome. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Prostatectomy specimens and matched, preoperative needle biopsies from a
      retrospective cohort of 49 patients, who underwent curatively intended surgery
      for localized PCa, were investigated with a panel of 6 miRNAs (miRNA-21, miRNA
      34a, miRNA-125b, miRNA-126, miRNA-143, and miRNA-145) using tissue micro-array
      (TMA) and in situ hybridization (ISH). Inter- and intra-patient variation was
      assessed using intra-class correlation (ICC). RESULTS: Four miRNAs (miRNA-21,
      miRNA-34a, miRNA-125, and miRNA-126) were significantly upregulated in PCa
      compared to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and except for miRNA-21 these
      miRNAs documented a positive correlation between the expression level in PCa
      cores and their matched BPH cores, (r > 0.72). The ICC varied from 0.451 to
      0.764, with miRNA-34a showing an intra-tumoral heterogeneity accounting for less
      than 50% of the total variation. Regarding clinicopathological outcomes, only
      miRNA-143 showed potential as a prognostic marker with a higher expression
      correlating with longer relapse-free survival (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: The
      present study documents significant upregulation of the expression of miRNA-21,
      miRNA-34a, miRNA-125, and miRNA-126 in PCa compared to BPH and suggests a
      possible prognostic value associated with the expression of miRNA-143. The
      results, however, document intra-tumoral heterogeneity in the expression of
      various miRNAs calling for caution when using these tumor tissue biomarkers in
      prognostic and predictive settings.

PMID- 28628625
TI  - Neural progenitor cell proliferation in the hypothalamus is involved in acquired
      heat tolerance in long-term heat-acclimated rats.
AB  - Constant exposure to moderate heat facilitates progenitor cell proliferation and
      neuronal differentiation in the hypothalamus of heat-acclimated (HA) rats. In
      this study, we investigated neural phenotype and responsiveness to heat in HA
      rats' hypothalamic newborn cells. Additionally, the effect of hypothalamic
      neurogenesis on heat acclimation in rats was evaluated. Male Wistar rats (5 weeks
      old) were housed at an ambient temperature (Ta) of 32 degrees C for 6 days (STHA)
      or 40 days (LTHA), while control (CN) rats were kept at a Ta of 24 degrees C for
      6 days (STCN) or 40 days (LTCN). Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was intraperitoneally
      injected daily for five consecutive days (50 mg/kg/day) after commencing heat
      exposure. The number of hypothalamic BrdU-immunopositive (BrdU+) cells in STHA
      and LTHA rats was determined immunohistochemically in brain samples and found to
      be significantly greater than those in respective CN groups. In LTHA rats,
      approximately 32.6% of BrdU+ cells in the preoptic area (POA) of the anterior
      hypothalamus were stained by GAD67, a GABAergic neuron marker, and 15.2% of BrdU+
      cells were stained by the glutamate transporter, a glutamatergic neuron marker.
      In addition, 63.2% of BrdU+ cells in the POA were immunolabeled with c-Fos.
      Intracerebral administration of the mitosis inhibitor, cytosine arabinoside
      (AraC), interfered with the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and acquired
      heat tolerance in LTHA rats, whereas the selected ambient temperature was not
      changed. These results demonstrate that heat exposure generates heat responsive
      neurons in the POA, suggesting a pivotal role in autonomic thermoregulation in
      long-term heat-acclimated rats.

PMID- 28628626
TI  - Is normal-tension glaucoma a risk factor for stroke?-A 10-year follow-up study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG)
      have a higher incidence of stroke. DESIGN: A population-based retrospective
      cohort study based on data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research
      Database (NHIRD) from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2010. METHODS: Data were
      retrospectively collected from the NHIRD. A total of 245 (20.1%) patients with a
      history of stroke at the time of glaucoma diagnosis were excluded, and 1,218
      patients with NTG who were 20 years of age and older were identified. Patients'
      age, gender and pre-existing comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes,
      congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation and
      disorders of lipid metabolism, were recorded. The propensity score method with a
      1:5 matching ratio was used to minimize selection bias. Cox regression with
      robust variance estimation was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of
      developing stroke between the NTG and control groups. RESULTS: After adjusting
      for patient age, gender, and pre-existing comorbidities, the HR was 6.34,
      indicating that the incidence of stroke was significantly higher in patients with
      NTG than in controls. Furthermore, a higher risk of stroke was also found in most
      subgroups with the above-mentioned comorbidities. CONCLUSION: NTG is a
      significant risk factor for subsequent stroke in most of the described
      comorbidity subgroups. Early interventions for stroke prevention should be
      provided to newly diagnosed patients with NTG.

PMID- 28628627
TI  - The current status of phlebotomine sand flies in Albania and incrimination of
      Phlebotomus neglectus (Diptera, Psychodidae) as the main vector of Leishmania
      infantum.
AB  - The incidence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in Albania is higher than in other
      countries of southern Europe, however the role of local sand fly species in the
      transmission of Leishmania infantum was not addressed conclusively. In 2006, a
      country-wide collection of sand flies performed in 14 sites selected based on
      recent occurrence of VL cases showed that Phlebotomus neglectus was by far the
      most prevalent species (95.6%). Furthermore, 15% of pools made from 422 P.
      neglectus females tested positive for Leishmania sp. genomic DNA. In the same
      year, Culicoides trapping was performed for bluetongue disease surveillance in 91
      sites of southern Albania, targeting livestock farms regardless recent occurrence
      of VL in the surveyed areas. In 35 sites where sand flies were collected along
      with midges, Phlebotomus perfiliewi was the most prevalent among the Phlebotomus
      species identified, however search for leishmanial DNA in females of this species
      was unsuccessful. In 2011, sand flies were trapped in 4 sites of north Albania
      characterized by high VL incidence, and females were dissected to search for
      Leishmania infections. Both P. neglectus and P. tobbi were collected at high
      densities. Two positive specimens were detected from a sample of 64 P. neglectus
      trapped in one site (3.1%). Parasites were successfully cultured from one
      specimen and characterized as belonging to Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-1,
      the only zymodeme so far identified as the agent of human and canine
      leishmaniasis in the country. Altogether our studies indicate that P. neglectus
      is the main leishmaniasis vector in Albania.

PMID- 28628629
TI  - Understanding mSOS: A qualitative study examining the implementation of a text
      messaging outbreak alert system in rural Kenya.
AB  - Outbreaks of epidemic diseases pose serious public health risks. To overcome the
      hurdles of sub-optimal disease surveillance reporting from the health facilities
      to relevant authorities, the Ministry of Health in Kenya piloted mSOS (mobile SMS
      based disease outbreak alert system) in 2013-2014. In this paper, we report the
      results of the qualitative study, which examined factors that influence the
      performances of mSOS implementation. In-depth interviews were conducted with 11
      disease surveillance coordinators and 32 in-charges of rural health facilities
      that took part in the mSOS intervention. Drawing from the framework analysis,
      dominant themes that emerged from the interviews are presented. All participants
      voiced their excitement in using mSOS. The results showed that the technology was
      well accepted, easy to use, and both health workers and managers unanimously
      recommended the scale-up of the system despite challenges encountered in the
      implementation processes. The most challenging components were the context in
      which mSOS was implemented, including the lack of strong existing structure for
      continuous support supervision, feedback and response action related to disease
      surveillance. The study revealed broader health systems issues that should be
      addressed prior to and during the intervention scale-up.

PMID- 28628630
TI  - Bird sound spectrogram decomposition through Non-Negative Matrix Factorization
      for the acoustic classification of bird species.
AB  - Feature extraction for Acoustic Bird Species Classification (ABSC) tasks has
      traditionally been based on parametric representations that were specifically
      developed for speech signals, such as Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC).
      However, the discrimination capabilities of these features for ABSC could be
      enhanced by accounting for the vocal production mechanisms of birds, and, in
      particular, the spectro-temporal structure of bird sounds. In this paper, a new
      front-end for ABSC is proposed that incorporates this specific information
      through the non-negative decomposition of bird sound spectrograms. It consists of
      the following two different stages: short-time feature extraction and temporal
      feature integration. In the first stage, which aims at providing a better
      spectral representation of bird sounds on a frame-by-frame basis, two methods are
      evaluated. In the first method, cepstral-like features (NMF_CC) are extracted by
      using a filter bank that is automatically learned by means of the application of
      Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) on bird audio spectrograms. In the second
      method, the features are directly derived from the activation coefficients of the
      spectrogram decomposition as performed through NMF (H_CC). The second stage
      summarizes the most relevant information contained in the short-time features by
      computing several statistical measures over long segments. The experiments show
      that the use of NMF_CC and H_CC in conjunction with temporal integration
      significantly improves the performance of a Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based
      ABSC system with respect to conventional MFCC.

PMID- 28628628
TI  - Transcriptional mechanisms associated with seed dormancy and dormancy loss in the
      gibberellin-insensitive sly1-2 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - While widespread transcriptome changes were previously observed with seed
      dormancy loss, this study specifically characterized transcriptional changes
      associated with the increased seed dormancy and dormancy loss of the gibberellin
      (GA) hormone-insensitive sleepy1-2 (sly1-2) mutant. The SLY1 gene encodes the F
      box subunit of an SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase needed for GA-triggered proteolysis of
      DELLA repressors of seed germination. DELLA overaccumulation in sly1-2 seeds
      leads to increased dormancy that can be rescued without DELLA protein destruction
      either by overexpression of the GA receptor, GA-INSENSITIVE DWARF1b (GID1b-OE)
      (74% germination) or by extended dry after-ripening (11 months, 51% germination).
      After-ripening of sly1 resulted in different transcriptional changes in early
      versus late Phase II of germination that were consistent with the processes known
      to occur. Approximately half of the transcriptome changes with after-ripening
      appear to depend on SLY1-triggered DELLA proteolysis. Given that many of these
      SLY1/GA-dependent changes are genes involved in protein translation, it appears
      that GA signaling increases germination capacity in part by activating
      translation. While sly1-2 after-ripening was associated with transcript-level
      changes in 4594 genes over two imbibition timepoints, rescue of sly1-2
      germination by GID1b-OE was associated with changes in only 23 genes. Thus, a big
      change in sly1-2 germination phenotype can occur with relatively little change in
      the global pattern of gene expression during the process of germination. Most
      GID1b-OE-responsive transcripts showed similar changes with after-ripening in
      early Phase II of imbibition, but opposite changes with after-ripening by late
      Phase II. This suggests that GID1b-OE stimulates germination early in imbibition,
      but may later trigger negative feedback regulation.

PMID- 28628631
TI  - Computational explanation for bioactivation mechanism of targeted anticancer
      agents mediated by cytochrome P450s: A case of Erlotinib.
AB  - EGFR inhibitors, even with therapeutics superiorities in anticancer, can cause
      idiosyncratic pulmonary and hepatic toxicities that are associated with the
      reactive electrophile bioactivated by Cytochrome P450s (P450s). Until now,
      neither has the electrophilic intermediate been caught experimentally, nor has
      the subtle mechanism been declared. Herein, the underlying mechanism of
      bioactivation mediated by P450s was explored by DFT calculations for a case of
      EGFR inhibitor, Erlotinib. Based on the calculation and analysis, we suggest that
      with other metabolites, reactive electrophiles of Erlotinib: epoxide and quinine
      imine, can be generated by several steps along the oxidative reaction pathway.
      The generation of epoxide needs two steps: (1) the addition of Erlotinib to
      Compound I (Cpd I) and (2) the rearrangement of protons. Whereas, quinine-imine
      needs a further oxidation step (3) via which quinone is generated and ultimately
      turns into quinine-imine. Although both reactive electrophiles can be produced
      for either face-on or side-on pose of Erlotinib, the analysis of energy barriers
      indicates that the side-on path is preferred in solvent environment. In the rate
      determining step, e.g. the addition of Erlotinib to the porphyrin, the reaction
      barrier for side-on conformation is decreased in aqueous and protein environment
      compared with gas phase, whereas, the barrier for face-on pose is increased in
      solvent environment. The simulated mechanism is in good agreement with the
      speculation in previous experiment. The understanding of the subtle mechanism of
      bioactivation of Erlotinib will provide theoretical support for toxicological
      mechanism of EGFR inhibitors.

PMID- 28628632
TI  - Increasing procaspase 8 expression using repurposed drugs to induce HIV infected
      cell death in ex vivo patient cells.
AB  - HIV persists because a reservoir of latently infected CD4 T cells do not express
      viral proteins and are indistinguishable from uninfected cells. One approach to
      HIV cure suggests that reactivating HIV will activate cytotoxic pathways; yet
      when tested in vivo, reactivating cells do not die sufficiently to reduce cell
      associated HIV DNA levels. We recently showed that following reactivation from
      latency, HIV infected cells generate the HIV specific cytotoxic protein Casp8p41
      which is produced by HIV protease cleaving procaspase 8. However, cell death is
      prevented, possibly due to low procaspase 8 expression. Here, we tested whether
      increasing procaspase 8 levels in CD4 T cells will produce more Casp8p41
      following HIV reactivation, causing more reactivated cells to die. Screening 1277
      FDA approved drugs identified 168 that increased procaspase 8 expression by at
      least 1.7-fold. Of these 30 were tested for anti-HIV effects in an acute HIVIIIb
      infection model, and 9 drugs at physiologic relevant levels significantly reduced
      cell-associated HIV DNA. Primary CD4 T cells from ART suppressed HIV patients
      were treated with one of these 9 drugs and reactivated with alphaCD3/alphaCD28.
      Four drugs significantly increased Casp8p41 levels following HIV reactivation,
      and decreased total cell associated HIV DNA levels (flurbiprofen: p = 0.014;
      doxycycline: p = 0.044; indomethacin: p = 0.025; bezafibrate: P = 0.018) without
      effecting the viability of uninfected cells. Thus procaspase 8 levels can be
      increased pharmacologically and, in the context of HIV reactivation, increase
      Casp8p41 causing death of reactivating cells and decreased HIV DNA levels. Future
      studies will be required to define the clinical utility of this or similar
      approaches.

PMID- 28628633
TI  - Pro-inflammatory immune responses are associated with clinical signs and symptoms
      of human anaplasmosis.
AB  - Human anaplasmosis (HA) is an emerging tick-borne disease that may present as a
      mild flu-like illness or a life threatening, sepsis-like condition. Although
      disease severity is hypothesized to relate to immunopathology and immune
      dysfunction in humans, studies to directly measure immune responses in infected
      humans have been very limited. We quantified cytokines in 80 confirmed HA
      patients using a multiplex chemiluminescence immunoassay system and compared
      similarly measured responses in 1000 control subjects. Pro-inflammatory cytokines
      were significantly elevated in HA patients (all seven p<0.0001). Interferon gamma
      (IFN-gamma) concentrations were particularly high, with average concentrations
      7.8 times higher in the HA patients than the controls. A subset of cytokines
      consisting of IL-1beta, IL-8, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 was also coordinately
      high and significantly associated with severity of thrombocytopenia in HA
      patients. Patients with infections in the very acute stage (<= 4 days ill) tended
      to have the highest IFN-gamma, IL-12p70, and IL-2 levels. Higher concentrations
      of IL-13 and IL-5 were associated with diarrhea and vomiting. Our findings
      support a pathophysiological role for a pro-inflammatory response in HA,
      especially with regard to the modulation of hematopoiesis and subsequent
      hematopoietic complications.

PMID- 28628634
TI  - Protein signature in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of Alzheimer's disease
      patients: The case of apolipoprotein A-1 proteoforms.
AB  - In the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) total tau (T-tau), tau
      phosphorylated at threonine 181 (P-tau181), and the 42 amino acid isoform of
      alpha beta-amyloid (Abeta) are well established surrogate CSF markers. However,
      there is a constant need for new diagnostic markers to identify the disease at a
      very early stage. The identification of new molecules for AD diagnosis and
      monitoring in CSF is hampered by several "confounding" factors including intra-
      and inter-individual, pre-analytical and analytical variabilities. In an attempt
      to partially overcome patient's variability and to determine new molecules
      significantly dysregulated in CSF, we assessed the proteome profile of low
      molecular weight protein species in CSF and serum of the same patients. CSFs and
      sera from 36 ADs, 32 iNPHs (idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus) and 12
      controls were compared by MALDI profiling (non-parametric statistics, CV<20%,
      AUC>0.750). After protein identification by mass spectrometry, the proteoform
      composition was assessed by 2-D DIGE/MS. Results indicated that CSF of iNPH can
      be used as control. Serum and CSF of AD patients shows a specific protein profile
      compared to iNPH samples. A variation (p<0.01) of Apo A-1 levels in AD, together
      with a specific dysregulation of Apo A-1 proteoforms was observed. The profiling
      of CSF and serum of the same patients, suggests that the decrement of total Apo A
      1 occurs specifically in CSF. Serum and CSF of AD shows a characteristic Apo A-1
      proteoform pattern suggesting it as potential marker which can support the
      clinical workflow adopted for AD diagnosis and progression.

PMID- 28628635
TI  - Cross-resistance and synergism bioassays suggest multiple mechanisms of
      pyrethroid resistance in western corn rootworm populations.
AB  - Recently, resistance to the pyrethroid bifenthrin was detected and confirmed in
      field populations of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera
      LeConte from southwestern areas of Nebraska and Kansas. As a first step to
      understand potential mechanisms of resistance, the objectives of this study were
      i) to assess adult mortality at diagnostic concentration-LC99 to the pyrethroids
      bifenthrin and tefluthrin as well as DDT, ii) estimate adult and larval
      susceptibility to the same compounds as well as the organophosphate methyl
      parathion, and iii) perform synergism experiments with piperonyl butoxide (PBO)
      (P450 inhibitor) and S,S,S-tributyl-phosphorotrithioate (DEF) (esterase
      inhibitor) in field populations. Most of the adult field populations exhibiting
      some level of bifenthrin resistance exhibited significantly lower mortality to
      both pyrethroids and DDT than susceptible control populations at the estimated
      LC99 of susceptible populations. Results of adult dose-mortality bioassays also
      revealed elevated LC50 values for bifenthrin resistant populations compared to
      the susceptible control population with resistance ratios ranging from 2.5 to 5.5
      fold for bifenthrin, 28 to 54.8-fold for tefluthrin, and 16.3 to 33.0 for DDT.
      These bioassay results collectively suggest some level of cross-resistance
      between the pyrethroids and DDT. In addition, both PBO and DEF reduced the
      resistance ratios for resistant populations although there was a higher reduction
      in susceptibility of adults exposed to PBO versus DEF. Susceptibility in larvae
      varied among insecticides and did not correlate with adult susceptibility to
      tefluthrin and DDT, as most resistance ratios were < 5-fold when compared to the
      susceptible population. These results suggest that both detoxifying enzymes and
      target site insensitivity might be involved as resistance mechanisms.

PMID- 28628636
TI  - Weight change across the start of three consecutive pregnancies and the risk of
      maternal morbidity and SGA birth at the second and third pregnancy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Weight-change across parities and/or current BMI may influence
      maternal and fetal morbidity and requires to be differentiated to better inform
      weight-management guidance. METHODS: Direction, pattern and magnitude of weight
      change across three consecutive parities and thereby two inter-pregnancy periods
      was described in 5079 women. The association between inter-pregnancy weight
      change versus current BMI and adverse maternal events, SGA-birth and preterm
      delivery at second and third pregnancy were investigated by logistic regression.
      RESULTS: More women gained weight across the defined childbearing period than
      lost it, with ~35% of normal and overweight women gaining sufficient weight to
      move up a BMI-category. Nine patterns of weight-change were defined across two
      inter-pregnancy periods and 50% of women remained weight-stable throughout
      (within 2BMI units/period). Women who were overweight/obese at first pregnancy
      had higher risk of substantial weight-gain and loss (>10kg) during each of two
      inter-pregnancy periods. Inter-pregnancy weight-gain (> 2BMI units) between first
      and second pregnancy increased the risk of maternal morbidity (1or more event of
      hypertensive disease, caesarean-section, thromboembolism) at second pregnancy,
      while weight-loss (>2BMI units) increased the risk of SGA-birth. Similarly,
      increased risk of maternal morbidity at the third pregnancy was influenced by
      weight-gain during both inter-pregnancy periods but not by current BMI-category.
      Both weight-gain between first and second pregnancy, and being overweight/obese
      by third pregnancy protected the fetus against SGA-birth whereas weight-loss
      between second and third pregnancy doubled the SGA risk. CONCLUSION: Half the
      women studied exhibited significant weight-fluctuations. This influenced their
      risk of maternal morbidity and SGA-birth at second and third pregnancy.

PMID- 28628637
TI  - Survival, bacterial clearance and thrombocytopenia are improved in polymicrobial
      sepsis by targeting nuclear transport shuttles.
AB  - The rising tide of sepsis, a leading cause of death in the US and globally, is
      not adequately controlled by current antimicrobial therapies and supportive
      measures, thereby requiring new adjunctive treatments. Severe microvascular
      injury and multiple organ failure in sepsis are attributed to a "genomic storm"
      resulting from changes in microbial and host genomes encoding virulence factors
      and endogenous inflammatory mediators, respectively. This storm is mediated by
      stress-responsive transcription factors that are ferried to the nucleus by
      nuclear transport shuttles importins/karyopherins. We studied the impact of
      simultaneously targeting two of these shuttles, importin alpha 5 (Imp alpha5) and
      importin beta 1 (Imp beta1), with a cell-penetrating Nuclear Transport Modifier
      (NTM) in a mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis. NTM reduced nuclear import of
      stress-responsive transcription factors nuclear factor kappa B, signal transducer
      and activator of transcription 1 alpha, and activator protein 1 in liver, which
      was also protected from sepsis-associated metabolic changes. Strikingly, NTM
      without antimicrobial therapy improved bacterial clearance in blood, spleen, and
      lungs, wherein a 700-fold reduction in bacterial burden was achieved while
      production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in blood plasma was
      suppressed. Furthermore, NTM significantly improved thrombocytopenia, a prominent
      sign of microvascular injury in sepsis, inhibited neutrophil infiltration in the
      liver, decreased L-selectin, and normalized plasma levels of E-selectin and P
      selectin, indicating reduced microvascular injury. Importantly, NTM combined with
      antimicrobial therapy extended the median time to death from 42 to 83 hours and
      increased survival from 30% to 55% (p = 0.022) as compared to antimicrobial
      therapy alone. This study documents the fundamental role of nuclear signaling
      mediated by Imp alpha5 and Imp beta1 in the mechanism of polymicrobial sepsis and
      highlights the potential for targeting nuclear transport as an adjunctive therapy
      in sepsis management.

PMID- 28628638
TI  - Temperature and concentration calibration of aqueous polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)
      solutions for isotropic diffusion MRI phantoms.
AB  - To use the "apparent diffusion coefficient" (Dapp) as a quantitative imaging
      parameter, well-suited test fluids are essential. In this study, the previously
      proposed aqueous solutions of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) were examined and
      temperature calibrations were obtained. For example, at a temperature of 20
      degrees C, Dapp ranged from 1.594 (95% CI: 1.593, 1.595) MUm2/ms to 0.3326 (95%
      CI: 0. 3304, 0.3348) MUm2/ms for PVP-concentrations ranging from 10% (w/w) to 50%
      (w/w) using K30 polymer lengths. The temperature dependence of Dapp was found to
      be so strong that a negligence seems not advisable. The temperature dependence is
      descriptively modelled by an exponential function exp(c2 (T - 20 degrees C)) and
      the determined c2 values are reported, which can be used for temperature
      calibration. For example, we find the value 0.02952 K-1 for 30% (w/w) PVP
      concentration and K30 polymer length. In general, aqueous PVP solutions were
      found to be suitable to produce easily applicable and reliable Dapp-phantoms.

PMID- 28628640
TI  - Birds of a feather flock together: Insights into starling murmuration behaviour
      revealed using citizen science.
AB  - Pre-roost murmuration displays by European starlings Sturnus vulgaris are a
      spectacular example of collective animal behaviour. To date, empirical research
      has focussed largely on flock movement and biomechanics whereas research on
      possible causal mechanisms that affect flock size and murmuration duration has
      been limited and restricted to a small number of sites. Possible explanations for
      this behaviour include reducing predation through the dilution, detection or
      predator confusion effects (the "safer together" hypotheses) or recruiting more
      birds to create larger (warmer) roosts (the "warmer together" hypothesis). We
      collected data on size, duration, habitat, temperature and predators from >3,000
      murmurations using citizen science. Sightings were submitted from 23 countries
      but UK records predominated. Murmurations occurred across a range of habitats but
      there was no association between habitat and size/duration. Size increased
      significantly from October to early February, followed by a decrease until the
      end of the season in March (overall mean 30,082 birds; maximum 750,000 birds).
      Mean duration was 26 minutes (+/- 44 seconds SEM). Displays were longest at the
      start/end of the season, probably due to a significant positive relationship with
      day length. Birds of prey were recorded at 29.6% of murmurations. The presence of
      predators including harrier Circus, peregrine Falco peregrinus, and sparrowhawk
      Accipiter nisus was positively correlated with murmuration size (R2 = 0.401) and
      duration (R2 = 0.258), especially when these species were flying near to, or
      actively engaging with, starlings. Temperature was negatively correlated with
      duration but the effect was much weaker than that of day length. When predators
      were present, murmurations were statistically more likely to end with all birds
      going down en masse to roost rather than dispersing from the site. Our findings
      suggest that starling murmurations are primarily an anti-predator adaptation
      rather than being undertaken to attract larger numbers of individuals to increase
      roost warmth.

PMID- 28628639
TI  - Small molecule inhibitors uncover synthetic genetic interactions of human flap
      endonuclease 1 (FEN1) with DNA damage response genes.
AB  - Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is a structure selective endonuclease required for
      proficient DNA replication and the repair of DNA damage. Cellularly active
      inhibitors of this enzyme have previously been shown to induce a DNA damage
      response and, ultimately, cell death. High-throughput screens of human cancer
      cell-lines identify colorectal and gastric cell-lines with microsatellite
      instability (MSI) as enriched for cellular sensitivity to N-hydroxyurea series
      inhibitors of FEN1, but not the PARP inhibitor olaparib or other inhibitors of
      the DNA damage response. This sensitivity is due to a synthetic lethal
      interaction between FEN1 and MRE11A, which is often mutated in MSI cancers
      through instabilities at a poly(T) microsatellite repeat. Disruption of ATM is
      similarly synthetic lethal with FEN1 inhibition, suggesting that disruption of
      FEN1 function leads to the accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks. These are
      likely a result of the accumulation of aberrant replication forks, that
      accumulate as a consequence of a failure in Okazaki fragment maturation, as
      inhibition of FEN1 is toxic in cells disrupted for the Fanconi anemia pathway and
      post-replication repair. Furthermore, RAD51 foci accumulate as a consequence of
      FEN1 inhibition and the toxicity of FEN1 inhibitors increases in cells disrupted
      for the homologous recombination pathway, suggesting a role for homologous
      recombination in the resolution of damage induced by FEN1 inhibition. Finally,
      FEN1 appears to be required for the repair of damage induced by olaparib and
      cisplatin within the Fanconi anemia pathway, and may play a role in the repair of
      damage associated with its own disruption.

PMID- 28628641
TI  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis onset and severity is regulated by CD103 dendritic
      cell expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary dendritic cells drive lung responses to foreign antigens,
      including Saccharopolyspora rectivirgula, a causative agent of hypersensitivity
      pneumonitis. While the airway inflammatory mechanisms involved in
      hypersensitivity pneumonitis are well described, the mechanisms leading to the
      break in homeostasis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis onset are not well
      described, and could involve CD103+ dendritic cells, which are found at baseline
      and during inflammatory responses in the lung. However, recent demonstration of
      the ability of CD103+ dendritic cells to induce inflammatory responses starkly
      contrasts with their classically described role as regulatory cells. These
      discrepancies may be attributable to the lack of current information on the
      importance of CD103 expression and modulation on these cells during inflammatory
      episodes. METHODS: To verify the importance of CD103 expression in the regulation
      of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, wild-type and Cd103-/- mice were exposed
      intranasally to S. rectivirgula and airway inflammation was quantified. Surface
      expression of CD103 in response to S. rectivirgula exposure was studied and cell
      transfers were used to determine the relative importance of CD103 expression on
      dendritic cells and T cells in regulating the inflammation in hypersensitivity
      pneumonitis. RESULTS: Cd103-/- mice developed an exacerbated inflammatory
      response as early as 18h following S. rectivirgula exposure. CD103 expression on
      dendritic cells was downregulated quickly following S. rectivirgula exposure, and
      cell transfers demonstrated that CD103 expression on dendritic cells specifically
      (and not T cells) regulates the onset and severity of this response. CONCLUSION:
      All in all, we demonstrate that CD103 expression by dendritic cells, but not T
      cells, is crucial for homeostasis maintenance and the regulation of the TH17
      airway inflammatory response in hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

PMID- 28628642
TI  - Nanoscale quantification of the biophysical characterization of combretastatin A
      4-treated tumor cells using atomic force microscopy.
AB  - As an inhibitor of microtubule assembly, combretastatin A-4 (CA-4)-induced
      biological responses in tumor cells have been well known, but the corresponding
      changes in nano-biophysical properties were not investigated given the lack of an
      ideal tool. Using AFM technique, we investigated the alteration of nano
      biophysical properties when CA-4-treated tumor cells underwent the different
      biological processes, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy. We
      found that CA-4-resistant cells were rougher with the presence of characteristic
      "ridges", indicating that the development of "ridge" structure may be a
      determinant of the sensitivity of cells to CA-4 compounds. CA-4 induced G2/M
      arrest and apoptosis in sensitive cells but triggered anti-apoptotic autophagy in
      resistant cells. CA-4 treatment caused an increase in stiffness in both sensitive
      and resistant cells. However, these cells exhibited different changes in cell
      surface roughness. CA-4 decreased Ra and Rq values in sensitive cells but
      increased these values in resistant cells. The reorganization of F-actin might
      contribute to the different changes of nano-biophysical properties in CA-4
      sensitive and-resistant cells. Our results suggest that cellular nano-biophysical
      properties, such as "ridges", roughness and stiffness, could be applied as
      potential biomarkers for evaluating CA-4 compounds, and knowledge regarding how
      biological alterations cause changes in cellular nano-biophysical properties is
      helpful to develop a new high-resolution screening tool for anti-tumor agents.

PMID- 28628643
TI  - Mis-targeting of the mitochondrial protein LIPT2 leads to apoptotic cell death.
AB  - Lipoyl(Octanoyl) Transferase 2 (LIPT2) is a protein involved in the post
      translational modification of key energy metabolism enzymes in humans. Defects of
      lipoic acid synthesis and transfer start to emerge as causes of fatal or severe
      early-onset disease. We show that the first 31 amino acids of the N-terminus of
      LIPT2 represent a mitochondrial targeting sequence and inhibition of the transit
      of LIPT2 to the mitochondrion results in apoptotic cell death associated with
      activation of the apoptotic volume decrease (AVD) current in normotonic
      conditions, as well as over-activation of the swelling-activated chloride current
      (IClswell), mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, caspase-3 cleavage and
      nuclear DNA fragmentation. The findings presented here may help elucidate the
      molecular mechanisms underlying derangements of lipoic acid biosynthesis.

PMID- 28628644
TI  - Targeting multiple pro-apoptotic signaling pathways with curcumin in prostate
      cancer cells.
AB  - Curcumin, an extract from the turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa), is known to
      exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemopreventive and antitumoral
      activities against aggressive and recurrent cancers. Accumulative data indicate
      that curcumin may induce cancer cell death. However, the detailed mechanism
      underlying its pro-apoptotic and anti-cancer effects remains to be elucidated. In
      the present study, we examined the signaling pathways triggered by curcumin,
      specifically, the exact molecular mechanisms of curcumin-induced apoptosis in
      highly metastatic human prostate cancer cells. The effect of curcumin was
      evaluated using for the first time in prostate cancer, a gel-free shotgun
      quantitative proteomic analysis coupled with Tandem Mass Tag isobaric labeling
      based-signaling networks. Results were confirmed at the gene expression level by
      qRT-PCR and at the protein expression level by western blot and flow cytometry.
      Our findings revealed that curcumin induced an Endoplasmic Reticulum stress
      mediated apoptosis in PC3. The mechanisms by which curcumin promoted cell death
      in these cells were associated with cell cycle arrest, increased reactive oxygen
      species, autophagy and the Unfolded Protein Response. Furthermore, the
      upregulation of ER stress was measured using key indicators of ER stress: Glucose
      Regulated Protein 78, Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1 alpha, Protein Disulfide
      isomerase and Calreticulin. Chronic ER stress induction was concomitant with the
      upregulation of pro-apoptotic markers (caspases 3,9,12) and Poly (ADP-ribose)
      polymerase. The downregulated proteins include anti-apoptotic and anti-tumor
      markers, supporting their curcumin-induced pro-apoptotic role in prostate cancer
      cells. Taken together, these data suggest that curcumin may serve as a promising
      anticancer agent by inducing a chronic ER stress mediated cell death and
      activation of cell cycle arrest, UPR, autophagy and oxidative stress responses.

PMID- 28628645
TI  - Effect of horizontal rectus surgery for the correction of intermittent exotropia
      on sub-A or sub-V pattern.
AB  - We evaluated effect of horizontal rectus surgery on sub-A or sub-V pattern
      intermittent exotropia. We enrolled patients with sub-A or sub-V pattern
      intermittent exotropia. The sub-A pattern was diagnosed when the eyes diverged
      less than 10 prism diopters (PD) from upgaze to downgaze, and sub-V pattern when
      the divergence was 14 PD or less from downgaze to upgaze. Patients had undergone
      horizontal rectus surgery without vertical transposition of horizontal rectus
      muscle or oblique muscle weakening. The patients were divided into two groups:
      sub-A pattern (group A) and sub-V pattern (group V). The outcome measures were
      change of amount of pattern and rate of collapse of pattern postoperatively. The
      amount of pattern (vertical incomitance) was amount of difference in exodeviation
      between upgaze and downgaze. Collapse of pattern was defined as disappearance of
      difference in exodeviation between upgaze and downgaze. In groups A and V,
      preoperative amounts of pattern were 4.9 PD and 6.8 PD, respectively. A
      significant reduction in amount of pattern was observed in both groups throughout
      the follow-up period (p<0.05). At postoperative 6 months, the amounts of pattern
      were 1.0 PD and 1.2 PD and the extents of reduction in amount of pattern were 4.4
      PD and 5.9 PD. The rates of collapse of pattern at postoperative 6 months were
      77.8 and 60.0%, respectively. In the patients with sub-A or sub-V pattern
      exotropia, horizontal rectus surgery without vertical transposition or oblique
      muscle weakening can successfully collapse the pattern.

PMID- 28628646
TI  - The impact of glycemic status on radiological manifestations of pulmonary
      tuberculosis in diabetic patients.
AB  - SETTING: Diabetes mellitus (DM) may increase risk of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB)
      and influence its radiological manifestations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact
      of glycemic status on radiological findings of PTB in diabetic patients. METHODS:
      Between January 2010 and December 2015, chest radiographs (CXRs) in consecutive
      214 DM patients with culture-proved PTB and 123 available thoracic computed
      tomography (CT) scans were enrolled. An equal number of non-DM patients with
      similar demographics was included as the control group. Glycemic status was
      assessed by glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and a cutoff of 8% was used to
      further investigate radiological features of diabetic PTB. Two radiologists and
      one pulmonologist reviewed the chest images independently. RESULTS: Compared with
      non-DM patients, primary PTB pattern and extensive disease on CXRs as well as
      primary PTB pattern, large non-cavitary nodule, more than one cavity in a single
      lesion, unusual location, and all lobe involvement of lesions on thoracic CT
      scans were more common in DM patients. Furthermore, diabetics with HbA1c > 8%
      were more likely to exhibit unusual findings (P < 0.001), far advanced extensive
      lesions (P < 0.001) on CXRs, lymphadenopathy (P = 0.028), more than one cavity in
      a single lesion (P < 0.001) and all lobe involvement (P = 0.041) on thoracic CT
      scans. CONCLUSIONS: Glycemic status influenced radiological manifestations of
      diabetic PTB. Given an increased risk of atypical radiological presentations of
      PTB in DM patients, physicians should be alert and pay more attention to those
      with poor glycemic control.

PMID- 28628647
TI  - An efficient coding theory for a dynamic trajectory predicts non-uniform
      allocation of entorhinal grid cells to modules.
AB  - Grid cells in the entorhinal cortex encode the position of an animal in its
      environment with spatially periodic tuning curves with different periodicities.
      Recent experiments established that these cells are functionally organized in
      discrete modules with uniform grid spacing. Here we develop a theory for
      efficient coding of position, which takes into account the temporal statistics of
      the animal's motion. The theory predicts a sharp decrease of module population
      sizes with grid spacing, in agreement with the trend seen in the experimental
      data. We identify a simple scheme for readout of the grid cell code by neural
      circuitry, that can match in accuracy the optimal Bayesian decoder. This readout
      scheme requires persistence over different timescales, depending on the grid cell
      module. Thus, we propose that the brain may employ an efficient representation of
      position which takes advantage of the spatiotemporal statistics of the encoded
      variable, in similarity to the principles that govern early sensory processing.

PMID- 28628648
TI  - The adenovirus major core protein VII is dispensable for virion assembly but is
      essential for lytic infection.
AB  - The Adenovirus (Ad) genome within the capsid is tightly associated with a virus
      encoded, histone-like core protein-protein VII. Two other Ad core proteins, V and
      X/MU, also are located within the virion and are loosely associated with viral
      DNA. Core protein VII remains associated with the Ad genome during the early
      phase of infection. It is not known if naked Ad DNA is packaged into the capsid,
      as with dsDNA bacteriophage and herpesviruses, followed by the encapsidation of
      viral core proteins, or if a unique packaging mechanism exists with Ad where a
      DNA-protein complex is simultaneously packaged into the virion. The latter model
      would require an entirely new molecular mechanism for packaging compared to known
      viral packaging motors. We characterized a virus with a conditional knockout of
      core protein VII. Remarkably, virus particles were assembled efficiently in the
      absence of protein VII. No changes in protein composition were evident with VII
      virus particles, including the abundance of core protein V, but changes in the
      proteolytic processing of some capsid proteins were evident. Virus particles that
      lack protein VII enter the cell, but incoming virions did not escape efficiently
      from endosomes. This greatly diminished all subsequent aspects of the infectious
      cycle. These results reveal that the Ad major core protein VII is not required to
      condense viral DNA within the capsid, but rather plays an unexpected role during
      virus maturation and the early stages of infection. These results establish a new
      paradigm pertaining to the Ad assembly mechanism and reveal a new and important
      role of protein VII in early stages of infection.

PMID- 28628649
TI  - Insights into the binding mode of MEK type-III inhibitors. A step towards
      discovering and designing allosteric kinase inhibitors across the human kinome.
AB  - Protein kinases are critical drug targets for treating a large variety of human
      diseases. Type-III kinase inhibitors have attracted increasing attention as
      highly selective therapeutics. Thus, understanding the binding mechanism of
      existing type-III kinase inhibitors provides useful insights into designing new
      type-III kinase inhibitors. In this work, we have systematically studied the
      binding mode of MEK-targeted type-III inhibitors using structural systems
      pharmacology and molecular dynamics simulation. Our studies provide detailed
      sequence, structure, interaction-fingerprint, pharmacophore and binding-site
      information on the binding characteristics of MEK type-III kinase inhibitors. We
      hypothesize that the helix-folding activation loop is a hallmark allosteric
      binding site for type-III inhibitors. Subsequently, we screened and predicted
      allosteric binding sites across the human kinome, suggesting other kinases as
      potential targets suitable for type-III inhibitors.

PMID- 28628651
TI  - The density of parasympathetic axons is reduced in the exocrine pancreas of
      individuals recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
AB  - To elucidate the etiology of type 1 diabetes, the affected pancreas needs to be
      thoroughly characterized. Pancreatic innervation has been suggested to be
      involved in the pathology of the disease and a reduction of sympathetic
      innervation of the islets was recently reported. In the present study, we
      hypothesized that parasympathetic innervation would be altered in the type 1
      diabetes pancreas. Human pancreatic specimens were obtained from a unique cohort
      of individuals with recent onset or long standing type 1 diabetes. Density of
      parasympathetic axons was assessed by immunofluorescence and morphometry. Our
      main finding was a reduced density of parasympathetic axons in the exocrine, but
      not endocrine compartment of the pancreas in individuals with recent onset type 1
      diabetes. The reduced density of parasympathetic axons in the exocrine
      compartment could have functional implications, e.g. be related to the exocrine
      insufficiency reported in type 1 diabetes patients. Further studies are needed to
      understand whether reduced parasympathetic innervation is a cause or consequence
      of type 1 diabetes.

PMID- 28628650
TI  - The human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein pUL11 acts via CD45 to induce T cell IL-10
      secretion.
AB  - Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen, infection with which can
      cause severe disease for immunocompromised individuals. The complex changes
      wrought on the host's immune system during both productive and latent HCMV
      infection are well known. Infected cells are masked and manipulated and
      uninfected immune cells are also affected; peripheral blood mononuclear cell
      (PBMC) proliferation is reduced and cytokine profiles altered. Levels increase of
      the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, which may be important for the
      establishment of HCMV infections and is required for the development of high
      viral titres by murine cytomegalovirus. The mechanisms by which HCMV affects T
      cell IL-10 secretion are not understood. We show here that treatment of PBMC with
      purified pUL11 induces IL-10 producing T cells as a result of pUL11 binding to
      the CD45 phosphatase on T cells. IL-10 production induced by HCMV infection is
      also in part mediated by pUL11. Supernatants from pUL11 treated cells have anti
      inflammatory effects on untreated PBMC. Considering the mechanism, CD45 can be a
      positive or negative regulator of TCR signalling, depending on its expression
      level, and we show that pUL11 also has concentration dependent activating or
      inhibitory effects on T cell proliferation and on the kinase function of the CD45
      substrate Lck. pUL11 is therefore the first example of a viral protein that can
      target CD45 to induce T cells with anti-inflammatory properties. It is also the
      first HCMV protein shown to induce T cell IL-10 secretion. Understanding the
      mechanisms by which pUL11-induced changes in signal strength influence T cell
      development and function may provide the basis for the development of novel
      antiviral treatments and therapies against immune pathologies.

PMID- 28628652
TI  - MicroRNA-433-3p promotes osteoblast differentiation through targeting DKK1
      expression.
AB  - Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is a powerful antagonist of canonical WNT signaling pathway,
      and is regarded as a biomarker for osteoporosis. Its expression is highly
      correlated with bone mass and osteoblasts maturation. In this study, mouse
      primary bone marrow cells and osteoblast cell lines were used. Luciferase
      reporter assay and western blotting methods were employed to validate if miRNA
      433-3p epigenetically regulated DKK1 translation. Rat bone marrow derived
      osteoblasts were infected with lentivirus vector in which miR-433-3p was
      constructed. The authors constructed lentivirus mediated miRNA-433-3p stable
      expression and examined the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineral
      deposition level in vitro. In situ hybridization method was used to observe miR
      433-3p in primary osteoblasts. We built up an OVX rat model to mimic
      postmenopausal osteoporosis, and found aberrant circulating miR-433-3p and miR
      106b, which were not reported previously. Results showed that miR-433-3p
      potentially regulated DKK1 mRNA, Furthermore, the correlation of serum DKK1 with
      circulating miR-433-3p level was significant (r = 0.7520, p = 0.046). In the
      luciferase reporter assay, we found that miR-433-3p siRNA decreased luminescence
      signal, indicating direct regulation of miR-433-3p on DKK1 mRNA. When the miR-433
      3p binding site in DKK1 3'UTR was mutant, such reduction was prohibited. Western
      blotting result validated that miR-433-3p inhibited over 90% of DKK1 protein
      expression. Similarly, the change of protein expression was not observed in
      mutant group. The stable expression of lentivirus mediated miR-433-3p increased
      ALP activity and mineralization both in human and rat derived immortalized cells.
      We found that primary osteoblasts had higher miR-433-3p level compared with
      immortal cells through real-time PCR, as well as in situ hybridization
      experiment. Conclusively, our findings further emphasized the vital role of miR
      433-3p in DKK1/WNT/beta-catenin pathway through decreasing DKK1 expression and
      inducing osteoblasts differentiation.

PMID- 28628653
TI  - Esperanza Window Traps for the collection of anthropophilic blackflies (Diptera:
      Simuliidae) in Uganda and Tanzania.
AB  - There is an increasing need to evaluate the impact of chemotherapeutic and vector
      based interventions as onchocerciasis affected countries work towards eliminating
      the disease. The Esperanza Window Trap (EWT) provides a possible alternative to
      human landing collections (HLCs) for the collection of anthropophilic blackflies,
      yet it is not known whether current designs will prove effective for
      onchocerciasis vectors throughout sub-Saharan Africa. EWTs were deployed for 41
      days in northern Uganda and south eastern Tanzania where different Simulium
      damnosum sibling species are responsible for disease transmission. The relative
      efficacy of EWTs and HLCs was compared, and responses of host-seeking blackflies
      to odour baits, colours, and yeast-produced CO2 were investigated. Blue EWTs
      baited with CO2 and worn socks collected 42.3% (2,393) of the total S. damnosum
      s.l. catch in northern Uganda. Numbers were comparable with those collected by
      HLCs (32.1%, 1,817), and higher than those collected on traps baited with CO2 and
      BG-Lure (25.6%, 1,446), a synthetic human attractant. Traps performed less well
      for the collection of S. damnosum s.l. in Tanzania where HLCs (72.5%, 2,432)
      consistently outperformed both blue (16.8%, 563) and black (10.7%, 360) traps
      baited with CO2 and worn socks. HLCs (72.3%, 361) also outperformed sock-baited
      (6.4%, 32) and BG-Lure-baited (21.2%, 106) traps for the collection of
      anthropophilic Simulium bovis in northern Uganda. Contrasting blackfly
      distributions were observed on traps in Uganda and Tanzania, indicating
      differences in behaviour in each area. The success of EWT collections of S.
      damnosum s.l. in northern Uganda was not replicated in Tanzania, or for the
      collection of anthropophilic S. bovis. Further research to improve the
      understanding of behavioural responses of vector sibling species to traps and
      their attractants should be encouraged.

PMID- 28628654
TI  - The ApaH-like phosphatase TbALPH1 is the major mRNA decapping enzyme of
      trypanosomes.
AB  - 5'-3' decay is the major mRNA decay pathway in many eukaryotes, including
      trypanosomes. After deadenylation, mRNAs are decapped by the nudix hydrolase DCP2
      of the decapping complex and finally degraded by the 5'-3' exoribonuclease.
      Uniquely, trypanosomes lack homologues to all subunits of the decapping complex,
      while deadenylation and 5'-3' degradation are conserved. Here, I show that the
      parasites use an ApaH-like phosphatase (ALPH1) as their major mRNA decapping
      enzyme. The protein was recently identified as a novel trypanosome stress granule
      protein and as involved in mRNA binding. A fraction of ALPH1 co-localises
      exclusively with the trypanosome 5'-3' exoribonuclease XRNA to a special granule
      at the posterior pole of the cell, indicating a connection between the two
      enzymes. RNAi depletion of ALPH1 is lethal and causes a massive increase in total
      mRNAs that are deadenylated, but have not yet started 5'-3' decay. These data
      suggest that ALPH1 acts downstream of deadenylation and upstream of mRNA
      degradation, consistent with a function in mRNA decapping. In vitro experiments
      show that recombinant, N-terminally truncated ALHP1 protein, but not a
      catalytically inactive mutant, sensitises the capped trypanosome spliced leader
      RNA to yeast Xrn1, but only if an RNA 5' polyphosphatase is included. This
      indicates that the decapping mechanism of ALPH1 differs from the decapping
      mechanism of Dcp2 by leaving more than one phosphate group at the mRNA's 5' end.
      This is the first reported function of a eukaryotic ApaH-like phosphatase, a
      bacterial-derived class of enzymes present in all phylogenetic super-groups of
      the eukaryotic kingdom. The substrates of eukaryotic ApaH-like phosphatases are
      unknown. However, the substrate of the related bacterial enzyme ApaH, diadenosine
      tetraphosphate, is highly reminiscent of a eukaryotic mRNA cap.

PMID- 28628655
TI  - MoEnd3 regulates appressorium formation and virulence through mediating
      endocytosis in rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.
AB  - Eukaryotic cells respond to environmental stimuli when cell surface receptors are
      bound by environmental ligands. The binding initiates a signal transduction
      cascade that results in the appropriate intracellular responses. Studies have
      shown that endocytosis is critical for receptor internalization and signaling
      activation. In the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, a non-canonical G
      protein coupled receptor, Pth11, and membrane sensors MoMsb2 and MoSho1 are
      thought to function upstream of G-protein/cAMP signaling and the Pmk1 MAPK
      pathway to regulate appressorium formation and pathogenesis. However, little is
      known about how these receptors or sensors are internalized and transported into
      intracellular compartments. We found that the MoEnd3 protein is important for
      endocytic transport and that the DeltaMoend3 mutant exhibited defects in
      efficient internalization of Pth11 and MoSho1. The DeltaMoend3 mutant was also
      defective in Pmk1 phosphorylation, autophagy, appressorium formation and
      function. Intriguingly, restoring Pmk1 phosphorylation levels in DeltaMoend3
      suppressed most of these defects. Moreover, we demonstrated that MoEnd3 is
      subject to regulation by MoArk1 through protein phosphorylation. We also found
      that MoEnd3 has additional functions in facilitating the secretion of effectors,
      including Avr-Pia and AvrPiz-t that suppress rice immunity. Taken together, our
      findings suggest that MoEnd3 plays a critical role in mediating receptor
      endocytosis that is critical for the signal transduction-regulated development
      and virulence of M. oryzae.

PMID- 28628656
TI  - Ultrasound-guided cable-free 13-gauge vacuum-assisted biopsy of non-mass breast
      lesions.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes of ultrasound-guided core biopsy for non-mass
      breast lesions by the novel 13-gauge cable-free vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) and
      by the conventional 14-gauge semi-automated core needle biopsy (CCNB). MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Our institutional review board approved this prospective study, and
      all patients provided written informed consent. Among 1840 ultrasound-guided
      percutaneous biopsies performed from August 2013 to December 2014, 145 non-mass
      breast lesions with suspicious microcalcifications on mammography or
      corresponding magnetic resonance imaging finding were subjected to 13-gauge VAB
      or 14-gauge CCNB. We evaluated the technical success rates, average specimen
      numbers, and tissue sampling time. We also compared the results of percutaneous
      biopsy and final surgical pathologic diagnosis to analyze the rates of diagnostic
      upgrade or downgrade. RESULTS: Ultrasound-guided VAB successfully targeted and
      sampled all lesions, whereas CCNB failed to demonstrate calcification in four
      (10.3%) breast lesions with microcalcification on specimen mammography. The mean
      sampling time were 238.6 and 170.6 seconds for VAB and CCNB, respectively. No
      major complications were observed with either method. Ductal carcinoma in situ
      (DCIS) and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) lesions were more frequently
      upgraded after CCNB (8/23 and 3/5, respectively) than after VAB (2/26 and 0/4,
      respectively P = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Non-mass breast lesions were successfully
      and accurately biopsied using cable-free VAB. The underestimation rate of
      ultrasound-detected non-mass lesion was significantly lower with VAB than with
      CCNB. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRiS KCT0002267.

PMID- 28628657
TI  - Reported family burden of schizophrenia patients in rural China.
AB  - We aim to assess the level of family burden of schizophrenia patients and
      identify its predicting factors in a rural community sample of China. A sample of
      327 primary caregivers was recruited through a one-stage cluster sampling in
      Ningxiang County of Hunan province, China. Family burden was assessed using the
      Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS) of Pai and Kapur. Our results showed that
      the mean score of FBIS was 23.62+/-9.76 (range, 0-48), with over half (52%)
      caregivers reported their family burden being moderate and severe. Among the six
      domains of family burden, financial burden (76%) was the commonest burden, while
      disruption of family interactions (37%) was the least mentioned. A multivariate
      analysis of family burden revealed that patient being admitted for over 3 times,
      caregiver being female, having a middle school education, and with additional
      dependents, as well as higher care network function were positive predictors of
      family burden, while higher patient function and family function, and increasing
      patient age were negative predictors of family burden. Intervention to decrease
      family burden may be best served by improving family function and exploring
      alternative care model instead of hospitalization.

PMID- 28628659
TI  - Wave intensity of aortic root pressure as diagnostic marker of left ventricular
      systolic dysfunction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Systolic left ventricular function strongly influences the blood
      pressure waveform. Therefore, pressure-derived parameters might potentially be
      used as non-invasive, diagnostic markers of left ventricular impairment. The aim
      of this study was to investigate the performance of pressure-based parameters in
      combination with electrocardiography (ECG) for the detection of left ventricular
      systolic dysfunction defined as severely reduced ejection fraction (EF). METHODS
      AND RESULTS: Two populations, each comprising patients with reduced EF and
      pressure-matched controls, were included for the main analysis (51/102 patients)
      and model testing (44/88 patients). Central pressure was derived from radial
      readings and used to compute blood flow. Subsequently, pulse wave analysis and
      wave intensity analysis were performed and the ratio of the two peaks of forward
      intensity (SDR) was calculated as a novel index of ventricular function. SDR was
      significantly decreased in the reduced EF group (2.5 vs. 4.4, P<0.001), as was
      central pulse pressure, augmentation index and ejection duration (ED), while the
      QRS-duration was prolonged. SDR and ED were independent predictors of ventricular
      impairment and when combined with QRS in a simple decision tree, a reduced EF
      could be detected with a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 80%. The
      independent power of ED, SDR and QRS to predict reduced EF was furthermore
      confirmed in the test population. CONCLUSION: The detection or indication of
      reduced ejection fraction from pressure-derived parameters seems feasible. These
      parameters could help to improve the quality of cardiovascular risk
      stratification or might be used in screening strategies in the general
      population.

PMID- 28628658
TI  - Effects of obesogenic diet and estradiol on dorsal raphe gene expression in old
      female macaques.
AB  - The beneficial effects of bioidentical ovarian steroid hormone therapy (HT)
      during the perimenopause are gaining recognition. However, the positive effects
      of estrogen (E) plus or minus progesterone (P) administration to ovariectomized
      (Ovx) lab animals were recognized in multiple systems for years before clinical
      trials could adequately duplicate the results. Moreover, very large numbers of
      women are often needed to find statistically significant results in clinical
      trials of HT; and there are still opposing results being published, especially in
      neural and cardiovascular systems. One of the obvious differences between human
      and animal studies is diet. Laboratory animals are fed a diet that is low in fat
      and refined sugar, but high in micronutrients. In the US, a large portion of the
      population eats what is known as a "western style diet" or WSD that provides
      calories from 36% fat, 44% carbohydrates (includes 18.5% sugars) and 18% protein.
      Unfortunately, obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions and the
      percentage of obese women in clinical trials may be overlooked. We questioned
      whether WSD and obesity could decrease the positive neural effects of estradiol
      (E) in the serotonin system of old macaques that were surgically menopausal. Old
      ovo-hysterectomized female monkeys were fed WSD for 2.5 years, and treated with
      placebo, Immediate E (ImE) or Delayed E (DE). Compared to old Ovx macaques on
      primate chow and treated with placebo or E, the WSD-fed monkeys exhibited greater
      individual variance and blunted responses to E-treatment in the expression of
      genes related to serotonin neurotransmission, CRH components in the midbrain,
      synapse assembly, DNA repair, protein folding, ubiquitylation, transport and
      neurodegeneration. For many of the genes examined, transcript abundance was lower
      in WSD-fed than chow-fed monkeys. In summary, an obesogenic diet for 2.5 years in
      old surgically menopausal macaques blunted or increased variability in E-induced
      gene expression in the dorsal raphe. These results suggest that with regard to
      function and viability in the dorsal raphe, HT may not be as beneficial for obese
      women as normal weight women.

PMID- 28628660
TI  - Systematic review of emergency medicine clinical practice guidelines:
      Implications for research and policy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Over 25 years, emergency medicine in the United States has amassed
      a large evidence base that has been systematically assessed and interpreted
      through ACEP Clinical Policies. While not previously studied in emergency
      medicine, prior work has shown that nearly half of all recommendations in medical
      specialty practice guidelines may be based on limited or inconclusive evidence.
      We sought to describe the proportion of clinical practice guideline
      recommendations in Emergency Medicine that are based upon expert opinion and low
      level evidence. METHODS: Systematic review of clinical practice guidelines
      (Clinical Policies) published by the American College of Emergency Physicians
      from January 1990 to January 2016. Standardized data were abstracted from each
      Clinical Policy including the number and level of recommendations as well as the
      reported class of evidence. Primary outcomes were the proportion of Level C
      equivalent recommendations and Class III equivalent evidence. The primary
      analysis was limited to current Clinical Policies, while secondary analysis
      included all Clinical Policies. RESULTS: A total of 54 Clinical Policies
      including 421 recommendations and 2801 cited references, with an average of 7.8
      recommendations and 52 references per guideline were included. Of 19 current
      Clinical Policies, 13 of 141 (9.2%) recommendations were Level A, 57 (40.4%)
      Level B, and 71 (50.4%) Level C. Of 845 references in current Clinical Policies,
      67 (7.9%) were Class I, 272 (32.3%) Class II, and 506 (59.9%) Class III
      equivalent. Among all Clinical Policies, 200 (47.5%) recommendations were Level C
      equivalent, and 1371 (48.9%) of references were Class III equivalent.
      CONCLUSIONS: Emergency medicine clinical practice guidelines are largely based on
      lower classes of evidence and a majority of recommendations are expert opinion
      based. Emergency medicine appears to suffer from an evidence gap that should be
      prioritized in the national research agenda and considered by policymakers prior
      to developing future quality standards.

PMID- 28628661
TI  - Elimination of persistent vaccine bacteria of Salmonella enterica serovar
      Typhimurium in the guts of immunized mice by inducible expression of truncated
      YncE.
AB  - Orally administered vaccine bacteria usually persist for a period of time in the
      intestinal tracts of immunized individuals, and are excreted in feces to the
      environment resulting in a potential biosafety issue. The releasing risk can be
      minimized by immediate elimination of the persistent vaccine bacteria once
      adequate protective immune responses have been elicited by the vaccine bacteria.
      In a previous study, inducible expression of truncated yncE gene (yncE*) was
      found lethal to host bacteria. This feature has an application potential in
      biosafety control. Here, we assessed the efficacy of YncE* in eliminating an
      attenuated strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in a mouse model. To
      this end, a pBAD-derived plasmid containing yncE* under the control of the Ara
      promoter was transformed into a DeltaphoPQ mutant of S. Typhimurium. Our data
      show that the induced expression of yncE* in the presence of arabinose eliminated
      the vaccine bacteria both in vitro and in vivo. BALB/c mice with or without
      streptomycin-pretreatment were used to assess the efficacy of YncE* in vivo. Oral
      administration of 500 MUl of 20% arabinose at 24 h postvaccination removed the
      vaccine bacteria from the guts of the tested mice without streptomycin
      pretreatment. For streptomycin-pretreated mice, which were colonized with higher
      levels of Salmonella, an additional gavage of arabinose was required to
      completely eliminate the vaccine bacteria in the guts of the tested mice. The
      orally administered arabinose did not affect the persistence of bacteria that had
      penetrated the intestinal mucosa of the immunized mice. Furthermore, there was no
      significant difference in the protection rate between the routine immunization
      and the immunization with the arabinose treatment. The results indicate that the
      yncE* element improves the biosafety of the bacterial vaccine, and can be taken
      in consideration in future design of live bacterial vaccines.

PMID- 28628662
TI  - Quantitative analysis of retinal layers on three-dimensional spectral-domain
      optical coherence tomography for pituitary adenoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To quantitatively investigate the characteristics of eyes with pituitary
      adenoma presented by three-dimensional (3D) spectral-domain optical coherence
      tomography (SD-OCT) using three common indices, including thickness, optical
      intensity ratio, and optical intensity attenuation coefficient (OIAC). METHODS:
      The SD-OCT database of 38 patients with pituitary adenoma and 39 normal controls
      were included in the study. Quadrantal and average measurements of thickness,
      optical intensity ratio, and OIAC were calculated for macular retinal nerve fiber
      layer (mRNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL) combined with inner plexiform layer
      (IPL) (GCIPL) and/or the collective ganglion cell complex (GCC). The parameters
      of patients and controls were compared by unpaired t-test and Mann-Whitney U
      test. The relationships between the optical intensity ratio and the thickness of
      mRNFL and GCIPL were evaluated by Pearson's correlation. Diagnostic performances
      of these indices were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC)
      analysis. RESULTS: Significant decreases in thickness existed in the mRNFL and
      nasal GCC of patients compared with controls (p-values of 0.000 to 0.039).
      Optical intensity ratios in the relevant retinal layers of patients were almost
      all lower than those of controls. In patients, optical intensities were increased
      in the mRNFL but decreased in the GCIPL along with an increase of retinal
      thicknesses. The OIAC measurements were significantly higher in the upper
      quadrants and global average of the mRNFL in patients. The areas under the ROC
      curves (AUC) obtained by global average mRNFL thickness was significantly greater
      than that of the global average OIAC in the mRNFL (p = 0.0265). CONCLUSIONS:
      Thicknesses of the mRNFL and nasal GCC were significantly decreased in the
      retinas of patients with pituitary adenoma compared with controls. The
      differences of the optical intensity ratio and OIAC between patients and controls
      were not all statistically significant. Thickness was more sensitive than optical
      characteristics indices in distinguishing pituitary adenoma from controls.

PMID- 28628663
TI  - Survival and medical utilization of children and adolescents with prolonged
      ventilator-dependent and associated factors.
AB  - Over the course of a year, more than 20,000 patients in Taiwan require prolonged
      mechanical ventilation (PMV). Data from the National Health Insurance Research
      Database for patients between 2005 and 2011 were used to conduct a retrospective
      analysis on ventilator dependence. The study subjects were PMV patients aged <17
      years in Taiwan. A multiple regression model employing general estimating
      equations was applied to investigate the factors affecting the use of medical
      resources by children and adolescent PMV patients. A Cox proportional hazard
      model was incorporated to explore the factors affecting the survival of these
      patients. Data were collected for a total of 1,019 children and adolescent PMV
      patients in Taiwan. The results revealed that the average number of outpatient
      visits per subject was 32.1 times per year, whereas emergency treatments averaged
      1.56 times per year per subject and hospitalizations averaged 160.8 days per year
      per subject. Regarding average annual medical costs, hospitalizations accounted
      for the largest portion at NT$821,703 per year per subject, followed by
      outpatient care at NT$123,136 per year per subject and emergency care at NT$3,806
      per year per subject. The demographic results indicated that the patients were
      predominately male (61.24%), with those under 1 year of age accounting for the
      highest percentage (36.38%). According to the Kaplan-Meier curve, the 1-year and
      5-year mortality rates of the patients were approximately 32% and 47%,
      respectively. The following factors affecting the survival rate were considered:
      age, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), diagnosis type necessitating
      ventilator use, and whether an invasive ventilator was used. This study
      investigated the use of medical resources and the survival rates of children and
      adolescent PMV patients. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for
      the National Health Insurance Administration in promoting its future integrated
      pilot projects on ventilator dependency.

PMID- 28628664
TI  - Effects of diesel exhaust particle exposure on a murine model of asthma due to
      soybean.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exposure to soybean allergens has been linked to asthma outbreaks.
      Exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEP) has been associated with an increase
      in the risk of asthma and asthma exacerbation; however, in both cases the
      underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, as does the possible interaction
      between the two entities. OBJECTIVE: To investigate how the combination of
      soybean allergens and DEP can affect the induction or exacerbation of asthma in a
      murine model. METHODS: BALB/c mice received intranasal instillations of saline, 3
      or 5 mg protein/ml soybean hull extract (SHE), or a combination of one of these
      three solutions with DEP. Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), pulmonary
      inflammation in bronchoalveolar lavage, total serum immunoglobulin E and
      histological studies were assessed. RESULTS: A 5 mg protein/ml SHE solution was
      able by itself to enhance AHR (p = 0.0033), increase eosinophilic inflammation (p
      = 0.0003), increase levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-17F and CCL20, and
      reduce levels of IFN-gamma. The combination of 5 mg protein/ml SHE with DEP also
      produced an increase in AHR and eosinophilic inflammation, but presented a
      slightly different cytokine profile with higher levels of Th17-related cytokines.
      However, while the 3 mg protein/ml SHE solution did not induce asthma, co
      exposure with DEP resulted in a markedly enhanced AHR (p = 0.002) and
      eosinophilic inflammation (p = 0.004), with increased levels of IL-5, IL-17F and
      CCL20 and decreased levels of IFN-gamma. CONCLUSIONS & CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The
      combination of soybean allergens and DEP is capable of triggering an asthmatic
      response through a Th17-related mechanism when the soybean allergen concentration
      is too low to promote a response by itself. DEP monitoring may be a useful
      addition to allergen monitoring in order to prevent new asthma outbreaks.

PMID- 28628665
TI  - A chromosome 5q31.1 locus associates with tuberculin skin test reactivity in HIV
      positive individuals from tuberculosis hyper-endemic regions in east Africa.
AB  - One in three people has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), and
      the risk for MTB infection in HIV-infected individuals is even higher. We
      hypothesized that HIV-positive individuals living in tuberculosis-endemic regions
      who do not get infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis are genetically resistant.
      Using an "experiment of nature" design that proved successful in our previous
      work, we performed a genome-wide association study of tuberculin skin test
      positivity using 469 HIV-positive patients from prospective study cohorts of
      tuberculosis from Tanzania and Uganda to identify genetic loci associated with
      MTB infection in the context of HIV-infection. Among these individuals, 244
      tested were tuberculin skin test (TST) positive either at enrollment or during
      the >8 year follow up, while 225 were not. We identified a genome-wide
      significant association between a dominant model of rs877356 and binary TST
      status in the combined cohort (Odds ratio = 0.2671, p = 1.22x10-8). Association
      was replicated with similar significance when examining TST induration as a
      continuous trait. The variant lies in the 5q31.1 region, 57kb downstream from
      IL9. Two-locus analyses of association of variants near rs877356 showed a
      haplotype comprised of rs877356 and an IL9 missense variant, rs2069885, had the
      most significant association (p = 1.59x10-12). We also replicated previously
      linked loci on chromosomes 2, 5, and 11. IL9 is a cytokine produced by mast cells
      and TH2 cells during inflammatory responses, providing a possible link between
      airway inflammation and protection from MTB infection. Our results indicate that
      studying uninfected, HIV-positive participants with extensive exposure increases
      the power to detect associations in complex infectious disease.

PMID- 28628666
TI  - The effector AvrRxo1 phosphorylates NAD in planta.
AB  - Gram-negative bacterial pathogens of plants and animals employ type III secreted
      effectors to suppress innate immunity. Most characterized effectors work through
      modification of host proteins or transcriptional regulators, although a few are
      known to modify small molecule targets. The Xanthomonas type III secreted
      avirulence factor AvrRxo1 is a structural homolog of the zeta toxin family of
      sugar-nucleotide kinases that suppresses bacterial growth. AvrRxo1 was recently
      reported to phosphorylate the central metabolite and signaling molecule NAD in
      vitro, suggesting that the effector might enhance bacterial virulence on plants
      through manipulation of primary metabolic pathways. In this study, we determine
      that AvrRxo1 phosphorylates NAD in planta, and that its kinase catalytic sites
      are necessary for its toxic and resistance-triggering phenotypes. A global
      metabolomics approach was used to independently identify 3'-NADP as the sole
      detectable product of AvrRxo1 expression in yeast and bacteria, and NAD kinase
      activity was confirmed in vitro. 3'-NADP accumulated upon transient expression of
      AvrRxo1 in Nicotiana benthamiana and in rice leaves infected with avrRxo1
      expressing strains of X. oryzae. Mutation of the catalytic aspartic acid residue
      D193 abolished AvrRxo1 kinase activity and several phenotypes of AvrRxo1,
      including toxicity in yeast, bacteria, and plants, suppression of the flg22
      triggered ROS burst, and ability to trigger an R gene-mediated hypersensitive
      response. A mutation in the Walker A ATP-binding motif abolished the toxicity of
      AvrRxo1, but did not abolish the 3'-NADP production, virulence enhancement, ROS
      suppression, or HR-triggering phenotypes of AvrRxo1. These results demonstrate
      that a type III effector targets the central metabolite and redox carrier NAD in
      planta, and that this catalytic activity is required for toxicity and suppression
      of the ROS burst.

PMID- 28628667
TI  - Characterization of HIV-1 CRF90_BF1 and putative novel CRFs_BF1 in Central West,
      North and Northeast Brazilian regions.
AB  - The Brazilian AIDS epidemic has been characterized by an increasing rate of BF1
      recombinants and so far eight circulating recombinant forms/CRFs_BF1 have been
      described countrywide. In this study, pol sequences (protease/PR, reverse
      transcriptase/RT) of 87 BF1 mosaic isolates identified among 828 patients living
      in six Brazilian States from three geographic regions (Central West, North,
      Northeast) were analyzed. Phylogenetic and bootscan analyses were performed to
      investigate the evolutionary relationship and mosaic structure of BF1 isolates.
      Those analyses showed that 20.7% of mosaics (18 out of 87) were CRFs-like
      isolates, mostly represented by CRF28/CRF29_BF-like viruses (14 out of 18). We
      also identified five highly supported clusters that together comprise 42 out of
      87 (48.3%) BF1 sequences, each cluster containing at least five sequences sharing
      a similar mosaic structure, suggesting possible new unidentified CRFs_BF1. The
      divergence time of these five potential new CRFs_BF1 clusters was estimated using
      a Bayesian approach and indicate that they probably originated between the middle
      1980s and the middle 1990s. DNA was extracted from whole blood and four
      overlapping fragments were amplified by PCR providing full/near full length
      genomes (FLG/NFLG) and partial genomes. Eleven HIV-1 isolates from Cluster # 5
      identified in epidemiologically unlinked individuals living in Central West and
      North regions provided FLG/NFLG/partial genome sequences with identical mosaic
      structure. These viruses differ from any known CRF_BF1 reported to date and were
      named CRF90_BF1 by the Los Alamos National Laboratory. This is the 9th CRF_BF1
      described in Brazil and the first one identified in Central West and North
      regions. Our results highlight the importance of continued molecular screening
      and surveillance studies, especially of full genome sequences to understand the
      evolutionary dynamics of the HIV-1 epidemic in a country of continental
      dimensions as Brazil.

PMID- 28628668
TI  - Dose-dependent effects of gamma radiation on the early zebrafish development and
      gene expression.
AB  - Ionizing radiation from natural sources or anthropogenic activity has the
      potential to cause oxidative stress or genetic damage in living organisms,
      through the ionization and excitation of molecules and the subsequent production
      of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The present work focuses on
      radiation-induced biological effects using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) vertebrate
      model. Changes in developmental traits and gene expression in zebrafish were
      assessed after continuous external gamma irradiation (0.4, 3.9, 15 and 38 mGy/h)
      with corresponding controls, starting at 2.5 hours post fertilization (hpf) and
      lasting through embryogenesis and the early larval stage. The lowest dose rate
      corresponded to recommended benchmarks at which adverse effects are not expected
      to occur in aquatic ecosystems (2-10 mGy/day). The survival observed at 96 hours
      post fertilization (hpf) in the 38 mGy/h group was significantly lower, while
      other groups showed no significant difference compared to controls. The total
      hatching was significantly lower from controls in the 15 mGy/h group and a delay
      in hatching onset in the 0.4 mGy/h group was observed. The deformity frequency
      was significantly increased by prolonged exposure duration at dose rates >= 0.4
      mGy/h. Molecular responses analyzed by RNA-seq at gastrulation (5.5 hpf
      transcriptome) indicate that the radiation induced adverse effects occurred
      during the earliest stages of development. A dose-response relationship was found
      in the numbers of differentially regulated genes in exposure groups compared to
      controls at a total dose as low as 1.62 mGy. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis
      identified retinoic acid receptor activation, apoptosis, and glutathione mediated
      detoxification signaling as the most affected pathways in the lower dose rate
      (0.54 mGy/h), while eif2 and mTOR, i.e., involved in the modulation of
      angiogenesis, were most affected in higher dose rates (5.4 and 10.9 mGy/h). By
      comparing gene expression data, myc was found to be the most significant upstream
      regulator, followed by tp53, TNF, hnf4a, TGFb1 and cebpa, while crabp2b and
      vegfab were identified as most frequent downstream target genes. These genes are
      associated with various developmental processes. The present findings show that
      continuous gamma irradiation (>= 0.54 mGy/h) during early gastrula causes gene
      expression changes that are linked to developmental defects in zebrafish embryos.

PMID- 28628669
TI  - The Global Fund in China: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis nationwide
      programmatic scale-up and challenges to transition to full country ownership.
AB  - China has the world's second largest burden of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
      (MDR-TB; resistance to at least isoniazid and rifampicin), with an estimated
      57,000 cases (range, 48,000-67,000) among notified pulmonary TB patients in 2015.
      During October 1, 2006-June 30, 2014, China expanded MDR-TB care through a
      partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (Global
      Fund). We analyzed data on site expansion, patient enrolment, treatment outcomes,
      cost per patient, and overall programme expenditure. China expanded MDR-TB
      diagnostic and treatment services from 2 prefectures in 2006 to 92 prefectures,
      covering 921 of the country's 3,000 counties by June 2014. A total of 130,910
      patients were tested for MDR-TB, resulting in 13,744 laboratory-confirmed cases,
      and 9,183 patients started on MDR-TB treatment. Treatment success was 48.4% (2011
      cohort). The partnership between China and the Global Fund resulted in enormous
      gains. However, changes to health system TB delivery and financing coincided with
      the completion of the Global Fund Programme, and could potentially impact TB and
      MDR-TB control. Transition to full country financial ownership is proving
      difficult, with a decline in enrollment and insufficient financial coverage.
      Given needed improvement to the current treatment success rates, these factors
      jeopardise investments made for MDR-TB control and care. China now has a chance
      to cement its status in TB control by strengthening future financing and ensuring
      ongoing commitment to quality service delivery.

PMID- 28628670
TI  - Combining ability, heritability and genotypic relations of different
      physiological traits in cacao hybrids.
AB  - Selecting parents and evaluating progenies is a very important step in breeding
      programs and involves approaches such as understanding the initial stages of
      growth and characterizing the variability among genotypes for different
      parameters, such as physiological, growth, biomass partitioning and nutrient
      translocation to the aerial part. In these cases, facilitating tools can be used
      to understand the involved gene dynamics, such as diallel crosses and genetic and
      phenotypic correlations. Our main hypothesis is that the contrasting phenotypes
      of these parental genotypes of cocoa used are due to genetic factors, and
      progenies derived from crosses of these parental genotypes are useful for
      breeding programs related to plant architecture, physiological parameters and
      translocation of mineral nutrients. We aimed to evaluate the combining abilities
      in progenies of cacao (Theobroma cacao L) originating from contrasting parents
      for canopy vigor. Emphasis was given to the evaluation of morphological and
      physiological parameters and the phenotypic and genotypic correlations to
      understand the dynamics of the action of the genes involved, as well as in
      expression profile from genes of gibberellins biosynthesis pathway in the
      parents. Fifteen F1 progenies were obtained from crosses of six clones (IMC 67,
      P4B, PUCALA, SCA 6, SCA 24 and SJ 02) that were evaluated in a randomized
      complete block design with four replicates of 12 plants per progeny, in a
      balanced half table diallel scheme. It is possible to identify and select plants
      and progenies of low, medium and high height, as there is expressive genetic
      variability for the evaluated parameters, some of these on higher additive
      effects, others on larger nonadditive effects and others under a balance of these
      effects. Most physiological parameters evaluated show that for selection of
      plants with the desired performance, no complex breeding methods would be
      necessary due to the high and medium heritability observed. Strong genetic
      components were observed from many of the correlations, which indicate the
      possibility to formulate selection indices for multi-traits, such as dwarfism or
      semidwarfism, tolerance to increase of leaf sodium concentrations and maintenance
      of the photosynthetic apparatus integrity under these conditions. Additionally,
      plants with higher carbon fixation, better water use, higher carboxylation
      efficiency and greater magnesium accumulation in leaves can be selected.

PMID- 28628671
TI  - Correction: A novel intraperitoneal metastatic xenograft mouse model for survival
      outcome assessment of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171824.].

PMID- 28628672
TI  - Low-dose exposure to bisphenols A, F and S of human primary adipocyte impacts
      coding and non-coding RNA profiles.
AB  - Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure has been suspected to be associated with deleterious
      effects on health including obesity and metabolically-linked diseases. Although
      bisphenols F (BPF) and S (BPS) are BPA structural analogs commonly used in many
      marketed products as a replacement for BPA, only sparse toxicological data are
      available yet. Our objective was to comprehensively characterize bisphenols gene
      targets in a human primary adipocyte model, in order to determine whether they
      may induce cellular dysfunction, using chronic exposure at two concentrations: a
      "low-dose" similar to the dose usually encountered in human biological fluids and
      a higher dose. Therefore, BPA, BPF and BPS have been added at 10 nM or 10 MUM
      during the differentiation of human primary adipocytes from subcutaneous fat of
      three non-diabetic Caucasian female patients. Gene expression (mRNA/lncRNA)
      arrays and microRNA arrays, have been used to assess coding and non-coding RNA
      changes. We detected significantly deregulated mRNA/lncRNA and miRNA at low and
      high doses. Enrichment in "cancer" and "organismal injury and abnormalities"
      related pathways was found in response to the three products. Some long
      intergenic non-coding RNAs and small nucleolar RNAs were differentially expressed
      suggesting that bisphenols may also activate multiple cellular processes and
      epigenetic modifications. The analysis of upstream regulators of deregulated
      genes highlighted hormones or hormone-like chemicals suggesting that BPS and BPF
      can be suspected to interfere, just like BPA, with hormonal regulation and have
      to be considered as endocrine disruptors. All these results suggest that as BPA,
      its substitutes BPS and BPF should be used with the same restrictions.

PMID- 28628673
TI  - Multiple tolerance defects contribute to the breach of B cell tolerance in New
      Zealand Black chromosome 1 congenic mice.
AB  - Lupus is characterized by a loss of B cell tolerance leading to autoantibody
      production. In this study, we explored the mechanisms underlying this loss of
      tolerance using B6 congenic mice with an interval from New Zealand Black
      chromosome 1 (denoted c1(96-100)) sufficient for anti-nuclear antibody
      production. Transgenes for soluble hen egg white lysozyme (sHEL) and anti-HEL
      immunoglobulin were crossed onto this background and various tolerance mechanisms
      examined. We found that c1(96-100) mice produced increased levels of IgM and IgG
      anti-HEL antibodies compared to B6 mice and had higher proportions of germinal
      center B cells and long-lived plasma cells, suggesting a germinal center
      dependent breach of B cell anergy. Consistent with impaired anergy induction,
      c1(96-100) double transgenic B cells showed enhanced survival and CD86
      upregulation. Hematopoietic chimeric sHEL mice with a mixture of B6 and c1(96
      100) HEL transgenic B cells recapitulated these results, suggesting the presence
      of a B cell autonomous defect. Surprisingly, however, there was equivalent
      recruitment of B6 and c1(96-100) B cells into germinal centers and
      differentiation to splenic plasmablasts in these mice. In contrast, there were
      increased proportions of c1(96-100) T follicular helper cells and long-lived
      plasma cells as compared to their B6 counterparts, suggesting that both B and T
      cell defects are required to breach germinal center tolerance in this model. This
      possibility was further supported by experiments showing an enhanced breach of
      anergy in double transgenic mice with a longer chromosome 1 interval with
      additional T cell defects.

PMID- 28628675
TI  - Interleukin-10/lymphocyte ratio predicts mortality in severe septic patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Immunosuppression is common even in the early stage of severe sepsis.
      Interleukin-10 (IL-10) secretion and lymphocyte exhaustion are the main features
      of sepsis-induced immunosuppression. However, the relationship between IL-10 and
      the lymphocyte is still unclear. We investigated if IL-10/lymphocyte ratio
      (IL10LCR) were associated with mortality in severe septic patients. METHODS:
      Adult patients with severe sepsis admitted to ICU of the First Affiliated
      Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University were identified from October 2012 to
      August 2013. Within 24 hours of ICU admission, peripheral whole blood was
      collected for the measurement of IL-10 using commercial multiplex bead-based
      assay kits and determination of lymphocyte count from laboratory data. The
      primary outcome was 28-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 63 severe sepsis
      patients were identified. There were 20 (32%) patients died within 28 days.
      IL10LCR in non-survival patients was significantly higher than survival patients
      (median (IQR) 36.78 (12.34-79.63) ng/ml2 versus 11.01(5.41-27.50) ng/ml2, P =
      0.002). Correlation analysis showed that IL10LCR was significantly correlated
      with APACHE II score (Spearman's rho = 0.424, P<0.001). The receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) curves showed the area under the curve was 0.749 for IL10LCR
      level to predict 28-day mortality with sensitivity and specificity at 70.0% and
      74.4%, respectively. At an optimal cutoff of 23.39ng/ml2, Kaplan-Meier curve
      showed survival in patients with IL10LCR level above 23.39ng/ml2 was
      significantly lower than in patients with IL10LCR level less than 23.39ng/ml2 (P
      = 0.001 by log-rank test). CONCLUSION: IL10LCR level is significantly associated
      with the severity and outcome of severe septic patients. It may serve as a
      biomarker for sepsis-induced immunosuppression.

PMID- 28628674
TI  - Hepatic microvascular dysfunction and increased advanced glycation end products
      are components of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the pathophysiology of hepatic
      microcirculatory dysfunction in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
      METHODS: In Wistar rats, NAFLD model was induced by 20 weeks of high-fat diet
      (HFD) feeding. Rolling and adhesion of leukocytes and tissue perfusion in hepatic
      microcirculation were examined using in vivo microscopic and laser speckle
      contrast imaging (LSCI), respectively. Oxidative stress and inflamatory
      parameters were analysed by TBARs, catalase enzyme activity, RT-PCR and ELISA.
      The participation of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) and its receptor RAGE
      was evaluated by the measurement of gene and protein expression of RAGE by RT-PCR
      and Western-blot, respectively and by liver and serum quantification of
      fluorescent AGEs. RESULTS: Wistar rats fed high-fat diet (HFD) showed increase in
      epididymal and abdominal fat content, systolic arterial blood pressure, fasting
      blood glucose levels, hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol, and impairment of
      glucose and insulin metabolisms. Liver histology confirmed the presence of
      steatosis and ultrasound analysis revealed increased liver size and parenchymal
      echogenicity in HFD-fed rats. HFD causes significant increases in leukocyte
      rolling and adhesion on hepatic microcirculation and decrease in liver
      microvascular blood flow. Liver tissue presented increase in oxidative stress and
      inflammtion. At 20 weeks, there was a significantly increase in AGE content in
      the liver and serum of HFD-fed rats and an increase in RAGE gene expression in
      the liver. CONCLUSION: The increase in liver AGE levels and microcirculatory
      disturbances could play a role in the pathogenesis of liver injury and are key
      components of NAFLD.

PMID- 28628677
TI  - Impact of a 31-gene Expression Profiling Test for Cutaneous Melanoma on
      Dermatologists' Clinical Management Decisions.
AB  - <p>Importance: Current guidelines for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) provide
      general recommendations regarding surveillance while indicating that management
      should be tailored to patients' individual probability of recurrence. A 31-gene
      expression profile (31-GEP) test to predict metastatic risk has been previously
      validated, and classifies patients as either Class 1 (low risk) or Class 2 (high
      risk).</p> <p>Objective: To determine the impact of the 31-GEP test's result on
      clinical decision-making.</p> <p>Design, Setting, and Participants: Dermatology
      residents who attended a national educational conference were presented with
      clinical validity evidence for the 31-GEP. Respondents were given six CMM patient
      vignettes with descriptions of clinical features and answered questions about
      their willingness to recommend sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNBx) or imaging
      based on each scenario. Additionally, respondents were asked to provide the
      Breslow thickness (BT), ranging from 0.7-1.5mm in 0.1mm increments, at which they
      would recommend SLNBx, imaging, or oncology referral.</p> <p>Main Outcomes and
      Measures: The number of respondents who would recommend each management modality
      based upon three outcomes (no result, Class 1, or Class 2) was quantified.
      Differences between response groups were assessed using Fisher's exact test.</p>
      <p>Results: The majority of respondents (62%, 57%, and 55%, respectively)
      indicated a 1.0mm BT as the guiding modality, reflecting adherence to current
      guidelines. After inclusion of a Class 2 result, the BT used to guide SLNBx,
      oncology referral, and imaging was changed in 47%, 50% and 47% of the responses,
      respectively, with 95%, 84% and 97% of the cases, respectively, changed in a risk
      appropriate direction (decreased BT). Based on a 31-GEP Class 1 or Class 2
      result, risk appropriate recommendations were more likely to be made for each
      management modality tested in five of the six patient vignettes (P less than
      0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions and Relevance: The 31-GEP test had a significant and
      appropriate impact on management while remaining within the context of
      established guidelines.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):428
      431.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628676
TI  - A human-scale perspective on global warming: Zero emission year and personal
      quotas.
AB  - This article builds on the premise that human consumption of goods, food and
      transport are the ultimate drivers of climate change. However, the nature of the
      climate change problem (well described as a tragedy of the commons) makes it
      difficult for individuals to recognise their personal duty to implement
      behavioural changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, this
      article aims to analyse the climate change issue from a human-scale perspective,
      in which each of us has a clearly defined personal quota of CO2 emissions that
      limits our activity and there is a finite time during which CO2 emissions must be
      eliminated to achieve the "well below 2 degrees C" warming limit set by the Paris
      Agreement of 2015 (COP21). Thus, this work's primary contribution is to connect
      an equal per capita fairness approach to a global carbon budget, linking personal
      levels with planetary levels. Here, we show that a personal quota of 5.0 tons of
      CO2 yr-1 p-1 is a representative value for both past and future emissions; for
      this level of a constant per-capita emissions and without considering any
      mitigation, the global accumulated emissions compatible with the "well below 2
      degrees C" and 2 degrees C targets will be exhausted by 2030 and 2050,
      respectively. These are references years that provide an order of magnitude of
      the time that is left to reverse the global warming trend. More realistic
      scenarios that consider a smooth transition toward a zero-emission world show
      that the global accumulated emissions compatible with the "well below 2 degrees
      C" and 2 degrees C targets will be exhausted by 2040 and 2080, respectively.
      Implications of this paper include a return to personal responsibility following
      equity principles among individuals, and a definition of boundaries to the
      personal emissions of CO2.

PMID- 28628678
TI  - Assessment of Efficacy and Irritation of Ingenol Mebutate Gel 0.015% Used With or
      Without Dimethicone Lotion for Treatment of Actinic Keratosis on the Face.
AB  - <p>Background: Ingenol mebutate gel 0.015% provides high clearance rates for
      actinic keratosis (AK) on the face and scalp but causes transient local skin
      responses (LSRs).</p> <p>Objective: This study sought to determine whether the
      application of 1% dimethicone would decrease ingenol mebutate-associated LSRs
      and/or affect efficacy during the treatment of multiple AKs on the face.</p>
      <p>Methods: Ingenol mebutate gel 0.015% was applied for 3 days to two 25 cm2
      areas, each containing 3 to 8 AKs on the face of each subject, followed by
      application of 1% dimethicone lotion in an investigator-blinded manner to one
      randomly selected AK-containing area until LSRs were no longer present.</p>
      <p>Results: In total, 20 subjects were enrolled and completed the study. Topical
      1% dimethicone lotion applied during and after treatment of facial AK with
      ingenol mebutate gel 0.015% reduced mean total LSR scores at days 8 and 15
      compared with ingenol mebutate gel only, although the difference was not
      statistically significant. Efficacy was equivalent between the two treatment
      arms.</p> <p>Limitations: The study evaluated a relatively small number of
      subjects, all of whom were white.</p> <p>Conclusions: The application of 1%
      dimethicone following ingenol mebutate gel 0.015% produced a trend toward lower
      severity of some LSRs, with no difference in efficacy.</p> <p><em>J Drugs
      Dermatol. 2017;16(5):432-436.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628679
TI  - Safety and Efficacy of Escalating Doses of Ingenol Mebutate for Field Treatment
      of Actinic Keratosis on the Full Face, Full Balding Scalp, or Chest.
AB  - <p>Background: Actinic keratosis (AK) can affect large skin areas. Ingenol
      mebutate (IngMeb) gel (0.015% and 0.05%) is approved for topical treatment of AK
      in a single contiguous area of ~25 cm2.</p> <p>Objective: The study sought to
      determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), efficacy, and tolerability of IngMeb
      applied to AK on a contiguous area less than equal to 250 cm2.</p> <p>Methods:
      Part 1 determined the MTD of IngMeb at 7 concentrations for 2 or 3 days. Part 2
      assessed efficacy and tolerability at the MTD and one dose lower for 2 or 3 days
      vs vehicle.</p> <p>Results: Four dosing regimens with an acceptable benefit-to
      risk ratio were identified: 0.018% and 0.027% once daily for 2 or 3 days.
      Complete clearance at 8 weeks was achieved by 21.3% to 39.1% of IngMeb-treated
      patients vs 0% to 3.2% treated with vehicle. Composite local skin response scores
      peaked on the day after the last application, rapidly declined, and were near
      baseline at 2 weeks. Adverse events were predominantly mild or moderate.</p>
      <p>Limitations: The study evaluated a limited number of doses in a population of
      only white patients.</p> <p>Conclusion: IngMeb gel was effective and well
      tolerated as field treatment of AK on the full face, full scalp, and up to 250
      cm2 on the chest.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):438-444.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628680
TI  - Current Perspectives Among U.S. Dermatologists on Chemoprevention of Nonmelanoma
      Skin Cancer: A Survey-Based Study.
AB  - <p>Introduction: Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common malignancy in
      the US Primary prevention of NMSC with physical photoprotective measures are
      often not sufficient to impact skin cancer incidence in high-risk individuals.
      Chemoprevention is the use of agents to prevent, suppress, and reverse
      carcinogenic progression. Many agents have been investigated, but preclinical and
      clinical studies are often inconsistent.</p> <p>Methods: A cross-sectional study
      was designed to assess current practices, perceptions, and general knowledge of
      U.S. dermatologists pertaining to chemopreventive strategies. This voluntary
      online survey was distributed to practicing dermatologists via dermatology
      society electronic mailing lists. Software from SurveyGizmo.com was used for
      survey implementation and anonymous data collection. Stata 12.0 statistical
      analysis software (StataCorp, LP) was used to perform nonparametric Spearman
      correlation tests.</p> <p>Results: Approximately half of the 156 responding
      dermatologists reported being in practice 16 years or more (47.3%) and working in
      urban communities (48.7%). 59.3% reported "frequently" using topical therapies,
      while only 13.7% reported frequent use of systemic chemopreventive therapies.
      Dermatologists practicing in urban settings were more likely to indicate they
      believe knowledge has increased substantially (P=0.047) as compared to colleagues
      in other communities. Respondents also reported varying degrees of confidence in
      selecting appropriate chemopreventive regimens: most feel comfortable determining
      which agents to use in patients, but 29.1% answered "neutral" or "disagree" when
      asked if they felt comfortable. More experienced dermatologists were more likely
      to recommend diet modifications such as increased dietary vitamin D (P=0.014),
      low fat diet (P=0.022), and tea polyphenols (P=0.04) as methods of
      chemoprevention.</p> <p>Discussion: Efforts to identify effective, minimally
      toxic chemopreventive agents have long been underway, but conflicting reports in
      the literature make formulation of validated guidelines challenging. Our study
      suggests differing perceptions, comfort levels, and practice strategies among
      U.S. dermatologists. This serves to identify areas of research requiring
      additional contributions from clinical investigators and reveals a need to
      broaden understanding of available evidence-based techniques.</p> <p><em>J Drugs
      Dermatol. 2017;16(5):449-452.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628681
TI  - Changes in Self-Perceptions of Photoaging Severity and Skin Cancer Risk After
      Objective Facial Skin Quality Analysis.
AB  - <p>Background: Despite public education efforts, many people at risk for skin
      cancer do not practice safe sun behaviors.</p> <p>Objective: To determine whether
      machine-based evaluation of UV-induced alterations (VISIA scan) changes self
      assessment of facial photoaging, skin cancer risk, and willingness to improve sun
      protective habits. In addition, to determine whether VISIA scan analysis reveals
      differences between those with versus without a history of skin cancer, men
      versus women, those older than 50 versus less than 50 years of age, and
      Fitzpatrick skin types I-III versus IV-VI.</p> <p>Methods: Volunteers attending a
      health expo were recruited and queried about their perceived risk of skin cancer
      and degree of skin photoaging. All participants underwent facial skin quality
      analysis of both sides of the face, and then completed a follow-up survey.</p>
      <p>Results: Participants' scored self-perceptions of overall skin aging were all
      statistically significantly worse after VISIA scan analysis. There was no change
      in perceived skin cancer risk, but most participants expressed intent to improve
      their sun protection habits.</p> <p>Limitations: Limitations to this study
      include selection bias, recall-misclassification bias, and social desirability
      bias.</p> <p>Conclusion: Intervention with facial skin analysis can positively
      affect subjects' stated intent to use sun protection, indicating the importance
      of appearance in these health decisions.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol.
      2017;16(5):453-459.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628682
TI  - Radiation Therapy in Dermatology: Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer.
AB  - <p>Background: Dermatologists were historically well versed in the use of
      radiation therapy for the management of non-melanoma skin cancers and various
      inflammatory dermatologic conditions. With the advent of Mohs micrographic
      surgery and therapeutic discoveries for treating inflammatory dermatoses,
      radiotherapy assumed loss of a role in the clinical repertoire of the
      dermatologist. In recent years, its importance has again been realized for the
      management of non-melanoma skin cancers not amenable to surgical treatment or as
      adjuvant or palliative therapy.</p> <p>Objective: To review the evolving use of
      radiation therapy in the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer.</p> <p>Methods
      and Materials: All published literature regarding the applications of
      radiotherapy for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer were analyzed and
      collated.</p> <p>Results: A comprehensive review of radiotherapy for the
      treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer was outlined.</p> <p>Conclusion:
      Dermatologists should be well versed in radiation therapy in order to deliver the
      best possible care for patients, as radiotherapy is an important adjuvant tool
      for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol.
      2017;16(5):464-469.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628683
TI  - Understanding the Shape of Forehead Lines.
AB  - : <p>Background: Individualized neuromodulator injections of the forehead are
      increasingly important to maximize patient safety and satisfaction and to yield
      the best aesthetic outcome. To assess the location of maximal muscle contraction,
      it would beneficial to relate the shape and location of the forehead lines to the
      morphology of the underlying frontalis muscle.</p> <p>Materials and Methods: We
      investigated the shape of forehead lines and their relationship to the morphology
      of the underlying frontalis muscle using anatomic dissection in a sample of 31
      human body donors, with a mean age at death of 77.2 +/- 13.2 years (range, 47-93)
      of which n=29 (93.5%) were of Caucasian and n=2 (6.5%) of African-American
      ethnicity and of which n=16 (51.6%) were females (n=15 males; 48.4%).</p>
      <p>Results: Horizontal forehead lines were classified into straight n=13 (41.9%)
      and wavy n=18 (58.1%) lines. The presence of wavy forehead lines (as compared to
      straight lines) was significantly related to the presence of a midline
      aponeurosis (r = 0.69; P less than 0.001) and to a greater muscle fascicle angle
      (12.67 +/- 2.60 degrees  vs 10.18 +/- 2.12 degrees ) (r = 0.47; P less than
      0.001), but was not statistical significantly influenced by age, gender, or
      ethnicity (all P greater than 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion: According to the shape of
      the forehead lines, physicians can appreciate the morphology of the underlying
      frontalis muscle. This understanding will facilitate more accurate neuromodulator
      injections and a better aesthetic outcome. It may also result in decreased
      dosages and increased injection intervals for maximal patient safety. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: IV</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):471-477.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628684
TI  - Megasessions: Efficacy of Fewer, Longer Treatment Sessions for Fat Reduction in
      Noninvasive Body Contouring Using a Radiofrequency Based Device.
AB  - <p>While the field of noninvasive body contouring is booming, many patients still
      note a lesser result than they might achieve with a single session of liposuction
      or dermolipectomy. The duration of a noninvasive fat reduction treatment series
      can be daunting. Patients have questioned the worth of these procedures when the
      expected benefit is modest and the time they devote to the project is
      significant. An eight-patient mini-study was performed to see if two or three
      "megasessions" could be substituted for eight weekly sessions of bipolar
      radiofrequency based fat reduction treatments. Patients were randomized into a
      two session or three session group by drawing straws. The device used was the
      BodyFX bipolar RF device by InMode. This device employs a suction coupled vacuum
      that heats a section of skin and soft tissue in the treatment region and delivers
      a high voltage pulse. Each patient was treated for 2 hours per session, using the
      Body FX, more superficial Mini FX, and the Deep FX device in an effort to treat
      on a multilevel basis. Preoperative 2D and 3D Vectra photos were taken, and were
      repeated at 1 month and 3 months post-treatment. Volumetric analysis and patient
      assessment showed similar results with a two or three treatment "megasession"
      protocol when compared with the traditional protocol of eight weekly sessions.
      While the cohort number was not statistically significant, the photographs and
      measurements are compelling enough to warrant further investigation into this
      treatment protocol.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):478-480.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628685
TI  - A Systematic Review of Light Emitting Diode (LED) Phototherapy for Treatment of
      Psoriasis: An Emerging Therapeutic Modality.
AB  - <p>Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition. The economic
      burden of psoriasis is approximately $35.2 billion in the United States per year,
      and treatment costs are increasing at a higher rate than general inflation. Light
      emitting diode (LED) phototherapy may represent a cost-effective, efficacious,
      safe, and portable treatment modality for psoriasis.</p> <p>Objective: The goal
      of our manuscript is to review the published literature and provide evidence
      based recommendations on LED phototherapy for the treatment of psoriasis.</p>
      <p>Methods & Materials: A search of the databases Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science,
      and CINAHL was performed on April 5, 2016. Key search terms were related to
      psoriasis and LED-based therapies.</p> <p>Results: A total of 7,793 articles were
      generated from the initial search and 5 original articles met inclusion criteria
      for our review. Grade of recommendation: B for LED-blue light. Grade of
      recommendation: C for LED-ultraviolet B, LED-red light, and combination LED-near
      infrared and LED-red light.</p> <p>Conclusion: We envision further characterizing
      the effects of LED phototherapy to treat psoriasis in patients may increase
      adoption of LED-based modalities and provide clinicians and patients with new
      therapeutic options that balance safety, efficacy, and cost.</p> <p><em>J Drugs
      Dermatol. 2017;16(5):482-488.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628686
TI  - Off Face Usage of Poly-L-Lactic Acid for Body Rejuvenation.
AB  - <p>Injectable soft-tissue augmentation agents have become popular alternatives to
      surgical procedures for the aging face and body. In contrast to temporary, space
      occupying replacement fillers such as collagen-based and hyaluronic acid
      products, poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) has been demonstrated to gradually promotes
      deposition of collagen via a biostimulatory response, with therapeutic effects
      lasting approximately two years. In 2004, the FDA approved its use for
      rejuvenation of facial contours secondary to lipoatrophy associated with
      antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection. By 2009 PLLA was FDA-approved for the
      correction of nasolabial fold contour deficiencies and other lines and wrinkles.
      There have since been limited but promising results with off-label use of PLLA
      for nonfacial volumization as well, including the hands, neck/decollete, abdomen,
      and gluteal area. The objective of this article is to review clinical evidence,
      current trends, and technical considerations for the use of PLLA for nonfacial,
      body rejuvenation.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):489-494.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628687
TI  - The Infatuation With Biotin Supplementation: Is There Truth Behind Its Rising
      Popularity? A Comparative Analysis of Clinical Efficacy versus Social Popularity.
AB  - <p>Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7 or vitamin H, is a water-soluble B vitamin
      that acts as an essential cofactor for several carboxylases involved in the
      cellular metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, and gluconeogenesis. Although
      there exists an incredible amount of social media hype and market advertising
      touting its efficacy for the improvement of hair quantity and quality, biotin's
      efficacy for hair remains largely unsubstantiated in scientific literature. We
      reviewed all pertinent scientific literature regarding the efficacy of biotin
      supplementation for hair growth and quality improvement, and we also investigated
      its popularity in society defined as a function of market analytics. To date,
      there have been no clinical trials conducted to investigate the efficacy of
      biotin supplementation for the treatment of alopecia of any kind, nor has there
      been any randomized controlled trial to study its effect on hair quality and
      quantity in human subjects. Because of the lack of clinical evidence, its use to
      improve hair quantity or quality is not routinely recommended. However, societal
      infatuation with biotin supplementation is not only propagated by its
      glamorization in popular media, its popularity is vastly disproportionate to the
      insufficient clinical evidence supporting it's efficacy in hair improvement. In
      other words, biotin supplements are quite "in vogue", without there being any
      real reason to be so.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):496-500.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628688
TI  - Effectiveness of a Nutraceutical During Non-Ablative 1927 nm Fractional Laser on
      Patients With Facial Hyperpigmentation and Photoaging.
AB  - <p>Background: Fractional lasers have been proven to treat hyperpigmentation and
      photoaging. Little research has been done on the effects of supplements on
      healing post-laser resurfacing. A nutraceutical could offer the benefit of faster
      healing of the skin and fewer side effects.</p> <p>Objective: Evaluate the
      effectiveness of a nutraceutical associated with fractional 1927 nm laser in
      healing time and effectiveness on hyperpigmentation and photoaging.</p>
      <p>Methods & Materials: A prospective, randomized, evaluator-blinded, pilot study
      included Fitzpatrick skin types I-III patients with hyperpigmentation and
      photoaging randomly assigned to two groups. Group 1 was laser treatment and Group
      2 was laser treatment and nutraceutical. Results were compared with objective
      biometric TEWL (transepidermal water loss), mexameter, corneometer, and cutometer
      parameters. A blinded physician-evaluator and the subjects completed
      questionnaires to evaluate skin improvements.</p> <p>Results: Twenty women were
      included. Eight in Group 1 and 10 in Group 2 completed the study. Group 2
      presented a faster recovery of the skin barrier function post procedure. Three
      months after the procedure, Group 2 presented with significantly improved skin
      glossiness, hydration, and melanin rebound levels. Group 2 presented more overall
      aesthetic improvement determined by the patient and the blinded physician
      evaluator.</p> <p>Conclusion: The nutraceutical improved the results of the laser
      treatment.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):501-506.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628689
TI  - Aggressive Skin Cancers Occurring in Patients Treated With the Janus Kinase
      Inhibitor Ruxolitinib.
AB  - <p>The Food and Drug Administration approved Ruxolitinib in 2011 for the
      treatment of primary myelofibrosis. Five-year safety data showed a higher
      incidence of skin cancer in patients treated with Ruxolitinib compared to best
      available therapy for myelofibrosis. This report presents a series of five
      patients with history of myelofibrosis treated with Ruxolitinib who subsequently
      developed numerous skin cancers with aggressive biological behavior. Each patient
      in this report was treated by a Mohs surgeon affiliated with an academic
      institution. All patients had a history of myelofibrosis and were exposed to
      Ruxolitinib. Some patients were exposed to other immunomodulatory medications
      such as Hydroxyurea and Rituximab. The total number of skin cancers and skin
      cancers with particularly aggressive behavior were noted. All five patients in
      this series developed numerous skin cancers with aggressive biological behavior
      during or after therapy with Ruxolitinib. Also, one patient developed lentigo
      maligna melanoma and another developed metastatic undifferentiated pleomorphic
      sarcoma. The repeat observation of skin cancers with aggressive features during
      JAK inhibitor treatment suggests that these medications may promote cutaneous
      malignant transformation in at risk patients. Further surveillance and testing of
      JAK kinases regarding the risk of skin cancers is indicated.</p> <p><em>J Drugs
      Dermatol. 2017;16(5):508-511.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628690
TI  - Case Report of Multiple Keratoacanthomas and Squamous Cell Carcinomas in a
      Patient Receiving Pembrolizumab.
AB  - <p>PD-1 is expressed on antigen-stimulated T cells and induces a downstream
      signaling pathway that works by negative feedback to inhibit T cell
      proliferation, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity. PD-1 antibodies increase tumor
      cell killing peripherally and have a role in advanced melanoma treatment. We
      describe a case of an 84 year old female with stage 4 metastatic melanoma in a
      trial of the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab who developed multiple keratoacanthomas
      after several months of treatment. While keratoacanthomas have been reported in
      patients taking BRAF inhibitors, no such reports exist for those on
      pembrolizumab, making this the first case report to point out this association
      for further investigative studies.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):513
      515.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628691
TI  - Eruptive Melanocytic Acral Nevi in the Setting of 6-mercaptopurine Therapy.
AB  - <p>Eruptive melanocytic nevi (EMN) are a rare clinical finding characterized by
      sudden-onset nevi that often present in a grouped distribution. They have been
      associated with chemotherapy, immunosuppression, bullous diseases, and
      medications including multikinase and BRAF inhibitors. It is important for
      dermatologists to be able to identify patients with sudden development of new
      melanocytic nevi secondary to particular medications. Herein, we describe a case
      of eruptive melanocytic acral nevi secondary to 6-mercaptopurine therapy.</p>
      <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5):516-518.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628692
TI  - A Novel Technology: Sunscreen With Actinic Damage Repair.
AB  - .

PMID- 28628693
TI  - Understanding the Role of Photolyases: Photoprotection and Beyond.
AB  - <p>The limitations of photoprotection modalities have been the inability to
      arrest the progression of photodamage. Chemoprevention strategies involving a
      sunscreen has been incomplete because of the need to induce sustained repair of
      mutations and slow carcinogenesis. Photolyases, or photoreactivation enzymes,
      serve the role of repairing mutations and damage to DNA induced by ultraviolet
      (UV) radiation and therefore influence the initiation phases of carcinogenesis.
      As these enzymes are absent in humans, exogenous forms have been manufactured and
      are now utilized in topical agents to supplement and augment the innate repair
      mechanisms that are mostly inefficient.</p> <p><em>J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(5
      Suppl):61-66.</em></p>.

PMID- 28628694
TI  - Fecal Immunochemical Tests in Patients at Increased Risk for Colorectal Cancer-Is
      It Prime Time Yet?

PMID- 28628695
TI  - Efficiency and Interpretability of Text Paging Communication for Medical
      Inpatients: A Mixed-Methods Analysis.

PMID- 28628696
TI  - JAMA Pediatrics Annual Contest for Trainees.

PMID- 28628697
TI  - Pediatric Migraine Prevention-First, Do No Harm.

PMID- 28628698
TI  - Pagers and Beyond in an Era of Microcommunications-What Is Old Is New Again.

PMID- 28628699
TI  - Closing the Medication-Assisted Treatment Gap for Youth With Opioid Use Disorder.

PMID- 28628700
TI  - Emergent or Urgent Appendectomy?-A Changing Perspective.

PMID- 28628701
TI  - Trends in Receipt of Buprenorphine and Naltrexone for Opioid Use Disorder Among
      Adolescents and Young Adults, 2001-2014.
AB  - Importance: Opioid use disorder (OUD) frequently begins in adolescence and young
      adulthood. Intervening early with pharmacotherapy is recommended by major
      professional organizations. No prior national studies have examined the extent to
      which adolescents and young adults (collectively termed youth) with OUD receive
      pharmacotherapy. Objective: To identify time trends and disparities in receipt of
      buprenorphine and naltrexone among youth with OUD in the United States. Design,
      Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using
      deidentified data from a national commercial insurance database. Enrollment and
      complete health insurance claims of 9.7 million youth, aged 13 to 25 years were
      analyzed, identifying individuals who received a diagnosis of OUD between January
      1, 2001, and June 30, 2014, with final follow-up date December 31, 2014. Analysis
      was conducted from April 25 to December 31, 2016. Time trends were identified and
      multivariable logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic factors
      associated with medication receipt. Exposures: Sex, age, race/ethnicity,
      neighborhood education and poverty levels, geographic region, census region, and
      year of diagnosis. Main Outcomes and Measures: Dispensing of a medication
      (buprenorphine or naltrexone) within 6 months of first receiving an OUD
      diagnosis. Results: Among 20 822 youth diagnosed with OUD (0.2% of the 9.7
      million sample), 13 698 (65.8%) were male and 17 119 (82.2%) were non-Hispanic
      white. Mean (SD) age was 21.0 (2.5) years at the first observed diagnosis. The
      diagnosis rate of OUD increased nearly 6-fold from 2001 to 2014 (from 0.26 per
      100 000 person-years to 1.51 per 100 000 person-years). Overall, 5580 (26.8%)
      youth were dispensed a medication within 6 months of diagnosis, with 4976 (89.2%)
      of medication-treated youth receiving buprenorphine and 604 (10.8%) receiving
      naltrexone. Medication receipt increased more than 10-fold, from 3.0% in 2002
      (when buprenorphine was introduced) to 31.8% in 2009, but declined in subsequent
      years (27.5% in 2014). In multivariable analyses, younger individuals were less
      likely to receive medications, with adjusted probability for age 13 to 15 years,
      1.4% (95% CI, 0.4%-2.3%); 16 to 17 years, 9.7% (95% CI, 8.4%-11.1%); 18 to 20
      years, 22.0% (95% CI, 21.0%-23.0%); and 21 to 25 years, 30.5% (95% CI, 30.0%
      31.5%) (P < .001 for difference). Females (7124 [20.3%]) were less likely than
      males (13 698 [24.4%]) to receive medications (P < .001), as were non-Hispanic
      black (105 [14.8%]) and Hispanic (1165 [20.0%]) youth compared with non-Hispanic
      white (17 119 [23.1%]) youth (P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this first
      national study of buprenorphine and naltrexone receipt among youth, dispensing
      increased over time. Nonetheless, only 1 in 4 commercially insured youth with OUD
      received pharmacotherapy, and disparities based on sex, age, and race/ethnicity
      were observed.

PMID- 28628702
TI  - Financial Incentives for Linkage to Care and Viral Suppression Among HIV-Positive
      Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial (HPTN 065).
AB  - Importance: Achieving linkage to care and viral suppression in human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients improves their well-being and
      prevents new infections. Current gaps in the HIV care continuum substantially
      limit such benefits. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of financial
      incentives on linkage to care and viral suppression in HIV-positive patients.
      Design, Setting, and Participants: A large community-based clinical trial that
      randomized 37 HIV test and 39 HIV care sites in the Bronx, New York, and
      Washington, DC, to financial incentives or standard of care. Interventions:
      Participants at financial incentive test sites who had positive test results for
      HIV received coupons redeemable for $125 cash-equivalent gift cards upon linkage
      to care. HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy at financial
      incentive care sites received $70 gift cards quarterly, if virally suppressed.
      Main Outcomes and Measures: Linkage to care: proportion of HIV-positive persons
      at the test site who linked to care within 3 months, as indicated by CD4+ and/or
      viral load test results done at a care site. Viral suppression: proportion of
      established patients at HIV care sites with suppressed viral load (<400
      copies/mL), assessed at each calendar quarter. Outcomes assessed through
      laboratory test results reported to the National HIV Surveillance System.
      Results: A total of 1061 coupons were dispensed for linkage to care at 18
      financial incentive test sites and 39 359 gift cards were dispensed to 9641 HIV
      positive patients eligible for gift cards at 17 financial incentive care sites.
      Financial incentives did not increase linkage to care (adjusted odds ratio, 1.10;
      95% CI, 0.73-1.67; P = .65). However, financial incentives significantly
      increased viral suppression. The overall proportion of patients with viral
      suppression was 3.8% higher (95% CI, 0.7%-6.8%; P = .01) at financial incentive
      sites compared with standard of care sites. Among patients not previously
      consistently virally suppressed, the proportion virally suppressed was 4.9%
      higher (95% CI, 1.4%-8.5%; P = .007) at financial incentive sites. In addition,
      continuity in care was 8.7% higher (95% CI, 4.2%-13.2%; P < .001) at financial
      incentive sites. Conclusions and Relevance: Financial incentives, as used in this
      study (HPTN 065), significantly increased viral suppression and regular clinic
      attendance among HIV-positive patients in care. No effect was noted on linkage to
      care. Financial incentives offer promise for improving adherence to treatment and
      viral suppression among HIV-positive patients. Trial Registration:
      clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01152918.

PMID- 28628703
TI  - Marketing Claims for Infant Formula Additives and Infant Formula.

PMID- 28628704
TI  - Can the Spot Sign Identify Who Benefits From Aggressive Blood Pressure Reduction
      in Intracerebral Hemorrhage?

PMID- 28628705
TI  - Time to Appendectomy and Risk of Complicated Appendicitis and Adverse Outcomes in
      Children.
AB  - Importance: Management of appendicitis as an urgent rather than emergency
      procedure has become an increasingly common practice in children. Controversy
      remains as to whether this practice is associated with increased risk of
      complicated appendicitis and adverse events. Objective: To examine the
      association between time to appendectomy (TTA) and risk of complicated
      appendicitis and postoperative complications. Design, Setting, and Participants:
      In this retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric National Surgical Quality
      Improvement Program appendectomy pilot database, 2429 children younger than 18
      years who underwent appendectomy within 24 hours of presentation at 23 children's
      hospitals from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2014, were studied.
      Exposures: The main exposure was TTA, defined as the time from emergency
      department presentation to appendectomy. Patients were further categorized into
      early and late TTA groups based on whether their TTA was shorter or longer than
      their hospital's median TTA. Exposures were defined in this manner to compare
      rates of complicated appendicitis within a time frame sensitive to each
      hospital's existing infrastructure and diagnostic practices. Main Outcomes and
      Measures: The primary outcome was complicated appendicitis documented at
      operation. The association between treatment delay and complicated appendicitis
      was examined across all hospitals by using TTA as a continuous variable and at
      the level of individual hospitals by using TTA as a categorical variable
      comparing outcomes between late and early TTA groups. Secondary outcomes included
      length of stay (LOS) and postoperative complications (incisional and organ space
      infections, percutaneous drainage procedures, unplanned reoperation, and hospital
      revisits). Results: Of the 6767 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 2429
      were included in the analysis (median age, 10 years; interquartile range, 8-13
      years; 1467 [60.4%] male). Median hospital TTA was 7.4 hours (range, 5.0-19.2
      hours), and 574 patients (23.6%) were diagnosed with complicated appendicitis
      (range, 5.2%-51.1% across hospitals). In multivariable analyses, increasing TTA
      was not associated with risk of complicated appendicitis (odds ratio per 1-hour
      increase in TTA, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97-1.02). The odds ratios of complicated
      appendicitis for late vs early TTA across hospitals ranged from 0.39 to 9.63, and
      only 1 of the 23 hospitals had a statistically significant increase in their late
      TTA group (odds ratio, 9.63; 95% CI, 1.08-86.17; P = .03). Increasing TTA was
      associated with longer LOS (increase in mean LOS for each additional hour of TTA,
      0.06 days; 95% CI, 0.03-0.08 days; P < .001) but was not associated with
      increased risk of any of the other secondary outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance:
      Delay of appendectomy within 24 hours of presentation was not associated with
      increased risk of complicated appendicitis or adverse outcomes. These results
      support the premise that appendectomy can be safely performed as an urgent rather
      than emergency procedure.

PMID- 28628706
TI  - Diagnostic Accuracy of Fecal Immunochemical Test in Patients at Increased Risk
      for Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-analysis.
AB  - Importance: The potential role of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for
      screening patients at increased risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) has not yet been
      elucidated. Objective: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of FIT for CRC or
      advanced neoplasia (AN) in asymptomatic patients at above-average risk. Data
      Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and gray literature sources through
      August 2016. Study Selection: Diagnostic studies evaluating the accuracy of FIT
      for CRC or AN in patients with a personal or familial history of CRC using
      colonoscopy as the reference standard. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two authors
      (A.K. and P.P.) independently extracted data and evaluated study quality using
      the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool, and evaluated the
      quality of the body of evidence by means of GRADE (Grading of Recommendations
      Assessment, Development, and Evaluation). Hierarchical models were used to
      synthesize available evidence. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome
      was the diagnostic performance of FIT for detecting CRC or AN. Results: We
      included 12 studies (6204 participants). Seven studies were deemed at high or
      unclear risk of bias. The average sensitivity of FIT for CRC was 93% (95% CI, 53%
      99%), and the average specificity was 91% (95% CI, 89%-92%), yielding a positive
      likelihood ratio (LR+) of 10.30 (CI 7.7-13.9) and a negative likelihood ratio (LR
      ) of 0.08 (95% CI, 0.01-0.75) (GRADE: very low). The average sensitivity of FIT
      for AN was 48% (95% CI, 39%-57%); and the average specificity was 93% (95% CI,
      91%-94%), yielding an LR+ of 6.55 (95% CI, 5.0-8.5) and an LR- of 0.57 (95% CI,
      0.48-0.67) (GRADE: very low). Subgroup analyses indicated that FIT cutoff values
      between 15- and 25-MUg/g feces provided the best combination of sensitivity and
      specificity for the diagnosis of CRC (93% and 94%, respectively). Quantitative
      and 1-sample FIT showed adequate test performance, but data on other FIT brands
      and multiple samples were insufficient. Conclusions and Relevance: The FIT has
      high overall diagnostic accuracy for CRC but moderate accuracy for AN in patients
      at above-average personal or familial risk. Heterogeneity and wide confidence
      intervals limit the trustworthiness of our findings.

PMID- 28628708
TI  - Brain Calcifications in Adult-Onset Genetic Leukoencephalopathies: A Review.
AB  - Importance: Adult-onset genetic leukoencephalopathies and leukodystrophies are
      increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous group of disorders with new diagnostic
      approaches and potential treatments. In the new era of genomics, the challenging
      interpretation of individual genetic variations requires an accurate phenotypic
      description and classification. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      based approaches have been proposed to improve the diagnostic process of adult
      onset leukoencephalopathies. Cerebral calcifications, when associated with white
      matter hyperintensities, are of major importance in the decision-making process
      to focus the diagnosis among the diversity of rare causes. Observations: This
      literature review demonstrated that the morphologic features and topography of
      the calcifications observed in a careful combined analysis of computed
      tomographic and MRI scans may help indicate the diagnosis of adult-onset genetic
      leukoencephalopathies. Vascular genetic leukoencephalopathies are an important
      cause of leukoencephalopathy with calcifications. Among them, COL4A1-related
      disorders are frequently associated with spotlike calcifications in the basal
      ganglia. Adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids, a probably
      underestimated disorder, is associated with a specific pattern of calcifications:
      small, symmetric, sparing the basal ganglia, and a stepping stone appearance in
      the frontal pericallosal region. Moreover, disorders primarily associated with
      basal ganglia calcifications, such as primary familial brain calcifications, can
      be associated with marked leukoencephalopathy. Conclusions and Relevance: The
      number of identified causes of adult-onset genetic leukoencephalopathies has
      recently increased. A diagnostic algorithm should take into account the pattern
      of calcifications to better target the genetic analyses.

PMID- 28628707
TI  - Intensive Blood Pressure Reduction and Spot Sign in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A
      Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - Importance: The computed tomographic angiography (CTA) spot sign is associated
      with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) expansion and may mark those patients most
      likely to benefit from intensive blood pressure (BP) reduction. Objective: To
      investigate whether the spot sign is associated with ICH expansion across a wide
      range of centers and whether intensive BP reduction decreases hematoma expansion
      and improves outcome in patients with ICH and a spot sign. Design, Setting, and
      Participants: SCORE-IT (Spot Sign Score in Restricting ICH Growth) is a
      preplanned prospective observational study nested in the Antihypertensive
      Treatment of Acute Cerebral Hemorrhage II (ATACH-II) randomized clinical trial.
      Participants included consecutive patients with primary ICH who underwent a CTA
      within 8 hours from onset at 59 sites from May 15, 2011, through December 19,
      2015. Data were analyzed for the present study from July 1 to August 31, 2016.
      Main Outcomes and Measures: Patients in ATACH-II were randomized to intensive
      (systolic BP target, <140 mm Hg) vs standard (systolic BP target, <180 mm Hg) BP
      reduction within 4.5 hours from onset. Expansion of ICH was defined as hematoma
      growth of greater than 33%, and an unfavorable outcome was defined as a 90-day
      modified Rankin Scale score of 4 or greater (range, 0-6). The association among
      BP reduction, ICH expansion, and outcome was investigated with multivariable
      logistic regression. Results: A total of 133 patients (83 men [62.4%] and 50
      women [37.6%]; mean [SD] age, 61.9 [13.1] years) were included. Of these, 53
      (39.8%) had a spot sign, and 24 of 123 without missing data (19.5%) experienced
      ICH expansion. The spot sign was associated with expansion with sensitivity of
      0.54 (95% CI, 0.34-0.74) and specificity of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.53-0.72). After
      adjustment for potential confounders, intensive BP treatment was not associated
      with a significant reduction of ICH expansion (relative risk, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.27
      2.51; P = .74) or improved outcome (relative risk of 90-day modified Rankin Scale
      score >=4, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.53-2.91; P = .62) in spot sign-positive patients.
      Conclusions and Relevance: The predictive performance of the spot sign for ICH
      expansion was lower than in prior reports from single-center studies. No evidence
      suggested that patients with ICH and a spot sign specifically benefit from
      intensive BP reduction. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:
      NCT01176565.

PMID- 28628709
TI  - Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Harms of Lung Cancer Screening: A Teachable
      Moment.

PMID- 28628710
TI  - Marketing Claims for Infant Formula Additives and Infant Formula-Reply.

PMID- 28628711
TI  - Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Coronary Stents Undergoing Elective
      Noncardiac Surgery: Continue, Stop, or Something in Between?

PMID- 28628712
TI  - Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion as a component of multimodality
      therapy for ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The role of hyperthermic intraperitoneal
      chemoperfusion (HIPEC) in the multimodality treatment of ovarian peritoneal
      metastases (OPM) and primary peritoneal cancer (PPC) remains controversial. We
      hypothesized that cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and HIPEC would provide meaningful
      survival benefit without excessive morbidity. METHODS: We reviewed
      clinicopathologic and perioperative data following 96 CRS-HIPEC procedures for
      primary or recurrent OPM and PPC. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate
      Cox-regression models identified prognostic factors affecting oncologic outcomes.
      RESULTS: CRS-HIPEC was mostly performed for recurrent disease (56.3%) and high
      grade serous carcinoma (72.9%). Platinum-based systemic chemotherapy was
      administered to 89.5% of patients, with 75.5% having platinum-sensitive disease
      at CRS-HIPEC. Complete macroscopic resection was achieved in 70.8% of patients.
      Clavien-Dindo grade 3/4 morbidity occurred in 23.4% of patients; three patients
      died within 60-days postoperatively. Median overall survival from diagnosis of
      peritoneal metastases and CRS-HIPEC was 78 and 38 months, respectively.
      Completeness of cytoreduction, pathologic subtype, and 30-day morbidity were
      independent predictors of survival in multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our study demonstrates promising survival data and supports the role of HIPEC in
      the multimodality treatment algorithm for primary or recurrent OPM and PPC.
      However definite indications and timing of HIPEC need to be clarified by
      prospective studies.

PMID- 28628713
TI  - Robotic versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: A propensity score-matched
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP) is considered a safe and feasible
      alternative to laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP). However, previous
      studies have some limitations including small sample size and selection bias.
      This study aimed to evaluate whether the robotic approach has advantages over
      laparoscopic surgery in distal pancreatectomy. METHODS: Demographics and
      perioperative outcomes among patients undergoing RDP (n = 102) and LDP (n = 102)
      between January 2011 and December 2015 were reviewed. A 1:1 propensity score
      matched analysis was performed between both groups. RESULTS: Both groups
      displayed no significant differences in perioperative outcomes including
      operative time, blood loss, transfusion rate, and rates of overall morbidities
      and pancreatic fistula. Robotic approach reduced the rate of conversion to
      laparotomy (2.9% vs 9.8%, P = 0.045), especially in patients with large tumors
      (0% vs 22.2%, P = 0.042). RDP improved spleen (SP) and splenic vessels
      preservation (SVP) rates in patients with moderate tumors (60.0% vs 35.5%, P =
      0.047; 37.1% vs 12.9%, P = 0.025), especially in patients without malignancy
      (95.5% vs 52.4%, P = 0.001; 59.1% vs 19.0%, P = 0.007). RDP also reduced
      postoperative hospital stay (PHS) significantly (7.67% vs 8.58, P = 0.032).
      CONCLUSIONS: RDP is associated with less rate of conversion to laparotomy,
      shorter PHS, and improved SP and SVP rates in selected patients than LDP.

PMID- 28628714
TI  - Advanced real-time multi-display educational system (ARMES): An innovative real
      time audiovisual mentoring tool for complex robotic surgery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The recent scientific and technologic advances have profoundly
      affected the training of surgeons worldwide. We describe a novel intraoperative
      real-time training module, the Advanced Robotic Multi-display Educational System
      (ARMES). METHODS: We created a real-time training module, which can provide a
      standardized step by step guidance to robotic distal subtotal gastrectomy with D2
      lymphadenectomy procedures, ARMES. The short video clips of 20 key steps in the
      standardized procedure for robotic gastrectomy were created and integrated with
      TileProTM software to delivery on da Vinci Surgical Systems (Intuitive Surgical,
      Sunnyvale, CA). RESULTS: We successfully performed the robotic distal subtotal
      gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy for patient with gastric cancer employing
      this new teaching method without any transfer errors or system failures. Using
      this technique, the total operative time was 197 min and blood loss was 50 mL and
      there were no intra- or post-operative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our innovative
      real-time mentoring module, ARMES, enables standardized, systematic guidance
      during surgical procedures.

PMID- 28628715
TI  - Overcoming the resistance of pancreatic cancer to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
AB  - Immunotherapy has become a new modality of cancer treatment, but has had a
      limited success in treating PDAC. A combination approach to immunotherapy, using
      both immune checkpoint inhibitors and immune activating agonists, is needed, as
      PDAC does not respond to single-agent checkpoint inhibitors. Studies have also
      supported using vaccine-based therapies to prime the tumor microenvironment of
      PDAC with effector T-cells. Other therapeutic strategies including epigenetic
      agents, stroma modulators, radiotherapy, and T-cell transfer therapies may also
      prime the tumor microenvironment to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28628716
TI  - Imprinted Photonic Hydrogels for the Size- and Shell-Selective Recognition of
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - Sensors based on responsive photonic hydrogels have recently attracted
      considerable attention for visual medical diagnostics, pharmaceutical bioassays,
      and environmental monitoring. However, the use of these promising materials for
      the detection of nanoparticles (NPs) has never been explored so far, although the
      sensing of nanoobjects is a rapidly evolving area of research. To address this
      issue, we have combined the concepts of inverse-opal hydrogels and nanoparticle
      imprinted polymers. In this way, we could obtain a NP-imprinted photonic hydrogel
      consisting of a three-dimensional, highly ordered poly(methacrylic acid)
      macroporous array, in which nanocavities complementary to the target NPs, in this
      case colloidal quantum dots, are distributed. This novel type of NP-imprinted
      photonic hydrogel sensor was shown to display high sensitivity and selectivity,
      thus opening new prospects for the development of equipment-free and cost
      efficient sensing devices for NPs.

PMID- 28628717
TI  - Implications of extra nodal extension in differentiated thyroid cancer.

PMID- 28628718
TI  - A better method for assessment of hepatic function in hepatocellular carcinoma
      patients treated with radiofrequency ablation: Usefulness of albumin-bilirubin
      grade.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of the newly proposed albumin-bilirubin (ALBI)
      grade for therapy selection, clinical features of patients treated with
      radiofrequency ablation (RFA) were elucidated. METHODS: From 2000 to 2015, 1101
      patients with HCC (<3 cm, <=3 tumors) treated with RFA were enrolled, with the
      following clinical features: 734 men and 367 women; 779 with hepatitis C virus,
      153 with hepatitis B virus, 5 with hepatitis C and B, and 164 others; and Child
      Pugh classification (CP) A : B ratio of 842:259. Liver damage classification (LD)
      using the indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min and ALBI-grade were compared
      in regard to the prognoses of those patients. RESULTS: Median tumor size was 1.7
      cm (interquartile range, 1.4-2.2 cm) and single tumors were found in 802 cases
      (72.8%) (tumor-node-metastasis stage of the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan I :
      II : III = 536:454:111). In the LD-A group, the number of cases with ALBI-grade
      1, 2, and 3 were 294, 224, and 1, respectively, while those in the LD-B group
      were 47, 490, and 12, respectively. In the LD-C group, 19 and 14 patients were
      ALBI-2 and -3, respectively. Akaike Information Criterion values for CP, LD
      grade, and ALBI-grade were 6015.4, 5988.8, and 5990.7, respectively. However,
      there was no significant difference regarding prognosis between LD-A/B (n = 228)
      and C (n = 31) (median survival time, 4.8 vs. 3.9 years, P = 0.0818) in CP-B,
      whereas a significant difference was observed regarding prognosis for ALBI-1/2 (n
      = 232) and ALBI-3 (n = 27) (median survival time, 4.8 vs. 2.7 years, P = 0.0168).
      CONCLUSION: Albumin-bilirubin grade showed an assessment ability similar to that
      of LD-grade. Furthermore, there was a small improvement in prognosis following
      RFA in patients with an ALBI-grade of 3. Although only two serological
      parameters, albumin and total bilirubin, are used, assessment with ALBI-grade may
      be more useful than with LD-grade for avoiding a non-beneficial RFA procedure.

PMID- 28628719
TI  - Surgical innovation.

PMID- 28628720
TI  - Cost-effective teaching of radiology with preclinical anatomy.
AB  - Graduating physicians in all subspecialties have an increased need for competency
      in radiology, particularly since the use of diagnostic imaging continues to grow.
      To integrate the teaching of radiology with anatomy during the first year of
      medical school at Howard University, a novel approach was developed to overcome
      the limitations of resources including funding, faculty, and curricular time. The
      resulting program relies on self-study and peer-to-peer interactions to develop
      proficiency at manipulating free versions of medical image viewer software (using
      the DICOM standard), identifying normal anatomy in medical images, and applying
      critical thinking skills to understand common clinical conditions. An effective
      collaborative relationship between a radiologist and anatomist was necessary to
      develop and implement the program of anatomic-radiographic instruction which
      consists of five tiers: (1) initial exposure to anatomy through dissection which
      provides a foundation of knowledge; (2) study of annotated radiographs from
      atlases; (3) a radiology quiz open to group discussions; (4) small group study of
      clinical cases with diagnostic images; and (5) radiographic tests. Students took
      all quizzes and tests by working from image datasets preloaded on their personal
      computers, mimicking the approach by which radiologists analyze medical images.
      In addition to stimulating student support of a new teaching initiative, the
      strengths of Howard's program are that it can be introduced into an existing
      preclinical curriculum in almost any medical school with minimal disruption, it
      requires few additional resources to implement and run, and its design is
      consistent with the principles of modern education theory. Anat Sci Educ 11: 196
      206. (c) 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

PMID- 28628721
TI  - Protonation of Nitramines: Where Does the Proton Go?
AB  - The reactions of nitramine, N-methyl nitramine, and N,N-dimethyl nitramine with
      anhydrous HF and the superacids HF/MF5 (M=As, Sb) were investigated at
      temperatures below -40  degrees C. In solution, exclusive O-protonation was
      observed by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Whereas no solid product could be
      isolated from the neat HF solutions even at -78  degrees C, in the HF/MF5
      systems, protonated nitramine MF6- salts were isolated for the first time as
      moisture-sensitive solids that decompose at temperatures above -40  degrees C. In
      the solid state, depending on the counterion, O-protonated or N-protonated
      cations can be formed, in accord with theoretical calculations which show that
      the energy differences between O-protonation and N-protonation are very small.
      The salts [H2 N-NO2 H][AsF6 ], [H3 N-NO2 ][SbF6 ], [MeHNNO2 H][SbF6 ], and [Me2
      NNO2 H][SbF6 ] were characterized by their X-ray crystal structures.

PMID- 28628722
TI  - Microscopic lymphovascular invasion is an independent predictor of survival in
      resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Background and Objectives Despite routine inclusion of lymphovascular invasion
      (LVI) status in pathologic reports of resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas
      (PDA), the clinical implications of LVI have not been well characterized. Methods
      This study is a retrospective review of 2640 patients who underwent a
      pancreatectomy for PDA at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Massachusetts
      General Hospital, or Johns Hopkins Hospital (2003-2014). Clinical and pathologic
      records were extracted from institutional databases. Results The median post
      resection survival for the total cohort was 19.2 months with a 5-year survival
      rate of 15.2%. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model including
      conventional pathologic features, LVI was an independent predictor of survival
      (HR = 1.14, P = 0.017). In a stratified Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, patients
      with N0, LVI- PDA had a significantly improved overall survival compared to those
      with N0, LVI+ PDA (median 31 vs 24 mo, P = 0.020). Similarly, patients with N1,
      LVI- PDA had superior survival to patients with N1, LVI+ disease (18.6 vs 16.5
      mo, P = 0.001). Conclusions As the first large scale study focused on the
      clinical impact of LVI status in PDA, these data indicate that this routinely
      reported pathologic feature is a bona fide and independent adverse prognostic
      factor.

PMID- 28628723
TI  - A Multifunctional Radiotheranostic Agent for Dual Targeting of Breast Cancer
      Cells.
AB  - A straightforward synthetic route for a new multifunctional 1,4,7,10
      tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) derivative is described.
      To demonstrate the versatility of this pro-chelator for the preparation of
      radiolabeled hybrid compounds containing two different biological targeting
      moieties, an antitumor agent (e.g., a DNA-intercalating agent) and an estrogen
      receptor (ER) ligand (e.g., LXXLL-based peptide) were regiospecifically
      conjugated to the DOTA derivative. The bifunctional probe was radiolabeled with
      the auger electron emitter indium-111, and the resulting radioconjugate was
      demonstrated to induce DNA damage in vitro, which, along with the nuclear
      internalization exhibited in breast cancer cells, might enhance its therapeutic
      activity. This favorable in vitro performance suggests that these hybrid
      compounds could be attractive probes for theranostic applications.

PMID- 28628724
TI  - Bifunctional Boron Phosphate as an Efficient Catalyst for Epoxide Activation to
      Synthesize Cyclic Carbonates with CO2.
AB  - Development of inexpensive, easily prepared, non-toxic, and efficient catalysts
      for the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides to synthesize five-membered cyclic
      carbonates is a very attractive topic in the field of CO2 transformation. In this
      work, we conducted the first work on the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides to
      produce cyclic carbonates catalyzed by a binary catalyst system consisting of KI
      and boron phosphate (BPO4 ), which are both inexpensive and non-toxic, and
      various corresponding cyclic carbonates could be produced with high yields (93-99
      %) at 110  degrees C with a CO2 pressure of 4 MPa under solvent-free conditions.
      In the BPO4 /KI catalyst system, BPO4 , a Bronsted and Lewis acid hybrid, played
      the role of activating the epoxy ring through the formation of hydrogen bonds
      with Bronsted acidic sites and the interaction with Lewis acidic sites
      simultaneously, and thus enhanced the activity of KI for the cycloaddition of CO2
      with epoxides significantly. Additionally, the activity of the BPO4 /KI catalyst
      system showed no noticeable decrease after being reused five times, indicating
      that the BPO4 was stable under the reaction conditions.

PMID- 28628725
TI  - Dendronized Semiconducting Polymer as Photothermal Nanocarrier for Remote
      Activation of Gene Expression.
AB  - Regulation of transgene systems is needed to develop innovative medicines.
      However, noninvasive remote control of gene expression has been rarely developed
      and remains challenging. We herein synthesize a near-infrared (NIR) absorbing
      dendronized semiconducting polymer (DSP) and utilize it as a photothermal
      nanocarrier not only to efficiently deliver genes but also to spatiotemporally
      control gene expression in conjunction with heat-inducible promoter. DSP has a
      high photothermal conversion efficiency (44.2 %) at 808 nm, permitting fast
      transduction of NIR light into thermal signals for intracellular activation of
      transcription. Such a DSP-mediated remote activation can rapidly and safely
      result in 25- and 4.5-fold increases in the expression levels of proteins in
      living cells and mice, respectively. This study thus provides a promising
      approach to optically regulate transgene systems for on-demand therapeutic
      transgene dosing.

PMID- 28628726
TI  - Coinage Metal Superatomic Cores: Insights into Their Intrinsic Stability and
      Optical Properties from Relativistic DFT Calculations.
AB  - Coinage-metal atomically precise nanoclusters are made of a well-defined metallic
      core embedded in a ligand-protecting outer shell. Whereas gold derivatives are
      particularly well documented, examples of silver nanoclusters are somewhat
      limited and copper species remain particularly scare. Our DFT relativistic
      calculations on superatomic metallic cores indicate that copper species are
      almost as stable as gold clusters and more stable than their silver counterparts.
      Thus, for silver superatomic cores, the role of the stabilizing ligands is more
      crucial in the stabilization of the overall structure, in comparison to copper
      and gold. Hence, the chemistry of the earlier counterparts of gold, especially
      copper, should grow quickly with at least characterizations of species related to
      that found in the heavier elements in the triad, which requires tackling
      synthetic challenges. Time-dependent (TD)-DFT calculations show that with an
      increase of the cluster core nuclearity, the absorption bands are redshifted,
      allowing us to differentiate between the clusters types. Moreover, the optical
      properties of the silver cores are fairly different from that of their Cu and Au
      relatives.

PMID- 28628727
TI  - Bone resection for facial cutaneous malignancies.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical
      outcomes of patients who underwent bone resection for cutaneous malignancy of the
      face and scalp. METHODS: We retrospectively collected patient data from 62
      patients who underwent bone resection for craniofacial cutaneous malignancy of
      the face and scalp over the last 10 years. We investigated risk factors for
      disease progression and assessed the utility of pre-operative imaging to predict
      bone, dura, and brain infiltration. RESULTS: Out of all factors analyzed, brain
      invasion, surgical margin involvement, and dural margin involvement were found to
      significantly reduce survival. CT and MRI correctly predicted bone infiltration
      in 88% and 89% of cases. MRI correctly predicted dura invasion in 89% but grossly
      underestimated the amount of dural invasion in 23% of reports. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      data indicate that the resection of bone is a reasonable surgical option in the
      treatment of patients with advanced cutaneous malignancies of the face and scalp.
      Brain invasion and positive margins reduced the probability of survival.

PMID- 28628728
TI  - Characterizing the detection threshold for optical imaging in surgical oncology.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Optical imaging to guide cancer resections is rapidly
      transitioning into the operating room. However, the sensitivity of this technique
      to detect subclinical disease is yet characterized. The purpose of this study was
      to determine the minimum range of cancer cells that can be detected by antibody
      based fluorescence imaging. METHODS: 2LMP (breast), COLO-205 (colon), MiaPaca-2
      (pancreas), and SCC-1 (head and neck) cells incubated in vitro with cetuximab
      IRDye800CW (dose range 8.6-86 nM) were implanted subcutaneously in mice (n = 3
      mice, 5 tumors/mouse). Following incubation with 8.6 * 10-2  uM of cetuximab
      IRDye800CW in vitro, serial dilutions of each cell type (1 * 103 -1 * 106 ) were
      implanted subcutaneously (n = 3, 5 tumors/mouse). Tumors were imaged with Pearl
      Impulse and Xenogen IVIS 100 imaging systems. Scatchard analysis was performed to
      determine receptor density and kinetics for each cell line. RESULTS: Under
      conditions of minimal cetuximab-IRDye800CW exposure to low cellular quantity,
      closed-field fluorescence imaging theoretically detected a minimum of 4.2 * 104 
      9.5 * 104 2LMP cells, 1.9 * 105 -4.5 * 105 MiaPaca-2 cells, and 2.4 * 104 -6.7 *
      104 SCC-1 cells; COLO-205 cells could not be identified. Higher EGFR-mediated
      uptake of cetuximab correlated with sensitivity of detection. CONCLUSION: This
      study supports the clinical utility of cetuximab-IRDye800CW to sensitively
      localize subclinical disease in the surgical setting.

PMID- 28628729
TI  - Pre- and post-operative HBsAg levels may predict recurrence and survival after
      curative resection in patients with HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate pre- and post-operative levels of HBsAg influence
      prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) after curative resection. METHODS: Medical records were
      retrospectively analyzed for 881 patients with HBV-related HCC treated by
      curative resection. Patients were classified as having high or low serum HBsAg
      levels (>=200 or <200 ng/mL) pre- or post-operatively. RESULTS: OS and RFS were
      better for patients with low pre-operative serum levels of HBsAg than for those
      with high levels. Similarly, OS was better among patients with low post-operative
      serum levels of HBsAg than among those with high levels. RFS, in contrast, was
      similar between these two groups. After generating propensity score-matched pairs
      of patients, OS was higher in patients with falling post-operative HBsAg levels
      than in those with rising levels. In contrast, RFS was similar between these two
      groups. Antiviral nucleoside analog therapy prolonged OS in patients with high
      pre-operative HBsAg levels. CONCLUSIONS: Low pre- and post-operative levels of
      HBsAg may be associated with better long-term survival in patients with HBV
      related HCC. Pre-operative serum levels of HBsAg >=200 ng/mL may identify
      patients more likely to benefit from antiviral treatment.

PMID- 28628730
TI  - Comparative study on ambient ionization methods for direct analysis of navel
      orange tissues by mass spectrometry.
AB  - It is of sustainable interest to improve the sensitivity and selectivity of the
      ionization process, especially for direct analysis of complex samples without
      matrix separation. Herein, four ambient ionization methods including desorption
      atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DAPCI), heat-assisted desorption
      atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (heat-assisted DAPCI), microwave plasma
      torch (MPT) and internal extractive electrospray ionization (iEESI) were employed
      for comparative analysis of the navel orange tissue samples by mass spectrometry.
      The volatile organic compounds (e.g. ethanol, vanillin, leaf alcohol and jasmine
      lactone) were successfully detected by non-heat-assisted DAPCI-MS, while semi
      volatile organic compounds (e.g. 1-nonanol and ethyl nonanoate) together with low
      abundance of non-volatile organic compounds (e.g. sinensetin and nobiletin) were
      obtained by heat-assisted DAPCI-MS. Typical nonvolatile organic compounds [e.g. 5
      (hydroxymethyl)furfural and glucosan] were sensitively detected with MPT-MS.
      Compounds of high polarity (e.g. amino acids, alkaloids and sugars) were easily
      profiled with iEESI-MS. Our data showed that more analytes could be detected when
      more energy was delivered for the desorption ionization purpose; however, heat
      sensitive analytes would not be detected once the energy input exceeded the
      dissociation barriers of the analytes. For the later cases, soft ionization
      methods such as iEESI were recommended to sensitively profile the bioanalytes of
      high polarity. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28628731
TI  - Response to HER2 status might be independent determinant associated with no
      residual disease at surgical resection in patients with DCIS.

PMID- 28628733
TI  - Size Matters: Chemical Synthesis of a Homogenous Arabinogalactan 92-mer.
AB  - 31+30+31: Ye and colleagues have synthesized a branched 92-mer of arabinogalactan
      a major component of the cell wall of M. tuberculosis-by linking a linear
      oligogalactan 30-mer with two d-arabinofuranose 31-mers. Their approach
      capitalizes on sequential, one-pot glycosylation reactions that result in a rapid
      increase in molecular complexity and efficient synthesis of a branched
      oligosaccharide.

PMID- 28628732
TI  - Understanding neurophobia: Reasons behind impaired understanding and learning of
      neuroanatomy in cross-disciplinary healthcare students.
AB  - Recent studies have highlighted a fear or difficulty with the study and
      understanding of neuroanatomy among medical and healthcare students. This has
      been linked with a diminished confidence of clinical practitioners and students
      to manage patients with neurological conditions. The underlying reasons for this
      difficulty have been queried among a broad cohort of medical, dental,
      occupational therapy, and speech and language sciences students. Direct evidence
      of the students' perception regarding specific difficulties associated with
      learning neuroanatomy has been provided and some of the measures required to
      address these issues have been identified. Neuroanatomy is perceived as a more
      difficult subject compared to other anatomy topics (e.g., reproductive/pelvic
      anatomy) and not all components of the neuroanatomy curriculum are viewed as
      equally challenging. The difficulty in understanding neuroanatomical concepts is
      linked to intrinsic factors such as the inherent complex nature of the topic
      rather than outside influences (e.g., lecture duration). Participants reporting
      high levels of interest in the subject reported higher levels of knowledge,
      suggesting that teaching tools aimed at increasing interest, such as case-based
      scenarios, could facilitate acquisition of knowledge. Newer pedagogies, including
      web-resources and computer assisted learning (CAL) are considered important tools
      to improve neuroanatomy learning, whereas traditional tools such as lecture
      slides and notes were considered less important. In conclusion, it is suggested
      that understanding of neuroanatomy could be enhanced and neurophobia be decreased
      by purposefully designed CAL resources. This data could help curricular designers
      to refocus attention and guide educators to develop improved neuroanatomy web
      resources in future. Anat Sci Educ 11: 81-93. (c) 2017 American Association of
      Anatomists.

PMID- 28628734
TI  - Effect of abdominopelvic sepsis on cancer outcome in patients undergoing
      sphincter saving surgery for rectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In rectal cancer, the significance of abdominopelvic sepsis (APS) on
      metastatic tumor growth remains uncertain. We aimed to analyze the effect of
      abdominopelvic sepsis on long-term survival in patients undergoing restorative
      rectal cancer surgery. METHODS: Data were used from the Belgian PROCARE rectal
      cancer registry. The effect of abdominopelvic infection on survival was assessed
      in uni- and multivariable Cox regression models. The effect of clinical and
      pathological covariates was controlled by propensity score-based matching of
      cases with controls. The effect of abdominopelvic sepsis on the rate of local and
      metastatic recurrence was evaluated using crosstabulation and the Pearson chi2
      test. RESULTS: In univariable analysis, the presence of APS was associated with
      significantly worse overall survival (HR 1.3, P = 0.025). After propensity score
      matching including age, BMI, tumor level, pTstage, pN stage, CRM, tumor grade,
      number of lymph nodes, and presence of lymphovascular invasion, the association
      of APS with OS was no longer significant (HR 1.26, 95%CI 0.92-1.74, P = 0.15). No
      differences were observed in the risk of local or metastatic recurrence (3.6% vs
      2.9% and 13% vs 16.5%). CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis APS after rectal cancer
      resection was not significantly associated with OS, metastatic, or local
      recurrence.

PMID- 28628735
TI  - Effect of shade, opacity and layer thickness on light transmission through a nano
      hybrid dental composite during curing.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of shade and
      opacity on the change in light transmission through different thicknesses of a
      nano-hybrid composite during curing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve different
      shades of Venus Diamond (Heraeus Kulzer) were placed in disk shaped molds with
      thickness of 1, 2, and 3 mm (n = 3 per group) and cured with an LED light-curing
      unit. Initial, final and average irradiance, and the total amount of energy
      passing through the specimen were measured using the MARC Resin Calibrator at
      every 10s for a total of 40s. The translucency parameter and the contrast ratio
      were obtained using a chromameter. Results were analyzed with ANOVA/Tukey's test
      (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: All shades and all thicknesses (up to 3 mm) experienced
      an increase in light transmittance during curing. The majority of the increase
      occurred during the initial 10s exposure, with significant increase occurring
      from subsequent exposures only in thicker specimens (i.e., 3 mm). The increase in
      irradiance at the bottom during curing was dependent on shade, with darker shades
      and greater depths of material showing less increase. CONCLUSIONS: For one
      specific resin composite formulation, an increase in translucency occurs as cure
      progresses, and the increase is enhanced for composites with greater lightness
      and lower contrast ratio. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Composites demonstrate increased
      light transmittance as curing progress, which may improve depth of cure. The
      thicker composite showed the least increase in light transmission within the same
      shade. The increase in translucency is enhanced for composites with great
      lightness and lower contrast ratio.

PMID- 28628736
TI  - 'It's definitely not Alzheimer's': Perceived benefits and drawbacks of a mild
      cognitive impairment diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To understand the perceived benefits and drawbacks of a mild
      cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis from the perspective of those living with
      the label. METHODS: Participants were included if they had recently (within 6
      months) received a MCI diagnosis. We also recruited close family members to gain
      their perspectives. Each was interviewed separately with a semi-structured topic
      guide covering three areas: (1) experience of cognitive impairments and changes
      in the individual; (2) impact of cognitive impairment(s) on daily activities and
      social relationships; and (3) experience of the diagnosis process and living with
      the label. Transcribed interviews were stored in Nvivo(r) . Grounded theory
      procedures of memo writing, open coding, constant comparison, and focused coding
      were used to derive conceptual themes. RESULTS: Eighteen dyads were interviewed.
      The overarching themes surrounding diagnosis benefits and drawbacks were as
      follows: (1) emotional impact of the diagnosis; (2) practical benefits and
      limitations of the diagnosis, in terms of (a) understanding one's symptoms and
      (b) access to clinical support. Although participants were glad to have clinical
      support in place, they expressed frustration at the lack of clarity, and the lack
      of available treatments for MCI. Consequently, living with MCI can be
      characterized as an ambivalent experience. CONCLUSION: As a clinical label, MCI
      appears to have little explanatory power for people living with cognitive
      difficulties. Work is needed to clarify how clinicians and patients communicate
      about MCI, and how people can be helped to live well with the label. Despite an
      emerging body of prognostic studies, people with MCI are likely to continue
      living with significant uncertainty. Statement of contribution What is already
      known on this subject? Mild cognitive impairment is a state of cognitive decline
      between normal cognitive ageing and dementia. This clinical category has been an
      important domain of academic debate over recent years. From a clinical
      perspective, diagnosing MCI is a helpful way to enable communication between
      health professionals, and a diagnosis can be important for patients in need of
      support and education. However, diagnosis can be fraught with difficulties, while
      patients have reported significant uncertainty about the label. This study aimed
      to examine the perceived benefits and drawbacks of receiving a MCI diagnosis.
      What does this study add? The emotional impact of a MCI diagnosis is complex and
      raised conflicting and fluctuating emotions in our participants' accounts - most
      notably worry and relief. Participants were glad to have clinical support
      available to call on; however, they were frustrated at the lack of 'treatments'
      available for MCI and were often anxious to slow any cognitive decline down
      Health psychologists will have an important role to play in understanding and
      improving clinical communication about MCI.

PMID- 28628737
TI  - Analysis of Structure-Activity Relationships Based on the Hepatitis C Virus SLIIb
      Internal Ribosomal Entry Sequence RNA-Targeting GGHYRFK?Cu Complex.
AB  - New therapeutics for targeting the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been released in
      recent years. Although they are less prone to resistance, they are still
      administered in cocktails as a combination of drugs targeting various aspects of
      the viral life cycle. Herein, we aim to contribute to an arsenal of new HCV
      therapeutics by targeting the HCV internal ribosomal entry sequence (IRES) RNA
      through the development of catalytic metallodrugs that function to degrade rather
      than inhibit the target molecule. Based on a previously characterized HCV IRES
      stem-loop IIb RNA-targeting metallopeptide Cu-GGHYrFK (1?Cu), an all-l analogue
      (3?Cu) and a series of additional complexes with single alanine substitutions in
      the targeting domain were prepared and screened to determine the influence each
      amino acid side chain on RNA localization and recognition, and catalytic
      reactivity toward the RNA. Additional substitutions of the tyrosine position in
      complex 3?Cu were also investigated. Good agreement between calculated and
      measured binding affinities provided support for in silico modeling of the SLIIb
      RNA binding site and correlations with RNA cleavage sites. Examination of the
      cleavage products from reaction of the Cu complexes with SLIIb provided
      mechanistic insights, with the first observation of the 5'-geminal diol and 5'
      phosphopropenal as products through the use of a Cu?ATCUN catalytic motif.
      Together, the data yielded insights into structure-function relationships that
      will guide future optimization efforts.

PMID- 28628738
TI  - HER2 status might be independent determinant associated with no residual disease
      at surgical resection in patients with DCIS.

PMID- 28628739
TI  - Predictive validity of body fat percentage by bioimpedance compared with
      deuterium oxide dilution in Costa Rican schoolchildren.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to verify the validity of body fat
      percentage (BF%) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in a sample of Costa
      Rican schoolchildren. METHODS: The sample consisted of 52 male (mean age 8.1 +/-
      0.9 years) and 49 female (mean age 7.5 +/- 1.0 years) schoolchildren. Deuterium
      oxide dilution was the reference method used as the "gold standard" to determine
      the fat mass (FM) expressed as BF%. Linear regression analyses and paired sample
      t-tests were used to test the association and mean differences between BIA and
      deuterium oxide dilution BF%. Concordance between BIA and deuterium oxide
      dilution BF% was determined by Lin's concordance correlation coefficient.
      Measurement of agreement between the two methods was analyzed using the Bland
      Altman procedure. RESULTS: Significant associations between BIA and deuterium
      oxide dilution BF% were found in males (R = 0.97, R2  = 0.95, P < .0001) and in
      females (R = 0.98, R2  = .96, P < .0001). The measurements of BF% (mean +/- SD)
      were not significantly different between males (BIA 31.1 +/- 7.6% vs. deuterium
      oxide dilution 31.0 +/- 7.4%) and females (BIA 25.9 +/- 7.9% vs. deuterium oxide
      dilution 26.3 +/- 7.8%) by t-test. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient
      identified an almost perfect strength of agreement between males and females.
      Bland-Altman plots showed that the Bodystat measured similar BF% compared to the
      deuterium oxide dilution in both males and females. CONCLUSIONS: BIA Bodystat
      presented high agreement with BF% measured by deuterium oxide dilution; therefore
      BIA Bodystat is recommended for estimating BF% in Costa Rican schoolchildren.

PMID- 28628740
TI  - Stuck in the spin cycle: Avoidance and intrusions following breast cancer
      diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Theories and research regarding cognitive and emotional processing
      during the experience of profound stressors suggest that the presence of
      intrusive thoughts and feelings predicts greater use of avoidance and that the
      use of avoidance paradoxically predicts more intrusions. However, empirical
      investigations of their purported bidirectional relationship are limited. DESIGN:
      This study presents a longitudinal investigation of the reciprocal relationship
      between intrusions and avoidance coping over a 6-month period in the year
      following breast cancer diagnosis. METHODS: Breast cancer patients (N = 460)
      completed measures of cancer-related intrusions and avoidance at study entry, 3
      months, and 6 months later (i.e., an average of 2, 5, and 8 months after
      diagnosis, respectively). RESULTS: Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed that
      intrusive thoughts, feelings, and images at study entry predicted greater
      avoidance 3 months later, and avoidance coping at study entry predicted
      intrusions 3 months later, controlling for the stability of intrusions and
      avoidance as well as time since diagnosis. Findings were not statistically
      significant for avoidance predicting intrusions, or vice versa, between the 3
      month and the 6-month assessment period, during which they declined. CONCLUSIONS:
      These findings provide empirical support for the theoretical contention that
      avoidance and intrusive thoughts and emotions reciprocally influence one another
      following stressful events. Additionally, in the months shortly after breast
      cancer diagnosis, intrusions and avoidance are positively related. However, the
      relationships attenuate over time, which could indicate resolved cognitive and
      emotional processing of the cancer experience. Statement of contribution What is
      already known on this subject? Following stressful life events, individuals often
      experience intrusive thoughts and feelings related to the event and they report
      avoidance of such reminders. Many studies demonstrate that greater intrusions
      predict more subsequent use of avoidance coping, and other studies show that
      greater use of avoidance predicts more intrusions. Their reciprocal relation has
      not been examined, however. What does this study add? This is the first
      examination of the concurrent, reciprocal influence of intrusions and avoidance.
      Findings suggest that accounting for the bidirectional influence of avoidance and
      intrusions best estimates hypothesized models. Higher intrusions and avoidance
      predicted each other for the first 3 months after study entry, but the
      relationship diminished 6 months after study entry, perhaps due to productive
      mental processing of the stress of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28628742
TI  - Acceleration of Semiempirical QM/MM Methods through Message Passage Interface
      (MPI), Hybrid MPI/Open Multiprocessing, and Self-Consistent Field Accelerator
      Implementations.
AB  - The strategy and implementation of scalable and efficient semiempirical (SE)
      QM/MM methods in CHARMM are described. The serial version of the code was first
      profiled to identify routines that required parallelization. Afterward, the code
      was parallelized and accelerated with three approaches. The first approach was
      the parallelization of the entire QM/MM routines, including the Fock matrix
      diagonalization routines, using the CHARMM message passage interface (MPI)
      machinery. In the second approach, two different self-consistent field (SCF)
      energy convergence accelerators were implemented using density and Fock matrices
      as targets for their extrapolations in the SCF procedure. In the third approach,
      the entire QM/MM and MM energy routines were accelerated by implementing the
      hybrid MPI/open multiprocessing (OpenMP) model in which both the task- and loop
      level parallelization strategies were adopted to balance loads between different
      OpenMP threads. The present implementation was tested on two solvated enzyme
      systems (including <100 QM atoms) and an SN2 symmetric reaction in water. The MPI
      version exceeded existing SE QM methods in CHARMM, which include the SCC-DFTB and
      SQUANTUM methods, by at least 4-fold. The use of SCF convergence accelerators
      further accelerated the code by ~12-35% depending on the size of the QM region
      and the number of CPU cores used. Although the MPI version displayed good
      scalability, the performance was diminished for large numbers of MPI processes
      due to the overhead associated with MPI communications between nodes. This issue
      was partially overcome by the hybrid MPI/OpenMP approach which displayed a better
      scalability for a larger number of CPU cores (up to 64 CPUs in the tested
      systems).

PMID- 28628741
TI  - Amplicon Competition Enables End-Point Quantitation of Nucleic Acids Following
      Isothermal Amplification.
AB  - It is inherently difficult to quantitate nucleic acid analytes with most
      isothermal amplification assays. We developed loop-mediated isothermal
      amplification (LAMP) reactions in which competition between defined numbers of
      "false" and "true" amplicons leads to order of magnitude quantitation by a single
      endpoint determination. These thresholded LAMP reactions were successfully used
      to directly and quantitatively estimate the numbers of nucleic acids in complex
      biospecimens, including directly from cells and in sewage, with the values
      obtained closely correlating with qPCR quantitations. Thresholded LAMP reactions
      are amenable to endpoint readout by cell phone, unlike other methods that require
      continuous monitoring, and should therefore prove extremely useful in developing
      one-pot reactions for point-of-care diagnostics without needing sophisticated
      material or informatics infrastructure.

PMID- 28628743
TI  - Preparation of Blatter Radicals via Aza-Wittig Chemistry: The Reaction of N
      Aryliminophosphoranes with 1-(Het)aroyl-2-aryldiazenes.
AB  - Reacting N-aryliminophosphoranes with 1-(het)aroyl-2-aryldiazenes in preheated
      diphenyl ether at ca. 150-250  degrees C for 5-25 min affords in most cases the
      1,3-diaryl-1,4-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazin-4-yls (aka Blatter radicals) in
      moderate to good yields. All new compounds are fully characterized, including EPR
      and CV studies for the radicals. Single-crystal X-ray structures of 1-benzoyl-2
      (perfluorophenyl)diazene and 1-(perfluorophenyl)-3-phenyl-1,4
      dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]triazinyl are also presented.

PMID- 28628744
TI  - General Approach of Stimuli-Induced Aggregation for Monitoring Tumor Therapy.
AB  - Intracellular construction of nanoaggregates from synthetic molecules to mimic
      natural ordered superstructures has gained increasing attention recently. Here,
      we develop an endogenous stimuli-induced aggregation (eSIA) approach to construct
      functional nanoaggregates for sensing and monitoring cellular physiological
      processes in situ. We design a series of thermosensitive polymer-peptide
      conjugates (PPCs), which are capable of constructing nanoaggregates in cells
      based on their isothermal phase transition property. The PPCs are composed of
      three moieties (i.e., a thermoresponsive polymer backbone, a grafted peptide, and
      a signal-molecule label). The bioenvironment-associated phase transition behavior
      of PPCs are carefully studied by consideration of various crucial parameters such
      as chain length, hydrophilicity, ratio of grafted peptides, and concentration.
      Intriguingly, under the specific intracellular stimulus, the PPCs are tailored
      and simultaneously form nanoaggregates exhibiting long-term retention effect,
      which enables specific identification and quantification of endogenous factors.
      This general approach is expected for high-performance in situ sensing and
      dynamic monitoring of disease progression in living subjects.

PMID- 28628745
TI  - Significant Enhancement of Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 with H2O over ZnO by
      the Formation of Basic Zinc Carbonate.
AB  - Electron-hole pair separation efficiency and adsorption performance of
      photocatalysts to CO2 are the two key factors affecting the performance of
      photocatalytic CO2 reduction with H2O. Distinct from conventional promoter
      addition, this study proposed a novel approach to address these two issues by
      tuning the own surface features of semiconductor photocatalyst. Three ZnO samples
      with different morphologies, surface area, and defect content were fabricated by
      varying preparation methods, characterized by XRD, TEM, and room-temperature PL
      spectra, and tested in photoreduction of CO2 with H2O. The results show that the
      as-prepared porous ZnO nanosheets exhibit a much higher activity for
      photoreduction of CO2 with H2O when compared to ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods
      attributed to the existence of more defect sites, that is, zinc and oxygen
      vacancies. These defects would lower the combination rate of electron-hole pair
      as well as promote the formation of basic zinc carbonate by Lewis acid-base
      interaction, which is the active intermediate species for photoreduction of CO2.
      ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO nanorods with few defects show weak adsorption for CO2
      leading to the inferior photocatalytic activities. This work provides new insight
      on the CO2 activation under light irradiation.

PMID- 28628746
TI  - Core-Shell Microgel-Based Surface Coatings with Linear Thermoresponse.
AB  - We study the swelling and shrinking behavior of core-shell microgels adsorbed on
      silicon wafers. In these systems, the core is made of cross-linked poly(N
      isopropylmethacrylamide) and the shell consists of cross-linked poly(N-n
      propylacrylamide). In suspension, these particles exhibit an extended linear
      swelling behavior in the temperature interval between the lower critical solution
      temperatures of the two polymers. Using ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy,
      we show that this linear response is also observed in the adsorbed state.

PMID- 28628747
TI  - Laser Ablation of Silver in Liquid Organic Monomer: Influence of Experimental
      Parameters on the Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles/Graphite Colloids.
AB  - During the past decade, synthesizing silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) by liquid
      phase-pulsed laser ablation (LP-PLA) has attracted a lot of attention. Basically,
      this technique allows producing various metallic nanoparticles with controlled
      size, shape, composition, or surroundings in several liquids (i.e., water,
      ethanol, acetone, toluene, and so forth). Recently, such processes have been
      studied in liquid organic monomer such as methyl methacrylate (MMA). However, the
      influence of the laser parameters on the materials synthesized in such reactive
      liquid and their features were not fully investigated so far. Here we investigate
      the LP-PLA of silver in two different but rather similar acrylate monomers:
      dodecyl acrylate (DOCA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H perfluorodecyl acrylate (PFDA). The
      influence of the fluence and the number of pulses on the production, size, and
      morphology of the materials has been examined. First, factorial design
      experiments have been achieved in order to determine the weight of the laser
      parameters in each precursor. This study shows two highly different behaviors in
      function of the monomer where the process took place. This has been explained by
      the plasma plume confinement and/or the "interpulses" self-absorption of the
      particles by the laser beam. The formation of graphite around the synthesized
      AgNPs has been highlighted by Raman spectroscopy at low number of pulses.
      Nevertheless, increasing the number of pulses could lead to three phenomenon
      depending on the fluence and the used monomer: degradation of the matrix,
      conservation of the matrix with changes in AgNPs size and distribution, or
      sustainment of the matrix with any changes in the particles properties. So the
      surrounding, the size, and stability could be triggered by adjusting these
      parameters. This paper does highlight that LP-PLA is a powerful technique to
      provide AgNPs in acrylate monomer with a good control of their features.

PMID- 28628748
TI  - Does young age really put the heart at risk?
AB  - Despite significant advances in the management and treatment of heart disease in
      children, there continue to be patients who have worse outcomes than might be
      expected. A number of risk factors that could be responsible have been
      identified. Evidence-based findings will be reviewed, including whether young age
      and (or) reduced body weight exacerbate these responses. For example, newborn
      children undergoing congenital cardiac surgery are known to have worse outcomes
      than older children. Evidence exists that newborn hearts do not tolerate ischemia
      as well as adult hearts, developing irreversible injury sooner and exhibiting at
      risk metabolic profiles. As well, in response to the administration of heparin,
      elevations in free fatty acids occur during congenital heart surgery in children,
      which can have detrimental effects on the heart. Furthermore, myocardial
      energetic state has also been suggested to impact outcomes. Unfavourable
      energetic profiles were correlated to lower body weights in the same age healthy
      newborn piglet model. Newborn children suffering from congenital heart disease,
      with lower body weights, also had lower myocardial energetic state and this
      correlated with longer postoperative ventilatory support as well as a trend to
      longer intensive care unit stay. These findings imply that unfavourable
      myocardial metabolic profiles could contribute to postoperative complications.

PMID- 28628749
TI  - Acupuncture-Related Techniques for Psoriasis: A Systematic Review with Pairwise
      and Network Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There has be a large body of evidence on the pharmacological
      treatments for psoriasis, but whether nonpharmacological interventions are
      effective in managing psoriasis remains largely unclear. This systematic review
      conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses to determine the effects of
      acupuncture-related techniques on acupoint stimulation for the treatment of
      psoriasis and to determine the order of effectiveness of these remedies. METHODS:
      This study searched the following databases from inception to March 15, 2016:
      Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBSCO (including
      Academic Search Premier, American Doctoral Dissertations, and CINAHL), Airiti
      Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Randomized controlled
      trials (RCTs) on the effects of acupuncture-related techniques on acupoint
      stimulation as intervention for psoriasis were independently reviewed by two
      researchers. RESULTS: A total of 13 RCTs with 1,060 participants were included.
      The methodological quality of included studies was not rigorous. Acupoint
      stimulation, compared with nonacupoint stimulation, had a significant treatment
      for psoriasis. However, the most common adverse events were thirst and dry mouth.
      Subgroup analysis was further done to confirm that the short-term treatment
      effect was superior to that of the long-term effect in treating psoriasis.
      Network meta-analysis identified acupressure or acupoint catgut embedding,
      compared with medication, and had a significant effect for improving psoriasis.
      It was noted that acupressure was the most effective treatment. CONCLUSIONS:
      Acupuncture-related techniques could be considered as an alternative or adjuvant
      therapy for psoriasis in short term, especially of acupressure and acupoint
      catgut embedding. This study recommends further well-designed, methodologically
      rigorous, and more head-to-head randomized trials to explore the effects of
      acupuncture-related techniques for treating psoriasis.

PMID- 28628750
TI  - Ergonomic Benefits From a Laparoscopic Instrument With Rotatable Handle Piece
      Depend on the Area of the Operating Field and Working Height.
AB  - Objective To evaluate the effect of a laparoscopic instrument with a 360 degrees 
      rotatable handle piece (rot-HP) on biomechanical stress and precision in
      different areas of a simulated operating field at two working heights. Background
      Surgeons performing laparoscopic procedures are exposed to biomechanical stress
      and have an increased risk of musculoskeletal complaints. Method Fifty-seven
      healthy subjects (27 men, median age 26) without experience in laparoscopy
      performed a precision task in four quadrants (A-D) of the operating field using
      the rot-HP or a common fixed handle piece (fixed-HP) at an individually adjusted
      lower or higher working height. Biomechanical stress was assessed by surface EMG,
      wrist joint angles, and arm postures and precision by the number of mistakes.
      Results Using the rot-HP reduced muscle activity of the biceps brachii and flexor
      carpi radialis muscle. An interaction of flexor activity and area of the
      operating field occurred with the lowest activity in Quadrant C. Wrist joint
      angles were more neutral using the rot-HP, especially when the lower working
      height was applied and in Quadrants B and C. However, increased wrist dorsal
      flexion occurred in Quadrant A while using the rot-HP. Arm postures and precision
      were less affected. Conclusion The rot-HP allows some reductions of stresses in
      the arm and hand region, whereas the stress in the shoulder neck region is not
      modified. Application The instrument's position and the working height may have
      to be considered as mediatory factors when describing the effectiveness of an
      ergonomic handle design for laparoscopic instruments.

PMID- 28628751
TI  - Comparison between line and surface mesh models to represent the rotator cuff
      muscle geometry in musculoskeletal models.
AB  - Accurate muscle geometry (muscle length and moment arm) is required to estimate
      muscle function when using musculoskeletal modelling. In shoulder, muscles are
      often modelled as a collection of independent line segments, leading to non
      physiological muscles trajectory, especially for the rotator cuff muscles. To
      prevent this, a surface mesh model was developed and validated against 7 MRI
      positions in one participant. Mean moment arm errors was 11.4% for the line vs.
      8.8% for the mesh model. While the model with independent lines led to some non
      physiological trajectories, the mesh model gave lower misestimations of muscle
      lengths and moment arms.

PMID- 28628753
TI  - Computer Vision Syndrome.
AB  - With the increased use of electronic devices with visual displays, computer
      vision syndrome is becoming a major public health issue. Improving the visual
      status of workers using computers results in greater productivity in the
      workplace and improved visual comfort.

PMID- 28628754
TI  - The Association Between Skin Rashes and Work Environment, Personal Protective
      Equipment, and Hygiene Practices Among Female Farmworkers.
AB  - The objective of this study was to assess work-related hygiene practices and the
      frequency and location of skin rashes due to cutaneous contact with crop
      associated materials (e.g., pesticides) for female nursery and fernery workers in
      Central Florida. A cross-sectional, community-based participatory research study
      of 237 female nursery and fernery workers between the ages of 19 and 43 years
      with significant cutaneous contact with foliage crops was conducted using a self
      report questionnaire and a skin rash chart assessment tool. Of the 237
      farmworkers surveyed, 37.1% ( n = 88) reported a rash on at least one area of
      their bodies. Women who were pregnant during the study were 4.7 times more likely
      to report more than 30% total body surface area (TBSA) covered by rash compared
      with non-pregnant fernery workers ( p = .045; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.04,
      21.35]). Further research is needed to better understand the development of skin
      rashes among farmworkers, to generate effective prevention strategies.

PMID- 28628752
TI  - High Prevalence of Resistance to Fluoroquinolones and Tetracycline Campylobacter
      Spp. Isolated from Poultry in Poland.
AB  - Campylobacter spp. is a major cause of foodborne diseases in humans, particularly
      when transmitted by the handling or consumption of undercooked poultry meat. Most
      Campylobacter infections are self-limiting, but antimicrobial treatment (e.g.,
      fluoroquinolones and macrolides) is necessary in severe or prolonged cases. The
      indiscriminate use of these drugs, both in clinical medicine and animal
      production, has a major impact on public health. The aim of the present study was
      to identify Campylobacter strains, isolated from turkey and broilers, using both
      PCR and the matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight (MALDI
      TOF) methods to reveal the accuracy of identification, as well to evaluate the
      antimicrobial and genetic resistance of the investigated strains. MALDI-TOF and
      PCR methods were used to show differences, if any, in the specificity of that
      test. In this study, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry gave the same results as
      multiplex PCR, in all cases. The highest rate of resistance (i.e., 100% of turkey
      and broiler strains) was detected against ciprofloxacin, whereas 58.1% of turkey
      and 78.6% of broiler strains were resistant to tetracycline. Multidrug-resistant
      isolates were not found in the study. All ciprofloxacin-resistant strains had a
      mutation in the gyrA gene, at the Thr-86 position. The presence of the tetO gene
      was found in 71% of turkey and in 100% of broiler strains. All resistant to
      tetracycline strains included tetO gene. Additionally, in five turkey and three
      broiler strains, susceptible to tetracycline, tetO gene was present. These
      results indicate the high prevalence of Campylobacter strains, which are
      phenotypically and genetically resistant to fluoroquinolones and tetracycline.

PMID- 28628757
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28628756
TI  - Atypical sympathomimetic drug lerimazoline mediates contractile effects in rat
      aorta predominantly by 5-HT2A receptors.
AB  - Lerimazoline is a sympathomimetic drug that belongs to the imidazoline class of
      compounds, and is used as a nasal decongestant. Studies on lerimazoline are rare,
      and its pharmacological profile is not completely understood. Here, we analyzed
      the affinity of lerimazoline for dopamine receptor D2, serotonin 5-HT1A and 5
      HT2A receptors and alpha1-adrenoceptor, and investigated lerimazoline contractile
      effects in isolated rat thoracic aorta. We also determined the effect of several
      antagonists on the contractile response to lerimazoline, including prazosin
      (alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist), RX 821002 and rauwolscine (alpha2-adrenoceptor
      antagonists), JP 1302 (alpha2C-adrenoceptor antagonist), methiothepin (non
      selective 5-HT receptor antagonist), SB 224289 (5-HT1B receptor antagonist), BRL
      15572 (5-HT1D receptor antagonist), and ketanserin (5-HT2A receptor antagonist).
      Lerimazoline displayed high affinity for the 5-HT1A receptor (Ki = 162.5 nM),
      similar to the previously reported affinity for the 5-HT1D receptor. Binding
      affinity estimates (Ki) for alpha1, 5-HT2A, and D2 receptors were 6656, 4202 and
      3437.5 nM, respectively (the literature reported Ki for 5-HT1B receptor is 3480
      nM). Lerimazoline caused concentration-dependent contractions in 70% of
      preparations, varying in the range between 40% and 55% of the maximal contraction
      elicited by phenylephrine. While prazosin reduced the maximum contractile
      response to lerimazoline, rauwolscine showed a non-significant trend in reduction
      of the response. Both ketanserin (10 nM and 1 uM) and methiothepin strongly
      suppressed the maximum response to lerimazoline. Overall, our results suggest
      that 5-HT2A and, less distinctly, alpha1-adrenergic receptors are involved in the
      lerimazoline-induced contractions, which makes lerimazoline an "atypical"
      decongestant.

PMID- 28628758
TI  - Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer and Active Surveillance: Maximize Utilization
      while Minimizing Failure.

PMID- 28628759
TI  - Do infants with cow's milk protein allergy have inadequate levels of vitamin D?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To verify whether infants with cow's milk protein allergy have
      inadequate vitamin D levels. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 120
      children aged 2 years or younger, one group with cow's milk protein allergy and a
      control group. The children were recruited at the pediatric gastroenterology,
      allergology, and pediatric outpatient clinics of a university hospital in the
      Northeast of Brazil. A questionnaire was administered to the caregiver and blood
      samples were collected for vitamin D quantification. Vitamin D levels <30ng/mL
      were considered inadequate. Vitamin D level was expressed as mean and standard
      deviation, and the frequency of the degrees of sufficiency and other variables,
      as proportions. RESULTS: Infants with cow's milk protein allergy had lower mean
      vitamin D levels (30.93 vs.35.29ng/mL; p=0.041) and higher deficiency frequency
      (20.3% vs.8.2; p=0.049) than the healthy controls. Exclusively or predominantly
      breastfed infants with cow's milk protein allergy had higher frequency of
      inadequate vitamin D levels (p=0.002). Regardless of sun exposure time, the
      groups had similar frequencies of inadequate vitamin D levels (p=0.972).
      CONCLUSIONS: Lower vitamin D levels were found in infants with CMPA, especially
      those who were exclusively or predominantly breastfed, making these infants a
      possible risk group for vitamin D deficiency.

PMID- 28628760
TI  - Tuberculosis incidence among people living with HIV/AIDS with virological failure
      of antiretroviral therapy in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
AB  - Antiretroviral therapy for HIV has led to increased survival of HIV-infected
      patients. However, tuberculosis remains the leading opportunistic infection and
      cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS. Tuberculosis has been shown to
      be a good predictor of virological failure in this group. This study aimed to
      evaluate the incidence of tuberculosis and its consequences among individuals
      diagnosed with virological failure of HIV. This was a retrospective cohort study
      involving people living with HIV/AIDS being followed-up in an AIDS reference
      center in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Individuals older than 18 years with HIV
      infection on antiretroviral therapy for at least six months, diagnosed with
      virological failure (HIV-RNA greater than or equal to 1000copies/mL), from
      January to December 2013 were included. Tuberculosis was diagnosed according to
      the criteria of the Brazilian Society of Pneumology. Fourteen out of 165 (8.5%)
      patients developed tuberculosis within two years of follow-up (incidence
      density=4.1 patient-years). Death was directly related to tuberculosis in 6/14
      (42.9%). A high incidence and tuberculosis-related mortality was observed among
      patients with virological failure. Diagnosis of and prophylaxis for tuberculosis
      in high-incidence countries such as Brazil is critical to decrease morbidity and
      mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS.

PMID- 28628761
TI  - Loss of Function of P2X7 Receptor Scavenger Activity in Aging Mice: A Novel Model
      for Investigating the Early Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
AB  - Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible, severe
      vision loss in Western countries. Recently, we identified a novel pathway
      involving P2X7 receptor scavenger function expressed on ocular immune cells as a
      risk factor for advanced AMD. In this study, we investigate the effect of loss of
      P2X7 receptor function on retinal structure and function during aging. P2X7-null
      and wild-type C57bl6J mice were investigated at 4, 12, and 18 months of age for
      macrophage phagocytosis activity, ocular histological changes, and retinal
      function. Phagocytosis activity of blood-borne macrophages decreased with age at
      18 months in the wild-type mouse. Lack of P2X7 receptor function reduced
      phagocytosis at all ages compared to wild-type mice. At 12 months of age, P2X7
      null mice had thickening of Bruchs membrane and retinal pigment epithelium
      dysfunction. By 18 months of age, P2X7-null mice displayed phenotypic
      characteristics consistent with early AMD, including Bruchs membrane thickening,
      retinal pigment epithelium cell loss, retinal functional deficits, and signs of
      subretinal inflammation. Our present study shows that loss of function of the
      P2X7 receptor in mice induces retinal changes representing characteristics of
      early AMD, providing a valuable model for investigating the role of scavenger
      receptor function and the immune system in the development of this age-related
      disease.

PMID- 28628762
TI  - White matter microstructure in boys with persistent depressive disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Persistent depressive symptoms in children and adolescents are
      considered a risk factor for the development of major depressive disorder (MDD)
      later in life. Previous research has shown alterations in white matter
      microstructure in pediatric MDD but discrepancies exist as to the specific tracts
      affected. The current study aimed to improve upon previous methodology and
      address the question whether previous findings of lower fractional anisotropy
      (FA) replicate in a sample of children with persistent depressive disorder
      characterized by mild but more chronic symptoms of depression. METHODS: White
      matter microstructure was examined in 25 boys with persistent depressive disorder
      and 25 typically developing children. Tract specific analysis implemented with
      the Diffusion Tensor Imaging - ToolKit (DTI-TK) was used to probe fractional
      anisotropy (FA) in eleven major white matter tracts. RESULTS: Clusters within the
      left uncinate, inferior fronto-occipital and cerebrospinal tracts showed lower FA
      in the clinical group. FA in the left uncinate showed a negative association with
      self-reported symptoms of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate lower
      FA in several white matter tracts in children with persistent depressive
      disorder. These findings support the contention that early onset depression is
      associated with altered white matter microstructure, which may contribute to the
      maintenance and recurrence of symptoms.

PMID- 28628763
TI  - Patients' perspectives on treatment with Metacognitive Training for Depression (D
      MCT): Results on acceptability.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our understanding of how patients perceive and evaluate treatment for
      depression is scarce. Because dropout rates are high among individuals in
      treatment for depression, it is necessary to expand the focus of research to
      patients' perspectives on the treatment they receive. The aim of the two studies
      presented was to evaluate patient acceptance of Metacognitive Training for
      Depression (D-MCT), a highly standardized group intervention. METHODS:
      Acceptability was evaluated in an open case series (Study 1, N = 70) and a
      randomized controlled trial (RCT; Study 2, N = 84). In both studies, participants
      rated their subjective appraisal on a 15-item questionnaire after administration
      of eight D-MCT modules. In Study 1, a subsample of patients also evaluated
      modules individually after each session. In Study 2, ratings were compared to an
      active control intervention (walking and psychoeducation sessions), and
      assessment was repeated at 6-months follow-up. RESULTS: High rates of acceptance
      of the D-MCT were demonstrated in both studies immediately after treatment (post
      assessment). In addition, the RCT showed better evaluations for the D-MCT than
      for the control condition at post-assessment as well as at 6-months follow-up.
      Weekly session evaluations in Study 1 indicated good acceptance for individual
      modules. LIMITATIONS: Evaluations could only be obtained from completers;
      blinding of patients and therapists was not possible. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the
      two studies suggest that D-MCT represents a promising group treatment in terms of
      patient acceptance and provide an example of how patients' feedback may be used
      to improve treatment.

PMID- 28628764
TI  - Psychiatric disorders moderate the relationship between insomnia and cognitive
      problems in military soldiers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has been a great deal of research on the comorbidity of
      insomnia and psychiatric disorders, but much of the existing data is based on
      small samples and does not assess the full diagnostic criteria for each disorder.
      Further, the exact nature of the relationship between these conditions and their
      impact on cognitive problems are under-researched in military samples. METHOD:
      Data were collected from the All Army Study of the Army Study to Assess Risk and
      Resilience in Service members (unweighted N = 21, 449; weighted N = 674,335; 18
      61 years; 13.5% female). Participants completed the Brief Insomnia Questionnaire
      to assess for insomnia disorder and a self-administered version of the Composite
      International Diagnostic Interview Screening Scales to assess for psychiatric
      disorders and cognitive problems. RESULTS: Military soldiers with current major
      depressive episode (MDE) had the highest prevalence of insomnia disorder (INS;
      85.0%), followed by current generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; 82.6%) and current
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; 69.7%), respectively. Significant
      interactions were found between insomnia and psychiatric disorders; specifically,
      MDE, PTSD, and GAD status influenced the relationship between insomnia and
      memory/concentration problems. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional nature of the
      assessment and the absence of a comprehensive neurocognitive battery. CONCLUSION:
      Psychiatric disorders moderated the relationship between insomnia and
      memory/concentration problems, suggesting that psychiatric disorders contribute
      unique variance to cognitive problems even though they are associated with
      insomnia disorder. Results highlight the importance of considering both insomnia
      and psychiatric disorders in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive deficits in
      military soldiers.

PMID- 28628765
TI  - Emotional blunting with antidepressant treatments: A survey among depressed
      patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emotional blunting is regularly reported in depressed patients on
      antidepressant treatment but its actual frequency is poorly understood. We have
      previously used qualitative methods to develop an appropriate scale, the Oxford
      Questionnaire on the Emotional Side-Effects of Antidepressants (OQESA). METHODS
      RESULTS: Six hundred and sixty nine depressed patients on treatment and 150
      recovered (formerly depressed) controls (aged >=18 years) participated in this
      internet-based survey. The rate of emotional blunting in treated depressed
      patients was 46%, slightly more frequent in men than women (52% versus 44%) and
      in those with higher Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale scores. There
      was no difference according to antidepressant agent, though it appeared less
      frequent with bupropion. Depressed patients with emotional blunting had much
      higher total blunting scores on OQESA than controls (42.83 +/- 14.73 versus 25.73
      +/- 15.00, p < 0.0001) and there was a correlation between total blunting score
      and HAD-Depression score (r = 0.521). Thus, those with HAD-D score >7 (n = 170)
      had a higher total questionnaire score, 49.23+/-12.03, than those with HAD-D
      score <=7 (n = 140), 35.07 +/- 13.98, and the difference between the two groups
      was highly significant. However, patients with HAD-D score <=7 (n = 140) had a
      higher total score (35.07 +/- 13.98) than the recovered controls (n = 150) (25.73
      +/- 15.00), and the difference between the two groups was significant. Among the
      patients with emotional blunting, 37% had a negative perception of their
      condition and 38% positive. Men reported a more negative perception than women
      (p=0.008), and patients with a negative perception were more likely to have
      higher HAD scores. Higher levels of emotional blunting are associated with a more
      negative perception of it by the patient (r = -0.423). LIMITATIONS: Include self
      evaluation and the modest size of the sample for detection of differences between
      antidepressants. CONCLUSIONS: Emotional blunting is reported by nearly half of
      depressed patients on antidepressants. It appears to be common to all
      monoaminergic antidepressants. The OQESA scores are highly correlated with HAD
      depression score; emotional blunting cannot be described simply as a side-effect
      of antidepressants, but also as a symptom of depression. A higher degree of
      emotional blunting is associated with a poorer quality of remission. The OQESA
      scale allows the detection of this phenomenon.

PMID- 28628766
TI  - Multimorbidity and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity, the presence of two or more chronic conditions, is
      increasingly common and complicates the assessment and management of depression.
      The aim was to investigate the relationship between multimorbidity and
      depression. METHOD: A systematic literature search was conducted using the
      databases; PsychINFO, Medline, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Central. Results were
      meta-analysed to determine risk for a depressive disorder or depressive symptoms
      in people with multimorbidity. RESULTS: Forty articles were identified as
      eligible (n = 381527). The risk for depressive disorder was twice as great for
      people with multimorbidity compared to those without multimorbidity [RR: 2.13
      (95% CI 1.62-2.80) p<0.001] and three times greater for people with
      multimorbidity compared to those without any chronic physical condition [RR: 2.97
      (95% CI 2.06-4.27) p<0.001]. There was a 45% greater odds of having a depressive
      disorder with each additional chronic condition compared to the odds of having a
      depressive disorder with no chronic physical condition [OR: 1.45 (95% CI 1.28
      1.64) p<0.001]. A significant but weak association was found between the number
      of chronic conditions and depressive symptoms [r = 0.26 (95% CI 0.18-0.33) p
      <0.001]. LIMITATIONS: Although valid measures of depression were used in these
      studies, the majority assessed the presence or absence of multimorbidity by self
      report measures. CONCLUSIONS: Depression is two to three times more likely in
      people with multimorbidity compared to people without multimorbidity or those who
      have no chronic physical condition. Greater knowledge of this risk supports
      identification and management of depression.

PMID- 28628767
TI  - Multi-modal neuroimaging of adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury: Amygdala
      functional connectivity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant mental health
      problem among adolescents. Research is needed to clarify the neurobiology of NSSI
      and identify candidate neurobiological targets for interventions. Based on prior
      research implicating heightened negative affect and amygdala hyperactivity in
      NSSI, we pursued a systems approach to characterize amygdala functional
      connectivity networks during rest (resting-state functional connectivity [RSFC)])
      and a task (task functional connectivity [TFC]) in adolescents with NSSI. METHOD:
      We examined amygdala networks in female adolescents with NSSI and healthy
      controls (n = 45) using resting-state fMRI and a negative emotion face-matching
      fMRI task designed to activate the amygdala. Connectivity analyses included
      amygdala RSFC, amygdala TFC, and psychophysiological interactions (PPI) between
      amygdala connectivity and task conditions. RESULTS: Compared to healthy controls,
      adolescents with NSSI showed atypical amygdala-frontal connectivity during rest
      and task; greater amygdala RSFC in supplementary motor area (SMA) and dorsal
      anterior cingulate; and differential amygdala-occipital connectivity between rest
      and task. After correcting for depression symptoms, amygdala-SMA RSFC
      abnormalities, among others, remained significant. LIMITATIONS: This study's
      limitations include its cross-sectional design and its absence of a psychiatric
      control group. CONCLUSIONS: Using a multi-modal approach, we identified
      widespread amygdala circuitry anomalies in adolescents with NSSI. While deficits
      in amygdala-frontal connectivity (driven by depression symptoms) replicates prior
      work in depression, hyperconnectivity between amygdala and SMA (independent of
      depression symptoms) has not been previously reported. This circuit may represent
      an important mechanism underlying the link between negative affect and habitual
      behaviors. These abnormalities may represent intervention targets for adolescents
      with NSSI.

PMID- 28628769
TI  - Complex psychotropic polypharmacy in bipolar disorder across varying mood
      polarities: A prospective cohort study of 2712 inpatients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is common for patients with bipolar disorder (BP) to receive
      multiple psychotropics, but few studies have assessed demographic and clinical
      features associated with risk for receiving complex psychotropic polypharmacy.
      METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study examined 2712 inpatients with a DSM-IV
      clinical diagnosis of BP to assess associations between complex polypharmacy
      (defined as >=4 psychotropics) and demographic and clinical features;
      associations with risk of rehospitalization were also examined. Logistic
      regressions were performed with the sample as a whole and with each of four DSM
      IV BP subtypes individually. RESULTS: Complex polypharmacy was present in 21.0%.
      BP-I depressed patients were more likely to receive complex regimens than BP-I
      manic, BP-I mixed or BP-II patients. In the sample as a whole, variables
      significantly associated with complex polypharmacy included female, white,
      psychotic features and a co-diagnosis of borderline personality, post-traumatic
      stress or another anxiety disorder. The only examined medication not
      significantly associated with complex polypharmacy was lithium, although only in
      BP-I depressed and BP-I mixed. Complex polypharmacy was associated with
      rehospitalization in BP-I mania within 15 and 30days post index hospitalization.
      LIMITATIONS: All data were from one clinical facility; results may not generalize
      to other settings and patient populations. CONCLUSIONS: BP-I depression may pose
      a greater treatment challenge than the other BP subtypes. Lithium may confer an
      overall advantage compared to other medications in BP-I depressed and BP-I mixed.
      Further research is needed to guide pharmacotherapy decisions in BP patients.

PMID- 28628768
TI  - Internet delivered cognitive behavior therapy for antenatal depression: A
      randomised controlled trial.
AB  - : Major depression occurs in 5-10% of pregnancies and is associated with many
      negative effects for mother and child, yet treatment options are scarce. To our
      knowledge, this is the first published randomised controlled trial on Internet
      delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy (ICBT) for this group. OBJECTIVE: To test
      the efficacy of a pregnancy adapted version of an existing 10-week ICBT-program
      for depression as well as assessing acceptability and adherence DESIGN:
      Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Online and telephone. POPULATION OR SAMPLE:
      Self-referred pregnant women (gestational week 10-28 at intake) currently
      suffering from major depressive disorder. METHODS: 42 pregnant women (gestational
      week 12-28) with major depression were randomised to either treatment as usual
      (TAU) provided at their antenatal clinic or to ICBT as an add-on to usual care.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was depressive symptoms measured with
      the Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale-self report (MADRS-S). The
      Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and measures of anxiety and sleep were used.
      Credibility, satisfaction, adherence and utilization were also assessed. RESULTS:
      The ICBT group had significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms post
      treatment (p < 0.001, Hedges g =1.21) and were more likely to be responders (i.e.
      achieve a statistically reliable improvement) (RR = 0.36; p = 0.004). Measures of
      treatment credibility, satisfaction, utilization, and adherence were comparable
      to implemented ICBT for depression. LIMITATIONS: Small sample size and no long
      term evaluation. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy adapted ICBT for antenatal depression is
      feasible, acceptable and efficacious. These results need to be replicated in
      larger trials to validate these promising findings.

PMID- 28628770
TI  - A comparative analysis between proteasome and immunoproteasome inhibition in
      cellular and humoral alloimmunity.
AB  - Triggered by the successful administration of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib
      in kidney transplant recipients with acute or chronic antibody-mediated
      rejection, we evaluated the effect of the proteasome inhibitor CEP-18770 and of
      the selective immunoproteasome inhibitor ONX-0914 on cellular and humoral
      alloimmunity. Cellular alloimmunity was assessed by cell proliferation in a two
      way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMC). For assessing humoral alloimmunity we developed a method, where humoral
      alloimmunity was induced in one-way MLR. The de novo production of alloantibodies
      was measured with an antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay,
      in which supernatants from the above MLRs were used against resting PBMC similar
      to the stimulator cells of the forementioned MLRs. In two-way MLRs ONX-0914
      inhibited cell proliferation more than CEP-18770. In one-way MLRs CEP-18770 and
      ONX-0194 decreased alloantibody production to the same extent. Inhibition of the
      immunoproteasome is superior to inhibition of the proteasome in suppressing
      cellular alloimmunity, and equally effective as regards to humoral alloimmunity.
      Considering the selective expression of the immunoproteasome in immune cells and
      the expected restrictive toxicity of its inhibitors, these results render
      immunoproteasome an excellent target for the development of new immunosuppressive
      medications in the field of transplantation.

PMID- 28628771
TI  - Lentinan diminishes apoptotic bodies in the ileal crypts associated with S-1
      administration.
AB  - S-1 is an oral agent containing tegafur (a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil) that is
      used to treat various cancers, but adverse effects are frequent. Two pilot
      clinical studies have suggested that lentinan (LNT; beta-1,3-glucan) may reduce
      the incidence of adverse effects caused by S-1 therapy. In this study, we
      established a murine model for assessment of gastrointestinal toxicity associated
      with S-1 and studied the effect of LNT. S-1 was administered orally to BALB/c
      mice at the effective dose (8.3mg/kg, as tegafur equivalent) once daily (5days
      per week) for 3weeks. Stool consistency and intestinal specimens were examined.
      We investigated the effect of combined intravenous administration of LNT at
      0.1mg, which is an effective dose in murine tumor models. We also investigated
      the effect of a single administration of S-1. During long-term administration of
      S-1, some mice had loose stools and an increase in apoptotic bodies was observed
      in the ileal crypts. An increase in apoptotic bodies was also noted after a
      single administration of S-1 (15mg/kg). Prior or concomitant administration of
      LNT inhibited the increase in apoptotic bodies in both settings. Administration
      of LNT also increased the accumulation of CD11b+TIM-4+ cells in the ileum, while
      depletion of these cells by liposomal clodronate diminished the inhibitory effect
      of LNT on S-1 toxicity. Combined administration of LNT with S-1 led to a decrease
      in apoptotic bodies in the ileal crypts, possibly because LNT promoted
      phagocytosis of damaged cells by CD11b+TIM-4+ cells.

PMID- 28628772
TI  - Prognostic impact of proliferation for resected early stage 'pure' invasive
      lobular breast cancer: Cut-off analysis of Ki67 according to histology and
      clinical validation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The intent of this analysis was to investigate and validate the
      prognostic potential of Ki67 in a multi-center series of patients affected by
      early stage 'pure' invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). METHODS: Clinical
      pathological data of patients affected by ILC were correlated with overall
      survival and disease-free survival (OS/DFS); data from a parallel invasive ductal
      carcinoma (IDC) patients' cohort were gathered as well. The maximally selected
      Log-Rank statistics analysis was applied to Ki67 continuous variable to estimate
      the appropriate cut-off. The Subpopulation Treatment Effect Pattern Plot (STEPP)
      analysis was performed as well. RESULTS: Data from overall 1097 (457/222 ILC:
      training/validation set; 418 IDC) patients were gathered. The identified optimal
      Ki67 cut-offs were 4% and 14% for DFS in ILC and IDC cohort, respectively. In ILC
      patients, the Ki67 cut-off was an independent OS predictor. Ten-years OS and DFS
      were 89.9% and 77.2% (p = 0.007) and 79.4% and 69.2% (p = 0.03) for patients with
      Ki67 <= 4% and >4%, respectively. In IDC patients, 10-years OS was 93.8% and
      71.7%, p = 0.02, DFS was 84.0% and 52.6%, p = 0.0003, for patients with Ki67 <=
      14% and >14%, respectively. In the validation set, the optimal Ki67 OS cut-off
      was 5%. The STEPP analysis showed that in the presence of low Ki67 values, IDC
      patients have a better DFS than ILC patients, while with the increase of values
      the prognosis tends to overlap. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the retrospective design of
      the study, the prognostic relevance of Ki67 (as well as its optimal cut-off)
      seems to significantly differ according to breast cancer histology.

PMID- 28628773
TI  - Temperament and behavior in toddlers born preterm with related clinical problems.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare temperament and behavior profiles
      among groups of preterm toddlers differentiated by level of prematurity and the
      presence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) or retinopathy of prematurity (ROP),
      controlling for neonatal clinical conditions and chronological age. METHOD: The
      sample comprised 100 preterm toddlers segregated according to level of
      prematurity (75 very preterm and 25 moderate/late preterm) and presence of BPD
      (n=36) and ROP (n=63). Temperament was assessed by the Early Childhood Behavior
      Questionnaire and behavior by the Child Behavior Checklist. The MANOVA was
      performed with a post-hoc univariate test. RESULTS: The level of prematurity and
      the presence of BPD and ROP did not affect temperament and behavioral problems in
      toddlers born preterm. However, the covariates age and length of stay in NICU
      (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) affected temperament and behavioral problems,
      respectively. The older toddlers showed higher inhibitory control and lower
      activity levels than younger toddlers (range of 18-36months-old). Additionally,
      toddlers who stayed in the NICU longer showed more pervasive development and
      emotionally reactive problems than toddlers who stayed in NICU for less time.
      CONCLUSION: The level of prematurity and the presence of bronchopulmonary
      dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity did not affect temperament and
      behavioral problems in toddlers born preterm. However, a longer stay in the NICU
      increased the risk for behavioral problems, and age enhanced the regulation of
      temperament at toddlerhood.

PMID- 28628774
TI  - A segmentation method for myocardial ischemia/infarction applicable in heart
      photos.
AB  - The myocardial infarction, known as heart attack, is the ultimate result of a
      prolonged/untreated cardiac ischemia. The accurate segmentation of the myocardial
      infarction or ischemia in images obtained from diversified sources, such as
      Magnetic Resonance Images or Echocardiograph, is worthwhile for the medical area
      or the animal experimentation. An alternative image source for
      ischemia/infarction segmentation is the photo, which can depict the actual heart
      image. This work presents a method for ischemia segmentation in rat heart photos.
      The method applicability was tested in pictures of human hearts available in
      public databases from the Internet. At first, heart images were separated from
      the background using GrabCut method. Secondly, the segmentation of the cardiac
      ischemia region was performed by using Fuzzy Clustering method. Finally, a
      sequence of image processing (including morphological operations to remove small
      components and to fill the holes) was performed to obtain the final segmentation
      image. All resulting images were compared with the corresponding images
      containing contours of cardiac ischemia drawn manually by specialists. The mean
      accuracy was 83.24% +/- 04.16%. As for the intrinsically human errors (tracing
      error between two specialists: 18.94% +/- 05.30%), the average accuracy is within
      the inter-operator variability. As for the human heart pictures obtained from
      public libraries, the algorithm segmented the infarction areas correctly. The
      results show that the algorithm effectively helps the visualization of the
      cardiac ischemia/infarction region and has the potential to be applied to heart
      images of animals or humans, representing a versatile tool to assist advances in
      cardiomyopathology studies.

PMID- 28628775
TI  - Developing new PET tracers to image the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a
      (GHS-R1a).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: 'The growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHS-R1a) is the
      orphan G-protein-coupled receptor, and its endogenous ligand is ghrelin. GHS-R1a
      contributes to regulation of glucose homeostasis, memory and learning, food
      addiction, and neuroprotection. Several PET tracers for GHS-R1a have been
      developed, but none have been reported to be clinically applicable to GHS-R1a
      imaging. In this study, we developed three new PET tracers for GHS-R1a: 18F
      labeled 6-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-((1-(2-fluoroethyl)piperidin-3-yl)methyl)-2-(o
      tolyl)quinazolin-4(3H)-one (1), 11C-labeled 6-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-((1-(2
      methoxyethyl)piperidin-3-yl)methyl)-2-(o-tolyl)quinazolin-4(3H)-one (2), and 11C
      labeled (S)-(4-(1H-indole-6-carbonyl)-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl)(4'-methoxy-[1,1'
      biphenyl]-4-yl)methanone (3). METHODS: [18F]1 was synthesized by the 18F
      fluoroethylation; [11C]2 or [11C]3 was synthesized by the 11C-methylation.
      Biodistribution studies and PET studies were conducted in mice. RESULTS: We
      successfully radiosynthesized [18F]1, [11C]2, and [11C]3 with appropriate
      radioactivity for the animal study. In the ex vivo biodistribution study, 60min
      following injection, the radioactivity level of [18F]1 was relatively high in the
      small intestine, that of [11C]2 was high in the liver, and that of [11C]3 was
      high in the pancreas. The radioactivity levels of the three PET tracers were
      relatively low in the brain. Under pretreatment with YIL781 (a selective and high
      affinity antagonist for GHS-R1a), the pancreas radioactivity level at 30min
      following [11C]3 injection was significantly reduced to 55% of control, but the
      radioactivity in the brain was not changed. In the PET study under control
      conditions, high radioactivity levels in the liver and pancreas were observed
      following [11C]3 injection. With YIL781 pretreatment, the accumulated
      radioactivity in the pancreas 15-60min after [11C]3 injection was significantly
      decreased to 78% of control. CONCLUSION: [11C]3 exhibited relatively high uptake
      and in vivo specific binding to GHS-R1a in the mouse pancreas. [11C]3 may be a
      useful PET tracers for in vivo imaging of GHS-R1a in the pancreas.

PMID- 28628776
TI  - 3D printed lattices as an activation and expansion platform for T cell therapy.
AB  - One of the most significant hurdles to the affordable, accessible delivery of
      cell therapy is the cost and difficulty of expanding cells to clinically relevant
      numbers. Immunotherapy to prevent autoimmune disease, tolerate organ transplants
      or target cancer critically relies on the expansion of specialized T cell
      populations. We have designed 3D-printed cell culture lattices with highly
      organized micron-scale architectures, functionalized via plasma polymerization to
      bind monoclonal antibodies that trigger cell proliferation. This 3D technology
      platform facilitate the expansion of therapeutic human T cell subsets, including
      regulatory, effector, and cytotoxic T cells while maintaining the correct
      phenotype. Lentiviral gene delivery to T cells is enhanced in the presence of the
      lattices. Incorporation of the lattice format into existing cell culture vessels
      such as the G-Rex system is feasible. This cell expansion platform is user
      friendly and expedites cell recovery and scale-up, making it ideal for
      translating T cell therapies from bench to bedside.

PMID- 28628777
TI  - Effects of adipose stem cell sheets on colon anastomotic leakage in an
      experimental model: Proof of principle.
AB  - The most dreaded complication of colorectal surgery is anastomotic leakage.
      Adipose tissue-derived stem cell sheets (ASC sheets) prepared from temperature
      responsive culture surfaces can be easily transplanted onto tissues. These sheets
      are proposed to improve cell transplant efficiency and enhance wound healing. The
      aim of this study was to investigate whether application of ASC sheets could
      prevent leakage of sutured colorectal anastomoses. Insufficient suturing of
      colorectal anastomoses was performed in Wistar rats to create a colorectal
      anastomotic leakage model. Rats were randomized to ASC sheet application or
      control group. Leakage, abscess formation, adhesion formation, anastomotic
      bursting pressure (ABP), and histology were evaluated on postoperative day 3 or
      7. ASC sheet application significantly reduced anastomotic leakage compared to
      controls, without increased adhesion formation. ASC sheet transplantation
      resulted in more CD3+ T-cells and CD163+ anti-inflammatory macrophages at the
      anastomotic site than the control group. ABP, vessel density and collagen
      deposition were not different between groups. Using cell sheet technology, we
      generated ASC sheets that prevented disruption of sutured colorectal anastomoses
      as shown by reduced leakage. Increased numbers of anti-inflammatory macrophages
      and T-cells might have contributed to this positive effect.

PMID- 28628778
TI  - Effects of incubation time and filtration method on Kd of indigenous selenium and
      iodine in temperate soils.
AB  - In this study, the effects of incubation time and the method of soil solution
      extraction and filtration on the empirical distribution coefficient (Kd) obtained
      by de-sorbing indigenous selenium (Se) and iodine (I) from arable and woodland
      soils under temperate conditions were investigated. Incubation time had a
      significant soil- and element-dependent effect on the Kd values, which tended to
      decrease with the incubation time. Generally, a four-week period was sufficient
      for the desorption Kd value to stabilise. Concurrent solubilisation of soil
      organic matter (OM) and release of organically-bound Se and I was probably
      responsible for the observed decrease in Kd with time. This contrasts with the
      conventional view of OM as a sink for Se and I in soils. Selenium and I Kd values
      were not significantly affected by the method of soil solution extraction and
      filtration. The results suggest that incubation time is a key criterion when
      selecting Se and I Kd values from the literature for risk assessments. Values
      derived from desorption of indigenous soil Se and I might be most appropriate for
      long-term assessments since they reflect the quasi-equilibrium state of their
      partitioning in soils.

PMID- 28628779
TI  - On the presence of plutonium in Madagascar following the SNAP-9A satellite
      failure.
AB  - This study examined the 238Pu and 239+240Pu activity concentration and the
      240Pu/239Pu atomic ratio in peat bogs sampled in 2012 from marshlands in central
      Madagascar. The purpose was to investigate the presence of plutonium isotopes,
      238, 239, 240Pu, from the 1964 satellite failure carrying a SNAP-9A radiothermal
      generator. With an average 238Pu/239+240Pu activity ratio of 0.165 +/- 0.02
      (decay corrected to 1964), the peat bogs in Madagascar exhibit similar values as
      the ones found in the southeastern African continent, except they are one order
      of magnitude higher than expected (0.025) from global fallout in the Southern
      Hemisphere. The 240Pu/239Pu atomic ratio showed a distinct decrease for layers
      dating back to the mid-1960s (down to 0.069 compared with an anticipated ratio of
      0.17 for global fallout), indicating that the SNAP-9A failure also resulted in an
      elevated deposition of 239Pu. The obtained results demonstrate that further Pu
      analysis in Madagascar and in southeastern continental Africa is necessary to
      fully account for the regional Pu deposition from the SNAP-9A event.

PMID- 28628780
TI  - BrainAGE score indicates accelerated brain aging in schizophrenia, but not
      bipolar disorder.
AB  - BrainAGE (brain age gap estimation) is a novel morphometric parameter providing a
      univariate score derived from multivariate voxel-wise analyses. It uses a machine
      learning approach and can be used to analyse deviation from physiological
      developmental or aging-related trajectories. Using structural MRI data and
      BrainAGE quantification of acceleration or deceleration of in individual aging,
      we analysed data from 45 schizophrenia patients, 22 bipolar I disorder patients
      (mostly with previous psychotic symptoms / episodes), and 70 healthy controls. We
      found significantly higher BrainAGE scores in schizophrenia, but not bipolar
      disorder patients. Our findings indicate significantly accelerated brain
      structural aging in schizophrenia. This suggests, that despite the
      conceptualisation of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder, there might
      be an additional progressive pathogenic component.

PMID- 28628781
TI  - Young children have social worries too: Validation of a brief parent report
      measure of social worries in children aged 4-8 years.
AB  - This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Social Worries Anxiety
      Index for Young children (SWAIY), adapted from the Social Worries Questionnaire
      Parent version (SWQ-P; Spence, 1995), as a measure of social anxiety in young
      children. 169 parents of children aged four to eight years from a community
      sample completed the SWAIY and a standardized measure of anxiety; the SWAIY was
      completed again two weeks later. Parents deemed the items appropriate and
      relevant to children of this age. The SWAIY demonstrated excellent (>0.80)
      internal consistency and a one-factor model. Test-retest reliability was strong
      (r=0.87) and evidence of convergent validity (r>.50) was found. The study
      provides initial evidence for the validation of SWAIY as a measure of social
      anxiety in children aged four to eight years old. This questionnaire is ideal for
      investigating social anxiety over early childhood and the relationship between
      early social worries and later anxiety disorders.

PMID- 28628782
TI  - Incorporation of a health economic modelling tool into public health
      commissioning: Evidence use in a politicised context.
AB  - This paper explores how commissioners working in an English local government
      authority (LA) viewed a health economic decision tool for planning services in
      relation to diabetes. We conducted 15 interviews and 2 focus groups between July
      2015 and February 2016, with commissioners (including public health managers,
      data analysts and council members). Two overlapping themes were identified
      explaining the obstacles and enablers of using such a tool in commissioning: a)
      evidence cultures, and b) system interdependency. The former highlighted the
      diverse evidence cultures present in the LA with politicians influenced by the
      'soft' social care agendas affecting their local population and treating local
      opinion as evidence, whilst public health managers prioritised the scientific
      view of evidence informed by research. System interdependency further complicated
      the decision making process by recognizing interlinking with departments and
      other disease groups. To achieve legitimacy within the commissioning arena health
      economic modelling needs to function effectively in a highly politicised
      environment where decisions are made not only on the basis of research evidence,
      but on grounds of 'soft' data, personal opinion and intelligence. In this context
      decisions become politicised, with multiple opinions seeking a voice. The way
      that such decisions are negotiated and which ones establish authority is of
      importance. We analyse the data using Larson's (1990) discursive field concept to
      show how the tool becomes an object of research push and pull likely to be used
      instrumentally by stakeholders to advance specific agendas, not a means of
      informing complex decisions. In conclusion, LA decision making is underpinned by
      a transactional business ethic which is a further potential 'pull' mechanism for
      the incorporation of health economic modelling in local commissioning.

PMID- 28628783
TI  - Automatic retrieval of shoeprint images using blocked sparse representation.
AB  - Shoe marks are regarded as remarkable clues which can be usually detected in
      crime scenes where forensic experts use them for investigating crimes and
      identifying the criminals. Hence, developing a robust method for matching
      shoeprints with one another is of critical significance which can be used for
      recognizing criminals. In this paper, a promising method is proposed for
      retrieving shoe marks by means of developing blocking sparse representation
      technique. In the proposed method, the queried image was divided into two blocks.
      Then, two sparse representations are extracted for each queried image through
      approximate l1 minimizing method. Also, the referenced database is categorized
      into two parts and two separate dictionaries are developed via them. Next, using
      the blocks, the total errors of classes are measured by resetting the
      coefficients related to other classes into zero. The performance of the proposed
      method was evaluated via the following methods Wright's sparse representation,
      extracting shoeprint image local and global features by Fourier transform,
      extracting shoeprint image features by Gabor transform after the image is rotated
      and extracting the corners of shoeprint image by Hessian and Harris' multi-scale
      detectors and SIFT descriptors. Accurate detection score was obtained in terms of
      the ratio of the number of accurately detected images to the total test images.
      The results of simulations indicated that the proposed method was highly
      effective and efficient in retrieving shoe marks, whole shoeprints, partial toe
      and heel shoeprints. Furthermore, it was found that the proposed method had
      better performance than the other methods with which it was compared. Accurate
      identification rate according to cumulative match score for the first n matches
      was measured. That is to say, the proposed method accurately recognized 99.47% of
      whole shoeprints, 80.53% of partial toe shoeprints and 79.47% of partial heel
      shoeprints in the first rank. Also, the proposed method was compared with the
      other methods in terms of rotation and scale distortions. The results indicated
      that the proposed method was resistant to these distortions.

PMID- 28628785
TI  - Looking at a contrast object before speaking boosts referential informativeness,
      but is not essential.
AB  - Variation in referential form has traditionally been accounted for by theoretical
      frameworks focusing on linguistic and discourse features. Despite the explosion
      of interest in eye tracking methods in psycholinguistics, the role of visual
      scanning behaviour in informative reference production is yet to be
      comprehensively investigated. Here we examine the relationship between speakers'
      fixations to relevant referents and the form of the referring expressions they
      produce. Overall, speakers were fully informative across simple and (to a lesser
      extent) more complex displays, providing appropriately modified referring
      expressions to enable their addressee to locate the target object. Analysis of
      contrast fixations revealed that looking at a contrast object boosts but is not
      essential for full informativeness. Contrast fixations which take place
      immediately before speaking provide the greatest boost. Informative referring
      expressions were also associated with later speech onsets than underinformative
      ones. Based on the finding that fixations during speech planning facilitate but
      do not fully predict informative referring, direct visual scanning is ruled out
      as a prerequisite for informativeness. Instead, pragmatic expectations of
      informativeness may play a more important role. Results are consistent with a
      goal-based link between eye movements and language processing, here applied for
      the first time to production processes.

PMID- 28628784
TI  - Identifying populations sensitive to environmental chemicals by simulating
      toxicokinetic variability.
AB  - The thousands of chemicals present in the environment (USGAO, 2013) must be
      triaged to identify priority chemicals for human health risk research. Most
      chemicals have little of the toxicokinetic (TK) data that are necessary for
      relating exposures to tissue concentrations that are believed to be toxic.
      Ongoing efforts have collected limited, in vitro TK data for a few hundred
      chemicals. These data have been combined with biomonitoring data to estimate an
      approximate margin between potential hazard and exposure. The most "at risk" 95th
      percentile of adults have been identified from simulated populations that are
      generated either using standard "average" adult human parameters or very specific
      cohorts such as Northern Europeans. To better reflect the modern U.S. population,
      we developed a population simulation using physiologies based on distributions of
      demographic and anthropometric quantities from the most recent U.S. Centers for
      Disease Control and Prevention National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
      (NHANES) data. This allowed incorporation of inter-individual variability,
      including variability across relevant demographic subgroups. Variability was
      analyzed with a Monte Carlo approach that accounted for the correlation structure
      in physiological parameters. To identify portions of the U.S. population that are
      more at risk for specific chemicals, physiologic variability was incorporated
      within an open-source high-throughput (HT) TK modeling framework. We prioritized
      50 chemicals based on estimates of both potential hazard and exposure. Potential
      hazard was estimated from in vitro HT screening assays (i.e., the Tox21 and
      ToxCast programs). Bioactive in vitro concentrations were extrapolated to doses
      that produce equivalent concentrations in body tissues using a reverse dosimetry
      approach in which generic TK models are parameterized with: 1) chemical-specific
      parameters derived from in vitro measurements and predicted from chemical
      structure; and 2) with physiological parameters for a virtual population. For
      risk-based prioritization of chemicals, predicted bioactive equivalent doses were
      compared to demographic-specific inferences of exposure rates that were based on
      NHANES urinary analyte biomonitoring data. The inclusion of NHANES-derived inter
      individual variability decreased predicted bioactive equivalent doses by 12% on
      average for the total population when compared to previous methods. However, for
      some combinations of chemical and demographic groups the margin was reduced by as
      much as three quarters. This TK modeling framework allows targeted risk
      prioritization of chemicals for demographic groups of interest, including
      potentially sensitive life stages and subpopulations.

PMID- 28628786
TI  - BTEX- and naphthalene-degrading bacterium Microbacterium esteraromaticum strain
      SBS1-7 isolated from estuarine sediment.
AB  - In this study, a non-pathogenic, BTEX-degrading Microbacterium esteraromaticum
      SBS1-7 was isolated from estuarine sediment in Thailand via an enrichment
      technique. M. esteraromaticum SBS1-7 was able to degrade all six BTEX components,
      in both liquid medium and soil slurry system, when BTEX was supplied as an
      individual component or a mixture. It exhibited a high level of tolerance towards
      a wide range of hydrocarbons and also utilized alkanes and naphthalene. Detection
      of metabolites produced during BTEX and naphthalene degradation revealed highly
      extensive biodegradation pathways used by M. esteraromaticum SBS1-7. Toluene was
      metabolized via activities of both monooxygenase (toluene 4-monooxygenase or
      T4MO) and dioxygenases (toluene dioxygenase or TDO and naphthalene 1,2
      dioxygenase or NDO). Benzene was metabolized via phenol, possibly by an activity
      of T4MO. Ethylbenzene was converted into styrene and 1-phenethyl alcohol by a
      well-documented activity of NDO. Dioxidation of ethylbenzene, possibly by
      ethylbenzene dioxygenase or EBDO, was also found. All xylene isomers were
      converted into their corresponding alcohols via an activity of NDO while
      naphthalene was metabolized via dioxidation reaction by the same enzyme. This
      study is, by far, the first direct evidence of BTEX biodegradation by a non
      pathogenic, rhizosphere bacterium M. esteraromaticum.

PMID- 28628787
TI  - Biological welfare and the commons: A natural experiment in the Alps, 1765-1845.
AB  - In the late 18th century hundreds self-governing alpine communities in Northern
      Italy came under the direct control of centralized states (Austria and France) at
      different times. We exploit the timing and location of these interventions in a
      DD type design to investigate the effects of removing CPR institutions on
      biological welfare. We find a significant and persistent increase in infant
      mortality rates and a more modest decrease in birth rates as a result of state
      centralization. We provide evidence that these demographic changes reflect a
      critical loss of natural resource income caused by the disruption of communal
      institutions. Impacts are most severe in communities that have no prior
      experience with formal institutions.

PMID- 28628788
TI  - Cryo-EM structures of human gamma-secretase.
AB  - gamma-secretase, a membrane-embedded aspartate protease, catalyzes peptide bond
      hydrolysis of a large variety of type I integral membrane proteins exemplified by
      amyloid precursor protein (APP). Cleavage of APP leads to formation of beta
      amyloid plaque, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Over 200 AD
      associated mutations are mapped to presenilin 1 (PS1), the catalytic component of
      gamma-secretase. In the past three years, several cryo-electron microscopy (cryo
      EM) structures of human gamma-secretase have been determined at near atomic
      resolutions. Here we summarize the methods involved and discuss structural
      features of gamma-secretase and the associated functional insights.

PMID- 28628789
TI  - Challenges and opportunities in the high-resolution cryo-EM visualization of
      microtubules and their binding partners.
AB  - As non-crystallizable polymers, microtubules have been the target of cryo
      electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies since the technique was first established.
      Over the years, image processing strategies have been developed that take care of
      the unique, pseudo-helical symmetry of the microtubule. With recent progress in
      data quality and data processing, cryo-EM reconstructions are now reaching
      resolutions that allow the generation of atomic models of microtubules and the
      factors that bind them. These include cellular partners that contribute to
      microtubule cellular functions, or small ligands that interfere with those
      functions in the treatment of cancer. The stage is set to generate a family
      portrait for all identified microtubule interacting proteins and to use cryo-EM
      as a drug development tool in the targeting of tubulin.

PMID- 28628790
TI  - Associated illness severity in schizophrenia and diabetes mellitus: A systematic
      review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to elucidate whether schizophrenia and type II diabetes
      mellitus may present with associated illness severity, in light of accumulating
      evidence to suggest both conditions have important shared inflammatory components
      with many shared inflammatory genetic factors. METHODS: We conducted a systematic
      review employing PRISMA criteria, searching EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Web
      of Science and Google Scholar to February 1st, 2017, for clinical studies
      assessing schizophrenia severity alongside dysglycaemia. A narrative synthesis
      was employed to discuss and compare findings between studies. RESULTS: Eleven
      observational studies were included in the analysis. Ten presented evidence in
      support of an association between schizophrenia severity and dysglycaemia. This
      association appeared particularly strong regarding negative symptomatology and
      impaired cognitive function, between which there may be some overlap. Studies
      examining positive symptomatology returned mixed results. CONCLUSION: Whilst
      study design varied amongst the included studies, the results suggest that
      further work examining the effect of hyperglycaemia on schizophrenia severity may
      be relevant, particularly longitudinal studies assessing negative symptomatology
      and cognitive function. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first systematic
      review conducted to address this question.

PMID- 28628791
TI  - Recent life events and psychosis: The role of childhood adversities.
AB  - Life events are commonly reported to be related to psychosis. However, less
      attention has been given to the role that recent events play on psychosis, in
      relation to exposure to childhood adversity. The current study aimed to evaluate
      the relationship between recent events and psychosis, taking into account the
      role of early adversities. 78 psychotic patients and 156 controls were enrolled.
      Childhood adversity was evaluated using a validated semi-structured interview and
      the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire. Recent events were
      recorded using a semi-structured interview with a normative and contextual
      approach. The diagnosis of psychosis was made according to Jablenski's criteria.
      Chi-square, t-test, odds ratio, and binary logistic regression statistical
      analyses were performed. Psychotic patients reported an excess of recent events.
      The occurrence of more than one recent event increased the risk of psychosis;
      there was a cumulative effect between recent and childhood events on psychosis.
      Recent events were significantly related to psychosis, even in the absence of
      childhood adversity or when adjusted for it. Our findings suggested that the
      effect of recent events on psychosis may be amplified by previous exposure to
      early adversity. Recent events alone, could be also linked to psychosis
      independently of childhood adversity.

PMID- 28628792
TI  - Sleep disturbances as predictors of prolonged exposure therapy effectiveness
      among veterans with PTSD.
AB  - Sleep disturbances (SD) are pronounced in Veterans with posttraumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD). In clinical trials, SD have been shown to limit the
      effectiveness of evidence-based treatments for non-PTSD disorders. The purpose of
      this study was to investigate the relationships between pretreatment SD and the
      effectiveness of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for Veterans with PTSD. Twenty
      one Veterans completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the
      Clinician Administered PTSD Scale upon presenting to a PTSD specialty clinic.
      Veterans completed the PTSD Symptom Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C) at the initiation
      of PE and biweekly thereafter for the duration of treatment (96 total
      assessments). Correlations and hierarchical linear modeling were utilized to
      examine the potential impact of baseline sleep variables on the slope and
      magnitude of treatment outcomes. Higher PSQI total scores, and higher sleep
      latency and sleep medication use subscale scores were associated with higher PCL
      C scores at baseline. Veterans evidenced significant reductions in PTSD symptoms
      during the course of the treatment study. Total PSQI scores and composites were
      not associated with reduced effectiveness of PE treatment or the slope of PTSD
      symptom changes. Sleep disturbances do not preclude Veterans from benefits
      derived from engagement in this gold standard PTSD intervention.

PMID- 28628793
TI  - The reliability, concurrent validity and association with salivary oxytocin of
      the self-report version of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in
      adolescents with conduct disorder.
AB  - The present study evaluated the self-report version of the Inventory of Callous
      Unemotional Traits (ICU-SR) in terms of reliability, concurrent validity, and
      correlation with salivary oxytocin levels, a potential biomarker of CU traits. 67
      socially at-risk male adolescents (mean 16.2 years) completed the ICU-SR, ICU
      teacher-version (ICU-TR), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and their
      medical files were coded for previous antisocial acts using Brown-Goodwin
      Lifetime Aggression Scale. Salivary samples were assayed for oxytocin. The
      reliability of ICU-SR was lower (alpha = 0.71) than ICU-TR (alpha = 0.86). ICU-SR
      mean score was significantly lower than ICU-TR (M = 25.29, SD = 8.02; M = 33.14,
      SD = 9.47). ICU-TR but not ICU-SR, significantly correlated with history of
      antisocial acts (r = 0.40). Two-way analysis of variance showed a significant
      effect of conduct disorder and oxytocin on ICU-TR but not ICU-SR [F(1,59) = 6.53;
      F(1,59) = 6.08], and a significant interaction only for ICU-TR [F(1,59) = 2.89].
      Subjective self-reports of CU traits may be less reliable and valid than
      teachers' reports.

PMID- 28628794
TI  - Neurological soft signs, but not theory of mind and emotion recognition deficit
      distinguished children with ADHD from healthy control.
AB  - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with social
      cognition impairment, executive dysfunction and motor abnormalities, consisting
      in the persistence of neurological soft signs (NSS). Theory of mind (ToM) and
      emotion recognition (ER) deficit of children with ADHD have been interpreted as a
      consequence of their executive dysfunction, particularly inhibitory control
      deficit. To our knowledge, there are not studies that evaluate the possible
      correlation between the ToM and ER deficit and NSS in the population with ADHD,
      while this association has been studied in other psychiatric disorders, such as
      schizophrenia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate ToM and ER and
      NSS in a sample of 23 drug-naive children with ADHD and a sample of 20 healthy
      children and the possible correlation between social cognition dysfunction and
      NSS in ADHD. Our findings suggest that ToM and ER dysfunction is not a constant
      feature in the population with ADHD, while NSS confirmed as a markers of atypical
      neurodevelopment and predictors of the severity of functional impairment in
      children with ADHD.

PMID- 28628796
TI  - Evaluation of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb in selected cosmetic products from
      Jordanian, Sudanese, and Syrian markets.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: There is no sufficient data that evaluate heavy metal content in
      cosmetic products in Jordan as well as Sudan and Syria. This study aims to assess
      metal levels which include Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni),
      and Lead (Pb) in cosmetic products. These elements have draft limits because they
      are identified as potential impurities and are known to be toxic. This study aims
      to provide information to the population that may be beneficial to public health.
      STUDY DESIGN: Samples were collected from different brands obtained from markets
      in Jordan, Sudan, and Syria. Some of the selected cosmetic products were
      eyeliner, eye pencil, mascara, lipstick, powder, face cream, body cream, sun
      block, Vaseline, and the traditional eye cosmetic (kohl). The heavy metal content
      in these samples were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Based
      on analysis of variance analysis, a significant difference in heavy metal levels
      was found for samples obtained from Jordanian and Sudanese markets. METHODS: The
      acid digestion method used in this study was based on procedures recommended by
      Nnorom et al. with some modifications as follows. (i) A weight of 2.0 g of
      cosmetic sample was dissolved in a mixture of 6 mL of high quality concentrated
      69% nitric acid (HNO3; Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) and 4 mL of concentrated 37%
      hydrochloric acid (Scharlau, Spain) in a porcelain crucible and heated on a
      hotplate to near dryness. (ii) An aliquot of 15 mL HNO3 (1.00 M) was added to the
      digested sample and filtered through a Whatman No. 40 filter paper. (iii) The
      digested sample was transferred quantitatively into a 25 mL volumetric flask and
      then diluted with deionized water. (iv) Each digested sample was evaporated at 70
      degrees C to about 1 mL and transferred into a polyethylene flask and diluted
      with 25 mL deionized water. (v) Blank was treated in the same procedure. RESULTS:
      In Jordan the concentration ranges of heavy metals in the collected samples were:
      Cd (0.03-0.10 MUg/g), Cr (0.0-1.00 MUg/g), Cu (0.60-7.40 MUg/g), Ni (0.50-3.60
      MUg/g), and Pb (0.30-15.4 MUg/g). Whereas, in Sudanese market the concentration
      ranges were: Cd (0.01-0.15 MUg/g), Cr (0.00-27.9 MUg/g), Cu (0.60-10.10 MUg/g),
      Ni (0.00-5.70 MUg/g), and Pb (0.02-3.80 MUg/g). Also, the concentration ranges of
      heavy metals in Syrian market were: Cd (0.04-0.056 MUg/g), Cr (0.24-0.83 MUg/g),
      Cu (0.61-1.27 MUg/g), Ni (0.73-1.41 MUg/g), and Pb (4.85-27.70 MUg/g). Results
      revealed that kohl samples have the highest concentration of most of the studied
      metals, particularly Pb. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results obtained, it is likely
      to conclude the following: (i) It is not possible to completely eliminate the
      presence of heavy metals from cosmetic products after manufacturing. However, the
      quality of the products can be improved by careful selection of raw materials,
      taking in consideration heavy metal levels. (ii) Heavy metal concentration in
      lipstick differs with different manufacturers' colors and shade. Statistically
      significant associations between Pb level and the cosmetic type were found. (iii)
      Heavy metals levels including Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb may impose risk in daily use
      and repeated application as well as in ingestion through the mouth even at
      concentration below the allowed limits. (iv) It is the manufacturers'
      responsibility to ensure that the finished cosmetic product contains the lowest
      levels possible of heavy metals. So it does not exceed the limits set by health
      authorities.

PMID- 28628797
TI  - Attenuated error-related potentials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with
      executive dysfunctions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Executive dysfunctions affect up to 50% of the patients with
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Executive dysfunctions have been identified
      as negative prognostic factor and can affect quality of life in patients and
      their caregivers. Assessment of executive dysfunction may be impeded by the
      patients' motor impairments. Event-related potentials (ERP) have been proposed as
      a tool to overcome these assessment difficulties. The error(-related) negativity
      (Ne/ERN) is an ERP which can be recorded with minimal motor requirements for the
      patient. METHODS: We compared response-synchronized ERP amplitudes of 18 ALS
      patients and 19 healthy controls (HC) obtained on error trials on a flanker task.
      We also evaluated the relation between Ne/ERN amplitudes and executive functions
      as assessed by standardized neuropsychological measures. RESULTS: While response
      synchronized ERP amplitudes were generally unaffected by ALS, we found an ALS
      associated relation between Ne/ERN amplitudes and executive functions. ALS
      patients with poorer executive functioning showed attenuated Ne/ERN amplitudes.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that Ne/ERN amplitudes reflect ALS-associated
      impairment of executive functions, potentially due to disturbances in neural
      networks that involve the anterior cingulate cortex. SIGNIFICANCE: Assessment of
      Ne/ERN amplitudes might provide a cost-efficient and non-invasive marker for
      executive dysfunction in ALS.

PMID- 28628795
TI  - Knockout of the Nogo-B Gene Attenuates Tumor Growth and Metastasis in
      Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant cancer. It is a challenge to
      develop anti-HCC drugs due to HCC's extreme aggressiveness and with the
      sensitivity of the liver to show severe adverse effects. More importantly, the
      precise mechanisms causing HCC pathogenicity are not known. Our previous study
      disclosed Nogo-B as a reticulon 4 (Rtn4) family member. In the present study, we
      first identified that Nogo-B played a critical role in HCC progression. We found,
      via in vitro and in vivo assays, that Nogo-B was expressed aberrantly in primary
      HCC tumor tissues and immortal HCC cells but was relatively scarce in the normal
      liver tissues or cells. Nogo-B knockout, via the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, resulted
      in significant suppression of HCC cell proliferation and tumor growth. Next
      generation sequencing analysis showed that Nogo-B knockout have effects on
      interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling pathway. Furthermore, we observed that IL-6
      induced phosphorylation of STAT3 (pSTAT3) in wild-type HCC cells, but Nogo-B
      knockout could reduce IL-6-induced increase of pSTAT3, supporting that Nogo-B
      affects HCC tumor progression possibly via regulating the IL-6/STAT3 signaling
      pathway. In conclusion, Nogo-B is expressed aberrantly in HCCs and plays an
      oncogenic role. These findings support that Nogo-B may be a novel anti-HCC
      therapeutic target.

PMID- 28628798
TI  - Maternal liver docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) stores are increased via higher serum
      unesterified DHA uptake in pregnant long Evans rats.
AB  - Maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) supplies the developing fetus during
      pregnancy; however, the mechanisms are unclear. We utilized pregnant rats to
      determine rates of DHA accretion, tissue unesterified DHA uptake and whole-body
      DHA synthesis-secretion. Female rats maintained on a DHA-free, 2% alpha-linolenic
      acid diet were either:1) sacrificed at 56 days for baseline measures, 2) mated
      and sacrificed at 14-18 days of pregnancy or 3) or sacrificed at 14-18 days as
      age-matched virgin controls. Maternal brain, adipose, liver and whole body fatty
      acid concentrations was determined for balance analysis, and kinetic modeling was
      used to determine brain and liver plasma unesterified DHA uptake and whole-body
      DHA synthesis-secretion rates. Total liver DHA was significantly higher in
      pregnant (95+/-5 MUmol) versus non-pregnant (49+/-5) rats with no differences in
      whole-body DHA synthesis-secretion rates. However, liver uptake of plasma
      unesterified DHA was 3.8-fold higher in pregnant animals compared to non-pregnant
      controls, and periuterine adipose DHA was lower in pregnant (0.89+/-0.09 MUmol/g)
      versus non-pregnant (1.26+/-0.06) rats. In conclusion, higher liver DHA accretion
      during pregnancy appears to be driven by higher unesterified DHA uptake,
      potentially via DHA mobilization from periuterine adipose for delivery to the
      fetus during the brain growth spurt.

PMID- 28628799
TI  - A novel 2-stage approach that detects complement activation in patients with
      antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is marked by autoantibodies
      that recognize anionic phospholipids in a cofactor-dependent manner. A role for
      complement has been implicated in the pathophysiology, however, elevations of
      complement activation markers have not been consistently demonstrated in clinical
      studies. We therefore designed a proof-of-principle study to determine whether
      complement activation might be detectable in APS by first exposing plasmas to
      phospholipid vesicles. METHODS: We examined complement activation markers in
      patients with APS, non-APS thrombosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, cancer,
      patients with antiphospholipid antibodies without thrombosis (APL) and healthy
      controls. Direct measurements of plasma C5a and sC5b-9 levels were compared to
      levels that were generated in normal serum by phospholipid vesicles that had been
      pre-incubated with the same plasmas. We then determined the effects of the C5
      inhibitor, eculizumab, examined the complement pathways involved, and determined
      whether the effects could be reproduced with purified IgGs and beta2-glycoprotein
      I (beta2GPI). RESULTS: Plasma levels of C5a and sC5b-9 were higher, but not
      significantly increased in APS patients compared to healthy controls. In
      contrast, phospholipid vesicles pre-incubated with APS plasmas generated
      significantly higher levels than healthy controls and the other groups, except
      for APL patients. Complement activation was abrogated by addition of eculizumab.
      The results with substrate sera indicated that the alternative and
      classical/lectin pathways were involved. The results were reproducible with
      purified IgGs and beta2GPI. CONCLUSION: This proof-of-principle study confirms a
      role for complement in APS and opens the possibility of monitoring complement
      activation by including phospholipid vesicles in assay systems.

PMID- 28628800
TI  - Increased internal femoral torsion can be regarded as a risk factor for patellar
      instability - A biomechanical study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased internal femoral torsion is regarded as a risk factor for
      patellar instability. Biomechanical investigations confirming this hypothesis are
      missing. METHODS: Eight fresh-frozen cadaver knees were tested on a specially
      designed simulator. Patellar motion and patellofemoral pressure were evaluated
      for 0 degrees , 10 degrees , and 20 degrees  of increased internal and external
      femoral torsion with native and with transected medial patellofemoral ligaments
      used to simulate patellar instability. A regression analysis was used for
      statistical analysis. FINDINGS: In native medial patellofemoral ligaments, there
      were no significant changes in mean or peak pressures for any torsional states
      (P>=0.07). At 20 degrees  increased internal femoral torsion, there was a
      significant center of force shift towards the lateral side (P=0.01). Patellar
      shift was directed laterally at low knee flexion angles up to 30 degrees .
      Lateral patellar tilt increased significantly at 10 degrees  and 20 degrees  of
      increased internal femoral torsion (P<=0.004). In transected medial
      patellofemoral ligaments, mean pressure (P<=0.005) and peak pressure (P<=0.02)
      decreased significantly for all torsional states. There was a significantly
      greater lateral center of force shift with increased internal femoral torsion
      (P<=0.04). Lateral patellar tilt increased significantly (P<0.001). Patellar
      shift did not change significantly with increased internal femoral torsion
      (P>=0.30). INTERPRETATION: In a native medial patellofemoral ligament, 20 degrees
      of increased internal femoral torsion can be regarded as a significant risk
      factor for patellar instability. With an insufficient medial patellofemoral
      ligament, 10 degrees  of increased internal femoral torsion already represents a
      significant risk factor.

PMID- 28628801
TI  - Evaluation of midcarpal capitate contact mechanics in normal, injured and post
      operative wrists.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scapholunate ligament injury is a commonly occurring carpal ligament
      injury. Pathology associated with scapholunate ligament injury depends on several
      factors such as the time after injury, type of injury (instability) and the
      development of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to investigate and
      compare contact mechanics in the lunocapitate and scaphocapitate joints in the
      normal, injured (scapholunate dissociation) and repaired (postoperative) wrist.
      METHODS: Four human subjects with scapholunate ligament dissociation participated
      in this study. MR images of normal (contralateral), injured and postoperative
      wrists were obtained during relaxed condition and during active light grasp.
      Relaxed MR images were used to construct model geometry (bones with cartilage)
      for the capitate, lunate and scaphoid. Kinematic transformations were obtained by
      using image registration between the unloaded and functionally loaded image sets.
      Joint surface contact mechanics were then calculated. FINDINGS: All contact
      measures (contact force, pressure, mean pressure and area) tended to increase
      with injury in both articulations. A significantly higher contact area was found
      in the injured scaphocapitate joint compared to normal. A significant increase in
      peak pressure was observed in the postoperative state compared to normal.
      INTERPRETATION: Injury to the scapholunate ligament increased contact measures,
      suggesting a risk for onset of osteoarthritis in both the scaphocapitate and
      lunocapitate joints. Surgical repair appeared to restore most measures of contact
      mechanics to near normal values, more so for the lunocapitate joint when compared
      to scaphocapitate joint. The elevated postoperative peak pressures indicate the
      difficulty to fully restore joint mechanics.

PMID- 28628802
TI  - Metabolic control and periodontal treatment decreases elevated oxidative stress
      in the early phases of type 1 diabetes onset.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Recently, increasing concern has been focused on the contribution of
      oxidative stress in the pathology of periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus.
      Firstly, the present study aimed to analyze gingival crevicular fluid (GCF),
      salivary, and serum oxidative status in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus
      (T1DM) at diagnosis and systemically healthy children with and without
      gingivitis. Additionally, the diabetic patients were reevaluated after diabetes
      and periodontal treatment. DESIGN: The study groups were composed of 32 T1DM
      patients at diagnosis, and age- and gender-matched thirty-six systemically
      healthy children with (G) and without (H) gingivitis. The diabetic patients who
      took insulin therapy (1.5 units/kg/day totally) and periodontal treatment (oral
      hygiene education with professional scaling) were reevaluated after 3 months. The
      levels of total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and
      oxidative stress index (OSI) were recorded. RESULTS: GCF, salivary, and serum OSI
      were elevated in group T1DM compared to the other groups at baseline (p<0.05),
      and decreased in group T1DM at reevaluation compared to baseline (p<0.05). GCF
      OSI was positively correlated with periodontal clinical parameters (p<0.05).
      Glycated hemoglobin was positively correlated with GCF TOS (r=0.302, p=0.007),
      GCF OSI (r=0.346, p=0.002), salivary TOS (r=0.326, p=0.046), and serum TOS
      (r=0.239, p=0.044). CONCLUSION: The instability in the oxidative status that
      accompanies diabetes may be considered a significant pathogenic factor of
      diabetes-related periodontal inflammation.

PMID- 28628803
TI  - Mucoepidermoid carcinoma-associated expression of MUC5AC, MUC5B and mucin-type
      carbohydrate antigen sialyl-Tn in the parotid gland.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aberrant expression of mucins and mucin-type carbohydrates has
      been described in many types of cancer, including mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC),
      a malignant salivary gland tumor. In this study, we examined the aberrant
      expression patterns of mucins (MUC1, MUC4, MUC5AC and MUC5B), simple mucin-type
      carbohydrate antigens (Tn, sialyl-Tn and T) and mature carbohydrate antigens
      (Lewisa and sulfo-Lewisa antigens) in MEC originating from the parotid gland,
      which normally does not secrete mucins. DESIGN: We conducted an
      immunohistochemical study to investigate the presence of mucins and carbohydrates
      in 24 MEC samples originating from the parotid gland and in surrounding normal
      tissue of the same gland in comparison 6 samples of normal salivary glands. The
      expression levels were compared with respect to the histological grading.
      Furthermore, 24 MEC samples from non-parotid salivary glands were included.
      RESULTS: We observed loss of topology of membrane-bound MUC1 and MUC4, and de
      novo expression of MUC5AC, MUC5B and sialyl-Tn in MEC that originated in the
      parotid gland. Furthermore, mucins MUC1, MUC4 and carbohydrate antigens Tn,
      sialyl-Tn, T, Lewisa and sulfo-Lewisa were overexpressed in MEC samples compared
      to surrounding normal salivary gland tissues. MUC1 was expressed in both low- and
      high grade MECs, whereas MUC4 was not expressed in high grade MECs of the parotid
      gland. CONCLUSION: During the development of MEC in the parotid gland, the genes
      for gel-forming secretory mucins are switched on. Besides these MEC tissues
      overexpress short oligosaccharides, suggesting that the glycosylation machinery
      is altered.

PMID- 28628805
TI  - Erratum to 'Adverse events in a chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy single
      blinded, placebo, randomized controlled trial for migraineurs' [Musculoskeletal.
      Ther. and Pract. 29C (2017) 66-71].

PMID- 28628804
TI  - Neuronal substrates of sleep homeostasis; lessons from flies, rats and mice.
AB  - Sleep homeostasis is a fundamental property of vigilance state regulation that is
      highly conserved across species. Neuronal systems and circuits that underlie
      sleep homeostasis are not well understood. In Drosophila, a neuronal circuit
      involving neurons in the ellipsoid body and in the dorsal Fan-shaped body is a
      candidate for both tracing sleep need during waking and translating it to
      increased sleep drive and expression. Sleep homeostasis in rats and mice involves
      multiple neuromodulators acting on multiple wake- and sleep-promoting neuronal
      systems. A functional central homeostat emerges from A1 receptor mediated actions
      of adenosine on wake-promoting neurons in the basal forebrain and hypothalamus,
      and A2A adenosine receptor-mediated actions on sleep-promoting neurons in the
      preoptic hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens.

PMID- 28628806
TI  - Resilience and spirituality in patients with depression and their family members:
      A cross-sectional study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The degree and quality of resilience in patients with depression have
      never been investigated in the context of remission status,
      spirituality/religiosity, and family members' resilience levels, which was
      addressed in this study. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited Japanese
      outpatients with depressive disorder according to ICD-10 and cohabitant family
      members who were free from psychiatric diagnoses. Resilience was assessed using
      the 25-item Resilience Scale (RS). Other assessments included the Montgomery
      Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS); the Functional Assessment of Chronic
      Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT) and Kasen et al.'s (2012)
      scale for spirituality/religiosity; and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES).
      RESULTS: One hundred outpatients with depression (mean+/-SD age, 50.8+/
      14.5years; 44 men; MADRS total score 9.8+/-9.0) and 36 healthy family members
      (mean+/-SD age, 56.5+/-15.0years; 18 men) were included. Symptom severity,
      attendance at religious/spiritual services, and self-esteem were significantly
      associated with RS scores in the patient group. RS total scores were
      significantly higher in remitted patients compared to non-remitted patients
      (mean+/-SD, 112.3+/-17.1 vs. 84.8+/-27.7, p<0.001). No correlation was found in
      RS total scores between patients and their family members (p=0.265), regardless
      of patients' remission status. CONCLUSIONS: Resilience may be influenced by
      individual characteristics rather than familial environment; furthermore, self
      esteem or spirituality/religiosity may represent reinforcing elements. While
      caution is necessary in extrapolating these findings to other patient
      populations, our results suggest that resilience may be considered a state marker
      in depression.

PMID- 28628807
TI  - The role of family financial socialization and financial management skills on
      youth saving behavior.

PMID- 28628808
TI  - Quantitative image analysis of the shape and size of circular wound sites
      generated by vertically stamped scratches.
AB  - A protocol for quantitative image analysis of wound generation is important to
      better understand the integrative process of wound healing and the closure
      mechanism. Here, we present a method for quantitative analysis of microscopic
      images of circular wound sites generated by vertically stamped scratches. To
      demonstrate proof-of-concept validation, we used two types of mechanical stamping
      tools, a mechanical pencil lead (type 1; brittle) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)
      pillars (type 2; ductile), to create circular wound sites. We also present a
      method for analysis of microscopic images of the generated wound sites by
      suggesting new parameters, such as controlled area transfer ratio, modified shape
      factor, and roundness index, specifically to investigate the shape and size of
      wounds via house-coded image processing. We believe that this approach can be
      potentially useful by providing a better way of studying vertical wound
      generation for future skin wound generation and care applications compared with
      its counterpart, conventional horizontal wound generation.

PMID- 28628809
TI  - Distrust of the senses and its association with obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Leading cognitive theories of OCD suggests that
      despite prevalent and persistent doubt, individuals with OCD do not have
      perceptual deficits. An alternate cognitive theory, the Seeking Proxies for
      Internal States hypothesis (SPIS), proposes that sensory distrust in OCD stems
      from actual deficits in accessing internal states. Consistent with the SPIS,
      previous research has found that high-OC individuals were less accurate than low
      OC individuals in producing target levels of muscle tension in a biofeedback task
      and that OC symptoms were positively associated with reliance on an external
      proxy. METHODS: The current study aimed to replicate and extend the SPIS
      hypothesis in two experiments using a modified version of the biofeedback-aided
      muscle tensing task using grip strength as the sensory input and a distance
      perception task. We contrasted the performance of undergraduate students self
      reporting high- and low-OC symptoms. RESULTS: Overall, our findings failed to
      substantially support the SPIS hypothesis such that OC symptoms were not
      associated with deficient access to internal states of grip strength and distance
      perception or increased reliance on feedback. LIMITATIONS: As this study was
      conducted in a non-clinical sample, we were unable to generalise our findings to
      a clinical population. CONCLUSIONS: Findings are commensurate with the wider OCD
      literature suggesting the absence of cognitive and perceptual deficits in OCD
      individuals.

PMID- 28628810
TI  - GH administration decreases subcutaneous abdominal adipocyte size in men with
      abdominal obesity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of short-term GH administration on
      abdominal subcutaneous adipocyte size and CT attenuation in men with abdominal
      obesity. DESIGN: 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of GH
      (starting dose 2MUg/kg/d) vs placebo of 15 abdominally obese men (mean age: 34+/
      6years; mean BMI: 37.7+/-6.1kg/m2, mean IGF-1 SDS: -1.9+/-0.5) who underwent
      abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) aspirations to determine adipocyte
      size, CTs for body composition and measures of glucose tolerance at baseline and
      6weeks. GH dosing was titrated to target IGF-1 levels in the upper normal age
      appropriate range. RESULTS: GH administration decreased subcutaneous abdominal
      adipocyte size compared to placebo. Adipocyte size was positively associated with
      120-min glucose and HOMA-IR and inversely associated with peak-stimulated GH and
      CT attenuation. CT attenuation of SAT was inversely associated with 120-min
      glucose and HOMA-IR and increased following GH administration. CONCLUSION: In men
      with abdominal obesity, subcutaneous abdominal adipocyte size is positively
      associated with measures of impaired glucose tolerance and administration of GH
      at doses that raise IGF-1 levels within the normal range, decreases abdominal
      subcutaneous adipocyte size, suggesting that GH administration improves the
      health of adipose tissue. Clinical trials number: NCT00131378.

PMID- 28628811
TI  - Evaluating pedestrian behavior at crosswalks: Validation of a pedestrian behavior
      questionnaire for the U.S. population.
AB  - The aim of this study was to develop and validate a self-reporting Pedestrian
      Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ) for the U.S. population to measure frequency of
      risky behaviors among pedestrians. The PBQ includes 50 survey items that allow
      respondents to rate the frequency with which they engage in different types of
      road-using behaviors as pedestrians. The validation study was conducted on 425
      participants (228 males and 197 females) between the ages of 18 and 71.
      Confirmatory factor analysis differentiated pedestrian behaviors into five factor
      categories: violations, errors, lapses, aggressive behaviors, and positive
      behaviors. A short version of the PBQ with 20 items was also created by selecting
      four items with high factor loadings from each of the five factor categories.
      Regression analyses investigated associations with scenario-based survey
      behavioral responses to validate the five-factor PBQ subscale scores and
      composite score. For both long and short versions, each of these five individual
      factor scales were found to be reliable (0.7<Cronbach's alpha (alpha)<0.9) and
      valid (significant association with p<0.0001), except in the case of positive
      behaviors (alpha<0.6) which requires further expansion. The effects of gender and
      age on the PBQ scores were investigated and found to be consistent with previous
      research. This PBQ can serve as an instrument of pedestrian self-assessment in
      educational and training contexts as well as can be useful to all researchers
      investigating pedestrian safety for all age groups.

PMID- 28628812
TI  - Modelling water and nutrient fluxes in the Danube River Basin with SWAT.
AB  - This study provides an innovative process-based modelling approach using the SWAT
      model and shows its application to support the implementation of the European
      environmental policies in large river basins. The approach involves several
      pioneering modelling aspects: the inclusion of current management practices; an
      innovative calibration and validation methodology of streamflow and water
      quality; a sequential calibration starting from crop yields, followed by
      streamflow and nutrients; and the use of concentrations instead of loads in the
      calibration. The approach was applied in the Danube River Basin (800,000km2), the
      second largest river basin in Europe, that is under great nutrients pressure. The
      model was successfully calibrated and validated at multiple gauged stations for
      the period 1995-2009. About 70% and 61% of monthly streamflow stations reached
      satisfactory performances in the calibration and validation datasets
      respectively. N-NO3 monthly concentrations were in good agreement with the
      observations, albeit SWAT could not represent accurately the spatial variability
      of the denitrification process. TN and TP concentrations were also well captured.
      Yet, local discrepancies were detected across the Basin. Baseflow and surface
      runoff were the main pathways of water pollution. The main sinks of TN and TP
      diffuse emissions were plant uptake which captured 58% of TN and 92% of TP
      sources, then soil retention (35% of TN and 2% of TP), riparian filter strips (2%
      both for TN and TP) and river retention (2% of TN and 4% of TP). Nitrates in the
      aquifer were estimated to be around 3% of TN sources. New reliable "state-of-the
      art" knowledge of water and nutrients fluxes in the Danube Basin were thus
      provided to be used for assessing the impact of best management practices and for
      providing support to the implementation of the European Environmental Directives.

PMID- 28628813
TI  - Removal of antibiotics during the anaerobic digestion of pig manure.
AB  - Antibiotics are frequently used in animals to treat sickness and prevent
      infection especially in industrial meat production. Some of the antibiotics
      cannot be completely metabolized and, as an unavoidable result, are excreted and
      thus end up in manure which is then spread in the environment. Currently
      increasing amounts of manure is used in biogas production before spreading the
      residuals on agricultural fields. In this study, the removal patterns of
      sulfonamides (sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxazole) and macrolides
      (clarithromycin, erythromycin), as well as trimethoprim, were investigated during
      the anaerobic digestion of pig manure. Batch kinetic tests were conducted both at
      thermophilic and psychrophilic condition for 40 days. Some of the antibiotics
      (clarithromycin, sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole) were persistent in all
      experiments. Thus, no biodegradation was found for sulfadiazine and
      sulfamethizole in this study. From the studied compounds, only erythromycin was
      clearly removed and probably degraded during anaerobic digestion with 99% and 20%
      removal under thermophilic and psychrophilic condition. The removal of
      erythromycin was fitted to a single first-order kinetic reaction function, giving
      reaction rate constant of 0.29day-1 and 0.005day-1, respectively.

PMID- 28628814
TI  - A critical evaluation of different parameters for estimating pharmaceutical
      exposure seeking an improved environmental risk assessment.
AB  - A critical evaluation of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Guideline on
      Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) was performed on 16 of Portugal's most
      consumed pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluents (WWEs), the main route for
      aquatic contamination. The predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) were
      formulated based on the Guideline, after incorporating several refinements. The
      best approach was selected by comparing the measured environmental concentrations
      (MECs) to the PECs in WWEs. Finally, risk was assessed by comparing PECs to
      predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs). The results showed that the default
      value of the penetration factor (Fpen) used by the EMA (0.01) was surpassed and
      that national consumption and excretion data were the two most important
      parameters for PEC calculations. The risk quotient between PECs and PNECs was
      higher than 1 for 12 pharmaceuticals, indicating a risk to all three trophic
      levels of aquatic organisms (algae, daphnids and fish). To improve the current
      ERA framework, suggestions were made for incorporating consumption and excretion
      data, changing the default value of Fpen to 0.04 and adding a safety factor of
      10. Moreover, this evaluation should be performed for pharmaceuticals already on
      the market, and future ERAs should incorporate a risk-benefit analysis, an
      important risk-management step.

PMID- 28628815
TI  - Driving forces behind the Chinese public's demand for improved environmental
      safety.
AB  - Over the past decades, the public demand for improved environmental safety keeps
      increasing in China. This study aims to assess the driving forces behind the
      increasing public demand for improved environmental safety using a provincial and
      multi-year (1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2014) panel data and the Stochastic
      Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model.
      The potential driving forces investigated included population size, income
      levels, degrees of urbanization, and educational levels. Results show that
      population size and educational level are positively (P<0.01) associated with
      public demand for improved environmental safety. No significant impact on demand
      was found due to the degree of urbanization. For the impact due to income level,
      an inverted U-shaped curve effect with the turning point of ~140,000 CNY GDP per
      capita is indicated. Since per capita GDP of 2015 in China was approximately
      50,000 CNY and far from the turning point, the public demand for improved
      environmental safety will continue rising in the near future. To meet the
      increasing public demand for improved environmental safety, proactive and risk
      prevention based environmental management systems coupled with effective
      environmental risk communication should be established.

PMID- 28628816
TI  - Are calanco landforms similar to river basins?
AB  - In the past badlands have been often considered as ideal field laboratories for
      studying landscape evolution because of their geometrical similarity to larger
      fluvial systems. For a given hydrological process, no scientific proof exists
      that badlands can be considered a model of river basin prototypes. In this paper
      the measurements carried out on 45 Sicilian calanchi, a type of badlands that
      appears as a small-scale hydrographic unit, are used to establish their
      morphological similarity with river systems whose data are available in the
      literature. At first the geomorphological similarity is studied by identifying
      the dimensionless groups, which can assume the same value or a scaled one in a
      fixed ratio, representing drainage basin shape, stream network and relief
      properties. Then, for each property, the dimensionless groups are calculated for
      the investigated calanchi and the river basins and their corresponding scale
      ratio is evaluated. The applicability of Hack's, Horton's and Melton's laws for
      establishing similarity criteria is also tested. The developed analysis allows to
      conclude that a quantitative morphological similarity between calanco landforms
      and river basins can be established using commonly applied dimensionless groups.
      In particular, the analysis showed that i) calanchi and river basins have a
      geometrically similar shape respect to the parameters Rf and Re with a scale
      factor close to 1, ii) calanchi and river basins are similar respect to the
      bifurcation and length ratios (lambda=1), iii) for the investigated calanchi the
      Melton number assumes values less than that (0.694) corresponding to the river
      case and a scale ratio ranging from 0.52 and 0.78 can be used, iv) calanchi and
      river basins have similar mean relief ratio values (lambda=1.13) and v) calanchi
      present active geomorphic processes and therefore fall in a more juvenile stage
      with respect to river basins.

PMID- 28628817
TI  - Dynamics of dissolved nutrients in the aquaculture shrimp ponds of the Min River
      estuary, China: Concentrations, fluxes and environmental loads.
AB  - Dissolved inorganic nutrients (NO2--N, NO3--N, NH4+-N, and PO43--P) play a
      critical role in the effective management of water quality and prevention of fish
      and shrimp diseases in aquaculture systems. In this study, dissolved inorganic
      nutrient concentrations in the water column and sediment porewater, and the
      fluxes across the sediment-water interface (SWI) were investigated in three
      intensive shrimp ponds with zero water exchange to examine nutrient cycling
      during the different growth stages of shrimps. Distinct changes in the dissolved
      inorganic nutrient concentrations in both the water column and sediment porewater
      were observed among the three growth stages. Average NO2--N, NO3--N, NH4+-N, and
      PO43--P concentrations in the sediment porewater were 3.53, 2.81, 29.68, and 6.44
      times higher, respectively, than those in the water column over the study period,
      indicating that the pond sediment acted as a net source of nutrients to the water
      column. This was further supported by the net release of nutrients from the
      sediments to the water column observed during the incubation experiment. Nutrient
      fluxes were dominated by NH4+-N, while NOx--N (NO2--N and NO3--N) and PO43--P
      fluxes remained low. The high rates of NH4+-N release from the sediment highlight
      the need of taking into account the biogeochemical role of sediments in
      mitigating the problem of water quality degradation in coastal shrimp ponds.
      Based on a total water surface area of mariculture ponds and a total mariculture
      production of 2.57*106ha and 2.30*109kg, respectively, we estimated
      conservatively that approximately 4.77*104tons of total nitrogen and 3.75*103tons
      of total phosphorus are being discharged annually from the mariculture ponds into
      the adjacent coastal zones across China. Results demonstrated the importance of
      aquaculture pond effluent as a major contributor of water pollution in the
      coastal areas of China, and called for actions to properly treat these effluents
      in alleviating the eutrophication problem in the Chinese coastal zones.

PMID- 28628818
TI  - In vitro assessment of the toxicity of bushfire emissions: A review.
AB  - Bushfires produce many toxic pollutants and the smoke has been shown to have
      negative effects on human health, especially to the respiratory system. Bushfires
      are predicted to increase in size and frequency, leading to a greater incidence
      of smoke and impacts. While there are many epidemiological studies of the
      potential impact on populations, there are few studies using in vitro methods to
      investigate the biological effects of bushfire emissions to better understand its
      toxicity and significance. This review focused on the literature pertaining to in
      vitro toxicity testing to determine the state of knowledge on current methods and
      findings on the impacts of bushfire smoke. There was a considerable variation in
      the experimental conditions, outcomes and test concentrations used by researchers
      using in vitro methods. Of the studies reviewed, most reported adverse impacts of
      particulate matter (PM) on cytotoxic and genotoxic responses. Studies on whole
      smoke were rare. Finer primary particulates from bushfire smoke were generally
      found to be more toxic than the coarse particulates and the toxicological
      endpoints of bushfire PM different to ambient PM. However the variation in study
      designs and experimental conditions made comparisons difficult. This review
      highlights the need for standard protocols to enable appropriate comparisons
      between studies to be undertaken including the assessment of physiologically
      relevant outcomes. Further work is essential to establish the effect of burning
      different vegetation types and combustion conditions on the toxicity of bushfire
      emissions to better inform both health and response agencies on the significance
      of smoke from bushfires.

PMID- 28628819
TI  - Dissolved gaseous mercury formation and mercury volatilization in intertidal
      sediments.
AB  - Intertidal sediments of Tagus estuary regularly experiences complex
      redistribution due to tidal forcing, which affects the cycling of mercury (Hg)
      between sediments and the water column. This study quantifies total mercury (Hg)
      and methylmercury (MMHg) concentrations and fluxes in a flooded mudflat as well
      as the effects on water-level fluctuations on the air-surface exchange of
      mercury. A fast increase in dissolved Hg and MMHg concentrations was observed in
      overlying water in the first 10min of inundation and corresponded to a decrease
      in pore waters, suggesting a rapid export of Hg and MMHg from sediments to the
      water column. Estimations of daily advective transport exceeded the predicted
      diffusive fluxes by 5 orders of magnitude. A fast increase in dissolved gaseous
      mercury (DGM) concentration was also observed in the first 20-30min of inundation
      (maximum of 40pg L-1). Suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations were
      inversely correlated with DGM concentrations. Dissolved Hg variation suggested
      that biotic DGM production in pore waters is a significant factor in addition to
      the photochemical reduction of Hg. Mercury volatilization (ranged from 1.1 to
      3.3ngm-2h-1; average of 2.1ngm-2h-1) and DGM production exhibited the same
      pattern with no significant time-lag suggesting a fast release of the produced
      DGM. These results indicate that Hg sediment/water exchanges in the physical
      dominated estuaries can be underestimated when the tidal effect is not
      considered.

PMID- 28628820
TI  - River flow is critical for vegetation dynamics: Lessons from multi-scale analysis
      in a hyper-arid endorheic basin.
AB  - Knowledge of the spatio-temporal responses of vegetation dynamics to hydro
      climatic factors is important to assess ecological restoration efforts in arid
      and semiarid areas. In this study, the vegetation dynamics during 2000-2015 were
      investigated in the downstream area of the Heihe River Basin (HRB) in Northwest
      China where an ecological water diversion project (EWDP) commenced in 2000. The
      spatio-temporal relationships between vegetation cover and climatic factors
      (precipitation and temperature) and available water resources (river flow and
      groundwater) were determined. The results indicated that the mean growing season
      NDVI increased significantly during the period of 2000-2015, and the area of East
      Juyan Lake (EJL) enlarged to 36.4km2 in 2010. The scale effect of the
      relationships between NDVI and hydro-climatic factors was obvious. At the
      catchment scale, changes of NDVI were not significantly correlated with climatic
      factors, but significantly related with the antecedent 1-year river flow. River
      flow played an important role in vegetation growth within approximately 2000m
      distance from the river bank. At the pixel scale, the changes of NDVI were
      significantly positive with temperature and river flow in 17.40% and 7.14% of the
      study area, respectively, whereas significant relationship between NDVI and
      precipitation occurred in only 0.65% of study area. The suitable water table
      depth for vegetation growth was between 1.8 and 3.5m. The increased river flow
      and recovered groundwater due to the EWDP were critical for the improvement of
      vegetation cover, whereas the riparian vegetation degraded along some parts of
      the river bank. It is important to improve integrated watershed management with
      consideration of spatio-temporal lagged hydro-ecological connections in the study
      area.

PMID- 28628821
TI  - Pollutants and diet influence carotenoid levels and integument coloration in
      nestlings of an endangered raptor.
AB  - Carotenoid-based traits or ornaments, such as yellow-red integuments (feathers,
      beaks, legs or eye-rings) displayed by birds, play key roles in social
      communication by reliably advertising an individual's quality or health. In some
      species, these traits are displayed not only by adults but also by nestlings, and
      function in parent-offspring communication or sibling competition by advertising
      an individual's physical or physiological condition. Pollutants such as
      organochlorine compounds (OCs) could have disruptive effects on the coloration of
      these traits, thereby interfering with communication processes. Such effects have
      been reported in adult birds, but are still largely unknown for nestlings. Here
      we investigated associations between polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and
      dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) blood-levels, circulating carotenoid levels
      and the yellow-orange coloration of the cere and tarsi of wild Black Harrier
      Circus maurus nestlings, a scarce raptor endemic to southern Africa. As
      carotenoid pigments must be acquired through the diet, we also tested for an
      effect of dietary composition. The orangeness-purity of cere and tarsi coloration
      positively correlated with circulating carotenoid levels, and increased with both
      nestling age and the proportion of birds consumed in the diet. Circulating
      carotenoid levels and the orangeness-purity of colored integuments were unrelated
      to blood PCB levels, although the brightness of integuments (i.e. lack of
      pigmentation) increased with PCB levels. Nestlings with more DDT had lower levels
      of circulating carotenoids and reduced carotenoid-based coloration (i.e. higher
      hue and lower saturation, reflecting a yellow rather than orange and less intense
      color, respectively). Together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis
      that OC contaminants, in particular DDT, may disrupt carotenoid-based signaling
      in exposed nestlings.

PMID- 28628822
TI  - Spatial distribution of trace element Ca-normalized ratios in primary and
      permanent human tooth enamel.
AB  - The trace elements distribution embedded in tooth enamel offers a means to study
      exposure of toxic metals and allows the reconstruction of dietary behaviors. The
      quantification of most of the elements with a spatial high resolution (~50MUm) is
      routinely achieved using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass
      spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). However, the lack of a comprehensive framework of trace
      elements distribution in enamel jeopardizes any endorsed sampling strategy using
      LA-ICPMS. The present work is an effort to improve our knowledge on this issue.
      We studied a suite of 22 sectioned teeth with known dietary history, including 12
      3rd molars from 12 living individuals and 10 primary teeth from 3 living
      individuals. Using LA-ICPMS, we measured Ca, Cu, Zn, Ni, Sr, Ba and Pb variations
      along 2 or 3 rasters from cervical to occlusal enamel. Calcium concentrations are
      lower in primary than in permanent teeth and do not vary spatially within a tooth
      suggesting that enamel matures homogeneously before eruption. The Pb/Ca ratio
      does not vary within tooth enamel and between primary and permanent tooth enamel.
      The Cu/Ca and Ni/Ca ratios do not vary within tooth enamel but discriminate
      primary from permanent tooth enamel. The Zn/Ca ratios are higher in permanent
      than in primary tooth enamel, and increase up to an order of magnitude in the
      last hundred of microns at the enamel surface. The Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios are
      higher in permanent than in primary tooth enamel, and decrease from the enamel
      dentine junction towards outer enamel in permanent but not in primary tooth
      enamel. Considering the Ca-normalized intra-tooth variations of Zn, Sr and Ba, we
      recommend to perform laser ablation rasters along the enamel-dentine junction
      because this area is likely to retain most of the original and complete chemical
      information related to individual's life.

PMID- 28628823
TI  - Drug development against tuberculosis: Impact of alkaloids.
AB  - Despite of the advances made in the treatment and management, tuberculosis (TB)
      still remains one of main public health problem. The contrary effects of first
      and second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs have generated extended research interest
      in natural products in the hope of devising new antitubercular leads.
      Interestingly, plethoras of natural products have been discovered to exhibit
      activity towards various resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Extensive
      applications of alkaloids in the field of therapeutics is well-established and
      nowday's researches being pursued to develop new potent drugs from natural
      sources for tuberculosis. Alkaloids are categorized in quite a few groups
      according to their structures and isolation from both terrestrial and marine
      sources. These new drugs might be a watershed in the battle against tuberculosis.
      This review summarizes alkaloids, which were found active against Mycobacteria
      since last ten years with special attention on the study of structure-activity
      relationship (SAR) and mode of action with their impact in drug discovery and
      development against tuberculosis.

PMID- 28628825
TI  - Commentary on "Who is becoming personality disordered? A register-based follow-up
      study of 508 inpatient adolescents".

PMID- 28628824
TI  - Structure-activity relationship investigation for benzonaphthyridinone
      derivatives as novel potent Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) irreversible
      inhibitors.
AB  - Through a structure-based drug design approach, a tricyclic benzonaphthyridinone
      pharmacophore was used as a starting point for carrying out detailed medicinal
      structure-activity relationhip (SAR) studies geared toward characterization of a
      panel of proposed BTK inhibitors, including 6 (QL-X-138), 7 (BMX-IN-1) and 8
      (QL47). These studies led to the discovery of the novel potent irreversible BTK
      inhibitor, compound 18 (CHMFL-BTK-11). Kinetic analysis of compound 18 revealed
      an irreversible binding efficacy (kinact/Ki) of 0.01 MUM-1s-1. Compound 18
      potently inhibited BTK kinase Y223 auto-phosphorylation (EC50 < 100 nM), arrested
      cell cycle in G0/G1 phase, and induced apoptosis in Ramos, MOLM13 and Pfeiffer
      cells. We believe these features would make 18 a good pharmacological tool for
      studying BTK-related pathologies.

PMID- 28628826
TI  - Different yet similar? Prisoners versus psychiatric patients - A comparison of
      their mental health.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous research indicates that prisoners have severe psychological
      distress. To assess their distress level and potential need for treatment, the
      present study compared the subjective psychological distress of long- and short
      term prisoners with that of psychiatric and forensic patients. METHODS: Long-
      (n=98) and short-term prisoners (n=94) and forensic (n=102) and psychiatric
      (n=199) patients completed the German versions of the Symptom Checklist Revised
      (SCL-90-R) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). RESULTS: In general, long-term
      prisoners showed the same level of mental distress as psychiatric patients and
      more than that reported by forensic patients. Short-term prisoners reported the
      least level of distress. Long- but not short-term prisoners showed clinically
      significant results on the scales for depression, paranoid ideation, and
      psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: The improvements in psychiatric treatment for inmates
      demanded by many stakeholders need to differentiate between long- and short-term
      prisoners. Because depression seems to cause the most psychological distress
      among inmates, suicide prevention seems to be an important issue in prisons.

PMID- 28628827
TI  - Evolutionary conservation of influenza A PB2 sequences reveals potential target
      sites for small molecule inhibitors.
AB  - The influenza A basic polymerase protein 2 (PB2) functions as part of a
      heterotrimer to replicate the viral RNA genome. To investigate novel PB2
      antiviral target sites, this work identified evolutionary conserved regions
      across the PB2 protein sequence amongst all sub-types and hosts, as well as
      ligand binding hot spots which overlap with highly conserved areas. Fifteen
      binding sites were predicted in different PB2 domains; some of which reside in
      areas of unknown function. Virtual screening of ~50,000 drug-like compounds
      showed binding affinities of up to -10.3kcal/mol. The highest affinity molecules
      were found to interact with conserved residues including Gln138, Gly222, Ile529,
      Asn540 and Thr530. A library containing 1738 FDA approved drugs was screened
      additionally and revealed Paliperidone as a top hit with a binding affinity of 
      10kcal/mol. Predicted ligands are ideal leads for new antivirals as they were
      targeted to evolutionary conserved binding sites.

PMID- 28628828
TI  - Sensitivity to BST-2 restriction correlates with Orthobunyavirus host range.
AB  - Orthobunyaviruses include several recently emerging viruses of significant
      medical and veterinary importance. There is currently very limited understanding
      on what determines the host species range of these pathogens. In this study we
      discovered that BST-2/tetherin restricts orthobunyavirus replication in a host
      specific manner. We show that viruses with human tropism (Oropouche virus and La
      Crosse virus) are restricted by sheep BST-2 but not by the human orthologue,
      while viruses with ruminant tropism (Schmallenberg virus and others) are
      restricted by human BST-2 but not by the sheep orthologue. We also show that BST
      2 blocks orthobunyaviruses replication by reducing the amount of envelope
      glycoprotein into viral particles egressing from infected cells. This is the
      first study identifying a restriction factor that correlates with species
      susceptibility to orthobunyavirus infection. This work provides insight to help
      us dissect the adaptive changes that bunyaviruses require to cross the species
      barrier and emerge into new species.

PMID- 28628830
TI  - Breviscapine (BVP) inhibits prostate cancer progression through damaging DNA by
      minichromosome maintenance protein-7 (MCM-7) modulation.
AB  - Naturally occurring compounds are reported as effective candidates for prevention
      and treatment of various cancers. Breviscapine (BVP) is a mixture of flavonoid
      glycosides, derived from the Chinese herbs. Previous researches have indicated
      that BVP has comprehensive pharmacological functions. However, little is known
      about whether BVP has preventive effects on human prostate cancer. Here, we
      attempted to explore if BVP inhibits human prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo
      in a comprehensive manner. We found that BVP triggered cytotoxicity in prostate
      cancer cell lines dose-dependently. BVP-induced DNA damage caused the cell cycle
      arrest and apoptosis and further induced cell death. High expression of MCM-7 was
      reduced in BVP-treated cancer cells and tumor tissues, and also the DNA damage
      response marker of gammaH2AX is down-regulated by BVP, associated with MCM-7
      expression through regulating retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and checkpoint control
      proteins expression. Additionally, BVP induced apoptotic response in prostate
      cancer cells and tumors via activating Caspase-3 and PARP. In vivo studies
      indicated that BVP impeded tumor growth in xenograft animal models. In
      conclusion, our data indicates that breviscapine (BVP) can be further explored
      for its potential, which might be used in human prostate cancer therapeutics.

PMID- 28628829
TI  - Ectromelia virus accumulates less double-stranded RNA compared to vaccinia virus
      in BS-C-1 cells.
AB  - Most orthopoxviruses, including vaccinia virus (VACV), contain genes in the E3L
      and K3L families. The protein products of these genes have been shown to combat
      PKR, a host defense pathway. Interestingly, ectromelia virus (ECTV) contains an
      E3L ortholog but does not possess an intact K3L gene. Here, we gained insight
      into how ECTV can still efficiently evade PKR despite lacking K3L. Relative to
      VACV, we found that ECTV-infected BS-C-1 cells accumulated considerably less
      double-stranded (ds) RNA, which was due to lower mRNA levels and less
      transcriptional read-through of some genes by ECTV. The abundance of dsRNA in
      VACV-infected cells, detected using a monoclonal antibody, was able to activate
      the RNase L pathway at late time points post-infection. Historically, the study
      of transcription by orthopoxviruses has largely focused on VACV as a model. Our
      data suggest that there could be more to learn by studying other members of this
      genus.

PMID- 28628831
TI  - Analysis of immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharide extracted from Yu-Ping
      Feng in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - As a traditional Chinese multiherbal formula, Yu-Ping-Feng (YPF) is frequently
      used to treat cold, flu and inflammation-associated diseases. We aimed to
      evaluate the immunostimulatory effects of polysaccharide isolated from YPF (YPF
      PS) in vitro and in vivo. In in vitro experiment, macrophage cell proliferation,
      phagocytosis rate, cytokine and costimulatory molecule release, T lymphocyte
      proliferation, cell cycle distribution, CD4+ and CD8+ T cell percentages were
      determined. To investigate the in vivo effects of YPF-PS treatment, different
      doses YPF-PS were administered to chicken vaccinated against Newcastle disease.
      The immune organ index, lymphocyte proliferation, antibody titer, cell cycle
      distribution, and the cell percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ were assessed. In vitro
      results indicated that YPF-PS at 15.62MUgmL-1 could increase the LPS-induced
      macrophage cell proliferation and phagocytosis rate significantly. The levels of
      cytokine (nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta,
      interleukin-6, and interferon beta) and costimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86)
      were also considerably enhanced. Moreover, YPF-PS could significantly enhance T
      lymphocyte proliferation individually or synergistically with phytohemagglutinin.
      It promoted lymphocyte entry into S and G2/M phases and increased the percentages
      of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells effectively. In addition, in vivo experiments showed
      that YPF-PS could enhance serum HI antibody titer. The results about T lymphocyte
      proliferation, cell cycle distribution, CD4+ and CD8+ cell percentages in
      chickens were also confirmed. YPF-PS has efficacious immunomodulatory properties
      and could be used as a new potential immune stimulator for food and medical
      purposes.

PMID- 28628832
TI  - Young leaves of reed (Phragmites communis) suppress melanogenesis and oxidative
      stress in B16F10 melanoma cells.
AB  - This study investigated the effects young leaves of reed (Phragmites communis)
      water extract (YLR) on melanogenesis and oxidative stress using B16F10 cells. YLR
      decreased the intracellular melanin content, protein expression and enzyme
      activity of tyrosinase in a dose-dependent manner. YLR significantly decreased
      the gene and protein expression of melanogeneis-related proteins, such as
      microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), and tyrosinase-related
      protein-1 and -2. In addition, YLR up-regulated the melanogenesis inhibitory
      proteins, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT),
      while it dose-dependently down-regulated p38 and cAMP response element-binding
      protein (CREB). Moreover, YLR significantly reduced H2O2-induced reactive oxygen
      species levels in B16F10 cells and showed antioxidant activity based on DPPH and
      ABTS free radical scavenging activity and SOD-like activity. These results
      suggest that YLR have anti-melanogensis properties that function through
      regulation of the CREB/MITF/tyrosinase pathway in B16F10 cells and antioxidant
      activity. Overall, these findings indicate that YLR has the potential for use in
      treatment of skin disorders and skin-whitening.

PMID- 28628833
TI  - Urtica dioica extract suppresses miR-21 and metastasis-related genes in breast
      cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breast cancer has a high prevalence among women worldwide. Tumor
      invasion and metastasis still remains an open issue that causes most of the
      therapeutic failures and remains the prime cause of patient mortality. Hence,
      there is an unmet need to develop the most effective therapeutic approach with
      the lowest side effects and highest cytotoxicity that will effectively arrest or
      eradicate metastasis. METHODS: An MTT assay and scratch test were used to assess
      the cytotoxicity and migration effects of Urtica dioica on the breast cancer
      cells. The QRT-PCR was used to study the expression levels of miR-21, MMP1, MMP9,
      MMP13, CXCR4, vimentin, and E-cadherin. RESULTS: The results of gene expression
      in tumoral groups confirmed the overexpression of miR-21, MMP1, MMP9, MMP13,
      vimentin, and CXCR4, and the lower expression of E-cadherin compared to control
      groups (P<0.05). Moreover, the results of the MTT assay show that Urtica dioica
      significantly inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, findings from
      the scratch assay exhibited the inhibitory effects of Urtica dioica on the
      migration of breast cancer cell lines. CONCLUSION: Urtica dioica extract could
      inhibit cancer cell migration by regulating miR-21, MMP1, MMP9, MMP13, vimentin,
      CXCR4, and E-Cadherin. Moreover, our findings demonstrated that the extract could
      decrease miR-21 expression, which substantially lessens the overexpressed MMP1,
      MMP9, MMP13, vimentin, and CXCR4 and increases E-cadherin in the tumoral group.

PMID- 28628834
TI  - Functional NiTi grids for in situ straining in the TEM.
AB  - In situ measurements are a pivotal extension of conventional transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM). By means of the shape memory alloy NiTi thin film
      Functional Grids were produced for in situ straining as alternative or at least
      complement of expensive commercial holders. Due to the martensite-austenite
      transition temperature straining effects can be observed by use of customary
      heating holders in the range of 50 to 100 degrees C. The grids can be produced in
      diversified designs to fit for different strain situations. Micro tensile tests
      were performed and compared with finite element simulations to estimate the
      applied forces on the sample and to predict the functionality of different grid
      designs. As a first example of this Functional Grid technology, we demonstrate
      the impact of applying a strain to a network of ZnO tetrapods.

PMID- 28628835
TI  - Low frequency sonic waves assisted cloud point extraction of polyhydroxyalkanoate
      from Cupriavidus necator.
AB  - Low frequency sonic waves, less than 10kHz were introduced to assist cloud point
      extraction of polyhydroxyalkanoate from Cupriavidus necator present within the
      crude broth. Process parameters including surfactant system variables and
      sonication parameters were studied for their effect on extraction efficiency.
      Introduction of low frequency sonic waves assists in the dissolution of microbial
      cell wall by the surfactant micelles and release of cellular content,
      polyhydroxyalkanoate granules released were encapsulated by the micelle core
      which was confirmed by crotonic acid assay. In addition, sonic waves resulted in
      the separation of homogeneous surfactant and broth mixture into two distinct
      phases, top aqueous phase and polyhydroxyalkanoate enriched bottom surfactant
      rich phase. Mixed surfactant systems showed higher extraction efficiency compared
      to that of individual Triton X-100 concentrations, owing to increase in the
      hydrophobicity of the micellar core and its interaction with
      polyhydroxyalkanoate. Addition of salts to the mixed surfactant system induces
      screening of charged surfactant head groups and reduces inter-micellar repulsion,
      presence of ammonium ions lead to electrostatic repulsion and weaker cation
      sodium enhances the formation of micellar network. Addition of polyethylene
      glycol 8000 resulted in increasing interaction with the surfactant tails of the
      micelle core there by reducing the purity of polyhydroxyalkanoate.

PMID- 28628836
TI  - An affinity-based aqueous two-phase mixed micellar system and its purification of
      Yeast 3',5'-bisphosphate nucleotidase.
AB  - Aqueous two-phase micellar system (ATPMS), as an alternative liquid-liquid
      extraction technique, has been extensively exploited for the precise separation
      or large-scale concentration of biomolecules. In this article, a novel affinity
      based ATPMS composed of mixed micelles was constructed by introducing a Copper
      chelated Triton X-114 (TX-Cu(II)) into an aqueous solution of hydrophobically
      modified ethylene oxide polymer (HM-EO). Phase diagram of the HM-EO/TX-Cu(II)
      system was measured, and the partitioning behavior of model proteins (YND, BSA,
      lysozyme) were studied by using this new system. The addition of HM-EO can result
      in formation of the micellar network in the micelle-rich phase, making the phase
      separation easier and stabler. In addition, the extractive performance of ATPMS
      was enhanced due to the existence of the mixed micelles composed by HM-EO and
      Cu(II)-chelated TX. It was found in the partitioning experiments that the
      hexahistidine-tagged Yeast 3',5'-bisphosphate nucleotidase (YND) was selectively
      extracted into the micelle-rich phase, while the histidine-poor proteins (BSA and
      lysozyme) remained in the micelle-poor phase. Finally, HM-EO/TX-Cu(II) was used
      directly to process the fermentation broth. The target protein, YND could be
      recovered from the cell lysate with a recovery yield of 49.23% and purification
      factor of 2.63. The results indicated that the new affinity-based HM-EO/TX-Cu(II)
      system had high partitioning performance which is promising for effectively
      separation of the histidine-tagged proteins.

PMID- 28628837
TI  - The influence of essential oils from Xiang-Fu-Si-Wu Decoction on its non-volatile
      components and its application for pharmacokinetics in normal rats.
AB  - Xiang-Fu-Si-Wu Decoction (XFSWD) has been used to treat gynecology diseases in
      clinical practice for hundreds of years in China, especially for primary
      dysmenorrheal of QiZhi Type. In previous researches, both essential oils (XEO)
      and non-volatile components (NXEO) extracted from XFSWD showed significant
      pharmacological activities, but the influence of XEO on NXEO was unclear. The
      purpose of this paper was to develop a validated analytical method for
      simultaneous determination of ten components including Vanillic acid, Ferulic
      acid, Caffeic acid, Gallic acid, Paeoniflorin, Albiflorin, Tetrahydropalmatine,
      Protopine, Berberine and Tetrahydrocolumbamine, and to compare the
      pharmacokinetic parameters of these components to illustrate the influences of
      XEO on NXEO in normal rats. After being extracted by methanol (1:3, v/v), the
      plasma samples were analyzed with Clarithromycin (IS1) and Chloramphenicol (IS2)
      as mixed internal standard (IS). Then the analytes were separated on a ACQUITY
      UPLC BEH C18 (100*2.1mm, 1.7MUm) column with gradient mobile phase (containing
      0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile) at a flow rate of 0.4mL/min.
      All analytes and mixed IS were performed on an electrospray ionization source
      (ESI) using multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) with positive and negative
      ionization mode. The calibration curves of all the analytes showed good linearity
      (r >0.99), and the lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) were 0.66-46.88ng/mL.
      The intra- and inter-day precisions ranged 1.24-12.45% and 2.49-13.24% for all
      the analytes. The mean extraction recoveries of the analytes were in the range of
      73.10-93.71% and the average matrix effects were within 82.39-93.18%. The
      validated method has been fully applied to compare the pharmacokinetic parameters
      of ten components in rat plasma after oral administration of NXEO, NXEO+beta
      cyclodextrin (beta-CD), NXEO+XEO, and NXEO+beta-XEO (the inclusion of XEO by beta
      CD). It was found that the area under the concentration curves (AUC0-t) of ten
      constituents in group NXEO+beta-CD increased compared with group NXEO especially
      Paeoniflorin, Tetrahydropalmatine and Tetrahydrocolumbamine (p <0.05). The
      maximum concentration (Cmax) and AUC0-t of ten compounds in group NXEO+XEO and
      NXEO+beta-XEO had varying degree of increasing in comparison with group NXEO. The
      growth of group NXEO+beta-XEO ran higher than group NXEO+XEO. As can be seen from
      above-mentioned results, beta-CD could remarkably increase the absorption of
      Paeoniflorin, Tetrahydropalmatine and Tetrahydrocolumbamine. Both of XEO and beta
      XEO could improve the absorption and bioavailability of all the ten non-volatile
      compositions. The promotion effect of beta-XEO was stronger than XEO due to the
      double functions of XEO and beta-CD.

PMID- 28628838
TI  - Validated UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of eight
      saikosaponins in rat plasma: Application to a comparative pharmacokinetic study
      in depression rats after oral administration of extracts of raw and vinegar-baked
      Bupleuri Radix.
AB  - A sensitive and efficient UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for
      simultaneous quantification of eight saikosaponins (SSa, SSb1, SSb2, SSb3, SSb4,
      SSc, SSd and SSf) in rat plasma. Furthermore, comparative pharmacokinetic
      profiles of these sakosaponins were investigated, following oral administration
      of extracts of raw and vinegar-baked Bupleuri Radix to depression rats.
      Biosamples were processed with liquid-liquid extraction technique using ethyl
      acetate. Chromatographic separation was accomplished on Waters BEH C18 UPLC
      column. 0.05% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as mobile phase was used at a
      flow rate of 0.40mL/min. The analytes and internal standard, digoxin, were
      detected using negative ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction
      monitoring mode. The lower limit of quantification was less than 0.62ng/mL for
      the each analyte. The validation parameters investigated, which were specificity,
      precision, accuracy, matrix effect, recovery and stability, were well within
      acceptable limits. Results showed that for some of analytes, AUC0-t and Cmax were
      significantly different after oral administration of extracts of raw and vinegar
      baked Bupleuri Radix. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic study in pathological state
      could provide more useful information to guide the clinical usage of Bupleuri
      Radix.

PMID- 28628839
TI  - A simple and fast LC-MS/MS method with a very high sensitivity for the
      measurement of raltitrexed in human plasma.
AB  - Raltitrexed is a thymidylate synthase inhibitor that can be administered safely
      to patients with cardiovascular disease or dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase
      deficiency, as opposed to 5FU. The recommended dose of 3mg/m2 every 3 weeks often
      leads to toxicity. Interestingly, the 2mg/m2 every 2 weeks dose appears to be
      less toxic. A pharmacokinetic trial was then performed by our team to investigate
      such phenomenon. However, there are currently, two main methods for RTX
      measurement described in the literature: a radioimmunoassay (RIA) and
      chromatographic-based methods with either UV or mass spectrometry detections. The
      RIA methods: display a low limit of quantification (below 1MUg/L), but also a low
      extent of linearity for the calibration curve. The chromatographic-based methods:
      include high level of calibrators, but have poor sensitivity (>2MUg/mL). If a
      high sensitivity is essential to satisfactorily describe the elimination of RTX,
      high concentrations in the calibration curve are also needed to avoid bias linked
      to the dilutions of the samples. A new LC-MS/MS method was then developed that
      allows to simultaneously measure very low (0.1MUg/L) and very high (3000MUg/L)
      concentrations in the same run. Moreover, the extraction steps are very simple
      and fast with mainly a precipitation and a filtration steps. This method was
      validated following the EMA recommendations. In view of the extent of the
      calibration curve, the carry-over effect was more deeply investigated. With this
      method, it was possible to measure RTX in samples taken 3 weeks after the
      administration. Taken together, this method allows to simply and quickly measure
      RTX in plasma of patients.

PMID- 28628840
TI  - Nasal epithelium injury by chlorination products and other stressors predicts
      persistent sensitization to aeroallergens in young schoolchildren.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Allergic sensitization during childhood is a dynamic process with a
      substantial rate of remission. Factors influencing this process are largely
      unknown. METHODS: We conducted a two-year prospective study among 121
      schoolchildren (mean age, 5.8 years; 64 boys). We measured urea, club cell
      protein (CC16), beta2-microglobulin and albumin in nasal lavage fluid (NALF) and
      IgE to cat, pollen or house dust mite (HDM) in nasal mucosa fluid. RESULTS: Odds
      of persistent sensitization to any aeroallergen increased across baseline
      ascending tertiles of urea-adjusted beta2-microglobulin or albumin and descending
      tertiles of albumin- or beta2-microglobulin-adjusted CC16 (P-trend = 0.006, 0.02,
      0.044 and 0.006, respectively). Persistent HDM sensitization also increased with
      baseline descending tertiles of raw or urea-adjusted CC16 (both P-trend = 0.007).
      Such strong associations were not observed with new-onset or remitted
      sensitization to any aeroallergen or with raw NALF concentrations of urea,
      albumin or beta2-microglobulin. At baseline, house cleaning with bleach and
      chlorinated pool attendance emerged among the strongest and most consistent
      determinants of NALF biomarkers, being both associated with higher urea and lower
      CC16 in NALF. CONCLUSION: In young children, a defective nasal epithelium
      attributable to immaturity or stressors such as chlorination products is
      predictive of more persistent aeroallergen sensitization.

PMID- 28628841
TI  - Mitochondrial dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder: clinical features and
      perspectives.
AB  - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a prototypic pervasive developmental disorder
      characterized by social interaction, and communication deficits, repetitive,
      stereotypic patterns of behavior, and impairments in language and development.
      Clinical studies have identified mitochondrial disturbances at the levels of DNA,
      activity, complexes, oxidative stress, and metabolites in blood and urine of ASD
      patients. However, these observations from postmortem brains or peripheral
      tissues do not provide a direct link between autism and mitochondria. The
      synaptic abnormality of autistic patients has not been investigated yet. Here we
      review the findings of clinical studies investigating mitochondrial involvement
      in ASD patients, focusing particularly on the brain and the limitations and
      future directions needed in order to fully understand the role of mitochondria in
      ASD pathology.

PMID- 28628842
TI  - Matching genomic molecular aberrations with molecular targeted agents: Are
      biliary tract cancers an ideal playground?
AB  - Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a heterogeneous group of tumours with
      geographical discrepancies in terms of incidence and risk factors. However, a
      convergent genomic and epigenetic mutational landscape emerges from the genome
      wide screens of BTCs in South East Asia, Latin America and in the Western World.
      Specificities are observed for some alterations and anatomical subtypes: frequent
      fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2
      (IDH1/2) alterations are specific to intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICCs),
      whereas frequent ERBB2 oncogene alterations are specific to extrahepatic
      cholangiocarcinomas (ECCs) and gallbladder carcinomas (GBCs). Until now, the
      outcome of patients with BTCs treated by molecular targeted agents (MTAs) alone
      or in combination with conventional chemotherapy in non-biology driven trials
      remains poor and does not exceed the outcome of patients treated with
      chemotherapy alone. Encouraging reports of biology-driven therapeutic approaches
      should accelerate the clinical development of MTAs in BTCs. Additionally,
      frequent epigenetic aberrations such as IDH1/2 mutations and switch/sucrose non
      fermenting (SWI/SNF) complex dysfunctions suggest that epidrugs must also be
      considered. In this review, we expose the rationale and feasibility to
      biologically drive the treatment of BTC patients.

PMID- 28628843
TI  - Preoperative chemotherapy versus chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced
      adenocarcinomas of the oesophagogastric junction (POET): Long-term results of a
      controlled randomised trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Results of the PreOperative therapy in Esophagogastric adenocarcinoma
      Trial (POET) showed some benefits when including radiotherapy into the
      preoperative treatment. This article is reporting long-term results of this phase
      III study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with locally advanced adenocarcinomas
      of the oesophagogastric junction (Siewert types I-III) were eligible.
      Randomisation was done to chemotherapy (group A) or induction chemotherapy and
      chemoradiotherapy (CRT; group B) followed by surgery. RESULTS: The primary end
      point of the study was overall survival at 3 years. The study was closed early
      after 119 patients having been randomised and were eligible. Local progression
      free survival after tumour resection was significantly improved by CRT (hazard
      ratio [HR] 0.37; 0.16-0.85, p = value 0.01) and 20 versus 12 patients were free
      of local tumour progression at 5 years (p = 0.03). Although the rate of
      postoperative in-hospital mortality was somewhat higher with CRT (10.2% versus
      3.8%, p = 0.26), more patients were alive at 3 and 5 years after CRT (46.7% and
      39.5%) compared with chemotherapy (26.1% and 24.4%). Thus, overall survival
      showed a trend in favour of preoperative CRT (HR 0.65, 95% confidence interval
      [CI] 0.42-1.01, p = 0.055). CONCLUSION: Although the primary end-point overall
      survival of the study was not met, our long-term follow-up data suggest a benefit
      in local progression-free survival when radiotherapy was added to preoperative
      chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the
      oesophagogastric junction.

PMID- 28628844
TI  - Serum microRNAs in buffalo cows: Potential biomarkers of pregnancy.
AB  - MiRNAs (microRNA) constitute a large family of single-stranded, non-coding small
      RNAs. Although the functions and target genes of most miRNAs are still unknown,
      it has been well established that they are involved in embryogenesis,
      organogenesis and neonatal birth. In recent decades, interest in buffalo breeding
      has largely increased worldwide thus focusing the attention on this species as a
      dairy purpose animal. Problems related to long calving interval, late puberty and
      seasonal anestrus hamper reproductive efficiency in this species. Early pregnancy
      diagnosis is important to shorten the calving interval and increase lifetime
      production on dairy animals. MicroRNAs have recently emerged as key molecules in
      fertilization of several species even though in buffalo, few previous studies
      have investigated miRNAs. The aim of this research was to identify the best miRNA
      reference in serum among miR-191, miR-25-3p, SNORD44, and SNORD48. Consequently,
      assess the expression levels of miR-103, miR-200b, miR-301a, miR-423-5p, miR-375,
      miR-451 and miR-452 involved in buffalo progesterone-maturation oocyte and
      pregnancy. Interestingly, we found that all the miRNAs analyzed at 40days after
      artificial insemination were differentially expressed among pregnant and non
      pregnant buffalo. Our research may be a first step for gain further insight in
      the biological function of circulating miRNAs in this species.

PMID- 28628845
TI  - Serum antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage in clinical and subclinical
      canine ehrlichiosis.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the antioxidant response
      and the products of oxidative damage analysed by various assays in clinical and
      subclinical canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME). For this purpose, four assays to
      measure the total serum antioxidant capacity (TAC), such as the cupric reducing
      antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), trolox
      equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) using acidic medium (TEACA), and the TEAC
      using the horseradish peroxidase (TEACH) were used. In addition, the serum thiol
      concentrations were analysed. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiobarbituric acid
      reactive substances (TBARS), and ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) were
      measured to determine the concentrations of free radical and the products of
      oxidative damage as result of the disease. All antioxidant markers were
      significantly lower in the dogs on clinical ehrlichiosis when compared with
      healthy dogs; however only the CUPRAC, FRAP and thiol were significantly lower in
      subclinical CME compared with healthy dogs. TBARS and FOX showed no significant
      differences between dogs with CME and healthy dogs; however, a significant
      increased ROS concentration was observed in dogs with clinical and subclinical
      CME when compared with healthy dogs. Results showed that in CME there is a state
      of oxidative stress with significant changes in markers of antioxidant defence
      and in concentrations of free radicals. However, the detection of these changes
      would depend of the assay used.

PMID- 28628847
TI  - The importance of declining insulin requirements during pregnancy in patients
      with pre-gestational gestational diabetes mellitus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In patients with pre-gestational and gestational diabetes mellitus
      (GDM), insulin requirements often increase during the third trimester of
      pregnancy in order to maintain proper glycemic control. However, a fraction of
      patients demonstrate a significant decrease in insulin requirements in late
      gestation. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of decreasing insulin
      requirements in patients with pre-gestational diabetes and GDM with respect to
      fetal wellbeing and pregnancy outcome. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective
      cohort study in a single referral center for gestational diabetes between 1/2010
      and 12/2014. Healthy pregnant women with pre-gestational diabetes and GDMA2 and a
      decrease of at least 30% in insulin requirements over a period of two weeks
      during the third trimester (group A) were compared to women with stable or
      increasing insulin requirements (group B). The primary outcome was a composite of
      situations associated with feto-placental dysfunction (fetal growth restriction,
      oligohydramnios and cesarean section due to category 2-3 monitor). Secondary
      outcomes were maternal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results 6 weeks
      postpartum, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates, Apgar scores <=7
      at 5min, arterial blood pH<=7.1, macrosomia, neonatal hypoglycemia and a
      composite adverse neonatal outcomes (defined as one or more of the following:
      respiratory morbidity, cerebral morbidity, phototherapy, need for blood
      transfusion, necrotizing enterocolitis or death). RESULTS: Group A consisted of
      101 women and group B - of 203 women. There were no differences between the
      groups in demographic characteristics or diagnostic characteristics of diabetes.
      The frequency of conditions related to feto-placental dysfunction did not differ
      between the groups (7.9% vs. 8.4%, p=0.61). Secondary outcome measures also did
      not differ between the groups, regardless of insulin requirements. CONCLUSION:
      Decreasing insulin requirements during the third trimester are not associated
      with adverse perinatal outcome related to placental dysfunction.

PMID- 28628846
TI  - Substance P and the neurokinin-1 receptor expression in dog ileum with and
      without inflammation.
AB  - In the gastrointestinal tract, the tachykinin Substance P (SP) is involved in
      motility, fluid and electrolyte secretion, and blood flow and regulation of
      immunoinflammatory response. SP exerts its biological activity on target cells by
      interacting mainly with the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R). The present study aims
      to quantify the percentage of SP-immunoreactive (SP-IR) enteric neurons and the
      density of SP-IR nerve fibers in the ileum of control dogs (CTRL-dogs; n=7) vs
      dogs with spontaneous ileal inflammation (INF-dogs; n=8). In addition, the
      percentage of enteric neurons bearing NK1R, and nitrergic neurons (nNOS-IR)
      expressing NK1R immunoreactivity were evaluated in both groups. The percentages
      of SP-IR neurons were similar in CTRL- and INF-dogs, in either the myenteric (MP)
      (15+/-8% vs. 16+/-7%, respectively) and submucosal plexus (SMP) (26+/-7% vs. 24+/
      14%, respectively). In INF-dogs, the density of SP-IR mucosal nerve fibers showed
      a trend to decrease (P=0.07). Myenteric neurons of CTRL- and INF-dogs expressed
      similar percentages of NK1R-immunoreactivity (39+/-5% vs. 38+/-20%,
      respectively). Submucosal NK1R-IR neurons were occasionally observed in a CTRL
      dog. MP nitrergic neurons bearing NK1R showed a trend to decrease in INF-dogs vs.
      CTRL- dogs (41+/-22% vs. 65+/-10%, respectively; P=0.11). In INF-dogs, muscle
      cells and immune cells overexpressed NK1R immunoreactivity. These findings should
      be taken as a warning for possible intestinal motility disorders, which might
      occur during administration of NK1R-antagonist drugs. Conversely, the strong
      expression of NK1R immunoreactivity observed in muscle and mucosal immune cells
      of inflamed tissues may provide a rationale for the use of NK1R antagonist drugs
      in the treatment of intestinal inflammation.

PMID- 28628848
TI  - Sexual dysfunction in infertile women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and
      Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score in women with infertility. STUDY
      DESIGN: A systematic search of the literature was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE,
      IBECS, and LILACS. The search was limited to articles published from January 2000
      to September 2016, without language restriction. Data were analyzed using Stata
      12.0. Random effects meta-analyses in weighted mean difference (WMD) were
      performed for six comparative studies (infertility versus fertility).
      Heterogeneity was estimated using I2. Moreover, to explore the heterogeneity
      sources among the studies, meta-regression analyses were also performed. Quality
      of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment,
      Development, and Evaluation guidelines, and risk of bias, with a graphic funnel.
      RESULTS: Meta-analysis was performed in 11 of 13 comparative studies. The result
      indicated a significant association between an increase in sexual dysfunction and
      infertility in women (WMD=-0.16, 95% confidence interval=-0.254 to -0.084,
      p<0.001), and high heterogeneity between studies was noted (I2=98.6%, p<0.000).
      Meta-regression analysis did not indicate heterogeneity (I2=0.00%). We also
      performed a meta-analysis of individual FSFI domains in 10 studies. Infertile
      women had problems with lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction. Meta-regression
      analysis also showed that heterogeneity had no influence on the final results of
      all the analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Infertility was associated with an increase in
      female sexual dysfunction. The most affected areas of sexual function were
      lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction.

PMID- 28628849
TI  - Kinematic patterns underlying disguised movements: Spatial and temporal
      dissimilarity compared to genuine movement patterns.
AB  - This study examined the kinematic characteristics of disguised movements by
      applying linear discriminant (LDA) and dissimilarity analyses to the motion data
      from 788 disguised and 792 non-disguised 7-m penalty throws performed by novice
      and expert handball field players. Results of the LDA showed that discrimination
      between type of throws (disguised vs. non-disguised) was more error-prone when
      throws were performed by experts (spatial: 4.6%; temporal: 29.6%) compared to
      novices (spatial: 1.0%; temporal: 20.2%). The dissimilarity analysis revealed
      significantly smaller spatial dissimilarities and variations between type of
      throws in experts compared to novices (p<0.001), but also showed that these
      spatial dissimilarities and variations increased significantly in both groups the
      closer the throws came to the moment of (predicted) ball release. In contrast,
      temporal dissimilarities did not differ significantly between groups. Thus, our
      data clearly demonstrate that expertise in disguising one's own action intentions
      results in an ability to perform disguised penalty throws that are highly similar
      to genuine throws. We suggest that this expertise depends mainly on keeping
      spatial dissimilarities small. However, the attempt to disguise becomes a
      challenge the closer one gets to the action outcome (i.e., ball release) becoming
      visible.

PMID- 28628850
TI  - Indoline derivatives mitigate liver damage in a mouse model of acute liver
      injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exposure of mice to D-galactosamine (GalN) and lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS) induces acute liver failure through elevation of TNF-alpha, which causes
      liver damage resembling that in humans. The current study evaluated in this model
      the effect of two indoline derivatives, which have anti-inflammatory activity in
      macrophages. METHODS: AN1297 and AN1284 (0.025-0.75mg/kg) or dexamethasone
      (3mg/kg), were injected subcutaneously, 15min before intraperitoneal injection of
      GalN (800mg) plus LPS (50MUg) in male Balb/C mice. After 6h, their livers were
      evaluated histologically by staining with hematoxylin and eosin for tissue damage
      and by cleaved caspase 3 for apoptosis. Activity of liver enzymes, alanine
      transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and levels of TNF-alpha
      and IL-6 were measured in plasma, and those of TNF-alpha and IL-6, in the liver.
      RESULTS: AN1297 (0.075-0.75mg/kg) and AN1284 (0.25-0.75mg/kg) maximally reduced
      ALT by 51% and 80%, respectively. Only AN1284 (0.25 and 0.75mg/kg) reduced AST by
      41% and 48%. AN1297 and AN1284 (0.25mg/kg) decreased activation of caspase 3 (a
      sign of apoptosis) by 80% and plasma TNF-alpha by 75%. AN1297 and AN1284
      (0.075mg/kg) prevented the rise in TNF-alpha and IL-6 in the liver. AN1284
      (0.25mg/kg) reduced mortality from 90% to 20% (p<0.01) and AN1297, to 60%
      (p=0.121). Both indoline derivatives inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPK p38
      and DNA binding of the transcription factor, AP-1. CONCLUSION: While both
      compounds are highly potent anti-inflammatory agents, AN1284 is more effective in
      mitigating the underlying causes of GalN/LPS-induced acute liver failure in mice.

PMID- 28628851
TI  - Spinal 5-HT4 and 5-HT6 receptors contribute to the maintenance of neuropathic
      pain in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nerve injury promotes release of 5-HT at the spinal cord. Once
      released, 5-HT may produce antinociceptive or pronociceptive effects depending of
      the nature of 5-HT receptors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
      participation of spinal 5-HT4 and 5-HT6 receptors in the maintenance of
      neuropathic pain in rats. METHODS: Tactile allodynia was measured using von Frey
      hairs in male Wistar rats subjected to L5-L6 spinal nerve injury. Selective 5-HT4
      (GR-113808, 0.01-10nmol/rat) and 5-HT6 (SB-258585, 1-1000nmol/rat) receptor
      antagonists were administered intrathecally to nerve injured rats. Likewise, the
      most effective dose of 5-HT4 (1nmol/rat) and 5-HT6 (100 nmol/rat) antagonists
      were co-administered with their respective agonists (ML-10302, 10-100nmol/rat and
      WAY-208466, 100-1000nmol/rat, respectively). Spinal cord protein expression of
      both receptors was determined by western blot. RESULTS: Intrathecal
      administration of 5-HT4 or 5-HT6 receptor antagonists, but not vehicle, decreased
      in a dose-dependent manner tactile allodynia in neuropathic rats. Moreover,
      intrathecal co-administration with the agonists prevented in a dose-dependent
      manner the antagonists-induced antiallodynic effect. Both 5-HT4 and 5-HT6
      receptors were expressed in the spinal cord of naive, sham and neuropathic rats.
      Nerve injury did not modify expression of any receptor. CONCLUSIONS: Data
      suggests that spinal 5-HT4 and 5-HT6 receptors are expressed in dorsal spinal
      cord and they participate in the maintenance of neuropathic pain in rats. In this
      regard, blockade of these receptors could be a useful strategy to treat
      neuropathic pain states.

PMID- 28628852
TI  - Skin regeneration in three dimensions, current status, challenges and
      opportunities.
AB  - Skin regeneration is a life-saving need for many patients, whom list is stretched
      from burn victims to motor-car accidents. Spraying cells, either keratinocytes or
      stem cells, were associated with variable results and, in many cases, unfavorable
      outcomes. As the spatial configuration of the skin is distinctive, many trials
      investigated the bio-printing or the construction of three dimensional skin
      models where different layers of the skin were preserved. Although some of these
      models showed the histological configuration of the skin, their acceptance by the
      wound was questionable as a consequence of delayed vascularization. In this mini
      review, different models for three dimensional regeneration of the skin will be
      discussed with their main points of strength and challenges as well as their
      possible opportunities.

PMID- 28628853
TI  - Willingness to pay for opioid agonist treatment among opioid dependent people who
      inject drugs in Ukraine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the context of decreasing external and limited Ukrainian
      governmental funding for opioid agonist treatments (OAT) for opioid dependent
      people who inject drugs in Ukraine, information on sustainable financial models
      is needed. METHODS: Data on 855 opioid dependent people who inject drugs (PWID)
      were drawn from a cross-sectional nationwide survey of 1613 PWID. They comprised
      434 participants who were receiving OAT and 421 who were on OAT in the past or
      have never been on OAT and were interested in receiving the treatment.
      Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with
      willingness-to-pay (WTP) for OAT, stratified by OAT experience. Variation in the
      price which respondents were willing to pay for OAT and its effect on their
      monthly income among PWID with different OAT experience were assessed as a
      continuous variable using one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS:
      Overall, 378 (44%) expressed WTP for OAT. Factors independently associated with
      WTP differed by OAT experience. Among those using OAT, independent predictors of
      WTP included: city (Dnipro - aOR=1.9; 95%CI=1.1-4.8 and Lviv - (aOR=2.2;
      95%CI=1.1-4.8) compared to those elsewhere in Ukraine), higher income (aOR=1.8;
      95%CI=1.2-2.7) and receiving psychosocial counseling (aOR=1.8; 95%CI=1.2-2.7).
      Among those who had previously been on OAT, positive attitude towards OAT
      (aOR=1.3; 95%CI=1.1-1.6) and family support of OAT (aOR=2.5; 95%CI=1.1-5.7) were
      independently associated with WTP. Among PWID who had never been on OAT, being
      male (aOR=2.2; 95%CI=1.1-4.2), younger age (aOR=1.9; 95%CI=1.2-3.2), higher
      income (aOR=2.0; 95%CI=1.2-3.4) and previous unsuccessful attempts to enter OAT
      (aOR=2.3; 95%CI=1.1-4.7) were independently associated with WTP. PWID were
      willing to commit a large percentage of their monthly income for OAT, which,
      however, varied significantly based on OAT experience: current OAT: 37% of
      monthly income, previous OAT: 53%, and never OAT: 60% (p-value=0.0009).
      CONCLUSIONS: WTP for OAT was substantial among PWID in Ukraine, supporting the
      implementation of self-pay or co-payment programs. Such strategies, however, must
      remain affordable, provide better access to OAT, and consider specific needs of
      PWID.

PMID- 28628855
TI  - Progress in programming spatiotemporal patterns and machine-assembly in cell-free
      protein expression systems.
AB  - Building biological systems outside the cell is an emerging interdisciplinary
      research field aimed to study design principles, and to emulate biological
      functions for technology. Reconstructing programmable cellular functions, from
      assembly of protein/nucleic-acid machines to spatially distributed systems,
      requires implementing minimal systems of molecular interactions encoded in genes,
      source-sink protein expression dynamics, and materials platforms for reaction
      diffusion scenarios. Here, we first review how molecular turnover mechanisms,
      combined with nonlinear interactions and feedback in cell-free gene networks
      enable programmable dynamic expression patterns in various compartments. We then
      describe recent work on spatially distributed protein expression reactions.
      Finally, we discuss progress and challenges in the study of programmable
      protein/nucleic-acid complexes.

PMID- 28628854
TI  - Prevalence and predictors of HCV among a cohort of opioid treatment patients in
      Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The government of Tanzania launched an opioid treatment program
      (OTP), using methadone, in Dar es Salaam in February of 2011. Hepatitis C virus
      (HCV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, especially among
      people who inject drugs (PWID). We conducted a cross-sectional study among PWID
      engaged in OTP in Dar es Salaam to describe the prevalence and predictors of HCV
      antibody serostatus. METHODS: Routine programmatic data on patients enrolled in
      Muhimbili National Hospital's OTP clinic from February 2011 to January 2013 were
      utilized. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to examine factors associated
      with HCV antibody serostatus. RESULTS: A total of 630 PWID enrolled into the OTP
      clinic during the study period, seven percent of which were women. The overall
      seroprevalence of HCV antibody was 57% (95% Confidence interval: 53-61%). In
      adjusted analysis, methadone patients who used heroin for 5-10 years (adjusted
      prevalence ratio; aPR=1.41; 95% CI: 1.10-1.81) and >10years (aPR=1.48; 95% CI:
      1.17-1.88) were more likely to be HCV antibody positive, compared to patients who
      used heroin for <5years. Patients who reported sharing needles or other equipment
      at their last injection (aPR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.01-1.41; p=0.022), being arrested
      (aPR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.04-1.40; p=0.012) and who were HIV-positive (aPR=1.84; 95%
      CI: 1.56-2.16; p<0.001) were also more likely to be HCV antibody positive than
      their counterparts. CONCLUSION: Our observed HCV antibody prevalence among PWID
      engaged in OTP is higher than previously reported estimates in Dar es Salaam.
      Predictors of HCV antibody serostatus in this sample were similar to those found
      among PWID in many other settings. Integrating HCV care and treatment into OTP
      clinics should be considered, leveraging lessons learned from the integration of
      HIV services into OTP. Global efforts to develop HCV care and treatment programs
      in low and middle-income countries are critical, especially among PWID who have a
      high burden of HCV.

PMID- 28628856
TI  - Mammalian synthetic biology in the age of genome editing and personalized
      medicine.
AB  - The recent expansion of molecular tool kits has propelled synthetic biology
      toward the design of increasingly sophisticated mammalian systems. Specifically,
      advances in genome editing, protein engineering, and circuitry design have
      enabled the programming of cells for diverse applications, including regenerative
      medicine and cancer immunotherapy. The ease with which molecular and cellular
      interactions can be harnessed promises to yield novel approaches to elucidate
      genetic interactions, program cellular functions, and design therapeutic
      interventions. Here, we review recent advancements in the development of enabling
      technologies and the practical applications of mammalian synthetic biology.

PMID- 28628857
TI  - Identification of B and T cell epitope based peptide vaccine from IGF-1 receptor
      in breast cancer.
AB  - The insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) plays a key role in
      proliferation, growth, differentiation, and development of several human
      malignancies including breast and pancreatic adenocarcinoma. IGF-1R targeted
      immunotherapeutic approaches are particularly attractive, as they may potentially
      elicit even stronger antitumor responses than traditional targeted approaches.
      Cancer peptide vaccines can produce immunologic responses against cancer cells by
      triggering helper T cell (Th) or cytotoxic T cells (CTL) in association with
      Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I or II molecules on the cell
      surface of antigen presenting cells. In our previous study, we set a technique
      based on molecular docking in order to find the best MHC class I and II binder
      peptides using GOLD. In the present work, molecular docking analyses on a library
      consisting of 30 peptides mimicking discontinuous epitopes from IGF-1R
      extracellular domain identified peptides 249 and 86, as the best MHC binder
      peptides to both MHC class I and II molecules. The receptors most often targeted
      by peptide 249 are HLA-DR4, HLA-DR3 and HLA-DR2 and those most often targeted by
      peptide 86 are HLA-DR4, HLA-DP2 and HLA-DR3. These findings, based on
      bioinformatics analyses, can be conducted in further experimental analyses in
      cancer therapy and vaccine design.

PMID- 28628858
TI  - Unravelling the structural interactions between PKR kinase domain and its small
      molecule inhibitors using computational approaches.
AB  - The RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR), an eIF2alpha kinase plays an important
      role in anti-viral response, apoptosis and cell survival. It is also implicated
      to play a role in several cancers, metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. A
      few ATP competitive inhibitors of the PKR have been reported in the literature
      with promising results in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to unravel
      the structural interactions between these inhibitors and the PKR kinase domain
      using molecular simulations and docking. Our study reveals that the reported
      inhibitors bind in the adenine pocket and form hydrogen bonds with the hinge
      region and vdW interactions with non-polar residues in the binding site. The most
      potent inhibitor has several favorable interactions with the binding site and
      induces the P-loop to fold inward, creating a significant hydrophobic enclosure
      for itself. The computed binding free energies of these inhibitors are in accord
      with experimental data (IC50). Strategies to design potent and selective PKR
      inhibitors are discussed to overcome the reported promiscuity.

PMID- 28628859
TI  - Structural and functional effects of nucleotide variation on the human TB drug
      metabolizing enzyme arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1.
AB  - The human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) enzyme plays a vital role in
      determining the duration of action of amine-containing drugs such as para
      aminobenzoic acid (PABA) by influencing the balance between detoxification and
      metabolic activation of these drugs. Recently, four novel single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified within a South African mixed ancestry
      population. Modeling the effects of these SNPs within the structural protein was
      done to assess possible structure and function changes in the enzyme. The use of
      molecular dynamics simulations and stability predictions indicated less
      thermodynamically stable protein structures containing E264K and V231G, while the
      N245I change showed a stabilizing effect. Coincidently the N245I change displayed
      a similar free energy landscape profile to the known R64W amino acid substitution
      (slow acetylator), while the R242M displayed a similar profile to the published
      variant, I263V (proposed fast acetylator), and the wild type protein structure.
      Similarly, principal component analysis indicated that two amino acid
      substitutions (E264K and V231G) occupied less conformational clusters of folded
      states as compared to the WT and were found to be destabilizing (may affect
      protein function). However, two of the four novel SNPs that result in amino acid
      changes: (V231G and N245I) were predicted by both SIFT and POLYPHEN-2 algorithms
      to affect NAT1 protein function, while two other SNPs that result in R242M and
      E264K substitutions showed contradictory results based on SIFT and POLYPHEN-2
      analysis. In conclusion, the structural methods were able to verify that two non
      synonymous substitutions (E264K and V231G) can destabilize the protein structure,
      and are in agreement with mCSM predictions, and should therefore be
      experimentally tested for NAT1 activity. These findings could inform a strategy
      of incorporating genotypic data (i.e., functional SNP alleles) with phenotypic
      information (slow or fast acetylator) to better prescribe effective treatment
      using drugs metabolized by NAT1.

PMID- 28628860
TI  - In silico modeling on ADME properties of natural products: Classification models
      for blood-brain barrier permeability, its application to traditional Chinese
      medicine and in vitro experimental validation.
AB  - In silico modeling of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability plays an important
      role in early discovery of central nervous system (CNS) drugs due to its high
      throughput and cost-effectiveness. Natural products (NP) have demonstrated
      considerable therapeutic efficacy against several CNS diseases. However, BBB
      permeation property of NP is scarcely evaluated both experimentally and
      computationally. It is well accepted that significant difference in chemical
      spaces exists between NP and synthetic drugs, which calls into doubt on
      suitability of available synthetic chemical based BBB permeability models for the
      evaluation of NP. Herein poor discriminative performance on BBB permeability of
      NP are first confirmed using internal constructed and previously published drug
      derived computational models, which warrants the need for NP-oriented modeling.
      Then a quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) study on a NP dataset
      was carried out using four different machine learning methods including support
      vector machine, random forest, Naive Bayes and probabilistic neural network with
      67 selected features. The final consensus model was obtained with approximate 90%
      overall accuracy for the cross-validation study, which is further taken to
      predict passive BBB permeability of a large dataset consisting of over 10,000
      compounds from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). For 32 selected TCM molecules,
      their predicted BBB permeability were evaluated by in vitro parallel artificial
      membrane permeability assay and overall accuracy for in vitro experimental
      validation is around 81%. Interestingly, our in silico model successfully
      predicted different BBB permeation potentials of parent molecules and their known
      in vivo metabolites. Finally, we found that the lipophilicity, the number of
      hydrogen bonds and molecular polarity were important molecular determinants for
      BBB permeability of NP. Our results suggest that the consensus model proposed in
      current work is a reliable tool for prioritizing potential CNS active NP across
      the BBB, which would accelerate their development and provide more understanding
      on their mechanisms, especially those with pharmacologically active metabolites.

PMID- 28628861
TI  - Enhancement in recovery of drugs with high protein binding efficiency from human
      plasma using magnetic nanoparticles.
AB  - In this paper, we propose an alternate method for bioanalytical extraction of
      drugs from human plasma samples using bare magnetic nanoparticles. The magnetic
      nanoparticles (MNPs) were used for deproteination of biological samples that
      further assist in extraction of plasma bound drugs for bioanalytical studies. The
      method uses basic solvents (ethanol, methanol, etc.) rather than the expensive
      and toxic solvents. The MNPs provide several advantages like avoiding the use of
      centrifuge machine, and making extraction time effective. The average time
      involved for the sample preparation is around 30-40min. The developed method was
      examined for seven different drugs having moderate (40-70%) to high (>80%) plasma
      protein binding efficiency. The present study focuses on the principle of
      magnetic nanoparticle based extraction of drug that binds with the plasma
      protein. In calcitriol (protein binding efficiency >99%), it was observed that
      the drug extraction efficiency could be enhanced by 16% using the present method.
      However, we assume that still there is a scope for improving the extraction
      efficiency by optimizing proper solvent for the specific drug. The use of
      magnetic nanoparticles makes the extraction cost effective and quick with
      improved efficiency.

PMID- 28628862
TI  - Characterization and inhibition studies of tissue nonspecific alkaline
      phosphatase by aminoalkanol derivatives of 1,7-dimethyl-8,9-diphenyl-4
      azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5,10-trione, new competitive and non
      competitive inhibitors, by capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - The article describes the inhibitory effect of two new aminoalkanol derivatives
      on the enzymatic kinetic of tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase with use of
      capillary zone electrophoresis to evaluate the inhibitory effect. This technique
      allows to investigate of the enzymatic kinetic by the measure of the amounts of
      the substrate and product in the presence of compound (I) or (II) in the reaction
      mixture. The separation process was conducted using an eCAP fused-silica
      capillary. The detector was set at 200nm. The best parameters for the analysis
      were: 25mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate adjusted to pH=2.5, temperature 25 degrees
      C, and voltage -15kV. Lineweaver-Burk plots were constructed and determined by
      comparison of the Km, of alkaline phosphatase in the presence of inhibitor (I) or
      (II) with the Km in a solution without inhibitor. The influence of replacement
      the propylamine group by the dimethylamine group on tissue non-specific alkaline
      phosphatase inhibition activity of new derivatives (I) and (II) was investigated.
      The tested compounds (I) and (II) were found to be tissue non-specific alkaline
      phosphatase inhibitors. Detailed kinetic studies indicated a competitive mode of
      inhibition against tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase for compound (I) and
      non-competitive mode of inhibition for compound (II).

PMID- 28628863
TI  - Simultaneous quantification of endothelin receptor antagonists and
      phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors currently used in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
AB  - Combination treatment with endothelin receptor antagonists (ERA) and
      phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5I) improved efficacy of pulmonary arterial
      hypertension (PAH) therapy. However, drug-drug interactions, variable exposure,
      non-adherence can influence plasma levels. For these reasons, drug quantification
      may be advantageous particularly in patients with poor treatment responses. We
      developed, validated, and applied an assay for the simultaneous quantification of
      ambrisentan, bosentan, macitentan, sildenafil, and tadalafil as well as their
      main (and partly active) metabolites in human plasma. This method is based on LC
      MS/MS separation for a rapid and sensitive quantification with stable
      isotopically labelled analogues as internal standards for each drug and
      metabolite. Sample preparation was carried out using a solid phase extraction
      protocol based on Oasis HLB material. The separation was achieved on a Kinetex
      C18 column and multiple reaction monitoring in negative ionization mode was used
      for sensitive detection. The calibrations were linear for all analytes with
      correlation coefficients >0.99 within the concentration range observed under a
      therapeutic PAH dosing scheme with lower limits of quantification between
      0.34ng/mL (OH-ambrisentan) and 10ng/mL (despropyl-macitentan). Intra- and inter
      day precision at LLOQ and QC levels ranged between 2.03% and 19.8%, and 0.65% and
      14.0%, respectively. The sample turnover time was 12min. The applicability of
      this versatile LC/MS/MS assay was verified by the successful analysis of clinical
      routine samples of patients on PAH medication. This new method allows for the
      first time to assess trough drug and metabolite levels of the currently approved
      PDE5I and ERAs in PAH patients, thus enabling for measurement of samples in
      clinical routine.

PMID- 28628864
TI  - Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and thyroid hormones in cord blood.
AB  - Human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been increasing over
      the last three decades in China and around the world. Animal studies suggest that
      PBDEs could reduce blood levels of thyroid hormones, but it is unclear whether
      PBDEs disrupt thyroid function in humans. We used data from a prospective birth
      cohort of 123 pregnant women who were enrolled between September 2010 and March
      2011 in Shandong, China. We measured the concentrations of eight PBDE congeners
      (n = 106) and five thyroid hormones (n = 107) in cord serum samples. We examined
      the relationship between prenatal exposure to PBDEs and thyroid function (n =
      90). Median concentrations of BDEs 47, 99, 100, and 153 (detection frequencies >
      75%) were 3.96, 8.27, 3.31, and 1.89 ng/g lipid, respectively. A 10-fold increase
      in BDE-99 and Sigma4 PBDEs (the sum of BDEs 47, 99, 100, and 153) concentrations
      was associated with a 0.41 MUg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10 to 0.72)
      and 0.37 MUg/dL (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.68) increase in total thyroxine levels (TT4),
      respectively. No associations were found between other individual congeners and
      any of the five thyroid hormones. Our study suggests that prenatal exposure to
      PBDEs may be associated with higher TT4 in cord blood. Given the inconsistent
      findings across existing studies, our results need to be confirmed in additional
      studies.

PMID- 28628865
TI  - Urban emissions hotspots: Quantifying vehicle congestion and air pollution using
      mobile phone GPS data.
AB  - On-road emissions vary widely on time scales as short as minutes and length
      scales as short as tens of meters. Detailed data on emissions at these scales are
      a prerequisite to accurately quantifying ambient pollution concentrations and
      identifying hotspots of human exposure within urban areas. We construct a highly
      resolved inventory of hourly fluxes of CO, NO2, NOx, PM2.5 and CO2 from road
      vehicles on 280,000 road segments in eastern Massachusetts for the year 2012. Our
      inventory integrates a large database of hourly vehicle speeds derived from
      mobile phone and vehicle GPS data with multiple regional datasets of vehicle
      flows, fleet characteristics, and local meteorology. We quantify the 'excess'
      emissions from traffic congestion, finding modest congestion enhancement (3-6%)
      at regional scales, but hundreds of local hotspots with highly elevated annual
      emissions (up to 75% for individual roadways in key corridors). Congestion-driven
      reductions in vehicle fuel economy necessitated 'excess' consumption of 113
      million gallons of motor fuel, worth ~ $415M, but this accounted for only 3.5% of
      the total fuel consumed in Massachusetts, as over 80% of vehicle travel occurs in
      uncongested conditions. Across our study domain, emissions are highly spatially
      concentrated, with 70% of pollution originating from only 10% of the roads. The
      2011 EPA National Emissions Inventory (NEI) understates our aggregate emissions
      of NOx, PM2.5, and CO2 by 46%, 38%, and 18%, respectively. However, CO emissions
      agree within 5% for the two inventories, suggesting that the large biases in NOx
      and PM2.5 emissions arise from differences in estimates of diesel vehicle
      activity. By providing fine-scale information on local emission hotspots and
      regional emissions patterns, our inventory framework supports targeted traffic
      interventions, transparent benchmarking, and improvements in overall urban air
      quality.

PMID- 28628866
TI  - Anticancer drugs: Consumption trends in Spain, prediction of environmental
      concentrations and potential risks.
AB  - This study presents the occurrence and impact of 78 anticancer drugs in Spanish
      river basins based on consumption data in pharmacies during the period 2010-2015
      and calculation of the predicted environmental concentrations (PEC). The total
      consumption of anticancer drugs in Spanish pharmacies was of 23.4 tons in 2015,
      being mycophenolic acid and hydroxycarbamide the drugs with the highest
      prescription. Their PECs in river at national scale were up to 80 ng/L. However,
      the use of different dilution factors revealed major differences between
      hydrographic basins, and PECriver rose up to 68,014 ng/L in highly populated
      rivers with low flows. Concerning acute toxicity, there was no expected risk for
      the aquatic environment. However, chronic toxicity tests revealed possible long
      term mutagenic effects for aquatic organisms. This study provides the tools for
      the estimation of PEC at river basin scale using time trend consumption data
      compilation. This information is very useful for prioritization of compounds of
      concern and permit to focus resources in environmental monitoring and risk
      evaluation.

PMID- 28628867
TI  - The improvement of multi-contaminated sandy loam soil chemical and biological
      properties by the biochar, wood ash, and humic substances amendments.
AB  - Nowadays trace metal contamination of soils represents an important environmental
      hazard. Nevertheless, the use of some secondary waste products as amendments may
      restore the common soil functions. This paper focuses on the chemical and
      biological influence of wood biochar (BC), wood ash (WA) and humic substances
      (HS), alone and in the mixtures, on a heavily multi-contaminated sandy loam soil.
      The soil was amended by above-mentioned materials to follow a pH-increasing
      design (pHCa from 6.0 to 6.5, 7.0 and 7.5); soil samples were analyzed after 3,
      30, and 60 days using a set of variables, namely the plant-available trace
      element concentrations (Cu, Cd, and Zn), microbial biomass carbon (Cmic), and
      microbial quotient (qCO2), as well as toxicity to Sinapis alba and Daphnia magna.
      Wood ash and WA + HS were the most efficient treatments to decrease mobile Cd and
      Zn concentrations in the soil, while HS, BC, and BC + HS combinations were the
      most effective in reducing the Cu mobility. The effect of BC and WA on the Cmic
      and qCO2 was mostly negative, whereas adding HS markedly increased Cmic and
      reduced qCO2 in soil. After amendment applications, the root elongation of
      mustard was significantly increased in HS and combined treatments (BC + HS, WA +
      HS). Additionally, BC + HS, WA + HS and WA 8.4% significantly decreased the
      toxicity of leachates to D. magna to the low-, or non-toxic levels. Our results
      suggest that the combination of amendments with HS can be a suitable remediation
      strategy for heavily contaminated soils.

PMID- 28628868
TI  - An overview on exploration and environmental impact of unconventional gas sources
      and treatment options for produced water.
AB  - Rising global energy demands associated to unbalanced allocation of water
      resources highlight the importance of water management solutions for the gas
      industry. Advanced drilling, completion and stimulation techniques for gas
      extraction, allow more economical access to unconventional gas reserves. This
      stimulated a shale gas revolution, besides tight gas and coalbed methane, also
      causing escalating water handling challenges in order to avoid a major impact on
      the environment. Hydraulic fracturing allied to horizontal drilling is gaining
      higher relevance in the exploration of unconventional gas reserves, but a large
      amount of wastewater (known as "produced water") is generated. Its variable
      chemical composition and flow rates, together with more severe regulations and
      public concern, have promoted the development of solutions for the treatment and
      reuse of such produced water. This work intends to provide an overview on the
      exploration and subsequent environmental implications of unconventional gas
      sources, as well as the technologies for treatment of produced water, describing
      the main results and drawbacks, together with some cost estimates. In particular,
      the growing volumes of produced water from shale gas plays are creating an
      interesting market opportunity for water technology and service providers.
      Membrane-based technologies (membrane distillation, forward osmosis, membrane
      bioreactors and pervaporation) and advanced oxidation processes (ozonation,
      Fenton, photocatalysis) are claimed to be adequate treatment solutions.

PMID- 28628869
TI  - Integrated electrocoagulation-electrooxidation process for the treatment of
      soluble coffee effluent: Optimization of COD degradation and operation time
      analysis.
AB  - Soluble coffee production generates wastewater containing complex mixtures of
      organic macromolecules. In this work, a sequential Electrocoagulation
      Electrooxidation (EC-EO) process, using aluminum and graphite electrodes, was
      proposed as an alternative way for the treatment of soluble coffee effluent.
      Process operational parameters were optimized, achieving total decolorization, as
      well as 74% and 63.5% of COD and TOC removal, respectively. The integrated EC-EO
      process yielded a highly oxidized (AOS = 1.629) and biocompatible (BOD5/COD ~
      0.6) effluent. The Molecular Weight Distribution (MWD) analysis showed that
      during the EC-EO process, EC effectively decomposed contaminants with molecular
      weight in the range of 10-30 kDa. In contrast, EO was quite efficient in
      mineralization of contaminants with molecular weight higher than 30 kDa. A
      kinetic analysis allowed determination of the time required to meet Colombian
      permissible discharge limits. Finally, a comprehensive operational cost analysis
      was performed. The integrated EC-EO process was demonstrated as an efficient
      alternative for the treatment of industrial effluents resulting from soluble
      coffee production.

PMID- 28628870
TI  - Affective disorders and completed suicide by self-poisoning, trend of using
      antidepressants as a method of self-poisoning.
AB  - The aim of this research was to study the role and trend of antidepressant use as
      a method of suicide in completed self-poisoning suicides in patients with
      affective disorders during a 23-year follow up period. The data consisted of 483
      completed self-poisoning suicides from 1988 to 2011 in the province of Oulu in
      Northern Finland (286 men and 197 women). Of the self-poisoning victims, 26.9%
      (n=130) had hospital-treated unipolar depression and 3.1% (n=15) hospital-treated
      bipolar disorder. Further, 53.8% (n=70) of those with unipolar depression and
      53.3% (n=8) of those with bipolar depression died by suicide using
      antidepressants. During the 23-year follow-up period, the proportion of those
      using antidepressants doubled among all self-poisoning victims of suicide. A
      significant decline was observed in the use of tricyclic antidepressants in self-
      poisoning suicides while a linear increase was found in the use of SSRIs
      (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and other antidepressants. During
      recent years one in five self-poisoning suicides involved the use of
      antiepileptics. A limitation of our study was that the psychiatric diagnoses only
      include hospital inpatient episodes. In conclusion, the use of new
      antidepressants has increased rapidly, but the risk of their use in self
      poisoning suicide has perhaps been underestimated.

PMID- 28628872
TI  - Ag nanowire/ZnO nanobush hybrid structures for improved photocatalytic activity.
AB  - Reverse-engineered Ag nanowire/ZnO nanobush hybrid structures have been
      synthesized for the first time by a combination of polyol method and low
      temperature solution method. Through the elaborate control of Ag-to-ZnO weight
      ratio, vertically aligned ZnO nanobushes grew on the surface of well-faceted Ag
      nanowires. The Ag/ZnO hybrid nanostructures showed the crystal features of both
      Ag nanowires and wurtzite ZnO nanostructures. They exhibited strong UV
      absorption, whereas their photoluminescence spectra were much weaker than pure
      ZnO nanostructures due to the inhibited carrier recombination. The photocatalytic
      activity of Ag/ZnO hybrid nanostructures was greatly improved compared to pure
      ZnO nanostructures. Furthermore, they showed good cyclic performance and easy
      recovery from the test solution, demonstrating the possibility of their practical
      use.

PMID- 28628873
TI  - Complexation thermodynamics of alpha-cyclodextrin with ionic surfactants in
      water.
AB  - The interaction of alpha-cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) with ten ionic surfactants (S)
      in water was systematically examined using isothermal titration calorimetry. The
      S comprised cationic and anionic head groups while the hydrocarbon alkyl chain
      length varied from eight to fourteen carbon atoms. The heat data were measured at
      five temperatures ranging from 283.15K to 318.15K and were treated simultaneously
      allowing the estimation of a thermodynamically consistent temperature dependence
      of the equilibrium constant, as well as the enthalpy and heat capacity for the
      sequential formation of the [alpha-CD.S] and the [alpha-CD2.S] inclusion
      complexes. All attempts to fit the data assuming that only [alpha-CD.S] complexes
      are present failed. It was found that the thermodynamic footprint of the [alpha
      CD.S] complexes does not depend importantly on the head group, while the
      formation and stabilization of the [alpha-CD2.S] complexes is strongly influenced
      by the chemical nature of the polar head group. Several contributions to the
      thermodynamic parameters are discussed in detail. Among the studied surfactants,
      the decyl- and octylsulfates were identified as those with a predominant content
      of [alpha-CD2.S] complexes and hence they are promising candidates to form
      viscoelastic films at the liquid/air interface, as it was found previously for
      the dodecylsulfate surfactant.

PMID- 28628871
TI  - Patterns of high-intensity drinking among young adults in the United States: A
      repeated measures latent class analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Using a national sample of young adults, this study identified latent
      classes of alcohol use including high-intensity drinking (10+ drinks) from ages
      18 to 25/26, and explored associations between time-invariant covariates measured
      at age 18 and class membership. METHOD: Longitudinal data from the national
      Monitoring the Future study were available for 1078 individuals (51% female)
      first surveyed as 12th grade students in 2005-2008, and followed through modal
      age 25/26. Repeated measures latent class analysis was used to identify latent
      classes based on self-reported alcohol use: no past 30-day drinking, 1-9 drinks
      per occasion in the past 2weeks, and 10+ drinks per occasion. RESULTS: Four
      latent classes of alcohol use from ages 18 to 25/26 were identified: (1) Non
      Drinkers (21%); (2) Legal Non-High-Intensity Drinkers (23%); (3) Persistent Non
      High-Intensity Drinkers (40%); and (4) High-Intensity Drinkers (16%). Membership
      in the High-Intensity Drinkers class was characterized by higher than average
      probabilities of high-intensity drinking at all ages, with the probability of
      high-intensity drinking increasing between ages 18 and 21/22. Both gender and
      race/ethnicity significantly differentiated class membership, whereas neither
      parental education (a proxy for socioeconomic status) nor college plans at 12th
      grade showed significant associations. CONCLUSIONS: More than one in seven
      individuals who were seniors in high school experienced a long-term pattern of
      high-intensity drinking lasting into middle young adulthood. Young adult high
      intensity drinking is often preceded by high-intensity drinking in high school,
      suggesting the importance of screening and prevention for high-intensity drinking
      during adolescence.

PMID- 28628874
TI  - A building blocks strategy for preparing photocatalytically active anatase
      TiO2/rutile SnO2 heterostructures by hydrothermal annealing.
AB  - Effective heterostructures for photocatalysis need to present good electron-hole
      mobility among phases, a feature that is only attained with satisfactory
      interface quality. For very small sizes and with a stable colloidal state, the
      oriented attachment mechanism can be used to prepare suitable structures by means
      of a building blocks strategy, whereby preformed nanoparticles are used to
      control the desired amount of each phase in the heterostructure. Here, we show
      the success of this strategy for anatase TiO2/rutile SnO2 heterostructures,
      applying conventional hydrothermal annealing, where successive collisions among
      particles increase the probability of oriented attachment. The photodegradation
      of Rhodamine B in water under UV radiation was used as a probe reaction to
      evaluate formation of the heterostructure, as indicated by an increase in
      photoactivity. Increased heterostructure photoactivity was related to
      heterojunction formation and charge separation. The increased lifetimes of the
      photogenerated charges, due to heterojunction formation, enabled them to reach
      the oxides surface and promote photocatalytic reactions. The insights presented
      here may be used in a rationalized synthesis method to obtain heterostructures
      from preformed nanocrystals.

PMID- 28628875
TI  - Bioindicator value of flagellates in urban wastewater treatment using membrane
      bioreactors.
AB  - Two experimental submerged membrane bioreactors (MBR) at the industrial scale
      with different membranes (microfiltration and ultrafiltration) were used to
      analyse the influence of the small flagellates on the lack of significance of the
      sludge biotic index (SBI). Also, with these systems, flagellates were analysed as
      bioindicators in the activated sludge of MBRs. Both facilities were operated in
      parallel with a pre-denitrification system for a period of nearly two years and
      fed with real pretreated urban wastewater. During the experimental period, the
      sludge-retention time in the facilities was from 16.5 to 36.5 days, the organic
      loading ranged between 1.8 Kg COD/d m3 and 0.14 Kg COD/d m3, and the temperature
      of the activated sludge was between 32.8 and 12.8  degrees C. Under these
      conditions, the concentrations of total solids in the activated sludge reached
      21.6 and 0.3 g/L, and the ratio of food:microrganims (F:M) remained stable at
      around 0.1 Kg BOD5/Kg VSS day, while the trans-membrane pressure (TMP) followed
      an increasing trend. Both facilities presented a high capacity for organic matter
      elimination and complete nitrification. The small flagellates were present
      throughout the experimental period in the activated sludge and showed no
      significant bioindicator role in the MBR systems which limited the application of
      SBI. Of the large flagellates studied, only Peranema sp. could be considered to
      be a bioindicator of MBR systems, indicating the effectiveness of denitrification
      for systems with complete nitrification and correlating with the time course of
      the TMP.

PMID- 28628876
TI  - Column study of enhanced Cr(VI) removal and longevity by coupled abiotic and
      biotic processes using Fe0 and mixed anaerobic culture.
AB  - In this study, Fe0 and mixed anaerobic culture were integrated in one column to
      investigate the coupled abiotic and biotic effects on hexa-valent chromium
      (Cr(VI)) removal and column longevity with an abiotic Fe0 column in the control
      experiments. According to the breakthrough study, a slower Cr(VI) breakthrough
      rate of 0.19 cm/PV was observed in the biotic Fe0 column whereas the value in the
      abiotic Fe0 column was 0.30 cm/PV, resulting in 64% longer life-span and 62%
      higher Cr(VI) removal capacity in the biotic Fe0 column than the abiotic one. The
      solid phase characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy
      dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that this
      enhancement was attributed to the higher consumption of iron and greater
      production of diverse reactive minerals (e.g., green rust, magnetite and
      lepidocrocite) induced by the synergistic interaction of Fe0 and anaerobic
      culture, providing more reactive sites for Cr(VI) adsorption, reduction and co
      precipitation. Furthermore, the decreasing breakthrough rates and growing iron
      corrosion along the biotic Fe0 column demonstrated an inhomogeneous distribution
      of reactive zones in the column and its latter 3/5 section was considered to be
      the most reactive area for Cr(VI) removal. These results indicate that the
      inoculation of microorganisms in Fe0-based permeable reactive barriers will
      enable this technology a higher removal capacity and longer life-span for the
      remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater.

PMID- 28628877
TI  - Remediation of groundwater contaminated with arsenic through enhanced natural
      attenuation: Batch and column studies.
AB  - Batch and column laboratory experiments were conducted on natural sediment and
      groundwater samples from a contaminated site in Maine, USA with the aim of
      lowering the dissolved arsenate [As(V)] concentrations through chemical
      enhancement of natural attenuation capacity. In batch factorial experiments, two
      levels of treatment for three parameters (pH, Ca, and Fe) were studied at
      different levels of phosphate to evaluate their impact on As(V) solubility.
      Results illustrated that lowering pH, adding Ca, and adding Fe significantly
      increased the sorption capacity of sediments. Overall, Fe amendment had the
      highest individual impact on As(V) levels. To provide further evidence for the
      positive impact of Ca on As(V) adsorption, isotherm experiments were conducted at
      three different levels of Ca concentrations. A consistent increase in adsorption
      capacity (26-37%) of sediments was observed with the addition of Ca. The observed
      favorable effect of Ca on As(V) adsorption is likely caused by an increase in the
      surface positive charges due to surface accumulation of Ca2+ ions. Column
      experiments were conducted by flowing contaminated groundwater with elevated pH,
      As(V), and phosphate through both uncontaminated and contaminated sediments.
      Potential in-situ remediation scenarios were simulated by adding a chemical
      amendment feed to the columns injecting Fe(II) or Ca as well as simultaneous pH
      adjustment. Results showed a temporary and limited decrease in As(V)
      concentrations under the Ca treatment (39-41%) and higher levels of attenuation
      in Fe(II) treated columns (50-91%) but only after a certain number of pore
      volumes (18-20). This study illustrates the importance of considering geochemical
      parameters including pH, redox potential, presence of competing ions, and
      sediment chemical and physical characteristics when considering enhancing the
      natural attenuation capacity of sediments to mitigate As contamination in natural
      systems.

PMID- 28628878
TI  - Pretreatment of a primary and secondary sludge blend at different thermal
      hydrolysis temperatures: Impacts on anaerobic digestion, dewatering and filtrate
      characteristics.
AB  - A study was performed to evaluate the effect of thermal hydrolysis pretreatment
      (THP) temperature on subsequent digestion performance and operation, as well as
      downstream parameters such as dewatering and cake quality. A blend of primary and
      secondary solids from the Blue Plains treatment plant in Washington, DC was
      dewatered to about 16% total solids (TS), and thermally hydrolyzed at five
      different temperatures 130, 140, 150, 160, 170  degrees C. The thermally
      hydrolyzed solids were then fed to five separate, 10 L laboratory digesters using
      the same feed concentration, 10.5% TS and a solids retention time (SRT) of 15
      days. The digesters were operated over a six month period to achieve steady state
      conditions. The higher thermal hydrolysis temperatures generally improved the
      solids reduction and methane yields by about 5-6% over the temperature range. The
      increased temperature reduced viscosity of the solids and increased the cake
      solids after dewatering. The dissolved organic nitrogen and UV absorbance
      generally increased at the higher THP temperatures. Overall, operating at a
      higher temperature improved performance with a tradeoff of higher dissolved
      organic nitrogen and UV adsorbing materials in the return liquor.

PMID- 28628879
TI  - Development of a method for the characterization and operation of UV-LED for
      water treatment.
AB  - Tremendous improvements in semiconductor technology have made ultraviolet light
      emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) a viable alternative to conventional UV sources for
      water treatment. A robust and validated experimental protocol for studying the
      kinetics of microorganism inactivation is key to the further development of UV
      LEDs for water treatment. This study proposes a protocol to operate UV-LEDs and
      control their output as a polychromatic radiation source. In order to
      systematically develop this protocol, the results of spectral power distribution,
      radiation profile, and radiant power measurements of a variety of UV-LEDs are
      presented. A wide range of UV-LEDs was selected for this study, covering various
      UVA, UVB, and UVC wavelengths, viewing angles from 3.5 degrees  to 135 degrees ,
      and a variety of output powers. The effects of operational conditions and
      measurement techniques were investigated on these UV-LEDs using a specially
      designed and fabricated setup. Operating conditions, such as the UV-LED
      electrical current and solder temperature, were found to significantly affect the
      power and peak wavelength output. The measurement techniques and equipment,
      including the detector size, detector distance from the UV-LED, and potential
      reflection from the environment, were shown to influence the results for many of
      the UV-LEDs. The results obtained from these studies were analyzed and applied to
      the development of a protocol for UV-LED characterization. This protocol is
      presented as a guideline that allows the operation and control of UV-LEDs in any
      structure, as well as accurately measuring the UV-LED output. Such information is
      essential for performing a reliable UV-LED assessment for the inactivation of
      microorganisms and for obtaining precise kinetic data.

PMID- 28628880
TI  - Forward osmosis for oily wastewater reclamation: Multi-charged oxalic acid
      complexes as draw solutes.
AB  - Forward osmosis (FO) has demonstrated its merits in hybrid FO seawater
      desalination. However, FO may have a potential for other applications if suitable
      draw solutes are available. In this study, a series of novel draw solutes based
      on oxalic acid (OA)-transitional metal complexes are presented. Influential
      factors of FO performance have been systematically investigated by varying the
      transitional metals, cations of the complex draw solutes as well as the
      experimental conditions. Compared to NaCl and other recently synthesized draw
      solutes, the OA complexes show superior FO performance in terms of high water
      fluxes up to 27.5 and 89.1 LMH under the respective FO and PRO (pressure retarded
      osmosis) modes, both with negligible reverse solute fluxes. The features of
      octahedral geometry, abundant hydrophilic groups and ionic species are crucial
      for the OA complexes as appropriate draw solutes with satisfactory FO
      performance. Among the synthesized OA complexes, the ammonium salt of chromic
      complex (NH4-Cr-OA) outperforms others due to the presence of more ionic species
      in its complex system. NH4-Cr-OA also performs better than the typical NaCl draw
      solute in FO oily wastewater treatment with higher water recovery and negligible
      reverse fluxes. Dilute solutions of OA complexes have been reconcentrated through
      membrane distillation (MD) and reused to new round of FO processes. The OA
      complexes have demonstrated their suitability and superiority as a novel class of
      draw solutes for the FO process in this study.

PMID- 28628882
TI  - Effective biotransformation and detoxification of anthraquinone dye reactive blue
      4 by using aerobic bacterial granules.
AB  - Treatment of textile wastewater containing anthraquinone dye is quite a huge
      challenge due to its complex aromatic structure and toxicity. Present study deals
      with the degradation and detoxification of anthraquinone dye reactive blue 4
      using aerobic bacterial granules. Bacterial granules effectively decolorized
      reactive blue 4 at wide range of pH (4.0-11.0) and temperature (20-55  degrees C)
      as well as decolorized and tolerated high concentration of reactive blue 4 dye
      upto 1000 mg l-1 with Vmax 6.16 +/- 0.82 mg l-1 h-1 and Km 227 +/- 41 mg l-1.
      Metagenomics study evaluates important role of Clostridia, Actinobacteria, and
      Proteobacterial members in biotransformation and tolerance of high concentrations
      of reactive blue 4 dye. Up-regulation of xenobiotic degradation and environmental
      information processing pathways during dye exposure signifies their noteworthy
      role in dye degradation. Biotransformation of dye was confirmed by significant
      decrease in the values of total suspended solids, biological and chemical oxygen
      demand. The metabolites formed after biotransformation was characterized by FT-IR
      and GC-MS analysis. The reactive blue 4 dye was found to be phytotoxic, cytotoxic
      and genotoxic whereas its biotransformed product were non-toxic. This study
      comprehensively illustrates that, bacterial aerobic granules can be used for eco
      friendly remediation and detoxification of wastewater containing high organic
      load of anthraquinone dye.

PMID- 28628881
TI  - Photodegradation and ecotoxicology of acyclovir in water under UV254 and
      UV254/H2O2 processes.
AB  - The photochemical and ecotoxicological fate of acyclovir (ACY) through UV254
      direct photolysis and in the presence of hydroxyl radicals (UV254/H2O2 process)
      were investigated in a microcapillary film (MCF) array photoreactor, which
      provided ultrarapid and accurate photochemical reaction kinetics. The UVC
      phototransformation of ACY was found to be unaffected by pH in the range from 4.5
      to 8.0 and resembled an apparent autocatalytic reaction. The proposed mechanism
      included the formation of a photochemical intermediate (phiACY = (1.62 +/-
      0.07).10-3 mol ein-1) that further reacted with ACY to form by-products (k' =
      (5.64 +/- 0.03).10-3 M-1 s-1). The photolysis of ACY in the presence of hydrogen
      peroxide accelerated the removal of ACY as a result of formation of hydroxyl
      radicals. The kinetic constant for the reaction of OH radicals with ACY (kOH/ACY)
      determined with the kinetic modeling method was (1.23 +/- 0.07).109 M-1 s-1 and
      with the competition kinetics method was (2.30 +/- 0.11).109 M-1 s-1 with
      competition kinetics. The acute and chronic effects of the treated aqueous
      mixtures on different living organisms (Vibrio fischeri, Raphidocelis
      subcapitata, D. magna) revealed significantly lower toxicity for the samples
      treated with UV254/H2O2 in comparison to those collected during UV254 treatment.
      This result suggests that the addition of moderate quantity of hydrogen peroxide
      (30-150 mg L-1) might be a useful strategy to reduce the ecotoxicity of UV254
      based sanitary engineered systems for water reclamation.

PMID- 28628883
TI  - Pros and cons of rituximab maintenance in follicular lymphoma.
AB  - Follicular lymphoma (FL) is the most prevalent indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
      Most patients present with advanced disease and are incurable with current
      therapy. The approval of rituximab has revolutionized the treatment of follicular
      lymphoma when administered in the induction setting for high-tumor burden
      disease, but the use of rituximab as a maintenance therapy (MR) continues to be a
      point of controversy. In this article, we review the main data and arguments in
      favor and against MR in FL. In summary, most studies have demonstrated a
      significant benefit in progression-free or event-free survival in this
      notoriously recurrent disease; however, long-term outcomes could not consistently
      demonstrate to be improved with this intervention. In a meta-analysis of
      randomized trials overall survival (OS) showed a tendency to improvement when
      given to patients in relapse, but no single study reached a significant OS
      advantage. The risk of high-grade transformation does not seem to be reduced in
      prospective trials. On the other hand, MR clearly increases toxicity without an
      improvement in quality of life. Finally, MR is expensive, and it is not proven
      that the delayed relapse time can compensate for these costs. In conclusion,
      despite the proven increase in progression-free survival, MR can't be recommended
      as a standard for the treatment of FL.

PMID- 28628884
TI  - Proteomics profiling reveals inflammatory biomarkers of antidepressant treatment
      response: Findings from the CO-MED trial.
AB  - Animal and human studies suggest an association between depression and aberrant
      immune response. Further, common inflammatory markers may change during the
      course of antidepressant treatment in patients. The objective of this study was
      to evaluate changes in inflammatory markers and clinical outcomes from subjects
      enrolled in the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcome (CO-MED)
      trial. At baseline and week 12 (treatment completion), plasma samples of 102
      participants were analyzed via a multiplex assay comprised of inflammatory
      markers using a 27-plex standard assay panel plus a 4-plex human acute phase xMAP
      technology based platform. We carried out analyses in two steps. First, t-tests
      were used to identify inflammatory marker levels that changed between baseline
      and week 12. For markers that were altered, logistic regression models were then
      conducted to look for associated changes in remission at week 12. Among the 31
      inflammatory markers analyzed, several cytokines (IL-5, IFN-gamma, IL-13), two
      chemokines (Eotaxin-1/CCL11, RANTES) and an acute-phase reactant (serum amyloid P
      component) showed change from baseline to week 12. However, only two indicated
      differential remission responses. Interestingly, increased levels of Eotaxin
      1/CCL11 correlated with remission at week 12, whereas decreased levels of IFN
      gamma correlated with non-remission at week 12. Results suggest that these
      inflammatory proteins may serve as predictors of treatment response.

PMID- 28628885
TI  - Use of antidepressants and risk of hospitalization for acute myocardial
      infarction: A nationwide case-crossover study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the association between antidepressant use
      and the risk of hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: A
      case-crossover study was conducted using a nationwide population-based sample
      from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 18,631
      patients with incident AMI were included in this study. The effects of
      antidepressant use as well as that of various classes (including tricyclic or
      tetracyclic antidepressants; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; or
      serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), doses, and receptor-binding
      profiles of the antidepressants on AMI were assessed. Conditional logistic
      regression models with adjustment for potential confounding factors were applied
      to determine the effects of antidepressant use on the risk of AMI during case and
      control time periods of 15, 30, and 60 days, respectively. The modifiable effects
      of age, gender, and comorbidity were evaluated by stratified analysis. RESULTS:
      Antidepressant use was not associated with the risk of AMI (adjusted odds ratio
      [AOR] = 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-1.24). Likewise, neither the
      class, dose, nor the binding affinity of serotonin transporter or norepinephrine
      transporter was associated with AMI risks, and there was no modifying effect of
      age, gender, or comorbid medical condition on the association between
      antidepressant use and AMI. CONCLUSIONS: Use of antidepressant drugs was not
      associated with the risk of AMI.

PMID- 28628886
TI  - Estimation of the production of medical Ac-225 on thorium material via proton
      accelerator.
AB  - In the present study, we aimed at estimating the production of medical Ac-225
      radionuclide via proton accelerator in the energy range Eproton=1000 ->1MeV under
      certain conditions, on thorium target material instead of uranium due to the low
      abundant of uranium in nature. Hence, to produce the medical Ac-225, cross
      section, separation energy was calculated by taking into account the proton
      induced reaction processes that were simulated to estimate activity and, yield of
      the product up to 1000MeV. Moreover, the calculated integral yields of reactions
      were presented. For achieving the aim, we have put forward the X-PMSP program to
      derive mass stopping power from a new perspective.

PMID- 28628887
TI  - Determining concentrations of elements with different reaction channels in photon
      activation.
AB  - In photon activation, same element may be activated by the bremsstrahlung beam
      through different nuclear reaction channels and produce different radioisotopes.
      These radioisotopes follow their own decay schemes and generate characteristic
      gamma rays. This phenomenon usually is an interference in spectra analysis, but
      it also offers a theoretical feasibility to determine the concentration of one
      element through different reaction channels. To realize this theoretical
      feasibility, we conducted series of photon activation experiments with sample and
      reference of known concentrations. Irradiation of the samples and the references
      were conducted with electronic LINAC with different photon converters at a peak
      energy around 30MeV. Several elements and their corresponding reaction channels
      were chosen to validate this procedure. Calculations of PAA were based on the
      internal monitor method. Our results have confirmed the advantages of current PAA
      reaction channel selection, and show that it might be beneficial to calculate the
      concentration of same elements with different reaction channels in some certain
      occasions. N-values, which indicate the relative intensity of reaction channels,
      were calculated and compared with those values generated from the photon
      activation at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Germany
      (BAM). Results suggested that N values are impacted by several parameters of
      electron beam, and the design of electron-gamma converter may play a dominant
      role in determining N values.

PMID- 28628888
TI  - An algorithm for filtering detector instabilities in search of novel non
      exponential decay and in conventional half-life determinations.
AB  - Recent reports of Solar modulation of beta-decay have reignited interest in
      whether or not radioactive half-lives are constants. A numerical approach for
      filtering instrumental effects on residuals is developed, using correlations with
      atmospheric conditions recorded while counting 204Tl emissions with a Geiger
      Muller counter. Half-life oscillations and detection efficiency oscillations can
      be separated provided their periods are substantially different. A partial
      uncertainty budget for the 204Tl half-life shows significant decreases to medium
      frequency instabilities correlated with pressure and temperature, which suggests
      that further development may aid general improvements in half-life
      determinations.

PMID- 28628890
TI  - Interleukin-6 induced activation of a non-selective outward cation conductance in
      human cardiac fibroblasts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that cardiac fibroblasts of the human heart
      have several myocyte-like features, induced by inflammation. OBJECTIVES: This
      study analyzed the changes of the expressed currents in the basal condition and
      in the presence of interleukin-6 in cultured human cardiac fibroblasts. METHODS:
      Human cardiac fibroblasts were cultured as monolayers from earlier passages (2
      4). Whole-cell voltage clamp experiments were performed on single culture human
      cardiac fibroblasts. RESULTS: The cultured human cardiac fibroblasts had a
      membrane resistance of Rm of 412+/-91MOmega, and a resting membrane potential of 
      68.1+/-3.2mV. Among different cells, we have been analyzed these at which
      depolarizing clamp steps induced outward currents that reached peak within
      approx. 20ms and then slowly decayed. Gd3+ decreased the current amplitudes at
      depolarizing steps. Superfusion with interleukin-6 caused increasing of the
      outward membrane currents. The changes in the membrane currents continued up to
      6min of interleukin-6 perfusion, by reaching their maximum at 3min and slowly
      decreasing to the level of control recordings at 6min. In the presence of
      8MUmol/l Gd3+, interleukin-6 does not modify the membrane currents. CONCLUSION:
      The involvement of mechano sensitive channels in interleukin-6 induced electrical
      property of fibroblast was proposed. This report presents one particular model of
      action of interleukin-6, that can open new insights for a deeper understanding of
      the relationships between interleukin-6 and different ion channels into the
      fibroblast.

PMID- 28628889
TI  - The innate immune response to lower respiratory tract E. Coli infection and the
      role of the CCL2-CCR2 axis in neonatal mice.
AB  - : Neonates have greater morbidity/mortality from lower respiratory tract
      infections (LRTI) compared to older children. Lack of conditioning of the
      pulmonary immune system due to limited environmental exposures and/or infectious
      challenges likely contributes to the increase susceptibility in the neonate. In
      this study, we sought to gain insights into the nature and dynamics of the
      neonatal pulmonary immune response to LRTI using a murine model. METHODS:
      Wildtype (WT) and Ccr2-/- C57BL/6 neonatal and juvenile mice received E. coli or
      PBS by direct pharyngeal aspiration. Flow cytometry was used to measure immune
      cell dynamics and identify cytokine-producing cells. Real-time PCR and ELISA were
      used to measure cytokine/chemokine expression. RESULTS: Innate immune cell
      recruitment in response to E. coli-induced LRTI was delayed in the neonatal lung
      compared to juvenile lung. Lung clearance of bacteria was also significantly
      delayed in the neonate. Ccr2-/- neonates, which lack an intact CCL2-CCR2 axis,
      had higher mortality after E. coli challenged than Ccr2+/+ neonates. A greater
      percentage of CD8+ T cells and monocytes from WT neonates challenged with E. coli
      produced TNF compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The pulmonary immune response to
      E. coli-induced LRTI differed significantly between neonatal and juvenile mice.
      Neonates were more susceptible to increasing doses of E. coli and exhibited
      greater mortality than juveniles. In the absence of an intact CCL2-CCR2 axis,
      susceptibility to LRTI-induced mortality was further increased in neonatal mice.
      Taken together these findings underscore the importance of age-related
      differences in the innate immune response to LRTI during early stages of
      postnatal life.

PMID- 28628891
TI  - Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 6-sulfo-6-deoxy-D-glucosamine and its
      derivatives.
AB  - 6-Sulfo-6-deoxy-D-glucosamine (GlcN6S), 6-sulfo-6-deoxy-D-glucosaminitol (ADGS)
      and their N-acetyl and methyl ester derivatives have been synthesized and tested
      as inhibitors of enzymes catalyzing reactions of the UDP-GlcNAc pathway in
      bacteria and yeasts. GlcN6S and ADGS at micromolar concentrations inhibited
      glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) synthase of microbial origin. The former was
      also inhibitory towards fungal GlcN6P N-acetyl transferase, but at millimolar
      concentrations. Both compounds and their N-acetyl derivatives exhibited
      antimicrobial in vitro activity, with MICs in the 0.125-2.0 mg mL-1 range.
      Antibacterial but not antifungal activity of GlcN6S was potentiated by D
      glucosamine and a synergistic antibacterial effect was observed for combination
      of ADGP and a dipeptide Nva-FMDP.

PMID- 28628892
TI  - Structural characterization of wall and lipidated polysaccharides from
      Clostridium perfringens ATCC 13124.
AB  - Cell surface polysaccharides produced by C. perfringens ATCC 13124 were analyzed
      using NMR, chemical and immunological methods. Two distinct polymers were
      identified. The more abundant PS1 had a structure based on a polymer of beta
      mannosamine with a number of modifications, including varying levels of
      substitution at O-6 with PEtN, N-acetylation, and different linkages between
      monosaccharides. The shortest variant of PS1 represented a lipoteichoic acid. It
      contained only 1-4-linkages between ManNAc residues, minor branching alpha-Ribf,
      and glucosyl-glycerol at the reducing end, which was acylated with linear
      saturated fatty acids C16, C18, and C20 (dominant). Other non-lipidated variants
      of PS1 contained less PEtN, no alpha-Ribf, up to 50% 1-3-linkages, and up to 25%
      ManN with the free amino group. The minor polysaccharide PS2 had a linear regular
      structure with a -4-alpha-Rha-3-beta-Gal-4-beta-GalNAc3PCho- repeating unit,
      where PCho indicates phosphocholine.

PMID- 28628893
TI  - One-year mortality after hip fracture in older individuals: the effects of
      delirium and dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Delirium is common in older hip fracture patients, yet its
      association with mortality after hip fracture remains uncertain. This study aimed
      to determine whether delirium was associated with all-cause one-year mortality
      after hip fracture in older patients and whether the effect of delirium was
      independent of dementia status. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of linked
      hospitalisation and mortality data for patients aged >=65 years with a hip
      fracture during 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2014 in New South Wales, Australia. The
      association between delirium and mortality after a hip fracture was assessed
      using Cox proportional hazard regression. RESULTS: There were 4,065 (14.6%) of
      27,888 hip fracture hospitalisations identified with delirium during
      hospitalisation. Individuals with delirium had a higher age-adjusted rate of all
      cause one-year mortality after hip fracture compared to individuals without
      delirium (35.3% versus 23.9%). After adjusting for covariates, the risk of all
      cause mortality was increased at one-year post-admission for older individuals
      compared to those aged 65-69 years, for individuals with multiple comorbidities,
      dementia (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.14; 95%CI:1.08-1.20), delirium (HR: 1.19;
      95%CI:1.12-1.26), and who had an Intensive Care Unit admission (HR: 1.44;
      95%CI:1.31-1.59). Comorbid delirium did not add additional mortality risk for
      individuals with a hip fracture who have dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Delirium
      identified in hospital was associated with all-cause one-year mortality after hip
      fracture in older Australians without dementia. As delirium is potentially
      preventable, better systematic assessment and documentation of a hip fracture
      patient's cognitive state is warranted to select the most effective strategies to
      prevent and manage delirium.

PMID- 28628895
TI  - A composite polynomial approach for analyzing the indefinite self-association of
      macromolecules studied by sedimentation equilibrium.
AB  - A different approach is described for analyzing sedimentation equilibrium
      experiments of indefinitely self-associating systems. The procedure involves
      application of conservation of mass criteria, along with local evaluation of the
      weight average molar mass, to generate a polynomial based on a composite pseudo
      independent variable. The outlined method does not depend upon non-linear
      regression to generate a solution, but instead requires evaluation of the roots
      of a high-order polynomial.

PMID- 28628894
TI  - Small molecule probes for cellular death machines.
AB  - The past decade has witnessed a significant expansion of our understanding about
      the regulated cell death mechanisms beyond apoptosis. The application of chemical
      biological approaches had played a major role in driving these exciting
      discoveries. The discovery and use of small molecule probes in cell death
      research has not only revealed significant insights into the regulatory mechanism
      of cell death but also provided new drug targets and lead drug candidates for
      developing therapeutics of human diseases with huge unmet need. Here, we provide
      an overview of small molecule modulators for necroptosis and ferroptosis, two non
      apoptotic cell death mechanisms, and discuss the molecular pathways and relevant
      pathophysiological mechanisms revealed by the judicial applications of such small
      molecule probes. We suggest that the development and applications of small
      molecule probes for non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms provide an outstanding
      example showcasing the power of chemical biology in exploring novel biological
      mechanisms.

PMID- 28628896
TI  - Cholinergic neuron gene expression differences captured by translational
      profiling in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Cholinergic neurotransmission is impaired in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and loss
      of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons is a key component of disease
      pathogenicity and symptomatology. To explore the molecular basis of this
      cholinergic dysfunction, we paired translating ribosome affinity purification
      (TRAP) with RNA sequencing (TRAP-Seq) to identify the actively translating mRNAs
      in anterior forebrain cholinergic neurons in the TgCRND8 mouse model of AD.
      Bioinformatic analyses revealed the downregulation of 67 of 71 known cholinergic
      related transcripts, consistent with cholinergic neuron dysfunction in TgCRND8
      mice, as well as transcripts related to oxidative phosphorylation, neurotrophins,
      and ribosomal processing. Upregulated transcripts included those related to axon
      guidance, glutamatergic synapses and kinase activity and included AD-risk genes
      Sorl1 and Ptk2b. In contrast, the total transcriptome of the anterior forebrain
      showed upregulation in cytokine signaling, microglia, and immune system pathways,
      including Trem2, Tyrobp, and Inpp5d. Hence, TRAP-Seq clearly distinguished the
      differential gene expression alterations occurring in cholinergic neurons of
      TgCRND8 mice compared with wild-type littermates, providing novel candidate
      pathways to explore for therapeutic development in AD.

PMID- 28628897
TI  - Diverted medications and new psychoactive substances-A chemical network analysis
      of discarded injecting paraphernalia in Hungary.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Until about 2010, people who inject drugs (PWIDs) injected almost
      exclusively heroin and amphetamines in Hungary. After 2010, self-reported studies
      have indicated a dominance of new psychoactive substances on the drug market for
      injectable drugs. METHODS: Between March 2015 and February 2016, we collected
      used and discarded injecting paraphernalia. We utilized chemical analysis to
      assess and UCINet to visualize the connections between the most prevalent main
      substances and their respective co-occurring additional components at 7 locations
      in Hungary. RESULTS: The samples (n=2977) contained a mean of 4.5 components
      (SD=3.1, range: 1-18); 422 contained only one component. We found that the most
      common main components were the diverted substitution medication methadone (32%)
      and cathinones: pentedrone (18%), mephedrone (13%), alpha-PHP (8%), and alpha-PEP
      (5%). While these main substances also occurred among the top co-occurring
      additional components, caffeine and benzoic acid (a preservative) also frequently
      co-occurred. CONCLUSION: A large number of co-occurring additional components
      indicate either common reuse of injecting paraphernalia or the common addition of
      additives or both. While caffeine may indeed be an adulterant, the high
      prevalence of benzoic acid may be difficult to explain. The preference of
      methadone despite the availability of a wide array of drugs may indicate a
      preference for opioids during the current heroin drought and/or a true demand for
      opioid substitution therapy.

PMID- 28628898
TI  - "Talking about child sexual abuse would have helped me": Young people who
      sexually abused reflect on preventing harmful sexual behavior.
AB  - Harmful sexual behavior carried out by children and young people accounts for
      about half of all child sexual abuse perpetration. The aim of this study was to
      draw on the insights of young people who had been sexually abusive to enhance the
      current prevention agenda. The study involved semi-structured interviews with 14
      young people and six treatment-providing workers. Sampling was purposive and the
      young people had previously completed a treatment program for harmful sexual
      behaviour in Victoria, Australia. The young people were approached as experts
      based on their previous experience of engaging in harmful sexual behavior. At the
      same time, their past abusive behavior was not condoned or minimised.
      Constructivist Grounded Theory was used to analyse the qualitative data.
      Opportunities for preventing harmful sexual behavior were the focus of the
      interviews with young people and workers. The research identified three
      opportunities for prevention, which involved acting on behalf of children and
      young people to: reform their sexuality education; redress their victimization
      experiences; and help their management of pornography. These opportunities could
      inform the design of initiatives to enhance the prevention agenda.

PMID- 28628899
TI  - Correlates of child abuse potential among African American and latina mothers: A
      developmental-ecological perspective.
AB  - The child victimization rate in the US has rapidly grown over the past five
      years. Today, nine out of every 1000 children are victims of some type of child
      maltreatment, and lifetime costs of child victimization exceed $100 billion per
      year. Effective policies promoting fairness and child safety must target the most
      salient indicators of child maltreatment. In this study, we examined three groups
      of risk factors for child abuse potential with the goal of identifying the most
      prominent indicators in a sample of 170 African-American and Latina mothers.
      Specifically, we analyzed the effect of socio-demographic variables (e.g., SES),
      child-specific behaviors, maternal trauma and corresponding psychological
      sequelae on child abuse potential. Variables from all three groups were
      significantly associated with child abuse potential with maternal SES,
      alexithymia, depression, and child self-control as well as internalizing
      behaviors having the largest effects. All factors combined captured over 50% of
      the variation in child abuse potential. The results highlight the need for
      programs that not only address the financial needs of low SES mothers, but also
      the mental health outcomes correlated with low SES. Particular emphasis should
      also be placed on interventions that address children's social needs,
      specifically their socio-emotional functioning.

PMID- 28628900
TI  - Evaluation of the InnoTyper(r) 21 genotyping kit in multi-ethnic populations.
AB  - We report the findings of the evaluation of the InnoTyper(r) 21 genotyping kit
      for the use of human identification (HID) and paternity testing in South Africa.
      This novel forensic kit evaluates 20 retrotransposable elements (AC4027, MLS26,
      ALU79712, NBC216, NBC106, RG148, NBC13, AC2265, MLS09, AC1141, TARBP, AC2305,
      HS4.69, NBC51, ACA1766, NBC120, NBC10, NBC102, SB19.12 and NBC148) and the
      Amelogenin locus for sex determination. The evaluation of the genotyping
      performance showed no significant spectral pull-up for peak heights between 100
      and 30,000 RFUs. All loci presented biallelic patterns except the triallelic
      RG148 locus resulting from a variant insertion allele, named RG148I-1, observed
      exclusively in the Bantu. The InnoTyper(r) 21 kit was found to be highly
      discriminatory between the 507 unrelated individuals of the Afrikaaner, Asian
      Indian, Coloured, amaXhosa and amaZulu groups. The HID parameters: the CPD ranged
      between 0.99999987 and 0.9999999845, and the CMP between 1.0335*10-7 and
      1.5506*10-8. The paternity parameters: the CPI ranged between 0.0202 and 0.3177,
      and the CPE between 0.9161 and 0.9749. There were no significant signs of
      deviations from HWE or linkage disequilibrium (LD) after applying a Bonferroni
      correction. This kit also showed minor levels of population structure which could
      differentiate between the African and non-African population groups. Finally, in
      challenging casework with severely degraded biological material, the InnoTyper(r)
      21 genotyping kit was compatible with GlobalFiler(r) and Investigator DIPplex(r)
      to increase the HID parameters.

PMID- 28628901
TI  - Characterisation of artefacts and drop-in events using STR-validator and single
      cell analysis.
AB  - There is a need to understand the occurrence of drop-in and their peak height
      distributions to further improve existing models to interpret complex DNA
      results. The necessary data is usually very time-consuming to collect. Here we
      present a practical approach for simultaneous characterisation of reproducible
      artefacts and drop-in contamination from negative controls. As an alternative to
      the traditional approach we demonstrate the use of the DEPArray system as a
      source of single molecules for amplification to infer the peak height
      distribution of drop-in events. Though signal detection is often confounded by
      noise and artefact, single molecule contamination, or allele drop-in, is also
      regularly detected as demonstrated by the overlap in signal intensities between
      suspected drop-in events and signal obtained from single-cells.

PMID- 28628902
TI  - Recycling stabilised/solidified drill cuttings for forage production in acidic
      soils.
AB  - Stabilisation/solidification (S/S), which involves fixation and immobilisation of
      contaminants using cementitious materials, is one method of treating drill
      cuttings before final fate. This work considers reuse of stabilised/solidified
      drill cuttings for forage production in acidic soils. It sought to improve the
      sustainability of S/S technique through supplementation with the phytoremediation
      potential of plants, eliminate the need for landfill disposal and reduce soil
      acidity for better plant growth. Drill cuttings with an initial total petroleum
      hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration of 17,125 mg kg-1 and low concentrations of
      metals were treated with 5%, 10%, and 20% cement dosages. The treated drill
      cuttings were reused in granular form for growing a forage, elephant grass
      (Pennisetum purpureum), after mixing with uncontaminated soil. The grasses were
      also grown in uncontaminated soil. The phytoremediation and growth potential of
      the plants was assessed over a 12-week period. A mix ratio of one part drill
      cuttings to three parts uncontaminated soil was required for active plant growth.
      The phytoremediation ability of elephant grass (alongside abiotic losses) reduced
      the TPH level (up to 8795 mg kg-1) in the soil-treated-drill cuttings mixtures
      below regulatory (1000 mg kg-1) levels. There were also decreased concentrations
      of metals. The grass showed better heights and leaf lengths in soil containing
      drill cuttings treated with 5% cement dosage than in uncontaminated soil. The
      results suggest that recycling S/S treated drill cuttings for forage production
      may be a potential end use of the treated waste.

PMID- 28628903
TI  - Functional kaolin supported nanoscale zero-valent iron as a Fenton-like catalyst
      for the degradation of Direct Black G.
AB  - Kaolin supported nanoscale zero-valent iron (K-nZVI) is synthesized and applied
      as the Fenton-like oxidation catalyst to degrade a model azo dye, Direct Black G
      (DBG). The characterization of K-nZVI by the high resolution transmission
      electronmicroscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Diffraction Spectrum (EDS) and X-ray
      diffraction (XRD) show that kaolin as a support material not only reduces the
      aggregation of zero-valent iron (nZVI) but also facilitates the Fenton-like
      oxidation by increasing the local concentration of DBG in the vicinity of nZVI.
      Pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order kinetic models are employed to reveal
      the adsorption and degradation of the DBG using K-nZVI as the catalyst. A better
      fit with pseudo second-order model for the adsorption process and equal excellent
      fits with pseudo first-order and pseudo second-order models for the degradation
      process are observed; the adsorption process is found to be the rate limiting
      step for overall reactions. The adsorption, evaluated by isotherms and
      thermodynamic parameters is a spontaneous and endothermic process. High
      performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis was used to
      test degraded products in the degradation of DGB by K-nZVI. A removal mechanism
      based on the adsorption and degradation is proposed, including (i) prompt
      adsorption of DBG onto the K-nZVI surface, and (ii) oxidation of DBG by hydroxyl
      radicals at the K-nZVI surface. The application of K-nZVI to treat real
      wastewater containing azo dyes shows excellent degradation efficiency.

PMID- 28628904
TI  - Geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements in different types of soil: A
      chemometric approach.
AB  - Rare earth elements (REEs) are becoming significant due to their huge
      applications in many industries, large-scale mining and refining activities.
      Increasing usage of such metals pose negative environmental impacts. In this
      research ICP-MS has been used to analyze soil samples collected from former ex
      mining areas in the depths of 0-20 cm, 21-40 cm, and 41-60 cm of residential,
      mining, natural, and industrial areas of Perak. Principal component analysis
      (PCA) revealed that soil samples taken from different mining, industrial,
      residential, and natural areas are separated into four clusters. It was observed
      that REEs were abundant in most of the samples from mining areas. Concentration
      of the rare elements decrease in general as we move from surface soil to deeper
      soils.

PMID- 28628905
TI  - A ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway and Nrf2 pathway activation are involved in
      BDE-47 induced apoptosis in Neuro-2a cells.
AB  - Our previous study showed that 2,2'-,4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) is
      cytotoxic and induces apoptosis in Neuro-2a cells. In the present study, we aimed
      to investigate whether nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), an
      antioxidant transcriptional regulator of oxidative stress and apoptosis, is
      involved in this process. The results of toxicological experiments showed that
      BDE-47 decreased the cellular mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and
      increased cytochrome c release to the cytoplasm, followed by an increase in
      intracellular caspase-9 and caspase-3 activity, suggesting that a mitochondrial
      pathway was involved in the apoptotic process. Intracellular reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents as well as the oxidized/reduced
      glutathione (GSSG/GSH) ratio were elevated simultaneously in a concentration
      dependent manner, indicating that BDE-47 induced oxidative stress. The ROS
      scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) not only alleviated the oxidative stress but
      also blocked apoptosis and the decrease in MMP induced by BDE-47, indicating that
      the overproduction of ROS participates in a mitochondria-mediated apoptotic
      pathway. Moreover, BDE-47 stimulated the transcriptional induction of the Nrf-2
      gene and induced mRNA expression of the main antioxidant response genes in the
      Nrf-2 pathway, including heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H/quinone oxidoreductase
      1 (NQO1), glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier (GCLM) and glutathione peroxidase
      (GPX). Additionally, NAC and the p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK)
      signaling pathway inhibitor SB 203580 greatly reduced Nrf2 and HO-1 induction. We
      hypothesized that the ROS mediated mitochondrial pathway is involved in the BDE
      47-induced apoptosis in Neuro-2a cells and that the Nrf2 pathway helps protect
      Neuro-2a cells from BDE-47-induced apoptosis.

PMID- 28628906
TI  - Quadrupolar nutation NMR to discriminate central and satellite transitions:
      Spectral assignments for a Ziegler-Natta catalyst.
AB  - In this contribution we used solid state 35Cl (I=3/2) quadrupolar NMR to study a
      MgCl2/2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dimethoxypropane (DMDOMe) adduct that serves as a model
      system for Ziegler-Natta catalysis. Employing large Radio-Frequency (RF) field
      strengths we observe three spectral features with strongly varying line widths.
      The assignment of the spectra is complicated because of the large difference in
      quadrupolar interactions experienced by the different sites in the system. The
      satellite transitions (ST) of relatively well-defined bulk Cl sites are partially
      excited and may overlap with the central transition (CT) resonances of more
      distorted surface sites. We show that nutation NMR of the ST of I=3/2 spins
      yields a unique pattern that makes a clear distinction between an extensively
      broadened central transition and the satellite transitions of a component with a
      smaller quadrupolar interaction. This allows us to unambiguously unravel the
      spectra of the MgCl2 adduct showing that we observe CT and ST of the bulk phase
      of MgCl2-nanoparticles with a CQ of 4.6MHz together with the CT of surface sites
      displaying an average CQ of ~10MHz.

PMID- 28628907
TI  - Whispering Gallery mode ESR spectroscopy and parameters measurement in single
      crystal SrLaAlO4 at millikelvin temperature.
AB  - A cylindrical single crystal SrLaAlO4 Whispering Gallery mode dielectric
      resonator was cooled to millikelvin temperature using a dilution refrigerator. By
      controlling a DC-magnetic field, impurity ions' spins were coupled to a variety
      of modes allowing the measurement of hybrid spin-photon systems. This Electron
      Spin Resonance mapping technique allowed us to detect Cu2+,Fe3+ and Mn4+ impurity
      ions (at the level of parts per million (ppm) to parts per billion (ppb)),
      verified by the measurement of the spin parameters along with their site
      symmetry. Whispering Gallery modes exhibited Q-factors ?105 at a temperature less
      than 20mK, allowing sensitive spectroscopy with high precision. Measured
      hyperfine line constants of the Cu2+ ion shows different parallel g-factors,
      g||Cu, of 2.526,2.375,2.246 and 2.142. The spin-orbit coupling constant of the
      Cu2+ ion was determined to be lambda?-635cm-1. The low-spin state Fe3+ ion's
      measured parallel g-factor, g||Fe, of 2.028 reveals tetragonal anisotropy. The
      Mn4+ ion is identified in the lattice, producing hyperfine structure with high
      valued g-factors,g||Mn, of 7.789,7.745,7.688,7.613,7.5304 and 7.446. The
      hyperfine structures of the Cu2+ and Mn4+ ions show broadening of about 79G
      between 9.072GHz and 10.631GHz, and 24.5G broadening between 9.072GHz and
      14.871GHz, respectively.

PMID- 28628908
TI  - Design of a shielded coil element of a matrix gradient coil.
AB  - The increasing interest in spatial encoding with non-linear magnetic fields has
      intensified the need for coils that generates such fields. Matrix coils
      consisting of multiple coil elements appear to offer a high flexibility in
      generating customized encoding fields and are particularly promising for
      localized high resolution imaging applications. However, coil elements of
      existing matrix coils were primarily designed and constructed for better shimming
      and therefore are not expected to achieve an optimal performance for local
      spatial encoding. Moreover, eddy current properties of such coil elements were
      not fully explored. In this work, an optimization problem is formulated based on
      the requirement of local non-linear encoding and eddy current reduction that
      results in novel designs of coil elements for an actively-shielded matrix
      gradient coil. Two metrics are proposed to assess the performance of different
      coil element designs. The results are analyzed to reveal new insights into coil
      element design.

PMID- 28628909
TI  - Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease impairs the cytochrome P-450-dependent
      metabolism of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E).
AB  - This study aims to investigate in in vivo and in vitro models of nonalcoholic
      fatty liver disease (NAFLD) the enzymatic metabolism of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin
      E) and its relationship to vitamin E-responsive genes with key role in the lipid
      metabolism and detoxification of the liver. The experimental models included mice
      fed a high-fat diet combined or not with fructose (HFD+F) and HepG2 human
      hepatocarcinoma cells treated with the lipogenic agents palmitate, oleate or
      fructose. CYP4F2 protein, a cytochrome P-450 isoform with proposed alpha
      tocopherol omega-hydroxylase activity, decreased in HFD and even more in HFD+F
      mice liver; this finding was associated with increased hepatic levels of alpha
      tocopherol and decreased formation of the corresponding long-chain metabolites
      alpha-13-hydroxy and alpha-13-carboxy chromanols. A decreased expression was also
      observed for PPAR-gamma and SREBP-1 proteins, two vitamin E-responsive genes with
      key role in lipid metabolism and CYP4F2 gene regulation. A transient activation
      of CYP4F2 gene followed by a repression response was observed in HepG2 cells
      during the exposure to increasing levels of the lipogenic and cytotoxic agent
      palmitic acid; such gene repression effect was further exacerbated by the co
      treatment with oleic acid and alpha-tocopherol and was also observed for PPAR
      gamma and the SREBP isoforms 1 and 2. Such gene response was associated with
      increased uptake and omega-hydroxylation of alpha-tocopherol, which suggests a
      minor role of CYP4F2 in the enzymatic metabolism of vitamin E in HepG2 cells. In
      conclusion, the liver metabolism and gene response of alpha-tocopherol are
      impaired in experimental NAFLD.

PMID- 28628910
TI  - The Efficacy of Trimodal Chemoradiotherapy with Cisplatin as a Bladder-Preserving
      Strategy for the Treatment of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Open radical cystectomy (ORC) is currently the standard treatment
      for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) without metastasis, while many patients
      with MIBC are not always appropriate candidates due to multiple comorbidities. To
      evaluate the bladder-preservation strategy, we compared the results with those
      obtained by ORC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 50
      patients with MIBC treated by trimodal chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP
      radiation [CDDP-R]). Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) was
      performed before treatment to confirm pathological stage >=T2. Extensive TURBT
      was performed after chemoradiotherapy to evaluate the pathological response to
      treatment. We compared the survival outcomes of our CDDP-R with those of ORC
      (retrospective cohort, n = 205) by propensity score matching analysis. RESULTS:
      The 2- and 5-year progression-free survival, bladder-intact survival, cancer
      specific survival, and overall survival (OS) rates after treatment were 70.8 and
      63.9%, 64.0 and 49.8%, 86.7 and 71.8%, and 84.3 and 64.8%, respectively. The 2-
      and 5-year OS rates after CDDP-R were 90.5 and 74.3%, respectively, and those
      after ORC were 71.8 and 59.9%, respectively, indicating a significant survival
      advantage conferred by CDDP-R over ORC (p < 0.05, HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.21-0.94).
      CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, CDDP-R for MIBC may provide comparative
      oncological outcomes as ORC.

PMID- 28628911
TI  - A CARASIL Patient from Americas with Novel Mutation and Atypical Features: Case
      Presentation and Literature Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Reporting a novel mutation in the HTRA1 gene in a CARASIL patient from
      Americas. METHODS: Clinical presentation and neuroimaging were consistent with
      CARASIL. HTRA1 DNA sequencing was performed using advanced ("next generation")
      sequencing technology. The results revealed a homozygous missense mutation as
      c.616G>A (p.Gly206Arg) in the HTRA1 gene. RESULTS: A 24-year-old man with a
      history of chronic back pain presented with recurrent ischemic strokes. A
      diagnosis of CARASIL was made with the finding of a novel homozygous missense
      mutation c.616G>A in HTRA1 gene, resulting in change from Glycine to Arginine in
      the Serine Protease HTRA1. Brain imaging showed multiple lacunar infarcts with
      extensive abnormalities of the white matter that spared the external capsules. He
      also had unilateral decreased hearing with craniofacial asymmetry. None of the
      above features have been previously described in known CARASIL patients. Both
      parents of the proband were heterozygous for the same missense mutation.
      CONCLUSION: We discovered a novel missense mutation (c.616G>A) associated with a
      phenotype of CARASIL. This is the first genetically backed case of CARASIL in the
      new world. The patient's craniofacial abnormalities, including asymmetry of the
      head, may be related to impaired modulation of transforming growth factor-beta1,
      the result of loss of proteolytic activity of HTRA1. External capsules remained
      unaffected, despite findings of advanced changes in the rest of the cerebral
      white matter. Literature is briefly reviewed. The patient's history, neurological
      exam, neuroimaging, and genetic testing are included.

PMID- 28628912
TI  - Liver Kinase B1/AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway Activation Attenuated the
      Progression of Endotoxemia in the Diabetic Mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Sepsis is a common disease that continues to increase in
      prevalence worldwide, and diabetes mellitus may make the situation worse. This
      study was designed to determine the role of Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1)/adenosine
      monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway in diabetic mice
      complicated with systemic endotoxemia. METHODS: The effects of LKB1/AMPK
      signaling pathway activation on endotoxemia were investigated in streptozotocin
      induced diabetic mice (STZ-mice) and db/db diabetic mice. Primary peritoneal
      macrophages and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) monolayers were
      simultaneously stimulated by both high glucose and LPS and used as a model to
      investigate the potential molecular mechanisms in vitro. RESULTS: After treatment
      with LPS, high glucose or both LPS and high glucose, phosphor-AMPK expression was
      decreased, and moreover, AMPK activation by metformin treatment alleviated the
      decrease in phosphor-AMPK expression in HUVECs and macrophages as well as in lung
      tissue. Furthermore, both LPS and high glucose co-treatment decreased LKB1 and
      phosphor-AMPK expression via enhanced oxidative stress response, and importantly,
      LKB1 overexpression mediated by adenovirus inhibited the decrease in phosphor
      AMPK expression in macrophages and HUVECs. AMPK activation by metformin
      administration improved the survival of STZ-induced diabetic mice and db/db
      diabetic mice, which was associated with reduced lung endothelial
      hyperpermeability and systemic inflammatory response. Furthermore, the
      permeability of HUVECs monolayers induced by both high glucose and LPS
      stimulation was also alleviated by AMPK activation, which was partly via
      suppression of VE-cadherin phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrated
      that LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway activation improved the survival of diabetic
      mice complicated with endotoxemia. Thus, LKB1/AMPK signaling pathway may serve as
      a potentially useful therapeutic target for severe infection in diabetic
      patients.

PMID- 28628913
TI  - Age-Dependent Effects of ALK5 Inhibition and Mechanism of Neuroprotection in
      Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury.
AB  - Neonatal encephalopathy due to hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury triggers a wave
      of neuroinflammatory events attributed to causing the progressive degeneration
      and functional deficits seen weeks after the initial insult. In a recent set of
      studies, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of a small molecule antagonist for
      ALK5 (activin-like kinase 5 ), TGF-beta receptor in a rat model of moderate
      perinatal HI and found significant improvements in neurologic outcomes. Here, we
      have extended those studies to evaluate the efficacy of delayed TGF-beta receptor
      antagonism on postnatal day (P) 6 and P9 HI rat pups with and without
      hypothermia. The ALK5 receptor antagonist SB505124 was administered systemically
      by osmotic pump beginning 3 days following HI. Extending our earlier data set
      that showed protection of the hippocampus in P6 pups treated with SB505124, these
      animals sustained less damage to their hippocampi and had improved performance on
      the Morris water maze (MWM) when tested on P60 versus vehicle-treated HI animals.
      By contrast, SB505124 did not improve sensorimotor deficits and exacerbated
      hippocampal and thalamic volume loss when administered 3 days after HI to P9
      pups. SB505124-treated rats injured on P9 tended to perform worse than their
      vehicle-treated counterparts on MWM, and SB505124 treatment did not preserve
      hippocampal or thalamic neurons in P9 pups when combined with hypothermia. To
      elucidate the mechanism whereby ALK5 inhibition reduced neuronal death in the P6
      HI model, we assessed levels of autophagy markers in neurons of the neocortex,
      hippocampus, and thalamus, and in the subcortical white matter, and found that
      SB505124 increased numbers of autophagosomes and levels of lipidated LC3 (light
      chain 3), a key protein known to mediate autophagy. Altogether, our results
      demonstrate that there is a dynamic switch in the CNS response to TGF-beta1 that
      occurs around P9 in rats where TGF-beta signaling inhibition worsens functional
      outcomes. This response is similar to the outcome of antagonizing TGF-beta
      signaling in adult stroke and other CNS disease models. We conclude that
      attenuating TGF-beta1 signaling will likely be an effective treatment for HI
      related encephalopathy in moderately preterm infants, offering protection of the
      neocortex, hippocampus, and thalamus with enhanced cerebral autophagy
      contributing to the decrease in the extent of progressive neuronal cell death.

PMID- 28628914
TI  - Efficacy and Safety of Tadalafil Once-a-Day versus Tadalafil On-Demand in
      Patients with Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To compare the efficacy and safety between tadalafil once-a-day and
      tadalafil on-demand dosing regimen in patients with ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      systematic search of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library was performed to
      identify all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared tadalafil used a
      once-a-day with an on-demand dosing regimen for erectile dysfunction. A secondary
      hand-search was performed in relevant journals, references, and the grey
      literature. Meta-analyses were performed using Review Manager version 5.3.0.
      RESULTS: Six RCTs involving a total of 1,534 patients were included in this
      review. All studies reported the International Index of Erectile Function
      Erectile Function domain score and the results of the meta-analysis showed no
      difference between the groups. The overall pooled estimated weighted mean
      differences (WMD) was 0.97 (95% CI -0.37 to 2.32; p = 0.16). Meta-analyses of
      Sexual Encounter Profile questions 2 and 3 (SEP-2 and SEP-3) showed that the once
      a-day dosing regimen was superior to the on-demand regimen with statistical
      significance. The WMD of SEP-2 and SEP-3 were 10.32 (95% CI 3.16-17.48; p =
      0.005) and 11.07 (95% CI 2.57-19.56; p = 0.01), respectively. Both dosing
      regimens of tadalafil showed similar complication rates. The meta-analyses of
      adverse events showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy rates
      of tadalafil once-a-day and on-demand were similar. No significant difference in
      safety was found between the 2 dose regimens of tadalafil.

PMID- 28628915
TI  - MiR-495 Promotes Senescence of Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Targeting Bmi-1.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play an important role in
      regulating angiogenesis and immune balance. Abnormal proliferation and function
      of MSCs were reported at maternal fetal interface in patients with pre-eclampsia
      (PE). Micro-RNA-495 was known to be upregulated in the MSCs derived from patients
      with PE. However, it is not clear whether the up-regulated miR-495 is related to
      the pathogenesis of PE. METHODS: We analyzed the expression of miR-495 in MSCs
      and umbilical cords derived from healthy pregnancies (NC) and PE, then we
      upregulated or downregulated the expression of miR-495 in MSCs derived from NC
      and tested the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, tube formation and
      senescence. RESULTS: In the current study, we found that the expression of miR
      495 was significantly increased in both umbilical cord tissues and MSCs in
      patients with severe PE. Overexpressing miR-495 arrested cell cycle in S phase
      and promoted cell apoptosis. The supernatants from miR-495-overexpressed-MSCs
      inhibited the migration of MSCs and HTR-8/SVneo, invasion of HTR-8/SVneo and tube
      formation of HUVEC, while si-miR-495 had the opposite effects. Furthermore, we
      analyzed the senescence related beta-galactosidase activity and CD146 and found
      that miR-495 induced the senescence of MSCs. Molecular mechanism studies
      confirmed that Bmi-1 mediated these effects of miR-495 on MSCs. CONCLUSION: Taken
      together, our data demonstrated that miR-495 induced senescence of MSCs may be
      involved in the pathogenesis of PE.

PMID- 28628916
TI  - Comprehensive Biomarker Analyses in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Non
      Small Cell Lung Cancer Prospectively Treated with the Polo-Like Kinase 1
      Inhibitor BI2536.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polo like kinase 1 (PLK1) is frequently upregulated in tumors and is
      thus viewed as a promising therapeutic target in various cancers. Several PLK1
      inhibitors have recently been developed and clinically tested in solid cancers,
      albeit with limited success. So far, no predictive biomarkers for PLK1 inhibitors
      have been established. To this end, we conducted a post-hoc biomarker analysis of
      tumor samples from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with the
      PLK1 inhibitor BI2536 in a phase II study. METHODS: We analyzed formalin-fixed
      paraffin-embedded surplus tumor tissue from 47 study patients using
      immunohistochemistry (IHC) and DNA sequencing of KRAS, EGFR, BRAF, and PIK3CA.
      RESULTS: KRAS-mutated patients showed numerically prolonged progression-free
      survival, but statistical significance was not established. Interestingly, when
      pathways rather than single genes were analyzed, a positive correlation between
      IHC staining of activated ERK (p-ERK) and mutated KRAS was detected, whereas KRAS
      mutation status was found to be negatively correlated with activated AKT (p-AKT).
      CONCLUSION: With this hypothesis-generating study in BI2531-treated patients, we
      could not establish a correlation between KRAS mutations and relevant clinical
      endpoints. Future clinical trials with concomitant systematic biosampling and
      comprehensive molecular analyses are required to identify biomarkers predictive
      for response to PLK1 inhibitors.

PMID- 28628917
TI  - Anatomical Characteristics of Facial Nerve and Cochlea Interaction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the relationship between the labyrinthine portion
      (LP) of the facial canal and the cochlea in human inner ear molds and temporal
      bones using micro-CT and 3D rendering. A reduced cochlea-facial distance may
      spread electric currents from the cochlear implant to the LP and cause facial
      nerve stimulation. Influencing factors may be the topographic anatomy and otic
      capsule properties. METHODS: An archival collection of human temporal bones
      underwent micro-CT and 3D reconstruction. In addition, cochlea-facial distance
      was assessed in silicone and polyester resin molds, and the association between
      the LP and upper basal turn of the cochlea was analyzed. RESULTS: Local thinning
      of the otic capsule and local anatomy may explain the development of cochlea
      facial dehiscence, which was found in 1.4%. A reduced cochlea-facial distance was
      noted in 1 bone with a superior semicircular canal dehiscence but not in bones
      with superior semicircular canal "blue line." The otic capsule often impinged
      upon the LP and caused narrowing. CONCLUSION: Micro-CT with 3D rendering offers
      new possibilities to study the topographic anatomy of the human temporal bone.
      The varied shape of the cross-section of the LP could often be explained by an
      "intruding" cochlea.

PMID- 28628918
TI  - Bifidobacterium-Rich Fecal Donor May Be a Positive Predictor for Successful Fecal
      Microbiota Transplantation in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dysbiosis is associated with various systemic disorders
      including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
      might restore intestinal microbial balance. The study aimed to determine the
      safety and efficacy of FMT in IBS patients, as well as also positive predictors
      for FMT. METHODS: This was a single-arm, open-label study. Eligible patients were
      diagnosed based on Rome III Diagnostic Criteria. Fecal materials were
      administered to the patient via colonoscopy. The primary end point was a change
      in the Bristol stool form scale at 4 weeks after FMT. Recovery to types 3-4 was
      considered a clinical response. The secondary end point was a change in
      intestinal microbiota and psychological status using the Hamilton Rating Scale.
      RESULTS: Ten patients were enrolled. Six patients achieved a clinical response.
      The diversity of patients 4 weeks after FMT increased significantly compared with
      patients before FMT, and that of responding patients was significantly higher
      than non-responder patients. The abundance of Bifidobacterium in effective donors
      was significantly higher than in ineffective donors and patients. Psychological
      status of all patients was significantly improved after FMT. CONCLUSIONS: FMT for
      patients with IBS is safe, and relatively effective. Bifidobacterium-rich fecal
      donor may be a positive predictor for successful FMT. Key Summary: (1) Dysbiosis
      is associated with various gastrointestinal disorders including IBS. (2) FMT has
      potential to restore intestinal microbial balance. (3) We showed that FMT
      improved stool form and psychological status of IBS patients. (4) Bifidobacterium
      rich donor efficiently induced symbiosis in IBS patients.

PMID- 28628919
TI  - Effect of Influenza Vaccination on Risk of Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta
      Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the presence of a strong association between influenza
      infection and stroke, whether influenza vaccination reduces the risk of stroke is
      yet a matter of controversy. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether
      influenza vaccination protects against stroke. METHODS: We searched PubMed,
      EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from database inception date to November 18,
      2016, without language restrictions, to identify studies investigating the effect
      of influenza vaccination on subsequent risk of stroke. We conducted a meta
      analysis to quantify the risk of stroke in overall and subgroup analyses and
      calculated a pooled OR for developing stroke with a 95% CI. Publication bias was
      assessed by Begg's rank correlation test. RESULTS: Eleven studies fulfilled our
      inclusion criteria. In a random-effects model, vaccinated individuals had a
      decreased risk of stroke compared with unvaccinated individuals (OR 0.82; 95% CI
      0.75-0.91; p < 0.001). The relationship between influenza vaccination and stroke
      risk remained robust in subgroup analyses. The significant effect of influenza
      vaccination was associated with ascertainment of vaccination status and stage of
      prevention. CONCLUSION: Vaccination against influenza is associated with a lower
      risk of stroke. Well-designed prospective studies are needed to provide stronger
      evidence of the protective effect of influenza vaccination against stroke.

PMID- 28628920
TI  - Predictive Effects of Circulating miR-221, miR-130a and miR-155 for Coronary
      Heart Disease: A Multi-Ethnic Study in China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Differences in microRNA (miRNA) profiles between patients with and
      without coronary heart disease (CHD)have not been fully determined. The purpose
      of the study was to evaluate in a multi-ethnic population in China the predictive
      value of miRNAs previously suggested to have a role in CHD. SUBJECT AND METHOD:
      932 participants were included, and plasma samples obtained. A quantitative
      reverse-transcription PCR(RT-qPCR) assay was conducted to confirm the
      concentration of plasma miRNAs. Circulating levels of miRNAs were quantified
      using the 2-Deltact method. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was
      evaluated via Gensini Scores. RESULT: The circulating levels of the nine proposed
      miRNAs were not different among the five main ethnicities examined (all p >
      0.05). The Spearman correlation analyses indicated that miR-221 and miR-130a were
      negatively associated with the severity of CHD as indicated by Gensini Scores (r
      = -0.106, p = 0.001;r = -0.073, p = 0.026). Results of the univariate analysis
      showed that lower circulating miR-221 (OR, 1.663; 95 % CI, 1.255-2.202, p =
      <0.001), miR-155 (OR, 1.520; 95 % CI, 1.132-2.042, p = 0.005), and miR-130a (OR,
      1.943; 95% CI, 1.410-2.678, p = <0.001) were potential risk factors for CHD.
      Moreover, miR-130a (OR, 2.405; 95 % CI, 1.691-3.421, p = <0.001) remained
      independently associated with the risk of CHD after adjusting for potential
      confounding factors. The analysis of the possible positive/negative associations
      between miR-221, miR-155 and miR-130awere conducted. A positive association
      between miR-130a and miR-155 was found (SI = 1.60, SIM = 1.21 and AP = 0.22), and
      in these groups, the proportion of CHD attributable to the interaction between
      miR-130a and miR-155 was as high as 22 %. A negative interaction was found
      between miR-221 and miR-130a (SI = 0.68, SIM = 0.60 and AP = 0.27). CONCLUSION:
      Plasma levels of miR-221, miR-130a and miR-155 decreased in patients with CHD,
      and miR-130a may be an independent predictor for CHD.

PMID- 28628921
TI  - Activation of COX-2/mPGES-1/PGE2 Cascade via NLRP3 Inflammasome Contributes to
      Albumin-Induced Proximal Tubule Cell Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: The activation of NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain
      containing3 (NLRP3) inflammasome has been shown to be positively correlated with
      the severity of proteinuria in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.
      Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), an important inflammatory mediator, is also involved in
      various kidney injuries. The aim of the present study was to investigate the
      involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome and PGE2 synthetic pathway in albumin-induced
      renal tubular injury. METHODS: Murine proximal tubular cells (mPTCs) were treated
      with albumin to induce cell injury. NLRP3 siRNA and specific COX-2 inhibitor
      NS398 were used to define their roles in mediating albumin-induced mPTC injury or
      the activation of COX-2/mPGES-1/PGE2 cascade. RESULTS: In mPCTs, inhibition of
      NLRP3 by a small interfering RNA (siRNA) blocked albumin-induced kidney injury
      molecule 1 (KIM-1) upregulation, inflammatory response, and cell apoptosis.
      Albumin markedly activated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/ microsomal prostaglandin E
      synthase-1 (mPGES-1)/PGE2 pathway in this cell line, an effect largely abolished
      by NLRP3 silencing at both mRNA and protein levels. More interestingly, blockade
      of COX-2 using a specific COX-2 inhibitor NS398 markedly inhibited the
      upregulation of KIM-1 and inflammatory cytokines, and attenuated cell apoptosis
      in line with blunted PGE2 release following albumin treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The
      findings suggest that COX-2/mPGES-1/PGE2 axis could be activated by albumin in
      the proximal tubular cells via a NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated mechanism and could
      thus contribute to proteinuria-related renal tubular cell injury.

PMID- 28628923
TI  - Cremophor EL Alters the Plasma Protein Binding and Pharmacokinetic Profile of
      Valspodar in Rats.
AB  - Cremophor EL is a nonionic surfactant widely used in pharmaceutical formulations.
      Nonetheless, there are several reports on the influence of this excipient on the
      protein binding, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of drugs. Valspodar is an
      investigational non-immunosuppressive derivative of cyclosporine A, used in
      clinical trials for treatment of multidrug resistant tumors. The formulation of
      valspodar (Amdray(r)) contains cremophor EL and ethanol as solubilizing agents.
      The main aim of the current study was to assess the plasma protein binding (in
      vitro) and the pharmacokinetic profile of valspodar in the cremophor EL-based
      formulation in comparison to a cremophor EL-free formulation following
      intravenous (i. v.) administration to rats. Valspodar dissolved in PEG
      400/ethanol (diluted in Dextrose 5%) was used as the cremophor EL-free
      formulation. The in vitro plasma unbound fraction (f u) of valspodar in the
      cremophor EL formulation was 2.3-fold higher than the PEG 400/ethanol
      formulation. Following a single i. v. dose of 5 mg/kg, valspodar in the cremophor
      EL-based formulation had around 50% lower plasma AUC compared to the PEG
      400/ethanol formulation. Moreover, the cremophor EL formulation had significantly
      higher volume of distribution and clearance in comparison to the PEG 400-based
      formulation. The results highlight the significance of excipient-drug interaction
      that should not be overlooked during the early stages of drug development.

PMID- 28628922
TI  - Observation of three-component fermions in the topological semimetal molybdenum
      phosphide.
AB  - In quantum field theory, Lorentz invariance leads to three types of fermion
      Dirac, Weyl and Majorana. Although the existence of Weyl and Majorana fermions as
      elementary particles in high-energy physics is debated, all three types of
      fermion have been proposed to exist as low-energy, long-wavelength quasiparticle
      excitations in condensed-matter systems. The existence of Dirac and Weyl fermions
      in condensed-matter systems has been confirmed experimentally, and that of
      Majorana fermions is supported by various experiments. However, in condensed
      matter systems, fermions in crystals are constrained by the symmetries of the 230
      crystal space groups rather than by Lorentz invariance, giving rise to the
      possibility of finding other types of fermionic excitation that have no
      counterparts in high-energy physics. Here we use angle-resolved photoemission
      spectroscopy to demonstrate the existence of a triply degenerate point in the
      electronic structure of crystalline molybdenum phosphide. Quasiparticle
      excitations near a triply degenerate point are three-component fermions, beyond
      the conventional Dirac-Weyl-Majorana classification, which attributes Dirac and
      Weyl fermions to four- and two-fold degenerate points, respectively. We also
      observe pairs of Weyl points in the bulk electronic structure of the crystal that
      coexist with the three-component fermions. This material thus represents a
      platform for studying the interplay between different types of fermions. Our
      experimental discovery opens up a way of exploring the new physics of
      unconventional fermions in condensed-matter systems.

PMID- 28628924
TI  - Chrysin Alters microRNAs Expression Levels in Gastric Cancer Cells: Possible
      Molecular Mechanism.
AB  - Background Gastric carcinoma still remains the second most common cause of cancer
      mortality in the world. Chrysin, as a flavone, has showed cancer chemopreventive
      activity. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of chrysin in cancer cells have
      not been fully understood. Objective In this study, we investigate expression
      levels of let-7a, miR-9, mir-18a, miR-21, miR-22, miR-34a, miR-126 and mir-221 to
      describe the anti-cancer effects of chrysin. Materials and Methods The cytotoxic
      effects of chrysin were assessed using MTT assay. The effect of chrysin on the
      microRNAs expression was determined by qRT-PCR. Results The MTT results for
      different concentrations of chrysin at different times on the Gastric carcinoma
      cells showed that IC50 for chrysin was 68.24 uM after 24 h of treatment.
      Expression analysis identified that miR-18, miR-21 and miR-221 were down
      regulated whereas let-7a, miR-9, miR-22, miR-34a and miR-126 were up regulated in
      Gastric carcinoma cell line (p<0.05). Conclusion Treatment with chrysin can alter
      the miRNAs expression and these findings might be an explanation for molecular
      mechanism of chrysin effect on gastric cancer.

PMID- 28628925
TI  - Apoptosis and Caspase 3 Pathway Role on Anti-Proliferative Effects of
      Scrophulariaoxy Sepala Methanolic Extract on Caco-2 Cells.
AB  - Colorectal cancer is one the most important malignancies worldwide and finding
      new treatment option for this cancer is of high priority. Natural compounds are
      common source of drugs for treatment of various diseases including cancers. The
      aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Scrophularia oxysepala
      extract on Caco-2 cells and explore the possible role of caspase 3 pathway in
      inducing cell death in this cancer cells in compare with chemotherapy agents of
      cisplatin and capecitabine. The methanolic extract of Scrophularia oxysepala (SO)
      was prepared by drench method. The IC50 of extract, cisplatin and capecitabine on
      Caco-2 cells were determined by MTT assay. The effect of SO extract on caspase 3
      expression and inducing apoptosis were determined using TUNEL assay and caspase 3
      ELISA methods, respectively. The IC50 of SO extract, cisplatin and capecitabine
      were 300, 195 and 80 ug/ml, respectively. Analysis for apoptosis revealed that SO
      methanolic extract increased apoptosis significantly (P<0.001) compared with
      control group. The effect of high doses of SO extract on apoptosis induction were
      comparable to cisplatin but significantly were higher than capecitabine. Only
      high doses of SO methanolic extract showed significant effects (P<0.05) on
      increasing caspase 3 compared to control group. The methanolic extract of SO
      showed inhibitory effect on Caco-2 cells and induced apoptosis in a dose
      dependent manner comparable to cisplatin and higher than capecitabine 2 commonly
      used chemotherapeutic agent for various cancers.

PMID- 28628926
TI  - Synthesis, Characterisation, Molecular Docking, Anti-microbial and Anti-diabetic
      Screening of Substituted 4-indolylphenyl-6-arylpyrimidine-2-imine Derivatives.
AB  - The purpose of the research is to synthesise a novel series of (E)-2-(4-(1H-indol
      3-yl)-6-p-substituted phenylpyrimidin-2-yl)dimethylguanidine derivatives since 3
      (1H-indol-3-yl)-1-p-substituted phenylprop-2-en-1-one and evaluate their
      molecular docking studies, antimicrobial, and anti-diabetic activities. Among all
      the synthesized compounds (11a-g), compound 11a exhibits excellent CDOCKER energy
      (-11.36 kcal/mol). The entire compounds (11a-g) confirm very good antimicrobial
      activity towards the tested microorganisms. In the in vitro anti-diabetic
      studies, compounds (11a, 11c, and 11g) confirm higher alpha-amylase and alpha
      glucosidase inhibition activity. In the in vivo anti-diabetic activities, the
      synthesized compounds (11a-g) (10 mg/kg, p.o.) investigated by the streptozotocin
      (60 mg/kg, ip) -nicotinamide (120 mg/kg, p.o.) - induced model in adult male
      albino Wistar rat and these derivatives show considerable fasting blood glucose
      level when compared to metformin hydrochloride a potent and well-known anti
      diabetic drug as a reference.

PMID- 28628927
TI  - Curcumin Promotes Apoptosis of Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells by Inhibiting
      Protein Expression of the MyD88 Pathway.
AB  - Activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play an important
      role in the progress of liver fibrosis. HSC activation occurs in response to
      inflammatory cytokines, cellular interactions with immune cells, and
      morphogenetic signals. The literature hints to a role of the adaptor protein
      MyD88 in fibrosis. Although curcumin has been shown to exert inhibitory effects
      on the proliferation of HSC in vitro, its influence on the MyD88 pathway in HSC
      has remained unclear. Here, we investigated whether curcumin accelerates
      apoptosis of HSC through the MyD88 pathway. HSC (rat HSC T6) were divided into a
      control group, MyD88 small interfering RNA (siRNA) group, curcumin group, and
      curcumin + MyD88 siRNA group. The MyD88 siRNA groups were exposed to siRNA for 48
      h. The curcumin groups were cultured in the presence of curcumin for 24 h.
      Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. For Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and 4 as
      well as MyD88 and the dependent factors NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta, mRNA
      expression was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT
      PCR). For MyD88, protein expression was further observed by Western Blot. Both
      curcumin and MyD88 siRNA inhibited the mRNA expression of MyD88 pathway-related
      effectors (TLR2, TLR4, NF-kappaB, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta) in HSC. Furthermore, both
      treatments reduced the expression of MyD88 protein in HSC and promoted their
      apoptosis. These effects were more obvious in the curcumin + MyD88 siRNA group.
      This study demonstrates that curcumin promotes apoptosis of activated HSC by
      inhibiting the expression of cytokines related to the MyD88 pathway. It
      elucidates the possible mechanisms of curcumin in inducing apoptosis of HSC
      through the MyD88 pathway.

PMID- 28628928
TI  - [Accurate OCT-angiography Interpretation - Detection and Exclusion of Artifacts].
AB  - Background Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) provides, non
      invasively, a three-dimensional visualization of the microvasculature of the
      retina and choroid. However, image artifacts may occur in OCTA and have an impact
      on clinical interpretation. The aim of this article is to describe image
      artifacts of OCTA and to present a nomenclature. Methods OCTA examinations were
      performed with the AngioPlexTM OCTA-technology in combination with the CIRRUS HD
      OCT 5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, USA) as well as with the PlexElite
      9000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, USA). Typical artifacts identified in the
      OCTA images are described and their causes are explained. Results There are three
      main groups of artifacts that can be distinguished: (a) artifacts that are
      inherent in the OCTA technology and occur with all types of devices (projection
      artifacts, masking, unmasking, loss of signal); (b) artifacts caused by data and
      image processing algorithms and whose frequency or severity may depend on the
      device type used (segmentation artifacts, duplications of vessels); (c) motion
      artifacts that vary in frequency and severity depending on the type of device
      used, as different methods (e.g., eye tracker) are used to reduce them. The
      occurrence of artifacts is also dependent on patient cooperation, the clarity of
      the optical media, and the pathology of the retina. Conclusion As in any other
      imaging method, artifacts also occur in OCTA images. Nevertheless, qualitative
      assessment of OCTA images is almost always possible and provides indispensable
      findings on the morphology and perfusion status of the retina and choroid. A good
      knowledge of possible artifacts, and a critical analysis of the complete OCTA
      data set, allows a correct interpretation and is essential for making a precise
      clinical diagnosis.

PMID- 28628929
TI  - [Who Should Provide Persons with Familial Risk of Colorectal Cancer with
      Information on Early Detection? - The View of those Affected].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colonoscopy is recommended for persons with a familial risk of
      colorectal cancer (CRC) before they reach 55 years of age. The aim of this
      analysis was to ask affected persons aged 40-54 years whether they had found out
      about early detection of CRC and from which institutions and media they would
      like to obtain such information. METHODS: Analysis of data from a cross-sectional
      study: In a general practice setting, those with a positive family history of CRC
      were asked to provide written information. RESULTS: In total, 191 persons with a
      positive family history of CRC participated in the study: 59.6% had already found
      out about early detection of CRC. Out of this, 67.0% had received information
      from their physicians. Most of the participants wanted information on early
      detection of CRC to be provided by the general practitioner (98.9% completely or
      mostly agree), and by health insurers (74.5% completely or mostly agree). The
      participants would rather not prefer to receive information from public
      institutions such as the public health department (69.5% not or mostly not agree)
      and private organizations such as self-help groups (80.9% not or mostly not
      agree). Approximately half would prefer to receive such information via TV. More
      men than women would prefer to source such information from the internet
      (completely or mostly agree: 66.7 vs. 43.8%), or newspapers and magazines
      (completely or mostly agree: 53.6 vs. 41.8%). CONCLUSION: A survey in a general
      practice setting found that more than half of persons with familial risk of CRC
      had already obtained information on early detection. The setting of the survey on
      preferred information sources possibly encouraged participants to put general
      practitioners in the first place. Furthermore, the results of this nationwide
      unique cohort of persons aged 40-54 with a familial risk of CRC show that their
      information-seeking behavior was not more pronounced than average and that men
      and women can be provided with information in different ways.

PMID- 28628930
TI  - [Rational Use of Antibiotics Data form a Survey from 2014 within the mrdo Network
      Compared to Nationwide Data from 2009].
AB  - Introduction To combat multi-resistant gram-negative bacteria as the cause of
      life-threatening infections, antibiotic stewardship activities are of great
      importance. Objective To detect weaknesses when prescribing antibiotics in
      hospitals and compare the situation between 2009 and 2014. Methods In 2014, a
      questionnaire was sent to all 380 physicians employed in 7 hospitals. Primary,
      secondary and tertiary care hospitals were included. Investigated were:
      demographic data, position, certified specialization, presence of antibiotic
      prescription rules and behavior to follow them. 119 completed questionnaires of
      2014 were compared to 3 613 obtained in 2009. Results31% of the questionnaires
      were returned. 53.8% were interns. Half of these had a certified specialization.
      32.8% were consultants and 12.6% were chief physicians. 22.6% were internists,
      18.4% surgeons, 10.9% urologists and 9.2% anesthetists. The majority prescribed
      antibiotics on a daily routine, among the interns 66%. 23% of interns reported
      they would advise colleagues daily and 61% at least once a week. The most common
      indications for antibiotic use were antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery (35),
      urinary tract infection (32) and pneumonia (29). Standard duration of antibiotic
      therapy reported were 7 days for pneumonia, 5 days for urinary tract infections
      and 1 day for antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery, while almost 50% of surgeons
      widened the antibiotic prophylaxis to 3, 5, 7,8 and 10 days. 93.3% physicians
      reported the use of therapeutic guidelines either from their own hospital or from
      medical societies. Only 59.3% were provided with the antimicrobial resistance
      data of their hospital. 52.1% would not ask a consultant for advice before
      prescribing a broadband antibiotic. Compared to 2009, lack of knowledge about
      antimicrobial resistance, use of guidelines, and advice from a consultant
      improved about 5%-points each. Conclusion Despite improvement compared to 2009,
      38.9% of all physicians asked did not know their regional antibiotic resistant
      data and half of all surgeons still used surgical prophylaxis longer than 24 h.
      As the compliance to use guidelines is high with 93.3%, maintenance and
      development of antibiotic guidelines adjusted to the resistance data is of the
      greatest importance. Furthermore, antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery longer than 1
      day adds to the risks of antibiotics without giving more benefit and must be
      critically analyzed.

PMID- 28628931
TI  - [The Probabilistic Efficiency Frontier: A Value Assessment of Treatment Options
      in Hepatitis C].
AB  - Background The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG)
      recommends the concept of the efficiency frontier to assess health care
      interventions. The efficiency frontier supports regulatory decisions on
      reimbursement prices for the appropriate allocation of health care resources.
      Until today this cost-benefit assessment framework has only been applied on the
      basis of individual patient-relevant endpoints. This contradicts the reality of a
      multi-dimensional patient benefit. Objective The objective of this study was to
      illustrate the operationalization of multi-dimensional benefit considering the
      uncertainty in clinical effects and preference data in order to calculate the
      efficiency of different treatment options for hepatitis C (HCV). This case study
      shows how methodological challenges could be overcome in order to use the
      efficiency frontier for economic analysis and health care decision-making. Method
      The operationalization of patient benefit was carried out on several patient
      relevant endpoints. Preference data from a discrete choice experiment (DCE) study
      and clinical data based on clinical trials, which reflected the patient and the
      clinical perspective, respectively, were used for the aggregation of an overall
      benefit score. A probabilistic efficiency frontier was constructed in a Monte
      Carlo simulation with 10000 random draws. Patient-relevant endpoints were modeled
      with a beta distribution and preference data with a normal distribution. The
      assessment of overall benefit and costs provided information about the adequacy
      of the treatment prices. The parameter uncertainty was illustrated by the price
      acceptability-curve and the net monetary benefit. Results Based on the clinical
      and preference data in Germany, the interferon-free treatment options proved to
      be efficient for the current price level. The interferon-free therapies of the
      latest generation achieved a positive net cost-benefit. Within the decision
      model, these therapies showed a maximum overall benefit. Due to their high
      additional benefit and approved prices, the therapies lie above of the
      extrapolated efficiency frontier, which suggests that these options have
      efficient reimbursement prices. Considering uncertainty, even a higher price
      would have resulted in a positive cost-benefit ratio. Conclusion IQWiG's
      efficiency frontier was used to assess the value of different treatment options
      in HCV. This study demonstrates that the probabilistic efficiency frontier, price
      acceptability-curve and the net monetary benefit can contribute essential
      information to reimbursement decisions and price negotiations.

PMID- 28628932
TI  - [European Collaboration in Medical Device Assessment: One Step Towards Cross
      Border Health Care].
AB  - AIM: The aim of this paper was to present the legal framework as well as previous
      experience in transnational collaboration regarding the assessment of medical
      devices for reimbursement decisions. Furthermore, the possible benefit of
      transnational collaboration for various stakeholders will be discussed. METHODS:
      Experiences gathered with the compilation of overall 6 joint rapid assessments of
      medical devices within the completed European Network for Health Technology
      Assessment (EUnetHTA) Joint Action 2 (JA2) are summarised and discussed.
      Benefits, aims and opportunities of the ongoing EUnetHTA Joint Action 3 (JA3) are
      described. RESULTS: Challenges in joint European assessment of medical devices
      encompass the choice of topics and the time point of assessments, the non
      transparency of the medical devices market as well as the lack of European
      standards for systematic patient involvement. Characteristics of medical devices
      such as incremental changes and learning curves call for monitoring of medical
      devices through their whole lifecycle. The concrete benefit of European
      collaboration for stakeholders is manifold: uncertainties with regard to the
      actual added value of a technology, caused by a lack of evidence, may be reduced
      by Early Dialogues; harmonized and transparent assessment processes throughout
      Europe increase the reproducibility and quality of reports; the division of work
      among the health technology assessment (HTA) organisations allows a resource
      efficient assessment of a larger amount of technologies; patient involvement
      facilitates consideration of patient-relevant endpoints. The importance of cross
      border collaboration in the field of HTA is shown in the continuation of the
      EUnetHTA project, which aims to further strengthen international collaboration
      even after expiration of EU funding. CONCLUSION: A sustainable transnational
      collaboration in the assessment of medical devices can ensure cross-border health
      care as well as efficient collaboration of national health systems. The focus
      should be on a wide implementation of jointly established methods and quality
      standards. The European collaboration can lead to a concrete benefit for
      patients, physicians, HTA organisations and national decision makers.

PMID- 28628933
TI  - Early Markers of Angiogenesis and Ischemia during Bowel Conduit
      Neovascularization.

PMID- 28628934
TI  - Accelerated Lymph Flow in Early-Stage Secondary Lymphedema Detected by
      Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Lymphography.

PMID- 28628935
TI  - Proximal Left Main Bronchus Resection-Reconstruction through Left Thoracotomy
      with Tracheal Traction.
AB  - Surgical approach for resection-reconstruction of the proximal left main bronchus
      has been a matter of discussion. Through standard left thoracotomy, the proximal
      main bronchus close to the carina is not easily exposed. Accordingly, median
      sternotomy or right thoracotomy may be commonly employed, but the exposure and
      management of the distal left main bronchus may be difficult through the
      approach. Here, we present a left thoracotomy approach with traction of the
      trachea, which may easily allow excellent exposure of the proximal end of the
      left main bronchus and the carina.

PMID- 28628936
TI  - Vacuum-Assisted Closure Therapy for the Treatment of Poststernotomy Wound
      Dehiscence in Neonates and Infants.

PMID- 28628938
TI  - Outcome after Robotic-Assisted Thymectomy in Children and Adolescents with
      Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Juvenile Myasthenia Gravis.

PMID- 28628939
TI  - Expanding Phenotype of De Novo Mutations in GNAO1: Four New Cases and Review of
      Literature.

PMID- 28628940
TI  - Clinical Neurophysiology in Neuromuscular Disorders: Old Fashioned or Still
      Relevant?

PMID- 28628941
TI  - A novel cause of chronic viral meningoencephalitis: Cache Valley virus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Immunodeficient patients are particularly vulnerable to neuroinvasive
      infections that can be challenging to diagnose. Metagenomic next generation
      sequencing can identify unusual or novel microbes and is therefore well suited
      for investigating the etiology of chronic meningoencephalitis in immunodeficient
      patients. METHODS: We present the case of a 34-year-old man with X-linked
      agammaglobulinemia from Australia suffering from 3 years of meningoencephalitis
      that defied an etiologic diagnosis despite extensive conventional testing,
      including a brain biopsy. Metagenomic next generation sequencing of his
      cerebrospinal fluid and brain biopsy tissue was performed to identify a causative
      pathogen. RESULTS: Sequences aligning to multiple Cache Valley virus genes were
      identified via metagenomic next generation sequencing. Reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry subsequently confirmed the
      presence of Cache Valley virus in the brain biopsy tissue. INTERPRETATION: Cache
      Valley virus, a mosquito-borne orthobunyavirus, has only been identified in 3
      immunocompetent North American patients with acute neuroinvasive disease. The
      reported severity ranges from a self-limiting meningitis to a rapidly fatal
      meningoencephalitis with multiorgan failure. The virus has never been known to
      cause a chronic systemic or neurologic infection in humans. Cache Valley virus
      has also never previously been detected on the Australian continent. Our research
      subject traveled to North and South Carolina and Michigan in the weeks prior to
      the onset of his illness. This report demonstrates that metagenomic next
      generation sequencing allows for unbiased pathogen identification, the early
      detection of emerging viruses as they spread to new locales, and the discovery of
      novel disease phenotypes. Ann Neurol 2017;82:105-114.

PMID- 28628942
TI  - Increasing burden of liver cancer despite extensive use of antiviral agents in a
      hepatitis B virus-endemic population.
AB  - : Most mortalities from liver disease and liver cancer worldwide are attributable
      to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus. Despite remarkable advances in
      the treatment of HBV over past decades, limited population-level data are
      available regarding its impact on burden of liver disease and liver cancer.
      Mortality data from liver disease and liver cancer were obtained from the
      national death certificate database of Korea, an HBV-endemic country, between
      1999 and 2013, and were analyzed by Joinpoint analysis. For liver disease, number
      of annual deaths decreased by 62.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 62.0-62.6),
      crude death rate (CDR) decreased by 64.6% (95% CI, 64.3-64.9) from 21.2 to 7.5
      per 100,000 population, and age-standardized death rate (ADR) declined by 75.0%
      (95% CI, 74.7-75.3), between 1999 and 2013. In contrast, for liver cancer, number
      of annual deaths increased by 17.8% (95% CI, 17.6-18.0) and CDR increased by
      10.2% (95% CI, 10.0-10.4) from 20.5 to 22.6, although ADR decreased by 26.9% (95%
      CI, 26.6-27.2). The annual number of patients receiving oral antiviral agents
      against HBV increased from 1,716 to 187,226 during the study period. The increase
      in mean age at death from liver disease was significantly greater than that from
      liver cancer (8.8 vs. 6.1 years: P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Marked reduction in liver
      disease mortality by widespread use of antiviral treatments against HBV may
      increase the life expectancy and number of patients at risk of developing liver
      cancer, inadvertently leading to increased burden of liver cancer in an HBV
      endemic population. The competing nature between death from liver disease and
      that from liver cancer should be carefully considered in establishing a health
      care policy. (Hepatology 2017;66:1454-1463).

PMID- 28628943
TI  - Antimony Complexes for Electrocatalysis: Activity of a Main-Group Element in
      Proton Reduction.
AB  - Main-group complexes are shown to be viable electrocatalysts for the H2 
      evolution reaction (HER) from acid. A series of antimony porphyrins with varying
      axial ligands were synthesized for electrocatalysis applications. The proton
      reduction catalytic properties of TPSb(OH)2 (TP=5,10,15,20-tetra(p
      tolyl)porphyrin) with two axial hydroxy ligands were studied in detail,
      demonstrating catalytic H2 production. Experiments, in conjunction with quantum
      chemistry calculations, show that the catalytic cycle is driven via the redox
      activity of both the porphyrin ligand and the Sb center. This study brings
      insight into main group catalysis and the role of redox-active ligands during
      catalysis.

PMID- 28628944
TI  - Bistable Solid-State Fluorescence Switching in Photoluminescent, Infinite
      Coordination Polymers.
AB  - Photo-functional infinite coordinated polymers (ICPs) were synthesized that
      consist of the photochromic dithienylethene (DTE) and a luminescent bridging unit
      to give enhanced fluorescence in the solid state. We could fabricate well-ordered
      micropatterns of these ICPs by a soft-lithographic method, which repeatedly
      showed high contrast on-off fluorescence switching.

PMID- 28628945
TI  - Precise spike timing dynamics of hippocampal place cell activity sensitive to
      cholinergic disruption.
AB  - New memory formation depends on both the hippocampus and modulatory effects of
      acetylcholine. The mechanism by which acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus
      enable new encoding remains poorly understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis
      that cholinergic modulation supports memory formation by leading to structured
      spike timing in the hippocampus. Specifically, we tested if phase precession in
      dorsal CA1 was reduced under the influence of a systemic cholinergic antagonist.
      Unit and field potential were recorded from the dorsal CA1 of rats as they
      completed laps on a circular track for food rewards before and during the
      influence of the systemically administered acetylcholine muscarinic receptor
      antagonist scopolamine. We found that scopolamine significantly reduced phase
      precession of spiking relative to the field theta, and that this was due to a
      decrease in the frequency of the spiking rhythmicity. We also found that the
      correlation between position and theta phase was significantly reduced. This
      effect was not due to changes in spatial tuning as tuning remained stable for
      those cells analyzed. Similarly, it was not due to changes in lap-to-lap
      reliability of spiking onset or offset relative to either position or phase as
      the reliability did not decrease following scopolamine administration. These
      findings support the hypothesis that memory impairments that follow muscarinic
      blockade are the result of degraded spike timing in the hippocampus.

PMID- 28628946
TI  - Structural plasticity of the ventral stream and aphasia recovery.
AB  - Restrengthening of the residual language network is likely to be crucial for
      speech recovery in poststroke aphasia. Eight participants with chronic aphasia
      received intensive speech therapy for 3 weeks, with standardized naming tests and
      brain magnetic resonance imaging before and after therapy. Kurtosis-based
      diffusion tensor tractography was used to measure mean kurtosis (MK) along a
      segment of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). Therapy-related reduction
      in the number of semantic but not phonemic errors was associated with
      strengthening (renormalization) of ILF MK (r = -0.90, p < 0.05 corrected),
      suggesting that speech recovery is related to structural plasticity of language
      specific components of the residual language network. Ann Neurol 2017;82:147-151.

PMID- 28628947
TI  - Meta-analysis of determinants of survival following treatment of recurrent
      hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following
      resection is common. However, no current consensus guidelines exist to inform
      management decisions in these patients. Systematic review and meta-analysis of
      survival following different treatment modalities may allow improved treatment
      selection. This review aimed to identify the optimum treatment strategies for HCC
      recurrence. METHODS: A systematic review, up to September 2016, was conducted in
      accordance with MOOSE guidelines. The primary outcome was the hazard ratio for
      overall survival of different treatment modalities. Meta-analysis of different
      treatment modalities was carried out using a random-effects model, with further
      assessment of additional prognostic factors for survival. RESULTS: Nineteen
      cohort studies (2764 patients) were included in final data analysis. The median 5
      year survival rates after repeat hepatectomy (525 patients), ablation (658) and
      transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) (855) were 35.2, 48.3 and 15.5 per cent
      respectively. Pooled analysis of ten studies demonstrated no significant
      difference between overall survival after ablation versus repeat hepatectomy
      (hazard ratio 1.03, 95 per cent c.i. 0.68 to 1.55; P = 0.897). Pooled analysis of
      seven studies comparing TACE with repeat hepatectomy showed no statistically
      significant difference in survival (hazard ratio 1.61, 0.99 to 2.63; P = 0.056).
      CONCLUSION: Based on these limited data, there does not appear to be a
      significant difference in survival between patients undergoing repeat hepatectomy
      or ablation for recurrent HCC. The results also identify important negative
      prognostic factors (short disease-free interval, multiple hepatic metastases and
      large hepatic metastases), which may influence choice of treatment.

PMID- 28628948
TI  - Platelet hyperaggregability is associated with decreased ADAMTS13 activity and
      enhanced endotoxemia in patients with acute cholangitis.
AB  - AIM: Insufficient ADAMTS13 activity (ADAMTS13:AC) leads to increased levels of
      unusually large von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers and causes microcirculatory
      disturbance and multiple organ failure (MOF). Endotoxin (Et) triggers the
      activation of coagulation and cytokine cascades, leading to MOF in severe
      inflammatory response syndrome. Here, we investigated the potential role of
      endotoxemia-related ADAMTS13 in acute cholangitis. METHODS: Twenty-four patients
      with acute cholangitis, including 7 with severe acute cholangitis, were recruited
      in this study. The levels of ADAMTS13:AC, VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), interleukin (IL)
      6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in each patient were determined by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas Et levels were determined by Et
      activity assay (EAA) analysis. RESULTS: The ADAMTS13:AC and VWF:Ag levels were
      significantly lower and higher, respectively, in patients with acute cholangitis
      than in controls. The EAA levels were higher in patients with acute cholangitis
      than in controls, and were inversely correlated with that of ADAMTS13:AC.
      Patients with severe acute cholangitis had significantly lower ADAMTS13:AC and
      higher VWF:Ag levels than those with mild to moderate cholangitis. Notably,
      ADMTS13:AC was directly correlated with platelet counts and inversely correlated
      with IL-6 levels, and the VWF:Ag/ADAMTS13:AC ratio was directly correlated with
      IL-8 and TNF-alpha levels. CONCLUSIONS: Imbalance of ADAMTS13:AC and VWF:Ag
      levels might be associated with severe acute cholangitis, reflecting platelet
      hyperaggregability. Severe acute cholangitis has severe pathophysiological
      features and is complicated by endotoxemia and MOF. Notably, this is the first
      report indicating an association between the levels of ADAMTS13:AC and VWF:Ag and
      those of EAA and cytokines in acute cholangitis.

PMID- 28628949
TI  - Photosynthate partitioning to starch in Arabidopsis thaliana is insensitive to
      light intensity but sensitive to photoperiod due to a restriction on growth in
      the light in short photoperiods.
AB  - Photoperiod duration can be predicted from previous days, but irradiance
      fluctuates in an unpredictable manner. To investigate how allocation to starch
      responds to changes in these two environmental variables, Arabidopsis Col-0 was
      grown in a 6 h and a 12 h photoperiod at three different irradiances. The
      absolute rate of starch accumulation increased when photoperiod duration was
      shortened and when irradiance was increased. The proportion of photosynthate
      allocated to starch increased strongly when photoperiod duration was decreased
      but only slightly when irradiance was decreased. There was a small increase in
      the daytime level of sucrose and twofold increases in glucose, fructose and
      glucose 6-phosphate at a given irradiance in short photoperiods compared to long
      photoperiods. The rate of starch accumulation correlated strongly with sucrose
      and glucose levels in the light, irrespective of whether these sugars were
      responding to a change in photoperiod or irradiance. Whole plant carbon budget
      modelling revealed a selective restriction of growth in the light period in short
      photoperiods. It is proposed that photoperiod sensing, possibly related to the
      duration of the night, restricts growth in the light period in short
      photoperiods, increasing allocation to starch and providing more carbon reserves
      to support metabolism and growth in the long night.

PMID- 28628950
TI  - A Flexible, Fused, Azomethine-Boron Complex: Thermochromic Luminescence and
      Thermosalient Behavior in Structural Transitions between Crystalline Polymorphs.
AB  - This manuscript reports the multi-functional boron complex presenting aggregation
      induced emission (AIE), crystallization-induced emission enhancement (CIEE), and
      thermosalient behavior accompanying thermochromic luminescence during crystal
      crystal transitions by employing the fused azomethine ligand. In particular, we
      propose that these properties can be explained by molecular "flexibility" toward
      external stimuli, including temperature changes and photo-excitation, and two
      types of crystal polymorphs with different absorption and luminescent properties
      were obtained. Optical measurements indicated that both polymorphs showed
      individual AIE and strong CIEE properties. From the investigations, the boron
      complex showed large structural relaxation and formed the bent structure in the
      excited state, followed by emission annihilation in the absence of structural
      restriction. In addition, it was shown that interconversion between these
      polymorphs could be reversibly induced by heating and cooling. The data from the
      single-crystal X-ray analyses suggested that alteration of crystal packing and
      intermolecular interaction should influence the luminescent chromism. Moreover,
      we also found that the crystals showed unusual mechanical behavior, such as
      hopping and fragmentation by heating and cooling, respectively, which is called
      thermosalient behavior. It was suggested that the loosely-fused structure could
      be responsible for expressing unique optical and mechanical properties.

PMID- 28628951
TI  - Cranial Indicators Identified for Peak Incidence of Otitis Media.
AB  - Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common pediatric conditions
      worldwide. Peak age of occurrence for AOM has been identified within the first
      postnatal year and it remains frequent until approximately six postnatal years.
      Morphological differences between adults and infants in the cartilaginous
      Eustachian tube (CET) and associated structures may be responsible for
      development of this disease yet few have investigated normal growth trajectories.
      We tested hypotheses on coincidence of skeletal growth changes and known ages of
      peak AOM occurrence. Growth was divided into five dental eruption stages ranging
      from edentulous neonates (Stage 1) to adults with erupted third maxillary molars
      (Stage 5). A total of 32 three-dimensional landmarks were used and Generalized
      Procrustes Analysis was performed. Next, we performed principal components
      analysis and calculated univariate measures. It was found that growth change in
      Stage 1 was the most rapid and comprised the largest amount of overall growth in
      upper respiratory tract proportions (where time is represented by the natural
      logarithmic transformation of centroid size). The analysis of univariate measures
      showed that Stage 1 humans did indeed possess the relatively shortest and most
      horizontally oriented CET's with the greatest amount of growth change occurring
      at the transition to Stage 2 (eruption of deciduous dentition at five postnatal
      months, commencing peak AOM incidence) and ceasing by Stage 3 (approximately six
      postnatal years). Skeletal indicators appear related to peak ages of AOM
      incidence and may contribute to understanding of a nearly ubiquitous human
      disease. Anat Rec, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Anat Rec, 300:1721
      1740, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28628952
TI  - SEEKING COMFORT IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE CHAIR.
AB  - The author explores the concept of comfort in relation to the setting. The
      concept of comfort, an unusual word in the psychoanalytic lexicon, describes the
      intuitive and complex experience of patient and analyst being together in the
      analytic office. The couch and the chair are not the only tools of the setting,
      but they are potential instruments with which to study the therapeutic process,
      both in high-frequency therapy and in lower-frequency treatments. To describe the
      transformations that an alternative experience of comfort can promote, the author
      looks at the intersection of this concept with the body-mind relationship and
      with the Bionian concept of binocular vision.

PMID- 28628954
TI  - A COMPARATIVE LOOK AT INTERSUBJECTIVE AND OBJECT RELATIONAL APPROACHES TO
      CLINICAL MATERIAL.
AB  - The Search for a Relational Home: An Intersubjective View of Therapeutic Action.
      By Chris Jaenicke. London/New York: Routledge, 2015. 100 pp.

PMID- 28628955
TI  - RECOVERING THE FATHER IN MIND AND FLESH: HISTORY, TRIADIC FUNCTIONING, AND
      DEVELOPMENTAL IMPLICATIONS.
AB  - This paper aims to restore the father and paternal function to their rightful
      place alongside the mother and maternity in order to counter the prevailing
      matricentric, dyadic bias in psychoanalytic theory and technique. The author
      contends that both the symbolic and the actual, flesh-and-blood father are
      necessary to optimize his child's development. The paternal function inevitably
      operates in a triadic matrix; thirdness is always psychically in existence-with
      the father ever present in the mother's unconscious mind-and the paternal third
      is necessary to open up symbolic space. As an embodied other, the actual father,
      both as a separating agent and an attracting object, is called upon to recognize
      his child's otherness throughout the inescapable father-child rivalries, neglect,
      and desire.

PMID- 28628957
TI  - AFFECT, SYMPTOM, FANTASY, DREAM: CLINICAL AND THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
AB  - A symptom being studied in the process of analysis can be seen as not unlike the
      unconscious affect it sprang from. The author presents a case in which a symptom,
      premature ejaculation, was analogous to the unconscious affect of guilt, which
      itself seemed to be a premature defensive transformation of a deeper current of
      anger. Guilt was interpreted as if it were a psychic premature ejaculation, a
      defensive derailment of anger. Fantasy and dream seemed to be engaged in similar
      transformations, with a fantasy of "premature incarceration" not unlike the
      symptom itself in its analogous functioning. Analysis of affect, symptom,
      fantasy, and dream in complex, integrative analytic process led not only to
      resolution of the symptom itself, but also to a deeper understanding of the
      mind's complex functioning in general.

PMID- 28628959
TI  - SHIFTING BETWEEN ALTERNATIVE MODES OF COGNITION: CAN FREE ASSOCIATION, IN AND OF
      ITSELF, PROVE THERAPEUTIC?
AB  - From early on in his career, at the time of his treatment of Frau Emmy von N.,
      Freud (Breuer and Freud 1895) recognized the value of listening to the patient's
      material without attempting to steer it along a particular course. His focus on
      the method of freie Einfalle (free association), to be presented to the patient
      as the fundamental rule of analytic treatment, led to his recommendation that the
      analyst listen with evenly suspended attention (Freud ). But is free association
      therapeutic in and of itself? The author proposes an affirmative reply to this
      question based on the contribution of free association to the patient's nascent
      ability to shift between active and passive modes of cognition.

PMID- 28628961
TI  - THE STUDY AND TREATMENT OF MOTHERS AND INFANTS, THEN AND NOW: MELANIE KLEIN'S
      "NOTES ON BABY" IN A CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOANALYTIC CONTEXT.
AB  - This paper draws on Melanie Klein's (unpublished) observational notes of her
      infant grandson, written primarily in 1938 and 1939. Apart from moving glimpses
      into a young family's life, the notes contain astute observations of an infant's
      behavior and emotions. Compared with Klein's published writings, the style is
      less theoretical and polemical. Later, in his latency years, Klein's grandson was
      in analysis with Marion Milner, who in 1952 published a paper drawing on the
      treatment. The present paper focuses on (1) how observations and treatment of the
      same child and his family by clinicians in close relationships with each other
      (Klein, Milner, and Winnicott) fertilized reciprocal influence but also brought
      into question the validity of Klein's observations, and (2) the relative merits
      and contributions of various modalities in understanding the infant's psyche,
      including experimental research, direct observation, parent-infant psychotherapy,
      and reconstructions from older patients-as occurs, for example, in
      psychoanalysis.

PMID- 28628963
TI  - RELATIONAL GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOANALYSIS: CULTURAL ANTECEDENTS AND CLINICAL
      IMPLICATIONS.
AB  - The One and the Many: Relational Psychoanalysis and Group Analysis. By Juan
      Tubert-Oklander. London: Karnac, 2014. 288 pp.

PMID- 28628965
TI  - HYPOCHONDRIA: A REVIEW OF ITS PLACE IN PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY.
AB  - After identifying Freud's fundamental contributions to the concept of
      hypochondria, the author undertakes a brief review of the term's trajectory
      within the Anglophone and Francophone psychoanalytic literature. Notions of
      defense, anxiety, and representation as they relate to corporeal experience are
      discussed. The author illustrates these main axes with which to read hypochondria
      with clinical material drawn from the analysis of a woman in whom somatic
      manifestations were especially pervasive.

PMID- 28628967
TI  - POST-BIONIAN DEVELOPMENTS IN PSYCHOANALYTIC FIELD THEORY: THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
      ANTONINO FERRO AND GIUSEPPE CIVITARESE.
AB  - The Bi-Personal Field: Experiences in Child Psychoanalysis. By Antonino Ferro.
      New York: Routledge, 1992 (1999). 232 pp. The Intimate Room: Theory and Technique
      of the Analytic Field. By Giuseppe Civitarese. New York: Routledge, 2008 (2010).
      240 pp. The Necessary Dream: New Theories and Techniques of Interpretation in
      Psychoanalysis. By Giuseppe Civitarese; translated by Ian Harvey. London: Karnac,
      2013 (2014). 246 pp. The Analytic Field and Its Transformations. By Antonino
      Ferro and Giuseppe Civitarese. London: Karnac, 2015. 224 pp.

PMID- 28628968
TI  - Performance Trends in Age Group Triathletes in the Olympic Distance Triathlon at
      the World Championships 2009-2014.
AB  - Performance trends in elite triathletes competing in age group classes have been
      investigated forIronman triathlon in 'Ironman Hawaii' but not for short distance
      triathletes competing at internationallevel in events such as the Olympic
      distance triathlon at the World Championships. The aim of the presentstudy was to
      evaluate participation and performance trends of age group triathletes competing
      in theOlympic distance triathlon at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World
      Championships 2009-2014.During this period, the number of participants remained
      constant. Swimming performance improved inathletes in age groups 25-29 years to
      55-59 years, but not in younger (18-24 years) and older (> 60-64years) age
      groups. Cycling performance improved in athletes in age groups 18-24 years to 70
      74years, but not in age group 75-79 years. In running, athletes in age groups 18
      24 years, 30-34 years,35-39 years and 65-69 years improved, but not in the other
      age groups. Overall race time wasimproved by athletes in age groups 18-24 to 65
      69 years, but not in age groups 70-74 years and 75-79years. Transition times were
      improved by all age group athletes. Women were slower than men inswimming,
      cycling, running and overall race time in age groups 18-24 years to 70-74 years,
      but not inthe age group 75-79 years. For transition times, women were slower than
      men in age groups 18-24 yearsto 65-69 years, but not in age groups 70-74 years to
      75-79 years. In summary, women and men improvedperformance in most age groups
      across all years, men were faster than women except in the age group75-79 years
      and the sex difference between women and men remained constant. This
      knowledgeshould be considered when future age group triathletes train for and
      compete in Olympic distancetriathlons at international level.

PMID- 28628969
TI  - Comparative Induction of Controlled Hypotension by Electroacupuncture at DU20
      Acupoint and Remifentanil in Lumbar Laminectomy.
AB  - Hypotensive anesthesia is utilized to reduce bleeding during orthopedic surgery.
      One of thevarious drugs that have been used to reduce blood pressure is
      remifentanil. This study was an attemptto compare the effect of remifentanil with
      that of electroacupuncture (EA) at DU20 on reducing bloodpressure. In this
      randomized controlled clinical trial, 54 patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy
      wereallocated to two groups. Hypotensive anesthesia was performed through
      infusion of remifentanil 100MUg/kg/min for the control group, and EA at DU20
      acupoint with a frequency of 2-10 Hz and intensity of1-5 mA for the intervention
      group. Blood pressure, pulse rate, volume of blood lost and the quality
      ofsurgical field were evaluated every 10 min. There were no statistically
      significant differences betweenthe two groups in terms of the changes in mean
      arterial pressure (MAP), pulse rate, and the qualityof surgical field (P > 0.05).
      Therefore, EA can be as effective as remifentanil to reduce blood pressurein the
      patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy.

PMID- 28628970
TI  - A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Study on Blood Pressure Reduction and Blood
      Lipid Profile Amelioration on Treatment with Ankascin 568.
AB  - Hypertension and cardiovascular complications are the leading causes of death
      worldwide.Antihypertensive drugs often cause various side effects, and improper
      use of antihypertensivemedications can result in irreparable damage. Edible fungi
      of the Monascus species have been usedas traditional Chinese medicines in
      Southeast Asia for several centuries. The fermented products ofMonascus purpureus
      NTU 568 (ANKASCIN 568) possess a number of functional secondary
      metabolitesincluding the anti-inflammatory pigments monascin (MS) and ankaflavin
      (AK). In this study, adouble-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was
      performed in which patients with mild to moderatehypertension were randomly
      assigned to receive placebo or two 500-mg capsules of Ankascin 568 for8 weeks.
      The effects of this treatment on the regulation of blood pressure (BP) were then
      examined.The results showed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased from
      141.6 +/- 12.0 to 133.9 +/- 14.4mmHg (P < 0.05), and diastolic blood pressure
      (DBP) decreased from 91.7 +/- 8.1 to 84.8 +/- 7.4 mmHg(P < 0.05). Moreover,
      Ankascin 568 treatment effectively reduced serum triglycerides and
      totalcholesterol (TC), increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),
      and reduced low-densitylipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, thereby improving
      the serum lipid profile. Additionally,administration of Ankascin 568 did not
      cause significant rhabdomyolysis nor impaired the metabolicor physiological
      functions of the liver or kidney. In conclusion, patients administered Ankascin
      568for 8 weeks exhibited significant in reduction of SBP, serum TC and LDL-C
      levels, which shouldcontribute to better cardiovascular health.

PMID- 28628971
TI  - Occurrence of phthalate diesters in indoor air from several Northern cities in
      Vietnam, and its implication for human exposure.
AB  - Phthalates are used as plasticizers to impart flexibility of plastics. Because of
      their toxicity, human exposure to phthalates is a concern. Little is known on the
      occurrence of and inhalation exposure to phthalates in indoor air. In this study,
      ten phthalates were measured in 97 indoor air samples collected from Northern
      Vietnam during September 2016 to January 2017. The mean concentrations of total
      phthalates (i.e., sum of ten phthalates) in particulate and gas phases ranged
      from 95.2 to 13,100MUgg-1 and from 57.0 to 14,900ngm-3, respectively. In bulk
      indoor air samples (i.e., gas plus particulate phase), the mean concentration of
      total phthalates ranged from 106 to 16,000ngm-3 (mean: 1040ngm-3). Diethyl
      phthalate (DEP) was found at the highest concentration in indoor air at a
      concentration range of below the method quantitation limit (MQL) to 12,400ngm-3
      (mean: 376). Among various microenvironments, indoor air collected from hair
      salons contained the highest concentrations of phthalates (range: 596 to
      16,000ngm-3). Among the four northern Vietnamese cities studied, the highest
      concentrations of phthalates were found in indoor air samples from Hanoi. The
      calculated mean inhalation exposure doses to phthalates for infants, toddlers,
      children, teenagers, and adults were 780, 485, 416, 292, and 213ngkg-bw-1d-1,
      respectively.

PMID- 28628972
TI  - Urinary sexual steroids associated with bisphenol A (BPA) exposure in the early
      infant stage: Preliminary results from a Daishan birth cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many surveys have shown that older children are ubiquitously exposed
      to bisphenol A (BPA), and many laboratory studies have shown that BPA exposure
      has adverse effects related to estrogenic disruption, whereas the evidence in
      infants has not yet been observed. METHODS: Women in early pregnancy were
      recruited by the Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning Service Center,
      Daishan, China, from March 2012 to December 2014. After delivery, urine samples
      were collected from the diapers of 59 infants (0 to 6months of age). Urinary BPA,
      estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing
      hormone (LH), and creatinine were analyzed. The partial correlation and
      multivariable linear regression were applied to assess the associations of BPA
      with E2, T, FSH, and LH for each of the development stages: at birth, 14days,
      28days, 42days, 3months, and 6months. RESULTS: For both genders from birth to
      6months, infants showed randomly changed urinary BPA but regularly changed
      hormones, i.e., the monotonic decreasing E2 and T, the "U" shaping E2/T and
      upside down "U" shaping FSH and LH with extreme values at approximately the 14
      day stage, respectively. However, the creatinine-adjusted FSH for all stages and
      E2 from 6months were genders different. After adjustment for creatinine, gender,
      and infant body mass index, BPA was positively associated with E2 both in male
      (for 14-, 28-, and 42-day stages) and female (for 14-, 28-, 42-day, and 3-month
      stages) infants; positively associated with E2/T ratio in both male (for 14- and
      28-day stages) and female (for 14-day stage) infants; and positively associated
      with T in female (for 3-month stage) infants. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our
      knowledge, this is the first time that associations of BPA with E2, E2/T, and T
      in infant urine were observed. The results suggested that the infants first
      demonstrate a surge of steroids after leaving the maternal uterus's steroidogenic
      environment (i.e., mini-puberty) and may be affected by BPA; this pollution may
      disrupt the premature gonad function at some important developmental windows.

PMID- 28628973
TI  - A baseline survey of dissolved methane in aquifers of Great Britain.
AB  - Interest in dissolved methane (CH4) concentrations in aquifers in England,
      Scotland and Wales ('Great Britain' or GB) has grown concurrently with interest
      in the exploitation of unconventional gas sources (UGS). Experience, mainly from
      North America, has shown the importance of a pre-production baseline against
      which changes possibly due to UGS extraction can be compared. The British
      Geological Survey, aided by water utilities, private users and regulators, has
      compiled a unique dataset for CH4 in groundwaters of GB. This focuses principally
      on areas where UGS exploration is considered more likely, as indicated by the
      underlying geology. All the main water supply aquifers (Principal aquifers) were
      targeted, plus Secondary aquifers where locally important. The average dissolved
      CH4 concentration across GB in the aquifers sampled was 45MUg/l. Out of a total
      of 343 sites, 96% showed dissolved CH4 concentrations <100MUg/l, 80% <10MUg/l,
      and 43%<1MUg/l. No site had a CH4 concentration above the US Department of the
      Interior suggested risk action level of 10,000MUg/l. While most sites were
      sampled only once, a subset was monitored quarterly to determine the magnitude of
      seasonal or other variations. Generally these variations were minor, with 84% of
      sites showing variations within the range 0.5-37MUg/l, but some aquifers where
      the porosity was primarily fracture-related showed larger changes (0.5-264MUg/l).
      This may have been due to the nature of sampling at these sites which, unlike the
      others, did not have installed pumps. Since the regulatory compliance monitoring
      attending UGS operations will include the measurement of parameters such as
      dissolved CH4, it is essential that sampling methods are tested to ensure that
      reliable and comparable datasets can be obtained.

PMID- 28628974
TI  - The influence of climate change on the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic
      hydrocarbons, black carbon and mercury in a shrinking remote lake of the southern
      Tibetan Plateau.
AB  - A sediment core from a remote lake, Pumoyum Co, located in the southern TP, was
      analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), black carbon (BC) and
      mercury. Concentrations ranged from 30 to 229ng/g for PAHs, 0.46 to 1.48mg/g for
      BC and 10 to 30ng/g for mercury. Significant correlations were found among the
      concentrations of PAHs, BC and mercury, suggesting the sources of these
      pollutants to be similar; mainly from combustion processes. Further diagnosis of
      the likely sources of BC and PAHs suggested that petroleum combustion has been
      one of the increasing sources in the last few decades, but biomass burning
      remains the dominant source of these pollutants. The historic trends of the three
      pollutants closely followed historic BC emission trends from Europe (before 1970)
      and southern Asia (after 2000). With economic development in southern Asia,
      concentrations of pollutants in the sediments of Pumoyum Co have increased during
      the past decade. However, the accumulation fluxes of the pollutants during that
      period remained stable, which may be due to the recent low precipitation and less
      catchment erosion of Pumoyum Co (experienced a drier climate and shrinking of
      lake area).

PMID- 28628975
TI  - Highly expressed long non-coding RNA NNT-AS1 promotes cell proliferation and
      invasion through Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway in cervical cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the most common gynecological malignancies in
      women worldwide. The previous study showed that lncRNA NNT-AS1 could play an
      important role in tumor development and metastasis of colorectal cancer. However,
      little is known about the function of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer. The aim of this
      study was to investigate the expression profile of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer and
      assess its possible molecular mechanism. METHODS: Relative expression levels of
      NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer tissues were determined by qRT-PCR. The biologic
      functions of NNT-AS1 in cervical cancer were explored by MTT assay, transwell
      assay and flow cytometric analysis in vitro. The influence of NNT-AS1 on
      tumorigenesis was measured by mice xenograft model. In addition, we evaluated the
      activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway by luciferase assay and western
      blot. RESULTS: Our results showed that NNT-AS1 expression in cervical cancer
      tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues the overexpression of NNT-AS1
      was positively associated with advanced FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, depth
      of cervical invasion and poorer overall survival. Function assays showed that NNT
      AS1 inhibition could suppress cervical cancer cells proliferation and invasion
      ability in vitro as well as the activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.
      In vivo mice xenograft model revealed that silencing NNT-AS1 could reduce tumor
      growth in nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study suggested that
      NNT-AS1 might play an important role in cervical carcinogenesis and might serve
      as a potentially therapeutic target and prognostic marker in the treatment of
      cervical cancer.

PMID- 28628976
TI  - Effective enzymatic in situ saccharification of bamboo shoot shell pretreated by
      dilute alkalic salts sodium hypochlorite/sodium sulfide pretreatment under the
      autoclave system.
AB  - In this study, dilute alkali salts (0.6% NaClO, 0.067% Na2S) pretreatment at 10%
      sulfidity under the autoclave system at 120 degrees C for 40min was used for
      pretreating bamboo shoot shell (BSS). Furthermore, FT-IR, XRD and SEM were
      employed to characterize the changes in the cellulose structural characteristics
      (porosity, morphology, and crystallinity) of the pretreated BSS solid residue.
      After 72h, the reducing sugars and glucose from the enzymatic in situ hydrolysis
      of 50g/L pretreated BSS in dilute NaClO/Na2S media could be obtained at 31.11 and
      20.32g/L, respectively. Finally, the obtained BSS-hydrolysates containing alkalic
      salt NaClO/Na2S resulted in slightly negative effects on the ethanol production.
      Glucose in BSS-hydrolysates was fermented from 20.0 to 0.17g/L within 48h, and an
      ethanol yield of 0.41g/g glucose, which represents 80.1% of the theoretical
      yield, was obtained. This study provided an effective strategy for potential
      utilization of BSS.

PMID- 28628977
TI  - Enhanced performance of microbial fuel cell with in situ preparing dual graphene
      modified bioelectrode.
AB  - This study proposed a three-step method to prepare dual graphene modified
      bioelectrode (D-GM-BE) by in situ microbial-induced reduction of GO and polarity
      reversion in microbial fuel cell (MFC). Both graphene modified bioanode (GM-BA)
      and biocathode (GM-BC) were of 3D graphene/biofilm architectures; the viability
      and thickness of microbial biofilm decreased compared with control bioelectrode
      (C-BE). The coulombic efficiency (CE) of GM-BA was 2.1 times of the control
      bioanode (C-BA), which demonstrated higher rate of substrates oxidation; the
      relationship between peak current and scan rates data meant that GM-BC was of
      higher efficiency of catalyzing oxygen reduction than the control biocathode (C
      BC). The maximum power density obtained in D-GM-BE MFC was 122.4+/-6.9mWm-2, the
      interfacial charge transfer resistance of GM-BA and GM-BC were decreased by 79%
      and 75.7%. The excellent electrochemical performance of D-GM-BE MFC was
      attributed to the enhanced extracellular electron transfer (EET) process and
      catalyzing oxygen reduction.

PMID- 28628978
TI  - A high-throughput dye-reducing photometric assay for evaluating microbial
      exoelectrogenic ability.
AB  - Exoelectrogenic bacteria (EEB) can transfer electrons to extracellular electron
      acceptors and have wide applications in environmental bioremediation and
      bioenergy generation. Thus, methods for effectively probing the exoelectrogenic
      ability of EEB are highly desirable. In this work, a simple but efficient
      photometric assay based on the extracellular reduction of high polar dyes was
      developed to evaluate the microbial exoelectrogenic ability. Methyl orange were
      proven to be used as a probe for evaluating the exoelectrogenic ability of EEB.
      Through monitoring the extracellular dye decolorization under anaerobic
      conditions, this plate-based photometric assay could rapidly measure the
      exoelectrogenic ability of various EEB. This approach was also able to evaluate
      the exoelectrogenic capacity of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 wild-type strain and
      its Mtr mutants. Furthermore, the exoelectrogenic ability of mixed cultures in
      microbial fuel cells was correlated with the extracellular dye decolorization.
      Thus, this work is useful for the practical implementation of microbial
      exoelectrogenic ability evaluation.

PMID- 28628979
TI  - The short- and long-term effects of Mn2+ on biogranule-based anaerobic ammonium
      oxidation (anammox).
AB  - The short- and long-term effects of Mn2+ on the performance of anaerobic ammonium
      oxidation (anammox) granules were investigated in the present study. Anammox
      activity was determined at various Mn2+ concentrations in batch assays, and the
      50% inhibition concentration value was determined to be 7.33mgL-1. However, no
      obvious deterioration of reactor performance was observed during the 150-day
      continuous-flow operation, and the nitrogen removal efficiency of the test
      reactor (R1) fluctuated between 91% and 92% as the Mn2+ concentration was
      increased from 1 to 200mgL-1. Additionally, the specific anammox activity, heme c
      content and the amounts of extracellular polymeric substances in the anammox
      biomass increased and then subsequently decreased. The results demonstrated that
      short-term exposure to Mn2+ has a negative effect on anammox biomass, but the
      biomass could tolerate Mn2+ stress after acclimation to a high concentration of
      200mgL-1 at the end of the continuous-flow experiment.

PMID- 28628980
TI  - Depolymerization of cellulose into high-value chemicals by using synergy of zinc
      chloride hydrate and sulfate ion promoted titania catalyst.
AB  - Experiments for cellulose depolymerization by synergy of zinc chloride hydrate
      (ZnCl2.RH2O) and sulfated titania catalyst (SO42-/TiO2) were investigated in this
      study. The results showed the introduction of sulfate into the TiO2 significantly
      enhanced the catalyst acid amount, especially for Bronsted acid site, which is
      beneficial for subsequent cellulose depolymerization. ZnCl2.RH2O hydrate, only a
      narrow composition range of water, specifically 3.0<=R<=4.0, can dissolve
      cellulose, which finally resulted the cellulose with low crystallinity and weak
      intrachain and interchain hydrogen bond network. Coupling of ZnCl2.RH2O hydrate
      and SO42-/TiO2 catalyst as a mixed reaction system promoted cellulose
      depolymerization, and the products can be adjusted by the control of reaction
      conditions, the low temperature (80-100 degrees C) seemed beneficial for glucose
      formation (maximal yield 50.5%), and the high temperature (120-140 degrees C)
      favored to produce levulinic acid (maximal yield 43.1%). Besides, the addition of
      organic co-solvent making HMF as the main product (maximal yield 38.3%).

PMID- 28628981
TI  - Biodiesel synthesis from Calophyllum inophyllum oil with different supercritical
      fluids.
AB  - Biodiesel or fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) is primarily synthesized using
      edible vegetable oils and methanol with a catalyst. However, in the present
      study, FAMEs were synthesized from a non-edible oil (Calophyllum inophyllum also
      called as sura honne, Punnagam, Alexandrian Laurel) in different supercritical
      fluids: methanol (MeOH), methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), methyl acetate (MeOAc)
      and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) non-catalytically. Reactions were performed from
      523K to 673K at 30MPa with a molar ratio of 40:1 with times varying from 3min to
      3h. Conversions higher than 80% were obtained within 30min for oil reaction with
      MeOH and DMC at 623K and conversions of 60% and 70% were obtained at 673K with
      MeOAc and MTBE, respectively. Pseudo first order kinetics was used to obtain the
      rate constants and the activation energies followed the order:
      EMeOH<EDMC<EMeOAc<EMTBE.

PMID- 28628982
TI  - The physiology of trace elements in biological methane production.
AB  - Trace element (TE) requirements of Methanothermobacter okinawensis and
      Methanothermobacter marburgensis were examined in silico, and using closed batch
      and fed-batch cultivation experiments. In silico analysis revealed genomic
      differences among the transport systems and enzymes related to the archaeal Wood
      Ljungdahl pathway of these two methanogens. M. okinawensis responded to rising
      concentrations of TE by increasing specific growth rate (u) and volumetric
      productivity (MER) during closed batch cultivation, and can grow and produce
      methane (CH4) during fed-batch cultivation. M. marburgensis showed higher u and
      MER during fed-batch cultivation and was therefore prioritized for subsequent
      optimization of CO2-based biological CH4 production. Multiple-parameter
      cultivation dependency on growth and productivity of M. marburgensis was finally
      examined using exponential fed-batch cultivation at different medium-, TE- and
      sulphide dilution rates, and different gas inflow rates. MER of 476mmolL-1h-1 and
      u of 0.69h-1 were eventually obtained during exponential fed-batch cultivations
      employing M. marburgensis.

PMID- 28628983
TI  - Immobilized oleaginous microalgae for production of lipid and phytoremediation of
      secondary effluent from palm oil mill in fluidized bed photobioreactor.
AB  - Oleaginous microalga Nannochloropsis sp. was immobilized in alginate gel beads
      and cultivated under optimal conditions that their growth and lipid production
      were comparable to those of free cells. The immobilized cells were used in
      phytoremediation of secondary effluent from palm oil mill and easily recovered by
      simple sieving method. The immobilized cells contributed to removal of nitrogen
      and phosphorus >90% and CO2 mitigation >99%. They also gave the biomass and lipid
      production of 1.300+/-0.050g/L and 0.356+/-0.097g/L, respectively. The repeated
      batch cultivation improved the biomass and lipid production by 2.66 folds and
      1.41 folds, respectively. The scale up in 3L-fluidized bed photobioreactor gave
      the maximum biomass of 3.280+/-0.049g/L and lipid production of 0.362+/-0.010g/L.
      Fatty acid compositions of Nannochloropsis sp. lipids showed their suitability as
      biodiesel feedstocks. This system not only contributes as tertiary treatment of
      industrial effluent and CO2 mitigation but also low-cost production of renewable
      energy.

PMID- 28628984
TI  - High-level expression of recombinant thermostable beta-glucosidase in Escherichia
      coli by regulating acetic acid.
AB  - In the fermentation progress, fermentation parameters including the feed rate,
      induction temperature, and induction pH evidently regulate the accumulation of
      acetic acid generated by recombinant E. coli in the medium. The production of
      thermostable beta-glucosidase (Tpebgl3) was increased by optimizing the
      parameters mentioned step by step. The optimal conditions were obtained with the
      highest enzyme expression (560.4U/mL) and the maximum DCW (65g/L) at the pre
      induction specific growth rate of 0.2h-1 followed by a post-induction specific
      growth rate (0.18h-1); induction temperature is 39 degrees C; the pH is 7.2; the
      concentration of acetic acid was maintained all along below 0.9g/L. Results show
      it is necessary for the synthesis of Tpebgl3 to regulate the accumulation of
      acetic acid at the premise of feeding to meet the normal growth of E. coli. The
      production of Tpebgl3 by recombinant E. coli is the highest reported to date.

PMID- 28628985
TI  - Enhanced polyhydroxyalkanoate production by mixed microbial culture with extended
      cultivation strategy.
AB  - Low biomass output is a crucial reason for low polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)
      production in mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) PHA process. In this research, an
      extended cultivation strategy was proposed to rapidly expand the biomass yield of
      PHA accumulating MMCs and conserve the PHA accumulating ability simultaneously.
      High PHA content of the cultivated MMCs of 71.4% and 66.7% (higher than 62.1% of
      the seed biomass) in batch assays and biomass magnification of 43 and 52 were
      obtained after 10days of extended cultivation with and without sludge discharge,
      respectively. By embedding the extended cultivation process into the production
      process, a highly competitive PHA production performance in terms of overall PHA
      storage yield (0.49g CODPHA/gCODVFA) and volumetric productivity (1.21gPHA/L/d
      with final cell density of 17.22g/L) was achieved. The proposed PHA production
      process based on the extended cultivation can be a promising choice in industrial
      scale practice.

PMID- 28628986
TI  - Acetate production and electron utilization facilitated by sulfate-reducing
      bacteria in a microbial electrosynthesis system.
AB  - The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of sulfate-reducing bacteria
      on performance of a mixed culture microbial electrosynthesis system (MES). The
      two-chamber MESs were operated under different cathode potentials (-0.5, -0.6, 
      0.7, and -0.8V) with or without addition of 6mM sulfate. At -0.7V, acetate
      production and electrons harvesting in the MES with the sulfate addition were
      31.81mM and 5152C, respectively, which improved by 2.7 and 2.4times compared to
      that without sulfate. With sulfate, the biomass, proportion of live cells, and
      electrochemical activity of cathode biofilm were enhanced at all the potentials.
      At -0.7V, the relative abundance of Acetobacterium and Desulfovibrionaceae was
      14.2% and 36.7% with sulfate, respectively, compared to 17.4% and 7.3% without
      sulfate. At -0.7 and -0.8V, the sulfate-reducing bacteria can promote the
      electron transfer of cathode biofilm and enhance the acetate production.

PMID- 28628987
TI  - A long-term study on the effect of magnetite supplementation in continuous
      anaerobic digestion of dairy effluent - Magnetic separation and recycling of
      magnetite.
AB  - Promotion of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between exoelectrogenic
      bacteria and electron-utilizing methanogens has recently been discussed as a new
      method for enhanced biomethanation. This study evaluated the effect of magnetite
      promoted DIET in continuous anaerobic digestion of dairy effluent and tested the
      magnetic separation and recycling of magnetite to avoid continuous magnetite
      addition. The applied magnetite recycling method effectively supported enhanced
      DIET activity and biomethanation performance over a long period (>250days)
      without adding extra magnetite. DIET via magnetite particles as electrical
      conduits was likely the main mechanism for the enhanced biomethanation. Magnetite
      formed complex aggregate structures with microbes, and magnetite recycling also
      helped retain more biomass in the process. Methanosaeta was likely the major
      methanogen group responsible for DIET-based methanogenesis, in association with
      Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi populations as syntrophic partners. The recycling
      approach proved robust and effective, highlighting the potential of magnetite
      recycling for high-rate biomethanation.

PMID- 28628988
TI  - Enhanced power generation and wastewater treatment in sustainable biochar
      electrodes based bioelectrochemical system.
AB  - Corn-straw biochar (BC500 and BC900) and KOH modified biochar (BAC) were used as
      the electrode materials of bioelectrochemical system (BES). Compared to carbon
      felt (CF) electrodes BES, the maximum power density of BC500, BC900 and BAC
      anodes BES increased by 10.7%, 56.0% and 92.0%, and that of BC500, BC900 and BAC
      cathodes BES increased by 3.1, 5.2 and 4.8 times, respectively. The CF electrodes
      BES was optimized to decolor the AO7 simulated wastewater and 97% of AO7 was
      quickly degraded within 2h. When using biochar anodes, the decoloration rates
      were enhanced. The apparent rate constant (kapp) increased from 2.93h-1 for CF
      anode BES to 3.58, 4.35 and 5.33h-1 for BC500, BC900 and BAC anode system,
      respectively. AO7 could also be effectively decolored in biochar cathode systems,
      which was mainly due to adsorption.

PMID- 28628989
TI  - Pollutant removal and microorganism evolution of activated sludge under ofloxacin
      selection pressure.
AB  - An activated sludge sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was fed with synthetic
      wastewater containing ofloxacin (OFL) for 52days to study the overall performance
      of the SBR, the characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and
      the bacterial community shift. Removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand,
      ammonia nitrogen, phosphorus and OFL were maintained at 90%, 96%, 80% and 65%,
      respectively. The EPS contents increased with increasing OFL concentration
      because more EPS was secreted to protect cells from OFL damage. Moreover, the EPS
      compositions shifted. For denitrifying bacteria, the read number of Pseudomonas
      and Bacillus sharply decreased initially (p<0.05) and increased from Day 25 to
      Day 50, which agreed with the tendency of Nitrosomonadaceae (ammonia oxidizer),
      while Paracoccus significantly decreased (p<0.05). The read number of
      Rhodocyclaceae, a phosphorus-accumulating bacterium, increased. Other functional
      microbes such as Nitrospirales (nitrite oxidizer) and Planctomyces (anammox)
      sharply decreased under OFL pressure (p<0.05).

PMID- 28628990
TI  - Kinetic modelling of starch and lipid formation during mixotrophic, nutrient
      limited microalgal growth.
AB  - Microalgal starch and lipids, carbon-based storage molecules, are useful as
      potential biofuel feedstocks. In this work, cultivation strategies maximising
      starch and lipid formation were established by developing a multi-parameter
      kinetic model describing microalgal growth as well as starch and lipid formation,
      in conjunction with laboratory-scale experiments. Growth dynamics are driven by
      nitrogen-limited mixotrophic conditions, known to increase cellular starch and
      lipid contents whilst enhancing biomass growth. Model parameters were computed by
      fitting model outputs to a range of experimental datasets from batch cultures of
      Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Predictive capabilities of the model were established
      against different experimental data. The model was subsequently used to compute
      optimal nutrient-based cultivation strategies in terms of initial nitrogen and
      carbon concentrations. Model-based optimal strategies yielded a significant
      increase of 261% for starch (0.065gCL-1) and 66% for lipid (0.08gCL-1) production
      compared to base-case conditions (0.018gCL-1 starch, 0.048gCL-1 lipids).

PMID- 28628991
TI  - Bacterial community composition in rainwater associated with synoptic weather in
      an area downwind of the Asian continent.
AB  - Bacteria are abundant in atmospheric waters and can be disseminated by
      precipitation to the surface of the Earth, potentially influencing ecosystems,
      public health and climate. However, data on bacterial communities in rainwater,
      especially on the association with weather, are very limited. In this study,
      rainwater was collected at the coastal city Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, in
      2015. The bacterial communities in fourteen samples were identified using 16S
      rRNA sequencing and compared according to the rain types at the synoptic scale,
      i.e., cyclones, Meiyu and non-Meiyu stationary fronts, and typhoons. Diverse
      bacterial communities were present in all four types of rainwater and were
      dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria (37%), Bacteroidetes (16%), Cyanobacteria
      (14%), Actinobacteria (9%), Acidobacteria (8%) and Firmicutes (5%). Approximately
      half of the phyla (16 out of 33) were common among the rain types. The
      operational taxonomic units (OTUs) common among the four types of rainwater
      represented the majority (averagely 74%) of the sequences, indicating the
      predominance of common bacterial OTUs regardless of rain type. On the other hand,
      the synoptic weather systems and the origins of air masses associated with the
      rain likely resulted in distinct bacterial communities. High fractions of
      bacterial soil indicator taxa signified the large contribution of bacteria from
      soils. Genera containing ice nucleation-active bacteria were identified in all
      samples except one typhoon rain sample. Marine bacterial taxa, e.g.,
      Pseudoalteromonas, Synechococcus and Marinobacter, were detected in several
      samples, indicating the dispersal of marine bacteria via clouds and rainwater.
      Fecal indicator bacteria were also detected in all samples. Thus, the bacteria in
      the four types of rainwater were characterized by largely overlapping communities
      with some differences in community composition, indicating that rain is an
      efficient pathway for the dissemination of bacterial communities in nature and
      links continental, marine and island ecosystems.

PMID- 28628992
TI  - Estimating linkages between forest structural variables and rainfall interception
      parameters in semi-arid deciduous oak forest stands.
AB  - An understanding of the relationship between canopy structure and the water
      balance is needed for predicting how forest structure changes affect rainfall
      partitioning and, consequently, water resources. The objective of this study was
      to predict rainfall interception (I) and canopy storage capacity (S) using canopy
      structure variables and to investigate how seasonal changes influence their
      relationship. The study was conducted in twelve 50m*50m plots in the Zagros
      forest in the western Iranian state of Ilam, protected forests of Dalab region.
      Average cumulative I was 84.2mm, accounting for 10.2% of cumulative gross
      precipitation (GP) over a 1-year period. Using a regression based method, S
      averaged ~1mm and 0.1mm in the leafed and leafless periods, respectively. There
      were no relationships between tree density and I:GP or S, but I:GP and S
      increased with leaf area index, canopy cover fraction, basal area, tree height,
      and diameter at breast height in the leafed period. In addition, wood area index
      and canopy cover fraction were related to I:GP or S in the leafless period.

PMID- 28628993
TI  - The impact of silver nanoparticles on marine plankton dynamics: Dependence on
      coating, size and concentration.
AB  - During this study, three microcosm experiments were carried out with natural
      coastal seawater, collected in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, in order to assess
      the effect of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) exposure to natural plankton
      communities. The impact of coating (branched-polyethyleneimine: BPEI vs. poly
      vinylpyrrolidone: PVP), size (40 vs. 60nm), concentration (200, 500, 2000, 5000
      and 10,000ng Ag L-1) and silver form (dissolved Ag+ vs. AgNPs) were tested. The
      results of chlorophyll a concentration revealed that PVP AgNPs caused a higher
      toxicity than BPEI AgNPs, and this was possibly related to the measured higher
      dissolution rate. Additionally, toxicity of BPEI AgNPs was size-dependent, with
      40 being more toxic than 60 nm AgNPs, which was nevertheless not seen clearly for
      PVP AgNPs. Interestingly, community composition altered in response to AgNP
      exposure: cyanobacterial abundance was negatively affected at concentrations
      >=200ng Ag L-1, and dinoflagellate abundance and composition were altered at a
      2000ng Ag L-1 concentration. Specifically, dinoflagellate (Gymnodinium,
      Prorocentrum and Gyrodinium) and diatom (Nitzschia, Navicula and Climacosphenia)
      genera either increased or decreased, highlighting taxa-specific effects, with
      some of them being able to tolerate, compensate or even benefit from AgNPs.
      Silver in either form (dissolved Ag+ or in NPs) caused almost identical results
      in the plankton community, further indicating that Ag+ release is the primary
      cause of AgNP toxicity. This study employed for the first time environmentally
      relevant AgNP concentrations (minimum 200ng Ag L-1) in natural seawater without
      pre-filtration steps and showed that community changes were driven by the
      exposure but were largely dependent on ambient physico-chemical characteristics
      and should be further investigated.

PMID- 28628994
TI  - TiO2 surfaces support neuron growth during electric field stimulation.
AB  - TiO2 is proposed here for the first time as a substrate for neural prostheses
      that involve electrical stimulation. Several characteristics make TiO2 an
      attractive material: Its electrochemical behaviour as an insulator prevents
      surface changes during stimulation. Hydration creates -OH groups at the surface,
      which aid cell adhesion by interaction with inorganic ions and macromolecules in
      cell membranes. Its ability to neutralize reactive oxygen and nitrogen species
      that trigger inflammatory processes confers biocompatibility properties in dark
      conditions. Here, physicochemical characterization of TiO2 samples and their
      surfaces was carried out by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectronic emission
      spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and by
      contact angle measurements. Its properties were related to the growth parameters
      and morphology of amphibian spinal neurons cultured on TiO2 samples. Neurons
      adhered to and extended neurites directly on TiO2 surfaces without pre-coating
      with adhesive molecules, indicating that the material permits intimate neuron
      surface interactions. On TiO2 surfaces the distal tips of each extending neurite
      and the neurite shafts themselves showed more complex filopodial morphology
      compared with control cultures on glass. Importantly, the ability of TiO2 to
      support neuron growth during electric field exposure was also tested. The extent
      of growth and the degree of neurite orientation relative to the electric field on
      TiO2 approximated that on glass control substrates. Collectively, the data
      suggest that TiO2 materials support neuron growth and that they have potential
      utility for neural prosthetic applications incorporating electric field
      stimulation, especially where intimate contact of neurons with the material is
      beneficial.

PMID- 28628995
TI  - In simulated body fluid performance of polymorphic apatite coatings synthesized
      by pulsed electrodeposition.
AB  - Surface modification is to modify biological responses through changing surface
      properties without reducing the mechanical properties of the implant.
      Specifically bioactive coatings, such as hydroxyapatite, carbonate apatite and
      dicalcium phosphate dehydrate, have been deposited on carbon/carbon (C/C)
      composites to change the bio-inert surface state. This work focused on the
      effects of voltages and electrolyte concentrations of pulsed electrodeposition on
      apatite layer. The apatite coatings thus synthesized were then structurally,
      morphologically and chemically characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning
      electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy and Fourier-transform
      infrared spectroscopy. Remarkably, the voltages and electrolyte concentrations
      changed the structure, morphology and crystallinity of the obtained coatings. In
      vitro bioactivity evaluation of polymorphic apatite coatings was performed by
      soaking the apatite layer coated C/C composites in simulated body fluid (SBF).
      The corrosion behavior was investigated via the potentiodynamic polarization test
      in SBF solution. The results confirmed that the increasing deposition voltage and
      concentration of electrolyte resulted in promoting bioactivity and corrosion
      resistance by altering the morphologies and phases.

PMID- 28628996
TI  - PVP and PEG doped CuO nanoparticles are more biologically active: Antibacterial,
      antioxidant, antidiabetic and cytotoxic perspective.
AB  - Search for biologically active nanoparticles is prerequisite for biomedical
      applications. CuO nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method are capped
      by polyethylene-glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP) on the surface by
      simple adsorption. Physical and chemical properties carried out by SEM, XRD and
      FTIR confirm nanometer in size and efficient capping of PVP and PEG on CuO NPs.
      Biological assays reveal higher activities of CuO-PEG and CuO-PVP as compared to
      the uncapped CuO nanoparticles. CuO-PEG shows better antitumor activity against
      Streptomyces as compared with CuO-PVP and CuO NPs. Both the capped NPs are
      significantly active for alpha-amylase inhibition assay. CuO-PVP demonstrates
      significantly better activity against bacterial strains followed by CuO-PEG and
      uncapped CuO. PVP coated CuO NPs also shows strong DPPH based free radical
      scavenging activity, total reducing power potential, total antioxidative
      potential and also carries flavonoid and phenolics properties determines to
      querecetin and gallic acid equivalence, respectively. It can be concluded that
      PVP and PEG capped CuO NPs are more capable to be used in biomedical applications
      as drug and diagnostic carrier molecules.

PMID- 28628997
TI  - Preparations of hyperbranched polymer nano micelles and the pH/redox controlled
      drug release behaviors.
AB  - Hyperbranched polymer nano micelles (NMs) were prepared through a nucleophilic
      ring opening polymerization between cystamine and polyethylene glycol diglycidyl
      ether, followed by a reaction of amino groups and dimethyl maleic anhydride. The
      NMs showed spheric morphologies with hydrodynamic diameters of 106-120nm.
      Doxorubicin was loaded in the NMs with loading rate as high as 15.38wt%; The NMs
      possessed negative zeta potentials in aqueous solutions of pH7.4 due to the
      carboxyl ions on the particle surfaces, but the zeta potentials were converted to
      positive ones due to the hydrolysis of amide bonds at pH5.0-6.5, leading to the
      leaving of carboxyl groups and remaining of amino groups. The disulfide bonds in
      cystamine were designed in the hyperbranched polymer structures of the NMs, and
      bonds could be broken by a reducing agent l-glutathione (GSH) (10mM), resulting
      in a targeted drug release. The smart NMs displayed good biodegradability and
      biocompatibility, and they could be potentially used in drug controlled release
      field.

PMID- 28628998
TI  - A facile fabrication of silk/MoS2 hybrids for Photothermal therapy.
AB  - Photothermal therapy, due to its safety and effectiveness, has attracted
      tremendous interest in the area of cancer treatment in recent few decades. The
      emerging of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides has provided this
      promising therapy with a novel genus of nanomaterials. Herein, we present a
      facile one-step way to prepare a hybrid of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) and
      molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets simply by directly adding MoS2 dispersion
      into RSF aqueous solution to induce the self-assembly of silk protein on the
      surface of MoS2 flakes. The produced RSF/MoS2 hybrids demonstrate better
      photothermal performance and less cytotoxicity than the pristine MoS2. In the
      meantime, the RSF/MoS2 hybrids show a good photothermal stability. Finally and
      importantly, the RSF/MoS2 hybrids display a satisfying photothermal capability on
      ablating HeLa cells in vitro, which imply that such a protein/inorganic hybrid
      material holds a great promise as a photothermal agent in future cancer
      treatment.

PMID- 28628999
TI  - Synthesis, characterisation and phase transition behaviour of temperature
      responsive physically crosslinked poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) based polymers for
      biomedical applications.
AB  - Poly (N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL) is a polymer which offers superior
      characteristics for various potential medical device applications. In particular
      it offers unique thermoresponsive capabilities, which fulfils the material
      technology constraints required in targeted drug delivery applications. PNVCL
      phase transitions can be tailored in order to suit the requirements of current
      and next generation devices, by modifying the contents with regard to the
      material composition and aqueous polymer concentration. In this study, physically
      crosslinked Poly (N-vinylcaprolactam)-Vinyl acetate (PNVCL-VAc) copolymers were
      prepared by photopolymerisation. The structure of the polymers was established by
      Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel
      permeation chromatography. The polymers were further characterised using
      differential scanning calorimetry and swelling studies. Determination of the LCST
      of the polymers in aqueous solution was achieved by employing four techniques;
      cloud point, UV-spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry and rheometry.
      Sol-gel transition was established using tube inversion method and rheological
      analysis. This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of PNVCL with
      the addition of VAc, and to establish the effects on the phase transition. The
      PNVCL based polymers exhibited a decrease in the LCST as the composition of VAc
      increased. Sol-gel transition could be controlled by altering the monomeric feed
      ratio and polymer concentration in aqueous milieu. Importantly all copolymers
      (10wt% in solution) underwent gelation between 33.6 and 35.9 degrees C, and based
      on this and the other materials properties recorded in this study, these novel
      copolymers have potential for use as injectable in situ forming drug delivery
      systems for targeted drug delivery.

PMID- 28629000
TI  - Formulation and in-vitro efficacy of antifungal mucoadhesive polymeric matrices
      for the delivery of miconazole nitrate.
AB  - Oral candidiasis is the most common opportunistic infection affecting patients
      with the human immunodeficiency virus. Miconazole buccal tablets or miconazole
      gel are approved for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis. However, buccal
      films present more flexibility and also offer protection for the wounded mucosa,
      reducing pain. Due to their small size and thickness, buccal films may improve
      patients' compliance, compared to tablets. Additionally, they may increase the
      relatively short residence time on the mucosa of oral gels, which are easily
      removed by saliva. Polymeric films loaded with miconazole nitrate were prepared
      by a casting/solvent evaporation methodology using chitosan, carbopol, gelatin,
      gum arabic, and alginate to form the polymeric matrices. The morphology of films
      was investigated by scanning electron microscopy; interactions between polymers
      were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and drug crystallinity by differential
      thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. Films were characterized in terms of
      thickness, folding endurance, tensile properties, swelling, adhesiveness, and
      drug release. Finally, the antifungal activity against cultures of the five most
      important fungal opportunistic pathogens belonging to Candida genus was
      investigated. The more appropriate formulations were those based on chitosan
      gelatin and chitosan-carbopol which showed good mechanical properties and
      adhesiveness, a relative low swelling index, improved drug release, and showed
      better in vitro activity against Candida cultures than miconazole nitrate raw
      material. Thus, it will be possible to produce a new pharmaceutical form based on
      polymeric films containing chitosan and miconazole nitrate, which could be loaded
      with low drug concentration producing the same therapeutic effect against Candida
      cultures.

PMID- 28629001
TI  - Biomimetic electrospun scaffolds from main extracellular matrix components for
      skin tissue engineering application - The role of chondroitin sulfate and
      sulfated hyaluronan.
AB  - Incorporation of bioactive components like glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) into tissue
      engineering scaffolds, is a promising approach towards developing new generation
      functional biomaterial. Here, we have designed electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds
      made of gelatin and different concentrations of chemically sulfated or non
      sulfated hyaluronan (sHA or HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS). Evenly distributed
      fiber morphology was observed with no differences between varying concentrations
      and types of GAGs. In vitro release kinetics revealed that GAGs release is driven
      by diffusion. The effects of these scaffolds were analyzed on human keratinocyte
      (HaCaT), fibroblast (Hs27) and mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) adhesion and
      proliferation. A significant increase in cell number (~5 fold) was observed when
      cultivating all three cell types alone on scaffolds containing sHA and CS. These
      findings suggest that sulfated GAG-containing electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds
      might be beneficial for the development of effective skin tissue engineered
      constructs by stimulating cellular performance and therefore accelerate epidermal
      dermal regeneration processes.

PMID- 28629002
TI  - A facile synthesis method of hydroxyethyl cellulose-silver nanoparticle scaffolds
      for skin tissue engineering applications.
AB  - Green porous and ecofriendly scaffolds have been considered as one of the potent
      candidates for tissue engineering substitutes. The objective of this study is to
      investigate the biocompatibility of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC)/silver
      nanoparticles (AgNPs), prepared by the green synthesis method as a potential host
      material for skin tissue applications. The substrates which contained varied
      concentrations of AgNO3 (0.4%-1.6%) were formed in the presence of HEC, were
      dissolved in a single step in water. The presence of AgNPs was confirmed visually
      by the change of color from colorless to dark brown, and was fabricated via
      freeze-drying technique. The outcomes exhibited significant porosity of >80%,
      moderate degradation rate, and tremendous value of water absorption up to 1163%
      in all samples. These scaffolds of HEC/AgNPs were further characterized by SEM,
      UV-Vis, ATR-FTIR, TGA, and DSC. All scaffolds possessed open interconnected pore
      size in the range of 50-150MUm. The characteristic peaks of Ag in the UV-Vis
      spectra (417-421nm) revealed the formation of AgNPs in the blend composite. ATR
      FTIR curve showed new existing peak, which implies the oxidation of HEC in the
      cellulose derivatives. The DSC thermogram showed augmentation in Tg with
      increased AgNO3 concentration. Preliminary studies of cytotoxicity were carried
      out in vitro by implementation of the hFB cells on the scaffolds. The results
      substantiated low toxicity of HEC/AgNPs scaffolds, thus exhibiting an ideal
      characteristic in skin tissue engineering applications.

PMID- 28629003
TI  - A simple semi-quantitative approach studying the in vivo degradation of
      regenerated silk fibroin scaffolds with different pore sizes.
AB  - The biocompatibility and in vivo degradation rate of biomaterials represent
      critical control points in the long-term success of scaffolds for tissue
      restoration. In this study, new three-dimensional (3D) regenerated silk fibroin
      scaffolds (RSFs) were prepared by the freezing-defrosting procedure, and then
      were implanted beneath the dorsal skin of rats. This study aims to develop a
      kinetic semi-quantitative approach to assess in vivo degradation rate and
      biocompatibility of this kind of RSFs with different pore sizes for the first
      time, and to evaluate the relationship between the biodegradation and tissue
      responses by measuring the thickness of residual scaffolds, fibrous capsules and
      infiltrated tissues through integrated techniques of histology, optical imaging
      and image analysis. Our results showed that scaffolds with both pore sizes
      (74.35+/-10.84MUm and 139.23+/-44.93MUm, respectively) were well tolerated by
      host animals and pore size was found to be the rate limiting factor to the
      biodegradation in the subcutaneous implantation model. In addition, the
      biodegradation of RSFs was inflammation-mediated to a certain degree and
      fibroblasts may play a critical role in this process. Overall, such semi
      quantitative approach was demonstrated to be a simple and effective method to
      assess the in vivo degradation rate, and the prepared RSFs were presented to have
      promising potential in tissue engineering applications.

PMID- 28629004
TI  - Performance evaluation of non-ionic surfactant based tazarotene encapsulated
      proniosomal gel for the treatment of psoriasis.
AB  - The study aims to explore the potential of non-ionic surfactant based proniosomal
      gel (PNG) in improving the topical delivery of tazarotene by in vitro and in vivo
      studies. The PNG was prepared using coacervation phase separation method composed
      of span, stearylamine, cholesterol, and lecithin. The PNG demonstrated favorable
      vesicle size (3.26+/-0.22MUm) and percent encapsulation efficiency (49.50+/
      2.3%). The PNG was evaluated for viscosity which indicated that the ratio of
      span:cholesterol:stearylamine (64.5:30.5:5mM) demonstrated no any fluctuations in
      viscosity. The scanning electron micrographs exhibited spherical vesicles with
      sharp boundaries. The in vitro drug release through cellulose membrane and rat's
      skin were found to be in the following order of the formulation code A2>A4>A3>A5
      and A4>A2>A3>A5, respectively, which showed the prolonged release of entrapped
      tazarotene. Further, in vitro drug permeation and retention studies revealed that
      formulations A2 and A4 showed the higher percent of drug permeation whereas
      formulations A3 and A5 showed the higher percent of drug retention through rat's
      skin. Moreover, PNG A2 and A4 formulations demonstrated good stability
      characteristics at different temperature conditions. The stability in the
      presence of detergent revealed that no any abrupt change in turbidity. The skin
      irritation studies performed with formulations A2 and A4 showed no erythema
      compared with the plain PNG. The male Albino NMRI mice tail model was used to
      performed in vivo skin histological examination which revealed that an increase
      in the orthokeratosis strengthened. Thus, all the results concluded that
      surfactant, Span 60 based PNG formulations have shown a good ability to increase
      drug accumulation in the various skin layers and more potential carrier for
      topical delivery of tazarotene for an effective therapy of psoriasis.

PMID- 28629005
TI  - Laser surface structuring of Ti6Al4V substrates for adhesion enhancement in
      Ti6Al4V-PEEK joints.
AB  - PEEK is a promising polymer possessing high mechanical strength and
      biocompatibility and therefore it can be associated to titanium for biomedical
      applications. This study aimed at producing Ti6Al4V-PEEK joints with enhanced
      adhesion through laser-structuring Ti6Al4V treatments. Ti6Al4V cylindrical
      substrates were prepared by two types of surface treatments: alumina blasting and
      laser structuring. The holes number and size in laser-structured surfaces was
      varied. PEEK was then hot pressed against the metallic substrate to completely
      filling the surface cavities. The adhesion of the PEEK/Ti6Al4V joint was assessed
      by a shear bond strength test. Fracture surfaces and interfaces were investigated
      by SEM/EDS. Significant differences were found in the shear bond strength between
      alumina blasted and laser-structured samples. Bond strength improvement
      (exceeding 300%) was registered for the laser-structured specimens relative to
      grit-blasted ones. The laser-structuring technique showed to be very promising in
      the production of specifically designed surfaces for high strength and
      mechanically stable Ti6Al4V/PEEK joints.

PMID- 28629006
TI  - A colon targeted drug delivery system based on alginate modificated graphene
      oxide for colorectal liver metastasis.
AB  - A major problem associated with colon cancer is liver metastasis. A colon
      targeted drug delivery system is one way to address this problem after the
      resection of colorectal cancer. However, traditional drug delivery systems face
      many challenges, such as an inability to control the release rate, inaccurate
      targeting, susceptibility to the microenvironment and poor stability. Here, we
      report the development of a graphene oxide (GO)-based, sodium alginate (ALG)
      functionalized colon-targeting drug delivery system, that is loaded with 5
      fluorouracil (5-FU) as the anti-cancer drug (denoted as GO-ALG/5-FU). Our results
      demonstrate that the as-prepared drug delivery system possesses a much lower
      toxicity and better colon-targeting controlled-release behaviours. We show that
      GO-ALG/5-FU significantly inhibited tumour growth and liver metastasis and
      prolonged the survival time of mice. We anticipate that our assay will help
      improve basic research of colon-targeted drug delivery systems and provide a new
      way to treat colon cancer liver metastasis.

PMID- 28629007
TI  - Upconverting and persistent luminescent nanocarriers for accurately imaging
      guided photothermal therapy.
AB  - The fluorescence-guided photothermal therapy (FPTT) has great potential in cancer
      treatment. However, the conventional FPTT has to be stimulated by external light,
      which tends to increase background noise and leads to the inaccurate infrared
      light irradiation for PTT. In this study, upconverting and persistent luminescent
      nanocarriers (UPLNs) loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (UPLNs@mSiO2) were
      first designed to solve the problem mentioned above. The UPLNs cores can
      effectively reduce the short-lived autofluorescence interference by exerting the
      delay time between signal acquisition and pulsed excitation light. For testing
      the luminescence properties, the indotcyanine green (ICG) as photothermal agent
      was encapsulated into the UPLNs@mSiO2. The experimental results showed that the
      UPLNs@mSiO2 nanoparticles could significantly reduce the short-lived
      autofluorescence interference and improve signal-to-noise ratio during FPTT. Our
      data suggest that UPLNs@mSiO2 may be a promising tool for improving the accuracy
      of PTT in vivo.

PMID- 28629008
TI  - Multi-walled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide hybrid and nanohydroxyapatite
      composite: A novel coating to prevent dentin erosion.
AB  - To date is emergent the development of novel coatings to protect erosion,
      especially to preventive dentistry and restorative dentistry. Here, for the first
      time we report the effectiveness of multi-walled carbon nanotube/graphene oxide
      hybrid carbon-base material (MWCNTO-GO) combined with nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp)
      as a protective coating for dentin erosion. Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy
      (FT-Raman), scanning electron (SEM), and transmission electron (TEM) microscopy
      were used to investigated the coatings and the effect of acidulated phosphate
      fluoride gel (APF) treatment on bovine teeth root dentin before and after
      erosion. The electrochemical corrosion performance of the coating was evaluated.
      Raman spectra identified that: (i) the phosphate (nu1PO43-) content of dentin was
      not significantly affected by the treatments and (ii) the carbonate (nu1CO32-)
      content in dentin increased when nHAp was used. However, the nHAp/MWCNTO-GO
      composite exposited lower levels of organic matrix (CH bonds) after erosion
      compared to other treatments. Interesting, SEM micrographs identified that the
      nHAp/MWCNTO-GO formed layers after erosive cycling when associate with APF
      treatment, indicating a possible chemical bond among them. Treatments of root
      dentin with nHAp, MWCNTO-GO, APF_MWCNTO-GO, and APF_nHAp/MWCNTO-GO increased the
      carbonate content, carbonate/phosphate ratio, and organic matrix band area after
      erosion. The potentiodynamic polarization curves and Nyquist plot showed that
      nHAp, MWCNT-GO and nHAp/MWCNT-GO composites acted as protective agents against
      corrosion process. Clearly, the nHAp/MWCNTO-GO composite was stable after erosive
      cycling and a thin and acid-resistant film was formed when associated to APF
      treatment.

PMID- 28629009
TI  - Surgical suture braided with a diclofenac-loaded strand of poly(lactic-co
      glycolic acid) for local, sustained pain mitigation.
AB  - In this work, we propose a surgical suture that can sustainably release
      diclofenac (DF) for the local pain relief of surgical wounds. We separately
      fabricated a DF-loaded strand composed of a biodegradable polymer, poly(lactic-co
      glycolic acid) (PLGA), which was then braided with a surgical suture already in
      clinical use, i.e., VICRYLTM. In this way, the drug-delivery suture presented
      herein could release DF in a sustained manner for 10days while maintaining the
      mechanical strength needed for wound closure. According to the in vivo results of
      an induced-pain animal model, the drug-delivery suture mitigated pain throughout
      the period of persistent pain. The histological analysis of tissue around the
      sutures showed that the drug-delivery suture exhibited biocompatibility
      comparable to that of the VICRYLTM suture in clinical use.

PMID- 28629010
TI  - Fabrication of DNA nanotubes with an array of exterior magnetic nanoparticles.
AB  - Described here a methodology for arraying of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on the
      surface of DNA nanotubes (DNTs). Positioning of magnetic nanoparticles at
      exterior surface of DNTs were shaped after self-assembling of oligonucleotide
      staples within an M13mp18 DNA scaffold via an origami process. The staples were
      partially labeled with biotin to be arrayed at the surface of DNTs. Gel
      retardation assay of the DNTs carrying magnetic nanoparticles indicated a
      reversely behavioral electrophoretic movement in comparison to the nanotubes have
      been demonstrated previously. Also, high resolution transmission electron
      microscopy confirmed positioning magnetic nanoparticles at the exterior surface
      of DNTs, correctly. Ultrastructural characteristics of these DNA nanotubes using
      atomic force microscopy demonstrated topographic heights on their surfaces formed
      through positioning of magnetic nanoparticles outside the tubules. This
      nanoarchitecture would be potential for multiple arraying of nanoparticles that
      those be useful as functionalized chimeric nanocarriers for developing novel
      nanodrugs and nanobiosensors.

PMID- 28629011
TI  - Chitosan nanoparticles as alternative anti-staphylococci agents: Bactericidal,
      antibiofilm and antiadhesive effects.
AB  - Chitosan is a biocompatible, bioactive, non-toxic polymer that due to these
      characteristics has been widely used as a carrier for targeted delivery of
      bioactive molecules. In recent years, and considering that chitosan has a strong
      antimicrobial potential, the scientific community's focus has shifted onto the
      possible antimicrobial activity of chitosan nanoparticles. With this in mind, the
      aim of this work was to produce low molecular weight chitosan nanoparticles,
      through the ionic gelation method and characterize their potential biological
      activity against three staphylococci (MSSA, MRSA and MRSE) in planktonic and
      sessile environments. The chitosan nanoparticles produced had an average size of
      244+/-12nm, an average charge of 17.3+/-1.4mV and had a MIC of 1.25mg/mL for all
      tested microorganisms. Bactericidal activity was only registered for MSSA and
      MRSA with the time-inhibition curves showing bactericidal activity within 1h.
      Assays regarding chitosan nanoparticles' impact upon sessile populations showed
      that they were effective in preventing MRSE adhesion and highly effective in
      reducing MRSA and MSSA biofilm formation.

PMID- 28629012
TI  - Equilibrium, kinetics and mechanism of Au3+, Pd2+ and Ag+ ions adsorption from
      aqueous solutions by graphene oxide functionalized persimmon tannin.
AB  - In this study, a novel bio-adsorbent (PT-GO) was prepared by functionalization
      persimmon tannin (PT) with graphene oxide (GO) and the effective adsorption
      behaviors of Au3+, Pd2+ and Ag+ ions from aqueous solution was investigated. The
      PT-GO was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR),
      scanning electronic microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Zeta
      potential. Many influence factors such as pH value, bio-adsorbent dosage, initial
      concentration of metal ions and contact time were optimized. The maximum
      adsorption capacity for Au3+, Pd2+ and Ag+ was 1325.09mg/g, 797.66mg/g and
      421.01mg/g, respectively. The equilibrium isotherm for the adsorption of Au3+ and
      Ag+ on PT-GO were found to obey the Langmuir model, while the Freundlich model
      fitted better for Pd2+. The adsorption process of Au3+, Pd2+ presented relatively
      fast adsorption kinetics with pseudo-second-order equation as the best fitting
      model, while the pseudo-first-order kinetic model was suitable for describing the
      adsorption of Ag+. Combination of ion exchange, electrostatic interaction and
      physical adsorption was the mechanism for adsorption of Au3+, Pd2+ and Ag+ onto
      PT-GO bio-adsorbent. Therefore, the PT-GO bio-adsorbent would be an ideal
      adsorbent for removal of precious metal ions and broaden the potential
      applications of persimmon tannin in environmental research.

PMID- 28629013
TI  - A novel bioactive vaterite-containing tricalcium silicate bone cement by self
      hydration synthesis and its biological properties.
AB  - A novel bioactive vaterite-containing tricalcium silicate bone cement (V5) was
      successfully synthesized through self hydration and carbonization, by introducing
      CO2 into the hydration process of Ca3SiO5 (C3S). The purpose of this work is to
      reduce the adverse effect of the hydration products Ca(OH)2 on the C3S bone
      cement, and improve further the bioactivity of the C3S bone cement. XRD and FT-IR
      analysis indicated that vaterite was successfully formed in tricalcium silicate
      bone cement. The in vitro bioactivity of V5 was investigated by soaking in
      simulated body fluid (SBF) for various periods (1, 3, 7days), in addition to
      setting time, compressive strength and cell behavior. The results showed that the
      V5 could rapidly induce hydroxyapatite (HA) formation. The bio-effects of V5 on
      MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells were evaluated by studying cell viability,
      adhesion and proliferation. The CCK-8 assay shows that cell viability on the
      resulting V5 is improved obviously after through hydration and carbonization. The
      V5 cement enhanced the higher expression of cell attachment, proliferation and
      differentiation as compared to V50 cement. SEM results present significant
      improvement on the cell adhesion and proliferation for cells cultured on the V5.
      Experimental results demonstrated that, C3S bone cement of containing vaterite
      has more excellent bioactivity and medium setting time too, suggesting their
      potential applications in areas such as MC3T3-E1 cell stimulation and bone tissue
      engineering.

PMID- 28629014
TI  - Physicochemical properties of liposomal modifiers that shift macrophage
      phenotype.
AB  - Liposomes are one of the most widely studied drug carriers due to their relative
      biocompatibility, lack of immune system stimulation, ability to be cell specific,
      and serve as a protective drug carrier. Due to several physicochemical properties
      such as size and charge, liposomes naturally target the phagocytic capabilities
      of macrophages. In the tumor microenvironment, macrophages strongly influence
      growth and progression, making them an appealing target for drug delivery. Using
      the natural capability of liposomes to target macrophages, and the knowledge that
      material properties can alter cellular responses, this work aims to influence
      macrophage phenotype with arginine-like surface modified DOPE:DOPC liposomes.
      These liposomes were incubated with interleukin-4 (IL-4) or lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS) stimulated macrophages and naive RAW 264.7 macrophages. Macrophage
      phenotype was determined through arginase activity, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
      alpha secretion, and nitrite production. With significant variations in the
      molecular profiles of each activated cell type, these findings suggest that
      macrophage responses could be altered with small variations in surface
      functionality of liposomes.

PMID- 28629015
TI  - Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/poly(l-lactic acid-co-E-caprolactone) fibers loaded
      with ciprofloxacin as wound dressing materials.
AB  - In this work, we aimed to develop new materials to reduce the secondary injuries
      which can be imparted when replacing wound dressings. Electrospun fibers based on
      the thermoresponsive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), poly(l-lactic
      acid-co-E-caprolactone) (PLCL), and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIF) were
      prepared. The water contact angle of fibers made from a blend of PNIPAAm and PLCL
      changed dramatically when the temperature was increased above 32 degrees C.
      Sustained release of CIF from the formulations was observed over >200h. Moreover,
      L929 fibroblasts could proliferate on the fibers, indicating their
      biocompatibility. The CIF-loaded fibers were found to have potent antibacterial
      activity against E. coli and S. aureus. In vivo tests on rats indicated that CIF
      loaded thermosensitive fibers have enhanced healing performance compared to CIF
      loaded PLCL fibers or a commercial gauze. Electrospun PNIPAAm/PLCL fibers loaded
      with CIF thus have great promise in the development of new wound dressing
      materials.

PMID- 28629016
TI  - Effect of stearic acid modified HAp nanoparticles in different solvents on the
      properties of Pickering emulsions and HAp/PLLA composites.
AB  - Stearic acid (Sa) was used to modify the surface properties of hydroxyapatite
      (HAp) in different solvents (water, ethanol or dichloromethane(CH2Cl2)). Effect
      of different solvents on the properties of HAp particles (activation ratio,
      grafting ratio, chemical properties), emulsion properties (emulsion stability,
      emulsion type, droplet morphology) as well as the cured materials (morphology,
      average pore size) were studied. FT-IR and XPS results confirmed the interaction
      occurred between stearic acid and HAp particles. Stable O/W and W/O type
      Pickering emulsions were prepared using unmodified and Sa modified HAp
      nanoparticles respectively, which indicated a catastrophic inversion of the
      Pickering emulsion happened possibly because of the enhanced hydrophobicity of
      HAp particles after surface modification. Porous materials with different
      structures and pore sizes were obtained using Pickering emulsion as the template
      via in situ evaporation solvent method. The results indicated the microstructures
      of cured samples are different form each other when HAp was surface modified in
      different solvents. HAp particles fabricated using ethanol as solvent has higher
      activation ratio and grafting ratio. Pickering emulsion with higher stability and
      cured porous materials with uniform morphology were obtained compared with
      samples prepared using water and CH2Cl2 as solvents. In conclusion, surface
      modification of HAp in different solvents played a very important role for its
      stabilized Pickering emulsion as well as the microstructure of cured samples. It
      is better to use ethanol as the solvent for Sa modified HAp particles, which
      could increase the stability of Pickering emulsion and obtain cured samples with
      uniform pore size.

PMID- 28629017
TI  - Design of a new nanocomposite between bismuth nanoparticles and graphene oxide
      for development of electrochemical sensors.
AB  - This study describes a new route for preparation of a nanocomposite between
      graphene oxide (GO) and bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs) and its evaluation as
      modifier electrode for development of electrochemical sensors. BiNPs were
      synthesized under ultrasound conditions using Bi(NO3)3 as metal precursor and
      ascorbic acid (AA) as reducing agent/passivating. Some experimental parameters of
      BiNPs synthesis such as Bi3+:AA molar ratio and reaction time were conducted
      aiming the best voltammetric performance of the sensor. Glassy carbon electrodes
      (GCE) were modified by drop-casting with the BiNPs dispersions and anodic
      stripping voltammetry measurements were performed and revealed an improvement in
      the sensitivityfor determination of Cd(II) and Pb(II) compared to an unmodified
      electrode. The best electrochemical response was obtained for a BiNPs synthesis
      with Bi3+:AA molar ratio of 1:6 and reaction time of 10min, which yielded Bi
      metallic nanoparticles with average size of 5.4nm confirmed by XRD and TEM
      images, respectively. GO was produced by graphite oxidation using potassium
      permanganate and exfoliated with an ultrasound tip. GO-BiNPs nanocomposite was
      obtained by a simple mixture of GO and BiNPs dispersions in water and kept under
      ultrasonic bath for 1h. GCE were modified with a nanocomposite suspension
      containing 0.3 and 1.5mgmL-1 of GO and BiNPs in water, respectively. Under
      optimized conditions, the proposed nanocomposite was evaluated on the
      voltammetric determination of Pb (II) and Cd (II), leading to a linear response
      range between 0.1 and 1.4MUmolL-1 for both cations, with limit of detection of 30
      and 27nmolL-1, respectively. These results indicate the great potential of the GO
      BiNPs nanocomposite for improving the sensitivity of voltammetric procedures.

PMID- 28629019
TI  - Methotrexate-loaded nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots nanocarriers as an
      efficient anticancer drug delivery system.
AB  - Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are new efficient nanomaterials used in therapeutic
      applications. In this study, blue fluorescent nitrogen-doped GQDs (N-GQDs) were
      synthesized by a hydrothermal method via pyrolisis of citric acid as the carbon
      source and urea as the nitrogen source. The existence of doped nitrogen in GQDs
      was confirmed by FTIR characterization. Here, for the first time, the N-GQDs were
      loaded with the anticancer drug, methotrexate (MTX), to prepare MTX-(N-GQDs) as
      an efficient drug delivery system. The establishment of the strong pi-pi stacking
      interaction between MTX and N-GQDs was confirmed by FTIR and UV-vis
      spectroscopies indicating successful loading of MTX to N-GQDs. The in-vitro
      cytotoxicity of MTX-(N-GQDs) on human breast cancer cells investigated through
      MTT assay suggested that the drug-free N-GQDs nanocarriers are highly
      biocompatible, whereas the MTX-loaded ones are more cytotoxic than the free MTX.

PMID- 28629018
TI  - The Bone Building Blues: Self-hardening copper-doped calcium phosphate cement and
      its in vitro assessment against mammalian cells and bacteria.
AB  - A blue calcium phosphate cement with optimal self-hardening properties was
      synthesized by doping whitlockite (beta-TCP) with copper ions. The mechanism and
      the kinetics of the cement solidification process were studied using energy
      dispersive X-ray diffraction and it was found out that hardening was accompanied
      by the phase transition from TCP to brushite. Reduced lattice parameters in all
      crystallographic directions resulting from the rather low (1:180) substitution
      rate of copper for calcium was consistent with the higher ionic radius of the
      latter. The lower cationic hydration resulting from the partial Ca->Cu
      substitution facilitated the release of constitutive hydroxyls and lowered the
      energy of formation of TCP from the apatite precursor at elevated temperatures.
      Addition of copper thus effectively inhibited the formation of apatite as the
      secondary phase. The copper-doped cement exhibited an antibacterial effect,
      though exclusively against Gram-negative bacteria, including E. coli, P.
      aeruginosa and S. enteritidis. This antibacterial effect was due to copper ions,
      as demonstrated by an almost negligible antibacterial effect of the pure, copper
      free cement. Also, the antibacterial activity of the copper-containing cement was
      significantly higher than that of its precursor powder. Since there was no
      significant difference between the kinetics of the release of copper from the
      precursor TCP powder and from the final, brushite phase of the hardened cement,
      this has suggested that the antibacterial effect was not solely due to copper
      ions, but due to the synergy between cationic copper and a particular phase and
      aggregation state of calcium phosphate. Though inhibitory to bacteria, the copper
      doped cement increased the viability of human glial E297 cells, murine
      osteoblastic K7M2 cells and especially human primary lung fibroblasts. That this
      effect was also due to copper ions was evidenced by the null effect on viability
      increase exhibited by the copper-free cements. The difference in the mechanism of
      protection of dehydratases in prokaryotes and eukaryotes was used as a rationale
      for explaining the hereby evidenced selectivity in biological response. It
      presents the basis for the consideration of copper as a dually effective ion when
      synergized with calcium phosphates: toxic for bacteria and beneficial for the
      healthy cells.

PMID- 28629020
TI  - A comparative in vivo evaluation of bioactive glasses and bioactive glass-based
      composites for bone tissue repair.
AB  - In this work a set of novel materials for bone tissue regeneration have been
      tested in vivo in an animal model. In fact, despite many studies have been
      devoted to amorphous 45S5 Bioglass(r), there is lack in the literature of works
      aimed to study the in vivo performance of heat-treated - and thus partially
      crystallized - 45S5. As widely reported, crystallization limits the bioactivity
      of 45S5 and is the main reason that prevents a broader use of this material.
      Thus, in the present work, a recently developed bioactive glass (BG_Ca/Mix) is
      tested, since previous investigations demonstrated that BG_Ca/Mix is particularly
      promising by virtue of both its high bioactivity and lower tendency to
      crystallize with respect to 45S5. BG_Ca/Mix sintered powders and two composites,
      which contain BG_Ca/Mix and an increasing percentage (20wt% or 70wt%) of
      hydroxyapatite (HA), were considered. As a term of comparison, 45S5 sintered
      powders were also studied. The samples were implanted in rabbits' femurs and
      harvested after 8weeks. The histological analysis demonstrated that BG_Ca/Mix has
      an osteoconductive ability slightly higher than that of 45S5 glass-ceramics,
      followed by that of the composites, which may represent the starting point for
      obtaining systems with degradation rate tailored for a given clinical
      application. Moreover, the 45S5 samples were locally cracked, probably because of
      a non-uniform dissolution in the physiological environment. On the contrary such
      cracks, which could lead to implant instability and unsuitable mechanical
      performance, were not observed in BG_Ca/Mix.

PMID- 28629021
TI  - Novel hiPSC-based tri-culture for pre-vascularization of calcium phosphate
      scaffold to enhance bone and vessel formation.
AB  - Vascularization of tissue-engineered bone is a critical step in maintaining cell
      viability and advancing cell performance in vivo. In this study, a novel tri
      culture system was developed to elicit pre-vascularization of calcium phosphate
      cement (CPC) scaffold in which human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived
      mesenchymal stem cells (hiPSMSCs) were seeded together with human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVECs) and pericytes. In a two-step methodology design, we
      first performed osteoinduction of the seeded hiPSMSCs on the CPC scaffold and
      then incorporated HUVECs and pericytes to the hiPSMSC-colonized CPC scaffold
      under a favorable culturing condition, with an objective to form a stable and
      functional capillary-like vascular network that sustained the engineered osseous
      tissue. The angiogenic and osteogenic effects of various culture strategies were
      studied and compared in nude rat model with cranial bone defects: (1) CPC
      scaffold alone (CPC control); (2) Pericyte-seeded CPC (CPC-pericytes); (3) HUVEC
      seeded CPC (CPC-HUVECs); (4) hiPSMSC-seeded CPC (CPC-hiPSMSCs); (5) HUVECs co
      cultured with hiPSMSCs on CPC (bi-culture group) and (6) HUVECs and pericytes co
      cultured with hiPSMSCs on CPC (tri-culture group). After 12weeks, tri-culture
      group showed the highest amount of new bone (new bone area fraction of (45.3+/
      2.7) %, p<0.05) and vessel formation (new blood vessel density of (50.7+/-3.8)
      vessels/mm2, p<0.05) in all groups. Our results demonstrated that the tri-culture
      strategy was effective in promoting angiogenesis and osteogenesis for bone tissue
      engineering.

PMID- 28629022
TI  - A novel functionalization method for carbon nanotubes to repel ox-LDL in
      treatments after stent placement.
AB  - Carbon nanotubes (CNT) can be chemically modified by doping or functionalization
      to change the chemical and surface properties. These characteristic makes to CNT
      candidates for multiple applications including medical field in cardiovascular
      area. A novel method to CNT functionalization by formation of two compounds:
      alpha-bromoacid and the organic compound 2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl
      phosphorylcholine (MPC), will be discussed in this article. According to results,
      CNT are suggested like candidates to repel oxidized low-density lipoproteins (ox
      LDL) to prevent restenosis. The electronegative character on surface of
      functionalized CNT (F-CNT) is shown by wettability analysis observing a repellent
      behaviour in contact with ox-LDL after functionalization route. Here we analyse
      the toxicity of CNT and F-CNT on HepG2 cell line and find no damage to the cell
      membrane of HepG2 cells in concentration at doses below 1mg/ml.

PMID- 28629024
TI  - Electrospun silk fibroin scaffolds coated with reduced graphene promote neurite
      outgrowth of PC-12 cells under electrical stimulation.
AB  - Novel approaches to neural research require biocompatible materials capable to
      act as electrode structures or scaffolds for tissue engineering in order to
      stimulate or restore the functionality of damaged tissues. This work offers
      promising results that indicate the potential use of electrospun silk fibroin
      (SF) scaffolds coated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in this sense. The coated
      material becomes conductor and electroactive. A complete characterisation of
      SF/rGO scaffolds is provided in terms of electrochemistry, mechanical behaviour
      and chemical conformation of fibroin. The excellent biocompatibility of this
      novel material is proved with cultures of PC-12 cells. The coating with rGO
      improved the adhesion of cells in comparison with cells growing onto the surface
      of pure SF scaffolds. Also, the use of SF/rGO scaffolds combined with electrical
      stimulation promoted the differentiation into neural phenotypes reaching
      comparable or even superior levels to those obtained by means of the traditional
      treatment with neural growth factor (NGF).

PMID- 28629023
TI  - Heparin/DNA aptamer co-assembled multifunctional catecholamine coating for EPC
      capture and improved hemocompatibility of vascular devices.
AB  - Good hemocompatibility and rapid endothelialization are two key factors in the
      success of stent interventional therapy. In this study, aptamers with the ability
      to capture endothelial progenitors and anticoagulant molecular heparin were
      successfully immobilized on the surface of dopamine/polyethylenimine (PDA/PEI)
      copolymer coating via electrostatic interaction. The results of X-ray
      spectroscopy (XPS), water contact angle (WCA), and immunofluorescence staining
      tests confirmed the successful introduction of heparin and aptamers. Platelet
      adhesion and whole blood experiments demonstrated that the hemocompatibility of
      the co-modified surface was improved. Dynamic endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)
      capture experiments showed that the modified surfaces could effectively capture
      the endothelial progenitor in dynamic conditions. More importantly, ex vivo
      experiments revealed that the modified surfaces could regulate the distribution
      of CD34/vWF-positive cells on stent surfaces, and this was beneficial for the
      endothelialization of vascular stents. These results suggested that heparin and
      aptamer co-modified stents could capture EPCs and promote endothelialization.
      This surface co-modification strategy has great potential for enhancing stent
      development.

PMID- 28629025
TI  - Polycaprolactone- and polycaprolactone/ceramic-based 3D-bioplotted porous
      scaffolds for bone regeneration: A comparative study.
AB  - : One of the critical challenges that scaffolding faces in the organ and tissue
      regeneration field lies in mimicking the structure, and the chemical and
      biological properties of natural tissue. A high-level control over the
      architecture, mechanical properties and composition of the materials in contact
      with cells is essential to overcome such challenge. Therefore, definition of the
      method, materials and parameters for the production of scaffolds during the
      fabrication stage is critical. With the recent emergence of rapid prototyping
      (RP), it is now possible to create three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds with the
      essential characteristics for the proliferation and regeneration of tissues, such
      as porosity, mechanical strength, pore size and pore interconnectivity, and
      biocompatibility. In this study, we employed 3D bioplotting, a RP technology, to
      fabricate scaffolds made from (i) pure polycaprolactone (PCL) and (ii) a
      composite based on PCL and ceramic micro-powder. The ceramics used for the
      composite were bovine bone filling Nukbone(r) (NKB), and hydroxyapatite (HA) with
      5%, 10% or 20% wt. CONTENT: The scaffolds were fabricated in a cellular lattice
      structure (i.e. meshing mode) using a 0/90 degrees  lay down pattern with a
      continuous contour filament in order to achieve interconnected porous reticular
      structures. We varied the temperature, as well as injection speed and pressure
      during the bioplotting process to achieve scaffolds with pore size ranging
      between 200 and 400MUm and adequate mechanical stability. The resulting scaffolds
      had an average pore size of 323MUm and an average porosity of 32%.
      Characterization through ATR-FTIR revealed the presence of the characteristic
      bands of hydroxyapatite in the PCL matrix, and presented an increase of the
      intensity of the phosphate and carbonyl bands as the ceramic content increased.
      The bioplotted 3D scaffolds have a Young's modulus (E) in the range between 0.121
      and 0.171GPa, which is compatible with the modulus of natural bone. PCL/NKB
      scaffolds, particularly 10NKBP (10% NKB wt.) exhibited the highest proliferation
      optical density, demonstrating an evident osteoconductive effect when cultured in
      Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
      confirmed osteoblast anchorage to all composite scaffolds, but a low adhesion to
      the all-PCL scaffold, as well as cell proliferation. The results from this study
      demonstrate the potential of PCL/NKB 3D bioplotted scaffolds as viable platforms
      to enable osseous tissue formation, which can be used in several tissue
      engineering applications, including improvement of bone tissue regeneration.

PMID- 28629026
TI  - Multistate proteinous biomemory device based on redox controllable hapten cross
      linker.
AB  - A multistate biomemory device consisting of cytochrome c (Cyt-c) photosensitively
      cross-linked by MACys-Ru(bipyr)2-MACys hapten molecules, which have memory effect
      through a charge transfer mechanism, has been developed. In this study, it has
      suggested a highly resolute surface-confined switch composed a signal-enhanced
      electro-active protein (Cyt-c) co-polymerized on the gold substrates that can be
      controlled by redox property through Ruthenium based cysteine monomer hapten,
      MACys-Ru(bipyr)2-MACys as an ANADOLUCA photosensitive cross-linker. The
      photosensitive cross-linking of the Cyt-c protein on the gold surface topography
      has been determined by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two state memory
      functions, writing and erasing of the developed biomemory device, have been
      investigated by the chronoamperometry (CA) and open-circuit potential amperometry
      (OCPA). The polymeric proteinous memory device, p(MACys-Ru(bipyr)2-MACys-co-Cyt
      c) layer, on the gold electrode is stable and repeatable up to with 104 times
      continuous cycle.

PMID- 28629027
TI  - Electrophoretic deposition of hydroxyapatite-hexagonal boron nitride composite
      coatings on Ti substrate.
AB  - In this study, commercial pure titanium samples were coated with nano
      hydroxyapatite-nano hexagonal boron nitride (nano HA-nano hBN) composite by
      electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The effect of process parameters (applied
      voltage, deposition time and solid concentration) on the coating morphology,
      thickness and the adhesion behavior were studied systematically and crack free
      nano hBN-nano HA composite coating production was achieved for developing
      bioactive coatings on titanium substrates for orthopedic applications. For the
      examination of structural and morphological characteristics of the coating
      surfaces, various complementary analysis methods were performed. For the
      structural characterization, XRD and Raman Spectroscopy were used while, Scanning
      Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS)
      and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) techniques were carried out for
      revealing the morphological characterization. The results showed that nano HA
      nano hBN were successfully deposited on Ti surface with uniform, crack-free
      coating by EPD. The amounts of hBN in suspension are considered to have no effect
      on coating thickness. By adding hBN into HA, the morphology of HA did not change
      and hBN has no significant effect on porous structure. These nanostructured
      surfaces are expected to be suitable for proliferation of cells and have high
      potential for bioactive materials.

PMID- 28629028
TI  - Physicochemical and biological assessment of PEEK composites embedding natural
      amorphous silica fibers for biomedical applications.
AB  - The main aim of this study was to assess the physicochemical and biological
      properties of a novel poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) composite containing 30%wt
      natural amorphous silica fibers (NASF). PEEK and NASF powders were previously
      functionalized by atomization and citric acid in order to enhance adhesion
      between polymeric matrix and fillers. Then, composites were produced by cold
      compression molding technique at 350 degrees C for 3h. Materials were
      characterized by chemical, microstructural, thermophysical, mechanical and
      cytotoxic analysis. The results of the mechanical assays showed that the
      incorporation fibers increased the elastic modulus of the resultant PEEK
      composite in 56% while its microhardness increased in 26.7%. Chemical and
      microscopic analyses detected a good interfacial adhesion between PEEK and NASF.
      The results of the cytotoxicity assays indicated that PEEK/NASF composites
      stimulated the metabolic activity of fibroblasts and therefore a high
      cytocompatibility was noticed. PEEK composites embedding natural amorphous silica
      fibers revealed a high potential to be used in medicine and dentistry replacing
      several polymeric and composite materials.

PMID- 28629029
TI  - Chitosan-coated amyloid fibrils increase adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the potential to revolutionize medicine due to
      their ability to differentiate into specific lineages for targeted tissue repair.
      Development of materials and cell culture platforms that improve differentiation
      of either autologous or allogenic stem cell sources into specific lineages would
      enhance clinical utilization of MCSs. In this study, nanoscale amyloid fibrils
      were evaluated as substrate materials to encourage viability, proliferation,
      multipotency, and differentiation of MSCs. Fibrils assembled from the proteins
      lysozyme or beta-lactoglobulin, with and without chitosan coatings, were
      deposited on planar mica surfaces. MSCs were cultured and differentiated on
      fibril-covered surfaces, as well as on unstructured controls and tissue culture
      plastic. Expression of CD44 and CD90 proteins indicated that multipotency was
      maintained for all fibrils, and osteogenic differentiation was similarly
      comparable among all tested materials. MSCs grown for 7days on fibril-covered
      surfaces favored multicellular spheroid formation and demonstrated a >75%
      increase in adipogenesis compared to tissue culture plastic controls, although
      this benefit could only be achieved if MSCs were transferred to TCP for the final
      differentiation step. The largest spheroids and greatest tendency to undergo
      adipogenesis was evidenced among MSCs grown on fibrils coated with the positively
      charged polysaccharide chitosan, suggesting that spheroid formation is prompted
      by both topography and cell-surface interactivity and that there is a connection
      between multicellular spheroid formation and adipogenesis.

PMID- 28629030
TI  - High degradation rate of Fe-20Mn-based bio-alloys by accumulative cryo-rolling
      and annealing.
AB  - A new strategy of accumulative cryo-rolling (ACR) at liquid nitrogen temperature
      and annealing was performed to improve degradation rate of Fe-Mn-based implants.
      Differing from as-cast and ACRed Fe-Mn-based alloys with single-phase austenite,
      ACRed-annealed sample mainly consists of austenite and non-equilibrium Fe5C2
      precipitate. ACR-annealed sample shows a degradation rate of 0.0388mA.cm-2, which
      is 4.6 times higher than as-cast alloy. Pitting corrosion plays a dominant role
      in both as-cast and ACRed samples. Conversely, some micro-batteries are prone to
      form among different phase interfaces for ACR-annealed sample, resulting in
      general corrosion. It reveals that phase optimization is a possible strategy to
      achieve bio-Fe implants.

PMID- 28629031
TI  - Near-infrared persistent luminescence phosphors ZnGa2O4:Cr3+ as an accurately
      tracker to photothermal therapy in vivo for visual treatment.
AB  - The photothermal therapy agents induced by 808 nm near infrared light laser have
      good potential for photothermal therapy (PTT) in vivo, with the advantages of
      harmless treatment, minimally invasion, high efficiency and deep tissue
      penetration. For the traditional photothermal therapy agents, however, it was
      impossible to track them in vivo because of the low signal-to-noise ratio, so we
      cannot conduct the extra near infrared light laser to radiate tumors sites
      accurately. Herein, we introduce a new complex: indocyanine green (ICG), near
      infrared persistent luminescence (PL) phosphors ZnGa2O4:Cr3+ (ZGC) and mesoporous
      silica nanoparticles (MSNs) (ICG@mZGC nanoparticles) were assembled for long
      lasting optical imaging to guide PTT. The results revealed that the novel
      nanoparticle, ICG@mZGC, could lower signal-to-noise ratio, enable highly
      sensitive optical detection during optical imaging-guided PTT and perform a good
      effect of photothermal therapy in vivo, and thus providing possibilities for mZGC
      to improve the localization precision of tumor sites in photothermal therapy in
      the body.

PMID- 28629032
TI  - Effects of silane-modified fillers on properties of dental composite resin.
AB  - The effect of silanization on the mechanical, chemical, and physical properties
      of dental composites was investigated. Silica fillers were obtained from
      colloidal silica solution, Ludox(r) HS-40 and they were silanized by using 3
      methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) in an acidic media. Mineralogical and
      chemical structures of unsilanized and silanized fillers were determined by using
      XRD and FT-IR analyses. The modification of unsilanized/silanized fillers were
      investigated by performing XPS and TGA analyses. The morphological evaluations,
      surface area, and particle size measurements were performed by using SEM, BET,
      and Zeta-Sizer, respectively. Eventually, pure and amorphous silica fillers were
      obtained. Furthermore, the weight percentage of the silane in silica/silane
      structure was compatible with theoretical values. SEM images, surface area, and
      particle size measurements showed that agglomeration tendencies of silanized
      fillers were lower compared to silanized fillers because of the MPTMS addition.
      Experimental composites (5/10/10/5BisGMA/HEMA/UDMA/TEGDMA resin reinforced with
      70wt% silanized/unsilanized SiO2) were fabricated into 4mm diameter*6mm thick
      discs for compressive strength (CS), angular flexural strength (AFS), curing
      depth (CD), and polymerization shrinkage (PS) on a 25*2*2mm rectangular Teflon
      mold for flexural strength (FS) and modulus of elasticity (E) tests. The curing
      depth (CD) and degree of polymerization percentage (DP) of composites were
      determined. Consequently, results showed that mechanical properties and DP of
      composite resins can be greatly influenced by silanization as a result of the
      organic matrix-inorganic filler interface bonding formed by silane structures.
      Despite of these findings, silanization of the SiO2 was not effected DC and PS
      values.

PMID- 28629033
TI  - A new finding on the in-vivo crevice corrosion damage in a CoCrMo hip implant.
AB  - A detailed investigation was performed to characterize the fretting wear and
      corrosion damage to the neck component of a CoCrMo stem from a metal-on
      polyethylene implant retrieved after 99months. The stem was a low-carbon
      (0.07wt%) wrought Co-28Cr-6Mo alloy with no secondary carbide phases in the
      matrix (gamma-phase). The original design of the neck surface contained an
      intentionally fabricated knurled profile with a valley-to-peak range of
      approximately 11MUm. Roughness measurements indicated that the tip of the knurled
      profile was significantly damaged, especially in the distal medial region of the
      neck, with up to a 22% reduction in the mean peak-to-valley height (Ra) compared
      to the original profile. As a new finding, the channels between the peaks of the
      profile created an additional crevice site in the presence of stagnant body fluid
      within the head-neck taper junction. These channels were observed to contain the
      most severe corroded areas and surface oxide layers with micro-cracks. SEM/EDS,
      XRD and XPS evaluations identified the formation of Cr2O3 as a corrosion product.
      Also, decobaltification was found to occur in these corroded areas. The findings
      of this work indicate the important role of the knurled profile in inducing
      additional crevice corrosion.

PMID- 28629034
TI  - Icariin immobilized electrospinning poly(l-lactide) fibrous membranes via
      polydopamine adhesive coating with enhanced cytocompatibility and osteogenic
      activity.
AB  - In this study, icariin (ICA), one of the main active ingredients of Herba
      Epimedii for osteogenesis, was applied to functionalize electrospinning poly(l
      lactide) (PLLA) fibrous membrane via an intermediate layer of polydopamine (PDA)
      to obtain enhanced cytocompatibility and osteogenic activity. For this purpose,
      an array of PDA-coated PLLA fibrous membranes (PLLA-0.5PDA, PLLA-1PDA, PLLA-2PDA,
      PLLA-5PDA) and ICA-modified PLLA-2PDA fibrous membranes (PLLA-2PDA-10ICA, PLLA
      2PDA-20ICA, PLLA-2PDA-40ICA) were successively prepared. Successful modification
      of PDA and ICA onto PLLA fibrous membranes was verified by field emission
      scanning electron microscope (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Besides, the hydrophilicity as well as tensile
      properties of PLLA fibrous membrane were improved after surface modified with PDA
      and ICA. In vitro cells culture experiments revealed that the adhesion,
      proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells on the PLLA
      fibrous membrane were significantly improved by successively immobilized with PDA
      and ICA. Moreover, the concentration of ICA immobilized on the fibrous membranes
      has the complicated effects on the MC3T3-E1 cells behavior. The PLLA-2PDA-ICA
      fibrous membranes with low ICA concentration promoted the cell adhesion and
      proliferation, but on the contrary, those with high ICA concentration were more
      beneficial to the enhancement in ALP activity and calcium deposition.

PMID- 28629035
TI  - Sodium alginate-polyvinyl alcohol-bovin serum albumin coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles
      as anticancer drug delivery vehicle: Doxorubicin loading and in vitro release
      study and cytotoxicity to HepG2 and L02 cells.
AB  - The challenging part of this work was to research the potential aspects of sodium
      alginate (SA)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-bovin serum albumin (BSA) coated Fe3O4
      nanoparticles (Fe3O4-SA-PVA-BSA) as a drug delivery system for doxorubicin (DOX).
      The anticancer drug doxorubicin was selected as a model drug which is powerful
      for numerous cancer treatments. Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were
      prepared by co-precipitation method. The mixture solution of Fe3O4-sodium
      alginate (SA) - doxorubicin (DOX) was crosslinked with Ca2+ to form (Fe3O4-SA
      DOX) nanoparticles and addition of PVA and BSA with (Fe3O4-SA-DOX) nanoparticles
      was prepared by coating procedure. Doxorubicin drug loaded NPs were prepared by a
      simple crosslinking method by calcium chloride solution. The prepared polymer
      coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-SA-PVA-BSA) were characterized by using SEM,
      AFM, FT-IR, XRD and VSM. The mean sizes of the obtained drug loaded nanoparticles
      (Fe3O4-SA-DOX, Fe3O4-SA-DOX-PVA and Fe3O4-SA-DOX-PVA-BSA) were between 240+/-8.3
      and 460+/-8.7nm and zeta potential of the particles also was evaluated using
      Malvern Zetasizer which ranged between -48.1+/-2.3 and -22.4+/-4.1mV. The
      encapsulation efficiency, was between 36.2+/-0.01 and 96.45+/-2.12. Moreover drug
      loading and drug release properties of the polymer coated magnetic nanoparticles
      loaded with doxorubicin (Fe3O4-SA-DOX-PVA-BSA) were also studied. In addition,
      the cytotoxicity of the created nanoparticles was performed by using MTT assay
      analysis which showed that DOX loaded nanoparticles (Fe3O4-SA-DOX-PVA-BSA) were
      toxic to HepG2 cell lines and non-toxic to L02 cell lines. The in-vitro drug
      release was studied by using UV-Visible spectrophotometer at acidic environment
      (pH5.0) and basic environment (pH7.4) as well as at different temperatures (37
      degrees C and 42 degrees C). It was found that DOX drug is released much faster
      in acidic environment (pH5.0) than in the basic environment (pH7.4). The results
      propose that prepared polymer coated magnetic (Fe3O4-SA-PVA-BSA) nanoparticles
      are suitable for controlled and targeted release of anticancer drugs reducing
      side effects and attaining higher efficacy.

PMID- 28629036
TI  - Intestine-targeted delivery potency of the O-carboxymethyl chitosan-gum Arabic
      coacervate: Effects of coacervation acidity and possible mechanism.
AB  - The potential of the glutaraldehyde-crosslinked O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC)
      gum Arabic (GA) coacervate as an intestine-targeted delivery system for
      hydrophobic compounds was concerned. OCMC-GA coacervates and emulsified bovine
      serum albumin (BSA)-loaded microcapsules were prepared in pH3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 and
      their swelling behaviors as well as BSA release profiles in simulated
      gastrointestinal fluids were measured. All the coacervates showed higher swelling
      ratios in the simulated gastric solution than in the simulated intestine and
      colon solutions and the values increased as the coacervation pH increased from
      3.0 to 6.0, but a reversed trend was observed for the BSA release profile. SEM,
      TEM, and CLSM analysis revealed that the coacervation acidity influenced the
      swelling and BSA release behavior by changing the matrix density and O-CMC
      content of the coacervates. It was concluded that the O-CMC-GA coacervate could
      be used to deliver hydrophobic compounds to the intestine and its delivery
      performance could be tailored by selecting appropriate coacervation acidity and
      crosslinking degree.

PMID- 28629037
TI  - Regenerated egg white/silk fibroin composite films for biomedical applications.
AB  - Protein-based composites have always been desirable biomaterials as they can be
      fabricated into a wide range of biomaterials with tunable properties, including
      modulation of mechanical properties and control of cell responses. Both egg white
      protein (EW) and silk fibroin (SF) are biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic
      and naturally abundant biopolymers. In order to obtain biocompatible composite
      films with tunable performance, EW and SF were blended at various ratios. Raising
      the SF ratio in the composite films significantly increased breaking strength,
      but impaired flexibility. Conversely, increasing the EW ratio remarkably enhanced
      elasticity of the composite films. Furthermore, the biological assays based on
      endothelial cells showed that the incorporation of EW promoted cell viability.
      These make them potential materials with controllable mechanical property and
      enhanced bioactivity, providing useful options for the fabrication of tissue
      engineering scaffolds.

PMID- 28629038
TI  - Electrospinning of PVA/sericin nanofiber and the effect on epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition of A549 cells.
AB  - This research aims to investigate the cell-nanomaterial interaction between
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition of A549 cell and electrospinning nanofibers
      composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/silk sericin (SS). The electrospinning of
      regenerated nanofiber was performed with water as a spinning solvent and
      glutaraldehyde as a chemical cross-linker. Solution concentration, applied
      voltage and spin distances as well as other parameters were optimized to generate
      fine nanofibers with smooth surface in good homogeneity. From the scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, the nanofibers had an average diameter of
      200nm. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which epithelial
      cells lose their cell polarity to become mesenchymal stem cells. This transition
      is affected by multiple biochemical and physical factors in cell metabolism
      cascade. Herein, we investigate the biophysical effect on A549 EMT by culturing
      cells on nanofibrous mats with different topography and composition. The cell
      viability was evaluated by biochemical assay and its morphology was observed with
      SEM. The results demonstrate that cells appropriately attached to the surface of
      the nanofibrous mats with extended morphology by their filopodia. Gene expression
      analysis was conducted by real-time PCR using multiple markers for detecting EMT:
      N-cadherin (NCad), Vimentin (Vim), Fibronectin (Fib) and Matrix metallopeptidase
      (MMP9). An increasing expression pattern was observed on NCad, Vim, Fib, with
      respect to a negative control as cell cultured on polystyrene dish. This result
      indicates the 200nm PVA/SS nanofibers may induce A549 cells to process epithelial
      mesenchymal transition during the culturing.

PMID- 28629039
TI  - Time-dependent subcellular structure injuries induced by nano-/micron-sized
      calcium oxalate monohydrate and dihydrate crystals.
AB  - Comparative studies were conducted to investigate the time effect of cell injury
      induced by nano-sized (50nm) and micron-sized (10MUm) calcium oxalate monohydrate
      (COM) and dihydrate (COD) crystals in African green monkey renal epithelial
      (Vero) cells. The effects of nano-/micron-sized COM and COD exposure on Vero
      cells were investigated by detecting the cell viability, cell morphology, LDH
      release, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell cycle,
      and cell apoptosis, as well as the intracellular and extracellular crystal
      distribution. Nano-/micron-sized COM and COD exposure lead to subcellular
      organelle injury in varying degrees, but the injury sequence of various
      organelles differed. The time sequence of organelle injury presenting significant
      variation was described as follows: cell membrane injury (1h)<mitochondrial
      membrane potential decrease (3h to 6h)~cell-cycle arrest (3h to 6h)<cell
      apoptosis (12h). Nano-sized crystals lead organelle injury faster than micron
      sized crystals, and COM crystals showed more obvious time-dependent effects than
      the same-sized COD crystals. This study may provide insights into the damage to
      renal epithelial cells induced by urinary crystals and the formation mechanism of
      kidney stones.

PMID- 28629040
TI  - 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane mediated solvent induced synthesis of gold
      nanoparticles for biomedical applications.
AB  - The effect of acetone on 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-APTMS) mediated
      synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in polar protic, polar aprotic and non
      polar solvents specifically water, acetone and chloroform has been studied. The
      findings revealed that acetone promotes the formation of siloxane polymer in
      chloroform and acetone solvents, but not in water, while AuNPs are formed in all
      cases. The bifunctional nature of 3-APTMS [NH2(CH2)3Si(OMe)3] controls the
      formation of siloxane polymer through hydrolysis and condensation of
      trimethoxysilyl group whereas the amine moieties are likely to form imine
      linkage, which are involved in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. The siloxane
      polymer with imine linkage can be formed both in absence and the presence of gold
      precursor (i.e. HAuCl4). Accordingly, siloxane-gold nanoparticles can be made in
      different morphology, through control over the process, in three ways; (i) all
      precursors (Au3+, 3-APTMS and acetone) mixed simultaneously yielding [(siloxane
      Ausim)], (ii) polymer made first followed by sequential reduction of Au3+ in
      homogenous suspension forming (Au-siloxanehomo)seq and (iii) polymer made into
      thin film followed by sequential reduction of Au3+ in the heterogeneous system
      yielding (Au-siloxanehetero)seq. The AuNPs produced with the use of water as
      solvent is different from the three described above as discrete spherical AuNPs
      are formed as [(AuNPs)water] and in this case siloxane polymer is not formed. The
      results based on AFM and SEM characterizations revealed porous morphology of NPs
      fabricated in chloroform/acetone, due to the formation of siloxane polymer, and
      non-porous morphology for the same in water. The "(Au-siloxanehetero)seq"
      efficiently promote the reduction of p-nitrophenol with good operational
      stability, justifying its interest for heterogeneous catalysis. On the other
      hand, (siloxane-Ausim) and (Au-siloxanehomo)seq can be also deposited onto glassy
      carbon surfaces to yield polymer modified electrodes for subsequent
      electroanalytical applications. The cyclic voltammetry response of such modified
      electrodes to a redox probe (i.e., Fe(CN)63-/4-) was characteristic of diffusion
      controlled and thin-layer electrochemical behaviour respectively as a function of
      non-porous and porous nature of the polymer. The as made nanomaterial shows
      excellent biocatalyst for dopamine sensing based on peroxidase mimetic activity.
      The typical result on dopamine sensing is reported.

PMID- 28629041
TI  - Biomimetic synthesis of calcium carbonate with different morphologies and
      polymorphs in the presence of bovine serum albumin and soluble starch.
AB  - Calcium carbonate has been synthesized by the reaction of Na2CO3 and CaCl2 in the
      presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and soluble starch. Effects of various
      bovine serum albumin (BSA) and soluble starch on the polymorph and morphology of
      CaCO3 crystals were investigated. Crystallization of vaterite is favored in the
      presence of BSA and soluble starch, respectively, while calcite is favored in the
      presence of a mixture of BSA and soluble starch. The morphologies of CaCO3
      particles in the presence of mixture of BSA and soluble starch are mainly rod
      like, suggesting that the BSA, soluble and their assemblies play key roles in
      stabilizing and directing the CaCO3 crystal growth.

PMID- 28629042
TI  - Functionalization of ZnO nanoparticles by 3-mercaptopropionic acid for aqueous
      curcumin delivery: Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer assessment.
AB  - Inherent biocompatibility and stability of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and
      their biomedical potentials make them an emerging candidate for drug delivery.
      The aim of this study was to develop and assess a simple procedure for surface
      functionalization of ZnO-NPs by 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) for water-soluble
      curcumin delivery. Carboxyl-terminated ZnO nanoparticles were successfully made
      using ZnCl2 and NaOH in the presence of MPA. The functional groups were activated
      by 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) and the curcumin bonding was carried out at
      room temperature for 24h. The core-shell nanocomposite had a significant better
      solubility versus free curcumin, as characterized by XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis
      spectrophotometry, DLS, and TEM, p<0.005. In addition, MTT cytotoxicity
      assessment on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells revealed a drop of IC50 values from
      5MUg/mL to 3.3MUg/mL for free curcumin and ZnO-MPA-curcumin complex,
      respectively. This result showed an augmented cancer-inhibitory effect of
      nanoconjugate complex. In conclusion, the presented improved solubility and
      elevated functionality of novel ZnO-MPA-curcumin nanoformula is promising, and
      could be considered for new therapeutic endeavors.

PMID- 28629043
TI  - Carbon quantum dots from carbonized walnut shells: Structural evolution,
      fluorescence characteristics, and intracellular bioimaging.
AB  - Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have attracted tremendous attention for their
      prominent fluorescence, excellent stability, and outstanding biocompatibility.
      Herein, we report a facile method to prepare CQDs from walnut shells, which
      mainly consist of natural cellulose. After carbonization of the walnut shells and
      acid treatments, zigzag and armchair edges of CQDs with an average size of 3.4nm
      were revealed by the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Consistent
      with the (100) planes of graphitic carbon, the lattice spacing distance of these
      CQDs was 0.258nm. The photoluminescence behaviors related to the size/shape and
      corresponding edge-state. The CQDs exhibited green fluorescence when the
      excitation wavelength ranging from 360nm to 460nm. Meanwhile, the CQDs showed
      hydrophilic, pH-sensitive and up-converted photoluminescence properties. We also
      found pH and solvent had reversible effects on CQDs' photoluminescence. The CQDs
      were then tested with live-cell fluorescent images for the potential
      intracellular probes. Raman mapping technique was also applied to detect the
      CQDs' distribution in vitro and clarify the entering procedure of CQDs into cells
      besides confocal microscopy.

PMID- 28629044
TI  - Recovery evaluation of rats' damaged tibias: Implantation of core-shell
      structured bone scaffolds made using hollow braids and a freeze-thawing process.
AB  - This study prepares biodegradable bone scaffolds helping the recovery of damaged
      tibias of rats. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) plied yarns are fabricated into hollow
      braids. The braids are combined with hydroxyapatite (HA)/gelatin/PVA mixtures and
      processed using freeze-thawing and freeze-drying processes in order to form bone
      scaffolds. These bone scaffolds are observed by scanning electron scope (SEM) and
      tested for compression strength. Afterwards, recovery of damaged bone, the
      morphology of the bone, and the histological observation are evaluated. Results
      indicate a small amount of HA helps in enhancing the compressive strength of bone
      scaffolds. Results of in vivo assay indicate the damaged tibias of rats recover
      and function well eight weeks after the implantation, and exhibit a normal
      morphology. Histological observation confirms the bone scaffolds gradually
      decompose, allowing tissue infiltration and facilitating ossification. This study
      successfully produces bone scaffolds with satisfactory mechanical properties
      helping in the recovery of damaged tibias of rats.

PMID- 28629045
TI  - Chitosan based in situ forming polyelectrolyte complexes: A potential sustained
      drug delivery polymeric carrier for high dose drugs.
AB  - The present study investigated the feasibility of using combination of Cationic
      and anionic polymers as sustained release carrier for the delivery of high dose
      gastric acid soluble model drug Paracetamol. Various formulations were prepared
      using wet granulation technique. Briefly a cooled (4 degrees C) neutral solution
      of chitosan (CH) was combined with cooled aqueous solution (4 degrees C) of
      anionic polymer such as Gum Ghatti (GG) and Xanthan gum (XG). This
      polyelectrolyte solution was then used to granulate the model drug Paracetamol.
      The prepared tablets were evaluated for various pharmacopoeial and non
      pharmacopoeial parameters viz. Thickness, Hardness, Friability, Weight Variation,
      Content uniformity and Drug Content. The drug release study carried out in 0.1M
      HCl revealed in situ Polyelectrolyte complex formation (PEC) between CH and
      anionic biopolymers. This in situ PEC formation resulted in sustained delivery of
      high dose gastric fluid soluble drug Paracetamol. Further, effect of
      incorporation starch and lactose as tablet diluents on release rate was also
      studied. It was observed that paracetamol release from lactose granulation was
      faster than tablets prepared with starch as diluents. From the data generated it
      was concluded that In situ PEC formation approach has sufficient potential to
      sustain the release of drugs like paracetamol.

PMID- 28629046
TI  - Lipoic acid functionalized SiO2@Ag nanoparticles. Synthesis, characterization and
      evaluation of biological activity.
AB  - A novel nanocomposite was obtained through the covalent immobilization of lipoic
      acid on the surface of silver nanoparticles-decorated silica nanoparticles
      (SiO2@Ag). The hybrid organic - inorganic material obtained was characterized by
      Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, scanning and
      transmision electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Visible
      spectroscopy. Its antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial activity and influence on
      mammalian cells cycle were evaluated. The results of this study have shown that
      the functionalization of SiO2@Ag with lipoic acid resulted in a composite with
      increased specificity of interaction with different mammalian cell lines and
      antioxidant activity, but with decreased cytotoxicity and antimicrobial
      properties. Therefore, the SiO2@Ag functionalized with lipoic acid could be
      successfully used in certain concentrations to modulate the cell cycle, in order
      to obtain the desired anti-proliferative or stimulatory therapeutic effect.

PMID- 28629047
TI  - Two-phase electrospinning to incorporate growth factors loaded chitosan
      nanoparticles into electrospun fibrous scaffolds for bioactivity retention and
      cartilage regeneration.
AB  - Growth factor is an essential ingredient to regulate mesenchymal stem cells
      (MSCs) chondrogenic differentiation in cartilage tissue engineering. However, non
      osteochondral specification, short plasma half time and bioactivity loss restrict
      growth factor's application. Thus, novel chondrogenic growth factors,
      specifically target osteochondral lineage cells, that can be sustained release
      and bioactivity protected to exert functions continually and effectively have
      attracted increasing researchers' interest. To achieve these goals, chitosan
      nanoparticles and electrospun fiber scaffolds were used as dual release system to
      sustain release Nel-like molecule-1 (Nell-1) growth factor and protect
      bioactivity, then the effect and mechanism of Nell-1 on inducing human bone MSCs
      (hBMSCs) differentiate toward chondrocytes were investigated. For release and
      bioactivity protection study, preloading Nell-1 into chitosan nanoparticles
      significantly extended the release time, increased the released Nell-1's
      bioactivity than directly incorporating Nell-1 into the scaffolds. Furthermore,
      Nell-1 specifically promotes hBMSCs in vitro chondrogenic differentiation by
      increasing expression of chondrogenic related genes and proteins. These findings
      suggest the potential utility of Nell-1 incorporated dual release scaffold for
      cartilage tissue engineering.

PMID- 28629048
TI  - Fabrication and investigation of a biocompatible microfilament with high
      mechanical performance based on regenerated bacterial cellulose and bacterial
      cellulose.
AB  - A high-strength regenerated bacterial cellulose (RBC)/bacterial cellulose (BC)
      microfilament of potential use as a biomaterial was successfully prepared via a
      wet spinning process. The BC not only consists of a 3-D network composed of
      nanofibers with a diameter of several hundred nanometers but also has a secondary
      structure consisting of highly oriented nanofibrils with a diameter ranging from
      a few nanometers to tens of nanometers which explains the reason for the high
      mechanical strength of BC. Furthermore, a strategy of partially dissolving BC was
      used and this greatly enhanced the mechanical performance of spun filament and a
      method called post-treatment was utilized to remove residual solvents from the
      RBC/BC filaments. A comparison of structure, properties, as well as
      cytocompatibility between BC nanofibers and RBC/BC microfilaments was achieved
      using morphology, mechanical properties, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and an enzymatic
      hydrolysis assay. The RBC/BC microfilament has a uniform groove structure with a
      diameter of 50-60MUm and XRD indicated that the crystal form was transformed from
      cellulose Ialpha to cellulose IIII and the degree of crystallinity of RBC/BC
      (33.22%) was much lower than the original BC (60.29%). The enzymatic hydrolysis
      assay proved that the RBC/BC material was more easily degraded than BC. ICP
      detection indicated that the residual amount of lithium was 0.07mg/g (w/w) and GC
      MS analysis showed the residual amount of DMAc to be 8.51MUg/g (w/w)
      demonstrating that the post-treatment process is necessary and effective for
      removal of residual materials from the RBC/BC microfilaments. Also, a cell
      viability assay demonstrated that after post-treatment the RBC/BC filaments had
      good cytocompatibility.

PMID- 28629049
TI  - Study of the physicochemical interactions between Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase
      and silica-based supports and their correlation with the biochemical activity of
      the biocatalysts.
AB  - The interactions between Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) and phenyl silica
      based supports affect the immobilization mechanisms and their catalytic behavior.
      The modulation of phenyl groups density on the silica surface and porous
      characteristics were determined by TGA, FTIR, 29Si NMR and N2 adsorption
      porosimetry. The correlation of the affinity constant and maximum adsorption
      capacity with the lixiviation results allowed determine differences in the enzyme
      adsorption mechanism in function of the immobilization pH and phenyl groups
      density. In the support with low phenyl groups density, the adsorption of a
      higher amount of enzyme is promoted. However, the pore confinement and the
      microenvironment generate decrease expressed activity. This can be due to the
      stiffness and structural changes of the adsorbed enzymes, which were studied by
      following the thermal stability at 65 degrees C, protein distribution, kinetic
      parameters and diffusion restrictions. The biocatalyst prepared on support with
      low density of phenyl groups at pH6.0, exhibits the best balance between
      expressed activity, thermal stability and immobilization efficiency. This due to
      homogeneous distribution of the enzyme in the support with phenyl groups, which
      increases the affinity of the enzyme by the substrate, even the diffusion
      restrictions decrease the Vmax. These results contribute to rationalize the
      effects of the immobilization conditions and supports type on its catalytic
      behavior.

PMID- 28629050
TI  - Novel bilayer wound dressing based on electrospun gelatin/keratin nanofibrous
      mats for skin wound repair.
AB  - A bilayer membrane (GKU) with a commercial polyurethane wound dressing as an
      outer layer and electrospun gelatin/keratin nanofibrous mat as an inner layer was
      fabricated as a novel wound dressing. Scanning electron micrographs showed that
      gelatin/keratin nanofibers had a uniform morphology and bead-free structure with
      average fiber diameter of 160.4nm. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazolyl)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay using L929 fibroblast cells indicated that the
      residues released from the gelatin/keratin composite nanofibrous mat accelerated
      cell proliferation. Cell attachment experiments revealed that adhered cells
      spread better and migrated deeper into the gelatin/keratin nanofibrous mat than
      that into the gelatin nanofibrous mat. In animal studies, compared with the
      bilayer membrane without keratin, gauze and commercial wound dressing,
      Comfeel(r), GKU membrane gave much more number of blood vessels and a greater
      reduction in wound area at 4days, and better wound repair at 14days with a
      thicker epidermis and larger number of newly formed hair follicles. GKU membrane,
      thus, could be a good candidate for wound dressing applications.

PMID- 28629051
TI  - Novel biomimetic composite material for potentiometric screening of
      acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - This work describes a novel approach to produce an antibody-like biomimetic
      material. It includes preparing composite imprinted material never presented
      before, with highly conductive support nanostructures and assembling a high
      conductivity polymeric layer at low temperature. Overall, such highly conductive
      material may enhance the final features of electrically-based devices.
      Acetylcholine (ACh) was selected as target analyte, a neurotransmitter of
      importance in Alzheimer's disease. Potentiometric transduction was preferred,
      allowing quick responses and future adaptation to point-of-care requirements. The
      biomimetic material was obtained by bulk polymerization, where ACh was placed in
      a composite matrix of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and aniline (ANI).
      Subsequent polymerization, initiated by radical species, yielded a polymeric
      structure of polyaniline (PANI) acting as physical support of the composite. A
      non-imprinted material (NIM) having only PANI/MWCNT (without ACh) has been
      prepared for comparison of the biomimetic-imprinted material (BIM). RAMAN and
      Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission Electron microscopy
      (TEM), and Scanning Electron microscope (SEM) analysis characterized the
      structures of the materials. The ability of this biomaterial to rebind ACh was
      confirmed by including it as electroactive compound in a PVC/plasticizer mixture.
      The membranes with imprinted material and anionic additive presented the best
      analytical characteristics, with a sensitivity of 83.86mV decade-1 and limit of
      detection (LOD) of 3.45*10-5mol/L in HEPES buffer pH4.0. Good selectivity was
      observed against creatinine, creatine, glucose, cysteine and urea. The electrodes
      were also applied on synthetic serum samples and seemed a reliable tool for
      screening ACh in synthetic serum samples. The overall performance showed fast
      response, reusability, simplicity and low price.

PMID- 28629052
TI  - Synthesis of silane ligand-modified graphene oxide and antibacterial activity of
      modified graphene-silver nanocomposite.
AB  - In this research, a new type of chemically modified graphene oxide (GO) was
      synthesized based a silane ligand and then used as substrate and stabilizing for
      the synthesis of monodispersed and small Ag nanoparticles (NPs). First, ligand
      molecules were successfully grafted onto the surface of GO (LGO) and then, active
      groups of LGO could effectively interact with Ag ions. The reduction of Ag ions
      and LGO sheets was carried out by hydrazine under reflux. The resulted
      nanocomposite was fully characterized by different techniques. Furthermore, the
      antibacterial behavior of nanocomposite was studied against E. coli and S.
      aureus. The results showed that nanocomposite exhibits good antibacterial
      activity against E. coli and S. aureus and also S. aureus showed greater
      resistance than the E. coli strains against the LG/Ag nanocomposite.

PMID- 28629053
TI  - A novel high-strength and highly corrosive biodegradable Fe-Pd alloy: Structural,
      mechanical and in vitro corrosion and cytotoxicity study.
AB  - Recently, iron-based materials have been considered as candidates for the
      fabrication of biodegradable load-bearing implants. Alloying with palladium has
      been found to be a suitable approach to enhance the insufficient corrosion rate
      of iron-based alloys. In this work, we have extensively compared the
      microstructure, the mechanical and corrosion properties, and the cytotoxicity of
      an FePd2 (wt%) alloy prepared by three different routes - casting, mechanical
      alloying and spark plasma sintering (SPS), and mechanical alloying and the space
      holder technique (SHT). The properties of the FePd2 (wt%) were compared with pure
      Fe prepared in the same processes. The preparation route significantly influenced
      the material properties. Materials prepared by SPS possessed the highest values
      of mechanical properties (CYS~750-850MPa) and higher corrosion rates than the
      casted materials. Materials prepared by SHT contained approximately 60% porosity;
      therefore, their mechanical properties reached the lowest values, and they had
      the highest corrosion rates, approximately 0.7-1.2mm/a. Highly porous FePd2 was
      tested in vitro according to the ISO 10993-5 standard using L929 cells, and two
      fold diluted extracts showed acceptable cytocompatibility. In general, alloying
      with Pd enhanced both mechanical properties and corrosion rates and did not
      decrease the cytocompatibility of the studied materials.

PMID- 28629054
TI  - Synthesis and cell imaging applications of amphiphilic AIE-active poly(amino
      acid)s.
AB  - The poly(amino acid)s based biomaterials have attracted great research attention
      over the past few decades because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability and
      well designability. Although much progress has achieved in the synthesis and
      biomedical applications of poly(amino acid)s, the synthesis of luminescent
      poly(amino acid)s has been rarely reported. In this work, novel amphiphilic
      luminescent poly(amino acid)s with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature
      have been synthesized by a new approach of controlling N-carboxy anhydride (NCA)
      ring-opening polymerization, in which hydrophobic 2-(4-aminophenyl)-3-(10
      hexadecyl-4H-phenothiazin-3-yl)acrylonitrile (Phe-NH2) with AIE feature was used
      as initiator and hydrophilic oligomeric glycol functionalized glutamate (OEG-glu)
      NCA was acted as monomer. The successful synthesis of final Phe-OEG-Pglu polymers
      was confirmed by different characterization techniques. Phe-OEG-Pglu polymers
      possess amphiphilic properties and can self-assemble into luminescent polymeric
      nanoparticles (LPNs). Based on cellular imaging experiments, we demonstrated that
      Phe-OEG-Pglu LPNs have great potential for bio-imaging applications due to their
      attractive properties including strong fluorescence intensity, great water
      dispersibility, excellent biocompatibility and high cellular uptake efficiency.

PMID- 28629055
TI  - A novel kind of polysulfone material with excellent biocompatibility modified by
      the sulfonated hydroxypropyl chitosan.
AB  - In order to ameliorate the biocompatibility of polysulfone (PSf), sulfonated
      hydroxypropyl chitosan (SHPCS) was grafted from PSf membrane material by Schiff
      Base reaction. The original and modified membranes were characterized by
      attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (ATR-FTIR),
      X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water
      contact angle (WCA) measurement, tensile strength test and antibacterial test in
      vitro, and the results indicated that the PSf modified by SHPCS (PSf-SHPCS) was
      synthesized successfully, the hydrophilicity of PSf-SHPCS membrane was improved
      to a great extent, all the membranes possessed good stability in physiological
      condition and the PSf-SHPCS membrane had good antibacterial property. Protein
      adsorption, platelet adhesion, hemolysis assay, plasma recalcification time,
      activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin
      time (TT) and whole blood clotting time were executed to evaluate the
      hemocompatibility of membranes decorated by SHPCS, and the results demonstrated
      that the modified membrane had fine hemocompatibility.

PMID- 28629056
TI  - Antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials of biosynthesized colloidal zinc oxide
      nanoparticles for a fortified cold cream formulation: A potent nanocosmeceutical
      application.
AB  - Nanocosmeceuticals are promising applications of nanotechnology in personal care
      industries. Zinc oxide is an inorganic material that is non-toxic and skin
      compatible with self-cleansing and microbicidal properties. Herein, exploitation
      of colloidal zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONps) as potent biomaterial for a
      topical formulation of cosmetic and dermatological significance is employed.
      ZnONps were green synthesized using environmentally benign Adhatoda vasica leaf
      extract and characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering
      (DLS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and energy
      dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results reveal that the biosynthesized
      ZnONps exhibit an absorption peak at 352nm. XRD and HR-TEM analyses confirm the
      hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnONps with particle size of about 10nm to 12nm.
      Elemental analysis by EDX confirms the presence of zinc and oxygen. Zeta
      potential of -24.6mV affirms the stability of nanoparticles. The antibacterial
      and antifungal activities of biosynthesized ZnONps exhibit mean zone of
      inhibition from 08.667+/-0.282 to 21.666+/-0.447 (mm) and 09.000+/-0.177 to
      19.000+/-0.307 (mm) respectively, in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 value
      exerted from the antioxidant activity of ZnONps is found to be 139.27MUgmL-1.
      ZnONps infused cold cream formulation of microbicidal and antioxidant properties
      was further tested against clinical skin pathogens. The nano-based cold cream
      exhibited significant inhibitory action against Candida sp., which showed
      resistance against a commercial antifungal cream (2%). Therefore, this study
      demonstrates the exploitation of ZnONps as promising colloidal drug carriers in
      cosmeceuticals that can significantly alleviate human skin infections and
      oxidative stress induced cellular damage.

PMID- 28629057
TI  - A facile strategy for fabrication of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active
      fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles (FPNs) via post modification of synthetic
      polymers and their cell imaging.
AB  - Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active fluorescent polymeric nanoparticles
      (FPNs) have recently emerged as the promising nanoprobes for biological imaging
      for their intensive fluorescence, good photostability, desirable biocompatibility
      and well designability of structure and optical properties. Herein, we proposed a
      novel strategy for fabrication of AIE-active FPNs through the post modification
      of synthetic copolymers to form Schiff base. The size, morphology, optical
      properties and biocompatibility as well as cell uptake behavior were evaluated in
      detailed. To fabricate these AIE-active FPNs, poly(PEG-co-VA) copolymers were
      first obtained via addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using
      poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) and 3-vinylaniline (VA)
      as the monomers. Then the AIE-active SA-poly(PEG-co-VA) FPNs were formed through
      the reaction between salicylaldehyde (SA) and VA. Results demonstrated that SA
      poly(PEG-co-VA) FPNs possess bright fluorescence, superior photo-bleaching
      resistance, excellent biocompatibility and efficient cell uptake behavior. To the
      best of our knowledge, this is the first report for fabrication AIE-active FPNs
      through post modification of synthetic copolymers. The facile fabrication
      procedure and the remarkable features suggested that these AIE-active FPNs
      promising candidates for biomedical applications.

PMID- 28629058
TI  - Photo-induced surface grafting of phosphorylcholine containing copolymers onto
      mesoporous silica nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery.
AB  - Surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with functional
      polymers has become one of the most interest topics over the last decade. Among
      various surface modification strategies, surface-initiated atom transfer radical
      polymerization (ATRP) has been regarded as one of the most effective methods.
      However, the typical ATRP strategy is relied on the transition metal ions and
      their organic ligands as the polymerization catalyst systems. In this work, a
      novel surface-initiated ATRP method was established for surface functionalization
      of MSNs using 10-Phenylphenothiazine (PTH) as the catalyst, 2
      methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and itaconic acid (IA) as the
      monomers. We demonstrated that photo-induced ATRP is very effective for
      preparation of polymer functionalized MSNs (MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-MPC)). More
      importantly, MSNs-NH2-poly(IA-co-MPC) displayed well water dispersity, low
      cytotoxicity, high loading capability and controlled release behavior towards
      cisplatin. Furthermore, the method based on photo-induced surface-initiated ATRP
      could effectively overcome the drawbacks of conventional ATRP, which may involve
      in the residue of transition metal ions, high polymerization temperature, long
      polymerization term and complex experimental procedure. Therefore, this strategy
      described above is of great interest for fabrication of multifunctional polymer
      composites for various applications.

PMID- 28629060
TI  - Enhancing the biocompatibility of the polyurethane methacrylate and off
      stoichiometry thiol-ene polymers by argon and nitrogen plasma treatment.
AB  - Our studies focused on improving the biocompatibility properties of two
      microfluidic prototyping substrates i.e. polyurethane methacrylate (PUMA) and off
      stoichiometry thiol-ene (OSTE-80) polymer by Ar and N2 plasma treatment. The
      contact angle (CA) measurement showed that both plasma treatments inserted oxygen
      and nitrogen moieties increased the surface energy and hydrophilicity of PUMA and
      OSTE-80 polymer which corresponded to an increase of nitrogen to carbon ratios
      (N/C), as measured by XPS, to provide a conducive environment for cell
      attachments and proliferation. Under the SEM observation, the surface topography
      of PUMA and OSTE-80 polymer showed minimal changes after the plasma treatments.
      Furthermore, ageing studies showed that plasma-treated PUMA and OSTE-80 polymer
      had stable hydrophilicity and nitrogen composition during storage in ambient air
      for 15days. After in vitro cell culture of human umbilical vein endothelial cells
      (HUVECs) on these surfaces for 24h and 72h, both trypan blue and alamar blue
      assays indicated that PUMA and OSTE-80 polymer treated with N2 plasma had the
      highest viability and proliferation. The polar nitrogen moieties, specifically
      amide groups, encouraged the HUVECs adhesion on the plasma-treated PUMA and OSTE
      80 surfaces. Interestingly, PUMA polymer treated with Ar and N2 plasma showed
      different HUVECs morphology which was spindle and cobblestone-shaped respectively
      after 72h of incubation. On the contrary, a monolayer of well-spread HUVECs
      formed on the Ar and N2 plasma-treated OSTE-80 polymers. These variable
      morphologies observed can be ascribed to the adherence HUVECs on the different
      elastic moduli of these surfaces whereby further investigation might be needed.
      Overall, Ar and N2 plasma treatment had successfully altered the surface
      properties of PUMA and OSTE-80 polymer by increasing its surface energy,
      hydrophilicity and chemical functionalities to create a biocompatible surface for
      HUVECs adhesion and proliferation.

PMID- 28629059
TI  - Versatile quarto stimuli nanostructure based on Trojan Horse approach for cancer
      therapy: Synthesis, characterization, in vitro and in vivo studies.
AB  - Nanostructured delivery and diagnostic systems that induces specific targeting
      properties by exploiting the local physicochemical tumour characteristics will be
      evaluated is the present work. It is well known that cancer cells have specific
      physicochemical characteristics, which can be taken into consideration for the
      design of a broad spectrum of drug delivery systems (DDS). Some of those
      characteristics including the different temperature environment their
      susceptibility when temperature ranges between 40 and 43 degrees C where cell
      apoptosis is induced, the intra- and extra-cellular pH which varies from 6.0 to
      6.8, for cancer cells, and 6.5 to 7.4 for normal cells respectively, (lysosomes
      acidic pH ranges 4-5). Additional significant factors are the overexpressed
      receptors on the tumour surface. Loading and release studies were carried out by
      using the anthracycline drug Doxorubicin and their cytotoxicity was evaluated by
      using the MTT assay in healthy and diseased cell lines. The highlight of this
      work is the in vitro and in vivo studies which were performed in order to
      evaluate different nanostructures as for their biodistribution, pharmacokinetic
      and toxicity per se.

PMID- 28629061
TI  - Paclitaxel/hydroxyapatite composite coatings on titanium alloy for biomedical
      applications.
AB  - In order to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, target therapies have been
      spotlighted. In this study, paclitaxel, the drug for cancer treatment, is
      electrochemically deposited on Ti alloy as vascular stents for the tumor
      localized therapy by sustaining drug releasing to achieve the cancer cells
      apoptosis or the prevention of cancer metastasis. In the experiment, cathodic
      polarization tests coupled with electrochemical reactions were analyzed to
      speculate the deposition mechanism, and the field emission scanning electron
      microscope (FESEM), focused ion beam (FIB) system and Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy (FTIR) to observe the surface morphology and analyze constituent
      elements. A spectrophotometer (UV visible spectrometer) was used to measure drug
      loading and release. Finally, MTT Assay was carried out to analyze the cell
      viability for drug efficacy. It is concluded that paclitaxel can be successfully
      deposited on the titanium alloy by electrochemical method. Besides, the post
      hydroxyapatite coated specimen with high porosity can enhance the drug loading
      from 395+/-95MUg/cm2 to 572+/-99MUg/cm2, a lower burst release in the first day,
      a higher sustaining release rate in a month, and the more complete drug release.
      All results indicate that the paclitaxel/hydroxyapatite composite coating by the
      electrochemical deposition method is much more effective and promising.

PMID- 28629062
TI  - Construction of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/ZnO nanorods/Ag nanoparticles
      hybrid coating on Ti implants for enhanced antibacterial activity and
      biocompatibility.
AB  - Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/Ag/ZnO nanorods coating were successfully prepared
      on the surface of Ti metallic implants using a hydrothermal method and subsequent
      spin-coating of mixtures of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and silver
      nanoparticles. The poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/Ag/ZnO nanorods coating
      exhibited excellent antibacterial efficacy of over 96% against both
      Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli when the initial content of Ag
      nanoparticles was over 3wt%. In addition, the release of both silver and zinc
      could last for over a hundred days due to the enwrapping of poly(lactic-co
      glycolic acid). Proliferation of mouse calvarial cells exhibited minimal
      cytotoxicity on the poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/Ag/ZnO coating with an initial
      content of Ag nanoparticles of 1wt% and 3wt%, while it inhibited cell
      proliferation once this value was increased to 6wt%. The results revealed that
      this poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/Ag/ZnO composite could provide a long-lasting
      antibacterial approach and good cytocompatibility, thus exhibiting considerable
      potential for biomedical application in orthopedic and dental implants with
      excellent self-antibacterial activity and good biocompatibility.

PMID- 28629063
TI  - Substitution of strontium and boron into hydroxyapatite crystals: Effect on
      physicochemical properties and biocompatibility with human Wharton-Jelly stem
      cells.
AB  - Hydroxyapatite (HA) enriched with strontium and boron ions was synthesized using
      two different methods: the precipitation method (Sr,B-HAw) and the dry method
      (Sr,B-HAd). Additionally, for the sake of comparison, the "pure" unsubstituted HA
      was prepared together with HAs substituted only with one type of a foreign ion.
      The obtained materials were subjected to physicochemical analysis with the use of
      various analytical methods, such as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM), inductively coupled plasma optical emission
      spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and solid
      state proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H ssNMR). All the obtained materials
      were also biologically tested for their potential cytotoxicity. The obtained
      materials (Sr,B-HAw and Sr,B-HAd) were homogeneous and respectively showed nano-
      and microcrystal apatitic structures. The simultaneous introduction of Sr2+ and
      BO33- ions turned out to be more effective in respect of the dry method. Of
      importance, doped materials obtained using both synthesis routes have been
      demonstrated to be biocompatible, opening the way for medical applications.

PMID- 28629064
TI  - Advanced bredigite-containing magnesium-matrix composites for biodegradable bone
      implant applications.
AB  - The present research was aimed at developing magnesium-matrix composites that
      could allow effective control over their physiochemical and mechanical responses
      when in contact with physiological solutions. A biodegradable, bioactive ceramic 
      bredigite was chosen as the reinforcing phase in the composites, based on the
      hypothesis that the silicon- and magnesium-containing ceramic could protect
      magnesium from fast corrosion and at the same time stimulate cell proliferation.
      Methods to prepare composites with integrated microstructures - a prerequisite to
      achieve controlled biodegradation were developed. A systematic experimental
      approach was taken in order to elucidate the in vitro biodegradation mechanisms
      and kinetics of the composites. It was found that the composites with 20-40%
      homogenously dispersed bredigite particles, prepared from powders, could indeed
      significantly decrease the degradation rate of magnesium by up to 24 times. Slow
      degradation of the composites resulted in the retention of the mechanical
      integrity of the composites within the strength range of cortical bone after
      12days of immersion in a cell culture medium. Cell attachment, cytotoxicity and
      bioactivity tests confirmed the stimulatory effects of bredigite embedded in the
      composites on the attachment, viability and differentiation of bone marrow
      stromal cells. Thus, the multiple benefits of adding bredigite to magnesium in
      enhancing degradation behavior, mechanical properties, biocompatibility and
      bioactivity were obtained. The results from this research showed the excellent
      potential of the bredigite-containing composites for bone implant applications,
      thus warranting further in vitro and in vivo research.

PMID- 28629065
TI  - Preparation and characterization of in situ chitosan/polyethylene glycol
      fumarate/thymol hydrogel as an effective wound dressing.
AB  - In the present study, polyethylene glycol fumarate (PEGF) was synthesized as a
      component of blend solutions via polycondensation polymerization and
      characterized by different tests in order to determine its functional groups and
      its physical properties included melting and crystallization temperature,
      enthalpy of fusion and average molecular weights. Wound dressing films based on
      chitosan (Ch), PEGF and thymol (Th) were fabricated by solvent casting method
      with different formulations contained 80%(w/w) chitosan and 20%(w/w) PEGF as
      polymeric components and different amounts of thymol consisted of 0, 0.6, 1.2 and
      1.8%(v/v) as pharmaceutical additives of blend solutions. These films were
      evaluated by different essential tests included Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy (FTIR), tensile testing, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), water
      vapor uptake, equilibrium water uptake, water solubility, swelling, scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM) and antibacterial activity tests. The blend film
      contained 1.8%(v/v) thymol demonstrated optimal properties included acceptable
      mechanical properties, better absorption of water vapor or liquid water, higher
      water vapor transmission rate and air permeability, acceptable water solubility,
      superior swelling level, more porous structures and rough surfaces and the
      excellent antibacterial activity against both gram-negative and gram-positive
      bacteria which make it a suitable candidate for wound dressing applications.

PMID- 28629066
TI  - Glucosamine-modified polyethylene glycol hydrogel-mediated chondrogenic
      differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells.
AB  - Glucosamine (GA) is an important cartilage matrix precursor for the
      glycosaminoglycan biochemical synthesis, and has positive effects on cartilage
      regeneration, particularly in osteoarthritis therapy. However, it has not been
      used as a bioactive group in scaffolds for cartilage repair widely. In this
      study, we synthesized modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel with
      glucosamine and then encapsulated human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) in
      the hydrogel to induce the differentiation of hBMSCs into chondrocytes in three
      dimensional culture. The GA-modified PEG hydrogels promoted the chondrogenesis of
      hBMSCs, particularly in the concentration of 5mM and 10mM. The subcutaneous
      transplantation of 10mM GA-modified hydrogels with hBMSCs formed cartilage-like
      blocks in vivo for 8weeks. Importantly, with glucosamine increase, the modified
      hydrogels down-regulated the fibrosis and hypertrophic cartilage markers in
      protein level. Therefore, glucosamine modified PEG hydrogels facilitated the
      chondrogenesis of hBMSCs, which might represent a new method for cartilage repair
      using a tissue-engineering approach.

PMID- 28629067
TI  - Biodistribution and in vivo performance of fattigation-platform theranostic
      nanoparticles.
AB  - This study was aimed at characterizing superparamagnetic nanoparticles surface
      functionalized with gelatin-oleic acid (GOAS-MNPs) and loaded with paclitaxel by
      assessing the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of paclitaxel in tissues and
      the in vivo efficacy of antitumor activity after the administration of the drug.
      Initially, instrumental analysis was performed to examine the particle size
      distribution, surface charge, and morphology of the paclitaxel-loaded GOAS-MNPs.
      Furthermore, we evaluated their magnetic properties and performed T2-weighted
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on cells. We intravenously administered Taxol(r)
      and paclitaxel-loaded GOAS-MNPs and compared the pharmacokinetics,
      biodistribution, and antitumor efficacies of the two formulations. Determination
      of the pharmacokinetics and the biodistribution of paclitaxel-loaded NPs showed
      that this formulation increased the systemic circulation time of paclitaxel and
      regulated its transport to tissues. The in vivo antitumor efficacy of the
      paclitaxel-loaded NPs was better than that of Taxol(r) at the same dose.
      Furthermore, the paclitaxel-loaded GOAS-MNPs were found to be effective as
      contrast agents for enhanced MRI in cancer cells. Thus, GOAS-MNPs could be an
      effective diagnostic system for cancer and for the delivery of paclitaxel with
      better therapeutic effects and a significant reduction in toxicity.

PMID- 28629068
TI  - A novel alginate-encapsulated system to study biological response to critical
      sized wear particles of UHMWPE loaded with alendronate sodium.
AB  - The aim of this study was to develop a novel alginate-encapsulated system (Alg
      beads) to investigate the cell response to critical-sized wear particles of ultra
      high molecular weight polyethylene loaded with alendronate sodium (UHMWPE-ALN),
      one of the most effective drugs to treat bone resorption in clinic. The extrusion
      method was used to prepare Alg beads encapsulating rat calvarial osteoblasts
      (RCOs) and critical-sized UHMWPE-ALN wear particles with spherical morphology and
      uniform size. The morphology, permeability and stability of Alg beads were
      characterized. The proliferation, ALP activity, cell apoptosis and distribution
      of live/dead RCOs co-cultured with wear particles in Alg beads were evaluated.
      RCOs and critical-sized UHMWPE-ALN wear particles distributed evenly and
      contacted efficiently in Alg beads. Alg beads were both permeable to trypsin and
      BSA, while the smaller the molecular was, the larger the diffuse was. The
      proliferation of RCOs in Alg beads increased with time, which indicated that Alg
      beads provided suitable conditions for cell culture. The long-term stability of
      Alg beads indicated the possibility for the longer time of co-cultured cells with
      wear particles. Critical-sized UHMWPE-ALN and UHMWPE wear particles both
      inhibited the proliferation and differentiation of RCOs, and induced the
      apoptosis of RCOs encapsulated in Alg beads. However, these effects could be
      significantly alleviated by the ALN released from the critical-sized UHMWPE-ALN
      wear particles. The present results suggested that this novel-developed co
      culture system was feasible to evaluate the cell response to critical-sized
      UHMWPE-ALN wear particles for a longer time.

PMID- 28629069
TI  - Evaluation of electrospun biomimetic substrate surface-decorated with
      nanohydroxyapatite precipitation for osteoblasts behavior.
AB  - To engineer bone tissue, it is crucial to design scaffolds with micro- and nano
      sized architecture imitating approximate hierarchical structure of native bone,
      and afford desirable biological properties by introducing biocompatible polymers
      and bioceramics into the scaffolds. Here, a novel scaffold consisting of poly-3
      hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV)/polyaspartic acid (PAA) was
      fabricated by electrospinning and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) was deposited by
      calcium-phosphate dipping process for bone tissue regeneration. Characterization
      of the prepared nanofibers revealed the formation of definite nHA crystal, porous
      structure of membranes, improved wettability with nHA deposition and satisfied
      mechanical properties. Human fetal osteoblasts were cultured on nanofibers and
      experienced in vitro evaluations of cell proliferation, adhesion and
      mineralization confirming the non-cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of scaffolds.
      Cells proliferation rate and ALP expression on PHBV/PAA-nHA were 36.40% and
      40.14% higher than on PHBV/PAA, respectively. The utmost significance of this
      study is introducing bioactive PAA-nHA on polymeric nanofibers to regulate and
      improve specific cells adhesion, proliferation and mineralization of osteoblasts.
      All results indicate PHBV/PAA-nHA nanofibrous scaffolds can be applied as
      biomimetic platform for bone tissue repairation with appropriate physico-chemical
      properties, osteoinductivity and osteoconductivity.

PMID- 28629070
TI  - Fabrication of chitosan/graphene oxide polymer nanofiber and its biocompatibility
      for cartilage tissue engineering.
AB  - In this work, Chitosan/Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/graphene oxide (GO) composite
      nanofibers were fabricated by electrospinning technique. The prepared nanofibers
      were characterized by using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.
      FESEM images have confirmed the uniform distributions of graphene oxide
      nanosheets in the nanofibers with self-assembly with chitosan/PVA chains.
      Additionally, the results of raman spectra confirmed the existence of GO sheets
      in the nanofibers. The tensile strength experiments revealed that the
      incorporation of GO increased the mechanical properties of nanofibers. Further
      the biocompatibilities of the chitosan/PVA/GO towards ATDC5 cells was studied in
      a cell proliferation assay after day 14. The obtained results revealed that the
      chitosan/PVA/GO (6wt%) is found to deliver the most appropriate environment for
      the growth of ATDC5 cells when compared with chitosan/PVA/GO (4wt%) and
      chitosan/PVA. Hence, the chitosan/PVA/GO (6wt%) nanofiber can be used as possible
      substitute as an artificial cartilage.

PMID- 28629071
TI  - Hemostatic kaolin-polyurethane foam composites for multifunctional wound dressing
      applications.
AB  - There are numerous challenges associated with the acute care of traumatic limb
      injuries in forward military settings. A lack of immediate medical facilities
      necessitates that the wound dressing perform multiple tasks including exudate
      control, infection prevention, and physical protection of the wound for extended
      periods of time. Here, kaolin was incorporated into recently developed robust
      polyurethane (PU) hydrogel foams at 1-10wt% in an effort to impart hemostatic
      character. ATR-IR and gel fraction analysis demonstrated that the facile, one-pot
      synthesis of the PU hydrogel was unaffected by kaolin loading, as well as the use
      of a non-toxic catalyst, which significantly improved cytocompatibility of the
      materials. Kaolin was generally well dispersed throughout the PU matrix, though
      higher loadings exhibited minor evidence of aggregation. Kaolin-PU composites
      exhibited burst release of ciprofloxacin over 2h, the initial release rates of
      which increased with kaolin loading. Kaolin loading imparted excellent hemostatic
      character to the PU foams at relatively low loading levels (5wt%). This work
      demonstrates the simple and inexpensive synthesis of robust, hemostatic, and
      absorptive kaolin-PU foams that have promising potential as multifunctional wound
      dressing materials.

PMID- 28629072
TI  - Photodynamic effect of light-harvesting, long-lived triplet excited state
      Ruthenium(II)-polyimine-coumarin complexes: DNA binding, photocleavage and
      anticancer studies.
AB  - Two coumarin based RuII-polyimine complexes (Ru-1 and Ru-2) showing intense
      absorption of visible light and long-lived triplet excited states (~12-15MUs)
      were used for study of the interaction with DNA. The binding of the complexes
      with CT-DNA were studied by UV-vis, fluorescence and time-resolved nanosecond
      transient absorption (ns-TA) spectroscopy. The results suggesting that the
      complexes interact with CT-DNA by intercalation mode of binding, showing the
      binding constants (Kb) 6.47*104 for Ru-1 and 5.94*104 M-1 for Ru-2, in contrast
      no such results were found for Ru-0. The nanosecond transient absorption spectra
      of these systems in the presence of CT-DNA showing a clear perturbation in the
      bleaching region was observed compare to buffer alone. Visible light
      photoirradiation DNA cleavage was investigated for these complexes by treating
      with the supercoiled pUC19 DNA and irradiated at 450nm. The reactive species
      produced upon irradiation of current agents is singlet oxygen (1O2), which
      results in the generation of other reactive oxygen species (ROS). The complexes
      shown efficient cleavage activity, converted complete supercoiled DNA to nicked
      circular at as low as 20MUM concentration in 30min of light irradiation time.
      Significant amount of linear form was generated by Ru-1 at the same conditions.
      Even though Ru-0 has significant 1O2 quantum yield but shown lower cleavage
      activity compared to other two analogs is due the miserable interaction (binding)
      with DNA. The cytotoxicity in vitro of the complexes toward HeLa, BEL-7402 and MG
      63 cells was assessed by MTT assay. The cellular uptake was observed on BEL-7402
      cells under fluorescence microscope. The complexes shown appreciable cytotoxicity
      towards the cancer cell lines.

PMID- 28629073
TI  - In vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory properties of green synthesized silver
      nanoparticles using Viburnum opulus L. fruits extract.
AB  - A green, rapid and cost effective method for the bio-synthesis of silver
      nanoparticles (AgNPs), using polyphenols present in European cranberry bush fruit
      extracts was developed. The obtained AgNPs were characterized by ultra-violet
      visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS), Fourier transform - infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR),
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD). The
      average size of the spherical AgNPs was found to be 25nm. The anti-inflammatory
      effect of the biomaterials was investigated, both in vitro (on HaCaT cell line,
      exposed to UVB radiation) and in vivo (on acute inflammation model in Wistar
      rats). Our results support the conclusion that the photosynthesized silver
      nanoparticles present a potent anti-inflammatory activity and could be
      successfully used as therapeutic tools for treatment of inflammation.

PMID- 28629074
TI  - Tunable green graphene-silk biomaterials: Mechanism of protein-based
      nanocomposites.
AB  - Green graphene materials prepared by photoreduction of graphite oxide were first
      time blended with aqueous-based silk fibroin proteins to improve the mechanical
      and thermal properties of silk biomaterials, and their nanocomposite interaction
      mechanism was illustrated. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the
      complete exfoliation of graphite oxide to graphene in presence of focused pulses
      of solar radiation. By varying the concentration of graphene (0.1wt% to 10wt%), a
      series of free standing graphene-silk films were prepared and were systematically
      characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM) and nanoindentation measurements. The homogeneity of
      graphene in silk as well as the thermal stability of the composite films was
      demonstrated by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and temperature-modulated
      differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). Surprisingly, silk composite film
      containing only 0.5wt% of graphene gives the highest Young's modulus of 1.65GPa
      (about 5.8 times higher than the pure silk's modulus), indicating a nano
      composite to micro-composite transition of silk-graphene structure occurred
      around this mixing ratio. This finding provided an easy approach to improve the
      elastic modulus and other physical properties of silk materials by adding a tiny
      amount of graphene sheets. Fibroblast cells studies also proved that these
      graphene-silk materials can significantly improve cell adhesion, growth and
      proliferation. This protein nanocomposite study provided a useful model to
      understand how to manipulate the hydrophobic-hydrophobic and polar-polar
      interactions between high-surface-area inorganic nanomaterials and amphiphilic
      protein materials, which has many emerging applications in the material science
      and engineering, such as bio-device fabrication, drug storage and release, and
      tissue regeneration.

PMID- 28629075
TI  - Fabrication of chitosan/Au-TiO2 nanotube-based dry electrodes for
      electroencephalography recording.
AB  - In this paper, we describe a method for fabricating dry electrodes for use in
      recording electroencephalograms (EEGs), which are based on the use of chitosan
      (Ch), gold (Au) particles, and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube arrays deposited
      on titanium (Ti) thin sheets. The samples were characterized by scanning electron
      microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and EEG
      signal collection. The TiO2 nanotube arrays were grown on the Ti thin sheet by an
      electrochemical anodic oxidation method. The Au particles were deposited on the
      bottom and surface layers of the TiO2 nanotube array using an electrochemistry
      based multi-potential step technology. The fabricated dry Ch/Au-TiO2 electrodes
      have an efficient conversion interface for ion current/electron current, a high
      biocompatible contact surface, and a fast electron transfer channel. To confirm
      that the Ch/Au-TiO2 layer can be used in dry EEG electrodes, the impedance
      spectra of the electrodes in solution and skin were analyzed. The mean impedance
      values for skin were found to be approximately 169+/-33.0kOmega at 2.15Hz and
      67.4+/-8.9kOmega at 100Hz. In addition, EEG signals from the forehead and sites
      with hair were collected using both the dry Ch/Au-TiO2 electrode and a wet
      Ag/AgCl electrode for comparison purposes. It was found that high quality EEG
      signal recordings could be obtained using the dry electrodes. The fact that
      electrolytes are not required means that the electrodes are suitable for use in
      long-term bio-potential testing.

PMID- 28629076
TI  - Effect of acute and long-term administration of gold nanoparticles on biochemical
      parameters in rat brain.
AB  - The present study investigated stress oxidative parameters and activities of
      enzymes of the energy metabolism in various brain structures. Rats were subjected
      to acute and long-term administration of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with mean
      diameters of 10nm and 30nm. Adult (60days old) male Wistar rats received a single
      intraperitoneal injection (acute administration; 70MUg.kg-1) or repeated
      injections once daily for 28days (long-term administration; 70MUg.kg-1) of saline
      solution or GNPs (10nm or 30nm). Twenty-four hours after administration of the
      final dose, the animals were killed and the cerebral structures were isolated for
      enzyme analysis. In this study, we observed that the thiobarbituric acid-reactive
      species and carbonyl protein levels were decreased after acute administration of
      GNPs, whereas the superoxide dismutase activity was increased after acute and
      long-term of GNPs. The catalase activity was affected by the administration of
      GNPs. Furthermore, we have not found change in the citrate synthase activity. The
      succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, complexes I, II, II-III and IV,
      and creatine kinase activities were altered. These results indicate that
      inhibition energy metabolism can be caused by oxidative stress.

PMID- 28629077
TI  - Effects of the surface modification of polyurethane substrates on genotoxicity
      and blood activation processes.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the mutagenic and thrombogenic potential
      of a material composed of a thin coating deposited on a polymeric substrate. In
      this work, a surface was modified in a manner that would mimic the function of
      cellular niches. Finally, the surfaces should actively capture and differentiate
      progenitor cells from the blood stream. Thin films with 10 to 500nm thicknesses
      were deposited by unbalanced, pulsed DC magnetron sputtering on smooth
      polyurethane. Such high energy conditions led to a stiffening of the polymer
      surface layers by pseudodiffusion during the initial stages of film growth. Both
      the high intrinsic film stress due to high energy film growth and the huge
      difference in the elastic properties of the films and polymer substrates resulted
      in hierarchical and self-adapting nanowrinkling. Surface modifications of
      synthetic materials for future use in regeneration of the circulatory system must
      be tested in terms of their thrombogenicity and mutagenicity. Point mutations in
      many cases can lead to many serious haematologic complications. Genotoxicity was
      determined by testing for reverse histidine mutations in selected strains of
      Salmonella typhimurium. The analysis was performed in the presence and absence of
      metabolic activation system S9 containing liver microsomal fraction of rats.
      Based on these results, no mutagenicity of the tested material was observed. The
      interaction of blood and the material under dynamic conditions was described.
      Blood from above the analysed surface was collected after the test, and the
      quality of the blood was assessed along with the type of cellular response to the
      surface. In the obtained results of the coagulation processes, it was found that
      the tested material reduced the process of platelet activation under hydrodynamic
      conditions in comparison to the control material, polyurethane.

PMID- 28629078
TI  - Fluorescent CDs@PCL hybrids via tartaric acid, CDs-cocatalyzed polymerization.
AB  - In this paper, the environment-friendly, water-soluble carbon dots (CDs) with
      stable photoluminescence (PL) have been prepared via the one-step pyrolysis of
      lotus leaf. Then the as-prepared CDs containing abundant hydroxylic and
      carboxylic groups were employed as cocatalyst with tartaric acid (TA) in ring
      opening polymerization (ROP) of epsilon-caprolactone (epsilon-CL). The low-toxic
      organic acid TA, as main catalyst, was used to catalyze the ROP of epsilon-CL
      efficiently. The fluorescent CDs@PCL hybrids were obviously hydrophobic and they
      exhibited an excellent biocompatibility, and biodegradability due to the
      existence of PCL. Therefore the hydrophobic, biodegradable and multi-color
      fluorescent CDs@PCL hybrids may have potential applications in biomedicine,
      photocatalyst, bioimaging, and environmental analysis. Furthermore the
      application of CDs in catalyzing and initiating polymerization reaction will
      exemplify the versatility of CDs in the most unexpected fields.

PMID- 28629079
TI  - Silver doped resorbable tricalcium phosphate scaffolds for bone graft
      applications.
AB  - Bone graft procedures, in particular maxillofacial repair, account for half of
      the orthopedic procedures done in the US each year. Infection is a major issue in
      surgery, and should be of primary concern when engineering biomaterials. Silver
      is of renewed importance today, as it has the ability to potentiate antibiotics
      against resistant bacterial strains. In order to reduce long term infection
      risks, it is necessary for the scaffold to maintain a silver ion release for the
      length of the healing process. In this study, silver doped porous beta-tricalcium
      phosphate (beta-TCP) scaffolds were engineered using liquid porogen based method
      with the goal of meeting these requirements. Silver was added to the beta-TCP at
      three different dopant levels: 0.5wt% Ag2O, 1wt% Ag2O and 2wt% Ag2O. Immersion in
      pH5 acetate buffer over a 60day period resulted in a total cumulative ion release
      between 32 and 54MUM for dense control scaffolds, and between 80 and 90MUM for
      porous scaffolds. Porosity increased the dissolution rate of the scaffolds by a
      factor of 2. Human osteoblast cell lines were grown on the scaffolds to measure
      cytotoxicity and cell proliferation. Porosity increased osteoconduction by
      doubling the cell growth, and there was no significant cytotoxic effect even for
      the 2wt% Ag2O, as cells were observed on all the samples. Our results showed that
      silver can be released over a long period without compromising the
      biocompatibility of the scaffolds.

PMID- 28629080
TI  - Efficient megalin targeted delivery to renal proximal tubular cells mediated by
      modified-polymyxin B-polyethylenimine based nano-gene-carriers.
AB  - Non-viral vectors have attracted great interest, as they are simple to prepare,
      easy to modify and relatively safe, compared to viral vectors. Kidney-targeted
      gene delivery systems depict a promising technology to improve drug efficacy in
      renal diseases treatments. In order to develop a novel kidney-targeted gene
      delivery system, we synthesized polyamine-PEI conjugates using polymyxin B as
      ligand and investigated their potential targeting efficiency. After grafting
      either PEI25 kDa or PEI10 kDa with polymyxin B through amidation reaction, the
      modified-polymyxin-PEI/DNA-nanoplexes were produced via electrostatic attraction
      between the cationic polymers and EGFP plasmid. The properties of modified
      polymers including size, surface charge density, DNA condensation ability,
      buffering capacity and cytotoxicity were evaluated. Results revealed that the
      average size of -modified-polymyxin- PEI25kDa was about 143-180nm and modified
      polymyxin-PEI10kDa 115-194nm. The zeta potentials were in the range of 16.4+/
      1.87 to 23.43+/-1.25mV and 11.3+/-1.4 to 19.3+/-2.1mV for conjugates based on
      PEI25 and PEI10 respectively. The AFM images revealed that the complexes were
      spherical and nano-sized at C/P=4. The buffering capacity of both PEI 10 and
      25kDa increased as the percentage of polymyxin B grafting increased. In vitro
      study demonstrated that modified-polymyxin-PEI conjugates could remarkably
      improve the gene transfection efficiency to kidney cells. The transfection
      efficiency of the polyplexes was dependent on the weight ratio of ligand in the
      formulation (~12 and 8 fold increase for PEI25 and PEI10kDa, respectively) and
      was significantly higher than that of unmodified PEIs/DNA nanoparticles. These
      results suggest that modified-polymyxin-PEI /DNA nanoparticles can effectively
      target megalin-expressing kidney cells and show improved transfection efficiency
      and low cytotoxicity in In vitro and In vivo studies. Animal studies confirmed
      the in vivo study. Thus, these conjugates can be considered as a safe and
      efficient non-viral therapeutic therapy vector for kidney diseases.

PMID- 28629081
TI  - Optimized composition of nanocomposite scaffolds formed from silk fibroin and
      nano-TiO2 for bone tissue engineering.
AB  - Natural silk fibroin (SF) polymer has biomedical and mechanical properties as a
      biomaterial for bone tissue engineering scaffolds. Freeze-dried porous
      nanocomposite scaffolds were prepared from silk fibroin and titanium dioxide
      (TiO2) nanoparticles as a bioactive reinforcing agent by a phase separation
      method. In order to fabricate SF/TiO2 scaffolds, 5, 10, 15 and 20wt% of the TiO2
      were added to the SF. The phase structure, functional groups and morphology of
      the scaffolds were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques, respectively. Porosity
      of the scaffolds was measured by Archimedes' Principle. In addition, mechanical
      properties of prepared scaffolds were evaluated by measuring the compressive
      strength and compressive modulus. The bioactivity property of these scaffolds was
      examined for 7, 14, 21 and 28days immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37
      degrees C and the in vitro degradation was studied by incubation in phosphate
      buffered saline (PBS) at 37 degrees C and pH7.4 for up to 30days. Moreover, the
      scaffolds' biocompatibility was evaluated by seeding and culture of SaOS-2
      osteoblast-like cells and assessment of their proliferation with MTT [3-(4,5
      dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. Results showed that
      the prepared scaffolds had directional porosity and the reduction of porosity in
      composite scaffolds with higher contents of TiO2 nanoparticles resulted to an
      improvement of the mechanical strength. The macroporous structures with open
      interconnected and directional pores were successfully obtained without applying
      any porogen or inorganic solvent. The bioactivity of these scaffolds was
      confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showing surface crystallization
      of the apatite layer proportional to the duration of immersion in the SBF and the
      degradation rate of scaffolds were increased by increasing the TiO2 content. The
      osteoblast-like cells showed a high attachment and proliferation on these
      scaffolds and their viability was increased with increasing the SF content.
      Finally, an optimum composition of SF/TiO2 nanocomposite scaffolds was selected.

PMID- 28629082
TI  - Influence of residual composition on the structure and properties of
      extracellular matrix derived hydrogels.
AB  - In this work, hydrolysates of extracellular matrix (hECM) were obtained from rat
      tail tendon (TR), bovine Achilles tendon (TAB), porcine small intestinal
      submucosa (SIS) and bovine pericardium (PB), and they were polymerized to
      generate ECM hydrogels. The composition of hECM was evaluated by quantifying the
      content of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG), fibronectin and laminin. The
      polymerization process, structure, physicochemical properties, in vitro
      degradation and biocompatibility were studied and related to their composition.
      The results indicated that the hECM derived from SIS and PB were significantly
      richer in sGAG, fibronectin and laminin, than those derived from TAB and TR.
      These differences in hECM composition influenced the polymerization and the
      structural characteristics of the fibrillar gel network. Consequently, the
      swelling, mechanics and degradation of the hydrogels showed a direct relationship
      with the remaining composition. Moreover, the cytocompatibility and the secretion
      of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) by macrophages were enhanced in
      hydrogels with the highest residual content of ECM biomolecules. The results of
      this work evidenced the role of the ECM molecules remaining after both
      decellularization and hydrolysis steps to produce tissue derived hydrogels with
      structure and properties tailored to enhance their performance in tissue
      engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

PMID- 28629083
TI  - Effects on insulin adsorption due to zinc and strontium substitution in
      hydroxyapatite.
AB  - Insulin-loaded calcium phosphate nanoparticles have been proposed as a potential
      drug delivery system for the oral treatment of diabetes and to stimulate bone
      cell proliferation and bone mineralization. The kinetics of insulin incorporation
      onto hydroxyapatite (HA) and Sr (SrHA)- and Zn (ZnHA)-substituted hydroxyapatite
      nanoparticles was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS),
      Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, zeta potential measurements and
      circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The increase in insulin concentration on
      HA, SrHA and ZnHA was a typical physical adsorption process controlled by
      electrostatic forces and followed a Freundlich isotherm model. Zn substitution
      enhanced the capacity of the apatite surface to adsorb insulin, whereas Sr
      substitution inhibited insulin uptake. The surface stoichiometry and mesopore
      specific area induced by Zn and Sr substitution are proposed as the main causes
      of the difference in insulin adsorption. Despite the weak interaction between
      insulin and the apatite surface, the CD spectra revealed a decrease in the
      insulin ellipticity when the protein was adsorbed on the HA, SrHA and ZnHA
      nanoparticles. A reduction in alpha-helical structures and an increase in beta
      sheets were observed when insulin interacted with the HA surface. A less
      pronounced effect was found for ZnHA, for which a subtle decrease in alpha
      helical structures was followed by an increase in turn structures. Interaction
      with the SrHA surface did not change the native insulin conformation. In vitro
      cell culture experiments lasting 24h using F-OST stromal cells showed that the
      insulin loaded on HA and ZnHA did not affect cell proliferation but the insulin
      loaded on SrHA improved cell proliferation. These results suggest that the
      stability of the native protein conformation is an important factor to consider
      when cells interact with insulin adsorbed on metal-substituted HA surfaces.

PMID- 28629084
TI  - Facilitation of transscleral drug delivery by drug loaded magnetic polymeric
      particles.
AB  - A unique method was used to facilitate ocular drug delivery from periocular route
      by drug loaded magnetic sensitive particles. Injection of particles in periocular
      space along the eye axis followed by application of magnetic field in front of
      the eye would trigger the magnetic polymeric particles to move along the
      direction of magnetic force and reside against the outer surface of the sclera.
      This technique prevents removal of drug in the periocular space, observed in
      conventional transscleral drug delivery systems and hence higher amount of drug
      can enter the eye in a longer period of time. The experiments were performed by
      fresh human sclera and an experimental setup. Experimental setup was designed by
      side by side diffusion cell and hydrodynamic and thermal simulation of the
      posterior segment of the eye were applied. Magnetic polymeric particles were
      synthesized by alginate as a model polymer, iron oxide nanoparticles as a
      magnetic agent and diclofenac sodium as a model drug and characterized by SEM,
      TEM, DLS and FT-IR techniques. According to the SEM images, the size range of
      particles is around 60 to 800nm. The results revealed that the cumulative drug
      transfer from magnetic sensitive particles across the sclera improves by 70% in
      the presence of magnetic field. The results of this research show promising
      method of drug delivery to use magnetic properties to facilitate drug delivery to
      the back of the eye.

PMID- 28629085
TI  - Design of a hybrid biomaterial for tissue engineering: Biopolymer-scaffold
      integrated with an autologous hydrogel carrying mesenchymal stem-cells.
AB  - Biologically active biomaterials as biopolymers and hydrogels have been used in
      medical applications providing favorable results in tissue engineering. In this
      research, a wound dressing device was designed by integration of an autologous
      clot hydrogel carrying mesenchymal stem-cells onto a biopolymeric scaffold. This
      hybrid biomaterial was tested in-vitro and in-vivo, and used in a human clinical
      case. The biopolymeric scaffold was made with gelatin, chitosan and hyaluronic
      acid, using a freeze-drying method. The scaffold was a porous material which was
      designed evaluating both physical properties (glass transition, melting
      temperature and pore size) and biological properties (cell viability and
      fibronectin expression). Two types of chitosan (120 and 300kDa) were used to
      manufacture the scaffold, being the high molecular weight the most biologically
      active and stable after sterilization with gamma irradiation (25kGy). A clot
      hydrogel was formulated with autologous plasma and calcium chloride, using an
      approach based on design of experiments. The optimum hydrogel was used to
      incorporate cells onto the porous scaffold, forming a wound dressing biomaterial.
      The wound dressing device was firstly tested in-vitro using human cells, and
      then, its biosecurity was evaluated in-vivo using a rabbit model. The in-vitro
      results showed high cell viability after one week (99.5%), high mitotic index
      (19.8%) and high fibronectin expression. The in-vivo application to rabbits
      showed adequate biodegradability capacity (between 1 and 2weeks), and the
      histological evaluation confirmed absence of rejection signs and reepithelization
      on the wound zone. Finally, the wound dressing biomaterial was used in a single
      human case to implant autologous cells on a skin surgery. The medical examination
      indicated high biocompatibility, partial biodegradation at one week, early
      regeneration capacity at 4weeks and absence of rejection signs.

PMID- 28629086
TI  - Enhancing internalization of silica particles in myocardial cells through surface
      modification.
AB  - Surface modification in nanostructured mesoporous silica particles (MSNs) can
      significantly increase the uptake in myocardial cells. Herein, MSNs particles
      were synthesized and chemically functionalized to further assess their
      biocompatibility in rat myocardial cell line H9c2. The surface modification
      resulted in particles with an enhanced cellular internallization (3-fold
      increase) with respect to pristine particles. Apoptosis events were not evident
      at all, while necrosis incidence was significant only at a higher doses
      (>500MUg/mL). In particular, the percentage of necrotic cells decrease in a
      statistically significant manner for the functionalized particles at lower doses
      than 100MUg/mL. This study concludes that the proposed surface functionalization
      of MSNs particles does not compromise their viability on H9c2 cells, and
      therefore they could potentially be used for biomedical purposes. Fourier
      transform infrared, Raman, TGA/DSC, N2 adsorption-desorption, and TEM techniques
      were used to characterize the as-prepared materials. Confocal microscopy and flow
      cytometry analyses were carried out to measure the histograms of cell complexity
      and the half maximal inhibitory concentration, respectively. Reactive oxygen
      species generation was accessed using assays with MitoSOX and Amplex Red
      fluoroprobes.

PMID- 28629087
TI  - A novel candidate for wound dressing: Transparent porous maghemite/cellulose
      nanocomposite membranes with controlled release of doxorubicin from a simple
      approach.
AB  - The aim of this study is to develop transparent maghemite/cellulose nanocomposite
      membranes with high porosity, high adsorption capacity and controlled release of
      doxorubicin to be used as a candidate for wound dressing. The membranes were
      fabricated by a tape casting method through blending a homogeneous dispersion of
      citrate coated maghemite nanoparticles and cellulose in the NaOH/urea aqueous
      solution system. The prepared membranes were characterized by Light transmittance
      measurements, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Differential scanning
      calorimetry (DSC), Tensile tests and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).
      Furthermore, porosity, swelling behavior, water loss ratio and Bovine serum
      albumin adsorption capacity were evaluated. Drug loading and release was
      investigated using doxorubicin hydrochloride as a model drug. In vitro
      cytotoxicity and cells morphology assays of cells growth and proliferation were
      also studied. This study served as a demonstration of the feasibility of
      maghemite/cellulose nanocomposite membranes for loading and release of bioactive
      compounds as a candidate for wound dressing.

PMID- 28629089
TI  - Assembly of chitosan support matrix with gallic acid-functionalized
      nanoparticles.
AB  - The incorporation of gallic acid (GA) in a direct way or into nanoparticles
      included in chitosan edible films appears as a suitable approach to increase its
      preservation upon adverse conditions. The addition of nanoparticles to chitosan
      based matrices resulted in improvements in their solubility, swelling, and
      mechanical properties. It is worth noting that by means of the nanoencapsulation,
      the release process can be modulated in relation to the delivery of GA included
      directly in the matrix, releasing the agent at a lower rate for a longer time.
      Films containing functionalized nanoparticles are promising as a means to develop
      tailor-made support matrices for improving the shelf stability of the included
      active compound. From the point of view of the antimicrobial activity, all
      studied films showed bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC
      25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella spp. and Candida vinaria. The
      results suggest that active films with nanoparticles could be a potential
      candidate for the support and controlled release of active compounds such as
      gallic acid.

PMID- 28629088
TI  - Encapsulation of methotrexate and cyclophosphamide in interpolymer complexes
      formed between poly acrylic acid and poly ethylene glycol on multi-walled carbon
      nanotubes as drug delivery systems.
AB  - By combining the advantage of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and
      interpolymer complexes, we synthesis a new carrier system consist of poly(acrylic
      acid)/poly(ethylene glycol)/carbon nanotube (PAA/PEG/CNT). Then, Methotrexate
      (MTX) and Cyclophosphamide (CPP) were loaded on PAA/PEG/CNT, and the
      physicochemical properties of nanoparticles characterized by Infrared
      spectroscopy (IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermo Gravimetric
      Analysis (TGA) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). In the second part after
      efficiency determination of loaded drugs, in vitro drug release study was
      examined with ultra violet spectroscopy (UV) in pH=7.4 buffer (human body range)
      and pH=4 buffer (pH of cancer cells), and fever temperature drug release kinetic
      was studied by different mathematical models.

PMID- 28629090
TI  - Low-temperature direct heterogeneous bonding of polyether ether ketone and
      platinum.
AB  - Direct heterogeneous bonding between polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and Pt was
      realized at the temperatures lower than 150 degrees C. In order to create
      sufficient bondability to diverse materials, the surface was modified by vacuum
      ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation, which formed hydrate bridges. For comparison,
      direct bonding between surfaces atomically cleaned via Ar fast atom bombardment
      (FAB) was conducted in a vacuum. The VUV irradiation was found to be effective
      for creating an ultrathin hydrate bridge layer from the residual water molecules
      in the chamber. Tight bonds were formed through dehydration of the hydrate
      bridges by heating at 150 degrees C, which also contributed to enhancing
      interdiffusion across the interface. The VUV-modified surfaces showed bondability
      as good as that of the FAB-treated surfaces, and the VUV-modified samples had
      shear strengths at the same level as those of FAB-treated surfaces. This
      technology will be of practical use in the packaging of lightweight, flexible
      biomedical devices.

PMID- 28629091
TI  - Polyurethane-silica hybrid foams from a one-step foaming reaction, coupled with a
      sol-gel process, for enhanced wound healing.
AB  - Polyurethane (PU)-based dressing foams have been widely used due to their
      excellent water absorption capability, optimal mechanical properties, and
      unequaled economic advantage. However, the low bioactivity and poor healing
      capability of PU limit the applications of PU dressings in complex wound healing
      cases. To resolve this problem, this study was carried out the hybridization of
      bioactive silica nanoparticles with PU through a one-step foaming reaction that
      is coupled with the sol-gel process. The hybridization with silica did not affect
      the intrinsically porous microstructure of PU foams with silica contents of up to
      10wt% and where 5-60nm silica nanoparticles were well dispersed in the PU matrix,
      despite slight agglomerations. The incorporated silica enhanced the mechanical
      performance of PU by proffering better flexibility and durability as well as
      maintaining good water absorption capabilities and the WVTR characteristics of
      pure PU foam. The silica of PU-10wt% Si foams was gradually dissolved and
      released under physiological conditions during a 14-day immersion period. The in
      vitro cell attachment and proliferation tests showed significant improvements in
      terms of the biocompatibility of PU-Si hybrid foams and demonstrated the effects
      of silica on cell growth. More significantly, the superior healing capability of
      PU-Si as a wound dressing in comparison to PU-treated wounds was verified through
      in vivo animal tests. Full-thickness wounds treated with PU-Si foams exhibited
      faster wound closure rates as well as accelerated collagen and elastin fiber
      regeneration in newly formed dermis, which was ultimately completely covered by a
      new epithelial layer. It is clear that PU-Si hybrid foams have considerable
      potential as a wound dressing material geared for accelerated, superior wound
      healing.

PMID- 28629092
TI  - Binary functional porous multi mineral-substituted apatite nanoparticles for
      reducing osteosarcoma colonization and enhancing osteoblast cell proliferation.
AB  - We investigated the use of combined nanoparticles in bone replacement for
      patients with bone cancer. Bismuth (Bi) is known to have antitumor effects, and
      the inclusion of Bi in bioactive mineral (M)-substituted hydroxyapatite (M-HAP)
      may provide anti-cancer properties implant resources. A series of Bi-substituted
      M-HAP (Bi-M-HAP) nanoparticles with various Bi concentrations was synthesized via
      the ultrasound irradiation method. The nanoparticles were examined using
      physicochemical strategies. The cell-substance interface of the nanoparticles was
      observed in vitro with human osteosarcoma cells and cell multiplication was
      measured at 1, 3, and 7days of incubation and in vivo in rats after 3weeks of
      implantation. The nanoparticles promoted osseous proliferation, improved
      mechanical strength, and repressed the development of cancerous cells. Overall,
      Bi-M-HAP nanoparticles show promise for treatment of bone cancer and advance the
      field of embedded biomaterials.

PMID- 28629093
TI  - Novel Pemulen/Pullulan blended hydrogel containing clotrimazole-loaded cationic
      nanocapsules: Evaluation of mucoadhesion and vaginal permeation.
AB  - In this work, hydrogels containing clotrimazole-loaded nanocapsules were
      developed through the innovative association of two mucoadhesive polymers:
      Pemulen(r) TR1 and Pullulan. Furthermore, the hydrogels macroscopic
      characteristics, pH and spreadability were evaluated. The formulations showed
      homogeneous appearance and pH compatible with vaginal application (around 5.0).
      Similar spreadability profiles were found in hydrogels containing clotrimazole
      loaded nanocapsules and in the free drug as well. Hydrogels were evaluated
      considering their mucoadhesive potential by the falling liquid film method and
      the permeation/penetration capacity through cow vaginal mucosa in Franz cell. The
      results showed that the concentration of 3% Pullulan was important to increase
      the adhesive strength on the layer used (mucin gel or animal mucosa). The results
      of the permeation/penetration study showed that the hydrogel containing
      clotrimazole-loaded nanocapsules remained on the vaginal mucosa surface, what is
      ideal for the treatment of superficial vaginal infections. This way, the
      Pemulen/Pullulan blended hydrogel is a promising alternative for the treatment of
      vulvovaginal candidiasis.

PMID- 28629094
TI  - Study on the injectability of a novel glucose modified magnesium potassium
      phosphate chemically bonded ceramic.
AB  - A novel magnesium potassium phosphate chemically bonded ceramic (MKPCBC) was
      prepared as a byproduct of boron-containing magnesium oxide (B-MgO) after
      extracting Li2CO3 from salt lakes. In this work, the influence of glucose on the
      properties of MKPCBC, such as the setting time, compressive strength and
      hydration heat, was investigated. In addition, we studied the effect of the
      magnesium-phosphate ratio (M/P) and liquid-solid ratio (L/S) on the injectability
      of MKPCBC. The pH change in glucose modified MKPCBC paste was also investigated.
      The phase composition and microstructure were studied in detail by using X-ray
      diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry
      (SEM-EDS). The results show that the optimal content of glucose is 6wt%. The
      optimum proportions of M/P and L/S for MKPCBC are 1.5 and 0.25, respectively. The
      properties of the novel MPCBC can meet the requirements of biomaterials. In
      addition, the retardation mechanism of glucose on MKPCBC and the hydration
      mechanism of novel MKPCBC were studied in detail through the continuous
      monitoring of the phase composition and microstructure.

PMID- 28629095
TI  - Solvothermal synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanorods with assistance of green
      polymer.
AB  - Development of low cost, environmental friendly crystal growth modifying reagents
      that are effective to HAp's microstructure regulation is highly crucial. Herein,
      sodium lignin sulfonate (SS), a byproduct of the pulp process, was used for
      preparing HAp nanorods. Results showed that both stirring time of reaction
      solution and the concentration of SS affected crystals' structure and aspect
      ratio. The growth mechanism was discussed on the basis of the results. And we
      hope this new synthetic strategy will offer an attractive route for the design of
      functional HAp nano-/micro- materials with fine structure.

PMID- 28629096
TI  - Synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles and their dispersions with special reference
      to applications in biomedicine and biotechnology.
AB  - Biomedical and biotechnological applications of magnetic nanoparticles and their
      dispersions in liquids are found to be potentially useful. An exponential growth
      in publications of papers, reviews and patents has been observed. Possibilities
      of their indiscriminate use on individual as well as environmental health hazards
      are also investigated. Still, there appears to be a good scope for further
      research work in the field. Even a small improvement either in preparation method
      or development of novel nanoparticles may prove to be beneficial in longer run.
      With this aim in mind, the present review discussed the work carried out in
      author's laboratory on synthesis and characterization of certain biomagnetic
      particles and biocompatible fluids composed of these particles. Modified methods
      were used to synthesize these particles. Notable amongst these are direct binding
      of biomolecules or drug on magnetic nano particles, low Curie point
      functionalized magnetic particles, targeted drug delivery system, photodyne
      therapy, anti-bacterial activity and bioremediation of marine fungi. Advantages
      and limitations of these work in light of recent work is also discussed.

PMID- 28629097
TI  - Emerging bone tissue engineering via Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)-based scaffolds.
AB  - Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a class of biodegradable polymers derived from
      microorganisms. On top of their biodegradability and biocompatibility, different
      PHA types can contribute to varying mechanical and chemical properties. This has
      led to increasing attention to the use of PHAs in numerous biomedical
      applications over the past few decades. Bone tissue engineering refers to the
      regeneration of new bone through providing mechanical support while inducing cell
      growth on the PHA scaffolds having a porous structure for tissue regeneration.
      This review first introduces the various properties PHA scaffold that make them
      suitable for bone tissue engineering such as biocompatibility, biodegradability,
      mechanical properties as well as vascularization. The typical fabrication
      techniques of PHA scaffolds including electrospinning, salt-leaching and solution
      casting are further discussed, followed by the relatively new technology of using
      3D printing in PHA scaffold fabrication. Finally, the recent progress of using
      different types of PHAs scaffold in bone tissue engineering applications are
      summarized in intrinsic PHA/blends forms or as composites with other polymeric or
      inorganic hybrid materials.

PMID- 28629098
TI  - Carbon nanotube ensembled hybrid nanocomposite electrode for direct
      electrochemical detection of epinephrine in pharmaceutical tablets and urine.
AB  - An efficient electrochemical sensor for selective detection of the
      neurotransmitter, epinephrine (Epn), has been fabricated with the aid of a
      functionalized multiwall carbon nanotube-chitosan biopolymer nanocomposite (Chit
      fCNT) electrode. Multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNT) were successfully
      functionalized with the aid of nitric acid and confirmed by the Raman spectral
      data. Functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNT) were dispersed in chitosan solution
      and the resulting bio-nanocomposite was used for the fabrication of sensor
      surface by drop and cast method. Electrochemical characteristics of the
      fabricated sensor were understood using cyclic, differential pulse voltammetry
      (CV, DPV) and electrochemical impedance analysis for the detection of Epn in
      phosphate buffer (pH7.4). CV and impedance analysis revealed that the Chit-fCNT
      modified electrode enhances the electrodic reaction of Epn and facilitated the
      electron transfer more readily compared to that of bare electrode. Applying DPV
      for the detection of Epn, achieved 30nM as the lowest detection limit in the
      determination range of 0.05-10MUM and the analytical time as low as 10s.
      Selective determination of Epn against the coexistence of a number of biological
      electroactive interferents and reproducible results for the determination of Epn
      were demonstrated. The present biosensor has been found efficient for successful
      direct determination of Epn from pharmaceutical adrenaline formulations and urine
      samples.

PMID- 28629099
TI  - Instrumental methods and techniques for structural and physicochemical
      characterization of biomaterials and bone tissue: A review.
AB  - A review of recent advances in instrumental methods and techniques for structural
      and physicochemical characterization of biomaterials and bone tissue is presented
      in this paper. In recent years, biomaterials attracted great attention primarily
      because of the wide range of biomedical applications. This paper focuses on the
      practical aspects of instrumental methods and techniques that were most often
      applied (X-ray methods, vibrational spectroscopy (IR and Raman), magnetic
      resonance spectroscopy (NMR and ESR), mass spectrometry (MS), atomic absorption
      spectrometry (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry
      (ICP-AES), thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and
      differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) in the structural investigation and
      physicochemical characterization of biomaterials and bone tissue. The application
      of some other physicochemical methods was also discussed. Hands-on information is
      provided about these valuable research tools, emphasizing practical aspects such
      as typical measurement conditions, their limitations and advantages,
      interpretation of results and practical applications.

PMID- 28629100
TI  - Biomaterials and cells for cardiac tissue engineering: Current choices.
AB  - The major purpose of cardiac tissue engineering is to engineer cells on scaffolds
      and use it as a substitute to infarcted cardiac cells. With an ever-increasing
      risk of cardiac diseases there is an increasing need to have a stable and
      sustainable approach to cure such ailments. This review provides a comprehensive
      update on the cell sources and biomaterials essential for cardiac tissue
      engineering, ensuring their biocompatibility under a variety of conditions. Cells
      can be obtained from allogenic or autologous sources. The cells sources described
      in this paper are cardiomyocytes, a variety of stem cells, fibroblasts and
      parthenogenetic cells. Scaffolds to seed the cells should fulfill various
      criteria, the most important ones being non-immunogenicity, biodegradability and
      native tissue mimicking. There are several kinds of scaffolds including
      hydrogels, prefabricated matrices, decellularized scaffolds and cell sheets.
      Using this knowledge of cell sources and scaffold fabrication, production of
      various tissue engineered products is possible.

PMID- 28629101
TI  - A mini review on hydrogels classification and recent developments in
      miscellaneous applications.
AB  - Hydrogels are composed of three-dimensional smart and/or hungry networks, which
      do not dissolve in water but swell considerably in an aqueous medium,
      demonstrating an extraordinary ability to absorb water into the reticulated
      structure. Such inherent feature is a subject of considerable scientific research
      interest which leads to a dominating path in extending their potential in hi-tech
      applications. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in the
      field of hydrogels. Further, explorations are continuously being made in all
      directions at an accelerated pace for their extensive usage. In view of this, the
      present review discusses the subject on the miscellaneous hydrogels with regard
      to their raw materials, methods of fabrication and applications. In addition,
      this article summarizes the classification of hydrogels, based on their cross
      linking and physical states. Lately, a brief outlook on the future prospects of
      hydrogels is also presented.

PMID- 28629102
TI  - Bioelectrochemical approach for control of methane emission from wetlands.
AB  - To harvest electricity and mitigate methane emissions from wetlands, a novel
      microbial fuel cell coupled constructed wetland (MFC-CW) was assembled with an
      anode placing in the rhizosphere and a cathode on the water surface. Plant
      mediated methane accounted for 71-82% of the total methane fluxes. The bioanode
      served as an inexhaustible source of electron acceptors and resulted in reduced
      substantial methane emissions owing to electricigens outcompeting methanogens for
      carbon and electrons when substrate was deficient. However, when supplying
      sufficient organic carbon, both electricity and methane increased, indicating
      that electrogenesis and methanogenesis could co-exist in harmony. Direct methane
      emission (diffusion/ebullition) and plant-mediated methane emission were affected
      by operating conditions. Methanogenesis was significantly suppressed (~98%) at
      HRT of 96h and with external resistance of 200Omega, accompanied with improved
      coulombic efficiency of 14.9% and current density of 187mA/m2. Contrarily, change
      of electrode polarity in the rhizosphere led to more methane efflux.

PMID- 28629103
TI  - Lignocentric analysis of a carbohydrate-producing lignocellulosic biorefinery
      process.
AB  - A biologically-based lignocellulosic biorefinery process for obtaining
      carbohydrates from raw biomass was investigated across six diverse biomasses
      (three hardwoods & three nonwoods) for the purpose of decoding lignin's influence
      on sugar production. Acknowledging that lignin could positively alter the
      economics of an entire process if valorized appropriately, we sought to correlate
      the chemical properties of lignin within the process to the traditional metrics
      associated with carbohydrate production-cellulolytic digestibility and total
      sugar recovery. Based on raw carbohydrate, enzymatic recovery ranged from 40 to
      64% w/w and total recovery ranged from 70 to 87% w/w. Using nitrobenzene
      oxidation to quantify non-condensed lignin structures, it was found that raw
      hardwoods bearing increasing non-condensed S/V ratios (2.5-5.1) render increasing
      total carbohydrate recovery from hardwood biomasses. This finding indicates that
      the chemical structure of hardwood lignin influences the investigated biorefinery
      process' ability to generate carbohydrates from a given raw hardwood feedstock.

PMID- 28629104
TI  - Efficient 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene removal in the coupled BES-UASB reactor:
      Effect of external voltage mode.
AB  - In this study, bioelectrochemical-upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (BES-UASB)
      system was developed for treatment of 2,4-dichloronitrobenzen (DClNB) containing
      wastewater to investigate the effect of external voltage with different supplying
      modes. Results showed that 2,4-dichloroaniline (DClAN) was under detection limit
      in R1 (applied with intermittent voltage) and R2 (applied with continuous
      voltage) when the DClNB loading increased from 25 to 100gm3d-1 (hydraulic
      retention time (HRT) was decreased from 24 to 6h) while sudden accumulation of
      DClAN (1.7mgL-1) was observed in R0 (control). Dechlorination efficiency (DE)
      decreased to 32.7%, 45.0% and 45.3% in R0, R1 and R2 when HRT was further
      shortened to 4h. Microbial community analysis indicated the significant
      enrichment of dechlorination-related species in R1 and R2 compared with R0, e.g.,
      Dehalobacter and Dehalococcoides. In summary, the BES-UASB system with
      intermittent voltage is an alternative process for efficient treatment of DClNB
      containing wastewater, and the energy input was reduced markedly.

PMID- 28629105
TI  - Indispensable role of biochar-inherent mineral constituents in its environmental
      applications: A review.
AB  - Biochar typically consists of both carbon and mineral fractions, and the carbon
      fraction has been generally considered to determine its properties and
      applications. Recently, an increasing body of research has demonstrated that
      mineral components inherent in biochar, such as alkali or alkaline earth metals
      in the form of carbonates, phosphates, or oxides, could also influence the
      properties and thus the applications. The review articles published thus far have
      mainly focused on multiple environmental and agronomic applications of biochar,
      including carbon sequestration, soil improvement, environmental remediation, etc.
      This review aims to highlight the indispensable role of the mineral fraction of
      biochar in these different applications, especially in environmental
      applications. Specifically, it provides a critical review of current research
      findings related to the mineral composition of biochar and the effect of the
      mineral fraction on the physicochemical properties, contaminant sorption, carbon
      retention and stability, and nutrient bioavailability of biochar. Furthermore,
      the role of minerals in the emerging applications of biochar, as a precursor for
      fuel cells, supercapacitors, and photoactive components, is also summarized.
      Overall, inherent minerals should be fully considered while determining the most
      appropriate application for any given biochar. A thorough understanding of the
      role of biochar-bound minerals in different applications will also allow the
      design or selection of the most suitable biochar for specific applications based
      on the consideration of feedstock composition, production parameters, and post
      treatment.

PMID- 28629106
TI  - Tannin extraction pretreatment and very high gravity fermentation of acorn starch
      for bioethanol production.
AB  - The bioethanol production from a novel non-grain feedstock, acorn starch, was
      studied in this work. The inhibition of tannin in strain growth was investigated,
      and the effect of tannin was negligible when the tannin concentration was lower
      than 1g/L in medium. Therefore, the extraction of tannin was performed using 40%
      (v/v) ethanol-water solution as the solvent for three times under the conditions
      of solid/liquid ratio 1:20, 60 degrees C, 3h, by which more than 80% of tannin in
      acorn was extracted and the content of tannin in acorn decreased from 7.4% (w/w)
      to 1.5% (w/w). Very high gravity (VHG) fermentation technology was subsequently
      carried out to achieve a high ethanol concentration at 86.4g/L. A comprehensive
      process for bioethanol production from acorn starch was designed and a
      preliminary economic assessment was then performed revealing that this process
      appeared technically and economically justified.

PMID- 28629107
TI  - Reducing the bioavailability and leaching potential of lead in contaminated water
      hyacinth biomass by phosphate-assisted pyrolysis.
AB  - For the purpose of safe disposal of biomass contaminated by biosorption of heavy
      metals, phosphate-assisted pyrolysis of water hyacinth biomass contaminated by
      lead (Pb) was tried to reduce the bioavailability and leaching potential of Pb,
      using direct pyrolysis without additive as a control method. Direct pyrolysis of
      the contaminated biomass at low temperatures (300 and 400 degrees C) could reduce
      the bioavailability of Pb, but the leaching potential of Pb was increased with
      the rising pyrolysis temperature. While phosphate-assisted pyrolysis
      significantly enhanced the recovery and stability of Pb in the char.
      Specifically, the percentages of bioavailable Pb and leachable Pb in the chars
      obtained by phosphate-assisted pyrolysis at low temperatures were reduced to less
      than 5% and 7%, respectively. The sequential extraction test indicated the
      transformation of Pb into more stable fractions after phosphate-assisted
      pyrolysis, which was related to the formation of Pb phosphate minerals including
      pyromorphite and lead-substituted hydroxyapatite.

PMID- 28629108
TI  - Lactic acid production from Sophora flavescens residues pretreated with sodium
      hydroxide: Reutilization of the pretreated liquor during fermentation.
AB  - The feasibility of lactic acid production from Sophora flavescens residues (SFRs)
      pretreated with sodium hydroxide with the reutilization of the pretreated liquor
      during fermentation was investigated. After sodium hydroxide pretreatment, 67.5%
      of the lignin was removed, and hydrolysis efficiency increased from 37.3% to
      79.2%. The reutilization of pretreated liquor at 50% loading during open
      fermentation of unwashed SFR increased lactic acid production by 34.1%. The
      pretreated liquor acted as pH buffer and resulted in stable pH and high cellulase
      activity during fermentation. Inhibitors in the pretreated liquor did not affect
      the growth of lactic acid bacteria but severely inhibited the growth of ethanol
      producing yeast. Consequently, lactic acid production increased and ethanol
      production was zero at 50% loading. Water consumption during pretreatment and
      fermentation with 50% pretreated liquor was 1.341L per 100g SFR, which was 67.6%
      lower than that during fermentation with washed SFR.

PMID- 28629109
TI  - Biological methanol production by immobilized Methylocella tundrae using
      simulated biohythane as a feed.
AB  - Biohythane may be used as an alternative feed for methanol production instead of
      costly pure methane. In this study, methanol production potential of Methylocella
      tundrae immobilized through covalent immobilization, adsorption, and
      encapsulation was evaluated. Cells covalently immobilized on groundnut shells and
      chitosan showed a relative methanol production potential of 83.9 and 91.6%,
      respectively, compared to that of free cells. The maximum methanol production by
      free cells and cells covalently immobilized on groundnut shells and chitosan was
      6.73, 6.20, and 7.23mM, respectively, using simulated biohythane as a feed. Under
      repeated batch conditions of eight cycles, cells covalently immobilized on
      chitosan and groundnut shells, and cells encapsulated in sodium-alginate resulted
      in significantly higher cumulative methanol production of 37.76, 31.80, and
      25.58mM, respectively, than free cells (18.57mM). This is the first report on
      immobilization of methanotrophs on groundnut shells and its application in
      methanol production using biohythane as a feed.

PMID- 28629110
TI  - Recycling the liquid fraction of alkaline hydrogen peroxide in the pretreatment
      of corn stover.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of recycling the liquid
      fraction of pretreatment with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) on the hydrolysis
      of corn stover. Corn stover was pretreated in the traditional condition with 7.5%
      v/v H2O2. After pretreatment, the solids were separated from the liquid fraction
      and five successive reuse cycles of the liquid fraction were tested. The solid
      fraction from pretreatment in each recycle was submitted to enzymatic hydrolysis.
      The number of recycles had a linear negative effect (R2=0.98) on biomass
      delignification efficiency and also affected negatively the enzymatic conversion
      efficiency. Despite the decrease in efficiency after each recycling step, reuse
      of the liquid fraction leads to reduction in water, H2O2 and NaOH consumption of
      up to 57.6%, 59.6% and 57.6%, respectively. These findings point to an efficient
      recycling technology, which may reduce costs and save water.

PMID- 28629111
TI  - Volatile fatty acid production dynamics during the acidification of pretreated
      olive mill wastewater.
AB  - This study focuses on the dynamics of VFA production from pretreated olive mill
      wastewater (OMW). Acidogenic anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (AcASBR) were
      operated with the pretreated OMW at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2days and
      pH of 5,5 for different organic loading rates (OLRs) ranging from 5gCOD/L.d to
      40gCOD/L.d. VFA production reached to the highest value of about 27,000mg/L with
      the increase in the organic load applied (20gCOD/L.d). The highest acidification
      rate was calculated as 68%. Acetic acid was found to be as the dominant VFA
      compound for all stage of the study. At steady state, VFA production during a day
      cycle period (24th hour) in AcASBR is also monitored, VFA production gradually
      increased after the 3rd and 6th hours (about 20%) and a rapid increase (about
      40%) was observed reaching the maximum at the end of the cycle (24th hour).

PMID- 28629112
TI  - European demonstration program on the effect-based and chemical identification
      and monitoring of organic pollutants in European surface waters.
AB  - Growing concern about the adverse environmental and human health effects of a
      wide range of micropollutants requires the development of novel tools and
      approaches to enable holistic monitoring of their occurrence, fate and effects in
      the aquatic environment. A European-wide demonstration program (EDP) for effect
      based monitoring of micropollutants in surface waters was carried out within the
      Marie Curie Initial Training Network EDA-EMERGE. The main objectives of the EDP
      were to apply a simplified protocol for effect-directed analysis, to link
      biological effects to target compounds and to estimate their risk to aquatic
      biota. Onsite large volume solid phase extraction of 50 L of surface water was
      performed at 18 sampling sites in four European river basins. Extracts were
      subjected to effect-based analysis (toxicity to algae, fish embryo toxicity,
      neurotoxicity, (anti-)estrogenicity, (anti-)androgenicity, glucocorticoid
      activity and thyroid activity), to target analysis (151 organic micropollutants)
      and to nontarget screening. The most pronounced effects were estrogenicity,
      toxicity to algae and fish embryo toxicity. In most bioassays, major portions of
      the observed effects could not be explained by target compounds, especially in
      case of androgenicity, glucocorticoid activity and fish embryo toxicity. Estrone
      and nonylphenoxyacetic acid were identified as the strongest contributors to
      estrogenicity, while herbicides, with a minor contribution from other
      micropollutants, were linked to the observed toxicity to algae. Fipronil and
      nonylphenol were partially responsible for the fish embryo toxicity. Within the
      EDP, 21 target compounds were prioritized on the basis of their frequency and
      extent of exceedance of predicted no effect concentrations. The EDP priority list
      included 6 compounds, which are already addressed by European legislation, and 15
      micropollutants that may be important for future monitoring of surface waters.
      The study presents a novel simplified protocol for effect-based monitoring and
      draws a comprehensive picture of the surface water status across Europe.

PMID- 28629113
TI  - Correction: p63alpha modulates c-Myc activity via direct interaction and
      regulation of MM1 protein stability.

PMID- 28629114
TI  - Correction: Th1high in tumor microenvironment is an indicator of poor prognosis
      for patients with NSCLC.

PMID- 28629115
TI  - Osthole Enhances Osteogenesis in Osteoblasts by Elevating Transcription Factor
      Osterix via cAMP/CREB Signaling In Vitro and In Vivo.
AB  - Anabolic anti-osteoporotic agents are desirable for treatment and prevention of
      osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Osthole is a coumarin derivative extracted
      from the medicinal herbs Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson and Angelica pubescens
      Maxim.f. Osthole has been reported with osteogenic and anti-osteoporotic
      properties, whereas the underlying mechanism of its benefit still remains
      unclear. The objective of the present study was to investigate the osteopromotive
      action of osthole on mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells and on mouse femoral
      fracture repair, and to explore the interaction between osthole-induced
      osteopromotive effect and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) elevating effect.
      Osthole treatment promoted osteogenesis in osteoblasts by enhancing alkaline
      phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralization. Oral gavage of osthole enhanced
      fracture repair and increased bone strength. Mechanistic study showed osthole
      triggered the cAMP/CREB pathway through the elevation of the intracellular cAMP
      level and activation of the phosphorylation of the cAMP response element-binding
      protein (CREB). Blockage of cAMP/CREB downstream signals with protein kinase A
      (PKA) inhibitor KT5720 partially suppressed osthole-mediated osteogenesis by
      inhibiting the elevation of transcription factor, osterix. In conclusion, osthole
      shows osteopromotive effect on osteoblasts in vitro and in vivo. Osthole-mediated
      osteogenesis is related to activation of the cAMP/CREB signaling pathway and
      downstream osterix expression.

PMID- 28629116
TI  - Systematic Review of Chemical Constituents in the Genus Lycium (Solanaceae).
AB  - The Lycium genus is widely used as a traditional Chinese medicine and functional
      food. Many of the chemical constituents of the genus Lycium were reported
      previously. In this review, in addition to the polysaccharides, we have
      enumerated 355 chemical constituents and nutrients, including 22
      glycerogalactolipids, 29 phenylpropanoids, 10 coumarins, 13 lignans, 32
      flavonoids, 37 amides, 72 alkaloids, four anthraquinones, 32 organic acids, 39
      terpenoids, 57 sterols, steroids, and their derivatives, five peptides and three
      other constituents. This comprehensive study could lay the foundation for further
      research on the Lycium genus.

PMID- 28629117
TI  - Alpha- and Gamma-Tocopherol and Telomere Length in 5768 US Men and Women: A
      NHANES Study.
AB  - Antioxidants have a number of potential health benefits. The present
      investigation was designed to determine the relationship between serum alpha- and
      gamma-tocopherol levels (powerful antioxidants), and leukocyte telomere length (a
      biomarker of biological aging). A cross-sectional design was employed to study
      5768 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
      DNA was obtained via blood samples. Telomere length was assessed using the
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Serum concentrations of alpha- and
      gamma-tocopherol were measured using high performance liquid chromatography
      (HPLC). Results showed that for each one-year increase in age, telomeres were
      15.6 base pairs shorter (F = 410.4, p < 0.0001). After adjusting for differences
      in the demographic covariates, for each ug/dL higher level of gamma-tocopherol,
      telomeres were 0.33 base pairs shorter (F = 7.1, p = 0.0126). Telomeres were
      approximately 1 year shorter (15.6 base pairs) for each increment of 47.3 to 55.7
      ug/dL of gamma-tocopherol in the blood, depending on the variables controlled.
      Adults at the 75th percentile of gamma-tocopherol had 2.8-3.4 years greater
      cellular aging than those at the 25th percentile, depending on the covariates in
      the model. However, alpha-tocopherol was not related to telomere length.
      Evidently, gamma-tocopherol levels, but not alpha-tocopherol, account for
      meaningful increases in biological aging.

PMID- 28629118
TI  - Long-Term Dexamethasone Exposure Down-Regulates Hepatic TFR1 and Reduces Liver
      Iron Concentration in Rats.
AB  - Exposure to stress is known to cause hepatic iron dysregulation, but the
      relationship between prolonged stress and liver iron metabolism is not yet fully
      understood. Thirty 13-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided
      into two groups, as follows: the control group (saline-injection) and the
      dexamethasone group (Dexamethasone (Dex)-injection 0.1 mg/kg/day). After the 21
      day stress trial, the results showed that chronic Dex administration not only
      impaired serum corticosterone (p = 0.00) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p = 0.01)
      levels, but also decreased white blood cell counts (p = 0.00), and reduced blood
      lymphocyte counts (p = 0.00). The daily Dex-injection also significantly reduced
      body weight (p < 0.01) by inhibiting food intake. Consecutive Dex administration
      resulted in decreased iron intake (p = 0.00), enhanced serum iron levels (p =
      0.01), and increased the serum souble transferrin receptor (sTfR) content (p =
      0.00) in rats. Meanwhile, long-term Dex exposure down-regulated duodenal
      cytochrome b (DCYTB) (p = 0.00) and the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) (p =
      0.04) protein expression, but up-regulated ferroportin (FPN) protein expression
      (p = 0.04). Chronic Dex administration reduced liver iron concentration (p =
      0.02) in rats. Hepatic transferrin receptor 1 (TFR1) expression was lowered at
      the protein level (p = 0.03), yet with uncoupled mRNA abundance in Dex-treated
      rats. Enhanced iron-regulatory protein (IRP)/iron-responsive element (IRE)
      binding activity was observed, but did not line up with lowered hepatic TFR1
      protein expression. This study indicates that long-term Dex exposure reduces
      liver iron content, which is closely associated with down-regulated hepatic TFR1
      protein expression.

PMID- 28629119
TI  - Cholinesterase Inhibitory Activities of Adamantyl-Based Derivatives and Their
      Molecular Docking Studies.
AB  - Adamantyl-based compounds are clinically important for the treatments of type 2
      diabetes and for their antiviral abilities, while many more are under development
      for other pharmaceutical uses. This study focused on the acetylcholinesterase
      (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities of adamantyl-based
      ester derivatives with various substituents on the phenyl ring using Ellman's
      colorimetric method. Compound 2e with a 2,4-dichloro electron-withdrawing
      substituent on the phenyl ring exhibited the strongest inhibition effect against
      AChE, with an IC50 value of 77.15 uM. Overall, the adamantyl-based ester with the
      mono-substituent at position 3 of the phenyl ring exhibited good AChE inhibition
      effects with an ascending order for the substituents: Cl < NO2 < CH3 < OCH3.
      Furthermore, compounds with electron-withdrawing groups (Cl and NO2) substituted
      at position 3 on their phenyl rings demonstrated stronger AChE inhibition
      effects, in comparison to their respective positional isomers. On the other hand,
      compound 2j with a 3-methoxyphenyl ring showed the highest inhibition effect
      against BChE, with an IC50 value of 223.30 uM. Molecular docking analyses were
      conducted for potential AChE and BChE inhibitors, and the results demonstrated
      that the peripheral anionic sites of target proteins were predominant binding
      sites for these compounds through hydrogen bonds and halogen interactions instead
      of hydrophobic interactions in the catalytic active site.

PMID- 28629120
TI  - Metabolomics Characterization of Two Apocynaceae Plants, Catharanthus roseus and
      Vinca minor, Using GC-MS and LC-MS Methods in Combination.
AB  - Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) and Vinca minor (V. minor) are two common
      important medical plants belonging to the family Apocynaceae. In this study, we
      used non-targeted GC-MS and targeted LC-MS metabolomics to dissect the metabolic
      profile of two plants with comparable phenotypic and metabolic differences. A
      total of 58 significantly different metabolites were present in different
      quantities according to PCA and PLS-DA score plots of the GC-MS analysis. The 58
      identified compounds comprised 16 sugars, eight amino acids, nine alcohols and 18
      organic acids. We subjected these metabolites into KEGG pathway enrichment
      analysis and highlighted 27 metabolic pathways, concentrated on the TCA cycle,
      glycometabolism, oligosaccharides, and polyol and lipid transporter (RFOS). Among
      the primary metabolites, trehalose, raffinose, digalacturonic acid and gallic
      acid were revealed to be the most significant marker compounds between the two
      plants, presumably contributing to species-specific phenotypic and metabolic
      discrepancy. The profiling of nine typical alkaloids in both plants using LC-MS
      method highlighted higher levels of crucial terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA)
      intermediates of loganin, serpentine, and tabersonine in V. minor than in C.
      roseus. The possible underlying process of the metabolic flux from primary
      metabolism pathways to TIA synthesis was discussed and proposed. Generally
      speaking, this work provides a full-scale comparison of primary and secondary
      metabolites between two medical plants and a metabolic explanation of their TIA
      accumulation and phenotype differences.

PMID- 28629121
TI  - Creating a Registry for Patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
AB  - The creation of any patient database requires substantial planning. In the case
      of thoracic outlet syndrome, which is a rare disease, the Society for Vascular
      Surgery has defined reporting standards to serve as an outline for the creation
      of a patient registry. Prior to undertaking this task, it is critical that
      designers understand the basics of registry planning and a priori establish plans
      for data collection and analysis.

PMID- 28629122
TI  - Age-Related Changes in Immunological and Physiological Responses Following
      Pulmonary Challenge.
AB  - This review examines the current status of knowledge of sepsis and pneumonia in
      the elderly population and how the dynamics of the pulmonary challenge affects
      outcome and consequences. Led by an unprecedented shift in demographics, where a
      larger proportion of the population will reach an older age, clinical and
      experimental research shows that aging is associated with certain pulmonary
      changes, but it is during infectious insult of the lungs, as in the case of
      pneumonia, that the age-related differences in responsiveness and endurance
      become obvious and lead to a worse outcome than in the younger population. This
      review points to the neutrophil, and the endothelium as important players in
      understanding age-associated changes in responsiveness to infectious challenge of
      the lung. It also addresses how the immunological set-point influences injury
      repair phases, remote organ damage and how intake of drugs may alter the state of
      responsiveness in the users. Further, it points out the importance of considering
      age as a factor in inclusion criteria in clinical trials, in vitro/ex vivo
      experimental designs and overall interpretation of results.

PMID- 28629123
TI  - Sensory Characteristics and Volatile Components of Dry Dog Foods Manufactured
      with Sorghum Fractions.
AB  - Descriptive sensory analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
      with a modified headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method was performed
      on three extruded dry dog food diets manufactured with different fractions of red
      sorghum and a control diet containing corn, brewer's rice, and wheat as a grain
      source in order to determine the effect of sorghum fractions on dry dog food
      sensory properties. The aroma compounds and flavor profiles of samples were
      similar with small differences, such as higher toasted aroma notes, and musty and
      dusty flavor in the mill-feed sample. A total of 37 compounds were tentatively
      identified and semi-quantified. Aldehydes were the major group present in the
      samples. The total volatile concentration was low, reflecting the mild aroma of
      the samples. Partial least squares regression was performed to identify
      correlations between sensory characteristics and detected aroma compounds.
      Possible relationships, such as hexanal and oxidized oil, and broth aromatics
      were identified. Volatile compounds were also associated with earthy, musty, and
      meaty aromas and flavor notes. This study showed that extruded dry dog foods
      manufactured with different red sorghum fractions had similar aroma, flavor, and
      volatile profiles.

PMID- 28629125
TI  - Metabolomic Profiling of Bile Acids in Clinical and Experimental Samples of
      Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - Certain endogenous bile acids have been proposed as potential therapies for
      ameliorating Alzheimer's disease (AD) but their role, if any, in the
      pathophysiology of this disease is not currently known. Given recent evidence of
      bile acids having protective and anti-inflammatory effects on the brain, it is
      important to establish how AD affects levels of endogenous bile acids. Using LC
      MS/MS, this study profiled 22 bile acids in brain extracts and blood plasma from
      AD patients (n = 10) and age-matched control subjects (n = 10). In addition, we
      also profiled brain/plasma samples from APP/PS1 and WT mice (aged 6 and 12
      months). In human plasma, we detected significantly lower cholic acid (CA, p =
      0.03) in AD patients than age-matched control subjects. In APP/PS1 mouse plasma
      we detected higher CA (p = 0.05, 6 months) and lower hyodeoxycholic acid (p =
      0.04, 12 months) than WT. In human brain with AD pathology (Braak stages V-VI)
      taurocholic acid (TCA) were significantly lower (p = 0.01) than age-matched
      control subjects. In APP/PS1 mice we detected higher brain lithocholic acid (p =
      0.05) and lower tauromuricholic acid (TMCA; p = 0.05, 6 months). TMCA was also
      decreased (p = 0.002) in 12-month-old APP/PS1 mice along with 5 other acids: CA
      (p = 0.02), beta-muricholic acid (p = 0.02), Omega-muricholic acid (p = 0.05),
      TCA (p = 0.04), and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (p = 0.02). The levels of bile
      acids are clearly disturbed during the development of AD pathology and, since
      some bile acids are being proposed as potential AD therapeutics, we demonstrate a
      method that can be used to support work to advance bile acid therapeutics.

PMID- 28629127
TI  - Lower Physical Performance in Colder Seasons and Colder Houses: Evidence from a
      Field Study on Older People Living in the Community.
AB  - The aim of this paper was to explore the effect of seasonal temperature
      differences and cold indoor environment in winter on the physical performance of
      older people living in the community based on a field study. We recruited 162
      home-dwelling older people from a rehabilitation facility in the Osaka
      prefecture, Japan; physical performance data were available from 98/162 (60.5%).
      At the same time, for some participants, a questionnaire survey and a measurement
      of the indoor temperature of individual houses were conducted. The analysis
      showed that there were seasonal trends in the physical performance of older
      people and that physical performance was worse in the winter compared with the
      autumn. Furthermore, people living in colder houses had worse physical
      performance. The findings indicate that keeping the house warm in the winter can
      help to maintain physical performance.

PMID- 28629126
TI  - Differentiated Thyroid Cancer-Treatment: State of the Art.
AB  - Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is a rare malignant disease, although its
      incidence has increased over the last few decades. It derives from follicular
      thyroid cells. Generally speaking, the prognosis is excellent. If treatment
      according to the current guidelines is given, cases of recurrence or persistence
      are rare. DTC requires special expertise by the treating physician. In recent
      years, new therapeutic options for these patients have become available. For this
      article we performed a systematic literature review with special focus on the
      guidelines of the American Thyroid Association, the European Association of
      Nuclear Medicine, and the German Society of Nuclear Medicine. For DTC, surgery
      and radioiodine therapy followed by levothyroxine substitution remain the
      established therapeutic procedures. Even metastasized tumors can be cured this
      way. However, in rare cases of radioiodine-refractory tumors, additional options
      are to be discussed. These include strict suppression of thyroid-stimulating
      hormone (also known as thyrotropin, TSH) and external local radiotherapy.
      Systemic cytostatic chemotherapy does not play a significant role. Recently,
      multikinase or tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of
      radioiodine-refractory DTC. Although a benefit for overall survival has not been
      shown yet, these new drugs can slow down tumor progression. However, they are
      frequently associated with severe side effects and should be reserved for
      patients with threatening symptoms only.

PMID- 28629124
TI  - Microbial Diseases of Bivalve Mollusks: Infections, Immunology and Antimicrobial
      Defense.
AB  - A variety of bivalve mollusks (phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia) constitute a
      prominent commodity in fisheries and aquacultures, but are also crucial in order
      to preserve our ecosystem's complexity and function. Bivalve mollusks, such as
      clams, mussels, oysters and scallops, are relevant bred species, and their global
      farming maintains a high incremental annual growth rate, representing a
      considerable proportion of the overall fishery activities. Bivalve mollusks are
      filter feeders; therefore by filtering a great quantity of water, they may
      bioaccumulate in their tissues a high number of microorganisms that can be
      considered infectious for humans and higher vertebrates. Moreover, since some
      pathogens are also able to infect bivalve mollusks, they are a threat for the
      entire mollusk farming industry. In consideration of the leading role in
      aquaculture and the growing financial importance of bivalve farming, much
      interest has been recently devoted to investigate the pathogenesis of infectious
      diseases of these mollusks in order to be prepared for public health emergencies
      and to avoid dreadful income losses. Several bacterial and viral pathogens will
      be described herein. Despite the minor complexity of the organization of the
      immune system of bivalves, compared to mammalian immune systems, a precise
      description of the different mechanisms that induce its activation and
      functioning is still missing. In the present review, a substantial consideration
      will be devoted in outlining the immune responses of bivalves and their
      repertoire of immune cells. Finally, we will focus on the description of
      antimicrobial peptides that have been identified and characterized in bivalve
      mollusks. Their structural and antimicrobial features are also of great interest
      for the biotechnology sector as antimicrobial templates to combat the increasing
      antibiotic-resistance of different pathogenic bacteria that plague the human
      population all over the world.

PMID- 28629128
TI  - Interactions between a Heparin Trisaccharide Library and FGF-1 Analyzed by NMR
      Methods.
AB  - FGF-1 is a potent mitogen that, by interacting simultaneously with Heparan
      Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan HSGAG and the extracellular domains of its membrane
      receptor (FGFR), generates an intracellular signal that finally leads to cell
      division. The overall structure of the ternary complex Heparin:FGF-1:FGFR has
      been finally elucidated after some controversy and the interactions within the
      ternary complex have been deeply described. However, since the structure of the
      ternary complex was described, not much attention has been given to the molecular
      basis of the interaction between FGF-1 and the HSGAG. It is known that within the
      complex, the carbohydrate maintains the same helical structure of free heparin
      that leads to sulfate groups directed towards opposite directions along the
      molecular axis. The precise role of single individual interactions remains
      unclear, as sliding and/or rotating of the saccharide along the binding pocket
      are possibilities difficult to discard. The HSGAG binding pocket can be
      subdivided into two regions, the main one can accommodate a trisaccharide, while
      the other binds a disaccharide. We have studied and analyzed the interaction
      between FGF-1 and a library of trisaccharides by STD-NMR and selective
      longitudinal relaxation rates. The library of trisaccharides corresponds to the
      heparin backbone and it has been designed to interact with the main subsite of
      the protein.

PMID- 28629131
TI  - A Hybrid Scheme for Fine-Grained Search and Access Authorization in Fog Computing
      Environment.
AB  - In the fog computing environment, the encrypted sensitive data may be transferred
      to multiple fog nodes on the edge of a network for low latency; thus, fog nodes
      need to implement a search over encrypted data as a cloud server. Since the fog
      nodes tend to provide service for IoT applications often running on resource
      constrained end devices, it is necessary to design lightweight solutions. At
      present, there is little research on this issue. In this paper, we propose a fine
      grained owner-forced data search and access authorization scheme spanning user
      fog-cloud for resource constrained end users. Compared to existing schemes only
      supporting either index encryption with search ability or data encryption with
      fine-grained access control ability, the proposed hybrid scheme supports both
      abilities simultaneously, and index ciphertext and data ciphertext are
      constructed based on a single ciphertext-policy attribute based encryption (CP
      ABE) primitive and share the same key pair, thus the data access efficiency is
      significantly improved and the cost of key management is greatly reduced.
      Moreover, in the proposed scheme, the resource constrained end devices are
      allowed to rapidly assemble ciphertexts online and securely outsource most of
      decryption task to fog nodes, and mediated encryption mechanism is also adopted
      to achieve instantaneous user revocation instead of re-encrypting ciphertexts
      with many copies in many fog nodes. The security and the performance analysis
      show that our scheme is suitable for a fog computing environment.

PMID- 28629129
TI  - Dietary Management of Skin Health: The Role of Genistein.
AB  - In women, aging and declining estrogen levels are associated with several
      cutaneous changes, many of which can be reversed or improved by estrogen
      supplementation. Two estrogen receptors-alpha and beta-have been cloned and found
      in various tissue types. Epidermal thinning, declining dermal collagen content,
      diminished skin moisture, decreased laxity, and impaired wound healing have been
      reported in postmenopausal women. Experimental and clinical studies in
      postmenopausal conditions indicate that estrogen deprivation is associated with
      dryness, atrophy, fine wrinkling, and poor wound healing. The isoflavone
      genistein binds to estrogen receptor beta and has been reported to improve skin
      changes. This review article will focus on the effects of genistein on skin
      health.

PMID- 28629130
TI  - Optimization of Polyplex Formation between DNA Oligonucleotide and Poly(L
      Lysine): Experimental Study and Modeling Approach.
AB  - The polyplexes formed by nucleic acids and polycations have received a great
      attention owing to their potential application in gene therapy. In our study, we
      report experimental results and modeling outcomes regarding the optimization of
      polyplex formation between the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and poly(L-Lysine)
      (PLL). The quantification of the binding efficiency during polyplex formation was
      performed by processing of the images captured from the gel electrophoresis
      assays. The design of experiments (DoE) and response surface methodology (RSM)
      were employed to investigate the coupling effect of key factors (pH and N/P
      ratio) affecting the binding efficiency. According to the experimental
      observations and response surface analysis, the N/P ratio showed a major
      influence on binding efficiency compared to pH. Model-based optimization
      calculations along with the experimental confirmation runs unveiled the maximal
      binding efficiency (99.4%) achieved at pH 5.4 and N/P ratio 125. To support the
      experimental data and reveal insights of molecular mechanism responsible for the
      polyplex formation between dsDNA and PLL, molecular dynamics simulations were
      performed at pH 5.4 and 7.4.

PMID- 28629132
TI  - Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on IGF-1 and Calcitriol: A Randomized
      Controlled Trial.
AB  - Increasing evidence suggests a possible interaction between vitamin D and insulin
      like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). We aimed to investigate effects of vitamin D
      supplementation on IGF-1 (primary outcome) and calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D)
      concentrations (secondary outcome). This is a post-hoc analysis of the Styrian
      Vitamin D Hypertension Trial-a single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo
      controlled trial (RCT) conducted from 2011 to 2014 at the Medical University of
      Graz, Austria. Two-hundred subjects with arterial hypertension and 25(OH)D
      concentrations <30 ng/mL were randomized to either receive 2800 IU of vitamin D
      daily or placebo for eight weeks. A total of 175 participants (mean +/- standard
      deviation age, 60 +/- 11 years; 49% women) with available IGF-1 concentrations
      were included in the present analysis. At baseline, IGF-1 concentrations were
      significantly correlated with 1,25(OH)2D (r = 0.21; p = 0.005) but not with
      25(OH)D (r = -0.008; p = 0.91). In the RCT, vitamin D had no significant effect
      on IGF-1 (mean treatment effect 3.1; 95% confidence interval -5.6 to 11.9 ng/mL;
      p = 0.48), but it increased 1,25(OH)2D concentrations (mean treatment effect 9.2;
      95% confidence interval 4.4 to 13.9 pg/mL; p <= 0.001). In this RCT, in
      hypertensive patients with low 25(OH)D concentrations, there was no significant
      effect of vitamin D supplementation on IGF-1 concentrations. However, we observed
      a cross-sectional correlation between 1,25(OH)2D and IGF-1 and an increase of
      1,25(OH)2D after vitamin D supplementation.

PMID- 28629134
TI  - Fabrication of Circuits on Flexible Substrates Using Conductive SU-8 for Sensing
      Applications.
AB  - This article describes a new low-cost rapid microfabrication technology for high
      density interconnects and passive devices on flexible substrates for sensing
      applications. Silver nanoparticles with an average size of 80 nm were used to
      create a conductive SU-8 mixture with a concentration of wt 25%. The patterned
      structures after hard baking have a sheet resistance of 11.17 Omega /?. This
      conductive SU-8 was used to pattern planar inductors, capacitors and
      interconnection lines on flexible Kapton film. The conductive SU-8 structures
      were used as a seed layer for a subsequent electroplating process to increase the
      conductivity of the devices. Examples of inductors, resistor-capacitor (RC) and
      inductor-capacitor (LC) circuits, interconnection lines and a near-field
      communication (NFC) antenna are presented as a demonstration. As an example of
      high-resolution miniaturization, we fabricated microinductors having line widths
      of 5 MU m. Mechanical bending tests were successful down to a 5 mm radius. To the
      best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of conductive SU-8 used
      to fabricate such planar devices and the first on flexible substrates. This is a
      proof of concept that this fabrication approach can be used as an alternative for
      microfabrication of planar passive devices on flexible substrates.

PMID- 28629133
TI  - Propolis Diterpenes as a Remarkable Bio-Source for Drug Discovery Development: A
      Review.
AB  - Propolis is one of the complex, but valuable, bio-sources for discovering
      therapeutic compounds. Diterpenes are organic compounds composed of four isoprene
      units and are known for their biological and pharmacological characteristics,
      such as antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. Recently,
      advancements have been made in the development of antibacterial and anticancer
      leads from propolis-isolated diterpenes, and scrutiny of these compounds is being
      pursued. Thus, this review covers the progress in this arena, with a focus on the
      chemistry and biological activities of propolis diterpenes. It is anticipated
      that important information, in a comprehensive and concise manner, will be
      delivered here for better understanding of natural product drug discovery
      research.

PMID- 28629135
TI  - Unequal Probability Marking Approach to Enhance Security of Traceback Scheme in
      Tree-Based WSNs.
AB  - Fog (from core to edge) computing is a newly emerging computing platform, which
      utilizes a large number of network devices at the edge of a network to provide
      ubiquitous computing, thus having great development potential. However, the issue
      of security poses an important challenge for fog computing. In particular, the
      Internet of Things (IoT) that constitutes the fog computing platform is crucial
      for preserving the security of a huge number of wireless sensors, which are
      vulnerable to attack. In this paper, a new unequal probability marking approach
      is proposed to enhance the security performance of logging and migration
      traceback (LM) schemes in tree-based wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The main
      contribution of this paper is to overcome the deficiency of the LM scheme that
      has a higher network lifetime and large storage space. In the unequal probability
      marking logging and migration (UPLM) scheme of this paper, different marking
      probabilities are adopted for different nodes according to their distances to the
      sink. A large marking probability is assigned to nodes in remote areas (areas at
      a long distance from the sink), while a small marking probability is applied to
      nodes in nearby area (areas at a short distance from the sink). This reduces the
      consumption of storage and energy in addition to enhancing the security
      performance, lifetime, and storage capacity. Marking information will be migrated
      to nodes at a longer distance from the sink for increasing the amount of stored
      marking information, thus enhancing the security performance in the process of
      migration. The experimental simulation shows that for general tree-based WSNs,
      the UPLM scheme proposed in this paper can store 1.12-1.28 times the amount of
      stored marking information that the equal probability marking approach achieves,
      and has 1.15-1.26 times the storage utilization efficiency compared with other
      schemes.

PMID- 28629137
TI  - Coarse Alignment Technology on Moving base for SINS Based on the Improved
      Quaternion Filter Algorithm.
AB  - Initial alignment of the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) is intended
      to determine the initial attitude matrix in a short time with certain accuracy.
      The alignment accuracy of the quaternion filter algorithm is remarkable, but the
      convergence rate is slow. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an improved
      quaternion filter algorithm for faster initial alignment based on the error model
      of the quaternion filter algorithm. The improved quaternion filter algorithm
      constructs the K matrix based on the principle of optimal quaternion algorithm,
      and rebuilds the measurement model by containing acceleration and velocity errors
      to make the convergence rate faster. A doppler velocity log (DVL) provides the
      reference velocity for the improved quaternion filter alignment algorithm. In
      order to demonstrate the performance of the improved quaternion filter algorithm
      in the field, a turntable experiment and a vehicle test are carried out. The
      results of the experiments show that the convergence rate of the proposed
      improved quaternion filter is faster than that of the tradition quaternion filter
      algorithm. In addition, the improved quaternion filter algorithm also
      demonstrates advantages in terms of correctness, effectiveness, and
      practicability.

PMID- 28629136
TI  - Zinc in Infection and Inflammation.
AB  - Micronutrient homeostasis is a key factor in maintaining a healthy immune system.
      Zinc is an essential micronutrient that is involved in the regulation of the
      innate and adaptive immune responses. The main cause of zinc deficiency is
      malnutrition. Zinc deficiency leads to cell-mediated immune dysfunctions among
      other manifestations. Consequently, such dysfunctions lead to a worse outcome in
      the response towards bacterial infection and sepsis. For instance, zinc is an
      essential component of the pathogen-eliminating signal transduction pathways
      leading to neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) formation, as well as inducing
      cell-mediated immunity over humoral immunity by regulating specific factors of
      differentiation. Additionally, zinc deficiency plays a role in inflammation,
      mainly elevating inflammatory response as well as damage to host tissue. Zinc is
      involved in the modulation of the proinflammatory response by targeting Nuclear
      Factor Kappa B (NF-kappaB), a transcription factor that is the master regulator
      of proinflammatory responses. It is also involved in controlling oxidative stress
      and regulating inflammatory cytokines. Zinc plays an intricate function during an
      immune response and its homeostasis is critical for sustaining proper immune
      function. This review will summarize the latest findings concerning the role of
      this micronutrient during the course of infections and inflammatory response and
      how the immune system modulates zinc depending on different stimuli.

PMID- 28629139
TI  - Novel Descattering Approach for Stereo Vision in Dense Suspended Scatterer
      Environments.
AB  - In this paper, we propose a model-based scattering removal method for stereo
      vision for robot manipulation in indoor scattering media where the commonly used
      ranging sensors are unable to work. Stereo vision is an inherently ill-posed and
      challenging problem. It is even more difficult in the case of images of dense fog
      or dense steam scenes illuminated by active light sources. Images taken in such
      environments suffer attenuation of object radiance and scattering of the active
      light sources. To solve this problem, we first derive the imaging model for
      images taken in a dense scattering medium with a single active illumination close
      to the cameras. Based on this physical model, the non-uniform backscattering
      signal is efficiently removed. The descattered images are then utilized as the
      input images of stereo vision. The performance of the method is evaluated based
      on the quality of the depth map from stereo vision. We also demonstrate the
      effectiveness of the proposed method by carrying out the real robot manipulation
      task.

PMID- 28629138
TI  - Alcohol Warnings and Moderate Drinking Patterns among Italian University
      Students: An Exploratory Study.
AB  - The introduction of health warnings on labels to correct externalities associated
      with alcohol consumption is heavily debated and has been explored from different
      perspectives. The current paper aims to analyse the interest and attitudes of
      Italian university students regarding health warnings on alcoholic beverages and
      to verify the existence of segments that differ in terms of attitudes towards
      such warnings. Our results show that young consumers consider health warnings
      quite important, although the degree of perceived utility differs in relation to
      the type of warning. Cluster analysis shows the existence of three groups of
      young consumers with different degrees of attention and perceived utility of
      warnings on alcoholic beverages, but also in relation to drinking behaviour and
      awareness of social and health risks related to alcohol consumption. In brief,
      Italian young adults with moderate consumption behaviour view label warnings
      positively, while this attitude is weaker among younger adults and those with
      riskier consumption behaviours. Our findings, albeit limited and based on stated
      and not revealed data, support the need for appropriate tools to improve the
      availability of information among young adults on the risks of excessive alcohol
      consumption and increased awareness of the importance of moderate drinking.

PMID- 28629140
TI  - 3D Imaging Millimeter Wave Circular Synthetic Aperture Radar.
AB  - In this paper, a new millimeter wave 3D imaging radar is proposed. The user just
      needs to move the radar along a circular track, and high resolution 3D imaging
      can be generated. The proposed radar uses the movement of itself to synthesize a
      large aperture in both the azimuth and elevation directions. It can utilize
      inverse Radon transform to resolve 3D imaging. To improve the sensing result, the
      compressed sensing approach is further investigated. The simulation and
      experimental result further illustrated the design. Because a single transceiver
      circuit is needed, a light, affordable and high resolution 3D mmWave imaging
      radar is illustrated in the paper.

PMID- 28629141
TI  - Graph-Based Cooperative Localization Using Symmetric Measurement Equations.
AB  - Precise localization is a key requirement for the success of highly assisted or
      autonomous vehicles. The diminishing cost of hardware has resulted in a
      proliferation of the number of sensors in the environment. Cooperative
      localization (CL) presents itself as a feasible and effective solution for
      localizing the ego-vehicle and its neighboring vehicles. However, one of the
      major challenges to fully realize the effective use of infrastructure sensors for
      jointly estimating the state of a vehicle in cooperative vehicle-infrastructure
      localization is an effective data association. In this paper, we propose a method
      which implements symmetric measurement equations within factor graphs in order to
      overcome the data association challenge with a reduced bandwidth overhead.
      Simulated results demonstrate the benefits of the proposed approach in comparison
      with our previously proposed approach of topology factors.

PMID- 28629142
TI  - A Source Anonymity-Based Lightweight Secure AODV Protocol for Fog-Based MANET.
AB  - Fog-based MANET (Mobile Ad hoc networks) is a novel paradigm of a mobile ad hoc
      network with the advantages of both mobility and fog computing. Meanwhile, as
      traditional routing protocol, ad hoc on-demand distance vector (AODV) routing
      protocol has been applied widely in fog-based MANET. Currently, how to improve
      the transmission performance and enhance security are the two major aspects in
      AODV's research field. However, the researches on joint energy efficiency and
      security seem to be seldom considered. In this paper, we propose a source
      anonymity-based lightweight secure AODV (SAL-SAODV) routing protocol to meet the
      above requirements. In SAL-SAODV protocol, source anonymous and secure
      transmitting schemes are proposed and applied. The scheme involves the following
      three parts: the source anonymity algorithm is employed to achieve the source
      node, without being tracked and located; the improved secure scheme based on the
      polynomial of CRC-4 is applied to substitute the RSA digital signature of SAODV
      and guarantee the data integrity, in addition to reducing the computation and
      energy consumption; the random delayed transmitting scheme (RDTM) is implemented
      to separate the check code and transmitted data, and achieve tamper-proof
      results. The simulation results show that the comprehensive performance of the
      proposed SAL-SAODV is a trade-off of the transmission performance, energy
      efficiency, and security, and better than AODV and SAODV.

PMID- 28629144
TI  - n+ GaAs/AuGeNi-Au Thermocouple-Type RF MEMS Power Sensors Based on Dual Thermal
      Flow Paths in GaAs MMIC.
AB  - To achieve radio frequency (RF) power detection, gain control, and circuit
      protection, this paper presents n+ GaAs/AuGeNi-Au thermocouple-type RF
      microelectromechanical system (MEMS) power sensors based on dual thermal flow
      paths. The sensors utilize a conversion principle of RF power-heat-voltage, where
      a thermovoltage is obtained as the RF power changes. To improve the heat transfer
      efficiency and the sensitivity, structures of two heat conduction paths are
      designed: one in which a thermal slug of Au is placed between two load resistors
      and hot junctions of the thermocouples, and one in which a back cavity is
      fabricated by the MEMS technology to form a substrate membrane underneath the
      resistors and the hot junctions. The improved sensors were fabricated by a GaAs
      monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) process. Experiments show that
      these sensors have reflection losses of less than -17 dB up to 12 GHz. At 1, 5,
      and 10 GHz, measured sensitivities are about 63.45, 53.97, and 44.14 uV/mW for
      the sensor with the thermal slug, and about 111.03, 94.79, and 79.04 uV/mW for
      the sensor with the thermal slug and the back cavity, respectively.

PMID- 28629143
TI  - Nutrients and Other Environmental Factors Influence Virus Abundances across Oxic
      and Hypoxic Marine Environments.
AB  - Virus particles are highly abundant in seawater and, on average, outnumber
      microbial cells approximately 10-fold at the surface and 16-fold in deeper
      waters; yet, this relationship varies across environments. Here, we examine the
      influence of a suite of environmental variables, including nutrient
      concentrations, salinity and temperature, on the relationship between the
      abundances of viruses and prokaryotes over a broad range of spatial and temporal
      scales, including along a track from the Northwest Atlantic to the Northeast
      Pacific via the Arctic Ocean, and in the coastal waters of British Columbia,
      Canada. Models of varying complexity were tested and compared for best fit with
      the Akaike Information Criterion, and revealed that nitrogen and phosphorus
      concentrations, as well as prokaryote abundances, either individually or
      combined, had significant effects on viral abundances in all but hypoxic
      environments, which were only explained by a combination of physical and chemical
      factors. Nonetheless, multivariate models of environmental variables showed high
      explanatory power, matching or surpassing that of prokaryote abundance alone.
      Incorporating both environmental variables and prokaryote abundances into
      multivariate models significantly improved the explanatory power of the models,
      except in hypoxic environments. These findings demonstrate that environmental
      factors could be as important as, or even more important than, prokaryote
      abundance in describing viral abundance across wide-ranging marine environments.

PMID- 28629145
TI  - Synthesis and Evaluation of Phenylxanthine Derivatives as Potential Dual A2AR
      Antagonists/MAO-B Inhibitors for Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - The aim of this research was to prove the speculation that phenylxanthine (PX)
      derivatives possess adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR)-blocking properties and to
      screening and evaluate these PX derivatives as dual A2AR antagonists/MAO-B
      inhibitors for Parkinson's disease. To explore this hypothesis, two series of PX
      derivatives were prepared and their antagonism against A2AR and inhibition
      against MAO-B were determined in vitro. In order to evaluate further the
      antiparkinsonian properties, pharmacokinetic and haloperidol-induced catalepsy
      experiments were carried out in vivo. The PX-D and PX-E analogues acted as potent
      A2AR antagonists with Ki values ranging from 0.27 to 10 MUM, and these analogues
      displayed relatively mild MAO-B inhibition potencies, with inhibitor dissociation
      constants (Ki values) ranging from 0.25 to 10 MUM. Further, the compounds PX-D-P6
      and PX-E-P8 displayed efficacious antiparkinsonian properties in haloperidol
      induced catalepsy experiments, verifying that these two compounds were potent
      A2AR antagonists and MAO-B inhibitors. We conclude that PX-D and PX-E analogues
      are a promising candidate class of dual-acting compounds for treating Parkinson's
      disease.

PMID- 28629146
TI  - Emerging Disparities in Dietary Sodium Intake from Snacking in the US Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The US population consumes dietary sodium well in excess of
      recommended levels. It is unknown how the contribution of snack foods to sodium
      intake has changed over time, and whether disparities exist within specific
      subgroups of the US population. OBJECTIVE: To examine short and long term trends
      in the contribution of snack food sources to dietary sodium intake for US adults
      and children over a 37-year period from 1977 to 2014. METHODS: We used data
      collected from eight nationally representative surveys of food intake in 50,052
      US children aged 2-18 years, and 73,179 adults aged 19+ years between 1977 and
      2014. Overall, patterns of snack food consumption, trends in sodium intake from
      snack food sources and trends in food and beverage sources of sodium from snack
      foods across race-ethnic, age, gender, body mass index, household education and
      income groups were examined. RESULTS: In all socio-demographic subgroups there
      was a significant increase in both per capita sodium intake, and the proportion
      of sodium intake derived from snacks from 1977-1978 to 2011-2014 (p < 0.01).
      Those with the lowest household education, Non-Hispanic Black race-ethnicity, and
      the lowest income had the largest increase in sodium intake from snacks. While in
      1977-1978 Non-Hispanic Blacks had a lower sodium intake from snacks compared to
      Non-Hispanic Whites (p < 0.01), in 2011-2014 they had a significantly higher
      intake. Conclusions: Important disparities are emerging in dietary sodium intake
      from snack sources in Non-Hispanic Blacks. Our findings have implications for
      future policy interventions targeting specific US population subgroups.

PMID- 28629148
TI  - Involvement of CD36 in Modulating the Decrease of NPY and AgRP Induced by Acute
      Palmitic Acid Stimulation in N1E-115 Cells.
AB  - Central nervous system (CNS) fatty acid sensing plays an important role in the
      regulation of food intake, and palmitic acid (PA) is the most important long
      chain fatty acid (LCFA) in the mammalian diet. To explore the effect of PA on
      central neuropeptide expression and the role of the cluster of the
      differentiation of 36 (CD36) in the process, N1E-115 cells were cultured with PA
      in the presence or absence of sulfosuccinimidyl-oleate (SSO), a CD36 inhibitor.
      Results showed that 10 MUmol/L PA significantly reduced NPY and AgRP mRNA
      expression after 20 min of exposure, while the expression of CD36 was
      upregulated. The presence of SSO significantly attenuated the decrease of NPY and
      AgRP expression that was induced by PA alone, although no notable effect on PA-
      induced CD36 gene expression was observed. In conclusion, our study suggests the
      involvement of CD36 in the PA-induced decrease of NPY and AgRP in N1E-115 cells.

PMID- 28629147
TI  - Proteomic High Affinity Zn2+ Trafficking: Where Does Metallothionein Fit in?
AB  - The cellular constitution of Zn-proteins and Zn-dependent signaling depend on the
      capacity of Zn2+ to find specific binding sites in the face of a plethora of
      other high affinity ligands. The most prominent of these is metallothionein (MT).
      It serves as a storage site for Zn2+ under various conditions, and has chemical
      properties that support a dynamic role for MT in zinc trafficking. Consistent
      with these characteristics, changing the availability of zinc for cells and
      tissues causes rapid alteration of zinc bound to MT. Nevertheless, zinc
      trafficking occurs in metallothionein-null animals and cells, hypothetically
      making use of proteomic binding sites to mediate the intracellular movements of
      zinc. Like metallothionein, the proteome contains a large concentration of
      proteins that strongly coordinate zinc. In this environment, free Zn2+ may be of
      little significance. Instead, this review sets forth the basis for the hypothesis
      that components of the proteome and MT jointly provide the platform for zinc
      trafficking.

PMID- 28629149
TI  - Impact of Second Trimester Maternal Dietary Intake on Gestational Weight Gain and
      Neonatal Birth Weight.
AB  - Poor maternal nutrition is a major contributor to the high incidence of low birth
      weight deliveries in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the impact
      of second trimester maternal dietary intake on gestational weight gain and
      neonatal birth weight. A longitudinal study was conducted in a tertiary care
      hospital in Sri Lanka. Participants were 141 pregnant women at 18-24 weeks
      gestation who were followed up until delivery. Maternal dietary intake was
      assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire at 21.1 +/- 1.8
      gestational weeks. Gestational weight gain was examined at the end of 28 weeks
      gestation and at the end of pregnancy. Energy and nutrient intakes were
      calculated using NutriSurvey 2007 (EBISpro, Willstaett, Germany) nutrient
      analysis software, modified for Sri Lankan foods. The mean total gestational
      weight gain of women with low carbohydrate intake (229-429 g/day) was 2.2 kg less
      than that of women with moderate carbohydrate intake (430-629 g/day) (95%
      confidence interval (CI) 0.428-4.083 kg; p = 0.016). Similarly, babies of women
      with low carbohydrate intake were 312 g lighter compared with those of women with
      a moderate carbohydrate intake (95% CI 91-534 g; p = 0.006). Our results suggest
      that second trimester maternal carbohydrate intake has significant impacts on
      total gestational weight gain and neonatal birth weight.

PMID- 28629150
TI  - Role of Nigella sativa and Its Constituent Thymoquinone on Chemotherapy-Induced
      Nephrotoxicity: Evidences from Experimental Animal Studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most chemotherapeutic drugs are known to cause nephrotoxicity.
      Therefore, new strategies have been considered to prevent chemotherapy-induced
      nephrotoxicity. It is of note that Nigella sativa (NS), or its isolated compound
      Thymoquinone (TQ), has a potential role in combating chemotherapy-induced
      nephrotoxicity. AIM: To analyze and report the outcome of experimental animal
      studies on the protective effects of NS/TQ on chemotherapy-associated kidney
      complications. DESIGN: Standard systematic review and narrative synthesis. DATA
      SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE databases were searched for relevant articles published
      up to March 2017. Additionally, a manual search was performed. Criteria for a
      study's inclusion were: conducted in animals, systematic reviews and meta
      analysis, containing data on nephroprotective effects of NS/TQ compared to a
      placebo or other substance. All strains and genders were included. RESULTS: The
      database search yielded 71 studies, of which 12 (cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity
      8; methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity 1; doxorubicin-induced nephrotoxicity 2;
      ifosfamide-induced nephrotoxicity 1) were included in this review. CONCLUSIONS:
      Experimental animal studies showed the protective effect of NS, or TQ, on
      chemotherapy-induced nephrotoxicity. These effects are caused by decreasing lipid
      peroxidation and increasing activity of antioxidant enzymes in renal tissue of
      chemotherapy-treated animals.

PMID- 28629151
TI  - Structured Additive Quantile Regression for Assessing the Determinants of
      Childhood Anemia in Rwanda.
AB  - Childhood anemia is among the most significant health problems faced by public
      health departments in developing countries. This study aims at assessing the
      determinants and possible spatial effects associated with childhood anemia in
      Rwanda. The 2014/2015 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) data was used.
      The analysis was done using the structured spatial additive quantile regression
      model. The findings of this study revealed that the child's age; the duration of
      breastfeeding; gender of the child; the nutritional status of the child (whether
      underweight and/or wasting); whether the child had a fever; had a cough in the
      two weeks prior to the survey or not; whether the child received vitamin A
      supplementation in the six weeks before the survey or not; the household wealth
      index; literacy of the mother; mother's anemia status; mother's age at the birth
      are all significant factors associated with childhood anemia in Rwanda.
      Furthermore, significant structured spatial location effects on childhood anemia
      was found.

PMID- 28629152
TI  - The Association between Pediatric NAFLD and Common Genetic Variants.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common complications
      of obesity. Several studies have shown that genetic predisposition probably plays
      an important role in its pathogenesis. In fact, in the last few years a large
      number of genetic studies have provided compelling evidence that some gene
      variants, especially those in genes encoding proteins regulating lipid
      metabolism, are associated with intra-hepatic fat accumulation. Here we provide a
      comprehensive review of the gene variants that have affected the natural history
      of the disease.

PMID- 28629154
TI  - Two Novel Two-Stage Direction of Arrival Estimation Algorithms for Two
      Dimensional Mixed Noncircular and Circular Sources.
AB  - This paper addresses the two-dimensional (2D) direction-of-arrival (DOA)
      estimation problem with two novel methods for mixed noncircular and circular
      signals. The first proposed method is named the two-stage direction-of-arrival
      matrix (TSDOAM) method, and the other is called the two-stage rank reduction
      (TSRARE) method. The proposed methods utilize both the circularity and the
      direction-of-arrival differences between the noncircular and circular sources to
      estimate the 2D directions-of-arrival (DOAs). The maximum detectable 2D angle
      parameters of the TSDOAM and TSRARE methods are twice those of the existing
      methods. Moreover, the TSRARE method can detect more incident signals than the
      TSDOAM method due to the array aperture of two parallel uniform linear arrays
      (ULAs) being fully utilized. Simulation results show that compared to the
      existing methods for the small angle separation of 2D directions-of-arrival, the
      two proposed methods perform well in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and
      snapshots.

PMID- 28629153
TI  - Compositional Characteristics and In Vitro Evaluations of Antioxidant and
      Neuroprotective Properties of Crude Extracts of Fucoidan Prepared from
      Compressional Puffing-Pretreated Sargassum crassifolium.
AB  - Fucoidan, a fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharide with diverse biological
      functions, is mainly recovered from brown algae. In this study, we utilized a
      compressional-puffing process (CPP) to pretreat Sargassum crassifolium (SC) and
      extracted fucoidans from SC by warm water. Three fucoidan extracts (SC1: puffing
      at 0 kg/cm2; SC2: puffing at 1.7 kg/cm2; and SC3: puffing at 6.3 kg/cm2) were
      obtained, and their composition, and antioxidant and neuroprotective activities
      were examined. The results suggest that CPP decreased the bulk density of algal
      samples, expanded the algal cellular structures, and eliminated the unpleasant
      algal odor. The extraction yields of fucoidans were increased and impurities of
      fucoidans were decreased by increasing the pressures used in CPP. The SC1-SC3
      extracts displayed various characteristics of fucoidan as illustrated by the
      analyses of composition, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and
      molecular weight. All three extracts SC1-SC3 showed antioxidant activity dose
      dependently. Although both SC1 and SC2 possessed high and similar neuronal
      protective properties, SC2 showed a higher extraction yield, higher efficacy in
      the reversion of H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells,
      and lower impurities compared with SC1, and thus SC2 is suggested as a good
      candidate for a therapeutic agent in the preventive treatment of
      neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28629156
TI  - Spatial Indexing for Data Searching in Mobile Sensing Environments.
AB  - Data searching and retrieval is one of the fundamental functionalities in many
      Web of Things applications, which need to collect, process and analyze huge
      amounts of sensor stream data. The problem in fact has been well studied for data
      generated by sensors that are installed at fixed locations; however, challenges
      emerge along with the popularity of opportunistic sensing applications in which
      mobile sensors keep reporting observation and measurement data at variable
      intervals and changing geographical locations. To address these challenges, we
      develop the Geohash-Grid Tree, a spatial indexing technique specially designed
      for searching data integrated from heterogeneous sources in a mobile sensing
      environment. Results of the experiments on a real-world dataset collected from
      the SmartSantander smart city testbed show that the index structure allows
      efficient search based on spatial distance, range and time windows in a large
      time series database.

PMID- 28629155
TI  - Repositioning FDA Drugs as Potential Cruzain Inhibitors from Trypanosoma cruzi:
      Virtual Screening, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.
AB  - Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma
      cruzi, which affects underdeveloped countries. The current drugs of choice are
      nifurtimox and benznidazole, but both have severe adverse effects and less
      effectivity in chronic infections; therefore, the need to discover new drugs is
      essential. A computer-guided drug repositioning method was applied to identify
      potential FDA drugs (approved and withdrawn) as cruzain (Cz) inhibitors and
      trypanocidal effects were confirmed by in vitro and in vivo studies. 3180 FDA
      drugs were virtually screened using a structure-based approach. From a first
      molecular docking analysis, a set of 33 compounds with the best binding energies
      were selected. Subsequent consensus affinity binding, ligand amino acid contact
      clustering analysis, and ranked position were used to choose four known
      pharmacological compounds to be tested in vitro. Mouse blood samples infected
      with trypomastigotes from INC-5 and NINOA strains were used to test the
      trypanocidal effect of four selected compounds. Among these drugs, one fibrate
      antilipemic (etofyllin clofibrate) and three beta-lactam antibiotics
      (piperacillin, cefoperazone, and flucloxacillin) showed better trypanocidal
      effects (LC50 range 15.8-26.1 MUg/mL) in comparison with benznidazole and
      nifurtimox (LC50 range 33.1-46.7 MUg/mL). A short-term in vivo evaluation of
      these compounds showed a reduction of parasitemia in infected mice (range 90-60%)
      at 6 h, but this was low compared to benznidazole (50%). This work suggests that
      four known FDA drugs could be used to design and obtain new trypanocidal agents.

PMID- 28629157
TI  - Wuhan Ionospheric Oblique Backscattering Sounding System and Its Applications-A
      Review.
AB  - For decades, high-frequency (HF) radar has played an important role in sensing
      the Earth's environment. Advances in radar technology are providing opportunities
      to significantly improve the performance of HF radar, and to introduce more
      applications. This paper presents a low-power, small-size, and multifunctional HF
      radar developed by the Ionospheric Laboratory of Wuhan University, referred to as
      the Wuhan Ionospheric Oblique Backscattering Sounding System (WIOBSS). Progress
      in the development of this radar is described in detail, including the basic
      principles of operation, the system configuration, the sounding waveforms, and
      the signal and data processing methods. Furthermore, its various remote sensing
      applications are briefly reviewed to show the good performance of this radar.
      Finally, some suggested solutions are given for further improvement of its
      performance.

PMID- 28629158
TI  - Contribution of the Degeneration of the Neuro-Axonal Unit to the Pathogenesis of
      Multiple Sclerosis.
AB  - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating, autoimmune disease of the central
      nervous system. In recent years, it has become more evident that
      neurodegeneration, including neuronal damage and axonal injury, underlies
      permanent disability in MS. This manuscript reviews some of the mechanisms that
      could be responsible for neurodegeneration and axonal damage in MS and highlights
      the potential role that dysfunctional heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1
      (hnRNP A1) and antibodies to hnRNP A1 may play in MS pathogenesis.

PMID- 28629159
TI  - Intercomparison of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Ground-Based Narrow Band
      Spectrometers Applied to Crop Trait Monitoring in Organic Potato Production.
AB  - Vegetation properties can be estimated using optical sensors, acquiring data on
      board of different platforms. For instance, ground-based and Unmanned Aerial
      Vehicle (UAV)-borne spectrometers can measure reflectance in narrow spectral
      bands, while different modelling approaches, like regressions fitted to
      vegetation indices, can relate spectra with crop traits. Although monitoring
      frameworks using multiple sensors can be more flexible, they may result in higher
      inaccuracy due to differences related to the sensors characteristics, which can
      affect information sampling. Also organic production systems can benefit from
      continuous monitoring focusing on crop management and stress detection, but few
      studies have evaluated applications with this objective. In this study, ground
      based and UAV spectrometers were compared in the context of organic potato
      cultivation. Relatively accurate estimates were obtained for leaf chlorophyll
      (RMSE = 6.07 ug.cm-2), leaf area index (RMSE = 0.67 m2.m-2), canopy chlorophyll
      (RMSE = 0.24 g.m-2) and ground cover (RMSE = 5.5%) using five UAV-based data
      acquisitions, from 43 to 99 days after planting. These retrievals are slightly
      better than those derived from ground-based measurements (RMSE = 7.25 ug.cm-2,
      0.85 m2.m-2, 0.28 g.m-2 and 6.8%, respectively), for the same period. Excluding
      observations corresponding to the first acquisition increased retrieval accuracy
      and made outputs more comparable between sensors, due to relatively low
      vegetation cover on this date. Intercomparison of vegetation indices indicated
      that indices based on the contrast between spectral bands in the visible and near
      infrared, like OSAVI, MCARI2 and CIg provided, at certain extent, robust outputs
      that could be transferred between sensors. Information sampling at plot level by
      both sensing solutions resulted in comparable discriminative potential concerning
      advanced stages of late blight incidence. These results indicate that optical
      sensors, and their integration, have great potential for monitoring this specific
      organic cropping system.

PMID- 28629160
TI  - Structural Characterization of a Rhamnogalacturonan I Domain from Ginseng and Its
      Inhibitory Effect on Galectin-3.
AB  - A rhamnogalacturonan I domain, named RG-I-3A, was prepared from ginseng pectin by
      pectinase digestion and chromatography separation. Monosaccharide composition
      analysis revealed that it was mainly composed of galacturonic acid, rhamnose,
      galactose, and arabinose in a molar ratio of 32.5:11.2:31.9:16.5, with a
      molecular weight of 50 kDa. Partial acid hydrolysis, monoclonal antibody
      detection, and NMR spectra analysis suggested RG-I-3A was composed of ->4)-alpha
      GalpA-(1->2)-alpha-Rhap-(1->disaccharide repeating units as backbone, with beta
      1,4-galactan, alpha-1,5-arabinan, AG-I, and AG-II side chains substituted via the
      O-4 of Rhap. Galectin-3-mediated hemagglutination and biolayer interferometry
      assay indicated that RG-I-3A had inhibitory activity on galectin-3. These
      findings suggest the potential use of this ginseng RG-I domain as a galectin-3
      inhibitor in drug development applications.

PMID- 28629163
TI  - beta-Cyanoalanine Synthases and Their Possible Role in Pierid Host Plant
      Adaptation.
AB  - Cyanide is generated in larvae of the glucosinolate-specialist Pieris rapae
      (Lepidoptera:Pieridae) upon ingestion of plant material containing phenylalanine
      derived glucosinolates as chemical defenses. As these glucosinolates were
      widespread within ancient Brassicales, the ability to detoxify cyanide may
      therefore have been essential for the host plant shift of Pierid species from
      Fabales to Brassicales species giving rise to the Pierinae subfamily. Previous
      research identified beta-cyanoalanine and thiocyanate as products of cyanide
      detoxification in P. rapae larvae as well as three cDNAs encoding the beta
      cyanoalanine synthases PrBSAS1-PrBSAS3. Here, we analyzed a total of eight
      species of four lepidopteran families to test if their cyanide detoxification
      capacity correlates with their feeding specialization. We detected beta
      cyanoalanine synthase activity in gut protein extracts of all six species tested,
      which included Pierid species with glucosinolate-containing host plants, Pierids
      with other hosts, and other Lepidoptera with varying food specialization.
      Rhodanese activity was only scarcely detectable with the highest levels appearing
      in the two glucosinolate-feeding Pierids. We then amplified by polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) 14 cDNAs encoding beta-cyanoalanine synthases from seven species.
      Enzyme characterization and phylogenetic analysis indicated that lepidopterans
      are generally equipped with one PrBSAS2 homolog with high affinity for cyanide. A
      second beta-cyanoalanine synthase which grouped with PrBSAS3 was restricted to
      Pierid species, while a third variant (i.e., homologs of PrBSAS1), was only
      present in members of the Pierinae subfamily. These results are in agreement with
      the hypothesis that the host shift to Brassicales was associated with the
      requirement for a specialized cyanide detoxification machinery.

PMID- 28629161
TI  - Cancer Chemoprevention by Resveratrol: The p53 Tumor Suppressor Protein as a
      Promising Molecular Target.
AB  - Increasing epidemiological and experimental evidence has demonstrated an inverse
      relationship between the consumption of plant foods and the incidence of chronic
      diseases, including cancer. Microcomponents that are naturally present in such
      foods, especially polyphenols, are responsible for the benefits to human health.
      Resveratrol is a diet-derived cancer chemopreventive agent with high therapeutic
      potential, as demonstrated by different authors. The aim of this review is to
      collect and present recent evidence from the literature regarding resveratrol and
      its effects on cancer prevention, molecular signaling (especially regarding the
      involvement of p53 protein), and therapeutic perspectives with an emphasis on
      clinical trial results to date.

PMID- 28629162
TI  - Promotion of Tumor Invasion by Tumor-Associated Macrophages: The Role of CSF-1
      Activated Phosphatidylinositol 3 Kinase and Src Family Kinase Motility Signaling.
AB  - Macrophages interact with cells in every organ to facilitate tissue development,
      function and repair. However, the close interaction between macrophages and
      parenchymal cells can be subverted in disease, particularly cancer. Motility is
      an essential capacity for macrophages to be able to carry out their various
      roles. In cancers, the macrophage's interstitial migratory ability is frequently
      co-opted by tumor cells to enable escape from the primary tumor and metastatic
      spread. Macrophage accumulation within and movement through a tumor is often
      stimulated by tumor cell production of the mononuclear phagocytic growth factor,
      colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1). CSF-1 also regulates macrophage survival,
      proliferation and differentiation, and its many effects are transduced by its
      receptor, the CSF-1R, via phosphotyrosine motif-activated signals. Mutational
      analysis of CSF-1R signaling indicates that the major mediators of CSF-1-induced
      motility are phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and one or more Src family
      kinase (SFK), which activate signals to adhesion, actin polymerization,
      polarization and, ultimately, migration and invasion in macrophages. The
      macrophage transcriptome, including that of the motility machinery, is very
      complex and highly responsive to the environment, with selective expression of
      proteins and splice variants rarely found in other cell types. Thus, their unique
      motility machinery can be specifically targeted to block macrophage migration,
      and thereby, inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis.

PMID- 28629164
TI  - Cataract Surgery Performed by High Frequency LDV Z8 Femtosecond Laser: Safety,
      Efficacy, and Its Physical Properties.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of
      the LDV Z8 femtosecond laser in cataract surgery compared to the conventional
      procedure. METHODS: This prospective study was performed at the Swiss Eye
      Research Foundation, Eye Clinic ORASIS, Reinach, Switzerland. The study included
      130 eyes from 130 patients: 68 treated with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract
      surgery (FLACS) using the FEMTO LDV Z8 and 62 treated with conventional
      phacoemulsification. Capsulotomy and lens fragmentation in the laser group were
      performed with the FEMTO LDV Z8 femtosecond laser system, which employs a new,
      low-energy, high repetition rate laser process for cataract surgery. In the
      conventional group, the capsulotomy was performed by a cystotome, and lens
      fragmentation was achieved by the stop-and-chop. RESULTS: Ease of
      phacoemulsification (on a 4-point scale), the completeness of capsulotomy (on a
      10-point scale), effective phacoemulsification time (seconds), uncorrected
      distance visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity
      (BSCVA), spherical equivalent (SE), and safety of the procedure were evaluated.
      The total follow-up time was three months. CONCLUSIONS: FLACS with the FEMTO LDV
      Z8 system was characterized by complete and reproducible capsulotomy and highly
      effective lens fragmentation. Postoperative visual outcomes were excellent, and
      the safety of the procedure was optimal.

PMID- 28629165
TI  - A Cost-Effective Vehicle Localization Solution Using an Interacting Multiple
      Model-Unscented Kalman Filters (IMM-UKF) Algorithm and Grey Neural Network.
AB  - In this paper, we propose a cost-effective localization solution for land
      vehicles, which can simultaneously adapt to the uncertain noise of inertial
      sensors and bridge Global Positioning System (GPS) outages. First, three
      Unscented Kalman filters (UKFs) with different noise covariances are introduced
      into the framework of Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) algorithm to form the
      proposed IMM-based UKF, termed as IMM-UKF. The IMM algorithm can provide a soft
      switching among the three UKFs and therefore adapt to different noise
      characteristics. Further, two IMM-UKFs are executed in parallel when GPS is
      available. One fuses the information of low-cost GPS, in-vehicle sensors, and
      micro electromechanical system (MEMS)-based reduced inertial sensor systems
      (RISS), while the other fuses only in-vehicle sensors and MEMS-RISS. The
      differences between the state vectors of the two IMM-UKFs are considered as
      training data of a Grey Neural Network (GNN) module, which is known for its high
      prediction accuracy with a limited amount of samples. The GNN module can predict
      and compensate position errors when GPS signals are blocked. To verify the
      feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed solution, road-test experiments
      with various driving scenarios were performed. The experimental results indicate
      that the proposed solution outperforms all the compared methods.

PMID- 28629166
TI  - Mechanistic Explanation of the Weak Carbonic Anhydrase's Esterase Activity.
AB  - In order to elucidate the elementary mechanism of the promiscuous esterase
      activity of human carbonic anhydrase (h-CA), we present an accurate theoretical
      investigation on the hydrolysis of fully-acetylated d-glucose functionalized as
      sulfamate. This h-CA's inhibitor is of potential relevance in cancer therapy. The
      study has been performed within the framework of three-layer ONIOM (QM-high:QM'
      medium:MM-low) hybrid approach. The computations revealed that the hydrolysis
      process is not energetically favored, in agreement with the observed weak
      carbonic anhydrase's esterase activity.

PMID- 28629167
TI  - IgG Avidity Test in Congenital Toxoplasmosis Diagnoses in Newborns.
AB  - The goal of this study was to investigate the importance of IgG avidity testing
      in newborns (NBs) diagnosed with early congenital toxoplasmosis. We collected
      samples from 88 puerperae infected by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and their NBs
      (48 acutely-infected puerperae (AIP) and 40 chronically-infected puerperae
      (CIP)), from two public maternity hospitals in Goiania city, Goias, Brazil, from
      2010 to 2015. Specific anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG serum levels and IgG avidity
      tests were evaluated using chemiluminescence. Congenital toxoplasmosis was
      observed in 66.66% (n = 32) of NBs with AIP, 94.1% presenting low avidity (LA)
      and 51.61% presenting high avidity (HA) test results. The IgG and IgM levels of
      NBs with LA and their puerperae were higher in comparison with HA NBs and
      puerperae (p = 0.0001). The avidity tests showed 100% specificity and 50%
      sensitivity (p = 0.0001). NBs with LA had a 15-fold increased risk of developing
      congenital toxoplasmosis in comparison with HA NBs. The IgG avidity test could be
      used to assist in early congenital toxoplasmosis diagnoses in NBs and LA,
      identifying a greater probability of vertical transmission.

PMID- 28629168
TI  - Assessing Statistically Significant Heavy-Metal Concentrations in Abandoned Mine
      Areas via Hot Spot Analysis of Portable XRF Data.
AB  - To develop appropriate measures to prevent soil contamination in abandoned mining
      areas, an understanding of the spatial variation of the potentially toxic trace
      elements (PTEs) in the soil is necessary. For the purpose of effective soil
      sampling, this study uses hot spot analysis, which calculates a z-score based on
      the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic to identify a statistically significant hot spot
      sample. To constitute a statistically significant hot spot, a feature with a high
      value should also be surrounded by other features with high values. Using
      relatively cost- and time-effective portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analysis,
      sufficient input data are acquired from the Busan abandoned mine and used for hot
      spot analysis. To calibrate the PXRF data, which have a relatively low accuracy,
      the PXRF analysis data are transformed using the inductively coupled plasma
      atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) data. The transformed PXRF data of the
      Busan abandoned mine are classified into four groups according to their
      normalized content and z-scores: high content with a high z-score (HH), high
      content with a low z-score (HL), low content with a high z-score (LH), and low
      content with a low z-score (LL). The HL and LH cases may be due to measurement
      errors. Additional or complementary surveys are required for the areas
      surrounding these suspect samples or for significant hot spot areas. The soil
      sampling is conducted according to a four-phase procedure in which the hot spot
      analysis and proposed group classification method are employed to support the
      development of a sampling plan for the following phase. Overall, 30, 50, 80, and
      100 samples are investigated and analyzed in phases 1-4, respectively. The method
      implemented in this case study may be utilized in the field for the assessment of
      statistically significant soil contamination and the identification of areas for
      which an additional survey is required.

PMID- 28629169
TI  - Association between Six CETP Polymorphisms and Metabolic Syndrome in Uyghur
      Adults from Xinjiang, China.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between CETP gene polymorphisms and
      metabolic syndrome (MS), as well as the relationship between the CETP gene
      polymorphisms and each component of MS. METHODS: A total of 571 individuals which
      were randomly selected from 5692 Uyghur adults were subdivided into two groups,
      including 280 patients with MS and 291 control subjects, using the group-matching
      method after matching for gender. We detected CETP polymorphisms (rs5882,
      rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272) by using the Snapshot
      method. RESULTS: (1) Significant differences were found involving the frequency
      distribution of genotypes and alleles of rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545,
      rs711752, and rs708272 between the control and MS groups (all p < 0.05). (2)
      rs1800775, rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272 polymorphisms were
      significantly related to the risk of MS (all p < 0.05). (3) The rs1800775
      polymorphism was associated with high fasting blood glucose levels and low high
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C); rs3764261 and rs12149545 polymorphisms
      were associated with all components of MS except high blood pressure; rs711752
      and rs708272 polymorphisms were associated with low HDL-C (all p < 0.05). (4)
      Complete linkage disequilibrium (LD) was identified for two pairs of single
      nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3764261 and rs12149545 (D' = 1.000, r2 =
      0.931), rs711752 and rs708272 (D' = 1.000, r2 = 0.996)). (5) The A-G-G-G-C (p =
      0.013, odds ratio [OR] = 0.622, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.427-0.906)
      and A-T-A-A-T (p < 0.001, OR = 0.519, 95% CI = 0.386-0.697) haplotypes were more
      frequent in the control group than in the case group. Conclusions: The rs1800775,
      rs3764261, rs12149545, rs711752, and rs708272 polymorphisms of CETP were
      associated with MS and its components among the Uyghur ethnic group. Complete LD
      was found between two pairs of SNPs (rs3764261 and rs12149545, rs711752, and
      rs708272). The A-G-G-G-C and A-T-A-A-T haplotypes might be protective factors for
      MS.

PMID- 28629170
TI  - EGFR and EGFRvIII Promote Angiogenesis and Cell Invasion in Glioblastoma:
      Combination Therapies for an Effective Treatment.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the mutant EGFRvIII are major focal
      points in current concepts of targeted cancer therapy for glioblastoma multiforme
      (GBM), the most malignant primary brain tumor. The receptors participate in the
      key processes of tumor cell invasion and tumor-related angiogenesis and their
      upregulation correlates with the poor prognosis of glioma patients. Glioma cell
      invasion and increased angiogenesis share mechanisms of the degradation of the
      extracellular matrix (ECM) through upregulation of ECM-degrading proteases as
      well as the activation of aberrant signaling pathways. This review describes the
      role of EGFR and EGFRvIII in those mechanisms which might offer new combined
      therapeutic approaches targeting EGFR or EGFRvIII together with drug treatments
      against proteases of the ECM or downstream signaling to increase the inhibitory
      effects of mono-therapies.

PMID- 28629172
TI  - The Role of HCG in Implantation: A Mini-Review of Molecular and Clinical
      Evidence.
AB  - Embryo implantation is a complex process involving continuous molecular cross
      talk between the embryo and the decidua. One of the key molecules during this
      process is human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). HCG effectively modulates several
      metabolic pathways within the decidua contributing to endometrial receptivity.
      Herein, a brief overview of the molecular mechanisms regulated by HCG is
      presented. Furthermore, we summarize the existing evidence regarding the clinical
      impact on reproductive outcomes after endometrial priming with HCG prior to
      embryo transfer. Although promising, further evidence is needed to clarify the
      protocol that would lead to beneficial outcomes.

PMID- 28629171
TI  - Cutaneous Manifestations of Human and Murine Leishmaniasis.
AB  - The leishmaniases are diseases caused by pathogenic protozoan parasites of the
      genus Leishmania. Infections are initiated when a sand fly vector inoculates
      Leishmania parasites into the skin of a mammalian host. Leishmania causes a
      spectrum of inflammatory cutaneous disease manifestations. The type of cutaneous
      pathology is determined in part by the infecting Leishmania species, but also by
      a combination of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory host immune response factors
      resulting in different clinical outcomes. This review discusses the distinct
      cutaneous syndromes described in humans, and current knowledge of the
      inflammatory responses associated with divergent cutaneous pathologic responses
      to different Leishmania species. The contribution of key hematopoietic cells in
      experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis in mouse models are also reviewed and
      compared with those observed during human infection. We hypothesize that local
      skin events influence the ensuing adaptive immune response to Leishmania spp.
      infections, and that the balance between inflammatory and regulatory factors
      induced by infection are critical for determining cutaneous pathology and outcome
      of infection.

PMID- 28629174
TI  - Using Coexpression Protein Interaction Network Analysis to Identify Mechanisms of
      Danshensu Affecting Patients with Coronary Heart Disease.
AB  - Salvia miltiorrhiza, known as Danshen, has attracted worldwide interest for its
      substantial effects on coronary heart disease (CHD). Danshensu (DSS) is one of
      the main active ingredients of Danshen on CHD. Although it has been proven to
      have a good clinical effect on CHD, the action mechanisms remain elusive. In the
      current study, a coexpression network-based approach was used to illustrate the
      beneficial properties of DSS in the context of CHD. By integrating the gene
      expression profile data and protein-protein interactions (PPIs) data, two
      coexpression protein interaction networks (CePIN) in a CHD state (CHD CePIN) and
      a non-CHD state (non-CHD CePIN) were generated. Then, shared nodes and unique
      nodes in CHD CePIN were attained by conducting a comparison between CHD CePIN and
      non-CHD CePIN. By calculating the topological parameters of each shared node and
      unique node in the networks, and comparing the differentially expressed genes,
      target proteins involved in disease regulation were attained. Then, Gene Ontology
      (GO) enrichment was utilized to identify biological processes associated to
      target proteins. Consequently, it turned out that the treatment of CHD with DSS
      may be partly attributed to the regulation of immunization and blood circulation.
      Also, it indicated that sodium/hydrogen exchanger 3 (SLC9A3), Prostaglandin G/H
      synthase 2 (PTGS2), Oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1), and
      fibrinogen gamma chain (FGG) may be potential therapeutic targets for CHD. In
      summary, this study provided a novel coexpression protein interaction network
      approach to provide an explanation of the mechanisms of DSS on CHD and identify
      key proteins which maybe the potential therapeutic targets for CHD.

PMID- 28629173
TI  - Autophagic Mechanism in Anti-Cancer Immunity: Its Pros and Cons for Cancer
      Therapy.
AB  - Autophagy, a self-eating machinery, has been reported as an adaptive response to
      maintain metabolic homeostasis when cancer cells encounter stress. It has been
      appreciated that autophagy acts as a double-edge sword to decide the fate of
      cancer cells upon stress factors, molecular subtypes, and microenvironmental
      conditions. Currently, the majority of evidence support that autophagy in cancer
      cells is a vital mechanism bringing on resistance to current and prospective
      treatments, yet whether autophagy affects the anticancer immune response remains
      unclear and controversial. Accumulated studies have demonstrated that triggering
      autophagy is able to facilitate anticancer immunity due to an increase in
      immunogenicity, whereas other studies suggested that autophagy is likely to
      disarm anticancer immunity mediated by cytotoxic T cells and nature killer (NK)
      cells. Hence, this contradiction needs to be elucidated. In this review, we
      discuss the role of autophagy in cancer cells per se and in cancer
      microenvironment as well as its dual regulatory roles in immune surveillance
      through modulating presentation of tumor antigens, development of immune cells,
      and expression of immune checkpoints. We further focus on emerging roles of
      autophagy induced by current treatments and its impact on anticancer immune
      response, and illustrate the pros and cons of utilizing autophagy in cancer
      immunotherapy based on preclinical references.

PMID- 28629175
TI  - The Instrumentation of a Microfluidic Analyzer Enabling the Characterization of
      the Specific Membrane Capacitance, Cytoplasm Conductivity, and Instantaneous
      Young's Modulus of Single Cells.
AB  - This paper presents the instrumentation of a microfluidic analyzer enabling the
      characterization of single-cell biophysical properties, which includes seven key
      components: a microfluidic module, a pressure module, an imaging module, an
      impedance module, two LabVIEW platforms for instrument operation and raw data
      processing, respectively, and a Python code for data translation. Under the
      control of the LabVIEW platform for instrument operation, the pressure module
      flushes single cells into the microfluidic module with raw biophysical parameters
      sampled by the imaging and impedance modules and processed by the LabVIEW
      platform for raw data processing, which were further translated into intrinsic
      cellular biophysical parameters using the code developed in Python. Based on this
      system, specific membrane capacitance, cytoplasm conductivity, and instantaneous
      Young's modulus of three cell types were quantified as 2.76 +/- 0.57 MUF/cm2,
      1.00 +/- 0.14 S/m, and 3.79 +/- 1.11 kPa for A549 cells (ncell = 202); 1.88 +/-
      0.31 MUF/cm2, 1.05 +/- 0.16 S/m, and 3.74 +/- 0.75 kPa for 95D cells (ncell =
      257); 2.11 +/- 0.38 MUF/cm2, 0.87 +/- 0.11 S/m, and 5.39 +/- 0.89 kPa for H460
      cells (ncell = 246). As a semi-automatic instrument with a throughput of roughly
      1 cell per second, this prototype instrument can be potentially used for the
      characterization of cellular biophysical properties.

PMID- 28629176
TI  - Fortifying Horticultural Crops with Essential Amino Acids: A Review.
AB  - To feed the world's growing population, increasing the yield of crops is not the
      only important factor, improving crop quality is also important, and it presents
      a significant challenge. Among the important crops, horticultural crops
      (particularly fruits and vegetables) provide numerous health compounds, such as
      vitamins, antioxidants, and amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that
      cannot be produced by the organism and, therefore, must be obtained from diet,
      particularly from meat, eggs, and milk, as well as a variety of plants. Extensive
      efforts have been devoted to increasing the levels of essential amino acids in
      plants. Yet, these efforts have been met with very little success due to the
      limited genetic resources for plant breeding and because high essential amino
      acid content is generally accompanied by limited plant growth. With a deep
      understanding of the biosynthetic pathways of essential amino acids and their
      interactions with the regulatory networks in plants, it should be possible to use
      genetic engineering to improve the essential amino acid content of horticultural
      plants, rendering these plants more nutritionally favorable crops. In the present
      report, we describe the recent advances in the enhancement of essential amino
      acids in horticultural plants and possible future directions towards their bio
      fortification.

PMID- 28629177
TI  - ExNOTic: Should We Be Keeping Exotic Pets?
AB  - There has been a recent trend towards keeping non-traditional companion animals,
      also known as exotic pets. These pets include parrots, reptiles, amphibians and
      rabbits, as well as small species of rodent such as degus and guinea pigs. Many
      of these exotic pet species are not domesticated, and often have special
      requirements in captivity, which many owners do not have the facilities or
      knowledge to provide. Keeping animals in settings to which they are poorly
      adapted is a threat to their welfare. Additionally, owner satisfaction with the
      animal may be poor due to a misalignment of expectations, which further impacts
      on welfare, as it may lead to repeated rehoming or neglect. We investigate a
      range of commonly kept exotic species in terms of their suitability as companion
      animals from the point of view of animal welfare and owner satisfaction, and make
      recommendations on the suitability of various species as pets.

PMID- 28629178
TI  - Active2Gether: A Personalized m-Health Intervention to Encourage Physical
      Activity.
AB  - Lack of physical activity is an increasingly important health risk. Modern mobile
      technology, such as smartphones and digital measurement devices, provides new
      opportunities to tackle physical inactivity. This paper describes the design of a
      system that aims to encourage young adults to be more physically active. The
      system monitors the user's behavior, uses social comparison and provides tailored
      and personalized feedback based on intelligent reasoning mechanisms. As the name
      suggests, social processes play an important role in the Active2Gether system.
      The design choices and functioning of the system are described in detail. Based
      on the experiences with the development and deployment of the system, a number of
      lessons learnt are provided and suggestions are proposed for improvements in
      future developments.

PMID- 28629179
TI  - Epidermal Growth Factor Enhances Cellular Uptake of Polystyrene Nanoparticles by
      Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis.
AB  - The interaction between nanoparticles and cells has been studied extensively, but
      most research has focused on the effect of various nanoparticle characteristics,
      such as size, morphology, and surface charge, on the cellular uptake of
      nanoparticles. In contrast, there have been very few studies to assess the
      influence of cellular factors, such as growth factor responses, on the cellular
      uptake efficiency of nanoparticles. The aim of this study was to clarify the
      effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the uptake efficiency of polystyrene
      nanoparticles (PS NPs) by A431 cells, a human carcinoma epithelial cell line. The
      results showed that EGF enhanced the uptake efficiency of A431 cells for PS NPs.
      In addition, inhibition and localization studies of PS NPs and EGF receptors
      (EGFRs) indicated that cellular uptake of PS NPs is related to the binding of EGF
      EGFR complex and PS NPs. Different pathways are used to enter the cells depending
      on the presence or absence of EGF. In the presence of EGF, cellular uptake of PS
      NPs is via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, whereas, in the absence of EGF, uptake
      of PS NPs does not involve clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Our findings indicate
      that EGF enhances cellular uptake of PS NPs by clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
      This result could be important for developing safe nanoparticles and their safe
      use in medical applications.

PMID- 28629181
TI  - Knockout of Murine Mamld1 Impairs Testicular Growth and Daily Sperm Production
      but Permits Normal Postnatal Androgen Production and Fertility.
AB  - MAMLD1 has been implicated in testicular function in both human and mouse
      fetuses. Although three patients with MAMLD1 mutations were reported to have
      hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in their teens, the functional significance of
      MAMLD1 in the postnatal testis remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the phenotype
      of Mamld1 knockout (KO) male mice at reproductive ages. The reproductive organs
      of KO male mice were morphologically unremarkable, except for relatively small
      testes. Seminiferous tubule size and number of proliferating
      spermatogonia/spermatocytes were reduced in the KO testis. Daily sperm production
      of KO mice was mildly attenuated, whereas total sperm counts in epididymal semen
      remained normal. Sperm motility and morphology, as well as androgen levels in
      serum and testicular tissues and the number of pups born from cross-mated
      wildtype (WT) female mice, were comparable between WT and KO male mice. These
      results indicate that MAMLD1 contributes to the maintenance of postnatal
      testicular growth and daily sperm production but is dispensable for androgen
      biosynthesis and fertility. MAMLD1 likely plays supporting roles in multiple and
      continuous steps of male reproduction.

PMID- 28629180
TI  - Bioavailability of Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids Added to a Variety of Sausages in
      Healthy Individuals.
AB  - A low Omega-3 Index (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
      in erythrocytes) is associated with cardiac, cerebral, and other health issues.
      Intake of EPA and DHA, but not of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), increases the Omega
      3 Index. We investigated bioavailability, safety, palatability and tolerability
      of EPA and DHA in a novel source: a variety of sausages. We screened 96 healthy
      volunteers, and recruited 44 with an Omega-3 Index <5%. Participants were
      randomly assigned to receive a variety of sausages enriched with approximately
      250 mg EPA and DHA per 80 g (n = 22) daily for 8 weeks, or matching placebo
      sausages (n = 22). All sausages contained approximately 250 mg ALA/80 g. In the
      verum group, the mean Omega-3 Index increased from 4.18 +/- 0.54 to 5.72 +/-
      0.66% (p < 0.001), while it remained unchanged in the placebo group. While ALA
      levels increased only in the placebo group, DPA levels increased in both groups.
      Inter-individual variability in the response was large. The mean increase of the
      Omega-3 Index per intake of EPA and DHA we observed was higher than for other
      sources previously studied, indicating superior bioavailability. As increasing
      production of EPA and DHA is difficult, improvements of bioavailability can
      facilitate reaching the target range for the Omega-3 Index (8-11%).

PMID- 28629182
TI  - Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Detection of 2-Hydroxyglutarate as a
      Biomarker for IDH Mutation in Gliomas.
AB  - Mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)1/2 genes are highly prevalent in
      gliomas and have been suggested to play an important role in the development and
      progression of the disease. Tumours harbouring these mutations exhibit a
      significant alteration in their metabolism resulting in the aberrant accumulation
      of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxygluarate (2-HG). As well as being suggested to
      play an important role in tumour progression, 2-HG may serve as a surrogate
      indicator of IDH status through non-invasive detection using magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (MRS). In this review, we describe the recent efforts in developing
      MRS methods for detection and quantification of 2-HG in vivo and provide an
      assessment of the role of the 2-HG in gliomagenesis and patient prognosis.

PMID- 28629183
TI  - An Amyloidogenic Sequence at the N-Terminus of the Androgen Receptor Impacts
      Polyglutamine Aggregation.
AB  - The human androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand inducible transcription factor that
      harbors an amino terminal domain (AR-NTD) with a ligand-independent activation
      function. AR-NTD is intrinsically disordered and displays aggregation properties
      conferred by the presence of a poly-glutamine (polyQ) sequence. The length of the
      polyQ sequence as well as its adjacent sequence motifs modulate this aggregation
      property. AR-NTD also contains a conserved KELCKAVSVSM sequence motif that
      displays an intrinsic property to form amyloid fibrils under mild oxidative
      conditions. As peptide sequences with intrinsic oligomerization properties are
      reported to have an impact on the aggregation of polyQ tracts, we determined the
      effect of the KELCKAVSVSM on the polyQ stretch in the context of the AR-NTD using
      atomic force microscopy (AFM). Here, we present evidence for a crosstalk between
      the amyloidogenic properties of the KELCKAVSVSM motif and the polyQ stretch at
      the AR-NTD.

PMID- 28629184
TI  - Determination of Structural Requirements of N-Substituted Tetrahydro-beta
      Carboline Imidazolium Salt Derivatives Using in Silico Approaches for Designing
      MEK-1 Inhibitors.
AB  - Novel N-substituted tetrahydro-beta-carboline imidazolium salt derivatives proved
      to have potent antitumor activity in past research. The Topomer CoMFA and CoMSIA
      function in Sybyl-X 2.0 software was applied for the identification of important
      features of N-substituted tetrahydro-beta-carboline-imidazolium salt derivative
      moieties. In the case of Topomer CoMFA, all the compounds were split into two
      fragments which were used to generate a 3D invariant representation, the
      statistical results of the Topomer CoMFA model: q2 value of 0.700; r2 value of
      0.954; with 5 optimum components. The database alignment was utilized for
      building the CoMSIA model, and the CoMSIA model had q2 and r2 values of 0.615 and
      0.897, with 4 optimum components. Target fishing of the PharmMapper platform was
      utilised for finding potential targets, the human mitogen-activated protein
      kinase 1 (MEK-1) was found to be the primary potential target for the three
      compounds with the fit scores of 6.288, 5.741, and 6.721. The molecular docking
      technique of MOE 2015 was carried out to identify the interactions of amino acids
      surrounding the ligand, and correlating QASR contour maps were used to identify
      structural requirements of N-substituted tetrahydro-beta-carboline imidazolium
      salt moieties. Molecular dynamics and simulation studies proved that the target
      protein was stable for 0.8-5 ns. The pivotal moieties of N-substituted tetrahydro
      beta-carboline imidazolium salt derivatives and its potential targets were
      verified by the QASR study, PharmMapper, and the molecular docking study which
      would be helpful to design novel MEK-1 inhibitors for anticancer drugs.

PMID- 28629185
TI  - Leptadenia reticulata (Retz.) Wight & Arn. (Jivanti): Botanical, Agronomical,
      Phytochemical, Pharmacological, and Biotechnological Aspects.
AB  - Leptadenia reticulata (Retz.) Wight & Arn. (Apocynaceae), is a traditional
      medicinal plant species widely used to treat various ailments such as
      tuberculosis, hematopoiesis, emaciation, cough, dyspnea, fever, burning
      sensation, night blindness, cancer, and dysentery. In Ayurveda, it is known for
      its revitalizing, rejuvenating, and lactogenic properties. This plant is one of
      the major ingredients in many commercial herbal formulations, including Speman,
      Envirocare, Calshakti, Antisept, and Chyawanprash. The therapeutic potential of
      this herb is because of the presence of diverse bioactive compounds such as alpha
      amyrin, beta-amyrin, ferulic acid, luteolin, diosmetin, rutin, beta-sitosterol,
      stigmasterol, hentricontanol, a triterpene alcohol simiarenol, apigenin,
      reticulin, deniculatin, and leptaculatin. However, most biological studies on L.
      reticulata are restricted to crude extracts, and many biologically active
      compounds are yet to be identified in order to base the traditional uses of L.
      reticulata on evidence-based data. At present, L. reticulata is a threatened
      endangered plant because of overexploitation, unscientific harvesting, and
      habitat loss. The increased demand from pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and
      veterinary industries has prompted its large-scale propagation. However, its
      commercial cultivation is hampered because of the non-availability of genuine
      planting material and the lack of knowledge about its agronomical practices. In
      this regard, micropropagation techniques will be useful to obtain true-to-type L.
      reticulata planting materials from an elite germplasm to meet the current demand.
      Adopting other biotechnological approaches such as synthetic seed technology,
      cryopreservation, cell culture, and genetic transformation can help conservation
      as well as increased metabolite production from L. reticulata. The present review
      summarizes scientific information on the botanical, agronomical, phytochemical,
      pharmacological, and biotechnological aspects of L. reticulata. This
      comprehensive information will certainly allow better utilization of this
      industrially important herb towards the discovery of lead drug molecules.

PMID- 28629186
TI  - Design and Performance of a Portable and Multichannel SPR Device.
AB  - A portable multichannel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor device is
      presented in this study. As an optical biosensor device, the core component of
      its light path is a semi-cylindrical prism, which is used as the coupling unit
      for the excitation of the SPR phenomena. Based on this prism, a wedge-shaped
      incident light beam including a continuous angle range (10 degrees ) is chosen to
      replace the commonly-used parallel light beam in traditional SPR devices, in
      which the incident angle is adjusted by a sophisticated mechanical system. Thus,
      complicated, cumbersome, and costly mechanical structures can be avoided in this
      design. Furthermore, the selection of a small and high-stability semiconductor
      laser and matrix CCD detector as well as a microfluidic system aids in the
      realization of a miniaturized and multichannel device. Several different samples
      were used to test the performance of this new device. For ethanol with different
      concentrations, the sensing response was of good linear relativity with the
      concentration (Y = 3.17143X + 2.81518, R2 = 0.97661). Mouse IgG and goat anti
      mouse IgG were used as biological samples for immunological analysis, and BSA as
      the control group. Good specific recognition between mouse IgG and goat anti
      mouse IgG has been achieved. The detection limit of antibody to antigen coated on
      the sensing surface was about 25 mg/L without surface modification.

PMID- 28629187
TI  - Suppression of Ghrelin Exacerbates HFCS-Induced Adiposity and Insulin Resistance.
AB  - High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is widely used as sweetener in processed foods
      and soft drinks in the United States, largely substituting sucrose (SUC). The
      orexigenic hormone ghrelin promotes obesity and insulin resistance; ghrelin
      responds differently to HFCS and SUC ingestion. Here we investigated the roles of
      ghrelin in HFCS- and SUC-induced adiposity and insulin resistance. To mimic soft
      drinks, 10-week-old male wild-type (WT) and ghrelin knockout (Ghrelin-/-) mice
      were subjected to ad lib. regular chow diet supplemented with either water (RD),
      8% HFCS (HFCS), or 10% sucrose (SUC). We found that SUC-feeding induced more
      robust increases in body weight and body fat than HFCS-feeding. Comparing to SUC
      fed mice, HFCS-fed mice showed lower body weight but higher circulating glucose
      and insulin levels. Interestingly, we also found that ghrelin deletion
      exacerbates HFCS-induced adiposity and inflammation in adipose tissues, as well
      as whole-body insulin resistance. Our findings suggest that HFCS and SUC have
      differential effects on lipid metabolism: while sucrose promotes obesogenesis,
      HFCS primarily enhances inflammation and insulin resistance, and ghrelin confers
      protective effects for these metabolic dysfunctions.

PMID- 28629189
TI  - Localization Framework for Real-Time UAV Autonomous Landing: An On-Ground
      Deployed Visual Approach.
AB  - [-5]One of the greatest challenges for fixed-wing unmanned aircraft vehicles
      (UAVs) is safe landing. Hereafter, an on-ground deployed visual approach is
      developed in this paper. This approach is definitely suitable for landing within
      the global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-denied environments. As for
      applications, the deployed guidance system makes full use of the ground computing
      resource and feedbacks the aircraft's real-time localization to its on-board
      autopilot. Under such circumstances, a separate long baseline stereo architecture
      is proposed to possess an extendable baseline and wide-angle field of view (FOV)
      against the traditional fixed baseline schemes. Furthermore, accuracy evaluation
      of the new type of architecture is conducted by theoretical modeling and
      computational analysis. Dataset-driven experimental results demonstrate the
      feasibility and effectiveness of the developed approach.

PMID- 28629188
TI  - Serum Biomarkers for Discrimination between Hepatitis C-Related Arthropathy and
      Early Rheumatoid Arthritis.
AB  - In the present study, we aimed to estimate the concentrations of cytokines
      (interleukin 6, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-alpha) and auto-antibodies
      (rheumatoid factor IgM isotype, IgM-RF, antinuclear auto-antibodies, ANA, anti
      cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies IgG isotype, IgG anti-CCP3.1, anti
      cardiolipin IgG isotype, IgG anti-aCL) in serum of patients with eRA (early
      rheumatoid arthritis) and HCVrA (hepatitis C virus-related arthropathy) and to
      assess the utility of IL-6, TNF-alpha together with IgG anti-CCP and IgM-RF in
      distinguishing between patients with true eRA and HCVrA, in the idea of using
      them as differential immunomarkers. Serum samples were collected from 54 patients
      (30 diagnosed with eRA-subgroup 1 and 24 with HCVrA-subgroup 2) and from 28
      healthy control persons. For the evaluation of serum concentrations of studied
      cytokines and auto-antibodies, we used immunoenzimatique techniques. The serum
      concentrations of both proinflammatory cytokines were statistically significantly
      higher in patients of subgroup 1 and subgroup 2, compared to the control group (p
      < 0.0001). Our study showed statistically significant differences of the mean
      concentrations only for ANA and IgG anti-CCP between subgroup 1 and subgroup 2.
      We also observed that IL-6 and TNF-alpha better correlated with auto-antibodies
      in subgroup 1 than in subgroup 2. In both subgroups of patients, ROC curves
      indicated that IL-6 and TNF-alpha have a higher diagnostic utility as markers of
      disease. In conclusion, we can say that, due to high sensitivity for diagnostic
      accuracy, determination of serum concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha, possibly
      in combination with auto-antibodies, could be useful in the diagnosis and
      distinguishing between patients with true eRA and HCV patients with articular
      manifestation and may prove useful in the monitoring of the disease course.

PMID- 28629191
TI  - A New Filtering and Smoothing Algorithm for Railway Track Surveying Based on
      Landmark and IMU/Odometer.
AB  - High-accuracy railway track surveying is essential for railway construction and
      maintenance. The traditional approaches based on total station equipment are not
      efficient enough since high precision surveying frequently needs static
      measurements. This paper proposes a new filtering and smoothing algorithm based
      on the IMU/odometer and landmarks integration for the railway track surveying. In
      order to overcome the difficulty of estimating too many error parameters with too
      few landmark observations, a new model with completely observable error states is
      established by combining error terms of the system. Based on covariance analysis,
      the analytical relationship between the railway track surveying accuracy
      requirements and equivalent gyro drifts including bias instability and random
      walk noise are established. Experiment results show that the accuracy of the new
      filtering and smoothing algorithm for railway track surveying can reach 1 mm
      (1sigma) when using a Ring Laser Gyroscope (RLG)-based Inertial Measurement Unit
      (IMU) with gyro bias instability of 0.03 degrees /h and random walk noise of
      0.005  degrees h while control points of the track control network (CPIII)
      position observations are provided by the optical total station in about every 60
      m interval. The proposed approach can satisfy at the same time the demands of
      high accuracy and work efficiency for railway track surveying.

PMID- 28629190
TI  - Biotechnological Potential of Cold Adapted Pseudoalteromonas spp. Isolated from
      'Deep Sea' Sponges.
AB  - The marine genus Pseudoalteromonas is known for its versatile biotechnological
      potential with respect to the production of antimicrobials and enzymes of
      industrial interest. We have sequenced the genomes of three Pseudoalteromonas sp.
      strains isolated from different deep sea sponges on the Illumina MiSeq platform.
      The isolates have been screened for various industrially important enzymes and
      comparative genomics has been applied to investigate potential relationships
      between the isolates and their host organisms, while comparing them to free
      living Pseudoalteromonas spp. from shallow and deep sea environments. The genomes
      of the sponge associated Pseudoalteromonas strains contained much lower levels of
      potential eukaryotic-like proteins which are known to be enriched in symbiotic
      sponge associated microorganisms, than might be expected for true sponge
      symbionts. While all the Pseudoalteromonas shared a large distinct subset of
      genes, nonetheless the number of unique and accessory genes is quite large and
      defines the pan-genome as open. Enzymatic screens indicate that a vast array of
      enzyme activities is expressed by the isolates, including beta-galactosidase,
      beta-glucosidase, and protease activities. A beta-glucosidase gene from one of
      the Pseudoalteromonas isolates, strain EB27 was heterologously expressed in
      Escherichia coli and, following biochemical characterization, the recombinant
      enzyme was found to be cold-adapted, thermolabile, halotolerant, and alkaline
      active.

PMID- 28629192
TI  - Effects of Sulfate, Chloride, and Bicarbonate on Iron Stability in a PVC-U
      Drinking Pipe.
AB  - In order to describe iron stability in plastic pipes and to ensure the drinking
      water security, the influence factors and rules for iron adsorption and release
      were studied, dependent on the Unplasticized poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC-U)
      drinking pipes employed in this research. In this paper, sulfate, chloride, and
      bicarbonate, as well as synthesized models, were chosen to investigate the iron
      stability on the inner wall of PVC-U drinking pipes. The existence of the three
      kinds of anions could significantly affect the process of iron adsorption, and a
      positive association was found between the level of anion concentration and the
      adsorption rate. However, the scaling formed on the inner surface of the pipes
      would be released into the water under certain conditions. The Larson Index (LI),
      used for a synthetic consideration of anion effects on iron stability, was
      selected to investigate the iron release under multi-factor conditions. Moreover,
      a well fitted linear model was established to gain a better understanding of iron
      release under multi-factor conditions. The simulation results demonstrated that
      the linear model was better fitted than the LI model for the prediction of iron
      release.

PMID- 28629194
TI  - Adhesive Defect Monitoring of Glass Fiber Epoxy Plate Using an Impedance-Based
      Non-Destructive Testing Method for Multiple Structures.
AB  - The emergence of composite materials has revolutionized the approach to building
      engineering structures. With the number of applications for composites increasing
      every day, maintaining structural integrity is of utmost importance. For
      composites, adhesive bonding is usually the preferred choice over the mechanical
      fastening method, and monitoring for delamination is an essential factor in the
      field of composite materials. In this study, a non-destructive method known as
      the electromechanical impedance method is used with an approach of monitoring
      multiple areas by specifying certain frequency ranges to correspond to a certain
      test specimen. Experiments are conducted using various numbers of stacks created
      by attaching glass fiber epoxy composite plates onto one another, and two
      different debonding damage types are introduced to evaluate the performance of
      the multiple monitoring electromechanical impedance method.

PMID- 28629193
TI  - Telomere Biology-Insights into an Intriguing Phenomenon.
AB  - Bacteria and viruses possess circular DNA, whereas eukaryotes with typically very
      large DNA molecules have had to evolve into linear chromosomes to circumvent the
      problem of supercoiling circular DNA of that size. Consequently, such organisms
      possess telomeres to cap chromosome ends. Telomeres are essentially tandem
      repeats of any DNA sequence that are present at the ends of chromosomes. Their
      biology has been an enigmatic one, involving various molecules interacting
      dynamically in an evolutionarily well-trimmed fashion. Telomeres range from
      canonical hexameric repeats in most eukaryotes to unimaginably random
      retrotransposons, which attach to chromosome ends and reverse-transcribe to DNA
      in some plants and insects. Telomeres invariably associate with specialised
      protein complexes that envelop it, also regulating access of the ends to
      legitimate enzymes involved in telomere metabolism. They also transcribe into
      repetitive RNA which also seems to be playing significant roles in telomere
      maintenance. Telomeres thus form the intersection of DNA, protein, and RNA
      molecules acting in concert to maintain chromosome integrity. Telomere biology is
      emerging to appear ever more complex than previously envisaged, with the
      continual discovery of more molecules and interplays at the telomeres. This
      review also includes a section dedicated to the history of telomere biology, and
      intends to target the scientific audience new to the field by rendering an
      understanding of the phenomenon of chromosome end protection at large, with more
      emphasis on the biology of human telomeres. The review provides an update on the
      field and mentions the questions that need to be addressed.

PMID- 28629195
TI  - Candida albicans Impairments Induced by Peppermint and Clove Oils at Sub
      Inhibitory Concentrations.
AB  - Members of Candida species cause significant health problems, inducing various
      types of superficial and deep-seated mycoses in humans. In order to prevent from
      Candida sp. development, essential oils are more and more frequently applied, due
      to their antifungal activity, low toxicity if used appropriately, and
      biodegrability. The aim of the study was to characterize the early alterations in
      Candida albicans metabolic properties in relation to proteins and chromosomal DNA
      profiles, after treatment with peppermint and clove oils at sub-inhibitory
      concentrations. The yeasts were affected by the oils even at a concentration of
      0.0075% v/v, which resulted in changes in colony morphotypes and metabolic
      activities. Peppermint and clove oils at concentrations ranging from 0.015* MIC
      (minimal inhibitory concentration) to 0.5* MIC values substantially affected the
      enzymatic abilities of C. albicans, and these changes were primarily associated
      with the loss or decrease of activity of all 9 enzymes detected in the untreated
      yeast. Moreover, 29% isolates showed additional activity of N-acetyl-beta
      glucosaminidase and 14% isolates-alpha-fucosidase in comparison to the yeast
      grown without essential oils addition. In response to essential oils at 0.25-0.5*
      MIC, extensive changes in C. albicans whole-cell protein profiles were noted.
      However, the yeast biochemical profiles were intact with the sole exception of
      the isolate treated with clove oil at 0.5* MIC. The alterations were not
      attributed to gross chromosomal rearrangements in C. albicans karyotype. The
      predominantly observed decrease in protein fractions and the yeast enzymatic
      activity after treatment with the oils should be considered as a phenotypic
      response of C. albicans to the essential oils at their sub-inhibitory
      concentrations and may lead to the reduction of this yeast pathogenicity.

PMID- 28629196
TI  - Letter to the Editor: "Circulating Cell-Free DNA and Circulating Tumor Cells as
      Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
      Patients Treated with First-Line Chemotherapy".
AB  - n/a.

PMID- 28629197
TI  - Reply to the Letter to the Editor by C. Nicolazzo et al.: "Circulating Cell-Free
      DNA and Circulating Tumor Cells as Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers in
      Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with First-Line
      Chemotherapy".
AB  - n/a.

PMID- 28629198
TI  - Rapid Global Calibration Technology for Hybrid Visual Inspection System.
AB  - Vision-based methods for product quality inspection are playing an increasingly
      important role in modern industries for their good performance and high
      efficiency. A hybrid visual inspection system, which consists of an industrial
      robot with a flexible sensor and several stationary sensors, has been widely
      applied in mass production, especially in automobile manufacturing. In this
      paper, a rapid global calibration method for the hybrid visual inspection system
      is proposed. Global calibration of a flexible sensor is performed first based on
      the robot kinematic. Then, with the aid of the calibrated flexible sensor,
      stationary sensors are calibrated globally one by one based on homography. Only a
      standard sphere and an auxiliary target with a 2D planar pattern are applied
      during the system global calibration, and the calibration process can be easily
      re-performed during the system's periodical maintenance. An error compensation
      method is proposed for the hybrid inspection system, and the final accuracy of
      the hybrid system is evaluated with the deviation and correlation coefficient
      between the measured results of the hybrid system and Coordinate Measuring
      Machine (CMM). An accuracy verification experiment shows that deviation of over
      95% of featured points are less than +/-0.3 mm, and the correlation coefficients
      of over 85% of points are larger than 0.7.

PMID- 28629199
TI  - Association of Education and Smoking Status on Risk of Diabetes Mellitus: A
      Population-Based Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.
AB  - Background: Exposure to smoke, including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is a
      well-known risk factor for diabetes. Low socioeconomic status, especially lack of
      education, is also a risk factor for diabetes. Therefore, we assessed the
      association of demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and behavior risk factor
      related variables and smoking status, including ETS exposure, with the prevalence
      of diabetes. Methods: Data were from the 2007-2013 Korea National Health and
      Nutritional Evaluation Survey (KNHANES). Multivariable logistic regression
      examined associations between various lifestyle and health factors and the
      prevalence of diabetes while controlling for potential confounding variables.
      Subgroup analysis was performed according to smoking status to determine factors
      associated with diabetes. Results: Of 19,303 individuals analyzed, 1325 (11.4%)
      had diabetes. Greater average age, male sex, lower educational level,
      unemployment, and coexisting health problems were significantly associated with
      diabetes. Individuals with only elementary, middle, or high school level
      education had significantly greater odds ratios (p < 0.05) compared to college
      graduates; smokers and nonsmokers exposed to ETS had significantly greater OR (p
      < 0.05) than nonsmokers unexposed to ETS. Subgroup analysis of diabetics
      according to smoking status revealed significant associations (p < 0.05) for
      diabetic nonsmokers exposed to ETS with female sex, single status, elementary
      level education, urban residence, National Health Insurance (NHI), hypertension,
      a lack of alcohol intake, and a lack of moderate physical activity. For diabetic
      smokers, there were significant associations (p < 0.05) with elementary
      education, urban residence, a lack of moderate physical activity, a lack of
      alcohol intake, and NHI. Conclusions: The results suggested that smoking status,
      as well as ETS exposure, was associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes,
      especially in populations with less education. Thus, we should direct efforts for
      controlling diabetes toward individuals with lower levels of education and those
      who are smokers and nonsmokers exposed to ETS.

PMID- 28629200
TI  - Level of Sedentary Behavior and Its Associated Factors among Saudi Women Working
      in Office-Based Jobs in Saudi Arabia.
AB  - Research in Saudi Arabia has revealed a shocking level of insufficiently
      physically active adults, particularly women. The risk of sedentary behavior will
      likely increase as the number of women with office-based jobs increases. The aim
      of this study is to determine the level of sedentary behavior, and its associated
      factors, among Saudi women working office-based jobs in the city of Riyadh. A
      cross-sectional study of 420 Saudi female employees at 8 office-based worksites
      were measured to determine body mass index and were given a self-administered
      survey to evaluate their level of physical activity and sedentary behavior.
      Median sitting time on work days was 690 min per day (interquartile range, IQR
      541-870), with nearly half accumulated during work hours, and 575 min per day
      (IQR 360-780) on non-work days. Predictors of work day sitting time were level of
      education, number of children, and working in the private sector. Number of
      children, whether they were single, and whether they lived in a small home were
      found to predict non-work day sitting time. This study identifies Saudi women in
      office-based jobs as a high-risk group for sedentary behavior. There is a need to
      promote physical activity at worksites and reduce prolonged sitting.

PMID- 28629201
TI  - Systemic Induction of the Defensin and Phytoalexin Pisatin Pathways in Pea (Pisum
      sativum) against Aphanomyces euteiches by Acetylated and Nonacetylated
      Oligogalacturonides.
AB  - Oligogalacturonides (OGs) are known for their powerful ability to stimulate the
      plant immune system but little is known about their mode of action in pea (Pisum
      sativum). In the present study, we investigated the elicitor activity of two
      fractions of OGs, with polymerization degrees (DPs) of 2-25, in pea against
      Aphanomyces euteiches. One fraction was nonacetylated (OGs - Ac) whereas the
      second one was 30% acetylated (OGs + Ac). OGs were applied by injecting the upper
      two rachises of the plants at three- and/or four-weeks-old. Five-week-old roots
      were inoculated with 105 zoospores of A. euteiches. The root infection level was
      determined at 7, 10 and 14 days after inoculation using the quantitative real
      time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results showed significant root infection
      reductions namely 58, 45 and 48% in the plants treated with 80 ug OGs + Ac and
      59, 56 and 65% with 200 ug of OGs - Ac. Gene expression results showed the
      upregulation of genes involved in the antifungal defensins, lignans and the
      phytoalexin pisatin pathways and a priming effect in the basal defense, SA and
      ROS gene markers as a response to OGs. The reduction of the efficient dose in OGs
      + Ac is suggesting that acetylation is necessary for some specific responses. Our
      work provides the first evidence for the potential of OGs in the defense
      induction in pea against Aphanomyces root rot.

PMID- 28629202
TI  - A Novel Extreme Learning Machine Classification Model for e-Nose Application
      Based on the Multiple Kernel Approach.
AB  - A novel classification model, named the quantum-behaved particle swarm
      optimization (QPSO)-based weighted multiple kernel extreme learning machine (QWMK
      ELM), is proposed in this paper. Experimental validation is carried out with two
      different electronic nose (e-nose) datasets. Being different from the existing
      multiple kernel extreme learning machine (MK-ELM) algorithms, the combination
      coefficients of base kernels are regarded as external parameters of single-hidden
      layer feedforward neural networks (SLFNs). The combination coefficients of base
      kernels, the model parameters of each base kernel, and the regularization
      parameter are optimized by QPSO simultaneously before implementing the kernel
      extreme learning machine (KELM) with the composite kernel function. Four types of
      common single kernel functions (Gaussian kernel, polynomial kernel, sigmoid
      kernel, and wavelet kernel) are utilized to constitute different composite kernel
      functions. Moreover, the method is also compared with other existing
      classification methods: extreme learning machine (ELM), kernel extreme learning
      machine (KELM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), multi
      layer perceptron (MLP), radical basis function neural network (RBFNN), and
      probabilistic neural network (PNN). The results have demonstrated that the
      proposed QWMK-ELM outperforms the aforementioned methods, not only in precision,
      but also in efficiency for gas classification.

PMID- 28629203
TI  - The Consumption of Dairy Products Is Associated with Reduced Risks of Obesity and
      Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Women but not in Men.
AB  - We aimed to investigate the association between dairy product consumption and the
      risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean adults. Data from 13,692
      Korean adults aged >=19 years from the KNHANES 2010-2013 were used. The study
      participants were divided into three groups according to the serving size of
      dairy products they consumed based on a single 24-h recall. About 58% of the
      Korean adults did not consume any dairy products in one day. In both the sexes,
      only those who adhered to the recommendation for dairy products (>=1 serving/day)
      achieved the daily requirement of calcium. Women who consumed >=1 serving/day of
      dairy products had lower risks of obesity (body mass index >= 25 kg/m2) (adjusted
      odds ratio (AOR), 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.66-0.89; p for trend <
      0.01) and MetS (AOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.80; p for trend < 0.01) than women who
      did not consume dairy products. However, these significant associations were not
      observed in men. In conclusion, consuming >= 1 serving/day of dairy products
      could be an easy and efficient strategy for meeting daily calcium requirement as
      well as lowering risks of obesity and MetS among Korean women.

PMID- 28629204
TI  - Paternal Risk Factors for Oral Clefts in Northern Africans, Southeast Asians, and
      Central Americans.
AB  - While several studies have investigated maternal exposures as risk factors for
      oral clefts, few have examined paternal factors. We conducted an international
      multi-centered case-control study to better understand paternal risk exposures
      for oral clefts (cases = 392 and controls = 234). Participants were recruited
      from local hospitals and oral cleft repair surgical missions in Vietnam, the
      Philippines, Honduras, and Morocco. Questionnaires were administered to fathers
      and mothers separately to elicit risk factor and family history data.
      Associations between paternal exposures and risk of clefts were assessed using
      logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders. A father's
      personal/family history of clefts was associated with significantly increased
      risk (adjusted OR: 4.77; 95% CI: 2.41-9.45). No other significant associations
      were identified for other suspected risk factors, including education
      (none/primary school v. university adjusted OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 0.74-2.24),
      advanced paternal age (5-year adjusted OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.84-1.16), or pre
      pregnancy tobacco use (adjusted OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.67-1.37). Although sample
      size was limited, significantly decreased risks were observed for fathers with
      selected occupations. Further research is needed to investigate paternal
      environmental exposures as cleft risk factors.

PMID- 28629205
TI  - Attachment Style Is Related to Quality of Life for Assistance Dog Owners.
AB  - Attachment styles have been shown to affect quality of life. Growing interest in
      the value of companion animals highlights that owning a dog can also affect
      quality of life, yet little research has explored the role of the attachment bond
      in affecting the relationship between dog ownership and quality of life. Given
      that the impact of dog ownership on quality of life may be greater for assistance
      dog owners than pet dog owners, we explored how anxious attachment and avoidance
      attachment styles to an assistance dog affected owner quality of life (n = 73).
      Regression analysis revealed that higher anxious attachment to the dog predicted
      enhanced quality of life. It is suggested that the unique, interdependent
      relationship between an individual and their assistance dog may mean that an
      anxious attachment style is not necessarily detrimental. Feelings that indicate
      attachment insecurity in other relationships may reflect more positive aspects of
      the assistance dog owner relationship, such as the level of support that the dog
      provides its owner.

PMID- 28629206
TI  - An enhanced vector-free allele exchange (VFAE) mutagenesis protocol for genome
      editing in a wide range of bacterial species.
AB  - Vector-free allele exchange (VFAE) is a newly developed protocol for genome
      editing in Pseudomonas species. Although several parameters have been determined
      to optimize the procedures for obtaining a stable and high-frequency mutation,
      numerous false-positive clones still appear on the plate, which increases the
      difficulty of finding the desired mutants. It has also not been established
      whether this protocol can be used for genome editing in other bacterial species.
      In the current study, the protocol was modified to dramatically decrease the
      occurrence of false-positive colonies using Pseudomonas stutzeri A1501 as a model
      strain. This improvement was reached by increasing the occurrence of circular-DNA
      cassettes of the correct size. Furthermore, the enhanced protocol was used to
      construct mutants in both the gram-negative Escherichia coli BL21 and gram
      positive Bacillus subtilis 168 strains. The protocol works well in both strains,
      yielding ideal results with a low percentage of false-positive colonies. In
      summary, the enhanced VFAE mutagenesis protocol is a potential tool for use in
      bacterial genome editing.

PMID- 28629207
TI  - H2O2 as a candidate bottleneck for MnP activity during cultivation of Agaricus
      bisporus in compost.
AB  - Degradation of lignin by fungi enhances availability of cellulose and
      hemicellulose in plant waste and thereby increases the amount of carbon source
      available to these microorganisms. The button mushroom Agaricus bisporus degrades
      only about half of the lignin in compost and about 40% of the carbohydrates
      remain unutilized during mushroom cultivation. Here it was assessed whether over
      expression of the manganese peroxidase gene mnp1 improves lignin degradation and,
      as a consequence, carbohydrate breakdown by A. bisporus. Transformants expressing
      mnp1 under the control of actin regulatory sequences produced MnP activity in
      malt extract medium, while the parental strain A15 did not. MnP activity was
      increased 0.3- and 3-fold at casing and after the 2nd flush of a semi-commercial
      cultivation, respectively, when compared to strain A15. Pyrolysis-GC-MS showed
      that overexpression of MnP decreased phenylmethane and phenylethane type lignin
      relative to the phenylpropane type after the 2nd flush. However, it neither
      affected the syringyl/guaiacyl derived residue ratio nor the ratio of oxidized to
      non-oxidized lignin residues. Moreover, the carbohydrate content and
      accessibility was not affected in compost. Notably, the capacity of compost
      extract to consume the MnP co-factor H2O2 was 4- to 8-fold higher than its
      production. This may well explain why over-expression of mnp1 did not improve
      carbohydrate degradation in compost. In fact, availability of H2O2 may limit
      lignin degradation by wild-type A. bisporus.

PMID- 28629208
TI  - Breaking Through the Multi-Mesa-Channel Width Limited of Normally Off GaN HEMTs
      Through Modulation of the Via-Hole-Length.
AB  - We present new normally off GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) that
      overcome the typical limitations in multi-mesa-channel (MMC) width through
      modulation of the via-hole-length to regulate the charge neutrality screen
      effect. We have prepared enhancement-mode (E-mode) GaN HEMTs having widths of up
      to 300 nm, based on an enhanced surface pinning effect. E-mode GaN HEMTs having
      MMC structures and widths as well as via-hole-lengths of 100 nm/2 MUm and 300
      nm/6 MUm, respectively, exhibited positive threshold voltages (V th) of 0.79 and
      0.46 V, respectively. The on-resistances of the MMC and via-hole-length
      structures were lower than those of typical tri-gate nanoribbon GaN HEMTs. In
      addition, the devices not only achieved the E-mode but also improved the power
      performance of the GaN HEMTs and effectively mitigated the device thermal effect.
      We controlled the via-hole-length sidewall surface pinning effect to obtain the E
      mode GaN HEMTs. Our findings suggest that via-hole-length normally off GaN HEMTs
      have great potential for use in next-generation power electronics.

PMID- 28629209
TI  - Fabrication of Nanoshell-Based 3D Periodic Structures by Templating Process using
      Solution-derived ZnO.
AB  - Fabrication methods for a 3D periodic nanostructure with excellent and unique
      properties for various applications, such as photonic and phononic crystals, have
      attracted considerable interest. Templating processes using colloidal crystals
      have been proposed to create nanoshell-based 3D structures over a large area with
      ease. However, there are technical limitations in structural design, resulting in
      difficulties for structural flexibility. Here, we demonstrate a combination of
      proximity field nanopatterning and infiltration processes using solution-derived
      ZnO for a nanoshell-based 3D periodic structure with high structural flexibility
      and controllability. A unique process of infiltration of a solution-derived
      material into a polymeric template prepared by a proximity field nanopatterning
      process achieves the fabrication of a pre-formed layer that works as a protective
      layer for the template and framework for the inverse structure. Subsequently,
      this process shows the controllability of nanoshell thickness and significant
      improvement in the structure height shrinkage factor (16%) compared to those of a
      previous non-vacuum infiltration method (34%). The proposed method offers high
      controllability and flexibility in the design of structural sizes, leading to
      further development toward nanoshell-based 3D structures for various applications
      including energy devices and sensors.

PMID- 28629210
TI  - Activation of IGF-I Survival Signaling and Its Compensative Inhibition of the
      Cardiac Apoptosis on Carotid Arteries Balloon-Injured Rat Hearts.
AB  - In this study, a rat carotid balloon injury-animal model was used to elucidate
      the temporal relationof hypertrophy in the progression of cardiac damage and the
      role of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-Isurvival pathway on course of the
      cardiac damage. Rats were subjected to carotid balloon-injuryand examined at
      different time points. We further studied the heart-weight/body-weight
      ratio,histology and protein expression to understand the pathological events
      associated with percutaneoustransluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) induced
      damages. Protein expression analysis showedincreased levels of IGF-I signaling
      pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalingpathway after 2 h
      and after 2 d of carotid balloon injury. On the other hand, apoptosis
      signalingpathways were enhanced after 14 d of carotid balloon injury. According
      to the results, rat carotidballoon injury significantly induced IGF-I survival
      signaling and compensated hypertrophy pathwayduring the initial period of injury
      however after 14 d the proteins involved in apoptotic cell deathwere elevated and
      the proteins of the survival pathway and compensatory hypertrophy
      weresignificantly reduced.

PMID- 28629211
TI  - Effect of Methoxsalen on Ca2+ Homeostasis and Viability in Human Osteosarcoma
      Cells.
AB  - Methoxsalen is a natural compound found in many seed plants. The effect of
      methoxsalen on Ca2+-related physiology in human osteosarcoma is unclear. This
      study investigated the effect of methoxsalenon cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations
      ([Ca2+]i) in MG63 human osteosarcoma cells. Methoxsalen induced[Ca2+]i rises
      concentration-dependently. Methoxsalen-induced Ca2+ entry was confirmed by Mn2+
      inducedquench of fura-2 fluorescence. This Ca2+ entry was suppressed by
      nifedipine, econazole, and SKF96365.In Ca2+-free medium, incubation with the
      endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone(BHQ)
      inhibited methoxsalen-evoked [Ca2+]i rises by 96%. In contrast, incubationwith
      methoxsalen abolished BHQ-evoked [Ca2+]i rises. Inhibition of phospholipase C
      (PLC) with U73122abolished methoxsalen-induced [Ca2+]i rises. Methoxsalen was
      cytotoxic at 300-700 MUM in a concentration-dependentfashion. Chelating cytosolic
      Ca2+ with 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraaceticacid/acetoxymethyl
      ester (BAPTA/AM) did not prevent methoxsalen-induced cytotoxicity. Collectively,
      our data suggestthat in MG63 cells, methoxsalen induced [Ca2+]i rises by evoking
      PLC-dependent Ca2+ release from theendoplasmic reticulum, and Ca2+ entry via
      store-operated Ca2+ entry. Methoxsalen also induced Ca2+-disassociated cell
      death.

PMID- 28629212
TI  - A Study of the Modulating Action of Quercetin on Biochemical and Histological
      Alterations Induced by Lead Exposure in the Liver and Kidney of Rats.
AB  - Lead is a highly toxic metal and a very potent poison. Lead poisoning is a
      serious condition butcan be treated. Quercetin is a flavonoid with many
      beneficial uses. The aim of the present study wasto investigate the possible
      modulating action of quercetin as a model of an antioxidant against the
      toxiceffects of lead acetate on liver and kidneys of rats. Rats were randomly
      divided into four groups: (i)saline group (control); (ii) lead group received
      i.p. lead acetate (20 mg/kg b.w.); (iii) quercetin groupreceived i.p. quercetin
      (50 mg/kg b.w.); (iv) lead and quercetin group received i.p. lead acetate (20
      mg/kg b.w.)followed by i.p. quercetin (50 mg/kg b.w.) for 4 weeks. The lead
      concentrations were determined in the liverand kidney tissues. Liver marker
      enzymes, bilirubin, albumin, total protein, creatinine, uric acid andurea, were
      assessed in the serum and light microscopic studies were performed. The results
      showed thatlead acetate administration was associated with an increase in serum
      alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanineaminotransferase (ALT), aspartate
      aminotransferase (AST) activities, total bilirubin, creatinine, uricacid, urea
      levels. Lead accumulation in kidneys and liver tissues was also found, but were
      associated withdecrease in albumin and total protein in comparison with the
      respective mean values of the control. Leadacetate caused numerous histological
      alterations in the liver, including chronic inflammation, bilaryhyperplasia,
      edema, congestion, Kupffer cells hyperplasia and hemosiderosis, and in the
      kidney, includingtubular dilation, atrophy of glomerular tuft, widening of
      urinary space and mild fibroblast. Incontrary, administration of lead acetate
      along with quercetin partially restored the studied parametersto normal values
      and improved structure of liver and kidney with significant decreases in the
      severity ofhistopathological changes when compared with the lead acetate group.
      In conclusion, treatment withquercetin may provide a modulating action against
      the toxic effects induced by lead acetate in the liverand kidney of male rats.

PMID- 28629214
TI  - Infrared Studies of the Symmetry Changes of the 28SiH4 Molecule in Low
      Temperature Matrixes. Fundamental, Combination, and Overtone Transitions.
AB  - Infrared spectra of 28SiH4 in argon and nitrogen matrixes at low temperature 6.5
      20 K in the region of overtone and combination transitions were recorded for the
      first time. Additionally, the high-resolution spectra were obtained in the
      fundamental region. The frequencies and the relative intensities of all bands
      were determined. The set of experimental data suggests that the symmetry of
      molecules studied in the matrixes is different from the symmetry of the free
      molecules because of an interaction with the environment. The symmetry of 28SiH4
      changes from Td to C3v on transition from the gas phase to a nitrogen matrix and
      to D2d on transition to an argon matrix. A modeling of SiH4 molecule force fields
      explains the experimental data as a change of a force constant of the selected
      SiH bond in the case of SiH4 in the nitrogen matrix or force constants of two
      opposite angles in the case of SiH4 in the argon matrix. In spite of small values
      of these changes, they result in noticeable spectroscopic effects: the band
      splitting and appearance of new bands in matrix spectra compared with spectra of
      free SiH4. The interpretation of transitions in the fundamental and combination
      regions was performed.

PMID- 28629215
TI  - Unusual Interfacial Freezing Phenomena in Hexacontane/Silica Composites.
AB  - The crystallization behaviors of n-hexacontane (C60H122)/Stober silica (SiO2)
      composites with various compositions were investigated by a combination of
      differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic
      resonance (solid-state 13C NMR), and proton NMR relaxation experiments. By means
      of DSC, C60H122 molecules in C60H122/silica composites were observed to be
      involved in the interfacial freezing not present in the free bulk C60H122. The
      orientation of C60H122 molecules, being preferentially normal to silica surface,
      was confirmed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction experiments on thin n
      hexacontane film adsorbed on the silicon wafer with a native SiO2 layer. Inferred
      from the solid 13C NMR data, the interfacial monolayer is in orthorhombic phase
      with certain chain disorders. It is speculated that the "interfacial freezing" of
      C60H122 formed in the presence of silica particles is driven by the combination
      of the strong attraction between the molecules and the enhanced number of
      interfacial molecules on the silica surface.

PMID- 28629216
TI  - Amphiphilic Antifogging/Anti-Icing Coatings Containing POSS-PDMAEMA-b-PSBMA.
AB  - Highly transparent antifogging/anti-icing coatings were developed from
      amphiphilic block copolymers of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-poly[2
      (dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]-block-poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (POSS
      PDMAEMA-b-PSBMA) with a small amount of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA)
      via UV-curing. The excellent antifogging properties of the prepared coatings were
      originated from the hygroscopicity of both PDMAEMA and PSBMA blocks in the semi
      interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN) with polymerization of EGDMA and
      hydrophobic POSS clusters aggregated on the surface. PDMAEMA with a lower
      critical solution temperature and PSBMA with an upper critical solution
      temperature in the block copolymers facilitated dispersion and absorption of
      water molecules into the SIPN coatings, fulfilling the enhanced antifogging
      function. Analysis of differential scanning calorimetry further confirmed that
      there was bond water and nonfreezable bond water in the SIPN coatings. The
      amphiphilic SIPN coatings exhibited the anti-icing ability with a freezing delay
      time of more than 2 min at -15  degrees C, owing to the aggregation of
      hydrophobic POSS groups and the self-lubricating aqueous layer generated by
      nonfreezable bond water on the surface. The prepared transparent antifogging/anti
      icing coatings could have novel potential applications in practice.

PMID- 28629217
TI  - Ultrasensitive Pressure Sensor Based on an Ultralight Sparkling Graphene Block.
AB  - Herein, we develop a supersensitive pressure sensor based on a fully air-bubbled
      ultralight graphene block through a simple sparkling strategy. The obtained
      sparkling graphene block (SGB) exhibits excellent elasticity even at 95%
      compressive strain and rebounds a steel ball with an ultrafast recovery speed
      (~1085 mm s-1). Particularly, the SGB-based sensor reveals a record pressure
      sensitivity of 229.8 kPa-1, much higher than other graphene materials, because of
      the highly cavity-branched internal structure. Impressively, the pressure sensor
      can detect the extremely gentle pressures even beyond the real human skin and
      hence are promising for ultrasensitive sensing applications.

PMID- 28629218
TI  - Two-Dimensional Plasmonic Nanoparticle as a Nanoscale Sensor to Probe Polymer
      Brush Formation.
AB  - Conventional analysis and characterization of polymer brush formation relies on
      laborious methods that use a quartz crystal microbalance, atomic force
      microscope, microcantilever, or other tools that measure the concentration change
      of solutions. Herein we develop a simple and easy method that utilizes
      intrinsically flat two-dimensional (2D) plasmonic nanoparticles as sensors for
      unveiling the mechanism of polymer brush formation on surfaces. Via ultraviolet
      visible spectroscopy, the plasmonic nanoparticles can be used to determine the
      amount of polymers near the surface in situ. As the amount of polymers increases
      near the surface, the nanoparticle characteristic localized surface plasmon
      resonance wavelength redshifts, and the shift amount corresponds linearly to the
      polymer density near the surface. By functionalizing the nanoparticles in
      solutions of thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG-SH) with or without PEG disulfide
      (PEG-S-S-PEG), the three-regime kinetics of the polymer brush formation is
      confirmed. The fast adsorption and slow chain rearrangement in the first regime
      are found to be the causes of the latent regime. In the latent regime, the
      adsorbed polymer chains rearrange to anchor their ends onto the surface and
      contract to liberate space so that other polymer chains can graft onto the
      surface until saturation. The fundamental understanding gained herein enables the
      design of surfaces with complex chemistries and properties, which can find broad
      applications in responsive sensors, films, and coatings. Moreover, the novel
      analytical method of using 2D plasmonic nanoparticle as a sensor to understand
      the polymer brush formation is applicable to investigating the grafting of other
      molecules such as self-assembled monolayers, protein, and DNA.

PMID- 28629219
TI  - Thermally Induced Generation of Desirable Aroma-Active Compounds from the
      Glucosinolate Sinigrin.
AB  - Glucosinolates are the most abundant secondary sulfur-containing plant
      metabolites in the plant family of Brassicaceae. These phytochemicals are well
      known for their enzymatic degradation induced by the enzyme myrosinase, resulting
      in pungent odor impressions derived from their respective degradation products.
      However, up to now, only little attention has been paid to non-enzymatic thermal
      degradation and the release of additional aroma-active compounds. Thermal
      treatment is particularly important in the processing of Brassica vegetables, and
      thereby, glucosinolates as precursors can act as a natural source of odorants.
      Application of gas chromatography-olfactometry to the volatile fractions obtained
      after heat treatment of sinigrin (2-propenyl glucosinolate) in different matrices
      (phosphate buffer at a pH value of 5, 7, or 9, silicon oil, silica gel (7%
      water), sea sand, and glycerol) showed a high potential to generate aroma-active
      compounds, mainly revealing onion- and garlic-like odor impressions deriving from
      sulfur-containing odorants. A clear dependency of the formation of desired aroma
      active compounds upon the respective matrix was found, indicating the need of
      detailed investigations to obtain knowledge for the best use of glucosinolates as
      a source of natural aroma compositions. For example, the distillate obtained from
      sinigrin heat-processed in buffer solution at pH 7 led to the identification of
      17 odorants.

PMID- 28629220
TI  - Ring Polymer Surface Hopping: Incorporating Nuclear Quantum Effects into
      Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
AB  - We apply a recently proposed ring polymer surface hopping (RPSH) approach to
      investigate the real-time nonadiabatic dynamics with explicit nuclear quantum
      effects. The nonadibatic electronic transitions are described through Tully's
      fewest-switches surface hopping algorithm and the motion of the nuclei are
      quantized through the ring polymer Hamiltonian in the extended phase space.
      Applying the RPSH method to simulate Tully's avoided crossing models, we
      demonstrate the critical role of the nuclear tunneling effect and zero-point
      energy for accurately describing the transmission and reflection probabilities
      with low initial momenta. In addition, in Tully's extended coupling model, we
      show that the ring polymer quantization effectively captures decoherence,
      yielding more accurate reflection probabilities. These promising results
      demonstrate the potential of using RPSH as an accurate and efficient method to
      incorporate nuclear quantum effects into nonadiabatic dynamics simulations.

PMID- 28629221
TI  - Extracted apocarotenoids from saffron stigmas and evaluated the quality of
      saffron.
AB  - Saffron is a kind of expensive spice and therapeutic agent. In order to establish
      a set of methods to evaluate the quality of saffron, High Performance Liquid
      Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (HPLC/MS) were used to identify the
      apocarotenoids extracted from saffron stigmas. TOPSIS method was applied to
      evaluate the qualities of saffron. The conditions of HPLC/MS and chemical
      fingerprints of saffron had been established. The 14 chromatographic peaks and 13
      main apocarotenoids of saffron with high reproducibility, stability and
      specificity were confirmed. The qualities of 40 kinds of saffron from different
      countries and regions were ranked.

PMID- 28629222
TI  - Associations of Parental Self-Efficacy With Diet, Physical Activity, Body
      Composition, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Swedish Preschoolers: Results From
      the MINISTOP Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High parental self-efficacy (PSE) has been associated with healthy
      diets and higher levels of physical activity (PA) in children; however, data on
      PSE in relation to body weight and body composition are scarce. The objective of
      this study was to investigate associations of PSE with measures of diet, PA, body
      composition, and physical fitness in early childhood. METHOD: We used baseline
      data from the MINISTOP trial in healthy Swedish children ( n = 301; 4.5 +/- 0.15
      years). PSE was assessed using a questionnaire, dietary data were collected using
      a mobile technology-assisted methodology, and PA was obtained (sedentary behavior
      and moderate-to-vigorous) by accelerometry. Body composition was measured using
      the pediatric option for BodPod and cardiorespiratory fitness by the 20 m shuttle
      run. Linear regression was conducted to evaluate cross-sectional associations of
      the outcomes in relation to total PSE and scores computed for the individual PSE
      factors: (1) diet, (2) limit setting of unhealthful behaviors, and (3) PA.
      RESULTS: Higher scores of total PSE and the diet factor were associated with
      higher fruit intake (beta = 0.82 g/point and 1.99 g/point; p = .014 and .009,
      respectively) and lower consumption of unhealthy snacks (beta = -0.42 g/point and
      -0.89 g/point; p = .012 and .020, respectively) after adjustment for parental
      body mass index and education, respondent, and child's sex and age. No
      associations were observed between PSE and PA, body composition, or
      cardiorespiratory fitness. CONCLUSIONS: Our study noted that PSE should be
      considered in conjunction with other strategies for a sustainable impact on
      childhood obesity.

PMID- 28629223
TI  - Essential oil composition of Erica spiculifolia Salisb - first report.
AB  - The essential oil isolated from Erica spiculifolia Salisb. by hydrodistillation
      was analysed by GC-MS. One hundred compounds representing 92.6% of total oil were
      identified. Among the detected compounds 38 were monoterpenoids (46.2%), 30 were
      sesquiterpenoids (31.7%), 2 diterpene (0.4%) and 30 compounds (14.3%) were with
      various non-terpenoid structures. Oxygenated monoerpenes were by far the main
      class (45.3%) with alpha-terpineol (7.5%) endo-borneol (7.2%), pinocarveol (5.9%)
      and thymol (3.7%) as the major compounds. The predominant components of
      sesquiterpenes were caryophyllene oxide (5.0%), caryophyllene (4.2%), tau 
      murrolol (3.5%), spathulenol (2.9) and alpha-cadinol (2.3%).

PMID- 28629224
TI  - "It's not my business": Exploring heteronormativity in young people's discourses
      about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues and their
      implications for youth health and wellbeing.
AB  - In Canada, the issue of creating safe and inclusive school environments for
      lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students has been in the
      spotlight. Several researchers and advocates have pointed out the positive
      effects of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer-positive policy
      frameworks on the health and wellbeing of all young people. In this article, we
      take a critical approach to analyzing narrative findings from qualitative
      interviews conducted with youth in three communities in British Columbia, Canada:
      "the North," Vancouver, and Abbotsford. Using a Foucauldian Discourse Analytic
      Approach and Butler's concept of Citationality, our analysis suggested that
      although explicit homophobia was largely absent from youth discussions, young
      people discursively constructed lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer
      identities and "communities" in ways that reified heteronormativity. Youth made
      references to sociopolitical discourses of libertarianism and liberalism and to
      homonormative stereotypes regarding gay masculinity. A few young people also
      alluded to egalitarian, queer-positive discourses, which appeared to interrogate
      structures of heteronormativity. Since studies suggest a connection between the
      existence of institutional supports for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and
      queer students in schools and their mental and physical wellbeing, we conclude by
      considering the limitations and possibilities of these sociopolitical discourses
      in the struggle for sexual and gender equity, and how they might help frame
      future health-related, anti-homophobia policy frameworks in educational settings.

PMID- 28629226
TI  - No significant impact of Foxf1 siRNA treatment in acute and chronic CCl4 liver
      injury.
AB  - Chronic liver injury of any etiology is the main trigger of fibrogenic responses
      and thought to be mediated by hepatic stellate cells. Herein, activating
      transcription factors like forkhead box f1 are described to stimulate pro
      fibrogenic genes in hepatic stellate cells. By using a liver-specific siRNA
      delivery system (DBTC), we evaluated whether forkhead box f1 siRNA treatment
      exhibit beneficial effects in murine models of acute and chronic CCl4-induced
      liver injury. Systemic administration of DBTC-forkhead box f1 siRNA in mice was
      only sufficient to silence forkhead box f1 in acute CCl4 model, but was not able
      to attenuate liver injury as measured by liver enzymes and necrotic liver cell
      area. Therapeutic treatment of mice with DBTC-forkhead box f1 siRNA upon chronic
      CCl4 exposition failed to inhibit forkhead box f1 expression and hence lacked to
      diminish hepatic stellate cells activation or fibrosis development. As a
      conclusion, DBTC-forkhead box f1 siRNA reduced forkhead box f1 expression in a
      model of acute but not chronic toxic liver injury and showed no positive effects
      in either of these mice models. Impact statement As liver fibrosis is a worldwide
      health problem, antifibrotic therapeutic strategies are urgently needed.
      Therefore, further developments of new technologies including validation in
      different experimental models of liver disease are essential. Since activation of
      hepatic stellate cells is a key event upon liver injury, the activating
      transcription factor forkhead box f1 (Foxf1) represents a potential target gene.
      Previously, we evaluated Foxf1 silencing by a liver-specific siRNA delivery
      system (DBTC), exerting beneficial effects in cholestasis. The present study was
      designed to confirm the therapeutic potential of Foxf1 siRNA in models of acute
      and chronic CCl4-induced liver injury. DBTC-Foxf1 siRNA was only sufficient to
      silence Foxf1 in acute CCl4 model and did not ameliorate liver injury or
      fibrogenesis. This underlines the significance of the experimental model used.
      Each model displays specific characteristics in the pathogenic nature, time
      course and severity of fibrosis and the optimal time point for starting a
      therapy.

PMID- 28629228
TI  - Use of Provider Debriefing to Improve Fast-Track Extubation Rates Following
      Cardiac Surgery at an Academic Medical Center.
AB  - When used in appropriate patient populations, fast-track extubation (FTE)
      anesthetic techniques and intensive care unit (ICU) protocols safely reduce
      intubation times, ICU length of stay, and resource utilization. The authors
      hypothesized that perioperative provider debriefing on success or failure of FTE
      would improve FTE success. This retrospective observational study included
      consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG),
      valve, or combined CABG/valve surgery between February 2015 and May 2016 (N =
      313). Throughout the intervention period, a briefing was distributed on
      postoperative day 1 to the anesthesiology providers responsible for operative
      care of the patient detailing success or failure of FTE and perioperative
      characteristics. The preintervention FTE success rate of 55.6% significantly
      improved to 72.8% in the intervention group ( P = .022). When combined with a
      continuous interdepartmental review process, provider debriefing improved FTE
      success. Perioperative provider debriefing requires minimal resources for
      implementation and can easily be replicated in other cardiac surgery centers.

PMID- 28629227
TI  - Chemical and biological studies on Cichorium intybus L.
AB  - Cichorium intybus L. (Asteraceae family) is a world-wide grown plant known as
      chicory. In traditional medicine, this plant is used as diuretic, anti
      inflammatory, digestive, cardiotonic and liver tonic. Chromatographic
      purification of the supercritical fluid extract of aerial parts of C. intybus on
      silica gel column led to isolation of three compounds: new compound, 28beta
      hydroxytaraxasterol (I), and two known compounds usnic acid (II) and beta
      sitosterol (III). Purification of the ethanolic extract of aerial parts of this
      plant on silica gel column chromatography yielded four compounds: 1,3
      dioleylglycerate (IV), sitoindoside II (V), 11beta-13-dihydrolactucin (VI) and
      beta-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside (VII). The structures of the isolated compounds
      were determined by their 1D, 2D NMR and MS spectral data. All the fractions and
      isolated compounds were tested for cannabinoid and opioid receptor binding, as
      well as antibacterial, antifungal and antimalarial activities. Compound I showed
      moderate activity (60.5% displacement) towards CB1 receptor.

PMID- 28629225
TI  - Cortical Plasticity in Depression.
AB  - Neural plasticity is considered the neurophysiological correlate of learning and
      memory, although several studies have also noted that it plays crucial roles in a
      number of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Indeed, impaired brain
      plasticity may be one of the pathophysiological mechanisms that underlies both
      cognitive decline and major depression. Moreover, a degree of cognitive
      impairment is frequently observed throughout the clinical spectrum of mood
      disorders, and the relationship between depression and cognition is often
      bidirectional. However, most evidence for dysfunctional neural plasticity in
      depression has been indirect. Transcranial magnetic stimulation has emerged as a
      noninvasive tool for investigating several parameters of cortical excitability
      with the aim of exploring the functions of different neurotransmission pathways
      and for probing in vivo plasticity in both healthy humans and those with
      pathological conditions. In particular, depressed patients exhibit a significant
      interhemispheric difference in motor cortex excitability, an imbalanced
      inhibitory or excitatory intracortical neurochemical circuitry, reduced
      postexercise facilitation, and an impaired long-term potentiation-like response
      to paired-associative transcranial magnetic stimulation, and these symptoms may
      indicate disrupted plasticity. Research aimed at disentangling the mechanism by
      which neuroplasticity plays a role in the pathological processes that lead to
      depression and evaluating the effects of modulating neuroplasticity are needed
      for the field to facilitate more powerful translational research studies and
      identify novel therapeutic targets.

PMID- 28629229
TI  - Colistin resistance associated with outer membrane protein change in Klebsiella
      pneumoniae and Enterobacter asburiae.
AB  - In this study, outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of colistin-resistant Klebsiella
      pneumoniae and Enterobacter asburiae were analyzed. One colistin-susceptible and
      three colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae sequence type 258 strains as well as one
      colistin-susceptible E. asburiae and its colistin-heteroresistant counterpart
      strain were involved in the study. OMP analysis of each strain was performed by
      microchip method. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight/mass
      spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) investigation was carried out after separation of
      OMPs by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and in-gel digestion. The MALDI
      TOF/MS analysis of OMPs in the colistin-susceptible K. pneumoniae found 16 kDa
      proteins belonging to the LysM domain/BON superfamily, as well as DNA starvation
      proteins, whereas OmpX and OmpW were detected in the colistin-resistant
      counterpart strains. OmpC and OmpW were detected in the colistin-susceptible E.
      asburiae, whereas OmpA and OmpX were identified in the colistin-resistant
      counterpart. This study demonstrated that OMP differences were between colistin
      susceptible and -resistant counterpart strains. The altered Gram-negative cell
      wall may contribute to acquired colistin resistance in Enterobacteriaceae.

PMID- 28629213
TI  - Survival of cancer patients in Italy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Population-based survival statistics are fundamental to assess the
      efficacy of services offered to improve cancer patients' prognosis. This study
      aims to update cancer survival estimates for the Italian population, as well as
      provide new measures, such as the crude probability of death, which takes into
      account the possibility of dying from causes other than cancer, and the change in
      life expectancy after a cancer diagnosis, to properly address various questions.
      RESULTS: The study includes 1,932,450 cancer cases detected by the Network of
      Italian Cancer Registries (AIRTUM) from 1994 to 2011 and provides estimates for
      38 cancer sites and for allsites cancer. For most common cancers diagnosed from
      2005 to 2009, age-standardized 5-year net survival was: colon-rectum - males 65%,
      females 65%; lung - males 15%, females 19%; breast 87%; prostate 91%. For cancer
      sites such as stomach, colon, rectum, lung, skin melanoma, breast, cervix,
      prostate, and kidney, 5-year net survival is consistent between Central and
      Northern Italy, while it is a few percentage points lower in Southern Italy.
      Funnel plots expose these differences more in detail by showing the survival
      estimates in 13 Italian regions. For all sites but skin, 5- and 10-year net
      survival increased by about 10 percentage points in men and 7 points in women
      from 1994 to 2011. DISCUSSION: Specific articles deal with results on solid and
      haematological malignancies, international comparisons and analysis of time
      trends of incidence, mortality, and survival in combination for key cancer sites,
      aiming to interpret overall progress in the control of cancer in Italy.

PMID- 28629230
TI  - Association between Toxoplasma gondii types and outcomes of human infection: A
      meta-analysis.
AB  - The virulence and pathogenicity of various types of Toxoplasma gondii differ
      considerably in mice. Recent studies have claimed that similar phenomenon was
      observed in humans, but no relevant studies have been performed to validate this
      finding. In addition, reports showing association between a given T. gondii type
      and outcomes of human infection yielded conflicting results. To provide a more
      precise estimation of the association and a more reliable conclusion on this
      subject, we performed this meta-analysis. Relevant literatures were identified in
      multiple databases and selected based on strict screening. T. gondii-type
      proportions among different severities of infection were calculated and compared
      using Fisher's exact test. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Our results
      showed that the difference among T. gondii-type proportions was significant (p <
      0.0001). In addition, significant associations were detected between Type I
      strains infection and congenital toxoplasmosis (OR: 1.91, p = 0.0009), Type III
      strains infection and pulmonary toxoplasmosis (OR: 5.15, p = 0.04). In our
      subgroup analysis, Type I strains were significantly associated with cerebral
      toxoplasmosis in offspring (OR: 1.81, p = 0.02). This result indicated that
      different types of T. gondii exhibited different virulence and caused different
      outcomes in humans.

PMID- 28629231
TI  - Comment on Paranasal sinus opacification in headache sufferers: A population
      based imaging study (the HUNT study-MRI).

PMID- 28629232
TI  - Latent Profile Analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in a Sample
      With a History of Recurrent Depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extending previous research, we applied latent profile analysis in a
      sample of adults with a history of recurrent depression to identify subgroups
      with distinct response profiles on the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and
      understand how these relate to psychological functioning. METHOD: The sample was
      randomly divided into two subsamples to first examine the optimal number of
      latent profiles (test sample; n = 343) and then validate the identified solution
      (validation sample; n = 340). RESULTS: In both test and validation samples, a
      four-profile solution was revealed where two profiles mapped broadly onto those
      previously identified in nonclinical samples: "high mindfulness" and
      "nonjudgmentally aware." Two additional subgroups, "moderate mindfulness" and
      "very low mindfulness," were observed. "High mindfulness" was associated with the
      most adaptive psychological functioning and "very low mindfulness" with the least
      adaptive. CONCLUSIONS: In most people with recurrent depression, mindfulness
      skills are expressed evenly across different domains. However, in a small
      minority a meaningful and replicable uneven profile indicating nonjudgmental
      awareness is observable. Current findings require replication and future research
      should examine the extent to which profiles change from periods of wellness to
      illness in people with recurrent depression and how profiles are influenced by
      exposure to mindfulness-based intervention.

PMID- 28629233
TI  - A new antibiotic produced by the cyanobacterium-symbiotic fungus Simplicillium
      lanosoniveum.
AB  - The culture broth of the cyanobacterium-symbiotic fungus Simplicillium
      lanosoniveum var. Tianjinienss Q. L. Dong exhibited unanticipated antibacterial
      activities against the Gram-positive bacteria, particularly the pathogenic
      bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, indicating the secretion of antibiotic-like
      metabolite, for which the modified Sabouraud medium was the suitable medium. The
      antibiotic-like metabolite was separated with macroporous resins CT-12
      (absorption) and 95% ethanol (desorption), purified by ion-exchange resins D301T
      and displayed a characteristic absorption peak at 228 nm, suggesting the presence
      of nitrogen. The negative biuret and ninhydrin tests confirmed the absence of 
      NH2 and -COOH groups. Further, HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses showed that
      the retention time and molecular weight of the antibiotic-like metabolite were
      4.1031 min and 163.0182 (Delta +/- 2.3 ppm), respectively. Taking together, we
      speculated that the antibiotic-like metabolite was a new antibiotic structurally
      similar to alkaloid, which was the first one isolated from the species of
      Simplicillium genus.

PMID- 28629234
TI  - Healing of Osteochondral Defects via Endochondral Ossification in an Ovine Model.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the mechanism of healing
      of osteochondral defects of the distal femur in the sheep, a commonly used
      translational model. Information on the healing mechanism be useful to inform the
      design of tissue engineering devices for joint surface defect repair. DESIGN: A
      retrospective study was conducted examining 7-mm diameter osteochondral defects
      made in the distal medial femoral condyle of 40 adult female sheep, comprising
      control animals from 3 separate structures. The healing of the defects was
      studied at post mortem at up to 26 weeks. RESULTS: Osteochondral defects of the
      distal femur of the sheep heal through endochondral ossification as evidenced by
      chondrocyte hypertrophy and type X collagen expression. Neocartilage is first
      formed adjacent to damaged cartilage and then streams over the damaged underlying
      bone before filling the defect from the base upward. No intramembranous
      ossification or isolated mesenchymal stem cell aggregates were detected in the
      healing tissue. No osseous hypertrophy was detected in the defects. CONCLUSIONS:
      Osteochondral defects of the medial femoral condyle of the sheep heal via
      endochondral ossification, with neocartilage first appearing adjacent to damaged
      cartilage. Unlike the mechanism of healing in fracture repair, neocartilage is
      eventually formed directly onto damaged bone. There was most variability between
      animals between 8 and 12 weeks postsurgery. These results should be considered
      when designing devices to promote defect healing.

PMID- 28629235
TI  - Atrial fibrillation as a complication of ibrutinib therapy: clinical features and
      challenges of management.
AB  - Ibrutinib is a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor finding increasingly
      widespread use in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Evidence of an increased risk of atrial
      fibrillation (AF) emerged in Phase III studies with a median incidence of
      approximately 6%. The mechanism remains unknown, but inhibition of a
      cardioprotective pathway has been proposed. Ibrutinib induces a platelet function
      defect, increasing the bleeding risk of anticoagulation for AF stroke
      prophylaxis. Multiple potential drug interactions are an added complication. In
      this review we examine the characteristics and management of the reported cases
      of AF with ibrutinib and where possible make recommendations. The evidence
      suggests dose reduction or temporary suspension of drug, are feasible alternative
      to discontinuation. The optimum choice of thromboprophylaxis has not been
      determined, but we propose the use of novel anticoagulants (NOACs) and avoidance
      of anti-platelet agents where possible. Further research and consensus guidelines
      are required.

PMID- 28629236
TI  - Advances in new psychoactive substances identification: the U.R.I.To.N.
      Consortium.
AB  - Identification of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in biological and non
      biological samples represents a hard challenge for forensic toxicologists. Their
      great chemical variety and the speed with which new NPS are synthesised and
      spread make stringent the need of advanced tools for their detection based on
      multidisciplinary approaches. For this reason, in August 2016, the "Unit of
      Research and Innovation in Forensic Toxicology and Neuroscience of Addiction"
      (U.R.I.To.N.) was founded by the Forensic Toxicology Division of the University
      of Florence. In this Research Unit, various professionals (i.e. forensic
      toxicologists, chemists, physicians) collaborate to study all the aspects of
      drugs of abuse, especially NPS. Herein, we describe the multidisciplinary
      approach comprising liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC
      MS/MS), gas chromatography hyphenated to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solution
      nuclear magnetic resonance analysis that allowed the identification of three NPS
      such as 1-(benzofuran-5-yl)-N-methylpropan-2-amine, 2-amino-1-(4-bromo-2,5
      dimethoxyphenyl)ethan-1-one (bk-2C-B), and 3-(2-aminopropyl)indole (alpha
      methyltryptamine) in seized materials.

PMID- 28629237
TI  - Improved pregnancy outcome following earlier splenectomy in women with immune
      thrombocytopenia: a 5-year observational study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess prospectively the maternal and fetal outcome in women with
      immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who undergone earlier splenectomy compared
      to women on medical therapy. METHODS: A 5-year observational study included
      pregnant women in the first trimester previously diagnosed with primary ITP with
      74 patients underwent splenectomy before pregnancy and 86 patients on medical
      therapy. Patients were followed throughout pregnancy and labour to record their
      obstetric outcome. Data were collected and tabulated. RESULTS: There was a higher
      platelet count in the splenectomy group at enrollment (p < .05) and at delivery
      (p < .001). Higher number of patients in the medical group experienced bleeding
      episodes (p < .001), severe thrombocytopenia (p < .001), need for therapy (p <
      .001), complications of steroid therapy (p < .05), postpartum hemorrhage (p <
      .05), and defective lactation (p < .001) compared to patients in the splenectomy
      group. Higher rates of small for gestational age, preterm labour, and admission
      to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were observed in patients in the medical
      group (p < .05) compared to patients in the splenectomy group. CONCLUSION:
      Earlier splenectomy in patients with ITP may have a beneficial impact on
      obstetric outcome and should be explained to patients wishing to get pregnant.
      Further larger multicenter studies are warranted to confirm or refute our
      findings.

PMID- 28629238
TI  - US trends in abortion and preterm birth.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A recent large meta-analysis concluded that prior surgical abortion
      was an independent risk factor for spontaneous preterm birth (PTB), while they
      found no significant correlation between PTB and medical abortion. OBJECTIVE: To
      evaluate the potential impact of changes in US abortion rates and practices on US
      incidence of PTB rate. STUDY DESIGN: This was an epidemiologic analysis of legal
      abortion and PTB data in the USA from 2003 to 2012. Birth data (annual total
      birth, annual number and incidence of PTB, defined as PTB <37 weeks) are from
      National Vital Statistics Reports from the National Center for Health Statistics,
      Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Abortion data were collected
      using Abortion Surveillance provided by the CDC. Abortion incidence was reported
      overall, and by type: surgical, medical method and procedures reported as "other"
      such as intrauterine instillation and hysterectomy/hysterotomy. To test for the
      trend of abortion and of PTB over time, we used the chi-squared test for trend.
      The primary outcome of our study was the correlation trend analysis between
      abortion rate and PTB rate. Pearson correlation test was used. A two-tailed p
      value of 0.05 or less was considered significant. RESULTS: From 2003 to 2012
      there were 41 206 315 births in USA, of which 5 042 982 (12.2%) were <37 weeks.
      The PTB rate declined significantly from 12.3% in 2003 to 11.5% in 2012 (p value
      test for trend <.04). Out of the 6 122 649 legal abortions, reported by type of
      procedure, performed from 2003 to 2012 in USA, 5 132 789 were surgical abortion
      (82.8%) and 860 288 (14.0%) were medical. Chi-squared test for trend showed that
      the rate of surgical abortion significantly decreased from 88.9 to 78.0% (p <
      .01) while the rate of medical abortion significantly increased from 7.9 to 21.9%
      (p < .01) from 2003 to 2012, respectively. The rate of PTB was correlated with
      the rate of medical abortion (p = .01) and of surgical abortion (p = .02) over
      time. The higher the surgical abortion rate, the higher the incidence of PTB
      (Pearson correlation 0.712); the higher the medical abortion rate, the lower the
      incidence of PTB (Pearson correlation -0.731). CONCLUSION: Recent changes in
      abortion practices may be associated with the current decrease in US incidence of
      PTB. Further study on the effect of surgical versus medical abortion is warranted
      regarding a possible effect on the incidence of PTB.

PMID- 28629239
TI  - Cortisol precursors in neonates with vasopressor-resistant hypotension in
      relationship to demographic characteristics.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To correlate between cortisol precursors in neonates with vasopressor
      resistant hypotension and demographic characteristics. METHODS: We investigated
      48 neonates with vasopressor-resistant hypotension. Gestation at birth ranged
      from 34 to 42 weeks and postnatal age from 4 to 14 days. Cortisol and precursor
      steroids were measured soon after the onset of volume expansion and inotropes for
      treatment of shock. Their concentrations were determined using liquid
      chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In neonates with vasopressor-resistant
      hypotension, the serum levels of cortisol were within normal nonstress range.
      There was a strong negative linear association between postnatal age and
      dehydroepiandrosterone level (r = -0.50, p < .01), which decreased with neonatal
      age. In addition, there was a significant positive association between
      gestational age at birth and 17-hydroxy-pregnenolone (r = 0.33, p = .02). No
      further significant associations were evident between the neonatal weight,
      duration of gestation or gender and of the levels of cortisol or the other
      steroids (p > .05). The cause of therapy-resistant hypotension did not appear to
      influence the steroid levels. CONCLUSIONS: Cortisol stress response is absent in
      these severely ill late preterm and term infants. This may be due to inhibition
      of the distal pathway of cortisol synthesis.

PMID- 28629240
TI  - Foetoscopic endotracheal occlusion (FETO) for severe isolated left-sided
      congenital diaphragmatic hernia: single center Polish experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present early experience with foetoscopic endotracheal occlusion
      (FETO) for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) in a new center in Poland.
      METHODS: This was a prospective study in singleton pregnancies with CDH treated
      by FETO between 2014 and 2016 in the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. FETO
      was carried out at 25.6-30.1 (median 27.7) weeks' gestation in 28 consecutive
      cases of isolated left-sided CDH with observed over expected lung area to head
      circumference ratio (o/e LHR) of 20.7-22.6 (median 18.9). RESULTS: Neonatal
      survival rate was 46.4% (13/28) at the time of discharge. The median o/e LHR the
      day before balloon removal was 33.4 (19.7-57.5) and median gestational age at
      delivery was 34.7 (29.0-38.1) weeks. Comparison of the survivors and perinatal
      deaths showed no significant differences in median gestational age at FETO or
      median o/e LHR before FETO, but higher median gestational age at delivery (35.9,
      range 32.7-38.1 weeks vs. 33.2, range 29.0-37.7 weeks; p = .007) and o/e LHR
      before balloon removal (33.7, range 28.3-57.5 vs. 30.9, range 19.7-37.5; p =
      .017). CONCLUSIONS: FETO was implemented successfully in Poland and the survival
      rate (46.4%) is similar to that reported in other centers. Important determinants
      of survival were gestational age at delivery and pulmonary response to FETO. The
      rate of preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) in our series is similar to
      the larger series treated with FETO in the pioneering centers of this technique.

PMID- 28629241
TI  - A model to predict risk of postpartum infection after Caesarean delivery.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to build and validate a statistical model
      to predict infection after caesarean delivery (CD). METHODS: Patient and surgical
      variables within 30 d of CD were collected on 2419 women. Postpartum infection
      included surgical site infection, urinary tract infection, endomyometritis and
      pneumonia. The data were split into model development and internal validation (1
      January-31 August; N = 1641) and temporal validation subsets (1 September-31
      December; N = 778). Logistic regression models were fit to the data with
      concordance index and calibration curves used to assess accuracy. Internal
      validation was performed with bootstrapping correcting for bias. RESULTS:
      Postoperative infection occurred in 8% (95% CI 7.3-9.9), with 5% meeting CDC
      criteria for surgical site infections (SSI) (95% CI 4.1-5.8). Eight variables
      were predictive for infection: increasing BMI, higher number of prior Caesarean
      deliveries, emergent Caesarean delivery, Caesarean for failure to progress, skin
      closure using stainless steel staples, chorioamnionitis, maternal asthma and
      lower gestational age. The model discriminated between women with and without
      infection on internal validation (concordance index = 0.71 95% CI 0.67-0.76) and
      temporal validation (concordance index = 0.70, 95% CI 0.62, 0.78). CONCLUSIONS:
      Our model accurately predicts risk of infection after CD. Identification of
      patients at risk for postoperative infection allows for individualized patient
      care and counseling.

PMID- 28629242
TI  - Differential effect of p38 and MK2 kinase inhibitors on the inflammatory and
      toxicity biomarkers in vitro.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many inflammatory responses including chemotaxis, production of
      nitric oxide, and modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in immunological cells
      are mediated by p38MAPK. Due to its pivotal role, p38MAPK has been extensively
      explored as a molecular target for inhibition of chronic inflammation; however,
      it has not been successful so far due to serious toxicity issues. Among several
      downstream substrates of p38, mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein
      kinase 2 (MK2) has been reported to be a direct and essential downstream
      component in regulation of innate immune and inflammatory responses. Thus, in
      this study, we aimed to understand relative molecular differences between p38 and
      MK2 kinase inhibition in terms of a comparative anti-inflammatory potential along
      with molecular regulation of toxicity biomarkers such as Phospho c-Jun N-Terminal
      Kinase (pJNK), caspase-3, and hepatic enzyme levels in relevant human cells in
      vitro. RESULTS: Both p38 and MK2 inhibitors attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced
      pro-inflammatory biomarkers expression. In addition, both these kinase inhibitors
      inhibited release of Th1 and Th17 cytokines in phytohemagglutinin-induced cells
      with MK2 inhibitor showing a better potency for inhibition of Th1 cytokine
      release, interferon-gamma. In the mechanistic differentiation studies, p38
      inhibitors displayed an increase in pJNK and caspase-3 activity in U937 cells and
      elevation in aspartate transaminase enzyme in HepG2 cells, whereas MK2 inhibitor
      did not show such adverse toxic effects. CONCLUSION: Taken together, inhibition
      of MK2 kinase can be a relatively preferred strategy as an anti-inflammatory
      therapy over direct inhibition of p38 kinase in p38MAPK pathway.

PMID- 28629243
TI  - Effect of therapeutic hypothermia on myocardial dysfunction in term neonates with
      perinatal asphyxia - a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of therapeutic hypothermia on myocardial
      dysfunction in term neonates with perinatal asphyxia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This
      randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital,
      south India included 120 newborns with perinatal asphyxia that were randomized to
      two groups (therapeutic hypothermia and normothermia). Cardiac enzyme profile
      changes between groups were assessed at 0, 24, 72 h CPK-MB and troponin I levels
      were estimated by immune inhibition and quantitative immunochromatography
      methods, respectively. Electrocardiography (ECG) and Echocardiography (ECHO) were
      done at 0 and 72 h to evaluate the cardiac function and pulmonary hypertension.
      Neurodevelopment was assessed at 6 months of age in both groups using
      Developmental Assessment Scales for Indian Infants. RESULTS: The median values of
      CPK-MB in the normothermia and hypothermia groups at 0, 24, and 72 h were 198,
      127, and 92 IU/L and 202, 111 and 64 IU/L, respectively. The median values of
      troponin I in normothermia and hypothermia groups at 0, 24, and 72 hrs were 2.45,
      1.53, and 0.9 ng/mL and 1.97, 0.93, and 0.01 ng/mL, respectively. ECG and ECHO
      findings also suggest lesser myocardial dysfunction in therapeutic hypothermia
      group compared with the normothermia group. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic hypothermia
      significantly decreases the myocardial damage in term asphyxiated neonates.

PMID- 28629244
TI  - Will we be able to afford a cure in multiple myeloma?

PMID- 28629245
TI  - Obstetric risk factors for poor neonatal adaptation at birth.
AB  - PURPOSE: To identify obstetric risk factors of delivering a neonate with poor
      neonatal adaptation at birth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nested case-control study.
      Poor neonatal adaptation was defined for presence of at least: umbilical cord
      artery pH <7.10, base deficit >=12 mmol/L, Apgar score at 1' <=5. Controls were
      selected from the same population and matched with cases. The association between
      clinical parameters and poor neonatal adaptation was analyzed by logistic
      regression. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty three women (2.1% of all live births)
      with a neonate presenting a poor neonatal adaptation were matched with 133
      subsequent controls. Significant contributions for the prediction of poor
      neonatal adaptation were provided by maternal age >=35 years (p <= .001, odds
      ratio (OR) 3.9 [95%CI: 2.3-6.8]), nulliparity (p <= .001, OR 3.3 [95%CI: 1.8-6]),
      complications during pregnancy (p = .032, OR 2.2 [95%CI: 1.1-4.4]), gestational
      age at delivery <37 weeks (p = .008, OR 5.2 [95%CI: 1.5-17.8]) and
      cardiotocography category II or III (p <= .001, OR 36.3 [95%CI: 16.5-80.1]). The
      receiver operative characteristic curve was 0.91 [95%CI: 0.87-0.95], and
      detection rates 82.7% and 89.5% at 10% and 20% of false positive rates,
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Several obstetric risk factors before and during labor
      can identify a subgroup of newborns at higher risk of a poor neonatal adaptation
      at birth.

PMID- 28629246
TI  - Clinical significance of primary symptoms in women with placental abruption.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate the clinical significance of primary symptoms in women
      with placental abruption. METHODS: A retrospective study of 273 cases of
      placental abruption was performed. The subjects were classified into two groups
      according to primary symptoms: 210 cases of the vaginal bleeding group and 63
      cases of the abdominal pain group. The clinical features, maternal and neonatal
      outcomes were compared between two groups. RESULTS: The incidence of preeclampsia
      and preterm birth in the vaginal bleeding group was significantly lower than
      abdominal pain group, while the incidence of premature rupture of membrane (PROM)
      in the former group was higher than that in the latter group. Both fetal and
      maternal outcomes were significantly poorer in the abdominal pain group than in
      the vaginal bleeding group in terms of rate of abnormal fetal heart monitoring
      (FHR), concealed abruption, abruption area over 50%, uteroplacental apoplexy,
      volume of postpartum hemorrhage, rate of blood transfusion, neonatal asphyxia and
      acidemia. CONCLUSIONS: Primary symptoms of placental abruption were associated
      with preterm birth, preeclampsia and PROM, which could predict pregnancy outcomes
      effectively.

PMID- 28629247
TI  - Obstetric practice patterns in pregnancies complicated by fetal trisomy 13 or 18.
AB  - PURPOSE: Describe practice patterns among obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs)
      when caring for women with pregnancy complicated by fetal trisomy 13 (T13) or 18
      (T18) and compare these between maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) and non-MFM
      providers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an electronic survey using the
      American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists database. Using simple
      statistics, we describe demographics and practice patterns among respondents and
      compare those of MFM practitioners with non-MFM providers. RESULTS: The survey
      was sent to 300 individuals, 161 individuals verified email receipt, and 105 had
      complete response and were included. The median age was 58 (IQR 53,62). Sixty
      percent were female, 69% were private practice, and 38% were MFM. All providers
      were more likely to offer than to recommend antenatal and intrapartum
      interventions. MFMs were more likely to offer growth ultrasounds and neonatal
      hospice consults (53% vs. 29%, p = .02; 88% vs. 60%, p < .01). During labor, MFMs
      were more likely offer no fetal heart rate monitoring, (90% vs. 52%, p < .01),
      60% of all providers offer breech vaginal delivery; 32% offer cesarean delivery
      for fetal distress. CONCLUSION: Many providers offer antepartum and intrapartum
      interventions for pregnancies complicated by T13/18. We recommend that providers
      elicit each woman's goals for pregnancies complicated by T13/18 and tailor
      management options to meet these goals.

PMID- 28629248
TI  - The relationship of maternal-fetal attachment and depression with social support
      in pregnant women referring to health centers of Tabriz-Iran, 2016.
AB  - PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of
      maternal-fetal attachment and depression during pregnancy with social support.
      METHODS: This cross-sectional study was done on 287 primipara women. The data
      collection tools used included a demographic characteristics questionnaire,
      Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the
      Social Support Scale. Pearson's correlation test and general linear model were
      used for data analysis. RESULTS: The mean maternal-fetal attachment score was
      90.0 (SD: 10.3). The highest score was obtained in the "role taking" domain and
      the lowest in the "interaction with the fetus" domain. The mean depression score
      was 8.5 (SD: 4.0). The score of perceived social support was 135.5 (SD: 15.6).
      Pearson's correlation test showed a significant positive correlation between
      social support and maternal-fetal attachment (r = 0.36, p < .001) and a
      significant negative correlation between social support and depression (r= -0.14,
      p = .018). CONCLUSION: The present study found a significant relationship between
      maternal-fetal attachment, depression and social support. It is recommended to
      devise plans for increasing the support given to women and to improve the
      society's and families' awareness about these issues in the attempt to have
      healthy mothers and thereby healthy families and communities.

PMID- 28629249
TI  - Increase of neuronal injury markers Tau and neurofilament light proteins in
      umbilical blood after intrapartum asphyxia.
AB  - AIM: Compare the levels of the brain injury biomarkers Tau and neurofilament
      light protein (NFL) in cases of asphyxia with those in controls. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: We analyzed the neuronal proteins Tau and NFL in umbilical blood of 10
      cases of severe-moderate intrapartum asphyxia and in 18 control cases. RESULTS:
      The levels of both Tau and neurofilament were significantly higher after asphyxia
      and it appeared to be a correlation between the levels of the biomarkers and the
      severity of the insult. DISCUSSION: Future studies are warranted to support or
      refute the value of Tau/NFLin clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Fetal asphyxia
      remains a clinical problem resulting in life-long neurological disabilities. We
      urgently need more accurate early predictive markers to direct the clinician when
      to provide neuroprotective therapy.

PMID- 28629250
TI  - A comparison between the effects of ginger, pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and placebo
      for the treatment of the first trimester nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) are one of the most common
      complains of the early pregnancy period and are bothersome for pregnant women.
      Some prefer to use herbal medicine instead of chemical agents. OBJECTIVE: The
      purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of ginger, pyridoxine
      (vitamin B6), and placebo for the treatment of NVP. METHOD: The study was
      performed as a triple blind clinical trial on pregnant women suffering mild to
      moderate NVP between 6 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. In these women ginger, 500 mg
      twice daily, vitamin B6 40 mg twice daily and placebo twice daily were
      administered for 4 d. Rhodes questionnaire was used for evaluation of the
      severity of symptoms. The severity of NVP was evaluated 24 h before entering the
      study and up to 4 d after using medications and results were compared among the
      three groups. RESULTS: Seventy-seven women finished the study (28 in the Ginger
      group, 26 in the B6 group, and 23 in the placebo group). The women of the three
      groups did not have significant differences according to age, gestational age,
      parity, and severity of each symptom before treatment and educational status.
      Total score of Rhodes questionnaire for nausea was decreased significantly in
      three groups after treatment. (p < .001, p = .012, and p = .03 for ginger,
      vitamin B6, and placebo, respectively.) Also total score of Rhodes questionnaire
      for vomiting was decreased in three groups (p = .03 for ginger, p = .02 for B6,
      and p = .04 for placebo). Ginger and vitamin B6 could reduce the severity of all
      items of Rhodes questionnaire significantly; however, placebo was significantly
      effective only on the frequency of nausea, intensity of vomiting and frequency of
      retching. Ginger and vitamin B6 were more effective than placebo (p = .039 and p
      = .007, respectively); however, total score of Rhodes did not show significant
      difference between ginger and vitamin B6 (p = .128). Ginger was more effective
      for nausea (intensity and distress) and distress of vomit. CONCLUSION: Ginger is
      more effective than placebo for the treatment of mild to moderate NVP and is
      comparable with vitamin B6. Trial registration number and registry website:
      IRCT2015020320923N1.

PMID- 28629251
TI  - Neonatal complications among 596 infants delivered by vacuum extraction (in
      relation to characteristics of the extraction).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between complicated vacuum extraction
      (VE) deliveries and neonatal complications. METHODS: Observational study
      including data on the management of 596 consecutive VE-deliveries at 6 different
      birth clinics in Sweden in 2013. We used logistic regression to examine the
      association between a complicated VE and: extracranial bleeding, severe neonatal
      complication (intracranial hemorrhage and/or asphyxia/low Apgar score and/or
      convulsions, and/or encephalopathy), and brachial plexus injury. VE was
      considered complicated if duration exceeded 15 min, and/or more than six pulls
      were used, and/or more than one cup detachment occurred. Uncomplicated VE served
      as the reference group. RESULTS: Ten percent of the infants were diagnosed with
      at least one of the investigated complications. Cephalohematoma occurred in 5.2%
      of the infants and 1.5% had a subgaleal hematoma. Altogether 24 (4.0%) infants
      were diagnosed with a severe complication; low Apgar score, neonatal convulsions,
      encephalopathy or intracranial hemorrhages. Brachial plexus injury occurred in
      eight (1.3%) infants. The crude odds ratio for extracranial hemorrhages was 2.6
      (95% CI 1.17-5.77), 4.07 (1.67-9.92) for severe neonatal complications, and 4.63
      (1.08-19.76) for brachial plexus injury. CONCLUSIONS: Extraction time >15 min, >6
      pulls and >1 cup detachment is associated with increased risk of neonatal
      complications. These results support compliance with guidelines and
      recommendations for VE deliveries.

PMID- 28629252
TI  - Study of composite vascular scaffold combining with differentiated VSMC- and VEC
      like cells in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Although research into the tissue engineering of vessels has proceeded at a
      tremendous pace, many deficiencies still need to be resolved. A well-adopted
      constructed vessel requires both functional and structural properties to
      stimulate the native vessel and resist stress and tension in vivo. In the present
      study, we developed a novel three-layer composite vascular scaffold consisting of
      differentiated vascular smooth muscle cell-, vascular endothelial cell-like
      cells, and a rabbit acellular vascular matrix (ACVM)-0.25% HLC-I scaffold. HE
      staining, immunohistochemical assays, immunofluorescence assays (IFAs), and
      scanning electron microscopy were performed to monitor the growth status of cells
      on the scaffold material in vitro. After the vascular endothelial cell -vascular
      smooth muscle cell-scaffold was implanted into nude mice for three, six, and nine
      weeks, samples were harvested from the implanted mice and observed visually or by
      HE staining and IFAs for cell viability and morphology. Additionally, burst
      pressure resistance experiments were used to assess the maximal pressure that the
      engineered vessel could resist. We found that the engineered vascular endothelial
      cell-vascular smooth muscle cell-scaffold vessel possessed favorable
      biocompatibility and considerable strength, matching native vessels in vivo and
      in vitro, and may be significant in the future clinical implantation of tissue
      engineered vasculature.

PMID- 28629253
TI  - Insights into the Management of Papillary Microcarcinoma of the Thyroid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rapid increases in the incidence of thyroid carcinoma with stable
      mortality rates from thyroid carcinoma have been reported from many countries,
      and these increases are thought to be due mostly to the increased detection of
      small papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), including papillary microcarcinomas
      (PMCs; i.e., PTCs <=10 mm). Some researchers have suggested that small PTCs have
      been overdiagnosed and overtreated. In Japan, the active surveillance of patients
      with low-risk PMCs was initiated by Kuma Hospital (1993) and Tokyo's Cancer
      Institute Hospital (1995) based on the extremely higher incidences of both latent
      thyroid carcinomas in autopsy studies and small PTCs detected in mass screening
      studies using ultrasound examinations compared to the prevalence of clinical
      thyroid carcinomas. METHODS: The above two institutions' data are summarized
      regarding the active surveillance of low-risk PMCs, and future prospects for
      their management are discussed. RESULTS: At 10-year observations in the Kuma
      Hospital series of 1235 patients, only 8% and 3.8% of the PMC patients showed
      size enlargement by >=3 mm and the novel appearance of node metastasis,
      respectively. In contrast to clinical PTC, PMCs are most unlikely to grow in
      older patients (>=60 years). In the Kuma Hospital series, the 974 patients who
      underwent immediate surgery had significantly higher incidences of unfavorable
      events than the 1179 patients who chose active surveillance. The total cost of
      immediate surgery, including the costs for salvage surgery and postoperative care
      for 10 years, was 4.1 times the total cost of 10-year management by active
      surveillance. Only 8% of the 51 PMC patients showed tumor enlargement during
      pregnancy, and the rescue surgeries after delivery were successful. In the Cancer
      Institute Hospital series of 230 patients with 300 lesions, only 7% and 1% of the
      patients showed size enlargement and novel node metastasis, respectively, and
      that institution's analysis also revealed that macroscopic or rim calcification
      and poor vascularity were correlated with non-progressing disease. In both
      series, none of the patients who underwent rescue surgery after progression signs
      were detected showed significant recurrence or died of PTC. CONCLUSION: Active
      surveillance of low-risk PMC can be the first-line management. Interestingly,
      older patients with low-risk PMCs are the best candidates for active
      surveillance.

PMID- 28629254
TI  - The "yin and yang" of the adrenal and gonadal systems in elite military men.
AB  - We recently established daily, free-living profiles of the adrenal hormone
      cortisol, the (primarily adrenal) anabolic precursor dehydroepiandrosterone
      (DHEA) and the (primarily gonadal) anabolic hormone testosterone in elite
      military men. A prevailing view is that adrenal and gonadal systems reciprocally
      modulate each other; however, recent paradigm shifts prompted the
      characterization of these systems as parallel, cooperative processes (i.e. the
      "positive coupling" hypothesis). In this study, we tested the positive coupling
      hypothesis in 57 elite military men by evaluating associations between adrenal
      and gonadal biomarkers across the day. Salivary DHEA was moderately and
      positively coupled with salivary cortisol, as was salivary testosterone. Anabolic
      processes (i.e. salivary DHEA and testosterone) were also positively and reliably
      coupled across the day. In multivariate models, salivary DHEA and cortisol
      combined to account for substantial variance in salivary testosterone
      concentrations across the day, but this was driven almost exclusively by DHEA.
      This may reflect choreographed adrenal release of DHEA with testicular and/or
      adrenal release of testosterone, systemic conversion of DHEA to testosterone, or
      both. DHEA and testosterone modestly and less robustly predicted cortisol
      concentrations; this was confined to the morning, and testosterone was the
      primary predictor. Altogether, top-down co-activation of adrenal and gonadal
      hormone secretion may complement bottom-up counter-regulatory functions to foster
      anabolic balance and neuronal survival; hence, the "yin and yang" of adrenal and
      gonadal systems. This may be an adaptive process that is amplified by stress,
      competition, and/or dominance hierarchy.

PMID- 28629255
TI  - Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis associated to Haemophilus parainfluenzae
      endocarditis- a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare but severe and
      potentially fatal syndrome that is characterized by increased proliferation and
      activation of benign macrophages with hemophagocytosis throughout the
      reticuloendothelial system. This syndrome is classified as primary (genetic) or
      secondary when acquired in the context of infections (usually viral),
      malignancies, rheumatologic and metabolic diseases. CASE SUMMARY: We report a
      case of HLH complicating a Haemophilus parainfluenzae mitral valve endocarditis
      and resolving under antibiotic and surgical treatment alone. We also review other
      case reports of infective endocarditis associated with HLH. CONCLUSION: The
      syndrome is probably underdiagnosed. To our knowledge, this is the first report
      of a HLH syndrome associated with H. parainfluenzae endocarditis.

PMID- 28629256
TI  - Managing menopause in women living with HIV: A survey of primary care
      practitioners.
AB  - Objective One in three women living with HIV (WLHIV) in the UK is aged 45-56, and
      therefore of potentially menopausal age. Little is known about the management of
      menopause in WLHIV in primary care. We aim to describe current knowledge and
      practice in the management of menopause in WLWH among primary care practitioners
      (PCPs). Methods A questionnaire-based study of 88 PCPs attending two sexual and
      reproductive health conferences. Results Almost all respondents (n = 87, 99%)
      routinely managed women with menopause-related symptoms; however, only 18 (20%)
      reported having managed menopause in WLHIV. Over 95% (n = 85) reported being
      confident in managing menopause in general, whereas less than half (n = 40)
      reported confidence in managing menopause in WLHIV ( p < 0.001). The majority of
      respondents (n = 84) felt that menopause should be routinely managed in primary
      care, whereas just over half thought that menopause in WLHIV should be managed in
      primary care (n = 50, p < 0.001). Almost all respondents (n = 85) reported
      concerns about managing menopause in WLHIV. Conclusion PCPs reported limited
      experience of and low levels of confidence in managing menopause-related symptoms
      in WLHIV. Nearly all PCPs had concerns about managing menopause-related symptoms
      in WLHIV, many stating that this should be managed outside primary care.
      Development of national guidance and specialised training, coupled with good
      liaison between HIV services and PCPs, may improve confidence in this area.

PMID- 28629257
TI  - Risk stratification of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with interim PET-CT based on
      different cutoff Deauville scores.
AB  - We evaluated the usefulness of interim 18F-FDG PET/CT for risk stratification
      using different cutoff values of the Deauville 5-point scale (5-DS) in DLBCL
      patients treated with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine,
      and prednisone (R-CHOP). One hundred and fifty patients underwent interim (I-)
      and end of treatment (EOT-) PET/CT scans. Applying the conventional 5-DS cutoff
      value of scores 4 to 5 at interim, there was no significant difference in
      progression free survival (PFS) between I-PET negative and I-PET positive
      patients. In comparison, PFS was inferior in patients with a score of 5 on I-PET
      scan compared with those with a score in between 1 to 4 (28.6% vs. 78.7%, p <
      .0001), and positive predictive value (71.4%) was improved compared to that
      obtained using cutoff value of scores 4 to 5 (34.9%). Our study shows that a
      cutoff score of 5 at interim has an alternative clinical implication for
      identifying patients at a significant risk.

PMID- 28629258
TI  - Implementation and preliminary evaluation of 'C-tone': A novel algorithm to
      improve lexical tone recognition in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Because of limited spectral resolution, Mandarin-speaking cochlear
      implant (CI) users have difficulty perceiving fundamental frequency (F0) cues
      that are important to lexical tone recognition. To improve Mandarin tone
      recognition in CI users, we implemented and evaluated a novel real-time algorithm
      (C-tone) to enhance the amplitude contour, which is strongly correlated with the
      F0 contour. METHODS: The C-tone algorithm was implemented in clinical processors
      and evaluated in eight users of the Nurotron NSP-60 CI system. Subjects were
      given 2 weeks of experience with C-tone. Recognition of Chinese tones,
      monosyllables, and disyllables in quiet was measured with and without the C-tone
      algorithm. Subjective quality ratings were also obtained for C-tone. RESULTS:
      After 2 weeks of experience with C-tone, there were small but significant
      improvements in recognition of lexical tones, monosyllables, and disyllables (P <
      0.05 in all cases). Among lexical tones, the largest improvements were observed
      for Tone 3 (falling-rising) and the smallest for Tone 4 (falling). Improvements
      with C-tone were greater for disyllables than for monosyllables. Subjective
      quality ratings showed no strong preference for or against C-tone, except for
      perception of own voice, where C-tone was preferred. DISCUSSION: The real-time C
      tone algorithm provided small but significant improvements for speech performance
      in quiet with no change in sound quality. Pre-processing algorithms to reduce
      noise and better real-time F0 extraction would improve the benefits of C-tone in
      complex listening environments. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese CI users' speech recognition
      in quiet can be significantly improved by modifying the amplitude contour to
      better resemble the F0 contour.

PMID- 28629259
TI  - Bayesian analysis of longitudinal dyadic data with informative missing data using
      a dyadic shared-parameter model.
AB  - Analyzing longitudinal dyadic data is a challenging task due to the complicated
      correlations from repeated measurements and within-dyad interdependence, as well
      as potentially informative (or non-ignorable) missing data. We propose a dyadic
      shared-parameter model to analyze longitudinal dyadic data with ordinal outcomes
      and informative intermittent missing data and dropouts. We model the longitudinal
      measurement process using a proportional odds model, which accommodates the
      within-dyad interdependence using the concept of the actor-partner
      interdependence effects, as well as dyad-specific random effects. We model
      informative dropouts and intermittent missing data using a transition model,
      which shares the same set of random effects as the longitudinal measurement
      model. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method through extensive
      simulation studies. As our approach relies on some untestable assumptions on the
      missing data mechanism, we perform sensitivity analyses to evaluate how the
      analysis results change when the missing data mechanism is misspecified. We
      demonstrate our method using a longitudinal dyadic study of metastatic breast
      cancer.

PMID- 28629260
TI  - Risk of Dementia in Adults With ADHD: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study
      in Taiwan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between adults with
      ADHD and the risk of developing dementia. METHOD: Utilizing National Health
      Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, ADHD patients were identified and compared
      with age- and gender-matched controls (1:3). RESULTS: Of the study participants,
      37 (5.48%) developed dementia compared with 81 (4.0%) in the control group. Cox
      proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the study participants
      were more likely to develop dementia. The crude hazard ratio (HR) is 3.418 (95%
      confidence interval [CI] = [2.289, 5.106], p < .001), and adjusted HR is 4.008
      (95% CI = [2.526, 6.361], p < .001) in risk of developing dementia after adjusted
      for age, gender, comorbidities, geographical area of residence, urbanization
      level of residence, and monthly income. CONCLUSION: Adults with ADHD have a 3.4
      fold risk of developing dementia, and other large or national data sets should be
      explored to support the current findings.

PMID- 28629261
TI  - Assessment of leakage pressure following enterotomy closure reinforced by tissue
      adhesive in a caprine cadaver model.
AB  - AIMS: To compare the combination of suture and tissue adhesive with suture alone
      for closure of enterotomy incisions in an ex vivo caprine jejunal model, by
      measuring the intraluminal pressure at which leakage occurred and the proportion
      of closures that leaked at intraluminal pressures <40 mmHg. METHODS: Jejunal
      tissue was harvested from a goat following euthanasia, and enterotomy incisions
      (4 mm in length) were made in each of 24 isolated jejunal segments. The
      enterotomies were randomly assigned to be closed using a single interrupted
      suture alone (n=12) or in combination with biopolymer tissue adhesive (n=12). The
      jejunal segments were infused with saline containing fluorescent dye and leakage
      pressure was defined as the peak pressure attained when visible leakage of saline
      solution occurred. The number of enterotomies that did or did not exhibit leakage
      at <40 mmHg intraluminal pressure was also recorded. RESULTS: Enterotomies closed
      using a combination of suture and tissue adhesive leaked at higher intraluminal
      pressure (58.2 (SD 4.7) mmHg) than those closed with suture alone (29.8 (SD 4.2)
      mmHg; p<0.001). The proportion of enterotomy closures in which the intraluminal
      pressure failed to reach 40 mmHg before leakage occurred was higher in
      enterotomies closed using suture alone (9/12, 75%) compared to those closed using
      both suture and tissue adhesive (3/12, 25%; p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL
      RELEVANCE: Use of tissue adhesive in addition to sutures increased the
      intraluminal pressure achieved before leakage occurred, compared to sutures
      alone, following enterotomy closure in a caprine cadaver model. In vivo studies
      are indicated to further assess the value of supplementing intestinal suture
      lines with tissue adhesive.

PMID- 28629262
TI  - Dynamic modelling of n-of-1 data: powerful and flexible data analytics applied to
      individualised studies.
AB  - N-of-1 studies are based on repeated observations within an individual or unit
      over time and are acknowledged as an important research method for generating
      scientific evidence about the health or behaviour of an individual. Statistical
      analyses of n-of-1 data require accurate modelling of the outcome while
      accounting for its distribution, time-related trend and error structures (e.g.,
      autocorrelation) as well as reporting readily usable contextualised effect sizes
      for decision-making. A number of statistical approaches have been documented but
      no consensus exists on which method is most appropriate for which type of n-of-1
      design. We discuss the statistical considerations for analysing n-of-1 studies
      and briefly review some currently used methodologies. We describe dynamic
      regression modelling as a flexible and powerful approach, adaptable to different
      types of outcomes and capable of dealing with the different challenges inherent
      to n-of-1 statistical modelling. Dynamic modelling borrows ideas from
      longitudinal and event history methodologies which explicitly incorporate the
      role of time and the influence of past on future. We also present an illustrative
      example of the use of dynamic regression on monitoring physical activity during
      the retirement transition. Dynamic modelling has the potential to expand
      researchers' access to robust and user-friendly statistical methods for
      individualised studies.

PMID- 28629264
TI  - A comparative study of subgroup identification methods for differential treatment
      effect: Performance metrics and recommendations.
AB  - Subgroup identification with differential treatment effects serves as an
      important step towards precision medicine, as it provides evidence regarding how
      individuals with specific characteristics respond to a given treatment. This
      knowledge not only supports the tailoring of treatment strategies but also
      prompts the development of new treatments. This manuscript provides a brief
      overview of the issues associated with the methodologies aimed at identifying
      subgroups with differential treatment effects, and studies in depth the
      operational characteristics of five data-driven methods that have appeared
      recently in the literature. The performance of the methods under study to
      identify correctly the covariates affecting treatment effects is evaluated via
      simulation and under various conditions. Two clinical trial data sets are also
      used to illustrate the application of these methods. Discussion and
      recommendations pertaining to the use of these methods are provided, with
      emphasis on the relative performance of the methods under the conditions studied.

PMID- 28629263
TI  - Mass spectrometry-based analysis of murine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid following
      respiratory exposure to 4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate aerosol.
AB  - 1. Diisocyanates are highly reactive electrophiles utilized in the manufacture of
      a wide range of polyurethane products and have been identified as causative
      agents of occupational allergic respiratory disease. However, in spite of the
      significant occupational health burden associated with diisocyanate-induced
      asthma, the mechanism of disease pathogenesis remains largely unknown. 2. To
      better understand the fate of inhaled diisocyanates, a nose-only aerosol exposure
      system was constructed and utilized to expose a BALB/c mouse model to an aerosol
      generated from 4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). Tissue and
      bronchoalveolar lavage samples were evaluated 4 and 24 h post-exposure for
      evidence of diisocyanate-protein haptenation, and a label-free quantitative
      proteomics strategy was employed to evaluate relative changes to the protein
      content of the cellular fraction of the lavage fluid. 3. Following MDI aerosol
      exposure, expression of the number of proteins with immunological or xenobiotic
      metabolism relevance is increased, including endoplasmin, cytochrome P450 and
      argininosuccinate synthase. Western blot analysis indicated MDI-conjugated
      protein in the lavage fluid, which was identified as serum albumin. 4. Tandem
      mass spectrometry analysis of MDI-albumin revealed MDI conjugation occurs at a
      dilysine motif at Lys525, as well as at a glutamine-lysine motif at Lys414, in
      good agreement with previously published in vitro data on diisocyanate-conjugated
      serum albumin.

PMID- 28629265
TI  - The comparative analysis of postural and biomechanical parameters of preschool
      teachers pre- and post-intervention within the ErgoKiTa study.
AB  - The ErgoKiTa study aimed to determine the musculoskeletal strain of preschool
      teachers and to identify and evaluate suitable prevention measures to reduce this
      strain. A comprehensive work analysis using objective and subjective methods was
      performed to determine the present work situation in preschools in Germany, and
      the results were used to derive suitable intervention measures. The
      musculoskeletal strain was determined by means of a comprehensive analysis of
      postures, forces and movements using the CUELA system and calculated as
      cumulative shift workloads. The intervention measures were evaluated in a pre-
      and post-intervention assessment for 12 participants. Significant alterations in
      the duration of postures were determined, specifically for the daily duration of
      knee-straining postures as well as the degree of trunk flexion between 60 degrees
      and 90 degrees , which were reduced from 8.4 to 3.1% and from 3.7 to 2.4%,
      respectively, following the intervention. Practitioner Summary: Research has
      shown that preschool teachers are at risk of developing musculoskeletal
      disorders. The effects of a situation-orientated and behaviour-orientated
      intervention approach were assessed with regard to awkward working postures.
      Significant alterations in the duration of postures following the intervention
      were found, specifically for knee-straining postures.

PMID- 28629266
TI  - Polygonatum Sibiricum Polysaccharide Promotes Osteoblastic Differentiation
      Through the ERK/GSK-3beta/beta-Catenin Signaling Pathway In Vitro.
AB  - Natural compound polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide (PSP) has a variety of
      biological actions such as reducing blood fat, antitumor and antioxidant
      activities, and enhancing immune function. Our previous study has revealed that
      PSP can promote osteoblastic (OB) differentiation in bone mesenchymal stem cells
      by increasing nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin. This study was designed to
      investigate that PSP can upregulate nuclear beta-catenin, which was prevented by
      inhibiting the glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) activity, by
      effectively activating Wnt signaling independent of low-density lipoprotein
      receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5). We showed that PSP reduced the level of GSK
      3beta, which phosphorylates and destabilizes nuclear beta-catenin through
      extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Taken together,
      these findings demonstrate that PSP promotes OB differentiation and
      mineralization in vitro through the ERK/GSK-3beta/beta-catenin signaling
      pathways. This study may aid in the development of a therapeutic approach
      utilizing PSP for the enhancement of bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.

PMID- 28629267
TI  - Adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate onto precipitate in treatment of vat dark
      blue BO by dissolved air flotation.
AB  - Vat dark blue BO-simulated wastewater was treated by dissolved air flotation
      (DAF). In this process, the interactions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and
      resulting DAF process precipitates were investigated by infrared spectroscopy and
      kinetic methods. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed that gamma values
      (cm-1) for asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations of CH2 groups for SDS
      treated precipitation shifted toward higher in comparison to pure SDS, showing
      strong SDS and precipitate interactions. This showed the chemical adsorption of
      SDS onto precipitate surfaces. Adsorption data were well described by a pseudo
      second-order model, with an adsorption activation energy of 42.602 kJ mol-1,
      further predicting an SDS chemisorption uptake process by the precipitate. SDS
      could be considered as one of the most efficient flotation agents for the removal
      of vat dark blue BO in DAF processing.

PMID- 28629268
TI  - Comparing the effect of Cawthorne-Cooksey and Frenkel exercises on balance in
      patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Cawthorne-Cooksey and Frenkel exercises on
      balance in patients with multiple sclerosis. DESIGN: It was a three-arm parallel
      randomized controlled trial study. SETTING: Outpatient clinic. SUBJECTS: Patients
      with multiple sclerosis. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects in the intervention groups
      completed a 12-week program consisted of Cawthorne-Cooksey or Frenkel exercises.
      The control group only received routine care. MAIN MEASURES: The outcome measure
      was the Berg Balance Scale. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients completed the study. At
      the end of the intervention, there was a statistically significant improvement in
      Berg Balance Scale in the Cawthorne-Cooksey group ( n = 24) in comparison with
      the other two groups ( P = 0.001). In the Frenkel group ( n = 23), the
      improvement was statistically greater than the changes in the control group ( n =
      25), but it did not appear to be clinically significant. The Berg Balance Scale
      score increased to 8.9 in the Cawthorne-Cooksey group and 2.3 in the Frenkel
      group, while it decreased to 1.2 in the control group. When comparing inter-group
      changes, Berg Balance Scale showed significant improvements in favor of the
      Cawthorne-Cooksey group after the intervention ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This
      study demonstrated that in comparison with Frenkel and the control groups, a
      program of Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise is more effective in improving balance in
      patients with multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 28629269
TI  - Aquatic obstacle training improves freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease
      patients: a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of aquatic obstacle training on
      balance parameters in comparison with a traditional aquatic therapy in patients
      with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: A randomized single-blind controlled trial.
      SETTING: Outpatients in the rehabilitation department. SUBJECTS: A total of 46
      patients with Parkinson's disease in Hoehn-Yahr stage 2-3. INTERVENTIONS:
      Participants were randomly assigned to (1) aquatic therapy or (2) obstacle
      aquatic therapy. All participants undertook aquatic therapy for 30 minutes, five
      times per week for six weeks. MAIN MEASURES: The Freezing of Gait Questionnaire,
      Functional Reach Test, Timed Up and Go test and Berg Balance Scale were assessed
      at baseline, posttreatment and at six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Both groups of
      patients had improved primary outcomes after the training program. A between
      group comparison of the changes revealed that obstacle aquatic therapy was
      significantly higher for the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (after treatment: 8.7
      +/- 3.3 vs 6.2 +/- 2.1, P = 0.004; posttest: 7.7 +/- 3.1 vs 5.3 +/- 2.0, P =
      0.003) and Timed Up and Go test (after treatment: 17.1 +/- 2.9 vs 13.8 +/- 1.9, P
      < 0.001; posttest: 16.3 +/- 2.8 vs 12.9 +/- 1.4, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Obstacle
      aquatic therapy in this protocol seems to be more effective than traditional
      protocols for gait and balance in patients with Parkinson's disease, and the
      effect lasts for six months.

PMID- 28629270
TI  - A randomized controlled trial of a modified wheelchair arm-support to reduce
      shoulder pain in stroke patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of modified wheelchair arm-support to mitigate
      hemiplegic shoulder pain and reduce pain frequency in stroke patients. DESIGN: A
      single-blind randomized controlled trial using computer-generated simple
      randomization. SETTING: Participants recruited from inpatients at the Guangdong
      Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. SUBJECTS: A total of 120 patients with
      stroke were divided into two groups. INTERVENTIONS: All subjects underwent basic
      rehabilitation training and wheelchair assistance with eight weeks follow-up
      period. Patients in the treatment group additionally received modified wheelchair
      arm-support for at least 60 minutes a day, six days a week, for four weeks.
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was measured by the Visual Analogue Pain Scale
      or Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Secondary outcome was measured using the Upper
      Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, Modified Barthel Index and Quality of Life
      Index. Measurements were made at 4 weeks and 12 weeks, following the
      intervention. RESULTS: Patients age from 21 to 83 years (mean +/- SD = 62.41 +/-
      12.26). The average duration of disease was 1.9 +/- 1.3 months. At four weeks,
      the median of pain intensity was higher in the control group (median,
      interquartile range = 3, 5.75 vs. 2, 3.75; P = 0.059). At 12 weeks, the median of
      pain intensity was higher in the control group (median, interquartile range = 3,
      5.00 vs. 0, 1.00; P < 0.001). At 12 weeks, patients with shoulder pain were
      higher in the control group (6 vs. 1; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Using the modified
      wheelchair arm-support could lead to the mitigation of hemiplegic shoulder pain
      and reduction in pain incidence in stroke patients. It may also improve the
      patients' quality of life.

PMID- 28629271
TI  - Expression of Interleukin-1 and temporomandibular disorder: Contemporary review
      of the literature.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions affecting
      the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), leading to jaw dysfunction, joint and muscle
      pain, and a decrease in quality of life. A communication network of pro- and anti
      inflammatory mediators called cytokines maintains the homeostasis of the TMJ.
      This review will focus on the Interleukin (IL) family of cytokines, which have
      been quantified in TMJ synovial fluids in a variety of studies. IL-1alpha and IL
      1beta have pro-inflammatory effects, while the endogenous receptor antagonist (IL
      1RA) inhibits the pro-inflammatory effects of IL-1. METHODS: A literature search
      (2006-2016) to identify eligible studies was completed using the PubMed database.
      Studies identified used saline irrigation to quantify cytokine profiles in
      synovial fluid of healthy and/or dysfunctional joints. RESULTS: The initial
      search yielded 111 articles, 5 of which met the inclusion criteria after inter
      reviewer discussion. CONCLUSIONS: Articles that compared IL-1 concentrations in
      TMD vs. control groups found significant differences.

PMID- 28629272
TI  - Treating Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Within an Emotional Disorders Framework:
      Acceptability and Feasibility of the Unified Protocol in an Inpatient Setting.
AB  - We provide a theoretical rationale for applying a transdiagnostic, shared
      mechanism treatment (the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of
      Emotional Disorders [UP]) to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. We also present
      results from a proof of concept study examining the feasibility and acceptability
      of adding a modified UP to treatment as usual (TAU) in an inpatient setting for
      individuals reporting a recent suicide attempt or active suicidal ideation.
      Participants ( N = 12) were randomly assigned to receive UP + TAU or TAU alone.
      Findings indicate good feasibility and acceptability of the adjunctive
      intervention. Among participants who were responsive to contact attempts
      postdischarge ( n = 6), there were no observable differences in suicidal thoughts
      or behaviors during a 6-month follow-up. This application represents a promising
      initial extension of a cognitive-behavioral, emotion-focused treatment to
      suicidal individuals within an inpatient setting. Future studies adequately
      powered to speak to efficacy of the modified UP intervention are warranted.

PMID- 28629273
TI  - The association between maternal race and adverse outcomes in twin pregnancies
      with similar healthcare access.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare twin pregnancy outcomes between white and nonwhite women
      with similar access to health care. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of all
      twin pregnancies delivered by a single maternal-fetal medicine practice from 2005
      2016. All patients had private health insurance and equal access to physician
      care. Outcomes were compared between white and nonwhite women using logistic
      regression to adjust for differences at baseline. RESULTS: Of the 858 women
      included, 730 (85.1%) were white and 128 (14.9%) were nonwhite. Univariate
      analysis demonstrated that nonwhite women had higher rates of preterm birth <32
      weeks (12.5 versus 6.7%, p = .022), cesarean delivery (78.1% versus 61.4% of all
      women, p < .001 and 43.5% versus 16.1% of women who attempted labor, p < .001),
      preeclampsia (22.4% versus 14.5%, p = .029) and gestational diabetes (23.2%
      versus 7.3%, p < .001). On adjusted analysis, nonwhite race remained
      significantly associated with cesarean delivery in women who attempted labor (aOR
      2.27, 95% CI: 1.09, 4.71) and gestational diabetes (aOR 2.61, 95% CI: 1.53,
      4.45). CONCLUSIONS: Nonwhite women with twin pregnancies have an increased risk
      of adverse outcomes that cannot be explained by access to care. Although
      improving access to care is an important goal for health care systems, our data
      suggest that this alone will not eliminate all disparities in health care
      outcomes between women of different races.

PMID- 28629274
TI  - Investigation of serum thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with abortus
      imminens.
AB  - AIM: The aim of our study is to compare serum thiol/disulphide homeostasis of
      women diagnosed with abortus imminens (AI) and healthy pregnant women, and to
      determine whether it has a role in the pathogenesis of the disease or not.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 pregnant women were included in the study.
      The study group consisted of 50 patients with AI whereas 50 healthy pregnant
      women were chosen as the control group. All of the patients in the two groups
      were matched for age, gestational age, and body mass index. Thiol/disulphide
      levels were analyzed with a newly developed automated spectrophotometric method.
      RESULTS: We found significantly reduced levels of native thiol (SH) (370.2 +/-
      35.2 MUmol/l versus 397.6 +/- 29.3 MUmol/l) and total thiol (406 +/- 37.1 MUmol/l
      versus 434.5 +/- 29.9 MUmol/l), in the sera of the study group compared to the
      control group (p < .001). But serum levels of disulphide (SS) were statistically
      insignificant between the two groups (17.9 +/- 5.9 MUmol/l versus 18.4 +/- 4.9
      MUmol/l, p: .612). Similarly, no significant differences were observed between
      the two groups in terms of SS/SH, SS/total thiol and SH/total thiol ratios (all p
      > .05). CONCLUSIONS: We found a decrease in thiol levels which have antioxidant
      properties in patients with AI. Decreased antioxidant level in the body is
      thought to play a role in the etiology of AI. In this regard, further studies are
      needed to elucidate the potential role of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in
      the pathogenesis of AI.

PMID- 28629275
TI  - Applying Learning Theory to Safety and Health Training for Hispanic Immigrant
      Dairy Workers.
AB  - We designed a safety and health curriculum for dairy immigrant workers aiming to
      increase knowledge, encourage safe behavior, and reduce worker communication
      inequalities to prevent occupational injury and diseases. The design is largely
      based on the Taxonomy of Significant Learning and incorporated behavioral and
      adult learning theories and principles of occupational hazard control. Trainings
      were implemented with 836 Spanish-speaking workers from 67 farms in Wisconsin.
      Sixty-seven percent of workers reported never being trained before in dairy
      safety, 65% of these worked in dairy for 5 or fewers years, and 26% of workers
      reported being ever injured while working on dairy. Quantitative and qualitative
      evaluation of the trainings suggest that our curriculum successfully increased
      worker knowledge and promoted contemplation of safe practices. The overall
      knowledge gain of 25% was statistically significant ( p < .01). Workers recalled
      at least one key concept, expressed confidence of adopting at least one safety
      behavior, and mentioned their intention to communicate safety concerns to
      farmers. To our knowledge, this is the first Taxonomy of Significant Learning
      application to occupational safety and health education. Our curriculum can
      support dairy farmers' compliance with Occupational Safety and Health
      Administration's annual training requirements by providing our basic safety and
      health training to workers at early job stages.

PMID- 28629277
TI  - Addressing Tobacco Use Among Consumers and Staff at Behavioral Health Treatment
      Facilities Through Comprehensive Workplace Programming.
AB  - Tobacco use is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States;
      cigarette smoking is the most common form of tobacco use. Smoking has become
      increasingly concentrated among individuals with behavioral health needs (e.g.,
      persistent mental illness) and has led to increased morbidity and mortality in
      this group relative to the general population. Comprehensive tobacco-free
      workplace programs are effective in reducing tobacco use and cigarette smoke
      exposure among behavioral health consumers and the individuals who serve them.
      Taking Texas Tobacco-Free (TTTF) represents an academic-community partnership
      formed to address tobacco use among consumers and employees at behavioral health
      clinics across Texas via the dissemination of an evidence-based, multicomponent
      tobacco-free workplace program. Program components of TTTF include tobacco-free
      campus policy implementation and enforcement, staff education about tobacco use
      hazards, provider training to regularly screen for and address tobacco dependence
      via intervention, and community outreach. These components, the nature of the
      academic-community partnership, the process of behavioral health facility
      involvement and engagement, and the benefits and challenges of implementation
      from the perspectives of the project team and participating clinic leaders are
      described. This information can guide similar academic and community partnerships
      and inform the implementation of other statewide tobacco-free workplace
      programming.

PMID- 28629279
TI  - Understanding Determinants of Cardiovascular Health in a Mexican American
      Community.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Hispanic Americans.
      Social and physical determinants of health unique to this community must be
      understood before interventions can be designed and implemented. This article
      describes a CVD risk assessment conducted in a primarily Mexican American
      community, using Healthy People 2020 as a model. Social (language, culture,
      awareness of CVD, and socio-economic status) and physical (presence and use of
      recreation areas, presence of grocery stores, public transportation, and
      environmental pollution) determinants of health as well as access to health
      services were assessed. Fifteen community leaders were interviewed using guided
      interviews. Database searches and direct observations were conducted. Using these
      methods provided comprehensive assessment of social and physical determinants of
      health, and access issues that were unique to the community studied. Findings
      demonstrated greater awareness of diabetes than CVD as a health problem, with
      little knowledge of CVD risk factors. Lack of access to health services (lack of
      insurance, lack of a medical home) and presence of cultural and socioeconomic
      barriers such as language, unemployment, low income, and lack of insurance were
      identified. The physical determinants such as environment presented fewer
      barriers, with adequate access to fruits and vegetables, transportation, and
      parks. Results revealed target areas for intervention.

PMID- 28629280
TI  - Absent ductus venosus: case series from two tertiary centres.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Congenital absence of the ductus venosus (ADV) is a rare vascular
      anomaly often associated with fetal cardiac and extracardiac anomalies,
      aneuploidies, and hydrops. The prognosis depends on the patterns of abnormal
      venous circulation, on the associated malformations and on chromosomal
      aberrations. METHODS: We performed a retrospective audit of all consecutive cases
      with ADV referred in our centres and analysed the outcomes. RESULTS: A total of
      six cases with prenatally diagnosed ADV were identified. The gestational age at
      diagnosis ranged from 15 to 35 weeks. Karyotyping was performed in all cases.
      Normal karyotype was found in five out of the six cases. Overall, four neonates
      survived at 28 days follow-up. The other two died 48 h after delivery: both of
      them had extrahepatic ADV. DISCUSSION: Absence of the ductus venosus may be
      compatible with normal fetal development without relevant disturbance of
      circulation and oxygenation independently from type of abnormal venous
      circulation.

PMID- 28629281
TI  - Noninvasive Quantitative Assessment of Hepatic Steatosis by Proton Magnetic
      Resonance Spectroscopy Among Adult Patients Receiving Home Parenteral Nutrition.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intestinal failure-associated liver disease is a frequent
      complication in patients with chronic intestinal failure (CIF), with steatosis as
      a dominant feature in adults. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is
      a noninvasive method to quantify liver fat content (LFC). In this study, LFC was
      assessed with 1H-MRS, taking into account the possible accumulation of
      paramagnetic components of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) that may disturb these
      measurements. METHODS: LFC was measured in 15 adult CIF patients who had been
      receiving HPN for >6 months. 1H-MR spectra were obtained with a 3 Tesla magnetic
      resonance (MR) system, with a method correcting for the presence of paramagnetic
      ions. Patients with low (<5%) versus high (>=5%, steatosis) LFC were compared
      with nonparametric statistical tests. RESULTS: 1H-MRS analysis revealed steatosis
      in 5 patients (median, 10.3%), while 10 patients had normal LFC (median, 0.9%).
      In all patients, the 1H-MRS results indicated the presence of various amounts of
      paramagnetic constituents in the liver. Patients with steatosis had higher
      alanine aminotransferase values than patients without steatosis (median, 60 vs 28
      U/L). Unexpectedly, in the steatosis group, the frequency of HPN use was lower,
      with significant lower total HPN and carbohydrate calories. In 1 patient, MR
      spectra were of inferior quality, with broadened resonances after infusion with a
      ferric compound. CONCLUSION: 1H-MRS enables reliable noninvasive assessment of
      LFC in patients receiving long-term HPN, if correcting for possible accumulation
      of paramagnetic components in the liver. However, LFC determination by 1H-MRS is
      not recommended after a recent ferric compound infusion.

PMID- 28629282
TI  - Emotional intelligence, trauma severity, and emotional expression.
AB  - This study investigated Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a moderator for the
      association between emotional expression and adaptive trauma processing, as
      measured by depressive symptoms. Using Pennebaker's written emotional expression
      paradigm, 105 participants were assigned to either a conventional trauma-writing
      or religious trauma-writing condition. Depressive symptoms were assessed at
      baseline and again at one-month post writing. No significant association between
      EI and religiousness was found at baseline. Results indicated a three-way
      interaction among EI, trauma severity, and writing condition on depressive
      symptoms at follow-up. For the religious trauma-writing condition only, there was
      a significant difference between high- versus low-EI participants who experienced
      more severe trauma in depressive symptoms at follow-up, such that low-EI
      participants registered less depressive symptoms than high-EI participants; while
      there was no significant difference between low versus high EI for participants
      with less severe trauma. These findings encourage further investigation of the
      conditions under which religion may be a beneficial factor in trauma adaptation.

PMID- 28629283
TI  - Prevalence and correlates of major depression among Nigerian adults with sickle
      cell disease.
AB  - Objective To ascertain the current and lifetime prevalence of depression among
      adults with sickle cell disease and identify relevant socio-demographic and
      clinical correlates. Method A cross-sectional study of 205 stable adult out
      patient attendees at a treatment center in southern Nigeria between April and
      September, 2014. A socio-demographic questionnaire, the depression module of Mini
      International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the eight-item Morisky Medication
      Adherence Scale were administered. Categorical and continuous variables
      associated with a diagnosis of depression were tested using chi-squared and t
      tests respectively. Level of significance was set a priori at P < 0.05. Results
      Prevalence of current depression was 16.6%, while lifetime prevalence was 29.8%.
      Current depression was significantly associated with frequent analgesic use ( P <
      0.03), unemployment ( P = 0.04), low income ( P < .04), low educational status (
      P < 0.01), and subjective pain ( P < 0.001). Subjective pain was nearly twice as
      likely to predict a current depressive episode (AOR: 1.81, 95%CI: 1.42-2.02, P <
      0.03). Conclusions Depression is common among adults with sickle cell disease and
      is significantly associated with severity of subjective pain.

PMID- 28629284
TI  - Anxiety leads to up-regulation of CD36 on the monocytes of chronic hepatitis B
      infected patients.
AB  - Introduction It has been hypothesized that mental disorders including depression
      and anxiety can affect immune responses. The study was done to evaluate the
      relation between depression and anxiety and expression levels of CD36, CD68, and
      CD9 on peripheral blood monocytes of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Methods
      Sixty CHB patients were selected with various ranges of depression and anxiety.
      Depression and anxiety were evaluated using a standard questionnaire by an expert
      psychiatrist according to BECK's Depression Inventory II and Hamilton Anxiety
      Rating Scale, respectively. The levels of CD36, CD68, and CD9 on the peripheral
      blood monocytes have been performed using flow cytometry technique. Results The
      results demonstrated that levels of CD36 were significantly increased on the
      peripheral blood monocytes of CHB patients when compared with CHB patients with
      no anxiety. Expression levels of CD68 and CD9 were not significantly altered on
      the CHB patients with various ranges of anxiety. Expression levels of CD36, CD68,
      and CD9 were also not significantly altered on the CHB patients with various
      ranges of depression. Discussion It seems that anxiety induces inflammation in
      the CHB patients by induction of alteration in several molecules including up
      regulation of CD36. CD36 plays important roles in the induction of tissue damage;
      hence, it may be hypothesized that anxiety may participate in the induction of
      some hepatitis B complications.

PMID- 28629285
TI  - Acute movement disorders in the medical setting.
AB  - Objective Psychosomatic medicine psychiatrists are often tasked with the
      evaluation and treatment of complex neuropsychiatric states which may be motoric
      in phenotype. Little energy has been dedicated to understanding acute movement
      disorders in the hospital environment. Method Recognizing the importance of
      frontal-subcortical (corticostriatothalamocortical) circuitry and basal ganglia
      structures, we present a case series of acute movement disorder phenotypes
      resulting from underlying medical conditions, commonly-administered medications,
      or the interaction of both. We organize these scenarios into neurodegenerative
      disorders, primary psychiatric disorders, neuroinflammation, and polypharmacy,
      demonstrating a clinical example of each followed by background references on a
      variety of clinical states and medications contributing to acute movement
      disorders. In addition, we offer visual illustration of implicated neurocircuitry
      as well as proposed neurotransmitter imbalances involving glutamate, gamma
      aminobutyric acid, and dopamine. Furthermore, we review the various clinical
      syndromes and medications involved in the development of acute movement
      disorders. Results Acute movement disorder's involve complex interactions between
      frontal-subcortical circuits and acute events. Given the complexity of
      interactions, psychopharmacological considerations become critical, as some
      treatments may alleviate acute movement disorders while others will exacerbate
      them. Conclusion Integrating underlying medical conditions and acutely
      administered (or discontinued) pharmacological agents offers an interactional,
      neuromedical approach to acute movement disorders that is critical to the work of
      psychosomatic medicine.

PMID- 28629286
TI  - Psychotherapy for cancer patients.
AB  - Objective Psychotherapy is a common non-pharmacological approach to help cancer
      patients in their psychological distress. The benefit of psychotherapies was
      documented, but the types of psychotherapies proposed are varied. Given that the
      previous literature review was a decade ago and no quantitative analysis was done
      on this topic, we again critically and systematically reviewed all published
      trials on psychotherapy in cancer patients. Method We identified 17 clinical
      trials on six types of psychotherapy for cancer patients by searching PubMed and
      EMBASE. Result There were four trials involved adjunct psychological therapy
      which were included in quantitative analysis. Each trial demonstrated that
      psychotherapy improved the quality of life and coping in cancer patients. There
      was also a reduction in distress, anxiety, and depression after a psychological
      intervention. However, the number and quality of clinical trials for each type of
      psychotherapy were poor. The meta-analysis of the four trials involved adjunct
      psychological therapy showed no significant change in depression, with only
      significant short-term improvement in anxiety but not up to a year-the
      standardized mean differences were -0.37 (95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.57, 
      0.16) at 2 months, -0.21 (95% CI = -0.42, -0.01) at 4 months, and 0.03 (95 % CI =
      -0.19, 0.24) at 12 months. Conclusion The evidence on the efficacy of
      psychotherapy in cancer patients is unsatisfactory. There is a need for more
      rigorous and well-designed clinical trials on this topic.

PMID- 28629288
TI  - P53 Mutation and Epigenetic Imprinted IGF2/H19 Gene Analysis in Mesenchymal Stem
      Cells Derived from Amniotic Fluid, Amnion, Endometrium, and Wharton's Jelly.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are promising cells for medical therapy. In in vitro
      expansion, MSC can give rise to progeny with genomic and epigenomic alterations,
      resulting in senescence, loss of terminal differentiation, and transformation to
      cancer. However, MSC genome protects its genetic instability by a guardian
      function of the P53 tumor suppressor gene and epigenetic balance system during
      MSC culture. Mutations of P53 and epigenetic alterations have been reported to
      disrupt the quality and quantity of MSC and initiate tumorigenesis. We monitor
      P53 and epigenetic changes in MSC derived from amniotic fluid (AF-MSC), amnion
      membrane (AM-MSC), endometrium (EM-MSC), and Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSC) by the
      missense mutation analysis of the P53 gene and the expression levels of P53, and
      epigenetic insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and H19-imprinted genes. Our work
      demonstrates a variation of P53 expression among different MSC types. AF-MSC has
      a high P53 expression level with retaining a stability of P53 expression
      throughout a long culture period, whereas EM-MSC and WJ-MSC showed variation of
      P53 gene expression during culture. Epigenetic analysis showed a stable H19
      expression pattern in AF-MSC, AM-MSC, and EM-MSC culture, whereas H19 expression
      fluctuated in WJ-MSC culture. We conclude that gene instability can be found
      during in vitro MSC expansion. With awareness to MSC quality and safety in MSC
      transformation risk, P53 mutation and IGF2 and H19-imprinted gene analysis should
      be applied to monitor in therapeutic-grade MSC. We also demonstrated that AF-MSC
      is one of the most interesting MSC for medical therapy because of its high
      genomic stability and epigenetic fidelity.

PMID- 28629287
TI  - Anti-acetylcholinesterase activity and antioxidant properties of extracts and
      fractions of Carpolobia lutea.
AB  - CONTEXT: There is an unmet need to discover new treatments for Alzheimer's
      disease. This study determined the anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity,
      DPPH free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of Carpolobia lutea G.
      Don (Polygalaceae). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to quantify C.
      lutea anti-AChE, DPPH free radical scavenging, and antioxidant activities and
      cell cytotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plant stem, leaves and roots were
      subjected to sequential solvent extractions, and screened for anti-AChE activity
      across a concentration range of 0.02-200 MUg/mL. Plant DPPH radical scavenging
      activity, reducing power, and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were
      determined, and cytotoxicity evaluated using human hepatocytes. RESULTS:
      Carpolobia lutea exhibited concentration-dependent anti-AChE activity. The most
      potent inhibitory activity for the stem was the crude ethanol extract and hexane
      stem fraction oil (IC50 = 140 MUg/mL); for the leaves, the chloroform leaf
      fraction (IC50 = 60 MUg/mL); and for roots, the methanol, ethyl acetate and
      aqueous root fractions (IC50 = 0.3-3 MUg/mL). Dose-dependent free radical
      scavenging activity and reducing power were observed with increasing stem, leaf
      or root concentration. Total phenolic contents were the highest in the stem: ~632
      mg gallic acid equivalents/g for a hexane stem fraction oil. Total flavonoid
      content was the highest in the leaves: ~297 mg quercetin equivalents/g for a
      chloroform leaf fraction. At 1 MUg/mL, only the crude ethanol extract oil was
      significantly cytotoxic to hepatocytes. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Carpolobia
      lutea possesses anti-AChE activity and beneficial antioxidant capacity indicative
      of its potential development as a treatment of Alzheimer's and other diseases
      characterized by a cholinergic deficit.

PMID- 28629289
TI  - Mania induced by adalimumab in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis.
AB  - Objectives Monoclonal antibodies such as antagonists of tumor necrosis factor
      alpha have been shown to have beneficial effects on the well-being of patients
      with inflammatory illnesses. However, mood episodes triggered by such agents have
      been reported. We herein report the case of mania induced by adalimumab treatment
      in an adult with ankylosing spondylitis, which later resolved once adalimumab was
      discontinued and mood stabilizers were initiated. Methods A 25-year-old man, with
      prior history of dysthymia, was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and started
      on adalimumab. He gradually developed manic symptoms over seven to eight months,
      while maintained on adalimumab. As his condition did not improve with outpatient
      management, the patient was admitted to the Psychiatry inpatient unit. Results
      Valproate and aripiprazole were initiated, and adalimumab was substituted with
      non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Mood symptoms resolved within days, and
      the patient was discharged. Upon follow-up, the patient was euthymic and
      compliant to his psychotropic medications. He was started on certolizumab, a
      different immunomodulatory, for his ankylosing spondylitis. Conclusions
      Immunological modulation might be a key factor in triggering, maintaining, or
      treating mood symptoms. Further research in this field is warranted to better
      understand the pathophysiology of mania. To our knowledge, manic symptoms induced
      by adalimumab have not been previously reported in the literature, which is why
      our case report can have an impact in recognizing this important clinical adverse
      effect.

PMID- 28629290
TI  - Functional foods: How functional are they? A case report of supplement-induced
      psychosis.
AB  - There is rising evidence of patients' use of alternative and complementary
      medicine. The percentage of the U.S. population who used at least one dietary
      supplement increased from 42% in 1988-1994 to 53% in 2003-2006. We present a case
      of an Asian female in her 40s, with no previous psychiatric illness, who
      presented to the emergency room following a brief psychotic episode, during which
      she self-amputated the tips of her fingers, after using multivitamins and herbal
      supplements including ginseng, gui yuan rou (Chinese herb), astaxanthin, goji
      (Chinese fruit), selenium, saw palmetto, grape seed extract, citrus bioflavanoid,
      lutein (zeaxantin), resvexatrol, sun chlorella, spirulina powder, phytoceramides,
      phytoestrogen, glucosatrin, bromelain plus, and American bee pollen.
      Comprehensive laboratory workup, drug screening, and diagnostic imaging were
      negative. Vital signs were stable. Other than the amputated finger tips, the
      remainder of her physical examination was unremarkable. Her mental status
      improved significantly after treatment with risperidone 1 mg twice daily, during
      a five-day psychiatric hospitalization. This case draws attention to the fact
      that supplements have the potential of producing frank psychosis and require
      close monitoring and study by physicians.

PMID- 28629292
TI  - Increased blood pressures in veterans with post traumatic stress disorder.
AB  - Objective Veterans of war affected by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at
      increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to compare brachial and
      central blood pressures between veterans with PTSD and controls. Method In this
      case-control study on veterans of Iran-Iraq war, 50 veterans with PTSD and 50
      veterans as controls were selected from an outpatient clinic and matched for age
      +/-3 years. Exclusion criteria were malignancies, severe anatomical defects such
      as amputated extremities, history of PTSD before serving in war, comorbid
      psychiatric disorders other than anxiety or depressive disorders. Detailed
      history was taken concerning medical and social aspects. Beck Depression
      Inventory was used for depressive symptoms. Brachial blood pressures were
      measured using both auscultatory and oscillometric devices. Measures of central
      hemodynamics were estimated accordingly. Data on lipid profile were collected
      either through medical records or newly required lab tests. Results Brachial
      systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressures as well as estimated central systolic
      and diastolic pressures were significantly higher in the PTSD group. Beck
      Depression Inventory scores, frequency of diabetes mellitus, and hypertension
      were significantly higher in the PTSD group. PTSD status was an independent
      predictor of both brachial and central systolic and diastolic pressures.
      Conclusions We demonstrated increased measures of blood pressure in veterans with
      PTSD independent of depression and other risk factors. Further research is
      warranted to confirm our results.

PMID- 28629291
TI  - Chronic pain care.
AB  - Objective Experiencing pain not only affects patients' biopsychosocial
      functioning but also the existential domain. Attention to the existential, in
      addition to the biopsychosocial domains, might thus be important in chronic pain
      care. Therefore, we investigated: (a) how satisfied patients were with the
      attention of their practitioners to the impact of pain on biological,
      psychological, social, and existential life domains, and (b) how satisfaction
      with each domain was related to patient functioning. Method Pain patients ( N =
      163) were questioned on their satisfaction with the attention of their
      practitioners to biological, psychological, social, and existential life domains,
      and on pain intensity, pain disability, life satisfaction, and depressive
      symptoms. Results Patients reported low satisfaction with the attention of their
      practitioners to the social and existential domains. Satisfaction with each
      domain was negatively related with pain intensity, pain disability, and
      depressive symptoms and positively related with life satisfaction. Only
      satisfaction with the existential domain was able to predict all functional
      outcomes above and beyond all other satisfaction variables modeled
      simultaneously. Conclusions Patients reported not feeling satisfied with the
      attention to the social and existential life domains. Furthermore, practitioners'
      attention to the existential domain seems highly important for patient
      functioning. Openness to existential concerns of pain patients might thus be an
      important aspect of chronic pain care.

PMID- 28629293
TI  - Clinical efficacy and safety of the Shugan Jieyu capsule in patients with acute
      myocardial infarction and depression.
AB  - Objective The aim is to comparatively study Shugan Jieyu capsule and sertraline
      for non-inferiority in the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction
      and depression (observing the curative effects and safety) by the randomized
      controlled experiment. Methods A total of 149 patients with acute myocardial
      infarction and depression were randomly divided into two groups, the Shugan Jieyu
      group (76 cases) and the sertraline group (73 cases), and received treatments for
      24 weeks. Depression states were assessed by the rote diagnostic checklist, and
      effects were evaluated by the Hamilton depression scale. Drug safety for heart
      was assessed by left ventricular ejection fraction (reduced by 5%), blood
      pressure, heart rate, P-wave and R wave interval, Q-R-S complex wave, and
      corrected Q-T interval after 12 weeks of treatment. Results There were no
      significant differences in the effective rates of Shugan Jieyu and sertraline
      groups. Significantly lower adverse event rate was observed in the Shugan Jieyu
      group. Two groups had a similar cardiac safety. Conclusion Shugan Jieyu capsule
      has a reliable effect and high safety in patients with acute myocardial
      infarction and depression.

PMID- 28629294
TI  - Prevalence of insomnia and related impact.
AB  - Background Sleep problem is a common geriatric condition that can result in
      various outcomes, both physical and mental, that reduce quality of life. The
      studies regarding the prevalence and impact of insomnia on daily activities in
      Thailand in pre-elderly and elderly adults are few. Objectives The primary
      objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of insomnia among pre
      elderly and elderly populations and the secondary objective was to study the
      impact of insomnia on their daily lives. Methods This study included the
      participants from the urban middle class in the pre-retirement age of 50 years or
      older adults who worked for Khon Kaen University (KKU), Khon Kaen, Thailand, and
      their elderly relatives. Information on baseline characteristics, sleep problems,
      and outcomes were collected. Descriptive analytical statistics were used to
      analyze baseline data. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze associated
      factors of the impact of insomnia. Results A total of 491 participants were
      recruited. The prevalence of insomnia was 60%. The significant consequences
      related to insomnia were feeling unrefreshed (adjusted odds ratio (AOD) 2.22, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) 1.44-3.04), daytime sleepiness (AOD 2.04, 95% CI 1.29
      3.22), need for a sedative drug (AOD 4.23, 95% CI 2.09-8.55), depression (AOD
      4.74, 95% CI 1.73-13), and impaired attention (AOD 2.29, 95% CI 1.52-3.45).
      Conclusions Insomnia was found in the majority of pre-elderly and elderly
      participants and resulted in several poor outcomes. Early detection of insomnia
      may prevent some inevitable outcomes.

PMID- 28629295
TI  - Reliability and validity of Somali version of the PHQ-9 in primary care practice.
AB  - Objectives Depression is one of the common mental health problems noticed in
      immigrants because of the experiences related to their resettlement which is the
      case for Somali population. Depression increases mortality, morbidity,
      disability, and costs of health care which can be controlled by screening
      depression in the primary care setting using a culturally and linguistically
      congruent screening tool. The aim of the current study is to translate the
      English PHQ-9 into Somali language using evidence-based translational methodology
      and establish psychometric properties of the Somali PHQ-9. Methods The initial
      validation of the Somali PHQ-9 was studied by comparing the original and back
      translation versions using the comparability and interpretability tool in a
      sample of 56 monolingual health care professionals. The reliability and validity
      of the Somali version were established by psychometric analysis in a sample of 47
      bilingual health-care workers. Results Cronbach's alpha was 0.79 for the Somali
      version with the inter-item correlation mean of 0.33 and item-to-total
      correlation mean in the range of 0.40-0.80 ( p < 0.01). Pearson correlation for
      the item-to-item correlation between English and Somali version was between 0.70
      and 0.93 ( p < 0.01) with the paired t-test showing no significant difference
      between the item means. Conclusions The Somali PHQ-9 showed a good reliability,
      homogeneity, and internal consistency. The construct validity for the Somali PHQ
      9 was also established showing that the Somali PHQ-9 has similar reliability and
      validity like the other translated versions of PHQ-9.

PMID- 28629296
TI  - Atypical antipsychotic use and outcomes in an urban maternal mental health
      service.
AB  - Objective Despite many women suffering from psychosis in their childbearing
      years, limited data exist about the use of atypical antipsychotic agents in
      pregnancy. Atypical antipsychotic agents are often used to treat bipolar
      disorder, instead of lithium or valproate because of the known teratogenicity of
      those agents. As well, atypical antipsychotics are often prescribed in anxiety
      disorders and depression. This study sought to describe pregnancy outcomes for
      women prescribed atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy. Methods This
      retrospective review included all cases treated by Auckland Maternal Mental
      Health services in which atypical antipsychotic agents were utilized during
      pregnancy over three years. Results Over the three years, 45 pregnant women were
      prescribed atypical antipsychotic agents, most commonly quetiapine or olanzapine.
      Two-fifths (40%) were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and almost one-third (31%)
      with a psychotic disorder. Two-thirds (64%) were prescribed multiple psychotropic
      medications during their pregnancy. Instrumental delivery rates were elevated at
      38%. A minority (13%) of the women developed gestational diabetes mellitus.
      Although 7% of infants were born premature, all were born after 35 weeks. Two
      major malformations were noted, similar to baseline community rates. Conclusions
      This naturalistic study adds to the limited literature about treatment with
      atypical antipsychotic agents in pregnancy, though not adequately powered to
      detect small differences in malformations or obstetrical outcomes. It also
      highlights the myriad of indications for which pregnant women are prescribed
      atypical antipsychotics, and the multiple other risk factors seen in this
      population.

PMID- 28629297
TI  - Correlates of waterpipe smoking among Iranian university students and the role of
      religiosity.
AB  - Waterpipe smoking among youth and adolescents in Iran has gained in popularity.
      The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between waterpipe
      smoking and different dimensions of religiosity in a sample of students attending
      two major universities in South East Iran. A total of 682 students completed a
      waterpipe and cigarette smoking questionnaire along with the Duke University
      Religion Index. The lifetime prevalence of dual cigarette and waterpipe use was
      48.3%, with prevalence of current use (within the last 30 days) of 24.9%. The
      proportions of lifetime and current waterpipe-only users were 27.0% and 18.8%,
      respectively. Students who participated more often in private religious
      activities were less likely to report engaging in waterpipe smoking (odds ratio:
      0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.71-0.98). A higher level of attendance of
      religious services was negatively associated with dual cigarette and waterpipe
      smoking (odds ratio: 0.71; 95% confidence interval: 0.54-0.93). Waterpipe-only
      use was significantly higher among males, students who had lower grade point
      averages, those who reported having a close friend or a family member who was a
      waterpipe smoker. To conclude, it is possible that religious observance may have
      a protective role in lowering waterpipe usage among Iranian university students.

PMID- 28629298
TI  - Anxiety and depression are improved by continuous positive airway pressure
      treatments in obstructive sleep apnea.
AB  - Background Obstructive sleep apnea involves repeated nocturnal desaturation and
      sleep fragmentation that leads to poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depression.
      This study aimed to investigate short- and long-term improvements in the anxiety
      and depression of patients with different obstructive sleep apnea treatments.
      Methods This is a prospective, non-randomized hospital-based study evaluated 55
      patients (46 male, 9 female) with obstructive sleep apnea. The patients were
      divided into three groups based on different treatment: uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
      group, continuous positive airway pressure group, and no treatment group (by
      their own decision). They completed the Beck Depression Inventory II, Beck
      Anxiety Inventory, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index before treatment and at one
      and six months after treatment. Results Compared to the no treatment group, the
      surgery and continuous positive airway pressure groups had higher body mass
      index, AHI, and Epworth sleepiness scale, but no difference in Pittsburgh Sleep
      Quality Index, Chinese Health Questionnaire-12, Beck Depression Inventory II, and
      Beck Anxiety Inventory. The continuous positive airway pressure and surgery
      groups still had no improvements in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Chinese
      Health Questionnaire-12, Beck Depression Inventory II, and Beck Anxiety Inventory
      scores one month after treatment. At six months after treatment, the continuous
      positive airway pressure group had significantly decreased Pittsburgh Sleep
      Quality Index, Chinese Health Questionnaire-12, Beck Depression Inventory II, and
      Beck Anxiety Inventory, whereas the surgery group had significant difference in
      Beck Anxiety Inventory only and the no treatment group still had no significant
      difference in any of the parameters. Conclusions Continuous positive airway
      pressure can improve the sleep quality, quality of life, depression, and anxiety
      of obstructive sleep apnea patients after six months of treatment. However,
      surgery can significantly improve anxiety only in the same period.

PMID- 28629299
TI  - Farm and cow-level prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis on dairy farms in
      Taranaki, New Zealand.
AB  - AIMS: The aims of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the herd and cow
      level prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) in dairy farms in the
      northern Taranaki region of New Zealand, and to identify whether there was any
      spatial clustering of herds with the disease. METHODS: A survey of 224 dairy
      farms in the northern Taranaki region of New Zealand was undertaken from
      September 2014 to February 2015. Following training in robust criteria to confirm
      BDD visually, a technician inspected the rear feet of every milking cow on the
      farms during milking. The identity of cows with lesions and the feet involved
      were recorded. The proportion of cows affected among the inspected population
      (cow-level prevalence), the proportion of a herd affected (farm-level
      prevalence), and proportion of farms with >=1 cow with lesions, were calculated.
      A bivariate K function analysis was then used to assess whether farms with >=1
      cow with lesions were clustered, after accounting for the distribution of the
      farms involved in the study. RESULTS: Bovine digital dermatitis lesions were
      observed on 143/224 (63.8 (95% CI=57.5-70.1)%) farms. Within-farm prevalence was
      0% on 81 (36.2%) farms, between >0 and <3% on 120 (53.5%) farms, with a maximum
      prevalence of 12.7% on one farm. Overall, cow-level prevalence was 707/60,455
      (1.2 (95% CI=0.9-3.0)%), and on affected farms was 707/41,116 (1.7 (95% CI=1.4
      2.1)%). In affected cows, 268/707 (37.9%) had a lesion on left foot only, 262/707
      (37.1%) on the right foot only and 177/707 (25.0%) on both feet. The K function
      analysis showed no evidence of clustering of farms with BDD. CONCLUSIONS: Bovine
      digital dermatitis was widespread among the survey farms, but there was no
      evidence that there was any clustering of herds with BDD. The cow-level
      prevalence on affected farms was much lower than reported elsewhere. CLINICAL
      RELEVANCE: Although the prevalence at the cow level was low, if these data are
      representative of other regions of New Zealand, BDD could easily become a major
      problem on dairy farms in New Zealand, as has been observed in other countries.

PMID- 28629300
TI  - Dynamic Interplay of Pharmacy Learners During a Solid Organ Transplantation
      Learning Experience.
AB  - Institutions with established clinical pharmacy services have the ability to
      offer focused patient care learning experiences, often led by a clinical
      specialist, for pharmacy residents and pharmacy students. Since all parties are
      continually involved in professional development and lifelong learning, the
      aforementioned groups can all be considered "pharmacy learners." By utilizing the
      dynamic interplay and collaboration between pharmacy learners through direct and
      nondirect patient care activities, experiential and educational opportunities may
      be improved and enhanced for each learner. A tiered learning approach engages
      individuals in areas such as direct patient care, patient education,
      presentations, research projects, career development, and the feedback process.
      We describe our experience during a solid organ transplantation learning
      experience using a layered learning practice model that included a clinical
      pharmacy specialist, a postgraduate year 2 specialty pharmacy resident, a
      postgraduate year 1 pharmacy resident, and a pharmacy student.

PMID- 28629301
TI  - Discrepancies Identified Through a Telephone-Based, Student-Led Initiative for
      Medication Reconciliation in Ambulatory Psychiatry.
AB  - PURPOSE: To identify the number of medication discrepancies following
      establishment of a telephone-based, introductory pharmacy practice experience
      student-driven, medication reconciliation service for new patients in an
      ambulatory psychiatry clinic. Secondarily, to identify factors impacting
      medication discrepancies to better target medication profiles to reconcile and to
      evaluate whether the implementation of a call schedule effected clinic no-show
      rates. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of a telephone-based medication
      reconciliation service from June 2014 to January 2016. RESULTS: At least 1
      medication discrepancy was identified among 84.7% of medication profiles (N =
      438), with a total of 1416 medication discrepancies reconciled (3.2 discrepancies
      per patient). Of the 1416 discrepancies, 38.6% were deletions, 38.9% were
      additions, and 22.5% were changes in dosage strength or frequency. Discrepancies
      pertaining to prescription medications totaled 57.8%. Student pharmacists were
      critical team members in the service. Patient's age, number of medications on the
      patient's list, and number of days since the last medication reconciliation were
      not clinically significant determinants for targeting medication profiles. There
      was a statistically significant reduction in the clinic no-show rates following
      implementation of a call schedule compared with no-show rates prior to call
      schedule implementation. CONCLUSION: This student pharmacist-led telephone
      medication reconciliation service demonstrated the importance of medication
      reconciliation in ambulatory psychiatry by identifying numerous discrepancies
      within this population. Further, we demonstrated pharmacy students across various
      levels of education can assist in this process under the supervision of a
      pharmacist.

PMID- 28629302
TI  - "Pimping" in Pharmacy Education: A Survey and Comparison of Student and Faculty
      Views.
AB  - BACKGROUND: "Pimping" is an informal teaching technique that is widely used in
      medical education. Pimping is characterized by questioning the learner with the
      intent of reinforcing clinical hierarchy. To date, there are no studies of the
      use of pimping in pharmacy education. OBJECTIVES: To describe the use of pimping
      as a teaching method in pharmacy education and to compare student and faculty
      perceptions of this technique. METHODS: Faculty and fourth-year PharmD (P4)
      students from 2 colleges of pharmacy were invited to participate in a survey
      about experiences and perceptions of pimping. Faculty and P4 surveys each
      contained up to 17 items to assess personal experiences, utilization, perceived
      risks and benefits, and preferences regarding the role of the technique in
      pharmacy education. RESULTS: The response rate was 49.5% (159 of 321). Of
      faculty, 74.1% reported they had been pimped in their training, but less than
      half (45.8%) use pimping themselves. Similarly, 73.7% of students reported that
      they had been pimped at some time in their pharmacy education. Students nearly
      equally viewed their experiences as positive (35.3%) versus negative (38.2%).
      Responses were similar between faculty and students recommending that the method
      should be avoided entirely ( P = .259), used sparingly ( P = .072), or used
      consistently ( P = .309). Perceived benefits and risks of pimping were similar
      between faculty and students, but there were many differences in rationales
      offered by faculty versus students' perceived rationales. CONCLUSION: Pimping is
      common in pharmacy education and its use is controversial. The perceived
      rationale for use of pimping differs, which may undermine student/faculty
      relationships.

PMID- 28629303
TI  - Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Beyond One Year in Patients After Stent Placement: A
      Review.
AB  - PURPOSE: To review the evidence on the safety and efficacy of the continued use
      of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) beyond 12 months after stent placement in
      patients following an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event. SUMMARY: Recently, the
      American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA)
      released a focused update on the duration of DAPT in patients with coronary
      artery disease (CAD). The update makes new recommendations about the duration of
      DAPT in light of recently performed studies investigating this topic. In regard
      to patients after an ACS event, the update states it is reasonable to continue
      DAPT beyond 1 year if these patients are not at a high risk of bleeding and had
      no overt bleeding while on DAPT. Several trials have been released which aim to
      provide information about the correct duration of DAPT after an ACS event.
      CONCLUSION: Recent trials have shown a benefit of prolonged (beyond 12 months)
      DAPT in preventing recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events in patients, mostly in
      patients who have had a previous myocardial infarction (MI). These benefits must
      be weighed with the elevated risks of bleeding.

PMID- 28629304
TI  - Board of Pharmacy Practices Related to Medication Errors and Their Potential
      Impact on Patient Safety.
AB  - State boards of pharmacy are generally responsible for the governance of the
      practice of pharmacy. While the regulatory process and methods for accomplishing
      this task may vary by state, all boards of pharmacy must address medication
      errors committed by pharmacists. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
      (NABP) has recommended that state boards of pharmacy implement best practices and
      enforcement actions that are aimed to promote patient safety and reduce
      medication errors. The current study was designed to identify and compare current
      corrective action practices among boards of pharmacy in response to medication
      errors. An electronic survey regarding board policies and anticipated board
      actions in response to hypothetical medication error scenarios was sent to boards
      of pharmacy for completion. Approximately 45% of pharmacy boards responded.
      Survey responses demonstrated that corrective actions and consequences were
      levied against pharmacists inconsistently among state boards. Corrective action
      plans and process improvement components were lacking in a majority of state
      board of pharmacy practices. Medication safety education for pharmacists and for
      members on boards of pharmacy was insufficient in many states. Responses to
      hypothetical error scenarios indicated that most board actions are educational
      and punitive in nature, rather than focusing on systems improvement.

PMID- 28629305
TI  - Evaluation of cost and length of stay, linked to complications associated with
      major surgical procedures.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A lot of studies have demonstrated the possibility of reducing the
      number of post-operative complications in the domain of major surgical procedures
      with the use of medical preventive techniques. However, complications following
      surgical procedures are unfortunately frequent and are a major problem, not only
      because of the impact for the patient, but also because of economic consequences
      that they provoke. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the extra length
      of stay and the extra cost, born by the hospital and the social security, linked
      to complications, incurring after major surgical procedures. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Study based on the data from 13 Belgian hospitals for the year 2012.
      Complications were extracted through medical discharge summaries. The cost born
      by the social security was assessed on the basis of the billing data, hospital
      cost are taken from cost accounting studies. RESULTS: The rate of complication
      for all the hospitals is 6.6%. About 30.3% of inpatient stays having a major or
      extreme severity of index had a complication during the stay, 1.8% of stays with
      a minor or moderate severity of index had a complication. The extra length of
      stay is 19.38 days when the stay has had a complication (p < 0.001). The
      additional mean cost borne from the hospital perspective is ?21 353.07 and ?8
      026.65 for the social security. This additional mean cost varies greatly from one
      hospital to another. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The present study has shown that the
      actual financing do not cover real hospital costs in the field of major surgical
      procedures having caused complications. Results should encourage Belgian
      authorities to propose and finance preventive measures in order to reduce these
      complications, which represent major economic impacts, not only for authorities
      but also for hospitals.

PMID- 28629306
TI  - beta-CA-specific inhibitor dithiocarbamate Fc14-584B: a novel antimycobacterial
      agent with potential to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis.
AB  - Inhibition of novel biological pathways in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)
      creates the potential for alternative approaches for treating drug-resistant
      tuberculosis. In vitro studies have shown that dithiocarbamate-derived beta
      carbonic anhydrase (beta-CA) inhibitors Fc14-594 A and Fc14-584B effectively
      inhibit the activity of Mtb beta-CA enzymes. We screened the dithiocarbamates for
      toxicity, and studied the in vivo inhibitory effect of the least toxic inhibitor
      on M. marinum in a zebrafish model. In our toxicity screening, Fc14-584B emerged
      as the least toxic and showed minimal toxicity in 5-day-old larvae at 300 uM
      concentration. In vitro inhibition of M. marinum showed that both compounds
      inhibited growth at a concentration of 75 uM. In vivo inhibition studies using
      300 uM Fc14-584B showed significant (p > .05) impairment of bacterial growth in
      zebrafish larvae at 6 days post infection. Our studies highlight the therapeutic
      potential of Fc14-584B as a beta-CA inhibitor against Mtb, and that
      dithiocarbamate compounds may be developed into potent anti-tuberculosis drugs.

PMID- 28629307
TI  - Tumor Reversion: Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition as a Critical Step in Managing
      the Tumor-Microenvironment Cross-Talk.
AB  - Tumour reversion represents a promising field of investigation. The occurrence of
      cancer reversion both in vitro and in vivo has been ascertained by an increasing
      number of reports. The reverting process may be triggered in a wide range of
      different cancer types by both molecular and physical cues. This process
      encompasses mandatorily a change in the cell-stroma interactions, leading to
      profound modification in tissue architecture. Indeed, cancer reversion may be
      obtained by only resetting the overall burden of biophysical cues acting on the
      cell-stroma system, thus indicating that conformational changes induced by cell
      shape and cytoskeleton remodelling trigger downstream the cascade of molecular
      events required for phenotypic reversion. Ultimately, epigenetic regulation of
      gene expression (chiefly involving presenilin-1 and translationally controlled
      tumour protein) and modulation of a few critical biochemical pathways trigger the
      mesenchymal-epithelial transition, deemed to be a stable cancer reversion. As
      cancer can be successfully 'reprogrammed' by modifying the dynamical cross-talk
      with its microenvironment thus the cell-stroma interactions must be recognized as
      targets for pharmacological intervention. Yet, understanding cancer reversion
      remains challenging and refinement in modelling such processes in vitro as well
      as in vivo is urgently warranted. This new approach bears huge implications, from
      both a theoretical and clinical perspective, as it may facilitate the design of a
      novel anticancer strategy focused on mimicking or activating the tumour reversion
      pathway.

PMID- 28629308
TI  - Comments from Editor-in-Chief, CPPS.

PMID- 28629309
TI  - Editorial: Conventional, Traditional and Alternative Therapies for Cardiovascular
      Disorders. Part 2: Traditional Therapy.

PMID- 28629310
TI  - Editorial: Identification of Lead Compounds Using Metabolomic Analysis in Drug
      Discovery.

PMID- 28629312
TI  - Editorial: Advanced Big-Data Analysis Methods and Tools for High-Throughput Omics
      Technologies.

PMID- 28629311
TI  - Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis Induction Activity of Nitidine Chloride on Acute
      Myeloid Leukemia Cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common hematological
      malignancy in adults, characterized by distorted proliferation and development of
      myeloid cells and their precursors in the bone marrow. Nitidine chloride, a
      naturally occurring alkaloid, has been identified to possess antitumor activity.
      However, the effects of nitidine chloride on acute myeloid leukemia cells and its
      underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. Here we investigated the cellular
      and molecular mechanism of the anti-leukemic effects of nitidine chloride.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Nitidine chloride treatment for 48 consecutive hours
      exhibited a timedependent and dose-dependent growth inhibition activity against
      AML cells by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, nitidine
      chloride downregulated Cyclin B1, CDK1 and Bcl-2, upregulated p27 and Bax,
      inactivated PARP, activated Caspase-3 in AML cells. We further demonstrated that
      growth inhibition activity of nitidine chloride in AML cells is partially via
      inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our
      data suggest that nitidine chloride could be an effective therapeutic agent
      against AML via cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

PMID- 28629313
TI  - EDITORIAL: Spicing Up the Management of Type 2 Diabetes with Cinnamon.

PMID- 28629314
TI  - Erratum to: Standardizing effect size from linear regression models with log
      transformed variables for meta-analysis.

PMID- 28629315
TI  - Erratum to: Life and living in advanced age: a cohort study in New Zealand -Te
      Puawaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia Ora Tonu, LiLACS NZ: study protocol.

PMID- 28629316
TI  - A multiplex primer design algorithm for target amplification of continuous
      genomic regions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Targeted Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) assays are cost-efficient
      and reliable alternatives to Sanger sequencing. For sequencing of very large set
      of genes, the target enrichment approach is suitable. However, for smaller
      genomic regions, the target amplification method is more efficient than both the
      target enrichment method and Sanger sequencing. The major difficulty of the
      target amplification method is the preparation of amplicons, regarding required
      time, equipment, and labor. Multiplex PCR (MPCR) is a good solution for the
      mentioned problems. RESULTS: We propose a novel method to design MPCR primers for
      a continuous genomic region, following the best practices of clinically reliable
      PCR design processes. On an experimental setup with 48 different combinations of
      factors, we have shown that multiple parameters might effect finding the first
      feasible solution. Increasing the length of the initial primer candidate
      selection sequence gives better results whereas waiting for a longer time to find
      the first feasible solution does not have a significant impact. CONCLUSIONS: We
      generated MPCR primer designs for the HBB whole gene, MEFV coding regions, and
      human exons between 2000 bp to 2100 bp-long. Our benchmarking experiments show
      that the proposed MPCR approach is able produce reliable NGS assay primers for a
      given sequence in a reasonable amount of time.

PMID- 28629317
TI  - Surface hypothermia predicts murine mortality in the intragastric Vibrio
      vulnificus infection model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio vulnificus can cause severe
      disease in humans who consume undercooked, contaminated seafood. To study food
      borne V. vulnificus disease in the laboratory, mouse virulence studies
      predominantly use death as the primary experimental endpoint because behaviorally
      based moribund status does not consistently predict lethality. This study
      assessed ventral surface temperature (VST) and its association with mouse
      survival during V. vulnificus virulence studies as an efficacious, humane
      alternative. METHODS: VST of mice intragastrically inoculated with V. vulnificus
      was measured every 2-h for 24 h and data for minimal VST analyzed for prediction
      of lethal outcome. RESULTS: In contrast to the relatively stable VST of mock
      infected control animals, mice infected with V. vulnificus exhibited hypothermia
      with minima occurring 8 to 12 h post-inoculation. The minimum VST of mice that
      proceeded to death was significantly lower than that of surviving mice. VST <=
      23.5  degrees C was predictive of subsequent death with a sensitivity of 68% and
      specificity of 95%. CONCLUSIONS: Use of VST <= 23.5  degrees C as an experimental
      endpoint during V. vulnificus infection has potential to reduce suffering of
      nearly 70% of mice for a mean of 10 h per mouse, without compromising
      experimental efficacy. Temperature cutoff of 23.5  degrees C exhibited 93%
      positive and 77% negative predictive value. For future V. vulnificus virulence
      studies requiring only binary comparison (e.g., LD50 assays), we find that VST
      can be applied as a humane endpoint. However, use of VST is not recommended when
      detailed survival kinetics are desired.

PMID- 28629318
TI  - The effect of a daily application of a 0.05% chlorhexidine oral rinse solution on
      the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in nursing home residents: a multicenter
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dysphagia and potential respiratory pathogens in the oral biofilm are
      risk factors for aspiration pneumonia in nursing home residents. The aim of the
      study was to examine if the daily application of 0.05% chlorhexidine oral rinse
      solution is effective in reducing the incidence of aspiration pneumonia in
      nursing home residents with dysphagia. Associations between background variables
      (age, gender, dysphagia severity, care dependency, medication use, number of
      medical diagnoses, teeth and dental implants, and wearing removable dentures) and
      the incidence of aspiration pneumonia were also examined. METHODS: This study is
      a multicenter study in which for 1 year participants with dysphagia in the
      intervention group received the usual oral hygiene care with the addition of a
      0.05% chlorhexidine oral rinse solution, whereas participants in the control
      group received only oral hygiene care. RESULTS: Data of 103 participants in 17
      nursing homes were analyzed. Survival analysis showed no significant difference
      in the incidence of pneumonia between both groups (Cox regression, HR = 0.800;
      95% CI [0.368-1.737], p = 0.572). Cox regression analysis for Functional Oral
      Intake Scale (FOIS)-level showed a significant risk of the incidence of pneumonia
      (HR = 0.804; 95% CI [0.656-0.986], p = 0.036). After adjustment for Group and
      FOIS-level, Cox multivariate proportional hazard regression analysis showed that
      the variables age, gender, Care-dependency Scale-score (CDS) number of diseases,
      medication use, number of teeth, and the presence of dental implants or removable
      dentures were not significantly associated with the incidence of pneumonia.
      CONCLUSIONS: Chlorhexidine oral rinse solution 0.05% as an adjunctive
      intervention in daily oral hygiene care was not found to reduce incidence of
      aspiration pneumonia. The requested number of participants to achieve sufficient
      power was not established and high drop-out rate and non-structural compliance
      was present. The power was considered to be sufficient to analyze the
      associations between the background variables and the incidence of pneumonia in
      the included nursing home residents with dysphagia. Dysphagia was found to be a
      risk factor for aspiration pneumonia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration in The
      Netherlands National Trial Register: TC = 3515. Approval for the study was
      obtained from the Medical Ethical Committee of the Radboud University Medical
      Center (NL. nr:41,990.091.12).

PMID- 28629319
TI  - Polymorphism in asparagine synthetase is associated with overall survival of
      hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, it is reported that asparagine synthetase (ASNS) is an
      independent predictor of surgical survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
      patients. It is also reported that activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6)
      expression is decreased in HCC patients. So in the present study, we explored the
      relationship between ASNS and ATF6, and whether ASNS expression was associated
      with HCC. METHODS: ATF6 was over expressed in 3 HCC cell lines (HepG2, HepG2.2.15
      and SMMC-7721). We then examined the mRNA levels of ASNS and ATF6 in 90 HCC
      patients, 77 chronic hepatitis B patients and 70 controls. We also genotyped 2
      functional polymorphisms in ASNS in a case-control study. RESULTS: The expression
      of ASNS was significantly elevated when ATF6 was over expressed. The expressions
      of these 2 genes were both decreased in HCC patients, and it was more
      significantly with ASNS. The mRNA levels of ASNS and ATF6 were positively
      correlated with each other. rs34050735 was associated with HCC in the case
      control study (P = 0.003) and also an independent predictor of overall survival
      of HCC patients (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these findings
      indicated that rs34050735 in ASNS may associate with HCC and may be a promising
      biomarker of HCC.

PMID- 28629320
TI  - Transcriptomic changes reveal gene networks responding to the overexpression of a
      blueberry DWARF AND DELAYED FLOWERING 1 gene in transgenic blueberry plants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Constitutive expression of the CBF/DREB1 for increasing freezing
      tolerance in woody plants is often associated with other phenotypic changes
      including dwarf plant and delayed flowering. These phenotypic changes have been
      observed when Arabidopsis DWARF AND DELAYED FLOWERING 1 (DDF1) was overexpressed
      in A. thaliana plants. To date, the DDF1 orthologues have not been studied in
      woody plants. The aim of this study is to investigate transcriptomic responses to
      the overexpression of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) DDF1 (herein, VcDDF1-OX).
      RESULTS: The VcDDF1-OX resulted in enhanced freezing tolerance in tetraploid
      blueberry plants and did not result in significant changes in plant size,
      chilling requirement, and flowering time. Comparative transcriptome analysis of
      transgenic 'Legacy-VcDDF1-OX' plants containing an overexpressed VcDDF1 with non
      transgenic highbush blueberry 'Legacy' plants revealed the VcDDF1-OX derived
      differentially expressed (DE) genes and transcripts in the pathways of cold
      response, plant flowering, DELLA proteins, and plant phytohormones. The increase
      in freezing tolerance was associated to the expression of cold-regulated genes
      (CORs) and the ethylene pathway genes. The unchanged plant size, dormancy and
      flowering were due to the minimal effect of the VcDDF1-OX on the expression of
      DELLA proteins, flowering pathway genes, and the other phytohormone genes related
      to plant growth and development. The DE genes in auxin and cytokinin pathways
      suggest that the VcDDF1-OX has also altered plant tolerance to drought and high
      salinity. CONCLUSION: A DDF1 orthologue in blueberry functioned differently from
      the DDF1 reported in Arabidopsis. The overexpression of VcDDF1 or its orthologues
      is a new approach to increase freezing tolerance of deciduous woody plant species
      with no obvious effect on plant size and plant flowering time.

PMID- 28629321
TI  - The biocontrol agent Pseudomonas chlororaphis PA23 primes Brassica napus defenses
      through distinct gene networks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The biological control agent Pseudomonas chlororaphis PA23 is capable
      of protecting Brassica napus (canola) from the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia
      sclerotiorum via direct antagonism. While we have elucidated bacterial genes and
      gene products responsible biocontrol, little is known about how the host plant
      responds to bacterial priming on the leaf surface, including global changes in
      gene activity in the presence and absence of S. sclerotiorum. RESULTS:
      Application of PA23 to the aerial surfaces of canola plants reduced the number of
      S. sclerotiorum lesion-forming petals by 91.1%. RNA sequencing of the host
      pathogen interface showed that pretreatment with PA23 reduced the number of genes
      upregulated in response to S. sclerotiorum by 16-fold. By itself, PA23 activated
      unique defense networks indicative of defense priming. Genes encoding MAMP
      triggered immunity receptors detecting flagellin and peptidoglycan were
      downregulated in PA23 only-treated plants, consistent with post-stimulus
      desensitization. Downstream, we observed reactive oxygen species (ROS) production
      involving low levels of H2O2 and overexpression of genes associated with glycerol
      3-phosphate (G3P)-mediated systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Leaf chloroplasts
      exhibited increased thylakoid membrane structures and chlorophyll content, while
      lipid metabolic processes were upregulated. CONCLUSION: In addition to directly
      antagonizing S. sclerotiorum, PA23 primes the plant defense response through
      induction of unique local and systemic defense networks. This study provides
      novel insight into the effects of biocontrol agents applied to the plant
      phyllosphere. Understanding these interactions will aid in the development of
      biocontrol systems as an alternative to chemical pesticides for protection of
      important crop systems.

PMID- 28629322
TI  - Construction of high-density genetic map and QTL mapping of yield-related and two
      quality traits in soybean RILs population by RAD-sequencing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One of the overarching goals of soybean breeding is to develop lines
      that combine increased yield with improved quality characteristics. High-density
      marker QTL mapping can serve as an effective strategy to identify novel genomic
      information to facilitate crop improvement. In this study, we genotyped a
      recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (Zhonghuang 24 * Huaxia 3) using a
      restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) approach. A high-density
      soybean genetic map was constructed and used to identify several QTLs that were
      shown to influence six yield-related and two quality traits. RESULTS: A total of
      47,472 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected for the RILs that
      were integrated into 2639 recombination bin units, with an average distance of
      1.00 cM between adjacent markers. Forty seven QTLs for yield-related traits and
      13 QTLs for grain quality traits were found to be distributed on 16 chromosomes
      in the 2 year studies. Among them, 18 QTLs were stable, and were identified in
      both analyses. Twenty six QTLs were identified for the first time, with a single
      QTL (qNN19a) in a 56 kb region explaining 32.56% of phenotypic variation, and an
      additional 10 of these were novel, stable QTLs. Moreover, 8 QTL hotpots on four
      different chromosomes were identified for the correlated traits. CONCLUSIONS:
      With RAD-sequencing, some novel QTLs and important QTL clusters for both yield
      related and quality traits were identified based on a new, high-density bin
      linkage map. Three predicted genes were selected as candidates that likely have a
      direct or indirect influence on both yield and quality in soybean. Our findings
      will be helpful for understanding common genetic control mechanisms of co
      localized traits and to select cultivars for further analysis to predictably
      modulate soybean yield and quality simultaneously.

PMID- 28629323
TI  - Fetal death in utero and miscarriage in a patient with Crohn's disease under
      therapy with ustekinumab: case-report and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ustekinumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody against the p40
      subunit of interleukin (IL) 12 and 23 which is involved in the pathogenesis of
      several inflammatory diseases. Ustekinumab is approved for psoriasis and
      psoriatic arthritis treatment and has been successfully evaluated in phase II and
      III trials for patients with Crohn's disease (CD). CASE PRESENTATION: We report
      here the case of a patient who became pregnant during treatment with ustekinumab
      for a refractory CD and which ended in miscarriage. CONCLUSION: Ustekinumab is a
      relatively new pharmacotherapy and in addition to this clinical case, we reviewed
      the published literature concerning the use of this treatment during pregnancy
      and its consequences on pregnancy and fetus outcome.

PMID- 28629324
TI  - Residual transpiration as a component of salinity stress tolerance mechanism: a
      case study for barley.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While most water loss from leaf surfaces occurs via stomata, part of
      this loss also occurs through the leaf cuticle, even when the stomata are fully
      closed. This component, termed residual transpiration, dominates during the night
      and also becomes critical under stress conditions such as drought or salinity.
      Reducing residual transpiration might therefore be a potentially useful mechanism
      for improving plant performance when water availability is reduced (e.g. under
      saline or drought stress conditions). One way of reducing residual transpiration
      may be via increased accumulation of waxes on the surface of leaf. Residual
      transpiration and wax constituents may vary with leaf age and position as well as
      between genotypes. This study used barley genotypes contrasting in salinity
      stress tolerance to evaluate the contribution of residual transpiration to the
      overall salt tolerance, and also investigated what role cuticular waxes play in
      this process. Leaves of three different positions (old, intermediate and young)
      were used. RESULTS: Our results show that residual transpiration was higher in
      old leaves than the young flag leaves, correlated negatively with the osmolality,
      and was positively associated with the osmotic and leaf water potentials. Salt
      tolerant varieties transpired more water than the sensitive variety under normal
      growth conditions. Cuticular waxes on barley leaves were dominated by primary
      alcohols (84.7-86.9%) and also included aldehydes (8.90-10.1%), n-alkanes (1.31
      1.77%), benzoate esters (0.44-0.52%), phytol related compounds (0.22-0.53%),
      fatty acid methyl esters (0.14-0.33%), beta-diketones (0.07-0.23%) and
      alkylresorcinols (1.65-3.58%). A significant negative correlation was found
      between residual transpiration and total wax content, and residual transpiration
      correlated significantly with the amount of primary alcohols. CONCLUSIONS: Both
      leaf osmolality and the amount of total cuticular wax are involved in controlling
      cuticular water loss from barley leaves under well irrigated conditions. A
      significant and negative relationship between the amount of primary alcohols and
      a residual transpiration implies that some cuticular wax constituents act as a
      water barrier on plant leaf surface and thus contribute to salinity stress
      tolerance. It is suggested that residual transpiration could be a fundamental
      mechanism by which plants optimize water use efficiency under stress conditions.

PMID- 28629325
TI  - Quasi-linear score for capturing heterogeneous structure in biomarkers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Linear scores are widely used to predict dichotomous outcomes in
      biomedical studies because of their learnability and understandability. Such
      approaches, however, cannot be used to elucidate biodiversity when there is
      heterogeneous structure in target population. RESULTS: Our study was focused on
      describing intrinsic heterogeneity in predictions. Because heterogeneity can be
      captured by a clustering method, integrating different information from different
      clusters should yield better predictions. Accordingly, we developed a quasi
      linear score, which effectively combines the linear scores of clustered markers.
      We extended the linear score to the quasi-linear score by a generalized average
      form, the Kolmogorov-Nagumo average. We observed that two shrinkage methods
      worked well: ridge shrinkage for estimating the quasi-linear score, and lasso
      shrinkage for selecting markers within each cluster. Simulation studies and
      applications to real data show that the proposed method has good predictive
      performance compared with existing methods. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneous structure
      is captured by a clustering method. Quasi-linear scores combine such
      heterogeneity and have a better predictive ability compared with linear scores.

PMID- 28629327
TI  - Female begging calls reflect nutritional need of nestlings in the hen harrier
      Circus cyaneus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most birds exhibit bi-parental care with both sexes providing food
      for their young. Nestling signal food needs through begging. However, for some
      species, males rarely visit the nest, so have limited opportunity for gaining
      information directly from the chicks. Instead, females beg when males deliver
      food. We tested whether this calling signalled nutritional need and specifically
      the needs of the female (Breeder Need hypothesis) or that of their chicks
      (Offspring Need hypothesis). RESULTS: We observed begging and provisioning rates
      at 42 nests of hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) in Scotland, explored the factors
      associated with variation in begging rate and the relationship between begging
      and provisioning. We also tested the impact of food on begging and provisioning
      through a feeding experiment. Female begging rate increased up to a chick age of
      3 weeks and then tailed off. In addition, begging increased when broods were
      large. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provided support for the Offspring Need hypothesis.
      At nests where adlib food was provided females reduced their begging rate. These
      patterns suggested that female begging was an honest signal of need. However,
      begging continued even with adlib food and was only weakly associated with
      greater provisioning by males, suggesting that these calls may also play an
      additional role, possibly reflecting sexual or parent-offspring conflict.

PMID- 28629326
TI  - Cardiac tissue oxidative stress and inflammation after vitamin D administrations
      in high fat- diet induced obese rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with numerous metabolic and inflammatory
      disorders. The current study was aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D
      administration on the markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in the cardiac
      tissue of high-fat diet induced obese rats. METHODS: In the beginning of the
      study, 40 male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: normal diet (ND) and
      high fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks; then each group subdivided into two groups
      including: ND, ND + vitamin D, HFD and HFD + vitamin D. Vitamin D supplementation
      was done for 5 weeks at 500 IU/kg dosage. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha
      concentration and markers of oxidative stress including glutathione peroxidase
      (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT)
      concentrations in the cardiac tissue and serum concentrations of lipids in rats
      were determined using ELISA kits and spectrophotometry methods respectively.
      RESULTS: According to our results, GPx activity in ND and ND + vitamin D group
      was significantly higher compared with HFD group. Similarly, SOD activity was
      also significantly increased in ND + vitamin D group compared with ND and HFD
      groups. Moreover, vitamin D administration, significantly reduced catalase
      activity in ND + vitamin D and HFD + vitamin D groups (P < 0.05). TNF-alpha
      concentration in heart tissue in ND + vitamin D group significantly reduced
      compared with ND group. Cardiac tissue MDA concentration in baseline or after
      vitamin D administration did not changed significantly. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D
      improved cardiac oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in HFD induced obese
      rats. Further studies in human models are needed to further confirm the use of
      this nutrient in daily clinical practice.

PMID- 28629328
TI  - Impact of systematic capacity building on cataract surgical service development
      in 25 hospitals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study measured the effectiveness and cost of a capacity building
      intervention in 25 eye hospitals in South Asia, East Africa and Latin America
      over 4 years. The intervention involved eye care non-governmental organizations
      or high-performing eye hospitals acting as "mentors" to underperforming eye
      hospitals- "mentees" in 10 countries. Intervention activities included systematic
      planning and support for training and key equipment purchases as well as hospital
      specific mentoring which focused on strengthening leadership, increasing the
      volume and equity of community outreach, improving surgical quality and volume,
      strengthening organizational and financial management and streamlining
      operational processes. METHODS: This is a before and after observational study of
      the impact of this multi-dimensional process on hospital and individual
      productivity and financial sustainability after 4 years. Mentee hospitals
      reported data monthly using a standardized template. Key indicators included
      cataract surgery volume, cataract operations per surgeon, the proportion of
      direct paying cataract surgical patients, intervention program costs per
      additional surgery and cost per mentor. RESULTS: By the end of the study period,
      the hospitals experienced a 69% average increase (range: -63% to 690%) in
      cataract surgical volume over baseline with 12 hospitals showing increases over
      100%. Twenty-three hospitals experienced a 59% average increase in the number of
      cataract surgeries per surgeon with 10 hospitals showing increases over 100%. The
      proportion of paying patients increased in 8 of the 14 hospitals reporting this
      data. The average mentoring cost per additional surgery for these 25 hospitals
      was $5.39. An average of $36,489.99 was spent per mentor per year to support
      their work with mentees. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention resulted in proportionally
      similar increases in cataract surgical volume and productivity across diverse
      settings in three distinct geographic regions. Its wide applicability and
      moderate cost make it an attractive means to rapidly and substantially increase
      eye care services to meet VISION2020 goals.

PMID- 28629329
TI  - Personalised informed choice on evidence and controversy on mammography
      screening: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Italy women aged 50-69 are invited for a population-based breast
      cancer (BC) screening. Physicians, policy makers and patients associations agree
      on the need to inform women about the benefits and harms in order to permit an
      informed decision. Decision aids (DA) are an effective way to support people in
      their decisions about health. This trial aims to assess women's informed choices,
      according to their health literacy and values, on participating or not in BC
      screening for the first time. Benefits, harms and controversies are presented.
      METHODS/DESIGN: The impact of the DA will be evaluated in a randomized controlled
      trial with a two-week follow-up. Women will be randomized via web to DA or a
      standard brochure. We will invite 8160 women, to obtain a final sample of 816
      women. The primary outcome will be informed choice, measured on the basis of
      knowledge, attitudes and intentions on BC screening. Secondary outcomes are
      participation rate, satisfaction on information and decisional conflict.
      DISCUSSION: The web DA will be open-source and implemented on BC screenings and
      its efficacy for increasing informed choice will be tested. This model could be
      applied to other healthcare settings, cancer screenings, and public health
      programs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this trial was registered with the
      Clinicaltrials.gov registry on March 16, 2017: NCT03097653 .

PMID- 28629330
TI  - Breast cancer patient delay in Fukushima, Japan following the 2011 triple
      disaster: a long-term retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little information is available concerning how patient delay may be
      affected by mass disasters. The main objectives of the present study are to
      identify whether there was a post-disaster increase in the risk of experiencing
      patient delay among breast cancer patients in an area affected by the 2011 triple
      disaster in Fukushima, Japan, and to elucidate factors associated with post
      disaster patient delay. Sociodemographic factors (age, employment status,
      cohabitant status and evacuation status), health characteristics, and health
      access- and disaster-related factors were specifically considered. METHODS:
      Records of symptomatic breast cancer patients diagnosed from 2005 to 2016 were
      retrospectively reviewed to calculate risk ratios (RRs) for patient delay in
      every year post-disaster compared with the pre-disaster baseline. Total and
      excessive patient delays were respectively defined as three months or more and
      twelve months or more from symptom recognition to first medical consultation.
      Logistic regression analysis was conducted for pre- and post-disaster patient
      delay in order to reveal any factors potentially associated with patient delay,
      and changes after the disaster. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen breast cancer
      patients (122 pre-disaster and 97 post-disaster) were included. After adjustments
      for age, significant post-disaster increases in RRs of experiencing both total
      (RR: 1.66, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.02-2.70, p < 0.05) and excessive
      patient delay (RR: 4.49, 95% CI: 1.73-11.65, p < 0.01) were observed. The RRs for
      total patient delay peaked in the fourth year post-disaster, and significant
      increases in the risk of excessive patient delay were observed in the second,
      fourth, and fifth years post-disaster, with more than five times the risk
      observed pre-disaster. A family history of any cancer was the only factor
      significantly associated with total patient delay post-disaster (odds ratio:
      0.38, 95% CI: 0.15-0.95, p < 0.05), while there were no variables associated with
      delay pre-disaster. CONCLUSIONS: The triple disaster in Fukushima appears to have
      led to an increased risk of patient delay among breast cancer patients, and this
      trend has continued for five years following the disaster.

PMID- 28629332
TI  - An exploratory study of men's companionship, perceptions and experiences during
      pregnancy and delivery in Uganda.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Globally, low involvement of men in maternal health care services
      remains a problem to health care providers and policy makers. Men's support is
      essential for making women's world better. There are increasing debates among
      policymakers and researchers on the role of men in maternal health programs,
      which is a challenge in patriarchal societies like Uganda. The aim of the study
      was to assess companionship during delivery; men's perception and experiences
      during pregnancy and delivery. METHODS: This was a descriptive exploratory study
      using a qualitative approach. This study involved 16 male participants who were
      present in the labor room during the delivery of their child. In-depth interviews
      (IDIs) were the main data collection methods used in the study. Purposive
      sampling was used to select participants who share particular characteristics
      with the potential of providing rich, relevant, and diverse data. The interviews
      were tape-recorded with the permission of the participants; in addition, the
      interviewer took notes. Each interview lasted between 30 and 45 min. The
      transcripts were entered into ATLAS.ti for analysis. Manifest content analysis
      was used. RESULTS: The major themes were; feelings about attending child birth,
      responsibilities during child birth, positive experiences and negative
      experiences about child birth. Men are willing to participate in child birth and
      should be encouraged as many are the decision makers in the family. Admission of
      men into the delivery room, improves family togetherness. The women felt loved
      and treasured. The men reported bondage to their partners and new born.
      CONCLUSIONS: Men's involvement in the child birth process was associated with a
      more perceived bondage with the partner and the newborn. Their presence helped to
      promote a calm and successful child birth process. Hospitals should work on
      measures encouraging male involvement.

PMID- 28629331
TI  - Depletion of p21-activated kinase 1 up-regulates the immune system of APC?14/+
      mice and inhibits intestinal tumorigenesis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) stimulates growth and metastasis of
      colorectal cancer (CRC) through activation of multiple signalling pathways. Up
      regulation of CRC stem cell markers by PAK1 also contributes to the resistance of
      CRC to 5-fluorouracil. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of
      PAK1 depletion and inhibition on the immune system and on intestinal tumour
      formation in APC?14/+ mice. METHODS: The PAK1 KO APC?14/+ mice were generated by
      cross-breeding of PAK1 KO mice with APC?14/+ mice. Splenic lymphocytes were
      analysed by flow cytometry, and immunohistochemical staining. The numbers of
      intestinal tumours were counted. Blood cells were also counted. RESULTS: Compared
      to APC+/+ mice, the numbers of both T- and B- lymphocytes were reduced in the
      spleen of APC?14/+ mice. Depletion of PAK1 in APC?14/+ mice increased the numbers
      of splenic T- and B- lymphocytes and decreased the numbers of intestinal tumours.
      Treatment of APC?14/+ mice with PF-3758309, a PAK inhibitor reduced the numbers
      of intestinal tumours and increased the numbers of blood lymphocytes. CONCLUSION:
      Depletion of active PAK1 up-regulates the immune system of APC?14/+ mice and
      suppresses intestinal tumour development. These observations suggest an important
      role for PAK1 in the immune response to tumours.

PMID- 28629333
TI  - Efficacy of ultra-short course chemotherapy for new smear positive drug
      susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis: study protocol of a multicenter randomized
      controlled clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Shortening the standard 6-month treatment for drug-susceptible
      pulmonary tuberculosis (DS-PTB) would be a major improvement for TB case
      management and disease control. METHODS: We are conducting a randomized, open
      label, controlled, non-inferiority trial involving patients with smear-positive,
      newly diagnosed DS-PTB cases nationwide to assess the efficacy and safety of two
      4.5- month regimens in comparison to the standard 6-month WHO recommended
      regimen. The regimen used in one experiment group is a 4.5-month fluoroquinolone
      containing regimen, which consists of full course of levofloxacin, isoniazid (H),
      rifampin (R), parazinamid (Z) and ethambutol (E). Regimen used in the second
      experiment group includes 4.5-month full course of H, R, Z, E with levofloxacin
      removed. Patients in the control group, receive H, R, Z and E for 2 months,
      followed by 4 months of H and R. The primary endpoint is treatment failure or
      relapse within 24 month after treatment completion. DISCUSSION: Results from this
      trial along with other studies will contribute to the science of constructing a
      shorter, effective and safe regiment for TB patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The
      protocol has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2 September,2016 with
      identifier NCT02901288 .

PMID- 28629334
TI  - Protein kinase C-alpha (PKCalpha) modulates cell apoptosis by stimulating nuclear
      translocation of NF-kappa-B p65 in urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The protein kinase C (PKC) family comprises central regulators of
      multiple signal transduction processes and is involved in the progression of many
      cancers. Nuclear factor Kappa-B (NF-kappaB) is constitutively expressed in cancer
      tissues and stimulates the transcription of various tumor-related genes. The
      present study aims to investigate the clinical significance of PKCalpha and NF
      kappaB p65 in bladder cancer tissues and the mechanism underlying PKCalpha
      induction of bladder cancer cell apoptotic resistance through stimulation of p65
      nuclear translocation. METHODS: Expression of PKCalpha and NF-kappaB subunit p65
      was detected in seven bladder cancer cell lines by western blot and in 30 bladder
      cancer tissue specimens by immunostaining. Immunofluorescence was performed to
      evaluate p65 nuclear translocation induced by Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate
      (PMA). PKCalpha/beta selective inhibitor Go6976, PKC pan-inhibitor sotrastaurin,
      and the PKC siRNA were employed to conduct PKC inhibition/knockdown in bladder
      cancer cells. Luciferase reporter assays were performed to measure the activity
      of NF-kappaB. Flow cytometry and TUNEL analysis were used to assess cell
      apoptosis. RESULTS: Expression of PKCalpha and NF-kappaB was found to positively
      correlate with tumor progression in 30 tumor tissue specimens. Furthermore, a
      Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis revealed a positive correlation
      between PKCalpha and NF-kappaB expression. Among the PKC inhibitors, the
      PKCalpha/beta selective inhibitor Go6976 yielded the most significant block of
      PKCalpha and NF-kappaB activation by PMA. Knockdown of NF-kappaB p65 remarkably
      induced cell apoptosis, but PMA restored p65 expression and significantly
      suppressed cell apoptosis that was otherwise induced by the p65 knockdown alone.
      CONCLUSION: Our study showed that PKCalpha modulated cell resistance to apoptosis
      by stimulating NF-kappaB activation and thus promoted the tumorigenesis of
      bladder cancer.

PMID- 28629335
TI  - Utility of the sentinel node concept for detection of lateral pelvic lymph node
      metastasis in lower rectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are two lymphatic flows in lower rectal cancer; one along the
      inferior mesenteric artery and another towards the internal iliac artery. The
      benefit of dissection of lateral pelvic (LP) lymph nodes (LPLN) remains
      controversial. This study aimed to clarify the possibility of detecting the
      sentinel node (SN) of the LP region (LPSN) and examine metastasis, including
      micrometastasis, using a radio isotope (RI) method. METHODS: In total, 62
      patients with clinical (c)T1-T4 rectal cancer were enrolled in this study (11, 16
      and 35 patients had tumor located in the upper, middle and lower rectal third,
      respectively). LPSNs were detected using a radio-isotope method in which 99 m
      technetium-tin colloid was endoscopically injected into the submucosa in patients
      with cT1, and into the muscularis propria in patients with cT2, cT3 and cT4. All
      patients underwent curative resection with lymphadenectomy. LPSN metastases were
      diagnosed by HE staining, immunohistochemical staining using AE1/AE3 as a primary
      antibody and by RT-PCR using CEA as a marker. RESULTS: Of the lower rectal (c)T2
      4 tumors, 38.4% had lateral pelvic lymphatic flow that was significantly greater
      than that of cT1 tumors in the upper and middle thirds of the rectum (p =
      0.0074). HE and immunohistochemical staining did not detect LPSN metastases but
      RT-PCR detected micrometastasis of three SNs. The remaining half of LPSNs were
      immunohistochemically re-examined; in all three cases, isolated tumor cells were
      detected. CONCLUSION: The SN concept may be useful for detecting lateral pelvic
      lymphatic flow and LPSN metastases, including micrometastasis in lower rectal
      cancer.

PMID- 28629336
TI  - Erratum to: Incidence of influenza virus infection among pregnant women: a
      systematic review.

PMID- 28629337
TI  - Validity and reliability of electroacoustic probe for diagnosis of developmental
      dysplasia of the hip.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sound transmission is used in the diagnosis of hip dysplasia since
      the end of the 80's. Aim of this study is to quantify the validity and
      reliability of electroacoustic probe for the diagnosis of hip dysplasia in
      neonates. METHODS: Diagnostic study included neonates aged 4-28 days, whose
      parents signed an informed consent. The probe was used three times for
      comparative sound transmission and with extension/flexion; hip ultrasound was
      performed with Graf technique as gold standard. Kappa was determined for
      intraobserver and interobserver reliability; validity was calculated with
      sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. RESULTS: 100 neonates were
      included. For the comparative sound transmission, 0.80 and 0.81 Kappa were
      obtained for the intraobserver and interobserver respectively; with
      extension/flexion, Kappa 0.98 and 0.95 were obtained for the intraobserver and
      interobserver respectively. With comparative sound transmission, 44.8%, 97.7%,
      76.5% and 91.3% for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive
      values, respectively; with extension/flexion test, the sensitivity, specificity,
      positive and negative predictive values: 82.8%, 99.4%, 96.0%, and 97.1%,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: The electroacoustic probe is moderate valid and
      reliable for the diagnosis of developmental dysplasia of the hip. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Open Science framework
      https://osf.io/kpf5s/?view_only=0a9682c6w1c842ad8e1d9a66e8dcf038.

PMID- 28629339
TI  - Droplet digital PCR for detection and quantification of circulating tumor DNA in
      plasma of head and neck cancer patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: During posttreatment surveillance of head and neck cancer patients,
      imaging is insufficiently accurate for the early detection of relapsing disease.
      Free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may serve as a novel biomarker for monitoring
      tumor burden during posttreatment surveillance of these patients. In this
      exploratory study, we investigated whether low level ctDNA in plasma of head and
      neck cancer patients can be detected using Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR). METHODS:
      TP53 mutations were determined in surgically resected primary tumor samples from
      six patients with high stage (II-IV), moderate to poorly differentiated head and
      neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Subsequently, mutation specific ddPCR
      assays were designed. Pretreatment plasma samples from these patients were
      examined on the presence of ctDNA by ddPCR using the mutation-specific assays.
      The ddPCR results were evaluated alongside clinicopathological data. RESULTS: In
      all cases, plasma samples were found positive for targeted TP53 mutations in
      varying degrees (absolute quantification of 2.2-422 mutational copies/ml plasma).
      Mutations were detected in wild-type TP53 background templates of 7667-156,667
      copies/ml plasma, yielding fractional abundances of down to 0.01%. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our results show that detection of tumor specific TP53 mutations in low level
      ctDNA from HNSCC patients using ddPCR is technically feasible and provide ground
      for future research on ctDNA quantification for the use of diagnostic biomarkers
      in the posttreatment surveillance of HNSCC patients.

PMID- 28629340
TI  - Hospital readmission within 10 years post stroke: frequency, type and timing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the hospital readmissions in a
      10 year follow-up of a stroke cohort previously studied for acute and subacute
      complications and to focus on their frequency, their causes and their timing.
      METHODS: The hospital records of 243 patients, 50% of a cohort of 489 patients
      acutely and consecutively admitted to our stroke unit in 2002/3, were subjected
      to review 10 years after the incidental stroke and all acute admissions were
      examined. The main admitting diagnoses were attributed to one of 18 predefined
      categories of illness. Additionally, the occurrence of death was registered.
      RESULTS: After 10 years 68.9% of patients had died and 72.4% had been readmitted
      to the hospital with a mean number of readmissions of 3.4 (+15.1 SD). 20% of the
      readmissions were due to a vascular cause, 17.3% were caused by infection, 9.3%
      by falls with (6.1%) and without fracture, 5.7% by a hemorrhagic event. The
      readmission rate was highest in the first 6 months post stroke with a rate of
      116.2 admissions/100 live patient-years. Falls with fractures occurred maximally
      3-5 years post stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital readmissions over the 10 years
      following stroke are caused by vascular events, infections, falls and hemorrhagic
      events, where the first 6 months are a period of particular vulnerability. The
      magnitude and the spectrum of these long-term complications suggest the need for
      a more comprehensive approach to post stroke prophylaxis.

PMID- 28629338
TI  - A phase 2 randomized trial to evaluate the impact of a supervised exercise
      program on cardiotoxicity at 3 months in patients with HER2 overexpressing breast
      cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment by trastuzumab: design of the CARDAPAC
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)
      in breast cancer is a poor prognosis. Trastuzumab improves overall survival but
      is associated with cardiotoxicity, especially a decline in left ventricular
      ejection fraction (LVEF). In addition, chemotherapy and radiotherapy increase
      fatigue and pain, decrease physical capacity and health-related quality of life.
      To date, no study has evaluated the benefits of physical activity on the side
      effects of treatment in patients with HER2 positive breast cancer. The aim of
      this study is to evaluate the impact of 3 months' exercise intervention on
      myocardial function and in particular on the rate of cardiotoxicity. METHODS:
      This multicenter, randomized clinical trial will include 112 patients treated by
      adjuvant trastuzumab for HER2 positive breast cancer to investigate the effects
      of a 3 months' supervised exercise program (intermittent exercise, combining
      moderate and high intensities; 55 minutes duration, 3 times per week), on the
      rate of cardiotoxicity [defined by either a decrease of the LVEF under 50% or an
      absolute drop of LVEF of 10%] between baseline and at 3 months and on strength,
      aerobic capacity, metabolic, inflammatory and hormonal parameters. Health-related
      quality of life, fatigue, pain and level of physical activity will also be
      assessed. Participants are randomly allocated to one of the two groups ("training
      group" vs "standard oncological care"). Performance-based and self-reported
      outcomes are assessed at baseline, at the end of supervised exercise program and
      at six months follow-up. DISCUSSION: Although physical exercise is recommended to
      reduce the side effects of adjuvant treatments in breast cancer patients, no
      randomized study has been conducted to assess the benefits of a physical training
      program in patients with HER2 overexpressing breast cancer. Cardiac toxicity of
      trastuzumab may be minimized with an exercise program combining high and moderate
      intensities. This type of program may be safe, feasible and effective but also
      increase cardiorespiratory fitness and improve health-related quality of life. If
      these benefits are confirmed, this exercise intervention could be systematically
      proposed to patients during the course of treatment by trastuzumab in addition to
      standard oncological care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: National Clinical Trials Number (
      NCT02433067 ); Registration 28 april 2015.

PMID- 28629341
TI  - Protective effects of Cynara scolymus leaves extract on metabolic disorders and
      oxidative stress in alloxan-diabetic rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with hyperglycemia, inflammatory
      disorders and abnormal lipid profiles, currently the extracts from leaves of
      cynara scolymus has been discovered to treat metabolic disorders and has been
      stated by multitudinous scientists according to a good source of polyphenols
      compounds. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of the
      ethanol leaves extract of C. scolymus in alloxan induced stress oxidant, hepatic
      kidney dysfunction and histological changes in liver, kidney and pancreas of
      different experimental groups of rats. METHODS: We determinate the antioxidant
      activity by ABTS .+ and antioxidant total capacity (TAC) of all extracts of C.
      scolymus leaves, the inhibition of alpha-amylase activity in vitro was also
      investigated. Forty male Wistar rats were induced to diabetes with a single dose
      intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of alloxan (150 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)).
      Diabetic rats were orally and daily administrated of ethanol extract from C.
      scolymus at two doses (200-400 mg/kg, b.w) or (12 mg/kg, b.w) with anti-diabetic
      reference drug, Acarbose for one month. Ethanol extract of C. scolymus effect was
      confirmed by biochemical analysis, antioxidant activity and histological study.
      RESULTS: The results indicated that the ethanol extract from leaves of C.
      scolymus showed the highest antioxidant activity by ABTS .+ (499.43g+/- 39.72
      Trolox/g dry extract) and (128.75 +/- 8.45 mg VC /g dry extract) for TAC and
      endowed the powerful inhibition in vitro of alpha-amylase activity with
      IC50=72,22 ug/uL. In vivo, the results showed that ethanol extract from the
      leaves of C. scolymus (200-400 mg/kg) decreased significantly (p < 0.001) the
      alpha-amylase levels in serum of diabetic rats, respectively associated with
      significant reduction (p < 0.001) in blood glucose rate of 42,84% and 37,91%
      compared to diabetic groups after 28 days of treatment, a significant lowered of
      plasma total cholesterol (T-Ch) by 18,11% and triglyceride (TG) by 60,47%,
      significantly and low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C) by 37,77%, compared to
      diabetic rats, moreover, the administration of ethanol extract appears to exert
      anti-oxidative activity demonstrated by the increase of CAT, SOD and GSH
      activities in liver, kidney and pancreas of diabetic rats. This positive effect
      of the ethanol extract from C. scolymus was confirmed by histological study.
      CONCLUSION: These observed strongly suggest that ethanol extract from the leaves
      of C. scolymus has anti-hyperglycemic properties, at least partly mediated by
      antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects.

PMID- 28629342
TI  - Hypnosis in patients with perceived stress - a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although hypnosis and hypnotherapy have become more popular in recent
      years, the evidence for hypnosis to influence perceived stress is unclear. In
      this systematic review we searched and evaluated randomized clinical studies
      investigating the effect of hypnosis on perceived stress reduction and coping.
      METHODS: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane
      Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Review of Effects,
      EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, PSYNDEX and PubMed were systematically screened from
      their inception until December 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
      reporting about hypnosis or hypnotherapy for stress reduction in healthy
      participants. Risk of Bias was assessed according the Cochrane Collaboration
      recommendations. RESULTS: Nine RCTs with a total of 365 participants met the
      inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Most included participants
      were medical students, predominantly female (n = 211). Mean age of participants
      ranged in most studies between 20 and 25 years, in three studies the mean ages
      were between 30 and 42 years. Perceived stress was measured by a wide range of
      psychological questionnaires including Face Valid Stress Test, Stress
      Thermometer, and immunological data was collected. All nine included studies used
      explorative designs and showed a high risk of bias. Six out of nine studies
      reported significant positive effects of hypnosis for stress reduction in the
      main outcome parameter compared to control groups (3 active controls, 3 no
      therapy controls). Immunological outcomes were assessed in six studies, the
      results were inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: Due to exploratory designs and high risk
      of bias, the effectiveness of hypnosis or hypnotherapy in stress reduction
      remains still unclear. More high quality clinical research is urgently needed.

PMID- 28629343
TI  - Comparative effectiveness research: what to do when experts disagree about risks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ethical issues related to comparative effectiveness research, or
      research that compares existing standards of care, have recently received
      considerable attention. In this paper we focus on how Ethics Review Committees
      (ERCs) should evaluate the risks of comparative effectiveness research. MAIN
      TEXT: We discuss what has been a prominent focus in the debate about comparative
      effectiveness research, namely that it is justified when "nothing is known" about
      the comparative effectiveness of the available alternatives. We argue that this
      focus may be misleading. Rather, we should focus on the fact that some experts
      believe that the evidence points in favor of one intervention, whereas other
      experts believe that the evidence favors the alternative(s). We will then
      introduce a case that illustrates this point, and based on that, discuss how ERCs
      should deal with such cases of expert disagreement. CONCLUSION: We argue that
      ERCs have a duty to assess the range of expert opinions and based on that
      assessment arrive at a risk judgment about the study under consideration. We also
      argue that assessment of expert disagreement is important for the assignment of
      risk level to a clinical trial: what is the basis for expert opinions, how strong
      is the evidence appealed to by various experts, and how can clinical trial
      monitoring affect the possible increased risk of clinical trial participation.

PMID- 28629344
TI  - Antiresorptive effect of a cathepsin K inhibitor ONO-5334 and its relationship to
      BMD increase in a phase II trial for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: ONO-5334 is a cathepsin K inhibitor that induced bone mineral density
      (BMD) gain in a phase II study in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients. Even
      though the antiresorptive effect could only be monitored in the morning during
      the study, simulation can allow the antiresorptive effect to be assessed over 24
      h, with assessment of the relationship to BMD gain. METHODS: Inhibition of the
      serum C-telopeptide of type I collagen (sCTX) level at doses of ONO-5334 of 100
      mg once daily (QD), 300 mg QD, and 50 mg twice daily (BID) was simulated using
      plasma ONO-5334 pharmacokinetic (PK) data for repeated dose administration in a
      phase I study and corresponding sCTX inhibition from the PK-pharmacodynamic
      (PK/PD) relationship. sCTX was selected because it has a high signal-to-noise
      ratio compared to other telopeptides. A negative sigmoidal shape for the PK/PD
      relationship between plasma ONO-5334 and sCTX levels was obtained in our previous
      study. RESULTS: The simulated sCTX inhibition reached >99% of the maximal
      inhibitory effect (Emax) at 0.5 h in all treatment groups, and decreased to <80%
      Emax at 8 and 12 h at 50 mg BID and 100 mg QD, respectively. However, sCTX
      inhibition at 300 mg QD was maintained at >=82% Emax over 24 h. The mean sCTX
      inhibition rates for 24 h at 100 mg QD, 300 mg QD and 50 mg BID were 63, 95 and
      80% Emax, respectively. There was a positive linear relationship by treatment
      group between mean sCTX inhibition over 24 h and observed BMD gain in the phase
      II study. CONCLUSION: The dose response for BMD with ONO-5334 at 100 and 300 mg
      QD and higher BMD gain at 50 mg BID vs. 100 mg QD can be explained by sCTX
      inhibition over 24 h. The simulation gave the antiresorptive effect of ONO-5334
      over 24 h and allowed prediction of BMD gain due to ONO-5334. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      The registration number in The European Union Clinical Trials Register is 2007
      002417-39 . The date of registration was August 31, 2007.

PMID- 28629345
TI  - Prevalence and incidence of overweight and obesity among Vietnamese preschool
      children: a longitudinal cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A plateau in childhood overweight and obesity has been reported in
      some developed countries while in almost all developing countries this problem is
      on the rise. The aim of this paper is to describe the changes in prevalence of
      overweight and obesity within a cohort of preschool children followed for 3
      years, and to estimate and compare the incidences in urban and rural children of
      Hanoi, Vietnam. METHODS: A longitudinal study of a cohort of 2677 children aged 3
      to 6 years old at the beginning of the study was conducted in urban DodaLab and
      rural FilaBavi, Hanoi, Vietnam. Overall, 2602 children, 1311 urban and 1291
      rural, were followed for 3 years with identical measurements of weight and height
      in 2013, 2014 and 2016. Standard methods were used to estimate prevalence and
      incidence as well as confidence intervals. RESULTS: During the three-year follow
      up, the overall estimated prevalence of overweight increased from 9.1% to 16.7%.
      For the urban children, the increase was considerably higher. The overall
      prevalence of obesity decreased from 6.4% to 4.5% with less decrease in the urban
      children. In the group of children who were overweight and obese at the start of
      the study, 41.4% and 30.7%, respectively, remained in the same state three years
      later. The incidence of overweight and obesity during the three years were 12.4%
      and 2.7%, respectively. Boys were more likely to develop obesity than girls.
      CONCLUSIONS: Already in preschool age, the prevalence of overweight is high and
      it continues to increase with age, especially in the urban area. Prevention and
      intervention programs need to start at early preschool age and actions in urban
      areas deserve priority.

PMID- 28629346
TI  - A hyper-thermostable alpha-amylase from Pyrococcus furiosus accumulates in
      Nicotiana tabacum as functional aggregates.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alpha amylase hydrolyzes alpha-bonds of polysaccharides such as
      starch and produces malto-oligosaccharides. Its starch saccharification
      applications make it an essential enzyme in the textile, food and brewing
      industries. Commercially available alpha-amylase is mostly produced from Bacillus
      or Aspergillus. A hyper-thermostable and Ca 2++ independent alpha-amylase from
      Pyrococcus furiosus (PFA) expressed in E.coli forms insoluble inclusion bodies
      and thus is not feasible for industrial applications. RESULTS: We expressed PFA
      in Nicotiana tabacum and found that plant-produced PFA forms functional
      aggregates with an accumulation level up to 3.4 g/kg FW (fresh weight) in field
      conditions. The aggregates are functional without requiring refolding and
      therefore have potential to be applied as homogenized plant tissue without
      extraction or purification. PFA can also be extracted from plant tissue upon
      dissolution in a mild reducing buffer containing SDS. Like the enzyme produced in
      P. furiosus and in E. coli, plant produced PFA preserves hyper-thermophilicity
      and hyper-thermostability and has a long shelf life when stored in lyophilized
      leaf tissue. With tobacco's large biomass and high yield, hyper-thermostable
      alpha-amylase was produced at a scale of 42 kg per hectare. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco
      may be a suitable bioreactor for industrial production of active
      hyperthermostable alpha amylase.

PMID- 28629347
TI  - International validation of quality indicators for evaluating priority setting in
      low income countries: process and key lessons.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While there have been efforts to develop frameworks to guide
      healthcare priority setting; there has been limited focus on evaluation
      frameworks. Moreover, while the few frameworks identify quality indicators for
      successful priority setting, they do not provide the users with strategies to
      verify these indicators. Kapiriri and Martin (Health Care Anal 18:129-147, 2010)
      developed a framework for evaluating priority setting in low and middle income
      countries. This framework provides BOTH parameters for successful priority
      setting and proposes means of their verification. Before its use in real life
      contexts, this paper presents results from a validation process of the framework.
      METHODS: The framework validation involved 53 policy makers and priority setting
      researchers at the global, national and sub-national levels (in Uganda). They
      were requested to indicate the relative importance of the proposed parameters as
      well as the feasibility of obtaining the related information. We also pilot
      tested the proposed means of verification. RESULTS: Almost all the respondents
      evaluated all the parameters, including the contextual factors, as 'very
      important'. However, some respondents at the global level thought 'presence of
      incentives to comply', 'reduced disagreements', 'increased public understanding,'
      'improved institutional accountability' and 'meeting the ministry of health
      objectives', which could be a reflection of their levels of decision making. All
      the proposed means of verification were assessed as feasible with the exception
      of meeting observations which would require an insider. These findings results
      were consistent with those obtained from the pilot testing. CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings are relevant to policy makers and researchers involved in priority
      setting in low and middle income countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is
      one of the few initiatives that has involved potential users of a framework (at
      the global and in a Low Income Country) in its validation. The favorable
      validation of all the parameters at the national and sub-national levels implies
      that the framework has potential usefulness at those levels, as is. The
      parameters that were disputed at the global level necessitate further discussion
      when using the framework at that level. The next step is to use the validated
      framework in evaluating actual priority setting at the different levels.

PMID- 28629348
TI  - Applying the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) approach to a large pragmatic study
      involving safety net clinics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is a commonly used improvement
      process in health care settings, although its documented use in pragmatic
      clinical research is rare. A recent pragmatic clinical research study, called the
      Strategies and Opportunities to STOP Colon Cancer in Priority Populations (STOP
      CRC), used this process to optimize the research implementation of an automated
      colon cancer screening outreach program in intervention clinics. We describe the
      process of using this PDSA approach, the selection of PDSA topics by clinic
      leaders, and project leaders' reactions to using PDSA in pragmatic research.
      METHODS: STOP CRC is a cluster-randomized pragmatic study that aims to test the
      effectiveness of a direct-mail fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) program
      involving eight Federally Qualified Health Centers in Oregon and California. We
      and a practice improvement specialist trained in the PDSA process delivered
      structured presentations to leaders of these centers; the presentations addressed
      how to apply the PDSA process to improve implementation of a mailed outreach
      program offering colorectal cancer screening through FIT tests. Center leaders
      submitted PDSA plans and delivered reports via webinar at quarterly meetings of
      the project's advisory board. Project staff conducted one-on-one, 45-min
      interviews with project leads from each health center to assess the reaction to
      and value of the PDSA process in supporting the implementation of STOP CRC.
      RESULTS: Clinic-selected PDSA activities included refining the intervention
      staffing model, improving outreach materials, and changing workflow steps. Common
      benefits of using PDSA cycles in pragmatic research were that it provided a
      structure for staff to focus on improving the program and it allowed staff to
      test the change they wanted to see. A commonly reported challenge was measuring
      the success of the PDSA process with the available electronic medical record
      tools. CONCLUSION: Understanding how the PDSA process can be applied to pragmatic
      trials and the reaction of clinic staff to their use may help clinics integrate
      evidence-based interventions into their everyday care processes. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01742065 . Registered October 31, 2013.

PMID- 28629349
TI  - Relationships between dental personnel and non-dental primary health care
      providers in rural and remote Queensland, Australia: dental perspectives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Collaboration between dental practitioners and non-dental primary
      care providers has the potential to improve oral health care for people in rural
      and remote communities, where access to oral health services is limited. However,
      there is limited research on collaboration between these professional
      disciplines. The purpose of this paper was to explore the relationships between
      dental practitioners and non-dental primary care providers from rural and remote
      areas of Queensland and to identify strategies that could improve collaboration
      between these disciplines from the perspective of dental participants. METHODS:
      Semi-structured interviews were conducted between 2013 and 2015 with visiting,
      local and regional dental practitioners (n = 12) who had provided dental services
      to patients from eight rural and remote Queensland communities that did not have
      a resident dentist. Participants were purposely recruited through a snow ball
      sampling technique. Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis with the
      assistance of QSR Nvivo v.10. RESULTS: Four major themes emerged from the data:
      (1) Communication between dental practitioners and rural primary care providers;
      (2) Relationships between dental and primary care providers; (3) Maintenance of
      professional dualism; (4) Strategies to improve interprofessional relationships
      (with subthemes: face to face meetings; utilisation of technology; oral health
      training for primary care providers; and having a community based oral health
      contact person). Participants observed that there was a lack of communication
      between the dental providers who saw patients from these rural communities and
      the primary care providers who worked in each community. This was attributed to
      poor communication, the high turnover of staff and the siloed behaviours of some
      practitioners. Visiting dental practitioners were likely to have stronger
      professional relationships with hospital nursing, administrative and allied
      health care staff who were often long term residents of the community.
      CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that there was little relationship between the
      dental personnel and primary care providers. Interprofessional collaboration
      between dental care providers and non-dental rural primary care providers in the
      rural and remote communities sampled could be improved by having regular face to
      face meetings between practitioners from across the health disciplines, providing
      oral health education to primary care providers, establishing and maintaining
      effective communication and referral pathways, and exploring a greater role for
      tele-dentistry.

PMID- 28629350
TI  - The utility of the hematoxylin and eosin staining in patients with suspected
      Hirschsprung disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods have been widely conducted
      for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) in developed countries, there
      are very few studies on their use in developing countries where hematoxylin and
      eosin (HE) staining is a key element of the diagnosis of HSCR. We aimed to
      determine the accuracy of HE staining in the diagnosis of HSCR using S100 IHC as
      the reference standard in Indonesia. METHODS: All histopathology performed for
      the suspicion of HSCR patients from January 2013 to August 2015 in Dr. Sardjito
      Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Our
      study included 23 HSCR patients: 9 males and 14 females. The HE staining revealed
      14 negative (absence of ganglion cells) cases (61%) and 9 positive (presence of
      ganglion cells) cases (39%). In S100 IHC, out of the 9 positive cases by HE
      staining, 6 (67%) were confirmed for having ganglion cells; and out of the 14
      negative cases by HE staining, 12 (86%) were reported negative and 2 (14%) were
      positive by S100 IHC staining. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive
      value, negative predictive value, and accuracy rates of the HE staining were 80%
      (95% CI: 0.51-0.95), 75% (95% CI: 0.36-0.96), 85.7% (95% CI: 0.56-0.98), 66.7%
      (95% CI: 0.31-0.91), and 78.3% (95% CI: 0.58-0.90), respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our study showed that HE staining has relatively moderate accuracy for the
      diagnosis of HSCR. The use of HE staining is still recommended for the diagnosis
      of HSCR given the limitation of resource allocation for more expensive IHC
      technologies in developing countries.

PMID- 28629351
TI  - Assessing health-related quality of life in urology - a survey of 4500 German
      urologists.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Urological diseases and their treatment may negatively influence
      continence, potency, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Although current
      guidelines recommend HRQOL assessment in clinical urology, specific guidance on
      how to assess HRQOL is frequently absent. We evaluated whether and how urologists
      assess HRQOL and how they determine its practicality. METHODS: A random sample of
      4500 (from 5200 identified German urologists) was drawn and invited to
      participate in a postal survey (an initial letter followed by one reminder after
      six weeks). The questionnaire included questions on whether and how HRQOL is
      assessed, general attitudes towards the concept of HRQOL, and socio-demographics.
      Due to the exploratory character of the study we produced mainly descriptive
      statistics. Chi2-tests and logistic regression were used for subgroup-analysis.
      RESULTS: 1557 urologists (85% male, with a mean age of 49 yrs.) participated.
      Most of them (87%) considered HRQOL assessment as 'important' in daily work,
      while only 7% reported not assessing HRQOL. Patients with prostate carcinoma,
      incontinence, pain, and benign prostate hyperplasia were the main target groups
      for HRQOL assessment. The primary aim of HRQOL assessment was to support
      treatment decisions, monitor patients, and produce a 'baseline measurement'. Two
      thirds of urologists used questionnaires and interviews to evaluate HRQOL and one
      quarter assessed HRQOL by asking: 'How are you?'. The main barriers to HRQOL
      assessment were anticipated questionnaire costs (77%), extensive questionnaire
      length (52%), and complex analysis (51%). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of German
      urologists assess HRQOL as part of their clinical routine. However, knowledge of
      HRQOL assessment, analysis, and interpretation seems to be limited in this group.
      Therefore, urologists may benefit from a targeted education program. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: The clinical trial was registered with the code VfD_13_003629 at
      the German Healthcare Research Registry ( www.versorgungsforschung-deutschland.de
      ).

PMID- 28629352
TI  - Male suicide among construction workers in Australia: a qualitative analysis of
      the major stressors precipitating death.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suicide rates among those employed in male-dominated professions such
      as construction are elevated compared to other occupational groups. Thus far,
      past research has been mainly quantitative and has been unable to identify the
      complex range of risk and protective factors that surround these suicides.
      METHODS: We used a national coronial database to qualitatively study work and non
      work related influences on male suicide occurring in construction workers in
      Australia. We randomly selected 34 cases according to specific sampling
      framework. Thematic analysis was used to develop a coding structure on the basis
      of pre-existing theories in job stress research. RESULTS: The following themes
      were established on the basis of mutual consensus: mental health issues prior to
      death, transient working experiences (i.e., the inability to obtain steady
      employment), workplace injury and chronic illness, work colleagues as a source of
      social support, financial and legal problems, relationship breakdown and child
      custody issues, and substance abuse. CONCLUSION: Work and non-work factors were
      often interrelated pressures prior to death. Suicide prevention for construction
      workers needs to take a systematic approach, addressing work-level factors as
      well as helping those at-risk of suicide.

PMID- 28629353
TI  - Lipid emulsion mitigates impaired pulmonary function induced by limb I/R in rats
      through attenuation of local cellular injury and the subsequent systemic
      inflammatory response/inflammation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limb ischemia/reperfusion causes inflammation and elicits oxidative
      stress that may lead to local tissue damage and remote organ such as lung injury.
      This study investigates pulmonary function after limb ischemia/reperfusion and
      the protective effect of a lipid emulsion (Intralipid). METHODS: Twenty-four rats
      were divided into three groups: sham operation group (group S),
      ischemia/reperfusion group (group IR), and lipid emulsion treatment group (group
      LE). limb ischemia/reperfusion was induced through occlusion of the infrarenal
      abdominal aorta for 3 h. The microvascular clamp was removed carefully and
      reperfusion was provided for 3 h. RESULTS: The mean arterial pressure in group LE
      was higher than group IR during the reperfusion period (P = 0.024). The heart
      rate of both group LE and IR are significantly higher than group S during the
      ischemia period(P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). The arterial oxygen pressure
      of group LE was significantly higher than group IR (P = 0.003), the arterial
      carbon dioxide pressure of group LE were lower than that of group IR (P = 0.005).
      The concentration of plasma interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and
      malondialdehyde in group LE were significantly lower than group IR (P < 0.001, P
      = 0.009 and 0.029, respectively). The plasma superoxide dismutase activity in
      group LE was significantly higher than group IR (P = 0.029). The myeloperoxidase
      activity in lung tissues of group LE was significantly less than group IR (P =
      0.046). Both muscle and lung in group IR were damaged seriously, whereas lipid
      emulsion (Intralipid) effectively reversed the damage. In summary, Intralipid
      administration resulted in several beneficial effects as compared to group IR,
      such as the pulmonary gas exchange and inflammatory. CONCLUSIONS: The
      ischemic/reperfusion injury of limb muscles with resultant inflammatory damage to
      lung tissue can be mitigated by administration of a lipid emulsion (Intralipid,
      20%, 5 ml/kg). The mechanisms attenuating such a physiological may be attributed
      to reduction of the degree of limb injury through a decrease in the release of
      local inflammatory mediators, a reduction of lipid peroxidation, and a blunting
      of the subsequent remote inflammatory response.

PMID- 28629354
TI  - Acetone leaf extracts of some South African trees with high activity against
      Escherichia coli also have good antimycobacterial activity and selectivity index.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is a world-wide problem affecting humans and animals.
      There is increasing development of resistance of the pathogens to current
      antimycobacterial agents. Many authors have investigated activities of extracts
      and isolated compounds from plants. The traditional uses of plants have
      frequently been the criterion to select plants investigated. In this
      contribution, we investigate whether plant extracts with very good activity
      against Escherichia coli may also be active against mycobacteria. METHODS: The
      antimycobacterial activity of eight South African tree leaf extracts with high
      activity against Escherichia coli were determined in vitro against Mycobacterium
      smegmatis, M. fortuitum and M. aurum, using a serial microdilution method. The
      cellular cytotoxicity was also determined by the MTT assay using Vero monkey
      kidney cells. The selectivity index was determined by dividing the cytotoxicity
      of extracts by MIC. RESULTS: The antimycobacterial activity of the extracts
      ranged from 0.02 to 2.5 mg/ml. Mycobacterium smegmatis was more sensitive to the
      extracts (Average MIC = 0.96 mg/ml) and Mycobacterium aurum was comparatively
      resistant (Average MIC = 2.04 mg/ml). The extracts of Cremaspora triflora had
      strong antimycobacterial activity with a MIC of 0.05 mg/ml that compared
      reasonably well with that of streptomycin (0.01 mg/ml) and rifampicin (0.03
      mg/ml), p > 0.05. Cremaspora triflora had the best selectivity index of 2.87
      against Mycobacterium fortuitum. CONCLUSION: The high activity of C. triflora
      extracts against the fast-growing mycobacteria and good cellular safety is
      promising. It may be interesting to investigate extracts against pathogenic M.
      tuberculosis, M. bovis and M. avium cultures and to isolate active
      antimycobacterial compounds.

PMID- 28629355
TI  - Biologically constrained optimization based cell membrane segmentation in C.
      elegans embryos.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent advances in bioimaging and automated analysis methods have
      enabled the large-scale systematic analysis of cellular dynamics during the
      embryonic development of Caenorhabditis elegans. Most of these analyses have
      focused on cell lineage tracing rather than cell shape dynamics. Cell shape
      analysis requires cell membrane segmentation, which is challenging because of
      insufficient resolution and image quality. This problem is currently solved by
      complicated segmentation methods requiring laborious and time consuming parameter
      adjustments. RESULTS: Our new framework BCOMS (Biologically Constrained
      Optimization based cell Membrane Segmentation) automates the extraction of the
      cell shape of C. elegans embryos. Both the segmentation and evaluation processes
      are automated. To automate the evaluation, we solve an optimization problem under
      biological constraints. The performance of BCOMS was validated against a manually
      created ground truth of the 24-cell stage embryo. The average deviation of 25
      cell shape features was 5.6%. The deviation was mainly caused by membranes
      parallel to the focal planes, which either contact the surfaces of adjacent cells
      or make no contact with other cells. Because segmentation of these membranes was
      difficult even by manual inspection, the automated segmentation was sufficiently
      accurate for cell shape analysis. As the number of manually created ground truths
      is necessarily limited, we compared the segmentation results between two adjacent
      time points. Across all cells and all cell cycles, the average deviation of the
      25 cell shape features was 4.3%, smaller than that between the automated
      segmentation result and ground truth. CONCLUSIONS: BCOMS automated the accurate
      extraction of cell shapes in developing C. elegans embryos. By replacing image
      processing parameters with easily adjustable biological constraints, BCOMS
      provides a user-friendly framework. The framework is also applicable to other
      model organisms. Creating the biological constraints is a critical step requiring
      collaboration between an experimentalist and a software developer.

PMID- 28629356
TI  - Lifestyle and Income-related Inequality in Health in South Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many low- and middle-income countries are experiencing an
      epidemiological transition from communicable to non-communicable diseases. This
      has negative consequences for their human capital development, and imposes a
      growing economic burden on their societies. While the prevalence of such diseases
      varies with socioeconomic status, the inequalities can be exacerbated by adopted
      lifestyles of individuals. Evidence suggests that lifestyle factors may explain
      the income-related inequality in self-reported health. Self-reported health is a
      subjective evaluation of people's general health status rather than an objective
      measure of lifestyle-related ill-health. METHOD: The objective of this paper is
      to expand the literature by examining the contribution of smoking and alcohol
      consumption to health inequalities, incorporating more objective measures of
      health, that are directly associated with these lifestyle practices. We used the
      National Income Dynamic Study panel data for South Africa. The corrected
      concentration index is used to measure inequalities in health outcomes. We use a
      decomposition technique to identify the contribution of smoking and alcohol use
      to inequalities in health. RESULTS: We find significant smoking-related and
      income-related inequalities in both self-reported and lifestyle-related ill
      health. The results suggest that smoking and alcohol use contribute positively to
      income-related inequality in health. Smoking participation accounts for up to
      7.35% of all measured inequality in health and 3.11% of the inequality in self
      reported health. The estimates are generally higher for all measured inequality
      in health (up to 14.67%) when smoking duration is considered. Alcohol consumption
      accounts for 27.83% of all measured inequality in health and 3.63% of the
      inequality in self-reported health. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that
      inequalities in both self-reported and lifestyle-related ill-health are highly
      prevalent within smokers and the poor. These inequalities need to be explicitly
      addressed in future programme planning to reduce health inequalities in South
      Africa. We suggest that policies that can influence poor individuals to reduce
      tobacco consumption and harmful alcohol use will improve their health and reduce
      health inequalities.

PMID- 28629357
TI  - XuefuZhuyu decoction protected cardiomyocytes against hypoxia/reoxygenation
      injury by inhibiting autophagy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: XuefuZhuyu decoction (XFZY) is a well-known traditional Chinese
      herbal medicine for the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases, such as
      unstable angina pectoris and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the
      mechanism by which XFZY contributes to the amelioration of cardiac injury remains
      unclear. METHODS: H9C2 cells were cultured under the hypoxic condition for 10 h
      and reoxygenated for 2 h. In the presence of various concentrations of XFZY for
      12 h, the cell viability was measured by MTT assay. The protective effect of XFZY
      in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) cell model was confirmed by measuring the amount
      of LDH released into the extracellular fluid. Cell apoptosis was measured by
      western blotting. The autophagy level of H9C2 cells and the correlative pathway
      were determined by transmission electron microscopy, Cyto-ID(r) Autophagy
      Detection Kit, and western blotting. RESULTS: In this study, we investigated the
      effects of XFZY on H/R induced cardiac injury. The results showed that treatment
      with XFZY significantly inhibited autophagy induced by H/R, with decreased
      formation of autophagosomes as well as the expression of LC3-II/LC3-I ratio and
      Beclin 1 after H/R. Importantly, inhibition of autophagy by XFZY resulted in
      enhanced cell viability and decreased apoptosis. XFZY also inhibited the
      activation of AMPK and upregulated the phosphorylation of mammalian target of
      Rapamycin (mTOR). CONCLUSIONS: The cardioprotective effects of XFZY during H/R
      were mediated by inhibiting autophagy via regulating AMPK-mTOR signaling
      pathways.

PMID- 28629358
TI  - Inequities in utilization of reproductive and maternal health services in
      Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Disparities in health services utilization within and between
      regional states of countries with diverse socio-cultural and economic conditions
      such as Ethiopia is a frequent encounter. Understanding and taking measures to
      address unnecessary and avoidable differences in the use of reproductive and
      maternal health services is a key concern in Ethiopia. The aim of the study was
      to examine degree of equity in reproductive and maternal health services
      utilization in Ethiopia. METHOD: Data from Ethiopia demographic health survey
      2014 was analyzed. We assessed inequities in utilization of modern contraceptive
      methods, antenatal care, facility based delivery and postnatal checkup. Four
      standard equity measurement methods were used; equity gaps, rate-ratios,
      concertation curve and concentration index. RESULTS: Inequities in service
      utilization were exhibited favoring women in developed regions, urban residents,
      most educated and the wealthy. Antenatal care by skilled provider was three times
      higher among women with post-secondary education than mothers with no education.
      Women in the highest wealth quantile had about 12 times higher skilled birth
      attendance than those in lowest wealth quantile. The rate of postnatal care use
      among urban resident was about 6 times that of women in rural area. Use of modern
      contraceptive methods was more equitably utilized service while, birth at health
      facility was less equitable across all economic levels, favoring the wealthy.
      CONCLUSION: Considerable inequity between and within regions of Ethiopia in the
      use of maternal health services was demonstrated. Strategically targeting social
      determinants of health with special emphasis to women education and economic
      empowerment will substantially contribute for altering the current situation
      favorably.

PMID- 28629359
TI  - Forced expiration measurements in mouse models of obstructive and restrictive
      lung diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary function measurements are important when studying
      respiratory disease models. Both resistance and compliance have been used to
      assess lung function in mice. Yet, it is not always clear how these parameters
      relate to forced expiration (FE)-related parameters, most commonly used in
      humans. We aimed to characterize FE measurements in four well-established mouse
      models of lung diseases. METHOD: Detailed respiratory mechanics and FE
      measurements were assessed concurrently in Balb/c mice, using the forced
      oscillation and negative pressure-driven forced expiration techniques,
      respectively. Measurements were performed at baseline and following increasing
      methacholine challenges in control Balb/c mice as well as in four disease models:
      bleomycin-induced fibrosis, elastase-induced emphysema, LPS-induced acute lung
      injury and house dust mite-induced asthma. RESULTS: Respiratory mechanics
      parameters (airway resistance, tissue damping and tissue elastance) confirmed
      disease-specific phenotypes either at baseline or following methacholine
      challenge. Similarly, lung function defects could be detected in each disease
      model by at least one FE-related parameter (FEV0.1, FEF0.1, FVC, FEV0.1/FVC ratio
      and PEF) at baseline or during the methacholine provocation assay. CONCLUSIONS:
      FE-derived outcomes in four mouse disease models behaved similarly to changes
      found in human spirometry. Routine combined lung function assessments could
      increase the translational utility of mouse models.

PMID- 28629360
TI  - Conceptualisation of job-related wellbeing, stress and burnout among healthcare
      workers in rural Ethiopia: a qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wellbeing of healthcare workers is important for the effective
      functioning of health systems. The aim of this study was to explore the
      conceptualisations of wellbeing, stress and burnout among healthcare workers in
      primary healthcare settings in rural Ethiopia in order to inform the development
      of contextually appropriate interventions. METHODS: A qualitative study was
      conducted in a rural zone of southern Ethiopia. A total of 52 frontline primary
      healthcare workers participated in in-depth interviews (n = 18) or Focus Group
      Discussions (FGDs) (4 groups, total n = 34). There were 35 facility based
      healthcare professionals and 17 community-based health workers. Data were
      analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Most participants conceptualised
      wellbeing as absence of stress rather than as a positive state. Many threats to
      wellbeing were identified. For facility-based workers, the main stressors were
      inadequate supplies leading to fears of acquiring infection and concerns about
      performance evaluation. For community health workers, the main stressor was role
      ambiguity. Workload and economic self-sufficiency were a concern for both groups.
      Burnout and its symptoms were recognised and reported by most as a problem of
      other healthcare workers. Derogatory and stigmatising terms, such as "chronics",
      were used to refer to those who had served for many years and who appeared to
      have become drained of all compassion. Most participants viewed burnout as
      inevitable if they continued to work in their current workplace without career
      progression. Structural and environmental aspects of work emerged as potential
      targets to improve wellbeing, combined with tackling stigmatising attitudes
      towards mental health problems. An unmet need for intervention for healthcare
      workers who develop burnout or emotional difficulties was identified. CONCLUSION:
      Ethiopian primary healthcare workers commonly face job-related stress and
      experience features of burnout, which may contribute to the high turnover of
      staff and dissatisfaction of both patients and providers. Recent initiatives to
      integrate mental healthcare into primary care provide an opportunity to promote
      the wellbeing of healthcare workers and intervene to address burnout and
      emotional problems by creating a better understanding of mental health.

PMID- 28629362
TI  - Long-term exposure to ambient ultrafine particles and respiratory disease
      incidence in in Toronto, Canada: a cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the long-term health effects of ambient
      ultrafine particles (<0.1 MUm) (UFPs) including their association with
      respiratory disease incidence. In this study, we examined the relationship
      between long-term exposure to ambient UFPs and the incidence of lung cancer,
      adult-onset asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS:
      Our study cohort included approximately 1.1 million adults who resided in
      Toronto, Canada and who were followed for disease incidence between 1996 and
      2012. UFP exposures were assigned to residential locations using a land use
      regression model. Random-effect Cox proportional hazard models were used to
      estimate hazard ratios (HRs) describing the association between ambient UFPs and
      respiratory disease incidence adjusting for ambient fine particulate air
      pollution (PM2.5), NO2, and other individual/neighbourhood-level covariates.
      RESULTS: In total, 74,543 incident cases of COPD, 87,141 cases of asthma, and
      12,908 cases of lung cancer were observed during follow-up period. In single
      pollutant models, each interquartile increase in ambient UFPs was associated with
      incident COPD (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.09) but not asthma (HR = 1.00, 95% CI:
      1.00, 1.01) or lung cancer (HR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.03). Additional adjustment
      for NO2 attenuated the association between UFPs and COPD and the HR was no longer
      elevated (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.03). PM2.5 and NO2 were each associated with
      increased incidence of all three outcomes but risk estimates for lung cancer were
      sensitive to indirect adjustment for smoking and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: In
      general, we did not observe clear evidence of positive associations between long
      term exposure to ambient UFPs and respiratory disease incidence independent of
      other air pollutants. Further replication is required as few studies have
      evaluated these relationships.

PMID- 28629361
TI  - Decoy receptor 3: an endogenous immunomodulator in cancer growth and inflammatory
      reactions.
AB  - Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3), also known as tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)
      superfamily member 6b (TNFRSF6B), is a soluble decoy receptor which can
      neutralize the biological functions of three members of tumor necrosis factor
      superfamily (TNFSF): Fas ligand (FasL), LIGHT, and TL1A. In addition to 'decoy'
      function, recombinant DcR3.Fc is able to modulate the activation and
      differentiation of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages via 'non-decoy' action.
      DcR3-treated DCs skew T cell differentiation into Th2 phenotype, while DcR3
      treated macrophages behave M2 phenotype. DcR3 is upregulated in various cancer
      cells and several inflammatory tissues, and is regarded as a potential biomarker
      to predict inflammatory disease progression and cancer metastasis. However,
      whether DcR3 is a pathogenic factor or a suppressor to attenuate inflammatory
      reactions, has not been discussed comprehensively yet. Because mouse genome does
      not have DcR3, it is not feasible to investigate its physiological functions by
      gene-knockout approach. However, DcR3-mediated effects in vitro are determined
      via overexpressing DcR3 or addition of recombinant DcR3.Fc fusion protein.
      Moreover, CD68-driven DcR3 transgenic mice are used to investigate DcR3-mediated
      systemic effects in vivo. Upregulation of DcR3 during inflammatory reactions
      exerts negative-feedback to suppress inflammation, while tumor cells hijack DcR3
      to prevent apoptosis and promote tumor growth and invasion. Thus, 'switch-on' of
      DcR3 expression may be feasible for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and
      enhance tissue repairing, while 'switch-off' of DcR3 expression can enhance tumor
      apoptosis and suppress tumor growth in vivo.

PMID- 28629363
TI  - Fibroblast paracrine TNF-alpha signaling elevates integrin A5 expression in
      idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease
      with a poor prognosis. Inflammatory cytokines play a significant role in IPF
      pathology. However, the fibroblast itself is also believed to be the primary
      effector in IPF. We hypothesized that the fibroblasts themselves secrete pro
      inflammatory cytokines that could propagate IPF by affecting normal neighboring
      cells. Thus, we explored the effects of IPF fibroblast derived media on normal
      fibroblast characteristics. METHODS: Primary IPF/normal tissue derived fibroblast
      cultures were established and their supernatants were collected (IPF/N-SN,
      respectively). These supernatants were added to normal fibroblasts. Cell death
      (caspase-3, western blot), proliferation, viability (WST-1), migration (scratch
      test) and cell detachment (crystal violet and fibronectin adhesion assays) were
      tested. 10 inflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA-based quantitative
      array. Integrin alpha5 (ITGA5), pIkappaBalpha, p/total STAT3 levels were measured
      by western blot/IHC. TNF-alpha involvement was confirmed using Infliximab (r),
      anti-TNF-alpha mAb. RESULTS: The IPF-SN facilitated fibroblast cell detachment
      and reduced cell migration (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, these effects were reversed
      when cells were seeded on fibronectin. The exposure to the IPF-SN also elevated
      ITGA5 levels, the fibronectin receptor, in addition to NFkappaB pathway
      activation (pIkappaBalpha? 150%, p < 0.05). In accordance, IPF derived
      fibroblasts were found to express higher ITGA5 than the normal cells (44%?, p <
      0.05). ITGA5 was also expressed in the fibroblastic foci. The IPF-SN contained
      high TNF-alpha levels (3-fold, p < 0.05), and Infliximab pretreatment
      successfully reversed all the above observations. CONCLUSION: We suggest a
      possible mechanism in which IPF fibroblast secreted TNF-alpha modifies
      neighboring fibroblast cell behavior.

PMID- 28629364
TI  - Changes in concentrations of haemostatic and inflammatory biomarkers in synovial
      fluid after intra-articular injection of lipopolysaccharide in horses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Septic arthritis is a common and potentially devastating disease
      characterized by severe intra-articular (IA) inflammation and fibrin deposition.
      Research into equine joint pathologies has focused on inflammation, but recent
      research in humans suggests that both haemostatic and inflammatory pathways are
      activated in the joint compartment in arthritic conditions. The aim of this study
      was to characterize the IA haemostatic and inflammatory responses in horses with
      experimental lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced joint inflammation. Inflammation
      was induced by IA injection of LPS into one antebrachiocarpal joint of six
      horses. Horses were evaluated clinically with subjective grading of lameness, and
      blood and synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected at post injection hours
      (PIH) -120, -96, -24, 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 144. Total protein (TP),
      white blood cell counts (WBC), serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, iron,
      fibrinogen, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) and d-dimer concentrations were assessed
      in blood and SF. RESULTS: Intra-articular injection of LPS caused local and
      systemic signs of inflammation including increased rectal temperature, lameness
      and increased joint circumference and skin temperature. Most of the biomarkers
      (TP, WBC, haptoglobin, fibrinogen and TAT) measured in SF increased quickly after
      LPS injection (at PIH 2-4), whereas SAA and d-dimer levels increased more slowly
      (at PIH 16 and 144, respectively). SF iron concentrations did not change
      statistically significantly. Blood WBC, SAA, haptoglobin and fibrinogen increased
      and iron decreased significantly in response to the IA LPS injection, while TAT
      and d-dimer concentrations did not change. Repeated pre-injection arthrocenteses
      caused significant changes in SF concentrations of TP, WBC and haptoglobin.
      CONCLUSION: Similar to inflammatory joint disease in humans, joint inflammation
      in horses was accompanied by an IA haemostatic response with changes in
      fibrinogen, TAT and d-dimer concentrations. Inflammatory and haemostatic
      responses were induced simultaneously and may likely interact. Further studies of
      interactions between the two responses are needed for a better understanding of
      pathogenesis of joint disease in horses. Knowledge of effects of repeated
      arthrocenteses on levels of SF biomarkers may be of value when markers are used
      for diagnostic purposes.

PMID- 28629365
TI  - Evaluation and improvement of the regulatory inference for large co-expression
      networks with limited sample size.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Co-expression has been widely used to identify novel regulatory
      relationships using high throughput measurements, such as microarray and RNA-seq
      data. Evaluation studies on co-expression network analysis methods mostly focus
      on networks of small or medium size of up to a few hundred nodes. For large
      networks, simulated expression data usually consist of hundreds or thousands of
      profiles with different perturbations or knock-outs, which is uncommon in real
      experiments due to their cost and the amount of work required. Thus, the
      performances of co-expression network analysis methods on large co-expression
      networks consisting of a few thousand nodes, with only a small number of profiles
      with a single perturbation, which more accurately reflect normal experimental
      conditions, are generally uncharacterized and unknown. METHODS: We proposed a
      novel network inference methods based on Relevance Low order Partial Correlation
      (RLowPC). RLowPC method uses a two-step approach to select on the high-confidence
      edges first by reducing the search space by only picking the top ranked genes
      from an intial partial correlation analysis and, then computes the partial
      correlations in the confined search space by only removing the linear
      dependencies from the shared neighbours, largely ignoring the genes showing lower
      association. RESULTS: We selected six co-expression-based methods with good
      performance in evaluation studies from the literature: Partial correlation, PCIT,
      ARACNE, MRNET, MRNETB and CLR. The evaluation of these methods was carried out on
      simulated time-series data with various network sizes ranging from 100 to 3000
      nodes. Simulation results show low precision and recall for all of the above
      methods for large networks with a small number of expression profiles. We
      improved the inference significantly by refinement of the top weighted edges in
      the pre-inferred partial correlation networks using RLowPC. We found improved
      performance by partitioning large networks into smaller co-expressed modules when
      assessing the method performance within these modules. CONCLUSIONS: The
      evaluation results show that current methods suffer from low precision and recall
      for large co-expression networks where only a small number of profiles are
      available. The proposed RLowPC method effectively reduces the indirect edges
      predicted as regulatory relationships and increases the precision of top ranked
      predictions. Partitioning large networks into smaller highly co-expressed modules
      also helps to improve the performance of network inference methods. The RLowPC R
      package for network construction, refinement and evaluation is available at
      GitHub: https://github.com/wyguo/RLowPC .

PMID- 28629366
TI  - Molecular characterization of clinical IMP-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae
      isolates from a Chinese Tertiary Hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: IMP-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (IMPKpn) exhibits sporadic
      prevalence in China. The mechanisms related to the spread of IMPKpn remain
      unclear. METHODS: Carbapenem non-susceptible K. pneumoniae isolates were
      collected from our hospital. The genetic relatedness, antimicrobial
      susceptibility, as well as sequence types (ST) were analyzed by pulsed-field gel
      electrophoresis (PFGE), VITEK 2 AST test Kit, and multilocus sequence typing
      (MLST), respectively. S1-PFGE, Southern blot analysis and multiple PCR
      amplification were used for plasmid profiling. RESULTS: Between October 2009 and
      June 2016, 25 non-repetitive IMPKpn isolates were identified. PFGE results showed
      that these isolates belonged to 20 genetically unrelated IMPKpn strains. Diverse
      STs were identified by MLST. Most strains carried bla IMP-4, followed by bla IMP
      1. Four incompatibility types of bla IMP-carrying plasmids were identified, which
      included A/C (n = 2), B/O (n = 2), L/M (n = 1) and N (n = 14), while type of
      other one plasmid failed to be determined. CONCLUSIONS: The IMPKpn isolates
      exhibited sporadic prevalence in our hospital. IncN types of plasmids with
      various sizes have emerged as the main platform mediating the spread of the bla
      IMP genes in our hospital.

PMID- 28629367
TI  - African-American esophageal squamous cell carcinoma expression profile reveals
      dysregulation of stress response and detox networks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Esophageal carcinoma is the third most common gastrointestinal
      malignancy worldwide and is largely unresponsive to therapy. African-Americans
      have an increased risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the subtype
      that shows marked variation in geographic frequency. The molecular architecture
      of African-American ESCC is still poorly understood. It is unclear why African
      American ESCC is more aggressive and the survival rate in these patients is worse
      than those of other ethnic groups. METHODS: To begin to define genetic
      alterations that occur in African-American ESCC we conducted microarray
      expression profiling in pairs of esophageal squamous cell tumors and matched
      control tissues. RESULTS: We found significant dysregulation of genes encoding
      drug-metabolizing enzymes and stress response components of the NRF2- mediated
      oxidative damage pathway, potentially representing key genes in African-American
      esophageal squamous carcinogenesis. Loss of activity of drug metabolizing enzymes
      would confer increased sensitivity of esophageal cells to xenobiotics, such as
      alcohol and tobacco smoke, and may account for the high incidence and
      aggressiveness of ESCC in this ethnic group. To determine whether certain genes
      are uniquely altered in African-American ESCC we performed a meta-analysis of
      ESCC expression profiles in our African-American samples and those of several
      Asian samples. Down-regulation of TP53 pathway components represented the most
      common feature in ESCC of all ethnic groups. Importantly, this analysis revealed
      a potential distinctive molecular underpinning of African-American ESCC, that is,
      a widespread and prominent involvement of the NRF2 pathway. CONCLUSION: Taken
      together, these findings highlight the remarkable interplay of genetic and
      environmental factors in the pathogenesis of African-American ESCC.

PMID- 28629368
TI  - Identification and characterization of long intergenic noncoding RNAs in bovine
      mammary glands.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mammary glands of dairy cattle produce milk for the newborn offspring
      and for human consumption. Long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) play various
      functions in eukaryotic cells. However, types and roles of lincRNAs in bovine
      mammary glands are still poorly understood. RESULTS: Using computational methods,
      886 unknown intergenic transcripts (UITs) were identified from five RNA-seq
      datasets from bovine mammary glands. Their non-coding potentials were predicted
      by using the combination of four software programs (CPAT, CNCI, CPC and hmmscan),
      with 184 lincRNAs identified. By comparison to the NONCODE2016 database and a
      domestic-animal long noncoding RNA database (ALDB), 112 novel lincRNAs were
      revealed in bovine mammary glands. Many lincRNAs were found to be located in
      quantitative trait loci (QTL). In particular, 36 lincRNAs were found in 172 milk
      related QTLs, whereas one lincRNA was within clinical mastitis QTL region. In
      addition, targeted genes for 10 lincRNAs with the highest fragments per kilobase
      of transcript per million fragments mapped (FPKM) were predicted by LncTar for
      forecasting potential biological functions of these lincRNAs. Further analyses
      indicate involvement of lincRNAs in several biological functions and different
      pathways. CONCLUSION: Our study has provided a panoramic view of lincRNAs in
      bovine mammary glands and suggested their involvement in many biological
      functions including susceptibility to clinical mastitis as well as milk quality
      and production. This integrative annotation of mammary gland lincRNAs broadens
      and deepens our understanding of bovine mammary gland biology.

PMID- 28629369
TI  - Erratum to: Relationships between parental sleep quality, fatigue, cognitions
      about infant sleep, and parental depression pre and post-intervention for infant
      behavioral sleep problems.

PMID- 28629370
TI  - Pharmacogenetic testing through the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company
      23andMe.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rapid advances in scientific research have led to an increase in
      public awareness of genetic testing and pharmacogenetics. Direct-to-consumer
      (DTC) genetic testing companies, such as 23andMe, allow consumers to access their
      genetic information directly through an online service without the involvement of
      healthcare professionals. Here, we evaluate the clinical relevance of
      pharmacogenetic tests reported by 23andMe in their UK tests. METHODS: The
      research papers listed under each 23andMe report were evaluated, extracting
      information on effect size, sample size and ethnicity. A wider literature search
      was performed to provide a fuller assessment of the pharmacogenetic test and
      variants were matched to FDA recommendations. Additional evidence from CPIC
      guidelines, PharmGKB, and Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group was reviewed to
      determine current clinical practice. The value of the tests across ethnic groups
      was determined, including information on linkage disequilibrium between the
      tested SNP and causal pharmacogenetic variant, where relevant. RESULTS: 23andMe
      offers 12 pharmacogenetic tests to their UK customers, some of which are in
      standard clinical practice, and others which are less widely applied. The
      clinical validity and clinical utility varies extensively between tests. The
      variants tested are likely to have different degrees of sensitivity due to
      different risk allele frequencies and linkage disequilibrium patterns across
      populations. The clinical relevance depends on the ethnicity of the individual
      and variability of pharmacogenetic markers. Further research is required to
      determine causal variants and provide more complete assessment of drug response
      and side effects. CONCLUSION: 23andMe reports provide some useful
      pharmacogenetics information, mirroring clinical tests that are in standard use.
      Other tests are unspecific, providing limited guidance and may not be useful for
      patients without professional interpretation. Nevertheless, DTC companies like
      23andMe act as a powerful intermediate step to integrate pharmacogenetic testing
      into clinical practice.

PMID- 28629371
TI  - Combined targeting of MDM2 and CDK4 is synergistic in dedifferentiated
      liposarcomas.
AB  - PURPOSE: MDM2 and CDK4 are frequently co-amplified in well
      differentiated/dedifferentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS/DDLPS). We aimed to determine
      whether combined MDM2/CDK4 targeting is associated with higher antitumour
      activity than a single agent in preclinical models of DDLPS. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:
      DDLPS cells were exposed to RG7388 (MDM2 antagonist) and palbociclib (CDK4
      inhibitor), and apoptosis and signalling/survival pathway perturbations were
      monitored by flow cytometry and Western blotting. Xenograft mouse models were
      used to assess tumour growth and survival. Treatment efficacy was assessed by
      Western blotting, histopathology and tumour volume. RESULTS: RG7388 and
      palbociclib together exerted a greater antitumour effect than either drug alone,
      with significant differences in cell viability after a 72-h treatment with RG7388
      and/or palbociclib. The combination treatment significantly increased apoptosis
      compared to the single agents. We then analysed the in vivo antitumour activity
      of RG7388 and palbociclib in a xenograft model of DDLPS. The combination regimen
      reduced the tumour growth rate compared with a single agent alone and
      significantly increased the median progression-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results provide a strong rationale for evaluating the therapeutic potential of
      CDK4 inhibitors as potentiators of MDM2 antagonists in DDLPS and justify clinical
      trials in this setting.

PMID- 28629372
TI  - Novel NBAS mutations and fever-related recurrent acute liver failure in Chinese
      children: a retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Underlying causes in Chinese children with recurrent acute liver
      failure (RALF), including liver crises less than full acute liver failure, are
      incompletely understood. We sought to address this by searching for genes mutated
      in such children. METHODS: Five unrelated Chinese boys presenting between 2012
      and 2015 with RALF of unexplained etiology were studied. Results of whole exome
      sequencing were screened for mutations in candidate genes. Mutations were
      verified in patients and their family members by Sanger sequencing. All 5 boys
      underwent liver biopsy. RESULTS: NBAS was the only candidate gene mutated in more
      than one patient (biallelic mutations, 3 of 5 patients; 5 separate mutations).
      All NBAS mutations were novel and predictedly pathogenic (frameshift insertion
      mutation c.6611_6612insCA, missense mutations c.2407G > A and c.3596G > A,
      nonsense mutation c.586C > T, and splicing-site mutation c.5389 + 1G > T). Of
      these mutations, 3 lay in distal (C-terminal) regions of NBAS, a novel
      distribution. Unlike the 2 patients without NBAS mutations, the 3 patients with
      confirmed NBAS mutations all suffered from a febrile illness before each episode
      of liver crisis (fever-related RALF), with markedly elevated alanine
      aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities 24-72 h after
      elevation of body temperature, succeeded by severe coagulopathy and mild to
      moderate jaundice. CONCLUSIONS: As in other countries, so too in China; NBAS
      disease is a major cause of fever-related RALF in children. The mutation spectrum
      of NBAS in Chinese children seems different from that described in other
      populations.

PMID- 28629373
TI  - Blimp-1 impairs T cell function via upregulation of TIGIT and PD-1 in patients
      with acute myeloid leukemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: T cell immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory
      motif (ITIM) domain (TIGIT) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) are
      important inhibitory receptors that associate with T cell exhaustion in acute
      myeloid leukemia (AML). In this study, we aimed to determine the underlying
      transcriptional mechanisms regulating these inhibitory pathways. Specifically, we
      investigated the role of transcription factor B lymphocyte-induced maturation
      protein 1 (Blimp-1) in T cell response and transcriptional regulation of TIGIT
      and PD-1 in AML. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples collected from patients with
      AML were used in this study. Blimp-1 expression was examined by flow cytometry.
      The correlation of Blimp-1 expression to clinical characteristics of AML patients
      was analyzed. Phenotypic and functional studies of Blimp-1-expressing T cells
      were performed using flow cytometry-based assays. Luciferase reporter assays and
      ChIP assays were applied to assess direct binding and transcription activity of
      Blimp-1. Using siRNA to silence Blimp-1, we further elucidated the regulatory
      role of Blimp-1 in the TIGIT and PD-1 expression and T cell immune response.
      RESULTS: Blimp-1 expression is elevated in T cells from AML patients. Consistent
      with exhaustion, Blimp-1+ T cells upregulate multiple inhibitory receptors
      including PD-1 and TIGIT. In addition, they are functionally impaired manifested
      by low cytokine production and decreased cytotoxicity capacity. Importantly, the
      functional defect is reversed by inhibition of Blimp-1 via siRNA knockdown.
      Furthermore, Blimp-1 binds to the promoters of PD-1 and TIGIT and positively
      regulates their expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates an important
      inhibitory effect of Blimp-1 on T cell response in AML; thus, targeting Blimp-1
      and its regulated molecules to improve the immune response may provide effective
      leukemia therapeutics.

PMID- 28629374
TI  - Multi-purpose ECG telemetry system.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Electrocardiogram ECG is one of the most important non-invasive
      tools for cardiac diseases diagnosis. Taking advantage of the developed
      telecommunication infrastructure, several approaches that address the development
      of telemetry cardiac devices were introduced recently. Telemetry ECG devices
      allow easy and fast ECG monitoring of patients with suspected cardiac issues.
      Choosing the right device with the desired working mode, signal quality, and the
      device cost are still the main obstacles to massive usage of these devices.
      METHODS: In this paper, we introduce design, implementation, and validation of a
      multi-purpose telemetry system for recording, transmission, and interpretation of
      ECG signals in different recording modes. The system consists of an ECG device, a
      cloud-based analysis pipeline, and accompanied mobile applications for physicians
      and patients. The proposed ECG device's mechanical design allows laypersons to
      easily record post-event short-term ECG signals, using dry electrodes without any
      preparation. Moreover, patients can use the device to record long-term signals in
      loop and holter modes, using wet electrodes. In order to overcome the problem of
      signal quality fluctuation due to using different electrodes types and different
      placements on subject's chest, customized ECG signal processing and
      interpretation pipeline is presented for each working mode. RESULTS: We present
      the evaluation of the novel short-term recorder design. Recording of an ECG
      signal was performed for 391 patients using a standard 12-leads golden standard
      ECG and the proposed patient-activated short-term post-event recorder. In the
      validation phase, a sample of validation signals followed peer review process
      wherein two experts annotated the signals in terms of signal acceptability for
      diagnosis.We found that 96% of signals allow detecting arrhythmia and other
      signal's abnormal changes. Additionally, we compared and presented the
      correlation coefficient and the automatic QRS delineation results of both short
      term post-event recorder and 12-leads golden standard ECG recorder. CONCLUSIONS:
      The proposed multi-purpose ECG device allows physicians to choose the working
      mode of the same device according to the patient status. The proposed device was
      designed to allow patients to manage the technical requirements of both working
      modes. Post-event short-term ECG recording using the proposed design provide
      physicians reliable three ECG leads with direct symptom-rhythm correlation.

PMID- 28629375
TI  - Diagnostic performance of multi-organ ultrasound with pocket-sized device in the
      management of acute dyspnea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The availability of ultra-miniaturized pocket ultrasound devices
      (PUD) adds diagnostic power to the clinical examination. Information on accuracy
      of ultrasound with handheld units in immediate differential diagnosis in
      emergency department (ED) is poor. The aim of this study is to test the
      usefulness and accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS) alone or combined with
      ultrasound of the heart and inferior vena cava (IVC) using a PUD for the
      differential diagnosis of acute dyspnea (AD). METHODS: We included 68 patients
      presenting to the ED of "Maurizio Bufalini" Hospital in Cesena (Italy) for AD.
      All patients underwent integrated ultrasound examination (IUE) of lung-heart-IVC,
      using PUD. The series was divided into patients with dyspnea of cardiac or non
      cardiac origin. We used 2 * 2 contingency tables to analyze sensitivity,
      specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the three
      ultrasonic methods and their various combinations for the diagnosis of
      cardiogenic dyspnea (CD), comparing with the final diagnosis made by an
      independent emergency physician. RESULTS: LUS alone exhibited a good sensitivity
      (92.6%) and specificity (80.5%). The highest accuracy (90%) for the diagnosis of
      CD was obtained with the combination of LUS and one of the other two methods
      (heart or IVC). CONCLUSIONS: The IUE with PUD is a useful extension of the
      clinical examination, can be readily available at the bedside or in ambulance,
      requires few minutes and has a reliable diagnostic discriminant ability in the
      setting of AD.

PMID- 28629376
TI  - Radiation therapy for older patients with brain tumors.
AB  - The incidence of brain tumors in the elderly population has increased over the
      last few decades. Current treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy and
      chemotherapy, but the optimal management of older patients with brain tumors
      remains a matter of debate, since aggressive radiation treatments in this
      population may be associated with high risks of neurological toxicity and
      deterioration of quality of life. For such patients, a careful clinical status
      assessment is mandatory both for clinical decision making and for designing
      randomized trials to adequately evaluate the optimal combination of radiotherapy
      and chemotherapy.Several randomized studies have demonstrated the efficacy and
      safety of chemotherapy for patients with glioblastoma or lymphoma; however, the
      use of radiotherapy given in association with chemotherapy or as salvage therapy
      remains an effective treatment option associated with survival benefit.
      Stereotactic techniques are increasingly used for the treatment of patients with
      brain metastases and benign tumors, including pituitary adenomas, meningiomas and
      acoustic neuromas. Although no randomized trials have proven the superiority of
      SRS over other radiation techniques in older patients with brain metastases or
      benign brain tumors, data extracted from recent randomized studies and large
      retrospective series suggest that SRS is an effective approach in such patients
      associated with survival advantages and toxicity profile similar to those
      observed in young adults. Future trials need to investigate the optimal radiation
      techniques and dose/fractionation schedules in older patients with brain tumors
      with regard to clinical outcomes, neurocognitive function, and quality of life.

PMID- 28629377
TI  - Quantitative phosphoproteome on the silkworm (Bombyx mori) cells infected with
      baculovirus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bombyx mori has become an important model organism for many
      fundamental studies. Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a significant
      pathogen to Bombyx mori, yet also an efficient vector for recombinant protein
      production. A previous study indicated that acetylation plays many vital roles in
      several cellular processes of Bombyx mori while global phosphorylation pattern
      upon BmNPV infection remains elusive. METHOD: Employing tandem mass tag (TMT)
      labeling and phosphorylation affinity enrichment followed by high-resolution LC
      MS/MS analysis and intensive bioinformatics analysis, the quantitative
      phosphoproteome in Bombyx mori cells infected by BmNPV at 24 hpi with an MOI of
      10 was extensively examined. RESULTS: Totally, 6480 phosphorylation sites in 2112
      protein groups were identified, among which 4764 sites in 1717 proteins were
      quantified. Among the quantified proteins, 81 up-regulated and 25 down-regulated
      sites were identified with significant criteria (the quantitative ratio above 1.3
      was considered as up-regulation and below 0.77 was considered as down-regulation)
      and with significant p-value (p < 0.05). Some proteins of BmNPV were also
      hyperphosphorylated during infection, such as P6.9, 39 K, LEF-6, Ac58-like
      protein, Ac82-like protein and BRO-D. CONCLUSION: The phosphorylated proteins
      were primary involved in several specific functions, out of which, we focused on
      the binding activity, protein synthesis, viral replication and apoptosis through
      kinase activity.

PMID- 28629378
TI  - MicroRNA-130b is involved in bovine granulosa and cumulus cells function, oocyte
      maturation and blastocyst formation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryo development are
      controlled by array of genes that are post-transcriptionally regulated by
      microRNAs. With respect to this, previously, we identified altered expression of
      microRNA-130b (miR-130b) during oocyte maturation. Here, we aimed to investigate
      the role of miR-130b in bovine granulosa and cumulus cell function, oocyte
      maturation and preimplantation embryo development using gain- and loss-of-
      function approach. METHODS: For this study, the granulosa cells, cumulus cells
      and the oocytes were collected from ovaries obtained from slaughterhouse. The
      genes targeted by miR-130b were identified using dual-luciferase reporter assay.
      The role of miR-130b in granulosa and cumulus cell function was investigated by
      increasing and inhibiting its expression in in vitro cultured cells using miR
      130b precursor and inhibitor, respectively while the role of miR-130b on oocyte
      development, immature oocytes were microinjected with miR-130b precursor and
      inhibitor and the polar body extrusion, the proportion of oocytes reaching to
      metaphase II stage and the mitochondrial were determined in each oocyte group 22
      h after microinjection. Moreover, to investigate the role of miR-130b during
      preimplantation embryo development, zygote stage embryos were microinjected with
      miR-130b precursor or inhibitor and the cleavage rate, morula and blastocyst
      formation was analyzed in embryos derived from each zygote group after in vitro
      culture. RESULTS: The luciferase assay showed that SMAD5 and MSK1 genes were
      identified as the direct targets of miR-130b. Overexpression of miR-130b
      increased the granulosa and cumulus cell proliferation, while inhibition showed
      the opposite phenotype. Apart from these, modulation of miR-130b altered the
      lactate production and cholesterol biosynthesis in cumulus cells. Furthermore,
      inhibition of miR-130b expression during oocyte in vitro maturation reduced the
      first polar body extrusion, the proportion of oocytes reaching to metaphase II
      stage and the mitochondrial activity, while inhibition of miR-130b during
      preimplantation embryo development significantly reduced morula and blastocyst
      formation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that in vitro functional
      modulation of miR-130b affected granulosa and cumulus cell proliferation and
      survival, oocyte maturation, morula and blastocyst formation suggesting that miR
      130b is involved in bovine oocyte maturation and preimplantation embryo
      development.

PMID- 28629380
TI  - Retinal and vitreous metastases from hepatocholangiocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To report a case of metastatic hepatocholangiocarcinoma to the
      vitreous and retina. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old male, who was recently
      diagnosed with hepatocholangiocarcinoma, was complaining of floaters in his right
      eye over the past 5 months and was referred to the Liverpool Ocular Oncology
      Centre. On presentation, his visual acuity in the right eye was 6/24. Fundus exam
      revealed a whitish, unilateral, full-thickness retinal lesion at the
      inferotemporal arcade of his right eye, with vitreous infiltration and subretinal
      fluid. The patient underwent 25G pars plana vitrectomy with biopsy, resection of
      the lesion and intravitreal bevacizumab injection. Histopathology testing of the
      surgical specimens confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma to the eye.
      Two months postoperatively his visual acuity had improved to 6/7.5 and there was
      no sign of active disease in his right eye, while 9 months postoperatively his
      visual acuity decreased to 6/9.5 due to developing nuclear sclerotic cataract in
      his right eye. CONCLUSION: The current report presents the first case of a
      hepatocholangiocarcinoma metastasis to the vitreous and retina.

PMID- 28629379
TI  - Laparoscopic gastrectomy in obese gastric cancer patients: a comparative study
      with non-obese patients and evaluation of difference in laparoscopic methods.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing epidemic around the world, and obese patients
      are generally regarded as high risk for surgery compared with normal weight
      patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of obesity on
      the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for gastric cancer.
      METHODS: We reviewed data for all patients undergoing LG for gastric cancer at
      our institute between October 2004 and December 2016. Patients were divided into
      non-obese and obese groups and the perioperative outcomes were compared.
      Furthermore, a subgroup analysis was conducted to evaluate which of the two
      commonly used methods of LG, laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) and totally
      laparoscopic gastrectomy (TLG), is more suitable for obese patients. RESULTS: A
      total of 1691 patients, 1255 non-obese and 436 obese or overweight patients,
      underwent LG during the study period. The mean operation time was significantly
      longer in the obese group than in the non-obese group (209.9 +/- 29.7 vs. 227.2
      +/- 25.7 min, P < 0.01), and intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in
      the non-obese group (113.4 +/- 34.1 vs. 136.9 +/- 36.7 ml, P < 0.01). Time to
      first flatus, time to oral intake, and postoperative hospital stay were
      significantly shorter in the non-obese group than in the obese group (3.3 +/- 0.8
      vs. 3.6 +/- 0.9 days; 4.3 +/- 1.0 vs. 4.6 +/- 1.0 days; and 9.0 +/- 2.2 vs. 9.6
      +/- 2.2 days, respectively; P < 0.01). 119 (9.5%) of the non-obese patients had
      postoperative complications as compared to 44 (10.1%) of the obese patients (P =
      0.71). In the subgroup analysis of all patients, TLG showed improved results for
      early surgical outcomes compared to LAG, mainly due to its advantages in obese
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is associated with long operation time, increased
      blood loss, and slow recovery after laparoscopic gastric resection but does not
      affect intraoperative security or effectiveness. TLG may have less negative
      results in obese patients than LAG due to a variety of reasons. Our analysis
      shows that TLG is more advantageous, with regard to early surgical outcomes, for
      obese patients.

PMID- 28629382
TI  - Community first responders and responder schemes in the United Kingdom:
      systematic scoping review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Community First Responder (CFR) schemes support lay people to respond
      to medical emergencies, working closely with ambulance services. They operate
      widely in the UK. There has been no previous review of UK literature on these
      schemes. This is the first systematic scoping review of UK literature on CFR
      schemes, which identifies the reasons for becoming a CFR, requirements for
      training and feedback and confusion between the CFR role and that of ambulance
      service staff. This study also reveals gaps in the evidence base for CFR schemes.
      METHODS: We conducted a systematic scoping review of the published literature, in
      the English language from 2000 onwards using specific search terms in six
      databases. Narrative synthesis was used to analyse article content. RESULTS: Nine
      articles remained from the initial search of 15,969 articles after removing
      duplicates, title and abstract and then full text review. People were motivated
      to become CFRs through an altruistic desire to help others. They generally felt
      rewarded by their work but recognised that the help they provided was limited by
      their training compared with ambulance staff. There were concerns about the
      possible emotional impact on CFRs responding to incidents. CFRs felt that better
      feedback would enhance their learning. Ongoing training and support were viewed
      as essential to enable CFRs to progress. They perceived that public recognition
      of the CFR role was low, patients sometimes confusing them with ambulance staff.
      Relationships with the ambulance service were sometimes ambivalent due to
      confusion over roles. There was support for local autonomy of CFR schemes but
      with greater sharing of best practice. DISCUSSION: Most studies dated from 2005
      and were descriptive rather than analytical. In the UK and Australia CFRs are
      usually lay volunteers equipped with basic skills for responding to medical
      emergencies, whereas in the US they include other emergency staff as well as lay
      people. CONCLUSION: Opportunities for future research include exploring
      experiences and perceptions of patients who have been treated by CFRs and other
      stakeholders, while also evaluating the effectiveness and costs of CFR schemes.

PMID- 28629381
TI  - The era of bioengineering: how will this affect the next generation of cancer
      immunotherapy?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy consists of activating the patient's immune system to
      fight cancer and has the great potential of preventing future relapses thanks to
      immunological memory. A great variety of strategies have emerged to harness the
      immune system against tumors, from the administration of immunomodulatory agents
      that activate immune cells, to therapeutic vaccines or infusion of previously
      activated cancer-specific T cells. However, despite great recent progress many
      difficulties still remain, which prevent the widespread use of immunotherapy.
      Some of these limitations include: systemic toxicity, weak immune cellular
      responses or persistence over time and most ultimately costly and time-consuming
      procedures. MAIN BODY: Synthetic and natural biomaterials hold great potential to
      address these hurdles providing biocompatible systems capable of targeted local
      delivery, co-delivery, and controlled and/or sustained release. In this review we
      discuss some of the bioengineered solutions and approaches developed so far and
      how biomaterials can be further implemented to help and shape the future of
      cancer immunotherapy. CONCLUSION: The bioengineering strategies here presented
      constitute a powerful toolkit to develop safe and successful novel cancer
      immunotherapies.

PMID- 28629383
TI  - Epitope mapping and characterization of a novel Nsp10-specific monoclonal
      antibody that differentiates genotype 2 PRRSV from genotype 1 PRRSV.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), the
      causative agent of PRRS, has two distinct and highly diverse genotypes (genotype
      1 and genotype 2) in the field. Accurate diagnosis and differentiation of the two
      genotypes of PRRSV are critical to the effective prevention and control of PRRS.
      The non-structural protein 10 (Nsp10) plays a vital role in viral replication and
      is one of the most conserved proteins of PRRSV, thus constituting a good
      candidate for PRRSV diagnosis. RESULTS: In this study, we generated a monoclonal
      antibody (mAb) 4D9 against Nsp10 by immunizing BALB/c mice with purified
      recombinant Nsp10 expressed by an Escherichia coli system. Through fine epitope
      mapping of mAb 4D9 using a panel of eukaryotic expressed polypeptides with GFP
      tags, we identified the motif 286AIQPDYRDKL295 as the minimal unit of the linear
      B-cell epitope recognized by mAb 4D9. Protein sequence alignment indicated that
      286AIQPDYRDKL295 was highly conserved in genotype 2 PRRSV strains, whereas
      genotype 1 PRRSV strains had variable amino acids in this motif. Furthermore, a
      mutant of the motif carrying two constant amino acids of genotype 1 PRRSV, Cys290
      and Glu293, failed to react with mAb 4D9. More importantly, the mAb 4D9 could
      differentiate genotype 2 PRRSV strains from genotype 1 PRRSV strains using
      Western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings
      suggest that Nsp10-specific mAb generated in this study could be a useful tool
      for basic research and may facilitate the establishment of diagnostic methods to
      discriminate between genotype 1 and genotype 2 PRRSV infection.

PMID- 28629384
TI  - Involvement of the glutamate/glutamine cycle and glutamate transporter GLT-1 in
      antidepressant-like effects of Xiao Yao san on chronically stressed mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Xiao Yao San (XYS) is an herbal prescription which is used in the
      treatment of depression for thousands of years from Song dynasty in China (960
      1127 A.D.), and is the bestselling and most popular herb formula for treating
      major depression. This study aimed to assess the chronic antidepressant effects
      of XYS and fluoxetine in depressed mice induced by chronic unpredictable mild
      stress (CUMS) and its association with  alterations in glutamate/glutamine cycle
      and glutamate transporters. METHODS: Mice in the control and model group were
      given 0.5 ml physiological saline by intragastric administration. Mice in two
      treatment groups were given XYS (0.25 g/kg/d) and fluoxetine (2.6 mg/kg/d),
      respectively. The depressive-like behaviors such as forced swim test (FST),
      sucrose preference test (SPT) and novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test were
      measured after mice exposed to CUMS for 21 days. Body weight, contents of
      glutamate and glutamine, glutamine/glutamate ratio that is usually thought to
      reflect glutamate/glutamine cycle, and the protein and mRNA expressions of
      glutamate transporters (excitatory amino acid transporter 1-2,GLAST/EAAT1 and GLT
      1/EAAT2) were measured. The immunoreactivities of GLAST and GLT-1 in the
      hippocampus were also investigated. RESULTS: After CUMS exposure, mice exhibited
      depressive-like behaviors, body weight loss, increased glutamate level, decreased
      glutamine level, elevated glutamine/glutamate ratio, decreased GLT-1 protein
      expression and mRNA level, and decreased average optical density (AOD) of GLT-1
      in the CA1, CA3 and DG in the hippocampus. These abnormalities could be
      effectively reversed by XYS or fluoxetine treatment. In addition, the study also
      found that GLAST expression in the hippocampus could not be altered by 21-d CUMS.
      CONCLUSION: The studies indicated that XYS may have therapeutic actions on
      depression -like behavior s induced by CUMS in mice possibly mediated by
      modulation of glutamate/glutamine cycle and glutamate transporter GLT-1 in the
      hippocampus.

PMID- 28629385
TI  - Administrative Algorithms to identify Avascular necrosis of bone among patients
      undergoing upper or lower extremity magnetic resonance imaging: a validation
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies of the epidemiology and outcomes of avascular necrosis (AVN)
      require accurate case-finding methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate
      performance characteristics of a claims-based algorithm designed to identify AVN
      cases in administrative data. METHODS: Using a centralized patient registry from
      a US academic medical center, we identified all adults aged >=18 years who
      underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of an upper/lower extremity joint
      during the 1.5 year study period. A radiologist report confirming AVN on MRI
      served as the gold standard. We examined the sensitivity, specificity, positive
      predictive value (PPV) and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of four algorithms (A
      D) using International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition (ICD-9) codes for
      AVN. The algorithms ranged from least stringent (Algorithm A, requiring >=1 ICD-9
      code for AVN [733.4X]) to most stringent (Algorithm D, requiring >=3 ICD-9 codes,
      each at least 30 days apart). RESULTS: Among 8200 patients who underwent MRI, 83
      (1.0% [95% CI 0.78-1.22]) had AVN by gold standard. Algorithm A yielded the
      highest sensitivity (81.9%, 95% CI 72.0-89.5), with PPV of 66.0% (95% CI 56.0
      75.1). The PPV of algorithm D increased to 82.2% (95% CI 67.9-92.0), although
      sensitivity decreased to 44.6% (95% CI 33.7-55.9). All four algorithms had
      specificities >99%. CONCLUSION: An algorithm that uses a single billing code to
      screen for AVN among those who had MRI has the highest sensitivity and is best
      suited for studies in which further medical record review confirming AVN is
      feasible. Algorithms using multiple billing codes are recommended for use in
      administrative databases when further AVN validation is not feasible.

PMID- 28629386
TI  - Strain elastography imaging for early detection and prediction of tumor response
      to concurrent chemo-radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer: feasibility
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the feasibility of strain elastography imaging in
      early detecting and predicting treatment response in patients receiving
      concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced cervical cancer.
      METHODS: Between January 2015 and June 2016, 47 patients with locally advanced
      cervical cancer were enrolled in a feasibility study approved by the
      institutional review board. All patients underwent CCRT and received strain
      elastography examinations at 4 time points: pre-therapy (baseline), 1 week and 2
      weeks during, as well as immediately post CCRT. Treatment response was evaluated
      by MRI at the time of diagnosis and immediately after CCRT. Based on the MRI
      findings, the treatment outcome was characterized as complete response (CR),
      partial response (PR), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD). Strain
      ratio of the normal parametrial tissue vs. cervical tumor was calculated and
      compared with the clinical outcome. RESULTS: Out of the 47 patients, 36 patients
      who completed all 4 examinations were included in the analyses: 25 were
      classified as CR, 11 as PR, and 0 in the SD/PD groups. Strain ratios were
      significantly different among the time points in both the CR group (F = 87.004, p
      < 0.001) and PR group (F = 38.317, p < 0.001). Strain ratios were significantly
      difference between the CR and PR groups (F = 7.203 p = 0.011). Strain ratios
      between the CR group and PR group were significantly different at 1 week after
      treatment initiation (p < 0.05). Compared to the baseline, a significant decrease
      in the CR group was observed at week 1, week 2 and post treatment (all p <
      0.001), while a significant decrease in the PR group was shown in week 2 and post
      treatment (both p < 0.05), but not at week 1 during CCRT (p = 0.084).
      CONCLUSIONS: We have conducted a prospective longitudinal study to evaluate tumor
      response in women receiving CCRT for cervical cancers. This study has
      demonstrated the potential of strain elastography imaging in monitoring and early
      predicting tumor response induced by CCRT.

PMID- 28629387
TI  - An updated assessment of microglia depletion: current concepts and future
      directions.
AB  - Microglia are the principal resident immune cells in the central nervous system
      and are believed to be versatile players in both inflammatory and physiological
      contexts. On the one hand, in order to safeguard the microenvironment microglia
      can be rapidly activated by contact with microbial products or cell debris,
      thereby exerting the functions of innate immunity via phagocytosis and secretion
      of cytokines and chemokines. Conversely, microglia can also assist in brain
      development, synaptic plasticity and neural repair through the production of
      neurotrophic factors and clearance of myelin debris. It is now well accepted that
      the dysfunction of microglia and microglia-induced neuroinflammation are
      implicated in the occurrence and progression of many neurological diseases.
      Although the past decade has witnessed major progress in understanding of multi
      tasking microglia, what remains largely enigmatic is the relative importance of
      microglia at different disease stages and how microglia should be targeted for
      optimal therapeutic efficacy. Notably, microglia depletion through genetic
      targeting or pharmacological therapies can be viewed as effective tools to
      stimulate new microglia to repopulate the central nervous system. Microglia
      depletion and subsequent repopulation at defined stages in various experimental
      animal model disorders allow us to extend our knowledge of molecular mechanisms,
      thus holding promise for designing strategies to resolve neuroinflammation and
      promote recovery. Herein we highlight the highly plastic and diverse phenotypes
      of microglia and outline the lessons learned from microglia depletion approaches.

PMID- 28629388
TI  - The albumin-exendin-4 recombinant protein E2HSA improves glycemic control and
      beta-cell function in spontaneous diabetic KKAy mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: E2HSA is a genetic fusion protein that consists of two tandem exendin
      4 molecules that are covalently bonded to recombinant human serum albumin via a
      peptide linker. Previous studies have demonstrated that E2HSA significantly
      decreased blood glucose levels, improved beta-cell function and promoted beta
      cell proliferation in diabetic db/dB mice. This study aimed to evaluate the
      benefits of E2HSA on glucose and lipid metabolism in a spontaneous diabetes
      animal model, KKAy mice. METHODS: E2HSA was acutely administered at doses of 1, 3
      and 9 mg/kg by subcutaneous injection in diabetic KKAy mice with exendin-4 (2
      MUg/kg) as a positive reference, and then the non-fasting blood glucose and food
      intake levels were dynamically monitored. In addition, different doses of E2HSA
      were injected once daily, as well as with exendin-4 twice daily, for 7 weeks to
      evaluate the effect on glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as the body weight,
      food and water intake. RESULTS: Single injection of E2HSA decreased non-fasting
      blood glucose and food intake levels in a dose-dependent manner for 4 days and 2
      days, respectively. Repeated injections with E2HSA significantly decreased
      variations in blood glucose levels with a reduction of HbA1c levels by 1.6% at a
      9 mg/kg dose, simultaneously increased fasting blood insulin levels, inhibited
      fasting blood glucagon levels, improved the impaired oral glucose tolerance and
      enhanced glucose infusion rate, which is the gold standard for evaluating beta
      cell function. Moreover, repeated injections with E2HSA also ameliorated the
      dyslipidemia and reduced body weight, food and water intake in diabetic KKAy
      mice. CONCLUSIONS: E2HSA significantly reduced blood glucose levels over a
      prolonged duration, enhanced beta-cell function, and ameliorated dyslipidemia and
      obesity in diabetic KKAy mice. Thus, E2HSA may be a new candidate for the
      treatment of type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28629390
TI  - Results of the first interim analysis of the RAPPER II trial in patients with
      spinal cord injury: ambulation and functional exercise programs in the REX
      powered walking aid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The RAPPER II study investigates the feasibility, safety and
      acceptability of using the REX self-stabilising robotic exoskeleton in people
      with spinal cord injury (SCI) who are obligatory wheelchair users. Feasibility is
      assessed by the completion of transfer into the REX device, competency in
      achieving autonomous control and completion of upper body exercise in an upright
      position in the REX device. Safety is measured by the occurrence of serious
      adverse events. Device acceptability is assessed with a user questionnaire.
      METHODS: RAPPER II is a prospective, multi-centre, open label, non-randomised,
      non-comparative cohort study in people with SCI recruited from neurological
      rehabilitation centres in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. This is
      the planned interim report of the first 20 participants. Each completed a
      transfer into the REX, were trained to achieve machine control and completed
      Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests as well as upper body exercises in standing in a
      single first time session. The time to achieve each task as well as the amount of
      assistance required was recorded. After finishing the trial tasks a User
      Experience questionnaire, exploring device acceptability, was completed. RESULTS:
      All participants could transfer into the REX. The mean transfer time was 439 s.
      Nineteen completed the exercise regime. Eighteen could achieve autonomous control
      of the REX, 17 of whom needed either no assistance or the help of just one
      therapist. Eighteen participants completed at least one TUG test in a mean time
      of 313 s, 15 with the assistance of just one therapist. The questionnaire
      demonstrated high levels of acceptability amongst users. There were no Serious
      Adverse Events. CONCLUSIONS: This first interim analysis of RAPPER II shows that
      it is feasible and safe for people with SCI to use the REX powered assisted
      walking device to ambulate and exercise in. Participants with tetraplegia and
      paraplegia could walk and perform a functional exercise program when standing
      needing only modest levels of assistance in most cases. User acceptability was
      high. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02417532 . Registered 11 April
      2015.

PMID- 28629391
TI  - Anterior lens capsule and epithelium thickness measurements using spectral-domain
      optical coherence tomography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the anterior lens capsule and epithelium thickness
      (defined as anterior lens capsular complex: ALCC) in normal Chinese subjects
      using spectral-domian optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and examine the
      factors that may influence the ALCC, such as age, gender, pupil diameter (PD) and
      signal strength index (SSI). METHODS: A prospective observational case series.
      One-hundred-thirty-four normal subjects (134 eyes) were included. The ALCCs were
      determined manually via SD-OCT. Using the pupil center as a reference position,
      the central ALCC (CALCC), nasal 1-mm ALCC (NALCC), temporal 1-mm ALCC (TALCC) and
      PD were measured manually. RESULTS: The mean CALCC, NALCC and TALCC were 33 +/- 6
      MUm, 36 +/- 7 MUm and 34 +/- 6 MUm, respectively. The NALCC was significantly
      thicker than the CALCC (P < .001) and TALCC (P < .001). Moreover, CALCC was
      significantly thinner than TALCC (P = 0.013). Age was positively correlated with
      the CALCC (r = 0.292, P < .001), NALCC (r = 0.400, P < .001) and TALCC (r =
      0.521, P < .001). PD, gender and SSI were not significantly correlated with the
      three ALCC parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The SD-OCT can be used to demonstrate the
      ALCC thickness, and age is positively correlated with the ALCC in the central,
      nasal and temporal sides.

PMID- 28629389
TI  - Cancer chemoprevention through dietary flavonoids: what's limiting?
AB  - Flavonoids are polyphenols that are found in numerous edible plant species. Data
      obtained from preclinical and clinical studies suggest that specific flavonoids
      are chemo-preventive and cytotoxic against various cancers via a multitude of
      mechanisms. However, the clinical use of flavonoids is limited due to challenges
      associated with their effective use, including (1) the isolation and purification
      of flavonoids from their natural resources; (2) demonstration of the effects of
      flavonoids in reducing the risk of certain cancer, in tandem with the cost and
      time needed for epidemiological studies, and (3) numerous pharmacokinetic
      challenges (e.g., bioavailability, drug-drug interactions, and metabolic
      instability). Currently, numerous approaches are being used to surmount some of
      these challenges, thereby increasing the likelihood of flavonoids being used as
      chemo-preventive drugs in the clinic. In this review, we summarize the most
      important challenges and efforts that are being made to surmount these
      challenges.

PMID- 28629392
TI  - Do investors value the FDA orphan drug designation?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Orphan Drug Act is an important piece of legislation that uses
      financial incentives to encourage the development of drugs that treat rare
      diseases. This analysis studies the effects of a portion of the Orphan Drug Act,
      the orphan drug designation. Specifically, it studies the value that investors
      place on the orphan drug designation, by investigating how investors react to
      companies' announcing that their product has received the designation. RESULTS:
      The results, on average, show that the stock price of a company increases by
      3.36% after the announcement of the designation, increasing the value of the
      company. The results are more pronounced for oncology drugs, and drugs being
      developed by the smallest companies. CONCLUSION: The orphan designation appears
      to be successful at generating positive value for companies, as seen by the
      positive and significant average increases in stock price.

PMID- 28629393
TI  - The effect of an elective cesarean section on maternal request on peripartum
      anxiety and depression in women with childbirth fear: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obstetricians are often reluctant to grant requests for an elective
      cesarean section (ECS) due to childbirth fear. To date, it is unknown if an ECS
      on request improves mental well-being in the mother in the peripartum period and
      if possible beneficial effects on anxiety and depression could outweigh the
      increased risk of complications associated with a surgical delivery. A systematic
      review was conducted to explore the effect of ECS on request on peripartum
      anxiety and depression. METHODS: We searched on PubMed, PsychoInfo and Embase.
      Studies were included with primary data on anxiety and/or depression postpartum
      in women with childbirth fear who had requested an ECS. After full-text
      evaluation of 65 papers and quality analysis of four papers, three papers were
      included. Of one paper additional and yet unpublished data were provided. Studies
      varied in outcome measures, hence no meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS: Women
      who requested an ECS had higher antepartum depression and anxiety levels but no
      different postpartum depression levels than women who delivered vaginally. One
      study of good quality examined the effect of vaginal delivery in women preferring
      ECS: These women had significantly higher symptom levels of post-traumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD) and depression than women with normal vaginal delivery.
      CONCLUSIONS: The prospect of an ECS does not lower antepartum anxiety and/or
      depression levels in women requesting an ECS. If women resolutely persist in
      wishing an ECS despite adequate counselling and/or psychiatric treatment, the
      risk of developing depressive and PTSD symptoms in case of vaginal delivery
      should be taken into account, and an ECS may be considered as a valid
      alternative.

PMID- 28629394
TI  - Validating the WHO maternal near miss tool: comparing high- and low-resource
      settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: WHO proposed the WHO Maternal Near Miss (MNM) tool, classifying women
      according to several (potentially) life-threatening conditions, to monitor and
      improve quality of obstetric care. The objective of this study is to analyse
      merged data of one high- and two low-resource settings where this tool was
      applied and test whether the tool may be suitable for comparing severe maternal
      outcome (SMO) between these settings. METHODS: Using three cohort studies that
      included SMO cases, during two-year time frames in the Netherlands, Tanzania and
      Malawi we reassessed all SMO cases (as defined by the original studies) with the
      WHO MNM tool (five disease-, four intervention- and seven organ dysfunction-based
      criteria). Main outcome measures were prevalence of MNM criteria and case
      fatality rates (CFR). RESULTS: A total of 3172 women were studied; 2538 (80.0%)
      from the Netherlands, 248 (7.8%) from Tanzania and 386 (12.2%) from Malawi. Total
      SMO detection was 2767 (87.2%) for disease-based criteria, 2504 (78.9%) for
      intervention-based criteria and 1211 (38.2%) for organ dysfunction-based
      criteria. Including every woman who received >=1 unit of blood in low-resource
      settings as life-threatening, as defined by organ dysfunction criteria, led to
      more equally distributed populations. In one third of all Dutch and Malawian
      maternal death cases, organ dysfunction criteria could not be identified from
      medical records. CONCLUSIONS: Applying solely organ dysfunction-based criteria
      may lead to underreporting of SMO. Therefore, a tool based on defining MNM only
      upon establishing organ failure is of limited use for comparing settings with
      varying resources. In low-resource settings, lowering the threshold of transfused
      units of blood leads to a higher detection rate of MNM. We recommend refined
      disease-based criteria, accompanied by a limited set of intervention- and organ
      dysfunction-based criteria to set a measure of severity.

PMID- 28629395
TI  - Early experiences from one of the first treatment programs for chronic hepatitis
      B in sub-Saharan Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is virtually absent in sub
      Saharan Africa. Here we present early experiences from a pilot program for
      treatment of CHB in Ethiopia. METHODS: Adults (>=18 years) with CHB were included
      in a cohort study at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa,
      from February 2015. The baseline assessment included liver function tests, viral
      markers and transient elastography (Fibroscan 402, Echosense, France). Logistic
      regression models were used to identify predictors of fibrosis. Tenofovir
      disoproxil fumarate (TDF) was initiated based on the European Association for the
      Study of the Liver (EASL) criteria, with some modifications. The initial 300
      patients underwent a more comprehensive evaluation and are presented here.
      RESULTS: One-hundred-and-thirty-eight patients (46.0%) were women and median age
      was 30 years (interquartile range 26-40). Co-infections were rare: four patients
      (1.3%) were anti-HCV positive, 11 (3.7%) were anti-HDV positive, whereas 5 (1.7%)
      had HIV-infection. The majority were hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg) negative (n =
      262; 90.7%) and had a normal (<=40 U/L) alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (n = 245;
      83.1%). Of 268 patients with a valid Fibroscan result, 79 (29.5%) had significant
      fibrosis (>7.9 kPa). Independent predictors of fibrosis were male sex, age > 35
      years and viral load >20,000 IU/ml. In total, 74 patients (24.7%) started TDF
      therapy, of whom 46 (62.2%) had cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: The majority were HBeAg
      negative and had normal ALT. However, one quarter of the patients were in need of
      antiviral treatment, underscoring the need to scale up CHB treatment on the
      African continent. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02344498 ( ClinicalTrials.gov
      identifier). Registered 16 January 2015.

PMID- 28629396
TI  - Identifying approaches for assessing methodological and reporting quality of
      systematic reviews: a descriptive study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The methodological quality and completeness of reporting of the
      systematic reviews (SRs) is fundamental to optimal implementation of evidence
      based health care and the reduction of research waste. Methods exist to appraise
      SRs yet little is known about how they are used in SRs or where there are
      potential gaps in research best-practice guidance materials. The aims of this
      study are to identify reports assessing the methodological quality (MQ) and/or
      reporting quality (RQ) of a cohort of SRs and to assess their number, general
      characteristics, and approaches to 'quality' assessment over time. METHODS: The
      Cochrane Library, MEDLINE(r), and EMBASE(r) were searched from January 1990 to
      October 16, 2014, for reports assessing MQ and/or RQ of SRs. Title, abstract, and
      full-text screening of all reports were conducted independently by two reviewers.
      Reports assessing the MQ and/or RQ of a cohort of ten or more SRs of
      interventions were included. All results are reported as frequencies and
      percentages of reports. RESULTS: Of 20,765 unique records retrieved, 1189 of them
      were reviewed for full-text review, of which 76 reports were included. Eight
      previously published approaches to assessing MQ or reporting guidelines used as
      proxy to assess RQ were used in 80% (61/76) of identified reports. These included
      two reporting guidelines (PRISMA and QUOROM) and five quality assessment tools
      (AMSTAR, R-AMSTAR, OQAQ, Mulrow, Sacks) and GRADE criteria. The remaining 24%
      (18/76) of reports developed their own criteria. PRISMA, OQAQ, and AMSTAR were
      the most commonly used published tools to assess MQ or RQ. In conjunction with
      other approaches, published tools were used in 29% (22/76) of reports, with 36%
      (8/22) assessing adherence to both PRISMA and AMSTAR criteria and 26% (6/22)
      using QUOROM and OQAQ. CONCLUSIONS: The methods used to assess quality of SRs are
      diverse, and none has become universally accepted. The most commonly used quality
      assessment tools are AMSTAR, OQAQ, and PRISMA. As new tools and guidelines are
      developed to improve both the MQ and RQ of SRs, authors of methodological studies
      are encouraged to put thoughtful consideration into the use of appropriate tools
      to assess quality and reporting.

PMID- 28629397
TI  - Optimal timing of renal replacement therapy initiation in acute kidney injury:
      the elephant felt by the blindmen?
AB  - Renal replacement therapy (RRT) is a key component in the management of severe
      acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients. Many cohort studies, meta
      analyses, and two recent large randomized prospective trials which evaluated the
      relationship between the timing of RRT initiation and patient outcome remain
      inconclusive due to substantial differences in study design, patient population,
      AKI definition, and RRT indication. A cause-specific diagnosis of AKI based on
      current staging criteria plus a sensitive biomarker (panel) that allows creating
      a homogeneous study population is definitely needed to assess the impact of early
      versus late initiation of RRT on patient outcome.

PMID- 28629398
TI  - Anaplastic astrocytoma mimicking progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy: a
      case report and review of the overlapping syndromes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Co-occurrence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and glial tumours (GT) is
      uncommon although occasionally reported in medical literature. Interpreting the
      overlapping radiologic and clinical characteristics of glial tumours, MS lesions,
      and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) can be a significant
      diagnostic challenge. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of anaplastic
      astrocytoma mimicking PML in a 27-year-old patient with a 15-year history of MS.
      She was treated with interferon, natalizumab and finally fingolimod due to active
      MS. Follow-up MRI, blood and cerebrospinal fluid examinations, and biopsy were
      conducted, but only the latter was able to reveal the cause of progressive
      worsening of patient's disease. CONCLUSIONS: Anaplastic astrocytoma misdiagnosed
      as PML has not yet been described. We suppose that the astrocytoma could have
      evolved from a low grade glioma to anaplastic astrocytoma over time, as the
      tumour developed adjacent to typical MS plaques. The role of the immunomodulatory
      treatment as well as other immunological factors in the malignant transformation
      can only be hypothesised. We discuss clinical, laboratory and diagnostic aspects
      of a malignant GT, MS lesions and PML. The diagnosis of malignant GT must be kept
      in mind when an atypical lesion develops in a patient with MS.

PMID- 28629399
TI  - Epigenomics: dissecting hybridization and polyploidization.
AB  - Epigenetic profiling in diploid, allopolyploid, and domesticated cotton shows
      that despite most DNA methylation being conserved and stably inherited,
      alterations likely due to hybridization and domestication affect gene expression.

PMID- 28629400
TI  - Characteristics of syphilitic uveitis in northern China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To describe the characteristics of patients with syphilitic uveitis
      in northern China. METHODS: A case series of 21 patients (33 eyes) diagnosed with
      syphilitic uveitis from 2011 to 2016 at a tertiary center in northern China was
      retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (33 eyes) were diagnosed
      as syphilitic uveitis. Posterior segment involvement was found in 32 eyes
      (97.0%). Vitreous haze, neuroretinitis, and posterior placoid chorioretinitis
      were mainly found in patients with a relatively short duration of the disease,
      while diffuse chorioretinitis, pseudoretinitis pigmentosa, cystoid macular edema,
      and epiretinal membrane were found in patients with relatively long duration of
      ocular involvement. A low best-corrected visual acuity (P = 0.022) and a delay of
      syphilis treatment (P < 0.001) were associated with a significantly worse visual
      outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Syphilitic uveitis should be included in the differential
      diagnosis of any form of posterior ocular inflammation. The pattern of ocular
      involvement may change with the disease progression.

PMID- 28629401
TI  - Odontogenic orbital cellulitis associated with cavernous sinus thrombosis and
      pulmonary embolism: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This case illustrates the importance of prompt assessment and
      treatment of orbital cellulitis. In fact the ocular signs and symptoms may be
      associated with systemic complications which should be investigated and
      identified as soon as possible to avoid a poor prognosis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 46
      year-old white woman presented to our emergency room with proptosis,
      ophthalmoplegia, and conjunctival chemosis of her left eye. An ophthalmologist,
      having diagnosed orbital cellulitis in her left eye, suspected a cavernous sinus
      thrombosis. Hematochemical and radiological examinations confirmed the cavernous
      sinus thrombosis and also showed septic pulmonary embolism. A blood culture
      indicated Streptococcus constellatus, which is a member of the Peptostreptococcus
      family, a saprophyte of the oral mucosa that can be pathogenic in
      immunocompromised persons. The odontogenic origin was then confirmed by dental
      radiography which showed a maxillary abscess. Her eye signs regressed after
      antibiotic and anticoagulant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This complex case shows the
      importance of a multidisciplinary approach for the management of orbital
      cellulitis, for the prompt diagnosis and treatment of eye injuries and possible
      complications, so as to avoid serious and permanent sequelae.

PMID- 28629402
TI  - Erratum to: Social capital-a mixed blessing for women? A cross-sectional study of
      different forms of social relations and self-rated depression in Moscow.

PMID- 28629403
TI  - Factors influencing professional life satisfaction among neurologists.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Predicted shortages in the supply of neurologists may limit patients'
      access to and quality of care for neurological disorders. Retaining neurologists
      already in practice provides one opportunity to support the overall supply of
      practicing neurologists. Understanding factors associated with professional life
      satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) and implementing policies to enhance
      satisfaction may encourage neurologists to remain in clinical practice. In this
      paper, we present results from the first study examining factors associated with
      professional life satisfaction among a large sample of U.S, neurologists.
      METHODS: We collaborated with the AAN to survey a sample of U.S. neurologists
      about their professional life satisfaction. Analyses examined the association of
      physician and practice characteristics with aspects of professional life
      satisfaction, including satisfaction with their career in medicine, medical
      specialty, current position, relationship with colleagues, relationship with
      patients, work/life balance, and pay. RESULTS: The study population consisted of
      625 neurologists. In multivariate regression analyses, no single group or
      population stratum indicated high (or low) responses to all aspects of
      satisfaction. Older neurologists reported higher satisfaction with career,
      specialty, and relationship with patients than younger neurologists. Female
      neurologists had significantly lower satisfaction with pay than male
      neurologists. Neurologists who spent more time in research and teaching had
      greater satisfaction with specialty, relationship with colleagues, and
      relationship with patients than those spending no time in research. Neurologists
      who practiced in small cities/rural areas reported lower satisfaction across
      multiple dimensions than those practicing in large urban areas. Neurologists in
      solo practice had greater satisfaction with the relationship with their patients,
      but lower satisfaction with pay. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction is a multidimensional
      construct that is associated with physician and practice characteristics.
      Enhancing professional life satisfaction among neurologists requires multiple
      strategies, such as promoting comparable wages for men and women, providing
      collaboration and research opportunities, and providing resources for small and
      rural practices.

PMID- 28629404
TI  - White matter lesions characterise brain involvement in moderate to severe chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease, but cerebral atrophy does not.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brain pathology is relatively unexplored in chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease (COPD). This study is a comprehensive investigation of grey
      matter (GM) and white matter (WM) changes and how these relate to disease
      severity and cognitive function. METHODS: T1-weighted and fluid-attenuated
      inversion recovery images were acquired for 31 stable COPD patients (FEV1 52.1%
      pred., PaO2 10.1 kPa) and 24 age, gender-matched controls. T1-weighted images
      were segmented into GM, WM and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tissue classes using a
      semi-automated procedure optimised for use with this cohort. This procedure
      allows, cohort-specific anatomical features to be captured, white matter lesions
      (WMLs) to be identified and includes a tissue repair step to correct for
      misclassification caused by WMLs. Tissue volumes and cortical thickness were
      calculated from the resulting segmentations. Additionally, a fully-automated
      pipeline was used to calculate localised cortical surface and gyrification. WM
      and GM tissue volumes, the tissue volume ratio (indicator of atrophy), average
      cortical thickness, and the number, size, and volume of white matter lesions
      (WMLs) were analysed across the whole-brain and regionally - for each anatomical
      lobe and the deep-GM. The hippocampus was investigated as a region-of-interest.
      Localised (voxel-wise and vertex-wise) variations in cortical gyrification, GM
      density and cortical thickness, were also investigated. Statistical models
      controlling for age and gender were used to test for between-group differences
      and within-group correlations. Robust statistical approaches ensured the family
      wise error rate was controlled in regional and local analyses. RESULTS: There
      were no significant differences in global, regional, or local measures of GM
      between patients and controls, however, patients had an increased volume (p =
      0.02) and size (p = 0.04) of WMLs. In patients, greater normalised hippocampal
      volume positively correlated with exacerbation frequency (p = 0.04), and greater
      WML volume was associated with worse episodic memory (p = 0.05). A negative
      relationship between WML and FEV1 % pred. approached significance (p = 0.06).
      CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of cerebral atrophy within this cohort of
      stable COPD patients, with moderate airflow obstruction. However, there were
      indications of WM damage consistent with an ischaemic pathology. It cannot be
      concluded whether this represents a specific COPD, or smoking-related, effect.

PMID- 28629405
TI  - Erratum to: Comparative evaluation of the diagnosis, reporting and investigation
      of malaria cases in China, 2005-2014: transition from control to elimination for
      the national malaria programme.

PMID- 28629406
TI  - Geospatial and temporal associations of Getah virus circulation among pigs and
      horses around the perimeter of outbreaks in Japanese racehorses in 2014 and 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We studied a recent epizootic of Getah virus infection among pigs in
      the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture and the northern part of Chiba
      Prefecture, Japan, focusing on its possible association with outbreaks in
      racehorses in 2014 and 2015. The genomic sequence of a Getah virus strain from an
      infected pig was analyzed to evaluate the degree of identity with the strains
      from horses. RESULTS: Sera were collected from pigs from September to December
      2012 to 2015 in south Ibaraki (380 pigs in 29 batches), and from September to
      December 2010 to 2015 in north Chiba (538 pigs in 104 batches). They were
      examined by using a virus-neutralizing test for Getah virus. Seropositivity rates
      in 2012-2013 in south Ibaraki and 2010-2012 in north Chiba ranged from 0% to
      1.6%. In south Ibaraki, seropositivity rates in 2014 (28.8%) and 2015 (65.0%)
      were significantly higher than those in the previous years (P < 0.01); 4/5
      batches had positive sera in 2014 and 7/7 in 2015. In north Chiba, seropositivity
      rates in 2013 (14.1%), 2014 (17.8%), and 2015 (48.0%) were significantly higher
      than those in the previous years (P < 0.01); 6/27 batches had positive sera in
      2013, 3/9 in 2014, and 5/5 in 2015. Complete genome analysis revealed that the
      virus isolated from an infected pig had 99.89% to 99.94% nucleotide identity to
      the strains isolated from horses during the outbreaks in 2014 and 2015.
      CONCLUSIONS: Serological surveillance of Getah virus in pigs revealed that the
      virus was circulating in south Ibaraki and north Chiba in 2014 and 2015; this was
      concomitant with the outbreaks in racehorses. The Getah virus strain isolated
      from a pig was closely related to the ones from horses during the 2014 and 2015
      outbreaks. To our knowledge, this is the first convincing case of simultaneous
      circulation of Getah virus both among pigs and horses in specific areas.

PMID- 28629407
TI  - Antibacterial activity of crude extracts of some South African medicinal plants
      against multidrug resistant etiological agents of diarrhoea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of some plants used
      in folklore medicine to treat diarrhoea in the Eastern Cape Province, South
      Africa. METHODS: The acetone extracts of Acacia mearnsii De Wild., Aloe
      arborescens Mill., A. striata Haw., Cyathula uncinulata (Schrad.) Schinz, Eucomis
      autumnalis (Mill.) Chitt., E. comosa (Houtt.) Wehrh., Hermbstaedtia odorata
      (Burch. ex Moq.) T.Cooke, Hydnora africana Thunb, Hypoxis latifolia Wight,
      Pelargonium sidoides DC, Psidium guajava L and Schizocarphus nervosus (Burch.)
      van der Merwe were screened against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli,
      Enterococcus faecalis, multi-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Isangi, S.
      typhi, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, Shigella flexneri type 1b and Sh. sonnei
      phase II. A qualitative phytochemical screening of the plants extracts was by
      thin layer chromatography. Plants extracts were screened for antibacterial
      activity using serial dilution microplate technique and bioautography. RESULTS:
      The TLC fingerprint indicated the presence of terpenoids and flavonoids in the
      herbs. Most of the tested organisms were sensitive to the crude acetone extracts
      with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.018-2.5 mg/ml.
      Extracts of A. striata, C. uncinulata, E. autumnalis and P. guajava were more
      active against enteropathogens. S. aureus and Sh. flexneri were the most
      sensitive isolates to the crude extracts but of significance is the antibacterial
      activity of A. arborescens and P. guajava against a confirmed extended spectrum
      betalactamase positive S. enterica serovar Typhimurium. CONCLUSION: The presence
      of bioactive compounds and the antibacterial activity of some of the selected
      herbs against multidrug resistant enteric agents corroborate assertions by
      traditional healers on their efficacies.

PMID- 28629408
TI  - Biochemical characterization of an enantioselective esterase from Brevundimonas
      sp. LY-2.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lactofen, a member of the diphenylether herbicides, has high activity
      and is commonly used to control broadleaf weeds. As a post-emergent herbicide, it
      is directly released to the environment, and easily caused the pollution. This
      herbicide is degraded in soil mainly by microbial activity, but the functional
      enzyme involved in the biodegradation of lactofen is still not clear now.
      RESULTS: A novel esterase gene lacH, involved in the degradation of lactofen, was
      cloned from the strain Brevundimonas sp. LY-2. The gene contained an open reading
      frame of 921 bp, and a putative signal peptide at the N-terminal was identified
      with the most likely cleavage site between Ala 28 and Ala 29. The encoded
      protein, LacH, could catalyze the hydrolysis of lactofen to form acifluorfen.
      Phylogenetic analysis showed that LacH belong to family V of bacterial lipolytic
      enzymes. Biochemical characterization analysis showed that LacH was a neutral
      esterase with an optimal pH of 7.0 and an optimal temperature of 40  degrees C
      toward lactofen. Besides, the activity of LacH was strongly inhibited by Hg2+ and
      Zn2+. LacH preferred short chain p-nitrophenyl esters (C2-C6), exhibited maximum
      activity toward p-nitrophenyl acetate. Furthermore, the enantioselectivity of
      LacH during lactofen hydrolysis was also studied, and the results show that R-(-)
      lactofen was degraded faster than S-(+)-lactofen, indicating the occurrence of
      enantioselectivity in the enzymatic reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies
      characterized a novel esterase involved in the biodegradation of diphenylether
      herbicide lactofen. The esterase showed enantioselectivity during lactofen
      degradation, which revealed the occurrence of enzyme-mediated enantioselective
      degradation of chiral herbicides.

PMID- 28629409
TI  - Correlation between knowledge on transmission and prevention of HIV/STI and
      proficiency in condom use among male migrants from Africa and Middle East
      evaluated by a Condom Use Skills score using a wooden penile model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Migrants in Italy are prevalently young adults, with a higher risk of
      sexual transmitted infections (STI) and HIV infection. Promoting consistent as
      well as correct use of condoms could reduce failure rate due to their improper
      use. The aim of our study was to evaluate Condom Use Skills among a migrant
      population recently landed in Italy, hosted in a government center for asylum
      seekers. METHODS: The study sample was composed of 80 male migrants. Sanitary
      trained interviewers submitted a questionnaire to participants to investigate
      age, provenience, marital status, educational level and knowledge about
      transmission and prevention of HIV/STI. Then, we assessed participants' level of
      condom use skill with the Condom Use Skills (CUS) measure by using a wooden
      penile model. The interviewer filled in a checklist and assigned 1 point for
      correct demonstration of each behavior that may prevent condom failure during
      sex. RESULTS: Participants' median age was 26 years and the sample was composed
      of 54 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa and 26 from Middle East. Most of them were
      married, with a lower middle level of education, up to 8 or 5 years. Half of the
      sample achieved the highest score in the questionnaire and our CUS showed a large
      number of people with middle high score classes. The Spearman's rho was 0.30,
      therefore answers to the questionnaire and CUS score appeared correlated (p <
      0.05). In the multivariate model, to have a higher CUS score resulted to be
      associated to be older than 26 years (p < 0.05), with a higher level of education
      (p = 0.001), and a higher score in the questionnaire (p < 0.05). There were no
      significant differences in the level of CUS between single or married men and
      between African and Middle Asian migrants of the sample. CONCLUSIONS: Our study
      shows that educational level influences the quality of knowledge and awareness
      about STI/AIDS and contribute to correct condom use. Since the half of
      participants had a low educational level and linguistic problems, the risk of
      missing campaigns messages or misunderstanding informative materials increases.
      Direct observation of condom-application on penile model may offer realistic
      assessment of application skills in these individuals.

PMID- 28629410
TI  - He's just content to sit: a qualitative study of mothers' perceptions of infant
      obesity and physical activity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rates of obesity among children ages zero to five are rapidly
      increasing. Greater efforts are needed to promote healthy behaviors of young
      children. Mothers are especially important targets for promoting health as
      mothers' views play a vital role in helping their children foster healthy habits
      from an early age. Research has found parents' views of infants' weight may
      influence their feeding practices; however, limited research has explored
      mothers' view of infants' weight in relation to the promotion of physical
      activity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of
      mothers of normal weight infants and overweight infants about their infant's
      weight and physical activity. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted
      with mothers of normal weight (n = 18) and of overweight (n = 11) infants (6.5 +/
      0.5 month) in a Midwestern city in the United States. A thematic analysis was
      used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A majority of mothers thought infants could be
      overweight. However, no mothers referenced their own infant as overweight.
      Mothers most commonly noted infants could be overweight only if they were formula
      fed and/or were overfed, not if they were breastfed. Mothers views were not
      negatively influenced by others who mentioned that their child was either "big"
      or "small" and only one mother had been told her infant was overweight. A
      majority of mothers thought an infant could be physically active. When discussing
      infant activity, mothers primarily referred to it in terms of general mobility
      and a few thought activity level was related to a personality characteristic.
      Mothers intended to promote physical activity in the future either through
      outdoor play or specific organized activities such as sports. Despite a majority
      of mothers stating they were currently physically active themselves, only a few
      talked about interacting with their infant to promote their infant's physical
      activity. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts are needed by healthcare professionals and other
      public health professionals to inform mothers about the dangers of increased
      weight during infancy as well as the importance of interacting with infants to
      promote physical activity.

PMID- 28629411
TI  - Prevalence and predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use among
      people with coronary heart disease or at risk for this in the sixth Tromso study:
      a comparative analysis using protection motivation theory.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as healthy diet and
      regular physical activity, are known to reduce the risk of developing coronary
      heart disease (CHD). Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is known to be
      associated with having a healthy lifestyle. The primary aim of this study was to
      examine the prevalence and predictors of CAM use in CHD patients, and in those
      without CHD but at risk for developing CHD, using Protection Motivation Theory
      (PMT) as a guiding conceptual framework. METHOD: Questionnaire data were
      collected from 12,981 adult participants in the cross-sectional sixth Tromso
      Study (2007-8). Eligible for analyses were 11,103 participants who reported
      whether they had used CAM or not. Of those, 830 participants reported to have or
      have had CHD (CHD group), 4830 reported to have parents, children or siblings
      with CHD (no CHD but family risk), while 5443 reported no CHD nor family risk of
      CHD. We first compared the patterns of CAM use in each group, and then examined
      the PMT predictors of CAM use. Health vulnerability from the threat appraisal
      process of PMT was assessed by self-rated health and expectations for future
      health. Response efficacy from the coping appraisal process of PMT was assessed
      as preventive health beliefs and health behavior frequency. RESULTS: Use of CAM
      was most commonly seen in people with no CHD themselves, but family risk of
      developing CHD (35.8%), compared to people already diagnosed with CHD (30.2%) and
      people with no CHD nor family risk (32.1%). All four of the PMT factors; self
      rated health, expectations for future health, preventive health beliefs, and the
      health behavior index - were predictors for CAM use in the no CHD but family risk
      group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that people use CAM in response to a
      perceived risk of developing CHD, and to prevent disease and to maintain health.

PMID- 28629412
TI  - Cross-cultural validation of health literacy measurement tools in Italian
      oncology patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric characteristics
      of four Health Literacy (HL) measurement tools, viz. Newest Vital Sign (NVS),
      Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA), Single Item
      Literacy Screener (SILS) and Single question on Self-rated Reading Ability (SrRA)
      among Italian oncology patients. METHODS: The original version of the tools were
      translated from the English language into Italian using a standard forward
      backward procedure and according to internationally recognized good practices.
      Their internal consistency (reliability) and validity (construct, convergent and
      discriminative) were tested in a sample of 245 consecutive cancer patients
      recruited from seven Italian health care centers. RESULTS: The internal
      consistency of the STOFHLA-I was Chronbach's alpha=0.96 and that of NVS-I was
      alpha=0.74. The STOFHLA-I, NVS-I, SILS-I and SrRA-I scores were in a good
      relative correlation and in all tools the discriminative known-group validity was
      confirmed. The reliability and validity values were similar to those obtained
      from other cultural context studies. CONCLUSION: The psychometric characteristics
      of the Italian version of NVS, STHOFLA, SILS and SrRA were found to be good, with
      satisfactory reliability and validity. This indicates that they could be used as
      a screening tool in Italian patients. Moreover, the use of the same cross
      cultural tools, validated in different languages, is essential for implementing
      multicenter studies to measure and compare the functional HL levels across
      countries.

PMID- 28629413
TI  - Progressive disability in elderly population among tribals of Telangana: a cross
      sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The tribal population of Telangana, India, lives in remote and
      difficult conditions. This study was carried out to find out estimate, the
      prevalence and progression of disability in elderly population among tribals of
      Khammam District, Telangana state, India. METHODS: A population based cross
      sectional survey was conducted in villages of Tribal Sub Plan area. Elderly
      people who are 60 years or older were chosen with a two stage sampling procedure:
      (1) probability proportion to size was used to select clusters and (2) in each
      selected cluster households were selected by systematic random sampling. The
      participants were interviewed with the 36 item Telugu version of the World Health
      Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) questionnaire. Socio-
      demographic information, behavioral measurements, health and social benefit
      indicators were also assessed. Descriptive analytical methods were used for
      prevalence estimation and logistic regression was used to examine the
      associations of progressive age over disability among elderly. RESULTS: A total
      of 506 elderly people from 1349 households in 20 villages across 31mandals of
      Khammam were interviewed. Majority of elderly population among tribals were
      illiterate (men 88.94%; women 99.33%), used tobacco (men 81.25%; women 57.72%),
      consumed alcohol (men 80.77%; women 47.32%) and were hypertensive (men 53.85%;
      women 63.42%). The prevalence of disability was higher in women. Maximum
      disability in the interviewed elderly population was seen in domains of
      performing house hold activities, and mobility. In comparison with men, women
      expressed more disability for majority of domains. As age progressed, the
      disability for self-care domain increased to a maximum of 2.6 times in men and
      6.6 times in women and for mobility domain increased to a maximum of 9.7 times in
      men and 7.2 times in women. CONCLUSIONS: Although present disability modifying
      mobility Assistive Devices (AD) can help elderly in overcoming disability, these
      are primarily designed for built environments. As the needs, cultural
      sensitivities, and living environment of elderly population in tribals are
      unique, newer innovative assistive devices should be designed and developed.

PMID- 28629414
TI  - Fibrinogen deficiency in a dog - a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Among coagulation disorders, primary fibrinogen deficiency is very
      rare in dogs. It is divided into hypofibrinogenemia, afibrinogenemia and
      dysfibrinogenemia. Afibrinogenemia has been described in three dogs. There are,
      however, no published case reports of primary hypofibrinogenemia in dogs. CASE
      PRESENTATION: A 1.5 year-old male German Pointer dog was evaluated for a locked
      jaw syndrome associated with eye protrusion which appeared after a minor head
      trauma. Three months before the trauma, a persistent increase in coagulation
      times was detected by the referring veterinarian after a strong suspicion of
      snake envenomation. Apart for the primary complaint, physical examination was
      normal. A complete hemostatic profile revealed a moderately increased prothrombin
      time, activated partial thromboplastin times and a dramatically decreased
      fibrinogen concentration (0.34 g/L, reference interval [1.3-4.8 g/L]). Platelet
      count, plasma D-dimers and antithrombin, were all within the reference intervals
      and not consistent with a disseminated intravascular coagulation. Other possible
      causes of hypofibrinogenemia such as chronic hemorrhage and liver failure were
      excluded by laboratory work-up and imaging studies. Finally, antifibrinogen
      circulating anticoagulants were excluded using a dilution of citrated plasma from
      the pooled plasma of healthy dogs. These results supported a diagnosis of
      congenital fibrinogen deficiency and secondary retrobulbar hematoma and/or
      cellulitis. The dog's condition improved rapidly after symptomatic treatment with
      corticosteroids and antibiotics. At the 1 year follow-up, the dog was clinically
      normal but a persistent hypofibrinogenemia (<= 0.8 g/L) remained. CONCLUSIONS:
      Various clinical presentations may occur in canine primary hypofibrinogenemia
      which should be included in the list of coagulation disorders. Diagnosis should
      include fibrinogen determination by coagulometric and non-coagulometric methods
      to differentiate from dysfibrinogenemia. There is no specific treatment but care
      should be taken to prevent bleeding and trauma. Emergency management of bleeding
      episodes with cryoprecipitate is the treatment of choice.

PMID- 28629416
TI  - CT texture features are associated with overall survival in pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma - a quantitative analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To assess whether CT-derived texture features predict survival in
      patients undergoing resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
      METHODS: Thirty patients with pre-operative CT from 2007 to 2012 for PDAC were
      included. Tumor size and five texture features namely uniformity, entropy,
      dissimilarity, correlation, and inverse difference normalized were calculated.
      Mann-Whitney rank sum test was used to compare tumor with normal pancreas.
      Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, Cox regression and Kaplan
      Meier tests were used to assess association of texture features with overall
      survival (OS). RESULTS: Uniformity (p < 0.001), entropy (p = 0.009), correlation
      (p < 0.001), and mean intensity (p < 0.001) were significantly different in tumor
      regions compared to normal pancreas. Tumor dissimilarity (p = 0.045) and inverse
      difference normalized (p = 0.046) were associated with OS whereas tumor intensity
      (p = 0.366), tumor size (p = 0.611) and other textural features including
      uniformity (p = 0.334), entropy (p = 0.330) and correlation (p = 0.068) were not
      associated with OS. CONCLUSION: CT-derived PDAC texture features of dissimilarity
      and inverse difference normalized are promising prognostic imaging biomarkers of
      OS for patients undergoing curative intent surgical resection.

PMID- 28629415
TI  - KAPS (kinematic assessment of passive stretch): a tool to assess elbow flexor and
      extensor spasticity after stroke using a robotic exoskeleton.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spasticity is a common sequela of stroke. Traditional assessment
      methods include relatively coarse scales that may not capture all characteristics
      of elevated muscle tone. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop a tool to
      quantitatively assess post-stroke spasticity in the upper extremity. METHODS:
      Ninety-six healthy individuals and 46 individuals with stroke participated in
      this study. The kinematic assessment of passive stretch (KAPS) protocol consisted
      of passive elbow stretch in flexion and extension across an 80 degrees  range in
      5 movement durations. Seven parameters were identified and assessed to
      characterize spasticity (peak velocity, final angle, creep (or release), between
      arm peak velocity difference, between-arm final angle, between-arm creep, and
      between-arm catch angle). RESULTS: The fastest movement duration (600 ms) was
      most effective at identifying impairment in each parameter associated with
      spasticity. A decrease in peak velocity during passive stretch between the
      affected and unaffected limb was most effective at identifying individuals as
      impaired. Spasticity was also associated with a decreased passive range (final
      angle) and a classic 'catch and release' as seen through between-arm catch and
      creep metrics. CONCLUSIONS: The KAPS protocol and robotic technology can provide
      a sensitive and quantitative assessment of post-stroke elbow spasticity not
      currently attainable through traditional measures.

PMID- 28629417
TI  - Use of mobile and cordless phones and change in cognitive function: a prospective
      cohort analysis of Australian primary school children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some previous studies have suggested an association between
      children's use of mobile phones (MPs)/cordless phones (CPs) and development of
      cognitive function. We evaluated possible longitudinal associations between the
      use of MPs and CPs in a cohort of primary school children and effects on their
      cognitive function. METHODS: Data on children's socio-demographics, use of MPs
      and CPs, and cognitive function were collected at baseline (2010-2012) and follow
      up (2012-2013). Cognitive outcomes were evaluated with the CogHealthTM test
      battery and Stroop Color-Word test. The change in the number of MP/CP voice calls
      weekly from baseline to follow-up was dichotomized: "an increase in calls" or a
      "decrease/no change in calls". Multiple linear regression analyses, adjusting for
      confounders and clustering by school, were performed to evaluate the associations
      between the change in cognitive outcomes and change in MP and CP exposures.
      RESULTS: Of 412 children, a larger proportion of them used a CP (76% at baseline
      and follow-up), compared to a MP (31% at baseline and 43% at follow-up). Of 26
      comparisons of changes in cognitive outcomes, four demonstrated significant
      associations. The increase in MP usage was associated with larger reduction in
      response time for response inhibition, smaller reduction in the number of total
      errors for spatial problem solving and larger increase in response time for a
      Stroop interference task. Except for the smaller reduction in detection task
      accuracy, the increase in CP usage had no effect on the changes in cognitive
      outcomes. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that a larger proportion of children used
      CPs compared to MPs. We found limited evidence that change in the use of MPs or
      CPs in primary school children was associated with change in cognitive function.

PMID- 28629418
TI  - Prenatal brain disruption in isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency (ISOD) is a very rare autosomal
      recessive inherited neurometabolic disease. The most striking postnatal
      neuroimaging finding is multicystic encephalomalacia, which occurs rapidly within
      days to weeks after birth and mimics severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The
      aim of this study was to describe the prenatal neuroimaging features in a neonate
      and a fetus diagnosed with ISOD. RESULTS: We report an 11-day-old female neonate
      who presented with feeding difficulties, decreased activity, neonatal seizures,
      and movement disorders within a few days after birth. Brain MRI at 9 days of age
      showed cystic lesions over the left frontal and temporal areas, diffuse and
      evident T2 high signal intensity of bilateral cerebral cortex, and increased T2
      signal intensity of the globus pallidi. A pronounced low level of plasma cysteine
      and normal level of plasma uric acid were noted. Mutation analysis of SUOX
      revealed homozygous c.1200C > G mutations, resulting in an amino acid
      substitution of tyrosine to a stop codon (Y400X). The diagnosis of ISOD was made.
      The brain MRI of a prenatally diagnosed ISOD fetus of the second pregnancy of the
      mother of the index case showed poor gyration and differentiation of cortical
      layers without formation of cystic lesions at gestational age 21 weeks.
      CONCLUSION: Cystic brain destruction might occur prenatally and neurodevelopment
      of gyration and differentiation of the cortical layers in the developing brain
      could be affected by sulfite accumulation early during the second trimester in
      ISOD patients. This is the first description of the prenatal neurodevelopment of
      brain disruption in ISOD.

PMID- 28629419
TI  - Effect of beta-blockers on exacerbation rate and lung function in chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Beta-blockers are commonly prescribed for patients with
      cardiovascular disease. Providers have been wary of treating chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with beta-blockers due to concern for
      bronchospasm, but retrospective studies have shown that cardio-selective beta
      blockers are safe in COPD and possibly beneficial. However, these benefits may
      reflect symptom improvements due to the cardiac effects of the medication. The
      purpose of this study is to evaluate associations between beta-blocker use and
      both exacerbation rates and longitudinal measures of lung function in two well
      characterized COPD cohorts. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 1219
      participants with over 180 days of follow up from the STATCOPE trial, which
      excluded most cardiac comorbidities, and from the placebo arm of the MACRO trial.
      Primary endpoints were exacerbation rates per person-year and change in
      spirometry over time in association with beta blocker use. RESULTS: Overall 13.9%
      (170/1219) of participants reported taking beta-blockers at enrollment. We found
      no statistically significant differences in exacerbation rates with respect to
      beta-blocker use regardless of the prevalence of cardiac comorbidities. In the
      MACRO cohort, patients taking beta-blockers had an exacerbation rate of
      1.72/person-year versus a rate of 1.71/person-year in patients not taking beta
      blockers. In the STATCOPE cohort, patients taking beta-blockers had an
      exacerbation rate of 1.14/person-year. Patients without beta-blockers had an
      exacerbation rate of 1.34/person-year. We found no detrimental effect of beta
      blockers with respect to change in lung function over time. CONCLUSION: We found
      no evidence that beta-blocker use was unsafe or associated with worse pulmonary
      outcomes in study participants with moderate to severe COPD.

PMID- 28629420
TI  - Comparison of the effects of platelet-rich or growth factor-rich plasma on
      intestinal anastomosis healing in pigs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and plasma rich in
      growth factors (PRGF) has been proposed for the treatment of several acute and
      chronic syndromes, such as corneal epithelial defects and dry eye syndrome, gum
      bleeding during oral surgery, and in orthopaedic surgery. We hypothesized that
      PRGF, rather than PRP, could be more effective because of its intrinsic
      characteristics in promoting the healing of intestinal anastomosis. The purpose
      of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effects of PRP and PRGF on
      various parameters of anastomotic healing in a swine model. METHODS: Eight female
      pigs were randomly assigned to two groups and subjected to hand sewn jeujuno
      jejunal appositional extramucosal anastomoses. For each animal, a total of six
      anastomoses were performed: two were considered controls and received no
      treatment, while the remaining four anastomoses were treated with PRP or PRGF of
      which both were prepared at a platelet concentration that was respectively 3.4
      fold and 2.81-fold higher than the original platelet count. In each animal,
      either PRP or PRGF was used as a treatment, to avoid interference among products.
      Animals were euthanized after 8 days and the anastomoses were evaluated and
      compared for the presence of adhesions, anastomotic leakage, bursting pressure,
      and histological appearance. RESULTS: The concentration of platelets in PRP was
      3.41-fold higher (range, 3.20-4.24) that the concentration in whole blood, while
      the concentration in PRGF was 2.81-fold higher (range, 2.89-4.88). The results
      obtained from the present study highlighted that there are no differences between
      anastomotic samples treated with either PRP or PRGF preparations, except for a
      significant increase in epithelization of the intestinal mucosa at the
      anastomotic site in the PRGF group. CONCLUSIONS: Both PRP and PRGF suspensions
      should be considered a safe strategy and represent a relatively low-cost
      technology that is flexible enough to be applied in several therapeutic fields.
      No true benefit could be proven in our study compared to the no treatment
      following anastomoses formation, with the exception of enhanced epithelization of
      the mucosa in the PRGF group.

PMID- 28629421
TI  - Erratum to: Imatinib relaxes the pulmonary venous bed of guinea pigs.

PMID- 28629422
TI  - Erratum to: Ozone and childhood respiratory disease in three US cities:
      evaluation of effect measure modification by neighborhood socioeconomic status
      using a Bayesian hierarchical approach.

PMID- 28629423
TI  - Understanding consumer and clinician preferences and decision making for
      rehabilitation following arthroplasty in the private sector.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To understand private consumer and clinician preferences towards
      different rehabilitation modes following knee or hip arthroplasty, and identify
      factors which influence the chosen rehabilitation pathway. METHODS: Mixed methods
      cross-sectional study involving 95 semi-structured interviews of consumers
      (patients and carers) and clinicians (arthroplasty surgeons, physiotherapists and
      rehabilitation physicians) in Sydney, Australia, during 2014-2015. Participants
      were asked about the acceptability of different modes of rehabilitation
      provision, and factors influencing their chosen rehabilitation pathway.
      Interviews were in person or via the telephone. Qualitative analysis software was
      used to electronically manage qualitative data. An analytical approach guided
      data analysis. RESULTS: Pre-operative preferences strongly influenced the type of
      rehabilitation chosen by consumers. Key factors that influenced this were both
      intrinsic and extrinsic, including; the previous experience of self or known
      others, the perceived benefits of the chosen mode, a sense of entitlement, the
      role of orthopaedic surgeons and influence of patient preference, a patient's
      clinical status post-surgery, the private hospital business model and insurance
      provider involvement. The acceptability of rehabilitation modes varied between
      clinician groups. CONCLUSIONS: No one rehabilitation mode provided following
      arthroplasty is singularly preferred by stakeholders. Factors other than the
      belief that a particular mode was more effective than another appear to dominate
      the pathway followed by private arthroplasty consumers, indicating evidence-based
      policies around rehabilitation provision may have limited appeal in the private
      sector.

PMID- 28629425
TI  - Screening for chronic kidney disease of uncertain aetiology in Sri Lanka:
      usability of surrogate biomarkers over dipstick proteinuria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of dipstick proteinuria to screen Chronic Kidney Disease of
      uncertain aetiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka is a recently debated matter of dispute.
      The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of biomarkers: serum
      creatinine, cystatin C and urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) for screening
      CKDu in Sri Lanka. METHODS: Forty-four male CKDu patients and 49 healthy males
      from a CKDu-endemic region were selected. Meanwhile, 25 healthy males from a non
      endemic region were selected as an absolute control. The diagnostic accuracy of
      each marker was compared using the above three study groups. RESULTS: In receiver
      operating characteristics (ROC) plots for creatinine, cystatin C and ACR, values
      of area under the curve (AUC) were 0.926, 0.920 and 0.737 respectively when CKDu
      was compared to non-endemic control. When CKDu was compared to endemic control,
      AUCs of above three analytes were distinctly lower as 0.718, 0.808 and 0.678
      respectively. Cystatin C exhibited the highest sensitivity for CKDu when analyzed
      against both control groups where respective sensitivities were 0.75 against
      endemic control and 0.89 against non-endemic control. ROC-optimal cutoff limits
      of creatinine, cystatin C and ACR in CKDu vs non-endemic control were 89.0
      MUmol/L, 1.01 mg/L and 6.06 mg/g-Cr respectively, whereas in CKDu vs endemic
      control the respective values were 111.5 MUmol/L, 1.22 mg/L and 12.66 mg/g-Cr.
      CONCLUSIONS: Amongst the three biomarkers evaluated in this study, our data
      suggest that Cystatin C is the most accurate functional marker in detecting CKDu
      in endemic regions, yet the high cost hinders its usability on general
      population. Creatinine is favorable over dipstick proteinuria owing to its
      apparent accuracy and cost efficiency, while having the ability to complement the
      kidney damage marker (ACR) in screening. ACR may not be favorable as a standalone
      screening marker in place of dipstick proteinuria due to its significant decline
      in sensitivity against the CKDu-endemic population. However, creatinine and ACR
      in a complementary manner could overcome current shortcomings of dipstick
      proteinuria and such a dual marker tool could be commodious in screening CKDu
      type tubulointerstital diseases. Furthermore, use of ACR may also increase the
      ability to clinically discriminate CKDu from other glomerular nephropathies.

PMID- 28629424
TI  - Evaluation of the international standardized 24-h dietary recall methodology
      (GloboDiet) for potential application in research and surveillance within African
      settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Collection of reliable and comparable individual food consumption
      data is of primary importance to better understand, control and monitor
      malnutrition and its related comorbidities in low- and middle-income countries
      (LMICs), including in Africa. The lack of standardised dietary tools and their
      related research support infrastructure remains a major obstacle to implement
      concerted and region-specific research and action plans worldwide. Citing the
      magnitude and importance of this challenge, the International Agency for Research
      on Cancer (IARC/WHO) launched the "Global Nutrition Surveillance initiative" to
      pilot test the use of a standardized 24-h dietary recall research tool
      (GloboDiet), validated in Europe, in other regions. In this regard, the
      development of the GloboDiet-Africa can be optimised by better understanding of
      the local specific methodological needs, barriers and opportunities. The study
      aimed to evaluate the standardized 24-h dietary recall research tool (GloboDiet)
      as a possible common methodology for research and surveillance across Africa.
      METHODS: A consultative panel of African and international experts in dietary
      assessment participated in six e-workshop sessions. They completed an in-depth e
      questionnaire to evaluate the GloboDiet dietary methodology before and after
      participating in the e-workshop. RESULTS: The 29 experts expressed their
      satisfaction on the potential of the software to address local specific needs
      when evaluating the main structure of the software, the stepwise approach for
      data collection and standardisation concept. Nevertheless, additional information
      to better describe local foods and recipes, as well as particular culinary
      patterns (e.g. mortar pounding), were proposed. Furthermore, food quantification
      in shared-plates and -bowls eating situations and interviewing of populations
      with low literacy skills, especially in rural settings, were acknowledged as
      requiring further specific considerations and appropriate solutions. CONCLUSIONS:
      An overall positive evaluation of the GloboDiet methodology by both African and
      international experts, supports the flexibility and potential applicability of
      this tool in diverse African settings and sets a positive platform for improved
      dietary monitoring and surveillance. Following this evaluation, prerequisite for
      future implementation and/or adaptation of GloboDiet in Africa, rigorous and
      robust capacity building as well as knowledge transfer will be required to
      roadmap a stepwise approach to implement this methodology across pilot African
      countries/regions.

PMID- 28629426
TI  - Development and validation of a prognostic scoring model for Mycobacterium avium
      complex lung disease: an observational cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease (LD)
      have a heterogeneous prognosis. This study aimed to develop and validate a
      prognostic scoring model for these patients using independent risk factors for
      survival. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with MAC-LD
      from two hospitals (cohort 1, n = 368; cohort 2, n = 118). Cohort 1 was evaluated
      using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to identify independent risk
      factors for overall survival (OS). A prognostic scoring model composed of these
      factors was developed, and cohort 1 was stratified into three groups according to
      risk using the log-rank test. Finally, the prognostic scoring model was validated
      using the data of cohort 2. RESULTS: Seven independent risk factors for OS were
      selected from cohort 1, including the male sex, age >= 70 years, the presence of
      a malignancy, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2, lymphocyte count <1000 cells/MUL,
      serum albumin levels <3.5 g/dL, and fibrocavitary disease. The areas under the
      receiver operating characteristic curves for the prognostic scoring model were
      0.84 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80 - 0.89] for cohort 1 and 0.84 (95% CI,
      0.75 - 0.92) for cohort 2. The 5-year OS rates of patients stratified into low
      risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 97.6, 76.6, and 30.8%,
      respectively (P < 0.001), in cohort 1, and 97.2, 82.3, and 45.4%, respectively (P
      < 0.001), in cohort 2. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to develop and
      validate a prognostic scoring model for patients with MAC-LD. This model may
      prove useful in clinical settings and practical in estimating the prognosis.

PMID- 28629427
TI  - Targeting VEGFR-3/-2 signaling pathways with AD0157: a potential strategy against
      tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lymphatic metastasis is one of the leading causes of death in
      patients with different types of cancer and is the main prognostic factor for the
      disease survival. The formation of new lymphatic vessels (lymphangiogenesis) in
      primary tumors facilitates tumor cell dissemination to regional lymph nodes and
      correlates with distant metastases. Lymphangiogenesis has thus emerged as a
      suitable therapeutic target to block metastases, but no anti-lymphangiogenic
      compounds have been approved for clinical use to date. Therefore, new or improved
      therapies blocking lymphatic metastases are urgently required. METHODS: We
      established murine breast tumors to assess the effect of AD0157 on tumor growth,
      lymphangiogenesis, and lymphatic dissemination. Then, a battery of in vivo (mouse
      corneal neovascularization and ear sponges), ex vivo (mouse lymphatic rings and
      rat mesentery explants), and in vitro (proliferation, tubulogenesis, wound
      healing, Boyden chambers, and spheroids) assays was used to give insight into the
      lymphangiogenic steps affected by AD0157. Finally, we investigated the molecular
      pathways controlled by this drug. RESULTS: AD0157 was found to inhibit the growth
      of human breast cancer xenografts in mice, to strongly reduce tumor-associated
      lymphangiogenesis and to block metastatic dissemination to both lymph nodes and
      distant organs. The high anti-lymphangiogenic potency of AD0157 was further
      supported by its inhibitory activity at low micromolar range in two in vivo
      pathological models and in two ex vivo assays. In addition, AD0157 inhibited
      lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation, migration and invasion, cellular
      sprouting, and tube formation. Mechanistically, this compound induced apoptosis
      in lymphatic endothelial cells and decreased VEGFR-3/-2, ERK1/2, and Akt
      phosphorylations. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the suitability of
      AD0157 to suppress tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis. Beyond discovering a new
      potent anti-lymphangiogenic drug that is worth considering in future clinical
      settings, our study supports the interest of designing anti-lymphangiogenic
      therapies to avoid distant metastatic processes.

PMID- 28629428
TI  - Study protocol: evaluation of an online, father-inclusive, universal parenting
      intervention to reduce child externalising behaviours and improve parenting
      practices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parenting interventions that focus on enhancing the quality and
      consistency of parenting are effective for preventing and reducing externalising
      problems in children. There has been a recent shift towards online delivery of
      parenting interventions in order to increase their reach and impact on the
      population prevalence of child externalising problems. Parenting interventions
      have low rates of father participation yet research suggests that father
      involvement may be critical to the success of the intervention. Despite this, no
      online parenting interventions have been specifically developed to meet the needs
      and preferences of fathers, as well as mothers. This paper describes the protocol
      of a study examining the effectiveness of an online, father-inclusive parenting
      intervention called 'ParentWorks', which will be delivered as a universal
      intervention to Australian families. METHODS/DESIGN: A single group clinical
      trial will be conducted to examine the effectiveness of ParentWorks for reducing
      child externalising problems and improving parenting, as well as to explore the
      impact of father engagement (in two-parent families) on child outcomes.
      Australian parents/caregivers with a child aged 2-16 years will be recruited.
      Participants will provide informed consent, complete pre-intervention measures
      and will then complete the intervention, which consists of five compulsory video
      modules and three optional modules. The primary outcomes for this study are
      changes in child externalising behaviour, positive and dysfunctional parenting
      practices and parental conflict, and the secondary outcome is changes in parental
      mental health. Demographic information, satisfaction with the intervention, and
      measures of parental engagement will also be collected. Questionnaire data will
      be collected at pre-intervention, post-intervention and three-month follow-up, as
      well as throughout the program. DISCUSSION: This paper describes the study
      protocol of a single group clinical trial of a national, online, father-inclusive
      parenting intervention. The results from this study could be used to inform
      public policy about providing support to parents of children with behaviour
      problems, and enhancing the engagement of fathers in parenting interventions.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12616001223426 , registered 05/09/2016.

PMID- 28629429
TI  - Linked read sequencing resolves complex genomic rearrangements in gastric cancer
      metastases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Genome rearrangements are critical oncogenic driver events in many
      malignancies. However, the identification and resolution of the structure of
      cancer genomic rearrangements remain challenging even with whole genome
      sequencing. METHODS: To identify oncogenic genomic rearrangements and resolve
      their structure, we analyzed linked read sequencing. This approach relies on a
      microfluidic droplet technology to produce libraries derived from single, high
      molecular weight DNA molecules, 50 kb in size or greater. After sequencing, the
      barcoded sequence reads provide long range genomic information, identify
      individual high molecular weight DNA molecules, determine the haplotype context
      of genetic variants that occur across contiguous megabase-length segments of the
      genome and delineate the structure of complex rearrangements. We applied linked
      read sequencing of whole genomes to the analysis of a set of synchronous
      metastatic diffuse gastric cancers that occurred in the same individual. RESULTS:
      When comparing metastatic sites, our analysis implicated a complex somatic
      rearrangement that was present in the metastatic tumor. The oncogenic event
      associated with the identified complex rearrangement resulted in an amplification
      of the known cancer driver gene FGFR2. With further investigation using these
      linked read data, the FGFR2 copy number alteration was determined to be a
      deletion-inversion motif that underwent tandem duplication, with unique
      breakpoints in each metastasis. Using a three-dimensional organoid tissue model,
      we functionally validated the metastatic potential of an FGFR2 amplification in
      gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that linked read sequencing
      is useful in characterizing oncogenic rearrangements in cancer metastasis.

PMID- 28629430
TI  - Bangladesh policy on prevention and control of non-communicable diseases: a
      policy analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This paper is aimed at critically assessing the extent to which Non
      Communicable Disease NCD-related policies introduced in Bangladesh align with the
      World Health Organization's (WHO) 2013-2020 Action Plan for the Global Strategy
      for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. METHODS: The authors reviewed all
      relevant policy documents introduced by the Government of Bangladesh since its
      independence in 1971. The literature review targeted scientific and grey
      literature documents involving internet-based search, and expert consultation and
      snowballing to identify relevant policy documents. Information was extracted from
      the documents using a specific matrix, mapping each document against the six
      objectives of the WHO 2013-2020 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the
      Prevention and Control of NCDs. RESULTS: A total of 51 documents were identified.
      Seven (14%) were research and/or surveys, nine were on established policies
      (17%), while seventeen (33%) were on action programmes. Five (10%) were related
      to guidelines and thirteen (25%) were strategic planning documents from
      government and non-government agencies/institutes. The study covered documents
      produced by the Government of Bangladesh as well as those by quasi-government and
      non-government organizations irrespective of the extent to which the intended
      policies were implemented. CONCLUSIONS: The policy analysis findings suggest that
      although the government has initiated many NCD-related policies or programs, they
      lacked proper planning, implementation and monitoring. Consequently, Bangladesh
      over the years had little success in effectively addressing the growing burden of
      non-communicable diseases. It is imperative that future research critically
      assess the effectiveness of national NCD policies by monitoring their
      implementation and level of population coverage.

PMID- 28629431
TI  - MicroRNA-330-3p promotes cell invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung
      cancer through GRIA3 by activating MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brain metastasis (BM) is associated with poor prognosis in patients
      with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Recent studies demonstrated that
      microRNA-330-3p (miR-330-3p) was involved in NSCLC brain metastasis (BM).
      However, the exact parts played by miR-330-3p in BM of NSCLC remain unknown.
      Discovery and development of biomarkers and elucidation of the mechanism
      underlying BM in NSCLC is critical for effective prophylactic interventions.
      Here, we evaluated the expression and biological effects of miR-330-3p in NSCLC
      cells and explored the underlying mechanism of miR-330-3p in promoting cell
      migration and invasion in NSCLC. METHODS: Stable over-expression and knockdown of
      miR-330-3p in NSCLC cells was constructed with lentivirus. Expression levels of
      miR-330-3p in NSCLC cells were quantified by quantitive real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).
      The effects of miR-330-3p on NSCLC cells were investigated using assays of cell
      viability, migration, invasion, cell cycle, apoptosis, western blotting,
      immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence staining. A xenograft nude mouse
      model and in situ brain metastasis model were used to observe tumor growth and
      brain metastasis. The potential target of miR-330-3p in NSCLC cells was explored
      using the luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and western blotting. The miR-330
      3p targets were identified using bioinformatics analysis and verified by
      luciferase reporter assay. The correlation between GRIA3 and DNA
      methyltransferase (DNMT) 1 and DNMT3A was tested by RT-PCR, western blotting, and
      co-immunoprecipitation (IP). RESULTS: miR-330-3p was significantly up-regulated
      in NSCLC cell lines. MTT assay, transwell migration, and invasion assays showed
      that miR-330-3p promoted the growth, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells in
      vitro and induced tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Luciferase reporter assays
      showed that GRIA3 was a target of miR-330-3p. qRT-PCR and western blotting
      exhibited that miR-330-3p promoted the growth, invasion, and migration of NSCLC
      cells by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular
      regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway. Furthermore, miR-330-3p up
      regulated the total DNA methylation in NSCLC cells, and co-IP-demonstrated GRIA3
      was directly related with DNMT1 and DNMT3A. CONCLUSIONS: miR-330-3p promoted the
      progression of NSCLC and might be a potential target for the further research of
      NSCLC brain metastasis.

PMID- 28629432
TI  - Imaging of alphavbeta3 integrin expression in experimental myocardial ischemia
      with [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD positron emission tomography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Radiolabeled RGD peptides detect alphavbeta3 integrin expression
      associated with angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling after myocardial
      infarction. We studied whether cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) with
      [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD detects increased alphavbeta3 integrin expression after
      induction of flow-limiting coronary stenosis in pigs, and whether alphavbeta3
      integrin is expressed in viable ischemic or injured myocardium. METHODS: We
      studied 8 Finnish landrace pigs 13 +/- 4 days after percutaneous implantation of
      a bottleneck stent in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery.
      Antithrombotic therapy was used to prevent stent occlusion. Myocardial uptake of
      [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD (290 +/- 31 MBq) was evaluated by a 62 min dynamic PET scan. The
      ischemic area was defined as the regional perfusion abnormality during adenosine
      induced stress by [15O]water PET. Guided by triphenyltetrazolium chloride
      staining, tissue samples from viable and injured myocardial areas were obtained
      for autoradiography and histology. RESULTS: Stent implantation resulted in a
      partly reversible myocardial perfusion abnormality. Compared with remote
      myocardium, [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD PET showed increased tracer uptake in the ischemic
      area (ischemic-to-remote ratio 1.3 +/- 0.20, p = 0.0034). Tissue samples from the
      injured areas, but not from the viable ischemic areas, showed higher [68Ga]NODAGA
      RGD uptake than the remote non-ischemic myocardium. Uptake of [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD
      correlated with immunohistochemical detection of alphavbeta3 integrin that was
      expressed in the injured myocardial areas. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD
      PET demonstrates increased myocardial alphavbeta3 integrin expression after
      induction of flow-limiting coronary stenosis in pigs. Localization of
      [68Ga]NODAGA-RGD uptake indicates that it reflects alphavbeta3 integrin
      expression associated with repair of recent myocardial injury.

PMID- 28629433
TI  - Smoking and timing of cessation on postoperative pulmonary complications after
      curative-intent lung cancer surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Smoking is a risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications
      (PPC) following non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) surgery. The optimal timing
      for preoperative smoking cessation has not been identified. Our study aimed to
      observe the impact of preoperative smoking cessation on PPC incidence and other
      postoperative outcomes including long-term survival. METHODS: A prospective study
      included consecutive patients following resection for NSCLC in a regional
      thoracic centre over a 4-year period (2010-2014). Patients were stratified
      according to self-reported preoperative smoking status. The primary endpoint was
      PPC incidence, which was assessed from postoperative day one onwards using the
      Melbourne Group Scale. Secondary endpoints included short-term outcomes (hospital
      length of stay [LOS], intensive therapy unit [ITU] admission, 30-day hospital
      readmission rate) and long-term survival. RESULTS: Four hundred and sixty-two
      patients included 111 (24%) current smokers, 55 (12%) ex-smokers <6 weeks, 245
      (53%) ex-smokers >=6 weeks and 51 (11%) never smokers. PPC occurred in 60 (13%)
      patients in total. Compared to never smokers, current smokers had a higher
      frequency of PPC (22% vs. 2%, p = 0.004), higher frequency of ITU admission (14%
      vs. 0%; p = 0.001) and a longer median (IQR) hospital LOS (6 [5] vs. 5 [2]; p =
      0.001). In the ex-smokers there was a trend for a lower frequency of PPC (<6
      weeks, 10.9% vs. >=6 weeks, 11.8%) and ITU admission (<6 weeks, 5.5% vs. >=6
      weeks, 4.5%), but there was no difference between the <6 weeks or >=6 weeks ex
      smoking groups prior to surgery. There was no significant difference in long-term
      survival found between the groups of differing smoking status (median follow-up
      29.8 months, 95%CI 28.4-31.1). CONCLUSION: Current smokers have higher
      postoperative morbidity; this risk reduces following smoking cessation but 6
      weeks does not appear to identify a time-point where differences in outcomes are
      noted.

PMID- 28629434
TI  - Reduction of breathing irregularity-related motion artifacts in low-pitch spiral
      4D CT by optimized projection binning.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Respiration-correlated CT (4D CT) is the basis of radiotherapy
      treatment planning of thoracic and abdominal tumors. Current clinical 4D CT
      images suffer, however, from artifacts due to unfulfilled assumptions concerning
      breathing pattern regularity. We propose and evaluate modifications to existing
      low-pitch spiral 4D CT reconstruction protocols to counteract respective
      artifacts. METHODS: The proposed advanced reconstruction (AR) approach consists
      of two steps that build on each other: (1) statistical analysis of the breathing
      signal recorded during CT data acquisition and extraction of a patient-specific
      reference breathing cycle for projection binning; (2) incorporation of an
      artifact measure into the reconstruction. 4D CT data of 30 patients were
      reconstructed by standard phase- and local amplitude-based reconstruction (PB,
      LAB) and compared with images obtained by AR. The number of artifacts was
      evaluated and artifact statistics correlated to breathing curve characteristics.
      RESULTS: AR reduced the number of 4D CT artifacts by 31% and 27% compared to PB
      and LAB; the reduction was most pronounced for irregular breathing curves.
      CONCLUSIONS: We described a two-step optimization of low-pitch spiral 4D CT
      reconstruction to reduce artifacts in the presence of breathing irregularity and
      illustrated that the modifications to existing reconstruction solutions are
      effective in terms of artifact reduction.

PMID- 28629436
TI  - Disease Compass- a navigation system for disease knowledge based on ontology and
      linked data techniques.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Medical ontologies are expected to contribute to the effective use of
      medical information resources that store considerable amount of data. In this
      study, we focused on disease ontology because the complicated mechanisms of
      diseases are related to concepts across various medical domains. The authors
      developed a River Flow Model (RFM) of diseases, which captures diseases as the
      causal chains of abnormal states. It represents causes of diseases, disease
      progression, and downstream consequences of diseases, which is compliant with the
      intuition of medical experts. In this paper, we discuss a fact repository for
      causal chains of disease based on the disease ontology. It could be a valuable
      knowledge base for advanced medical information systems. METHODS: We developed
      the fact repository for causal chains of diseases based on our disease ontology
      and abnormality ontology. This section summarizes these two ontologies. It is
      developed as linked data so that information scientists can access it using
      SPARQL queries through an Resource Description Framework (RDF) model for causal
      chain of diseases. RESULTS: We designed the RDF model as an implementation of the
      RFM for the fact repository based on the ontological definitions of the RFM. 1554
      diseases and 7080 abnormal states in six major clinical areas, which are
      extracted from the disease ontology, are published as linked data (RDF) with
      SPARQL endpoint (accessible API). Furthermore, the authors developed Disease
      Compass, a navigation system for disease knowledge. Disease Compass can browse
      the causal chains of a disease and obtain related information, including abnormal
      states, through two web services that provide general information from linked
      data, such as DBpedia, and 3D anatomical images. CONCLUSIONS: Disease Compass can
      provide a complete picture of disease-associated processes in such a way that
      fits with a clinician's understanding of diseases. Therefore, it supports user
      exploration of disease knowledge with access to pertinent information from a
      variety of sources.

PMID- 28629435
TI  - Eculizumab treatment: stochastic occurrence of C3 binding to individual PNH
      erythrocytes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: C5 blockade by eculizumab prevents complement-mediated intravascular
      hemolysis in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). However, C3-bound PNH red
      blood cells (RBCs), arising in almost all treated patients, may undergo
      extravascular hemolysis reducing clinical benefits. Despite the uniform
      deficiency of CD55 and of CD59, there are always two distinct populations of PNH
      RBCs, with (C3+) and without (C3-) C3 binding. METHODS: To investigate this
      paradox, the phenomenon has been modeled in vitro by incubating RBCs from
      eculizumab untreated PNH patients with compatible sera containing eculizumab, and
      by assessing the C3 binding after activation of complement alternative pathway.
      RESULTS: When RBCs from untreated patients were exposed in vitro to activated
      complement in the context of C5-blockade, there was the prompt appearance of a
      distinct C3+ PNH RBC population whose size increased with time and also with the
      rate of complement activation. Eventually, all PNH RBCs become C3+ to the same
      extent, without differences between old and young (reticulocytes) PNH RBCs.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the distinct (C3+ and C3-) PNH RBC
      populations are not intrinsically different; rather, they result from a
      stochastic all-or-nothing phenomenon linked to the time-dependent cumulative
      probability of each individual PNH red cell to be exposed to levels of complement
      activation able to trigger C3 binding. These findings may envision novel
      approaches to reduce C3 opsonization and the subsequent extravascular hemolysis
      in PNH patients on eculizumab.

PMID- 28629437
TI  - Evaluation of a low-cost, low-power syringe pump to deliver magnesium sulfate
      intravenously to pre-eclamptic women in a Malawian referral hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Magnesium sulfate is an affordable and effective treatment for pre
      eclampsia and eclampsia. In settings where infusion pumps are not available to
      regulate the flow rate of intravenous delivery, healthcare providers must
      administer magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) via time-consuming and painful, large-volume
      intramuscular injections. As an alternative to costly commercially available
      syringe pumps, we developed AutoSyp, an accurate, low-cost, and low-powered
      syringe pump designed to meet the needs and constraints these low-resource
      settings. This paper describes results of a pilot study to evaluate the
      feasibility of using AutoSyp to administer MgSO4 intravenously to women suffering
      from pre-eclampsia at a referral hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. METHODS: AutoSyp
      was programmed to deliver MgSO4 following the Zuspan regimen to pregnant and post
      partum women suffering from pre-eclampsia at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in
      Blatnyre, Malawi. Given the selection of either loading or maintenance dose on
      AutoSyp's user interface, the flow rate was automatically programmed to dispense
      60 mL/h or 5 mL/h of 20% MgSO4 solution, respectively. During each treatment, the
      dispensed volume was automatically calculated by the device based on the plunger
      position and stored on a computer for accuracy analysis of the mean flow rate and
      total volume delivered. The clinical results for both the loading and maintenance
      dose administrations were compared to the device's accuracy during tests
      performed in the laboratory setting. RESULTS: Twenty-two women were enrolled in
      this study. In both the clinical and laboratory settings, the mean flow rate
      errors for the loading and maintenance dose infusions were under 2%. During 466 h
      of testing, the device sounded 129 occlusion alarms across 14 subjects. Of these,
      71 alarms were false positives. CONCLUSION: Results of this study support the use
      of AutoSyp as a less painful and accurate means of MgSO4 administration in
      clinical environments that lack infusion systems. There were a large number of
      false alarms in the current system which will be addressed in future designs.
      AutoSyp maintains the comfort of intravenous MgSO4 administration, but unlike
      commercially available syringe pumps, it is capable of operating with a variety
      of syringe brands and sizes and requires no additional consumables. AutoSyp's
      appropriate design will benefit its implementation and sustained use in low
      resource settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registered prospectively on November
      18, 2014 with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02296931 ).

PMID- 28629438
TI  - An output evaluation of a health research foundation's enhanced grant review
      process for new investigators.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We assessed the ability of the Manitoba Medical Service Foundation
      (MMSF, a small not-for-profit foundation affiliated with Manitoba Blue Cross) to
      determine the best candidates for selection to receive research funding support
      among new researchers applying to the Research Operating Grants Programme (ROGP).
      METHODS: Using bibliometric and grants funding analyses, we retrospectively
      compared indices of academic outputs from five cohorts of MMSF-funded and not
      MMSF-funded applicants to the annual MMSF ROGP over 2008 to 2012, from 1 to 5
      years after having received evaluation decisions from the MMSF enhanced grant
      review process. RESULTS: Those researchers funded by the MMSF competition (MMSF
      funded) had a statistically significant greater number of publications, a higher
      h-index and greater national Tri-Council (TC) funding, versus those not selected
      for funding (not MMSF-funded). MMSF-funded applicants and the Manitoba research
      community have created a strong and rapid (within 1 to 5 years of receiving the
      MMSF grant) local economic return on investment associated with the MMSF ROGP
      that supports new investigators, of approximately nine-fold for TC grants by the
      principal investigator, and of 34-fold for the principal investigator on
      collaborative (total) TC grants. CONCLUSIONS: The use of small amounts of seed
      money for competitive research grants at early stages of an MMSF-funded
      applicant's career correlates with future short-term success of that applicant.
      The ability to correctly select promising candidates who subsequently demonstrate
      greater academic performance after the MMSF funding shows the selection process
      and the ROGP to be of merit. Multiple components may have contributed to this
      outcome, including a direct presentation and interview process of the candidate
      with five-person selection subcommittees, plus an assessment by an external
      reviewer (the enhanced grant review process). The selection methods used here may
      add value to the research grant selection processes of new researchers.

PMID- 28629440
TI  - Incidence, management and outcome of women requiring massive transfusion after
      childbirth in the Netherlands: secondary analysis of a nationwide cohort study
      between 2004 and 2006.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Postpartum hemorrhage remains the leading cause of maternal morbidity
      and mortality worldwide. Few population-based studies have examined the
      epidemiology of massive transfusion for postpartum hemorrhage. The aim of this
      study was to determine the incidence, management, and outcomes of women with
      postpartum hemorrhage who required massive transfusion in the Netherlands between
      2004 and 2006. METHODS: Data for all women from a gestational age of 20 weeks
      onwards who had postpartum hemorrhage requiring eight or more red blood cell
      concentrates were obtained from a nationwide population-based cohort study
      including all 98 hospitals with a maternity unit in the Netherlands. RESULTS:
      Three hundred twenty-seven women who had postpartum hemorrhage requiring massive
      transfusion were identified (massive transfusion rate 91 per 100,000 deliveries
      (95% confidence interval: 81-101)). The median blood loss was 4500 mL
      (interquartile range 3250-6000 mL) and the median number of red blood cell
      concentrates transfused was 11 units (interquartile range 9-16 units). Among
      women receiving massive transfusion, the most common cause of hemorrhage was
      uterine atony. Eighty-three women (25%) underwent hysterectomy, 227 (69%) were
      admitted to an intensive care unit, and three women died (case fatality rate
      0,9%). CONCLUSION: The number of women in the Netherlands who had postpartum
      hemorrhage treated with massive transfusion was relatively high compared to other
      comparable settings. Evidence-based uniform management guidelines are necessary.

PMID- 28629441
TI  - Erratum to: Noticing cigarette health warnings and support for new health
      warnings among non-smokers in China: findings from the International Tobacco
      Control project (ITC) China survey.

PMID- 28629439
TI  - MSM HIV testing following an online testing intervention in China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scaling up HIV testing is the first step in the HIV treatment
      continuum which is important for controlling the HIV epidemic among men who have
      sex with men (MSM). Following an online HIV testing intervention among MSM, we
      aim to examine sociodemographic and spatial factors associated with HIV testing.
      METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis on data from an online HIV testing
      intervention among MSM who had never-tested for HIV. The survey was distributed
      through online networks connected to all provinces and regions of China.
      Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to examine factors
      associated with testing three weeks post-intervention. RESULTS: At three weeks
      after the intervention, 36% of 624 followed-up MSM underwent HIV testing, 69 men
      reported positive HIV test results. Having money for sex, ever tested for
      sexually transmitted infections and intimate partner violence experience were
      significant factors of post-intervention HIV testing. Students were less likely
      to undergo HIV testing at follow-up compared to others (adjusted odds ratio=0.69,
      95% C.I.=0.47-0.99), adjusted by age and type of intervention. Moderate
      provincial spatial variation of testing was observed. CONCLUSIONS: While high
      risk men generally had higher HIV testing rates, some MSM like students had lower
      testing rates, suggesting the need for further ways to enhance HIV testing in
      specific MSM communities.

PMID- 28629442
TI  - Treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization, and costs following first
      line antidepressant treatment in major depressive disorder: a retrospective US
      claims database analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although the symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) are often
      manageable with pharmacotherapy, response to first-line antidepressant treatment
      is often less than optimal. This study describes long-term treatment patterns in
      MDD patients in the United States and quantifies the economic burden associated
      with different treatment patterns following first-line antidepressant therapy.
      METHODS: MDD patients starting first-line antidepressant monotherapy and having
      continuous enrollment >=12 months before and >=24 months following the index date
      (i.e., the first documented prescription fill) were selected from the Truven
      Health Analytics MarketScan (2003-2014) database. Based on the type of first
      treatment change following initiation, six treatment cohorts were defined a
      priori ("persistence"; "discontinuation"; "switch"; "dose escalation";
      "augmentation"; and "combination"). Treatment patterns through the fourth line of
      therapy within each cohort, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and cost
      analyses were restricted to patients with adequate treatment duration (defined as
      >=42 days) in each line (analysis sub-sample, N = 21,088). HCRU and costs were
      described at the cohort and pattern levels. Treatment cohorts representing <5% of
      the analysis sub-sample were decided a priori not to be analyzed due to limited
      sample size. RESULTS: 39,557 patients were included. Mean age was 42.1 years,
      61.1% of patients were female, and mean follow-up was 4.1 years. Among the
      analysis sub-sample, the discontinuation (49.1%), dose escalation (37.4%), and
      switch (6.6%) cohorts were the most common of all treatment cohorts. First-line
      antidepressant discontinuation without subsequent MDD pharmacotherapy (22.9%) and
      cycling between discontinuation and resumption (11.2%) were the two most common
      treatment patterns. Median time to discontinuation was 23 weeks. The switch
      cohort exhibited the highest HCRU (18.9 days with medical visits per-patient-per
      year) and greatest healthcare costs ($11,107 per-patient-per-year) following the
      index date. Treatment patterns representing a cycling on and off treatment in the
      switch cohort were associated with the greatest healthcare costs overall.
      CONCLUSION: A high proportion of patients discontinue first-line antidepressant
      shortly after initiation. Patterns representing a cycling on and off treatment in
      the switch cohort were associated with the highest healthcare costs. These
      findings underscore challenges in effectively treating patients with MDD and a
      need for personalized patient management.

PMID- 28629443
TI  - Parents' and guardians' perceptions on availability and pricing of medicines and
      healthcare for children in eThekwini, South Africa - a qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inadequate access to affordable essential medicines poses a challenge
      to achieving Universal Health Coverage. Access to essential medicines for
      children has been in the spotlight in recent research. However, information from
      the end users of medicines, i.e. patients is scarce. Obtaining information at a
      household level is integral to understanding how people access, obtain and use
      medicines. This study aimed to gather opinions and perceptions from
      parents/guardians on availability, affordability and quality of medicines and
      healthcare for children in SA. METHODS: Eight Focus group discussions were held
      with 41 individuals in eThekwini, South Africa (SA), from September-November
      2016. Participants were parents/guardians of children up to 12 years from
      different ethnicities, ages, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds. Key
      informants identified by the principal researcher recruited participants using
      snowball sampling. Focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim,
      coded by the first author, verified by the second author, reconciled for
      consensus and imported into NVIVO for data analysis. RESULTS: Medicines and
      healthcare facilities are accessible in urban and peri-urban areas in eThekwini.
      Medicines may not always be available in public sector facilities due to medicine
      shortages, compelling parents to purchase medicines from private sector
      pharmacies. Common medicines were perceived as affordable for most socio-economic
      groups except the 'Poor' group. Quality of medicines was perceived as 'good'
      especially if obtained from the private sector but sometimes perceived as 'poor'
      and viewed with suspicion when received from public sector clinics. Quality of
      healthcare was perceived as 'good' but requires improvement for both sectors.
      CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study in SA to report on parent/guardian
      perceptions on availability, affordability and quality of medicines and
      healthcare for children. It has the potential to be up-scaled to a country-wide
      investigation to paint a national picture of parents' opinions of healthcare for
      children. This will allow for patient input into pharmaceutical and healthcare
      policy governing access to and availability of essential medicines and services
      within the country. The study recommends that patient input be sought to assess
      impact of policies on the intended target group in the country to ensure that the
      policy objectives are achieved.

PMID- 28629444
TI  - MicroRNA-98 inhibits the cell proliferation of human hypertrophic scar
      fibroblasts via targeting Col1A1.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic scarring (HS) is a severe disease, and results from
      unusual wound healing. Col1A1 could promote the hypertrophic scar formation, and
      the expression of Col1A1 in HS tissue was markedly higher than that in the
      normal. In present study, we aimed to identify miRNAs as post-transcriptional
      regulators of Col1A1 in HS. METHODS: MicroRNA-98 was selected as the key miRNA
      comprised in HS. The mRNA levels of miR-98 in HS tissues and the matched normal
      skin tissues were determined by qRT-PCR. MTT and flow cytometry were used to
      determine the influence of miR-98 on cell proliferation and apoptosis of HSFBs,
      respectively. Col1A1 was found to be the target gene of miR-98 using luciferase
      reporter assay. Luciferase assay was performed to determine the relative
      luciferase activity in mimic NC, miR-98 mimic, inhibitor NC and miR-98 inhibitor
      with Col1A13'-UTR wt or Col1A13'-UTR mt reporter plasmids. The protein expression
      of Col1A1 in HSFBs after transfection with mimic NC, miR-98 mimic, inhibitor NC
      and miR-98 inhibitor were determined by western blotting. RESULTS: The mRNA level
      of miR-98 in HS tissues was much higher than that in the control. Transfection of
      HSFBs with a miR-98 mimic reduced the cell viability of HSFBs and increased the
      apoptosis portion of HSFBs, while inhibition of miR-98 increased cell viability
      and decreased apoptosis portion of HSFBs. miR-98 inhibitor increased the relative
      luciferase activity significantly when cotransfected with the Col1A1-UTR reporter
      plasmid, while the mutant reporter plasmid abolished the miR-98 inhibitor
      mediated increase in luciferase activity. Western blotting revealed that
      overexpression of miR-98 decreased the expression of Col1A1. CONCLUSIONS:
      Overexpression of miR-98 repressed the proliferation of HSFBs by targeting
      Col1A1.

PMID- 28629445
TI  - Effects of perioperative statin use on cardiovascular complications in patients
      submitted to non-cardiac surgery: protocol for a systematic review, meta
      analysis, and trial sequential analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests statins may reduce major perioperative
      vascular events. However, evidence is limited to observational studies,
      underpowered trials, and non-comprehensive systematic reviews. This review aims
      to assess the effects of perioperative statin use on cardiovascular complications
      in patients submitted to non-cardiac surgery. METHODS: We will search
      MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and CINAHL for
      randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of perioperative statin use in
      adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery and reporting cardiovascular complications.
      For patients already using statins for hyperlipidemia, a preoperative loading
      dose of statin is required in the experimental group. We will place no language
      or publication restriction on our search. Teams of two reviewers will
      independently assess eligibility and risk of bias, and will extract data from the
      included trials. Our primary outcome is a combination of cardiovascular mortality
      or non-fatal myocardial infarction. We will also assess the following outcomes:
      individual components of the primary outcome, all-cause mortality, total
      myocardial infarction, elevated troponin in the first seven postoperative days,
      total stroke, total venous thromboembolism, postoperative atrial fibrillation,
      elevation of creatine phosphokinase or liver enzymes, and rates of myalgia or
      rhabdomyolysis. We will conduct meta-analyses using random-effects model and will
      use trial sequential analysis to establish monitoring boundaries to limit global
      type I error due to repetitive testing for our primary outcome. We will rate the
      quality of evidence using the GRADE system. DISCUSSION: The results of this
      systematic review may help to inform clinical practice and also the design of
      future large-scale randomized trials. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO
      CRD42016035987.

PMID- 28629446
TI  - Increasing mapping precision of genome-wide association studies: to genotype and
      impute, sequence, or both?
AB  - Fine-mapping to identify causal variants in genome-wide association studies
      remains challenging. A recent study provides guidance for future research.

PMID- 28629447
TI  - Transcranial direct current stimulation for depression in Alzheimer's disease:
      study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with Alzheimer's disease frequently elicit neuropsychiatric
      symptoms as well as cognitive deficits. Above all, depression is one of the most
      common neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease but antidepressant drugs
      have not shown significant beneficial effects on it. Moreover, electroconvulsive
      therapy has not ensured its safety for potential severe adverse events although
      it does show beneficial clinical effect. Transcranial direct current stimulation
      can be the safe alternative of neuromodulation, which applies weak direct
      electrical current to the brain. Although transcranial direct current stimulation
      has plausible evidence for its effect on depression in young adult patients, no
      study has explored it in older subjects with depression in Alzheimer's disease.
      Therefore, we present a study protocol designed to evaluate the safety and
      clinical effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on depression in
      Alzheimer's disease in subjects aged over 65 years. METHOD: This is a two-arm,
      parallel-design, randomized controlled trial, in which patients and assessors
      will be blinded. Subjects will be randomized to either an active or a sham
      transcranial direct current stimulation group. Participants in both groups will
      be evaluated at baseline, immediately, and 2 weeks after the intervention.
      DISCUSSION: This study investigates the safety and effect of transcranial direct
      current stimulation that may bring a significant impact on both depression and
      cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease, and may be useful to enhance
      their quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02351388 .
      Registered on 27 January 2015. Last updated on 30 May 2016.

PMID- 28629448
TI  - Azithromycin for idiopathic acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis:
      a retrospective single-center study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbation (AE) of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a
      fatal condition without an established pharmaceutical treatment. Most patients
      are treated with high-dose corticosteroids and broad-spectrum antibiotics.
      Azithromycin is a macrolide with immunomodulatory activity and may be beneficial
      for treatment of acute lung injury. The objective of this study was to determine
      the effect of azithromycin on survival of patients with idiopathic AE of IPF.
      METHODS: We evaluated 85 consecutive patients hospitalized in our department for
      idiopathic AE of IPF from April 2005 to August 2016. The initial 47 patients were
      treated with a fluoroquinolone-based regimen (control group), and the following
      38 consecutive patients were treated with azithromycin (500 mg/day) for 5 days.
      Idiopathic AE of IPF was defined using the criteria established by the 2016
      International Working Group. RESULTS: Mortality in patients treated with
      azithromycin was significantly lower than in those treated with fluoroquinolones
      (azithromycin, 26% vs. control, 70%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed
      that the two variables were independently correlated with 60-day mortality as
      determined by the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (p =
      0.002) and azithromycin use (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Azithromycin may improve
      survival in patients with idiopathic AE of IPF.

PMID- 28629449
TI  - Delineating the genetic heterogeneity of OCA in Hungarian patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a clinically and genetically
      heterogenic group of pigmentation abnormalities characterized by variable hair,
      skin, and ocular hypopigmentation. Six known genes and a locus on human
      chromosome 4q24 have been implicated in the etiology of isolated OCA forms (OCA 1
      7). METHODS: The most frequent OCA types among Caucasians are OCA1, OCA2, and
      OCA4. We aimed to investigate genes responsible for the development of these OCA
      forms in Hungarian OCA patients (n = 13). Mutation screening and polymorphism
      analysis were performed by direct sequencing on TYR, OCA2, SLC45A2 genes.
      RESULTS: Although the clinical features of the investigated Hungarian OCA
      patients were identical, the molecular genetic data suggested OCA1 subtype in
      eight cases and OCA4 subtype in two cases. The molecular diagnosis was not
      clearly identifiable in three cases. In four patients, two different heterozygous
      known pathogenic or predicted to be pathogenic mutations were present. Seven
      patients had only one pathogenic mutation, which was associated with non
      pathogenic variants in six cases. In two patients no pathogenic mutation was
      identified. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the concomitant screening of
      the non-pathogenic variants-which alone do not cause the development of OCA, but
      might have clinical significance in association with a pathogenic variant-is
      important. Our results also show significant variation in the disease spectrum
      compared to other populations. These data also confirm that the concomitant
      analysis of OCA genes is critical, providing new insights to the phenotypic
      diversity of OCA and expanding the mutation spectrum of OCA genes in Hungarian
      patients.

PMID- 28629450
TI  - Interaction with adipocyte stromal cells induces breast cancer malignancy via
      S100A7 upregulation in breast cancer microenvironment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breast adipocytes play important roles in both the development and
      function of mammary epithelial cells. Therefore, carcinoma-adipose stromal cell
      (ASC) interactions have been considered pivotal in supporting tumor growth in
      breast cancer. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the biological features
      of cancer-associated adipocytes differ from those of normal ASCs. Therefore, we
      investigated an interaction between ASCs and carcinoma cell lines to identify
      genes associated with ASC invasion of carcinoma cells. METHODS: 3T3-L1 ASC
      derived conditioned medium (CM) was treated to measure the proliferation rate of
      breast cancer cells. To further examine the effect of ASCs, breast cancer cells
      were cocultivated with either primary human or 3T3-L1 ASCs for migration assays,
      DNA microarrays, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions, and Western
      blotting experiments. Furthermore, immunoreactivity of S100A7, the most
      upregulated gene in MCF7, after coculture with ASCs was evaluated for 150 breast
      cancer tissues to statistically analyze its association with clinicopathological
      parameters. RESULTS: We first confirmed that ASC-derived CM treatment enhanced
      the cell proliferation rate of MCF7, T47D, SK-BR-3, and ZR-75-1 cell lines,
      whereas the migration rate of breast cancer cells was promoted by coculture with
      ASCs. We identified that a small calcium-binding protein, S100A7, was markedly
      upregulated (by 5.8-fold) in MCF7 cells after coculture with primary human ASCs.
      Knockdown of S100A7 significantly suppressed ASC-stimulated cell proliferation
      and migration rate, indicating a possible involvement of S100A7 in the carcinoma
      ASC interaction in breast tumors. Furthermore, strong S100A7 immunoreactivity was
      detected at the invasive front of adipose stromal tissues compared with that at
      the intratumoral area. The status of S100A7 was also significantly correlated
      with adverse pathological parameters, and multivariate analysis revealed that
      S100A7 could be an independent prognostic marker for a poor relapse-free survival
      rate. Moreover, induction of oncostatin M was detected in cancer-stimulated ASCs,
      whereas the downstream S100A7 binding proteins/receptor for advanced glycation
      endproducts were significantly upregulated in correspondence with S100A7
      expression in breast cancer cells after coculture with ASCs. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results of our study suggest that paracrine production of cytokines from ASCs
      stimulates breast carcinoma cell growth via upregulation of S100A7 expression in
      breast cancer cell lines.

PMID- 28629451
TI  - Metabolic response to three different diets in lean cats and cats predisposed to
      overweight.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The existence of a genetic predisposition to obesity is commonly
      recognized in humans and rodents. Recently, a link between genetics and
      overweight was shown in cats. The goal of this study was to identify the effect
      of diet composition on plasma levels of glucose, insulin, free fatty acids and
      triglycerides in cats receiving different diets (high-carbohydrate, high-fat and
      high-protein diets). RESULTS: Insulin and leptin concentrations were
      significantly correlated with phenotype. Insulin levels were lower, whereas
      leptin levels were higher in cats predisposed to overweight. The other blood
      parameters were not correlated with phenotype. Intake of the high-carbohydrate
      diet resulted in higher insulin concentrations compared with the two other diets.
      Insulin levels were within the values described for non-obese cats in previous
      studies. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in metabolic response between the
      two groups. As the high-carbohydrate diet led to the highest insulin blood
      concentrations, it might be useful to avoid such diets in cats predisposed to
      overweight. In addition, even cats with genetically linked obesity can regain
      insulin sensitivity after weight loss.

PMID- 28629453
TI  - Three-dimensional substructure measurements for the differential diagnosis of
      ground glass nodules.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We analyzed the differences between maximum and peak computed
      tomography (CT) numbers (M-P), respectively representing the densities of the
      solid center and the main periphery of ground-glass nodules (GGNs), and the
      average change in M-P velocity (V(M-P)) during follow-up to differentiate between
      pre-invasive (PIA) and invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC). METHODS: Data of 102
      patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed in our study including 43
      PIAs and 59 IACs. Diameters, total volumes, and the maximum and peak CT numbers
      in CT number histograms were measured and followed for at least 3 months. This
      study was registered retrospectively. RESULTS: The M-P values for IACs were
      higher than those for PIAs (p = 0.001), with an area under the curve (AUC) of
      0.810 and a threshold of 489.5 Hounsfield units (HU) in ROC analysis. The V(M-P)
      values for IACs were smaller than those for PIAs (p = 0.04), with an AUC of 0.805
      and a threshold of 11.01 HU/day. CONCLUSIONS: M-P and V(M-P) values may help
      distinguish IACs from PIAs by representing the changes in the sub-structural
      densities of GGNs during follow-up.

PMID- 28629452
TI  - Inhibitory brainstem reflexes under external emotional-stimuli in bipolar I and
      II disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder types I (BD I) and II (BD II) might present
      different dysfunctions of the cortex and brainstem, as reflected by the second
      exteroceptive suppression period of temporalis muscle activity (ES2) under
      different stimuli of external emotions. METHODS: This study included 30 BD I and
      20 BD II patients, and 40 healthy volunteers. All participants were invited to
      answer the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, the Hypomania Checklist-32, and the
      Plutchik-van Praag Depression inventory, as well as to undergo the ES2 test under
      external emotional-stimuli (emotional pictures plus sounds) of Disgust, Erotica,
      Fear, Happiness, and Sadness. RESULTS: The scale scores were elevated in both
      patient groups, but were not correlated with ES2 parameters. Compared to healthy
      controls, BD I showed prolonged ES2 latency under Erotica, and their perceived
      happiness and sadness intensities were negatively correlated with the respective
      ES2 durations, while BD II showed prolonged ES2 latencies under Disgust and
      Happiness, and shortened ES2 durations under Disgust, Happiness and Sadness.
      Moreover, ES2 duration under Sadness was significantly shorter in BD II than that
      in BD I. CONCLUSIONS: The cortico-brainstem inhibitory dysfunctions in BD I and
      BD II was different, and this difference was independent of the patient's ongoing
      emotions. Our study thus provides some hints to distinguish the two types of
      bipolar disorders.

PMID- 28629455
TI  - An investigation of the relationship between autonomy, childbirth practices, and
      obstetric fistula among women in rural Lilongwe District, Malawi.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged
      obstructed labor that results in destruction of the tissue wall between the
      vagina and bladder. Although obstetric fistula is directly caused by prolonged
      obstructed labor, many other factors indirectly increase fistula risk. Some
      research suggests that many women in rural Malawi have limited autonomy and
      decision-making power in their households. We hypothesize that women's limited
      autonomy may play a role in reinforcing childbirth practices that increase the
      risk of obstetric fistula in this setting by hindering access to emergency care
      and further prolonging obstructed labor. METHODS: A medical student at Baylor
      College of Medicine partnered with a Malawian research assistant in July 2015 to
      conduct in-depth qualitative interviews in Chichewa with 25 women living within
      the McGuire Wellness Centre's catchment area (rural Central Lilongwe District)
      who had received obstetric fistula repair surgery. RESULTS: This study assessed
      whether women's limited autonomy in rural Malawi reinforces childbearing
      practices that increase risk of obstetric fistula. We considered four dimensions
      of autonomy: sexual and reproductive decision-making, decision-making related to
      healthcare utilization, freedom of movement, and discretion over earned income.
      We found that participants had limited autonomy in these domains. For example,
      many women felt pressured by their husbands, families, and communities to become
      pregnant within three months of marriage; women often needed to seek permission
      from their husbands before leaving their homes to visit the clinic; and women
      were frequently prevented from delivering at the hospital by older women in the
      community. CONCLUSIONS: Many of the obstetric fistula patients in our sample had
      limited autonomy in several or all of the aforementioned domains, and their
      limited autonomy often led both directly and indirectly to an increased risk of
      prolonged labor and fistula. Reducing the prevalence of fistula in Malawi
      requires a broad understanding of the causes of fistula, so we recommend that the
      relationship between women's autonomy and fistula risk undergo further
      investigation.

PMID- 28629454
TI  - Impact of pharmacy channel on adherence to oral oncolytics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral chemotherapy is increasingly prescribed to treat cancer. Despite
      its benefits, concerns have been raised regarding adherence to therapy. The study
      objective was to compare and measure adherence, persistence, and abandonment in
      patients filling prescriptions in traditional retail (TR) versus specialty
      pharmacy (SP) channels. METHODS: Using a retrospective cohort design, we selected
      newly treated patients aged >=18 years with a prescription for erlotinib,
      capecitabine, or imatinib during 2007-2011 from a Medco population of both United
      States commercial and Medicare health plans. Patients were classified according
      to pharmacy channel providing the medication. Abandonment was defined as a
      reversal following initial approval of the index prescription claim with no
      additional paid claims for agent within 90 days of reversal. Patients were
      considered adherent if the proportion of days covered between the date of the
      first and last oral prescription was >=80%. RESULTS: In our retrospective cohort,
      11,972 filled their prescriptions within the SP channel, and 30,394 filled their
      prescriptions within the TR channels, respectively. The SP channel had the
      highest proportion of adherent patients compared with TR (71.6% vs. 56.4%, P <
      .001). Abandonment of the initial prescription was low with overall rates of only
      1.7%. In multivariate models controlling for demographic characteristics, index
      oncolytic, days of supply, and copay, SP channel (relative to TR) was
      significantly associated with lower rates of abandonment and increased adherence.
      CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy channel may be influential on abandonment and adherence.
      Lower rates of abandonment and higher rates of adherence were observed among SP
      patients versus TR.

PMID- 28629456
TI  - Comparison of the effects of 7.2% hypertonic saline and 20% mannitol on whole
      blood coagulation and platelet function in dogs with suspected intracranial
      hypertension - a pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hyperosmolar therapy with either mannitol or hypertonic saline (HTS)
      is commonly used in the treatment of intracranial hypertension (ICH). In vitro
      data indicate that both mannitol and HTS affect coagulation and platelet function
      in dogs. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 20% mannitol and
      7.2% HTS on whole blood coagulation using rotational thromboelastometry
      (ROTEM(r)) and platelet function using a platelet function analyzer (PFA(r)) in
      dogs with suspected ICH. Thirty client-owned dogs with suspected ICH needing
      osmotherapy were randomized to receive either 20% mannitol (5 ml/kg IV over 15
      min) or 7.2% HTS (4 ml/kg IV over 5 min). ROTEM(r) (EXTEM(r) and FIBTEM(r)
      assays) and PFA(r) analyses (collagen/ADP cartridges) were performed before (T0),
      as well as 5 (T5), 60 (T60) and 120 (T120) minutes after administration of HTS or
      mannitol. Data at T5, T60 and T120 were analyzed as a percentage of values at T0
      for comparison between groups, and as absolute values for comparison between time
      points, respectively. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the
      groups for the percentage change of any parameter at any time point except for
      FIBTEM(r) clotting time. Within each group, no significant difference was found
      between time points for any parameter except for FIBTEM(r) clotting time in the
      HTS group, and EXTEM(r) and FIBTEM(r) maximum clot firmness in the mannitol
      group. Median ROTEM(r) values lay within institutional reference intervals in
      both groups at all time points, whereas median PFA(r) values were above the
      reference intervals at T5 (both groups) and T60 (HTS group). CONCLUSIONS: Using
      currently recommended doses, mannitol and HTS do not differ in their effects on
      whole blood coagulation and platelet function in dogs with suspected ICH.
      Moreover, no relevant impairment of whole blood coagulation was found following
      treatment with either solution, whereas a short-lived impairment of platelet
      function was found after both solutions.

PMID- 28629457
TI  - Molecular imaging biomarkers for cell-based immunotherapies.
AB  - While many decades of scientific research studies have gone into harnessing the
      power of the immune system to fight cancer, only recently have cancer
      immunotherapeutic approaches begun to show robust clinical responses in patients
      with a variety of cancers. These treatments are adding to the current arsenal of
      cancer treatments; surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, and increasing the
      therapeutic options for cancer patients. Despite these advances, issues
      associated with these therapies include that not all patients respond to these
      therapies, and some patients who respond experience varying degrees of
      toxicities. One of the major issues affecting immunotherapy is the inability to
      evaluate trafficking of activated T-cells into sites of tumor. The current
      diagnostic imaging based on conventional anatomic imaging, which is the mainstay
      to monitor response to cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation, is not adequate to
      assess initial response to immunotherapy or disease evolution. Patients'
      prognosis by histological analysis has limited use in regards to immunotherapy.
      Thus, there is a crucial need for noninvasive biomarkers for screening patients
      that show long term response to therapy. Here, we provide a brief account of
      emerging molecular magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers that have potential to
      exploit the metabolism and metabolic products of activated T cells.

PMID- 28629458
TI  - Methotrexate-induced nausea in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Methotrexate is the most commonly used disease modifying
      antirheumatic drug in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and can be
      effective in controlling disease in many patients. MAIN BODY: A significant
      proportion of patients experience nausea and vomiting induced by methotrexate
      therapy, which can lead to decreased quality of life and discontinuation of
      treatment with methotrexate. Many strategies have been employed in attempts to
      reduce methotrexate-induced nausea, including folate supplementation, switching
      from oral to subcutaneous methotrexate, anti-emetic therapy, behavioral therapy,
      and others. Anticipatory nausea can be difficult to treat, making primary
      prevention of nausea with anti-emetics an attractive approach. CONCLUSION:
      Understanding the prevalence and impact of methotrexate-induced nausea, as well
      as potentially effective interventions, may help maximize the therapeutic
      benefits of methotrexate.

PMID- 28629459
TI  - Antiretroviral therapy initiation within seven days of enrolment: outcomes and
      time to undetectable viral load among children at an urban HIV clinic in Uganda.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Viral suppression is a critical indicator of HIV treatment success.
      In the era of test-and-start, little is known about treatment outcomes and time
      to undetectable viral loads. This study compares treatment outcomes, median times
      to achieve undetectable viral loads and its predictors under different
      antiretroviral (ART) treatment initiation schedules (i.e. within seven days of
      enrolment or later). METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 367 patients <18 years
      who enrolled in care between January 2010 and December 2015 with a baseline viral
      load of >5000 copies/ml were followed up for 60 months. Undetectable viral load
      measurements were based on both Roche (<20copies/ml) and Abbot (<75copies/ml).
      Clinical treatment outcomes were compared using chi-squared test. Survival
      experiences between the two cohorts were assessed through incidence rates and
      Kaplan Meier curves. A cox model with competing risks was used to assess
      predictors for time to undetectable viral load. RESULTS: Of the 367 patients, 180
      (49.1%) initiated ART within seven days from enrolment, 192 (52.3%) attained
      undetectable viral load of which 133 (69.3%) were children below six years and
      101 (52.6%) were females. Among those who initiated ART within seven days 15
      (8.3%) died and 6 (3.3%) were lost to follow-up compared to 27 (14.4%) and 16
      (8.6%) respectively in the later initiators. The median time to undetectable
      viral load was 24.9 months (95% CI: 19.7, 28.5) among early ART initiators and
      38.5 months (95% CI: 31.1, 44.5) among those initiating beyond seven days. There
      was a significant difference in failure estimates between those initiating within
      seven and those that deferred (log rank, p = 0.001). Significant predictors for
      time to undetectable viral load were; starting ART within seven days (SHR = 2.02,
      95% CI: 1.24, 3.28), baseline WHO stage I or II (SHR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.06, 2.28),
      inconsistent adherence on three consecutive clinic visits (SHR = 0.44, 95% CI:
      0.28, 0.67), and baseline weight (SRH = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07). CONCLUSION:
      Prompt initiation of ART within the first week of enrolment is associated with
      better treatment outcomes. Early timing, baseline WHO clinical stage and
      adherence rates should be major considerations while managing HIV among children.

PMID- 28629460
TI  - Interaction between Pasteurella multocida B:2 and its derivatives with bovine
      aortic endothelial cell (BAEC).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pasteurella multocida B:2 causes bovine haemorrhagic septicaemia
      (HS), leading to rapid fatalities in cattle and buffaloes. An attenuated
      derivative of P. multocida B:2 GDH7, was previously constructed through mutation
      of the gdhA gene and proved to be an effective live attenuated vaccine for HS.
      Currently, only two potential live attenuated vaccine candidates for HS are being
      reported; P. multocida B:2 GDH7 and P. multocida B:2 JRMT12. This study primarily
      aims to investigate the potential of P. multocida B:2 GDH7 strain as a delivery
      vehicle for DNA vaccine for future multivalent applications. RESULTS: An
      investigation on the adherence, invasion and intracellular survival of bacterial
      strains within the bovine aortic endothelial cell line (BAEC) were carried out.
      The potential vaccine strain, P. multocida B:2 GDH7, was significantly better (p
      <= 0.05) at adhering to and invading BAEC compared to its parent strain and to P.
      multocida B:2 JRMT12 and survived intracellularly 7 h post treatment, with a
      steady decline over time. A dual reporter plasmid, pSRGM, which enabled tracking
      of bacterial movement from the extracellular environment into the intracellular
      compartment of the mammalian cells, was subsequently transformed into P.
      multocida B:2 GDH7. Intracellular trafficking of the vaccine strain, P. multocida
      B:2 GDH7 was subsequently visualized by tracking the reporter proteins via
      confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). CONCLUSIONS: The ability of P.
      multocida B:2 GDH7 to model bactofection represents a possibility for this
      vaccine strain to be used as a delivery vehicle for DNA vaccine for future
      multivalent protection in cattle and buffaloes.

PMID- 28629461
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of lung cancer screening and treatment methods: a systematic
      review of systematic reviews.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Due to extensive literature in the field of lung cancer and their
      heterogeneous results, the aim of this study was to systematically review of
      systematic reviews studies which reviewed the cost-effectiveness of various lung
      cancer screening and treatment methods. METHODS: In this systematic review of
      systematic reviews study, required data were collected searching the following
      key words which selected from Mesh: "lung cancer", "lung oncology", "lung
      Carcinoma", "lung neoplasm", "lung tumors", "cost- effectiveness", "systematic
      review" and "Meta-analysis". The following databases were searched: PubMed,
      Cochrane Library electronic databases, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Two reviewers
      (RA and A-AS) evaluated the articles according to the checklist of "assessment of
      multiple systematic reviews" (AMSTAR) tool. RESULTS: Overall, information of 110
      papers was discussed in eight systematic reviews. Authors focused on cost
      effectiveness of lung cancer treatments in five systematic reviews. Targeted
      therapy options (bevacizumab, Erlotinib and Crizotinib) show an acceptable cost
      effectiveness. Results of three studies failed to show cost-effectiveness of
      screening methods. None of the studies had used the meta-analysis method. The
      Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) tool and Drummond checklist were mostly
      used in assessing the quality of articles. Most perspective was related to the
      Payer (64 times) and the lowest was related to Social (11times). Most cases
      referred to Incremental analysis (82%) and also the lowest point of referral was
      related to Discounting (in 49% of the cases). The average quality score of
      included studies was calculated 9.2% from 11. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted therapy can
      be an option for the treatment of lung cancer. Evaluation of the cost
      effectiveness of computerized tomographic colonography (CTC) in lung cancer
      screening is recommended. The perspective of the community should be more taken
      into consideration in studies of cost-effectiveness. Paying more attention to the
      topic of Discounting will be necessary in the studies.

PMID- 28629462
TI  - Treatment decisions for older adults with advanced chronic kidney disease.
AB  - Dialysis initiation rates among older adults, aged 75 years or greater, are
      increasing at a faster rate than for younger age groups. Older adults with
      advanced CKD (eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2) typically lose renal function slowly,
      often suffer from significant comorbidity and thus may die from associated
      comorbidities before they require dialysis.A patient's pattern of renal function
      loss over time in relation to their underlying comorbidities can serve as a guide
      to the probability of a future dialysis requirement. Most who start dialysis,
      initiate treatment "early", at an estimated glomerulofiltration rate (eGFR) >10
      ml/min/1.73 m2 and many initiate dialysis in hospital, often in association with
      an episode of acute renal failure. In the US older adults start dialysis at a
      mean e GFR of 12.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 and 20.6% die within six months of dialysis
      initiation. In both the acute in hospital and outpatient settings, many older
      adults appear to be initiating dialysis for non-specific, non-life threatening
      symptoms and clinical contexts. Observational data suggests that dialysis does
      not provide a survival benefit for older adults with poor mobility and high
      levels of comorbidity. To optimize the care of this population, early and repeat
      shared decision making conversations by health care providers, patients, and
      their families should consider the risks, burdens, and benefits of dialysis
      versus conservative management, as well as the patient specific symptoms and
      clinical situations that could justify dialysis initiation. The potential
      advantages and disadvantages of dialysis therapy should be considered in
      conjunction with each patient's unique goals and priorities.In conclusion, when
      considering the morbidity and quality of life impact associated with dialysis,
      many older adults may prefer to delay dialysis until there is a definitive
      indication or may opt for conservative management without dialysis. This approach
      can incorporate all CKD treatments other than dialysis, provide psychosocial and
      spiritual support and active symptom management and may also incorporate a
      palliative care approach with less medical monitoring of lab parameters and more
      focus on the use of drug therapies directed to relief of a patient's symptoms.

PMID- 28629463
TI  - How understanding and application of drug-related legal instruments affects harm
      reduction interventions in Cambodia: a qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Harm reduction interventions in Cambodia face numerous obstacles
      because of conflicting understanding and interests and inconsistencies in the
      implementation by law enforcement officials. This study aims to examine how
      understanding and application of Drug Control Law (DCL) and Village/Commune
      Safety Policy (VCSP) affects harm reduction interventions in Cambodia from the
      standpoints of law enforcement officials, people who inject drugs and people who
      use drugs (PWID/PWUD), as well as other key stakeholders. METHODS: This
      qualitative study was conducted in the capital city of Phnom Penh in 2015. We
      held five focus group discussions (FGDs) with groups of PWID/PWUD, police
      officers, Sangkat/commune officers, and local non-governmental organization (NGO)
      field staff. We also conducted ten key informant interviews (KIIs) with
      representatives from government agencies, donor agencies, and NGOs. FGDs and KIIs
      with Cambodian participants were transcribed in Khmer and translated into
      English. KIIs with foreign participants were transcribed in English. Transcripts
      were read and re-read to identify emerging themes, which were reviewed and
      refined to develop common and divergent patterns. RESULTS: There was a huge gap
      between what the DCL and VCSP say and how law enforcement officers and PWID/PWUD
      understood them. The gap was also evident in how law enforcement officers
      implemented the DCL and VCSP. Harm reduction services, including health- and non
      health-related interventions, were limited and challenged by unsupportive
      attitudes, misinterpretation of the DCL and VCSP, and the lack of full engagement
      with NGOs in the development of these instruments. The needs of PWID/PWUD in
      accessing health care services were not met due to misconduct of authorities
      while practicing the DCL and VCSP. Further, the misconduct and enforcement of the
      law and policy lead to increased social discrimination and physical abuses
      against PWID/PWUD. CONCLUSIONS: There is a lack of common understanding of the
      drug-related law and policy and their implications to harm reduction services
      among both law enforcement officers and PWID/PWUD. Thus, there is a need to
      mainstream and simplify the law and policy for better comprehension among these
      actors. To improve the quality and coverage of harm reduction interventions, the
      gap of understanding and enforcement of laws and policies should be narrowed, and
      coordination between the government and NGOs and other key stakeholders should be
      strengthened.

PMID- 28629464
TI  - miR-629-3p may serve as a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for
      lung metastases of triple-negative breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Different breast cancer subtypes show distinct tropisms for sites of
      metastasis. Notably, the lung is the most common site for the first distant
      recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The identification of novel
      biomarkers for lung metastasis is of great importance to improving the outcome of
      TNBC. In this study, we sought to identify a microRNA (miRNA)-based biomarker and
      therapeutic target for lung metastasis of TNBC. METHODS: A total of 669 patients
      without de novo stage IV TNBC were recruited for this study. miRNA profiling was
      conducted in the discovery cohort. Diagnostic accuracy and prognostic values of
      candidate miRNAs were evaluated in the training and validation cohorts,
      respectively. The biological functions of candidate miRNAs, as well as potential
      targets, were further evaluated through bioinformatic analysis as well as by
      performing in vitro and in vivo assays. RESULTS: In the discovery set, we found
      that miR-629-3p was specifically upregulated in both metastatic foci (fold change
      144.16, P < 0.0001) and primary tumors (fold change 74.37, P = 0.004) in patients
      with lung metastases. In the training set, the ROC curve showed that miR-629-3p
      yielded high diagnostic accuracy in discriminating patients with lung metastasis
      from patients without recurrence (AUC 0.865, 95% CI 0.800-0.930, P < 0.0001).
      Although miR-629-3p predicted poor overall survival and disease-free survival in
      the validation set, it failed to show significance after multivariate analysis.
      Notably, logistic regression analyses confirmed that miR-629-3p was an
      independent risk factor for lung metastasis (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.5-6.6, P < 0.001).
      Inhibition of miR-629-3p drastically attenuated the viability and migration of
      TNBC cells, and it markedly suppressed lung metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, we
      identified the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR), a well-known
      metastatic suppressive gene, to be a direct target of miR-629-3p. CONCLUSIONS:
      miR-629-3p may serve as a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for
      lung metastases of TNBC mediated via LIFR.

PMID- 28629465
TI  - Natural IgM antibodies that bind neoepitopes exposed as a result of spinal cord
      injury , drive secondary injury by activating complement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Natural IgM antibodies (Abs) function as innate immune sensors of
      injury via recognition of neoepitopes expressed on damaged cells, although how
      this recognition systems function following spinal cord injury (SCI) exposes
      various neoepitopes and their precise nature remains largely unknown. Here, we
      investigated the role of two natural IgM monoclonal Abs (mAbs), B4 and C2, that
      recognize post-ischemic neoepitopes following ischemia and reperfusion in other
      tissues. METHODS: Identification of post-SCI expressed neoepitopes was examined
      using previously characterized monoclonal Abs (B4 and C2 mAbs). The role of post
      SCI neoepitopes and their recognition by natural IgM Abs in propagating secondary
      injury was examined in Ab-deficient Rag1-/- or wild type C57BL/6 mice using Ab
      reconstitution experiments and neoepitope-targeted therapeutic studies,
      respectively. RESULTS: Administration of B4 or C2 mAb following murine SCI
      increased lesion size and worsened functional outcome in otherwise protected Ab
      deficient Rag1-/- mice. Injury correlated with colocalized deposition of IgM and
      C3d in injured spinal cords from both mAb reconstituted Rag1-/- mice and
      untreated wild-type mice. Depletion of peritoneal B1 B cells, a source of natural
      Abs, reduced circulating levels of IgM with B4 (annexin-IV) and C2 (subset of
      phospholipids) reactivity, reduced IgM and complement deposition in the spinal
      cord, and protected against SCI. We therefore investigated whether the B4
      neoepitope represents a therapeutic target for complement inhibition. B4-Crry, a
      fusion protein consisting of a single-chain Ab derived from B4 mAb, linked to the
      complement inhibitor Crry, significantly protected against SCI. B4-Crry exhibited
      a dual function in that it inhibited both the binding of pathogenic IgM and
      blocked complement activation in the spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      identifies important neoepitopes expressed within the spinal cord after injury.
      These neoepitopes are recognized by clonally specific natural IgM Abs that
      activate complement and drive pathology. We demonstrate that these neoepitopes
      represent novel targets for the therapeutic delivery of a complement inhibitor,
      and possibly other payload, to the injured spinal cord.

PMID- 28629466
TI  - Intra-articular injection in the knee of adipose derived stromal cells (stromal
      vascular fraction) and platelet rich plasma for osteoarthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) can easily be obtained from a mini
      lipoaspirate procedure of fat tissue and platelet rich plasma (PRP) can be
      obtained from peripheral blood. We evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy
      of administering SVF and PRP intra-articularly into patients with osteoarthritis
      grade 1 and 2. METHODS: A total of ten patients underwent a local tumescent
      liposuction procedure to remove approximately 100 ml of fat tissue from the
      abdomen. SVF was isolated using an enzyme digestion and resuspended in PRP for
      intra-articular injection in the knee. The Western Ontario and McMaster
      Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score and six-minute walk distance
      (6MWD) were used to evaluate clinical effects and included measure of patient's
      subjective assessment of pain, joint mobility, and physical disability. WOMAC
      score, 6MWD and laboratory tests were repeated at 3 and 6 months and 1, 1.5 and 2
      years. XRAY and MRI were completed at 1 year. RESULTS: The average total WOMAC
      score was 64 at baseline and significantly reduced to 52 at 3 months, 46 at 6
      months, 42 at 1 year, 38 at 1.5 years, and 41 at 2 years. Patients walked an
      average of 1310 feet at baseline and demonstrated a statistically significant
      improvement at 3 and 6 months and 1, 1.5, and 2 years post treatment. Cartilage
      thickness as determined by MRI improved by at least 0.2 mm in six patients, was
      unchanged in two patients and decreased by at least 0.2 mm in two patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Overall, all of the patients were pleased with the treatment
      results. They reported a reduction in pain levels, especially after 3 months.
      More importantly, the procedure demonstrated a strong safety profile with no
      severe adverse events or complications reported. Trial registration NCT03089762;
      Name of registry: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

PMID- 28629467
TI  - Chromatin marks and ambient temperature-dependent flowering strike up a novel
      liaison.
AB  - A distinct chromatin mark, H3K36me3, has been found to engage in temperature
      dependent alternative splicing and ambient temperature-dependent flowering-time
      control in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28629468
TI  - Improving detection and initial management of gestational diabetes through the
      primary level of care in Morocco: protocol for a cluster randomized controlled
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Morocco is facing a growing prevalence of diabetes and according to
      latest figures of the World Health Organization, already 12.4% of the population
      are affected. A similar prevalence has been reported for gestational diabetes
      (GDM) and although it is not yet high on the national agenda, immediate and long
      term complications threaten the health of mothers and future generations. A
      situational analysis on GDM conducted in 2015 revealed difficulties in access to
      screening and delays in receiving appropriate care. This implementation study has
      as objective to evaluate a decentralized GDM detection and management approach
      through the primary level of care and assess its potential for scaling up.
      METHODS: We will conduct a hybrid effectiveness-implementation research using a
      cluster randomized controlled trial design in two districts of Morocco. Using the
      health center as unit of randomization we randomly selected 20 health centers
      with 10 serving as intervention and 10 as control facilities. In the intervention
      arm, providers will screen pregnant women attending antenatal care for GDM by
      capillary glucose testing during antenatal care. Women tested positive will
      receive nutritional counselling and will be followed up through the health
      center. In the control facilities, screening and initial management of GDM will
      follow standard practice. Primary outcome will be birthweight with weight gain
      during pregnancy, average glucose levels and pregnancy outcomes including mode of
      delivery, presence or absence of obstetric or newborn complications and the
      prevalence of GDM at health center level as secondary outcomes. Furthermore we
      will assess the quality of life /care experienced by the women in both arms.
      Qualitative methods will be applied to evaluate the feasibility of the
      intervention at primary level and its adoption by the health care providers.
      DISCUSSION: In Morocco, gestational diabetes screening and its initial management
      is fragmented and coupled with difficulties in access and treatment delays.
      Implementation of a strategy that enables detection, management and follow-up of
      affected women at primary health care level is expected to positively impact on
      access to care and medical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been
      registered on clininicaltrials.gov ; identifier NCT02979756 ; retrospectively
      registered 22 November 2016.

PMID- 28629469
TI  - A putative molecular network associated with colon cancer metastasis constructed
      from microarray data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the potential molecular network
      associated with colon cancer metastasis. METHODS: A gene expression profile
      dataset (GSE40367) downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus was used to identify
      and compare differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primary colon
      adenocarcinoma tissues and matched tissue samples of liver metastases of colon
      adenocarcinoma. After the functional analysis of the DEGs, their protein-protein
      interactions (PPIs) were analyzed, and the transcription factors (TFs) and
      microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulated these DEGs were predicted. The data were used
      to construct an integrated network of DEGs, TFs, and miRNAs. Finally, the
      GSE68468 dataset was used to validate the DEGs associated with liver metastasis
      of colon adenocarcinoma identified in the GSE40367 dataset. RESULTS: Compared
      with the primary colon adenocarcinoma sample, 262 DEGs were upregulated and 216
      were downregulated in the liver metastasis sample. The DEGs were primarily
      involved in functions associated with cell junctions and cell adhesion. The DEGs
      included 17 genes encoding TFs, and 39 miRNAs that regulated DEGs were predicted.
      Further analysis of the DEGs led to the identification of 490 PPIs. The data were
      used to construct an integrated network consisting of DEGs, TFs, and miRNAs. DEGs
      with a high degree of connectivity in the network included FGF2, ERBB4, PTPRC,
      CXCR4, CCL2, and CCL4. The network also revealed that FGF2 interacted with ERBB4,
      PTPRC, and CXCR4 and that PTPRC interacted with CXCR4. Furthermore, LCP2 and
      APBB1IP were predicted to target several other DEGs, including PTPRC, and miR-30a
      3p and miR-30e-3p were predicted to regulate ERBB4 and several other DEGs.
      Notably, FGF2, ERBB4, PTPRC, LCP2, CCL2, and CCL4 were also identified as DEGs in
      the GSE68468 dataset. CONCLUSION: The DEGs, TFs, and miRNAs identified in this
      study might play key roles in colon cancer metastasis.

PMID- 28629470
TI  - Policy lessons from health taxes: a systematic review of empirical studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Taxes on alcohol and tobacco have long been an important means of
      raising revenues for public spending in many countries but there is increasing
      interest in using taxes on these, and other unhealthy products, to achieve public
      health goals. We present a systematic review of the research on health taxes, and
      aim to generate insights into how such taxes can: (i) reduce consumption of
      targeted products and related harms; (ii) generate revenues for health objectives
      and distribute the tax burden across income groups in an efficient and equitable
      manner; and (iii) be made politically sustainable. METHODS: Six scientific and
      four grey-literature databases were searched for empirical studies of 'health
      taxes' - defined as those intended to increase the costs of manufacturing,
      distributing, retailing and/or consuming health-damaging products. Since reviews
      already exist of the evidence relating to traditional alcohol and tobacco excise
      taxes, we focus on other taxes such as taxes on retailers and manufacturers of
      unhealthy products, and consumer taxes targeting unhealthy foods, such as sugar
      sweetened beverages. RESULTS: Ninety-one peer-reviewed and 11 grey-literature
      studies met our inclusion criteria. The review highlights a recent, rapid rise in
      research in this area, most of which focuses on high-income countries and on
      taxes on food products or nutrients. Findings demonstrate that high tax rates on
      sugar-sweetened beverages are likely to have a positive impact on health
      behaviours and outcomes, and, while taxes on products reduce demand, they add to
      fiscal revenues. Common concerns about health taxes are also discussed.
      CONCLUSIONS: If the primary policy goal of a health tax is to reduce consumption
      of unhealthy products, then evidence supports the implementation of taxes that
      increase the price of products by 20% or more. However, where taxes are effective
      in changing health behaviours, the predictability of the revenue stream is
      reduced. Hence, policy actors need to be clear about the primary goal of any
      health tax and frame the tax accordingly - not doing so leaves taxes vulnerable
      to hostile lobbying. Conversely, earmarking health taxes for health spending
      tends to increase public support so long as policymakers follow through on
      specified spending commitments. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER:
      CRD42016048603.

PMID- 28629471
TI  - Improving child nutrition and development through community-based childcare
      centres in Malawi - The NEEP-IE study: study protocol for a randomised controlled
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Nutrition Embedded Evaluation Programme Impact Evaluation (NEEP
      IE) study is a cluster randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the
      impact of a childcare centre-based integrated nutritional and agricultural
      intervention on the diets, nutrition and development of young children in Malawi.
      The intervention includes activities to improve nutritious food production and
      training/behaviour-change communication to improve food intake, care and hygiene
      practices. This paper presents the rationale and study design for this randomised
      control trial. METHODS: Sixty community-based childcare centres (CBCCs) in rural
      communities around Zomba district, Malawi, were randomised to either (1) a
      control group where children were attending CBCCs supported by Save the
      Children's Early Childhood Health and Development (ECD) programme, or (2) an
      intervention group where nutritional and agricultural support activities were
      provided alongside the routine provision of the Save the Children's ECD
      programme. Primary outcomes at child level include dietary intake (measured
      through 24-h recall), whilst secondary outcomes include child development (Malawi
      Development Assessment Tool (MDAT)) and nutritional status (anthropometric
      measurements). At household level, primary outcomes include smallholder farmer
      production output and crop-mix (recall of last production season). Intermediate
      outcomes along theorised agricultural and nutritional pathways were measured.
      During this trial, we will follow a mixed-methods approach and undertake child-,
      household-, CBCC- and market-level surveys and assessments as well as in-depth
      interviews and focus group discussions with project stakeholders. DISCUSSION:
      Assessing the simultaneous impact of preschool meals on diets, nutrition, child
      development and agriculture is a complex undertaking. This study is the first to
      explicitly examine, from a food systems perspective, the impact of a preschool
      meals programme on dietary choices, alongside outcomes in the nutritional, child
      development and agricultural domains. The findings of this evaluation will
      provide evidence to support policymakers in the scale-up of national programmes.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registry, ID: ISRCTN96497560 . Registered on 21
      September 2016.

PMID- 28629472
TI  - Protein S100 as outcome predictor after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and
      targeted temperature management at 33  degrees C and 36  degrees C.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of S100 as an
      outcome predictor after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and the potential
      influence of two target temperatures (33  degrees C and 36  degrees C) on serum
      levels of S100. METHODS: This is a substudy of the Target Temperature Management
      after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (TTM) trial. Serum levels of S100 were
      measured a posteriori in a core laboratory in samples collected at 24, 48, and 72
      h after OHCA. Outcome at 6 months was assessed using the Cerebral Performance
      Categories Scale (CPC 1-2 = good outcome, CPC 3-5 = poor outcome). RESULTS: We
      included 687 patients from 29 sites in Europe. Median S100 values were higher in
      patients with a poor outcome at 24, 48, and 72 h: 0.19 (IQR 0.10-0.49) versus
      0.08 (IQR 0.06-0.11) MUg/ml, 0.16 (IQR 0.10-0.44) versus 0.07 (IQR 0.06-0.11)
      MUg/L, and 0.13 (IQR 0.08-0.26) versus 0.06 (IQR 0.05-0.09) MUg/L (p < 0.001),
      respectively. The ability to predict outcome was best at 24 h with an AUC of 0.80
      (95% CI 0.77-0.83). S100 values were higher at 24 and 72 h in the 33  degrees C
      group than in the 36  degrees C group (0.12 [0.07-0.22] versus 0.10 [0.07-0.21]
      MUg/L and 0.09 [0.06-0.17] versus 0.08 [0.05-0.10], respectively) (p < 0.02). In
      multivariable analyses including baseline variables and the allocated target
      temperature, the addition of S100 improved the AUC from 0.80 to 0.84 (95% CI 0.81
      0.87) (p < 0.001), but S100 was not an independent outcome predictor. Adding S100
      to the same model including neuron-specific enolase (NSE) did not further improve
      the AUC. CONCLUSIONS: The allocated target temperature did not affect S100 to a
      clinically relevant degree. High S100 values are predictive of poor outcome but
      do not add value to present prognostication models with or without NSE. S100
      measured at 24 h and afterward is of limited value in clinical outcome prediction
      after OHCA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01020916 .
      Registered on 25 November 2009.

PMID- 28629474
TI  - Q&A: Expansion microscopy.
AB  - Expansion microscopy (ExM) is a recently invented technology that uses swellable
      charged polymers, synthesized densely and with appropriate topology throughout a
      preserved biological specimen, to physically magnify the specimen 100-fold in
      volume, or more, in an isotropic fashion. ExM enables nanoscale resolution
      imaging of preserved samples on inexpensive, fast, conventional microscopes. How
      does ExM work? How good is its performance? How do you get going on using it? In
      this Q&A, we provide the answers to these and other questions about this new and
      rapidly spreading toolbox.

PMID- 28629473
TI  - Emergency treatment with levetiracetam or phenytoin in status epilepticus in
      children-the EcLiPSE study: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is the most common life
      threatening neurological emergency in childhood. These children are also at risk
      of significant morbidity, with acute and chronic impact on the family and the
      health and social care systems. The current recommended first-choice, second-line
      treatment in children aged 6 months and above is intravenous phenytoin
      (fosphenytoin in the USA), although there is a lack of evidence for its use and
      it is associated with significant side effects. Emerging evidence suggests that
      intravenous levetiracetam may be effective as a second-line agent for CSE, and
      fewer adverse effects have been described. This trial therefore aims to determine
      whether intravenous phenytoin or levetiracetam is more effective, and safer, in
      treating childhood CSE. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a phase IV, multi-centre,
      parallel group, randomised controlled, open-label trial. Following treatment for
      CSE with first-line treatment, children with ongoing seizures are randomised to
      receive either phenytoin (20 mg/kg, maximum 2 g) or levetiracetam (40 mg/kg,
      maximum 2.5 g) intravenously. The primary outcome measure is the cessation of all
      visible signs of CSE as determined by the treating clinician. Secondary outcome
      measures include the need for further anti-seizure medications or rapid sequence
      induction for ongoing CSE, admission to critical care areas, and serious adverse
      reactions. Patients are recruited without prior consent, with deferred consent
      sought at an appropriate time for the family. The primary analysis will be by
      intention-to-treat. The primary outcome is a time to event outcome and a sample
      size of 140 participants in each group will have 80% power to detect an increase
      in CSE cessation rates from 60% to 75%. Our total sample size of 308 randomised
      and treated participants will allow for 10% loss to follow-up. DISCUSSION: This
      clinical trial will determine whether phenytoin or levetiracetam is more
      effective as an intravenous second-line agent for CSE, and provide evidence for
      management recommendations. In addition, this trial will also provide data on
      which of these therapies is safer in this setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN
      identifier, ISRCTN22567894 . Registered on 27 August 2015 EudraCT identifier,
      2014-002188-13 . Registered on 21 May 2014 NIHR HTA Grant: 12/127/134.

PMID- 28629475
TI  - Can formalizing links among community health workers, accredited drug dispensing
      outlet dispensers, and health facility staff increase their collaboration to
      improve prompt access to maternal and child care? A qualitative study in
      Tanzania.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, progress toward achieving the 2015 Millennium
      Development Goals for maternal and newborn health was slow. An intervention
      brought together community health workers, health facility staff, and accredited
      drug dispensing outlet (ADDO) dispensers to improve maternal and newborn health
      through a mechanism of collaboration and referral. This study explored barriers,
      successes, and promising approaches to increasing timely access to care by
      linking the three levels of health care provision. METHODS: The study was
      conducted in the Kibaha district, where we applied qualitative approaches with in
      depth interviews and focus group discussions. In-depth interview participants
      included retail drug shop dispensers (36), community health workers (45), and
      health facility staff members (15). We conducted one focus group discussion with
      district officials and four with mothers of newborns and children under 5 years
      old. RESULTS: Relationships among the three levels of care improved after the
      linkage intervention, especially for ADDO dispensers and health facility staff
      who previously had no formal communication pathway. The study participants
      perceptions of success included improved knowledge of case management and
      relationships among the three levels of care, more timely access to care,
      increased numbers of patients/customers, more meetings between community health
      workers and health facility staff, and a decrease in child and maternal
      mortality. Reported challenges included stock-outs of medicines at the health
      facility, participating ADDO dispensers who left to work in other regions,
      documentation of referrals, and lack of treatment available at health facilities
      on the weekend. The primary issue that threatens the sustainability of the
      intervention is that local council health management team members, who are
      responsible for facilitating the linkage, had not made any supervision visits and
      were therefore unaware of how the program was running. CONCLUSION: The study
      highlights the benefits of approaches that link different levels of care
      providers to improve access to maternal and child health care. To strengthen this
      collaboration further, health campaign platforms should include retail drug
      dispensers as a type of community health care provider. To increase linkage
      sustainability, the council health management team needs to develop feasible
      supervision plans.

PMID- 28629476
TI  - Stromal vascular fraction cells for the treatment of critical limb ischemia: a
      pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cell-based therapy is being explored as an alternative treatment
      option for critical limb ischemia (CLI), a disease associated with high
      amputation and mortality rates and poor quality of life. However, therapeutic
      potential of uncultured adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells has
      not been evaluated as a possible treatment. In this pilot study, we investigated
      the efficacy of multiple injections of autologous uncultured adipose-derived SVF
      cells to treat patients with CLI. METHODS: This study included 15 patients, from
      35 to 77 years old, with rest pain and ulceration. SVF cells were injected once
      or twice in the ischemic limb along the arteries. Digital subtraction angiography
      was performed before and after cell therapy. The clinical follow up was carried
      out for the subsequent 12 months after the beginning of the treatment. RESULTS:
      Multiple intramuscular SVF cell injections caused no complications during the
      follow-up period. Clinical improvement occurred in 86.7% of patients. Two
      patients required major amputation, and the amputation sites healed completely.
      The rest of patients achieved a complete ulcer healing, pain relief, improved
      ankle-brachial pressure index and claudication walking distance, and had
      ameliorated their quality of life. Digital subtraction angiography performed
      before and after SVF cell therapy showed formation of numerous vascular
      collateral networks across affected arteries. CONCLUSION: Results of this pilot
      study demonstrate that the multiple intramuscular SVF cell injections stimulate
      regeneration of injured tissue and are effective alternative to achieve
      therapeutic angiogenesis in CLI patients who are not eligible for conventional
      treatment. Trial registration number at ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN13001382.
      Retrospectively registered at 26/04/2017.

PMID- 28629477
TI  - Identification of EGF-NF-kappaB-FOXC1 signaling axis in basal-like breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of human basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is not well
      understood and patients with BLBC have a poor prognosis. Expression of the
      epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) is
      well-known to be upregulated in BLBC. The forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) transcription
      factor, an important prognostic biomarker specific for BLBC, has been shown to be
      induced by EGF and is critical for EGF effects in breast cancer cells. How FOXC1
      is transcriptionally activated in BLBC is not clear. METHODS: Luciferase reporter
      assays were performed to show that NF-kappaB-p65 enhances FOXC1 promoter activity
      in BLBC cells (MDA-MB-468). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, biotinylated
      oligonucleotide precipitation assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were
      used to show that NF-kappaB interacts and binds to the promoter region of FOXC1.
      RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrate that NF-kappaB is a pivotal mediator of
      the EGF/EGFR regulation of FOXC1 expression by binding to the FOXC1 promoter to
      activate FOXC1 transcription. Loss or inhibition of NF-kappaB diminished FOXC1
      expression. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings reveal a novel EGFR-NF-kappaB
      FOXC1 signaling axis that is critical for BLBC cell function, supporting the
      notion that intervention in the FOXC1 pathway may provide potential modalities
      for BLBC treatment.

PMID- 28629479
TI  - Evaluation of invasive breast cancer samples using a 12-chemokine gene expression
      score: correlation with clinical outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A unique 12-chemokine gene expression score (CS) accurately predicted
      the presence of tumor-localized, ectopic lymph node-like structures (TL-ELNs) and
      improved overall survival (OS) in primary colorectal cancer and metastatic
      melanoma. We analyzed the correlation between CS, clinicopathological variables,
      molecular data, and 366 survival in Moffitt Cancer Center's Total Cancer Care
      (TCC) patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. METHODS: Affymetrix gene
      expression profiles were used to interrogate the CS by the principal component
      method. Breast tumors were classified as high or low score based on median split,
      and correlations between clinicopathologic variables, PAM50 molecular subtype,
      and ELN formation were analyzed using the TCC dataset. Differences in overall
      survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the larger KM Plot breast
      cancer public datasets were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: We
      divided the Total Cancer Care (TCC) breast cancer patients into two groups of
      high or low CS. Mean CS was 0.24 (range, 2.2-2.1). Patients with higher CS were
      more likely to be white (172 vs. 159; p = 0.03), had poorly differentiated tumors
      (112 vs. 59; p <0.0001), ER/PR negative (41 vs. 26) and HER2 positive (36 vs. 19;
      p = 0.001), and contain TL-ELNs. Higher CS scores were also seen in the basal and
      HER2+ molecular subtypes. In the KM Plot breast cancer datasets higher CS
      patients demonstrated superior OS (HR = 0.73, p = 0.008) and RFS (HR 0.76, p =
      <0.0001), especially in basal and HER2+ patients. CONCLUSIONS: High CS breast
      tumors tend to be higher grade, basal or HER2+, and present more frequently in
      Caucasians. However, this group of patients also shows the presence of TL-ELNs
      within the tumor microenvironment and has better survival outcomes. The CS is a
      novel tool that can identify breast cancer patients with tumors of a unique
      intratumoral immune composition and better prognosis. Whether or not the CS is a
      predictive response marker in breast cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy
      remains to be determined.

PMID- 28629480
TI  - A Bifactor and item response analysis of the geriatric anxiety inventory.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Due to previously reported mixed findings, there is a need for
      further empirical research on the factorial structure of the commonly used
      Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI). Therefore, the psychometric properties of the
      GAI and its short form version (GAI-SF) were evaluated in a psychogeriatric mixed
      in-and-out patient sample (n = 543). METHODS: Unidimensionality was tested using
      a bifactor analysis. Rasch modeling was used to assess scale properties. Sex,
      cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms were tested for differential item
      functioning (DIF). RESULTS: The bifactor analysis identified an essential
      unidimensional (general) factor structure but also specific local factors. The
      general factor comprises all the 20 items as one factor, and the results showed
      that the variance in the general and specific factors (subscale) scores is best
      explained by the single general factor. These findings were demonstrated for both
      versions of the GAI. Furthermore, the Rasch models identified extensive item
      overlap, indicating redundant items in the full version of the GAI. The GAI-SF
      also seems to extract much of the same information as the full form. Test scores
      and items have the same meaning for older adults across different demographic
      status. CONCLUSION: The findings support the use of a total sum score for both
      GAI and GAI-SF. Notably, when using the GAI-SF, no information is lost, in
      comparison with the full scale, thus, supporting the option of choosing the short
      form (version) when considered most appropriate in demanding clinical contexts.

PMID- 28629478
TI  - Genetic-epigenetic interactions in cis: a major focus in the post-GWAS era.
AB  - Studies on genetic-epigenetic interactions, including the mapping of methylation
      quantitative trait loci (mQTLs) and haplotype-dependent allele-specific DNA
      methylation (hap-ASM), have become a major focus in the post-genome-wide
      association-study (GWAS) era. Such maps can nominate regulatory sequence variants
      that underlie GWAS signals for common diseases, ranging from neuropsychiatric
      disorders to cancers. Conversely, mQTLs need to be filtered out when searching
      for non-genetic effects in epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS). Sequence
      variants in CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and transcription factor binding sites
      have been mechanistically linked to mQTLs and hap-ASM. Identifying these sites
      can point to disease-associated transcriptional pathways, with implications for
      targeted treatment and prevention.

PMID- 28629481
TI  - Depression, inflammation, and memory loss among Mexican Americans: analysis of
      the HABLE cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study explored the combined impact of depression and
      inflammation on memory functioning among Mexican-American adults and elders.
      METHODS: Data were analyzed from 381 participants of the Health and Aging Brain
      study among Latino Elders (HABLE). Fasting serum samples were collected and
      assayed in duplicate using electrochemiluminesce on the SECTOR Imager 2400A from
      Meso Scale Discovery. Positive DepE (depression endophenotype) was codified as
      any score >1 on a five-point scale based on the GDS-30. Inflammation was
      determined by TNFalpha levels and categorized by tertiles (1st, 2nd, 3rd). WMS
      III LMI and LMII as well as CERAD were utilized as measures of memory. ANOVAs
      examined group differences between positive DepE and inflammation tertiles with
      neuropsychological scale scores as outcome variables. Logistic regressions were
      used to examine level of inflammation and DepE positive status on the risk for
      MCI. RESULTS: Positive DepE as well as higher inflammation were both
      independently found to be associated with lower memory scores. Among DepE
      positive, those who were high in inflammation (3rd tertile) were found to perform
      significantly worse on WMS-III LM I (F = 4.75, p = 0.003), WMS-III LM II (F =
      8.18, p < 0.001), and CERAD List Learning (F = 17.37, p < 0.001) when compared to
      those low on inflammation (1st tertile). The combination of DepE positive and
      highest tertile of inflammation was associated with increased risk for MCI
      diagnosis (OR = 6.06; 95% CI = 3.9-11.2, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Presence of
      elevated inflammation and positive DepE scores increased risk for worse memory
      among Mexican-American older adults. Additionally, the combination of DepE and
      high inflammation was associated with increased risk for MCI diagnosis. This work
      suggests that depression and inflammation are independently associated with worse
      memory among Mexican-American adults and elders; however, the combination of both
      increases risk for poorer memory beyond either alone.

PMID- 28629482
TI  - Dementia Care Mapping in long-term care settings: a systematic review of the
      evidence.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This systematic review identifies and reports the extent and nature
      of evidence to support the use of Dementia Care Mapping as an intervention in
      care settings. METHODS: The review was limited to studies that used Dementia Care
      Mapping as an intervention and included outcomes involving either care workers
      and/or people living with dementia. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of
      Knowledge, CINAHL, PsychINFO, EBSCO, and Scopus and manually from identified
      articles reference lists. Studies published up to January 2017 were included.
      Initial screening of identified papers was based on abstracts read by one author;
      full-text papers were further evaluated by a second author. The quality of the
      identified papers was assessed independently by two authors using the Cochrane
      Risk of Bias Tool. A narrative synthesis of quantitative findings was conducted.
      RESULTS: We identified six papers fulfilling predefined criteria. Studies consist
      of recent, large scale, good quality trials that had some positive impacts upon
      care workers' stress and burnout and benefit people with dementia in terms of
      agitated behaviors, neuropsychiatric symptoms, falls, and quality of life.
      CONCLUSION: Available research provides preliminary evidence that Dementia Care
      Mapping may benefit care workers and people living with dementia in care
      settings. Future research should build on the successful studies to date and use
      other outcomes to better understand the benefits of this intervention.

PMID- 28629483
TI  - The challenges of control groups, placebos and blinding in clinical trials of
      dietary interventions.
AB  - High-quality placebo-controlled evidence for food, nutrient or dietary advice
      interventions is vital for verifying the role of diet in optimising health or for
      the management of disease. This could be argued to be especially important where
      the benefits of dietary intervention are coupled with potential risks such as
      compromising nutrient intake, particularly in the case of exclusion diets. The
      objective of the present paper is to explore the challenges associated with
      clinical trials in dietary research, review the types of controls used and
      present the advantages and disadvantages of each, including issues regarding
      placebos and blinding. Placebo-controlled trials in nutrient interventions are
      relatively straightforward, as in general placebos can be easily produced.
      However, the challenges associated with conducting placebo-controlled food
      interventions and dietary advice interventions are protean, and this has led to a
      paucity of placebo-controlled food and dietary advice trials compared with drug
      trials. This review appraises the types of controls used in dietary intervention
      trials and provides recommendations and nine essential criteria for the design
      and development of sham diets for use in studies evaluating the effect of dietary
      advice, along with practical guidance regarding their evaluation. The rationale
      for these criteria predominantly relate to avoiding altering the outcome of
      interest in those delivered the sham intervention in these types of studies,
      while not compromising blinding.

PMID- 28629484
TI  - Outbreak of non-tuberculous mycobacteria skin or soft tissue infections
      associated with handling fish - New York City, 2013-2014.
AB  - Mycobacterium marinum, a bacterium found in freshwater and saltwater, can infect
      persons with direct exposure to fish or aquariums. During December 2013, the New
      York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene learned of four suspected or
      confirmed M. marinum skin or soft tissue infections (SSTIs) among persons who
      purchased whole fish from Chinese markets. Ninety-eight case-patients with non
      tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) SSTIs were identified with onset June 2013-March
      2014. Of these, 77 (79%) were female. The median age was 62 years (range 30-91).
      Whole genome sequencing of clinical isolates revealed two main clusters and
      marked genetic diversity. Environmental samples from distributors yielded NTM
      though not M. marinum. We compared 56 case-patients with 185 control subjects who
      shopped in Chinese markets, frequency-matched by age group and sex. Risk factors
      for infection included skin injury to the finger or hand (odds ratio [OR]: 15.5;
      95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.9-37.3), hand injury while preparing fish or
      seafood (OR 8.3; 95% CI 3.8-19.1), and purchasing tilapia (OR 3.6; 95% CI 1.1
      13.9) or whiting (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.1-6.6). A definitive environmental outbreak
      source was not identified.

PMID- 28629485
TI  - Characterisation of vitamin and mineral supplement users differentiated according
      to their motives for using supplements: results of the German National Nutrition
      Monitoring (NEMONIT).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To characterise German vitamin and mineral supplement users
      differentiated by their motives for supplement use. DESIGN: Data were obtained
      from the German National Nutrition Monitoring (2010/11) via two 24 h dietary
      recalls and a telephone interview. Motive-based subgroups of supplement users
      were identified by factor and cluster analysis. Sociodemographic, lifestyle,
      health and dietary characteristics and supplement use were examined. Differences
      were analysed using chi 2 tests, logistic and linear regression models. SETTING:
      Germany, nationwide. SUBJECTS: Individuals (n 1589) aged 18-80 years. RESULTS:
      Three motive-based subgroups were identified: a 'Prevention' subgroup (n 324),
      characterised by the motive to prevent nutrient deficiencies; a 'Prevention and
      additional benefits' subgroup (n 166), characterised by motives to prevent health
      problems and improve well-being and performance; and a 'Treatment' subgroup (n
      136), characterised by motives to treat nutrient deficiencies or diseases.
      Members of the two prevention subgroups had a higher Healthy Eating Index score
      and tended to be more physically active than non-users. Those in the 'Prevention
      and additional benefits' subgroup supplemented with a greater number of
      micronutrients. Members of the 'Treatment' subgroup tended to be older and have a
      lower self-reported health status than non-users, and supplemented with a smaller
      number of micronutrients. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of supplement users take
      supplements for preventive purposes and they are more health conscious than non
      users of supplements due to their concerns about developing health problems.
      Those supplementing for treatment purposes may have underlying health indications
      and may be more likely to benefit from supplementation than those supplementing
      for preventive purposes.

PMID- 28629486
TI  - The collaboration of general practitioners and nurses in primary care: a
      comparative analysis of concepts and practices in Slovenia and Spain.
AB  - : Aim A comparative analysis of concepts and practices of GP-nurse collaborations
      in primary health centres in Slovenia and Spain. BACKGROUND: Cross-professional
      collaboration is considered a key element for providing high-quality
      comprehensive care by combining the expertise of various professions. In many
      countries, nurses are also being given new and more extensive responsibilities.
      Implemented concepts of collaborative care need to be analysed within the context
      of care concepts, organisational structures, and effective collaboration.
      METHODS: Background review of primary care concepts (literature analysis, expert
      interviews), and evaluation of collaboration in 'best practice' health centres in
      certain regions of Slovenia and Spain. Qualitative content analysis of expert
      interviews, presentations, observations, and group discussions with professionals
      and health centre managers. Findings In Slovenian health centres, the
      collaboration between GPs and nurses has been strongly shaped by their
      organisation in separate care units and predominantly case-oriented functions.
      Conventional power structures between professions hinder effective collaboration.
      The introduction of a new cross-professional primary care concept has integrated
      advanced practice nurses into general practice. Conventional hierarchies still
      exist, but a shared vision of preventive care is gradually strengthening
      attitudes towards team-oriented care. Formal regulations or incentives for
      teamwork have yet to be implemented. In Spain, health centres were established
      along with a team-based care concept that encompasses close physician-nurse
      collaboration and an autonomous role for nurses in the care process. Nurses
      collaborate with GPs on more equal terms with conflicts centring on professional
      disagreements. Team development structures and financial incentives for team
      achievements have been implemented, encouraging teams to generate their own
      strategies to improve teamwork. CONCLUSION: Clearly defined structures, shared
      visions of care and team development are important for implementing and
      maintaining a good collaboration. Central prerequisites are advanced nursing
      education and greater acceptance of advanced nursing practice.

PMID- 28629487
TI  - Learning and Memory in Adolescents With Critical Biventricular Congenital Heart
      Disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Although evidence exists of broadly defined memory impairment among
      adolescents with critical congenital heart disease (CHD), nuanced investigations
      of declarative memory in this at-risk population have not been conducted. This
      study had two primary aims: (1) to conduct a fine-grained analysis of a range of
      relevant learning and memory processes in adolescents with critical biventricular
      CHD, and (2) to identify risk, odds, and predictors of memory impairment.
      METHODS: Data were combined from two single-center studies of neurodevelopmental
      outcomes in critical CHD. Two-hundred seven adolescents (M age =15.61+/-1.0
      years) with critical CHD (139 with dextro-transposition of the great arteries and
      68 with tetralogy of Fallot without an identified genetic condition), as well as
      61 healthy referents (M age =15.27+/-1.1 years) completed a neuropsychological
      evaluation which included the Children's Memory Scale. RESULTS: Whereas visual
      spatial memory deficits were found in both CHD subgroups, verbal memory abilities
      were relatively preserved. Adolescents with CHD demonstrated stronger memory for
      Stories than Word Pairs, t (203)=2.63, p=.009, and for Dot Locations than Faces,
      t(204)=-2.57, p=.01. CHD subgroup, socioeconomic status, sex, and seizure history
      were among the most frequent significant predictors of memory impairment. Seizure
      history, in particular, was associated with a 2 to 3 times greater odds of
      impaired performance on learning and memory tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with
      critical biventricular CHD are at risk for deficits in aspects of declarative
      memory. Independent risk factors for worse outcome include history of seizures.
      (JINS, 2017, 23, 627-639).

PMID- 28629488
TI  - Supporting in an existential crisis: A mixed-methods evaluation of a training
      model in palliative care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Palliative care staff often report that they lack the skills and
      confidence to provide support during an existential crisis. Consequently, there
      is a definite need for a training program in this area. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to
      investigate whether a training model could give palliative care staff increased
      knowledge, awareness, and preparedness-all useful tools for providing support.
      METHODS: A mixed-methods research design was used. Data were collected in four
      hospital-based palliative homecare teams in the Stockholm area. In total, 34
      staff participated, representing different palliative care team professions.
      Before and after the intervention, a questionnaire with a 9-point Likert-type
      scale was completed (n = 34). Qualitative focus group discussions were conducted
      a month after the intervention (25 participants). These were recorded,
      transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis with a manifest
      focus. RESULTS: In the quantitative part of our study, the participants showed
      significantly increased perceived knowledge, awareness, and preparedness in every
      aspect (p < 0.001 for all items). The focus group discussions revealed a process
      that made it possible to apply new knowledge and insight. The process began with
      theoretical knowledge and, through care-related reflection and self-reflection,
      the knowledge base gradually developed and provided useful skills and increased
      job satisfaction. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The team-based "TrainingModel
      Sand/TER" can be performed without excessive effort and contribute to improved
      competence in providing support during an existential crisis. It is particularly
      useful for staff working in clinical palliative care.

PMID- 28629489
TI  - Eating down or simply eating less? The diet and health implications of these
      practices during pregnancy and postpartum in rural Bangladesh.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To: (i) determine the prevalence of self-reported eating less and
      eating down during early and late pregnancy and postpartum, and explore risk
      factors associated with eating less; (ii) examine the association between eating
      less and diet quality; and (iii) determine the association between eating less
      and weight gain during pregnancy. DESIGN: Data were collected longitudinally from
      a cohort of women participating in a community health programme. Diet was
      assessed at three time points (<=20 weeks' gestation, 36 weeks' gestation, 6
      months' postpartum), body weight was measured during study enrolment (<=20 weeks'
      gestation) and at 36 weeks' gestation, and information about the woman and her
      household was collected at enrolment. SETTING: The Rang-Din Nutrition Study in
      the Rangpur and Dinajpur districts of Bangladesh. SUBJECTS: Women (n 4011).
      RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported eating less differed by time point (75.9
      % in early pregnancy, 38.8 % in late pregnancy, 7.4 % postpartum; P<0.001). The
      most common reason for eating less across all time periods was food aversion or
      loss of appetite. Women who reported eating less in late pregnancy had consumed
      animal-source foods less frequently in the preceding week than women who reported
      eating more (mean (sd): 11.7 (7.4) v. 14.8 (9.2) times/week; P<0.001) and had
      lower weekly weight gain than women who reported eating more (mean (se): 0.27
      (0.004) v. 0.33 (0.004) kg/week; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Eating less has negative
      implications with respect to diet quality and pregnancy weight gain in this
      context.

PMID- 28629490
TI  - Precipitation of (Si2-xAlx)Hf in an Al-Si-Mg-Hf Alloy.
AB  - The morphology, composition, and structure of precipitates in an Al-Si-Mg-Hf
      alloy after heat treatment at 560 degrees C for 20 h were studied by means of C s
      -corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron
      microscopy (HAADF-STEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), high
      resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and first-principle
      calculations. Precipitates with three kinds of morphologies were observed. The
      rectangular and square precipitates were predominantly (Si2-x Al x )Hf phases,
      while the nanobelt-like precipitate is the Si2Hf phase. First-principle
      calculations were used to show that the Si6 and Si8 sites were the most favorable
      sites for Al incorporation in the orthorhombic Si2Hf phase.

PMID- 28629491
TI  - Sphingobacterium alkalisoli sp. nov., isolated from a saline-alkaline soil.
AB  - A Gram-staining-negative, non-motile, non-spore-forming bacterium designated
      Y3L14T was isolated from the saline-alkaline soil of a farmland, Inner Mongolia,
      northern China. Strain Y3L14T could grow at 10-40  degrees C (optimally at 30 
      degrees C), pH 6.0-10.0 (optimally at pH 8.0), and in the presence of 0-6.0 %
      (w/v) NaCl (optimally with 0-2.0 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA
      gene and DNA gyrase subunit B (gyrB) gene sequences revealed that strain Y3L14T
      clustered with strains belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium, sharing the
      highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Sphingobacterium lactis WCC 4512T
      (94.99 %). Its major cellular fatty acids contained iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C17
      : 0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1omega7c).
      Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) was the only isoprenoid quinone. Strain Y3L14T contained
      phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingophospholipid, two unknown phospholipids and
      three unknown lipids as the major polar lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of
      strain Y3L14T was 36.0 mol%. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic
      characteristics, strain Y3L14T represents a novel species within the genus
      Sphingobacterium, for which Sphingobacterium alkalisoli sp. nov. is proposed; the
      type strain is Y3L14T (=CGMCC 1.15782T=KCTC 52379T).

PMID- 28629492
TI  - Calidifontibacter terrae sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from soil, with
      potential applications in cosmetics.
AB  - An aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, oxidase- and catalase-positive, non-motile, non
      spore-forming, coccoid, creamish-white-coloured bacterium, designated strain
      R161T, was isolated from soil in Hwaseong, South Korea. The cell-wall
      peptidoglycan contained glycine, glutamic acid, alanine, aspartic acid, serine
      and lysine, and whole-cell sugars were galactose, rhamnose, glucose and ribose.
      Strain R161T showed antibacterial and enzyme inhibitory activities. Phylogenetic
      analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain R161T formed a
      lineage within the family Dermacoccaceae, and showed highest sequence similarity
      with type strains of Calidifontibacter indicus PC IW02T (97.71 % sequence
      similarity) and Yimella lutea YIM 45900T (97.58 %). The sequence similarity of
      strain R161T with type strains of members of the genus Dermacoccus was less than
      96.5 %. The major menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The major polar lipids were
      diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and
      phosphatidylinositol mannosides. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0,
      anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 1 H, anteiso-C17 : 1omega9c, summed feature 9 (iso-C17
      : 1omega9c and/or C16 : 0 10-methyl) and iso-C15 : 0. The DNA G+C content of
      strain R161T was 73.9 mol%. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain R161T
      and C. indicus JCM 16038T was 52.1 %. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic,
      chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analysis, strain R161T represents a novel species
      of genus Calidifontibacter, for which the name Calidifontibacter terrae sp. nov.
      is proposed. The type strain of Calidifontibacter terrae sp. nov. is R161T (=KEMB
      9005-404T=KACC 18906T=JCM 31558T).

PMID- 28629493
TI  - Naumannella huperziae sp. nov., an endophytic actinobacterium isolated from
      Huperzia serrata (Thunb.).
AB  - An endophytic, short rod-shaped, non-motile and non-spore-forming
      actinobacterium, designated strain CPCC 204135T, was isolated from a surface
      sterilized medicinal plant, Huperzia serrata (Thunb.), collected from Sichuan
      Province, south-west China. Strain CPCC 204135T was observed to grow at
      temperatures between 20 and 37  degrees C (optimum, 28-32  degrees C), at pH 6.0
      9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.0) and in the presence of 0-9.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0-3
      %). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain
      CPCC 204135T belonged to the genus Naumannella, showing the highest level of 16S
      rRNA gene sequence similarity with Naumannella halotolerans DSM 24323T (97.2 %),
      the only species of the genus Naumannella in the family Propionibacteriaceaewith
      avalidly published name. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain CPCC
      204135T and N. halotolerans DSM 24323T was 20.1+/-1.8 %, which is far below the
      accepted 70 % threshold for species delineation. The cell-wall hydrolysates
      contained ll-diaminopimelic acid, alanine, glycine and glutamic acid, with the
      peptidoglycan type of A3gamma. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, an
      unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminolipid, one unidentified polar
      lipid and several kinds of glycolipids were detected in the polar lipids profile.
      MK-9(H4) was identified as the predominant menaquinone. The major cellular fatty
      acids (>10 %) were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The G+C content of the
      genomic DNA of strain CPCC 204135T was determined to be 71.8 mol%. On the basis
      of phylogenetic analysis, and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, we
      concluded that strain CPCC 204135T represents a novel species of the genus
      Naumannella, for which the name Naumannella huperziae sp. nov. is proposed, with
      strain CPCC 204135T (=DSM 101717T=NBRC 111773T) as the type strain.

PMID- 28629494
TI  - Shewanella intestini sp. nov., isolated from the intestine of abalone, Haliotis
      diversicolor.
AB  - A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium with a singular polar flagellum,
      designated as strain XMDDZSB0408T, was isolated from the intestine of adult
      abalone, Haliotis diversicolor. Activity of oxidase was positive and catalase
      activity was negative. It could grow at salinities from 3 to 6 % NaCl (w/v), and
      pH 7-9. It had the highest sequence similarity of <96.0 % with all previously
      established species for the complete 16S rRNA gene (1531 bp). The results of
      phylogenetic analysis indicated that the strain was affiliated to the genus
      Shewanella and closely related to Shewanella gaetbuli TF-27T and Shewanella
      japonica KMM 3299T (95.8 % sequence similarity), Shewanella electrodiphila
      MAR441T (95.6 %), Shewanella pacifica KMM 3597T (95.4 %), Shewanella donghaensis
      LT17T (95.3 %) and Shewanella olleyana ACEM 9T (94.7 %). The respiratory quinones
      were MK-7, Q-8, Q-7, MK-8, Q-7 (H4) and Q-6. The predominant fatty acids
      consisted of C16:0, summed feature 3 (comprised of C16 : 1omega7c/C16 :
      1omega6c), C18 : 0, summed feature 8 (comprised of C18 : 1omega7c/C18 :
      1omega6c), C12 : 0 and C14 : 0. The polar lipids were identified as
      phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), a glycolipid (GL), a phospholipid (PL) and one
      unidentified lipid (L). The DNA G+C content was 41.4 mol% calculated from the
      draft genome sequence. On the basis of its polyphasic taxonomic properties,
      strain XMDDZSB0408T represented a novel species, for which the name Shewanella
      intestini sp. nov. was proposed, with the type strain XMDDZSB0408T (=KCTC
      52125T=MCCC 1A01895T).

PMID- 28629495
TI  - Noviherbaspirillum denitrificans sp. nov., a denitrifying bacterium isolated from
      rice paddy soil and Noviherbaspirillum autotrophicum sp. nov., a denitrifying,
      facultatively autotrophic bacterium isolated from rice paddy soil and proposal to
      reclassify Herbaspirillum massiliense as Noviherbaspirillum massiliense comb.
      nov.
AB  - Thirty-nine denitrifying bacterial strains closely related to one another,
      represented by strains TSA40T and TSA66T, were isolated from rice paddy soils.
      Strains TSA40T and TSA66T were Gram-stain-negative, slightly curved rod-shaped,
      and motile by means of polar flagella. They were able to reduce nitrate, nitrite
      and nitrous oxide, but unable to fix atmospheric N2. While strain TSA66T was able
      to grow autotrophically by H2-dependent denitrification, strain TSA40T could not.
      Phylogenetic analysis suggested that they belong to the family Oxalobacteraceae,
      the order Burkholderiales in the class Betaproteobacteria. Major components in
      the fatty acids (C16 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo, C18 : 1omega7c and summed feature 3) and
      quinone (Q-8) also supported the affiliation of strains TSA40T and TSA66T to the
      family Oxalobacteraceae. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, strains
      TSA40T and TSA66T showed the greatest degree of similarity to Herbaspirillum
      massiliense JC206T, Noviherbaspirillum malthae CC-AFH3T, Noviherbaspirillum humi
      U15T, Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67T and Paucimonas lemoignei LMG 2207T, and
      lower similarities to the members of other genera. Average nucleotide identity
      values between the genomes of strain TSA40T, TSA66T and H. massiliense JC206T
      were 75-77 %, which was lower than the threshold value for species discrimination
      (95-96 %). Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis in combination with
      physiological, chemotaxonomic and genomic properties, strains TSA40T (=JCM
      17722T=ATCC TSD-69T) and TSA66T (=JCM 17723T=DSM 25787T) are the type strains of
      two novel species within the genus Noviherbaspirillum, for which the names
      Noviherbaspirillum denitrificans sp. nov. and Noviherbaspirillum autotrophicum
      sp. nov. are proposed, respectively. We also propose the reclassification of
      Herbaspirillum massiliense as Noviherbaspirillum massiliense comb. nov.

PMID- 28629496
TI  - Delftia rhizosphaerae sp. nov. isolated from the rhizosphere of Cistus ladanifer.
AB  - A bacterial strain, designated RA6T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of Cistus
      ladanifer. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the
      isolate into the genus Delftia within a cluster encompassing the type strains of
      Delftia lacustris, Delftia tsuruhatensis, Delftia acidovorans and Delftia
      litopenaei, which presented greater than 97 % sequence similarity with respect to
      strain RA6T. DNA-DNA hybridization studies showed average relatedness ranging
      from of 11 to 18 % between these species of the genus Delftia and strain RA6T.
      Catalase and oxidase were positive. Casein was hydrolysed but gelatin and starch
      were not. Ubiquinone 8 was the major respiratory quinone detected in strain RA6T
      together with low amounts of ubiquinones 7 and 9. The major fatty acids were
      those from summed feature 3 (C16 : 1omega7c/C16 : 1 omega6c) and C16 : 0. The
      predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and
      phosphatidylethanolamine. Phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses
      showed that strain RA6T should be considered as a representative of a novel
      species of genus Delftia, for which the name Delftia rhizosphaerae sp. nov. is
      proposed. The type strain is RA6T (=LMG 29737T= CECT 9171T).

PMID- 28629497
TI  - Hannaella dianchiensis sp. nov., a basidiomycetous yeast species isolated from
      lake water.
AB  - Three strains (YIM-HL1107T, YIM-HL1045, YIM-HL1112) representing a novel yeast
      species were isolated from surface water samples collected from the Caohai region
      of Dianchi Lake in Yunnan, south-western China. On the basis of morphological,
      physiological and biochemical characteristics and sequence analysis of the D1/D2
      region of the LSU rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region,
      they were assigned to a novel species of the genus Hannaella. The closest
      relative to the novel species was Hannaella pagnoccae, but it showed 6.3 %
      nucleotide differences (34 nt substitutions out of 541 nt) in the D1/D2 region of
      the LSU rRNA gene and 9.3-9.6 % nucleotide differences (40-41 substitutions and 7
      8 gaps out of 430 nt) in the ITS region. The name Hannaella dianchiensis sp. nov.
      is proposed. The type strain is YIM-HL1107T (=CBS 14191T=CCTCC AY 2015009T), and
      the MycoBank number is MB 816297.

PMID- 28629498
TI  - Rodentibacter gen. nov. including Rodentibacter pneumotropicus comb. nov.,
      Rodentibacter heylii sp. nov., Rodentibacter myodis sp. nov., Rodentibacter ratti
      sp. nov., Rodentibacter heidelbergensis sp. nov., Rodentibacter
      trehalosifermentans sp. nov., Rodentibacter rarus sp. nov., Rodentibacter mrazii
      and two genomospecies.
AB  - Rodentibacter gen. nov. is proposed based on isolation and phenotypic
      characterization of strains, predominantly from rodents. The strains showed 86 %
      or higher rpoB gene sequence similarity and indicated a genus-level relationship
      within Pasteurellaceae. The strains compared at 16S rRNA gene sequence level
      showed 93.8 % or higher similarity, and their genus-level relationship within
      Pasteurellaceae was confirmed by phenotypic analysis. The type species
      Rodentibacter pneumotropicus comb. nov. is reclassified from [Pasteurella]
      pneumotropica with type strain NCTC 8141T (=CCUG 12398T). Whole genomic
      comparison allowed the estimation of DNA-DNA renaturation. Rodentibacter heylii
      sp. nov. was proposed for a group that included the biovar Heyl of [Pasteurella]
      pneumotropica with the type strain ATCC 12555T (=CCUG 998T). A group was proposed
      as Rodentibacter ratti sp. nov., which included the taxon 22 of Bisgaard; the
      type strain is F75T (=CCUG 69665T=DSM 103977T). Taxon 41 of Bisgaard was proposed
      as Rodentibacter myodis sp. nov. with type strain Ac151T (=CCUG 69666T=DSM
      103994T). Rodentibacter heidelbergensis sp. nov. included the type strain
      1996025094T (=Ac69T) (=CCUG 69667T=DSM 103978T). A group strains of was proposed
      as Rodentibacter trehalosifermentans sp. nov. with type strain H1987082031T
      (=CCUG 69668T=DSM 104075T). Two strains including the reference strain of taxon
      17 of Bisgaard that showed 16S rRNA gene similarity of 97.3 % were proposed as
      Rodentibacter rarus sp. nov. 2325/79T (=CCUG 17206T=DSM 103980T). Rodentibacter
      mrazii sp. nov. was proposed with type strain Ppn418T (Bisgaard taxon 21) (=CCUG
      69669T=DSM 103979T). The eight species could be separated based on phenotypic
      characteristics such as NAD requirement, ornithine decarboxylase and indole
      formation, alpha-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase and in acid formation from (+)-l
      arabinose, (-)-d-ribose, (+)-d-xylose, myo-inositol, (-)-d-mannitol, lactose,
      melibiose and trehalose. Forty-six strains including taxon 48 of Bisgaard formed
      a monophyletic group by rpoB and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, but could not
      be separated phenotypically from R. pneumotropicus and R. heylii, and it was left
      as an unnamed genomospecies 1 of Rodentibacter with reference strain Ppn416.
      Another taxon that included 13 strains, mainly isolated from Apodemus sylvaticus,
      could not be separated phenotypically from R. pneumotropicus or R. heylii and was
      designated as genomospecies 2. Strain Ppn85 with 95 % or less rpoB gene sequence
      similarity and with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97 % or less to the
      other members of Rodentibacter was left as an unnamed singleton.

PMID- 28629499
TI  - Agrobacterium salinitolerans sp. nov., a saline-alkaline-tolerant bacterium
      isolated from root nodule of Sesbania cannabina.
AB  - Two Gram-staining-negative, aerobic bacteria (YIC 5082T and YIC4104) isolated
      from root nodules of Sesbania cannabina grown in a high-salt and alkaline
      environment were identified as a group in the genus Agrobacterium because they
      shared 100 and 99.7 % sequence similarities of 16S rRNA and recA+atpD genes,
      respectively. These two strains showed 99.2/100 % and 93.9/95.4 % 16S rRNA and
      recA+atpD gene sequence similarities to Agrobacterium radiobacter LMG140T and
      Agrobacterium. pusense NRCPB10T, respectively. The average nucleotide identities
      (ANI) of genome sequences were 89.95 % or lower between YIC 5082T and the species
      of the genus Agrobacterium examined. Moreover, these two test strains formed a
      unique nifH lineage deeply separated from other rhizobia. Although the nodC gene
      was not detected in YIC 5082T and YIC4104, they could form effective root nodules
      on S. cannabina plants. The main cellular fatty acids in YIC 5082T were summed
      feature 8 (C18 : 1omega7c/C18 : 1omega6c), C19 : 0cyclo omega8c, summed feature 2
      (C12 : 0 aldehyde/unknown equivalent chain length 10.9525) and C16 : 0. The DNA
      G+C content of YIC 5082T was 59.3 mol%. The failure to utilize d-sorbitol as a
      carbon source distinguished YIC 5082T from the type strains of related species.
      YIC 5082T could grow in presence of 5.0 % (w/v) NaCl and at a pH of up to 10.0.
      Based on results regarding the genetic and phenotypic properties of YIC 5082T and
      YIC4104 the name Agrobacterium salinitolerans sp. nov. is proposed and YIC 5082T
      (=HAMBI 3646T=LMG 29287T) is designed as the type strain.

PMID- 28629500
TI  - Imhoffiella gen. nov., a marine phototrophic member of the family Chromatiaceae
      including the description of Imhoffiella purpurea sp. nov. and the
      reclassification of Thiorhodococcus bheemlicus Anil Kumar et al. 2007 as
      Imhoffiella bheemlica comb. nov.
AB  - A coccoid-shaped phototrophic purple sulfur bacterium, strain AK35T, was isolated
      from a coastal surface water sample collected from Visakhapatnam, India. Cells
      were Gram-stain-negative, motile and purple, containing bacteriochlorophyll a and
      the carotenoid rhodopinal as major photosynthetic pigments. Strain AK35T was able
      to grow photoheterotrophically and could utilize a number of organic substrates.
      It was unable to grow photoautotrophically. Strain AK35T was able to utilize
      sulfide and thiosulfate as electron donors. The main fatty acids present were
      identified as C16 : 0, C18 : 1omega7c, and C16 : 1omega7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2OH
      (summed feature 3). Strain AK35T contained diphosphatidylglycerol,
      phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and six unidentified lipids as
      polar lipids. The G+C content of the DNA of strain AK35T was 63.1 mol%. 16S rRNA
      gene sequence comparisons indicated that the isolate represented a member of the
      family Chromatiaceae. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain AK35T
      is phylogenetically distinctly positioned outside the groups of most members of
      the genus Thiorhodococcus, clustered with members of the genera Marichromatium
      and Phaeochromatium, but was most closely related to Thiorhodococcus bheemlicus
      with a pairwise sequence similarity of 98.75 %. Based on DNA-DNA hybridization
      between strain AK35T and Thiorhodococcus bheemlicus MTCC 8120T a relatedness of
      39.46 % was established. Distinct morphological, physiological and genotypic
      differences from these previously described taxa supported the classification of
      the new isolate as a representative of a novel species in a new genus, for which
      the name Imhoffiella purpurea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of
      Imhoffiella purpurea is AK35T (=JCM 18851T=KCTC 15575T=MTCC 12304T). In addition,
      Thiorhodococcus bheemlicus is recognized as another species of this genus and
      transferred to Imhoffiella bheemlica comb. nov.

PMID- 28629501
TI  - Mycobacterium persicum sp. nov., a novel species closely related to Mycobacterium
      kansasii and Mycobacterium gastri.
AB  - Four strains isolated in Iran from pulmonary specimens of unrelated patients are
      proposed as representative of a novel Mycobacterium species. Similarity, at the
      phenotypic level, with Mycobacterium kansasii is remarkable with the
      photochromogenic yellow pigmentation of the colonies being the salient feature.
      They differ, however, genotypically from this species and present unique
      sequences in 16S rRNA, hsp65 and rpoB genes. The average nucleotide identity and
      the genome-to-genome distance fully support the status of an independent species.
      The name proposed for this species is Mycobacterium persicum sp. nov. with AFPC
      000227T (=DSM 104278T=CIP 111197T) as the type strain.

PMID- 28629502
TI  - Transfer of Pseudomonas pictorum Gray and Thornton 1928 to genus Stenotrophomonas
      as Stenotrophomonas pictorum comb. nov., and emended description of the genus
      Stenotrophomonas.
AB  - A polyphasic taxonomic approach including analysis of phenotypic, physiological
      and genotypic characteristics, 16S rRNA gene sequence and DNA-DNA hybridization
      analysis was used to determine the most consistent affiliation of Pseudomonas
      pictorum. Pseudomonas pictorum ATCC 23328T exhibited phenotypic traits of members
      of the genus Stenotrophomonas including cellular fatty acid composition, quinone
      and limited range of substrates that could be used. Antibiotic susceptibility and
      physiological characteristics were determined. The DNA G+C content was 65.7 mol%.
      Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the type strains of Stenotrophomonas terrae,
      Stenotrophomonashumi, Stenotrophomonasnitritireducens and
      Stenotrophomonasacidaminiphila were the nearest relatives (16S rRNA gene sequence
      similarity of 98.0 to 98.8 %). All the other type strains of species of the genus
      Stenotrophomonas showed high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities (96.8 to 97.2
      %). DNA-DNA hybridizations revealed 31.0, 32.0, 43.3 and 43.6 % reassociation
      between Pseudomonas pictorum ATCC 23328T and the type strains of S. terrae, S.
      humi, S. nitritireducens and S. acidaminiphila, respectively. Our overall results
      indicate that Pseudomonas pictorum should be transferred to the genus
      Stenotrophomonas as a novel species of this genus, Stenotrophomonas pictorum
      comb. nov. Since the original description of the genus Stenotrophomonaswas made
      with only one species (Stenotrophomonasmaltophilia), an emendation of the genus
      description is proposed in order to match better with the characteristics of the
      eleven novel species assigned to this genus since then.

PMID- 28629503
TI  - Red-pink pigmented Hymenobacter coccineus sp. nov., Hymenobacter lapidarius sp.
      nov. and Hymenobacter glacialis sp. nov., isolated from rocks in Antarctica.
AB  - Four rod-shaped and Gram-stain-negative bacterial strains, CCM 8647, CCM 8649T,
      CCM 8643T and CCM 8648T, were isolated from rock samples collected on James Ross
      Island, Antarctica. Extensive biotyping, fatty acid profiling, chemotaxonomy, 16S
      rRNA gene sequencing and whole-genome sequencing was applied to isolates to
      clarify their taxonomic position. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene
      sequencing indicated that all four isolates belonged to the genus Hymenobacter.
      Strains CCM 8649T and CCM 8647 were most closely related to Hymenobacter
      arizonensis OR362-8T (94.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), strain CCM 8643T
      to Hymenobacter terrae DG7AT (96.3 %) and strain CCM 8648T to Hymenobacter
      glaciei VUG-A130T (96.3 %). The predominant fatty acids of CCM 8649T and CCM 8647
      were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1omega7c/C16 : 1omega6c), C16 : 1omega5c and iso-C15
      : 0, whereas those of CCM 8643T and CCM 8648T were summed feature 3 (C16 :
      1omega7c/C16 : 1omega6c) and C16 : 1omega5c. The quinone systems contained
      exclusively menaquinone MK-7. The major polyamine was sym-homospermidine. All
      four strains contained the major polar lipid phosphatidylethanolamine. The G+C
      content of genomic DNA ranged from 60-63 mol%. Whole-genome sequencing data
      supported the finding that isolates represented distinct species of the genus
      Hymenobacter. On the basis of the results obtained, three novel species are
      proposed for which the names Hymenobacter coccineus sp. nov., Hymenobacter
      lapidarius sp. nov. and Hymenobacter glacialis sp. nov. are suggested, with the
      type strains CCM 8649T (=LMG 29441T=P5239T), CCM 8643T (=LMG 29435T=P3150T) and
      CCM 8648T (=LMG 29440T=P5086T), respectively.

PMID- 28629504
TI  - Sulfodiicoccus acidiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a sulfur-inhibited
      thermoacidophilic archaeon belonging to the order Sulfolobales isolated from a
      terrestrial acidic hot spring.
AB  - A novel thermoacidophilic archaeon, strain HS-1T, was isolated from the Hakone
      Ohwaku-dani hot spring in Japan. Cells of strain HS-1T in exponential phase were
      cocci to irregular cocci with a diameter of 0.8-1.5 um. The strain grew within a
      temperature range of 50-70  degrees C (optimal: 65-70  degrees C), a pH range of
      pH 1.4-5.5 (optimal: pH 3.0-3.5) and a NaCl concentration range of 0-2.5 % (w/v).
      The novel strain grew in aerobic conditions but did not grow anaerobically.
      Moreover, this strain utilized various complex substrates (beef extract, casamino
      acids, peptone, tryptone and yeast extract) and sugars (arabinose, xylose,
      galactose, glucose, maltose, sucrose, raffinose and lactose) as sole carbon
      sources. No chemolithoautotrophic growth occurred on elemental sulfur, pyrite,
      K2S4O6, Na2S2O3 or FeSO4 . 7H2O; however, growth by the oxidation of hydrogen
      occurred weakly. The core lipids were calditoglycerocaldarchaeol (CGTE) and
      caldarchaeol (DGTE). The DNA G+C content of the strain was 52.0 mol%, which was
      remarkably higher than those of known species of the order Sulfolobales(31-46.2
      %). The growth of the strain was significantly inhibited in the presence of
      elemental sulfur. Analyses of 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene sequences showed that HS
      1T belonged to the order Sulfolobales; however, it was distantly related to all
      known species of the order Sulfolobales (less than 89 % sequence similarity). On
      the basis of these results, we propose the novel genus, Sulfodiicoccus, in the
      order Sulfolobales (in the family Sulfolobaceae). The type species of the genus
      is Sulfodiicoccus acidiphilus sp. nov., and the type strain of the species is HS
      1T (=JCM 31740T=InaCC Ar79T).

PMID- 28629505
TI  - Micromonospora fulva sp. nov., isolated from forest soil.
AB  - A novel actinobacterium, designated strain UDF-1T, was isolated from forest soil
      in Chungnam, South Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a
      polyphasic approach. Strain UDF-1T formed a branched brownish-orange substrate
      mycelium with spherical or oval spores. No aerial mycelium was formed.
      Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain UDF-1T belongs
      to the genus Micromonospora, showing the highest sequence similarity to
      Micromonospora palomenae NEAU-CX1T (99.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity),
      'Micromonospora maoerensis' NEAU-MES19 (99.0 %), Micromonospora endolithica DSM
      44398T (98.8 %) and Micromonospora matsumotoense IMSNU 22003T (98.8 %). The
      predominant menaquinones of strain UDF-1T were MK-10 (H4) and MK-10 (H6). The
      cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the whole-cell sugars were
      arabinose and xylose. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylinositol,
      diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty
      acids were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C
      content was 73.1 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain UDF-1T and closely
      related type strains in the genus Micromonospora was below 30 %. On the basis of
      the polyphasic analysis conducted in this study, strain UDF-1T represents a novel
      species of the genus Micromonospora, for which the name Micromonospora fulva sp.
      nov. is proposed. The type strain is UDF-1T (=KACC 18696T=NBRC 111826T).

PMID- 28629506
TI  - Actinomyces liubingyangii sp. nov. isolated from the vulture Gypaetus barbatus.
AB  - Two strains (VUL4_1T and VUL4_2) of Gram-staining-positive, catalase-negative,
      non-spore-forming short rods were isolated from rectal swabs of Old World
      vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) in the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China. Analysis of
      morphological characteristics and biochemical tests indicated that the two
      strains closely resembled each other but were distinct from other species of the
      genus Actinomyces previously described. Based on the results of 16S rRNA gene
      sequence comparison and genome analysis, strains were determined to be members of
      the genus Actinomyces, closely related to the type strains of Actinomyces
      marimammalium (96.4 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity),
      Actinomyceshongkongensis (92.4 %), Actinomyceshordeovulneris (92.3 %) and
      Actinomycesnasicola (92.2 %), respectively. Optimal growth conditions were 37 
      degrees C, pH 6-7, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain VUL4_1T contained C18 : 1omega9c
      and C16 : 0 as the major cellular fatty acids and diphosphatidylglycerol as the
      major component of the polar lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of VUL4_1T was
      54.9 mol%. Strain VUL4_1T showed less than 70 % DNA-DNA relatedness with other
      species of the genus Actinomyces, further supporting strain VUL4_1T as a
      representative of a novel species. Based on the phenotypic data and phylogenetic
      inference, a novel species, Actinomyces liubingyangii sp. nov., is proposed with
      VUL4_1T (=CGMCC 4.7370T=DSM 104050T) as the type strain.

PMID- 28629507
TI  - Oceanisphaera marina sp. nov., isolated from a deep-sea seamount.
AB  - A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, strictly aerobic, motile bacterial strain,
      designated YM319T, was isolated from a seamount near the Yap Trench in the
      tropical western Pacific. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence
      showed that strain YM319T was related to the genus Oceanisphaera and had highest
      16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with the type strains Oceanisphaera profunda
      SM1222T (97.4 %), Oceanisphaera sediminis TW92T (97.3 %) and Oceanisphaera
      ostreae T-w6T (97.1 %). The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature
      3 (composed of iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1 omega7c), C16 : 0 and C18 :
      1omega7c. Strain YM319T had Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone. The polar lipid
      profile contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol,
      phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid and four unidentified
      lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain YM319T was 54.8 mol%. On the basis
      of the evidence presented in this study, strain YM319T represents a novel species
      of the genus Oceanisphaera, for which we propose the name Oceanisphaera marina
      sp. nov. (type strain YM319T=KACC 18564T=CGMCC 1.15923T).

PMID- 28629508
TI  - Campylobacter pinnipediorum sp. nov., isolated from pinnipeds, comprising
      Campylobacter pinnipediorum subsp. pinnipediorum subsp. nov. and Campylobacter
      pinnipediorum subsp. caledonicus subsp. nov.
AB  - During independent diagnostic screenings of otariid seals in California (USA) and
      phocid seals in Scotland (UK), Campylobacter-like isolates, which differed from
      the established taxa of the genus Campylobacter, were cultured from abscesses and
      internal organs of different seal species. A polyphasic study was undertaken to
      determine the taxonomic position of these six isolates. The isolates were
      characterized by 16S rRNA gene and AtpA sequence analysis and by conventional
      phenotypic testing. The whole-genome sequences were determined for all isolates,
      and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) was determined. The isolates formed a
      separate phylogenetic clade, divergent from all other taxa of the genus
      Campylobacter and most closely related to Campylobactermucosalis. Although all
      isolates showed 100 % 16S rRNA gene sequence homology, AtpA and ANI analyses
      indicated divergence between the otariid isolates from California and the phocid
      isolates from Scotland, which warrants subspecies status for each clade. The two
      subspecies could also be distinguished phenotypically on the basis of catalase
      activity. This study shows clearly that the isolates obtained from pinnipeds
      represent a novel species within the genus Campylobacter, for which the name
      Campylobacter pinnipediorum sp. nov. is proposed. Within this novel species, the
      Californian isolates represent a separate subspecies, for which the name C.
      pinnipediorum subsp. pinnipediorum subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain for
      both this novel species and subspecies is RM17260T (=LMG 29472T=CCUG 69570T). The
      Scottish isolates represent another subspecies, for which the name C.
      pinnipediorum subsp. caledonicus subsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this
      subspecies is M302/10/6T (=LMG 29473T=CCUG 68650T).

PMID- 28629509
TI  - Actinomyces vulturis sp. nov., isolated from Gyps himalayensis.
AB  - Two strains of Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-spore-forming
      short rods (VUL7T and VUL8) were isolated from rectal swabs of Old World
      vultures, namely Gyps himalayensis, in Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China. Optimal
      growth occurred at 37  degrees C, pH 6-7, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic
      analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences classified the two strains to the genus
      Actinomyces, with highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (95 %) to type
      strains of Actinomyces haliotis, Actinomyces radicidentis and Actinomyces
      urogenitalis. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1omega9c and C16 : 0. MK
      10(H4) was the major respiratory quinone. The genomic DNA G+C content of the
      isolate was 54.4 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization values with the most closely related
      species ofthe genusActinomyces was 24.6 %. The two strains can be differentiated
      from the most closely related species such as A. haliotis, A. radicidentis, A.
      graevenitzii and A. urogenitalis by a list of carbohydrate fermentations and
      enzyme activities. On the basis of physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic
      analysis, strains VUL7T and VUL8 represent novel species of the genus
      Actinomyces, for which the name Actinomyces vulturis sp. nov. is proposed. The
      type strain is VUL7T (=CGMCC 4.7366T=DSM 103437T).

PMID- 28629510
TI  - Screening strategies for atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and cost
      effectiveness analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia that
      increases the risk of thromboembolic events. Anticoagulation therapy to prevent
      AF-related stroke has been shown to be cost-effective. A national screening
      programme for AF may prevent AF-related events, but would involve a substantial
      investment of NHS resources. OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review of the
      diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of screening tests for AF, update a systematic
      review of comparative studies evaluating screening strategies for AF, develop an
      economic model to compare the cost-effectiveness of different screening
      strategies and review observational studies of AF screening to provide inputs to
      the model. DESIGN: Systematic review, meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness
      analysis. SETTING: Primary care. PARTICIPANTS: Adults. INTERVENTION: Screening
      strategies, defined by screening test, age at initial and final screens,
      screening interval and format of screening {systematic opportunistic screening
      [individuals offered screening if they consult with their general practitioner
      (GP)] or systematic population screening (when all eligible individuals are
      invited to screening)}. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity and
      diagnostic odds ratios; the odds ratio of detecting new AF cases compared with no
      screening; and the mean incremental net benefit compared with no screening.
      REVIEW METHODS: Two reviewers screened the search results, extracted data and
      assessed the risk of bias. A DTA meta-analysis was perfomed, and a decision tree
      and Markov model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the screening
      strategies. RESULTS: Diagnostic test accuracy depended on the screening test and
      how it was interpreted. In general, the screening tests identified in our review
      had high sensitivity (> 0.9). Systematic population and systematic opportunistic
      screening strategies were found to be similarly effective, with an estimated 170
      individuals needed to be screened to detect one additional AF case compared with
      no screening. Systematic opportunistic screening was more likely to be cost
      effective than systematic population screening, as long as the uptake of
      opportunistic screening observed in randomised controlled trials translates to
      practice. Modified blood pressure monitors, photoplethysmography or nurse pulse
      palpation were more likely to be cost-effective than other screening tests. A
      screening strategy with an initial screening age of 65 years and repeated screens
      every 5 years until age 80 years was likely to be cost-effective, provided that
      compliance with treatment does not decline with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS: A
      national screening programme for AF is likely to represent a cost-effective use
      of resources. Systematic opportunistic screening is more likely to be cost
      effective than systematic population screening. Nurse pulse palpation or modified
      blood pressure monitors would be appropriate screening tests, with confirmation
      by diagnostic 12-lead electrocardiography interpreted by a trained GP, with
      referral to a specialist in the case of an unclear diagnosis. Implementation
      strategies to operationalise uptake of systematic opportunistic screening in
      primary care should accompany any screening recommendations. LIMITATIONS: Many
      inputs for the economic model relied on a single trial [the Screening for Atrial
      Fibrillation in the Elderly (SAFE) study] and DTA results were based on a few
      studies at high risk of bias/of low applicability. FUTURE WORK: Comparative
      studies measuring long-term outcomes of screening strategies and DTA studies for
      new, emerging technologies and to replicate the results for photoplethysmography
      and GP interpretation of 12-lead electrocardiography in a screening population.
      STUDY REGISTRATION: This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42014013739. FUNDING:
      The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment
      programme.

PMID- 28629512
TI  - Erythropoietin Receptor Structural Domains.
AB  - Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone that is important for regulating red blood cell
      production. It is functional through binding to its receptor-EpoR. EpoR is a
      single-span membrane protein. It contains an extracellular region, a
      transmembrane domain, and a C-terminus. The extracellular region is important for
      binding to EPO, and its conformation is critical for signal transduction. The
      transmembrane domain contains 21 residues forming a helix which plays an
      important role in transferring ligand-induced conformational changes of the
      extracellular domain across the cell membrane. The C-terminal region contains the
      Janus kinase 2-binding sites and eight tyrosine residues that can be
      phosphorylated to become binding sites for transcription factors to active the
      downstream pathways. This chapter focuses on structural description of the
      domains of the EpoR. The recent progress in the structural determination of these
      domains is summarized, which will be useful for understanding their function in
      signal transduction.

PMID- 28629511
TI  - Microbiota regulates visceral pain in the mouse.
AB  - The perception of visceral pain is a complex process involving the spinal cord
      and higher order brain structures. Increasing evidence implicates the gut
      microbiota as a key regulator of brain and behavior, yet it remains to be
      determined if gut bacteria play a role in visceral sensitivity. We used germ-free
      mice (GF) to assess visceral sensitivity, spinal cord gene expression and pain
      related brain structures. GF mice displayed visceral hypersensitivity accompanied
      by increases in Toll-like receptor and cytokine gene expression in the spinal
      cord, which were normalized by postnatal colonization with microbiota from
      conventionally colonized (CC). In GF mice, the volumes of the anterior cingulate
      cortex (ACC) and periaqueductal grey, areas involved in pain processing, were
      decreased and enlarged, respectively, and dendritic changes in the ACC were
      evident. These findings indicate that the gut microbiota is required for the
      normal visceral pain sensation.

PMID- 28629513
TI  - Erythropoietin and Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis.
AB  - Erythropoietin (EPO), known primarily for its erythropoietic activity, is
      commonly used clinically to treat anemia of chronic kidney disease. However, the
      expression of EPO receptor (EpoR) beyond erythroid tissue provides for potential
      extrahematopoietic effects of EPO, including EPO regulation of metabolic
      homeostasis (Zhang et al., 2014). Small clinical studies have shown that EPO
      treatment in patients with end-stage renal disease improved glycemic control and
      insulin sensitivity. Studies in animal models have shown that EPO regulation of
      metabolism is mainly attributed to its response in fat, and the hypothalamus
      pituitary axis (Dey et al., 2016; Dey, Scullen, & Noguchi, 2015; Teng, Gavrilova,
      et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2013) and is not dependent on its hematopoietic
      activity. EpoR expression in the hypothalamus is localized to the neurons
      expressing proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the arcuate nucleus region, the most
      important site in the brain for the regulation of physiological energy
      expenditure. EPO treatment increases POMC production in anorexigenic POMC neurons
      in the hypothalamus. In the pituitary, EPO modulates the secretion of the POMC
      derived peptide, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) that regulates physiological
      and metabolic stress response. With EPO produced by cells in the brain, such as
      astrocytes, and with EPO-stimulated POMC expression in the hypothalamus and EPO
      inhibited ACTH secretion in the pituitary, EPO signaling contributes to the
      hypothalamic-pituitary axis as a major regulator of glucose metabolism and energy
      homeostasis.

PMID- 28629514
TI  - Erythropoietin-Mediated Regulation of Central Respiratory Command.
AB  - Erythropoietin (Epo) is a cytokine expressed throughout the body, including in
      the central nervous system where it can act as a breathing modulator in the
      central respiratory network. In vitro, Epo allows maintaining the activity of
      respiratory neurons during acute hypoxia, resulting in inhibition of the hypoxia
      induced rhythm depression. In vivo, Epo action on the central respiratory command
      results in enhancement of the acute hypoxic ventilatory response, allowing a
      better oxygenation of the body by improvement of gases exchanges in the lungs.
      Importantly, this effect of Epo is age-dependent, being observed at adulthood and
      at both early and late postnatal ages, but not at middle postnatal ages, when an
      important setup of the central respiratory command occurs. Epo regulation of the
      central respiratory command involves at least two intracellular signaling
      pathways, PI3K-Akt and MEK-ERK pathways. However, the exact mechanism underlying
      the action of Epo on the central respiratory control remains to be deciphered, as
      well as the exact cell types and nuclei involved in this control. Epo-mediated
      effect on the central respiratory command is regulated by several factors,
      including hypoxia, sex hormones, and an endogen antagonist. Although more
      knowledge is needed before reaching the clinical trial step, Epo seems to be a
      promising therapeutic treatment, notably against newborn breathing disorders.

PMID- 28629515
TI  - Mutual Cross Talk Between Iron Homeostasis and Erythropoiesis.
AB  - Iron is necessary for physiological processes essential for the activity of all
      cells, but the erythropoietic compartment is a privileged iron consumer. In fact,
      a considerable amount of iron is daily required for hemoglobin synthesis and
      erythroid cell proliferation. Therefore, a tight link exists between iron
      metabolism and erythropoiesis. The iron needed for hemoglobin synthesis is mainly
      ensured by inhibiting hepcidin expression, thereby increasing both ferroportin
      mediated iron export from the duodenal absorptive cells and iron release from the
      reticuloendothelial cells that process old and/or damaged red blood cells. This
      mechanism makes certain that sufficient iron availability to the erythropoietic
      compartment occurs. Recent studies established that hypoxia and/or hypoxia
      induced erythropoietin are not direct regulators of hepcidin, which is indirectly
      inhibited by erythropoietic drive, in particular under pathological conditions
      characterized by expanded but ineffective erythropoiesis, such as beta
      thalassemia. Among the number of factors proposed as mediators linking
      erythropoiesis with liver hepcidin suppression, erythroferrone, a hormone
      produced and secreted by erythroid precursors, appears the best candidate.

PMID- 28629516
TI  - Context-Dependent Skeletal Effects of Erythropoietin.
AB  - Erythropoietin (Epo) is the main hormone that regulates the production of red
      blood cells (hematopoiesis), by stimulating their progenitors. Beyond this vital
      function, several emerging roles have been noted for Epo in other tissues,
      including neurons, heart, and retina. The skeletal system is also affected by
      Epo; however, its actions on bone are, as yet, controversial. Here, we review the
      seemingly contradicting evidence regarding Epo effects on bone remodeling. We
      also discuss the evidence pointing to a direct vs indirect effect of Epo on the
      osteoblastic and osteoclastic cell lineages. The current controversy may derive
      from a context-dependent mode of function of Epo, namely, opposite skeletal
      actions during bone regeneration and steady-state bone remodeling. Differences in
      conclusions deriving from the published in vitro studies may thus relate to the
      different experimental conditions. Taken together, the current state-of-the-art
      indicates definite Epo effects on bone cells and points to the complexity of the
      mode of function.

PMID- 28629517
TI  - Erythropoietin-Mediated Neuroprotection in Insects Suggests a Prevertebrate
      Evolution of Erythropoietin-Like Signaling.
AB  - The cytokine erythropoietin (Epo) mediates protective and regenerative functions
      in mammalian nervous systems via activation of poorly characterized receptors
      that differ from the "classical" homodimeric Epo receptor expressed on erythroid
      progenitor cells. Epo genes have been identified in vertebrate species ranging
      from human to fish, suggesting that Epo signaling evolved earlier than the
      vertebrate lineage. Studies on insects (Locusta migratoria, Chorthippus
      biguttulus, Tribolium castaneum) revealed Epo-mediated neuroprotection and
      neuroregeneration. Recombinant human Epo (rhEpo) prevents apoptosis by binding to
      a janus kinase-associated receptor, stimulation of STAT transcription factors,
      and generation of factors that prevent the activation of proapoptotic caspases.
      Insect neurons were also protected by a neuroprotective but nonerythropoietic Epo
      splice variant, suggesting similarity with mammalian neuroprotective but not with
      homodimeric "classical" Epo receptors. Additionally, rhEpo promotes the
      regeneration of neurites in primary cultured insect brain neurons and after nerve
      crush in an in vivo preparation. In contrast to neuroprotective and regenerative
      effects shared with mammalian species, no evidence for a role of Epo signaling in
      the regulation of neuro- or gliogenesis was found in insects. Similar structural
      and functional characteristics of the Epo binding receptors, partly shared
      transduction pathways that prevent apoptosis and the functional implication in
      neuroprotective and neuroregenerative processes in both mammalian and insect
      species, suggest that Epo-like signaling was already established in their last
      common ancestor. Originally functioning as a tissue-protective response to
      unfavorable physiological situations, cell injury, and pathogen invasion, Epo was
      later adapted as a humoral regulator of erythropoiesis in the vertebrate lineage.

PMID- 28629518
TI  - Analysis of the Asymmetry of Activated EPO Receptor Enables Designing Small
      Molecule Agonists.
AB  - Amgen solved the high-resolution cocrystal structure of erythropoietin (EPO)
      bound to the extracellular part of the receptor (EPOR) in 1998, which reveals
      that the EPO-EPOR interaction surface is formed by 11 salt bridges, 17 H-bonds,
      and 2 hydrophobic clusters centered at a pair of crucial phenylalanines (F93).
      The EPOR has two domains, one that penetrates the membrane and a second
      extracellular domain that forms one arm of the binding site for the EPO ligand.
      The complete competent receptor-binding site is a homodimer of EPOR with the two
      arms forming a funnel-shaped cup where EPO binds. The two binding arms of the
      EPOR dimer meet at the membrane at a 120 degree angle, which Amgen characterizes
      as, "erythropoietin imposes a unique angular relationship and orientation that is
      responsible for optimal signaling." They come to this conclusion, because the
      EPOR cocrystallized with 2 equivalents of a 20 residue EPO mimetic peptide
      created at Robert Wood Johnson (RWJ) activates the receptor with a 3 order of
      magnitude reduction in potency, and the binding arms are forced to meet at the
      membrane with an angle of 180 degrees. The vast interaction surface between EPO
      and EPOR forms a singularly important three-dimensional structure responsible for
      hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and differentiation-this is Amgen's
      conclusion. This goal of this work is to present experimental and computational
      evidence that the Amgen structure is a postsignaling off-state and that the RWJ
      structure with the partially active peptide mimetics is an on-state. A detailed
      side-by-side comparison of the two structures will be presented along with
      literature evidence that calls into question the Amgen claim that their structure
      is a unique on-state. A computational fragment-based drug discovery method
      applied to the RWJ structure was used to locate and characterize a new predicted
      small molecule binding site and a fragment analysis was performed based on
      theories of asymmetry to create a proposed agonist with MW<300. When this
      molecule was experimentally tested, it displaced radiolabeled EPO with nanomolar
      potency and transformed human hematopoietic stem cells into red blood cells with
      subnanomolar potency. Obviously, this small molecule makes none of the EPO-EPOR
      interactions that Amgen stated were essential for fully turning on the receptor
      and provides strong evidence that stabilizing receptor asymmetry, not specific
      interactions, is the critical factor needed for activating signal transduction.
      Finally, when the agonist was altered to remove the asymmetric component, it
      still was able to displace radiolabeled EPO in competition binding experiments,
      but it no longer activated the receptor.

PMID- 28629519
TI  - Erythropoietin: Endogenous Protection of Ischemic Brain.
AB  - The human brain requires uninterrupted delivery of blood-borne oxygen and
      nutrients to sustain its function. Focal ischemia, particularly, ischemic stroke,
      and global ischemia imposed by cardiac arrest disrupt the brain's fuel supply.
      The resultant ATP depletion initiates a complex injury cascade encompassing
      intracellular Ca2+ overload, glutamate excitotoxicity, oxido-nitrosative stress,
      extracellular matrix degradation, and inflammation, culminating in neuronal and
      astroglial necrosis and apoptosis, neurocognitive deficits, and even death.
      Unfortunately, brain ischemia has proven refractory to pharmacological
      intervention. Many promising treatments afforded brain protection in animal
      models of focal and global ischemia, but failed to improve survival and
      neurocognitive recovery of stroke and cardiac arrest patients in randomized
      clinical trials. The culprits are the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that limits
      transferral of medications to the brain parenchyma, and the sheer complexity of
      the injury cascade, which presents a daunting array of targets unlikely to
      respond to monotherapies. Erythropoietin is a powerful neuroprotectant capable of
      interrupting multiple aspects of the brain injury cascade. Preclinical research
      demonstrates erythropoietin's ability to suppress glutamate excitotoxicity and
      intracellular Ca2+ overload, dampen oxidative stress and inflammation, interrupt
      the apoptotic cascade, and preserve BBB integrity. However, the erythropoietin
      dosages required to traverse the BBB and achieve therapeutically effective
      concentrations in the brain parenchyma impose untoward side effects. Recent
      discoveries that hypoxia induces erythropoietin production within the brain and
      that neurons, astroglia, and cerebrovascular endothelium harbor membrane
      erythropoietin receptors, raise the exciting prospect of harnessing endogenous
      erythropoietin to protect the brain from the ravages of ischemia-reperfusion.

PMID- 28629520
TI  - The Erythropoietin System Protects the Heart Upon Injury by Cardiac Progenitor
      Cell Activation.
AB  - Erythropoietin (EPO) is a growth hormone, widely known for its role in
      erythropoiesis. The broad expression of erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) in adult
      organs suggested that EPO may also affect other cells besides late erythroid
      progenitors. In the embryonic heart, EPOR is expressed in all cells including the
      immature proliferating cardiomyocytes. In contrast to the embryonic heart in
      adulthood, EPOR expression is decreased and mainly detected in immature
      proliferating cells (i.e., resident cardiac progenitor cells) rather than in
      terminally differentiated cells (i.e., cardiomyocytes). Since cardiac progenitor
      cells are considered a regenerative cell source upon cardiac injury, the
      protective action of the EPO system was tested by creating an erythroid-rescued
      EPOR knockout mouse model. Although these mice appear to have less immature
      proliferating myocytes during embryogenesis, they reach adulthood without
      apparent morphological defects. However, upon ischemia reperfusion, these animals
      show a greater infarct size, suggesting that the EPO/EPOR protects the heart upon
      injury. Indeed preclinical studies showed that EPO administration postinfarction
      improves cardiac function via neoangiogenesis, antiapoptotic mechanisms, and/or
      CPC activation. Despite the promising preclinical data, large cohort clinical
      studies in humans failed to show a significant amelioration in cardiac function
      upon systemic injection of EPO in patients with myocardial infarctions. The
      discrepancy between preclinical and clinical trials may be due to differences
      between the doses, the way of delivery, the homogeneity of the cohorts, and last
      but not least the species differences. These data pinpoint the importance of
      carrying out preclinical studies in human models of disease as engineered human
      cardiac tissue that will provide a better understanding of the expression pattern
      of EPOR and the role of its ligand in human cardiac cells. Such studies may be
      able to bridge the gap between preclinical rodent data and human clinical trials
      and thus lead to the design of more successful clinical studies.

PMID- 28629521
TI  - Erythropoietin Promotes Glioblastoma via miR-451 Suppression.
AB  - Erythropoietin (EPO) is an erythropoiesis stimulating growth factor and hormone.
      EPO has been widely used in the treatment of chronic renal failure, cancer, and
      chemotherapy-related anemia for three decades. However, many clinical trials
      showed that EPO treatment may be associated with tumorigenesis and cancer
      progression. EPO is able to cross blood-brain barriers, and this may lead to an
      increased possibility of central nervous system tumors such as glioblastoma.
      Indeed, EPO promotes glioblastoma growth and invasion in animal studies.
      Additionally, EPO increases glioblastoma cell survival, proliferation, migration,
      invasion, and chemoresistancy in vitro. However, the exact mechanisms of cancer
      progression induced by EPO treatment are not fully understood.
      Posttranscriptional gene regulation through microRNAs may contribute to EPO's
      cellular and biological effects in tumor progression. Here, we aimed to study
      whether tumor suppressive microRNA, miR-451, counteracts the positive effects of
      EPO on U87 human glioblastoma cell line. Migration and invasion were evaluated by
      scratch assay and transwell invasion assay, respectively. We found that EPO
      decreased basal miR-451 expression and increased cell proliferation, migration,
      invasion, and cisplatin chemoresistancy in vitro. miR-451 overexpression by
      transfection of its mimic significantly reversed these effects. Furthermore,
      ectopic expression of miR-451 inhibited expression of its own target genes, such
      as metalloproteinases-2 and -9, which are stimulated by EPO treatment and
      involved in carcinogenesis processes, especially invasion. These findings suggest
      that miR-451 mimic delivery may be useful as adjuvant therapy in addition to
      chemotherapy and anemia treatment by EPO and should be tested in experimental
      glioblastoma models.

PMID- 28629522
TI  - Erythropoietin, Stem Cell Factor, and Cancer Cell Migration.
AB  - Cell migration of normal cells is tightly regulated. However, tumor cells are
      exposed to a modified microenvironment that promotes cell migration. Invasive
      migration of tumor cells is stimulated by receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and is
      regulated by growth factors. Erythropoietin (Epo) is a glycoprotein hormone that
      regulates erythropoiesis and is also known to be a potent chemotactic agent that
      induces cell migration by binding to its receptor (EpoR). Expression of EpoR has
      been documented in tumor cells, and the potential of Epo to induce cell migration
      has been explored. Stem cell factor (SCF) is a cytokine that synergizes the
      effects of Epo during erythropoiesis. SCF is the ligand of c-Kit, a member of the
      RTKs family. Molecular activity of RTKs is a primary stimulus of cell motility.
      Thus, expression of the SCF/c-Kit axis is associated with cell migration. In this
      chapter, we summarize data describing the potential effect of Epo/EpoR and SCF/c
      Kit as promoters of cancer cell migration. We also integrate recent findings on
      molecular mechanisms of Epo/EpoR- and SCF/c-Kit-mediated migration described in
      various cancer models.

PMID- 28629523
TI  - Significance of Erythropoietin Receptor Antagonist EMP9 in Cancers.
AB  - We have clarified that cancer cells express their own erythropoietin (Epo) and
      its receptor (EpoR) mRNA levels, and the respective proteins, which are under the
      control of Epo-EpoR signaling. Then we explored to inhibit the Epo-EpoR signaling
      with an EpoR antagonist Epo mimetic peptide 9 (EMP9) that is a derivative of an
      Epo-mimicking peptide EMP1. In the study of the cancer cell lines in vitro, rhEpo
      accelerated the cancer cell growth, whereas the EMP9 inhibited the cell growth
      along with the inhibition of STAT5 tyrosine phosphorylation. Moreover, in vitro
      study of surgically resected histoculture of lung cancers revealed that EMP9
      diminishes the expression of myoglobin in the cancer cells and destroys the
      feeding vessels. Additionally, in the xenografts of lung cancer histoculture, the
      EMP9 destroyed the xenografts by inducing apoptosis and suppressing proliferation
      of cancer cells in concomitant with macrophage accumulation. Furthermore, two
      types of perforations were detected in their cytoplasm: the one is mediated by
      nNOS in the cancer cells and the other one is by iNOS in the innate immune cells.
      These findings suggest that the inhibition of the Epo-EpoR signaling by EMP9
      induces the cancer cell death that is mediated by the apoptosis and calcification
      of the cancer cells as well as the oxygen deficiency through the feeding vessels.
      Taken together, EMP9-based therapy may be a promising strategy to treat cancer
      patients.

PMID- 28629524
TI  - Endogenous Erythropoietin.
AB  - We sought to briefly describe current models of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO)
      pleiotropic properties to make four points clear. First, endogenous EPO regulates
      erythroid cell apoptosis so that red blood cell production is balanced against
      the number of cells destroyed in order to maintain optimal tissue oxygen levels
      (i.e., consistent with provision of homeostatic functional signaling
      information). Second, preclinical and clinical studies alike provide additional
      evidence of other (i.e., extraerythropoietic) immune-related and growth/trophic
      properties. Third, EPO might also be increased as an antiinflammatory response to
      other proinflammatory cytokines, and not because it is an inflammatory protein,
      in which case, it would make the association between EPO and these other proteins
      an epiphenomenon. Fourth, on the other hand, EPO might also act as a tissue
      protector or it could reflect immaturity/vulnerability of the brain or of the
      systems responsible for protecting it. Each of these scenarios is plausible, and
      all are probably true in certain circumstances.

PMID- 28629525
TI  - Erythropoietin Regulation by Angiotensin II.
AB  - The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a key regulator of blood pressure and blood
      volume homeostasis. The RAS is primarily comprised of the precursor protein
      angiotensinogen and the two proteases, renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme
      (ACE). Angiotensin I (Ang I) is derived from angiotensinogen by renin, but
      appears to have no biological activity. In contrast, angiotensin II (Ang II) that
      has a variety of biological functions in the cells is converted from Ang I
      through removal of two-C-terminal residues by ACE. The physiological effects of
      Ang II are due to Ang II signaling through specific receptor binding, resulting
      in muscle contraction leading to increased blood pressure and volume. To modulate
      RAS, three classes of drugs have been developed: (1) renin inhibitors to prevent
      angiotensinogen conversion to Ang I, (2) ACE inhibitors, to prevent Ang I
      processing to Ang II and (3) angiotensin receptor blockers, to inhibit Ang II
      signaling through its receptor. Studies using the RAS inhibitors and Ang II
      demonstrated that RAS signaling mediates actions of Ang II in the regulation of
      proliferation and differentiation of specific hematopoietic cell types,
      especially in the red blood cell lineage. Accumulating evidence indicates that
      RAS regulates EPO, an essential mediator of red cell production, for human anemia
      and erythropoiesis in vivo and in vitro. The regulation of EPO expression by Ang
      II may be responsible for maintaining red blood cell homeostasis. This review
      highlights the biological roles of RAS for blood cell and EPO homeostasis through
      Ang II signaling. The molecular mechanism for Ang II-induced EPO production of
      the cell or tissue type-specific expression is discussed.

PMID- 28629526
TI  - Erythropoietin Receptor Signaling and Lipid Rafts.
AB  - Erythropoiesis is tightly regulated by the growth factor erythropoietin (Epo).
      Signal activation begins when Epo engages its cognate receptor, Epo-R, triggering
      receptor homodimerization, and recruitment of signaling intermediates including
      Jak2 that phosphorylates both the receptor cytoplasmic tail and downstream
      effectors including the transcription factor, STAT5. Transcription factors
      subsequently activate transcription of prosurvival and prodifferentiation genes
      responsible for red blood cell production. The fidelity of Epo-R signaling is
      dependent upon residence within detergent insoluble membrane lipid raft
      fractions. Lipid rafts are membrane microdomains that serve as signaling
      scaffolds composed of densely packed sphingolipids and cholesterol where
      receptors and intermediate signaling proteins are recruited and interact to
      execute stimuli. Disruption of lipid rafts is detrimental to Epo signaling, a
      phenomenon that may be utilized to design novel therapeutics for conditions in
      which Epo signaling is deficient. Here, we review the Epo signaling cascade,
      particularly, as it relates to localization and dependence on lipid rafts, and
      discuss considerations for novel therapeutic design.

PMID- 28629527
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28629528
TI  - Foreword.

PMID- 28629529
TI  - A brief introduction to early forms of non-verbal social cognition.

PMID- 28629530
TI  - Novel natural product therapeutics targeting both inflammation and cancer.
AB  - Inflammation is recently recognized as one of the hallmarks of human cancer.
      Chronic inflammatory response plays a critical role in cancer development,
      progression, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Conversely, the
      oncogenic aberrations also generate an inflammatory microenvironment, enabling
      the development and progression of cancer. The molecular mechanisms of action
      that are responsible for inflammatory cancer and cancer-associated inflammation
      are not fully understood due to the complex crosstalk between oncogenic and pro
      inflammatory genes. However, molecular mediators that regulate both inflammation
      and cancer, such as NF-kappaB and STAT have been considered as promising targets
      for preventing and treating these diseases. Recent works have further
      demonstrated an important role of oncogenes (e.g., NFAT1, MDM2) and tumor
      suppressor genes (e.g., p53) in cancer-related inflammation. Natural products
      that target these molecular mediators have shown anticancer and anti-inflammatory
      activities in preclinical and clinical studies. Sesquiterpenoids (STs), a class
      of novel plant-derived secondary metabolites have attracted great interest in
      recent years because of their diversity in chemical structures and
      pharmacological activities. At present, we and other investigators have found
      that dimeric sesquiterpenoids (DSTs) may exert enhanced activity and binding
      affinity to molecular targets due to the increased number of alkylating centers
      and improved conformational flexibility and lipophilicity. Here, we focus our
      discussion on the activities and mechanisms of action of STs and DSTs in treating
      inflammation and cancer as well as their structure-activity relationships.

PMID- 28629531
TI  - Survey of traditional Dai medicine reveals species confusion and potential safety
      concerns: a case study on Radix Clerodendri Japonicum.
AB  - The adulteration of herbal products is a threat to consumer safety. In the
      present study, we surveyed the species composition of commercial Radix
      Clerodendri Japonicum products using DNA barcoding as a supervisory method. A
      reference database for plant-material DNA-barcode was successfully constructed
      with 48 voucher samples from 12 Clerodendrum species. The database was used to
      identify 27 Radix Clerodendri Japonicum decoction piece samples purchased from
      drug stores and hospitals. The DNA sequencing results revealed that only 1
      decoction piece (3.70%) was authentic C. japonicum, as recorded in the Dai
      Pharmacopeia, whereas the other samples were all adulterants, indicating a
      potential safety issue. The results indicate that decoction pieces that are
      available in the market have complex origins and that DNA barcoding is a suitable
      tool for regulation of Dai medicines.

PMID- 28629532
TI  - Hypaconitine inhibits TGF-beta1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and
      suppresses adhesion, migration, and invasion of lung cancer A549 cells.
AB  - Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in tumor invasion and
      metastasis and provides novel strategies for cancer therapy. Hypaconitine (HpA),
      a diester-diterpenoid alkaloid isolated from the root of the Aconitum species,
      exhibits anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and especially, cardiotoxic activities.
      Here, we reported the anti-metastatic potentials of HpA in transforming growth
      factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)-induced EMT in lung cancer A549 cells. The cytotoxic
      effect of HpA was determined by MTT assay. A549 cells were treated with TGF-beta1
      with or without HpA co-treatment, and the morphological alterations were observed
      with a microscopy. The expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and NF-kappaB was
      determined by both Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses. The
      adhesion, migration, and invasion were detected with Matrigel, wound-healing, and
      transwell assays, respectively. The expression of Snail was determined by Western
      blotting. The expression of NF-kappaB p65, IkappaBalpha, and p-IkappaBalpha in
      nuclear and cytosolic extracts was assessed by Western blotting. The results
      showed that low concentration of HpA (<16 MUmol.L-1) had no obvious cytotoxicity
      to A549 cells. Morphologically, TGF-beta1 treatment induced spindle-shaped
      alteration in the cells. The upregulation of N-cadherin, NF-kappaB, and Snail and
      the downregulation of E-cadherin were detected after TGF-beta1 treatment. The
      adhesion, migration and invasion abilities were also increased by TGF-beta1.
      Besides, TGF-beta1 induced expression of Snail in a time-dependent manner.
      Furthermore, TGF-beta1 induced nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB p65. All these
      alterations were dramatically inhibited by HpA co-treatment. In addition, the NF
      kappaB inhibitor PDTC showed similar inhibitory effect. In conclusion, these
      results showed that HpA inhibited TGF-beta1-induced EMT in A549 cells, which was
      possibly mediated by the inactivation of the NF-kappaB signaling pathway,
      providing an evidence for anti-cancer effect of HpA.

PMID- 28629533
TI  - Design of new traditional Chinese medicine herbal formulae for treatment of type
      2 diabetes mellitus based on network pharmacology.
AB  - In the present study, 28 Chinese medicinal herbs belonging to traditional Chinese
      medicine (TCM) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes were selected to explore the
      application of network pharmacology in developing new Chinese herbal medicine
      formulae for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). These herbs have
      the highest appearance rate in the literature, and their compounds are listed.
      The human protein-protein interaction network and the T2DM disease protein
      interaction network were constructed. Then, the related algorithm for network
      topology was used to perform interventions on the interaction network of disease
      proteins and normal human proteins to test different Chinese herbal medicine
      compound combinations, according to the information on the interaction of
      compounds-targets in two databases, namely TarNet and the Medicinal Plants
      Database. Results of the intervention scores indicate that the method proposed in
      this study can provide new effective combinations of Chinese herbal medicines for
      T2DM. Network pharmacology can effectively promote the modernization and
      development of TCM.

PMID- 28629534
TI  - Heparin-derived oligosaccharide inhibits vascular intimal hyperplasia in balloon
      injured carotid artery.
AB  - The aims of the present study were to determine the effects of heparin-derived
      oligosaccharides (HDOs) on vascular intimal hyperplasia (IH) in balloon-injured
      carotid artery and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action. An animal
      model was established by rubbing the endothelia within the common carotid artery
      (CCA) in male rabbits. The rabbits were fed a high-cholesterol diet. Arterial IH
      was determined by histopathological changes to the CCA. Serum lipids were
      detected using an automated biochemical analysis. Expressions of mRNAs for
      vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF),
      vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1
      (MCP-1), scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), and ATP-binding cassette
      transporter A1 (ABCA-1) were analyzed using reverse transcription polymerase
      chain reaction assays. Expressions of VEGF, VCAM-1, MCP-1, SR-BI and ABCA-1
      proteins were analyzed by Western blotting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays
      were used to quantify expression levels of VEGF and bFGF. Our results showed that
      administration of HDO significantly inhibited CCA histopathology and restenosis
      induced by balloon injury. The treatment with HDOs significantly decreased the
      mRNA and protein expression levels of VEGF, bFGF, VCAM-1, MCP-1, and SR-BI in the
      arterial wall; however, ABCA-1 expression level was elevated. HDO treatment led
      to a reduction in serum lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density
      and low-density lipoproteins). Our results from the rabbit model indicated that
      HDOs could ameliorate IH and underlying mechanism might involve VEGF, bFGF, VCAM
      1, MCP-1, SR-BI, and ABCA-1.

PMID- 28629535
TI  - Enhanced absorption and inhibited metabolism of emodin by 2, 3, 5, 4'
      tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside: Possible mechanisms for Polygoni
      Multiflori Radix-induced liver injury.
AB  - Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) has been commonly used as a tonic in China for
      centuries. However, PMR-associated hepatotoxicity is becoming a safety issue. In
      our previous in vivo study, an interaction between stilbenes and anthraquinones
      has been discovered and a hypothesis is proposed that the interaction between
      stilbene glucoside-enriching fraction and emodin may contribute to the side
      effects of PMR. To further support our previous in vivo results in rats, the
      present in vitro study was designed to evaluate the effects of 2, 3, 5, 4'
      tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (TSG) on the cellular absorption
      and human liver microsome metabolism of emodin. The obtained results indicated
      that the absorption of emodin in Caco-2 cells was enhanced and the metabolism of
      emodin in human liver microsomes was inhibited after TSG treatment. The effects
      of the transport inhibitors on the cellular emodin accumulation were also
      examined. Western blot assay suggested that the depressed metabolism of emodin
      could be attributed to the down-regulation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs)
      1A8, 1A10, and 2B7. These findings definitively demonstrated the existence of
      interaction between TSG and emodin, which provide a basis for a better
      understanding of the underlying mechanism for PMR-induced liver injury.

PMID- 28629536
TI  - Two new diterpenoid lactones isolated from Andrographis paniculata.
AB  - In the present study, two new diterpenoid lactones, 3-deoxy-andrographoside (1)
      and 14-deoxy-15-methoxy-andrographolide (2), were isolated from the aerial parts
      of Andrographis paniculata. Their structures were elucidated by combination of
      NMR, MS, and chemical methods. The configurations of 1 and 2 were established
      based on the analysis of ROESY data and single crystal X-ray diffraction
      experiment.

PMID- 28629537
TI  - Triterpenoid saponins from the roots of Cyathula officinalis and their inhibitory
      effects on nitric oxide production.
AB  - The present study was designed to investigate the chemical constituents of the
      roots of Cyathula officinalis. Compounds were isolated by silica gel, Sephadex LH
      20, ODS column chromatography, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were
      determined on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques, mass spectrometry, and
      chemical methods. One new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin, 28-O-[alpha-L
      rhamnopyranosyl-(1->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1->3)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]
      hederagenin (1), was isolated from the roots of Cyathula officinalis. The anti
      inflammatory activities of the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory
      effects against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages
      cells. Compounds 2, 4, and 6 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activities.

PMID- 28629538
TI  - Bioassay-guided isolation of saikosaponins with agonistic activity on 5
      hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor from Bupleurum chinense and their potential use for
      the treatment of obesity.
AB  - 5-Hydroxytryptamine 2C (5-HT2C) receptor is one of the major targets of anti
      obesity agents, due to its role in regulation of appetite. In the present study,
      the 70% EtOH extract of the roots of Bupleurum chinense was revealed to have
      agonistic activity on 5-HT2C receptor, and the subsequent bioassay-guided
      isolation led to identification of several saikosaponins as the active
      constituents with 5-HT2C receptor agonistic activity in vitro and anti-obesity
      activity in vivo. The new compound, 22-oxosaikosaponin d (1), was determined by
      extensive spectroscopic analyses (HR-ESI-MS, IR, and 1D and 2D NMR). The primary
      structure-activity relationship study suggested that the intramolecular ether
      bond between C-13 and C-28 and the number of sugars at C-3 position were closely
      related to the 5-HT2C receptor agonistic activity. Saikosaponin a (3), the main
      saponin in B. chinense, showed obviously agonistic activity on 5-HT2C receptor
      with an EC50 value of 21.08 +/- 0.33 MUmol.L-1in vitro and could reduce food
      intake by 39.1% and 69.2%, and weight gain by 13.6% and 16.4%, respectively, at
      3.0 and 6.0 mg.kg-1in vivo. This investigation provided valuable information for
      the potential use of B. chinense as anti-obesity agent.

PMID- 28629539
TI  - UPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS-based metabolomics survey on the toxicity of triptolide and
      detoxication of licorice.
AB  - Triptolide (TP) from Tripterygium wilfordii has been demonstrated to possess anti
      inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and anticancer activities. TP is specially used
      for the treatment of awkward rheumatoid arthritis, but its clinical application
      is confined by intense side effects. It is reported that licorice can obviously
      reduce the toxicity of TP, but the detailed mechanisms involved have not been
      comprehensively investigated. The current study aimed to explore metabolomics
      characteristics of the toxic reaction induced by TP and the intervention effect
      of licorice water extraction (LWE) against such toxicity. Obtained urine samples
      from control, TP and TP + LWE treated rats were analyzed by UPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS. The
      metabolic profiles of the control and the TP group were well differentiated by
      the principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares
      discriminant analysis. The toxicity of TP was demonstrated to be evolving along
      with the exposure time of TP. Eight potential biomarkers related to TP toxicity
      were successfully identified in urine samples. Furthermore, LWE treatment could
      attenuate the change in six of the eight identified biomarkers. Functional
      pathway analysis revealed that the alterations in these metabolites were
      associated with tryptophan, pantothenic acid, and porphyrin metabolism.
      Therefore, it was concluded that LWE demonstrated interventional effects on TP
      toxicity through regulation of tryptophan, pantothenic acid, and porphyrin
      metabolism pathways, which provided novel insights into the possible mechanisms
      of TP toxicity as well as the potential therapeutic effects of LWE against such
      toxicity.

PMID- 28629540
TI  - Kinetics and Dose Dependency of Intranasal Oxytocin Effects on Amygdala
      Reactivity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current neuroimaging perspectives on a variety of mental disorders
      emphasize dysfunction of the amygdala. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT), a key
      mediator in the regulation of social cognition and behavior, accumulates in
      cerebrospinal fluid after intranasal administration in macaques and humans and
      modulates amygdala reactivity in both species. However, the translation of
      neuromodulatory OXT effects to novel treatment approaches is hampered by the
      absence of studies defining the most effective dose and dose-response latency for
      targeting the amygdala. METHODS: To address this highly relevant issue, a total
      of 116 healthy men underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging using a
      randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study design. The
      experimental rationale was to systematically vary dose-test latencies (15-40, 45
      70, and 75-100 minutes) and doses of OXT (12, 24, and 48 international units) in
      order to identify the most robust effects on amygdala reactivity. During
      functional magnetic resonance imaging, subjects completed an emotional face
      recognition task including stimuli with varying intensities ranging from low
      (highly ambiguous) to high (less ambiguous). RESULTS: Our results indicate that
      the OXT-induced inhibition of amygdala responses to fear was most effective in a
      time window between 45 and 70 minutes after administration of a dose of 24
      international units. Furthermore, the observed effect was most evident in
      subjects scoring high on measures of autistic-like traits. Behavioral response
      patterns suggest that OXT specifically reduced an emotional bias in the
      perception of ambiguous faces. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide initial
      evidence of the most effective dose and dose-test interval for future
      experimental or therapeutic regimens aimed at targeting amygdala functioning
      using intranasal OXT administration.

PMID- 28629542
TI  - Nivolumab-Induced Granulomatous Inflammation of the Pleura.

PMID- 28629543
TI  - Mutation of MET Y1230 as an Acquired Mechanism of Crizotinib Resistance in NSCLC
      with MET Exon 14 Skipping.

PMID- 28629544
TI  - Continued Response to One Dose of Nivolumab Complicated by Myasthenic Crisis and
      Myositis.

PMID- 28629541
TI  - Stress and Loss of Adult Neurogenesis Differentially Reduce Hippocampal Volume.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hippocampal volume loss is a hallmark of clinical depression. Chronic
      stress produces volume loss in the hippocampus in humans and atrophy of CA3
      pyramidal cells and suppression of adult neurogenesis in rodents. METHODS: To
      investigate the relationship between decreased adult neurogenesis and stress
      induced changes in hippocampal structure and volume, we compared the effects of
      chronic unpredictable restraint stress and inhibition of neurogenesis in a rat
      pharmacogenetic model. RESULTS: Chronic unpredictable restraint stress over 4
      weeks decreased total hippocampal volume, reflecting loss of volume in all
      hippocampal subfields and in both dorsal and ventral hippocampus. In contrast,
      complete inhibition of adult neurogenesis for 4 weeks led to volume reduction
      only in the dentate gyrus. With prolonged inhibition of neurogenesis for 8 or 16
      weeks, volume loss spread to the CA3 region, but not CA1. Combining stress and
      inhibition of adult neurogenesis did not have additive effects on the magnitude
      of volume loss but did produce a volume reduction throughout the hippocampus. One
      month of chronic unpredictable restraint stress and inhibition of adult
      neurogenesis led to atrophy of pyramidal cell apical dendrites in dorsal CA3 and
      to neuronal reorganization in ventral CA3. Stress also significantly affected
      granule cell dendrites. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that adult neurogenesis
      is required to maintain hippocampal volume but is not responsible for stress
      induced volume loss.

PMID- 28629545
TI  - EGFR and KRAS Mutations in Triple-Mutated Lung Cancer.

PMID- 28629546
TI  - Erlotinib Is Effective for Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis due to Disease Flare
      after Osimertinib Treatment Failure.

PMID- 28629547
TI  - Coexistence of the BRAF Mutation and EGFR Exon 20 Insertion in a Patient with
      Lung Adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28629548
TI  - A Case of a Patient with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis with Lung Squamous Cell
      Carcinoma Treated with Nivolumab.

PMID- 28629549
TI  - Intracranial and Systemic Response to Alectinib in a Patient with RET-KIF5B
      Oncogenic Fusion.

PMID- 28629550
TI  - A young man with several episodes of tachycardia.

PMID- 28629551
TI  - The who, how, and why of screening patients for atrial fibrillation: More
      questions than answers.

PMID- 28629552
TI  - Comparative Analysis of Four Scores to Stratify Patients With Heart Failure and
      Reduced Ejection Fraction.
AB  - There are several prognostic risk scores available for patients with heart
      failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) that can aid in the decision of
      listing candidates for heart transplant (HTx). A direct comparison between these
      scores has not been performed. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the
      calibration and discriminative power of 4 contemporary HF scores. A retrospective
      analysis of 259 patients with HFrEF who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test
      was conducted. The Heart Failure Survival Score (HFSS), Seattle Heart Failure
      Model (SHFM), Meta-analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC), and
      Metabolic Exercise Cardiac Kidney Index (MECKI) were compared. During the first
      year, 7 deaths occurred (6 cardiovascular) and 25 patients were submitted to HTx
      (8 urgent). Over a 2-year period, 14 deaths occurred (10 cardiovascular) and 34
      patients received an HTx (8 urgent). Calibration analysis showed that SHFM and
      HFSS tended to underestimate event occurrence, whereas MAGGIC and MECKI tended to
      overestimate risk, especially in the highest risk subgroups. Interestingly, MECKI
      score at 1 year was well calibrated (expected similar to observed events).
      Overall, the MECKI score consistently showed better discrimination ability for
      all studied end points (areas under the curve between 0.8 and 0.9). In
      conclusion, along with HFSS and SHFM, the MECKI score can also be used to aid
      treatment decisions, such as HTx listing with the advantage of being very well
      calibrated at 1-year intervals, which might allow us to avoid the pitfalls of
      under/overestimation of risk.

PMID- 28629553
TI  - Risk of Death Is Higher After Stent Postdilation in Patients With Acute Coronary
      Syndrome.

PMID- 28629554
TI  - Emphysema quantification and lung volumetry in chest X-ray equivalent ultralow
      dose CT - Intra-individual comparison with standard dose CT.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine whether ultralow dose chest CT with tin filtration can
      be used for emphysema quantification and lung volumetry and to assess differences
      in emphysema measurements and lung volume between standard dose and ultralow dose
      CT scans using advanced modeled iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE). METHODS: 84
      consecutive patients from a prospective, IRB-approved single-center study were
      included and underwent clinically indicated standard dose chest CT (1.7+/-0.6mSv)
      and additional single-energy ultralow dose CT (0.14+/-0.01mSv) at 100kV and fixed
      tube current at 70mAs with tin filtration in the same session. Forty of the 84
      patients (48%) had no emphysema, 44 (52%) had emphysema. One radiologist
      performed fully automated software-based pulmonary emphysema quantification and
      lung volumetry of standard and ultralow dose CT with different levels of ADMIRE.
      Friedman test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for multiple comparison of
      emphysema and lung volume. Lung volumes were compared using the concordance
      correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The median low-attenuation areas (LAA) using
      filtered back projection (FBP) in standard dose was 4.4% and decreased to 2.6%,
      2.1% and 1.8% using ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The median values of LAA in
      ultralow dose CT were 5.7%, 4.1% and 2.4% for ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5, respectively.
      There was no statistically significant difference between LAA in standard dose CT
      using FBP and ultralow dose using ADMIRE 4 (p=0.358) as well as in standard dose
      CT using ADMIRE 3 and ultralow dose using ADMIRE 5 (p=0.966). In comparison with
      standard dose FBP the concordance correlation coefficients of lung volumetry were
      1.000, 0.999, and 0.999 for ADMIRE 3, 4, and 5 in standard dose, and 0.972 for
      ADMIRE 3, 4 and 5 in ultralow dose CT. CONCLUSIONS: Ultralow dose CT at chest X
      ray equivalent dose levels allows for lung volumetry as well as detection and
      quantification of emphysema. However, longitudinal emphysema analyses should be
      performed with the same scan protocol and reconstruction algorithms for
      reproducibility.

PMID- 28629555
TI  - Evaluating the ability to detect pancreatic lesions using a special
      ultrasonography examination focusing on the pancreas.
AB  - PURPOSE: The ability to detect pancreatic cysts was compared between special
      ultrasonography (US) examination focusing on the pancreas (special pancreatic US)
      and routine upper abdominal ultrasonography to objectively assess the ability of
      the former to detect cysts. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Of 3704 patients who underwent
      special pancreatic US at our hospital, 186 underwent routine upper abdominal US
      within six months, had pancreatic cysts, and underwent magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI). In these patients, 447 cysts measuring >=5mm were detected via MRI, which
      was used as the gold standard. The ability and sensitivity of the US modalities
      to detect each cyst was determined. RESULTS: The sensitivity of special
      pancreatic US was 92.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89.7%-94.7%) and that of
      routine upper abdominal US was 70.2% (95% CI, 66.0%-74.5%). McNemar test (Stata
      Version 13.1) revealed a significant difference in the cyst (>=5mm) detection
      sensitivity between the two modalities (p<0.001). An analysis stratified by
      patients similarly revealed a significant difference between the two modalities
      (p<0.001). The cyst detection sensitivity was also analyzed in various parts of
      the pancreas. The sensitivity of special pancreatic US was 88.7% for the uncinate
      process and inferior head, 97.5% for the head, 97.1% for the body, 89.0% for the
      body-tail, and 66.7% for the tail, whereas that of routine upper abdominal US was
      74.2% for the uncinate process, 69.5% for the head, 81.0% for the body, 67.0% for
      the body-tail, and 26.7% for the tail. The McNemar test revealed significant
      differences in the sensitivity of the two modalities for all pancreatic parts
      (p<0.001-0.016). CONCLUSION: Compared with routine upper abdominal US, special
      pancreatic US had higher sensitivity in detecting pancreatic cysts.

PMID- 28629556
TI  - Drug-eluting balloons for treatment of SFA and popliteal disease - A review of
      current status.
AB  - The endovascular treatment of atherosclerotic disease of the infra-inguinal
      arteries has changed significantly over the last decades. In an attempt to
      overcome the high restenosis rates that characterize plain balloon angioplasty
      and stenting using bare mate stents drug-eluting balloon technology has been
      applied in the treatment of lesions of the superficial femoral and popliteal
      artery. This paper will give an overview of the rationale and the technology of
      drug-eluting balloons and will review currently available data from registries
      and randomized controlled trials.

PMID- 28629557
TI  - Multiparametric MRI for differentiation of borderline ovarian tumors from stage I
      malignant epithelial ovarian tumors using multivariate logistic regression
      analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of contrast-enhanced MRI, apparent diffusion
      coefficient (ADC) measurement, and CA-125 measurement for differentiating
      borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) from stage I malignant epithelial ovarian tumors
      (MEOTs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 43 patients with
      BOTs and 43 patients with stage I MEOTs who underwent contrast-enhanced MRI with
      DWI and CA-125 analysis. Two radiologists evaluated the MRI findings in
      consensus. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to detect the best
      predictor variables for MEOTs. RESULTS: Mixed cystic/solid and predominantly
      solid appearances, as well as thickened irregular septa, were more frequent in
      MEOTs. A papillary architecture and internal branching (PA&IB) pattern was more
      frequent in BOTs. MEOTs had thicker walls and septa, larger solid components, and
      higher CA-125 values. The mean ADC value of solid components (ADCmean) and
      minimum ADC value of whole lesions (ADCmin) were lower in MEOTs. Multivariate
      analysis revealed that ADCmin and maximum diameter of the solid components were
      independent indicators of MEOTs with an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of
      0.86, 81%, and 84%, respectively. CONCLUSION: ADCmin and maximum diameter of
      solid components were useful for differentiating BOTs from MEOTs.

PMID- 28629558
TI  - Is there a trend in CT scanning scaphoid nonunions for deformity assessment?-A
      systematic review.
AB  - PURPOSE: The effect of scaphoid nonunion deformity on wrist function is uncertain
      due to the lack of reliable imaging tools. Advanced three-dimensional (3-D)
      computed tomography (CT)-based imaging techniques may improve deformity
      assessment by using a mirrored image of the contralateral intact wrist as
      anatomic reference. The implementation of such techniques depends on the extent
      to which conventional CT is currently used in standard practice. The purpose of
      this systematic review of medical literature was to analyze the trend in CT
      scanning scaphoid nonunions, either unilaterally or bilaterally. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Using Medline and Embase databases, two independent reviewers searched
      for original full-length clinical articles describing series with at least five
      patients focusing on reconstructive surgery of scaphoid nonunions with bone
      grafting and/or fixation, from the years 2000-2015. We excluded reports focusing
      on only nonunions suspected for avascular necrosis and/or treated with
      vascularized bone grafting, as their workup often includes magnetic resonance
      imaging. For data analysis, we evaluated the use of CT scans and distinguished
      between uni- and bilateral, and pre- and postoperative scans. RESULTS: Seventy
      seven articles were included of which 16 were published between 2000 and 2005, 19
      between 2006 and 2010, and 42 between 2011 and 2015. For these consecutive
      intervals, the rates of articles describing the use of pre- and postoperative CT
      scans increased from 13%, to 16%, to 31%, and from 25%, to 32%, to 52%,
      respectively. Hereof, only two (3%) articles described the use of bilateral CT
      scans. CONCLUSION: There is an evident trend in performing unilateral CT scans
      before and after reconstructive surgery of a scaphoid nonunion. To improve
      assessment of scaphoid nonunion deformity using 3-D CT-based imaging techniques,
      we recommend scanning the contralateral wrist as well.

PMID- 28629559
TI  - Prospective intra-individual comparison of standard dose versus reduced-dose
      thoracic CT using hybrid and pure iterative reconstruction in a follow-up cohort
      of pulmonary nodules-Effect of detectability of pulmonary nodules with lowering
      dose based on nodule size, type and body mass index.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of lung nodule detection in
      thoracic CT using 2 reduced dose protocols comparing 3 available CT
      reconstruction algorithms (filtered back projection-FBP, adaptive statistical
      reconstruction-ASIR and model-based iterative reconstruction-MBIR) in a western
      population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective single-center study recruited 98
      patients with written consent. Standard dose (STD) thoracic CT followed by 2
      reduced-dose protocols using automatic tube current modulation (RD1) and fixed
      tube current (RD2) were performed and reconstructed with FBP, ASIR and MBIR with
      subsequent diagnostic accuracy analysis for nodule detection. RESULTS: 108 solid
      nodules, 47 subsolid nodules and 89 purely calcified nodules were analyzed. RD1
      was superior to RD2 for assessment of solid nodules <=4mm, and subsolid nodules
      <=5mm (p<0.05). Deterioration of RD2 is correlated to patient's body mass index
      and least affected by MBIR. For solid nodules <=4mm, MBIR area under curve (AUC)
      for RD1 was 0.935/0.913 and AUC for RD2 was 0.739/0.739, for rater 1/rater2
      respectively. For subsolid nodules <=5mm, MBIR AUC for RD1 was 0.971/0.986 and
      AUC for RD2 was 0.914/0.914, for rater 1/rater2 respectively. For calcified
      nodules excellent detection accuracy was maintained regardless of reconstruction
      algorithms with AUC >0.97 for both readers across all dose and reconstruction
      algorithms. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic performance of lung nodule is affected by
      nodule size, protocol, reconstruction algorithm and patient's body habitus. The
      protocol in this study showed that RD1 was superior to RD2 for assessment of
      solid nodules <=4mm, and subsolid nodules <=5mm and deterioration of RD2 is
      related to patient's body mass index.

PMID- 28629560
TI  - CT-based radiomics signature for differentiating Borrmann type IV gastric cancer
      from primary gastric lymphoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the value of CT-based radiomics signature for
      differentiating Borrmann type IV gastric cancer (GC) from primary gastric
      lymphoma (PGL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 patients with Borrmann type IV GC and
      30 patients with PGL were retrospectively recruited. 485 radiomics features were
      extracted and selected from the portal venous CT images to build a radiomics
      signature. Subjective CT findings, including gastric wall peristalsis,
      perigastric fat infiltration, lymphadenopathy below the renal hila and
      enhancement pattern, were assessed to construct a subjective findings model. The
      radiomics signature, subjective CT findings, age and gender were integrated into
      a combined model by multivariate analysis. The diagnostic performance of these
      three models was assessed with receiver operating characteristics curves (ROC)
      and were compared using DeLong test. RESULTS: The subjective findings model, the
      radiomics signature and the combined model showed a diagnostic accuracy of 81.43%
      (AUC [area under the curve], 0.806; 95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.696-0.917;
      sensitivity, 63.33%; specificity, 95.00%), 84.29% (AUC, 0.886 [95% CI: 0.809
      0.963]; sensitivity, 86.67%; specificity, 82.50%), 87.14% (AUC, 0.903 [95%CI:
      0.831-0.975]; sensitivity, 70.00%; specificity, 100%), respectively. There were
      no significant differences in AUC among these three models (P=0.051-0.422).
      CONCLUSION: Radiomics analysis has the potential to accurately differentiate
      Borrmann type IV GC from PGL.

PMID- 28629561
TI  - Multi-contrast and three-dimensional assessment of the aortic wall using 3T MRI.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To develop a 3D-multi-contrast MRI protocol allowing for high
      resolution imaging of the wall and of atheroma in the thoracic aorta. METHODS:
      Eleven healthy volunteers and eleven acute stroke patients with aortic plaques
      detected by TEE underwent MRI at 3T. The MRI-protocol consisted of a T1w-bright
      blood, a T2w- and a PDw-black-blood sequence (spatial resolution=1.15mm3). Image
      quality was assessed by two blinded investigators using a 3-point score and intra
      and inter-rater agreement was tested. In patients, atherosclerotic plaques were
      graded according to the modified American Heart Association (AHA) classification.
      RESULTS: Total examination time was 35:42+/-7:48min in volunteers and 41:07+/
      3:15min in patients. Image quality was graded with the highest score in 80-94% of
      T1w, 89-96% of T2w and 79-86% of PDw datasets. Intra- and inter-rater reliability
      regarding image quality grading was high. Five stroke patients showed AHA type
      III lesions, three had AHA type VII and two had type VIII plaques. One patient
      had a vulnerable appearing AHA VI plaque. CONCLUSIONS: 3D-multi-contrast MR
      imaging of the aorta was performed with high image quality and in reasonable
      time. It allows evaluation of atherosclerotic plaque composition throughout the
      aortic arch and can be used to identify vulnerable plaques in acute stroke
      patients.

PMID- 28629562
TI  - 3T MR-defecography-A feasibility study in sensorimotor complete spinal cord
      injured patients with neurogenic bowel dysfunction.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To investigate whether MR-defecography can be employed in
      sensorimotor complete spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects as a potential diagnostic
      tool to detect defecational disorders associated with neurogenic bowel
      dysfunction (NBD) using standard parameters for obstructed defecation. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: In a prospective single centre clinical trial, we developed MR
      defecography in traumatic sensorimotor complete paraplegic SCI patients with
      upper motoneuron type injury (neurological level of injury T1 to T10) using a
      conventional 3T scanner. Defecation was successfully induced by eliciting the
      defecational reflex after rectal filling with ultrasonic gel, application of two
      lecicarbon suppositories and digital rectal stimulation. Examination was
      performed with patients in left lateral decubitus position using T2-weighted
      turbo spin echo sequence in the sagittal plane at rest (TE 89ms, TR 3220ms, FOV
      300mm, matrix 512*512, ST 4mm) and ultrafast-T2-weighted-sequence in the sagittal
      plane with repeating measurements (TE 1.54ms, TR 3.51ms, FOV 400mm, matrix
      256*256, ST 6mm). Changes of anorectal angle (ARA), anorectal descent (ARJ) and
      pelvic floor weakness were documented and measured data was compared to reference
      values of asymptomatic non-SCI subjects in the literature to assess feasibility.
      RESULTS: MR-defecography provides evaluable imaging sequences of the induced
      evacuation phase in SCI patients. Measurement results for ARA, ARJ, hiatal width
      (H-line) and hiatal descent (M-line) deviate significantly from reference values
      in the literature in asymptomatic subjects without SCI. The overall mean values
      in our study for SCI patients were: ARA (rest) 127.3 degrees , ARA (evacuation)
      137.6 degrees , ARJ (rest) 2.4cm, ARJ (evacuation) 4.0cm, H-line (rest) 7.6cm, H
      line (evacuation) 8.1cm, M-line (rest) 2.6cm, M-line (evacuation) 4.2cm.
      CONCLUSIONS: MR-defecography is feasible in sensorimotor complete SCI patients.
      Individual MR-defecography findings may help to determine specific therapeutical
      options for respective patients suffering from severe NBD.

PMID- 28629563
TI  - Positron emission tomography/computed tomography in patients with hepatocellular
      carcinoma undergoing liver transplantation. Useful, necessary or irrelevant?
AB  - Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive tumor entity, with the only
      curative options being surgical resection or orthotopic liver transplantation
      (OLT). The presence of one single tumor nodule of less than 5 centimeters
      diameter or a maximum of 3 nodules, with the largest of these not exceeding 3
      centimeters (Milan criteria) constitute the clinical situation in which the best
      results for OLT in patients with HCC have been achieved. The survival of patients
      fulfilling the Milan criteria after transplantation is comparable to patients
      with similar tumor stages without cirrhosis, undergoing hepatic resection. The
      application of PET in oncology has become increasingly common in the last decade
      as it is a non-invasive tool that also gathers information about the degree of
      the biological aggressiveness of the tumor. The objective of this study was to
      perform a review of the literature, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of
      the PET as a prognostic tool in patients with HCC after OLT.

PMID- 28629564
TI  - Computed tomography perfusion imaging for monitoring transarterial
      chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To prospectively monitor changes in tumor perfusion of hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) in response to doxorubicin-eluted bead based transarterial
      chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) using perfusion-CT (P-CT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: 24
      patients (54-79 years) undergoing P-CT before and shortly after DEB-TACE of HCC
      were prospectively included in this dual-center study. Two readers determined
      arterial-liver-perfusion (ALP, mL/min/100mL), portal-venous-perfusion (PLP,
      mL/min/100mL) and the hepatic-perfusion-index (HPI, %) by placing matched regions
      of-interests within each HCC before and after DEB-TACE. Imaging follow-up was
      used to determine treatment response and to distinguish complete from incomplete
      responders. Performance of P-CT for prediction and early response assessment was
      determined using receiver-operating-characteristics curve analysis. RESULTS:
      Interreader agreement was fair to excellent (ICC, 0.716-0.942). PLP before DEB
      TACE was significantly higher in pre-treated vs non-treated lesions (P<0.05).
      Mean changes of ALP, PLP and HPI from before to after DEB-TACE were -55%, +24%
      and -27%. ALP and HPI after DEB-TACE were correlating with response-grades
      (r=0.45/0.48; both, p<0.04), showing an area-under-the-curve (AUC) of 0.74 and
      0.80 respectively for identification of complete response. CONCLUSION: High
      arterial and low portal-venous perfusion of HCC early after DEB-TACE indicates
      incomplete response with good diagnostic accuracy.

PMID- 28629565
TI  - A tri-exponential model for intravoxel incoherent motion analysis of the human
      kidney: In silico and during pharmacological renal perfusion modulation.
AB  - In the kidneys, there is both blood flow through the capillaries and flow of pre
      urine through the tubuli and collecting ducts. We hypothesized that diffusion
      weighted (DW) MRI measures both blood and pre-urine flow when using a tri
      exponential intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model. Our aim was to
      systematically investigate and optimize tri-exponential IVIM-analysis for the
      kidney and test its sensitivity to renal perfusion changes in humans. The tri
      exponential fit probes the diffusion coefficient (D), the intermediate (D*i) and
      fast (D*f) pseudo-diffusion coefficients, and their signal fractions, fD, fi and
      ff. First, we studied the effects of fixing the D*-coefficients of the tri
      exponential fit using in silico simulations. Then, using a 3T MRI scanner, DW
      images were acquired in healthy subjects (18-24 years) and we assessed the within
      subject coefficient of variation (wsCV, n=6). Then, renal perfusion was modulated
      by Angiotensin II infusion during which DW imaging of the kidneys and phase
      contrast MRI of the renal artery was performed (n=8). Radioisotope clearing tests
      were used to assess the glomerular filtration rate. Simulations showed that
      fixing the D*-coefficients - which could potentially increase the fit stability -
      in fact decreased the precision of the model. Changes in D*-coefficients were
      translated into the f-parameters instead. Fixing D*-coefficients resulted in a
      stronger response of the fit parameters to the intervention. Using this model,
      the wsCVs for D, fD, fi and ff were 2.4%, 0.8%, 3.5%, 19.4% respectively. fi
      decreased by 14% (p=0.059) and ff increased by 32% (p=0.004) between baseline and
      maximal Angiotensin II dose. ff inversely correlated to renal plasma flow (R=
      0.70, p<0.01) and fi correlated to glomerular filtration rate (R=0.39, p=0.026).
      We validated a kidney-specific method for IVIM analysis using a tri-exponential
      model. The model is able to track renal perfusion changes induced by Angiotensin
      II.

PMID- 28629566
TI  - PI-RADS version 2: Preoperative role in the detection of normal-sized pelvic
      lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To analyze whether Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI
      RADSv2) scores are associated with a risk of normal-sized pelvic lymph node
      metastasis (PLNM) in prostate cancer (PCa). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consecutive
      series of 221 patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging and radical
      prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) for PCa were
      retrospectively analyzed under the approval of institutional review board in our
      institution. No patients had enlarged (>=0.8cm in short-axis diameter) lymph
      nodes. Clinical parameters [prostate-specific antigen (PSA), greatest percentage
      of biopsy core, and percentage of positive cores], and PI-RADSv2 score from two
      independent readers were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression and
      receiver operating-characteristic curve for PLNM. Diagnostic performance of PI
      RADSv2 and Briganti nomogram was compared. Weighted kappa was investigated
      regarding PI-RADSv2 scoring. RESULTS: Normal-sized PLNM was found in 9.5%
      (21/221) of patients. In multivariate analysis, PI-RADSv2 (reader 1, p=0.009;
      reader 2, p=0.026) and PSA (reader 1, p=0.008; reader 2, p=0.037) were predictive
      of normal-sized PLNM. Threshold of PI-RADSv2 was a score of 5, where PI-RADSv2
      was associated with high sensitivity (reader 1, 95.2% [20/21]; reader 2, 90.5%
      [19/21]) and negative predictive value (reader 1, 99.2% [124/125]; reader 2,
      98.6% [136/138]). However, diagnostic performance of PI-RADSv2 (AUC=0.786-0.788)
      was significantly lower than that of Briganti nomogram (AUC=0.890) for normal
      sized PLNM (p<0.05). The inter-reader agreement was excellent for PI-RADSv2 of 5
      or not (weighted kappa=0.804). CONCLUSION: PI-RADSv2 scores may be associated
      with the risk of normal-sized PLNM in PCa.

PMID- 28629567
TI  - CT coronary calcium scoring with tin filtration using iterative beam-hardening
      calcium correction reconstruction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of CT coronary artery calcium
      scoring (CACS) with tin pre-filtration (Sn100kVp) using iterative beam-hardening
      correction (IBHC) calcium material reconstruction compared to the standard 120kVp
      acquisition. BACKGROUND: Third generation dual-source CT (DSCT) CACS with
      Sn100kVp acquisition allows significant dose reduction. However, the Sn100kVp
      spectrum is harder with lower contrast compared to 120kVp, resulting in lower
      calcium score values. Sn100kVp spectral correction using IBHC-based calcium
      material reconstruction may restore comparable calcium values. METHODS: Image
      data of 62 patients (56% male, age 63.9+/-9.2years) who underwent a clinically
      indicated CACS acquisition using the standard 120kVp protocol and an additional
      Sn100kVp CACS scan as part of a research study were retrospectively analyzed.
      Datasets of the Sn100kVp scans were reconstructed using a dedicated spectral IBHC
      CACS reconstruction to restore the spectral response of 120kVp spectra. Agatston
      scores were derived from 120kVp and IBHC reconstructed Sn100kVp studies.
      Pearson's correlation coefficient was assessed and Agatston score categories and
      percentile-based risk categorization were compared. RESULTS: Median Agatston
      scores derived from IBHC Sn100kVp scans and 120kVp acquisition were 31.7 and
      34.1, respectively (p=0.057). Pearson's correlation coefficient showed excellent
      correlation between the acquisitions (r=0.99, p<0.0001). Agatston score
      categories and percentile-based cardiac risk categories showed excellent
      agreement (K=1.00 and K=0.99), resulting in a low cardiac risk reclassification
      of 1.6% with the use of IBHC CACS reconstruction. Image noise was 24.9+/-3.6HU in
      IBHC Sn100kVp and 17.1+/-3.9HU in 120kVp scans (p<0.0001). The dose-length
      product was 13.2+/-3.4mGycm with IBHC Sn100kVp and 59.1+/-22.9mGycm with 120kVp
      scans (p<0.0001), resulting in a significantly lower effective radiation dose
      (0.19+/-0.07mSv vs. 0.83+/-0.33mSv, p<0.0001) for IBHC Sn100kVp scans.
      CONCLUSION: Low voltage CACS with tin filtration using a dedicated IBHC CACS
      material reconstruction algorithm shows excellent correlation and agreement with
      the standard 120kVp acquisition regarding Agatston score and cardiac risk
      categorization, while radiation dose is significantly reduced by 75% to the level
      of a chest x-ray.

PMID- 28629568
TI  - Repeatability of estimated fetal weight: Comparison between MR imaging versus 2D
      ultrasound in at- and near-term patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to evaluate the intra- and inter-observer variability
      and the impact of operator experience on the estimation of fetal weight (EFW) as
      measured by 2-dimensional ultrasound (2D-US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: We estimated fetal weight in 46 singleton pregnancies at
      35.6-41.4 weeks gestation using 2D-US according to the Hadlock formula and using
      MR imaging according to the equation developed by Baker. Each examination was
      performed twice, once by an inexperienced operator and once by an experienced
      operator. The MR-EFW was derived from the planimetric measurement of fetal body
      volume (FBV) using an assisted semi-automated method. Intra- and inter-observer
      variability was evaluated by Bland-Altman analysis. Regression analysis was used
      to investigate the effect of maternal BMI, delivery weight, diabetes and fetal
      gender on the differences in US-EFW between the inexperienced and experienced
      operators. RESULTS: US-EFW showed higher intra-observer variability than MR-EFW,
      irrespective of operator experience. The 95% limits of agreement of MR were
      narrower compared with those of the US measurements. Similarly, US-EFW showed
      higher inter-observer variability than MR-EFW. MR-EFW improvement over 2D-US for
      the limits of agreement was 77.9% for intra-observer variability and 74.5% for
      inter-observer variability. Regression analysis showed that the differences
      between US-EFW measurements were not related to any of the tested variables.
      CONCLUSIONS: Operator experience has a marginal impact on the variability of US
      EFW and no impact on MR-EFW variability. The variability in US-EFW measurements
      is unpredictable.

PMID- 28629569
TI  - In-depth analysis of interreader agreement and accuracy in categorical assessment
      of brown adipose tissue in (18)FDG-PET/CT.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the interreader agreement of a three-tier craniocaudal
      grading system for brown fat activation and investigate the accuracy of the
      distinction between the three grades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After IRB approval,
      340 cases were retrospectively selected from patients undergoing (18)FDG-PET/CT
      between 2007 and 2015 at our institution, with 85 cases in each grade and 85
      controls with no active brown fat. Three readers evaluated all cases
      independently. Furthermore standardized uptake values (SUV) measurements were
      performed by two readers in a subset of 53 cases. Agreement between the readers
      was assessed with Cohen's Kappa (k), the concordance correlation coefficient
      (CCC) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Accuracy was assessed
      with Bland-Altman and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. A
      Bonferroni-corrected two-tailed p<0.016 was considered statistically significant.
      RESULTS: Agreement for BAT grade was excellent by all three metrics with k=0.83
      0.89, CCC=0.83-0.89 and ICC=0.91-0.94. Bland-Altman analysis revealed only slight
      average over- or underestimation (-0.01-0.14) with the majority of disagreements
      within one grade. ROC analysis yielded slightly less accurate classification
      between higher vs. lower grades (Area under the ROC curves 0.78-0.84 vs. 0.88
      0.92) but no significant differences between readers. Agreement was also
      excellent for the maximum SUV and the total brown fat volume (k=0.90 and 0.94,
      CCC=0.93 and 0.99, ICC=0.96 and 0.99), but Bland-Altman plots revealed a tendency
      to underestimate activity by one of the readers. CONCLUSION: Grading the
      activation of brown fat by assessment of the most caudally activated depots
      results in excellent interreader agreement, comparable to SUV measurements.

PMID- 28629570
TI  - The association between multiple sclerosis and spondylosis: When and why.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate risk factors for the development of cervical spine
      spondylosis (CSS) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to propose a
      pathogenetic mechanism. METHODS: Forty-two consecutive patients aged 23-66 years
      with MS and 42 age and sex matched controls were evaluated retrospectively;
      Clinical disability was evaluated with the expanded disability status scale
      (EDSS) and spasticity with the Asworth score. Total brain lesion volume (BLV),
      total grey matter (GM) volume and deep GM volume were assessed. In the cervical
      spine CSS indices (disk dehydration, disk protrusion, abnormal posture and
      osteophytosis) and the spinal cord lesion load (SLL) was evaluated. The
      association of CSS indices with the presence of MS, the clinical scales and the
      brain and spinal cord imaging measurements were assessed. RESULTS: Presence of MS
      was positively associated with abnormal posture (P=0.002), disk dehydration at C6
      C7 (P=0.049) and posterior disk protrusion at C5-C6 (P=0.033) and C6-C7
      (P=0.001). All patients had spasticity. Patients with abnormal posture were
      younger (37.5+/-11.1years) than those with normal (45.4+/-8.6years), P=0.024. Age
      (P=0.008), EDSS (P=0.045) and BLV (P=0.084) were significant independent
      predictors of abnormal posture. Younger age combined with worse EDSS and
      increased BLV predicted abnormal posture. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MS present
      more frequently spondylosis which is associated with younger age, more severe
      disability and extensive lesions in the brain. Spasticity induced by the brain
      lesions and abnormal expression of extracellular matrix proteins in the brain and
      the intervertebral disk constitute a possible pathogenetic mechanism.

PMID- 28629571
TI  - Detection and characterization of Budd-Chiari syndrome with inferior vena cava
      obstruction: Comparison of fixed and flexible delayed scan time of computed
      tomography venography.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the results of computed tomography venography (CTV) with a
      fixed and a flexible delayed scan time for Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) with
      inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 209
      consecutive BCS patients with IVC obstruction underwent either a CTV with a fixed
      delayed scan time of 180s (n=87) or a flexible delayed scan time for good image
      quality according to IVC blood flow in color Doppler ultrasonography (n=122). The
      IVC blood flow velocity was measured using a color Doppler ultrasound prior to CT
      scan. Image quality was classified as either good, moderate, or poor. Image
      quality, surrounding structures and the morphology of the IVC obstruction were
      compared between the two groups using a chi2-test or paired or unpaired t-tests
      as appropriate. Inter-observer agreement was assessed using Kappa statistics.
      RESULTS: There was no significant difference in IVC blood flow velocity between
      the two groups. Overall image quality, surrounding structures and IVC obstruction
      morphology delineation on the flexible delayed scan time of CTV images were rated
      better relative to those obtained by fixed delayed scan time of CTV images
      (p<0.001). Evaluation of CTV data sets was significantly facilitated with
      flexible delayed scan time of CTV. There were no significant differences in Kappa
      statistics between Group A and Group B. CONCLUSION: The flexible delayed scan
      time of CTV was associated with better detection and more reliable
      characterization of BCS with IVC obstruction compared to a fixed delayed scan
      time.

PMID- 28629572
TI  - 3T diffusion-weighted MRI in the response assessment of colorectal liver
      metastases after chemotherapy: Correlation between ADC value and histological
      tumour regression grading.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to correlate the apparent diffusion
      coefficient (ADC) values of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DW-MRI) by 3T device
      with the histological tumour regression grading (TRG) analysis of colorectal
      liver metastases after preoperative chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our
      study included thirty-five patients with colorectal liver metastases who had
      undergone MRI by 3T device (GE DISCOVERY MR750; GE Healthcare) after preoperative
      chemotherapy. DW-MRI was performed using a single-shot spin-echo echo-planar
      sequence with multiple b-values (0, 150, 500, 1000, 1500s/mm2), thus obtaining an
      ADC map. For each liver lesion (more than 1cm in diameter) the fitted ADC values
      were calculated by two radiologists in conference and three ROIs were drawn:
      around the entire tumour (ADCe), at the tumour periphery (ADCp) and at the tumour
      center (ADCc). All ADC values were correlated with histopathological findings
      after surgery. Hepatic metastases were pathologically classified into five groups
      on the basis of TRG. Statistical analysis was performed on a per-lesion basis
      utilizing the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). This retrospective study was
      approved by our institutional review board; written informed consent was obtained
      from all patients. RESULTS: A total of 106 colorectal liver metastases were
      included for image analysis. TRG1, TRG2, TRG3, TRG4 and TRG5 were observed in 4,
      14, 36, 35 and 17 lesions, respectively. ADCe and ADCp values were significantly
      higher in lesions classified as TRG1 (2.40+/-0.12*10-9m2/s and 2.28+/-0.26*10
      9m2/s, respectively) and as TRG2 (1.40+/-0.31*10-9m2/s and 1.44+/-0.35*10-9m2/s),
      compared to TRG3 (1.16+/-0.13*10-9m2/s and 1.01+/-0.18*10-9m2/s), TRG4 (1.10+/
      0.26*10-9m2/s and 0.97+/-0.24*10-9m2/s), and TRG5 (0.93+/-0.17*10-9m2/s and
      0.82+/-0.28*10-9m2/s). ADCe, ADCp and ADCc values were significantly different in
      TRG classes (p<0.0001). Statistical correlations were found between the ADCe,
      ADCp, ADCc values and the TRG classes (Spearman correlation coefficient were 
      0.568, -0.542 and -0.554, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our study showed a
      significant correlation between ADC values of 3T DW-MRI and histological TRG of
      colorectal liver metastases after preoperative chemotherapy.

PMID- 28629573
TI  - Added value of prone CT in the assessment of honeycombing and classification of
      usual interstitial pneumonia pattern.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively investigate whether prone CT improves
      identification of honeycombing and classification of UIP patterns in terms of
      interobserver agreement and accuracy using pathological results as a reference
      standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval with waiver
      of patients' informed consent requirement was obtained. HRCTs of 86 patients with
      pathologically proven UIP, NSIP and chronic HP between January 2011 and April
      2015 were evaluated by 8 observers. Observers were asked to review supine only
      set and supine and prone combined set and determine the presence of honeycombing
      and UIP classification (UIP, possible UIP, inconsistent with UIP). The diagnosis
      was regarded as correct when UIP pattern on CT corresponded to pathological UIP.
      RESULTS: Interobserver agreement of honeycombing identification among
      radiologists was only fair on the supine and combined set (weighted kappa=0.31
      and 0.34). Additional review of prone images demonstrated a significant
      improvement in interobserver agreement (weighted kappa) of UIP classification
      from 0.25 to 0.33. Prone CT conferred a significant improvement in interobserver
      agreement of UIP classification for trainee radiologists (from 0.10 to 0.34)
      while no improvement was found for board-certified radiologists (from 0.35 to
      0.31). There were no significant differences in the accuracy of UIP pattern with
      reference to pathological results between the supine and combined set (78.8%
      (145/184) and 81.3% (179/220), P=0.612). CONCLUSION: Additional review of prone
      CT can improve overall interobserver agreement of UIP classification among
      radiologists with variable experiences, particularly for less experienced
      radiologists, while no improvement was found in honeycombing identification.

PMID- 28629574
TI  - Biventricular mechanics in prediction of severe myocardial fibrosis in patients
      with dilated cardiomyopathy: CMR study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of various
      parameters of myocardial mechanics to predict large amounts of biventricular
      fibrosis assessed via T1 mapping in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
      MATERIAL: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking analysis and T1
      mapping were performed in 26 patients with DCM [mean age: 34.4+/-9.1years, 15
      (57.6%) males]. The values of various parameters of myocardial mechanics at
      predicting advanced left-ventricle (LV) and right-ventricle (RV) fibrosis were
      compared using logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic
      curve (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: There were 7 (26.9%) patients with a large amount
      of LV fibrosis and 9 (34.6%) patients with severe RV fibrosis. ROC curve analysis
      revealed that the model of combined LV strain rates (AUC=0.902) offered superb
      ability at predicting large amounts of LV fibrosis. The models including RV
      strain rates (AUC=0.974), a combination of RV strains, strain rates and clinical
      parameters (AUC=0.993) as well as the RV radial strain rate alone model
      (AUC=0.961) yielded outstanding performance in discriminating large and small
      amounts of RV fibrosis. In multivariate analysis, the LV circumferential strain
      (LVCR) and RV radial (RVR) strain rate were the only independent predictors of
      large amounts of LV and RV fibrosis, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Indices of
      myocardial deformation, especially combined with clinical features, offered a
      superlative ability to differentiate high from low degrees of fibrosis in DCM
      patients. Among all analyzed parameters of myocardial mechanics, LVCR and RVR
      rate alone were the independent predictors of high degrees of LV and RV fibrosis,
      respectively.

PMID- 28629575
TI  - Outcome of patients with proximal vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation
      and DWI-PWI mismatch is time-dependent.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion
      are assumed to benefit from endovascular therapy (ET) independent of the symptom
      onset-to-treatment time (OTT) if they present with a mismatch of diffusion- and
      perfusion-weighted imaging (DWI-PWI mismatch). We aimed at studying the influence
      of OTT on clinical outcome in these patients. METHODS: Retrospective database
      review in a tertiary care university hospital. All patients presented with
      proximal vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation and DWI-PWI mismatch.
      Primary outcome was the influence of OTT on modified Rankin scale (mRS) score
      three months after treatment, dichotomized in favourable (0-2) and unfavourable
      outcome (3-6). Secondary outcome was the effect of OTT on the shift of the mRS
      score. Patients treated within an early time window (<340min) and a late time
      window (>=340min) were compared. RESULTS: 139 patients were included. The rate of
      favourable outcome was significantly higher in patients who were treated in an
      early compared to those treated in a late time window (31 [49%] vs. 20 patients
      [27%], p=0.005). Adjusted multivariate logistic regression revealed that late
      treatment was an independent negative predictor of favourable outcome (odds ratio
      0.39, confidence interval [0.18-0.84]; p=0.016). A shift towards higher mRS
      scores for late treatment was evident (p=0.015). In sensitivity analysis, OTT
      remained an independent predictor when evaluated as continuous variable. These
      findings were confirmed in patients with a comparable DWI-PWI mismatch according
      to the definitions from large trials (DEFUSE 2, DEFUSE 3, SWIFT-PRIME, EXTEND
      IA). CONCLUSION: Outcome of patients with comparable DWI-PWI mismatch is time
      dependent.

PMID- 28629576
TI  - Differentiation of brain tumor-related edema based on 3D T1rho imaging.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral edema associated with brain tumors is an
      important source of morbidity. Its type depends largely on the capillary ultra
      structures of the histopathologic subtype of underlying brain tumor. The purpose
      of our study was to differentiate vasogenic edema associated with brain
      metastases and infiltrative edema related to diffuse gliomas using quantitative
      3D T1 rho (T1rho) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative MR examination
      including whole brain 3D T1rho imaging was performed in 23 patients with newly
      diagnosed brain tumors (9 with metastasis, 8 with lower grade glioma, LGG, 6 with
      glioblastoma, GBM). Mean T1rho values were measured in regions of peritumoral non
      enhancing T2 signal hyperintensity, excluding both enhancing and necrotic or
      cystic component, and normal-appearing white matter. RESULTS: Mean T1rho values
      were significantly elevated in the vasogenic edema surrounding intracranial
      metastases when compared to the infiltrative edema associated with either LGG or
      GBM (p=0.02 and <0.01, respectively). No significant difference was noted between
      T1rho values of infiltrative edema between LGG and GBM (p=0.84 and 0.96,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the feasibility and potential
      diagnostic role of T1rho in the quantitative differentiation between edema
      related to intracranial metastases and gliomas and as a potentially complementary
      tool to standard MR techniques in further characterizing pathophysiology of
      vasogenic and infiltrative edema.

PMID- 28629577
TI  - Comparison of ultrasonography-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for
      subcapsular and nonsubcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the prognosis of subcapsular and nonsubcapsular
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after ultrasonography (US)-guided percutaneous
      microwave ablation (MWA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2012 to December
      2015, 463 enrollment patients (382 men, 81 women; age range, 24-95 years) with a
      single HCC underwent US-guided percutaneous MWA. The patients were divided into
      two groups according to tumor location: subcapsular (n=224) and nonsubcapsular
      (n=239). Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by contrast enhanced imaging after
      MWA. The technique effectiveness rate, the local tumor progression (LTP) rate,
      overall survival (OS) rate and complication were compared between two groups.
      RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the mean treatment sessions
      (p=0.105) and the mean number of antenna insertions (p=0.065) between two groups.
      No significant difference in the technique effectiveness rate was found between
      subcapsular and nonsubcapsular tumors (95.5% vs 98.3%, p=0.089). The respective 1
      , 2-, 3-, and 4-year cumulative LTP rates were 5.0%, 5.5%, 5.5% and 5.5% in
      subcapsular group and 6.4%, 6.4%, 6.4% and 6.4% in nonsubcapsular group,
      respectively(p=0.861). The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year OS rates were estimated to be
      95.7%, 90.1%, 82.9%, and 71.1% in subcapsular group and 98.5%, 92.8%, 83.2%, and
      73.6% in nonsubcapsular group, respectively (p=0.426). There was no significant
      difference in major complication rates between the subcapsular group (2.2%) and
      nonsubcapsular group (1.3%) (p=0.653). There was higher postoperative pain rate
      in subcapsular group (13.4%) than nonsubcapsular group (7.1%) (p=0.025).
      CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in the technique effectiveness
      rate, cumulative LTP rate, OS rate and major complication rate between
      subcapsular and nonsubcapsular group after MWA for HCC.

PMID- 28629578
TI  - Endobronchial squamous cell carcinoma presenting as localized, long, continuous
      bronchial thickening on CT.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report pulmonary squamous cell carcinomas presenting as localized,
      long, continuous, bronchial thickening on computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This study comprised five men (mean age, 66 years; range, 60-79 years)
      with pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma, including two (0.6%) selected from 310
      consecutive patients with the diagnosis. Inclusion criteria were as follows:
      histological diagnosis obtained from thickened bronchi; continuous bronchial
      thickening >5cm in longitudinal extension on CT. CT scans were retrospectively
      reviewed, focusing on bronchial abnormalities. They were correlated with
      histopathological findings in four patients who underwent lobectomy. RESULTS: On
      initial CT, bronchial thickening was continuous without skip area (n=5), measured
      56-114mm in maximum longitudinal length, involved lobar (n=3) or segmental and
      distal bronchi (n=5) of the right upper (n=4) or lower (n=1) lobe, and was
      focally bulbous (n=2). Follow-up CT before treatment, available in two, showed
      progression of bronchial thickening in its thickness and longitudinal length
      (n=2) and a new bulbous portion (n=1) and peribronchial nodules (n=1) along the
      thickened bronchi. Cancer recurred after lobectomy in two, one of which
      manifested as continuous bronchial thickening extending from the bronchial stump
      on CT. On CT-histopathological correlation, bronchial thickening was mostly due
      to tumor spreading along the bronchus. A focal or short segmental tumor outgrowth
      from the thickened bronchi corresponded to a nodule or bulbous portion along
      thickened bronchi on CT, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary squamous cell
      carcinoma may present as localized, long, continuous, bronchial thickening on CT,
      simulating benign infectious or inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28629579
TI  - Role of SOCE architects STIM and Orai proteins in Cell Death.
AB  - Calcium (Ca2+) signaling plays a critical role in regulating plethora of cellular
      functions including cell survival, proliferation and migration. The perturbations
      in cellular Ca2+ homeostasis can lead to cell death either by activating
      autophagic pathways or through induction of apoptosis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
      is the major storehouse of Ca2+ within cells and a number of physiological
      agonists mediate ER Ca2+ release by activating IP3 receptors (IP3R). This
      decrease in ER Ca2+ levels is sensed by STIM, which physically interacts and
      activates plasma membrane Ca2+ selective Orai channels. Emerging literature
      implicates a key role for STIM1, STIM2, Orai1 and Orai3 in regulating both cell
      survival and death pathways. In this review, we will retrospect the work
      highlighting the role of STIM and Orai homologs in regulating cell death
      signaling. We will further discuss the rationales that could explain the dual
      role of STIM and Orai proteins in regulating cell fate decisions.

PMID- 28629580
TI  - Folding Underlies Bidirectional Role of GPR37/Pael-R in Parkinson Disease.
AB  - Since conformational flexibility, which is required for the function of a
      protein, comes at the expense of structural stability, many proteins, including G
      protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), are under constant risk of misfolding and
      aggregation. In this regard GPR37 (also named PAEL-R and ETBR-LP-1) takes a
      prominent role, particularly in relation to Parkinson disease (PD). GPR37 is a
      substrate for parkin and accumulates abnormally in autosomal recessive juvenile
      parkinsonism, contributing to endoplasmic reticulum stress and death of
      dopaminergic neurons. GPR37 also constitutes a core structure of Lewy bodies,
      demonstrating a more general involvement in PD pathology. However, if folded and
      matured properly, GPR37 seems to be neuroprotective. Moreover, GPR37 modulates
      functionality of the dopamine transporter and the dopamine D2 receptor and
      stimulates dopamine neurotransmission. Here we review the multiple roles of GPR37
      with relevance to potential disease modification and symptomatic therapies of PD
      and highlight unsolved issues in this field.

PMID- 28629581
TI  - Impact of a TeamSTEPPS Trauma Nurse Academy at a Level 1 Trauma Center.
AB  - PROBLEM: Nurses are crucial members of the team caring for the acutely injured
      trauma patient. Until recently, nurses and physicians gained an understanding of
      leadership and supportive roles separately. With the advent of a
      multidisciplinary team approach to trauma care, formal team training and
      simulation has transpired. METHODS: Since 2007, our Level I trauma system has
      integrated TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies & Tools to Enhance Performance & Patient
      Safety; Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD) into our
      clinical care, joint training of nurses and physicians, using simulations with
      participation of all health care providers. With the increased expectations of a
      well-orchestrated team and larger number of emergency nurses, our program created
      the Trauma Nurse Academy. This academy provides a core of experienced nurses with
      an advanced level of training while decreasing the variability of personnel in
      the trauma bay. Components of the academy include multidisciplinary didactic
      education, the Essentials of TeamSTEPPS, and interactive trauma bay learning, to
      include both equipment and drug use. Once completed, academy graduates
      participate in the orientation and training of General Surgery and Emergency
      Medicine residents' trauma bay experience and injury prevention activities.
      RESULTS: Internal and published data have demonstrated growing evidence linking
      trauma teamwork training to knowledge and self-confidence in clinical judgment to
      team performance, patient outcomes, and quality of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR
      PRACTICE: Although trauma resuscitations are stressful, high risk, dynamic, and a
      prime environment for error, new methods of teamwork training and collaboration
      among trauma team members have become essential.

PMID- 28629582
TI  - A 32-Year-Old Woman with Postpartum Cardiac Arrest.

PMID- 28629583
TI  - Ex vivo retrieval and cryopreservation of oocytes from oophorectomized specimens
      for fertility preservation in a BRCA1 mutation carrier with ovarian cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of ex vivo oocyte retrieval from oophorectomized
      specimens in a BRCA1 mutation carrier undergoing surgical staging for ovarian
      cancer. DESIGN: Video case report and literature review. SETTING: University
      affiliated center. PATIENT(S): A 37-year-old single woman, gravida 0, with a
      known BRCA1 mutation, presented to her oncologist with a complex right ovarian
      mass and elevated CA-125 level. Ovarian cancer was suspected, and the patient
      consented to complete surgical staging. Although she desired to cryopreserve
      oocytes for fertility preservation, conventional oocyte retrieval was deemed
      unsafe because follicular puncture would compromise the integrity of the ovarian
      capsule, thereby increasing the risk of malignant cell spillage and cancer
      upstaging. INTERVENTION(S): Luteal-phase ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins
      and letrozole was performed. Surgical staging was initiated 34 hours after the
      administration of the ovulatory trigger. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Ex vivo
      retrieval of oocytes from bilateral oophorectomized specimens under direct
      visualization at the time of surgical staging. RESULT(S): Seven mature oocytes
      were retrieved and vitrified. Concomitant surgical staging was completed.
      CONCLUSION(S): The present case highlights the feasibility of ex vivo or
      extracorporeal retrieval of mature oocytes from oophorectomized specimens in
      patients with ovarian cancer. By avoiding follicular puncture within the pelvic
      cavity, it minimizes the risk of malignant cell spillage and cancer upstaging.

PMID- 28629585
TI  - Sensory capability of young, middle-aged and elderly Irish assessors to identify
      beef steaks of varying texture.
AB  - This study assessed the capability of various Irish assessor age cohorts to
      identify beef steaks of varying texture. Varying steak textures Moderately Tough
      (MTH), Moderately Tender (MTR) and Tender (TR) were achieved by aging beef
      longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle for 2, 7 and 21days respectively.
      Warner Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF) was measured to standardise the samples.
      Sensory evaluation was carried using 428 participants; 18-30yrs (years) (n=143),
      31-60yrs (n=80), 61-75yrs (n=99) and 76-85yrs old (n=106). Within 6 age cohort
      categories (18-70), significant positive and negative correlations were observed
      for TR and MTH tenderness categories respectively. Poor identification of
      tenderness classification was found in the 71-85 age cohort groupings.
      Consequently more research is required in this area so that guidelines could be
      presented for industrial uptake. This study supports the hypothesis that changes
      in textural perception occur with age in humans.

PMID- 28629584
TI  - Association of vitamin D intake and serum levels with fertility: results from the
      Lifestyle and Fertility Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of vitamin D intake and serum levels on
      conception of clinical pregnancy and live birth. DESIGN: Prospective cohort
      study. SETTING: Academic medical centers. PATIENT(S): Healthy, nulliparous women,
      age 18-39 years, and their male partners. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURE(S): Clinical pregnancy and live birth were compared between those who did
      or did not meet the vitamin D estimated average requirement (EAR) intake (10
      MUg/d) and with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) considered at risk for
      inadequacy or deficiency (<50 nmol/L) or sufficient (>=50 nmol/L). RESULT(S):
      Among 132 women, 37.1% did not meet the vitamin D EAR and 13.9% had serum levels
      at risk for inadequacy or deficiency. Clinical pregnancies were significantly
      higher among women who met the vitamin D EAR (67.5% vs. 49.0%) and with
      sufficient serum 25(OH)D (64.3% vs. 38.9%) compared with those who did not. Live
      births were higher among those who met the vitamin D EAR (59.0% vs. 40.0%). The
      adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of conceiving a clinical pregnancy was significantly
      higher among those who met the EAR (AOR = 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI],
      1.05-4.86) and had sufficient serum 25(OH)D (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI, 1.06-10.70). The
      associations were not significant after controlling for selected nutrients and
      dietary quality. CONCLUSION(S): Women with vitamin D intake below EAR and serum
      25(OH)D levels at risk for inadequacy or deficiency may be less likely to
      conceive and might benefit from increased vitamin D intake to achieve adequacy.
      CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00642590.

PMID- 28629587
TI  - Microparticles in Chronic Heart Failure.
AB  - Heart failure (HF) continues to have a sufficient impact on morbidity, mortality,
      and disability in developed countries. Growing evidence supports the hypothesis
      that microparticles (MPs) might contribute to the pathogenesis of the HF
      development playing a pivotal role in the regulation of the endogenous repair
      system, thrombosis, coagulation, inflammation, immunity, and metabolic memory
      phenomenon. Therefore, there is a large body of data clarifying the predictive
      value of MP numerous in circulation among subjects with HF. Although the
      determination of MP signature is better than measurement of single MP circulating
      level, there is not yet close confirmation that immune phenotype of cells
      produced MPs are important for HF prediction and development. The aim of the
      chapter is to summarize knowledge regarding the role of various MPs in diagnosis
      and prognosis of HF. The role of MPs as a delivery vehicle for drugs attenuated
      cardiac remodeling is considered.

PMID- 28629586
TI  - Re: Maria Carmen Mir, Ithaar Derweesh, Francesco Porpiglia, Homayoun Zargar,
      Alexandre Mottrie, Riccardo Autorino. Partial Nephrectomy Versus Radical
      Nephrectomy for Clinical T1b and T2 Renal Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta
      analysis of Comparative Studies. Eur Urol. 2017;71:606-17.

PMID- 28629588
TI  - Human Papillomavirus and Its Testing Assays, Cervical Cancer Screening, and
      Vaccination.
AB  - Human papillomavirus (HPV) was found to be the causative agent for cervical
      cancer in the 1980s with almost 100% of cervical cancer cases testing positive
      for HPV. Since then, many studies have been conducted to elucidate the molecular
      basis of HPV, the mechanisms of carcinogenesis of the virus, and the risk factors
      for HPV infection. Traditionally, the Papanicolaou test was the primary screening
      method for cervical cancer. Because of the discovery and evolving understanding
      of the role of HPV in cervical dysplasia, HPV testing has been recommended as a
      new method for cervical cancer screening by major professional organizations
      including the American Cancer Society, American Society for Colposcopy and
      Cervical Pathology, and the American Society for Clinical Pathology. In order to
      detect HPV infections, many sensitive and specific HPV assays have been developed
      and used clinically. Different HPV assays with various principles have shown
      their unique advantages and limitations. In response to a clear causative
      relationship between high-risk HPV and cervical cancer, HPV vaccines have been
      developed which utilize virus-like particles to create an antibody response for
      the prevention of HPV infection. The vaccines have been shown in long-term follow
      up studies to be effective for up to 8 years; however, how this may impact
      screening for vaccinated women remains uncertain. In this chapter, we will review
      the molecular basis of HPV, its pathogenesis, and the epidemiology of HPV
      infection and associated cervical cancer, discuss the methods of currently
      available HPV testing assays as well as recent guidelines for HPV screening, and
      introduce HPV vaccines as well as their impact on cervical cancer screening and
      treatments.

PMID- 28629589
TI  - Physical Exercise and DNA Injury: Good or Evil?
AB  - Regular, low-intensity physical activity is currently advocated for lowering the
      risk of developing many acute and especially chronic diseases. However, several
      lines of evidence attest that strenuous exercise may enhance inflammation and
      trigger the generation of free radical-mediated damage, thus overwhelming the
      undisputable benefits of regular, medium-intensity physical activity. Since
      reactive oxygen species are actively generated during high-intensity exercise,
      and these reactive compounds are known to impact DNA stability, we review here
      the current evidence about strenuous exercise and DNA injury. Despite the outcome
      of the various studies cannot be pooled due to considerable variation in design,
      sample population, outcome, and analytical techniques used to assess DNA damage,
      it seems reasonable to conclude that medium- to high-volume exercise triggers a
      certain amount of DNA injury, which appears to be transitory and directly
      proportional to exercise intensity. This damage, reasonably attributable to
      direct effect of free radicals on nucleic acids, is efficiently repaired in vivo
      within 24-72h. Therefore, physical exercise should not bear long-term
      consequences for athlete's health provided that an appropriate time of recovery
      between volumes of high-intensity exercise is set. Regular exertion, with a step
      by-step increase of exercise load, also seems to be the most safe approach for
      eluding DNA instability.

PMID- 28629590
TI  - Bulky DNA Adducts, Tobacco Smoking, Genetic Susceptibility, and Lung Cancer Risk.
AB  - The generation of bulky DNA adducts consists of conjugates formed between large
      reactive electrophiles and DNA-binding sites. The term "bulky DNA adducts" comes
      from early experiments that employed a 32P-DNA postlabeling approach. This
      technique has long been used to elucidate the association between adducts and
      carcinogen exposure in tobacco smoke studies and assess the predictive value of
      adducts in cancer risk. Molecular data showed increased DNA adducts in
      respiratory tracts of smokers vs nonsmokers. Experimental studies and meta
      analysis demonstrated that the relationship between adducts and carcinogens was
      linear at low doses, but reached steady state at high exposure, possibly due to
      metabolic and DNA repair pathway saturation and increased apoptosis.
      Polymorphisms of metabolic and DNA repair genes can increase the effects of
      environmental factors and confer greater likelihood of adduct formation.
      Nevertheless, the central question remains as to whether bulky adducts cause
      human cancer. If so, lowering them would reduce cancer incidence. Pooled and meta
      analysis has shown that smokers with increased adducts have increased risk of
      lung cancer. Adduct excess in smokers, especially in prospective longitudinal
      studies, supports their use as biomarkers predictive of lung cancer.

PMID- 28629591
TI  - Peptide Antibodies in Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics.
AB  - Peptide antibodies, with their high specificities and affinities, are invaluable
      reagents for peptide and protein recognition in biological specimens. Depending
      on the application and the assay, in which the peptide antibody is to used,
      several factors influence successful antibody production, including peptide
      selection and antibody screening. Peptide antibodies have been used in clinical
      laboratory diagnostics with great success for decades, primarily because they can
      be produced to multiple targets, recognizing native wildtype proteins, denatured
      proteins, and newly generated epitopes. Especially mutation-specific peptide
      antibodies have become important as diagnostic tools in the detection of various
      cancers. In addition to their use as diagnostic tools in malignant and
      premalignant conditions, peptide antibodies are applied in all other areas of
      clinical laboratory diagnostics, including endocrinology, hematology,
      neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, and
      amyloidoses.

PMID- 28629593
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28629592
TI  - Measurement and Clinical Utility of betaCTX in Serum and Plasma.
AB  - Biochemical markers of bone turnover (BTM) are released during bone remodeling
      and can be measured in blood or urine as noninvasive surrogate markers for the
      bone remodeling rate. The C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen
      (betaCTX) is released during bone resorption and is specific to bone tissue.
      Assays have been developed to measure betaCTX in blood and in urine; most current
      use of betaCTX measurement for research and in clinical practice is performed on
      a blood sample. Method-specific differences for serum and plasma betaCTX have led
      to initiatives to standardize or harmonize betaCTX commercial assays. betaCTX
      demonstrates significant biological variation due to circadian rhythm and effect
      of food which can be minimized by standardized sample collection in the fasting
      state in the morning. While betaCTX predicts fracture risk independent of bone
      mineral density, lack of data has precluded its inclusion in fracture risk
      calculators. The changes seen in betaCTX with antiresorptive therapies have been
      well characterized and this has led to its widespread use for monitoring therapy
      in osteoporosis. However, more fracture-based data on appropriate treatment goals
      for monitoring need to be developed. Evidence is lacking for the use of betaCTX
      in managing "drug holidays" of bisphosphonate treatment in osteoporosis or risk
      stratifying those at increased risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw.
      betaCTX is useful as an adjunct to imaging techniques for the diagnosis of
      Paget's disease of bone and for monitoring therapy and detecting recurrence.
      betaCTX also shows promise in the management of metastatic bone disease.

PMID- 28629594
TI  - The discovery of benzoxazine sulfonamide inhibitors of NaV1.7: Tools that bridge
      efficacy and target engagement.
AB  - The voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 has received much attention from the
      scientific community due to compelling human genetic data linking gain- and loss
      of-function mutations to pain phenotypes. Despite this genetic validation of
      NaV1.7 as a target for pain, high quality pharmacological tools facilitate
      further understanding of target biology, establishment of target coverage
      requirements and subsequent progression into the clinic. Within the sulfonamide
      class of inhibitors, reduced potency on rat NaV1.7 versus human NaV1.7 was
      observed, rendering in vivo rat pharmacology studies challenging. Herein, we
      report the discovery and optimization of novel benzoxazine sulfonamide inhibitors
      of human, rat and mouse NaV1.7 which enabled pharmacological assessment in
      traditional behavioral rodent models of pain and in turn, established a
      connection between formalin-induced pain and histamine-induced pruritus in mice.
      The latter represents a simple and efficient means of measuring target
      engagement.

PMID- 28629595
TI  - A novel intestinal-restricted FXR agonist.
AB  - In this study, a new intestinal-restricted FXR agonist named fexaramine-3 (Fex-3)
      was developed and investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Fex-3 could selectively
      activate intestinal FXR and promote the expression of BSEP and SHP while
      suppressing CYP7A1 which is involved in bile acids syntheses better than the
      reported intestinal-restricted FXR agonist fexaramine (Fex). We demonstrated that
      Fex-3 targeted on FXR in ileum and has better selectivity than Fex. And the study
      of utilizing Fex-3 to reduce obesity was undergoing.

PMID- 28629596
TI  - Attaining precision therapy in prostate cancer: A tall order.

PMID- 28629597
TI  - Special issue on Gradients in Biomaterials.

PMID- 28629598
TI  - Is there a genetic support for the Cloninger (type I/II) clinical classification
      of alcohol addiction?

PMID- 28629599
TI  - Moral learning: Psychological and philosophical perspectives.
AB  - The past 15years occasioned an extraordinary blossoming of research into the
      cognitive and affective mechanisms that support moral judgment and behavior. This
      growth in our understanding of moral mechanisms overshadowed a crucial and
      complementary question, however: How are they learned? As this special issue of
      the journal Cognition attests, a new crop of research into moral learning has now
      firmly taken root. This new literature draws on recent advances in formal methods
      developed in other domains, such as Bayesian inference, reinforcement learning
      and other machine learning techniques. Meanwhile, it also demonstrates how
      learning and deciding in a social domain-and especially in the moral domain
      sometimes involves specialized cognitive systems. We review the contributions to
      this special issue and situate them within the broader contemporary literature.
      Our review focuses on how we learn moral values and moral rules, how we learn
      about personal moral character and relationships, and the philosophical
      implications of these emerging models.

PMID- 28629600
TI  - Multiple mechanisms of neurodegeneration and progression.

PMID- 28629601
TI  - A custom-made temporomandibular joint prosthesis for fabrication by selective
      laser melting: Finite element analysis.
AB  - A novel and custom-made selective laser melting (SLM) 3D-printed alloplastic
      temporomandibular joint (TMJ) prosthesis is proposed. The titanium-6aluminium
      4vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) condyle component and ultra-high molecular weight
      polyethylene (UHMWPE) fossa component comprised the total alloplastic TMJ
      replacement prosthesis. For the condyle component, an optimized tetrahedral open
      porous scaffold with combined connection structures, i.e. an inlay rod and an
      onlay plate, between the prosthesis and remaining mandible was designed. The
      trajectory of movement of the intact condyle was assessed via kinematic analysis
      to facilitate the design of the fossa component. The behaviours of the intact
      mandible and mandible with the prosthesis were compared. The biomechanical
      behaviour was analysed by assessing the stress distribution on the prosthesis and
      strain distribution on the mandible. After muscle force was applied, the
      magnitude of the compressive strain on the condyle neck of the mandible with the
      prosthesis was lower than that on the condyle neck of the intact mandible, with
      the exception of the area about the screws; additionally, the magnitude of the
      strain at the scaffold-bone interface was relatively high.

PMID- 28629603
TI  - Demographics.

PMID- 28629602
TI  - Management of dentin hypersensitivity by practitioners in The National Dental
      Practice-Based Research Network.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is a condition commonly encountered in
      clinical dental practice. The authors conduct a study to identify the treatments
      recommended to manage DH among dentists in the United States. METHODS: The
      authors conducted a multicenter study of 1,862 patients with DH who received a
      diagnosis and were treated by 171 dentists with The National Dental Practice
      Based Research Network. RESULTS: The most common treatment recommended was
      desensitizing over-the-counter (OTC) potassium nitrate toothpaste (alone or in
      combination with other treatments) for 924 of 1,862 patients (50%). This was
      followed by an application of fluoride varnish (FV) for 516 patients (28%) and a
      prescription for fluoride toothpaste for 314 patients (17%). Restorative
      treatments were recommended to 151 patients (8%). The most common single
      treatment recommendation was desensitizing OTC potassium nitrate toothpaste,
      recommended to 335 patients (18%). The most frequent combination of 2 treatment
      modalities was FV and desensitizing OTC potassium nitrate toothpaste, recommended
      to 100 patients (5%). A total of 890 of 1,862 patients (48%) with DH received a
      recommendation for 1 treatment modality, and 644 of 1,862 patients (35%) received
      a recommendation for a combination of 2 treatment modalities, most frequently an
      application of FV along with desensitizing OTC potassium nitrate toothpaste
      (100/1,862; 5%). CONCLUSIONS: Desensitizing OTC potassium nitrate toothpaste and
      fluoride products were the most widely recommended products to manage DH in the
      practice setting. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our results suggest that most network
      clinicians preferred noninvasive treatment modalities when treating DH.

PMID- 28629605
TI  - CT findings in 11 patients with TAFRO syndrome: a variant of multicentric
      Castleman's disease.
AB  - AIM: To assess detailed computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with the
      recently described thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis, and
      organomegaly (TAFRO) syndrome, in order to contribute to imaging interpretation
      in the challenging diagnosis of this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived the need
      for informed consent. Eleven patients (six men, five women; mean age, 52.5 years)
      with confirmed TAFRO syndrome were included in this study. Chest-to-pelvis CT
      images were analysed for the presence of anasarca, organomegaly, bone lesions,
      and lung lesions. RESULTS: Anasarca was present in all patients and involved
      multiple cavities and tissues; pleural effusion and ascites were found in 100% of
      patients; pericardial effusion in 64%; periportal collar in 91%; gallbladder wall
      oedema in 78%; subcutaneous oedema in 91%; retroperitoneal oedema in 100%; and
      mesenteric oedema in 100%. Organomegaly involved multiple organs: hepatomegaly in
      73%, splenomegaly in 82%, lymphadenopathy in 100%, and enlarged anterior
      mediastinum in 64% (solitary, well-circumscribed mass, 0%; infiltrative mass, 0%;
      non-mass-forming infiltrative lesion, 64%). Bone lesions were present in 91%
      patients and all bone lesions had ground-glass density with diffuse distribution.
      None of the patients had any lesions in their lungs. CONCLUSION: The present
      study revealed that the findings of anasarca, organomegaly, and diffuse bony
      ground-glass appearance were observed in detail on CT in patients with TAFRO
      syndrome. A "matted" appearance of the enlarged anterior mediastinum is the
      characteristic CT finding of TAFRO syndrome, and it is possible to diagnose TAFRO
      syndrome from the combination of several CT findings.

PMID- 28629604
TI  - Novel FKRP mutations in a Japanese MDC1C sibship clinically diagnosed with
      Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD), caused by fukutin
      mutations, is the most common form of Japanese CMD. We followed a Japanese CMD
      sibship without fukutin mutation, and herein identified new FKRP mutations
      causing MDC1C rarely reported in Oriental countries. PATIENTS: Two affected
      siblings, individuals 1 (I-1, male) and 2 (I-2, female), were born uneventfully
      to unaffected, non-consanguineous parents. Severe hypotonia was soon apparent and
      serum CK levels were elevated: I-1: 1025 IU/L (normal range <130 IU/L) and I-2:
      5350 IU/L. I-1 had neither shown head control, nor said any words until he died
      of pneumonia at the age of 23months. I-2 learned to sit at 4years and 10months
      and spoke sentences at 6years and 5months. She had received respiratory support
      since 9years of age and died at 22years. Both showed a low-density area in the
      cerebral white matter on CT. MRI of I-2 revealed diffuse hyperintensity in the
      cerebral white matter on T2-WI, polymicrogyria over the frontal and parietal
      lobes, and disorganized folia and cysts in the cerebellum. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      Next generation and Sanger sequencing were performed for I-2. Heterozygous FKRP
      mutations were identified in exon 4: c.1167_1168delGC, p.Gly391Leufs*72 and
      c.501_502GT>CC, p.Arg167Ser, p.Cys168Arg. DISCUSSION: Recently, fukutin and FKRP
      were identified as sequentially acting ribitol 5-phosphate transferases involved
      in the post-translational modification of alpha-dystroglycan. This may explain
      the clinical similarities between the two disorders.

PMID- 28629606
TI  - Evidence for a higher resolution of HLA genotyping by a new NGS-based approach.
AB  - With more than 16,000 alleles identified, the human leucocyte antigen (HLA)
      system is one of the most polymorphic regions of the human genome. Regarding the
      crucial role of HLA compatibility in transplantation and especially in
      Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, identification of HLA polymorphisms at a
      high-resolution level is of major interest. Recently, NGS technology has been
      proposed which appears to be simpler and more informative than the classical
      molecular methods such as SSP, SSOr and SBT. In the present report, a new set of
      NGS reagents and the appropriate associated software for sequence analysis are
      described. Through different studies, the performances of the system are
      illustrated and demonstrate that the method herein described overcomes current
      limitations in performing high-resolution HLA typing in clinical laboratories.

PMID- 28629607
TI  - Post-operative management of perforated appendicitis: Can clinical pathways
      improve outcomes?
AB  - BACKGROUND: We sought to decrease organ space infection (OSI) following
      appendectomy for perforated acute appendicitis (PAA) by minimizing variation in
      clinical management. OBJECTIVE: A postoperative treatment pathway was developed
      and four recommendations were implemented: 1) clear documentation of post
      operative diagnosis, 2) patients with unknown perforation status to be treated as
      perforated pending definitive diagnosis, 3) antibiotic therapy to be continued
      post operatively for 4-7 days after SIRS resolution, and 4) judicious use of
      abdominal computed tomography (CT) scanning prior to post-operative day 5.
      Patient demographics and potential clinical predictors of OSI were captured. The
      primary end point was development of OSI within 30 days of discharge. Secondary
      endpoints included length of stay (LOS), readmission rate, other complications
      and secondary procedures performed. RESULTS: A total of 1246 appendectomies were
      performed and we excluded patients <18 years (n = 205), interval appendectomies
      (n = 51) or appendectomies for other diagnosis (n = 37). Among the remaining 953
      patients, 133 (14.0%) were perforated and 21 of these (15.8%) developed OSI.
      Comparing pre (n = 91) to post (n = 42) protocol patients, we saw similar rates
      of OSI (16.5 vs 14.3%, p = 0.75) with a peak in OSI development immediately prior
      to protocol implementation which dropped to baseline levels 1 year later based on
      CUSUM analysis. Readmission rates fell by 49.7% (14.3 vs 7.1%, p = 0.39) without
      increase in LOS (5.3 vs 5.7 days, p = 0.55) comparing patients pre and post
      protocol, although these results did not reach clinical significance.
      CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of and compliance with a post-operative protocol
      status post appendectomy for PAA demonstrated a trend towards diminishing
      readmission rates and decreased utilization of CT imaging, but did not affect OSI
      rates. Additional approaches to diminishing OSI following management of
      perforated appendicitis need to be evaluated.

PMID- 28629609
TI  - Outcomes after laparoscopic or robotic colectomy and open colectomy when compared
      by operative duration for the procedure.
AB  - Laparoscopic colectomy is associated with important early postoperative
      advantages. These procedures can however increase total operative duration. Our
      hypothesis is that increased operative duration is associated with post-operative
      complications that may outweigh the benefits of a minimally invasive approach. We
      analyzed data from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC)R. This is a
      statewide database of patients who have undergone colon or rectal resections.
      Colorectal procedures were divided into four groups by surgical approach: open,
      laparoscopic, robotic and laparoscopic and robotic procedures converted to open.
      The sample was divided into three groups by operative duration: less than 2 h,
      between 2 and 4 h and greater than 4 h and compared by selected preoperative
      variables and outcomes. Small but significant differences in perioperative
      outcomes were noted in colectomies with a >4 h operative duration. However,
      laparoscopic procedures exceeding 4 h were not associated with significant
      differences perioperative outcomes.

PMID- 28629608
TI  - Laparotomy and intraoperative enteroscopy for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding
      before and after the era of video capsule endoscopy and deep enteroscopy: A
      tertiary center experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate roles of intraoperative endoscopy (IOE) in management of
      severe obscure GI bleeding (OGIB) before vs. after introduction of video capsule
      endoscopy (VCE) and deep enteroscopy (DE). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed
      prospectively collected data of patients undergoing IOE for severe OGIB in a
      tertiary referral center. RESULTS: 52 patients had laparotomy/IOE for OGIB, 11
      pre and 41 post VCE/DE eras. In the pre VCE/DE era, 36.4% (4/11) had preoperative
      presumptive diagnoses while in the post VCE/DE era presumptive diagnoses were
      made in 48.8% (20/41) (p = 0.18). Preoperative evaluation led to correct
      diagnoses in 18.2% (2/11) in the pre and 51.2% (21/41) in the post VCE/DE era (p
      = 0.09). Vascular lesions and ulcers were the most common diagnoses, but
      rebleeding was common. No rebleeding was found among patients with tumors,
      Meckel's diverticulum, and aortoenteric fistula. CONCLUSIONS: Presumptive
      diagnoses in the post VCE/DE era were usually accurate. If VCE or DE are
      negative, the probability of negative IOE is high. Patients with tumors and
      Meckel's diverticulum were the best candidates for IOE.

PMID- 28629611
TI  - Sentinel lymph node mapping in minimally invasive surgery: Role of imaging with
      color-segmented fluorescence (CSF).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Sentinel lymph node mapping, alone or in combination with pelvic
      lymphadenectomy, is considered a standard approach in staging of patients with
      cervical or endometrial cancer [1-3]. The goal of this video is to demonstrate
      the use of indocyanine green (ICG) and color-segmented fluorescence when
      performing lymphatic mapping in patients with gynecologic malignancies. METHODS:
      Injection of ICG is performed in two cervical sites using 1mL (0.5mL superficial
      and deep, respectively) at the 3 and 9 o'clock position. Sentinel lymph nodes are
      identified intraoperatively using the Pinpoint near-infrared imaging system
      (Novadaq, Ontario, CA). Color-segmented fluorescence is used to image different
      levels of ICG uptake demonstrating higher levels of perfusion. A color key on the
      side of the monitor shows the colors that coordinate with different levels of ICG
      uptake. Color-segmented fluorescence may help surgeons identify true sentinel
      nodes from fatty tissue that, although absorbing fluorescent dye, does not
      contain true nodal tissue. It is not intended to differentiate the primary
      sentinel node from secondary sentinel nodes. The key ranges from low levels of
      ICG uptake (gray) to the highest rate of ICG uptake (red). RESULTS: Bilateral
      sentinel lymph nodes are identified along the external iliac vessels using both
      standard and color-segmented fluorescence. No evidence of disease was noted after
      ultra-staging was performed in each of the sentinel nodes. CONCLUSION: Use of ICG
      in sentinel lymph node mapping allows for high bilateral detection rates. Color
      segmented fluorescence may increase accuracy of sentinel lymph node
      identification over standard fluorescent imaging. The following are the
      supplementary data related to this article.

PMID- 28629610
TI  - A Model for Assessing the Clinical and Economic Benefits of Bone-forming Agents
      for Reducing Fractures in Postmenopausal Women at High, Near-term Risk of
      Osteoporotic Fracture.
AB  - PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to assess and compare the potential clinical
      and economic value of emerging bone-forming agents using the only currently
      available agent, teriparatide, as a reference case in patients at high, near-term
      (imminent, 1- to 2-year) risk of osteoporotic fractures, extending to a lifetime
      horizon with sequenced antiresorptive agents for maintenance treatment. METHODS:
      Analyses were performed by using a Markov cohort model accounting for time
      specific fracture protection effects of bone-forming agents followed by
      antiresorptive treatment with denosumab. The alternative bone-forming agent
      profiles were defined by using assumptions regarding the onset and total
      magnitude of protection against fractures with teriparatide. The model cohort
      comprised 70-year-old female patients with T scores below -2.5 and a previous
      vertebral fracture. Outcomes included clinical fractures, direct costs, and
      quality-adjusted life years. The simulated treatment strategies were compared by
      calculating their incremental "value" (net monetary benefit). FINDINGS:
      Improvements in the onset and magnitude of fracture protection (vs the
      teriparatide reference case) produced a net monetary benefit of $17,000,000 per
      10,000 treated patients during the (1.5-year) bone-forming agent treatment period
      and $80,000,000 over a lifetime horizon that included 3.5 years of maintenance
      treatment with denosumab. IMPLICATIONS: Incorporating time-specific fracture
      effects in the Markov cohort model allowed for estimation of a range of cost
      savings, quality-adjusted life years gained, and clinical fractures avoided at
      different levels of fracture protection onset and magnitude. Results provide a
      first estimate of the potential "value" new bone-forming agents (romosozumab and
      abaloparatide) may confer relative to teriparatide.

PMID- 28629612
TI  - Structural Basis for Ribosome Rescue in Bacteria.
AB  - Ribosomes that translate mRNAs lacking stop codons become stalled at the 3' end
      of the mRNA. Recycling of these stalled ribosomes is essential for cell
      viability. In bacteria three ribosome rescue systems have been identified so far,
      with the most ubiquitous and best characterized being the trans-translation
      system mediated by transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) and small protein B (SmpB). The
      two additional rescue systems present in some bacteria employ alternative rescue
      factor (Arf) A and release factor (RF) 2 or ArfB. Recent structures have revealed
      how ArfA mediates ribosome rescue by recruiting the canonical termination factor
      RF2 to ribosomes stalled on truncated mRNAs. This now provides us with the
      opportunity to compare and contrast the available structures of all three
      bacterial ribosome rescue systems.

PMID- 28629613
TI  - Out of the institution, into the classroom: Legal challenges to the use of
      restraint and seclusion in school settings in the United States.
AB  - The issue of restraint and seclusion of children with mental and developmental
      disabilities in schools has gained greater attention in the United States in
      recent years as more children with disabilities are attending mainstream schools.
      This article looks at how cases brought on behalf of children who have been
      subjected to such treatment fit or fail to fit within a well-developed
      jurisprudence that provides constitutional protections for the rights of people
      with mental disabilities to be free from discrimination and from cruel and
      unusual punishment. It examines this jurisprudence in light of Article 16's
      emphasis on the provision of age- and gender-appropriate services to protect
      people with disabilities from exploitation, violence, and abuse.1.

PMID- 28629614
TI  - Molecular detection methods of resistance to antituberculosis drugs in
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Molecular methods predict drug resistance several weeks before
      phenotypic methods and enable rapid implementation of appropriate therapeutic
      treatment. We aimed to detail the most representative molecular tools used in
      routine practice for the rapid detection of resistance to antituberculosis drugs
      among Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The molecular
      diagnosis of resistance to antituberculosis drugs in clinical samples or from in
      vitro cultures is based on the detection of the most common mutations in the
      genes involved in the development of resistance in M. tuberculosis strains
      (encoding either protein targets of antibiotics, or antibiotic activating
      enzymes) by commercial molecular kits or by sequencing. RESULTS: Three hypotheses
      could explain the discrepancies between the genotypic results and the phenotypic
      drug susceptibility testing results: a low percentage of resistant mutants
      precluding the detection by genotypic methods on the primary culture; a low level
      of resistance not detected by phenotypic testing; and other resistance mechanisms
      not yet characterized. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Molecular methods have varying
      sensitivity with regards to detecting antituberculosis drug resistance; that is
      why phenotypic susceptibility testing methods are mandatory for detecting
      antituberculosis drug-resistant isolates that have not been detected by molecular
      methods. The questionable ability of existing phenotypic and genotypic drug
      susceptibility testing to properly classify strains as susceptible or resistant,
      and at what level of resistance, was raised for several antituberculosis agents.

PMID- 28629615
TI  - A simple method to compare firing pin marks using stereomicroscope and Microsoft
      office (Windows 8) tools.
AB  - Pertinent marks of fired cartridge cases such as firing pin, breech face,
      extractor, ejector, etc. are used for firearm identification. A non-standard
      semiautomatic pistol and four .22rim fire cartridges (head stamp KF) is used for
      known source comparison study. Two test fired cartridge cases are examined under
      stereomicroscope. The characteristic marks are captured by digital camera and
      comparative analysis of striation marks is done by using different tools
      available in the Microsoft word (Windows 8) of a computer system. The
      similarities of striation marks thus obtained are highly convincing to identify
      the firearm. In this paper, an effort has been made to study and compare the
      striation marks of two fired cartridge cases using stereomicroscope, digital
      camera and computer system. Comparison microscope is not used in this study. The
      method described in this study is simple, cost effective, transport to field
      study and can be equipped in a crime scene vehicle to facilitate immediate on
      spot examination. The findings may be highly helpful to the forensic community,
      law enforcement agencies and students.

PMID- 28629616
TI  - Cytotoxic steroidal saponins from Panicum turgidum Forssk.
AB  - Three new bidesmosidic cholestane-type steroidal glycosides, 16-O-beta-d
      glucopyranosyl-cholest-5-en-3beta,16beta-diol-22-one-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl
      (1->2)-O-[(beta-d-glucopyranosyl(1->4)]-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (1), 16-O-beta-d
      glucopyranosylcholest-5-en-3beta,16beta-diol-22-one-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl
      (1->2)-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (2), and 16-O-beta-d-glucopyranosylcholestan
      3beta,16beta-diol-6,22-dione-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-O-beta-d
      glucopyranoside (3) were isolated from a methanolic extract of Panicum turgidum.
      In addition four known compounds, pennogenin 3beta-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1
      >2)-O-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->4)-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->4)]-O-beta-d
      glucopyranoside (4), yamogenin 3beta-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-O-[alpha-l
      rhamnopyranosyl-(1->4)]-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (5), yamogenin 3beta-O-alpha-l
      rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-O-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->4)-O-alpha-l
      rhamnopyranosyl-(1->4)]-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (6), and pennogenin 3beta-O
      alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->2)-O-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1->4)]-O-beta-d
      glucopyranoside (7) were also isolated and characterized. Their structures were
      established using extensive spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR and
      HRESIMS. The isolated compounds were screened for cytotoxicity towards a panel of
      mammalian cell lines and 4-7 were found to be cytotoxic.

PMID- 28629617
TI  - Corrigendum to "Integrative therapy decreases the risk of lupus nephritis in
      patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A population-based retrospective
      cohort study" [J. Ethnopharmacol. 196 (2017) 201-212].

PMID- 28629618
TI  - Conditioning and Robustness of RNA Boltzmann Sampling under Thermodynamic
      Parameter Perturbations.
AB  - Understanding how RNA secondary structure prediction methods depend on the
      underlying nearest-neighbor thermodynamic model remains a fundamental challenge
      in the field. Minimum free energy (MFE) predictions are known to be "ill
      conditioned" in that small changes to the thermodynamic model can result in
      significantly different optimal structures. Hence, the best practice is now to
      sample from the Boltzmann distribution, which generates a set of suboptimal
      structures. Although the structural signal of this Boltzmann sample is known to
      be robust to stochastic noise, the conditioning and robustness under
      thermodynamic perturbations have yet to be addressed. We present here a
      mathematically rigorous model for conditioning inspired by numerical analysis,
      and also a biologically inspired definition for robustness under thermodynamic
      perturbation. We demonstrate the strong correlation between conditioning and
      robustness and use its tight relationship to define quantitative thresholds for
      well versus ill conditioning. These resulting thresholds demonstrate that the
      majority of the sequences are at least sample robust, which verifies the
      assumption of sampling's improved conditioning over the MFE prediction.
      Furthermore, because we find no correlation between conditioning and MFE
      accuracy, the presence of both well- and ill-conditioned sequences indicates the
      continued need for both thermodynamic model refinements and alternate RNA
      structure prediction methods beyond the physics-based ones.

PMID- 28629619
TI  - Slow Interconversion in a Heterogeneous Unfolded-State Ensemble of Outer-Membrane
      Phospholipase A.
AB  - Structural and dynamic investigations of unfolded proteins are important for
      understanding protein-folding mechanisms as well as the interactions of unfolded
      polypeptide chains with other cell components. In the case of outer-membrane
      proteins (OMPs), unfolded-state properties are of particular physiological
      relevance, because these proteins remain unfolded for extended periods of time
      during their biogenesis and rely on interactions with binding partners to support
      proper folding. Using a combination of ensemble and single-molecule spectroscopy,
      we have scrutinized the unfolded state of outer-membrane phospholipase A (OmpLA)
      to provide a detailed view of its structural dynamics on timescales from
      nanoseconds to milliseconds. We find that even under strongly denaturing
      conditions and in the absence of residual secondary structure, OmpLA populates an
      ensemble of slowly (>100 ms) interconverting and conformationally heterogeneous
      unfolded states that lack the fast chain-reconfiguration motions expected for an
      unstructured, fully unfolded chain. The drastically slowed sampling of
      potentially folding-competent states, as compared with a random-coil polypeptide,
      may contribute to the slow in vitro folding kinetics observed for many OMPs. In
      vivo, however, slow intramolecular long-range dynamics might be advantageous for
      entropically favored binding of unfolded OMPs to chaperones and, by facilitating
      conformational selection after release from chaperones, for preserving binding
      competent conformations before insertion into the outer membrane.

PMID- 28629620
TI  - Effects of Inhibiting VPS4 Support a General Role for ESCRTs in Extracellular
      Vesicle Biogenesis.
AB  - Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are proposed to play important roles in
      intercellular communication. Two classes of EVs can be distinguished based on
      their intracellular origin. Exosomes are generated within endosomes and released
      when these fuse with the plasma membrane, whereas ectosomes bud directly from the
      plasma membrane. Studies of EV function have been hindered by limited
      understanding of their biogenesis. Components of the endosomal sorting complex
      required for transport (ESCRT) machinery play essential roles in topologically
      equivalent processes at both the endosome and the plasma membrane and are
      consistently recovered in EVs, but whether they are generally required to produce
      EVs is still debated. Here, we study the effects of inhibiting the ESCRT
      associated AAA+ ATPase VPS4 on EV release from cultured cells using two methods
      for EV recovery, differential centrifugation and polyethylene glycol
      precipitation followed by lectin affinity chromatography. We find that inhibiting
      VPS4 in HEK293 cells decreases release of EV-associated proteins and miRNA as
      well as the overall number of EV particles. The tetraspanins CD63 and CD9 are
      among the most frequently monitored EV proteins, but they differ in their
      subcellular localization, with CD63 primarily in endosomes and CD9 on the plasma
      membrane. We find that CD63 and CD9 are enriched in separable populations of EVs
      that are both sensitive to VPS4 inhibition. Serum stimulation increases release
      of both types of EVs and is also reduced by inhibiting VPS4. Taken together, our
      data indicate that VPS4 activity is important for generating exosomes and
      ectosomes, thereby generally implicating the ESCRT machinery in EV biogenesis.

PMID- 28629621
TI  - Differential effect of obesity on prevalence of cardiac and carotid target organ
      damage in hypertension (the Campania Salute Network).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whether increasing body mass index (BMI) is independently associated
      with parallel increased prevalence of hypertensive vascular and cardiac target
      organ damage (TOD) needs further clarification. METHODS: We analyzed 8815
      hypertensive patients without prevalent cardiovascular disease, participating in
      the Campania Salute Network, grouped into BMI classes (normal 20-24.9kg/m2,
      overweight 25-29.9kg/m2 and obese >=30kg/m2). Vascular and cardiac TOD was
      defined as ultrasound plaque (intima-media thickness>1.5mm) in >1 of the common
      or internal carotid arteries and echocardiographic left ventricular (LV)
      hypertrophy (LVH) (LV mass/height2.7>47g/m2.7 in women and >50g/m2.7 in men),
      respectively. RESULTS: A majority of patients were either overweight (49%) or
      obese (27%). In spite of more use of combination therapy, the obese group had
      higher blood pressure (BP) and prevalence of TOD. In multivariate logistic
      analyses, obesity was associated with a 6.9 times higher prevalence of LVH (95%
      confidence interval [CI] 5.84-8.17, p=0.0001), independent of significant
      associations with female sex, age, diabetes mellitus, office systolic BP,
      antihypertensive and antiplatelet treatment. In contrast, only a 17% increased
      prevalence of carotid plaques (OR=1.17; 95% CI 1.02-1.33, p=0.02) was found in
      obese patients independent of significant effect of male sex, older age and
      higher clinic systolic BP, an association that disappeared once effect of
      metabolic risk factors and related therapy was also considered. CONCLUSIONS: In
      hypertensive patients participating in the Campania Salute Project, concomitant
      obesity was associated with a modestly increased prevalence of carotid plaques
      and a pronounced increase in prevalent LVH.

PMID- 28629622
TI  - Optical coherence tomography compared with fractional flow reserve guided
      approach in acute coronary syndromes: A propensity matched analysis.
AB  - AIM: To compare in patients with ACS (acute coronary syndromes) a PCI
      (percutaneous coronary intervention) approach based on FFR (fractional flow
      reserve) vs. one based on OCT (optical coherence tomography). METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Consecutive patients admitted for ACS and treated with a PCI approach
      based on OCT or on FFR (recruited in two different studies) were compared and
      matched with propensity score analysis. Target Lesion revascularization (TLR) was
      the primary end point, while major adverse cardiovascular events [MACEs defined
      as the composite of death from cardiac causes, non-fatal MI, clinically driven
      target vessel revascularization (TVR), or re-hospitalization due to unstable
      angina] were the secondary ones. Sub-group analysis was performed for patients
      with FFR/OCT performed on culprit lesions and not. 285 patients were enrolled in
      the OCT-guided group and 335 in the FFR-guided group, 197 for each being selected
      after propensity score. After 25months (range: 7-39months), OCT-guided group were
      exposed to lower incidence of TLR (4.1% vs. 14.2% p<0.01) compared with FFR
      guided group without impact on MACEs (14.2% vs. 14.2%, p=1) or all-cause death
      (3.6% vs. 1.1%, p=0.34). At Kaplan-Maier curve analysis for MACEs OCT-guided and
      FFR-guided groups showed similar outcomes (HR 1.19, CI 0.65-2.2, p=0.54).
      Subgroup analysis on culprit and not culprit vessel demonstrated consistent
      results. CONCLUSIONS: An OCT based approach in ACS patients offers a reduction in
      TLR when compared to a PCI-FFR driven. These findings should be confirmed in
      randomized controlled trial.

PMID- 28629623
TI  - Exploring energy loss by vector flow mapping in children with ventricular septal
      defect: Pathophysiologic significance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vector flow mapping is a novel echocardiographic flow visualization
      method, and it has enabled us to quantitatively evaluate the energy loss in the
      left ventricle (intraventricular energy loss). Although intraventricular energy
      loss is assumed to be a part of left ventricular workload itself, it is unclear
      what this parameter actually represents. The aim of the present study was to
      elucidate the characteristics of intraventricular energy loss. METHODS: We
      enrolled 26 consecutive children with ventricular septal defect (VSD). On
      echocardiography vector flow mapping, intraventricular energy loss was measured
      in the apical 3-chamber view. We measured peak energy loss and averaged energy
      loss in the diastolic and systolic phases, and subsequently compared these
      parameters with catheterization parameters and serum brain natrium peptide (BNP)
      level. RESULTS: Diastolic, peak, and systolic energy loss were strongly and
      positively correlated with right ventricular systolic pressure (r=0.76, 0.68, and
      0.56, p<0.0001, = 0.0001, and 0.0029, respectively) and right ventricular end
      diastolic pressure (r=0.55, 0.49, and 0.49, p=0.0038, 0.0120, and 0.0111,
      respectively). In addition, diastolic, peak, and systolic energy loss were
      significantly correlated with BNP (r=0.75, 0.69 and 0.49, p<0.0001, < 0.0001,
      and=0.0116, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In children with VSD, elevated right
      ventricular pressure is one of the factors that increase energy loss in the left
      ventricle. The results of the present study encourage further studies in other
      study populations to elucidate the characteristics of intraventricular energy
      loss for its possible clinical application.

PMID- 28629624
TI  - The protective role of oestradiol against silent myocardial ischemia and
      hypertension risk in South African men: The SABPA study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oestradiol has a protective effect on coronary artery health in women
      but the effect it has on men, is controversial. A translational approach was
      followed to assess whether sex hormone levels are associated with silent
      myocardial ischemia (SMI) and hypertension risk over a 3year period. METHODS:
      Participants included 89 Black and 91 White men (aged 21-63years) participating
      in both phases of the Sympathetic activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in
      Africans prospective study. Fasting blood samples, ambulatory blood pressure and
      2-lead ECG recordings were obtained. RESULTS: No difference in the levels of the
      various baseline serum T fractions between the two ethnic groups occurred.
      Oestradiol of the Black men increased by 54.2% compared to a decrease of 24.1% in
      the White men. Changes in total oestradiol (adjusted R2=0.33, beta=-0.31,
      p=0.023) and free oestradiol (adjusted R2=0.34, beta=-0.33, p=0.019) were
      inversely associated with changes in SMI in the Black men but not in White men.
      Baseline serum nitric oxide metabolites were inversely associated with DeltaSMI
      in the Blacks only (adjusted R2=0.33, beta=-0.28, p=0.047). Chronic SMI was
      associated with 24h hypertension in Blacks [cut point 1.5 events: Area under the
      curve 0.71 (95% CI: 0.60, 0.82); p=0.006; with sensitivity/specificity 44%/94%].
      CONCLUSIONS: Chronic SMI events facilitated future ischemic heart disease in
      Black men. Up-regulated free oestradiol seems to be involved in the protection of
      the heart against SMI and hypertension risk in Black but not in White men. A
      similar protective role for testosterone could however not be shown.

PMID- 28629625
TI  - WITHDRAWN: What exactly, regression of atherosclerosis or foreign body reaction
      with hyaline arteriosclerosis, drives transient scaffolding of coronary arteries?
      A pooled analysis of observational ABSORB studies with a serial multimodality
      imaging substudy of ABSORB cohort B1 trial.

PMID- 28629626
TI  - Left atrial accessory appendages, diverticula, and left-sided septal pouch in
      multi-slice computed tomography. Association with atrial fibrillation and
      cerebrovascular accidents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to provide a morphometric description of the
      left-sided septal pouch (LSSP), left atrial accessory appendages, and diverticula
      using cardiac multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) and to compare results
      between patient subgroups. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety four patients (42.9%
      females) with a mean of 69.4+/-13.1years of age were investigated using MSCT. The
      presence of the LSSP, left atrial accessory appendages, and diverticula was
      evaluated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to check whether
      the presence of additional left atrial structures is associated with increased
      risk of atrial fibrillation and cerebrovascular accidents. RESULTS: At least one
      additional left atrial structure was present in 51.7% of patients. A single LSSP,
      left atrial diverticulum, and accessory appendage were present in 35.7%, 16.0%,
      and 4.1% of patients, respectively. After adjusting for other risk factors via
      multiple logistic regression, patients with LSSP are more likely to have atrial
      fibrillation (OR=2.00, 95% CI=1.14-3.48, p=0.01). The presence of a LSSP was
      found to be associated with an increased risk of transient ischemic attack using
      multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment for other risk factors
      (OR=3.88, 95% CI=1.10-13.69, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion LSSPs, accessory
      appendages, and diverticula are highly prevalent anatomic structures within the
      left atrium, which could be easily identified by MSCT. The presence of LSSP is
      associated with increased risk for atrial fibrillation and transient ischemic
      attack.

PMID- 28629627
TI  - Direct oral anticoagulants in patients with cervical artery dissection and
      cerebral venous thrombosis. A case series and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To date, very little is known about the effects of direct oral
      anticoagulants (DOA) use in patients with cervical artery dissection (CAD) and
      cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). We present our initial experience with the use
      of DOA for CAD and CVT and an overview of the published literature. METHODS: From
      our database, we identified 4 patients who received DOA after CAD and 4 patients
      after CVT. Also, we analyzed the data reported for 45 patients who received DOA
      after CAD and 23 after CVT from review of the literature. RESULTS: Among patients
      with CAD, resolved or improved arterial stenosis was noted in 27 (55%), and
      symptomatic recurrent ischemic stroke in 2 (4%). Among patients with CVT,
      complete or partial recanalization was noted in 25 (90%), and no significant
      functional disability in 26 (93%). No patient developed intracranial hemorrhage.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although no statistical conclusions can be drawn from these data,
      DOA could be an alternative in patients with CAD-related embolic infarct and CVT
      related hemorrhagic venous infarct. A large-scale clinical trial will be needed
      to validate these results.

PMID- 28629628
TI  - Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and its impact on systolic ventricular
      function and exercise capacity in adults with a subaortic right ventricle.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In biventricular hearts the filling and contractility of one
      ventricle affects the performance of the other. In this study, we compared right
      ventricular systolic function and exercise capacity in patients with a subaortic
      right ventricle (RV) in relation to the presence of a left ventricular outflow
      tract obstruction (LVOTO). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of adults with
      congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) or with a
      previous atrial switch procedure for complete TGA (D-TGA). A LVOTO was defined by
      a peak instantaneous systolic gradient>20mmHg. Right and left ventricular
      ejection fraction (EF) were measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR),
      and exercise capacity as the predicted peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) on a
      cycle ergometer. RESULTS: We identified 79 clinically stable adults (age 33+/
      10years, 70% male). Nine patients (11%) had cc-TGA and 70 patients had (89%) D
      TGA. Thirteen patients (16%) had a LVOTO with a mean peak instantaneous systolic
      gradient of 43+/-22mmHg. Patients with a LVOTO had higher left (68+/-7% vs. 60+/
      9%, p=0.01) and right ventricular EF (52+/-8 vs. 46+/-9%, p=0.05) by CMR compared
      to patients without LVOTO. In a multivariate regression analysis with left
      ventricular EF and LVOTO as predictors, only left ventricular EF was
      independently associated with right ventricular EF (correlation coefficient 0.41,
      p<0.01). The presence of a LVOTO was not associated with improved exercise
      capacity. CONCLUSIONS: In adults with a subaortic RV, a pressure loaded
      subpulmonary left ventricle has a beneficial effect on systemic right ventricular
      EF.

PMID- 28629629
TI  - Association between Lithium Use and Melanoma Risk and Mortality: A Population
      Based Study.
AB  - Laboratory studies show that lithium, an activator of the Wnt/beta-catenin
      signaling pathway, slows melanoma progression, but to our knowledge no published
      epidemiologic studies have explored this association. We conducted a
      retrospective cohort study of adult white Kaiser Permanente Northern California
      members (n = 2,213,848) from 1997-2012 to examine the association between lithium
      use and melanoma risk. Lithium exposure (n = 11,317) was assessed from pharmacy
      databases, serum lithium levels were obtained from electronic laboratory
      databases, and incident cutaneous melanomas (n = 14,056) were identified from an
      established cancer registry. In addition to examining melanoma incidence,
      melanoma hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for lithium exposure were
      estimated using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential
      confounders. Melanoma incidence per 100,000 person-years among lithium-exposed
      individuals was 67.4, compared with 92.5 in unexposed individuals (P = 0.027).
      Lithium-exposed individuals had a 32% lower risk of melanoma (hazard ratio =
      0.68, 95% confidence interval = 0.51-0.90) in unadjusted analysis, but the
      estimate was attenuated and nonsignificant in adjusted analysis (adjusted hazard
      ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval = 0.58-1.02). No lithium-exposed
      individuals presented with thick (>4 mm) or advanced-stage melanoma at diagnosis.
      Among melanoma patients, lithium-exposed individuals were less likely to suffer
      melanoma-associated mortality (rate = 4.68/1,000 person-years) compared with the
      unexposed (rate = 7.21/1,000 person-years). Our findings suggest that lithium may
      reduce melanoma risk and associated mortality.

PMID- 28629630
TI  - Design, synthesis and tumor cell growth inhibitory activity of 3-nitro-2H
      cheromene derivatives as histone deacetylaes inhibitors.
AB  - As a continuous research for the discovery of coumarin-based targeted anticancer
      agents, we designed and synthesized a series of novel histone deacetylases (HDAC)
      inhibitors using the 8-ethoxy-3-nitro-2H-chromene as the surface binding or cap
      group, linear dicarboxylic acid or omega-amino acid moiety with different length
      as the linking motif, ortho-aminoanilides, amides or alpha-aminoamides as the
      zinc binding group and the internal cavity motifs. Most of these 3-nitro-2H
      chromene derivatives exhibited good growth inhibitory activity against K562,
      A549, MCF-7, PC3 and Hela cells and were more potent than the reference drug SAHA
      and MS-275. At the concentration of 10uM, the ortho-aminoanilide series and the d
      Phe derived alpha-aminoamide derivatives 16a and 16b displayed more potent
      activity toward HADC1 over HADC2, and only moderate to weak activity over HADC6.
      In contrast, the amide ZBG analogues, 12a and 12b, 14 and 15, were only moderate
      HDAC6 inhibitors, but more selective over HDAC1 and HDAC2. The ortho
      aminoanilides 9b, 9c, 10b, 10c, 11b, and the alpha-aminoamides 16a and 16b were
      potent HADC1 inhibitors with the IC50 values in the nanomolar ranges. The ortho
      aminoanilides 10b and10c with a phenyl internal cavity motif were more potent
      than MS-275 as HADC1 inhibitors and more selective over HADC2.

PMID- 28629631
TI  - Probenecid-treatment reduces demyelination induced by cuprizone feeding.
AB  - Recent experiments showed that a pannexin-1 inhibitor, probenecid, reduced
      clinical symptoms in the murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis when
      applied during the initial phase of neuronal inflammation. An inflammatory
      component is also present in a toxically induced inflammation and demyelination
      using cuprizone diet. Probenecid is a pannexin-1 antagonist and a probenecid
      therapy was investigated. Mice were fed for 10days with a cuprizone diet. In the
      following, the diet was continued but combined with a daily injection of a low
      dose of probenecid or solvent for 10days. Electron microscopy revealed
      demyelination in the optic nerve. The demyelination as measured by the axonal
      diameter was significantly reduced in the animals treated with 100mg per kg body
      weight probenecid. In comparison to controls, the number of leukocytes and
      lymphocytes in the peripheral blood was reduced in all cuprizone groups including
      the treatment group. In conclusion, early demyelination in the optic nerve was
      moderately reduced by 10days treatment with a low dose probenecid. This is a hint
      for the involvement of pannexin-1 modulated inflammation in cuprizone feeding
      induced toxic demyelination. Thus, probenecid is a candidate for the treatment of
      neuro-inflammation and multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 28629632
TI  - Rationale for immunological approaches to breast cancer therapy.
AB  - Despite great advances in early detection, as well as surgical resection of
      breast tumours, breast cancer remains the deadliest cancer for women worldwide.
      Moreover, its incidence is without pair, accounting for twice as many new cancer
      cases as the second most prevalent cancer, colorectal carcinoma. There is
      therefore a strong need for new therapeutic approaches to breast cancers.
      Immunotherapies are novel treatment modalities which aim to use immune mediators
      to attack cancerous cells. Recent clinical results show that these may not only
      mediate tumour regressions but also cures in some cases. In this review, we
      discuss the relevance of the immune system in the development of new carcinomas,
      as well as its importance in mediating cancer regression. We also dissect the
      known different approaches to harness the immune system to attack breast tumours.
      Namely, therapies using the passive transfer of either tumour-specific antibodies
      or cytotoxic cells have been researched and in some cases are already standard of
      care. Additionally, therapeutic vaccines and immune checkpoint blockade have
      recently demonstrated great therapeutic efficacy and have generated great
      excitement for the development of new treatments. Immunotherapies have the
      potential to generate tumour specific responses, as well as long-lasting
      remissions, which is why studying those approaches is crucial for the future of
      cancer medicine.

PMID- 28629633
TI  - Atypical pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration: Clinical description
      of two brothers and a review of the literature.
AB  - Two clinical forms of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN)
      have been described: typical PKAN and atypical PKAN. Atypical PKAN has later
      onset and a slower course of disease. This report describes two siblings with the
      atypical form of PKAN, combining dystonia, irritability and a dysmorphia
      syndrome. In addition, a review of the literature was carried out for all
      published cases of atypical PKAN to gather descriptions of its various clinical
      presentations, age of onset and MRI findings, and to highlight the different
      treatments used for PKAN patients.

PMID- 28629634
TI  - 123I-FP-CIT SPECT imaging in blepharospasm.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Blepharospasm is a focal dystonia characterized by involuntary
      cocontraction of the eyelid protractors, causing spasmodic closure of the
      eyelids. Apraxia of eyelid opening is caused by an inability to initiate lid
      opening without paralytic abnormality. Some studies suggest that patients with
      either pure blepharospasm or blepharospasm associated with apraxia of eyelid
      opening are more prone to developing Parkinson's disease. METHODS: In our study,
      123I-FP-CIT (DAT) SPECT was performed in 24 patients with either pure
      blepharospasm or blepharospasm associated with apraxia of eyelid opening and no
      signs of parkinsonism to identify dopaminergic dysfunction. RESULTS: DAT-SPECT
      was abnormal in 11 (46%) cases (five patients with isolated blepharospasm and six
      patients with blepharospasm associated with apraxia of eyelid opening) whose mean
      disease duration was 11 years. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed presynaptic
      dopaminergic dysfunction, as determined by 123I-FP-CIT or DAT-SPECT, in nearly
      half of our blepharospasm patients (with or without apraxia of eyelid opening).
      Thus, the presence of blepharospasm might be an early sign of a parkinsonian
      syndrome.

PMID- 28629635
TI  - Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the cranial vault.

PMID- 28629636
TI  - Nasal high flow oxygen therapy in the ward setting: A prospective observational
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whilst research demonstrates the benefits of nasal high flow oxygen
      in the intensive care setting, limited literature exists on its benefits in ward
      patients. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the use of nasal high flow oxygen in
      adult ward patients with respiratory failure or at risk of respiratory
      deterioration. Primary outcome was an improvement in pulmonary function as
      indicated by decreases in respiratory and heart rates and an increase in arterial
      oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Using a prospective
      observational research design, purposeful sampling recruited 67 adult ward
      patients receiving nasal high flow oxygen between May and July 2015 (inclusive).
      All recruited patients were included in the data analysis. RESULTS: The median
      age was 71.0 years (q25, q75=58.0, 78.0) and most patients were medical specialty
      patients (n=46, 68.7%). After commencing nasal high flow oxygen, respiratory rate
      (t=2.79, p=<0.01) and heart rate (t=2.23, p=0.03) decreased and arterial oxygen
      saturation via pulse oximetry increased (t=4.08, p=<0.001). CONCLUSION: Nasal
      high flow oxygen appears effective in a selective group of ward patients with
      respiratory failure, or at risk of respiratory deterioration, and may reduce
      demand on critical care beds; this warrants further research.

PMID- 28629638
TI  - Editorial overview: Cardiovascular and renal: Putting the brake on heart-breaks:
      emerging targets and treatment strategies for cardiovascular and renal disorders.

PMID- 28629637
TI  - Direct medical cost associated with colorectal cancer in north of Jordan.
AB  - Colorectal cancer (CRC) is mainly characterized as the malignant and impaired
      growth of rectal cells in the intestinal region. Direct medical cost is related
      to resources, which are directly used in treating the patient, that mainly
      includes the cost of drugs, diagnostic, treatment, follow-up, rehabilitation, and
      hospital admission. The objective of this study is to estimate and analyze direct
      medical costs attributable to CRC in Jordan. A retrospective analysis of a cohort
      patients treated for CRC data has been performed to determine direct medical
      costs attributable to CRC in Jordan. The prevalence-based approach has been used
      in addition to the "bottom up" approach to accumulate 1-year time costs of CRC.
      Demographic, clinical, and economic data have been collected and analyzed using
      SPSS for windows. Costs were estimated by a bottom-up approach, in which each
      service component was identified and valued at the most detailed level, to
      provide greater transparency and reliability in economic evaluation of health
      care services. This study quantified the economic burden associated with CRC by
      Jordanian patients in King Abdullah University Hospital from the perspective of
      health care providers (public sector). Total CRC cost in the year 2014 was
      estimated to JD 695,608, and the most expensive stage for all sites was stage 4
      reaching a cost of JD 5147. Advanced disease stages were associated with an
      increase in total cost and chemotherapy costs. In conclusion, results of this
      study propose that direct medical costs associated with CRC are considerable.
      Most of the cost was devoted for medications, primarily chemotherapy. Advanced
      stages were associated with higher cost and largest number of patients.

PMID- 28629639
TI  - ATP-synthesis capacity of pulsed light-exposed bacteria.
AB  - The ability of four different bacteria to synthesize new ATP upon exposure to
      different doses of pulsed-light (PL) irradiation was investigated. The bacterial
      cells were PL treated on a gel surface, resuspended in phosphate buffered saline
      (PBS) and subsequently incubated in Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) at 37 degrees C.
      Cellular ATP levels were monitored during a 2h incubation period and compared to
      the respective colony count data. Although PL affected ATP production in a dose
      dependent manner, the results showed that bacteria, which had rendered
      unculturable after PL exposure, are still capable of generating significant
      quantities of ATP. Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua proved to be more
      resistant to PL than Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus, which was
      supported by the colony count data and the ATP synthesis capacity. These findings
      underline that bacteria undetectable by culture-based methods may still show
      cellular activity and synthesize new ATP.

PMID- 28629640
TI  - Is physical activity a modifier of the association between air pollution and
      arterial stiffness in older adults: The SAPALDIA cohort study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Air pollution and insufficient physical activity
      have been associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, molecular mechanisms
      linked to arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease. There are no studies on
      how physical activity modifies the association between air pollution and arterial
      stiffness. We examined whether the adverse cardiovascular effects of air
      pollution were modified by individual physical activity levels in 2823 adults
      aged 50-81 years from the well-characterized Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution
      and Lung and Heart Diseases (SAPALDIA). METHODS: We assessed arterial stiffness
      as the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV [m/s]) with an oscillometric
      device. We administered a self-reported physical activity questionnaire to
      classify each subject's physical activity level. Air pollution exposure was
      estimated by the annual average individual home outdoor PM10 and PM2.5
      (particulate matter <10MUm and <2.5MUm in diameter, respectively) and NO2
      (nitrogen dioxide) exposure estimated for the year preceding the survey. Exposure
      estimates for ultrafine particles calculated as particle number concentration
      (PNC) and lung deposited surface area (LDSA) were available for a subsample
      (N=1353). We used mixed effects logistic regression models to regress increased
      arterial stiffness (baPWV>=14.4m/s) on air pollution exposure and physical
      activity while adjusting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: We found evidence
      that the association of air pollution exposure with baPWV was different between
      inactive and active participants. The probability of having increased baPWV was
      significantly higher with higher PM10, PM2.5, NO2, PNC and LDSA exposure in
      inactive, but not in physically active participants. We found some evidence of an
      interaction between physical activity and ambient air pollution exposure for
      PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 (pinteraction=0.06, 0.09, and 0.04, respectively), but not
      PNC and LDSA (pinteraction=0.32 and 0.35). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides some
      indication that physical activity may protect against the adverse vascular
      effects of air pollution in low pollution settings. Additional research in large
      prospective cohorts is needed to assess whether the observed effect modification
      translates to high pollution settings in mega-cities of middle and low-income
      countries.

PMID- 28629641
TI  - Multiple Ways of BES1/BZR1 Degradation to Decode Distinct Developmental and
      Environmental Cues in Plants.

PMID- 28629642
TI  - Splenic vein reconstruction is unnecessary in pancreatoduodenectomy combined with
      resection of the superior mesenteric vein-portal vein confluence according to
      short-term outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Superior mesenteric vein-portal vein confluence resection combined
      with pancreatoduodenectomy (SMPVrPD) is occasionally required for resection of
      pancreatic head tumors. It remains unclear whether such situations require
      splenic vein (SV) reconstruction for decompression of left-sided portal
      hypertension (LSPH). METHODS: The data from 93 of 104 patients who underwent
      pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic head malignancies were reviewed.
      Surgical outcomes in three groups-standard PD (control group), PD combined with
      vascular resection and SV preservation (SVp group), and SMPVrPD with SV resection
      (SVr group)-were compared. The influence of division and preservation of the two
      natural confluences (left gastric vein-portal vein and/or inferior mesenteric
      vein-SV confluences) on portal hemodynamics were evaluated using three
      dimensional computed tomographic portography. RESULTS: No mortality occurred. The
      morbidity rates were not significantly different among the three groups (18/43,
      8/21, and 7/29, respectively; p = 0.306). In the SVr group, three patients had
      gastric remnant venous congestion, and three had esophageal varices without
      hemorrhagic potential. No patients had splenomegaly, or severe or prolonged
      thrombocytopenia. These LSPH-associated findings were less frequently observed
      when the two confluences were preserved. CONCLUSIONS: SMPVrPD without SV
      reconstruction can be safely conducted. Additionally, preservation of these two
      confluences may reduce the risk of LSPH.

PMID- 28629643
TI  - Reduced electrode arrays for acute electroencephalography: Can less be more?

PMID- 28629644
TI  - Need for updating safety recommendations on repetitive transcranial magnetic
      stimulation in stroke patients.

PMID- 28629645
TI  - Atypical activation of action-semantic network in adolescents with autism
      spectrum disorder.
AB  - In typical adults, fMRI studies have shown activation of primary and pre-motor
      regions during action word processing. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a
      neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication
      impairments. ASD studies have shown atypical semantic processing and motor
      deficits. The objective of this study was to examine semantic processing of verbs
      in ASD. 15 ASD adolescents and 19 typically developing adolescents, 11-16years,
      completed a semantic similarity judgment task during fMRI. There were no
      differences in task accuracy or reaction time. At the group level, both groups
      had activation in left language areas; controls, but not ASD, also had activation
      in the left pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA). In ASD, less left frontal
      activation and reduced left lateralization of activation within these regions was
      associated with shorter reaction times and better language skills. More left
      temporal activation was associated with better language abilities in ASD.
      Differences in pre-SMA activation may relate to motor planning deficits or
      differences in approach to the semantic task in ASD. Results suggest that left
      frontal language areas may be less efficient in ASD and those who can compensate
      by recruiting more right hemisphere homologues may result in better language
      abilities.

PMID- 28629646
TI  - Memory and time: Backward and forward telescoping in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Backward and forward telescoping are opposite timing biases. The former refers to
      misattributing events to earlier dates, whereas the latter refers to
      misattributing events to later dates. The present study investigated both biases
      in participants with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and healthy older adults, matched
      on age, sex, and education level. Participants were asked to recall the years
      when five remote and five recent public events had occurred. They were also
      assessed with a cognitive and clinical battery that included a context memory
      task on which they had to associate letters and locations. Results showed
      backward telescoping for recent events and forward telescoping for remote events
      in AD participants and older adults. Furthermore, poorer context recall was
      observed in AD participants and older adults displaying backward telescoping than
      in those displaying forward telescoping. These findings suggest an association
      between the amount of contextual information recalled and the direction of the
      timing bias. Backward telescoping can be associated with deficiencies in
      retrieving context characteristics of events, which have been associated with
      retrograde amnesia and pathological changes to the hippocampus in AD.

PMID- 28629647
TI  - The cultures of mathematical economics in the postwar Soviet Union: More than a
      method, less than a discipline.

PMID- 28629648
TI  - Ten reasons to embrace scientism.
AB  - A strong version of scientism, such as that of Alex Rosenberg, says, roughly,
      that natural science reliably delivers rational belief or knowledge, whereas
      common sense sources of belief, such as moral intuition, memory, and
      introspection, do not. In this paper I discuss ten reasons that adherents of
      scientism have or might put forward in defence of scientism. The aim is to show
      which considerations could plausibly count in favour of scientism and what this
      implies for the way scientism ought to be formulated. I argue that only three out
      of these ten reasons potentially hold water and that the evidential weight is,
      therefore, on their shoulders. These three reasons for embracing scientism are,
      respectively, particular empirical arguments to the effect that there are good
      debunking explanations for certain common sense beliefs, that there are
      incoherences and biases in the doxastic outputs of certain common sense sources
      of belief, and that beliefs that issue from certain common sense doxastic sources
      are illusory. From what I argue, it follows that only a version of scientism that
      is significantly weaker than many versions of scientism that we find in the
      literature is potentially tenable. I conclude the paper by stating what such a
      significantly weaker version of scientism could amount to.

PMID- 28629649
TI  - Scientists' attitudes on science and values: Case studies and survey methods in
      philosophy of science.
AB  - This article examines the relevance of survey data of scientists' attitudes about
      science and values to case studies in philosophy of science. We describe two
      methodological challenges confronting such case studies: 1) small samples, and 2)
      potential for bias in selection, emphasis, and interpretation. Examples are given
      to illustrate that these challenges can arise for case studies in the science and
      values literature. We propose that these challenges can be mitigated through an
      approach in which case studies and survey methods are viewed as complementary,
      and use data from the Toolbox Dialogue Initiative to illustrate this claim.

PMID- 28629650
TI  - The directionality of distinctively mathematical explanations.
AB  - In "What Makes a Scientific Explanation Distinctively Mathematical?" (2013b),
      Lange uses several compelling examples to argue that certain explanations for
      natural phenomena appeal primarily to mathematical, rather than natural, facts.
      In such explanations, the core explanatory facts are modally stronger than facts
      about causation, regularity, and other natural relations. We show that Lange's
      account of distinctively mathematical explanation is flawed in that it fails to
      account for the implicit directionality in each of his examples. This inadequacy
      is remediable in each case by appeal to ontic facts that account for why the
      explanation is acceptable in one direction and unacceptable in the other
      direction. The mathematics involved in these examples cannot play this crucial
      normative role. While Lange's examples fail to demonstrate the existence of
      distinctively mathematical explanations, they help to emphasize that many
      superficially natural scientific explanations rely for their explanatory force on
      relations of stronger-than-natural necessity. These are not opposing kinds of
      scientific explanations; they are different aspects of scientific explanation.

PMID- 28629651
TI  - Science denial as a form of pseudoscience.
AB  - Science denialism poses a serious threat to human health and the long-term
      sustainability of human civilization. Although it has recently been rather
      extensively discussed, this discussion has rarely been connected to the extensive
      literature on pseudoscience and the science-pseudoscience demarcation. This
      contribution argues that science denialism should be seen as one of the two major
      forms of pseudoscience, alongside of pseudotheory promotion. A detailed
      comparison is made between three prominent forms of science denialism, namely
      relativity theory denialism, evolution denialism, and climate science denialism.
      Several characteristics are identified that distinguish science denialism from
      other forms of pseudoscience, in particular its persistent fabrication of fake
      controversies, the extraordinary male dominance among its activists, and its
      strong connection with various forms of right-wing politics. It is argued that
      the scientific response to science denialism has to be conceived with these
      characteristics in mind. In particular, it is important to expose the fabricated
      fake controversies for what they are and to reveal how science denialists
      consistently use deviant criteria of assent to distort the scientific process.

PMID- 28629652
TI  - The history of science as the progress of the human spirit: The historiography of
      astronomy in the eighteenth century.
AB  - In the eighteenth century, the historiography of astronomy was part of a wider
      discussion concerning the history of the human spirit. The concept of the human
      spirit was very popular among Enlightenment authors because it gave the history
      of human knowledge continuity, unity and meaning. Using this concept, scientists
      and historians of science such as Montucla, Lalande, Bailly and Laplace could
      present the history of astronomy in terms of a progress towards contemporary
      science that was slow and could be interrupted at times, but was still constant,
      regular, and necessary. In my paper I intend to explain how the originally
      philosophical concept of the human spirit was transferred to the history of
      astronomy. I also introduce the basic principles to which the development of the
      spirit is subject in astronomy, according to historians of astronomy. The third
      part of the paper describes how historians of astronomy took into account the
      effect of social and natural factors on the history of astronomy.

PMID- 28629654
TI  - Activity determination of 60Co and the importance of its beta spectrum.
AB  - The activity concentration of a 60Co solution was measured by means of two
      4pibeta-gamma coincidence counting systems using a liquid scintillation counter
      and a proportional counter (PC) in the beta channel, respectively. Additional
      liquid scintillation measurements were carried out and CIEMAT/NIST efficiency
      tracing as well as the triple-to-double coincidence ratio (TDCR) methods were
      applied to analyse the data. The last two methods require computed beta spectra
      to determine the counting efficiencies. The results of both 4pibeta-gamma
      coincidence counting techniques are in very good agreement and yield a robust
      reference value. The initial activity concentration determined with liquid
      scintillation counting was found to be significantly lower than the results from
      4pibeta-gamma coincidence counting. In addition, the results from TDCR and
      CIEMAT/NIST show some inconsistency. The discrepancies were resolved by applying
      new beta spectrum calculations for the dominant allowed beta transition of 60Co.
      The use of calculations which take screening effects as well as the atomic
      exchange effect into account leads to good agreement between all four methods;
      the combination of these techniques delivers an important validation of beta
      spectra.

PMID- 28629653
TI  - Do hepatic-sided tumors require more extensive resection than peritoneal-sided
      tumors in patients with T2 gallbladder cancer? Results of a retrospective
      multicenter study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tumor location is a prognostic factor for survival in patients with
      T2 gallbladder cancer. However, the optimal extent of resection according to
      tumor location remains unclear. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 192 patients
      with T2 gallbladder cancer who underwent R0 or R1 resection at 6 institutions.
      Perioperative and oncologic outcomes were compared according to the extent of
      resection between hepatic-sided (n = 93) and peritoneal-sided (n = 99) tumors.
      RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 30 months, the 5-year overall survival
      (84.9% vs 71.8%, P = .048) and recurrence-free survival (74.6% vs 62.2%, P =
      .060) were greater in peritoneal-sided T2 patients than in hepatic-sided T2
      patients. Among hepatic-sided T2 patients, the 5-year overall survival was
      greater in patients who underwent radical cholecystectomy including lymph node
      dissection with liver resection than in patients who underwent lymph node
      dissection without liver resection (80.3% vs 30.0%, P = .032), and the extent of
      liver resection was not associated with overall survival (P = .526). Lymph node
      dissection without liver resection was an independent prognostic factor for
      overall survival in hepatic-sided T2 gallbladder cancer (hazard ratio 5.009, 95%
      confidence interval 1.512-16.596, P = .008). In peritoneal-sided T2 patients, the
      5-year overall survival was not significantly different between the lymph node
      dissection with liver resection and the lymph node dissection without liver
      resection subgroups (70.5% vs 54.8%, P = .111) and the extent of lymph node
      dissection was not associated with overall survival (P = .395). CONCLUSION: In
      peritoneal-sided T2 gallbladder cancer, radical cholecystectomy including lymph
      node dissection without liver resection is a reasonable operative option. Radical
      cholecystectomy including lymph node dissection with liver resection is suitable
      for hepatic-sided T2 gallbladder cancer.

PMID- 28629655
TI  - Protocols for sperm cryopreservation in the domestic cat: A review.
AB  - The main objectives of sperm cryopreservation in domestic cats are to preserve
      these gametes for future use, especially in valuable domestic cat breeds and to
      use knowledge-gained for developing sperm preservation techniques in wild felids
      that are threatened with extinction. To achieve acceptable quality of post-thaw
      sperm and results after insemination, sperm samples must be properly handled,
      cryopreserved and thawed by using appropriate protocols. In this paper,
      cryopreservation protocols of domestic cat sperm that have been reported
      previously are described. The subtopics include sources of sperm, freezing
      extenders, methods of sperm dilution, freezing storage vessels, methods of sperm
      cryopreservation, thawing temperature, and thawing extenders. In addition,
      comparisons of sperm quality results for different treatments within the same
      studies and between different studies are also presented.

PMID- 28629656
TI  - Clinical practice points for diabetes management during RAMADAN fast.
AB  - Diabetes management during Ramadan is very crucial from the patient perspective
      as it can present significant risk of hypoglycemia and death when proper care is
      not taken. Moreover, managing diabetes in fasting Ramadan patients require
      different mechanisms than the routine diabetes management and pose significant
      challenge to the health care practitioners. Here we set forth to review the
      available literature of various clinical trials and studies on different
      antidiabetic agents in the context of Ramadan. On the basis of available
      evidence, we suggest that gliclazide is effective and it could be safely
      recommended in type 2 diabetic patients fasting during Ramadan.

PMID- 28629657
TI  - Single-unit implant-supported restoration adjacent to multiple lithium disilicate
      restorations, an approach to an esthetic challenge: A clinical report.
AB  - This clinical report describes a method for predictably shade matching a highly
      opaque yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) implant
      restoration adjacent to relatively translucent lithium disilicate veneers in the
      maxillary anterior region. To achieve a satisfactory outcome, the milled Y-TZP
      abutment was layered with low-fusing feldspathic porcelain to match the stump
      shade of the adjacent prepared teeth; this layer subsequently facilitated
      adhesive bonding of a veneer to the abutment before insertion.

PMID- 28629658
TI  - Fracture of the femur in a patient with polyostotic Paget's disease.

PMID- 28629659
TI  - Focal myositis associated to radiculopathy.

PMID- 28629660
TI  - Characterization and risk factors for aortic dilatation in pediatric patients
      with bicuspid aortic valve.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Dilatation of the ascending aorta associated with
      bicuspid aortic valve is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in adults. The
      main objective was to recognize the aortic involvement in children, its
      characteristics and risk factors. METHODS: Aortic measures of all pediatric
      patients with bicuspid aortic valve followed in a tertiary pediatric hospital
      between 1997 and 2015 were retrospectively taken. Patients with syndromes
      associated with aortic dilatation were excluded (n=17). RESULTS: Two hundred and
      six patients were included, 67.9% males. The commonest opening pattern was
      horizontal: 137 (66.7%). Half of the patients (101) had a history of surgical
      aortic coarctation, 46 (22.3%) had>=moderate aortic valve stenosis and 13 (6%)
      had>=moderate aortic insufficiency. Mean follow-up time was 6.1 (4.9) years;
      diagnosis of aortic dilatation was made during the first year of follow-up.
      Progression of the dilatation of the ascending aorta was noted in 17.1%, and of
      the aortic root in 2.5%. More than one-third (80/206) had aortic dilatation (z
      score>2). The ascending aorta was exclusively affected in 70/80 patients, with
      sparing of the aortic root. In the multivariate analysis, patients with
      dilatation of the ascending aorta were associated with absence of coarctation
      (P=.001) and vertical opening pattern (P=.007). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients
      with bicuspid aortic valve warrant medical follow-up for the frequent association
      with valve impairment and/or dilatation of the ascending aorta.

PMID- 28629661
TI  - Cornelia de Lange syndrome: Congenital heart disease in 149 patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is produced by mutations in genes
      that encode regulatory or structural proteins of the cohesin complex. Congenital
      heart disease (CHD) is not a major criterion of the disease, but it affects many
      individuals. The objective of this study was to study the incidence and type of
      CHD in patients with CdLS. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Cardiological findings were
      evaluated in 149 patients with CdLS and their possible relationship with clinical
      and genetic variables. RESULTS: A percentage of 34.9 had CHD (septal defects 50%,
      pulmonary stenosis 27%, aortic coarctation 9.6%). The presence of CHD was related
      with neonatal hospitalisation (P=.04), hearing loss (P=.002), mortality (P=.09)
      and lower hyperactivity (P=.02), it being more frequent in HDAC8+ patients (60%),
      followed by NIPBL+ (33%) and SMC1A+ (28.5%). While septal defects predominate in
      NIPBL+, pulmonary stenosis is more common in HDAC8+. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with
      CdLS have a high incidence of CHD, which varies according to the affected gene,
      the most frequent findings being septal defects and pulmonary stenosis. Perform a
      cardiologic study in all these patients is suggested.

PMID- 28629662
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum: Classic and emerging therapies.
AB  - Pyoderma gangrenosum is an ulceronecrotising dermatosis that represents a
      challenge for any clinician, not only for its ability to mimic other dermatoses
      but also for its lack of response to treatment. During the past year, there have
      been new studies about the efficacy of standard therapies, such as cyclosporine
      and systemic corticosteroids. These studies showed that classic treatment was
      comparable, but they are insufficient as monotherapy. That being said, new
      emerging therapies are becoming important, as the use of corticosteroid-sparing
      agents, tumour necrosis factor inhibitors or even surgery. This review updates
      the current evidence for the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum.

PMID- 28629663
TI  - Genomic Tests Should be Used to Help Guide Treatment of Prostate Cancer: No.

PMID- 28629664
TI  - Genomic Tests Should be Used to Help Guide Treatment of Prostate Cancer: Yes.

PMID- 28629666
TI  - Treating active rheumatoid arthritis with Janus kinase inhibitors.

PMID- 28629667
TI  - Interchange rotation factors and player characteristics influence physical and
      technical performance in professional Australian Rules football.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of match-related and individual player
      characteristics on activity profile and technical performance during rotations in
      professional Australian football. DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study.
      METHODS: Global positioning system data and player rating scores were collected
      from 33 professional Australian football players during 15 Australian football
      League matches. Player rating scores were time aligned with their relative total
      and high-speed running (HSR) distance (>20kmh-1) for each on ground rotation.
      Individual players' maximal aerobic running speed (MAS) was determined from a two
      kilometre trial. A multilevel linear mixed model was used to examine the
      influence of rotations on physical activity profiles and skill execution during
      match play. RESULTS: Rotation duration and accumulated distance resulted in a
      trivial-to-moderate reduction in relative total and HSR distances as well as
      relative rating points. The number of disposals in a rotation had a small
      positive effect on relative total and HSR distances and a large positive effect
      on relative rating points. MAS was associated with a moderate-to-large increase
      in relative total distance, but had a large negative effect on relative rating
      points. Previous rotation time, stoppages and the number of rotations in the
      quarter had a trivial-to-small negative effect on relative total and HSR
      distances. A greater speed (mmin-1) was associated with a trivial increase in
      rating points during a rotation, while there was a trivial decrease in relative
      total distance as rating points increased. CONCLUSION: The complex relationship
      between factors that influence activity profile and technical performance during
      rotations in Australian football needs to be considered when interpreting match
      performance.

PMID- 28629668
TI  - Underestimating the size of the problem? UK anaesthesia for patients with
      obesity.
AB  - We analysed data from 14,000 patients in the 2013 United Kingdom Anaesthesia
      Activity Survey of the Fifth National Audit Project of the Royal College of
      Anaesthetists and Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland to
      examine anaesthetic, organisational and clinical practice for patients with
      obesity. We compared practice then with current guidance on management of this
      patient group. Obesity was reported in 22%, mainly Black, Afro-Caribbean and
      White Caucasian patients. There was minimal variation in surgical timing,
      anaesthetic seniority, induction location or day-case procedure rates. As BMI
      increased above 25kgm-2 ASA grade rose and there were modest changes in practice
      towards that recommended for this patient group. Some practice changes were
      counter-intuitive. When BMI exceeded 35kgm-2 safety based practice changed
      markedly. For patients receiving GA there was an increase in immediate
      (operative) mortality as BMI rose. UK anaesthetic practice in 2013 appears to
      underestimate patient levels of obesity, does not reflect recent published
      guidelines for the management of patients with obesity undergoing anaesthesia
      and, taken with the mortality findings, raises concerns over the reliability of
      safe management of such patients.

PMID- 28629669
TI  - Influence of the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy in the development of
      wheezing and eczema in infants in Pamplona, Spain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined the relationship between different food groups
      and the adherence to a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and the risk of
      wheezing and eczema in children aged 12-15 months. METHODS: The study involves
      1087 Spanish infants from the International Study of Wheezing in Infants (Estudio
      Internacional de Sibilancias en Lactantes, EISL). The study of the association of
      the different food consumption and Mediterranean diet with wheezing, recurrent
      wheezing and eczema was performed using different models of unconditional
      logistic regression to obtain adjusted prevalence odds ratios (OR) and 95%
      confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: No association was found between a good
      adherence to the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy and the development of
      wheezing (p=0.372), recurrent wheezing (p=0.118) and eczema (p=0.315). The
      consumption once or twice a week of white fish (OR: 1.95[1.01-3.75]), cooked
      potatoes (OR: 1.75[1.22-2.51]) and industrial pastry (OR: 1.59[1.13-2.24]), and
      the consumption more than three times a week of industrial pastry (OR: 1.47 [1.01
      2.13]) during pregnancy increases the risk of "wheezing" at 12 months. Instead,
      high fruit consumption during the pregnancy has a protective effect against
      "wheezing" in 12-month-old infants (OR: 0.44 [0.20-0.99]). No statistically
      significant differences were observed between food intake during pregnancy and
      "recurrent wheezing". No statistically significant differences were observed
      between the consumption of any food during pregnancy and the presence of eczema
      at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that the consumption of
      Mediterranean diet during pregnancy did not have a protective effect for
      wheezing, recurrent wheezing or eczema.

PMID- 28629670
TI  - Trends in prevalence and risk factors of allergic rhinitis symptoms in primary
      schoolchildren six years apart in Budapest.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few data are available concerning the time trends and risk factors
      associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) in schoolchildren in Hungary. METHODS: At
      an interval of six years, parents of 6-12-year-old children completed identical
      ISAAC-based and additional questionnaires related to possible risk factors.
      RESULTS: Response rate was 62.8% with 6335 questionnaires distributed in 2007,
      and 52.9% with 6441 questionnaires in 2013. The prevalence of current AR symptoms
      (subjects presenting clinical symptoms of AR in the past 12 months, but had yet
      to be diagnosed by physician) increased significantly from 14.9% to 23.5%
      (p<0.001). There was no significant change in the prevalence of physician
      diagnosed AR (11.6-11.2%). In multivariate analysis, gender (OR 0.733; CI 0.642
      0.931), a family history of atopy (OR 2.017; CI 1.669-2.436), frequent upper
      respiratory tract infections (OR 2.033; CI 1.659-2.492), long-lasting disease
      before the appearance of the allergy (OR 2.119; CI 1.311-3.428), feather bedding
      (OR 0.773; CI 0.599-0.996) and living in a green area (OR 1.367; CI 1.133-1.650)
      were found to be significant risk factors of cumulative AR in 2013. In both of
      the groups with (p<0.000) or without (p<0.003) AR the families with a history of
      atopy used feather bedding less frequently than families without atopy.
      CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence of physician-diagnosed AR has not shown
      significant changes during the studied interval, the significant increase of the
      current AR symptoms suggests growing prevalence of AR among children in Budapest.
      Our results revealed new aspects of bedding customs in atopic families.

PMID- 28629665
TI  - Efficacy and safety of tofacitinib monotherapy, tofacitinib with methotrexate,
      and adalimumab with methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (ORAL
      Strategy): a phase 3b/4, double-blind, head-to-head, randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of
      rheumatoid arthritis. The Oral Rheumatoid Arthritis triaL (ORAL) Strategy aimed
      to assess the comparative efficacy of tofacitinib monotherapy, tofacitinib plus
      methotrexate, and adalimumab plus methotrexate for the treatment of rheumatoid
      arthritis in patients with a previous inadequate response to methotrexate.
      METHODS: ORAL Strategy was a 1 year, double-blind, phase 3b/4, head-to-head, non
      inferiority, randomised controlled trial in patients aged 18 years or older with
      active rheumatoid arthritis despite methotrexate therapy. Patients were randomly
      assigned (1:1:1) to receive oral tofacitinib (5 mg twice daily) monotherapy, oral
      tofacitinib (5 mg twice daily) plus methotrexate, or subcutaneous adalimumab (40
      mg every other week) plus methotrexate at 194 centres in 25 countries. Eligible
      patients received live zoster vaccine at investigators' discretion. The primary
      endpoint was the proportion of patients who attained an American College of
      Rheumatology response of at least 50% (ACR50) at month 6 in the full analysis set
      (patients who were randomly assigned to a group and received at least one dose of
      the study treatment). Non-inferiority between groups was shown if the lower bound
      of the 98.34% CI of the difference between comparators was larger than -13.0%.
      This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02187055. FINDINGS:
      1146 patients received treatment (384 had tofacitinib monotherapy; 376 had
      tofacitinib and methotrexate; and 386 had adalimumab and methotrexate). At 6
      months, ACR50 response was attained in 147 (38%) of 384 patients with tofacitinib
      monotherapy, 173 (46%) of 376 patients with tofacitinib and methotrexate, and 169
      (44%) of 386 patients with adalimumab and methotrexate. Non-inferiority was
      declared for tofacitinib and methotrexate versus adalimumab and methotrexate
      (difference 2% [98.34% CI -6 to 11]) but not for tofacitinib monotherapy versus
      either adalimumab and methotrexate (-6 [-14 to 3]) or tofacitinib and
      methotrexate (-8 [-16 to 1]). In total, 23 (6%) of 384 patients receiving
      tofacitinib monotherapy, 26 (7%) of 376 patients receiving tofacitinib plus
      methotrexate, and 36 (9%) of 386 patients receiving adalimumab plus methotrexate
      discontinued due to adverse events. Two (1%) of the 384 patients receiving
      tofacitinib monotherapy died. No new or unexpected safety issues were reported
      for either treatment in this study for up to 1 year. INTERPRETATION: Tofacitinib
      and methotrexate combination therapy was non-inferior to adalimumab and
      methotrexate combination therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in
      patients with an inadequate response to methotrexate in this trial. Tofacitinib
      monotherapy was not shown to be non-inferior to either combination. FUNDING:
      Pfizer Inc.

PMID- 28629671
TI  - Oral immunisation with Taishan Pinus massoniana pollen polysaccharide adjuvant
      with recombinant Lactococcus lactis-expressing Proteus mirabilis ompA confers
      optimal protection in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proteus mirabilis poses a critical burden on the breeding industry,
      but no efficient vaccine is available for animals. METHOD: A recombinant
      Lactococcus lactis expressing the ompA of P. mirabilis was used to develop a
      vaccine. The mucosal and systemic immune responses of the recombinant vaccine
      were evaluated in mice after oral immunisation. The inhibition on P. mirabilis
      colonisation of vaccines was also determined. Moreover, Taishan Pinus massoniana
      pollen polysaccharides (TPPPS) were used as adjuvants to examine the
      immunomodulatory effects. RESULTS: The pure recombinant L. lactis vaccine
      significantly induced the production of specific IgA and IgG, IL-2, IL-4, IFN
      gamma, and T lymphocyte proliferation, and the immunised mice exhibited
      significant resistance to P. mirabilis colonisation. Notably, the TPPPS adjuvant
      vaccines induced higher levels of immune responses than the pure L. lactis.
      CONCLUSIONS: The L. lactis as a vaccine vehicle combined with TPPPS adjuvant
      provides a feasible method for preventing P. mirabilis infection.

PMID- 28629672
TI  - The safety profile of subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy in children with asthma
      in Hangzhou, East China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study is to evaluate the prevalence, severity
      and possible risk factors of systemic reactions (SRs) to subcutaneous allergen
      immunotherapy (SCIT) in children and adolescents with asthma in Hangzhou, east
      China's Zhejiang province. METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2016, this
      survey analysed the SCIT-related SRs involving 429 patients (265 children and 134
      adolescents) affected by allergic asthma. Recorded data included demographics,
      diagnosis, patient statuses, pulmonary function testing results before and after
      each injection, allergen dosage, and details of SRs. RESULTS: All patients
      finished the initial phase and six patients withdrew during the maintenance
      phase. There were 2.59% (328/12,655) SRs in all injections (3.28% in children and
      1.47% in adolescents); 15.62% (67/429) patients experienced SRs (18.49% children
      and 10.98% adolescents). There were 54.57% SRs of grade 1; 42.37% SRs of grade 2;
      3.05% SRs of grade 3; and no grades 4 or grade 5 SRs occurred in patients. Most
      reactions were mild, and were readily controlled by immediate emergency
      treatment. There was no need for hospitalisation. The occurrence of SRs was
      significantly higher in children than that in adolescents (p<0.01). A higher
      ratio of SRs was found among patients with moderate asthma. CONCLUSION: This
      retrospective survey showed that properly-conducted SCIT was a safe treatment for
      children and adolescents with asthma in Hangzhou, East China. Children and
      patients with moderate asthma may be prone to develop SRs.

PMID- 28629673
TI  - A comparison of two clinical scores for bronchiolitis. A multicentre and
      prospective study conducted in hospitalised infants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are a number of clinical scores for bronchiolitis but none of
      them are firmly recommended in the guidelines. METHOD: We designed a study to
      compare two scales of bronchiolitis (ESBA and Wood Downes Ferres) and determine
      which of them better predicts the severity. A multicentre prospective study with
      patients <12 months with acute bronchiolitis was conducted. Each patient was
      assessed with the two scales when admission was decided. We created a new
      variable "severe condition" to determine whether one scale afforded better
      discrimination of severity. A diagnostic test analysis of sensitivity and
      specificity was made, with a comparison of the AUC. Based on the optimum cut-off
      points of the ROC curves for classifying bronchiolitis as severe we calculated
      new Se, Sp, LR+ and LR- for each scale in our sample. RESULTS: 201 patients were
      included, 66.7% males and median age 2.3 months (IQR=1.3-4.4). Thirteen patients
      suffered bronchiolitis considered to be severe, according to the variable severe
      condition. ESBA showed a Se=3.6%, Sp=98.1%, and WDF showed Se=46.2% and Sp=91.5%.
      The difference between the two AUC for each scale was 0.02 (95%CI: 0.01-0.15),
      p=0.72. With new cut-off points we could increase Se and Sp for ESBA: Se=84.6%,
      Sp=78.7%, and WDF showed Se=92.3% and Sp=54.8%; with higher LR. CONCLUSIONS: None
      of the scales studied was considered optimum for assessing our patients. With new
      cut-off points, the scales increased the ability to classify severe infants. New
      validation studies are needed to prove these new cut-off points.

PMID- 28629674
TI  - Cystinosis distal myopathy, novel clinical, pathological and genetic features.
AB  - Nephropathic cystinosis is an autosomal recessive lysosomal disease in which
      cystine cannot exit the lysosome to complete its degradation in the cytoplasm,
      thus accumulating in tissues. Some patients develop a distal myopathy involving
      mainly hand muscles. Myopathology descriptions from only 5 patients are available
      in the literature. We present a comprehensive clinical, pathological and genetic
      description of 3 patients from 2 families with nephropathic cystinosis.
      Intrafamiliar variability was detected in one family in which one sibling
      developed a severe distal myopathy while the other sibling did not show any signs
      of skeletal muscle involvement. One of the patients was on treatment with
      Cysteamine for over 12 years but still developed the usual complications of
      nephropathic cystinosis in his twenties. Novel pathological findings consisting
      in sarcoplasmic deposits reactive for slow myosin were identified. Three
      previously known and one novel mutation are reported. Nephropathic cystinosis
      should be included in the differential diagnosis of distal myopathies in those
      with early renal failure. Novel clinical and pathological features are reported
      here contributing to the characterization of the muscle involvement in
      nephropathic cystinosis.

PMID- 28629675
TI  - Misdiagnosis is an important factor for diagnostic delay in McArdle disease.
AB  - Diagnosis of McArdle disease is frequently delayed by many years following the
      first presentation of symptoms to a health professional. The aim of this study
      was to investigate the importance of misdiagnosis in delaying diagnosis of
      McArdle disease. The frequency of misdiagnosis, duration of diagnostic delay,
      categories of misdiagnoses and inappropriate medical interventions were assessed
      in 50 genetically confirmed patients. The results demonstrated a high frequency
      of misdiagnosis (90%, n = 45/50) most commonly during childhood years (67%; n =
      30/45) compared with teenage years and adulthood (teenage: n = 7/45; adult n =
      5/45; not known n = 3/45). The correct diagnosis of McArdle disease was rarely
      made before adulthood (median age of diagnosis 33 years). Thirty-one patients
      (62%) reported having received more than one misdiagnosis; the most common were
      "growing pains" (40%, n = 20) and "laziness/being unfit" (46%, n = 23). A
      psychiatric/psychological misdiagnosis was significantly more common in females
      than males (females 6/20; males 1/30; p < 0.01). Of the 45 patients who were
      misdiagnosed, 21 (47%) received incorrect management. This study shows that most
      patients with McArdle disease received an incorrect explanation of their symptoms
      providing evidence that misdiagnosis plays an important part in delaying
      implementation of appropriate medical advice and management to this group of
      patients.

PMID- 28629676
TI  - Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Puncture and Tract Dilation: Evidence on the Safety
      of Approaches to the Infundibulum of the Middle Renal Calyx.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anatomical relations of the papillary,
      infundibular, and pelvic approach to percutaneous nephrolithotomy and evaluate
      the amount of vascularization at the respective sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid single-photon emission computed tomography/computed
      tomography (SPECT/CT) renal scintigraphies or computed tomography perfusion (CTP)
      was performed in 40 patients (prone n = 20 or supine position n = 20). The angle
      of approach (AoA) for access tracts and the respective regions of interest to the
      mid-calyceal papilla and infundibulum as well as renal pelvis were designed and
      compared. RESULTS: The design of access tracts aiming to the renal pelvis,
      papilla, and infundibulum of the renal calyx was impossible for the nondilated
      collecting systems as all these tracts were in close vicinity. In both SPECT/CT
      and CTP, there was no statistical difference between the AoA for infundibular or
      pelvic access in comparison with the papillary puncture in either prone or supine
      position regardless of the degree of dilation of the system. The comparison of
      the measurements in the regions of interest showed that there was no difference
      in blood supply between the infundibular and pelvic access in comparison with the
      papillary approach in both positions regardless of the degree of collecting
      system dilation. CONCLUSION: The use of SPECT/CT and CTP showed that the
      punctures to the mid-calyceal renal papilla-fornix and infundibulum as well as
      the renal pelvis at the same level have similar AoA. The sites of the parenchyma
      involved in the tract dilation of the respective approaches are not related to
      significant differences in terms of vascularization.

PMID- 28629677
TI  - Antibiotic resistance: thinking outside the hospital.

PMID- 28629678
TI  - History of electromyography and nerve conduction studies: A tribute to the
      founding fathers.
AB  - The early development of nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electromyography
      (EMG) was linked to the discovery of electricity. This relationship had been
      concluded by observing the effect of applying electricity to the body of an
      animal and discovering that nerves and muscles themselves could produce
      electricity. We attempt to review the historical evolution of NCS and EMG over
      the last three centuries by reviewing the landmark publications of Galvani,
      Adrian, Denny-Brown, Larrabee, and Lambert. In 1771, Galvani showed that
      electrical stimulation of animal muscle tissue produced contraction and, thereby,
      the concept of animal electricity was born. In 1929, Adrian devised a method to
      record a single motor unit potential by connecting concentric needle electrodes
      to an amplifier and a loud speaker. In 1938, Denny-Brown described the
      fasciculation potentials and separated them from fibrillations. Toward the end of
      World War II, Larrabee began measuring the compound muscle action potential in
      healthy and injured nerves of war victims. In 1957, Lambert and Eaton described
      the electrophysiologic features of a new myasthenic syndrome associated with lung
      carcinoma. Overall, research on this topic was previously undertaken by
      neurophysiologists and then later by neurologists, with Adrian most likely being
      the first neurologist to be involved. The field greatly benefited from the
      invention of equipment that was capable of amplifying small bioelectrical
      currents by the beginning of the 20th century. Significant scientific and
      technical advances were later made during and after World War II which provided a
      large patient population with nerve injuries to study.

PMID- 28629679
TI  - How to address cerebrospinal fluid leakage following ossification of the
      posterior longitudinal ligament surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary dural repair in ossification of posterior longitudinal
      ligament (OPLL) surgery via anterior is challenging because of limited space.
      Based on several years of our experiences, we present our concept for addressing
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage following dural tear during anterior OPLL
      surgery. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 65 patients who underwent
      anterior OPLL surgery from 2003 to 2014. We included 7 patients whose operation
      records described dural tear followed by CSF leakage. Primary dural repair could
      not be performed in 6 patients because of ragged tear and limited space. We
      managed them with our own strategy: simple cover with an artificial dura,
      collagen sponge and/or fibrin glue on defect site; anatomical layer-by-layer
      repair without either subfascial or CSF drain, and early ambulation. RESULTS: Of
      7 patients, wound problems developed in 2 patients. Wound aspiration and
      antibiotic treatment was done without wound compression in one patient, and
      simple irrigation followed by anatomical layer-by-layer re-closure was done in
      the other patient without either bed rest or lumbar drainage. Pseudomeningoceles
      were detected in 4 patients, including 2 patients who had wound problems.
      However, all pseudomeningoceles were absorbed spontaneously or stabilized on
      follow-up images without interventions such as bed rest, lumbar drain or wound
      compression. CONCLUSIONS: Without interference of pressure equilibrium between
      intradural and extradural space, the defect site would heal and close. After
      that, the isolated pseudomeningocele would be spontaneously absorbed after
      certain period of time.

PMID- 28629680
TI  - Preoperative embolization in spinal tumour surgery: Enhancing its effectiveness.
AB  - We conducted a retrospective review of 221 patients, who underwent spinal
      oncologic surgery at a tertiary university hospital between 2005 and 2014; in
      order to identify and validate factors that influence the impact of preoperative
      embolization of spinal tumours on outcome measures of blood loss and transfusion
      requirements in spinal oncologic surgery. We also focused on primary tumour type
      and type of spinal surgery performed. Patients' electronic and physical records
      were reviewed to provide demographic data, tumour characteristics, embolization
      techniques and surgical procedure details. These data were analysed against
      recorded outcome measures of blood loss (absolute volume and haemoglobin
      reduction) and transfusion requirements. Forty eight patients who received
      preoperative embolization were compared against 173 patients who did not. There
      was a tendency towards reduced blood loss and transfusion requirements in
      embolized spinal metastases from HCC and thyroid; as well as primary spine
      tumours, though the differences were not significant. Total embolization of
      arterial supply to spinal tumours resulted in significantly less blood loss as
      compared to partial or subtotal embolization. In addition, median blood loss was
      lower in patients receiving a more proximal embolization and in patients who
      underwent surgery between 13 and 24h post-embolization despite the insignificant
      difference. To conclude, preoperative spinal tumour embolization is likely to be
      effective in reducing blood loss if a total embolization is performed 13-24h
      prior to the surgery. Similarly, the impact of embolization is likely to be more
      profound in metastases from HCC, thyroid and primary spine tumours.

PMID- 28629681
TI  - Association of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes hospital admission with extreme
      temperature in Nanchang, China-A case-crossover study.
AB  - Despite consistent evidence of a higher short-term risk of stroke mortality
      associated with ambient temperature, there are no findings on the association
      between extreme temperature and stroke. A total of 16,264 stroke hospital
      admissions were observed in three hospitals of Nanchang between 2008 and 2015.
      The case-crossover design was utilized for our study. Conditional logistic
      regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios. Extreme high
      temperature exposure during the 3days before the stroke was associated with both
      ischemic (OR=1.18; 95% CI: 1.07-1.36) and hemorrhagic stroke admissions (OR=1.34;
      95% CI: 1.26-1.42) as compared to 3-day control periods (1-3days last week before
      the onset of stroke). Extreme low temperature was associated with hemorrhagic
      stroke admission (OR=1.42; 95% CI: 1.28-1.58) but not ischemic stroke (OR=1.06;
      95% CI: 0.93-1.13). This study suggests that extreme high temperature might be a
      risk factor for both hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, and that extreme low
      temperature might be a risk factor of hemorrhagic stroke. Further studies are
      necessary in order to clarify this relationship and provide evidence for stroke
      prevention.

PMID- 28629682
TI  - Aquatic live animal radiotracing studies for ecotoxicological applications:
      Addressing fundamental methodological deficiencies.
AB  - The use of live animal gamma radioisotope tracer techniques in the field of
      ecotoxicology allows laboratory studies to accurately monitor contaminant
      biokinetics in real time for an individual organism. However, methods used in
      published studies for aquatic organisms are rarely described in sufficient detail
      to allow for study replication or an assessment of the errors associated with
      live animal radioanalysis to be identified. We evaluate the influence of some
      important methodological deficiencies through an overview of the literature on
      live aquatic animal radiotracer techniques and through the results obtained from
      our radiotracer studies on four aquatic invertebrate species. The main factors
      discussed are animal rinsing, radioanalysis and geometry corrections. We provide
      examples of three main techniques in live aquatic animal radiotracer studies to
      improve data quality control and demonstrate why each technique is crucial in
      interpreting the data from such studies. The animal rinsing technique is also
      relevant to non-radioisotope tracer studies, especially those involving
      nanoparticles. We present clear guidance on how to perform each technique and
      explain the importance of proper reporting of the validation of each technique
      for individual studies. In this paper we describe methods that are often used in
      lab-based radioecology studies but are rarely described in great detail. We hope
      that this paper will act as the basis for standard operating procedures for
      future radioecology studies to improve study replication and data quality
      control.

PMID- 28629683
TI  - The Relationship between Dietary Intake, Growth, and Body Composition in Inborn
      Errors of Intermediary Protein Metabolism.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine relationships between dietary intake, growth and body
      composition patterns in patients with inborn errors of intermediary protein
      metabolism and to determine a safe protein:energy ratio (P:E ratio) associated
      with optimal growth outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective longitudinal data of
      growth and dietary intake in patients (n = 75) with isovaleric acidemia (IVA; n =
      7), methylmalonic acidemia/propionic acidemia (MMA/PA; n = 14), urea cycle
      defects (UCD; n = 44), classical maple syrup urine disease (MSUD; n = 10) were
      collected. Prospective longitudinal data of growth, dietary intake, and body
      composition from 21 patients: IVA (n = 5), MMA/PA (n = 6), UCD (n = 7), and MSUD
      (n = 3) were collected at clinic visits. RESULTS: Fifty-two of 75 (66%), 49 of 74
      (68%), and 44 of 65 (68%) patients had a z-score of 0 (+/-1) for lifetime weight,
      height, and body mass index, respectively. Patients with MMA/PA had the lowest
      median height and weight z-scores, and MSUD patients had highest median body mass
      index z-score at all ages. In IVA, MMA/PA, and UCD, total natural protein intake
      met or exceeded the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
      (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO)/United Nations University (UNU) recommended
      safe levels. Median percentage fat mass was 17.6% in IVA, 20.7% in MMA/PA, 19.4%
      in UCD, and 17.8% in MSUD. There was a significant negative correlation between
      percentage fat mass and total protein intake in IVA, MMA/PA, and UCD (r = -0.737;
      P = .010). The correlation between the P:E ratio and growth variables in IVA,
      MMA/PA, and UCD suggest a safe P:E ratio (>1.5 to < 2.9) g protein:100 kcal/day.
      CONCLUSION: Growth outcomes in inborn errors of intermediary protein metabolism
      are not always ideal. Most patients with IVA, MMA/PA, and UCD consume sufficient
      natural protein to meet FAO/WHO/UNU recommendations. A P:E ratio range of (>1.5
      to < 2.9)g protein/100 kcal/day correlates with optimal growth outcomes.

PMID- 28629684
TI  - United States Medical Licensing Examination and American Board of Pediatrics
      Certification Examination Results: Does the Residency Program Contribute to
      Trainee Achievement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether training site or prior examinee performance on
      the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step 1 and step 2 might predict pass
      rates on the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certifying examination. STUDY
      DESIGN: Data from graduates of pediatric residency programs completing the ABP
      certifying examination between 2009 and 2013 were obtained. For each, results of
      the initial ABP certifying examination were obtained, as well as results on
      National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) step 1 and step 2 examinations.
      Hierarchical linear modeling was used to nest first-time ABP results within
      training programs to isolate program contribution to ABP results while
      controlling for USMLE step 1 and step 2 scores. Stepwise linear regression was
      then used to determine which of these examinations was a better predictor of ABP
      results. RESULTS: A total of 1110 graduates of 15 programs had complete testing
      results and were subject to analysis. Mean ABP scores for these programs ranged
      from 186.13 to 214.32. The hierarchical linear model suggested that the
      interaction of step 1 and 2 scores predicted ABP performance (F[1,1007.70] =
      6.44, P = .011). By conducting a multilevel model by training program, both USMLE
      step examinations predicted first-time ABP results (b = .002, t = 2.54, P =
      .011). Linear regression analyses indicated that step 2 results were a better
      predictor of ABP performance than step 1 or a combination of the two USMLE
      scores. CONCLUSIONS: Performance on the USMLE examinations, especially step 2,
      predicts performance on the ABP certifying examination. The contribution of
      training site to ABP performance was statistically significant, though
      contributed modestly to the effect compared with prior USMLE scores.

PMID- 28629685
TI  - Sudden Death in Epilepsy: Knowledge among Pediatric Providers.
AB  - A survey of 146 pediatric care providers (PCPs) revealed that 75.3% were unaware
      that children with epilepsy were at risk of death, specifically from sudden
      unexpected (or unexplained) death in epilepsy (SUDEP). PCPs assume that the
      treating neurologist discusses these risks. Increasing PCPs' knowledge of SUDEP
      will help address the care gap related to informing families about SUDEP.

PMID- 28629686
TI  - Is childhood cardiometabolic status a risk factor from early infancy or toddler
      age?

PMID- 28629687
TI  - Sensitivity and Specificity of Empiric Treatment for Sexually Transmitted
      Infections in a Pediatric Emergency Department.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine test characteristics of provider judgment for empiric
      antibiotic provision to patients undergoing testing for a sexually transmitted
      infection. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional electronic
      health record review of all patients aged 13-19 years who had Neisseria
      gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) testing sent from an urban,
      academic pediatric emergency department in 2012. We abstracted data, including
      patient demographics, chief complaint, sexually transmitted infection test
      results, and treatment. We calculated test characteristics comparing clinician
      judgment for presumptive treatment for a sexually transmitted infection with the
      reference standard of the actual results of testing for a sexually transmitted
      infection. RESULTS: Of 1223 patient visits meeting inclusion criteria, 284
      (23.2%) had a positive GC and/or CT test result. Empiric treatment was provided
      in 615 encounters (50.3%). Provider judgment for presumptive treatment had an
      overall sensitivity of 67.6% (95% CI, 61.8-73.0) and a specificity of 55% (95%
      CI, 51.7-58.2) for accurate GC and/or CT detection. CONCLUSIONS: Many adolescents
      tested for GC and CT receive empiric treatment at the initial emergency
      department visit. Provider judgment may lack sufficient sensitivity and
      specificity for identifying infected patients, resulting in the potential for
      undertreatment of true disease, overtreatment of uninfected patients, or both.

PMID- 28629688
TI  - Generalized Pustular Psoriasis.

PMID- 28629689
TI  - Advanced Power Doppler Technique Increases Synovial Vascularity Detection in
      Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
AB  - We compared the diagnostic performance of an advanced power Doppler technique
      (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) with that of power Doppler Imaging (PDI) and
      B-mode ultrasound (US) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and RA
      under treatment with rituximab. Thirty patients (21 women aged 45 +/- 11 y)
      affected by RA with remission to moderate disease activity were examined. Both
      hand joints were evaluated using US, PDI and SMI. Two radiologists reviewed all
      video clips and evaluated synovial vascularity intensity using a semi
      quantitative scoring system. SMI revealed the presence of synovial vascularity in
      a significantly larger number of patients than PDI (p = 0.02). Inter-observer
      agreement for US, PDI and SMI was moderate (kappa = 0.59), very good (kappa =
      0.87) and very good (kappa = 0.82), respectively. We conclude that SMI detects
      more vessels than PDI in RA patients. This may allow increased sensitivity for
      early diagnosis of synovial inflammation, monitoring of its dynamic changes under
      therapy and evaluation of true imaging remission.

PMID- 28629690
TI  - Axillary Lymph Node Sonographic Features and Breast Tumor Characteristics as
      Predictors of Malignancy: A Nomogram to Predict Risk.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to build a mathematical model to predict the
      probability of axillary lymph node metastasis based on the ultrasonographic
      features of axillary lymph nodes and the tumor characteristics. We included 74
      patients (75 axillae) with invasive breast cancer who underwent axillary
      ultrasonography ipsilateral to the tumor and fine-needle aspiration of one
      selected lymph node. Lymph node pathology results from sentinel lymph node biopsy
      or surgical dissection were correlated with lymph node ultrasonographic data and
      with the cytologic findings of fine-needle aspiration. Our mathematical model of
      prediction risk of lymph node metastasis included only pre-surgical data from
      logistic regression analysis: lymph node cortical thickness (p = 0.005), pre
      surgical tumor size (p = 0.030), menopausal status (p = 0.017), histologic type
      (p = 0.034) and tumor location (p = 0.011). The area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curve of the model was 0.848, reflecting an excellent
      discrimination of the model. This nomogram may assist in the choice of the
      optimal axillary approach.

PMID- 28629691
TI  - Diastolic Carotid Artery Longitudinal Wall Motion Is Sensitive to Both Aging and
      Coronary Artery Disease Status Independent of Arterial Stiffness.
AB  - We investigated the ability of systolic and diastolic carotid artery longitudinal
      wall motion (CALM) to delineate expected differences in arterial health in
      individuals representing a range of both age and health status. We recruited 161
      younger healthy adults (aged 24 +/- 5 y), 51 older healthy adults (aged 70 +/- 5
      y) and 14 adults with coronary artery disease (aged 67 +/- 8 y) for resting
      assessment of CALM and arterial stiffness. All CALM parameters were reduced in
      the old healthy adults and adults with coronary artery disease compared with the
      young healthy adults (p < 0.01), with diastolic velocity and maximum diastolic
      acceleration being further reduced in the adults with coronary artery disease
      than in the older healthy adults (p < 0.01). Diastolic CALM parameters were more
      strongly related to age (beta range: -0.46 to -0.53) than systolic CALM
      parameters (beta range: -0.24 to -0.44). In contrast to previous examinations of
      a variety of CALM parameters, diastolic CALM may provide superior promise in
      terms of characterizing arterial wall properties, with additional sensitivity to
      cardiovascular disease status.

PMID- 28629692
TI  - Is homeopathy a medicine?

PMID- 28629693
TI  - Helping ethics committees separate the wheat from the chaff.

PMID- 28629694
TI  - Interleukin-6 participation in pathology of ocular diseases.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that affects a variety of
      cells in the body such as osteoclasts, hepatocytes, endothelial cells, epithelial
      cells, white and red blood cells and etc. Elevated levels of IL-6 have been
      detected in many ocular diseases. Studies show that IL-6 has a major role in the
      pathology of glaucoma, CRVO, macular edema, ocular neovascularization, posterior
      capsule opacity formation, keratitis, dry eye disease, allergic eye disease,
      ocular autoimmune disease, corneal chemical burn, ocular inflammation and so on.
      IL-6 does its effects through the classic or trans-signal pathways in cells.
      Blocking of IL-6 signal pathways via Tocilizumab or other chemicals and
      therapeutics will help to overcome complications related to ocular diseases.

PMID- 28629695
TI  - A controlled study of the influence of comorbidity on activities of daily living
      in elderly cancer survivors (the HUNT-3 survey).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of somatic comorbidity on Activity of Daily
      Living (ADL) problems in cancer survivors >=70years (ECSs) based on data from The
      Health Study of Nord-Trondelag County (HUNT-3) 2006-08. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Among participants of the HUNT-3 survey, 599 ECSs had a diagnosis of one invasive
      cancer according to both The Cancer Registry of Norway and self-report. Three
      controls without cancer aged >=70years for each ECS were drawn from the HUNT-3
      sample. We compared personal-ADL (P-ADL) and instrumental-ADL (I-ADL) problems
      for ECSs and differences between ADL problems for ECSs with and without
      comorbidity and controls with and without comorbidity. RESULTS: The prevalence of
      P-ADL problems was 3.5% among ECSs and 2.9% among controls (p=0.97) and for I-ADL
      28.5% versus 21.4% (p=0.01), respectively. In bivariate analyses where ECSs
      versus controls was the dependent variable, presence of I-ADL problems, higher
      age, being female, paired relationship, poor self-rated health, hospitalization
      last year, and low level of neuroticism were associated being ECSs. In
      multivariate analyses, these variables, except I-ADL-problems and paired
      relationship, remained significantly associated being ECSs. No significant
      differences were shown for P-ADL problems when comparing ECSs and controls with
      comorbidity, and ECSs with and without comorbidity. ECSs with comorbidity
      reported significantly more I-ADL-problems than controls with comorbidity, and
      ECSs with comorbidity had significantly more I-ADL-problems than ECSs without
      comorbidity. CONCLUSION: Our results reflect common factors found in ADL studies
      in the elderly population. Health personnel have to be particularly observant on
      I-ADL problems among female ECSs, and those reporting poor self-rated health or
      comorbidity.

PMID- 28629696
TI  - New criteria to determine the destabilization of the acidogenic anaerobic co
      digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with mixed sludge
      (MS).
AB  - Effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on bio-hydrogen production from co
      digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and mixed sludge
      (MS) in dry thermophilic conditions (55 degrees C and 20% total solids) was
      investigated. A decreasing sequence of six HRTs, from 2.9 to 0.8-days, was
      performed to evaluate the stability of the system and the influence of HRT on the
      organic matter solubilization, the daily hydrogen production (HP) and the
      specific hydrogen production (SHP). Best results were obtained operating at 1.2
      days HRT: HP of 3.67L H2/Lreactor/day, SHP of 33.8mL H2/gVSadded and hydrogen
      percentage in biogas of 52.4%. However, HRTs lower than 1.2-days induce failure
      in the system due to an unbalance of the hydrolytic phase. This fact was
      corroborated through the evaluation of two indirect parameters, "non-solubilized
      carbon" (NSC) and "acidogenic substrate as carbon" (ASC), and the relationships
      of NSC/TOC and ASC/TOC.

PMID- 28629697
TI  - Increase in furfural tolerance by combinatorial overexpression of NAD salvage
      pathway enzymes in engineered isobutanol-producing E. coli.
AB  - To reduce the furfural toxicity for biochemical production in E. coli, a new
      strategy was successfully applied by supplying NAD(P)H through the nicotine amide
      salvage pathway. To alleviate the toxicity, nicotinamide salvage pathway genes
      were overexpressed in recombinant, isobutanol-producing E. coli. Gene expression
      of pncB and nadE respectively showed increased tolerance to furfural among these
      pathways. The combined expression of pncB and nadE was the most effective in
      increasing the tolerance of the cells to toxic aldehydes. By comparing noxE- and
      fdh-harbouring strains, the form of NADH, rather than NAD+, was the major
      effector of furfural tolerance. Overall, this study is the application of the
      salvage pathway to isobutanol production in the presence of furfural, and this
      system seems to be applicable to alleviate furfural toxicity in the production of
      other biochemical.

PMID- 28629698
TI  - Cardboard proportions and total solids contents as driving factors in dry co
      fermentation of food waste.
AB  - This study evaluated the influence of the co-substrate proportions (0-60% of
      cardboard in dry basis) and the initial total solid contents (20-40%) on the
      batch fermentation performance. Maximum hydrogen yields were obtained when mono
      fermenting food waste at high solids contents (89mlH2.gVS-1). The hydrogen yields
      were lower when increasing the proportions of cardboard. The lower hydrogen
      yields at higher proportions of cardboard were translated into higher yields of
      caproic acid (up to 70.1gCOD.kgCODbio-1), produced by consumption of acetic acid
      and hydrogen. The highest substrate conversions were achieved at low proportions
      of cardboard, indicating a stabilization effect due to higher buffering
      capacities in co-fermentation. Clostridiales were predominant in all operational
      conditions. This study opens up new possibilities for using the cardboard
      proportions for controlling the production of high added-value products in dry co
      fermentation of food waste.

PMID- 28629699
TI  - Understanding the applicability of results from primary care trials: lessons
      learned from applying PRECIS-2.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare two approaches for trial teams to apply PRECIS-2 to
      pragmatic trials: independent scoring and scoring following a group discussion.
      STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: We recruited multidisciplinary teams who were
      conducting or had conducted trials in primary care in collaboration with the
      Pragmatic Clinical Trials Unit, Queen Mary University of London. Each team
      carried out two rounds of scoring on the nine PRECIS-2 domains: first
      independently using an online version of PRECIS-2 and second following a
      discussion. RESULTS: Seven teams took part in the study. Before the discussion,
      within-team agreement in scores was generally poor and not all raters were able
      to score all domains; agreement improved after the discussion. The PRECIS-2
      wheels suggested that the trials were pragmatic, although some domains were more
      pragmatic than others. CONCLUSION: PRECIS-2 can facilitate information exchange
      within trial teams. To apply PRECIS-2 successfully, we recommend a discussion
      between those with detailed understanding of what usual care is for the
      intervention, the trial's design including operational and technical aspects, and
      the PRECIS-2 domains. For some cluster-randomized trials, greater insight may be
      gained by plotting two PRECIS-2 wheels, one at the individual participant level
      and another at the cluster level.

PMID- 28629700
TI  - Designing pragmatic trials-what can we learn from lessons learned?
AB  - Pragmatic trials aim to inform clinical decision making by measuring the effect
      of a treatment in clinical practice. The purpose of the PRECIS-2 tool is to
      support in designing a truly pragmatic trial. We comment on a study by Forbes et
      al., who assessed the applicability of the PRECIS-2 tool. The tool will prove
      particularly useful when implemented in the process of trial design. However, it
      is yet unclear how e.g., possible dependencies between PRECIS domains, or
      conducting a pragmatic trial within an existing data registry (e.g., electronic
      health records) affect the applicability of the tool.

PMID- 28629702
TI  - Dopamine and serotonin levels in cerebrospinal fluid during episodes of Kleine
      Levin syndrome.

PMID- 28629701
TI  - A polymethoxyflavone mixture extracted from orange peels, mainly containing
      nobiletin, 3,3',4',5,6,7,8-heptamethoxyflavone and tangeretin, suppresses
      melanogenesis through the acidification of cell organelles, including
      melanosomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Skin color is determined by melanin contents and its distribution.
      Melanin is synthesized in melanosomes of melanocytes, catalyzed by tyrosinase,
      melanogenic enzymes. Regarding the process of melanin synthesis, melanosomal pH
      is considered to play an important role, because it has been reported to differ
      between Caucasian and Black melanocytes. OBJECTIVE: Although polymethoxyflavone
      (PMF) has many beneficial effects, it has not been reported which PMF suppresses
      melanogenesis. In this study, we identified the mechanism underlying the effect
      of PMF on melanogenesis METHODS: We determined the effects of a PMF mixture
      extracted from orange peels on melanogenesis, on tyrosinase expression, on the
      localization of tyrosinase and on the acidification of organelles, including
      melanosomes, in HM3KO human melanoma cells. RESULTS TREATMENT: with the PMF
      mixture elicited the suppression of melanogenesis, the degradation of tyrosinase
      in lysosomes and the mislocalization of tyrosinase associated with the
      acidification of intracellular organelles, including melanosomes. The
      neutralization of cell organelle pH by ammonium chloride restored melanogenesis
      and the correct localization of tyrosinase to melanosomes, which had been
      suppressed by the PMF mixture. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the PMF
      mixture suppresses the localization of tyrosinase to melanosomes and consequently
      inhibits melanogenesis due to the acidification of cell organelles, including
      melanosomes.

PMID- 28629703
TI  - Association of food access and neighbor relationships with diet and underweight
      among community-dwelling older Japanese.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Food access is important for maintaining dietary variety, which
      predicts underweight. The aim of this study was to examine the association of
      food access and neighbor relationships with eating and underweight. METHODS: We
      analyzed cross-sectional data from 102,869 Japanese individuals aged 65 years or
      older. The perceived availability of food was assessed using the presence or
      absence of food stores within 1 km of the home. Level of relationships with
      neighbors was also assessed. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals
      (CIs) for infrequent food intake and underweight were determined using logistic
      regression analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of men and women having low access
      to food was 25-30%. Having low food access (OR 1.18; 95% CI, 1.12-1.25 for men
      and OR 1.26; 95% CI, 1.19-1.33 for women) and a low level of relationship with
      neighbors (OR 1.38; 95% CI, 1.31-1.45 for men and OR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.48-1.67 for
      women) was associated with infrequent intake of fruits and vegetables in both
      sexes. Association between low food access and infrequent intake of fruits and
      vegetables was higher among men with low levels of neighbor relationship (OR
      1.34; 95% CI, 1.23-1.46) than among men with high levels of relationship (OR
      1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.18). CONCLUSIONS: Low perceived availability of food is a
      risk factor for low dietary variety among older people. Furthermore, high levels
      of relationship with neighbors may relieve the harmful effect of low food access.

PMID- 28629704
TI  - Relationship between 8-year weight change, body size, and health in a large
      cohort of adults in Thailand.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity have been shown to be risk factors for a range
      of non-communicable diseases, especially cardio-metabolic conditions, worldwide.
      But less is known about the effects of weight change on adults' overall health
      and wellbeing, particularly in transitional low- and middle-income countries.
      This study aimed to assess the relationship between 8-year weight change and
      measures of self-assessed health among Thai adults. METHODS: Data were collected
      from Thai adults aged 25-40 years (n = 27,003) enrolled in the Thai cohort Study
      and surveyed in 2005, 2009, and 2013. We used self-reported weight and height
      measurements at baseline and 2013, as well as three standard health questions
      regarding overall health, energy, and emotion asked at the two time points, to
      investigate the effects of weight change on health. RESULTS: Between 2005 and
      2013, 6.0% of participants lost more than 5% of their baseline weight; 38.5% were
      stable (<5% loss to 5% gain); 23.0% slightly gained weight (>5%-10%); 22.8%
      gained moderate weight (>10%-20%); and 9.4% had heavy weight gain (>20%).
      Moderate (>10%-20%) and heavy weight gain (>20%) were both associated with an
      increased risk of reporting 'poor or very poor' overall health in 2013 among
      participants who had a normal body mass index (BMI) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]
      1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.71 and AOR 1.44; 95% CI, 1.09-1.90,
      respectively), were overweight (AOR 1.53; 955 CI, 1.01-2.29 and AOR 1.82; 95% CI,
      1.04-3.19, respectively) or had obesity (AOR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.74-3.51 and AOR
      3.20; 95% CI, 2.00-5.16, respectively) in 2005. Weight gain of over 20% also had
      a negative impact on energy level among cohort members with a normal BMI in 2005
      (AOR 1.36; 95% CI, 1.11-1.65) and among participants with obesity in 2005 (AOR
      1.93; 95% CI, 1.38-2.71). For those who were underweight, had a normal BMI, or
      had obesity at baseline, weight loss of more than 5% was associated with
      reporting emotional problems. Excessive weight gain adversely impacted
      participants who were underweight or had obesity at baseline. CONCLUSION: Our
      study found that weight change, in particular weight gain, was associated with
      negative health outcomes, and this effect appeared to increase at higher levels
      of body size. The present findings may be useful to promote weight maintenance
      and healthy lifestyles.

PMID- 28629705
TI  - Nursing involvement in risk and patient safety management in Primary Care.
AB  - Patient safety and quality of care in a highly complex healthcare system depends
      not only on the actions of professionals at an individual level, but also on
      interaction with the environment. Proactive risk management in the system to
      prevent incidents and activities targeting healthcare teams is crucial in
      establishing a culture of safety in centres. Nurses commonly lead these safety
      strategies. Even though safety incidents are relatively infrequent in primary
      care, since the majority are preventable, actions at this level of care are
      highly effective. Certification of services according to ISO standard 9001:2008
      focuses on risk management in the system and its use in certifying healthcare
      centres is helping to build a safety culture amongst professionals.

PMID- 28629706
TI  - Disulfide-linked dimerization of the FcRgamma chain is required for positive and
      negative regulation of mast cell activation via FcepsilonRI.

PMID- 28629707
TI  - Theoretical investigation of the selective dehydration and dehydrogenation of
      ethanol catalyzed by small molecules.
AB  - Catalytic dehydration and dehydrogenation reactions of ethanol have been
      investigated systematically using the ab initio quantum chemistry methods The
      catalysts include water, hydrogen peroxide, formic acid, phosphoric acid,
      hydrogen fluoride, ammonia, and ethanol itself. Moreover, a few clusters of water
      and ethanol were considered to simulate the catalytic mechanisms in supercritical
      water and supercritical ethanol. The barriers for both dehydration and
      dehydrogenation can be reduced significantly in the presence of the catalysts. It
      is revealed that the selectivity of the catalytic dehydration and dehydrogenation
      depends on the acidity and basicity of the catalysts and the sizes of the
      clusters. The acidic catalyst prefers dehydration while the basic catalysts tend
      to promote dehydrogenation more effectively. The calculated water-dimer catalysis
      mechanism supports the experimental results of the selective oxidation of ethanol
      in the supercritical water. It is suggested that the solvent- and catalyst-free
      self-oxidation of the supercritical ethanol could be an important mechanism for
      the selective dehydrogenation of ethanol on the theoretical point of view.

PMID- 28629708
TI  - Comparative use of different emission measurement approaches to determine methane
      emissions from a biogas plant.
AB  - A sustainable anaerobic biowaste treatment has to mitigate methane emissions from
      the entire biogas production chain, but the exact quantification of these
      emissions remains a challenge. This study presents a comparative measurement
      campaign carried out with on-site and ground-based remote sensing measurement
      approaches conducted by six measuring teams at a Swedish biowaste treatment
      plant. The measured emissions showed high variations, amongst others caused by
      different periods of measurement performance in connection with varying
      operational states of the plant. The overall methane emissions measured by ground
      based remote sensing varied from 5 to 25kgh-1 (corresponding to a methane loss of
      0.6-3.0% of upgraded methane produced), depending on operating conditions and the
      measurement method applied. Overall methane emissions measured by the on-site
      measuring approaches varied between 5 and 17kgh-1 (corresponding to a methane
      loss of 0.6 and 2.1%) from team to team, depending on the number of measured
      emission points, operational state during the measurements and the measurement
      method applied. Taking the operational conditions into account, the deviation
      between different approaches and teams could be explained, in that the two
      largest methane-emitting sources, contributing about 90% of the entire site's
      emissions, were found to be the open digestate storage tank and a pressure
      release valve on the compressor station.

PMID- 28629709
TI  - Energy recovery from one- and two-stage anaerobic digestion of food waste.
AB  - One- and two-stage anaerobic digestion of food waste aimed at recovering methane
      (CH4) and hydrogen and methane (H2+CH4), respectively, were compared in order to
      assess the potential benefits from the two-stage process in terms of overall
      energy recovery. Results suggest that a two-stage process where the first reactor
      is properly operated in order to achieve a significant net hydrogen production,
      may display a 20% comparatively higher energy recovery yield as a result, mainly,
      of enhanced methane production as well as of the associated hydrogen production.
      The highest methane production of the two-stage process was due to improved
      hydrolysis and fermentation of food waste, with increased amounts of volatile
      fatty acids being readily available to methanogenesis.

PMID- 28629710
TI  - Anaerobic digestion of tuna waste for the production of volatile fatty acids.
AB  - Fish canning industries generate a significant amount of solid waste that can be
      digested anaerobically into volatile fatty acids (VFA). The aim of this research
      was to study the effect of various pHs, ranging from 5.0 to 10.0, and percentage
      of total solids on the anaerobic digestion of tuna waste into VFA, both in batch
      assays and continuous reactor. The production of VFA was affected by pH and was
      significantly higher under alkaline conditions. At pH 8.0, the VFA production
      reached 30,611mgCOD/L. The VFA mainly consisted of acetic, propionic, n-butyric
      and i-valeric acids. Acetic acid was the main product at all the pHs tested. In
      terms of total solids (TS) the best results were obtained with 2.5% total solids,
      reaching 0.73gCODVFA/gCODwaste. At higher TS concentrations (5 and 8% TS) lower
      yields were reached probably due to inhibition at high VFA concentration.

PMID- 28629711
TI  - Single-step construction of a picornavirus replicon RNA with precise ends.
AB  - A versatile single-step method is described for constructing a picornavirus
      replicon RNA with precise ends to facilitate improved understanding of viral
      genome function and mimic native virus replication in host cells as far as
      possible. The key innovation in this new approach is the use of a bridge primer
      to both introduce a ribozyme sequence for cis-cleavage of RNA to generate precise
      5' ends of EV71 RNA and also mediate overlapping assembly of two fragments. Using
      an EV71 replicon as a test case, precise ends for the viral replicon were shown
      to be important for efficient virus replication. Thus, our work provides a novel
      efficient way to generating higher efficient viral replicon with precise ends and
      this novel method can be applied to other picornaviruses' research.

PMID- 28629712
TI  - Corrigendum to 'Predictors of Shunt Insertion in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid
      Hemorrhage' [World Neurosurgery 98 (2017) 421-426].

PMID- 28629713
TI  - The effects of maternal antidepressant use on offspring behaviour and brain
      development: Implications for risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.
AB  - Approximately 10% of pregnant women are prescribed antidepressant drugs (ADDs),
      with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) the most widely prescribed.
      SSRIs bind to the serotonin transporter (SERT), blocking the reabsorption of
      serotonin by the presynaptic neuron and increasing serotonin levels in the
      synaptic cleft. The serotonergic system regulates a range of brain development
      processes including neuronal proliferation, migration, differentiation and
      synaptogenesis. Given the presence of SERT in early brain development, coupled
      with the ability of SSRIs to cross the placenta and also enter breast milk,
      concerns have been raised regarding the effects of SSRI exposure on the
      developing foetus and newborns. In this review, we evaluate preclinical and
      clinical studies that have examined the effects of maternal SSRI exposure and the
      risk for altered neurodevelopment and associated behaviours in offspring. While
      the current body of evidence suggests that maternal SSRI treatment may cause
      perturbations to the neurobiology, behaviour and ultimately risk for
      neurodevelopmental disorders in exposed offspring, conflicting findings do exist
      and the evidence is not conclusive. However, given the increasing incidence of
      depression and number of women prescribed ADDs during pregnancy, further
      investigation into this area is warranted.

PMID- 28629714
TI  - [Clinical observation of newborns with infection risk: A safe practice].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Early-onset neonatal sepsis refers to an infection which starts
      during the first 72hours of birth, and can lead to significant morbidity and
      mortality. Scientific evidence shows that infected infants present with symptoms
      during the first hours after delivery. There has been a significant decrease in
      this condition with the implementation of guidelines for its prevention. However,
      International guidelines still recommend the evaluation of these infants using
      painful tests. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted on
      all asymptomatic infants born at>35 weeks gestation with one or more risk factors
      in a single tertiary care centre from 2011 to 2015. They were periodically
      observed in newborn nursery from admission until discharge looking for signs of
      infection. RESULTS: Out of the 9,424 babies born during this period, 1425 were
      included in the study. A total of 53 infants were admitted to the neonatal unit,
      half of them because of sepsis suspicion. Finally, just 7 were discharged with
      the diagnosis of sepsis. All these 7 presented with symptoms during their first
      72hours of life. No sepsis was reported in asymptomatic infants. CONCLUSIONS:
      Truly infected infants present with symptoms during their first hours of life.
      This study supports the observation of infants at risk as a safe practice to
      detect early-onset sepsis.

PMID- 28629716
TI  - Psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related fatigue amongst
      nurses in Brunei: structural equation model approach.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related
      fatigue have adverse effects on individual nurses and place a substantial
      financial burden on health care. Evidence of an association has been reported in
      the literature, but no theoretical explanation has been published to date. AIM:
      To explore and develop a structural model to provide a theoretical explanation
      for this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using data from 201 valid
      samples of emergency and critical care nurses across public hospitals in Brunei
      was performed via self-administered questionnaire. The structural equation model
      was assessed using partial least squares analysis. RESULTS: A valid and robust
      structural model was constructed. This revealed that 61.5% of the variance in
      chronic fatigue could be explained by psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal
      disorders pathways. Among the psychosocial factors, work-family conflict was
      identified as a key mediator for progression of musculoskeletal problems and
      subsequent fatigue through stress and burnout. CONCLUSION: This report provides a
      novel theoretical contribution to understanding the relationship between
      psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal disorders and work-related fatigue. These
      preliminary results may be useful for future studies on the development of work
      related fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders, particularly the central role of
      work-family conflict.

PMID- 28629717
TI  - Sarcopenia Screened by the SARC-F Questionnaire and Physical Performances of
      Elderly Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Screening for sarcopenia in daily practice can be challenging. Our
      objective was to explore whether the SARC-F questionnaire is a valid screening
      tool for sarcopenia (defined by the Foundation for the National Institutes of
      Health [FNIH] criteria). Moreover, we evaluated the physical performance of older
      women according to the SARC-F questionnaire. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
      PARTICIPANTS: Data from the Toulouse and Lyon EPIDemiologie de l'OSteoporose
      study (EPIDOS) on 3025 women living in the community (mean age: 80.5 +/- 3.9
      years), without a previous history of hip fracture, were assessed. MEASUREMENTS:
      The SARC-F self-report questionnaire score ranges from 0 to 10: a score >=4
      defines sarcopenia. The FNIH criteria uses handgrip strength (GS) and
      appendicular lean mass (ALM; assessed by DXA) divided by body mass index (BMI) to
      define sarcopenia. Outcome measures were the following performance-based tests:
      knee-extension strength, 6-m gait speed, and a repeated chair-stand test. The
      associations of sarcopenia with performance-based tests was examined using
      bootstrap multiple linear-regression models; adjusted R2 determined the
      percentage variation for each outcome explained by the model. RESULTS: Prevalence
      of sarcopenia was 16.7% (n = 504) according to the SARC-F questionnaire and 1.8%
      (n = 49) using the FNIH criteria. Sensibility and specificity of the SARC-F to
      diagnose sarcopenia (defined by FNIH criteria) were 34% and 85%, respectively.
      Sarcopenic women defined by SARC-F had significantly lower physical performance
      than nonsarcopenic women. The SARC-F improved the ability to predict poor
      physical performance. CONCLUSION: The validity of the SARC-F questionnaire to
      screen for sarcopenia, when compared with the FNIH criteria, was limited.
      However, sarcopenia defined by the SARC-F questionnaire substantially improved
      the predictive value of clinical characteristics of patients to predict poor
      physical performance.

PMID- 28629719
TI  - Alpha ketoglutarate nanoparticles: A potentially effective treatment for cyanide
      poisoning.
AB  - The purpose of this research work was to prepare nanosized formulation of alpha
      ketoglutarate as dry powder inhaler for cyanide poisoning. Nanosizing can be
      approached by solid phase and liquid phase method. The different conditions
      encountered in both these approaches can greatly affect the particle
      characteristics. In this study milling and precipitation technique were compared
      to study their effect on alpha-KG particles characteristics. Differences in
      choice of stabilizers were observed between the two processing techniques.
      Sonication processes followed by HPH produced small sized particles in which
      Pluronic F68 was employed as stabilizing agent. Precipitation approach produced
      ultrafine drug particles by utilizing combination of stabilizers (PVA+PEG 400).
      Amongst the two sonication processes, probe sonication process produced well
      stabilized small sized particles. The designed particles showed 43.13+/-2.36%
      lung deposition when compared with ultrasonication and precipitation technique
      that showed 31.69% and 21.67% respirable fraction. The MMAD of the designed
      particles was found suitable for deep alveolar deposition. Clinical studies
      (Phase-I trial) showed whole lung deposition of 52.51% for DPI. The P/C ratio was
      found to be 1.02 suggesting uniform distribution of particles in different lung
      compartments.

PMID- 28629718
TI  - Changes in podocyte TRPC channels evoked by plasma and sera from patients with
      recurrent FSGS and by putative glomerular permeability factors.
AB  - Primary forms of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are driven by
      circulating factors that cause dysfunction or loss podocytes. Rare genetic forms
      of FSGS can be caused by mutations in TRPC6, which encodes a Ca2+-permeable
      cationic channel expressed in mesangial cells and podocytes; and NPHS2, which
      encodes podocin, a TRPC6-binding protein expressed in podocyte slit diaphragm
      domains. Here we observed that exposing immortalized mouse podocytes to serum or
      plasma from recurrent FSGS patients for 24h increased the steady-state cell
      surface abundance of TRPC6, accompanied by an increase in currents through
      endogenous TRPC6 channels evoked by a hypoosmotic stretch stimulus. These effects
      were mimicked by the soluble urokinase receptor (suPAR) and by tumor necrosis
      factor (TNF), circulating factors implicated in nephrotic syndromes. Most but not
      all of the recurrent FSGS plasma samples that we examined also caused a loss of
      podocin over a period of several hours. The loss of podocin was also seen
      following exposure to suPAR but not TNF. However, TNF increased the effects of
      suPAR on TRPC6 and podocin, and TNF and suPAR are required for the full effects
      of one of the recurrent FSGS plasma samples. The actions of FSGS plasma, suPAR
      and TNF on surface abundance of TRPC6 were blocked by cilengitide, an inhibitor
      of alphavbeta3-integrin signaling. These data suggest that primary FSGS is a
      heterogeneous condition mediated by multiple circulating factors, and support
      TRPC6 and alphavbeta3-integrin as potential therapeutic targets.

PMID- 28629720
TI  - Exploring connectivity with large-scale Granger causality on resting-state
      functional MRI.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Large-scale Granger causality (lsGC) is a recently developed, resting
      state functional MRI (fMRI) connectivity analysis approach that estimates
      multivariate voxel-resolution connectivity. Unlike most commonly used
      multivariate approaches, which establish coarse-resolution connectivity by
      aggregating voxel time-series avoiding an underdetermined problem, lsGC estimates
      voxel-resolution, fine-grained connectivity by incorporating an embedded
      dimension reduction. NEW METHOD: We investigate application of lsGC on realistic
      fMRI simulations, modeling smoothing of neuronal activity by the hemodynamic
      response function and repetition time (TR), and empirical resting-state fMRI
      data. Subsequently, functional subnetworks are extracted from lsGC connectivity
      measures for both datasets and validated quantitatively. We also provide
      guidelines to select lsGC free parameters. RESULTS: Results indicate that lsGC
      reliably recovers underlying network structure with area under receiver operator
      characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.93 at TR=1.5s for a 10-min session of fMRI
      simulations. Furthermore, subnetworks of closely interacting modules are
      recovered from the aforementioned lsGC networks. Results on empirical resting
      state fMRI data demonstrate recovery of visual and motor cortex in close
      agreement with spatial maps obtained from (i) visuo-motor fMRI stimulation task
      sequence (Accuracy=0.76) and (ii) independent component analysis (ICA) of resting
      state fMRI (Accuracy=0.86). COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): Compared with
      conventional Granger causality approach (AUC=0.75), lsGC produces better network
      recovery on fMRI simulations. Furthermore, it cannot recover functional
      subnetworks from empirical fMRI data, since quantifying voxel-resolution
      connectivity is not possible as consequence of encountering an underdetermined
      problem. CONCLUSIONS: Functional network recovery from fMRI data suggests that
      lsGC gives useful insight into connectivity patterns from resting-state fMRI at a
      multivariate voxel-resolution.

PMID- 28629721
TI  - A 16-year retrospective surveillance report on the pathogenic features and
      antimicrobial susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from FAHJU in
      Guangzhou representative of Southern China.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major pathogen responsible for nosocomial infections.
      A 16-year retrospective report from 2000 to 2015 was conducted to assess the
      antimicrobial resistance of P. aeruginosa in Southern China. A total of 1387 P.
      aeruginosa were collected from inpatients and outpatients. Susceptibility testing
      results were interpreted according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards
      Institute (CLSI, 2015). Piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftazidime,
      aminoglycosides and carbapenems remained to be active against P. aeruginosa, with
      resistance rates ranging from 5.6% to 29.7%. Generally, ampicillin, ampicillin
      sulbactam, ceftriaxone and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole nearly lost the effect
      on P. aeruginosa, as the resistance rates increase up to 90%. Notably, sputum and
      blood specimen showed higher resistance rates than other sources in carbapenems,
      suggesting more caution should be paid on the choice of antibiotic against
      infections associated with respiratory tract.

PMID- 28629722
TI  - The manganese efflux system MntE contributes to the virulence of Streptococcus
      suis serotype 2.
AB  - Manganese is an essential micronutrient to bacteria and plays an important role
      in bacterial physiology. However, an excess of manganese is extremely deleterious
      to the cell. The manganese efflux system is used to control intracellular
      manganese levels by some bacteria. In this study, we have identified a cation
      efflux family protein (MntE) that functions as a manganese export system in
      Streptococcus suis serotype 2. To investigate the role of mntE in S. suis 2, a
      mntE deletion mutant (DeltamntE) and the corresponding complementation strain
      (CDeltamntE) were constructed. DeltamntE displayed similar growth compared to the
      wild-type and complementation strains under normal growth conditions, but was
      defective in medium supplemented with high concentrations of manganese. In
      addition, the mutant was more sensitive to oxidative stress conferred by diamide.
      Using a competitive-infection assay in the murine infection model, we
      demonstrated for the first time that MntE is involved in the virulence of S. suis
      2. Collectively, our data indicate that manganese homeostasis controlled by the
      manganese efflux system MntE is important for the pathogenesis of S. suis 2.

PMID- 28629723
TI  - Microbial antioxidant defense enzymes.
AB  - Free radicals are often described as chemical compounds characterized by unpaired
      electrons in their outer orbital rendering them highly reactive species. In
      mammalians, studies on free radicals were focused on reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS) due to their relative importance in
      physiological as well as in pathological processes. These cellular compounds are
      produced by different physiological systems such as the aerobic metabolism and
      play a major role in cell signaling pathways but also in the host immune defenses
      against pathogenic microorganisms. ROS and RNS are highly reactive species with
      potentially harmful effects on any cellular components (lipids, proteins and
      nucleic acids) when produced with a high level. To maintain ROS and RNS at a non
      toxic concentration, enzymatic and non-enzymatic cellular antioxidants coordinate
      the balance between their production and their degradation. Superoxide
      dismutases, catalases, glutathione system, thioredoxin system, peroxidase
      systems, flavohemoglobins and nitrate or nitrite reductases represent the
      prominent enzymatic antioxidants used to scavenge excess of internal as well as
      external ROS and RNS. Bacteria, fungi and parasites also display similar
      enzymatic activities to escape the host oxidative defenses during the immune
      response against infectious processes. Here we summarize current knowledge on the
      enzymatic systems that allow microorganisms to fight against ROS and RNS, and
      shed light on the role that take some of them in microbial infections. Such
      microbial protective systems are considered as virulence factors, and therefore
      represent key targets for diagnosis of the infections or development of anti
      infectious drugs.

PMID- 28629724
TI  - In vitro antiviral effects of Peganum harmala seed extract and its total
      alkaloids against Influenza virus.
AB  - This research was aimed to evaluate the in vitro antiviral effect and the
      mechanism of the effect of Peganum. harmala seeds extract against influenza A
      virus infection using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. In this research,
      ethyl alcohol extract of P. harmala seeds and its total alkaloids was prepared.
      The potential antiviral activity of the extract and its total alkaloids against
      influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1; PR8) virus was assessed. The mode of action
      of the extract to inhibit influenza replication was investigated using virucidal
      activity, hemagglutination inhibition assay, time of addition assays, RNA
      replication, western blot analysis and RNA polymerase blocking assay. The crud
      extract of P. harmala seed and its total alkaloids showed the best inhibitory
      effect against influenza A virus replication in MDCK cells using MTT assay,
      TCID50 method and hemagglutination assay. Our results indicated that the extract
      inhibits viral RNA replication and viral polymerase activity but did not effect
      on hemagglutination inhibition and virucidal activity. This study showed that, in
      vitro antiviral activity of P. harmala seed extract against influenza virus is
      most probably associated with inhibiting viral RNA transcription. Therefore, this
      extract and its total alkaloid should be further characterized to be developed as
      anti-influenza A virus agent.

PMID- 28629725
TI  - Relationship between histopathological status of the Helicobacter pylori infected
      patients and proteases of H. pylori in isolates carrying diverse virulence
      genotypes.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori is the main cause of several gastroduodenal diseases in
      Humans. Among various virulence factors of H. pylori, proteases may also be
      involved in its pathogenicity. In this study, relationship between proteolytic
      activity of H. pylori strains and histopathological changes of the stomach was
      investigated in the patients infected with strains carrying diverse virulence
      factors. H. pylori strains were isolated from the biopsies of 116 patients who
      referred to hospital for their gastroduodenal disorders, in Tehran, Iran.
      Biopsies were sent to microbiology and pathology laboratories for further
      analysis. All the suspected grown colonies were characterized by both biochemical
      tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Presence of seven protease genes,
      htrA, clpP, hp0169, hp1012, hp0382, hp1350 and hp1435, and distinct allelic
      variants of H. pylori virulence factors, cagA, vacA, iceA, babA2 and sabA, were
      analyzed in each strain. Protease activity of the strains was assessed using
      spectrophotometric assay. Furthermore, association between diversity in protease
      genes and virulence genes, protease activity, as well as pathological changes was
      estimated statistically. Proteases genes, htrA, clpP, hp0169, hp1012, hp0382,
      hp1350, hp1435, were detected among 100%, 100%, 98%, 98%, 98%, 98%, and 8% of
      fifty H. pylori strains isolated from the patients, respectively. Status of cagA,
      vacA s1, vacA s2, vacA m1, vacA m2, iceA1, iceA2, babA2 and sabA genes in
      isolates were 64%, 68%, 30%, 26%, 74%, 48%, 52%, 100%, and 96%, respectively.
      Predominant (84%) combined status for protease genes was:
      htrA/clpP/hp0169/hp1012/hp0382/hP1350/hp1435, while the prevalent combined status
      (16%) for virulence genes was: cagA+/vacA s1m2/iceA1+/sabA+/babA2+. Although most
      of the strains (91.4%) presented moderate protease activity in vitro, lowest
      activity was measured in strains isolated from the patients with chronic
      gastritis (4.25%). Present study provide the new data on diversity of protease
      genes in H. pylori, as well as the proteolytic activity of these genes in H.
      pylori strains from the sick patients. Presence of significant association
      between lower protease activity of the strains and mildness of the pathological
      changes propose involvement of these proteases in the pathogenesis of H. pylori
      in vivo.

PMID- 28629726
TI  - Th2-related immune responses by the Brucella abortus cellular antigens, malate
      dehydrogenase, elongation factor, and arginase.
AB  - Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by Brucella species. The
      disease is difficult to control due to the intracellular survival of the
      bacterium and the lack of precise understanding of pathogenesis. Despite of
      continuous researches on the pathogenesis of Brucella spp. infection, there is
      still question on the pathogenesis, especially earlier immune response in the
      bacterial infection. Malate dehydrogenase (MDH), elongation factor (Tsf), and
      arginase (RocF), which showed serological reactivity, were purified after gene
      cloning, and their immune modulating activities were then analyzed in a murine
      model. Cytokine production profiles were investigated by stimulating RAW 264.7
      cells and naive splenocytes with the three recombinant proteins. Also, immune
      responses were analyzed by ELISA and an ELIspot assay after immunizing mice with
      the three proteins. Only TNF-alpha was produced in stimulated RAW 264.7 cells,
      whereas Th1-related cytokines, IFN-gamma and IL-2, were induced in naive
      splenocytes. In contrast, Th2-type immune response was more strongly induced in
      antigen-secreting cells in the splenocytes obtained 28 days after immunizing mice
      with the three proteins, as were IgM and IgG. The induction of Th2-related
      antibody, IgG1, was higher than the Th1-related antibody, IgG2a, in immunized
      mice. These results suggest that the three proteins strongly induce Th2-type
      immune response in vivo, even though Th1-related cytokines were produced in
      vitro.

PMID- 28629727
TI  - Antigenicity of phage clones and their synthetic peptides for the serodiagnosis
      of canine and human visceral leishmaniasis.
AB  - In the Americas, Brazil is responsible by 90% of the cases registered of visceral
      leishmaniasis (VL), and Leishmania infantum is the most common parasite species
      responsible by disease in Brazilian dogs and humans. A precise diagnosis may
      allow to a faster and more effective treatment against the disease, which
      increases the possibility of cure, as well as to induce less toxic effects, due
      to a lower time exposition for the chemotherapeutics. In a previous study, two L.
      infantum mimotopes, B10 and C01 clones, were recognized by antibodies in VL dogs
      sera by a phage display technology, and were well-successfully evaluated as
      vaccine candidates against visceral and tegumentary leishmaniasis. In the present
      work, the diagnostic efficacy of these clones, as well as of their exogenous
      peptides (B10: LSFPFPG and C01: FTSFSPY), was evaluated to diagnose canine and
      human VL. ELISA assays were performed with the four antigens, and results showed
      that both clones, as well as their synthetic peptides; showed high sensitivity
      and specificity values to identify VL samples, presenting an excellent
      performance to serologically diagnose VL-developing humans and dogs. On the other
      hand, a wild-type phage, a random non-specific clone and a L. infantum antigenic
      preparation were used as controls, and showed worst sensitivity and specificity
      results. In conclusion, besides their biological action as vaccine, B10 and C01
      phages and their synthetic peptides could be considered as new markers for the
      serodiagnosis of canine and human VL.

PMID- 28629728
TI  - Antibiotic resistance determinants and clonal relationships among multidrug
      resistant isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae.
AB  - In the present study, we performed PCR based screening to determine the presence
      of antibiotic resistance genes and sequencing to find mutation in QRDR region
      among fourteen isolates of K. pneumoniae. Association analysis was conducted to
      detect the co-resistance among the isolates. Multi-locus sequence analysis was
      carried out to determine the clonal relationship among them. All the K.
      pneumoniae isolates showed resistance to multiple antibiotics and exhibited cross
      resistance to antibiotics. Although few isolates co-harbored variants of beta
      lactamase genes, others carried qnrB on plasmid and mutations in Quinolone
      Resistant Determining Region (QRDR). This study thus indicates that clonally
      unrelated K. pneumoniae isolates exhibited co-resistance, harboured multiple
      antibiotic resistance genes present on the chromosome, plasmids and/or integron
      Therefore, the data from this study can provide guidelines for the prudent use of
      antibiotics to avert the impending danger of losing out on the available
      antibiotics for therapeutic use.

PMID- 28629729
TI  - A multicenter study of routine versus selective intraoperative leak testing for
      sleeve gastrectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Staple line leaks after sleeve gastrectomy are dreaded complications.
      Many surgeons routinely perform an intraoperative leak test (IOLT) despite little
      evidence to validate the reliability, clinical benefit, and safety of this
      procedure. OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of IOLT and if routine use has
      any benefit over selective use. SETTING: Eight teaching hospitals, including
      private, university, and military facilities. METHODS: A multicenter,
      retrospective analysis over a 5-year period. The efficacy of the IOLT for
      identifying unsuspected staple line defects and for predicting postoperative
      leaks was evaluated. An anonymous survey was also collected reflecting surgeons'
      practices and beliefs regarding IOLT. RESULTS: From January 2010 through December
      2014, 4284 patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Of these, 37 patients (.9%)
      developed a postoperative leak, and 2376 patients (55%) received an IOLT. Only 2
      patients (0.08%) had a positive finding. Subsequently, 21 patients with a
      negative IOLT developed a leak. IOLT demonstrated a sensitivity of only 8.7%.
      There was a nonsignificant trend toward increased leak rates when an IOLT was
      performed versus when IOLT was not performed. Leak rates were not statistically
      different between centers that routinely perform IOLT versus those that
      selectively perform IOLT. CONCLUSIONS: Routine IOLT had very poor sensitivity and
      was negative in 91% of patients who later developed postoperative leaks. The use
      of IOLT was not associated with a decrease in the incidence of postoperative
      leaks, and routine IOLT had no benefit over selective leak testing. IOLT should
      not be used as a quality indicator or "best practice" for bariatric surgery.

PMID- 28629730
TI  - Synergistic antinociceptive effect of a calcium channel blocker and a TRPV1
      blocker in an acute pain model in mice.
AB  - AIMS: Extensive evidence supports a role for voltage-gated calcium channels
      (VGCC) and TRPV1 receptors in pain transmission and modulation. We investigated
      the profile of analgesic interaction between Phalpha1beta toxin (a VGCC blocker)
      and SB366791 (selective TRPV1 antagonist) in a model of acute pain induced by
      capsaicin. Changes in body temperature induced by combination regimens were also
      evaluated. MAIN METHODS: Isobolographic approach with a fixed dose-ratio of
      combined drugs was used to determine whether antinociceptive interaction of
      Phalpha1beta and SB366791 are subadditive, additive or synergic. Body temperature
      was obtained by thermal infrared imaging. KEY FINDINGS: Phalpha1beta and SB366791
      interact in a synergistic manner to cause antinociception. We found an
      interaction index (alpha) of 0.07 for Phalpha1beta and SB366791 when these drugs
      were injected together intraplantarly, which indicates that in vivo interaction
      between these drugs is greater than additive interaction. Synergism also occurred
      when intraplantar SB366791 was administered simultaneously with intrathecal
      Phalpha1beta (interaction index alpha=0.06) suggesting a 15 fold rise in potency
      on the analgesic effect of these drugs when they are added together. It was
      observed no significant alterations in body temperature of animals treated with
      this combination regimen. SIGNIFICANCE: Our data reveal that Phalpha1beta toxin
      potentiates in 15 fold the antinociceptive action of the TRPV1 blocker SB366791.
      Therefore, lower doses of these drugs are required to achieve antinociceptive
      effects when these agents are given in combination.

PMID- 28629731
TI  - Pterostilbene ameliorates insulin sensitivity, glycemic control and oxidative
      stress in fructose-fed diabetic rats.
AB  - AIMS: The present investigation was designed to explore the effectiveness of
      pterostilbene (PT) on insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress
      in fructose-fed insulin resistant rats. MAIN METHODS: Age-matched, male Sprague
      Dawley rats (330+/-30g body weight) were allocated into five groups (n=10).
      Control (C) group received 65% cornstarch, and the diabetic (D) group received
      65% fructose for eight weeks. The third group (D+PT20) received 65% fructose and
      PT 20mg/kg/day for eight weeks. The fourth group (D+PT40) received 65% fructose
      and PT 40mg/kg/day for eight weeks. The fifth group (D+M) received 65% fructose
      and metformin (M) 100mg/kg/day for eight weeks. PT was dissolved in 10% beta
      cyclodextrin and given orally to rats. Several biochemical parameters were
      determined to assess the PT efficacy against insulin resistance, metabolic
      complications, and hepatic oxidative stress. KEY FINDINGS: Significantly high
      HOMA-IR (p<0.001) values in D group compared to C group indicate the presence of
      insulin resistance. Significantly high levels of TBARS (p<0.001) and decreased
      levels of SOD (p<0.001) and GSH (p<0.001) in hepatic tissues of D group indicate
      oxidative stress associated with insulin resistance. Pterostilbene treatment to
      fructose-fed diabetic rats significantly decreased HOMA-IR (p<0.001) values.
      Furthermore, PT treatment significantly decreased hepatic TBARS (p<0.001) and
      increased SOD (p<0.001) and GSH (p<0.001) levels in fructose-fed diabetic rats.
      SIGNIFICANCE: Current study reveals that PT is successful in ameliorating
      glycemic control, insulin sensitivity while diminishing metabolic disturbances
      and hepatic oxidative stress in a fructose-induced T2DM rat model.

PMID- 28629732
TI  - Impact of granulocyte contamination on PBMC integrity of shipped blood samples:
      Implications for multi-center studies monitoring regulatory T cells.
AB  - In centralized immune monitoring for a multi-center allergen immunotherapy trial,
      we observed frequent loss of CD4+ T cell integrity following staining of cultured
      PBMCs with our regulatory T cell flow cytometry panel. Samples were marked by a
      loss of total cellular events, altered scatter properties, and reduced CD3+CD4+
      events. This occurred only in samples that were stained with Foxp3 and were
      therefore treated with Foxp3 fixation-permeabilization buffer. We identified
      granulocyte contamination in samples associated with a loss of integrity, and
      went on to test the impact of granulocyte depletion on day-old blood samples.
      Granulocyte depletion prevented loss of cell integrity and CD3+CD4+ events, and
      reduced variability in detection of Foxp3+ cells. Addition of purified
      neutrophils back to PBMCs altered scatter properties and detection of CD4+ T
      cells. Implementation of a granulocyte depletion step in our standard operating
      protocols has reduced assay failure due to loss of sample integrity from 31% to
      0%. Routine incorporation of a granulocyte depletion step during PBMC isolation
      is recommended prior to downstream immune monitoring in blood with next-day
      processing.

PMID- 28629733
TI  - An optimized protocol for the generation and functional analysis of human mast
      cells from CD34+ enriched cell populations.
AB  - The culture of mast cells from human tissues such a cord blood, peripheral blood
      or bone marrow aspirates has advanced our understanding of human mast cells
      (huMC) degranulation, mediator production and response to pharmacologic agents.
      However, existing methods for huMC culture tend to be laborious and expensive.
      Combining technical approaches from several of these protocols, we designed a
      simplified and more cost effective approach to the culture of mast cells from
      human cell populations including peripheral blood and cryopreserved cells from
      lymphocytapheresis. On average, we reduced by 30-50 fold the amount of culture
      media compared to our previously reported method, while the total MC number
      generated by this method (2.46+/-0.63*106 vs. 2.4+/-0.28*106, respectively, from
      1.0*108 lymphocytapheresis or peripheral blood mononuclear blood cells [PBMCs])
      was similar to our previous method (2.36+/-0.70*106), resulting in significant
      budgetary savings. In addition, we compared the yield of huMCs with or without IL
      3 added to early cultures in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF) and
      interlukin-6 (IL-6) and found that the total MC number generated, while higher
      with IL-3 in the culture, did not reach statistical significance, suggesting that
      IL-3, often recommended in the culture of huMCs, is not absolutely required. We
      then performed a functional analysis by flow cytometry using standard methods and
      which maximized the data we could obtain from cultured cells. We believe these
      approaches will allow more laboratories to culture and examine huMC behavior
      going forward.

PMID- 28629734
TI  - Immunohistochemical and genetic exploration of incompatible A blood group antigen
      expression in invasive micropapillary breast carcinoma: A case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Invasive Micropapillary Carcinoma (IMPC) of the breast is a
      relatively rare subtype of invasive ductal carcinoma and represents the most
      inherently aggressive form. Expression of incompatible blood group A antigen in
      cancer of type O patients has been reported in several types of cancer, however,
      the biosynthetic mechanism and the genetic basis remain unclear until today. The
      aim of the present case report study was to evaluate the expression of
      incompatible blood group A antigen and to identify the genetic basis of this
      expression in IMPC of the breast. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One patient blood group O
      with Invasive Micropapillary Carcinoma was screened at Pathology Department of
      University Hospital CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca. ABH antigens expression was
      assessed by immunohistochemistry. ABO genotyping was performed by allele specific
      primers PCR-ASP and Exon 6 of ABO gene was sequenced with Sanger method. RESULTS:
      H antigen was expressed in endothelial and epithelial cells of normal tissue.
      However, H antigen expression was lost in both invasive micropapillary
      carcinomas. A antigen was expressed in IMPC with approximately 80% of positive
      cells. Tumor DNA was genotyped as heterozygous A/O. In normal DNA, we identified
      a single frameshift deletion c.320delA p.(Glu107Glyfs*12), which is removed from
      tumor DNA. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that incompatible A antigen
      expression in IMPC is due to glycosyltransferase A encoded by an A allele which
      is derived from O allele with a deletion at the position 320.

PMID- 28629735
TI  - Chronic fluoxetine treatment enhances sympathetic activities associated with
      abnormality of baroreflex function in conscious normal rats.
AB  - Data regarding the effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),
      which are a common type of antidepressants, on cardiovascular autonomic function
      are inconsistent. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of
      chronic fluoxetine, an SSRI, on blood pressure, cardiac autonomic nervous
      activities and baroreflex control of heart rate. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      treated with fluoxetine (10mg/kg day, p.o.) or saline for 14 weeks. Baroreflex
      function was determined by the sigmoid logistic method based on the heart rate
      responses to changes in blood pressure elicited by phenylephrine or sodium
      nitroprusside infusions. Cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic tones were
      determined after methylatropine and propranolol treatments. Vascular
      responsiveness to acetylcholine, phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside, and
      cardiac responsiveness to isoproterenol were determined after ganglionic
      blockade. Chronic fluoxetine treatment increased plasma levels of adrenaline and
      noradrenaline, but not nitric oxide. Elevation of blood pressure and heart rate
      by chronic fluoxetine was accompanied by baroreflex resetting and depressed
      baroreflex sensitivity. Elevated heart rate was mediated by enhanced sympathetic
      and depressed parasympathetic tones. The lowered baroreflex sensitivity might be
      attributed to attenuation of the parasympathetic component of baroreflex
      function. Chronic fluoxetine also diminished cardiac and vascular responsiveness
      to isoproterenol and acetylcholine, respectively. The plasma levels of adrenaline
      and noradrenaline were highly correlated with blood pressure, heart rate and
      baroreflex sensitivity. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that chronic
      fluoxetine treatment in normal rats induced predominant sympathoexcitation and
      depressed parasympathetic activity leading to mild hypertension, tachycardia, and
      impairment of baroreflex function.

PMID- 28629736
TI  - KFP-H008 blocks gastric acid secretion through inhibiting H+-K+-ATPase.
AB  - 1-(5-(1H-indol-5-yl)-1-(pyridin-3-ylsulfonyl)-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)-N-methylmethanamine
      (KFP-H008),a novel and potent potassium-competitive acid blocker for the
      treatment of acid secretion related diseases, has not been reported previously.
      In this study, we demonstrated that KFP-H008 inhibits basal acid secretion, 2
      deoxy-D-glucose- (2DG-) stimulated gastric acid secretion in rats. KFP-H008
      blocked histamine-stimulated acid secretion in rats and heidenhain pouch dogs and
      reversed acid output in isolated gastric perfusion under histamine stimulation.
      In all the animal experiments, KFP-H008 exerted a more effective, potent and
      longer-lasting inhibitory action in comparison with lansoprazole, a proton pump
      inhibitor (PPI) commonly used in clinic. KFP-H008 inhibited H+-K+-ATPase activity
      both at pH 6.5 and pH 7.5, and was unaffected by pH. The inhibitory action was
      reversible and was achieved in a K+-competitive manner. Furthermore, KFP-H008 did
      not affect Na+-K+-ATPase activity, thus exhibiting high selectivity, which is
      different from PPIs. In all, KFP-H008, a novel potassium-competitive acid
      blocker, may provide new option for the patients with acid-related diseases and
      provide longer-lasting inhibitory action than drugs commonly used in clinical
      treatment.

PMID- 28629737
TI  - The obligatory role of Activin A in the formation of heterotopic bone in
      Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva.
AB  - Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) is a rare genetic disorder that
      presents at birth with only minor patterning defects, but manifests its
      debilitating pathology early in life with episodic, yet progressive and
      cumulative, heterotopic ossification (HO) of ligaments, tendons, and a subset of
      major skeletal muscles. The resulting HO lesions are endochondral in nature, and
      appear to be linked to inflammatory stimuli arising in association with known
      injuries, or from inflammation linked to normal tissue repair. FOP is caused by
      gain-of-function mutations in ACVR1, which encodes a type I BMP receptor. Initial
      studies on the pathogenic mechanism of FOP-causing mutations in ACVR1 focused on
      the enhanced function of this receptor in response to certain BMP ligands, or
      independently of ligands, but did not directly address the fact that HO in FOP is
      episodic and inflammation-driven. Recently, we and others demonstrated that
      Activin A is an obligate factor for the initiation of HO in FOP, signaling
      aberrantly via mutant ACVR1 to transduce osteogenic signals and trigger
      heterotopic bone formation (Hatsell et al., 2015; Hino et al., 2015).
      Subsequently, we identified distinct tissue-resident mesenchymal progenitor cells
      residing in muscles and tendons that recognize Activin A as a pro-osteogenic
      signal (solely in the context of FOP-causing mutant ACVR1), and give rise to the
      cartilaginous anlagen that form heterotopic bone (Dey et al., 2016). During the
      course of these studies, we also found that the activity of FOP-causing ACVR1
      mutations does not by itself explain the triggered or inflammatory nature of HO
      in FOP, suggesting the importance of other, inflammation-introduced, factors or
      processes. This review presents a synthesis of these findings with a focus on the
      role of Activin A and inflammation in HO, and lays out perspectives for future
      research.

PMID- 28629739
TI  - Twisting cracks in Bouligand structures.
AB  - The Bouligand structure, which is found in many biological materials, is a
      hierarchical architecture that features uniaxial fiber layers assembled
      periodically into a helicoidal pattern. Many studies have highlighted the high
      damage-resistant performance of natural and biomimetic Bouligand structures. One
      particular species that utilizes the Bouligand structure to achieve outstanding
      mechanical performance is the smashing Mantis Shrimp, Odontodactylus Scyllarus
      (or stomatopod). The mantis shrimp generates high speed, high acceleration blows
      using its raptorial appendage to defeat highly armored preys. The load-bearing
      part of this appendage, the dactyl club, contains an interior region [16] that
      consists of a Bouligand structure. This region is capable of developing a
      significant amount of nested twisting microcracks without exhibiting catastrophic
      failure. The development and propagation of these microcracks are a source of
      energy dissipation and stress relaxation that ultimately contributes to the
      remarkable damage tolerance properties of the dactyl club. We develop a
      theoretical model to provide additional insights into the local stress intensity
      factors at the crack front of twisting cracks formed within the Bouligand
      structure. Our results reveal that changes in the local fracture mode at the
      crack front leads to a reduction of the local strain energy release rate, hence,
      increasing the necessary applied energy release rate to propagate the crack,
      which is quantified by the local toughening factor. Ancillary 3D simulations of
      the asymptotic crack front field were carried out using a J-integral to validate
      the theoretical values of the energy release rate and the local stress intensity
      factors.

PMID- 28629738
TI  - Nitrous oxide versus oral sedation for pain management of first-trimester
      surgical abortion - a randomized study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to compare nitrous oxide with oxygen
      (N2O/O2) to oral hydrocodone/acetaminophen and lorazepam for analgesia during
      first-trimester surgical abortion. STUDY DESIGN: This double-blind randomized
      trial assigned women undergoing first-trimester surgical abortion at<11 weeks'
      gestation to inhaled N2O/O2 vs. oral sedation for pain management. The N2O/O2
      group received up to 70:30 ratio during the procedure and placebo pills
      preprocedure; the oral group received inhaled oxygen during the procedure and
      oral hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5 mg/325 mg and lorazepam 1 mg preprocedure. The
      primary outcome was maximum procedural pain, assessed on a 100-mm visual analog
      scale (VAS; anchors 0=no pain and 100=worst pain) at 2 min postprocedure. A
      difference of 13 mm on the VAS was considered clinically significant.
      Satisfaction with pain management was measured on a 100-mm VAS (anchors 0=very
      unsatisfied, 100=very satisfied). RESULTS: We randomized 140 women, 70 per study
      arm. Mean age of participants was 26+/-6.6 years; mean gestational age was 7.3+/
      1.5 weeks. Mean maximum procedure pain scores were 52.5+/-26.7 and 60.8+/-24.4
      for N2O/O2 and oral groups, respectively (p=.09). Satisfaction with pain
      management was 69.3+/-28.4 and 61.5+/-30.4 for N2O/O2 and oral groups.
      respectively (p=.15). CONCLUSION: We found no difference in mean procedural pain
      scores between women assigned to N2O/O2 vs. those assigned to oral sedation for
      first-trimester surgical abortion. Satisfaction with both options was high.
      IMPLICATIONS: Women undergoing early surgical abortion experienced no differences
      in pain and satisfaction between those who used inhaled nitrous oxide and oral
      sedation. Nitrous oxide, with side effects limited to the duration of inhalation
      and no need for a ride home, is a viable alternative to oral sedation for first
      trimester abortion pain management.

PMID- 28629740
TI  - Seasonal dynamics, spatial distribution and genetic analysis of Anaplasma species
      infecting small ruminants from Northern Tunisia.
AB  - To date, there have been no reports on seasonal variations of Anaplasma spp. in
      South Mediterranean small ruminants. In this longitudinal field study, single and
      mixed Anaplasma spp. infections in small ruminants from five different
      governorates belonging to three bioclimatic zones from the North of Tunisia were
      evaluated according to seasons. A total of 1685 blood small ruminant samples were
      collected in spring (355 sheep and 241 goats), summer (249 sheep and 202 goats),
      autumn (236 sheep and 186 goats) and winter (132 sheep and 84 goats). Molecular
      survey of A. ovis and A. bovis showed that average prevalence rates were 35.6%
      (minimum 30.7% in spring and maximum 43.6% in autumn) and 7.4% (minimum 0.9% in
      spring and maximum 18.1% in summer), respectively, in sheep, and 46% (minimum
      21.7% in summer and maximum 65.5% in winter) and 10.1% (minimum 2.2% in autumn
      and maximum 23.8% in summer), respectively, in goats. A. phagocytophilum was not
      detected in all investigated animals. The infection profiles of A. ovis and A.
      bovis show that anaplasmosis caused by A. ovis is endemic in small ruminants from
      all investigated bioclimatic areas during the four seasons but conversely, A.
      bovis infection is highly intensified only in the summer. A. ovis and A. bovis
      infections were validated by sequencing. The comparison of the 16S rRNA sequences
      of A. bovis variants showed 100% identity between Tunisian variants isolated from
      goats, sheep and cattle. The analysis of A. ovis msp4 sequences revealed two
      different genetic variants previously described in Italy. This is the first
      survey outlining seasonal dynamics of Anaplasma spp. infections in Tunisian small
      ruminants. This situation should to be taken into account if anaplasmosis control
      programs in these domesticated animals are envisaged.

PMID- 28629741
TI  - Establishment of an ideal time window model in hypothermic-targeted temperature
      management after traumatic brain injury in rats.
AB  - Although hypothermic-targeted temperature management (HTTM) holds great potential
      for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI), translation of the efficacy of
      hypothermia from animal models to TBI patientshas no entire consistency. This
      study aimed to find an ideal time window model in experimental rats which was
      more in accordance with clinical practice through the delayed HTTM intervention.
      Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to unilateral cortical contusion injury and
      received therapeutic hypothermia at 15mins, 2 h, 4 h respectively after TBI. The
      neurological function was evaluated with the modified neurological severity score
      and Morris water maze test. The brain edema and morphological changes were
      measured with the water content and H&E staining. Brain sections were
      immunostained with antibodies against DCX (a neuroblast marker) and GFAP (an
      astrocyte marker). The apoptosis levels in the ipsilateral hippocampi and cortex
      were examined with antibodies against the apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bax, and
      cleaved caspase-3 by the immunofluorescence and western blotting. The results
      indicated that each hypothermia therapy group could improve neurobehavioral and
      cognitive function, alleviate brain edema and reduce inflammation. Furthermore,
      we observed that therapeutic hypothermia increased DCX expression, decreased GFAP
      expression, upregulated Bcl-2 expression and downregulated Bax and cleaved
      Caspase-3 expression. The above results suggested that HTTM at 2h or even at 4h
      post-injury revealed beneficial brain protection similarly, despite the best
      effect at 15min post-injury. These findings may provide relatively ideal time
      window models, further making the following experimental results more credible
      and persuasive.

PMID- 28629742
TI  - Statistical differences in the white matter tracts in subjects with depression by
      using different skeletonized voxel-wise analysis approaches and DTI fitting
      procedures.
AB  - Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most significant contributors to
      the global burden of illness. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a procedure that
      has been used in several studies to characterize abnormalities in white matter
      (WM) microstructural integrity in MDD. These studies, however, have provided
      divergent findings, potentially due to the large variety of methodological
      alternatives available in conducting DTI research. In order to determine the
      importance of different approaches to coregistration of DTI-derived metrics to a
      standard space, we compared results from two different skeletonized voxel-wise
      analysis approaches: the standard TBBS pipeline and the Advanced Normalization
      Tools (ANTs) approach incorporating a symmetric image normalization (SyN)
      algorithm and a group-wise template (ANTs TBSS). We also assessed effects of
      applying twelve different fitting procedures for the diffusion tensor. For our
      dataset, lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AD) in depressed
      subjects compared with healthy controls were found for both methods and for all
      fitting procedures. No group differences were found for radial and mean
      diffusivity indices. Importantly, for the AD metric, the normalization methods
      and fitting procedures showed reliable differences, both in the volume and in the
      number of significant between-groups difference clusters detected. Additionally,
      a significant voxel-based correlation, in the left inferior fronto-occipital
      fasciculus, between AD and self-reported stress was found only for one of the
      normalization procedure (ANTs TBSS). In conclusion, the sensitivity to detect
      group-level effects on DTI metrics might depend on the DTI normalization and/or
      tensor fitting procedures used.

PMID- 28629743
TI  - Association study of childhood food allergy with genome-wide association studies
      discovered loci of atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic esophagitis.

PMID- 28629744
TI  - Mannose receptor modulates macrophage polarization and allergic inflammation
      through miR-511-3p.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mannose receptor (MRC1/CD206) has been suggested to mediate allergic
      sensitization and asthma to multiple glycoallergens, including cockroach
      allergens. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the existence of a protective
      mechanism through which MRC1 limits allergic inflammation through its intronic
      miR-511-3p. METHODS: We examined MRC1-mediated cockroach allergen uptake by lung
      macrophages and lung inflammation using C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) and Mrc1-/- mice.
      The role of miR-511-3p in macrophage polarization and cockroach allergen-induced
      lung inflammation in mice transfected with adeno-associated virus (AAV)-miR-511
      3p (AAV-cytomegalovirus-miR-511-3p-enhanced green fluorescent protein) was
      analyzed. Gene profiling of macrophages with or without miR-511-3p overexpression
      was also performed. RESULTS: Mrc1-/- lung macrophages showed a significant
      reduction in cockroach allergen uptake compared with WT mice, and Mrc1-/- mice
      had an exacerbated lung inflammation with increased levels of cockroach allergen
      specific IgE and TH2/TH17 cytokines in a cockroach allergen-induced mouse model
      compared with WT mice. Macrophages from Mrc1-/- mice showed significantly reduced
      levels of miR-511-3 and an M1 phenotype, whereas overexpression of miR-511-3p
      rendered macrophages to exhibit a M2 phenotype. Furthermore, mice transfected
      with AAV-miR-511-3p showed a significant reduction in cockroach allergen-induced
      inflammation. Profiling of macrophages with or without miR-511-3p overexpression
      identified 729 differentially expressed genes, wherein expression of
      prostaglandin D2 synthase (Ptgds) and its product PGD2 were significantly
      downregulated by miR-511-3p. Ptgds showed a robust binding to miR-511-3p, which
      might contribute to the protective effect of miR-511-3p. Plasma levels of miR-511
      3p were significantly lower in human asthmatic patients compared with
      nonasthmatic subjects. CONCLUSION: These studies support a critical but
      previously unrecognized role of MRC1 and miR-511-3p in protection against
      allergen-induced lung inflammation.

PMID- 28629745
TI  - Exposure to nonmicrobial N-glycolylneuraminic acid protects farmers' children
      against airway inflammation and colitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Childhood exposure to a farm environment has been shown to protect
      against the development of inflammatory diseases, such as allergy, asthma, and
      inflammatory bowel disease. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate whether both
      exposure to microbes and exposure to structures of nonmicrobial origin, such as
      the sialic acid N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), might play a significant
      role. METHODS: Exposure to Neu5Gc was evaluated by quantifying anti-Neu5Gc
      antibody levels in sera of children enrolled in 2 farm studies: the Prevention of
      Allergy Risk factors for Sensitization in Children Related to Farming and
      Anthroposophic Lifestyle (PARSIFAL) study (n = 299) and the Protection Against
      Allergy Study in Rural Environments (PASTURE) birth cohort (cord blood [n = 836],
      1 year [n = 734], 4.5 years [n = 700], and 6 years [n = 728]), and we associated
      them with asthma and wheeze. The effect of Neu5Gc was examined in murine airway
      inflammation and colitis models, and the role of Neu5Gc in regulating immune
      activation was assessed based on helper T-cell and regulatory T-cell activation
      in mice. RESULTS: In children anti-Neu5Gc IgG levels correlated positively with
      living on a farm and increased peripheral blood forkhead box protein 3 expression
      and correlated inversely with wheezing and asthma in nonatopic subjects. Exposure
      to Neu5Gc in mice resulted in reduced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammatory
      cell recruitment to the lung. Furthermore, Neu5Gc administration to mice reduced
      the severity of a colitis model. Mechanistically, we found that Neu5Gc exposure
      reduced IL-17+ T-cell numbers and supported differentiation of regulatory T
      cells. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to microbial exposure, increased exposure to non
      microbial-derived Neu5Gc might contribute to the protective effects associated
      with the farm environment.

PMID- 28629747
TI  - Mitochondrial DNA depletion induces innate immune dysfunction rescued by IFN
      gamma.

PMID- 28629748
TI  - Patterns and predictors of atopic dermatitis disease control past childhood: An
      observational cohort study.

PMID- 28629746
TI  - Mechanisms of genotype-phenotype correlation in autosomal dominant anhidrotic
      ectodermal dysplasia with immune deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia with immune
      deficiency (AD EDA-ID) is caused by heterozygous point mutations at or close to
      serine 32 and serine 36 or N-terminal truncations in IkappaBalpha that impair its
      phosphorylation and degradation and thus activation of the canonical nuclear
      factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappaB) pathway. The
      outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is poor in patients with AD
      EDA-ID despite achievement of chimerism. Mice heterozygous for the serine 32I
      mutation in IkappaBalpha have impaired noncanonical NF-kappaB activity and
      defective lymphorganogenesis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to establish genotype
      phenotype correlation in patients with AD EDA-ID. METHODS: A disease severity
      scoring system was devised. Stability of IkappaBalpha mutants was examined in
      transfected cells. Immunologic, biochemical, and gene expression analyses were
      performed to evaluate canonical and noncanonical NF-kappaB signaling in skin
      derived fibroblasts. RESULTS: Disease severity was greater in patients with
      IkappaBalpha point mutations than in those with truncation mutations.
      IkappaBalpha point mutants were expressed at significantly higher levels in
      transfectants compared with truncation mutants. Canonical NF-kappaB-dependent IL
      6 secretion and upregulation of the NF-kappaB subunit 2/p100 and RELB proto
      oncogene, NF-kappaB subunit (RelB) components of the noncanonical NF-kappaB
      pathway were diminished significantly more in patients with point mutations
      compared with those with truncations. Noncanonical NF-kappaB-driven generation of
      the transcriptionally active p100 cleavage product p52 and upregulation of CCL20,
      intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1
      (VCAM1), which are important for lymphorganogenesis, were diminished
      significantly more in LPS plus alpha-lymphotoxin beta receptor-stimulated
      fibroblasts from patients with point mutations compared with those with
      truncations. CONCLUSIONS: IkappaBalpha point mutants accumulate at higher levels
      compared with truncation mutants and are associated with more severe disease and
      greater impairment of canonical and noncanonical NF-kappaB activity in patients
      with AD EDA-ID.

PMID- 28629749
TI  - A distinct biomolecular profile identifies monoclonal mast cell disorders in
      patients with idiopathic anaphylaxis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clonal mast cell disorders are known to occur in a subset of patients
      with systemic reactions to Hymenoptera stings. This observation has prompted the
      question of whether clonal mast cell disorders also occur in patients with
      idiopathic anaphylaxis (IA). OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence of
      clonal mast cell disorders among patients with IA, criteria to identify those
      patients who require a bone marrow biopsy, and whether the pathogenesis of IA
      involves a hyperresponsive mast cell compartment. METHODS: We prospectively
      enrolled patients with IA (>=3 episodes/y) who then underwent a medical
      evaluation that included a serum tryptase determination, allele-specific
      quantitative PCR (ASqPCR) for the KIT D816V mutation, and a bone marrow
      examination. Mast cells were cultured from peripheral blood CD34+ cells and
      examined for releasability after FcepsilonRI aggregation. RESULTS: Clonal mast
      cell disease was diagnosed in 14% of patients referred with IA. ASqPCR for the
      KIT D816V mutation was a useful adjunct in helping identify those with systemic
      mastocytosis but not monoclonal mast cell activation syndrome. A modified overall
      clonal prediction model was developed by using clinical findings, a serum
      tryptase determination, and ASqPCR. There was no evidence of a hyperresponsive
      mast cell phenotype in patients with IA. CONCLUSION: Patients with clonal mast
      cell disease can present as having IA. Distinct clinical and laboratory features
      can be used to select those patients more likely to have an underlying clonal
      mast cell disorder (monoclonal mast cell activation syndrome or systemic
      mastocytosis) and thus candidates for a bone marrow biopsy.

PMID- 28629750
TI  - Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndromes with and without bloody stool have
      distinct clinicopathologic features.

PMID- 28629751
TI  - Unique influenza A cross-reactive memory CD8 T-cell receptor repertoire has a
      potential to protect against EBV seroconversion.

PMID- 28629752
TI  - RNA-containing exosomes in induced sputum of asthmatic patients.

PMID- 28629753
TI  - Active identification of patients who are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus colonized is not associated with longer duration of vancomycin therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Excessive prescribing of vancomycin among patients admitted to
      inpatient wards is a challenge for antimicrobial stewardship programs, especially
      in the setting of expanded screening programs for methicillin-resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Studies examining factors associated with longer
      duration of vancomycin use are limited. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective
      cohort study to assess the impact of universal MRSA admission screening on
      duration of vancomycin use at the VA Boston Healthcare System during the period
      from January 2013-November 2015. RESULTS: A total of 2,910 patients were
      administered intravenous vancomycin during the study period. A clinical culture
      positive for MRSA was strongly associated with vancomycin administration lasting
      >72 hours (odds ratio [OR], 2.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86-3.97; P <
      .001). After controlling for clinical culture results, admission MRSA
      colonization was not associated with vancomycin use past 72 hours (OR, 0.94; 95%
      CI, 0.8-1.1). A negative MRSA nasal swab on admission had a high negative
      predictive value for all MRSA infections evaluated (99.6% for pneumonia, 99.6%
      for bloodstream infection, and 98.1% for skin and soft tissue infection).
      CONCLUSIONS: Admission surveillance for MRSA nasal colonization is not a major
      driver of prolonged vancomycin use. A negative admission MRSA nasal screen may be
      a useful tool for antimicrobial stewardship programs to limit vancomycin use,
      particularly in noncritically ill patients.

PMID- 28629754
TI  - Improving compliance with surgical antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines: A
      multicenter evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Improving surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) use is an important
      element in the control of antimicrobial resistance. However, compliance with SAP
      guidelines is unsatisfactory. This study investigated the level of compliance
      with SAP guidelines in neurosurgery, and institutional characteristics associated
      with compliance. METHODS: This study assessed surgeries in 9 Brazilian hospitals.
      Medical record reviews and a structured questionnaire were used to assess
      compliance and to describe institutional characteristics. Six attributes of
      compliance with SAP guidelines were evaluated; full compliance was defined
      whenever all these attributes were met. Logistic and linear regressions were used
      to investigate the association between compliance, patients, and hospital
      characteristics. RESULTS: Full compliance was 10% and was associated with weekly
      hours of infection control personnel per intensive care unit bed (95% CI, 0.2
      0.1), hospital-wide dissemination of SAP guidelines (95% CI, 1.2-25.1),
      monitoring (95% CI, 1.2-25.1), and feedback of compliance rates (95% CI, 3.8
      25.2). Daytime procedures had greater compliance regarding drug dose (odds ratio
      [OR], 3.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72-6.65) and initial time (OR, 2.30;
      95% CI, 1.24-4.25). Spinal procedures achieved greater compliance with initial
      time (OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.12-3.01) and duration (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.7-2.16).
      CONCLUSIONS: A low level of compliance was identified, which pointed out the need
      for an innovative stewardship approach to improve adherence to SAP guidelines.
      Targeted training programs need to be developed to ensure dissemination of
      guidelines among surgeons. Monitoring, feedback, and closer interaction between
      the infection control personnel and the surgical team are key factors for better
      compliance rates of SAP.

PMID- 28629755
TI  - Using inherent and elective behavior to improve hand hygiene monitoring in health
      care.
AB  - This study established a method for collecting hand hygiene (HH) performance data
      based on behavioral drivers (inherent or elective) that can be used by infection
      preventionists (IPs) to improve practice. Further, we explored the influence that
      task and setting has on HH behavior. A significant effect was found between task
      and setting that has implications for improving the usefulness of HH measurement,
      with positive feedback reported regarding the new measurement method.

PMID- 28629756
TI  - Nasal colonization of Staphylococcus aureus colonal complex 5: Prevalence,
      influencing factors, and phenotypic and molecular characteristics in pregnant
      Chinese women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colonal complex 5 (CC5) has been referred to as the most pandemic
      community-associated Staphylococcus aureus in most Asian countries. However, few
      studies have focused on CC5 isolates in pregnant women. The aim of this study was
      to determine the prevalence and phenotypic and molecular characteristics of S
      aureus and methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) CC5 nasal colonization in
      pregnant Chinese women. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study between
      August and November 2015 in 2 hospitals in Shenzhen, China. Pregnant women were
      asked to complete questionnaires, and nasal swabs were collected. Log-binomial
      regression models were used to explore factors influencing S aureus and MRSA
      nasal colonization between the CC5 and non-CC5 or non-S aureus groups. Polymerase
      chain reaction assays were used to detect the molecular characteristics of
      isolates. RESULTS: Overall, 2,172 pregnant women were included in this study. The
      prevalence of S aureus and MRSA was 25.60% (n = 556) and 5.62% (n = 122),
      respectively. The multilocus sequence typing of S aureus isolates was
      diversified. A lower frequency of daily handwashing (<7) and weekly bathing (<7)
      were risk factors for the prevalence of S aureus (adjusted prevalence ratio
      [aPR], 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.41 and aPR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.03
      1.45) and MRSA (aPR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.23-3.14 and aPR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.21-2.44)
      nasal colonization in the CC5 groups of pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: The
      prevalence of S aureus and MRSA nasal colonization was moderate. The molecular
      characteristics of S aureus and MRSA isolates indicated possible cross
      transmission among multiple resources. A higher frequency of daily handwashing
      and weekly bathing significantly decreased the prevalence of S aureus and MRSA
      CC5 nasal colonization in the pregnant women.

PMID- 28629757
TI  - Bacterial biofilm-based catheter-associated urinary tract infections: Causative
      pathogens and antibiotic resistance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the incidence of bacterial biofilm-based
      catheter-associated urinary tract infections, identify variables affecting
      biofilm formation, and identify etiologic bacterial pathogens and antibiotic
      resistance patterns associated with biofilm-based catheter-associated urinary
      tract infections (CAUTIs) in our setup. METHODS: Patients who developed at least
      2 symptoms of urinary tract infection after at least 2 days of indwelling urinary
      catheters were included. Urine was collected aseptically from catheter tubing and
      processed per standard microbiologic practices. Bacterial pathogens were
      identified on the basis of gram staining, colony morphology, and biochemical
      reactions. The detection of the biofilm was done using the tube adherence method.
      Drug susceptibility testing was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.
      FINDINGS: Biofilm was detected in 73.4% isolates, whereas 26.6% of isolates were
      nonbiofilm producers. Mean duration of catheterization after which biofilm was
      detected was 5.01 +/- 1.31 days. A latex catheter was used in 69.5% of patients,
      whereas a silicone catheter was used in 30.4% of patients. Escherichia coli was
      found to be the most common pathogen isolated (52.3%), whereas Enterobacter
      cloacae exhibited the highest biofilm production (87.5%) among isolated
      pathogens. Among biofilm producers, the highest resistance was observed with
      ampicillin (100%). Fosfomycin exhibited the lowest resistance (17.2%).
      Significant association with biofilm was detected for gender, duration of
      catheterization, and type of catheter. CONCLUSION: Biofilm-based CAUTI is an
      emerging problem. E coli was the most frequent isolate. High antibiotic
      resistance was observed in biofilm-producing strains. Using the variables
      affecting biofilm formation, tailored intervention strategies can be implemented
      to reduce biofilm-based CAUTIs.

PMID- 28629758
TI  - Implications of the gut microbiota in vulnerability to the social avoidance
      effects of chronic social defeat in male mice.
AB  - Appreciable evidence suggests that perturbations within the gut microbiome and
      the immune system may play a key role in the pathogenesis of depression stemming
      from earlier stressful experiences. In the present investigation we examined
      whether microbial changes in cecum contents were associated with social avoidance
      behaviors, a feature of depression, and pro-inflammatory variations among
      socially stressed mice. Male C57BL/6 mice experienced social defeat or a control
      condition once a day for 10 consecutive days. Social avoidance behaviors were
      examined three weeks after the last defeat or control episode and blood, brain,
      and cecum contents were collected 24h afterward for the determination of
      corticosterone, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and microbial populations. Mice that
      were most susceptible to the behavioral effects of chronic social defeat
      (reflected by severe social avoidance behaviors) displayed the greatest changes
      within particular sets of bacteria at the phylum and genus taxonomic ranks.
      Although plasma and brain cytokines were not significantly altered in socially
      defeated mice, changes in the mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6
      within the prefrontal cortex were associated with elevated abundance of
      Flavobacterium spp. and reduced abundance of Turicibacter spp., which were also
      strongly correlated to social avoidance severity. Although at this time a causal
      connection cannot be inferred, these results point to the possibility that
      specific clusters of bacterial communities in cecum contents may be linked to
      vulnerability to social deficits stemming from prolonged social stressor
      experiences.

PMID- 28629759
TI  - Development holds the key to understanding the interplay of nature versus nurture
      in shaping the individual.

PMID- 28629760
TI  - Cardiac overexpression of Epac1 in transgenic mice rescues lipopolysaccharide
      induced cardiac dysfunction and inhibits Jak-STAT pathway.
AB  - Pro-inflammatory cytokines are released in septic shock and impair cardiac
      function via the Jak-STAT pathway. It is well known that sympathetic stimulation
      leads to coupling of the beta-adrenergic receptor/Gs/adenylyl cyclase, a membrane
      bound enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ATP to cAMP, thereby stimulating
      protein kinase A (PKA) and ultimately compensating for cardiac dysfunction. The
      mechanism of such compensation by catecholamine has been traditionally understood
      as PKA-mediated enforcement of cardiac contractility. We hypothesized that
      exchange protein activated by cyclic AMP (Epac), a new target of cAMP signaling
      that functions independently of protein kinase A, also plays a key role in
      protection against acute stresses or changes in hemodynamic overload.
      Lipopolysaccharide injection induced cytokine release and severe cardiac
      dysfunction in mouse. In mouse overexpressing Epac1 in the heart, however, the
      magnitude of such dysfunction was significantly smaller. Epac1 overexpression
      inhibited the Jak-STAT pathway, as indicated by decreased phosphorylation of
      STAT3 and increased SOCS3 expression, with subsequent inhibition of iNOS
      expression. In cultured cardiomyocytes treated with isoproterenol or forskolin,
      the increase of SOCS3 expression was blunted when Epac1 or PKCalpha was silenced
      with siRNA. Activation of the cAMP/Epac/PKCalpha pathway protected the heart
      against cytokine-induced cardiac dysfunction, suggesting a new role of
      catecholamine signaling in compensating for cardiac dysfunction in heart failure.
      Epac1 and its downstream pathways may be novel targets for treating cardiac
      dysfunction in endotoxemia.

PMID- 28629761
TI  - Cytokines for the induction of antitumor effectors: The paradigm of Cytokine
      Induced Killer (CIK) cells.
AB  - Cytokine-Induced killer (CIK) cells are raising growing interest in cellular
      antitumor therapy, as they can be easily expanded with a straightforward and
      inexpensive protocol, and are safe requiring only GMP-grade cytokines to obtain
      very high amounts of cytotoxic cells. CIK cells do not need antigen-specific
      stimuli to be activated and proliferate, as they recognize and destroy tumor
      cells in an HLA-independent fashion through the engagement of NKG2D. In several
      preclinical studies and clinical trials, CIK cells showed a reduced
      alloreactivity compared to conventional T cells, even when challenged across HLA
      barriers; only in a few patients, a mild GVHD occurred after treatment with
      allogeneic CIK cells. Additionally, their antitumor activity can be redirected
      and further improved with chimeric antigen receptors, clinical-grade monoclonal
      antibodies or immune checkpoint inhibitors. The evidence obtained from a growing
      body of literature support CIK cells as a very promising cell population for
      adoptive immunotherapy. In this review, all these aspects will be addressed with
      a particular emphasis on the role of the cytokines involved in CIK cell
      generation, expansion and functionalization.

PMID- 28629762
TI  - Targeting the tumor and its associated stroma: One and one can make three in
      adoptive T cell therapy of solid tumors.
AB  - Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) has become a promising immunotherapeutic option for
      cancer patients. The proof for ACT therapeutic efficacy was first obtained with
      allogenic T cells and then reproduced with T cells isolated from patients' tumor
      samples (i.e. tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes). It is now clear that specificity
      of ACT products can be educated by genetically engineering T cells with classical
      T Cell Receptors (TCR) or chimeric antigen receptors (CAR). To date a poor
      accessibility of the tumor mass and a hostile microenvironment, influenced by
      genetic and epigenetic instability, mainly limit ACT therapeutic efficacy in the
      case of solid tumors. Available data indicate that these hurdles might be
      overcome by combinatorial therapeutic strategies targeting the tumor and its
      associated stroma. Here we review some of the available dual targeting strategies
      focusing on given combination of TCR/CAR-redirected T cell products and their
      association with drugs targeting the tumor-vessel and/or epigenetic modifiers,
      with the ability to sensitize tumors to T cell recognition. Existing data have
      proven synergistic effects in combined settings (one and one can indeed make
      three) and suggest that further benefit might be achieved by additional
      combinatorial therapeutic approaches (could one+one+one make ten?) in ACT of
      solid tumor.

PMID- 28629763
TI  - Delayed referral to specialist centre increases morbidity in patients with bile
      duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is still a debate regarding the optimal management of bile duct
      injury following cholecystectomy. Our aim was to ascertain if delayed referral
      influenced clinical outcomes for patients with BDI treated in our institution.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We interrogated a prospectively maintained database,
      including all patients with BDI (Bismuth and Strasberg classifications) post LC
      managed in our unit from 2000-2014. Referrals were arbitrarily defined as early
      (<96 h from the injury) and delayed (>96 h). RESULTS: 68 patients with BDI were
      managed. Patient demographics, referral time, level of injury and morbidity data
      was collected. 50 patients (77%) required a surgical bile duct reconstruction.
      The Early referral Group included 33 patients (52.4%) and Delayed referral group
      30 (47.6%). The patients referred late had a significantly high incidence of
      right hepatic artery injury (23% vs. 3%) and the overall number of complications
      (0.0001). The average number of surgical interventions (2.5 vs 1.8, p < 0.05) and
      invasive procedures (4 vs. 2.5, p < 0.05) per patient was high in the late
      referral group. There was significant difference in the interval between BDI-to
      reconstruction (median 3 vs. median 88 days, p < 0.05) and referral-to-hospital
      discharge (median 9 vs. median days 59, p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis only
      delayed referral (OR 7.58, 95% CI 2.1-26.6) and Strasberg-E injuries (OR 4.86,
      95% CI 1.1-20.9) were significant. CONCLUSION: A late referral was associated
      with a higher incidence of post-treatment complications, greater need for
      invasive procedures and a longer recovery period. These observations support the
      need for early patient transfer to a tertiary institution following BDI.

PMID- 28629764
TI  - Oral versus topical calcium channel blockers for chronic anal fissure-a
      systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chemical sphincterotomy with pharmacological agents is recommended as
      first line therapy for chronic anal fissures (CAF). Calcium channel blockers
      (CCB) are associated with similar efficacy but fewer side effects compared to
      nitrates. However, the optimal formulation (oral versus topical) is unknown. We
      aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the
      effectiveness of oral and topical CCB in the treatment of CAF. METHODS: PubMed
      and Embase online databases were searched for relevant articles. Two independent
      reviewers performed methodological assessment and data extraction. Random effects
      models were used to calculate pooled effect size estimates. A sensitivity
      analysis was also carried out. RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials
      describing 279 patients (138 in oral, 141 in topical group) were examined. There
      was significant heterogeneity among studies. On random effects analysis, topical
      CCB were associated with a significantly lower rate of unhealed fissure (21.3%
      vs. 38.4%; OR = 2.65, 95% CI = 1.50 to 4.69, p = 0.0008) when compared to oral
      therapy. However, there were no significant differences in fissure recurrence
      (5.4% vs. 5.5%; OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.31 to 3.33, p = 0.98) or side effects
      (15.6% vs. 39.1%; OR = 4.54, 95% CI = 0.46 to 44.3, p = 0.19) between topical and
      oral CCB. On sensitivity analysis, having excluded the most heavily biased trial,
      topical CCB were associated with significantly fewer side effects compared to
      oral therapy (4.3% vs. 38.0%; OR = 13.16, 95% CI = 5.05 to 34.3, p < 0.00001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Topical CCB are associated with better healing and fewer side
      effects when compared to oral therapy but there is no difference in recurrence
      rates.

PMID- 28629765
TI  - Study on the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and susceptibility to
      spinal tuberculosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of vitamin D deficiency on susceptibility to
      spinal tuberculosis and its pathological development. METHODS: A case-control
      design was used in this study. A total of 163 treatment-naive patients with
      spinal tuberculosis admitted to this institute for an operation from June 2013 to
      May 2016 were included in the case group, and 170 subjects who received a health
      examination in the same hospital were included in the control group. Control
      group patients were frequency-matched with the case group by age, gender, and
      season. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were detected using an enzyme linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pathological classification of patients in the case
      group was conducted according to intraoperative findings, and definite diagnosis
      of spinal tuberculosis was confirmed after operation. RESULTS: The serum level of
      vitamin D [23.99 (20.55, 29.54) nmol/L] in the case group was lower than that in
      the control group [42.94 (35.68, 51.04) nmol/L], and the difference was
      statistically significant (Z = -9.048, P < 0.05). Out of the 163 patients with
      spinal tuberculosis who underwent pathological classification, 107 cases of
      caseous necrosis and 56 cases of hyperplasia were identified. Based on the
      vitamin D levels of the patients in the case group, these patients were further
      divided into a low-level group (<25 nmol/L) and a high-level group (>=25 nmol/L).
      The proportion of patients with caseous necrosis in the low-level group (79.17%)
      was higher than that in the high-level group (46.27%), with a statistically
      significant difference (chi2 = 18.937, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D
      deficiency is associated with susceptibility to spinal tuberculosis and its
      pathological classification, and vitamin D deficiency affects the occurrence and
      development of spinal tuberculosis.

PMID- 28629766
TI  - Laparoscopic-assisted approach for penetrating abdominal trauma: A solution for
      multiple bowel injuries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Therapeutic laparoscopy (TL) for penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT)
      is controversial because the management of multiple bowel injuries is challenging
      and the conversion rate is high. However, the laparoscopic-assisted approach
      (LAA) allows easy management of multiple bowel injuries but not investigated in a
      trauma setting. The aim of this study was to investigate its role in management
      of multiple bowel injuries and to compare LAA with therapeutic laparoscopy
      performed fully laparoscopically (FTL). METHODS: All adult patients with PAT
      managed with TL over four-year period were analyzed. Intraoperative findings,
      trauma scoring, grading of bowel injuries, related procedures, outcomes and
      length of hospital stay (LOS) were compared between LAA and FTL groups. RESULTS:
      Seventy two (53%) patients were in the FTL group and 65 (47%) in the LAA group.
      The majority of patients presented with stab wounds. Colonic and small bowel
      injuries were more common in the LAA group (19 versus 17 and 47 versus 8,
      respectively). The higher number of bowel repairs, resections and anastomosis
      were performed in the LAA group. The ISS was higher in the FTL group (13 versus
      11, p = 0.02), and the PATI was higher in the LAA group (6 versus 10, p < 0.001).
      Nine patients in the FTL group suffered Clavien-Dindo grade 3 complications and
      11 patients in the LAA group. There was one death in each group. No missed
      injuries were reported. There was no significant difference in LOS between
      groups. CONCLUSIONS: The LAA is safe in the management of stable patients with
      PAT. It can used for management of multiple bowel injuries instead of a
      conversion to laparotomy. It provides benefits of minimally invasive surgery and
      the speed and versatility of laparotomy. Moreover, the LAA seems not to be
      inferior to entirely laparoscopic therapeutic procedures. More studies are needed
      to compare LAA with FTL and laparotomy.

PMID- 28629767
TI  - Prognostic nomogram for patients with non-B non-C hepatocellular carcinoma after
      curative liver resection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The proportion of the both serum hepatitis B surface antigen and
      hepatitis C antibody negative hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC HCC) patients are
      tended to increase recently. We investigated the characteristics and surgical
      outcome for those patients after liver resection. METHODS: Four hundred and
      thirty-five NBNC patients were involved in our study. According to the results of
      the HBcAb in the serum, those patients were divided into HBcAb-positive subgroup
      (n = 328) and HBcAb-negative subgroup (n = 107). Based on the multivariate risk
      factors, the nomogram was constructed for predicting the possibility for over
      survival (OS) rate. RESULTS: For all of the NBNC HCC patients, the median OS was
      57 months with 5-year OS rate 54.0%. The positive HBcAb NBNC patients were
      associating with a better liver function (p = 0.026), higher AFP (p < 0.001) and
      more proportion of micro-vascular invasion (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis
      revealed that worse liver function (Child-Pugh B, HR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.23-3.04),
      vascular invasion (MIVI vs negative, HR = 1.86; 95% CI: 1.21-2.86, MAVI vs
      negative, HR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.37-3.06), poorer ES differentiation (HR = 2.34;
      95% CI: 1.67-3.30) and larger tumor size (HR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.06-1.15) were
      associated with the worse OS. CONCLUSION: We established a novel prognostic
      nomogram to predict the OS of NBNC HCC patients after liver resection. The
      prognosis of NBNC HCC was mainly determined by tumor stage and liver function not
      by the previous etiologies.

PMID- 28629768
TI  - Does the duration of symptoms of anal fissure impact its response to conservative
      treatment? A prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conservative treatment is the first line of treatment for anal
      fissure. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of symptom duration on
      the response of anal fissure to conservative treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      This prospective study was conducted on sixty patients with acute or chronic anal
      fissure who were treated conservatively with bulking agents, Sitz baths, and
      topical glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) 0.2%. Pain and constipation were assessed prior
      to treatment and at 6 weeks after therapy using visual analogue scale (VAS) and
      Wexner constipation score. Adverse effects as headache and postural hypotension
      were also queried. RESULTS: The mean pre-treatment VAS for acute fissure was
      significantly higher than chronic fissure (8.8 +/- 0.96 Vs 5.8 +/- 1.12), also
      the post-treatment VAS for acute fissure was significantly lower at 6 weeks of
      treatment (0.47 +/- 0.8 Vs 2.5 +/- 1.3). The baseline Wexner constipation score
      was comparable in both groups; however, at six weeks of treatment it declined
      more significantly in patients with acute fissure. Patients with acute fissure
      achieved significantly better healing than chronic fissure (80% Vs 40%). Healing
      rates decreased from 100% in patients with symptoms < one month to 33.3% in
      patients with symptoms >6 months. CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment including
      topical GTN 0.2% significantly hastened healing and relieved pain and other
      symptoms of acute more than chronic anal fissure. Healing rates of anal fissure
      in response to conservative treatment showed remarkable decrease in proportion to
      the duration of complaint.

PMID- 28629769
TI  - The correlation of the morphological changes of ankle point and ankle joint
      function after surgery on the Ruedi-Allgouer type III Pilon fracture: A case
      series study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To analyze the relationship between imaging findings and
      postoperative curative effect by measuring the morphology of the ankle mortise in
      patients with the Ruedi-Allgouer type III Pilon fractures. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Forty-seven patients with Ruedi-Allgouer type III Pilon fractures who underwent
      surgical treatment from January 2011 to January 2015 were retrospectively
      analyzed. At the last follow-up, x-rays of the affected ankle and the healthy
      side were measured. According to the Kitaoka score of ankle joint function at the
      last follow-up. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 18-24 months (mean 21
      months). This study demonstrated that compared with the healthy side, the index
      of the width, depth, and coronal/sagittal angles of the ankle mortise were
      significantly different (P < 0.05) in the 47 patients except for the index of
      height (P > 0.05). According to the Kitaoka score, the difference between the
      affected and the healthy sides of each index of the ankle mortise was compared
      between the 3 groups. That is, the intraoperative treatment of the width and
      depth of the ankle mortise as well as the coronal and sagittal angles of the
      ankle mortise were significantly correlated with the postoperative curative
      effect. CONCLUSION: The intraoperative treatment of ankle mortise width, depth,
      and ankle coronal/sagittal angle in patients with severe Pilon fractures has a
      significant impact on postoperative efficacy. In order to prevent the occurrence
      of traumatic arthritis, the anatomical morphology of the ankle should be restored
      as much as possible in the course of surgery.

PMID- 28629770
TI  - Application of the laparoscopic technique in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma
      surgery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of the
      application of the laparoscopic technique in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.
      METHODS: A total of nine cases of patients who received laparoscopic perihilar
      cholangiocarcinoma surgery from January 2007 to May 2014 were retrospectively
      analyzed. The Bismuth subtypes consisted of one case of type I, three cases of
      type II, two cases of type IIIb, and three cases type IV. RESULTS: Radical
      resection was conducted in six cases: two cases (type II) with the caudate lobe
      resection, and two cases (type IIIb) with the left hepatectomy and caudate lobe
      resection. The mean operation time was 7.3 h (5.5-8.5 h), the mean blood loss was
      503 ml (150-850 ml). The pathological tests showed two cases of poorly
      differentiated adenocarcinoma, three cases of moderately differentiated
      adenocarcinoma, and four cases of highly differentiated adenocarcinoma.
      CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic technology in the surgical treatment of perihilar
      cholangiocarcinoma is an option for the resection approach.

PMID- 28629771
TI  - Chemokines play complex roles in cerebral ischemia.
AB  - Ischemic stroke (IS) is a disease caused by deficiency of blood and oxygen in
      focal or complete brain, followed by inflammation cascade and other pathological
      reactions, which finally lead to irreversible damage to the cerebrum. For the
      inflammation is a key progress at the initiation of ischemia and poststroke, and
      chemokines work as vital cytokines in inflammation, we focus the roles of
      chemokines in IS. Studies have shown cerebral ischemia is associated with marked
      induction of both CXC and CC chemokines which resulting in extensive leukocyte
      infiltration in the ischemic brain, and neutrophil infiltration may increase
      cerebral edema inducing injury in the ischemic area. In addition, chemokines also
      shows other functions such as promote neuroblast migration, hematogenous cell
      recruitment and functional brain repair. Thus, a similar chemokine
      ligand/chemokine receptor pair can mediate both beneficial and detrimental
      effects depending on the window of observation and pathophysiological conditions.
      This manuscript reviews the studies about chemokine-mediated effects in cerebral
      ischemia/reperfusion and discusses the potential significance of these
      interactions in injury and repair of ischemic tissues. We also refer drug
      development based on the chemokines and clinical applications using chemokines as
      diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers in ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28629772
TI  - Impact of the cardiovascular system-associated adipose tissue on atherosclerotic
      pathology.
AB  - Cardiac obesity makes an important contribution to the pathogenesis of
      cardiovascular disease. One of the important pathways of this contribution is the
      inflammatory process that takes place in the adipose tissue. In this review, we
      consider the role of the cardiovascular system-associated fat in atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular pathology and a non-atherosclerotic cause of coronary artery
      disease, such as atrial fibrillation. Cardiovascular system-associated fat not
      only serves as the energy store, but also releases adipokines that control local
      and systemic metabolism, heart/vascular function and vessel tone, and a number of
      vasodilating and anti-inflammatory substances. Adipokine appears to play an
      important protective role in cardiovascular system. Under chronic inflammation
      conditions, the repertoire of signaling molecules secreted by cardiac fat can be
      altered, leading to a higher amount of pro-inflammatory messengers,
      vasoconstrictors, profibrotic modulators. This further aggravates cardiovascular
      inflammation and leads to hypertension, induction of the pathological tissue
      remodeling and cardiac fibrosis. Contemporary imaging techniques showed that
      epicardial fat thickness correlates with the visceral fat mass, which is an
      established risk factor and predictor of cardiovascular disease in obese
      subjects. However, this correlation is no longer present after adjustment for
      other covariates. Nevertheless, recent studies showed that pericardial fat volume
      and epicardial fat thickness can probably serve as a better indicator for atrial
      fibrillation.

PMID- 28629774
TI  - Genome instabilities arising from ribonucleotides in DNA.
AB  - Genomic DNA is transiently contaminated with ribonucleotide residues during the
      process of DNA replication through misincorporation by the replicative DNA
      polymerases alpha, delta and epsilon, and by the normal replication process on
      the lagging strand, which uses RNA primers. These ribonucleotides are efficiently
      removed during replication by RNase H enzymes and the lagging strand synthesis
      machinery. However, when ribonucleotides remain in DNA they can distort the DNA
      helix, affect machineries for DNA replication, transcription and repair, and can
      stimulate genomic instabilities which are manifest as increased mutation,
      recombination and chromosome alterations. The genomic instabilities associated
      with embedded ribonucleotides are considered here, along with a discussion of the
      origin of the lesions that stimulate particular classes of instabilities.

PMID- 28629775
TI  - 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine, friend and foe: Epigenetic-like regulator versus
      initiator of mutagenesis.
AB  - A high flux of reactive oxygen species during oxidative stress results in
      oxidative modification of cellular components including DNA. Oxidative DNA
      "damage" to the heterocyclic bases is considered deleterious because polymerases
      may incorrectly read the modifications causing mutations. A prominent member in
      this class is the oxidized guanine base 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (OG) that is
      moderately mutagenic effecting G->T transversion mutations. Recent reports have
      identified that formation of OG in G-rich regulatory elements in the promoters of
      the VEGF, TNFalpha, and SIRT1 genes can increase transcription via activation of
      the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Work in our laboratory with the G-rich
      sequence in the promoter of VEGF concluded that BER drives a shift in structure
      to a G-quadruplex conformation leading to gene activation in mammalian cells.
      More specifically, removal of OG from the duplex context by 8-oxoguanine
      glycosylase 1 (OGG1) produces an abasic site (AP) that destabilizes the duplex,
      shifting the equilibrium toward the G-quadruplex fold because of preferential
      extrusion of the AP into a loop. The AP is bound but inefficiently cleaved by
      apurinic/apyrimidinic endoDNase I (APE1) that likely allows recruitment of
      activating transcription factors for gene induction. The ability of OG to induce
      transcription ascribes a regulatory or epigenetic-like role for this oxidatively
      modified base. We compare OG to the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) epigenetic pathway
      including its oxidized derivatives, some of which poise genes for transcription
      while also being substrates for BER. The mutagenic potential of OG to induce only
      ~one-third the number of mutations (G->T) compared to deamination of 5mC
      producing C->T mutations is described. These comparisons blur the line between
      friendly epigenetic base modifications and those that are foes, i.e. DNA
      "damage," causing genetic mutations.

PMID- 28629776
TI  - Unveiling the non-repair face of the Base Excision Repair pathway in RNA
      processing: A missing link between DNA repair and gene expression?
AB  - The Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway, initially studied as a mere DNA repair
      pathway, has been later found to be implicated in the expression of cancer
      related genes in human. For several years, this intricate involvement in
      apparently different processes represented a mystery, which we now are starting
      to unveil. The BER handles simple alkylation and oxidative lesions arising from
      both endogenous and exogenous sources, including cancer therapy agents.
      Surprisingly, BER pathway involvement in transcriptional regulation,
      immunoglobulin variability and switch recombination, RNA metabolism and nucleolar
      function is astonishingly consolidating. An emerging evidence in tumor biology is
      that RNA processing pathways participate in DNA Damage Response (DDR) and that
      defects in these regulatory connections are associated with genomic instability
      of cancers. In fact, many BER proteins are associated with those involved in RNA
      metabolism, ncRNA processing and transcriptional regulation, including within the
      nucleolus, proving a substantial role of the interactome network in determining
      their non-canonical functions in tumor cells. Maybe these new insights of BER
      enzymes, along with their emerging function in RNA-decay, may explain BER
      essential role in tumor development and chemoresistance and may explain the long
      time mystery. Here, we would like to summarize different roles of BER pathway in
      human cells. First, we will give a short description of the classical BER
      pathway, which has been covered in detail in recent reviews. We will then outline
      potential new roles of BER in gene expression and RNA metabolism. Although recent
      works have provided tremendous amount of data in this field, there are still lot
      of open questions.

PMID- 28629773
TI  - BERing the burden of damage: Pathway crosstalk and posttranslational modification
      of base excision repair proteins regulate DNA damage management.
AB  - DNA base damage and non-coding apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites are ubiquitous
      types of damage that must be efficiently repaired to prevent mutations. These
      damages can occur in both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Base excision
      repair (BER) is the frontline pathway for identifying and excising damaged DNA
      bases in both of these cellular compartments. Recent advances demonstrate that
      BER does not operate as an isolated pathway but rather dynamically interacts with
      components of other DNA repair pathways to modulate and coordinate BER functions.
      We define the coordination and interaction between DNA repair pathways as pathway
      crosstalk. Numerous BER proteins are modified and regulated by post-translational
      modifications (PTMs), and PTMs could influence pathway crosstalk. Here, we
      present recent advances on BER/DNA repair pathway crosstalk describing specific
      examples and also highlight regulation of BER components through PTMs. We have
      organized and reported functional interactions and documented PTMs for BER
      proteins into a consolidated summary table. We further propose the concept of DNA
      repair hubs that coordinate DNA repair pathway crosstalk to identify central
      protein targets that could play a role in designing future drug targets.

PMID- 28629778
TI  - Posture and gaze tracking of a vertically moving target reveals age-related
      constraints in visuo-motor coupling.
AB  - Previously we have demonstrated that the effect of aging on posture and gaze
      active tracking of a visual target moving in the horizontal direction is
      dependent on target's complexity. In this study, we asked whether a similar
      phenomenon is present when tracking a visual target moving with varying
      complexity in the vertical direction. Ten young (22.98+/-2.9years) and 10 older
      adults (72.45+/-4.72years) tracked for 120s, a visual target moving vertically by
      shifting their bodyweight in the anterior-posterior direction. Three target
      motions were tested: a simple periodic (sine wave), a more complex (Lorenz
      attractor) and an ultra-complex random (Surrogated Lorenz attractor) pattern.
      Cross-spectral analysis revealed lower sway-target coherence as a function of
      age, regardless of target motion's complexity. This age effect was significant
      for the sway-target gain but not for the phase index. Gaze-target analysis
      revealed age related differences only when tracking the more complex targets.
      Regardless of age, tracking of the complex target was associated with lower cross
      Approximate Entropy. It is concluded that tracking of visual targets oscillating
      in the vertical direction reveals age related constraints that are independent of
      visual motion's complexity. These constraints are evident in the spatial and not
      temporal aspects of visuo-motor coupling, which suggests the presence of
      neuromuscular deficiencies in controlling visually guided postural sway in the
      anterior-posterior direction.

PMID- 28629777
TI  - Mechanistic insights into transcription coupled DNA repair.
AB  - Transcription-coupled DNA repair (TCR) acts on lesions in the transcribed strand
      of active genes. Helix distorting adducts and other forms of DNA damage often
      interfere with the progression of the transcription apparatus. Prolonged stalling
      of RNA polymerase can promote genome instability and also induce cell cycle
      arrest and apoptosis. These generally unfavorable events are counteracted by RNA
      polymerase-mediated recruitment of specific proteins to the sites of DNA damage
      to perform TCR and eventually restore transcription. In this perspective we
      discuss the decision-making process to employ TCR and we elucidate the intricate
      biochemical pathways leading to TCR in E. coli and human cells.

PMID- 28629779
TI  - Are dopaminergic genotypes risk factors for eating behavior and obesity in
      adults?
AB  - Dopamine (DA) is the main modulator of the brain reward system and significantly
      regulates food intake. The idea that obesity is a neurobiological disease rather
      than a metabolic disorder, is the basis of the study. Changes in dopamine
      neurotransmission affect the brain reward system in a direct way. Furthermore,
      changes in the reward system influence the eating behavior in human. The enzymes
      monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) terminate the
      DA function by metabolizing it. In our study, the control group which included
      214 individuals and 234 subjects with obesity were investigated for MAOA-u VNTR
      and COMT (rs4680) polymorphisms. In our study, statistical analysis has showed
      that in control group Val/Met COMT genotype was significantly higher compared
      with the patient group (p=0.04). When the groups were compared in terms of eating
      behavior, the number of the subjects who ate for reward was significantly higher
      in patient group (p=0.03). Our findings demonstrated that eating behavior might
      have an effect on obesity and dopaminergic polymorphisms could be risk factors
      for the development of obesity in Turkish population.

PMID- 28629780
TI  - Is bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting a safe option for chronic dialysis
      patients?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) grafting has
      been proposed for dialysis patients with multivessel coronary artery disease,
      primarily because of hypothetical long-term survival benefits. AIMS: To
      investigate the outcome of BITA grafting in dialysis patients. METHODS: This was
      a retrospective analysis of the use of BITA grafting in 105 consecutive patients
      with end-stage renal failure on chronic dialysis in three European centres with
      extensive experience in BITA. Baseline patient characteristics, operative data,
      early postoperative complications and late survival were reviewed. Outcomes of
      patients from one of the three centres who underwent either BITA (n=40) or single
      internal thoracic artery (SITA) grafting (n=19) were also analysed; a one-to-one
      propensity score (PS)-matched analysis was performed. RESULTS: There were 19
      (18.1%) hospital deaths. Despite differences in preoperative patient
      characteristics and surgical features, in each centre, hospital mortality was
      greater than the 75th percentile of expected operative risk (EuroSCORE II).
      Diseased ascending aorta and extracardiac arteriopathy were found to be
      predictors of hospital death (odds ratio 9.7; P=0.006) and complicated hospital
      course (odds ratio 2.54; P=0.035), respectively. The 7-year non-parametric
      estimates of freedom from all-cause death and cardiac or cerebrovascular death
      were 59% (95% confidence interval: 52.3-65.7%) and 75.6% (95% confidence
      interval: 71.2-80%), respectively. There were no significant differences in early
      and late outcomes between BITA and SITA PS-matched groups. CONCLUSIONS: BITA
      grafting remains a risky operation for chronic dialysis patients, even when
      performed routinely. No long-term survival benefits for the use of BITA versus
      SITA were proven.

PMID- 28629781
TI  - Position paper for the evaluation and management of oral status in patients with
      valvular disease: Groupe de Travail Valvulopathies de la Societe Francaise de
      Cardiologie, Societe Francaise de Chirurgie Orale, Societe Francaise de
      Parodontologie et d'Implantologie Orale, Societe Francaise d'Endodontie et
      Societe de Pathologie Infectieuse de Langue Francaise.
AB  - Oral health is of particular importance in patients with heart valve diseases
      because of the risk of infective endocarditis. Recommendations for antibiotic
      prophylaxis before dental procedures have been restricted, but the modalities of
      oral evaluation and dental care are not detailed in guidelines. Therefore, a
      multidisciplinary working group reviewed the literature to propose detailed
      approaches for the evaluation and management of buccodental status in patients
      with valvular disease. Simple questions asked by a non-dental specialist may draw
      attention to buccodental diseases. Besides clinical examination, recent imaging
      techniques are highly sensitive for the detection of inflammatory bone
      destruction directly related to oral or dental infection foci. The management of
      buccodental disease before cardiac valvular surgery should be adapted to the
      timing of the intervention. Simple therapeutic principles can be applied even
      before urgent intervention. Restorative dentistry and endodontic and periodontal
      therapy can be performed before elective valvular intervention and during the
      follow-up of patients at high risk of endocarditis. The detection and treatment
      of buccodental foci of infection should follow specific rules in patients who
      present with acute endocarditis. Implant placement is no longer contraindicated
      in patients at intermediate risk of endocarditis, and can also be performed in
      selected high-risk patients. The decision for implant placement should follow an
      analysis of general and local factors increasing the risk of implant failure. The
      surgical and prosthetic procedures should be performed in optimal safety
      conditions. It is therefore now possible to safely decrease the number of
      contraindicated dental procedures in patients at risk of endocarditis.

PMID- 28629782
TI  - TNF phase III signalling in tolerant cells is tightly controlled by A20 and CYLD.
AB  - Following the acute phase of an inflammatory reaction, a strictly controlled
      resolution of inflammation is necessary. A dysregulation of this process leads to
      hyperinflammation, chronic inflammatory disease, or immune paralysis. Different
      mechanisms participate in the coordinated termination of the inflammatory
      process, e.g. the expression of antiinflammatory molecules and different forms of
      tolerance. To better understand the processes which mediate resolution of TNF
      dependent inflammation and induce tolerance, it is necessary to characterize the
      signal transduction quality during TNF long-term (pre)incubation. Within a time
      frame from 12 to 48h, designated as phase III of the TNF response, we measured an
      ongoing, constitutive activation of TNFR1/NF-kappaB-dependent pathways in
      monocytic cells. Phase III signalling which was also named "constitutive
      signaling in TNF tolerant cells" induces the expression of low- and high
      sensitive target genes including A20 which is differentially regulated by
      transcriptional and proteolytic events. A20 strictly controls TNF long-term
      constitutive signalling in an IkappaB kinase complex- and partially RIP-dependent
      manner supported by adjuvant ABIN1. In addition, CYLD proteins participate in the
      regulation of this late-phase signal transduction, whereas downstream molecules
      such as Bcl3 and p50 are not involved. A20 and CYLD are expressed with different
      mRNA kinetics resulting in a strong or only a modest increase in protein levels,
      respectively. The identification of mechanisms which contribute to the
      termination of inflammation will provide additional diagnostic and therapeutic
      aspects to specifically diagnose certain aspects of inflammation and specifically
      modulate them.

PMID- 28629783
TI  - GRP78 plays an integral role in tumor cell inflammation-related migration induced
      by M2 macrophages.
AB  - Macrophages are the main immune-competent cells that infiltrate in tumors. Tumor
      associated macrophages (TAMs), termed M2 macrophages, facilitate tumor progress
      and promote metastasis. However, M2 macrophages always display an
      immunosuppressive phenotype, which is not in accordance with the tumor
      inflammatory microenvironment and inflammation-related metastasis. In this study,
      we established a macrophage polarization model with human monocytes and found
      that the conditioned medium from M2 macrophages increased GRP78 expression in
      tumor cells and facilitated tumor cell migration. Mechanistically, excessive
      GRP78 formed a protein complex with STAT3 and JAK2 to promote STAT3
      phosphorylation. Furthermore, p-STAT3 facilitated the high expression of
      inflammatory factors IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in tumor cells, which was important
      in M2 macrophage-induced metastasis. The present data demonstrate that M2
      macrophages elevate tumor cell GRP78 expression to trigger an inflammatory
      response, which further facilitates tumor metastasis. Therefore, our study not
      only uncovered a new cause of GRP78 overexpression in tumor cell, but also,
      explained the antinomy of TAMs immunosuppressive properties and inflammation
      related tumor metastasis.

PMID- 28629784
TI  - [From paediatric urological care to adult urology. Assessment of a transition
      consultation for adolescents].
AB  - : To provide an adequate lifelong urological care in the complex period of
      adolescence, a transition consultation conducted by a paediatric surgeon and an
      urologist was developed in our institution. As a real rite of passage, it allows
      the follow-up and the adapted care of urological conditions, sometimes complex,
      and permits the transition between childhood and the world of grown-ups. We
      reported our experience at the Children Hospital of our institution (paediatric
      surgery and urology departments). During a 6 months period (January-July 2015),
      forty-five young adults with a mean age of 17.8+/-3.6 years were seen in
      transition consultation. Eight patients had neurogenic voiding disorders (4 spina
      bifida, 1 multiple sclerosis, 1 mitochondrial encephalopathy, 1 metachromic
      leucodystrophy, 1 paraplegia), 9 patients had idiopathic voiding disorders, 1
      patient had a non obstructive malformative uropathy; and 30 patients had surgery
      during infancy and childhood: hypospadias in 17 young men and malformative
      uropathy in 13 patients. This consultation occurred within 4.6+/-4.5 years after
      the last consultation with paediatric surgeon. For 6 patients, the transition
      consultation was the first for the urological problem. After this consultation, 8
      patients stayed in paediatric surgery and 37 patients were referred to adult
      urologist. Among those 8 patients: 2 patients had cognitive and psychiatric
      disorders; 4 patients refused to be transferred to adult unit; 2 patients wanted
      to come back at transition consultation. Among the 37 patients transferred in
      adult urological care: 6 patients had urological surgery, and one patient was
      referred to a sexology consultation. The remaining 30 patients have initiated
      long-term monitoring. All reconvened patients came back at the follow-up visit
      (at least 12 months follow-up). A 16-year-old patient (spina bifida with
      polymalformative syndrome) developed a depressive syndrome at the end of the
      consultation, in the motive of an awareness of the definitive nature of his
      handicap and the need of medical follow-up throughout his life. Transition
      consultation makes easier the passage from paediatric care to adult urological
      care. It allows a smooth change of interlocutors, facilitates subsequent care and
      improves compliance to medical follow-up. It requires a good collaboration
      between paediatric and adult care units. Transition responds to an increasing
      request of adolescents, families, and medical teams, since care rupture during
      adolescence can have functional and psychological consequences. LEVEL OF PROOF:
      4.

PMID- 28629785
TI  - [Interest using 3D ultrasound and MRI fusion biopsy for prostate cancer
      detection].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The strategic therapy for prostate cancer depends on histo
      pronostics data, which could be upgraded by obtaining targeted biopsies (TB) with
      MRI (magnetic resonance imagery) fusion 3D ultrasound. OBJECTIVES: To compare
      diagnostic yield of image fusion guided prostate biopsy using image fusion of
      multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) with 3D-TRUS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January
      2010 and April 2013, 179 consecutive patients underwent outpatient TRUS biopsy
      using the real-time 3D TRUS tracking system (UrostationTM). These patients
      underwent MRI-TRUS fusion targeted biopsies (TB) with 3D volume data of the MRI
      elastically fused with 3D TRUS at the time of biopsy. RESULTS: A hundred and
      seventy-three patients had TBs with fusion. Mean biopsy core per patient were
      11.1 (6-14) for SB and 2.4 (1-6) for TB. SBs were positive in 11% compared to 56%
      for TB (P<0.001). TB outperformed systematic biopsy(SB) in overall any cancer
      detection rate, detection of clinically significant cancer (58% vs. 36%), cancer
      core length (6.8mm vs. 2.8mm), and cancer rate per core (P<0.001). In
      multivariable logistic regression, with TB we have more chance to find a
      clinically significant cancer (OR:3.72 [2-6.95]). When both TRUS and MRI are
      positive, there is 2.73 more chance to find a clinically significant cancer.
      CONCLUSION: MR/TRUS elastic fusion-guided biopsies outperform systematic random
      biopsies in diagnosing clinically significant cancer. Ability of interpretation
      of real-time TRUS is essential to perform the higher level of MR/US fusion and
      should be use for active surveillance. LEVEL OF PROOF: 4.

PMID- 28629787
TI  - Oral cancer from the perspective of wide-field optical fluorescence: Diagnosis,
      tumor evolution and post-treatment follow up.
AB  - In this communication, we present that wide-field optical fluorescence might be
      useful for: the screening of oral lesions that are imperceptible to the naked
      eye, determination of biopsy area, better definition of treatment, and previous
      and post-treatment follow-up.

PMID- 28629786
TI  - [Pregnancy and delivery for women with congenital spinal cord defects and
      neurogenic bladder].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Data are scarce regarding pregnancy and delivery among women with a
      neurogenic bladder due to congenital spinal cord defects. OBJECTIVE: To report
      the obstetrical and urological outcomes of women with congenital spinal cord
      defects and vesico-sphincteric disorders. METHODS: A retrospective multicentric
      study included all consecutive women with a neurogenic bladder due to congenital
      spinal defects, who delivered between January 2005 and December 2014. The
      following data were collected: demographics, neuro-urological disease
      characteristics, urological and obstetrical history, complications during
      pregnancy, neonatal outcomes, and changes in urological symptoms. RESULTS:
      Overall, sixteen women, median age 29,4 years old (IQR 22-36), had a total of 20
      pregnancies and 21 births (15 caesareans, 5 vaginal deliveries). Prior to the
      beginning of their first pregnancy, 12 patients were under intermittent self
      catheterization. Symptomatic urinary tract infections during pregnancy occurred
      in 11 pregnancies, including 4 pyelonephritis. In 4 women, stress urinary
      incontinence had worsened but recovered post-partum. In 3 women, de novo clean
      intermittent catheterization became necessary and had to be continued post
      partum. During 3 pregnancies, anticholinergic treatment had been started or
      increased because of urge urinary incontinence worsened. These changes were
      maintained after delivery. The median gestational age at birth was 39.0 weeks
      (IQR 37.8-39.5). There were 15 caesarean sections, of which 9 were indicated to
      prevent a potential aggravation of vesico-sphincteric disorders. Among the 5
      pregnancies with vaginal delivery, there was no post-partum alteration of the
      sphincter function. CONCLUSION: Successful pregnancy outcome is possible in women
      with congenital spinal cord defects and vesico-sphincteric disorders but it
      requires managing an increased risk of urinary tract infections, caesarean
      section, and occasionally worsened urinary incontinence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

PMID- 28629788
TI  - The meta-analysis.

PMID- 28629789
TI  - Undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma of ethmoid sinus: a case report
      and literature review.

PMID- 28629790
TI  - Current therapeutic approaches for HBV infected patients.

PMID- 28629791
TI  - Inositol-phosphate signaling as mediator for growth and sexual reproduction in
      Podospora anserina.
AB  - The molecular pathways involved in the development of multicellular fruiting
      bodies in fungi are still not well known. Especially, the interplay between the
      mycelium, the female tissues and the zygotic tissues of the fruiting bodies is
      poorly documented. Here, we describe PM154, a new strain of the model ascomycetes
      Podospora anserina able to mate with itself and that enabled the easy recovery of
      new mutants affected in fruiting body development. By complete genome sequencing
      of spod1, one of the new mutants, we identified an inositol phosphate polykinase
      gene as essential, especially for fruiting body development. A factor present in
      the wild type and diffusible in mutant hyphae was able to induce the development
      of the maternal tissues of the fruiting body in spod1, but failed to promote
      complete development of the zygotic ones. Addition of myo-inositol in the growth
      medium was able to increase the number of developing fruiting bodies in the wild
      type, but not in spod1. Overall, the data indicated that inositol and inositol
      polyphosphates were involved in promoting fruiting body maturation, but also in
      regulating the number of fruiting bodies that developed after fertilization. The
      same effect of inositol was seen in two other fungi, Sordaria macrospora and
      Chaetomium globosum. Key role of the inositol polyphosphate pathway during
      fruiting body maturation appears thus conserved during the evolution of
      Sordariales fungi.

PMID- 28629792
TI  - Alternative splicing and start sites: Lessons from the Grainyhead-like family.
AB  - The two main mechanisms that expand the proteomic output of eukaryotic genes are
      alternative splicing and alternative translation initiation signals. Despite
      being essential to generate isoforms of gene products that create functional
      diversity during development, the impact of these mechanisms on fine-tuning
      regulatory gene networks is still underappreciated. In this review, we use the
      Grainyhead-like (Grhl) family as a case study to illustrate the importance of
      isoforms when investigating transcription factor family function during
      development and disease, and highlight the potential for differential modulation
      of downstream target genes. We provide insights into the importance of
      considering alternative gene products when designing, undertaking, and analysing
      primary research, and the effect that isoforms may have on development. This
      review also covers known mutations in Grhl family members, and postulates how
      genetic changes may dictate transcriptional specificity between the Grhl family
      members. It also contrasts and compares the available literature on the function
      and importance of the Grhl isoforms, and highlights current gaps in our
      understanding of their regulatory gene networks in development and disease.

PMID- 28629793
TI  - The effects of hypoxia on active ionic transport processes in the gill epithelium
      of hyperregulating crab, Carcinus maneas.
AB  - Effects of hypoxia on the osmorespiratory functions of the posterior gills of the
      shore crab Carcinus maenas acclimated to 12ppt seawater (DSW) were studied. Short
      circuit current (Isc) across the hemilamella (one epithelium layer supported by
      cuticle) was substantially reduced under exposure to 1.6, 2.0, or 2.5mg O2/L
      hypoxic saline (both sides of epithelium) and fully recovered after
      reoxygenation. Isc was reduced equally in the epithelium exposed to 1.6mg O2/L on
      both sides and when the apical side was oxygenated and the basolateral side
      solely exposed to hypoxia. Under 1.6mg O2/L, at the level of maximum inhibition
      of Isc, conductance was decreased from 40.0mScm-2 to 34.7mScm-2 and fully
      recovered after reoxygenation. Isc inhibition under hypoxia and reduced 86Rb+
      (K+) fluxes across apically located K+ channels were caused preferentially by
      reversible inhibition of basolaterally located and ouabain sensitive Na+,K+
      ATPase mediated electrogenic transport. Reversible inhibition of Isc is discussed
      as decline in active transport energy supply down regulating metabolic processes
      and saving energy during oxygen deprivation. In response to a 4day exposure of
      Carcinus to 2.0mg O2/L, hemolymph Na+ and Cl- concentration decreased, i.e.
      hyperosmoregulation was weakened. Variations of the oxygen concentration level
      and exposure time to hypoxia lead to an increase of the surface of mitochondria
      per epithelium area and might in part compensate for the decrease in oxygen
      availability under hypoxic conditions.

PMID- 28629794
TI  - Uncoupling effect of palmitate is exacerbated in skeletal muscle mitochondria of
      sea-acclimatized king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus).
AB  - In king penguin juveniles, the environmental transition from a terrestrial to a
      marine habitat, occurring at fledging, drastically stimulates lipid catabolism
      and the remodelling of muscle mitochondria to sustain extensive swimming activity
      and thermoregulation in the cold circumpolar oceans. However, the exact nature of
      these mechanisms remains only partially resolved. Here we investigated, in vitro,
      the uncoupling effect of increasing doses of fatty acids in pectoralis muscle
      intermyofibrillar mitochondria isolated, either from terrestrial never-immersed
      or experimentally cold water immersed pre-fledging king penguins or from sea
      acclimatized fledged penguins. Mitochondria exhibited much greater palmitate
      induced uncoupling respiration and higher maximal oxidative capacity after
      acclimatization to marine life. Such effects were not reproduced experimentally
      after repeated immersions in cold water, suggesting that the plasticity of
      mitochondrial characteristics may not be primarily driven by cold exposure per se
      but by other aspects of sea acclimatization.

PMID- 28629795
TI  - Epidemiological Features and Antibiotic Resistance Patterns of Haemophilus
      influenzae Originating from Respiratory Tract and Vaginal Specimens in Pediatric
      Patients.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) is a common pathogen of
      respiratory tract infections in children, however, as a possible cause of
      vulvovaginitis in prepubertal girls, its epidemiological features, antibiotic
      resistance patterns, and treatment are seldom noted. DESIGN, SETTING,
      PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Specimens obtained from
      patients were inoculated on Haemophilus selective medium; and drug-sensitivities
      tests were determined using the disk diffusion method. A cefinase disk was used
      to detect beta-lactamase. RESULTS: A total of 610 H. influenzae strains, 81.6%
      (498/610) from the respiratory tract and 18.0% (110/610) from the vagina, were
      identified in the Children's Hospital in 2015. The age of the children with
      respiratory tract strains were significantly younger than those with vaginal
      strains (P < .001). The H. influenzae isolation rate in May was the highest. The
      beta-lactamase positive rate was 51.5% (314/610), and 52.5% (320/610) were
      resistant to ampicillin. The susceptibilities rates to cefuroxime,
      ampicillin/sulbactam, cefotaxime, clarithromycin, and sulfamethoxazole
      trimethoprim were 72.1% (440/610), 95.9%, 96.4% (588/610), 81.8% (499/610), and
      36.4% (222/610), respectively. Higher resistance to ampicillin, cefuroxime,
      clarithromycin, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim were found in respiratory tract
      strains, compared with vaginal strains (P < .05). All of the patients with H.
      influenzae in the respiratory tract were cured with oral or intravenous beta
      lactam antibiotics. Of all patients with vaginal strains, 50% (55/110) were cured
      with topical ofloxacin gel, and 44.5% (49/110) were cured with oral beta-lactam
      antibiotics. CONCLUSION: The drug-resistance rates of H. influenzae isolated from
      vagina were lower than those from the respiratory tract. Topical ofloxacin gel or
      oral beta-lactam antibiotics are effective treatments to eliminate the H.
      influenza causing infection in the vagina.

PMID- 28629796
TI  - Large Omental Cystic Lymphangioma Masquerading as Mucinous Ovarian Neoplasia in
      an 8-Year-Old Premenarchal Girl: The Findings from Diagnostic Imaging and
      Laparoscopic-Assisted Excision.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Omental cystic lymphangioma is an extremely rare abdominal mass
      caused by congenital malformation. CASE: An 8-year-old premenarchal girl reported
      abdominal pain. Diagnostic imaging revealed a large multicystic mass measuring 22
      cm in diameter, which occupied the entire abdominal cavity with ascites.
      Emergency laparoscopy revealed a ruptured large cystic mass originating from the
      greater omentum; this was followed by successful laparoscopic-assisted excision.
      The pathological diagnosis was omental cystic lymphangioma. SUMMARY AND
      CONCLUSION: The present findings show that omental cystic lymphangioma
      masquerading as mucinous ovarian neoplasia was a rare cause of acute abdominal
      events in a young girl. The present case shows that minimally invasive surgery
      can be a feasible option, which might achieve a favorable outcome in a young
      patient with an omental cystic lymphangioma.

PMID- 28629797
TI  - Diagnosing Inequity in Infectious Disease Control.

PMID- 28629798
TI  - Proteomic analysis of mesenchymal to Schwann cell transdifferentiation.
AB  - : While transplantation of Schwann cells facilitates axon regeneration,
      remyelination and repair after peripheral nerve injury clinical use is limited by
      cell bioavailability. We posit that such limitation in cell access can be
      overcome by the use of autologous bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells
      (MSCs). As MSCs can transdifferentiate to Schwann cell-phenotypes and accelerate
      nerve regeneration we undertook proteomic evaluation of the cells to uncover the
      protein contents that affects Schwann cell formulation. Transdifferentiated MSCs
      secrete significant amounts of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve
      growth factor (NGF) in cell-conditioned media that facilitated neurite outgrowth.
      MSC proteins significantly regulated during Schwann cell transdifferentiation
      included, but were not limited to, GNAI2, MYL9, ACTN4, ACTN1, ACTB, CAV-1, HSPB1,
      PHB2, TBB4B, CTGF, TGFI1, ARF6, EZR, GELS, VIM, WNT5A, RTN4, EFNB1. These support
      axonal guidance, myelination, neural development and neural growth and
      differentiation. The results unravel the molecular events that underlie cell
      transdifferentiation that ultimately serve to facilitate nerve regeneration and
      repair in support of cell transplantation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: While Schwann
      cells facilitate axon regeneration, remyelination and repair after peripheral
      nerve injury clinical use is limited by cell bioavailability. We posit that such
      limitation in cell access can be overcome by the use of bone-marrow derived
      mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transdifferentiated to Schwann cell-phenotypes. In
      the present study, we undertook the first proteomic evaluation of these
      transdifferentiated cells to uncover the protein contents that affects Schwann
      cell formulation. Furthermore, these transdifferentiated MSCs secrete significant
      amounts of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF)
      in cell-conditioned media that facilitated neurite outgrowth. Our results
      demonstrate that a number of MSC proteins were significantly regulated following
      transdifferentiation of the MSCs supporting roles in axonal guidance,
      myelination, neural development and differentiation. The conclusions of the
      present work unravel the molecular events that underlie cell transdifferentiation
      that ultimately serve to facilitate nerve regeneration and repair in support of
      cell transplantation. Our study was the first proteomic comparison demonstrating
      the transdifferentiation of MSCs and these reported results can affect a wide
      field of stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and proteomics.

PMID- 28629799
TI  - Self-efficacy and Coping as Correlates of Migrant Safe Sexual Behavior to Prevent
      HIV.
AB  - Along the Mexico/United States border, migrants are at increased risk of HIV. The
      objective of our study was to investigate the relationship between two process
      indicators (self-efficacy to prevent HIV and coping with sexual risk) and safe
      sexual behaviors in migrants. A correlational design was used. Migrants were
      recruited from two cities on the northern border of Mexico. Transition theory
      informed the measurement of self-efficacy and coping process indicators. Three
      generalized linear models were built for each safe sexual behavior outcome: (a)
      partner communication, (b) use of condoms, and (c) safe sex. Of 311 migrants,
      indicators of self-efficacy and coping with sexual risk were associated with all
      three outcome measures of safe sexual behavior (p < .05). Process indicators
      explained 22.5% to 30.6% of the variance in the data. Therefore, self-efficacy to
      prevent HIV and coping ability are important correlates of migrant sexual risk
      behavior.

PMID- 28629801
TI  - Corrigendum to "Binding of alkaloid harmalol to DNA: Photophysical and
      calorimetric approach" [J. Photochem. Photobiol. B: Biol. 130 (2014) 272-280].

PMID- 28629800
TI  - Perspectives of HIV Clinic Staff on the Implementation of a Client Financial
      Incentives Program Targeting Viral Suppression.
AB  - We present perspectives of health care providers and clinic staff on the
      implementation of a financial incentive program for clients living with HIV in
      three Louisiana clinics. Interviews were conducted in May-June 2015 with 27
      clinic staff to assess their perspectives on implementation of the Health Models
      financial incentive program, which was initiated in September 2013. Many
      providers and staff welcomed the program, but some were concerned about
      sustainability and the ethics of a program that paid patients to receive care.
      Most said they eventually found the program to be helpful for patients and clinic
      operations in general, by facilitating partnerships between providers and
      patients, improving appointment keeping, providing opportunities for patient
      education, engaging patients in care, and helping patients form new prevention
      habits. The findings can improve understanding of staff and leadership
      perceptions of incentive programs and can inform planning and implementation of
      these programs in the future.

PMID- 28629802
TI  - Interventional rheumatology, an unsettled issue.

PMID- 28629803
TI  - Development of MPC-DPA polymeric nanoparticle systems for inhalation drug
      delivery applications.
AB  - Inhalation of nanoparticles for pulmonary drug delivery offers the potential to
      harness nanomedicine formulations of emerging therapeutics, such as curcumin, for
      treatment of lung cancer. Biocompatible nanoparticles composed of poly(2
      methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine)-b-poly(2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl
      methacrylate) (MPC-DPA) have been shown to be suitable nanocarriers for drugs,
      whilst N-trimethyl chitosan chloride (TMC) coating of nanoparticles has been
      reported to further enhance their cellular delivery efficacy; the combination of
      the two has not been previously investigated. Development of effective systems
      requires the predictable, controllable, and reproducible ability to prepare
      nanosystems possessing particle sizes, and drug loading capacities, appropriate
      for successful airway travel, lung tissue penetration, and tumor suppression.
      Although a number of MPC-DPA based nanosystems have been described, a complete
      understanding of parameters controlling nanoparticle formation, size, and
      morphology has not been reported; in particular the effects of differing solvents
      phases remains unclear. In this current study a matrix of 31 solvent combinations
      were examined to provide novel data pertaining to the formation of MPC-DPA
      nanoparticles, and in doing so afforded the selection of systems with particle
      sizes appropriate for pulmonary delivery applications to be loaded with curcumin,
      and coated with TMC. This paper presents the first report of novel data detailing
      the successful preparation, characterisation, and optimisation of MPC-DPA
      nanoparticles of circa 150-180nm diameter, with low polydispersity, and a
      curcumin loading range of circa 2.5-115MUM, tunable by preparation parameters,
      with and without TMC coating, and thus considered suitable candidates for
      inhalation drug delivery applications.

PMID- 28629804
TI  - Zero order controlled release delivery of cholecalciferol from injectable
      biodegradable microsphere: In-vitro characterization and in-vivo pharmacokinetic
      studies.
AB  - Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres loaded with cholecalciferol (CL), more
      bioactive form of vitamin D was developed as an injectable controlled drug
      release system and was evaluated for its feasibility of once a month delivery.
      The CL loaded microspheres (CL-MS) were prepared by simple oil in water (O/W)
      emulsion-solvent evaporation technique incorporated with a stabilizer, Tocopherol
      Succinate (TS). Different formulation as well as process parameters were
      investigated namely concentration of emulsifier, concentration of stabilizer and
      drug: polymer mass ratios. The prepared CL-MS were evaluated for particle size,
      drug loading, in-vitro drug release and in-vivo pharmacokinetics in rats. The
      optimized formulation was found to have a mean particle size of 28.62+/-0.26MUm,
      Encapsulation Efficiency (EE) of 94.4+/-5.4% and drug loading of 5.19+/-0.29%
      with CL:TS ratio of 2:1. It was found that the EE drastically decreased (26+/
      5.9%) in the absence of stabilizer (TS) indicating its role in stabilization of
      CL during formulation. DSC and XRD studies indicated that CL existed in an
      amorphous structure in the polymer matrix. SEM of the CL-MS revealed the
      spherical morphology and confirmed the particle size. In-vitro release showed
      that the CL release from CL-MS followed near zero-order drug release kinetics
      over nearly 1month. In-vivo pharmacokinetic study of CL-MS showed higher t1/2
      (239+/-27.5h) compared to oily CL depot (32.7+/-4.8h) with sustained release of
      CL plasma concentration for 1month. The labile CL could thus be effectively
      encapsulated and protected against degradation during microspheres formulation,
      storage and release in presence of stabilizer. This novel CL loaded PLGA MS is
      stable and may have great potential for clinical use.

PMID- 28629805
TI  - Association of Hip Radiograph Findings With Pain and Function in Patients
      Presenting With Low Back Pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Relationships between low back pain (LBP) and the hip in patient
      cohorts have been described primarily in patients with moderate to severe hip
      osteoarthritis (OA). Less is known about the links of LBP with hip radiographic
      findings of hip deformity and minimal OA. OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence of
      radiographic hip deformity or hip OA; to describe and compare spine- and hip
      related pain and function in the subset of patients who were found to have
      radiographic hip deformity or hip OA; and to compare patients with evidence of
      radiographic hip deformity or hip OA to patients without hip radiographic
      findings. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with cross-sectional design. SETTING:
      Tertiary university. PATIENTS: A total of 63 patients (40 women, 23 men) with a
      mean age of 48.5 +/- 14 years with LBP and a minimum of one positive provocative
      hip test. METHODS: Hip radiographs were assessed by an independent examiner for
      hip OA and deformity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Comparisons of hip and lumbar
      spine pain and function were completed for patients with radiographic findings of
      hip OA or deformity. RESULTS: Moderate to severe hip OA was found in 12 of 60
      patients (20.0%). At least one measurement of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI)
      was found in 14 of 60 patients (23.3%) to 33 of 45 patients (73.3%). At least one
      measurement of developmental hip dysplasia (DDH) was found in 7 of 60 patients
      (11.6%) to 11 of 63 patients (17.4%). Greater pain and reduced hip and lumbar
      spine function were found in the patients with moderate to severe hip OA.
      Patients with LBP and FAI were found to have significantly greater extremes of
      pain and reduced lumbar spine function. CONCLUSION: Links between the hip and the
      spine affecting pain and function may be found in patients with LBP and hip
      deformity and before the onset of radiographic hip OA, and may be associated with
      hip deformity. Further investigation is needed to better understand these links
      and their potential impact on prognosis and treatment of LBP. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      II.

PMID- 28629806
TI  - Prevalence of Bleeding Complications Following Ultrasound-Guided Botulinum Toxin
      Injections in Patients on Anticoagulation or Antiplatelet Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients receiving anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy may be at
      higher risk for bleeding complications following intramuscular chemodenervation
      injections. Musculoskeletal ultrasound may be able to reduce the risk of bleeding
      complications by providing real-time visualization of vascular structures and
      postinjection monitoring. Limited data exist addressing the risk of bleeding
      complications following ultrasound-guided botulinum neurotoxin intramuscular
      chemodenervation procedures in the setting of anticoagulation or antiplatelet
      therapy. OBJECTIVE: To provide initial outcome data regarding bleeding
      complications in patients on anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy who have
      received ultrasound-guided botulinum neurotoxin intramuscular chemodenervation
      procedures. DESIGN: Retrospective, medical record review. SETTING: Academic
      institution outpatient spasticity clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Total of 328 ultrasound
      guided intramuscular botulinum toxin injections performed in 15 patients (mean
      age 53.8 years) with the predominant indication for chemodenervation being
      spastic paresis secondary to stroke. METHODS: The medical records of all patients
      undergoing ultrasound-guided intramuscular chemodenervation procedures performed
      between July 1, 2011, and October 16, 2015, were reviewed for demographic
      information, details regarding anticoagulation therapy, procedure specifics, and
      postinjection bleeding complications. All patients had a postinjection ultrasound
      to screen for hematoma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of clinically
      significant bleeding complications and of sonographically documented subclinical
      bleeding complications following ultrasound-guided chemodenervation procedures in
      patients on anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy. RESULTS: Of 328 procedures,
      only 2 subclinical hematomas were detected, resulting in a bleeding complication
      rate of 0.61% in this patient population. The target muscles in these cases were
      tibialis posterior and pronator teres, and both cases were in patients on
      anticoagulation therapy (as opposed to antiplatelet therapy). CONCLUSIONS: The
      risk of clinically significant bleeding complication appears to be very small
      following ultrasound-guided intramuscular chemodenervation procedures in the
      setting of systemic anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      IV.

PMID- 28629807
TI  - Spike or not a spike? That is the question in a patient with single lead
      pacemaker.
AB  - Dual-chamber pacing is feasible via the floating atrial sensor electrodes of a
      single-pass VDD lead but the atrial lead threshold is higher than the accepted
      clinical standard. Furthermore, due to the floating nature of the system, atrial
      sensing and pacing thresholds may vary during the follow up. For these reasons
      this strategy is seldom considered a common pacing solution in routine clinical
      practice. Alternatively, this phenomenon is likely to be observed as a result of
      incorrect generator configuration. As shown in our case, this inadequate setting
      can be suspected just by the analysis of the surface ECG and the post
      implantation chest X-ray.

PMID- 28629808
TI  - Physiological and pathophysiological role of transient receptor potential
      canonical channels in cardiac myocytes.
AB  - Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels constitute a family of
      seven Ca2+ permeable ion channels, named TRPC1 to 7. These channels are
      abundantly expressed in the mammalian heart, yet mechanisms underlying activation
      of TRPC channels and their precise role in cardiac physiology remain poorly
      understood. In this review, we perused original literature regarding TRPC
      channels in cardiomyocytes. We first reviewed studies on TRPC channel assembly
      and sub-cellular localization across multiple species and cell types. Our review
      indicates that TRPC localization in cardiac cells is still a topic of
      controversy. We then examined common molecular biology tools used to infer on
      location and physiological roles of TRPC channels in the heart. We subsequently
      reviewed pharmacological tools used to modulate TRPC activity in both cardiac and
      non-cardiac cells. Suggested physiological roles in the heart include modulation
      of heart rate and sensing of mechanical strain. We examined studies on the
      contribution of TRPC to cardiac pathophysiology, mainly hypertrophic signaling.
      Several TRPC channels, particularly TRPC1, 3 and 6 were proposed to play a
      crucial role in hypertrophic signaling. Finally, we discussed gaps in our
      understanding of the location and physiological role of TRPC channels in
      cardiomyocytes. Closing these gaps will be crucial to gain a full understanding
      of the role of TRPC channels in cardiac pathophysiology and to further explore
      these channels as targets for treatments for cardiac diseases, in particular,
      hypertrophy.

PMID- 28629809
TI  - Theoretical modeling of the subject: Western and Eastern types of human
      reflexion.
AB  - The author puts forth the hypothesis that mental phenomena are connected with
      thermodynamic properties of large neural network. A model of the subject with
      reflexion and capable for meditation is constructed. The processes of reflexion
      and meditation are presented as the sequence of heat engines. Each subsequent
      engine compensates for the imperfectness of the preceding engine by performing
      work equal to the lost available work of the preceding one. The sequence of heat
      engines is regarded as a chain of the subject's mental images of the self. Each
      engine can be interpreted as an image of the self that the engine next to it has,
      and the work performed by engines as the emotions that the subject and his images
      are experiencing. Two types of meditation are analyzed: The dissolution in
      nothingness and union with the Absolute. In the first type, the initial engine is
      the one that yields heat to the coldest reservoir, and in the second type, the
      initial engine is the one that takes heat from the hottest reservoir. The main
      concepts of thermodynamics are reviewed in relation to the process of human
      reflexion.

PMID- 28629810
TI  - Spindle cell lesions of the breast - An approach to diagnosis.
AB  - Spindle cell lesions of the breast are among the less common entities encountered
      in breast pathology. They encompass a whole spectrum of benign reactive lesions
      to high grade malignant neoplasms. An accurate diagnosis is important to ensure
      that the patient receives the appropriate management. While this group of
      conditions broadly share the same basic morphology of a lesion composed of
      spindle cells, there are often recognizable differences on histology, which
      coupled with ancillary studies and correlation with the clinical and imaging
      findings, can help one to arrive at a specific diagnosis. On core biopsy however,
      spindle cell lesions pose significant interpretive challenges and a firm
      diagnosis is often not possible. We share our approach to this group of
      conditions, with a focus on the more common entities, highlighting their key
      clinical, imaging and pathological features.

PMID- 28629811
TI  - TBT and its metabolites in sediments: Survey at a German coastal site and the
      central Baltic Sea.
AB  - Since the 1950s the organotin compound tributyltin (TBT) was intensively used in
      antifouling paints for marine vessels and it became of concern for the marine
      environment. Herein, we report on a study from 2015 on TBT and its metabolites
      monobutyltin (MBT) and dibutyltin (DBT) in sediments from the central Baltic Sea
      and a Baltic Sea coastal site with strong harbor activities (Warnemunde).
      Sublayers from a sediment core from the Arkona Basin were analyzed to investigate
      the long term organotin pressure for the Baltic Sea. For the central Baltic Sea
      total organotin (MBT+DBT+TBT) ranged from 100 to 500ng/g TOC with distinct areas
      of high organotin content probably due to historical inputs. For the coastal site
      total organotin ranged from 10,000 to 60,000ng/g TOC. MBT and DBT were the
      predominant organotin species detected. Overall, the data obtained indicate the
      progress of TBT degradation at the investigated sites.

PMID- 28629812
TI  - Benthic foraminifera for heavy metal pollution monitoring: A case study from
      Burullus Lagoon of Egypt.
AB  - Sources of heavy metals pollution in the Burullus Lagoon include phosphate
      fertilizers, sewage and oil spills from fishing boats. The benthic species
      identified in this lagoon are Adelosina carinata striata (Wiesner),
      Quinqueloculina bosciana (d'Orbigny), Quinqueloculina seminulum (Linnaeus),
      Ammonia tepida (Cushman), Elphidium excavatum (Terquem). A. tepida is the most
      dominant species in the lagoon. It constitutes more than 97% of the total benthic
      foraminiferal assemblages reflecting tolerance to the very low salinity in the
      Burullus Lagoon. The intensity of deformation was severe exhibiting a peculiar
      change in the coiling direction in A. tepida with increase in cadmium
      concentration. A. tepida exhibited a great morphological variability and the
      recorded morphological abnormalities show high spire giving the spiroconvex test,
      additional chamber, aberrant chamber shape and size, twisted tests with elongated
      axes of rotation and complex deformities, whereas E. excavatum showed additional
      calcite secretion (tumors).

PMID- 28629813
TI  - Recruitment failure of scleractinian corals in a subtropical marginal
      environment: Three-year monitoring in a Hong Kong marine park.
AB  - Coral recruitment was monitored for three years, using terracotta tiles, in two
      core coral areas in Tung Ping Chau Marine Park where coral coverage is one of the
      richest in Hong Kong. Results revealed an extremely low recruitment success of
      corals, with only 10 recruits recorded on 384 tile pairs, equivalent to 0.19
      recruits m-2yr-1 throughout the study period. Recruits of Platygyra acuta pre
      seeded on tiles that were subsequently grown in situ experienced very high
      mortality following settlement, with average mortality of 80% within half a month
      and <0.1% survival through the first four months of deployment. Data suggested
      that low recruitment of corals may be due to the lack of arrival of competent
      coral larvae, low larval settlement; and/or low post-settlement survival of
      recruits due to high sedimentation or intense competition for space with fouling
      organisms, e.g. algae, oysters, barnacles and bryozoans, which may negatively
      affect coral recruitment.

PMID- 28629814
TI  - Abcb1a (P-glycoprotein) limits brain exposure of the anticancer drug candidate
      seliciclib in vivo in adult mice.
AB  - Seliciclib displayed limited brain exposure in vivo in adult rats with mature
      blood-brain barrier (BBB). Selicilib was shown to be a specific substrate of
      human ABCB1 in vitro. To demonstrate that ABCB1/Abcb1 can limit brain exposure in
      vivo in mice we are showing that seliciclib is a substrate of mouse Abcb1a, the
      murine ABCB1 ortholog expressed in the BBB as LLC-PK-Abcb1a cells displayed an
      efflux ratio (ER) of 15.31+/-3.54 versus an ER of 1.44+/-0.10 in LLC-PK1-mock
      cells. Additionally, in the presence of LY335979, an ABCB1/Abcb1a specific
      inhibitor, the observed ER for seliciclib in the LLC-PK1-mMdr1a cells decreased
      to 1.05+/-0.25. To demonstrate in vivo relevance of seliciclib transport by
      Abcb1a mouse brain microdialysis experiments were carried out that showed that
      the AUCbrain/AUCblood ratio of 0.143 in anesthetized mice increased about two
      fold to 0.279 in the presence of PSC833 another ABCB1/Abcb1a specific inhibitor.
      PSC833 also increased the brain exposure (AUCbrain) of seliciclib close to 2-fold
      (136 vs 242) in awake mice. In sum, Abcb1a significantly decreases seliciclib
      permeability in vitro and is partly responsible for limited brain exposure of
      seliciclib in vivo in mice.

PMID- 28629816
TI  - Tinospora species: An overview of their modulating effects on the immune system.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Studies on the effects of natural
      immunomodulators to heal various diseases related to the immune system have been
      a growing interest in recent years. Amongst the medicinal plants, Tinospora
      species (family; Menispermaceae) have been one of the widely investigated plants
      for their modulating effects on the immune system due to their wide use in
      ethnomedicine to treat various ailments related to immune-related diseases.
      However, their ethnopharmacological uses are mainly with limited or without
      scientific basis. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: In this article, we have reviewed the
      literature on the phytochemicals of several Tinospora species, which have shown
      strong immunomodulatory effects and critically analyzed the reports to provide
      perspectives and instructions for future research for the plants as a potential
      source of new immunomodulators for use as medicinal agents or dietary
      supplements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Electronic search on worldwide accepted
      scientific databases (Google Scholar, Science Direct, SciFinder, Web of Science,
      PubMed, Wiley Online Library, ACS Publications Today) was performed to compile
      the relevant information. Some information was obtained from books, database on
      medicinal plants used in Ayurveda, MSc dissertations and herbal classics books
      written in various languages. RESULTS: T. cordifolia, T. crispa, T. sinensis, T.
      smilacina, T. bakis, and T. sagittata have been reported to possess significant
      immunomodulatory effects. For a few decades, initiatives in molecular research on
      the effects of these species on the immune system have been carried out. However,
      most of the biological and pharmacological studies were carried out using the
      crude extracts of plants. The bioactive compounds contributing to the
      bioactivities have not been properly identified, and mechanistic studies to
      understand the immunomodulatory effects of the plants are limited by many
      considerations with regard to design, conduct, and interpretation. CONCLUSION:
      The plant extracts and their active constituents should be subjected to more
      detail mechanistic studies, in vivo investigations in various animal models
      including pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies, and elaborate toxicity
      study before submission to clinical trials.

PMID- 28629815
TI  - Resveratrol suppresses pulmonary tumor metastasis by inhibiting platelet-mediated
      angiogenic responses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To explore the impact of Resveratrol (RSV) on the angiogenic
      potential of activated platelets and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.
      METHODS: Vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations were measured by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Capillary tube formation assay was used to
      examine the impact of RSV on the angiogenic potential of activated platelets. The
      levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate
      (cGMP) in the supernatant were evaluated using corresponding enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay kits. Immunoblotting assays were used to determine the
      expression of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein and Akt phosphorylation. A
      pulmonary metastasis experiment with male nude mice model was performed to test
      the effect of RSV on pulmonary metastasis and angiogenesis in vivo. RESULTS: RSV
      inhibited platelets-mediated angiogenic responses induced by adenosine
      diphosphate (ADP)ADP through increased cGMP generation and cGMP-mediated
      vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation along with reduced
      intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. In addition, RSV attenuated the platelet
      secretion and angiogenic responses induced by A549 cells in vitro and suppressed
      A549 lung cancer metastasis and angiogenesis in nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: RSV is a
      potential therapeutic drug for the prevention of tumor metastasis by interrupting
      the platelet-tumor cell amplification loop.

PMID- 28629817
TI  - The antinociceptive effects of a standardized ethanol extract of the Bidens
      odorata Cav (Asteraceae) leaves are mediated by ATP-sensitive K+ channels.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Bidens odorata Cav (Asteraceae) is used for the
      empirical treatment of inflammation and pain. AIM OF THE STUDY: This work
      evaluated the in vitro and in vivo toxicity, antioxidant activity, as well as the
      anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of an ethanol extract from Bidens
      odorata leaves (BOE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vitro toxicity of BOE (10
      1000ug/ml) was evaluated with the comet assay in PBMC. The in vivo acute toxicity
      of BOE (500-5000mg/kg) and the effect of BOE (10-1000ug/ml) on the level of ROS
      in PBMC were determined. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of BOE was
      assessed using the TPA-induced ear edema in mice. The antinociceptive activities
      of BOE (50-200mg/kg p.o.) were assessed using the acetic acid and formalin tests.
      The antinociceptive mechanism of BOE was determined using naloxone and
      glibenclamide. RESULTS: BOE lacked DNA damage, and showed low in vivo toxicity
      (LD50 > 5000mg/kg p.o.). BOE inhibited ROS production (IC50 = 252.13 +/-
      20.54ug/ml), and decreased inflammation by 36.1 +/- 3.66%. In both
      antinociceptive test, BOE (200mg/kg) exerted activity with similar activity than
      the reference drugs. CONCLUSION: B. odorata exerts low in vitro and in vivo
      toxicity, antioxidant effects, moderate in vivo anti-inflammatory activity, and
      antinociceptive effects mediated by ATP-sensitive K+ channels.

PMID- 28629819
TI  - Umbilical appearance and patient/parent satisfaction over 5years of follow-up
      after umbilical hernia repair in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: We evaluated the long-term umbilical appearance and
      patient/parent satisfaction at follow-up after umbilical hernia repair (UHR).
      METHODS: In a retrospective review of 128 children who underwent UHR and were
      followed up for over 5 years, satisfaction was assessed using e-mailed
      questionnaires and attached photographs of the umbilicus. RESULTS: The survey
      response rate was 80.3% by parents, 79.5% by patients, and 72.1% using
      photographs. The median follow-up period was 7.6 (range, 5.3-10.1) years. The
      satisfaction rate was 78.9% among parents and 91.5% among patients; however,
      eight patients (8.5%) reported dissatisfaction with the results. The main reason
      for dissatisfaction was the shallow depth of the umbilicus (parents, 10/20;
      patients, 5/8). During the follow-up period, satisfaction increased in 14 cases
      (14.7%) and decreased in 10 cases (10.5%). Superior hooding was considered an
      ideal shape for the umbilicus. Concomitant laparoscopic surgery and higher age at
      surgery were significantly associated with dissatisfaction in parents (P = 0.045)
      and patients (P = 0.046), respectively. Large defect size was significantly
      associated with decreased satisfaction during the follow-up period (P = 0.030).
      CONCLUSION: E-mail surveys are useful for long-term follow-up after UHR. Patients
      with these above risk factors should receive long-term follow-up with careful
      attention to patient satisfaction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Type of study: prognosis
      study, level II.

PMID- 28629818
TI  - Corydalis hendersonii Hemsl. protects against myocardial injury by attenuating
      inflammation and fibrosis via NF-kappaB and JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathways.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Corydalis hendersonii Hemsl. (CH) with heat
      clearing and detoxifying effects are well described in Tibetan folk medicine. It
      has been used for centuries in China largely for the treatment of high altitude
      polycythemia, a pathophysiological condition referred to "plethora" in Tibetan
      medicine, hypertension, hepatitis, edema, gastritis, and other infectious
      diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the cardioprotective effects of
      Corydalis hendersonii extract in an ICR mouse model of myocardial ischemic
      injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ethanol [85% (v/v)] extract of CH whole plant was
      prepared, and their chemical profile was analyzed with use of HPLC-DAD and IT-TOF
      ESI-MS. A mouse model of AMI was established by ligation of the left ventricular
      dysfunction (LAD) coronary artery. Mice were randomly divided into six groups (n
      = 12 per group): sham group, model group, CH groups treated with three doses of
      CH (100, 200, and 400mg/kg, intragastric), and a positive control group
      (captopril, 16.67mg/kg, intragastric). Heart function was evaluated by
      measurement of ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) by
      echocardiography. Serum levels of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH), plasma levels of angiotensin II (AngII), tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and
      expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in the cardiac tissue
      homogenate, protein expressions of signal-transduction proteins, p65,
      IkappaBalpha, JAK2, and STAT3 in heart tissues were measured by ELISA and Western
      blot analyses. Inflammatory cell infiltration and changes in collagen deposition
      in the myocardial ischemic heart tissues were observed by histopathological
      examination. Platelet aggregation in vitro was also assessed. RESULTS: CH
      treatment showed a dose-dependent cardioprotective effect. It significantly
      reduced left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) and left ventricular end
      diastolic diameter (LVEDs), improved EF and FS as compared to those in the model
      group; attenuated the increase levels of CK-MB and LDH in serum; reduced
      expressions of AngII, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1beta in plasma, MMP-2 and MMP-9
      expressions in the cardiac tissue homogenate; and down-regulated myocardial
      expressions of p-p65, p-IkappaBalpha, p-JAK2, p-STAT3, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in AMI
      mice. Also, an obvious reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration in the
      myocardial infarct was found in all CH treated groups. Besides, CH also inhibited
      platelet aggregation induced by THR, ADP, and AA. CONCLUSION: CH extract exerted
      a protective effect against myocardial ischemic injury via inhibition of
      inflammation, myocardial fibrosis, and platelet aggregation. This study
      demonstrates such protection for the first time and provides a basis for
      development of CH-based drugs for treatment of ischemic heart disease in clinical
      settings.

PMID- 28629820
TI  - Urodynamic performance in boys with Y-type urethral duplication.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the urodynamic features of
      patients with Y-type urethral duplication. METHODS: Patients with Y-type urethral
      duplication were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical presentation, urodynamic
      findings, surgical methods, and treatment outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: From
      2014 to 2016, six boys were diagnosed with Y-type urethral duplication at our
      institution. All patients underwent urodynamic testing. Urodynamic testing in
      patient 1 and 2 revealed detrusor pressure as 100cmH2O and 88cmH2O in the voiding
      stage, while urinary flow rate were 0ml/s and 2.8ml/s with volume of residual
      urine as 300ml and 110ml respectively, which consistent with the typical
      urodynamic of lower urinary tract obstruction. Patient 1, 3, 4 and 6 showed
      impaired bladder compliance as 7.5ml/H2O, 12ml/H2O, 6ml/H2O and 6ml/H2O
      respectively. Patient 5 and 6 also showed maximum urethral pressure as 110cmH2O
      and 125cmH2O with maximum urethral closure pressure as 103cmH2O and 110cmH2O
      respectively in the resting state. CONCLUSIONS: Y-type urethral duplication is
      one potential cause of lower urinary tract obstruction, as seen in the abnormal
      urodynamic findings in our patients. Further studies are needed to elucidate the
      characteristics of this rare condition and determine optimal surgical management.
      TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective case series. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4
      observational study without controls.

PMID- 28629821
TI  - Glycogen Reduction in Myotubes of Late-Onset Pompe Disease Patients Using
      Antisense Technology.
AB  - Glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII) is a lysosomal disorder caused by the
      deficient activity of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) enzyme, leading to the
      accumulation of glycogen within the lysosomes. The disease has been classified in
      infantile and late-onset forms. Most late-onset patients share a splicing
      mutation c.-32-13T > G in intron 1 of the GAA gene that prevents efficient
      recognition of exon 2 by the spliceosome. In this study, we have mapped the
      splicing silencers of GAA exon 2 and developed antisense morpholino
      oligonucleotides (AMOs) to inhibit those regions and rescue normal splicing in
      the presence of the c.-32-13T > G mutation. Using a minigene approach and patient
      fibroblasts, we successfully increased inclusion of exon 2 in the mRNA and GAA
      enzyme production by targeting a specific silencer with a combination of AMOs.
      Most importantly, the use of these AMOs in patient myotubes results in a
      decreased accumulation of glycogen. To our knowledge, this is the only
      therapeutic approach resulting in a decrease of glycogen accumulation in patient
      tissues beside enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and TFEB overexpression. As a
      result, it may represent a highly novel and promising therapeutic line for GSDII.

PMID- 28629823
TI  - Characterization and biological function analysis of the TRIM47 gene from common
      carp (Cyprinus carpio).
AB  - The TRIM family protein was known to play an important role in many cellular
      processes, including potential antiviral activity, which has attracted lots of
      attention. In this study, a TRIM47 homolog from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) was
      cloned and the full length coding DNA sequence (CDS) of this gene was analyzed,
      results showed that there was a 97% similarity between common carp and zebrafish
      (Danio rerio), but only 18% similarity with that of human (Homo sapiens) and
      mouse (Mus musculus). The tissue distribution analysis showed TRIM47 had the
      highest mRNA level in the brain, a few immune related organs such as liver and
      kidney also had a relatively high level of TRIM47 expression. SVCV infection
      decreased TRIM47 mRNA level significantly both in vitro and in vivo, but its
      expression was not affected by the virus at the protein level. The recombinant
      plasmid pcDNA4-TRIM47-His was constructed, the subcellular localization in FHM
      cells showed that TRIM47 uniformly distributed in the cytoplasm at the form of
      tiny spots, and partially localized in the mitochondria. Overexpression TRIM47 in
      FHM cells significantly decreased the mRNA level of SVCV-G gene, and it was
      accompanied with the increasing of IFN1, a member of type I IFN, at the case of
      SVCV stimulation. In summary, our results had first demonstrated that TRIM47 of
      the common carp played an important role in viral resistance processes as well as
      the regulation of IFN signaling pathway.

PMID- 28629822
TI  - Structure-Based Designed Nano-Dysferlin Significantly Improves Dysferlinopathy in
      BLA/J Mice.
AB  - Dysferlinopathy is an autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy characterized by the
      progressive loss of motility that is caused by mutations throughout the DYSF
      gene. There are currently no approved therapies that ameliorate or reverse
      dysferlinopathy. Gene delivery using adeno-associated vectors (AAVs) is a leading
      therapeutic strategy for genetic diseases; however, the large size of dysferlin
      cDNA (6.2 kB) precludes packaging into a single AAV capsid. Therefore, using 3D
      structural modeling and hypothesizing dysferlin C2 domain redundancy, a 30%
      smaller, dysferlin-like molecule amenable to single AAV vector packaging was
      engineered (termed Nano-Dysferlin). The intracellular distribution of Nano
      Dysferlin was similar to wild-type dysferlin and neither demonstrated toxicity
      when overexpressed in dysferlin-deficient patient myoblasts. Intramuscular
      injection of AAV-Nano-Dysferlin in young dysferlin-deficient mice significantly
      improved muscle integrity and decreased muscle turnover 3 weeks after treatment,
      as determined by Evans blue dye uptake and central nucleated fibers,
      respectively. Systemically administered AAV-Nano-Dysferlin to young adult
      dysferlin-deficient mice restored motor function and improved muscle integrity
      nearly 8 months after a single injection. These preclinical data are the first
      report of a smaller dysferlin variant tailored for AAV single particle delivery
      that restores motor function and, therefore, represents an attractive candidate
      for the treatment of dysferlinopathy.

PMID- 28629824
TI  - Comparison of SHOX and associated elements duplications distribution between
      patients (Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis/idiopathic short stature) and population
      sample.
AB  - The effect of heterozygous duplications of SHOX and associated elements on Leri
      Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD) and idiopathic short stature (ISS) development is
      less distinct when compared to reciprocal deletions. The aim of our study was to
      compare frequency and distribution of duplications within SHOX and associated
      elements between population sample and LWD (ISS) patients. A preliminary analysis
      conducted on Czech population sample of 250 individuals compared to our
      previously reported sample of 352 ISS/LWD Czech patients indicated that rather
      than the difference in frequency of duplications it is the difference in their
      distribution. Particularly, there was an increased frequency of duplications
      residing to the CNE-9 enhancer in our LWD/ISS sample. To see whether the obtained
      data are consistent across published studies we made a literature survey to get
      published cases with SHOX or associated elements duplication and formed the
      merged LWD, the merged ISS, and the merged population samples. Relative frequency
      of particular region duplication in each of those merged samples were calculated.
      There was a significant difference in the relative frequency of CNE-9 enhancer
      duplications (11 vs. 3) and complete SHOX (exon1-6b) duplications (4 vs. 24) (p
      value 0.0139 and p-value 0.000014, respectively) between the merged LWD sample
      and the merged population sample. We thus propose that partial SHOX duplications
      and small duplications encompassing CNE-9 enhancer could be highly penetrant
      alleles associated with ISS and LWD development.

PMID- 28629825
TI  - ICT1 predicts a poor survival and correlated with cell proliferation in diffuse
      large B-cell lymphoma.
AB  - Immature colon carcinoma transcript-1 (ICT1) is a crucial member of the large
      mitoribosomal subunit in mitochondrial ribosome, which has been shown to be
      closely related to tumorigenesis. Its expression and function in human diffuse
      large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), however, remained elusive. In this study, analysis
      of public available Oncomine database suggested that the expression levels of
      ICT1 mRNA was significantly upregulated in DLBCL tissues. Consistently, we
      described ICT1 was remarkably upregulated in fresh DLBCL samples compared with
      the corresponding normal tissues using quantitative reverse-transcription
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Moreover, ICT1
      overexpression was associated with the poor overall survival (OS) of DLBCL
      patients. Finally, we used DLBCL cell lines to further probe the potential
      mechanisms, and found shRNA-mediated knockdown of ICT1 significantly suppressed
      DLBCL cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase and apoptosis
      in vitro. Further verification showed that inhibition of ICT1 gene expression
      caused the upregulation of the p21, Bad and caspase-3, and downregulation of
      PCNA, Survivin, CDK4, CDK6 and Cyclin D1. Taken together, this study suggested
      that ICT1 may play an oncogenic role in human DLBCL by promoting cell
      proliferation and it might be a biomarker of unfavorable prognosis in DLBCL
      patients.

PMID- 28629826
TI  - Silencing of FKBP51 alleviates the mechanical pain threshold, inhibits DRG
      inflammatory factors and pain mediators through the NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
AB  - Neuropathic pain is chronic pain caused by lesions or diseases of the
      somatosensory system, currently available analgesics provide only temporal
      relief. The precise role of FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) in neuropathic pain
      induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) is not clear. The purpose of the
      present study was to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of FKBP51 in
      neuropathic pain in the rat model of CCI. Our results showed that FKBP51 was
      obviously upregulated in a time-dependent manner in the dorsal root ganglion
      (DRG) of CCI rats. Additionally, silencing of FKBP51 remarkably attenuated
      mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia as reflected by paw withdrawal
      threshold (PWT) and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) in CCI rats. Moreover, knockdown
      of FKBP51 reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL
      1beta and IL-6), nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor
      (BDNF) expression in the DRG of CCI rats. Furthermore, we revealed that
      inhibition of FKBP51 greatly suppressed the activation of the NF-kappaB (NF
      kappaB) signaling in the DRG of CCI rats. Interestingly, similar to the FKBP51
      siRNA (si-FKBP51), ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC, an inhibitor of NF
      kappaB) also alleviated neuropathic pain and neuro-inflammation, indicating that
      knockdown of FKBP51 alleviated neuropathic pain development of CCI rats by
      inhibiting the activation of NF-kappaB signaling pathway. Taken together, our
      findings indicate that FKBP51 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for
      neuropathic pain.

PMID- 28629827
TI  - Debriefing values in high-fidelity simulation.

PMID- 28629828
TI  - Factors associated with the decision of operative procedure for proximal femoral
      bone metastasis: Questionnaire survey to institutions participating the Bone and
      Soft Tissue Tumor Study Group of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pathological fracture of the proximal femur is a main cause of cancer
      patients losing their ability to walk. Although both osteosynthetic devices
      (predominantly intramedullary nails) and prosthetic replacement have been widely
      performed for treatment, controversies exist regarding which procedure should be
      used for the various conditions. In order to decide the eligibility criteria of a
      planned randomized prospective study about the treatment of pathological
      fractures of the proximal femur, we assessed the factors affecting the selection
      of operative procedures using questionnaires sent to the members of the Bone and
      Soft Tissue Tumor Study Group (BSTTSG) of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group
      (JCOG). METHODS: Questionnaire surveys to evaluate (1) the priority levels of the
      factors, (2) the equipoise range of each factor in situations where either
      procedure could be applied, (3) risk and benefit of each procedure, and (4) the
      degree of bone destruction affecting the selection of operative procedures, were
      sent to 26 institutions. RESULTS: Over 80% of the institutions answered.
      Orthopaedic surgeons of BSTTSG decided on the procedure according to the
      following factors in descending order: life expectancy, performance status before
      fracture, the degree of bone destruction, walking ability before fracture,
      general complications, the number of bone metastases in other sites, and the
      visceral metastasis status. With regard to bone destruction, (1) the involvement
      of the head, neck, calcar, and intertrochanteric region, (2) transverse
      destruction >1/2, and (3) soft-tissue tumor extension, were the factors that led
      to the choice of prosthesis treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Using these identified
      factors, the inclusion criteria for the prospective randomized study of the
      surgical treatment of metastatic bone tumors of the proximal femur were
      optimized. The evaluation system about the bone destruction of metastases needs
      to be refined through the following prospective randomized study.

PMID- 28629829
TI  - Morphological variability and molecular characterization of Pomphorhynchus
      zhoushanensis sp. nov. (Acanthocephala: Pomphorhynchidae), with comments on the
      systematic status of Pomphorhynchus Monticelli, 1905.
AB  - Species of Pomphorhynchus Monticelli, 1905 commonly parasitize the digestive
      tract of freshwater fishes, and rarely occur in marine fishes and amphibians. In
      the present study, Pomphorhynchus zhoushanensis sp. nov., collected from the
      barred knifejaw Oplegnathus fasciatus (Temminck & Schlegel) (Perciformes:
      Oplegnathidae) in the East China Sea, was described using integrated approaches,
      including light and scanning electron microscopy, and the sequencing and
      analysing of ribosomal [small ribosomal DNA (18S) and internal transcribed spacer
      (ITS)] and mitochondrial [cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1)] target regions.
      The results of the molecular analyses showed that morphological differences in
      the shape of the neck bulb (symmetrical or asymmetrical) among individuals of P.
      zhoushanensis sp. nov. are actually intraspecific variations. Moreover,
      phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S, ITS and cox1 sequences were constructed
      to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between the new species and other
      pomphorhynchid species. The results of the phylogenetic analyses suggested that
      Pomphorhynchus is not a monophyletic group. Based on the results of the molecular
      and phylogenetic analyses, the taxonomic importance of the symmetry of the neck
      bulb for species identification in the genus Pomphorhynchus is questioned.

PMID- 28629830
TI  - Re: Ipsilateral full-thickness skin grafts to repair the donor site defect of a
      radial forearm free flap: a reflection on technique.

PMID- 28629831
TI  - Extracapsular dissection in the parapharyngeal space: benefits and potential
      pitfalls.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits and potential pitfalls of
      transcervical extracapsular dissection in the treatment of parotid gland tumours
      in the parapharyngeal space. We retrospectively evaluated the records of all
      patients with parapharyngeal parotid gland lesions treated between 2000 and 2015
      by transcervical extracapsular dissection. Patients having revision operations
      and patients whose records were not complete were excluded, leaving 49 patients
      in the study. We found acceptable oncological and functional outcomes throughout.
      Special attention should be paid in cases with multilobular growth of the tumour
      on magnetic resonance imaging, satellite tumours of pleomorphic adenomas, tumours
      in broad contact with the inner surface of the deep lobe, and lesions suspected
      of malignancy. Extracapsular dissection in the parapharyngeal region is
      associated with acceptable oncological and functional outcomes. These outcomes
      can be expected only after a thorough assessment of patient's history and
      preoperative imaging.

PMID- 28629832
TI  - Evaluation of four designs of short implants placed in atrophic areas with
      reduced bone height: a three-year, retrospective, clinical and radiographic
      study.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to evaluate retrospectively the clinical and
      radiographic behaviour of four commercially-available short implants with
      different macrodesigns and microdesigns in areas in which the height of the bone
      was reduced. We took into account the success and survival, peri-implant crestal
      bone loss, and the level of probing at which the gum bled. Patients were included
      if they had been given one or more short implants (<=8.5mm long) in the posterior
      jaws at least three years earlier. Three hundred and ninety-one short implants
      were placed in 170 subjects, and were divided in four groups based on the brand
      of implant. The implants were evaluated one, two, and three years after they had
      been inserted. Short implants had a three-year survival and success rate of 90%
      in all groups, and bone loss was acceptable after three years with no significant
      differences between them. These results support the use of short implants as an
      effective and safe treatment. However, within the limitations of this study, the
      design of the implant does seem to influence the behaviour of peri-implant bone
      at the crestal level.

PMID- 28629833
TI  - New approach to improve the keratinised peri-implant soft tissues in patients
      with intraoral osteocutaneous reconstruction using a free flap.

PMID- 28629834
TI  - Myositis in the head and neck: challenges in diagnosis and management.
AB  - Myositis in the head and neck may present with non-specific symptoms, and
      radiographically may mimic malignancy. Multidisciplinary management is often
      essential, and we describe the challenges in an effort to raise awareness of the
      condition.

PMID- 28629837
TI  - "One-stop shop" tumor tattooing and sentinel lymph node mapping: A new paradigm
      for lung cancer therapy.

PMID- 28629836
TI  - Opposite effects of catalase and MnSOD ectopic expression on stress induced
      defects and mortality in the desmin deficient cardiomyopathy model.
AB  - Oxidative stress has been linked strongly to cell death and cardiac remodeling
      processes, all hallmarks of heart failure. Mice deficient for desmin (des-/-),
      the major muscle specific intermediate filament protein, develop dilated
      cardiomyopathy and heart failure characterized by mitochondrial defects and
      cardiomyocyte death. The cellular and biochemical alterations in the hearts of
      these mice strongly suggest that oxidative stress is one of the mechanisms
      contributing to the pathogenesis of the phenotype. Recently, we showed that
      indeed the desmin deficient cardiomyocytes are under increased oxidative stress.
      In order to verify these findings in vivo, we generated transgenic animals
      overexpressing SOD2 (MnSOD) and/or catalase in the heart and crossed them with
      des-/- mice, thus allowing us to evaluate the contribution of oxidative injury in
      inherited cardiomyopathies, as well as the therapeutic potential of antioxidant
      strategies. Moderate MnSOD and/or catalase overexpression in des-/- hearts leads
      to a marked decrease in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), ameliorates
      mitochondrial and other ultrastructural defects, minimizes myocardial
      degeneration and leads to a significant improvement of cardiac function.
      Importantly, catalase overexpression increased the 50% survival rate of des-/-
      mice in an obligatory exercise to 100%. In contrast, MnSOD overexpression
      enhanced the lethality of des-/- mice, underscoring the importance of a fine
      balanced cellular redox status. Overall, the present study supports the
      contribution of oxidative stress in the development of des-/- cardiomyopathy and
      points to a well-considered antioxidant treatment as therapeutic for
      cardiomyopathies.

PMID- 28629835
TI  - Ruthenium complex exerts antineoplastic effects that are mediated by oxidative
      stress without inducing toxicity in Walker-256 tumor-bearing rats.
AB  - The present study evaluated the in vivo antitumor effects and toxicity of a new
      Ru(II) compound, cis-(Ru[phen]2[ImH]2)2+ (also called RuphenImH [RuC]), against
      Walker-256 carcinosarcoma in rats. After subcutaneous inoculation of Walker-256
      cells in the right pelvic limb, male Wistar rats received 5 or 10mgkg-1 RuC
      orally or intraperitoneally (i.p.) every 3 days for 13 days. A positive control
      group (2mgkg-1 cisplatin) and negative control group (vehicle) were also used.
      Tumor progression was checked daily. After treatment, tumor weight, plasma
      biochemistry, hematology, oxidative stress, histology, and tumor cell respiration
      were evaluated. RuC was effective against tumors when administered i.p. but not
      orally. The highest i.p. dose of RuC (10mgkg-1) significantly reduced tumor
      volume and weight, induced oxidative stress in tumor tissue, reduced the
      respiration of tumor cells, and induced necrosis but did not induce apoptosis in
      the tumor. No clinical signs of toxicity or death were observed in tumor-bearing
      or healthy rats that were treated with RuC. These results suggest that RuC has
      antitumor activity through the modulation of oxidative stress and impairment of
      oxidative phosphorylation, thus promoting Walker-256 cell death without causing
      systemic toxicity. These effects make RuC a promising anticancer drug for
      clinical evaluation.

PMID- 28629838
TI  - Optimizing cerebral blood flow: Hitting the sweet spot on cardiopulmonary bypass.

PMID- 28629839
TI  - Surgery versus percutaneous transcatheter embolization for pulmonary
      arteriovenous malformation: Analysis of a national inpatient database in Japan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Although the treatment options for pulmonary arteriovenous
      malformation are surgery and percutaneous transcatheter embolization, no study
      has compared the outcomes between these 2 treatments. METHODS: From the Japanese
      Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, the medical records of 996 patients who
      received treatment for pulmonary arteriovenous malformation between 2010 and 2015
      were retrospectively reviewed. We created balanced groups for surgery or
      percutaneous transcatheter embolization using propensity scoring. The primary
      outcome was the rate of reintervention for pulmonary arteriovenous malformation,
      and the secondary outcomes were composite complications and postoperative length
      of stay. Patients who had any 1 of the complications during hospitalization were
      considered to have experienced a composite complication. RESULTS: Of the total
      sample, 211 patients underwent surgery and 785 patients underwent percutaneous
      transcatheter embolization. By using 1-to-1 propensity score matching, 202 pairs
      were selected. Compared with percutaneous transcatheter embolization, surgery was
      associated with a significantly higher proportion of composite complications
      (6.9% vs 2.0%, P = .027) and longer postoperative length of hospital stay
      (median, 6 vs 2 days, P < .01). However, surgery resulted in a significantly
      lower rate of reintervention for pulmonary arteriovenous malformation (2.1% vs
      8.3% at 2 years; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous transcatheter embolization
      had the advantage in composite complications and shorter postoperative length of
      stay compared with surgery, but surgery had higher curability than percutaneous
      transcatheter embolization. Surgery may be considered as a therapeutic option for
      patients with lesions that can be completely resected and are difficult to treat
      with percutaneous transcatheter embolization.

PMID- 28629840
TI  - Recapitulating nature's design: Myocardial repair with cell sheet technology.

PMID- 28629841
TI  - Circumflex artery injury during mitral valve repair: Not well known, perhaps not
      so infrequent-lessons learned from a 6-case experience.

PMID- 28629842
TI  - Indications for sublobar resection of clinical stage IA radiologic pure-solid
      lung adenocarcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify clinical factors associated
      with lepidic growth in resected clinical stage IA radiologic pure-solid lung
      adenocarcinoma for identifying a possible sublobar resection candidate in the
      population. METHODS: Clinicopathologic data were reviewed for 200 surgically
      resected clinical stage IA pure-solid lung adenocarcinomas. Radiologic pure-solid
      tumor was defined as a tumor without a ground-glass opacity component, that is, a
      consolidation tumor ratio equal to 1.0. Lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma
      included adenocarcinomas in situ, minimally invasive adenocarcinomas, and lepidic
      predominant invasive adenocarcinomas. RESULTS: A total of 57 patients (29%) had
      lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma. The 5-year overall survival of clinical stage
      IA pure-solid adenocarcinoma was 83.4% and that of lepidic predominant
      adenocarcinoma and nonlepidic predominant adenocarcinoma was 98.1% versus 76.6%
      (P = .0012). A multivariate analysis revealed that maximum standardized uptake
      value was an independently significant variable of lepidic predominant
      adenocarcinoma (P < .0001) and a significant prognostic factor (P = .034). The
      predictive criterion of lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma was maximum
      standardized uptake value 3.3 or less based on a receiver operating
      characteristic curve, and 77 patients (39%) who met this criterion showed less
      pathologic invasiveness regarding lymphatic (P = .0012) and vascular (P < .0001)
      invasions, nodal metastasis (P = .0007), and better overall survival than those
      who did not (maximum standardized uptake value <=3.3 vs >3.3 rates being 91.7% vs
      78.6%, P = .0031). Moreover, the 3-year locoregional recurrence-free survival of
      the sublobar resection arm was significantly worse than that of the lobectomy arm
      when the tumor showed maximum standardized uptake value greater than 3.3 (62.7%
      vs 82.9%, P = .0281). CONCLUSIONS: Higher maximum standardized uptake value may
      be useful for identifying patients with clinical stage IA radiologic pure-solid
      lung adenocarcinoma in whom sublobar resection should not be considered, even if
      technically feasible.

PMID- 28629843
TI  - Implanting a mechanical valve in the pulmonary position: What's your bias?

PMID- 28629844
TI  - Circulating tumor DNA: Solid data from liquid biopsies.

PMID- 28629845
TI  - Role of primary motor cortex in the control of manual dexterity assessed via
      sequential bilateral lesion in the adult macaque monkey: A case study.
AB  - From a case study, we describe the impact of unilateral lesion of the hand area
      in the primary motor cortex (M1) on manual dexterity and the role of the intact
      contralesional M1 in long-term functional recovery. An adult macaque monkey
      performed two manual dexterity tasks: (i) "modified Brinkman board" task,
      assessed simple precision grip versus complex precision grip, the latter involved
      a hand postural adjustment; (ii) "modified Kluver board" task, assessed movements
      ranging from power grip to precision grip, pre-shaping and grasping. Two
      consecutive unilateral M1 lesions targeted the hand area of each hemisphere, the
      second lesion was performed after stable, though incomplete, functional recovery
      from the primary lesion. Following each lesion, the manual dexterity of the
      contralesional hand was affected in a comparable manner, effects being
      progressively more deleterious from power grip to simple and then complex
      precision grips. Both tasks yielded consistent data, namely that the secondary M1
      lesion did not have a significant impact on the recovered performance from the
      primary M1 lesion, which took place 5months earlier. In conclusion, the intact
      contralesional M1 did not play a major role in the long-term functional recovery
      from a primary M1 lesion targeted to the hand area.

PMID- 28629846
TI  - Hippocampal GR- and CB1-mediated mGluR5 differentially produces susceptibility
      and resilience to acute and chronic mild stress in rats.
AB  - The molecular mechanism of individual response of susceptibility and resilience
      under psychological stress remains controversial and unclear. The present study
      aimed to explore the relationship of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5)
      with glucocorticoid receptor (GR) or cannabinoid receptor (CB1) and further
      indicate the molecular mechanism of susceptibility and resilience to acute stress
      (AS) and chronic mild stress (CMS). Sucrose preference test and open field test
      were used to evaluate the response of susceptibility and resilience under stress
      in rats. The mRNA levels and protein expressions of mGluR5, GR, and CB1 were
      detected. AS induced a 35% reduction in the sucrose intake of rats, and these
      rats were considered as susceptible to stress; 21% of the rats showed resilience
      to the stress. Thirty-three percent of rats in the CMS group showed reduced
      sucrose water intake and were considered susceptible, while 20% of rats were
      considered resilient. Hippocampal mGluR5 mRNA and protein levels were increased
      in the susceptible rats. Pharmacological testing showed that GR was positively
      associated with mGluR5 in susceptible rats in the CMS group, while CB1 was
      negatively related to mGluR5 in susceptible rats in the AS group. The results
      suggested that GR and CB1 in the hippocampus might regulate mGluR5 protein and
      mRNA levels, which might be related to individual responses of susceptibility and
      resilience under AS and CMS.

PMID- 28629848
TI  - A novel intrinsic electroretinogram response in isolated mouse retina.
AB  - Since the discovery of intrinsic photosensitive retinal ganglion cell (ipRGC) was
      reported in 2002, many features specific to this cell type have been described.
      However, scare information is available on the retinographic components directly
      reflecting ipRGC activity. In this study, we identified the electroretinogram
      (microERG) that reflects the photoresponses by ipRGCs in ex vivo preparations of
      the mouse retina, in which classical photoreceptors (cones and rods) were ablated
      mechanically and photochemically. MicroERG consisted of three components: a large
      transient ON response, a small and lazy hump 19s after the onset of the light,
      and a large transient OFF response. A complete microERG recording required at
      least 30s of light exposure. MicroERG showed the highest spectral
      photosensitivity at 478nm. This wavelength corresponds to the peak wavelength in
      the ipRGCs' photosensitive curve. The psychophysical test using a blue light
      emitting diode (LED) light (470nm) revealed that the absolute threshold
      illuminance for microERG was greater than 12.26 log photons/s/cm2 in both ON and
      OFF responses, whereas microERG was not adapted for dark. The amplitude of
      microERG increased linearly with irradiance. The sensitivity of temporal
      frequency was high in microERG (at least 100Hz), as suggested by the study on
      melatonin suppression by flickering light in human subjects (Zelter et al.,
      2014). Melatonin secretion was suppressed by light via ipRGCs and the
      suprachiasmatic nucleus. These properties of the photoresponse indicate that
      microERG may reflect the functions of ipRGC as a luminance detector in the mouse
      retina.

PMID- 28629849
TI  - Analysis of archived newborn dried blood spots (DBS) identifies congenital
      cytomegalovirus as a major cause of unexplained pediatric sensorineural hearing
      loss.
AB  - PURPOSE: Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most common non
      genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). However, accurate diagnosis
      of cCMV as the etiology of SNHL is problematic beyond the neonatal period. This
      study therefore examined whether cCMV infection could be identified
      retrospectively in children presenting with unexplained SNHL to a
      multidisciplinary diagnostic outpatient otolaryngology clinic at an academic
      medical center in Minnesota. METHODS: Over a 4-year period, 57 patients with an
      age range of 3months to 10years with unexplained SNHL were recruited to
      participate in this study. Informed consent was obtained to test the archived
      dried blood spots (DBS) of these patients for cCMV infection by real-time PCR,
      targeting a highly conserved region of the CMV UL83 gene. Results were normalized
      to recovery of an NRAS gene control. Chart review was conducted to identify
      subjects who underwent genetic testing and/or neurodiagnostic imaging to
      investigate possible genetic, syndromic, or anatomical causes of SNHL. RESULTS:
      In total, 15 of the 57 children with unexplained SNHL tested positive for CMV DNA
      in their DBS (26%). A mean viral load of 8.3*104 (+/-4.1*104) [range, 1*103
      6*105] copies/MUg DNA was observed in subjects retrospectively diagnosed with
      cCMV. No statistically significant correlation was found between viral load and
      SNHL severity. CONCLUSIONS: A retrospective DBS analysis demonstrated that 26% of
      patients presenting with unexplained SNHL in childhood had cCMV. DBS testing is
      useful in the retrospective diagnosis of cCMV, and may provide definitive
      diagnostic information about the etiology of SNHL.

PMID- 28629847
TI  - Evidence for M2 muscarinic receptor modulation of axon terminals and dendrites in
      the rodent basolateral amygdala: An ultrastructural and electrophysiological
      analysis.
AB  - The basolateral amygdala receives a very dense cholinergic innervation from the
      basal forebrain that is important for memory consolidation. Although behavioral
      studies have shown that both M1 and M2 muscarinic receptors are critical for
      these mnemonic functions, there have been very few neuroanatomical and
      electrophysiological investigations of the localization and function of different
      types of muscarinic receptors in the amygdala. In the present study we
      investigated the subcellular localization of M2 muscarinic receptors (M2Rs) in
      the anterior basolateral nucleus (BLa) of the mouse, including the localization
      of M2Rs in parvalbumin (PV) immunoreactive interneurons, using double-labeling
      immunoelectron microscopy. Little if any M2R-immunoreactivity (M2R-ir) was
      observed in neuronal somata, but the neuropil was densely labeled.
      Ultrastructural analysis using a pre-embedding immunogold-silver technique (IGS)
      demonstrated M2R-ir in dendritic shafts, spines, and axon terminals forming
      asymmetrical (excitatory) or symmetrical (mostly inhibitory) synapses. In
      addition, about one-quarter of PV+ axon terminals and half of PV+ dendrites,
      localized using immunoperoxidase, were M2R+ when observed in single thin
      sections. In all M2R+ neuropilar structures, including those that were PV+, about
      one-quarter to two-thirds of M2R+ immunoparticles were plasma-membrane
      associated, depending on the structure. The expression of M2Rs in PV+ and PV
      negative terminals forming symmetrical synapses indicates M2R modulation of
      inhibitory transmission. Electrophysiological studies in mouse and rat brain
      slices, including paired recordings from interneurons and pyramidal projection
      neurons, demonstrated M2R-mediated suppression of GABA release. These findings
      suggest cell-type-specific functions of M2Rs and shed light on organizing
      principles of cholinergic modulation in the BLa.

PMID- 28629850
TI  - Function follows form: When electrophysiology derives from anatomy.

PMID- 28629851
TI  - Another piece of the puzzle: Assessment of mechanical dispersion by magnetic
      resonance in long QT syndrome.

PMID- 28629852
TI  - Bioelectronic block of paravertebral sympathetic nerves mitigates post-myocardial
      infarction ventricular arrhythmias.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autonomic dysfunction contributes to induction of ventricular
      tachyarrhythmia (VT). OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of charge-balanced
      direct current (CBDC), applied to the T1-T2 segment of the paravertebral
      sympathetic chain, on VT inducibility post-myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS:
      In a porcine model, CBDC was applied in acute animals (n = 7) to optimize
      stimulation parameters for sympathetic blockade and in chronic MI animals (n = 7)
      to evaluate the potential for VTs. Chronic MI was induced by microsphere
      embolization of the left anterior descending coronary artery. At termination, in
      anesthetized animals and following thoracotomy, an epicardial sock array was
      placed over both ventricles and a quadripolar carousel electrode positioned
      underlying the right T1-T2 paravertebral chain. In acute animals, the efficacy of
      CBDC carousel (CBDCC) block was assessed by evaluating cardiac function during T2
      paravertebral ganglion stimulation with and without CBDCC. In chronic MI animals,
      VT inducibility was assessed by extrasystolic (S1-S2) stimulations at baseline
      and under >66% CBDCC blockade of T2-evoked sympathoexcitation. RESULTS: CBDCC
      demonstrated a current-dependent and reversible block without impacting basal
      cardiac function. VT was induced at baseline in all chronic MI animals. One
      animal died after baseline induction. Of the 6 remaining animals, only 1 was
      reinducible with simultaneous CBDCC application (P < .002 from baseline). The
      ventricular effective refractory period (VERP) was prolonged with CBDCC (323 +/-
      26 ms) compared to baseline (271 +/- 32 ms) (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Axonal block
      of the T1-T2 paravertebral chain with CBDCC reduced VT in a chronic MI model.
      CBDCC prolonged VERP, without altering baseline cardiac function, resulting in
      improved electrical stability.

PMID- 28629853
TI  - From trailer parks to the human atria: The meandering path of rotors.

PMID- 28629855
TI  - CON4EI: Development of serious eye damage and eye irritation testing strategies
      with respect to the requirements of the UN GHS/EU CLP hazard categories.
AB  - The main objective of the CON4EI (CONsortium for in vitro Eye Irritation testing
      strategy) project (2015-2016) was to develop tiered, non-animal testing
      strategies for serious eye damage and eye irritation assessment in relation to
      the most important drivers of classification. The serious eye damage and eye
      irritation potential of a set of 80 chemicals was identified based on existing in
      vivo Draize eye test data and testing was conducted using the following eight
      alternative test methods: BCOP (Bovine Corneal Opacity and
      Permeability)+histopathology, BCOP-LLBO (BCOP Laser Light-Based Opacitometer),
      ICE (Isolated Chicken Eye)+histopathology, STE (Short Term Exposure), EpiOcularTM
      EIT (EpiOcular Eye Irritation Test), EpiOcularTM ET-50 (EpiOcularTM Time-to
      toxicity), SkinEthicTM HCE EIT (SkinEthicTM Human Corneal Epithelial Eye
      Irritation Test), and SMI (Slug Mucosal Irritation). Project management decided
      to not include the ICE data in this project since the execution showed relevant,
      and not predictable, deviations from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
      Development (OECD) Test Guideline (TG) 438 and Guidance Document 160. At this
      stage, the outcome of these deviations has not been fully assessed. In addition
      to these alternative test methods, the computational models Toxtree and Case
      Ultra were taken into account. This project assessed the relevance of these test
      methods, their applicability domains and limitations in terms of 'drivers of
      classification', and their strengths and weaknesses. In this way, methods were
      identified that fit into a tiered-testing strategy for serious eye damage/eye
      irritation assessment to distinguish United Nations Globally Harmonized System of
      Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UN GHS) Category 1 (Cat 1) chemicals
      from non-Cat 1 chemicals and address the gap namely distinguish between Category
      2 (Cat 2) and Cat 1 chemicals.

PMID- 28629854
TI  - Inhibition of organic anion transporter (OAT) activity by cigarette smoke
      condensate.
AB  - Cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) has previously been shown to impair activity and
      expression of hepatic drug transporters. In the present study, we provided
      evidence that CSC also hinders activity of organic anion transporters (OATs),
      notably expressed at the kidney level. CSC thus cis-inhibited OAT substrate
      uptake in OAT1- and OAT3-transfected HEK293 cells, in a concentration-dependent
      manner (IC50=72.1MUg/mL for OAT1 inhibition and IC50=27.3MUg/mL for OAT3
      inhibition). By contrast, OAT4 as well as the renal organic cation transporter
      (OCT) 2 were less sensitive to the inhibitory effect of CSC (IC50=351.5MUg/mL and
      IC50=226.2MUg/mL, for inhibition of OAT4 and OCT2, respectively). OAT3 activity
      was further demonstrated to be blocked by some single chemicals present in
      cigarette smoke such as the heterocyclic amines AalphaC (IC50=11.3MUM) and PhIP
      (IC50=1.9MUM), whereas other major cigarette smoke components used at 100MUM,
      like nicotine, the nitrosamine NNK and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
      benzo(a)pyrene and phenanthrene, were without effect. AalphaC and PhIP however
      failed to trans-stimulate activity of OAT3, suggesting that they were not
      substrates for this transporter. Taken together, these data establish OAT1 and
      OAT3 transporters as targets of cigarette smoke chemicals, which may contribute
      to smoking-associated pharmacokinetics alterations.

PMID- 28629856
TI  - Ethnic differences in glucose effectiveness and disposition index in
      overweight/obese African American and white women with prediabetes: A study of
      compensatory mechanisms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Prediabetes, a major precursor of type 2 diabetes, varies among ethnic
      populations. Therefore, we compared the pathophysiologic mechanisms of
      prediabetes in overweight/obese African American (AA) and White American (WA)
      women. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We recruited 95 women (67 AA, 28 WA) with
      prediabetes. Standard OGTT and FSIVGTT were performed in each subject. Insulin
      sensitivity (Si), glucose effectiveness (Sg), beta cell function (acute insulin
      response to glucose (AIRg) and disposition index (DI: Si*AIRg) were calculated
      using Bergman's Minmod. RESULTS: Mean BMI was greater in AA vs WA with
      prediabetes (38.3+/-8.2vs 34.6+/-8.5kg/m2, p=0.05). Mean fasting serum glucose,
      and insulin levels were lower in AA vs WA. Similarly, mean peak serum glucose
      levels were lower while peak insulin levels were higher at 30 and 60minutes in AA
      vs WA. In contrast, mean fasting and peak serum c-peptide levels at 60 and
      90minutes were significantly lower in AA vs WA. Mean AIRg was higher but not
      significantly different in AA vs WA (633+/-520.92 vs 414.8+/-246.8, p=0.193).
      Although, Si (2.93+/-3.25vs 44 2.50+/-1.76 (*10-4*min-1 [MUU/ml]-1), p=0.448) was
      not different, DI was significantly higher in AA vs WA (1381+/-1126 vs 901.9+/
      477.1, p=0.01). In addition, mean Sg was significantly higher in AAvs WA (2.51+/
      1.17 vs 1.97+/-0.723 (*10-2/min), p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We found that in
      overweight/obese prediabetic AA and WA women with similar Si, the mean Sg and DI
      were significantly higher in AA. We conclude that the pathophysiologic mechanisms
      of prediabetes differ in the overweight/obese AA and WA women.

PMID- 28629857
TI  - Parents' Underestimations of Child Weight: Implications for Obesity Prevention.
AB  - PURPOSE: Obesity prevention efforts may be ineffective if parents lack awareness
      of their children's overweight status. This study examined the factors that
      predicted parents' underestimation of child weight status. DESIGN AND METHODS:
      Using a cross sectional design, researchers recruited children and parents in a
      local children's museum. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire, the
      Newest Vital Sign, and the Child Body Image Scale. Children's height and weight
      were measured to calculate child BMI. Random effects modeling examined the
      association between predictor variables (parent race/ethnicity, income,
      education, and health literacy, and child BMI percentile, gender, and age) and
      the dependent variable, parent underestimation of child weight status. RESULTS:
      Participants included 160 parents (213 children aged 7-12years) representing a
      racially and ethnically diverse sample who were affluent, educated, and with
      36.6% of parents assessed with limited health literacy. Although 45.1% of
      children were overweight/obese, only 7.5% of parents chose this weight status;
      80% of parents underestimated the weight of their normal weight children, 96%
      underestimated their overweight children, and 72% underestimated their obese
      children. Parents were more likely to underestimate weight of older children and
      those under 81st percentile of BMI. No other predictors were significant.
      CONCLUSIONS: Parent underestimation of child weight status appears to be a
      widespread phenomenon in this sample, regardless of race, ethnicity, income,
      education, and health literacy. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The consistent
      underestimation of child weight suggests that parents' misperception of weight
      status represents a critical pathway for intervention. Methods to improve
      parents' perception of child weight need be developed and tested.

PMID- 28629858
TI  - Preparation, characterization and antioxidant activity of silk peptides grafted
      carboxymethyl chitosan.
AB  - Free radicals are closely related to the occurrence and development of aging,
      cancer and inflammation, the ability to scavenge free radicals is an important
      indicator of the antioxidant activity. In this study, we prepared a water
      soluble, free radical scavenging and biocompatible copolymer for regenerative
      therapy. Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) was modified with silk peptide (SP) by
      microbial transglutaminase (MTGase), FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy were used to
      confirm the successful grafting of SP to CMC. The degree of substitution was
      determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. In vitro antioxidant activity assays
      demonstrated that, within the scope of study the highest scavenging activity of
      DPPH was 24.86%, 91% of hydroxyl radical and 36.8% of H2O2. Finally, no relevant
      cytotoxicity against NIH-3T3 mouse fibroblasts was found for the copolymers.
      Briefly, our results suggested the potential application of CMC-SP as an
      antioxidant for regenerative therapy.

PMID- 28629860
TI  - Hydrogen-Deuterium exchange kinetics in beta-lactoglobulin (-)-epicatechin
      complexes studied by FTIR spectroscopy.
AB  - Hydrogen-Deuterium exchange kinetics of beta-lactoglobulin and beta-lactoglobulin
      (-)-epicatechin solutions has been investigated through the analysis of the amide
      I absorption band at 1650cm-1 in the FTIR spectrum. H-D substitution in NH amides
      and residues of the protein results in a slight red-shift and in intensity
      changes of the amide I components: either these effects have been inspected in
      the framework of the Principal Components Analysis methods. The present analysis
      allowed to unveil three H-D kinetics at the timescale of the oligomeric
      fluctuations of the protein. A fast mechanism (lifetime from 5 to 10min) can be
      ascribed to the dynamics of protein oligomers and aggregates at the scale of the
      quaternary structure variations, and it is not observed in the complexes beta
      lactoglobulin (-)-epicatechin. The other slowest kinetics, whose lifetimes are in
      the range 1-10h, are here associated to dynamics of high-molecular weight
      complexes that hamper the proton exchange. The role of (-)-epicatechin as an
      enhancer of the formation of stable high-molecular weight aggregates from beta
      lactoglobulin is also discussed by comparison of the lifetimes at different
      protein concentrations.

PMID- 28629859
TI  - S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase from a hyperthermophile (Thermotoga maritima)
      is expressed in Escherichia coli in inactive form - Biochemical and structural
      studies.
AB  - Thermotoga maritima is a hyperthermophilic bacterium but its genome encodes a
      number of archaeal proteins including S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase
      (SAHase), which regulates cellular methylation reactions. The question of proper
      folding and activity of proteins of extremophilic origin is an intriguing
      problem. When expressed in E.coli and purified (as a homotetramer) at room
      temperature, the hyperthermophilic SAHase from T.maritima was inactive. ITC study
      indicated that the protein undergoes heat-induced conformational changes, and
      enzymatic activity assays demonstrated that these changes are required to attain
      enzymatic activity. To explain the mechanism of thermal activation, two crystal
      structures of the inactive form of T. maritima SAHase (iTmSAHase) were determined
      for an incomplete binary complex with the reduced cofactor (NADH), and in a
      mixture of binary complexes with NADH and with adenosine. In contrast to active
      SAHases, in iTmSAHase only two of the four subunits contain a bound cofactor,
      predominantly in its non-reactive, reduced state. Moreover, the closed-like
      conformation of the cofactor-containing subunits precludes substrate delivery to
      the active site. The two other subunits cannot be involved in the enzymatic
      reaction either; although they have an open-like conformation, they do not
      contain the cofactor, whose binding site may be occupied by an adenosine
      molecule. The results suggest that this enzyme, when expressed in mesophilic
      cells, is arrested in the activity-incompatible conformation revealed by its
      crystal structures.

PMID- 28629861
TI  - Flavonoids determine the rate of fibrillogenesis and structure of collagen type I
      fibrils in vitro.
AB  - Collagen fibrils are produced from collagen monomers not only in vivo, but also
      in vitro. The ability to have an influence on the structure and properties of
      fibrils may find medical application and can be useful for controlling the
      formation of collagen gels and sheets in tissue engineering. Here we investigated
      the influence of flavonoids, distinguished by the number of hydroxyl groups in
      the B-ring, on the formation of collagen fibrils. A correlation was found between
      the number of hydroxyl groups, lipophilicity of molecules and their ability to
      influence the fibril formation. The molecules with a smaller number of hydroxyls
      (flavone and kaempferol) were more lipophilic and accelerated the formation of
      fibrils, whereas molecules with a larger number of hydroxyls (quercetin,
      myricetin) were more hydrophilic and prevented the fibril formation. Among the
      studied substances, an exception was taxifolin, which accelerated the formation
      of fibrils in spite of the increased hydrophilicity of this compound. However,
      molecular modeling revealed that all investigated accelerators of the fibril
      formation, including taxifolin, were distinguished by the increased lipophilicity
      exactly in the B-ring. This suggests a critical role of the B-ring lipophilicity
      in the ability of the studied flavonoids to accelerate the formation of collagen
      fibrils.

PMID- 28629862
TI  - Sustained delivery of BSA/HSA from biocompatible plant cellulose nanocrystals for
      in vitro cholesterol release from endothelial cells.
AB  - Nanocomposites of plant cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were developed by binding
      model proteins BSA and HSA onto CNCs by physical adsorption and chemical
      conjugation methods The spectroscopy and microscopy studies confirmed the protein
      binding onto CNCs. Phosphate buffer saline (pH=4.0, 7.4) and simulated gastric
      and intestinal fluids (SGF/SIF; pH=1.1/6.5) showed maximum protein release of
      ~62% over a period of time. The released proteins were found to retain both
      structural integrity as well as>=90% of bioactivity. Further, these
      cytocompatible nanocomposites showed ~58-85% cholesterol release from HUVEC
      whereas no selectivity was observed for HCAEC. It is speculated that due to the
      presence of combination of shuttles (albumins) and sinks (CNCs and albumins),
      these prepared nanocomposites with increased cholesterol effluxing ability may
      serve as a potential candidate for future biomedical applications in
      pharmaceuticals.

PMID- 28629863
TI  - The unfolding mechanism of monomeric mutant SOD1 by simulated force spectroscopy.
AB  - Mechanical unfolding of mutated apo, disulfide-reduced, monomeric superoxide
      dismutase 1 protein (SOD1) has been simulated via force spectroscopy techniques,
      using both an all-atom (AA), explicit solvent model and a coarse-grained heavy
      atom Go (HA-Go) model. The HA-Go model was implemented at two different pulling
      speeds for comparison. The most-common sequence of unfolding in the AA model
      agrees well with the most-common unfolding sequence of the HA-Go model, when the
      same normalized pulling rate was used. Clustering of partially-native structures
      as the protein unfolds shows that the AA and HA-Go models both exhibit a dominant
      pathway for early unfolding, which eventually bifurcates repeatedly to multiple
      branches after the protein is about half-unfolded. The force-extension curve
      exhibits multiple force drops, which are concomitant with jumps in the local
      interaction potential energy between specific beta-strands in the protein. These
      sudden jumps in the potential energy coincide with the dissociation of specific
      pairs of beta-strands, and thus intermediate unfolding events. The most common
      sequence of beta-strand dissociation in the unfolding pathway of the AA model is
      beta-strands 5, 4, 8, 7, 1, 2, then finally beta-strands 3 and 6. The observation
      that beta-strand 5 is among the first to unfold here, but the last to unfold in
      simulations of loop-truncated SOD1, could imply the existence of an evolutionary
      compensation mechanism, which would stabilize beta-strands flanking long loops
      against their entropic penalty by strengthening intramolecular interactions. This
      article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biophysics in Canada, edited by
      Lewis Kay, John Baenziger, Albert Berghuis and Peter Tieleman.

PMID- 28629865
TI  - Editorial Commentary: Coronary artery calcification on non-cardiac chest CT:
      Incidental but impactful.

PMID- 28629866
TI  - Distributed reconfigurable control strategies for switching topology networked
      multi-agent systems.
AB  - In this paper, distributed control reconfiguration strategies for directed
      switching topology networked multi-agent systems are developed and investigated.
      The proposed control strategies are invoked when the agents are subject to
      actuator faults and while the available fault detection and isolation (FDI)
      modules provide inaccurate and unreliable information on the estimation of faults
      severities. Our proposed strategies will ensure that the agents reach a consensus
      while an upper bound on the team performance index is ensured and satisfied.
      Three types of actuator faults are considered, namely: the loss of effectiveness
      fault, the outage fault, and the stuck fault. By utilizing quadratic and convex
      hull (composite) Lyapunov functions, two cooperative and distributed recovery
      strategies are designed and provided to select the gains of the proposed control
      laws such that the team objectives are guaranteed. Our proposed reconfigurable
      control laws are applied to a team of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) under
      directed switching topologies and subject to simultaneous actuator faults.
      Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed distributed
      reconfiguration control laws in compensating for the effects of sudden actuator
      faults and subject to fault diagnosis module uncertainties and unreliabilities.

PMID- 28629864
TI  - Structure-function relationships in human d-aspartate oxidase: characterisation
      of variants corresponding to known single nucleotide polymorphisms.
AB  - d-Aspartate oxidase (DDO) is a degradative enzyme that is stereospecific for the
      acidic amino acid d-aspartate, an endogenous agonist of the N-methyl-d-aspartate
      (NMDA) receptor. Dysregulation of NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission has
      been implicated in the onset of various neuropsychiatric disorders including
      schizophrenia and in chronic pain. Thus, appropriate regulation of the amount of
      d-aspartate is believed to be important for maintaining proper neural activity in
      the nervous system. Herein, the effects of the non-synonymous single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) R216Q and S308N on several properties of human DDO were
      examined. Analysis of the purified recombinant enzyme showed that the R216Q and
      S308N substitutions reduce enzyme activity towards acidic d-amino acids, decrease
      the binding affinity for the coenzyme flavin adenine dinucleotide and decrease
      the temperature stability. Consistent with these findings, further experiments
      using cultured mammalian cells revealed elevated d-aspartate in cultures of R216Q
      and S308N cells compared with cells expressing wild-type DDO. Furthermore,
      accumulation of several amino acids other than d-aspartate also differed between
      these cultures. Thus, expression of DDO genes carrying the R216Q or S308N SNP
      substitutions may increase the d-aspartate content in humans and alter
      homeostasis of several other amino acids. This work may aid in understanding the
      correlation between DDO activity and the risk of onset of NMDA receptor-related
      diseases.

PMID- 28629867
TI  - Culture shapes nursing practice: Findings from a New Zealand study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This paper reports research undertaken to investigate nurses' and
      parents' experiences of communication about parental emotions in a hospital
      setting, with a focus on the environmental and cultural context within which the
      communication occurs. METHODS: A focused ethnography was employed as the aims
      were to understand the context within which nurse-parent interaction takes place,
      by exploring cultural factors, such as ways of living affecting nursing
      communication. Data collection occurred in a children's unit of a New Zealand
      hospital, involving 260h of participant observation field work, informal
      interviews with parents and nurses, followed by 20 formal interviews with nurses
      and parents. RESULTS: Nurses are cultural brokers, with the potential to be a
      link between the insider culture, the hospital and the outside, the parents.
      Parents look to nurses for cultural brokerage, to help them cross the strong
      cultural boundaries present in a hospital unit. CONCLUSION: The context and
      culture of a hospital unit influences nurse-parent communication. There is a
      disconnection between parents' emotional needs in hospital and nurses' ability to
      meet those needs. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses must be supported to provide
      effective cultural brokerage for parents. Unit managers need to acknowledge that
      meeting parents' diverse needs is vital.

PMID- 28629868
TI  - Reply about letter regarding "Prevalence of graduated compression stocking
      associated pressure injuries in surgical intensive care units".

PMID- 28629869
TI  - Evaluation of cell wall damage by dimethyl sulfoxide in Candida species.
AB  - Studies dealing with the response of microorganisms to oxidative stress require
      the dissolution of oxidant agents in an appropriate solvent. A commonly used
      medium is dimethyl sulfoxide, which has been considered as an innocuous polar
      solvent. However, we have observed significant differences between control,
      untreated cells and those receiving increasing amounts of the oxidant and hence
      increasing amounts of DMSO, to the maximum allowed of 1%. Here we show that,
      while this solvent does not influence yeast cell viability, it does affect
      expression of cell wall proteins as well as catalase activity. Therefore, its use
      in future studies of oxidative stress as an innocuous solvent should be
      reconsidered.

PMID- 28629870
TI  - Tumor-Stroma Ratio is an independent predictor for overall survival and disease
      free survival in gastric cancer patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite different prognostic factors have been already studied,
      patients undergoing potentially curative resection for gastric cancer, still have
      a poor outcome. There is therefore the need to identify novel prognostic factors.
      Recently, Tumor-Stroma Ratio (TSR) was proven to be associated with prognosis in
      different types of cancers. Aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic
      value of TSR in gastric cancer patients. METHODS: 106 patients underwent
      gastrectomy between January 2004 and December 2015. Demographics and
      histopathological characteristics were collected. We considered a 50% TSR cutoff
      value to divide patients in Stroma-Rich (>=50%) and Stroma-Poor (<50%) groups.
      RESULTS: Forty-one (38.7%) patients were classified as Stroma-Poor while 65
      (61.3%) as Stroma-Rich (61.3%). The Stroma-Rich patients had a higher number of
      positive lymph-nodes, lymph node ratio (LNR), a higher percentage of T3/T4 local
      invasion and N2/N3, and a more advanced TNM. Moreover, these patients showed a
      higher percentage of lymphovascular and perineural invasion. With a median FU of
      38 months Stroma-Rich patients had a significantly worse 5-years actuarial
      overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) compared to Stroma-Poor
      patients. Moreover, the multivariate analysis showed that Stroma-Rich was the
      only independent factor associated with OS and DFS together with TNM-Stage.
      CONCLUSIONS: TSR is an independent marker of poor prognosis in patients with
      gastric cancer that should be readily incorporated into routine clinical
      pathology reporting. Identification of sensitive markers for patients who had
      undergone curative gastrectomy and who are at high risk of recurrence could
      provide useful information for planning follow-up after surgery or intensive and
      or/targeting adjuvant chemotherapy.

PMID- 28629871
TI  - A review of patterns of practice and clinical guidelines in the palliative
      radiation treatment of uncomplicated bone metastases.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Single fraction radiation treatment (SFRT) is recommended
      for its equivalence to multiple-fraction (MF) RT in the palliation of
      uncomplicated bone metastases (BM). However, adoption of SFRT has been slow.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature searches for studies published following 2014
      were conducted using online repositories of gray literature, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase
      and Embase Classic, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials
      databases. RESULTS: A total of 32 articles detailing patterns of practice and
      clinical practice guidelines were included for final synthesis. The majority of
      organizations have released high level recommendations for SFRT use in treatment
      of uncomplicated BM, based on evidence of non-inferiority to MFRT. There are key
      differences between guidelines, such as varying strengths of recommendation for
      SFRT use over MFRT; contraindication in vertebral sites for SFRT; and risk
      estimation of pathologic fractures after SFRT. Differences in guidelines may be
      influenced by committee composition and organization mandate. Differences in
      patterns of practice may be influenced by individual center policies, payment
      modalities and consideration of patient factors such as age, prognosis, and
      performance status. CONCLUSION: Although there is some variation between groups,
      the majority of guidelines recommend use of SFRT and others consider it to be a
      reasonable alternative to MFRT.

PMID- 28629872
TI  - Sevoflurane Relieves Lung Function Deterioration After Cardiopulmonary Bypass.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate sevoflurane's potential to alleviate the detrimental
      pulmonary changes after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). DESIGN: Prospective,
      randomized clinical investigation. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS:
      One hundred ninety patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. INTERVENTIONS:
      Ninety-nine patients under intravenous anesthesia were administered 1 minimal
      alveolar concentration of sevoflurane for 5 minutes after being weaned from CPB
      (group SEV); intravenous anesthesia was maintained in the other 91 patients
      (group CTRL). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Measurements were performed with
      open chest: before CPB, after CPB, and after intervention. The lungs' mechanical
      impedance and capnogram traces were recorded, arterial and central venous blood
      samples were analyzed, and lung compliance was documented. Airway resistance,
      tissue damping, and elastance were obtained from the impedance spectra. The
      capnogram phase III slope was determined using linear regression. The partial
      pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio and
      shunt fraction were calculated from blood gas parameters. After CPB, sevoflurane
      induced bronchodilation, reflected in marked drops in airway resistance and
      smaller improvements in lung tissue viscoelasticity indicated by decreases in
      tissue damping and elastance. These changes were reflected in a decreased
      capnogram phase III slope and shunt fraction and increased partial pressure of
      oxygen in the arterial blood/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio and lung
      compliance. The more severe deteriorations that occurred after CPB, the greater
      improvements by sevoflurane were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane can alleviate
      CPB-induced bronchoconstriction, compromised lung tissue mechanics, and enhanced
      intrapulmonary shunt. This benefit has particular importance in patients with
      severe CPB-induced lung function deterioration.

PMID- 28629873
TI  - On the ethics of not supplementing low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in a controlled
      study in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 28629874
TI  - Neural activity during attentional conflict predicts reduction in tinnitus
      perception following rTMS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Subjective idiopathic tinnitus is an intrusive, distracting, and
      potentially disabling disorder characterized by phantom perception of sounds.
      Although tinnitus has no approved pharmacologic treatment, recent evidence
      supports the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to
      alleviate tinnitus symptoms. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: Repetitive TMS delivered over
      the middle superior temporal gyrus (STG) may alter ratings of tinnitus awareness
      and annoyance more than loudness due to change in attentional processing. STG has
      reciprocal connections to regions of the prefrontal cortex that mediate
      attention. To probe the hypothesized influence of STG stimulation on attention, a
      subset of patients with tinnitus enrolled in an rTMS clinical trial [n = 12, 9
      male, mean (sd) age = 49 (15) years] underwent an attentional conflict task
      before and after rTMS treatment in a repeated-measures functional magnetic
      resonance imaging (fMRI) study. METHODS: The Multi-Source Interference Task
      (MSIT), a Stroop-based visual attentional conflict fMRI task, was used to map
      participants' neural processing of attentional conflict prior to rTMS
      intervention (Baseline) and after three rTMS intervention arms: Sham, 1 Hz, and
      10 Hz (four sessions per arm, 1800 pulses per session, delivered @110% of the
      motor threshold over the posterior superior temporal gyrus). RESULTS: All
      measures of tinnitus severity (awareness, loudness, and annoyance) improved with
      1 Hz rTMS intervention; however, the greatest and most robust changes were
      observed for ratings of tinnitus awareness (mean 16% reduction in severity from
      Baseline, p < 0.01). The MSIT elicited a similar pattern of neural activation
      among tinnitus participants at Baseline compared to an independent sample of 43
      healthy comparison adults (r = 0.801, p = 0.001). Linear regression with
      bootstrap resampling showed that greater recruitment of bilateral prefrontal and
      bilateral parietal regions by MSIT at Baseline corresponded with poorer treatment
      response. Individual regions' activities explained 37-67% variance in participant
      treatment response, with left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex's MSIT activity at
      Baseline explaining the greatest reduction in tinnitus awareness following 1 Hz
      stimulation. Although left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity at Baseline
      also predicted reduction in tinnitus loudness and annoyance (~50% variance
      explained), these symptoms were more strongly predicted by right middle occipital
      cortex (~70% variance explained) - suggesting that the neural predictors of
      symptom-specific treatment outcomes may be dissociable. CONCLUSION: These
      candidate neural reactivity markers of treatment response have potential clinical
      value in identifying tinnitus sufferers who would or would not therapeutically
      benefit from rTMS intervention.

PMID- 28629875
TI  - Antibiotic stewardship hits a home run for patients.

PMID- 28629876
TI  - Effect of antibiotic stewardship on the incidence of infection and colonisation
      with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and Clostridium difficile infection: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antibiotic stewardship programmes have been shown to reduce
      antibiotic use and hospital costs. We aimed to evaluate evidence of the effect of
      antibiotic stewardship on the incidence of infections and colonisation with
      antibiotic-resistant bacteria. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta
      analysis, we searched PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the
      Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science for studies
      published from Jan 1, 1960, to May 31, 2016, that analysed the effect of
      antibiotic stewardship programmes on the incidence of infection and colonisation
      with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and Clostridium difficile infections in
      hospital inpatients. Two authors independently assessed the eligibility of trials
      and extracted data. Studies involving long-term care facilities were excluded.
      The main outcomes were incidence ratios (IRs) of target infections and
      colonisation per 1000 patient-days before and after implementation of antibiotic
      stewardship. Meta-analyses were done with random-effect models and heterogeneity
      was calculated with the I2 method. FINDINGS: We included 32 studies in the meta
      analysis, comprising 9 056 241 patient-days and 159 estimates of IRs. Antibiotic
      stewardship programmes reduced the incidence of infections and colonisation with
      multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (51% reduction; IR 0.49, 95% CI 0.35
      0.68; p<0.0001), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Gram-negative
      bacteria (48%; 0.52, 0.27-0.98; p=0.0428), and meticillin-resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus (37%; 0.63, 0.45-0.88; p=0.0065), as well as the incidence
      of C difficile infections (32%; 0.68, 0.53-0.88; p=0.0029). Antibiotic
      stewardship programmes were more effective when implemented with infection
      control measures (IR 0.69, 0.54-0.88; p=0.0030), especially hand-hygiene
      interventions (0.34, 0.21-0.54; p<0.0001), than when implemented alone.
      Antibiotic stewardship did not affect the IRs of vancomycin-resistant enterococci
      and quinolone-resistant and aminoglycoside-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
      Significant heterogeneity between studies was detected, which was partly
      explained by the type of interventions and co-resistance patterns of the target
      bacteria. INTERPRETATION: Antibiotic stewardship programmes significantly reduce
      the incidence of infections and colonisation with antibiotic-resistant bacteria
      and C difficile infections in hospital inpatients. These results provide
      stakeholders and policy makers with evidence for implementation of antibiotic
      stewardship interventions to reduce the burden of infections from antibiotic
      resistant bacteria. FUNDING: German Center for Infection Research.

PMID- 28629877
TI  - The effect of a genetic variant on quantitative real-time PCR in a case of
      disseminated adenovirus infection.
AB  - A patient developed disseminated adenovirus infection following bone marrow
      transplant. TaqMan real-time PCR showed reduced maximum fluorescence in the
      amplification curve from all plasma samples. Sequencing revealed three single
      nucleotide mismatches between the TaqMan probe and probe binding region. Real
      time PCR with probe matching the isolate sequence showed normal amplification and
      a higher copy number result.

PMID- 28629878
TI  - Campylobacter bacteremia in London: A 44-year single-center study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Campylobacter species are a well-recognized but rare cause of
      bloodstream infection. METHODS: Here we reviewed 41 cases of Campylobacter
      bloodstream infection occurring at a single center in London over 44years,
      comprising 0.2% of all recorded episodes during this time period. RESULTS:
      Patients had a mean age of 46years and, contrasting with previous reports, nearly
      50% of our patients did not have significant comorbidities. Ciprofloxacin
      resistance increased over the study period with 35% of isolates overall being
      resistant compared with only 3% exhibiting macrolide resistance. Despite a
      minority of patients receiving appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy, overall
      mortality was only 7%. CONCLUSION: Campylobacter bacteremia remains a rare but
      significant cause of morbidity with a low associated mortality. Underlying
      immunosuppressive conditions are common but by no means universal. In our
      setting, macrolides would be favored as empirical agents to treat suspected
      Campylobacter enteritis, including cases with associated bacteremia.

PMID- 28629880
TI  - A new tool to identify patients with Parkinson's disease at increased risk of
      dementia.

PMID- 28629881
TI  - Cell-mediated immune response of postmetamorphic sea urchin juveniles against
      infectious stages of diatom Cylindrotheca closterium (Bacillariophyceae).
AB  - In this study, successive infectious stages by diatom Cylindrotheca closterium
      (Bacillariophyceae) are described for the first time during the early development
      of sea urchin at low temperature (8 degrees C). Diatom cell-types enclosed or not
      by typical theca were capable of infection. As an immune response, red
      spherulocytes and amoebocytes migrated towards infested areas and restrained the
      infection spreading over shells in 2- and 3-month old urchins. Only amoebocyte
      cells appeared to be involved in the immune reaction of 1-month old specimens
      which turned out to be a less effective fence to stop infestation. The
      effectiveness of the inflammatory process caused by diatoms within sea urchin
      spines seemed to vary as a function of urchin age, cohort's type and individual
      cell pool.

PMID- 28629882
TI  - Quantification of fungal growth and destruxin A during infection of Galleria
      mellonella larvae by Metarhizium brunneum.
AB  - Destruxin A is among the major secondary metabolites produced by the
      entomopathogenic ascomycete Metarhizium sp., and the lack of studies concerning
      production of destruxin A by the fungus is most likely the biggest obstacle for
      the registration of new fungal strains. Although several studies focus on the
      production of destruxin A in culture media, few studies examine destruxin A in
      vivo during host infection. In the current work, Galleria mellonella was used as
      an insect model to develop for the first time in vivo real-time PCR- and HPLC-MS
      based quantification of fungal growth and metabolite production, respectively,
      during infection by two strains of M. brunneum. Total mortality of sixth instar
      G. mellonella larvae that were immersed in a suspension of 1.0*108conidiamL-1 of
      M. brunneum EAMa 01/58-Su or BIPESCO5 strains reached 85.5% and 78.8%,
      respectively, and the percentage of cadavers with fungal outgrowth was low at
      12.2% and 4.4%, respectively. The average survival time of treated larvae was
      5.5days for both fungal strains. Using EAMa 01/58-Su and BIPESCO5 specific primer
      set, real-time PCR showed that the patterns of fungal growth were different for
      the two strains, whereas no significant differences were detected in the number
      of fungal sequence copies recovered from the infected larvae. EAMa 01/58-Su and
      BIPESCO5 strains secreted destruxin A from days 2 to 6 and from days 2 to 5 post
      treatment, respectively. For EAMa 01/58-Su and BIPESCO5, the maximum titer of
      destruxin A in the host was on day 4 at 0.369 and 0.06ug/larva, respectively, and
      throughout the pathogenic process, the total production was 0.6 and 0.09ug/larva,
      respectively. These results demonstrated that the strains pose a low hazard, if
      any, to humans and the environment. The methods used in this study to quantify
      fungal growth and metabolite production provided valuable data to better
      understand the role of destruxin A during the growth of M. brunneum in the host
      larvae and to monitor the fate of destruxin A in food chains.

PMID- 28629883
TI  - Laboratory evaluation of the effect of Beauveria bassiana on the predatory mite
      Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).
AB  - Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), a major pest of many
      agricultural crops, is mainly controlled with chemical acaricides. However,
      predatory mites and entomopathogens have been proposed as alternative control
      agents. In this study, the effect of the BotaniGard(r) GHA strain of Beauveria
      bassiana on the survival, longevity, fecundity, and egg hatch rate of the
      predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were
      studied under laboratory conditions. When B. bassiana was applied directly to P.
      persimilis eggs at a concentration of 1*108conidia/ml, corrected hatchability was
      less than 5%, and the corrected mortality of nymphs and adults was not
      significantly different from control 10days after treatment. Phytoseiulus
      persimilis nymphs that hatched from treated eggs showed no significant change in
      their development time, adult female longevity, hatch rate, survival rates over
      time, or offspring sex ratio. However, significant negative effects on fecundity
      and life table parameters (net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of natural
      increase, mean generation time, finite rate of increase, and doubling time) were
      found when B. bassiana was applied to the adult stage. Spraying B. bassiana at
      1*108conidia/ml on newly emerged adults of P. persimilis caused 44% reduction in
      the oviposition period, 26% in adult longevity, and 63% in fecundity. Due to
      these negative effects, B. bassiana should be used with careful adjustment of
      application timing (first spray B. bassiana and then release P. persimilis) to
      supplement biological mite control systems using P. persimilis.

PMID- 28629884
TI  - [Evaluation of mortality after the analysis of the screening history in women
      diagnosed with infiltrating cervical cancer].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of screening history on the incidence of cervical
      cancer from 2000 to 2010 in Asturias. DESIGN: Retrospective study. LOCATION: All
      public hospitals in Asturias. MEAN MEASUREMENTS: From 374 women diagnosed with
      cervical cancer were retrieved. Clinical information, FIGO stage and all previous
      cytological data were extracted from clinical and histopathological records.
      Proportional differences were assessed using chi-square tests. Logistic
      regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence
      intervals. RESULTS: Women between 25 and 70years had no records of a previous
      cytology within 5.5years of cancer diagnosis in 65.6%. This proportion was
      related with older age, presence of symptoms and an advance tumor stage at
      diagnosis. Women over 70years old had no records of a previous cytology in 83.3%.
      CONCLUSION: An organized cervical cancer screening program and optimal quality of
      the system, monitored through audits, could help to reduce cervical cancer
      incidence and mortality in Asturias.

PMID- 28629885
TI  - [Prevalence of osteoporosis, estimation of probability of fracture and bone
      metabolism study in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer in the health
      area of Lugo].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of osteoporosis and fracture probability in
      patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. DESIGN: Observational descriptive
      transversal study. SITE: Study performed from Primary Care of Lugo in
      collaboration with Rheumatology and Urology Services of our referral hospital.
      PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer without bone metastatic
      disease from January to December 2012. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Epidemiologic,
      clinical, laboratory and densitometric variables involved in osteoporosis were
      collected. The likelihood of fracture was estimated by FRAX(r) Tool. RESULTS:
      Eighty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. None was excluded. The average
      age was 67 years. The Body Mass Index was 28.28. Twenty-five patients (30.1%) had
      previous osteoporotic fractures. Other prevalent risk factors were alcohol
      (26.5%) and smoking (22.9%). Eighty-two subjects had vitamin D below normal level
      (98.80%). Femoral Neck densitometry showed that 8.9% had osteoporosis and 54%
      osteopenia. The average fracture risk in this population, estimated by FRAX(r),
      was 2.63% for hip fracture and 5.28% for major fracture. Cut level for FRAX(r)
      major fracture value without DXA >5% and >=7.5% proposed by Azagra et al. showed
      24 patients (28.92%) and 8 patients (9.64%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The
      prevalence of osteoporosis in this population was very high. The more frequent
      risk factors associated with osteoporosis were: previous osteoporotic fracture,
      alcohol consumption, smoking and family history of previous fracture. The
      probability of fracture using femoral neck FRAX(r) tool was low. Vitamin D
      deficiency was very common (98.8%).

PMID- 28629879
TI  - Prediction of cognition in Parkinson's disease with a clinical-genetic score: a
      longitudinal analysis of nine cohorts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cognitive decline is a debilitating manifestation of disease
      progression in Parkinson's disease. We aimed to develop a clinical-genetic score
      to predict global cognitive impairment in patients with the disease. METHODS: In
      this longitudinal analysis, we built a prediction algorithm for global cognitive
      impairment (defined as Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE] <=25) using data from
      nine cohorts of patients with Parkinson's disease from North America and Europe
      assessed between 1986 and 2016. Candidate predictors of cognitive decline were
      selected through a backward eliminated Cox's proportional hazards analysis using
      the Akaike's information criterion. These were used to compute the multivariable
      predictor on the basis of data from six cohorts included in a discovery
      population. Independent replication was attained in patients from a further three
      independent longitudinal cohorts. The predictive score was rebuilt and retested
      in 10 000 training and test sets randomly generated from the entire study
      population. FINDINGS: 3200 patients with Parkinson's disease who were
      longitudinally assessed with 27 022 study visits between 1986 and 2016 in nine
      cohorts from North America and Europe were assessed for eligibility. 235 patients
      with MMSE <=25 at baseline and 135 whose first study visit occurred more than 12
      years from disease onset were excluded. The discovery population comprised 1350
      patients (after further exclusion of 334 with missing covariates) from six
      longitudinal cohorts with 5165 longitudinal visits over 12.8 years (median 2.8,
      IQR 1.6-4.6). Age at onset, baseline MMSE, years of education, motor exam score,
      sex, depression, and beta-glucocerebrosidase (GBA) mutation status were included
      in the prediction model. The replication population comprised 1132 patients
      (further excluding 14 patients with missing covariates) from three longitudinal
      cohorts with 19 127 follow-up visits over 8.6 years (median 6.5, IQR 4.1-7.2).
      The cognitive risk score predicted cognitive impairment within 10 years of
      disease onset with an area under the curve (AUC) of more than 0.85 in both the
      discovery (95% CI 0.82-0.90) and replication (95% CI 0.78-0.91) populations.
      Patients scoring in the highest quartile for cognitive risk score had an
      increased hazard for global cognitive impairment compared with those in the
      lowest quartile (hazard ratio 18.4 [95% CI 9.4-36.1]). Dementia or disabling
      cognitive impairment was predicted with an AUC of 0.88 (95% CI 0.79-0.94) and a
      negative predictive value of 0.92 (95% 0.88-0.95) at the predefined cutoff of
      0.196. Performance was stable in 10 000 randomly resampled subsets.
      INTERPRETATION: Our predictive algorithm provides a potential test for future
      cognitive health or impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease. This model
      could improve trials of cognitive interventions and inform on prognosis. FUNDING:
      National Institutes of Health, US Department of Defense.

PMID- 28629886
TI  - [Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Mindfulness and Self-Compassion program to
      reduce stress and prevent burnout in Primary Care health professionals].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a Mindfulness and Self-Compassion
      Program on the levels of stress and burnout in Primary Care health professionals.
      DESIGN: Randomised, controlled clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Training
      in Mindfulness was offered to 1,281 health professionals in Navarra (Spain)
      Primary Care, and 48 of them accepted. The participants were randomly assigned to
      groups: 25 to the intervention group, and the remaining 23 to the control group.
      INTERVENTION: The Mindfulness and Self-Compassion training program consisted of
      sessions of 2.5chours/week for 8 weeks. The participants had to attend at least
      75% of the sessions and perform a daily practical of 45minutes. MAIN
      MEASUREMENTS: The levels of mindfulness, self-compassion, perceived stress, and
      burnout were measured using four questionnaires before and after the
      intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, the scores of the intervention
      group improved significantly in mindfulness (P<.001); perceived stress (P<.001);
      self-compassion: self-kindness P<.001, shared humanity P=.004, mindfulness
      P=.001; and burnout: emotional fatigue (P=.046). The comparison with the control
      group showed significant differences in mindfulness (P<.001), perceived stress
      (P<.001), self-kindness (P<.001) and emotional fatigue (P=.032). CONCLUSIONS:
      This work suggests that it may be beneficial to encourage mindfulness and self
      compassion practices in the health environment.

PMID- 28629887
TI  - [Early diagnosis of HIV in Primary Care in Spain. Results of a pilot study based
      on targeted screening based on indicator conditions, behavioral criteria and
      region of origin].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of HIV infection in patients diagnosed
      with an indicator condition (IC) for HIV and/or risk behavior for their
      acquisition and/or coming from high prevalence countries. To determine the
      acceptability and feasibility of offering HIV testing based on IC and behavioral
      and origin criteria in Primary Care (PC). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study in a
      convenience sample. LOCATION: Six PC centers in Spain. PARTICIPANTS: The
      inclusion criteria were: patients between 16 and 65years old who presented at
      least one of the proposed ICs and/or at least one of the proposed behavioral
      and/or origin criteria. A total of 388 patients participated. INTERVENTION: HIV
      serology was offered to all patients who met the inclusion criteria. MAIN
      MEASUREMENTS: Description of IC frequency, behavioral and origin criteria.
      Prevalence of HIV infection. Level of acceptability and feasibility of the HIV
      screening based on IC and behavioral and origin criteria. RESULTS: A total of 174
      patients had an IC (44.84%). The most common behavioral criterion was: having
      unprotected sex at some time in life with people who did not know their HIV
      status (298; 76.8%). Four HIV+ patients (1.03%) were diagnosed. All had an IC and
      were men who had sex with men. The level of acceptability in PC was high.
      CONCLUSIONS: Offering HIV testing to patients with IC and behavioral criteria is
      feasible and effective in PC.

PMID- 28629888
TI  - Development of novel behavioral interventions in an experimental therapeutics
      world: Challenges, and directions for the future.
AB  - Recently, the focus of funding mechanisms associated with clinical trials has
      changed to be consistent with an experimental therapeutics approach. While this
      approach holds considerable promise, the paradigm shift has presented challenges
      for behavioral trials in complex psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia, as
      molecular targets - the classic focus in experimental therapeutics paradigms -
      may not represent logical targets for many psychosocial interventions designed to
      treat multifaceted, multiply determined symptoms. Clear guidelines for alternate
      models have not been offered, leaving large numbers of clinical trials
      researchers unclear about how to frame their work. We address some of the
      challenges for behavioral interventions research, and offer guidance for the
      development of novel approaches to the application of a target engagement
      framework to behavioral clinical trials.

PMID- 28629889
TI  - Comparison of the effectiveness of brand-name and generic antipsychotic drugs for
      treating patients with schizophrenia in Taiwan.
AB  - The purpose of this nationwide population-based study is to compare the long-term
      effectiveness of brand-name antipsychotics with generic antipsychotics for
      treating schizophrenia. We identified patients with schizophrenia who were
      prescribed antipsychotics from a random sample of one million records from
      Taiwan's National Health Insurance database, observed between January 1, 2000 and
      December 31, 2012. Only those with no prior use of antipsychotics for at least
      180days were included. We selected patients who were prescribed brand-name
      risperidone (N=404), generic risperidone (N=145), brand-name sulpiride (N=334),
      or generic sulpiride (N=991). The effectiveness of the treatments researched in
      this study consisted of average daily doses, rates of treatment discontinuation,
      augmentation therapy, and psychiatric hospitalization. We found that compared to
      patients treated with generic risperidone, those treated with brand-name
      risperidone required lower daily doses (2.14mg vs. 2.61mg). However, the two
      groups demonstrated similar rates of treatment discontinuation, augmentation, and
      psychiatric hospitalization. On the other hand, in comparison with patients
      prescribed generic sulpiride, those treated with brand-name sulpiride not only
      required lower daily doses (302.72mg vs. 340.71mg) but also had lower psychiatric
      admission rates (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.24, 95% confidence interval: 0.10
      0.56). In conclusion, for both risperidone and sulpiride, higher daily doses of
      the respective generic drugs were prescribed than with brand-name drugs in
      clinical settings. Furthermore, the brand-name sulpiride is more effective at
      preventing patients from hospitalization than generic sulpiride. These findings
      can serve as an important reference for clinical practices and healthcare
      economics for treating schizophrenic patients.

PMID- 28629890
TI  - Perceived social stress and symptom severity among help-seeking adolescents with
      versus without clinical high-risk for psychosis.
AB  - Research suggests that social stress exposure influences illness presentation and
      course among youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis, though less is
      known about the extent to which self-reported perceptions of social stress relate
      to the severity of positive symptoms. Importantly, despite the notion that youth
      at CHR are especially susceptible to elevations in positive symptoms under
      conditions of stress, no study has examined this presumption relative to other
      psychiatric groups. Extending previous work demonstrating that perceived social
      stress was higher in a CHR group than in a clinical group of non-CHR, help
      seeking controls, the current study aimed to: (1) examine whether perceived
      social stress is related to the severity of attenuated positive symptoms in the
      full sample (N=110); and (2) determine whether CHR status moderates the stress
      symptom relation. Exploratory analyses examined relations of perceived social
      stress to negative, disorganized, and general symptoms. Greater perceptions of
      social stress were associated with more severe positive symptoms in the entire
      sample; however, although positive symptoms and perceived social stress were
      higher in the CHR group, the strength of this relation was statistically
      indistinguishable across groups. No differential effect of perceived social
      stress was observed for any symptom domain. Results provide some support for the
      diathesis-stress model of psychosis, while also suggesting that social stress and
      symptomatology are related independent of clinical vulnerability to psychosis.
      Future research would benefit from longitudinal studies of stress-symptom
      relations across CHR and help-seeking control groups.

PMID- 28629891
TI  - A New Clinical Pain Knowledge Test for Nurses: Development and Psychometric
      Evaluation.
AB  - All nurses care for patients with pain, and pain management knowledge and
      attitude surveys for nurses have been around since 1987. However, no validated
      knowledge test exists to measure postlicensure clinicians' knowledge of the core
      competencies of pain management in current complex patient populations. To
      develop and test the psychometric properties of an instrument designed to measure
      pain management knowledge of postlicensure nurses. Psychometric instrument
      validation. Four large Midwestern U.S. hospitals. Registered nurses employed full
      time and part time August 2015 to April 2016, aged M = 43.25 years; time as RN, M
      = 16.13 years. Prospective survey design using e-mail to invite nurses to take an
      electronic multiple choice pain knowledge test. Content validity of initial 36
      item test "very good" (95.1% agreement). Completed tests that met analysis
      criteria, N = 747. Mean initial test score, 69.4% correct (range 27.8-97.2).
      After revision/removal of 13 unacceptable questions, mean test score was 50.4%
      correct (range 8.7-82.6). Initial test item percent difficulty range was 15.2%
      98.1%; discrimination values range, 0.03-0.50; final test item percent difficulty
      range, 17.6%-91.1%, discrimination values range, -0.04 to 1.04. Split-half
      reliability final test was 0.66. A high decision consistency reliability was
      identified, with test cut-score of 75%. The final 23-item Clinical Pain Knowledge
      Test has acceptable discrimination, difficulty, decision consistency,
      reliability, and validity in the general clinical inpatient nurse population.
      This instrument will be useful in assessing pain management knowledge of clinical
      nurses to determine gaps in education, evaluate knowledge after pain management
      education, and measure research outcomes.

PMID- 28629892
TI  - Engineered myocardium model to study the roles of HIF-1alpha and HIF1A-AS1 in
      paracrine-only signaling under pathological level oxidative stress.
AB  - : Studying heart tissue is critical for understanding and developing treatments
      for cardiovascular diseases. In this work, we fabricated precisely controlled and
      biomimetic engineered model tissues to study how cell-cell and cell-matrix
      interactions influence myocardial cell survival upon exposure to pathological
      level oxidative stress. Specifically, the interactions of endothelial cells (ECs)
      and cardiomyocytes (CMs), and the role of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF
      1alpha), with its novel alternative regulator, HIF-1alpha antisense RNA1 (HIF1A
      AS1), in these interactions were investigated. We encapsulated CMs in photo
      crosslinkable, biomimetic hydrogels with or without ECs, then exposed to
      oxidative stress followed by normoxia. With precisely controlled microenvironment
      provided by the model tissues, cell-cell interactions were restricted to be
      solely through the secreted factors. CM survival after oxidative stress was
      significantly improved, in the presence of ECs, when cells were in the model
      tissues that were functionalized with cell attachment motifs. Importantly, the
      cardioprotective effect of ECs was reduced when HIF-1alpha expression was knocked
      down suggesting that HIF-1alpha is involved in cardioprotection from oxidative
      damage, provided through secreted factors conferred by the ECs. Using model
      tissues, we showed that cell survival increased with increased cell-cell
      communication and enhanced cell-matrix interactions. In addition, whole genome
      transcriptome analysis showed, for the first time to our knowledge, a possible
      role for HIF1A-AS1 in oxidative regulation of HIF-1alpha. We showed that although
      HIF1A-AS1 knockdown helps CM survival, its effect is overridden by CM-EC
      bidirectional interactions as we showed that the conditioned media taken from the
      CM-EC co-cultures improved CM survival, regardless of HIF1A-AS1 expression.
      STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Cardiovascular diseases, most of which are associated
      with oxidative stress, is the most common cause of death worldwide. Thus,
      understanding the molecular events as well as the role of intercellular
      communication under oxidative stress is upmost importance in its prevention. In
      this study we used 3D engineered tissue models to investigate the role of HIF
      1alpha and its regulation in EC-mediated cardioprotection. We showed that EC
      mediated protection is only possible when there is a bidirectional crosstalk
      between ECs and CMs even without physical cell-cell contact. In addition, this
      protective effect is at least partially related to cell-ECM interactions and HIF
      1alpha, which is regulated by HIF1A-AS1 under oxidative stress.

PMID- 28629893
TI  - A new NIR-triggered doxorubicin and photosensitizer indocyanine green co-delivery
      system for enhanced multidrug resistant cancer treatment through simultaneous
      chemo/photothermal/photodynamic therapy.
AB  - : It is a great challenge to combat multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer effectively.
      To address this issue, we developed a new near-infrared (NIR) triggered
      chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) and photosensitizer indocyanine green
      (ICG) co-release system by aid of NIR induced photothermal effect of gold
      nanocages (AuNCs) and temperature sensitive phase-change property of 1
      tetradecanol at its melting point of 39 degrees C, which could simultaneously
      exerted chemo/photothermal/photodynamic treatment on MDR human breast cancer MCF
      7/ADR cells. This nano-sized system was constructed by filling the interior of
      AuNCs with DOX, ICG and 1-tetradecanol, and modifying the surface with
      biotinylated poly (ethylene glycol) via Au-S bonds, termed as DOX/ICG@biotin-PEG
      AuNC-PCM. The DOX and ICG co-release from DOX/ICG@biotin-PEG-AuNC-PCM was much
      faster in PBS at 40 degrees C or under 808nm NIR irradiation at 2.5W/cm2 than at
      37 degrees C (e.g. 67.27% or 80.31% vs. 5.57% of DOX, 76.08% vs. 3.83% of ICG for
      20min). The flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results
      showed, the AuNCs were taken up by MCF-7/ADR cells via endocytosis, thus
      enhancing DOX uptake; the biotin on AuNCs facilitated this endocytosis; NIR
      irradiation caused the heating of the AuNCs, triggering the DOX and ICG co
      release and enhancing the distribution of DOX in nuclei, the released ICG
      generated ROS to take photodynamic therapy. Due to the above unique properties,
      DOX/ICG@biotin-PEG-AuNC-PCM exerted excellent anti-tumor effects under NIR
      irradiation, its IC50 against MCF-7/ADR cells was very low, only 0.48ug/mL, much
      smaller than that of free DOX (74.51MUg/mL). STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: A new
      near-infrared (NIR) triggered chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) and
      photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG) co-release system by aid of NIR induced
      photothermal effect of gold nanocages (AuNCs) and temperature sensitive phase
      change property of 1-tetradecanol at its melting point of 39 degrees C, was
      prepared, termed as DOX/ICG@biotin-PEG-AuNC-PCM, which could simultaneously
      exerted chemo/photothermal/photodynamic treatment on MDR human breast cancer MCF
      7/ADR cells. DOX/ICG@biotin-PEG-AuNC-PCM exerted excellent anti-tumor effects
      under NIR irradiation, its IC50 against MCF-7/ADR cells was very low, only
      0.48ug/mL, much smaller than that of free DOX (74.51MUg/mL).

PMID- 28629894
TI  - Enhanced nutrient transport improves the depth-dependent properties of tri
      layered engineered cartilage constructs with zonal co-culture of chondrocytes and
      MSCs.
AB  - : Biomimetic design in cartilage tissue engineering is a challenge given the
      complexity of the native tissue. While numerous studies have generated constructs
      with near-native bulk properties, recapitulating the depth-dependent features of
      native tissue remains a challenge. Furthermore, limitations in nutrient transport
      and matrix accumulation in engineered constructs hinders maturation within the
      central core of large constructs. To overcome these limitations, we fabricated
      tri-layered constructs that recapitulate the depth-dependent cellular
      organization and functional properties of native tissue using zonally derived
      chondrocytes co-cultured with MSCs. We also introduced porous hollow fibers (HFs)
      and HFs/cotton threads to enhance nutrient transport. Our results showed that tri
      layered constructs with depth-dependent organization and properties could be
      fabricated. The addition of HFs or HFs/threads improved matrix accumulation in
      the central core region. With HF/threads, the local modulus in the deep region of
      tri-layered constructs nearly matched that of native tissue, though the
      properties in the central regions remained lower. These constructs reproduced the
      zonal organization and depth-dependent properties of native tissue, and
      demonstrate that a layer-by-layer fabrication scheme holds promise for the
      biomimetic repair of focal cartilage defects. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE:
      Articular cartilage is a highly organized tissue driven by zonal heterogeneity of
      cells, extracellular matrix proteins and fibril orientations, resulting in depth
      dependent mechanical properties. Therefore, the recapitulation of the functional
      properties of native cartilage in a tissue engineered construct requires such a
      biomimetic design of the morphological organization, and this has remained a
      challenge in cartilage tissue engineering. This study demonstrates that a layer
      by-layer fabrication scheme, including co-cultures of zone-specific articular CHs
      and MSCs, can reproduce the depth-dependent characteristics and mechanical
      properties of native cartilage while minimizing the need for large numbers of
      chondrocytes. In addition, introduction of a porous hollow fiber (combined with a
      cotton thread) enhanced nutrient transport and depth-dependent properties of the
      tri-layered construct. Such a tri-layered construct may provide critical
      advantages for focal cartilage repair. These constructs hold promise for
      restoring native tissue structure and function, and may be beneficial in terms of
      zone-to-zone integration with adjacent host tissue and providing more appropriate
      strain transfer after implantation.

PMID- 28629895
TI  - Tumor Suppressor microRNAs Contribute to the Regulation of PD-L1 Expression in
      Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The upregulation of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is found in
      many cancers and contributes to evasion of the host's immune defense. In
      malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), PD-L1 expression is associated with the
      nonepithelioid histological subtype and poor prognosis, but the pathways involved
      in control of PD-L1 expression in MPM are poorly understood. To address one
      possible means of PD-L1 regulation we investigated the relationship between
      dysregulated microRNA levels and PD-L1 expression. METHODS: PD-L1 expression was
      analyzed by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays prepared from samples from
      patients undergoing an operation (pleurectomy with or without decortication).
      MicroRNA expression was analyzed by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase
      chain reaction. Regulation of PD-L1 expression in cell lines was assessed after
      transfection with microRNA mimics and small interfering RNAs. Interaction between
      microRNAs and PD-L1 was analyzed by using argonaute-2 immunoprecipitation and a
      luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: In a series of 72 patients with MPM, 18 (25%)
      had positive PD-L1 staining, and this was more common in patients with the
      nonepithelioid subtype (p = 0.01). PD-L1 expression was associated with poor
      survival (median overall survival 4.0 versus 9.2 months with positive versus
      negative PD-L1 expression [p < 0.001]), and in multivariate analyses, PD-L1
      expression remained a significant adverse prognostic indicator (hazard ratio =
      2.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-4.1, p < 0.01). In the same patient series, PD
      L1 expression was also associated with downregulation of microRNAs previously
      shown to have tumor suppressor activity in MPM. The median microRNA expression
      levels of miR-15b, miR-16, miR-193a-3p, miR-195, and miR-200c were significantly
      lower in the PD-L1-positive samples. Transfecting MPM cell lines with mimics
      corresponding to miR-15a and miR-16, both of which are predicted to target PD-L1,
      led to downregulation of PD-L1 mRNA and protein. In addition, miR-193a-3p, with
      an alternative G-U-containing target site, also caused PD-L1 downregulation.
      CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data suggest that tumor suppressor microRNAs
      contribute to the regulation of PD-L1 expression in MPM.

PMID- 28629896
TI  - Randomized Phase II Study of Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy +/- Panitumumab
      Followed by Consolidation Chemotherapy in Potentially Operable Locally Advanced
      (Stage IIIa, N2+) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: NRG Oncology RTOG 0839.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Multimodality therapy has curative potential in locally advanced
      NSCLC. Mediastinal nodal sterilization (MNS) after induction chemoradiotherapy
      (CRT) can serve as an intermediate marker for efficacy. NRG Oncology Radiation
      Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0229 demonstrated the feasibility and efficacy of
      combining full-dose radiation (61.2 Gy) with chemotherapy followed by resection
      and chemotherapy. On the basis of that experience and evidence that EGFR
      antibodies are radiosensitizing, we explored adding panitumumab to CRT followed
      by resection and consolidation chemotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC with a
      primary end point of MNS. METHODS: Patients with resectable locally advanced
      NSCLC were eligible if deemed suitable for trimodality therapy before treatment.
      Surgeons were required to demonstrate expertise after CRT and adhere to specific
      management guidelines. Concurrent CRT consisted of weekly carboplatin (area under
      the curve = 2.0), paclitaxel (50 mg/m2), and 60 Gy of radiation therapy delivered
      in 30 fractions. There was a 2:1 randomization in favor of panitumumab at 2.5
      mg/kg weekly for 6 weeks. The mediastinum was pathologically reassessed before or
      at the time of resection. Consolidation chemotherapy was weekly carboplatin (area
      under the curve = 6) and paclitaxel, 200 mg/m2 every 21 days for two courses. The
      study was designed to detect an improvement in MNS from 52% to 72%. With use of a
      0.15 one-sided type 1 error and 80% power, 97 patients were needed. RESULTS: The
      study was opened in November 2010 and closed in August 2015 by the Data
      Monitoring Committee after 71 patients had been accrued for futility and
      excessive toxicity in the experimental arm. A total of 60 patients were eligible:
      19 patients (86%) who received CRT and 29 (76%) who received CRT plus panitumumab
      and underwent an operation. With regard to postoperative toxicity, there were
      three grade 4 adverse events (13.6%) and no grade 5 adverse events (0%) among
      those who received CRT versus six grade 4 (15.8%) and four grade 5 adverse events
      (10.5%) among those who received CRT plus panitumumab. The MNS rates were 68.2%
      (95% confidence interval: 45.1-86.1) and 50.0% (95% confidence interval: 33.4
      66.6) for CRT and CRT plus panitumumab, respectively (p = 0.95). CONCLUSION: The
      addition of panitumumab to CRT did not improve MNS. There was an unexpectedly
      high mortality rate in the panitumumab arm, although the relationship to
      panitumumab is unclear. The control arm had outcomes similar to those in NRG
      Oncology RTOG 0229.

PMID- 28629897
TI  - A Unified Pathophysiological Construct of Diabetes and its Complications.
AB  - Advances in understanding diabetes mellitus (DM) through basic and clinical
      research have helped clarify and reunify a disease state fragmented into numerous
      etiologies and subtypes. It is now understood that a common pathophysiology
      drives the diabetic state throughout its natural history and across its varied
      clinical presentations, a pathophysiology involving metabolic insults, oxidative
      damage, and vicious cycles that aggravate and intensify organ dysfunction and
      damage. This new understanding of the disease requires that we revisit existing
      diagnostics and treatment approaches, which were built upon outmoded assumptions.
      'The Common Pathophysiologic Origins of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications
      Construct' is presented as a more accurate, foundational, and translatable
      construct of DM that helps make sense of the hitherto ambiguous findings of long
      term outcome studies.

PMID- 28629898
TI  - Alpha-lipoic acid supplement in obesity treatment: A systematic review and meta
      analysis of clinical trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Previous studies have supported positive roles of antioxidant
      supplements on weight-loss. One antioxidant supplement is Alpha-lipoic acid.
      However, recommending ALA as an anti-obesity supplement remains controversial.
      Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to perform a meta-analysis on
      the effects of ALA supplement on anthropometric indices among adult subjects.
      METHODS: We searched five electronic databases till September 2016. Placebo
      controlled clinical trials were included. Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) was
      pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Findings of 12 included trials
      indicated that ALA supplement reduced body weight (WMD: -0.69 kg; 95% CI: -1.27, 
      0.10; I2 = 0%) and BMI (WMD: -0.38 kg/m2; 95% CI: -0.53, -0.24; I2 = 0%)
      significantly compared to the placebo group. However, its effects on Waist
      Circumference (WC) was not significant (WMD: -0.30 cm; 95% CI: -1.18, 0.58; I2 =
      17.8%). Stratification by health status indicated that ALA decreased WC in
      unhealthy subjects (WMD: -2.00 cm; 95% CI: -4.19, 0.19; I2 = 1.3%) more than
      healthy individuals (0.03 cm; 95% CI: -0.69, 0.75; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: The
      present study revealed that supplementation with ALA slightly but significantly
      decreased body weight and BMI. Safe dosage for ALA is up to 1200 mg/day. However,
      it seems that ALA cannot be cost-effective. Further studies are needed to clarify
      the effects of ALA on metabolic parameter in unhealthy obese individuals.

PMID- 28629899
TI  - High adherence to a Mediterranean diet and lower risk of frailty among French
      older adults community-dwellers: Results from the Three-City-Bordeaux Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is considered as a key component for
      healthy aging, including prevention of age-related disability, while its
      association with frailty, independent of disability has never been assessed. Our
      objective was to investigate the relation between MeDi adherence and frailty
      incidence among persons aged >=75 years participating at the prospective
      population-based French Three-City Study. METHODS: The study sample consisted of
      560 initially non-frail participants of the Three-City-Bordeaux center, seen at
      the 2009-2010 follow-up, and re-examined two years later. Adherence to MeDi was
      computed from a food frequency questionnaire (scored as 0-9). Frailty was defined
      as having at least three out of the following five slightly modified Fried
      frailty criteria: involuntary weight loss, exhaustion, slowness, weakness and low
      physical activity. Logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and
      clinical covariates, including cognitive performance and depressive
      symptomatology, were used to assess the association between MeDi score and
      subsequent frailty risk. RESULTS: Over the 2-year follow-up, 79 participants
      (14%) became frail. Older adults with the highest MeDi adherence (score 6-9) had
      a significantly 68% frailty risk reduction (95% CI: 28-86%, p = 0.006) compared
      to those in the lowest MeDi category (score 0-3). Regarding the frailty criterion
      separately, the highest MeDi adherence was associated with a significantly
      reduced risk of incident slowness (OR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.20-0.99, p = 0.04), poor
      muscle strength (OR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20-0.98, p = 0.04) and low physical
      activity (OR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.18-0.82, p = 0.01), compared to the lowest MeDi
      adherence. CONCLUSION: In addition to its well-documented beneficial effects on
      health, adherence to MeDi might contribute to prevent the onset of frailty, even
      at late stages of life.

PMID- 28629900
TI  - Multiple analyses indicate the specific association of NR1I3, C6 and TNN with low
      hip BMD risk.

PMID- 28629901
TI  - Identification of the adenovirus type 2 C-168 protein.
AB  - A hitherto predicted but undetected protein, C-168, in adenovirus type 2 (Ad2)
      has been identified using mass spectrometry (MS) based proteomics. The gene of
      this 17.7kDa protein is located on the forward strand in the major late
      transcription unit between base pairs 9294 and 9797. A tryptic peptide, derived
      from the C-terminal part of the protein, was identified with high amino acid
      sequence coverage. A candidate splice site for the corresponding mRNA is also
      presented. The protein sequence is unusual with repeats of serine, glycine and
      arginine. A bioinformatics prediction of protein function and localization is
      presented.

PMID- 28629902
TI  - Relationship between vessel diameter and depth measurements within the limbus
      using ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography.
AB  - PURPOSE: To establish a relationship between the diameter and depth position of
      vessels in the superior and inferior corneo-scleral limbus using ultra-high
      resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT). METHODS: Volumetric OCT images
      of the superior and inferior limbus were acquired from 14 healthy subjects with a
      research-grade UHR-OCT system. Differences in vessel diameter and depth between
      superior and inferior limbus were analyzed using repeated measured ANOVA in SPSS
      and R. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SD) superior and inferior diameters were 29+/-18MUm
      and 24+/-18MUm respectively, and the mean (+/- SD) superior and inferior depths
      were 177+/-109MUm and 207+/-132MUm respectively. The superior limbal vessels were
      larger than the inferior ones (RM-ANOVA, p=0.004), and the inferior limbal
      vessels were deeper than the superior vessels (RM-ANOVA, p=0.041). There was a
      positive linear association between limbal vessel depth and size within the
      superior and inferior limbus with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.803 and
      0.754, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the UHR-OCT was
      capable of imaging morphometric characteristics such as the size and depth of
      vessels in the limbus. The results of this study suggest a difference in the size
      and depth of vessels across different positions of the limbus, which may be
      indicative of adaptations to chronic hypoxia caused by the covering of the
      superior limbus by the upper eyelid. UHR-OCT may be a useful tool to evaluate the
      effect of contact lenses on the microvascular properties within the limbus.

PMID- 28629904
TI  - Perioperative Morbidity of Same-Day and Staged Bilateral Total Hip Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Management strategies for bilateral hip degenerative disease include
      same-day or staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA), but information on
      outcomes remains sparse. We sought to describe in-hospital complications and
      blood transfusion rates after same-day and staged bilateral THAs at different
      time intervals and to assess risk factors for these events. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed administrative data for 3785 patients treated with same
      day bilateral (n = 1946; group A) and staged bilateral THA within (1) 0-3 months
      apart (n = 328; group B); (2) 3-6 months apart (n = 703; group C); and (3) 6-12
      months apart (n = 808; group D), between 1999 and 2014. We recorded demographics,
      the Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index and in-hospital local and systemic (minor and
      major) complications. Complication and blood transfusion rates among groups were
      compared. A logistic regression model was developed to identify risk factors for
      major complications. RESULTS: Local complications were rare. Minor complications
      were less frequent in group A (P < .001). Major complications were more frequent
      in group D (P = .012). Group A had higher overall (P < .001) and allogeneic blood
      transfusion rates (P < .001) compared with the staged groups. Staged procedures
      within 6-12 months apart vs same-day bilateral THA, older age, Charlson-Deyo
      index >=2 vs 0, and earlier vs recent admission year were associated with higher
      adjusted odds for major complications. CONCLUSION: Same-day bilateral THA in a
      high-volume joint replacement center may be a safe option for younger and
      healthier patients, given the relatively low incidence of adverse events reported
      in this study.

PMID- 28629903
TI  - Recording Adverse Events Following Joint Arthroplasty: Financial Implications and
      Validation of an Adverse Event Assessment Form.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Ireland, funding of joint arthroplasty procedures has moved to a
      pay-by-results national tariff system. Typically, adverse clinical events are
      recorded via retrospective chart-abstraction methods by administrative staff.
      Missed or undocumented events not only affect the quality of patient care but
      also may unrealistically skew budgetary decisions that impact fiscal viability of
      the service. Accurate recording confers clinical benefits and financial
      transparency. The aim of this study was to compare a prospectively implemented
      adverse events form with the current national retrospective chart-abstraction
      method in terms of pay-by-results financial implications. METHODS: An adverse
      events form adapted from a similar validated model was used to prospectively
      record complications in 51 patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasties.
      Results were compared with the same cohort using an existing data abstraction
      method. Both data sets were coded in accordance with current standards for case
      funding. RESULTS: Overall, 114 events were recorded during the study through
      prospective charting of adverse events, compared with 15 events documented by
      customary method (a significant discrepancy). Wound drainage (15.8%) was the most
      common complication, followed by anemia (7.9%), lower respiratory tract
      infections (7.9%), and cardiac events (7%). A total of ?61,956 ($67,778) in
      missed funding was calculated as a result. CONCLUSION: This pilot study
      demonstrates the ability to improve capture of adverse events through use of a
      well-designed assessment form. Proper perioperative data handling is a critical
      aspect of financial subsidies, enabling optimal allocation of funds.

PMID- 28629905
TI  - 2017 American College of Rheumatology/American Association of Hip and Knee
      Surgeons Guideline for the Perioperative Management of Antirheumatic Medication
      in Patients With Rheumatic Diseases Undergoing Elective Total Hip or Total Knee
      Arthroplasty.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This collaboration between the American College of Rheumatology and
      the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons developed an evidence-based
      guideline for the perioperative management of antirheumatic drug therapy for
      adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) including
      ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis
      (JIA), or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) undergoing elective total hip (THA)
      or total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A panel of rheumatologists, orthopedic
      surgeons specializing in hip and knee arthroplasty, and methodologists was
      convened to construct the key clinical questions to be answered in the guideline.
      A multi-step systematic literature review was then conducted, from which evidence
      was synthesized for continuing versus withholding antirheumatic drug therapy and
      for optimal glucocorticoid management in the perioperative period. A Patient
      Panel was convened to determine patient values and preferences, and the Grading
      of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology was used to
      rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations, using a group
      consensus process through a convened Voting Panel of rheumatologists and
      orthopedic surgeons. The strength of the recommendation reflects the degree of
      certainty that benefits outweigh harms of the intervention, or vice versa,
      considering the quality of available evidence and the variability in patient
      values and preferences. RESULTS: The guideline addresses the perioperative use of
      antirheumatic drug therapy including traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic
      drugs, biologic agents, tofacitinib, and glucocorticoids in adults with RA, SpA,
      JIA, or SLE who are undergoing elective THA or TKA. It provides recommendations
      regarding when to continue, when to withhold, and when to restart these
      medications, and the optimal perioperative dosing of glucocorticoids. The
      guideline includes 7 recommendations, all of which are conditional and based on
      low- or moderate-quality evidence. CONCLUSION: This guideline should help
      decision-making by clinicians and patients regarding perioperative antirheumatic
      medication management at the time of elective THA or TKA. These conditional
      recommendations reflect the paucity of high-quality direct randomized controlled
      trial data.

PMID- 28629906
TI  - Can Bundled Payments Be Successful in the Medicaid Population for Primary Joint
      Arthroplasty?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although some bundled payment models have had success in total joint
      arthroplasty, concerns exist about access to care for higher cost patients who
      use more resources. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Medicaid
      patients have increased hospital costs and more resource utilization in a 90-day
      episode of care than Medicare or privately insured patients. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of 7268 primary hip and knee
      arthroplasty patients at a single institution. Using a propensity score-matching
      algorithm for demographic variables, we matched the 92 consecutive Medicaid
      patients with 184 privately insured and 184 Medicare patients. Hospital-specific
      costs, discharge disposition, complications, and 90-day readmissions were
      analyzed. RESULTS: Medicaid patients had higher mean inpatient hospital costs
      than both of the matched Medicare and privately insured groups ($15,396 vs
      $12,165 vs $13,864, P < .001) with longer length of stay (3.34 vs 2.49 vs 1.46
      days, P < .001). Medicaid and Medicare patients were more likely to be discharged
      to a rehabilitation facility than privately insured patients (17% vs 21% vs 1%, P
      < .001). When controlling for demographic factors and comorbidities, Medicaid
      insurance was a significant independent risk factor for increased hospital costs
      (odds ratio 3.64, 95% confidence interval 1.80-7.38, P < .001). CONCLUSION:
      Because of increased hospital costs, current bundled payment models should not
      include Medicaid patients because of concerns about patient selection and access
      to care. Further study is needed to determine whether bundling Medicaid
      arthroplasty costs in a stand-alone program with a separate target price will
      result in improved outcomes and decreased costs.

PMID- 28629907
TI  - The role of biosimilar manufacturers in improving access to insulin globally.

PMID- 28629908
TI  - Use of Underarm Cosmetic Products in Relation to Risk of Breast Cancer: A Case
      Control Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies on breast cancer (BC), underarm cosmetic products
      (UCP) and aluminum salts have shown conflicting results. We conducted a 1:1 age
      matched case-control study to investigate the risk for BC in relation to self
      reported UCP application. METHODS: Self-reported history of UCP use was compared
      between 209 female BC patients (cases) and 209 healthy controls. Aluminum
      concentration in breast tissue was measured in 100 cases and 52 controls.
      Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate
      odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for established
      BC risk factors. FINDINGS: Use of UCP was significantly associated with risk of
      BC (p=0.036). The risk for BC increased by an OR of 3.88 (95% CI 1.03-14.66) in
      women who reported using UCP's several times daily starting at an age earlier
      than 30years. Aluminum in breast tissue was found in both cases and controls and
      was significantly associated to self-reported UCP use (p=0.009). Median
      (interquartile) aluminum concentrations were significantly higher (p=0.001) in
      cases than in controls (5.8, 2.3-12.9 versus 3.8, 2.5-5.8nmol/g). INTERPRETATION:
      Frequent use of UCPs may lead to an accumulation of aluminum in breast tissue.
      More than daily use of UCPs at younger ages may increase the risk of BC.

PMID- 28629909
TI  - ASF1A in Gastric and Colorectal Cancer: On the Hinge Between Genetics and
      Epigenetics?

PMID- 28629910
TI  - Memory B Cells, the HLA-B*57 Allele and Natural Control of HIV Infection.

PMID- 28629911
TI  - Combined Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Top-down Microproteomics Reveals Evidence
      of a Hidden Proteome in Ovarian Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, it was demonstrated that proteins can be translated from
      alternative open reading frames (altORFs), increasing the size of the actual
      proteome. Top-down mass spectrometry-based proteomics allows the identification
      of intact proteins containing post-translational modifications (PTMs) as well as
      truncated forms translated from reference ORFs or altORFs. METHODS: Top-down
      tissue microproteomics was applied on benign, tumor and necrotic-fibrotic regions
      of serous ovarian cancer biopsies, identifying proteins exhibiting region
      specific cellular localization and PTMs. The regions of interest (ROIs) were
      determined by MALDI mass spectrometry imaging and spatial segmentation. FINDINGS:
      Analysis with a customized protein sequence database containing reference and
      alternative proteins (altprots) identified 15 altprots, including alternative G
      protein nucleolar 1 (AltGNL1) found in the tumor, and translated from an altORF
      nested within the GNL1 canonical coding sequence. Co-expression of GNL1 and
      altGNL1 was validated by transfection in HEK293 and HeLa cells with an expression
      plasmid containing a GNL1-FLAG(V5) construct. Western blot and immunofluorescence
      experiments confirmed constitutive co-expression of altGNL1-V5 with GNL1-FLAG.
      CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our approach provides means to evaluate protein
      changes in the case of serous ovarian cancer, allowing the detection of potential
      markers that have never been considered.

PMID- 28629913
TI  - Vascular Spasm: A Newly Unraveled Cause for Cardiovascular Adversity of
      Proteasome Inhibition.

PMID- 28629912
TI  - Calprotectin and the Magnitude of Antibodies to Infliximab in Clinically-stable
      Ulcerative Colitis Patients are More Relevant Than Infliximab Trough Levels and
      Pharmacokinetics for Therapeutic Escalation.
AB  - Although infliximab (IFX) is an efficient therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC)
      patients, a considerably high rate of therapeutic failures still occurs. This
      study aimed at a better understanding of IFX pharmacokinetics and
      pharmacodynamics among clinically-asymptomatic UC patients. This was a
      multicentric and prospective study involving 65 UC patients in the maintenance
      phase of IFX therapy. There were no significant differences between patients with
      positive and negative clinical, endoscopic and histological outcomes concerning
      their IFX trough levels (TLs), area under the IFX concentration vs. time curve
      (AUC), clearance and antibodies to infliximab (ATI) levels. However, the need to
      undergo therapeutic escalation later in disease development was significantly
      associated with higher ATI levels (2.62MUg/mL vs. 1.15MUg/mL, p=0.028). Moreover,
      and after adjusting for disease severity, the HR (hazard ratio) for therapeutic
      escalation was significantly decreased for patients with an ATI concentration
      below 3MUg/mL (HR=0.119, p=0.010), and increased for patients with fecal
      calprotectin (FC) level above 250MUg/g (HR=9.309, p=0.018). In clinically-stable
      UC patients, IFX pharmacokinetic features cannot predict therapeutic response on
      a short-term basis. However, high levels of ATIs or FC may be indicative of a
      future therapeutic escalation.

PMID- 28629915
TI  - Video Laryngoscopy for Endotracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults: A
      Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation (EI) in ICU patients is associated with an
      increased risk of life-threatening adverse events due to unstable conditions,
      rapid deterioration, limited preparation time, and variability in the expertise
      of operators. The goal of this study was to compare the effect of video
      laryngoscopy (VL) and direct laryngoscopy (DL) in ICU patients requiring EI.
      METHODS: We searched for relevant studies in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane
      database from inception through January 30, 2017. Randomized controlled trials
      were included if they reported data on any of the predefined outcomes in ICU
      patients requiring EI and managed with VL or DL. Results were expressed as risk
      ratios (RRs) or mean differences (MDs) with accompanying 95% CIs. RESULTS: Five
      randomized controlled trials with 1,301 patients were included. Despite better
      glottic visualization with VL (RR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.43; P = .003), use of
      VL did not result in a significant increase in the first-attempt success rate (RR
      = 1.08; 95% CI, 0.92-1.26; P = .35) compared with DL. In addition, time to
      intubation (MD = 4.12 s; 95% CI, -15.86-24.09; P = .69), difficult intubation (RR
      = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.30-1.70; P = .45), mortality (RR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.84-1.25; P =
      .83), and most other complications were similar between the VL and DL groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: The VL technique did not increase the first-attempt success rate
      during EI in ICU patients compared with DL. These findings do not support routine
      use of VL in ICU patients.

PMID- 28629914
TI  - Mortality Risk Prediction in Scleroderma-Related Interstitial Lung Disease: The
      SADL Model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is an important cause of morbidity
      and mortality in patients with scleroderma (Scl). Risk prediction and
      prognostication in patients with Scl-ILD are challenging because of heterogeneity
      in the disease course. METHODS: We aimed to develop a clinical mortality risk
      prediction model for Scl-ILD. Patients with Scl-ILD were identified from two
      ongoing longitudinal cohorts: 135 patients at the University of California, San
      Francisco (derivation cohort) and 90 patients at the Mayo Clinic (validation
      cohort). Using these two separate cohorts, a mortality risk prediction model was
      developed and validated by testing every potential candidate Cox model, each
      including three or four variables of a possible 19 clinical predictors, for time
      to death. Model discrimination was assessed using the C-index. RESULTS: Three
      variables were included in the final risk prediction model (SADL): ever smoking
      history, age, and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (%
      predicted). This continuous model had similar performance in the derivation (C
      index, 0.88) and validation (C-index, 0.84) cohorts. We created a point scoring
      system using the combined cohort (C-index, 0.82) and used it to identify a
      classification with low, moderate, and high mortality risk at 3 years.
      CONCLUSIONS: The SADL model uses simple, readily accessible clinical variables to
      predict all-cause mortality in Scl-ILD.

PMID- 28629916
TI  - A Medical Student Perspective on Physician-Assisted Suicide.
AB  - Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS/E) has been increasingly discussed
      and debated in the public arena, including in professional medical organizations.
      However, the medical student perspective on the debate has essentially been
      absent. We present a medical student perspective on the PAS/E debate as future
      doctors and those about to enter the profession. We argue that PAS/E is not in
      line with the core principles of medicine and that the focus should be rather on
      providing high-quality end-of-life and palliative care.

PMID- 28629917
TI  - Personalized Management Approach for OSA.
AB  - OSA is a heterogeneous disorder. If left untreated, it has major health, safety,
      and economic consequences. In addition to varying levels of impairment in
      pharyngeal anatomy (narrow/collapsible airway), nonanatomical "phenotypic traits"
      are also important contributors to OSA for most patients. However, the majority
      of existing therapies (eg, CPAP, oral appliances, weight loss, positional
      therapy, upper airway surgery) target only the anatomical cause. These are
      typically administered as monotherapy according to a trial and error management
      approach in which the majority of patients are first prescribed CPAP. Despite its
      high efficacy, CPAP adherence remains unacceptably low, and second-line therapies
      have variable and unpredictable efficacies. Recent advances in knowledge
      regarding the multiple causes of OSA using respiratory phenotyping techniques
      have identified new targets or "treatable traits" to direct therapy.
      Identification of the traits and development of therapies that selectively target
      one or more of the treatable traits has the potential to personalize the
      management of this chronic health condition to optimize patient outcomes
      according to precision medicine principles. This brief review highlights the
      latest developments and emerging therapies for personalized management approaches
      for OSA.

PMID- 28629918
TI  - Trajectories of Emergent Central Sleep Apnea During CPAP Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The emergence of central sleep apnea (CSA) during positive airway
      pressure (PAP) therapy has been observed clinically in approximately 10% of
      obstructive sleep apnea titration studies. This study assessed a PAP database to
      investigate trajectories of treatment-emergent CSA during continuous PAP (CPAP)
      therapy. METHODS: U.S. telemonitoring device data were analyzed for the
      presence/absence of emergent CSA at baseline (week 1) and week 13. Defined groups
      were as follows: obstructive sleep apnea (average central apnea index [CAI] < 5/h
      in week 1, < 5/h in week 13); transient CSA (CAI >= 5/h in week 1, < 5/h in week
      13); persistent CSA (CAI >= 5/h in week 1, >= 5/h in week 13); emergent CSA (CAI
      < 5/h in week 1, >= 5/h in week 13). RESULTS: Patients (133,006) used CPAP for >=
      90 days and had >= 1 day with use of >= 1 h in week 1 and week 13. The proportion
      of patients with CSA in week 1 or week 13 was 3.5%; of these, CSA was transient,
      persistent, or emergent in 55.1%, 25.2%, and 19.7%, respectively. Patients with
      vs without treatment-emergent CSA were older, had higher residual apnea-hypopnea
      index and CAI at week 13, and more leaks (all P < .001). Patients with any
      treatment-emergent CSA were at higher risk of therapy termination vs those who
      did not develop CSA (all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified a variety
      of CSA trajectories during CPAP therapy, identifying several different clinical
      phenotypes. Identification of treatment-emergent CSA by telemonitoring could
      facilitate early intervention to reduce the risk of therapy discontinuation and
      shift to more efficient ventilator modalities.

PMID- 28629920
TI  - Pulmonary Hypertension in Parenchymal Lung Diseases: Any Future for New
      Therapies?
AB  - Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to chronic lung disease is associated with a poor
      prognosis, regardless of the underlying respiratory condition. Updated PH
      guidelines recommend optimal treatment of the underlying lung disease, including
      long-term oxygen therapy, in patients with chronic hypoxemia despite the lack of
      randomized controlled clinical trials supporting this statement. So far,
      randomized controlled trials of drugs approved for pulmonary arterial
      hypertension have yielded discouraging results in both interstitial lung diseases
      and COPD with PH. In some cases, the trials were terminated because of an
      increase in death and other major adverse events in the active treatment arm vs
      placebo. In cases of PH due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, new therapies under
      investigation use a combination of novel antifibrotic treatments and other
      treatments approved for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The choice of robust end
      points as well as a target group of patients with specific hemodynamic criteria
      may help in the selection of innovative therapeutic strategies. The aim of this
      review is to discuss recent studies and clinical trials for the treatment of PH
      due to the main chronic respiratory diseases and to discuss possible future
      scenarios for the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28629919
TI  - Comparing Pulmonary Nodule Location During Electromagnetic Bronchoscopy With
      Predicted Location on the Basis of Two Virtual Airway Maps at Different Phases of
      Respiration.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) is guided
      bronchoscopy to pulmonary nodules (PN) that relies on a preprocedural chest CT to
      create a three-dimensional (3D) virtual airway map. The CT is traditionally done
      at a full inspiratory breath hold (INSP), but the procedure is performed while
      the patient tidal breaths, when lung volumes are closer to functional residual
      capacity. Movement of a PN from INSP to expiration (EXP) has been shown to
      average 17.6 mm. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study is that preprocedural
      virtual maps built off a CT closer to physiological lung volumes during
      bronchoscopy may better represent the actual 3D location of a PN. METHODS:
      Consecutive patients with a PN needing a histological diagnosis were enrolled. A
      preprocedure INSP and EXP CT scan were obtained to create two virtual maps.
      During the airway inspection, the system tracked the sensor probe to collect 3D
      points that were reconstructed into the lumen registration map. This map is
      thought to best represent the patient's airways during bronchoscopy. Predicted PN
      location on an EXP and INSP map was compared with lumen registration. RESULTS:
      Twenty consecutive PN underwent ENB. The predicted PN location, compared with
      lumen registration, was significantly closer on EXP vs INSP (4.5 mm +/- 3.3 mm vs
      14.8 mm +/- 9.7 mm; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Predicted 3D nodule location using
      an EXP scan for ENB is significantly closer to actual nodule location when
      compared with an INSP scan, but whether this leads to increased yields needs to
      be determined.

PMID- 28629921
TI  - The importance of vaccine supply chains to everyone in the vaccine world.
AB  - While the focus of many in the vaccine world has been on developing new vaccines
      and measuring their effects on humans, failure to understand and properly address
      vaccine supply chain issues can greatly reduce the impact of any vaccine.
      Therefore, everyone involved in vaccine decision-making may want to take into
      account supply chains when making key decisions. In fact, considering supply
      chain issues long before a vaccine reaches the market can help design vaccines
      and vaccine programs that better match the system. We detail how vaccine supply
      chains may affect the work and decision making of ten examples of different
      members of the vaccine community: preclinical vaccinologists, vaccine clinical
      trialists, vaccine package designers, health care workers, epidemiologists and
      disease surveillance experts, policy makers, storage equipment manufacturers,
      other technology developers, information system specialists, and funders. We
      offer ten recommendations to help decision makers better understand and address
      supply chains.

PMID- 28629922
TI  - Vaccination with a codon-optimized A27L-containing plasmid decreases virus
      replication and dissemination after vaccinia virus challenge.
AB  - Smallpox is a disease caused by Variola virus (VARV). Although eradicated by WHO
      in 1980, the threat of using VARV on a bioterror attack has increased. The
      current smallpox vaccine ACAM2000, which consists of live vaccinia virus (VACV),
      causes complications in individuals with a compromised immune system or with
      previously reported skin diseases. Thus, a safer and efficacious vaccine needs to
      be developed. Previously, we reported that our virus-free DNA vaccine
      formulation, a pVAX1 plasmid encoding codon-optimized VACV A27L gene (pA27LOPT)
      with and without Imiquimod adjuvant, stimulates A27L-specific production of IFN
      gamma and increases humoral immunity 7days post-vaccination. Here, we
      investigated the immune response of our novel vaccine by measuring the frequency
      of splenocytes producing IFN-gamma by ELISPOT, the TH1 and TH2 cytokine profiles,
      and humoral immune responses two weeks post-vaccination, when animals were
      challenged with VACV. In all assays, the A27-based DNA vaccine conferred
      protective immune responses. Specifically, two weeks after vaccination, mice were
      challenged intranasally with vaccinia virus, and viral titers in mouse lungs and
      ovaries were significantly lower in groups immunized with pA27LOPT and
      pA27LOPT+Imiquimod. These results demonstrate that our vaccine formulation
      decreases viral replication and dissemination in a virus-free DNA vaccine
      platform, and provides an alternative towards a safer an efficacious vaccine.

PMID- 28629923
TI  - Immunogenicity and safety of a fully liquid DTaP-IPV-HB-PRP~T hexavalent vaccine
      compared with the standard of care in infants in the Republic of Korea.

PMID- 28629924
TI  - Predicting Health Care Utilization for Children With Respiratory Insufficiency
      Using Parent-Proxy Ratings of Children's Health-Related Quality of Life.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Children with chronic respiratory insufficiency and mechanical
      ventilation often experience acute illnesses requiring unscheduled
      hospitalizations. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) may predict future health
      care utilization. METHODS: Participants were 30 days to 22 years old with chronic
      respiratory insufficiency (N = 120). Parent-proxies completed global HRQL and
      general health measures. Outcomes were total health care (emergency department,
      outpatient, inpatient) and inpatient days over 6 months. Adjusted negative
      binomial regression estimated the effects of global HRQL and general health on
      utilization. RESULTS: Three quarters of children had any utilization; 32% had
      hospitalizations. Children with poor/fair global HRQL had 3.7 times more health
      care days than those with very good/excellent global HRQL. Children with
      poor/fair global HRQL had 6.3 times more inpatient days than those with very
      good/excellent global HRQL. Similar relationships existed between general health
      and utilization. DISCUSSION: HRQL was associated with health care and inpatient
      days. Clinical teams can use HRQL as a marker for utilization risk, enabling
      potentially earlier intervention, better outcomes, and lower costs.

PMID- 28629925
TI  - A 50% reduction in multiple live birth rate is associated with a 13% cost saving:
      a real-life retrospective cost analysis.
AB  - Belgian legislation limiting the number of embryos for transfer has been shown to
      result in a 50% reduction of the multiple live birth rate (MLBR) per cycle
      without having a negative impact on the cumulative delivery rate per patient
      within six cycles or 36 months. The objective of the current study was to
      evaluate the cost saving associated with a 50% reduction in MLBR. A retrospective
      cost analysis was performed of 213 couples, who became pregnant and had a live
      birth after one or more assisted reproductive technology treatment cycles, and
      their 254 children. The mean cost of a singleton (n = 172) and multiple (n = 41)
      birth was calculated based on individual hospital invoices. The cost analysis
      showed a significantly higher total cost (assisted reproductive technology
      treatment, pregnancy follow-up, delivery, child cost until the age of 2 years)
      for multiple births (both children: mean ?43,397) than for singleton births
      (mean: ?17,866) (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney P < 0.0001). A 50% reduction in MLBR
      resulted in a significant cost reduction related to hospital care of 13%.

PMID- 28629926
TI  - Different functional susceptibilities of mouse retinal ganglion cell subtypes to
      optic nerve crush injury.
AB  - In optic neuropathies, the progressive deterioration of retinal ganglion cell
      (RGC) function leads to irreversible vision loss. Increasing experimental
      evidence suggests differing susceptibility for RGC functional subtypes. Here with
      multi-electrode array recordings, RGC functional loss was characterized at
      multiple time points in a mouse model of optic nerve crush. Firing rate, latency
      of response and receptive field size were analyzed for ON, OFF and ON-OFF RGCs
      separately. It was observed that responses and receptive fields of OFF cells were
      impaired earlier than ON cells after the injury. For the ON-OFF cells, the OFF
      component of response was also more susceptible to optic nerve injury than the ON
      component. Moreover, more ON transient cells survived than ON sustained cells
      post the crush, implying a diversified vulnerability for ON cells. Together,
      these data support the contention that RGCs' functional degeneration in optic
      nerve injury is subtype dependent, a fact that needs to be considered when
      developing treatments of glaucomatous retinal ganglion cell degeneration and
      other optic neuropathies.

PMID- 28629928
TI  - Safety and Efficacy of Endovascular Fiducial Marker Insertion for CyberKnife
      Stereotactic Radiation Therapy Planning in Early-Stage Lung Cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endovascular fiducial markers
      (EVFMs) for CyberKnife stereotactic radiation therapy (RT) of malignant lung
      neoplasms in patients with contraindications to percutaneous fiducial marker
      (PTFM) placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2011 and December 2013,
      15 patients (7 men and 8 women) aged 59-87 years (mean, 73 y) underwent EVFM
      placement and 109 patients (54 men and 55 women) aged 55-92 years (mean, 73 y)
      underwent 114 PTFM placements. All patients who received EVFMs had
      contraindications to PTFM insertion. Complications were recorded for all 129
      procedures. Proportions of markers used for CyberKnife stereotactic RT planning
      and distance between markers and tumor were assessed in all 15 patients in the
      EVFM group and in 15 randomly selected patients in the PTFM group. RESULTS: Sixty
      two EVFMs and 56 PTFMs were inserted in the groups of 15 patients. CyberKnife
      stereotactic RT was not performed in 2 EVFM recipients (8 EVFMs) and 1 PTFM
      recipient (4 PTFMs). CyberKnife stereotactic RT was planned with the use of 39 of
      54 EVFMs (72%) in 13 patients and 37 of 52 PTFMs (71%) in 14 patients. Mean
      distances between the tumor and EVFMs and PTFMs were 5.5 mm and 2.7 mm,
      respectively (P = .0152). No complications occurred in the EVFM group. In the
      PTFM group, 60 of 114 patients (52.6%) had small or moderate pneumothoraxes, 13
      (11.4%) had chest tubes inserted, and 5 (4.4%) had self-limiting hemoptysis.
      CONCLUSIONS: EVFM is feasible and safe, and may therefore offer an alternative
      when patients are not candidates for percutaneous marker placement.

PMID- 28629929
TI  - Interactions between microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in cardiac development
      and repair.
AB  - Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging players in muscle regulation. Based on
      their length and differences in molecular structure, ncRNAs are subdivided into
      several categories including small interfering RNAs, stable non-coding RNAs,
      microRNAs (miRs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs. miRs and
      lncRNAs are able to post-transcriptionally regulate many genes and bring into
      play several traits simultaneously due to a myriad of different targets. Recent
      studies have emphasized their importance in cardiac regeneration and repair. As
      their altered expression affects cardiac function, miRs and lncRNAs could be
      potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this context, miR- and lncRNA
      based gene therapies are an interesting field for harnessing the complexity of
      ncRNA-based therapeutic approaches in cardiac diseases. In this review we will
      focus on lncRNA- and miR-driven regulations of cardiac development and repair.
      Finally, we will summarize miRs and lncRNAs as promising candidates for the
      treatment of heart diseases.

PMID- 28629927
TI  - Quick-freeze/deep-etch electron microscopy visualization of the mouse posterior
      pole.
AB  - The mouse is one of the most commonly used mammalian systems to study human
      diseases. In particular it has been an invaluable tool to model a multitude of
      ocular pathologies affecting the posterior pole. The aim of this study was to
      create a comprehensive map of the ultrastructure of the mouse posterior pole
      using the quick-freeze/deep-etch method (QFDE). QFDE can produce detailed three
      dimensional images of tissue structure and macromolecular moieties, without many
      of the artifacts introduced by structure-altering post-processing methods
      necessary to perform conventional transmission electron microscopy (cTEM). A
      total of 18 eyes from aged C57BL6/J mice were enucleated and the posterior poles
      were processed, either intact or with the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell
      layer removed, for imaging by either QFDE or cTEM. QFDE images were correlated
      with cTEM cross-sections and en face images through the outer retina. Nicely
      preserved outer retinal architecture was observed with both methods, however,
      QFDE provided excellent high magnification imaging, with greater detail, of the
      apical, central, and basal planes of the RPE. Furthermore, key landmarks within
      Bruch's membrane, choriocapillaris, choroid and sclera were characterized and
      identified. In this study we developed methods for preparing the outer retina of
      the mouse for evaluation with QFDE and provide a map of the ultrastructure and
      cellular composition of the outer posterior pole. This technique should be
      applicable for morphological evaluation of mouse models, in which detailed
      visualization of subtle ocular structural changes is needed or in cases where
      post-processing methods introduce unacceptable artifacts.

PMID- 28629930
TI  - Dining with dad: Fathers' influences on family food practices.
AB  - Scholars have documented multiple influences on family food practices. This
      article examines an overlooked contributor to family diet: fathers. Using 109 in
      depth interviews with middle and upper-middle class mothers, adolescents, and
      fathers in the United States, I show how fathers can undermine mothers' efforts
      to provision a healthy diet. While family members perceive mothers as committed
      to provisioning a healthy diet, many fathers are seen as, at best, detached and,
      at worst, a threat to mothers' dietary aspirations. Fathers not only do little
      foodwork; they are also viewed as less concerned about their own and other family
      members' dietary health. When tasked with feeding, many fathers often turn to
      quick, unhealthy options explicitly avoided by mothers. Mothers report efforts to
      limit fathers' involvement in foodwork to ensure the healthiness of adolescents'
      diets, with variation across families by mothers' employment status. Fathers'
      dietary approaches reflect and reinforce traditional gender norms and
      expectations within families. In highlighting how and why fathers can undermine
      mothers' efforts to provision a healthy diet, this study deepens our
      understanding of the myriad dynamics shaping family food practices.

PMID- 28629931
TI  - Fathers' feeding practices and children's weight status in Mexican American
      families.
AB  - Mothers' feeding practices are associated with their children's weight status,
      but little is known about the associations between fathers' feeding practices and
      children's weight status. Moreover, there is a dearth of research on Latino
      fathers' feeding practices and children's weight status, even though Latino
      children suffer some of the highest obesity rates in the U.S. We examined the
      associations between fathers' feeding practices and child weight status,
      conditional on mothers' feeding practices, within 174 Mexican American families
      with children aged 8-10 years. Parents completed the Parental Feeding Practices
      Questionnaire, which consists of four subscales: positive involvement in child
      eating, pressure to eat, use of food to control behavior, and restriction of
      amount of food. To assess child weight status, body mass index (BMI) was
      calculated and converted to age- and gender-specific percentile scores (BMI z
      score). We fit four sets of regression models, one set for each of the four
      parental feeding practices subscales, with child BMI z-score as the outcome
      variable. Fathers' pressure to eat (b = -0.20, p = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.39, -0.01)
      and use of food to control behavior (b = -0.36, p = 0.02; 95% CI: -0.65, -0.07)
      were associated with lower child BMI z-score, and restriction of amount of food
      (b = 0.56, p < 0.001; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.84) was associated with higher child BMI z
      score, after accounting for mothers' feeding practices. Fathers' positive
      involvement in child eating was not associated with child BMI z-score. These
      findings provide empirical evidence that fathers' feeding practices are
      independently associated with children's weight status, even when mothers'
      feeding practices are taken into account, and suggest that fathers' feeding
      practices also matter in regard to children's weight status.

PMID- 28629932
TI  - Systemic antimicrobial prophylaxis in burn patients: systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review studies of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in burn patients.
      METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for human clinical trials performed
      between 1966 and 2016 that compared prophylactic systemic antibiotics with
      placebo or no intervention. RESULTS: Nineteen trials met the selection criteria.
      Early postburn prophylaxis was assessed in non-severe burn patients (six trials)
      and severe burn patients (seven trials). Antimicrobial prophylaxis showed no
      effectiveness for the prevention of toxic shock syndrome or burn wound infection
      (Grade 1C), but could be useful in patients with severe burns and requirement for
      mechanical ventilation (Grade 2B). Perioperative prophylaxis was assessed in six
      trials. Antimicrobial prophylaxis during resection of devitalized tissue is of no
      benefit in most burn patients (Grade 2B); however, there is insufficient evidence
      to make a recommendation for patients with extensive burns. Antibiotic
      prophylaxis may also be effective in preventing split-thickness skin graft
      infections in selected procedures (Grade 2B). CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence
      does not support the role of systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in the management of
      the majority of burn patients. Nevertheless, it may be useful in patients with
      severe burns who require mechanical ventilation, and in selected split-thickness
      skin grafting procedures.

PMID- 28629933
TI  - Lignans from the root of Wikstroemia indica and their cytotoxic activity against
      PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells.
AB  - Six new compounds, wikstronin A (1), wikstronin B (2), wikstresinol (3),
      acetylwikstresinol (4), bis-5',5'-(+)-matairesinol (5), bis-5,5'-(+)-matairesinol
      (6), together with 20 known compounds (7-26) were isolated from the CH2Cl2
      extract of roots of Wikstroemia indica. Structures of compounds 1-6 were
      determined by extensive NMR and CD spectroscopic analysis. In vitro preferential
      cytotoxicity of all the isolates was evaluated against a PANC-1 human pancreatic
      cell line. Compounds 8 and 12 displayed mild preferential cytotoxicity in the
      nutrient-deprived medium (NDM) and without causing toxicity in normal nutrient
      rich conditions.

PMID- 28629934
TI  - Recent advances in Leishmania reverse genetics: Manipulating a manipulative
      parasite.
AB  - In this review we describe the expanding repertoire of molecular tools with which
      to study gene function in Leishmania. Specifically we review the tools available
      for studying functions of essential genes, such as plasmid shuffle and DiCre, as
      well as the rapidly expanding portfolio of available CRISPR/Cas9 approaches for
      large scale gene knockout and endogenous tagging. We include detail on approaches
      that allow the direct manipulation of RNA using RNAi and protein levels via Tet
      or DiCre induced overexpression and destabilization domain mediated degradation.
      The utilisation of current methods and the development of more advanced molecular
      tools will lead to greater understanding of the role of essential genes in the
      parasite and thereby more robust drug target validation, thereby paving the way
      for the development of novel therapeutics to treat this important disease.

PMID- 28629935
TI  - A DiCre recombinase-based system for inducible expression in Leishmania major.
AB  - Here we present the establishment of an inducible system based on the dimerizable
      Cre recombinase (DiCre) for controlled gene expression in the protozoan parasite
      Leishmania. Rapamycin-induced DiCre activation promoted efficient flipping and
      expression of gene products in a time and dose-dependent manner. The DiCre
      flipping activity induced the expression of target genes from both integrated and
      episomal contexts broadening the applicability of the system. We validated the
      system by inducing the expression of both full length and truncated forms of the
      checkpoint protein Rad9, which revealed that the highly divergent C-terminal
      domain of Rad9 is necessary for proper subcellular localization. Thus, by
      establishing the DiCre-based inducible system we have created and validated a
      robust new tool for assessing gene function in Leishmania.

PMID- 28629937
TI  - The multi-mode modulator: A versatile fluidic device for two-dimensional gas
      chromatography.
AB  - A fluidic device called the multi-mode modulator (MMM) has been developed for use
      as a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) modulator. The
      MMM can be employed in a wide range of capacities including as a traditional
      heart-cutting device, a low duty cycle GC x GC modulator, and a full transfer GC
      x GC modulator. The MMM is capable of producing narrow component pulses (widths
      <50ms) while operating at flows compatible with high resolution chromatography.
      The sample path of modulated components is confined to the interior of a joining
      capillary. The joining capillary dimensions and the position of the columns
      within the joining capillary can be optimized for the selected modulation mode.
      Furthermore, the joining capillary can be replaced easily and inexpensively if it
      becomes fouled due to sample matrix components or column bleed. The principles of
      operation of the MMM are described and its efficacy is demonstrated as a heart
      cutting device and as a GC x GC modulator.

PMID- 28629936
TI  - Logit-log evaluation of planar yeast estrogen screens.
AB  - Receptor assays like the yeast estrogen screen (YES) performed in microtiter
      plates normally provide dose-response curves with a sigmoidal shape in semi-log
      plots. Such sigmoidal plots can be linearized by the logit function resulting in
      logit-log plots, as mainly known for the evaluation of enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays and radioimmunoassays. Since the planar yeast estrogen
      screen (pYES) represents the transfer of the receptor assay YES to high
      performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC), it was assumed to obtain sigmoidal
      shaped dose-response curves from the measured signals, which subsequently could
      be used to generate logit-log plots. However, it was observed that typical
      sigmoidal curves were not obtained, when peak areas were plotted against the
      applied amount on a logarithmic scale (log amount). Therefore, peak heights were
      examined in the present study, which revealed proper dose-response curves when
      plotted against the log amount. The presence of sigmoidal dose-response curves
      from HPTLC-pYES made it possible to transform the signals into logits and,
      therefore, to create logit-log plots with linear correlations. The logit-log
      plots for the estrogen active compounds (EAC) 17beta-estradiol (E2) and 17alpha
      ethinylestradiol (EE2) provided a working range up to 500pg/zone. Applying logit
      log plots, mean recovery rates for E2 and EE2 from spiked water samples (2
      20ng/L) were determined to 90% and 108%, respectively, with <=24% RSD. Moreover,
      the linear graphs allowed an easy determination of the half maximal effect dose
      (ED50) of EAC, since the intersection of the graph with the abscissa represents
      the ED50. Additionally, with the knowledge of the ED50 values, the estrogenic
      potential of EAC in terms of estradiol equivalent factors (EEF) could be
      determined, resulting in 0.64 for EE2.

PMID- 28629938
TI  - Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) nanoparticle-coated capillary with oriented antibody
      immobilization for immunoaffinity in-tube solid phase microextraction:
      Preparation and characterization.
AB  - A combination between modification with nanoparticles (NP) and oriented antibody
      immobilization (OAI) on the inner face of capillary was for the first time
      developed for immunoaffinity in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) to
      promise high antigen extraction capacity. beta2-microglobin (beta2MG) and
      cystatin C (Cys-C) were selected as model antigens. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate)
      (PGMA) NPs were chemically immobilized onto the capillary by a ring-opening
      reaction. Antibodies for beta2MG and Cys-C were immobilized on the NPs through
      OAI. Scanning electron micrograph of the OAI capillary clearly showed that the
      PGMA NPs were coated onto the inner surface of capillary in a dense monolayer. In
      addition, random antibody immobilized (RAI) capillaries and OAI capillaries
      without NP were also prepared as controls. The extraction capacities of OAI
      capillaries were 2.02 and 2.18mgm-1 for beta2MG and Cys-C, and were about 5 and 6
      times as many as RAI capillaries and OAI capillaries without NP, respectively.
      The resultant capillaries were used as in-tube SPME materials to enrich beta2MG
      and Cys-C for particle-enhanced turbidimetric immunoassay. When using 1.0mgL-1
      standard solutions, the recoveries of OAI capillaries, RAI capillaries and OAI
      capillaries without NP were 103.6% and 96.8%, 48.5% and 31.5%, and 24.2% and
      25.7% for beta2MG and Cys-C, respectively. Furthermore, the method quantitation
      limit by OAI capillaries was 5 and 10 times lower than that by RAI capillaries
      and OAI capillaries without NP, respectively. This result indicated that the NP
      coated capillaries with OAI are more suitable for using as immunoaffinity in-tube
      SPME materials than that with RAI.

PMID- 28629939
TI  - Preparation and evaluation of 400MUm I.D. polymer-based hydrophilic interaction
      chromatography monolithic columns with high column efficiency.
AB  - The quest for higher column efficiency is one of the major research areas in
      polymer-based monolithic column fabrication. In this research, two novel polymer
      based HILIC monolithic columns with 400MUm I.D.*800MUm O.D. were prepared based
      on the thermally initiated co-polymerization of N,N-dimethyl-N-(3
      methacrylamidopropyl)-N-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium betaine (SPP) and ethylene
      glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) or N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). In order to
      obtain a satisfactory performance in terms of column permeability, mechanical
      stability, efficiency and selectivity, the polymerization parameters were
      systematically optimized. Column efficiencies as high as 142, 000 plates/m and
      120, 000 plates/m were observed for the analysis of neutral compounds at 0.6mm/s
      on the poly(SPP-co-MBA) and poly(SPP-co-EDMA) monoliths, respectively.
      Furthermore, the Van Deemter plots for thiourea on the two monoliths were
      compared with that on a commercial silica based ZIC-HILIC column (3.5MUm, 200A,
      150mm*300MUm I.D.) using ACN/H2O (90/10, v/v) as the mobile phase at room
      temperature. It was noticeable that the Van Deemter curves for both monoliths,
      particularly the poly(SPP-co-MBA) monolith, are significantly flatter than that
      obtained for the ZIC-HILIC column, which indicates that in spite of their larger
      internal diameters, they yield better overall efficiency, with less peak
      dispersion, across a much wider range of usable linear velocities. A clearly
      better separation performance was also observed for nucleobases, nucleosides,
      nucleotides and small peptides on the poly(SPP-co-MBA) monolith compared to the
      ZIC-HILIC column. It is particularly worth mentioning that these 400MUm I.D.
      polymer-based HILIC monolithic columns exhibit enhanced mechanical strength owing
      to the thicker capillary wall of the fused-silica capillaries.

PMID- 28629940
TI  - Highly informative multiclass profiling of lipids by ultra-high performance
      liquid chromatography - Low resolution (quadrupole) mass spectrometry by using
      electrospray ionization and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interfaces.
AB  - A simple, fast, and versatile method, using an ultra-high performance liquid
      chromatography system coupled with a low resolution (single quadrupole) mass
      spectrometer was optimized to perform multiclass lipid profiling of human plasma.
      Particular attention was made to develop a method suitable for both electrospray
      ionization and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interfaces (sequentially
      in positive- and negative-ion mode), without any modification of the
      chromatographic conditions (mobile phase, flow-rate, gradient, etc.). Emphasis
      was given to the extrapolation of the structural information based on the
      fragmentation pattern obtained using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization
      interface, under each different ionization condition, highlighting the
      complementary information obtained using the electrospray ionization interface,
      of support for related molecule ions identification. Furthermore, mass spectra of
      phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol obtained using the atmospheric
      pressure chemical ionization interface are reported and discussed for the first
      time.

PMID- 28629941
TI  - Does patella lowering improve crouch gait in cerebral palsy? Comparative
      retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patella lowering aims to improve quadriceps function as a means of
      correcting crouch gait in patients with cerebral palsy. Few studies have assessed
      the effects of patella lowering as a component of multilevel surgery. HYPOTHESIS:
      Including patella lowering into the components of multilevel surgery is
      beneficial in patients with crouch gait and patella alta. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      In 12 lower limbs with patella alta (Caton-Deschamps index>1.4) in 41 children
      with cerebral palsy, patella lowering was performed, without distal femoral
      extension osteotomy or hamstring release. Among limbs with similar surgical
      procedures (e.g., hamstring lengthening, rectus femoris transfer) except for
      patella lowering, controls were selected retrospectively by matching on a
      propensity score for patella lowering. The propensity score was computed based on
      preoperative knee flexion contracture, knee extension lag, and minimum knee
      flexion at mid-stance. Clinical and 3D kinematic data were compared between the
      two groups. RESULTS: The improvement in minimum knee flexion at mid-stance was
      significantly greater in the group with patellar lowering (-24 degrees +/-12
      degrees vs. -12 degrees +/-7 degrees ). The Gait Deviation Index improved
      similarly in the two groups. Knee flexion contracture improved only in the group
      with patellar lowering. Extension lag did not improve in either group. Peak knee
      flexion during the swing phase remained unchanged in both groups. DISCUSSION:
      Patellar lowering is effective in diminishing minimum knee flexion at mid-stance
      in patients with patella alta and crouch gait due to cerebral palsy. Patellar
      lowering has not adverse effects on gait. These findings cannot be assumed to
      apply to patients with normal patellar height. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV
      (retrospective study).

PMID- 28629942
TI  - Can a target zone safer than Lewinnek's safe zone be defined to prevent
      instability of total hip arthroplasties? Case-control study of 56 dislocated THA
      and 93 matched controls.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Various factors contribute to instability of total hip arthroplasty
      (THA), with implant orientation being a major contributor. We performed a case
      control study with computed tomography (CT) data to determine whether: 1)
      orientation contributes to THA instability and 2) a safer target zone for
      stability than Lewinnek's classic safe zone can be defined. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      We included prospectively 363 cases of THA dislocation that occurred during the
      calendar 2013 year in 24 participating hospitals. Of the 128 dislocations that
      occurred in patients who underwent THA at these centers, 56 (24 anterior, 32
      posterior) had CT scans, thus were included in the analysis. The control group
      was matched 4:1 based on implant type, year of implantation, age, sex, bearing
      types and THA indication. Of the 428 matched control THA cases, 93 had CT scans.
      In all, the CT scans from 149 cases (56 unstable, 93 stable) were analyzed to
      determine the acetabular cup's inclination and anteversion, and the femoral
      stem's anteversion. RESULTS: In the unstable THA group, cup inclination was 46.9
      degrees +/-7.4 degrees , cup anteversion was 20.4 degrees +/-10.8 degrees  and
      stem anteversion was 14.2 degrees +/-9.9 degrees . In the stable THA group, cup
      inclination was 44.9 degrees +/-5.3 degrees  (P=0.057), cup anteversion was 22.1
      degrees +/-5.1 degrees  (P=0.009) and stem anteversion was 13.4 degrees +/-4.4
      degrees  (P=0.362). The optimal total anteversion (cup+stem) of 40-60 degrees 
      was achieved in 16.5% of unstable THA cases and 13.9% of stable THA cases, thus
      this parameter does not predict stability (odds ratio [OR] of 0.40, P=0.144). The
      cup was positioned in Lewinnek's safe zone in 44.6% of patients in the unstable
      group and 68.2% of those in the stable group (OR 3.74, P=0.003). A target zone
      defined as 40-50 degrees  inclination and 15-30 degrees  anteversion was better
      able to distinguish between unstable cases (23.2%) and stable cases (71.6%)
      resulting in an OR of 13.91 (P<0.001). DISCUSSION: Implant positioning was the
      only risk factor for instability found in this study. Moreover, our findings
      reinforce the theory put forward by other authors that Lewinnek's safe zone is
      not specific enough to differentiate between stable and unstable THA
      implantations. The target zone for acetabular cups proposed here (40-50 degrees 
      inclination and 15 degrees -30 degrees  anteversion) is related to a lower risk
      of instability. This orientation can be used as a guide, but must be combined
      with other technical elements to optimize stability. By balancing stability and
      biomechanics, the 40-50 degrees  inclination and 15 degrees -30 degrees 
      anteversion target zone redefines the optimal positioning window. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: III case-control study.

PMID- 28629943
TI  - Arthroscopically assisted fixation is a reliable option for patellar fractures: A
      literature review.
AB  - : Proper reduction and stable fixation of articular fractures is essential for an
      early recovery and to avoid late complications. Arthroscopically assisted
      techniques for minimally invasive fixation have been introduced to reduce local
      morbidity and improve anatomic reduction of the fragments. However up to date no
      clear indications for surgery have been given. In addition, the precise rates of
      functional outcomes and complications are controversial. The hypothesis was the
      systematic analysis of the available literature would provide precise
      indications, outcomes and complications of arthroscopically assisted techniques
      for patellar fracture fixation. A comprehensive literature review was performed
      using the keywords "patellar fracture", "arthroscopy" with no limit regarding the
      year of publication. All the selected articles were in English language and were
      evaluated with the Coleman score by three independent surgeons. The interclass
      correlation coefficient between the three examiners was calculated. Six full text
      articles were retrieved. The initial cohort included 60 patients with a displaced
      transverse fracture in the majority of the cases. At an average FU of 27.2 months
      the Lysholm score was 91.3. The rate of complication was 7%; Average Coleman
      score for the three observers was 55.8+/-6.5 with an ICC of 0.89, indicating
      adequate inter-rater agreement. Arthroscopically assisted techniques for
      minimally invasive fixation of patellar fractures represent a reliable option.
      The positive clinical outcomes and low rates of complications must be confirmed
      with further studies including larger series and longer FU. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Level IV, systematic review of retrospective series.

PMID- 28629944
TI  - What are the risk factors for dislocation in primary total hip arthroplasty? A
      multicenter case-control study of 128 unstable and 438 stable hips.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a leading reason
      for surgical revision. The risk factors for dislocation are controversial,
      particularly those related to the patient and to the surgical procedure itself.
      The differences in opinion on the impact of these factors stem from the fact they
      are often evaluated using retrospective studies or in limited patient
      populations. This led us to carry out a prospective case-control study on a large
      population to determine: 1) the risk factors for dislocation after THA, 2) the
      features of these dislocations, and 3) the contribution of patient-related
      factors and surgery-related factors. HYPOTHESIS: Risk factors for dislocation
      related to the patient and procedure can be identified using a large case-control
      study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter, prospective case-control study was
      performed between January 1 and December 31, 2013. Four patients with stable THAs
      were matched to each patient with a dislocated THA. This led to 566 primary THA
      cases being included: 128 unstable, 438 stable. The primary matching factors were
      sex, age, initial diagnosis, surgical approach, implantation date and type of
      implants (bearing size, standard or dual-mobility cup). RESULTS: The patients
      with unstable THAs were 67+/-12 [37-73]years old on average; there were 61 women
      (48%) and 67 men (52%). Hip osteoarthritis (OA) was the main reason for the THA
      procedure in 71% (91/128) of the unstable group. The dislocation was posterior in
      84 cases and anterior in 44 cases. The dislocation occurred within 3 months of
      the primary surgery in 48 cases (38%), 3 to 12 months after in 23 cases (18%), 1
      to 5years after in 20 cases (16%), 5 to 10years after in 17 cases (13%) and more
      than 10years later in 20 cases. The dislocation recurred within 6 months of the
      initial dislocation in 23 of the 128 cases (18%). The risk factors for
      instability were a high ASA score with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.93 (95% CI: 1.4
      2.6), neurological disability (cognitive, motor or psychiatric disorders) with an
      OR of 3.9 (95% CI: 2.15-7.1), history of spinal disease (lumbar stenosis, spinal
      fusion, discectomy, scoliosis and injury sequelae) with an OR of 1.89 (95% CI:
      1.0-3.6), unrepaired joint capsule (all approaches) with an OR of 4.1 (95% CI:
      2.3-7.37), unrepaired joint capsule (posterior approach) with an OR of 6.0 (95%
      CI: 2.2-15.9), and cup inclination outside Lewinnek's safe zone (30 degrees -50
      degrees ) with OR of 2.4 (95% CI: 1.4-4.0). DISCUSSION: This large comparative
      study isolated important patient-related factors for dislocation that surgeons
      must be aware of. We also found evidence that implanting the cup in 30 degrees 
      to 50 degrees  inclination has a major impact on preventing dislocation. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Level III; case-control study.

PMID- 28629945
TI  - Anthropometric and aesthetic outcomes for the nasolabial region in 101
      consecutive African children with unilateral cleft lip one year after repair
      using the anatomical subunit approximation technique.
AB  - One hundred and one patients with complete or incomplete cleft lip underwent the
      anatomical subunit approximation technique for repair. The patients were followed
      up prospectively for 1year. The objective of this study was to determine the
      outcomes for the nasolabial area through anthropometric measurements and
      assessment of the Asher-McDade Aesthetic Index and Steffensen's criteria at 1year
      after surgery. Six assessors (three cleft surgeons and three non-surgeon medical
      professionals) examined cropped images; reliability was assessed using Cronbach's
      alpha. The difference in lip length between the healthy and operated sides was
      0.61mm and the difference in nostril diameter was 0.37mm (differences not
      significant). The average scar width was 2.78+/-1.35mm. Hypertrophic scars were
      observed in 9.9% of cases. The average Asher-McDade Aesthetic Index rating varied
      between 1.35 and 1.98 for all parameters. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.83,
      0.89, 0.98, and 0.89 for nasal form, nasal symmetry, vermilion border, and
      nasolabial profile, respectively. Steffensen's criteria rated appearance as
      'good' in 69.3% to 91.1% of cases. The anatomical subunit approximation technique
      can be performed in Sub-Saharan Africans for all types of unilateral cleft lip.
      It significantly improves the length of the medial and lateral lips, leaving an
      acceptable scar. A study with a larger sample size and longer follow-up is
      warranted.

PMID- 28629946
TI  - Phytol-induced pathology in 2-hydroxyacyl-CoA lyase (HACL1) deficient mice.
      Evidence for a second non-HACL1-related lyase.
AB  - 2-Hydroxyacyl-CoA lyase (HACL1) is a key enzyme of the peroxisomal alpha
      oxidation of phytanic acid. To better understand its role in health and disease,
      a mouse model lacking HACL1 was investigated. Under normal conditions, these mice
      did not display a particular phenotype. However, upon dietary administration of
      phytol, phytanic acid accumulated in tissues, mainly in liver and serum of KO
      mice. As a consequence of phytanic acid (or a metabolite) toxicity, KO mice
      displayed a significant weight loss, absence of abdominal white adipose tissue,
      enlarged and mottled liver and reduced hepatic glycogen and triglycerides. In
      addition, hepatic PPARalpha was activated. The central nervous system of the
      phytol-treated mice was apparently not affected. In addition, 2OH-FA did not
      accumulate in the central nervous system of HACL1 deficient mice, likely due to
      the presence in the endoplasmic reticulum of an alternate HACL1-unrelated lyase.
      The latter may serve as a backup system in certain tissues and account for the
      formation of pristanic acid in the phytol-fed KO mice. As the degradation of
      pristanic acid is also impaired, both phytanoyl- and pristanoyl-CoA levels are
      increased in liver, and the omega-oxidized metabolites are excreted in urine. In
      conclusion, HACL1 deficiency is not associated with a severe phenotype, but in
      combination with phytanic acid intake, the normal situation in man, it might
      present with phytanic acid elevation and resemble a Refsum like disorder.

PMID- 28629947
TI  - Temporal microbiota changes of high-protein diet intake in a rat model.
AB  - Alterations of specific microbes serve as important indicators that link gut
      health with specific diet intake. Although a six-week high-protein diet (45%
      protein) upregulates the pro-inflammatory response and oxidative stress in colon
      of rats, the dynamic alteration of gut microbiota remains unclear. To dissect
      temporal changes of microbiota, dynamic analyses of fecal microbiota were
      conducted using a rat model. Adult rats were fed a normal-protein diet or an HPD
      for 6 weeks, and feces collected at different weeks were used for microbiota and
      metabolite analysis. The structural alteration of fecal microbiota was observed
      after 4 weeks, especially for the decreased appearance of bands related to
      Akkermansia species. HPD increased numbers of Escherichia coli while decreased
      Akkermansia muciniphila, Bifidobacterium, Prevotella, Ruminococcus bromii, and
      Roseburia/Eubacterium rectale (P < 0.05), compared to the normal-protein diet.
      HPD also decreased the copies of genes encoding butyryl-CoA:acetate CoA
      transferase and Prevotella-associated methylmalonyl-CoA decarboxylase alpha
      subunit (P < 0.05). The concentrations of acetate, propionate, and butyrate were
      decreased by HPD (P < 0.05). Additionally, HPD tended to decrease (P = 0.057) the
      concentration of IgG in the colonic lumen, which was positively correlated with
      fecal butyrate at week 6 (P < 0.05). Collectively, this study found the temporal
      alteration of fecal microbiota related to the decreased numbers and activity of
      propionate- and butyrate-producing bacteria in feces after the HPD. These
      findings may provide important reference for linking changes of specific fecal
      microbes with gut health under high-protein diet.

PMID- 28629948
TI  - Percutaneous Treatment of Early Denegeration of a Sutureless Bioprosthesis.

PMID- 28629949
TI  - The Diversity of Long Noncoding RNAs and Their Generation.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as potential key regulators in gene
      expression networks and exhibit a surprising range of shapes and sizes. Several
      distinct classes of lncRNAs are transcribed from different DNA elements,
      including promoters, enhancers, and intergenic regions in eukaryotic genomes.
      Additionally, others are derived from long primary transcripts with noncanonical
      RNA processing pathways, generating new RNA species with unexpected formats.
      These lncRNAs can be processed by several mechanisms, including ribonuclease P
      (RNase P) cleavage to generate mature 3' ends, capping by small nucleolar RNA
      (snoRNA)-protein (snoRNP) complexes at their ends, or the formation of circular
      structures. Here we review current knowledge on lncRNAs and highlight the most
      recent discoveries of the underlying mechanisms related to their formation.

PMID- 28629950
TI  - Antibiotic-Independent Adaptive Effects of Antibiotic Resistance Mutations.
AB  - Antibiotic usage selects for the accumulation and spread of antibiotic-resistant
      bacteria. However, resistance can also accumulate in the absence of antibiotic
      exposure. Antibiotics are often designed to target widely distributed regulatory
      housekeeping genes. The targeting of such genes enables these antibiotics to be
      useful against a wider variety of pathogens. This review highlights work
      suggesting that regulatory housekeeping genes of the type targeted by many
      antibiotics function as hubs of adaptation to conditions unrelated to antibiotic
      exposure. As a result of this, some mutations to the regulatory housekeeping gene
      targets of antibiotics confer both antibiotic resistance and an adaptive effect
      unrelated to antibiotic exposure. Such antibiotic-independent adaptive effects of
      resistance mutations may substantially affect the dynamics of antibiotic
      resistance accumulation and spread.

PMID- 28629951
TI  - Immunogenicity of Class I HLA but not preformed low MFI donor specific antibodies
      correlates with outcomes after first renal transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of low levels of circulating donor specific antibodies (DSA)
      producing negative flow cytometry cross match is not completely defined. The
      purpose of this study was to examine the clinical significance of preexisting low
      levels of class I DSAs in flow cytometry cross match (FC CM) negative first
      kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). METHODS: All of the KTRs (n=41) had low
      levels of anti-class I antibodies only. The kidney transplant outcome was
      evaluated by the development of a deleterious effect (DE) in recipients in the
      study cohort (Group 1: DE+, Group 2: DE-). Positivity for DE was determined based
      on the following criteria: biopsy proven transplant glomerulopathy (TG), de novo
      development of DSAs, increasing MFI values for preexisting DSAs, and the
      development of biopsy proven AMR. Anti-HLA antibodies were tested using single
      antigen Luminex technology. The HLAMatchmaker computer algorithm was used for the
      immunogenicity analysis of antibody verified (AbVer) mismatched eplets (MME) at
      the HLA-A and B loci. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the number
      of AbVer MME is larger (P=0.03) in the group of KTR who developed DE. We also
      demonstrated that the number of AbVer MME is a strong predictor of post
      transplant DE. These results indicate that persistent weakly reactive DSA is not
      a significant risk factor for the development of post-transplant DE and that
      recipients with such antibodies can be successfully transplanted. CONCLUSIONS:
      Immunogenicity of AbVer MME at HLA-A and B loci is strong predictor of post
      transplant increases of the MFI values of preexisting or de novo developed DSA in
      the FC CM negative first KTR. Avoiding of transplants with more than eleven Class
      I AbVer MMEs may be the optimal approach to reduce the risk of kidney graft
      failure.

PMID- 28629952
TI  - Analysis of Outcomes Using Hypofractionated Tumor Bed Boost Combined With
      Hypofractionated Whole Breast Irradiation for Early-stage Breast Cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Tumor bed boost improves local control and is an important part of
      breast-conserving therapy. Data on the use of a hypofractioned tumor bed boost
      are needed. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients treated with
      hypofractionated whole breast irradiation (WBI) and hypofractionated boost to
      examine acute and delayed outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the
      records of patients treated with hypofractionated WBI and tumor bed boost after
      lumpectomy for Stage 0 to II breast cancer. Local control, toxicity, and cosmetic
      outcome were evaluated. Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were
      evaluated including excision volume, surgical technique, surgical complications,
      chemotherapy, endocrine therapy administration, radiation dose, fractionation,
      and technique. RESULTS: A total of 143 patients received hypofractionated WBI
      with hypofractionated boost between 2010 and 2015. The median follow-up was 16.8
      months. The median patient age was 65 years. Patient stage was 0, I, and II in
      25%, 68%, and 7%, respectively. All patients received hypofractionated WBI with
      42.5 Gy in 16 fractions. Sixty-one percent of women received a boost regimen of
      2.66 Gy/fraction for 3 fractions. Boost techniques included noninvasive breast
      brachytherapy, electrons, 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, or a
      combination of techniques. Acute skin reaction was grade 1 in 65% and grade 2 in
      32%. Good or excellent cosmetic outcome was achieved in 94% of patients.
      Subcutaneous fibrosis was the most common delayed toxicity in 19%, of which 86%
      was grade 1. There were no local recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: Hypofractionated tumor
      bed boost is well-tolerated with a low rate of toxicity and high rate of good-to
      excellent cosmetic outcome.

PMID- 28629953
TI  - 3D black blood MR angiography of the carotid arteries. A simple sequence for
      plaque hemorrhage and stenosis evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a new three-dimensional T1
      weighted turbo-spin-echo sequence (3D T1-w TSE) compared to 3D contrast-enhanced
      angiography (CE-MRA) for stenosis measurement and compared to 2D T1-w TSE for
      intra-plaque hemorrhage (IPH) detection. METHODS: Eighty three patients underwent
      carotid MRI, using a new elliptic-centric phase encoding T1-weighted 3D TSE
      sequence in addition to the clinical protocol. Two observers evaluated image
      quality, presence of flow artifacts, and presence of intra-plaque hemorrhage, and
      computed the NASCET degree of stenosis for CE-MRA and for the new sequence. Inter
      observer agreement and correlation between 3D TSE and CE-MRA for NASCET stenosis
      was estimated using Cohen's kappa, and correlation using linear regression and
      Bland-Altman plots. Histology was performed on endarterectomy samples for 18
      patients. Sensitivity and specificity of 2D and 3D TSE for IPH diagnosis were
      computed. RESULTS: 3D TSE showed better image quality than 2D TSE (p<0.05).
      Interobserver agreement was good (kappa>=0.86). Correlation between 3D TSE and CE
      MRA was excellent (R=0.95) for NASCET stenosis. Sensitivity and specificity for
      IPH diagnosis was 50% and 100% for 2D TSE and 100% and 83% for the 3D TSE.
      CONCLUSIONS: The new 3D T1-w TSE allows both reliable measures of carotid
      stenosis, with a slight overestimation compared to CE-MRA (5%), and improved IPH
      identification, compared to 2D TSE.

PMID- 28629954
TI  - High resolution myelin water imaging incorporating local tissue susceptibility
      analysis.
AB  - Quantitative myelin water imaging (MWI) from signal T2* decay acquired with
      multiple Gradient-Recalled Echo (mGRE) sequence has been widely used since its
      first report. A recent study showed that with low resolution data (2mm isotropic
      voxels), direct application of complex fitting to a three-pool WM model with
      frequency shift terms could produce more stable parameter estimation for myelin
      water fraction mapping. MWI maps of higher spatial resolution resulting in more
      detailed tissue structures and reduced partial volume effects around white
      matter/gray matter (WM/GM) interface, however, is more desirable. Furthermore, as
      signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of original images decreases due to reduced voxel
      size, the direct complex fitting procedure of myelin water imaging becomes more
      prone to systematic errors which severely compromised stability and reliability
      of the result. Instead of using the original part of T2* decay, this work
      presents a new method based on the WM-induced phase from tissue susceptibility
      calculated with the same mGRE dataset, in a three-pool WM model (water of myelin,
      axonal and extracellular water), to improve high resolution MWI. Compared with
      direct complex fitting for the higher spatial resolution case, the proposed
      method is shown to provide a more stable and accurate estimation of MWI
      parameters, and finer details near WM/GM boundaries with greatly reduced partial
      volume effects.

PMID- 28629955
TI  - Correlation study between DKI and conventional DWI in brain and head and neck
      tumors.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between the Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging
      (DKI) parameters and conventional metrics provided by Diffusion-weighted imaging
      (DWI) in patients affected by Brain or Head and Neck (HN) cancer. METHODS: Ten
      patients affected by brain tumor and nine patients with HN tumor underwent a pre
      treatment MR examination at 3 T. The largest tumor section was manually contoured
      by two expert neuroradiologists. The apparent diffusion coefficient (Dapp) and
      apparent diffusional kurtosis (Kapp) parameters were determined at the voxel
      level by using the DKI model, and compared to the apparent diffusion coefficient
      (ADC) and the tissue diffusion coefficient (Dmono) obtained from mono-exponential
      fitting methods. The Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) was calculated to assess
      the quality of the fitting methods. Cross-correlations between all the variables
      were assessed using the Spearman rank test. RESULTS: Increased Kapp values were
      found in each lesion. All parameters were strongly related, in particular an
      inverse relationship emerged between median values of Kapp and Dapp/Dmono/ADC in
      both patient groups, while Dapp showed positive correlations with Dmono and ADC.
      From the analysis at the voxel level, significant inverse associations were found
      between Kapp and Dmono within the lesions, while a weak or moderate association
      emerged between Kapp and ADC or Dapp. CONCLUSIONS: A significant association
      between the apparent diffusional kurtosis Kapp and the tissue diffusion
      coefficient Dmono emerged for both brain and HN tumors at 3 T, suggesting that
      both variables may consistently reflect deeper insight into the microstructural
      characteristics of tumors.

PMID- 28629956
TI  - Effects of fat saturation on short T2 quantification.
AB  - Ultrashort TE (UTE) sequences have the capability to image tissues with very
      short T2s that typically appear as low signal in clinical sequences. UTE
      sequences can also be used in multi-echo acquisitions which allow assessment of
      the T2s of these tissues. Here we study the accuracy of such T2 measurements when
      combined with fat saturation (FS).

PMID- 28629957
TI  - Chemical Hand Warmer Packet Ingestion: A Case of Elemental Iron Exposure.
AB  - For individuals who work outdoors in the winter or play winter sports, chemical
      hand warmers are becoming increasingly more commonplace because of their
      convenience and effectiveness. A 32-year-old woman with a history of chronic pain
      and bipolar disorder presented to the emergency department complaining of a "warm
      sensation" in her mouth and epigastrium after reportedly ingesting the partial
      contents of a chemical hand warmer packet containing between 5 and 8 g of
      elemental iron. She had been complaining of abdominal pain for approximately 1
      month and was prescribed unknown antibiotics the previous day. The patient denied
      ingestion of any other product or medication other than what was prescribed. A
      serum iron level obtained approximately 6 hours after ingestion measured 235
      micrograms/dL (reference range 40-180 micrograms/dL). As the patient demonstrated
      no new abdominal complaints and no evidence of systemic iron toxicity, she was
      discharged uneventfully after education. However, the potential for significant
      iron toxicity exists depending on the extent of exposure to this or similar
      products. Treatment for severe iron toxicity may include fluid resuscitation,
      whole bowel irrigation, and iron chelation therapy with deferoxamine. Physicians
      should become aware of the toxicity associated with ingestion of commercially
      available hand warmers. Consultation with a medical toxicologist is recommended.

PMID- 28629958
TI  - The Provision of Prescription-Only Medicines for Use on UK-based Overseas
      Expeditions.
AB  - Expedition teams without accompanying medical professionals traveling overseas
      from the UK frequently carry medical kits containing prescription-only medicines
      (POMs). Access to safe, basic POMs whilst on expedition is important, as the
      quality and availability of medicines in-country may not be acceptable, and delay
      in treatment may be hazardous. At present, there is no published guidance
      relating to drug acquisition and administration in these situations. In the UK, a
      number of different practices are currently in use, with uncertainty and
      medicolegal concerns currently hampering safe and efficient provision of POMs on
      overseas expeditions. A guideline is proposed for the management of prescription
      only medications in an expedition setting.

PMID- 28629959
TI  - Glycemic Control and Muscle Damage in 3 Athletes With Type 1 Diabetes During a
      Successful Performance in a Relay Ultramarathon: A Case Report.
AB  - Ultramarathon races are fairly demanding and impose substantial physiological
      stress on healthy athletes. These competitions may thus be considerably more
      challenging for individuals with diabetes. This case study aims to describe
      glycemic control, muscle damage, inflammation, and renal function in 3 athletes
      with type 1 diabetes during a successful performance in a relay ultramarathon.
      The team completed the race in 29 hours and 28 minutes, earning third place. The
      total distance covered by each athlete was 68.7, 84.5, and 65.1 km. Most blood
      glucose levels showed that athletes were in a zone where it was safe to exercise
      (90-250 mg/dL or 5.0-13.9 mmol/L). Creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and
      aspartate aminotransferase serum levels increased 1.2- to 50.7-fold prerace to
      postrace, and were higher than the reference ranges for all the athletes
      postrace. Blood leukocytes, neutrophils, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP)
      increased 1.6- to 52-fold prerace to postrace and were higher than the reference
      ranges for 2 athletes after the race. Serum creatinine increased 1.2-fold prerace
      to postrace for all the athletes but did not meet the risk criteria for acute
      kidney injury. In conclusion, our main findings show evidence of satisfactory
      glycemic control in athletes with type 1 diabetes during a relay ultramarathon.
      Moreover, elevation of muscle damage and inflammatory biomarkers occurred without
      affecting renal function and challenging the maintenance of blood glucose among
      athletes. These findings are novel and provide an initial understanding of the
      physiological responses in athletes with type 1 diabetes during ultramarathon
      races.

PMID- 28629960
TI  - Molecular cloning and mRNA expression pattern of Sox4 in Paramisgurnus dabryanus.
AB  - Sox4 belonged to the SoxC subfamily of the Sox family, which play important roles
      in the development of the vertebrate gonad and nervous system. A Sox4 homologue
      was cloned from brain of Paramisgurnus dabryanus by using homologous cloning and
      rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), designated as PdSox4. The full-length
      cDNA was 2163bp, containing the 759bp 5'-untranslated region, 267bp 3'
      untranslated region and encoding a putative protein of 378 amino acids with a
      characteristic high mobility group box (HMG-box) DNA-binding domain of 79 amino
      acids with the specific motif (RPMNAFMVW). Alignment and phylogenetic analyses
      indicated that PdSox4 shares highly identical sequence with Sox4 homologues from
      different species. The signal peptide analysis predicted that PdSox4 is a non
      secretory protein. The hydropathy profile of PdSox4 protein revealed that this
      protein is hydrophilic in nature. The expression profiles of PdSox4 in different
      developmental stages and various adult tissues of sexs were analyzed by
      quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and In situ hybridization (ISH). The
      results showed that PdSox4 was ubiquitously expressed during embryogenesis and
      various adult tissues, especially in central nervous system. Tissue distribution
      analyses revealed that PdSox4 was expression in developing germ cells. Taken
      together, these preliminary findings suggested that PdSox4 is highly conserved
      during vertebrate evolution and involved in a wide range of developmental
      processes including embryogenesis, neurogenesis and gonad development.

PMID- 28629961
TI  - Tortoises in front of mirrors: Brain asymmetries and lateralized behaviours in
      the tortoise (Testudo hermanni).
AB  - Brain lateralization in response to social stimuli is well known for its
      involvement of the right hemisphere in several vertebrate species, including
      humans. This study aimed to investigate the laterality of the social behavior
      during the mirror-images inspection in tortoises (Testudo hermanni). In a
      rectangular apparatus, in presence or in absence of two mirrors as the longer
      walls, we assessed: 1) the animal's position and 2) the monocular viewing
      compared to the longer walls, 3) the paw used to start a movement from a resting
      position. Here we provide the first evidence of lateralization towards social
      stimuli in tortoises, a reptile that is likely to lead mostly a solitary life,
      but also able to show a few basic abilities in social cognition. Results revealed
      a preference to spend significantly more time in peripheral positions, mainly in
      the presence of mirrors. Moreover, a consistent left-eye preference to inspect
      the mirrors was observed, especially when close to them. In contrast, a
      significant right-eye preference appeared in absence of mirrors, when tortoises
      occupied the central areas. Findings show a significant preference for right-paw
      use in starting movements, when mirrors were present. Results are discussed with
      reference to other evidence of brain asymmetry.

PMID- 28629962
TI  - Pharmacological inhibition of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase rescues spatial memory
      impairments in Neurofibromatosis 1 mutant mice.
AB  - Heterozygous Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) loss of function mutations are found in
      90% of patients with neurofibromatosis, a syndrome associated with disabling
      cognitive impairment. Drosophila studies have demonstrated a genetic interaction
      between Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (Alk) and NF1 in cognitive performance. In
      addition, pharmacologic inhibition of Alk improves cognitive performance in
      heterozygous NF1 mutant flies. In this study, we tested whether pharmacological
      inhibition of Alk in heterozygous NF1 mutant mice attenuates or rescues cognitive
      impairments. Cognitive impairment of spatial memory retention observed in
      heterozygous NF1 mutant mice was rescued by the Alk inhibitor. These data support
      the hypothesis that inhibition of Alk may cognitively benefit patients with
      Neurofibromatosis 1.

PMID- 28629963
TI  - Environmental enrichment reduces innate anxiety with no effect on depression-like
      behaviour in mice lacking the serotonin transporter.
AB  - Along with being the main target of many antidepressant medications, the
      serotonin transporter (5-HTT) is known to be involved in the pathophysiology of
      depression and anxiety disorders. In line with this, mice with varying 5-HTT
      genotypes are invaluable tools to study depression- and anxiety-like behaviours
      as well as the mechanisms mediating potential therapeutics. There is clear
      evidence that both genetic and environmental factors play a role in the aetiology
      of psychiatric disorders. In that regard, housing paradigms which seek to enhance
      cognitive stimulation and physical activity have been shown to exert beneficial
      effects in animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, we
      examined the effects of environmental enrichment on affective-like behaviours and
      sensorimotor gating function of 5-HTT knock-out (KO) mice. Using the elevated
      plus maze and the light-dark box, we found that environmental enrichment
      ameliorated the abnormal innate anxiety of 5-HTT KO mice on both tests. In
      contrast, environmental enrichment did not rescue the depression-like behaviour
      displayed by 5-HTT KO mice in the forced-swim test. Finally, measuring pre-pulse
      inhibition, we found no effect of genotype or treatment on sensorimotor gating.
      In conclusion, our data suggest that environmental enrichment specifically
      reduces innate anxiety of 5-HTT KO mice with no amelioration of the depression
      like behaviour. This has implications for the current use of clinical
      interventions for patients with symptoms of both anxiety and depression.

PMID- 28629964
TI  - A novel heterocyclic compound improves working memory in the radial arm maze and
      modulates the dopamine receptor D1R in frontal cortex of the Sprague-Dawley rat.
AB  - A series of compounds have been shown to enhance cognitive function via the
      dopaminergic system and indeed the search for more active and less toxic
      compounds is continuing. It was therefore the aim of the study to synthetise and
      test a novel heterocyclic compound for cognitive enhancement in a paradigm for
      working memory. Specific and effective dopamine re-uptake inhibition DAT
      (IC50=4,1+/-0,8MUM) made us test this compound in a radial arm maze (RAM) in the
      rat. CE-125 (4-((benzhydrylsulfinyl)methyl)-2-cyclopropylthiazole), was tested
      for dopamine (DAT), serotonin and norepinephrine re-uptake inhibition by a well
      established system. The working memory index (WMI) was evaluated in male Sprague
      Dawley rats that were intraperitoneally injected with CE-125 (1 or 10mg/kg body
      weight). In order to evaluate basic neurotoxicity, the open field, elevated plus
      maze, rota rod studies and the forced swim test were carried out. Frontal cortex
      was taken at the last day of the RAM test and dopamine receptors D1R and D2R, DAT
      and phosphorylated DAT protein levels were determined. On the 10th day both doses
      were increasing the WMI as compared to the vehicle-treated group. In both,
      trained and treated groups, D1R levels were significantly reduced while D2R
      levels were unchanged. DAT levels were comparable between all groups while
      phosphorylated DAT levels were increased in the trained group treated with 1mg/kg
      body weight. CE-125 as a probably non-neurotoxic compound and specific reuptake
      inhibitor was shown to increase performance (WMI) and modulation of the
      dopaminergic system is proposed as a possible mechanism of action.

PMID- 28629965
TI  - Cortical Atrophy is Associated with Accelerated Cognitive Decline in Mild
      Cognitive Impairment with Subsyndromal Depression.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between cognitive decline and cortical
      atrophy in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and chronic
      subsyndromal symptoms of depression (SSD) over a 4-year period. DESIGN:
      Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Multicenter, clinic-based. PARTICIPANTS:
      Within the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative repository, the
      Neuropsychiatric Inventory was used to identify individuals with MCI and stable
      endorsement (SSD group N = 32) or no endorsement (non-SSD group N = 69) of
      depressive symptoms across time points. MEASUREMENTS: Repeated measures of
      cognitive outcomes, cortical atrophy, and their associations were evaluated with
      mixed effects models adjusting for age, education, sex, and APOE genotype.
      RESULTS: The SSD group demonstrated accelerated decline on measures of global
      cognition (Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale; df = 421, t = 2.242, p = 0.025),
      memory (Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Logical Memory II; df = 244, t = -2.525, p
      = 0.011), information processing speed (Trail Making Test Parts A [df = 421, t =
      2.376, p = 0.018] and B [df = 421, t = 2.533, p = 0.012]), and semantic fluency
      (Category Fluency; df = 424, t = -2.418, p = 0.016), as well as accelerated
      frontal lobe (df = 341, t = -2.648, p = 0.008) and anterior cingulate (df = 341,
      t = -3.786, p < 0.001) atrophy. No group differences were observed for rate of
      decline on measures of attention, learning, and confrontation naming or for rate
      of atrophy in any other regions. Accelerated frontal lobe and anterior cingulate
      atrophy was associated with cognitive decline on measures of global cognition,
      information processing speed, and semantic fluency (all p < 0.05), but not
      memory. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with chronic SSD may represent an MCI subgroup
      that is highly vulnerable to accelerated cognitive decline, an effect that may be
      governed by frontal lobe and anterior cingulate atrophy.

PMID- 28629966
TI  - Pharmacological characterisation and functional roles for egg-laying of a beta
      adrenergic-like octopamine receptor in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens.
AB  - Octopamine, the invertebrate counterpart of adrenaline and noradrenaline,
      controls and modulates many physiological and behavioral processes in
      protostomes. It mediates its effects by binding to specific receptors belonging
      to the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors. We report the cloning of a
      cDNA from the brown planthopper (Nloa2b2) sharing high similarity with members of
      the OA2B2 receptor class. Activation of NlOA2B2 by octopamine increased the
      production of cAMP in a dose-dependent manner (EC50 = 114 nM). Tyramine also
      activated the receptor but with much less potency than octopamine. Using a series
      of known agonists and antagonists of octopamine receptors and cAMP measurements,
      we observed a rather unique pharmacological profile of NlOA2B2. The potency
      ranking of the tested agonists was naphazoline > clonidine. The activated effect
      of octopamine is abolished by co-incubation with epinastine, mianserin,
      phentolamine, methiothepin, butaclamol or methysergide. Nloa2b2 was expressed in
      different developmental stages and in various tissues including female
      reproductive regions known to be involved in egg-laying behavior. Using in vivo
      pharmacology and RNAi methodology, we demonstrated that interference of NlOA2B2
      signaling pathway had a strong impact on the egg-laying behavior of female brown
      planthopper. The data presented here mark the first comprehensive study-from gene
      to behavior-of a OA2B2 receptor in the rice brown planthopper.

PMID- 28629967
TI  - Isolation of fungi from dung of wild herbivores for application in bioethanol
      production.
AB  - Producing biofuels such as ethanol from non-food plant material has the potential
      to meet transportation fuel requirements in many African countries without
      impacting directly on food security. The current shortcomings in biomass
      processing are inefficient fermentation of plant sugars, such as xylose,
      especially at high temperatures, lack of fermenting microbes that are able to
      resist inhibitors associated with pre-treated plant material and lack of
      effective lignocellulolytic enzymes for complete hydrolysis of plant
      polysaccharides. Due to the presence of residual partially degraded
      lignocellulose in the gut, the dung of herbivores can be considered as a natural
      source of pre-treated lignocellulose. A total of 101 fungi were isolated (36
      yeast and 65 mould isolates). Six yeast isolates produced ethanol during growth
      on xylose while three were able to grow at 42 degrees C. This is a desirable
      growth temperature as it is closer to that which is used during the cellulose
      hydrolysis process. From the yeast isolates, six isolates were able to tolerate
      2g/L acetic acid and one tolerated 2g/L furfural in the growth media. These
      inhibitors are normally generated during the pre-treatment step. When grown on
      pre-treated thatch grass, Aspergillus species were dominant in secretion of endo
      glucanase, xylanase and mannanase.

PMID- 28629968
TI  - Inhibitor tolerance of a recombinant flocculating industrial Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae strain during glucose and xylose co-fermentation.
AB  - Lignocellulose-derived inhibitors have negative effects on the ethanol
      fermentation capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, the effects of
      eight typical inhibitors, including weak acids, furans, and phenols, on glucose
      and xylose co-fermentation of the recombinant xylose-fermenting flocculating
      industrial S. cerevisiae strain NAPX37 were evaluated by batch fermentation.
      Inhibition on glucose fermentation, not that on xylose fermentation, correlated
      with delayed cell growth. The weak acids and the phenols showed additive effects.
      The effect of inhibitors on glucose fermentation was as follows (from strongest
      to weakest): vanillin>phenol>syringaldehyde>5-HMF>furfural>levulinic acid>acetic
      acid>formic acid. The effect of inhibitors on xylose fermentation was as follows
      (from strongest to weakest): phenol>vanillin>syringaldehyde>furfural>5-HMF>formic
      acid>levulinic acid>acetic acid. The NAPX37 strain showed substantial tolerance
      to typical inhibitors and showed good fermentation characteristics, when a medium
      with inhibitor cocktail or rape straw hydrolysate was used. This research
      provides important clues for inhibitors tolerance of recombinant industrial
      xylose-fermenting S. cerevisiae.

PMID- 28629970
TI  - Variation analysis of bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates production using saturated
      and unsaturated hydrocarbons.
AB  - Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are efficient, renewable and environment friendly
      polymeric esters. These polymers are synthesized by a variety of microbes under
      stress conditions. This study was carried out to check the suitability of waste
      frying oil in comparison to other oils for economical bioplastic production. Six
      bacterial strains were isolated and identified as Bacillus cereus (KF270349),
      Klebsiella pneumoniae (KF270350), Bacillus subtilis (KF270351), Brevibacterium
      halotolerance (KF270352), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (KF270353), and Stenotrophomonas
      rhizoposid (KF270354) by ribotyping. All strains were PHA producers so were
      selected for PHA synthesis using four different carbon sources, i.e., waste
      frying oil, canola oil, diesel and glucose. Extraction of PHA was carried out
      using sodium hypochlorite method and maximum amount was detected after 72h in all
      cases. P. aeruginosa led to maximum PHA production after 72h at 37 degrees C and
      100rpm using waste frying oil that was 53.2% PHA in comparison with glucose 37.8%
      and cooking oil 34.4%. B. cereus produced 40% PHA using glucose as carbon source
      which was high when compared against other strains. A significantly lesser amount
      of PHA was recorded with diesel as a carbon source for all strains. Sharp
      Infrared peaks around 1740-1750cm-1 were present in Fourier Transform Infrared
      spectra that correspond to exact position for PHA. The use of waste oils and
      production of poly-3hydroxybutyrate-co-3hydroxyvalerate (3HB-co-3HV) by strains
      used in this study is a good aspect to consider for future prospects as this type
      of polymer has better properties as compared to PHBs.

PMID- 28629969
TI  - Prevalence and serotype distribution of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from
      foods in Montevideo-Uruguay.
AB  - The aim of this work was to study the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in
      foods obtained in retail shops and food industries located in Montevideo-Uruguay,
      and to identify the serogroups of the obtained isolates. Three-thousand one
      hundred and seventy-five food samples (frozen, deli meats, ready-to-eat and
      cheese) were analyzed. The obtained isolates were serogrouped by multiplex PCR
      and serotyped by conventional procedure. Genetic comparisons were performed using
      pulsed-field gel electrophoresis on a sub-set of isolates belonging to the same
      serotype successively recovered from the same establishment. L. monocytogenes was
      isolated from 11.2% of samples. The highest prevalence was observed in frozen
      foods (38%), followed by cheese (10%). 1/2b and 4b were the most frequently
      identified serotypes. In six of 236 analyzed establishments we successively
      recovered L. monocytogenes isolates belonging to the same serotype. Most of them
      corresponded to serotype 1/2b. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles suggest
      that at least 33% of L. monocytogenes 1/2b isolates are genetically related and
      that may remain viable for prolonged periods. The observed prevalence of L.
      monocytogenes was lower than reported in neighboring countries. Our findings
      highlight the role that frozen foods may play in the spread of this pathogen, and
      the relevance of serotypes 1/2b and 4b.

PMID- 28629971
TI  - Survey of pathogens in threatened wild red-tailed Amazon parrot (Amazona
      brasiliensis) nestlings in Rasa Island, Brazil.
AB  - The red-tailed Amazon parrot (Amazona brasiliensis) is a threatened species of
      psittacine bird that inhabit coastal regions of Brazil. In view of the threat of
      this species, the aim of this study was to perform a health evaluation in wild
      nestlings in Rasa Island, determining the prevalence of enterobacteria and
      infectious agents according to type of nest. Blood samples were collected from 64
      birds and evaluated for antibodies of Chlamydia psittaci by commercial dot-blot
      ELISA. Cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs samples were collected from 23 birds from
      artificial wooden nests, 15 birds from PVC nests and 2 birds from natural nests
      for microbiological analysis. Swab samples were collected from 58 parrots for C.
      psittaci detection by PCR and from 50 nestlings for Avian Influenza, Newcastle
      Disease and West Nile viruses' detection analysis by real-time RT-PCR. Ten
      bacterial genera and 17 species were identified, and the most prevalent were
      Escherichia coli and Klebsiella oxytoca. There was no influence of the type of
      nest in the nestlings' microbiota. All samples tested by ELISA and PCR were
      negative. There is currently insufficient information available about the health
      of A. brasiliensis and data of this study provide a reference point for future
      evaluations and aid in conservation plans.

PMID- 28629972
TI  - Characterization of dioxygenases and biosurfactants produced by crude oil
      degrading soil bacteria.
AB  - Role of microbes in bioremediation of oil spills has become inevitable owing to
      their eco friendly nature. This study focused on the isolation and
      characterization of bacterial strains with superior oil degrading potential from
      crude-oil contaminated soil. Three such bacterial strains were selected and
      subsequently identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as Corynebacterium
      aurimucosum, Acinetobacter baumannii and Microbacterium hydrocarbonoxydans
      respectively. The specific activity of catechol 1,2 dioxygenase (C12O) and
      catechol 2,3 dioxygenase (C23O) was determined in these three strains wherein the
      activity of C12O was more than that of C23O. Among the three strains,
      Microbacterium hydrocarbonoxydans exhibited superior crude oil degrading ability
      as evidenced by its superior growth rate in crude oil enriched medium and
      enhanced activity of dioxygenases. Also degradation of total petroleum
      hydrocarbon (TPH) in crude oil was higher with Microbacterium hydrocarbonoxydans.
      The three strains also produced biosurfactants of glycolipid nature as indicated
      d by biochemical, FTIR and GCMS analysis. These findings emphasize that such
      bacterial strains with superior oil degrading capacity may find their potential
      application in bioremediation of oil spills and conservation of marine and soil
      ecosystem.

PMID- 28629973
TI  - alpha-Eleostearic acid-containing triglycerides for a continuous assay to
      determine lipase sn-1 and sn-3 regio-preference.
AB  - Lipases are essentially described as sn-1 and sn-3 regio-selective. Actually few
      methods are available to measure this lipase regio-selectivity, moreover they
      require chiral chromatography analysis or specific derivations which are
      discontinuous and time consuming. In this study we describe a new, convenient,
      sensitive and continuous spectrophotometric method to screen lipases regio
      selectivity using synthetic triglycerides (TG) containing alpha-eleostearic acid
      (9Z, 11E, 13E-octadecatrienoic acid) either at the sn-1 position [1-alpha
      eleostearoyl-2,3-octadecyl-sn-glycerol (sn-EOO)] or at the sn-3 position [1,2
      octadecyl-3-alpha-eleostearoyl-sn-glycerol (sn-OOE)] and coated onto the wells of
      microtiter plates. A non-hydrolysable ether bond, with a non UV-absorbing alkyl
      chain, was introduced at the other sn positions to prevent acyl chain migration
      during TG synthesis or lipolysis. The synthesis of TG containing alpha
      eleostearic acid was performed from S-glycidol in six steps to obtain sn-EOO and
      in five steps to sn-OOE. The alpha-eleostearic acid conjugated triene constitutes
      an intrinsic chromophore and, consequently, confers the strong UV absorption
      properties of this free fatty acid as well as of the TG harboring it. The lipase
      activity on coated sn-EOO or sn-OOE was measured by the increase in the
      absorbance at 272nm due to the transition of alpha-eleostearic acid from the
      adsorbed to the soluble state. Human and porcine pancreatic lipases, guinea pig
      pancreatic lipase related protein 2, Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase, Candida
      antarctica lipase A and Candida antarctica lipase B were all used to validate the
      assay. This continuous high-throughput screening method could determine directly
      without any processes after lipolysis the regio-selectivity of various lipases.

PMID- 28629974
TI  - The effects of changes in object location on object identity detection: A
      simultaneous EEG-fMRI study.
AB  - Object identity and location are bound together to form a unique integration that
      is maintained and processed in visual working memory (VWM). Changes in task
      irrelevant object location have been shown to impair the retrieval of memorial
      representations and the detection of object identity changes. However, the neural
      correlates of this cognitive process remain largely unknown. In the present
      study, we aim to investigate the underlying brain activation during object color
      change detection and the modulatory effects of changes in object location and VWM
      load. To this end we used simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and
      functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recordings, which can reveal the
      neural activity with both high temporal and high spatial resolution. Subjects
      responded faster and with greater accuracy in the repeated compared to the
      changed object location condition, when a higher VWM load was utilized. These
      results support the spatial congruency advantage theory and suggest that it is
      more pronounced with higher VWM load. Furthermore, the spatial congruency effect
      was associated with larger posterior N1 activity, greater activation of the right
      inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and less suppression of the right supramarginal
      gyrus (SMG), when object location was repeated compared to when it was changed.
      The ERP-fMRI integrative analysis demonstrated that the object location
      discrimination-related N1 component is generated in the right SMG.

PMID- 28629975
TI  - Anatomical and functional properties of the foot and leg representation in areas
      3b, 1 and 2 of primary somatosensory cortex in humans: A 7T fMRI study.
AB  - Primary somatosensory cortex (S1) processes somatosensory information and is
      composed of multiple subregions. In particular, tactile information from the skin
      is encoded in three subregions, namely Brodmann areas (BAs) 3b, 1 and 2, with
      each area representing a complete map of the contralateral body. Although, much
      is known about the somatotopic organization of the hand in human S1, less
      research has been carried out regarding the somatotopic maps of the foot and leg
      in S1. Moreover, a latero-medial S1 organization along the superior part of the
      postcentral gyrus has been reported when moving from hip to toes, yet to date
      there is no study investigating leg/foot maps within the different subregions of
      S1. Using ultra-high field MRI (7T), we mapped six cortical representations of
      the lower limb (hip to toes) at the single subject level and performed this
      analysis separately for BAs 3b, 1 and 2. Analyzing the BOLD responses associated
      with tactile stimulations of the mapped foot and leg regions on each side, we
      quantified the extent and the strength of activation to determine somatotopic
      organization. In addition, we investigated whether each mapped representation
      also responded to the stimulation of other body parts (i.e. response selectivity)
      and conducted dissimilarity analysis relating these anatomical and functional
      properties of S1 to the physical structure of the lower limbs. Our data reveal
      somatotopy for the leg, but not for the foot in all investigated BAs, with large
      inter-subject variability. We found only minor differences between the properties
      of the three investigated BAs, suggesting that S1 maps for the lower limbs differ
      from those described for the hand. We also describe greater extent/strength of S1
      activation for the big toe representation (compared to the other mapped
      representations) within all BAs, suggesting a possible homology between the first
      digit of upper and lower extremity in humans, and report different patterns of
      selectivity in the foot representations (i.e. lower selectivity) compared to the
      other leg representations (i.e. greater selectivity). These data provide a
      detailed description of human S1 subregions for the foot and leg, highlight the
      importance of high-resolution mapping studies and of single subject analysis, and
      indicate potential differences between the lower and the upper limb.

PMID- 28629976
TI  - MAPBOT: Meta-analytic parcellation based on text, and its application to the
      human thalamus.
AB  - Meta-analysis of neuroimaging results has proven to be a popular and valuable
      method to study human brain functions. A number of studies have used meta
      analysis to parcellate distinct brain regions. A popular way to perform meta
      analysis is typically based on the reported activation coordinates from a number
      of published papers. However, in addition to the coordinates associated with the
      different brain regions, the text itself contains considerably amount of
      additional information. This textual information has been largely ignored in meta
      analyses where it may be useful for simultaneously parcellating brain regions and
      studying their characteristics. By leveraging recent advances in document
      clustering techniques, we introduce an approach to parcellate the brain into
      meaningful regions primarily based on the text features present in a document
      from a large number of studies. This new method is called MAPBOT (Meta-Analytic
      Parcellation Based On Text). Here, we first describe how the method works and
      then the application case of understanding the sub-divisions of the thalamus. The
      thalamus was chosen because of the substantial body of research that has been
      reported studying this functional and structural structure for both healthy and
      clinical populations. However, MAPBOT is a general-purpose method that is
      applicable to parcellating any region(s) of the brain. The present study
      demonstrates the powerful utility of using text information from neuroimaging
      studies to parcellate brain regions.

PMID- 28629977
TI  - Neural representations of the concepts in simple sentences: Concept activation
      prediction and context effects.
AB  - Although it has been possible to identify individual concepts from a concept's
      brain activation pattern, there have been significant obstacles to identifying a
      proposition from its fMRI signature. Here we demonstrate the ability to decode
      individual prototype sentences from readers' brain activation patterns, by using
      theory-driven regions of interest and semantic properties. It is possible to
      predict the fMRI brain activation patterns evoked by propositions and words which
      are entirely new to the model with reliably above-chance rank accuracy. The two
      core components implemented in the model that reflect the theory were the choice
      of intermediate semantic features and the brain regions associated with the
      neurosemantic dimensions. This approach also predicts the neural representation
      of object nouns across participants, studies, and sentence contexts. Moreover, we
      find that the neural representation of an agent-verb-object proto-sentence is
      more accurately characterized by the neural signatures of its components as they
      occur in a similar context than by the neural signatures of these components as
      they occur in isolation.

PMID- 28629978
TI  - Dual roles of TPGS based microemulsion for tacrolimus: Enhancing the percutaneous
      delivery and anti-psoriatic efficacy.
AB  - In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the dual roles of Tocopheryl
      Polyethylene Glycol 1000 Succinate (TPGS) based microemulsion (ME) for tacrolimus
      (TAC) to enhance TAC percutaneous delivery and anti-psoriatic efficacy. The ME
      formulation was developed and optimized based on pseudo-ternary phase diagrams
      combined with in vitro permeation. The result of Fourier transform infrared
      spectroscopy (FTIR) demonstrated that TAC was completely solubilized in the TPGS
      ME. In vitro permeation studies showed that TPGS-ME enhanced TAC permeation
      through and into the skin, and the enhanced deposition of TAC in the normal or
      psoriatic skin was further confirmed in vivo. The cellular uptake performed with
      HaCaT cells presented more pronounced uptake of TPGS-ME. Topical TAC-TPGS-ME
      treated imiquimod-induced psoriasis in mice more efficaciously than the
      commercial formulation of TAC (Protopic(r)), which is consistent with the
      enhanced TAC levels by TAC-TPGS-ME in the psoriatic skin. Haematoxylin and Eosin
      (HE) staining revealed that TAC-TPGS-ME significantly diminished the severity of
      the psoriasis-like skin inflammation. Moreover, TPGS-ME vehicle exhibited a
      moderate anti-inflammatory activity, which indicated that TPGS acted as a
      potential adjuvant in the TAC anti-psoriasis process, and the synergism was
      identified in anti-proliferation against HaCaT cells. The colloidal nano-carrier
      combined ME with TPGS is a potential approach for percutaneous delivery of TAC,
      which exploited both virtues of ME and TPGS to obtain the synergetic effects of
      enhanced permeability and anti-psoriatic efficacy.

PMID- 28629979
TI  - Nasal vaccination with poly(beta-amino ester)-poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide)
      hybrid nanoparticles.
AB  - Mucosal vaccination stimulates both mucosal and systemic immunity. However,
      mucosal applications of vaccine antigens in their free form generally result in
      poor systemic immune responses and need adjuvantation. In this study, bovine
      serum albumin loaded, new hybridised poly(beta-amino ester)-poly(d,l-lactide-co
      glycolide) nanoparticles were prepared by double emulsion-solvent evaporation
      method, characterised and evaluated in vivo as nasal vaccine carriers. Cationic
      spherical particles with a mean size of 240nm, good physical stability and high
      encapsulation efficiency were obtained. Protein structure was not affected
      throughout preparation and minimal toxicity was shown in Calu-3 and A549 cells.
      Nasal vaccination with these nanoparticles revealed markedly higher humoral
      immune responses compared with free antigen following intranasal and subcutaneous
      immunisation. Mucosal immune response was also stimulated and cytokine titres
      indicated that Th1 and Th2 pathways were successfully activated. This study shows
      that the formulated hybrid nanoparticles can be a promising carrier for nasal
      immunisation of poor antigenic proteins.

PMID- 28629981
TI  - Retrospective Quality by Design (rQbD) applied to the optimization of
      orodispersible films.
AB  - The study demonstrates the application of QbD based on historical data for a
      product at a later development stage - retrospective QbD (rQbD). More
      specifically, it is investigated the root-cause for the observed slower drug
      release in Orodispersible Films (ODFs) during storage. Risk assessment tools were
      used to identify parameters affecting ODFs critical quality attributes, namely
      percent drug release and residual water content. The parameters room temperature,
      room relative humidity, drying temperature and mixing equipment were used in the
      statistical modeling of the available data. The estimated models were then used
      to define the feasible working region. Statistical modeling indicates that
      initial residual water content of the ODFs is mainly affected by 2nd order
      interactions of room temperature, room relative humidity and drying temperature,
      while the stability of drug release profile is mostly influenced by room
      temperature and an interaction between room relative humidity and drying
      temperature. Depending on the drying temperature employed the effect of room
      temperature and room relative humidity change significantly. This work shows that
      it is possible to apply rQbD to achieve a greater understanding of the
      manufacturing process of ODFs and to define a proper design space.

PMID- 28629980
TI  - Polymer nanoassemblies with hydrophobic pendant groups in the core induce false
      positive siRNA transfection in luciferase reporter assays.
AB  - Poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated polyethylenimine (PEG-PEI) is a widely studied
      cationic polymer used to develop non-viral vectors for siRNA therapy of genetic
      disorders including cancer. Cell lines stably expressing luciferase reporter
      protein typically evaluate the transfection efficacy of siRNA/PEG-PEI complexes,
      however recent findings revealed that PEG-PEI can reduce luciferase expression
      independent of siRNA. This study elucidates a cause of the false positive effect
      in luciferase assays by using polymer nanoassemblies (PNAs) made from PEG, PEI,
      poly-(l-lysine) (PLL), palmitate (PAL), and deoxycholate (DOC): PEG-PEI (2P), PEG
      PEI-PAL (3P), PEG-PLL (2P'), PEG-PLL-PAL (3P'), and PEG-PEI-DOC (2PD). In vitro
      transfection and western blot assays of luciferase using a colorectal cancer cell
      line expressing luciferase (HT29/LUC) concluded that 2P and 2P' caused no
      luciferase expression reduction while hydrophobically modified PNAs induced a 35
      50% reduction (3P'<2PD<3P). Although cell viability remained stagnant, 3P
      triggered cellular stress responses including increased membrane porosity and
      decreased ATP and cellular protein concentrations. Raman spectroscopy suggested
      that hydrophobic groups influence PNA conformation changes, which may have caused
      over-ubiquitination and degradation of luciferase in the cells. These results
      indicate that hydrophobically modified PEG-PEI induces cellular distress causing
      over-ubiquitination of the luciferase protein, producing false positive siRNA
      transfection in the luciferase assay.

PMID- 28629982
TI  - Polymeric nanoparticles: Promising platform for drug delivery.
AB  - Nano medicine had viewed countless breakthroughs in drug delivery
      implementations. The main objective of nanotechnology application in delivering
      and carrying many promising therapeutics is to assure drugs carriage to their
      action sites, to maximize the pharmacological desired influence of remedies and
      to overcome their limitations and drawbacks that would hinder the required
      effectiveness. One of these applications was the particulates type of nano-range
      in size and tremendous impact in achievement. About this specific diversity of
      particulates, the different elaboration methodologies, mandatory and elementary
      components for design, and examples of splendid success stories for these
      particulates were emphasized in this humble review. Challenges such as oral
      delivery probability for peptide moieties and enhancement the harshly passage
      process of drugs across the blood brain barriers were accepted and defeated by
      the almost insurmountable latterly mentioned particulates. Behold, the polymeric
      nanoparticles.

PMID- 28629983
TI  - Self-assembly nanostructure controlled sustained release, activity and stability
      of peptide drugs.
AB  - Peptides are considered as a new generation of drugs due to their high structural
      and functional diversity. However, the development of peptide drugs is always
      limited by their poor stability and short circulation time. Carriers are applied
      for peptide drug delivery, but there may be problems like poor loading efficiency
      and undesired xenobiotic toxicity. Peptide self-assembly is an effective approach
      to improve the stability and control the release of peptide drugs. In this study,
      two self-assembling anticancer peptides are designed by appending a pair of
      glutamic acid and asparagine to either the N-terminus or the C-terminus of a
      lytic peptide. This simple, yet rational sequence modification was made to change
      the amphiphilic pattern and secondary structural content of the parent peptide,
      thereby modulating its self-assembly process. It was found that the N-terminus
      modified peptide favors the formation of nanofibrils and the peptide with C
      terminal modification formed micelles. Although both nanostructures showed
      prolonged action profiles and improved serum stability compared to the parent
      peptide, the morphology of the nanostructures is highly critical to manipulate
      the release profile of the free peptide from the assembly and regulate their
      bioactivity. We believe the self-assembly approach demonstrated in this study can
      be applied to a variety of therapeutic peptide drugs to improve their stability
      and therapeutic activity for the development of carrier-free drug delivery
      system.

PMID- 28629984
TI  - The contribution of the in-vivo fate of an oil depot to drug absorption.
AB  - Sustained release of lipophilic compounds can be achieved with oil depots. These
      parenteral formulations are generally injected in the vastus lateralis and
      deltoid muscle. It is known that the absorption rate differs between these two
      muscles. The reason for this is not fully understood. The aim of the current
      study was to investigate the fate of an oil depot in different tissues to
      elucidate whether the disappearance rate of oil is the cause of observed
      differences in absorption rate. A study with healthy volunteers was conducted to
      determine 1.0mL oil depots in the vastus lateralis and deltoid muscle for two
      weeks. The spatial distribution of the oil depots was determined using MRI.
      Additionally, a study in rats was conducted to microscopically examine the oil
      immediately and after 31days of injection. All rats were injected with a 0.1mL
      oil depot with and without benzyl alcohol (BOH), a commonly used excipient in oil
      depots. In humans, it was shown that all oil depots were equal in volume and
      surface area directly after injection. Moreover, the disappearance rate for all
      oil depots was similar; within one week there was no depot visible anymore by
      MRI. This in contrast to the depots in rats, which were still microscopically
      visible after 31days. It is concluded from these observations that the oil is
      dispersed to small droplets in the course of time. The resulting increase in
      surface area does not lead to an increase in absorption rate however. The results
      of this paper show that the variation in drug absorption as found for the two
      muscles is not caused by a distinction in surface areas or disappearance rates of
      the oil depots. Therefore, it is argued that the local tissue drainage (e.g.
      lymph flow) plays a considerable role in drug absorption from oil depots, whereby
      the lymph flow differs between the muscles.

PMID- 28629985
TI  - Letter to Editor: "Intra-operative assessment of excised breast tumour margins
      using clear edge imaging device".

PMID- 28629986
TI  - Identification of influenza polymerase inhibitors targeting polymerase PB2 cap
      binding domain through virtual screening.
AB  - Influenza A virus is the major cause of epidemics and pandemics worldwide. In
      this study, virtual screening was used to identify compounds interacting with
      influenza A polymerase PB2 cap-binding domain (CBD). With a database of 21,351
      small molecules, 28 candidate compounds were tested and one compound (225) was
      identified as hit compound. Compound 225 and three of its analogs (225D1, 426 and
      426Br) were found to bind directly to PB2 CBD by surface plasmon resonance (SPR).
      The evaluation of compounds 426Br and 225 indicated that they could bind to PB2
      CBD and inhibit influenza virus at low micromolar concentration. They were
      predicted to bind the cap binding site of the protein by molecular modeling and
      were confirmed by SPR assay using PB2 CBD mutants. These two compounds have novel
      scaffolds and could be further developed into lead compound for influenza virus
      inhibition.

PMID- 28629987
TI  - Anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 activity of Houttuynoid A, a flavonoid from
      Houttuynia cordata Thunb.
AB  - Early events in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection reactivate latent
      human immunodeficiency virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and human papillomavirus in the
      presence of acyclovir (ACV). The common use of nucleoside analog medications,
      such as ACV and pencyclovir, has resulted in the emergence of drug-resistant HSV
      1 strains in clinical therapy. Therefore, new antiherpetics that can inhibit
      early events in HSV-1 infection should be developed. An example of this treatment
      is Houttuynia cordata Thunb. water extract, which can inhibit HSV-1 infection
      through multiple mechanisms. In this study, the anti-HSV-1 activity of
      Houttuynoid A, a new type of flavonoid isolated from H. cordata, was
      investigated. Three different assays confirmed that this compound could exhibit
      strong in vitro anti-HSV-1 activity. One assay verified that this compound could
      inhibit HSV-1 multiplication and prevent lesion formation in a HSV-1 infection
      mouse model. Mechanism analysis revealed that this compound could inactivate HSV
      1 infectivity by blocking viral membrane fusion. Moreover, Houttuynoid A
      exhibited antiviral activities against other alpha herpes viruses, such as HSV-2
      and varicella zoster virus (VZV). In conclusion, Houttuynoid A may be a useful
      antiviral agent for HSV-1.

PMID- 28629988
TI  - 4'-Azidocytidine (R1479) inhibits henipaviruses and other paramyxoviruses with
      high potency.
AB  - The henipaviruses Nipah virus and Hendra virus are highly pathogenic zoonotic
      paramyxoviruses which have caused fatal outbreaks of encephalitis and respiratory
      disease in humans. Despite the availability of a licensed equine Hendra virus
      vaccine and a neutralizing monoclonal antibody shown to be efficacious against
      henipavirus infections in non-human primates, there remains no approved
      therapeutics or vaccines for human use. To explore the possibility of developing
      small-molecule nucleoside inhibitors against henipaviruses, we evaluated the
      antiviral activity of 4'-azidocytidine (R1479), a drug previously identified to
      inhibit flaviviruses, against henipaviruses along with other representative
      members of the family Paramyxoviridae. We observed similar levels of R1479
      antiviral activity across the family, regardless of virus genus. Our brief study
      expands the documented range of viruses susceptible to R1479, and provides the
      basis for future investigation and development of 4'-modified nucleoside analogs
      as potential broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutics across both positive and
      negative-sense RNA virus families.

PMID- 28629989
TI  - Patient-Proxy Agreement on the Health-Related Quality of Life One Year After
      Traumatic Brain Injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the level of agreement between patients and their proxies
      on a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQL) 1 year after traumatic
      brain injury (TBI). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Four hospitals in
      Taipei. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N=176) were patients with TBI (n=88)
      identified from discharge records of 4 hospitals in Taiwan and family members or
      friends (n=88) who could answer questions regarding the patient's health and HRQL
      1 year after the injury. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A
      health profile of the brief Taiwanese version of the World Health Organization
      Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) and 2 health utility measures of the time tradeoff
      (TTO) and standard gamble (SG). RESULTS: Compared with proxy responses, patients
      provided higher ratings on the domains of the WHOQOL-BREF and lower ratings on
      the TTO and SG. Intraclass correlation coefficients between patient and proxy
      ratings varied among the 4 domains of the WHOQOL-BREF, in which levels of
      agreement were moderate or good for physical capacity (.69) and low for
      psychological well-being (.45), social relationships (.24), and the environment
      (.32). Levels of agreement were extremely low for the TTO (0.0) and SG (.10). A
      profile analysis showed that patients' ratings on the WHOQOL-BREF, on average,
      were significantly greater than those of their proxies (mean difference, 3.07),
      with a similar distribution of scatter responses (mean difference, .002) and
      shape agreement (mean difference, .57). Greater variations in the patient-proxy
      level of agreement appeared in patients who were younger and had more severe
      injuries, and also with parent and child proxies. CONCLUSIONS: To assess the HRQL
      of patients with a TBI, the level of patient-proxy agreement was adequate for the
      physical domain but was lower for the social and environmental domains, and the
      agreement was very low for the TTO and SG. Furthermore, a patient's age and
      injury severity, and the patient-proxy' relationship may affect the agreement.

PMID- 28629990
TI  - Employment Stability in Veterans and Service Members With Traumatic Brain Injury:
      A Veterans Administration Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine incidence and predictors of employment stability in
      veterans and military service members with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who
      return to work. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Four
      rehabilitation centers. PARTICIPANTS: Veterans and military service members
      (N=110) with mild (26%), moderate (22%), or severe (52%) TBI enrolled in the
      Department of Veterans Affairs Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers TBI Model
      Systems database within 2 years of injury who were discharged between January
      2009 and June 2015. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
      Employment stability as reflected by competitive employment at 1- and/or 2-year
      follow-up. RESULTS: Over half (n=61, 55%) of the participants had stable
      employment at the time the first competitive employment date was recorded.
      Individuals with stable employment were more likely to be white (79%) and to have
      slightly higher cognitive and motor discharge scores on the FIM. Based on
      univariate analysis, more severe TBI and higher FIM motor scores at discharge
      were significantly associated with employment stability. At follow-up, compared
      with veterans and military service members who had unstable employment, those
      with stable employment had higher scores on motor and cognitive FIM and lower
      scores of self-report symptoms on the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, the 9
      item Patient Health Questionnaire-Depression, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety
      Disorder Questionnaire, and the PTSD Checklist-Civilian version. CONCLUSIONS: A
      number of unique factors affect employment stability in veterans and military
      service members with TBI. Study findings identify veterans and military service
      members who have stable employment and predictors of employment stability.

PMID- 28629991
TI  - Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Subsequent to Serious Orthopedic Injury:
      A Systematic Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To systematically review and synthesize the evidence on physical
      activity and sedentary behavior after serious orthopedic injury. DATA SOURCES:
      Eight electronic databases and reference lists of relevant articles were searched
      from inception to March 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Studies on physical activity and
      sedentary behavior measured objectively or via self-report among patients with a
      serious orthopedic injury (acute bone or soft tissue injury requiring emergency
      hospital admission and/or nonelective surgery) were included. DATA EXTRACTION:
      Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were independently
      performed by 2 reviewers using standardized checklists. DATA SYNTHESIS: Twelve of
      2572 studies were included: 8 were on hip fractures and 4 on other orthopedic
      injuries. Follow-up ranged from 4 days to 2 years postinjury. When measured
      objectively, physical activity levels were low at all time points postinjury,
      with individuals with hip fracture achieving only 1% of recommended physical
      activity levels 7 months postinjury. Studies using objective measures also showed
      patients to be highly sedentary throughout all stages of recovery, spending 76%
      to 99% of the day sitting or reclining. For studies using self-report measures,
      no consistent trends were observed in postinjury physical activity or sedentary
      behavior. CONCLUSIONS: For studies using objective measures, low physical
      activity levels and high levels of sedentary behaviors were found consistently
      after injury. More research is needed not only on the impact of immobility on
      long-term orthopedic injury outcomes and the risk of chronic disease, but also
      the potential for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in
      this population.

PMID- 28629992
TI  - Do Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Benefit From Low-Level Laser Therapy? A
      Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of low
      level laser therapy for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. DATA SOURCES: The
      Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database
      were searched for relevant systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials
      (RCTs) up to April 8, 2016. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers independently applied
      the inclusion criteria to select potential studies. DATA EXTRACTION: Two
      reviewers independently extracted the data and assessed the methodologic quality.
      DATA SYNTHESIS: A best-evidence synthesis was performed to summarize the results
      of the 2 systematic reviews and 17 RCTs that were included. Strong evidence was
      found for the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy compared with placebo
      treatment in the very short term (0 to <=5wk). After 5 weeks, the positive
      effects of low-level laser therapy on pain, function, or recovery diminished over
      time (moderate and conflicting evidence were found at 7- and 12-wk follow-up,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the very short term, low-level laser therapy is
      more effective as a single intervention than placebo low-level laser therapy in
      patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, after which the positive effects of low
      level laser therapy tend to subside. Evidence in the midterm and long term is
      sparse.

PMID- 28629993
TI  - Increasing the efficiency of oncology basket trials using a Bayesian approach.
AB  - With the rapid growth of targeted and immune-oncology therapies, novel
      statistical design approaches are needed to increase the flexibility and
      efficiency of early phase oncology trials. Basket trials enroll patients with
      defined biological deficiencies, but with multiple histologic tumor types (or
      indications), to discover in which indications the drug is active. In such
      designs different indications are typically analyzed independently. This,
      however, ignores potential biological similarities among the indications. Our
      research provides a statistical methodology to enhance such basket trials by
      assessing the homogeneity of the response rates among indications at an interim
      analysis, and applying a Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach in the second
      stage if the efficacy is deemed reasonably homogenous across indications. This
      increases the power of the study by allowing indications with similar response
      rates to borrow information from each other. Via simulations, we quantify the
      efficiency gain of our proposed approach relative to the conventional parallel
      approach. The operating characteristics of our method depend on the similarity of
      the response rates between the different indications. If the response rates are
      comparable in most or all indications after treatment with the investigational
      drug, a substantial increase in efficiency as compared to the conventional
      approach can be obtained as fewer patients are required or a higher power is
      attained. We also demonstrate that efficacy again decreases if the response rates
      vary considerably among tumor types but it is still better than the conventional
      approach.

PMID- 28629994
TI  - The effect of estrogen on tendon and ligament metabolism and function.
AB  - Tendons and ligaments are crucial structures inside the musculoskeletal system.
      Still many issues in the treatment of tendon diseases and injuries have yet not
      been resolved sufficiently. In particular, the role of estrogen-like compound
      (ELC) in tendon biology has received until now little attention in modern
      research, despite ELC being a well-studied and important factor in the physiology
      of other parts of the musculoskeletal system. In this review we attempt to
      summarize the available information on this topic and to determine many open
      questions in this field.

PMID- 28629995
TI  - Intraosseous compared to intravenous drug resuscitation in out-of-hospital
      cardiac arrest.
AB  - AIMS: Although the intraosseous (IO) route is increasingly used for vascular
      access in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), little is known about its
      comparative effectiveness relative to intravenous (IV) access. We evaluated
      clinical outcomes following OHCA comparing drug administration via IO versus IV
      routes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated Emergency Medical
      Services (EMS)-treated adults with atraumatic OHCA in a large metropolitan EMS
      system between 9/1/2012-12/31/2014. Access was classified as IO or IV based on
      the route of first EMS drug administration. Study endpoints were survival to
      hospital discharge, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to
      hospital admission. RESULTS: Among 2164 adults with OHCA, 1800 met eligibility
      criteria, 1525 of whom were treated via IV and 275 principally via tibial-IO
      routes. Compared to IV, IO-treated patients were younger, more often women, had
      unwitnessed OHCA, a non-cardiac aetiology, and presented with non-shockable
      rhythms. IO versus IV-treated patients were less likely to survive to hospital
      discharge (14.9% vs 22.8%, p=0.003), achieve ROSC (43.6% vs 55.5%, p<0.001) or be
      hospitalized (38.5% vs 50.0% p<0.001). In multivariable adjusted analyses, IO
      treatment was not associated with survival to discharge (odds ratio (OR) (95%
      confidence interval) 0.81 (0.55, 1.21), p=0.31), but was associated with a lower
      likelihood of ROSC (OR=0.67 (0.50, 0.88), p=0.004) and survival to
      hospitalization (OR=0.68 (0.51, 0.91), p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Though not
      independently associated with survival to discharge, principally tibial IO versus
      IV treatment was associated with a lower likelihood of ROSC and hospitalization.
      How routes of vascular access influence clinical outcomes after OHCA merits
      additional study.

PMID- 28629996
TI  - Production of medically useful nitric monoxide using AC arc discharge.
AB  - Inhaled nitric monoxide (iNO) is increasingly used as a medical treatment for
      acute respiratory distress syndrome. A course of the existing nitric monoxide
      (NO) therapy with gas cylinders could cost up to approximately $15,000 for an
      average of 30.2 h. Moreover, a gas cylinder containing a mixture of N2 and NO may
      potentially leak NO. The objective of this study is to develop an efficient and
      cost-effective on-site iNO generation system. In the present setup, NO was
      generated by using dry air or mixed oxygen/nitrogen (O2/N2) and an AC power
      source with an output power level of 5-30 W at atmospheric pressure. The
      simultaneously produced NO2 was eliminated with an ammonium sulfite ((NH4)2SO3)
      solution. The effects of the O2/N2 ratio, gas flow rate, discharge gap distance,
      output energy density and electrode structure on NOx concentration and the NO/NO2
      ratio are reported. The concentrations of NO and NO2 reached 62 ppm and 3 ppm,
      respectively, after absorption and dilution at a gas flow rate of 6 L/min. With
      the present setup, the AC arc discharge produced NOx at a stable concentration
      for at least 6 h using dry air.

PMID- 28629997
TI  - Membrane translocation of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 induced by
      inflammatory cytokines in lung cancer cells.
AB  - Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is known as one of the nociceptors
      expressed in sensory neurons. It also plays a role in non-neural cells in
      inflammatory sites. However, the regulatory mechanisms for the reactivity of
      TRPA1 in these cells under inflammatory conditions are not clear. To clarify
      these mechanisms, we examined the effects of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin
      [IL]-1alpha, IL-1beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFalpha]) on TRPA1
      reactivity and expression in the endogenously TRPA1-expressing lung tumor cell
      line A549. Treatment with IL-1alpha, but not IL-1beta or TNFalpha, increased the
      number of cells responding to allyl isothiocyanate, a TRPA1 agonist, in a dose-
      and time-dependent manner. The IL-1alpha-induced increase of TRPA1 responsiveness
      was inhibited by an extracellular-regulated kinase (Erk) inhibitor (PD98059) but
      not by inhibitors of c-Jun kinase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase or
      phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase. Phosphorylation of Erk gradually increased at 24 h
      after its transient induction in cells treated with IL-1alpha. IL-1alpha
      increased the TRPA1 levels on biotinylated cell surface proteins. These results
      suggest that IL-1alpha enhances the translocation of TRPA1 to the plasma membrane
      via the activation of Erk in A549. TRPA1 may have a pathophysiological role in
      non-neural lung cells under inflammatory conditions.

PMID- 28629998
TI  - Aloe-emodin (AE) nanoparticles suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in
      human lung squamous carcinoma via ROS generation in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Human lung squamous cell carcinoma is a deadly cancer for which present
      therapeutic strategies are inadequate. And traditional chemotherapy results in
      severe systemic toxicity. Compounds from living organisms often exert a
      biological activity, triggering several targets, which may be useful for the
      improvement of novel pharmaceuticals. Aloe-emodin (AE), a well-known natural
      compound, is a primary component of anthraquinones in Aloe vera and exhibits anti
      proliferative and apoptotic effects on various tumor cells. However, the
      translational and clinical use of AE has been limited owing to its rapid
      degradation and poor bioavailability. To improve its efficacy, a poly (lactic-co
      glycolic acid) based AE nanoparticle formulation (NanoAE) was prepared. Our study
      indicated that compared to the free AE, nanoAE significantly suppressed cancer
      cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, evidenced by high
      cleavage of Caspase-3, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), Caspase-8 and Caspase
      9. NanoAE enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, along with Mitogen
      activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation and PI3K/AKT inactivation. Cell
      proliferation, apoptosis and MAPKs and PI3K/AKT were dependent on ROS production
      in nanoAE-treated groups. In vivo, nanoAE exhibited inhibitory effects on the
      tumor growth with little toxicity. Together, our results indicated that nanoAE
      might be an effective treatment for human lung squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28629999
TI  - Trimethylamine N-oxide prime NLRP3 inflammasome via inhibiting ATG16L1-induced
      autophagy in colonic epithelial cells.
AB  - Recently, the intricate relationship between Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and
      inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is of growing interest. The NLRP3 inflammasome
      plays crucial roles in gut homeostasis and determining the severity of
      inflammation in IBD, however, the precise roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome in IBD
      are still debated. ATG16L1 mediates the cellular degradative process of autophagy
      and is considered a critical regulator of inflammation based on its genetic
      association with IBD. Whether TMAO prime NLRP3 inflammasome via ATG16L1-induced
      autophagy remains unclear. This study observed the expression of ATG16L1, LC3-II
      and p62 and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome stimulated by TMAO in fetal human
      colon cells (FHCs), aiming to elucidate the mechanism by which the TMAO may
      contribute to colonic epithelial inflammation. Our results demonstrated that TMAO
      significantly inhibited ATG16L1, LC3-II and p62 expression, and triggered the
      activated NLRP3 inflammasome and production of ROS in a dose- and time-dependent
      manner. Furthermore, TMAO-mediated effects were observably reversed by over
      expression ATG16L1 and siRNA-mediated knockdown NLRP3.The present results support
      the hypothesis that TMAO may be involved in the pathogenesis of IBD by impacting
      ATG16L1-induced autophagy and activating NLRP3 inflammasome, suggesting a
      potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of IBD and TMAO-associated
      complications.

PMID- 28630000
TI  - Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase expression during physiological cardiac
      hypertrophy induced by pregnancy.
AB  - Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (betaine aldehyde: NAD(P)+ oxidoreductase, (E.C.
      1.2.1.8; BADH) catalyze the irreversible oxidation of betaine aldehyde (BA) to
      glycine betaine (GB) and is essential for polyamine catabolism, gamma
      aminobutyric acid synthesis, and carnitine biosynthesis. GB is an important
      osmolyte that regulates the homocysteine levels, contributing to a vascular risk
      factor reduction. In this sense, distinct investigations describe the
      physiological roles of GB, but there is a lack of information about the GB novo
      synthesis process and regulation during cardiac hypertrophy induced by pregnancy.
      In this work, the BADH mRNA expression, protein level, and activity were
      quantified in the left ventricle before, during, and after pregnancy. The mRNA
      expression, protein content and enzyme activity along with GB content of BADH
      increased 2.41, 1.95 and 1.65-fold respectively during late pregnancy compared to
      not pregnancy, and returned to basal levels at postpartum. Besides, the GB levels
      increased 1.53-fold during pregnancy and remain at postpartum. Our results
      demonstrate that physiological cardiac hypertrophy induced BADH mRNA expression
      and activity along with GB production, suggesting that BADH participates in the
      adaptation process of physiological cardiac hypertrophy during pregnancy,
      according to the described GB role in cellular osmoregulation, osmoprotection and
      reduction of vascular risk.

PMID- 28630001
TI  - Host influence in the genomic composition of flaviviruses: A multivariate
      approach.
AB  - Flaviviruses present substantial differences in their host range and
      transmissibility. We studied the evolution of base composition, dinucleotide
      biases, codon usage and amino acid frequencies in the genus Flavivirus within a
      phylogenetic framework by principal components analysis. There is a mutual
      interplay between the evolutionary history of flaviviruses and their respective
      vectors and/or hosts. Hosts associated to distinct phylogenetic groups may be
      driving flaviviruses at different pace and through various sequence landscapes,
      as can be seen for viruses associated with Aedes or Culex spp., although
      phylogenetic inertia cannot be ruled out. In some cases, viruses face even
      opposite forces. For instance, in tick-borne flaviviruses, while vertebrate hosts
      exert pressure to deplete their CpG, tick vectors drive them to exhibit GC-rich
      codons. Within a vertebrate environment, natural selection appears to be acting
      on the viral genome to overcome the immune system. On the other side, within an
      arthropod environment, mutational biases seem to be the dominant forces.

PMID- 28630002
TI  - Inhibition of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling by IWR1 induces expression of Foxd3 to
      promote mouse epiblast stem cell self-renewal.
AB  - Inhibition of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling facilitates the derivation of mouse
      epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs), as well as dramatically promotes EpiSC self
      renewal. The specific mechanism, however, is still unclear. Here, we showed that
      IWR1, a Wnt/beta-catenin signaling inhibitor, allowed long-term self-renewal of
      EpiSCs in serum medium in combination with ROCK inhibitor Y27632. Through
      transcriptome data analysis, we arrived at a set of candidate transcription
      factors induced by IWR1. Among these, Forkhead box D3 (Foxd3) was most abundant.
      Forced expression of Foxd3 could recapitulate the self-renewal-promoting effect
      of IWR1 in EpiSCs. Conversely, knockdown of Foxd3 profoundly compromised
      responsiveness to IWR1, causing extinction of pluripotency markers and emergence
      of differentiation phenotype. Foxd3 thus is necessary and sufficient to mediate
      self-renewal downstream of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling inhibitor. These findings
      highlight an important role for Foxd3 in regulating EpiSCs and will expand
      current understanding of the primed pluripotency.

PMID- 28630003
TI  - Effects of mild calorie restriction on lipid metabolism and inflammation in liver
      and adipose tissue.
AB  - Calorie restriction (CR) has been reported to improve lipid metabolism and to
      decrease inflammatory diseases. However, most existing CR models use 30-50%
      calorie reduction, which is hard to achieve in humans. We investigated the
      effects of mild CR on lipid metabolism and inflammatory responses. Male C57BL/6
      mice were fed control diet (10% kcal fat, Control) or high fat diet (60% kcal
      fat, HFD) ad libitum or reduced amount of control diet to achieve 15% CR for 16
      wks. Body weights, white adipose tissue weights, liver triacylglycerol levels,
      and serum fetuin-A levels were lower in CR than in the Control. Serum adiponectin
      levels were higher in CR and lower in HFD compared with the Control. Liver and
      adipose tissue Mcp-1 mRNA levels were significantly lower in CR compared with the
      Control. Adipose tissue mRNA levels of Mcp-1, Il-6, Tnf-alpha and Socs3 were
      significantly higher in HFD than in the Control and CR, and levels of these
      negatively correlated with serum adiponectin levels. CR group had the lowest
      leptin levels and the highest liver Lepr expression, and Lepr mRNA levels
      positively correlated with liver Socs3 mRNA levels. Our findings showed that mild
      CR lowered adiposity which resulted in higher adiponectin and lower fetuin-A
      levels, and might have contributed to alleviation of inflammatory status in the
      liver and adipose tissue. Furthermore, mild CR might have affected leptin
      sensitivity by up-regulating Lepr expression.

PMID- 28630004
TI  - CO-releasing molecules-2 attenuates ox-LDL-induced injury in HUVECs by
      ameliorating mitochondrial function and inhibiting Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.
AB  - Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) is well known to disrupt normal
      functionality of endothelium, which plays a prominent role in endothelial
      dysfunction in many cardiovascular diseases. CO-releasing molecule 2 (CORM-2) is
      a promising candidate for treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, it has
      not been defined whether CORM-2 might improve endothelial injury induced by ox
      LDL. The present study was undertaken to determine the regulatory role of CORM-2
      in cell injury of ox-LDL-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
      Our results showed that ox-LDL inhibited the cell proliferation, but promoted
      apoptosis and release of cytochrome c (cytc) from mitochondrion into cytoplasm,
      stimulated the cleavage of caspase-3 and mitochondrial permeability transition
      pore (MPTP) opening. In addition, ox-LDL-incubated HUVECs exhibited excessive
      reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased protein levels of NADPH oxidase subunits
      p22phox, p47phox, NOX-2 and activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.
      However, pretreatment with CORM-2 significantly reduced cell apoptosis, release
      of cytc from mitochondrion into cytoplasm, MPTP opening and cleavage of caspase
      3, suppressed the superoxide anion generation and Wnt/beta-catenin pathway
      activation in HUVECs response to ox-LDL. Collectively, we provide the evidence
      that CORM-2 attenuated ox-LDL-mediated endothelial apoptosis and oxidative stress
      by recovering the mitochondrial function and blocking Wnt/beta-catenin pathway.

PMID- 28630005
TI  - Transgenerational effects of proton beam irradiation on Caenorhabditis elegans
      germline apoptosis.
AB  - When treating cancer using radiation therapy, it is critical to increase patient
      survival rates and to reduce side effects. In this respect, proton beam radiation
      treatment performs better than other radiation treatments because of its high
      target specificity. However, complications still remain after proton beam
      radiation treatment. Among them, the risk to progeny after irradiation of their
      parents is a major concern. In this study, we analyzed the transgenerational
      effects of proton beam irradiation using the model organism Caenorhabditis.
      elegans. We found that germline apoptosis increased after proton beam irradiation
      and its effects were sustained transgenerationally. Moreover, we identified that
      a germline-specific histone methyltransferase component, SET-2, has a critical
      role in transmitting the transgenerational effect on germline apoptosis to the
      next generation after proton beam irradiation.

PMID- 28630006
TI  - Multiple conformational states of DnaA protein regulate its interaction with DnaA
      boxes in the initiation of DNA replication.
AB  - DnaA protein is the initiator of genomic DNA replication in prokaryotes. It binds
      to specific DNA sequences in the origin of DNA replication and unwinds small AT
      rich sequences downstream for the assembly of the replisome. The mechanism of
      activation of DnaA that enables it to bind and organize the origin DNA and leads
      to replication initiation remains unclear. In this study, we have developed
      double-labeled fluorescent DnaA probes to analyze conformational states of DnaA
      protein upon binding DNA, nucleotide, and Soj sporulation protein using
      Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Our studies demonstrate that DnaA
      protein undergoes large conformational changes upon binding to substrates and
      there are multiple distinct conformational states that enable it to initiate DNA
      replication. DnaA protein adopted a relaxed conformation by expanding ~15A upon
      binding ATP and DNA to form the ATP.DnaA.DNA complex. Hydrolysis of bound ATP to
      ADP led to a contraction of DnaA within the complex. The relaxed conformation of
      DnaA is likely required for the formation of the multi-protein ATP.DnaA.DNA
      complex. In the initiation of sporulation, Soj binding to DnaA prevented
      relaxation of its conformation. Soj.ADP appeared to block the activation of DnaA,
      suggesting a mechanism for Soj.ADP in switching initiation of DNA replication to
      sporulation. Our studies demonstrate that multiple conformational states of DnaA
      protein regulate its binding to DNA in the initiation of DNA replication.

PMID- 28630007
TI  - RNA localization: Making its way to the center stage.
AB  - Cells are highly organized entities that rely on intricate addressing mechanisms
      to sort their constituent molecules to precise subcellular locations. These
      processes are crucial for cells to maintain their proper organization and carry
      out specialized functions in the body, consequently genetic perturbations that
      clog up these addressing systems can contribute to disease aetiology. The
      trafficking of RNA molecules represents an important layer in the control of
      cellular organization, a process that is both highly prevalent and for which
      features of the regulatory machineries have been deeply conserved evolutionarily.
      RNA localization is commonly driven by trans-regulatory factors, including RNA
      binding proteins at the core, which recognize specific cis-acting zipcode
      elements within the RNA transcripts. Here, we first review the functions and
      biological benefits of intracellular RNA trafficking, from the perspective of
      both coding and non-coding RNAs. Next, we discuss the molecular mechanisms that
      modulate this localization, emphasizing the diverse features of the cis- and
      trans-regulators involved, while also highlighting emerging technologies and
      resources that will prove instrumental in deciphering RNA targeting pathways. We
      then discuss recent findings that reveal how co-transcriptional regulatory
      mechanisms operating in the nucleus can dictate the downstream cytoplasmic
      localization of RNAs. Finally, we survey the growing number of human diseases in
      which RNA trafficking pathways are impacted, including spinal muscular atrophy,
      Alzheimer's disease, fragile X syndrome and myotonic dystrophy. Such examples
      highlight the need to further dissect RNA localization mechanisms, which could
      ultimately pave the way for the development of RNA-oriented diagnostic and
      therapeutic strategies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled
      "Biochemistry of Synthetic Biology - Recent Developments" Guest Editor: Dr. Ilka
      Heinemann and Dr. Patrick O'Donoghue.

PMID- 28630008
TI  - Contribution of the carbohydrate-binding ability of Vatairea guianensis lectin to
      induce edematogenic activity.
AB  - Vatairea guianensis lectin (VGL), Dalbergiae tribe, is a N-acetyl-galactosamine
      (GalNAc)/Galactose (Gal) lectin previously purified and characterized. In this
      work, we report its structural features, obtained from bioinformatics tools, and
      its inflammatory effect, obtained from a rat paw edema model. The VGL model was
      obtained by homology with the lectin of Vatairea macrocarpa (VML) as template,
      and we used it to demonstrate the common characteristics of legume lectins, such
      as the jellyroll motif and presence of a metal-binding site in the vicinity of
      the carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD). Protein-ligand docking revealed
      favorable interactions with N-acetyl-d-galactosamine, d-galactose and related
      sugars as well as several biologically relevant N- and O-glycans. In vivo testing
      of paw edema revealed that VGL induces edematogenic effect involving
      prostaglandins, interleukins and VGL CRD. Taken together, these data corroborate
      with previous reports showing that VGL interacts with N- and/or O-glycans of
      molecular targets, particularly in those presenting galactosides in their
      structure, contributing to the lectin inflammatory effect.

PMID- 28630009
TI  - Identification of two frataxin isoforms in Zea mays: Structural and functional
      studies.
AB  - Frataxin is a ubiquitous protein that plays a role in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis
      and iron and heme metabolism, although its molecular functions are not entirely
      clear. In non-photosynthetic eukaryotes, frataxin is encoded by a single gene,
      and the protein localizes to mitochondria. Here we report the presence of two
      functional frataxin isoforms in Zea mays, ZmFH-1 and ZmFH-2. We confirmed our
      previous findings regarding plant frataxins: both proteins have dual localization
      in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Physiological, biochemical and biophysical
      studies show some differences in the expression pattern, protection against
      oxidants and in the aggregation state of both isoforms, suggesting that the two
      frataxin homologs would play similar but not identical roles in plant cell
      metabolism. In addition, two specific features of plant frataxins were evidenced:
      their ability to form dimers and their tendency to undergo conformational change
      under oxygen exposure.

PMID- 28630010
TI  - Borrelia burgdorferi infection induces lipid mediator production during Lyme
      arthritis.
AB  - Experimental Lyme arthritis provides a mouse model for exploring the development
      of pathology following infection of C3H mice with Borrelia burgdorferi. Infected
      mice develop a reliable inflammatory arthritis of the ankle joint with severity
      that typically peaks around two to three weeks post-infection and then undergoes
      spontaneous resolution. This makes experimental Lyme arthritis an excellent model
      for investigating the mechanisms that drive both the development and resolution
      phases of inflammatory disease. Eicosanoids are powerful lipid mediators of
      inflammation and are known to regulate multiple aspects of inflammatory
      processes. While much is known about the role of eicosanoids in regulating immune
      responses during autoimmune disease and cancer, relatively little is known about
      their role during bacterial infection. In this review, we discuss the role of
      eicosanoid biosynthetic pathways in mediating inflammatory responses during
      bacterial infection using experimental Lyme arthritis as a model system. We point
      out the critical role eicosanoids play in disease development and highlight
      surprising differences between sterile autoimmune responses and those occurring
      in response to bacterial infection. These differences should be kept in mind when
      designing therapies and treatments for inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28630011
TI  - Interplay between hepatitis C virus and lipid metabolism during virus entry and
      assembly.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem worldwide. In
      most cases, HCV infection becomes chronic, leading to the development of liver
      diseases that range from fibrosis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Due
      to its medical importance, the HCV life cycle has been deeply characterized, and
      a unique feature of this virus is its interplay with lipids. Accordingly, all the
      steps of the virus life cycle are influenced by the host lipid metabolism.
      Indeed, due to their association with host lipoproteins, HCV particles have a
      unique lipid composition. Furthermore, the biogenesis pathway of very low density
      lipoproteins has been shown to be involved in HCV morphogenesis with
      apolipoprotein E being an essential element for the production of infectious HCV
      particles. Association of viral components with host cytoplasmic lipid droplets
      is also central to the HCV morphogenesis process. Finally, due to its close
      connection with host lipoproteins, HCV particle also uses several lipoprotein
      receptors to initiate its infectious cycle. In this review, we outline the way
      host lipoproteins participate to HCV particle composition, entry and assembly.

PMID- 28630012
TI  - Assessing Passeriformes health in South Texas via select venous analytes.
AB  - The handheld point of care analyzer is a quick and feasible option to obtain
      hematology data from individuals. The iSTAT-1(r) was used to evaluate select
      venous blood analytes obtained via jugular venipuncture from 238 passerine birds
      from South Texas. These data were used to assess the health of birds in the area
      while taking into consideration life history (migratory or sedentary), locale,
      seasonality, sex, and age. We attributed increased values of pO2 and hematocrit,
      in addition to hemoglobin and glucose concentrations of migratory birds compared
      to sedentary birds as the increased need of oxygen carrying capacity and energy
      for long duration flights. Increased glucose and lower ionized calcium
      concentrations were observed in migratory birds likely based on breakdown of fat
      deposits in the body to fuel the muscular endurance of migration. During the
      hotter months of the year, birds' responses to handling were exhibited by
      relative respiratory acidosis. When sedentary birds sampled from South Texas were
      compared to a previous study from Central Texas, venous blood analytes differed
      by locale but were within the ranges of healthy populations. These findings lead
      us to conclude that sedentary avian communities can be used as ecosystem
      bioindicators.

PMID- 28630013
TI  - Receptor mediated endocytosis of vicilin in Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera:
      Chrysomelidae) larval midgut epithelial cells.
AB  - The transport of proteins across the intestinal epithelium of insects is still
      not well understood. There is evidence that vicilin, a major storage protein of
      cowpea seeds (Vigna unguiculata), is internalized in larvae of the seed-beetle
      Callosobruchus maculatus. It has been reported that this vicilin interacts with
      proteins present in the microvillar membranes of columnar cells along the
      digestive tract of the larvae. In the present work, we studied the cellular
      pathway involved in endocytosis of vicilin in larval C. maculatus by employing ex
      vivo experiments. In the ex vivo approach, we incubated FITC-labelled vicilin
      with isolated midgut wholemounts in the absence or in the presence of endocytosis
      inhibitors. The fate of labelled or non-labelled globulins was monitored by
      confocal microscopy and fluorescence measurement. Our results suggest that the
      internalization of vicilins is due to receptor-mediated endocytosis. Here we
      report the identity of a microvillar vicilin-binding protein that was purified
      using affinity chromatography on a vicilin-sepharose column. The putative vicilin
      receptor showed high homology to proteins with the CRAL-TRIO domain, specifically
      the Sec14 superfamily member alpha-tocopherol transfer protein. The precise
      mechanism involved in vicilin internalization was defined through the use of
      specific inhibitors of the endocytosis pathway. The inhibitors filipin III and
      nystatin significantly inhibited the endocytosis of vicilin, while chlorpromazine
      and phenylarsine oxide had a much lower effect on endocytosis, suggesting that
      the endocytic pathway is predominantly mediated by caveolin.

PMID- 28630014
TI  - Impact of molecular hydrogen treatments on the innate immune activity and
      survival of zebrafish (Danio rerio) challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila.
AB  - Recently, molecular hydrogen has been reported to have a suppressive effect on
      inflammation in human and rodent models. The aim of this study was to evaluate
      the preventive effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on zebrafish challenged by A.
      hydrophila. We have found an increased survival rate of bacteria-challenged
      zebrafish subjected to the HRW immersion treatment. Furthermore, we have revealed
      that HRW was able to block multiplication of A. hydrophila in zebrafish. In
      addition, treatment of zebrafish infected by A. hydrophila with effective
      concentrations of HRW strongly affected the expression of genes mediating pro
      inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. There were down-regulation of
      selected pro-inflammatory immune response genes (IL-1beta, IL-6, and NF-kappaB),
      and up-regulation of the anti-inflammatory cytokine gene (IL-10) in the spleen,
      kidney, and liver. This study is the first one to investigate the effects of HRW
      on fish infected with bacteria, and might shed new light on hydrogen's
      antimicrobial effects and further application in aquaculture fish species.

PMID- 28630015
TI  - Characterization of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) Caspase1 involved
      in extracellular ATP-mediated immune signaling in fish.
AB  - Caspase1 is a member of inflammatory Caspases that play important roles in the
      innate immune system. Although several teleost caspase1 genes have been
      identified, their partner proteins and implication in extracellular ATP-mediated
      immune signaling in fish are still very limited. Here we identified and
      characterized a caspase1 gene, named JfCaspase1, from Japanese flounder
      Paralichthys olivaceus. JfCaspase1 mRNA was constitutively expressed in all
      examined normal tissues with high expression in skin and gills and moderate
      expression in the enriched Japanese flounder head kidney macrophages (HKMs) and
      peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs). JfCaspase1 was initially down-regulated but
      significantly up-regulated at the later stage upon LPS and poly(I:C) challenges
      in the HKMs. JfCaspase1 was also up-regulated in the Japanese flounder immune
      related tissues including head kidney, gill and spleen by bacterial challenge
      with Edwardsiella tarda. JfCaspase1 protein is comprised of 384 amino acid
      residues with a calculated molecular mass of 43.75 kDa and is phylogenetically
      close to fish Caspase1 proteins. JfCaspase1 was co-immunopercipitated with
      Japanese flounder apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC) when co-expressed
      in HeLa cells, suggesting that there is a potential interaction between the two
      proteins. In addition, we showed that extracellular ATP, a potent signaling
      molecule in activating innate immune response, rapidly up-regulates JfCaspase1
      expression and enhances its enzymatic activity both in the HKMs and PBLs. Our
      findings indicated that the inflammatory JfCaspase1 interacted with ASC protein
      is implicated in the extracellular ATP-mediated immune signaling in fish.

PMID- 28630016
TI  - Comparative transcriptome analysis of Sinonovacula constricta in gills and
      hepatopancreas in response to Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection.
AB  - The razor clam Sinonovacula constricta is an important economic species in China.
      However, bacterial pathogenic diseases limits S. constricta farming industry for
      large-scale production. In this study, de novo transcriptome sequencing was
      performed on S. constricta gills and hepatopancreas under Vibrio parahaemolyticus
      challenge for 12 h and 48 h, respectively. Transcripts assembly constructed
      18,330 sequences, each of which was 500 bp long and functionally annotated, and
      1781 and 490 transcripts were differentially expressed in the gills and
      hepatopancreas, respectively. Host immune factors that respond to Vibrio
      infection were then identified. These factors included up-regulated transcripts
      with function in non-self recognition, signal transduction, immune effectors and
      anti-apoptosis. The comparison between the differentially expressed transcripts
      of the gills and hepatopancreas indicated that immune responses had tissue
      specificity. As an important external barrier between the environment and the
      clam, ATP-binding cassette transporters and other ion transporters contribute to
      immune response in gills, while, transcripts in complement system, such as
      complement 1 q protein, IgGFc-binding protein, and low affinity immunoglobulin
      epsilon Fc receptor, were more active in hepatopancreas and often not expressed
      in gill tissues. Eleven genes were selected to be validated by qRT-PCR and the
      expressions were consistent with the results of RNA-seq. Our study is the first
      attempt to identify molecular features in different tissues of S. constricta in
      response to V. parahaemolyticus infection. These findings improved our
      understanding of bivalve immunity and defense mechanisms and revealed more
      potential immune-related genes.

PMID- 28630017
TI  - Vesicoureteral reflux is a phenotype, not a disease: A population-centered
      approach to pediatric urinary tract infection.
AB  - We performed a review of the recent literature concerning urinary tract infection
      (UTI) evaluation and management. In modeling options for management, one
      overriding conclusion became apparent: in most affected children, the presence of
      vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is inconsequential since it has no bearing on optimal
      management or outcome. In fact, knowing that a child does not have reflux might
      bias the provider to withhold potentially helpful therapeutic modalities to
      decrease UTI morbidity, such as antibiotic prophylaxis. In this review, we will
      propose that evaluation for VUR is not necessary or helpful except in the small
      subset of children whose UTIs have proven refractory to management of their other
      risk factors.

PMID- 28630018
TI  - The modified Ulaanbaatar procedure: Reduced complications and enhanced cosmetic
      outcome for the most severe cases of hypospadias.
AB  - INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Proximal hypospadias is one of the most challenging
      conditions that pediatric urologists have to deal with. Many procedures have been
      devised over the years, but nothing has been proven to be the best option.
      Although there have been some attempts at correcting severe hypospadias in one
      procedure, most have advocated a staged approach. The classic approach - laying
      penile skin or a graft within a split glans followed by glanuloplasty at the
      second stage - by definition requires two operations on the glans. In the
      Ulaanbaatar procedure the distal glanular urethra is constructed at the first
      stage, allowing for a single glans procedure and thus potentially better cosmetic
      outcomes. The present study discusses experience with the Ulaanbaatar procedure
      for severe hypospadias. STUDY DESIGN: The study retrospectively reviewed every
      child who underwent both stages of this procedure at the present institution. It
      reviewed age, associated diagnoses, surgical technique and outcomes. SURGICAL
      TECHNIQUE: The first stage was analogous to a classic first-stage procedure with
      regard to division of the urethral plate and correction of penile curvature.
      However, an island flap of preputial skin was mobilized and tubularized to create
      the glanular urethra. No attempt was made to bridge the native meatus and this
      reconstructed urethra, and the remaining penile skin was placed between the two.
      The second stage was performed 6 months later by tubularizing the penile skin
      between the two meatuses. RESULTS: The series consisted of 34 boys. Mean age at
      surgery was 18.3 months (range 6-118). Nineteen underwent evaluation for genital
      ambiguity at birth (56%). Thirty (88%) received pre-operative testosterone or
      human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). After urethral plate transection, persistent
      curvature was addressed during the first stage, with dorsal plication in 12
      (35%), urethral plate transection alone in six (18%) or ventral grafting with
      small intestinal submucosa in 16 (47%). Twenty-three boys (67%) had the
      neourethra tunneled through the glans, and 11 (33%) had the glans split followed
      by glanuloplasty. Average time between the two stages was 7 months (range 4.0
      13.9). Four patients (12%) developed urethral diverticula that required repair.
      One developed recurrent epididymitis related to an abnormal ejaculatory duct (no
      stricture) and underwent vasectomy. No patient developed a fistula. Mean length
      of follow-up was 15.2 months (range 0.3-55.5). DISCUSSION: This modification of
      the classic staged hypospadias repair may allow for better cosmetic outcome,
      since the majority of boys required no formal glanuloplasty. There were reduced
      complications, perhaps because the urethral defect acted like a controlled
      fistula, allowing for better tissue healing prior to final urethral
      reconstruction.

PMID- 28630019
TI  - Tunica vaginalis pedicle flap for repair of ruptured testis: A single-center
      experience with four patients.
AB  - Management of testicular rupture with a large tunical defect may not be feasible
      without excision of viable tissue. This study describes the use of a vascularized
      tunica vaginalis flap, without debridement of viable tissue, in four adolescents.
      Postoperative ultrasound showed good blood flow and 80% volume of the
      contralateral testis in two cases. Postoperative exam revealed normal exam and
      ultrasonographic appearance in three patients, the fourth was demonstrated to be
      small and undescended during evaluation of contralateral testicular torsion. This
      approach is recommended in cases of large tunical defects, as it avoids the
      debridement of viable testicular tissue.

PMID- 28630020
TI  - Transumbilical multi-port laparoscopic pyeloplasty versus transumbilical single
      site laparoscopic pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children:
      A retrospectively comparative study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty has achieved good cosmetic and functional
      outcomes. Both transumbilical single-site and transumbilical multi-port
      approaches are currently being used. No comparison of transumbilical single-site
      laparoscopic pyeloplasty (TSLP) and transumbilical multi-port laparoscopic
      pyeloplasty (TMLP) has been reported in the literature. OBJECTIVES: We present a
      retrospective comparison study to evaluate clinical outcomes of TSLP and TMLP for
      children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). STUDY DESIGN: A
      retrospective study was carried out comparing TSLP and TMLP performed by a single
      surgeon between July 2012 and June 2014. The patient data of the two groups (90
      in each group) were evaluated. All patients underwent urine analysis,
      ultrasonography, magnetic resonance urography, and diuretic renogram using 99Tc
      diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid scan preoperative and postoperative follow
      up. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 software package. RESULTS: DISCUSSION:
      To our knowledge, our series is the first report in the literature that compares
      the outcomes of TSLP and TMLP in children. Our study suggested that there were no
      significant differences in start of oral feeding, drain removal, hospital stay,
      postoperative renal pelvic anteroposterior diameter and differential renal
      function at 6 months, postoperative complications, and success rate between the
      two groups. It demonstrated that TMLP is as effective and safe as TSLP. Although
      the cosmetic result of the TSLP group is satisfactory, TMLP requires three 0.5-cm
      ports around the umbilicus and does not change the shape of the umbilicus. Hence,
      the cosmetic result of the TMLP group is better than that of the TSLP group. TSLP
      involves some technical challenges. However, TMLP facilitates the procedure and
      renders the operation easier. Our findings confirmed that the operative time of
      TMLP group is shorter than that in TSLP group, and also showed that TMLP is
      relatively easy to perform compared with TSLP. CONCLUSION: TMLP is a feasible and
      safe operation for pediatric UPJO. TMLP is shorter in operative time and has a
      better cosmetic result than TSLP. We propose TMLP as a more viable treatment
      option for pediatric UPJO.

PMID- 28630021
TI  - Thyroid hormone signaling and deiodinase actions in muscle stem/progenitor cells.
AB  - Thyroid hormone (TH) regulates such crucial biological functions as normal
      growth, development and metabolism of nearly all vertebrate tissues. In skeletal
      muscle, TH plays a critical role in regulating the function of satellite cells,
      the bona fide skeletal muscle stem cells. Deiodinases (D2 and D3) have been found
      to modulate the expression of various TH target genes in satellite cells.
      Regulation of the expression and activity of the deiodinases constitutes a cell
      autonomous, pre-receptor mechanism that controls crucial steps during the various
      phases of myogenesis. Here, we review the roles of deiodinases in skeletal muscle
      stem cells, particularly in muscle homeostasis and upon regeneration. We focus on
      the role of T3 in stem cell functions and in commitment towards lineage
      progression. We also discuss how deiodinases might be therapeutically exploited
      to improve satellite-cell-mediated muscle repair in skeletal muscle disorders or
      injury.

PMID- 28630022
TI  - Lamprey metamorphosis: Thyroid hormone signaling in a basal vertebrate.
AB  - As one of the most basal living vertebrates, lampreys represent an excellent
      model system to study the evolution of thyroid hormone (TH) signaling. The
      lamprey hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid and reproductive axes overlap
      functionally. Lampreys have 3 gonadotropin-releasing hormones and a single
      glycoprotein hormone from the hypothalamus and pituitary, respectively, that
      regulate both the reproductive and thyroid axes. TH synthesis in larval lampreys
      takes place in an endostyle that transforms into typical vertebrate thyroid
      tissue during metamorphosis; both the endostyle and follicular tissue have all
      the typical TH synthetic components found in other vertebrates. Furthermore,
      lampreys also have the vertebrate suite of peripheral regulators including TH
      distributor proteins (THDPs), deiodinases and TH receptors (TRs). Although at the
      molecular level the components of the lamprey thyroid system are ancestral to
      other vertebrates, their functions have been largely conserved. TH signaling as
      it relates to lamprey metamorphosis represents a particularly interesting
      phenomenon. Unlike other metamorphosing vertebrates, lamprey THs increase
      throughout the larval period, peak prior to metamorphosis and decline rapidly at
      the onset of metamorphosis; patterns of deiodinase activity are consistent with
      these increases and declines. Moreover, goitrogens (which suppress TH levels)
      initiate precocious metamorphosis, and exogenous TH treatment blocks goitrogen
      induced metamorphosis and disrupts natural metamorphosis. Despite this clear
      physiological difference, TH action via TRs is consistent with higher
      vertebrates. Based on observations that TRs are upregulated in a tissue-specific
      fashion during morphogenesis and the finding that lamprey TRs upregulate genes
      via THs in a fashion similar to higher vertebrates, we propose the following
      hypothesis for further testing. THs have a dual role in lampreys where high TH
      levels promote larval feeding and growth and then at the onset of metamorphosis
      TH levels decrease rapidly; at this time the relatively low TH levels function
      via TRs in a fashion similar to that of other metamorphosing vertebrates.

PMID- 28630023
TI  - Epigenetics of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.
AB  - Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are neuroendocrine tumors arising in
      the medullae of the adrenal glands or in paraganglia. The knowledge of the tumor
      biology of these lesions has increased dramatically during the past two decades
      and more than a dozen recurrently mutated genes have been identified. Different
      clusters have been described that share epigenetic signatures. Mutations in the
      succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit genes play a pivotal role in
      reprogramming the epigenetic state of these tumors by inhibiting epigenetic
      regulators such as TET enzymes and histone demethylases. Another subgroup of
      tumors carries hypomethylated genomes, and overexpression of several micro-RNAs
      has been described. While much remains to be investigated regarding the
      epigenetics of PPGLs, it is clear that it plays an important role in PPGL
      biology.

PMID- 28630024
TI  - Proteolytic control of Interleukin-11 and Interleukin-6 biology.
AB  - Interleukin-11 (IL-11) and IL-6 are secreted glycoproteins which fulfill
      important homeostatic functions. Activation of target cells occurs via membrane
      bound IL-11 and IL-6 receptors (IL-11R and IL-6R, respectively). Formation of IL
      11/IL-11R and IL-6/IL-6R complexes triggers the recruitment of a homodimer of the
      ubiquitously expressed signal-transducing beta-receptor gp130 (classic
      signaling). IL-11R and IL-6R can be shed by several proteases, albeit with
      different preferences and specificities, and these soluble receptors (sIL-11R and
      sIL-6R) act as agonists and can activate in principle all cells via gp130. We
      have termed these protease-controlled pathways IL-6 and IL-11 trans-signaling. In
      this review, we describe the basic biology of both cytokines and summarize the
      current knowledge how proteases control and shape the trans-signaling pathways of
      the two cytokines. We will further highlight how the underlying molecular
      mechanisms can be used to design specific inhibitors that block trans, but not
      classic signaling of IL-11 and IL-6. This article is part of a Special Issue
      entitled: Proteolysis as a Regulatory Event in Pathophysiology edited by Stefan
      Rose-John.

PMID- 28630025
TI  - The clock is ticking. Ageing of the circadian system: From physiology to cell
      cycle.
AB  - The circadian system is the responsible to organise the internal temporal order
      in relation to the environment of every process of the organisms producing the
      circadian rhythms. These rhythms have a fixed phase relationship among them and
      with the environment in order to optimise the available energy and resources.
      From a cellular level, circadian rhythms are controlled by genetic positive and
      negative auto-regulated transcriptional and translational feedback loops, which
      generate 24h rhythms in mRNA and protein levels of the clock components. It has
      been described about 10% of the genome is controlled by clock genes, with special
      relevance, due to its implications, to the cell cycle. Ageing is a deleterious
      process which affects all the organisms' structures including circadian system.
      The circadian system's ageing may produce a disorganisation among the circadian
      rhythms, arrhythmicity and, even, disconnection from the environment, resulting
      in a detrimental situation to the organism. In addition, some environmental
      conditions can produce circadian disruption, also called chronodisruption, which
      may produce many pathologies including accelerated ageing. Finally, some
      strategies to prevent, palliate or counteract chronodisruption effects have been
      proposed to enhance the circadian system, also called chronoenhancement. This
      review tries to gather recent advances in the chronobiology of the ageing
      process, including cell cycle, neurogenesis process and physiology.

PMID- 28630026
TI  - What have we learned on aging from omics studies?
AB  - Aging is a complex process. Transcriptomic studies of the last decade have
      identified genes and pathways that are regulated during aging in multiple species
      and organs. Yet, since a manifold of pathways are regulated and the amplitude of
      regulation is often small, reproducibility across studies is moderate and
      disentangling cause-consequence relationships has proven challenging. Here, we
      review a number of consistent findings in the light of more recent, longitudinal
      studies and of studies combining transcriptomics and proteomics that identified
      deregulation of protein biosynthetic pathways as an early event and likely driver
      of aging.

PMID- 28630027
TI  - Talking over the extracellular matrix: How do cells communicate mechanically?
AB  - Communication between cells enables them to coordinate their activity and is
      crucial for the differentiation, development, and function of tissues and
      multicellular organisms. Cell-cell communication is discussed almost exclusively
      as having a chemical or electrical origin. Only recently, a new mode of cell
      communication was elucidated: mechanical communication through the extracellular
      matrix (ECM). Cells can communicate mechanically by responding either to
      mechanical deformations generated by their neighbors or to a change in the
      mechanical properties of the ECM induced by a neighboring cell. This newly
      resolved mode of communication possesses unique features that complement the
      cellular ability to receive and share information, and to consequently act in a
      cooperative way with surrounding cells. Herein, we review several examples of
      mechanical communication, discuss their unique properties, and comment on the
      major challenges facing the field.

PMID- 28630028
TI  - The effect of enucleation on orbital growth in patients with retinoblastoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To measure orbital volume using serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      scans to determine the effect of enucleation on orbital growth over time.
      METHODS: The medical records of patients who underwent unilateral enucleation for
      retinoblastoma with a minimum of 2 MRIs were retrospectively reviewed. Orbital
      asymmetry was calculated using MRI measurements. Nonlinear and linear mixed
      effect regression models were used to predict the effect of age at time of
      enucleation on degree of orbital asymmetry. RESULTS: A total of 27 patients were
      included (mean age at enucleation, 2 years; range, 2.5 months to 5 years). Age at
      scan (P = 0.046) and age at enucleation (P = 0.0006) were found to have a
      significant effect on orbital asymmetry. Change in orbital asymmetry over time
      was more pronounced after enucleation in children enucleated at <1 (P < 0.0001)
      or <2 years of age (P = 0.0109). Younger age at enucleation was associated with a
      greater degree of asymmetry over time, although this effect was extinguished for
      patients enucleated after the age of 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with
      retinoblastoma, enucleation with orbital implant before 3 years of age has a
      significant effect on orbital volume asymmetry. After the age of 3, this effect
      appears to be less detrimental to the degree of orbital asymmetry.

PMID- 28630029
TI  - Malignant transformation of multifocal tapioca iris nevus in a child.
AB  - A 31-month-old white boy was evaluated for multiple iris lesions in his left eye,
      initially suspected to be juvenile xanthogranuloma and later diagnosed as tapioca
      nevi. Four years later the tumors enlarged. There was invasion throughout the
      anterior segment into the angle and related secondary elevation in intraocular
      pressure. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy disclosed spindle-B melanoma. Treatment
      with custom-designed iodine-125 plaque radiotherapy resulted in tumor regression
      and stabilization of intraocular pressure.

PMID- 28630031
TI  - Response to David's article on the use of pellet guns in Kashmir.

PMID- 28630030
TI  - Alzheimer's brains show inter-related changes in RNA and lipid metabolism.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves changes in both lipid and RNA metabolism, but
      it remained unknown if these differences associate with AD's cognition and/or
      post-mortem neuropathology indices. Here, we report RNA-sequencing evidence of
      inter-related associations between lipid processing, cognition level, and AD
      neuropathology. In two unrelated cohorts, we identified pathway-enriched
      facilitation of lipid processing and alternative splicing genes, including the
      neuronal-enriched NOVA1 and hnRNPA1. Specifically, this association emerged in
      temporal lobe tissue samples from donors where postmortem evidence demonstrated
      AD neuropathology, but who presented normal cognition proximate to death. The
      observed changes further associated with modified ATP synthesis and mitochondrial
      transcripts, indicating metabolic relevance; accordingly, mass-spectrometry
      derived lipidomic profiles distinguished between individuals with and without
      cognitive impairment prior to death. In spite of the limited group sizes, tissues
      from persons with both cognitive impairment and AD pathology showed elevation in
      several drug-targeted genes of other brain, vascular and autoimmune disorders,
      accompanied by pathology-related increases in distinct lipid processing
      transcripts, and in the RNA metabolism genes hnRNPH2, TARDBP, CLP1 and EWSR1. To
      further detect 3'-polyadenylation variants, we employed multiple cDNA primer
      pairs. This identified variants that showed limited differences in scope and
      length between the tested cohorts, yet enabled superior clustering of demented
      and non-demented AD brains versus controls compared to total mRNA expression
      values. Our findings indicate inter-related cognition-associated differences in
      AD's lipid processing, alternative splicing and 3'-polyadenylation, calling for
      pursuing the underlying psychological and therapeutics implications.

PMID- 28630032
TI  - What Are People Tweeting About Zika? An Exploratory Study Concerning Its
      Symptoms, Treatment, Transmission, and Prevention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In order to harness what people are tweeting about Zika, there needs
      to be a computational framework that leverages machine learning techniques to
      recognize relevant Zika tweets and, further, categorize these into disease
      specific categories to address specific societal concerns related to the
      prevention, transmission, symptoms, and treatment of Zika virus. OBJECTIVE: The
      purpose of this study was to determine the relevancy of the tweets and what
      people were tweeting about the 4 disease characteristics of Zika: symptoms,
      transmission, prevention, and treatment. METHODS: A combination of natural
      language processing and machine learning techniques was used to determine what
      people were tweeting about Zika. Specifically, a two-stage classifier system was
      built to find relevant tweets about Zika, and then the tweets were categorized
      into 4 disease categories. Tweets in each disease category were then examined
      using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) to determine the 5 main tweet topics for
      each disease characteristic. RESULTS: Over 4 months, 1,234,605 tweets were
      collected. The number of tweets by males and females was similar (28.47%
      [351,453/1,234,605] and 23.02% [284,207/1,234,605], respectively). The classifier
      performed well on the training and test data for relevancy (F1 score=0.87 and
      0.99, respectively) and disease characteristics (F1 score=0.79 and 0.90,
      respectively). Five topics for each category were found and discussed, with a
      focus on the symptoms category. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate how categories of
      discussion on Twitter about an epidemic can be discovered so that public health
      officials can understand specific societal concerns within the disease-specific
      categories. Our two-stage classifier was able to identify relevant tweets to
      enable more specific analysis, including the specific aspects of Zika that were
      being discussed as well as misinformation being expressed. Future studies can
      capture sentiments and opinions on epidemic outbreaks like Zika virus in real
      time, which will likely inform efforts to educate the public at large.

PMID- 28630034
TI  - Fall Prevention Self-Assessments Via Mobile 3D Visualization Technologies:
      Community Dwelling Older Adults' Perceptions of Opportunities and Challenges.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the field of occupational therapy, the assistive equipment
      provision process (AEPP) is a prominent preventive strategy used to promote
      independent living and to identify and alleviate fall risk factors via the
      provision of assistive equipment within the home environment. Current practice
      involves the use of paper-based forms that include 2D measurement guidance
      diagrams that aim to communicate the precise points and dimensions that must be
      measured in order to make AEPP assessments. There are, however, issues such as
      "poor fit" of equipment due to inaccurate measurements taken and recorded,
      resulting in more than 50% of equipment installed within the home being abandoned
      by patients. This paper presents a novel 3D measurement aid prototype (3D-MAP)
      that provides enhanced measurement and assessment guidance to patients via the
      use of 3D visualization technologies. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to
      explore the perceptions of older adults with regard to the barriers and
      opportunities of using the 3D-MAP application as a tool that enables patient self
      delivery of the AEPP. METHODS: Thirty-three community-dwelling older adults
      participated in interactive sessions with a bespoke 3D-MAP application utilizing
      the retrospective think-aloud protocol and semistructured focus group
      discussions. The system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire was used to evaluate
      the application's usability. Thematic template analysis was carried out on the
      SUS item discussions, think-aloud, and semistructured focus group data. RESULTS:
      The quantitative SUS results revealed that the application may be described as
      having "marginal-high" and "good" levels of usability, along with strong
      agreement with items relating to the usability (P=.004) and learnability (P<.001)
      of the application. Four high-level themes emerged from think-aloud and focus
      groups discussions: (1) perceived usefulness (PU), (2) perceived ease of use
      (PEOU), (3) application use (AU) and (4) self-assessment (SA). The application
      was seen as a useful tool to enhance visualization of measurement guidance and
      also to promote independent living, ownership of care, and potentially reduce
      waiting times. Several design and functionality recommendations emerged from the
      study, such as a need to manipulate the view and position of the 3D furniture
      models, and a need for clearer visual prompts and alternative keyboard interface
      for measurement entry. CONCLUSIONS: Participants perceived the 3D-MAP application
      as a useful tool that has the potential to make significant improvements to the
      AEPP, not only in terms of accuracy of measurement, but also by potentially
      enabling older adult patients to carry out the data collection element of the
      AEPP themselves. Further research is needed to further adapt the 3D-MAP
      application in line with the study outcomes and to establish its clinical utility
      with regards to effectiveness, efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of
      measurements that are recorded using the application and to compare it with 2D
      measurement guidance leaflets.

PMID- 28630033
TI  - Trust and Credibility in Web-Based Health Information: A Review and Agenda for
      Future Research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Internet sources are becoming increasingly important in seeking
      health information, such that they may have a significant effect on health care
      decisions and outcomes. Hence, given the wide range of different sources of Web
      based health information (WHI) from different organizations and individuals, it
      is important to understand how information seekers evaluate and select the
      sources that they use, and more specifically, how they assess their credibility
      and trustworthiness. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to review empirical
      studies on trust and credibility in the use of WHI. The article seeks to present
      a profile of the research conducted on trust and credibility in WHI seeking, to
      identify the factors that impact judgments of trustworthiness and credibility,
      and to explore the role of demographic factors affecting trust formation. On this
      basis, it aimed to identify the gaps in current knowledge and to propose an
      agenda for future research. METHODS: A systematic literature review was
      conducted. Searches were conducted using a variety of combinations of the terms
      WHI, trust, credibility, and their variants in four multi-disciplinary and four
      health-oriented databases. Articles selected were published in English from 2000
      onwards; this process generated 3827 unique records. After the application of the
      exclusion criteria, 73 were analyzed fully. RESULTS: Interest in this topic has
      persisted over the last 15 years, with articles being published in medicine,
      social science, and computer science and originating mostly from the United
      States and the United Kingdom. Documents in the final dataset fell into 3
      categories: (1) those using trust or credibility as a dependent variable, (2)
      those using trust or credibility as an independent variable, and (3) studies of
      the demographic factors that influence the role of trust or credibility in WHI
      seeking. There is a consensus that website design, clear layout, interactive
      features, and the authority of the owner have a positive effect on trust or
      credibility, whereas advertising has a negative effect. With regard to content
      features, authority of the author, ease of use, and content have a positive
      effect on trust or credibility formation. Demographic factors influencing trust
      formation are age, gender, and perceived health status. CONCLUSIONS: There is
      considerable scope for further research. This includes increased clarity of the
      interaction between the variables associated with health information seeking,
      increased consistency on the measurement of trust and credibility, a greater
      focus on specific WHI sources, and enhanced understanding of the impact of
      demographic variables on trust and credibility judgments.

PMID- 28630035
TI  - The Effects of Preoperative Volume Replacement in Diabetic Patients Undergoing
      Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled
      Trial (VeRDiCT Trial).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for prolonged hospital
      stays, renal failure, and mortality in patients having coronary artery bypass
      grafting (CABG). Complications pose a serious threat to patients and prolong
      intensive care and hospital stays. Low glomerular filtration rate (GFR) due to
      existing renal impairment or volume depletion may exacerbate acute renal
      impairment/failure in these patients. Preoperative volume replacement therapy
      (VRT) is reported to increase the GFR and we hypothesize that VRT will reduce
      renal impairment and related complications in diabetic patients. OBJECTIVE: The
      objective of this study is to establish the efficacy of preoperative VRT in
      reducing postoperative complications in diabetic patients undergoing CABG
      surgery. Time to "fit for discharge", incidence of postoperative renal failure,
      cardiac injury, inflammation, and other health outcomes will be investigated.
      METHODS: In this open parallel group randomized controlled trial, 170 diabetic
      patients undergoing elective or urgent CABG surgery received 1 mL/kg/hour of
      Hartmann's solution for 12 consecutive hours prior to surgery, versus routine
      care. The primary outcome was time until participants were "fit for discharge",
      which is defined as presence of: normal temperature, pulse, and respiration;
      normal oxygen saturation on air; normal bowel function; and physical mobility.
      Secondary outcomes included: incidence of renal failure; markers of renal
      function, inflammation, and cardiac damage; operative morbidity; intensive care
      stay; patient-assessed outcome, including the Coronary Revascularization Outcome
      Questionnaire; and use of hospital resources. RESULTS: Recruitment started in
      July 2010. Enrolment for the study was completed in July 2014. Data analysis
      commenced in December 2016. Study results will be submitted for publication in
      the summer of 2017. CONCLUSIONS: VRT is a relatively easy treatment to administer
      in patients undergoing surgical procedures who are at risk of renal failure. This
      experimental protocol will increase scientific and clinical knowledge of VRT in
      diabetic patients undergoing elective or urgent CABG surgery. Findings supporting
      the efficacy of this intervention could easily be implemented in the health care
      system. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial
      Number (ISRCTN): 02159606; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN02159606
      (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6rDkSSkkK).

PMID- 28630036
TI  - Understanding Health Information Seeking on the Internet Among Sexual Minority
      People: Cross-Sectional Analysis From the Health Information National Trends
      Survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals who face barriers to health care are more likely to
      access the Internet to seek health information. Pervasive stigma and heterosexism
      in the health care setting are barriers to health care for sexual minority people
      (SMP, ie, lesbian, gay, and bisexual people); therefore, SMP may be more likely
      to use the Internet as a source of health information compared to heterosexual
      people. OBJECTIVE: Currently, there is a dearth of published empirical evidence
      concerning health information seeking on the Internet among SMP; the current
      project addresses this gap. METHODS: Data from the 2015 Health Information
      National Trends Survey Food and Drug Administration Cycle were used to describe
      and summarize health information seeking among SMP (n=105) and heterosexual
      people (n=3405). RESULTS: Almost all of the SMP in this sample reported having
      access to the Internet (92.4%, 97/105). SMP were equally as likely as
      heterosexual people to seek health information on the Internet (adjusted odds
      ratio [aOR] 0.94, 95% CI 0.56-1.66) and to report incidental exposure to health
      information online (aOR 1.02, 95% CI 0.66-1.60). SMP were 58% more likely to
      watch a health-related video on YouTube than heterosexual people (aOR 1.58, 95%
      CI 1.00-2.47). Incidental exposure to health information was associated with
      seeking health information for oneself (aOR 3.87, 95% CI 1.16-14.13) and for
      someone else (aOR 6.30, 95% CI 2.40-17.82) among SMP. CONCLUSIONS: SMP access the
      Internet at high rates and seek out health information online. Their incidental
      exposure could be associated with seeking information for self or others. This
      suggests that online interventions could be valuable for delivering or promoting
      health information for SMP.

PMID- 28630038
TI  - NHS pay cap is barrier to recruitment and retention, unions warn.

PMID- 28630037
TI  - A Mobile App for the Self-Management of Type 1 Diabetes Among Adolescents: A
      Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While optimal blood glucose control is known to reduce the long-term
      complications associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus, adolescents often
      struggle to achieve their blood glucose targets. However, their strong propensity
      toward technology presents a unique opportunity for the delivery of novel self
      management interventions. To support type 1 diabetes self-management in this
      population, we developed the diabetes self-management app bant, which included
      wireless blood glucose reading transfer, out-of-range blood glucose trend alerts,
      coaching around out-of-range trend causes and fixes, and a point-based incentive
      system. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to evaluate bant 's effect on
      hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) through a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Secondary
      measures (eg, self-monitoring of blood glucose [SMBG]) were also collected to
      assess bant 's impact on the self-management behaviors of adolescents with type 1
      diabetes. METHODS: We enrolled 92 adolescents into a 12-month RCT, with 46
      receiving usual care and 46 receiving usual care plus bant. Clinical outcome data
      were collected at quarterly research visits via validated tools, electronic chart
      review, glucometer downloads, and semistructured interviews. App satisfaction was
      assessed at 6 and 12 months, and at trial end, users ranked bant components based
      on perceived usefulness. Mobile analytics captured frequency of blood glucose
      uploads, which were used to categorize participants into high, moderate, low, or
      very low engagement levels. RESULTS: Linear mixed models showed no changes in
      primary and secondary clinical outcomes. However, exploratory regression analysis
      demonstrated a statistically significant association between increased SMBG and
      improved HbA1c in the intervention group. For a subgroup of bant users taking
      SMBG >=5 daily, there was a significant improvement in HbA1c of 0.58% (P=.02),
      while the parallel subgroup in the control arm experienced no significant change
      in HbA1c (decrease of 0.06%, P=.84). Although app usage did diminish over the
      trial, on average, 35% (16/46 participants) were classified as moderately or
      highly engaged (uploaded SMBG >=3 days a week) over the 12 months. CONCLUSION:
      Although primary analysis of clinical outcomes did not demonstrate differences
      between the bant and control groups, exploratory analysis suggested that bant may
      positively impact the use of SMBG data and glycemic control among youth. The next
      generation of bant will aim to remove barriers to use, such as deploying the app
      directly to personal devices instead of secondary research phones, and to explore
      the utility of integrating bant into routine clinical care to facilitate more
      frequent feedback. Future evaluations of mHealth apps should consider more robust
      research tools (eg, ResearchKit) and alternative RCT study designs to enable more
      rapid and iterative evaluations, better suited to the nature of rapidly evolving
      consumer technology. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01899274;
      https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01899274 (Archived by WebCite at
      http://www.webcitation.org/6qWrqF1yw).

PMID- 28630039
TI  - Low-level internalization of cystatin E/M affects legumain activity and migration
      of melanoma cells.
AB  - The ratio between proteases and their inhibitors is unbalanced in cancer. The
      cysteine protease inhibitor cystatin C is internalized by some cancer cells,
      which affects cellular properties. Here we aimed to investigate if uptake of
      cystatin C and the related inhibitor cystatin E/M occur in melanoma cell lines
      and to evaluate to what extent the uptake affects the legumain activity that is
      typically increased in melanoma. First we studied the basic expression,
      secretion, and intracellular content of all type 2 cystatins as well as
      expression and activity of their possible target enzymes legumain and cathepsin B
      in MDA-MB-435S, A375, and C8161 melanoma cells. Legumain activity was measureable
      in all cell lines, and of the potential legumain inhibitors, cystatin C, E/M, and
      F, cystatin C was the one mainly produced. All cells internalized cystatin C
      added to culture media, leading to increased intracellular cystatin C levels by
      120-200%. Cystatin E/M was internalized as well but at a modest rate. The effects
      on intracellular legumain activity were nevertheless pronounced, probably because
      the cells lacked this inhibitor, and its affinity for legumain is 100-fold higher
      than that of cystatin C. Likewise, the low-degree uptake resulted in reduced
      migration and invasion of A375 cells in Matrigel to an extent comparable with the
      W106F variant of cystatin C with optimal uptake properties and resulting in much
      higher intracellular levels. Thus, cystatin E/M appears to be a good candidate to
      efficiently down-regulate the increased legumain activity, possibly important for
      the malignant phenotype of melanoma cells.

PMID- 28630041
TI  - Dysregulated Zn2+ homeostasis impairs cardiac type-2 ryanodine receptor and
      mitsugumin 23 functions, leading to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leakage.
AB  - Aberrant Zn2+ homeostasis is associated with dysregulated intracellular Ca2+
      release, resulting in chronic heart failure. In the failing heart a small
      population of cardiac ryanodine receptors (RyR2) displays sub-conductance-state
      gating leading to Ca2+ leakage from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) stores, which
      impairs cardiac contractility. Previous evidence suggests contribution of RyR2
      independent Ca2+ leakage through an uncharacterized mechanism. We sought to
      examine the role of Zn2+ in shaping intracellular Ca2+ release in cardiac muscle.
      Cardiac SR vesicles prepared from sheep or mouse ventricular tissue were
      incorporated into phospholipid bilayers under voltage-clamp conditions, and the
      direct action of Zn2+ on RyR2 channel function was examined. Under diastolic
      conditions, the addition of pathophysiological concentrations of Zn2+ (>=2 nm)
      caused dysregulated RyR2-channel openings. Our data also revealed that RyR2
      channels are not the only SR Ca2+-permeable channels regulated by Zn2+ Elevating
      the cytosolic Zn2+ concentration to 1 nm increased the activity of the
      transmembrane protein mitsugumin 23 (MG23). The current amplitude of the MG23
      full-open state was consistent with that previously reported for RyR2 sub
      conductance gating, suggesting that in heart failure in which Zn2+ levels are
      elevated, RyR2 channels do not gate in a sub-conductance state, but rather MG23
      gating becomes more apparent. We also show that in H9C2 cells exposed to ischemic
      conditions, intracellular Zn2+ levels are elevated, coinciding with increased
      MG23 expression. In conclusion, these data suggest that dysregulated Zn2+
      homeostasis alters the function of both RyR2 and MG23 and that both ion channels
      play a key role in diastolic SR Ca2+ leakage.

PMID- 28630040
TI  - Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of the renal potassium channel,
      ROMK, leads to type II Bartter syndrome.
AB  - Type II Bartter syndrome is caused by mutations in the renal outer medullary
      potassium (ROMK) channel, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease
      are poorly defined. To rapidly screen for ROMK function, we developed a yeast
      expression system and discovered that yeast cells lacking endogenous potassium
      channels could be rescued by WT ROMK but not by ROMK proteins containing any one
      of four Bartter mutations. We also found that the mutant proteins were
      significantly less stable than WT ROMK. However, their degradation was slowed in
      the presence of a proteasome inhibitor or when yeast cells contained mutations in
      the CDC48 or SSA1 gene, which is required for endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
      associated degradation (ERAD). Consistent with these data, sucrose gradient
      centrifugation and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that most
      ROMK protein was ER-localized. To translate these findings to a more relevant
      cell type, we measured the stabilities of WT ROMK and the ROMK Bartter mutants in
      HEK293 cells. As in yeast, the Bartter mutant proteins were less stable than the
      WT protein, and their degradation was slowed in the presence of a proteasome
      inhibitor. Finally, we discovered that low-temperature incubation increased the
      steady-state levels of a Bartter mutant, suggesting that the disease-causing
      mutation traps the protein in a folding-deficient conformation. These findings
      indicate that the underlying pathology for at least a subset of patients with
      type II Bartter syndrome is linked to the ERAD pathway and that future
      therapeutic strategies should focus on correcting deficiencies in ROMK folding.

PMID- 28630042
TI  - The glutamate/cystine antiporter SLC7A11/xCT enhances cancer cell dependency on
      glucose by exporting glutamate.
AB  - Cancer cells with specific genetic alterations may be highly dependent on certain
      nutrients for survival, which can inform therapeutic strategies to target these
      cancer-specific metabolic vulnerabilities. The glutamate/cystine antiporter
      solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11, also called xCT) is overexpressed in
      several cancers. Contrasting the established pro-survival roles of SLC7A11 under
      other stress conditions, here we report the unexpected finding that SLC7A11
      overexpression enhances cancer cell dependence on glucose and renders cancer
      cells more sensitive to glucose starvation-induced cell death and, conversely,
      that SLC7A11 deficiency by either knockdown or pharmacological inhibition
      promotes cancer cell survival upon glucose starvation. We further show that
      glucose starvation induces SLC7A11 expression through ATF4 and NRF2 transcription
      factors and, correspondingly, that ATF4 or NRF2 deficiency also renders cancer
      cells more resistant to glucose starvation. Finally, we show that SLC7A11
      overexpression decreases whereas SLC7A11 deficiency increases intracellular
      glutamate levels because of SLC7A11-mediated glutamate export and that
      supplementation of alpha-ketoglutarate, a key downstream metabolite of glutamate,
      fully restores survival in SLC7A11-overexpressing cells under glucose starvation.
      Together, our results support the notion that both glucose and glutamate have
      important roles in maintaining cancer cell survival and uncover a previously
      unappreciated role of SLC7A11 to promote cancer cell dependence on glucose. Our
      study therefore informs therapeutic strategies to target the metabolic
      vulnerability in tumors with high SLC7A11 expression.

PMID- 28630044
TI  - Single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis discloses the
      dynamics of the DNA-topoisomerase II (Top2) interaction in the presence of TOP2
      targeting agents.
AB  - Topoisomerases play crucial roles in DNA replication, transcription, and
      recombination. For instance, topoisomerase II (Top2) is critically important for
      resolving DNA tangles during cell division, and as such, it is a broad anticancer
      drug target. Top2 regulates DNA topology by transiently breaking one double
      stranded DNA molecule (cleavage), allowing a second double strand to pass through
      the opened DNA gate (opening), and then closing the gate by rejoining the broken
      ends. Drugs that modulate Top2 catalysis may therefore affect enzymatic activity
      at several different steps. Previous studies have focused on examining DNA
      cleavage and ligation; however, the dynamic opening and closing of the DNA gate
      has been less explored. Here, we used the single-molecule Forster resonance
      energy transfer (smFRET) method to observe the open and closed state of the DNA
      gate and to measure dwell times in each state. Our results show that Top2 binds
      and bends DNA to increase the energy transfer efficiency (EFRET), and ATP
      treatment further induces the fluctuation of EFRET, representing the gate opening
      and closing. Additionally, our results demonstrate that both types of Top2
      targeting anticancer drugs, the catalytic inhibitor dexrazoxane (ICRF187) and
      mechanistic poison teniposide (VM26), can interfere with DNA gate dynamics and
      shorten the dwell time in the closed state. Moreover, Top2 bound to the
      nonhydrolyzable ATP analog 5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate exhibits
      altered DNA gate dynamics, but the DNA gate appears to open and close even after
      N-gate closure. In summary, we have utilized single-molecule detection to unravel
      Top2 DNA gate dynamics and reveal previously unknown effects of Top2 drugs on
      these dynamics.

PMID- 28630043
TI  - The small GTPases K-Ras, N-Ras, and H-Ras have distinct biochemical properties
      determined by allosteric effects.
AB  - H-Ras, K-Ras, and N-Ras are small GTPases that are important in the control of
      cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival, and their mutants occur
      frequently in human cancers. The G-domain, which catalyzes GTP hydrolysis and
      mediates downstream signaling, is 95% conserved between the Ras isoforms. Because
      of their very high sequence identity, biochemical studies done on H-Ras have been
      considered representative of all three Ras proteins. We show here that this is
      not a valid assumption. Using enzyme kinetic assays under identical conditions,
      we observed clear differences between the three isoforms in intrinsic catalysis
      of GTP by Ras in the absence and presence of the Ras-binding domain (RBD) of the
      c-Raf kinase protein (Raf-RBD). Given their identical active sites, isoform G
      domain differences must be allosteric in origin, due to remote isoform-specific
      residues that affect conformational states. We present the crystal structure of N
      Ras bound to a GTP analogue and interpret the kinetic data in terms of structural
      features specific for H-, K-, and N-Ras.

PMID- 28630046
TI  - Northern Ireland's GPs miss out on L1m of QOF funding.

PMID- 28630047
TI  - Update on anti-tumor necrosis factor agents and other new drugs for inflammatory
      bowel disease.
AB  - The treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-ulcerative colitis (UC) and
      Crohn's disease (CD)-has evolved beyond surgery with the introduction of biologic
      agents, primarily antibodies against mediators of inflammation and cell
      attraction. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents have been the first line
      treatment for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease for more
      than 15 years. During that time much has been learnt about how best to use these
      agents. This review will assess the evidence on how to optimize the use of anti
      TNF agents; when and how to start treatment; how to monitor treatment and when to
      de-escalate it; and the potential adverse effects of these drugs. New and
      emerging treatments such as anti-attractants, anti-interleukins, and Janus kinase
      (JAK) inhibitors will also be discussed.

PMID- 28630045
TI  - Structure-based analysis of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor SmgGDS reveals
      armadillo-repeat motifs and key regions for activity and GTPase binding.
AB  - Small GTPases are molecular switches that have critical biological roles and are
      controlled by GTPase-activating proteins and guanine nucleotide exchange factors
      (GEFs). The smg GDP dissociation stimulator (SmgGDS) protein functions as a GEF
      for the RhoA and RhoC small GTPases. SmgGDS has various regulatory roles,
      including small GTPase trafficking and localization and as a molecular chaperone,
      and interacts with many small GTPases possessing polybasic regions. Two SmgGDS
      splice variants, SmgGDS-558 and SmgGDS-607, differ in GEF activity and binding
      affinity for RhoA depending on the lipidation state, but the reasons for these
      differences are unclear. Here we determined the crystal structure of SmgGDS-558,
      revealing a fold containing tandem copies of armadillo repeats not present in
      other GEFs. We also observed that SmgGDS harbors distinct positively and
      negatively charged regions, both of which play critical roles in binding to RhoA
      and GEF activity. This is the first report demonstrating a relationship between
      the molecular function and atomic structure of SmgGDS. Our findings indicate that
      the two SmgGDS isoforms differ in GTPase binding and GEF activity, depending on
      the lipidation state, thus providing useful information about the cellular
      functions of SmgGDS in cells.

PMID- 28630048
TI  - Implementation of shared medical appointments to offer battlefield acupuncture
      efficiently to veterans with pain.

PMID- 28630049
TI  - Comparison of electroacupuncture and medical treatment for functional
      constipation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) relative to
      conventional medication in functional constipation (FC). DESIGN: Systematic
      review and meta-analysis. SETTING: To be included, studies needed to: (1) have
      been randomised controlled trials; (2) have recruited adult patients diagnosed
      with FC according to the Rome II/III criteria or the American Gastroenterological
      Association guideline for chronic FC; and (3) have randomised patients to be
      treated with EA or anti-constipation medication. We searched Medline, the
      Cochrane Library and Embase databases for articles published up to 30 June 2016.
      INTERVENTION: EA or anti-constipation medication. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME
      MEASURES: The primary outcome was the change in the number of weekly spontaneous
      bowel movements. Secondary outcomes were total response rate (or total effective
      rate), symptom reduction and Cleveland Clinic constipation scores. RESULTS: The
      pooled results showed significantly more improvement in the frequency of
      spontaneous bowel movements in the EA treatment group compared with the medicine
      treated group (pooled SMD 0.244, 95% CI 0.065 to 0.424, P=0.008). Deep-needling
      EA was significantly more effective than treatment with medication at increasing
      the frequency of spontaneous bowel movements (p=0.019). Significantly greater
      improvement was also seen for total response rates (p=0.018) and reductions in
      symptom score (p<0.001) in EA-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: EA was more
      effective than medication at improving spontaneous bowel movements and total
      response rate, and reducing the symptoms of FC.

PMID- 28630050
TI  - Effectiveness of computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) of breast pathology using
      immunohistochemistry results of core needle biopsy samples for synaptophysin,
      oestrogen receptor and CK14/p63 for classification of epithelial proliferative
      lesions of the breast.
AB  - AIMS: The aim of this study was to develop a computer-aided diagnosis (CADx)
      system for identifying breast pathology. METHODS: Two sets of 100 consecutive
      core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens were collected for test and validation
      studies. All 200 CNB specimens were stained with antibodies targeting oestrogen
      receptor (ER), synaptophysin and CK14/p63. All stained slides were scanned in a
      whole-slide imaging system and photographed. The photographs were analysed using
      software to identify the proportions of tumour cells that were positive and
      negative for each marker. In the test study, the cut-off values for synaptophysin
      (negative and positive) and CK14/p63 (negative and positive) were decided using
      receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. For ER analysis, samples were
      divided into groups with <10% positive or >10% positive cells and decided using
      receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Finally, these two groups
      categorised as ER-low, ER-intermediate (non-low and non-high) and ER-high groups.
      In the validation study, the second set of immunohistochemical slides were
      analysed using these cut-off values. RESULTS: The cut-off values for
      synaptophysin, <10% ER positive, >10% ER positive and CK14/p63 were 0.14%, 2.17%,
      77.93% and 18.66%, respectively. The positive predictive value for malignancy
      (PPV) was 100% for synaptophysin-positive/ER-high/(CK14/p63)-any or synaptophysin
      positive/ER-low/(CK14/p63)-any. The PPV was 25% for synaptophysin-positive/ER
      intermediate/(CK14/p63)-positive. For synaptophysin-negative/(CK14/p63)-negative,
      the PPVs for ER-low, ER-intermediate and ER-high were 100%, 80.0% and 95.8%,
      respectively. The PPV was 4.5% for synaptophysin-negative/ER
      intermediate/(CK14/p63)-positive. CONCLUSION: The CADx system was able to analyse
      sufficient data for all types of epithelial proliferative lesions of the breast
      including invasive breast cancer. This system may be useful for pathological
      diagnosis of breast CNB in routine investigations.

PMID- 28630052
TI  - Infection Exposure Promotes ETV6-RUNX1 Precursor B-cell Leukemia via Impaired
      H3K4 Demethylases.
AB  - ETV6-RUNX1 is associated with the most common subtype of childhood leukemia. As
      few ETV6-RUNX1 carriers develop precursor B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (pB
      ALL), the underlying genetic basis for development of full-blown leukemia remains
      to be identified, but the appearance of leukemia cases in time-space clusters
      keeps infection as a potential causal factor. Here, we present in vivo genetic
      evidence mechanistically connecting preleukemic ETV6-RUNX1 expression in
      hematopoetic stem cells/precursor cells (HSC/PC) and postnatal infections for
      human-like pB-ALL. In our model, ETV6-RUNX1 conferred a low risk of developing pB
      ALL after exposure to common pathogens, corroborating the low incidence observed
      in humans. Murine preleukemic ETV6-RUNX1 pro/preB cells showed high Rag1/2
      expression, known for human ETV6-RUNX1 pB-ALL. Murine and human ETV6-RUNX1 pB-ALL
      revealed recurrent genomic alterations, with a relevant proportion affecting
      genes of the lysine demethylase (KDM) family. KDM5C loss of function resulted in
      increased levels of H3K4me3, which coprecipitated with RAG2 in a human cell line
      model, laying the molecular basis for recombination activity. We conclude that
      alterations of KDM family members represent a disease-driving mechanism and an
      explanation for RAG off-target cleavage observed in humans. Our results explain
      the genetic basis for clonal evolution of an ETV6-RUNX1 preleukemic clone to pB
      ALL after infection exposure and offer the possibility of novel therapeutic
      approaches. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4365-77. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630051
TI  - DNA Damage and Repair Biomarkers of Immunotherapy Response.
AB  - DNA-damaging agents are widely used in clinical oncology and exploit deficiencies
      in tumor DNA repair. Given the expanding role of immune checkpoint blockade as a
      therapeutic strategy, the interaction of tumor DNA damage with the immune system
      has recently come into focus, and it is now clear that the tumor DNA repair
      landscape has an important role in driving response to immune checkpoint
      blockade. Here, we summarize the mechanisms by which DNA damage and genomic
      instability have been found to shape the antitumor immune response and describe
      clinical efforts to use DNA repair biomarkers to guide use of immune-directed
      therapies.Significance: Only a subset of patients respond to immune checkpoint
      blockade, and reliable predictive biomarkers of response are needed to guide
      therapy decisions. DNA repair deficiency is common among tumors, and emerging
      experimental and clinical evidence suggests that features of genomic instability
      are associated with response to immune-directed therapies. Cancer Discov; 7(7);
      675-93. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630056
TI  - The Relationship of Serum Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products
      (sRAGE) and Carboxymethyl Lysine (CML) to the Incidence of Diabetic Nephropathy
      in Persons With Type 1 Diabetes.

PMID- 28630053
TI  - Glucose Catabolism in Liver Tumors Induced by c-MYC Can Be Sustained by Various
      PKM1/PKM2 Ratios and Pyruvate Kinase Activities.
AB  - Different pyruvate kinase isoforms are expressed in a tissue-specific manner,
      with pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) suggested to be the predominant isoform in
      proliferating cells and cancer cells. Because of differential regulation of
      enzymatic activities, PKM2, but not PKM1, has been thought to favor cell
      proliferation. However, the role of PKM2 in tumorigenesis has been recently
      challenged. Here we report that increased glucose catabolism through glycolysis
      and increased pyruvate kinase activity in c-MYC-driven liver tumors are
      associated with increased expression of both PKM1 and PKM2 isoforms and decreased
      expression of the liver-specific isoform of pyruvate kinase, PKL. Depletion of
      PKM2 at the time of c-MYC overexpression in murine livers did not affect c-MYC
      induced tumorigenesis and resulted in liver tumor formation with decreased
      pyruvate kinase activity and decreased catabolism of glucose into alanine and the
      Krebs cycle. An increased PKM1/PKM2 ratio by ectopic PKM1 expression further
      decreased glucose flux into serine biosynthesis and increased flux into lactate
      and the Krebs cycle, resulting in reduced total levels of serine. However, these
      changes also did not affect c-MYC-induced liver tumor development. These results
      suggest that increased expression of PKM2 is not required to support c-MYC
      induced tumorigenesis in the liver and that various PKM1/PKM2 ratios and pyruvate
      kinase activities can sustain glucose catabolism required for this process.
      Cancer Res; 77(16); 4355-64. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630054
TI  - SLC45A2: A Melanoma Antigen with High Tumor Selectivity and Reduced Potential for
      Autoimmune Toxicity.
AB  - Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-based immunotherapies have had remarkable success at
      generating objective clinical responses in patients with advanced metastatic
      melanoma. Although the melanocyte differentiation antigens (MDA) MART-1, PMEL,
      and tyrosinase were among the first melanoma tumor-associated antigens identified
      and targeted with immunotherapy, expression within normal melanocytes of the eye
      and inner ear can elicit serious autoimmune side effects, thus limiting their
      clinical potential as CTL targets. Using a tandem mass spectrometry (MS) approach
      to analyze the immunopeptidomes of 55 melanoma patient-derived cell lines, we
      identified a number of shared HLA class I-bound peptides derived from the
      melanocyte-specific transporter protein SLC45A2. Antigen-specific CTLs generated
      against HLA-A*0201- and HLA-A*2402-restricted SLC45A2 peptides effectively killed
      a majority of HLA-matched cutaneous, uveal, and mucosal melanoma cell lines
      tested (18/25). CTLs specific for SLC45A2 showed significantly reduced
      recognition of HLA-matched primary melanocytes that were, conversely, robustly
      killed by MART1- and PMEL-specific T cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed that
      SLC45A2 mRNA expression in normal melanocytes was less than 2% that of other
      MDAs, therefore providing a more favorable melanoma-to-melanocyte expression
      ratio. Expression of SLC45A2 and CTL sensitivity could be further upregulated in
      BRAF(V600E)-mutant melanoma cells upon treatment with BRAF or MEK inhibitors,
      similarly to other MDAs. Taken together, our study demonstrates the feasibility
      of using tandem MS as a means of discovering shared immunogenic tumor-associated
      epitopes and identifies SLC45A2 as a promising immunotherapeutic target for
      melanoma with high tumor selectivity and reduced potential for autoimmune
      toxicity. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8); 618-29. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630057
TI  - Characteristics of children who do not attend their hospital appointments, and
      GPs' response: a mixed methods study in primary and secondary care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Children who do not attend (DNA) their hospital outpatient
      appointments are a concern because this potentially compromises the child's
      health and incurs financial cost. Little is known about children who DNA or the
      views of GPs to non-attendance. AIM: To describe the characteristics of children
      who DNA hospital paediatric outpatient appointments, and explore how GPs view and
      respond to DNAs. DESIGN AND SETTING: A mixed methods study of data from all new
      referrals to a children's hospital in the South West of England between 1
      September and 31 October 2012. METHOD: Data were extracted from patients'
      hospital and GP records, and Stata was used to analyse the data quantitatively.
      Analysis focused on describing the characteristics of children who DNA, and the
      process of care that followed. Practices that had either the highest or lowest
      number of DNAs were purposefully sampled for GPs who had referred children to
      secondary care at the study hospital within the previous year. Interviews were
      held between May 2014 and July 2015, and were analysed thematically. RESULTS:
      Children who DNA are more likely to be from an area of greater deprivation
      (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00 to 1.02, P =
      0.04), and with a child protection alert in their hospital notes (AOR 2.72, 95%
      CI = 1.26 to 5.88, P = 0.01). Non-attendance is communicated poorly to GPs,
      rarely coded in patients' GP records, and few GP practices have a formal policy
      regarding paediatric DNAs. CONCLUSION: Non-attendance at hospital outpatient
      appointments may indicate a child's welfare is at risk. Communication between
      primary and secondary care needs to be improved, and guidelines developed to
      encourage GPs to monitor children who DNA.

PMID- 28630058
TI  - Psychological morbidity and return to work after injury: multicentre cohort
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The benefits of work for physical, psychological, and financial
      wellbeing are well documented. Return to work (RTW) after unintentional injury is
      often delayed, and psychological morbidity may contribute to this delay. The
      impact of psychological morbidity on RTW after a wide range of unintentional
      injuries in the UK has not been adequately quantified. AIM: To quantify the role
      of psychological factors, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic
      distress, on RTW following unintentional injuries. DESIGN AND SETTING: A
      longitudinal multicentre prospective study was undertaken in Nottingham, Bristol,
      Leicester, and Guildford, UK. METHOD: Participants (n = 273) were 16-69-year-olds
      admitted to hospital following unintentional injury, who were in paid employment
      prior to injury. They were surveyed at baseline, then at 1, 2, 4, and 12 months
      following injury; demographic data were collected along with injury
      characteristics, psychological morbidity, and RTW status. Associations between
      demographic, injury and psychological factors, and RTW between 2 and 12 months
      after injury were quantified using random effects logistic regression. RESULTS:
      The odds of RTW between 2 and 12 months after injury reduced as depression scores
      early in the recovery period (1 month after injury) increased (odds ratio [OR]
      0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79 to 0.95) and as length of hospital stay
      increased (OR 0.91, 95% CI] = 0.86 to 0.96). For those experiencing threatening
      life events following injury (OR 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10 to 0.72) and with higher
      scores on the Crisis Support Scale (OR 0.93, 95% CI] = 0.88 to 0.99), the odds of
      RTW between 2 and 12 months after injury were lower. Multiple imputation analysis
      found similar results, but those relating to crisis support did not remain
      statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Primary care professionals can identify
      patients at risk of delayed RTW who may benefit from management of psychological
      morbidity and support to RTW.

PMID- 28630060
TI  - NHS providers achieve "the impossible" and cut their deficit by two thirds.

PMID- 28630059
TI  - The role of contraindications in prescribing anticoagulants to patients with
      atrial fibrillation: a cross-sectional analysis of primary care data in the UK.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Underuse of anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation (AF) is an
      international problem, which has often been attributed to the presence of
      contraindications to treatment. No studies have assessed the influence of
      contraindications on anticoagulant prescribing in the UK. AIM: To determine the
      influence of contraindications on anticoagulant prescribing in patients with AF
      in the UK. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analysis of primary care data from
      645 general practices contributing to The Health Improvement Network, a large UK
      database of electronic primary care records. METHOD: Twelve sequential cross
      sectional analyses were carried out from 2004 to 2015. Patients with a diagnosis
      of AF aged >=35 years and registered for at least 1 year were included. Outcome
      measure was prescription of anticoagulant medication. RESULTS: Over the 12 study
      years, the proportion of eligible patients with AF with contraindications who
      were prescribed anticoagulants increased from 40.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]
      = 38.3 to 41.9) to 67.2% (95% CI = 65.6 to 68.8), and the proportion of those
      without contraindications prescribed anticoagulants increased from 42.1% (95% CI
      = 41.6 to 42.6) to 67.7% (95% CI = 67.2 to 68.1). In patients with a recent
      history of major bleeding or aneurysm, prescribing rates increased from 44.3%
      (95% CI = 42.2 to 46.5) and 34.8% (95% CI = 29.4 to 40.6) in 2004 to 71.7% (95%
      CI = 69.9 to 73.5) and 63.2% (95% CI = 58.3 to 67.8) in 2015, respectively,
      comparable with rates in patients without contraindications. CONCLUSION: The
      presence or absence of recorded contraindications has little influence on the
      decision to prescribe anticoagulants for the prevention of stroke in patients
      with AF. The study analysis suggests that, nationally, 38 000 patients with AF
      with contraindications are treated with anticoagulants. This has implications for
      patient safety.

PMID- 28630061
TI  - Increased Resistance to Intradermal Francisella tularensis LVS Infection by
      Inactivation of the Sts Phosphatases.
AB  - The Suppressor of TCR signaling proteins (Sts-1 and Sts-2) are two homologous
      phosphatases that negatively regulate signaling pathways in a number of
      hematopoietic lineages, including T lymphocytes. Mice lacking Sts expression are
      characterized by enhanced T cell responses. Additionally, a recent study
      demonstrated that Sts-/- mice are profoundly resistant to systemic infection by
      Candida albicans, with resistance characterized by enhanced survival, more rapid
      fungal clearance in key peripheral organs, and an altered inflammatory response.
      To investigate the role of Sts in the primary host response to infection by a
      bacterial pathogen, we evaluated the response of Sts-/- mice to infection by a
      Gram-negative bacterial pathogen. Francisella tularensis is a facultative
      bacterial pathogen that replicates intracellularly within a variety of cell types
      and is the causative agent of tularemia. Francisella infections are characterized
      by a delayed immune response, followed by an intense inflammatory reaction that
      causes widespread tissue damage and septic shock. Herein, we demonstrate that
      mice lacking Sts expression are significantly resistant to infection by the live
      vaccine strain (LVS) of F. tularensis Resistance is characterized by reduced
      lethality following high-dose intradermal infection, an altered cytokine response
      in the spleen, and enhanced bacterial clearance in multiple peripheral organs.
      Sts-/- bone marrow-derived monocytes and neutrophils, infected with F. tularensis
      LVS ex vivo, display enhanced restriction of intracellular bacteria. These
      observations suggest the Sts proteins play an important regulatory role in the
      host response to bacterial infection, and they underscore a role for Sts in
      regulating functionally relevant immune response pathways.

PMID- 28630062
TI  - The Transcription Factor NFAT1 Participates in the Induction of CD4+ T Cell
      Functional Exhaustion during Plasmodium yoelii Infection.
AB  - Repeated stimulation of T cells that occurs in the context of chronic infection
      results in progressively reduced responsiveness of T cells to pathogen-derived
      antigens. This phenotype, known as T cell exhaustion, occurs during chronic
      infections caused by a variety of pathogens, from persistent viruses to
      parasites. Unlike the memory cells that typically form after successful pathogen
      clearance following an acute infection, exhausted T cells secrete lower levels of
      effector cytokines, proliferate less in response to cognate antigen, and
      upregulate cell surface inhibitory molecules such as PD-1 and LAG-3. The
      molecular events that lead to the induction of this phenotype have, however, not
      been fully characterized. In T cells, members of the NFAT family of transcription
      factors not only are responsible for the expression of many activation-induced
      genes but also are crucial for the induction of transcriptional programs that
      inhibit T cell activation and maintain tolerance. Here we show that NFAT1
      deficient CD4+ T cells maintain higher proliferative capacity and expression of
      effector cytokines following Plasmodium yoelii infection and are therefore more
      resistant to P. yoelii-induced exhaustion than their wild-type counterparts.
      Consequently, gene expression microarray analysis of CD4+ T cells following P.
      yoelii-induced exhaustion shows upregulation of effector T cell-associated genes
      in the absence of NFAT1 compared with wild-type exhausted T cells. Furthermore,
      adoptive transfer of NFAT1-deficient CD4+ T cells into mice infected with P.
      yoelii results in increased production of antibodies to cognate antigen. Our
      results support the idea that NFAT1 is necessary to fully suppress effector
      responses during Plasmodium-induced CD4+ T cell exhaustion.

PMID- 28630063
TI  - Listeria-vectored vaccine expressing the Mycobacterium tuberculosis 30 kDa major
      secretory protein via the constitutively active prfA* regulon boosts BCG efficacy
      against tuberculosis.
AB  - A potent vaccine against tuberculosis, one of the world's deadliest diseases, is
      needed to enhance the immunity of people worldwide, most of whom have been
      vaccinated with the partially effective BCG vaccine. Here we investigate novel
      live attenuated recombinant Listeria monocytogenes (rLm) vaccines expressing the
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) 30 kDa major secretory protein (r30/Ag85B)
      (rLm30) as heterologous booster vaccines in animals primed with BCG. Using three
      attenuated Lm vectors, rLm DeltaactA (LmI), rLm DeltaactA DeltainlB (LmII), and
      rLm DeltaactA DeltainlBprfA* (LmIII), we constructed five rLm30 vaccine
      candidates expressing the r30 linked in-frame to the Lm Listeriolycin O signal
      sequence and driven by the hly promoter (h30) or linked in-frame to the ActA N
      terminus and driven by the actA promoter (a30). All five rLm30 vaccines secreted
      r30 in broth and macrophages; while rLm expressing r30 via a constitutively
      active prfA* regulon (rLmIII/a30) expressed the greatest amount of r30 in broth
      culture, all five rLm vaccines expressed equivalent amounts of r30 in infected
      macrophages. In comparative studies, boosting BCG-immunized mice with rLmIII/a30
      induced the strongest antigen-specific T-cell responses, including splenic and
      lung polyfunctional CD4+ T-cells expressing the three cytokines of interferon
      gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin-2 (IL
      2) (P < 0.001) and splenic and lung CD8+ T-cells expressing IFN-gamma (P <
      0.0001). In mice and guinea pigs, rLmIII/a30 and rLmI/h30 vaccines were generally
      more potent booster vaccines than r30 in adjuvant and a recombinant adenovirus
      vaccine expressing r30. In a setting in which BCG alone was highly
      immunoprotective, boosting mice with rLmIII/a30, the most potent of the vaccines,
      significantly enhanced protection against aerosolized Mtb (P <0.01).

PMID- 28630064
TI  - Pneumolysin-Dependent Calpain Activation and Interleukin-1alpha Secretion in
      Macrophages Infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae.
AB  - Pneumolysin (PLY), a major virulence factor of Streptococcus pneumoniae, is a
      pore-forming cytolysin that modulates host innate responses contributing to host
      defense against and pathogenesis of pneumococcal infections. Interleukin-1alpha
      (IL-1alpha) has been shown to be involved in tissue damage in a pneumococcal
      pneumonia model; however, the mechanism by which this cytokine is produced during
      S. pneumoniae infection remains unclear. In this study, we examined the role of
      PLY in IL-1alpha production. Although the strains induced similar levels of pro
      IL-1alpha expression, wild-type S. pneumoniae D39, but not a deletion mutant of
      the ply gene (Deltaply), induced the secretion of mature IL-1alpha from host
      macrophages, suggesting that PLY is critical for the maturation and secretion of
      IL-1alpha during S. pneumoniae infection. Further experiments with calcium
      chelators and calpain inhibitors indicated that extracellular calcium ions and
      calpains (calcium-dependent proteases) facilitated the maturation and secretion
      of IL-1alpha from D39-infected macrophages. Moreover, we found that PLY plays a
      critical role in calcium influx and calpain activation, as elevated intracellular
      calcium levels and the degradation of the calpain substrate alpha-fodrin were
      detected in macrophages infected with D39 but not the Deltaply strain. These
      results suggested that PLY induces the influx of calcium in S. pneumoniae
      infected macrophages, followed by calpain activation and subsequent IL-1alpha
      maturation and secretion.

PMID- 28630065
TI  - CCR5 Is Involved in Interruption of Pregnancy in Mice Infected with Toxoplasma
      gondii during Early Pregnancy.
AB  - Toxoplasmosis can cause abortion in pregnant humans and other animals; however,
      the mechanism of abortion remains unknown. C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5)
      is essential for host defense against Toxoplasma gondii infection. To investigate
      the relationship between CCR5 and abortion in toxoplasmosis, we inoculated wild
      type and CCR5-deficient (CCR5-/-) mice with T. gondii tachyzoites
      intraperitoneally on day 3 of pregnancy (embryonic day 3 [E3]). The pregnancy
      rate decreased as pregnancy progressed in infected wild-type mice.
      Histopathologically, no inflammatory lesions were observed in the fetoplacental
      tissues. Although wild-type mice showed a higher parasite burden at the
      implantation sites than did CCR5-/- mice at E6 (3 days postinfection [dpi]), T.
      gondii antigen was detected only in the uterine tissue and not in the
      fetoplacental tissues. At E8 (5 dpi), the embryos in infected wild-type mice
      showed poor development compared with those of infected CCR5-/- mice, and
      apoptosis was observed in poorly developed embryos. Compared to uninfected mice,
      infected wild-type mice showed increased CCR5 expression at the implantation site
      at E6 and E8. Furthermore, analyses of mRNA expression in the uterus of
      nonpregnant and pregnant mice suggested that a lack of the CCR5 gene and the
      downregulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and CCL3 expression at
      E6 (3 dpi) are important factors for the maintenance of pregnancy following T.
      gondii infection. These results suggested that CCR5 signaling is involved in
      embryo loss in T. gondii infection during early pregnancy and that apoptosis is
      associated with embryo loss rather than direct damage to the fetoplacental
      tissues.

PMID- 28630066
TI  - Porphyromonas gulae Activates Unprimed and Gamma Interferon-Primed Macrophages
      via the Pattern Recognition Receptors Toll-Like Receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and
      NOD2.
AB  - Porphyromonas gulae is an anaerobic, Gram-negative coccobacillus that has been
      associated with periodontal disease in companion animals. The aims of this study
      were to analyze the ligation of pattern recognition receptors by P. gulae and the
      subsequent activation of macrophages. Exposure of HEK cells transfected with Toll
      like receptors (TLRs) or NOD-like receptors to P. gulae resulted in the ligation
      of TLR2, TLR4, and NOD2. The effects of this engagement of receptors were
      investigated by measuring the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), CD86 expression,
      and inflammatory cytokine production by wild-type, TLR2-/-, and TLR4-/-
      macrophages. The addition of P. gulae to unprimed and gamma interferon (IFN
      gamma)-primed (M1 phenotype) macrophages significantly increased the surface
      expression of CD86, but only M1 macrophages produced nitric oxide. P. gulae
      induced expression of CD86 on unprimed macrophages was dependent on both TLR2 and
      TLR4, but CD86 expression and NO production in M1 macrophages were only TLR2
      dependent. P. gulae induced an increase in secretion of interleukin-1alpha (IL
      1alpha), IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-12p70, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha), granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), monocyte chemoattractant
      protein 1 (MCP-1), and macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha) by M1
      macrophages compared to that by unprimed controls. Among these cytokines,
      secretion of IL-6 and TNF-alpha by M1 macrophages was dependent on either TLR2 or
      TLR4. Our data indicate that TLR2 and TLR4 are important for P. gulae activation
      of unprimed macrophages and that activation and effector functions induced in M1
      macrophages by P. gulae are mainly dependent on TLR2. In conclusion, P. gulae
      induces a strong TLR2-dependent inflammatory M1 macrophage response which may be
      important in establishing the chronic inflammation associated with periodontal
      disease in companion animals.

PMID- 28630067
TI  - SipA Activation of Caspase-3 Is a Decisive Mediator of Host Cell Survival at
      Early Stages of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Infection.
AB  - Salmonella invasion protein A (SipA) is a dual-function effector protein that
      plays roles in both actin polymerization and caspase-3 activation in intestinal
      epithelial cells. To date its function in other cell types has remained largely
      unknown despite its expression in multiple cell types and its extracellular
      secretion during infection. Here we show that in macrophages SipA induces
      increased caspase-3 activation early in infection. This activation required a
      threshold level of SipA linked to multiplicity of infection and may be a limiting
      factor controlling bacterial numbers in infected macrophages. In
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes, SipA or other Salmonella pathogenicity island 1
      effectors had no effect on induction of caspase-3 activation either alone or in
      the presence of whole bacteria. Tagging of SipA with the small fluorescent phiLOV
      tag, which can pass through the type three secretion system, allowed
      visualization and quantification of caspase-3 activation by SipA-phiLOV in
      macrophages. Additionally, SipA-phiLOV activation of caspase-3 could be tracked
      in the intestine through multiphoton laser scanning microscopy in an ex vivo
      intestinal model. This allowed visualization of areas where the intestinal
      epithelium had been compromised and demonstrated the potential use of this
      fluorescent tag for in vivo tracking of individual effectors.

PMID- 28630068
TI  - Ehrlichia chaffeensis TRP120 Moonlights as a HECT E3 Ligase Involved in Self- and
      Host Ubiquitination To Influence Protein Interactions and Stability for
      Intracellular Survival.
AB  - Ehrlichia chaffeensis secretes tandem repeat protein (TRP) effectors that are
      involved in a diverse array of host cell interactions, some of which directly
      activate cell signaling pathways and reprogram host gene transcription to promote
      survival in the mononuclear phagocyte. However, the molecular details of these
      effector-host interactions and roles in pathobiology are incompletely understood.
      In this study, we determined that the E. chaffeensis effector TRP120 is
      posttranslationally modified by ubiquitin (Ub) and that ubiquitination occurs
      through intrinsic and host-mediated HECT ligase activity. A functional HECT E3
      ligase domain with a conserved catalytic site was identified in the C-terminal
      region of TRP120, and TRP120 autoubiquitination occurred in vitro in the presence
      of host UbcH5b/c E2 enzymes. TRP120 ubiquitination sites were mapped using a high
      density microfluidic peptide array and confirmed by ectopic expression of TRP120
      lysine mutants in cells. Moreover, we determined that the HECT E3 ubiquitin
      ligase, Nedd4L, interacts with TRP120 during infection and also mediates TRP120
      ubiquitination. Nedd4L knockdown resulted in the reduction of TRP120-Ub,
      decreased ehrlichial infection, and reduced recruitment of a known TRP120
      interacting host protein, PCGF5, to ehrlichial inclusions. TRP120-mediated PCGF5
      polyubiquitination was associated with a reduction in PCGF5 levels. Inhibition of
      ubiquitination with small molecules also significantly decreased ehrlichial
      infection, indicating that the Ub pathway is critical for ehrlichial
      intracellular replication and survival. The current study identified a novel E.
      chaffeensis ubiquitin ligase and revealed an important role for the ubiquitin
      pathway in effector-host interactions and pathogen-mediated host protein
      stability in order to promote intracellular survival.

PMID- 28630070
TI  - Regulation of Type III Secretion of Translocon and Effector Proteins by the
      EsaB/EsaL/EsaM Complex in Edwardsiella tarda.
AB  - The type III secretion system (T3SS) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of
      many Gram-negative bacteria, including Edwardsiella tarda, an important fish
      pathogen. Within the E. tarda T3SS, there are three proteins (EsaB/EsaL/EsaM)
      that are homologous to proteins present in many other bacteria, including
      SpiC/SsaL/SsaM in Salmonella, SepD/SepL/CesL in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
      (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), and YscB/YopN/SycN in Yersinia EsaL
      was found to interact with both EsaB and EsaM within the bacterial cell, as
      revealed by a coimmunoprecipitation assay. Moreover, EsaM is required for EsaB
      stability, and the two proteins interact with each other. EsaB, EsaL, and EsaM
      are all indispensable for the secretion of the T3SS translocon protein EseC into
      supernatants under pH 5.5 and pH 7.2 conditions. Unlike EseC, EseG is a T3SS
      effector whose secretion is suppressed by EsaL at pH 7.2 while it is promoted at
      pH 5.5 condition. Despite this finding, mutant strains lacking EsaB, EsaL, or
      EsaM (i.e., the DeltaesaB, DeltaesaL, or DeltaesaM strain, respectively) were all
      outcompeted by wild-type E. tarda during a coinfection model. These results
      demonstrate that EsaB/EsaL/EsaM form a ternary complex controlling the secretion
      of T3SS translocon and effector proteins and contributing to E. tarda
      pathogenesis.

PMID- 28630069
TI  - Degradation of Incretins and Modulation of Blood Glucose Levels by
      Periodontopathic Bacterial Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4.
AB  - Severe periodontitis is known to aggravate diabetes mellitus, though molecular
      events related to that link have not been fully elucidated. Porphyromonas
      gingivalis, a major pathogen of periodontitis, expresses dipeptidyl peptidase 4
      (DPP4), which is involved in regulation of blood glucose levels by cleaving
      incretins in humans. We examined the enzymatic characteristics of DPP4 from P.
      gingivalis as well as two other periodontopathic bacteria, Tannerella forsythia
      and Prevotella intermedia, and determined whether it is capable of regulating
      blood glucose levels. Cell-associated DPP4 activity was found in those
      microorganisms, which was effectively suppressed by inhibitors of human DPP4, and
      molecules sized 73 kDa in P. gingivalis, and 71 kDa in T. forsythia and P.
      intermedia were immunologically detected. The kcat/Km values of recombinant DPP4s
      ranged from 721 +/- 55 to 1,283 +/- 23 MUM-1s-1 toward Gly-Pro-4-methylcoumaryl-7
      amide (MCA), while those were much lower for His-Ala-MCA. Matrix-assisted laser
      desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis
      showed His/Tyr-Ala dipeptide release from the N termini of incretins, glucagon
      like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide,
      respectively, with the action of microbial DPP4. Moreover, intravenous injection
      of DPP4 into mice decreased plasma active GLP-1 and insulin levels, accompanied
      by a substantial elevation in blood glucose over the control after oral glucose
      administration. These results are the first to show that periodontopathic
      bacterial DPP4 is capable of modulating blood glucose levels the same as
      mammalian DPP4; thus, the incidence of periodontopathic bacteremia may exacerbate
      diabetes mellitus via molecular events of bacterial DPP4 activities.

PMID- 28630071
TI  - Albumin Inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing and Alters Polymicrobial
      Interactions.
AB  - Polymicrobial interactions are complex and can influence the course of an
      infection, as is the case when two or more species exhibit a synergism that
      produces a disease state not seen with any of the individual species alone. Cell
      to-cell signaling is key to many of these interactions, but little is understood
      about how the host environment influences polymicrobial interactions or signaling
      between bacteria. Chronic wounds are typically polymicrobial, with Staphylococcus
      aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa being the two most commonly isolated species.
      While P. aeruginosa readily kills S. aureusin vitro, the two species can coexist
      for long periods together in chronic wound infections. In this study, we
      investigated the ability of components of the wound environment to modulate
      interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus We demonstrate that P.
      aeruginosa quorum sensing is inhibited by physiological levels of serum albumin,
      which appears to bind and sequester some homoserine lactone quorum signals,
      resulting in the inability of P. aeruginosa to produce virulence factors that
      kill S. aureus These data could provide important clues regarding the virulence
      of P. aeruginosa in albumin-depleted versus albumin-rich infection sites and an
      understanding of the nature of friendly versus antagonistic interactions between
      P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.

PMID- 28630072
TI  - Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal Induces Oxidative Stress and Inhibits Heme Oxygenase
      1 Expression in Lung Epithelial Cells.
AB  - Pseudomonasaeruginosa causes lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis
      (CF). The Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) compound is a secreted P. aeruginosa
      virulence factor that contributes to the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa We were
      able to detect PQS in sputum samples from CF patients infected with P. aeruginosa
      but not in samples from uninfected patients. We then tested the hypothesis that
      PQS induces oxidative stress in host cells by determining the ability of PQS to
      induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lung epithelial cells
      (A549 and primary normal human bronchial epithelial [NHBE]) cells and macrophages
      (J774A.1 and THP-1). ROS production induced by PQS was detected with fluorescent
      probes (dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, dihydroethidium, and MitoSOX Red)
      in conjunction with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. PQS induced ROS
      production in lung epithelial (A549 and NHBE) cells and macrophages (J774A.1 and
      THP-1 cells). NHBE cells were sensitive to PQS concentrations as low as 500
      ng/ml. PQS significantly induced early apoptosis (P < 0.05, n = 6) in lung
      epithelial cells, as measured by annexin/propidium iodide detection by flow
      cytometry. However, no change in apoptosis upon PQS treatment was seen in J774A.1
      cells. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein is an antioxidant enzyme usually induced
      by oxidative stress. Interestingly, incubation with PQS significantly reduced HO
      1 and NrF2 expression in A549 and NHBE cells but increased HO-1 expression in
      J774A.1 cells (P < 0.05, n = 3), as determined by immunoblotting and
      densitometry. These PQS effects on host cells could play an important role in the
      pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa infections.

PMID- 28630073
TI  - New Insights into the Roles of Long Polar Fimbriae and Stg Fimbriae in Salmonella
      Interactions with Enterocytes and M Cells.
AB  - Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi causes the systemic disease typhoid fever.
      After ingestion, it adheres to and invades the host epithelium while evading the
      host innate immune response, causing little if any inflammation. Conversely,
      Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium causes gastroenteritis in humans and
      thrives in the inflamed gut. Upon entering the host, S Typhimurium preferentially
      colonizes Peyer's patches, a lymphoid organ in which microfold cells (M cells)
      overlay an arrangement of B cells, T cells, and antigen-presenting cells. Both
      serovars can adhere to and invade M cells and enterocytes, and it has been
      assumed that S Typhi also preferentially targets M cells. In this study, we
      present data supporting the alternative hypothesis that S Typhi preferentially
      targets enterocytes. Using a tissue culture M cell model, we examined S Typhi
      strains with a deletion in the stg fimbriae. The stg deletion resulted in
      increased adherence to M cells and, as expected, decreased adherence to Caco-2
      cells. Adherence to M cells could be further enhanced by introduction of the long
      polar fimbriae (Lpf), which facilitate adherence of S Typhimurium to M cells.
      Deletion of stg and/or introduction of lpf enhanced M cell invasion as well,
      leading to significant increases in secretion of interleukin 8. These results
      suggest that S Typhi may preferentially target enterocytes in vivo.

PMID- 28630075
TI  - Doctors have medical and social responsibilities in the Trump era.

PMID- 28630074
TI  - The Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Effector EspW Triggers Actin Remodeling in
      a Rac1-Dependent Manner.
AB  - Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a diarrheagenic pathogen that
      colonizes the gut mucosa and induces attaching-and-effacing lesions. EHEC employs
      a type III secretion system (T3SS) to translocate 50 effector proteins that
      hijack and manipulate host cell signaling pathways, which allow bacterial
      colonization and subversion of immune responses and disease progression. The aim
      of this study was to characterize the T3SS effector EspW. We found espW in the
      sequenced O157:H7 and non-O157 EHEC strains as well as in Shigella boydii
      Furthermore, a truncated version of EspW, containing the first 206 residues, is
      present in EPEC strains belonging to serotype O55:H7. Screening a collection of
      clinical EPEC isolates revealed that espW is present in 52% of the tested
      strains. We report that EspW modulates actin dynamics in a Rac1-dependent manner.
      Ectopic expression of EspW results in formation of unique membrane protrusions.
      Infection of Swiss cells with an EHEC espW deletion mutant induces a cell
      shrinkage phenotype that could be rescued by Rac1 activation via expression of
      the bacterial guanine nucleotide exchange factor, EspT. Furthermore, using a
      yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified the motor protein Kif15 as a potential
      interacting partner of EspW. Kif15 and EspW colocalized in cotransfected cells,
      while ectopically expressed Kif15 localized to the actin pedestals following EHEC
      infection. The data suggest that Kif15 recruits EspW to the site of bacterial
      attachment, which in turn activates Rac1, resulting in modifications of the actin
      cytoskeleton that are essential to maintain cell shape during infection.

PMID- 28630076
TI  - What Are the Primary Limitations in B-Cell Affinity Maturation, and How Much
      Affinity Maturation Can We Drive with Vaccination? Is Affinity Maturation a Self
      Defeating Process for Eliciting Broad Protection?
AB  - Vaccinations are one of the greatest success stories of modern medicine, saving
      millions of lives since their widespread adoption. However, several diseases
      continue to elude highly effective vaccination strategies. Chief among these are
      human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and influenza (flu), both of which will
      require vaccines that can guide the creation of highly mutated, broadly
      neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). The generation of bnAbs is hindered by our
      inability to effectively drive the high levels of affinity maturation required to
      achieve them in a large number of cells. Major limitations placed on affinity
      maturation derives from the inherent mutability of immunoglobulin genes, the
      evolved activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) targeting mechanisms that
      exist within them, and biases in targeting of particular epitope B cells.

PMID- 28630077
TI  - What Are the Primary Limitations in B-Cell Affinity Maturation, and How Much
      Affinity Maturation Can We Drive with Vaccination? Breaking through Immunity's
      Glass Ceiling.
AB  - A key goal of HIV-1 vaccine development is the induction of broadly neutralizing
      antibodies (bnAbs) targeted to the vulnerable regions of the HIV envelope. BnAbs
      develop over time in ~50% of HIV-1-infected individuals. However, to date, no
      vaccines have induced bnAbs and few or none of these vaccine-elicited HIV-1
      antibodies carry the high frequencies of V(D)J mutations characteristic of bnAbs.
      Do the high frequencies of mutations characteristic of naturally induced bnAbs
      represent a fundamental barrier to the induction of bnAbs by vaccines? Recent
      studies suggest that high frequencies of V(D)J mutations can be achieved by
      serial vaccination strategies. Rather, it appears that, in the absence of HIV-1
      infection, physiologic immune tolerance controls, including a germinal center
      process termed affinity reversion, may limit vaccine-driven bnAb development by
      clonal elimination or selecting for mutations incompatible with bnAb activity.

PMID- 28630078
TI  - What Are the Primary Limitations in B-Cell Affinity Maturation, and How Much
      Affinity Maturation Can We Drive with Vaccination? A Role for Antibody Feedback.
AB  - We discuss the impact of antibody feedback on affinity maturation of B cells.
      Competition from epitope-specific antibodies produced earlier during the immune
      response leads to immune complex formation, which is essential for transport and
      deposition of antigen onto follicular dendritic cells (FDCs). It also reduces the
      concentration of free epitopes into the MUm to nm range, which is essential for B
      cell receptors (BCRs) to sense affinity-dependent changes in binding capacity.
      Antibody feedback may also induce epitope spreading, leading to a broader
      selection of epitopes recognized by newly emerging B-cell clones. This may be
      exploitable, providing ways to manipulate epitope usage induced by vaccination.

PMID- 28630079
TI  - What Are the Primary Limitations in B-Cell Affinity Maturation, and How Much
      Affinity Maturation Can We Drive with Vaccination? Lessons from the Antibody
      Response to HIV-1.
AB  - Most broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 have in common an extreme degree of
      somatic hypermutation (SHM), which correlates with their ability to neutralize
      multiple viral strains. However, achieving such extreme SHM by immunization
      remains a challenge. Here, we discuss how antigenic variation during HIV-1
      infection may work to exacerbate SHM by permitting multiple iterative cycles of
      affinity maturation in germinal centers, and speculate on how this could be
      recapitulated through vaccination.

PMID- 28630080
TI  - The Potential of Pharmacogenomics to Advance Kidney Disease Treatment.

PMID- 28630082
TI  - Politicians want the whole NHS to consist of employees.

PMID- 28630081
TI  - Calcium-Sensing Receptor Genotype and Response to Cinacalcet in Patients
      Undergoing Hemodialysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypothesis that single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) in the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) alter the response to
      the calcimimetic cinacalcet. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: We
      analyzed DNA samples in the Evaluation of Cinacalcet HCl Therapy to Lower
      Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) trial, a randomized trial comparing cinacalcet to
      placebo on a background of usual care. Of the 3883 patients randomized, 1919
      (49%) consented to DNA collection, and samples from 1852 participants were
      genotyped for 18 CASR polymorphisms. The European ancestry (EA; n=1067) and
      African ancestry (AfAn; n=405) groups were assessed separately. SNPs in CASR were
      tested for their association with biochemical measures of mineral metabolism at
      baseline, percent change from baseline to 20 weeks, and risk of clinical fracture
      as dependent variables. RESULTS: There were modest associations of CASR SNPs with
      increased baseline serum parathyroid hormone and bone alkaline phosphatase
      primarily with the minor allele in the EA group (all P<=0.03), but not in the
      AfAn sample. In contrast, there was a modest association of decreased baseline
      serum calcium and FGF23 with CASR SNPs (P=0.04) primarily with the minor allele
      in the AfAn but not in the EA sample. The minor allele of two SNPs was associated
      with decreased percent reduction in parathyroid hormone from baseline to 20 weeks
      in the EA population (P<0.04) and this was not altered with cinacalcet. In both
      EA and AfAn, the same SNP (rs9740) was associated with decreased calcium with
      cinacalcet treatment (EA and AfAn P<=0.03). Three SNPs in high linkage
      disequilibrium were associated with a higher risk of clinical fracture that was
      attenuated by cinacalcet treatment in the EA sample (P<0.04). CONCLUSIONS: These
      modest associations, if validated, may provide explanations for differences in
      CKD-mineral bone disorder observed in EA and AfAn populations, and for
      differential biochemical responses to calcimimetics.

PMID- 28630083
TI  - Are fire safe cigarettes actually fire safe? Evidence from changes in US state
      laws.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effects of fire safe cigarette laws on fire mortality
      and cigarette-related fires in the USA. METHODS: We examined the gradual
      implementation of the laws to identify their average effects, using difference-in
      differences analysis to account for common year effects, time-invariant state
      effects, state-specific trends and observable time-varying state-level
      covariates. RESULTS: We found no statistically significant effects on all-cause
      fire mortality, residential fire mortality or cigarette-caused fire rates. The
      estimates for cigarette-caused fire deaths were significant under some
      specifications, but were not robust to the inclusion of state-specific trends or
      comparisons to effects on other cause-determined fires. CONCLUSIONS: Given the
      mixed state of our results, we conclude that previous claims regarding the
      effects of fire safe cigarette laws may be premature.

PMID- 28630084
TI  - Maternal lifestyle and nutritional status in relation to pregnancy and infant
      health outcomes in Western China: protocol for a prospective cohort study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Improving the health and nutrition of women and children is a
      priority for Western China, where the economy is less developed. Due to the
      dynamic nature of lifestyle, modern food habits and nutrition, there is a need to
      update our limited knowledge and understanding of maternal lifestyle and
      nutritional status and their impact on pregnancy and infant health outcomes.
      While breast milk is the preferred feeding option, infant formula use is
      widespread in China. It is thus necessary to examine the effects of formula
      consumption on growth and morbidity. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is an ongoing
      prospective cohort study started in 2015 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. A sample
      of 1901 pregnant women at 15-20 weeks of gestation were recruited from four
      maternal and child health hospitals and are followed prospectively to 12 months
      post partum. Detailed information on maternal lifestyle and nutritional status,
      obstetric complications, pregnancy outcomes, infant feeding practices, illnesses
      of the mother and infant and growth trajectory is collected through personal
      interviews, anthropometric measures and medical records and local health
      management system records retrieval. Multilevel mixed regression models, adjusted
      for clustering, will be applied to investigate the association between various
      exposure variables of interest and the longitudinal outcomes, taking into account
      the correlated data structure and the nesting of observations. Kaplan-Meier test
      and Cox regression analysis will be used to analyse the time-to-event data.
      ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from the ethics
      committee of West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University and the Human
      Research Ethics Committee of Curtin University. Results will be presented at
      national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

PMID- 28630085
TI  - Risk of allergic conjunctivitis in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a
      population-based retrospective cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In accordance with the dichotomy between T helper type 1(Th1) and T
      helper type 2 (Th2) responses, the occurrence of allergic conjunctivitis (AC) and
      type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is, in theory, inversely related in the
      individual. However, recent studies investigating the association between the two
      diseases are controversial. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING: We
      used claims data of the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.
      PARTICIPANTS: We identified 4160 patients aged 1-30 years with newly diagnosed
      T1DM and no history of AC at baseline. For each patient with T1DM, four non-T1DM
      controls (n=16,640) were matched by sex. The mean follow-up time was 6 years.
      PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Multivariate Cox proportional hazards
      regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk of AC. We additionally
      evaluated the association between risk of AC and T1DM progression by examining
      Diabetes Complications Severity Index (aDCSI) changes from the date of diagnosis
      until the end of follow-up. RESULTS: The overall incidence of allergic
      conjunctivitis (AC) was higher in the type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) cohort than
      in the control cohort (23.0 vs 13.5 per 1000 person-years, adjusted incidence
      rate ratio (aIRR): 1.59, 95% CI 1.47 to 1.71). Relative to that in patients with
      mildly progressive T1DM, the risk of AC increased as the adapted Diabetes
      Complications Severity Index (aDCSI) increased (aIRR: 1.68, 3.78 and 18.8, with
      yearly changes in aDCSI score: 0.51 to 1.00, 1.01 to 2.00, and >2.00 vs <0.51,
      respectively; for trend <0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with T1DM are at an
      elevated risk of developing AC; this risk increases with T1DM progression. The T
      helper type 1/T helper type 2 hypothesis is an overly simplistic explanation for
      this association.

PMID- 28630086
TI  - Psychosocial therapy for Parkinson's-related dementia: study protocol for the
      INVEST randomised controlled trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI-PD) or
      dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are characterised by motor and
      'non-motor' symptoms which impact on quality of life. Treatment options are
      generally limited to pharmacological approaches. We developed a psychosocial
      intervention to improve cognition, quality of life and companion burden for
      people with MCI-PD, PDD or DLB. Here, we describe the protocol for a single-blind
      randomised controlled trial to assess feasibility, acceptability and tolerability
      of the intervention and to evaluate treatment implementation. The interaction
      among the intervention and selected outcome measures and the efficacy of this
      intervention in improving cognition for people with MCI-PD, PDD or DLB will also
      be explored. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Dyads will be randomised into two treatment
      arms to receive either 'treatment as usual' (TAU) or cognitive stimulation
      therapy specifically adapted for Parkinson's-related dementias (CST-PD),
      involving 30 min sessions delivered at home by the study companion three times
      per week over 10 weeks. A mixed-methods approach will be used to collect data on
      the operational aspects of the trial and treatment implementation. This will
      involve diary keeping, telephone follow-ups, dyad checklists and researcher
      ratings. Analysis will include descriptive statistics summarising recruitment,
      acceptability and tolerance of the intervention, and treatment implementation. To
      pilot an outcome measure of efficacy, we will undertake an inferential analysis
      to test our hypothesis that compared with TAU, CST-PD improves cognition.
      Qualitative approaches using thematic analysis will also be applied. Our findings
      will inform a larger definitive trial. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical opinion
      was granted (REC reference: 15/YH/0531). Findings will be published in peer
      reviewed journals and at conferences. We will prepare reports for dissemination
      by organisations involved with PD and dementia. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN
      (ISRCTN11455062).

PMID- 28630087
TI  - Paucimannose-Rich N-glycosylation of Spatiotemporally Regulated Human Neutrophil
      Elastase Modulates Its Immune Functions.
AB  - Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is an important N-glycosylated serine protease in
      the innate immune system, but the structure and immune-modulating functions of
      HNE N-glycosylation remain undescribed. Herein, LC-MS/MS-based glycan,
      glycopeptide and glycoprotein profiling were utilized to first determine the
      heterogeneous N-glycosylation of HNE purified from neutrophil lysates and then
      from isolated neutrophil granules of healthy individuals. The spatiotemporal
      expression of HNE during neutrophil activation and the biological importance of
      its N-glycosylation were also investigated using immunoblotting, cell surface
      capture, native MS, receptor interaction, protease inhibition, and bacteria
      growth assays. Site-specific HNE glycoprofiling demonstrated that unusual
      paucimannosidic N-glycans, particularly
      Manalpha1,6Manbeta1,4GlcNAcbeta1,4(Fucalpha1,6)GlcNAcbeta, predominantly occupied
      Asn124 and Asn173. The equally unusual core fucosylated monoantenna complex-type
      N-sialoglycans also decorated these two fully occupied sites. In contrast, the
      mostly unoccupied Asn88 carried nonfucosylated paucimannosidic N-glycans probably
      resulting from low glycosylation site solvent accessibility. Asn185 was not
      glycosylated. Subcellular- and site-specific glycoprofiling showed highly uniform
      N-glycosylation of HNE residing in distinct neutrophil compartments. Stimulation
      induced cell surface mobilization demonstrated a spatiotemporal regulation, but
      not cell surface-specific glycosylation signatures, of HNE in activated human
      neutrophils. The three glycosylation sites of HNE were located distal to the
      active site indicating glycan functions other than interference with HNE enzyme
      activity. Functionally, the paucimannosidic HNE glycoforms displayed preferential
      binding to human mannose binding lectin compared with the HNE sialoglycoforms,
      suggesting a glycoform-dependent involvement of HNE in complement activation. The
      heavily N-glycosylated HNE protease inhibitor, alpha1-antitrypsin, displayed
      concentration-dependent complex formation and preferred glycoform-glycoform
      interactions with HNE. Finally, both enzymatically active HNE and isolated HNE N
      glycans demonstrated low micromolar concentration-dependent growth inhibition of
      clinically-relevant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, suggesting some bacteriostatic
      activity is conferred by the HNE N-glycans. Taken together, these observations
      support that the unusual HNE N-glycosylation, here reported for the first time,
      is involved in modulating multiple immune functions central to inflammation and
      infection.

PMID- 28630088
TI  - The islet-resident macrophage is in an inflammatory state and senses microbial
      products in blood.
AB  - We examined the transcriptional profiles of macrophages that reside in the islets
      of Langerhans of 3-wk-old non-obese diabetic (NOD), NOD.Rag1-/-, and B6.g7 mice.
      Islet macrophages expressed an activation signature with high expression of Tnf,
      Il1b, and MHC-II at both the transcript and protein levels. These features are
      common with barrier macrophages of the lung and gastrointestinal tract. Moreover,
      injection of lipopolysaccharide induced rapid inflammatory gene expression,
      indicating that blood stimulants are accessible to the macrophages and that these
      macrophages can sense them. In NOD mice, the autoimmune process imparted an
      increased inflammatory signature, including elevated expression of chemokines and
      chemokine receptors and an oxidative response. The elevated inflammatory
      signature indicates that the autoimmune program was active at the time of
      weaning. Thus, the macrophages of the islets of Langerhans are poised to mount an
      immune response even at steady state, while the presence of the adaptive immune
      system elevates their activation state.

PMID- 28630089
TI  - Dynamic balance between master transcription factors determines the fates and
      functions of CD4 T cell and innate lymphoid cell subsets.
AB  - CD4 T cells, including T regulatory cells (Treg cells) and effector T helper
      cells (Th cells), and recently identified innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) play
      important roles in host defense and inflammation. Both CD4 T cells and ILCs can
      be classified into distinct lineages based on their functions and the expression
      of lineage-specific genes, including those encoding effector cytokines, cell
      surface markers, and key transcription factors. It was first recognized that each
      lineage expresses a specific master transcription factor and the expression of
      these factors is mutually exclusive because of cross-regulation among these
      factors. However, recent studies indicate that the master regulators are often
      coexpressed. Furthermore, the expression of master regulators can be dynamic and
      quantitative. In this review, we will first discuss similarities and differences
      between the development and functions of CD4 T cell and ILC subsets and then
      summarize recent literature on quantitative, dynamic, and cell type-specific
      balance between the master transcription factors in determining heterogeneity and
      plasticity of these subsets.

PMID- 28630091
TI  - B-1a Cells Protect Mice from Sepsis: Critical Role of CREB.
AB  - Bacterial sepsis is a serious life-threatening condition caused by an excessive
      immune response to infection. B-1 cells differ from conventional B-2 cells by
      their distinct phenotype and function. A subset of B-1 cells expressing CD5,
      known as B-1a cells, exhibits innate immune activity. Here we report that B-1a
      cells play a beneficial role in sepsis by mitigating exaggerated inflammation
      through a novel mechanism. Using a mouse model of bacterial sepsis, we found that
      the numbers of B-1a cells in various anatomical locations were significantly
      decreased. Adoptive transfer of B-1a cells into septic mice significantly
      attenuated systemic inflammation and improved survival, whereas B-1a cell
      deficient CD19-/- mice were more susceptible to infectious inflammation and
      mortality. We also demonstrated B-1a cells produced ample amounts of IL-10 which
      controlled excessive inflammation and the mice treated with IL-10-deficient B-1a
      cells were not protected against sepsis. Moreover, we identified a novel
      intracellular signaling molecule, cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB),
      which serves as a pivotal transcription factor for upregulating IL-10 production
      by B-1a cells in sepsis through its nuclear translocation and binding to putative
      responsive elements on IL-10 promoter. Thus, the benefit of B-1a cells in
      bacterial sepsis is mediated by CREB and the identification of CREB in B-1a cells
      reveals a potential avenue for treatment in bacterial sepsis.

PMID- 28630092
TI  - Characterization of High-Avidity Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells with
      Differential Tetramer Binding Coappearing after Allogeneic Stem Cell
      Transplantation.
AB  - CMV reactivation is a major complication after allogeneic stem cell
      transplantation (SCT). Immune reconstitution of CMV-specific CTLs (CMV-CTLs) is
      essential for virus control. During CMV-CTL monitoring using mutated HLA/CMV
      tetramers selectively detecting high-avidity T cells, we observed coappearance of
      CMV-CTLs with low (CMV tetlow CTLs) and high tetramer binding (CMV tethigh CTLs)
      in 53/115 CMV IgG+ patients stem cell transplanted from CMV IgG+ donors. However,
      the relevance of these coappearing differentially tetramer binding ("dual") CMV
      CTLs was unclear. In this study, we investigated the kinetics, properties, and
      clinical impact of coappearing CMV tetlow and tethigh CTLs after allogeneic SCT.
      Patients with dual CMV-CTLs had more CMV tethigh than tetlow CTLs. Chimerism
      analysis of isolated CMV tetlow and tethigh CTLs revealed their exclusive donor
      origin. CMV tetlow and tethigh CTLs had an identical effector memory CD45RA-CCR7-
      and CD45RA+CCR7- T cell distribution, equal differentiation, senescence, and
      exhaustion marker expression and were negative for regulatory CD8+ T cell
      markers. Isolated CMV tetlow and tethigh CTLs were equally sensitive to CMV
      peptides in IFN-gamma release and cytotoxicity assays. However, CMV tethigh CTLs
      proliferated more in response to low CMV peptide concentrations than tetlow CTLs.
      TCR repertoire analysis revealed that CMV tetlow and tethigh CTLs use different
      TCRs. Finally, dual CMV-CTLs were not associated with CMV antigenemia. In
      conclusion, these data show for the first time, to our knowledge, that both CMV
      tetlow and tethigh CTLs are functional effector T cells differing by
      proliferation, numbers in peripheral blood, and probably by their precursors
      without increasing the CMV reactivation risk after allogeneic SCT.

PMID- 28630090
TI  - T Cell Transcriptomes from Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Patients Reveal
      Novel Signaling Pathways.
AB  - Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare acquired disorder originating
      from hematopoietic stem cells and is a life-threating disease characterized by
      intravascular hemolysis, bone marrow (BM) failure, and venous thrombosis. The
      etiology of PNH is a somatic mutation in the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A
      gene (PIG-A) on the X chromosome, which blocks synthesis of the glycolipid moiety
      and causes deficiency in GPI-anchored proteins. PNH is closely related to
      aplastic anemia, in which T cells mediate destruction of BM. To identify aberrant
      molecular mechanisms involved in immune targeting of hematopoietic stem cells in
      BM, we applied RNA-seq to examine the transcriptome of T cell subsets (CD4+
      naive, CD4+ memory, CD8+ naive, and CD8+ memory) from PNH patients and healthy
      control subjects. Differentially expressed gene analysis in four different T cell
      subsets from PNH and healthy control subjects showed distinct transcriptional
      profiles, depending on the T cell subsets. By pathway analysis, we identified
      novel signaling pathways in T cell subsets from PNH, including increased gene
      expression involved in TNFR, IGF1, NOTCH, AP-1, and ATF2 pathways. Dysregulation
      of several candidate genes (JUN, TNFAIP3, TOB1, GIMAP4, GIMAP6, TRMT112, NR4A2,
      CD69, and TNFSF8) was validated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and flow
      cytometry. We have demonstrated molecular signatures associated with positive and
      negative regulators in T cells, suggesting novel pathophysiologic mechanisms in
      PNH. These pathways may be targets for new strategies to modulate T cell immune
      responses in BM failure.

PMID- 28630093
TI  - Dendritic Cell Sensing of Hydrophobic Di- and Triacylated Lipopeptides Self
      Assembled within Synthetic Virus-like Particles.
AB  - Dendritic cells (DCs) play critical roles in developing immune defenses. One
      important aspect is interaction with pathogen-associated molecular patterns
      (PAMPs)/danger-associated molecular patterns, including di- and triacylated
      lipopeptides. Isolated or synthetic lipopeptides are potent vaccine adjuvants,
      interacting with cell surface TLR2 heterodimers. In contrast, deep embedment
      within bacteria cell walls would impair lipopeptide interaction with cell surface
      TLR2, requiring degradation for PAMP recognition. Accordingly, DC processing in
      the absence of surface TLR2 ligation was defined using synthetic virus-like
      particles (SVLPs) carrying hydrophobic TLR2 PAMPs within di- and triacylated
      lipopeptide cores (P2Cys-SVLPs and P3Cys-SVLPs) compared with SVLPs lacking
      immunomodulatory lipopeptides. DCs rapidly and efficiently internalized SVLPs,
      which was dominated by slow endocytic processing via macropinocytosis, although
      some caveolar endocytosis was implicated. This delivered SVLPs primarily into
      macropinosomes often interacting with EEA-1+ early endosomes. Although
      endoplasmic reticulum association was occasionally noted, association with
      recycling/sorting structures was not observed. Involvement of LysoTracker+
      structures slowly increased with time, with SVLPs present in such structures
      ultimately dominating. Only SVLPs carrying di- and triacylated lipopeptide cores
      induced DC activation and maturation independently of surface TLR2 ligation.
      Intracellular recognition of SVLP TLR2 ligands was confirmed by observing SVLPs'
      association with internal TLR2, which had similar kinetics to SVLP association
      with LysoTracker. This related to inflammatory cytokine induction by SVLP+ DCs,
      with adaptive immune response activation ex vivo/in vivo. Importantly, particular
      DCs, not monocytes, recognized intracellular exposure of the TLR2 PAMPs carried
      by di- and triacylated SVLP cores, which indicates subset-distinct recognition of
      functional internal TLR2 ligands. Thus, vaccines carrying hydrophobic TLR2
      ligands would interact with particular DCs for efficient induction of specific
      immunity in the absence of additional adjuvant.

PMID- 28630096
TI  - China vows to clamp down on academic fraud amid medical journal scandal.

PMID- 28630094
TI  - Type I IFN Is Necessary and Sufficient for Inflammation-Induced Red Blood Cell
      Alloimmunization in Mice.
AB  - During RBC transfusion, production of alloantibodies against RBC non-ABO Ags can
      cause hemolytic transfusion reactions and limit availability of compatible blood
      products, resulting in anemia-associated morbidity and mortality. Multiple
      studies have established that certain inflammatory disorders and inflammatory
      stimuli promote alloimmune responses to RBC Ags. However, the molecular
      mechanisms underlying these findings are poorly understood. Type I IFNs (IFN
      alpha/beta) are induced in inflammatory conditions associated with increased
      alloimmunization. By developing a new transgenic murine model, we demonstrate
      that signaling through the IFN-alpha/beta receptor is required for inflammation
      induced alloimmunization. Additionally, mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein
      mediated signaling through cytosolic pattern recognition receptors was required
      for polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid-induced IFN-alpha/beta production and
      alloimmunization. We further report that IFN-alpha, in the absence of an
      adjuvant, is sufficient to induce RBC alloimmunization. These findings raise the
      possibility that patients with IFN-alpha/beta-mediated conditions, including
      autoimmunity and viral infections, may have an increased risk of RBC
      alloimmunization and may benefit from personalized transfusion protocols and/or
      targeted therapies.

PMID- 28630095
TI  - Antibody-Dependent NK Cell Activation Differentially Targets EBV-Infected Cells
      in Lytic Cycle and Bystander B Lymphocytes Bound to Viral Antigen-Containing
      Particles.
AB  - NK cells have been reported to respond against EBV-infected B cells in the lytic
      cycle and to control the viral infection involving IFN-gamma secretion. Early
      reports proposed a role for NK cell Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)
      triggered via FcgammaR-IIIA (CD16) in the response to EBV. In the current study,
      we revisited this issue, showing that serum from EBV+ individuals triggered
      vigorous NK cell degranulation and cytokine production (i.e., TNF-alpha and IFN
      gamma) against EBV-infected cells, enhancing NK cell activation. The effect was
      preferentially directed against cells in the lytic phase and was associated with
      surface expression of the gp350/220 envelope Ag. In contrast, binding of gp350+
      particles, released by EBV-infected cells, to B cell lines or autologous primary
      B lymphocytes also promoted specific Ab-dependent NK cell degranulation and TNF
      alpha production but induced minimal IFN-gamma secretion. In that case, target
      cell damage appeared marginal compared with the effect of a control anti-CD20 Ab
      (rituximab) at concentrations that triggered similar NK cell activation,
      indicating that cell-associated gp350+ particles may divert the cytolytic
      machinery, impairing its direct action on the plasma membrane. These observations
      support that Ab-dependent NK cell activation plays an important role in the
      control of EBV, enhancing NK cell effector functions against infected B cells in
      the lytic cycle. In contrast, the data reveal that gp350+ particles bound to
      bystander B cells trigger Ab-dependent NK cell degranulation and TNF-alpha but
      not cytotoxicity or IFN-gamma production, potentially favoring the progression of
      viral infection.

PMID- 28630097
TI  - Fired researcher who shot medical school dean is convicted of attempted murder.

PMID- 28630098
TI  - Comparative microRNAome analysis of the testis and ovary of the Chinese giant
      salamander.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 18-24 nucleotides non-coding RNAs that regulate gene
      expression by post-transcriptional suppression of mRNA. The Chinese giant
      salamander (CGS, Andrias davidianus), which is an endangered species, has become
      one of the important models of animal evolution; however, no miRNA studies on
      this species have been conducted. In this study, two small RNA libraries of CGS
      ovary and testis were constructed using deep sequencing technology. A
      bioinformatics pipeline was developed to distinguish miRNA sequences from other
      classes of small RNAs represented in the sequencing data. We found that many
      miRNAs and other small RNAs such as piRNA and tsRNA were abundant in CGS tissue.
      A total of 757 and 756 unique miRNAs were annotated as miRNA candidates in the
      ovary and testis respectively. We identified 145 miRNAs in CGS ovary and 155
      miRNAs in CGS testis that were homologous to those in Xenopus laevis ovary and
      testis respectively. Forty-five miRNAs were more highly expressed in ovary than
      in testis and 21 miRNAs were more highly expressed in testis than in ovary. The
      expression profiles of the selected miRNAs (miR-451, miR-10c, miR-101, miR-202,
      miR-7a and miR-499) had their own different roles in other eight tissues and
      different development stages of testis and ovary, suggesting that these miRNAs
      play vital regulatory roles in sexual differentiation, gametogenesis and
      development in CGS. To our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal miRNA
      profiles that are related to male and female CGS gonads and provide insights into
      sex differences in miRNA expression in CGS.

PMID- 28630099
TI  - KNDy neurone activation prior to the LH surge of the ewe is disrupted by LPS.
AB  - In the ewe, steroid hormones act on the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) to
      initiate the GnRH/LH surge. Within the ARC, steroid signal transduction may be
      mediated by estrogen receptive dopamine-, beta-endorphin- or neuropeptide Y (NPY)
      expressing cells, as well as those co-localising kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB)
      and dynorphin (termed KNDy). We investigated the time during the follicular phase
      when these cells become activated (i.e., co-localise c-Fos) relative to the
      timing of the LH surge onset and may therefore be involved in the surge
      generating mechanism. Furthermore, we aimed to elucidate whether these activation
      patterns are altered after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration, which is
      known to inhibit the LH surge. Follicular phases of ewes were synchronised by
      progesterone withdrawal and blood samples were collected every 2 h. Hypothalamic
      tissue was retrieved at various times during the follicular phase with or without
      the administration of LPS (100 ng/kg). The percentage of activated dopamine cells
      decreased before the onset of sexual behaviour, whereas activation of beta
      endorphin decreased and NPY activation tended to increase during the LH surge.
      These patterns were not disturbed by LPS administration. Maximal co-expression of
      c-Fos in dynorphin immunoreactive neurons was observed earlier during the
      follicular phase, compared to kisspeptin and NKB, which were maximally activated
      during the surge. This indicates a distinct role for ARC dynorphin in the LH
      surge generation mechanism. Acute LPS decreased the percentage of activated
      dynorphin and kisspeptin immunoreactive cells. Thus, in the ovary-intact ewe,
      KNDy neurones are activated prior to the LH surge onset and this pattern is
      inhibited by the administration of LPS.

PMID- 28630100
TI  - NLRP2 and FAF1 deficiency blocks early embryogenesis in the mouse.
AB  - Nlrp2 is a maternal effect gene specifically expressed by mouse ovaries; deletion
      of this gene from zygotes is known to result in early embryonic arrest. In the
      present study, we identified FAF1 protein as a specific binding partner of the
      NLRP2 protein in both mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos. In addition to
      early embryos, both Faf1 mRNA and protein were detected in multiple tissues.
      NLRP2 and FAF1 proteins were co-localized to both the cytoplasm and nucleus
      during the development of oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Co
      immunoprecipitation assays were used to confirm the specific interaction between
      NLRP2 and FAF1 proteins. Knockdown of the Nlrp2 or Faf1 gene in zygotes
      interfered with the formation of a NLRP2-FAF1 complex and led to developmental
      arrest during early embryogenesis. We therefore conclude that NLRP2 interacts
      with FAF1 under normal physiological conditions and that this interaction is
      probably essential for the successful development of cleavage-stage mouse
      embryos. Our data therefore indicated a potential role for NLRP2 in regulating
      early embryo development in the mouse.

PMID- 28630101
TI  - Oviduct extracellular vesicles protein content and their role during oviduct
      embryo cross-talk.
AB  - Successful pregnancy requires an appropriate communication between the mother and
      the embryo. Recently, exosomes and microvesicles, both membrane-bound
      extracellular vesicles (EVs) present in the oviduct fluid have been proposed as
      key modulators of this unique cross-talk. However, little is known about their
      content and their role during oviduct-embryo dialog. Given the known differences
      in secretions by in vivo and in vitro oviduct epithelial cells (OEC), we aimed at
      deciphering the oviduct EVs protein content from both sources. Moreover, we
      analyzed their functional effect on embryo development. Our study demonstrated
      for the first time the substantial differences between in vivo and in vitro
      oviduct EVs secretion/content. Mass spectrometry analysis identified 319 proteins
      in EVs, from which 186 were differentially expressed when in vivo and in vitro
      EVs were compared (P < 0.01). Interestingly, 97 were exclusively expressed in in
      vivo EVs, 47 were present only in in vitro and 175 were common. Functional
      analysis revealed key proteins involved in sperm-oocyte binding, fertilization
      and embryo development, some of them lacking in in vitro EVs. Moreover, we showed
      that in vitro-produced embryos were able to internalize in vivo EVs during
      culture with a functional effect in the embryo development. In vivo EVs increased
      blastocyst rate, extended embryo survival over time and improved embryo quality.
      Our study provides the first characterization of oviduct EVs, increasing our
      understanding of the role of oviduct EVs as modulators of gamete/embryo-oviduct
      interactions. Moreover, our results point them as promising tools to improve
      embryo development and survival under in vitro conditions.

PMID- 28630102
TI  - The phenotype and function of preterm infant monocytes: implications for
      susceptibility to infection.
AB  - The extreme vulnerability of preterm infants to invasive microbial infections has
      been attributed to "immature" innate immune defenses. Monocytes are important
      innate immune sentinel cells critical in the defense against infection in blood.
      They achieve this via diverse mechanisms that include pathogen recognition
      receptor- and inflammasome-mediated detection of microbes, migration into
      infected tissues, and differentiation into Mphis and dendritic cells, initiation
      of the inflammatory cascade by free radicals and cytokine/chemokine production,
      pathogen clearance by phagocytosis and intracellular killing, and the removal of
      apoptotic cells. Relatively little is known about these cells in preterm infants,
      especially about how their phenotype adapts to changes in the microbial
      environment during the immediate postnatal period. Overall, preterm monocytes
      exhibit attenuated proinflammatory cytokine responses following stimulation by
      whole bacterial or specific microbial components in vitro. These attenuated
      cytokine responses cannot be explained by a lack of intracellular signaling
      events downstream of pattern recognition receptors. This hyporesponsiveness also
      contrasts with mature, term-like phagocytosis capabilities detectable even in the
      most premature infant. Finally, human data on the effects of fetal
      chorioamnionitis on monocyte biology are incomplete and inconsistent. In this
      review, we present an integrated view of human studies focused on monocyte
      functions in preterm infants. We discuss how a developmental immaturity of these
      cells may contribute to preterm infants' susceptibility to infections.

PMID- 28630103
TI  - Up-regulation of EP2 and EP3 receptors in human tolerogenic dendritic cells
      boosts the immunosuppressive activity of PGE2.
AB  - Dendritic cells (DCs) are APCs essential in regulating the immune response. PGE2,
      produced during inflammation, has a pivotal role in the maturation of DCs and,
      therefore, is vital for the immune response. The large variety of biologic
      functions governed by PGE2 is mediated by its signaling through 4 distinct E-type
      prostanoid (EP) receptors. Immunogenic DCs express EP2 and EP4, which mediate the
      PGE2 signaling. However, the expression and function of EP receptors in human
      tolerogenic DCs (tol-DCs), which present an inhibitory phenotype, have not yet,
      to our knowledge, been assessed. To clarify the role of EP receptors in tol-DCs,
      we examined the expression of different EP receptors and their effect using
      selective agonists in human cells. We find that EP2 and EP3 expression are up
      regulated in in vitro-generated tol-DCs compared with mature DCs (mDCs).
      Activation of EP2-EP4 has a direct effect on the surface expression of
      costimulatory molecules and maturation receptors, such as CD80, CD83, and CD86 or
      MHCII and CCR7 in tol-DCs, the latter being exclusively modulated by PGE2-EP4
      signaling. Importantly, we find that EP2 and EP3 receptors are involved in
      tolerance induction through IL-10 production by tol-DCs. These results are in
      sharp contrast with the inflammatory role of EP4 Moreover, we show that DCs
      generated in the presence of agonists for EP receptors, induce naive T cell
      differentiation toward polarized Th1/Th17 cells. Given the differential effects
      of EP receptors, our results suggest that EP receptor agonist/antagonists might
      become relevant novel drug templates to modulate immune response.

PMID- 28630106
TI  - Access Guide to Antigen Receptor Genes.

PMID- 28630104
TI  - Evidence for Adaptive Introgression of Disease Resistance Genes Among Closely
      Related Arabidopsis Species.
AB  - The generation and maintenance of functional variation in the pathogen defense
      system of plants is central to the constant evolutionary battle between hosts and
      parasites. If a species is susceptible to a given pathogen, hybridization and
      subsequent introgression of a resistance allele from a related species can
      potentially be an important source of new immunity and is therefore expected to
      be selected for in a process referred to as adaptive introgression. Here, we
      survey sequence variation in 10 resistance (R-) genes and compare them with 37
      reference genes in natural populations of the two closely related and
      interfertile species: Arabidopsis lyrata and A. halleri The R-genes are highly
      polymorphic in both species and show clear signs of trans-species polymorphisms.
      We show that A. lyrata and A. halleri have had a history of limited introgression
      for the reference genes. For the R-genes, the introgression rate has been
      significantly higher than for the reference genes, resulting in fewer fixed
      differences between species and a higher sharing of identical haplotypes. We
      conclude that R-genes likely cross the species boundaries at a higher rate than
      reference genes and therefore also that some of the increased diversity and trans
      specific polymorphisms in R-genes is due to adaptive introgression.

PMID- 28630107
TI  - Pillars Article: A Role for Histone Acetylation in the Developmental Regulation
      of V(D)J Recombination. Science. 2000. 287: 495-498.

PMID- 28630108
TI  - Inducing Mucosal IgA: A Challenge for Vaccine Adjuvants and Delivery Systems.
AB  - Mucosal IgA or secretory IgA (SIgA) are structurally equipped to resist chemical
      degradation in the harsh environment of mucosal surfaces and enzymes of host or
      microbial origin. Production of SIgA is finely regulated, and distinct T
      independent and T-dependent mechanisms orchestrate Ig alpha class switching and
      SIgA responses against commensal and pathogenic microbes. Most infectious
      pathogens enter the host via mucosal surfaces. To provide a first line of
      protection at these entry ports, vaccines are being developed to induce pathogen
      specific SIgA in addition to systemic immunity achieved by injected vaccines.
      Mucosal or epicutaneous delivery of vaccines helps target the inductive sites for
      SIgA responses. The efficacy of such vaccines relies on the identification and/or
      engineering of vaccine adjuvants capable of supporting the development of SIgA
      alongside systemic immunity and delivery systems that improve vaccine delivery to
      the targeted anatomic sites and immune cells.

PMID- 28630110
TI  - Retraction: Adora2b Adenosine Receptor Signaling Protects during Acute Kidney
      Injury via Inhibition of Neutrophil-Dependent TNF-alpha Release.

PMID- 28630109
TI  - Macrophage-Mediated Inflammation in Normal and Diabetic Wound Healing.
AB  - The healing of cutaneous wounds is dependent on the progression through distinct,
      yet overlapping phases of wound healing, including hemostasis, inflammation,
      proliferation, and resolution/remodeling. The failure of these phases to occur in
      a timely, progressive fashion promotes pathologic wound healing. The macrophage
      (MPhi) has been demonstrated to play a critical role in the inflammatory phase of
      tissue repair, where its dynamic plasticity allows this cell to mediate both
      tissue-destructive and -reparative functions. The ability to understand and
      control both the initiation and the resolution of inflammation is critical for
      treating pathologic wound healing. There are now a host of studies demonstrating
      that metabolic and epigenetic regulation of gene transcription can influence MPhi
      plasticity in wounds. In this review, we highlight the molecular and epigenetic
      factors that influence MPhi polarization in both physiologic and pathologic wound
      healing, with particular attention to diabetic wounds.

PMID- 28630111
TI  - Investigation of Seizure-Susceptibility in a Drosophila melanogaster Model of
      Human Epilepsy with Optogenetic Stimulation.
AB  - We examined seizure-susceptibility in a Drosophila model of human epilepsy using
      optogenetic stimulation of ReaChR (red-activatable channelrhodopsin).
      Photostimulation of the seizure-sensitive mutant parabss1 causes behavioral
      paralysis that resembles paralysis caused by mechanical stimulation, in many
      aspects. Electrophysiology shows that photostimulation evokes abnormal seizure
      like neuronal firing in parabss1 followed by a quiescent period resembling
      synaptic failure and apparently responsible for paralysis. The pattern of
      neuronal activity concludes with seizure-like activity just prior to recovery. We
      tentatively identify the mushroom body as one apparent locus of optogenetic
      seizure initiation. The alpha/beta lobes may be primarily responsible for
      mushroom body seizure induction.

PMID- 28630112
TI  - Rapid Evolution of Ovarian-Biased Genes in the Yellow Fever Mosquito (Aedes
      aegypti).
AB  - Males and females exhibit highly dimorphic phenotypes, particularly in their
      gonads, which is believed to be driven largely by differential gene expression.
      Typically, the protein sequences of genes upregulated in males, or male-biased
      genes, evolve rapidly as compared to female-biased and unbiased genes. To date,
      the specific study of gonad-biased genes remains uncommon in metazoans. Here, we
      identified and studied a total of 2927, 2013, and 4449 coding sequences (CDS)
      with ovary-biased, testis-biased, and unbiased expression, respectively, in the
      yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti The results showed that ovary-biased and
      unbiased CDS had higher nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS)
      and lower optimal codon usage (those codons that promote efficient translation)
      than testis-biased genes. Further, we observed higher dN/dS in ovary-biased genes
      than in testis-biased genes, even for genes coexpressed in nonsexual (embryo)
      tissues. Ovary-specific genes evolved exceptionally fast, as compared to testis-
      or embryo-specific genes, and exhibited higher frequency of positive selection.
      Genes with ovary expression were preferentially involved in olfactory binding and
      reception. We hypothesize that at least two potential mechanisms could explain
      rapid evolution of ovary-biased genes in this mosquito: (1) the evolutionary rate
      of ovary-biased genes may be accelerated by sexual selection (including female
      female competition or male-mate choice) affecting olfactory genes during female
      swarming by males, and/or by adaptive evolution of olfactory signaling within the
      female reproductive system (e.g., sperm-ovary signaling); and/or (2) testis
      biased genes may exhibit decelerated evolutionary rates due to the formation of
      mating plugs in the female after copulation, which limits male-male sperm
      competition.

PMID- 28630113
TI  - Complex Coding and Regulatory Polymorphisms in a Restriction Factor Determine the
      Susceptibility of Drosophila to Viral Infection.
AB  - It is common to find that major-effect genes are an important cause of variation
      in susceptibility to infection. Here we have characterized natural variation in a
      gene called pastrel that explains over half of the genetic variance in
      susceptibility to the Drosophila C virus (DCV) in populations of Drosophila
      melanogaster We found extensive allelic heterogeneity, with a sample of seven
      alleles of pastrel from around the world conferring four phenotypically distinct
      levels of resistance. By modifying candidate SNPs in transgenic flies, we show
      that the largest effect is caused by an amino acid polymorphism that arose when
      an ancestral threonine was mutated to alanine, greatly increasing resistance to
      DCV. Overexpression of the ancestral, susceptible allele provides strong
      protection against DCV; indicating that this mutation acted to improve an
      existing restriction factor. The pastrel locus also contains complex structural
      variation and cis-regulatory polymorphisms altering gene expression. We find that
      higher expression of pastrel is associated with increased survival after DCV
      infection. To understand why this variation is maintained in populations, we
      investigated genetic variation surrounding the amino acid variant that is causing
      flies to be resistant. We found no evidence of natural selection causing either
      recent changes in allele frequency or geographical variation in frequency,
      suggesting that this is an old polymorphism that has been maintained at a stable
      frequency. Overall, our data demonstrate how complex genetic variation at a
      single locus can control susceptibility to a virulent natural pathogen.

PMID- 28630114
TI  - Toward Universal Forward Genetics: Using a Draft Genome Sequence of the Nematode
      Oscheius tipulae To Identify Mutations Affecting Vulva Development.
AB  - Mapping-by-sequencing has become a standard method to map and identify phenotype
      causing mutations in model species. Here, we show that a fragmented draft
      assembly is sufficient to perform mapping-by-sequencing in nonmodel species. We
      generated a draft assembly and annotation of the genome of the free-living
      nematode Oscheius tipulae, a distant relative of the model Caenorhabditis elegans
      We used this draft to identify the likely causative mutations at the O. tipulae
      cov-3 locus, which affect vulval development. The cov-3 locus encodes the O.
      tipulae ortholog of C. elegans mig-13, and we further show that Cel-mig-13
      mutants also have an unsuspected vulval-development phenotype. In a virtuous
      circle, we were able to use the linkage information collected during mutant
      mapping to improve the genome assembly. These results showcase the promise of
      genome-enabled forward genetics in nonmodel species.

PMID- 28630115
TI  - Discovering Complete Quasispecies in Bacterial Genomes.
AB  - Mobile genetic elements can be found in almost all genomes. Possibly the most
      common nonautonomous mobile genetic elements in bacteria are repetitive
      extragenic palindromic doublets forming hairpins (REPINs) that can occur hundreds
      of times within a genome. The sum of all REPINs in a genome can be viewed as an
      evolving population because REPINs replicate and mutate. In contrast to most
      other biological populations, we know the exact composition of the REPIN
      population and the sequence of each member of the population. Here, we model the
      evolution of REPINs as quasispecies. We fit our quasispecies model to 10
      different REPIN populations from 10 different bacterial strains and estimate
      effective duplication rates. Our estimated duplication rates range from ~5 * 10-9
      to 15 * 10-9 duplications per bacterial generation per REPIN. The small range and
      the low level of the REPIN duplication rates suggest a universal trade-off
      between the survival of the REPIN population and the reduction of the mutational
      load for the host genome. The REPIN populations we investigated also possess
      features typical of other natural populations. One population shows hallmarks of
      a population that is going extinct, another population seems to be growing in
      size, and we also see an example of competition between two REPIN populations.

PMID- 28630116
TI  - Attitudes Toward Tobacco 21 Among US Youth.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An important movement in reducing youth smoking is to restrict the
      supply of cigarettes to youth by raising the minimum age of sales to 21, termed
      Tobacco 21. This study examined attitudes toward Tobacco 21 among youth and their
      correlations with tobacco use. METHODS: Data from the 2015 National Youth Tobacco
      Survey (n = 17 092, the typical age of 11-18 years) were analyzed to examine the
      prevalence of support toward Tobacco 21 among youth. This study further assessed
      whether attitudes toward Tobacco 21 were associated with (1) intention to
      initiate cigarette smoking among never-smoking youth (n = 16 449); and (2)
      intention to quit tobacco use among current tobacco users (n = 2914). RESULTS:
      Approximately 63.9% of respondents reported supporting Tobacco 21. Support for
      Tobacco 21 was higher among middle school students (versus high school students),
      girls (versus boys), and noncurrent users of cigarettes or electronic cigarettes
      (versus current users). Youth support attitudes were significantly associated
      with perceptions of tobacco's danger and tobacco use by household members. Never
      smokers who supported Tobacco 21 had lower odds of intention to initiate
      cigarette use (adjusted odds ratio = 0.2, P < .0001). Current tobacco users who
      supported Tobacco 21 had higher odds of intention to quit tobacco use in the next
      12 months (adjusted odds ratio = 2.6, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco 21 is
      supported by the majority of youth nationwide and youth attitudes were correlated
      with smoking behaviors. Education programs about the harm of smoking and nicotine
      addiction at the early stages of life may help increase support of this policy
      among young tobacco users.

PMID- 28630117
TI  - Confronting the Firearm Injury Plague.

PMID- 28630118
TI  - Childhood Firearm Injuries in the United States.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Examine fatal and nonfatal firearm injuries among children aged 0 to
      17 in the United States, including intent, demographic characteristics, trends,
      state-level patterns, and circumstances. METHODS: Fatal injuries were examined by
      using data from the National Vital Statistics System and nonfatal injuries by
      using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Trends from
      2002 to 2014 were tested using joinpoint regression analyses. Incident
      characteristics and circumstances were examined by using data from the National
      Violent Death Reporting System. RESULTS: Nearly 1300 children die and 5790 are
      treated for gunshot wounds each year. Boys, older children, and minorities are
      disproportionately affected. Although unintentional firearm deaths among children
      declined from 2002 to 2014 and firearm homicides declined from 2007 to 2014,
      firearm suicides decreased between 2002 and 2007 and then showed a significant
      upward trend from 2007 to 2014. Rates of firearm homicide among children are
      higher in many Southern states and parts of the Midwest relative to other parts
      of the country. Firearm suicides are more dispersed across the United States with
      some of the highest rates occurring in Western states. Firearm homicides of
      younger children often occurred in multivictim events and involved intimate
      partner or family conflict; older children more often died in the context of
      crime and violence. Firearm suicides were often precipitated by situational and
      relationship problems. The shooter playing with a gun was the most common
      circumstance surrounding unintentional firearm deaths of both younger and older
      children. CONCLUSIONS: Firearm injuries are an important public health problem,
      contributing substantially to premature death and disability of children.
      Understanding their nature and impact is a first step toward prevention.

PMID- 28630119
TI  - GATA2 haploinsufficiency accelerates EVI1-driven leukemogenesis.
AB  - Chromosomal rearrangements between 3q21 and 3q26 induce inappropriate EVI1
      expression by recruiting a GATA2-distal hematopoietic enhancer (G2DHE) to the
      proximity of the EVI1 gene, leading to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute
      myeloid leukemia (AML). The acquisition of G2DHE by the EVI1 gene reciprocally
      deprives this enhancer of 1 of the 2 GATA2 alleles, resulting in a loss-of
      function genetic reduction in GATA2 abundance. Because GATA2 haploinsufficiency
      is strongly associated with MDS and AML, we asked whether EVI1 misexpression and
      GATA2 haploinsufficiency both contributed to the observed leukemogenesis by using
      a 3q21q26 mouse model that recapitulates the G2DHE-driven EVI1 misexpression, but
      in this case, it was coupled to a Gata2 heterozygous germ line deletion. Of note,
      the Gata2 heterozygous deletion promoted the EVI1-provoked leukemic
      transformation, resulting in early onset of leukemia. The 3q21q26 mice suffered
      from leukemia in which B220+ cells and/or Gr1+ leukemic cells occupied their bone
      marrows. We found that the B220+Gr1-c-Kit+ population contained leukemia
      initiating cells and supplied Gr1+ leukemia cells in the 3q21q26 leukemia. When
      Gata2 expression levels in the B220+Gr1-c-Kit+ cells were decreased as a result
      of Gata2 heterozygous deletion or spontaneous phenomenon, myeloid differentiation
      of the B220+Gr1-c-Kit+ cells was suppressed, and the cells acquired induced
      proliferation as well as B-lymphoid-primed characteristics. Competitive
      transplantation analysis revealed that Gata2 heterozygous deletion confers
      selective advantage to EVI1-expressing leukemia cell expansion in recipient mice.
      These results demonstrate that both the inappropriate stimulation of EVI1 and the
      loss of 1 allele equivalent of Gata2 expression contribute to the acceleration of
      leukemogenesis.

PMID- 28630120
TI  - Selinexor-induced thrombocytopenia results from inhibition of thrombopoietin
      signaling in early megakaryopoiesis.
AB  - Selinexor is the first oral selective inhibitor of nuclear export compound tested
      for cancer treatment. Selinexor has demonstrated a safety therapy profile with
      broad antitumor activity against solid and hematological malignancies in phases 2
      and 3 clinical trials (#NCT03071276, #NCT02343042, #NCT02227251, #NCT03110562,
      and #NCT02606461). Although selinexor shows promising efficacy, its primary
      adverse effect is high-grade thrombocytopenia. Therefore, we aimed to identify
      the mechanism of selinexor-induced thrombocytopenia to relieve it and improve its
      clinical management. We determined that selinexor causes thrombocytopenia by
      blocking thrombopoietin (TPO) signaling and therefore differentiation of stem
      cells into megakaryocytes. We then used both in vitro and in vivo models and
      patient samples to show that selinexor-induced thrombocytopenia is indeed
      reversible when TPO agonists are administered in the absence of selinexor (drug
      holiday). In sum, these data reveal (1) the mechanism of selinexor-induced
      thrombocytopenia, (2) an effective way to reverse the dose-limiting
      thrombocytopenia, and (3) a novel role for XPO1 in megakaryopoiesis. The improved
      selinexor dosing regimen described herein is crucial to help reduce
      thrombocytopenia in selinexor patients, allowing them to continue their course of
      chemotherapy and have the best chance of survival. This trial was registered at
      www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01607905.

PMID- 28630121
TI  - A novel recombinant human thrombopoietin therapy for the management of immune
      thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of recombinant
      human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) for the management of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
      during pregnancy. Pregnant patients with ITP were enrolled in the study if they
      had a platelet count less than 30 * 109/L, were experiencing bleeding
      manifestations, had failed to respond to corticosteroids and/or intravenous
      immunoglobulin (IVIG), and had developed refractoriness to platelet transfusion.
      Thirty-one patients received rhTPO at an initial dose of 300 U/kg once daily for
      14 days. Twenty-three patients responded (74.2%), including 10 complete
      responders (>100 * 109/L) and 13 responders (30-100 * 109/L). It appears that
      rhTPO ameliorated the bleeding symptoms remarkably, even in the nonresponders.
      rhTPO was well tolerated. Dizziness, fatigue, and pain at an injection site were
      reported in 1 patient each. No congenital disease or developmental delays were
      observed in the infants in a median follow-up of 53 (range, 39-68) weeks. In
      conclusion, rhTPO is a potentially safe and effective treatment choice for
      patients with ITP during pregnancy. Our work has paved the way for further study
      on the clinical application of rhTPO and other thrombopoietic agents for the
      management of ITP during pregnancy. This study is registered at
      www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02391272.

PMID- 28630122
TI  - Eculizumab treatment and impaired opsonophagocytic killing of meningococci by
      whole blood from immunized adults.
AB  - Eculizumab, a humanized anti-complement C5 monoclonal antibody (mAb) for
      treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic
      uremic syndrome, blocks the terminal complement pathway required for serum
      bactericidal activity (SBA). Because treated patients are at >1000-fold increased
      risk of meningococcal disease, vaccination is recommended; whether vaccination
      can protect by opsonophagocytic activity in the absence of SBA is not known.
      Meningococci were added to anticoagulated blood from 12 healthy adults vaccinated
      with meningococcal serogroup B and serogroup A, C, W, Y vaccines. Bacterial
      survival was measured after 3-hour incubation in the presence of eculizumab or
      control complement factor D inhibitor ACH-4471, which blocks the complement
      alternative pathway (AP) and is in phase 2 development for treatment of PNH. In
      the absence of inhibitors, colony formation units (CFUs) per milliliter in blood
      from all 12 immunized subjects decreased from ~4000 at time 0 to sterile cultures
      at 3 hours. In the presence of eculizumab, there was a >22-fold increase in
      geometric mean CFUs per milliliter (90 596 and 114 683 CFU/mL for serogroup B and
      C strains, respectively; P < .0001 compared with time 0). In the presence of ACH
      4471, there was a >12-fold decrease (23 and 331 CFU/mL, respectively; P < .0001).
      The lack of meningococci killing by blood containing eculizumab resulted from
      inhibition of release of C5a, a C5 split product needed for upregulation of
      phagocytosis. The results provide an explanation for the large number of cases of
      meningococcal disease in immunized patients being treated with eculizumab and
      suggest that vaccination may provide better protection against meningococcal
      disease in patients treated with an AP-specific inhibitor.

PMID- 28630123
TI  - Absence of the Polar Organizing Protein PopZ Results in Reduced and Asymmetric
      Cell Division in Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
AB  - Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a rod-shaped bacterium that grows by polar insertion
      of new peptidoglycan during cell elongation. As the cell cycle progresses,
      peptidoglycan synthesis at the pole ceases prior to insertion of new
      peptidoglycan at midcell to enable cell division. The A. tumefaciens homolog of
      the Caulobacter crescentus polar organelle development protein PopZ has been
      identified as a growth pole marker and a candidate polar growth-promoting factor.
      Here, we characterize the function of PopZ in cell growth and division of A.
      tumefaciens Consistent with previous observations, we observe that PopZ localizes
      specifically to the growth pole in wild-type cells. Despite the striking
      localization pattern of PopZ, we find the absence of the protein does not impair
      polar elongation or cause major changes in the peptidoglycan composition.
      Instead, we observe an atypical cell length distribution, including minicells,
      elongated cells, and cells with ectopic poles. Most minicells lack DNA,
      suggesting a defect in chromosome segregation. Furthermore, the canonical cell
      division proteins FtsZ and FtsA are misplaced, leading to asymmetric sites of
      cell constriction. Together, these data suggest that PopZ plays an important role
      in the regulation of chromosome segregation and cell division.IMPORTANCEA.
      tumefaciens is a bacterial plant pathogen and a natural genetic engineer.
      However, very little is known about the spatial and temporal regulation of cell
      wall biogenesis that leads to polar growth in this bacterium. Understanding the
      molecular basis of A. tumefaciens growth may allow for the development of
      innovations to prevent disease or to promote growth during biotechnology
      applications. Finally, since many closely related plant and animal pathogens
      exhibit polar growth, discoveries in A. tumefaciens may be broadly applicable for
      devising antimicrobial strategies.

PMID- 28630124
TI  - The DNA Repair Repertoire of Mycobacterium smegmatis FenA Includes the Incision
      of DNA 5' Flaps and the Removal of 5' Adenylylated Products of Aborted Nick
      Ligation.
AB  - We characterize Mycobacterium smegmatis FenA as a manganese-dependent 5'-flap
      endonuclease homologous to the 5'-exonuclease of DNA polymerase I. FenA incises a
      nicked 5' flap between the first and second nucleotides of the duplex segment to
      yield a 1-nucleotide gapped DNA, which is then further resected in dinucleotide
      steps. Initial FenA cleavage at a Y-flap or nick occurs between the first and
      second nucleotides of the duplex. However, when the template 3' single strand is
      eliminated to create a 5'-tailed duplex, FenA incision shifts to between the
      second and third nucleotides. A double-flap substrate with a mobile junction
      (mimicking limited strand displacement synthesis during gap repair) is
      preferentially incised as the 1-nucleotide 3'-flap isomer, with the scissile
      phosphodiester shifted by one nucleotide versus a static double flap. FenA
      efficiently removes the 5' App(dN) terminus of an aborted nick ligation reaction
      intermediate, thereby highlighting FenA as an agent of repair of such lesions,
      which are formed under a variety of circumstances by bacterial NAD+-dependent DNA
      ligases and especially by mycobacterial DNA ligases D and C.IMPORTANCE Structure
      specific DNA endonucleases are implicated in bacterial DNA replication, repair,
      and recombination, yet there is scant knowledge of the roster and catalytic
      repertoire of such nucleases in Mycobacteria This study identifies M. smegmatis
      FenA as a stand-alone endonuclease homologous to the 5'-exonuclease domain of
      mycobacterial DNA polymerase 1. FenA incises 5' flaps, 5' nicks, and 5' App(dN)
      intermediates of aborted nick ligation. The isolated N-terminal domain of M.
      smegmatis Pol1 is also shown to be a flap endonuclease.

PMID- 28630125
TI  - Communal metabolism of methane and the rare Earth element switch.
AB  - Metabolism of methane is an important part of biogeochemical cycling of carbon.
      Methane is also a major contributor to climate change. A specialized group of
      microbes that consume methane, the methanotrophs, represent a natural filter
      preventing an even faster accumulation of methane in the atmosphere.
      Methanotrophy can proceed via both anaerobic and aerobic modes. The anaerobic
      methanotrophs, represented by both archaea and bacteria, all appear to be engaged
      in syntrophic interdependencies with other species, to overcome the energetic
      barriers of methane metabolism in the absence of oxygen. In contrast, aerobic
      methanotrophy can be carried out by pure cultures of bacteria. Nevertheless, a
      concept of communal function in aerobic methane oxidation has been gaining
      momentum, based on data from natural cooccurrence of specific functional guilds,
      and based on results from laboratory manipulations. The mechanistic details are
      still sparse on how and why the methanotrophs share their carbon with other
      species, and whether and what they gain in return. In this minireview we
      highlight recent studies that led to this new concept of community function in
      aerobic methane oxidation. We first describe the stable isotope probing
      experiments employing heavy carbon-labeled methane, tracing methane carbon
      consumption. We then follow up with analysis of data from microcosm community
      dynamics. We further discuss the role of a synthetic community approach in
      unraveling the principles of carbon flow and species cooperation in methane
      consumption. Finally, we touch on the role of lanthanides, which are rare Earth
      elements, previously thought to be biologically inert, in bacterial metabolism of
      methane.

PMID- 28630126
TI  - A Key Enzyme of the NAD+ Salvage Pathway in Thermus thermophilus:
      Characterization of Nicotinamidase and the Impact of Its Gene Deletion at High
      Temperatures.
AB  - NAD (NAD+) is a cofactor related to many cellular processes. This cofactor is
      known to be unstable, especially at high temperatures, where it chemically
      decomposes to nicotinamide and ADP-ribose. Bacteria, yeast, and higher organisms
      possess the salvage pathway for reconstructing NAD+ from these decomposition
      products; however, the importance of the salvage pathway for survival is not well
      elucidated, except for in pathogens lacking the NAD+de novo synthesis pathway.
      Herein, we report the importance of the NAD+ salvage pathway in the thermophilic
      bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB8 at high temperatures. We identified the gene
      encoding nicotinamidase (TTHA0328), which catalyzes the first reaction of the
      NAD+ salvage pathway. This recombinant enzyme has a high catalytic activity
      against nicotinamide (Km of 17 MUM, kcat of 50 s-1, kcat/Km of 3.0 * 103 s-1 . mM
      1). Deletion of this gene abolished nicotinamide deamination activity in crude
      extracts of T. thermophilus and disrupted the NAD+ salvage pathway in T.
      thermophilus Disruption of the salvage pathway led to the severe growth
      retardation at a higher temperature (80 degrees C), owing to the drastic decrease
      in the intracellular concentrations of NAD+ and NADH.IMPORTANCE NAD+ and other
      nicotinamide cofactors are essential for cell metabolism. These molecules are
      unstable and decompose, even under the physiological conditions in most
      organisms. Thermophiles can survive at high temperatures where NAD+ decomposition
      is, in general, more rapid. This study emphasizes that NAD+ instability and its
      homeostasis can be one of the important factors for thermophile survival in
      extreme temperatures.

PMID- 28630128
TI  - Identification of a d-Arabinose-5-Phosphate Isomerase in the Gram-Positive
      Clostridium tetani.
AB  - d-Arabinose-5-phosphate (A5P) isomerases (APIs) catalyze the interconversion of d
      ribulose-5-phosphate and d-arabinose-5-phosphate. Various Gram-negative bacteria,
      such as the uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain CFT073, contain multiple API
      paralogs (KdsD, GutQ, KpsF, and c3406) that have been assigned various cellular
      functions. The d-arabinose-5-phosphate formed by these enzymes seems to play
      important roles in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and group 2 K
      antigen capsules, as well as in the regulation of the cellular d-glucitol uptake
      and uropathogenic infectivity/virulence. The genome of a Gram-positive pathogenic
      bacterium, Clostridium tetani, contains a gene encoding a putative API, C. tetani
      API (CtAPI), even though C. tetani lacks both LPS and capsid biosynthetic genes.
      To better understand the physiological role of d-arabinose-5-phosphate in this
      Gram-positive organism, recombinant CtAPI was purified and characterized. CtAPI
      displays biochemical characteristics similar to those of APIs from Gram-negative
      organisms and complements the API deficiency of an E. coli API knockout strain.
      Thus, CtAPI represents the first d-arabinose-5-phosphate isomerase to be
      identified and characterized from a Gram-positive bacterium.IMPORTANCE The genome
      of Clostridium tetani, a pathogenic Gram-positive bacterium and the causative
      agent of tetanus, contains a gene (the CtAPI gene) that shares high sequence
      similarity with those of genes encoding d-arabinose-5-phosphate isomerases. APIs
      play an important role within Gram-negative bacteria in d-arabinose-5-phosphate
      production for lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, capsule formation, and regulation
      of cellular d-glucitol uptake. The significance of our research is in identifying
      and characterizing CtAPI, the first Gram-positive API. Our findings show that
      CtAPI is specific to the interconversion of arabinose-5-phosphate and ribulose-5
      phosphate while having no activity with the other sugars and sugar phosphates
      tested. We have speculated a regulatory role for this API in C. tetani, an
      organism that does not produce lipopolysaccharide.

PMID- 28630127
TI  - Deciphering function of new gonococcal vaccine antigens using phenotypic
      microarrays.
AB  - The function and extracellular location of cell envelope proteins make them
      attractive candidates for developing vaccines against bacterial diseases,
      including challenging, drug-resistant pathogens such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae
      Proteomics-driven reverse vaccinology delivered multiple gonorrhea vaccine
      candidates; however, the biological functions of many of them remain to be
      elucidated. Herein, the functions of six gonorrhea vaccine candidates - NGO2121,
      NGO1985, NGO2054, NGO2111, NGO1205, and NGO1344 - in cell envelope homeostasis
      were probed using phenotype microarrays with 1,056 conditions and a DeltabamE
      mutant (Deltango1780) as a reference of perturbed outer membrane integrity.
      Optimal growth conditions for a N. gonorrhoeae phenotype microarray assay in
      defined liquid media were developed, which can be useful in other applications,
      including rapid and thorough antimicrobial susceptibility assessment. Our studies
      revealed 91 conditions having uniquely positive or negative effects on one of the
      examined mutants. A cluster analysis of 37 and 57 commonly beneficial and
      detrimental compounds, respectively, revealed three separate phenotype groups:
      NGO2121 and NGO1985; NGO1344 and BamE; and the trio of NGO1205, NGO2111 and
      NGO2054, with the latter protein forming an independent branch of this cluster.
      Similar phenotypes were associated with loss of these vaccine candidates in the
      highly antibiotic resistant WHO X strain. Based on their extensive sensitivity
      phenomes, NGO1985 and NGO2121 appear as the most promising vaccine candidates.
      This study establishes the principle that phenotype microarrays can be
      successfully applied to a fastidious bacterial organism such as N.
      gonorrhoeaeIMPORTANCE Innovative approaches are required to develop vaccines
      against prevalent and neglected sexually transmitted infections such as
      gonorrhea. Herein, we have utilized phenotype microarrays in the first such
      investigation into Neisseria gonorrhoeae to probe the function of proteome
      derived vaccine candidates in cell envelope homeostasis. Information gained from
      this screening can feed to the vaccine candidate decision tree by providing
      insights into the roles these proteins play in membrane permeability, integrity,
      and overall N. gonorrhoeae physiology. The optimized screening protocol can be
      applied in investigations into the function of other hypothetical proteins of N.
      gonorrhoeae discovered in the expanding number of whole genome sequences, in
      addition to revealing phenotypic differences between clinical and laboratory
      strains.

PMID- 28630129
TI  - Polar Organizing Protein PopZ Is Required for Chromosome Segregation in
      Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
AB  - Despite being perceived as relatively simple organisms, many bacteria exhibit an
      impressive degree of subcellular organization. In Caulobacter crescentus, the
      evolutionarily conserved polar organizing protein PopZ facilitates cytoplasmic
      organization by recruiting chromosome centromeres and regulatory proteins to the
      cell poles. Here, we characterize the localization and function of PopZ in
      Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a genetically related species with distinct anatomy.
      In this species, we find that PopZ molecules are relocated from the old pole to
      the new pole in the minutes following cell division. PopZ is not required for the
      localization of the histidine kinases DivJ and PdhS1, which become localized to
      the old pole after PopZ relocation is complete. The histidine kinase PdhS2 is
      temporally and spatially related to PopZ in that it localizes to transitional
      poles just before they begin to shed PopZ and disappears from the old pole after
      PopZ relocalization. At the new pole, PopZ is required for tethering the
      centromere of at least one of multiple replicons (chromosome I), and the loss of
      popZ results in a severe chromosome segregation defect, aberrant cell division,
      and cell mortality. After cell division, the daughter that inherits polar PopZ is
      shorter in length and delayed in chromosome I segregation compared to its
      sibling. In this cell type, PopZ completes polar relocation well before the onset
      of chromosome segregation. While A. tumefaciens PopZ resembles its C. crescentus
      homolog in chromosome tethering activity, other aspects of its localization and
      function indicate distinct properties related to differences in cell
      organization.IMPORTANCE Members of the Alphaproteobacteria exhibit a wide range
      of phenotypic diversity despite sharing many conserved genes. In recent years,
      the extent to which this diversity is reflected at the level of subcellular
      organization has become increasingly apparent. However, which factors control
      such organization and how they have changed to suit different body plans are
      poorly understood. This study focuses on PopZ, which is essential for many
      aspects of polar organization in Caulobacter crescentus, but its role in other
      species is unclear. We explore the similarities and differences in PopZ functions
      between Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Caulobacter crescentus and conclude that
      PopZ lies at a point of diversification in the mechanisms that control
      cytoplasmic organization and cell cycle regulation in Alphaproteobacteria.

PMID- 28630131
TI  - 'It's a hard conversation to have'. Healthcare professionals' views concerning
      advance care discussions with young people affected by life-limiting
      neuromuscular diseases: an interview study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Life-limiting neuromuscular disease, such as some of the muscular
      dystrophies, are often diagnosed in early childhood: when death comes, commonly
      in the second or third decade of life, patients rarely have advance care plans in
      place or documented end-of-life care preferences. There is very limited
      literature concerning the discussions about end-of-life plans healthcare
      professionals have with young people affected by life-limiting neuromuscular
      diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the views and experiences of
      healthcare professionals concerning having discussions about advance care plans
      and end-of-life care with teenagers and young adult patients affected by life
      limiting neuromuscular diseases. METHODS: Semistructured interviews with a
      maximum variety sample of nine professionals involved in the care of young people
      with life-limiting neuromuscular diseases in one region of the UK. RESULTS: While
      recognising the inevitable progression of the conditions, there was no consensus
      among interviewees concerning best approaches to discuss end-of-life care plans.
      Several environmental and personal barriers were identified that lead to
      avoidance of the emotionally challenging and difficult conversations.
      CONCLUSIONS: Community-based professionals with well-established relationships
      with patients and families may be best placed to take the lead and coordinate
      discussions, but individual case-by-case preferences need to be carefully
      considered.

PMID- 28630130
TI  - How a Genetically Stable Extremophile Evolves: Modes of Genome Diversification in
      the Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.
AB  - In order to analyze in molecular terms how Sulfolobus genomes diverge, damage
      induced mutations and natural polymorphisms (PMs) were identified in laboratory
      constructs and wild-type isolates, respectively, of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
      Among wild-type isolates drawn from one local population, pairwise nucleotide
      divergence averaged 4 * 10-6, which is about 0.15% of the corresponding
      divergence reported for Sulfolobus islandicus The most variable features of wild
      type S. acidocaldarius genomes were homopolymer (mononucleotide) tracts and
      longer tandem repeats, consistent with the spontaneous mutations that occur under
      laboratory conditions. Natural isolates, however, also revealed large
      insertions/deletions and inversions, which did not occur in any of the laboratory
      manipulated strains. Several of the large insertions/deletions could be
      attributed to the integration or excision of mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and
      each MGE represented a distinct system of site-specific recombination. The mode
      of recombination associated with one MGE, a provirus related to Sulfolobus
      turreted icosahedral virus, was also seen in certain chromosomal inversions.
      Artificially induced mutations, non-MGE insertions/deletions, and small PMs
      exhibited different distributions over the genome, suggesting that large-scale
      patterning of Sulfolobus genomes begins early in the divergence process. Unlike
      induced mutations, natural base pair substitutions occurred in clusters, and one
      cluster exhibited properties expected of nonreciprocal recombination (gene
      conversion) between dispersed imperfect repeats. Taken together, the results
      identify simple replication errors, slipped-strand events promoted by tandem
      repeats, homologous recombination, and rearrangements promoted by MGEs as the
      primary sources of genetic variation for this extremely acidophilic archaeon in
      its geothermal environment.IMPORTANCE The optimal growth temperatures of
      hyperthermophilic archaea accelerate DNA decomposition, which is expected to make
      DNA repair especially important for their genetic stability, yet these archaea
      lack certain broadly conserved types of DNA repair proteins. In this study, the
      genome of the extreme thermoacidophile Sulfolobus acidocaldarius was found to be
      remarkably stable, accumulating few mutations in many (though not all) laboratory
      manipulations and in natural populations. Furthermore, all the genetic processes
      that were inferred to diversify these genomes also operate in mesophilic bacteria
      and eukaryotes. This suggests that a common set of mechanisms produces most of
      the genetic variation in all microorganisms, despite the fundamental differences
      in physiology, DNA repair systems, and genome structure represented in the three
      domains of life.

PMID- 28630133
TI  - Dual Regulation of Gluconeogenesis by Insulin and Glucose in the Proximal Tubules
      of the Kidney.
AB  - Growing attention has been focused on the roles of the proximal tubules (PTs) of
      the kidney in glucose metabolism, including the mechanism of regulation of
      gluconeogenesis. In this study, we found that PT-specific insulin receptor
      substrate 1/2 double-knockout mice, established by using the newly generated
      sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2)-Cre transgenic mice, exhibited impaired
      insulin signaling and upregulated gluconeogenic gene expression and renal
      gluconeogenesis, resulting in systemic insulin resistance. In contrast, in
      streptozotocin-treated mice, although insulin action was impaired in the PTs, the
      gluconeogenic gene expression was unexpectedly downregulated in the renal cortex,
      which was restored by administration of an SGLT1/2 inhibitor. In the HK-2 cells,
      the gluconeogenic gene expression was suppressed by insulin, accompanied by
      phosphorylation and inactivation of forkhead box transcription factor 1 (FoxO1).
      In contrast, glucose deacetylated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor
      gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1alpha), a coactivator of FoxO1, via sirtuin 1,
      suppressing the gluconeogenic gene expression, which was reversed by inhibition
      of glucose reabsorption. These data suggest that both insulin signaling and
      glucose reabsorption suppress the gluconeogenic gene expression by inactivation
      of FoxO1 and PGC1alpha, respectively, providing insight into novel mechanisms
      underlying the regulation of gluconeogenesis in the PTs.

PMID- 28630134
TI  - Correction: Clustering of Ca2+ transients in interstitial cells of Cajal defines
      slow wave duration.

PMID- 28630135
TI  - Inhibition of the Cardiac Fibroblast-Enriched lncRNA Meg3 Prevents Cardiac
      Fibrosis and Diastolic Dysfunction.
AB  - RATIONALE: Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) drive extracellular matrix remodeling after
      pressure overload, leading to fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction. Recent studies
      described the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cardiac pathologies.
      Nevertheless, detailed reports on lncRNAs regulating CF biology and describing
      their implication in cardiac remodeling are still missing. OBJECTIVE: Here, we
      aimed at characterizing lncRNA expression in murine CFs after chronic pressure
      overload to identify CF-enriched lncRNAs and investigate their function and
      contribution to cardiac fibrosis and diastolic dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      Global lncRNA profiling identified several dysregulated transcripts. Among them,
      the lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (Meg3) was found to be mostly expressed by
      CFs and to undergo transcriptional downregulation during late cardiac remodeling.
      In vitro, Meg3 regulated the production of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2).
      GapmeR-mediated silencing of Meg3 in CFs resulted in the downregulation of Mmp-2
      transcription, which, in turn, was dependent on P53 activity both in the absence
      and in the presence of transforming growth factor-beta I. Chromatin
      immunoprecipitation showed that further induction of Mmp-2 expression by
      transforming growth factor-beta I was blocked by Meg3 silencing through the
      inhibition of P53 binding on the Mmp-2 promoter. Consistently, inhibition of Meg3
      in vivo after transverse aortic constriction prevented cardiac MMP-2 induction,
      leading to decreased cardiac fibrosis and improved diastolic performance.
      CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our findings uncover a critical role for Meg3 in the
      regulation of MMP-2 production by CFs in vitro and in vivo, identifying a new
      player in the development of cardiac fibrosis and potential new target for the
      prevention of cardiac remodeling.

PMID- 28630136
TI  - ATP synthase complex and the mitochondrial permeability transition pore: poles of
      attraction.

PMID- 28630137
TI  - Structure and function of DHHC protein S-acyltransferases.
AB  - It has been estimated that 10% of the human genome encodes proteins that are
      fatty acylated at cysteine residues. The vast majority of these proteins are
      modified by members of the DHHC protein family, which carry out their enzymatic
      function on the cytoplasmic face of cell membranes. The biomedical importance of
      DHHC proteins is underscored by their association with human disease; unique and
      essential roles for DHHC proteins have been uncovered using DHHC-deficient mouse
      models. Accordingly, there is great interest in elucidating the molecular
      mechanisms that underlie DHHC protein function. In this review, we present recent
      insights into the structure and function of DHHC enzymes.

PMID- 28630138
TI  - Targeting the Ras palmitoylation/depalmitoylation cycle in cancer.
AB  - The Ras proteins are well-known drivers of many cancers and thus represent
      attractive targets for the development of anticancer therapeutics. Inhibitors
      that disrupt the association of the Ras proteins with membranes by blocking the
      addition of the farnesyl lipid moiety to the Ras C-terminus failed in clinical
      trials. Here, we explore the possibility of targeting a second lipid
      modification, S-acylation, commonly referred to as palmitoylation, as a strategy
      to disrupt the membrane interaction of specific Ras isoforms. We review the
      enzymes involved in adding and removing palmitate from Ras and discuss their
      potential roles in regulating Ras tumorigenesis. In addition, we examine other
      proteins that affect Ras protein localization and may serve as future drug
      targets.

PMID- 28630139
TI  - Functional interfaces between TICAM-2/TRAM and TICAM-1/TRIF in TLR4 signaling.
AB  - Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) recognizes lipopolysaccharide (LPS), produces pro
      inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons, and associates with a trigger of
      endotoxin shock. TLR4 is interacted with a TIR domain-containing adaptor molecule
      2 (TICAM-2)/TRAM [TRIF (TIR domain-containing adaptor-inducing interferon-beta)
      related adaptor molecule] via its Toll-interleukin-1 receptor homology (TIR)
      domain. TICAM-2 acts as a scaffold protein and activates TIR domain-containing
      adaptor molecule-1 (TICAM-1)/TRIF. According to the structural analysis by NMR,
      TICAM-2 interacts with TICAM-1 by the acidic amino acids motif, E87/D88/D89. The
      TIR domain of TICAM-2 couples with the dimer of TIR domain of TLR4 beneath the
      membrane, and TICAM-2 itself also forms dimer and constitutes a binding site with
      TICAM-1. Endosomal localization of TICAM-2 is essential for TLR4-mediated type I
      interferon-inducing signal from the endosome. N-terminal myristoylation allows
      TICAM-2 to anchor to the endosomal membrane. Additionally, we have identified two
      acidic amino acids, D91/E92, as a functional motif that cooperatively determines
      endosomal localization of TICAM-2. This structural information of TICAM-2
      suggests that the specific structure is indispensable for the endosomal
      localization and type I interferon production of TICAM-2. Taken together with the
      knowledge on cytoplasmic sensors for LPS, TICAM-2/TICAM-1 may conform to a signal
      network on TLR4 to facilitate induction of cytokine disorders.

PMID- 28630140
TI  - Three-dimensional structure of the 3'X-tail of hepatitis C virus RNA in monomeric
      and dimeric states.
AB  - The 3'X domain is a 98-nt region located at the 3' end of hepatitis C virus
      genomic RNA that plays essential functions in the viral life cycle. It contains
      an absolutely conserved, 16-base palindromic sequence that promotes viral RNA
      dimerization, overlapped with a 7-nt tract implicated in a distal contact with a
      nearby functional sequence. Using small angle X-ray scattering measurements
      combined with model building guided by NMR spectroscopy, we have studied the
      stoichiometry, structure, and flexibility of domain 3'X and two smaller subdomain
      sequences as a function of ionic strength, and obtained a three-dimensional view
      of the full-length domain in its monomeric and dimeric states. In the monomeric
      form, the 3'X domain adopted an elongated conformation containing two SL1' and
      SL2' double-helical stems stabilized by coaxial stacking. This structure was
      significantly less flexible than that of isolated subdomain SL2' monomers. At
      higher ionic strength, the 3'X scattering envelope nearly doubled its size,
      reflecting the formation of extended homodimers containing an antiparallel SL2'
      duplex flanked by coaxially stacked SL1' helices. Formation of these dimers could
      initialize and/or regulate the packaging of viral RNA genomes into virions.

PMID- 28630142
TI  - The WHO joint statement from funders on trials transparency.

PMID- 28630141
TI  - Temperature-responsive miRNAs in Drosophila orchestrate adaptation to different
      ambient temperatures.
AB  - The majority of Drosophila genes are expressed in a temperature-dependent manner,
      but the way in which small RNAs may contribute to this effect is completely
      unknown as we currently lack an idea of how small RNA transcriptomes change as a
      function of temperature. Applying high-throughput sequencing techniques
      complemented by quantitative real-time PCR experiments, we demonstrate that
      altered ambient temperature induces drastic but reversible changes in sequence
      composition and total abundance of both miRNA and piRNA populations. Further,
      mRNA sequencing reveals that the expression of miRNAs and their predicted target
      transcripts correlates inversely, suggesting that temperature-responsive miRNAs
      drive adaptation to different ambient temperatures on the transcriptome level.
      Finally, we demonstrate that shifts in temperature affect both primary and
      secondary piRNA pools, and the observed aberrations are consistent with altered
      expression levels of the involved Piwi-pathway factors. We further reason that
      enhanced ping-pong processing at 29 degrees C is driven by dissolved RNA
      secondary structures at higher temperatures, uncovering target sites that are not
      accessible at low temperatures. Together, our results show that small RNAs are an
      important part of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that ensure homeostasis and
      adaptation under fluctuating environmental conditions.

PMID- 28630143
TI  - Extracellular vesicles of stromal origin target and support hematopoietic stem
      and progenitor cells.
AB  - Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been recently reported as crucial mediators in
      cell-to-cell communication in development and disease. In this study, we
      investigate whether mesenchymal stromal cells that constitute a supportive
      microenvironment for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) released EVs
      that could affect the gene expression and function of HSPCs. By taking advantage
      of two fetal liver-derived stromal lines with widely differing abilities to
      maintain HSPCs ex vivo, we demonstrate that stromal EVs play a critical role in
      the regulation of HSPCs. Both supportive and nonsupportive stromal lines secreted
      EVs, but only those delivered by the supportive line were taken up by HSPCs ex
      vivo and in vivo. These EVs harbored a specific molecular signature, modulated
      the gene expression in HSPCs after uptake, and maintained the survival and
      clonogenic potential of HSPCs, presumably by preventing apoptosis. In conclusion,
      our study reveals that EVs are an important component of the HSPC niche, which
      may have major applications in regenerative medicine.

PMID- 28630144
TI  - CRMP-1 enhances EVL-mediated actin elongation to build lamellipodia and the actin
      cortex.
AB  - Cells can control actin polymerization by nucleating new filaments or elongating
      existing ones. We recently identified CRMP-1 as a factor that stimulates the
      formation of Listeria monocytogenes actin comet tails, thereby implicating it in
      actin assembly. We now show that CRMP-1 is a major contributor to actin assembly
      in epithelial cells, where it works with the Ena/VASP family member EVL to
      assemble the actin cytoskeleton in the apical cortex and in protruding
      lamellipodia. CRMP-1 and EVL bind to one another and together accelerate actin
      filament barbed-end elongation. CRMP-1 also stimulates actin assembly in the
      presence of VASP and Mena in vitro, but CRMP-1-dependent actin assembly in MDCK
      cells is EVL specific. Our results identify CRMP-1 as a novel regulator of actin
      filament elongation and reveal a surprisingly important role for CRMP-1, EVL, and
      actin polymerization in maintaining the structural integrity of epithelial
      sheets.

PMID- 28630145
TI  - Activity-dependent trafficking of lysosomes in dendrites and dendritic spines.
AB  - In neurons, lysosomes, which degrade membrane and cytoplasmic components, are
      thought to primarily reside in somatic and axonal compartments, but there is
      little understanding of their distribution and function in dendrites. Here, we
      used conventional and two-photon imaging and electron microscopy to show that
      lysosomes traffic bidirectionally in dendrites and are present in dendritic
      spines. We find that lysosome inhibition alters their mobility and also decreases
      dendritic spine number. Furthermore, perturbing microtubule and actin
      cytoskeletal dynamics has an inverse relationship on the distribution and
      motility of lysosomes in dendrites. We also find trafficking of lysosomes is
      correlated with synaptic alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid
      type glutamate receptors. Strikingly, lysosomes traffic to dendritic spines in an
      activity-dependent manner and can be recruited to individual spines in response
      to local activation. These data indicate the position of lysosomes is regulated
      by synaptic activity and thus plays an instructive role in the turnover of
      synaptic membrane proteins.

PMID- 28630148
TI  - Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology.

PMID- 28630146
TI  - ER stress causes widespread protein aggregation and prion formation.
AB  - Disturbances in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis create a condition termed
      ER stress. This activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), which alters the
      expression of many genes involved in ER quality control. We show here that ER
      stress causes the aggregation of proteins, most of which are not ER or secretory
      pathway proteins. Proteomic analysis of the aggregated proteins revealed
      enrichment for intrinsically aggregation-prone proteins rather than proteins
      which are affected in a stress-specific manner. Aggregation does not arise
      because of overwhelming proteasome-mediated degradation but because of a general
      disruption of cellular protein homeostasis. We further show that overexpression
      of certain chaperones abrogates protein aggregation and protects a UPR mutant
      against ER stress conditions. The onset of ER stress is known to correlate with
      various disease processes, and our data indicate that widespread amorphous and
      amyloid protein aggregation is an unanticipated outcome of such stress.

PMID- 28630147
TI  - A bifurcated signaling cascade of NIMA-related kinases controls distinct kinesins
      in anaphase.
AB  - In mitosis, cells undergo a precisely orchestrated series of spatiotemporal
      changes in cytoskeletal structure to divide their genetic material. These changes
      are coordinated by a sophisticated network of protein-protein interactions and
      posttranslational modifications. In this study, we report a bifurcation in a
      signaling cascade of the NIMA-related kinases (Neks) Nek6, Nek7, and Nek9 that is
      required for the localization and function of two kinesins essential for
      cytokinesis, Mklp2 and Kif14. We demonstrate that a Nek9, Nek6, and Mklp2
      signaling module controls the timely localization and bundling activity of Mklp2
      at the anaphase central spindle. We further show that a separate Nek9, Nek7, and
      Kif14 signaling module is required for the recruitment of the Rho-interacting
      kinase citron to the anaphase midzone. Our findings uncover an anaphase-specific
      function for these effector kinesins that is controlled by specific Nek kinase
      signaling modules to properly coordinate cytokinesis.

PMID- 28630149
TI  - Molecular mechanism of pore formation by aerolysin-like proteins.
AB  - Aerolysin-like pore-forming proteins are an important family of proteins able to
      efficiently damage membranes of target cells by forming transmembrane pores. They
      are characterized by a unique domain organization and mechanism of action that
      involves extensive conformational rearrangements. Although structures of soluble
      forms of many different members of this family are well understood, the
      structures of pores and their mechanism of assembly have been described only
      recently. The pores are characterized by well-defined beta-barrels, which are
      devoid of any vestibular regions commonly found in other protein pores. Many
      members of this family are bacterial toxins; therefore, structural details of
      their transmembrane pores, as well as the mechanism of pore formation, are an
      important base for future drug design. Stability of pores and other properties,
      such as specificity for some cell surface molecules, make this family of proteins
      a useful set of molecular tools for molecular recognition and sensing in cell
      biology.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure
      and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630150
TI  - Cryo-electron tomography: an ideal method to study membrane-associated proteins.
AB  - Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is a three-dimensional imaging technique that
      makes it possible to analyse the structure of complex and dynamic biological
      assemblies in their native conditions. The latest technological and image
      processing developments demonstrate that it is possible to obtain structural
      information at nanometre resolution. The sample preparation required for the cryo
      ET technique does not require the isolation of a protein and other macromolecular
      complexes from its native environment. Therefore, cryo-ET is emerging as an
      important tool to study the structure of membrane-associated proteins including
      pores.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure
      and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630151
TI  - Assembly mechanism of the alpha-pore-forming toxin cytolysin A from Escherichia
      coli.
AB  - The cytolytic toxin cytolysin A (ClyA) from Escherichia coli is probably one of
      the best-characterized examples of bacterial, alpha-pore-forming toxins (alpha
      PFTs). Like other PFTs, ClyA exists in a soluble, monomeric form that assembles
      to an annular, homo-oligomeric pore complex upon contact with detergent or target
      membranes. Comparison of the three-dimensional structures of the 34 kDa monomer
      and the protomer in the context of the dodecameric pore complex revealed that
      ClyA undergoes one of the largest conformational transitions described for
      proteins so far, in which 55% of the residues change their position and 16% of
      the residues adopt a different secondary structure in the protomer. Studies on
      the assembly of ClyA revealed a unique mechanism that differs from the assembly
      mechanism of other PFTs. The rate-liming step of pore formation proved to be the
      unimolecular conversion of the monomer to an assembly-competent protomer, during
      which a molten globule-like off-pathway intermediate accumulates. The
      oligomerization of protomers to pore complexes is fast and follows a kinetic
      scheme in which mixtures of linear oligomers of different size are formed first,
      followed by very rapid and specific association of pairs of oligomers that can
      directly perform ring closure to the dodecameric pore complex.This article is
      part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to
      medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630152
TI  - Repurposing a pore: highly conserved perforin-like proteins with alternative
      mechanisms.
AB  - Pore-forming proteins play critical roles in pathogenic attack and immunological
      defence. The membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF) group of homologues
      represents, with cholesterol-dependent cytolysins, the largest family of such
      proteins. In this review, we begin by describing briefly the structure of MACPF
      proteins, outlining their common mechanism of pore formation. We subsequently
      discuss some examples of MACPF proteins likely implicated in pore formation or
      other membrane-remodelling processes. Finally, we focus on astrotactin and bone
      morphogenetic protein and retinoic acid-induced neural-specific proteins, highly
      conserved MACPF family members involved in developmental processes, which have
      not been well studied to date or observed to form a pore-and which data suggest
      may act by alternative mechanisms.This article is part of the themed issue
      'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630153
TI  - Membrane-spanning alpha-helical barrels as tractable protein-design targets.
AB  - The rational (de novo) design of membrane-spanning proteins lags behind that for
      water-soluble globular proteins. This is due to gaps in our knowledge of membrane
      protein structure, and experimental difficulties in studying such proteins
      compared to water-soluble counterparts. One limiting factor is the small number
      of experimentally determined three-dimensional structures for transmembrane
      proteins. By contrast, many tens of thousands of globular protein structures
      provide a rich source of 'scaffolds' for protein design, and the means to garner
      sequence-to-structure relationships to guide the design process. The alpha
      helical coiled coil is a protein-structure element found in both globular and
      membrane proteins, where it cements a variety of helix-helix interactions and
      helical bundles. Our deep understanding of coiled coils has enabled a large
      number of successful de novo designs. For one class, the alpha-helical barrels
      that is, symmetric bundles of five or more helices with central accessible
      channels-there are both water-soluble and membrane-spanning examples. Recent
      computational designs of water-soluble alpha-helical barrels with five to seven
      helices have advanced the design field considerably. Here we identify and
      classify analogous and more complicated membrane-spanning alpha-helical barrels
      from the Protein Data Bank. These provide tantalizing but tractable targets for
      protein engineering and de novo protein design.This article is part of the themed
      issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630154
TI  - Design of self-assembling transmembrane helical bundles to elucidate principles
      required for membrane protein folding and ion transport.
AB  - Ion transporters and channels are able to identify and act on specific substrates
      among myriads of ions and molecules critical to cellular processes, such as
      homeostasis, cell signalling, nutrient influx and drug efflux. Recently, we
      designed Rocker, a minimalist model for Zn2+/H+ co-transport. The success of this
      effort suggests that de novo membrane protein design has now come of age so as to
      serve a key approach towards probing the determinants of membrane protein
      folding, assembly and function. Here, we review general principles that can be
      used to design membrane proteins, with particular reference to helical assemblies
      with transport function. We also provide new functional and NMR data that probe
      the dynamic mechanism of conduction through Rocker.This article is part of the
      themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and
      technology'.

PMID- 28630155
TI  - Haemolytic actinoporins interact with carbohydrates using their lipid-binding
      module.
AB  - Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are proteins endowed with metamorphic properties that
      enable them to stably fold in water solutions as well as in cellular membranes.
      PFTs produce lytic pores on the plasma membranes of target cells conducive to
      lesions, playing key roles in the defensive and offensive molecular systems of
      living organisms. Actinoporins are a family of potent haemolytic toxins produced
      by sea anemones vigorously studied as a paradigm of alpha-helical PFTs, in the
      context of lipid-protein interactions, and in connection with nanopore
      technologies. We have recently reported that fragaceatoxin C (FraC), an
      actinoporin, engages biological membranes with a large adhesive motif allowing
      the simultaneous attachment of up to four lipid molecules prior to pore
      formation. Since actinoporins also interact with carbohydrates, we sought to
      understand the molecular and energetic basis of glycan recognition by FraC. By
      employing structural and biophysical methodologies, we show that FraC engages
      glycans with low affinity using its lipid-binding module. Contrary to other PFTs
      requiring separate domains for glycan and lipid recognition, the small single
      domain actinoporins economize resources by achieving dual recognition with a
      single binding module. This mechanism could enhance the recruitment of
      actinoporins to the surface of target tissues in their marine environment.This
      article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly,
      to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630156
TI  - Apoptotic foci at mitochondria: in and around Bax pores.
AB  - The permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane by Bax and Bak during
      apoptosis is considered a key step and a point of no return in the signalling
      pathway. It is always closely related to the reorganization of mitochondrial
      cristae that frees cytochrome c to the intermembrane space and to massive
      mitochondrial fragmentation mediated by the dynamin-like protein Drp1. Despite
      multiple evidence in favour of a functional link between these processes, the
      molecular mechanisms that connect them and their relevance for efficient
      apoptosis signalling remain obscure. In this review, we discuss recent progress
      on our understanding of how Bax forms pores in the context of Drp1-stabilized
      signalling platforms at apoptotic foci in mitochondria.This article is part of
      the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and
      technology'.

PMID- 28630157
TI  - Pore formation by dimeric Bak and Bax: an unusual pore?
AB  - Apoptotic cell death via the mitochondrial pathway occurs in all vertebrate cells
      and requires the formation of pores in the mitochondrial outer membrane. Two Bcl
      2 protein family members, Bak and Bax, form these pores during apoptosis, and how
      they do so has been investigated for the last two decades. Many of the
      conformation changes that occur during their transition to pore-forming proteins
      have now been delineated. Notably, biochemical, biophysical and structural
      studies indicate that symmetric homodimers are the basic unit of pore formation.
      Each dimer contains an extended hydrophobic surface that lies on the outer
      membrane, and is anchored at either end by a transmembrane domain. Membrane
      remodelling events such as positive membrane curvature have been reported to
      accompany apoptotic pore formation, suggesting Bak and Bax form lipidic pores
      rather than proteinaceous pores. However, it remains unclear how symmetric dimers
      assemble to porate the membrane. Here, we review how clusters of dimers and their
      lipid-mediated interactions provide a molecular explanation for the heterogeneous
      assemblies of Bak and Bax observed during apoptosis.This article is part of the
      themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and
      technology'.

PMID- 28630159
TI  - The mystery behind membrane insertion: a review of the complement membrane attack
      complex.
AB  - The membrane attack complex (MAC) is an important innate immune effector of the
      complement terminal pathway that forms cytotoxic pores on the surface of
      microbes. Despite many years of research, MAC structure and mechanism of action
      have remained elusive, relying heavily on modelling and inference from
      biochemical experiments. Recent advances in structural biology, specifically cryo
      electron microscopy, have provided new insights into the molecular mechanism of
      MAC assembly. Its unique 'split-washer' shape, coupled with an irregular giant
      beta-barrel architecture, enable an atypical mechanism of hole punching and
      represent a novel system for which to study pore formation. This review will
      introduce the complement terminal pathway that leads to formation of the MAC.
      Moreover, it will discuss how structures of the pore and component proteins
      underpin a mechanism for MAC function, modulation and inhibition.This article is
      part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to
      medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630158
TI  - Computational studies of peptide-induced membrane pore formation.
AB  - A variety of peptides induce pores in biological membranes; the most common ones
      are naturally produced antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are small, usually
      cationic, and defend diverse organisms against biological threats. Because it is
      not possible to observe these pores directly on a molecular scale, the structure
      of AMP-induced pores and the exact sequence of steps leading to their formation
      remain uncertain. Hence, these questions have been investigated via molecular
      modelling. In this article, we review computational studies of AMP pore formation
      using all-atom, coarse-grained, and implicit solvent models; evaluate the results
      obtained and suggest future research directions to further elucidate the pore
      formation mechanism of AMPs.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane
      pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630161
TI  - Insertion of proteins and lipopolysaccharide into the bacterial outer membrane.
AB  - The bacterial outer membrane contains phospholipids in the inner leaflet and
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the outer leaflet. Both proteins and LPS must be
      frequently inserted into the outer membrane to preserve its integrity. The
      protein complex that inserts LPS into the outer membrane is called LptDE, and
      consists of an integral membrane protein, LptD, with a separate globular
      lipoprotein, LptE, inserted in the barrel lumen. The protein complex that inserts
      newly synthesized outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) into the outer membrane is
      called the BAM complex, and consists of an integral membrane protein, BamA, plus
      four lipoproteins, BamB, C, D and E. Recent structural and functional analyses
      illustrate how these two complexes insert their substrates into the outer
      membrane by distorting the membrane component (BamA or LptD) to directly access
      the lipid bilayer.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from
      structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630160
TI  - Listeriolysin O: from bazooka to Swiss army knife.
AB  - Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular
      pathogen. Infections in humans can lead to listeriosis, a systemic disease with a
      high mortality rate. One important mechanism of Lm dissemination involves cell-to
      cell spread after bacteria have entered the cytosol of host cells. Listeriolysin
      O (LLO; encoded by the hly gene) is a virulence factor present in Lm that plays a
      central role in the cell-to-cell spread process. LLO is a member of the
      cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) family of toxins that were initially
      thought to promote disease largely by inducing cell death and tissue destruction
      essentially acting like a 'bazooka'. This view was supported by structural
      studies showing CDCs can form large pores in membranes. However, it is now
      appreciated that LLO has many subtle activities during Lm infection of host
      cells, and many of these likely do not involve large pores, but rather small
      membrane perforations. It is also appreciated that membrane repair pathways of
      host cells play a major role in limiting membrane damage by LLO and other toxins.
      LLO is now thought to represent a 'Swiss army knife', a versatile tool that
      allows Lm to induce many membrane alterations and cellular responses that promote
      bacterial dissemination during infection.This article is part of the themed issue
      'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630162
TI  - Real-time dynamics of carbon nanotube porins in supported lipid membranes
      visualized by high-speed atomic force microscopy.
AB  - In-plane mobility of proteins in lipid membranes is one of the fundamental
      mechanisms supporting biological functionality. Here we use high-speed atomic
      force microscopy (HS-AFM) to show that a novel type of biomimetic channel-carbon
      nanotube porins (CNTPs)-is also laterally mobile in supported lipid membranes,
      mimicking biological protein behaviour. HS-AFM can capture real-time dynamics of
      CNTP motion in the supported lipid bilayer membrane, build long-term trajectories
      of the CNTP motion and determine the diffusion coefficients associated with this
      motion. Our analysis shows that diffusion coefficients of CNTPs fall into the
      same range as those of proteins in supported lipid membranes. CNTPs in HS-AFM
      experiments often exhibit 'directed' diffusion behaviour, which is common for
      proteins in live cell membranes.This article is part of the themed issue
      'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630163
TI  - Measuring the potential energy barrier to lipid bilayer electroporation.
AB  - Electroporation is a common tool for gene transfection, tumour ablation,
      sterilization and drug delivery. Using experimental methods, we explore the
      temperature dependence of electropore formation in a model membrane system
      (droplet-interface bilayers), using optical single-channel recording to image the
      real-time gating of individual electropores. We investigate the influence of the
      agarose substrate on electropores formed in this system. Furthermore, by
      examining the temperature-dependent kinetics of pore opening and closure we are
      able to estimate a barrier to pore opening in 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3
      phosphocholine (DPhPC) membranes to be 25.0 +/- 8.3 kBT, in agreement with
      previous predictions. Overall these measurements help support the toroidal model
      of membrane electroporation.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane
      pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630165
TI  - The cell adhesion molecule CHL1 interacts with patched-1 to regulate apoptosis
      during postnatal cerebellar development.
AB  - The immunoglobulin superfamily adhesion molecule close homolog of L1 (CHL1) plays
      important roles during nervous system development. Here, we identified the
      hedgehog receptor patched-1 (PTCH1) as a novel CHL1-binding protein and showed
      that CHL1 interacts with the first extracellular loop of PTCH1 via its
      extracellular domain. Colocalization and co-immunoprecipitation of CHL1 with
      PTCH1 suggest an association of CHL1 with this major component of the hedgehog
      signaling pathway. The trans-interaction of CHL1 with PTCH1 promotes neuronal
      survival in cultures of dissociated cerebellar granule cells and of organotypic
      cerebellar slices. An inhibitor of the PTCH1-regulated hedgehog signal
      transducer, smoothened (SMO), and inhibitors of RhoA and Rho-associated kinase
      (ROCK) 1 and 2 prevent CHL1-dependent survival of cultured cerebellar granule
      cells and survival of cerebellar granule and Purkinje cells in organotypic
      cultures. In histological sections from 10- and 14-day-old CHL1-deficient mice,
      enhanced apoptosis of granule, but not Purkinje, cells was observed. The results
      of the present study indicate that CHL1 triggers PTCH1-, SMO-, RhoA- and ROCK
      dependent signal transduction pathways to promote neuronal survival after
      cessation of the major morphogenetic events during mouse cerebellar development.

PMID- 28630164
TI  - Single-molecule nanopore enzymology.
AB  - Biological nanopores are a class of membrane proteins that open nanoscale water
      conduits in biological membranes. When they are reconstituted in artificial
      membranes and a bias voltage is applied across the membrane, the ionic current
      passing through individual nanopores can be used to monitor chemical reactions,
      to recognize individual molecules and, of most interest, to sequence DNA. In
      addition, a more recent nanopore application is the analysis of single proteins
      and enzymes. Monitoring enzymatic reactions with nanopores, i.e. nanopore
      enzymology, has the unique advantage that it allows long-timescale observations
      of native proteins at the single-molecule level. Here, we describe the approaches
      and challenges in nanopore enzymology.This article is part of the themed issue
      'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

PMID- 28630167
TI  - Successive governments are responsible for GP crisis.

PMID- 28630166
TI  - Deficiency of PHB complex impairs respiratory supercomplex formation and
      activates mitochondrial flashes.
AB  - Prohibitins (PHBs; prohibitin 1, PHB1 or PHB, and prohibitin 2, PHB2) are
      evolutionarily conserved and ubiquitously expressed mitochondrial proteins. PHBs
      form multimeric ring complexes acting as scaffolds in the inner mitochondrial
      membrane. Mitochondrial flashes (mitoflashes) are newly discovered mitochondrial
      signaling events that reflect electrical and chemical excitations of the
      organelle. Here, we investigate the possible roles of PHBs in the regulation of
      mitoflash signaling. Downregulation of PHBs increases mitoflash frequency by up
      to 5.4-fold due to elevated basal reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the
      mitochondria. Mechanistically, PHB deficiency impairs the formation of
      mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes (RSCs) without altering the abundance of
      individual respiratory complex subunits. These impairments induced by PHB
      deficiency are effectively rescued by co-expression of PHB1 and PHB2, indicating
      that the multimeric PHB complex acts as the functional unit. Furthermore,
      downregulating other RSC assembly factors, including SCAFI (also known as
      COX7A2L), RCF1a (HIGD1A), RCF1b (HIGD2A), UQCC3 and SLP2 (STOML2), all activate
      mitoflashes through elevating mitochondrial ROS production. Our findings identify
      the PHB complex as a new regulator of RSC formation and mitoflash signaling, and
      delineate a general relationship among RSC formation, basal ROS production and
      mitoflash biogenesis.

PMID- 28630168
TI  - Incidence and Factors Associated With the Occurrence of Pulmonary Vein Narrowing
      After Cryoballoon Ablation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In contrast with traditional radiofrequency ablation, little is known
      about the influence of cryoballoon ablation on the morphology of pulmonary veins
      (PVs). We evaluated the influence of cryoballoon ablation on the PV dimension
      (PVD) and investigated the factors associated with a reduction of the PVD.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-four patients who underwent cryoballoon ablation for
      paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were included in the present study. All subjects
      underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography both before and at 3 months after
      the procedure. The PVD (cross-sectional area) was measured using a 3-dimensional
      electroanatomical mapping system. Each PV was evaluated according to the PVD
      reduction rate (DeltaPVD), which was calculated as follows: (1-post-PVD/pre
      PVD)*100 (%). Ninety-two percent of the PVs (271/296) were successfully isolated
      only by cryoballoon ablation; the remaining 8% of the PVs required touch-up
      ablation and were excluded from the analysis. Mild (25%-50%), moderate (50%-75%),
      and severe (>=75%) DeltaPVD values were observed in 87, 14, and 3 PVs,
      respectively, including 1 case with severe left superior PV stenosis (DeltaPVD:
      94%) in a patient who required PV angioplasty. In multivariable analysis, a
      larger PV ostium and lower minimum freezing temperature during cryoballoon
      ablation were independently associated with PV narrowing (odds ratio, 1.773;
      P=0.01; and odds ratio, 1.137; P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A reduction
      of the PVD was often observed after cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation.
      A larger PV ostium and lower minimum freezing temperature during cryoballoon
      ablation were associated with an increased risk of PVD reduction.

PMID- 28630170
TI  - Characterization of Aortic Valve Closure Artifact During Outflow Tract Mapping:
      Correlation With Hemodynamics and Mechanical Valves.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Premature ventricular contractions originating in the left ventricle
      outflow tract represent a significant subgroup of patients referred for catheter
      ablation. Mechanical artifacts from aortic valve leaflet motion may be observed
      during mapping, although the incidence and characteristics have not been
      reported. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with left
      ventricle outflow tract premature ventricular contraction were included. Electric
      signals recorded on the ablation catheter not coincident with atrial or
      ventricular depolarization were analyzed on the recording system. Correlation
      with invasive hemodynamic aortic pressure tracings was performed. Additionally, 4
      patients with mechanical aortic valves, who underwent scar-related ventricular
      tachycardia ablation, were analyzed to correlate the timing of the observed
      artifacts with native aortic valves. Aortic valve artifact was observed while
      mapping within the coronary cusps in 11 patients (39%; 73% men; age, 41+/-25
      years; left ventricular ejection fraction 49+/-16%) with high incidence from the
      left coronary cusp. This artifact was consistently observed with timing
      coincident with the terminal portion of the T wave. The average interval between
      the end of the T wave and the aortic valve artifact was 19+/-37 ms. The duration
      of the aortic valve artifact was 39+/-8 ms with amplitude of 0.12+/-0.07 mV
      (range, 0.06-0.36 mV). CONCLUSIONS: In patients referred for left ventricle
      outflow tract premature ventricular contraction ablation, an aortic valve closure
      artifact is observed in up to one third of cases during mapping within the aortic
      cusps. The timing of this artifact correlates with invasive hemodynamics and
      mechanical aortic valve artifacts. Recognition of this physiological phenomenon
      is useful when assigning near-field activation.

PMID- 28630169
TI  - Patient-Specific Drug Screening Using a Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model
      of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Type 2.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia type 2 (CPVT2)
      results from autosomal recessive CASQ2 mutations, causing abnormal Ca2+-handling
      and malignant ventricular arrhythmias. We aimed to establish a patient-specific
      human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) model of CPVT2 and to use the
      generated hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes to gain insights into patient-specific
      disease mechanism and pharmacotherapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: hiPSC cardiomyocytes
      were derived from a CPVT2 patient (D307H-CASQ2 mutation) and from healthy
      controls. Laser-confocal Ca2+ and voltage imaging showed significant Ca2+
      transient irregularities, marked arrhythmogenicity manifested by early
      afterdepolarizations and triggered arrhythmias, and reduced threshold for store
      overload-induced Ca2+-release events in the CPVT2-hiPSC cardiomyocytes when
      compared with healthy control cells. Pharmacological studies revealed the
      prevention of adrenergic-induced arrhythmias by beta-blockers (propranolol and
      carvedilol), flecainide, and the neuronal sodium-channel blocker riluzole; a
      direct antiarrhythmic action of carvedilol (independent of its alpha/beta
      adrenergic blocking activity), flecainide, and riluzole; and suppression of
      abnormal Ca2+ cycling by the ryanodine stabilizer JTV-519 and carvedilol.
      Mechanistic insights were gained on the different antiarrhythmic actions of the
      aforementioned drugs, with carvedilol and JTV-519 (but not flecainide or
      riluzole) acting primarily through sarcoplasmic reticulum stabilization. Finally,
      comparable outcomes were found between flecainide and labetalol antiarrhythmic
      effects in vitro and the clinical results in the same patient. CONCLUSIONS: These
      results demonstrate the ability of hiPSCs cardiomyocytes to recapitulate CPVT2
      disease phenotype and drug response in the culture dish, to provide novel
      insights into disease and drug therapy mechanisms, and potentially to tailor
      patient-specific drug therapy.

PMID- 28630172
TI  - Role of His Refractory Premature Ventricular Complexes in the Differential
      Diagnosis of a Left Bundle Branch Block Morphology Tachycardia.

PMID- 28630171
TI  - Distinctive Left Ventricular Activations Associated With ECG Pattern in Heart
      Failure Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In contrast to patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB), heart
      failure patients with narrow QRS and nonspecific intraventricular conduction
      delay (NICD) display a relatively limited response to cardiac resynchronization
      therapy. We sought to compare left ventricular (LV) activation patterns in heart
      failure patients with narrow QRS and NICD to patients with LBBB using high
      density electroanatomic activation maps. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-two heart
      failure patients (narrow QRS [n=18], LBBB [n=11], NICD [n=23]) underwent 3
      dimensional electroanatomic mapping with a high density of mapping points (387+/
      349 LV). Adjunctive scar imaging was available in 37 (71%) patients and was
      analyzed in relation to activation maps. LBBB patients typically demonstrated (1)
      a single LV breakthrough at the septum (38+/-15 ms post-QRS onset); (2) prolonged
      right-to-left transseptal activation with absence of direct LV Purkinje activity;
      (3) homogeneous propagation within the LV cavity; and (4) latest activation at
      the basal lateral LV. In comparison, both NICD and narrow QRS patients
      demonstrated (1) multiple LV breakthroughs along the posterior or anterior
      fascicles: narrow QRS versus LBBB, 5+/-2 versus 1+/-1; P=0.0004; NICD versus
      LBBB, 4+/-2 versus 1+/-1; P=0.001); (2) evidence of early/pre-QRS LV electrograms
      with Purkinje potentials; (3) rapid propagation in narrow QRS patients and more
      heterogeneous propagation in NICD patients; and (4) presence of limited areas of
      late activation associated with LV scar with high interindividual heterogeneity.
      CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to LBBB patients, narrow QRS and NICD patients are
      characterized by distinct mechanisms of LV activation, which may predict poor
      response to cardiac resynchronization therapy.

PMID- 28630173
TI  - Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death Early Post-Myocardial Infarction: Root
      Cause Analysis for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Failure and Currently
      Available Options.

PMID- 28630174
TI  - Experimental, Pathologic, and Clinical Findings of Radiofrequency Catheter
      Ablation of Para-Hisian Region From the Right Ventricle in Dogs and Humans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ablation of para-Hisian accessory pathway (AP) poses high risks of
      atrioventricular block. We developed a pacing technique to differentiate the near
      field (NF) from far-field His activations to avoid the complication. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Three-dimensional mapping of the right ventricle was performed in 15
      mongrel dogs and 23 patients with para-Hisian AP. Using different pacing outputs,
      the NF- and far-field His activation was identified on the ventricular aspect.
      Radiofrequency application was delivered at the NF His site in 8 (group 1) and
      the far-field His site in 7 dogs (group 2), followed by pathologic examination
      after 14 days. NF His activation was captured with 5 mA/1 ms in 10 and 10 mA/1 ms
      in 5 dogs. In group 1, radiofrequency delivery resulted in complete
      atrioventricular block in 3, right bundle branch block with HV (His-to
      ventricular) interval prolongation in 1, and only right bundle branch block in 2
      dogs, whereas no changes occurred in group 2. Pathologic examination in group-1
      dogs showed complete or partial necrosis of the His bundle in 4 and complete
      necrosis of the right bundle branch in 5 dogs. In group 2, partial necrosis in
      the right bundle branch was found only in 1 dog. Using this pacing technique, the
      APs were 5.7+/-1.2 mm away from the His bundle located superiorly in 20 or
      inferiorly in 3 patients. All APs were successfully eliminated with 1 to 3
      radiofrequency applications. No complications and recurrence occurred during a
      follow-up of 11.8+/-1.4 months. CONCLUSIONS: Differentiating the NF His from far
      field His activations led to a high ablation success without atrioventricular
      block in para-Hisian AP patients.

PMID- 28630175
TI  - Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Disease Model for
      Pathogenesis Studies and Clinical Pharmacotherapy.

PMID- 28630176
TI  - Diagnostic Perturbations.

PMID- 28630178
TI  - Efficacy of Cefiderocol against Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli in
      Immunocompetent-Rat Respiratory Tract Infection Models Recreating Human Plasma
      Pharmacokinetics.
AB  - Cefiderocol (S-649266), a novel siderophore cephalosporin, shows potent activity
      against carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. In this study, we evaluated
      the efficacy of cefiderocol against carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli
      (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) in
      immunocompetent-rat respiratory tract infection models recreating plasma
      pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles in healthy human subjects. A total of 6 clinical
      isolates (1 cephalosporin-susceptible P. aeruginosa isolate, 1 multidrug
      resistant P. aeruginosa isolate, 2 multidrug-resistant A. baumannii isolates, and
      2 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates) were evaluated. Four-day treatment
      with a human exposure of 1 g ceftazidime every 8 h as a 0.5-h infusion showed
      potent efficacy only against a ceftazidime-susceptible isolate, not against five
      ceftazidime-resistant isolates harboring carbapenemase. With cefiderocol, a human
      exposure of 2 g every 8 h as a 3-h infusion for 4 days produced a >3 log10
      reduction in the number of viable cells of these carbapenem-resistant isolates in
      the lungs. When the infusion time was 1 h, bactericidal activity was also
      observed against all isolates tested, although for 2 of 5 carbapenem-resistant
      isolates, a 3 log10 reduction was not achieved. The difference in efficacy
      achieved by changing the infusion period from 1 h to 3 h was considered to be due
      to the higher percentage of the dosing interval during which free-drug
      concentrations were above the MIC (%fTMIC), as observed for beta-lactam
      antibiotics. These results suggest the potential utility of cefiderocol for the
      treatment of lung infections caused by carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa, A.
      baumannii, and K. pneumoniae strains.

PMID- 28630177
TI  - Integrated genome and transcriptome sequencing identifies a noncoding mutation in
      the genome replication factor DONSON as the cause of microcephaly-micromelia
      syndrome.
AB  - While next-generation sequencing has accelerated the discovery of human disease
      genes, progress has been largely limited to the "low hanging fruit" of mutations
      with obvious exonic coding or canonical splice site impact. In contrast, the lack
      of high-throughput, unbiased approaches for functional assessment of most
      noncoding variants has bottlenecked gene discovery. We report the integration of
      transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), which surveys all mRNAs to reveal functional
      impacts of variants at the transcription level, into the gene discovery framework
      for a unique human disease, microcephaly-micromelia syndrome (MMS). MMS is an
      autosomal recessive condition described thus far in only a single First Nations
      population and causes intrauterine growth restriction, severe microcephaly,
      craniofacial anomalies, skeletal dysplasia, and neonatal lethality. Linkage
      analysis of affected families, including a very large pedigree, identified a
      single locus on Chromosome 21 linked to the disease (LOD > 9). Comprehensive
      genome sequencing did not reveal any pathogenic coding or canonical splicing
      mutations within the linkage region but identified several nonconserved noncoding
      variants. RNA-seq analysis detected aberrant splicing in DONSON due to one of
      these noncoding variants, showing a causative role for DONSON disruption in MMS.
      We show that DONSON is expressed in progenitor cells of embryonic human brain and
      other proliferating tissues, is co-expressed with components of the DNA
      replication machinery, and that Donson is essential for early embryonic
      development in mice as well, suggesting an essential conserved role for DONSON in
      the cell cycle. Our results demonstrate the utility of integrating
      transcriptomics into the study of human genetic disease when DNA sequencing alone
      is not sufficient to reveal the underlying pathogenic mutation.

PMID- 28630179
TI  - Antibiotic Resistance as a Stress Response: Recovery of High-Level Oxacillin
      Resistance in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus "Auxiliary" (fem)
      Mutants by Induction of the Stringent Stress Response.
AB  - Studies with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain COL have
      shown that the optimal resistance phenotype requires not only mecA but also a
      large number of "auxiliary genes" identified by Tn551 mutagenesis. The majority
      of auxiliary mutants showed greatly increased levels of oxacillin resistance when
      grown in the presence of sub-MICs of mupirocin, suggesting that the mechanism of
      reduced resistance in the auxiliary mutants involved the interruption of a
      stringent stress response, causing reduced production of penicillin-binding
      protein 2A (PBP 2A).

PMID- 28630180
TI  - De Novo Acquisition of Resistance to SCY-078 in Candida glabrata Involves FKS
      Mutations That both Overlap and Are Distinct from Those Conferring Echinocandin
      Resistance.
AB  - SCY-078 is an orally active antifungal whose target is the beta-(1,3)-d-glucan
      synthase (GS). We evaluated the spontaneous emergence of SCY-078-resistant
      Candida glabrata isolates following drug exposure in vitro Resistant isolates
      were analyzed using broth microdilution methodology and FKS sequencing. The
      kinetic inhibition parameter IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) was also
      determined from GS complexes. The spectrum of resistance mutations found
      suggested a partially overlapping but independent binding site for SCY-078
      relative to echinocandins on GS.

PMID- 28630181
TI  - In Vitro Activity of the Siderophore Cephalosporin, Cefiderocol, against a Recent
      Collection of Clinically Relevant Gram-Negative Bacilli from North America and
      Europe, Including Carbapenem-Nonsusceptible Isolates (SIDERO-WT-2014 Study).
AB  - Cefiderocol (formerly S-649266) is an investigational siderophore cephalosporin.
      Iron-depleted cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth (ID-CAMHB) was prepared
      according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocol and
      used to perform broth microdilution testing of cefiderocol against a 2014-2015
      collection of clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli from North America (n =
      4,239) and Europe (n = 4,966). The concentrations of cefiderocol inhibiting 90%
      of isolates tested (MIC90s) were 0.5 MUg/ml (North America; n = 3,007) and 1
      MUg/ml (Europe; n = 3,080) for all isolates of Enterobacteriaceae; 1 MUg/ml
      (North America; n = 30) and 4 MUg/ml (Europe; n = 139) for meropenem
      nonsusceptible (MIC >= 2 MUg/ml) isolates of Enterobacteriaceae; 0.5 MUg/ml for
      both North American (n = 765) and European (n = 765) isolates of Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa; 0.5 MUg/ml (North America; n = 151) and 1 MUg/ml (Europe; n = 202)
      for meropenem-nonsusceptible (MIC >= 4 MUg/ml) isolates of P. aeruginosa; 1
      MUg/ml for both North American (n = 309) and European (n = 839) isolates of all
      Acinetobacter baumannii strains as well as for both North American (n = 173) and
      European (n = 595) isolates of meropenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii; and
      0.5MUg/ml (North America; n = 152) and 0.25 MUg/ml (Europe; n = 276) for isolates
      of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MICs of cefiderocol were <=4 MUg/ml for 99.9%
      (6,078/6,087) of all Enterobacteriaceae, 97.0% (164/169) of meropenem
      nonsusceptible Enterobacteriaceae, 99.9% (1,529/1,530) of all P. aeruginosa
      isolates, 100% (353/353) of meropenem-nonsusceptible P. aeruginosa isolates,
      97.6% (1,120/1,148) of all A. baumannii isolates, 96.9% (744/768) of meropenem
      nonsusceptible A. baumannii isolates, 100% of isolates of S. maltophilia
      (428/428) and 93.8% of isolates of Burkholderia cepecia (11/12). We conclude that
      cefiderocol demonstrated potent in vitro activity against a recent collection of
      clinical isolates of commonly encountered Gram-negative bacilli, including
      carbapenem-nonsusceptible isolates.

PMID- 28630182
TI  - Biodistribution and In Vivo Antileishmanial Activity of 1,2
      Distigmasterylhemisuccinoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine Liposome-Intercalated
      Amphotericin B.
AB  - 1,2-Distigmasterylhemisuccinoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSHemsPC) is a new
      lipid in which two molecules of stigmasterol (an inexpensive plant sterol) are
      covalently linked via a succinic acid to glycerophosphocholine. Our previous
      study revealed that liposome (Lip)-intercalated amphotericin B (AMB) prepared
      from DSHemsPC (DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip) possesses excellent colloidal properties and in
      vitro antifungal and antileishmanial activities similar to those of the liposomal
      AMB preparation AmBisome. The aim of this study was to determine the
      biodistribution and evaluate the antileishmanial effects of DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip in
      Leishmania major-infected BALB/c mice. The serum profile and tissue
      concentrations of AMB were similar in DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip- and AmBisome-treated mice
      after intravenous (i.v.) injection. Multiple i.v. doses of the micellar
      formulation of AMB (Fungizone; 1 mg/kg of body weight), DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip (5
      mg/kg), and AmBisome (5 mg/kg) were used in L. major-infected BALB/c mouse models
      of early and established lesions. In a model of the early lesions of cutaneous
      leishmaniasis (CL), the results indicated that the level of footpad inflammation
      was significantly (P < 0.001) lower in mice treated with DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip and
      AmBisome than mice treated with empty liposomes or 5% dextrose. The splenic and
      footpad parasite load was also significantly (P < 0.001) lower in these groups of
      mice than in control mice that received 5% DW or free liposome. The in vivo
      activity of DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip was comparable to that of AmBisome, and both
      provided improved results compared to those achieved with Fungizone at the
      designated doses. The results suggest that systemic DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip
      administration may be useful for the treatment of leishmaniasis, and because it
      costs less to produce DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip than AmBisome, DSHemsPC-AMB-Lip merits
      further investigation.

PMID- 28630183
TI  - Bioavailability of Lumefantrine Is Significantly Enhanced with a Novel
      Formulation Approach, an Outcome from a Randomized, Open-Label Pharmacokinetic
      Study in Healthy Volunteers.
AB  - The artemether-lumefantrine combination requires food intake for the optimal
      absorption of lumefantrine. In an attempt to enhance the bioavailability of
      lumefantrine, new solid dispersion formulations (SDF) were developed, and the
      pharmacokinetics of two SDF variants were assessed in a randomized, open-label,
      sequential two-part study in healthy volunteers. In part 1, the relative
      bioavailability of the two SDF variants was compared with that of the
      conventional formulation after administration of a single dose of 480 mg under
      fasted conditions in three parallel cohorts. In part 2, the pharmacokinetics of
      lumefantrine from both SDF variants were evaluated after a single dose of 480 mg
      under fed conditions and a single dose of 960 mg under fasted conditions. The
      bioavailability of lumefantrine from SDF variant 1 and variant 2 increased up to
      ~48-fold and ~24-fold, respectively, relative to that of the conventional
      formulation. Both variants demonstrated a positive food effect and a less than
      proportional increase in exposure between the 480-mg and 960-mg doses. Most
      adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate in severity and not suspected to be
      related to the study drug. All five drug-related AEs occurred in subjects taking
      SDF variant 2. No clinically significant treatment-emergent changes in vital
      signs, electrocardiograms, or laboratory blood assessments were noted. The solid
      dispersion formulation enhances the lumefantrine bioavailability to a significant
      extent, and SDF variant 1 is superior to SDF variant 2.

PMID- 28630184
TI  - Occurrence of Clinically Important Lineages, Including the Sequence Type 131 C1
      M27 Subclone, among Extended-Spectrum-beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli
      in Wastewater.
AB  - Contamination of environmental waters by extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)
      producing Escherichia coli (ESBLEC) is of great concern. Wastewater treatment
      plants (WWTPs) and hospitals release large amounts of ESBLEC into the
      environment. In the present study, we isolated ESBLEC strains from wastewater
      collected from a WWTP and a hospital in Japan and performed whole-genome
      sequencing to characterize these strains. Genomic analysis of 54 strains (32 from
      the WWTP and 22 from hospital wastewater) revealed the occurrence of clinically
      important clonal groups with extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli status in the
      WWTP and hospital wastewater. Fine-scale phylogenetic analysis was performed to
      further characterize 15 sequence type 131 (ST131) complex strains (11 from the
      WWTP and 4 from hospital wastewater). These ST131 complex strains were comprised
      of the following different subgroups: clade A (n = 2), C1-M27 (n = 8), and C1
      (non-C1-M27) (n = 1) for strains from the WWTP and clade A (n = 2), C1-M27 (n =
      1), and C1 (non-C1-M27) (n = 1) for strains from hospital wastewater. The results
      indicate that ESBLEC strains belonging to clinically important lineages,
      including the C1-M27 clade, may disseminate into the environment through
      wastewater, highlighting the need to monitor for antibiotic resistance in
      wastewater.

PMID- 28630185
TI  - In Vivo Biomarker Analysis of the Effects of Intranasally Dosed PC945, a Novel
      Antifungal Triazole, on Aspergillus fumigatus Infection in Immunocompromised
      Mice.
AB  - PC945 is a novel triazole optimized for lung delivery, and the objective of this
      study is to determine the effects of intranasally dosed PC945 on Aspergillus
      fumigatus infection and associated biomarkers in immunocompromised mice. PC945,
      posaconazole, or voriconazole was administered intranasally once daily on days 0
      to 3 (early intervention) or days 1 to 3 (late intervention) postinfection in
      temporarily neutropenic A/J mice infected intranasally with A. fumigatus, and
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were collected on day 3. The
      effects of extended prophylaxis treatment (daily from days -7 to +3 or days -7 to
      0) were also compared with those of the shorter treatment regimens (days -1 to +3
      or days -1 and 0). Early and late interventions with PC945 (2.8 to 350 MUg/mouse;
      approximately 0.11 to ~14 mg/kg of body weight) were found to inhibit lung fungal
      loads and to decrease the concentrations of galactomannan (GM) in both BALF and
      serum as well as several biomarkers in BALF (interferon gamma [IFN-gamma],
      interleukin-17 [IL-17], and malondialdehyde) and serum (tumor necrosis factor
      alpha [TNF-alpha] and IL-6) in a dose-dependent manner and were >3- and >47-fold
      more potent than intranasally dosed posaconazole and voriconazole, respectively.
      Furthermore, extended prophylaxis with low-dose PC945 (0.56 MUg/mouse; 0.022
      mg/kg) was found to inhibit fungal loads and to decrease the concentrations
      biomarkers more potently than did the shorter treatment regimens. Thus, PC945
      dosed intranasally once daily showed potent antifungal effects, and the effects
      of PC945 accumulated upon repeat dosing and were persistent. Therefore, PC945 has
      the potential to be a novel inhaled therapy for the treatment of A. fumigatus
      infection in humans.

PMID- 28630186
TI  - Loss of C-5 Sterol Desaturase Activity Results in Increased Resistance to Azole
      and Echinocandin Antifungals in a Clinical Isolate of Candida parapsilosis.
AB  - Among emerging non-albicans Candida species, Candida parapsilosis is of
      particular concern as a cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections in neonatal
      and intensive care unit patients. While fluconazole and echinocandins are
      considered effective treatments for such infections, recent reports of
      fluconazole and echinocandin resistance in C. parapsilosis indicate a growing
      problem. The present study describes a novel mechanism of antifungal resistance
      in this organism affecting susceptibility to azole and echinocandin antifungals
      in a clinical isolate obtained from a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis.
      Transcriptome analysis indicated differential expression of several genes in the
      resistant isolate, including upregulation of ergosterol biosynthesis pathway
      genes ERG2, ERG5, ERG6, ERG11, ERG24, ERG25, and UPC2 Whole-genome sequencing
      revealed that the resistant isolate possessed an ERG3 mutation resulting in a
      G111R amino acid substitution. Sterol profiles indicated a reduction in sterol
      desaturase activity as a result of this mutation. Replacement of both mutant
      alleles in the resistant isolate with the susceptible isolate's allele restored
      wild-type susceptibility to all azoles and echinocandins tested. Disruption of
      ERG3 in the susceptible and resistant isolates resulted in a loss of sterol
      desaturase activity, high-level azole resistance, and an echinocandin
      intermediate to -resistant phenotype. While disruption of ERG3 in C. albicans
      resulted in azole resistance, echinocandin MICs, while elevated, remained within
      the susceptible range. This work demonstrates that the G111R substitution in Erg3
      is wholly responsible for the altered azole and echinocandin susceptibilities
      observed in this C. parapsilosis isolate and is the first report of an ERG3
      mutation influencing susceptibility to the echinocandins.

PMID- 28630187
TI  - Cumulative Effect of an Antimicrobial Stewardship and Rapid Diagnostic Testing
      Bundle on Early Streamlining of Antimicrobial Therapy in Gram-Negative
      Bloodstream Infections.
AB  - The use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) enhances antimicrobial stewardship
      program (ASP) interventions in optimization of antimicrobial therapy. This quasi
      experimental cohort study evaluated the combined impact of an ASP/RDT bundle on
      the appropriateness of empirical antimicrobial therapy (EAT) and time to de
      escalation of broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents (BSAA) in Gram-negative
      bloodstream infections (GNBSI). The ASP/RDT bundle consisted of system-wide GNBSI
      treatment guidelines, prospective stewardship monitoring, and sequential
      introduction of two RDTs, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of
      flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and the FilmArray blood culture
      identification (BCID) panel. The preintervention period was January 2010 through
      December 2013, and the postintervention period followed from January 2014 through
      June 2015. The postintervention period was conducted in two phases; phase 1
      followed the introduction of MALDI-TOF MS, and phase 2 followed the introduction
      of the FilmArray BCID panel. The interventions resulted in significantly improved
      appropriateness of EAT (95% versus 91%; P = 0.02). Significant reductions in
      median time to de-escalation from combination antimicrobial therapy (2.8 versus
      1.5 days), antipseudomonal beta-lactams (4.0 versus 2.5 days), and carbapenems
      (4.0 versus 2.5 days) were observed in the postintervention compared to the
      preintervention period (P < 0.001 for all). The reduction in median time to de
      escalation from combination therapy (1.0 versus 2.0 days; P = 0.03) and
      antipseudomonal beta-lactams (2.2 versus 2.7 days; P = 0.04) was further
      augmented during phase 2 compared to phase 1 of the postintervention period.
      Implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program and RDT intervention
      bundle in a multihospital health care system is associated with improved
      appropriateness of EAT for GNBSI and decreased utilization of BSAA through early
      de-escalation.

PMID- 28630188
TI  - Identification of 1-((2,4-Dichlorophenethyl)Amino)-3-Phenoxypropan-2-ol, a Novel
      Antibacterial Compound Active against Persisters of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - Antibiotics typically fail to completely eradicate a bacterial population,
      leaving a small fraction of transiently antibiotic-tolerant persister cells
      intact. Persisters are therefore seen to be a major cause of treatment failure
      and greatly contribute to the recalcitrant nature of chronic infections. The
      current study focused on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative pathogen
      belonging to the notorious ESKAPE group of pathogens (Enterococcus faecium,
      Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii,
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) and, due to increasing
      resistance against most conventional antibiotics, posing a serious threat to
      human health. Greatly contributing to the difficult treatment of P. aeruginosa
      infections is the presence of persister cells, and elimination of these cells
      would therefore significantly improve patient outcomes. In this study, a small
      molecule library was screened for compounds that, in combination with the
      fluoroquinolone antibiotic ofloxacin, reduced the number of P. aeruginosa
      persisters compared to the number achieved with treatment with the antibiotic
      alone. Based on the early structure-activity relationship, 1-((2,4
      dichlorophenethyl)amino)-3-phenoxypropan-2-ol (SPI009) was selected for further
      characterization. Combination of SPI009 with mechanistically distinct classes of
      antibiotics reduced the number of persisters up to 106-fold in both lab strains
      and clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa Further characterization of the compound
      revealed a direct and efficient killing of persister cells. SPI009 caused no
      erythrocyte damage and demonstrated minor cytotoxicity. In conclusion, we
      identified a novel antipersister compound active against P. aeruginosa with
      promising applications for the design of novel, case-specific combination
      therapies in the fight against chronic infections.

PMID- 28630189
TI  - In Vitro Activity of Delafloxacin and Microbiological Response against
      Fluoroquinolone-Susceptible and Nonsusceptible Staphylococcus aureus Isolates
      from Two Phase 3 Studies of Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections.
AB  - Delafloxacin is an investigational anionic fluoroquinolone antibiotic with broad
      spectrum in vitro activity, including activity against Gram-positive organisms,
      Gram-negative organisms, atypical organisms, and anaerobes. The in vitro activity
      of delafloxacin and the percent microbiological response in subjects infected
      with fluoroquinolone-susceptible and nonsusceptible Staphylococcus aureus
      isolates were determined from two global phase 3 studies of delafloxacin versus
      vancomycin plus aztreonam in patients with acute bacterial skin and skin
      structure infections (ABSSSI). Patients from 23 countries, predominately the
      United States but also Europe, South America, and Asia, were enrolled. The
      microbiological intent-to-treat (MITT) population included 1,042 patients from
      which 685 S. aureus isolates were submitted for identification and susceptibility
      testing per CLSI guidelines at the central laboratory (JMI Laboratories, North
      Liberty, IA). The comparator fluoroquinolone antibiotics included levofloxacin
      and ciprofloxacin. Nonsusceptibility to these antibiotics was determined using
      CLSI breakpoints. S. aureus isolates were 33.7% levofloxacin nonsusceptible (LVX
      NS). The delafloxacin MIC90 values against levofloxacin-nonsusceptible S. aureus,
      methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus
      isolates were all 0.25 MUg/ml. Delafloxacin demonstrated high rates of
      microbiological response against LVX-NS isolates as well as isolates with
      documented mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR). S.
      aureus was eradicated or presumed eradicated in 98.4% (245/249) of delafloxacin
      treated patients. Similar eradication rates were observed for delafloxacin
      treated subjects with levofloxacin-nonsusceptible S. aureus isolates (80/81;
      98.8%) and MRSA isolates (70/71; 98.6%). Microbiological response rates of 98.6%
      were observed with delafloxacin-treated subjects with S. aureus isolates with the
      S84L mutation in gyrA and the S80Y mutation in parC, the most commonly observed
      mutations in global phase 3 studies. The data suggest that delafloxacin could be
      a good option for the treatment of infections caused by S. aureus isolates
      causing ABSSSI, including MRSA isolates, where high rates of ciprofloxacin and
      levofloxacin nonsusceptibility are observed. (The phase 3 studies described in
      this paper have been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifiers
      NCT01984684 and NCT01811732.).

PMID- 28630190
TI  - beta-Lactam Antibiotics with a High Affinity for PBP2 Act Synergistically with
      the FtsZ-Targeting Agent TXA707 against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus.
AB  - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant
      pathogen that poses a significant risk to global health today. We have developed
      a promising new FtsZ-targeting agent (TXA707) with potent activity against MRSA
      isolates resistant to current standard-of-care antibiotics. We present here
      results that demonstrate differing extents of synergy between TXA707 and a broad
      range of beta-lactam antibiotics (including six cephalosporins, two penicillins,
      and two carbapenems) against MRSA. To explore whether there is a correlation
      between the extent of synergy and the preferential antibacterial target of each
      beta-lactam, we determined the binding affinities of the beta-lactam antibiotics
      for each of the four native penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of S. aureus using
      a fluorescence anisotropy competition assay. A comparison of the resulting PBP
      binding affinities with our corresponding synergy results reveals that beta
      lactams with a high affinity for PBP2 afford the greatest degree of synergy with
      TXA707 against MRSA. In addition, we present fluorescence and electron microscopy
      studies that suggest a potential mechanism underlying the synergy between TXA707
      and the beta-lactam antibiotics. In this connection, our microscopy results show
      a disruption of septum formation in TXA707-treated MRSA cells, with a concomitant
      mislocalization of the PBPs from midcell to nonproductive peripheral sites.
      Viewed as a whole, our results indicate that PBP2-targeting beta-lactam
      antibiotics are optimal synergistic partners with FtsZ-targeting agents for use
      in combination therapy of MRSA infections.

PMID- 28630191
TI  - Ceftazidime-Avibactam and Aztreonam, an Interesting Strategy To Overcome beta
      Lactam Resistance Conferred by Metallo-beta-Lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae and
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PMID- 28630192
TI  - In Vitro Activity of Aztreonam-Avibactam against Enterobacteriaceae and
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated by Clinical Laboratories in 40 Countries from
      2012 to 2015.
AB  - The combination of the monobactam aztreonam and the non-beta-lactam beta
      lactamase inhibitor avibactam is currently in clinical development for the
      treatment of serious infections caused by metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL)-producing
      Enterobacteriaceae, a difficult-to-treat subtype of carbapenem-resistant
      Enterobacteriaceae for which therapeutic options are currently very limited. The
      present study tested clinically significant isolates of Enterobacteriaceae (n =
      51,352) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 11,842) collected from hospitalized
      patients in 208 medical center laboratories from 40 countries from 2012 to 2015
      for in vitro susceptibility to aztreonam-avibactam, aztreonam, and comparator
      antimicrobial agents using a standard broth microdilution methodology. Avibactam
      was tested at a fixed concentration of 4 MUg/ml in combination with 2-fold
      dilutions of aztreonam. The MIC90s of aztreonam-avibactam and aztreonam were 0.12
      and 64 MUg/ml, respectively, for all Enterobacteriaceae isolates; >99.9% of all
      isolates and 99.8% of meropenem-nonsusceptible isolates (n = 1,498) were
      inhibited by aztreonam-avibactam at a concentration of <=8 MUg/ml. PCR and DNA
      sequencing identified 267 Enterobacteriaceae isolates positive for MBL genes
      (NDM, VIM, IMP); all Enterobacteriaceae carrying MBLs demonstrated aztreonam
      avibactam MICs of <=8 MUg/ml and a MIC90 of 1 MUg/ml. Against all P. aeruginosa
      isolates tested, the MIC90 of both aztreonam-avibactam and aztreonam was 32
      MUg/ml; against MBL-positive P. aeruginosa isolates (n = 452), MIC90 values for
      aztreonam-avibactam and aztreonam were 32 and 64 MUg/ml, respectively. The
      current study demonstrated that aztreonam-avibactam possesses potent in vitro
      activity against a recent, sizeable global collection of Enterobacteriaceae
      clinical isolates, including isolates that were meropenem nonsusceptible, and
      against MBL-positive isolates of Enterobacteriaceae, for which there are few
      treatment options.

PMID- 28630193
TI  - Pyrazinamide Susceptibility and pncA Mutation Profiles of Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis among Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients in Bangladesh.
AB  - Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a frontline antituberculosis (anti-TB) drug used in both
      first- and second-line treatment regimens. However, due to complex laboratory
      requirements, the PZA susceptibility test is rarely performed, leading to a
      scarcity of data on susceptibility to PZA. Bangladesh is a country with a burden
      of high rates of both TB and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), but to our
      knowledge, published data on rates of PZA susceptibility (PZAs), especially among
      MDR-TB patients, are limited. We aimed to analyze the PZA susceptibility patterns
      of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from MDR-TB patients and to correlate the
      pncA mutation with PZA resistance in Bangladesh. A total of 169 confirmed MDR M.
      tuberculosis isolates from a pool of specimens collected in a nationwide
      surveillance study were included in this analysis. All the isolates were tested
      for phenotypic PZA susceptibility in Bactec mycobacterial growth indicator tube
      (MGIT) culture medium, and the pncA gene was sequenced. We also correlated
      different types of clinical information and treatment outcomes with PZA
      susceptibility. We found that 45% of isolates were phenotypically PZA resistant.
      Sequencing of the pncA gene revealed a high concordance (82.2%) between the pncA
      gene sequence and the phenotypic assay results. A total of 64 different mutations
      were found, and 9 isolates harbored multiple mutations. We detected 27 new pncA
      mutations. We did not find any significant correlation between the different
      clinical categories, the genetic lineage, or treatment outcome group and PZA
      susceptibility. Considering the turnaround time, sequencing would be the more
      feasible option to determine PZA susceptibility, and further studies to
      investigate the MIC of PZA should be conducted to determine an effective dose of
      the drug.

PMID- 28630194
TI  - Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Single-Dose Intravenous (ZTI-01)
      and Oral Fosfomycin in Healthy Volunteers.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of intravenous (i.v.) fosfomycin
      disodium (ZTI-01) and oral fosfomycin tromethamine were evaluated after a single
      dose in 28 healthy adult subjects. Subjects received a single 1-h i.v. infusion
      of 1 g and 8 g fosfomycin disodium and a single dose of 3 g oral fosfomycin
      tromethamine in a phase I, randomized, open-label, three-period crossover study.
      Serial blood and urine samples were collected before and up to 48 h after dosing.
      The mean pharmacokinetic parameters +/- standard deviations of fosfomycin in
      plasma after 1 g and 8 g i.v., respectively, were the following: maximum
      clearance of drug in serum (Cmax), 44.3 +/- 7.6 and 370 +/- 61.9 MUg/ml; time to
      maximum concentration of drug in serum (Tmax), 1.1 +/- 0.05 and 1.08 +/- 0.01 h;
      volume of distribution (V), 29.7 +/- 5.7 and 31.5 +/- 10.4 liters; clearance
      (CL), 8.7 +/- 1.7 and 7.8 +/- 1.4 liters/h; renal clearance (CLR), 6.6 +/- 1.9
      and 6.3 +/- 1.6 liters/h; area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to
      infinity (AUC0-infinity), 120 +/- 28.5 and 1,060 +/- 192 MUg.h/ml; and half-life
      (t1/2), 2.4 +/- 0.4 and 2.8 +/- 0.6 h. After oral administration, the parameters
      were the following: Cmax, 26.8 +/- 6.4 MUg/ml; Tmax, 2.25 +/- 0.4 h; V/F, 204 +/-
      70.7 liters; CL/F, 17 +/- 4.7 liters/h; CLR, 6.5 +/- 1.8 liters/h; AUC0-infinity,
      191 +/- 57.6 MUg . h/ml; and t1/2, 9.04 +/- 4.5 h. The percent relative
      bioavailability of orally administered fosfomycin was 52.8% in relation to the 1
      g i.v. dose. Approximately 74% and 80% of the 1-g and 8-g i.v. doses were
      excreted unchanged in the urine by 48 h compared to 37% after oral
      administration, with the majority of this excretion occurring by 12 h regardless
      of dosage form. No new safety concerns were identified during this study. The
      results of this study support further investigation of i.v. fosfomycin in the
      target patient population, including patients with complicated urinary tract
      infections and pyelonephritis.

PMID- 28630195
TI  - Topical Antimicrobial Treatments Can Elicit Shifts to Resident Skin Bacterial
      Communities and Reduce Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus Competitors.
AB  - The skin microbiome is a complex ecosystem with important implications for
      cutaneous health and disease. Topical antibiotics and antiseptics are often
      employed to preserve the balance of this population and inhibit colonization by
      more pathogenic bacteria. However, despite their widespread use, the impact of
      these interventions on broader microbial communities remains poorly understood.
      Here, we report the longitudinal effects of topical antibiotics and antiseptics
      on skin bacterial communities and their role in Staphylococcus aureus
      colonization resistance. In response to antibiotics, cutaneous populations
      exhibited an immediate shift in bacterial residents, an effect that persisted for
      multiple days posttreatment. By contrast, antiseptics elicited only minor changes
      to skin bacterial populations, with few changes to the underlying microbiota.
      While variable in scope, both antibiotics and antiseptics were found to decrease
      colonization by commensal Staphylococcus spp. by sequencing- and culture-based
      methods, an effect which was highly dependent on baseline levels of
      Staphylococcus Because Staphylococcus residents have been shown to compete with
      the skin pathogen S. aureus, we also tested whether treatment could influence S.
      aureus levels at the skin surface. We found that treated mice were more
      susceptible to exogenous association with S. aureus and that precolonization with
      the same Staphylococcus residents that were previously disrupted by treatment
      reduced S. aureus levels by over 100-fold. In all, the results of this study
      indicate that antimicrobial drugs can alter skin bacterial residents and that
      these alterations can have critical implications for cutaneous host defense.

PMID- 28630196
TI  - Antimicrobial Susceptibility Trends among Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from
      U.S. Hospitals: Results from 7 Years of the Ceftaroline (AWARE) Surveillance
      Program, 2010 to 2016.
AB  - We evaluated trends in Staphylococcus aureus antimicrobial susceptibility in U.S.
      hospitals in the 2010-2016 period. A total of 21,056 clinical isolates from 42
      medical centers were tested for susceptibility by broth microdilution methods.
      Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) rates decreased from 50.0% (in 2010) to
      42.2% (in 2016). Susceptibility to erythromycin, levofloxacin, and clindamycin
      increased slightly, whereas susceptibility to ceftaroline, trimethoprim
      sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline remained stable. Ceftaroline retained potent
      activity against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA (97.2%
      susceptible) with no marked variations.

PMID- 28630197
TI  - Pharmacodynamics of Cefepime Combined with Tazobactam against Clinically Relevant
      Enterobacteriaceae in a Neutropenic Mouse Thigh Model.
AB  - The lack of new antibiotics has prompted investigation of the combination of two
      existing agents-cefepime, a broad-spectrum cephalosporin, and tazobactam-to
      broaden their efficacy against extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing
      Enterobacteriaceae We determined the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic
      (PD) properties of the combination in a murine neutropenic thigh model in order
      to establish its exposure-response relationships (ERRs). The PK of cefepime were
      determined for five doses; that of tazobactam was determined in earlier studies
      (Melchers et al., Antimicrob Agents Chemother 59:3373-3376, 2015,
      https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.04402-14). The PK were linear for both compounds. The
      estimated mean (standard deviation [SD]) half-life of cefepime was 0.33 (0.12) h,
      and that of tazobactam was 0.176 (0.026) h; the volumes of distribution (V) were
      0.73 liters/kg and 1.14 liters/kg, respectively. PD studies of cefepime
      administered every 2 h (q2h) with or without tazobactam, including dose
      fractionation studies of tazobactam, were performed against six ESBL-producing
      isolates. A sigmoidal maximum-effect (Emax) model was fitted to the data. In the
      dose fractionation study, the q2h regimen was more efficacious than the q4h and
      q6h regimens, indicating time-dependent activity of tazobactam. The threshold
      concentration (CT ) best correlating with tazobactam efficacy was 0.25 mg/liter,
      as evidenced by the best fit of the percentage of time above the threshold
      concentration (%fT>CT ) and response. A mean %fT>CT of 24.6% (range, 11.4 to
      36.3%) for a CT of 0.25 mg/liter was required to obtain a bacteriostatic effect.
      We conclude that tazobactam enhanced the effect of cefepime in otherwise
      resistant isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and that the %fT>CT of 0.25 mg/liter
      best correlated with efficacy. These studies provide the basis for the
      development of human dosing regimens for this combination.

PMID- 28630198
TI  - Genome Evolution to Penicillin Resistance in Serotype 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae
      by Capsular Switching.
AB  - Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates of serotype 3 were collected from cases of
      invasive pneumococcal disease (n = 124) throughout Japan between April 2010 and
      March 2013. A penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) isolate from an adult
      patient, strain KK0981 of serotype 3, was identified among these strains. Whole
      genome analysis characterized this PRSP as a recombinant strain derived from PRSP
      of serotype 23F with the cps locus (20.3 kb) replaced by that of a penicillin
      susceptible strain of serotype 3.

PMID- 28630199
TI  - Genomewide Analysis of the Antimicrobial Peptides in Python bivittatus and
      Characterization of Cathelicidins with Potent Antimicrobial Activity and Low
      Cytotoxicity.
AB  - In this study, we sought to identify novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in
      Python bivittatus through bioinformatic analyses of publicly available genome
      information and experimental validation. In our analysis of the python genome, we
      identified 29 AMP-related candidate sequences. Of these, we selected five
      cathelicidin-like sequences and subjected them to further in silico analyses. The
      results showed that these sequences likely have antimicrobial activity. The
      sequences were named Pb-CATH1 to Pb-CATH5 according to their sequence similarity
      to previously reported snake cathelicidins. We predicted their molecular
      structure and then chemically synthesized the mature peptide for three putative
      cathelicidins and subjected them to biological activity tests. Interestingly, all
      three peptides showed potent antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative bacteria
      but very weak activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Remarkably, DeltaPb-CATH4
      showed potent activity against antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates and also
      was observed to possess very low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. DeltaPb
      CATH4 also showed considerable serum stability. Electron microscopic analysis
      indicated that DeltaPb-CATH4 exerts its effects via toroidal pore preformation.
      Structural comparison of the cathelicidins identified in this study to previously
      reported ones revealed that these Pb-CATHs are representatives of a new group of
      reptilian cathelicidins lacking the acidic connecting domain. Furthermore, Pb
      CATH4 possesses a completely different mature peptide sequence from those of
      previously described reptilian cathelicidins. These new AMPs may be candidates
      for the development of alternatives to or complements of antibiotics to control
      multidrug-resistant pathogens.

PMID- 28630200
TI  - Pharmacodynamics and Biodistribution of Single-Dose Liposomal Amphotericin B at
      Different Stages of Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis.
AB  - Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that causes significant
      morbidity and mortality worldwide. Characterization of the pharmacokinetics and
      pharmacodynamics of antileishmanial drugs in preclinical models is important for
      drug development and use. Here we investigated the pharmacodynamics and drug
      distribution of liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) in Leishmania donovani
      infected BALB/c mice at three different dose levels and two different time points
      after infection. We additionally compared drug levels in plasma, liver, and
      spleen in infected and uninfected BALB/c mice over time. At the highest
      administered dose of 10 mg/kg AmBisome, >90% parasite inhibition was observed
      within 2 days after drug administration, consistent with drug distribution from
      blood to tissue within 24 h and a fast rate of kill. Decreased drug potency was
      observed in the spleen when AmBisome was administered on day 35 after infection,
      compared to day 14 after infection. Amphotericin B concentrations and total drug
      amounts per organ were lower in liver and spleen when AmBisome was administered
      at the advanced stage of infection and compared to those in uninfected BALB/c
      mice. However, the magnitude of difference was lower when total drug amounts per
      organ were estimated. Differences were also noted in drug distribution to L.
      donovani-infected livers and spleens. Taken together, our data suggest that organ
      enlargement and other pathophysiological factors cause infection- and organ
      specific drug distribution and elimination after administration of single-dose
      AmBisome to L. donovani-infected mice. Plasma drug levels were not reflective of
      changes in drug levels in tissues.

PMID- 28630201
TI  - Combined Effect of the Cfr Methyltransferase and Ribosomal Protein L3 Mutations
      on Resistance to Ribosome-Targeting Antibiotics.
AB  - Several groups of antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth by binding to bacterial
      ribosomes. Mutations in ribosomal protein L3 have been associated with resistance
      to linezolid and tiamulin, which both bind at the peptidyl transferase center in
      the ribosome. Resistance to these and other antibiotics also occurs through
      methylation of 23S rRNA at position A2503 by the methyltransferase Cfr. The
      mutations in L3 and the cfr gene have been found together in clinical isolates,
      raising the question of whether they have a combined effect on antibiotic
      resistance or growth. We transformed a plasmid-borne cfr gene into a uL3-depleted
      Escherichia coli strain containing either wild-type L3 or L3 with one of seven
      mutations, G147R, Q148F, N149S, N149D, N149R, Q150L, or T151P, expressed from
      plasmid-carried rplC genes. The L3 mutations are well tolerated, with small to
      moderate growth rate decreases. The presence of Cfr has a very minor influence on
      the growth rate. The resistance of the transformants to linezolid, tiamulin,
      florfenicol, and Synercid (a combination of quinupristin and dalfopristin [Q-D])
      was measured by MIC assays. The resistance from Cfr was, in all cases, stronger
      than the effects of the L3 mutations, but various effects were obtained with the
      combinations of Cfr and L3 mutations ranging from a synergistic to an
      antagonistic effect. Linezolid and tiamulin susceptibility varied greatly among
      the L3 mutations, while no significant effects on florfenicol and Q-D
      susceptibility were seen. This study underscores the complex interplay between
      various resistance mechanisms and cross-resistance, even from antibiotics with
      overlapping binding sites.

PMID- 28630202
TI  - Identifying Spectra of Activity and Therapeutic Niches for Ceftazidime-Avibactam
      and Imipenem-Relebactam against Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
AB  - We determined imipenem, imipenem-relebactam, ceftazidime, and ceftazidime
      avibactam MICs against 100 CRE isolates that underwent whole-genome sequencing.
      Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPCs) were the most common carbapenemases.
      Forty-six isolates carried extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). With the
      addition of relebactam, imipenem susceptibility increased from 8% to 88%. With
      the addition of avibactam, ceftazidime susceptibility increased from 0% to 85%.
      Neither imipenem-relebactam nor ceftazidime-avibactam was active against metallo
      beta-lactamase (MBL) producers. Ceftazidime-avibactam (but not imipenem
      relebactam) was active against OXA-48-like producers, including a strain not
      harboring any ESBL. Major OmpK36 porin mutations were independently associated
      with higher imipenem-relebactam MICs (P < 0.0001) and showed a trend toward
      independent association with higher ceftazidime-avibactam MICs (P = 0.07). The
      presence of variant KPC-3 was associated with ceftazidime-avibactam resistance (P
      < 0.0001). In conclusion, imipenem-relebactam and ceftazidime-avibactam had
      overlapping spectra of activity and niches in which each was superior. Major
      OmpK36 mutations in KPC-K. pneumoniae may provide a foundation for stepwise
      emergence of imipenem-relebactam and ceftazidime-avibactam resistance.

PMID- 28630203
TI  - Bactericidal and Sterilizing Activity of a Novel Regimen with Bedaquiline,
      Pretomanid, Moxifloxacin, and Pyrazinamide in a Murine Model of Tuberculosis.
AB  - New regimens based on 2 or more novel agents are sought to shorten or to simplify
      treatment of tuberculosis (TB), including drug-resistant forms. Prior studies
      showed that the novel combinations of bedaquiline (BDQ) plus pretomanid (PMD)
      plus pyrazinamide (PZA) and PMD plus moxifloxacin (MXF) plus PZA shortened the
      treatment duration necessary to prevent relapse by 2 to 3 months and 1 to 2
      months, respectively, compared with the current first-line regimen, in a murine
      TB model. These 3-drug combinations are now being studied in clinical trials.
      Here, the 4-drug combination of BDQ+PMD+MXF+PZA was compared to its 3-drug
      component regimens and different treatment durations of PZA and MXF were
      explored, to identify the optimal regimens and treatment times and to estimate
      the likelihood of success against drug-resistant strains. BDQ+PMD+MXF+PZA
      rendered all mice relapse-free after 2 months of treatment. PZA administration
      could be discontinued after the first month of treatment without worsening
      outcomes, whereas the absence of MXF, PZA, or BDQ administration from the
      beginning necessitated approximately 0.5, 1, or 2 months, respectively, of
      additional treatment to attain the same outcome.

PMID- 28630204
TI  - A Low-Molecular-Weight Alginate Oligosaccharide Disrupts Pseudomonal Microcolony
      Formation and Enhances Antibiotic Effectiveness.
AB  - In chronic respiratory disease, the formation of dense, 3-dimensional
      "microcolonies" by Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the airway plays an important
      role in contributing to resistance to treatment. An in vitro biofilm model of
      pseudomonal microcolony formation using artificial-sputum (AS) medium was
      established to study the effects of low-molecular-weight alginate oligomers
      (OligoG CF-5/20) on pseudomonal growth, microcolony formation, and the efficacy
      of colistin. The studies employed clinical cystic fibrosis (CF) isolates (n = 3)
      and reference nonmucoid and mucoid multidrug-resistant (MDR) CF isolates (n = 7).
      Bacterial growth and biofilm development and disruption were studied using cell
      viability assays and image analysis with scanning electron and confocal laser
      scanning microscopy. Pseudomonal growth in AS medium was associated with
      increased ATP production (P < 0.05) and the formation (at 48 h) of discrete (>10
      MUm) microcolonies. In conventional growth medium, colistin retained an ability
      to inhibit growth of planktonic bacteria, although the MIC was increased (0.1 to
      0.4 MUg/ml) in AS medium compared to Mueller-Hinton (MH) medium. In contrast, in
      an established-biofilm model in AS medium, the efficacy of colistin was
      decreased. OligoG CF-5/20 (>=2%) treatment, however, induced dose-dependent
      biofilm disruption (P < 0.05) and led to colistin retaining its antimicrobial
      activity (P < 0.05). While circular dichroism indicated that OligoG CF-5/20 did
      not change the orientation of the alginate carboxyl groups, mass spectrometry
      demonstrated that the oligomers induced dose-dependent (>0.2%; P < 0.05)
      reductions in pseudomonal quorum-sensing signaling. These findings reinforce the
      potential clinical significance of microcolony formation in the CF lung and
      highlight a novel approach to treat MDR pseudomonal infections.

PMID- 28630205
TI  - Impact of gyrB and eis Mutations in Improving Detection of Second-Line-Drug
      Resistance among Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Georgia.
AB  - The country of Georgia has a high burden of multi- and extensively drug-resistant
      tuberculosis (XDR-TB). To evaluate whether mutations in gyrB and eis genes
      increased the sensitivity of detection of phenotypic resistance to ofloxacin and
      kanamycin or capreomycin compared to use of the first-generation MTBDRsl assay
      alone, which tests for mutations in gyrA and rrs genes, a retrospective study of
      stored Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates was performed. All isolates underwent
      DNA sequencing of resistance-determining regions. Among 112 M. tuberculosis
      isolates with DNA extraction data, targeted sequencing was successfully performed
      for each gene as follows: for gyrA, 98% sensitivity; for gyrB, 96%; for rrs, 93%;
      for the eis gene and its promoter, 93%. The specificity and hence the positive
      predictive value of gyrA and gyrB mutations for detecting ofloxacin resistance
      were 100%. The addition of gyrB mutations increased the sensitivity of phenotypic
      ofloxacin resistance detection by 13% (75% to 88%). All rrs resistance-conferring
      mutations were A1401G, and this mutation had low sensitivity (40% and 18%) and
      high specificity (95% and 100%) in predicting phenotypic capreomycin and
      kanamycin resistance, respectively. The eis C-14T mutation increased the
      sensitivity of phenotypic kanamycin resistance detection by 9% (18% to 27%) and
      was found solely in kanamycin phenotypic resistance isolates. Our data showed
      that the inclusion of eis C-14T and gyrB mutations in addition to rrs and gyrA
      mutations improves the sensitivity of detection of phenotypic ofloxacin and
      kanamycin resistance, respectively.

PMID- 28630207
TI  - Of Mice and Man and the Regulation of Aldosterone Secretion.

PMID- 28630208
TI  - Telomeres and Atherosclerosis: The Intricate Pursuit of Mechanistic Insight
      Through Epidemiology.

PMID- 28630206
TI  - Rapid and Consistent Evolution of Colistin Resistance in Extensively Drug
      Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa during Morbidostat Culture.
AB  - Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic commonly used against multidrug-resistant
      strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa To investigate the potential for in situ
      evolution of resistance against colistin and to map the molecular targets of
      colistin resistance, we exposed two P. aeruginosa isolates to colistin using a
      continuous-culture device known as a morbidostat. As a result, colistin
      resistance reproducibly increased 10-fold within 10 days and 100-fold within 20
      days, along with highly stereotypic yet strain-specific mutation patterns. The
      majority of mutations hit the pmrAB two-component signaling system and genes
      involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis, including lpxC, pmrE, and migA We
      tracked the frequencies of all arising mutations by whole-genome deep sequencing
      every 3 to 4 days to obtain a detailed picture of the dynamics of resistance
      evolution, including competition and displacement among multiple resistant
      subpopulations. In 7 out of 18 cultures, we observed mutations in mutS along with
      a mutator phenotype that seemed to facilitate resistance evolution.

PMID- 28630209
TI  - Functional TASK-3-Like Channels in Mitochondria of Aldosterone-Producing Zona
      Glomerulosa Cells.
AB  - Ca2+ drives aldosterone synthesis in the cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments
      of the adrenal zona glomerulosa cell. Membrane potential across each of these
      compartments regulates the amplitude of the Ca2+ signal; yet, only plasma
      membrane ion channels and their role in regulating cell membrane potential have
      garnered investigative attention as pathological causes of human
      hyperaldosteronism. Previously, we reported that genetic deletion of TASK-3
      channels (tandem pore domain acid-sensitive K+ channels) from mice produces
      aldosterone excess in the absence of a change in the cell membrane potential of
      zona glomerulosa cells. Here, we report using yeast 2-hybrid,
      immunoprecipitation, and electron microscopic analyses that TASK-3 channels are
      resident in mitochondria, where they regulate mitochondrial morphology,
      mitochondrial membrane potential, and aldosterone production. This study provides
      proof of principle that mitochondrial K+ channels, by modulating inner
      mitochondrial membrane morphology and mitochondrial membrane potential, have the
      ability to play a pathological role in aldosterone dysregulation in steroidogenic
      cells.

PMID- 28630210
TI  - Short Telomeres, but Not Telomere Attrition Rates, Are Associated With Carotid
      Atherosclerosis.
AB  - Short telomeres are associated with atherosclerosis. However, the temporal
      relationship between atherosclerosis and telomere length is unclear. The
      objective of this work was to examine the temporal formation and progression of
      carotid atherosclerotic plaques in relation to telomere dynamics. In a
      longitudinal study, comprising 154 French men and women (aged 31-76 years at
      baseline), carotid plaques were quantified by echography, and telomere length on
      leucocytes was measured by Southern blots at baseline and follow-up examinations.
      Telomere attrition rates during the 9.5-year follow-up period were not different
      in individuals with plaques at both baseline and follow-up examinations (23.3+/
      2.0 base pairs/y) than in individuals who developed plaques during the follow-up
      period (26.5+/-2.0 base pairs/y) and those without plaques at either baseline or
      follow-up examination (22.5+/-2.3 base pairs/y; P=0.79). At baseline, telomere
      length was associated with presence of carotid plaques (P=0.02) and with the
      number of regions with plaques (P=0.005). An interaction (P=0.03) between age and
      the presence of plaques was observed, such that the association between plaques
      and telomere length was more pronounced at a younger age. In conclusion, carotid
      atherosclerosis is not associated with increased telomere attrition during a 9.5
      year follow-up period. Short telomere length is more strongly associated with
      early-onset than late-onset carotid atherosclerosis. Our results support the
      thesis that heightened telomere attrition during adult life might not explain the
      short telomeres observed in subjects with atherosclerotic disease. Rather, short
      telomeres antecedes the clinical manifestation of the disease.

PMID- 28630213
TI  - Dose-Finding Methods: Moving Away from the 3 + 3 to Include Richer Outcomes.
AB  - The most commonly used method for dose finding, the 3 + 3, has poor performance.
      New adaptive designs are more efficient. Nevertheless, they have reached a
      maximum performance level, and further improvement requires either larger sample
      sizes or outcomes measures richer than the simplistic severe toxicity measured at
      cycle 1. Clin Cancer Res; 23(15); 3977-9. (c)2017 AACRSee related article by Yan
      et al., p. 3994.

PMID- 28630211
TI  - Recent Advances in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Toxicities With Vascular
      Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibition.

PMID- 28630212
TI  - A Pilot Study of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Combined with Cytoreductive
      Nephrectomy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - Purpose: While stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) can reduce tumor volumes in
      patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), little is known regarding
      the immunomodulatory effects of high-dose radiation in the tumor
      microenvironment. The main objectives of this pilot study were to assess the
      safety and feasibility of nephrectomy following SBRT treatment of patients with
      mRCC and analyze the immunological impact of high-dose radiation.Experimental
      Design: Human RCC cell lines were irradiated and evaluated for immunomodulation.
      In a single-arm feasibility study, patients with mRCC were treated with 15 Gray
      SBRT at the primary lesion in a single fraction followed 4 weeks later by
      cytoreductive nephrectomy. RCC specimens were analyzed for tumor-associated
      antigen (TAA) expression and T-cell infiltration. The trial has reached accrual
      (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01892930).Results: RCC cells treated in vitro
      with radiation had increased TAA expression compared with untreated tumor cells.
      Fourteen patients received SBRT followed by surgery, and treatment was well
      tolerated. SBRT-treated tumors had increased expression of the immunomodulatory
      molecule calreticulin and TAA (CA9, 5T4, NY-ESO-1, and MUC-1). Ki67+ 
      proliferating CD8+ T cells and FOXP3+ cells were increased in SBRT-treated
      patient specimens in tumors and at the tumor-stromal interface compared with
      archived patient specimens.Conclusions: It is feasible to perform nephrectomy
      following SBRT with acceptable toxicity. Following SBRT, patient RCC tumors have
      increased expression of calreticulin, TAA, as well as a higher percentage of
      proliferating T cells compared with archived RCC tumors. Collectively, these
      studies provide evidence of immunomodulation following SBRT in mRCC. Clin Cancer
      Res; 23(17); 5055-65. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630214
TI  - Patient-derived Interstitial Fluids and Predisposition to Aggressive Sporadic
      Breast Cancer through Collagen Remodeling and Inactivation of p53.
AB  - Purpose: Despite the fact that interstitial fluid (IF) represents a third of our
      body fluid, it is the most poorly understood body fluid in medicine. Increased IF
      pressure is thought to result from the increased deposition of extracellular
      matrix in the affected tissue preventing its reabsorption. In the cancer field,
      increased rigidity surrounding a cancerous mass remains the main reason that
      palpation and radiologic examination, such as mammography, are used for cancer
      detection. While the pressure produced by IF has been considered, the biochemical
      composition of IF has not been considered in its effect on tumors.Experimental
      Design: We classified 135 IF samples from bilateral mastectomy patients based on
      their ability to promote the invasion of breast cancer cells.Results: We observed
      a wide range of invasion scores. Patients with high-grade primary tumors at
      diagnosis had higher IF invasion scores. In mice, injections of high-score IF
      (IFHigh) in a normal mammary gland promotes ductal hyperplasia, increased
      collagen deposition, and local invasion. In a mouse model of residual disease,
      IFHigh increased disease progression and promoted aggressive visceral metastases.
      Mechanistically, we found that IFHigh induces myofibroblast differentiation and
      collagen production through activation of CLIC4. IFHigh also downregulates RYBP,
      leading to degradation of p53. Furthermore, in mammary glands of heterozygous p53
      mutant knock-in mice, IFHigh promotes spontaneous tumor formation.Conclusions:
      Our study indicates that IF can increase the deposition of extracellular matrix
      and raises the provocative possibility that they play an active role in the
      predisposition, development, and clinical course of sporadic breast cancers. Clin
      Cancer Res; 23(18); 5446-59. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630215
TI  - Mechanisms of Primary Drug Resistance in FGFR1-Amplified Lung Cancer.
AB  - Purpose: The 8p12-p11 locus is frequently amplified in squamous cell lung cancer
      (SQLC); the receptor tyrosine kinase fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1)
      being one of the most prominent targets of this amplification. Thus, small
      molecules inhibiting FGFRs have been employed to treat FGFR1-amplified SQLC.
      However, only about 11% of such FGFR1-amplified tumors respond to single-agent
      FGFR inhibition and several tumors exhibited insufficient tumor shrinkage,
      compatible with the existence of drug-resistant tumor cells.Experimental Design:
      To investigate possible mechanisms of resistance to FGFR inhibition, we studied
      the lung cancer cell lines DMS114 and H1581. Both cell lines are highly sensitive
      to three different FGFR inhibitors, but exhibit sustained residual cellular
      viability under treatment, indicating a subpopulation of existing drug-resistant
      cells. We isolated these subpopulations by treating the cells with constant high
      doses of FGFR inhibitors.Results: The FGFR inhibitor-resistant cells were cross
      resistant and characterized by sustained MAPK pathway activation. In drug
      resistant H1581 cells, we identified NRAS amplification and DUSP6 deletion,
      leading to MAPK pathway reactivation. Furthermore, we detected subclonal NRAS
      amplifications in 3 of 20 (15%) primary human FGFR1-amplified SQLC specimens. In
      contrast, drug-resistant DMS114 cells exhibited transcriptional upregulation of
      MET that drove MAPK pathway reactivation. As a consequence, we demonstrate that
      rational combination therapies resensitize resistant cells to treatment with FGFR
      inhibitors.Conclusions: We provide evidence for the existence of diverse
      mechanisms of primary drug resistance in FGFR1-amplified lung cancer and provide
      a rational strategy to improve FGFR inhibitor therapies by combination treatment.
      Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5527-36. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630216
TI  - Fractionated Dosing Improves Preclinical Therapeutic Index of
      Pyrrolobenzodiazepine-Containing Antibody Drug Conjugates.
AB  - Purpose: To use preclinical models to identify a dosing schedule that improves
      tolerability of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimers (PBDs) antibody drug
      conjugates (ADCs) without compromising antitumor activity.Experimental Design: A
      series of dose-fractionation studies were conducted to investigate the
      pharmacokinetic drivers of safety and efficacy of PBD ADCs in animal models. The
      exposure-activity relationship was investigated in mouse xenograft models of
      human prostate cancer, breast cancer, and gastric cancer by comparing antitumor
      activity after single and fractionated dosing with tumor-targeting ADCs
      conjugated to SG3249, a potent PBD dimer. The exposure-tolerability relationship
      was similarly investigated in rat and monkey toxicology studies by comparing
      tolerability, as assessed by survival, body weight, and organ-specific
      toxicities, after single and fractionated dosing with ADCs conjugated to SG3249
      (rats) or SG3400, a structurally related PBD (monkeys).Results: Observations of
      similar antitumor activity in mice treated with single or fractionated dosing
      suggests that antitumor activity of PBD ADCs is more closely related to total
      exposure (AUC) than peak drug concentrations (Cmax). In contrast, improved
      survival and reduced toxicity in rats and monkeys treated with a fractionated
      dosing schedule suggests that tolerability of PBD ADCs is more closely associated
      with Cmax than AUC.Conclusions: We provide the first evidence that fractionated
      dosing can improve preclinical tolerability of at least some PBD ADCs without
      compromising efficacy. These findings suggest that preclinical exploration of
      dosing schedule could be an important clinical strategy to improve the
      therapeutic window of highly potent ADCs and should be investigated further. Clin
      Cancer Res; 23(19); 5858-68. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28630218
TI  - Mistaken identity: haemoglobinuria secondary to paravalvular leak masking as
      haematuria.
AB  - Haemolytic anaemia caused by a paravalvular leak presenting as progressively
      worsening red urine. Haemoglobinuria was easily mistaken for gross haematuria,
      resulting in extensive invasive urological investigation that proved to be
      futile. Further investigation following an emergency admission led to the
      realisation that intravascular haemolysis secondary to a paravalvular
      leaka?"presenting 43 years following metallic valve insertiona?"was the cause of
      discoloured urine and newly presenting symptomatic anaemia. This case highlights
      that there remains other causes of what often appears to be haematuria, and
      further exploration of alternative causes should be considered when no urological
      cause is found.

PMID- 28630219
TI  - A Rare Case Of Sigmoid Colon Perforation With Subsequent Psoas Abscess Collection
      With Extensive Involvement Of The Sartorius Muscle.
AB  - A middle-aged man was admitted with worsening hip pain, fevers and reduced
      mobility. These symptoms were preceded by a mechanical fall but despite regular
      analgesia, symptoms did not resolve. His prior medical history included ischaemic
      heart disease, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. A trauma and orthopaedic
      review revealed a painful left hip with reduced range of motion. In addition,
      some mild tenderness in the left iliac fossa was noted. Blood tests revealed
      markedly raised inflammatory markers. Plain radiographs and ultrasound were
      normal. MRI scan found a massive left iliopsoas collection secondary to
      perforated diverticular disease of the sigmoid colon. The patient was managed
      with intravenous antibiotics and the collection was drained percutaneously.
      Approximately 500 mL of pus was aspirated. The patient made an excellent recovery
      with interval imaging showing a reduction in the collection size.

PMID- 28630217
TI  - Effectiveness of conservative interventions including exercise, manual therapy
      and medical management in adults with shoulder impingement: a systematic review
      and meta-analysis of RCTs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of conservative interventions for
      pain, function and range of motion in adults with shoulder impingement. DESIGN:
      Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. DATA SOURCES: Medline,
      CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase and PEDro were searched from inception to January 2017.
      STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials including participants
      with shoulder impingement and evaluating at least one conservative intervention
      against sham or other treatments. RESULTS: For pain, exercise was superior to non
      exercise control interventions (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.94, 95% CI 
      1.69 to -0.19). Specific exercises were superior to generic exercises (SMD -0.65,
      95% CI -0.99 to -0.32). Corticosteroid injections were superior to no treatment
      (SMD -0.65, 95% CI -1.04 to -0.26), and ultrasound guided injections were
      superior to non-guided injections (SMD -0.51, 95% CI -0.89 to -0.13).
      Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) had a small to moderate SMD of 
      0.29 (95% CI -0.53 to -0.05) compared with placebo. Manual therapy was superior
      to placebo (SMD -0.35, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.01). When combined with exercise,
      manual therapy was superior to exercise alone, but only at the shortest follow-up
      (SMD -0.32, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.01). Laser was superior to sham laser (SMD -0.88,
      95% CI -1.48 to -0.27). Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ECSWT) was superior to
      sham (-0.39, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.01) and tape was superior to sham (-0.64, 95% CI 
      1.16 to -0.12), with small to moderate SMDs. CONCLUSION: Although there was only
      very low quality evidence, exercise should be considered for patients with
      shoulder impingement symptoms and tape, ECSWT, laser or manual therapy might be
      added. NSAIDS and corticosteroids are superior to placebo, but it is unclear how
      these treatments compare to exercise.

PMID- 28630220
TI  - Beyond cervical lipomas: myoclonus, gait disorder and multisystem involvement
      leading to mitochondrial disease.
AB  - Madelung's disease (benign symmetric lipomatosis) is a rare syndrome in which
      there are multiple lipomas around the neck, upper limbs and trunk in the context
      of chronic alcoholism. We report on a female patient with lipomas and slightly
      progressive myoclonus, neuropathy, myopathy, ataxia and respiratory systemic
      involvement (labelled in the past as Madelung's disease). Multisystem involvement
      and family history of lipomas led to the development of mitochondrial genetic
      tests, which can assess two concurrent mitochondrial mutations: the m.8344A>G
      mutation in MT-TK gene, related MERRF (myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibre)
      phenotype and m.14484T>C mutation in the MT-ND6 gene responsible for Leber
      hereditary optic neuropathy phenotype.

PMID- 28630221
TI  - Retrorectal tumour simulating vaginal birth: an exceptional case of emergency
      surgery indication.
AB  - Cystic retrorectal tumours are a very rare entity that pose a problem in
      differential diagnosis between congenital cyst and other lesions. We present a 49
      year-old female patient presenting a perineal bulge which was discovered
      simulating a vaginal birth associated with prolapsed haemorrhoids grade IV. The
      interest of this case resides in the surgical indication of a big presacral cyst
      demonstrated via CT causing acute intense pain due to pelvic organ compression,
      as no emergent surgery management has been reported up to date.

PMID- 28630222
TI  - Acute pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis with atrophic desmosis of the colon in a
      child.
AB  - Acute pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) has been described after bone
      marrow transplantation (BMT). Several case series have demonstrated successful
      conservative treatment of PCI in children. We present a child with Fanconi
      anaemia, who developed severe graft versus host disease of the gastrointestinal
      tract, skin and liver after BMT and an acute, severe form of PCI. Our case report
      illustrates the complexity of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in PCI in
      immunocompromised children.

PMID- 28630223
TI  - Imaging findings in Steidele's complex.

PMID- 28630224
TI  - Successful conservative treatment of severe frostbite lesions in a Greenlandic
      Inuit.
AB  - Frostbite may cause lesions. The severity ranges from superficial wounds to
      severe cases with loss of limbs and tissue. Hence, proper treatment is of utmost
      importance. We present a case of an 18-year-old man from Arctic Greenland who was
      admitted with severe frostbite lesions involving both hands. The patient had
      fallen asleep outside during extreme temperatures. He was treated conservatively
      with proper wound care, antibiotics and intensive physical therapy. The patient
      made a full recovery without sequelae. The current report emphasises that non
      operative treatment should be attempted for frostbite lesions, as conservative
      treatment often results in good outcomes.

PMID- 28630225
TI  - Lipoma of right pyriform sinus.
AB  - We present a case of large mass arising from the right pyriform sinus extending
      inferiorly to the postcricoid area and superiorly to the right aryepiglottic fold
      causing a foreign body sensation and obstructive symptoms, its histological
      examination following the endoscopic surgical excision showed a lipoma. We are
      also describing the endoscopic, radiological and intraoperative findings with a
      brief literature review.

PMID- 28630226
TI  - Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis as an initial presentation of Graves' disease in a
      Saudi patient.
AB  - Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is a well-known complication of
      hyperthyroidism, characterised by recurrent flaccid paralysis with hypokalaemia.
      To date, only five cases of this rare disorder have been reported in Saudi
      Arabia. Here, we report an additional case involving a 25-year-old Saudi man who
      presented with lower limb paralysis and severe hypokalaemia. Clinically, he
      showed symptoms and signs suggestive of Graves' disease, which was confirmed by
      laboratory investigations. Carbimazole, a beta-blocker and potassium replacement
      were administered, resulting in dramatic improvement of the TTP. This case
      emphasises the importance of considering TPP in patients with acute muscle
      weakness and the importance of promptly initiating treatment and preventing
      relapse of TPP.

PMID- 28630227
TI  - 'Carbuncle in diabetes': a problem even today!

PMID- 28630228
TI  - The "Achilles' Heel" of Cancer and Its Implications for the Development of Novel
      Immunotherapeutic Strategies.
AB  - Over the last century, scientists have embraced the idea of mobilizing antitumor
      immune responses in patients with cancer. In the last decade, we have seen the
      rebirth of cancer immunotherapy and its validation in a series of high profile
      clinical trials following the discovery of several immune-regulatory receptors.
      Recent studies point toward the tumor mutational load and resulting neoantigen
      burden as being crucial to tumor cell recognition by the immune system,
      highlighting a potentially targetable Achilles' heel in cancer. In this review,
      we explore the key mechanisms that underpin the recognition of cancerous cells by
      the immune system and discuss how we may advance immunotherapeutic strategies to
      target the cancer mutanome to stimulate tumor-specific immune responses,
      ultimately, to improve the clinical outcome for patients with cancer.

PMID- 28630229
TI  - Observing Clonal Dynamics across Spatiotemporal Axes: A Prelude to Quantitative
      Fitness Models for Cancer.
AB  - The ability to accurately model evolutionary dynamics in cancer would allow for
      prediction of progression and response to therapy. As a prelude to quantitative
      understanding of evolutionary dynamics, researchers must gather observations of
      in vivo tumor evolution. High-throughput genome sequencing now provides the means
      to profile the mutational content of evolving tumor clones from patient biopsies.
      Together with the development of models of tumor evolution, reconstructing
      evolutionary histories of individual tumors generates hypotheses about the
      dynamics of evolution that produced the observed clones. In this review, we
      provide a brief overview of the concepts involved in predicting evolutionary
      histories, and provide a workflow based on bulk and targeted-genome sequencing.
      We then describe the application of this workflow to time series data obtained
      for transformed and progressed follicular lymphomas (FL), and contrast the
      observed evolutionary dynamics between these two subtypes. We next describe
      results from a spatial sampling study of high-grade serous (HGS) ovarian cancer,
      propose mechanisms of disease spread based on the observed clonal mixtures, and
      provide examples of diversification through subclonal acquisition of driver
      mutations and convergent evolution. Finally, we state implications of the
      techniques discussed in this review as a necessary but insufficient step on the
      path to predictive modelling of disease dynamics.

PMID- 28630230
TI  - Urine Ammonium and Preclinical Acidosis in CKD.

PMID- 28630231
TI  - Understanding Medication Nonadherence after Kidney Transplant.
AB  - Alloimmunity remains a barrier to long-term graft survival that necessitates
      lifelong immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplant. Medication
      nonadherence has been increasingly recognized as a major impediment to achieving
      effective immunosuppression. Electronic medication monitoring further reveals
      that nonadherence manifests early after transplant, although the effect is
      delayed. The etiology of nonadherence is multifactorial, with the strongest risk
      factors including past nonadherence and being an adolescent or young adult. Other
      risk factors with smaller but consistently important effects include minority
      race/ethnicity, poor social supports, and poor perceived health. In children,
      risk factors related to parental and child psychologic and behavioral functioning
      and parental distress and burden are also important. Qualitative systematic
      reviews highlight the need to tailor interventions to each transplant recipient's
      unique needs, motivations, and barriers rather than offer a one size fits all
      approach. To date, relatively few interventions have been studied, and most
      studies conducted were underpowered to allow definitive conclusions. If the
      kidney transplant community's goal of "one transplant for life" is to become a
      reality, then solutions for medication nonadherence must be found and
      implemented.

PMID- 28630232
TI  - Long Noncoding RNA H19 Promotes Neuroinflammation in Ischemic Stroke by Driving
      Histone Deacetylase 1-Dependent M1 Microglial Polarization.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Long noncoding RNA H19 is repressed after birth, but can
      be induced by hypoxia. We aim to investigate the impact on and underlying
      mechanism of H19 induction after ischemic stroke. METHODS: Circulating H19 levels
      in stroke patients and mice subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion were
      assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. H19 siRNA and histone
      deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) plasmid were used to knock down H19 and overexpress HDAC1,
      respectively. Microglial polarization and ischemic outcomes were assessed in
      middle cerebral artery occlusion mice and BV2 microglial cells subjected to
      oxygen-glucose deprivation. RESULTS: Circulating H19 levels were significantly
      higher in stroke patients compared with healthy controls, indicating high
      diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, plasma H19 levels showed a
      positive correlation with National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score and
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels. After middle cerebral artery occlusion in
      mice, H19 levels increased in plasma, white blood cells, and brain.
      Intracerebroventricular injection of H19 siRNA reduced infarct volume and brain
      edema, decreased tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta levels in
      brain tissue and plasma, and increased plasma interleukin-10 concentrations 24
      hours poststroke. Additionally, H19 knockdown attenuated brain tissue loss and
      neurological deficits 14 days poststroke. BV2 cell-based experiments showed that
      H19 knockdown blocked oxygen-glucose deprivation-driven M1 microglial
      polarization, decreased production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and CD11b, and
      increased the expression of Arg-1 and CD206. Furthermore, H19 knockdown reversed
      oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced upregulation of HDAC1 and downregulation of
      acetyl-histone H3 and acetyl-histone H4. In contrast, HDAC1 overexpression
      negated the effects of H19 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that H19
      promotes neuroinflammation by driving HDAC1-dependent M1 microglial polarization,
      suggesting a novel H19-based diagnosis and therapy for ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28630233
TI  - Motor Recovery Prediction With Clinical Assessment and Local Diffusion
      Homogeneity After Acute Subcortical Infarction.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Initial clinical assessment or conventional diffusion
      tensor imaging parameters alone do not reliably predict poststroke recovery of
      motor function. Recently, local diffusion homogeneity (LDH) has been proposed to
      represent the local coherence of water molecule diffusion and can serve as a
      complementary marker for investigating white matter alterations of the brain. We
      aimed to determine whether a combination of initial clinical assessment and LDH
      could predict motor recovery after acute subcortical infarction. METHODS:
      Standard upper extremity Fugl-Meyer assessment and diffusion tensor imaging were
      performed 1, 4, and 12 weeks after onset in 50 patients with subcortical
      infarction. Proportional recovery model residuals were used to assign patients to
      proportional recovery and poor recovery groups. Tract-based spatial statistics
      analysis was used to compare diffusion differences between proportional and poor
      recovery outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify
      the predictors of motor improvement within 12 weeks after stroke. RESULTS: The
      poor recovery group had lower LDH than the proportional recovery group, mainly in
      the ipsilesional corticospinal tract in the superior corona radiate and posterior
      limb of internal capsule 1 week after stroke (P<0.005; family-wise error
      corrected). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that both initial
      Fugl-Meyer assessment and LDH in the ipsilesional corticospinal tract in the
      superior corona radiate and posterior limb of internal capsule were predictors of
      motor improvement within 12 weeks after stroke (G=47.22; P<0.001). Leave-one-out
      cross-validation confirmed a positive predictive value of 0.818, a negative
      predictive value of 0.833, and an accuracy of 0.824 (P<0.00 001; permutation
      test). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a combination of clinical
      assessment and LDH in the ipsilesional corticospinal tract in the acute phase can
      accurately predict resolution of upper limb impairment within 12 weeks after
      subcortical infarction.

PMID- 28630234
TI  - Multiparametric Model for Penumbral Flow Prediction in Acute Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Identification of salvageable penumbra tissue by dynamic
      susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging is a valuable tool for acute
      stroke patient stratification for treatment. However, prior studies have not
      attempted to combine the different perfusion maps into a predictive model. In
      this study, we established a multiparametric perfusion imaging model and cross
      validated it using positron emission tomography perfusion for detection of
      penumbral flow. METHODS: In a retrospective analysis of 17 subacute stroke
      patients with consecutive magnetic resonance imaging and H2O15 positron emission
      tomography scans, perfusion maps of cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume,
      mean transit time, time-to-maximum, and time-to-peak were constructed and
      combined using a generalized linear model (GLM). Both the GLM maps and the single
      perfusion maps alone were cross-validated with positron emission tomography
      cerebral blood flow scans to predict penumbral flow on a voxel-wise level.
      Performance was tested by receiver-operating characteristics curve analysis, that
      is, the area under the curve, and the models' fits were compared using the
      likelihood ratio test. RESULTS: The GLM demonstrated significantly improved model
      fit compared with each of the single perfusion maps (P<1*e-5) and demonstrated
      higher performance, with an area under the curve of 0.91. However, the absolute
      difference between the performance of GLM and the best-performing single
      perfusion parameter (time-to-maximum) was relatively low (area under the curve
      difference =0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Our results support a dynamic susceptibility
      contrast magnetic resonance imaging-based GLM as an improved model for penumbral
      flow prediction in stroke patients. With given perfusion maps, this model is a
      straightforward and observer-independent alternative for therapy stratification.

PMID- 28630235
TI  - Ultrasound Markers of Carotid Atherosclerosis and Cognition: The Northern
      Manhattan Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ultrasound markers of carotid atherosclerosis may be
      related to cognitive status. We hypothesized that individuals with greater
      carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque burden would exhibit
      worse cognition. METHODS: One thousand one hundred sixty-six stroke-free
      participants from the NOMAS (Northern Manhattan Study) underwent carotid
      ultrasound and neuropsychological examination. Among them, 826 underwent a second
      neuropsychological examination an average of 5 years later. cIMT and plaque were
      assessed by a standardized B-mode ultrasound imaging and reading protocol. We
      used multivariable linear regression to examine cIMT, carotid plaque presence,
      and carotid plaque area as correlates of domain-specific neuropsychological Z
      scores cross-sectionally and over time. We also investigated possible effect
      modification by APOE epsilon4 allele, age, and race/ethnicity. RESULTS:
      Participants had a mean (SD) age of 70 (9) years and were 60% women, 66%
      Hispanic, 15% white, and 18% black. Those with greater cIMT exhibited worse
      episodic memory after adjustment for demographics and vascular risk factors
      (beta=-0.60; P=0.04). APOE epsilon4 carriers with greater cIMT exhibited worse
      episodic memory (beta=-1.31; P=0.04), semantic memory (beta=-1.45; P=0.01), and
      processing speed (beta=-1.21; P=0.03). Participants with greater cIMT at baseline
      did not exhibit significantly greater cognitive decline after adjustment. APOE
      epsilon4noncarriers with greater cIMT exhibited greater declines in executive
      function (beta=-0.98; P=0.06). Carotid plaque burden was not significantly
      associated with cognition at baseline or over time. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical
      carotid atherosclerosis was associated with worse cognition among those at higher
      risk for Alzheimer disease. Interventions targeting early stages of
      atherosclerosis may modify cognitive aging.

PMID- 28630236
TI  - European evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of childhood
      onset systemic lupus erythematosus: the SHARE initiative.
AB  - Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a rare, multisystem and
      potentially life-threatening autoimmune disorder with significant associated
      morbidity. Evidence-based guidelines are sparse and management is often based on
      clinical expertise. SHARE (Single Hub and Access point for paediatric
      Rheumatology in Europe) was launched to optimise and disseminate management
      regimens for children and young adults with rheumatic diseases like cSLE. Here,
      we provide evidence-based recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of cSLE. In
      view of extent and complexity of cSLE and its various manifestations,
      recommendations for lupus nephritis and antiphospholipid syndrome will be
      published separately. Recommendations were generated using the EULAR (European
      League Against Rheumatism) standard operating procedure. An expert committee
      consisting of paediatric rheumatologists and representation of paediatric
      nephrology from across Europe discussed evidence-based recommendations during two
      consensus meetings. Recommendations were accepted if >80% agreement was reached.
      A total of 25 recommendations regarding key approaches to diagnosis and treatment
      of cSLE were made. The recommendations include 11 on diagnosis, 9 on disease
      monitoring and 5 on general treatment. Topics included: appropriate use of SLE
      classification criteria, disease activity and damage indices; adequate assessment
      of autoantibody profiles; secondary macrophage activation syndrome; use of
      hydroxychloroquine and corticosteroid-sparing regimens; and the importance of
      addressing poor adherence. Ten recommendations were accepted regarding general
      diagnostic strategies and treatment indications of neuropsychiatric cSLE. The
      SHARE recommendations for cSLE and neuropsychiatric manifestations of cSLE have
      been formulated by an evidence-based consensus process to support uniform, high
      quality standards of care for children with cSLE.

PMID- 28630237
TI  - Facilitating Prospective Registration of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies: A STARD
      Initiative.

PMID- 28630238
TI  - Impact of Sex on Cardiac Troponin Concentrations-A Critical Appraisal.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of sex-specific cutoffs for cardiac troponin (cTn) is
      currently debated. Although endorsed by scientific working groups, concerns have
      been raised that sex-specific cutoffs may have only a small clinical effect at
      the cost of increased complexity in decision-making. METHODS: We reviewed studies
      investigating the interrelations between high-sensitivity (hs) cTn results and
      sex, diagnoses, and outcome. Investigated populations included community-dwelling
      subjects and patients with stable angina, congestive heart failure, or acute
      chest pain including those with acute coronary syndromes. RESULTS: Men usually
      have higher hs-cTn concentrations compared with women, regardless of the assessed
      population or the applied assay. The distribution and prognostic implications of
      hs-cTn concentrations indicate that women have a broader cardiovascular risk
      panorama compared with men, particularly at lower hs-cTn concentrations. At
      higher concentrations, particularly above the 99th percentile, this variation is
      often attenuated. Sex-specific hs-cTn 99th percentiles have so far shown clinical
      net benefit in only 1 study assessing patients with chest pain. However, several
      methodological aspects need to be considered when interpreting study results,
      e.g., issues related to the determination of the 99th percentiles, the selection
      bias, and the lack of prospective and sufficiently powered analyses. CONCLUSIONS:
      Available studies do not show a consistent clinical superiority of sex-specific
      hs-cTn 99th percentiles. This may reflect methodological aspects. However, from a
      pathobiological perspective, the use of sex-specific hs-cTn 99th percentiles
      makes sense for the ruling in of myocardial infarction. We propose a new approach
      to hs-cTn 99th cutoffs taking into account the analytical properties of the used
      assays.

PMID- 28630239
TI  - An unusual case of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection with pseudomembranous
      colitis-like lesions associated with haemolytic-uraemic syndrome and neurological
      sequelae.
AB  - A 75-year-old man was admitted with abdominal pain and fresh rectal bleeding.
      Significantly, he had no risk factors for Clostridium difficile infection. An
      abdominal CT demonstrated colonic thickening, and flexible sigmoidoscopy
      identified pseudomembranous colitis-like lesions. After initial treatment as C.
      difficile colitis, a stool sample revealed Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection.
      Antibiotic therapy was stopped due to the risk of lysis-mediated toxin release,
      but unfortunately, the patient continued to deteriorate. He developed several of
      the severe sequelae of E. coli O157:H7 infection, including haemolytic-uraemic
      syndrome with an acute kidney injury necessitating haemofiltration, plus
      progressively severe seizures requiring escalating antiepileptic treatment and
      intubation for airway protection. After a prolonged intensive care admission and
      subsequent recovery on the ward, our patient was discharged alive.

PMID- 28630241
TI  - Multipathogenic necrotising supraglottitis in an immunocompetent patient.
AB  - Supraglottitis is a potentially life-threatening condition. It is now uncommon
      due to the Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccination and is more recently caused
      by Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, H. influenzae non-type B, H.
      parainfluenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and Pasteurella multocida Very rarely, it
      can cause necrotising supraglottitis/epiglottitis, and this has been reported in
      immunocompromised individuals. We present a unique case of multipathogenic
      supraglottitis causing laryngeal fibrinoid necrosis in an immunocompetent
      patient. During his admission, the patient was critically unwell and required
      surgical intervention and tracheostomy. However, he made a full recovery with no
      persisting morbidity. We believe that this was owed to the aggressive
      antimicrobial therapy, timely surgical management of the disease process and the
      patienta?TMs immunocompetency.

PMID- 28630240
TI  - Port site endometrioma: a rare cause of abdominal wall pain following
      laparoscopic surgery.
AB  - Endometriomas are a rare cause of abdominal wall pain. We report a case of a port
      site endometrioma presenting with an umbilical swelling. The patient underwent a
      laparoscopy for pelvic endometriosis 6 months previously and presented with a
      swelling around her umbilical port site scar associated with cyclical pain during
      menses. Ultrasound scan reported a well-defined lesion in the umbilicus and MRI
      scanning excluded other pathology. As she was symptomatic, she underwent an
      exploration of the scar and excision of the endometrioma with resolution of her
      symptoms. Precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of endometrial seeding
      during laparoscopic surgery. All tissues should be removed in an appropriate
      retrieval bag and the pneumoperitoneum should be deflated completely before
      removing ports to reduce the chimney effect of tissue being forced through the
      port site. The diagnosis should be considered in all women of reproductive age
      presenting with a painful port site scar.

PMID- 28630242
TI  - Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor-induced isolated pleural granulomas: a
      rare adverse effect.
AB  - A 53-year-old man with a history of Crohn's disease on infliximab, presented with
      several weeks of cough and dyspnoea. He had a right-sided pleural effusion, found
      to be exudative with lymphocytic predominance. He underwent right-sided video
      assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with biopsies and pleurodesis. Histopathology
      showed pleural-based non-caseating granulomas with unremarkable lung parenchyma.
      Cultures were only positive for Propionibacterium acnes 8 months later, he was
      found to have a left-sided exudative, lymphocytic predominant pleural effusion.
      Left-sided VATS and biopsies again showed pleural-based non-caseating granulomas
      with normal lung parenchyma. Having ruled out an active infection and malignant
      lesions, we diagnosed infliximab-induced pleural granulomas. Infliximab was
      stopped. The patient continues to do well at 6 years of follow-up. We believe
      this is the first report of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor-induced
      isolated pleural granulomas. P. acnes and cytokine imbalance might be responsible
      for the pathogenesis of TNF inhibitor-induced granulomas.

PMID- 28630243
TI  - QUAD fever: beware of non-infectious fever in high spinal cord injuries.
AB  - A case of cervical spinal cord injury and quadriparesis with prolonged fever is
      being described. Initially, the patient received treatment for well-documented
      catheter-related bloodstream infection. High spiking fever returned and persisted
      with no obvious evidence of infection. The usual non-infectious causes too were
      carefully excluded. QUAD fever or fever due to spinal cord injury itself was
      considered. The pathogenetic basis of QUAD fever is unclear but could be
      attributed to autonomic dysfunction and temperature dysregulation. Awareness of
      this little known condition could help in avoiding unnecessary antimicrobial
      therapy and in more accurate prognostication. Unlike several previous reported
      cases that ended fatally, the present case ran a relatively benign course. The
      spectrum of presentations may therefore be broader than hitherto appreciated.

PMID- 28630244
TI  - A case of recurrent, multifocal anastomosing haemangiomas.
AB  - Anastomosing haemangiomas are relatively rare lesions, with a renal predilection,
      and which, given their imaging and pathologic appearance, mimic aggressive
      malignancies such as angiosarcoma. The imaging characteristics of this case are
      informative when evaluating a vascular lesion of the adrenal gland.

PMID- 28630245
TI  - Internal carotid artery occlusion and stroke as a complication of cisplatin-based
      chemotherapy for metastatic testicular germ cell tumour.
AB  - Testicular tumours are the most common tumours in young men. Germ cell tumours
      (GCTs) account for 95% of all testicular cancers, and the non-seminomatous type
      (NSGCT) accounts for 50% of all GCTs. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is curative in
      up to 90% of patients, but it is not without its inherent risks. Ischaemic stroke
      is a very uncommon, but severe complication of cisplatin-based chemotherapy.
      Strokes in young patients cause a disproportionately large economic impact by
      leaving victims disabled during their most productive years and strains the
      healthcare system with expensive hospital stays. We present a case of a young
      male patient with past medical history of metastatic NSGCT with the sudden onset
      of dysarthria, left hemiplegia and ipsilateral hemisensory loss 3 days after
      receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Subsequent studies revealed a stroke
      involving the right middle cerebral artery territory secondary to an acute right
      internal carotid occlusion.

PMID- 28630246
TI  - Ominous triad triggered by high-dose glucocorticosteroid therapy.
AB  - Glucocorticosteroids (CS) play a key role in the treatment of numerous diseases.
      Nonetheless, they can be accompanied by several adverse effects. We present the
      case of a 51-year-old woman who was treated with high-dose CS for a relapse of
      her multiple sclerosis. After 5 days of treatment, the patient developed severe
      diabetic ketoacidosis, hypertriglyceridemia and acute pancreatitis-a potentially
      life-threatening triad which has previously been described, in our case, however,
      for the first time as a complication of CS therapy. Our patient's condition was
      further aggravated by a circulatory shock, haemodynamic relevant bleeding from a
      duodenal ulcer and psychotic symptoms. In the intensive care unit, intravenous
      insulin infusion, fluid resuscitation, catecholamine support, electrolyte
      supplementation, endoscopic haemoclipping and antibiotic and antipsychotic
      treatment were administered, leading to a continuous improvement of the patient's
      health state.

PMID- 28630247
TI  - Saksenaea vasiformis infection in an immunocompetent patient in rural Australia.
AB  - An 81-year-old man from rural Australia presented with right pretibial cellulitis
      7 days after minor trauma against furniture. He failed to improve despite
      antibiotics and surgical debridement. Subsequent cultures grew the rare fungus
      Saksenaea vasiformis, which was treated with further surgical debridement,
      amphotericin B and posaconazole. This was successful and the patient made a full
      recovery. We present the case and discuss lessons learnt.

PMID- 28630248
TI  - Chest X-ray of a patient with history of pleural effusion.
AB  - The presented chest X-ray depicts the thoracic duct anatomy of a 50-year-old man
      who underwent heart transplantation. His postoperative course was complicated by
      Candida mediastinitis, treated with debridements and closure of the anterior
      chest wound with myocutaneous flaps. Postoperatively, he had persistent output
      from a right-sided chest tube. The fluid appeared milky and its triglycerides
      level was elevated at 254 mg/dL. The drainage persisted despite a low fat diet.
      The interventional radiologist identified a leak in the upper thoracic duct. It
      was embolised with coil and onyx. After the procedure, the chylous pleural
      effusions resolved. The thoracic duct has been visualised on subsequent chest X
      rays (figures 1 and 2).

PMID- 28630249
TI  - Bilateral ischaemic optic neuropathy and retinopathy along with cortical infarct
      in a case of Takayasu disease.

PMID- 28630250
TI  - Amplification of mGlu5-Endocannabinoid Signaling Rescues Behavioral and Synaptic
      Deficits in a Mouse Model of Adolescent and Adult Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty
      Acid Imbalance.
AB  - Energy-dense, yet nutritionally poor food is a high-risk factor for mental health
      disorders. This is of particular concern during adolescence, a period often
      associated with increased consumption of low nutritional content food and higher
      prevalence of mental health disorders. Indeed, there is an urgent need to
      understand the mechanisms linking unhealthy diet and mental disorders. Deficiency
      in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is a hallmark of poor nutrition and
      mood disorders. Here, we developed a mouse model of n-3 PUFA deficiency lasting
      from adolescence into adulthood. Starting nutritional deficits in dietary n-3
      PUFAs during adolescence decreased n-3 PUFAs in both medial prefrontal cortex
      (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens, increased anxiety-like behavior, and decreased
      cognitive function in adulthood. Importantly, we discovered that
      endocannabinoid/mGlu5-mediated LTD in the mPFC and accumbens was abolished in
      adult n-3-deficient mice. Additionally, mPFC NMDAR-dependent LTP was also lacking
      in the n-3-deficient group. Pharmacological enhancement of the mGlu5/eCB
      signaling complex, by positive allosteric modulation of mGlu5 or inhibition of
      endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol degradation, fully restored synaptic
      plasticity and normalized emotional and cognitive behaviors in malnourished adult
      mice. Our data support a model where nutrition is a key environmental factor
      influencing the working synaptic range into adulthood, long after the end of the
      perinatal period. These findings have important implications for the
      identification of nutritional risk factors for disease and design of new
      treatments for the behavioral deficits associated with nutritional n-3 PUFA
      deficiency.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In a mouse model mimicking n-3 PUFA dietary
      deficiency during adolescence and adulthood, we found strong increases in anxiety
      and anhedonia which lead to decreases in specific cognitive functions in
      adulthood. We found that endocannabinoid/mGlu5-mediated LTD and NMDAR-dependent
      LTP were lacking in adult n-3-deficient mice. Acute positive allosteric
      modulation of mGlu5 or inhibition of endocannabinoid degradation normalized
      behaviors and synaptic functions in n-3 PUFA-deficient adult mice. These findings
      have important implications for the identification of nutritional risk for
      disease and the design of new treatments for the behavioral deficits associated
      with nutritional n-3 PUFAs' imbalance.

PMID- 28630251
TI  - Valnoctamide Inhibits Cytomegalovirus Infection in Developing Brain and
      Attenuates Neurobehavioral Dysfunctions and Brain Abnormalities.
AB  - Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common infectious cause of brain defects and
      neurological dysfunction in developing human babies. Due to the teratogenicity
      and toxicity of available CMV antiviral agents, treatment options during early
      development are markedly limited. Valnoctamide (VCD), a neuroactive mood
      stabilizer with no known teratogenic activity, was recently demonstrated to have
      anti-CMV potential. However, it is not known whether this can be translated into
      an efficacious therapeutic effect to improve CMV-induced adverse neurological
      outcomes. Using multiple models of CMV infection in the developing mouse brain,
      we show that subcutaneous low-dose VCD suppresses CMV by reducing the level of
      virus available for entry into the brain and by acting directly within the brain
      to block virus replication and dispersal. VCD during the first 3 weeks of life
      restored timely acquisition of neurological milestones in neonatal male and
      female mice and rescued long-term motor and behavioral outcomes in juvenile male
      mice. CMV-mediated brain defects, including decreased brain size, cerebellar
      hypoplasia, and neuronal loss, were substantially attenuated by VCD. No adverse
      side effects on neurodevelopment of uninfected control mice receiving VCD were
      detected. Treatment of CMV-infected human fetal astrocytes with VCD reduced both
      viral infectivity and replication by blocking viral particle attachment to the
      cell, a mechanism that differs from available anti-CMV drugs. These data suggest
      that VCD during critical periods of neurodevelopment can effectively suppress CMV
      replication in the brain and safely improve both immediate and long-term
      neurological outcomes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can
      irreversibly damage the developing brain. No anti-CMV drugs are available for use
      during fetal development, and treatment during the neonatal period has
      substantial limitations. We studied the anti-CMV actions of valnoctamide (VCD), a
      psychiatric sedative that appears to lack teratogenicity and toxicity, in the
      newborn mouse brain, a developmental period that parallels that of an early
      second-trimester human fetus. In infected mice, subcutaneous VCD reaches the
      brain and suppresses viral replication within the CNS, rescuing the animals from
      CMV-induced brain defects and neurological problems. Treatment of uninfected
      control animals exerts no detectable adverse effects. VCD also blocks CMV
      replication in human fetal brain cells.

PMID- 28630252
TI  - Alpha-Band Brain Oscillations Shape the Processing of Perceptible as well as
      Imperceptible Somatosensory Stimuli during Selective Attention.
AB  - Attention filters and weights sensory information according to behavioral
      demands. Stimulus-related neural responses are increased for the attended
      stimulus. Does alpha-band activity mediate this effect and is it restricted to
      conscious sensory events (suprathreshold), or does it also extend to unconscious
      stimuli (subthreshold)? To address these questions, we recorded EEG in healthy
      male and female volunteers undergoing subthreshold and suprathreshold
      somatosensory electrical stimulation to the left or right index finger. The task
      was to detect stimulation at the randomly alternated cued index finger. Under
      attention, amplitudes of somatosensory evoked potentials increased 50-60 ms after
      stimulation (P1) for both suprathreshold and subthreshold events. Prestimulus
      amplitude of peri-Rolandic alpha, that is mu, showed an inverse relationship to
      P1 amplitude during attention compared to when the finger was unattended.
      Interestingly, intermediate and high amplitudes of mu rhythm were associated with
      the highest P1 amplitudes during attention and smallest P1 during lack of
      attention, that is, these levels of alpha rhythm seemed to optimally support the
      behavioral goal ("detect" stimuli at the cued finger while ignoring the other
      finger). Our results show that attention enhances neural processing for both
      suprathreshold and subthreshold stimuli and they highlight a rather complex
      interaction between attention, Rolandic alpha activity, and their effects on
      stimulus processing.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Attention is crucial in prioritizing
      processing of relevant perceptible (suprathreshold) stimuli: it filters and
      weights sensory input. The present study investigates the controversially
      discussed question whether this attention effect extends to imperceptible
      (subthreshold) stimuli as well. We found noninvasive EEG signatures for
      attentional modulation of neural events following perceptible and imperceptible
      somatosensory stimulation in human participants. Specifically, stimulus
      processing for both kinds of stimulation, subthreshold and suprathreshold, is
      enhanced by attention. Interestingly, Rolandic alpha rhythm strength and its
      influence on stimulus processing are strikingly altered by attention most likely
      to optimally achieve the behavioral goal.

PMID- 28630253
TI  - Cold-Induced Thermogenesis and Inflammation-Associated Cold-Seeking Behavior Are
      Represented by Different Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Sites: A Three-Dimensional
      Functional Topography Study in Conscious Rats.
AB  - In the past, we showed that large electrolytic lesions of the dorsomedial
      hypothalamus (DMH) promoted hypothermia in cold-exposed restrained rats, but
      attenuated hypothermia in rats challenged with a high dose of bacterial
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a thermogradient apparatus. The goal of this study
      was to identify the thermoeffector mechanisms and DMH representation of the two
      phenomena and thus to understand how the same lesion could produce two opposite
      effects on body temperature. We found that the permissive effect of large
      electrolytic DMH lesions on cold-induced hypothermia was due to suppressed
      thermogenesis. DMH-lesioned rats also could not develop fever autonomically: they
      did not increase thermogenesis in response to a low, pyrogenic dose of LPS (10
      MUg/kg, i.v.). In contrast, changes in thermogenesis were uninvolved in the
      attenuation of the hypothermic response to a high, shock-inducing dose of LPS
      (5000 MUg/kg, i.v.); this attenuation was due to a blockade of cold-seeking
      behavior. To compile DMH maps for the autonomic cold defense and for the cold
      seeking response to LPS, we studied rats with small thermal lesions in different
      parts of the DMH. Cold thermogenesis had the highest representation in the dorsal
      hypothalamic area. Cold seeking was represented by a site at the ventral border
      of the dorsomedial nucleus. Because LPS causes both fever and hypothermia, we
      originally thought that the DMH contained a single thermoregulatory site that
      worked as a fever-hypothermia switch. Instead, we have found two separate sites:
      one that drives thermogenesis and the other, previously unknown, that drives
      inflammation-associated cold seeking.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cold-seeking behavior
      is a life-saving response that occurs in severe systemic inflammation. We studied
      this behavior in rats with lesions in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH)
      challenged with a shock-inducing dose of bacterial endotoxin. We built functional
      maps of the DMH and found the strongest representation of cold-seeking behavior
      at the ventral border of the dorsomedial nucleus. We also built maps for cold
      induced thermogenesis in unanesthetized rats and found the dorsal hypothalamic
      area to be its main representation site. Our work identifies the neural substrate
      of cold-seeking behavior in systemic inflammation and expands the functional
      topography of the DMH, a structure that modulates autonomic, endocrine, and
      behavioral responses and is a potential therapeutic target in anxiety and panic
      disorders.

PMID- 28630254
TI  - Reward Selectively Modulates the Lingering Neural Representation of Recently
      Attended Objects in Natural Scenes.
AB  - Theories of reinforcement learning and approach behavior suggest that reward can
      increase the perceptual salience of environmental stimuli, ensuring that
      potential predictors of outcome are noticed in the future. However, outcome
      commonly follows visual processing of the environment, occurring even when
      potential reward cues have long disappeared. How can reward feedback
      retroactively cause now-absent stimuli to become attention-drawing in the future?
      One possibility is that reward and attention interact to prime lingering visual
      representations of attended stimuli that sustain through the interval separating
      stimulus and outcome. Here, we test this idea using multivariate pattern analysis
      of fMRI data collected from male and female humans. While in the scanner,
      participants searched for examples of target categories in briefly presented
      pictures of cityscapes and landscapes. Correct task performance was followed by
      reward feedback that could randomly have either high or low magnitude. Analysis
      showed that high-magnitude reward feedback boosted the lingering representation
      of target categories while reducing the representation of nontarget categories.
      The magnitude of this effect in each participant predicted the behavioral impact
      of reward on search performance in subsequent trials. Other analyses show that
      sensitivity to reward-as expressed in a personality questionnaire and in
      reactivity to reward feedback in the dopaminergic midbrain-predicted reward
      elicited variance in lingering target and nontarget representations. Credit for
      rewarding outcome thus appears to be assigned to the target representation,
      causing the visual system to become sensitized for similar objects in the
      future.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT How do reward-predictive visual stimuli become
      salient and attention-drawing? In the real world, reward cues precede outcome and
      reward is commonly received long after potential predictors have disappeared. How
      can the representation of environmental stimuli be affected by outcome that
      occurs later in time? Here, we show that reward acts on lingering representations
      of environmental stimuli that sustain through the interval between stimulus and
      outcome. Using naturalistic scene stimuli and multivariate pattern analysis of
      fMRI data, we show that reward boosts the representation of attended objects and
      reduces the representation of unattended objects. This interaction of attention
      and reward processing acts to prime vision for stimuli that may serve to predict
      outcome.

PMID- 28630255
TI  - Social Context-Dependent Activity in Marmoset Frontal Cortex Populations during
      Natural Conversations.
AB  - Communication is an inherently interactive process that weaves together the
      fabric of both human and nonhuman primate societies. To investigate the
      properties of the primate brain during active social signaling, we recorded the
      responses of frontal cortex neurons as freely moving marmosets engaged in
      conversational exchanges with a visually occluded virtual marmoset. We found that
      small changes in firing rate (~1 Hz) occurred across a broadly distributed
      population of frontal cortex neurons when marmosets heard a conspecific
      vocalization, and that these changes corresponded to subjects' likelihood of
      producing or withholding a vocal reply. Although the contributions of individual
      neurons were relatively small, large populations of neurons were able to clearly
      distinguish between these social contexts. Most significantly, this social
      context-dependent change in firing rate was evident even before subjects heard
      the vocalization, indicating that the probability of a conversational exchange
      was determined by the state of the frontal cortex at the time a vocalization was
      heard, and not by a decision driven by acoustic characteristics of the
      vocalization. We found that changes in neural activity scaled with the length of
      the conversation, with greater changes in firing rate evident for longer
      conversations. These data reveal specific and important facets of this neural
      activity that constrain its possible roles in active social signaling, and we
      hypothesize that the close coupling between frontal cortex activity and this
      natural, active primate social-signaling behavior facilitates social-monitoring
      mechanisms critical to conversational exchanges.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We provide
      evidence for a novel pattern of neural activity in the frontal cortex of freely
      moving, naturally behaving, marmoset monkeys that may facilitate natural primate
      conversations. We discovered small (~1 Hz), but reliable, changes in neural
      activity that occurred before marmosets even heard a conspecific vocalization
      that, as a population, almost perfectly predicted whether subjects would produce
      a vocalization in response. The change in the state of the frontal cortex
      persisted throughout the conversation and its magnitude scaled linearly with the
      length of the interaction. We hypothesize that this social context-dependent
      change in frontal cortex activity is supported by several mechanisms, such as
      social arousal and attention, and facilitates social monitoring critical for
      vocal coordination characteristic of human and nonhuman primate conversations.

PMID- 28630256
TI  - The Small GTPase Rac1 Contributes to Extinction of Aversive Memories of Drug
      Withdrawal by Facilitating GABAA Receptor Endocytosis in the vmPFC.
AB  - Extinction of aversive memories has been a major concern in neuropsychiatric
      disorders, such as anxiety disorders and drug addiction. However, the mechanisms
      underlying extinction of aversive memories are not fully understood. Here, we
      report that extinction of conditioned place aversion (CPA) to naloxone
      precipitated opiate withdrawal in male rats activates Rho GTPase Rac1 in the
      ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in a BDNF-dependent manner, which
      determines GABAA receptor (GABAAR) endocytosis via triggering synaptic
      translocation of activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) through
      facilitating actin polymerization. Active Rac1 is essential and sufficient for
      GABAAR endocytosis and CPA extinction. Knockdown of Rac1 expression within the
      vmPFC of rats using Rac1-shRNA suppressed GABAAR endocytosis and CPA extinction,
      whereas expression of a constitutively active form of Rac1 accelerated GABAAR
      endocytosis and CPA extinction. The crucial role of GABAAR endocytosis in the LTP
      induction and CPA extinction is evinced by the findings that blockade of GABAAR
      endocytosis by a dynamin function-blocking peptide (Myr-P4) abolishes LTP
      induction and CPA extinction. Thus, the present study provides first evidence
      that Rac1-dependent GABAAR endocytosis plays a crucial role in extinction of
      aversive memories and reveals the sequence of molecular events that contribute to
      learning experience modulation of synaptic GABAAR endocytosis.SIGNIFICANCE
      STATEMENT This study reveals that Rac1-dependent GABAAR endocytosis plays a
      crucial role in extinction of aversive memories associated with drug withdrawal
      and identifies Arc as a downstream effector of Rac1 regulations of synaptic
      plasticity as well as learning and memory, thereby suggesting therapeutic targets
      to promote extinction of the unwanted memories.

PMID- 28630257
TI  - Contrasting Effects of Medial and Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortex Lesions on Credit
      Assignment and Decision-Making in Humans.
AB  - The orbitofrontal cortex is critical for goal-directed behavior. Recent work in
      macaques has suggested the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) is relatively more
      concerned with assignment of credit for rewards to particular choices during
      value-guided learning, whereas the medial orbitofrontal cortex (often referred to
      as ventromedial prefrontal cortex in humans; vmPFC/mOFC) is involved in
      constraining the decision to the relevant options. We examined whether people
      with damage restricted to subregions of prefrontal cortex showed the patterns of
      impairment observed in prior investigations of the effects of lesions to
      homologous regions in macaques. Groups of patients with either lOFC
      (predominantly right hemisphere), mOFC/vmPFC, or dorsomedial prefrontal (DMF),
      and a comparison group of healthy age- and education-matched controls performed a
      probabilistic 3-choice decision-making task. We report anatomically specific
      patterns of impairment. We found that credit assignment, as indexed by the normal
      influence of contingent relationships between choice and reward, is reduced in
      lOFC patients compared with Controls and mOFC/vmPFC patients. Moreover, the
      effects of reward contingency on choice were similar for patients with lesions in
      DMF or mOFC/vmPFC, compared with Controls. By contrast, mOFC/vmPFC-lesioned
      patients made more stochastic choices than Controls when the decision was framed
      by valuable distracting alternatives, suggesting that value comparisons were no
      longer independent of irrelevant options. Once again, there was evidence of
      regional specialization: patients with lOFC lesions were unimpaired relative to
      Controls. As in macaques, human lOFC and mOFC/vmPFC are necessary for contingent
      learning and value-guided decision-making, respectively.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
      The lateral and medial regions of the orbitofrontal cortex are
      cytoarchitectonically distinct and have different anatomical connections.
      Previous investigations in macaques have shown these anatomical differences are
      accompanied by functional specialization for learning and decision-making. Here,
      for the first time, we test the predictions made by macaque studies in an
      experiment with humans with frontal lobe lesions, asking whether behavioral
      impairments can be linked to lateral or medial orbitofrontal cortex. Using
      equivalent tasks and computational analyses, our findings broadly replicate the
      pattern reported after selective lesions in monkeys. Patients with lateral
      orbitofrontal damage had impaired credit assignment, whereas damage to medial
      orbitofrontal cortex meant that patients were more likely to be distracted by
      irrelevant options.

PMID- 28630258
TI  - Realization of entry-to-practice milestones by Canadians who studied medicine
      abroad and other international medical graduates: a retrospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: International medical graduates must realize a series of milestones
      to obtain full licensure. We examined the realization of milestones by Canadian
      and non-Canadian graduates of Western or Caribbean medical schools, and Canadian
      and non-Canadian graduates from other medical schools. METHODS: Using the
      National IMG Database (data available for 2005-2011), we created 2 cohorts: 1)
      international medical graduates who had passed the Medical Council of Canada
      Qualifying Examination Part I between 2005 and 2010 and 2) those who had first
      entered a family medicine postgraduate program between 2005 and 2009, or had
      first entered a specialty postgraduate program in 2005 or 2006. We examined 3
      entry-to-practice milestones; obtaining a postgraduate position, passing the
      Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part II and obtaining a
      specialty designation. RESULTS: Of the 6925 eligible graduates in cohort 1, 2144
      (31.0%) had obtained a postgraduate position. Of the 1214 eligible graduates in
      cohort 2, 1126 (92.8%) had passed the Qualifying Examination Part II, and 889
      (73.2%) had obtained a specialty designation. In multivariate analyses, Canadian
      graduates of Western or Caribbean medical schools (odds ratio [OR] 4.69, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 3.82-5.71) and Canadian graduates of other medical
      schools (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.31-1.70) were more likely to obtain a postgraduate
      position than non-Canadian graduates of other (not Western or Caribbean) medical
      schools. There was no difference among the groups in passing the Qualifying
      Examination Part II or obtaining a specialty designation. INTERPRETATION:
      Canadians who studied abroad were more likely than other international medical
      graduates to obtain a postgraduate position; there were no differences among the
      groups in realizing milestones once in a postgraduate program. These findings
      support policies that do not distinguish postgraduate applicants by citizenship
      or permanent residency status before medical school.

PMID- 28630259
TI  - Triacylglycerol mimetics regulate membrane interactions of glycogen branching
      enzyme: implications for therapy.
AB  - Adult polyglucosan body disease (APBD) is a neurological disorder characterized
      by adult-onset neurogenic bladder, spasticity, weakness, and sensory loss. The
      disease is caused by aberrant glycogen branching enzyme (GBE) (GBE1Y329S)
      yielding less branched, globular, and soluble glycogen, which tends to aggregate.
      We explore here whether, despite being a soluble enzyme, GBE1 activity is
      regulated by protein-membrane interactions. Because soluble proteins can contact
      a wide variety of cell membranes, we investigated the interactions of purified WT
      and GBE1Y329S proteins with different types of model membranes (liposomes).
      Interestingly, both triheptanoin and some triacylglycerol mimetics (TGMs) we have
      designed (TGM0 and TGM5) markedly enhance GBE1Y329S activity, possibly enough for
      reversing APBD symptoms. We show that the GBE1Y329S mutation exposes a
      hydrophobic amino acid stretch, which can either stabilize and enhance or
      alternatively, reduce the enzyme activity via alteration of protein-membrane
      interactions. Additionally, we found that WT, but not Y329S, GBE1 activity is
      modulated by Ca2+ and phosphatidylserine, probably associated with GBE1-mediated
      regulation of energy consumption and storage. The thermal stabilization and
      increase in GBE1Y329S activity induced by TGM5 and its omega-3 oil structure
      suggest that this molecule has a considerable therapeutic potential for treating
      APBD.

PMID- 28630260
TI  - Cholesterol auxotrophy and intolerance to ezetimibe in mice with SREBP-2
      deficiency in the intestine.
AB  - SREBP-2 activates transcription of all genes needed for cholesterol biosynthesis.
      To study SREBP-2 function in the intestine, we generated a mouse model (Vil-BP2-/
      ) in which Cre recombinase ablates SREBP-2 in intestinal epithelia. Intestines
      of Vil-BP2-/- mice had reduced expression of genes required for sterol synthesis,
      in vivo sterol synthesis rates, and epithelial cholesterol contents. On a
      cholesterol-free diet, the mice displayed chronic enteropathy with histological
      abnormalities of both villi and crypts, growth restriction, and reduced survival
      that was prevented by supplementation of cholesterol in the diet. Likewise, SREBP
      2-deficient enteroids required exogenous cholesterol for growth. Blockade of
      luminal cholesterol uptake into enterocytes with ezetimibe precipitated acutely
      lethal intestinal damage in Vil-BP2-/- mice, highlighting the critical interplay
      in the small intestine of sterol absorption via NPC1L1 and sterol synthesis via
      SREBP-2 in sustaining the intestinal mucosa. These data show that the small
      intestine requires SREBP-2 to drive cholesterol synthesis that sustains the
      intestinal epithelia when uptake of cholesterol from the gut lumen is not
      available, and provide a unique example of cholesterol auxotrophy expressed in an
      intact, adult mammal.

PMID- 28630261
TI  - Anti-inflammatory liaisons: T regulatory cells and HDL.

PMID- 28630264
TI  - It Is Time to End the Dualistic Short Versus Long Duration of Dual Antiplatelet
      Therapy Debates.

PMID- 28630265
TI  - Drone-Based Automatic External Defibrillators for Sudden Death? Do We Need More
      Courage or More Serenity?

PMID- 28630263
TI  - Determination of the Residues in the Extracellular Domain of the Nicotinic alpha
      Subunit Required for the Actions of Physostigmine on Neuronal Nicotinic
      Receptors.
AB  - Physostigmine can potentiate and inhibit neuronal nicotinic receptors, in
      addition to inhibiting the activity of acetylcholinesterase. We found that
      receptors containing three copies of the alpha2 subunit are inhibited by low
      concentrations of physostigmine in contrast to receptors containing three copies
      of the alpha4 subunit that are potentiated. We exploited this observation to
      determine the regions required for the actions of physostigmine. Chimeric
      constructs of the alpha2 and alpha4 subunits located two regions in the
      extracellular amino-terminal domain of the subunit: the E loop (a loop of the
      transmitter-binding domain) and a region closer to the amino-terminus that
      collectively could completely determine the different effects of physostigmine.
      Point mutations then identified a single residue, alpha2(I92) versus alpha4(R92),
      that, when combined with transfer of the E loop, could convert the inhibition
      seen with alpha2 subunits to potentiation and the potentiation seen with alpha4
      subunits to inhibition. In addition, other point mutations could affect the
      extent of potentiation or inhibition, indicating that a more extensive set of
      interactions in the amino-terminal domain plays some role in the actions of
      physostigmine.

PMID- 28630266
TI  - Defining Ambulatory Blood Pressure Thresholds for Decision Making in
      Hypertension: The Effect of Race and Methodology.

PMID- 28630262
TI  - Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor Anagliptin Prevents Intracranial Aneurysm Growth
      by Suppressing Macrophage Infiltration and Activation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of
      intracranial aneurysms (IAs). DPP-4 (dipeptidyl peptidase-4) inhibitors have anti
      inflammatory effects, including suppressing macrophage infiltration, in various
      inflammatory models. We examined whether a DPP-4 inhibitor, anagliptin, could
      suppress the growth of IAs in a rodent aneurysm model. METHODS AND RESULTS: IAs
      were surgically induced in 7-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats, followed by oral
      administration of 300 mg/kg anagliptin. We measured the morphologic parameters of
      aneurysms over time and their local inflammatory responses. To investigate the
      molecular mechanisms, we used lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. In
      the anagliptin-treated group, aneurysms were significantly smaller 2 to 4 weeks
      after IA induction. Anagliptin inhibited the accumulation of macrophages in IAs,
      reduced the expression of MCP-1 (monocyte chemotactic protein 1), and suppressed
      the phosphorylation of p65. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells,
      anagliptin treatment significantly reduced the production of tumor necrosis
      factor alpha, MCP-1, and IL-6 (interleukin 6) independent of GLP-1 (glucagon-like
      peptide 1), the key mediator in the antidiabetic effects of DPP-4 inhibitors.
      Notably, anagliptin activated ERK5 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5),
      which mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of statins, in RAW264.7 macrophages.
      Preadministration with an ERK5 inhibitor blocked the inhibitory effect of
      anagliptin on MCP-1 and IL-6 expression. Accordingly, the ERK5 inhibitor also
      counteracted the suppression of p65 phosphorylation in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: A DPP
      4 inhibitor, anagliptin, prevents the growth of IAs via its anti-inflammatory
      effects on macrophages.

PMID- 28630268
TI  - Highlights From the Circulation Family of Journals.

PMID- 28630267
TI  - A Structured Review of Antithrombotic Therapy in Peripheral Artery Disease With a
      Focus on Revascularization: A TASC (InterSociety Consensus for the Management of
      Peripheral Artery Disease) Initiative.
AB  - Peripheral artery disease affects >200 million people worldwide and is associated
      with significant limb and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Limb
      revascularization is recommended to improve function and quality of life for
      symptomatic patients with peripheral artery disease with intermittent
      claudication who have not responded to medical treatment. For patients with
      critical limb ischemia, the goals of revascularization are to relieve pain, help
      wound healing, and prevent limb loss. The baseline risk of cardiovascular and
      limb-related events demonstrated among patients with stable peripheral artery
      disease is elevated after revascularization and related to atherothrombosis and
      restenosis. Both of these processes involve platelet activation and the
      coagulation cascade, forming the basis for the use of antiplatelet and
      anticoagulant therapies to optimize procedural success and reduce postprocedural
      cardiovascular risk. Unfortunately, few high-quality, randomized data to support
      use of these therapies after peripheral artery disease revascularization exist,
      and much of the rationale for the use of antiplatelet agents after endovascular
      peripheral revascularization is extrapolated from percutaneous coronary
      intervention literature. Consequently, guideline recommendations for
      antithrombotic therapy after lower limb revascularization are inconsistent and
      not always evidence-based. In this context, the purpose of this structured review
      is to assess the available randomized data for antithrombotic therapy after
      peripheral arterial revascularization, with a focus on clinical trial design
      issues that may affect interpretation of study results, and highlight areas that
      require further investigation.

PMID- 28630269
TI  - Coverage and Cardioprotective Benefits of PCSK9 Take Center Stage at the American
      College of Cardiology Meeting.

PMID- 28630270
TI  - Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: An Underlying Reversible Cause.

PMID- 28630271
TI  - Of a Tortuous Nature: An Unusual Cause of Peripartum Congestive Heart Failure.

PMID- 28630272
TI  - Early Myocardial Strain Changes During Potentially Cardiotoxic Chemotherapy May
      Occur as a Result of Reductions in Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Volume: The
      Need to Interpret Left Ventricular Strain With Volumes.

PMID- 28630273
TI  - Letter by Barakat et al Regarding Article, "Implantable Cardioverter
      Defibrillator for Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis".

PMID- 28630274
TI  - Letter by Nery et al Regarding Article, "Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator
      for Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis".

PMID- 28630275
TI  - Response by Golwala et al to Letter Regarding Article, "Implantable Cardioverter
      Defibrillator for Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis".

PMID- 28630276
TI  - Letter by Freeman and Freeman Regarding Article, "Sex Differences in Faculty Rank
      Among Academic Cardiologists in the United States".

PMID- 28630277
TI  - T-Cell Intracellular Antigens and Hu Antigen R Antagonistically Modulate
      Mitochondrial Activity and Dynamics by Regulating Optic Atrophy 1 Gene
      Expression.
AB  - Mitochondria undergo frequent morphological changes to control their function. We
      show here that T-cell intracellular antigens (TIA1b/TIARb) and Hu antigen R (HuR)
      have antagonistic roles in mitochondrial function by modulating the expression of
      mitochondrial shaping proteins. Expression of TIA1b/TIARb alters the
      mitochondrial dynamic network by enhancing fission and clustering, which is
      accompanied by a decrease in respiration. In contrast, HuR expression promotes
      fusion and cristae remodeling and increases respiratory activity.
      Mechanistically, TIA proteins downregulate the expression of optic atrophy 1
      (OPA1) protein via switching of the splicing patterns of OPA1 to facilitate the
      production of OPA1 variant 5 (OPA1v5). Conversely, HuR enhances the expression of
      OPA1 mRNA isoforms through increasing steady-state levels and targeting
      translational efficiency at the 3' untranslated region. Knockdown of TIA1/TIAR or
      HuR partially reversed the expression profile of OPA1, whereas knockdown of OPA1
      or overexpression of OPA1v5 provoked mitochondrial clustering. Middle-term
      expression of TIA1b/TIARb triggers reactive oxygen species production and
      mitochondrial DNA damage, which is accompanied by mitophagy, autophagy, and
      apoptosis. In contrast, HuR expression promotes mitochondrion-dependent cell
      proliferation. Collectively, these results provide molecular insights into the
      antagonistic functions of TIA1b/TIARb and HuR in mitochondrial activity dynamics
      and suggest that their balance might contribute to mitochondrial physiopathology.

PMID- 28630278
TI  - Synthetic Deletion of the Interleukin 23 Receptor (IL-23R) Stalk Region Led to
      Autonomous IL-23R Homodimerization and Activation.
AB  - Interleukin 23 (IL-23) regulates the development of TH17 cells, which are
      important for antimicrobial and antifungal responses and autoimmune and chronic
      inflammatory diseases. IL-23-induced Jak/STAT signaling is mediated via the
      heterodimeric IL-23 receptor (IL-23R)-IL-12 receptor beta1 (IL-12Rbeta1) complex.
      The typical signal-transducing receptor of the IL-6/IL-12 family contains three
      extracellular-membrane-proximal fibronectin type III (FNIII) domains, which are
      not involved in cytokine binding but are mandatory for signal transduction. In
      place of FNIII-type domains, IL-23R has a structurally undefined stalk. We
      hypothesized that the IL-23R stalk acts as a spacer to position the cytokine
      binding domains at a defined distance from the plasma membrane to enable signal
      transduction. Minor deletions of the murine, but not of the human, IL-23R stalk
      resulted in unresponsiveness to IL-23. Complete deletion of the human IL-23R
      stalk and the extended murine IL-23R stalk, including a 20-amino-acid-long
      duplication of domain 3, however, induced ligand-independent, autonomous receptor
      activation, as determined by STAT3 phosphorylation and cell proliferation. Ligand
      independent, autonomous activity was caused by IL-23R homodimers and was
      independent of IL-12Rbeta1. Our data show that deletion of the stalk results in
      biologically active IL-23R homodimers, thereby creating an as-yet-undescribed
      receptor complex of the IL-6/IL-12 cytokine family.

PMID- 28630279
TI  - Obesity and p16INK4A Downregulation Activate Breast Adipocytes and Promote Their
      Protumorigenicity.
AB  - Obesity is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for breast cancer
      development. However, the molecular basis of obesity-related breast
      carcinogenesis remains elusive. In this study, we have shown that obesity reduces
      the level of the tumor suppressor p16INK4A protein in breast adipocytes, which
      showed active features and strong procarcinogenic potential both in vitro and in
      orthotopic tumor xenografts compared to mature adipocytes from lean women.
      Furthermore, obesity triggered epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in
      breast ductal epithelial cells. Interestingly, specific downregulation of
      p16INK4A increased the expression/secretion levels of various adipokines,
      including leptin, and activated breast adipocytes from lean women. Consequently,
      like breast adipocytes from obese women, p16-deficient adipocytes induced EMT in
      normal primary breast luminal cells in a leptin-dependent manner and enhanced
      tumor growth. Additionally, we have shown that p16INK4A negatively controls
      leptin at the mRNA level through microRNAs 141 and 146b-5p (miR-141 and miR-146b
      5p), which bind the leptin mRNA at a specific sequence in the 3' untranslated
      region (UTR). These results show that obesity activates breast stromal adipocytes
      through p16 downregulation, which upregulates leptin and promotes procarcinogenic
      processes.

PMID- 28630280
TI  - Ki-67 Contributes to Normal Cell Cycle Progression and Inactive X Heterochromatin
      in p21 Checkpoint-Proficient Human Cells.
AB  - The Ki-67 protein is widely used as a tumor proliferation marker. However,
      whether Ki-67 affects cell cycle progression has been controversial. Here we
      demonstrate that depletion of Ki-67 in human hTERT-RPE1, WI-38, IMR90, and hTERT
      BJ cell lines and primary fibroblast cells slowed entry into S phase and
      coordinately downregulated genes related to DNA replication. Some gene expression
      changes were partially relieved in Ki-67-depleted hTERT-RPE1 cells by codepletion
      of the Rb checkpoint protein, but more thorough suppression of the
      transcriptional and cell cycle defects was observed upon depletion of the cell
      cycle inhibitor p21. Notably, induction of p21 upon depletion of Ki-67 was a
      consistent hallmark of cell types in which transcription and cell cycle
      distribution were sensitive to Ki-67; these responses were absent in cells that
      did not induce p21. Furthermore, upon Ki-67 depletion, a subset of inactive X
      (Xi) chromosomes in female hTERT-RPE1 cells displayed several features of
      compromised heterochromatin maintenance, including decreased H3K27me3 and
      H4K20me1 labeling. These chromatin alterations were limited to Xi chromosomes
      localized away from the nuclear lamina and were not observed in checkpoint
      deficient 293T cells. Altogether, our results indicate that Ki-67 integrates
      normal S-phase progression and Xi heterochromatin maintenance in p21 checkpoint
      proficient human cells.

PMID- 28630281
TI  - Evidence of a prion-like transmission of p53 amyloid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Loss of p53 function is largely responsible for the occurrence of cancer in
      human. Aggregation of mutant p53 has been found in multiple cancer cell types
      suggesting a role of aggregation for loss of p53 function and cancer development.
      The p53 protein has recently been hypothesized to possess a prion-like
      conformation although experimental evidence is lacking. Here, we report that
      human p53 can be inactivated upon exposure to preformed fibrils containing an
      aggregation prone sequence specific peptide PILTIITL derived from p53 and the
      inactive state was found to be stable for many generations. Importantly, we
      provide evidence of a prion-like transmission of these p53 aggregates. This study
      has a significant implication in understanding cancer progression due to p53
      malfunctioning without any loss of function mutation or occurrence of
      transcriptional inactivation. Our data might unlock new possibilities for
      understanding the disease and will lead to rational designing of p53 aggregation
      inhibitors for drug development against cancer.

PMID- 28630283
TI  - Molecular, Behavioral, and Physiological Consequences of Methamphetamine
      Neurotoxicity: Implications for Treatment.
AB  - Understanding the relationship between the molecular mechanisms underlying
      neurotoxicity of high-dose methamphetamine (METH) and related clinical
      manifestations is imperative for providing more effective treatments for human
      METH users. This article provides an overview of clinical manifestations of METH
      neurotoxicity to the central nervous system and neurobiology underlying the
      consequences of administration of neurotoxic METH doses, and discusses
      implications of METH neurotoxicity for treatment of human abusers of the drug.

PMID- 28630282
TI  - DeSUMOylation of Gli1 by SENP1 Attenuates Sonic Hedgehog Signaling.
AB  - The transcriptional output of the Sonic Hedgehog morphogenic pathway is
      orchestrated by three Kruppel family transcription factors, Gli1 to -3, which
      undergo extensive posttranslational modifications, including ubiquitination and
      SUMOylation. Here, we report that the sentrin-specific peptidase SENP1 is the
      specific deSUMOylation enzyme for Gli1. We show that SUMOylation stabilizes Gli1
      by competing with ubiquitination at conserved lysine residues and that SUMOylated
      Gli1 is enriched in the nucleus, suggesting that SUMOylation is a nuclear
      localization signal for Gli1. Finally, we show that small interfering RNA (siRNA)
      mediated knockdown of SENP1 augments the ability of Shh to sustain the
      proliferation of cerebellar granule cell precursors, demonstrating the
      physiological significance of the negative regulation of Shh signaling by SENP1.

PMID- 28630284
TI  - Differential Interaction of Dantrolene, Glafenine, Nalidixic Acid, and Prazosin
      with Human Organic Anion Transporters 1 and 3.
AB  - In renal proximal tubule cells, the organic anion transporters 1 and 3 (OAT1 and
      OAT3) in the basolateral membrane and the multidrug resistance-associated protein
      4 (MRP4) in the apical membrane share substrates and co-operate in renal drug
      secretion. We hypothesized that recently identified MRP4 inhibitors dantrolene,
      glafenine, nalidixic acid, and prazosin also interact with human OAT1 and/or OAT3
      stably transfected in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. These four drugs were
      tested as possible inhibitors of p-[3H]aminohippurate (PAH) and [14C]glutarate
      uptake by OAT1, and of [3H]estrone-3-sulfate (ES) uptake by OAT3. In addition, we
      explored whether these drugs decrease the equilibrium distribution of
      radiolabeled PAH, glutarate, or ES, an approach intended to indirectly suggest
      drug/substrate exchange through OAT1 and OAT3. With OAT3, a dose-dependent
      inhibition of [3H]ES uptake and a downward shift in [3H]ES equilibrium were
      observed, indicating that all four drugs bind to OAT3 and may possibly be
      translocated. In contrast, the interaction with OAT1 was more complex. With
      [14C]glutarate as substrate, all four drugs inhibited uptake but only glafenine
      and nalidixic acid shifted glutarate equilibrium. Using [3H]PAH as a substrate of
      OAT1, nalidixic acid inhibited but dantrolene, glafenine, and prazosin stimulated
      uptake. Nalidixic acid decreased equilibrium content of [3H]PAH, suggesting that
      it may possibly be exchanged by OAT1. Taken together, OAT1 and OAT3 interact with
      the MRP4 inhibitors dantrolene, glafenine, nalidixic acid, and prazosin,
      indicating overlapping specificities. At OAT1, more than one binding site must be
      assumed to explain substrate and drug-dependent stimulation and inhibition of
      transport activity.

PMID- 28630285
TI  - Efficient transport of tropospheric aerosol into the stratosphere via the Asian
      summer monsoon anticyclone.
AB  - An enhanced aerosol layer near the tropopause over Asia during the June-September
      period of the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) was recently identified using satellite
      observations. Its sources and climate impact are presently not well
      characterized. To improve understanding of this phenomenon, we made in situ
      aerosol measurements during summer 2015 from Kunming, China, then followed with a
      modeling study to assess the global significance. The in situ measurements
      revealed a robust enhancement in aerosol concentration that extended up to 2 km
      above the tropopause. A climate model simulation demonstrates that the abundant
      anthropogenic aerosol precursor emissions from Asia coupled with rapid vertical
      transport associated with monsoon convection leads to significant particle
      formation in the upper troposphere within the ASM anticyclone. These particles
      subsequently spread throughout the entire Northern Hemispheric (NH) lower
      stratosphere and contribute significantly (~15%) to the NH stratospheric column
      aerosol surface area on an annual basis. This contribution is comparable to that
      from the sum of small volcanic eruptions in the period between 2000 and 2015.
      Although the ASM contribution is smaller than that from tropical upwelling
      (~35%), we find that this region is about three times as efficient per unit area
      and time in populating the NH stratosphere with aerosol. With a substantial
      amount of organic and sulfur emissions in Asia, the ASM anticyclone serves as an
      efficient smokestack venting aerosols to the upper troposphere and lower
      stratosphere. As economic growth continues in Asia, the relative importance of
      Asian emissions to stratospheric aerosol is likely to increase.

PMID- 28630287
TI  - Correction for Mattei et al., Integrated 3D view of postmating responses by the
      Drosophila melanogaster female reproductive tract, obtained by micro-computed
      tomography scanning.

PMID- 28630286
TI  - Efficient switching of mCherry fluorescence using chemical caging.
AB  - Fluorophores with dynamic or controllable fluorescence emission have become
      essential tools for advanced imaging, such as superresolution imaging. These
      applications have driven the continuing development of photoactivatable or
      photoconvertible labels, including genetically encoded fluorescent proteins.
      These new probes work well but require the introduction of new labels that may
      interfere with the proper functioning of existing constructs and therefore
      require extensive functional characterization. In this work we show that the
      widely used red fluorescent protein mCherry can be brought to a purely chemically
      induced blue-fluorescent state by incubation with beta-mercaptoethanol (betaME).
      The molecules can be recovered to the red fluorescent state by washing out the
      betaME or through irradiation with violet light, with up to 80% total recovery.
      We show that this can be used to perform single-molecule localization microscopy
      (SMLM) on cells expressing mCherry, which renders this approach applicable to a
      very wide range of existing constructs. We performed a detailed investigation of
      the mechanism underlying these dynamics, using X-ray crystallography, NMR
      spectroscopy, and ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations. We find that the
      betaME-induced fluorescence quenching of mCherry occurs both via the direct
      addition of betaME to the chromophore and through betaME-mediated reduction of
      the chromophore. These results not only offer a strategy to expand SMLM imaging
      to a broad range of available biological models, but also present unique insights
      into the chemistry and functioning of a highly important class of fluorophores.

PMID- 28630288
TI  - Intact piRNA pathway prevents L1 mobilization in male meiosis.
AB  - The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is essential for retrotransposon
      silencing. In piRNA-deficient mice, L1-overexpressing male germ cells exhibit
      excessive DNA damage and meiotic defects. It remains unknown whether L1
      expression simply highlights piRNA deficiency or actually drives the germ-cell
      demise. Specifically, the sheer abundance of genomic L1 copies prevents reliable
      quantification of new insertions. Here, we developed a codon-optimized L1
      transgene that is controlled by an endogenous mouse L1 promoter. Importantly, DNA
      methylation dynamics of a single-copy transgene were indistinguishable from those
      of endogenous L1s. Analysis of Mov10l1-/- testes established that de novo
      methylation of the L1 transgene required the intact piRNA pathway. Consistent
      with loss of DNA methylation and programmed reduction of H3K9me2 at meiotic
      onset, the transgene showed 1,400-fold increase in RNA expression and
      consequently 70-fold increase in retrotransposition in postnatal day 14 Mov10l1-/
      germ cells compared with the wild-type. Analysis of adult Mov10l1-/- germ-cell
      fractions indicated a stage-specific increase of retrotransposition in the early
      meiotic prophase. However, extrapolation of the transgene data to endogenous L1s
      suggests that it is unlikely insertional mutagenesis alone accounts for the
      Mov10l1-/- phenotype. Indeed, pharmacological inhibition of reverse transcription
      did not rescue the meiotic defect. Cumulatively, these results establish the
      occurrence of productive L1 mobilization in the absence of an intact piRNA
      pathway but leave open the possibility of processes preceding L1 integration in
      triggering meiotic checkpoints and germ-cell death. Additionally, our data
      suggest that many heritable L1 insertions originate from individuals with
      partially compromised piRNA defense.

PMID- 28630289
TI  - Green mamba peptide targets type-2 vasopressin receptor against polycystic kidney
      disease.
AB  - Polycystic kidney diseases (PKDs) are genetic disorders that can cause renal
      failure and death in children and adults. Lowering cAMP in cystic tissues through
      the inhibition of the type-2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) constitutes a validated
      strategy to reduce disease progression. We identified a peptide from green mamba
      venom that exhibits nanomolar affinity for the V2R without any activity on 155
      other G-protein-coupled receptors or on 15 ionic channels. Mambaquaretin-1 is a
      full antagonist of the V2R activation pathways studied: cAMP production, beta
      arrestin interaction, and MAP kinase activity. This peptide adopts the Kunitz
      fold known to mostly act on potassium channels and serine proteases.
      Mambaquaretin-1 interacts selectively with the V2R through its first loop, in the
      same manner that aprotinin inhibits trypsin. Injected in mice, mambaquaretin-1
      increases in a dose-dependent manner urine outflow with concomitant reduction of
      urine osmolality, indicating a purely aquaretic effect associated with the in
      vivo blockade of V2R. CD1-pcy/pcy mice, a juvenile model of PKD, daily treated
      with 13 [Formula: see text]g of mambaquaretin-1 for 99 d, developed less abundant
      (by 33%) and smaller (by 47%) cysts than control mice. Neither tachyphylaxis nor
      apparent toxicity has been noted. Mambaquaretin-1 represents a promising
      therapeutic agent against PKDs.

PMID- 28630290
TI  - Childhood social class and cognitive aging in the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of
      Aging.
AB  - In this report we analyzed genetically informative data to investigate within
      person change and between-person differences in late-life cognitive abilities as
      a function of childhood social class. We used data from nine testing occasions
      spanning 28 y in the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging and parental social
      class based on the Swedish socioeconomic index. Cognitive ability included a
      general factor and the four domains of verbal, fluid, memory, and perceptual
      speed. Latent growth curve models of the longitudinal data tested whether level
      and change in cognitive performance differed as a function of childhood social
      class. Between-within twin-pair analyses were performed on twins reared apart to
      assess familial confounding. Childhood social class was significantly associated
      with mean-level cognitive performance at age 65 y, but not with rate of cognitive
      change. The association decreased in magnitude but remained significant after
      adjustments for level of education and the degree to which the rearing family was
      supportive toward education. A between-pair effect of childhood social class was
      significant in all cognitive domains, whereas within-pair estimates were
      attenuated, indicating genetic confounding. Thus, childhood social class is
      important for cognitive performance in adulthood on a population level, but the
      association is largely attributable to genetic influences.

PMID- 28630291
TI  - Global Sustainable Development priorities 500 y after Luther: Sola schola et
      sanitate.
AB  - Martin Luther succinctly summarized his theology in sola statements, such as sola
      scriptura, viewing the Bible (scriptura) as the only valid source of information
      about God rather than what he viewed as the extraneous, corrupting church
      doctrine of the time. As a secular side effect of this focus on individual
      reading skills, the Protestant territories were the first to acquire high
      literacy rates, which subsequently fostered health, economic growth, and good
      governance. Here I argue that a similar priority focus on empowerment of all
      segments of all populations through education and health (sola schola et
      sanitate) is needed today for sustainable development. According to decades of
      research, education and health are essential prerequisites for ending poverty and
      hunger, for improving institutions and participation in society, for voluntary
      fertility declines and ending world population growth, for changing behavior and
      adoption of new and clean technologies, and for enhancing adaptive capacity to
      already unavoidable climate change. This approach avoids paternalistic imposition
      of development policies by focusing external aid on enabling people to help
      themselves, their families, and communities. Prioritizing education and health
      also helps move more industrialized, aging societies from a focus on material
      consumption to one on quality of life. Sola schola et sanitate suggests that well
      being will increasingly be based on health, continued mental stimulation, and
      consumption of cultural products, rather than fossil fuels and materials. Thus,
      cognition-or brain power-can be viewed as the zero-emissions energy for
      sustainable development.

PMID- 28630292
TI  - Tetrahydrobiopterin regulates monoamine neurotransmitter sulfonation.
AB  - Monoamine neurotransmitters are among the hundreds of signaling small molecules
      whose target interactions are switched "on" and "off" via transfer of the
      sulfuryl-moiety (-SO3) from PAPS (3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate) to the
      hydroxyls and amines of their scaffolds. These transfer reactions are catalyzed
      by a small family of broad-specificity enzymes-the human cytosolic
      sulfotransferases (SULTs). The first structure of a SULT allosteric-binding site
      (that of SULT1A1) has recently come to light. The site is conserved among SULT1
      family members and is promiscuous-it binds catechins, a naturally occurring
      family of flavanols. Here, the catechin-binding site of SULT1A3, which sulfonates
      monoamine neurotransmitters, is modeled on that of 1A1 and used to screen in
      silico for endogenous metabolite 1A3 allosteres. Screening predicted a single
      high-affinity allostere, tetrahydrobiopterin (THB), an essential cofactor in
      monoamine neurotransmitter biosynthesis. THB is shown to bind and inhibit SULT1A3
      with high affinity, 23 (+/-2) nM, and to bind weakly, if at all, to the four
      other major SULTs found in brain and liver. The structure of the THB-bound
      binding site is determined and confirms that THB binds the catechin site. A
      structural comparison of SULT1A3 with SULT1A1 (its immediate evolutionary
      progenitor) reveals how SULT1A3 acquired high affinity for THB and that the
      majority of residue changes needed to transform 1A1 into 1A3 are clustered at the
      allosteric and active sites. Finally, sequence records reveal that the
      coevolution of these sites played an essential role in the evolution of simian
      neurotransmitter metabolism.

PMID- 28630294
TI  - Mercury evidence for pulsed volcanism during the end-Triassic mass extinction.
AB  - The Central Atlantic Magmatic Province (CAMP) has long been proposed as having a
      causal relationship with the end-Triassic extinction event (~201.5 Ma). In North
      America and northern Africa, CAMP is preserved as multiple basaltic units
      interbedded with uppermost Triassic to lowermost Jurassic sediments. However, it
      has been unclear whether this apparent pulsing was a local feature, or if pulses
      in the intensity of CAMP volcanism characterized the emplacement of the province
      as a whole. Here, six geographically widespread Triassic-Jurassic records,
      representing varied paleoenvironments, are analyzed for mercury (Hg)
      concentrations and Hg/total organic carbon (Hg/TOC) ratios. Volcanism is a major
      source of mercury to the modern environment. Clear increases in Hg and Hg/TOC are
      observed at the end-Triassic extinction horizon, confirming that a volcanically
      induced global Hg cycle perturbation occurred at that time. The established
      correlation between the extinction horizon and lowest CAMP basalts allows this
      sedimentary Hg excursion to be stratigraphically tied to a specific flood basalt
      unit, strengthening the case for volcanic Hg as the driver of sedimentary Hg/TOC
      spikes. Additional Hg/TOC peaks are also documented between the extinction
      horizon and the Triassic-Jurassic boundary (separated by ~200 ky), supporting
      pulsatory intensity of CAMP volcanism across the entire province and providing
      direct evidence for episodic volatile release during the initial stages of CAMP
      emplacement. Pulsatory volcanism, and associated perturbations in the ocean
      atmosphere system, likely had profound implications for the rate and magnitude of
      the end-Triassic mass extinction and subsequent biotic recovery.

PMID- 28630295
TI  - Application of metabolic controls for the maximization of lipid production in
      semicontinuous fermentation.
AB  - Acetic acid can be generated through syngas fermentation, lignocellulosic biomass
      degradation, and organic waste anaerobic digestion. Microbial conversion of
      acetate into triacylglycerols for biofuel production has many advantages,
      including low-cost or even negative-cost feedstock and environmental benefits.
      The main issue stems from the dilute nature of acetate produced in such systems,
      which is costly to be processed on an industrial scale. To tackle this problem,
      we established an efficient bioprocess for converting dilute acetate into lipids,
      using the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica in a semicontinuous system. The
      implemented design used low-strength acetic acid in both salt and acid forms as
      carbon substrate and a cross-filtration module for cell recycling. Feed controls
      for acetic acid and nitrogen based on metabolic models and online measurement of
      the respiratory quotient were used. The optimized process was able to sustain
      high-density cell culture using acetic acid of only 3% and achieved a lipid
      titer, yield, and productivity of 115 g/L, 0.16 g/g, and 0.8 g?L-1?h-1,
      respectively. No carbon substrate was detected in the effluent stream, indicating
      complete utilization of acetate. These results represent a more than twofold
      increase in lipid production metrics compared with the current best-performing
      results using concentrated acetic acid as carbon feed.

PMID- 28630293
TI  - A null model for microbial diversification.
AB  - Whether prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea) are naturally organized into
      phenotypically and genetically cohesive units comparable to animal or plant
      species remains contested, frustrating attempts to estimate how many such units
      there might be, or to identify the ecological roles they play. Analyses of gene
      sequences in various closely related prokaryotic groups reveal that sequence
      diversity is typically organized into distinct clusters, and processes such as
      periodic selection and extensive recombination are understood to be drivers of
      cluster formation ("speciation"). However, observed patterns are rarely compared
      with those obtainable with simple null models of diversification under stochastic
      lineage birth and death and random genetic drift. Via a combination of
      simulations and analyses of core and phylogenetic marker genes, we show that
      patterns of diversity for the genera Escherichia, Neisseria, and Borrelia are
      generally indistinguishable from patterns arising under a null model. We suggest
      that caution should thus be taken in interpreting observed clustering as a result
      of selective evolutionary forces. Unknown forces do, however, appear to play a
      role in Helicobacter pylori, and some individual genes in all groups fail to
      conform to the null model. Taken together, we recommend the presented birth-death
      model as a null hypothesis in prokaryotic speciation studies. It is only when the
      real data are statistically different from the expectations under the null model
      that some speciation process should be invoked.

PMID- 28630297
TI  - Correction for Khan et al., Sympathetic innervation controls homeostasis of
      neuromuscular junctions in health and disease.

PMID- 28630296
TI  - Subunit-specific role for the amino-terminal domain of AMPA receptors in synaptic
      targeting.
AB  - The amino-terminal domain (ATD) of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) accounts for
      approximately 50% of the protein, yet its functional role, if any, remains a
      mystery. We have discovered that the translocation of surface GluA1, but not
      GluA2, AMPAR subunits to the synapse requires the ATD. GluA1A2 heteromers in
      which the ATD of GluA1 is absent fail to translocate, establishing a critical
      role of the ATD of GluA1. Inserting GFP into the ATD interferes with the
      constitutive synaptic trafficking of GluA1, but not GluA2, mimicking the deletion
      of the ATD. Remarkably, long-term potentiation (LTP) can override the masking
      effect of the GFP tag. GluA1, but not GluA2, lacking the ATD fails to show LTP.
      These findings uncover a role for the ATD in subunit-specific synaptic
      trafficking of AMPARs, both constitutively and during plasticity. How LTP,
      induced postsynaptically, engages these extracellular trafficking motifs and what
      specific cleft proteins participate in the process remain to be elucidated.

PMID- 28630298
TI  - Hypocretin (orexin) is critical in sustaining theta/gamma-rich waking behaviors
      that drive sleep need.
AB  - Hcrt gene inactivation in mice leads to behavioral state instability, abnormal
      transitions to paradoxical sleep, and cataplexy, hallmarks of narcolepsy. Sleep
      homeostasis is, however, considered unimpaired in patients and narcoleptic mice.
      We find that whereas Hcrtko/ko mice respond to 6-h sleep deprivation (SD) with a
      slow-wave sleep (SWS) EEG delta (1.0 to 4.0 Hz) power rebound like WT
      littermates, spontaneous waking fails to induce a delta power reflecting prior
      waking duration. This correlates with impaired theta (6.0 to 9.5 Hz) and fast
      gamma (55 to 80 Hz) activity in prior waking. We algorithmically identify a theta
      dominated wakefulness (TDW) substate underlying motivated behaviors and typically
      preceding cataplexy in Hcrtko/ko mice. Hcrtko/ko mice fully implement TDW when
      waking is enforced, but spontaneous TDW episode duration is greatly reduced. A
      reformulation of the classic sleep homeostasis model, where homeostatic pressure
      rises exclusively in TDW rather than all waking, predicts delta power dynamics
      both in Hcrtko/ko and WT mouse baseline and recovery SWS. The low homeostatic
      impact of Hcrtko/ko mouse spontaneous waking correlates with decreased cortical
      expression of neuronal activity-related genes (notably Bdnf, Egr1/Zif268, and
      Per2). Thus, spontaneous TDW stability relies on Hcrt to sustain theta/fast-gamma
      network activity and associated plasticity, whereas other arousal circuits
      sustain TDW during SD. We propose that TDW identifies a discrete global brain
      activity mode that is regulated by context-dependent neuromodulators and acts as
      a major driver of sleep homeostasis. Hcrt loss in Hcrtko/ko mice causes impaired
      TDW maintenance in baseline wake and blunted delta power in SWS, reproducing,
      respectively, narcolepsy excessive daytime sleepiness and poor sleep quality.

PMID- 28630299
TI  - Bacteria-mediated hypoxia functions as a signal for mosquito development.
AB  - Mosquitoes host communities of microbes in their digestive tract that consist
      primarily of bacteria. We previously reported that several mosquito species,
      including Aedes aegypti, do not develop beyond the first instar when fed a
      nutritionally complete diet in the absence of a gut microbiota. In contrast,
      several species of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, rescue development of
      axenic larvae into adults. The molecular mechanisms underlying bacteria-dependent
      growth are unknown. Here, we designed a genetic screen around E. coli that
      identified high-affinity cytochrome bd oxidase as an essential bacterial gene
      product for mosquito growth. Bioassays showed that bacteria in nonsterile larvae
      and gnotobiotic larvae inoculated with wild-type E. coli reduced midgut oxygen
      levels below 5%, whereas larvae inoculated with E. coli mutants defective for
      cytochrome bd oxidase did not. Experiments further supported that hypoxia leads
      to growth and ecdysone-induced molting. Altogether, our results identify aerobic
      respiration by bacteria as a previously unknown but essential process for
      mosquito development.

PMID- 28630300
TI  - G9a drives hypoxia-mediated gene repression for breast cancer cell survival and
      tumorigenesis.
AB  - G9a is an epigenetic regulator that methylates H3K9, generally causing repression
      of gene expression, and participates in diverse cellular functions. G9a is
      genetically deregulated in a variety of tumor types and can silence tumor
      suppressor genes and, therefore, is important for carcinogenesis. Although
      hypoxia is recognized to be an adverse factor in tumor growth and metastasis, the
      role of G9a in regulating gene expression in hypoxia has not been described
      extensively. Here, we show that G9a protein stability is increased in hypoxia via
      reduced proline hydroxylation and, hence, inefficient degradation by the
      proteasome. This inefficiency leads to an increase in H3K9me2 at its target
      promoters. Blocking the methyltransferase activity of G9a inhibited cellular
      proliferation and migration in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, an
      increased level of G9a is a crucial factor in mediating the hypoxic response by
      down-regulating the expression of specific genes, including ARNTL, CEACAM7,
      GATA2, HHEX, KLRG1, and OGN This down-regulation can be rescued by a small
      molecule inhibitor of G9a. Based on the hypothesis that the changes in gene
      expression would influence patient outcomes, we have developed a prognostic G9a
      suppressed gene signature that can stratify breast cancer patients. Together, our
      findings provide an insight into the role G9a plays as an epigenetic mediator of
      hypoxic response, which can be used as a diagnostic marker, and proposes G9a as a
      therapeutic target for solid cancers.

PMID- 28630301
TI  - Potential high-Tc superconducting lanthanum and yttrium hydrides at high
      pressure.
AB  - A systematic structure search in the La-H and Y-H systems under pressure reveals
      some hydrogen-rich structures with intriguing electronic properties. For example,
      LaH10 is found to adopt a sodalite-like face-centered cubic (fcc) structure,
      stable above 200 GPa, and LaH8 a C2/m space group structure. Phonon calculations
      indicate both are dynamically stable; electron phonon calculations coupled to
      Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) arguments indicate they might be high-Tc
      superconductors. In particular, the superconducting transition temperature Tc
      calculated for LaH10 is 274-286 K at 210 GPa. Similar calculations for the Y-H
      system predict stability of the sodalite-like fcc YH10 and a Tc above room
      temperature, reaching 305-326 K at 250 GPa. The study suggests that dense
      hydrides consisting of these and related hydrogen polyhedral networks may
      represent new classes of potential very high-temperature superconductors.

PMID- 28630302
TI  - New perspective on spring vegetation phenology and global climate change based on
      Tibetan Plateau tree-ring data.
AB  - Phenological responses of vegetation to climate, in particular to the ongoing
      warming trend, have received much attention. However, divergent results from the
      analyses of remote sensing data have been obtained for the Tibetan Plateau (TP),
      the world's largest high-elevation region. This study provides a perspective on
      vegetation phenology shifts during 1960-2014, gained using an innovative approach
      based on a well-validated, process-based, tree-ring growth model that is
      independent of temporal changes in technical properties and image quality of
      remote sensing products. Twenty composite site chronologies were analyzed,
      comprising about 3,000 trees from forested areas across the TP. We found that the
      start of the growing season (SOS) has advanced, on average, by 0.28 d/y over the
      period 1960-2014. The end of the growing season (EOS) has been delayed, by an
      estimated 0.33 d/y during 1982-2014. No significant changes in SOS or EOS were
      observed during 1960-1981. April-June and August-September minimum temperatures
      are the main climatic drivers for SOS and EOS, respectively. An increase of 1 
      degrees C in April-June minimum temperature shifted the dates of xylem phenology
      by 6 to 7 d, lengthening the period of tree-ring formation. This study extends
      the chronology of TP phenology farther back in time and reconciles the disparate
      views on SOS derived from remote sensing data. Scaling up this analysis may
      improve understanding of climate change effects and related phenological and
      plant productivity on a global scale.

PMID- 28630304
TI  - Transitional-turbulent spots and turbulent-turbulent spots in boundary layers.
AB  - Two observations drawn from a thoroughly validated direct numerical simulation of
      the canonical spatially developing, zero-pressure gradient, smooth, flat-plate
      boundary layer are presented here. The first is that, for bypass transition in
      the narrow sense defined herein, we found that the transitional-turbulent spot
      inception mechanism is analogous to the secondary instability of boundary-layer
      natural transition, namely a spanwise vortex filament becomes a [Formula: see
      text] vortex and then, a hairpin packet. Long streak meandering does occur but
      usually when a streak is infected by a nearby existing transitional-turbulent
      spot. Streak waviness and breakdown are, therefore, not the mechanisms for the
      inception of transitional-turbulent spots found here. Rather, they only
      facilitate the growth and spreading of existing transitional-turbulent spots. The
      second observation is the discovery, in the inner layer of the developed
      turbulent boundary layer, of what we call turbulent-turbulent spots. These
      turbulent-turbulent spots are dense concentrations of small-scale vortices with
      high swirling strength originating from hairpin packets. Although structurally
      quite similar to the transitional-turbulent spots, these turbulent-turbulent
      spots are generated locally in the fully turbulent environment, and they are
      persistent with a systematic variation of detection threshold level. They exert
      indentation, segmentation, and termination on the viscous sublayer streaks, and
      they coincide with local concentrations of high levels of Reynolds shear stress,
      enstrophy, and temperature fluctuations. The sublayer streaks seem to be passive
      and are often simply the rims of the indentation pockets arising from the
      turbulent-turbulent spots.

PMID- 28630303
TI  - How members of the human gut microbiota overcome the sulfation problem posed by
      glycosaminoglycans.
AB  - The human microbiota, which plays an important role in health and disease, uses
      complex carbohydrates as a major source of nutrients. Utilization hierarchy
      indicates that the host glycosaminoglycans heparin (Hep) and heparan sulfate (HS)
      are high-priority carbohydrates for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a prominent
      member of the human microbiota. The sulfation patterns of these
      glycosaminoglycans are highly variable, which presents a significant enzymatic
      challenge to the polysaccharide lyases and sulfatases that mediate degradation.
      It is possible that the bacterium recruits lyases with highly plastic
      specificities and expresses a repertoire of enzymes that target substructures of
      the glycosaminoglycans with variable sulfation or that the glycans are desulfated
      before cleavage by the lyases. To distinguish between these mechanisms, the
      components of the B. thetaiotaomicron Hep/HS degrading apparatus were analyzed.
      The data showed that the bacterium expressed a single-surface endo-acting lyase
      that cleaved HS, reflecting its higher molecular weight compared with Hep. Both
      Hep and HS oligosaccharides imported into the periplasm were degraded by a
      repertoire of lyases, with each enzyme displaying specificity for substructures
      within these glycosaminoglycans that display a different degree of sulfation.
      Furthermore, the crystal structures of a key surface glycan binding protein,
      which is able to bind both Hep and HS, and periplasmic sulfatases reveal the
      major specificity determinants for these proteins. The locus described here is
      highly conserved within the human gut Bacteroides, indicating that the model
      developed is of generic relevance to this important microbial community.

PMID- 28630306
TI  - Heat exchange between a bouncing drop and a superhydrophobic substrate.
AB  - The ability to enhance or limit heat transfer between a surface and impacting
      drops is important in applications ranging from industrial spray cooling to the
      thermal regulation of animals in cold rain. When these surfaces are
      micro/nanotextured and hydrophobic, or superhydrophobic, an impacting drop can
      spread and recoil over trapped air pockets so quickly that it can completely
      bounce off the surface. It is expected that this short contact time limits heat
      transfer; however, the amount of heat exchanged and precise role of various
      parameters, such as the drop size, are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the
      amount of heat exchanged between a millimeter-sized water drop and a
      superhydrophobic surface will be orders of magnitude less when the drop bounces
      than when it sticks. Through a combination of experiments and theory, we show
      that the heat transfer process on superhydrophobic surfaces is independent of the
      trapped gas. Instead, we find that, for a given spreading factor, the small
      fraction of heat transferred is controlled by two dimensionless groupings of
      physical parameters: one that relates the thermal properties of the drop and bulk
      substrate and the other that characterizes the relative thermal, inertial, and
      capillary dynamics of the drop.

PMID- 28630305
TI  - Multiple layers of heterogeneity and subset diversity in human MAIT cell
      responses to distinct microorganisms and to innate cytokines.
AB  - Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a large innate-like T-cell subset
      in humans defined by invariant TCR Valpha7.2 use and expression of CD161. MAIT
      cells recognize microbial riboflavin metabolites of bacterial or fungal origin
      presented by the monomorphic MR1 molecule. The extraordinary level of
      evolutionary conservation of MR1 and the limited known diversity of riboflavin
      metabolite antigens have suggested that MAIT cells are relatively homogeneous and
      uniform in responses against diverse microbes carrying the riboflavin
      biosynthesis pathway. The ability of MAIT cells to exhibit microbe-specific
      functional specialization has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we found
      that MAIT cell responses against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans displayed
      microbe-specific polyfunctional response profiles, antigen sensitivity, and
      response magnitudes. MAIT cell effector responses against E. coli and C. albicans
      displayed differential MR1 dependency and TCR beta-chain bias, consistent with
      possible divergent antigen subspecificities between these bacterial and fungal
      organisms. Finally, although the MAIT cell immunoproteome was overall relatively
      homogenous and consistent with an effector memory-like profile, it still revealed
      diversity in a set of natural killer cell-associated receptors. Among these,
      CD56, CD84, and CD94 defined a subset with higher expression of the transcription
      factors promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF), eomesodermin, and T-bet and
      enhanced capacity to respond to IL-12 and IL-18 stimulation. Thus, the conserved
      and innate-like MAIT cells harbor multiple layers of functional heterogeneity as
      they respond to bacterial or fungal organisms or innate cytokines and adapt their
      antimicrobial response patterns in a stimulus-specific manner.

PMID- 28630307
TI  - Nanophotonics-enabled solar membrane distillation for off-grid water
      purification.
AB  - With more than a billion people lacking accessible drinking water, there is a
      critical need to convert nonpotable sources such as seawater to water suitable
      for human use. However, energy requirements of desalination plants account for
      half their operating costs, so alternative, lower energy approaches are equally
      critical. Membrane distillation (MD) has shown potential due to its low operating
      temperature and pressure requirements, but the requirement of heating the input
      water makes it energy intensive. Here, we demonstrate nanophotonics-enabled solar
      membrane distillation (NESMD), where highly localized photothermal heating
      induced by solar illumination alone drives the distillation process, entirely
      eliminating the requirement of heating the input water. Unlike MD, NESMD can be
      scaled to larger systems and shows increased efficiencies with decreased input
      flow velocities. Along with its increased efficiency at higher ambient
      temperatures, these properties all point to NESMD as a promising solution for
      household- or community-scale desalination.

PMID- 28630308
TI  - Measuring shared variants in cohorts of discordant siblings with applications to
      autism.
AB  - We develop a method of analysis [affected to discordant sibling pairs (A2DS)]
      that tests if shared variants contribute to a disorder. Using a standard measure
      of genetic relation, test individuals are compared with a cohort of discordant
      sibling pairs (CDS) to derive a comparative similarity score. We ask if a test
      individual is more similar to an unrelated affected than to the unrelated
      unaffected sibling from the CDS and then, sum over such individuals and pairs.
      Statistical significance is judged by randomly permuting the affected status in
      the CDS. In the analysis of published genotype data from the Simons Simplex
      Collection (SSC) and the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE) cohorts of
      children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we find strong statistical
      significance that the affected are more similar to the affected than to the
      unaffected of the CDS (P value ~ 0.00001). Fathers in multiplex families have
      marginally greater similarity (P value = 0.02) to unrelated affected individuals.
      These results do not depend on ethnic matching or gender.

PMID- 28630309
TI  - QnAs with Tony Hunter and James Allison.

PMID- 28630310
TI  - Group augmentation, collective action, and territorial boundary patrols by male
      chimpanzees.
AB  - How can collective action evolve when individuals benefit from cooperation
      regardless of whether they pay its participation costs? According to one
      influential perspective, collective action problems are common, especially when
      groups are large, but may be solved when individuals who have more to gain from
      the collective good or can produce it at low costs provide it to others as a
      byproduct. Several results from a 20-y study of one of the most striking examples
      of collective action in nonhuman animals, territorial boundary patrolling by male
      chimpanzees, are consistent with these ideas. Individuals were more likely to
      patrol when (i) they had more to gain because they had many offspring in the
      group; (ii) they incurred relatively low costs because of their high dominance
      rank and superior physical condition; and (iii) the group size was relatively
      small. However, several other findings were better explained by group
      augmentation theory, which proposes that individuals should bear the short-term
      costs of collective action even when they have little to gain immediately if such
      action leads to increases in group size and long-term increases in reproductive
      success. In support of this theory, (i) individual patrolling effort was higher
      and less variable than participation in intergroup aggression in other primate
      species; (ii) males often patrolled when they had no offspring or maternal
      relatives in the group; and (iii) the aggregate patrolling effort of the group
      did not decrease with group size. We propose that group augmentation theory
      deserves more consideration in research on collective action.

PMID- 28630311
TI  - A prokaryotic viral sequence is expressed and conserved in mammalian brain.
AB  - A natural and permanent transfer of prokaryotic viral sequences to mammals has
      not been reported by others. Circular "SPHINX" DNAs <5 kb were previously
      isolated from nuclease-protected cytoplasmic particles in rodent neuronal cell
      lines and brain. Two of these DNAs were sequenced after Phi29 polymerase
      amplification, and they revealed significant but imperfect homology to segments
      of commensal Acinetobacter phage viruses. These findings were surprising because
      the brain is isolated from environmental microorganisms. The 1.76-kb DNA sequence
      (SPHINX 1.8), with an iteron before its ORF, was evaluated here for its
      expression in neural cells and brain. A rabbit affinity purified antibody
      generated against a peptide without homology to mammalian sequences labeled a
      nonglycosylated ~41-kDa protein (spx1) on Western blots, and the signal was
      efficiently blocked by the competing peptide. Spx1 was resistant to limited
      proteinase K digestion, but was unrelated to the expression of host prion protein
      or its pathologic amyloid form. Remarkably, spx1 concentrated in selected brain
      synapses, such as those on anterior motor horn neurons that integrate many
      complex neural inputs. SPHINX 1.8 appears to be involved in tissue-specific
      differentiation, including essential functions that preserve its propagation
      during mammalian evolution, possibly via maternal inheritance. The data here
      indicate that mammals can share and exchange a larger world of prokaryotic
      viruses than previously envisioned.

PMID- 28630312
TI  - Uncovering BRD4 hyperphosphorylation associated with cellular transformation in
      NUT midline carcinoma.
AB  - The epigenetic reader BRD4 plays a vital role in transcriptional regulation,
      cellular growth control, and cell-cycle progression. Dysregulation of BRD4
      function has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide range of cancers.
      However, how BRD4 is regulated to maintain its normal function in healthy cells
      and how alteration of this process leads to cancer remain poorly understood. In
      this study, we discovered that BRD4 is hyperphosphorylated in NUT midline
      carcinoma and identified CDK9 as a potential kinase mediating BRD4
      hyperphosphorylation. Disruption of BRD4 hyperphosphorylation using both chemical
      and molecular inhibitors led to the repression of BRD4 downstream oncogenes and
      abrogation of cellular transformation. BRD4 hyperphosphorylation is also observed
      in other cancers displaying enhanced BRD4 oncogenic activity. Our study revealed
      a mechanism that may regulate BRD4 biological function through phosphorylation,
      which, when dysregulated, could lead to oncogenesis. Our finding points to
      strategies to target the aberrant BRD4 signaling specifically for cancer
      intervention.

PMID- 28630314
TI  - Robert Treat Paine III (1933-2016).

PMID- 28630313
TI  - Targeting reactive nitrogen species suppresses hereditary pancreatic cancer.
AB  - Germline mutation of BRCA2 induces hereditary pancreatic cancer. However, how
      BRCA2 mutation specifically induces pancreatic tumorigenesis remains elusive.
      Here, we have examined a mouse model of Brca2-deficiency-induced pancreatic
      tumors and found that excessive reactive nitrogen species (RNS), such as nitrite,
      are generated in precancerous pancreases, which induce massive DNA damage,
      including DNA double-strand breaks. RNS-induced DNA lesions cause genomic
      instability in the absence of Brca2. Moreover, with the treatment of antioxidant
      tempol to suppress RNS, not only are DNA lesions significantly reduced, but also
      the onset of pancreatic cancer is delayed. Thus, this study demonstrates that
      excess RNS are a nongenetic driving force for Brca2-deficiency-induced pancreatic
      tumors. Suppression of RNS could be an important strategy for pancreatic cancer
      prevention.

PMID- 28630315
TI  - Correction for Koch et al., Genetic rescue models refute nonautonomous rod cell
      death in retinitis pigmentosa.

PMID- 28630317
TI  - Correction to Supporting Information for Suzuki et al., Behavioral contagion
      during learning about another agent's risk-preferences acts on the neural
      representation of decision-risk.

PMID- 28630316
TI  - Recombinant silicateins as model biocatalysts in organosiloxane chemistry.
AB  - The family of silicatein enzymes from marine sponges (phylum Porifera) is unique
      in nature for catalyzing the formation of inorganic silica structures, which the
      organisms incorporate into their skeleton. However, the synthesis of
      organosiloxanes catalyzed by these enzymes has thus far remained largely
      unexplored. To investigate the reactivity of these enzymes in relation to this
      important class of compounds, their catalysis of Si-O bond hydrolysis and
      condensation was investigated with a range of model organosilanols and silyl
      ethers. The enzymes' kinetic parameters were obtained by a high-throughput
      colorimetric assay based on the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl silyl ethers. These
      assays showed unambiguous catalysis with kcat/Km values on the order of 2-50 min
      1 MUM-1 Condensation reactions were also demonstrated by the generation of silyl
      ethers from their corresponding silanols and alcohols. Notably, when presented
      with a substrate bearing both aliphatic and aromatic hydroxy groups the enzyme
      preferentially silylates the latter group, in clear contrast to nonenzymatic
      silylations. Furthermore, the silicateins are able to catalyze
      transetherifications, where the silyl group from one silyl ether may be
      transferred to a recipient alcohol. Despite close sequence homology to the
      protease cathepsin L, the silicateins seem to exhibit no significant protease or
      esterase activity when tested against analogous substrates. Overall, these
      results suggest the silicateins are promising candidates for future elaboration
      into efficient and selective biocatalysts for organosiloxane chemistry.

PMID- 28630318
TI  - Reducing secondary organic aerosol formation from gasoline vehicle exhaust.
AB  - On-road gasoline vehicles are a major source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA)
      in urban areas. We investigated SOA formation by oxidizing dilute, ambient-level
      exhaust concentrations from a fleet of on-road gasoline vehicles in a smog
      chamber. We measured less SOA formation from newer vehicles meeting more
      stringent emissions standards. This suggests that the natural replacement of
      older vehicles with newer ones that meet more stringent emissions standards
      should reduce SOA levels in urban environments. However, SOA production depends
      on both precursor concentrations (emissions) and atmospheric chemistry (SOA
      yields). We found a strongly nonlinear relationship between SOA formation and the
      ratio of nonmethane organic gas to oxides of nitrogen (NOx) (NMOG:NOx), which
      affects the fate of peroxy radicals. For example, changing the NMOG:NOx from 4 to
      10 ppbC/ppbNOx increased the SOA yield from dilute gasoline vehicle exhaust by a
      factor of 8. We investigated the implications of this relationship for the Los
      Angeles area. Although organic gas emissions from gasoline vehicles in Los
      Angeles are expected to fall by almost 80% over the next two decades, we predict
      no reduction in SOA production from these emissions due to the effects of rising
      NMOG:NOx on SOA yields. This highlights the importance of integrated emission
      control policies for NOx and organic gases.

PMID- 28630319
TI  - Chimpanzees return favors at a personal cost.
AB  - Humans regularly provide others with resources at a personal cost to themselves.
      Chimpanzees engage in some cooperative behaviors in the wild as well, but their
      motivational underpinnings are unclear. In three experiments, chimpanzees (Pan
      troglodytes) always chose between an option delivering food both to themselves
      and a partner and one delivering food only to themselves. In one condition, a
      conspecific partner had just previously taken a personal risk to make this choice
      available. In another condition, no assistance from the partner preceded the
      subject's decision. Chimpanzees made significantly more prosocial choices after
      receiving their partner's assistance than when no assistance was given
      (experiment 1) and, crucially, this was the case even when choosing the prosocial
      option was materially costly for the subject (experiment 2). Moreover, subjects
      appeared sensitive to the risk of their partner's assistance and chose
      prosocially more often when their partner risked losing food by helping
      (experiment 3). These findings demonstrate experimentally that chimpanzees are
      willing to incur a material cost to deliver rewards to a conspecific, but only if
      that conspecific previously assisted them, and particularly when this assistance
      was risky. Some key motivations involved in human cooperation thus may have
      deeper phylogenetic roots than previously suspected.

PMID- 28630320
TI  - Delta20 IFITM2 differentially restricts X4 and R5 HIV-1.
AB  - CCR5 (R5)-tropic, but not CXCR4 (X4)-tropic, HIV-1 is associated with primary HIV
      1 infection and transmission. Recent studies have shown that IFN-induced
      transmembrane (IFITM) proteins, including IFITM1, IFITM2, and IFITM3, restrict a
      broad range of viruses. Here, we demonstrate that an IFITM2 isoform (Delta20
      IFITM2) lacking 20 amino acids at the N terminus differentially restricts X4 and
      R5 HIV-1. Delta20 IFITM2 suppresses replication of X4 HIV-1 strains by inhibiting
      their entry. High levels of Delta20 IFITM2 expression could be detected in CD4+ T
      cells and in monocytes. Infection of X4 viruses in monocyte-derived macrophages
      and dendritic cells is enhanced upon depletion of IFITM2 isoforms. Furthermore,
      we also show that coreceptor use is the determining factor for differential HIV-1
      restriction of Delta20 IFITM2. When we replace the C terminus of CCR5 with the C
      terminus of CXCR4, R5 viruses become more susceptible to Delta20 IFITM2-mediated
      restriction. In contrast to previous studies, our research reveals that neither
      X4 nor R5 HIV-1 is suppressed by IFITM2 and IFITM3. The multifactor gatekeeping
      model has been proposed to explain restriction of X4 viruses in the early stage
      of HIV-1 diseases. Our findings indicate that Delta20 IFITM2 may serve as a major
      contributor to this gatekeeping mechanism.

PMID- 28630321
TI  - How selective severing by katanin promotes order in the plant cortical
      microtubule array.
AB  - Plant morphogenesis requires differential and often asymmetric growth. A key role
      in controlling anisotropic expansion of individual cells is played by the
      cortical microtubule array. Although highly organized, the array can nevertheless
      rapidly change in response to internal and external cues. Experiments have
      identified the microtubule-severing enzyme katanin as a central player in
      controlling the organizational state of the array. Katanin action is required
      both for normal alignment and the adaptation of array orientation to mechanical,
      environmental, and developmental stimuli. How katanin fulfills its controlling
      role, however, remains poorly understood. On the one hand, from a theoretical
      perspective, array ordering depends on the "weeding out" of discordant
      microtubules through frequent catastrophe-inducing collisions among microtubules.
      Severing would reduce average microtubule length and lifetime, and consequently
      weaken the driving force for alignment. On the other hand, it has been suggested
      that selective severing at microtubule crossovers could facilitate the removal of
      discordant microtubules. Here we show that this apparent conflict can be resolved
      by systematically dissecting the role of all of the relevant interactions in
      silico. This procedure allows the identification of the sufficient and necessary
      conditions for katanin to promote array alignment, stresses the critical
      importance of the experimentally observed selective severing of the "crossing"
      microtubule at crossovers, and reveals a hitherto not appreciated role for
      microtubule bundling. We show how understanding the underlying mechanism can aid
      with interpreting experimental results and designing future experiments.

PMID- 28630322
TI  - TCTE1 is a conserved component of the dynein regulatory complex and is required
      for motility and metabolism in mouse spermatozoa.
AB  - Flagella and cilia are critical cellular organelles that provide a means for
      cells to sense and progress through their environment. The central component of
      flagella and cilia is the axoneme, which comprises the "9+2" microtubule
      arrangement, dynein arms, radial spokes, and the nexin-dynein regulatory complex
      (N-DRC). Failure to properly assemble components of the axoneme leads to
      defective flagella and in humans leads to a collection of diseases referred to as
      ciliopathies. Ciliopathies can manifest as severe syndromic diseases that affect
      lung and kidney function, central nervous system development, bone formation,
      visceral organ organization, and reproduction. T-Complex-Associated-Testis
      Expressed 1 (TCTE1) is an evolutionarily conserved axonemal protein present from
      Chlamydomonas (DRC5) to mammals that localizes to the N-DRC. Here, we show that
      mouse TCTE1 is testis-enriched in its expression, with its mRNA appearing in
      early round spermatids and protein localized to the flagellum. TCTE1 is 498 aa in
      length with a leucine rich repeat domain at the C terminus and is present in
      eukaryotes containing a flagellum. Knockout of Tcte1 results in male sterility
      because Tcte1-null spermatozoa show aberrant motility. Although the axoneme is
      structurally normal in Tcte1 mutant spermatozoa, Tcte1-null sperm demonstrate a
      significant decrease of ATP, which is used by dynein motors to generate the
      bending force of the flagellum. These data provide a link to defining the
      molecular intricacies required for axoneme function, sperm motility, and male
      fertility.

PMID- 28630323
TI  - Role of the CBP catalytic core in intramolecular SUMOylation and control of
      histone H3 acetylation.
AB  - The histone acetyl transferases CREB-binding protein (CBP) and its paralog p300
      play a critical role in numerous cellular processes. Dysregulation of their
      catalytic activity is associated with several human diseases. Previous work has
      elucidated the regulatory mechanisms of p300 acetyltransferase activity, but it
      is not known whether CBP activity is controlled similarly. Here, we present the
      crystal structure of the CBP catalytic core encompassing the bromodomain (BRD),
      CH2 (comprising PHD and RING), HAT, and ZZ domains at 2.4-A resolution. The BRD,
      PHD, and HAT domains form an integral structural unit to which the RING and ZZ
      domains are flexibly attached. The structure of the apo-CBP HAT domain is similar
      to that of acyl-CoA-bound p300 HAT complexes and shows that the acetyl-CoA
      binding site is stably formed in the absence of cofactor. The BRD, PHD, and ZZ
      domains interact with small ubiquitin-like modifier 1 (SUMO-1) and Ubc9, and
      function as an intramolecular E3 ligase for SUMOylation of the cell cycle
      regulatory domain 1 (CRD1) of CBP, which is located adjacent to the BRD. In vitro
      HAT assays suggest that the RING domain, the autoregulatory loop (AL) within the
      HAT domain, and the ZZ domain do not directly influence catalytic activity,
      whereas the BRD is essential for histone H3 acetylation in nucleosomal
      substrates. Several lysine residues in the intrinsically disordered AL are
      autoacetylated by the HAT domain. Upon autoacetylation, acetyl-K1596 (Ac-K1596)
      binds intramolecularly to the BRD, competing with histones for binding to the BRD
      and acting as a negative regulator that inhibits histone H3 acetylation.

PMID- 28630324
TI  - Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not.
AB  - Why do people distrust others in social exchange? To what degree, if at all, is
      distrust subject to genetic influences, and thus possibly heritable, and to what
      degree is it nurtured by families and immediate peers who encourage young people
      to be vigilant and suspicious of others? Answering these questions could provide
      fundamental clues about the sources of individual differences in the disposition
      to distrust, including how they may differ from the sources of individual
      differences in the disposition to trust. In this article, we report the results
      of a study of monozygotic and dizygotic female twins who were asked to decide
      either how much of a counterpart player's monetary endowment they wanted to take
      from their counterpart (i.e., distrust) or how much of their own monetary
      endowment they wanted to send to their counterpart (i.e., trust). Our results
      demonstrate that although the disposition to trust is explained to some extent by
      heritability but not by shared socialization, the disposition to distrust is
      explained by shared socialization but not by heritability. The sources of
      distrust are therefore distinct from the sources of trust in many ways.

PMID- 28630325
TI  - Convergent immunological solutions to Argentine hemorrhagic fever virus
      neutralization.
AB  - Transmission of hemorrhagic fever New World arenaviruses from their rodent
      reservoirs to human populations poses substantial public health and economic
      dangers. These zoonotic events are enabled by the specific interaction between
      the New World arenaviral attachment glycoprotein, GP1, and cell surface human
      transferrin receptor (hTfR1). Here, we present the structural basis for how a
      mouse-derived neutralizing antibody (nAb), OD01, disrupts this interaction by
      targeting the receptor-binding surface of the GP1 glycoprotein from Junin virus
      (JUNV), a hemorrhagic fever arenavirus endemic in central Argentina. Comparison
      of our structure with that of a previously reported nAb complex (JUNV GP1-GD01)
      reveals largely overlapping epitopes but highly distinct antibody-binding modes.
      Despite differences in GP1 recognition, we find that both antibodies present a
      key tyrosine residue, albeit on different chains, that inserts into a central
      pocket on JUNV GP1 and effectively mimics the contacts made by the host TfR1.
      These data provide a molecular-level description of how antibodies derived from
      different germline origins arrive at equivalent immunological solutions to virus
      neutralization.

PMID- 28630326
TI  - Reconstruction and evolutionary history of eutherian chromosomes.
AB  - Whole-genome assemblies of 19 placental mammals and two outgroup species were
      used to reconstruct the order and orientation of syntenic fragments in
      chromosomes of the eutherian ancestor and six other descendant ancestors leading
      to human. For ancestral chromosome reconstructions, we developed an algorithm
      (DESCHRAMBLER) that probabilistically determines the adjacencies of syntenic
      fragments using chromosome-scale and fragmented genome assemblies. The
      reconstructed chromosomes of the eutherian, boreoeutherian, and euarchontoglires
      ancestor each included >80% of the entire length of the human genome, whereas
      reconstructed chromosomes of the most recent common ancestor of simians,
      catarrhini, great apes, and humans and chimpanzees included >90% of human genome
      sequence. These high-coverage reconstructions permitted reliable identification
      of chromosomal rearrangements over ~105 My of eutherian evolution. Orangutan was
      found to have eight chromosomes that were completely conserved in homologous
      sequence order and orientation with the eutherian ancestor, the largest number
      for any species. Ruminant artiodactyls had the highest frequency of
      intrachromosomal rearrangements, and interchromosomal rearrangements dominated in
      murid rodents. A total of 162 chromosomal breakpoints in evolution of the
      eutherian ancestral genome to the human genome were identified; however, the rate
      of rearrangements was significantly lower (0.80/My) during the first ~60 My of
      eutherian evolution, then increased to greater than 2.0/My along the five primate
      lineages studied. Our results significantly expand knowledge of eutherian genome
      evolution and will facilitate greater understanding of the role of chromosome
      rearrangements in adaptation, speciation, and the etiology of inherited and
      spontaneously occurring diseases.

PMID- 28630328
TI  - Toll-like receptor pathway evolution in deuterostomes.
AB  - Animals have evolved an array of pattern-recognition receptor families essential
      for recognizing conserved molecular motifs characteristic of pathogenic microbes.
      One such family is the Toll-like receptors (TLRs). On pathogen binding, TLRs
      initiate specialized cytokine signaling catered to the class of invading
      pathogen. This signaling is pivotal for activating adaptive immunity in
      vertebrates, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship between innate and
      adaptive immune systems. Despite significant advances toward understanding TLR
      facilitated immunity in vertebrates, knowledge of TLR pathway evolution in other
      deuterostomes is limited. By analyzing genomes and transcriptomes across 37
      deuterostome taxa, we shed light on the evolution and diversity of TLR pathway
      signaling elements. Here, we show that the deuterostome ancestor possessed a
      molecular toolkit homologous to that which drives canonical MYD88-dependent TLR
      signaling in contemporary mammalian lineages. We also provide evidence that TLR3
      facilitated antiviral signaling predates the origin of its TCAM1 dependence
      recognized in the vertebrates. SARM1, a negative regulator of TCAM1-dependent
      pathways in vertebrates, was also found to be present across all major
      deuterostome lineages despite the apparent absence of TCAM1 in invertebrate
      deuterostomes. Whether the presence of SARM1 is the result of its role in
      immunity regulation, neuron physiology, or a function of both is unclear.
      Additionally, Bayesian phylogenetic analyses corroborate several lineage-specific
      TLR gene expansions in urchins and cephalochordates. Importantly, our results
      underscore the need to sample across taxonomic groups to understand evolutionary
      patterns of the innate immunity foundation on which complex immunological
      novelties arose.

PMID- 28630327
TI  - Virus-induced inflammasome activation is suppressed by prostaglandin D2/DP1
      signaling.
AB  - Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), an eicosanoid with both pro- and anti-inflammatory
      properties, is the most abundantly expressed prostaglandin in the brain. Here we
      show that PGD2 signaling through the D-prostanoid receptor 1 (DP1) receptor is
      necessary for optimal microglia/macrophage activation and IFN expression after
      infection with a neurotropic coronavirus. Genome-wide expression analyses
      indicated that PGD2/DP1 signaling is required for up-regulation of a putative
      inflammasome inhibitor, PYDC3, in CD11b+ cells in the CNS of infected mice. Our
      results also demonstrated that, in addition to PGD2/DP1 signaling, type 1 IFN
      (IFN-I) signaling is required for PYDC3 expression. In the absence of Pydc3 up
      regulation, IL-1beta expression and, subsequently, mortality were increased in
      infected DP1-/- mice. Notably, survival was enhanced by IL1 receptor blockade,
      indicating that the effects of the absence of DP1 signaling on clinical outcomes
      were mediated, at least in part, by inflammasomes. Using bone marrow-derived
      macrophages in vitro, we confirmed that PYDC3 expression is dependent upon DP1
      signaling and that IFN priming is critical for PYDC3 up-regulation. In addition,
      Pydc3 silencing or overexpression augmented or diminished IL-1beta secretion,
      respectively. Furthermore, DP1 signaling in human macrophages also resulted in
      the up-regulation of a putative functional analog, POP3, suggesting that PGD2
      similarly modulates inflammasomes in human cells. These findings demonstrate a
      previously undescribed role for prostaglandin signaling in preventing excessive
      inflammasome activation and, together with previously published results, suggest
      that eicosanoids and inflammasomes are reciprocally regulated.

PMID- 28630329
TI  - The case for defined protein folding pathways.
AB  - We consider the differences between the many-pathway protein folding model
      derived from theoretical energy landscape considerations and the defined-pathway
      model derived from experiment. A basic tenet of the energy landscape model is
      that proteins fold through many heterogeneous pathways by way of amino acid-level
      dynamics biased toward selecting native-like interactions. The many pathways
      imagined in the model are not observed in the structure-formation stage of
      folding by experiments that would have found them, but they have now been
      detected and characterized for one protein in the initial prenucleation stage.
      Analysis presented here shows that these many microscopic trajectories are not
      distinct in any functionally significant way, and they have neither the
      structural information nor the biased energetics needed to select native vs.
      nonnative interactions during folding. The opposed defined-pathway model stems
      from experimental results that show that proteins are assemblies of small
      cooperative units called foldons and that a number of proteins fold in a
      reproducible pathway one foldon unit at a time. Thus, the same foldon
      interactions that encode the native structure of any given protein also naturally
      encode its particular foldon-based folding pathway, and they collectively sum to
      produce the energy bias toward native interactions that is necessary for
      efficient folding. Available information suggests that quantized native structure
      and stepwise folding coevolved in ancient repeat proteins and were retained as a
      functional pair due to their utility for solving the difficult protein folding
      problem.

PMID- 28630331
TI  - Distinguishing attosecond electron-electron scattering and screening in
      transition metals.
AB  - Electron-electron interactions are the fastest processes in materials, occurring
      on femtosecond to attosecond timescales, depending on the electronic band
      structure of the material and the excitation energy. Such interactions can play a
      dominant role in light-induced processes such as nano-enhanced plasmonics and
      catalysis, light harvesting, or phase transitions. However, to date it has not
      been possible to experimentally distinguish fundamental electron interactions
      such as scattering and screening. Here, we use sequences of attosecond pulses to
      directly measure electron-electron interactions in different bands of different
      materials with both simple and complex Fermi surfaces. By extracting the time
      delays associated with photoemission we show that the lifetime of photoelectrons
      from the d band of Cu are longer by ~100 as compared with those from the same
      band of Ni. We attribute this to the enhanced electron-electron scattering in the
      unfilled d band of Ni. Using theoretical modeling, we can extract the
      contributions of electron-electron scattering and screening in different bands of
      different materials with both simple and complex Fermi surfaces. Our results also
      show that screening influences high-energy photoelectrons (~20 eV) significantly
      less than low-energy photoelectrons. As a result, high-energy photoelectrons can
      serve as a direct probe of spin-dependent electron-electron scattering by
      neglecting screening. This can then be applied to quantifying the contribution of
      electron interactions and screening to low-energy excitations near the Fermi
      level. The information derived here provides valuable and unique information for
      a host of quantum materials.

PMID- 28630330
TI  - Annual mass drownings of the Serengeti wildebeest migration influence nutrient
      cycling and storage in the Mara River.
AB  - The annual migration of ~1.2 million wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) through
      the Serengeti Mara Ecosystem is the largest remaining overland migration in the
      world. One of the most iconic portions of their migration is crossing of the Mara
      River, during which thousands drown annually. These mass drownings have been
      noted, but their frequency, size, and impact on aquatic ecosystems have not been
      quantified. Here, we estimate the frequency and size of mass drownings in the
      Mara River and model the fate of carcass nutrients through the river ecosystem.
      Mass drownings (>100 individuals) occurred in at least 13 of the past 15 y; on
      average, 6,250 carcasses and 1,100 tons of biomass enter the river each year.
      Half of a wildebeest carcass dry mass is bone, which takes 7 y to decompose, thus
      acting as a long-term source of nutrients to the Mara River. Carcass soft tissue
      decomposes in 2-10 wk, and these nutrients are mineralized by consumers,
      assimilated by biofilms, transported downstream, or moved back into the
      terrestrial ecosystem by scavengers. These inputs comprise 34-50% of the
      assimilated diet of fish when carcasses are present and 7-24% via biofilm on
      bones after soft tissue decomposition. Our results show a terrestrial animal
      migration can have large impacts on a river ecosystem, which may influence
      nutrient cycling and river food webs at decadal time scales. Similar mass
      drownings may have played an important role in rivers throughout the world when
      large migratory herds were more common features of the landscape.

PMID- 28630332
TI  - Evolutionary strata on young mating-type chromosomes despite the lack of sexual
      antagonism.
AB  - Sex chromosomes can display successive steps of recombination suppression known
      as "evolutionary strata," which are thought to result from the successive linkage
      of sexually antagonistic genes to sex-determining genes. However, there is little
      evidence to support this explanation. Here we investigate whether evolutionary
      strata can evolve without sexual antagonism using fungi that display suppressed
      recombination extending beyond loci determining mating compatibility despite lack
      of male/female roles associated with their mating types. By comparing full-length
      chromosome assemblies from five anther-smut fungi with or without recombination
      suppression in their mating-type chromosomes, we inferred the ancestral gene
      order and derived chromosomal arrangements in this group. This approach shed
      light on the chromosomal fusion underlying the linkage of mating-type loci in
      fungi and provided evidence for multiple clearly resolved evolutionary strata
      over a range of ages (0.9-2.1 million years) in mating-type chromosomes. Several
      evolutionary strata did not include genes involved in mating-type determination.
      The existence of strata devoid of mating-type genes, despite the lack of sexual
      antagonism, calls for a unified theory of sex-related chromosome evolution,
      incorporating, for example, the influence of partially linked deleterious
      mutations and the maintenance of neutral rearrangement polymorphism due to
      balancing selection on sexes and mating types.

PMID- 28630334
TI  - Correction for Brumberg et al., Single-crystal Ih ice surfaces unveil connection
      between macroscopic and molecular structure.

PMID- 28630333
TI  - Boosting CNS axon regeneration by harnessing antagonistic effects of GSK3
      activity.
AB  - Implications of GSK3 activity for axon regeneration are often inconsistent, if
      not controversial. Sustained GSK3 activity in GSK3S/A knock-in mice reportedly
      accelerates peripheral nerve regeneration via increased MAP1B phosphorylation and
      concomitantly reduces microtubule detyrosination. In contrast, the current study
      shows that lens injury-stimulated optic nerve regeneration was significantly
      compromised in these knock-in mice. Phosphorylation of MAP1B and CRMP2 was
      expectedly increased in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons upon enhanced GSK3
      activity, but, surprisingly, no GSK3-mediated CRMP2 inhibition was detected in
      sciatic nerves, thus revealing a fundamental difference between central and
      peripheral axons. Conversely, genetic or shRNA-mediated conditional KO/knockdown
      of GSK3beta reduced inhibitory phosphorylation of CRMP2 in RGCs and improved
      optic nerve regeneration. Accordingly, GSK3beta KO-mediated neurite growth
      promotion and myelin disinhibition were abrogated by CRMP2 inhibition and largely
      mimicked in WT neurons upon expression of constitutively active CRMP2 (CRMP2T/A).
      These results underscore the prevalent requirement of active CRMP2 for optic
      nerve regeneration. Strikingly, expression of CRMP2T/A in GSK3S/A RGCs further
      boosted optic nerve regeneration, with axons reaching the optic chiasm within 3
      wk. Thus, active GSK3 can also markedly promote axonal growth in central nerves
      if CRMP2 concurrently remains active. Similar to peripheral nerves, GSK3-mediated
      MAP1B phosphorylation/activation and the reduction of microtubule detyrosination
      contributed to this effect. Overall, these findings reconcile conflicting data on
      GSK3-mediated axon regeneration. In addition, the concept of complementary
      modulation of normally antagonistically targeted GSK3 substrates offers a
      therapeutically applicable approach to potentiate the regenerative outcome in the
      injured CNS.

PMID- 28630335
TI  - QnAs with Robert Townsend.

PMID- 28630336
TI  - The Red Queen and King in finite populations.
AB  - In antagonistic symbioses, such as host-parasite interactions, one population's
      success is the other's loss. In mutualistic symbioses, such as division of labor,
      both parties can gain, but they might have different preferences over the
      possible mutualistic arrangements. The rates of evolution of the two populations
      in a symbiosis are important determinants of which population will be more
      successful: Faster evolution is thought to be favored in antagonistic symbioses
      (the "Red Queen effect"), but disfavored in certain mutualistic symbioses (the
      "Red King effect"). However, it remains unclear which biological parameters drive
      these effects. Here, we analyze the effects of the various determinants of
      evolutionary rate: generation time, mutation rate, population size, and the
      intensity of natural selection. Our main results hold for the case where mutation
      is infrequent. Slower evolution causes a long-term advantage in an important
      class of mutualistic interactions. Surprisingly, less intense selection is the
      strongest driver of this Red King effect, whereas relative mutation rates and
      generation times have little effect. In antagonistic interactions, faster
      evolution by any means is beneficial. Our results provide insight into the
      demographic evolution of symbionts.

PMID- 28630337
TI  - Stem caecilian from the Triassic of Colorado sheds light on the origins of
      Lissamphibia.
AB  - The origin of the limbless caecilians remains a lasting question in vertebrate
      evolution. Molecular phylogenies and morphology support that caecilians are the
      sister taxon of batrachians (frogs and salamanders), from which they diverged no
      later than the early Permian. Although recent efforts have discovered new, early
      members of the batrachian lineage, the record of pre-Cretaceous caecilians is
      limited to a single species, Eocaecilia micropodia The position of Eocaecilia
      within tetrapod phylogeny is controversial, as it already acquired the
      specialized morphology that characterizes modern caecilians by the Jurassic.
      Here, we report on a small amphibian from the Upper Triassic of Colorado, United
      States, with a melange of caecilian synapomorphies and general lissamphibian
      plesiomorphies. We evaluated its relationships by designing an inclusive
      phylogenetic analysis that broadly incorporates definitive members of the modern
      lissamphibian orders and a diversity of extinct temnospondyl amphibians,
      including stereospondyls. Our results place the taxon confidently within
      lissamphibians but demonstrate that the diversity of Permian and Triassic
      stereospondyls also falls within this group. This hypothesis of caecilian origins
      closes a substantial morphologic and temporal gap and explains the appeal of
      morphology-based polyphyly hypotheses for the origins of Lissamphibia while
      reconciling molecular support for the group's monophyly. Stem caecilian
      morphology reveals a previously unrecognized stepwise acquisition of typical
      caecilian cranial apomorphies during the Triassic. A major implication is that
      many Paleozoic total group lissamphibians (i.e., higher temnospondyls, including
      the stereospondyl subclade) fall within crown Lissamphibia, which must have
      originated before 315 million years ago.

PMID- 28630338
TI  - Self-affirmation facilitates minority middle schoolers' progress along college
      trajectories.
AB  - Small but timely experiences can have long-term benefits when their psychological
      effects interact with institutional processes. In a follow-up of two randomized
      field experiments, a brief values affirmation intervention designed to buffer
      minority middle schoolers against the threat of negative stereotypes had long
      term benefits on college-relevant outcomes. In study 1, conducted in the Mountain
      West, the intervention increased Latino Americans' probability of entering a
      college readiness track rather than a remedial one near the transition to high
      school 2 y later. In study 2, conducted in the Northeast, the intervention
      increased African Americans' probability of college enrollment 7-9 y later. Among
      those who enrolled in college, affirmed African Americans attended relatively
      more selective colleges. Lifting a psychological barrier at a key transition can
      facilitate students' access to positive institutional channels, giving rise to
      accumulative benefits.

PMID- 28630339
TI  - UCP1 deficiency causes brown fat respiratory chain depletion and sensitizes
      mitochondria to calcium overload-induced dysfunction.
AB  - Brown adipose tissue (BAT) mitochondria exhibit high oxidative capacity and
      abundant expression of both electron transport chain components and uncoupling
      protein 1 (UCP1). UCP1 dissipates the mitochondrial proton motive force (Deltap)
      generated by the respiratory chain and increases thermogenesis. Here we find that
      in mice genetically lacking UCP1, cold-induced activation of metabolism triggers
      innate immune signaling and markers of cell death in BAT. Moreover, global
      proteomic analysis reveals that this cascade induced by UCP1 deletion is
      associated with a dramatic reduction in electron transport chain abundance. UCP1
      deficient BAT mitochondria exhibit reduced mitochondrial calcium buffering
      capacity and are highly sensitive to mitochondrial permeability transition
      induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium overload. This dysfunction
      depends on ROS production by reverse electron transport through mitochondrial
      complex I, and can be rescued by inhibition of electron transfer through complex
      I or pharmacologic depletion of ROS levels. Our findings indicate that the
      interscapular BAT of Ucp1 knockout mice exhibits mitochondrial disruptions that
      extend well beyond the deletion of UCP1 itself. This finding should be carefully
      considered when using this mouse model to examine the role of UCP1 in physiology.

PMID- 28630340
TI  - Enhancing T1 magnetic resonance imaging contrast with internalized
      gadolinium(III) in a multilayer nanoparticle.
AB  - Multifunctional nanoparticles for biomedical applications have shown
      extraordinary potential as contrast agents in various bioimaging modalities, near
      IR photothermal therapy, and for light-triggered therapeutic release processes.
      Over the past several years, numerous studies have been performed to synthesize
      and enhance MRI contrast with nanoparticles. However, understanding the MRI
      enhancement mechanism in a multishell nanoparticle geometry, and controlling its
      properties, remains a challenge. To systematically examine MRI enhancement in a
      nanoparticle geometry, we have synthesized MRI-active Au nanomatryoshkas. These
      are Au core-silica layer-Au shell nanoparticles, where Gd(III) ions are
      encapsulated within the silica layer between the inner core and outer Au layer of
      the nanoparticle (Gd-NM). This multifunctional nanoparticle retains its strong
      near-IR Fano-resonant optical absorption properties essential for photothermal or
      other near-IR light-triggered therapy, while simultaneously providing increased
      T1 contrast in MR imaging by concentrating Gd(III) within the nanoparticle.
      Measurements of Gd-NM revealed a strongly enhanced T1 relaxivity (r1 ~ 24 mM-1?s
      1) even at 4.7 T, substantially surpassing conventional Gd(III) chelating agents
      (r1 ~ 3 mM-1?s-1 at 4.7 T) currently in clinical use. By varying the thickness of
      the outer gold layer of the nanoparticle, we show that the observed relaxivities
      are consistent with Solomon-Bloembergen-Morgan (SBM) theory, which takes into
      account the longer-range interactions between the encapsulated Gd(III) and the
      protons of the H2O molecules outside the nanoparticle. This nanoparticle complex
      and its MRI T1-enhancing properties open the door for future studies on
      quantitative tracking of therapeutic nanoparticles in vivo, an essential step for
      optimizing light-induced, nanoparticle-based therapies.

PMID- 28630343
TI  - Correction for Lan et al., Long-read sequencing uncovers the adaptive topography
      of a carnivorous plant genome.

PMID- 28630341
TI  - Pig model mimicking chronic hepatitis E virus infection in immunocompromised
      patients to assess immune correlates during chronicity.
AB  - Chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a significant clinical problem in
      immunocompromised individuals such as organ transplant recipients, although the
      mechanism remains unknown because of the lack of an animal model. We successfully
      developed a pig model of chronic HEV infection and examined immune correlates
      leading to chronicity. The conditions of immunocompromised patients were mimicked
      by treating pigs with an immunosuppressive regimen including cyclosporine,
      azathioprine, and prednisolone. Immunocompromised pigs infected with HEV
      progressed to chronicity, because 8/10 drug-treated HEV-infected pigs continued
      fecal virus shedding beyond the acute phase of infection, whereas the majority
      (7/10) of mock-treated HEV-infected pigs cleared fecal viral shedding at 8 wk
      postinfection. During chronic infection, serum levels of the liver enzyme gamma
      glutamyl transferase and fecal virus shedding were significantly higher in
      immunocompromised HEV-infected pigs. To identify potential immune correlates of
      chronic infection, we determined serum levels of cytokines and cell-mediated
      immune responses in pigs. Results showed that HEV infection of immunocompromised
      pigs reduced the serum levels of Th1 cytokines IL-2 and IL-12, and Th2 cytokines
      IL-4 and IL-10, particularly during the acute phase of infection. Furthermore IFN
      gamma-specific CD4+ T-cell responses were reduced in immunocompromised pigs
      during the acute phase of infection, but TNF-alpha-specific CD8+ T-cell responses
      increased during the chronic phase of infection. Thus, active suppression of cell
      mediated immune responses under immunocompromised conditions may facilitate the
      establishment of chronic HEV infection. This pig model will aid in delineating
      the mechanisms of chronic HEV infection and in developing effective therapeutics
      against chronic hepatitis E.

PMID- 28630344
TI  - Retraction for Zimmerman et al., Signaling through hepatocellular A2B adenosine
      receptors dampens ischemia and reperfusion injury of the liver.

PMID- 28630342
TI  - Autoantibody profiling on a plasmonic nano-gold chip for the early detection of
      hypertensive heart disease.
AB  - The role of autoimmunity in cardiovascular (CV) diseases has been increasingly
      recognized. Autoimmunity is most commonly examined by the levels of circulating
      autoantibodies in clinical practices. Measurement of autoantibodies remains,
      however, challenging because of the deficiency of reproducible, sensitive, and
      standardized assays. The lack of multiplexed assays also limits the potential to
      identify a CV-specific autoantibody profile. To overcome these challenges, we
      developed a nanotechnology-based plasmonic gold chip for autoantibody profiling.
      This approach allowed simultaneous detection of 10 CV autoantibodies targeting
      the structural myocardial proteins, the neurohormonal regulatory proteins, the
      vascular proteins, and the proteins associated with apoptosis and coagulation.
      Autoantibodies were measured in four groups of participants across the continuum
      of hypertensive heart diseases. We observed higher levels of all 10 CV
      autoantibodies in hypertensive subjects (n = 77) compared with healthy
      participants (n = 30), and the autoantibodies investigated were related to each
      other, forming a highly linked network. In addition, we established that
      autoantibodies to troponin I, annexin-A5, and beta 1-adrenegic receptor best
      discriminated hypertensive subjects with adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling
      or dysfunction (n = 49) from hypertensive subjects with normal LV structure and
      function (n = 28). By further linking these three significant CV autoantibodies
      to the innate and growth factors, we revealed a positive but weak association
      between autoantibodies to troponin I and proinflammatory cytokine IL-18. Overall,
      we demonstrated that this platform can be used to evaluate autoantibody profiles
      in hypertensive subjects at risk for heart failure.

PMID- 28630346
TI  - The role of jet and film drops in controlling the mixing state of submicron sea
      spray aerosol particles.
AB  - The oceans represent a significant global source of atmospheric aerosols. Sea
      spray aerosol (SSA) particles comprise sea salts and organic species in varying
      proportions. In addition to size, the overall composition of SSA particles
      determines how effectively they can form cloud droplets and ice crystals. Thus,
      understanding the factors controlling SSA composition is critical to predicting
      aerosol impacts on clouds and climate. It is often assumed that submicrometer
      SSAs are mainly formed by film drops produced from bursting bubble-cap films,
      which become enriched with hydrophobic organic species contained within the sea
      surface microlayer. In contrast, jet drops formed from the base of bursting
      bubbles are postulated to mainly produce larger supermicrometer particles from
      bulk seawater, which comprises largely salts and water-soluble organic species.
      However, here we demonstrate that jet drops produce up to 43% of total
      submicrometer SSA number concentrations, and that the fraction of SSA produced by
      jet drops can be modulated by marine biological activity. We show that the
      chemical composition, organic volume fraction, and ice nucleating ability of
      submicrometer particles from jet drops differ from those formed from film drops.
      Thus, the chemical composition of a substantial fraction of submicrometer
      particles will not be controlled by the composition of the sea surface
      microlayer, a major assumption in previous studies. This finding has significant
      ramifications for understanding the factors controlling the mixing state of
      submicrometer SSA particles and must be taken into consideration when predicting
      SSA impacts on clouds and climate.

PMID- 28630345
TI  - Synthesis of asymmetrical multiantennary human milk oligosaccharides.
AB  - Despite mammalian glycans typically having highly complex asymmetrical
      multiantennary architectures, chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis has almost
      exclusively focused on the preparation of simpler symmetrical structures. This
      deficiency hampers investigations into the biology of glycan-binding proteins,
      which in turn complicates the biomedical use of this class of biomolecules.
      Herein, we describe an enzymatic strategy, using a limited number of human
      glycosyltransferases, to access a collection of 60 asymmetric, multiantennary
      human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which were used to develop a glycan
      microarray. Probing the array with several glycan-binding proteins uncovered that
      not only terminal glycoepitopes but also complex architectures of glycans can
      influence binding selectivity in unanticipated manners. N- and O-linked glycans
      express structural elements of HMOs, and thus, the reported synthetic principles
      will find broad applicability.

PMID- 28630347
TI  - QnAs with Wolfgang Lutz.

PMID- 28630348
TI  - Analysis of a dual domain phosphoglycosyl transferase reveals a ping-pong
      mechanism with a covalent enzyme intermediate.
AB  - Phosphoglycosyl transferases (PGTs) are integral membrane proteins with diverse
      architectures that catalyze the formation of polyprenol diphosphate-linked
      glycans via phosphosugar transfer from a nucleotide diphosphate-sugar to a
      polyprenol phosphate. There are two PGT superfamilies that differ significantly
      in overall structure and topology. The polytopic PGT superfamily, represented by
      MraY and WecA, has been the subject of many studies because of its roles in
      peptidoglycan and O-antigen biosynthesis. In contrast, less is known about a
      second, extensive superfamily of PGTs that reveals a core structure with dual
      domain architecture featuring a C-terminal soluble globular domain and a
      predicted N-terminal membrane-associated domain. Representative members of this
      superfamily are the Campylobacter PglCs, which initiate N-linked glycoprotein
      biosynthesis and are implicated in virulence and pathogenicity. Despite the
      prevalence of dual domain PGTs, their mechanism of action is unknown. Here, we
      present the mechanistic analysis of PglC, a prototypic dual domain PGT from
      Campylobacter concisus Using a luminescence-based assay, together with substrate
      labeling and kinetics-based approaches, complementary experiments were carried
      out that support a ping-pong mechanism involving a covalent phosphosugar
      intermediate for PglC. Significantly, mass spectrometry-based approaches
      identified Asp93, which is part of a highly conserved AspGlu dyad found in all
      dual domain PGTs, as the active-site nucleophile of the enzyme involved in the
      formation of the covalent adduct. The existence of a covalent phosphosugar
      intermediate provides strong support for a ping-pong mechanism of PglC, differing
      fundamentally from the ternary complex mechanisms of representative polytopic
      PGTs.

PMID- 28630349
TI  - PI3K-p110alpha mediates the oncogenic activity induced by loss of the novel tumor
      suppressor PI3K-p85alpha.
AB  - Mutation or loss of the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase
      (PI3K) is emerging as a transforming factor in cancer, but the mechanism of
      transformation has been controversial. Here we find that hemizygous deletion of
      the PIK3R1 gene encoding p85alpha is a frequent event in breast cancer, with
      PIK3R1 expression significantly reduced in breast tumors. PIK3R1 knockdown
      transforms human mammary epithelial cells, and genetic ablation of Pik3r1
      accelerates a mouse model of HER2/neu-driven breast cancer. We demonstrate that
      partial loss of p85alpha increases the amount of p110alpha-p85 heterodimers bound
      to active receptors, augmenting PI3K signaling and oncogenic transformation. Pan
      PI3K and p110alpha-selective pharmacological inhibition effectively blocks
      transformation driven by partial p85alpha loss both in vitro and in vivo.
      Together, our data suggest that p85alpha plays a tumor-suppressive role in
      transformation, and suggest that p110alpha-selective therapeutics may be
      effective in the treatment of breast cancer patients with PIK3R1 loss.

PMID- 28630350
TI  - The United States can keep the grid stable at low cost with 100% clean, renewable
      energy in all sectors despite inaccurate claims.

PMID- 28630351
TI  - Evolutionary radiation of lanthipeptides in marine cyanobacteria.
AB  - Lanthipeptides are ribosomally derived peptide secondary metabolites that undergo
      extensive posttranslational modification. Prochlorosins are a group of
      lanthipeptides produced by certain strains of the ubiquitous marine
      picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus Unlike other lanthipeptide
      producing bacteria, picocyanobacteria use an unprecedented mechanism of substrate
      promiscuity for the production of numerous and diverse lanthipeptides using a
      single lanthionine synthetase. Through a cross-scale analysis of prochlorosin
      biosynthesis genes-from genomes to oceanic populations-we show that marine
      picocyanobacteria have the collective capacity to encode thousands of different
      cyclic peptides, few of which would display similar ring topologies. To
      understand how this extensive structural diversity arises, we used deep
      sequencing of wild populations to reveal genetic variation patterns in
      prochlorosin genes. We present evidence that structural variability among
      prochlorosins is the result of a diversifying selection process that favors
      large, rather than small, sequence changes in the precursor peptide genes. This
      mode of molecular evolution disregards any conservation of the ancestral
      structure and enables the emergence of extensively different cyclic peptides
      through short mutational paths based on indels. Contrary to its fast-evolving
      peptide substrates, the prochlorosin lanthionine synthetase evolves under a
      strong purifying selection, indicating that the diversification of prochlorosins
      is not constrained by commensurate changes in the biosynthetic enzyme. This
      evolutionary interplay between the prochlorosin peptide substrates and the
      lanthionine synthetase suggests that structure diversification, rather than
      structure refinement, is the driving force behind the creation of new
      prochlorosin structures and represents an intriguing mechanism by which natural
      product diversity arises.

PMID- 28630352
TI  - Structural complexity and molecular heterogeneity of a butterfly ejaculate
      reflect a complex history of selection.
AB  - Male ejaculates are often structurally complex, and this complexity is likely to
      influence key reproductive interactions between males and females. However,
      despite its potential evolutionary significance, the molecular underpinnings of
      ejaculate structural complexity have received little empirical attention. To
      address this knowledge gap, we sought to understand the biochemical and
      functional properties of the structurally complex ejaculates of Pieris rapae
      butterflies. Males in this species produce large ejaculates called spermatophores
      composed of an outer envelope, an inner matrix, and a bolus of sperm. Females are
      thought to benefit from the nutrition contained in the soluble inner matrix
      through increases in longevity and fecundity. However, the indigestible outer
      envelope of the spermatophore delays female remating, allowing males to
      monopolize paternity for longer. Here, we show that these two nonsperm-containing
      spermatophore regions, the inner matrix and the outer envelope, differ in their
      protein composition and functional properties. We also reveal how these divergent
      protein mixtures are separately stored in the male reproductive tract and
      sequentially transferred to the female reproductive tract during spermatophore
      assembly. Intriguingly, we discovered large quantities of female-derived
      proteases in both spermatophore regions shortly after mating, which may
      contribute to spermatophore digestion and hence, female control over remating
      rate. Finally, we report evidence of past selection on these spermatophore
      proteins and female proteases, indicating a complex evolutionary history. Our
      findings illustrate how structural complexity of ejaculates may allow
      functionally and/or spatially associated suites of proteins to respond rapidly to
      divergent selective pressures, such as sexual conflict or reproductive
      cooperation.

PMID- 28630353
TI  - Evaluation of a proposal for reliable low-cost grid power with 100% wind, water,
      and solar.
AB  - A number of analyses, meta-analyses, and assessments, including those performed
      by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic and
      Atmospheric Administration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the
      International Energy Agency, have concluded that deployment of a diverse
      portfolio of clean energy technologies makes a transition to a low-carbon
      emission energy system both more feasible and less costly than other pathways. In
      contrast, Jacobson et al. [Jacobson MZ, Delucchi MA, Cameron MA, Frew BA (2015)
      Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112(49):15060-15065] argue that it is feasible to provide
      "low-cost solutions to the grid reliability problem with 100% penetration of WWS
      [wind, water and solar power] across all energy sectors in the continental United
      States between 2050 and 2055", with only electricity and hydrogen as energy
      carriers. In this paper, we evaluate that study and find significant shortcomings
      in the analysis. In particular, we point out that this work used invalid modeling
      tools, contained modeling errors, and made implausible and inadequately supported
      assumptions. Policy makers should treat with caution any visions of a rapid,
      reliable, and low-cost transition to entire energy systems that relies almost
      exclusively on wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.

PMID- 28630354
TI  - Not all cells are equal: effects of temperature and sex on the size of different
      cell types in the Madagascar ground gecko Paroedura picta.
AB  - Cell size plays a role in evolutionary and phenotypically plastic changes in body
      size. To examine this role, we measured the sizes of seven cell types of geckos
      (Paroedura picta) reared at three constant temperatures (24, 27, and 30 degrees
      C). Our results show that the cell size varies according to the body size, sex
      and developmental temperature, but the pattern of this variance depends on the
      cell type. We identified three groups of cell types, and the cell sizes changed
      in a coordinated manner within each group. Larger geckos had larger erythrocytes,
      striated muscle cells and hepatocytes (our first cell group), but their renal
      proximal tubule cells and duodenal enterocytes (our second cell group), as well
      as tracheal chondrocytes and epithelial skin cells (our third cell group), were
      largely unrelated to the body size. For six cell types, we also measured the
      nuclei and found that larger cells had larger nuclei. The relative sizes of the
      nuclei were not invariant but varied in a complex manner with temperature and
      sex. In conclusion, we provide evidence suggesting that changes in cell size
      might be commonly involved in the origin of thermal and sexual differences in
      adult size. A recent theory predicts that smaller cells speed up metabolism but
      demand more energy for their maintenance; consequently, the cell size matches the
      metabolic demand and supply, which in ectotherms, largely depends on the thermal
      conditions. The complex thermal dependency of cell size in geckos suggests that
      further advancements in understanding the adaptive value of cell size requires
      the consideration of tissue-specific demand/supply conditions.

PMID- 28630355
TI  - Apical and basal epitheliomuscular F-actin dynamics during Hydra bud evagination.
AB  - Bending of 2D cell sheets is a fundamental morphogenetic mechanism during animal
      development and reproduction. A critical player driving cell shape during tissue
      bending is the actin cytoskeleton. Much of our current knowledge about actin
      dynamics in whole organisms stems from studies of embryonic development in
      bilaterian model organisms. Here, we have analyzed actin-based processes during
      asexual bud evagination in the simple metazoan Hydra We created transgenic Hydra
      strains stably expressing the actin marker Lifeact-GFP in either ectodermal or
      endodermal epitheliomuscular cells. We then combined live imaging with
      conventional phalloidin staining to directly follow actin reorganization. Bending
      of the Hydra epithelial double layer is initiated by a group of epitheliomuscular
      cells in the endodermal layer. These cells shorten their apical-basal axis and
      arrange their basal muscle processes in a circular configuration. We propose that
      this rearrangement generates the initial forces to bend the endoderm towards the
      ectoderm. Convergent tissue movement in both epithelial layers towards the centre
      of evagination then leads to elongation and extension of the bud along its new
      body axis. Tissue movement into the bud is associated with lateral intercalation
      of epithelial cells, remodelling of apical septate junctions, and rearrangement
      of basal muscle processes. The work presented here extends the analysis of
      morphogenetic mechanisms beyond embryonic tissues of model bilaterians.

PMID- 28630356
TI  - Developmental downregulation of LIS1 expression limits axonal extension and
      allows axon pruning.
AB  - The robust axonal growth and regenerative capacities of young neurons decrease
      substantially with age. This developmental downregulation of axonal growth may
      facilitate axonal pruning and neural circuit formation but limits functional
      recovery following nerve damage. While external factors influencing axonal growth
      have been extensively investigated, relatively little is known about the
      intrinsic molecular changes underlying the age-dependent reduction in
      regeneration capacity. We report that developmental downregulation of LIS1 is
      responsible for the decreased axonal extension capacity of mature dorsal root
      ganglion (DRG) neurons. In contrast, exogenous LIS1 expression or endogenous LIS1
      augmentation by calpain inhibition restored axonal extension capacity in mature
      DRG neurons and facilitated regeneration of the damaged sciatic nerve. The
      insulator protein CTCF suppressed LIS1 expression in mature DRG neurons, and this
      reduction resulted in excessive accumulation of phosphoactivated GSK-3beta at the
      axon tip, causing failure of the axonal extension. Conversely, sustained LIS1
      expression inhibited developmental axon pruning in the mammillary body. Thus,
      LIS1 regulation may coordinate the balance between axonal growth and pruning
      during maturation of neuronal circuits.

PMID- 28630357
TI  - Importation of drugs into the United States from Canada.

PMID- 28630360
TI  - Superficial dyspareunia.

PMID- 28630359
TI  - Diagnosis and management of bronchiectasis.
AB  - KEY POINTSFollowing a diagnosis of bronchiectasis, it is important to investigate
      for an underlying cause.Goals of management are to suppress airway infection and
      inflammation, to improve symptoms and health-related quality of life.There are
      now validated scoring tools to help assess disease severity, which can help to
      stratify management.Good evidence supports the use of both exercise training and
      long-term macrolide therapy in long-term disease management.

PMID- 28630361
TI  - Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the superficial temporal artery.

PMID- 28630358
TI  - Assessing the safety and immunogenicity of recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus
      Ebola vaccine in healthy adults: a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The 2013-2016 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa was the most
      widespread in history. In response, alive attenuated recombinant vesicular
      stomatitis virus (rVSV) vaccine expressing Zaire Ebolavirus glycoprotein
      (rVSVDeltaG-ZEBOV-GP) was evaluated in humans. METHODS: In a phase 1, randomized,
      dose-ranging, observer-blind, placebo-controlled trial, healthy adults aged 18-65
      years were randomized into 4 groups of 10 to receive one of 3 vaccine doses or
      placebo. Follow-up visits spanned 180 days postvaccination for safety monitoring,
      immunogenicity testing and any rVSV virus shedding. RESULTS: Forty participants
      were injected with rVSVDeltaG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine (n = 30) or saline placebo (n =
      10). No serious adverse events related to the vaccine or participant withdrawals
      were reported. Solicited adverse events during the 14-day follow-up period were
      mild to moderate and self-limited, with the exception of injection-site pain and
      headache. Viremia following vaccination was transient and no longer detectable
      after study day 3, with no virus shedding in saliva or urine. All vaccinated
      participants developed serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), as measured by Ebola virus
      envelope glycoprotein-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
      Immunogenicity was comparable across all dose groups, and sustained IgG titers
      were detectable through to the last visit, at study day 180. INTERPRETATION: In
      this phase 1 study, there were no safety concerns after a single dose of
      rVSVDeltaG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine. IgG ELISA showed persistent high titers at 180 days
      postimmunization. There was a period of reactogenicity, but in general, the
      vaccine was well tolerated. This study provides evidence of the safety and
      immunogenicity of rVSVDeltaG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine and importance of its further
      investigation. Trial registration: Clinical-Trials.gov no., NCT02374385.

PMID- 28630362
TI  - The spaces in between.

PMID- 28630363
TI  - A comprehensive approach needed to address regional variation.

PMID- 28630364
TI  - Response to: "A comprehensive approach needed to address regional variation".

PMID- 28630365
TI  - Hot bodies; Cold War: the forgotten history of breast thermography.

PMID- 28630366
TI  - A game-changer for hereditary cancer patients.

PMID- 28630367
TI  - Health Canada wants more funds from pharma.

PMID- 28630368
TI  - Researchers unite in demand for funding.

PMID- 28630370
TI  - Evidence for Therapeutic Patient Education Interventions to Promote
      Cardiovascular Patient Self-Management: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare
      Professionals From the American Heart Association.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The burden of cardiovascular disease as a chronic illness
      increasingly requires patients to assume more responsibility for their self
      management. Patient education is believed to be an essential component of
      cardiovascular care; however, there is limited evidence about specific
      therapeutic patient education approaches used and the impact on patient self
      management outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: An integrative review of the literature
      was conducted to critically analyze published research studies of therapeutic
      patient education for self-management in selected cardiovascular conditions.
      There was variability in methodological approaches across settings and disease
      conditions. The most effective interventions were tailored to individual patient
      needs, used multiple components to improve self-management outcomes, and often
      used multidisciplinary approaches. CONCLUSIONS: This synthesis of evidence
      expands the base of knowledge related to the development of patient self
      management skills and provides direction for more rigorous research.
      Recommendations are provided to guide the implementation of therapeutic patient
      education in clinical practice and the design of comprehensive self-management
      interventions to improve outcomes for cardiovascular patients.

PMID- 28630369
TI  - ALPK3 gene mutation in a patient with congenital cardiomyopathy and dysmorphic
      features.
AB  - Primary cardiomyopathy is one of the most common inherited cardiac diseases and
      harbors significant phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Because of this,
      genetic testing has become standard in treatment of this disease group. Indeed,
      in recent years, next-generation DNA sequencing has found broad applications in
      medicine, both as a routine diagnostic tool for genetic disorders and as a high
      throughput discovery tool for identifying novel disease-causing genes. We
      describe a male infant with primary dilated cardiomyopathy who was diagnosed
      using intrauterine echocardiography and found to progress to hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy after birth. This proband was born to a nonconsanguineous family
      with a past history of a male fetus that died because of cardiac abnormalities at
      30 wk of gestation. Using whole-exome sequencing, a novel homozygous frameshift
      mutation (c.2018delC; p.Gln675SerfsX30) in ALPK3 was identified and confirmed
      with Sanger sequencing. Heterozygous family members were normal with
      echocardiographic examination. To date, only two studies have reported homozygous
      pathogenic variants of ALPK3, with a total of seven affected individuals with
      cardiomyopathy from four unrelated consanguineous families. We include a
      discussion of the patient's phenotypic features and a review of relevant
      literature findings.

PMID- 28630371
TI  - Assessment of Quality Indicators for Acute Myocardial Infarction in the FAST-MI
      (French Registry of Acute ST-Elevation or Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction)
      Registries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Acute Cardiovascular Care Association defined quality indicators
      (QIs) for the management of acute myocardial infarction. The application of these
      QIs to existing databases is appealing. It remains to be determined what the
      rates of implementation are, how the QIs are related to long-term survival, and
      whether quality categorization is possible. METHODS AND RESULTS: The QIs were
      extracted from the French nationwide registries French Registry of Acute ST
      Elevation or Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (FAST-MI) 2005 (n=3670) and
      FAST-MI 2010 (n=4169). Implementation rates for each QI are reported for both
      cohorts. The composite QI was used for benchmarking, and the relationship between
      QIs and 3-year survival was determined using a Cox model. In FAST-MI 2010, 12
      individual and 2 composite QIs could be assessed. Four QIs were not recorded in
      FAST-MI 2010 and 4 in 2005, either because of treatment nonavailability or
      because of data not recorded. The degree of implementation ranged from 12% to
      89%, with higher rates in 2010 as compared with 2005. Seven individual QIs were
      associated with survival, and there was a significant and gradual association
      between survival and categories of the composite QI. Center categorization was
      possible in 26% to 30% of participating centers; 16 (27%) centers in 2005 and 14
      (20%) in 2010 were categorized as low quality. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve of 17
      individual QIs could be assessed from FAST-MI 2010. The composite QI was
      significantly associated with 3-year survival and distinguished centers with
      high, average, and low quality of care.

PMID- 28630372
TI  - Multitype Events and the Analysis of Heart Failure Readmissions: Illustration of
      a New Modeling Approach and Comparison With Familiar Composite End Points.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heart failure-related hospital readmissions and mortality are often
      outcomes in clinical trials. Patients may experience multiple hospital
      readmissions over time with mortality acting as a dependent terminal event.
      Univariate composite end points are used for the analysis of readmissions. We may
      amend these approaches to include emergency department visits as a further
      outcome. An alternative multivariate modeling approach that categorizes hospital
      readmissions and emergency department visits as separate event types is proposed.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: We seek to compare the modeling approach which handles event
      types as separate, correlated end points against composites that amalgamate them
      to create a unified end point. Using a heart failure data set for illustration, a
      model with random effects for event types is estimated. The time-to-first event,
      unmatched win-ratio, and days-alive-and-out-of-hospital composites are derived
      for comparison. The model provides supplementary statistics such as the
      correlation among event types and yields considerably more power than the
      competing composite end points. CONCLUSIONS: The effect on individual outcomes is
      lost when they are intermingled to form a univariate composite. Simultaneously
      modeling different outcomes provides an alternative or supplementary analysis
      that may yield greater statistical power and additional insights. Improvements in
      software have made the multitype events model easier to implement and thus a
      useful, more efficient option when analyzing heart failure hospital readmissions
      and emergency department visits.

PMID- 28630373
TI  - Incidence and Time Course for Developing Heart Failure With High-Burden Right
      Ventricular Pacing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although right ventricular pacing can contribute to cardiomyopathy,
      the impact of complete atrioventricular block (cAVB) on heart failure (HF)
      development in pacemaker patients has not been well characterized. We evaluated
      the incidence and time course for developing HF after pacemaker implantation for
      cAVB. METHODS AND RESULTS: A MarketScan database identified patients undergoing
      dual-chamber pacemaker implantation from 2008 to 2014. Patients with cAVB were
      identified by an atrioventricular node ablation or diagnosis of third-degree AVB.
      Patients with >=1 year of continuous MarketScan enrollment before and after
      implant and without a previous diagnosis of HF were dichotomized into those with
      cAVB and without AVB. The primary end point was new HF assessed over acute (0-6
      months) and chronic (6 months to 4 years) phases post-pacemaker implantation. The
      cohort included 6994 cAVB patients and 14 208 patients without AVB, followed for
      2.35 years (interquartile range, 1.62-3.39 years). After adjustment for baseline
      covariates, patients with cAVB experienced an increased risk of new-onset HF in
      the acute phase (hazard ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.48-1.79;
      P<0.001). Although the risk of HF remained elevated among those with cAVB in the
      chronic phase, the effect was attenuated (hazard ratio, 1.16; 95% confidence
      interval, 1.08-1.25; P<0.001). After pacemaker implantation, younger patients
      (<=55 years of age) and those with an antecedent history of atrial fibrillation
      experienced the highest risk of HF associated with cAVB. CONCLUSIONS: Patients
      with a diagnosis of cAVB, and thus presumed to have a higher burden of right
      ventricular pacing, experienced an increased risk of new-onset HF after pacemaker
      implantation compared with those without AVB. Better tools are needed to identify
      patients at high risk of developing HF in the setting of right ventricular pacing
      and to determine whether these patients benefit from upfront biventricular
      pacing.

PMID- 28630374
TI  - Classifying the body in Marlene Dumas' The Image as Burden.
AB  - Medical photography, and in particular dermatological imagery, is often assumed
      to provide an objective, and functional, representation of disease and that it
      can act as a diagnostic aid. By contrast, artistic conceptions of the images of
      the body tend to focus on interpretative heterogeneity and ambiguity, aiming to
      create or explore meaning rather than enact a particular function. In her 2015
      retrospective exhibition at the Tate Modern, South African artist Marlene Dumas
      questions these disciplinary divides by using medical imagery (among other
      photographic sources) as the basis for her portraits. Her portrait 'The White
      Disease' draws on an unidentified photograph taken from a medical journal, but
      obscures the original image to such a degree that any representation of a
      particular disease is highly questionable. The title creates a new
      classification, which reflects on disease and on the racial politics of South
      Africa during apartheid. Though, on the one hand, these techniques are seemingly
      disparate from the methods of medical understanding, features such as reliance on
      classification, and attempts at dispelling ambiguity, bring Dumas' work closer to
      the history of dermatological portraits than would usually be perceived to be the
      case. In considering the continuities and disparities between conceptualisations
      of skin in dermatology and Dumas' art, this paper questions assumptions of
      photographic objectivity to suggest that there is greater complexity and
      interpretative scope in medical dermatological images than might initially be
      assumed.

PMID- 28630375
TI  - Is pathology-specific diagnosis of the dementia possible in life?

PMID- 28630376
TI  - Functional connectivity disturbances of the ascending reticular activating system
      in temporal lobe epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Seizures in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) disturb brain networks and
      lead to connectivity disturbances. We previously hypothesised that recurrent
      seizures in TLE may lead to abnormal connections involving subcortical activating
      structures including the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS),
      contributing to neocortical dysfunction and neurocognitive impairments. However,
      no studies of ARAS connectivity have been previously reported in patients with
      epilepsy. METHODS: We used resting-state functional MRI recordings in 27 patients
      with TLE (67% right sided) and 27 matched controls to examine functional
      connectivity (partial correlation) between eight brainstem ARAS structures and
      105 cortical/subcortical regions. ARAS nuclei included: cuneiform/subcuneiform,
      dorsal raphe, locus coeruleus, median raphe, parabrachial complex, pontine
      oralis, pedunculopontine and ventral tegmental area. Connectivity patterns were
      related to disease and neuropsychological parameters. RESULTS: In control
      subjects, regions showing highest connectivity to ARAS structures included limbic
      structures, thalamus and certain neocortical areas, which is consistent with
      prior studies of ARAS projections. Overall, ARAS connectivity was significantly
      lower in patients with TLE than controls (p<0.05, paired t-test), particularly to
      neocortical regions including insular, lateral frontal, posterior temporal and
      opercular cortex. Diminished ARAS connectivity to these regions was related to
      increased frequency of consciousness-impairing seizures (p<0.01, Pearson's
      correlation) and was associated with impairments in verbal IQ, attention,
      executive function, language and visuospatial memory on neuropsychological
      evaluation (p<0.05, Spearman's rho or Kendell's tau-b). CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent
      seizures in TLE are associated with disturbances in ARAS connectivity, which are
      part of the widespread network dysfunction that may be related to neurocognitive
      problems in this devastating disorder.

PMID- 28630377
TI  - Effects of cognitive reserve depend on executive and semantic demands of the
      task.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cognitive reserve (CR) is one factor that helps to maintain cognitive
      function in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whether the effects of CR
      depend on the semantic/executive components of the task remains unknown. METHODS:
      470 patients (138 with AD, 332 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)) were
      selected from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. Linear
      regression models were used to determine the effects of CR (years of education)
      on cognitive performance after controlling for demographic factors and regional
      cortical atrophy. First, we assessed memory tasks with low (Auditory Verbal
      Learning Test (AVLT) discriminability), moderate (AVLT delayed recall) and high
      (Logical Memory Test (LMT) delayed recall) executive/semantic components. Next,
      we assessed tasks with lower (digit span forward, Trails A) or higher (digit span
      backwards, Trails B) executive demands, and lower (figure copying) or higher
      (naming, semantic fluency) semantic demands. RESULTS: High CR was significantly
      associated with performance on the LMT delayed recall, approached significance in
      the AVLT delayed recall and was not significantly associated with performance on
      AVLT discriminability. High CR was significantly associated with performance on
      the Trails B and digit span backwards, mildly associated with Trails A
      performance and was not associated with performance on digit span forwards. High
      CR was associated with performance on semantic but not visuospatial tasks. High
      CR was associated with semantic tasks in patients with both MCI and AD, but was
      only associated with executive functions in patients with MCI. CONCLUSION: CR may
      relate to executive functioning and semantic knowledge, leading to preserved
      cognitive performance in patients with AD pathology.

PMID- 28630378
TI  - Randomised controlled trial of the efficacy of a blue-enriched light intervention
      to improve alertness and performance in night shift workers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Night workers often experience high levels of sleepiness due to
      misalignment of the sleep-wake cycle from the circadian pacemaker, in addition to
      acute and chronic sleep loss. Exposure to light, in particular short wavelength
      light, can improve alertness and neurobehavioural performance. This randomised
      controlled trial examined the efficacy of blue-enriched polychromatic light to
      improve alertness and neurobehavioural performance in night workers. DESIGN:
      Participants were 71 night shift workers (42 males; 32.8+/-10.5 years) who worked
      at least 6 hours between 22:00 and 08:00 hours. Sleep-wake logs and wrist
      actigraphy were collected for 1-3 weeks, followed by 48-hour urine collection to
      measure the circadian 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) rhythm. On the night
      following at least two consecutive night shifts, workers attended a simulated
      night shift in the laboratory which included subjective and objective assessments
      of sleepiness and performance. Workers were randomly assigned for exposure to one
      of two treatment conditions from 23:00 hours to 07:00 hours: blue-enriched white
      light (17 000 K, 89 lux; n=36) or standard white light (4000 K, 84 lux; n=35).
      RESULTS: Subjective and objective sleepiness increased during the night shift in
      both light conditions (p<0.05, etap2=0.06-0.31), but no significant effects of
      light condition were observed. The 17 000 K light, however, did improve
      subjective sleepiness relative to the 4000 K condition when light exposure
      coincided with the time of the aMT6s peak (p<0.05, d=0.41-0.60). CONCLUSION: This
      study suggests that, while blue-enriched light has potential to improve
      subjective sleepiness in night shift workers, further research is needed in the
      selection of light properties to maximise the benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION
      NUMBER: The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12610000097044
      (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=320845&isReview
      true).

PMID- 28630379
TI  - The association between telomere length and mortality in Bangladesh.
AB  - Telomeres are tandem repeat sequences at the end of chromosomes that bind
      proteins to protect chromosome ends. Telomeres shorten with age, and shorter
      leukocyte telomere length (TL) has been associated with overall mortality in
      numerous studies. However, this association has not been tested in populations
      outside of Europe and the U.S. We assessed the association between TL and
      subsequent mortality using data on 744 mortality cases and 761 age-/sex-matched
      controls sampled from >27,000 participants from three longitudinal Bangladeshi
      cohorts: Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS), HEALS Expansion
      (HEALS-E), and Bangladesh Vitamin E and Selenium Trial (BEST). We used
      conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the association
      between a standardized TL variable and overall mortality, as well as mortality
      from chronic diseases, respiratory diseases, circulatory diseases, and cancer. In
      HEALS and BEST, we observed an association between shorter TL and increased
      overall mortality (P=0.03 and P=0.03), mortality from chronic disease (P=0.01 and
      P=0.03) and mortality from circulatory disease (P=0.03 and P=0.04). Results from
      pooled analyses of all cohorts were consistent with HEALS and BEST. This is the
      first study demonstrating an association between short TL and increased mortality
      in a population of non-European ancestry.

PMID- 28630380
TI  - The Immunological Basis in the Pathogenesis of Gout.
AB  - Gout is an inflammatory arthritis characterized by red, tender, hot and tumid
      joints. The development cause and process of gout is very sophisticated; recent
      studies, notwithstanding, have offered novel perspectives on the mechanism from
      an immunological viewpoint. The pathological process of gout involves both innate
      and adaptive immune responses. Other studies have demonstrated that gout
      development is associated with the presence of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals
      which serve as a "danger signal" affecting certain immune cells, cytokine
      production, and effector molecule expression, triggering both types of immune
      responses. Different cell subsets, cytokines, pattern recognition receptors
      (PRRs) and the inflammasome have had noticeable effects on the pathogenesis of
      gout. In the present review, we discuss the contributions of MSU-mediated immune
      responses in gout, which helps to better understand the mechanism of gout
      development.

PMID- 28630381
TI  - Antibody Response to Human Extracellular HER2 Subdomain Proteins in Mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In addition to passive immunotherapy using anti-HER2 monoclonal
      antibodies, active immunotherapy via HER2 targeting is an interesting approach to
      inducing specific anti-tumor immune responses. We have recently reported the
      immunogenicity of HER2 subdomains following DNA immunization and HER2 protein
      boosting. In the present study, we evaluated the immunogenicity of different HER2
      extracellular subdomains for the induction of anti-HER2 antibody response in
      BALB/c mice. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and characterize antibody responses to
      human recombinant proteins of HER2 extracellular subdomains in immunized mice.
      METHODS: Four subdomains of HER2 extracellular domain were expressed in E.coli;
      subsequently, purified recombinant proteins were intraperitoneally injected in
      BALB/c mice with Freund's adjuvant. The anti-HER2 antibody response was detected
      by ELISA, immunoblotting and flow cytometry. RESULTS: All the four HER2
      subdomains along with the full extracellular domain (fECD) were able to induce
      specific anti-HER2 antibodies. Although anti-HER2 subdomains antibodies could not
      react with eukaryotic recombinant fECD protein by ELISA, they were able to
      recognize this protein by immunoblotting under both reduced and non-reduced
      conditions. Furthermore, only the sera of mice immunized with fECD protein could
      recognize native HER2 on HER2 overexpressing tumor cells (>99%) by flow
      cytometry. Moreover, fECD immunized mice sera inhibited the proliferation of
      tumor cells by XTT assay. CONCLUSION: The prokaryotic recombinant proteins of
      HER2 extracellular subdomains are immunogenic, yet the induced specific
      antibodies do not react with the native HER2 protein due to the paucity of post
      translation modifications and /or distortion of the native conformation of
      isolated HER2 extracellular subdomains which might be potentially effective for
      induction of cell mediated immune response against HER2.

PMID- 28630382
TI  - Immunodiagnostic Value of Echinococcus Granulosus Recombinant B8/1 Subunit of
      Antigen B.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE), as a chronic parasitic disease, is a
      major health problem in many countries. The performance of the currently
      available serodiagnostic tests for the diagnosis of CE is unsatisfactory.
      OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed at sub-cloning a gene, encoding the B8/1
      subunit of antigen B (AgB) from Echinococcus granulosus, using gene optimization
      for the immunodiagnosis of human CE. METHODS: The coding sequence for AgB8/1
      subunit of Echinococcus granulosus was selected from GenBank and was gene
      optimized. The sequence was synthesized and inserted into pGEX-4T-1 vector.
      Purification was performed with GST tag affinity column. Diagnostic performance
      of the produced recombinant antigen, native antigen B and a commercial ELISA kit
      were further evaluated in an ELISA system, using a panel of sera from CE patients
      and controls. RESULTS: SDS-PAGE demonstrated that the protein of interest had a
      high expression level and purity after GST tag affinity purification. Western
      blotting verified the immunoreactivity of the produced recombinant antigen with
      the sera of CE patients. In an ELISA system, the sensitivity and specificity (for
      human CE diagnosis) of the recombinant antigen, native antigen B and commercial
      kit were respectively 93% and 92%, 87% and 90% and 97% and 95%. CONCLUSION: The
      produced recombinant antigen showed a high diagnostic value which can be
      recommended for serodiagnosis of CE in Iran and other CE-endemic areas. Utilizing
      the combination of other subunits of AgB8 would improve the performance value of
      the introduced ELISA system.

PMID- 28630383
TI  - BALB/c Mice Immunity to Hydatidosis Induced by In-vitro Reared Echinococcus
      granulosus Adult Worm Antigens.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Echinococcosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the larval
      stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Several native and recombinant antigens,
      derived from different stages of E. granulosus life cycle, have been used for
      vaccine trials. In vitro reared adult worms are good candidates for vaccination
      as they do not produce fertile egg/s and do not have any risk of contamination
      for researchers. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate different antigens derived from in vitro
      reared E. granulosus adult worms for the immunization of BALB/c mice against
      secondary hydatidosis. METHODS: Viable protoscoleces (PCSs) of sheep hydatid cyst
      were cultivated in S.10E.H media. Excretory secretory (E/S) and crude antigens
      were prepared from reared adult worms. A total of fifty BALB/c mice, each 8-weeks
      old, were divided into 5 groups of 10 mice. Three groups were subcutaneously
      immunized with crude, E/S and immunodominant antigens on days 1 and 28. The
      fourth group received only PBS and the fifth group had no injection. Three weeks
      following the second immunization, all groups were challenged, intraperitoneal,
      with viable PSCs. After the autopsy of the mice and opening their abdominal wall,
      cysts were counted and measured followed by histopathological observations.
      RESULTS: The highest protective immunity (98.7%) against hydatidosis was induced
      by crude antigen, followed by E/S and immunodominant antigens. CONCLUSION:
      Antigens (crude antigens in particular) derived from in vitro reared E.
      granulosus adult worms, and their different protein components are suitable
      candidates for the vaccination of intermediate hosts against hydatidosis.

PMID- 28630384
TI  - Modulation of CD4+ T Cell Subsets by Euphorbia microciadia and Euphorbia osyridea
      Plant Extracts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Euphorbia plants are traditionally used in folk medicine for
      infections, inflammation, and cancer. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of
      the butanolic extracts of Euphorbia micorociadia and Euphorbia osyridea on
      specific transcription factors and cytokines expression of T cell subsets.
      METHODS: Activated mouse splenocytes were cultured in the presence of non
      cytotoxic concentrations of the extracts. Cells were evaluated for the gene
      expressions of T cell transcription factors and cytokines of T helper (Th)1 [T
      bet and interferon gamma (IFNgamma)], Th17 [retinoic acid receptor related orphan
      receptor (RORgammat) and interleukin (IL)-17], and T regulatory (Treg) cells
      [forkhead box P3(Foxp3), IL-10, and Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta] using
      real-time PCR. The cytokine secretions were evaluated by ELISA and Foxp3 protein
      expression by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Both E. osyridea and E. microciadia
      extracts at 0.1 MUg/ml increased T-bet expression [>1.73 relative fold change
      (RFC), p<0.05] and IFNgamma production (>1195 pg/ml, p<0.001). Both decreased
      Foxp3 (<0.41 RFC, p<0.05) expression. At the higher concentration both extracts
      significantly reduced T-bet mRNA as well as IFNgamma, IL-17, IL-10, and TGF-beta
      cytokines and Foxp3 at the mRNA and protein levels. CONCLUSION: These data showed
      the immunomodulatory effects of E. osyridea and E. micorociadia extracts on T
      cell-mediated responses. The extracts caused upregulation of Th1 and
      downregulation of Treg cells at a low concentration which suggested their
      possible therapeutic value in tumor models and infectious diseases. The observed
      immunosuppressive effects at the higher concentration potentially make these
      plants candidates for identification of active components and studying their
      mechanisms of action.

PMID- 28630385
TI  - Low Dose of Lenalidomide Enhances NK Cell Activity: Possible Implication as an
      Adjuvant.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lenalidomide, a synthetic immunomodulatory drug, has a wide range of
      features including anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferative properties. To date,
      researchers have shown that lenalidomide is capable of ameliorating the immune
      system factors and antitumor responses. Most researchers have reported that
      lenalidomide enhances the immune response in certain cancer patients through
      several pathways including the stimulation of Natural Killer cells;
      notwithstanding, it is still crucial to investigate the effect of lenalidomide on
      the activity of NK cell cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo. OBJECTIVE: To
      evaluate the in vitro impact of lenalidomide, of different doses, on NK
      cytotoxicity activity and an in vivo investigation to find the adjuvant behavior
      of lenalidomide. METHODS: NK cytotoxocity was measured with the lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay via K562 cells. Lenalidomide was prepared at 1
      mM, 2 mM, 4 mM and 8 mM for in vitro study. In addition, the adjuvant properties
      of lenalidomide were assessed in ten mice groups using NS3 HCV DNA vaccine model
      of antigen pcDNA3.1(+)/NS3. RESULTS: The results showed that, comparisons to
      other doses, 4 mMol of lenalidomide was able to noticeably increase NK
      cytotoxicity activity. Furthermore, the animal model indicated that lenalidomide
      stimulated NK cytotoxicity in vivo, augmenting it from 16.67% +/- 2.07% for the
      control group to 38.17% +/- 2.87% for the lenalidomide-treated. CONCLUSION:
      Treatment by lenalidomide and pcDNA3.1(+)/NS3 improves NK cytotoxicity up to
      66.80% suggesting that lenalidomide can be used in parallel with such therapeutic
      vaccines as cancer vaccine or virus vaccines.

PMID- 28630386
TI  - Low 17beta-estradiol Levels Are Better Inducers of Regulatory Conditioned T Cells
      In-Vitro.
AB  - BACKGROUND: 17beta-estradiol (E2) has been known to modulate immune response.
      Recent studies indicate that E2 at pregnancy level plays a role in regulating T
      cell response. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimum dose of E2 (from 10-9 to 10
      7 M) in mediating the generation of regulatory T cells (Tregs), using naive human
      CD4+ T cells from healthy women. METHODS: Naive peripheral T cells were purified
      and conditioned with soluble anti-CD28 in anti-CD3-coated plates in the presence
      or absence of E2. Flow cytometry was employed to assess the expression pattern of
      forkhead boxP3 (FOXP3) and programmed death-1 (PD-1). Proliferation and cytokine
      secretions were analyzed, using XTT and ELISA assays. RESULTS: In the presence of
      different doses of E2, the expression levels of anti-CD3/CD28 antibody-stimulated
      CD25/ FOXP3 and FOXP3/PD-1 in conditioned T cells (cT) were peaked at 1 ng/ml
      (early pregnancy level, E2(1)) (47.14% (37.3-74.9) and 32% (27.7-52.5),
      respectively) and a slight, but not significant, increase after declining at 36
      ng/ml (late pregnancy/pharmaceutical, E2(36)) (19.4% (15.2-24.5) and 15.8% (10.6
      26.8), respectively). E2(1) cT showed a significantly reduced proliferation
      capacity (p<0.05) and secretion of IL-10 was enhanced in supernatants of E2(1 and
      36) cT (p<0.05). In contrast to decreased TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma secretions in
      E2(1) cT supernatants, E2(36) stimulated TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma secretions
      (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the
      differential effect of E2 on generation of Tregs is consistent with the
      possibility that lower levels of pregnancy E2 are most efficient in induction of
      Tregs.

PMID- 28630387
TI  - Assessment of T helper 17-associated cytokines in third trimester of pregnancy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia is a common pregnancy-specific disorder associated with
      significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It has been
      proposed that the imbalance between two CD4+ T cell subtypes, regulatory T cells
      (Treg) and T-helper 17 cells (Th17), is involved in the pathophysiology of
      preeclampsia. OBJECTIVES: To determine the serum levels of IL-17, IL-21, IL-23
      and TGF-beta in patients with preeclampsia. METHODS: Blood samples were collected
      from 30 preeclampsia patients, 30 normotensive pregnant women and 30 healthy
      individuals with no history of malignancies or autoimmune disorders based on
      simple sampling. The serum levels of IL-17, IL-21, IL-23 and TGF-beta were
      measured by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The serum
      levels of IL-17 and TGF-beta were significantly higher in preeclampsia patients
      compared to normal pregnant group and healthy individuals (p>0.0001) but
      interestingly, the opposite was the case for IL-23 (p=0.005). However, there were
      no significant differences in IL-21 between preeclampsia and normal pregnant
      group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results conclude that contrary to IL-21, serum levels of
      IL-17 and TGF-beta significantly increased in preeclampsia compared to normal
      pregnant women, supporting an imbalance of cytokine profile in preeclamtic
      patients.

PMID- 28630388
TI  - Spontaneous liver rupture associated with anticoagulant therapy A case report.
AB  - : Spontaneous hepatic rupture without underlying liver diseases is uncommon
      entity. We report a rare case of spontaneous rupture of liver hematoma in patient
      treated with warfarin end enoxaparin sodium because of pulmonary embolism. Two
      day after admission the patient complained generalized abdominal pain and
      hemodynamic instability. The abdominal US and TC scan revealed free fluid and
      lesion at right liver lobe. The patient, despite intravenous fluid support and
      blood transfusion, was hemodinamically instable and urgent laparotomy was needed.
      At laparotomy, it was found that a subcapsular haematoma, involving the
      diaphragmatic face of the right liver, had ruptured into peritoneum. Hepatic
      bleeding was stopped using a conservative approach by Pringle manoeuvre,
      parenchymal suture and fibrin sealant. There was no complication related to
      hepatic surgery but the patient died because of new massive pulmonary embolism 10
      days after surgery. The absence of underlying liver pathology was confirmed by
      autopsy examination. This case report suggests that the possibility of
      spontaneous liver rupture should be considered in patients being treated with
      oral anticoagulants. Early diagnosis are critically important given the high
      morbidity and mortality. Aggressive resuscitation and immediate exploratory
      laparotomy is needed when hemodynamic instability occurs. In our case a quick,
      safe and effective control of bleeding was provided by partial vascular
      occlusion, parenchymal suture and topical haemostatic agent. KEY WORD:
      Anticoagulant therapy, Araumatic hemoperitoneum, Liver hematoma.

PMID- 28630389
TI  - A case report of the first ganglioneuroblastoma of the parotid gland of an the
      adult.
AB  - : The ganglioneuroblastoma is a rare form of pediatric tumor, involving innerved
      tissues of the nervous sympathetic system, whose evolution is very hard to
      foresee. A 38 year-old patient whose histologic exam unexpectedly showed
      ganglioneuroblastoma, underwent a parotidectomy. Three years after surgery the
      patient is in optimal clinical conditions, without any radiological signs or
      clinical relapses. KEY WORDS: Ganglioneuroblastoma, Parotid gland, Parodidectomy.

PMID- 28630392
TI  - Nighttime snacking is associated with risk of obesity and hyperglycemia in
      adults: a cross-sectional survey from Chinese adult teachers.
AB  - Relationship between nighttime snack and human health conditions remains unclear.
      In this paper, we analyzed the association of frequency of nighttime snacking
      with obesity, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia using a Chinese teacher cohort.
      The Chinese teacher study contains 22,176 of the general adult population
      operated on in 2015. Information of nighttime snacking frequency was acquired by
      questionnaire. Overweight and obesity outcome were assessed by body mass index
      (BMI), and hypertension; hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia were self-reported.
      Associations between nighttime snacking consumption and outcomes were performed
      with multivariat regression and further stratification analyses. We found a
      significant association (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.24, 3.62;P for trend<0.001) between
      most frequent nighttime snacking and hyperglycemia. A remarkable association was
      also observed between most frequent consumption of nighttime snack and obesity
      (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.63, 5.89; Pfor trend<0.001). The present results provide
      epidemiological evidence that consumption of nighttime snack was associated with
      obesity and hyperglycemia in Chinese adult teachers. However, the underlying
      mechanisms still need further investigation..

PMID- 28630393
TI  - Sample size re-estimation without un-blinding for time-to-event outcomes in
      oncology clinical trials.
AB  - Sample size re-estimation is essential in oncology studies. However, the use of
      blinded sample size reassessment for survival data has been rarely reported.
      Based on the density function of the exponential distribution, an expectation
      maximization (EM) algorithm of the hazard ratio was derived, and several
      simulation studies were used to verify its applications. The method had obvious
      variation in the hazard ratio estimates and overestimation for the relatively
      small hazard ratios. Our studies showed that the stability of the EM estimation
      results directly correlated with the sample size, the convergence of the EM
      algorithm was impacted by the initial values, and a balanced design produced the
      best estimates. No reliable blinded sample size re-estimation inference can be
      made in our studies, but the results provide useful information to steer the
      practitioners in this field from repeating the same endeavor..

PMID- 28630395
TI  - Cerebral Infarction by Paradoxical Gas Embolism During Laparoscopic Liver
      Resection with Injury of the Hepatic Vessels in a Patient without a Right-to-Left
      Systemic Shunt.
AB  - BACKGROUND Carbon dioxide (CO2) is believed to be the safest gas for laparoscopic
      surgery, which is a standard procedure. We experienced severe cerebral infarction
      caused by paradoxical CO2 embolism during laparoscopic liver resection with
      injury of the hepatic vessels despite the absence of a right-to-left systemic
      shunt. CASE REPORT A 60-year-old man was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma
      in the right hepatic lobe secondary to alcoholic liver disease. We planned the
      laparoscopy-assisted liver resection. During the surgery, the root of the right
      hepatic vein was injured. A 1.5-cm hole was accidentally made in the right
      hepatic vein, while mobilizing the right hepatic lobe laparoscopically. End-tidal
      CO2 dropped from 39 to 15.5 mmHg, and systemic blood pressure dropped from 121 to
      45 mmHg, returning to normal with the administration of inotropes. The
      transesophageal echocardiography revealed numerous bubbles in the left atrium and
      ventricle. The Bispectral Index monitoring system showed low brain activity,
      suggesting cerebral infarction due to paradoxical gas embolism. The hepatectomy
      was completed by conversion to open laparotomy. The patient went into a coma and
      suffered quadriplegia after surgery, despite the cooling of his head and the
      administration of Thiamylal. Brain MRI revealed cerebral infarction in the broad
      area of the cerebral cortex right side predominantly, with poor blood flow
      confirmed by the brain perfusion single-photon emission CT. Rehabilitation was
      gradually achieved with Botox injections. CONCLUSIONS Cerebral infarction by
      paradoxical gas embolism is a rare complication in laparoscopic surgery, but it
      is important to be aware of the risk and to be prepared to treat it.

PMID- 28630397
TI  - Fetal Hypotrophy Is an Important Marker in Diagnosis of Preeclampsia in Pregnant
      Patients After Solid Organ Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to use a multidisciplinary approach to
      define the importance of fetal growth disturbances in pregnant patients after
      renal or liver transplantation in diagnosis and treatment of preeclampsia.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS We assessed 108 pregnancies in patients with renal or liver
      transplants. Statistical analysis included Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's
      exact test. RESULTS In the renal transplant (RTR) group, preeclampsia was
      diagnosed in 40% according to ISSHP. In the liver transplant (LTR) group, ISSHP
      guidelines allow this diagnose in 14.6% of patients. Intrauterine fetal
      hypotrophy occurred in 53.3% of RTR patients with clinical symptoms of
      preeclampsia and in none of stabile patients. Premature delivery rate was 40% in
      patients with hypotrophy and only in 15.5% without. For LTR patients, hypotrophy
      was diagnosed in 16.4% patients with clinical symptoms of preeclampsia and in
      12.7% of stabile patients. Premature delivery rate was 14.5% in patients with
      hypotrophy and in 14.5% without. CONCLUSIONS Fetal hypotrophy is strongly
      associated with premature delivery and risk of preeclampsia in pregnancies after
      renal transplantation. There is a need for including ultrasound findings in
      diagnostic criteria of preeclampsia. Fetal growth monitoring may help in
      prediction of premature delivery in these group.

PMID- 28630396
TI  - Comparison of Lavage Techniques for Preventing Incision Infection Following
      Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.
AB  - BACKGROUND The main purpose of this study was to compare the effects of various
      lavage techniques - traditional saline lavage (SL), pulse lavage (PL), closed
      drainage (CD), and iodine lavage (IL) - on preventing incision-related infection
      after posterior lumbar interbody fusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients with
      prolapsed lumbar (intervertebral) discs (PLID) undergoing posterior lumbar
      interbody fusion surgery (PLIF) over the course of 2 years were included and were
      randomly allocated into 4 groups: the SL group, the PL group, the CD group, and
      the IL group. Relevant data were recorded, including preoperative conditions,
      intraoperative lavage time, lavage fluid volume, incision outlook, pain
      perception, results of routine blood tests, and postoperative infection rate.
      RESULTS The PL, CD, and IL groups showed less intraoperative lavage time, lavage
      volume fluid, effusion, infection rate, and muscle and lower pain perception
      compared with the SL group (all P<0.05). Significant differences in white blood
      cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein
      (CRP) were observed between preoperative and postoperative data in each group
      (P<0.01). No significant differences in clinical characteristics, postoperative
      temperature, suture removal time, incision characteristics, WBC, ESR, and CRP
      were observed among the PL, CD, IL, and SL groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS PL, CD,
      and IL all showed much better postoperative infection prevention in comparison to
      SL.

PMID- 28630398
TI  - HCF-1 encoded by baculovirus AcMNPV is required for productive
      nucleopolyhedrovirus infection of non-permissive Tn368 cells.
AB  - Baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV)
      replicates in both Spodoptera frugiperda Sf21 and Trichoplusia ni Tn368 cells,
      whereas AcMNPV defective in hcf-1 (host cell-factor 1) gene productively infects
      only Sf21 cells, indicating that HCF-1 is indispensable for the AcMNPV productive
      infection of Tn368 cells. Here, we demonstrated that HCF-1 protein transiently
      expressed in Tn368 cells promotes the DNA synthesis of Hyphantria cunea MNPV 
      (HycuMNPV), Orygia pseudotsugata MNPV and Bombyx mori NPV, which are normally
      unable to replicate in Tn368 cells. We also demonstrated that a recombinant
      HycuMNPV harboring the hcf-1 gene successfully replicates in Tn368 cells,
      generating substantial yields of progeny viruses and polyhedra. These results
      indicate that HCF-1 encoded by AcMNPV is an essential viral factor for productive
      NPV infection of Tn368 cells. Taken together with the previous findings on HRF-1
      (host range factor 1), the present results provide strong evidence that viral
      genes acquired through horizontal gene transfer play an important role in
      baculovirus evolution, serving to expand the host range of baculoviruses.

PMID- 28630400
TI  - In Memorium Dorothy Rice (1922-2017).

PMID- 28630399
TI  - Dietary mastic oil extracted from Pistacia lentiscus var. chia suppresses tumor
      growth in experimental colon cancer models.
AB  - Plant-derived bioactive compounds attract considerable interest as potential
      chemopreventive anticancer agents. We analyzed the volatile dietary
      phytochemicals (terpenes) present in mastic oil extracted from the resin of
      Pistacia lentiscus var. chia and comparatively investigated their effects on
      colon carcinoma proliferation, a) in vitro against colon cancer cell lines and b)
      in vivo on tumor growth in mice following oral administration. Mastic oil
      inhibited - more effectively than its major constituents- proliferation of colon
      cancer cells in vitro, attenuated migration and downregulated transcriptional
      expression of survivin (BIRC5a). When administered orally, mastic oil inhibited
      the growth of colon carcinoma tumors in mice. A reduced expression of Ki-67 and
      survivin in tumor tissues accompanied the observed effects. Notably, only mastic
      oil -which is comprised of 67.7% alpha-pinene and 18.8% myrcene- induced a
      statistically significant anti-tumor effect in mice but not alpha-pinene, myrcene
      or a combination thereof. Thus, mastic oil, as a combination of terpenes, exerts
      growth inhibitory effects against colon carcinoma, suggesting a nutraceutical
      potential in the fight against colon cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first
      report showing that orally administered mastic oil induces tumor-suppressing
      effects against experimental colon cancer.

PMID- 28630401
TI  - Waterpipe product packaging and labelling at the 3rd international Hookah Fair;
      does it comply with Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?
AB  - We assessed compliance of waterpipe product packaging and labelling with the
      Framework Convention on Tobacco Control's Article 11. We evaluated samples
      collected at a trade fair against ten domains: health warning location, size, use
      of pictorials, use of colour, and packaging information on constituents and
      emissions. We also evaluated waterpipe accessories (e.g., charcoal) for
      misleading claims. Ten of 15 tobacco products had health warnings on their
      principal display areas, covering a median of 22.4 per cent (interquartile range
      19.4-27.4 per cent) of those areas. Three had pictorial, in-colour health
      warnings. We judged all packaging information on constituents and emissions to be
      misleading. Eight of 13 charcoal products displayed environmentally friendly
      descriptors and/or claims of reduced harm that we judged to be misleading.
      Increased compliance with waterpipe tobacco regulation is warranted. An improved
      policy framework for waterpipe tobacco should also consider regulation of
      accessories such as charcoal products.

PMID- 28630402
TI  - Exploration of binding and inhibition mechanism of a small molecule inhibitor of
      influenza virus H1N1 hemagglutinin by molecular dynamics simulation.
AB  - Influenza viruses are a major public health threat worldwide. The influenza
      hemagglutinin (HA) plays an essential role in the virus life cycle. Due to the
      high conservation of the HA stem region, it has become an especially attractive
      target for inhibitors for therapeutics. In this study, molecular simulation was
      applied to study the mechanism of a small molecule inhibitor (MBX2329) of
      influenza HA. Behaviors of the small molecule under neutral and acidic conditions
      were investigated, and an interesting dynamic binding mechanism was found. The
      results suggested that the binding of the inhibitor with HA under neutral
      conditions facilitates only its intake, while it interacts with HA under acidic
      conditions using a different mechanism at a new binding site. After a series of
      experiments, we believe that binding of the inhibitor can prevent the release of
      HA1 from HA2, further maintaining the rigidity of the HA2 loop and stabilizing
      the distance between the long helix and short helices. The investigated residues
      in the new binding site show high conservation, implying that the new binding
      pocket has the potential to be an effective drug target. The results of this
      study will provide a theoretical basis for the mechanism of new influenza virus
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28630403
TI  - New molecular tools in Neospora caninum for studying apicomplexan parasite
      proteins.
AB  - The development of molecular genetics has greatly enhanced the study of the
      biology and pathology associated with parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa. We
      have established a system specifically designed for Neospora caninum, and used
      this system as a heterologous platform for the expression of foreign genes.
      Plasmid constructs containing fluorescent proteins or targeted genes of
      Toxoplasma gondii, driven by N. caninum promoters, have yielded robust expression
      and correct trafficking of target gene products as assessed by immunofluorescence
      assays and Western blot analyses. Using this approach, we here demonstrated that
      N. caninum expressing T. gondii's GRA15 and ROP16 kinase are biologically active
      and induced immunological phenotypes consistent with T. gondii strains. N.
      caninum expressing TgGRA15 differentially disturbed the NF-kappaB pathway,
      inducing an increased IL-12 production. On the other hand, N. caninum expressing
      TgROP16 induced host STAT3 phosphorylation and consequent reduction of IL-12
      synthesis. These results indicate that heterologous gene expression in N. caninum
      is a useful tool for the study of specific gene functions and may allow the
      identification of antigenic targets responsible for the phenotypic differences
      observed between these two closely related apicomplexan parasites. Additionally,
      these observations may prove to be useful for the development of vaccine
      protocols to control toxoplasmosis and/or neosporosis.

PMID- 28630404
TI  - Activation of D1R/PKA/mTOR signaling cascade in medial prefrontal cortex
      underlying the antidepressant effects of l-SPD.
AB  - Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common neuropsychiatric disorder
      characterized by diverse symptoms. Although several antidepressants can influence
      dopamine system in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but the role of D1R or
      D2R subtypes of dopamine receptor during anti-depression process is still vague
      in PFC region. To address this question, we investigate the antidepressant effect
      of levo-stepholidine (l-SPD), an antipsychotic medication with unique
      pharmacological profile of D1R agonism and D2R antagonism, and clarified its
      molecular mechanisms in the mPFC. Our results showed that l-SPD exerted
      antidepressant-like effects on the Sprague-Dawley rat CMS model of depression.
      Mechanism studies revealed that l-SPD worked as a specific D1R agonist, rather
      than D2 antagonist, to activate downstream signaling of PKA/mTOR pathway, which
      resulted in increasing synaptogenesis-related proteins, such as PSD 95 and
      synapsin I. In addition, l-SPD triggered long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) in
      the mPFC, which was blocked by the inhibition of D1R, PKA, and mTOR, supporting
      that selective activation of D1R enhanced excitatory synaptic transduction in
      PFC. Our findings suggest a critical role of D1R/PKA/mTOR signaling cascade in
      the mPFC during the l-SPD mediated antidepressant process, which may also provide
      new insights into the role of mesocortical dopaminergic system in antidepressant
      effects.

PMID- 28630405
TI  - Sex differences in prostaglandin biosynthesis in neutrophils during acute
      inflammation.
AB  - The severity and course of inflammatory processes differ between women and men,
      but the biochemical mechanisms underlying these sex differences are elusive.
      Prostaglandins (PG) and leukotrienes (LT) are lipid mediators linked to
      inflammation. We demonstrated superior LT biosynthesis in human neutrophils and
      monocytes, and in mouse macrophages from females, and we confirmed these sex
      differences in vivo where female mice produced more LTs during zymosan-induced
      peritonitis versus males. Here, we report sex differences in PG production in
      neutrophils during acute inflammation. In the late phase (4-8 hrs) of mouse
      zymosan-induced peritonitis and rat carrageenan-induced pleurisy, PG levels in
      males were higher versus females, seemingly due to higher PG production in
      infiltrated neutrophils. Accordingly, human neutrophils from males produced more
      PGE2 than cells from females. Increased PG biosynthesis in males was accompanied
      by elevated cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression connected to increased nuclear
      factor-kappa B activation, and was abolished when LT synthesis was
      pharmacologically blocked, suggesting that elevated PG production in males might
      be caused by increased COX-2 expression and by shunting phenomena due to
      suppressed LT formation. Conclusively, our data reveal that the biosynthesis of
      pro-inflammatory PGs and LTs is conversely regulated by sex with consequences for
      the inflammatory response.

PMID- 28630406
TI  - Emerging fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola in wild European snakes.
AB  - Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging disease of conservation concern in
      eastern North America. Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola, the causative agent of SFD, has
      been isolated from over 30 species of wild snakes from six families in North
      America. Whilst O. ophiodiicola has been isolated from captive snakes outside
      North America, the pathogen has not been reported from wild snakes elsewhere. We
      screened 33 carcasses and 303 moulted skins from wild snakes collected from 2010
      2016 in Great Britain and the Czech Republic for the presence of macroscopic skin
      lesions and O. ophiodiicola. The fungus was detected using real-time PCR in 26
      (8.6%) specimens across the period of collection. Follow up culture and
      histopathologic analyses confirmed that both O. ophiodiicola and SFD occur in
      wild European snakes. Although skin lesions were mild in most cases, in some
      snakes they were severe and were considered likely to have contributed to
      mortality. Culture characterisations demonstrated that European isolates grew
      more slowly than those from the United States, and phylogenetic analyses
      indicated that isolates from European wild snakes reside in a clade distinct from
      the North American isolates examined. These genetic and phenotypic differences
      indicate that the European isolates represent novel strains of O. ophiodiicola.
      Further work is required to understand the individual and population level impact
      of this pathogen in Europe.

PMID- 28630407
TI  - Colony adaptive response to simulated heat waves and consequences at the
      individual level in honeybees (Apis mellifera).
AB  - Since climate change is expected to bring more severe and frequent extreme
      weather events such as heat waves, assessing the physiological and behavioural
      sensitivity of organisms to temperature becomes a priority. We therefore
      investigated the responses of honeybees, an important insect pollinator, to
      simulated heat waves (SHW). Honeybees are known to maintain strict brood
      thermoregulation, but the consequences at the colony and individual levels remain
      poorly understood. For the first time, we quantified and modelled colony real
      time activity and found a 70% increase in foraging activity with SHW, which was
      likely due to the recruitment of previously inactive bees. Pollen and nectar
      foraging was not impacted, but an increase in water foragers was observed at the
      expense of empty bees. Contrary to individual energetic resources, vitellogenin
      levels increased with SHW, probably to protect bees against oxidative stress.
      Finally, though immune functions were not altered, we observed a significant
      decrease in deformed wing virus loads with SHW. In conclusion, we demonstrated
      that honeybees could remarkably adapt to heat waves without a cost at the
      individual level and on resource flow. However, the recruitment of backup
      foraging forces might be costly by lowering the colony buffering capacity against
      additional environmental pressures.

PMID- 28630408
TI  - The cellular and circuit basis for evolutionary change in sensory perception in
      mormyrid fishes.
AB  - Species differences in perception have been linked to divergence in gross
      neuroanatomical features of sensory pathways. The anatomical and physiological
      basis of evolutionary change in sensory processing at cellular and circuit
      levels, however, is poorly understood. Here, we show how specific changes to a
      sensory microcircuit are associated with the evolution of a novel perceptual
      ability. In mormyrid fishes, the ability to detect variation in electric
      communication signals is correlated with an enlargement of the midbrain
      exterolateral nucleus (EL), and a differentiation into separate anterior (ELa)
      and posterior (ELp) regions. We show that the same cell types and connectivity
      are found in both EL and ELa/ELp. The evolution of ELa/ELp, and the concomitant
      ability to detect signal variation, is associated with a lengthening of incoming
      hindbrain axons to form delay lines, allowing for fine temporal analysis of
      signals. The enlargement of this brain region is also likely due to an overall
      increase in cell numbers, which would allow for processing of a wider range of
      timing information.

PMID- 28630409
TI  - Two-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy of uranium isotopes in femtosecond
      laser ablation plumes.
AB  - We demonstrate measurement of uranium isotopes in femtosecond laser ablation
      plumes using two-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy (2DFS). The high
      resolution, tunable CW-laser spectroscopy technique clearly distinguishes atomic
      absorption from 235U and 238U in natural and highly enriched uranium metal
      samples. We present analysis of spectral resolution and analytical performance of
      2DFS as a function of ambient pressure. Simultaneous measurement using time
      resolved absorption spectroscopy provides information on temporal dynamics of the
      laser ablation plume and saturation behavior of fluorescence signals. The rapid,
      non-contact measurement is promising for in-field, standoff measurements of
      uranium enrichment for nuclear safety and security.

PMID- 28630410
TI  - Investigating the Life Expectancy and Proteolytic Degradation of Engineered
      Skeletal Muscle Biological Machines.
AB  - A combination of techniques from 3D printing, tissue engineering and biomaterials
      has yielded a new class of engineered biological robots that could be reliably
      controlled via applied signals. These machines are powered by a muscle strip
      composed of differentiated skeletal myofibers in a matrix of natural proteins,
      including fibrin, that provide physical support and cues to the cells as an
      engineered basement membrane. However, maintaining consistent results becomes
      challenging when sustaining a living system in vitro. Skeletal muscle must be
      preserved in a differentiated state and the system is subject to degradation by
      proteolytic enzymes that can break down its mechanical integrity. Here we examine
      the life expectancy, breakdown, and device failure of engineered skeletal muscle
      bio-bots as a result of degradation by three classes of proteases: plasmin,
      cathepsin L, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9). We also demonstrate
      the use of gelatin zymography to determine the effects of differentiation and
      inhibitor concentration on protease expression. With this knowledge, we are
      poised to design the next generation of complex biological machines with
      controllable function, specific life expectancy and greater consistency. These
      results could also prove useful for the study of disease-specific models,
      treatments of myopathies, and other tissue engineering applications.

PMID- 28630411
TI  - Single phase 3D phononic band gap material.
AB  - Phononic band gap materials are capable of prohibiting the propagation of
      mechanical waves in certain frequency ranges. Band gaps are produced by combining
      different phases with different properties within one material. In this paper, we
      present a novel cellular material consisting of only one phase with a phononic
      band gap. Different phases are modelled by lattice structure design based on
      eigenmode analysis. Test samples are built from a titanium alloy using selective
      electron beam melting. For the first time, the predicted phononic band gaps via
      FEM simulation are experimentally verified. In addition, it is shown how the
      position and extension of the band gaps can be tuned by utilizing knowledge-based
      design.

PMID- 28630412
TI  - The challenges of predicting pesticide exposure of honey bees at landscape level.
AB  - To evaluate the risks of pesticides for pollinators, we must not only evaluate
      their toxicity but also understand how pollinators are exposed to these
      xenobiotics in the field. We focused on this last point and modeled honey bee
      exposure to pesticides at the landscape level. Pollen pellet samples (n = 60)
      from 40 Belgian apiaries were collected from late July to October 2011 and
      underwent palynological and pesticide residue analyses. Areas of various crops
      around each apiary were measured at 4 spatial scales. The most frequently
      detected pesticides were the fungicides boscalid (n = 19, 31.7%) and pyrimethanil
      (n = 10, 16.7%) and the insecticide dimethoate (n = 10, 16.7%). We were able to
      predict exposure probability for boscalid and dimethoate by using broad
      indicators of cropping intensity, but it remained difficult to identify the
      precise source of contamination (e.g. specific crops in which the use of the
      pesticide is authorized). For pyrimethanil, we were not able to build any
      convincing landscape model that could explain the contamination. Our results,
      combined with the late sampling period, strongly suggest that pesticides applied
      to crops unattractive to pollinators, and therefore considered of no risk for
      them, may be sources of exposure through weeds, drift to neighboring plants, or
      succeeding crops.

PMID- 28630413
TI  - Bayesian inference of physiologically meaningful parameters from body sway
      measurements.
AB  - The control of the human body sway by the central nervous system, muscles, and
      conscious brain is of interest since body sway carries information about the
      physiological status of a person. Several models have been proposed to describe
      body sway in an upright standing position, however, due to the statistical
      intractability of the more realistic models, no formal parameter inference has
      previously been conducted and the expressive power of such models for real human
      subjects remains unknown. Using the latest advances in Bayesian statistical
      inference for intractable models, we fitted a nonlinear control model to
      posturographic measurements, and we showed that it can accurately predict the
      sway characteristics of both simulated and real subjects. Our method provides a
      full statistical characterization of the uncertainty related to all model
      parameters as quantified by posterior probability density functions, which is
      useful for comparisons across subjects and test settings. The ability to infer
      intractable control models from sensor data opens new possibilities for
      monitoring and predicting body status in health applications.

PMID- 28630414
TI  - Predicting the Reliability of Drug-target Interaction Predictions with Maximum
      Coverage of Target Space.
AB  - Many computational methods to predict the macromolecular targets of small organic
      molecules have been presented to date. Despite progress, target prediction
      methods still have important limitations. For example, the most accurate methods
      implicitly restrict their predictions to a relatively small number of targets,
      are not systematically validated on drugs (whose targets are harder to predict
      than those of non-drug molecules) and often lack a reliability score associated
      with each predicted target. Here we present a systematic validation of ligand
      centric target prediction methods on a set of clinical drugs. These methods
      exploit a knowledge-base covering 887,435 known ligand-target associations
      between 504,755 molecules and 4,167 targets. Based on this dataset, we provide a
      new estimate of the polypharmacology of drugs, which on average have 11.5 targets
      below IC50 10 uM. The average performance achieved across clinical drugs is
      remarkable (0.348 precision and 0.423 recall, with large drug-dependent
      variability), especially given the unusually large coverage of the target space.
      Furthermore, we show how a sparse ligand-target bioactivity matrix to
      retrospectively validate target prediction methods could underestimate
      prospective performance. Lastly, we present and validate a first-in-kind score
      capable of accurately predicting the reliability of target predictions.

PMID- 28630415
TI  - Integrating genome and transcriptome profiling for elucidating the mechanism of
      muscle growth and lipid deposition in Pekin ducks.
AB  - Muscle growth and lipid deposition are co-ordinately regulated processes. Cherry
      Valley Pekin duck is a lean-type duck breed with high growth rate, whereas the
      native Pekin duck of China has high lipid deposition. Phenotypic analysis showed
      that native Pekin ducks have smaller fibre diameter and larger density in the
      breast muscle at 3 weeks of age and higher intramuscular fat content at 6 weeks
      of age than those in Cherry Valley Pekin ducks. We detected 17 positively
      selected genes (PSGs) by comparing genes mainly involved with muscle organ
      development, muscle contraction, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor
      signalling pathway, and fatty acid metabolism. In all, 52 and 206 differentially
      expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in transcriptomic comparisons between the
      two breeds at 3 and 6 weeks of age, respectively, which could potentially affect
      muscle growth and lipid deposition. Based on the integration of PSGs and DEGs and
      their functional annotations, we found that 11 and 10 genes were correlated with
      muscle growth and lipid deposition, respectively. Identification of candidate
      genes controlling quantitative traits of duck muscle might aid in elucidating the
      mechanisms of muscle growth and lipid deposition and could help in improving duck
      breeding.

PMID- 28630416
TI  - HIF-1-mediated suppression of mitochondria electron transport chain function
      confers resistance to lidocaine-induced cell death.
AB  - The local anesthetic lidocaine induces cell death by altering reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial electron transport chain function.
      Because hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is involved in determining oxygen
      metabolism and mitochondria function, we investigated the involvement of HIF-1
      activity in lidocaine-induced cell death. We investigated the role of HIF
      activation on lidocaine-induced caspase activation and cell death in renal cell
      derived RCC4 cells lacking functional von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein. We
      demonstrate that HIF-1 suppressed oxygen consumption and facilitated glycolysis
      in a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase-1-dependent manner and that activation of HIF
      1 conferred resistance to lidocaine-induced cell death. We also demonstrated that
      exogenous HIF-1 activation, through HIFalpha-hydroxylase inhibition or exposure
      to hypoxic conditions, alleviates lidocaine toxicity by suppressing mitochondria
      function and generating ROS, not only in RCC4 cells, but also in the neuronal SH
      SY5Y cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate that HIF-1 activation due to VHL
      deletion, treatment with small molecule HIFalpha-hydroxylase inhibitors, and
      exposure to hypoxic conditions suppresses mitochondrial respiratory chain
      function and confers resistance to lidocaine toxicity.

PMID- 28630417
TI  - Ultrarapid Measurement of Diagnostic Antibodies by Magnetic Capture of Immune
      Complexes.
AB  - Rapid point-of-care, antibody-based testing is not currently available for the
      diagnosis of most autoimmune and infectious diseases. Here we report a simple,
      robust and ultrafast fluid-phase immunocapture method for clinical measurements
      of antibody levels. This method employs neodymium magnetic sticks that capture
      protein A/G-coated paramagnetic beads bound to antibody-luciferase-labeled
      antigen complexes. We demonstrate the ability to effectively measure specific
      antibody levels in serum samples from patients with varied infectious or
      autoimmune disorders, and in the case of Sjogren's syndrome directly in saliva,
      requiring about a minute per assay. We also show the feasibility of coupling this
      method with a hand-held luminometer for portable testing. Our method offers the
      potential to quickly diagnose a multitude of autoimmune and infectious diseases
      in point-of-care settings.

PMID- 28630418
TI  - Replacing a Century Old Technique - Modern Spectroscopy Can Supplant Gram
      Staining.
AB  - Rapid and accurate Gram differentiation is paramount as the first step of
      pathogen identification and antibiotics administration. However, the current
      method requires additional reagents, is time-consuming, and is operator
      dependent. Here we show the principle of tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS)
      can differentiate between Gram negative and positive species, by detecting the
      changes in tip-enhancement in the Raman scattering from the bacteria's lipid
      bilayer membrane, which specifically enhances Gram negative bacteria.

PMID- 28630420
TI  - Functional Evaluation of a Bioartificial Liver Support System Using Immobilized
      Hepatocyte Spheroids in a Porcine Model of Acute Liver Failure.
AB  - Bioartificial livers (BAL) may offer acute liver failure (ALF) patients an
      opportunity for cure without liver transplantation. We evaluated the efficacy of
      a spheroid-based BAL system, containing aggregates of porcine hepatocytes, in a
      porcine model of ALF. ALF pigs were divided into three groups. The control group
      consisted of treatment naive pigs (n = 5), blank group consisted of pigs that
      were attached to the BAL system not containing hepatocytes for 12 hours (n = 5)
      and BAL group consisted of pigs that were attached to the BAL containing
      hepatocytes for 12 hours (n = 5). Increase in serum ammonia levels were
      significantly greater in the blank group (P < 0.01) and control group (P < 0.01),
      compared to the BAL group during the treatment period. Increase in ICP was
      significantly greater in the control group compared to the BAL group (P = 0.01).
      Survival was significantly prolonged in the BAL group compared to the blank group
      (P = 0.03). A BAL system with a bioreactor containing hepatocyte spheroids showed
      effective clearance of serum ammonia, preservation of renal function and delayed
      ICP increase in a porcine model of ALF.

PMID- 28630419
TI  - Iscador Qu inhibits doxorubicin-induced senescence of MCF7 cells.
AB  - Chemotherapy in patients with inoperable or advanced breast cancer inevitably
      results in low-dose exposure of tumor-cell subset and senescence. Metabolically
      active senescent cells secrete multiple tumor promoting factors making their
      elimination a therapeutic priority. Viscum album is one of the most widely used
      alternative anti-cancer medicines facilitating chemotherapy tolerance of breast
      cancer patients. The aim of this study was to model and investigate how Viscum
      album extracts execute additive anti-tumor activity with low-dose Dox using ER +
      MCF7 breast cancer cells. We report that cotreatment of MCF7 with Viscum album
      and Dox abrogates G2/M cycle arrest replacing senescence with intrinsic apoptotic
      program. Mechanistically, this switch was associated with down-regulation of p21,
      p53/p73 as well as Erk1/2 and p38 activation. Our findings, therefore, identify a
      novel mechanistic axis of additive antitumor activity of Viscum album and low
      dose-Dox. In conclusion, ER + breast cancer patients may benefit from addition of
      Viscum album to low-dose Dox chemotherapy due to suppression of cancer cell
      senescence and induction of apoptosis.

PMID- 28630422
TI  - Basic surface features of nuclear FKBPs facilitate chromatin binding.
AB  - The nucleoplasmin family of histone chaperones is identified by a pentamer
      forming domain and multiple acidic tracts that mediate histone binding and
      chaperone activity. Within this family, a novel domain organization was recently
      discovered that consists of an N-terminal nucleoplasmin-like (NPL) domain and a C
      terminal FKBP peptidyl-proline isomerase domain. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fpr4 is
      one such protein. Here we report that in addition to its known histone prolyl
      isomerase activities, the Fpr4 FKBP domain binds to nucleosomes and nucleosome
      arrays in vitro. This ability is mediated by a collection of basic patches that
      enable the enzyme to stably associate with linker DNA. The interaction of the
      Fpr4 FKBP with recombinant chromatin complexes condenses nucleosome arrays
      independently of its catalytic activity. Based on phylogenetic comparisons we
      propose that the chromatin binding ability of 'basic' FKBPs is shared amongst
      related orthologues present in fungi, plants, and insects. Thus, a subclass of
      FKBP prolyl isomerase enzymes is recruited to linker regions of chromatin.

PMID- 28630421
TI  - A genome-wide association study of anorexia nervosa suggests a risk locus
      implicated in dysregulated leptin signaling.
AB  - We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of anorexia nervosa (AN)
      using a stringently defined phenotype. Analysis of phenotypic variability led to
      the identification of a specific genetic risk factor that approached genome-wide
      significance (rs929626 in EBF1 (Early B-Cell Factor 1); P = 2.04 * 10-7; OR =
      0.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.61-0.8) with independent replication (P =
      0.04), suggesting a variant-mediated dysregulation of leptin signaling may play a
      role in AN. Multiple SNPs in LD with the variant support the nominal association.
      This demonstrates that although the clinical and etiologic heterogeneity of AN is
      universally recognized, further careful sub-typing of cases may provide more
      precise genomic signals. In this study, through a refinement of the phenotype
      spectrum of AN, we present a replicable GWAS signal that is nominally associated
      with AN, highlighting a potentially important candidate locus for further
      investigation.

PMID- 28630423
TI  - Thymosin beta-4 regulates activation of hepatic stellate cells via hedgehog
      signaling.
AB  - The molecular mechanisms of thymosin beta-4 (TB4) involved in regulating hepatic
      stellate cell (HSC) functions remain unclear. Therefore, we hypothesize that TB4
      influences HSC activation through hedgehog (Hh) pathway. HSC functions declined
      in a TB4 siRNA-treated LX-2. TB4 suppression down-regulated both integrin linked
      kinase (ILK), an activator of smoothened, and phosphorylated glycogen synthase
      kinase 3 beta (pGSK-3B), an inactive form of GSK-3B degrading glioblastoma 2
      (GLI2), followed by the decreased expression of both smoothened and GLI2. A TB4
      CRISPR also blocked the activation of primary HSCs, with decreased expression of
      smoothened, GLI2 and ILK compared with cells transfected with nontargeting
      control CRISPR. Double immunostaining and an immunoprecipitation assay revealed
      that TB4 interacted with either smoothened at the cytoplasm or GLI2 at the
      nucleus in LX-2. Smoothened suppression in primary HSCs using a Hh antagonist or
      adenovirus transduction decreased TB4 expression with the reduced activation of
      HSCs. Tb4-overexpressing transgenic mice treated with CCl4 were susceptible to
      the development hepatic fibrosis with higher levels of ILK, pGSK3b, and Hh
      activity, as compared with wild-type mice. These findings demonstrate that TB4
      regulates HSC activation by influencing the activity of Smoothened and GLI2,
      suggesting TB4 as a novel therapeutic target in liver disease.

PMID- 28630424
TI  - Characterization of slow cycling corneal limbal epithelial cells identifies
      putative stem cell markers.
AB  - In order to identify reliable markers of corneal epithelial stem cells, we
      employed an inducible transgenic "pulse-chase" murine model (K5Tta * TRE-H2BGFP)
      to localize, purify, and characterize slow cycling cells in the cornea. The
      retention of GFP labeling in slowly dividing cells allowed for localization of
      these cells to the corneal limbus and their subsequent purification by FACS.
      Transcriptome analysis from slow cycling cells identified differentially
      expressed genes when comparing to GFP- faster-dividing cells. RNA-Seq data from
      corneal epithelium were compared to epidermal hair follicle stem cell RNA-Seq to
      identify genes representing common putative stem cell markers or determinants,
      which included Sox9, Fzd7, Actn1, Anxa3 and Krt17. Overlapping retention of GFP
      and immunohistochemical expression of Krt15, DeltaNp63, Sox9, Actn1, Fzd7 and
      Krt17 were observed in our transgenic model. Our analysis presents an array of
      novel genes as putative corneal stem cell markers.

PMID- 28630426
TI  - The down-regulation of SLC7A11 enhances ROS induced P-gp over-expression and drug
      resistance in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
AB  - Adriamycin (ADR) induces the over-expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and
      multiple drug resistance in breast cancer cells. However, the biochemical process
      and underlying mechanisms are not clear. Our previous study revealed that ADR
      increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and decreased glutathione
      (GSH) biosynthesis, while N-acetylcysteine, the ROS scavenger, reversed the over
      expression of P-gp. The present study showed that ADR inhibited the influx of
      cystine (the source material of GSH) and the activity of the SLC7A11 transporter
      (in charge of cystine uptake) in MCF-7 cells. For the first time, we showed that
      the down-regulation/silence of SLC7A11, or cystine deprivation, or enhanced ROS
      exposure significantly increased P-gp expression in MCF-7 cells. The down
      regulation of SLC7A11 markedly enhanced ROS induced P-gp over-expression and drug
      resistance in MCF-7 cells; a combination of either an inhibited/silenced SLC7A11
      or cystine deprivation and increased ROS dramatically promoted P-gp expression,
      which could be reversed by N-acetylcysteine. In contrast, the over-expression of
      SLC7A11, or supplementation with sufficiently cystine, or treatment with N
      acetylcysteine significantly decreased P-gp expression and activity. It was
      suggested that ROS and SLC7A11/cystine were the two relevant factors responsible
      for the expression and function of P-gp, and that SLC7A11 might be a potential
      target modulating ADR resistance.

PMID- 28630425
TI  - Reconstructing cell cycle pseudo time-series via single-cell transcriptome data.
AB  - Single-cell mRNA sequencing, which permits whole transcriptional profiling of
      individual cells, has been widely applied to study growth and development of
      tissues and tumors. Resolving cell cycle for such groups of cells is significant,
      but may not be adequately achieved by commonly used approaches. Here we develop a
      traveling salesman problem and hidden Markov model-based computational method
      named reCAT, to recover cell cycle along time for unsynchronized single-cell
      transcriptome data. We independently test reCAT for accuracy and reliability
      using several data sets. We find that cell cycle genes cluster into two major
      waves of expression, which correspond to the two well-known checkpoints, G1 and
      G2. Moreover, we leverage reCAT to exhibit methylation variation along the
      recovered cell cycle. Thus, reCAT shows the potential to elucidate diverse
      profiles of cell cycle, as well as other cyclic or circadian processes (e.g., in
      liver), on single-cell resolution.In single-cell RNA sequencing data of
      heterogeneous cell populations, cell cycle stage of individual cells would often
      be informative. Here, the authors introduce a computational model to reconstruct
      a pseudo-time series from single cell transcriptome data, identify the cell cycle
      stages, identify candidate cell cycle-regulated genes and recover the methylome
      changes during the cell cycle.

PMID- 28630427
TI  - Insulin use and Excess Fracture Risk in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A
      Propensity-Matched cohort analysis.
AB  - Despite normal to high bone mineral density, patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM)
      have an increased fracture risk. T2DM medications could partially account for
      this excess risk. The aim of this study was to assess the association between
      insulin use and bone fracture risk in T2DM patients. A population-based matched
      cohort study based on a primary care records database validated for research use
      (Catalonia, Spain) was performed. Propensity score (PS) for insulin use was
      calculated using logistic regression including predefined predictors of
      fractures. A total of 2,979 insulin users and 14,895 non-users were observed for
      a median of 1.42 and 4.58 years respectively. Major fracture rates were
      11.2/1,000 person-years for insulin users, compared with 8.3/1,000 among non
      users. Matched models confirmed a significant association, with an adjusted
      subhazard ratio (adj SHR) of 1.38 [95% CI 1.06 to 1.80] for major fractures. No
      differences between types of insulin or different regimens were found. Estimated
      number needed to harm (fracture) was 82 (95% CI 32 to 416). Insulin use appears
      to be associated with a 38% excess fracture risk among T2DM patients in the early
      stages of the disease. Fracture risk should be included among the considerations
      to initiate insulin treatment.

PMID- 28630428
TI  - Nuclear accumulation of symplekin promotes cellular proliferation and
      dedifferentiation in an ERK1/2-dependent manner.
AB  - Symplekin is a multifunctional protein that localizes to both tight junctions and
      the nucleus in polarized epithelial cells, with confirmed roles in mRNA
      maturation, transcriptional modulation and tight-junction assembly. However, the
      mechanisms governing its subcellular distribution and related functions remain
      unclear. In this study, we found that symplekin primarily localizes to the nuclei
      of cultured dedifferentiated colorectal cancer cells, and nuclear symplekin
      showed higher phosphorylation and binding affinity with YBX3 than its membrane
      fraction. Moreover, the accumulation of nuclear symplekin promoted cell
      proliferation and dedifferentiation as well as beta-catenin transactivation in
      vitro. Nuclear symplekin acts as a transcriptional co-activator for the
      expression of many cell cycle-related genes. Furthermore, extracellular signal
      regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylated symplekin at T1257 to facilitate its
      nuclear accumulation upon epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulation. Meanwhile,
      reduction of total symplekin also induced certain epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition features in HT-29 cells. Taken together, our results confirm the
      coordinated roles of symplekin in cell junctions and gene transcription, which
      are related to its subcellular localization. The significance of nuclear
      symplekin in tumorigenesis is also highlighted, and ERK-dependent phosphorylation
      represents a mechanism for its subcellular sorting.

PMID- 28630429
TI  - Marine diatoms change their gene expression profile when exposed to microscale
      turbulence under nutrient replete conditions.
AB  - Diatoms are a fundamental microalgal phylum that thrives in turbulent
      environments. Despite several experimental and numerical studies, if and how
      diatoms may profit from turbulence is still an open question. One of the leading
      arguments is that turbulence favours nutrient uptake. Morphological features,
      such as the absence of flagella, the presence of a rigid exoskeleton and the
      micrometre size would support the possible passive but beneficial role of
      turbulence on diatoms. We demonstrate that in fact diatoms actively respond to
      turbulence in non-limiting nutrient conditions. TURBOGEN, a prototypic instrument
      to generate natural levels of microscale turbulence, was used to expose diatoms
      to the mechanical stimulus. Differential expression analyses, coupled with
      microscopy inspections, enabled us to study the morphological and transcriptional
      response of Chaetoceros decipiens to turbulence. Our target species responds to
      turbulence by activating energy storage pathways like fatty acid biosynthesis and
      by modifying its cell chain spectrum. Two other ecologically important species
      were examined and the occurrence of a morphological response was confirmed. These
      results challenge the view of phytoplankton as unsophisticated passive organisms.

PMID- 28630430
TI  - A Multinational Analysis of Mutations and Heterogeneity in PZase, RpsA, and PanD
      Associated with Pyrazinamide Resistance in M/XDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
AB  - Pyrazinamide (PZA) is an important first-line drug in all existing and new
      tuberculosis (TB) treatment regimens. PZA-resistance in M. tuberculosis is
      increasing, especially among M/XDR cases. Noted issues with PZA Drug
      Susceptibility Testing (DST) have driven the search for alternative tests. This
      study provides a comprehensive assessment of PZA molecular diagnostics in M/XDR
      TB cases. A set of 296, mostly XDR, clinical M. tuberculosis isolates from four
      countries were subjected to DST for eight drugs, confirmatory Wayne's assay, and
      whole-genome sequencing. Three genes implicated in PZA resistance, pncA, rpsA,
      and panD were investigated. Assuming all non-synonymous mutations cause
      resistance, we report 90% sensitivity and 65% specificity for a pncA-based
      molecular test. The addition of rpsA and panD potentially provides 2% increase in
      sensitivity. Molecular heterogeneity in pncA was associated with resistance and
      should be evaluated as a diagnostic tool. Mutations near the N-terminus and C
      terminus of PZase were associated with East-Asian and Euro-American lineages,
      respectively. Finally, Euro-American isolates are most likely to have a wild-type
      PZase and escape molecular detection. Overall, the 8-10% resistance without
      markers may point to alternative mechanisms of resistance. Confirmatory
      mutagenesis may improve the disconcertingly low specificity but reduce
      sensitivity since not all mutations may cause resistance.

PMID- 28630431
TI  - Role of methionine adenosyltransferase 2A in bovine preimplantation development
      and its associated genomic regions.
AB  - Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT) is involved in folate-mediated one-carbon
      metabolism, which is essential for preimplantation embryos in terms of both short
      term periconceptional development and long-term phenotypic programming beyond the
      periconceptional period. Here, our immunofluorescence analysis of bovine oocytes
      and preimplantation embryos revealed the consistent expression of MAT2A (the
      catalytic subunit of the ubiquitously expressed-type of MAT isozyme) during this
      period. Addition of the MAT2A inhibitor FIDAS to the culture media of bovine
      preimplantation embryos reduced their blastocyst development, revealing the
      particular importance of MAT2A in successful blastocyst development. Exploration
      of MAT2A-associated genomic regions in bovine blastocysts using chromatin
      immunoprecipitation and sequencing (ChIP-seq) identified candidate MAT2A
      associated genes implicated not only in short-term periconceptional embryo
      development, but also in long-term phenotypic programming during this period in
      terms of growth, metabolism, and immune functions. These results suggest the
      critical involvement of MAT2A in the periconceptional period in life-long
      programming of health and disease as well as successful preimplantation
      development.

PMID- 28630432
TI  - Down-regulation of KCa2.3 channels causes erectile dysfunction in mice.
AB  - Modulation of endothelial calcium-activated K+ channels has been proposed as an
      approach to restore arterial endothelial cell function in disease. We
      hypothesized that small-conductance calcium-activated K+ channels (KCa2.3 or SK3)
      contributes to erectile function. The research was performed in transgenic mice
      with overexpression (KCa2.3 T/T(-Dox)) or down-regulation (KCa2.3 T/T(+Dox)) of
      the KCa2.3 channels and wild-type C57BL/6-mice (WT). QPCR revealed that KCa2.3
      and KCa1.1 channels were the most abundant in mouse corpus cavernosum. KCa2.3
      channels were found by immunoreactivity and electron microscopy in the apical
      lateral membrane of endothelial cells in the corpus cavernosum. Norepinephrine
      contraction was enhanced in the corpus cavernosum of KCa2.3 T/T(+Dox) versus
      KCa2.3 T/T(-Dox) mice, while acetylcholine relaxation was only reduced at 0.3 uM
      and relaxations in response to the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside were
      unaltered. An opener of KCa2 channels, NS309 induced concentration-dependent
      relaxations of corpus cavernosum. Mean arterial pressure was lower in KCa2.3 T/T(
      Dox) mice compared with WT and KCa2.3 T/T(+Dox) mice. In anesthetized mice,
      cavernous nerve stimulation augmented in frequency/voltage dependent manner
      erectile function being lower in KCa2.3 T/T(+Dox) mice at low frequencies. Our
      findings suggest that down-regulation of KCa2.3 channels contributes to erectile
      dysfunction, and that pharmacological activation of KCa2.3 channels may have the
      potential to restore erectile function.

PMID- 28630433
TI  - Gut microbiota of liver transplantation recipients.
AB  - The characteristics of intestinal microbial communities may be affected by
      changes in the pathophysiology of patients with end-stage liver disease. Here, we
      focused on the characteristics of intestinal fecal microbial communities in post
      liver transplantation (LT) patients in comparison with those in the same
      individuals pre-LT and in healthy individuals. The fecal microbial communities
      were analyzed via MiSeq-PE250 sequencing of the V4 region of 16S ribosomal RNA
      and were then compared between groups. We found that the gut microbiota of
      patients with severe liver disease who were awaiting LT was significantly
      different from that of healthy controls, as represented by the first principal
      component (p = 0.0066). Additionally, the second principal component represented
      a significant difference in the gut microbiota of patients between pre-LT and
      post-LT surgery (p = 0.03125). After LT, there was a significant decrease in the
      abundance of certain microbial species, such as Actinobacillus, Escherichia, and
      Shigella, and a significant increase in the abundance of other microbial species,
      such as Micromonosporaceae, Desulfobacterales, the Sarcina genus of
      Eubacteriaceae, and Akkermansia. Based on KEGG profiles, 15 functional modules
      were enriched and 21 functional modules were less represented in the post-LT
      samples compared with the pre-LT samples. Our study demonstrates that fecal
      microbial communities were significantly altered by LT.

PMID- 28630434
TI  - Metallicity in a Holstein-Hubbard Chain at Half Filling with Gaussian
      Anharmonicity.
AB  - The Holstein-Hubbard model with Gaussian phonon anharmonicity is studied in one
      dimension at half filling using a variational method based on a series of
      canonical transformations. A fairly accurate phonon state is chosen to average
      the transformed Holstein-Hubbard Hamiltonian to obtain an effective Hubbard model
      which is then solved using the exact Bethe - ansatz following Lieb and Wu to
      obtain the ground state energy, the average lattice displacement and the
      renormalized parameters. The Mott-Hubbard criterion, local spin moment and the
      von Neumann entropy (which is a measure of quantum entanglement) are calculated
      to determine the ground state phase diagram which shows that the width of the
      metallic phase flanked by the SDW and CDW phases increases with increasing
      anharmonicity at low and moderate values of anharmonicity but eventually
      saturates when the anharmonicity becomes substantially large.

PMID- 28630435
TI  - In situ electrical and thermal monitoring of printed electronics by two-photon
      mapping.
AB  - Printed electronics is emerging as a new, large scale and cost effective
      technology that will be disruptive in fields such as energy harvesting, consumer
      electronics and medical sensors. The performance of printed electronic devices
      relies principally on the carrier mobility and molecular packing of the polymer
      semiconductor material. Unfortunately, the analysis of such materials is
      generally performed with destructive techniques, which are hard to make
      compatible with in situ measurements, and pose a great obstacle for the mass
      production of printed electronics devices. A rapid, in situ, non-destructive and
      low-cost testing method is needed. In this study, we demonstrate that nonlinear
      optical microscopy is a promising technique to achieve this goal. Using
      ultrashort laser pulses we stimulate two-photon absorption in a roll coated
      polymer semiconductor and map the resulting two-photon induced photoluminescence
      and second harmonic response. We show that, in our experimental conditions, it is
      possible to relate the total amount of photoluminescence detected to important
      material properties such as the charge carrier density and the molecular packing
      of the printed polymer material, all with a spatial resolution of 400 nm.
      Importantly, this technique can be extended to the real time mapping of the
      polymer semiconductor film, even during the printing process, in which the high
      printing speed poses the need for equally high acquisition rates.

PMID- 28630436
TI  - A Novel Gd-DTPA-conjugated Poly(L-gamma-glutamyl-glutamine)-paclitaxel Polymeric
      Delivery System for Tumor Theranostics.
AB  - The conventional chemotherapeutics could not be traced in vivo and provide timely
      feedback on the clinical effectiveness of drugs. In this study, poly(L-gamma
      glutamyl-glutamine)-paclitaxel (PGG-PTX), as a model polymer, was chemically
      conjugated with Gd-DTPA (Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), a T1-contrast
      agent of MRI, to prepare a Gd-DTPA-conjugated PGG-PTX (PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd) delivery
      system used for tumor theranostics. PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd can be self-assembled to NPs
      in water with a z-average hydrodynamic diameter about 35.9 nm. The 3 T MRI
      results confirmed that the relaxivity of PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd NPs (r1 = 18.98 mM-1S-1)
      was increased nearly 4.9 times compared with that of free Gd-DTPA (r1 = 3.87 mM
      1S-1). The in vivo fluorescence imaging results showed that PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd NPs
      could be accumulated in the tumor tissue of NCI-H460 lung cancer animal model by
      EPR effect, which was similar to PGG-PTX NPs. The MRI results showed that
      compared with free Gd-DTPA, PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd NPs showed significantly enhanced and
      prolonged signal intensity in tumor tissue, which should be attributed to the
      increased relaxivity and tumor accumulation. PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd NPs also showed
      effective antitumor effect in vivo. These results indicated that PGG-PTX-DTPA-Gd
      NPs are an effective delivery system for tumor theranostics, and should have a
      potential value in personalized treatment of tumor.

PMID- 28630437
TI  - Phylogenetic analysis of F-bZIP transcription factors indicates conservation of
      the zinc deficiency response across land plants.
AB  - Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors control important developmental
      and physiological processes in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the three gene F
      bZIP subfamily has been associated with zinc deficiency and salt stress response.
      Benefiting from the present abundance of plant genomic data, we performed an
      evolutionary and structural characterization of plant F-bZIPs. We observed
      divergence during seed plant evolution, into two groups and inferred different
      selective pressures for each. Group 1 contains AtbZIP19 and AtbZIP23 and appears
      more conserved, whereas Group 2, containing AtbZIP24, is more prone to gene loss
      and expansion events. Transcriptomic and experimental data reinforced AtbZIP19/23
      as pivotal regulators of the zinc deficiency response, mostly via the activation
      of genes from the ZIP metal transporter family, and revealed that they are the
      main regulatory switch of AtZIP4. A survey of AtZIP4 orthologs promoters across
      different plant taxa revealed an enrichment of the Zinc Deficiency Response
      Element (ZDRE) to which both AtbZIP19/23 bind. Overall, our results indicate that
      while the AtbZIP24 function in the regulation of the salt stress response may be
      the result of neo-functionalization, the AtbZIP19/23 function in the regulation
      of the zinc deficiency response may be conserved in land plants (Embryophytes).

PMID- 28630438
TI  - The molecular pathogenesis of the NUP98-HOXA9 fusion protein in acute myeloid
      leukemia.

PMID- 28630439
TI  - Recurrent cyclin D2 mutations in myeloid neoplasms.

PMID- 28630440
TI  - Looking to nature for a new concept in antimicrobial treatments: isoflavonoids
      from Cytisus striatus as antibiotic adjuvants against MRSA.
AB  - The spread of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains, including
      methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), has shortened the useful life of anti
      staphylococcal drugs enormously. Two approaches can be followed to address this
      problem: screening various sources for new leads for antibiotics or finding ways
      to disable the resistance mechanisms to existing antibiotics. Plants are
      resistant to most microorganisms, but despite extensive efforts to identify
      metabolites that are responsible for this resistance, no substantial progress has
      been made. Plants possibly use multiple strategies to deal with microorganisms
      that evolved over time. For this reason, we searched for plants that could
      potentiate the effects of known antibiotics. From 29 plant species tested,
      Cytisus striatus clearly showed such an activity and an NMR-based metabolomics
      study allowed the identification of compounds from the plant extracts that could
      act as antibiotic adjuvants. Isoflavonoids were found to potentiate the effect of
      ciprofloxacin and erythromycin against MRSA strains. For the structure-activity
      relationship (SAR), 22 isoflavonoids were assessed as antibiotic adjuvants. This
      study reveals a clear synergy between isoflavonoids and the tested antibiotics,
      showing their great potential for applications in the clinical therapy of
      infections with antibiotic-resistant microorganisms such as MRSA.

PMID- 28630441
TI  - Overcoming the biological aging of titanium using a wet storage method after
      ultraviolet treatment.
AB  - We evaluated whether the biological activity of the surface of titanium, when
      stored in an aqueous solution after ultraviolet (UV) treatment, is comparable to
      that of the surface immediately after UV treatment. We subjected Grade IV
      titanium discs with machined surfaces to UV radiation for 15 min and then tested
      them immediately and after storage for 28 days, with and without distilled H2O
      (dH2O). We evaluated the surface characteristics using surface profiling, contact
      angle analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and in terms of the surface
      zeta-potential. We determined the level of biological activity by analysing
      albumin adsorption, MC3T3-E1 and human mesenchymal cell adhesion and cytoskeleton
      development, as well as the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species
      between groups. The surface characteristics produced by the UV irradiation were
      maintained in dH2O for 28 days. We found that titanium stored in dH2O for 28 days
      after UV treatment exhibited enhanced protein adsorption, cell attachment, and
      cytoskeleton development. Titanium stored in dH2O for 28 days after UV
      irradiation exhibited a lower level of oxidative stress, comparable to that of
      the titanium immediately after UV treatment. UV treatment combined with wet
      storage can be used as a means of overcoming the biological aging of titanium.

PMID- 28630442
TI  - IR sensitivity enhancement of CMOS Image Sensor with diffractive light trapping
      pixels.
AB  - We report on the IR sensitivity enhancement of back-illuminated CMOS Image Sensor
      (BI-CIS) with 2-dimensional diffractive inverted pyramid array structure (IPA) on
      crystalline silicon (c-Si) and deep trench isolation (DTI). FDTD simulations of
      semi-infinite thick c-Si having 2D IPAs on its surface whose pitches over 400 nm
      shows more than 30% improvement of light absorption at lambda = 850 nm and the
      maximum enhancement of 43% with the 540 nm pitch at the wavelength is confirmed.
      A prototype BI-CIS sample with pixel size of 1.2 MUm square containing 400 nm
      pitch IPAs shows 80% sensitivity enhancement at lambda = 850 nm compared to the
      reference sample with flat surface. This is due to diffraction with the IPA and
      total reflection at the pixel boundary. The NIR images taken by the demo camera
      equip with a C-mount lens show 75% sensitivity enhancement in the lambda = 700
      1200 nm wavelength range with negligible spatial resolution degradation. Light
      trapping CIS pixel technology promises to improve NIR sensitivity and appears to
      be applicable to many different image sensor applications including security
      camera, personal authentication, and range finding Time-of-Flight camera with IR
      illuminations.

PMID- 28630443
TI  - Chemical chaperone, TUDCA unlike PBA, mitigates protein aggregation efficiently
      and resists ER and non-ER stress induced HepG2 cell death.
AB  - Stress induced BSA (bovine serum albumin) protein aggregation is effectively
      mitigated in vitro by TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) than by PBA (4-
      phenylbutyric acid), chemical chaperones approved by FDA for the treatment of
      biliary cirrhosis and urea cycle disorders respectively. TUDCA, unlike PBA,
      enhances trypsin mediated digestion of BSA. TUDCA activates PERK, an ER-resident
      kinase that phosphorylates the alpha-subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor2
      (eIF2alpha) and promotes the expression of activated transcription factor 4
      (ATF4) in HepG2 cells. In contrast, PBA induced eIF2alpha phosphorylation is not
      mediated by PERK activation and results in low ATF4 expression. Neither
      chaperones promote expression of BiP, an ER chaperone, and CHOP (C/EBP homologous
      protein), downstream target of eIF2alpha-ATF4 pathway. Both chaperones mitigate
      tunicamycin induced PERK-eIF2alpha-ATF4-CHOP arm of UPR and expression of BiP.
      TUDCA, unlike PBA does not decrease cell viability and it also mitigates
      tunicamycin, UV-irradiation and PBA induced PARP (poly ADP-ribose polymerase)
      cleavage and cell death. These findings therefore suggest that TUDCA's
      antiapoptotic activity to protect HepG2 cells and PBA's activity that limits
      tumor cell progression may be important while considering their therapeutic
      potential.

PMID- 28630444
TI  - Modelling the effects of global climate change on Chikungunya transmission in the
      21st century.
AB  - The arrival and rapid spread of the mosquito-borne viral disease Chikungunya
      across the Americas is one of the most significant public health developments of
      recent years, preceding and mirroring the subsequent spread of Zika.
      Globalization in trade and travel can lead to the importation of these viruses,
      but climatic conditions strongly affect the efficiency of transmission in local
      settings. In order to direct preparedness for future outbreaks, it is necessary
      to anticipate global regions that could become suitable for Chikungunya
      transmission. Here, we present global correlative niche models for autochthonous
      Chikungunya transmission. These models were used as the basis for projections
      under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 climate change
      scenarios. In a further step, hazard maps, which account for population
      densities, were produced. The baseline models successfully delineate current
      areas of active Chikungunya transmission. Projections under the RCP 4.5 and 8.5
      scenarios suggest the likelihood of expansion of transmission-suitable areas in
      many parts of the world, including China, sub-Saharan Africa, South America, the
      United States and continental Europe. The models presented here can be used to
      inform public health preparedness planning in a highly interconnected world.

PMID- 28630445
TI  - Myocardial Deformation in Cardiac Amyloid Light-chain Amyloidosis: Assessed with
      3T Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking.
AB  - Clinically, assessment of myocardial function is essential in patients with
      amyloid light-chain cardiac amyloidosis (AL-CA) to predict outcome and determine
      therapeutic approach. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of
      cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived feature tracking algorithm for
      assessing left ventricular (LV) myocardial deformation in AL-CA, and to determine
      if these abnormal myocardial deformation parameters are correlated to impaired LV
      myocardial microvascular dysfunction. A total of 42 AL-CA patients, including 26
      with preserved systolic function and 16 with impaired LVEF, and 35 healthy
      controls were enrolled and underwent CMR examination. Our result indicated that
      AL-CA patients had significantly reduced global peak strain (PS) (longitudinal,
      circumferential, and radial) (all P < 0.05). AL-CA patients with normal LVEF
      showed preserved longitudinal PS at apical and significantly reduced longitudinal
      PS at mid and basal segments. By Spearman's rank correlation analysis, the LV
      regional radial, circumferential, and longitudinal myocardial deformation values
      were correlated to myocardial upslope and MaxSI in CA, regardless of LVEF. This
      study indicated that the abnormal LV myocardial deformation of AL-CA patients can
      be monitored using feature tracking CMR, even in those with preserved LVEF; and
      the myocardial deformation was associated with coronary microvascular
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28630446
TI  - Strong sub-seasonal wintertime cooling over East Asia and Northern Europe
      associated with super El Nino events.
AB  - East Asia experienced a record-breaking cold event during the 2015/16 boreal
      winter, with pronounced impacts on livelihood in the region. We find that this
      large-scale cold spell can be attributed to the concurrent super El Nino event in
      the tropical Pacific. Our analysis reveals that all super El Nino winters
      (1982/83, 1997/98, and 2015/16) were accompanied by a rapid sub-seasonal North
      Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)/Arctic Oscillation (AO) phase reversal from a positive
      to a negative state during early January, which was largely caused by the
      interaction of these super El Nino events with the subtropical jet annual cycle.
      The NAO/AO phase transition leads to a rapidly strengthened Siberian High, which
      favors southward intrusions of cold air to East Asia and thus causes severe local
      cooling. Similar cold spells can also be detected over Northern Europe associated
      with the fast sub-seasonal NAO/AO phase reversal. Due to the weaker amplitude of
      the ENSO forcing, these sub-seasonal atmospheric responses cannot be detected for
      moderate El Nino events. The super El Nino associated sub-seasonal signal of the
      East Asian and Northern Europe wintertime temperature responses carries important
      implications for future predictability of regional extreme events.

PMID- 28630447
TI  - Evidence for Chemical Vapor Induced 2H to 1T Phase Transition in MoX2 (X = Se, S)
      Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Films.
AB  - Electron-donors can impart charge to the surface of transition metal
      dichalcogenide (TMD) films while interacting with the film via a weak
      physisorption bond, making them ideal for vapor and gas sensors. We expose
      monolayer MoS2 and MoSe2 films to strong electron-donor chemical vapor analytes.
      After analyzing the resultant behavior and taking into consideration doping
      effects, we conclude that exposure to strong electron-donors could be a method of
      inducing the semiconductor-metal 2H-1T TMD phase transition. We find that the
      conductance response to strong electron donors in both monolayer MoS2 and MoSe2
      FET devices ceases after moderate exposure, with final value of the conductance
      being on order of that expected for the 1T phase. Full device relaxation back to
      a semiconducting state is accomplished by annealing in vacuum at 400  degrees C.
      We also examine chemically exposed TMD films intermittently interrogated with
      Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. We observe the appearance of weak
      characteristic 1T phase Raman features for MoS2 and we observed a quenching of
      the photoluminescence of both TMD films that is recoverable with annealing.
      Considering all of our data together, the effects cannot be described by doping
      alone. Additionally, our results suggest a mechanism for a new type of passive
      chemical vapor sensor.

PMID- 28630448
TI  - Progesterone prevents epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ovine amniotic
      epithelial cells and enhances their immunomodulatory properties.
AB  - The in vitro expansion is detrimental to therapeutic applications of amniotic
      epithelial cells (AEC), an emerging source of fetal stem cells. This study
      provides molecular evidences of progesterone (P4) role in preventing epithelial
      mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ovine AEC (oAEC). oAEC amplified under standard
      conditions spontaneously acquired mesenchymal properties through the up
      regulation of EMT-transcription factors. P4 supplementation prevented phenotype
      shift by inhibiting the EMT-inducing mechanism such as the autocrine production
      of TGF-beta and the activation of intracellular-related signaling. The effect of
      P4 still persisted for one passage after steroid removal from culture as well as
      steroid supplementation promptly reversed mesenchymal phenotype in oAEC which
      have experienced EMT during amplification. Furthermore, P4 promoted an acute up
      regulation of pluripotent genes whereas enhanced basal and LPS-induced oAEC anti
      inflammatory response with an increase in anti-inflammatory and a decrease in pro
      inflammatory cytokines expression. Altogether, these results indicate that P4
      supplementation is crucial to preserve epithelial phenotype and to enhance
      biological properties in expanded oAEC. Therefore, an innovative cultural
      approach is proposed in order to improve therapeutic potential of this promising
      source of epithelial stem cells.

PMID- 28630449
TI  - Effect of DNA sequence of Fab fragment on yield characteristics and cell growth
      of E. coli.
AB  - Codon usage is one of the factors influencing recombinant protein expression. We
      were interested in the codon usage of an antibody Fab fragment gene exhibiting
      extreme toxicity in the E. coli host. The toxic synthetic human Fab gene
      contained domains optimized by the "one amino acid-one codon" method. We
      redesigned five segments of the Fab gene with a "codon harmonization" method
      described by Angov et al. and studied the effects of these changes on cell
      viability, Fab yield and display on filamentous phage using different vectors and
      bacterial strains. The harmonization considerably reduced toxicity, increased Fab
      expression from negligible levels to 10 mg/l, and restored the display on phage.
      Testing the impact of the individual redesigned segments revealed that the most
      significant effects were conferred by changes in the constant domain of the light
      chain. For some of the Fab gene variants, we also observed striking differences
      in protein yields when cloned from a chloramphenicol resistant vector into an
      identical vector, except with ampicillin resistance. In conclusion, our results
      show that the expression of a heterodimeric secretory protein can be improved by
      harmonizing selected DNA segments by synonymous codons and reveal additional
      complexity involved in heterologous protein expression.

PMID- 28630450
TI  - Concurrent talking in immersive virtual reality: on the dominance of visual
      speech cues.
AB  - Humans are good at selectively listening to specific target conversations, even
      in the presence of multiple concurrent speakers. In our research, we study how
      auditory-visual cues modulate this selective listening. We do so by using
      immersive Virtual Reality technologies with spatialized audio. Exposing 32
      participants to an Information Masking Task with concurrent speakers, we find
      significantly more errors in the decision-making processes triggered by
      asynchronous audiovisual speech cues. More precisely, the results show that lips
      on the Target speaker matched to a secondary (Mask) speaker's audio severely
      increase the participants' comprehension error rates. In a control experiment (n
      = 20), we further explore the influences of the visual modality over auditory
      selective attention. The results show a dominance of visual-speech cues, which
      effectively turn the Mask into the Target and vice-versa. These results reveal a
      disruption of selective attention that is triggered by bottom-up multisensory
      integration. The findings are framed in the sensory perception and cognitive
      neuroscience theories. The VR setup is validated by replicating previous results
      in this literature in a supplementary experiment.

PMID- 28630451
TI  - Electronic Band Alignment at Complex Oxide Interfaces Measured by Scanning
      Photocurrent Microscopy.
AB  - The band alignment at an Al2O3/SrTiO3 heterointerface forming a two-dimensional
      electron gas (2DEG) was investigated using scanning photocurrent microscopy
      (SPCM) in an electrolyte-gated environment. We used a focused UV laser source for
      above-the-bandgap illumination on the SrTiO3 layer, creating electron-hole pairs
      that contributed to the photocurrent through migration towards the metal
      electrodes. The polarity of the SPCM signals of a bare SrTiO3 device shows
      typical p-type behavior at zero gate bias, in which the photogenerated electrons
      are collected by the electrodes. In contrast, the SPCM polarity of 2DEG device
      indicates that the hole carriers were collected by the metal electrodes. Careful
      transport measurements revealed that the gate-dependent conductance of the 2DEG
      devices exhibits n-type switching behavior. More importantly, the SPCM signals in
      2DEG devices demonstrated very unique gate-responses that cannot be found in
      conventional semiconducting devices, based on which we were able to perform
      detailed investigation into the electronic band alignment of the 2DEG devices and
      obtain the valence band offset at the heterointerface.

PMID- 28630452
TI  - Remote memories are enhanced by COMT activity through dysregulation of the
      endocannabinoid system in the prefrontal cortex.
AB  - The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a crucial hub for the flexible modulation of
      recent memories (executive functions) as well as for the stable organization of
      remote memories. Dopamine in the PFC is implicated in both these processes and
      genetic variants affecting its neurotransmission might control the unique balance
      between cognitive stability and flexibility present in each individual.
      Functional genetic variants in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene
      result in a different catabolism of dopamine in the PFC. However, despite the
      established role played by COMT genetic variation in executive functions, its
      impact on remote memory formation and recall is still poorly explored. Here we
      report that transgenic mice overexpressing the human COMT-Val gene (COMT-Val-tg)
      present exaggerated remote memories (>50 days) while having unaltered recent
      memories (<24 h). COMT selectively and reversibly modulated the recall of remote
      memories as silencing COMT Val overexpression starting from 30 days after the
      initial aversive conditioning normalized remote memories. COMT genetic
      overactivity produced a selective overdrive of the endocannabinoid system within
      the PFC, but not in the striatum and hippocampus, which was associated with
      enhanced remote memories. Indeed, acute pharmacological blockade of CB1 receptors
      was sufficient to rescue the altered remote memory recall in COMT-Val-tg mice and
      increased PFC dopamine levels. These results demonstrate that COMT genetic
      variations modulate the retrieval of remote memories through the dysregulation of
      the endocannabinoid system in the PFC.

PMID- 28630453
TI  - Longitudinal analyses of the DNA methylome in deployed military servicemen
      identify susceptibility loci for post-traumatic stress disorder.
AB  - In order to determine the impact of the epigenetic response to traumatic stress
      on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this study examined longitudinal
      changes of genome-wide blood DNA methylation profiles in relation to the
      development of PTSD symptoms in two prospective military cohorts (one discovery
      and one replication data set). In the first cohort consisting of male Dutch
      military servicemen (n=93), the emergence of PTSD symptoms over a deployment
      period to a combat zone was significantly associated with alterations in DNA
      methylation levels at 17 genomic positions and 12 genomic regions. Evidence for
      mediation of the relation between combat trauma and PTSD symptoms by longitudinal
      changes in DNA methylation was observed at several positions and regions.
      Bioinformatic analyses of the reported associations identified significant
      enrichment in several pathways relevant for symptoms of PTSD. Targeted analyses
      of the significant findings from the discovery sample in an independent
      prospective cohort of male US marines (n=98) replicated the observed relation
      between decreases in DNA methylation levels and PTSD symptoms at genomic regions
      in ZFP57, RNF39 and HIST1H2APS2. Together, our study pinpoints three novel
      genomic regions where longitudinal decreases in DNA methylation across the period
      of exposure to combat trauma marks susceptibility for PTSD.

PMID- 28630454
TI  - Treatment with a non-toxic, self-replicating anti-prion delays or prevents prion
      disease in vivo.
AB  - Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are fatal neurological disorders
      caused by prions, which are composed of a misfolded protein (PrPSc) that self
      propagates in the brain of infected individuals by converting the normal prion
      protein (PrPC) into the pathological isoform. Here, we report a novel
      experimental strategy for preventing prion disease based on producing a self
      replicating, but innocuous PrPSc-like form, termed anti-prion, which can compete
      with the replication of pathogenic prions. Our results show that a prophylactic
      inoculation of prion-infected animals with an anti-prion delays the onset of the
      disease and in some animals completely prevents the development of clinical
      symptoms and brain damage. The data indicate that a single injection of the anti
      prion eliminated ~99% of the infectivity associated to pathogenic prions.
      Furthermore, this treatment caused significant changes in the profile of regional
      PrPSc deposition in the brains of animals that were treated, but still succumbed
      to the disease. Our findings provide new insights for a mechanistic understanding
      of prion replication and support the concept that prion replication can be
      separated from toxicity, providing a novel target for therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 28630455
TI  - Autism spectrum disorders and autistic traits share genetics and biology.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.98.

PMID- 28630456
TI  - Rare disruptive variants in the DISC1 Interactome and Regulome: association with
      cognitive ability and schizophrenia.
AB  - Schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD) and recurrent major depressive
      disorder (rMDD) are common psychiatric illnesses. All have been associated with
      lower cognitive ability, and show evidence of genetic overlap and substantial
      evidence of pleiotropy with cognitive function and neuroticism. Disrupted in
      schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) protein directly interacts with a large set of proteins
      (DISC1 Interactome) that are involved in brain development and signaling.
      Modulation of DISC1 expression alters the expression of a circumscribed set of
      genes (DISC1 Regulome) that are also implicated in brain biology and disorder.
      Here we report targeted sequencing of 59 DISC1 Interactome genes and 154 Regulome
      genes in 654 psychiatric patients and 889 cognitively-phenotyped control
      subjects, on whom we previously reported evidence for trait association from
      complete sequencing of the DISC1 locus. Burden analyses of rare and singleton
      variants predicted to be damaging were performed for psychiatric disorders,
      cognitive variables and personality traits. The DISC1 Interactome and Regulome
      showed differential association across the phenotypes tested. After family-wise
      error correction across all traits (FWERacross), an increased burden of singleton
      disruptive variants in the Regulome was associated with SCZ (FWERacross
      P=0.0339). The burden of singleton disruptive variants in the DISC1 Interactome
      was associated with low cognitive ability at age 11 (FWERacross P=0.0043). These
      results identify altered regulation of schizophrenia candidate genes by DISC1 and
      its core Interactome as an alternate pathway for schizophrenia risk, consistent
      with the emerging effects of rare copy number variants associated with
      intellectual disability.

PMID- 28630457
TI  - How impaired efficacy happened between Gancao and Yuanhua: Compounds, targets and
      pathways.
AB  - As recorded in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, Gancao (Glycyrrhizae
      Radix et Rhizoma) could weaken the pharmacological effect or increase the
      toxicity of Yuanhua (Genkwa Flos). However, the theory has been suspected due to
      lack of evidence. Here, we investigate whether Gancao could weaken Yuanhua's
      diuretic effect, if so, which chemicals and which targets may be involved.
      Results showed that Yuanhua exerted diuretic effect through down-regulating renal
      AQP 2, without electrolyte disturbances such as K+ loss which has been observed
      as side-effect of most diuretics. Gancao had no diuretic effect, but could impair
      Yuanhua's diuretic effect through up-regulating renal AQP 2. Glycyrrhetinic acid
      (GRA) in Gancao could up-regulate AQP 2 and counteract the AQP 2 regulation
      effect of Yuanhuacine (YHC) and Ginkwanin (GKW) in Yuanhua. Network pharmacology
      method suggested that YHC, GKW and GRA could bind to MEK1/FGFR1 protein and
      influence ERK-MAPK pathway, which was verified by Western blotting. This study
      supports TCM theory and reminds that more attention should be paid to the safety
      and efficacy problems induced by improper combination between herbs. Moreover, we
      suggested that promising diuretics with less side effects can be developed from
      Chinese Medicines such as Yuanhua.

PMID- 28630458
TI  - The value of instability: an investigation of intrasubject variability in brain
      activity among obese adolescent girls.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the value of intrasubject variability
      (ISV) as a metric for revealing differences in cognition and brain activation
      associated with an obese versus lean body mass. METHODS: Ninety-six adolescents
      with a lean body mass (body mass index (BMI) percentile=5-85), and 92 adolescents
      with an obese body mass (BMI percentile ?95), performed two tasks (Stroop and
      Go/No-Go) challenging response inhibition skills. The s.d. values and averages of
      their reaction time and P300 electroencephalographic responses to task stimuli
      were computed across trials. RESULTS: During the Go/No-Go task, the reaction
      times of subjects with an obese body mass were more variable than those of their
      lean body mass peers. Accompanying the greater ISV in reaction times was a group
      difference in P300 amplitude ISV in the opposite direction across both tasks. The
      effect sizes associated with these group differences in ISV were marginally
      greater than the effect sizes for the comparisons of the group means.
      CONCLUSIONS: ISV may be superior to the mean as a tool for differentiating groups
      without significant cognitive impairment. The co-occurrence of reduced ISV in
      P300 amplitude and elevated ISV in reaction time may indicate a constraint among
      obese adolescent girls in the range of information processing strategies and
      neural networks that can compete to optimize response output. It remains to be
      determined whether this decrement in neural plasticity has implications for their
      problem solving skills as well as their response to weight management
      interventions.

PMID- 28630459
TI  - Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue cellularity in men and women.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Differences in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT)
      fat cell size and number (cellularity) are linked to insulin resistance. Men are
      generally more insulin resistant than women but it is unknown whether there is a
      gender dimorphism in SAT cellularity. The objective was to determine SAT
      cellularity and its relationship to insulin sensitivity in men and women.
      METHODS: In a cohort study performed at an outpatient academic clinic in Sweden,
      798 women and 306 men were included. Estimated SAT mass (ESAT) was derived from
      measures of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and a formula. SAT biopsies were
      obtained to measure mean fat cell size; SAT adipocyte number was obtained by
      dividing ESAT with mean fat cell weight. Fat cell size was also compared with
      level of insulin sensitivity in vivo. RESULTS: Over the entire range of body mass
      index (BMI) both fat cell size and number correlated positively with ESAT in
      either sex. On average, fat cell size was larger in men than in women, which was
      driven by significantly larger fat cells in non-obese men compared with non-obese
      women; no gender effect on fat cell size was seen in obese subjects. For all
      subjects fat cell number was larger in women than men, which was driven by a
      gender effect among non-obese individuals (P<0.0001). The relationship between
      fat cell size and insulin resistance was significant in both genders (P<0.0001)
      but steeper in men than in women (F=19, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Although both fat
      cell size and number determine SAT mass, adipocyte number contributes more and
      size less in women than in men and this is most evident in non-obese subjects.
      Over the entire BMI range, fat cell size contributes stronger to insulin
      resistance in men.

PMID- 28630460
TI  - Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress is impaired in leukocytes from
      metabolically unhealthy vs healthy obese individuals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress and inflammation are related to obesity, but the
      influence of metabolic disturbances on these parameters and their relationship
      with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is unknown. Therefore, this study was
      performed to evaluate whether metabolic profile influences ER and oxidative
      stress in an obese population with/without comorbidities. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A
      total of 113 obese patients were enrolled in the study; 29 were metabolically
      healthy (MHO), 53 were metabolically abnormal (MAO) and 31 had type 2 diabetes
      (MADO). We assessed metabolic parameters, proinflammatory cytokines (TNFalpha and
      IL-6), mitochondrial and total reactive oxygen species (ROS) production,
      glutathione levels, antioxidant enzymes activity, total antioxidant status,
      mitochondrial membrane potential and ER stress marker expression levels (glucose
      regulated protein (GRP78), spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), P-subunit 1
      alpha (P-eIF2alpha) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). RESULTS: The
      MAO and MADO groups showed higher blood pressure, atherogenic dyslipidemia,
      insulin resistance and inflammatory profile than that of MHO subjects. Total and
      mitochondrial ROS production was enhanced in MAO and MADO patients, and
      mitochondrial membrane potential and catalase activity differed significantly
      between the MADO and MHO groups. In addition, decreases in glutathione levels and
      superoxide dismutase activity were observed in the MADO vs MAO and MHO groups.
      GRP78 and CHOP protein and gene expression were higher in the MAO and MADO groups
      with respect to MHO subjects, and sXBP1 gene expression was associated with the
      presence of diabetes. Furthermore, MAO patients exhibited higher levels of ATF6
      than their MHO counterparts. Waist circumference was positively correlated with
      ATF6 and GRP78, and A1c was positively correlated with P-Eif2alpha.
      Interestingly, CHOP was positively correlated with TNFalpha and total ROS
      production and GRP78 was negatively correlated with glutathione levels.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the hypothesis that both inflammation and
      oxidative stress are involved in the induction of ER stress signaling pathways in
      the leukocytes of metabolically unhealthy obese vs healthy obese subjects.

PMID- 28630461
TI  - Antrodia cinnamomea reduces obesity and modulates the gut microbiota in high-fat
      diet-fed mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, disrupted
      intestinal barrier and chronic inflammation. Given the high and increasing
      prevalence of obesity worldwide, anti-obesity treatments that are safe, effective
      and widely available would be beneficial. We examined whether the medicinal
      mushroom Antrodia cinnamomea may reduce obesity in mice fed with a high-fat diet
      (HFD). METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity
      and chronic inflammation. The mice were treated with a water extract of A.
      cinnamomea (WEAC), and body weight, fat accumulation, inflammation markers,
      insulin sensitivity and the gut microbiota were monitored. RESULTS: After 8
      weeks, the mean body weight of HFD-fed mice was 39.8+/-1.2 g compared with 35.8+/
      1.3 g for the HFD+1% WEAC group, corresponding to a reduction of 4 g or 10% of
      body weight (P<0.0001). WEAC supplementation reduced fat accumulation and serum
      triglycerides in a statistically significant manner in HFD-fed mice. WEAC also
      reversed the effects of HFD on inflammation markers (interleukin-1beta,
      interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha), insulin resistance and adipokine
      production (leptin and adiponectin). Notably, WEAC increased the expression of
      intestinal tight junctions (zonula occludens-1 and occludin) and antimicrobial
      proteins (Reg3g and lysozyme C) in the small intestine, leading to reduced blood
      endotoxemia. Finally, WEAC modulated the composition of the gut microbiota,
      reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increasing the level of
      Akkermansia muciniphila and other bacterial species associated with anti
      inflammatory properties. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with A. cinnamomea produces
      anti-obesogenic, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects in HFD-fed mice by
      maintaining intestinal integrity and modulating the gut microbiota.

PMID- 28630462
TI  - Identification and molecular characterization of non-polio enteroviruses from
      children with acute flaccid paralysis in West Africa, 2013-2014.
AB  - Besides polioviruses, non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs) may also be associated with
      acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). Because poliomyelitis is on the verge of
      eradication, more attention should be paid to study NPEVs from non-polio AFP
      cases and their epidemic patterns. In West African countries the epidemiology of
      NPEVs remains largely unexplored. We investigated the genetic diversity,
      frequency, circulation patterns, and molecular epidemiology of NPEVs in seven
      West African countries by analyzing retrospectively a panel of 3195 stool samples
      from children with AFP collected through routine poliomyelitis surveillance
      activities between 2013 and 2014. VP1 sequencing and typing on 201 isolates
      revealed 39 NPEV types corresponding to EV-A (6.9%), EV-B (90.5%), EV-C (2%) and
      EV-D (0.5%) species. Echoviruses were isolated most frequently with 138 cases
      (68.6%), followed by coxsackievirus group B with 35 cases (17.4%). No single NPEV
      type was remarkably dominant. Interestingly, several rarely described types with
      limited detection worldwide were identified (EVA76, EVA119, EVB75, EVB77, EVB97,
      EVC99, CVA20, CVA21 and EVD94). This study demonstrates the extensive diversity
      and diverse circulation patterns of NPEVs from AFP surveillance and highlights
      the need to formulate effective long-term strategies to monitor NPEV circulations
      in West Africa.

PMID- 28630463
TI  - The role of Antibody Vkappa Framework 3 region towards Antigen binding: Effects
      on recombinant production and Protein L binding.
AB  - Antibody research has traditionally focused on heavy chains, often neglecting the
      important complementary role of light chains in antibody formation and secretion.
      In the light chain, the complementarity-determining region 3 (VL-CDR3) is
      specifically implicated in disease states. By modulating VL-CDR3 exposure on the
      scaffold through deletions in the framework region 3 (VL-FWR3), we further
      investigated the effects on secretion in recombinant production and antigen
      binding kinetics. Our random deletions of two residues in the VL-FWR3 of a
      Trastuzumab model showed that the single deletions could impact recombinant
      production without significant effect on Her2 binding. When both the selected
      residues were deleted, antibody secretion was additively decreased, and so was
      Her2 binding kinetics. Interestingly, we also found allosteric effects on the
      Protein L binding site at VL-FWR1 elicited by these deletions in VL- FWR3.
      Together, these findings demonstrate the importance of light chain FWR3 in
      antigen binding, recombinant production, and antibody purification using Protein
      L.

PMID- 28630464
TI  - Rapid monoisotopic cisplatin based barcoding for multiplexed mass cytometry.
AB  - Mass cytometry presents an exceptional opportunity to interrogate the biology of
      highly heterogeneous cell populations, owing to the ability to collect highly
      parametric proteomic data at a single cell level. However, sample-to-sample
      variability, due to antibody staining and/or instrument sensitivity, can
      introduce substantial artifacts into the data, which can in turn lead to
      erroneous conclusions. This variability can be eliminated by sample barcoding
      which enables samples to be pooled, stained and run simultaneously. Existing mass
      cytometry barcoding approaches require time intensive labeling, reduce the number
      of biologically meaningful parameters and/or rely on expensive reagents. We
      present an approach utilizing monoisotopic cisplatin to perform cell barcoding
      that does not require cell permeabilization, can be completed in 10 minutes and
      can be utilized in combination with existing barcoding techniques to greatly
      increase the number of samples which can be multiplexed to improve throughput and
      consistency.

PMID- 28630465
TI  - Changes in pore structure of coal caused by coal-to-gas bioconversion.
AB  - ABSTARCT: Microbial enhanced coalbed methane (ME-CBM) recovery is critically
      examined as a viable technology for natural gas recovery from coalbed methane
      (CBM) reservoirs. Since the majority of gas-in-place (GIP) is stored as an
      adsorbed phase in fine pores of coal matrix, the nano-pore structure directly
      influences gas storage and transport properties. Only limited studies have
      quantified the alteration of the nano-pore structure due to ME-CBM treatment.
      This study examines the evolution of the pore structure using a combination of
      small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), low-pressure N2 and CO2 adsorption (LPGA)
      and high-pressure methane adsorption methods. The results show that the surface
      fractal dimension decreases for the two bioconverted coals compared to the
      untreated coal. After bio-treatment, the mesopore surface area and pore volume
      decrease with the average pore diameter increases, while the micropore surface
      area increases with pore volume decreases. Both inaccessible meso-/micropore size
      distributions decrease after bioconversion, while the accessible micropore size
      distribution increases, making a portion of closed micropore network accessible.
      In addition, the methane adsorption capacities increase after bio-treatment,
      which is confirmed by the increase of micropore surface area. A conceptual
      physical model of methanogenesis is proposed based on the evolution of the pore
      structure.

PMID- 28630466
TI  - Comparative effectiveness of 9 ovulation-induction therapies in patients with
      clomiphene citrate-resistant polycystic ovary syndrome: a network meta-analysis.
AB  - The comparative efficacies of ovulation-induction treatments in patients with
      clomiphene citrate-resistant (CCR) polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are not well
      known. Therefore, we conducted a network meta-analysis to rank the reproductive
      efficacies of these treatments. We ultimately included 26 randomized clinical
      trials with 2722 participants and 9 types of therapies: clomiphene citrate (CC),
      metformin, letrozole, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), human menopausal
      gonadotropin (hMG), unilateral laparoscopic ovarian drilling (ULOD), bilateral
      laparoscopic ovarian drilling (BLOD), the combination of metformin with letrozole
      (metformin+letrozole), and the combination of metformin with CC (metformin+CC).
      The network meta-analysis demonstrates that hMG therapy result in higher
      pregnancy rates than BLOD, ULOD and CC therapies. Pregnancy, live birth and
      ovulation rates are significantly higher in metformin+letrozole and FSH groups
      than CC group. The abortion rate in the metformin+letrozole group is
      significantly lower than that in the metformin+CC group. Ranking probabilities
      show that, apart from gonadotropin (FSH and hMG), metformin+letrozole is also
      potentially more effective in improving reproductive outcomes than other
      therapies. In conclusion, owing to the low quality of evidence and the wide
      confidence intervals, no recommendation could be made for the treatment of
      ovulation-induction in patients with CCR PCOS.

PMID- 28630467
TI  - Computational method allowing Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry at
      single amide Resolution.
AB  - Hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX) coupled with mass spectrometry (HDXMS) is a
      rapid and effective method for localizing and determining protein stability and
      dynamics. Localization is routinely limited to a peptide resolution of 5 to 20
      amino acid residues. HDXMS data can contain information beyond that needed for
      defining protein stability at single amide resolution. Here we present a method
      for extracting this information from an HDX dataset to generate a HDXMS protein
      stability fingerprint. High resolution (HR)-HDXMS was applied to the analysis of
      a model protein of a spectrin tandem repeat that exemplified an intuitive
      stability profile based on the linkage of two triple helical repeats connected by
      a helical linker. The fingerprint recapitulated expected stability maximums and
      minimums with interesting structural features that corroborate proposed
      mechanisms of spectrin flexibility and elasticity. HR-HDXMS provides the
      unprecedented ability to accurately assess protein stability at the resolution of
      a single amino acid. The determination of HDX stability fingerprints may be
      broadly applicable in many applications for understanding protein structure and
      function as well as protein ligand interactions.

PMID- 28630468
TI  - Neurofeedback learning modifies the incidence rate of alpha spindles, but not
      their duration and amplitude.
AB  - Although the first experiments on alpha-neurofeedback date back nearly six
      decades ago, when Joseph Kamiya reported successful operant conditioning of alpha
      rhythm in humans, the effectiveness of this paradigm in various experimental and
      clinical settings is still a matter of debate. Here, we investigated the changes
      in EEG patterns during a continuously administered neurofeedback of P4 alpha
      activity. Two days of neurofeedback training were sufficient for a significant
      increase in the alpha power to occur. A detailed analysis of these EEG changes
      showed that the alpha power rose because of an increase in the incidence rate of
      alpha episodes, whereas the amplitude and the duration of alpha oscillations
      remained unchanged. These findings suggest that neurofeedback facilitates
      volitional control of alpha activity onset, but alpha episodes themselves appear
      to be maintained automatically with no volitional control - a property overlooked
      by previous studies that employed continuous alpha-power neurofeedback. We
      propose that future research on alpha neurofeedback should explore reinforcement
      schedules based on detection of onsets and offsets of alpha waves, and employ
      these statistics for exploration and quantification of neurofeedback induced
      effects.

PMID- 28630469
TI  - C2238 ANP gene variant promotes increased platelet aggregation through the
      activation of Nox2 and the reduction of cAMP.
AB  - Subjects carrying the C2238 variant of the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) gene
      have a higher occurrence of stroke and acute coronary syndrome, suggesting an
      increased predisposition to acute thrombotic events in these subjects. We
      evaluated for the first time the direct effects of mutant ANP (C2238/alphaANP) on
      platelet activation in vitro and in human subjects. In vitro, platelets were
      incubated with no peptide, with T2238/alphaANP (WT) or with C2238/alphaANP at
      different concentrations. C2238/alphaANP (10-10 M) induced higher collagen
      induced platelet aggregation with respect to both control without ANP and
      T2238/alphaANP. This effect was even stronger at a higher concentration (10-6 M).
      Mechanistically, C2238/alphaANP significantly lowered platelet cAMP levels,
      increased ROS production and activated Nox2, with respect to both control and
      T2238/alphaANP. Forskolin, a cAMP activator, and sNOX2-tat, a Nox2 inhibitor,
      significantly reduced the pro-aggregant effects of C2238/alphaANP. In vivo, we
      found that platelet aggregation resulted to be higher in patients with atrial
      fibrillation carrying the C2238 ANP gene variant with respect to non-carriers. In
      conclusions, C2238/alphaANP promotes platelet aggregation through the activation
      of Nox2 and the reduction of cAMP.

PMID- 28630470
TI  - Overcoming evolved resistance to population-suppressing homing-based gene drives.
AB  - The recent development of a CRISPR-Cas9-based homing system for the suppression
      of Anopheles gambiae is encouraging; however, with current designs, the slow
      emergence of homing-resistant alleles is expected to result in suppressed
      populations rapidly rebounding, as homing-resistant alleles have a significant
      fitness advantage over functional, population-suppressing homing alleles. To
      explore this concern, we develop a mathematical model to estimate tolerable rates
      of homing-resistant allele generation to suppress a wild population of a given
      size. Our results suggest that, to achieve meaningful population suppression,
      tolerable rates of resistance allele generation are orders of magnitude smaller
      than those observed for current designs for CRISPR-Cas9-based homing systems. To
      remedy this, we theoretically explore a homing system architecture in which guide
      RNAs (gRNAs) are multiplexed, increasing the effective homing rate and decreasing
      the effective resistant allele generation rate. Modeling results suggest that the
      size of the population that can be suppressed increases exponentially with the
      number of multiplexed gRNAs and that, with four multiplexed gRNAs, a mosquito
      species could potentially be suppressed on a continental scale. We also
      demonstrate successful proof-of-principle use of multiplexed ribozyme flanked
      gRNAs to induce mutations in vivo in Drosophila melanogaster - a strategy that
      could readily be adapted to engineer stable, homing-based drives in relevant
      organisms.

PMID- 28630471
TI  - Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii replicates, diversifies, and co-occurs with
      Trichomonas vaginalis in the oral cavity of a premature infant.
AB  - Genital mycoplasmas, which can be vertically transmitted, have been implicated in
      preterm birth, neonatal infections, and chronic lung disease of prematurity. Our
      prior work uncovered 16S rRNA genes belonging to a novel, as-yet-uncultivated
      mycoplasma (lineage 'Mnola') in the oral cavity of a premature neonate. Here, we
      characterize the organism's associated community, growth status, metabolic
      potential, and population diversity. Sequencing of genomic DNA from the infant's
      saliva yielded 1.44 Gbp of high-quality, non-human read data, from which we
      recovered three essentially complete (including 'Mnola') and three partial draft
      genomes (including Trichomonas vaginalis). The completed 629,409-bp 'Mnola'
      genome (Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii str. UC-B3) was distinct at the strain
      level from its closest relative, vaginally-derived Ca. M. girerdii str. VCU-M1,
      which is also associated with T. vaginalis. Replication rate measurements
      indicated growth of str. UC-B3 within the infant. Genes encoding surface
      associated proteins and restriction-modification systems were especially diverse
      within and between strains. In UC-B3, the population genetic underpinnings of
      phase variable expression were evident in vivo. Unique among mycoplasmas, Ca. M.
      girerdii encodes pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase and may be sensitive to
      metronidazole. This study reveals a metabolically unique mycoplasma colonizing a
      premature neonate, and establishes the value of genome-resolved metagenomics in
      tracking phase variation.

PMID- 28630472
TI  - SMYD3 Promotes Homologous Recombination via Regulation of H3K4-mediated Gene
      Expression.
AB  - SMYD3 is a methyltransferase highly expressed in many types of cancer. It usually
      functions as an oncogenic protein to promote cell cycle, cell proliferation, and
      metastasis. Here, we show that SMYD3 modulates another hallmark of cancer, DNA
      repair, by stimulating transcription of genes involved in multiple steps of
      homologous recombination. Deficiency of SMYD3 induces DNA-damage
      hypersensitivity, decreases levels of repair foci, and leads to impairment of
      homologous recombination. Moreover, the regulation of homologous recombination
      related genes is via the methylation of H3K4 at the target gene promoters. These
      data imply that, besides its reported oncogenic abilities, SMYD3 may maintain
      genome integrity by ensuring expression levels of HR proteins to cope with the
      high demand of restart of stalled replication forks in cancers.

PMID- 28630473
TI  - Impact of Antigen Density on the Binding Mechanism of IgG Antibodies.
AB  - The density and distribution pattern of epitopes at the surface of pathogens have
      a profound impact on immune responses. Although multiple lines of evidence
      highlight the significance of antigen surface density for antibody binding, a
      quantitative description of its effect on recognition mechanisms is missing.
      Here, we analyzed binding kinetics and thermodynamics of six HIV-1 neutralizing
      antibodies as a function of the surface density of envelope glycoprotein gp120.
      Antibodies that recognize gp120 with low to moderate binding affinity displayed
      the most pronounced sensitivity to variation in antigen density, with qualitative
      and substantial quantitative changes in the energetics of the binding process as
      revealed by non-equilibrium and equilibrium thermodynamic analyses. In contrast,
      the recognition of gp120 by the antibodies with the highest affinity was
      considerably less influenced by variations in antigen density. These data suggest
      that a lower affinity of antibodies permits higher dynamics during the antigen
      recognition process, which may have considerable functional repercussions. These
      findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of antigen
      recognition by antibodies. They are also of importance for apprehending the
      impact of antigen topology on immune-defense functions of antibodies.

PMID- 28630474
TI  - Nanoassembly routes stimulate conflicting antibody quantity and quality for
      transmission-blocking malaria vaccines.
AB  - Vaccine development efforts have recently focused on enabling strong immune
      responses to poorly immunogenic antigens, via display on multimerisation
      scaffolds or virus like particles (VLPs). Typically such studies demonstrate
      improved antibody titer comparing monomeric and nano-arrayed antigen. There are
      many such studies and scaffold technologies, but minimal side-by-side evaluation
      of platforms for both the amount and efficacy of antibodies induced. Here we
      present direct comparison of three leading platforms displaying the promising
      malaria transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) target Pfs25. These platforms
      encompass the three important routes to antigen-scaffold linkage: genetic fusion,
      chemical cross-linking and plug-and-display SpyTag/SpyCatcher conjugation. We
      demonstrate that chemically-conjugated Qbeta VLPs elicited the highest quantity
      of antibodies, while SpyCatcher-AP205-VLPs elicited the highest quality anti
      Pfs25 antibodies for transmission blocking upon mosquito feeding. These
      quantative and qualitative features will guide future nanoassembly optimisation,
      as well as the development of the new generation of malaria vaccines targeting
      transmission.

PMID- 28630476
TI  - First Principles Theory of the hcp-fcc Phase Transition in Cobalt.
AB  - Identifying the forces that drive a phase transition is always challenging. The
      hcp-fcc phase transition that occurs in cobalt at ~700 K has not yet been fully
      understood, although early theoretical studies have suggested that magnetism
      plays a main role in the stabilization of the fcc phase at high temperatures.
      Here, we perform a first principles study of the free energies of these two
      phases, which we break into contributions arising from the vibration of the
      lattice, electronic and magnetic systems and volume expansion. Our analysis of
      the energy of the phases shows that magnetic effects alone cannot drive the fcc
      hcp transition in Co and that the largest contribution to the stabilization of
      the fcc phase comes from the vibration of the ionic lattice. By including all the
      contributions to the free energy considered here we obtain a theoretical
      transition temperature of 825 K.

PMID- 28630475
TI  - Utilization of a Wheat660K SNP array-derived high-density genetic map for high
      resolution mapping of a major QTL for kernel number.
AB  - In crop plants, a high-density genetic linkage map is essential for both genetic
      and genomic researches. The complexity and the large size of wheat genome have
      hampered the acquisition of a high-resolution genetic map. In this study, we
      report a high-density genetic map based on an individual mapping population using
      the Affymetrix Wheat660K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array as a probe in
      hexaploid wheat. The resultant genetic map consisted of 119 566 loci spanning
      4424.4 cM, and 119 001 of those loci were SNP markers. This genetic map showed
      good collinearity with the 90 K and 820 K consensus genetic maps and was also in
      accordance with the recently released wheat whole genome assembly. The high
      density wheat genetic map will provide a major resource for future genetic and
      genomic research in wheat. Moreover, a comparative genomics analysis among
      gramineous plant genomes was conducted based on the high-density wheat genetic
      map, providing an overview of the structural relationships among theses
      gramineous plant genomes. A major stable quantitative trait locus (QTL) for
      kernel number per spike was characterized, providing a solid foundation for the
      future high-resolution mapping and map-based cloning of the targeted QTL.

PMID- 28630477
TI  - The Effect of shape on Cellular Uptake of Gold Nanoparticles in the forms of
      Stars, Rods, and Triangles.
AB  - Gold nanomaterials have attracted considerable interest as vehicles for
      intracellular drug delivery. In our study, we synthesized three different shapes
      of methylpolyethylene glycol coated-anisotropic gold nanoparticles: stars, rods,
      and triangles. The cellular internalization of these nanoparticles by RAW264.7
      cells was analyzed, providing a parametric evaluation of the effect of shape. The
      efficiency of cellular uptake of the gold nanoparticles was found to rank in the
      following order from lowest to highest: stars, rods, and triangles. The possible
      mechanisms of cellular uptake for the three types of gold nanoparticles were
      examined, and it was found that different shapes tended to use the various
      endocytosis pathways in different proportions. Our study, which has demonstrated
      that shape can modulate the uptake of nanoparticles into RAW264.7 cells and that
      triangles were the shape with the most efficient cellular uptake, provides useful
      guidance toward the design of nanomaterials for drug delivery.

PMID- 28630478
TI  - Assessment of the role of intracranial hypertension and stress on hippocampal
      cell apoptosis and hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction after TBI.
AB  - In recent years, hypopituitarism caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been
      explored in many clinical studies; however, few studies have focused on
      intracranial hypertension and stress caused by TBI. In this study, an
      intracranial hypertension model, with epidural hematoma as the cause, was used to
      explore the physiopathological and neuroendocrine changes in the hypothalamic
      pituitary axis and hippocampus. The results demonstrated that intracranial
      hypertension increased the apoptosis rate, caspase-3 levels and proliferating
      cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland and
      showed a consistent rate of apoptosis within each group. The apoptosis rates of
      hippocampus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland were further increased when
      intracranial pressure (ICP) at 24 hour (h) were still increased. The change rates
      of apoptosis in hypothalamus and pituitary gland were significantly higher than
      hippocampus. Moreover, the stress caused by surgery may be a crucial factor in
      apoptosis. To confirm stress leads to apoptosis in the hypothalamus and pituitary
      gland, we used rabbits to establish a standard stress model. The results
      confirmed that stress leads to apoptosis of neuroendocrine cells in the
      hypothalamus and pituitary gland, moreover, the higher the stress intensity, the
      higher the apoptosis rate in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.

PMID- 28630480
TI  - Pro-invasive stimuli and the interacting protein Hsp70 favour the route of alpha
      enolase to the cell surface.
AB  - Cell surface expression of alpha-enolase, a glycolytic enzyme displaying
      moonlighting activities, has been shown to contribute to the motility and
      invasiveness of cancer cells through the protein non-enzymatic function of
      binding plasminogen and enhancing plasmin formation. Although a few recent
      records indicate the involvement of protein partners in the localization of alpha
      enolase to the plasma membrane, the cellular mechanisms underlying surface
      exposure remain largely elusive. Searching for novel interactors and signalling
      pathways, we used low-metastatic breast cancer cells, a doxorubicin-resistant
      counterpart and a non-tumourigenic mammary epithelial cell line. Here, we
      demonstrate by a combination of experimental approaches that epidermal growth
      factor (EGF) exposure, like lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure, promotes the
      surface expression of alpha-enolase. We also establish Heat shock protein 70
      (Hsp70), a multifunctional chaperone distributed in intracellular, plasma
      membrane and extracellular compartments, as a novel alpha-enolase interactor and
      demonstrate a functional involvement of Hsp70 in the surface localization of
      alpha-enolase. Our results contribute to shedding light on the control of surface
      expression of alpha-enolase in non-tumourigenic and cancer cells and suggest
      novel targets to counteract the metastatic potential of tumours.

PMID- 28630479
TI  - Attention, cognitive control and motivation in ADHD: Linking event-related brain
      potentials and DNA methylation patterns in boys at early school age.
AB  - In order to better understand the underpinnings of attention
      deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we targeted the relationship of
      attentional, cognitive control and motivational processes with DNA methylation
      patterns of 60 candidate genes in boys at early school age. Participants (6 to 8
      years; N = 82) were selected from a German longitudinal cohort (FRANCES). ADHD
      related behaviour was assessed via maternal ratings. Performance and event
      related potential measures (inter alia Cue-P3 and Nogo-P3), which were recorded
      in a motivational go/nogo task, indicated diminished attentional orienting,
      reduced inhibitory response control and a larger motivational effect on
      performance in ADHD already at this relatively young age. Methylation patterns
      were analysed in buccal cell DNA with the Illumina HumanMethylation 450K array.
      For CpG sites at genes of the dopaminergic (COMT, ANKK1) and the neurotrophic
      (BDNF, NGFR) system, associations with the Nogo-P3 as well as ADHD symptom
      severity were found suggesting that these systems are involved in response
      control deficits in ADHD. Methylation effects related to both functional aspects
      and ADHD behaviour were also observed for DPP10 and TPH2. Epigenetic mechanisms
      may play a role in ADHD-associated deficits but findings need to be replicated in
      larger samples and are limited by the fact that only peripheral methylation could
      be considered.

PMID- 28630481
TI  - Near-surface coherent structures explored by large eddy simulation of entire
      tropical cyclones.
AB  - Taking advantage of the huge computational power of a massive parallel
      supercomputer (K-supercomputer), this study conducts large eddy simulations of
      entire tropical cyclones by employing a numerical weather prediction model, and
      explores near-surface coherent structures. The maximum of the near-surface wind
      changes little from that simulated based on coarse-resolution runs. Three kinds
      of coherent structures appeared inside the boundary layer. The first is a Type-A
      roll, which is caused by an inflection-point instability of the radial flow and
      prevails outside the radius of maximum wind. The second is a Type-B roll that
      also appears to be caused by an inflection-point instability but of both radial
      and tangential winds. Its roll axis is almost orthogonal to the Type-A roll. The
      third is a Type-C roll, which occurs inside the radius of maximum wind and only
      near the surface. It transports horizontal momentum in an up-gradient sense and
      causes the largest gusts.

PMID- 28630482
TI  - Circadian and circatidal clocks control the mechanism of semilunar foraging
      behaviour.
AB  - How animals precisely time behaviour over the lunar cycle is a decades-old
      mystery. Experiments on diverse species show this behaviour to be endogenous and
      under clock control but the mechanism has remained elusive. We present new
      experimental and analytical techniques to test the hypotheses for the semilunar
      clock and show that the rhythm of foraging behaviour in the intertidal isopod,
      Scyphax ornatus, can be precisely shifted by manipulating the lengths of the
      light/dark and tidal cycles. Using light T-cycles (Tcd) the resultant semilunar
      beat period undergoes shifts from 14.79 days to 6.47 days under T = 23 hours (h),
      or to 23.29 days under T = 24.3 h. In tidal T-cycles (Tt) of natural length Tt =
      12.42 h, the semilunar rhythm is shifted to 24.5 days under Tt = 12.25 h and to
      9.7 days under Tt = 12.65 h. The implications of this finding go beyond our model
      species and illustrate that longer period rhythms can be generated by shorter
      period clocks. Our novel analysis, in which periodic spline models are embedded
      within randomization tests, creates a new methodology for assessing long-period
      rhythms in chronobiology. Applications are far-reaching and extend to other
      species and rhythms, potentially including the human-ovarian cycle.

PMID- 28630483
TI  - Comprehensive analysis of passive generation of parabolic similaritons in tapered
      hydrogenated amorphous silicon photonic wires.
AB  - Parabolic pulses have important applications in both basic and applied sciences,
      such as high power optical amplification, optical communications, all-optical
      signal processing, etc. The generation of parabolic similaritons in tapered
      hydrogenated amorphous silicon photonic wires at telecom (lambda ~ 1550 nm) and
      mid-IR (lambda >= 2100 nm) wavelengths is demonstrated and analyzed. The self
      similar theory of parabolic pulse generation in passive waveguides with
      increasing nonlinearity is presented. A generalized nonlinear Schrodinger
      equation is used to describe the coupled dynamics of optical field in the tapered
      hydrogenated amorphous silicon photonic wires with either decreasing dispersion
      or increasing nonlinearity. The impacts of length dependent higher-order effects,
      linear and nonlinear losses including two-photon absorption, and photon-generated
      free carriers, on the pulse evolutions are characterized. Numerical simulations
      show that initial Gaussian pulses will evolve into the parabolic pulses in the
      waveguide taper designed.

PMID- 28630484
TI  - Simulated responses of permafrost distribution to climate change on the Qinghai
      Tibet Plateau.
AB  - Climate warming causes changes in permafrost distribution, which affects the
      surface energy balance, hydrologic cycle and carbon flux in cold regions. In this
      study, the Surface Frost Number model was applied to examine permafrost
      distribution on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) under the four RCPs (RCP2.6,
      RCP4.5, RCP6.0, and RCP8.5). The Kappa statistic was used to evaluate model
      results by comparing simulations of baseline permafrost distribution (1981-2010)
      with the existing frozen soil maps. The comparison shows that the Surface Frost
      Number model is suitable for simulating the general characteristics of permafrost
      distribution on the QTP. Simulated results suggest that areas of permafrost
      degradation would be the smallest in the near-term (2011-2040) with the rates of
      17.17%, 18.07%, 12.95% and 15.66% under RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0 and RCP8.5,
      respectively. The rate of permafrost degradation would be faster in the mid-term
      (2041-2070), especially under the RCP8.5 scenario (about 41.42%). Areas of
      permafrost degradation would be the largest in the long-term (2071-2099) relative
      to baseline conditions, with a modelled 64.31% decrease in permafrost
      distribution using the RCP8.5 scenario. Our results would help the decision
      making for engineering construction program on the QTP, and support local units
      in their efforts to adapt climate change.

PMID- 28630486
TI  - Integrated optical modulator manipulating the polarization and rotation
      handedness of Orbital Angular Momentum states.
AB  - Recent studies demonstrated that the optical channels encoded by Orbital Angular
      Momentum (OAM) are capable candidates for improving the next generation of
      communication systems. OAM states can enhance the capacity and security of high
      dimensional communication channels in both classical and quantum regimes based on
      optical fibre and free space. Hence, fast and precise control of the beams
      encoded by OAM can provide their commercial applications in the compatible
      communication networks. Integrated optical devices are good miniaturized options
      to perform this issue. This paper proposes a numerically verified integrated high
      frequency electro-optical modulator for manipulation of the guided modes encoded
      in both OAM and polarization states. The proposed modulator is designed as an
      electro-optically active Lithium Niobate (LN) core photonic wire with silica as
      its cladding in a LN on Insulator (LNOI) configuration. It consists of two
      successive parts; a phase shifter to reverse the rotation handedness of the input
      OAM state and a polarization converter to change the horizontally polarized OAM
      state to the vertically polarized one. It is shown that all four possible output
      polarization-OAM encoded states can be achieved with only 6 V and 7 V applied
      voltages to the electrodes in the two parts of the modulator.

PMID- 28630485
TI  - Acute administration of catalase targeted to ICAM-1 attenuates neuropathology in
      experimental traumatic brain injury.
AB  - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) contributes to one third of injury related deaths in
      the US. Treatment strategies for TBI are supportive, and the pathophysiology is
      not fully understood. Secondary mechanisms of injury in TBI, such as oxidative
      stress and inflammation, are points at which intervention may reduce
      neuropathology. Evidence suggests that reactive oxygen species (ROS) propagate
      blood-brain barrier (BBB) hyperpermeability and inflammation following TBI. We
      hypothesized that targeted detoxification of ROS may improve the pathological
      outcomes of TBI. Following TBI, endothelial activation results in a time
      dependent increase in vascular expression of ICAM-1. We conjugated catalase to
      anti-ICAM-1 antibodies and administered the conjugate to 8 wk old C57BL/6J mice
      30 min after moderate controlled cortical impact injury. Results indicate that
      catalase targeted to ICAM-1 reduces markers of oxidative stress, preserves BBB
      permeability, and attenuates neuropathological indices more effectively than non
      targeted catalase and anti-ICAM-1 antibody alone. Furthermore, the study of
      microglia by two-photon microscopy revealed that anti-ICAM-1/catalase prevents
      the transition of microglia to an activated phenotype. These findings demonstrate
      the use of a targeted antioxidant enzyme to interfere with oxidative stress
      mechanisms in TBI and provide a proof-of-concept approach to improve acute TBI
      management that may also be applicable to other neuroinflammatory conditions.

PMID- 28630487
TI  - Multicolor two-photon imaging of endogenous fluorophores in living tissues by
      wavelength mixing.
AB  - Two-photon imaging of endogenous fluorescence can provide physiological and
      metabolic information from intact tissues. However, simultaneous imaging of
      multiple intrinsic fluorophores, such as nicotinamide adenine
      dinucleotide(phosphate) (NAD(P)H), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and
      retinoids in living systems is generally hampered by sequential multi-wavelength
      excitation resulting in motion artifacts. Here, we report on efficient and
      simultaneous multicolor two-photon excitation of endogenous fluorophores with
      absorption spectra spanning the 750-1040 nm range, using wavelength mixing. By
      using two synchronized pulse trains at 760 and 1041 nm, an additional equivalent
      two-photon excitation wavelength at 879 nm is generated, and achieves
      simultaneous excitation of blue, green and red intrinsic fluorophores. This
      method permits an efficient simultaneous imaging of the metabolic coenzymes NADH
      and FAD to be implemented with perfect image co-registration, overcoming the
      difficulties associated with differences in absorption spectra and disparity in
      concentration. We demonstrate ratiometric redox imaging free of motion artifacts
      and simultaneous two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) of NADH and FAD
      in living tissues. The lifetime gradients of NADH and FAD associated with
      different cellular metabolic and differentiation states in reconstructed human
      skin and in the germline of live C. Elegans are thus simultaneously measured.
      Finally, we present multicolor imaging of endogenous fluorophores and second
      harmonic generation (SHG) signals during the early stages of Zebrafish embryo
      development, evidencing fluorescence spectral changes associated with
      development.

PMID- 28630488
TI  - Initial pseudo-steady state & asymptotic KPZ universality in semiconductor on
      polymer deposition.
AB  - The Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class is a paradigmatic example of universality in
      nonequilibrium phenomena, but clear experimental evidences of asymptotic 2D-KPZ
      statistics are still very rare, and far less understanding stems from its short
      time behavior. We tackle such issues by analyzing surface fluctuations of CdTe
      films deposited on polymeric substrates, based on a huge spatio-temporal surface
      sampling acquired through atomic force microscopy. A pseudo-steady state (where
      average surface roughness and spatial correlations stay constant in time) is
      observed at initial times, persisting up to deposition of ~104 monolayers. This
      state results from a fine balance between roughening and smoothening, as
      supported by a phenomenological growth model. KPZ statistics arises at long
      times, thoroughly verified by universal exponents, spatial covariance and several
      distributions. Recent theoretical generalizations of the Family-Vicsek scaling
      and the emergence of log-normal distributions during interface growth are
      experimentally confirmed. These results confirm that high vacuum vapor deposition
      of CdTe constitutes a genuine 2D-KPZ system, and expand our knowledge about
      possible substrate-induced short-time behaviors.

PMID- 28630489
TI  - Host-guest assembly for highly sensitive probing of a chiral mono-alcohol with a
      zinc trisporphyrinate.
AB  - A zinc trisporphyrinate has been developed as a chirality sensor for chiral mono
      alcohols. In its structure, there are two "spaces" surrounded by three porphyrin
      moieties, which allow guests to fill in. It has shown extremely high CD
      sensitivity for a chiral mono-alcohol with a naphthyl substituent, 1-(1
      naphthyl)ethanol, at MUM level, which is at least three orders of magnitude lower
      concentration than previous reports. A crystallographic study of the host-guest
      complex reveals the binding of 1-(1-naphthyl)ethanol to the zinc trisporphyrinate
      is greatly enhanced by multipoint interactions, such as coordination
      interactions, hydrogen bonding, pi-pi and CH...pi interactions etc. Spectroscopic
      studies suggest the corresponding binding constant K1 is over 105 M-1, which is
      two or three orders of magnitude larger than other mono-alcohols. Among porphyrin
      systems, this trisporphyrin have the strongest binding affinity for 1-(1
      naphthyl)ethanol, which leads to the highest CD sensitivity.

PMID- 28630490
TI  - Pyroptosis, superinfection, and the maintenance of the latent reservoir in HIV-1
      infection.
AB  - A long-lived reservoir of latently infected T cells prevents antiretroviral
      therapy from eliminating HIV-1 infection. Furthering our understanding of the
      dynamics of latency generation and maintenance is therefore vital to improve
      treatment outcome. Using mathematical models and experiments, we suggest that the
      death of latently infected cells brought about by pyroptosis, or to a lesser
      extent by superinfection, might be key mechanisms to account for the size and
      composition of the latent reservoir. Pyroptosis is a form of cell death that
      occurs in a resting (and thus latently infected) T cell when a productively
      infected cell attempts cell-to-cell transmission of virus. Superinfection of
      latently infected cells by productive virus could similarly remove those cells
      through active virus replication and resulting cytopathicity. The mathematical
      models presented can explain a number of previously published clinical
      observations including latent reservoir size and the relationships to viral load
      in acute HIV infection, measurements of the latent reservoir in chronic
      infection, and the replacement of wild-type virus by CTL escape mutants within
      the latent reservoir. Basic virus dynamics models of latency that do not take
      into account pyroptosis, superinfection, or other potential complexities cannot
      account for the data.

PMID- 28630493
TI  - Simultaneous Extraction of Density of States Width, Carrier Mobility and
      Injection Barriers in Organic Semiconductors.
AB  - The predictive accuracy of state-of-the-art continuum models for charge transport
      in organic semiconductors is highly dependent on the accurate tuning of a set of
      parameters whose values cannot be effectively estimated either by direct
      measurements or by first principles. Fitting the complete set of model parameters
      at once to experimental data requires to set up extremely complex multi-objective
      optimization problems whose solution is, on the one hand, overwhelmingly
      computationally expensive and, on the other, it provides no guarantee of the
      physical soundness of the value obtained for each individual parameter. In the
      present study we present a step-by-step procedure that enables to determine the
      most relevant model parameters, namely the density of states width, the carrier
      mobility and the injection barrier height, by fitting experimental data from a
      sequence of relatively simple and inexpensive measurements to suitably devised
      numerical simulations. At each step of the proposed procedure only one parameter
      value is sought for, thus highly simplifying the numerical fitting and enhancing
      its robustness, reliability and accuracy. As a case study we consider a
      prototypical n-type organic polymer. A very satisfactory fitting of experimental
      measurements is obtained, and physically meaningful values for the aforementioned
      parameters are extracted.

PMID- 28630492
TI  - Towards affordable biomarkers of frontotemporal dementia: A classification study
      via network's information sharing.
AB  - Developing effective and affordable biomarkers for dementias is critical given
      the difficulty to achieve early diagnosis. In this sense, electroencephalographic
      (EEG) methods offer promising alternatives due to their low cost, portability,
      and growing robustness. Here, we relied on EEG signals and a novel information
      sharing method to study resting-state connectivity in patients with behavioral
      variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and controls. To evaluate the specificity
      of our results, we also tested Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The
      classification power of the ensuing connectivity patterns was evaluated through a
      supervised classification algorithm (support vector machine). In addition, we
      compared the classification power yielded by (i) functional connectivity, (ii)
      relevant neuropsychological tests, and (iii) a combination of both. BvFTD
      patients exhibited a specific pattern of hypoconnectivity in mid-range
      frontotemporal links, which showed no alterations in AD patients. These
      functional connectivity alterations in bvFTD were replicated with a low-density
      EEG setting (20 electrodes). Moreover, while neuropsychological tests yielded
      acceptable discrimination between bvFTD and controls, the addition of
      connectivity results improved classification power. Finally, classification
      between bvFTD and AD patients was better when based on connectivity than on
      neuropsychological measures. Taken together, such findings underscore the
      relevance of EEG measures as potential biomarker signatures for clinical
      settings.

PMID- 28630491
TI  - Chronic high fat feeding restricts islet mRNA translation initiation
      independently of ER stress via DNA damage and p53 activation.
AB  - Under conditions of high fat diet (HFD) consumption, glucose dyshomeostasis
      develops when beta-cells are unable to adapt to peripheral insulin demands. Few
      studies have interrogated the molecular mechanisms of beta-cell dysfunction at
      the level of mRNA translation under such conditions. We sought to address this
      issue through polyribosome profile analysis of islets from mice fed 16-weeks of
      42% HFD. HFD-islet analysis revealed clear trends toward global reductions in
      mRNA translation with a significant reduction in the polyribosome/monoribosome
      ratio for Pdx1 mRNA. Transcriptional and translational analyses revealed
      endoplasmic reticulum stress was not the etiology of our findings. HFD-islets
      demonstrated evidence of oxidative stress and DNA damage, as well as activation
      of p53. Experiments in MIN-6 beta-cells revealed that treatment with doxorubicin
      to directly induce DNA damage mimicked our observed effects in islets. Islets
      from animals treated with pioglitazone concurrently with HFD demonstrated a
      reversal of effects observed from HFD alone. Finally, HFD-islets demonstrated
      reduced expression of multiple ribosome biogenesis genes and the key translation
      initiation factor eIF4E. We propose a heretofore unappreciated effect of chronic
      HFD on beta-cells, wherein continued DNA damage owing to persistent oxidative
      stress results in p53 activation and a resultant inhibition of mRNA translation.

PMID- 28630495
TI  - The solution plasma process for heteroatom-carbon nanosheets: the role of
      precursors.
AB  - The solution plasma process (SPP), known as non-equilibrium cold plasma at
      atmospheric pressure and room temperature, was used to investigate the synthesis
      of nitrogen-carbon nasnosheets (NCNs). To verify the effect of elementary
      composition and structure of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), various precursors
      were used in the SPP to synthesize NCNs via the bottom-up synthesis method for
      the first time. The NCNs were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, Raman
      spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Among the various precursors,
      SPP of 2-pyrrolidone was demonstrated to facilitate the formation of highly
      ordered NCNs. On the other hand, the SPP with cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone and
      pyrrole did not lead to the formation of carbon nanosheets. The results of this
      study would uncover new parameter fields for the growth of heteroatom-carbon
      nanosheets using this synthesis system. In addition, the study is expected to
      contribute toward research in improving the large-area growth and quality of two
      dimensional nanostructures, such as heteroatom-carbon nanosheets or graphene, for
      various applications in other synthesis methods.

PMID- 28630494
TI  - Structure-Guided Design of C4-alkyl-1,4-dihydro-2H-pyrimido[4,5-d][1,3]oxazin-2
      ones as Potent and Mutant-Selective Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)
      L858R/T790M Inhibitors.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M acquired drug-resistance mutation
      has become a major clinical challenge for the therapy of non-small cell lung
      cancer. Here, we applied a structure-guided approach on the basis of the previous
      reported EGFR inhibitor (compound 9), and designed a series of C4-alkyl-1,4
      dihydro-2H-pyrimido[4,5-d][1,3]oxazin-2-one derivatives as novel mutant-selective
      EGFR inhibitors. Finally, the most representative compound 20a was identified,
      which showed high selectivity at both enzymatic and cellular levels against
      EGFRL858R/T790M (H1975 cell lines) over EGFRWT (A431 cell lines). The
      representative compound 20a also showed promising antitumor efficiency in the in
      vivo antitumor efficacy study of H1975 xenograft mouse model driven by
      EGFRL858R/T790M. These results provide a new scaffold for the treatment of dual
      mutant-driven non-small cell lung cancer.

PMID- 28630496
TI  - Analytical solutions of the radiative transport equation for turbid and
      fluorescent layered media.
AB  - Accurate and efficient solutions of the three dimensional radiative transport
      equation were derived in all domains for the case of layered scattering media.
      Index mismatched boundary conditions based on Fresnel's equations were
      implemented. Arbitrary rotationally symmetric phase functions can be applied to
      characterize the scattering in the turbid media. Solutions were derived for an
      obliquely incident beam having arbitrary spatial profiles. The derived solutions
      were successfully validated with Monte Carlo simulations and partly compared with
      analytical solutions of the diffusion equation.

PMID- 28630498
TI  - Minimal control power of controlled dense coding and genuine tripartite
      entanglement.
AB  - We investigate minimal control power (MCP) for controlled dense coding defined by
      the channel capacity. We obtain MCPs for extended three-qubit Greenberger-Horne
      Zeilinger (GHZ) states and generalized three-qubit W states. Among those GHZ
      states, the standard GHZ state is found to maximize the MCP and so does the
      standard W state among the W-type states. We find the lower and upper bounds of
      the MCP and show for pure states that the lower bound, zero, is achieved if and
      only if the three-qubit state is biseparable or fully separable. The upper bound
      is achieved only for the standard GHZ state. Since the MCP is nonzero only when
      three-qubit entanglement exists, this quantity may be a good candidate to measure
      the degree of genuine tripartite entanglement.

PMID- 28630497
TI  - Chronic treatment with a smart antioxidative nanoparticle for inhibition of
      amyloid plaque propagation in Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The present study aimed to assess whether our newly developed redox nanoparticle
      (RNPN) that has antioxidant potential decreases Abeta levels or prevents Abeta
      aggregation associated with oxidative stress. The transgenic Tg2576 Alzheimer's
      disease (AD) mice were used to investigate the effect of chronic ad libitum
      drinking of RNPN solution for 6 months, including memory and learning functions,
      antioxidant activity, and amyloid plaque aggregation. The results showed that
      RNPN-treated mice had significantly attenuated cognitive deficits of both spatial
      and non-spatial memories, reduced oxidative stress of lipid peroxide, and DNA
      oxidation. RNPN treatment increased the percent inhibition of superoxide anion
      and glutathione peroxidase activity, neuronal densities in the cortex and
      hippocampus, decreased Abeta(1-40), Abeta(1-42) and gamma (gamma)-secretase
      levels, and reduced Abeta plaque observed using immunohistochemistry analysis and
      thioflavin S staining. Our results suggest that RNPN may be a promising candidate
      for AD therapy because of its antioxidant properties and reduction in Abeta
      aggregation, thereby suppressing its adverse side effect.

PMID- 28630499
TI  - Spatio-temporal analysis of coding and long noncoding transcripts during maize
      endosperm development.
AB  - The maize endosperm consists of three major compartmentalized cell types: the
      starchy endosperm (SE), the basal endosperm transfer cell layer (BETL), and the
      aleurone cell layer (AL). Differential genetic programs are activated in each
      cell type to construct functionally and structurally distinct cells. To compare
      gene expression patterns involved in maize endosperm cell differentiation, we
      isolated transcripts from cryo-dissected endosperm specimens enriched with BETL,
      AL, or SE at 8, 12, and 16 days after pollination (DAP). We performed
      transcriptome profiling of coding and long noncoding transcripts in the three
      cell types during differentiation and identified clusters of the transcripts
      exhibiting spatio-temporal specificities. Our analysis uncovered that the BETL at
      12 DAP undergoes the most dynamic transcriptional regulation for both coding and
      long noncoding transcripts. In addition, our transcriptome analysis revealed
      spatio-temporal regulatory networks of transcription factors, imprinted genes,
      and loci marked with histone H3 trimethylated at lysine 27. Our study suggests
      that various regulatory mechanisms contribute to the genetic networks specific to
      the functions and structures of the cell types of the endosperm.

PMID- 28630500
TI  - Hyperuricemia and overexcretion of uric acid increase the risk of simple renal
      cysts in type 2 diabetes.
AB  - Previous studies have discussed the relationship between simple renal cysts (SRC)
      and serum uric acid level in healthy individuals. We performed a cross-sectional
      study to evaluate the association between serum uric acid level and fractional
      excretion of uric acid (FEUA) and simple renal cysts in males and postmenopausal
      females with type 2 diabetes. The overall prevalence of SRC was 18.1% in our
      population. SRC prevalence was significantly higher in hyperuricemic than
      normouricemic subjects (27.3% vs. 16.8%, P < 0.001). Subjects who overexcreted
      uric acid had a higher prevalence of SRC than underexcretors (total population:
      21.6% vs. 16.3%; normouricemic subjects: 19.8% vs. 13.7%; hyperuricemic subjects:
      50.0% vs. 22.7%, all P-values < 0.05). Hyperuricemia (odds ratio [OR] 1.824, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 1.332-2.498, P < 0.001); FEUA (OR 1.046, 95% CI 1.002
      1.091, P < 0.05); male gender (OR 1.922, 95% CI 1.489-2.480, P < 0.001); age (OR
      1.049, 95% CI 1.035-1.064, P < 0.001); and albuminuria (OR 1.492, 95% CI 1.176
      1.892, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for SRC development. These
      findings suggested that hyperuricemia and high level of FEUA were both
      independent risk factors for SRC development in males and postmenopausal females
      with type 2 diabetes. Half of overproduction hyperuricemic patients had SRC.

PMID- 28630502
TI  - The Selfie Generation and Pharmacy Education.

PMID- 28630501
TI  - IFN-lambda4 potently blocks IFN-alpha signalling by ISG15 and USP18 in hepatitis
      C virus infection.
AB  - Genetic polymorphisms in IFNL4 have been shown to predict responses to IFN-alpha
      based therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. The IFNL4-DeltaG
      genotype, which encodes functional IFN-lambda4 protein, is associated with a poor
      treatment response. In the present study, we investigated the induction and
      biological effects of IFN-lambda4 in HCV-infected hepatocytes and their
      association with responsiveness to IFN-alpha. We also studied the effects of
      direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment on IFN-lambda4 expression and IFN-alpha
      responsiveness. HCV infection induced IFN-lambda4 expression at mRNA and protein
      levels in primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). In hepatoma cells, IFNL4 gene
      transfection or recombinant IFN-lambda4 protein treatment robustly increased the
      protein levels of ISG15 and USP18 in an IFNLR1-dependent manner and potently
      blocked IFN-alpha signalling. The ISG15/USP18-mediated IFN-alpha unresponsiveness
      was demonstrated by transfection of siRNAs targeting ISG15 and/or USP18. This
      potent IFN-lambda4 effect was related to prolonged ISG expression after IFNL4
      gene transfection. DAA treatment of HCV-infected PHHs reduced the expression of
      IFN-lambdas, including IFN-lambda4, and restored IFN-alpha responsiveness. These
      results demonstrate that virus-induced IFN-lambda4 potently blocks IFN-alpha
      signalling by inducing high protein levels of ISG15 and USP18. Moreover, the data
      clearly demonstrate that DAA therapy restores IFN-alpha responsiveness in HCV
      infected cells.

PMID- 28630503
TI  - The Pharmacists' Patient Care Process and More.

PMID- 28630504
TI  - Academic Pharmacy: Where is Our Influence?
AB  - Objective. To evaluate the talents of fellows from cohorts 1-10 of the Academic
      Leadership Fellows Program (ALFP). Methods. This was a descriptive analysis of
      previously collected ALFP cohort data reflecting the talents using the Clifton
      StrengthsFinder assessment tool. Data consisted of 295 fellows from the first 10
      years of the ALFP program. The Clifton StrengthsFinder talents were aggregated
      and analyzed to determine talents (strengths) distribution and domain. The
      aggregate of the four domains were compared among ALFP fellows using a chi-square
      analysis with an a priori alpha of .05. Results. Lowest frequency of talents was
      found in the influencing domain (11.2%), while the domains with the largest
      frequency of talents were strategic thinking (34.4%) and executing (31.1%). When
      looking at the specific talents within the domains among the ALFP fellows,
      achiever (in the executing domain) and learner (in the strategic thinking domain)
      were the most frequent talents, while command (in the influencing domain) and
      adaptability (in the relationship building domain) were the least frequent
      talents. Conclusions. Since the profession is deficient in the influencing and
      relationship building domains (command and adaptability talents, respectively),
      this could help explain our slow progress in moving the profession from a product
      focused role to a provider-based role. Perhaps the profession should be using a
      strategy better aligned with our signature leadership domains of executing and
      strategic thinking and focus on being a member of the health care team by
      aligning with team-based care rather than obtaining provider status.

PMID- 28630505
TI  - Analytical Evaluation of the Accuracy and Retention of Compounding Skills Among
      PharmD Students.
AB  - Objective. To evaluate the accuracy and retention of compounding skills among
      students using analytical testing. Methods. Students compounded acetaminophen
      capsules from the same prescription at three time points (Exercise 1, 2, 3). The
      compounded products were analyzed (by HPLC) for acetaminophen content and the
      students' written reports were evaluated for accuracy of calculations and
      labeling. Results. During Exercise 1, 57.8% of the compounded capsule products
      were within the acceptable range, 92.2% during Exercise 2 and 75% during Exercise
      3. The largest range in acetaminophen content was observed during Exercise 3
      (76.08% to 135.2%) mainly due to calculation errors. Conclusion. While most
      students readily develop compounding skills during regular laboratory coursework,
      long-term competency depends on constant exposure to compounding activities and
      the retention of calculation skills.

PMID- 28630506
TI  - Development of an Instrument to Measure Pharmacy Student Attitudes Toward Social
      Media Professionalism.
AB  - Objectives. To develop and validate a scale measuring pharmacy students'
      attitudes toward social media professionalism, and assess the impact of an
      educational presentation on social media professionalism. Methods. A social media
      professionalism scale was used in a pre- and post-survey to determine the effects
      of a social media professionalism presentation. The 26-item scale was
      administered to 197 first-year pharmacy (P1) students during orientation.
      Exploratory factor analysis was applied to determine the number of underlying
      factors responsible for covariation of the data. Principal components analysis
      was used as the extraction method. Varimax was selected as the rotation method.
      Cronbach's alpha was estimated. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare pre
      and post-scores of each item, subscale, and total scale. Results. There were 187
      (95%) students who participated. The final scale had five subscales and 15 items.
      Subscales were named according to the professionalism tenet they best
      represented. Scores of items addressing reading/posting to social media during
      class, an employer's use of social media when making hiring decisions, and a
      college/university's use of social media as a measure of professional conduct
      significantly increased from pre-test to post-test. The "honesty and integrity"
      subscale score also significantly increased. Conclusion. The social media
      professionalism scale measures five tenets of professionalism and exhibits
      satisfactory reliability. The presentation improved P1 students' attitudes
      regarding social media professionalism.

PMID- 28630507
TI  - Analysis of the Student Experience in an Attending Pharmacist Model General
      Medicine Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience.
AB  - Objective. To characterize and determine the quality of the student experience in
      an attending pharmacist model (APM). Methods. In-depth interviews were conducted
      with students completing an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) at two
      general medicine services using the APM over a 2-year time period. Quantitative
      information about student learning and interprofessional interactions were
      extracted from student evaluations of the site. Data from the mixed model were
      analyzed to identify strengths of the APM and areas needing improvement. Results.
      Strengths of the APM included positive student interaction with the pharmacy
      resident and more students reporting full integration in and accountability to
      the interprofessional team for patient outcomes compared to students in non
      teaching models. A few students at one site reported a need for greater
      delineation of expectations, more initial support from preceptors, and initial
      responsibility for fewer patients. These factors were modified before the second
      APM year and subsequent reports from students at this site were uniformly
      positive. Students at the second site did not note areas needing improvement. The
      APM increased student capacity at both sites. Conclusion. The attending
      pharmacist model provided a high quality learning experience for students,
      particularly with regard to integration into and accountability for patient
      outcomes to the interprofessional team. Qualitative research methods enabled
      precise detection of areas needing improvement at one site and confirmed that
      changes made at that site improved the student experience.

PMID- 28630508
TI  - Relationship Between Grit with Academic Performance and Attainment of
      Postgraduate Training in Pharmacy Students.
AB  - Objective. To determine if Grit-S scores correlate with academic success in a
      doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program, as well as the pursuit and attainment of
      pharmacy postgraduate (residency or fellowship) training. Methods. A 28-item
      survey was administered to third- and fourth-year (P3 and P4) pharmacy students.
      Variables queried included Grit-S score, demographics, pharmacy experience prior
      to the PharmD program, and factors that may affect academic performance during
      didactic coursework. Didactic coursework GPA was used as a surrogate for academic
      success. Information about pursuit and attainment of a postgraduate training
      position was also documented and used in the analyses. Results. There was no
      significant correlation between Grit-S scores and variables related to academic
      success. However, students were more likely to pursue postgraduate training with
      higher academic success and higher Grit-S. Lastly, students with higher Grit-S
      were also more likely to obtain a postgraduate training position. Conclusion.
      Grit-S scores correlated with the pursuit and successful attainment of
      postgraduate training, but not with academic success during the didactic years of
      a PharmD program.

PMID- 28630509
TI  - Peer Evaluation Instrument Development, Administration, and Assessment in a Team
      based Learning Curriculum.
AB  - Objective. To design and implement an instrument capable of providing students
      with valuable peer feedback on team behaviors and to provide results of the
      administration of the instrument. Methods. A three-part instrument was designed
      that requires teammate rankings with justification on attributes aligned with
      school outcomes and team functioning, reporting of student behaviors, and
      provision of feedback on the value of peer contributions to their team. Score
      results after three years of administration were analyzed. Results. Six
      evaluations per year were completed by members of four different professional
      classes over a three-year time period. Mean scores increased slightly as students
      progressed through the program. Students were able to differentially score peers
      on attributes and behaviors. Conclusion. The peer evaluation instrument presented
      here provides formative and summative feedback through qualitative and
      quantitative scores that allow students to acknowledge differential contributions
      of individual team members.

PMID- 28630510
TI  - Current Practices of Awarding Graduation Honors within Doctor of Pharmacy Degree
      Programs.
AB  - Objective. To survey the practices of awarding honors upon graduation with a
      doctor of pharmacy degree. Methods. College and school of pharmacy websites were
      systematically searched to identify if, and then how, graduation honors are
      awarded. Programs that offer graduation honors were categorized and quantified
      based upon grade point average (GPA) cutoffs, honors enrollment, research project
      completion, faculty vote, course failure considerations, and ethics code
      violations. Results. Of the 132 doctor of pharmacy programs reviewed, 86% (n=114)
      had accessible online resources and were included in data analysis. Of these 114
      programs, 43% (n=49) award honors upon graduation, and 57% (n=65) do not. Among
      the 49 programs that award honors, 30 award the Latin honors. Of the remaining 19
      programs, 18 award alternative graduation honors, and one awards both.
      Conclusions. Latin honors are the most common form of graduation honors utilized
      by doctor of pharmacy programs that award honors upon graduation. There is a
      variety of GPA cutoffs utilized across programs.

PMID- 28630511
TI  - Comparison of Pharmaceutical Calculations Learning Outcomes Achieved Within a
      Traditional Lecture or Flipped Classroom Andragogy.
AB  - Objective. To compare learning outcomes achieved from a pharmaceutical
      calculations course taught in a traditional lecture (lecture model) and a flipped
      classroom (flipped model). Methods. Students were randomly assigned to the
      lecture model and the flipped model. Course instructors, content, assessments,
      and instructional time for both models were equivalent. Overall group performance
      and pass rates on a standardized assessment (Pcalc OSCE) were compared at six
      weeks and at six months post-course completion. Results. Student mean exam scores
      in the flipped model were higher than those in the lecture model at six weeks and
      six months later. Significantly more students passed the OSCE the first time in
      the flipped model at six weeks; however, this effect was not maintained at six
      months. Conclusion. Within a 6 week course of study, use of a flipped classroom
      improves student pharmacy calculation skill achievement relative to a traditional
      lecture andragogy. Further study is needed to determine if the effect is
      maintained over time.

PMID- 28630512
TI  - Attitudes and Perceptions of Dual PharmD/MBA Degree Program Students.
AB  - Objectives. To understand pharmacy students' reasons for pursuing a dual
      PharmD/MBA degree and their perceptions of the impact a dual degree will have on
      their careers. Methods. This was a cross-sectional survey of registered students
      in the University at Buffalo PharmD/MBA program. An electronic survey was
      developed through collaboration with the UB School of Management and administered
      in January 2015. Results. A total of 23/24 (96% response rate) students who were
      enrolled in the PharmD/MBA curriculum responded to the survey. Respondents
      identified employment opportunities following graduation and career advancement
      as the most influential determinants in deciding to pursue an MBA degree. All
      respondents (100%) felt the job marketplace for pharmacy graduates is becoming
      increasingly difficult, 96% believe they will earn a higher midpoint salary with
      a PharmD/MBA, and 82% would recommend a PharmD/MBA to first year pharmacy
      students. Conclusion. Students are increasingly perceptive of the challenges in
      the current job marketplace and are taking advantage of a dual PharmD/MBA degree.

PMID- 28630513
TI  - Career Progression of the Pharmacy/MBA Professional: Characterization and
      Perceptions of the Combined Degree.
AB  - Objectives. To characterize pharmacy/MBA professionals during their entry-level
      and current positions and to describe their attitudes and perceptions toward
      their combined degree. Methods. A cross-sectional survey of University at Buffalo
      (UB) alumni who obtained both pharmacy and MBA degrees was used. An electronic
      survey was developed through collaboration with the UB School of Management and
      administered in winter 2015. Results. A total of 68/115 (59% response rate)
      pharmacy/MBA professionals responded to the survey. Post-graduate training was
      completed by 24% of respondents, and most commonly it was a residency program.
      After adjusting for inflation to 2014 dollars, the median entry-level salary for
      pharmacy/MBA professionals was $140,123 (mean = $144,327) and this increased to
      $179,947 (mean = $205,623) for those in their current position. Practice settings
      for entry-level professionals included pharmaceutical industry (25%) and chain
      pharmacies (18%). Most respondents believed that a combined degree helped in
      career advancement (85%) and made them more competitive in the job market (90%).
      Conclusion. Pharmacy/MBA professionals are well-compensated, work in a wide-range
      of professional settings, and have a high-level of satisfaction with their
      combined degree.

PMID- 28630514
TI  - Editors' Perspectives on Enhancing Manuscript Quality and Editorial Decisions
      Through Peer Review and Reviewer Development.
AB  - Objectives. To identify peer reviewer and peer review characteristics that
      enhance manuscript quality and editorial decisions, and to identify valuable
      elements of peer reviewer training programs. Methods. A three-school, 15-year
      review of pharmacy practice and pharmacy administration faculty's publications
      was conducted to identify high-publication volume journals for inclusion. Editors
      in-chief identified all editors managing manuscripts for participation. A three
      round modified Delphi process was used. Rounds advanced from open-ended questions
      regarding actions and attributes of good reviewers to consensus-seeking and
      clarifying questions related to quality, importance, value, and priority.
      Results. Nineteen editors representing eight pharmacy journals participated.
      Three characteristics of reviews were rated required or helpful in enhancing
      manuscript quality by all respondents: includes a critical analysis of the
      manuscript (88% required, 12% helpful), includes feedback that contains both
      strengths and areas of improvement (53% required, 47% helpful), and speaks to the
      manuscript's utility in the literature (41% required, 59% helpful). Hands-on
      experience with review activities (88%) and exposure to good and bad reviews
      (88%) were identified as very valuable to peer reviewer development. Conclusion.
      Reviewers, individuals involved in faculty development, and journals should work
      to assist new reviewers in defining focused areas of expertise, building
      knowledge in these areas, and developing critical analysis skills.

PMID- 28630515
TI  - Emotional Intelligence and its Effect on Pharmacists and Pharmacy Students with
      Autistic-like Traits.
AB  - Objective. To measure whether Emotional intelligence (EI) would minimize the
      negative association between autistic-like traits (ALT) and empathic behavior and
      enhance the positive association between ALT and psychological distress. Methods.
      Our sample population included 823 hospital pharmacists belonging to a district
      society, and 378 pharmacy students. Analyses were performed to examine
      relationships between scores on the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EQS), Autism
      Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE), and General Health
      Questionnaire-12 (GHQ). Results. Complete answers were obtained from 373
      pharmacists, and 341 students. EQS partially intervened the associations between
      AQ and JSE and between AQ and GHQ. Conclusion. EI partially intervened the
      relationships between ALT and empathy, and between ALT and mental health, both of
      which are necessary for optimal pharmaceutical practice.

PMID- 28630516
TI  - Assessment of Burnout and Associated Risk Factors Among Pharmacy Practice Faculty
      in the United States.
AB  - Objectives. To measure the level of burnout among pharmacy practice faculty
      members at US colleges and schools of pharmacy and to identify factors associated
      with burnout. Methods. Using a cross-sectional, electronic, anonymous survey
      design, we measured faculty burnout (n=2318) at US colleges and schools of
      pharmacy using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES), which
      measures burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and
      personal accomplishment. We assessed MBI-ES scores, demographics and possible
      predictors of burnout. Results. The response rate was 32.7% (n=758). Emotional
      exhaustion was identified in 41.3% and was higher in women, assistant professors,
      and those without a hobby. Participants without a mentor had higher scores of
      depersonalization. Those with children ages 1-12 years had higher emotional
      exhaustion and depersonalization compared to those with older children.
      Conclusion. Pharmacy practice faculty members at US colleges and schools of
      pharmacy are suffering from burnout, exhibited mainly through emotional
      exhaustion.

PMID- 28630517
TI  - Enhancing Student Communication Skills Through Arabic Language Competency and
      Simulated Patient Assessments.
AB  - Objective. To assess student communication and patient management skill with
      introduction of Arabic and use of simulated patient assessments to a
      communication and counseling course. Design. Five, 3-hour tutorials (clinical
      skill laboratory) were added to the course covering: listening and empathic
      responding, non-verbal communications, interviewing skills, assertiveness,
      counseling in special situations: conflict, anger, worry or rushed situations,
      and professional decision making. Arabic content was introduced to the course to
      enhance Arabic communications and competence among students. Simulated patient
      assessment was used to evaluate student skills. Students' feedback about course
      changes was evaluated. Assessment. The course now covers a wider content and
      Arabic language. Students' scores were similar in the assessment and other
      assessments within the course and between Arabic and English groups. Students
      favorably rated the changes in the course and provided constructive feedback on
      content usefulness and adequacy. Conclusion. Expanding the course to include
      Arabic language and content and simulated patient assessments enhanced student
      communication skills.

PMID- 28630518
TI  - A Call for an Integrated Program of Assessment.
AB  - An integrated curriculum that does not incorporate equally integrated assessment
      strategies is likely to prove ineffective in achieving the desired educational
      outcomes. We suggest it is time for colleges and schools of pharmacy to re
      engineer their approach to assessment. To build the case, we first discuss the
      challenges leading to the need for curricular developments in pharmacy education.
      We then turn to the literature that informs how assessment can influence
      learning, introduce an approach to learning assessment that is being used by
      several medical education programs, and provide some examples of this approach in
      operation. Finally, we identify some of the challenges faced in adopting such an
      integrated approach to assessment and suggest that this is an area ripe with
      research opportunities for pharmacy educators.

PMID- 28630519
TI  - Strategies for Improving Learner Metacognition in Health Professional Education.
AB  - Metacognition is an essential skill in critical thinking and self-regulated,
      lifelong learning. It is important for learners to have skills in metacognition
      because they are used to monitor and regulate reasoning, comprehension, and
      problem-solving, which are fundamental components/outcomes of pharmacy curricula.
      Instructors can help learners develop metacognitive skills within the classroom
      and experiential setting by carefully designing learning activities within
      courses and the curriculum. These skills are developed through intentional
      questioning, modeling techniques, and reflection. This article discusses key
      background literature on metacognition and identifies specific methods and
      strategies to develop learners' metacognitive skills in both the classroom and
      experiential settings.

PMID- 28630520
TI  - A Plea for Psychometric Rigor.

PMID- 28630521
TI  - Response to a Plea for Psychometric Rigor.

PMID- 28630522
TI  - Report of the Journal Editor.

PMID- 28630523
TI  - On pattern matching with k mismatches and few don't cares.
AB  - We consider the problem of pattern matching with k mismatches, where there can be
      don't care or wild card characters in the pattern. Specifically, given a pattern
      P of length m and a text T of length n, we want to find all occurrences of P in T
      that have no more than k mismatches. The pattern can have don't care characters,
      which match any character. Without don't cares, the best known algorithm for
      pattern matching with k mismatches has a runtime of [Formula: see text]. With
      don't cares in the pattern, the best deterministic algorithm has a runtime of
      O(nk polylog m). Therefore, there is an important gap between the versions with
      and without don't cares. In this paper we give an algorithm whose runtime
      increases with the number of don't cares. We define an island to be a maximal
      length substring of P that does not contain don't cares. Let q be the number of
      islands in P. We present an algorithm that runs in [Formula: see text] time. If
      the number of islands q is O(k) this runtime becomes [Formula: see text], which
      essentially matches the best known runtime for pattern matching with k mismatches
      without don't cares. If the number of islands q is O(k2), this algorithm is
      asymptotically faster than the previous best algorithm for pattern matching with
      k mismatches with don't cares in the pattern.

PMID- 28630524
TI  - A martingale analysis of first passage times of time-dependent Wiener diffusion
      models.
AB  - Research in psychology and neuroscience has successfully modeled decision making
      as a process of noisy evidence accumulation to a decision bound. While there are
      several variants and implementations of this idea, the majority of these models
      make use of a noisy accumulation between two absorbing boundaries. A common
      assumption of these models is that decision parameters, e.g., the rate of
      accumulation (drift rate), remain fixed over the course of a decision, allowing
      the derivation of analytic formulas for the probabilities of hitting the upper or
      lower decision threshold, and the mean decision time. There is reason to believe,
      however, that many types of behavior would be better described by a model in
      which the parameters were allowed to vary over the course of the decision
      process. In this paper, we use martingale theory to derive formulas for the mean
      decision time, hitting probabilities, and first passage time (FPT) densities of a
      Wiener process with time-varying drift between two time-varying absorbing
      boundaries. This model was first studied by Ratcliff (1980) in the two-stage
      form, and here we consider the same model for an arbitrary number of stages (i.e.
      intervals of time during which parameters are constant). Our calculations enable
      direct computation of mean decision times and hitting probabilities for the
      associated multistage process. We also provide a review of how martingale theory
      may be used to analyze similar models employing Wiener processes by re-deriving
      some classical results. In concert with a variety of numerical tools already
      available, the current derivations should encourage mathematical analysis of more
      complex models of decision making with time-varying evidence.

PMID- 28630525
TI  - A Bayesian adaptive design for clinical trials in rare diseases.
AB  - Development of treatments for rare diseases is challenging due to the limited
      number of patients available for participation. Learning about treatment
      effectiveness with a view to treat patients in the larger outside population, as
      in the traditional fixed randomised design, may not be a plausible goal. An
      alternative goal is to treat the patients within the trial as effectively as
      possible. Using the framework of finite-horizon Markov decision processes and
      dynamic programming (DP), a novel randomised response-adaptive design is proposed
      which maximises the total number of patient successes in the trial and penalises
      if a minimum number of patients are not recruited to each treatment arm. Several
      performance measures of the proposed design are evaluated and compared to
      alternative designs through extensive simulation studies using a recently
      published trial as motivation. For simplicity, a two-armed trial with binary
      endpoints and immediate responses is considered. Simulation results for the
      proposed design show that: (i) the percentage of patients allocated to the
      superior arm is much higher than in the traditional fixed randomised design; (ii)
      relative to the optimal DP design, the power is largely improved upon and (iii)
      it exhibits only a very small bias and mean squared error of the treatment effect
      estimator. Furthermore, this design is fully randomised which is an advantage
      from a practical point of view because it protects the trial against various
      sources of bias. As such, the proposed design addresses some of the key issues
      that have been suggested as preventing so-called bandit models from being
      implemented in clinical practice.

PMID- 28630526
TI  - Discriminating Value of Calprotectin in Disease Activity and Progression of
      Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis.
AB  - It has been controversial whether ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and nonradiographic
      axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) are separate or different phases of
      radiographic progression. We determined that serum calprotectin level (ng/ml) was
      higher in AS (15.30 +/- 6.49) and nr-axSpA (17.76 +/- 8.59) patients than in
      healthy individuals (7.40 +/- 2.67). No difference was observed in calprotectin
      level between these two groups. Elevated calprotectin was positively correlated
      with ESR, CRP, BASDAI, and ASDAS as well as SPARCC scoring and had no correlation
      with BASFI and mSASSS. No correlation was observed between calprotectin and
      Wnt/beta-catenin pathway markers. Serum calprotectin can be used as a marker for
      inflammation in both nr-axSpA and AS, while it does not contribute to the
      discrimination of AS and nr-axSpA. Calprotectin-mediated inflammation was not
      correlated with principle effectors of Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, indicating that
      inflammation and bone fusion might be separate processes of the disease.

PMID- 28630528
TI  - Description and Evaluation of a Measurement Technique for Assessment of
      Performing Gender.
AB  - The influence of masculinity and femininity on behaviors and outcomes has been
      extensively studied in social science research using various measurement
      strategies. In the present paper, we describe and evaluate a measurement
      technique that uses existing survey items to capture the extent to which an
      individual behaves similarly to their same-gender peers. We use data from the
      first four waves of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health
      (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents (age 12-18) in
      the United States who were re-interviewed at ages 13-19, 18-26, and 24-32. We
      estimate split-half reliability and provide evidence that supports the validity
      of this measurement technique. We demonstrate that the resulting measure does not
      perform as a trait measure and is associated with involvement in violent fights,
      a pattern consistent with theory and empirical findings. This measurement
      technique represents a novel approach for gender researchers with the potential
      for expanding our current knowledge base.

PMID- 28630527
TI  - A Promising Approach to Integrally Evaluate the Disease Outcome of Cerebral
      Ischemic Rats Based on Multiple-Biomarker Crosstalk.
AB  - PURPOSE: The study was designed to evaluate the disease outcome based on multiple
      biomarkers related to cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into
      sham, permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion, and edaravone-treated groups.
      Cerebral ischemia was induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion
      surgery in rats. To form a simplified crosstalk network, the related multiple
      biomarkers were chosen as S100beta, HIF-1alpha, IL-1beta, PGI2, TXA2, and GSH-Px.
      The levels or activities of these biomarkers in plasma were detected before and
      after ischemia. Concurrently, neurological deficit scores and cerebral infarct
      volumes were assessed. Based on a mathematic model, network balance maps and
      three integral disruption parameters (k, phi, and u) of the simplified crosstalk
      network were achieved. RESULTS: The levels or activities of the related
      biomarkers and neurological deficit scores were significantly impacted by
      cerebral ischemia. The balance maps intuitively displayed the network disruption,
      and the integral disruption parameters quantitatively depicted the disruption
      state of the simplified network after cerebral ischemia. The integral disruption
      parameter u values correlated significantly with neurological deficit scores and
      infarct volumes. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the approach based on
      crosstalk network may provide a new promising way to integrally evaluate the
      outcome of cerebral ischemia.

PMID- 28630529
TI  - Effect of cyto/chemokine degradation in effective intercellular communication
      distances.
AB  - Many complex biological processes such as cell differentiation, cell
      proliferation, and cell motility are governed by cell signaling. This mode of
      intercellular communication is of paramount importance for tissue function and
      ultimately for entire organism. In intercellular communication cells secrete
      signaling molecules such as cyto/chemokines which diffuse through the surrounding
      medium and eventually bind to receptors on other cells whereby the signal
      transduction is completed. An accurate estimation of the effective communication
      distances and the time scale on which signaling takes place are important for the
      interpretation of cell and organ physiology and ultimately in the effective and
      efficient chemotactically driven tissue engineering. The present study uses a
      solitary cell model incorporating degradation of secreted molecules to estimate
      the effective communication distances and the time scale on which signaling takes
      place. We demonstrate through our model that in presence of degradation the
      effective communication distances are significantly reduced.

PMID- 28630531
TI  - Rates of Subthreshold PTSD Among U.S. Military Veterans and Service Members: A
      Literature Review.

PMID- 28630532
TI  - First Impressions From Faces.
AB  - Although cultural wisdom warns 'don't judge a book by its cover,' we seem unable
      to inhibit this tendency even though it can produce inaccurate impressions of
      people's psychological traits and has significant social consequences. One
      explanation for this paradox is that first impressions of faces overgeneralize
      our adaptive impressions of categories of people that those faces resemble
      (including babies, familiar or unfamiliar people, unfit people, emotional
      people). Research testing these 'overgeneralization' hypotheses elucidates why we
      form first impressions from faces, what impressions we form, and what cues
      influence these impressions. This article focuses on commonalities in impressions
      across diverse perceivers. However, brief attention is given to individual
      differences in impressions and impression accuracy.

PMID- 28630530
TI  - Gas-phase broadband spectroscopy using active sources: progress, status, and
      applications.
AB  - Broadband spectroscopy is an invaluable tool for measuring multiple gas-phase
      species simultaneously. In this work we review basic techniques, implementations,
      and current applications for broadband spectroscopy. We discuss components of
      broad-band spectroscopy including light sources, absorption cells, and detection
      methods and then discuss specific combinations of these components in commonly
      used techniques. We finish this review by discussing potential future advances in
      techniques and applications of broad-band spectroscopy.

PMID- 28630533
TI  - Smoke screen? The globalization of production, transnational lobbying and the
      international political economy of plain tobacco packaging.
AB  - In 2012 Australia became the first country in the world to introduce plain
      tobacco packaging in an effort to reduce tobacco consumption. This move was
      vehemently opposed by the tobacco industry, which challenged it on several
      levels: nationally, bilaterally and multilaterally at the World Trade
      Organization (WTO). The political behavior of the tobacco companies in this case
      is puzzling both in terms of scale, operating at multiple levels at the same time
      and in terms of the countries mobilized in their defence. WTO litigation is
      typically the result of Multi National Enterprises (MNEs) lobbying their own
      government, but here third countries were mobilized. Lobbying in third country
      contexts, with the objective of accessing multilateral dispute settlement
      systems, has been little studied. We thus know very little about the driving
      factors behind such activities, how target governments are selected and what
      lobbying strategies are used. This paper draws on emerging research on
      transnational lobbying and a case study of the PP case to explore these issues in
      detail and, by doing so, aims to further our theoretical understanding of the
      political economy of international trade in the context of increasing regime
      complexity and globalization of production.

PMID- 28630535
TI  - Tests for stochastic ordering under biased sampling.
AB  - In two-sample comparison problems it is often of interest to examine whether one
      distribution function majorizes the other, i.e., for the presence of stochastic
      ordering. This paper develops a nonparametric test for stochastic ordering from
      size-biased data, allowing the pattern of the size bias to differ between the two
      samples. The test is formulated in terms of a maximally-selected local empirical
      likelihood statistic. A Gaussian multiplier bootstrap is devised to calibrate the
      test. Simulation results show that the proposed test outperforms an analogous
      Wald-type test, and that it provides substantially greater power over ignoring
      the size bias. The approach is illustrated using data on blood alcohol
      concentration of drivers involved in car accidents, where the size bias is due to
      drunker drivers being more likely to be involved in accidents. Further, younger
      drivers tend to be more affected by alcohol, so in making comparisons with older
      drivers the analysis is adjusted for differences in the patterns of size bias.

PMID- 28630536
TI  - Effects of filament size on critical current density in overpressure processed Bi
      2212 round wire.
AB  - Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox (Bi-2212) conductor is the only high temperature superconductor
      manufactured as a round wire and is a very promising conductor for very high
      field applications. One of the key design parameters of Bi-2212 wire is its
      filament size, which has been previously reported to affect the critical current
      density (Jc ) and ac losses. Work with 1 bar heat treatment showed that the
      optimal filament diameter was about 15 MUm but it was not well understood at that
      time that gas bubbles were the main current limiting mechanism. Here we
      investigated a recent Bi-2212 wire with a 121*18 filament architecture with
      varying wire diameter (1.0 to 1.5 mm) using 50 bar overpressure processing. This
      wire is part of a 1.2 km piece length of 1.0 mm diameter made by Oxford
      Superconducting Technology. We found that Jc is independent of the filament size
      in the range from 9 to 14 MUm, although the n value increased with increasing
      filament size. A new record Jc (4.2 K, 15 T) of 4200 A/mm2 and JE (4.2 K, 15 T)
      of 830 A/mm2 were achieved.

PMID- 28630534
TI  - Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of
      Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors' Network.
AB  - The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides
      recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of
      biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical
      requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical
      aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials,
      conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship- emphasizing
      the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed. Last
      year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was
      launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing
      awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the
      Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology.

PMID- 28630537
TI  - Narratives of Essentialism and Exceptionalism: The Challenges and Possibilities
      of Using Human Rights to Improve Access to Safe Abortion.

PMID- 28630538
TI  - Abortion Law and Policy Around the World: In Search of Decriminalization.
AB  - The aim of this paper is to provide a panoramic view of laws and policies on
      abortion around the world, giving a range of country-based examples. It shows
      that the plethora of convoluted laws and restrictions surrounding abortion do not
      make any legal or public health sense. What makes abortion safe is simple and
      irrefutable-when it is available on the woman's request and is universally
      affordable and accessible. From this perspective, few existing laws are fit for
      purpose. However, the road to law reform is long and difficult. In order to
      achieve the right to safe abortion, advocates will need to study the political,
      health system, legal, juridical, and socio-cultural realities surrounding
      existing law and policy in their countries, and decide what kind of law they want
      (if any). The biggest challenge is to determine what is possible to achieve,
      build a critical mass of support, and work together with legal experts,
      parliamentarians, health professionals, and women themselves to change the law-so
      that everyone with an unwanted pregnancy who seeks an abortion can have it, as
      early as possible and as late as necessary.

PMID- 28630539
TI  - Theorizing Time in Abortion Law and Human Rights.
AB  - The legal regulation of abortion by gestational age, or length of pregnancy, is a
      relatively undertheorized dimension of abortion and human rights. Yet struggles
      over time in abortion law, and its competing representations and meanings, are
      ultimately struggles over ethical and political values, authority and power, the
      very stakes that human rights on abortion engage. This article focuses on three
      struggles over time in abortion and human rights law: those related to morality,
      health, and justice. With respect to morality, the article concludes that
      collective faith and trust should be placed in the moral judgment of those most
      affected by the passage of time in pregnancy and by later abortion-pregnant
      women. With respect to health, abortion law as health regulation should be
      evidence-based to counter the stigma of later abortion, which leads to
      overregulation and access barriers. With respect to justice, in recognizing that
      there will always be a need for abortion services later in pregnancy, such
      services should be safe, legal, and accessible without hardship or risk. At the
      same time, justice must address the structural conditions of women's capacity to
      make timely decisions about abortion, and to access abortion services early in
      pregnancy.

PMID- 28630540
TI  - The Dublin Declaration on Maternal Health Care and Anti-Abortion Activism:
      Examples from Latin America.
AB  - The Dublin Declaration on Maternal Healthcare-issued by self-declared pro-life
      activists in Ireland in 2012-states unequivocally that abortion is never
      medically necessary, even to save the life of a pregnant woman. This article
      examines the influence of the Dublin Declaration on abortion politics in Latin
      America, especially El Salvador and Chile, where it has recently been used in pro
      life organizing to cast doubt on the notion that legalizing abortion will reduce
      maternal mortality. Its framers argue that legalizing abortion will not improve
      maternal mortality rates, but reproductive rights advocates respond that the
      Dublin Declaration is junk science designed to preserve the world's most
      restrictive abortion laws. Analyzing the strategy and impact of the Dublin
      Declaration brings to light one of the tactics used in anti-abortion organizing.

PMID- 28630541
TI  - Regulation of Conscientious Objection to Abortion: An International Comparative
      Multiple-Case Study.
AB  - Since abortion laws were liberalized in Western Europe, conscientious objection
      (CO) to abortion has become increasingly contentious. We investigated the
      efficacy and acceptability of laws and policies that permit CO and ensure access
      to legal abortion services. This is a comparative multiple-case study, which
      triangulates multiple data sources, including interviews with key stakeholders
      from all sides of the debate in England, Italy, Norway, and Portugal. While the
      laws in all four countries have similarities, we found that implementation
      varied. In this sample, the ingredients that appear necessary for a functional
      health system that guarantees access to abortion while still permitting CO
      include clarity about who can object and to which components of care; ready
      access by mandating referral or establishing direct entry; and assurance of a
      functioning abortion service through direct provision or by contracting services.
      Social attitudes toward both objection and abortion, and the prevalence of CO,
      additionally influence the degree to which CO policies are effectively
      implemented in these cases. England, Norway, and Portugal illustrate that it is
      possible to accommodate individuals who object to providing abortion, while still
      assuring that women have access to legal health care services.

PMID- 28630542
TI  - The Role of International Human Rights Norms in the Liberalization of Abortion
      Laws Globally.
AB  - International and regional human rights norms have evolved significantly to
      recognize that the denial of abortion care in a range of circumstances violates
      women's and girls' fundamental human rights. These increasingly progressive
      standards have played a critical role in transforming national-level abortion
      laws by both influencing domestic high court decisions on abortion and serving as
      a critical resource in advancing law and policy reform. Courts in countries such
      as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Nepal have directly incorporated
      these standards into groundbreaking cases liberalizing abortion laws and
      increasing women's access to safe abortion services, demonstrating the influence
      of these human rights standards in advancing women's reproductive freedom. These
      norms have also underpinned national-level abortion law and policy reform,
      including in countries such as Spain, Rwanda, Uruguay, and Peru. As these human
      rights norms further evolve and increasingly recognize abortion as a human rights
      imperative, these standards have the potential to bolster transformative
      jurisprudence and law and policy reform advancing women's and girls' full
      reproductive autonomy.

PMID- 28630543
TI  - Pregnancy and the 40-Year Prison Sentence: How "Abortion Is Murder" Became
      Institutionalized in the Salvadoran Judicial System.
AB  - Using the case of El Salvador, this article demonstrates how the anti-abortion
      catchphrase "abortion is murder" can become embedded in the legal practice of
      state judicial systems. In the 1990s, a powerful anti-abortion movement in El
      Salvador resulted in a new legal context that outlawed abortion in all
      circumstances, discouraged mobilization for abortion rights, and encouraged the
      prosecution of reproduction-related "crimes." Within this context, Salvadoran
      women initially charged with the crime of abortion were convicted of "aggravated
      homicide" and sentenced to up to 40 years in prison. Court documents suggest that
      many of these women had not undergone abortions, but had suffered naturally
      occurring stillbirths late in their pregnancies. Through analysis of newspaper
      articles and court cases, this article documents how El Salvador came to
      prosecute obstetrical emergencies as "murder," and concludes that activism on
      behalf of abortion rights is central to protecting poor pregnant women from
      prosecution for reproduction-related "crimes."

PMID- 28630544
TI  - Pregnancies and Fetal Anomalies Incompatible with Life in Chile: Arguments and
      Experiences in Advocating for Legal Reform.
AB  - Chile allows abortion under no circumstances. Whether it's fetal anomaly
      incompatible with life or congenital malformation resulting in little or no life
      expectancy, all Chilean women are expected to carry their pregnancies to term. In
      this context, in January 2015 the Chilean Congress began debating a bill to
      legalize abortion on three grounds, including fatal congenital malformation. The
      medical community, including midwives, has presented its views for and against,
      especially on how the law may affect clinical practices; in addition, women, many
      of whom have experienced a fatal congenital malformation diagnosis, have weighed
      in. This qualitative study draws on 22 semi-structured interviews with nine
      certified nurse-midwives, one neonatologist, nine obstetrician-gynecologists, one
      psychiatrist, one psychologist, and one sociologist who provide care during
      gestation, pregnancy, delivery, and post-delivery in the public and private
      sectors, plus three interviews with two women and the former partner of a woman
      who underwent the experience. These interviews starkly illustrate the plight
      facing women carrying nonviable fetuses, including women's shock upon receiving
      the diagnosis, their feelings of bereavement and loss, and the clinical practices
      used in an attempt to ease their suffering under the weight of exceedingly
      difficult legal restrictions. These interviews confirmed that compelling women to
      carry nonviable fetuses to term violates their human rights. They also show that
      the chances of legislative change are real and that such change will present new
      challenges to the Chilean health care system.

PMID- 28630545
TI  - Legal Knowledge as a Tool for Social Change: La Mesa por la Vida y la Salud de
      las Mujeres as an Expert on Colombian Abortion Law.
AB  - In May 2006, Colombia's Constitutional Court liberalized abortion, introducing
      three circumstances under which the procedure would not be considered a crime:
      (1) rape or incest; (2) a risk to the woman's health or life; and (3) fetal
      malformations incompatible with life. Immediately following the court's ruling,
      known as Sentence C-355, members of La Mesa por la Vida y Salud de las Mujeres
      (hereinafter La Mesa) began to mobilize to ensure the decision's implementation,
      bearing in mind the limited impact that the legal framework endorsed by the court
      has had in other countries in the region. We argue that La Mesa's strategy is an
      innovative one in the field of legal mobilization insofar as it presumes that law
      can be shaped not just by public officials and universities but also by social
      actors engaged in the creation and diffusion of legal knowledge. In this regard,
      La Mesa has become a legal expert on abortion by accumulating knowledge about the
      multiple legal rules affecting the practice of abortion and about the situations
      in which these rules are to be applied. In addition, by becoming a legal expert,
      La Mesa has been able to persuade health providers that they will not risk
      criminal prosecution or being fired if they perform abortions. We call this
      effect of legal mobilization a "pedagogical effect" insofar as it involves the
      production of expertise and appropriation of knowledge by health professionals.
      We conclude by discussing La Mesa's choice to become a legal expert on abortion
      as opposed to recruiting academics to do this work or encouraging women to
      produce and disseminate this knowledge.

PMID- 28630546
TI  - The Battle Over Abortion Rights in Brazil's State Arenas, 1995-2006.
AB  - This article proposes a relational approach to the study of abortion law reform
      in Brazil. It focuses on the interaction of pro-choice and anti-abortion
      movements in different state arenas and political contexts. It details the
      emergence of a strategic action field on abortion during the Brazilian re
      democratization process and the National Constituent Assembly. We offer analysis
      on pro-choice and anti-abortion mobilization in state arenas-mainly in the
      executive and legislative powers-during the two terms of President Fernando
      Henrique Cardoso (FHC), 1995-1998 and 1999-2002, and the first term of President
      Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula), 2003-2006. We then map political resources for
      mobilization, such as legislative bills, public policy norms, and judicial
      decisions, and track legal continuities and changes. Finally, we analyze anti
      abortion reaction, which was consolidated through an increased conservative
      presence in congress after 2006, and discuss how the abortion debate has migrated
      from congress to the Supreme Court and the public sphere.

PMID- 28630547
TI  - Abortion Rights Legal Mobilization in the Peruvian Media, 1990-2015.
AB  - State and non-state actors engaged in disputes to expand and limit abortion
      rights have engaged in legal mobilization-in other words, strategies using rights
      and law as a central tool for advancing contested political goals. Peru, like
      other Latin American countries, has experienced an increase in abortion rights
      legal mobilization in recent years, including litigation before national and
      international courts. This paper centers on societal legal mobilization, or the
      legal mobilization that occurs outside the legislative and judicial branches and
      that includes strategies promoted by the executive branch, political actors, and
      non-partisan organizations and individuals. It presents an analysis of op-ed
      articles published in two national newspapers, El Comercio and La Republica,
      between 1990 and 2015. The paper argues that the media is also an arena where
      legal mobilization takes place and is not just a space influenced by legal
      mobilization. Rather, the media's agenda operates independently of legal
      mobilization in the legislature and the courts, and it determines whether certain
      issues receive coverage and the way these issues are framed.

PMID- 28630548
TI  - The Moderating Influence of International Courts on Social Movements: Evidence
      from the IVF Case Against Costa Rica.
AB  - Feminists and religious conservatives across the globe have increasingly turned
      to courts in their battles over abortion. Yet while a significant literature
      analyzes legal mobilization on abortion issues, it tends to focus predominantly
      on domestic scenarios. In this article, we consider the effects of this
      contentious engagement of pro-choice and anti-abortion movements in international
      human rights fora, asking what happens to social movement claims when they reach
      international human rights courts. We answer the question through a detailed
      description of a single case, Gretel Artavia Murillo et al. v. Costa Rica,
      decided by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2012 but with ongoing
      repercussions for abortion rights, given its authoritative interpretation of
      embryonic right to life. Through our analysis of Artavia Murillo, we show how
      legal mobilization before international human rights courts moderates social
      movement claims within the legal arena, as rivals respond to one another and
      argue within the frame of courts' norms and language.

PMID- 28630549
TI  - Why is a "Good Abortion Law" Not Enough? The Case of Estonia.
AB  - There are various ways to critically discuss abortion. Constructing or finding
      the most suitable analytical framework-whether rooted in legal formalism, socio
      legal considerations, or comparativism-always depends on the country of subject
      and whether the analysis is for litigation, advocacy, or more theoretical
      purposes. This paper offers a model for analyzing abortion in Estonia in order to
      connect it as a thought-provoking case study to the ongoing transnational
      abortion discussions. I set out by describing the Estonian Abortion Act as a
      "good abortion law": a regulation that guarantees in practice women's legal
      access to safe abortion. Despite this functioning law, I carve a space for
      criticism by expanding the conversation to the broader power relations and gender
      dynamics present in Estonian society. Accordingly, I explain the state of the
      Estonian feminist movement and gender research, the local legal community's
      minimal engagement with the reproductive rights discourse, and the lingering
      Soviet-era narratives of reproduction and health, which were not fully
      extinguished by the combination of human rights commitments and neoliberalism
      upon restoration of independence in the early 1990s. I consequently show that
      Estonia's liberal abortion regulation is not grounded in a sufficiently deep
      understanding of human rights-based approaches to reproductive health, therefore
      leaving the door open for micro-aggressions toward women and for conservative
      political winds to gain ground.

PMID- 28630550
TI  - Macro- and Micro-Political Vernaculizations of Rights: Human Rights and Abortion
      Discourses in Northern Ireland.
AB  - How abortion is dealt with in law and policy is shaped through the multiple
      political and societal discourses on the issue within a particular society.
      Debate on abortion is constantly in flux, with progressive and regressive
      movements witnessed globally. This paper examines the translation of human rights
      norms into discourses on abortion in Northern Ireland, a region where abortion is
      highly restricted, with extensive contemporary public debate into potential
      liberalization of abortion law. This paper emanates from research examining
      political debates on abortion in Northern Ireland and contrasts findings with
      recent civil society developments, identifying competing narratives of human
      rights with regard to abortion at the macro- and micro-political level. The paper
      identifies the complexities of using human rights as a lobbying tool, and
      questions the utility of rights-based arguments in furthering abortion law
      reform. The paper concludes that a legalistic rights-based approach may have
      limited efficacy in creating a more nuanced debate and perspective on abortion in
      Northern Ireland but that it has particular resonance in arguing for limited
      reform in extreme cases.

PMID- 28630551
TI  - Exploring Legal Restrictions, Regulatory Reform, and Geographic Disparities in
      Abortion Access in Thailand.
AB  - Despite decades of advocacy among Thai governmental and nongovernmental actors to
      remove abortion from the country's 1957 Criminal Code, this medically necessary
      service remains significantly legally restricted. In 2005, in the most recent
      regulatory reform to date, the Thai Medical Council established regulatory
      measures to allow a degree of physician interpretation within the confines of the
      existing law. Drawing on findings from a review of institutional policies and
      legislative materials, key informant interviews, and informal discussions with
      health service providers, government representatives, and nonprofit stakeholders,
      this article explores how legal reforms and health policies have shaped the
      abortion landscape in Thailand and influenced geographic disparities in
      availability and accessibility. Notwithstanding a strong medical community and
      the recent introduction of mifepristone for medication abortion (also known as
      medical abortion), the narrow interpretation of the regulatory criteria by
      physicians further entrenches these disparities. This article examines the causes
      of subnational disparities, focusing on the northern provinces and the western
      periphery of Thailand, and explores strategies to improve access to abortion in
      this legally restricted setting.

PMID- 28630552
TI  - Decriminalization and Women's Access to Abortion in Australia.
AB  - This article considers the relationship between the decriminalization of abortion
      and women's access to abortion services. It focuses on the four Australian
      jurisdictions which are, with Canada, the only jurisdictions in the world where
      abortion has been removed from the criminal law. This paper draws on documentary
      evidence and an oral history project to give a "before and after" account of each
      jurisdiction. The paper assumes that the meaning and impact of decriminalization
      must be assessed in each local context. Understanding the conditions that shape
      access must incorporate analysis of the broader social, political and economic
      environment as well as the law. The article finds that decriminalization does not
      necessarily deliver any improvement in women's access to abortion, at least in
      the short term. Further, it is not inconsistent with the neoliberal policy
      environment that characterizes the provision of abortion care in Australia, where
      most abortions are provided through the private sector at financial cost to
      women. If all women are to enjoy their human rights to full reproductive health
      care, the public health system must take responsibility for the adequate
      provision of abortion services; ongoing and vigilant activism is central if this
      is to be achieved.

PMID- 28630553
TI  - Australia: Abortion and Human Rights.
AB  - This article adopts a human rights lens to consider Australian law and practice
      regarding elective abortion. As such, it considers Australian laws within the
      context of the right to equality, right to privacy, right to health, and right to
      life. After setting out the human rights framework and noting the connected
      nature of many of the rights (and their corresponding violations), the article
      shifts its focus to analyzing Australian law and practice within the framework of
      these rights. It considers the importance of decriminalizing abortion and
      regulating it as a standard medical procedure. It discusses the need to remove
      legal and practical restrictions on access to abortion, including financial
      obstacles and anti-abortion protestors. Further, it comments on the importance of
      facilitating access; for example, by keeping accurate health data, securing
      continuity of health care, increasing the availability of medical abortion, and
      ensuring appropriate care is provided to the most marginalized and vulnerable
      women.

PMID- 28630554
TI  - Abortion Care in Nepal, 15 Years after Legalization: Gaps in Access, Equity, and
      Quality.

PMID- 28630555
TI  - The Case for International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Control.

PMID- 28630558
TI  - The Child's Right to Protection from Drugs: Understanding History to Move
      Forward.

PMID- 28630557
TI  - International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Control: A Tool for Securing
      Women's Rights in Drug Control Policy.
AB  - Discrimination and inequality shape women's experiences of drug use and in the
      drug trade and the impact of drug control efforts on them, with disproportionate
      burdens faced by poor and otherwise marginalized women. In recent years, UN
      member states and UN drug control and human rights entities have recognized this
      issue and made commitments to integrate a 'gender perspective' into drug control
      policies, with 'gender' limited to those conventionally deemed women. But the
      concept of gender in international law is broader, rooted in socially constructed
      and culturally determined norms and expectations around gender roles, sex, and
      sexuality. Also, drug control policies often fail to meaningfully address the
      specific needs and circumstances of women (inclusively defined), leaving them at
      risk of recurrent violations of their rights in the context of drugs. This
      article explores what it means to 'mainstream' this narrower version of gender
      into drug control efforts, using as examples various women's experiences as
      people who use drugs, in the drug trade, and in the criminal justice system. It
      points to international guidelines on human rights and drug control as an
      important tool to ensure attention to women's rights in drug control policy
      design and implementation.

PMID- 28630556
TI  - How Drug Control Policy and Practice Undermine Access to Controlled Medicines.
AB  - Drug conventions serve as the cornerstone for domestic drug laws and impose a
      dual obligation upon states to prevent the misuse of controlled substances while
      ensuring their adequate availability for medical and scientific purposes. Despite
      the mandate that these obligations be enforced equally, the dominant paradigm
      enshrined in the drug conventions is an enforcement-heavy criminal justice
      response to controlled substances that prohibits and penalizes their misuse.
      Prioritizing restrictive control is to the detriment of ensuring adequate
      availability of and access to controlled medicines, thereby violating the rights
      of people who need them. This paper argues that the drug conventions'
      prioritization of criminal justice measures-including efforts to prevent non
      medical use of controlled substances-undermines access to medicines and infringes
      upon the right to health and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific
      progress. While the effects of criminalization under drug policy limit the right
      to health in multiple ways, we draw on research and documented examples to
      highlight the impact of drug control and criminalization on access to medicines.
      The prioritization and protection of human rights-specifically the right to
      health and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress-are critical to
      rebalancing drug policy.

PMID- 28630559
TI  - Drug Policy and Indigenous Peoples.
AB  - This paper identifies the principal concerns of indigenous peoples with regard to
      current international treaties on certain psychoactive substances and policies to
      control and eradicate their production, trafficking, and sale. Indigenous peoples
      have a specific interest in the issue since their traditional lands have become
      integrated over time into the large-scale production of coca, opium poppy, and
      cannabis crops, in response to high demand from the American and European
      markets, among others. As a consequence, indigenous peoples are persecuted
      because of their traditional use of these and other plant-based narcotics and
      hallucinogens. They are also victims of the drug producers who remove them from
      their lands or forcibly recruit them into the production process. As indigenous
      peoples are caught in the violent world of illicit drug production, law
      enforcement often targets them first, resulting in disproportionate rates of
      criminalization and incarceration.

PMID- 28630560
TI  - Mechanisms of Accountability for the Realization of the Right to Health in China.
AB  - China ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
      in 2001. It thus bears obligations under Article 12 of the covenant to take
      appropriate measures at the domestic level to realize the right to health in
      China. Accountability is an important component of the right to health. This
      article examines whether the Western concept of accountability, recently imported
      into China, has the potential to improve the protection of the right to health
      within China's existing political, legal, and cultural framework. In so doing, it
      reviews current Chinese institutional mechanisms and considers the use of less
      formal mechanisms by which duty-bearers might be held accountable in China. More
      specifically, this article provides an overview of a range of health-related
      accountability mechanisms, including judicial, political, administrative,
      professional, and social accountability arrangements. It concludes that although
      there is the basis of an accountability framework for the right to health in
      China, the effective operation of accountability mechanisms is hindered by
      longstanding cultural and political barriers.

PMID- 28630561
TI  - Human Rights in the World Health Organization: Views of the Director-General
      Candidates.
AB  - Before the 2017 election of the Director-General of WHO, and given the importance
      of human rights to global health governance through WHO, Health and Human Rights
      asked the three final candidates for their views on human rights, WHO's human
      rights mandate, and the role of human rights in WHO programming. These questions
      were developed by the author in collaboration with Audrey Chapman, Lisa Forman,
      Paul Hunt, Dainius Puras, Javier Vasquez and Carmel Williams. Based on responses
      to these questions from each of the three candidates, this Perspective was
      originally published online on April 26, 2017. On May 23, 2017, Dr Tedros Adhanom
      Ghebreyesus was elected Director-General and will begin his five-year term on
      July 1, 2017.

PMID- 28630562
TI  - UNstoppable: How Advocates Persevered in the Fight for Justice for Haitian
      Cholera Victims.

PMID- 28630563
TI  - Human Rights, TB, Legislation, and Jurisprudence.

PMID- 28630564
TI  - CathROB: A Highly Compact and Versatile Remote Catheter Navigation System.
AB  - Several remote catheter navigation systems have been developed and are now
      commercially available. However, these systems typically require specialized
      catheters or equipment, as well as time-consuming operations for the system set
      up. In this paper, we present CathROB, a highly compact and versatile robotic
      system for remote navigation of standard tip-steerable electrophysiology (EP)
      catheters. Key features of CathROB include an extremely compact design that
      minimizes encumbrance and time for system set-up in a standard cath lab, a force
      sensing mechanism, an intuitive command interface, and functions for automatic
      catheter navigation and repositioning. We report in vitro and in vivo animal
      evaluation of CathROB. In vitro results showed good accuracy in remote catheter
      navigation and automatic repositioning (1.5 +/- 0.6 mm for the left-side targets,
      1.7 +/- 0.4 mm for the right-side targets). Adequate tissue contact was achieved
      with remote navigation in vivo. There were no adverse events, including absence
      of cardiac perforation or cardiac damage, indicative of the safety profile of
      CathROB. Although further preclinical and clinical studies are required, the
      presented CathROB system seems to be a promising solution for an affordable and
      easy-to-use remote catheter navigation.

PMID- 28630565
TI  - Efficacy of Various Scoring Systems for Predicting the 28-Day Survival Rate among
      Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
      Requiring Emergency Intensive Care.
AB  - We aimed to investigate the efficacy of four severity-of-disease scoring systems
      in predicting the 28-day survival rate among patients with acute exacerbation of
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) requiring emergency care. Clinical
      data of patients with AECOPD who required emergency care were recorded over 2
      years. APACHE II, SAPS II, SOFA, and MEDS scores were calculated from severity-of
      disease indicators recorded at admission and compared between patients who died
      within 28 days of admission (death group; 46 patients) and those who did not
      (survival group; 336 patients). Compared to the survival group, the death group
      had a significantly higher GCS score, frequency of comorbidities including
      hypertension and heart failure, and age (P < 0.05 for all). With all four
      systems, scores of age, gender, renal inadequacy, hypertension, coronary heart
      disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, anemia, fracture leading to bedridden status,
      tumor, and the GCS were significantly higher in the death group than the survival
      group. The prediction efficacy of the APACHE II and SAPS II scores was 88.4%. The
      survival rates did not differ significantly between APACHE II and SAPS II (P =
      1.519). Our results may guide triage for early identification of critically ill
      patients with AECOPD in the emergency department.

PMID- 28630566
TI  - The Global Lung Function Initiative 2012 Equations Are as Well-Suited as Local
      Population Derived Equations to a Sample of Healthy Professional Firefighters.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the validity of using the Global
      Lung Function Initiative's (GLI) 2012 equations to interpret lung function data
      in a healthy workforce of South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SAMFS)
      personnel. METHODS: Spirometry data from 212 healthy, nonsmoking SAMFS
      firefighters were collected and predicted normal values were calculated using
      both the GLI and local population derived (Gore) equations for forced expiratory
      volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC. Two
      tailed paired sample Student's t-tests, Bland-Altman assessments of agreement,
      and z-scores were used to compare the two prediction methods. RESULTS: The
      equations showed good agreement for mean predicted FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC. Mean
      z-scores were similar for FEV1 and FVC, although not FEV1/FVC, but greater than
      0.5. Differences between the calculated lower limits of normal (LLN) were
      significant (p < 0.01), clinically meaningful, and resulted in an 8% difference
      in classification of abnormality using the FEV1/FVC ratio. CONCLUSIONS: The GLI
      equations predicted similar lung function as population-specific equations and
      resulted in a lower incidence of obstruction in this sample of healthy SAMFS
      firefighters. Further, interpretation of spirometry data as abnormal should be
      based on both an FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio < LLN.

PMID- 28630567
TI  - A Clinical Prospective Observational Cohort Study on the Prevalence and Primary
      Diagnostic Accuracy of Occult Vertebral Fractures in Aged Women with Acute Lower
      Back Pain Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elderly female patients complaints of acute low back pain (LBP) may
      involve vertebral fracture (VF), among which occult VF (OVF: early-stage VF
      without any morphological change) is often missed to be detected by primary X-ray
      examination. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of VF and OVF
      and the diagnostic accuracy of the initial X-ray in detecting OVF. METHOD:
      Subjects were elderly women (>70 years old) complaining of acute LBP with an
      accurate onset date. Subjects underwent lumbar X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI), and bone mineral density (BMD) measurement at their first visit. The
      distribution of radiological findings from X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) as well as the calculation of the prevalence of VF and OVF are
      investigated. RESULTS: The prevalence of VF among elderly women with LBP was
      76.5% and L1 was the most commonly injured level. Among VF cases, the prevalence
      of OVF was 33.3%. Furthermore, osteoporotic patients tend to show increased
      prevalence of VF (87.5%). The predictive values in detecting VF on the initial
      plain X-ray were as follows: sensitivity, 51.3%; specificity, 75.0%; and accuracy
      rate, 56.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Acute LBP patients may suffer vertebral injury with
      almost no morphologic change in X-ray, which can be detected using MRI.

PMID- 28630568
TI  - The Effects of a Self-Efficacy Intervention on Exercise Behavior of Fitness Club
      Members in 52 Weeks and Long-Term Relationships of Transtheoretical Model
      Constructs.
AB  - The transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) is often used to understand
      changes in health-related behavior, like exercise. Exercise behavior in fitness
      clubs is an understudied topic, but preliminary studies showed low frequencies
      and large numbers of drop-out. An initial 12-week self-efficacy intervention
      reported significant effects on exercise behavior. The objective of this follow
      up study is testing effects on exercise behavior over 52 weeks and the long-term
      relationships of all TTM constructs. In total 122 participants (Mage 42.02 yr.;
      SD 12.29; 67% females) were recruited and randomly assigned to group 1 (control),
      group 2 (self-set activities) and group 3 (self-set goals coaching). All
      participants were monitored 52-weeks. Measurements at baseline, 4, 8, 12, 26 and
      52 weeks, using validated scales for stages of change, self-efficacy, decisional
      balance and processes of change. Exercise behavior and drop-outs were registered.
      An ANOVA revealed that group 3 significantly (p < 0.05) differed in exercise
      sessions from group 1 and 2 during the 12 weeks. A chi-square test indicated
      significant differences for continuing exercising after the intervention: 7 of
      group 1; 6 of group 2; 19 of group 3. In total 5 demonstrated regular exercise
      behavior at 26 weeks, and 3 at 52 weeks. Self-efficacy, decisional balance, and
      processes of change showed limited long-term changes over the later stages of
      change. At all measurements, participants reported more pros than cons and used
      more behavioral than cognitive processes. Exercise behavior of members in fitness
      clubs demonstrated dramatic developments in 52 weeks. The frequencies of sessions
      were so low that health effects will be minimal. The integrative character of the
      TTM appears to be weak; the data indicated limited relationships. More research
      is needed to understand exercise behavior and define optimal strategies to
      increase exercise attendance and decrease drop-outs in the long term.

PMID- 28630569
TI  - Leadership Preferences of Adolescent Players in Sport: Influence of Coach Gender.
AB  - The authors investigated the coaching behavior preferences and the relationships
      of these preferences with variables such as gender, type of sport, playing
      experience, competitive level, and coach gender among young athletes in the
      national badminton league. Participants were 167 elementary and high school
      badminton players (91 girls and 76 boys; age range = 9-18 years; M = 13.5 (SD =
      2.22) years) competing in the badminton event of a national league. Players'
      preferences for coaching behavior were measured using athlete preference version
      of the LSS to evaluate the five dimensions of leadership behavior in a sporting
      context. Notably, young athletes strongly preferred training and instruction,
      followed by positive feedback, democratic behavior, social support, and
      autocratic behavior. An interaction effect of athlete and coach gender on the
      leadership dimensions of democratic behavior, autocratic behavior, and social
      support was found. Male athletes with female coaches preferred more democratic
      behavior, autocratic behavior, and social support behavior than did those with
      male coaches. Conversely, female players with male coaches favored more
      democratic behavior, autocratic behavior, and social support than did those with
      female coaches. This study provides valuable insight into understanding the
      dynamics of sport leadership environments among young athletes, and how crucial
      is the role of coach's gender in the athlete-coach dyad interaction.

PMID- 28630570
TI  - Contralateral Effects After Unilateral Strength Training: A Meta-Analysis
      Comparing Training Loads.
AB  - There is solid evidence on the cross-training phenomenon, but the training load
      required to achieve it has yet to be established. The aim of this meta-analysis
      was to deduce which unilateral strength training load (duration, frequency,
      intensity, rest and type) would enable the biggest strength increases to be
      obtained in the inactive contralateral limb. The examined studies were limited to
      those written in the English language within the Web of Science, PubMed and
      SPORTDiscus databases. Ten of the 43 eligible studies were included, covering a
      total of 409 participants. The studies included in the meta-analysis showed a low
      risk of bias and had an estimated pooled effect size of 0.56 (95% CI from 0.34 to
      0.78). Greater effect sizes were observed in lengthy protocols involving fast
      eccentric exercises using designs of 3 sets of 10 repetitions and a 2-minute rest
      time. Effect size did not relate to absolute volume, relative intensity, absolute
      duration and speed of execution. In conclusion, to optimize contralateral
      strength improvements, cross-training sessions should involve fast eccentric sets
      with moderate volumes and rest intervals.

PMID- 28630571
TI  - Predictive Variables of Half-Marathon Performance for Male Runners.
AB  - The aims of this study were to establish and validate various predictive
      equations of half-marathon performance. Seventy-eight half-marathon male runners
      participated in two different phases. Phase 1 (n = 48) was used to establish the
      equations for estimating half-marathon performance, and Phase 2 (n = 30) to
      validate these equations. Apart from half-marathon performance, training-related
      and anthropometric variables were recorded, and an incremental test on a
      treadmill was performed, in which physiological (VO2max, speed at the anaerobic
      threshold, peak speed) and biomechanical variables (contact and flight times,
      step length and step rate) were registered. In Phase 1, half-marathon performance
      could be predicted to 90.3% by variables related to training and anthropometry
      (Equation 1), 94.9% by physiological variables (Equation 2), 93.7% by
      biomechanical parameters (Equation 3) and 96.2% by a general equation (Equation
      4). Using these equations, in Phase 2 the predicted time was significantly
      correlated with performance (r = 0.78, 0.92, 0.90 and 0.95, respectively). The
      proposed equations and their validation showed a high prediction of half-marathon
      performance in long distance male runners, considered from different approaches.
      Furthermore, they improved the prediction performance of previous studies, which
      makes them a highly practical application in the field of training and
      performance.

PMID- 28630572
TI  - The Role of a Relative Age Effect in the 7th International Children's Winter
      Games 2016 and the Influence of Biological Maturity Status on Selection.
AB  - The aim of this study was to analyse the role of a relative age effect (RAE) and
      to investigate the influence of biological maturity status on the RAE at the 7th
      International Children's Winter Games. The birth dates of all 572 participants
      (365 males, 207 females) were analysed, and the biological maturity status of 384
      athletes (243 males, 141 females) was assessed by the age at peak height velocity
      (APHV) method. A RAE was present in the total sample (chi2 = 67.81; p < 0.001),
      and among both male (chi2 = 49.02; p < 0.001) and female athletes (chi2 = 37.00;
      p < 0.001) as well as for strength- (chi2 = 56.46; p < 0.001), endurance- (chi2 =
      20.48; p = 0.039) and technique-related types of sports (chi2 = 20.48; p =
      0.041). No significant differences in biological maturity status were present
      between the male athletes of single relative age quarters. Among the female
      athletes a significant difference was present (F = 5.94, p < 0.001); relatively
      younger female athletes had significantly lower values in the APHV, which
      indicated that they were maturing earlier. However, when dividing the athletes
      into normal, early and late maturing athletes, it could be seen that among the
      relatively younger athletes, hardly any late maturing athletes were present.
      These findings revealed that relatively younger athletes seemed to only have a
      chance for selection if they were early maturing, whereas relatively older
      athletes had an increased likelihood for selection independent of their
      biological maturity status. In the future, the relative age and the biological
      maturity status should be considered in the talent development system for various
      types of winter sport, to contribute to more fairness and to not discriminate
      against relatively younger and less mature athletes.

PMID- 28630573
TI  - Effects of Suspended Moxibustion on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Randomized
      Controlled Double-Blind Pilot Study.
AB  - The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of suspended
      moxibustion upon tender point on delayed onset muscle soreness. The study was a
      randomized double-blind controlled trial with 50 subjects in each group. Subjects
      in moxibustion group received suspended moxibustion upon tender point (by
      palpation) twice. The controls received no treatment. Each subject received
      treatments twice, 24 hr and 48 hr after the delayed onset muscle soreness
      induction. The measurements of Pain Visual Analog Scale, maximum isometric muscle
      strength and circumference were made immediately after delayed onset muscle
      soreness induction, before and after every treatment session and 72 hr after
      delayed onset muscle soreness induction. There were no significantly statistical
      differences between two groups at all measurement time points on maximum
      isometric muscle strength and circumference. However, the Pain Visual Analog
      Scale scores after first treatment session and 72 hr after delayed onset muscle
      soreness induction in moxibustion group was less than the control group, with
      significant difference (p < 0.05). The suspended moxibustion failed to show the
      effect on delayed onset muscle soreness. However, results need to be cautiously
      interpreted because of the pilot character of this study. The suspended
      moxibustion has a potential effect of pain relief on DOMS from the analysis of
      the data of this study. A large sample size trial is needed to confirm the effect
      of the suspended moxibustion on DOMS in the future.

PMID- 28630574
TI  - Unilateral Rolling of the Foot did not Affect Non-Local Range of Motion or
      Balance.
AB  - Non-local or crossover (contralateral and non-stretched muscles) increases in
      range-of-motion (ROM) and balance have been reported following rolling of
      quadriceps, hamstrings and plantar flexors. Since there is limited information
      regarding plantar sole (foot) rolling effects, the objectives of this study were
      to determine if unilateral foot rolling would affect ipsilateral and
      contralateral measures of ROM and balance in young healthy adults. A randomized
      within-subject design was used to examine non-local effects of unilateral foot
      rolling on ipsilateral and contralateral limb ankle dorsiflexion ROM and a
      modified sit-and-reach-test (SRT). Static balance was also tested during a 30 s
      single leg stance test. Twelve participants performed three bouts of 60 s
      unilateral plantar sole rolling using a roller on the dominant foot with 60 s
      rest intervals between sets. ROM and balance measures were assessed in separate
      sessions at pre-intervention, immediately and 10 minutes post-intervention. To
      evaluate repeated measures effects, two SRT pre-tests were implemented. Results
      demonstrated that the second pre-test SRT was 6.6% higher than the first pre-test
      (p = 0.009, d = 1.91). There were no statistically significant effects of foot
      rolling on any measures immediately or 10 min post-test. To conclude, unilateral
      foot rolling did not produce statistically significant increases in ipsilateral
      or contralateral dorsiflexion or SRT ROM nor did it affect postural sway. Our
      statistically non-significant findings might be attributed to a lower degree of
      roller-induced afferent stimulation due to the smaller volume of myofascia and
      muscle compared to prior studies. Furthermore, ROM results from studies utilizing
      a single pre-test without a sufficient warm-up should be viewed critically.

PMID- 28630575
TI  - Acute and Post-Exercise Physiological Responses to High-Intensity Interval
      Training in Endurance and Sprint Athletes.
AB  - The purpose of the presented study was to compare acute and post-exercise
      differences in cardiorespiratory, metabolic, cardiac autonomic, inflammatory and
      muscle damage responses to high-intensity interval exercise (HIIT) between
      endurance and sprint athletes. The study group consisted of sixteen highly
      trained males (age 22.1 +/- 2.5 years) participating in endurance (n = 8) or
      sprint (n = 8) sporting events. All the participants underwent three exercise
      sessions: short HIIT (work interval duration 30s), long HIIT (3min) and constant
      load exercise (CE). The exercise interventions were matched for mean power, total
      time and in case of HIIT interventions also for work-to-relief ratio. The acute
      cardiorespiratory (HR, VO2, RER) and metabolic (lactate) variables as well as the
      post-exercise changes (up to 3 h) in the heart rate variability, inflammation
      (interleukin-6, leucocytes) and muscle damage (creatine kinase, myoglobin) were
      monitored. Endurance athletes performed exercise interventions with moderately
      (CE) or largely (both HIIT modes) higher mean VO2. These differences were
      trivial/small when VO2 was expressed as a percentage of VO2max. Moderately to
      largely lower RER and lactate values were found in endurance athletes. Markers of
      cardiac autonomic regulation, inflammation and muscle damage did not reveal any
      considerable differences between endurance and sprint athletes. In conclusions,
      endurance athletes were able to perform both HIIT formats with increased reliance
      on aerobic metabolic pathways although exercise intensity was identical in
      relative terms for all the participants. However, other markers of the acute and
      early post-exercise physiological response to these HIIT interventions indicated
      similarities between endurance and sprint athletes.

PMID- 28630576
TI  - No Effect of a Whey Growth Factor Extract during Resistance Training on Strength,
      Body Composition, or Hypertrophic Gene Expression in Resistance-Trained Young
      Men.
AB  - Growth factors can be isolated from bovine milk to form a whey growth factor
      extract (WGFE). This study examined whether WGFE promoted activation of the
      AKT/mTOR pathway enabling increased lean tissue mass and strength in resistance
      trained men. Forty six men with >6 months of resistance training (RT) experience
      performed 12 weeks of RT. Participants consumed 20 g/day of whey protein and were
      randomised to receive either 1.6 g WGFE/day (WGFE; n = 22) or 1.6 g cellulose/day
      (control, CONT; n = 24). The primary outcome was leg press one-repetition maximum
      (LP1-RM) which was assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. At baseline and 12 weeks
      body composition was assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, and muscle
      protein synthesis and gene expression were assessed (vastus lateralis biopsy) in
      a sub-sample (WGFE n = 10, CONT n = 10) pre- and 3 hr post-training. RT increased
      LP1-RM (+34.9%) and lean tissue mass (+2.3%; p < 0.05) with no difference between
      treatments (p > 0.48, treatment x time). Post-exercise P70s6k phosphorylation
      increased acutely, FOXO3a phosphorylation was unaltered. There were no
      differences in kinase signalling or gene expression between treatments. Compared
      with CONT, WGFE did not result in greater increases in lean tissue mass or
      strength in experienced resistance trained men.

PMID- 28630577
TI  - Effects of High Velocity Elastic Band versus Heavy Resistance Training on
      Hamstring Strength, Activation, and Sprint Running Performance.
AB  - Hamstring muscle injuries occur during high-speed activities, which suggests that
      muscular strength at high velocities may be more important than maximal strength.
      This study examined hamstring adaptations to training for maximal strength and
      for strength at high velocities. Physically active men (n = 25; age, 23.0 +/- 3.2
      years) were randomly divided into: (1) a resistance training (RT, n = 8) group,
      which performed high-load, low-velocity concentric-eccentric hamstring
      contractions; (2) a resistance training concentric (RTC; n = 9) group, which
      performed high-load, low-velocity concentric-only hamstring contractions; and (3)
      a high-velocity elastic band training (HVT, n = 8) group, which performed low
      load, high-velocity concentric-eccentric hamstring contractions. Pre- and
      posttraining tests included hamstring strength on a hamstring-curl apparatus,
      concentric knee extension-flexion at 60 degrees /s, 240 degrees /s, and 450
      degrees /s, eccentric knee flexion at 60 degrees /s and 240 degrees /s, hamstring
      and quadriceps coactivation, knee flexion and extension frequency in the prone
      position, and 30-m sprint running speed from a stationary start and with a
      running start. Knee flexor torque increased significantly by 21.1% +/- 8.1% in
      the RTC group and 16.2% +/- 4.2% in the RT group (p < 0.05 for both groups).
      Hamstring coactivation decreased significantly in both groups. In the HVT group,
      knee flexion and extension frequency increased by 17.8% +/- 8.2%, concentric peak
      torque of the knee flexors at 450 degrees /s increased by 31.0% +/- 12.0%,
      hamstring coactivation decreased, and running performance over 30 m improved (p <
      0.05 for all parameters). These findings suggest that resistance training at high
      velocities is superior to traditional heavy resistance training for increasing
      knee flexor strength at high velocities, movement frequency, and sprint running
      performance. These findings also indicate that traditional training approaches
      are effective for increasing knee flexor strength and reducing knee extensor
      coactivation, but this outcome is limited to low and moderate speeds.

PMID- 28630578
TI  - Are Change of Direction Speed and Reactive Agility Useful for Determining the
      Optimal Field Position for Young Soccer Players?
AB  - Change Of Direction Speed (CODS) and Reactive Agility (RA) are two determining
      factors in the ability of young soccer players. We aimed to verify if CODS and RA
      could be useful in order to establish the best young soccer player field
      position. Ninety-two elite soccer players (15.18 +/- 1.21 years, weight 59.18 +/-
      9.93, height 1.72 +/- 0.08, BMI 19.76 +/- 2.22), belonging to two youth
      categories from the Italian First and Second Divisions, volunteered in this
      study. The participants included 32 defenders (15.06 +/- 0.80 years), 37
      midfielders (15.11 +/- 0.84 years) and 23 forwards (15.48 +/- 1.16 years), and
      they underwent two tests, each one performed in two different ways: the Y-Agility
      Test, carried out in a planned and reactive mode (Y-PLAN and Y-REAC), and the
      Illinois for Change of Direction Test (ICODT) performed with and without the
      ball. REAC-INDEX, which represents the index of reactivity, was calculated as Y
      REAC minus Y-PLAN. The difference between the two scores of ICODT (ICODT with the
      ball minus ICODT without the ball) represents the TECHN-INDEX. Multivariate
      Analysis of Variances (MANOVA) was used to evaluate significant differences among
      all position groups, for all the test scores. MANOVA showed no significant
      differences in test scores or in TECHN-INDEX among the groups, except for the
      forwards, who were significantly more reactive than the defenders (p < 0.05). The
      strong and significant Pearson's Correlation between ICODT with and without the
      ball (p < 0.01) demonstrated that physical and technical preparations have the
      same relevance in all positions. No significant differences were found among
      players in different field positions for CODS and RA performances, both with and
      without the ball. This study does not recommend to use RA and CODS as indicators
      to assign the players roles in youth soccer.

PMID- 28630580
TI  - The Effect of Upper Body Anaerobic Pre-Loading on 2000-m Ergometer-Rowing
      Performance in College Level Male Rowers.
AB  - Elevated blood lactate has been shown to influence subsequent anaerobic exercise
      due to an inhibition of glycolysis. The aim of the present study was therefore to
      investigate the influence of a short and high-intensity anaerobic arm crank pre
      load exercise (HIE) added to a low-intensity warm-up on cardio-respiratory and
      metabolic responses on a subsequent all out rowing exercise. Nine well-trained
      college level male rowers (24.6 +/- 7.1 yrs; 1.87 +/- 0.07 m; 88.9 +/- 9.8 kg;
      18.5 +/- 3.7% body fat) volunteered to participate in the study. The subjects
      performed a maximal 2000-m rowing ergometer performance tests (MPT) twice. One
      MPT was preceded by a normal low intensity warm-up (MPTlow), while another one
      was performed with the additional inclusion of the HIE protocol (MPThigh).
      Overall rowing performance in the MPTlow was significantly faster (p = 0.004) by
      3.7 +/- 2.8 sec compared to the MPThigh condition (401.7 +/- 23.0 s v. 405.4 +/-
      23.3 s) but the reduction in speed was found only for the first 1000-m (p =
      0.017). Net La increase from rest to the end of the MPTlow was 11.9 +/- 2.3
      mmol.l-1 which was significantly higher (p = 0.0001) compared to the MPThigh
      condition (6.3 +/- 1.8 mmol.l-1). Carbon dioxide output was significantly lower
      in the second (p = 0.041), third (p = 0.009), fourth (p = 0.036) and fifth (p =
      0.028) 250-m split in the MPThigh compared to the MPTlow test. In conclusion, HIE
      upper-body anaerobic pre-load added to a standard low intensity warm-up protocol
      decreased anaerobic performance only in the early stages of the MPThigh but the
      latter part was unaffected. The inhibition of glycolysis in the first minute of
      the workout might allow a different race strategy, which needs to be investigated
      in further studies.

PMID- 28630579
TI  - Effects of Exercise in the Fasted and Postprandial State on Interstitial Glucose
      in Hyperglycemic Individuals.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to test if one bout of moderate exercise
      performed in either the fasted or the postprandial state affects glucose values
      measured over 22 hours. Twelve participants diagnosed with hyperglycemia not
      using antidiabetic medications underwent 3 test days in a randomized cross-over
      design encompassing one test day without exercise, one test day with 60 min of
      treadmill walking prior to breakfast, and one test day with an identical bout of
      exercise 30 min after the start of breakfast. Continuous glucose monitoring was
      performed until the next morning (>22 hours). There was no significant effect of
      type of test day on the area under the glucose curve for the entire 22 hours
      period (p = 0.111). None of the exercise interventions had a significant effect
      on the area under the glucose curve after breakfast, lunch or dinner. However,
      the postprandial exercise bout tended to decrease the area under the glucose
      curve after the evening meal compared to the fasted exercise bout (24.2 +/- 6.2
      vs. 27.6 +/- 6.0 mmol.hour.L-1, p = 0.031). Furthermore, the postprandial
      exercise decreased the mean of the 10 highest glucose values measured in each
      individual (8.6 +/- 1.9 mmol.L-1) over 22 hours compared to both the control day
      (9.3 +/- 2.1 mmol.L-1) and the day with fasted exercise (9.6 +/- 1.7 mmol.L-1, p
      = 0.012 and 0.009 respectively). Postprandial exercise also decreased the
      glycemic variability compared to the control day (1.22 +/- 0.49 vs. 1.58 +/- 0.52
      mmol.L-1, p = 0.015). We conclude that performing moderate exercise in the
      postprandial state after breakfast, but not in the fasted state, decreases
      glucose excursions during the subsequent 22 hours period in hyperglycemic
      individuals not using antidiabetic medications.

PMID- 28630581
TI  - 5000 Meter Run Performance is not Enhanced 24 Hrs After an Intense Exercise Bout
      and Cold Water Immersion.
AB  - Cold water immersion (CWI) is used by endurance athletes to speed recovery
      between exercise bouts, but little evidence is available on the effects of CWI on
      subsequent endurance performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate
      the effects of CWI following an acute bout of interval training on 5000 m run
      performance 24 hrs after interval training, perceived muscle soreness (PMS),
      range of motion (ROM), thigh circumference (TC), and perceived exertion (RPE).
      Nine endurance-trained males completed 2 trials, each consisting of an interval
      training session of 8 repetitions of 1200 m at a running pace equal to 75% of
      VO2peak, either a control or CWI treatment, and a timed 5000 m run 24 hrs post
      interval training session. CWI was performed for 12 min at 12 degrees Celsius on
      the legs. Recovery treatments were performed in a counterbalanced design. Run
      time for 5000 m was not different between the CWI and control trials (CWI =
      1317.33 +/- 128.33 sec, control = 1303.44 +/- 105.53 sec; p = 0.48). PMS
      increased significantly from baseline to immediately post exercise (BL = 1.17 +/-
      0.22, POST = 2.81 +/- 0.52; p = 0.02) and remained elevated from baseline to 24
      hrs post exercise (POST24 = 2.19 +/- 0.32; p = 0.02), but no difference was
      observed between the treatments. No differences were observed for the interaction
      between time and treatment for TC (lambda = 0.73, p = 0.15) and ROM (lambda =
      0.49; p = 0.10). CWI performed immediately following an interval training
      exercise bout did not enhance subsequent 5000 m run performance or reduce PMS.
      CWI may not provide a recovery or performance advantage when athletes are
      accustomed to the demands of the prior exercise bout.

PMID- 28630582
TI  - Doubly Disadvantaged? The Relative Age Effect in Poland's Basketball Players.
AB  - The aim of this study was to identify the relative age effect (RAE) in young
      Polish male (n = 3849) and female (n = 3419) basketball players aged 14 to 22
      years competing in the elite games of the Polish Youth Championships. The
      distribution of birth dates, body height, players' match statistics, and the
      results of teams participating in championships were identified. The RAE was
      observed in male and female group, regardless of players age. Nevertheless, the
      greatest disproportion in the distribution of dates of birth was found in U16
      group of boys (V = 0.25, p < 0.0001). Significant differences in body height were
      identified in U14 and U16 groups of boys (p < 0.0001) and U14 group of girls (p <
      0.01). The RAE was the most detrimental in the group of boys from teams ranked
      9th or lower (p < 0.0001). The groups of male and female basketball players from
      the top 3 teams had the highest average body height (p < 0.001). In U14 boys,
      significantly higher match results and performance index ratings (PIR) were
      observed for players born in the first half of a calendar year. The research
      results show the impact of the RAE on the success of youth basketball teams in
      Poland. The month of birth, body height and sex may determine sporting
      achievements in youth basketball. Coaches should consider the chronological age
      and pubertal growth acceleration (APHV-age at peak height velocity) of players to
      optimize the process of identifying gifted basketball players, especially among
      boys of 14 years of age.

PMID- 28630583
TI  - Acute Modification of Cardiac Autonomic Function of High-Intensity Interval
      Training in Collegiate Male Soccer Players with Different Chronotype: A Cross
      Over Study.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the time of the day (8.00 a.m. vs
      8.00 p.m.) and chronotype could influence autonomic cardiac control in soccer
      players in relation to an acute session of high-intensity interval training. The
      morningness-eveningness questionnaire was administered to recruit Morning-type
      and Evening-type collegiate male soccer players. Therefore, 24 players (12
      Morning-types and 12 Evening-types) were randomly assigned, to either morning (n
      = 12; age 23 +/- 3 years; height 1.75 +/- 0.07 m; body mass 73 +/- 10 kg; weekly
      training volume 8 2 hours), or evening (n = 12; age 21 +/- 3 years; height 1.76
      +/- 0.05 m; body mass 75 +/- 11 kg; weekly training volume 8 +/- 3 hours)
      training. Heart Rate Variability vagal and sympatho/vagal indices were calculated
      in time, frequency and complexity domains at rest, before, after 12 and 24 hours
      of high-intensity interval training. Before evening training session, a higher
      resting heart rate was observed which was determined by a marked parasympathetic
      withdrawal with a sympathetic predominance. Moreover, Evening-type subjects
      during morning training session, present a significant higher heart rate that
      corresponded to significant higher vagal indices with a significant lower
      parasympathetic tone that returned to the rest values after 24 hours of the
      cessation of high-intensity interval training exercise. On the contrary, Morning
      type subjects did not reveal any significant differences with Evening-Type
      subjects during evening high-intensity interval training session. Stress response
      of high-intensity interval training is influenced by both the time of the day and
      by the chronotype. Understanding the Heart Rate Variability response to high
      intensity interval training can be an additional important procedure for
      evaluating of cardiovascular recovery in soccer players. Moreover, these results
      suggest that an athlete's chronotype should be taken into account when scheduling
      a high-intensity interval training exercise.

PMID- 28630584
TI  - Time-Loss Injuries in Sub-Elite and Emerging Rugby League Players.
AB  - This study aimed to 1) investigate the incidence and characteristics of injuries
      in emerging rugby league players; and 2) explore the differences in injury
      incidence and characteristics between the various sub-elite competitions. An NRL
      emerging player development squad (n = 34) was observed from the beginning of pre
      season until the finish of competition. Time-loss injury was defined as any
      physical pain or impairment sustained that resulted in players missing a match.
      Injuries were categorised according to circumstance, incidence, characteristics,
      playing position and competition level. Of a total of 196 injuries that were
      recorded, 45 were time-loss and 151 were transient. The total injury incidence
      was 7.9/1,000 playing hours. The most common sites for time-loss injuries were
      the shoulder, ankle/foot and knee. Ligament injuries accounted for the highest
      number of injuries by type. Forwards sustained the greatest number of injuries.
      However, backs suffered the greatest injury cost. The majority of time-loss
      injuries were sustained during competition matches. Injuries sustained during
      open age matches resulted in significantly higher injury cost to those received
      at NYC matches. NRL development and emerging rugby league players are exposed to
      high risk of injury. Lower limb and shoulder injuries to bone or connective
      tissue are prevalent as a result of contact during match play. Players at this
      developmental level feed into several different playing squads where disparities
      in physical development, maturation, playing intensity and training regimes are
      evident. This presents a challenge in matching physiological capabilities with
      playing demands for NRL development squads.

PMID- 28630585
TI  - Identification of the Plasmodium species in clinical samples from children
      residing in five epidemiological strata of malaria in Cameroon.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Malaria in Cameroon was previously known to be caused solely by
      Plasmodium falciparum but today, evidence points to other Plasmodium species
      including P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. The purpose of this study was to
      identify the Plasmodium species in clinical samples from children residing in
      five epidemiological strata of malaria in Cameroon, so as to advise control
      policies. METHODS: One thousand six hundred nine febrile children (<=15 years)
      were recruited from five epidemiological strata of malaria including the Sudano
      sahelian (SS) strata, the High inland plateau (HIP) strata, the South Cameroonian
      Equatorial forest (SCEF) strata, the High western plateau (HWP) strata and the
      Coastal (C) strata. Malaria parasites were detected by Giemsa microscopy (GM)
      while a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the
      Plasmodium species. Statistical analysis performed included the Pearson chi
      square test, and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The PCR
      adjusted prevalence of malaria was 17.6%. The detection rate of PCR was higher
      than GM (p = 0.05). However, GM demonstrated a high sensitivity (85.5%) and
      specificity (100%) and, overall, a perfectly correlated agreement with PCR
      (97.5%). The prevalence of malaria was significantly higher in children between
      60 and 119 months (p < 0.001) and in Limbe (in the Coastal strata) (p < 0.001).
      Contrariwise, the prevalence of malaria was not associated with gender (p =
      0.239). P. falciparum was identified in all (100%) the cases of malaria; P.
      ovale, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. knowlesi were all absent. No case of mixed
      infection was identified. CONCLUSIONS: P. falciparum was the only species causing
      clinical malaria in the target population, which is contrary to studies that have
      reported P. vivax, P. malariae and P. ovale as causing clinical malaria in
      Cameroon.

PMID- 28630586
TI  - Surveillance efforts after mass drug administration to validate elimination of
      lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem in Vanuatu.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vanuatu was formerly highly endemic for lymphatic filariasis (LF),
      caused by Wuchereria bancrofti and transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. After a
      baseline survey showing 4.8% antigen prevalence in 1998, the country conducted
      nationwide (in one implementation unit) annual mass drug administration (MDA)
      with albendazole and diethylcarbamazine citrate from 2000 to 2004 and achieved
      prevalence of 0.2% by 2006 in a representative nationwide cluster survey among
      all age groups. METHODS: Post MDA surveillance was conducted from 2006 to 2012.
      After MDA, the country was divided for surveillance into three evaluation units
      (EUs) formed by grouping provinces according to baseline prevalence: EU1: Torba,
      Sanma and Malampa; EU2: Penama; EU3: Shefa and Tafea. The study compiled all past
      data and information on surveys in Vanuatu from the country programme. This paper
      reviews the surveillance activities done after stopping MDA to validate the
      interruption of transmission and elimination of LF as a public health problem.
      RESULTS: Post-MDA surveillance consisting of at least three transmission
      assessment surveys (TAS) in each of the three EUs was conducted between 2006 and
      2012. Sentinel and spot check surveys identified a few villages with persistent
      high prevalence; all antigen positive cases in these sites were treated and
      additional targeted MDA conducted for 3 years in 13 villages in one area of
      concern. All three EUs passed all TAS in 2007, 2010 and 2012 respectively, with
      no positives found except in EU2 (Penama province) in 2012 when 2 children tested
      positive for circulating filariasis antigen. Assessment of the burden of chronic
      filariasis morbidity found 95 cases in 2003 and 32 remaining cases in 2007, all
      aged over 60 years. CONCLUSIONS: Vanuatu has achieved validation of elimination
      of LF as a public health problem. Post-validation surveillance is still
      recommended especially in formerly highly endemic areas.

PMID- 28630587
TI  - The most common technologies and tools for functional genome analysis.
AB  - Since the sequence of the human genome is complete, the main issue is how to
      understand the information written in the DNA sequence. Despite numerous genome
      wide studies that have already been performed, the challenge to determine the
      function of genes, gene products, and also their interaction is still open. As
      changes in the human genome are highly likely to cause pathological conditions,
      functional analysis is vitally important for human health. For many years there
      have been a variety of technologies and tools used in functional genome analysis.
      However, only in the past decade there has been rapid revolutionizing progress
      and improvement in high-throughput methods, which are ranging from traditional
      real-time polymerase chain reaction to more complex systems, such as next
      generation sequencing or mass spectrometry. Furthermore, not only laboratory
      investigation, but also accurate bioinformatic analysis is required for reliable
      scientific results. These methods give an opportunity for accurate and
      comprehensive functional analysis that involves various fields of studies:
      genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and interactomics. This is essential for
      filling the gaps in the knowledge about dynamic biological processes at both
      cellular and organismal level. However, each method has both advantages and
      limitations that should be taken into account before choosing the right method
      for particular research in order to ensure successful study. For this reason, the
      present review paper aims to describe the most frequent and widely-used methods
      for the comprehensive functional analysis.

PMID- 28630588
TI  - Testicular cancer in two brothers of a quadruplet: a case report and a review of
      literature.
AB  - Introduction. Testicular cancer and a multiple birth are both rare events, and
      the risk of testicular cancer is increased in twins. In Lithuania, only five
      quadruplets have been recorded since the middle of the 20th century. In this
      report, we present two rare events in one family: testicular cancer in two
      brothers of a quadruplet (three brothers and a sister). Case description. Both
      patients were diagnosed at 21 years of age and died within two years from the
      diagnosis despite treatment. The third symptomless brother did not have
      testicular pathology. We also review the risk factors associated with testicular
      cancer, and the proposed hypotheses how a multiple birth results in an increased
      risk. The most consistent risk factors for testicular cancer are cryptorchidism,
      prior history of testicular cancer, and a positive familial history. According to
      different studies, the risk of testicular cancer in twins is higher from 22% to
      30%, compared to the general population. Conclusions. To our knowledge, we have
      presented the first case of testicular teratoblastoma in brothers of a
      quadruplet.

PMID- 28630589
TI  - Laparoscopic colorectal surgery for colorectal polyps: experience of ten years.
AB  - Background. Laparoscopy or its combination with endoscopy is the next step for
      "difficult" polyps. The purpose of the paper was to review the outcomes of the
      laparoscopic approach to the management of "difficult" colorectal polyps.
      Materials and methods. From 2006 to 2016, 58 patients who underwent laparoscopic
      treatment for "difficult" polyps that could not be treated by endoscopy at the
      National Cancer Institute, Lithuania, were included. The demographic data, the
      type of surgery, length of post-operative stay, complications, and final
      pathology were reviewed prospectively. Results. The mean patient was 65.9 +/- 8.9
      years of age. Laparoscopic mobilization of the colonic segment and colotomy with
      removal of the polyp was performed in 15 (25.9%) patients, laparoscopic segmental
      bowel resection in 41 (70.7%) cases: anterior rectal resection with partial total
      mesorectal excision in 18 (31.0%), sigmoid resection in nine (15.5%), left
      hemicolectomy in seven (12.1%), right hemicolectomies in two (3.4%), ileocecal
      resection in two (3.4%), resection of transverse colon in two (3.4%), and sigmoid
      resection with transanal retrieval of specimen in one (1.7%). Two patients (3.4%)
      underwent laparoscopic-assisted endoscopic polypectomy. The mean post-operative
      hospital stay was 5.7 +/- 2.4 days. There were four complications (6.9%). All
      patients recovered after conservative treatment. The mean polyp size was 3.5 +/-
      1.9 cm. Final histopathology revealed hyperplastic polyps (n = 2), tubular
      adenoma (n = 9), tubulovillous adenoma (n = 31), carcinoma in situ (n = 12), and
      invasive cancer (n = 4). Conclusions. For the management of endoscopically
      unresectable polyps, laparoscopic surgery is currently the technique of choice.

PMID- 28630590
TI  - Analysis of prognostic factors for melanoma patients.
AB  - Introduction. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Morbidity from
      melanoma is increasing every year. Previous studies have revealed that there are
      some demographic and clinical factors having effect on melanoma survival
      prognosis. Aim of the study. Purpose of our study was to assess melanoma survival
      depending on prognostic factors, such as age, sex, stage, depth, histology and
      anatomical site. Materials and methods. We investigated melanoma-specific
      survival up to 10 years in 85 primary cases of melanoma from diagnosis at the
      National Cancer Institute in 2006. Analysis was performed for one-, five-, and
      ten-year survival. The data were processed with Microsoft Excel, data analysis
      was conducted using SPSS(r) software. Results. Melanomas diagnosed at stage IV or
      thicker than 4.00 mm had lower survival (five-year survival: 12.5% and 26.66%,
      respectively). A significant survival difference was observed among the different
      stages (p = 0.003) and different depths (p = 0.049) of melanoma. Ten-year
      survival was 32% for men and 61% for women, but melanoma-specific survival
      dependent on sex did not have a statistically significant difference (p = 0.121).
      In persons diagnosed at the age of 65 or older, ten-year survival was lower than
      in those of 40-64 years of age and in the age group of 15-39 years (44.44% and
      26.66%, respectively), but melanoma-specific survival in different age groups did
      not have a statistically significant difference (p = 0.455). Back/breast skin
      melanoma had lower ten-year survival (37.03%) than other anatomic sites. Nodular
      melanoma had the poorest five-year and ten-year melanoma-specific survival among
      histological subtypes (51.67% and 38.75%). The differences between melanoma
      localizations (p = 0.457) and histological types (p = 0.364) were not
      statistically significant. Conclusions. Lower melanoma-specific survival rates
      were observed among patients diagnosed at a late stage, older age, and when
      melanomas were thicker than 4.00 mm. Female and younger patients had better
      melanoma-specific survival than men and older people, and these differences were
      statistically significant. Melanoma diagnosed at an early stage and of a small
      depth had higher survival rates. Back/breast skin melanoma had poorer prognosis
      than other anatomic sites. Nodular melanoma had the lowest melanoma-specific
      survival, while superficial spreading or lentigo maligna had the best prognosis
      among histological subtypes. However, differences in melanoma survival in
      different sex and age groups, localizations and histological types were not
      statistically significant.

PMID- 28630591
TI  - ?
AB  - THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE NOTCH SIGNALING PATHWAY AND GYNAECOLOGICAL
      MALIGNANCIES: Background. The body's cell behaviour is controlled by various
      signalling pathways, one of which is NOTCH. It has been found that a partial loss
      of the NOTCH function or abnormal strengthening of NOTCH signalling are related
      to various human diseases and developmental disorders. Materials and methods.
      PubMed was the main source of information for this paper. Results. The paper
      overviews the association between oncologic diseases and the participants of the
      NOTCH signalling pathway. In cancerogenesis, the NOTCH signalling pathway can act
      as a tumour suppressor or an oncogene. The mechanisms of such an effect are yet
      unknown. The NOTCH signalling pathway is an object of active research because its
      modulation by pharmacological and genetic approaches could be helpful in
      discovering new treatment methods of tumours. In this review more attention is
      paid to gynaecological malignancies, especially to uterine cancer. Conclusions.
      The findings of recently published studies show that the NOTCH signalling pathway
      is definitely important for the development of uterine cancer, therefore its
      components can be potential prognostic biomarkers and molecular therapeutic
      targets. However, further studies in this field are needed in order to clarify
      the role of the components of the NOTCH signalling pathway and their interaction
      with participants of other signalling pathways, which can be important in the
      development and progression of uterine cancer as well. Keywords: NOTCH signalling
      pathway, cancer, gynaecological malignancies.

PMID- 28630592
TI  - The role of different PI-RADS versions in prostate multiparametric magnetic
      resonance tomography assessment.
AB  - Background. Standardised Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS)
      guidelines for the assessment of prostate alterations were designed for the
      assessment of prostate pathology. Published by the ESUR in 2012, PI-RADS v1 was
      based on the total score of different MRI sequences with subsequent calculation.
      PI-RADS v2 was published by the American College of Radiology in 2015 and
      featured different assessment criteria for prostate peripheral and transitory
      zones. Aim. To assess the correlations of PI-RADS v1 and PI-RADS v2 with Gleason
      score values and to define their predictive values of the diagnosis of prostate
      cancer. Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of 66 patients. Prostate
      specific antigen (PSA) value and the Gleason score (GS) were assessed. One the
      most malignant focal lesion was selected in the peripheral zone of each lobe of
      the prostate (91 in total). Statistical analysis was carried out applying SPSS
      software, v.23, p < 0.05. Results. Focal lesions assessed by PI-RADS v1 score:
      10% - 1, 12% - 2, 41% - 3, 23% - 4, 14% - 5. Assessment applying PI-RADS v.2: 20%
      - 1, 7.5% - 2, 26%, 29.5%, and 17% were assessed by 3, 4, and 5 scores.
      Statistically relevant correlation was found only between GS and PI-RADS (p =
      0.033). The positive predictive value of both versions of PI-RADS - 75%, negative
      predictive value of PI-RADS v1 - 46%, PI-RADS v2 - 43%. Conclusions. PI-RADS v1
      was more statistically relevant in assessing the grade of tumour. Prediction
      values were similar in both versions.

PMID- 28630593
TI  - ?
AB  - HEMOPHAGOCYTIC LYMPHOHISTIOCYTOSIS A LITERATURE REVIEW: Hemophagocytic
      lymphohistiocytosis is an immune dysregulatory syndrome that is associated with
      alteration in the immune response activation and inhibition balance. There are
      two basic forms of the syndrome: primary (genetic or familial) determined by
      genes mutations involved in immune cell interactions, and secondary or sporadic
      developing as a result of an infectious process. The exact genetic background of
      the secondary form is still unknown. These forms are characterized by same
      combination of specific hyperinflammatory reactions and clinical signs and
      symptoms. Discrimination between primary and secondary forms is often challenging
      due to the rarity of the pathology, a wide spectrum of clinical signs, and
      limited availability of specific tests. Etiopathogenetic treatment of the primary
      form is an urgent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, otherwise a
      fatal outcome is inevitable. Meanwhile, the approach to the secondary form
      depends on the clinical manifestation and the type of the infectious trigger. To
      rescue the patient, a timely diagnosis is crucial for prompt administration of
      appropriate treatment. Treatment of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is
      complicated by the high incidence of treatment-related mortality and the
      propensity to relapse. Keywords: hemophagocytis lymphohistiocytosis,
      immunodeficiency, diagnostic criteria.

PMID- 28630594
TI  - Individual Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for palliative cancer patients in
      Lithuania. A case report.
AB  - Patients with oncological diseases, especially palliative care patients, suffer
      from physical and psychological difficulties. The quality of life of such
      patients is bad, they do not have purpose to live and they feel anxiety and
      distress. In 1959 Victor Frankl wrote the book Man's Search for Meaning in which
      he stated that the driving force of human life lay in the ability to discern the
      meaning of faith and spirituality. Inspired by Frankl's ideas, the American
      psychiatrist William Breitbart with colleagues have developed both an individual
      and group model of Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy. Studies show that this therapy
      helps patients to cope with distress, to discover the meaning of life in
      palliative care patients, and to find the strength to look at life positively;
      also, it relieves the symptoms of illness. The Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy is
      integrated in various countries and has recently been initiated for palliative
      patients in Lithuania. The individual Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy was used in
      the case reviewed in this paper.

PMID- 28630595
TI  - QSAR models of human data can enrich or replace LLNA testing for human skin
      sensitization.
AB  - Skin sensitization is a major environmental and occupational health hazard.
      Although many chemicals have been evaluated in humans, there have been no efforts
      to model these data to date. We have compiled, curated, analyzed, and compared
      the available human and LLNA data. Using these data, we have developed reliable
      computational models and applied them for virtual screening of chemical libraries
      to identify putative skin sensitizers. The overall concordance between murine
      LLNA and human skin sensitization responses for a set of 135 unique chemicals was
      low (R = 28-43%), although several chemical classes had high concordance. We have
      succeeded to develop predictive QSAR models of all available human data with the
      external correct classification rate of 71%. A consensus model integrating
      concordant QSAR predictions and LLNA results afforded a higher CCR of 82% but at
      the expense of the reduced external dataset coverage (52%). We used the developed
      QSAR models for virtual screening of CosIng database and identified 1061 putative
      skin sensitizers; for seventeen of these compounds, we found published evidence
      of their skin sensitization effects. Models reported herein provide more accurate
      alternative to LLNA testing for human skin sensitization assessment across
      diverse chemical data. In addition, they can also be used to guide the structural
      optimization of toxic compounds to reduce their skin sensitization potential.

PMID- 28630596
TI  - Association between HMGB1 and asthma: a literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, some studies demonstrated that HMGB1, as proinflammatory
      mediator belonging to the alarmin family, has a key role in different acute and
      chronic immune disorders. Asthma is a complex disease characterised by recurrent
      and reversible airflow obstruction associated to airway hyper-responsiveness and
      airway inflammation. OBJECTIVE: This literature review aims to analyse advances
      on HMGB1 role, employment and potential diagnostic application in asthma.
      METHODS: We reviewed experimental studies that investigated the pathogenetic role
      of HMGB in bronchial airway hyper-responsiveness, inflammation and the
      correlation between HMGB1 level and asthma. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies
      assessing the association between HMGB1 and asthma were identified. CONCLUSIONS:
      What emerged from this literature review was the confirmation of HMGB-1
      involvement in diseases characterised by chronic inflammation, especially in
      pulmonary pathologies. Findings reported suggest a potential role of the alarmin
      in being a stadiation method and a marker of therapeutic efficacy; finally,
      inhibiting HMGB1 in humans in order to contrast inflammation should be the aim
      for future further studies.

PMID- 28630597
TI  - ?
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 31 in vol. 28, PMID: 28337070.].

PMID- 28630598
TI  - ?
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 8 in vol. 28, PMID: 28337071.].

PMID- 28630599
TI  - ?
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 40 in vol. 28, PMID: 28337072.].

PMID- 28630600
TI  - ?
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 46 in vol. 28, PMID: 28344519.].

PMID- 28630602
TI  - Comparing the Performance of Improved Classify-Analyze Approaches For Distal
      Outcomes in Latent Profile Analysis.
AB  - Several approaches are available for estimating the relationship of latent class
      membership to distal outcomes in latent profile analysis (LPA). A three-step
      approach is commonly used, but has problems with estimation bias and confidence
      interval coverage. Proposed improvements include the correction method of Bolck,
      Croon, and Hagenaars (BCH; 2004), Vermunt's (2010) maximum likelihood (ML)
      approach, and the inclusive three-step approach of Bray, Lanza, & Tan (2015).
      These methods have been studied in the related case of latent class analysis
      (LCA) with categorical indicators, but not as well studied for LPA with
      continuous indicators. We investigated the performance of these approaches in LPA
      with normally distributed indicators, under different conditions of distal
      outcome distribution, class measurement quality, relative latent class size, and
      strength of association between latent class and the distal outcome. The modified
      BCH implemented in Latent GOLD had excellent performance. The maximum likelihood
      and inclusive approaches were not robust to violations of distributional
      assumptions. These findings broadly agree with and extend the results presented
      by Bakk and Vermunt (2016) in the context of LCA with categorical indicators.

PMID- 28630603
TI  - Elevated IL-37 levels in the plasma of patients with severe coronary artery
      calcification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a predictor of cardiovascular
      events and plaque burden and is closely associated with chronic inflammation.
      Interleukin (IL)-37 is a newly discovered member of the IL-1 family and is
      considered an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Our recent study on mice indicated that
      IL-37 could attenuate atherosclerosis and vascular calcification, which suggests
      that IL-37 could be associated with the development of atherosclerosis and
      related diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate if IL-37 plays a role
      in the progression of CAC in patients. METHODS: Two hundred participants with
      suspected cardiovascular disease were recruited. The levels of plasma IL-37,
      osteoprotegerin (OPG), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) together with
      other biochemical parameters were measured, and a coronary calcium assessment was
      carried out by multi-detector row CT. A score of < 10 AU (Agatston units) denotes
      an absence of CAC, a score of 11-100 AU denotes mild CAC, 101-400 denotes
      moderate CAC, and > 400 AU denotes severe CAC. RESULTS: Our initial data showed
      that there were no apparent differences in plasma IL-37 levels among patients
      with or without mild or moderate CAC. However, IL-37 levels were significantly
      increased in patients with severe CAC (P < 0.001). Similar results were observed
      for plasma OPG and hsCRP levels. When IL-37 levels in patients with severe
      calcification were compared with that in all of the other non-severe CAC groups,
      it became apparent that there was a significant positive correlation between IL
      37 level and severe CAC (r = 0.360, P < 0.001; OR = 1.033) using Spearman's
      correlation and binary logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      demonstrates that the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-37 is associated with high
      coronary calcium levels, suggesting that IL-37 expression may be caused by the
      activation of inflammation and that IL-37 might become a predictor of severe CAC
      in the future, which requires further investigation.

PMID- 28630601
TI  - International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body
      composition.
AB  - Position Statement: The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) bases
      the following position stand on a critical analysis of the literature regarding
      the effects of diet types (macronutrient composition; eating styles) and their
      influence on body composition. The ISSN has concluded the following. 1) There is
      a multitude of diet types and eating styles, whereby numerous subtypes fall under
      each major dietary archetype. 2) All body composition assessment methods have
      strengths and limitations. 3) Diets primarily focused on fat loss are driven by a
      sustained caloric deficit. The higher the baseline body fat level, the more
      aggressively the caloric deficit may be imposed. Slower rates of weight loss can
      better preserve lean mass (LM) in leaner subjects. 4) Diets focused primarily on
      accruing LM are driven by a sustained caloric surplus to facilitate anabolic
      processes and support increasing resistance-training demands. The composition and
      magnitude of the surplus, as well as training status of the subjects can
      influence the nature of the gains. 5) A wide range of dietary approaches (low-fat
      to low-carbohydrate/ketogenic, and all points between) can be similarly effective
      for improving body composition. 6) Increasing dietary protein to levels
      significantly beyond current recommendations for athletic populations may result
      in improved body composition. Higher protein intakes (2.3-3.1 g/kg FFM) may be
      required to maximize muscle retention in lean, resistance-trained subjects under
      hypocaloric conditions. Emerging research on very high protein intakes (>3 g/kg)
      has demonstrated that the known thermic, satiating, and LM-preserving effects of
      dietary protein might be amplified in resistance-training subjects. 7) The
      collective body of intermittent caloric restriction research demonstrates no
      significant advantage over daily caloric restriction for improving body
      composition. 8) The long-term success of a diet depends upon compliance and
      suppression or circumvention of mitigating factors such as adaptive
      thermogenesis. 9) There is a paucity of research on women and older populations,
      as well as a wide range of untapped permutations of feeding frequency and
      macronutrient distribution at various energetic balances combined with training.
      Behavioral and lifestyle modification strategies are still poorly researched
      areas of weight management.

PMID- 28630604
TI  - Expression of p53 in myocardium following coronary microembolization in rats and
      its significance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiomyocyte apoptosis is a primary cause for coronary
      microembolization (CME)-induced cardiac dysfunction. p53 induces cell growth
      retardation and apoptosis through stress pathway. The present study investigated
      the mechanism of p53-induced myocardial apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction by
      activating the mitochondrion apoptotic pathway following CME. METHODS: Forty SD
      rats were equally divided into microembolization (CME), sham operation (sham),
      CME+siRNA-p53, and CME+control-p53 groups. The CME rat model was established by
      injecting microembolization spheres via the left ventricle. Cardiac ultrasound,
      TUNEL, fluorescence quantitative PCR, and Western blot were used to assess the
      cardiac function indicators, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and the expressions of mRNA
      and protein in myocardial tissues, respectively. RESULTS: Echocardiography
      revealed a significantly reduced cardiac function of the CME group than the sham
      group while the CME-induced cardiac dysfunction was improved in the CME+siRNA-p53
      group. The indicators of myocardial apoptosis in the CME group increased
      significantly than the sham group; those of the CME+siRNA-p53 group decreased
      significantly than the CME group. Fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot
      demonstrated that p53, Bbc3 (PUMA), and cleaved caspase-3 expressions were
      significantly increased, and BCL-2 expression was declined in myocardial tissues
      of the CME group compared to the sham group. A contrasting result was observed in
      the CME+siRNA-p53 group as compared to the CME group. CONCLUSIONS: P53 is
      involved in the CME-induced cardiac dysfunction, which may up-regulate Bbc3 to
      activate BCL-2/caspase3 mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and induce myocardial
      apoptosis. Inhibiting the p53 expression can effectively suppress this pathway,
      thereby reducing myocardial apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction.

PMID- 28630605
TI  - Xinfuli Granule improves post-myocardial infarction ventricular remodeling and
      myocardial fibrosis in rats by regulating TGF-beta/Smads signaling pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent clinical and experimental studies have confirmed the effects
      of Xinfuli Granule (XG), a compound Chinese medicine in the prevention and
      treatment of heart failure (HF). This study aimed to investigate the effects and
      the mechanisms of XG on ventricular reconstruction in rats with acute myocardial
      infarction (AMI). METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to left anterior
      descending branch ligation. The rats that survived 24 h were randomly assigned to
      five groups: medium-dose of XG group (MI+XGM), high-dose of XG group (MI+XGH),
      carvedilol group (MI+C), medium-dose of XG + carvedilol group (MI+C+XGM).
      Fourteen rats underwent identical surgical procedures without artery ligation,
      serving as sham controls. At 28 days, left ventricular weight to body weight
      (LVW/BW) and heart weight to body weight (HW/BW) were calculated; left
      ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular shortening fraction
      (LVFS), left ventricular internal diameter at systole (LVIDS) were measured by
      ultrasound; HE staining, Masson staining, and Sirius red staining were used to
      assess the myocardial pathological and physiological changes as well as
      myocardial fibrosis area and non-infarct zone I/III collagen ratio. Expression of
      Smad3 were detected and analyzed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and
      immunofluorescence. P-Smad3, Smad2 and Smad7 in the TGF-beta/Smads signaling
      pathway were also analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The LVIDS (P < 0.01), HW/BW
      (P < 0.05), type I/III collagen ratio (P < 0.01) and myocardial collagen (P <
      0.01) decreased significantly while the LVW/BW, LVFS (P < 0.05) increased
      significantly in MI+XGM group as compared with those in other groups. The
      expression of key signal molecules of the TGF-beta/Smads signaling pathway,
      including Smad3, P-Smad3 and Smad2 protein were decreased, while the expression
      of Smad7 increased in both XG and carvedilol treatment groups as compared to
      those of the MI group (all P < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence
      further confirmed the down-regulated Smad3 expression. CONCLUSION: XG can improve
      ventricular reconstruction and inhibit myocardial fibrosis in rats with AMI by
      regulating TGF-beta/Smads signaling pathway.

PMID- 28630607
TI  - Definition of a plant-based diet and overview of this special issue.

PMID- 28630608
TI  - Introduction to the "A plant-based diet and cardiovascular disease" special
      issue.

PMID- 28630606
TI  - Clinical characteristics, target organ damage and associate risk factors of
      resistant hypertension determined by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in
      patients aged >= 80 years.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate clinical characteristics, target organ damage, and the
      associated risk factors of the patients aged >= 80 years with true resistant
      hypertension (RH). METHODS: Patients aged >= 80 years with hypertension (n =
      1163) were included in this study. The included participants attended a
      structured clinical examination and an evaluation of RH was carried out. The
      prevalence, clinical characteristics and target organ damage of patients with RH
      were assessed. The associated clinical risk factors were analyzed by using
      logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of RH diagnosis by 24-h ambulatory
      blood pressure monitoring assessment was 21.15%. End-diastolic left ventricular
      internal dimension, left ventricular mass index as well as prevalence of left
      ventricular hypertrophy were significantly greater in patients with RH than in
      control group. The common carotid artery intimal media thickness, carotid walls
      thickness, common carotid artery diameter and relative wall thickness were
      significant greater in RH group than in control. A relatively higher level of
      creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, microalbuminuria and retinal
      changes was found in RH group than in control. A multivariate analysis showed
      that patients with a history of diabetes, higher body mass index (BMI) and lipid
      profiles were independent risk factors of RH. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of RH
      in patients aged >= 80 years was within the range of reported rates of the
      general population. Subjects with RH diagnosis showed a higher occurrence of
      target organ damage than patients with well controlled blood pressure. Patients
      with diabetes, higher BMI and serum lipid profiles were independent risk factors
      for RH in patients aged >= 80 years.

PMID- 28630609
TI  - A plant-based diet and coronary artery disease: a mandate for effective therapy.

PMID- 28630610
TI  - A plant-based diet and stroke.

PMID- 28630611
TI  - A plant-based diet and hypertension.

PMID- 28630612
TI  - A plant-based diet and animal protein: questioning dietary fat and considering
      animal protein as the main cause of heart disease.

PMID- 28630613
TI  - Strategies for practitioners to support patients in plant-based eating.

PMID- 28630614
TI  - A plant-based diet for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
AB  - The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rising worldwide, especially in older
      adults. Diet and lifestyle, particularly plant-based diets, are effective tools
      for type 2 diabetes prevention and management. Plant-based diets are eating
      patterns that emphasize legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and
      seeds and discourage most or all animal products. Cohort studies strongly support
      the role of plant-based diets, and food and nutrient components of plant-based
      diets, in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Evidence from observational and
      interventional studies demonstrates the benefits of plant-based diets in treating
      type 2 diabetes and reducing key diabetes-related macrovascular and microvascular
      complications. Optimal macronutrient ratios for preventing and treating type 2
      diabetes are controversial; the focus should instead be on eating patterns and
      actual foods. However, the evidence does suggest that the type and source of
      carbohydrate (unrefined versus refined), fats (monounsaturated and
      polyunsaturated versus saturated and trans), and protein (plant versus animal)
      play a major role in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Multiple
      potential mechanisms underlie the benefits of a plant-based diet in ameliorating
      insulin resistance, including promotion of a healthy body weight, increases in
      fiber and phytonutrients, food-microbiome interactions, and decreases in
      saturated fat, advanced glycation endproducts, nitrosamines, and heme iron.

PMID- 28630616
TI  - A plant-based diet for overweight and obesity prevention and treatment.
AB  - The goal of this paper is to review the evidence related to the effect of plant
      based dietary patterns on obesity and weight loss, including both observational
      and intervention trials. Literature from plant-based diets (PBDs) epidemiological
      and clinical trial research was used to inform this review. In addition, data on
      dietary quality, adherence, and acceptability were evaluated and are presented.
      Both clinical trials and observational research indicate an advantage to adoption
      of PBDs for preventing overweight and obesity and promoting weight loss. PBDs may
      also confer higher levels of diet quality than are observed with other
      therapeutic diet approaches, with similar levels of adherence and acceptability.
      Future studies should utilize health behavior theory to inform intervention
      development and delivery of PBDs studies and new technologies to bring
      interventions to scale for greater public health impact. Research examining PBDs
      and weight loss is also needed with more diverse populations, including older
      adults. Based on the available evidence, PBDs should be considered a viable
      option for the treatment and prevention of overweight and obesity.

PMID- 28630615
TI  - Plant-based nutrition for healthcare professionals: implementing diet as a
      primary modality in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease remains the world's leading cause of death. Yet, we have
      known for decades that the vast majority of atherosclerosis and its subsequent
      morbidity and mortality are influenced predominantly by diet. This paper will
      describe a health-promoting whole food, plant-based diet; delineate macro- and
      micro-nutrition, emphasizing specific geriatric concerns; and offer guidance to
      physicians and other healthcare practitioners to support patients in successfully
      utilizing nutrition to improve their health.

PMID- 28630617
TI  - A plant-based diet and heart failure: case report and literature review.

PMID- 28630618
TI  - Perinatal effects of scorpion venoms: maternal and offspring development.
AB  - Scorpion envenomation is a public health problem, especially in tropical and
      subtropical countries. Considering the high incidence of scorpionism in some
      areas, pregnant women and nursing mothers may be possible victims. Scorpion
      stings alter the release of neurotransmitters and some cytokines. These mediators
      act as organizers and programmers in the adequate formation of the nerves, and
      non-physiological concentrations of them during the brain organization originate
      disorders and diseases that can appear later in the life of the individual.
      Despite the importance of this subject, there are only a few studies showing the
      effects of scorpion venom on maternal reproductive development, in the morphology
      and physical and behavioral development of offspring. The present review article
      summarizes the major findings on this issue. Biochemical changes in the blood -
      such as hyperglycemia, increase on the level of sodium and on the creatinine
      concentration - are observed after scorpion sting in humans and experimental
      animals. Some studies in the literature demonstrate that the scorpion venom
      affects the maternal reproductive development in humans and in experimental
      animals, increasing the frequency and amplitude of uterine contraction and the
      number of resorptions. The venom can also lead to some alterations in the
      embryonic or fetal development increasing the total weight of fetuses and of some
      organs. Moreover, it affects the general activity and locomotion during childhood
      and adulthood, and the anxiety level in adult females and males. It also alters
      the number of hippocampal neurons and interferes in the level of some cytokines.
      Altogether, it is evident that the venom, when administered during the pregnancy
      or lactation, affects the development of the offspring. Studies are being
      conducted to determine the actual participation of the venom in the development
      of the offspring, and to what extent they are detrimental to animal development.

PMID- 28630619
TI  - A Swarm Optimization Genetic Algorithm Based on Quantum-Behaved Particle Swarm
      Optimization.
AB  - Quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) algorithm is a variant of the
      traditional particle swarm optimization (PSO). The QPSO that was originally
      developed for continuous search spaces outperforms the traditional PSO in search
      ability. This paper analyzes the main factors that impact the search ability of
      QPSO and converts the particle movement formula to the mutation condition by
      introducing the rejection region, thus proposing a new binary algorithm, named
      swarm optimization genetic algorithm (SOGA), because it is more like genetic
      algorithm (GA) than PSO in form. SOGA has crossover and mutation operator as GA
      but does not need to set the crossover and mutation probability, so it has fewer
      parameters to control. The proposed algorithm was tested with several nonlinear
      high-dimension functions in the binary search space, and the results were
      compared with those from BPSO, BQPSO, and GA. The experimental results show that
      SOGA is distinctly superior to the other three algorithms in terms of solution
      accuracy and convergence.

PMID- 28630620
TI  - Cloud Model-Based Artificial Immune Network for Complex Optimization Problem.
AB  - This paper proposes an artificial immune network based on cloud model (AINet-CM)
      for complex function optimization problems. Three key immune operators-cloning,
      mutation, and suppression-are redesigned with the help of the cloud model. To be
      specific, an increasing half cloud-based cloning operator is used to adjust the
      dynamic clone multipliers of antibodies, an asymmetrical cloud-based mutation
      operator is used to control the adaptive evolution of antibodies, and a normal
      similarity cloud-based suppressor is used to keep the diversity of the antibody
      population. To quicken the searching convergence, a dynamic searching step length
      strategy is adopted. For comparative study, a series of numerical simulations are
      arranged between AINet-CM and the other three artificial immune systems, that is,
      opt-aiNet, IA-AIS, and AAIS-2S. Furthermore, two industrial applications-finite
      impulse response (FIR) filter design and proportional-integral-differential (PID)
      controller tuning-are investigated and the results demonstrate the potential
      searching capability and practical value of the proposed AINet-CM algorithm.

PMID- 28630621
TI  - Development of SNP Genotyping Assays for Seed Composition Traits in Soybean.
AB  - Seed composition is one of the most important determinants of the economic values
      in soybean. The quality and quantity of different seed components, such as oil,
      protein, and carbohydrates, are crucial ingredients in food, feed, and numerous
      industrial products. Soybean researchers have successfully developed and utilized
      a diverse set of molecular markers for seed trait improvement in soybean breeding
      programs. It is imperative to design and develop molecular assays that are
      accurate, robust, high-throughput, cost-effective, and available on a common
      genotyping platform. In the present study, we developed and validated KASP
      (Kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction) genotyping assays based
      on previously known functional mutant alleles for the seed composition traits,
      including fatty acids, oligosaccharides, trypsin inhibitor, and lipoxygenase.
      These assays were validated on mutant sources as well as mapping populations and
      precisely distinguish the homozygotes and heterozygotes of the mutant genes. With
      the obvious advantages, newly developed KASP assays in this study can substitute
      the genotyping assays that were previously developed for marker-assisted
      selection (MAS). The functional gene-based assay resource developed using common
      genotyping platform will be helpful to accelerate efforts to improve soybean seed
      composition traits.

PMID- 28630622
TI  - Bowel Ischemia in ICU Patients: Diagnostic Value of I-FABP Depends on the
      Interval to the Triggering Event.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) has been shown to be
      of high diagnostic value in patients with acute mesenteric ischemia. Whether
      these results can be reproduced in critically ill patients on the ICU was to be
      investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: I-FABP was measured in serum and urine of 43
      critically ill patients in ICU when mesenteric ischemia was suspected. Bowel
      ischemia was confirmed in 21 patients (group 1). 22 patients who survived at
      least seven days without confirmation of ischemia were assigned to group 2. I
      FABP levels were compared between the groups, and interval from the event that
      has triggered ischemia to I-FABP measurement was recorded. RESULTS: For the
      identification of patients with mesenteric ischemia, sensitivity, specificity,
      and area under the curve (AUC) for serum and urine I-FABP were 33.3%, 95.5%, and
      0.565 and 81.3%, 70.0%, and 0.694, respectively. I-FABP measurements performed
      within 12 to 48 h after the event that triggered ischemia showed a sensitivity,
      specificity, and AUC for serum and urine of 75%, 100%, and 0.853 and 100%, 73.3%,
      and 0.856, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In ICU patients, one single I-FABP
      measurement at the time of clinical suspicion failed to reliably detect or
      exclude mesenteric ischemia. A higher diagnostic value of I-FABP was only
      confirmed in the early stages of mesenteric ischemia. I-FABP may be used most
      appropriately in perioperative monitoring.

PMID- 28630623
TI  - Strategies for Preventing Endoscopic Recurrence of Crohn's Disease 1 Year after
      Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the benefits of different treatments that aim to prevent the
      endoscopic recurrence of Crohn's disease (CD) after ileal resection. METHODS:
      Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched from MEDLINE, Embase, and the
      Cochrane Central Database. All the included RCTs with an endoscopic recurrence
      outcome which was defined as Rutgeerts' score >= i2 have a duration of more than
      1 year. The quality of the included RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane Risk of
      Bias Tool. Pairwise treatment effects were estimated through a Bayesian random
      effects network meta-analysis by using the OpenBUGS 1.4 software and reported as
      odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% credible interval (CI). RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs (877
      participants) were included. Two strategies were superior to placebo for
      preventing endoscopic recurrence of CD at 1 year after surgery: infliximab (d, 
      5.475; 95% CI, -10.47 to -1.632) and adalimumab (d, -7.273; 95% CI, -13.84 to 
      2.585). Nine strategies were not effective: budesnoid, mesalazine (in both high
      and low dose), azathioprine, Tripterygium wilfordii, mesalazine + infliximab,
      ornidazole, untreated intervention, and Lactobacillus GG. CONCLUSIONS: Except for
      infliximab and adalimumab, other strategies included in our analysis were not
      effective for preventing endoscopic recurrence of CD at 1 year after ileal
      resection.

PMID- 28630624
TI  - Evaluation of the Loading, Unloading, and Permanent Deformation of Newly
      Available Epoxy Resin Coated Ni-Ti Wires Using Self-Ligating Brackets.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the load and unload deflection and
      permanent deformation of round 0.016'' and rectangular 0.016'' * 0.022'' regular
      and coated Ni-Ti wires. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ni-Ti archwires produced by two
      manufacturers were evaluated. Both regular and coated round and rectangular Ni-Ti
      wire segments (n = 15) from each group were submitted to a three-point bending
      test. Both types of wires were evaluated for permanent deformation at the end of
      a recovery cycle. RESULTS: The coated round 0.016'' Ni-Ti wires produced a
      significantly lower force in loading (p < 0.01) and unloading (p < 0.01) than
      regular wires of the same manufacturer and size. There was no significant
      difference in permanent deformation between coated and regular round Ni-Ti wires
      from the same company. For rectangular 0.016 * 0.022'' Ni-Ti wires, there was a
      significant difference in the loading evaluation, but the unloading test
      presented no significant differences. The permanent deformation of the
      rectangular wires revealed no significant difference between them. CONCLUSION:
      The addition of an esthetic coating to these new Ni-Ti wires produced changes in
      their mechanical properties, manifested as a reduction in the applied force,
      which should be considered in clinical management.

PMID- 28630625
TI  - Quantification of Antioxidant Phenolic Compounds in a New Chrysanthemum Cultivar
      by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection and
      Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - The flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. have been used as an herbal tea
      and in traditional medicine, and the plant has been developed to produce
      horticultural cultivars of various colors and shapes. In this study, a new
      chrysanthemum cultivar with dark purple petals (C. morifolium cv. ARTI-Dark
      Chocolate; ADC) was developed by radiation-induced mutation breeding of its
      original cultivar with purple striped white petals (C. morifolium cv. Noble Wine,
      NW). The phenolic profile and antioxidant property of ADC were investigated and
      compared with NW and the commercially available medicinal herb, C. morifolium
      with yellow petals (CM), in order to find a scientific support to produce a new
      source of natural antioxidant. Flavonoid and phenolic acid profiles of the
      ethanol extracts of the three flowers were analyzed by high-performance liquid
      chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
      (HPLC-DAD-ESIMS), while antioxidant properties were evaluated using the 1,1
      diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6
      sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. Among the tested flowers, ADC
      possessed the strongest antioxidant capacity and the highest phenolic contents.
      Flavonoids (acacetin, apigenin, luteolin, acacetin-7-O-beta-glucoside, apigenin-7
      O-beta-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-beta-glucoside, and linarin) and phenolic acids
      (chlorogenic acid and mixture of 1,4-, 1,5-, and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids) were
      identified and quantified.

PMID- 28630626
TI  - Rapid and Selective Determination of Folate Receptor alpha with Sensitive
      Resonance Rayleigh Scattering Signal.
AB  - A rapid, simple, and novel method for folate receptor alpha (FRalpha)
      determination is reported here. A probe of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) modified
      with anti-FRalpha antibody was synthesized under the optimized conditions first.
      The antibody-modified Au NPs would aggregate when FRalpha was added to the probe
      for the specific interaction between antibody and antigen, resulting in the
      enhancement of resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) intensity. There is a linear
      relationship between the change of RRS intensity (DeltaIRRS) and the
      concentration of FRalpha, with the detecting range of 0.50-37.50 ng.mL-1 and the
      limit of determination of 0.05 ng.mL-1. The determination of FRalpha in serum
      samples was realized with the advantages of high selectivity, high sensitivity,
      and easy operation.

PMID- 28630627
TI  - Changes in Polyphenols Contents and Antioxidant Capacities of Organically and
      Conventionally Cultivated Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Fruits during
      Ripening.
AB  - Polyphenols of fruits and vegetables form an important part of human dietary
      compounds. Relatively little is known about accumulation of phenolics during
      fruits ripening process. The goal of this work was to study the changes in
      antioxidant activity and in content of 30 polyphenols during ripening of tomato
      fruits. Five organically and conventionally grown tomato cultivars were
      investigated at three different ripening stages. Phenolic compounds were
      extracted with methanol and extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS. During
      ripening, four different changing patterns were observed: (1) high level in green
      fruits with minimal changes; (2) continuous increase with maximum level in red
      ripe fruits; (3) decrease; (4) increase and achieving maximum level at half-ripe
      stage. Similar change patterns were found for organic and conventional fruits.
      The accumulation patterns of phenolic compounds were similar in standard-type
      tomatoes but differed in several cases in cherry-type cultivar. Although contents
      of some polyphenols decreased during ripening, total phenolics and free radical
      scavenging activity increased in all studied cultivars and in case of both
      cultivation modes. The changes in content of phenolic compounds during ripening
      were greatly influenced by cultivars, but cultivation mode had only minor impact
      on dynamics in polyphenols contents in tomato fruits.

PMID- 28630628
TI  - Staphylococcus saprophyticus Recovered from Humans, Food, and Recreational Waters
      in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AB  - Staphylococcus saprophyticus is an important agent of urinary tract infection
      (UTI) in young women, but information about this pathogen in human microbiota and
      in common environment is lacking. The aim of this study was to characterize S.
      saprophyticus isolates from genitoanal microbiota of 621 pregnant women, 10 minas
      cheese packs, and five beaches in Rio de Janeiro city and compare PFGE profiles
      of these isolates with five UTI PFGE clusters described in this city. We
      investigated 65 S. saprophyticus isolates from microbiota, 13 from minas cheese,
      and 30 from beaches and 32 UTI isolates. Antimicrobial resistance was determined
      by disk diffusion, MIC by agar dilution, and PCR. Erythromycin-resistance genes
      erm(C), msr(A), msr(B), mph(C), and lin(A) were found in 93% of isolates.
      Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance correlated with dfrG or dfrA genes.
      Three cefoxitin-resistant isolates carried the mecA gene. All isolates obtained
      from cheese were susceptible to all antimicrobial agents. Six of 10 pregnant
      women with >1 isolate had monoclonal colonization. Isolates from pregnant women
      shared 100% similarity with UTI PFGE cluster types A and E obtained almost 10
      years previously, suggesting temporal persistence of S. saprophyticus.
      Antimicrobial resistance of beach isolates reflected the profiles of human
      isolates. Taken together, results indicate a shared source for human and
      environmental isolates.

PMID- 28630629
TI  - The CEDAR Study: A Longitudinal Study of the Clinical Effects of Conventional
      DMARDs and Biologic DMARDs in Australian Rheumatology Practice.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To observe the choices of conventional disease modifying
      antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) and biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) in the management of
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Australian routine clinical practice, to assess
      treatment survival and determine the effect of cDMARDs/bDMARDs on disease
      activity. METHODS: Routinely collected, deidentified clinical data was sourced
      from 20 Australian rheumatology practices. RA patients aged >=18 years, who had
      received cDMARDs/bDMARDs and a recorded subsequent visit, were included. A linear
      mixed model was used to determine the change over time and the percentage
      reduction in disease activity was summarized. RESULTS: 12,526 RA patients were
      included: 72% females, mean age 62 years. cDMARDs and bDMARDs were used in 92%
      and 30% of patients, respectively. The most commonly prescribed cDMARD was
      methotrexate (76% patients); median time to stopping treatment was 337 months
      [95% CI: 279-ND]. Etanercept was the most commonly prescribed bDMARD (12%
      patients); median time to stopping treatment was 79 months [95% CI: 57-93]. Of
      5,341 patients with a first change in medication (cDMARD or bDMARD), 87% had
      therapy escalation and 13% deescalation. Reduction in DAS28-ESR, 6-month post
      DMARDs initiation ranged from 3%, adalimumab, to 14%, leflunomide and
      tocilizumab. CONCLUSIONS: In this large Australian cohort of unselected community
      RA patients, the choices of cDMARDs/bDMARDs are aligned with current
      international guidelines.

PMID- 28630630
TI  - Roles of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Spinal Cord Injury.
AB  - Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents one of the most complicated and heterogeneous
      pathological processes of central nervous system (CNS) impairments, which is
      still beyond functional regeneration. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells
      (MSCs) has been shown to promote the repair of the injured spinal cord tissues in
      animal models, and therefore, there is much interest in the clinical use of these
      cells. However, many questions which are essential to improve the therapy effects
      remain unanswered. For instance, the functional roles and related molecular
      regulatory mechanisms of MSCs in vivo are not yet completely determined. It is
      important for transplanted cells to migrate into the injured tissue, to survive
      and undergo neural differentiation, or to play neural protection roles by various
      mechanisms after SCI. In this review, we will focus on some of the recent
      knowledge about the biological behavior and function of MSCs in SCI. Meanwhile,
      we highlight the function of biomaterials to direct the behavior of MSCs based on
      our series of work on silk fibroin biomaterials and attempt to emphasize
      combinational strategies such as tissue engineering for functional improvement of
      SCI.

PMID- 28630631
TI  - Urinalysis and Clinical Correlations in Patients with P. vivax or P. falciparum
      Malaria from Colombia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Urinalysis is a poorly reviewed diagnostic tool in malaria patients;
      its application can show the presence of severe malaria. METHODS: Urinalysis was
      performed in a total of 620 patients diagnosed with malaria by thick blood smear;
      complications were classified according to WHO major criteria for severity and
      minor criteria according to the Colombian malaria guideline. RESULTS: Severe or
      moderate clinical complications were diagnosed in 31.1% of patients, hepatic
      dysfunctions were diagnosed in 25.8%, anemia was diagnosed in 9.8%,
      thrombocytopenia was diagnosed in 7.7%, renal dysfunction was diagnosed in 4.8%,
      neurological and pulmonary complications were diagnosed in 2.1% and 2.4%,
      hypoglycemia was diagnosed in 1.1% of patients with blood glucose analysis, and
      acidosis was diagnosed in 10 of 25. Bilirubinuria was found in 24.3%, associated
      with urobilinuria, proteinuria, and increased specific gravity; urobilinuria was
      found in 30.6% associated with elevated serum bilirubin and alanine
      aminotransferase; 39.2% had proteinuria, associated with higher blood urea
      nitrogen, serum bilirubin, aspartate, alanine-transaminase, hematuria, and
      increased specific gravity. Severe or moderate liver and renal complications were
      associated with proteinuria and bilirubinuria. Urobilinuria was associated with
      thrombocytopenia and neurological and hepatic dysfunction. Ketonuria was
      associated with neurological dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent
      alterations in the urinalysis were bilirubinuria, proteinuria, urobilinuria, and
      increased specific gravity, related to thrombocytopenia and liver, kidney, and
      neurological alterations.

PMID- 28630632
TI  - Erchen Decoction and Linguizhugan Decoction Ameliorate Hepatic Insulin Resistance
      by Inhibiting IRS-1Ser307 Phosphorylation In Vivo and In Vitro.
AB  - Erchen decoction (ECD) and Linguizhugan decoction (LGZGD), both are Chinese
      herbal formula, have been used clinically for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty
      liver disease (NAFLD). However, their therapeutic mechanisms are still unclear.
      Because insulin resistance (IR) is a key etiological factor in the pathology of
      high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced NAFLD, in this study, the protective effects of ECD
      and LGZGD on HFD-induced insulin resistance in rats were evaluated and their
      mechanisms were investigated by OGTT and Western blot. The results showed that
      treatment with ECD and LGZGD significantly improved insulin resistance and liver
      damage in rats, evidenced by supported serum aminotransferase levels and the
      histopathological examination. ECD and LGZGD also showed significant protective
      effects against HFD-induced hyperlipidemia and the inhibition of the hepatocyte
      proliferation by palmitate. Furthermore, supplementation of ECD and LGZGD
      decreased TNF-alpha, NF-kappaB, and IRS-1Ser307 phosphorylation expressions in
      vivo and in vitro. These results indicated that ECD and LGZGD have protective
      effects against HFD-induced liver IR and their underlying mechanisms involve the
      TNF-alpha and insulin pathway. These findings would be beneficial for
      understanding of the therapeutic effects of ECD and LGZGD in treatment of NAFLD.

PMID- 28630634
TI  - Moxibustion Alleviates Injury in a Rat Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis Model.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of moxibustion at Shenshu (BL-23)
      and Geshu (BL-17) acupoints in a focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) model
      in rats. METHODS: A FSGS rat model was established by single nephrectomy and
      repeated injection of doxorubicin. The FSGS rats were randomly divided into the
      model group, losartan (positive control) group, Shenshu moxibustion group, and
      Geshu moxibustion group. Molecular indicators of kidney function and renal
      pathological changes were monitored. RESULTS: Urinary protein, serum creatinine,
      urea nitrogen, and serum uric acid were significantly reduced after 12-week
      intervention with losartan, Shenshu, or Geshu moxibustion. Renal alpha-SMA, FN,
      and TGF-beta were also decreased, while podocin and nephrin protein and mRNA were
      increased. The pathological damage in renal tissue was obviously alleviated by
      all three treatments, which suggests that moxibustion may have similar efficacy
      to losartan in the treatment of FSGS. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion alleviates podocyte
      injury and inhibits renal interstitial fibrosis in the FSGS rat model, thereby
      minimizing the progression of glomerular sclerosis and improving renal function.

PMID- 28630633
TI  - DJC Suppresses Advanced Glycation End Products-Induced JAK-STAT Signaling and ROS
      in Mesangial Cells.
AB  - The antidiabetic properties and anti-inflammatory effects of Danzhi Jiangtang
      Capsules (DJC) have been demonstrated in clinical and laboratory experiments. In
      this study, we explored whether DJC can ameliorate advanced glycation end
      products- (AGEs-) mediated cell injury and the precise mechanisms of DJC in
      treating diabetic nephropathy (DN). Western blot analysis was employed to assess
      the expressions of iNOS, COX2, and SOCS and the phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT1,
      and STAT3 in glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs) after treatment with DJC. TNF
      alpha, IL-6, and MCP-1 were determined using double-antibody sandwich ELISA. ROS
      and NADPH oxidase activity were measured by DCFH-DA assay and lucigenin-enhanced
      chemiluminescence, respectively. DJC significantly reversed the AGEs-induced
      expression of COX2 and iNOS. Moreover, DJC inhibited the AGEs-induced JAK2
      STAT1/STAT3 activation, resulting in the inhibition of inflammatory cytokines
      such as IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-alpha in a concentration-dependent manner. The
      ability of DJC to suppress STAT activation was also verified by the observation
      that DJC significantly increased the SOCS3 protein level. DJC reversed the AGEs
      induced accumulation of ROS and NADPH oxidase activity, thus confirming that DJC
      possesses antioxidant activity. The results suggest that the anti-inflammatory
      effects of DJC in GMCs may be due to its ability to suppress the JAK2-STAT1/STAT3
      cascades and reduce ROS production.

PMID- 28630635
TI  - Effect of Abnormal Savda Munziq, a Traditional Uighur Herbal Medicine, on
      Pulmonary Function and Aquaporins of COPD Rat Model with Abnormal Savda Syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of abnormal savda munziq (ASM) on the
      pulmonary function and expression of lung-specific aquaporins in the rat model of
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with abnormal savda syndrome (ASSCOPD).
      METHODS: Eighty male rats were randomized into ASSCOPD, COPD, and control groups.
      ASSCOPD was further categorized into ASM and non-ASM groups. COPD model was
      established by combining fumigation with airway instillation of elastase; ASSCOPD
      model was developed based on COPD by induction with dry cold diet, cold dry
      environment, and plantar electric stimulation. ASM was administered twice daily.
      The pulmonary function was evaluated based on respiration. The mRNA and protein
      levels of AQPs were estimated by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively.
      RESULTS: MV, TV, the mRNA level of AQP5, and the protein expression of AQP1,
      AQP4, and AQP5 were increased in ASMCOPD compared to ASSCOPD. CONCLUSION: The
      pulmonary function was impaired in ASSCOPD group; the expression of AQP1, AQP4,
      and AQP5 was decreased at protein and mRNA levels in ASSCOPD group. ASM can
      improve the pulmonary function in ASSCOPD for MV and TV. ASM could elevate the
      protein expression of AQP1, AQP4, and AQP5 and the mRNA level of AQP5 in lung
      tissue.

PMID- 28630636
TI  - Targeting Tumor Microenvironment: Effects of Chinese Herbal Formulae on
      Macrophage-Mediated Lung Cancer in Mice.
AB  - Our previous studies have shown that Qing-Re-Huo-Xue (QRHX) formulae had
      significant anti-inflammatory effects in chronic airway diseases such as asthma
      and chronic obstructive lung disease. Here, we examined the effects of QRHX on
      lung cancer cell invasion and the potential associated mechanism(s), mainly
      polarization of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. In vivo, QRHX both
      inhibited tumor growth and decreased the number of tumor-associated macrophages
      (TAMs) in mice with lung cancer. Further study indicated that QRHX inhibited
      cancer-related inflammation in tumor by decreasing infiltration of TAMs and IL-6
      and TNF-alpha production and meanwhile decreased arginase 1 (Arg-1) expression
      and increased inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression. QRHX could markedly
      inhibit CD31 and VEGF protein expression. Additionally, CXCL12/CXCR4 expression
      and JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation were reduced in QRHX treatment group. Thus, we
      draw that QRHX played a more important role in inhibiting tumor growth by
      regulating TAMs in mice, which was found to be associated with the inhibition of
      inflammation and the CXCL12/CXCR4/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

PMID- 28630637
TI  - Evaluation of circulating sRAGE in osteoporosis according to BMI, adipokines and
      fracture risk: a pilot observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a systemic metabolic disease based on age-dependent
      imbalance between the rates of bone formation and bone resorption. Recent studies
      on the pathogenesis of this disease identified that bone remodelling impairment,
      at the base of osteoporotic bone fragility, could be related to protein
      glycation, in association to oxidative stress. The glycation reactions lead to
      the generation of glycation end products (AGEs) which, in turn, accumulates into
      bone, where they binds to the receptor for AGE (RAGE). The aim of this study is
      to investigate the potential role of circulating sRAGE in osteoporosis, in
      particular evaluating the correlation of sRAGE with the fracture risk, in
      association with bone mineral density, the fracture risk marker FGF23, and lipid
      metabolism. RESULTS: Circulating level of soluble RAGE correlate with osteopenia
      and osteoporosis level. Serum sRAGE resulted clearly associated on the one hand
      to bone fragility and, on the other hand, with BMI and leptin. sRAGE is
      particularly informative because serum sRAGE is able to provide, as a single
      marker, information about both the aspects of osteoporotic disease, represented
      by bone fragility and lipid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: The measure serum level of
      sRAGE could have a potential diagnostic role in the monitoring of osteoporosis
      progression, in particular in the evaluation of fracture risk, starting from the
      prevention and screening stage, to the osteopenic level to osteoporosis.

PMID- 28630638
TI  - Cichorium intybus L. promotes intestinal uric acid excretion by modulating ABCG2
      in experimental hyperuricemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Excessive production and/or reduced excretion of uric acid could lead
      to hyperuricemia, which could be a major cause of disability. Hyperuricemia has
      received increasing attention in the last few decades due to its global
      prevalence. Cichorium intybus L., commonly known as chicory, is a perennial herb
      of the asteraceae family. It was previously shown to exert potent hypouricemic
      effects linked with decreasing uric acid formation in the liver by down
      regulating the activity of xanthine oxidase, and increasing uric acid excretion
      by up-regulating the renal OAT3 mRNA expression. The present study aimed to
      evaluate its extra-renal excretion and possible molecular mechanism underlying
      the transporter responsible for intestinal uric acid excretion in vivo. METHODS:
      Chicory was administered intragastrically to hyperuricemic rats induced by
      drinking 10% fructose water. The uricosuric effect was evaluated by determining
      the serum uric acid level as well as the intestinal uric acid excretion by HPLC.
      The location and expression levels of ATP-binding cassette transporter, sub
      family G, member 2 (ABCG2) in jejunum and ileum were analyzed. RESULTS: The
      administration of chicory decreased the serum uric acid level significantly and
      increased the intestinal uric acid excretion obviously in hyperuricemic rats
      induced by 10% fructose drinking. Staining showed that ABCG2 was expressed in the
      apical membrane of the epithelium and glands of the jejunum and ileum in rats.
      Further examination showed that chicory enhanced the mRNA and protein expressions
      of ABCG2 markedly in a dose-dependent manner in jejunum and ileum. CONCLUSION:
      These findings indicate that chicory increases uric acid excretion by intestines,
      which may be related to the stimulation of intestinal uric acid excretion via
      down-regulating the mRNA and protein expressions of ABCG2.

PMID- 28630639
TI  - Erratum to: Evaluation of Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 strain as a
      coadjuvant in a vaccination process: a randomised clinical trial in healthy
      adults.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s12986-017-0187-1.].

PMID- 28630640
TI  - Erratum to: Evaluation of Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 strain as a
      coadjuvant in a vaccination process: a randomised clinical trial in healthy
      adults.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s12986-016-0154-2.].

PMID- 28630641
TI  - Amisulpride withdrawal dyskinesia: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The effects of antipsychotic drug withdrawal have been inadequately
      studied. Case reports have described dyskinesia occurring in patients with
      several antipsychotics withdrawn, but studies on amisulpride withdrawal
      dyskinesia are lacking. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old man, who was diagnosed
      with schizophrenia at age 49, received amisulpride treatment since age 62. The
      dosage of amisulpride was reduced from 200 to 50 mg/day because of occurrence of
      akathisia during one admission. Severe withdrawal dyskinesia, mixed with dystonia
      and akathisia, was noted immediately after the dosage reduction. The abnormal
      involuntary movement showed improvement 2 weeks later when the dosage was
      increased to 100 mg/day. CONCLUSIONS: Withdrawal dyskinesia and other abnormal
      involuntary movements could be noted in a patient with reduction of amisulpride
      dosage or sudden termination. Withdrawal dyskinesia may subsequently lead to
      persistent tardive dyskinesia. Therefore, withdrawal-emergent dyskinesia should
      be promptly identified, and appropriate medical interventions should be given
      early.

PMID- 28630642
TI  - Infant and young child feeding practice among mothers with 0-24 months old
      children in Slum areas of Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is essential to
      ensure the health, growth and development of children. However, infant feeding
      practice is suboptimal in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. The slum area is a heavily
      populated urban informal settlement characterized by substandard housing,
      squalor, with a lack of reliable sanitation services, supply of clean water,
      reliable electricity, law enforcement and other basic services. Residents of the
      slum area were poor and less educated. This further compromises infant feeding
      practice. The aim of this study was to assess infant and young child feeding
      practice among mothers with 0-24 month old children in the study area. METHODS: A
      community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 mothers with 0-24
      month old children from June 01-30 / 2016. Simple random sampling technique was
      used to select the respondents. Infant and young child feeding practice was
      assessed using the fifteen World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria. RESULTS: The
      prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practice was 113 (84%). Sixty (15%) mothers
      gave prelacteal feeds and, 96 (23%) mothers used a bottle to feed their index
      child. Appropriate complementary feeding practice was only 20 (7%). Thirty nine
      out of forty mothers introduced complementary food timely, 131 (47%) of mothers
      gave the minimum meal frequency, and 20 (7%) children took the minimum food
      diversity and acceptable diet. Independent predictors for complementary feeding
      practice were having secondary and above education of the mother, receiving
      postnatal care, possession of radio and giving birth at hospital. CONCLUSION: In
      this study infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practice was poor. Therefore,
      there is a need for strengthening the promotion on IYCF practice during postnatal
      care and using mass media to giving  emphasis for  optimal complementary feeding
      practices, especially for mothers with a lower educational status.

PMID- 28630644
TI  - Isometric gene tree reconciliation revisited.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Isometric gene tree reconciliation is a gene tree/species tree
      reconciliation problem where both the gene tree and the species tree include
      branch lengths, and these branch lengths must be respected by the reconciliation.
      The problem was introduced by Ma et al. in 2008 in the context of reconstructing
      evolutionary histories of genomes in the infinite sites model. RESULTS: In this
      paper, we show that the original algorithm by Ma et al. is incorrect, and we
      propose a modified algorithm that addresses the problems that we discovered. We
      have also improved the running time from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see
      text], where N is the total number of nodes in the two input trees. Finally, we
      examine two new variants of the problem: reconciliation of two unrooted trees and
      scaling of branch lengths of the gene tree during reconciliation of two rooted
      trees. CONCLUSIONS: We provide several new algorithms for isometric
      reconciliation of trees. Some questions in this area remain open; most
      importantly extensions of the problem allowing for imprecise estimates of branch
      lengths.

PMID- 28630643
TI  - Improved classification accuracy of powdery mildew infection levels of wine
      grapes by spatial-spectral analysis of hyperspectral images.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hyperspectral imaging is an emerging means of assessing plant
      vitality, stress parameters, nutrition status, and diseases. Extraction of target
      values from the high-dimensional datasets either relies on pixel-wise processing
      of the full spectral information, appropriate selection of individual bands, or
      calculation of spectral indices. Limitations of such approaches are reduced
      classification accuracy, reduced robustness due to spatial variation of the
      spectral information across the surface of the objects measured as well as a loss
      of information intrinsic to band selection and use of spectral indices. In this
      paper we present an improved spatial-spectral segmentation approach for the
      analysis of hyperspectral imaging data and its application for the prediction of
      powdery mildew infection levels (disease severity) of intact Chardonnay grape
      bunches shortly before veraison. RESULTS: Instead of calculating texture features
      (spatial features) for the huge number of spectral bands independently,
      dimensionality reduction by means of Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was
      applied first to derive a few descriptive image bands. Subsequent classification
      was based on modified Random Forest classifiers and selective extraction of
      texture parameters from the integral image representation of the image bands
      generated. Dimensionality reduction, integral images, and the selective feature
      extraction led to improved classification accuracies of up to [Formula: see text]
      for detached berries used as a reference sample (training dataset). Our approach
      was validated by predicting infection levels for a sample of 30 intact bunches.
      Classification accuracy improved with the number of decision trees of the Random
      Forest classifier. These results corresponded with qPCR results. An accuracy of
      0.87 was achieved in classification of healthy, infected, and severely diseased
      bunches. However, discrimination between visually healthy and infected bunches
      proved to be challenging for a few samples, perhaps due to colonized berries or
      sparse mycelia hidden within the bunch or airborne conidia on the berries that
      were detected by qPCR. CONCLUSIONS: An advanced approach to hyperspectral image
      classification based on combined spatial and spectral image features, potentially
      applicable to many available hyperspectral sensor technologies, has been
      developed and validated to improve the detection of powdery mildew infection
      levels of Chardonnay grape bunches. The spatial-spectral approach improved
      especially the detection of light infection levels compared with pixel-wise
      spectral data analysis. This approach is expected to improve the speed and
      accuracy of disease detection once the thresholds for fungal biomass detected by
      hyperspectral imaging are established; it can also facilitate monitoring in plant
      phenotyping of grapevine and additional crops.

PMID- 28630645
TI  - The use of laparoscopy in managing penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries in
      Africa: 83 cases reviewed.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of laparoscopy in managing haemodynamically stable patients
      with penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries in developed countries is wildly
      practiced, but in Africa, the use of laparoscopy is still in its infancy stage.
      We reviewed a single centre experience in using laparoscopy in Africa for
      management of patients with both isolated diaphragmatic injuries as well as
      diaphragmatic injuries associated with intra-abdominal injuries requiring
      intervention. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data
      of patients presenting with penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries was done. All
      patients offered laparoscopic exploration and repair from January 2012 to
      December 2015 at Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital were analysed. Means (+/
      SD) were presented for continuous variables, and frequencies (%) were presented
      for categorical variables. All analyses were performed using SAS version 9.3 (SAS
      Institute, Cary, NC). RESULTS: A total of 83 stable patients with penetrating
      thoracoabdominal injuries managed with laparoscopy met the inclusion criteria and
      were included in the study. The Injury Severity Score ranged from 8 to 24, with a
      median of 18. The incidence of diaphragmatic injuries was 54%. Majority (46.8%)
      of patients had Grade 3 (2-10 cm defect) diaphragmatic injury. Associated intra
      abdominal injuries requiring intervention were encountered in 28 (62%) patients.
      At least 93.3% of the patients were treated exclusively with laparoscopy. The
      morbidity was encountered in 7 (16%) patients; the most common cause was a
      clotted haemothorax Clavien-Dindo III-b, but only 1 patient required a
      decortication. There was one non-procedure-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A
      success rate of 93% in using laparoscopy exclusively was documented, with an
      overall 82% uneventful outcome. The positive outcomes found in this study when
      laparoscopy was used in stable patients with thoracoabdominal injuries support
      similar work done in other trauma centres. However, in addition, this study seem
      to suggest that the presence of peritonitis in stable patient is not a contra
      indication to laparoscopy and thoracoscopy may be useful especially in right side
      diaphragmatic injury where the liver can preclude adequate visualization of the
      entire diaphragm and to thoroughly clean the chest cavity and prevent future
      complication such as residual clotted haemothorax. Clinical relevance: The
      presence of peritonitis in stable patients with penetrating thoracoabdominal
      injury is not a contra-indication to laparoscopy provided the operating surgeon
      has adequate laparoscopic skills.

PMID- 28630646
TI  - Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosomatic problems in dental settings.
AB  - Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been applied for various problems,
      including psychiatric diseases such as depression and anxiety, and for physical
      symptoms such as pain. It has also been applied for dental problems. Although the
      effect of CBTs on temporomandibular disorders and dental anxiety are well
      documented, its effectiveness on other types of oral symptoms remain unclear.
      Little information comparing the different types of CBTs in the dental setting is
      currently available. Because dental professionals are often expected to conduct
      CBTs in the dental setting, it is important to develop proper training programs
      for dental professionals. In this review article, we demonstrate and discuss the
      application of CBTs for psychosomatic problems, including temporomandibular
      disorders, dental anxiety, burning mouth syndrome, and other oral complaints in
      dental settings.

PMID- 28630647
TI  - Patterns of psychiatric admissions and predictors of patient's outcome in Jimma
      University Teaching and Referral Hospital: a retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psychiatric morbidity burden accounts 12.45% of the disease admission
      burden in Ethiopia; only two referral hospitals are found to manage all cases.
      The aim of this study is to assess the predictors of patient outcomes. METHOD: A
      3 years retrospective patients' cards, charts and medical notes review in
      psychiatry case admission department of Jimma university teaching and training
      specialised hospital was conducted. All the admitted cases included in this
      study. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to
      identify independent predictors of outcomes. RESULT: Among 402 study
      participants, the majority of them 301 (74.9%), were improved from their mental
      illnesses. First to eight grades completed study participants were found to be
      1.34 times more likely improved mental illness than not able to read or write
      [AOR = 1.34, 95% CI (1.18-2.78), P < 0.009)]. The probability of improving from
      mental illness on married study participants was found 2.81 times more likely
      than single study participants [AOR = 2.81, CI (1.90-4.50), P < 0.043]. First
      time admitted cases improved 2.82 times more likely than those having a previous
      admission history [AOR = 2.82, CI (2.05-3.17), P < 0.05]. Duration of stay from
      31 to 44 days showed more likely than from 1 to 20 days on patient improvement,
      [AOR = 1.88, CI (1.42-2.65), P < 0.034]. However, the hospital stay above 44 days
      does not show any statistical association with patient's medical improvement.
      CONCLUSION: Married, better educated, and the hospital stay of one to one-and
      half month predicts better health outcome. Thus, this study suggests, psychiatric
      case management needs the collaborative care of the family in concurrence with
      counselling and guidance with enough time to better-off patients' outcomes. Our
      findings are useful in designing and improving-patient services for psychiatric
      patient programs and focused health communication and counselling strategies in
      relation to psychoactive substances in Ethiopia.

PMID- 28630648
TI  - Comparative metabolic profiling of the lipid-producing green microalga Chlorella
      reveals that nitrogen and carbon metabolic pathways contribute to lipid
      metabolism.
AB  - Microalgae are a promising feedstock for biofuel production. Microalgal metabolic
      pathways are heavily influenced by environmental factors. For instance, lipid
      metabolism can be induced by nitrogen-limiting conditions. However, the
      underlying mechanisms of lipid biosynthesis are unclear. In this study, we
      analyzed the global metabolic profiles of three genetically closely related
      Chlorella strains (C1, C2, and C3) with significant differences in lipid
      productivity to identify the contributions of key metabolic pathways to lipid
      metabolism. We found that nitrogen obtained from amino acid catabolism was
      assimilated via the glutamate-glutamine pathway and then stored as amino acids
      and intermediate molecules (particularly proline, alanine, arginine, succinate,
      and gamma-aminobutyrate) via the corresponding metabolic pathways, which led to
      carbon-nitrogen disequilibrium. Excess carbon obtained from photosynthesis or
      glycolysis was re-distributed into carbon-containing compounds, such as glucose-6
      phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, phosphoenolpyruvate, lactate, citrate, 3
      hydroxybutyrate, and leucine, and then diverted into lipid metabolism for the
      production of storage lipids via the gamma-aminobutyrate pathway, glycolysis, and
      the tricarboxylic acid cycle. These results were substantiated in the model green
      alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by analyzing various mutants deficient in
      glutamate synthase/NADH-dependent, glutamate synthase/Fd-dependent, glutamine
      synthetase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, pyruvate
      kinase, and citrate synthase. Our study suggests that not only carbon but also
      nitrogen assimilation and distribution pathways contribute to lipid biosynthesis.
      Furthermore, these findings may facilitate genetic engineering efforts to enhance
      microalgal biofuel production.

PMID- 28630649
TI  - A complete duplication of X chromosome resulting in a tricentric isochromosome
      originated by centromere repositioning.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neocentromeres are rare and considered chromosomal aberrations,
      because a non-centromeric region evolves in an active centromere by mutation. The
      literature reported several structural anomalies of X chromosome and they
      influence the female reproductive capacity or are associated to Turner syndrome
      in the presence of monosomy X cell line. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of
      chromosome X complex rearrangement found in a prenatal diagnosis. The fetal
      karyotype showed a mosaicism with a 45,X cell line and a 46 chromosomes second
      line with a big marker, instead of a sex chromosome. The marker morphology and
      fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) characterization allowed us to identify
      a tricentric X chromosome constituted by two complete X chromosome fused at the p
      arms telomere and an active neocentromere in the middle, at the union of the two
      Xp arms, where usually are the telomeric regions. FISH also showed the presence
      of a paracentric inversion of both Xp arms. Furthermore, fragility figures were
      found in 56% of metaphases from peripheral blood lymphocytes culture at birth: a
      shorter marker chromosome and an apparently acentric fragment frequently lost.
      CONCLUSIONS: At our knowledge, this is the first isochromosome of an entire non
      acrocentric chromosome. The neocentromere is constituted by canonical sequences
      but localized in an unusual position and the original centromeres are
      inactivated. We speculated that marker chromosome was the result of a double
      rearrangement: firstly, a paracentric inversion which involved the Xp arm,
      shifting a part of the centromere at the p end and subsequently a duplication of
      the entire X chromosome, which gave rise to an isochromosome. It is possible to
      suppose that the first event could be a result of a non-allelic homologous
      recombination mediated by inverted low-copy repeats. As expected, our case shows
      a Turner phenotype with mild facial features and no major skeletal deformity,
      normal psychomotor development and a spontaneous development of puberty and
      menarche, although with irregular menses since the last follow-up.

PMID- 28630650
TI  - A maternally inherited 8.05 Mb Xq21 deletion associated with Choroideremia,
      deafness, and mental retardation syndrome in a male patient.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Deletions in Xq21 cause various congenital defects in males including
      choroideremia, deafness and mental retardation, depending on their size and gene
      content. Until now only a limited number of patients with Xq21 deletions has been
      reported. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we describe a 17-year-old male with
      choroideremia, deafness, and mental retardation syndrome. Using SNP arrays, an
      8.05 Mb deletion in Xq21 was identified inherited from the apparently healthy
      mother. The deleted region harbors 12 OMIM genes, of which POU3F4, CHM, and
      ZNF711 might have contributed to the patient's phenotype including hearing loss,
      poor vision, and intellectual disability. Moreover, the patient's mother exhibits
      a normal phenotype while carrying the same deletion, which is often observed in
      previous studies on female carriers in families with this syndrome. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our study confirms the causative effect between the Xq21 deletion in males and
      choroideremia, deafness and mental retardation.

PMID- 28630652
TI  - Verification of B-lymphocyte activating factor's involvement in the exacerbation
      of insulin resistance as well as an autoimmune response in patients with
      nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ten to forty percent of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and HCV
      related chronic liver disease (CLD-C) patients have antinuclear antibodies
      (ANAs). However, the relationship between autoimmune response and insulin
      resistance remains uncertain among those patients. The primary purpose of this
      study was to investigate whether or not ANA status was associated with the
      development of insulin resistance and obesity in NASH and CLD-C patients.
      METHODS: Degrees of hepatic fibrosis and steatosis were evaluated by the
      classification proposed by Brunt et al. Obesity and insulin resistance were
      estimated by calculating body mass index and the value of homeostasis model of
      for assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), respectively. A revised scoring
      system was applied to the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Serum B
      lymphocyte activating factor (BAFF) levels were determined, using an ELISA
      technique. RESULTS: Ten of 25 (40%) NASH patients and 9 of 22 (41%) CLD-C
      patients had ANAs, though the titers were weak in most patients. Only one NASH
      patient met the category of "definite" AIH among the enrolled patients. Serum IgG
      levels were significantly higher in NASH and CLD-C patients with ANAs than in
      those without ANAs, and NASH and CLD-C patients with ANAs had significantly
      higher HOMA-IR values than those without ANAs (6.81 +/- 3.36 vs. 4.00 +/- 2.57, p
      = 0.0305, 3.01 +/- 1.31 vs. 1.28 +/- 0.50, p = 0.0011). CLD-C patients with ANAs
      had more advanced hepatic fibrosis and steatosis than those without ANAs, while
      ANA status was not associated with hepatic fibrosis or steatosis in NASH
      patients. Obesity was independent of ANA status in both subjects. Serum BAFF
      levels were significantly higher in CLD-C patients with ANAs than those in CLD-C
      patients without ANAs (1303 +/- 268 vs. 714 +/- 143 pg/ml, p = 0.0036). A close
      correlation between serum BAFF level and the HOMA-IR value was observed in CLD-C
      patients (r = 0.467, p = 0.0485). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that NASH and CLD
      C patients with ANAs have more severe insulin resistance than those without ANAs.
      More advanced insulin resistance deriving from excessive BAFF production may
      result in severe hepatic fibrosis and steatosis in CLD-C patients with ANAs.

PMID- 28630653
TI  - Outcomes Associated with Pharmacist-Led Diabetes Collaborative Drug Therapy
      Management in a Medicaid Population.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Pharmacist-led diabetes collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM)
      has been shown to improve outcomes. Whether such programs are effective
      specifically in Medicaid patients, who face barriers to access and self
      management, has not been well characterized. This pilot study explores glycemic
      control, utilization and costs associated with pharmacist-led CDTM in a small
      population of Medicaid patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A
      pre-post, historical cohort study was conducted of patients with T2DM and
      Medicaid coverage who received pharmacist-led CDTM in community-based primary
      clinics between 2008-2012. Outcomes included change in HbA1c, healthcare costs
      and utilization. RESULTS: This study included 79 Medicaid patients with T2DM who
      received pharmacist-led CDTM. A subset of 46 patients with Medicaid coverage
      through an affiliated Medicaid Plan, Healthy U, was identified for additional
      analysis. At 6-months follow-up, HbA1c was a mean (SD) of 2.0% (2.0) lower than
      the baseline of 10.3% (1.7). Primary care clinic encounters increased by a mean
      (median) of 3.4 (2) visits. Per patient health system charges increased by a mean
      (median) of $4,392 ($620) and the amount paid by Medicaid in the Healthy U subset
      was $822 ($68) higher in the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: A pharmacist-led
      diabetes CDTM intervention was associated with improved glycemic control in
      Medicaid patients, which corresponded with a higher number of primary care visits
      and observed costs. These findings are consistent with studies not limited to
      Medicaid, suggesting that CDTM can be effective in type 2 diabetes patients with
      Medicaid coverage.

PMID- 28630654
TI  - Rapid Analysis of Trace Drugs and Metabolites Using a Thermal Desorption DART-MS
      Configuration.
AB  - The need to analyze trace narcotic samples rapidly for screening or confirmatory
      purposes is of increasing interest to the forensic, homeland security, and
      criminal justice sectors. This work presents a novel method for the detection and
      quantification of trace drugs and metabolites off of a swipe material using a
      thermal desorption direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (TD-DART-MS)
      configuration. A variation on traditional DART, this configuration allows for
      desorption of the sample into a confined tube, completely independent of the DART
      source, allowing for more efficient and thermally precise analysis of material
      present on a swipe. Over thirty trace samples of narcotics, metabolites, and
      cutting agents deposited onto swipes were rapidly differentiated using this
      methodology. The non-optimized method led to sensitivities ranging from single
      nanograms to hundreds of picograms. Direct comparison to traditional DART with a
      subset of the samples highlighted an improvement in sensitivity by a factor of
      twenty to thirty and an increase in reproducibility sample to sample from
      approximately 45 % RSD to less than 15 % RSD. Rapid extraction-less
      quantification was also possible.

PMID- 28630651
TI  - Improving antiretroviral therapy adherence in resource-limited settings at scale:
      a discussion of interventions and recommendations.
AB  - Introduction: Successful population-level antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence
      will be necessary to realize both the clinical and prevention benefits of
      antiretroviral scale-up and, ultimately, the end of AIDS. Although many people
      living with HIV are adhering well, others struggle and most are likely to
      experience challenges in adherence that may threaten virologic suppression at
      some point during lifelong therapy. Despite the importance of ART adherence,
      supportive interventions have generally not been implemented at scale. The
      objective of this review is to summarize the recommendations of clinical,
      research, and public health experts for scalable ART adherence interventions in
      resource-limited settings. Methods: In July 2015, the Bill and Melinda Gates
      Foundation convened a meeting to discuss the most promising ART adherence
      interventions for use at scale in resource-limited settings. This article
      summarizes that discussion with recent updates. It is not a systematic review,
      but rather provides practical considerations for programme implementation based
      on evidence from individual studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and the
      World Health Organization Consolidated Guidelines for HIV, which include evidence
      from randomized controlled trials in low- and middle-income countries.
      Interventions are categorized broadly as education and counselling; information
      and communication technology-enhanced solutions; healthcare delivery
      restructuring; and economic incentives and social protection interventions. Each
      category is discussed, including descriptions of interventions, current evidence
      for effectiveness, and what appears promising for the near future. Approaches to
      intervention implementation and impact assessment are then described. Results and
      discussion: The evidence base is promising for currently available, effective,
      and scalable ART adherence interventions for resource-limited settings. Numerous
      interventions build on existing health care infrastructure and leverage available
      resources. Those most widely studied and implemented to date involve peer
      counselling, adherence clubs, and short message service (SMS). Many additional
      interventions could have an important impact on ART adherence with further
      development, including standardized counselling through multi-media technology,
      electronic dose monitoring, decentralized and differentiated models of care, and
      livelihood interventions. Optimal targeting and tailoring of interventions will
      require improved adherence measurement. Conclusions: The opportunity exists today
      to address and resolve many of the challenges to effective ART adherence, so that
      they do not limit the potential of ART to help bring about the end of AIDS.

PMID- 28630655
TI  - Neural patterns elicited by sentence processing uniquely characterize typical
      development, SLI recovery, and SLI persistence.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A substantial amount of work has examined language abilities in young
      children with specific language impairment (SLI); however, our understanding of
      the developmental trajectory of language impairment is limited. Along with
      studying the behavioral changes that occur across development, it is important to
      examine the neural indices of language processing for children with different
      language trajectories. The current study sought to examine behavioral and neural
      bases of language processing in adolescents showing three different trajectories:
      those with normal language development (NL), those exhibiting persistent SLI (SLI
      Persistent), and those with a history of SLI who appear to have recovered (SLI
      Recovered). METHODS: Through a sentence judgment task, we examined semantic and
      syntactic processing. Adolescents judged whether or not each sentence was
      semantically and syntactically correct. Stimuli consisted of naturally spoken
      sentences that were either correct, contained a semantic verb error, or contained
      a syntactic verb agreement error. Verb agreement errors consisted of omission and
      commission violations of the third-person singular -s. Behavioral button-press
      responses and electroencephalographic recordings were collected. Behavioral
      judgments and mean amplitude of the N400 and P600 components were examined.
      RESULTS: Adolescents in the SLI-Persistent group had lower sentence judgment
      accuracy overall, relative to the NL and SLI-Recovered groups. Accuracy in
      judging omission and commission syntactic errors were marginally different, with
      marginally lower accuracy for commission errors. All groups demonstrated an N400
      component elicited by semantic violations. However, adolescents in the SLI
      Persistent group demonstrated a less robust P600 component for syntactic
      violations. Furthermore, adolescents in the SLI-Recovered group exhibited a
      similar neural profile to the NL group for the semantic and syntactic omission
      violations. However, a unique profile with initial negativity was observed in the
      SLI-Recovered group in the commission violation condition. CONCLUSIONS:
      Adolescents with persistent language impairment continue to demonstrate delays in
      language processing at the behavioral and neural levels. Conversely, the
      adolescents in the SLI-Recovered group appear to have made gains in language
      processing skills to overcome their initial impairments. However, our findings
      suggest that the adolescents in the SLI-Recovered group may have compensatory
      processing strategies for some aspects of language, as evidenced by a unique
      event-related potential profile.

PMID- 28630657
TI  - ARLTS1 polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of familial cancer:
      evidence from a meta-analysis.
AB  - Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylation factor-like tumour suppressor gene
      1(ARLTS1) might be associated with an increased risk of several types of familial
      cancers. However, previous studies have shown that cancer susceptibility is not
      completely consistent with ARLTS1 polymorphisms, and the precise mechanism
      remains unknown. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of case-control studies
      by searching the PubMed, Embase, OVID, Science Direct and Chinese National
      Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. In total, 12 studies met the inclusion
      criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. Statistical analyses were
      performed using STATA 11.0 software. Overall, the Cys148Arg T > C variant
      significantly increased cancer risk (CC vs. TT: OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.15-1.41, P
      < 0.05). The stratification indicated that the Cys148Arg variant is significantly
      associated with sporadic cancer (CC vs. TT: OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.18-1.55) and
      familial cancer (CC vs. TT: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.12-1.43). Trp149Stop,
      Pro131Leu, Ser99Ser and Leu132Leu were not correlated with cancer susceptibility.
      Based on these results, we demonstrated that the ARLTS1 Cys148Arg polymorphism is
      associated with an increased risk of sporadic cancer and familial cancer, and
      there were no associations between the other four SNPs (i.e., Trp149Stop,
      Pro131Leu, Ser99Ser and Leu132Leu) and cancer risk.

PMID- 28630656
TI  - Physical activity, black carbon exposure, and DNA methylation in the FOXP3
      promoter.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity is associated with improvement in lung function;
      however, pollution exposure during physical activity can lead to a transient
      reduction in lung function. This paradoxical relationship may be linked to
      altered T regulatory (Treg) cell activity, which increases with exercise and
      suppresses airway inflammation, but decreases in association with exposure to air
      pollution. To clarify these relationships, we investigated buccal cell DNA
      methylation of the forkhead box p3 (FOXP3) gene promoter, a proposed biomarker of
      Treg activity. We hypothesized that active urban children would have lower FOXP3
      promoter methylation, associated with better lung function compared to non-active
      children. We also hypothesized that this relationship would be attenuated by high
      exposure to the air pollutant black carbon (BC). METHODS: We performed a cross
      sectional study of 135 children ages 9-14 who live in New York City. Activity was
      measured across 6 days. BC exposure was assessed by personal monitors worn for
      two 24-h periods, followed by lung function assessment. Buccal swabs were
      collected for DNA methylation analysis of three regions (six CpG sites) in the
      FOXP3 promoter. RESULTS: In multivariable regression models, overall, there was
      no significant relationship between physical activity and FOXP3 promoter
      methylation (p > 0.05). However, in stratified analyses, among children with
      higher BC exposure (>=1200 ng/m3), physical activity was associated with 2.37%
      lower methylation in promoter 2 (CpGs -77, -65, and -58) (betaestimate = -2.37%,
      p < 0.01) but not among those with lower BC exposure (betaestimate = 0.54%, p >
      0.05). Differences across strata were statistically significant (pinteraction =
      0.04). Among all children, after controlling for BC concentration, promoter 2
      methylation was associated with reduced FEV1/FVC (betaestimate = -0.40%, p <
      0.01) and reduced FEF25-75% (betaestimate = -1.46%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
      Physical activity in urban children appeared associated with lower FOXP3 promoter
      methylation, a possible indicator of greater Treg function, under conditions of
      high BC exposure. Reduced FOXP3 promoter methylation was associated with higher
      lung function. These findings suggest that physical activity may induce
      immunologic benefits, particularly for urban children with greater risk of
      impaired lung function due to exposure to higher air pollution. FOXP3 promoter
      buccal cell methylation may function as a useful biomarker of that benefit.

PMID- 28630658
TI  - Evidence of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autism: Biochemical Links, Genetic-Based
      Associations, and Non-Energy-Related Mechanisms.
AB  - Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the fastest growing developmental disability in
      the United States, represents a group of neurodevelopmental disorders
      characterized by impaired social interaction and communication as well as
      restricted and repetitive behavior. The underlying cause of autism is unknown and
      therapy is currently limited to targeting behavioral abnormalities. Emerging
      studies suggest a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and ASD. Here, we review
      the evidence demonstrating this potential connection. We focus specifically on
      biochemical links, genetic-based associations, non-energy related mechanisms, and
      novel therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28630659
TI  - Homocysteine Induces Apoptosis of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells via
      Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.
AB  - Homocysteine- (Hcy-) induced endothelial cell apoptosis has been suggested as a
      cause of Hcy-dependent vascular injury, while the proposed molecular pathways
      underlying this process are unclear. In this study, we investigated the adverse
      effects of Hcy on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the
      underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that moderate-dose Hcy treatment
      induced HUVEC apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, prolonged Hcy
      treatment increased the expression of NOX4 and the production of intracellular
      ROS but decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and mitochondrial membrane potential
      (MMP), resulting in the leakage of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-3.
      Prolonged Hcy treatment also upregulated glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78),
      activated protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK), and induced the expression of
      C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and the phosphorylation of NF-kappab. The
      inhibition of NOX4 decreased the production of ROS and alleviated the Hcy-induced
      HUVEC apoptosis and ER stress. Blocking the PERK pathway partly alleviated Hcy
      induced HUVEC apoptosis and the activation of NF-kappab. Taken together, our
      results suggest that Hcy-induced mitochondrial dysfunction crucially modulated
      apoptosis and contributed to the activation of ER stress in HUVEC. The excessive
      activation of the PERK pathway partly contributed to Hcy-induced HUVEC apoptosis
      and the phosphorylation of NF-kappab.

PMID- 28630660
TI  - NPC-EXs Alleviate Endothelial Oxidative Stress and Dysfunction through the miR
      210 Downstream Nox2 and VEGFR2 Pathways.
AB  - We have demonstrated that neural progenitor cells (NPCs) protect endothelial
      cells (ECs) from oxidative stress. Since exosomes (EXs) can convey the benefit of
      parent cells through their carried microRNAs (miRs) and miR-210 is ubiquitously
      expressed with versatile functions, we investigated the role of miR-210 in the
      effects of NPC-EXs on oxidative stress and dysfunction in ECs. NPCs were
      transfected with control and miR-210 scramble/inhibitor/mimic to generate NPC
      EXscon, NPC-EXssc, NPC-EXsanti-miR-210, and NPC-EXsmiR-210. The effects of
      various NPC-EXs on angiotensin II- (Ang II-) induced reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) overproduction, apoptosis, and dysfunction, as well as dysregulation of
      Nox2, ephrin A3, VEGF, and p-VEGFR2/VEGFR2 in ECs were evaluated. Results showed
      (1) Ang II-induced ROS overproduction, increase in apoptosis, and decrease in
      tube formation ability, accompanied with Nox2 upregulation and reduction of p
      VEGFR2/VEGFR2 in ECs. (2) Compared to NPC-EXscon or NPC-EXssc, NPC-EXsanti-miR
      210 were less whereas NPC-EXsmiR-210 were more effective on attenuating these
      detrimental effects induced by Ang II in ECs. (3) These effects of NPC-EXsanti
      miR-210 and NPC-EXsmiR-210 were associated with the changes of miR-210, ephrin
      A3, VEGF, and p-VEGFR2/VEGFR2 ratio in ECs. Altogether, the protective effects of
      NPC-EXs on Ang II-induced endothelial injury through miR-210 which controls
      Nox2/ROS and VEGF/VEGFR2 signals were studied.

PMID- 28630663
TI  - Presentation of secondary parasitic infection 37 years after primary infection.
AB  - Echinococcus granulosus (EG) is a neglected pathology that causes cystic
      echinococcosis and primarily affects the liver and lung. EG infects ~6 million
      worldwide and mortality is quoted as 2-4% per 100 000 inhabitants. The increase
      in human traffic from endemic regions demands clinician's awareness. Dogs are the
      most common definitive host for the EG tapeworm. Human infection requires
      ingestion of fecal parasitic eggs. Primary infection causes cysts to appear in
      affected organs, rupture of which leads to secondary infection. Ultrasound
      remains the mainstay of diagnosis. Treatment can be either; chemotherapeutic,
      radiological, surgical or a combination depending on the organ affected.

PMID- 28630661
TI  - Intrainsular connectivity and somatosensory responsiveness in young children with
      ASD.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The human somatosensory system comprises dissociable paths for
      discriminative and affective touch, reflected in separate peripheral afferent
      populations and distinct cortical targets. Differences in behavioral and neural
      responses to affective touch may have an important developmental role in early
      social experiences, which are relevant for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
      METHODS: Using probabilistic tractography, we compared the structural integrity
      of white matter pathways for discriminative and affective touch in young children
      with ASD and their typically developing (TD) peers. We examined two tracts: (1) a
      tract linking the thalamus with the primary somatosensory cortex, which carries
      discriminative tactile information, and (2) a tract linking the posterior insula
      the cortical projection target of unmyelinated tactile afferents mediating
      affective touch-with the anterior insula, which integrates sensory and visceral
      inputs to interpret emotional salience of sensory stimuli. We investigated
      associations between tract integrity and performance on a standardized
      observational assessment measuring tactile discrimination and affective responses
      to touch. RESULTS: Both the thalamocortical and intrainsular tracts showed
      reduced integrity (higher mean diffusivity) in the ASD group compared to those in
      the TD group. Consistent with the previous findings, the ASD group exhibited
      impaired tactile discriminative ability, more tactile defensiveness, and more
      sensory seeking (e.g., enthusiastic play or repetitive engagement with a specific
      tactile stimulus). There was a significant relation between intrainsular tract
      integrity and tactile seeking. The direction of this relation differed between
      groups: higher intrainsular mean diffusivity (MD) (reflecting decreased tract
      integrity) was associated with increased tactile seeking in the TD group but with
      decreased tactile seeking in the ASD group. In the TD group, decreased tactile
      defensiveness was also associated with higher intrainsular MD, but there was no
      relation in the ASD group. Discriminative touch was not significantly associated
      with integrity of either tract in either group. CONCLUSIONS: These results
      support previous findings suggesting a central role for the insula in affective
      response to touch. While both discriminative and affective touch and both
      somatosensory tracts are affected in ASD, the restriction of brain-behavior
      associations to the intrainsular tract and tactile seeking suggests more complex
      and perhaps higher-order influence on differences in tactile defensiveness and
      discrimination.

PMID- 28630662
TI  - Sex differences in endogenous cortical network activity: spontaneously recurring
      Up/Down states.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several molecular and cellular processes in the vertebrate brain
      exhibit differences between males and females, leading to sexual dimorphism in
      the formation of neural circuits and brain organization. While studies on large
      scale brain networks provide ample evidence for both structural and functional
      sex differences, smaller-scale local networks have remained largely unexplored.
      In the current study, we investigate sexual dimorphism in cortical dynamics by
      means of spontaneous Up/Down states, a type of network activity that is exhibited
      during slow-wave sleep, quiet wakefulness, and anesthesia and is thought to
      represent the default activity of the cortex. METHODS: Up state activity was
      monitored by local field potential recordings in coronal brain slices of male and
      female mice across three ages with distinct secretion profiles of sex hormones:
      (i) pre-puberty (17-21 days old), (ii) 3-9 adult (months old), and (iii) old (19
      24 months old). RESULTS: Female mice of all ages exhibited longer and more
      frequent Up states compared to aged-matched male mice. Power spectrum analysis
      revealed sex differences in the relative power of Up state events, with female
      mice showing reduced power in the delta range (1-4 Hz) and increased power in the
      theta range (4-8 Hz) compared to male mice. No sex differences were found in the
      characteristics of Up state peak voltage and latency. CONCLUSIONS: The present
      study revealed for the first time sex differences in intracortical network
      activity, using an ex vivo paradigm of spontaneously occurring Up/Down states. We
      report significant sex differences in Up state properties that are already
      present in pre-puberty animals and are maintained through adulthood and old age.

PMID- 28630664
TI  - Overlapping stent-assisted coil embolization for a ruptured intracranial
      vertebral artery dissection.
AB  - Ruptured intracranial vertebral artery dissection is a cause of non-traumatic
      subarachnoid hemorrhage. Urgent intervention should be considered to prevent
      fatal rebleeding. Endovascular parent artery occlusion, which is the initial
      treatment of choice, is not suitable for patients with a hypoplastic or occlusive
      contralateral vertebral artery. We report a case of ruptured vertebral artery
      dissection, which was successfully treated with double overlapping stent-assisted
      coiling.

PMID- 28630665
TI  - Fronto-orbital mucocele with intracranial extension: a case report.
AB  - Frontal sinus mucoceles are benign, pseudocystic lesion deriving from the
      obliteration of the sinus ostium, resulting in a continuous mucous accumulation.
      The growing process of a mucocele leads to a progressive enlargement of the sinus
      cavity, thickening and eroding its bony walls up to invading the surrounding
      tissues. The surgical procedure through an endoscopic endonasal approach is the
      current treatment option for such conditions, but in cases with an extensive bone
      erosion and intracranial or intraorbital extension, a transcranial approach
      should be preferred. We report a case of a frontal sinus mucocele with unusual
      intraorbital and intracranial extension, causing exophthalmos and
      ophthalmoplegia, removed through a transcranial frontal approach and the
      subsequent obliteration of the sinus.

PMID- 28630666
TI  - Curvature driven motion of a bubble in a toroidal Hele-Shaw cell.
AB  - We investigate the equilibrium properties of a single area-minimizing bubble
      trapped between two narrowly separated parallel curved plates. We begin with the
      case of a bubble trapped between concentric spherical plates. We develop a model
      which shows that the surface energy of the bubble is lower when confined between
      spherical plates than between flat plates. We confirm our findings by comparing
      against Surface Evolver simulations. We then derive a simple model for a bubble
      between arbitrarily curved parallel plates. The energy is found to be higher when
      the local Gaussian curvature of the plates is negative and lower when the
      curvature is positive. To check the validity of the model, we consider a bubble
      trapped between concentric tori. In the toroidal case, we find that the
      sensitivity of the bubble's energy to the local curvature acts as a geometric
      potential capable of driving bubbles from regions with negative to positive
      curvature.

PMID- 28630667
TI  - Evaluation of radical scavenging system in amoeba Chaos carolinense during
      nutrient deprivation.
AB  - The frequent appearance of non-lamellar membrane arrangements such as cubic
      membranes (CMs) in cells under stressed or pathological conditions points to an
      intrinsic cellular response mechanism. CM represents highly curved, three
      dimensional nano-periodic structures that correspond to mathematically well
      defined triply periodic minimal surfaces. Specifically, cellular membrane may
      transform into CM organization in response to pathological, inflammatory and
      oxidative stress conditions. CM organization, thus, may provide an advantage to
      cope with various types of stress. The identification of inducible membrane
      systems, such as in the mitochondrial inner membranes to cubic morphology upon
      starvation, opens new avenues for understanding the molecular mechanisms of
      cellular responses to oxidative stress. In this study, we compared the cellular
      responses of starved and fed amoeba Chaos carolinense to oxidative stress. Food
      deprivation from C. carolinense induces a significant increase in prooxidants
      such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. Surprisingly, we observed a significant
      lower rate of biomolecular damage in starved cells (with higher free radicals
      generation) when compared with fed cells. Specifically, lipid and RNA damages
      were significantly less in starved cells compared with fed cells. This
      observation was not due to the upregulation of intracellular antioxidants, as
      starved amoeba show reduced antioxidant enzymatic activities; however, it could
      be attributed to CM formation. CM could uptake and retain short segments of
      nucleic acids (resembles cellular RNA) in vivo and in vitro. Previous results
      showed that nucleic acids retained within CM sustain a minimal oxidative damage
      in vitro upon exposure to high level of superoxide. We thus propose that CM may
      act as a 'protective' shelter to minimize the oxidation of biologically essential
      macromolecules such as RNA. In summary, we examined enzymatic antioxidant
      activities as well as oxidative damage biomarkers in starved amoeba C.
      carolinense in correlation with the potential role of CM as an optimal
      intracellular membrane organization for the protection of biological
      macromolecules against oxidative damage.

PMID- 28630668
TI  - Competition brings out the best: modelling the frustration between curvature
      energy and chain stretching energy of lyotropic liquid crystals in bicontinuous
      cubic phases.
AB  - It is commonly considered that the frustration between the curvature energy and
      the chain stretching energy plays an important role in the formation of lyotropic
      liquid crystals in bicontinuous cubic phases. Theoretic and numeric calculations
      were performed for two extreme cases: parallel surfaces eliminate the variance of
      the chain length; constant mean curvature surfaces eliminate the variance of the
      mean curvature. We have implemented a model with Brakke's Surface Evolver which
      allows a competition between the two variances. The result shows a compromise of
      the two limiting geometries. With data from real systems, we are able to recover
      the gyroid-diamond-primitive phase sequence which was observed in experiments.

PMID- 28630669
TI  - Straight round the twist: frustration and chirality in smectics-A.
AB  - Frustration is a powerful mechanism in condensed matter systems, driving both
      order and complexity. In smectics, the frustration between macroscopic chirality
      and equally spaced layers generates textures characterized by a proliferation of
      defects. In this article, we study several different ground states of the chiral
      Landau-de Gennes free energy for a smectic liquid crystal. The standard theory
      finds the twist grain boundary (TGB) phase to be the ground state for chiral type
      II smectics. However, for very highly chiral systems, the hierarchical helical
      nanofilament phase can form and is stable over the TGB.

PMID- 28630670
TI  - Universal structure motifs in biominerals: a lesson from nature for the efficient
      design of bioinspired functional materials.
AB  - Biominerals are typically indispensable structures for their host organism in
      which they serve varying functions, such as mechanical support and protection,
      mineral storage, detoxification site, or as a sensor or optical guide. In this
      perspective article, we highlight the occurrence of both structural diversity and
      uniformity within these biogenic ceramics. For the first time, we demonstrate
      that the universality-diversity paradigm, which was initially introduced for
      proteins by Buehler et al. (Cranford & Buehler 2012 Biomateriomics; Cranford et
      al. 2013 Adv. Mater.25, 802-824 (doi:10.1002/adma.201202553); Ackbarow & Buehler
      2008 J. Comput. Theor. Nanosci.5, 1193-1204 (doi:10.1166/jctn.2008.001); Buehler
      & Yung 2009 Nat. Mater.8, 175-188 (doi:10.1038/nmat2387)), is also valid in the
      realm of biomineralization. A nanogranular composite structure is shared by most
      biominerals which rests on a common, non-classical crystal growth mechanism. The
      nanogranular composite structure affects various properties of the macroscale
      biogenic ceramic, a phenomenon we attribute to emergence. Emergence, in turn, is
      typical for hierarchically organized materials. This is a clear call to renew
      comparative studies of even distantly related biomineralizing organisms to
      identify further universal design motifs and their associated emergent
      properties. Such universal motifs with emergent macro-scale properties may
      represent an unparalleled toolbox for the efficient design of bioinspired
      functional materials.

PMID- 28630671
TI  - BslA-stabilized emulsion droplets with designed microstructure.
AB  - Emulsions are a central component of many modern formulations in food,
      pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals and personal care products. The droplets in these
      formulations are limited to being spherical as a consequence of the interfacial
      tension between the dispersed phase and continuous phase. The ability to control
      emulsion droplet morphology and stabilize non-spherical droplets would enable the
      modification of emulsion properties such as stability, substrate binding,
      delivery rate and rheology. One way of controlling droplet microstructure is to
      apply an elastic film around the droplet to prevent it from relaxing into a
      sphere. We have previously shown that BslA, an interfacial protein produced by
      the bacterial genus Bacillus, forms an elastic film when exposed to an oil- or
      air-water interface. Here, we highlight BslA's ability to stabilize anisotropic
      emulsion droplets. First, we show that BslA is capable of arresting dynamic
      emulsification processes leading to emulsions with variable morphologies
      depending on the conditions and emulsification technique applied. We then show
      that frozen emulsion droplets can be manipulated to induce partial coalescence.
      The structure of the partially coalesced droplets is retained after melting, but
      only when there is sufficient free BslA in the continuous phase. That the
      fidelity of replication can be tuned by adjusting the amount of free BslA in
      solution suggests that freezing BslA-stabilized droplets disrupts the BslA film.
      Finally, we use BslA's ability to preserve emulsion droplet structural integrity
      throughout the melting process to design emulsion droplets with a chosen shape
      and size.

PMID- 28630673
TI  - Optimal packings of three-arm star polyphiles: from tricontinuous to quasi
      uniformly striped bicontinuous forms.
AB  - Star-shaped molecules with three mutually immiscible arms self-assemble to form a
      variety of novel structures, with conformations that attempt to minimize
      interfacial area between the domains composed of the different arms. The
      geometric frustration caused by the joining of these arms at a common centre
      limits the size and shape of each domain, encouraging the creation of complex and
      interesting solutions. Some solutions are tricontinuous, and these solutions (and
      others) share aspects of bicontinuous structures with amphiphilic assemblies as
      similar molecular segregation factors are at work. We describe both highly
      symmetric and balanced structures, as well as unbalanced solutions that take the
      form of intricately striped amphiphilic membranes. All these patterns can result
      in chiral assemblies with multiple networks.

PMID- 28630672
TI  - Circularly polarized reflection from the scarab beetle Chalcothea smaragdina:
      light scattering by a dual photonic structure.
AB  - Helicoidal architectures comprising various polysaccharides, such as chitin and
      cellulose, have been reported in biological systems. In some cases, these
      architectures exhibit stunning optical properties analogous to ordered
      cholesteric liquid crystal phases. In this work, we characterize the circularly
      polarized reflectance and optical scattering from the cuticle of the beetle
      Chalcothea smaragdina (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) using optical
      experiments, simulations and structural analysis. The selective reflection of
      left-handed circularly polarized light is attributed to a Bouligand-type
      helicoidal morphology within the beetle's exocuticle. Using electron microscopy
      to inform electromagnetic simulations of this anisotropic stratified medium, the
      inextricable connection between the colour appearance of C. smaragdina and the
      periodicity of its helicoidal rotation is shown. A close agreement between the
      model and the measured reflectance spectra is obtained. In addition, the elytral
      surface of C. smaragdina possesses a blazed diffraction grating-like surface
      structure, which affects the diffuse appearance of the beetle's reflected colour,
      and therefore potentially enhances crypsis among the dense foliage of its
      rainforest habitat.

PMID- 28630674
TI  - Cation effects on haemoglobin aggregation: balance of chemisorption against
      physisorption of ions.
AB  - A theoretical model of haemoglobin is presented to explain an anomalous cationic
      Hofmeister effect observed in protein aggregation. The model quantifies competing
      proposed mechanisms of non-electrostatic physisorption and chemisorption. Non
      electrostatic physisorption is stronger for larger, more polarizable ions with a
      Hofmeister series Li+< K+< Cs+. Chemisorption at carboxylate groups is stronger
      for smaller kosmotropic ions, with the reverse series Li+ > K+ > Cs+. We assess
      aggregation using second virial coefficients calculated from theoretical protein
      protein interaction energies. Taking Cs+ to not chemisorb, comparison with
      experiment yields mildly repulsive cation-carboxylate binding energies of 0.48
      kBT for Li+ and 3.0 kBT for K+. Aggregation behaviour is predominantly controlled
      by short-range protein interactions. Overall, adsorption of the K+ ion in the
      middle of the Hofmeister series is stronger than ions at either extreme since it
      includes contributions from both physisorption and chemisorption. This results in
      stronger attractive forces and greater aggregation with K+, leading to the non
      conventional Hofmeister series K+ > Cs+ ~ Li+.

PMID- 28630675
TI  - How geometric frustration shapes twisted fibres, inside and out: competing
      morphologies of chiral filament assembly.
AB  - Chirality frustrates and shapes the assembly of flexible filaments in rope-like,
      twisted bundles and fibres by introducing gradients of both filament shape (i.e.
      curvature) and packing throughout the structure. Previous models of chiral
      filament bundle formation have shown that this frustration gives rise to several
      distinct morphological responses, including self-limiting bundle widths,
      anisotropic domain (tape-like) formation and topological defects in the lateral
      inter-filament order. In this paper, we employ a combination of continuum
      elasticity theory and discrete filament bundle simulations to explore how these
      distinct morphological responses compete in the broader phase diagram of chiral
      filament assembly. We show that the most generic model of bundle formation
      exhibits at least four classes of equilibrium structure-finite-width, twisted
      bundles with isotropic and anisotropic shapes, with and without topological
      defects, as well as bulk phases of untwisted, columnar assembly (i.e.
      'frustration escape'). These competing equilibrium morphologies are selected by
      only a relatively small number of parameters describing filament assembly: bundle
      surface energy, preferred chiral twist and stiffness of chiral filament
      interactions, and mechanical stiffness of filaments and their lateral
      interactions. Discrete filament bundle simulations test and verify continuum
      theory predictions for dependence of bundle structure (shape, size and packing
      defects of two-dimensional cross section) on these key parameters.

PMID- 28630676
TI  - Scaling properties of ageing orientation fluctuations in stripe phases.
AB  - We investigate the non-equilibrium dynamics of an ordered stripe-forming system
      free of topological defects. In particular, we study the ageing and the
      coarsening of orientation fluctuations parallel and perpendicular to the stripes
      via computer simulations based on a minimal phase-field model (model B with
      Coulomb interactions). Under the influence of noise, the stripe orientation field
      develops fluctuations parallel to the stripes, with the dominant modulation
      length lambda*? increasing with time t as lambda*? ~ t1/4 and the correlation
      length perpendicular to the stripes xi?theta increasing as xi?theta ~ t1/2. We
      explain these anisotropic coarsening dynamics with an analytic theory based on
      the linear elastic model for stripe displacements first introduced by Landau and
      Peierls. We thus obtain the scaling forms and the scaling exponents
      characterizing the correlation functions and the structure factor of the stripe
      orientation field. Our results reveal how the coarsening of orientation
      fluctuations prevents a periodically modulated phase free of topological defects
      from reaching equilibrium.

PMID- 28630677
TI  - Non-lamellar lipid assembly at interfaces: controlling layer structure by
      responsive nanogel particles.
AB  - Biological membranes do not only occur as planar bilayer structures, but
      depending on the lipid composition, can also curve into intriguing three
      dimensional structures. In order to fully understand the biological implications
      as well as to reveal the full potential for applications, e.g. for drug delivery
      and other biomedical devices, of such structures, well-defined model systems are
      required. Here, we discuss the formation of lipid non-lamellar liquid crystalline
      (LC) surface layers spin-coated from the constituting lipids followed by
      hydration of the lipid layer. We demonstrate that hybrid lipid polymer films can
      be formed with different properties compared with the neat lipid LC layers. The
      nanostructure and morphologies of the lipid films formed reflect those in the
      bulk. Most notably, mixed lipid layers, which are composed of glycerol monooleate
      and diglycerol monooleate with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanogels, can form
      films of reverse cubic phases that are capable of responding to temperature
      stimulus. Owing to the presence of the nanogel particles, changing the
      temperature not only regulates the hydration of the cubic phase lipid films, but
      also the lateral organization of the lipid domains within the lipid self
      assembled film. This opens up the possibility for new nanostructured materials
      based on lipid-polymer responsive layers.

PMID- 28630678
TI  - On the colour of wing scales in butterflies: iridescence and preferred
      orientation of single gyroid photonic crystals.
AB  - Lycaenid butterflies from the genera Callophrys, Cyanophrys and Thecla have
      evolved remarkable biophotonic gyroid nanostructures within their wing scales
      that have only recently been replicated by nanoscale additive manufacturing.
      These nanostructures selectively reflect parts of the visible spectrum to give
      their characteristic non-iridescent, matte-green appearance, despite a distinct
      blue-green-yellow iridescence predicted for individual crystals from theory. It
      has been hypothesized that the organism must achieve its uniform appearance by
      growing crystals with some restrictions on the possible distribution of
      orientations, yet preferential orientation observed in Callophrys rubi confirms
      that this distribution need not be uniform. By analysing scanning electron
      microscope and optical images of 912 crystals in three wing scales, we find no
      preference for their rotational alignment in the plane of the scales. However,
      crystal orientation normal to the scale was highly correlated to their colour at
      low (conical) angles of view and illumination. This correlation enabled the use
      of optical images, each containing up to 104-105 crystals, for concluding the
      preferential alignment seen along the [Formula: see text] at the level of single
      scales, appears ubiquitous. By contrast, [Formula: see text] orientations were
      found to occur at no greater rate than that expected by chance. Above a critical
      cone angle, all crystals reflected bright green light indicating the dominant
      light scattering is due to the predicted band gap along the [Formula: see text]
      direction, independent of the domain orientation. Together with the natural
      variation in scale and wing shapes, we can readily understand the detailed
      mechanism of uniform colour production and iridescence suppression in these
      butterflies. It appears that the combination of preferential alignment normal to
      the wing scale, and uniform distribution within the plane is a near optimal
      solution for homogenizing the angular distribution of the [Formula: see text]
      band gap relative to the wings. Finally, the distributions of orientations,
      shapes, sizes and degree of order of crystals within single scales provide useful
      insights for understanding the mechanisms at play in the formation of these
      biophotonic nanostructures.

PMID- 28630680
TI  - Purely entropic self-assembly of the bicontinuous Ia3d gyroid phase in
      equilibrium hard-pear systems.
AB  - We investigate a model of hard pear-shaped particles which forms the bicontinuous
      Ia[Formula: see text]d structure by entropic self-assembly, extending the
      previous observations of Barmes et al. (2003 Phys. Rev. E68, 021708.
      (doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.68.021708)) and Ellison et al. (2006 Phys. Rev. Lett.97,
      237801. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.237801)). We specifically provide the
      complete phase diagram of this system, with global density and particle shape as
      the two variable parameters, incorporating the gyroid phase as well as disordered
      isotropic, smectic and nematic phases. The phase diagram is obtained by two
      methods, one being a compression-decompression study and the other being a
      continuous change of the particle shape parameter at constant density.
      Additionally, we probe the mechanism by which interdigitating sheets of pears in
      these systems create surfaces with negative Gauss curvature, which is needed to
      form the gyroid minimal surface. This is achieved by the use of Voronoi
      tessellation, whereby both the shape and volume of Voronoi cells can be assessed
      in regard to the local Gauss curvature of the gyroid minimal surface. Through
      this, we show that the mechanisms prevalent in this entropy-driven system differ
      from those found in systems which form gyroid structures in nature (lipid
      bilayers) and from synthesized materials (di-block copolymers) and where the
      formation of the gyroid is enthalpically driven. We further argue that the gyroid
      phase formed in these systems is a realization of a modulated splay-bend phase in
      which the conventional nematic has been predicted to be destabilized at the
      mesoscale due to molecular-scale coupling of polar and orientational degrees of
      freedom.

PMID- 28630681
TI  - Imaging optical scattering of butterfly wing scales with a microscope.
AB  - A new optical method is proposed to investigate the reflectance of structurally
      coloured objects, such as Morpho butterfly wing scales and cholesteric liquid
      crystals. Using a reflected-light microscope and a digital single-lens reflex
      (DSLR) camera, we have successfully measured the two-dimensional reflection
      pattern of individual wing scales of Morpho butterflies. We demonstrate that this
      method enables us to measure the bidirectional reflectance distribution function
      (BRDF). The scattering image observed in the back focal plane of the objective is
      projected onto the camera sensor by inserting a Bertrand lens in the optical path
      of the microscope. With monochromatic light illumination, we quantify the angle
      dependent reflectance spectra from the wing scales of Morpho rhetenor by
      retrieving the raw signal from the digital camera sensor. We also demonstrate
      that the polarization-dependent reflection of individual wing scales is readily
      observed using this method, using the individual wing scales of Morpho cypris. In
      an effort to show the generality of the method, we used a chiral nematic fluid to
      illustrate the angle-dependent reflectance as seen by this method.

PMID- 28630679
TI  - Molecular interactions of amyloid nanofibrils with biological aggregation
      modifiers: implications for cytotoxicity mechanisms and biomaterial design.
AB  - Amyloid nanofibrils are ubiquitous biological protein fibrous aggregates, with a
      wide range of either toxic or beneficial activities that are relevant to human
      disease and normal biology. Protein amyloid fibrillization occurs via nucleated
      polymerization, through non-covalent interactions. As such, protein nanofibril
      formation is based on a complex interplay between kinetic and thermodynamic
      factors. The process entails metastable oligomeric species and a highly
      thermodynamically favoured end state. The kinetics, and the reaction pathway
      itself, can be influenced by third party moieties, either molecules or surfaces.
      Specifically, in the biological context, different classes of biomolecules are
      known to act as catalysts, inhibitors or modifiers of the generic protein
      fibrillization process. The biological aggregation modifiers reviewed here
      include lipid membranes of varying composition, glycosaminoglycans and metal
      ions, with a final word on xenobiotic compounds. The corresponding molecular
      interactions are critically analysed and placed in the context of the mechanisms
      of cytotoxicity of the amyloids involved in diverse pathologies and the non
      toxicity of functional amyloids (at least towards their biological host).
      Finally, the utilization of this knowledge towards the design of bio-inspired and
      biocompatible nanomaterials is explored.

PMID- 28630682
TI  - Overexpressed PRAME is a potential immunotherapy target in sarcoma subtypes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma), a member of the
      cancer-testis antigen family, has been shown to have increased expression in
      solid tumors, including sarcoma, and PRAME-specific therapies are currently in
      development for other cancers such as melanoma. METHODS: To map the landscape of
      PRAME expression in sarcoma, we used publicly available data from The Cancer
      Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) projects and
      determined which sarcoma subtypes and subsets are associated with increased PRAME
      expression. We also analyzed how PRAME expression correlates with survival and
      expression of markers related to antigen presentation and T cell function.
      Furthermore, tumor and normal tissue expression comparisons were performed using
      data from the genotype-tissue expression (GTEx) project. RESULTS: We found that
      uterine carcinosarcoma highly overexpresses the PRAME antigen, and synovial
      sarcomas and multifocal leiomyosarcomas also show high expressions suggesting
      that PRAME may be an effective target of immunotherapies of these tumors.
      However, we also discovered that PRAME expression negatively correlates with
      genes involved in antigen presentation, and in synovial sarcoma MHC class I
      antigen presentation deficiencies are also present, potentially limiting the
      efficacy of immunotherapies of this malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that
      uterine carcinosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma patients would
      potentially benefit from PRAME-specific immunotherapies. Tumor escape through
      loss of antigen presentation needs to be further studied.

PMID- 28630683
TI  - Erratum to: The prevalence, temporal and spatial trends in bulk tank equivalent
      milk fat depression in Irish milk recorded herds.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13620-017-0092-y.].

PMID- 28630684
TI  - Two-Step Cycle for Producing Multiple Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) Films with
      Increasing Long-Range Order.
AB  - Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are being used for an increasing
      number of applications. However, the original two-step anodization method in
      which the first anodization is sacrificial to pre-pattern the second is still
      widely used to produce them. This method provides relatively low throughput and
      material utilization as half of the films are discarded. An alternative scheme
      that relies on alternating anodization and cathodic delamination is demonstrated
      that allows for the fabrication of several AAO films with only one sacrificial
      layer thus greatly improving total aluminum to alumina yield. The thickness for
      which the cathodic delamination performs best to yield full, unbroken AAO sheets
      is around 85 MUm. Additionally, an image analysis method is used to quantify the
      degree of long-range ordering of the unit cells in the AAO films which was found
      to increase with each successive iteration of the fabrication cycle.

PMID- 28630685
TI  - Effectiveness of surface coatings containing silver ions in bacterial
      decontamination in a recovery unit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HAIs remain a frequent complication for hospitalised patients and
      pose a challenge that must be tackled by our health systems. METHODS: Quasi
      experimental study. In order to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of
      surface coating agents containing silver ions (BactiBlock(r)) the degree of
      contamination of several surfaces in two ICU wards was compared. The association
      between application of Bactiblock(r) and surface contamination was analysed using
      a relative risk (RR). Multivariate logistic regressions were performed for each
      product applied and each sampling location to adjust for the RR of the
      contamination of surfaces treated with Bactiblock(r) for the independent
      variables. RESULTS: Surface contamination was observed in 31.5% of treated
      samples and 27.4 of untreated samples. Contamination was equally prominent on
      bedside Tables (38.7%), bed rails (38.4%) and sinks (38.3%), while the walls
      showed minimum contamination (2.6%). For beds under isolation protocols,
      contamination was higher (32.6%) than when no protocol was followed (26.5%) but
      the difference was not significant (p = 0.148). After stratification for
      application method and adjusting the multivariate models for period of the study
      and presence of isolated patients, the risk of contamination after the
      intervention increased when the coating agent was applied using a spray (OR =
      1.79; 95% CI: 1.08-2.95, particularly in a dry and rugged surface such as that of
      bedside Tables (OR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.22-5.52); and decreased when the product was
      applied using a roller on a smooth and continuously cleaned (or wet) Surface (OR
      = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.19-0.92). CONCLUSION: Coating of hospital surfaces with
      substances containing silver ions may reduce bacterial growth. However, the
      effectiveness of the coating agent is affected by application method and
      environmental conditions and the type and cleanness of the surface.

PMID- 28630686
TI  - Fecal carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- and carbapenemase-producing
      Enterobacteriaceae in Egyptian patients with community-onset gastrointestinal
      complaints: a hospital -based cross-sectional study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of extended
      spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase production among
      Enterobacteriaceae isolated from ambulatory patients with gastrointestinal
      complaints admitted to El-Ahrar General Hospital, Zagazig, Egypt in the period
      between January 2013 and May 2013. METHODS: One hundred and thirteen
      Enterobacteriaceae isolates were recovered from 100 consecutive Egyptian patients
      with community-onset gastrointestinal complaints. The fecal samples were plated
      directly on selective EbSA-ESBL Screening Agar and on MacConkey agar. Isolate
      identification was performed with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization
      time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Screening for ESBLs and
      carbapenemases production was done by both the automated VITEK(r)2 system with
      AST N198 and by disk diffusion method. Real-time PCR and sequencing were used to
      characterize the resistance genes. Phylogroups of the E. coli isolates were
      determined by a triplex PCR-based method. RESULTS: Of 100 patients screened for
      fecal colonization with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase -producing
      Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and carbapenemase- producing Enterobacteriaceae
      (CPE), 68 were colonized with ESBL-E whereas five patients were positive for CPE.
      One hundred and thirteen Enterobacterceae isolates were recovered from 100 fecal
      samples, they belonged to E. coli (n = 72), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 23),
      Enterobacter cloacae(n = 3), Salmonella spp. (n = 1) and other Enterobacterceae
      isolates (n = 14). The blaCTX-M gene was detected in 89.04% (65/73) of the ESBL
      producing Enterobacteriaceae, whereas blaSHV and blaTEM were detected in 30.14%
      (22/73) and 19.18% (14/73) respectively. Three out of 5 carbapenem-resistant
      isolates harbored New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM) and 2 produced Verona
      integron-encoded metallo- beta -lactamase (VIM). Twenty-two (47.83%) of the ESBL
      positive isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR). Phylogenetic analysis showed
      that, of the 51 ESBL-EC isolates, 17 belonged to group B2, 13 to group D, 11 to
      group A and 10 to group B1. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly two-thirds of the
      Enterobacteriaceae isolates recovered from feces of ambulatory patients with
      community-onset gastrointestinal complaints admitted to El-Ahrar General
      Hospital, Zagazig, Egypt were ESBL producers and one in every 20 patients
      included in our study was colonized by carbapenemase-producing
      Enterobacteriaceae. These high colonization rates are worrying, therefore prudent
      antimicrobial use should be adopted in Egyptian community settings.

PMID- 28630687
TI  - Emerging antimicrobial resistance in early and late-onset neonatal sepsis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compared to developed countries, the use of antimicrobials in Egypt
      is less regulated and is available over the counter without the need for
      prescriptions. The impact of such policy on antimicrobial resistance has not been
      studied. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of early and late onset
      sepsis, and the frequency of antimicrobial resistance in a major referral
      neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: The study included all neonates
      admitted to the NICU over a 12-month period. Prospectively collected clinical and
      laboratory data were retrieved, including blood cultures and endotracheal
      aspirate cultures if performed. RESULTS: A total of 953 neonates were admitted,
      of them 314 neonates were diagnosed with sepsis; 123 with early onset sepsis
      (EOS) and 191 with late onset sepsis (LOS). A total of 388 blood cultures were
      obtained, with 166 positive results. Total endotracheal aspirate samples were
      127; of them 79 were culture-positive. The most frequently isolated organisms in
      blood were Klebsiella pneumoniae (42%) and Coagulase negative staphylococcus
      (19%) whereas in endotracheal cultures were Klebsiella pneumoniae (41%) and
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19%). Gram negative organisms were most resistant to
      ampicillins (100%), cephalosporins (93%-100%) and piperacillin-tazobactam (99%)
      with less resistance to aminoglycosides (36%-52%). Gram positive isolates were
      least resistant to vancomycin (18%). Multidrug resistance was detected in 92
      (38%) cultures, mainly among gram negative isolates (78/92). CONCLUSIONS:
      Antibiotic resistance constitutes a challenge to the management of neonatal
      sepsis in Egypt. Resistance was predominant in both early and late onset sepsis.
      This study supports the need to implement policies that prohibits the non
      prescription community use of antibiotics.

PMID- 28630688
TI  - Prevalence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens from blood cultures: results from
      a laboratory based nationwide surveillance in Ghana.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Blood stream infections (BSI) are critical medical conditions with
      high morbidity and mortality. There is paucity of information on BSI from
      surveillance studies in Ghana. AIM: This study sought to demonstrate how useful
      BSI data can be gleaned from population-based surveillance, especially from
      resource-limited settings. METHODS: Data from a nationwide surveillance of
      antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR) in Ghana were extracted and analyzed.
      Secondly, we revived archived Staphylococcus aureus isolates from blood cultures
      that were cefoxitin resistant (CRSA), and screened these for protein A (spa) and
      mec A genes. RESULTS: Overall blood culture positivity was 11.2% (714/6351). All
      together, participating laboratories submitted 100 multidrug resistant blood
      culture isolates (Gram-negative = 49 and Gram-positive = 51). Prevalence of some
      Gram-negative isolates was as follows; Escherichia coli (20.4%), Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa (16.3%), Enterobacter spp. (14.3%), Salmonella serotype Typhi (8.2%)
      and Non-typhoidal Salmonella [NTS] (8.2%). Gram-positive pathogens included
      Staphylococcus aureus (66.7%), coagulase negative S. aureus [CoNS] (17.6%) and
      Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.8%). No methicillin resistance was confirmed in our
      CRSA isolates. Most blood stream associated infections were from inpatients (75%)
      and cultured bacteria were resistant to common and cheaper antimicrobials.
      CONCLUSION: E. coli and S. aureus are common pathogens associated with BSI in
      Ghana and they are resistant to several antimicrobials. Active and continuous AMR
      surveillance can serve multiple purposes, including data generation for BSI.

PMID- 28630689
TI  - Why language matters: a tour through hand hygiene literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene has evolved over the last decades and many terminologies
      emerged. We aimed to analyse the evolution in the frequency of utilization of key
      hand hygiene terms in the literature along the years. METHODS: We identified
      keywords and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) used in MEDLINE(r) indexation
      related to hand hygiene by searching international guidelines and the MeSH
      database. We performed a MEDLINE(r) search combining the selected keywords and
      MeSH and analysed the number of publications retrieved yearly. RESULTS: The
      literature search yielded 9019 publications when all hand hygiene related search
      terms were combined, between 1921 and November 2016. The total number of
      publications per year increased from a median of 4 (IQR 3, 6) in the 1950's to
      554 (IQR 478, 583) between 2011 and 2015. The most frequently used keywords are
      hand disinfection, hand hygiene, hand washing, handrub, hand sanitizer and
      alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR). Until the 1990s, hand disinfection and hand
      washing were the most frequently used terms. Whilst the last decade has seen a
      remarkable increase in publications mentioning hand disinfection and hand hygiene
      and for the first time handrub, hand sanitizers and ABHR were introduced in the
      literature. Hand disinfection, hand hygiene and hand sanitizers are the main MeSH
      used by MEDLINE(r). Since 2013 hand hygiene is the most frequently used MeSH and
      keyword. CONCLUSIONS: The change seen in literature in the last two decades, from
      hand washing and hand disinfection to hand hygiene, most probably reflect the
      paradigm shift favouring use of ABHR over soap and water promoted by
      international guidelines in the early 2000s.

PMID- 28630690
TI  - Incidence and risk factors for surgical site infections in obstetric and
      gynecological surgeries from a teaching hospital in rural India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSI) are one of the most common healthcare
      associated infections in the low-middle income countries. Data on incidence and
      risk factors for SSI following surgeries in general and Obstetric and
      Gynecological surgeries in particular are scare. This study set out to identify
      risk factors for SSI in patients undergoing Obstetric and Gynecological surgeries
      in an Indian rural hospital. METHODS: Patients who underwent a surgical procedure
      between September 2010 to February 2013 in the 60-bedded ward of Obstetric and
      Gynecology department were included. Surveillance for SSI was based on the Centre
      for Disease Control (CDC) definition and methodology. Incidence and risk factors
      for SSI, including those for specific procedure, were calculated from data
      collected on daily ward rounds. RESULTS: A total of 1173 patients underwent a
      surgical procedure during the study period. The incidence of SSI in the cohort
      was 7.84% (95% CI 6.30-9.38). Majority of SSI were superficial. Obstetric
      surgeries had a lower SSI incidence compared to gynecological surgeries (1.2%
      versus 10.3% respectively). The risk factors for SSI identified in the
      multivariate logistic regression model were age (OR 1.03), vaginal examination
      (OR 1.31); presence of vaginal discharge (OR 4.04); medical disease (OR 5.76);
      American Society of Anesthesia score greater than 3 (OR 12.8); concurrent
      surgical procedure (OR 3.26); each increase in hour of surgery, after the first
      hour, doubled the risk of SSI; inappropriate antibiotic prophylaxis increased the
      risk of SSI by nearly 5 times. Each day increase in stay in the hospital after
      the surgery increased the risk of contacting an SSI by 5%. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence
      and risk factors from prospective SSI surveillance can be reported simultaneously
      for the Obstetric and Gynecological surgeries and can be part of routine practice
      in resource-constrained settings. The incidence of SSI was lower for Obstetric
      surgeries compared to Gynecological surgeries. Multiple risk factors identified
      in the present study can be helpful for SSI risk stratification in low-middle
      income countries.

PMID- 28630691
TI  - Overweight dogs are more likely to display undesirable behaviours: results of a
      large online survey of dog owners in the UK.
AB  - Much of the global canine population is now overweight, and this can adversely
      affect health, lifespan and quality of life. Undesirable behaviours are also
      common in pet dogs, and these can adversely affect welfare, as well as being
      stressful to owners. However, links between obesity and behavioural disorders
      have never previously been explored. An online survey was conducted between June
      and August in 2014, coinciding with the broadcast of a National UK television
      programme, exploring dog health, welfare and behaviour. Information gathered
      included signalment, overweight status and the prevalence of a range of
      undesirable behaviours. Fisher's exact test and OR were used to determine
      associations between overweight status and owner-reported behaviours. A total of
      17 028 responses were received. After data verification, the final dataset
      comprised 11 154 dogs, 1801 (16.1 %) of which were reported by owners to be
      overweight. Owners of overweight dogs were more likely to see them as 'a baby' (P
      < 0.0001) and allow them to sleep on their bed (P < 0.0001). Overweight dogs were
      also more likely to guard food (P < 0.0001) and steal food (P < 0.0001). Other
      undesirable behaviours more commonly reported in overweight dogs included
      barking, growling or snapping at strangers (P = 0.0011) and other dogs (P =
      0.0015), being fearful of outdoors (P < 0.0001), and not always coming back when
      called (P = 0.0011). Finally, owners were more likely to report that unsociable
      behaviours adversely affected their dog's health (P < 0.0001). Overweight status
      is associated with a number of undesirable behaviours in dogs. Further studies
      are now required to explore the reasons for these associations.

PMID- 28630693
TI  - Quality of food-frequency questionnaire validation studies in the dietary
      assessment of children aged 12 to 36 months: a systematic literature review.
AB  - A child's diet is an important determinant of growth and development. Because of
      this, the accurate assessment of dietary intake in young children remains a
      challenge. A systematic search of studies validating FFQ methodologies in
      children 12 to 36 months of age was completed. English-language articles
      published until March 2016 were searched using three electronic databases
      (MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL). Quality assessment of the identified studies was
      carried out using The Reduced Summary Score and EURopean micronutrient
      RECommendations Aligned (EURRECA) scoring system. Seventeen studies were included
      and categorised according to whether they reflected long-term (>=7 d) or short
      term (<7 d) intake, or used a biomarker. A total score for each micronutrient was
      calculated from the mean of the correlation coefficients weighted by the study
      quality score. At least three validation studies per micronutrient were required
      for inclusion. Fifteen studies (83 %) that considered validity of the FFQ in
      assessing nutrient intakes had quality scores from 2.5 to 6.0. Of those, ten (67
      %) studies found FFQ to have good correlations in assessing dietary intake
      (>0.4). Of the nutrients with three or more studies available, FFQ validated
      using a reference method reflecting short-term intake had a good weighted
      correlation for Ca (0.51), and acceptable weighted correlations for vitamin C
      (0.31) and Fe (0.33). Semi-quantitative FFQ were shown to be valid and
      reproducible when estimating dietary intakes at a group level, and are an
      acceptable instruments for estimating intakes of Ca, vitamin C and Fe in children
      12 to 36 months of age.

PMID- 28630694
TI  - Physical activity level of female and male adult cats before and after running
      wheel habituation.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether access to a running
      wheel increases voluntary physical activity in adult female and male domestic
      cats. Eight neutered domestic shorthair male cats (mean age 8.6 (sd 0.05) years)
      and eleven intact domestic shorthair female cats (mean age 3.3 (sd 0.14) years)
      were group housed for 22 h daily and individually housed during the feeding
      period. Voluntary physical activity was measured using accelerometers.
      Experimental design consisted of 1 week of baseline physical activity
      measurement, followed by 3 weeks of wheel habituation, and 1 week of physical
      activity measurement post-wheel habituation. Female cat voluntary physical
      activity levels increased (P < 0.05) post-habituation during the dark period,
      resulting in an altered (P < 0.05) light:dark activity ratio, whereas male cat
      voluntary physical activity levels remained unchanged post-habituation. Food
      anticipatory activity did not differ pre- and post-habituation. However, it
      corresponded to a numerically greater proportion of daily physical activity for
      males (17.5 %) v. females (12 %). In general, female cats were more active than
      male cats. Habituation to a running wheel appears to be an effective method to
      increase voluntary physical activity of younger female cats. Thus, running wheels
      might be a potential strategy in the prevention or management of feline obesity.

PMID- 28630692
TI  - Liver fat: a relevant target for dietary intervention? Summary of a Unilever
      workshop.
AB  - Currently it is estimated that about 1 billion people globally have non-alcoholic
      fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which liver fat exceeds 5 % of liver
      weight in the absence of significant alcohol intake. Due to the central role of
      the liver in metabolism, the prevalence of NAFLD is increasing in parallel with
      the prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance and other risk factors of metabolic
      diseases. However, the contribution of liver fat to the risk of type 2 diabetes
      mellitus and CVD, relative to other ectopic fat depots and to other risk markers,
      is unclear. Various studies have suggested that the accumulation of liver fat can
      be reduced or prevented via dietary changes. However, the amount of liver fat
      reduction that would be physiologically relevant, and the timeframes and dose
      effect relationships for achieving this through different diet-based approaches,
      are unclear. Also, it is still uncertain whether the changes in liver fat per se
      or the associated metabolic changes are relevant. Furthermore, the methods
      available to measure liver fat, or even individual fatty acids, differ in
      sensitivity and reliability. The present report summarises key messages of
      presentations from different experts and related discussions from a workshop
      intended to capture current views and research gaps relating to the points above.

PMID- 28630695
TI  - Newly formulated, protein quality-enhanced, extruded sorghum-, cowpea-, corn-,
      soya-, sugar- and oil-containing fortified-blended foods lead to adequate vitamin
      A and iron outcomes and improved growth compared with non-extruded CSB+ in rats.
AB  - Corn and soyabean micronutrient-fortified-blended foods (FBF) are commonly used
      for food aid. Sorghum and cowpeas have been suggested as alternative commodities
      because they are drought tolerant, can be grown in many localities, and are not
      genetically modified. Change in formulation of blends may improve protein
      quality, vitamin A and Fe availability of FBF. The primary objective of this
      study was to compare protein efficiency, Fe and vitamin A availability of newly
      formulated extruded sorghum-, cowpea-, soya- and corn-based FBF, along with a
      current, non-extruded United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
      corn and soya blend FBF (CSB+). A second objective was to compare protein
      efficiency of whey protein concentrate (WPC) and soya protein isolate (SPI)
      containing FBF to determine whether WPC inclusion improved outcomes. Eight groups
      of growing rats (n 10) consumed two white and one red sorghum-cowpea (WSC1 + WPC,
      WSC2 + WPC, RSC + WPC), white sorghum-soya (WSS + WPC) and corn-soya (CSB14 +
      WPC) extruded WPC-containing FBF, an extruded white sorghum-cowpea with SPI (WSC1
      + SPI), non-extruded CSB+, and American Institute of Nutrition (AIN)-93G, a
      weanling rat diet, for 4 weeks. There were no significant differences in protein
      efficiency, Fe or vitamin A outcomes between WPC FBF groups. The CSB+ group
      consumed significantly less food, gained significantly less weight, and had
      significantly lower energy efficiency, protein efficiency and length, compared
      with all other groups. Compared with WSC1 + WPC, the WSC1 + SPI FBF group had
      significantly lower energy efficiency, protein efficiency and weight gain. These
      results suggest that a variety of commodities can be used in the formulation of
      FBF, and that newly formulated extruded FBF are of better nutritional quality
      than non-extruded CSB+.

PMID- 28630696
TI  - The impact of time of neutering on weight gain and energy intake in female
      kittens.
AB  - Neutering is a risk factor for obesity in companion animals. In a study to
      determine the total energy requirements of kittens (15-52 weeks) the impact of
      neutering and age when neutered on intake and body weight (BW) was investigated.
      Females (n 14), neutered when 19 (early neuter; EN) or 31 (conventional neuter;
      CN) weeks old (n 7/group), were individually fed to maintain an ideal body
      condition score (BCS). EN kittens gained weight gradually whilst CN kittens' BW
      gain slowed from week 24, weighing less than EN kittens from week 30 with a
      reduced energy intake (kcal/kg BW0.67) in weeks 24-32 (P < 0.05). Following
      neutering, CN cats' BW and energy intake increased rapidly (energy intake CN > EN
      in weeks 36-40). Although EN required earlier diet restriction, acute hyperphagia
      and increased rate of BW gain following neutering were not observed. Earlier
      neutering may aid healthy weight management through growth when regulating intake
      to maintain an ideal BCS.

PMID- 28630697
TI  - The effect of position on the precision of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and
      correlation with body condition score in dogs and cats.
AB  - Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) has been used to assess body composition
      in dogs and cats in several studies, but studies are difficult to compare for
      several reasons. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether positioning
      of dogs or cats in either dorsal or ventral recumbency during DEXA scanning
      influences results. Dogs and cats that were brought to the University Hospital
      for Companion Animals for euthanasia during the period 15 September-6 November
      2015 were consecutively recruited if owners signed a written consent. Following
      euthanasia and before rigor mortis, the animals were body condition scored (BCS,
      nine-point scale) and DEXA scanned. DEXA measurements of total body mass (TBM),
      bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), lean soft tissue mass
      (LSTM) and body fat (BF) were performed five times in ventral and two times in
      dorsal recumbency on each animal. Differences between positioning were analysed
      using Student's t test or Wilcoxon's test depending on normality of the data. A
      total of thirteen dogs and seven cats of different breeds, size, sexes and age
      were included. The CV for DEXA parameters in ventral or dorsal recumbency were,
      for dogs, TBM <= 0.1 %, BMC <= 1.63 %, BMD <= 1.29 %, LSTM <= 0.89 % and BF <=
      1.52 %; and, for cats, TBM <= 0.08 %, BMC <= 0.61 %, BMD <= 0.49 %, LSTM <= 0.45
      % and BF <= 0.88 %. In both positions, a good correlation was found for dogs (r
      0.84-0.85; P < 0.0003) and cats (r 0.89-0.90; P < 0.0081) between the nine-point
      BCS system and BF percentage measured by DEXA. Ventral and dorsal recumbency
      provides comparable results, except that BMD measures were higher in dorsal
      recumbency (P < 0.0004).

PMID- 28630698
TI  - Physical activity in the classroom to prevent childhood obesity: a pilot study in
      Santiago, Chile.
AB  - This paper describes a 4-month pilot study that tested the suitability of a
      physical activity intervention for first graders (children aged 6 and 7 years) in
      a public school in Santiago, Chile. Teachers were trained to deliver the
      programme in the classroom during the school day. Teachers were surveyed to
      determine if this intervention fit within their curriculum and classroom routines
      and they reported in a focus group that it was suitable for them. All children
      actively participated in the programme and positive changes in their attitudes
      towards physical activity were observed by their teachers. Anthropometrics, blood
      pressure and hand grip strength were measured in the students. A significant
      reduction was observed in children with high waist circumference >= 90th
      percentile, and in mean systolic blood pressure. However, statistical power
      values for those comparisons were rather low. Anthropometry and hand grip
      strength were not modified. The latter calculations and the lack of a control
      group are showing the weaknesses of this pilot study and that further research
      with a larger sample size and an experimental design is strongly needed.

PMID- 28630699
TI  - Nutritional correlates of monetary diet cost in young, middle-aged and older
      Japanese women.
AB  - Studies in many Western countries have consistently shown that monetary diet cost
      is positively associated with diet quality, but this may not necessarily be the
      case in Japan. This cross-sectional study examined the nutritional correlates of
      monetary diet cost among 3963 young (all 18 years old), 3800 middle-aged (mean
      age 48 years) and 2211 older (mean age 74 years) Japanese women. Dietary intakes
      were assessed using a comprehensive self-administered diet history questionnaire
      for young and middle-aged women and a brief self-administered diet history
      questionnaire for older women. Monetary diet cost was estimated using retail food
      prices. Total vegetables, fish and shellfish, green and black tea, white rice,
      meat, fruit and alcoholic beverages contributed most (79-89 %) to inter
      individual variation in monetary diet cost. Multiple regression analyses showed
      that monetary diet cost was negatively associated with carbohydrate intake, but
      positively with intakes of all other nutrients examined (including not only
      dietary fibre and key vitamins and minerals but also saturated fat and Na) in all
      generations. For food group intakes, irrespective of age, monetary diet cost was
      associated inversely with white rice and bread but positively with pulses,
      potatoes, fruit, total vegetables, fruit and vegetable juice, green and black
      tea, fish and shellfish, and meat. In conclusion, in all three generations of
      Japanese women and contrary to Western populations, monetary diet cost was
      positively associated with not only healthy dietary components (including fruits,
      vegetables, fish and shellfish, dietary fibre, and key vitamins and minerals),
      but also less healthy components (including saturated fat and Na).

PMID- 28630700
TI  - Retorting conditions affect palatability and physical characteristics of canned
      cat food.
AB  - The effects of different temperature and time conditions during retorting of
      canned cat food on physicochemical characteristics and palatability were
      examined. For this purpose, lacquer cans containing an unprocessed loaf-type
      commercial cat food were heated in a pressurised retorting system at three
      specified temperature-time profiles (113 degrees C/232 min, 120 degrees C/103 min
      and 127 degrees C/60 min) to equal a similar lethality (F0 value = 30).
      Physicochemical properties (viscosity, texture, particle size, pH) were
      determined, and a 10 d three-bowl palatability test was performed with ten
      European shorthair cats. Retorting at 113 degrees C/232 min resulted in
      differences in all the physical parameters examined (<viscosity, firmness,
      adhesiveness, and > particle size). Significant pH differences were observed
      (6.53, 6.63 and 6.66 for T113/232, 120 and 127 degrees C, respectively).
      Preference ratios were 0.38, 0.31 and 0.31 for T113/232, 120 and 127 degrees C,
      respectively (P = 0.067). It can be concluded that different retorting
      temperature-time profiles with equal F0 value significantly affect physical
      characteristics and tended to affect palatability of moist cat food.

PMID- 28630701
TI  - Evaluation of an in vitro fibre fermentation method using feline faecal inocula:
      inter-individual variation.
AB  - The present study aimed to evaluate the inter-individual variability in
      fermentation of standard fibrous substrates by faecal inocula from ten healthy
      adult female cats. Substrates were citrus pectin (CP), fructo-oligosaccharides
      (FOS), guar gum (GG), sugar beet pulp (SBP) and wheat middlings (WM). Each
      substrate was incubated with faecal inoculum from each cat. Gas production was
      measured continuously during the 48 h incubation and SCFA and organic matter
      disappearance (only SBP and WM) after incubation. Out of ten cats, nine produced
      faeces on the days of inoculum preparation. The substrates contrasted in terms of
      fermentation parameters measured. The inter-individual variability was in general
      lower for the more simple and pure substrates (CP, FOS, GG) than for the more
      complex substrates containing mixtures of fibres (SBP, WM). Furthermore, for
      total SCFA and gas produced, inter-individual variability was lower than for
      proportions of butyrate and of branched-chain fatty acids and for the parameters
      of gas production kinetics. It is concluded that the variability in in vitro
      fermentation parameters is associated with the complexity of fibrous substrates.
      The presented data are instrumental for the calculation of number of faecal
      donors required for precise in vitro characterisation of the fermentability of
      dietary fibres. In addition, the number of faecal donors should be adjusted to
      the specific fermentation parameter(s) of interest.

PMID- 28630702
TI  - Evaluation of an in vitro fibre fermentation method using feline faecal inocula:
      repeatability and reproducibility.
AB  - To gain knowledge on the precision of an in vitro method for characterisation of
      the fermentability of dietary fibres, this study aimed to evaluate the
      repeatability and reproducibility of such a method. Substrates used were citrus
      pectin (CP), fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), guar gum (GG), sugar beet pulp (SBP)
      and wheat middlings (WM). Each substrate was incubated with faecal inoculum from
      five cats with three replicates for each substrate-cat combination. Gas
      production was measured continuously during the 48 h incubation and SCFA and
      organic matter disappearance (only SBP and WM) were determined after incubation.
      Four consecutive runs were performed. The within-run variability (repeatability)
      was generally lower for the more simple and pure substrates (CP, FOS, GG) than
      for the more complex substrates containing mixtures of fibres (SBP, WM).
      Replicates showed high variability, in particular for SCFA profiles and
      parameters of gas production kinetics. The between-run CV (reproducibility) for
      the measured parameters were, in general, below 10 % for CP, FOS and GG and
      higher values were obtained for SBP and WM. It is concluded that for precise
      dietary fibre characterisation, the number of replicates should be multiple and
      adjusted according to the variability of the parameters of interest and the
      complexity of fibres. The method yielded reproducible results with some variation
      in absolute values obtained, which may have an impact on the significance level
      of the differences among substrates.

PMID- 28630703
TI  - Energy requirements for growth in the Yorkshire terrier.
AB  - The 2006 National Research Council (NRC) equation calculating puppy energy
      requirements does not account for reported breed differences in growth pattern.
      Energy requirements of toy breed puppies are unknown and it is unclear whether
      feeding guidelines should differ between breeds. Energy requirements of Yorkshire
      terrier (YT) puppies were observed over their first year of life and compared
      with those predicted by the NRC and those previously observed in large (Labrador
      retriever) and medium (miniature Schnauzer; MS) breed puppies. Twenty-two puppies
      (from eight litters) were offered complete and balanced diets to maintain ideal
      body condition score (BCS). Energy intake, body weight and BCS were recorded from
      10 to 52 weeks of age. Every 12 weeks, health was monitored by veterinary
      examination, routine haematology and plasma biochemistry. Puppies remained
      clinically healthy with normal skeletal development throughout. After analysis by
      linear mixed models it was observed that the NRC equation overestimates YT energy
      requirements between 10 and 20 weeks of age by up to 324.3 (95 % CI 390.4, 258.2)
      kJ/kg0.75. Energy intake was lower (P < 0.05) in YT than Labradors until 29 weeks
      by up to 376.6 (95 % CI 477.4, 275.3) kJ/kg0.75 and lower than MS between 16 and
      25 weeks by up to 216.3 (95 % CI 313.0, 119.7) kJ/kg0.75 (P < 0.05). Data
      indicate differences in toy, medium and large breed energy requirements for
      growth. The NRC equation for puppy energy requirements overestimated the
      requirements of this YT population, suggesting the need for breed-specific
      feeding guides for growth to avoid overfeeding.

PMID- 28630704
TI  - The effects of a post-exercise carbohydrate and protein supplement on repeat
      performance, serum chemistry, insulin and glucagon in competitive weight-pulling
      dogs.
AB  - The physiological demands of weight-pulling dogs have yet to be investigated. Two
      groups of competitive weight-pulling dogs both underwent two identical pull
      series 3 h apart. The control group (n 8) was compared with a group fed a rapidly
      digestible carbohydrate and protein supplement after the first pull series (n 9).
      Blood was drawn before and after each pull series as well as at 15 and 30 min
      after the first pull series finished. Biochemistry values remained unremarkable
      throughout the study in both groups regardless of supplementation or exercise
      over time. Lactic acid showed mild significant increases post-exercise (2.1 (sd
      1.2) mmol/l) compared with baseline (1.4 (sd 0.3) mmol/l; P = 0.03) after the
      initial pull series. When examining the effects of time there was a significant
      increase in insulin from baseline (median of 10.8 (range 6.8-17.4) MUIU/ml)
      compared with 30 min after supplementation (17.0 (range 8.1-33.0) MUIU/ml) and at
      3 h after supplementation (19.2 (range 9.7-53.4) MUIU/ml). In the treatment group
      there was also a time effect, with glucagon being elevated from baseline (median
      of 100 (range 79-115) pg/ml) compared with 30 min after supplementation (114
      (range 90-183) pg/ml) and after the second pull series (131 (range 107-152)
      pg/ml). Evaluation of each dog's ability to pull the same or greater amount of
      weight on the second pull series revealed no significant differences. In
      conclusion, weight-pulling dogs have mild elevations in lactate reflecting little
      anaerobic metabolism compared with other canine sprinting athletes; hormonal
      changes associated with carbohydrate absorption are reflected within the
      treatment group, and supplementation had no effect on performance.

PMID- 28630705
TI  - Physiological effects of stress related to helicopter travel in Federal Emergency
      Management Agency search-and-rescue canines.
AB  - Working canines are deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
      as part of a National Disaster Response Plan. Stress associated with helicopter
      flight and the resulting physical effects on the dog are unknown. Our objective
      was to test the hypotheses that (1) helicopter travel affects the physiology and
      faecal microbiota of working canines, but that (2) physiological consequences of
      helicopter travel will not negatively affect their work performance. A total of
      nine FEMA canines were loaded onto helicopters and flown for 30 min in July 2015.
      Rectal temperature, behavioural stress indicators and saliva swabs (for cortisol)
      were collected at baseline, loading, mid-flight and post-flight. After flight,
      canines completed a standardised search exercise to monitor work performance.
      Faecal samples were collected for microbial DNA extraction and Illumina
      sequencing. All canines were on a standardised diet (CANIDAE(r) Grain Free PURE
      Land(r)) for 3 weeks prior to the study. Visible indicators of stress were
      observed at loading and at mid-flight and corresponded with an increase (P <
      0.05) in salivary cortisol from 5.4 ug/l (baseline) to 6.4 ug/l (loading).
      Additionally, rectal temperature increased (P < 0.05) from 38.61 degrees C
      (baseline) to 39.33 degrees C (mid-flight) and 39.72 degrees C (post-flight).
      Helicopter travel did not affect search performance (P > 0.05). We found that
      alpha- and beta-diversity measures of faecal microbiota were not affected (P >
      0.05). Our data suggest that although helicopter travel may cause physiological
      changes that have been associated with stress in working dogs, it does not make
      an impact on their search performance or the stability of faecal microbiota.

PMID- 28630706
TI  - Effects of feeding untreated, pasteurized and acidified waste milk and bunk tank
      milk on the performance, serum metabolic profiles, immunity, and intestinal
      development in Holstein calves.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present experiment was performed to assess the effects of
      different sources of milk on the growth performance, serum metabolism, immunity,
      and intestinal development of calves. Eighty-four Holstein male neonatal calves
      were assigned to one of the following four treatment groups: those that received
      bunk tank milk (BTM), untreated waste milk (UWM), pasteurized waste milk (PWM),
      and acidified waste milk (AWM) for 21 d. RESULTS: Calves in the BTM and AWM
      groups consumed more starter (P < 0.05) than those in the UWM group. Average
      daily gain in the UWM group was the highest (P < 0.05). Calves exhibited the
      highest (P < 0.05) serum total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, high density
      lipoprotein, triglycerides, growth hormone, immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgM
      concentrations in the UWM group, highest malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha in the PWM group (P < 0.05), and highest glutathione peroxidase and
      IgG in the BTM group (P < 0.05). The jejunum and ileum of the calves in all
      treatments presented a slight inflammatory response. The jejunal inflammation
      scores were higher (P < 0.05) in the UWM and AWM groups than the BTM group; the
      ileal inflammation scores increased more (P < 0.05) in the AWM group than the BTM
      group. Jejunal immunohistochemical scores (IHS) were higher (P < 0.05) in the PWM
      and AWM groups than the BTM group. Compared to the other three groups, calves
      feeding on BTM had lower (P < 0.05) ileal IHS. Jejunal interleukin(IL)-1beta, IL
      8, and IL-10 mRNA expression in the UWM group was the highest (P < 0.05). Calves
      fed AWM increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of IL-8 and toll like receptor 4
      (TLR-4) in the jejunum and IL-8, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 in the
      mesenteric lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, bunk tank milk is the best choice
      for calf raising compared to waste milk. The efficiency of feeding pasteurized
      and acidified waste milk are comparable, and the acidification of waste milk is
      an acceptable labor-saving and diarrhea-preventing feed for young calves.

PMID- 28630707
TI  - Evidence of endometrial amino acid metabolism and transport modulation by peri
      ovulatory endocrine profiles driving uterine receptivity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In beef cattle, changes in the periovulatory endocrine milieu are
      associated with fertility and conceptus growth. A large preovulatory follicle
      (POF) and the resulting elevated concentrations of progesterone (P4) during
      diestrus positively affect pregnancy rates. Amino acids (AA) are important
      components of maternally derived secretions that are crucial for embryonic
      survival before implantation. The hypothesis is that the size of the POF and the
      concentration of P4 in early diestrus modulate the endometrial abundance of SLC
      transcripts related to AA transport and metabolism and subsequently impact
      luminal concentrations of AA. The follicle growth of Nelore cows was manipulated
      to produce two experimental groups: large POF and CL (LF-LCL group) and small POF
      and CL (SF-SCL group). On Day 4 (D4; Experiment 1) and Day 7 (D7; Experiment 2)
      after GnRH-induced ovulation (GnRH treatment = D0), the animals were slaughtered
      and uterine tissues and uterine washings were collected. qRT-PCR was used to
      evaluate the expression levels of AA transporters in D4 and D7 endometrial
      tissues. The concentrations of AA were quantified in D4 and D7 uterine washings
      by HPLC. RESULTS: Transcript results show that, on D4, SLC6A6, SLC7A4, SLC17A5,
      SLC38A1, SLC38A7 and SCLY and on D7 SLC1A4, SLC6A1, SLC6A14, SLC7A4, SLC7A7,
      SLC7A8, SLC17A5, SLC38A1, SLC38A7, SLC43A2 and DDO were more abundant in the
      endometria of cows from the LF-LCL group (P < 0.05). In addition, concentrations
      of AA in the uterine lumen were influenced by the endocrine profiles of the
      mother. In this context, D4 uterine washings revealed that greater concentrations
      of taurine, alanine and alpha-aminobutyric acid were present in SF-SCL (P <
      0.05). In contrast, lower concentrations of valine and cystathionine were
      quantified on D7 uterine washings from SF-SCL cows (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The
      present study revealed an association between the abundance of transcripts
      related to AA transport and metabolism in the endometrium and specific
      periovulatory endocrine profiles related to the receptive status of the mother.
      Such insights suggest that AAs are involved in uterine function to support embryo
      development.

PMID- 28630708
TI  - What happens after treatment? A systematic review of relapse, remission, and
      recovery in anorexia nervosa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Relapse after treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is a significant
      clinical problem. Given the level of chronicity, morbidity, and mortality
      experienced by this population, it is imperative to understand the driving forces
      behind apparently high relapse rates. However, there is a lack of consensus in
      the field on an operational definition of relapse, which hinders precise and
      reliable estimates of the severity of this issue. The primary goal of this paper
      was to review prior studies of AN addressing definitions of relapse, as well as
      relapse rates. METHODS: Data sources included PubMed and PsychINFO through March
      19th, 2016. A systematic review was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. A
      total of (N = 27) peer-reviewed English language studies addressing relapse,
      remission, and recovery in AN were included. RESULTS: Definitions of relapse in
      AN as well as definitions of remission or recovery, on which relapse is
      predicated, varied substantially in the literature. Reported relapse rates ranged
      between 9 and 52%, and tended to increase with increasing duration of follow-up.
      There was consensus that risk for relapse in persons with AN is especially high
      within the first year following treatment. DISCUSSION: Standardized definitions
      of relapse, as well as remission and recovery, are needed in AN to accelerate
      clinical and research progress. This should improve the ability of future
      longitudinal studies to identify clinical, demographic, and biological
      characteristics in AN that predict relapse versus resilience, and to
      comparatively evaluate relapse prevention strategies. We propose standardized
      criteria for relapse, remission, and recovery, for further consideration.

PMID- 28630709
TI  - Mark E Josephson: A Tribute to His Work on Ventricular Arrhythmias.
AB  - Dr Josephson was passionate about the study of ventricular arrhythmias and bold
      in his pioneering approach to their evaluation and management. Programmed right
      ventricular stimulation to test for antiarrhythmic drug efficacy was already
      pushing the risk limits for the invasive management of cardiac arrhythmias in the
      1970s.

PMID- 28630710
TI  - HDAC Inhibitor Conjugated Polymeric Prodrug Micelles for Doxorubicin Delivery.
AB  - Amphiphilic diblock copolymers bearing histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) (4
      phenyl butyric acid and valproic acid) were synthesized by the ring-opening
      polymerization of gamma-4-phenylbutyrate-epsilon-caprolactone (PBACL), gamma
      valproate-epsilon-caprolactone (VPACL), and epsilon-caprolactone (CL) from a
      poly(ethylene glycol) macroinitiator (PEG). These amphiphilic diblock copolymers
      self-assembled into stable pro-drug micelles and demonstrated excellent
      biocompatibility. High loading of doxorubicin (DOX) up to 5.1 wt% was achieved.
      Optimized micelles enabled sustained drug release in a concentration-dependent
      manner over time to expand the therapeutic window of cytotoxic small molecule
      drugs.

PMID- 28630711
TI  - Matchmaker.com for pandas.

PMID- 28630712
TI  - Quantifying drivers of wild pig movement across multiple spatial and temporal
      scales.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The movement behavior of an animal is determined by extrinsic and
      intrinsic factors that operate at multiple spatio-temporal scales, yet much of
      our knowledge of animal movement comes from studies that examine only one or two
      scales concurrently. Understanding the drivers of animal movement across multiple
      scales is crucial for understanding the fundamentals of movement ecology,
      predicting changes in distribution, describing disease dynamics, and identifying
      efficient methods of wildlife conservation and management. METHODS: We obtained
      over 400,000 GPS locations of wild pigs from 13 different studies spanning six
      states in southern U.S.A., and quantified movement rates and home range size
      within a single analytical framework. We used a generalized additive mixed model
      framework to quantify the effects of five broad predictor categories on movement:
      individual-level attributes, geographic factors, landscape attributes,
      meteorological conditions, and temporal variables. We examined effects of
      predictors across three temporal scales: daily, monthly, and using all data
      during the study period. We considered both local environmental factors such as
      daily weather data and distance to various resources on the landscape, as well as
      factors acting at a broader spatial scale such as ecoregion and season. RESULTS:
      We found meteorological variables (temperature and pressure), landscape features
      (distance to water sources), a broad-scale geographic factor (ecoregion), and
      individual-level characteristics (sex-age class), drove wild pig movement across
      all scales, but both the magnitude and shape of covariate relationships to
      movement differed across temporal scales. CONCLUSIONS: The analytical framework
      we present can be used to assess movement patterns arising from multiple data
      sources for a range of species while accounting for spatio-temporal correlations.
      Our analyses show the magnitude by which reaction norms can change based on the
      temporal scale of response data, illustrating the importance of appropriately
      defining temporal scales of both the movement response and covariates depending
      on the intended implications of research (e.g., predicting effects of movement
      due to climate change versus planning local-scale management). We argue that
      consideration of multiple spatial scales within the same framework (rather than
      comparing across separate studies post-hoc) gives a more accurate quantification
      of cross-scale spatial effects by appropriately accounting for error correlation.

PMID- 28630714
TI  - What is this thing they call research?

PMID- 28630713
TI  - Corneal ulcerative disease in dogs under primary veterinary care in England:
      epidemiology and clinical management.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Corneal ulcerative disease (CUD) has the potential to adversely
      affect animal welfare by interfering with vision and causing pain. The study
      aimed to investigate for the first time the prevalence, breed-based risk factors
      and clinical management of CUD in the general population of dogs under primary
      veterinary care in England. RESULTS: Of 104,233 dogs attending 110 clinics
      participating within the VetCompass Programme from January 1st to December 31st
      2013, there were 834 confirmed CUD cases (prevalence: 0.80%, 95% confidence
      interval (CI) 0.75-0.86). Breeds with the highest prevalence included Pug (5.42%
      of the breed affected), Boxer (4.98%), Shih Tzu (3.45%), Cavalier King Charles
      Spaniel (2.49%) and Bulldog (2.41%). Purebred dogs had 2.23 times the odds (95%
      CI 1.84-2.87, P < 0.001) of CUD compared with crossbreds. Brachycephalic types
      had 11.18 (95% CI 8.72-14.32, P < 0.001) and spaniel types had 3.13 (95% CI 2.38
      4.12, P < 0.001) times the odds for CUD compared with crossbreds. Pain was
      recorded in 385 (46.2%) cases and analgesia was used in 455 (54.6%) of dogs.
      Overall, 62 (7.4%) cases were referred for advanced management and CUD
      contributed to the euthanasia decision for 10 dogs. CONCLUSIONS: Breeds such as
      the Pug and Boxer, and conformational types such as brachycephalic and spaniels,
      demonstrated predisposition to CUD in the general canine population. These
      results suggest that breeding focus on periocular conformation in predisposed
      breeds should be considered in order to reduce corneal disease.

PMID- 28630715
TI  - Can hip arthroscopy in the presence of arthritis delay the need for hip
      arthroplasty?
AB  - Hip arthroscopy for joint preservation surgery has grown immensely over the last
      two decades. There is now an increasing trend to try and expand the role of hip
      arthroscopy to include patients of an older age or perhaps even with signs of
      arthritis, instead of the established patient group of young adults with
      mechanical symptoms or serious athletes. But how much of this growth is really
      justified? Once arthritis is apparent, the arthroscopic procedures needed to try
      and limit progression of the disease are likely to be different to those needed
      in young adult non-arthritic hips. Similarly, the expectation of results
      following an arthroscopic procedure in an older adult with arthritis must also be
      different. With an almost 5-fold increase in conversion rate from arthroscopy to
      arthroplasty in the over 50s population, arthroscopy in arthritis is a different
      procedure, with a different outcome, to arthroscopy in young adults with no
      evidence of osteoarthritis. This article takes a closer inspection at outcomes
      following hip arthroscopy in the older population particularly in those with
      evidence of early arthritis. This paper does not attempt to make recommendations
      in other diagnoses such as inflammatory arthritis or other secondary arthritides.
      It must be considered that hip arthroscopy is not a benign intervention: as well
      as the surgical risks, the lengthy rehabilitation period should be factored into
      the equation. Although the nature of surgeons is to find new techniques and push
      boundaries, we highlight the need for caution in undertaking arthroscopic
      intervention when arthritis is already apparent at presentation.

PMID- 28630716
TI  - Femoral neck fractures as a complication of hip arthroscopy: a systematic review.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to identify the causes and risk factors for hip
      fractures, a rare but devastating complication, following hip arthroscopy. The
      electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed were searched and screened in
      duplicate for relevant clinical and basic sciences studies and pertinent data was
      abstracted and analysed in Microsoft Excel. Nineteen studies (12 clinical studies
      and seven biomechanical studies) with a total of 31 392 patients experiencing 43
      hip fractures (0.1% of patients) met the inclusion criteria for this systematic
      review. Femoral osteochondroplasty was performed in 100% of patients who
      sustained a hip fracture. Six of the 12 (50%) studies identified early weight
      bearing (prior to 6 weeks post-operatively) as the cause for the hip fracture.
      Other causes of this complication included over resection during femoral
      osteochondroplasty, minor trauma and intensive exercise. The results suggest that
      early weight bearing is the largest modifiable risk factor for hip fracture after
      femoral osteochondroplasty. For this reason, an extended period of non-weight
      bearing or restricted weight bearing should be considered in select patients.
      Studies report a correlation between risk for post-operative hip fracture and
      increased age. Increased resection during osteochondroplasty has been correlated
      with increased risk of fracture in various basic science studies. Resection depth
      has significantly higher impact on risk of fracture than resection length or
      width. The reported amounts of resection that depth that can be performed before
      there is a significantly increased risk of fracture of the femoral neck varies
      from 10 to 30%.

PMID- 28630717
TI  - Arthroscopic hip preservation surgery practice patterns: an international survey.
AB  - To design and conduct a survey analyzing pre-, intra- and post- hip arthroscopy
      practice patterns among hip arthroscopists worldwide. A 21-question, IRB-exempt,
      HIPAA-compliant, cross-sectional survey was conducted via email using
      SurveyMonkey to examine pre-operative evaluation, intra-operative techniques and
      post-operative management. The survey was administered internationally to 151 hip
      arthroscopists identified from publicly available sources. Seventy-five
      respondents completed the survey (151 +/- 116 hip arthroscopy procedures per
      year; 8.6 +/- 7.1 years hip arthroscopy experience). Standing AP pelvis, false
      profile and Dunn 45 were the most common radiographs utilized. CT scans were
      utilized by 54% of surgeons at least some of the time. Only 56% of participants
      recommended an arthrogram with MRI. Nearly all surgeons either never (40%) or
      infrequently (58%) performed arthroscopy in Tonnis grade-2 or grade-3
      osteoarthritis. Surgeons rarely performed hip arthroscopy on patients with
      dysplasia (51% never; 44% infrequently). Only 25% of participants perform a
      routine 'T' capsulotomy and 41% close the capsule if the patient is at risk for
      post-operative instability. Post-operatively, 52% never use a brace, 39% never
      use a continuous passive motion, 11% never recommended heterotopic ossification
      prophylaxis and 30% never recommended formal thromboembolic disease prophylaxis.
      Among a large number of high-volume experienced hip arthroscopists worldwide, pre
      , intra- and post- hip arthroscopy practice patterns have been established and
      reported. Within this cohort of respondents, several areas of patient evaluation
      and management remain discordant and controversial without universal agreement.
      Future research should move beyond expert opinion level V evidence towards high
      quality appropriately designed and conducted investigations.

PMID- 28630718
TI  - Ability to return to work without restrictions in workers compensation patients
      undergoing hip arthroscopy.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of worker's compensation
      (WC) patients to return to work without restrictions after hip arthroscopy.
      Twenty-nine WC patients along with age and gender matched controls who underwent
      hip arthroscopy were retrospectively reviewed after achieving maximum medical
      improvement (MMI) status at minimum 1 year postoperatively. Patient demographic
      factors were evaluated, along with the Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily
      Living and Sports-Specific subscales, and the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS).
      The majority of WC patients were able to return to work without restrictions
      after reaching MMI (20/29, 69.0%). WC patients who failed to return to work
      without restrictions had a prolonged time from injury to surgery (3.01 +/- 2.16
      months versus 6.36 +/- 4.16 months; P = 0.0079), more concomitant orthopedic
      injuries (4/20, 20.0% versus 9/9, 100%; P = 0.0001), and higher body mass index
      (BMI) (26.61 +/- 3.52 versus 29.54 +/- 3.43; P = 0.047) than those who returned
      to work without restrictions. WC patients had significant improvement of patient
      reported outcome scores following hip arthroscopy (P < 0.0001), but WC patients
      who returned to work without restrictions had higher scores than those who failed
      to do so (HOD-ADL: P < 0.0001; HOS-SS: P = 0.004; mHHS: P = 0.009). The majority
      of WC patients are able to return to work without restrictions when they reach
      MMI status following hip arthroscopy. Factors associated with failure to return
      to work without restrictions include prolonged time course between injury and
      surgical treatment, concomitant orthopaedic injuries, and a higher BMI. Level
      III, retrospective case-control study.

PMID- 28630719
TI  - Hip arthroscopy results in improved patient reported outcomes compared to non
      operative management of waitlisted patients.
AB  - Hip arthroscopy (HA) is an established treatment option to address intra
      articular pathology of the hip. However, some clinicians encourage non-operative
      management (NOM). Non-operative management may include active measures such as
      physiotherapy and intra-articular steroid injections, or NOM may involve so
      called watchful waiting with no active intervention. These approaches, along with
      surgery have been detailed recently in the Warwick Agreement, a Consensus
      Statement regarding diagnosis and treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement
      Syndrome The aim of this study is to compare the change in clinical outcome
      scores of waitlisted patients with intra-articular hip pathology who receive no
      active treatment with matched controls that have undergone HA. Patients less than
      60 years of age were identified from a HA waiting list in a single hospital in
      the Australian public hospital system. Patient reported outcomes (PRO) were
      collected whilst patients waited for surgery. During this waiting period no
      specific treatment was offered. A separate group of patients who had previously
      undergone HA were matched based on age, sex, body mass index and baseline non
      arthritic hip scores (NAHS). The groups were compared using the NAHS as the
      primary outcome measures. Modified Harris Hip Scores were also collected and
      compared. Thirty-six patients were included in each group, with a mean follow up
      of 19 months (12-36). There were no significant differences in age, sex, BMI and
      NAHS between groups at baseline. At final follow up, mean NAHS scores after HA
      were significantly higher than scores after NOM, 82.1 (36.4-100.0) versus 48.9
      (11.3-78.8), respectively (P < 0.001) with a large effect size for mean change in
      scores between groups (d = 1.77, 95% CI 1.21-2.30). Mean mHHS after HA were
      significantly higher than scores after NOM, 84.3 (15.4-100.0) versus 48.1 (21.0
      66.0) respectively (P < 0.001), with a large effect size for mean change in
      scores between groups (d = 1.92, 95% CI 1.34-2.46). HA may lead to significant
      improvements in PRO when compared to non-operative management of waitlisted
      patients with intra-articular pathology of the hip at 18 months follow-up.

PMID- 28630721
TI  - Traction-related problems after hip arthroscopy.
AB  - Traction-related problems are poorly described in the existing literature. The
      purpose of this prospective study was to describe traction-related problems and
      how patients perceive these problems. The study was a descriptive cohort study
      and data were collected from questionnaires and patient files. The questionnaire
      included questions on patients' perceptions of traction-related problems in the
      groin area, at the knee and ankle and how patients had coped with these problems.
      A total of 100 consecutive patients undergoing hip arthroscopy filled out the
      questionnaire. Primary findings of this study were that 74% of patients reported
      some sort of traction-related problems after hip arthroscopy. About 32% of the
      patients had problems in the groin area and 49% of the patients complained of
      symptoms in the knee joint. A total of 37% of the patients had experienced
      problems from the traction boot in the ankle area. The complications were found
      to be temporary and disappeared after 2-4 weeks. Five patients still had
      complaints after 3 months. All five patients had a pre-existing knee injury prior
      to undergoing hip arthroscopy. Traction-related problems after hip arthroscopy
      are a challenge and our study showed that 74% of the patients reported traction
      related problems. This is significantly higher than previously reported. The
      present study found a high rate of complaints from the knee and ankle joints that
      have not previously been reported. The presented data suggest the need for more
      pre-surgery patient information about possible traction-related problems.

PMID- 28630720
TI  - Predictors and trajectories of chronic postoperative pain following hip
      preservation surgery.
AB  - Factors contributing to chronic postoperative pain (CPOP) are poorly defined in
      young people and developmental considerations are poorly understood. With over 5
      million children undergoing surgery yearly and 25% of adults referred to chronic
      pain clinics identifying surgery as the antecedent, there is a need to elucidate
      factors that contribute to CPOP in surgical patients. The present study includes
      patients undergoing hip preservation surgery at a children's hospital. The HOOS
      and SF-12 Health Survey were administered to 614 pre-surgical patients with 421
      patients completing follow-up (6-months, 1-year and 2-years post-surgery). Pain,
      quality of life, and functioning across time were examined for each group within
      the population. A three trajectory model (low pain, pain improvement and high
      pain) emerged indicating three categories of treatment responders. Pain
      trajectory groups did not differ significantly on gender, pre-surgical age, BMI,
      prior hip surgery, surgical type, joint congruence or Tonnis grade. The groups
      differed significantly from each other on pre-surgical pain, pain chronicity,
      quality of life and functioning. Those in the high pain and pain improvement
      groups endorsed having pre-surgical depression at significantly higher rates and
      lower pre-surgical quality of life compared to those in the low pain group (P <
      0.01). Those in the high pain group reported significantly worse pre-surgical
      functioning compared to those in the pain improvement (P < 0.0001) and low pain
      groups (P < 0.0001).The results demonstrate the need for preoperative screening
      prior to hip preservation surgery, as there may be a subset of patients who are
      predisposed to chronic pain independent of hip health.

PMID- 28630722
TI  - Hip arthroscopy protocol: expert opinions on post-operative weight bearing and
      return to sports guidelines.
AB  - The objectives of this study are to survey the weight-bearing limitation
      practices and delay for returning to running and impact sports of high volume hip
      arthroscopy orthopedic surgeons. The study was designed in the form of expert
      survey questionnaire. Evidence-based data are scares regarding hip arthroscopy
      post-operative weight-bearing protocols. An international cross-sectional
      anonymous Internet survey of 26 high-volume hip arthroscopy specialized surgeons
      was conducted to report their weight-bearing limitations and rehabilitation
      protocols after various arthroscopic hip procedures. The International Society of
      Hip Arthroscopy invited this study. The results were examined in the context of
      supporting literature to inform the studies suggestions. Four surgeons always
      allow immediate weight bearing and five never offer immediate weight bearing.
      Seventeen surgeons provide weight bearing depending on the procedures performed:
      17 surgeons allowed immediate weight bearing after labral resection, 10 after
      labral repair and 8 after labral reconstruction. Sixteen surgeons allow immediate
      weight bearing after psoas tenotomy. Twenty-one respondents restrict weight
      bearing after microfracture procedures for 3-8 weeks post-operatively. Return to
      running and impact sports were shorter for labral procedures and bony procedures
      and longer for cartilaginous and capsular procedures. Marked variability exists
      in the post-operative weight-bearing practices of hip arthroscopy surgeons. This
      study suggests that most surgeons allow immediate weight bearing as tolerated
      after labral resection, acetabular osteoplasty, chondroplasty and psoas tenotomy.
      For cartilage defect procedures, 6 weeks or more non-weight bearing is suggested
      depending on the area of the defect and lateral central edge angle. Delayed
      return to sports activities is suggested after microfracture procedures. The
      level of evidence was Level V expert opinions.

PMID- 28630723
TI  - Outcome after arthroscopic labral surgery in patients previously treated with
      periacetabular osteotomy: a follow-up study of 43 patients.
AB  - To identify factors predicting failure after hip arthroscopy in patients with
      previous periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) defined as a conversion to total hip
      replacement (THR) and to evaluate the patient reported outcome scores. Of 55 hips
      treated with hip arthroscopy after PAO from Aug 2008 to 2012 at Aarhus University
      Hospital, 43 hips were included (median age: 36.1 yrs, range 16.3-56.9 yrs).
      Indications were unacceptable pain, a positive FABER and impingement test and
      signs of labral damage on MR-arthrography. Outcomes were evaluated with mHHS and
      HOS. Failure was defined as conversion to a THR. Nine hips were converted to a
      THR. Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 52.8% (95% CI, 10%-83.8%) at 6.5 years follow
      up. Statistically significant predictors of failure: joint space width after PAO
      <3.0 mm and Tonnis grade of 2. Fourteen hips needed revision hip arthroscopy.
      Labral damage was present in 84% of the hips. In 42% of the hips cartilage
      lesions of Becks grade >3 were found. Mean mHHS and HOS were 65.7 and 68.8
      respectively at follow-up. A NRS pain score of >3 in rest and during activity
      were present in respectively, 43% and 62% of the patients. Hip arthroscopy after
      PAO demonstrated limited clinical benefit with no decrease in pain levels and 21%
      of patients needing reoperation to THR. Radiographic signs of joint degeneration
      after PAO are predictors of faiElure. Further studies are needed to clarify what
      role hip arthroscopy should play in this patient group.

PMID- 28630725
TI  - Endoscopic repair of hip abductor tears: outcomes with two-year follow-up.
AB  - Abductor lesions are increasingly recognized as a source of recalcitrant
      laterally based hip pain and dysfunction. There is a growing body of evidence
      that many of these may be amenable to endoscopic repair. To report the
      demographic data and outcomes of endoscopic hip abductor repair. Twelve patients
      underwent endoscopic abductor repair with 2-year follow-up. These patients were
      prospectively assessed with modified Harris hip and iHOT scores. The indications
      for surgery were clinical and MRI findings of symptomatic abductor tears that had
      failed conservative treatment. All patients underwent concomitant or prior
      arthroscopy of the joint. Repair was performed with suture anchors using an
      iliotibial band-sparing endoscopic technique; followed by a 4-month structured
      rehabilitation protocol. Follow-up was obtained on all patients at 24 months. The
      average age was 56 years (range 39-77 years). These were all females. All
      demonstrated improved modified Harris hip scores, averaging 43 points (preop 42;
      postop 85). Eleven of 12 (92%) demonstrated improved iHOT scores, averaging 52
      points (preop 21; postop 73). Ten patients had accompanying intra-articular
      pathology including 10 labral tears, 7 chondral lesions, 6 synovitis and 1 pincer
      impingement. There were no complications, and none underwent further surgery.
      Abductor tears of the hip can be clinically relevant and respond well to
      endoscopic repair. This tends to be a disorder of older females who present with
      severe disability, reflected by low preoperative modified Harris hip scores, and
      demonstrate significant, although incomplete, improvement.

PMID- 28630724
TI  - Labral reconstruction with tendon allograft: histological findings show
      revascularization at 8 weeks from implantation.
AB  - This description shows the histological findings of a peroneus brevis tendon
      allograft used for labral reconstruction, implanted 8 weeks before being
      retrieved due to a postoperative complication unrelated to the graft. As far as
      we have knowledge this is the first description about revascularization of an
      allograft used for hip labral reconstruction. The histological report of the
      removed peroneus brevis tendon allograft shows evidence of vascular ingrowth
      represented by small vessels with a thin muscular wall in all layers of the graft
      and cellular migration mainly represented by mature fibroblasts.

PMID- 28630726
TI  - The HAPI 'Hip Arthroscopy Pre-habilitation Intervention' study: does pre
      habilitation affect outcomes in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoro
      acetabular impingement?
AB  - The purpose of this randomized prospective comparative controlled pilot study was
      to determine whether specific patient exercises done pre-hip arthroscopy surgery
      for femoro-acetabular impingement affected post-operative recovery. Between
      October 2013 and June 2014, 6 males and twelve females over the age of eighteen,
      who were listed for hip arthroscopy for femoro-acetabular impingement, were
      randomized into two groups. A hip-specific, 8-week home exercise programme was
      given to the experimental group before their surgery. The control group was given
      no instruction on exercise before surgery. All participants followed the same
      rehabilitation programme after surgery. Outcome measures were assessed at set
      time intervals. Hand held dynamometry was used to assess muscle strength, and the
      EQ-5D-5 L Score and the Non-Arthritic Hip Score were utilized. Sixteen
      participants completed the study (eight controls: mean age 41.75 years and eight
      intervention: mean age 37.5 years). A mixed ANCOVA analysis compared the
      treatment groups taking baseline values into account. A statistically significant
      difference was found between the treatment groups for knee extension strength on
      both operative (P = 0.05) and non-operative sides (P = 0.002), hip flexor
      strength operative side (P = 0.02) and for EQ-5D-5 L health (P = 0.03), in favour
      of the intervention group. There was no significant difference between the
      treatment groups for the other measures, although some tended towards
      significance. This small pilot study has been designed to aid the further
      research and the differences between the groups found in these results may inform
      future larger scale studies.

PMID- 28630727
TI  - Medial synovial fold cyst in the hip leading to pectineofoveal impingement.
AB  - Pectineofoveal impingement is a relatively rare condition, which can cause hip or
      groin pain along with mechanical symptoms of clicking in the young adult. We
      present the case of a 13-year-old girl who was referred to us with left hip pain,
      which had been affecting her for over six months along with mechanical symptoms
      of clicking. Following appropriate clinical examination and investigations the
      patient underwent arthroscopic surgery of her hip. At arthroscopy, a cyst was
      identified on the medial synovial fold, which was abutting against the zona
      orbicularis leading to pectineofoveal impingement. The cyst was decompressed and
      the synovial fold excised arthroscopically. Following arthroscopic intervention,
      the patient did extremely well and remains asymptomatic at the last follow-up (7
      months following the procedure). The case highlights the importance of the medial
      synovial fold pathology as an important cause for pain and mechanical symptoms in
      the young adult hip.

PMID- 28630728
TI  - Parameters for assessment of the inferior acetabulum morphology in 300 adult
      hips.
AB  - The inferior acetabulum (IA) has been studied as a stabilizer of the hip in
      flexed positions with potential implications in femoroacetabular impingement and
      hip instability. However, there is a paucity of studies considering the normal
      morphology and parameters for assessment of the IA. The purpose of this study was
      to define parameters to assess the IA morphology and their normal range.
      Specifically, the objectives were to assess: (i) the width of the anterior horn
      (AH) and posterior horn (PH) of the acetabulum; (ii) the inclination of the
      articular surface of the AH angle (AHA) and PH angle (PHA) in the axial plane;
      (iii) the anterior opening angle of the IA and differences between genders. One
      hundred and fifty adult skeletons were utilized in this study. Measurements were
      taken directly from acetabula in 300 innominate bones utilizing digital calipers.
      In sequence, the innominate bones were assembled to sacrum and 150 pelvises were
      digitally photographed in standardized positions. Angular parameters of the
      acetabulum were then measured utilizing the Adobe Photoshop software. The mean
      width of the AH was 14.80 +/- 2.35 mm (range 9.44-20.88). The mean width of the
      PH was 19.72 +/- 2.61 mm (range 13.16-25.86). The AHA was on average 43.58 +/-
      7.10 degrees  (range 24.70-64) and the PHA was on average 36.07 +/- 7.54 degrees 
      (16.10-53.20). The mean anterior opening angle of the IA was 25.33 +/- 5.40
      degrees  (10.90-43.10). The IA morphology can be evaluated in all anatomical
      planes through quantitative parameters. The assessment of the osseous morphology
      of the IA is the first step to elucidate abnormalities of the IA as potential
      source of hip pain.

PMID- 28630729
TI  - Acetabular rim length: an anatomical study to determine reasonable graft sizes
      for labral reconstruction.
AB  - The purpose of this article is to determine normative values for the length of
      the acetabular rim and detect differences between gender, age, ethnicity, height
      and leg length. Six measurements were taken on the acetabular rim of 143
      cadaveric skeleton specimens (286 acetabula) using a coordinate-measuring device:
      circumferential (excluding acetabular notch), anterior inferior iliac spine
      (AIIS)-anterior, AIIS-posterior, 12-3 o'clock, 12-9 o'clock and 11-5 o'clock.
      Museum specimen height data and leg length data from a previous study were
      recorded for 109 of 143 specimens. Intraclass correlation coefficients were
      calculated. Student t-tests compared mean values. Multiple regression analysis
      was used to determine the relationship between acetabular rim length and gender,
      age, ethnicity, height and leg length. The average acetabular rim length in males
      for circumferential, AIIS-anterior, AIIS-posterior, 12-3, 12-9 and 11-5 o'clock
      were 15.8, 4.2, 11.7, 4.9, 4.7 and 9.5 cm, respectively; and for females: 13.7,
      3.7, 10.0, 4.3, 4.1 and 8.3 cm, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients
      were 0.953, 0.930, 0.958, 0.857, 0.913 and 0.951, respectively, for each
      measurement. All six measurements were significantly larger for males (P <
      0.001). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a significant relationship
      between gender and rim length for all six measurements (P < 0.001) and between
      height and leg length and acetabular rim length for five of the six measurements
      exclusive of AIIS-anterior (P < 0.001). No significant trends between age or
      ethnicity and rim length were found. Average acetabular rim lengths were
      established. The acetabular rim is significantly longer in males and correlates
      with height and leg length. Age and ethnicity do not appear to be significant
      predictors of acetabular rim length. Normative values for acetabular rim lengths
      may assist in hip preservation surgery.

PMID- 28630730
TI  - Response to Green et al.

PMID- 28630731
TI  - What the papers say.

PMID- 28630732
TI  - Citations-be sure to have a good title.

PMID- 28630733
TI  - Return to running after arthroscopic hip surgery: literature review and proposal
      of a physical therapy protocol.
AB  - The number of hip arthroscopy procedures has significantly increased in the last
      several years, thereby necessitating individualized rehabilitation protocols for
      patients following hip arthroscopy. The purpose of this article is to review the
      literature on rehabilitation protocols for patients following hip arthroscopy and
      to describe a new protocol specifically designed for patients to return to
      running following hip arthroscopy. A search of PubMed was performed through
      October 2016 to locate studies of rehabilitation protocols for patients wishing
      to return to sport/general activity following hip arthroscopy. Patients at our
      institution who desired to return to running following hip arthroscopy underwent
      a set of return to running guidelines which are based on goal achievement within
      a three-phase system that begins with a walking program and finishes with return
      to distance running. Rehabilitation protocols for patients following hip
      arthroscopy frequently use a four-phase system in which Phase I focuses on
      regaining hip range of motion and protection of surgically repaired tissues, and
      Phase IV involves a pain-free return to sports. Rehabilitation protocols vary in
      timing in that some include a timeline with each phase taking a certain number of
      weeks while others are based on goal achievement. There is an overall lack of
      published outcomes based on patients adhering to various post-hip arthroscopy
      rehabilitation protocols.

PMID- 28630735
TI  - Arthroscopic acetabuloplasty without labral detachment for focal pincer-type
      impingement: a minimum 2-year follow-up.
AB  - In order to access and resect the acetabular rim, arthroscopic acetabuloplasty
      was described with labral detachment. When the chondrolabral junction remains
      intact, acetabuloplasty and labral refixation can be performed maintaining an
      unharmed labrum. We aimed to evaluate the outcome of a group of patients treated
      with arthroscopic acetabuloplasty without labral detachment. During the study
      period, we retrospectively analysed 44 patients with pincer-type o combined
      impingement and an intact chondroblabral junction, with an average follow-up of
      32 months (range: 27-38). We excluded patients with isolated CAM-type impingement
      and previous hip pathology. Radiographs were analysed to define impingement and
      classify grade of osteoarthritis. Clinical evaluation consisted of pre-operative
      and post-operative modified Harris hip score (mHHS) and WOMAC as well as post
      operative visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain and satisfaction. Reoperations were
      considered surgical failures for purposes of survival analysis. Mean mHHS changed
      from 51.06 (SD 4.81) pre-operatively to 84.97 (SD 12.79) post-operatively. Pre
      operative WOMAC was 29.18 (SD 8) and post-operative, 13.10 (SD 11). Post
      operative VAS was 7.5 and 2.27 for satisfaction and pain, respectively. When
      comparing patients with Tonnis 0 to those with Tonnis 1, the former showed better
      results regarding post-operative mHHS (89.9 s versus 77.85, P = 0.03), pain VAS
      (1.5 versus 6.3, P = 0.03) and satisfaction VAS (8.2 versus 6.3, P = 0.01).
      Survival was 100% at 24 months and 76% at 40 months (95% CI: 35-98%).
      Arthroscopic acetabuloplasty without labral detachment achieved good clinical
      outcomes. Slight degenerative changes on radiographs correlated with poorer
      clinical outcomes.

PMID- 28630734
TI  - Open treatment of dysplasia-other than PAO: does it have to be a PAO?
AB  - Hip dysplasia is a developmental disorder that results in anatomic abnormalities
      in which the acetabular coverage is insufficient. In the absence of severe
      degenerative changes, younger active patients with these symptomatic structural
      abnormalities are increasingly managed with joint-preserving operations.
      Historically there have been numerous reconstructive pelvic osteotomies. In
      recent years, the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) has become the preferred
      osteotomy by many surgeons. Even so, as our understanding of the hip advances and
      new diagnostic and treatment techniques are developed, we sought to put a focus
      on the long-term results of augmental osteotomies and pelvic osteotomies other
      than the PAO, to see if any of these surgeries still have a place in the current
      algorithm of treatment for the dysplastic hip. As the longevity of the treatment
      is the focal point for joint preservation surgeries for the dysplastic hip, these
      authors have searched databases for articles in the English literature that
      reported results of long-term follow-up with a minimum of 11-year survivorship
      after surgical treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip. Reconstruction
      osteotomies for the dysplastic hip are intended to restore normal hip anatomy and
      biomechanics, improve symptoms and prevent degenerative changes, in this
      manuscript each procedure is independently assessed on the ability to achieve
      these important characteristics.

PMID- 28630736
TI  - Abnormal femoral antetorsion-a subtrochanteric deformity.
AB  - Femoral rotational malalignment is associated with pain and functional disability
      and may be a contributing factor to hip impingement as well as to instability. In
      general, the deformity can be addressed surgically by rotational osteotomy.
      However, the anatomic location of the deformity is debated. The goal of the
      present study was to narrow down the anatomic site of deformity using the lesser
      trochanter (LT) as an additional landmark. One hundred and eight patients
      underwent computer tomography (CT)-based rotational analysis of their lower
      extremities. Femoral torsion (FT) and LT torsion (LTT) were measured. The
      combined angle (CoA) between FT and LTT was calculated. Statistical evaluation
      was done by multiple regression analysis. Ninety-seven extremities were examined
      for FT and LTT. Average age was 41 years (SD = 16.9) with a range of 18-85 years.
      Mean values were 20 degrees  for FT (SD = 12.2) and -16 degrees  for LTT (SD =
      11.3). Mean CoA was 37.2 (SD = 8.7). Statistical analysis reveals a strong linear
      relationship between FT and LTT (y=31+0.74x) and a weaker relationship between FT
      and CoA (y=31+0.24x). This study identifies the LT as a reliable landmark and
      shows a strong linear relationship between the orientation of the LT and the
      overall torsion of the femur below and above the LT with about two-thirds of
      torsional changes occurring distal to it. These results provide a considerable
      indication for a subtrochanteric osteotomy to address correction of femoral
      rotational deformity at its anatomical origin. Level of Evidence: Level III,
      observational study.

PMID- 28630737
TI  - Mesenchymal stem cell therapy in the treatment of hip osteoarthritis.
AB  - This study was performed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the intra
      articular infusion of ex vivo expanded autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal
      stem cells (BM-MSC) to a cohort of patients with articular cartilage defects in
      the hip. The above rationale is sustained by the notion that MSCs express a
      chondrocyte differential potential and produce extracellular matrix molecules as
      well as regulatory signals, that may well contribute to cure the function of the
      damaged hip joint. A cohort of 10 patients with functional and radiological
      evidences of hip osteoarthritis, either in one or both legs, was included in the
      study. BM-MSC (the cell product) were prepared and infused into the damaged
      articulation(s) of each patient (60 * 106 cells in 3 weekly/doses). Before and
      after completion of the cell infusion scheme, patients were evaluated (hip scores
      for pain, stiffness, physical function, range of motion), to assess whether the
      infusion of the respective cell product was beneficial. The intra-articular
      injection of three consecutive weekly doses of ex vivo expanded autologous BM-MSC
      to patients with articular cartilage defects in the hip and proved to be a safe
      and clinically effective treatment in the restoration of hip function and range
      of motion. In addition, the statistical significance of the above data is in line
      with the observation that the radiographic scores (Tonnis Classification of
      Osteoarthritis) of the damaged leg(s) remained without variation in 9 out of 10
      patients, after the administration of the cell product.

PMID- 28630738
TI  - Outcomes of heterotopic ossification excision following revision hip arthroscopy.
AB  - This study reviewed pain and outcome scores of patients undergoing revision
      surgery with heterotopic ossification (HO) excision following previous hip
      arthroscopy. The aim was to determine if performing the excision arthroscopically
      improved clinical outcomes. Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively
      reviewed in patients who had HO removed arthroscopically between February 2008
      and 2014. Four patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures were collected: Modified
      Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-Arthritis Hip Score (NAHS), Hip Outcome Score
      Activity of Daily Living (HOS-ADL) and Sport-Specific (HOS-SS) subscales. Minimum
      1.5 year follow-up from index procedure was available for 23 patients (mean age =
      38.6 years). Of the 23 patients who had revision surgery and HO removal, 19 (83%)
      were available for follow-up. Prior to revision, the average mHHS was 53.4, HOS
      ADL 51.4, HOS-SS 24.5, NAHS 50.3 and VAS 6.7. Following revision with HO
      excision, each score had improved with an average mHHS of 73.62, HOS-ADL of
      68.88, HOS SS of 58.51, NAHS of 70.83 and VAS of 4.33. Overall, mHHS increased by
      20.26 points (P < 0.001), HOS-ADL increased by 17.48 points (P = 0.023), HOS-SS
      increased by 34.03 points (P < 0.001), NAHS increased by 20.55 points (P = 0.001)
      and VAS decreased by 2.38 points (P < 0.001). Patients undergoing revision hip
      surgery with HO excision demonstrated improved outcome scores and pain
      resolution; however, few patients achieved a good or excellent result. Revision
      hip surgery with HO excision should be approached cautiously because of the
      modest results in this patient group.

PMID- 28630739
TI  - Danish Hip Arthroscopy Registry (DHAR): the outcome of patients with
      femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
AB  - The Danish Hip Arthroscopy Registry (DHAR) was initiated in January 2012 as a web
      based prospective registry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and report
      the first registry based outcome data of a national population with radiological
      and clinical femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) undergoing hip arthroscopic
      treatment. Our primary hypothesis was that patients undergoing hip arthroscopy
      would improve significantly in pain, quality of life and sports related outcome
      measurements in Patient Related Outcome Measures (PROM). Peri-operative data and
      Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) data from DHAR between January 2012 and
      November 2015 were extracted. Radiological pincer-type FAI was defined as LCE >
      35 degrees  and cam FAI as alpha-angle > 55 degrees . These data were combined
      with FAI surgical data such as osteochondroplasty and labral repair or resection.
      PROMs consisting of HAGOS, EQ-5 D, HSAS and NRS pain scores were submitted online
      by the patients pre-operatively and at 1 and 2-years follow-up. 2054 FAI
      procedures in 1835 patients were included in this study (219 patients had
      bilateral procedures performed). HAGOS demonstrated significant improvement in
      all subscales at follow up. EQ-5 D demonstrated improvement after 1 and 2 years
      from 0.66 pre-op to 0.78 at 2 years. HSAS improved significantly from 2.5 to 3.3.
      Pain score data demonstrated improvement in NRS-rest 39 to 17 and NRS Walk 49 to
      22 at follow-up. We conclude that patients with FAI undergoing hip arthroscopy
      experience improvement in pain, quality of life and also in function and sports
      related outcome measures during the first 2 years after surgery.

PMID- 28630740
TI  - The effects of hip abduction on sciatic nerve biomechanics during terminal hip
      flexion.
AB  - Terminal hip flexion contributes to increased strain in peripheral nerves at the
      level of the hip joint. The effects of hip abduction and femoral version on
      sciatic nerve biomechanics are not well understood. A decrease in sciatic nerve
      strain will be observed during terminal hip flexion and hip abduction,
      independent of femoral version. Six un-embalmed human cadavers were utilized.
      Three Differential Variable Reluctance Transducers (DVRTs) sensors were placed on
      the sciatic nerve while the leg was flexed to 70 degrees  with a combination of -
      10 degrees , 0 degrees , 20 degrees  and 40 degrees  adduction/abduction. DVRT
      placement included: (i) under piriformis, (ii) immediately distal to the
      gemelli/obturator, (iii) four centimeters distal to sensor two. A de-rotational
      osteotomy to decrease femoral version 10 degrees  was performed, and sciatic
      nerve strain was measured by the same procedure. Data were analyzed with three
      way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post-hoc analysis to identify differences
      in the mean values of sciatic nerve strain between native and decreased version
      state, hip abduction angle and DVRT sensor location. Significant main effects
      were observed for femoral version (P = 0.04) and DVRT sensor location (P = 0.01).
      Sciatic nerve strain decreased during terminal hip flexion and abduction in the
      decreased version state. An 84.23% decrease in sciatic nerve strain was observed
      during hip abduction from neutral to 40 degrees  in the presence of decreased
      version at terminal hip flexion. The results obtained from this study confirm the
      role of decreased femoral version and hip abduction at terminal hip flexion to
      decrease the strain in the sciatic nerve.

PMID- 28630742
TI  - What the papers say.

PMID- 28630741
TI  - The reliability of commonly used arthroscopic classifications of ligamentum teres
      pathology.
AB  - The importance of the ligamentum teres (LT) in the hip is increasingly being
      recognized. However, the incidence of LT tears in the literature is extremely
      variable. Although classification systems exist their reliability in classifying
      LT pathology arthroscopically has not been well defined. To determine the inter-
      and intra-observer reliability of two existing classifications systems for the
      diagnosis of LT pathology at hip arthroscopy. Second, to identify key
      pathological findings currently not included. Four experienced hip-arthroscopists
      reviewed 40 standardized arthroscopic videos. Arthroscopic findings of the LT
      were classified using the Gray and Villar (G&V) and descriptive classification
      (DC). Reviewers were asked to record other relevant pathology encountered. Inter-
      and intra-observer reliability was defined using Fleiss-Kappa and Cohen-Kappa
      statistics. Both classifications demonstrated fair inter-observer reliability.
      The intra-observer reliability for G&V was moderate-to-substantial and for DC was
      slight-to-moderate. An absolute agreement rate of 10% (G&V) and 37.5% (DC) was
      found. Differentiation between normal, and partial or low-grade tears was a
      common source of disagreement. The prevalence of LT pathology was 90%. Synovitis
      was the most common diagnostic finding that was not included in either
      classification system used in this study. Arthroscopic classification of LT
      pathology using the G&V and the DC demonstrated only fair inter-observer
      reliability. The major discrepancy in interpretation was between normal, and
      partial or low-grade tears. The presence of synovitis was not in either
      classification but was considered an important arthroscopic finding. Thorough
      arthroscopic scrutiny reveals the prevalence of LT pathology is higher than
      previously reported.

PMID- 28630743
TI  - Comparison of five video-assisted intubation devices by novice and expert
      laryngoscopists for use in the aeromedical evacuation environment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The critically ill or injured patient undergoing military medical
      evacuation may require emergent intubation. Intubation may be life-saving, but it
      carries risks. The novice or infrequent laryngoscopist has a distinct
      disadvantage because experience is critical for the rapid and safe establishment
      of a secured airway. This challenge is compounded by the austere environment of
      the back of an aircraft under blackout conditions. This study determined which of
      five different video-assisted intubation devices (VAIDs) was best suited for in
      flight use by U.S. Air Force Critical Care Air Transport Teams by comparing time
      to successful intubation between novice and expert laryngoscopists under three
      conditions, Normal Airway Lights on (NAL), Difficult Airway Lights on (DAL) and
      Difficult Airway Blackout (DAB), using manikins on a standard military transport
      stanchion and the floor with a minimal amount of setup time and extraneous light
      emission. METHODS: A convenience sample size of 40 participants (24 novices and
      16 experts) attempted intubation with each of the 5 different video laryngoscopic
      devices on high-fidelity airway manikins. Time to tracheal intubation and number
      of optimization maneuvers used were recorded. Kruskal-Wallis testing determined
      significant differences between the VAIDs in time to intubation for each
      particular scenario. Devices with significant differences underwent pair-wise
      comparison testing using rank-sum analysis to further clarify the difference.
      Device assembly times, startup times and the amount of light emitted were
      recorded. Perceived ease of use was surveyed. RESULTS: Novices were fastest with
      the Pentax AWS in all difficult airway scenarios. Experts recorded the shortest
      median times consistently using 3 of the 5 devices. The AWS was superior overall
      in 4 of the 6 scenarios tested. Experts and novices subjectively judged the
      GlideScope Ranger as easiest to use. The light emitted by all the devices was
      less than the USAF-issued headlamp. CONCLUSIONS: Novices intubated fastest with
      the Pentax AWS in all difficult airway scenarios. The GlideScope required the
      shortest setup time, and participants judged this device as the easiest to use.
      The GlideScope and AWS exhibited the two fastest total setup times. Both devices
      are suitable for in-flight use by infrequent and seasoned laryngoscopists.

PMID- 28630744
TI  - Maternal predictors of neonatal outcomes after emergency cesarean section: a
      retrospective study in three rural district hospitals in Rwanda.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, neonatal mortality post-cesarean delivery is
      higher than the global average. In this region, most emergency cesarean sections
      are performed at district hospitals. This study assesses maternal predictors for
      poor neonatal outcomes post-emergency cesarean delivery in three rural district
      hospitals in Rwanda. METHODS: This retrospective study includes a random sample
      of 441 neonates from Butaro, Kirehe and Rwinkwavu District Hospitals, born
      between 01 January and 31 December 2015. We described the demographic and
      clinical characteristics of the mothers of these neonates using frequencies and
      proportions. We assessed the association between maternal characteristics with
      poor neonatal outcomes, defined as death within 24 h or APGAR < 7 at 5 min after
      birth, using Fisher's exact test. Factors significant at alpha = 0.20
      significance level were considered for the multivariate logistic regression
      model, built using a backwards stepwise process. We stopped when all the factors
      were significant at the alpha = 0.05 level. RESULTS: For all 441 neonates
      included in this study, 40 (9.0%) had poor outcomes. In the final model, three
      factors were significantly associated with poor neonatal outcomes. Neonates born
      to mothers who had four or more prior pregnancies were more likely to have poor
      outcomes (OR = 3.01, 95%CI:1.23,7.35, p = 0.015). Neonates whose mothers came
      from health centers with ambulance travel times of more than 30 min to the
      district hospital had greater odds of having poor outcomes (for 30-60 min: OR =
      3.80, 95%CI:1.07,13.40, p = 0.012; for 60+ minutes: OR = 5.82, 95%CI:1.47,23.05,
      p = 0.012). Neonates whose mothers presented with very severe indications for
      cesarean section had twice odds of having a poor outcome (95% CI: 1.11,4.52, p =
      0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Longer travel time to the district hospital was a leading
      predictor of poor neonatal outcomes post cesarean delivery. Improving referral
      systems, ambulance availability, number of equipped hospitals per district, and
      road networks may lessen travel delays for women in labor. Boosting the
      diagnostic capacity of labor conditions at the health center level through
      facilities and staff training can improve early identification of very severe
      indications for cesarean delivery for early referral and intervention.

PMID- 28630745
TI  - Correlation between Hox code and vertebral morphology in the mouse: towards a
      universal model for Synapsida.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The importance of the cervical vertebrae as part of the skull-neck
      system in facilitating the success and diversity of tetrapods is clear. The
      reconstruction of its evolution, however, is problematic because of the variation
      in the number of vertebrae, making it difficult to identify homologous elements.
      Quantification of the morphological differentiation in the neck of diverse
      archosaurs established homologous units of vertebrae (i.e. modules) resulting
      from Hox gene expression patterns within the cervical vertebral column. The
      present study aims to investigate the modularity of the cervical vertebral column
      in the mouse and to reveal the genetic patterns and changes underlying the
      evolution of the neck of modern mammals and their extinct relatives. In contrast
      to modern mammals, non-mammalian synapsids are characterized by a variable
      cervical count, the presence of free cervical ribs and the presence of a separate
      CV1 centrum. How might these evolutionary modifications be associated with
      changes in the Hox code? RESULTS: In combination with up-to-date information on
      cervical Hox gene expression including description of the vertebral phenotype of
      Hox knock-out mutants, the 3D landmark-based geometric morphometric approach
      demonstrates a correlation between Hox code and vertebral morphology in the
      mouse. There is evidence that the modularity of the neck of the mouse had already
      been established in the last common ancestor of mammals, but differed from that
      of non-mammalian synapsids. The differences that likely occurred during the
      evolution of synapsids include an anterior shift in HoxA-5 expression in relation
      to the reduction of cervical ribs and an anterior shift in HoxD-4 expression
      linked to the development of the highly differentiated atlas-axis complex,
      whereas the remaining Hox genes may have displayed a pattern similar to that in
      mammals on the basis of the high level of conservatism in the axial skeleton of
      this lineage. CONCLUSION: Thus, the mouse Hox code provides a model for
      understanding the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for the great morphological
      adaptability of the cervical vertebral column in Synapsida. However, more studies
      in non-model organisms are required to further elucidate the evolutionary role of
      Hox genes in axial patterning of the unique mammalian body plan.

PMID- 28630746
TI  - Delusional parasitosis on the psychiatric consultation service - a longitudinal
      perspective: case study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Delusional parasitosis is infrequently seen in hospital-based
      consultation-liaison psychiatry. AIMS: Although there are many publications on
      delusional parasitosis, this report reviews a unique case that was diagnosed
      during a hospital admission and treated over the next 36 months. METHOD: Case
      report and literature review. RESULTS: This case report describes a 65-year-old
      man who was diagnosed with delusional parasitosis during a hospital admission for
      congestive heart failure and acute kidney injury. A longitudinal description of
      the patient's condition during the hospital stay and in the 36 months following
      discharge, during which time he was treated by a consultation psychiatrist, is
      provided. CONCLUSIONS: In discussing the treatment of a challenging presentation,
      this case demonstrates the opportunity for consultation psychiatrists to initiate
      care in patients who might not otherwise seek psychiatric services. Patients with
      somatic delusions represent one group of patients who are unlikely to
      independently seek psychiatric treatment. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None.
      COPYRIGHT AND USAGE: (c) The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open
      access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non
      Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license.

PMID- 28630747
TI  - Global patterns in coronavirus diversity.
AB  - Since the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)
      and Middle East Respiratory Syndrom Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) it has become
      increasingly clear that bats are important reservoirs of CoVs. Despite this, only
      6% of all CoV sequences in GenBank are from bats. The remaining 94% largely
      consist of known pathogens of public health or agricultural significance,
      indicating that current research effort is heavily biased towards describing
      known diseases rather than the 'pre-emergent' diversity in bats. Our study
      addresses this critical gap, and focuses on resource poor countries where the
      risk of zoonotic emergence is believed to be highest. We surveyed the diversity
      of CoVs in multiple host taxa from twenty countries to explore the factors
      driving viral diversity at a global scale. We identified sequences representing
      100 discrete phylogenetic clusters, ninety-one of which were found in bats, and
      used ecological and epidemiologic analyses to show that patterns of CoV diversity
      correlate with those of bat diversity. This cements bats as the major
      evolutionary reservoirs and ecological drivers of CoV diversity. Co-phylogenetic
      reconciliation analysis was also used to show that host switching has contributed
      to CoV evolution, and a preliminary analysis suggests that regional variation
      exists in the dynamics of this process. Overall our study represents a model for
      exploring global viral diversity and advances our fundamental understanding of
      CoV biodiversity and the potential risk factors associated with zoonotic
      emergence.

PMID- 28630748
TI  - Treatment of chronic orthopaedic infection.
AB  - Chronic infections are one of the major challenges in orthopaedic surgery, both
      for surgeons and patients. They are characterised by obstinate persistency of the
      causing microorganisms and resulting long-term disablement of the patients,
      associated with remarkable costs for the health care system.Difficulties derive
      from the biofilm-mode of living of pathogens with resistances against
      immunological defence and antimicrobial substances, and osseous defects resulting
      from the disease itself and surgical interventions.Established techniques usually
      require multiple costly operations with extended periods of disablement and
      impairment of the patients, sometimes making the therapy worse than the
      disease.Better understanding of the backgrounds of the conditions has led to new
      surgical techniques and differentiated application of antibiotics, aiming in
      improved quality of life for our patients. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev
      2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160063. Originally published online at
      www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630749
TI  - Imaging in peri-prosthetic assessment: an orthopaedic perspective.
AB  - As imaging techniques are ever-evolving, this article aims to provide a brief
      overview of the various modalities including their limitations. The ability of
      imaging for evaluation of implant osseo-integration will be addressed and also
      the role of imaging in assessing septic and aseptic loosening, with a particular
      focus on adverse tissue reactions, will be discussed. Specific features when
      imaging the big joints such as shoulder, hip, knee and ankle joint will also be
      outlined.Overall, a lack of standardisation and validity was noted and despite
      the gross variety of imaging modalities, there is no technique covering all
      aspects required for evaluation of implant fixation and septic and aseptic
      loosening. Each imaging modality has a role, depending on the information
      required and anticipated. The choice of imaging technique should not be primarily
      based on medical considerations but also on availability, accessibility,
      expertise and costs. Plain radiographs alone have been recommended in cases of
      suspected peri-prosthetic joint infections, given the lack of evidence for
      additional imaging techniques in this context. For aseptic loosening, ultrasound
      and plain radiographs may serve as initial screening tools. Metal artefact
      reducing sequences (MARS) MRI are advancing cross-sectional imaging and are
      likely to promote their role in patient evaluation.We conclude that imaging is
      one essential part in the work-up of patients with total joint replacements,
      within a specific clinical context. Close teamwork between experienced
      radiologists and orthopaedic surgeons is required for optimal patient care. Cite
      this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160058. Originally
      published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630750
TI  - Tips and tricks for using the internet for professional purposes.
AB  - Online resources provide access to large amounts of information which is
      expanding every day. Using search engines for reaching the relevant, updated and
      complete literature that is indexed in various bibliographical databases has
      already become part of the medical professionals' everyday life.However, most
      researchers often fail to conduct a efficient literature search on the internet.
      The right techniques in literature search save time and improve the quality of
      the retrieved data.Efficient literature search is not a talent but a learnable
      skill, which should be a formal part of medical education.This review briefly
      outlines the commonly used bibliographic databases, namely Pubmed, Cochrane
      Library, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL and Google Scholar. Also the
      definition of grey literature and its features are summarised. Cite this article:
      EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160066. Originally published
      online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630751
TI  - Correction manoeuvres in the surgical treatment of spinal deformities.
AB  - Correction manoeuvres are as important as the other issues such as hardware
      selection, graft options, fusion and osteotomy techniques in the surgical
      treatment of spinal deformities.The property of materials demonstrating both
      viscous and elastic characteristics when undergoing deformation is called visco
      elasticity. Purely elastic materials change in shape with a stress, and go back
      to their initial form when the stress is removed. However, visco-elastic
      materials, like the spine, may protect their new formation unless a back stress
      is applied. Time is a very important parameter during manoeuvre application to
      the spine because of its visco-elastic behavior.The most common correction
      manoeuvres that can be used for spinal deformities are rod de-rotation,
      distraction-compression, in situ rod bending, segmental de-rotation, en bloc de
      rotation and cantilever.Spontaneous correction of a minor curve is possible after
      selective fusion of a major curve due to coupling phenomenon. Cite this article:
      EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.170002. Originally published
      online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630752
TI  - Acromion and glenoid shape: Why are they important predictive factors for the
      future of our shoulders?
AB  - The shape of the acromion differs between patients with degenerative rotator cuff
      tears and individuals without rotator cuff pathology.It can be assessed in the
      sagittal plane (acromion type, acromion slope) and in the coronal plane (lateral
      acromion angle, acromion index, critical shoulder angle).The inter-observer
      reliability is better for the measurements in the coronal plane.A large lateral
      extension (high acromion index or high critical shoulder angle) and a lateral
      down-sloping of the acromion (low lateral acromion angle) are associated with
      full-thickness supraspinatus tears.The significance of glenoid inclination for
      rotator cuff disease is less clear.The postulated patho-mechanism is the
      compression of the supraspinatus tendon between the humeral head and the
      acromion. Bursal side tears might be caused by friction and abrasion of the
      tendon. Articular side tears could be due to impairment of the gliding mechanism
      between tendon fibrils leading to local stress concentration. Further research is
      needed to understand the exact pathomechanism of tendon degeneration and tear.
      Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160076.
      Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630753
TI  - How to deal with a glenoid fracture.
AB  - The glenoid fossa is involved in approximately 10% of all scapular
      fractures.Glenoid fossa incongruity is surprisingly well tolerated.Surgery is
      recommended when 20% or more of the anterior glenoid fossa is involved.Glenoid
      rim fractures often lead to chronic shoulder instability.Unstable glenoid neck
      fractures need surgical treatment and stable fractures can be treated
      conservatively.CT examination with 3D reformations of the glenoid fossa has
      improved insight into fracture morphology and fracture patterns and is very
      helpful for clinical decision makers. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2.
      DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160082. Originally published online at
      www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630754
TI  - Nerve injuries of the upper extremity and hand.
AB  - A nerve injury has a profound impact on the patient's daily life due to the
      impaired sensory and motor function, impaired dexterity, sensitivity to cold as
      well as eventual pain problems.To perform an appropriate treatment of nerve
      injuries, a correct diagnosis must be made, where the injury is properly
      classified, leading to an optimal surgical approach and technique, where timing
      of surgery is also important for the outcome.Knowledge about the nerve
      regeneration process, where delicate processes occur in neurons, non-neuronal
      cells (i.e. Schwann cells) and other cells in the peripheral as well as the
      central nervous systems, is crucial for the treating surgeon.The surgical
      decision to perform nerve repair and/or reconstruction depends on the type of
      injury, the condition of the wound as well as the vascularity of the wound.To
      reconnect injured nerve ends, various techniques can be used, which include both
      epineurial and fascicular nerve repair, and if a nerve defect is caused by the
      injury, a nerve reconstruction procedure has to be performed, including bridging
      the defect using nerve-grafts or nerve transfer techniques.The patients must be
      evaluated properly and regularly after the surgical procedure and appropriate
      rehabilitation programmes are useful to improve the final outcome. Cite this
      article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160071. Originally
      published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630755
TI  - Advances in hip arthroplasty surgery: what is justified?
AB  - Total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery has shown dramatic changes in terms of
      increased number of procedures and of technical development in recent years. It
      has been described as "the operation of the 20th century" for the excellent
      results, the high satisfaction of the patients and the improvement of the quality
      of life.A lot of variations have been introduced over the last few decades in THA
      especially in terms of indications (both in younger and older patients),
      techniques and devices (approaches, tissue preservation, biomaterials and
      industrial finishing), per-operative management (blood loss and pain control) and
      post-operative protocols (the so called "fast track" surgery). Looking at all
      these advances the emerging question is: have all of them been justified both in
      terms of improvement of the results for the patients and of the cost/benefit
      ratio from an economical point of view?The purpose of this paper is to critically
      analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the theoretically proposed
      "advances in hip arthroplasty" and attempt to understand which are justified of
      such "advances" nowadays, based on the international and the European perspective
      with a focus on the author's personal clinical experience. Cite this article:
      EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.170008. Originally published
      online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630756
TI  - Fast track in hip arthroplasty.
AB  - 'Fast-track' surgery was introduced more than 20 years ago and may be defined as
      a co-ordinated peri-operative approach aimed at reducing surgical stress and
      facilitating post-operative recovery.The fast-track programmes have now been
      introduced into total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery with reduction in post
      operative length of stay, shorter convalescence and rapid functional recovery
      without increased morbidity and mortality. This has been achieved by focusing on
      a multidisciplinary collaboration and establishing 'fast-track' units, with a
      well-defined organisational set-up tailored to deliver an accelerated peri
      operative course of fast-track surgical THA procedures.Fast-track THA surgery now
      works extremely well in the standard THA patient. However, all patients are
      different and fine-tuning of the multiple areas in fast-track pathways to get
      patients with special needs or high co-morbidity burden through a safe and
      effective fast-track THA pathway is important.In this narrative review, the
      principles of fast-track THA surgery are presented together with the present
      status of implementation and perspectives for further improvements. Cite this
      article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160060. Originally
      published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630757
TI  - The patellofemoral joint: from dysplasia to dislocation.
AB  - Patellofemoral dysplasia is a major predisposing factor for instability of the
      patellofemoral joint. However, there is no consensus as to whether patellofemoral
      dysplasia is genetic in origin, caused by imbalanced forces producing maltracking
      and remodelling of the trochlea during infancy and growth, or due to other
      unknown and unexplored factors.The biomechanical effects of patellofemoral
      dysplasia on patellar stability and on surgical procedures have not been fully
      investigated. Also, different anatomical and demographic risk factors have been
      suggested, in an attempt to identify the recurrent dislocators. Therefore, a
      comprehensive evaluation of all the radiographic, MRI and CT parameters can help
      the clinician to assess patients with primary and recurrent patellar dislocation
      and guide management.Patellofemoral dysplasia still represents an extremely
      challenging condition to manage. Its controversial aetiology and its complex
      biomechanical behaviour continue to pose more questions than answers to the
      research community, which reflects the lack of universally accepted guidelines
      for the correct treatment. However, due to the complexity of this condition, an
      extremely personalised approach should be reserved for each patient, in
      considering and addressing the anatomical abnormalities responsible for the
      symptoms. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058
      5241.2.160081. Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630758
TI  - Optimising position and stability in total knee arthroplasty.
AB  - Alignment and stability are two key factors for success in total knee
      arthroplasty (TKA). Several techniques have been advocated, the two best known
      being measured resection and tensioned gaps.Dogma and fuzzy wording have cast an
      obscure shadow on the dualistic discussion between proponents of both
      techniques.This review is an attempt to clarify definitions, analyse the flaws
      and pitfalls in the different techniques and make some suggestions for
      improvement. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058
      5241.2.170001. Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630759
TI  - The adult cavus foot.
AB  - Cavovarus deformity can be classified by the severity of malalignment ranging
      from a subtle and flexible to a severe and fixed cavovarus deformity of the
      foot.In the mild cavovarus foot, careful clinical assessment is required to
      identify the deformity.Weight-bearing radiographs are necessary to indicate the
      apex of the deformity and quantify the correction required.Surgery is performed
      when conservative measures fail and various surgical procedures have been
      described, including a combination of soft-tissue releases, tendon transfers and
      osteotomies, all with the aim of achieving a plantigrade and balanced foot.Joint
      sparing surgery is the best option in flexible cavovarus foot even in Charcot
      Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease (peroneal muscular atrophy).Arthrodesis is indicated in
      severe rigid cavus foot or in degenerative cases. Cite this article: EFORT Open
      Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160077. Originally published online at
      www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630760
TI  - Treatment of hindfoot and ankle pathologies with posterior arthroscopic
      techniques.
AB  - The two-portal hindfoot arthroscopy is an effective procedure enabling direct
      visualisation of posterior ankle pathology with low invasiveness.An important
      stage of the hindfoot endoscopy is localisation of the flexor hallucis longus
      (FHL) tendon to protect the neurovascular bundle which is located just medial to
      it.Posterior ankle impingement syndrome and FHL tenosynovitis are common causes
      of posterior ankle pain and frequently occur together.Posteriorly localised talar
      osteochondral lesions, Achilles tendon disorders, osteoarthritis, talar bone
      cysts and talar fractures are among the other pathologies that can be treated
      with hindfoot arthroscopy. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI:
      10.1302/2058-5241.2.160055. Originally published online at
      www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630761
TI  - Partial proximal tibia fractures.
AB  - Partial tibial plateau fractures may occur as a consequence of either valgus or
      varus trauma combined with a rotational and axial compression component.High
      energy trauma may result in a more complex and multi-fragmented fracture pattern,
      which occurs predominantly in young people. Conversely, a low-energy mechanism
      may lead to a pure depression fracture in the older population with weaker bone
      density.Pre-operative classification of these fractures, by Muller AO, Schatzker
      or novel CT-based methods, helps to understand the fracture pattern and choose
      the surgical approach and treatment strategy in accordance with estimated bone
      mineral density and the individual history of each patient.Non-operative
      treatment may be considered for non-displaced intra-articular fractures of the
      lateral tibial condyle. Intra-articular joint displacement ? 2 mm, open fractures
      or fractures of the medial condyle should be reduced and fixed operatively.
      Autologous, allogenic and synthetic bone substitutes can be used to fill bone
      defects.A variety of minimally invasive approaches, temporary osteotomies and
      novel techniques (e.g. arthroscopically assisted reduction or 'jail-type' screw
      osteosynthesis) offer a range of choices for the individual and are potentially
      less invasive treatments.Rehabilitation protocols should be carefully planned
      according to the degree of stability achieved by internal fixation, bone mineral
      density and other patient-specific factors (age, compliance, mobility). To avoid
      stiffness, early functional mobilisation plays a major role in rehabilitation. In
      the elderly, low-energy trauma and impression fractures are indicators for the
      further screening and treatment of osteoporosis. Cite this article: EFORT Open
      Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160067. Originally published online at
      www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630762
TI  - Articular impaction injuries in the lower limb.
AB  - The effective management of articular impacted fractures requires the successful
      elevation of the osteochondral fragment to eliminate joint incongruency and the
      stable fixation of the fragments providing structural support to the articular
      surface.The anatomical restoration of the joint can be performed either with
      elevation through a cortical window, through balloon-guided osteoplasty or direct
      visualisation of the articular surface.Structural support of the void created in
      the subchondral area can be achieved through the use of bone graft materials
      (autologous tricortical bone), or synthetic bone graft substitutes.In the present
      study, we describe the available techniques and materials that can be used in
      treating impacted osteochondral fragments with special consideration of their
      epidemiology and treatment options. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2.
      DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2.160072. Originally published online at
      www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630763
TI  - Malignant tumours of the foot and ankle.
AB  - Most of tumours of the foot are tumour-like (synovial cyst, foreign body
      reactions and epidermal inclusion cyst) or benign conditions (tenosynovial giant
      cells tumours, planta fibromatosis). Malignant tumours of the soft-tissue and
      skeleton are very rare in the foot and their diagnosis is often delayed with
      referral to specialised teams after initial inappropriate procedures or unplanned
      excisions. The adverse effect of these misdiagnosed tumours is the increasing
      rate of amputation or local recurrences in the involved patients. In every lump,
      imaging should be discussed before any local treatment. Every lesion which is not
      an obvious synovial cyst or plantar fibromatosis should have a biopsy
      performed.After the age of 40 years, chondrosarcoma is the most usual malignant
      tumour of the foot. In young patients bone tumours such as osteosarcoma or
      Ewing's sarcoma, are very unusually located in the foot. Synovial sarcoma is the
      most frequent histological diagnosis in soft tissues. Epithelioid sarcoma or
      clear cell sarcoma, involve more frequently the foot and ankle than other sites.
      The classic local treatment of malignant conditions of the foot and ankle was
      below-knee amputation at different levels. Nowadays, with the development of
      adjuvant therapies, some patients may benefit from conservative surgery or
      partial amputation after multidisciplinary team discussions.The prognosis of foot
      malignancy is not different from that at other locations, except perhaps in
      chondrosarcoma, which seems to be less aggressive in the foot. The anatomy of the
      foot is very complex with many bony and soft tissue structures in a relatively
      small space making large resections and conservative treatments difficult to
      achieve. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058
      5241.2.160078. Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews.org.

PMID- 28630764
TI  - Impact of B-Scan Averaging on Spectralis Optical Coherence Tomography Image
      Quality before and after Cataract Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine optimal image averaging settings for
      Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with and without
      cataract. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective study, the eyes
      were imaged before and after cataract surgery using seven different image
      averaging settings. Image quality was quantitatively evaluated using signal-to
      noise ratio, distinction between retinal layer image intensity distributions, and
      retinal layer segmentation performance. Measures were compared pre- and
      postoperatively across different degrees of averaging. RESULTS: 13 eyes of 13
      patients were included and 1092 layer boundaries analyzed. Preoperatively,
      increasing image averaging led to a logarithmic growth in all image quality
      measures up to 96 frames. Postoperatively, increasing averaging beyond 16 images
      resulted in a plateau without further benefits to image quality. Averaging 16
      frames postoperatively provided comparable image quality to 96 frames
      preoperatively. CONCLUSION: In patients with clear media, averaging 16 images
      provided optimal signal quality. A further increase in averaging was only
      beneficial in the eyes with senile cataract. However, prolonged acquisition time
      and possible loss of details have to be taken into account.

PMID- 28630765
TI  - Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography: A New Way Measuring
      Choroidal Thickness in Pregnant Women.
AB  - The body changes markedly during pregnancy; each system behaves differently from
      a nonpregnant state. As the eyes are the only windows to see directly what is
      going on in the internal environment, more and more researches have been done to
      explain the association between ocular changes and the physiological and
      pathological changes during pregnancy. The choroid is one of the critical parts
      of the eye, providing nutrition. And abnormal choroid may result in ocular
      dysfunction and visual problems. As the optical coherence tomography develops, a
      rapid, direct, noninvasive, and nontoxic way is available to obtain the choroid
      situation of pregnant women, which may explain the mechanism of pregnancy-related
      eye diseases. This review would summarize relevant original articles published
      from January 1, 2008 to December 1, 2016 to assess the changes of choroidal
      thickness (CT) with enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT)
      during pregnancy. And the relationship between choroidal thickness changes and
      pregnancy remains uncertain. To our knowledge, this is the first review of EDI
      OCT in assessing the choroidal thickness of the pregnant women.

PMID- 28630766
TI  - Corneal Endothelial Characteristics, Central Corneal Thickness, and Intraocular
      Pressure in a Population of Chinese Age-Related Cataract Patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe corneal endothelial characteristics, central corneal
      thickness, and intraocular pressure in a population of Chinese age-related
      cataract patients and to determine the effects of age, gender, hypertension, and
      body mass index (BMI). METHODS: 1551 eyes were examined preoperatively. The
      parameters measured were endothelial cell density (CD), average cell area (CA),
      coefficient of variation (CV), cell hexagonality (HEX), central corneal thickness
      (CCT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and axial length (AL). RESULTS: There were
      significant differences in CV and BMI between genders. There was a significant
      decrease in CD, CCT, and IOP and, conversely, an increase in CA and BMI with
      increasing age. The patients who suffered from hypertension had bigger CA, less
      CD, and lower HEX than the patients who did not suffer from hypertension. CD has
      a negative correlation with age and CV and a positive correlation with CCT, CCT
      has a positive association with CD and IOP, and IOP had a negative relationship
      with age and a positive relationship with CCT, CA, and HEX. CONCLUSIONS:
      Normative data for the corneal endothelium, central corneal thickness, and
      intraocular pressure in the normal age-related cataract patients are reported
      which will serve as a baseline for comparative studies about cataract.

PMID- 28630767
TI  - The Learning Preferences among Nursing Students in the King Saud University in
      Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to identify the most common learning
      preferences among the nursing students in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the
      associations of certain demographic variables with the learning preferences.
      METHODS: All the undergraduate nursing students in the nursing college were
      requested to participate in this descriptive cross-sectional study. An Arabic
      version of the Felder-Silverman learning style model (FSLSM) questionnaire was
      used to examine the learning preferences among undergraduate nursing students.
      RESULTS: A total of 56 (43%) completed questionnaires were included in the final
      analysis. Results of the present study indicate that the most common learning
      preferences among the nursing students were visual (67.9%), followed by active
      (50%) and sequential (37.5%) learning preferences. The verbal style was the least
      common learning preference (3.6%) among the nursing students. There was no
      association between gender and learning preferences (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The
      present study concluded that the visual, active, and sequential styles are the
      commonest learning preferences among the nursing students. The nursing educators
      should emphasize the use of this information in their teaching methods to improve
      learning skills among the nursing students.

PMID- 28630768
TI  - Plastic Surgery Inclusion in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum: Perception,
      Challenges, and Career Choice-A Comparative Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The undergraduate medical curriculum has been overcrowded with core
      learning outcomes with no formal exposure to plastic surgery. The aim of this
      study was to compare medical students from two educational settings for the basic
      understanding, preferred learning method, and factors influencing a career choice
      in plastic surgery. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective cohort study based on a web
      based anonymous questionnaire sent to final year medical students at Birmingham
      University (United Kingdom), McGill University (Canada), and a control group (non
      medical staff). The questions were about plastic surgery: (1) source of
      information and basic understanding; (2) undergraduate curriculum inclusion and
      preferred learning methods; (3) factors influencing a career choice. A similar
      questionnaire was sent to non-medical staff (control group). The data was
      analysed based on categorical outcomes (Chi-square chi2) and level of
      significance p <= 0.05. RESULTS: Questionnaire was analysed for 243 students
      (Birmingham, n = 171/332, 52%) (McGill n = 72/132, 54%). Birmingham students
      (14%) considered the word "plastic" synonymous with "cosmetic" more than McGill
      students (4%, p < 0.025). Teaching was the main source of knowledge for McGill
      students (39%, p < 0.001) while Birmingham students and control group chose the
      media (70%, p < 0.001). McGill students (67%) more than Birmingham (49%, p <
      0.010) considered curriculum inclusion. The preferred learning method was
      lectures for McGill students (61%, p < 0.01) but an optional module for
      Birmingham (61%). A similar proportion (18%) from both student groups considered
      a career in plastic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students recognised the need
      for plastic surgery inclusion in the undergraduate curriculum. There was a
      difference for plastic surgery source of information, operations, and preferred
      method of learning for students. The study highlighted the urgent need to reform
      plastic surgery undergraduate teaching in collaboration with national educational
      bodies worldwide.

PMID- 28630769
TI  - Comparing the Expression of Genes Related to Serotonin (5-HT) in C57BL/6J Mice
      and Humans Based on Data Available at the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas and Allen Human
      Brain Atlas.
AB  - Brain atlases are tools based on comprehensive studies used to locate biological
      characteristics (structures, connections, proteins, and gene expression) in
      different regions of the brain. These atlases have been disseminated to the point
      where tools have been created to store, manage, and share the information they
      contain. This study used the data published by the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas (2004)
      for mice (C57BL/6J) and Allen Human Brain Atlas (2010) for humans (6 donors) to
      compare the expression of serotonin-related genes. Genes of interest were
      searched for manually in each case (in situ hybridization for mice and
      microarrays for humans), normalized expression data (z-scores) were extracted,
      and the results were graphed. Despite the differences in methodology,
      quantification, and subjects used in the process, a high degree of similarity was
      found between expression data. Here we compare expression in a way that allows
      the use of translational research methods to infer and validate knowledge. This
      type of study allows part of the relationship between structures and functions to
      be identified, by examining expression patterns and comparing levels of
      expression in different states, anatomical correlations, and phenotypes between
      different species. The study concludes by discussing the importance of knowing,
      managing, and disseminating comprehensive, open-access studies in neuroscience.

PMID- 28630770
TI  - Knowledge on Irradiation, Medical Imaging Prescriptions, and Clinical Imaging
      Referral Guidelines among Physicians in a Sub-Saharan African Country (Cameroon).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical imaging guidelines (CIGs) are suitable tools to enhance
      justification of imaging procedures. OBJECTIVE: To assess physicians' knowledge
      on irradiation, their self-perception of imaging prescriptions, and the use of
      CIGs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire of 21 items was self-administered
      between July and August 2016 to 155 referring physicians working in seven
      university-affiliated hospitals in Yaounde and Douala (Cameroon). This pretested
      questionnaire based on imaging referral practices, the use and the need of CIGs,
      knowledge on radiation doses of 11 specific radiologic procedures, and knowledge
      of injurious effects of radiation was completed in the presence of the
      investigator. Scores were allocated for each question. RESULTS: 155
      questionnaires were completed out of 180 administered (86.1%). Participants were
      90 (58%) females, 63 (40.64%) specialists, 53 (34.20%) residents/interns, and 39
      (25.16%) general practitioners. The average professional experience was 7.4 years
      (1-25 years). The mean knowledge score was 11.5/59 with no influence of sex,
      years of experience, and professional category. CIGs users' score was better than
      nonusers (means 14.2 versus 10.6; p < 0.01). 80% of physicians (124/155)
      underrated radiation doses of routine imaging exams. Seventy-eight (50.3%)
      participants have knowledge on CIGs and half of them made use of them. "Impact on
      diagnosis" was the highest justification criteria follow by "impact on treatment
      decision." Unjustified requests were mainly for "patient expectation or will" or
      for "research motivations." 96% of interviewees believed that making available
      national CIGs will improve justification. CONCLUSION: Most physicians did not
      have appropriate awareness about radiation doses for routine imaging procedures.
      A small number of physicians have knowledge on CIGs but they believe that making
      available CIGs will improve justification of imaging procedures. Continuous
      trainings on radiation protection and implementation of national CIGs are
      therefore recommended.

PMID- 28630771
TI  - Polypharmacy among Underserved Older African American Adults.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to examine correlates of polypharmacy among
      underserved community-dwelling older African American adults. Methods. This study
      recruited 400 underserved older African Americans adults living in South Los
      Angeles. The structured face-to-face interviews collected data on participants'
      characteristics and elicited data pertaining to the type, frequency, dosage, and
      indications of all medications used by participants. Results. Seventy-five and
      thirty percent of participants take at least five and ten medications per day,
      respectively. Thirty-eight percent of participants received prescription
      medications from at least three providers. Inappropriate drug use occurred among
      seventy percent of the participants. Multivariate analysis showed that number of
      providers was the strongest correlate of polypharmacy. Moreover, data show that
      gender, comorbidity, and potentially inappropriate medication use are other major
      correlates of polypharmacy. Conclusions. This study shows a high rate of
      polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication use among underserved older
      African American adults. We documented strong associations between polypharmacy
      and use of potentially inappropriate medications, comorbidities, and having
      multiple providers. Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications may be
      attributed to poor coordination and management of medications among providers and
      pharmacists. There is an urgent need to develop innovative and effective
      strategies to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate
      medication in underserved elderly minority populations.

PMID- 28630772
TI  - Severe Rhabdomyolysis due to Presumed Drug Interactions between Atorvastatin with
      Amlodipine and Ticagrelor.
AB  - Atorvastatin and ticagrelor combination is a widely accepted therapy for
      secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease. However, rhabdomyolysis is a
      well-known rare side effect of statins which should be considered when treatments
      are combined with cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme inhibitors. We report a case of
      atorvastatin and ticagrelor associated severe rhabdomyolysis that progressed to
      multiorgan failure requiring renal replacement therapy, inotropes, intubation,
      and mechanical ventilation. Despite withdrawal of the precipitating cause and the
      supportive measures including renal replacement therapy, creatinine kinase
      increased due to ongoing rhabdomyolysis rapidly progressing to upper and lower
      limbs weakness. A muscle biopsy was performed to exclude myositis which confirmed
      extensive myonecrosis, consistent with statin associated rhabdomyolysis. After a
      prolonged ventilatory course in the intensive care unit, patient's condition
      improved with recovery from renal and liver dysfunction. The patient slowly
      regained her upper and lower limb function; she was successfully weaned off the
      ventilator and was discharged for rehabilitation. To our knowledge, this is a
      second case of statin associated rhabdomyolysis due to interaction between
      atorvastatin and ticagrelor. However, our case differed in that the patient was
      also on amlodipine, which is considered to be a weak cytochrome P450 3A4
      inhibitor and may have further potentiated myotoxicity.

PMID- 28630773
TI  - Functional Treatment of a Child with Extracapsular Mandibular Fracture.
AB  - Condylar fractures are among the most frequent fractures in the context of
      traumatic lesions of the face. The management of condylar fractures is still
      controversial, especially when fractures occur in children: if overlooked or
      inappropriately treated, these lesions may lead to severe sequelae, both cosmetic
      and functional. The therapy must be careful because severe long-term
      complications can occur. In this case report, the authors present a case of
      mandibular fracture in which the decision between surgical therapy and functional
      therapeutic regimen may be controversial due to the particular anatomy of the
      fracture line and the age of the patient.

PMID- 28630774
TI  - Lead Poisoning Can Be Easily Misdiagnosed as Acute Porphyria and Nonspecific
      Abdominal Pain.
AB  - Lead poisoning (LP) is less commonly encountered in emergency departments (ED).
      However, lead exposure still occurs, and new sources of poisoning have emerged.
      LP often goes unrecognized due to a low index of suspicion and nonspecific
      symptoms. We present a case of a 48-year-old man who had recurring abdominal pain
      with anemia that was misdiagnosed. His condition was initially diagnosed as
      nonspecific abdominal pain and acute porphyria. Acute porphyria-like symptoms
      with a positive urine porphyrin test result led to the misdiagnosis; testing for
      heme precursors in urine is the key to the differential diagnosis between LP and
      acute porphyria. The final definitive diagnosis of lead toxicity was confirmed
      based on high blood lead levels after detailed medical history taking. The lead
      poisoning was caused by traditional Chinese herbal pills. The abdominal pain
      disappeared after a course of chelating treatment. The triad for the diagnosis of
      lead poisoning should be a history of medicine intake, anemia with basophilic
      stippling, and recurrent abdominal pain.

PMID- 28630775
TI  - A Rare Case of Paraneoplastic Aortitis Associated with Chronic Myelomonocytic
      Leukemia.
AB  - Aortitis is a broad term describing inflammation of the aorta. The most common
      causes of aortitis are the large-vessel vasculitides giant cell arteritis and
      Takayasu arteritis. Other etiologies include aortitis associated with other
      autoimmune disorders, infectious causes, and paraneoplastic and idiopathic cases.
      We describe a rare case of a large-vessel arteritis occurring in association with
      chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). A 68-year-old female with recent
      diagnosis of CMML presented to our office for evaluation of abnormal chest
      computed tomography (CT) that showed inflammation surrounding the entirety of
      thoracic and abdominal aorta, consistent with aortitis. In the absence of other
      evident causes of large-vessel vasculitis, we attributed this finding to a
      paraneoplastic autoimmune phenomenon and started treatment with systemic
      glucocorticoids. This rare case emphasizes the need to recognize autoimmune
      complications in CMML and treat the inflammation along with the primary
      malignancy promptly.

PMID- 28630776
TI  - Sudden Onset, Rapidly Expansile, Cervical Cystic Hygroma in an Adult: A Rare Case
      with Unusual Presentation and Extensive Review of the Literature.
AB  - Cystic hygroma (CH) is a benign infiltrative malformation of the lymphatic
      channels. We report a case of a 28-year-old Indian female who presented with
      rapidly enlarging right sided neck swelling over the posterior triangle since 5
      days. Complete resection of CH is sometimes not amenable because of its
      infiltrative nature and involvement of surrounding vital structures. However, in
      our patient successful complete surgical resection was undertaken. The MRI
      findings of our patient were consistent with brachial cleft cyst; this posed a
      challenge in the diagnosis of CH. The histopathological analysis of the resected
      mass confirmed CH. CH is rare in adults and such an acute presentation is
      exceptionally atypical. History of prior trauma and infection are known
      etiological factors for adult CH; these were conspicuously absent in our patient.
      CH should be considered in the differentials of rapidly enlarging cystic swelling
      of posterior region of neck in adults. Optimal and timely management is necessary
      to achieve a favorable prognosis. Therefore, we report a case of rapidly
      enlarging cervical CH in an adult along with extensive literature review to have
      a better understanding regarding epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical
      presentation, optimal management, and prognosis of such a rare entity in adults.

PMID- 28630777
TI  - Magnetic Resonance Enterography Findings of Intestinal Behcet Disease in a Child.
AB  - Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder of unknown aetiology,
      characterized by recurrent oral ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis, skin lesions,
      and pathergy. Gastrointestinal disease outside the oral cavity is well recognized
      and usually takes the form of small intestinal ulcers, with the most significant
      lesions frequently occurring in the ileocaecal region. Symptoms usually include
      nausea, vomiting, colicky abdominal pain, and change in bowel habit and it is not
      unusual that patients may present late, with life-threatening complications
      requiring surgery. Diagnosis has been hindered for many years by limitations in
      imaging the small bowel and it is usually achieved by means of endoscopy and CT
      of the abdomen. Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) is a relatively new
      technique, which has a high diagnostic rate in patients with Crohn's disease
      (CD). Although many similarities between CD and intestinal BD have already been
      described in literature, the role of MRE in the evaluation of intestinal BD has
      never been defined up to now. We report a case of a 12-year-old female patient
      with diagnosis of BD who presented at our institution for recurrent colicky
      abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The patient underwent MRE that demonstrated the
      gastrointestinal involvement.

PMID- 28630778
TI  - Female Urethral Diverticulum Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review.
AB  - A 48-year-old woman with a history of voiding difficulty visited our hospital.
      Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a periurethral tumor, which was
      pathologically diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma via transperineal needle biopsy.
      Radical cystectomy and urethrectomy were performed, and the urinary tract was
      reconstructed using an ileal conduit. Pathological examination of a resected
      specimen confirmed adenocarcinoma of the urethral diverticulum. The patient
      received adjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy. She is alive at 5
      months since the operation.

PMID- 28630779
TI  - Impact of Obesity on Serum Levels of Thyroid Hormones among Euthyroid Saudi
      Adults.
AB  - AIM OF STUDY: To assess serum thyroid hormones levels among Saudi adults and to
      correlate participants' serum levels with their grades of body mass index (BMI).
      METHODOLOGY: A total of 278 adult subjects were recruited. Participants were
      categorized according to their BMI grades into normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2),
      overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2), or obese (BMI >= 30 kg/m2). Serum thyroid
      hormones levels were assessed at the central laboratory of Aseer Central
      Hospital, Abha City, by chemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS: More than three
      fourths of participants were either overweight (31.3%) or obese (44.6%). Mean TSH
      serum levels showed a significantly increasing trend with increasing BMI (p <
      0.001). A negative trend was observed regarding participants' mean serum levels
      of fT4 with their BMI, but there were no significant differences in mean serum
      fT4 levels according to BMI. Moreover, no significant differences were observed
      in serum fT3 levels according to BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Mean TSH serum levels increase
      with BMI increase. Further largescale multicentric and longitudinal studies are
      necessary to prove the association between serum levels of thyroid hormones and
      BMI of euthyroid adults.

PMID- 28630780
TI  - A Randomized Controlled Trial of Chinese Medicine on Nonmotor Symptoms in
      Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - Nonmotor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson's disease (PD) have devastating impacts on
      both patients and their caregivers. Jiawei-Liujunzi Tang (JLT) has been used to
      treat some NMS of PD based on the Chinese medicine theory since Qing dynasty.
      Here we report a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, add-on clinical
      trial aiming at evaluating the efficacy and safety of the JLT in treating NMS in
      PD patients. We randomly assigned 111 patients with idiopathic PD to receive
      either JLT or placebo for 32 weeks. Outcome measures were baseline to week 32
      changes in Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of Unified PD Rating
      Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Parts I-IV and in NMS assessment scale for PD (NMSS). We
      observed improvements in the NMSS total score (p = 0.019), mood/cognition (p =
      0.005), and reduction in hallucinations (p = 0.024). In addition, post hoc
      analysis showed a significant reduction in constipation (p < 0.001). However,
      there was no evidence of improvement in MDS-UPDRS Part I total score (p = 0.216)
      at week 32. Adverse events (AEs) were mild and comparable between the two groups.
      In conclusion, long-term administration of JLT is well tolerated and shows
      significant benefits in improving NMS including mood, cognition, and
      constipation.

PMID- 28630781
TI  - Development of Neurological Mouse Model for Toxoplasmosis Using Toxoplasma gondii
      Isolated from Chicken in Kenya.
AB  - Animal models for the toxoplasmosis are scarce and have limitations. In this
      study, a neurological mouse model was developed in BALB/c mice infected
      intraperitoneally with 15 cysts of a Toxoplasma gondii isolate. The mice were
      monitored for 42 days and euthanized at different time points. Another group of
      mice were orally treated with dexamethasone (DXM: 2.66 mg/kg daily, 5.32 mg/kg
      daily) at 42 days after infection and monitored for a further 42 days. A
      mortality rate of 15% and 28.6% was observed in mice given 2.66 mg/kg/day and
      5.32 mg/kg/day of DXM, respectively. The mean cyst numbers in the brain of DXM
      treated mice increased up to twofold compared with chronically infected untreated
      mice. Infections up to 42 days were associated with an increase in both IgM and
      IgG levels but following dexamethasone treatment, IgM levels declined but IgG
      levels continued on rising. The brain of toxoplasmosis infected mice showed
      mononuclear cellular infiltrations, neuronal necrosis, and cuffing. The severity
      of pathology was higher in mice treated with dexamethasone compared to the
      positive control groups. The findings of this study demonstrate that DXM-induced
      reactivation of chronic toxoplasmosis may be a useful development of laboratory
      animal model in outbred mice used for in vivo studies.

PMID- 28630782
TI  - Remote Assessment of Platelet Function in Patients with Acute Stroke or Transient
      Ischaemic Attack.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The TARDIS trial assessed the safety and efficacy of intensive versus
      guideline antiplatelet agents given for one month in patients with acute stroke
      or TIA. The aim of this substudy was to assess the effect of antiplatelet agents
      taken at baseline on platelet function reactivity and activation. METHODS:
      Platelet function, assessed by remotely measured surface expression of P
      selectin, was assessed in patients at their time of randomisation. Data are
      median fluorescence values. RESULTS: The aspirin P-selectin test demonstrated
      that platelet expression was lower in 494 patients taking aspirin than in 162
      patients not: mean 210 (SD 188) versus 570 (435), difference 360.3 (95% CI 312.2
      408.4) (2p < 0.001). Aspirin did not suppress P-selectin levels below 500 units
      in 23 (4.7%) patients. The clopidogrel test showed that platelet reactivity was
      lower in 97 patients taking clopidogrel than in 585 patients not: 655 (296)
      versus 969 (315), difference 314.5 (95% CI 247.3-381.7) (2p < 0.001). Clopidogrel
      did not suppress P-selectin level below 860 units in 24 (24.7%) patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin and clopidogrel suppress stimulated platelet P-selectin,
      although one-quarter of patients on clopidogrel have high on-treatment platelet
      reactivity. Platelet function testing may be performed remotely in the context of
      a large multicentre trial. Trial registration ISRCTN47823388.

PMID- 28630783
TI  - Highly Sensitive Colorimetric Assay for Determining Fe3+ Based on Gold
      Nanoparticles Conjugated with Glycol Chitosan.
AB  - A highly sensitive and simple colorimetric assay for the detection of Fe3+ ions
      was developed using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated with glycol chitosan
      (GC). The Fe3+ ion coordinates with the oxygen atoms of GC in a hexadentate
      manner (O-Fe3+-O), decreasing the interparticle distance and inducing
      aggregation. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry showed that the bound
      Fe3+ was coordinated to the oxygen atoms of the ethylene glycol in GC, which
      resulted in a significant color change from light red to dark midnight blue due
      to aggregation. Using this GC-AuNP probe, the quantitative determination of Fe3+
      in biological, environmental, and pharmaceutical samples could be achieved by the
      naked eye and spectrophotometric methods. Sensitive response and pronounced color
      change of the GC-AuNPs in the presence of Fe3+ were optimized at pH 6, 70 degrees
      C, and 300 mM NaCl concentration. The absorption intensity ratio (A700/A510)
      linearly correlated to the Fe3+ concentration in the linear range of 0-180 MUM.
      The limits of detection were 11.3, 29.2, and 46.0 nM for tap water, pond water,
      and iron supplement tablets, respectively. Owing to its facile and sensitive
      nature, this assay method for Fe3+ ions can be applied to the analysis of
      drinking water and pharmaceutical samples.

PMID- 28630784
TI  - Elemental Characterization of Romanian Crop Medicinal Plants by Neutron
      Activation Analysis.
AB  - The metallic elements concentrations of medicinal plants (coriander, dill,
      Echinacea, lavender, chamomile, mint, and plantain, used for phytopharmaceutical
      products), cultivated in unpolluted region, were analyzed by neutron activation
      analysis. The essential nutrients, macro-, micro-, and trace elements (K, Ca, Mg,
      Na, Fe, Mn, Rb, Sr, and Zn), potentially toxic elements (Al, As, Ba, Co, Sb, Cr,
      and V), and rare earth elements were monitored and were compared with those
      presented in the literature. An estimation of their contributions to intake and
      toxicity for a person was made, which revealed that (a) teas prepared from the
      examined plants represent useful contribution to the food provided intake of
      three essential macronutrients (K, Ca, and Mg); (b) the Cu, Mn, Rb, Sr, Zn, and
      rare earths levels are normal or low; (c) the quantities of As, Ba, Co, Sb, Cr,
      and V do not represent toxicological concerns; (d) the examination of the
      estimated Al and Fe quantities recovered in infusions in the conditions of usual
      daily tea consumption is below the Tolerable Daily Intake values. The strategy of
      cultivation of medicinal plants in unpolluted areas is efficient and beneficial.
      However, individual plants ability to concentrate preferentially certain elements
      suggests controlling the contamination level of raw materials.

PMID- 28630785
TI  - Assessment of Corneal Densitometry in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate corneal densitometry and anterior segment parameters of
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and compare these results with those of age
      matched healthy control subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anterior segment
      parameters and corneal densitometry of patients with RA and healthy control
      subjects were assessed by Scheimpflug corneal topography. For densitometry
      analysis, the 12-mm diameter area of the cornea was subdivided into four
      concentric radial zones and anterior, central, and posterior layers based on
      corneal depth. Right eyes of subjects were used for statistical analysis.
      RESULTS: Twenty-three consecutive patients with RA and 22 healthy control
      subjects were included in the study. There was no significant difference with
      regard to age (p=0.487) or gender (p=0.514). When anterior segment parameters of
      both groups were compared, no significant difference was found (p>0.05). Total
      corneal densitometry values were statistically higher in the RA group (p=0.030).
      In addition, when subdivisions of the cornea were evaluated, higher densitometry
      values were found in the RA group in 0-2 and 2-6 mm radial zones both in the
      anterior and total depth (p=0.001, p=0.003 for the 0-2 mm zone and p=0.002,
      p=0.009 for the 2-6 mm zone). Corneal densitometry measurement was not correlated
      with central corneal thickness or simulated keratometry value in RA patients or
      healthy control subjects. CONCLUSION: The corneal densitometry values were higher
      in RA patients when compared to healthy control subjects, even if they had
      clinically clear corneas. Corneal densitometry as an objective measure of corneal
      clarity warrants further studies in order to ascertain its clinical relevance in
      RA patients.

PMID- 28630786
TI  - Ophthoselfie: Detailed Self-imaging of Cornea and Anterior Segment by Smartphone.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the ophthoselfie, a method by which everyone can take
      detailed self-images of the cornea and anterior segment with a smartphone.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 90-diopter non-contact double aspheric lens was attached
      to posterior camera of the smartphone by clear tape. Images of one eye on the
      screen of the smartphone could be seen with the other eye in the mirror and
      images were taken. RESULTS: Accurate and detailed images of the cornea and
      anterior segment of the eye could be taken. CONCLUSION: The ophthoselfie allows
      everyone to take their own detailed anterior segment images by smartphone. To
      create a clear and detailed self-image of the cornea and anterior segment on the
      screen of a smartphone may lead to the development of new applications and
      facilitate patients' early recognition of certain conditions like keratoconus,
      refractive errors, corneal rejection, and uveitis. This method may also be useful
      in some urgent situations by allowing patients to take self-images of the eye and
      share them with a physician.

PMID- 28630787
TI  - Evaluation of Aflibercept Treatment Responses in Eyes with
      Bevacizumab/Ranibizumab-resistant Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate anatomic and functional results after switching from
      intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumab treatment to aflibercept for wet
      (neovascular) age-related macular degeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      retrospective study included 22 eyes of 22 patients resistant to treatment with
      at least 6 injections of bevacizumab or ranibizumab. The first three injections
      had been applied monthly, the others pro re nata (PRN). Outcome measures were
      follow-up period, injection number, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central
      retinal thickness (CRT) and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height. Dosing
      regimen of aflibercept was determined PRN. The patients were examined monthly. In
      all visits, BCVA and optical coherence tomography results were assessed together
      and injections were applied according to these findings. Patients with at least
      three months of follow-up were included in the study. RESULTS: Twenty-two eyes of
      22 patients treated with bevacizumab or ranibizumab were switched to aflibercept
      therapy. Seven patients had serous PED and 4 patients had fibrovascular PED. The
      mean follow-up periods for these groups were 20.59+/-6.76 months and 8.68+/-3.79
      months, respectively. The mean injection numbers were 10.5+/-3.61 vs 4.54+/-1.56.
      Statistically significant reductions were noted in CRT (533.86+/-164.06 um vs
      412.04+/-143.86 um, p<0.05). BCVA levels were almost equal before and after
      switching (0.18+/-0.17 vs 0.18+/-0.14). Serous and fibrovascular PED heights
      decreased suboptimally from 460+/-281.51 um to 282.42+/-175.76 um (p>0.05) for
      serous PEDs and 251.25+/-43.85 um to 225.75+/-73.09 um (p>0.05) for fibrovascular
      PEDs. CONCLUSION: Switching to aflibercept resulted in significant improvement in
      CRT, but not in BCVA or PED heights.

PMID- 28630788
TI  - Evaluation of Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer Thickness after Vitreoretinal
      Surgery with Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling in Cases with Idiopathic Macular
      Hole.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate macular retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer
      (GCIPL) thickness after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling
      for idiopathic macular holes using spectral domain optical coherence tomography
      (SD-OCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen eyes of 18 patients with unilateral
      idiopathic macular hole who underwent vitrectomy with ILM peeling were
      retrospectively analyzed. Healthy fellow eyes of the patients and 18 eyes of 18
      age-matched healthy individuals constituted the control group. The patients were
      evaluated at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after surgery. The best
      corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurements, biomicroscopic examination findings
      and SD-OCT measurements were recorded. Ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer
      thickness was evaluated with ganglion cell analysis software of Cirrus HD-OCT
      before surgery and at 1 month and 3 months after surgery and compared with
      control groups. Presence of dissociated optic nerve fiber layer (DONFL) was
      evaluated with C-scan mode. RESULTS: Of the 18 patients, 9 were male and 9 were
      female with a mean age of 65.6+/-5.6 (55-77) years. Preoperative BCVA was 0.75+/
      0.19 logMAR, while it was 0.44+/-0.17 logMAR and 0.36+/-0.15 logMAR at
      postoperative 1 and 3 months, respectively (p<0.001). Postoperative mean GCIPL
      thickness was 66.33+/-17.28 um. There was a correlation between mean GCIPL
      thickness and BCVA at postoperative 3 months (p<0.01). When compared with the
      control group, GCIPL thickness was significantly thinner in all quadrants of all
      patients at postoperative 3 months. Dissociated optic nerve fiber layer
      appearance was observed on C-scan in 13 of 18 eyes postoperatively. There was no
      correlation between the presence of DONFL and BCVA (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Internal
      limiting membrane peeling during macular hole surgery may cause functional and/or
      structural changes that may be associated with visual acuity. Significant GCIPL
      thinning and DONLF appearance may occur postoperatively.

PMID- 28630789
TI  - Efficacy of Intravitreal Bevacizumab in Treatment of Proliferative Type 2
      Idiopathic Juxtafoveal Telangiectasia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in
      patients with subretinal neovascularization secondary to type 2 juxtafoveal
      telangiectasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten eyes of 10 patients were included in
      this retrospective study. All cases were treated with IVB (1.25 mg bevacizumab).
      Visual acuity and slit-lamp anterior and posterior segment examinations were
      performed at each visit. Central macular thickness (CMT) and
      intraretinal/subretinal fluid were evaluated via spectral domain optical
      coherence tomography (OCT). Loss of a line in visual acuity chart and presence of
      fluid on OCT were defined as criteria for repeated treatment. RESULTS: The mean
      age of patients was 66.0+/-7.0 years (56-75). The mean follow-up time was 54.7+/
      16.0 month (24-72). The mean BCVA was 0.62+/-0.35 (0.00-1.00) logMAR at baseline
      and 0.54+/-0.35 (0.00-1.00) logMAR at final exam (p=0.03). The mean CMT was 251+/
      25.4 um at baseline and 239+/-39.3 um at final exam (p=0.01). Patients received
      an average of 1.7+/-1.0 IVB injections during follow-up. At baseline, all cases
      had intraretinal/subretinal fluid. There was no fluid at final examination of all
      cases. CONCLUSION: IVB treatment may be effective in the treatment of subretinal
      neovascularization secondary to type 2 juxtafoveal telangiectasia.

PMID- 28630790
TI  - Rehabilitation of Eyelid Malpositions Secondary to Facial Palsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate patient satisfaction and outcomes of surgical treatment
      of eyelid malpositions secondary to facial palsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Consecutive patients with facial palsy who underwent surgical treatment by the
      same surgeon at Izmir Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research
      Hospital between Jan 2007 and Dec 2012 were included in the study. Ophthalmic
      examination findings, surgical approaches, and their outcomes were evaluated. A
      successful result for upper eyelid position was defined as more than 50%
      reduction in lagophthalmos and induction of less than 2 mm of ptosis. A
      successful outcome for lower eyelid position was defined as the lower eyelid
      residing at or within 1 mm above or below the limbus. Linear visual analog scale
      1 (VAS-1) (subjective complaints) and VAS-2 (cosmetic outcome), both ranging from
      0 to 10, were used to compare preoperative findings with findings at last
      postoperative visit. RESULTS: The mean age of the 14 female and 21 male patients
      was 54.5+/-19.9 years. Gold weight implantation (n=31), lateral tarsal strip
      (n=22), tarsorrhaphy (n=15), suborbicularis oculi fat elevation (n=16), hard
      palate graft (n=14), and eyebrow ptosis repair (n=6) were performed. Average
      follow-up time was 17.9+/-16.9 months (range, 2-60). Surgical success rates were
      90% for upper lids and 75% for lower lids. Mean lagophthalmos decreased from
      7.1+/-2.7 mm to 1.6+/-1.6 mm postoperatively (p=0.000). The use of lubricating
      drops and gels was reduced from average preoperative daily values of 5.3+/-2.5
      drops and 1.3+/-0.6 gel applications to 4.4+/-1.4 and 0.6+/-0.6, respectively
      (p=0.003, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: An individualized surgical approach tailored
      according to each patient's severity of facial palsy and associated malpositions
      resulted in both functional and aesthetic improvements in our patients.

PMID- 28630791
TI  - Corticosteroid Treatment in Diabetic Macular Edema.
AB  - Diabetic macular edema is the most common cause of visual impairment in patients
      with diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of macular edema is complex and
      multifactorial. For many years, laser photocoagulation has been considered the
      standard therapy for the treatment of diabetic macular edema; however, few
      patients achieve significant improvements in visual acuity. Today the
      intravitreal administration of anti-inflammatory or anti-angiogenic agents
      together with the use of laser photocoagulation represents the standard of care
      for the treatment of this complication. The intravitreal route of administration
      minimizes the systemic side effects of corticosteroids. Steroid-related ocular
      side effects are elevated intraocular pressure and cataract, while injection
      related complications include endophthalmitis, vitreous hemorrhage, and retinal
      detachment. In order to reduce the risks and complications, intravitreal implants
      have been developed recently to provide sustained release of corticosteroids and
      reduce repeated injections for the management of diabetic macular edema. In this
      review, the efficacy, safety, and therapeutic potential of intravitreal
      corticosteroids in diabetic macular edema are discussed with a review of recent
      literature.

PMID- 28630792
TI  - Corneal Collagen Crosslinking Treatment in a Case with Pneumococcal Keratitis.
AB  - Bacterial keratitis is a serious ocular infectious disease that can threaten
      vision. The disease generally progresses rapidly and can lead to corneal scar,
      stromal abscess formation, perforation, and dissemination to adjacent tissues if
      not treated properly. Recent studies showed that corneal collagen crosslinking
      (CCC) using ultraviolet-A/riboflavin is effective in the treatment of bacterial
      keratitis refractory to topical antibiotic treatment. In addition to being
      bactericidal, CCC also decreases risk of perforation by strengthening the corneal
      collagen structure. Herein, we report a male patient with Streptococcus pneumonia
      keratitis 6 months after a keratoplasty procedure, which did not respond to
      fortified topical antibiotic therapy and was treated successfully with
      riboflavin/ultraviolet-A CCC. His pain decreased remarkably in a few days. The
      corneal epithelial defect healed and infiltration regressed within 2 weeks after
      CCC. His vision improved significantly from hand movement to 20/400. CCC might be
      used as adjuvant treatment in bacterial keratitis refractory to medical
      treatment.

PMID- 28630793
TI  - Bilaterally Diffuse Lacrimal Gland Involvement: Initial Presentation of Systemic
      Sarcoidosis.
AB  - Orbital involvement in systemic sarcoidosis is a rare condition. We report a case
      of orbital sarcoidosis with bilaterally huge lacrimal gland involvement as the
      initial manifestation of systemic sarcoidosis. A 20-year-old woman admitted the
      ophthalmology department with progressive bilateral upper eyelid swelling for 6
      months. The only pathologic finding was the presence of bilateral, symmetrical,
      solid, lobular masses at the lateral upper eyelids at the location of lacrimal
      glands. On systemic examination, bilateral parotid and submandibular glands
      appeared swollen. Magnetic resonance imaging of the orbit revealed bilateral
      symmetrical diffuse enlargement of the lacrimal glands with maximum and minimum
      thickness of 11 mm and 7 mm, respectively. The biopsy findings were compatible
      with sarcoidosis. Although lacrimal gland involvement has been reported in
      different studies, we for the first time report an unusual case with bilateral
      diffuse huge lacrimal gland involvement. Normal lacrimal gland thickness is
      approximately 4-5 mm in magnetic resonance imaging, while our case had bilateral
      diffuse enlargement of lacrimal glands, which showed maximum and minimum
      thickness of 11 mm and 7 mm, respectively. Although orbital involvement is
      uncommon in sarcoidosis, it should be remembered in the differential diagnosis of
      orbital masses.

PMID- 28630794
TI  - A Case of Presumed Tuberculosis Uveitis with Occlusive Vasculitis from an Endemic
      Region.
AB  - In this report, we present a case with presumed unilateral tuberculosis uveitis
      from an endemic region. A 23-year-old male presented with decreased vision in his
      left eye for 15 days. Visual acuities were 1.0 in his right eye and 0.3 in his
      left eye. Ophthalmologic examination was normal for the right eye. Slit-lamp
      examination revealed 2+ cells in the vitreous without anterior chamber reaction
      in his left eye. Fundus examination revealed occlusive vasculitis and granuloma.
      His history revealed that he had a respiratory infection with fever 3 months ago
      while visiting his native country, Rwanda, and was treated with non-specific
      antibiotic therapy. His visual symptom started 2 weeks after his systemic
      symptoms resolved. Laboratory findings included 15 mm induration in purified
      protein derivative tuberculin skin test, HIV negativity, and parenchymal lesions
      in chest X-ray. Bronchoalveolar lavage was negative for acid-fast bacillus. A
      pulmonary disease consultant reported presumed tuberculosis because of the
      patient's history. Anti-tuberculosis treatment was initiated. The patient's
      visual acuity improved rapidly and his signs regressed. A careful history should
      be taken from patients with uveitis. Travel to tuberculosis-endemic areas may be
      important for diagnosis and should be asked about directly.

PMID- 28630795
TI  - Efficacy of Oral Valacyclovir Treatment in a Case with Acute Retinal Necrosis.
AB  - Acute retinal necrosis (ARN) is a rapidly progressive disease with poor
      prognosis, leading to visual loss in most cases. Rapid diagnosis and early anti
      viral treatment significantly affect the course and prognosis of the disease. In
      this case report, we present a 34-year-old female patient referred to our clinic
      with symptoms of blurred vision and ocular pain diagnosed as acute glaucoma
      elsewhere. A clinical diagnosis of ARN was made and anti-viral treatment was
      started immediately. We herein describe our treatment approach to this particular
      case and discuss previously reported treatment modalities.

PMID- 28630796
TI  - Von Hippel-Lindau Disease: The Importance of Retinal Hemangioblastomas in
      Diagnosis.
AB  - Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a familial cancer syndrome characterized by
      benign or malignant tumors which may involve more than one system. Retinal
      hemangioblastomas are usually the initial manifestation of VHL disease and can
      cause vision loss. A 32-year-old man presented to our clinic with vision loss in
      the left eye for 2 months. He had a history of cerebral hemangioblastoma
      operation. Family history showed that his mother had unilateral vision loss and
      died because of renal cell carcinoma. Ophthalmologic examination revealed
      multiple retinal hemangioblastomas in both eyes. VHL gene sequencing was
      performed and heterozygous p.R161X mutation was detected. His sister and daughter
      were also found to have the same variant. A treatment and follow-up plan was
      initiated for the patient and affected family members. Considering VHL disease in
      the differential diagnosis of retinal hemangioblastomas has a very important role
      in the early detection of life-threatening tumors in these patients.

PMID- 28630797
TI  - Spontaneous Resolution of Optic Disc Pit Maculopathy.

PMID- 28630799
TI  - Optimized process for fabrication of free-standing silicon nanophotonic devices.
AB  - A detailed procedure is presented for fabrication of free-standing silicon
      photonic devices that accurately reproduces design dimensions while minimizing
      surface roughness. By reducing charging effects during inductively coupled-plasma
      reactive ion etching, undercutting in small, high-aspect ratio openings is
      reduced. Slot structures with a width as small as 40 nm and an aspect ratio of
      5.5:1 can be produced with a nearly straight, vertical sidewall profile.
      Subsequent removal of an underlying sacrificial silicon dioxide layer by wet
      etching to create free-standing devices is performed under conditions which
      suppress attack of the silicon. Slotted one-dimensional photonic crystal cavities
      are used as sensitive test structures to demonstrate that performance
      specifications can be reached without iteratively adapting design dimensions;
      optical resonance frequencies are within 1% of the simulated values and quality
      factors on the order of 105 are routinely attained.

PMID- 28630798
TI  - The role of cullin4B in human cancers.
AB  - Cullin 4B (CUL4B) is a scaffold of the Cullin4B-Ring E3 ligase complex (CRL4B)
      that plays an important role in proteolysis and is implicated in tumorigenesis.
      Aberrant expression of CUL4B has been reported in various types of human
      diseases. Recently, studies have shown that CUL4B was overexpressed in a
      multitude of solid neoplasms and affect the expression of several tumor
      suppressor genes. In this review, we aim to summarize the biological function of
      CUL4B in order to better understand its pathogenesis in human cancers.

PMID- 28630800
TI  - Taxonomic richness and abundance of cryptic peracarid crustaceans in the Puerto
      Morelos Reef National Park, Mexico.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cryptic peracarids are an important component of the coral
      reef fauna in terms of diversity and abundance, yet they have been poorly
      studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the taxonomic richness and
      abundance of cryptic peracarids in coral rubble in the Puerto Morelos Reef
      National Park, Mexico (PMRNP), and their relationship with depth. METHODS: Three
      reef sites were selected: (1) Bonanza, (2) Bocana, and (3) Jardines. At each site
      six kilograms of coral rubble were collected over four sampling periods at three
      depths: 3 m (back-reef), 6-8 m (fore-reef), and 10-12 m (fore-reef). RESULTS: A
      total of 8,887 peracarid crustaceans belonging to 200 taxa distributed over five
      orders and 63 families was obtained; 70% of the taxa were identified to species
      and 25% to genus level. Fifty species of those collected represent new records
      for the Mexican Caribbean Sea. Isopoda was the most speciose order while
      Tanaidacea was the most abundant. DISCUSSION: Cryptic peracarid taxonomic
      richness and abundance were related to depth with higher values of both
      parameters being found in the shallow (3 m) back-reef, possibly due to a higher
      reef development and a greater accumulation of coral rubble produced during
      hurricanes. Peracarid data obtained in the present study can be used as a
      baseline for future monitoring programs in the PMRNP.

PMID- 28630801
TI  - Characterization of the transcriptome and EST-SSR development in Boea clarkeana,
      a desiccation-tolerant plant endemic to China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Desiccation-tolerant (DT) plants can recover full metabolic
      competence upon rehydration after losing most of their cellular water (>95%) for
      extended periods of time. Functional genomic approaches such as transcriptome
      sequencing can help us understand how DT plants survive and respond to
      dehydration, which has great significance for plant biology and improving the
      drought tolerance of crops. Boea clarkeana Hemsl. (Gesneriaceae) is a DT
      dicotyledonous herb. Its genomic sequences characteristics remain unknown. Based
      on transcriptomic analyses, polymorphic EST-SSR (simple sequence repeats in
      expressed sequence tags) molecular primers can be designed, which will greatly
      facilitate further investigations of the population genetics and demographic
      histories of DT plants. METHODS: In the present study, we used the platform
      Illumina HiSeqTM2000 and de novo assembly technology to obtain leaf
      transcriptomes of B. clarkeana and conducted a BLASTX alignment of the sequencing
      data and protein databases for sequence classification and annotation. Then,
      based on the sequence information, the EST-SSR markers were developed, and the
      functional annotation of ESTs containing polymorphic SSRs were obtained through
      BLASTX. RESULTS: A total of 91,449 unigenes were generated from the leaf cDNA
      library of B. clarkeana. Based on a sequence similarity search with a known
      protein database, 72,087 unigenes were annotated. Among the annotated unigenes, a
      total of 71,170 unigenes showed significant similarity to the known proteins of
      463 popular model species in the Nr database, and 59,962 unigenes and 32,336
      unigenes were assigned to Gene Ontology (GO) classifications and Cluster of
      Orthologous Groups (COG), respectively. In addition, 44,924 unigenes were mapped
      in 128 KEGG pathways. Furthermore, a total of 7,610 unigenes with 8,563
      microsatellites were found. Seventy-four primer pairs were selected from 436
      primer pairs designed for polymorphism validation. SSRs with higher polymorphism
      rates were concentrated on dinucleotides, pentanucleotides and hexanucleotides.
      Finally, 17 pairs with stable, highly polymorphic loci were selected for
      polymorphism screening. There was a total of 65 alleles, with 2-6 alleles at each
      locus. Primarily due to the unique biological characteristics of plants, the HE
      (0-0.196), HO (0.082-0.14) and PIC (0-0.155) per locus were very low. The
      functional annotation distribution centered on ESTs containing di- and tri
      nucleotide SSRs, and the ESTs containing primers BC2, BC4 and BC12 were annotated
      to vegetative dehydration/desiccation pathways. DISCUSSION: This work is the
      first genetic study of B. clarkeana as a new plant resource of DT genes. A
      substantial number of transcriptome sequences were generated in this study. These
      sequences are valuable resources for gene annotation and discovery as well as
      molecular marker development. These sequences could also provide a valuable basis
      for future molecular studies of B. clarkeana.

PMID- 28630802
TI  - Effects of a wind farm installation on the understory bat community of a highly
      biodiverse tropical region in Mexico.
AB  - Wind energy has rapidly become an important alternative among renewable energies,
      and it is generally considered clean. However, little is known about its impact
      at the level of ecological communities, especially in biodiversity hotspots. The
      Isthmus of Tehuantepec is a highly biodiverse region in Mesoamerica, and has the
      highest potential for generating wind energy in Mexico. To assess the effects of
      installing a wind farm on the understory bat community in a landscape of
      fragmented habitat, we assessed its diversity and composition over four stages of
      installation (site preparation, construction, and two stages of operation). We
      captured 919 bats belonging to 22 species. Species richness, functional diversity
      and phylogenetic diversity decreased during construction and the first stage of
      operation. However, these components of biodiversity increased during the second
      stage of operation, and species composition began to resemble that of the site
      preparation stage. No species considered as sensitive to disturbance was recorded
      at any stage. This is the first study to reveal the diversity of a Neotropical
      bat community after wind turbines begin to operate.

PMID- 28630803
TI  - Putative archaeal viruses from the mesopelagic ocean.
AB  - Oceanic viruses that infect bacteria, or phages, are known to modulate host
      diversity, metabolisms, and biogeochemical cycling, while the viruses that infect
      marine Archaea remain understudied despite the critical ecosystem roles played by
      their hosts. Here we introduce "MArVD", for Metagenomic Archaeal Virus Detector,
      an annotation tool designed to identify putative archaeal virus contigs in
      metagenomic datasets. MArVD is made publicly available through the online iVirus
      analytical platform. Benchmarking analysis of MArVD showed it to be >99% accurate
      and 100% sensitive in identifying the 127 known archaeal viruses among the 12,499
      viruses in the VirSorter curated dataset. Application of MArVD to 10 viral
      metagenomes from two depth profiles in the Eastern Tropical North Pacific (ETNP)
      oxygen minimum zone revealed 43 new putative archaeal virus genomes and large
      genome fragments ranging in size from 10 to 31 kb. Network-based classifications,
      which were consistent with marker gene phylogenies where available, suggested
      that these putative archaeal virus contigs represented six novel candidate
      genera. Ecological analyses, via fragment recruitment and ordination, revealed
      that the diversity and relative abundances of these putative archaeal viruses
      were correlated with oxygen concentration and temperature along two OMZ-spanning
      depth profiles, presumably due to structuring of the host Archaea community. Peak
      viral diversity and abundances were found in surface waters, where Thermoplasmata
      16S rRNA genes are prevalent, suggesting these archaea as hosts in the surface
      habitats. Together these findings provide a baseline for identifying archaeal
      viruses in sequence datasets, and an initial picture of the ecology of such
      viruses in non-extreme environments.

PMID- 28630804
TI  - Diversity analysis of gut microbiota in osteoporosis and osteopenia patients.
AB  - Some evidence suggests that bone health can be regulated by gut microbiota. To
      better understand this, we performed 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing to analyze the
      intestinal microbial diversity in primary osteoporosis (OP) patients, osteopenia
      (ON) patients and normal controls (NC). We observed an inverse correlation
      between the number of bacterial taxa and the value of bone mineral density. The
      diversity estimators in the OP and ON groups were increased compared with those
      in the NC group. Beta diversity analyses based on hierarchical clustering and
      principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) could discriminate the NC samples from OP
      and ON samples. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria
      constituted the four dominant phyla in all samples. Proportion of Firmicutes was
      significantly higher and Bacteroidetes was significantly lower in OP samples than
      that in NC samples (p < 0.05), Gemmatimonadetes and Chloroflexi were
      significantly different between OP and NC group as well as between ON and NC
      group (p < 0.01). A total of 21 genera with proportions above 1% were detected
      and Bacteroides accounted for the largest proportion in all samples. The Blautia,
      Parabacteroides and Ruminococcaceae genera differed significantly between the OP
      and NC group (p < 0.05). Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) results showed one
      phylum community and seven phylum communities were enriched in ON and OP,
      respectively. Thirty-five genus communities, five genus communities and two genus
      communities were enriched in OP, ON and NC, respectively. The results of this
      study indicate that gut microbiota may be a critical factor in osteoporosis
      development, which can further help us search for novel biomarkers of gut
      microbiota in OP and understand the interaction between gut microbiota and bone
      health.

PMID- 28630805
TI  - Dermatitis Herpetiformis as the Initial Presentation of Primary Biliary
      Cholangitis in a Male with Gluten Sensitivity.
AB  - Celiac disease is commonly associated with elevated liver enzymes that normalize
      on a gluten-free diet. Celiac disease is rarely described in patients with
      primary biliary cholangitis. Dermatitis herpetiformis is the skin manifestation
      of the celiac disease that is very rarely associated with primary biliary
      cirrhosis. We present the case of a 62-year-old man who presented with severe
      chronic pruritus, in whom a diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis was made
      initially. However, in the presence of atypical skin lesions, not confirming to
      chronic cholestasis, an in-depth evaluation including histopathological
      examination led to the diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis associated with
      gluten sensitivity. Gluten-free diet and medical treatment with dapsone led to
      beneficial clinical outcomes.

PMID- 28630807
TI  - An Overview of Food Patterns and Diet Quality in Qatar: Findings from the
      National Household Income Expenditure Survey.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Availability of accurate data pertaining to a population's dietary
      patterns and associated health outcomes is critical for proper development and
      implementation of related policies. This article is a first attempt to share the
      food patterns, amounts and diet quality among households (HH) in Qatar. METHODS:
      Data from the 2012-2013 Qatar National Household Income and Expenditure Survey
      (HIES) was used. This cross-sectional survey included 3723 HH (1826 Qatari HH and
      1897 non-Qatari HH). Dietary data on monthly amounts food items available at HH
      according to the nationality was used. The food items were expressed in terms of
      grams per capita per day and aggregated into groups to examine the food patterns,
      energy, and adequacy. RESULTS: The overall average amount of purchased food at HH
      in Qatar was 1885 g/capita/day. Qatari HH purchased more food (2118 g/capita/day)
      versus non-Qataris (1373 g/capita/day); however, the percentages of the amounts
      purchased by food types were similar among both nationalities. Average daily
      energy (kcal) per capita was almost double among Qatari HH (4275 kcal) vs. non
      Qatari HH (2424 kcal). The food items under subsidy program for Qatari citizens
      provided 1753 kcal/capita/day and accounted for 41% of total daily energy.
      Proteins (29.2), fats (39.2), sodium (3.3), and vitamin C (32.5) had higher than
      recommended levels of nutrient density (grams per 1000 kcal). Calcium (227),
      vitamin A (302.3), fiber (2.0), and carbohydrates (132.6) had lower than
      recommended levels of nutrient energy density (g/1000 kcal). CONCLUSIONS: The
      study predicts unhealthy dietary habits among HH in Qatar and provides useful
      information for policy makers and healthcare community.

PMID- 28630806
TI  - Prevalence and Barriers to Lung Cancer Screening in Karachi, Pakistan: A Cross
      Sectional Survey of Smokers and Physicians.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early detection of lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography
      (LDCT) can potentially reduce morbidity and mortality. However, LDCT for lung
      cancer screening, especially in low income countries, has been underutilized. The
      objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the potential
      personal, social, and economic barriers of lung cancer screening using LDCT.
      METHODS: A total sample of 156 smokers and 200 general physicians was collected
      during December 2016-February 2017 from community settings in Karachi, Pakistan.
      Two separate questionnaires were constructed to characterize participants'
      knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding lung cancer screening. Screening
      eligible smokers and physicians were asked to identify patient barriers to
      screening and were asked their opinion regarding most effective approach for
      increasing awareness of screening guidelines. RESULTS: The majority of smokers'
      (n=91, 58.3%) and physicians' (n=131, 65.7%) beliefs about the US Preventive
      Services Task Force (USPSTF) eligibility criteria were inconsistent with the
      actual recommendations. Major barriers to screening included financial cost, lack
      of patient counseling and health anxiety related to screening. Over two-thirds
      (n=105, 67.3%) of smokers were receptive to further information about LDCT
      screening, and half (n=78, 50.0%) favored one-on-one counseling by their
      physician, compared to other media. Only one-third (n=65, 33.3%) of physicians
      reported use of LDCT screening, although 54.5% (n=108) felt that screening
      implementation would be very effective in their practice. CONCLUSION: LDCT
      screening is currently an uncommon practice in Pakistan. Financial cost,
      inadequate doctor-patient communication, and lack of awareness of guidelines
      among both patients and physicians are the major barriers in the utilization of
      LDCT screening.

PMID- 28630808
TI  - Management of Acute Uncomplicated Diverticulitis May Exclude Antibiotic Therapy.
AB  - Diverticulitis is a common ailment that is prevalent in the developed world. As
      such, the management of diverticulitis places a substantial economic burden on
      healthcare. Research is ongoing to further elucidate both the pathogenesis of the
      disease, as well as ways to reduce associated expenditures. One of these emerging
      areas of research calls into question the use of antibiotics during treatment of
      acute uncomplicated diverticulitis. Current guidelines are largely based on
      expert opinion, with little evidence supporting the standard practice of
      antibiotic therapy. In this literature review, we have compiled and analyzed the
      latest collection of evidence in managing acute uncomplicated diverticulitis.
      There have been two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) performed that assessed
      the possibility of treating acute uncomplicated diverticulitis without
      antibiotics. Both the Antibiotika Vid Okomplicerad Divertikulit (AVOD) study and
      Daniels, et al. have found that an observational approach to acute uncomplicated
      diverticulitis is not inferior to antibiotic treatment and does not result in
      increased complication or recurrence rates. We also reviewed a single-center
      cohort study, a prospective observational study, and two retrospective case
      controlled studies comparing observational management versus antibiotic treatment
      in patients with acute uncomplicated diverticulitis. We found the results were
      comparable; there was no difference in complication rates or recurrence in any
      study. The consensus among the studies reviewed challenges the current practice
      guidelines issued by the American Gastroenterological Association. However, given
      the geographical difference in diverticular disease and inherent bias found in
      these studies, we cannot recommend a modification of the guidelines. Based on
      this literature review, we feel compelled to suggest, and strongly recommend,
      further research be conducted in the United States in order to bolster the
      already significant evidence against antibiotic therapy in acute uncomplicated
      diverticulitis.

PMID- 28630809
TI  - Technical Report of the Use of a Novel Eye Tracking System to Measure Impairment
      Associated with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
AB  - This technical report details the results of an uncontrolled study of EyeGuide
      Focus, a 10-second concussion management tool which relies on eye tracking to
      determine the potential impairment of visual attention, an indicator often of
      mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Essentially, people who can visually keep
      steady and accurate attention on a moving object in their environment likely
      suffer from no impairment. However, if after a potential mTBI event, subjects
      cannot keep attention on a moving object in a normal way as demonstrated on their
      previous healthy baseline tests. This may indicate possible neurological
      impairment. Now deployed at multiple locations across the United States, Focus
      (EyeGuide, Lubbock, Texas, United States) to date, has recorded more than 4,000
      test scores. Our data analysis of these results shows the promise of Focus as a
      low-cost, ocular-based impairment test for assessing potential neurological
      impairment caused by mTBI in subjects ages eight and older.

PMID- 28630810
TI  - Negative Ion Mode Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Hydroxy-Terminated
      Polydimethylsiloxanes Formed upon in situ Methanolysis.
AB  - Ethoxy-, methoxy- and hydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) are formed
      as the result of the methanolysis of diethoxy-ended PDMS during its infusion in
      electrospray ionization. The negative ion mode permits only hydroxy-ended
      products to be detected, and isomeric interference is avoided in single stage and
      tandem mass spectrometry. The routes for the fragmentation of (ethyl, hydroxy)-,
      (methyl, hydroxy)- and (hydro, hydroxy)-ended PDMS upon collision activated
      dissociation (CAD) were explored in the negative ion mode using either formate or
      acetate anion adduction. Symmetrical (hydro, hydroxy)-ended PDMS decomposed to
      product ions carrying one of the hydroxy terminations through the abstraction of
      an acidic hydrogen and depolymerization (expulsion of cyclic neutral species)
      regardless of the adducted anion. Asymmetric (ethyl, hydroxy)-ended (resp.
      (methyl, hydroxy)-ended) PDMS yielded both ethoxy-ended (resp. methoxy-ended)
      fragment ions through the abstraction of the only acidic hydrogens and linear
      product ions carrying both terminations still interacted with the anion. The
      production of information-rich ethoxy-ended (resp. methoxy-ended) fragment ions
      was limited by formate but favored when acetate (higher proton affinity) was used
      in a CAD fingerprint complementary to the positive ion mode.

PMID- 28630811
TI  - Development of a Branched Radio-Frequency Ion Trap for Electron Based
      Dissociation and Related Applications.
AB  - Collision-induced dissociation (CID) is the most common tool for molecular
      analysis in mass spectrometry to date. However, there are difficulties associated
      with many applications because CID does not provide sufficient information to
      permit details of the molecular structures to be elucidated, including post
      translational-modifications in proteomics, as well as isomer differentiation in
      metabolomics and lipidomics. To face these challenges, we are developing fast
      electron-based dissociation devices using a novel radio-frequency ion trap (i.e.,
      a branched ion trap). These devices have the ability to perform electron capture
      dissociation (ECD) on multiply protonated peptide/proteins; in addition, the
      electron impact excitation of ions from organics (EIEIO) can be also performed on
      singly charged molecules using such a device. In this article, we review the
      development of this technology, in particular on how reaction speed for EIEIO
      analyses on singly charged ions can be improved. We also overview some unique,
      recently reported applications in both lipidomics and glycoproteomics.

PMID- 28630812
TI  - Molecular properties of a DTD channelrhodopsin from Guillardia theta.
AB  - Microbial rhodopsins are membrane proteins found widely in archaea, eubacteria
      and eukaryotes (fungal and algal species). They have various functions, such as
      light-driven ion pumps, light-gated ion channels, light sensors and light
      activated enzymes. A light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (BR) contains a
      DTD motif at positions 85, 89, and 96, which is unique to archaeal proton pumps.
      Recently, channelrhodopsins (ChRs) containing the DTD motif, whose sequential
      identity is ~20% similar to BR and to cation ChRs in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
      (CrCCRs), were found. While extensive studies on ChRs have been performed with
      CrCCR2, the molecular properties of DTD ChRs remain an intrigue. In this paper,
      we studied a DTD rhodopsin from G. theta (GtCCR4) using electrophysiological
      measurements, flash photolysis, and low-temperature difference FTIR spectroscopy.
      Electrophysiological measurements clearly showed that GtCCR4 functions as a light
      gated cation channel, similar to other G. theta DTD ChRs (GtCCR1-3). Light-driven
      proton pump activity was also suggested for GtCCR4. Both electrophysiological and
      flash photolysis experiments showed that channel closing occurs upon
      reprotonation of the Schiff base, suggesting that the dynamics of retinal and
      channels are tightly coupled in GtCCR4. From Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)
      spectroscopy at 77 K, we found that the primary reaction is an all-trans to a 13
      cis photoisomerization, like other microbial rhodopsins, although perturbations
      in the secondary structure were much smaller in GtCCR4 than in CrCCR2.

PMID- 28630813
TI  - Mutations in the SH1 helix alter the thermal properties of myosin II.
AB  - The myosin II SH1 helix is a joint that links the converter subdomain to the rest
      of the myosin motor domain and possibly plays a key role in the arrangement of
      the converter/lever arm. Several point mutations within the SH1 helix in human
      myosin IIs have been shown to cause diseases. To reveal whether these SH1 helix
      mutations affect not only motile activities but also thermal properties of myosin
      II, here we introduced the E683K or R686C point mutation into the SH1 helix in
      Dictyostelium myosin II. Thermal inactivation as well as thermal aggregation
      rates of these mutant proteins demonstrated that these mutations decreased the
      thermal stability of myosin II. Temperature dependence of sliding velocities of
      actin filaments showed that these mutations also reduced the activation energy of
      a rate-limiting process involved in actin movement. Given that these mutations
      are likely to alter coupling between the subdomains, and thus their thermal
      fluctuations, we propose that the SH1 helix is a key structural element that
      determines the flexibility and thermal properties of the myosin motor. These
      characteristics of the SH1 helix may contribute to the pathogenesis of the human
      diseases caused by mutations within this structural element.

PMID- 28630814
TI  - Normative Emotional Responses to Behavior Analysis Jargon or How Not to Use Words
      to Win Friends and Influence People.
AB  - It has been suggested that non-experts regard the jargon of behavior analysis as
      abrasive, harsh, and unpleasant. If this is true, excessive reliance on jargon
      could interfere with the dissemination of effective services. To address this
      often discussed but rarely studied issue, we consulted a large, public domain
      list of English words that have been rated by members of the general public for
      the emotional reactions they evoke. Selected words that behavior analysts use as
      technical terms were compared to selected words that are commonly used to discuss
      general science, general clinical work, and behavioral assessment. There was a
      tendency for behavior analysis terms to register as more unpleasant than other
      kinds of professional terms and also as more unpleasant than English words
      generally. We suggest possible reasons for this finding, discuss its relevance to
      the challenge of deciding how to communicate with consumers who do not yet
      understand or value behavior analysis, and advocate for systematic research to
      guide the marketing of behavior analysis.

PMID- 28630815
TI  - Acquisition and Generalization of Complex Empathetic Responses Among Children
      with Autism.
AB  - Empathy can be defined as a social interaction skill that consists of four
      components: (1) a statement voiced in the (2) appropriate intonation, accompanied
      by a (3) facial expression and (4) gesture that correspond to the affect of
      another individual. A multiple-baseline across response categories experimental
      design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a prompt sequence (video
      modeling, in vivo modeling, manual and verbal prompting) and reinforcement to
      increase the frequency of complex empathetic responding by four children with
      autism. The number of complex empathetic responses increased systematically with
      the successive introduction of the treatment package. Additionally,
      generalization was demonstrated to untaught stimuli and a novel adult. Responding
      maintained over time to varying degrees for all participants. The data illustrate
      that children with autism can be taught using modeling, prompting, and
      reinforcement to discriminate between categories of affective stimuli and
      differentially respond with complex empathetic responses.

PMID- 28630816
TI  - The Effects of an Auditory Matching iPad App on Three Preschoolers' Echoic and
      Listener Responses.
AB  - We investigated the effects of an auditory match-to-sample protocol on three
      preschoolers' accurate echoics to 100 English words and advanced listener
      responses. The protocol was presented by using an iPad app Sounds the same: an
      app to target listening and speaking clearly. We used a combination of a multiple
      probe design (for echoic responses) and a delayed multiple probe design (for
      advanced listener literacy responses) with a time-lagged baseline across
      participants to test the effectiveness of the protocol. The three participants
      ranged from 4 to 5 years old and were all diagnosed as preschoolers with
      disabilities. They were taught to discriminate between positive and negative
      exemplars of progressively more difficult sounds, words, and phases by matching
      the sample stimulus to the matching exemplar. Our data show that the mastery of
      the intervention resulted in increases in the accuracy of the participants'
      articulation of their echoics, as well as their advanced listener repertoires as
      measured by the responses to spoken directions in the presence of visual
      distractors.

PMID- 28630817
TI  - An Abbreviated Evaluation of the Efficiency of Listener and Tact Instruction for
      Children with Autism.
AB  - We assessed the efficiency of tact and listener training for eight participants
      with autism spectrum disorder. Tact and listener probes were conducted in
      baseline for all target sets, and then tact training was initiated with one and
      listener training with another. Following mastery of one set, tact and listener
      probes were conducted with only the sets assigned to the same modality of
      training (i.e., sets 1, 3, and 5 for tact; sets 2, 4, and 6 for listener).
      Training and probes were repeated for all sets. The measures of efficiency
      included the number of skills mastered through direct training, the number of
      skills that emerged without training, the number of trials-to-criterion, and
      maintenance of skills. Clinical programming based on each participant's results
      is discussed. For six participants, tact training was more efficient than
      listener training across multiple measures. For the remaining two participants,
      tact training and listener training were considered equivalent.

PMID- 28630818
TI  - Ethical Considerations for Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Prescribing
      Professionals.
AB  - Behavior analysts often work as part of an interdisciplinary team, and different
      team members may prescribe different interventions for a single client. One such
      intervention that is commonly encountered is a change in medication. Changes in
      medication regimens have the potential to alter behavior in a number of ways. As
      such, it is important for all team members to be aware of every intervention and
      to consider how different interventions may interact with each other. These facts
      make regular and clear communication among team members vital for treatment
      success. While working as part of an interdisciplinary team, behavior analysts
      must abide by their ethics code, which sometimes means advocating for their
      client with the rest of the team. This article will review some possible
      implications of medicinal interventions, potential ethical issues that can arise,
      and a case study from the authors' experience. Finally, the authors propose a
      decision-making tree that can aid in determining the best course of action when a
      team member proposes an intervention in addition to, or concurrent with,
      interventions proposed by the behavior analyst.

PMID- 28630819
TI  - Concerns About the Registered Behavior TechnicianTM in Relation to Effective
      Autism Intervention.
AB  - In 2014, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB(r)) initiated a program
      for credentialing behavior technicians. The new credential, Registered Behavior
      TechnicianTM (RBT(r)), is for providers of behavioral intervention to a wide
      range of individuals with mental health needs and developmental delays, including
      individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The RBT(r) would
      represent the entry-level position within the range of the BACB(r) credentials.
      Despite the increasing acceptance of this newest level of credential from the
      behavioral community, the authors of this paper have substantial concerns with
      the RBT(r) credential as it relates to the delivery of intervention to
      individuals diagnosed with ASD. The purpose of this paper is to detail these
      concerns and propose remedies that would ensure that individuals diagnosed with
      ASD receive effective behavioral intervention.

PMID- 28630820
TI  - The Registered Behavior TechnicianTM Credential: A Response to Leaf et al.
      (2017).

PMID- 28630821
TI  - Evaluation of Practice Trials to Increase Self-Drinking in a Child with a Feeding
      Disorder.
AB  - Self-drinking is an important skill for children to acquire as they transition
      from infancy to early childhood; however, the literature is limited (e.g.,
      Collins, Gast, Wolery, Holcombe, & Leatherby, 1991; Peterson, Volkert, & Zeleny,
      2015). We manipulated the consequences associated with self-drinking relative to
      those associated with being fed along the dimension of response effort. Results
      demonstrated that self-drinking increased when the child could either choose to
      self-feed one drink or be fed one drink and 5 practice trials with an empty cup.

PMID- 28630822
TI  - The Impact of Stimulus Presentation and Size on Preference.
AB  - The impact of stimulus size and presentation on choice during a preference
      assessment was investigated using a modified multiple-stimulus without
      replacement (MSWO) technique. Stimuli were either presented with a uniform
      magnitude, as determined by mass, or in a manner consistent with caregiver report
      of reinforcer consumption. While both assessment procedures identified the same
      top three preferred items in three out of five cases, greater variability in the
      preference rank of less preferred items was observed between assessments.

PMID- 28630823
TI  - Teaching On-Task Rollerblading and Ice-Skating to a Child with Autism.
AB  - The present study used a multi-component intervention package to teach on-task
      rollerblading and ice-skating to a boy with autism. Intervention consisted of
      response prompts, stimulus prompts, multiple-exemplar training, and a conditioned
      reinforcement system. The participant learned to remain on-task while
      rollerblading in a circular route marked by cones for up to 26 min. Both stimulus
      and response generalization of skating were demonstrated in a variety of non
      training settings, including ice-skating at a rink.

PMID- 28630824
TI  - Effects of Reinforcer Magnitude and Quality on Preference for Response-Reinforcer
      Arrangements in Young Children with Autism.
AB  - The present study evaluated the effects of reinforcer magnitude and quality on
      preference for continuous and discontinuous arrangements. Two preschool children
      with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participated in the study. Both participants
      initially preferred a discontinuous arrangement when choice options included the
      same quality and magnitude reinforcers; however, magnitude and quality
      manipulations resulted in a change in preference for continuous arrangements.

PMID- 28630825
TI  - Video Modeling Training Effects on Types of Attention Delivered by Educational
      Care-Providers.
AB  - We evaluated the effects of abbreviated (i.e., one-session) video modeling on
      delivery of student-preferred attention by educational care-providers. The video
      depicted a novel care-provider interacting with and delivering attention to the
      student. Within a concurrent multiple baseline design, video modeling increased
      delivery of the targeted attention for all participants as well as their delivery
      of another type of attention that was not trained although these effects were
      variable within and between care-providers. We discuss the clinical and training
      implications from these findings.

PMID- 28630826
TI  - Predicting the Effects of Interventions: A Tutorial on the Disequilibrium Model.
AB  - The disequilibrium approach to reinforcement and punishment, derived from the
      probability-differential hypothesis and response deprivation hypothesis, provides
      a number of potentially useful mathematical models for practitioners. The
      disequilibrium approach and its accompanying models have proven effective in the
      prediction and control of behavior, yet they have not been fully espoused and
      integrated into clinical practice. The purpose of this tutorial is to detail the
      disequilibrium approach and adapt its mathematical models for use as a tool in
      applied settings. The disequilibrium models specify how to arrange contingencies
      and predict the effects of those contingencies. We aggregate these models, and
      provide them as a single tool, in the form of a Microsoft Excel(r) spreadsheet
      that calculates the direction and magnitude of behavior change based on baseline
      measures and a practitioner's choice of intervention parameters. How
      practitioners take baseline measures and select intervention parameters in
      accordance with disequilibrium models is explicated. The proposed tool can be
      accessed and downloaded for use at https://osf.io/knf7x/.

PMID- 28630828
TI  - Formation of New Reviewers Board - A JOCR initiative.

PMID- 28630827
TI  - The Role of Experiential Avoidance in the Relation between Anxiety Disorder
      Diagnoses and Future Physical Health Symptoms in a Community Sample of Young
      Adult Women.
AB  - Individuals diagnosed with an anxiety disorder report more physical health
      problems than those without an anxiety disorder. Few studies have examined the
      relation of anxiety disorders to later physical health symptoms, or the processes
      that may explain this relation. One process of interest is experiential avoidance
      (EA), which is commonly reported in populations characterized by high anxiety and
      often leads to health-compromising behaviors. The present study examined the
      relations between anxiety disorder diagnostic status, EA, and physical health
      symptoms in a community sample of young adult women. Results revealed a
      significant association between an anxiety disorder diagnosis and physical health
      problems four months later. Furthermore, levels of EA accounted for this
      relation. Findings highlight the potential utility of targeting EA as a method
      for improving health outcomes among individuals with anxiety disorders.

PMID- 28630829
TI  - Are We Justified Doing Salvage or Amputation Procedure Based on Mangled Extremity
      Severity Score in Mangled Upper Extremity Injury.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Mangled upper limb injuries are at surge because of
      industrialization, modernization, and severe motor vehicle accidents. The utility
      of various scoring systems are meant for decision making in mangled lower limb
      injuries, and the same have been extrapolated for mangled upper limb injuries to
      make a decision of salvage or amputation for the lack of separate scoring system.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We applied mangled extremity severity score (MESS) and
      mangled extremity syndrome index (MESI) scoring systems to 10 cases of mangled
      upper limb injuries during the period of November 2010 to September 2012
      presented at our tertiary trauma care center. Average MESS score was 7.7 and MESI
      score was 18.1. Above elbow, amputation was needed in three patients, and salvage
      procedure was done in rest of the seven patients. All the patients were subjected
      to salvage procedure initially unless life threatening because of mangled limb
      injury. MESS scores over 7, MESI score over 20 is accepted for amputation in
      lower limbs, but could not be justified in our study for MESS whereas MESI was
      more reliable. Functional outcome was assessed using visual analog scale score
      and short form-36 (SF-36) score for all patients, which was satisfactory, elderly
      and diabetic patients were relatively less satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: (a) Upper limb
      and lower limb mangled injuries cannot be considered same because of their
      anatomy. The upper limb has more rich vascularity and efficient collaterals,
      small muscle mass, so ischemia time is relatively more. Therefore, the different
      scoring systems are needed for both. (b) In our case series, MESI scoring was
      more reliable then MESS score, but this needs a large prospective study to
      validate it. (c) Salvage should be prime realistic aim influenced by several
      factors. Prosthesis for upper limb is very expensive and not well tolerated, so
      even a woody limb is well accepted in our patients.

PMID- 28630830
TI  - Bilateral Humerus and Right Femur Fracture in a Newborn after Cesarean Section
      for Breech Presentation in a Twin Pregnancy: A Very Rare Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The most common fractures during vaginal delivery occur in the
      clavicle, humerus, and femur. Cesarean section reduces the chances of a child
      having a birth injury. However, in some difficult extractions, long bone
      fractures may occur. Cesarean section further reduces the incidence of birth
      injuries, especially in a breech delivery. Maneuvers employed during cesarean
      section, energetic traction, improper uterine incisions, and contracted uterus
      may cause these injuries. In the medical literature, there are few articles
      highlighting the occurrence of long bone fractures during cesarean section. There
      has been no case reported with a combined bilateral humerus and femur fracture in
      the medical literature. CASE REPORT: A 2-day-old neonate born after cesarean
      section for breech presentation in a twin pregnancy presented with restricted
      movements of both his arms and right leg. Infantogram revealed bilateral humerus
      and right femur fracture. Biochemical tests were normal, and there were no other
      findings on clinical examination. There was no evidence of child abuse or any
      positive family history. Child was splinted for 3 weeks. X-rays suggested good
      callus at the fracture site of the right femur and bilateral humerus fracture
      were united. CONCLUSION: To conclude, we would like to emphasize that long bone
      fractures can happen with cesarean section also. To prevent such untoward
      complications, during delivery of the baby the surgeon should be very careful,
      avoid energetic traction and should plan his incisions. Appropriate relaxation of
      the uterus must be achieved. Clavicles and other long bones should be palpated
      after a difficult delivery. However, it is important to note that long bone
      fractures in children heal rapidly without the need for any major intervention.

PMID- 28630831
TI  - Unusual Presentation of Mycetoma of the Foot: A Rare Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous infection. It is caused by
      actinomycetes or fungi. It is common in tropical countries and males.
      Predisposing conditions include malnutrition, poor hygiene, history of trauma,
      wounds on barefeet, and systemic infections. Eumycotic mycetoma commonly involves
      lower extremities whereas actinomycosis affects the cervicofacial, thoracic, and
      abdominal regions. Mycetoma presents with a chronic indurated ulcerated plague
      with swelling and yellowish discharge of sulfur granules. CASE REPORT: We report
      a rare case of a 40-year-old male with a left foot plantar swelling of 4 months
      duration with no discharging sinuses, fever, and pain. There was no history of
      trauma or barefoot walking. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      findings were suggestive of a soft-tissue malignancy. The mass was excised and
      sent for histopathology. Histopathology reported it as a mycetoma. Complete
      resolution was seen after 3 months of antifungal treatment and excision of the
      mass. This was unusual since there were no discharging sinuses, nodules, and even
      MRI reported as a fibrous or muscular mass. The diagnosis was made only after a
      histopathological examination. CONCLUSION: Mycetoma is a rare infection caused by
      fungal or bacterial organisms. In the absence of ulceration and sinuses,
      diagnosis can be difficult. Diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion in the
      absence of such clinical signs. Definitive diagnosis should be made on
      histopathological examination. Once diagnosis is made, surgical excision with
      appropriate antifungals can result in complete cure without recurrence.

PMID- 28630833
TI  - Anti-inflammatory Prophylaxis Prevents Heterotopic Ossification in Contralateral
      Side Hip Arthroscopy: A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Heterotopic ossification (HO) after hip surgery is the formation of
      bone in non-skeletal tissue, usually between the muscle and the joint capsule. HO
      after hip surgery may be associated with clinical sequelae such as pain,
      impingement and decreased range of motion, compromising surgical outcomes. CASE
      REPORT: A 20-year-old basketball player presented with a 2-year duration of the
      left groin pain after a basketball-related injury. Due to continued disability
      and failure of conservative management the patient underwent hip arthroscopy. No
      HO prophylaxis was given. Follow-up radiographs at 3 months after left hip
      arthroscopy showed Grade 3 HO on the left side. On the 2nd post-operative visit,
      the patient complained of contralateral (right-sided) hip pain. Due to continued
      symptoms on the right side and failure to respond to conservative management the
      patient underwent right hip arthroscopy. HO prophylaxis was initiated with non
      steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) treatment (Etodolac) 600 mg/day
      for 14 days. Follow-up radiographs at 3 months after the right hip arthroscopy
      showed no HO. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates the efficacy of HO prophylaxis
      in a single patient. Routine HO prophylaxis with NSAIDs should be considered for
      patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with osteoplasty. A minimum of 9 weeks post
      operative follow-up is recommended to assess the radiographic presence of HO.

PMID- 28630832
TI  - Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Diagnosed Case of Deep Vein Thrombosis - Our
      Experience and Review of Literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA)
      and its associated complication, pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) remains a
      challenge for orthopedic surgeons. There are wide ranges of predisposing factors
      which are both patient specific as well as procedure associated, responsible for
      DVT. PTE is a well-known fatal complication of DVT which may be life-threatening.
      Medical management and early mobilization are necessary for the management of
      DVT. Fatal PTE can be prevented by implantation of inferior vena cava (IVC)
      filter in at risk patients. CASE REPORT: We are presenting a rare case report of
      75-year-old female with severe osteoarthritis of the left knee with DVT of the
      left lower limb in which TKA was done in a prediagnosed case of DVT. IVC filter
      placement was done before TKA for prevention of fatal PTE, and medical management
      was done for DVT. CONCLUSION: Prevention of fatal thromboembolism is of prime
      importance in the management of DVT. This can be achieved by implanting IVC
      filter. TKA is necessary for early pain free mobilization of the patient, which
      prevents progression of DVT and early recovery. IVC filter placement prevents
      fatal thromboembolism. Hence, treatment of both osteoarthritis of knee by TKA and
      DVT can be done simultaneously.

PMID- 28630834
TI  - Van Neck-Odelberg Disease: A Rare Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Pain in groin without any history of trauma or positive clinical
      findings of infection or stress fracture in ischiopubic ramus poses challenges in
      diagnosis of the condition in prepubertal age. "Osteochondrosis of ischiopubic
      synchondrosis (IPS)" also called as "Van Neck-Odelberg" disease. Left leg
      dominant patient presented with pain in groin and limping with left leg
      dominance. Differential diagnosis - such as stress fractures, osteomyelitis,
      tuberculosis, post-traumatic osteolysis, or any neoplasia - is need be ruled out
      to arrive at diagnosis. The literature is reviewed with modern technologies for
      diagnosis of the same. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old, left limb dominant boy with
      tenderness in the right groin as the only clinical finding and sclerotic shadow
      over ischiopubic region on X-ray posed a challenge for diagnosis. With further
      studies by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis was done.
      Hence, we are presenting a case labeled as Van Neck-Odelberg disease. CONCLUSION:
      Diagnosis of Van Neck-Odelberg disease is a challenging diagnosis. Other
      conditions such as post-traumatic osteolysis, osteomyelitis, and stress fractures
      in prepubertal age need to be ruled out. Clinical symptoms must be present to
      label it as osteochondritis of IPS on radiographs as unilateral delayed fusion of
      the same is a physiological process in asymptomatic cases.

PMID- 28630835
TI  - Intra-articular Fibroma of Tendon Sheath in Knee Joint Associated with Iliotibial
      Band Friction Syndrome: Rare Occurrence in a Teenage Girl.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Iliotibial band (ITB) friction syndrome is a common overuse injury
      typically seen in active athlete population. A nodular lesion on the inner side
      of the ITB as an etiology or an accompanying lesion with friction syndrome has
      rarely been reported. Among such nodular lesions around knee, fibroma of tendon
      sheath (FTS) is a rare occurrence. All the more intra-articular occurrence is
      extremely rare. CASE REPORT: A 16-year-old female presented with recurrent pain
      and movable nodule at the lateral joint area, diagnosed as ITB friction syndrome.
      The nodule was confirmed as rare intra-articular FTS on the basis of
      histopathology findings. CONCLUSION: When nodular lesions around knee are
      detected on magnetic resonance imaging, a FTS could be included in the
      differential diagnosis. Etiology and pathogenesis of ITB friction syndrome should
      be revised in view of such rare presentations.

PMID- 28630837
TI  - Excision of Solitary Osteochondroma on the Ventral Aspect of Left Scapula
      Presenting as Pseudowinging in a 4-year-old Boy: A Rare Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Osteochondroma is a benign bony lesion with cartilaginous cap
      occurring usually in long bones, but flat bones may also be involved, either
      isolated or as a part of a syndrome. Usually, they are asymptomatic, but
      appearance of symptoms such as mass effect may warrant surgical intervention,
      which is usually delayed till skeletal maturity. CASE REPORT: A 4-year-old male
      child presented with swelling on ventral aspect of inferior angle of scapula
      associated with pain, pseudowinging of scapula, and snapping sound of the left
      shoulder on movement. Despite young age of the patient, the severity of the
      symptoms required immediate intervention. After preoperative workup and planning,
      the mass measuring 4 cm * 3 cm * 2.5 cm was resected completely, following which
      the patient was relieved of all the symptoms without any recurrence for the next
      7-month follow-up. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of
      osteochondroma. Normally, as the growth usually stops after skeletal maturity,
      surgical intervention is delayed till that time. In our case, the symptoms were
      so debilitating that it required immediate surgical resection, following which
      the patient was symptom-free for the next 6 months and there were no clinical
      signs or symptoms of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Excision of osteochondroma can be
      safely performed in a case, where it is debilitating, progressive, or
      unmanageable much before skeletal maturity with fair results.

PMID- 28630836
TI  - Teriparatide Treatment Improved Loosening of Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty:
      A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Along with the increase of osteoporotic patients in an aging
      society, complications in surgeries associated with osteoporosis are also
      increasing. In cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA), poor primary stability
      and subsequent initial loosening of the implant may be seen. CASE REPORT: The
      patient, a 75-year-old Asian woman with a history of osteoporosis, underwent
      cementless TKA. Knee radiography at 5 weeks postoperatively showed radiolucent
      lines outlined beneath the tibial tray and around the stem. The tibial component
      was considered unstable due to loosening. A 56.5 ug weekly dose of teriparatide
      (rh [1-34] parathyroid hormone) was administered. After 2 months of treatment,
      knee pain and knee swelling had disappeared. Tomosynthesis taken after 6 months
      of treatment confirmed complete ingrowth of the component to the bone.
      CONCLUSION: This case showed that a weekly teriparatide administration of 56.5 ug
      improved initial loosening of the tibial implant in cementless TKA.
      Administration of teriparatide in cases of the osteoporotic patient who has
      loosening in cementless TKA may be a useful adjuvant to achieve bone ingrowth
      again.

PMID- 28630838
TI  - A Case Report of an Unusual Case of Tuberculous Osteomyelitis Causing Spontaneous
      Pathological Fracture of Humerus in a Middle Aged Female.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis is a major health problem worldwide. Extrapulmonary
      tuberculosis is often secondary to some primary foci in lungs. There are reports
      of tuberculous osteomyelitis involving maxilla, ulna, femur, and shoulder joint
      but none have reported pathological fracture in humeral diaphysis due to
      tuberculosis osteomyelitis without shoulder joint involvement. We report a case
      of pathological fracture of humerus diaphysis due to tuberculous osteomyelitis
      with normal articular space. We noticed favorable outcome following surgery and
      antitubercular drugs. CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old female diabetic patient
      presented with complaints of pain in the right shoulder of 2 weeks duration and
      inability to raise right arm. Initial clinical evaluation revealed local rise of
      temperature, tenderness over the right shoulder and proximal arm and restricted
      range of movements in all plane. Neurologically, the patient was normal.
      Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was raised. Computed tomography chest showed small
      area of consolidation in the left upper lobe. Plain radiograph of the right
      shoulder with humerus showed transverse fracture of proximal shaft of the right
      humerus. J-needle biopsy was done from proximal humerus fracture site.
      Histopathological examination of biopsy tissue from fracture site confirmed
      granuloma with epithelioid and Langhan's giant cells. Mantoux test and culture
      for acid-fast bacilli were non-conclusive. Based on histopathology report, we
      concluded this to be tuberculous osteomyelitis of humerus and the patient was
      started on category 1 antitubercular drugs, under Revised National Tuberculosis
      Control Programme as per revised WHO guidelines. We performed open debridement
      and fixation of fracture with rush nail. Initial follow-up 4 months, post
      operative and plain radiograph showed overall improvement in general condition of
      the patient, weight gain, and good fracture healing. One year following index
      surgery, rush nails were removed due to pain at insertion site. Fracture healed
      completely. Shoulder abduction and forward flexion were restricted in terminal 30
      degrees , internal and external rotation, and adduction was full compared to
      opposite shoulder. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis is very common in India, but its
      presentation as spontaneous fracture of humerus is unusual. It is highly likely
      that most orthopedician will encounter and treat tuberculosis and our case
      highlights the high degree of suspicion one must have in diagnosing pathological
      fracture of long bones. Error in diagnosis and treatment burdens the medical
      resources and overall morbidity.

PMID- 28630839
TI  - Septic Arthritis of the Hip Complicated by Secondary Fungal Superinfection.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fungal joint infection can lead to serious consequences for those
      affected. It can often be a delayed diagnosis due to initial negative organism
      growth or lack of clinician awareness. Treatment should be early and aggressive
      to prevent patient morbidity and mortality. CASE REPORT: We present a case of
      staphylococcal septic arthritis of the native hip joint with secondary
      superinfection by Candida albicans in a young patient with no appreciable risk
      factors. We explain the complexity of a delayed diagnosis and subsequent
      treatment. CONCLUSION: This case highlights important learning points in terms of
      considering secondary fungal infection in any septic arthritis patient that does
      not respond to conventional antimicrobial treatment.

PMID- 28630840
TI  - Suspension Arthroplasty Combined with Ligament Reconstruction of the Thumb
      Carpometacarpal Joint to Salvage Two Failed Arthroplasties: A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Thumb basal joint arthroplasty with removal of the entire trapezium
      is often followed by proximal subsidence and impingement of the thumb metacarpal
      to the scaphoid, which is a common cause of post-operative thumb pain. Treatment
      of this impingement is a challenge among surgeons. We performed suspension
      arthroplasty combined with intercarpal ligament reconstruction using a strip of
      the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) tendon on a patient suffering from pain
      caused by this type of the impingement and obtained a successful outcome. CASE
      REPORT: We treated a 52-year-old female pianist who complained of pain in her
      left thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint. She had undergone two previous ligament
      reconstruction and tendon interposition arthroplasty procedures on the joint, for
      which strips of the flexor carpi radialis tendon and the abductor pollicis longus
      tendon were used in the first and second operations, respectively. The pre
      operative X-ray demonstrated proximal subsidence and impingement of the first
      metacarpal on the scaphoid. We performed suspension arthroplasty combined with
      intercarpal ligament reconstruction using a strip of the ECRL tendon to create
      the trapezial space. 3 years after surgery, despite the 3 mm subsidence of the
      thumb compared with immediately after surgery, her thumb pinch and grip strength
      had improved, and the thumb basal pain was relieved. CONCLUSION: This case shows
      that suspension arthroplasty with intermetacarpal ligament reconstruction using
      an ECRL strip can be applied in revision surgery for impingement of the first
      metacarpal with the scaphoid following thumb CMC joint arthroplasty after removal
      of the entire trapezium. This is the first report to describe the treatment of
      first metacarpal impingement after CMC joint arthroplasty using suspension
      arthroplasty combined with intercarpal ligament reconstruction.

PMID- 28630841
TI  - Bipolar Hemiarthroplasty in a Patient with above-knee Amputation: Surgical
      Technique.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Femoral neck fractures are a common occurrence in lower limb
      amputees. Good post-operative results of hip hemiarthroplasty have been described
      in below-knee amputees. However, to our knowledge, very few such cases have been
      reported in above-knee amputees. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a 75-year-old
      male patient who underwent above-knee amputation of the right lower limb for
      severe crush injury right leg and a bipolar hemiarthroplasty for an ipsilateral
      fracture neck of femur sustained in the same road traffic accident. The treatment
      of neck of femur fracture in above-knee amputee patients is always a challenge
      for the orthopedic surgeon. We described the surgical technique in an attempt to
      overcome the challenges encountered in such a setting. CONCLUSION: While
      performing a hemiarthroplasty in an above-knee amputee, we recommend the use of
      two perpendicularly placed Schanz pins distally in the subtrochanteric area for
      control and also as a guide for verifying the version during prosthesis
      placement.

PMID- 28630842
TI  - Irreducible Subtalar Dislocation Caused by Sustentaculum Tali Incarceration.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Subtalar dislocation is an uncommon lesion in traumatology chiefly
      when it concerns the lateral form. Surgical treatment is required when a fracture
      is related or the dislocation is irreducible. Even well treated, these
      dislocations progress unavoidably to subtalar arthrosis, which stays well
      tolerated. CASE REPORT: A 46-year-old male with irreducible lateral subtalar
      dislocation caused sustentaculum tali incarceration confirmed on computed
      tomography (CT). The patient underwent emergent open reduction and internal
      fixation; the sustentaculum tali was reduced and fixed with a compression screw.
      At 3 years, "American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-hindfoot" score
      was 86, and the functional result was considered excellent despite a Grade I
      subtalar osteoarthritis on the ankle X-ray. CONCLUSION: An irreducible subtalar
      dislocation is exceptionally due to the incarceration of sustentaculum tali. CT
      is of great interest for good fracture analysis and management planning.
      Anatomical reduction of the articular surfaces, stable osteosynthesis, sufficient
      immobilization, and a well-conducted rehabilitation are the only guarantors of a
      good functional outcome.

PMID- 28630843
TI  - Osteosarcoma of Jaw with Varying Histomorphologic Patterns: Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Osteosarcoma is a malignant mesenchymal tumor whose cancerous cells
      produce osteoid matrix. It is a common primary malignant bone tumor, representing
      23% of total head and neck malignancies. Osteosarcomas of the jaws are rare
      lesions, representing only 4-7% of all osteosarcomas. This presentation discusses
      the clinical, radiographical, and histopathological features of a case of
      osteosarcoma of the mandible with unusual histopathological appearance. CASE
      REPORT: A 21-year-old male patient reported with a diffuse swelling of the right
      side of mandible with dull ache and increasing difficulties with eating and
      speech. Incisional biopsy done showed a histopathological picture of osteosarcoma
      and osteoblastoma. Hemimandibulectomy was done and the histopathology showed
      varying patterns of the lesion-like osteoblastoma-like osteosarcoma and
      osteoblastic variant of osteosarcoma. Focal areas in the lesion also showed
      fibrohistiocytic differentiation which may be mistaken for malignant fibrous
      histiocytoma. Hemangiopericytomatous appearance was also seen. Hence, it was
      necessary to differentiate between all the lesions as the treatment plan for all
      these lesions is different. Rarely, tumor may show a spectrum of histopathology
      as seen here in a case of osteosarcoma of the mandible. CONCLUSION: The treatment
      plan and prognosis for each type of these lesions are different. Thus, thorough
      histopathological evaluation will help in accurate diagnosis, proper treatment
      planning, and prognosis of these lesions.

PMID- 28630844
TI  - Multifocal Septic Arthritis Secondary to Infective Endocarditis: A Rare Case
      Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare cause of septic arthritis. We
      report a patient who presented with multifocal septic arthritis as a result of
      IE, which is an extremely rare condition. CASE REPORT: This 69-year-old gentleman
      presented to the emergency department (ED) with a 3-day history of acute right
      knee pain. Initial investigations demonstrated chondrocalcinosis on knee
      radiographs, acute renal failure with rhabdomyolysis and a CRP of 520. After
      treatment with intravenous fluid rehydration and analgesia, the knee aspiration
      grew a Group B Streptococcus, and the patient underwent arthroscopic washout. 48
      h after admission the patient developed left wrist and right elbow pain. Further
      aspirations revealed Group B Streptococcus and the patient underwent further
      washouts. A multidisciplinary approach was used. Due to ongoing sepsis, an
      echocardiogram was performed identifying IE. The patient eventually died due to
      ongoing sepsis and duodenal ulceration. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the
      importance of considering a systemic cause such as IE for patients presenting
      with features of multifocal septic arthritis and ensuring all patients undergo a
      full medical examination as part of the clerking process. Furthermore, it
      emphasizes the need to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach when presented with
      complex patients so that the best medical care can be given to prevent morbidity
      and mortality.

PMID- 28630845
TI  - Multi-foci Salmonella enteritis Osteomyelitis of Thoracic Spine with Pleural
      Effusion and Fatal Outcome. A Unique Case Presentation and Review of the
      Literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A case of thoracic vertebral osteomyelitis due to Salmonella
      enteritis (SE) in an immunocompetent patient is reported. This is the third case
      in the literature of SE thoracic vertebral osteomyelitis, but the first one with
      this multi-foci presentation and finally fatal outcome due to
      meningoencephalitis. Further data that makes our case unique are the absence of
      fever (body temperature: 37.4 degrees C) and gastrointestinal disorders. CASE
      REPORT: A 57-year-old male patient initially presented with thoracic pain,
      dyspnea, and knee pain. Examinations revealed a large pleural effusion and septic
      arthritis. Blood and all these sides (vertebrae, pleural fluid, and joint fluid)
      cultures revealed SE. The infection was successfully treated with three surgical
      interventions, plus antibiotic administration. First, a chest tube was inserted
      and at the same time, we took cultures and specimens from the infected sites.
      Subsequently, bone debridement and spine fusion were performed, and finally, knee
      fusion was held with an Illizarov device. Although 8 months later, our patient
      passed away due to viral meningoencephalitis and severe hydrocephalus, due to
      immunosuppression after Salmonella infection recurrence. Furthermore, no sign of
      relapse was found in the last follow-up, just 2 months ago. CONCLUSION:
      Physicians should be aware for this rare but potentially fatal spinal infection.
      Osteomyelitis of thoracic spine should be considered in the differential
      diagnosis of pleural effusion. More suspiciousness is needed due to the
      possibility of immunosuppression and relapse, even with sufficient antibiotic
      administration and negative inflammatory markers. Follow-up should be more
      frequent and accompanied with blood cultures taking.

PMID- 28630846
TI  - Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis: A Case Report with Atypical
      Presentation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is a rare
      autoinflammatory condition. The clinical picture consists of sterile
      osteomyelitis, typically with multiple-site lesions in the metaphysis of long
      bones and not uncommonly, symmetrical bone involvement. It is a poorly understood
      entity, whose prognosis, etiology and ideal treatment are still controversial.
      The authors report a case of unifocal presentation with an atypical location.
      CASE REPORT: A previously healthy 12-year-old Caucasian girl came to our
      institution due to progressive pain on her left thigh for the previous 3 months.
      The initial X-ray showed a permeative, diaphyseal lesion of her left femur, with
      marked periosteal reaction. The differential initially included Ewing's sarcoma,
      osteosarcoma, subacute osteomyelitis, and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Needle
      and open biopsies demonstrated the presence of chronic inflammatory infiltrate,
      with fibrosis, but no signs of neoplastic disease. Serologic and microbiological
      studies failed to demonstrate an infectious etiology. The patient was treated
      with nonsteroid anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, and bisphosphonates for 6
      months. Although no antibiotics were employed, the patient showed clinical and
      radiological improvement, at 18-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: CRMO is a rare
      condition, and the absence of specific features constitutes a diagnostic
      challenge. A high level of suspicion is paramount to avoid unnecessary biopsies
      and repeated antibiotic regimens. Unifocal presentation of this disease, atypical
      locations, and absence of recurrence have all been previously reported, with the
      evidence pointing to a shared etiological process with no distinction being made
      between these variants. For this reason, the authors believe that the term
      "nonbacterial osteomyelitis" might be a more all-embracing designation.

PMID- 28630847
TI  - Hyperplasia of Lamina and Spinous Process of C5 Vertebrae and Associated
      Hemivertebra at C4 Level.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Congenital variants of the cervical spine may mimic traumatic
      lesions and may cause recurrent episodes of pain. The spectrum of cervical
      variants includes persistent apophyses of the transverse processes, persistent
      epiphyses, vertebral platyspondylia, vertebral hypoplasia, and dysplasia of the
      vertebral arch. Furthermore, abnormalities of the spinous process have been
      described including doubled spinous processes and hypertrophies. Unilateral
      hyperplasia of a spinous process is a rare finding that has only been described
      rarely as case reports. CASE REPORT: We report a 9-year-old male child who was
      referred to us with swelling in the posterior aspect of the neck. Anteroposterior
      and lateral radiographs of the cervical spine show an elongated left spinous
      process in the neck at the level of C5 vertebrae. There was an associated
      hemivertebra at the C4 level. Computed tomography examination better depicted
      this congenital variant and clearly showed the associated schisis of the
      posterior arch as well as unfused spinous process at the same level on the left
      side. This is a very rare congenital anomaly and probably among the few such
      cases reported in literature. CONCLUSION: Rare congenital spinal abnormalities
      including unilateral hyperplasia of a spinous process have to be kept in mind as
      a differential diagnosis in patients with posterior midline neck swelling and
      recurrent episodes of cervical neck pain.

PMID- 28630848
TI  - Pseudotumour Complicated by Implant Loosening One Year After revision Ceramic on
      Metal Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Pseudotumor is not an uncommon complication after total hip
      arthroplasty (THA). This can occur in relationship to different bearing surfaces
      of head and liner ranging from soft to hard articulation. There is wide spectrum
      of presentation from asymptomatic to implant failure. CASE REPORT: We report a
      case of pseudotumor formation with acetabular cup aseptic loosening after
      revision ceramic on metal hip arthroplasty. The patient underwent pseudotumor
      excision and re-revision complex arthroplasty procedure using trabecular metal
      shell and buttress with ceramic on polyethylene THA. CONCLUSION: The surgeon
      should aware of this complication during a presentation in revision cases to
      prevent rapid progression of cup loosening, and to intervene early to avoid
      complex arthroplasty procedures.

PMID- 28630849
TI  - A Case of Chronic Inflammation of the Ankle Joint with Subtle Signs of
      Inflammation: A Rare Presentation of Tuberculosis Ankle.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) of the ankle is an uncommon presentation of
      extrapulmonary infection. The early diagnosis of TB arthritis of the ankle is
      difficult because of the uncommon site, the ability of TB to mimic other
      disorders and, all too common, lack of awareness of about this infection in ankle
      joint. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old male presented with a 1-year history of right
      ankle pain and swelling. He denied any history of recent infection but had had
      recurrent ankle pain that had been treated accordingly. When he visited our
      outpatient clinic, he was afebrile. The patient, despite a period of conservative
      treatment, presented with a localized painful fullness of the ankle. Magnetic
      resonance imaging helps for the diagnosis with variable specificity, but TB
      arthritis was diagnosed through a diagnostic arthroscopic procedure, and anti-TB
      therapy eventually eradicated the infection. CONCLUSION: It is highly recommended
      that early biopsy and synovial fluid for polymerase chain reaction GeneXpert be
      performed in suspicious cases to confirm and treat accordingly.

PMID- 28630850
TI  - Anterior Dislocation of Elbow with Neurovascular Injury: A Rare Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Anterior elbow dislocation is an infrequent lesion, produced by
      direct trauma to the proximal ulna after a fall on the elbow in flexion and
      injury to the neurovascular bundle is not infrequent. Authors report a case of
      acute anterior dislocation of the elbow joint with neurovascular injury. CASE
      REPORT: A 30-year-old male admitted with a history of accidental fall followed by
      pain, swelling over his left elbow. Clinical, radiological, Doppler
      investigations revealed anterior dislocation of the elbow with brachial artery
      injury with posterior interosseous nerve palsy without any bony injury. Immediate
      closed reduction, primary vascular repair with fasciotomy was done following
      which elbow function improved. CONCLUSION: Anterior dislocations of elbow joint
      are among the rarest of injuries. Because the dislocation is anterior, injury to
      nerve and vessel can occur frequently. Therefore, a careful assessment for
      neurovascular injury mandatory. Early proper reduction and management of
      neurovascular injury if any is necessary for good elbow function.

PMID- 28630851
TI  - Vacuum-Assisted Closure in Patients with Post-operative Infections after
      Instrumented Spine Surgery: A Series of 12 Cases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Post-operative wound infections after spinal surgery is a very
      serious problem, leading to a risk of significant morbidity which may even lead
      to prolonged hospitalization. Various treatment protocols have been recommended
      for debridement, antibiotic, and soft-tissue management, but with mixed results.
      However, the risk of morbidity is still high with these treatment options. Vacuum
      assisted closure (VAC) system has been gaining popularity recently in the
      management of subacute, acute, and chronic wounds. This study aims to review the
      use of the indigenous VAC in the management of deep infections after spinal
      instrumentation surgery. CASE SERIES: Between 2010 and 2015, 12 out of 514
      patients who developed a deep infection after spinal surgery, were selected and
      reviewed retrospectively at multiple centers (MGM Hospital, Kamothe and Center
      for Orthopaedic & Spine Surgery, New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, India). Out of 12
      patients, one of the patients needed a partial implant exchange although none of
      the cases needed complete implant removal. All patients had achieved clean closed
      wounds along with a retention of the instrumentation. There was no need for flap
      surgery to cover wound defect in any case. However, antibiotic treatment was
      necessary in all cases. None of the patients showed a new infection after the
      treatment. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the usefulness of VAC therapy as an
      alternative management for wound conditioning of a back wound with the high
      complexity in nature after instrumented spine surgeries as it eliminates complex
      secondary surgeries, prolong use of antibiotics and removal of the implants.

PMID- 28630852
TI  - Adult Traumatic Inferior Hip Dislocation: Rare Case Ended with Open Reduction.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: An inferior hip dislocation also called luxatio erecta femoris is a
      rare type of hip dislocation that is not widely reported in literature. Only 12
      cases are reported in British literature. CASE REPORT: This article reports a 17
      year-old male involved in a road traffic accident, sustaining inferior hip
      dislocation. Following resuscitation, computed tomography confirmed the clinical
      diagnoses. Several attempts to perform a closed reduction of the hip under
      sedation and general anesthesia failed to reduce the dislocation. The patient
      underwent open reduction of his hip and capsule repair. Postoperatively no
      traction was applied, and the patient advised non-weight bearing on that side for
      3 months. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an
      adult with an inferior hip dislocation not associated with a trochanteric
      fracture and required open reduction.

PMID- 28630853
TI  - Mega Tumour (Chondrosarcoma) of Humerus - an Insanely Large Tumor and its Social
      Implications.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Large size bone tumors are rare as patients present quite early.
      The current article reports a large chondrosarcoma removed from left humerus. The
      rarity of such large size tumors is focus of the report. CASE REPORT: Forty year
      old male presented with a huge mass in this left arm. The same patient apparently
      was admitted three years back for excision of the arm swelling which was
      relatively small that time. However the patient did not undergo surgery and was
      takin treatment from local bone setters during the last three years and tumor
      grew to a larger size during this period. The current dimensions of tumor was
      32x28 cms with circumference of 87 cms. X-ray showed complete destruction of the
      upper humerus with central calcification. Biopsy releveled a chondrosarcoma.
      Skeletal survey and bone scan did not reveal any other lesion in the body. A
      forequarter amputation was done and a 16 kg tumor mass was excised. At three
      years follow up, the patient has no complains with no recurrence of the tumor.
      CONCLUSION: Large musculoskeletal tumors are rare and probable reason for such
      late presentation in our case is ignorance and cultural beliefs. Patients should
      be properly counselled on first presentations regarding management and prognosis.

PMID- 28630854
TI  - Stacked Flexible Nailing for Radius Ulna Fractures: Revival of a lost Technique.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Simultaneous radius and ulna fractures are common in adults and
      generally osteosynthesis with plating is the treatment of choice. Nailing of such
      fractures is infrequently advocated. We present our unique technique of radius
      ulna nailing in adults to achieve closed reduction and early predictable union
      with minimal or no complications. CASE REPORT: Case 1: 22 year old male with
      midshaft both bones forearm fracture was treated with stacked nailing. Two 2.5 mm
      steel elastic nails were used in each radius and ulna. No post-operative
      splintage was needed and patient was mobilized immediately. Patient was able to
      go back to work in 2 weeks and at one year follow up he showed excellent
      functional outcome. Case 2: Fifteen year old boy presented with midshaft both
      bone fractures secondary to fall from height. He was also treated with stacked
      flexible nailing. Good stability was achieved and patient was mobilized
      immediately without any splints. He was able to write his exams which started on
      11th day post-surgery and could complete his theory papers. At final follow up
      both bones united with good callus and no functional limitations. CONCLUSION:
      Stacked nailing technique is a good option in midshaft transverse or short
      oblique fractures of radius and ulna. It allows for early mobilization without
      brace or splint. With proper patient selection, good results can be obtained by
      this simple and minimally invasive technique.

PMID- 28630855
TI  - Qualitative correlation between postoperatively increased vertical dimension and
      mandibular position in skeletal class III using partial-least-square path
      modeling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study constructed a partial-least-square path-modeling (PLS-PM)
      model and found the pathway by which the postsurgical vertical dimension (VD)
      affects the extent of the final mandibular setback on the B point at the
      posttreatment stage for the skeletal class III surgery-first approach (SFA).
      METHODS: This study re-analyzed the data from the retrospective study by Lee et
      al. on 40 patients with skeletal class III bimaxillary SFA. Variables were
      obtained from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-generated cephalograms.
      Authors investigated all variables at each time point to build a PLS-PM model to
      verify the effect of the VD on the final setback of the mandible. RESULTS: From
      PLS-PM, an increase in VD10 was found to decrease the absolute value of the final
      setback amount of the mandible, which reflects the postsurgical physiological
      responses to both surgery and orthodontic treatment, which, in turn, can be
      interpreted as an increase in postoperative mandibular changes. CONCLUSIONS: To
      resolve the issue of collinear cephalometric data, the present study adopted PLS
      PM to assess the orthodontic treatment. From PLS-PM, it was able to summarize the
      effect of increased postsurgery occlusal vertical dimension on the increased
      changeability of the B point position at the posttreatment stage.

PMID- 28630856
TI  - Chimeric Genes in Deletions and Duplications Associated with Intellectual
      Disability.
AB  - We report on three nonrelated patients with intellectual disability and CNVs that
      give rise to three new chimeric genes. All the genes forming these fusion
      transcripts may have an important role in central nervous system development
      and/or in gene expression regulation, and therefore not only their deletion or
      duplication but also the resulting chimeric gene may contribute to the phenotype
      of the patients. Deletions and duplications are usually pathogenic when affecting
      dose-sensitive genes. Alternatively, a chimeric gene may also be pathogenic by
      different gain-of-function mechanisms that are not restricted to dose-sensitive
      genes: the emergence of a new polypeptide that combines functional domains from
      two different genes, the deregulated expression of any coding sequence by the
      promoter region of a neighboring gene, and/or a putative dominant-negative effect
      due to the preservation of functional domains of partially truncated proteins.
      Fusion oncogenes are well known, but in other pathologies, the search for
      chimeric genes is disregarded. According to our findings, we hypothesize that the
      frequency of fusion transcripts may be much higher than suspected, and it should
      be taken into account in the array-CGH analyses of patients with intellectual
      disability.

PMID- 28630857
TI  - Effectiveness of a Commercial Lactic Acid Bacteria Intervention Applied to
      Inhibit Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli on Refrigerated Vacuum-Aged Beef.
AB  - Because of their antagonistic activity towards pathogenic and spoilage bacteria,
      some members of the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been evaluated for use as
      food biopreservatives. The objectives of this study were to assess the
      antimicrobial utility of a commercial LAB intervention against O157 and non-O157
      Shiga-toxigenic E. coli (STEC) on intact beef strip loins during refrigerated
      vacuum aging and determine intervention efficacy as a function of mode of
      intervention application. Prerigor strip loins were inoculated with a cocktail
      (8.9 +/- 0.1 log10 CFU/ml) of rifampicin-resistant (100.0 MUg/ml; RifR) O157 and
      non-O157 STEC. Inoculated loins were chilled to <=4 degrees C and treated with
      8.7 +/- 0.1 log10 CFU/ml LAB intervention using either a pressurized tank air
      sprayer (conventional application) or air-assisted electrostatic sprayer (ESS).
      Surviving STEC were enumerated on tryptic soy agar supplemented with 100.0 MUg/ml
      rifampicin (TSAR) to determine STEC inhibition as a function of intervention
      application method (conventional, ESS) and refrigerated aging period (14, 28
      days). Intervention application reduced STEC by 0.4 log10 CFU/cm2 (p < 0.05),
      although application method did not impact STEC reductions (p > 0.05). Data
      indicate that the LAB biopreservative may assist beef safety protection when
      utilized within a multi-intervention beef harvest, fabrication, and aging
      process.

PMID- 28630858
TI  - Pulsed Vincristine Therapy in Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome.
AB  - Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) poses a therapeutic challenge for the
      paediatric nephrologist. As relentless progression to renal failure occurs with
      continued proteinuria, such patients will be treated with different cytotoxic
      medications with variable success rates and side-effects. We present here our
      findings on administering the anticancer drug vincristine for SRNS patients at a
      single centre in Sri Lanka. Methods. Between 2002 and 2007, fifty-four children
      presenting with steroid and cyclophosphamide resistance were treated with
      vincristine at 1.5 mg/m2 in weekly intravenous pulses for 8 weeks along with a
      tapering steroid regimen of 6 months. All patients were closely followed up for 5
      years. Results. Of the 54 patients 39 were males and 15 were females (age range
      3.5-11.6 years, median 6.1 years). At the end of the treatment course, 21
      patients achieved complete remission while 7 had partial remission and no
      response was seen in 26 patients. Sustained remission at 6, 12, 24, and 60 months
      were 15 (27.78%), 11 (20.37%), 9 (16.67%), and 7 (12.96%), respectively. Most
      side-effects observed were reversible and no serious side-effects were noted
      during vincristine therapy. Conclusion. Although its therapeutic mechanisms in
      nephrotic syndrome are still not elucidated, vincristine appears to be a potent
      alternative that could be considered for treating SRNS.

PMID- 28630859
TI  - The Application of Internal Suspension Technique in Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic
      Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Ventral Tumors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of an internal suspension technique in
      retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for the management of renal
      ventral tumors. METHODS: Between January 2013 and July 2016, a total of 145
      patients underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy with or
      without internal suspension technique. For patients who underwent internal
      suspension technique, the surgeons preserved the external fat of the renal tumor
      as a suspension traction measure when separating the kidney. Propensity score
      matching (PSM) was performed according to age, gender, body mass index, tumor
      size, tumor location, and RENAL nephrometry score. Patient characteristics and
      intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were compared between the groups.
      RESULTS: After PSM, 32 patients treated with the internal suspension technique
      were compared with 32 cases treated without such technique. Baseline
      characteristics were statistically similar for the cohorts. The use of our new
      technique resulted in shorter warm ischemia time (WIT: 15.0 versus 19.0 minutes,
      P = .002) and tumor resection time (4.0 versus 7.5 minutes, P < 0.001). The rate
      of WIT >25 minutes decreased (6.3% versus 25%, P = .04) and the trifecta outcomes
      were significantly improved (87.5% versus 62.5%, P = .02). CONCLUSION: Internal
      suspension technique is a feasible and safe procedure in retroperitoneal
      laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for renal ventral tumors.

PMID- 28630860
TI  - Regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Secretion from Scleral Fibroblasts and
      Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells by miR-29a.
AB  - PURPOSE: To identify an effective method to prevent myopia progression by
      characterizing the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 2 expression
      and its secretion from scleral fibroblasts and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)
      cells by miR-29a. METHODS: The effects of miR-29a on the growth of scleral
      fibroblasts and RPE cells were assessed using the cell counting kit-8. The
      changes in MMP-2 mRNA levels in scleral fibroblasts and RPE cells after
      transfection with miR-29a mimics or inhibitor were measured by quantitative PCR.
      Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to determine the changes in MMP-2
      secretion from scleral fibroblasts and RPE cells after transfection with miR-29a
      mimics or inhibitor. RESULTS: The miR-29a mimics or inhibitor did not
      significantly alter the growth of scleral fibroblasts or RPE cells at 24, 48, or
      72 hours after transfection. MMP-2 mRNA levels were significantly decreased in
      scleral fibroblasts and RPE cells transfected with the miR-29a mimics. The
      secretion of MMP-2 by scleral fibroblasts and RPE cells was significantly
      decreased in cells transfected with the miR-29a mimics. CONCLUSIONS: Suppression
      of scleral fibroblast and RPE cell expression and secretion of MMP-2 by miR-29a
      can be used as a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of myopia.

PMID- 28630862
TI  - Influence of Deformation and Stress between Bone and Implant from Various Bite
      Forces by Numerical Simulation Analysis.
AB  - Endosseous oral implant is applied for orthodontic anchorage in subjects with
      multiple tooth agenesis. Its effectiveness under orthodontic loading has been
      demonstrated clinically and experimentally. This study investigates the
      deformation and stress on the bone and implant for different bite forces by three
      dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) methods. A numerical simulation of
      deformation and stress distributions around implants was used to estimate the
      survival life for implants. The model was applied to determine the pattern and
      distribution of deformations and stresses within the endosseous implant and on
      supporting tissues when the endosseous implant is used for orthodontic anchorage.
      A threaded implant was placed in an edentulous segment of a human mandible with
      cortical and cancellous bone. Analytical results demonstrate that maximum
      stresses were always located around the implant neck in marginal bone. The
      results also reveal that the stress for oblique force has the maximum value
      followed by the horizontal force; the vertical force causes the stress to have
      the minimum value between implant and bone. Thus, this area should be preserved
      clinically to maintain the structure and function of a bone implant.

PMID- 28630861
TI  - Biophysical Mechanisms Mediating Fibrin Fiber Lysis.
AB  - The formation and dissolution of blood clots is both a biochemical and a
      biomechanical process. While much of the chemistry has been worked out for both
      processes, the influence of biophysical properties is less well understood. This
      review considers the impact of several structural and mechanical parameters on
      lytic rates of fibrin fibers. The influences of fiber and network architecture,
      fiber strain, FXIIIa cross-linking, and particle transport phenomena will be
      assessed. The importance of the mechanical aspects of fibrinolysis is emphasized,
      and future research avenues are discussed.

PMID- 28630864
TI  - Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Diffusion for Identification of Breast Malignant and
      Benign Tumors Using Chemometrics.
AB  - The aim of the paper is to identify the breast malignant and benign lesions using
      the features of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), perfusion fraction f,
      pseudodiffusion coefficient D*, and true diffusion coefficient D from intravoxel
      incoherent motion (IVIM). There are 69 malignant cases (including 9 early
      malignant cases) and 35 benign breast cases who underwent diffusion-weighted MRI
      at 3.0 T with 8 b-values (0~1000 s/mm2). ADC and IVIM parameters were determined
      in lesions. The early malignant cases are used as advanced malignant and benign
      tumors, respectively, so as to assess the effectiveness on the result. A
      predictive model was constructed using Support Vector Machine Binary
      Classification (SVMBC, also known Support Vector Machine Discriminant Analysis
      (SVMDA)) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) and compared the
      difference between them both. The D value and ADC provide accurate identification
      of malignant lesions with b = 300, if early malignant tumor was considered as
      advanced malignant (cancer). The classification accuracy is 93.5% for cross
      validation using SVMBC with ADC and tissue diffusivity only. The sensitivity and
      specificity are 100% and 87.0%, respectively, r2cv = 0.8163, and root mean square
      error of cross-validation (RMSECV) is 0.043. ADC and IVIM provide quantitative
      measurement of tissue diffusivity for cellularity and are helpful with the method
      of SVMBC, getting comprehensive and complementary information for differentiation
      between benign and malignant breast lesions.

PMID- 28630863
TI  - The Effects of Melatonin on Elevated Liver Enzymes during Statin Treatment.
AB  - Taking statins can cause increase in the level of aspartate and alanine
      aminotransferase. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of melatonin
      in counteracting the adverse hepatic events from statins. Methods. The research
      program included 60 patients (aged 47-65 years, 41 women and 19 men) with
      hyperlipidemia taking atorvastatin or rosuvastatin at a dose of 20-40 mg daily.
      The patients were randomly allocated in two groups. Group I (n = 30) was
      recommended to take the same statin at a standardized daily dose of 20 mg
      together with melatonin at a dose of 2 * 5 mg. Group II (n = 30) patients took
      statin with placebo at the same dose and time of the day. Follow-up laboratory
      tests (AST, ALT, GGT, and ALP) were evaluated after 2, 4, and 6 months of
      treatment. Results. In Group I the levels of all enzymes decreased after 6
      months, particularly AST, 97,2 +/- 19,1 U/L versus 52,8 +/- 12,3 U/L (p < 0,001);
      ALT, 87,4 +/- 15,6 U/L versus 49,8 +/- 14,5 U/L (p < 0,001); and GGT, 84,1 +/-
      14,8 U/L versus 59,6 U/L (p < 0,001). Conclusion. Melatonin exerts a
      hepatoprotective effect in patients taking statins.

PMID- 28630865
TI  - 2D-QSAR and 3D-QSAR Analyses for EGFR Inhibitors.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important target for cancer
      therapy. In this study, EGFR inhibitors were investigated to build a two
      dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (2D-QSAR) model and a
      three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) model.
      In the 2D-QSAR model, the support vector machine (SVM) classifier combined with
      the feature selection method was applied to predict whether a compound was an
      EGFR inhibitor. As a result, the prediction accuracy of the 2D-QSAR model was
      98.99% by using tenfold cross-validation test and 97.67% by using independent set
      test. Then, in the 3D-QSAR model, the model with q2 = 0.565 (cross-validated
      correlation coefficient) and r2 = 0.888 (non-cross-validated correlation
      coefficient) was built to predict the activity of EGFR inhibitors. The mean
      absolute error (MAE) of the training set and test set was 0.308 log units and
      0.526 log units, respectively. In addition, molecular docking was also employed
      to investigate the interaction between EGFR inhibitors and EGFR.

PMID- 28630866
TI  - CNNdel: Calling Structural Variations on Low Coverage Data Based on Convolutional
      Neural Networks.
AB  - Many structural variations (SVs) detection methods have been proposed due to the
      popularization of next-generation sequencing (NGS). These SV calling methods use
      different SV-property-dependent features; however, they all suffer from poor
      accuracy when running on low coverage sequences. The union of results from these
      tools achieves fairly high sensitivity but still produces low accuracy on low
      coverage sequence data. That is, these methods contain many false positives. In
      this paper, we present CNNdel, an approach for calling deletions from paired-end
      reads. CNNdel gathers SV candidates reported by multiple tools and then extracts
      features from aligned BAM files at the positions of candidates. With labeled
      feature-expressed candidates as a training set, CNNdel trains convolutional
      neural networks (CNNs) to distinguish true unlabeled candidates from false ones.
      Results show that CNNdel works well with NGS reads from 26 low coverage genomes
      of the 1000 Genomes Project. The paper demonstrates that convolutional neural
      networks can automatically assign the priority of SV features and reduce the
      false positives efficaciously.

PMID- 28630868
TI  - Serum Dried Samples to Detect Dengue Antibodies: A Field Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dried blood and serum samples are useful resources for detecting
      antiviral antibodies. The conditions for elution of the sample need to be
      optimized for each disease. Dengue is a widespread disease in Mexico which
      requires continuous surveillance. In this study, we standardized and validated a
      protocol for the specific detection of dengue antibodies from dried serum spots
      (DSSs). METHODS: Paired serum and DSS samples from 66 suspected cases of dengue
      were collected in a clinic in Veracruz, Mexico. Samples were sent to our
      laboratory, where the conditions for optimal elution of DSSs were established.
      The presence of anti-dengue antibodies was determined in the paired samples.
      RESULTS: DSS elution conditions were standardized as follows: 1 h at 4 degrees C
      in 200 ul of DNase-, RNase-, and protease-free PBS (1x). The optimal volume of
      DSS eluate to be used in the IgG assay was 40 ul. Sensitivity of 94%, specificity
      of 93.3%, and kappa concordance of 0.87 were obtained when comparing the
      antidengue reactivity between DSSs and serum samples. CONCLUSION: DSS samples are
      useful for detecting anti-dengue IgG antibodies in the field.

PMID- 28630867
TI  - Potential Challenges of Controlling Leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka at a Disease
      Outbreak.
AB  - The present works reviewed the existing information on leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka
      and in other countries, focusing on challenges of controlling leishmaniasis in
      the country, in an outbreak. Evidence from recent studies suggests that there is
      a possibility of a leishmaniasis outbreak in Sri Lanka in the near future.
      Difficulty of early diagnosis due to lack of awareness and unavailability or
      inadequacy of sensitive tests are two of the main challenges for effective case
      management. Furthermore, the absence of a proper drug for treatment and lack of
      knowledge about vector biology, distribution, taxonomy and bionomics, and
      reservoir hosts make the problem serious. The evident potential for
      visceralization in the cutaneous variant of L. donovani in Sri Lanka may also
      complicate the issue. Lack of knowledge among local communities also reduces the
      effectiveness of vector and reservoir host control programs. Immediate actions
      need to be taken in order to increase scientific knowledge about the disease and
      a higher effectiveness of the patient management and control programs must be
      achieved through increased awareness about the disease among general public and
      active participation of local community in control activities.

PMID- 28630869
TI  - Increase of Soluble RAGE in Cerebrospinal Fluid following Subarachnoid
      Haemorrhage.
AB  - Receptors for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) mediate the inflammatory
      reaction that follows aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Soluble RAGE (sRAGE)
      may function as a decoy receptor. The significance of this endogenous anti
      inflammatory mechanism in subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) remains unknown. The
      present study aims to analyse sRAGE levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of
      SAH patients. sRAGE levels were assayed by ELISA kit in 47 CSF samples collected
      on post-SAH days 0-3, 5-7, and 10-14 from 27 SAH patients with acute
      hydrocephalus. CSF levels of sRAGE were compared with a control group and
      correlated with other monitored parameters. In the control group, the CSF
      contained only a trace amount of sRAGE. By contrast, the CSF of 20 SAH patients
      collected on post-SAH days 0-3 was found to contain statistically significant
      higher levels of sRAGE (mean concentration 3.91 pg/mL, p < 0.001). The most
      pronounced difference in CSF sRAGE levels between good and poor outcome patients
      was found on days 0-3 post-SAH but did not reach the significance threshold (p =
      0.234). CSF sRAGE levels did not change significantly during hospitalisation (p =
      0.868) and correlated poorly with treatment outcome, systemic inflammatory
      markers, and other monitored parameters. Our study revealed an early and constant
      increase of sRAGE level in the CSF of SAH patients.

PMID- 28630870
TI  - Placental ABCA1 Expression Is Increased in Spontaneous Preterm Deliveries
      Compared with Iatrogenic Preterm Deliveries and Term Deliveries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Abnormal expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 in the placenta can elicit
      lipid metabolism disorder and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, whether it is
      associated with preterm delivery remains unclear. Our present study aimed to
      evaluate the relationship between abnormal expression of ABCA1 or ABCG1 and
      preterm delivery. METHODS: Maternal blood and placental tissues from women with
      spontaneous deliveries (SPD), iatrogenic deliveries (IPD), and term deliveries
      (TD) were collected. The lipid content and expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 were
      subsequently measured. RESULTS: Compared with IPD and TD groups, the HDL, TD,
      LDL, and TC levels were lower in the maternal blood but higher (except TC) in the
      cord blood of the SPD group. The extracellular lipid content in the placentas of
      the SPD group was also notably lower relative to the IPD and TD groups. Moreover,
      the protein and mRNA expressions of ABCA1 in the placentas of the SPD group were
      significantly higher compared with the IPD and TD groups; however, there was no
      obvious difference among the three groups in the protein and mRNA expressions of
      ABCG1. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal expression of ABCA1 may be associated with the
      dysregulation of placental lipid metabolism and the occurrence or development of
      SPD.

PMID- 28630871
TI  - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Treatment of Cerebral Hemorrhage
      with NaoXueShu Oral Liquid.
AB  - NaoXueShu oral liquid invigorates Qi and promotes blood circulation, which is
      mainly used for treating the acute stage of the meridian of hemorrhagic apoplexy
      and acute blood stasis syndrome during early convalescence. Its main clinical
      manifestations include hemiplegia, mouth askew, hemianesthesia, and
      inarticulateness. It is used mainly in patients with lobar hemorrhage, basal
      ganglia, and thalamus of the small amount of bleeding without disturbing
      consciousness of hypertensive cerebral. The purpose of this study was to evaluate
      the efficacy and adverse effects of NaoXueShu oral liquid on the treatment of
      cerebral hemorrhage. In this study, literature on randomized controlled trials
      was collected from seven databases to evaluate the clinical efficiency of the
      treatment of cerebral hemorrhage alone or combined with Western medicine. The
      methodologic quality of the included studies was assessed using a standard
      Cochrane system review and analyzed using RevMan 5.3.0 software. The study
      included 14 eligible randomized controlled trials. The results showed that the
      use of NaoXueShu oral liquid alone or combined with other drugs or auxiliary
      methods can play a significant role in the treatment of cerebral hemorrhage,
      especially hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage.

PMID- 28630872
TI  - Effect of Regular Aerobic Activity in Young Healthy Athletes on Profile of
      Endothelial Function and Platelet Activity.
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess the impact of regular professional sports
      activity on the endothelial and platelet function in young men. The studied group
      were 79 young men (18-40 y, 25 athletes and 54 without any regular physical
      activity). The nitric oxide (NO) metabolic pathway intermediates, oxidative
      stress markers, mediators of inflammation, and platelet aggregation were
      measured. Flow mediated dilation (FMD) was studied before and after intravenous
      16,0 g L-arginine infusion, which was repeated after oral administration of
      acetylsalicylic acid (ASA-75 mg/day) for 4 days. Both groups had similar
      demographic characteristics. In the athletes, there was significantly higher
      hsCRP level, better serum lipid profile, and lower pulse pressure. Greater
      baseline FMD in athletes and in response to L-arginine disappeared following ASA
      treatment. There were no differences in the levels of the NO pathway metabolites.
      The control group was characterized by higher PAI-1 following ASA treatment and
      sICAM-1 both at baseline and after ASA, but no differences in MDA and 6-keto-PGF
      1 alpha and platelet aggregation were noted. Regular professional physical
      activity modulates endothelial but not platelet function and may thus exert an
      effect on overall cardiovascular risk.

PMID- 28630873
TI  - An Integrative Developmental Genomics and Systems Biology Approach to Identify an
      In Vivo Sox Trio-Mediated Gene Regulatory Network in Murine Embryos.
AB  - Embryogenesis is an intricate process involving multiple genes and pathways. Some
      of the key transcription factors controlling specific cell types are the Sox
      trio, namely, Sox5, Sox6, and Sox9, which play crucial roles in organogenesis
      working in a concerted manner. Much however still needs to be learned about their
      combinatorial roles during this process. A developmental genomics and systems
      biology approach offers to complement the reductionist methodology of current
      developmental biology and provide a more comprehensive and integrated view of the
      interrelationships of complex regulatory networks that occur during
      organogenesis. By combining cell type-specific transcriptome analysis and in vivo
      ChIP-Seq of the Sox trio using mouse embryos, we provide evidence for the direct
      control of Sox5 and Sox6 by the transcriptional trio in the murine model and by
      Morpholino knockdown in zebrafish and demonstrate the novel role of Tgfb2,
      Fbxl18, and Tle3 in formation of Sox5, Sox6, and Sox9 dependent tissues.
      Concurrently, a complete embryonic gene regulatory network has been generated,
      identifying a wide repertoire of genes involved and controlled by the Sox trio in
      the intricate process of normal embryogenesis.

PMID- 28630874
TI  - Mental and Reproductive Health Correlates of Academic Performance among Debre
      Berhan University Female Students, Ethiopia: The Case of Premenstrual Dysphoric
      Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Globally 3 to 8% of reproductive age women are suffering from
      premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Several mental and reproductive health
      related factors cause low academic achievement during university education.
      However, limited data exist in Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to investigate
      mental and reproductive health correlates of academic performance. METHODS:
      Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted with 667 Debre Berhan
      University female students from April to June 2015. Academic performance was the
      outcome variable. Mental and reproductive health characteristics were explanatory
      variables. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test of association was applied
      to examine group difference in academic performance. RESULT: Among 529 students
      who participated, 49.3% reported mild premenstrual syndrome (PMS), 36.9% reported
      moderate/severe PMS, and 13.8% fulfilled PMDD diagnostic criteria. The ANOVA test
      of association revealed that there was no significant difference in academic
      performance between students with different level of PMS experience (F-statistic
      = 0.08, p value = 0.93). Nevertheless, there was a significant difference in
      academic performance between students with different length of menses (F
      statistic = 5.15, p value = 0.006). CONCLUSION: There was no significant
      association between PMS experience and academic performance, but on the other
      hand, the length of menses significantly associated with academic performance.

PMID- 28630876
TI  - A Dosimetric Comparison of Dose Escalation with Simultaneous Integrated Boost for
      Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many studies have demonstrated that a higher radiotherapy dose is
      associated with improved outcomes in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We
      performed a dosimetric planning study to assess the dosimetric feasibility of
      intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with a simultaneous integrated boost
      (SIB) in locally advanced NSCLC. METHODS: We enrolled twenty patients. Five
      different dose plans were generated for each patient. All plans were prescribed a
      dose of 60 Gy to the planning tumor volume (PTV). In the three SIB groups, the
      prescribed dose was 69 Gy, 75 Gy, and 81 Gy in 30 fractions to the internal gross
      tumor volume (iGTV). RESULTS: The SIB-IMRT plans were associated with a
      significant increase in the iGTV dose (P < 0.05), without increased normal tissue
      exposure or prolonged overall treatment time. Significant differences were not
      observed in the dose to the normal lung in terms of the V5 and V20 among the four
      IMRT plans. The maximum dose (Dmax) in the esophagus moderately increased along
      with the prescribed dose (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that
      escalating the dose by SIB-IMRT is dosimetrically feasible; however, systematic
      evaluations via clinical trials are still warranted. We have designed a further
      clinical study (which is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02841228).

PMID- 28630877
TI  - Male-Partnered Sexual Minority Women: Sexual Identity Disclosure to Health Care
      Providers During the Perinatal Period.
AB  - Male-partnered sexual minority women (SMW) have received little research
      attention, despite the fact that they represent a large proportion of SMW -
      particularly child-bearing SMW. Male-partnered SMW are less "out" than female
      partnered SMW and will likely be "read" as heterosexual by perinatal providers.
      Given this, and evidence that pregnant women have unique mental health care
      needs, the current study focuses on male-partnered SMW (n = 28) during the
      perinatal period, recruited from Toronto, Canada and Massachusetts, USA, in an
      effort to understand disclosure and concealment processes in general and to
      perinatal heath care providers specifically. Women generally reported that they
      did not disclose (but made no effort to conceal) their sexual identities and
      histories in new or unfamiliar relationships, largely because the topic rarely
      came up, although some women highlighted bisexual invisibility and fear of
      biphobia as reasons for non-disclosure. Despite overall positive experiences with
      perinatal providers, less than one-quarter of the sample (n = 6) had disclosed
      their sexual identities and histories to them. Most women felt that this
      information was generally not relevant to their health care, and particularly
      their reproductive/obstetric care, although some believed that disclosure would
      be appropriate under conditions of sexual health risk (n = 8). Others noted that
      although they did not feel the need to disclose, they did prefer an LGBQ
      affirming provider (n = 7). Findings provide insight into male-partnered SMW's
      views and patterns of disclosure during the perinatal period, and have
      implications for providers, organizations, and scholars who interface with SMW.
      Pregnant sexual minority women with male partners are often assumed to be
      heterosexual, raising questions about whether and when these women disclose their
      sexual minority status in the perinatal context. This qualitative study of 28
      women found that most participants did not share their sexual identity or sexual
      histories with their perinatal health care providers because this information was
      perceived as not relevant to their care, although some women nevertheless valued
      having LGBTQ friendly providers.

PMID- 28630878
TI  - Prediction of brain tissue temperature using near-infrared spectroscopy.
AB  - Broadband near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can provide an endogenous indicator
      of tissue temperature based on the temperature dependence of the water absorption
      spectrum. We describe a first evaluation of the calibration and prediction of
      brain tissue temperature obtained during hypothermia in newborn piglets (animal
      dataset) and rewarming in newborn infants (human dataset) based on measured body
      (rectal) temperature. The calibration using partial least squares regression
      proved to be a reliable method to predict brain tissue temperature with respect
      to core body temperature in the wavelength interval of 720 to 880 nm with a
      strong mean predictive power of [Formula: see text] (animal dataset) and
      [Formula: see text] (human dataset). In addition, we applied regression receiver
      operating characteristic curves for the first time to evaluate the temperature
      prediction, which provided an overall mean error bias between NIRS predicted
      brain temperature and body temperature of [Formula: see text] (animal dataset)
      and [Formula: see text] (human dataset). We discuss main methodological aspects,
      particularly the well-known aspect of over- versus underestimation between brain
      and body temperature, which is relevant for potential clinical applications.

PMID- 28630875
TI  - Contribution of the Microenvironmental Niche to Glioblastoma Heterogeneity.
AB  - Glioblastoma is the most aggressive cancer of the brain. The dismal prognosis is
      largely attributed to the heterogeneous nature of the tumor, which in addition to
      intrinsic molecular and genetic changes is also influenced by the
      microenvironmental niche in which the glioma cells reside. The cancer stem cells
      (CSCs) hypothesis suggests that all cancers arise from CSCs that possess the
      ability to self-renew and initiate tumor formation. CSCs reside in specialized
      niches where interaction with the microenvironment regulates their stem cell
      behavior. The reciprocal interaction between glioma stem cells (GSCs) and cells
      from the microenvironment, such as endothelial cells, immune cells, and other
      parenchymal cells, may also promote angiogenesis, invasion, proliferation, and
      stemness of the GSCs and be likely to have an underappreciated role in their
      responsiveness to therapy. This crosstalk may also promote molecular transition
      of GSCs. Hence the inherent plasticity of GSCs can be seen as an adaptive
      response, changing according to the signaling cue from the niche. Given the
      association of GSCs with tumor recurrence and treatment sensitivity,
      understanding this bidirectional crosstalk between GSCs and its niche may provide
      a framework to identify more effective therapeutic targets and improve treatment
      outcome.

PMID- 28630879
TI  - Imaging Cajal's neuronal avalanche: how wide-field optical imaging of the point
      spread advanced the understanding of neocortical structure-function relationship.
AB  - This review brings together a collection of studies that specifically use wide
      field high-resolution mesoscopic level imaging techniques (intrinsic signal
      optical imaging; voltage-sensitive dye optical imaging) to image the cortical
      point spread (PS): the total spread of cortical activation comprising a large
      neuronal ensemble evoked by spatially restricted (point) stimulation of the
      sensory periphery (e.g., whisker, pure tone, point visual stimulation). The
      collective imaging findings, combined with supporting anatomical and
      electrophysiological findings, revealed some key aspects about the PS including
      its very large (radius of several mm) and relatively symmetrical spatial extent
      capable of crossing cytoarchitectural borders and trespassing into other cortical
      areas; its relationship with underlying evoked subthreshold activity and
      underlying anatomical system of long-range horizontal projections within gray
      matter, both also crossing borders; its contextual modulation and plasticity; the
      ability of its relative spatiotemporal profile to remain invariant to major
      changes in stimulation parameters; its potential role as a building block for
      integrative cortical activity; and its ubiquitous presence across various
      cortical areas and across mammalian species. Together, these findings advance our
      understanding about the neocortex at the mesoscopic level by underscoring that
      the cortical PS constitutes a fundamental motif of neocortical structure-function
      relationship.

PMID- 28630880
TI  - Prominent lateral spread of imaged evoked activity beyond cortical columns in
      barrel cortex provides foundation for coding whisker identity.
AB  - The posterior medial barrel subfield (PMBSF) of a rat primary somatosensory
      cortex exquisitely demonstrates topography and columnar organization, defining
      features of sensory cortices in the mammalian brain. Optical imaging and neuronal
      recordings in rat PMBSF demonstrate how evoked cortical activity following single
      whisker stimulation also rapidly spreads laterally into surrounding cortices,
      disregarding columnar and modality boundaries. The current study quantifies the
      spatial prominence of such lateral activity spreads by demonstrating that
      functional connectivity between laterally spaced cortical locations is actually
      stronger than between vertically spaced cortical locations. Further, the total
      amount of evoked activity within and beyond single column boundaries was
      quantified based on intrinsic signal optical imaging, single units and local
      field potentials recordings, revealing that the vast majority of whisker evoked
      activity in PMBSF occurs beyond columnar boundaries. Finally, a simple two-layer
      artificial neural network model of PMBSF demonstrates the capacity of
      extracolumnar evoked activity spread to provide a foundation for accurate whisker
      stimulus classification that is robust to random scaling of inputs and local
      noise. Indeed, classification performance improved when more of the lateral
      spread was included in the model, providing further evidence for the relevance of
      the lateral spread.

PMID- 28630881
TI  - Review of functional and clinical relevance of intrinsic signal optical imaging
      in human brain mapping.
AB  - Intrinsic signal optical imaging (ISOI) within the first decade of its use in
      humans showed its capacity as a precise functional mapping tool. It is a powerful
      tool that can be used intraoperatively to help a surgeon to directly identify
      functional areas of the cerebral cortex. Its use is limited to the intraoperative
      setting as it requires a craniotomy and durotomy for direct visualization of the
      brain. It has been applied in humans to study language, somatosensory and visual
      cortices, cortical hemodynamics, epileptiform activity, and lesion delineation.
      Despite studies showing clear evidence of its usefulness in clinical care, its
      clinical use in humans has not grown. Impediments imposed by imaging in a human
      operating room setting have hindered such work. However, recent studies have been
      aimed at overcoming obstacles in clinical studies establishing the benefits of
      its use to patients. This review provides a description of ISOI and its use in
      human studies with an emphasis on the challenges that have hindered its
      widespread use and the recent studies that aim to overcome these hurdles.
      Clinical studies establishing the benefits of its use to patients would serve as
      the impetus for continued development and use in humans.

PMID- 28630883
TI  - Detection of prostate cancer in multiparametric MRI using random forest with
      instance weighting.
AB  - A prostate computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) based on random forest to detect
      prostate cancer using a combination of spatial, intensity, and texture features
      extracted from three sequences, T2W, ADC, and B2000 images, is proposed. The
      random forest training considers instance-level weighting for equal treatment of
      small and large cancerous lesions as well as small and large prostate
      backgrounds. Two other approaches, based on an AutoContext pipeline intended to
      make better use of sequence-specific patterns, were considered. One pipeline uses
      random forest on individual sequences while the other uses an image filter
      described to produce probability map-like images. These were compared to a
      previously published CAD approach based on support vector machine (SVM) evaluated
      on the same data. The random forest, features, sampling strategy, and instance
      level weighting improve prostate cancer detection performance [area under the
      curve (AUC) 0.93] in comparison to SVM (AUC 0.86) on the same test data. Using a
      simple image filtering technique as a first-stage detector to highlight likely
      regions of prostate cancer helps with learning stability over using a learning
      based approach owing to visibility and ambiguity of annotations in each sequence.

PMID- 28630882
TI  - Review: How do spontaneous and sensory-evoked activities interact?
AB  - Twenty years ago, the seminal work of Grinvald et al. revolutionized the view
      cast on spontaneous cortical activity by showing how, instead of being a mere
      measure of noise, it profoundly impacts cortical responses to a sensory input and
      therefore could play a role in sensory processing. This paved the way for a
      number of studies on the interactions between spontaneous and sensory-evoked
      activities. Spontaneous activity has subsequently been found to be highly
      structured and to participate in high cognitive functions, such as influencing
      conscious perception in humans. However, its functional role remains poorly
      understood, and only a few speculations exist, from the maintenance of the
      cortical network to the internal representation of an a priori knowledge of the
      environment. Furthermore, elucidation of this functional role could stem from
      studying the opposite relationship between spontaneous and sensory-evoked
      activities, namely, how a sensory input influences subsequent internal
      activities. Indeed, this question has remained largely unexplored, but a recent
      study by the Grinvald laboratory shows that a brief sensory input largely dampens
      spontaneous rhythms, suggesting a more sophisticated view where some spontaneous
      rhythms might relate to sensory processing and some others not.

PMID- 28630884
TI  - Evaluation of a high-resolution patient-specific model of the electrically
      stimulated cochlea.
AB  - Cochlear implants (CIs) are surgically implanted medical devices used to treat
      individuals with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. Although these
      devices have been remarkably successful at restoring audibility, many patients
      experience poor outcomes. Our group has developed the first image-guided CI
      programming technique where the electrode positions are found in CT images and
      used to estimate neural activation patterns, which is unique information that
      audiologists can use to define patient-specific processor settings. Currently,
      neural activation is estimated using only the distance from each electrode to the
      neural activation sites, which might be less accurate than using high-resolution
      electro-anatomical models (EAMs) to perform physics-based estimations of neural
      activation. We propose a patient-customized EAM approach where the EAM is
      spatially and electrically adapted to a patient-specific configuration. Spatial
      adaptation is done through nonrigid registration of the model with the patient CT
      image. Electrical adaptation is done by adjusting tissue resistivity parameters,
      so the intracochlear voltage distributions predicted by the model best match
      those directly measured for the patient via their implant. We found that our
      approach, demonstrated for [Formula: see text] patients, results in mean percent
      differences between direct and simulated measurements of voltage distributions of
      10.9%.

PMID- 28630885
TI  - Bayesian framework inspired no-reference region-of-interest quality measure for
      brain MRI images.
AB  - We describe a postacquisition, attribute-based quality assessment method for
      brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. It is based on the application of
      Bayes theory to the relationship between entropy and image quality attributes.
      The entropy feature image of a slice is segmented into low- and high-entropy
      regions. For each entropy region, there are three separate observations of
      contrast, standard deviation, and sharpness quality attributes. A quality index
      for a quality attribute is the posterior probability of an entropy region given
      any corresponding region in a feature image where quality attribute is observed.
      Prior belief in each entropy region is determined from normalized total clique
      potential (TCP) energy of the slice. For TCP below the predefined threshold, the
      prior probability for a region is determined by deviation of its percentage
      composition in the slice from a standard normal distribution built from 250 MRI
      volume data provided by Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. For TCP
      above the threshold, the prior is computed using a mathematical model that
      describes the TCP-noise level relationship in brain MRI images. Our proposed
      method assesses the image quality of each entropy region and the global image.
      Experimental results demonstrate good correlation with subjective opinions of
      radiologists for different types and levels of quality distortions.

PMID- 28630887
TI  - Calculation of the entrance skin dose distribution for fluoroscopically guided
      interventions using a pencil beam backscatter model.
AB  - Radiation backscattered from the patient can contribute substantially to skin
      dose in fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGIs). The distribution of
      backscatter is not spatially uniform, and use of a single backscatter factor
      cannot provide an accurate determination of skin dose. This study evaluates a
      method to determine the backscatter spatial distribution through convolution of a
      backscatter-to-primary (BP) point spread function (PSFn). The PSFn is derived for
      a pencil beam using EGSnrc Monte Carlo software and is convolved with primary
      distributions using a dose-tracking system. The backscatter distribution
      calculated using the convolution method is validated with Monte Carlo-derived
      distributions for three different size "uniform" fields and with XR-QA2
      Gafchromic film for nonuniform x-ray fields obtained using region-of-interest
      (ROI) attenuators and compensation filters, both with homogenous poly-methyl
      methacrylate and nonhomogenous head phantoms. The BP ratios inside uniform fields
      were calculated within [Formula: see text] of that determined using EGSnrc. For
      shaped fields, the BP ratio in the unattenuated ROI was calculated within
      [Formula: see text] of that measured with film; in the beam-attenuated periphery,
      agreement was within [Formula: see text], due to the larger uncertainty of the
      dose-response curve of the film in the low-dose region. This backscatter PSFn
      convolution method is much faster than performing full-field Monte Carlo
      calculations and provides improved accuracy in skin dose distribution
      determination for FGI procedures.

PMID- 28630886
TI  - Review of the current status of radiation protection in diagnostic radiology in
      Africa.
AB  - The aim of this paper is to review the available published studies from African
      countries on patient doses and medical radiation protection and identify
      strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. Papers on radiation doses to patients
      published until 2016 pertaining to studies in African countries were reviewed.
      Radiography, interventional radiology, computed tomography (CT), and mammography
      modalities were covered. In radiography, the entrance surface air kerma values
      were below the established diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) provided by the
      International Atomic Energy Agency, European Commission, and National Council on
      Radiation Protection and Measurements. Patient and staff doses in interventional
      procedures were not on the higher side when compared with other published reports
      from developed countries. The dose length product values in CT in many situations
      were higher than established DRLs. In mammography, the variations of clinical
      image quality and dose to standard breast between African countries and other
      countries were insignificant. In conclusion, like in any continent, not all
      countries in Africa are active, but some have produced good results. The
      potential for optimization of radiation protection using simple and inexpensive
      techniques has been demonstrated. The lack of medical physicists is one of the
      important challenges.

PMID- 28630888
TI  - GillesPy: A Python Package for Stochastic Model Building and Simulation.
AB  - GillesPy is an open-source Python package for model construction and simulation
      of stochastic biochemical systems. GillesPy consists of a Python framework for
      model building and an interface to the StochKit2 suite of efficient simulation
      algorithms based on the Gillespie stochastic simulation algorithms (SSA). To
      enable intuitive model construction and seamless integration into the scientific
      Python stack, we present an easy to understand, action-oriented programming
      interface. Here, we describe the components of this package and provide a
      detailed example relevant to the computational biology community.

PMID- 28630889
TI  - Subspace aware recovery of low rank and jointly sparse signals.
AB  - We consider the recovery of a matrix X, which is simultaneously low rank and
      joint sparse, from few measurements of its columns using a two-step algorithm.
      Each column of X is measured using a combination of two measurement matrices; one
      which is the same for every column, while the the second measurement matrix
      varies from column to column. The recovery proceeds by first estimating the row
      subspace vectors from the measurements corresponding to the common matrix. The
      estimated row subspace vectors are then used to recover X from all the
      measurements using a convex program of joint sparsity minimization. Our main
      contribution is to provide sufficient conditions on the measurement matrices that
      guarantee the recovery of such a matrix using the above two-step algorithm. The
      results demonstrate quite significant savings in number of measurements when
      compared to the standard multiple measurement vector (MMV) scheme, which assumes
      same time invariant measurement pattern for all the time frames. We illustrate
      the impact of the sampling pattern on reconstruction quality using breath held
      cardiac cine MRI and cardiac perfusion MRI data, while the utility of the
      algorithm to accelerate the acquisition is demonstrated on MR parameter mapping.

PMID- 28630890
TI  - DRD4 Gene Polymorphisms as a Risk Factor for Children with Attention Deficit
      Hyperactivity Disorder in Iranian Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dopamine dysfunction is known to be associated with
      attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4)
      is one of the important genes in this pathway. This study intended to investigate
      the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in exon 3 of the DRD4 gene in
      Iranian children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 130
      children with ADHD, aged 6-14 years, and 130 healthy children, within the same
      age range, were enrolled. All children were selected from northwest of Iran which
      have Caucasian ethnic background and are of a Turkic ethnic group. VNTR
      polymorphisms of the DRD4 gene were evaluated by PCR using exon 3-specific
      primers followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. FINDINGS: The Hardy-Weinberg
      principle and Chi-square test showed a significant difference in 4-repetition
      (4R) alleles between the ADHD (76.2%) and control (53.8%) groups (p = 0.004; X2 =
      17.39; df = 5). The least percentage of repetition alleles in both groups was 2R.
      CONCLUSION: There is a significant correlation between the 4R alleles of DRD4 and
      ADHD in the northwest of Iran.

PMID- 28630891
TI  - Frequency of Neurological Disorders in Bullous Pemphigoid Patients: A Cross
      Sectional Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune subepidermal blistering skin
      disorder which occurs mostly in the elderly. Several studies have reported an
      association between BP and neurological disorders (ND). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of
      this study was to evaluate the association between BP and neurological disorders
      in Iranian patients. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 87 patients with BP
      were enrolled. They were compared to 184 controls. Statistical analysis was done
      by SPSS statistical software version 19. RESULTS: Out of 87 patients with BP, 17
      (19.5%) had at least one neurological disease. Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) was
      the most common neurological disease that was seen in 7 patients (8.0%) in the
      case group and 4 (2.1%) in the control group. The incidence of CVA was
      significantly different between BP patients and the control group (P = 0.022).
      Dementia was observed in 6 patients in the case group (16.8%) and 2 (1.0%) in the
      control group. The incidence of dementia was significantly different between BP
      patients and the control group (P = 0.008). In this study, the incidences of
      Parkinson's disease (P = 0.830), epilepsy (P = 0.067), and multiple sclerosis (P
      = 0.326) were not statistically significant between the two groups. CONCLUSION:
      The incidence of CVA and dementia in patients with BP compared to the control
      group was significantly higher.

PMID- 28630892
TI  - Disruption of the Axonal Trafficking of Tyrosine Hydroxylase mRNA Impairs
      Catecholamine Biosynthesis in the Axons of Sympathetic Neurons.
AB  - Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in
      the biosynthesis of the catecholamine neurotransmitters. In a previous
      communication, evidence was provided that TH mRNA is trafficked to the axon,
      where it is locally translated. In addition, a 50-bp sequence element in the
      3'untranslated region (3'UTR) of TH mRNA was identified that directs TH mRNA to
      distal axons (i.e., zip-code). In the present study, the hypothesis was tested
      that local translation of TH plays an important role in the biosynthesis of the
      catecholamine neurotransmitters in the axon and/or presynaptic nerve terminal.
      Toward this end, a targeted deletion of the axonal transport sequence element was
      developed, using the lentiviral delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, and two guide
      RNA (gRNA) sequences flanking the 50-bp cis-acting regulatory element in rat
      superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neurons. Deletion of the axonal transport
      element reduced TH mRNA levels in the distal axons and reduced the axonal protein
      levels of TH and TH activity as measured by phosphorylation of SER40 in SCG
      neurons. Moreover, deletion of the zip-code diminished the axonal levels of
      dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE). Conversely, the local translation of
      exogenous TH mRNA in the distal axon enhanced TH levels and activity, and
      elevated axonal NE levels. Taken together, these results provide direct evidence
      to support the hypothesis that TH mRNA trafficking and local synthesis of TH play
      an important role in the synthesis of catecholamines in the axon and presynaptic
      terminal.

PMID- 28630893
TI  - A D53 repression motif induces oligomerization of TOPLESS corepressors and
      promotes assembly of a corepressor-nucleosome complex.
AB  - TOPLESS are tetrameric plant corepressors of the conserved Tup1/Groucho/TLE
      (transducin-like enhancer of split) family. We show that they interact through
      their TOPLESS domains (TPDs) with two functionally important ethylene response
      factor-associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) motifs of the rice strigolactone
      signaling repressor D53: the universally conserved EAR-3 and the monocot-specific
      EAR-2. We present the crystal structure of the monocot-specific EAR-2 peptide in
      complex with the TOPLESS-related protein 2 (TPR2) TPD, in which the EAR-2 motif
      binds the same TPD groove as jasmonate and auxin signaling repressors but makes
      additional contacts with a second TPD site to mediate TPD tetramer-tetramer
      interaction. We validated the functional relevance of the two TPD binding sites
      in reporter gene assays and in transgenic rice and demonstrate that EAR-2 binding
      induces TPD oligomerization. Moreover, we demonstrate that the TPD directly binds
      nucleosomes and the tails of histones H3 and H4. Higher-order assembly of TPD
      complexes induced by EAR-2 binding markedly stabilizes the nucleosome-TPD
      interaction. These results establish a new TPD-repressor binding mode that
      promotes TPD oligomerization and TPD-nucleosome interaction, thus illustrating
      the initial assembly of a repressor-corepressor-nucleosome complex.

PMID- 28630895
TI  - Glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) have a magnetic compass linked to the tidal cycle.
AB  - The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has one of the longest migrations in the
      animal kingdom. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean twice during its life history,
      migrating between the spawning area in the Sargasso Sea and Europe, where it is
      widely distributed. The leptocephalus larvae drift with the Gulf Stream and other
      currents for more than a year and metamorphose into glass eels when they arrive
      on the continental shelf and move toward coastal areas. The mechanisms underlying
      glass eel orientation toward the coast and into freshwater systems are poorly
      known. However, anguillid eels, including the glass eel life stage, have a
      geomagnetic sense, suggesting the possibility that they use Earth's magnetic
      field to orient toward the coast. To test this hypothesis, we used a unique
      combination of laboratory tests and in situ behavioral observations conducted in
      a drifting circular arena. Most (98%) of the glass eels tested in the sea
      exhibited a preferred orientation that was related to the tidal cycle. Seventy
      one percent of the same eels showed the same orientation during ebb tide when
      tested in the laboratory under a manipulated simulated magnetic field in the
      absence of any other cue. These results demonstrate that glass eels use a
      magnetic compass for orientation and suggest that this magnetic orientation
      system is linked to a circatidal rhythm.

PMID- 28630897
TI  - Flexible and stretchable power sources for wearable electronics.
AB  - Flexible and stretchable power sources represent a key technology for the
      realization of wearable electronics. Developing flexible and stretchable
      batteries with mechanical endurance that is on par with commercial standards and
      offer compliance while retaining safety remains a significant challenge. We
      present a unique approach that demonstrates mechanically robust, intrinsically
      safe silver-zinc batteries. This approach uses current collectors with enhanced
      mechanical design, such as helical springs and serpentines, as a structural
      support and backbone for all battery components. We show wire-shaped batteries
      based on helical band springs that are resilient to fatigue and retain
      electrochemical performance over 17,000 flexure cycles at a 0.5-cm bending
      radius. Serpentine-shaped batteries can be stretched with tunable degree and
      directionality while maintaining their specific capacity. Finally, the batteries
      are integrated, as a wearable device, with a photovoltaic module that enables
      recharging of the batteries.

PMID- 28630894
TI  - Next-generation probes, particles, and proteins for neural interfacing.
AB  - Bidirectional interfacing with the nervous system enables neuroscience research,
      diagnosis, and therapy. This two-way communication allows us to monitor the state
      of the brain and its composite networks and cells as well as to influence them to
      treat disease or repair/restore sensory or motor function. To provide the most
      stable and effective interface, the tools of the trade must bridge the soft, ion
      rich, and evolving nature of neural tissue with the largely rigid, static realm
      of microelectronics and medical instruments that allow for readout, analysis,
      and/or control. In this Review, we describe how the understanding of neural
      signaling and material-tissue interactions has fueled the expansion of the
      available tool set. New probe architectures and materials, nanoparticles, dyes,
      and designer genetically encoded proteins push the limits of recording and
      stimulation lifetime, localization, and specificity, blurring the boundary
      between living tissue and engineered tools. Understanding these approaches, their
      modality, and the role of cross-disciplinary development will support new
      neurotherapies and prostheses and provide neuroscientists and neurologists with
      unprecedented access to the brain.

PMID- 28630896
TI  - The GH receptor exon 3 deletion is a marker of male-specific exceptional
      longevity associated with increased GH sensitivity and taller stature.
AB  - Although both growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)
      signaling were shown to regulate life span in lower organisms, the role of GH
      signaling in human longevity remains unclear. Because a GH receptor exon 3
      deletion (d3-GHR) appears to modulate GH sensitivity in humans, we hypothesized
      that this polymorphism could play a role in human longevity. We report a linear
      increased prevalence of d3-GHR homozygosity with age in four independent cohorts
      of long-lived individuals: 841 participants [567 of the Longevity Genes Project
      (LGP) (8% increase; P = 0.01), 152 of the Old Order Amish (16% increase; P =
      0.02), 61 of the Cardiovascular Health Study (14.2% increase; P = 0.14), and 61
      of the French Long-Lived Study (23.5% increase; P = 0.02)]. In addition, mega
      analysis of males in all cohorts resulted in a significant positive trend with
      age (26% increase; P = 0.007), suggesting sexual dimorphism for GH action in
      longevity. Further, on average, LGP d3/d3 homozygotes were 1 inch taller than the
      wild-type (WT) allele carriers (P = 0.05) and also showed lower serum IGF-1
      levels (P = 0.003). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the presence
      of d3/d3 genotype adds approximately 10 years to life span. The LGP d3/d3-GHR
      transformed lymphocytes exhibited superior growth and extracellular signal
      regulated kinase activation, to GH treatment relative to WT GHR lymphocytes (P <
      0.01), indicating a GH dose response. The d3-GHR variant is a common genetic
      polymorphism that modulates GH responsiveness throughout the life span and
      positively affects male longevity.

PMID- 28630898
TI  - Polymeric lithography editor: Editing lithographic errors with nanoporous
      polymeric probes.
AB  - A new lithographic editing system with an ability to erase and rectify errors in
      microscale with real-time optical feedback is demonstrated. The erasing probe is
      a conically shaped hydrogel (tip size, ca. 500 nm) template-synthesized from
      track-etched conical glass wafers. The "nanosponge" hydrogel probe "erases"
      patterns by hydrating and absorbing molecules into a porous hydrogel matrix via
      diffusion analogous to a wet sponge. The presence of an interfacial liquid water
      layer between the hydrogel tip and the substrate during erasing enables
      frictionless, uninterrupted translation of the eraser on the substrate. The
      erasing capacity of the hydrogel is extremely high because of the large free
      volume of the hydrogel matrix. The fast frictionless translocation and
      interfacial hydration resulted in an extremely high erasing rate (~785 MUm2/s),
      which is two to three orders of magnitude higher in comparison with the atomic
      force microscopy-based erasing (~0.1 MUm2/s) experiments. The high precision and
      accuracy of the polymeric lithography editor (PLE) system stemmed from coupling
      piezoelectric actuators to an inverted optical microscope. Subsequently after
      erasing the patterns using agarose erasers, a polydimethylsiloxane probe
      fabricated from the same conical track-etched template was used to precisely
      redeposit molecules of interest at the erased spots. PLE also provides a
      continuous optical feedback throughout the entire molecular editing process
      writing, erasing, and rewriting. To demonstrate its potential in device
      fabrication, we used PLE to electrochemically erase metallic copper thin film,
      forming an interdigitated array of microelectrodes for the fabrication of a
      functional microphotodetector device. High-throughput dot and line erasing,
      writing with the conical "wet nanosponge," and continuous optical feedback make
      PLE complementary to the existing catalog of nanolithographic/microlithographic
      and three-dimensional printing techniques. This new PLE technique will
      potentially open up many new and exciting avenues in lithography, which remain
      unexplored due to the inherent limitations in error rectification capabilities of
      the existing lithographic techniques.

PMID- 28630899
TI  - Comment on "Whole-genome sequence analysis shows two endemic species of North
      American wolf are admixtures of the coyote and gray wolf".
AB  - Whole-genome data do not support a recent hybrid origin for red and eastern
      wolves.

PMID- 28630900
TI  - Reconstructed storm tracks reveal three centuries of changing moisture delivery
      to North America.
AB  - Moisture delivery to western North America is closely linked to variability in
      the westerly storm tracks of midlatitude cyclones, which are, in turn, modified
      by larger-scale features such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation system.
      Instrumental and modeling data suggest that extratropical storm tracks may be
      intensifying and shifting poleward due to anthropogenic climate change, but it is
      difficult to separate recent trends from natural variability because of the large
      amount of decadal and longer variation in storm tracks and their limited
      instrumental record. We reconstruct cool-season, midlatitude Pacific storm-track
      position and intensity from 1693 to 1995 CE using existing tree-ring chronologies
      along with a network of newly developed chronologies from the U.S. Pacific
      Northwest, where small variations in storm-track position can have a major
      influence on hydroclimate patterns. Our results show high interannual-to
      multidecadal variability in storm-track position and intensity over the past 303
      years, with spectral signatures characteristic of tropical and northern Pacific
      influences. Comparison with reconstructions of precipitation and tropical sea
      surface temperature confirms the relationship between shifting drought patterns
      in the Pacific Northwest and storm-track variability through time and
      demonstrates the long-term influence of El Nino. These results allow us to place
      recent storm-track changes in the context of decadal and multidecadal
      fluctuations across the long-term record, showing that recent changes in storm
      track intensity likely represent a warming-related increase amplified by natural
      decadal variability.

PMID- 28630901
TI  - Stable anchoring chemistry for room temperature charge transport through graphite
      molecule contacts.
AB  - An open challenge for single-molecule electronics is to find stable contacts at
      room temperature with a well-defined conductance. Common coinage metal electrodes
      pose fabrication and operational problems due to the high mobility of the surface
      atoms. We demonstrate how molecules covalently grafted onto mechanically robust
      graphite/graphene substrates overcome these limitations. To this aim, we explore
      the effect of the anchoring group chemistry on the charge transport properties of
      graphite-molecule contacts by means of the scanning tunneling microscopy break
      junction technique and ab initio simulations. Molecules adsorbed on graphite only
      via van der Waals interactions have a conductance that decreases exponentially
      upon stretching the junctions, whereas the molecules bonded covalently to
      graphite have a single well-defined conductance and yield contacts of
      unprecedented stability at room temperature. Our results demonstrate a strong
      bias dependence of the single-molecule conductance, which varies over more than
      one order of magnitude even at low bias voltages, and show an opposite
      rectification behavior for covalent and noncovalent contacts. We demonstrate that
      this bias-dependent conductance and opposite rectification behavior is due to a
      novel effect caused by the nonconstant, highly dispersive density of states of
      graphite around the Fermi energy and that the direction of rectification is
      governed by the detailed nature of the molecule/graphite contact. Combined with
      the prospect of new functionalities due to a strongly bias-dependent conductance,
      these covalent contacts are ideal candidates for next-generation molecular
      electronic devices.

PMID- 28630902
TI  - Comment (2) on "Formation of the Isthmus of Panama" by O'Dea et al.
AB  - O'Dea et al. challenged the inference that the Isthmus of Panama has been in
      place for the last 10 million years or more and from "an exhaustive review and
      reanalysis of geological, paleontological, and molecular records," they argued
      for a "formation of the Isthmus of Panama sensu stricto around 2.8 Ma." I review
      environmental changes since ~5 Ma throughout Earth, and I argue that
      environmental changes in the Central American-Caribbean region have been part of
      a concurrent, worldwide phenomenon that requires a global, not local,
      explanation. Accordingly, evidence of environmental change from the Central
      American-Caribbean region does not implicate the emergence of the Isthmus of
      Panama.

PMID- 28630903
TI  - Comment (1) on "Formation of the Isthmus of Panama" by O'Dea et al.
AB  - A review and reanalysis of geological, molecular, and paleontological data led
      O'Dea et al. (1) to propose (i) that reports by Montes et al. (2) and Bacon et
      al. (3) regarding a middle Miocene closure of the Central American Seaway (CAS)
      are unsupported, and (ii) a new age of the formation of the Isthmus at 2.8
      million years ago (Ma). Here, we reject both of these conclusions.

PMID- 28630904
TI  - Participatory adaptive management leads to environmental learning outcomes
      extending beyond the sphere of science.
AB  - Resolving uncertainties in managed social-ecological systems requires adaptive
      experimentation at whole-ecosystem levels. However, whether participatory
      adaptive management fosters ecological understanding among stakeholders beyond
      the sphere of science is unknown. We experimentally involved members of German
      angling clubs (n = 181 in workshops, n = 2483 in total) engaged in self
      governance of freshwater fisheries resources in a large-scale ecological
      experiment of active adaptive management of fish stocking, which constitutes a
      controversial management practice for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning when
      conducted inappropriately. The collaborative ecological experiments spanned
      several years and manipulated fish densities in 24 lakes with two species. In
      parallel, we experimentally compared changes in ecological knowledge and
      antecedents of proenvironmental behavior in stakeholders and managers who were
      members of a participatory adaptive management treatment group, with those
      receiving only a standard lecture, relative to placebo controls. Using a within
      subjects pretest-posttest control design, changes in ecological knowledge,
      environmental beliefs, attitudes, norms, and behavioral intentions were
      evaluated. Participants in adaptive management retained more knowledge of
      ecological topics after a period of 8 months compared to those receiving a
      standard lecture, both relative to controls. Involvement in adaptive management
      was also the only treatment that altered personal norms and beliefs related to
      stocking. Critically, only the stakeholders who participated in adaptive
      management reduced their behavioral intentions to engage in fish stocking in the
      future. Adaptive management is essential for robust ecological knowledge, and we
      show that involving stakeholders in adaptive management experiments is a powerful
      tool to enhance ecological literacy and build environmental capacity to move
      toward sustainability.

PMID- 28630905
TI  - Mechanical deformation induces depolarization of neutrophils.
AB  - The transition of neutrophils from a resting state to a primed state is an
      essential requirement for their function as competent immune cells. This
      transition can be caused not only by chemical signals but also by mechanical
      perturbation. After cessation of either, these cells gradually revert to a
      quiescent state over 40 to 120 min. We use two biophysical tools, an optical
      stretcher and a novel microcirculation mimetic, to effect physiologically
      relevant mechanical deformations of single nonadherent human neutrophils. We
      establish quantitative morphological analysis and mechanical phenotyping as label
      free markers of neutrophil priming. We show that continued mechanical deformation
      of primed cells can cause active depolarization, which occurs two orders of
      magnitude faster than by spontaneous depriming. This work provides a cellular
      level mechanism that potentially explains recent clinical studies demonstrating
      the potential importance, and physiological role, of neutrophil depriming in vivo
      and the pathophysiological implications when this deactivation is impaired,
      especially in disorders such as acute lung injury.

PMID- 28630906
TI  - Skyrmion lattice structural transition in MnSi.
AB  - Magnetic skyrmions exhibit particle-like properties owing to the topology of
      their swirling spin texture, providing opportunities to study crystallization of
      topological particles. However, they mostly end up with a triangular lattice, and
      thus, the packing degree of freedom in the skyrmion particles has been overlooked
      so far. We report a structural transition of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi. By use
      of small-angle neutron scattering, we explore a metastable skyrmion state
      spreading over a wide temperature and magnetic field region, after thermal
      quenching. The quenched skyrmions undergo a triangular-to-square lattice
      transition with decreasing magnetic field at low temperatures. Our study suggests
      that various skyrmion lattices can emerge at low temperatures, where the
      skyrmions exhibit distinct topological nature and high sensitivity to the local
      magnetic anisotropy arising from the underlying chemical lattice.

PMID- 28630907
TI  - Wind-invariant saltation heights imply linear scaling of aeolian saltation flux
      with shear stress.
AB  - Wind-driven sand transport generates atmospheric dust, forms dunes, and sculpts
      landscapes. However, it remains unclear how the flux of particles in aeolian
      saltation-the wind-driven transport of sand in hopping trajectories-scales with
      wind speed, largely because models do not agree on how particle speeds and
      trajectories change with wind shear velocity. We present comprehensive
      measurements, from three new field sites and three published studies, showing
      that characteristic saltation layer heights remain approximately constant with
      shear velocity, in agreement with recent wind tunnel studies. These results
      support the assumption of constant particle speeds in recent models predicting
      linear scaling of saltation flux with shear stress. In contrast, our results
      refute widely used older models that assume that particle speed increases with
      shear velocity, thereby predicting nonlinear 3/2 stress-flux scaling. This
      conclusion is further supported by direct field measurements of saltation flux
      versus shear stress. Our results thus argue for adoption of linear saltation flux
      laws and constant saltation trajectories for modeling saltation-driven aeolian
      processes on Earth, Mars, and other planetary surfaces.

PMID- 28630908
TI  - Biofuel by isomerizing metathesis of rapeseed oil esters with (bio)ethylene for
      use in contemporary diesel engines.
AB  - Rapeseed oil methyl ester (RME) and (bio)ethylene are converted into biofuel with
      an evenly rising boiling point curve, which fulfills the strict boiling
      specifications prescribed by the fuel standard EN 590 for modern (petro)diesel
      engines. Catalyzed by a Pd/Ru system, RME undergoes isomerizing metathesis in a
      stream of ethylene gas, leading to a defined olefin, monoester, and diester
      blend. This innovative refining concept requires negligible energy input (60
      degrees C) and no solvents and does not produce waste. It demonstrates that the
      pressing challenge of increasing the fraction of renewables in engine fuel may be
      addressed purely chemically rather than by motor engineering.

PMID- 28630910
TI  - Ferroelastic modulation and the Bloch formalism.
AB  - The key to the development of advanced materials is to understand their
      electronic structure-property relationship. Utilization of this understanding to
      design new electronic materials with desired properties led to modern epitaxial
      growth approaches for synthesizing artificial lattices, which for almost half a
      century have become the mainstay of electronic and photonic technologies. In
      contrast to previous scalar modulation approaches, we now study synthetic crystal
      lattices that have a tensor artificial modulation and develop a theory for
      photons and conduction band states in these lattices in a regime with an unusual
      departure from the familiar consequences of translational symmetry and Bloch's
      theorem. This study reveals that a nonmagnetic crystal lattice modulated by a
      purely geometrical orientational superlattice potential can lead to localized
      states or to spiral states for electrons and photons, as well as weakly or
      strongly localized states that could be used to markedly slow down the
      propagation of light and for optical energy storage applications.

PMID- 28630909
TI  - Dynamic fracture of tantalum under extreme tensile stress.
AB  - The understanding of fracture phenomena of a material at extremely high strain
      rates is a key issue for a wide variety of scientific research ranging from
      applied science and technological developments to fundamental science such as
      laser-matter interaction and geology. Despite its interest, its study relies on a
      fine multiscale description, in between the atomic scale and macroscopic
      processes, so far only achievable by large-scale atomic simulations. Direct
      ultrafast real-time monitoring of dynamic fracture (spallation) at the atomic
      lattice scale with picosecond time resolution was beyond the reach of
      experimental techniques. We show that the coupling between a high-power optical
      laser pump pulse and a femtosecond x-ray probe pulse generated by an x-ray free
      electron laser allows detection of the lattice dynamics in a tantalum foil at an
      ultrahigh strain rate of [Formula: see text] ~2 * 108 to 3.5 * 108 s-1. A maximal
      density drop of 8 to 10%, associated with the onset of spallation at a spall
      strength of ~17 GPa, was directly measured using x-ray diffraction. The
      experimental results of density evolution agree well with large-scale atomistic
      simulations of shock wave propagation and fracture of the sample. Our
      experimental technique opens a new pathway to the investigation of ultrahigh
      strain-rate phenomena in materials at the atomic scale, including high-speed
      crack dynamics and stress-induced solid-solid phase transitions.

PMID- 28630911
TI  - The genomic mosaicism of hybrid speciation.
AB  - Hybridization is widespread in nature and, in some instances, can result in the
      formation of a new hybrid species. We investigate the genetic foundation of this
      poorly understood process through whole-genome analysis of the hybrid Italian
      sparrow and its progenitors. We find overall balanced yet heterogeneous levels of
      contribution from each parent species throughout the hybrid genome and identify
      areas of novel divergence in the hybrid species exhibiting signals consistent
      with balancing selection. High-divergence areas are disproportionately located on
      the Z chromosome and overrepresented in gene networks relating to key traits
      separating the focal species, which are likely involved in reproductive barriers
      and/or species-specific adaptations. Of special interest are genes and functional
      groups known to affect body patterning, beak morphology, and the immune system,
      which are important features of diversification and fitness. We show that a
      combination of mosaic parental inheritance and novel divergence within the hybrid
      lineage has facilitated the origin and maintenance of an avian hybrid species.

PMID- 28630912
TI  - A nearly water-saturated mantle transition zone inferred from mineral viscosity.
AB  - An open question for solid-earth scientists is the amount of water in Earth's
      interior. The uppermost mantle and lower mantle contain little water because
      their dominant minerals, olivine and bridgmanite, have limited water storage
      capacity. In contrast, the mantle transition zone (MTZ) at a depth of 410 to 660
      km is considered to be a potential water reservoir because its dominant minerals,
      wadsleyite and ringwoodite, can contain large amounts of water [up to 3 weight %
      (wt %)]. However, the actual amount of water in the MTZ is unknown. Given that
      water incorporated into mantle minerals can lower their viscosity, we evaluate
      the water content of the MTZ by measuring dislocation mobility, a property that
      is inversely proportional to viscosity, as a function of temperature and water
      content in ringwoodite and bridgmanite. We find that dislocation mobility in
      bridgmanite is faster by two orders of magnitude than in anhydrous ringwoodite
      but 1.5 orders of magnitude slower than in water-saturated ringwoodite. To fit
      the observed mantle viscosity profiles, ringwoodite in the MTZ should contain 1
      to 2 wt % water. The MTZ should thus be nearly water-saturated globally.

PMID- 28630913
TI  - An innovative biologic system for photon-powered myocardium in the ischemic
      heart.
AB  - Coronary artery disease is one of the most common causes of death and disability,
      afflicting more than 15 million Americans. Although pharmacological advances and
      revascularization techniques have decreased mortality, many survivors will
      eventually succumb to heart failure secondary to the residual microvascular
      perfusion deficit that remains after revascularization. We present a novel system
      that rescues the myocardium from acute ischemia, using photosynthesis through
      intramyocardial delivery of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. By using
      light rather than blood flow as a source of energy, photosynthetic therapy
      increases tissue oxygenation, maintains myocardial metabolism, and yields durable
      improvements in cardiac function during and after induction of ischemia. By
      circumventing blood flow entirely to provide tissue with oxygen and nutrients,
      this system has the potential to create a paradigm shift in the way ischemic
      heart disease is treated.

PMID- 28630914
TI  - Deregulated Ca2+ cycling underlies the development of arrhythmia and heart
      disease due to mutant obscurin.
AB  - Obscurins are cytoskeletal proteins with structural and regulatory roles encoded
      by OBSCN. Mutations in OBSCN are associated with the development of hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Specifically, the R4344Q
      mutation present in immunoglobulin domain 58 (Ig58) was the first to be linked
      with the development of HCM. To assess the effects of R4344Q in vivo, we
      generated the respective knock-in mouse model. Mutant obscurins are expressed and
      incorporated normally into sarcomeres. The expression patterns of sarcomeric and
      Ca2+-cycling proteins are unaltered in sedentary 1-year-old knock-in myocardia,
      with the exception of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ adenosine triphosphatase 2
      (SERCA2) and pentameric phospholamban whose levels are significantly increased
      and decreased, respectively. Isolated cardiomyocytes from 1-year-old knock-in
      hearts exhibit increased Ca2+-transients and Ca2+-load in the sarcoplasmic
      reticulum and faster contractility kinetics. Moreover, sedentary 1-year-old knock
      in animals develop tachycardia accompanied by premature ventricular contractions,
      whereas 2-month-old knock-in animals subjected to pressure overload develop a DCM
      like phenotype. Structural analysis revealed that the R4344Q mutation alters the
      distribution of electrostatic charges over the Ig58 surface, thus interfering
      with its binding capabilities. Consistent with this, wild-type Ig58 interacts
      with phospholamban modestly, and this interaction is markedly enhanced in the
      presence of R4344Q. Together, our studies demonstrate that under sedentary
      conditions, the R4344Q mutation results in Ca2+ deregulation and spontaneous
      arrhythmia, whereas in the presence of chronic, pathological stress, it leads to
      cardiac remodeling and dilation. We postulate that enhanced binding between
      mutant obscurins and phospholamban leads to SERCA2 disinhibition, which may
      underlie the observed pathological alterations.

PMID- 28630915
TI  - Ultralight, scalable, and high-temperature-resilient ceramic nanofiber sponges.
AB  - Ultralight and resilient porous nanostructures have been fabricated in various
      material forms, including carbon, polymers, and metals. However, the development
      of ultralight and high-temperature resilient structures still remains extremely
      challenging. Ceramics exhibit good mechanical and chemical stability at high
      temperatures, but their brittleness and sensitivity to flaws significantly
      complicate the fabrication of resilient porous ceramic nanostructures. We report
      the manufacturing of large-scale, lightweight, high-temperature resilient, three
      dimensional sponges based on a variety of oxide ceramic (for example, TiO2, ZrO2,
      yttria-stabilized ZrO2, and BaTiO3) nanofibers through an efficient solution blow
      spinning process. The ceramic sponges consist of numerous tangled ceramic
      nanofibers, with densities varying from 8 to 40 mg/cm3. In situ uniaxial
      compression in a scanning electron microscope showed that the TiO2 nanofiber
      sponge exhibits high energy absorption (for example, dissipation of up to 29.6
      mJ/cm3 in energy density at 50% strain) and recovers rapidly after compression in
      excess of 20% strain at both room temperature and 400 degrees C. The sponge
      exhibits excellent resilience with residual strains of only ~1% at 800 degrees C
      after 10 cycles of 10% compression strain and maintains good recoverability after
      compression at ~1300 degrees C. We show that ceramic nanofiber sponges can serve
      multiple functions, such as elasticity-dependent electrical resistance,
      photocatalytic activity, and thermal insulation.

PMID- 28630917
TI  - MnTiO3-driven low-temperature oxidative coupling of methane over TiO2-doped Mn2O3
      Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst.
AB  - Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is a promising method for the direct
      conversion of methane to ethene and ethane (C2 products). Among the catalysts
      reported previously, Mn2O3-Na2WO4/SiO2 showed the highest conversion and
      selectivity, but only at 800 degrees  to 900 degrees C, which represents a
      substantial challenge for commercialization. We report a TiO2-doped Mn2O3
      Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst by using Ti-MWW zeolite as TiO2 dopant as well as SiO2
      support, enabling OCM with 26% conversion and 76% C2-C3 selectivity at 720
      degrees C because of MnTiO3 formation. MnTiO3 triggers the low-temperature Mn2+<
      >Mn3+ cycle for O2 activation while working synergistically with Na2WO4 to
      selectively convert methane to C2-C3. We also prepared a practical Mn2O3-TiO2
      Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst in a ball mill. This catalyst can be transformed in situ
      into MnTiO3-Na2WO4/SiO2, yielding 22% conversion and 62% selectivity at 650
      degrees C. Our results will stimulate attempts to understand more fully the
      chemistry of MnTiO3-governed low-temperature activity, which might lead to
      commercial exploitation of a low-temperature OCM process.

PMID- 28630916
TI  - Surface transport and quantum Hall effect in ambipolar black phosphorus double
      quantum wells.
AB  - Quantum wells (QWs) constitute one of the most important classes of devices in
      the study of two-dimensional (2D) systems. In a double-layer QW, the additional
      "which-layer" degree of freedom gives rise to celebrated phenomena, such as
      Coulomb drag, Hall drag, and exciton condensation. We demonstrate facile
      formation of wide QWs in few-layer black phosphorus devices that host double
      layers of charge carriers. In contrast to traditional QWs, each 2D layer is
      ambipolar and can be tuned into n-doped, p-doped, or intrinsic regimes. Fully
      spin-polarized quantum Hall states are observed on each layer, with an enhanced
      Lande g factor that is attributed to exchange interactions. Our work opens the
      door for using 2D semiconductors as ambipolar single, double, or wide QWs with
      unusual properties, such as high anisotropy.

PMID- 28630918
TI  - Compressed glassy carbon: An ultrastrong and elastic interpenetrating graphene
      network.
AB  - Carbon's unique ability to have both sp2 and sp3 bonding states gives rise to a
      range of physical attributes, including excellent mechanical and electrical
      properties. We show that a series of lightweight, ultrastrong, hard, elastic, and
      conductive carbons are recovered after compressing sp2-hybridized glassy carbon
      at various temperatures. Compression induces the local buckling of graphene
      sheets through sp3 nodes to form interpenetrating graphene networks with long
      range disorder and short-range order on the nanometer scale. The compressed
      glassy carbons have extraordinary specific compressive strengths-more than two
      times that of commonly used ceramics-and simultaneously exhibit robust elastic
      recovery in response to local deformations. This type of carbon is an optimal
      ultralight, ultrastrong material for a wide range of multifunctional
      applications, and the synthesis methodology demonstrates potential to access
      entirely new metastable materials with exceptional properties.

PMID- 28630919
TI  - Discovery of Lorentz-violating type II Weyl fermions in LaAlGe.
AB  - In quantum field theory, Weyl fermions are relativistic particles that travel at
      the speed of light and strictly obey the celebrated Lorentz symmetry. Their low
      energy condensed matter analogs are Weyl semimetals, which are conductors whose
      electronic excitations mimic the Weyl fermion equation of motion. Although the
      traditional (type I) emergent Weyl fermions observed in TaAs still approximately
      respect Lorentz symmetry, recently, the so-called type II Weyl semimetal has been
      proposed, where the emergent Weyl quasiparticles break the Lorentz symmetry so
      strongly that they cannot be smoothly connected to Lorentz symmetric Weyl
      particles. Despite some evidence of nontrivial surface states, the direct
      observation of the type II bulk Weyl fermions remains elusive. We present the
      direct observation of the type II Weyl fermions in crystalline solid lanthanum
      aluminum germanide (LaAlGe) based on our photoemission data alone, without
      reliance on band structure calculations. Moreover, our systematic data agree with
      the theoretical calculations, providing further support on our experimental
      results.

PMID- 28630920
TI  - Bioinspired shape-memory graphene film with tunable wettability.
AB  - Functional materials with specific surface wettability play an important role in
      a wide variety of areas. Inspired by nature's Nepenthes pitcher plant, we present
      a novel slippery film with tunable wettability based on a shape-memory graphene
      sponge. The porous graphene sponge coated with shape-memory polymer was used to
      lock in inert lubricants and construct slippery surfaces to repel different
      liquids. The superelasticity and high strength, together with good electrical
      conductivity, of the graphene sponge imparted the graphene/polymer hybrid films
      with fast recoverable shape-memory properties. Various droplets could slip on the
      compressed film with a lubricant-covered surface, but the droplets would be
      pinned when the shape-memory graphene film rebounded due to electrical
      stimulation, which caused the penetration of the infused lubricant into the pores
      and the exposure of rough topography film surfaces. The electrothermally dynamic
      tuning approach was stable and reversible; thus, the shape-memory graphene film
      was imparted with controlled slippery properties and functions that would be
      amenable to a variety of applications, such as liquid handling for microplates.

PMID- 28630921
TI  - Increasing probability of mortality during Indian heat waves.
AB  - Rising global temperatures are causing increases in the frequency and severity of
      extreme climatic events, such as floods, droughts, and heat waves. We analyze
      changes in summer temperatures, the frequency, severity, and duration of heat
      waves, and heat-related mortality in India between 1960 and 2009 using data from
      the India Meteorological Department. Mean temperatures across India have risen by
      more than 0.5 degrees C over this period, with statistically significant
      increases in heat waves. Using a novel probabilistic model, we further show that
      the increase in summer mean temperatures in India over this period corresponds to
      a 146% increase in the probability of heat-related mortality events of more than
      100 people. In turn, our results suggest that future climate warming will lead to
      substantial increases in heat-related mortality, particularly in developing low
      latitude countries, such as India, where heat waves will become more frequent and
      populations are especially vulnerable to these extreme temperatures. Our findings
      indicate that even moderate increases in mean temperatures may cause great
      increases in heat-related mortality and support the efforts of governments and
      international organizations to build up the resilience of these vulnerable
      regions to more severe heat waves.

PMID- 28630922
TI  - Flexible ferroelectric element based on van der Waals heteroepitaxy.
AB  - We present a promising technology for nonvolatile flexible electronic devices: A
      direct fabrication of epitaxial lead zirconium titanate (PZT) on flexible mica
      substrate via van der Waals epitaxy. These single-crystalline flexible
      ferroelectric PZT films not only retain their performance, reliability, and
      thermal stability comparable to those on rigid counterparts in tests of
      nonvolatile memory elements but also exhibit remarkable mechanical properties
      with robust operation in bent states (bending radii down to 2.5 mm) and cycling
      tests (1000 times). This study marks the technological advancement toward
      realizing much-awaited flexible yet single-crystalline nonvolatile electronic
      devices for the design and development of flexible, lightweight, and next
      generation smart devices with potential applications in electronics, robotics,
      automotive, health care, industrial, and military systems.

PMID- 28630923
TI  - Ribosome rearrangements at the onset of translational bypassing.
AB  - Bypassing is a recoding event that leads to the translation of two distal open
      reading frames into a single polypeptide chain. We present the structure of a
      translating ribosome stalled at the bypassing take-off site of gene 60 of
      bacteriophage T4. The nascent peptide in the exit tunnel anchors the P-site
      peptidyl-tRNAGly to the ribosome and locks an inactive conformation of the
      peptidyl transferase center (PTC). The mRNA forms a short dynamic hairpin in the
      decoding site. The ribosomal subunits adopt a rolling conformation in which the
      rotation of the small subunit around its long axis causes the opening of the A
      site region. Together, PTC conformation and mRNA structure safeguard against
      premature termination and read-through of the stop codon and reconfigure the
      ribosome to a state poised for take-off and sliding along the noncoding mRNA gap.

PMID- 28630924
TI  - Capturing the radical ion-pair intermediate in DNA guanine oxidation.
AB  - Although the radical ion pair has been frequently invoked as a key intermediate
      in DNA oxidative damage reactions and photoinduced electron transfer processes,
      the unambiguous detection and characterization of this species remain formidable
      and unresolved due to its extremely unstable nature and low concentration. We use
      the strategy that, at cryogenic temperatures, the transient species could be
      sufficiently stabilized to be detectable spectroscopically. By coupling the two
      techniques (the cryogenic stabilization and the time-resolved laser flash
      photolysis spectroscopy) together, we are able to capture the ion-pair transient
      G+*?Cl- in the chlorine radical-initiated DNA guanine (G) oxidation reaction, and
      provide direct evidence to ascertain the intricate type of addition/charge
      separation mechanism underlying guanine oxidation. The unique spectral signature
      of the radical ion-pair G+*?Cl- is identified, revealing a markedly intense
      absorption feature peaking at 570 nm that is distinctive from G+* alone.
      Moreover, the ion-pair spectrum is found to be highly sensitive to the
      protonation equilibria within guanine-cytosine base pair (G:C), which splits into
      two resolved bands at 480 and 610 nm as the acidic proton transfers along the
      central hydrogen bond from G+* to C. We thus use this exquisite sensitivity to
      track the intrabase-pair proton transfer dynamics in the double-stranded DNA
      oligonucleotides, which is of critical importance for the description of the
      proton-coupled charge transfer mechanisms in DNA.

PMID- 28630925
TI  - Buckyball sandwiches.
AB  - Two-dimensional (2D) materials have considerably expanded the field of materials
      science in the past decade. Even more recently, various 2D materials have been
      assembled into vertical van der Waals heterostacks, and it has been proposed to
      combine them with other low-dimensional structures to create new materials with
      hybridized properties. We demonstrate the first direct images of a suspended
      0D/2D heterostructure that incorporates C60 molecules between two graphene layers
      in a buckyball sandwich structure. We find clean and ordered C60 islands with
      thicknesses down to one molecule, shielded by the graphene layers from the
      microscope vacuum and partially protected from radiation damage during scanning
      transmission electron microscopy imaging. The sandwich structure serves as a 2D
      nanoscale reaction chamber, allowing the analysis of the structure of the
      molecules and their dynamics at atomic resolution.

PMID- 28630927
TI  - Welding of 3D-printed carbon nanotube-polymer composites by locally induced
      microwave heating.
AB  - Additive manufacturing through material extrusion, often termed three-dimensional
      (3D) printing, is a burgeoning method for manufacturing thermoplastic components.
      However, a key obstacle facing 3D-printed plastic parts in engineering
      applications is the weak weld between successive filament traces, which often
      leads to delamination and mechanical failure. This is the chief obstacle to the
      use of thermoplastic additive manufacturing. We report a novel concept for
      welding 3D-printed thermoplastic interfaces using intense localized heating of
      carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by microwave irradiation. The microwave heating of the
      CNT-polymer composites is a function of CNT percolation, as shown through in situ
      infrared imaging and simulation. We apply CNT-loaded coatings to a 3D printer
      filament; after printing, microwave irradiation is shown to improve the weld
      fracture strength by 275%. These remarkable results open up entirely new design
      spaces for additive manufacturing and also yield new insight into the coupling
      between dielectric properties and radio frequency field response for nanomaterial
      networks.

PMID- 28630926
TI  - Vasculogenic hydrogel enhances islet survival, engraftment, and function in
      leading extrahepatic sites.
AB  - Islet transplantation is a promising alternative therapy for insulin-dependent
      patients, with the potential to eliminate life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes
      and secondary complications of long-term diabetes. However, widespread
      application of this therapy has been limited by inadequate graft function and
      longevity, in part due to the loss of up to 60% of the graft in the hostile
      intrahepatic transplant site. We report a proteolytically degradable synthetic
      hydrogel, functionalized with vasculogenic factors for localized delivery,
      engineered to deliver islet grafts to extrahepatic transplant sites via in situ
      gelation under physiological conditions. Hydrogels induced differences in
      vascularization and innate immune responses among subcutaneous, small bowel
      mesentery, and epididymal fat pad transplant sites with improved vascularization
      and reduced inflammation at the epididymal fat pad site. This biomaterial-based
      strategy improved the survival, engraftment, and function of a single pancreatic
      donor islet mass graft compared to the current clinical intraportal delivery
      technique. This biomaterial strategy has the potential to improve clinical
      outcomes in islet autotransplantation after pancreatectomy and reduce the burden
      on donor organ availability by maximizing graft survival in clinical islet
      transplantation for type 1 diabetes patients.

PMID- 28630928
TI  - Novel phase diagram behavior and materials design in heterostructural
      semiconductor alloys.
AB  - Structure and composition control the behavior of materials. Isostructural
      alloying is historically an extremely successful approach for tuning materials
      properties, but it is often limited by binodal and spinodal decomposition, which
      correspond to the thermodynamic solubility limit and the stability against
      composition fluctuations, respectively. We show that heterostructural alloys can
      exhibit a markedly increased range of metastable alloy compositions between the
      binodal and spinodal lines, thereby opening up a vast phase space for novel
      homogeneous single-phase alloys. We distinguish two types of heterostructural
      alloys, that is, those between commensurate and incommensurate phases. Because of
      the structural transition around the critical composition, the properties change
      in a highly nonlinear or even discontinuous fashion, providing a mechanism for
      materials design that does not exist in conventional isostructural alloys. The
      novel phase diagram behavior follows from standard alloy models using mixing
      enthalpies from first-principles calculations. Thin-film deposition demonstrates
      the viability of the synthesis of these metastable single-phase domains and
      validates the computationally predicted phase separation mechanism above the
      upper temperature bound of the nonequilibrium single-phase region.

PMID- 28630930
TI  - Real-time quantitative analysis of metabolic flux in live cells using a
      hyperpolarized micromagnetic resonance spectrometer.
AB  - Metabolic reprogramming is widely considered a hallmark of cancer, and
      understanding metabolic dynamics described by the conversion rates or "fluxes" of
      metabolites can shed light onto biological processes of tumorigenesis and
      response to therapy. For real-time analysis of metabolic flux in intact cells or
      organisms, magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and imaging methods have been
      developed in conjunction with hyperpolarization of nuclear spins. These
      approaches enable noninvasive monitoring of tumor progression and treatment
      efficacy and are being tested in multiple clinical trials. However, because of
      their limited sensitivity, these methods require a larger number of cells, on the
      order of 107, which is impractical for analyzing scant target cells or mass
      limited samples. We present a new technology platform, a hyperpolarized
      micromagnetic resonance spectrometer (HMRS), that achieves real-time, 103-fold
      more sensitive metabolic analysis on live cells. This platform enables
      quantification of the metabolic flux in a wide range of cell types, including
      leukemia stem cells, without significant changes in viability, which allows
      downstream molecular analyses in tandem. It also enables rapid assessment of
      metabolic changes by a given drug, which may direct therapeutic choices in
      patients. We further advanced this platform for high-throughput analysis of
      hyperpolarized molecules by integrating a three-dimensionally printed
      microfluidic system. The HMRS platform holds promise as a sensitive method for
      studying metabolic dynamics in mass-limited samples, including primary cancer
      cells, providing novel therapeutic targets and an enhanced understanding of
      cellular metabolism.

PMID- 28630929
TI  - Splitting of the O-O bond at the heme-copper catalytic site of respiratory
      oxidases.
AB  - Heme-copper oxidases catalyze the four-electron reduction of O2 to H2O at a
      catalytic site that is composed of a heme group, a copper ion (CuB), and a
      tyrosine residue. Results from earlier experimental studies have shown that the O
      O bond is cleaved simultaneously with electron transfer from a low-spin heme
      (heme a/b), forming a ferryl state (PR ; Fe4+=O2-, CuB2+-OH-). We show that with
      the Thermus thermophilus ba3 oxidase, at low temperature (10 degrees C, pH 7),
      electron transfer from the low-spin heme b to the catalytic site is faster by a
      factor of ~10 (tau ? 11 MUs) than the formation of the PR ferryl (tau ?110 MUs),
      which indicates that O2 is reduced before the splitting of the O-O bond.
      Application of density functional theory indicates that the electron acceptor at
      the catalytic site is a high-energy peroxy state [Fe3+-O--O-(H+)], which is
      formed before the PR ferryl. The rates of heme b oxidation and PR ferryl
      formation were more similar at pH 10, indicating that the formation of the high
      energy peroxy state involves proton transfer within the catalytic site,
      consistent with theory. The combined experimental and theoretical data suggest a
      general mechanism for O2 reduction by heme-copper oxidases.

PMID- 28630931
TI  - Morphology controls the thermoelectric power factor of a doped semiconducting
      polymer.
AB  - The electrical performance of doped semiconducting polymers is strongly governed
      by processing methods and underlying thin-film microstructure. We report on the
      influence of different doping methods (solution versus vapor) on the
      thermoelectric power factor (PF) of PBTTT molecularly p-doped with F n TCNQ (n =
      2 or 4). The vapor-doped films have more than two orders of magnitude higher
      electronic conductivity (sigma) relative to solution-doped films. On the basis of
      resonant soft x-ray scattering, vapor-doped samples are shown to have a large
      orientational correlation length (OCL) (that is, length scale of aligned
      backbones) that correlates to a high apparent charge carrier mobility (MU). The
      Seebeck coefficient (alpha) is largely independent of OCL. This reveals that,
      unlike sigma, leveraging strategies to improve MU have a smaller impact on alpha.
      Our best-performing sample with the largest OCL, vapor-doped PBTTT:F4TCNQ thin
      film, has a sigma of 670 S/cm and an alpha of 42 MUV/K, which translates to a
      large PF of 120 MUW m-1 K-2. In addition, despite the unfavorable offset for
      charge transfer, doping by F2TCNQ also leads to a large PF of 70 MUW m-1 K-2,
      which reveals the potential utility of weak molecular dopants. Overall, our work
      introduces important general processing guidelines for the continued development
      of doped semiconducting polymers for thermoelectrics.

PMID- 28630932
TI  - Differential intron retention in Jumonji chromatin modifier genes is implicated
      in reptile temperature-dependent sex determination.
AB  - In many vertebrates, sex of offspring is determined by external environmental
      cues rather than by sex chromosomes. In reptiles, for instance, temperature
      dependent sex determination (TSD) is common. Despite decades of work, the
      mechanism by which temperature is converted into a sex-determining signal remains
      mysterious. This is partly because it is difficult to distinguish the primary
      molecular events of TSD from the confounding downstream signatures of sexual
      differentiation. We use the Australian central bearded dragon, in which
      chromosomal sex determination is overridden at high temperatures to produce sex
      reversed female offspring, as a unique model to identify TSD-specific features of
      the transcriptome. We show that an intron is retained in mature transcripts from
      each of two Jumonji family genes, JARID2 and JMJD3, in female dragons that have
      been sex-reversed by temperature but not in normal chromosomal females or males.
      JARID2 is a component of the master chromatin modifier Polycomb Repressive
      Complex 2, and the mammalian sex-determining factor SRY is directly regulated by
      an independent but closely related Jumonji family member. We propose that the
      perturbation of JARID2/JMJD3 function by intron retention alters the epigenetic
      landscape to override chromosomal sex-determining cues, triggering sex reversal
      at extreme temperatures. Sex reversal may then facilitate a transition from
      genetic sex determination to TSD, with JARID2/JMJD3 intron retention preserved as
      the decisive regulatory signal. Significantly, we also observe sex-associated
      differential retention of the equivalent introns in JARID2/JMJD3 transcripts
      expressed in embryonic gonads from TSD alligators and turtles, indicative of a
      reptile-wide mechanism controlling TSD.

PMID- 28630933
TI  - Statistical thinking for 21st century scientists.
AB  - Statistical science provides a wide range of concepts and methods for studying
      situations subject to unexplained variability. Such considerations enter fields
      ranging from particle physics and astrophysics to genetics, sociology and
      economics, and beyond; to associated areas of application such as engineering,
      agriculture, and medicine, in particular in clinical trials. Successful
      application hinges on absorption of statistical thinking into the subject matter
      and, hence, depends strongly on the field in question and on the individual
      investigators. It is the job of theoretical statisticians both to be alive to the
      challenges of specific applications and, at the same time, to develop methods and
      concepts that, with good fortune, will be broadly applicable.

PMID- 28630934
TI  - Ligand binding to a G protein-coupled receptor captured in a mass spectrometer.
AB  - G protein (heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein)-coupled receptors
      belong to the largest family of membrane-embedded cell surface proteins and are
      involved in a diverse array of physiological processes. Despite progress in the
      mass spectrometry of membrane protein complexes, G protein-coupled receptors have
      remained intractable because of their low yield and instability after extraction
      from cell membranes. We established conditions in the mass spectrometer that
      preserve noncovalent ligand binding to the human purinergic receptor P2Y1.
      Results established differing affinities for nucleotides and the drug MRS2500 and
      link antagonist binding with the absence of receptor phosphorylation. Overall,
      therefore, our results are consistent with drug binding, preventing the
      conformational changes that facilitate downstream signaling. More generally, we
      highlight opportunities for mass spectrometry to probe effects of ligand binding
      on G protein-coupled receptors.

PMID- 28630935
TI  - Response to Hohenlohe et al.
AB  - A response to Hohenlohe et al.

PMID- 28630936
TI  - Pushing the boundaries: Science Advances.

PMID- 28630937
TI  - High Precision Neural Decoding of Complex Movement Trajectories using Recursive
      Bayesian Estimation with Dynamic Movement Primitives.
AB  - Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) are a rapidly progressing technology with the
      potential to restore function to victims of severe paralysis via neural control
      of robotic systems. Great strides have been made in directly mapping a user's
      cortical activity to control of the individual degrees of freedom of robotic end
      effectors. While BMIs have yet to achieve the level of reliability desired for
      widespread clinical use, environmental sensors (e.g. RGB-D cameras for object
      detection) and prior knowledge of common movement trajectories hold great
      potential for improving system performance. Here we present a novel sensor fusion
      paradigm for BMIs that capitalizes on information able to be extracted from the
      environment to greatly improve the performance of control. This was accomplished
      by using dynamic movement primitives to model the 3D endpoint trajectories of
      manipulating various objects. We then used a switching unscented Kalman filter to
      continuously arbitrate between the 3D endpoint kinematics predicted by the
      dynamic movement primitives and control derived from neural signals. We
      experimentally validated our system by decoding 3D endpoint trajectories executed
      by a non-human primate manipulating four different objects at various locations.
      Performance using our system showed a dramatic improvement over using neural
      signals alone, with median distance between actual and decoded trajectories
      decreasing from 31.1 cm to 9.9 cm, and mean correlation increasing from 0.80 to
      0.98. Our results indicate that our sensor fusion framework can dramatically
      increase the fidelity of neural prosthetic trajectory decoding.

PMID- 28630938
TI  - Sleep dysfunction and its association to chronic rhinosinusitis: Updated review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor sleep has significant effects on health contributing to
      increased morbidity and mortality. The direct and indirect costs of sleep
      dysfunction total well in to the billions of dollars annually in the US. Chronic
      rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects up to 16% of the US population and has been linked
      to poor sleep quality with up to three quarters of patients with CRS reporting
      poor sleep quality. There is a growing body of literature evaluating the
      relationship between sleep and CRS. In this review, we organize and present the
      current knowledge on the associations between sleep and CRS as well as identify
      areas for further investigation. DATA SOURCES: A structured literature search
      from 1946 to 2016 was conducted in the English language using OVID MEDLINE
      database, PubMed and EMBASE. REVIEW METHODS: Abstracts were reviewed for
      relevance and appropriate studies were included in the narrative review. RESULTS:
      Studies were analyzed and discussed as they pertained to the following categories
      of CRS and sleep: (1) subjective measures of sleep dysfunction, (2) objective
      measures of sleep dysfunction, and (3) outcomes on sleep quality following
      treatment of CRS. Articles on the pathophysiology of sleep dysfunction in CRS
      were separately reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: An evolving body of research demonstrates
      that quality of sleep is compromised in the majority of patients with CRS.
      Following treatment of CRS, there is significant improvement in subjective sleep
      quality, but additional research investigating objective measures following
      treatment is still needed. Additionally, further investigation is required to
      better elucidate the underlying pathophysiology of the relationship between sleep
      dysfunction and CRS.

PMID- 28630939
TI  - Retrospective Surveillance of Wastewater To Examine Seasonal Dynamics of
      Enterovirus Infections.
AB  - Enteroviruses are RNA viruses that are responsible for both mild gastroenteritis
      and mild respiratory illnesses as well as debilitating diseases such as
      meningitis and myocarditis. The disease burden of enteroviruses in the United
      States is difficult to assess because most infections are not recorded. Since
      infected individuals shed enterovirus in feces and urine, surveillance of
      municipal wastewater can reveal the diversity of enteroviruses circulating in
      human populations. Therefore, monthly municipal wastewater samples were collected
      for 1 year and enteroviruses were quantified by reverse transcriptase
      quantitative PCR and identified by next-generation, high-throughput sequencing.
      Enterovirus concentrations ranged from 3.8 to 5.9 log10 equivalent copies/liter
      in monthly samples. From the mean monthly concentration, it can be estimated that
      2.8% of the contributing population was shedding enterovirus daily. Sequence
      analysis showed that Enterovirus A and Enterovirus B alternate in predominance,
      with Enterovirus B comprising over 80% of the reads during the summer and fall
      months and Enterovirus A accounting for >45% of the reads in spring. Enterovirus
      C was observed throughout the year, while Enterovirus D was present
      intermittently. Principal-component analysis further supported the date
      corresponding to enterovirus seasonal trends as CVA6 (Enterovirus A) was
      predominant in the spring months; CVB3, CVB5, and E9 (Enterovirus B) were
      predominant in the summer and fall months; and CVA1, CVA19, and CVA22
      (Enterovirus C) and EV97 (Enterovirus B) were predominant in winter. Rhinoviruses
      were also observed. Wastewater monitoring of human enterovirus provided improved
      insight into the seasonal patterns of enteroviruses circulating in communities
      and can contribute to understanding of enterovirus disease burden. IMPORTANCE
      Enterovirus infections are often not tracked or reported to health officials.
      This makes it hard to know how many people in a community are infected with these
      viruses at any given time. Here, we explored enterovirus in municipal wastewater
      to look at this issue. We show that enteroviruses are present year-round in
      municipal wastewater at levels of up to 800,000 genomic copies per liter. We
      estimate that, on average, 2.8% of the people contributing to the wastewater shed
      enterovirus daily. Sequence analysis of the viral capsid protein 4 gene shows
      that 8 enterovirus types are key drivers of seasonal trends. Populations of
      Enterovirus A members peak in the spring, while Enterovirus B types are most
      prevalent during the summer and fall months and Enterovirus C members influence
      the winter months. Enterovirus D was observed sporadically and did not influence
      seasonal trends.

PMID- 28630940
TI  - Fluconazole-Induced Ploidy Change in Cryptococcus neoformans Results from the
      Uncoupling of Cell Growth and Nuclear Division.
AB  - Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic yeast that causes lethal cryptococcal
      meningitis in immunocompromised patients. One of the challenges in treating
      cryptococcosis is the development of resistance to azole antifungals. Previous
      studies linked azole resistance to elevated numbers of copies of critical
      resistance genes in aneuploid cells. However, how aneuploidy is formed in the
      presence of azole drugs remains unclear. This study showed that treatment with
      inhibitory concentrations of an azole drug, fluconazole (FLC), resulted in a
      significant population of cells with increased DNA content, through the following
      defects: inhibition of budding, premature mitosis, and inhibition of cytokinesis
      followed by replication in the mother cell. Inhibition of and/or a delay in
      cytokinesis led to the formation of cells with two or more daughter cells
      attached (multimeric cells). To investigate which part of cytokinesis fails in
      the presence of FLC, the dynamics of the actomyosin ring (AMR), septins, and
      Cts1, a protein involved in cell separation, were analyzed with time-lapse
      microscopy. Following the constriction of the AMR, septins assembled and the
      septum was formed between the mother and daughter cells. However, final
      degradation of the septum was affected. Enlarged cells with aberrant morphology,
      including multimeric cells, exhibited an increased potential to proliferate in
      the presence of FLC. These findings suggest that pleiotropic effects of FLC on
      growth and mitotic division lead to an increase in DNA content, resulting in
      cells less sensitive to the drug. Cells with increased DNA content continue to
      proliferate and therefore increase the chance of forming resistant populations.
      IMPORTANCE Azoles are antifungals that are widely utilized due to relatively low
      toxicity and cost of treatment. One of their drawbacks, however, is that azoles
      are primarily cytostatic, leaving fungal cells capable of developing drug
      resistance. The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans acquires resistance to the
      azole drug fluconazole (FLC) through the development of aneuploidy, leading to
      elevated expression of key resistance genes, a mechanism that is also common for
      Candida albicans (K. J. Kwon-Chung and Y. C. Chang, PLoS Pathog 8:e1003022, 2012,
      https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1003022; J. Morschhauser, J Microbiol 54:192
      201, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-016-5628-4). However, the exact ways in
      which FLC contributes to increased resistance in either of these important fungal
      pathogens remain unclear. Here we found that FLC treatment leads to an increase
      in DNA content in C. neoformans through multiple mechanisms, potentially
      increasing the size of a pool of cells from which aneuploids with increased
      resistance are selected. This study demonstrated the importance of FLC's
      inhibitory effects on growth and cytokinesis in the generation of cell
      populations with decreased sensitivity to the drug.

PMID- 28630941
TI  - Furthering the Continental Drift Speciation Hypothesis in the Pathogenic
      Cryptococcus Species Complexes.

PMID- 28630942
TI  - Antimalarial drugs and the prevalence of mental and neurological manifestations:
      A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Background: Antimalarial drugs affect the central nervous system, but it is
      difficult to differentiate the effect of these drugs from that of the malaria
      illness. We conducted a systematic review to determine the association between
      anti-malarial drugs and mental and neurological impairment in humans.  Methods:
      We systematically searched online databases, including Medline/PubMed,
      PsychoInfo, and Embase, for articles published up to 14th July 2016. Pooled
      prevalence, heterogeneity and factors associated with prevalence of mental and
      neurological manifestations were determined using meta-analytic techniques. 
      Results: Of the 2,349 records identified in the initial search, 51 human studies
      met the eligibility criteria. The median pooled prevalence range of mental and
      neurological manifestations associated with antimalarial drugs ranged from 0.7%
      (dapsone) to 48.3% (minocycline) across all studies, while it ranged from 0.6%
      (pyrimethamine) to 42.7% (amodiaquine) during treatment of acute malaria, and
      0.7% (primaquine/dapsone) to 55.0% (sulfadoxine) during prophylaxis. Pooled
      prevalence of mental and neurological manifestations across all studies was
      associated with an increased number of antimalarial drugs (prevalence ratio= 5.51
      (95%CI, 1.05-29.04); P=0.045) in a meta-regression analysis. Headaches (15%) and
      dizziness (14%) were the most common mental and neurological manifestations
      across all studies. Of individual antimalarial drugs still on the market, mental
      and neurological manifestations were most common with the use of sulphadoxine
      (55%) for prophylaxis studies and amodiaquine (42.7%) for acute malaria studies.
      Mefloquine affected more domains of mental and neurological manifestations than
      any other antimalarial drug.  Conclusions: Antimalarial drugs, particularly those
      used for prophylaxis, may be associated with mental and neurological
      manifestations, and the number of antimalarial drugs taken determines the
      association. Mental and neurological manifestations should be assessed following
      the use of antimalarial drugs.

PMID- 28630944
TI  - ClinVar data parsing.
AB  - This software repository provides a pipeline for converting raw ClinVar data
      files into analysis-friendly tab-delimited tables, and also provides these tables
      for the most recent ClinVar release. Separate tables are generated for genome
      builds GRCh37 and GRCh38 as well as for mono-allelic variants and complex multi
      allelic variants. Additionally, the tables are augmented with allele frequencies
      from the ExAC and gnomAD datasets as these are often consulted when analyzing
      ClinVar variants. Overall, this work provides ClinVar data in a format that is
      easier to work with and can be directly loaded into a variety of popular analysis
      tools such as R, python pandas, and SQL databases.

PMID- 28630943
TI  - Parasites lacking the micronemal protein MIC2 are deficient in surface attachment
      and host cell egress, but remain virulent in vivo.
AB  - Background: Micronemal proteins of the thrombospondin-related anonymous protein
      (TRAP) family are believed to play essential roles during gliding motility and
      host cell invasion by apicomplexan parasites, and currently represent major
      vaccine candidates against Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria.
      However, recent evidence suggests that they play multiple and different roles
      than previously assumed. Here, we analyse a null mutant for MIC2, the TRAP
      homolog in Toxoplasma gondii. Methods: We performed a careful analysis of
      parasite motility in a 3D-environment, attachment under shear stress conditions,
      host cell invasion and in vivo virulence. Results: We verified the role of MIC2
      in efficient surface attachment, but were unable to identify any direct function
      of MIC2 in sustaining gliding motility or host cell invasion once initiated.
      Furthermore, we find that deletion of mic2 causes a slightly delayed infection in
      vivo, leading only to mild attenuation of virulence; like with wildtype
      parasites, inoculation with even low numbers of mic2 KO parasites causes lethal
      disease in mice. However, deletion of mic2 causes delayed host cell egress in
      vitro, possibly via disrupted signal transduction pathways. Conclusions: We
      confirm a critical role of MIC2 in parasite attachment to the surface, leading to
      reduced parasite motility and host cell invasion. However, MIC2 appears to not be
      critical for gliding motility or host cell invasion, since parasite speed during
      these processes is unaffected. Furthermore, deletion of MIC2 leads only to slight
      attenuation of the parasite.

PMID- 28630945
TI  - The ICR96 exon CNV validation series: a resource for orthogonal assessment of
      exon CNV calling in NGS data.
AB  - Detection of deletions and duplications of whole exons (exon CNVs) is a key
      requirement of genetic testing. Accurate detection of this variant type has
      proved very challenging in targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) data,
      particularly if only a single exon is involved. Many different NGS exon CNV
      calling methods have been developed over the last five years. Such methods are
      usually evaluated using simulated and/or in-house data due to a lack of publicly
      available datasets with orthogonally generated results. This hinders tool
      comparisons, transparency and reproducibility. To provide a community resource
      for assessment of exon CNV calling methods in targeted NGS data, we here present
      the ICR96 exon CNV validation series. The dataset includes high-quality
      sequencing data from a targeted NGS assay (the TruSight Cancer Panel) together
      with Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) results for 96
      independent samples. 66 samples contain at least one validated exon CNV and 30
      samples have validated negative results for exon CNVs in 26 genes. The dataset
      includes 46 exon CNVs in BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM or
      PTEN, giving excellent representation of the cancer predisposition genes most
      frequently tested in clinical practice. Moreover, the validated exon CNVs include
      25 single exon CNVs, the most difficult type of exon CNV to detect. The FASTQ
      files for the ICR96 exon CNV validation series can be accessed through the
      European-Genome phenome Archive (EGA) under the accession number EGAS00001002428.

PMID- 28630947
TI  - Evolution of Geographic Atrophy in Participants Treated with Ranibizumab for
      Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk factors, incidence, and rate of progression of
      geographic atrophy (GA) in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration
      (nAMD) treated with ranibizumab. DESIGN: Post-hoc analysis of a prospective
      clinical study. PARTICIPANTS: 69 participants with nAMD in at least one eye.
      METHODS: Participants were prospectively treated in the study eye with 0.5 mg
      intravitreal ranibizumab. Study eyes received 4 monthly injections followed by
      pro re nata injections until a fluid-free macula was achieved on optical
      coherence tomography. Risk factors assessed included baseline demographics,
      treatment, and ocular characteristics on imaging. Eyes were evaluated on fundus
      autofluorescence (FAF) for GA. The rate of GA area growth in study and fellow
      eyes was analyzed by linear regression of square-root transformed areas. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Development of new-onset GA and rate of GA area growth measured
      on ocular imaging, including FAF images of the study eyes. RESULTS: Sixty-nine
      participants (mean age 78.8+/-7.8 years) with an average of 40.0+/-13.6 months of
      follow-up were analyzed. Twenty-two of 69 study eyes (32%) were treatment naive.
      During their first year of the study, participants received an average of 9.2+/
      3.3 injections in the study eye. Of 63 study eyes with quality baseline images,
      22 (35%) had pre-existing GA. Of the remaining 41 eyes, 7 (17%) developed new
      onset GA during study follow-up. Those who developed new GA were older (all >=79
      years old) and had received fewer study injections on average (6.9 vs. 10.4
      injections at 1 year) compared to those who did not develop new GA. Of the 12
      treatment naive study eyes without GA at baseline, 1 (8.3%) developed new GA
      during the study. In 21 study eyes with quantifiable GA area, eyes with GA
      present at baseline (16/21) enlarged by 0.34+/-0.26 mm/year, compared to 0.19+/
      0.12 mm/year in eyes developing new-onset GA (5/21). CONCLUSIONS: While 17% of
      study eyes without GA present at baseline receiving ranibizumab developed new GA,
      the role of ranibizumab in the development of GA is unclear. Further prospective
      longitudinal studies are required to determine the eyes most at risk of
      developing GA in the setting of anti-VEGF treatment.

PMID- 28630948
TI  - Near Theoretical Gigabit Link Efficiency for Distributed Data Acquisition
      Systems.
AB  - Link efficiency, data integrity, and continuity for high-throughput and real-time
      systems is crucial. Most of these applications require specialized hardware and
      operating systems as well as extensive tuning in order to achieve high
      efficiency. Here, we present an implementation of gigabit Ethernet data streaming
      which can achieve 99.26% link efficiency while maintaining no packet losses. The
      design and implementation are built on OpenPET, an opensource data acquisition
      platform for nuclear medical imaging, where (a) a crate hosting multiple OpenPET
      detector boards uses a User Datagram Protocol over Internet Protocol (UDP/IP)
      Ethernet soft-core, that is capable of understanding PAUSE frames, to stream data
      out to a computer workstation; (b) the receiving computer uses Netmap to allow
      the processing software (i.e., user space), which is written in Python, to
      directly receive and manage the network card's ring buffers, bypassing the
      operating system kernel's networking stack; and

PMID- 28630946
TI  - Differentiation and Inflammation: 'Best Enemies' in Gastrointestinal
      Carcinogenesis.
AB  - While recent studies demonstrate that cancer can arise from mutant stem cells,
      this hypothesis does not explain why tissues without defined stem cell
      populations are susceptible to inflammation-driven tumorigenesis. We propose that
      chronic inflammatory diseases, such as colitis and pancreatitis, predispose to
      gastrointestinal (GI) adenocarcinoma by reprogramming differentiated cells.
      Focusing on colon and pancreas, we discuss recently discovered connections
      between inflammation and loss of cell differentiation, and propose that
      dysregulation of cell fate may be a novel rate-limiting step of tumorigenesis. We
      review studies identifying differentiation mechanisms that limit tumor initiation
      and that, upon reactivation, can prevent or revert the cancer cell transformed
      phenotype. Together, these findings suggest that differentiation-targeted
      treatments hold promise as a therapeutic strategy in GI cancer.

PMID- 28630951
TI  - Phenotyping Hypotensive Patients in Critical Care Using Hospital Discharge
      Summaries.
AB  - Among critically-ill patients, hypotension represents a failure in compensatory
      mechanisms and may lead to organ hypoperfusion and failure. In this work, we
      adopt a data-driven approach for phenotype discovery and visualization of patient
      similarity and cohort structure in the intensive care unit (ICU). We used
      Hierarchical Dirichlet Process (HDP) as a nonparametric topic modeling technique
      to automatically learn a d-dimensional feature representation of patients that
      captures the latent "topic" structure of diseases, symptoms, medications, and
      findings documented in hospital discharge summaries. We then used the t
      Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) algorithm to convert the d
      dimensional latent structure learned from HDP into a matrix of pairwise
      similarities for visualizing patient similarity and cohort structure. Using
      discharge summaries of a large patient cohort from the MIMIC II database, we
      evaluated the clinical utility of the discovered topic structure in phenotyping
      critically-ill patients who experienced hypotensive episodes. Our results
      indicate that the approach is able to reveal clinically interpretable clustering
      structure within our cohort and may potentially provide valuable insights to
      better understand the association between disease phenotypes and outcomes.

PMID- 28630949
TI  - Multivariate classification of pain-evoked brain activity in temporomandibular
      disorder.

PMID- 28630950
TI  - White Matter Hyperintensities in Older Adults and Motoric Cognitive Risk
      Syndrome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome is a recently described pre
      dementia syndrome characterized by slow gait and cognitive complaints that has
      been implicated as a predictor of cognitive decline and dementia in older adults.
      Previous work suggests that cerebrovascular disease is associated with MCR. White
      matter hyperintensities (WMH) are postulated to be a product of cerebrovascular
      disease, and have been associated with impaired mobility and impaired cognition.
      This study aimed to determine if MCR is associated with regional WMH. METHODS:
      Two cross-cultural cohorts of non-demented older adults were examined: 174 from a
      French memory clinic (62.1% male, mean age 70.7 +/- 4.3 years) and 184 from an
      Indian community-dwelling cohort (55.4% male, mean age 66.2 +/- 5.2 years).
      Participants were evaluated for slow gait, cognitive complaints, and regional WMH
      via MRI (fluid attenuated inversion recovery) FLAIR sequence. RESULTS: Overall,
      20.7% of participants met criteria for MCR, and 72.9% of participants had WMH on
      FLAIR. WMH in the frontal, parieto-occipital, temporal, basal ganglia,
      cerebellum, or brainstem were not associated with MCR in either of the two
      cohorts. CONCLUSION: WMH was not significantly associated with MCR in this
      studied sample of participants, suggesting that other cerebrovascular
      pathophysiological mechanisms, or combination of mechanisms, might underlie MCR.

PMID- 28630954
TI  - Editorial: Does digital technology lead to better dentistry?

PMID- 28630952
TI  - Estimating Patient's Health State Using Latent Structure Inferred from Clinical
      Time Series and Text.
AB  - Modern intensive care units (ICUs) collect large volumes of data in monitoring
      critically ill patients. Clinicians in the ICUs face the challenge of
      interpreting large volumes of high-dimensional data to diagnose and treat
      patients. In this work, we explore the use of Hierarchical Dirichlet Processes
      (HDP) as a Bayesian nonparametric framework to infer patients' states of health
      by combining multiple sources of data. In particular, we employ HDP to combine
      clinical time series and text from the nursing progress notes in a probabilistic
      topic modeling framework for patient risk stratification. Given a patient cohort,
      we use HDP to infer latent "topics" shared across multimodal patient data from
      the entire cohort. Each topic is modeled as a multinomial distribution over a
      vocabulary of codewords, defined over heterogeneous data sources. We evaluate the
      clinical utility of the learned topic structure using the first 24-hour ICU data
      from over 17,000 adult patients in the MIMIC-II database to estimate patients'
      risks of in-hospital mortality. Our results demonstrate that our approach
      provides a viable framework for combining different data modalities to model
      patient's states of health, and can potentially be used to generate alerts to
      identify patients at high risk of hospital mortality.

PMID- 28630955
TI  - Chairside systems: a current review.
AB  - Since Cerec (Chairside Economical Restoration of Esthetic Ceramics) was
      introduced as the first dental chairside computer-aided design/computer-aided
      manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system in the mid-1980s, this technology has enjoyed
      growing popularity, particularly in the recent past. There has been a
      considerable increase in the number of available chairside systems in only the
      last few years. One of the main reasons for this is that intraoral scanners have
      become increasingly better, smaller, and faster, while the design software has
      become more and more user-friendly. Many work steps are now automated, and a very
      large range of materials is now available for dental chairside applications.
      These advances have driven the rapid increase in the range of indications for
      chairside dentistry in the areas of prosthodontics, dental implantology, and
      orthodontics, and have paved the way for more novel treatment and treatment
      planning strategies. Another reason is that intraoral scanner-based digital
      impression techniques are already superior to conventional impression techniques
      in certain respects. Moreover, the quality of fit of digitally designed dental
      restorations is constantly improving because of advances in milling machine
      technology. Due to the sheer number of new possibilities, it is only a matter of
      time before chairside systems become a standard component of dental practice.
      This article reviews the actual advantages and limitations of the chairside
      workflow, and provides a summary of all the available chairside systems available
      today.

PMID- 28630956
TI  - Accuracy of full-arch scans using intraoral and extraoral scanners: an in vitro
      study using a new method of evaluation.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of six intraoral scanners as
      regards clinically relevant distances using a new method of evaluation. An
      additional objective was to compare intraoral scanners with the indirect
      digitization of model scanners. A resin master model was created by 3D printing
      and drilled in five places to reflect the following distances: intermolar width
      (IMW), intercanine width (ICW), and arch length (AL). To determine a gold
      standard, the distances were measured with a coordinate measuring instrument
      (Zeiss O-Inspect 422). The master model was scanned 37 times with the following
      intraoral scanners: Apollo DI (Sirona), CS 3500 (Carestream Dental), iTero
      (Cadent), PlanScan (Planmeca), Trios (3Shape), and True Definition (3M Espe), and
      indirectly digitized with the OrthoX Scan (Dentaurum). The digital models were
      then measured, and deviations from the gold standard calculated. Significant
      differences were found between the devices. Among the intraoral scanners, Trios
      and iTero showed the most accurate results, although CS 3500, True Definition,
      and Apollo DI achieved comparable results. PlanScan demonstrated the highest
      deviations from the gold standard, and presented a high standard deviation (SD).
      Direct digitization revealed comparable (and, in fact, slightly higher) accuracy
      than indirect digitization. Both indirect digitization and most of the intraoral
      scanners were therefore demonstrated to be suitable for use in the orthodontic
      office, with the exception of PlanScan, which did not meet the demands of
      individual orthodontic treatment.

PMID- 28630957
TI  - Optical profilometry versus intraoral (handheld) scanning.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference in maximum height loss
      values obtained from datasets based on optical profilometry and intraoral
      scanning. Additionally, two analysis applications were tested with respect to
      their correspondence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To obtain baseline data, the
      occlusal surface of a metal phantom tooth was scanned by optical profilometry
      [WLP] and an intraoral scanner [IOS]. Then, wear was simulated at two locations
      of the tooth, three times each ([wear1], [wear2], and [wear3]), and the surface
      was captured after each status of wear, applying [WLP] and [IOS]. The maximum
      vertical height loss was evaluated by comparing the 3D datasets of [WLP] and
      [IOS] at [wear1], [wear2], and [wear3] with the baseline data of [WLP] and [IOS],
      respectively. For this purpose, two commercially available applications, Geomagic
      Qualify and Oracheck, were used. RESULTS: Apart from one outlier of 16%
      difference between the data obtained from [WLP] and [IOS], the maximum difference
      was 12.6%, which was equal to a metrical value of 15 um. For the corresponding
      values, which were calculated with Geomagic Qualify and Oracheck at identical
      wear facets, maximum differences between +7% and -6.7% were obtained.
      CONCLUSIONS: According to this in vitro study, the wear measurement on the basis
      of [IOS] seems to be a cost-effective, quick, and easily applicable tool for
      clinical screening purposes, with an acceptable reliability. With respect to the
      minor variations between each other, the Geomagic Qualify and Oracheck
      measurement applications are equivalent.

PMID- 28630958
TI  - A questionnaire on the use of digital denture impressions in a preclinical
      setting.
AB  - Since February 2010, intraoral scanning (Lava COS system, 3M ESPE, Seefeld,
      Germany) has been integrated into the preclinical curriculum at the Department of
      Prosthodontics of the Justus Liebig University. All students were given a lecture
      and were trained using a guided scan exercise. After preparing three teeth
      (mandibular first premolars and mandibular first molar in the 4th quadrant) for
      cast crowns, the students were asked to scan the maxillary and mandibular teeth.
      Their acceptance of the new module, "Scanning," was analyzed with the use of a
      questionnaire (n = 108). The evaluation showed that 63.9% of the students
      perceived the digital impression to be informative, and had an overall positive
      opinion of this new digital technology. Concerning the difficulty of the scanning
      process, approximately 60.2% considered it to be manageable, while 55.6% reported
      that the magnified view of their preparations improved their understanding of
      preparing chamfer finish lines. Altogether, the majority of students appreciated
      this intraoral scanning device as an enhancement of their education. They
      indicated that this method contributes to a better understanding of crown
      preparations. In conclusion, the implementation of intraoral scanning seems
      promising in preclinical education and will be continued in the curriculum.

PMID- 28630959
TI  - A completely CAD/CAM individual transmission device for electronic mandible
      movement registration.
AB  - The connection of a device for the registration of mandibular movements depends
      on the coupling of the teeth with a paraocclusal adapter. This is normally done
      by individualizing a prefabricated metal support, either directly on the patient
      or in the dental laboratory. The goal was to create an individual paraocclusal
      adapter by means of additive computer-assisted design/computer-assisted
      manufacturing (CAD/CAM) procedures, and to test it clinically. Starting from
      intraoral scans of the maxillary and mandibular teeth, an individual paraocclusal
      adapter was constructed by combining an adapter piece adapted to the tooth and
      jaw shape with a prefabricated standard part. This article describes step by step
      the design using the 3D CAD software, up until production by means of 3D
      printing. Initial clinical experience is also discussed.

PMID- 28630960
TI  - A new milling machine for computer-aided, in-office restorations.
AB  - Chairside computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology
      requires an effective technical basis to obtain dental restorations with optimal
      marginal accuracy, esthetics, and longevity in as short a timeframe as possible.
      This article describes a compact, 5-axis milling machine based on an innovative
      milling technology (5XT - five-axis turn-milling technique), which is capable of
      achieving high-precision milling results within a very short processing time.
      Furthermore, the device's compact dimensioning and state-of-the-art mode of
      operation facilitate its use in the dental office. This model is also an option
      to be considered for use in smaller dental laboratories, especially as the open
      input format enables it to be quickly and simply integrated into digital
      processing systems already in use. The possibility of using ceramic and polymer
      materials with varying properties enables the manufacture of restorations
      covering all conceivable indications in the field of fixed dental prosthetics.

PMID- 28630961
TI  - A biocatalytic and thermoreversible hydrogel from a histidine-containing
      tripeptide.
AB  - We report the first histidine-containing self-assembling tripeptide devoid of
      capping groups that forms a thermoreversible hydrogel under physiological
      conditions and catalyses hydrolysis of an ester, providing a minimalist building
      block for functional soft materials.

PMID- 28630962
TI  - Room temperature sintering of polar ZnO nanosheets: I-evidence.
AB  - Polar ZnO nanosheets of a high specific surface area (~120 m2 g-1) were subjected
      to storage under different atmospheres at room temperature and analyzed for
      changes in their textural and crystal properties. During their storage under
      laboratory conditions (in closed transparent polypropylene vials kept under the
      light of the laboratory on worktop tables) the nanosheets lost up to 75% of their
      specific surface area in approximately two months, with most of the loss
      occurring during the first two weeks. The narrow mesoporosity (~5 nm pore size)
      became filled with ZnO during the process. No loss or gain in weight was
      detected. The loss of specific surface area took place under all of the
      atmospheres assayed, in the following order: moist air (with or without light) >
      moist CO2-free atmosphere (with or without light and/or oxygen) > dry CO2-free
      oxygen-containing atmosphere (with or without light) > dry inert atmosphere (with
      light) > dry inert atmosphere (in the dark). During storage the ZnO crystals grew
      mainly by the partial merging of their polar surfaces in a process triggered by
      the action of moisture, oxygen and, in the absence of these two agents, light.
      The mechanism of this intriguing phenomenon will be analyzed in detail in the
      second part of this work.

PMID- 28630963
TI  - A novel borophene featuring heptagonal holes: a common precursor of
      borospherenes.
AB  - We propose a novel stable borophene (referred to as H-borophene) by tiling seven
      membered rings side by side, which is a novel construction pattern never reported
      in boron sheets or other sheets. It is able to serve as the common precursor of
      borospherenes (e.g., B39-, B40, B41+, and B422+). Interestingly, a Dirac point
      appeared at about 0.33 eV below the Fermi level. We found that nanotubes formed
      by rolling up H-borophene had a great advantage over other boron nanotubes in the
      case of high curvature, which accounted for the reason why heptagons were
      preferred in borospherenes. Our study not only proposes a common precursor of
      borospherenes, but also expands the construction patterns of monolayer sheets.

PMID- 28630964
TI  - An insertion/self-fusion mechanism for cell membrane immobilization on porous
      silica beads to fabricate biomimic carriers.
AB  - Immobilization of membrane proteins on solid supports with high stability,
      favorable reusability and prevention of contamination is of great interest in
      nanobiology and medicine. Cell membrane coating technology enables the membrane
      proteins associated with their surrounding membranes to co-immobilize onto the
      solid matrix, largely enhancing the loading efficiency and conserving the
      bioactivity of the membrane proteins. Herein, we systematically illustrate the
      mechanism of cell membrane immobilization on porous silica beads, facilitating
      the fabricated biomimic carriers applied for chromatography. Rabbit red blood
      cell membranes were obtained via a low permeability swelling method. Batch
      immobilization studies were carried out to investigate the effects of the pore
      size of porous silica beads and incubation time on cell membrane immobilization.
      The absorption behavior of cell membranes could be well described by a pseudo
      second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich model (a multilayer adsorption
      process) at 298 K, demonstrating an insertion/self-fusion mechanism involved in
      cell membrane coating onto the surface of porous silica beads. The insertion/self
      fusion mechanism was further confirmed by confocal imaging and transmission
      electron microscopy.

PMID- 28630965
TI  - Correction: Lanthanide separation using size-selective crystallization of Ln
      MOFs.
AB  - Correction for 'Lanthanide separation using size-selective crystallization of Ln
      MOFs' by Heng Ya Gao et al., Chem. Commun., 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7cc01898c.

PMID- 28630966
TI  - beta-IminoBODIPY oligomers: facilely accessible pi-conjugated luminescent BODIPY
      arrays.
AB  - Imine-linked BODIPY oligomers show fluorescence quantum yields of up to 0.93. The
      azine linker may mediate pi-conjugation that extends over six BODIPY units with
      redshifts up to 125 nm. BODIPYs are immobilized on silica gel through
      heterogeneous imine-bond formation, being fluorescent and robust.

PMID- 28630967
TI  - Multinuclear zinc bisamidinate catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of alpha
      ketoesters and its unique chemoselectivity.
AB  - The multinuclear Zn-bisamidinate catalyzed enantioselective addition of Et2Zn to
      alpha-ketoesters has been developed. The steric tuning of two amidinate units as
      well as multiple coordination on the Zn atoms play a key role in achieving high
      enantioselectivity (up to 98% ee) and unique chemoselectivity. The present
      catalyst exhibited the preferential alkylation of alpha-ketoesters even in the
      presence of aldehydes.

PMID- 28630968
TI  - Designing self-powered materials systems that perform pattern recognition.
AB  - Inspired by the advances in both materials and computer science, we describe
      efforts to design "materials that compute" where the material and the computer
      are the same entity. Using theory and simulation, we devise systems that
      integrate the behavior of self-oscillating gels and fundamental concepts from
      oscillator-based computing. We specifically focus on gels that undergo the
      Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction and thus exhibit self-sustained oscillations.
      In our models, we couple the BZ gel to an overlaying piezoelectric (PZ)
      cantilever to create a BZ-PZ unit. By connecting the BZ-PZ units by electrical
      wires, we design networks that autonomously transduce chemical, mechanical, and
      electrical energy to propagate a signal across the device and achieve
      synchronization of the oscillating gels in the network. This synchronization
      allows the device to perform pattern recognition in a self-organized manner,
      without the need for external electrical power sources. In particular, we imposed
      a collection of input patterns onto different BZ-PZ networks, where each network
      encompassed a distinct stored pattern. The network encompassing the stored
      pattern closest to the input pattern exhibited the fastest convergence time to
      the stable synchronization behavior, and could be identified as the "winner". In
      this way, the networks of coupled BZ-PZ oscillators achieved pattern recognition.
      We demonstrated that the convergence time to the stable synchronization provides
      a robust measure of the degree of match between the input and stored patterns.
      Through these studies, we laid out fundamental and experimentally realizable
      design rules for creating "materials that compute".

PMID- 28630970
TI  - Heavy ligand atom induced large magnetic anisotropy in Mn(ii) complexes.
AB  - In the search for single molecule magnets, metal ions are considered pivotal
      towards achieving large magnetic anisotropy barriers. In this context, the
      influence of ligands with heavy elements, showing large spin-orbit coupling, on
      magnetic anisotropy barriers was investigated using a series of Mn(ii)-based
      complexes, in which the metal ion did not have any orbital contribution. The
      mixing of metal and ligand orbitals was achieved by explicitly correlating the
      metal and ligand valence electrons with CASSCF calculations. The CASSCF wave
      functions were further used for evaluating spin-orbit coupling and zero-field
      splitting parameters for these complexes. For Mn(ii) complexes with heavy ligand
      atoms, such as Br and I, several interesting inter-state mixings occur via the
      spin-orbit operator, which results in large magnetic anisotropy in these Mn(ii)
      complexes.

PMID- 28630969
TI  - Strong circularly polarized luminescence induced from chiral supramolecular
      assembly of helical nanorods.
AB  - Chiral supramolecular assemblies (BNS-BPP) can be self-assembled by electrostatic
      and pi-pi stacking interactions between the chiral binaphthyl sulphonate (BNS)
      anion and the achiral bipyrene-based pyridinium (BPP) cation chromophore. BNS-BPP
      can exhibit strong CD and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) signals, and
      the dissymmetry factor glum values can be up to 0.079.

PMID- 28630971
TI  - 2-Thiouracil intersystem crossing photodynamics studied by wavelength-dependent
      photoelectron and transient absorption spectroscopies.
AB  - Single-atom substitution within a natural nucleobase-such as replacing oxygen by
      sulfur in uracil-can result in drastic changes in the relaxation dynamics after
      UV excitation. While the photodynamics of natural nucleobases like uracil are
      dominated by pathways along singlet excited states, the photodynamics of
      thiobases like 2-thiouracil populate the triplet manifold with near unity quantum
      yield. In the present study, a synergistic approach based on time-resolved
      photoelectron spectroscopy (TRPES), time-resolved absorption spectroscopy (TRAS),
      and ab initio computations has been particularly successful at unraveling the
      underlying photophysical principles and describing the dissimilarities between
      the natural and substituted nucleobases. Specifically, we find that varying the
      excitation wavelength leads to differences between gas-phase and condensed-phase
      experimental results. Systematic trends are observed in the intersystem crossing
      time constants with varying excitation wavelength, which can be readily
      interpreted in the context of ab initio calculations performed both in vacuum and
      including solvent effects. Thus, the combination of TRPES and TRAS experiments
      with high-level computational techniques allows us to characterize the topology
      of the potential energy surfaces defining the relaxation dynamics of 2-thiouracil
      in both gas and condensed phases, as well as investigate the accessibility of
      conical intersections and crossings, and potential energy barriers along the
      associated relaxation coordinates.

PMID- 28630972
TI  - Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health in
      Assessment and Intervention of School-Aged Children With Language Impairments.
AB  - Purpose: The aim of this tutorial is to support speech-language pathologists'
      (SLPs') application of the International Classification of Functioning,
      Disability and Health (ICF) in assessment and treatment practices with children
      with language impairment. Method: This tutorial reviews the framework of the ICF,
      describes the implications of the ICF for SLPs, distinguishes between students'
      capacity to perform a skill in a structured context and the actual performance of
      that skill in naturalistic contexts, and provides a case study of an elementary
      school child to demonstrate how the principles of the ICF can guide assessment
      and intervention. Implications: The Scope of Practice and Preferred Practice
      documents for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association identify the ICF
      as the framework for practice in speech-language pathology. This tutorial will
      facilitate clinicians' ability to identify personal and environmental factors
      that influence students' skill capacity and skill performance, assess students'
      capacity and performance, and develop impairment-based and socially based
      language goals linked to Common Core State Standards that build students'
      language capacity and their communicative performance in naturalistic contexts.

PMID- 28630973
TI  - CONSORT Statement for Randomized Trials of Nonpharmacologic Treatments: A 2017
      Update and a CONSORT Extension for Nonpharmacologic Trial Abstracts.
AB  - Incomplete and inadequate reporting is an avoidable waste that reduces the
      usefulness of research. The CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)
      Statement is an evidence-based reporting guideline that aims to improve research
      transparency and reduce waste. In 2008, the CONSORT Group developed an extension
      to the original statement that addressed methodological issues specific to trials
      of nonpharmacologic treatments (NPTs), such as surgery, rehabilitation, or
      psychotherapy. This article describes an update of that extension and presents an
      extension for reporting abstracts of NPT trials. To develop these materials, the
      authors reviewed pertinent literature published up to July 2016; surveyed authors
      of NPT trials; and conducted a consensus meeting with editors, trialists, and
      methodologists. Changes to the CONSORT Statement extension for NPT trials include
      wording modifications to improve readers' understanding and the addition of 3 new
      items. These items address whether and how adherence of participants to
      interventions is assessed or enhanced, description of attempts to limit bias if
      blinding is not possible, and specification of the delay between randomization
      and initiation of the intervention. The CONSORT extension for abstracts of NPT
      trials includes 2 new items that were not specified in the original CONSORT
      Statement for abstracts. The first addresses reporting of eligibility criteria
      for centers where the intervention is performed and for care providers. The
      second addresses reporting of important changes to the intervention versus what
      was planned. Both the updated CONSORT extension for NPT trials and the CONSORT
      extension for NPT trial abstracts should help authors, editors, and peer
      reviewers improve the transparency of NPT trial reports.

PMID- 28630974
TI  - Guideline: In low back pain, nonpharmacologic treatments are recommended.

PMID- 28630975
TI  - Guideline: USPSTF makes no recommendation for pelvic exams to screen for
      gynecologic conditions in asymptomatic women.

PMID- 28630976
TI  - Review: Compared with systolic BP target of < 160 mm Hg, targeting < 120 is more
      effective; < 130 balances benefits and harms.

PMID- 28630977
TI  - In VTE, extending anticoagulation with rivaroxaban vs aspirin reduced recurrence
      without increasing bleeding.

PMID- 28630978
TI  - In adults at risk for contrast-induced nephropathy, no prophylactic hydration was
      noninferior to hydration.

PMID- 28630979
TI  - An online exercise program plus automated coping skills training improved pain
      and function in chronic knee pain.

PMID- 28630980
TI  - In severe aortic stenosis with intermediate surgical risk, TAVR was noninferior
      to SAVR for death or disabling stroke.

PMID- 28630981
TI  - Review: Lung ultrasonography had varied sensitivity and specificity for
      diagnosing pneumonia in adults.

PMID- 28630982
TI  - Resuming warfarin after intracranial hemorrhage in patients with AF was linked to
      reduced mortality.

PMID- 28630983
TI  - Simplified and original Wells rules plus age-adjusted D-dimer test were useful
      for ruling out suspected PE.

PMID- 28630984
TI  - Heterogeneity in Treatment Effects.

PMID- 28630985
TI  - Heterogeneity in Treatment Effects.

PMID- 28630986
TI  - Brain-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Amino-Terminal Pro-Brain-Type Natriuretic
      Peptide Discharge Thresholds for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

PMID- 28630987
TI  - Brain-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Amino-Terminal Pro-Brain-Type Natriuretic
      Peptide Discharge Thresholds for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

PMID- 28630988
TI  - Travel-Associated Zika Virus Disease.

PMID- 28630989
TI  - Travel-Associated Zika Virus Disease.

PMID- 28630991
TI  - Correction: In the Clinic: Atrial Fibrillation.

PMID- 28630990
TI  - Correction: The True Effect of Mass Shootings on Americans.

PMID- 28630992
TI  - Rock Bottom.

PMID- 28630994
TI  - Dupuytren's.

PMID- 28630993
TI  - Moral Dilemma in the ER.

PMID- 28630995
TI  - Krebs Cycle.

PMID- 28630996
TI  - Regarding Kindness.

PMID- 28630998
TI  - Web Exclusives. Annals Consult Guys - Syncope: How Do I Figure This One Out?

PMID- 28630997
TI  - Web Exclusives. Annals for Hospitalists Inpatient Notes - Research Highlights
      From Hospital Medicine 2017.

PMID- 28631001
TI  - The Effect of Emphasizing Patient, Societal, and Institutional Harms of
      Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing on Physician Support of Financial Penalties:
      A Randomized Trial.

PMID- 28631002
TI  - Yoga and Low Back Pain: No Fool's Tool.

PMID- 28631004
TI  - Laser structuring of carbon nanotubes in the albumin matrix for the creation of
      composite biostructures.
AB  - This paper presents the composite biostructures created by laser structuring of
      the single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in an albumin matrix. Under the
      exposure of femtosecond laser radiation, the heating of the albumin aqueous
      solution causes liquid water to evaporate. As a result, we obtained a solid-state
      composite in the bulk or film form. Using the molecular dynamic method, we showed
      the formation of a framework from SWCNTs by the example of splicing of the open
      end of one nanotube with the defect region of another nanotube under the action
      of the laser heating. Laser heating of SWCNTs up to a temperature of 80 degrees C
      to 100 degrees C causes the C ? C bond formation. Raman spectra measured for the
      composite biostructures allowed us to describe the binding of oxygen atoms of
      amino acid residues of the albumin with the carbon atoms of the SWCNTs. It is
      found that the interaction energy of the nanotube atoms and albumin atoms amounts
      up to 580 ?? kJ / mol . We used atomic force microscopy to investigate the
      surface of the composite biostructures. The pore size is in the range of 30 to
      120 nm. It is proved that the proliferation of the fibroblasts occurred on the
      surface of the composite biostructures during 72 h of incubation.

PMID- 28631003
TI  - Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized
      Noninferiority Trial.
AB  - Background: Yoga is effective for mild to moderate chronic low back pain (cLBP),
      but its comparative effectiveness with physical therapy (PT) is unknown.
      Moreover, little is known about yoga's effectiveness in underserved patients with
      more severe functional disability and pain. Objective: To determine whether yoga
      is noninferior to PT for cLBP. Design: 12-week, single-blind, 3-group randomized
      noninferiority trial and subsequent 40-week maintenance phase.
      (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01343927). Setting: Academic safety-net hospital and 7
      affiliated community health centers. Participants: 320 predominantly low-income,
      racially diverse adults with nonspecific cLBP. Intervention: Participants
      received 12 weekly yoga classes, 15 PT visits, or an educational book and
      newsletters. The maintenance phase compared yoga drop-in classes versus home
      practice and PT booster sessions versus home practice. Measurements: Primary
      outcomes were back-related function, measured by the Roland Morris Disability
      Questionnaire (RMDQ), and pain, measured by an 11-point scale, at 12 weeks.
      Prespecified noninferiority margins were 1.5 (RMDQ) and 1.0 (pain). Secondary
      outcomes included pain medication use, global improvement, satisfaction with
      intervention, and health-related quality of life. Results: One-sided 95% lower
      confidence limits were 0.83 (RMDQ) and 0.97 (pain), demonstrating noninferiority
      of yoga to PT. However, yoga was not superior to education for either outcome.
      Yoga and PT were similar for most secondary outcomes. Yoga and PT participants
      were 21 and 22 percentage points less likely, respectively, than education
      participants to use pain medication at 12 weeks. Improvements in yoga and PT
      groups were maintained at 1 year with no differences between maintenance
      strategies. Frequency of adverse events, mostly mild self-limited joint and back
      pain, did not differ between the yoga and PT groups. Limitations: Participants
      were not blinded to treatment assignment. The PT group had disproportionate loss
      to follow-up. Conclusion: A manualized yoga program for nonspecific cLBP was
      noninferior to PT for function and pain. Primary Funding Source: National Center
      for Complementary and Integrative Health of the National Institutes of Health.

PMID- 28631006
TI  - Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain.

PMID- 28631005
TI  - Phonological Working Memory for Words and Nonwords in Cerebral Cortex.
AB  - Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to identify the brain bases of
      phonological working memory (the short-term maintenance of speech sounds) using
      behavioral tasks analogous to clinically sensitive assessments of nonword
      repetition. The secondary purpose of the study was to identify how individual
      differences in brain activation were related to participants' nonword repetition
      abilities. Method: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure
      neurophysiological response during a nonword discrimination task derived from
      standard clinical assessments of phonological working memory. Healthy adult
      control participants (N = 16) discriminated pairs of real words or nonwords under
      varying phonological working memory load, which we manipulated by parametrically
      varying the number of syllables in target (non)words. Participants' cognitive and
      phonological abilities were also measured using standardized assessments.
      Results: Neurophysiological responses in bilateral superior temporal gyrus,
      inferior frontal gyrus, and supplementary motor area increased with greater
      phonological working memory load. Activation in left superior temporal gyrus
      during nonword discrimination correlated with participants' performance on
      standard clinical nonword repetition tests. Conclusion: These results suggest
      that phonological working memory is related to the function of cortical
      structures that canonically underlie speech perception and production.

PMID- 28631007
TI  - How Schwann cells facilitate cancer progression in nerves.
AB  - Recent studies have demonstrated a critical role for nerves in enabling tumor
      progression. The association of nerves with cancer cells is well established for
      a variety of malignant tumors, including pancreatic, prostate and the head and
      neck cancers. This association is often correlated with poor prognosis. A strong
      partnership between cancer cells and nerve cells leads to both cancer progression
      and expansion of the nerve network. This relationship is supported by molecular
      pathways related to nerve growth and repair. Peripheral nerves form complex tumor
      microenvironments, which are made of several cell types including Schwann cells.
      Recent studies have revealed that Schwann cells enable cancer progression by
      adopting a de-differentiated phenotype, similar to the Schwann cell response to
      nerve trauma. A detailed understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms
      involved in the regulation of cancer progression by the nerves is essential to
      design strategies to inhibit tumor progression.

PMID- 28631010
TI  - The metabolic cost of nesting: body condition and blood parameters of Caiman
      crocodilus and Melanosuchus niger in Central Amazonia.
AB  - Although nesting ecology is well studied in several crocodilian species, it is
      not known how nest attendance influences physiology and body condition of nesting
      females. In this study, we describe body condition and serum biochemical values
      of nesting female, non-nesting female and male spectacled caiman (Caiman
      crocodilus) and black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) in two areas of Central
      Amazonia. We also evaluated the effect of nest age and nest distance to water on
      body condition and blood parameters of nesting females. Body condition and
      plasmatic concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, lactate and uric acid of
      nesting females were significantly different from those of non-nesting females
      and males in C. crocodilus, but not in M. niger. Our study also demonstrated that
      nest age and distance to water had a negative effect on female body condition in
      C. crocodilus, but not in M. niger. Female C. crocodilus attending older nests or
      nests built further away from permanent water bodies tended to have lower body
      condition. Our results demonstrate that the nesting strategy of C. crocodilus has
      a metabolic cost associated with nest attendance for nesting females, which
      appear to depend on accumulated energetic reserves during nest attendance. In
      contrast, nest attendance had little effect on the physiology of female M. niger.

PMID- 28631008
TI  - Regulation of neural circuit formation by protocadherins.
AB  - The protocadherins (Pcdhs), which make up the most diverse group within the
      cadherin superfamily, were first discovered in the early 1990s. Data implicating
      the Pcdhs, including ~60 proteins encoded by the tandem Pcdha, Pcdhb, and Pcdhg
      gene clusters and another ~10 non-clustered Pcdhs, in the regulation of neural
      development have continually accumulated, with a significant expansion of the
      field over the past decade. Here, we review the many roles played by clustered
      and non-clustered Pcdhs in multiple steps important for the formation and
      function of neural circuits, including dendrite arborization, axon outgrowth and
      targeting, synaptogenesis, and synapse elimination. We further discuss studies
      implicating mutation or epigenetic dysregulation of Pcdh genes in a variety of
      human neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders. With recent structural
      modeling of Pcdh proteins, the prospects for uncovering molecular mechanisms of
      Pcdh extracellular and intracellular interactions, and their role in normal and
      disrupted neural circuit formation, are bright.

PMID- 28631009
TI  - Methods of probing the interactions between small molecules and disordered
      proteins.
AB  - It is generally recognized that a large fraction of the human proteome is made up
      of proteins that remain disordered in their native states. Despite the fact that
      such proteins play key biological roles and are involved in many major human
      diseases, they still represent challenging targets for drug discovery. A major
      bottleneck for the identification of compounds capable of interacting with these
      proteins and modulating their disease-promoting behaviour is the development of
      effective techniques to probe such interactions. The difficulties in carrying out
      binding measurements have resulted in a poor understanding of the mechanisms
      underlying these interactions. In order to facilitate further methodological
      advances, here we review the most commonly used techniques to probe three types
      of interactions involving small molecules: (1) those that disrupt functional
      interactions between disordered proteins; (2) those that inhibit the aberrant
      aggregation of disordered proteins, and (3) those that lead to binding disordered
      proteins in their monomeric states. In discussing these techniques, we also point
      out directions for future developments.

PMID- 28631011
TI  - Isoprenyl carboxyl methyltransferase inhibitors: a brief review including recent
      patents.
AB  - Among the enzymes involved in the post-translational modification of Ras,
      isoprenyl carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT) has been explored by a number of
      researchers as a significant enzyme controlling the activation of Ras. Indeed,
      inhibition of ICMT exhibited promising anti-cancer activity against various
      cancer cell lines. This paper reviews patents and research articles published
      between 2009 and 2016 that reported inhibitors of ICMT as potential
      chemotherapeutic agents targeting Ras-induced growth factor signaling. Since ICMT
      inhibitors can modulate Ras signaling pathway, it might be possible to develop a
      new class of anti-cancer drugs targeting Ras-related cancers. Researchers have
      discovered indole-based small-molecular ICMT inhibitors through high-throughput
      screening. Researchers at Duke University identified a prototypical inhibitor,
      cysmethynil. At Singapore University, Ramanujulu and his colleagues patented more
      potent compounds by optimizing cysmethynil. In addition, Rodriguez and Stevenson
      at Universidad Complutense De Madrid and Cancer Therapeutics CRC PTY Ltd.,
      respectively, have developed inhibitors based on formulas other than the indole
      base. However, further optimization of chemicals targeted to functional groups is
      needed to improve the characteristics of ICMT inhibitors related to their
      application as drugs, such as solubility, effectiveness, and safety, to
      facilitate clinical use.

PMID- 28631012
TI  - Rapid preparation of bioluminescent tracers for relaxin family peptides using
      sortase-catalysed ligation.
AB  - Relaxin family is a group of peptide hormones with a variety of biological
      functions by activating G protein-coupled receptors RXFP1-4. We recently
      developed bioluminescent tracers for their receptor-binding assays by chemical
      conjugation with the ultrasensitive NanoLuc reporter. To simplify preparation of
      the bioluminescent tracers, in the present study, we established a sortase
      catalysed ligation approach using the chimeric R3/I5 as a model. Following
      catalysis by recombinant sortase A, a NanoLuc reporter carrying the LPETG sortase
      recognition motif at the C-terminus was efficiently ligated to an R3/I5 peptide
      carrying four successive Gly residues at the A-chain N-terminus, via the
      formation of a peptide bond between the C-terminal LPET sequence of NanoLuc and
      the A-chain N-terminal Gly residue of R3/I5. Saturation binding assays
      demonstrated that the NanoLuc-ligated R3/I5 retained high binding affinity to
      RXFP3 and RXFP4, with the calculated dissociation constants (K d) of 4.34 +/-
      0.33 nM (n = 3) and 5.66 +/- 0.54 nM (n = 3), respectively. Using the NanoLuc
      ligated R3/I5 as a tracer in competition binding assays, binding potencies of
      various ligands towards RXFP3 and RXFP4 were conveniently quantified. This work
      provides a simple method for rapid preparation of bioluminescent tracers for
      relaxin family peptides and other protein/peptide hormones for ligand-receptor
      interaction studies.

PMID- 28631014
TI  - Do Adult Somatic Cells Undergo Reprogramming or Endogenous Pluripotent Stem Cells
      get Activated to Account for Plasticity, Regeneration and Cancer Initiation?

PMID- 28631013
TI  - In vivo evaluation of the bone integration of coated poly(vinyl-alcohol) hydrogel
      fiber implants.
AB  - Recently, it has been shown that constructs of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel
      fibers reproduce closely the tensile behavior of ligaments. However, the
      biological response to these systems has not been explored yet. Here, we report
      the first in vivo evaluation of these implants and focus on the integration in
      bone, using a rabbit model of bone tunnel healing. Implants consisted in bundles
      of PVA hydrogel fibers embedded in a PVA hydrogel matrix. Half of the samples
      were coated with a composite coating of hydroxyapatite (HA) particles embedded in
      PVA hydrogel. The biological integration was evaluated at 6 weeks using histology
      and micro-CT imaging. For all implants, a good biological tolerance and growth of
      new bone tissue are reported. All the implants were surrounded by a fibrous layer
      comparable to what was previously observed for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)
      fibers currently used in humans for ligament reconstruction. An image analysis
      method is proposed to quantify the thickness of this fibrous capsule. Implants
      coated with HA were not significantly osteoconductive, which can be attributed to
      the slow dissolution of the selected hydroxyapatite. Overall, these results
      confirm the relevance of PVA hydrogel fibers for ligament reconstruction and
      adjustments are proposed to enhance its osseointegration.

PMID- 28631015
TI  - Ask yeast how to burn your fats: lessons learned from the metabolic adaptation to
      salt stress.
AB  - Here, we review and update the recent advances in the metabolic control during
      the adaptive response of budding yeast to hyperosmotic and salt stress, which is
      one of the best understood signaling events at the molecular level. This
      environmental stress can be easily applied and hence has been exploited in the
      past to generate an impressively detailed and comprehensive model of cellular
      adaptation. It is clear now that this stress modulates a great number of
      different physiological functions of the cell, which altogether contribute to
      cellular survival and adaptation. Primary defense mechanisms are the massive
      induction of stress tolerance genes in the nucleus, the activation of cation
      transport at the plasma membrane, or the production and intracellular
      accumulation of osmolytes. At the same time and in a coordinated manner, the cell
      shuts down the expression of housekeeping genes, delays the progression of the
      cell cycle, inhibits genomic replication, and modulates translation efficiency to
      optimize the response and to avoid cellular damage. To this fascinating interplay
      of cellular functions directly regulated by the stress, we have to add yet
      another layer of control, which is physiologically relevant for stress tolerance.
      Salt stress induces an immediate metabolic readjustment, which includes the up
      regulation of peroxisomal biomass and activity in a coordinated manner with the
      reinforcement of mitochondrial respiratory metabolism. Our recent findings are
      consistent with a model, where salt stress triggers a metabolic shift from
      fermentation to respiration fueled by the enhanced peroxisomal oxidation of fatty
      acids. We discuss here the regulatory details of this stress-induced metabolic
      shift and its possible roles in the context of the previously known adaptive
      functions.

PMID- 28631017
TI  - Proton therapy of iris melanoma with 50 CGE : Influence of target volume on
      clinical outcome.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate local tumour control, incidence of
      radiation-induced glaucoma and associated interventions of sector-based and whole
      anterior segment proton beam therapy (PBT) for the treatment of iris melanoma.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analysed the data of 77 patients with
      iris melanoma who underwent PBT applied as 50 CGE in four daily fractions. Of the
      patients, 47 received PBT with a circular-shaped collimator and 30 with a
      conformal sector-shaped target volume. Local control, eye preservation and
      secondary glaucoma were evaluated. RESULTS: Median follow-up time was 54.9
      months. Local tumour control was 100% in patients receiving whole anterior
      segment irradiation. Two patients developed pigment dispersion in the non
      irradiated area after sector-based PBT and received whole anterior segment
      salvage PBT. The mean volume of ciliary body irradiated was 89.0% and 34.9% for
      whole anterior segment and lesion-based irradiation, respectively. At the end of
      follow-up, secondary glaucoma was found in 74.3% of the patients with whole
      anterior segment irradiation and in 19.2% with sector-based irradiation. Patients
      with sector-based PBT had a stable visual acuity of logMAR 0.1, while it declined
      from logMAR 0.1 to 0.4 after whole anterior segment irradiation. CONCLUSION: We
      found a significant reduction in radiation-induced secondary glaucoma and
      glaucoma-associated surgical interventions and stable visual acuity after sector
      based irradiation compared with whole anterior segment irradiation. Sector-based
      irradiation revealed a higher risk for local recurrence, but selected patients
      with well-circumscribed iris melanoma benefit from applying a lesion-based target
      volume when treated with sector-based PBT.

PMID- 28631016
TI  - New insights into cohesin loading.
AB  - Cohesin is a conserved, ring-shaped protein complex that encircles sister
      chromatids and ensures correct chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis.
      It also plays a crucial role in the regulation of gene expression, DNA
      condensation, and DNA repair through both non-homologous end joining and
      homologous recombination. Cohesins are spatiotemporally regulated by the Scc2
      Scc4 complex which facilitates cohesin loading onto chromatin at specific
      chromosomal sites. Over the last few years, much attention has been paid to
      cohesin and cohesin loader as it became clear that even minor disruptions of
      these complexes may lead to developmental disorders and cancers. Here we
      summarize recent developments in the structure of Scc2-Scc4 complex, cohesin
      loading process, and mediators that determine the Scc2-Scc4 binding patterns to
      chromatin.

PMID- 28631018
TI  - Personalized radiotherapy for invasive breast cancer in 2017 : National S3
      guidelines and DEGRO and AGO recommendations.

PMID- 28631021
TI  - Erratum to: Robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in the pediatric population:
      a review of technique, outcomes, complications, and special considerations in
      infants.

PMID- 28631020
TI  - Utility of PAS and beta-catenin staining in histological categorisation and
      prediction of prognosis of hepatoblastomas.
AB  - AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of PAS, beta-catenin and
      Ki-67 in categorising hepatoblastomas (HBs) and their significance in predicting
      prognosis. In addition, we have also documented the various chemotherapy induced
      histologic changes in HBs. METHOD: In this retrospective observational study of
      29 cases of hepatoblastomas, 27 cases were considered for statistical analysis,
      excluding two cases of diagnostic core biopsies. All clinicopathological
      parameters and follow up data were collected. All HB cases including the mixed
      epithelial and mesenchymal HBs were classified into two groups: fetal predominant
      and embryonal predominant type according to the predominant epithelial component.
      PAS, beta-catenin and Ki-67 staining were done and their correlation with
      histologic subtypes was assessed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed in
      relation to histology, PAS, beta-catenin and Ki-67 staining characteristics.
      RESULT: Diffuse nuclear staining of beta-catenin was significantly more common in
      embryonal predominant type (p = 0.036), whereas strong PAS positivity was
      significantly associated with fetal predominant type (p = 0.002). But no
      significant correlation was seen between histologic type and Ki-67 staining (p =
      0.42). Survival analysis showed cases with diffuse PAS positivity, focal nuclear
      beta-catenin staining and low Ki-67 LI had better survival. CONCLUSION: PAS is a
      simple stain and can be utilised in histological categorisation of HB and also
      predicting its outcome. Nuclear beta-catenin staining which is significantly
      common in embryonal elements in HB predicts shorter survival.

PMID- 28631022
TI  - Risk analysis and outcomes of bronchopulmonary sequestrations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Researched and discussed the risks and outcomes of bronchopulmonary
      sequestrations, especially the intralobar type. METHODS: A retrospective review
      of our experiences with bronchopulmonary sequestrations from January 2012 to
      April 2015 is reported. The present study researched and discusses the risks and
      outcomes of bronchopulmonary sequestrations, especially the intralobar type,
      compared with other types of bronchopulmonary sequestrations in symptoms,
      surgery, pathology, and excretion. RESULTS: A total of 126 bronchopulmonary
      sequestrations were diagnosed. All fetal chest cases (18-30 weeks) of solid or
      high-echo masses were diagnosed antenatally and then confirmed by ultrasound.
      Enhanced computed tomography was used to confirm the diagnosis. Eighty-three boys
      and 43 girls were included. The mean age at surgery was 4.2 +/- 0.5 months. There
      were 103 cases of left, 22 cases of right, and 1 case of bilateral sequestration.
      There were 62 extralobar cases, 51 intralobar cases, 13 cases within the
      diaphragm, and a rare bilateral case. A preoperative history of recurrent
      respiratory tract infection was present in 39 cases, including 10 extralobar and
      29 intralobar cases. Operations were completed successfully, and diagnoses were
      confirmed pathologically. Thirty-seven cases were associated with congenital
      bronchopulmonary malformation changes, of which 4 were extralobar, 31 were
      intralobar, and 2 were within the diaphragm. CONCLUSIONS: The intralobar type was
      relatively uncommon among bronchopulmonary sequestrations. However, due to
      communication with normal lung tissue, infection is common in the intralobar
      type. Computed tomography examinations are very important immediately after
      birth. It is necessary to resect the mass in early childhood.

PMID- 28631023
TI  - The influence of perceived parenting styles on socio-emotional development from
      pre-puberty into puberty.
AB  - The relative impact of parenting on socio-emotional development of children has
      rarely been examined in a longitudinal context. This study examined the
      association between perceived parenting styles and socio-emotional functioning
      from childhood to adolescence. We hypothesized that optimal parenting associated
      with improvement in socio-emotional functioning from childhood into early
      adulthood, especially for those with more behavioral problems in childhood.
      Children between ages 7 and 9 years were recruited for the Singapore Cohort Study
      of Risk Factors for Myopia (SCORM). Nine years later, 700 out of 1052 subjects
      were followed up (67%). During childhood, parents completed the Child Behavior
      Checklist (CBCL), while young adults completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) and
      Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Perceived optimal parental care resulted in
      less internalizing and externalizing problems in early adulthood in comparison to
      non-optimal parental care styles. Perceived optimal paternal parenting, but not
      maternal parenting, in interaction with childhood externalizing problems
      predicted externalizing symptoms in early adulthood. No significant interactions
      were found between perceived parenting styles and internalizing problems. In
      conclusion, perceived parental care associates with the quality of socio
      emotional development, while optimal parenting by the father is especially
      important for children with more externalizing problems in childhood.

PMID- 28631024
TI  - The use of tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove indices based on joint size in
      lower limb evaluation.
AB  - PURPOSE: The correlation between tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance (TT
      TG) and joint size, taking into account several different parameters of knee
      joint size as well as lower limb dimensions, is evaluated in order to assess
      whether TT-TG indices should be used in instead of absolute TT-TG values.
      METHODS: This study comprised a retrospective analysis of knee CT scans,
      including 36 cases with patellofemoral instability (PFI) and 30 controls. Besides
      TT-TG, five measures of knee joint size were evaluated in axial CT slices: medio
      lateral femur width, antero-posterior lateral condylar height, medio-lateral
      width of the tibia, width of the patella and the proximal-distal joint size (TT
      TE). Furthermore, the length of the femur, the tibia and the total leg length
      were measured in the CT scanogram. Correlation analysis of TT-TG and the other
      parameters was done by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS:
      In the PFI group lateral condylar height (r = 0.370), tibia width (r = 0.406) and
      patella width (r = 0.366) showed significant moderate correlations (p < 0.03)
      with TT-TG. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between TT-TG and
      tibia length (r = 0.371) and total leg length (r = 381). The control group showed
      no significant correlation between TT-TG and knee joint size or between TT-TG and
      measures of lower limb length. CONCLUSIONS: Tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove
      distance correlates with several parameters of knee joint size and leg length in
      patients with patellofemoral instability. Application of indices determining TT
      TG as a ratio of joint size could be helpful in establishing the indication for
      medial transfer of the tibial tuberosity in patients with PFI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Level III.

PMID- 28631025
TI  - Diverse Autoantibody Reactivity in Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia.

PMID- 28631026
TI  - Erratum to: Prevalence and impact of severe fatigue in adolescent and young adult
      cancer patients in comparison with population-based controls.

PMID- 28631027
TI  - Validation of a Liver Index and Its Significance for HCC Aggressiveness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We recently constructed a liver index (LI) from four liver
      parameters, namely: blood total bilirubin, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP),
      albumin, and platelet levels (a cirrhosis surrogate). We found that the scores
      for the liver index related significantly to a four-parameter HCC aggressiveness
      index (maximum tumor diameter, multifocality, percent portal vein invasion, and
      blood AFP levels). AIMS: To validate the relationship of liver parameters to
      tumor aggressiveness parameters in a larger, different HCC dataset. RESULTS: We
      now confirm these associations in another large HCC cohort. Furthermore, this
      liver index showed significant trends with the individual HCC aggressiveness
      parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide further support for the idea that
      liver microenvironment, as reflected in liver function tests, may relate to HCC
      behavior.

PMID- 28631028
TI  - [Developing a framework for a public health monitoring of the population aged 65
      years and older : Results of the IMOA workshop on concepts and indicators].
AB  - Main goal of the Improving Health Monitoring in Older Age (IMOA) project is to
      provide a framework for an indicator-based public health monitoring of the
      population aged 65 years and older. The workshop served as a forum to discuss and
      agree upon relevant concepts with gerontologists, nursing care and public health
      scientists.

PMID- 28631029
TI  - Syngas Biorefinery and Syngas Utilization.
AB  - Autotrophic acetogenic bacteria are able to capture carbon (CO or CO2) through
      gas fermentation, allowing them to grow on a spectrum of waste gases from
      industry (e.g., steel manufacture and oil refining, coal, and natural gas) and to
      produce ethanol. They can also consume syn(thesis) gas (CO and H2) made from the
      gasification of renewable/sustainable resources, such as biomass and
      domestic/agricultural waste. Acetogenic gas fermentation can, therefore, produce
      ethanol in any geographic region without competing for food or land. The
      commercialization of the process is now at an advanced stage. The real potential
      of acetogens, however, resides in their capacity to produce chemicals and fuels
      other than ethanol. This requires the redesign and implementation of more
      efficient metabolic pathways, adapting them to high performing manufacturing
      processes. Respective species, their bioenergetics, the genetic tools developed
      for their metabolic engineering, culture techniques and fermenter set-ups, as
      well as the commercialization, are comprehensively described and discussed in
      this chapter.

PMID- 28631030
TI  - The Impact of Impoundment on Mercury Bioaccumulation in Fish Downstream from a
      Newly Constructed Reservoir, Wujiang River, Southwest China.
AB  - Mercury concentrations in fish were investigated downstream from a newly
      impounded subtropical reservoir in August 2008. After 6-7 months of reservoir
      impoundment, mean mercury concentration in fish from downstream is significantly
      increased by 1.9 times. Not only carnivorous fish but also benthic fish had
      significantly higher total mercury concentrations than others. No significant
      correlation was found between total mercury concentrations and body length or
      weight of 13 fish species. Compared with the pre-impoundment, total mercury in
      fish from downstream is significantly increased by reservoir impoundment, but the
      increased rate is lower than those in subarctic and temperate areas. Fish samples
      surpassed the Chinese hygienic standard for tolerances of mercury in foods
      increased by 4.3%. More attention should be given to fish mercury levels from
      downstream sites to prevent possible adverse effects on the health of local
      people.

PMID- 28631031
TI  - Metals in Blood and Eggs of Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Nesting
      Colonies of the Northern Coast of the Sea of Oman.
AB  - The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) has been a species of global concern for
      decades. In this study, heavy metals (mercury: Hg; Cadmium: Cd; Lead: Pb; Copper:
      Cu; and Zinc: Zn) were measured in blood and three egg fraction of green sea
      turtles nesting on the northern coast of Sea of Oman. Heavy metals concentrations
      in blood, yolk, albumen, and egg shell ranged between 0.16-36.78, 0.006-33.88,
      0.003-4.02, and 0.002-6.85 MUg/g (ww), respectively. According to the results,
      all heavy metals found in blood samples (n = 12) also were detected in the
      various parts of the eggs (n = 48). Moreover, there were no significant
      differences between concentrations of heavy metals in different clutches laid in
      a nesting season. However, Pb concentrations in blood samples significantly
      increased in later clutches (p < 0.05), whereas Cu concentrations in blood
      samples exhibit a declining trend (p < 0.05). These results reveal the existence
      of maternal transfer phenomenon in green sea turtles on the northern coast of Sea
      of Oman. Results of this study suggest that heavy metals could be one of the
      factors influencing reductions in fertilization and hatching success. Results
      also indicate that green sea turtle on the northern coast of Sea of Oman have
      high capacity in rapid response and detoxification of heavy metals and/or from
      the low exposure levels of these turtles to the heavy metals. Further research is
      required concerning the effects of heavy metals on green sea turtles, especially
      on their possible influence of fetal development of turtles.

PMID- 28631032
TI  - Occurrence and Fate of Organic and Organometallic Pollutants in Municipal
      Wastewater Treatment Plants and Their Impact on Receiving Waters (Adour Estuary,
      France).
AB  - To achieve a "Good Environmental Status by 2015," as demanded by the water
      framework directive, monitoring programs are needed to furnish data on target
      compounds. In this study, a first evaluation of influents and main emissions of 3
      local wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in the Adour estuary (southwest of
      France) was performed for 23 pollutants (10 musk fragrances, 5 alkylphenols, and
      8 organometallics), as well as receiving estuarine water from the same area. High
      frequency of occurrence of these compounds was found in influents samples (musks:
      22-100%; alkylphenols 11-100%; organometallics 0-100%) and effluents (musks: 0
      100%; alkylphenols 0-100%; organometallics 0-100%). The removal efficiencies were
      calculated and varied from negative values up to 98% with the lowest values for
      synthetic musk compounds. Temporal variability of the target compounds also was
      studied, and a few tendencies were observed. Estimation of the daily output of
      each WWTP into the estuary also showed that galaxolide, nonylphenol,
      monobuthyltin, and inorganic mercury were the compounds discharged into the
      environment at the highest concentrations. Finally, the occurrence of these
      compounds in estuarine waters was evaluated; most of them were present at
      concentrations below the limits of quantification (musks: 0.53-41.5 ng/L;
      alkylphenols 3.4-410 ng/L; organometallics 0.02-0.70 ng/L) suggesting a low
      impact in the resulting receiving waters.

PMID- 28631033
TI  - [Erratum to: Optimized detection and characterization of liver metastases: The
      role of current MRI contrast agents].

PMID- 28631034
TI  - Cardiac MRI quantitative tissue characterization of right atrial mass using
      mDixon and parametric mapping.

PMID- 28631036
TI  - Practical recommendations for radium-223 treatment of metastatic castration
      resistant prostate cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Radium Ra 223 dichloride (radium-223, Xofigo(r)) is the first targeted
      alpha therapy for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer and
      symptomatic bone metastases. Radium-223 provides a new treatment option for this
      setting, but also necessitates a new treatment management approach. We provide
      straightforward and practical recommendations for European nuclear medicine
      centres to optimize radium-223 service provision. METHODS: An independent
      research consultancy agency observed radium-223 procedures and conducted
      interviews with all key staff members involved in radium-223 treatment delivery
      in 11 nuclear medicine centres across six countries (Germany, Italy, the
      Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK) experienced in administering radium
      223. The findings were collated and discussed at a meeting of experts from these
      centres, during which key consensus recommendations were defined. RESULTS: The
      recommendations cover centre organization and preparation; patient referral;
      radium-223 ordering, preparation and disposal; radium-223 treatment
      delivery/administration; and patient experience. Guidance includes structured
      coordination and communication within centres and multidisciplinary teams,
      focusing on sharing best practice to provide high-quality, patient-centred care
      throughout the treatment pathway. CONCLUSIONS: These expert recommendations are
      intended to complement existing management guidelines. Sharing best practice and
      experience will help nuclear medicine centres to optimize radium-223 service
      provision and improve patient care.

PMID- 28631035
TI  - Brief Report: The Negev Hospital-University-Based (HUB) Autism Database.
AB  - Elucidating the heterogeneous etiologies of autism will require investment in
      comprehensive longitudinal data acquisition from large community based cohorts.
      With this in mind, we have established a hospital-university-based (HUB) database
      of autism which incorporates prospective and retrospective data from a large and
      ethnically diverse population. The collected data includes social-demographic
      characteristics, standardized behavioral testing, detailed clinical history from
      electronic patient records, genetic samples, and various neurological measures.
      We describe the initial cohort characteristics following the first 18 months of
      data collection (188 children with autism). We believe that the Negev HUB autism
      database offers a unique and valuable resource for studying the heterogeneity of
      autism etiologies across different ethnic populations.

PMID- 28631038
TI  - The significance of TIMD4 expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain (TIMD) family genes are related to innate
      immune responses. TIMD4 is a receptor for phosphatidylserine and is involved in
      the phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by macrophages. In the present study, we
      found that TIMD4 is expressed on the cancer cells of patients with clear cell
      renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). TIMD4 was immunostained in the resected samples of
      89 patients diagnosed as ccRCC. High expression of TIMD4 in cancer cells was
      closely related to short progression free survival time; however, it was not
      correlated with other clinicopathological factors. Intracellular expression of
      TIMD4 was observed in the RCC cell line, 786-O. In vitro studies using 786-O
      cells and shRNA targeting TIMD4 indicated that TIMD4 expression was associated
      with resistance to sorafenib but not with cell proliferation. TIMD4 might be
      useful as a prognostic factor and may also be a new target for therapy of ccRCC.

PMID- 28631039
TI  - Graft nephrectomy in children.
AB  - Kidney transplantation is recognised as the gold standard treatment of end-stage
      renal disease in most children, with excellent graft survival rates. When graft
      failure occurs, renal transplant recipients (RTRs) have the option of removal of
      the transplant (graft nephrectomy [GN]), or leaving the failed transplant in
      situ. The aims of this review are to discuss the indications for GN, surgical
      techniques, outcomes after GN (including risks of allosensitisation and the
      impact on subsequent transplants), and the possible role of routine GN in the
      asymptomatic RTR with a failed renal allograft. Literature in both the pediatric
      and adult renal transplant fields is reviewed. We also discuss how future
      research in this area could advance our knowledge of which patients to select for
      GN, and the most appropriate surgical approach.

PMID- 28631037
TI  - Inclusion bodies of aggregated hemosiderins in liver macrophages.
AB  - Hemosiderin formation is a structural indication of iron overload. We
      investigated further adaptations of the liver to excess iron. Five patients with
      livers showing iron-rich inclusions larger than 2 um were selected from our
      database. The clinical features of patients and structures of the inclusions were
      compared with those of 2 controls with mild iron overload. All patients had
      severe iron overload with more than 5000 ng/mL of serum ferritin. Etiologies were
      variable, from hemochromatosis to iatrogenic iron overload. Their histological
      stages were either portal fibrosis or cirrhosis. Inclusion bodies were ultra
      structurally visualized as aggregated hemosiderins in the periportal macrophages.
      X-ray analysis always identified, in addition to a large amount of iron complexes
      including oxygen and phosphorus, a small amount of copper and sulfur in the
      mosaic matrixes of inclusions. There were no inclusions in the control livers.
      Inclusion bodies, when the liver is loaded with excess iron, may appear in the
      macrophages as isolated organella of aggregated hemosiderins. Trace amounts of
      copper-sulfur complexes were always identified in the mosaic matrices of the
      inclusions, suggesting cuproprotein induction against excess iron. In conclusion,
      inclusion formation in macrophages may be an adaptation of the liver loaded with
      excess iron.

PMID- 28631040
TI  - Biomarkers to detect rejection after kidney transplantation.
AB  - Detecting acute rejection in kidney transplantation has been traditionally done
      using histological analysis of invasive allograft biopsies, but this method
      carries a risk and is not perfect. Transplant professionals have been working to
      develop more accurate or less invasive biomarkers that can predict acute
      rejection or subsequent worse allograft survival. These biomarkers can use
      tissue, blood or urine as a source. They can comprise individual molecules or
      panels, singly or in combination, across different components or pathways of the
      immune system. This review highlights the most recent evidence for biomarker
      efficacy, especially from multicenter trials.

PMID- 28631041
TI  - An adolescent boy progressing insidiously to end-stage renal disease: Answers.
AB  - Hinman syndrome was a non-neurogenic neurogenic bladder and the most severe form
      of dysfunctional voiding disorder. The bladder-sphincter discoordination causes
      damage to the bladder and upper urinary tract if it is not diagnosed early and
      treated adequately. This case emphasizes the following important message:
      nighttime wetting is not a benign condition in every child. Parental awareness
      should be raised about voiding disorders, as it may be possible to prevent
      important renal diseases such as Hinman syndrome.

PMID- 28631042
TI  - Dispersal towards food: the singular limit of an Allen-Cahn equation.
AB  - The effect of dispersal under heterogeneous environment is studied in terms of
      the singular limit of an Allen-Cahn equation. Since biological organisms often
      slow down their dispersal if food is abundant, a food metric diffusion is taken
      to include such a phenomenon. The migration effect of the problem is approximated
      by a mean curvature flow after taking the singular limit which now includes an
      advection term produced by the spatial heterogeneity of food distribution. It is
      shown that the interface moves towards a local maximum of the food distribution.
      In other words, the dispersal taken in the paper is not a trivialization process
      anymore, but an aggregation one towards food.

PMID- 28631043
TI  - Erratum to: Daphnia revisited: local stability and bifurcation theory for
      physiologically structured population models explained by way of an example.

PMID- 28631044
TI  - [Personalized treatment of viral hepatitis of the present and the future :
      Hepatitis B, C, delta, and E].
AB  - Precision medicine is also possible for infectious diseases as shown for the
      treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, especially if different options are
      available. In hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, treatment indication as well as
      the choice of treatment and the decisions to stop treatment are based on viral
      markers and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level. Future therapies for HBV
      infection aiming for functional cure or even virus elimination may be even more
      personalized and have to take into account the immune status of a given patient.
      Such treatment modalities might also increase the chance for successful treatment
      of chronic hepatitis delta where treatment options are still very limited. Some
      new therapeutic concepts targeting host receptors or host enzymes are promising,
      but may require individualized approaches. Chronic hepatitis C is a good example
      for precision medicine based on viral and host factors. However, the main reason
      for individualized direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment is to save costs. As
      DAAs are effective in more than 95% of patients, elimination of HCV seems to be
      possible at the level of a given country or even on a global scale. However,
      owing to high reinfection rates in high-risk groups and limited availability of
      antiviral therapy in many high endemic countries, it must still be decided
      whether an HCV vaccine or pre-exposure prophylaxis is required to achieve this
      goal. Hepatitis E is an emerging topic as this is the most frequent acute
      hepatitis virus infection. It can result in a chronic infection in
      immunosuppressed individuals. Treatment options are still limited and
      individualized management is based on tailoring immunosuppressive therapy and
      therapy with ribavirin. Thus, personalized therapy of hepatitis E virus infection
      is still limited.

PMID- 28631045
TI  - [Headaches].
AB  - Headaches can be so severe that patients and doctors often fear life-threatening
      underlying cerebral pathologies. The spectrum of causes of headache is very
      heterogeneous and ranges from harmless situations to severe diseases, so that it
      is very difficult to consider all differential diagnoses simultaneously; however,
      a few targeted questions and physical examinations are sufficient to be able to
      make a better classification of the leading symptom headache. The following
      article serves as a quick guide for identification of patients at risk. It
      describes basic findings, red flags and specials warning signs that must
      immediately lead to emergency admission for further diagnostics.

PMID- 28631046
TI  - Adherence of rheumatoid arthritis patients to biologic disease-modifying
      antirheumatic drugs: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - The aims of this study were to evaluate adherence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
      patients to biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), identify
      potential risk factors, and analyze the discriminative ability of the Morisky
      Green test (MGT) to detect bDMARD nonadherence. One hundred and seventy-eight
      adult RA patients treated with bDMARDs were included. Adherence was measured
      using the medication possession ratio (MPR) of the previous 6 months. An MPR >80%
      was considered good adherence. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics,
      and MGT scores were assessed through a standardized clinical interview at the
      cross-sectional date. One-hundred and twelve patients (63%) were taking
      subcutaneous bDMARDs, while 66 (37%) were taking intravenous drugs. One-hundred
      fifty-eight (88.8%) showed good adherence to bDMARDs, while 79 (61.2%) also
      correctly took concomitant conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs). In logistic
      regression models, nonadherence to bDMARDs was associated with higher disease
      activity [odds ratio (OR) 1.45; 95% CI, 1.03-2.03; p = 0.032] and subcutaneous
      route (OR 3.70; 95% CI 1.02-13.48; p = 0.040). MGT accurately identified an MPR
      >80% of bDMARDs in 76.9% of the patients. A sensitivity of 78%, specificity of
      70%, positive predictive value of 95.3%, negative predictive value of 28.5%,
      positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 2.6, and negative LR of 0.3% were obtained.
      Adherence may be good for bDMARDs but is low for csDMARDs. Low adherence for
      bDMARDs is associated with poorer disease control during the past 6 months and
      use of subcutaneous route. These findings should alert doctors to consider
      possible low adherence before declaring treatment failure.

PMID- 28631047
TI  - Periodontal disease in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Disease of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and periodontal disease (PD) shares
      the common multiple characteristics. The aims of the present study were to
      evaluate the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in Chinese SLE
      patients and to determine the association between SLE features and periodontal
      parameters. A cross-sectional study of 108 SLE patients together with 108 age-
      and sex-matched healthy controls was made. Periodontal status was conducted by
      two dentists independently. Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors,
      medication use, and clinical parameters were also assessed. The periodontal
      status was significantly worse in SLE patients compared to controls. In
      univariate logistic regression, SLE had a significant 2.78-fold [95% confidence
      interval (CI) 1.60-4.82] increase in odds of periodontitis compared to healthy
      controls. Adjusted for potential risk factors, patients with SLE had 13.98-fold
      (95% CI 5.10-38.33) increased odds against controls. In multiple linear
      regression model, the independent variable negatively and significantly
      associated with gingival index was education (P = 0.005); conversely, disease
      activity (P < 0.001) and plaque index (P = 0.002) were positively associated; Age
      was the only variable independently associated with periodontitis of SLE in
      multivariate logistic regression (OR 1.348; 95% CI: 1.183-1.536, P < 0.001).
      Chinese SLE patients were likely to suffer from higher odds of PD. These findings
      confirmed the importance of early interventions in combination with medical
      therapy. It is necessary for a close collaboration between dentists and
      clinicians when treating those patients.

PMID- 28631049
TI  - Novel probiotics isolated from a Japanese traditional fermented food, Funazushi,
      attenuates DSS-induced colitis by increasing the induction of high integrin
      alphav/beta8-expressing dendritic cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We isolated two novel probiotics strains (s193 and s292) from
      Funazushi, which is a traditional Japanese fermented food, and evaluated its
      effects on DSS-induced colitis to determine the possible underlying mechanisms.
      METHODS: A single colony from homogenized Funazushi was isolated by its ability
      to suppress TNF-alpha in RAW 264.7. Effect of probiotics on colonic inflammation
      induced by DSS was evaluated. Effect of probiotics on Treg induction by CD11c+
      dendritic cells (DCs) of MLNs were analyzed. RESULTS: Two novel probiotics
      strains classified into the genus Lactobacillus were isolated (s193 and s292),
      and those strains showed stronger anti-inflammatory effects on DSS-induced
      colitis than those of L. gasseri isolated from the gut. mRNA expression beta8
      integrin in CD11c+DCs of MLNs and the number of Tregs in the large intestine were
      significantly increased by s193 and s292 administration compared with L. gasseri
      administration. Bone marrow DCs treated with s193 and s292 highly increased beta8
      integrin, and those cells strongly induced differentiation of CD4+ T cells into
      Tregs. Differentiation of Tregs was remarkably inhibited by anti-beta8 integrin
      antibody treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Strains s193 and s292 demonstrate strong anti
      inflammatory effects on DSS-induced colitis through induction of beta8 integrin
      expression on DCs. Our results suggested that Japanese traditional fermented
      foods are valuable sources for probiotics that are effective for IBD therapy and
      treatment.

PMID- 28631048
TI  - Celiac disease: from etiological factors to evolving diagnostic approaches.
AB  - Celiac disease has advanced from a medical rarity to a highly prevalent disorder.
      Patients with the disease show varying degrees of chronic inflammation within the
      small intestine due to an aberrant immune response to the digestion of gliadin
      found in wheat. As a result, cytokines and antibodies are produced in celiac
      patients that can be used as specific biomarkers for developing diagnostic tests.
      This review paper describes celiac disease in terms of its etiological cause,
      pathological effects, current diagnostic tests based on mucosal biopsy, and the
      genetic basis for the disease. In addition, it discusses the use of gliadin
      induced cytokines, antibodies and autoantibodies as a diagnostic tool for celiac
      disease. Despite good initial results in terms of sensitivity and specificity,
      when these immunological tests were used on a large scale, even in combination
      with genetic testing, the results showed lower predictive value. This review
      addresses that issue and ends with an outlook on future work required to develop
      diagnostic tests with greater accuracy in predicting celiac disease in the
      general public, thus avoiding the need for endoscopy and mucosal biopsy.

PMID- 28631050
TI  - Analgesia nociception index (ani) monitoring in patients with thoracic
      paravertebral block: a randomized controlled study.
AB  - The goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of analgesia nociception
      index (ANI) monitoring during intraoperative period for patients with thoracic
      paravertebral block (TPVB) undergoing breast surgery under general anesthesia.
      This prospective randomized trial was performed after receiving ethics committee
      approval in 44 patients who were scheduled to undergo breast surgery under
      general anesthesia. TPVB was performed in the preoperative period using 20 mL of
      bupivacaine 0.25% at T4 level. Anesthesia maintenance was provided with
      sevoflurane in O2: air mixture and remifentanil infusion. Intraoperative
      concentration of sevoflurane was adjusted according to BIS monitoring keeping the
      values between 40-60. In a randomized manner patients were divided into two
      groups. In Group control (n:22) intraoperative remifentanil infusion rate was
      regulated according to hemodynamic parameters, in Group ANI (n:22) remifentanil
      infusion rate was titrated to keep ANI monitoring values between 50-70. Total
      remifentanil consumption was recorded as micrograms. Demographic data, anesthesia
      and surgery time, intraoperative hemodynamic parameters, post-anesthesia recovery
      time and requirement of additional analgesic in the recovery drug were recorded.
      There were no significant difference in demographic data, intraoperative
      hemodynamic parameters, post-anesthesia recovery time and requirement of
      additional analgesic drug. There was a statistically significant difference
      between groups in total remifentanil consumption (Group ANI: 629.6 +/- 422.4 mcg,
      Group control: 965.2 +/- 543.6 mcg) (p = 0.027). In patients under general
      anesthesia ANI monitorisation can help optimisation of opioid consumption and
      provide data about nociception/antinociception intraoperatively but further
      experimental and clinical trials in a large scale are needed.

PMID- 28631052
TI  - Anatomic variations of the spleen: current state of terminology, classification,
      and embryological background.
AB  - A thorough understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and development of the
      spleen is essential for determining the pathophysiological mechanisms
      underpinning splenic diseases and congenital variations. The aim of this review
      is to briefly summarize current knowledge regarding the normal development of the
      spleen, and to provide an overview of clinically relevant congenital splenic
      variations. These include such variations as asplenia, polysplenia, hyposplenia,
      lobulation of spleen, accessory spleens, accessory splenic nodules, wandering
      spleen, splenogonadal and splenopancreatic fusion, splenic cysts, and cavernous
      haemangioma of the spleen. All of these congenital variations are also mentioned
      in internationally accepted embryological nomenclature, known as the Terminologia
      Embryologica. Interestingly, most patients who have these diseases are
      asymptomatic, and are often diagnosed only after an injury or during unrelated
      medical procedures. Using examples from published case reports, we highlight how
      an understanding of the embryology of the spleen and the etiology of its disease
      states would improve clinical practice.

PMID- 28631053
TI  - Characterization of an orf virus isolate from an outbreak in Heilongjiang
      province, China.
AB  - Contagious ecthyma, caused by orf virus (ORFV), is an epitheliotrophic contagious
      disease with zoonotic implications that mainly affects sheep, goats, wild
      ruminants, and humans. Recently, a novel ORFV strain, OV/HLJ/04, was successfully
      isolated from the skin and mucosal lesions of a goat with severe clinical sore
      mouth symptoms in Heilongjiang province of China. The OV/HLJ/04 isolate was
      characterized by electron microscopy, serological tests, and experimental
      reproduction of disease. The purified virions exhibited a typical ovoid shape
      when observed by electron microscopy. Moreover, experimental reproduction of
      disease showed that a lamb developed typical clinical signs of contagious
      ecthyma, such as severe vascular proliferation, when inoculated with the virus.
      Subsequently, amplification of ORFV011 (B2L) gene fragments of viral DNA by
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing were performed. Phylogenetic
      analysis of the B2L protein gene revealed that this strain clusters with ORFV
      strains from epidemic-stricken areas worldwide, including recent mainland China
      isolates. Analysis using ClustalW MegAlign in DNAStar indicated that OV/HLJ/04
      (GenBank: KU523790.1) was genetically closely related to the isolates Gansu
      (JQ904789), with 99.7% identity; NZ2 (DQ184476), with 97.4% identity; and
      Xinjiang (KF666560), with 90.6% identity. These results may provide insights into
      the genotype of the etiological agent responsible for the orf outbreak in
      Heilongjiang Province.

PMID- 28631055
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631054
TI  - Adaptation of tick-borne encephalitis virus from human brain to different cell
      cultures induces multiple genomic substitutions.
AB  - The C11-13 strain from the Siberian subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus
      (TBEV) was isolated from human brain using pig embryo kidney (PEK), 293, and
      Neuro-2a cells. Analysis of the complete viral genome of the C11-13 variants
      during six passages in these cells revealed that the cell-adapted C11-13 variants
      had multiple amino acid substitutions as compared to TBEV from human brain. Seven
      out of eight amino acids substitutions in the high-replicating C11-13(PEK)
      variant mapped to non-structural proteins; 13 out of 14 substitutions in the well
      replicating C11-13(293) variant, and all four substitutions in the low
      replicating C11-13(Neuro-2a) variant were also localized in non-structural
      proteins, predominantly in the NS2a (2), NS3 (6) and NS5 (3) proteins. The
      substitutions NS2a1067 (Asn -> Asp), NS2a1168(Leu -> Val) in the N-terminus of
      NS2a and NS31745(His -> Gln) in the helicase domain of NS3 were found in all
      selected variants. We postulate that multiple substitutions in the NS2a, NS3 and
      NS5 genes play a key role in adaptation of TBEV to different cells.

PMID- 28631056
TI  - [Granulomatous diseases of the skin : Always a special challenge].

PMID- 28631057
TI  - Diabetes mellitus: a risk factor for seizures in the elderly-a population-based
      study.
AB  - AIMS: To evaluate the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and risk of
      seizures in a well-defined elderly population. METHODS: The administrative
      databases of the Lombardy region (a 10 million population area in Northern Italy)
      were used to identify persons aged 65 years or older with DM (defined by
      prescription of antidiabetic drugs and/or through ICD-9 CM code and/or exemption
      code for diabetes) during the year 2002. Seizure-free DM subjects were followed
      until 2012 in search of individuals with incident seizures (identified through
      ICD-9 CM codes for epilepsy/seizures or ATC codes for antiepileptic drugs
      associated with the prescription of an electroencephalogram). To adjust for
      confounding, comorbidities having epileptogenic potential were also identified
      through the ICD-9 CM codes. RESULTS: The population at risk included 1,494,071
      persons. Of these, 136,941 seizure-free patients had DM. At the end of follow-up,
      the cumulative time-dependent incidence of seizures was 3.0% in DM patients and
      1.9% in No-diabetic individuals (hazard ratio, HR 1.47; 95% confidence interval,
      1.41-1.53, adjusted for age classes, sex, comorbidities and number of hospital
      admission). The HR was unchanged in patients with no history of stroke. The
      cumulative incidence of seizures after DM increased with the number of hospital
      admissions. CONCLUSIONS: DM is an independent risk factor for seizures in elderly
      individuals. In diabetic patients, the risk of seizures increases with the number
      of comorbidities, supporting the role of vascular disease as a cause of seizures.

PMID- 28631058
TI  - Expression and Characterization of Glucose Oxidase from Aspergillus niger in
      Yarrowia lipolytica.
AB  - Glucose oxidase (GOX) is currently used in clinical, pharmaceutical, food and
      chemical industries. The aim of this study was expression and characterization of
      Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase gene in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. For the
      first time, the GOX gene of A. niger was successfully expressed in Y. lipolytica
      using a mono-integrative vector containing strong hybrid promoter and secretion
      signal. The highest total glucose oxidase activity was 370 U/L after 7 days of
      cultivation. An innovative method was used to cell wall disruption in current
      study, and it could be recommended to use for efficiently cell wall disruption of
      Y. lipolytica. Optimum pH and temperature for recombinant GOX activity were 5.5
      and 37  degrees C, respectively. A single band with a molecular weight of 80 kDa
      similar to the native and pure form of A. niger GOX was observed for the
      recombinant GOX in SDS-PAGE analysis. Y. lipolytica is a suitable and efficient
      eukaryotic expression system to production of recombinant GOX in compered with
      other yeast expression systems and could be used to production of pure form of
      GOX for industrial applications.

PMID- 28631059
TI  - Trends in HIV Risk, Testing, and Treatment among MSM in Chicago 2004-2014:
      Implications for HIV Elimination Planning.
AB  - Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the USA continue to have high rates of HIV
      infection. Increasingly, in addition to behavioral factors, biomedical
      interventions have been found to play important roles in HIV prevention. In this
      analysis, we used four waves of cross-sectional data (2004, 2008, 2011, and 2014)
      from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) to examine trends in
      key behaviors and biomedical interventions among MSM in Chicago (N = 3298).
      Logistic regression was used to determine changes in behaviors and use of
      biomedical interventions. Condomless sex increased significantly in waves 3 and
      4, compared to wave 1: wave 3 (AOR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.53, 2.78) and wave 4 (AOR =
      2.19; 95% CI 1.62, 2.96). Compared to those aged 18-24, older participants were
      significantly less likely to be routinely tested for HIV: 30-39 (AOR = 0.63; 95%
      CI 0.48, 0.83), 40-49 (AOR = 0.40; 95% CI 0.29, 0.55), and >50 (AOR = 0.28; 95%
      CI 0.18, 0.43). Awareness of both post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)(AOR = 3.13; 95%
      CI 1.22, 8.03) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)(AOR = 10.02; 95% CI 2.95,
      34.01) increased significantly in wave 4, compared to wave 3. These results
      suggest a potential increase in HIV rates among men with main and casual partners
      and should be monitored closely as PrEP becomes more widespread among MSM of all
      races and ethnicities in Chicago. This study also suggests that further analyses
      of the barriers to PEP and PreP uptake among high-risk populations are necessary.

PMID- 28631062
TI  - JHB as a Collaborative Effort.

PMID- 28631060
TI  - Estimating the Size of the MSM Population in Metro Vancouver, Canada, Using
      Multiple Methods and Diverse Data Sources.
AB  - Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV globally,
      regionally in Canada, and locally in Vancouver. Lack of reliable population size
      estimates of MSM impedes effective implementation of health care services and
      limits our understanding of the HIV epidemic. We estimated the population size of
      MSM residing in Metro Vancouver drawing on four data sources: the Canadian
      Community Health Survey (CCHS), a cross-sectional bio-behavioural MSM survey, HIV
      testing services data from sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics serving
      MSM, and online social networking site Facebook. Estimates were calculated using
      (1) direct estimates from the CCHS, (2) "Wisdom of the Crowds" (WOTC), and (3)
      the multiplier method using data from a bio-behavioural MSM survey, clinic-based
      HIV testing, and online social media network site Facebook. Data sources
      requiring greater public disclosure of sexual orientation resulted in our mid
      range population estimates (Facebook 23,760, CCHS 30,605). The WOTC method
      produced the lowest estimate, 10,000. The multiplier method using STI clinic HIV
      testing data produced the largest estimate, 41,777. The median of all estimates
      was 27,183, representing 2.9% of the Metro Vancouver census male adult
      population, with an interquartile range of 1.1-4.5%. Using multiple data sources,
      our estimates of the MSM population in Metro Vancouver are similar to population
      prevalence estimates based on population data from other industrialized nations.
      These findings will support understanding of the HIV burden among MSM and
      corresponding public health and health services planning for this key population.

PMID- 28631063
TI  - Fundamentals of and Critical Issues in Lipid Autacoid Medicine: A Review.
AB  - The identification of a number of families of lipid signal molecules since the
      1990s created new therapeutic possibilities for a great number of disorders
      characterized by chronic inflammation and pain. These lipid autacoids have been
      explored in a great variety of animal models related to inflammation, pain,
      (neuro-)protection, and repair. Based on the data from these models, as well as
      on a number of proof of principle studies in the clinic in indications such as
      neuropathic pain, a new chapter in medicine is about to begin. We would like to
      introduce the term "Autacoid Pain Medicine" for this chapter. There are, however,
      a number of methodological and strategic issues to overcome in this field. One of
      the roadblocks is related to patent strategies around families of these
      molecules. As this is not always recognized we will present a number of examples.

PMID- 28631064
TI  - Analysis of case-parent trios for imprinting effect using a loglinear model with
      adjustment for sex-of-parent-specific transmission ratio distortion.
AB  - Transmission ratio distortion (TRD) is a phenomenon where parental transmission
      of disease allele to the child does not follow the Mendelian inheritance ratio.
      TRD occurs in a sex-of-parent-specific or non-sex-of-parent-specific manner. An
      offset computed from the transmission probability of the minor allele in control
      trios can be added to the loglinear model to adjust for TRD. Adjusting the model
      removes the inflation in the genotype relative risk (RR) estimate and Type 1
      error introduced by non-sex-of-parent-specific TRD. We now propose to further
      extend this model to estimate an imprinting parameter. Some evidence suggests
      that more than 1% of all mammalian genes are imprinted. In the presence of
      imprinting, for example, the offspring inheriting an over-transmitted disease
      allele from the parent with a higher expression level in a neighboring gene is
      over-represented in the sample. TRD mechanisms such as meiotic drive and gametic
      competition occur in a sex-of-parent-specific manner. Therefore, sex-of-parent
      specific TRD (ST) leads to over-representation of maternal or paternal alleles in
      the affected child. As a result, ST may bias the imprinting effect when present
      in the sample. We propose a sex-of-parent-specific transmission offset in
      adjusting the loglinear model to account for ST. This extended model restores the
      correct RR estimates for child and imprinting effects, adjusts for inflation in
      Type 1 error, and improves performance on sensitivity and specificity compared to
      the original model without ST offset. We conclude that to correctly interpret the
      association signal of an imprinting effect, adjustment for ST is necessary to
      ensure valid conclusions.

PMID- 28631065
TI  - Framework for Advancing the Reporting of Patient Engagement in Rheumatology
      Research Projects.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The term "patient engagement in research" refers to patients
      and their surrogates undertaking roles in the research process beyond those of
      study participants. This paper proposes a new framework for describing patient
      engagement in research, based on analysis of 30 publications related to patient
      engagement. RECENT FINDINGS: Over the past 15 years, patients' perspectives have
      been instrumental in broadening the scope of rheumatology research and outcome
      measurement, such as evaluating fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis. Recent reviews,
      however, highlight low-quality reporting of patient engagement in research. Until
      we have more detailed information about patient engagement in rheumatology
      research, our understanding of how patients' perspectives are being integrated
      into research projects remains limited. When authors follow our guidance on the
      important components for describing patients' roles and function as "research
      partners," researchers and other knowledge users will better understand how
      patients' perspectives were integrated in their research projects.

PMID- 28631066
TI  - Rheumatoid Vasculitis: A Diminishing Yet Devastating Menace.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) is an unusual complication of long
      standing rheumatoid arthritis, which is characterized by the development of
      necrotizing or leukocytoclastic vasculitis involving small or medium-sized
      vessels. In this review, we aim to provide an update on the epidemiology,
      pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management of this challenging extra
      articular manifestation. RECENT FINDINGS: RV is heterogenous in its clinical
      presentation depending on the organ and size of blood vessels involved. The most
      common organs involved are the skin and peripheral nerve. Based on recent
      population studies, the incidence has significantly decreased with early
      recognition and the advent of immunosuppressive drugs and biologics; however, the
      mortality rates remain high. RV remains a serious extra-articular manifestation
      of RA that needs to be promptly recognized and treated. No consensus is available
      on treatment, given the ongoing debate of whether the biologics can trigger or
      treat RV.

PMID- 28631067
TI  - Antibodies Against Complement Components: Relevance for the Antiphospholipid
      Syndrome-Biomarkers of the Disease and Biopharmaceuticals.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Laboratory criterion for the diagnosis of antiphospholipid
      syndrome (APS) is the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL Abs).
      Complement system has a role in mediating aPL Abs-induced thrombosis in animal
      models. The importance of antibodies against complement components (potential
      biomarkers of APS) and the importance of antibodies with beneficial anti
      complement effects in APS (as biopharmaceuticals) are reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS:
      Antibodies against complement components described in APS patients, so far, are
      anti-C1q and anti-factor H Abs, although anti-factor B Abs and anti-C5a Abs were
      described in animal models of APS. Clinical studies in APS patients are limited
      to a small number of case reports. Studies that would confirm potential role of
      Abs against complement components (as potential biomarkers of APS) are lacking.
      Lack of randomized clinical trials (that would provide complete data for
      confirmation of beneficial effects of biopharmaceuticals in complement
      inhibition) in APS is alarming.

PMID- 28631068
TI  - Autoinflammatory Diseases with Periodic Fevers.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: One purpose of this review was to raise awareness for the new
      autoinflammatory syndromes. These diseases are increasingly recognized and are in
      the differential diagnosis of many disease states. We also aimed to review the
      latest recommendations for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of these
      patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), cryopyrin
      associated periodic syndrome (CAPS), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated
      periodic fever syndrome (TRAPS), and hyperimmunoglobulinemia D and periodic fever
      syndrome/mevalonate kinase deficiency (HIDS/MVKD) are the more common
      autoinflammatory diseases that are characterized by periodic fevers and attacks
      of inflammation. Recently much collaborative work has been done to understand the
      characteristics of these patients and to develop recommendations to guide the
      physicians in the care of these patients. These recent recommendations will be
      summarized for all four diseases. FMF is the most common periodic fever disease.
      We need to further understand the pathogenesis and the role of single mutations
      in the disease. Recently, the management and treatment of the disease have been
      nicely reviewed. CAPS is another interesting disease associated with severe
      complications. Anti-interleukin-1 (anti-IL-1) treatment provides cure for these
      patients. TRAPS is characterized by the longest delay in diagnosis; thus, both
      pediatricians and internists should be aware of the characteristic features and
      the follow-up of these patients. HIDS/MVKD is another autoinflammatory diseases
      characterized with fever attacks. The spectrum of disease manifestation is rather
      large in this disease, and we need further research on biomarkers for the optimal
      management of these patients.

PMID- 28631069
TI  - [S2-Ala-iliac screws for extended pelvic fixation in longer lumbar
      instrumentations : Description of a freehand technique].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To reduce the rate of implant failures at the lumbosacral junction in
      polysegmental lumbar fusions. INDICATIONS: Spinal fusion with deformity
      correction including L5/S1, revision surgery for pseudoarthrosis L5/S1, screw
      pull-out and pedicle fractures in S1, and S1/S2 fractures after polysegmental
      fusions. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Osteosynthesis of complex pelvic ring fractures,
      tumors of the ilium. Relative contraindication: infection, to avoid contamination
      of the iliosacral joint. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Conventional posterior approach to
      the lumbar spine. Positioning of the lumbar and S1 pedicle screws in common
      technique. Identification of the correct entrance point for one or two S2-Ala
      iliac screws for each side and preparation of the drill holes in freehand
      technique. Connection of the lumbar and S1 pedicle screws and S2-Ala-iliac screws
      with one stress-free rod on each side without the use of connectors or special
      plates. POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: Back-friendly mobilization beginning on day 1
      after surgery with support of a physiotherapist. No sports for 12 weeks. RESULTS:
      In all, 25 patients were treated with an extended pelvic fixation using S2-Ala
      iliac screws. A primary deformity correction was performed in 11 patients,
      whereas 14 patients underwent revision surgery. A total of 24 patients were
      clinically and radiologically followed for a mean of 16 months. Two patients
      showed a loosening of the S2-Ala-iliac screws on one side, and one patient had
      broken screw as well only on one side without clinical symptoms. So far, no
      patient has undergone revision surgery because of S2-Ala-iliac screw-associated
      complications.

PMID- 28631070
TI  - Lipids of the Tail Gland, Body and Muzzle Fur of the Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes.
AB  - The tail gland of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) secretes lipids containing volatile
      terpenes used in social communication. We have analysed lipids extracted from fur
      of the tail gland, body (flanks) and muzzle of foxes. GC-MS showed a novel group
      of iso-valerate and tiglate monoesters of alkane-1,2-diols (C18:0-22:0). There
      was also a larger group of Type II diesters in which a second, longer chain,
      fatty acid (FA) was attached to the free alcohol group. LC-MS showed the full
      range of diol diesters, mostly C36:0-50:0, with smaller amounts of the
      corresponding mono-unsaturated tiglate esters. An additional group of diesters
      with higher MW (C49:0-62:0) containing two long-chain FA was present in the
      lipids of body and muzzle fur. After saponification and GC-MS, 98 fatty acids
      were characterized as their methyl esters. Apart from the C5 FA, most were
      saturated n-, iso-, anteiso- or other methyl-branched FA (C12:0-28:0) whose
      structures were determined by a combination of their mass spectra and Kovats
      retention indices. Several FA have not previously been found in nature or in
      vertebrates. Thirty-four alkane-1,2-diols were found as their TMS derivatives,
      mostly n-, iso- or anteiso-isomers of C16:0-25:0. The tail gland had the greatest
      amount of wax esters, from a greater variety of FA and diols, but lacked the
      esters with two long-chain FA. These findings show that fox skin lipids comprise
      mono- and di-esters of alkane-1,2-diols, and exhibit enormous complexity due to
      the diversity of their constituent FA, diols and the many possible isomers of
      their esters.

PMID- 28631071
TI  - Oxidation of C18 Hydroxy-Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids to Epoxide or Ketone by
      Catalase-Related Hemoproteins Activated with Iodosylbenzene.
AB  - Small catalase-related hemoproteins with a facility to react with fatty acid
      hydroperoxides were examined for their potential mono-oxygenase activity when
      activated using iodosylbenzene. The proteins tested were a Fusarium graminearum
      41 kD catalase hemoprotein (Fg-cat, gene FGSG_02217), a Pseudomonas fluorescens
      Pfl01 catalase (37.5 kD, accession number WP_011333788.1), and a Mycobacterium
      avium ssp. paratuberculosis 33 kD catalase (gene MAP-2744c). 13-Hydroxy
      octadecenoic acids (which are normally unreactive) were selected as substrates
      because these enzymes react specifically with the corresponding 13S
      hydroperoxides (Pakhomova et al. 18:2559-2568, 5; Teder et al. 1862:706-715, 14).
      In the presence of iodosylbenzene Fg-cat converted 13S-hydroxy-fatty acids to two
      products: the 15,16-double bond of 13S-hydroxy alpha-linolenic acid was oxidized
      stereospecifically to the 15S,16R-cis-epoxide or the 13-hydroxyl was oxidized to
      the 13-ketone. Products were identified by UV, HPLC, LC-MS, NMR and by comparison
      with authentic standards prepared for this study. The Pfl01-cat displayed similar
      activity. MAP-2744c oxidized 13S-hydroxy-linoleic acid to the 13-ketone, and
      epoxidized the double bonds to form the 9,10-epoxy-13-hydroxy, 11,12-epoxy-13
      hydroxy, and 9,10-epoxy-13-keto derivatives; equivalent transformations occurred
      with 9S-hydroxy-linoleic acid as substrate. In parallel incubations in the
      presence of iodosylbenzene, human catalase displayed no activity towards 13S
      hydroxy-linoleic acid, as expected from the highly restricted access to its
      active site. The results indicated that with suitable transformation to Compound
      I, monooxygenase activity can be demonstrated by these catalase-related
      hemoproteins with tyrosine as the proximal heme ligand.

PMID- 28631072
TI  - Down-regulation of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 expression in invasive
      placentation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To confirm reduced expression of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1
      (sFlt-1) in accreta/increta. METHODS: Formalin-fixed tissue sections from 11
      peripartum hysterectomies with invasive placentation and 5 controls were stained
      for sFlt-1. Stain intensity was scored in selected 100* microscopic fields. We
      compared sFlt-1 expression in invasive areas among cases, non-invasive areas
      among cases and areas from control placentas. RESULTS: Chorionic villi displayed
      significantly decreased sFlt-1 expression in invasive areas of cases compared to
      control placentas (p = 0.003), as well as in non-invasive areas of cases compared
      to control placentas (p = 0.01). There was no difference in sFlt-1 expression
      between invasive and non-invasive areas among cases. CONCLUSIONS: Expression of
      sFlt-1 is diminished in villous trophoblasts from patients with placenta increta
      or percreta. Local depth of invasion was not associated with sFlt-1 expression,
      suggesting a more global abnormality across the implantation site rather than
      localized to areas of histologic invasion.

PMID- 28631073
TI  - Compartment syndrome after gynecologic laparoscopy: systematic review of the
      literature and establishment of normal values for postoperative serum creatine
      kinase and myoglobin levels.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate published evidence in the literature on compartment syndrome
      (CS) in association with gynecologic surgery and to establish postoperative
      normal values for serum creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin. METHODS: The present
      study consists of a case report of a patient with CS, a systematic review
      including 37 studies and 86 patients with CS, and a retrospective cohort study of
      300 patients undergoing various types of laparoscopy for benign or malignant
      diseases in order to establish postoperative normal values. RESULTS: We report on
      a patient with early-stage ovarian cancer, who developed CS after laparoscopic
      surgery with massively elevated serum CK and myoglobin levels, i.e., 1109 U/L and
      18151 ug/L, respectively. In our systematic review, median serum CK and myoglobin
      levels among women with CS were 19,223 (177-27,412) U/L and 1248 (285-1360) ug/L,
      respectively. In our cohort study, the median postoperative serum CK and
      myoglobin levels were 68 (14-1576) U/L and 45 (14-1040) ug/L, respectively. The
      95th and 99th percentile of serum CK and myoglobin levels were 158 and 391.5 U/L,
      and 152.3 and 298.9 ug/L, respectively. CONCLUSION: Markedly elevated
      postoperative serum levels of CK and myoglobin levels might raise the suspicion
      for CS and could therefore aid in the rapid diagnosis of CS.

PMID- 28631074
TI  - No difference in mitochondrial distribution is observed in human oocytes after
      cryopreservation.
AB  - PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to determine if any difference in
      mitochondrial distribution can be observed between fresh and cryopreserved (slow
      frozen/thawed and vitrified/warmed) oocytes when oocytes are stained with
      Mitotracker Red CMXRos and observed under a conventional fluorescent microscope.
      Additionally, the influence of cryopreservation procedure on the viable rates of
      oocytes at different maturation stages was evaluated. METHODS: The germinal
      vesicle (GV) and MII oocytes were cryopreserved with slow-freezing and
      vitrification. After thawing/warming, oocytes were stained using Mitotracker Red
      CMXRos and observed under a conventional fluorescent microscope. RESULTS:
      Mitotracker staining revealed that in GV oocytes the pattern of mitochondrial
      distribution appeared as aggregated clusters around the whole oocyte. In mature
      MII oocytes, three different patterns of mitochondrial distribution were
      observed; a smooth pattern around the polar body with aggregated clusters at the
      opposite side of the polar body, a smooth pattern throughout the whole cell, and
      aggregated clusters as can be seen in GV oocytes. There were no significant
      differences in the observed patterns between fresh, vitrified/warmed and
      frozen/thawed oocytes. When comparing the viable rates of oocytes after two
      different cryopreservation procedures, the results showed no significant
      differences, although the trend of viable MII oocytes tends to be higher after
      vitrification/warming and for viable GV oocytes it tends to be higher after slow
      freezing/thawing. CONCLUSIONS: Mitotracker Red CMXRos staining of mitochondria in
      oocytes did not reveal differences in mitochondrial distribution between fresh
      and cryopreserved oocytes at different maturity stages. Additionally, no
      difference was observed in the viable rates of GV and MII oocytes after slow
      freezing/thawing and vitrification/warming.

PMID- 28631075
TI  - Measurement and evaluation of fetal fat layer in the prediction of fetal
      macrosomia in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the predictive power of measuring the abdominal fetal fat
      layer (FFL) as a soft tissue marker at 31, 34, and 37 weeks' gestation to improve
      the detection of fetal macrosomia in pregnant women with GDM, in addition to the
      biometric values with close monitoring of maternal blood sugar level and BMI
      changes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study at the
      Department of Obstetrics, University Hospitals, Campus Kiel, Germany, in
      collaboration with diabetic clinic staff. Participants underwent a third
      trimester scan and extra FFL measurements were performed at 31, 34, and 37 weeks
      of gestation. The clinical outcomes of pregnancy and birth weight were collected
      from the obstetric record. All of the enrolled women had an early pregnancy
      ultrasound scan to confirm gestational age. RESULTS: The FFL at 34 and 37 weeks,
      with respective cutoff values of >0.48 cm and >0.59 cm, showed a very good
      sensitivity of 60% for both gestational points, and specificity of 89.3 and
      90.6%, respectively. The probability of fetal macrosomia could be more than
      doubled if the FFL at 34 weeks was more than 0.48 cm. However, the probability of
      macrosomia dropped to 16% if the FFL was <=0.48 cm. The median FFLs of macrosomic
      fetuses at 34 and 37 weeks were 0.50 (IQR 0.10) and 0.60 (IQR 0.25) cm,
      respectively. The mean age of the study population (n = 80) was 32.26 (SD = 5.06)
      years. In our study population, ten newborns were born with birth weight >4000 g.
      The body mass index (BMI) for the mothers of later-onset macrosomic newborns
      showed higher median values of 30 (IQR 8), 32 (IQR 5), and 33 (IQR 9) at 31, 34,
      and 37 weeks, respectively, in comparison to mothers of non-macrosomic newborn.
      However, the BMI did not show any statistically significant difference from those
      with normal-weight newborn and did not show any specific sensitivity for
      predicting macrosomia. CONCLUSION: Measuring the FFL at 34 and 37 weeks of
      gestation, in addition to the standard measurement, might be useful for
      predicting macrosomia and is worth further evaluation.

PMID- 28631076
TI  - Effects of Glycyrrhizic Acid on the Pharmacokinetics of Pristimerin in Rats and
      its Potential Mechanism.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pristimerin has been reported to possess a wide range
      of pharmacological activities. This study investigates the effects of
      glycyrrhizic acid on the pharmacokinetics of pristimerin in rats. METHODS: The
      pharmacokinetics of orally administered pristimerin (2 mg/kg) with or without
      glycyrrhizic acid pretreatment (at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 7 days) were
      investigated. The plasma concentration of pristimerin was determined using a
      sensitive and reliable LC-MS/MS method, and the pharmacokinetics profiles were
      calculated and compared. Additionally, Caco-2 cell transwell model and rat liver
      microsome incubation experiments were also conducted to investigate its potential
      mechanism. RESULTS: The results showed that when the rats were pretreated with
      glycyrrhizic acid, the maximum concentration (C max) of pristimerin decreased
      from 186.43 +/- 14.18 to 124.62 +/- 18.49 ng/mL, and area under the concentration
      time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0-inf) also decreased from 918.54 +/- 144.72
      to 504.72 +/- 115.63 MUg.h/L. The elimination half-life (t 1/2) value of
      pristimerin decreased from 3.16 +/- 1.18 to 1.88 +/- 0.76 h (P < 0.05). The Caco
      2 cell transwell experiments indicated that glycyrrhizic acid could increase the
      efflux ratio of pristimerin from 2.39 to 3.64, and the rat liver microsome
      incubation experiments showed that glycyrrhizic acid could significantly increase
      its intrinsic clearance rate from 51.87 +/- 5.34 to 76.79 +/- 8.52 uL/min/mg
      protein. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, these results indicated that glycyrrhizic
      acid could affect the pharmacokinetics of pristimerin, and it might work through
      decreasing the absorption of pristimerin by inducing the activity of P-gp or
      through increasing the clearance rate in rat liver by inducing the activity of
      cytochrome P450 enzyme.

PMID- 28631077
TI  - Noninvasive evaluation of reverse atrial remodeling after catheter ablation of
      atrial fibrillation by P wave dispersion.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation (AF) itself creates structural and electrophysiological
      changes such as atrial enlargement, shortening of refractory period and decrease
      in conduction velocity, called "atrial remodeling", promoting its persistence.
      Although the remodeling process is considered to be reversible, it has not been
      elucidated in detail. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of P
      wave dispersion in the assessment of reverse atrial remodeling following catheter
      ablation of AF. Consecutive 126 patients (88 males, age 63.0 +/- 10.4 years) who
      underwent catheter ablation for paroxysmal AF were investigated. P wave
      dispersion was calculated from the 12 lead ECG before, 1 day, 1 month, 3 months
      and 6 months after the procedure. Left atrial diameter (LAD), left atrial volume
      index (LAVI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), transmitral flow
      velocity waveform (E/A), and tissue Doppler (E/e') on echocardiography, plasma B
      type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations, serum creatinine, and estimated
      glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were also measured. Of all patients, 103
      subjects remained free of AF for 1 year follow-up. In these patients, P wave
      dispersion was not changed 1 day and 1 month after the procedure. However, it was
      significantly decreased at 3 and 6 months (50.1 +/- 14.8 to 45.4 +/- 14.4 ms, p <
      0.05, 45.2 +/- 9.9 ms, p < 0.05, respectively). Plasma BNP concentrations, LAD
      and LAVI were decreased (81.1 +/- 103.8 to 44.8 +/- 38.3 pg/mL, p < 0.05, 38.2 +/
      5.7 to 35.9 +/- 5.6 mm, p < 0.05, 33.3 +/- 14.2 to 29.3 +/- 12.3 mL/m2, p <
      0.05) at 6 months after the procedure. There were no significant changes in LVEF,
      E/A, E/e', serum creatinine, and eGFR during the follow up period. P wave
      dispersion was decreased at 3 and 6 months after catheter ablation in patients
      without recurrence of AF. P wave dispersion is useful for assessment of reverse
      remodeling after catheter ablation of AF.

PMID- 28631078
TI  - Evaluation of the association between sleep apnea and polyunsaturated fatty acids
      profiles in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.
AB  - The long-term outcome is poor in patients with sleep apnea and cardiovascular
      disease. Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) is also known as an independent
      predictor for adverse clinical events. However, the profile of PUFA in sleep
      apnea patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still unclear. This study
      aimed to clarify the association between sleep apnea and PUFA profiles in
      patients with CAD. Two hundred seventy-four consecutive patients undergoing
      percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were screened for sleep apnea using
      nocturnal oximetry. Oxygen desaturation index down to 4% (4%ODI) >=5 was used as
      an indicator of sleep apnea. Baseline characteristics, including PUFA profiles,
      were compared between patients with and without sleep apnea. Among 243 enrolled
      patients, 134 (55%) had sleep apnea. The sleep apnea group included a
      significantly higher rate of patients with obesity, insulin-requiring diabetes,
      peripheral artery disease (PAD), and a higher C-reactive protein level than the
      non-sleep apnea group. The sleep apnea group had a significantly lower
      eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA) ratio than the non-sleep
      apnea group (0.33 vs. 0.44, respectively, p = 0.024). Additionally, EPA value and
      EPA/AA ratio were significantly correlated with 4%ODI (r = -0.15, p = 0.028; r = 
      0.16, p = 0.019, respectively). Results of logistic regression analysis indicated
      that the comorbidities of obesity, PAD, heart failure and EPA/AA ratio had a
      significant association with sleep apnea. Our results suggested that patients
      with sleep apnea who underwent PCI had a lower EPA/AA ratio than those without
      sleep apnea, and EPA value and EPA/AA ratio were significantly correlated with
      4%ODI.

PMID- 28631079
TI  - Development of pancreatic cancer is predictable well in advance using contrast
      enhanced CT: a case-cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the radiological findings prognostic for the
      development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a cohort of patients with
      hepatocellular carcinoma, using multiphasic computed tomography (CT). METHODS: A
      case-cohort study performed in a single university hospital. A database of
      patients who received hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment and trimonthly
      follow-up with four-phase dynamic CT was used (n = 1848). The cohort group was
      randomly extracted from the database (n = 103). The case group comprised nine
      patients from the database who developed pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The
      radiological findings were assessed during follow-up (average, 32 months).
      RESULTS: The incidence of pancreatic mass, inhomogeneous parenchyma, loss of
      fatty marbling and main pancreatic duct dilatation gradually increased from 4 to
      13 months before the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. There was a
      significantly higher incidence of pancreatic mass, inhomogeneous parenchyma and
      loss of fatty marbling on CT at baseline (average, 34 months before diagnosis) in
      the case group compared with the cohort group (P values < 0.01) and those
      findings at baseline were revealed as prognostic factors for pancreatic
      carcinogenesis, respectively (log-rank test, P values < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Several radiological findings observed on multiphasic CT can assist in predicting
      pancreatic carcinogenesis well in advance. KEY POINTS: * Pancreatic findings in
      multiphasic CT help predict development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. * Key
      findings are mass, inhomogeneous parenchyma and loss of fatty marbling. * Those
      findings were observed 34 months before confirmed diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. *
      Those findings were prognostic factors for pancreatic carcinogenesis.

PMID- 28631080
TI  - Comparison of volumetric and functional parameters in simultaneous cardiac
      PET/MR: feasibility of volumetric assessment with residual activity from prior
      PET/CT.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare cardiac left ventricular (LV) parameters in simultaneously
      acquired hybrid fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F] FDG) positron emission
      tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) in patients with residual tracer
      activity of upstream PET/CT. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients (23 men, age 58+/-17
      years) underwent cardiac PET/MRI either directly after a non-cardiac PET/CT with
      homogenous cardiac [18F] FDG uptake (n=20) or for viability assessment (n=9).
      Gated cardiac [18F] FDG PET and cine MR sequences were acquired simultaneously
      and evaluated blinded to the cross-imaging results. Image quality (IQ), end
      diastolic (LVEDV), end-systolic volume (LVESV), ejection fraction (LVEF) and
      myocardial mass (LVMM) were measured. Pearson correlation and intraclass
      correlation coefficient (ICC), regression and a Bland-Altman analysis were
      assessed. RESULTS: Except LVMM, volumetric and functional LV parameters
      demonstrated high correlations (LVESV: r=0.97, LVEDV: r=0.95, LVEF: r=0.91, LVMM:
      r=0.87, each p<0.05), but wide limits of agreement (LOA) for LVEDV (-25.3
      82.5ml); LVESV (-33.1-72.7ml); LVEF (-18.9-14.8%) and LVMM (-78.2-43.2g). Intra-
      and interobserver reliability were very high (ICC>=0.95) for all parameters,
      except for MR-LVEF (ICC=0.87). PET-IQ (0-3) was high (mean: 2.2+/-0.9) with
      significant influence on LVMM calculations only. CONCLUSION: In simultaneously
      acquired cardiac PET/MRI data, LVEDV, LVESV and LVEF show good agreement.
      However, the agreement seems to be limited if cardiac PET/MRI follows PET/CT and
      only the residual activity is used. KEY POINTS: * [ 18 F] FDG PET-MRI is feasible
      with residual [ 18 F] FDG activity in patients with homogenous cardiac uptake. *
      Cardiac volumes and function assessed by PET/MRI show good agreement. * LVEDV and
      LVESV are underestimated; PET overestimates LVMM and LVEF. * Cardiac PET and MRI
      data correlate better when acquired simultaneously than sequentially. * PET and
      MRI should not assess LV parameters interchangeably.

PMID- 28631082
TI  - Abstracts from the ASENT 19th Annual Meeting.

PMID- 28631081
TI  - Diffusion-weighted imaging versus contrast-enhanced MR imaging for the
      differentiation of renal oncocytomas and chromophobe renal cell carcinomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare the performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with
      that of contrast-enhanced MRI in differentiating renal oncocytomas from
      chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). METHODS: We recruited 48 patients with
      histopathologically confirmed renal oncocytomas (n=16) and chromophobe RCCs
      (n=32). All patients underwent preoperative DWI and contrast-enhanced MRI.
      Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and signal intensity were measured in each
      patient. ADC ratio and percentage of signal intensity change were calculated.
      RESULTS: Mean ADC values for renal oncoctytomas were significantly higher than
      those for chromophobe RCCs (1.59+/-0.21 vs. 1.09+/-0.29* 10-3 mm2/s, p < 0.001).
      Area under the ROC curve, sensitivity and specificity were 0.931, 87.5% and
      84.4%, respectively, for ADC measurement of DW imaging; 0.825, 87.5% and 75%,
      respectively, for enhancement ratio (p > 0.05). Adding ADC values to the
      enhancement ratios in the ROC, analysis to differentiate renal oncocytoma from
      chromophobe RCCs increased specificity from 75 to 87.5% at 87.5% sensitivity
      without significantly increasing the AUC (0.930). CONCLUSIONS: Both DWI and
      contrast-enhanced MRI may assist in differentiating renal oncocytomas from
      chromophobe RCCs, with DWI showing higher diagnostic value. The combination of
      the two parameters could potentially provide better performance in distinguishing
      these two tumours. KEY POINTS: * ADC values can assist in differentiating renal
      oncocytomas from chromophobe RCCs. * DW imaging possesses better specificity than
      does contrast-enhanced MR imaging. * Combining the two parameters provides higher
      specificity regarding the differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28631083
TI  - Is there a relationship between serum ox-LDL, oxidative stress, and PON1 in knee
      osteoarthritis?
AB  - Previous in vitro studies have shown that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox
      LDL) plays a role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Paraoxonase-1
      (PON1) protects both low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high-density lipoprotein
      (HDLs) against oxidative damage from circulating cells. In addition, PON1 is
      inactivated by ox-LDL and preserved by antioxidants. However, the relationship
      between serum ox-LDL, oxidative stress, and PON1 in knee OA remains unclear.
      Therefore, we investigated ox-LDL association with oxidative stress and PON1 in
      knee OA, and evaluated their relationships using radiological and clinical
      parameters. This study included 203 patients and 194 controls. The severity of OA
      was classified based on the Kellgren-Lawrence scoring system. In addition, each
      patient was clinically evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster
      University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score. Plasma concentrations of ox-LDL,
      oxidative stress markers, and PON1 were measured. Serum ox-LDL and oxidant
      parameters were significantly higher in patients compared to controls (p < 0.001
      for all), whereas PON1 was significantly lower (p < 0.001). ox-LDL was inversely
      correlated with PON1, whereas it was positively correlated with radiographic
      severity, WOMAC score, and oxidant parameters. We found an association between
      the levels of various serum markers of oxidative injury, especially ox-LDL, and
      increasing severity of knee OA, as well as indirect evidence for their regulation
      by PON1. oxLDL seems to play a critical role in OA, both in the beginning, and
      during progression of, the disease. Therefore, serum oxLDL levels may be a
      helpful biomarker to evaluate the severity of knee OA.

PMID- 28631084
TI  - NLRP3 Inflammasome in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Friend or Foe?

PMID- 28631085
TI  - Racial Disparities in Clinical Presentation and Survival Times Among Young-Onset
      Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently published data indicate increasing incidence of colorectal
      adenocarcinoma (CRC) in young-onset (<50 years) patients. AIMS: This study
      examines racial disparities in presentation and survival times among non-Hispanic
      Blacks (NHB) and Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). METHODS: A
      retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted from 2004 through 2014
      using 96 patient medical charts with a diagnosis of young-onset CRC. Age, gender,
      primary site, and histological stage at the time of diagnosis were assessed for
      survival probabilities by racial group over a minimum follow-up period of 5
      years. RESULTS: Among subjects with CRC diagnosis before 50 years of age, the
      majority of subjects were between 40 and 50 years, with CRC presentation
      occurring among this age group for 51 (79.7%) of NHW, 18 (81.8%) of NHB, and 5
      (50.0%) of Hispanics. The majority of all patients presented with advanced stages
      of CRC (31.3% with stage III and 27.1% with stage IV). NHB exhibited
      statistically significantly worse survival compared to NHW (adjusted hazard ratio
      for death = 2.09; 95% confidence interval 1.14-3.84; P = 0.02). A possible trend
      of worse survival was identified for Hispanics compared to NHW, but this group
      was low in numbers and results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION:
      Disparities between racial groups among young-onset CRC cases were identified in
      overall survival and reflect growing concern in rising incidence and
      differentiated care management.

PMID- 28631087
TI  - Molar incisor hypomineralization: proportion and severity in primary public
      school children in Graz, Austria.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the proportion and severity of
      molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) in primary school children in Graz
      (southeast of Austria). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 1111 children aged 6 to 12
      years (mean age 9.0 +/- 1.2), a wet examination of all teeth was performed by
      three trained examiners using a dental chair, optimal illumination, a dental
      mirror, and a dental explorer. All teeth with MIH lesions were registered so that
      different definitions of MIH were applicable. According to the European Academy
      of Pediatric Dentistry criteria that were considered valid at the time of the
      investigation, MIH was diagnosed when at least one first primary molar (FPM) was
      affected. RESULTS: MIH was present in 78 children (7.0%). In 64 children (5.8%),
      at least one molar and one incisor were affected (so-called M + IH).
      Additionally, in 9 children, only incisors were affected. In 7 affected children,
      teeth other than FPMs and incisors had MIH lesions. Almost an equal number of
      males (38) and females (40) were affected. The upper and lower molars were
      equally affected. The upper incisors were more frequently affected than the lower
      ones. Demarcated enamel opacities were the predominant types of defects.
      CONCLUSION: The proportion of MIH was 7.0% in Graz, which is similar to other
      comparable trials. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study has proven that MIH is an
      existing dental problem in Graz.

PMID- 28631086
TI  - Nearly a Third of High-Grade Dysplasia and Colorectal Cancer Is Undetected in
      Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether intensive surveillance protocols have resulted
      in a decreased incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in inflammatory bowel disease
      (IBD). AIMS: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of IBD associated
      high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or CRC that was undetected on prior colonoscopy.
      METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective study from 1994 to 2013. All
      participants had a confirmed IBD diagnosis and underwent a colectomy with either
      HGD or CRC found in the colectomy specimen.The undetected group had no HGD or CRC
      on prior colonoscopies. The detected group had HGD or CRC identified on previous
      biopsies. RESULTS: Of 70 participants, with ulcerative colitis (UC) (n = 47),
      Crohn's disease (CD) (n = 21), and indeterminate colitis (n = 2), 29% (n = 20)
      had undetected HGD/CRC at colectomy (15 HGD and 5 CRC). In the undetected group,
      75% had prior LGD, 15% had indefinite dysplasia, and 10% had no dysplasia (HGD
      was found in colonic strictures). Patients in the undetected group were more
      likely to have pancolitis (55 vs. 20%) and multifocal dysplasia (35 vs. 8%). The
      undetected group was less likely to have CRC at colectomy (25 vs. 62%). There was
      a trend toward right-sided HGD/CRC at colectomy (40 vs. 20%; p = 0.08). In
      addition, 84% of the lesions found in the rectum at colectomy were not seen on
      prior colonoscopy in the undetected group. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of
      previously undetected HGD/CRC in IBD found at colectomy was 29%. The high
      proportion of undetected rectal and right-sided HGD/CRC suggests that these areas
      may need greater attention during surveillance.

PMID- 28631088
TI  - Etiologies, diagnostic work-up and outcomes of acute respiratory distress
      syndrome with no common risk factor: a prospective multicenter study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients meeting the Berlin definition for the acute respiratory
      distress syndrome (ARDS) might lack exposure to one or more "common" risk factors
      and exhibit different clinical phenotype and outcomes. We aimed to compare the
      clinical presentation and outcome of ARDS patients with or without risk factors,
      the impact on hospital mortality, and to assess the diagnostic work-up performed.
      The current study is an ancillary analysis of an international, multicenter,
      prospective cohort study (the Large Observational Study to Understand the Global
      Impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Failure, LUNG SAFE). Patients meeting ARDS
      criteria within 2 days of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure onset were included
      in the study and categorized as having risk factors or not. Outcomes were
      compared using propensity score matching. RESULTS: Among 2813 patients, 234 (8.3%
      [7.3-9.3]) had no ARDS risk factor identified. These were older, had more
      frequent chronic diseases and presented with less severe SOFA and non-pulmonary
      SOFA scores (p < 0.001). Compared to other ARDS, CT scan (32.1 vs 23.9%, p <
      0.001) and open lung biopsy (2.6 vs 0.2%, p < 0.001) were slightly more frequent
      but left heart filling pressures assessment was not (69.4 vs 68.4%, p > 0.99).
      Among ARDS with no risk factor, 45 patients (19.2%) had a specific diagnosis
      made. As compared to others, patients having ARDS with no risk factor had a lower
      ICU but not hospital mortality (34.6 vs 40.0%; p = 0.12). A matched cohort
      analysis confirmed the lack of significant difference in mortality. CONCLUSION:
      Eight percent of ARDS patients have no identified risk factor, 80% of whom have
      no etiological diagnosis made. The outcome of ARDS with no risk factor was
      comparable to other ARDS but few had a comprehensive diagnostic work-up,
      potentially leading to missed curable diseases. Trial registration
      clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02010073.

PMID- 28631090
TI  - Subclinical cutaneous inflammation remained after permeability barrier disruption
      enhances UV sensitivity by altering ER stress responses and topical
      pseudoceramide prevents them.
AB  - Stratum corneum forms the UV barrier. The effect of ultraviolet B (UVB) on normal
      skin was extensively studied; however, its effect on barrier perturbed skin
      remains undefined. Both barrier perturbation and UVB irradiation induce
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) in
      keratinocytes. Mild ER stress activates homeostatic UPR, while severe ER stress
      leads to abnormal UPR, promoting apoptosis and inflammation. Here, we
      investigated UV sensitivity and UVB-induced UPR in barrier-disrupted human skin
      and the effects of pseudoceramide-dominant emollient on UVB-induced skin
      responses. Tape-stripped skin of healthy volunteers showed enhanced
      susceptibility to erythema and augmented proinflammatory cytokines induction
      following suberythemal UVB irradiation. Suberythemal UVB activated XBP1 in normal
      skin, while increased CHOP transcription in barrier perturbed skin. After tape
      stripping, pseudoceramide-dominant emollient was applied for 3 days, and then,
      the areas were irradiated with suberythemal UVB. Pretreatment with topical
      pseudoceramide protected against UVB-induced upregulation of IL-1beta, IL-6, and
      TNF-alpha transcription and reduced susceptibility to erythema following UVB.
      Topical pseudoceramide also suppressed suberythemal UVB-induced CHOP
      transcription in barrier-disrupted skin. Taken together, these data indicate that
      permeability barrier disruption increases UV sensitivity in human skin, partly
      via switch the UVB-induced UPR, from homeostatic signals to pro-apoptotic and
      proinflammatory signals. In addition, we conclude that pseudoceramide-dominant
      emollient suppresses excessive ER stress induction and CHOP activation following
      UVB in barrier damaged skin, providing evidence that pseudoceramide-dominant
      emollients can be promising strategies for photoprotection of the barrier damaged
      skin.

PMID- 28631091
TI  - The role of microbiota, and probiotics and prebiotics in skin health.
AB  - During the past decade, scientists have made great strides in understanding the
      microbiome's role in human health. Today, the microbiome has become key in
      scientific research, therapeutic development, medical treatment, and as a news
      feature in the media. Most studies have focused on the microbiome of our gut, but
      recently researchers have turned their attention to other microbiomes, including
      that of the skin. These studies of gut and skin microbiomes are yielding very
      informative results, new treatment strategies, and the development of new
      prebiotic and probiotic products for the treatment of many skin conditions.

PMID- 28631089
TI  - Targeted temperature management in the ICU: guidelines from a French expert
      panel.
AB  - Over the recent period, the use of induced hypothermia has gained an increasing
      interest for critically ill patients, in particular in brain-injured patients.
      The term "targeted temperature management" (TTM) has now emerged as the most
      appropriate when referring to interventions used to reach and maintain a specific
      level temperature for each individual. TTM may be used to prevent fever, to
      maintain normothermia, or to lower core temperature. This treatment is widely
      used in intensive care units, mostly as a primary neuroprotective method.
      Indications are, however, associated with variable levels of evidence based on
      inhomogeneous or even contradictory literature. Our aim was to conduct a
      systematic analysis of the published data in order to provide guidelines. We
      present herein recommendations for the use of TTM in adult and paediatric
      critically ill patients developed using the Grading of Recommendations
      Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method. These guidelines were
      conducted by a group of experts from the French Intensive Care Society (Societe
      de Reanimation de Langue Francaise [SRLF]) and the French Society of Anesthesia
      and Intensive Care Medicine (Societe Francaise d'Anesthesie Reanimation [SFAR])
      with the participation of the French Emergency Medicine Association (Societe
      Francaise de Medecine d'Urgence [SFMU]), the French Group for Pediatric Intensive
      Care and Emergencies (Groupe Francophone de Reanimation et Urgences Pediatriques
      [GFRUP]), the French National Association of Neuro-Anesthesiology and Critical
      Care (Association Nationale de Neuro-Anesthesie Reanimation Francaise [ANARLF]),
      and the French Neurovascular Society (Societe Francaise Neurovasculaire [SFNV]).
      Fifteen experts and two coordinators agreed to consider questions concerning TTM
      and its practical implementation in five clinical situations: cardiac arrest,
      traumatic brain injury, stroke, other brain injuries, and shock. This resulted in
      30 recommendations: 3 recommendations were strong (Grade 1), 13 were weak (Grade
      2), and 14 were experts' opinions. After two rounds of rating and various
      amendments, a strong agreement from voting participants was obtained for all 30
      (100%) recommendations, which are exposed in the present article.

PMID- 28631092
TI  - Rituximab treatment in pemphigus vulgaris: effect on circulating Tregs.
AB  - Rituximab (RTX) has been used successfully to treat refractory pemphigus. We
      aimed to assess the response of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) cases to RTX therapy and
      its effect on CD4+CD25+ (T regulatory) cells level. Sixteen PV patients were
      included in this study, each received one cycle of two RTX infusions (1000 mg on
      days 1 and 15). Five PV patients served as controls. All cases were on
      prednisolone +/- adjuvant therapy. Pemphigus disease area index (PDAI),
      autoimmune bullous skin intensity score (ABSIS), anti-desmoglein antibodies, CD4,
      CD8, CD20 and CD4+CD25+ levels were assessed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months
      after therapy. Fourteen patients were followed up for a mean duration of 17 while
      two were lost to follow up 6 months after RTX therapy. A significant decrease in
      PDAI, ABSIS, Dsg3 (p < 0.0001) was found. The depletion of B cells lasted for 12
      months in 11 (69%) patients and for 24 months in 3 (21.4%) patients. There was
      significant decrease in CD20+ and CD4+CD25+ cells after 12 months of RTX, p
      values were 0.005 and 0.02, respectively. While no similar change in CD8 and CD4
      was found (p = 0.2 for both), no significant change of CD20 and CD4+CD25+ cells
      were detected in the control group. In conclusion RTX is safe and effective as an
      adjuvant therapy in refractory cases of PV. In addition to B cell depletion a
      significant reduction of T regulatory cells occurs in treated cases which may be
      due to increased skin homing of these cells.

PMID- 28631093
TI  - Myelin regulatory factor drives remyelination in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - Remyelination is limited in the majority of multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions
      despite the presence of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) in most lesions.
      This observation has led to the view that a failure of OPCs to fully
      differentiate underlies remyelination failure. OPC differentiation requires
      intricate transcriptional regulation, which may be disrupted in chronic MS
      lesions. The expression of few transcription factors has been differentially
      compared between remyelinating lesions and lesions refractory to remyelination.
      In particular, the oligodendrocyte transcription factor myelin regulatory factor
      (MYRF) is essential for myelination during development, but its role during
      remyelination and expression in MS lesions is unknown. To understand the role of
      MYRF during remyelination, we genetically fate mapped OPCs following lysolecithin
      induced demyelination of the corpus callosum in mice and determined that MYRF is
      expressed in new oligodendrocytes. OPC-specific Myrf deletion did not alter
      recruitment or proliferation of these cells after demyelination, but decreased
      the density of new glutathione S-transferase pi positive oligodendrocytes.
      Subsequent remyelination in both the spinal cord and corpus callosum is highly
      impaired following Myrf deletion from OPCs. Individual OPC-derived
      oligodendrocytes, produced in response to demyelination, showed little capacity
      to express myelin proteins following Myrf deletion. Collectively, these data
      demonstrate a crucial role of MYRF in the transition of oligodendrocytes from a
      premyelinating to a myelinating phenotype during remyelination. In the human
      brain, we find that MYRF is expressed in NogoA and CNP-positive oligodendrocytes.
      In MS, there was both a lower density and proportion of oligodendrocyte lineage
      cells and NogoA+ oligodendrocytes expressing MYRF in chronically demyelinated
      lesions compared to remyelinated shadow plaques. The relative scarcity of
      oligodendrocyte lineage cells expressing MYRF in demyelinated MS lesions
      demonstrates, for the first time, that chronic lesions lack oligodendrocytes that
      express this necessary transcription factor for remyelination and supports the
      notion that a failure to fully differentiate underlies remyelination failure.

PMID- 28631094
TI  - Post-translational remodeling of ryanodine receptor induces calcium leak leading
      to Alzheimer's disease-like pathologies and cognitive deficits.
AB  - The mechanisms underlying ryanodine receptor (RyR) dysfunction associated with
      Alzheimer disease (AD) are still not well understood. Here, we show that neuronal
      RyR2 channels undergo post-translational remodeling (PKA phosphorylation,
      oxidation, and nitrosylation) in brains of AD patients, and in two murine models
      of AD (3 * Tg-AD, APP +/- /PS1 +/-). RyR2 is depleted of calstabin2 (KFBP12.6) in
      the channel complex, resulting in endoplasmic reticular (ER) calcium (Ca2+) leak.
      RyR-mediated ER Ca2+ leak activates Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways,
      contributing to AD pathogenesis. Pharmacological (using a novel RyR stabilizing
      drug Rycal) or genetic rescue of the RyR2-mediated intracellular Ca2+ leak
      improved synaptic plasticity, normalized behavioral and cognitive functions and
      reduced Abeta load. Genetically altered mice with congenitally leaky RyR2
      exhibited premature and severe defects in synaptic plasticity, behavior and
      cognitive function. These data provide a mechanism underlying leaky RyR2
      channels, which could be considered as potential AD therapeutic targets.

PMID- 28631096
TI  - A case of nivolumab-related cholangitis and literature review: how to look for
      the right tools for a correct diagnosis of this rare immune-related adverse
      event.
AB  - Anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab,
      used for the treatment of several tumors, can trigger effector T-cells against
      tumor- and self-antigens, leading to the occurrence of different immune-related
      adverse events. Among them, liver injuries are rare and usually transient. To
      date, only four cases of immune-related cholangitis in non-small cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC) patients have been described during nivolumab treatment. Here, we
      describe laboratory tests, imaging and liver biopsy features that confirm this
      diagnosis as opposed to other forms of autoimmune liver disease; nevertheless, we
      also provide evidence of the presence of different clinical-pathological patterns
      of immune-related cholangitis.

PMID- 28631095
TI  - Decorin gene upregulation mediated by an adeno-associated virus vector increases
      intratumoral uptake of nab-paclitaxel in neuroblastoma via inhibition of stabilin
      1.
AB  - The availability of effective medication for the treatment of refractory or
      recurrent neuroblastoma remains limited. This study sought to investigate the
      effects of increased decorin (DCN) expression on the intratumoral uptake of nab
      paclitaxel as a potential novel approach to NB. Correlation between the clinical
      characteristics of neuroblastoma and the expression of DCN, secreted protein
      acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) and stabilin-1 was evaluated. The anticancer
      effect of recombinant adeno-associated virus-DCN (rAAV-DCN) was assessed in vivo
      and in vitro. And the effect of rAAV-DCN on the intratumoral uptake of paclitaxel
      was also studied in neuroblastoma-grafted nude mice. Overall, 12.5%, 17.7%, and
      71.9% of the tumors stained positive for DCN, SPARC and stabilin-1 respectively
      and correlated to age, stage and N-MYC status in 96 children and adolescents with
      neuroblastoma. Transfected neuroblastoma cells stably expressed DCN, with in vivo
      and in vitro studies demonstrating rAAV-DCN sensitized the anticancer effect of
      nab-paclitaxel. Systemic rAAV-DCN in neuroblastoma-grafted nude mice inhibited
      stabilin-1, up-regulated SPARC, and increased the intratumoral uptake of
      paclitaxel. Macrophage depletion or anti-stabilin-1 monoclonal antibody increased
      the intratumoral uptake of nab-paclitaxel and its anticancer effects to a degree
      comparable to that achieved by systemic rAAV-DCN. The systemic administration of
      rAAV-DCN up-regulates DCN in neuroblastoma and accelerates the intratumoral
      uptake of nab-paclitaxel by inhibiting stabilin-1 mediated SPARC degradation.

PMID- 28631097
TI  - Phase II study of Amrubicin monotherapy in elderly or poor-risk patients with
      extensive disease of small cell lung cancer.
AB  - Background Previous study indicated that an optional anti-cancer drug for the
      treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is amrubicin. However, no prospective
      studies have evaluated amrubicin in chemo-naive elderly or poor-risk patients
      with SCLC. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of amrubicin as
      first-line chemotherapy for elderly or poor-risk patients with extensive-disease
      SCLC (ES-SCLC). Methods Patients with chemotherapy-naive ES-SCLC received
      multiple cycles of 40 mg/m2 amrubicin for 3 consecutive days every 21 days. The
      primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR), and the secondary endpoints
      were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results
      Between March 2011 and August 2015, 36 patients were enrolled in this study. Each
      patient received a median of four treatment cycles (range, 1-6 cycles). ORR was
      52.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 37-69%]. The median PFS and OS periods were
      5.0 months (95% CI, 3.4-6.6 months) and 9.4 months (95% CI, 5.2-13.6 months),
      respectively. Neutropenia was the most common grade 3 or 4 adverse event (69.4%),
      with febrile neutropenia developing in 13.9% of patients. No treatment-related
      death occurred. At the time of starting second-line chemotherapy, 19 of 22
      patients (86%) had significantly improved or maintained their performance status
      (PS) relative to their PS at the time of starting amrubicin monotherapy as first
      line chemotherapy (P = 0.027). Conclusions The results of the present study
      suggest that amrubicin could be considered as a viable treatment option for
      chemotherapy-naive elderly or poor-risk patients with ES-SCLC (Clinical trial
      registration number: UMIN000011055 www.clinicaltrials.gov ).

PMID- 28631098
TI  - Urolithins impair cell proliferation, arrest the cell cycle and induce apoptosis
      in UMUC3 bladder cancer cells.
AB  - Ellagitannins have been gaining attention as potential anticancer molecules.
      However, the low bioavailability of ellagitannins and their extensive
      metabolization in the gastrointestinal tract into ellagic acid and urolithins
      suggest that the health benefits of consuming ellagitannins rely on the direct
      effects of their metabolites. Recently, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic
      activities were ascribed to urolithins. Nonetheless, there is still a need to
      screen and evaluate the selectivity of these molecules and to elucidate their
      cellular mechanisms of action. Therefore, this work focused on the
      antiproliferative effects of urolithins A, B and C and ellagic acid on different
      human tumor cell lines. The evaluation of cell viability and the determination of
      the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations indicated that the sensitivity to the
      studied urolithins varied markedly between the different cell lines, with the
      bladder cancer cells (UMUC3) being the most susceptible. In UMUC3 cells,
      urolithin A was the most active molecule, promoting cell cycle arrest at the G2/M
      checkpoint, increasing apoptotic cell death and inhibiting PI3K/Akt and MAPK
      signaling. Overall, the present study emphasizes the
      chemopreventive/chemotherapeutic potential of urolithins, highlighting the
      stronger effects of urolithin A and its potential to target transitional bladder
      cancer cells.

PMID- 28631099
TI  - Discontinuation of pharmacological treatment of children and adolescents with
      attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: meta-analysis of 63 studies enrolling
      11,788 patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk-benefit balance of pharmacological treatment for children
      and adolescents with ADHD and the factors that moderate this relationship are
      unclear. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised, placebo
      controlled clinical trials (RPCCTs) investigating the efficacy of pharmacological
      treatment in children or adolescents with ADHD was carried out. Meta-analysis of
      treatment discontinuation, clinician-, parent- and teacher-rated efficacy and
      adverse events was performed. The effect of covariates was studied. RESULTS:
      Sixty-three studies were included. Ten drugs were investigated, with atomoxetine
      and methylphenidate the most frequently studied. RPCCTs had mostly a short
      duration (7.9 weeks). All-cause treatment discontinuation was lower with
      pharmacological treatment than placebo (OR = 0.68). Pharmacological treatment was
      more efficacious than placebo independently of the rater (clinician, standardised
      mean difference (SMD) 0.74; parent, SMD = 0.63; or teacher, SMD = 0.75). Evidence
      of publication bias was found for clinician-rated efficacy, especially in
      industry-sponsored RPCCT. Psychostimulants showed a higher efficacy and were
      associated with a better outcome on treatment discontinuation than non-stimulant
      drugs. Efficacy was smaller in RPCCTs for which a psychiatric comorbid disorder
      was an inclusion criterion, was larger in studies with a commercial sponsorship
      and showed a negative association with treatment length. CONCLUSIONS: In the
      short term, pharmacological treatment provides moderate-high symptom relief, is
      safe and shows lower treatment discontinuation than placebo, suggesting a
      suitable risk-benefit balance, particularly with psychostimulants. The efficacy
      is lower in patients with a comorbid psychiatric disorder and should be assessed
      periodically, as it appears to reduce over time. Publication bias of clinician
      rated efficacy in studies with a commercial sponsor is suggested.

PMID- 28631100
TI  - Co-modulation of an allosteric modulator of nicotinic receptor-cholinesterase
      inhibitor (galantamine) and a 5-HT4 receptor agonist (RS-67333): effect on
      scopolamine-induced memory deficit in the mouse.
AB  - AIM: It is widely assumed that the upcoming therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease
      will require to act on more than one target to be effective. We investigated here
      whether a combination of the nicotinic receptor allosteric
      modulator/cholinesterase inhibitor galantamine can act synergistically with the
      type 4 serotonin receptor (5-HT4R) partial agonist, RS-67333, to counterbalance
      deficits in short- and long-term memory. To select sub-efficacious doses of both
      drugs, dose-response studies were first performed on the scopolamine-induced
      deficits of spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze task and of acquisition and
      retrieval processes in a passive avoidance task. RESULT: For spontaneous
      alternation behavior, combination of 1 mg/kg galantamine and 0.5 mg/kg RS-67333
      fully reversed the deficit. In the passive avoidance task, no sub-efficacious
      doses could be found in the retention paradigm, but a beneficial effect of the
      association has been demonstrated in the acquisition paradigm. CONCLUSION: Mnesic
      effects of galantamine can be thus potentiated by activation of 5-HT4R. Such a
      combination treatment might (1) strengthen symptomatic relief, (2) attenuate
      adverse effects given the lower doses of each compound required, and (3) afford a
      disease-modifying effect given the known action of 5-HT4R on amyloidogenesis
      cascade.

PMID- 28631101
TI  - Stationary cycling exergame use among inactive children in the family home: a
      randomized trial.
AB  - Exergames may be one way to increase child physical activity, but long term
      adherence has seen little research attention. The primary objective of this study
      was to evaluate the usage of an exergame bike in comparison to a stationary bike
      in front of a TV across 3-months within a family home environment among children
      aged 10-14 years old. Seventy-three inactive children were recruited through
      advertisements and randomized to either the exergame condition (n = 39) or the
      standard bike condition (n = 34). Weekly bike use was recorded in a log-book.
      Both groups declined in bike use over time (t = 3.921, p < .01). Although the
      exergame group reported higher use (t = 2.0045, p < .05), this was most prominent
      during the first week. Overall, these results do not support exergames as a
      standalone physical activity intervention, and suggest that short duration
      examinations of exergames may be misleading.

PMID- 28631102
TI  - Experiencing is believing: prior experience moderates the impact of self-based
      and socially-based cues in the context of blood donation.
AB  - Two studies explored how self-based cues (i.e., self-efficacy), socially-based
      cues (i.e., perceived social norms), and prior blood donation experience
      differentially influence behavioral intentions. In Study 1, undergraduate
      students (N = 766) completed an online study that evaluated prior experiences,
      self-efficacy, perceived norms, and behavioral intentions in the context of blood
      donation. In Study 2, a community sample (N = 199) from a clinic waiting room
      completed similar measures. Across both studies, having high self-efficacy was a
      necessary and sufficient antecedent to high intentions, regardless of norm
      perception for donors. For non-donors, however, high self-efficacy was necessary
      but not sufficient; non-donors' intentions were higher when giving blood was
      perceived to be normative, but far lower when it was not. When self-efficacy was
      low, the effects of experience and norms did not exert meaningful effects and
      donation intentions were quite low. These results demonstrate that the impact of
      self-based and socially-based cues on behavioral intentions may differ as a
      function of experience. The findings can inform public health initiatives and
      enhance the accuracy of theoretical models by directly examining experience as a
      moderator.

PMID- 28631103
TI  - Transesophageal echocardiography in orthotopic liver transplantation: a
      comprehensive intraoperative monitoring tool.
AB  - Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography is a minimally invasive
      monitoring tool that can provide real-time visual information on ventricular
      function and hemodynamic volume status in patients undergoing liver
      transplantation. The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases states
      that transesophageal echocardiography should be used in all liver transplant
      candidates in order to assess chamber sizes, hypertrophy, systolic and diastolic
      function, valvular function, and left ventricle outflow tract obstruction.
      However, intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography can be used to
      "visualize" other organs too; thanks to its proximity and access to multiple
      acoustic windows: liver, lung, spleen, and kidney. Although only limited
      scientific evidence exists promoting this comprehensive use, we describe the
      feasibility of TEE in the setting of liver transplantation: it is a highly
      valuable tool, not only as a cardiovascular monitoring, but also as a tool to
      evaluate lungs and pleural spaces, to assess hepatic vein blood flow and inferior
      vena cava anastomosis and patency, i.e., in cases of modified surgical
      techniques. The aim of this case series is to add our own experience of TEE as a
      comprehensive intraoperative monitoring tool in the field of orthotopic liver
      transplantation (and major liver resection) to the literature.

PMID- 28631104
TI  - Is there an association between surgeon hat type and 30-day wound events
      following ventral hernia repair?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: While several patient and operative variables have been shown to be
      associated with an increased risk of postoperative wound events, the association
      between surgical hat type worn by surgeons and postoperative wound events remains
      controversial. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association
      between type of surgical hat worn by surgeons and the incidence of postoperative
      wound events following ventral hernia repair using the Americas Hernia Society
      Quality Collaborative database. METHODS: All surgeons who input at least ten
      patients with 30-day follow-up into the AHSQC were identified. These surgeons
      were sent a survey asking them to identify the type of surgical hat they wear in
      the operating room. The association of the type of surgical hat worn, patient
      variables, and operative factors with 30-day wound events was investigated using
      multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 68 surgeons responded to
      the survey, resulting in 6210 cases available for analysis. The type of surgical
      hat worn by surgeons was not found to be associated with an increased risk of 30
      day surgical site infections or surgical site occurrences requiring procedural
      intervention. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first study to directly compare the
      association of surgical hat type with postoperative wound events. There is no
      association between the type of surgical hat worn and the incidence of
      postoperative wound events following ventral hernia repair. Our findings suggest
      that surgical hate type may be chosen at the discretion of operating room
      personnel without fear of detriment to their patients.

PMID- 28631105
TI  - Stent fracture is associated with a higher mortality in patients with type-2
      diabetes treated by implantation of a second-generation drug-eluting stent.
AB  - Type 2 diabetes correlates with clinical events after the implantation of a
      second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES). The rate and prognostic value of
      stent fracture (SF) in patients with diabetes who underwent DES implantation
      remain unknown. A total of 1160 patients with- and 2251 without- diabetes, who
      underwent surveillance angiography at 1 year after DES implantation between June
      2004 and August 2014, were prospectively studied. The primary endpoints included
      the incidence of SF and a composite major adverse cardiac event [MACE, including
      myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac death, and target-vessel revascularization
      (TVR)] at 1-year follow-up and at the end of follow-up for overall patients, and
      target lesion failure [TLF, including cardiac death, target vessel myocardial
      infarction (TVMI) and target lesion revascularization (TLR)] at the end of study
      for SF patients. In general, diabetes was associated with a higher rate of MACE
      at 1-year (18.4 vs. 12.9%) and end of follow-up (24.0 vs. 18.6%, all p < 0.001),
      compared with those in patients who did not have diabetes. The 1-year SF rate was
      comparable among patients with diabetes (n = 153, 13.2%) and non-diabetic
      patients (n = 273, 12.1%, p > 0.05). Diabetic patients with SF had a 2.6-fold
      increase of SF-related cardiac death at the end of study and threefold increase
      of re-repeat TLR when compared with non-diabetic patients with SF (5.9 vs. 2.2%,
      p = 0.040; 6.5 vs. 2.2%, p = 0.032), respectively. Given the fact that diabetes
      is correlated with increased MACE rate, SF in diabetic patients translates into
      differences in mortality and re-repeat TLR compared with the non-diabetic group.

PMID- 28631106
TI  - Transthoracic 3D echocardiographic left heart chamber quantification in patients
      with bicuspid aortic valve disease.
AB  - Integration of volumetric heart chamber quantification by 3D echocardiography
      into clinical practice has been hampered by several factors which a new fully
      automated algorithm (Left Heart Model, (LHM)) may help overcome. This study
      therefore aims to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of the LHM software in
      quantifying left atrial and left ventricular volumes and left ventricular
      ejection fraction in a cohort of patients with a bicuspid aortic valve. Patients
      with a bicuspid aortic valve were prospectively included. All patients underwent
      2D and 3D transthoracic echocardiography and computed tomography. Left atrial and
      ventricular volumes were obtained using the automated program, which did not
      require manual contour detection. For comparison manual and semi-automated
      measurements were performed using conventional 2D and 3D datasets. 53 patients
      were included, in four of those patients no 3D dataset could be acquired.
      Additionally, 12 patients were excluded based on poor imaging quality. Left
      ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes and ejection fraction
      calculated by the LHM correlated well with manual 2D and 3D measurements
      (Pearson's r between 0.43 and 0.97, p < 0.05). Left atrial volume (LAV) also
      correlated significantly although LHM did estimate larger LAV compared to both
      2DE and 3DE (Pearson's r between 0.61 and 0.81, p < 0.01). The fully automated
      software works well in a real-world setting and helps to overcome some of the
      major hurdles in integrating 3D analysis into daily practice, as it is user
      independent and highly reproducible in a group of patients with a clearly defined
      and well-studied valvular abnormality.

PMID- 28631107
TI  - Non-invasive coronary wave intensity analysis.
AB  - Wave intensity analysis is calculated from simultaneously acquired measures of
      pressure and flow. Its mathematical computation produces a profile that provides
      quantitative information on the energy exchange driving blood flow acceleration
      and deceleration. Within the coronary circulation it has proven most useful in
      describing the wave that originates from the myocardium and that is responsible
      for driving the majority of coronary flow, labelled the backward decompression
      wave. Whilst this wave has demonstrated valuable insights into the pathogenic
      processes of a number of disease states, its measurement is hampered by its
      invasive necessity. However, recent work has used transthoracic echocardiography
      and an established measures of central aortic pressure to produce coronary flow
      velocity and pressure waveforms respectively. This has allowed a non-invasive
      measure of coronary wave intensity analysis, and in particular the backward
      decompression wave, to be calculated. It is anticipated that this will allow this
      tool to become more applicable and widespread, ultimately moving it from the
      research to the clinical domain.

PMID- 28631108
TI  - Reproduction Number and Asymptotic Stability for the Dynamics of a Honey Bee
      Colony with Continuous Age Structure.
AB  - A system of partial differential equations is derived as a model for the dynamics
      of a honey bee colony with a continuous age distribution, and the system is then
      extended to include the effects of a simplified infectious disease. In the
      disease-free case, we analytically derive the equilibrium age distribution within
      the colony and propose a novel approach for determining the global asymptotic
      stability of a reduced model. Furthermore, we present a method for determining
      the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] of the infection; the method
      can be applied to other age-structured disease models with interacting
      susceptible classes. The results of asymptotic stability indicate that a honey
      bee colony suffering losses will recover naturally so long as the cause of the
      losses is removed before the colony collapses. Our expression for [Formula: see
      text] has potential uses in the tracking and control of an infectious disease
      within a bee colony.

PMID- 28631109
TI  - Increasing the reach of forensic genetics with massively parallel sequencing.
AB  - The field of forensic genetics has made great strides in the analysis of
      biological evidence related to criminal and civil matters. More so, the
      discipline has set a standard of performance and quality in the forensic
      sciences. The advent of massively parallel sequencing will allow the field to
      expand its capabilities substantially. This review describes the salient features
      of massively parallel sequencing and how it can impact forensic genetics. The
      features of this technology offer increased number and types of genetic markers
      that can be analyzed, higher throughput of samples, and the capability of
      targeting different organisms, all by one unifying methodology. While there are
      many applications, three are described where massively parallel sequencing will
      have immediate impact: molecular autopsy, microbial forensics and differentiation
      of monozygotic twins. The intent of this review is to expose the forensic science
      community to the potential enhancements that have or are soon to arrive and
      demonstrate the continued expansion the field of forensic genetics and its
      service in the investigation of legal matters.

PMID- 28631110
TI  - Expression of Hsp27 and Hsp70 and vacuolization in the pituitary glands in cases
      of fatal hypothermia.
AB  - Hypothermia causes systemic cellular stress. The pituitary gland is an endocrine
      gland and plays an important role in thermoregulation. When the core body
      temperature drops, the pituitary gland is activated by stimulation of
      hypothalamic hormones. In this study, we investigated morphological alterations
      of the pituitary gland in cases of fatal hypothermia. Several morphological
      alterations of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, such as hemorrhage,
      vacuolization, and hyperemia, have been previously described in fatal
      hypothermia. However, the diagnostic value of these findings is controversial. We
      compared 11 cases of fatal hypothermia with 10 cases lacking antemortem
      hypothermic influences. In the presence of thermal cellular stress, the
      expression of heat shock proteins increases to protect cellular structures.
      Therefore, we immunohistochemically analyzed Hsp27 and Hsp70. Hsp27 expression
      was detected in 27.3% of the cases of fatal hypothermia and in 10.0% of the
      control cases, whereas Hsp70 expression was not detected in any case.
      Additionally, Sudan staining was performed to quantify fatty degeneration. A
      positive reaction was found in 45.5% of the study group and in 10.0% of the
      control group. This indicates that fatty degeneration might be a valuable marker
      when other macroscopic signs of hypothermia are absent.

PMID- 28631111
TI  - Suffocation caused by plastic wrap covering the face combined with nitrous oxide
      inhalation.
AB  - Suicide using a combination of a plastic bag over the head and inhalation of a
      non-irritating gas, such as helium, argon or nitrogen, has been reported in the
      literature. Here an unusual suicide method in a 17-year old man by suffocation
      from covering the face with household plastic wrap, combined with nitrous oxide
      inhalation, is presented. The case was reviewed based on police, autopsy and
      hospital reports. A PubMed search for scientific literature related to nitrous
      oxide abuse and suicide by suffocation was performed and our findings discussed
      in relation to the scientific literature found. The deceased was a 17-year old
      man who was found with the nose and mouth closed with a piece of kitchen plastic
      wrap. The plastic wrap had been removed prior to autopsy. Autopsy findings were
      suggestive of asphyxia, but were otherwise negative. Nitrous oxide was detected
      in the brain and lung tissue with headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
      (headspace-GCMS). The cause of death was assumed to be suffocation caused by
      plastic wrap covering the face, combined with nitrous oxide inhalation. Suicide
      was suspected because of a history of depression for several months. Nitrous
      oxide, also known as laughing gas, has a euphoric effect and is used as a
      recreational inhalant drug that can be purchased legally. Deaths caused by
      recreational nitrous oxide abuse are rare but may occur if used in combination
      with a plastic bag over the head. This is the first report of suicide by
      suffocation by external obstruction combined with nitrous oxide inhalation.

PMID- 28631112
TI  - Risk of Revision Was Not Reduced by a Double-bundle ACL Reconstruction Technique:
      Results From the Scandinavian Registers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has
      demonstrated improved biomechanical properties and moderately better objective
      outcomes compared with single-bundle reconstructions. This could make an impact
      on the rerupture rate and reduce the risk of revisions in patients undergoing
      double-bundle ACL reconstruction compared with patients reconstructed with a
      traditional single-bundle technique. The National Knee Ligament Registers in
      Scandinavia provide information that can be used to evaluate the revision outcome
      after ACL reconstructions. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purposes of the study were (1)
      to compare the risk of revision between double-bundle and single-bundle
      reconstructions, reconstructed with autologous hamstring tendon grafts; (2) to
      compare the risk of revision between double-bundle hamstring tendon and single
      bundle bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts; and (3) to compare the hazard ratios
      for the same two research questions after Cox regression analysis was performed.
      METHODS: Data collection of primary ACL reconstructions from the National Knee
      Ligament Registers in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden from July 1, 2005, to December
      31, 2014, was retrospectively analyzed. A total of 60,775 patients were included
      in the study; 994 patients were reconstructed with double-bundle hamstring tendon
      grafts, 51,991 with single-bundle hamstring tendon grafts, and 7790 with single
      bundle bone-patellar tendon-bone grafts. The double-bundle ACL-reconstructed
      patients were compared with the two other groups. The risk of revision for each
      research question was detected by the risk ratio, hazard ratio, and the
      corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to
      estimate survival at 1, 2, and 5 years for the three different groups.
      Furthermore, a Cox proportional hazard regression model was applied and the
      hazard ratios were adjusted for country, age, sex, meniscal or chondral injury,
      and utilized fixation devices on the femoral and tibial sides. RESULTS: There
      were no differences in the crude risk of revision between the patients undergoing
      the double-bundle technique and the two other groups. A total of 3.7% patients
      were revised in the double-bundle group (37 of 994 patients) versus 3.8% in the
      single-bundle hamstring tendon group (1952 of 51,991; risk ratio, 1.01; 95%
      confidence interval (CI), 0.73-1.39; p = 0.96), and 2.8% of the patients were
      revised in the bone-patellar tendon-bone group (219 of the 7790 bone-patellar
      tendon-bone patients; risk ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.54-1.06; p = 0.11). Cox
      regression analysis with adjustment for country, age, sex, menisci or cartilage
      injury, and utilized fixation device on the femoral and tibial sides, did not
      reveal any further difference in the risk of revision between the single-bundle
      hamstring tendon and double-bundle hamstring tendon groups (hazard ratio, 1.18;
      95% CI, 0.85-1.62; p = 0.33), but the adjusted hazard ratio showed a lower risk
      of revision in the single-bundle bone-patellar tendon-bone group compared with
      the double-bundle group (hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.43-0.90; p = 0.01).
      Comparisons of the graft revision rates reported separately for each country
      revealed that double-bundle hamstring tendon reconstructions in Sweden had a
      lower hazard ratio compared with the single-bundle hamstring tendon
      reconstructions (hazard ratio, 1.00 versus 1.89; 95% CI, 1.09-3.29; p = 0.02).
      Survival at 5 years after index surgery was 96.0% for the double-bundle group,
      95.4% for the single-bundle hamstring tendon group, and 97.0% for the single
      bundle bone-patellar tendon-bone group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the data from all
      three national registers, the risk of revision was not influenced by the
      reconstruction technique in terms of using single- or double-bundle hamstring
      tendons, although national differences in survival existed. Using bone-patellar
      tendon-bone grafts lowered the risk of revision compared with double-bundle
      hamstring tendon grafts. These findings should be considered when deciding what
      reconstruction technique to use in ACL-deficient knees. Future studies
      identifying the reasons for graft rerupture in single- and double-bundle
      reconstructions would be of interest to understand the findings of the present
      study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

PMID- 28631113
TI  - Fast Determination of Ingredients in Solid Pharmaceuticals by Microwave-Enhanced
      In-Source Decay of Microwave Plasma Torch Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Rapid qualitative and quantitative analysis of solid samples (e.g.,
      pharmaceutical preparations) by using a small and low-resolution mass
      spectrometer without MS/MS function is still a challenge in ambient pressure
      ionization mass spectrometric analysis. Herein, a practically efficient method
      termed microwave-enhanced in-source decay (MEISD) using microwave plasma torch
      desorption ionization coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MPTDI-TOF
      MS) was developed for fast analysis of pharmaceutical tablets using a miniature
      TOF mass spectrometer without tandem mass function. The intensity of ISD
      fragmentation was evaluated under different microwave power values. Several
      factors, including desorption distance and time that might affect the signal
      intensity and fragmentation, were systematically investigated. It was observed
      that both the protonated molecular ions and major fragment ions from the active
      ingredients in tablets could be found in the full-scan mass spectra in positive
      ion mode, which were comparable to those obtained by a commercial LTQ-XL ion trap
      mass spectrometer. The structures of the ingredients could be elucidated in
      detail using the MEISD method, which promotes our understanding of the
      desorption/ionization processes in microwave plasma torch (MPT). Quantitative
      analysis of 10 tablets was achieved by full-scan MPTDI-TOF MS with low limit of
      detection (LOD, 0.763 mg/g), acceptable relative standard deviation (RSD < 7.33%,
      n =10), and 10 s for each tablet, showing promising applications in high
      throughput screening of counterfeit drugs. Graphical Abstract ?.

PMID- 28631114
TI  - Derivatization of Dextran for Multiply Charged Ion Formation and Electrospray
      Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometric Analysis.
AB  - We present the use of a simple, one-pot derivatization to allow the
      polysaccharide dextran to carry multiple positive charges, shifting its molecular
      weight distribution to a lower m/z range. We performed this derivatization
      because molecular weight measurements of polysaccharides by mass spectrometry are
      challenging because of their lack of readily ionizable groups. The absence of
      ionizable groups limits proton abstraction and suppresses proton adduction during
      the ionization process, producing mass spectra with predominantly singly charged
      metal adduct ions, thereby limiting the detection of large polysaccharides. To
      address this challenge, we derivatized dextran T1 (approximately 1 kDa) by
      attaching ethylenediamine, giving dextran readily ionizable, terminal amine
      functional groups. The attached ethylenediamine groups facilitated proton
      adduction during the ionization process in positive ion mode. Using the low
      molecular weight dextran T1, we tracked the number of ethylenediamine attachments
      by measuring the mass shift from underivatized to derivatized dextran T1. Using
      electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, we observed derivatized
      dextran chains ranging from two to nine glucose residues with between one and
      four attachments/charges. Our success in shifting derivatized dextran T1 toward
      the low m/z range suggests potential for this derivatization as a viable route
      for analysis of high molecular weight polysaccharides using electrospray
      ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Graphical Abstract ?.

PMID- 28631115
TI  - Gurya cutting and female genital fistulas in Niger: ten cases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to determine the contribution of
      female genital cutting to genital fistula formation in Niger from the case
      records of a specialist fistula hospital. METHODS: A retrospective review was
      undertaken of the records of 360 patients seen at the Danja Fistula Center,
      Danja, Niger, between March 2014 and September 2016. Pertinent clinical and socio
      demographic data were abstracted from the cases identified. RESULTS: A total of
      10 fistulas resulting from gurya cutting was obtained: 9 cases of urethral loss
      and 1 rectovaginal fistula. In none of the cases was genital cutting performed
      for obstructed labor or as part of ritual coming-of-age ceremonies, but all
      cutting procedures were considered "therapeutic" within the local cultural
      context as treatment for dyspareunia, lack of interest in or unwillingness to
      engage in sexual intercourse, or female behavior that was deemed to be culturally
      inappropriate by the male spouse, parents, or in-laws. Clinical cure (fistula
      closed and the patient continent) was obtained in all 10 cases, although 3 women
      required more than one operation. CONCLUSIONS: Gurya cutting is an uncommon, but
      preventable, cause of genital fistulas in Niger. The socio-cultural context which
      gives rise to gurya cutting is explored in some detail.

PMID- 28631118
TI  - [Paediatric pathology in everyday life].

PMID- 28631116
TI  - Environmental Factors and Zoonotic Pathogen Ecology in Urban Exploiter Species.
AB  - Knowledge of pathogen ecology, including the impacts of environmental factors on
      pathogen and host dynamics, is essential for determining the risk that zoonotic
      pathogens pose to people. This review synthesizes the scientific literature on
      environmental factors that influence the ecology and epidemiology of zoonotic
      microparasites (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) in globally invasive urban
      exploiter wildlife species (i.e., rock doves [Columba livia domestica], European
      starlings [Sturnus vulgaris], house sparrows [Passer domesticus], Norway rats
      [Rattus norvegicus], black rats [R. rattus] and house mice [Mus musculus]).
      Pathogen ecology, including prevalence and pathogen characteristics, is
      influenced by geographical location, habitat, season and weather. The prevalence
      of zoonotic pathogens in mice and rats varies markedly over short geographical
      distances, but tends to be highest in ports, disadvantaged (e.g., low income) and
      residential areas. Future research should use epidemiological approaches,
      including random sampling and robust statistical analyses, to evaluate a range of
      biotic and abiotic environmental factors at spatial scales suitable for host home
      range sizes. Moving beyond descriptive studies to uncover the causal factors
      contributing to uneven pathogen distribution among wildlife hosts in urban
      environments may lead to targeted surveillance and intervention strategies.
      Application of this knowledge to urban maintenance and planning may reduce the
      potential impacts of urban wildlife-associated zoonotic diseases on people.

PMID- 28631117
TI  - Multi-criteria Decision Analysis to Model Ixodes ricinus Habitat Suitability.
AB  - Tick-borne diseases present a major threat to both human and livestock health
      throughout Europe. The risk of infection is directly related to the presence of
      its vector. Thereby it is important to know their distribution, which is strongly
      associated with environmental factors: the presence and availability of a
      suitable habitat, of a suitable climate and of hosts. The present study models
      the habitat suitability for Ixodes ricinus in Ireland, where data on tick
      distribution are scarce. Tick habitat suitability was estimated at a coarse scale
      (10 km) with a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method according to four
      different scenarios (depending on the variables used and on the weights granted
      to each of them). The western part of Ireland and the Wicklow mountains in the
      East were estimated to be the most suitable areas for I. ricinus in the island.
      There was a good level of agreement between results from the MCDA and recorded
      tick presence. The different scenarios did not affect the spatial outputs
      substantially. The current study suggests that tick habitat suitability can be
      mapped accurately at a coarse scale in a data-scarce context using knowledge
      based methods. It can serve as a guideline for future countrywide sampling that
      would help to determine local risk of tick presence and refining knowledge on
      tick habitat suitability in Ireland.

PMID- 28631120
TI  - [Erratum to: Cost effectiveness of GnRH antagonists in patients with prostate
      cancer and cardiovascular risk. Comparative analysis with leuprolide on the basis
      of the Number Needed to Treat].

PMID- 28631119
TI  - [Expression of cancer testis (CT) antigens in pediatric and adolescent
      melanomas].
AB  - BACKGROUND: One of the main problems in the diagnostics of pediatric melanomas is
      the differentiation from benign dermal lesions typical for this age group, such
      as Spitz nevus. The biological behavior of pediatric melanomas differs
      considerably from that of melanomas in adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cancer
      testis (CT) antigens are named after their typical expression pattern since they
      are present in various types of malignant tumors but in normal adult tissues are
      solely expressed in testicular germ cells. Because of this tumor-associated
      expression pattern, CT antigens are regarded as potential targets for vaccine
      based immunotherapy of cancer and might be used as diagnostic tools in surgical
      pathology. In adults, melanoma is among the tumors showing a high incidence of CT
      antigen expression; however, while there is ample knowledge about adult
      melanomas, little is known about the presence of CT antigens in pediatric
      melanomas. Consequently, the expression of CT antigens MAGE-A1, MAGE-A4, CT7/MAGE
      C1, NY-ESO-1, and GAGE was analyzed in a series of pediatric melanomas. The study
      was restricted to cases of metastatic disease and/or fatal outcome. A total of 12
      cases were available and immunohistochemically analyzed with monoclonal
      antibodies (mAb). RESULTS: The expression of CT antigens was generally low and
      present in only 4 of 12 cases. This is in stark contrast to the expression of
      these antigens in adult melanomas. Moreover, the extent of expression was very
      limited with most cases showing only a focal CT antigen expression and only
      marked in very small tumor areas (<5%). CONCLUSION: Despite the low case numbers
      this study indicates that CT antigens are most likely not useful as diagnostic
      markers in pediatric melanomas or as targets for vaccine-based immunotherapy. It
      supports the notion that pediatric melanomas show a different biological behavior
      than their adult counterparts.

PMID- 28631121
TI  - [Prudent use of antimicrobial prophylaxis : Prevention of increasing antibiotic
      resistance].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of peri-operative antimicrobial prophylaxis during urological
      procedures to prevent postoperative complications is very common. OBJECTIVES:
      What kind of recommendations for reasonable use of peri-operative antimicrobial
      prophylaxis during urological procedures to prevent increasing antibiotic
      resistance and postoperative complications exist? METHODS: Review of evidence
      based recommendations from literature and current Guidelines of the EAU. RESULTS:
      For urological procedures there are evidenced-based recommendations for using
      antimicrobial prophylaxis, although the evidence is not always sufficiently high.
      For endourological procedures it is recommended to use Cephalosporines group 2
      (or 3), Aminopenicillin/Beta-lactamase inhibitor or Cotrimoxazole. For
      transrectal core biopsy of the prostate, depending on the risk, Fluoroquinolones,
      Cotrimoxazole or targeted prophylaxis are recommended. For laparoscopic or open
      procedures, partly optional, Cephalosporines group 2 (or 3), Aminopenicillin/Beta
      lactamase inhibitor or Cotrimoxazole and for a cystectomy with opening of the
      intestinal tract Cephalosporines group 2 or an Aminopenicillin/Beta-lactamase
      inhibitor, together with Metronidazole are recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Using
      prudent peri-operative antimicrobial prophylaxis patient surgical risk factors as
      well as the expected spectrum of pathogens and the local resistance profile
      should be considered. Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis on the one hand aims
      at preventing postoperative infections, and on the other hand plays an important
      role in the total antibiotic consumption. It is therefore a pivotal aspect of
      "Antimicrobial Stewardship" strategies in the health-care system.

PMID- 28631122
TI  - Predicting massive transfusion in placenta previa.

PMID- 28631123
TI  - Modeling solubility of CO2/hydrocarbon gas in ionic liquid ([emim][FAP]) using
      Aspen Plus simulations.
AB  - The Peng-Robinson equation of state with quadratic van der Waals (vdW) mixing
      rule model was chosen to perform the thermodynamic calculations in Flash3 column
      of Aspen Plus to predict the solubility of CO2 or any one of the hydrocarbons
      (HCs) among methane, ethane, propane, and butane in an ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3
      methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([emim][FAP]). Bubble
      point pressure, solubility, bubble point temperature, fugacity, and partial molar
      volume at infinite dilution were obtained from the simulations, and enthalpy of
      absorption, Gibbs free energy of solvation, and entropy change of absorption were
      estimated by thermodynamic relations. Results show that carbon chain length has a
      significant effect on the bubble point pressure. Methane has the highest bubble
      point pressure among all the considered HCs and CO2. The bubble point pressure
      and fugacity variation with temperature is different for CO2 as compared to HCs
      for mole fractions above 0.2. Two different profiles are noticed for enthalpy of
      absorption when plotted as a function of mole fraction of gas soluble in IL.
      Partial molar volume of CO2 decreases with increase in temperature in
      [emim][FAP], while it is increased for HCs. Bubble point temperature decreases
      with increase in the mole fraction of the solute. Entropy of solvation increases
      with temperature till a particular value followed by a decrease with further
      increase in temperature. Gibbs free energy change of solvation showed that the
      process of solubility was spontaneous.

PMID- 28631124
TI  - Toxicity evaluation of cypermethrin, glyphosate, and malathion, on two indigenous
      zooplanktonic species.
AB  - In Aguascalientes, Mexico, there is a special concern about pesticides because of
      their intensive use on guava production areas, which are located in the vicinity
      of water reservoirs; thus, non-target organisms could be exposed. Thereafter, the
      aim of this work was to assess the effect of cypermethrin, Faena(r) (glyphosate),
      and malathion, which are the most used pesticides in Aguascalientes' guava
      production, on the indigenous freshwater species Alona guttata (cladoceran) and
      Lecane papuana (rotifer). Acute 48-h toxicity tests were carried out, and LC50
      values were calculated. Then, five sublethal concentrations (1/80, 1/40, 1/20,
      1/10, and 1/5 of the respective LC50) were selected for the chronic assays: (a)
      intrinsic growth rate analysis in the rotifer and (b) partial life table analysis
      in the cladoceran. The results of the acute toxicity tests showed that A. guttata
      was more sensitive to malathion (LC50 = 5.26 * 10-3 mg/L) at concentrations found
      in natural environments with continuous application on guava fields, whereas L.
      papuana was more sensitive to Faena(r) (LC50 = 19.89 mg/L). The somatic growth of
      A. guttata was inhibited for the chronic exposure to cypermethrin. In addition,
      cypermethrin and Faena(r) seemed to exert endocrine disruptive effects on A.
      guttata. Moreover, malathion chronic exposure significantly decreased the
      survival of A. guttata. Moreover, L. papuana was affected chronically for the
      three pesticides.

PMID- 28631125
TI  - Upgraded modified forms of bituminous coal for the removal of safranin-T dye from
      aqueous solution.
AB  - Natural bituminous coal was used as a precursor in the synthesis of different
      modified products. The modification of coal was performed by treating it with
      nitric acid (N-coal), coating its surface by zinc oxide nanoparticles (Z-coal),
      and converting it into porous graphite (PG). The effect of modification processes
      on the structures, morphologies, and optical properties was followed by X-ray
      diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared
      spectrum (FT-IR), and UV/VIS spectrophotometer analysis. The surface of N-coal
      grains becomes smoother than the surface of raw coal grains due to the removal of
      the associated impurities and the formation of nitrogen function groups. For Z
      coal, the whole surface of coal grains appears to be completely covered by
      agglomerated ZnO nanoparticles of massive density and irregular shapes. The
      average crystallite size of the formed ZnO is ~22.2 nm and density of
      dislocations is 2.029 * 10-3 dislocation/nm2. Also, the removal of safranin-T dye
      by natural bituminous coal and its modified forms was investigated as a function
      of contact time, adsorbent mass, initial dye concentration, and pH value. At pH
      8, the PG showed higher efficiency (96%) than Z-coal (93.5%), N-coal (74.5%), and
      natural coal (62%) after 2 h for 0.1 g on 100 mg/L dye. The obtained results are
      well fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic than by intraparticle diffusion and
      Elovich kinetic models for the adsorption by N-coal, Z-coal, and PG, whereas the
      adsorption by raw coal is well fitted with both pseudo-second-order and Elovich
      kinetic models. The Langmuir isotherm model fits well the equilibrium adsorption
      isotherm of safranin by raw coal and its modified forms. The values of maximum
      adsorption capacity were calculated for raw coal, N-coal, Z-coal, and PG to be
      21.3, 27.4, 32.46, and 33.67 mg/g, respectively. A monolayer model with one
      energy and a monolayer model with two energies as advanced equilibrium models
      were investigated for more physical interpretation of the adsorption process. The
      calculated parameters (number of adsorbed molecules per site and number of
      receptor sites per unit mass) reflected the role of modification processes in the
      adsorption behavior of safranin. Graphical abstract High volatile bituminous coal
      and its modified forms have been used for the removal of Safranin-T dye from
      aqueous solution.

PMID- 28631127
TI  - Toxicity of cypermethrin on the embryo and larvae of Gangetic mystus, Mystus
      cavasius.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effects of cypermethrin
      on the embryo and the larvae of Gangetic mystus, Mystus cavasius. Therefore,
      fertilized eggs (n = 100) and 1-day-old larvae (n = 100) were exposed to six
      different concentrations of cypermethrin (0, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 MUg L-1) in each
      of the 18 plastic bowls. Each of the treatment and control was maintained in
      three replicates. The LC10 and LC50 values for Gangetic mystus embryos and larvae
      were calculated using probit analysis. Results showed the mortality of embryos
      significantly increased with increasing cypermethrin concentrations. The 24-h
      LC10 and LC50 (with 95% confidence interval) values of cypermethrin for embryo
      were 0.42 (0.14-0.81) and 5.60 (4.16-7.19) MUg L-1, respectively. Hatching
      success decreased and mortality of larvae increased significantly with increasing
      cypermethrin concentrations. The 24-h LC10 and LC50 values (with 95% confidence
      limits) of cypermethrin for larvae were 1.72 (1.24-2.20) and 11.57 (10.09-13.42)
      MUg L-1, respectively; the 48-h LC10 and LC50 for larvae were 1.34 (0.83-1.89)
      and 8.25 (6.87-9.91) MUg L-1, respectively; the 72-h LC10 and LC50 for larvae
      were 1.13 (0.63-1.66) and 6.12 (4.91-7.47) MUg L-1, respectively. Furthermore,
      results showed several malformations in embryos and larvae when exposed to the
      two highest concentrations of cypermethrin. The findings of the study suggest
      that 2 MUg L-1 cypermethrin concentration in the aquatic environment may have
      deleterious effects on the development and the reproduction of Gangetic mystus.

PMID- 28631126
TI  - A comparative study of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases during normal
      and dusty days in Iran.
AB  - During the last century, most of people around the world moved from communicable
      to non-communicable diseases, mainly due to air pollution. Air pollutants and
      dust storm increase risk of morbidity, for cardiovascular and respiratory
      diseases, and increase the number of deaths. The city of Ahvaz is considered as
      the focal point of air pollution and dust storm in Iran. The aim of this study
      was to determine the number of Hospital Admission Respiratory Disease (HARD)
      including asthma attacks, acute bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease attributed to PM10 by a descriptive study during normal and dust event
      days in Ahvaz during the time period 2010-2012. The hourly PM10 data was
      collected from the Iranian Environmental Protection Agency and Razi hospital. The
      annual PM10 mean concentrations reached 282, 288 and 278 MUg/m3 in 2010, 2011 and
      2012, respectively. The number of HARD attributed to PM10 was 1438, 1945 and 1393
      people, respectively, and the highest number of daily admissions was attributed
      to the highest daily PM10 concentration in Ahvaz. The average number of daily
      HARD during dusty days was higher than normal days, and a significant positive
      correlation, between the number of hospital admissions and dusty days, was found.
      Dust had significant impact on HARD in Ahvaz.

PMID- 28631128
TI  - The witchcraft of encephalitis in Salem.

PMID- 28631129
TI  - Optimizing the deep brain stimulation care pathway in patients with Parkinson's
      disease.
AB  - Management of Parkinson's disease (PD) using deep brain stimulation (DBS)
      requires complex care in specialized, multidisciplinary centers. A well
      organized, efficient patient flow is crucial to ensure that eligible patients can
      quickly access DBS. Delays or inefficiencies in patient care may impact a
      center's ability to meet demand, creating a capacity bottleneck. Analysis of the
      current practices within a center may help identify areas for improvement. After
      external audit of the DBS workflow of the Lyon Neurological Hospital and
      comparison with other European centers, manageable steps were suggested to
      restructure the care pathway. Propositions of the audit comprised, for example:
      (1) directly admitting referred patients to hospital, without a prior
      neurological outpatient visit and (2) including the preoperative anesthesia
      consultation in the hospital stay 1 month before surgery, not separately. This
      reorganization (between 2013 and 2016) was performed without increases in
      hospital medical resources or costs. The time from patients' first referral to
      surgery was reduced (from 22 to 16 months; p = 0.033), as was the number of pre-
      and postoperative patient visits (11-5; p = 0.025) and the total cumulative
      length of in-hospital stay (20.5-17.5 nights; p = 0.02). Ultimately, the total
      number of PD consultations increased (346-498 per year), as did the number of DBS
      implants per year (32-45 patients). In this single center experience,
      restructuring the DBS care pathway allowed a higher number of PD patients to
      benefit from DBS therapy, with a shorter waiting time and without decreasing the
      quality of care.

PMID- 28631131
TI  - Endoscopic treatment of adult idiopathic obstruction of the foramen of Monro.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adult idiopathic membranous obstruction of the foramen of Monro is an
      extremely rare condition that can be effectively treated with endoscopic
      foraminoplasty. A unilateral or bilateral foraminoplasty is performed if one or
      both of the foramina of Monro are obstructed, respectively. Endoscopic septum
      pellucidotomy is usually used in combination with the foraminoplasty. METHODS:
      The operative chart and video of one of our patients undergoing endoscopic
      treatment for adult idiopathic membranous obstruction of the foramen of Monro
      were retrieved from our database and reviewed. A description of the surgical
      technique was then formulated. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical technique of endoscopic
      foraminoplasty plus septum pellucidotomy for adult idiopathic membranous
      obstruction of the foramen of Monro is described.

PMID- 28631130
TI  - New insights into human farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase inhibition by second
      generation bisphosphonate drugs.
AB  - Pamidronate, alendronate, APHBP and neridronate are a group of drugs, known as
      second-generation bisphosphonates (2G-BPs), commonly used in the treatment of
      bone-resorption disorders, and recently their use has been related to some
      collateral side effects. The therapeutic activity of 2G-BPs is related to the
      inhibition of the human Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthase (hFPPS). Available
      inhibitory activity values show that 2G-BPs act time-dependently, showing big
      differences in their initial inhibitory activities but similar final IC50 values.
      However, there is a lack of information explaining this similar final inhibitory
      potency. Although different residues have been identified in the stabilization of
      the R2 side chain of 2G-BPs into the active site, similar free binding energies
      were obtained that highlighted a similar stability of the ternary complexes,
      which in turns justified the similar IC50 values reported. Free binding energy
      calculations also demonstrated that the union of 2G-BPs to the active site were
      38 to 54 kcal mol-1 energetically more favourable than the union of the natural
      substrate, which is the basis of the inhibition potency of the hFPPS activity.

PMID- 28631132
TI  - Adaptive biochemical and physiological responses of Eriobotrya japonica to
      fluoride air pollution.
AB  - The biochemical and physiological effects of fluoride were investigated in loquat
      trees (Eriobotrya japonica) grown in the vicinity of a phosphate fertilizer plant
      in Tunisia. Photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration
      rate (E), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase
      (GPx) activities were assessed; along with photosynthetic pigments, lipid
      peroxidation, electrolytic leakage (EL) and total phenolic contents in foliage
      and roots of trees at different distances from the phosphate fertilizer plant.
      All assessed parameters showed significant discrepancies in comparison with
      unpolluted sites. Obtained results showed high oxidative stress indices including
      H2O2, lipid peroxidation, and EL, SOD, CAT and GPx activities and proline
      contents in leaves and roots at the polluted sites as compared to control. In
      contrast, leaf Pn, Gs, E and photosynthetic pigment contents were low as compared
      to the control. These results indicate that even though antioxidant responses
      increased near the factory, adverse effects on physiology were pronounced.

PMID- 28631133
TI  - Bone density in pediatric Crohn's disease: A cross-sectional observation from
      South India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) frequently manifests in the second and third
      decades of life. Malnutrition and corticosteroid therapy may affect bone
      mineralization and delay bone growth. Our aim was to study bone mineral density
      and factors associated low bone mineral density (BMD) in pediatric CD. METHODS: A
      cross-sectional observational study in children with CD (aged 5 to <18 years) was
      done. Demographic and treatment details were noted. Vitamin D levels <20 ng/mL
      were considered as deficiency. Bone mineral density was evaluated with dual
      energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan and Z score of <-2 SD was considered as
      low BMD. Data was analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: In 30 cases with CD enrolled
      over 1 year, mean age of the patients was 13.8+/-3.0 years. Age of onset and
      diagnosis was 11.4+/-3.2 years and 13.4+/-2.8 years, respectively. 73.3% were in
      the underweight category. All cases received azathioprine whereas 86.7% were
      receiving corticosteroids. Vitamin D deficiency was seen in 86.7% cases. A low
      BMD was evident in 70% children. Overall, low BMI (p=0.005) and vitamin D
      deficiency (p=0.005) were associated with low BMD. However, no association
      between severity grade of vitamin D deficiency and low BMD was found. Treatment
      with corticosteroid was associated with low BMD in 76.9% cases (p=0.069).
      CONCLUSION: Low BMD was frequent in children with CD and was associated with low
      BMI and vitamin D deficiency.

PMID- 28631134
TI  - Budd-Chiari syndrome: outcomes of endovascular intervention-A single-center
      experience.
AB  - AIM: Outcomes of endovascular intervention in Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) have
      been reported with varied results. Clinical outcomes of endovascular
      interventions in BCS and role of various prognostic scores were critically
      evaluated in this study. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed consecutive
      patients of BCS who underwent endovascular intervention between January 2007 and
      May 2016 at our center. Technical, clinical successes and complications were
      documented. The role of the prognostic scores such as Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP),
      model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), Rotterdam index, and original Clichy
      score in predicting mortality, clinical success, and need for re-interventions
      were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 88 patients were analyzed. The median
      follow up was 12 months (range 1-96 months). Thirteen (14.8%) patients had
      combined inferior vena cava (IVC) and hepatic vein (HV) obstruction; HV
      obstruction in 33 (37.5%) and inferior vena cava IVC obstruction in 42 (47.7%)
      patients. The following interventions were done: IVC angioplasty alone (n = 11),
      IVC angioplasty with stenting (n = 36), HV angioplasty with stenting (n = 26),
      combined HV and IVC stent (n = 2), and direct intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt
      (DIPS) (n = 13). Overall technical success was 87/88 (98.86%), and clinical
      success was 76/88 (86.36%). Immediate complications were noted in 8 patients
      (10%). The 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year stent patency rates were 90.91%, 81.08%,
      74.59%, and 70.45%, respectively. Re-interventions were required in 15 (17%).
      Overall mortality was 6 (6.8%). Apart from MELD >14, none of the other prognostic
      score could predict mortality, clinical success, and need for re-interventions.
      CONCLUSION: Endovascular interventions play an important role in the management
      of BCS, in properly selected patients, even if prognostic score is unfavorable.

PMID- 28631136
TI  - The good, the bad and the ugly: rectal cancers in the twenty-first century.

PMID- 28631135
TI  - Long-term clinical benefit from salvage EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in
      advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients with EGFR wild-type tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Erlotinib has been approved for the management of NSCLC patients
      after failure of the first or subsequent line of chemotherapy. Although the
      efficacy of erlotinib is clearly associated with the presence of EGFR mutations,
      there is a subset of patients with EGFR wild-type (EGFRwt) tumors who
      impressively respond. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with EGFRwt NSCLC who
      received salvage (>=2nd line) treatment with erlotinib for a prolonged period (>6
      months), were sought from the database of the Hellenic Oncology Research Group.
      We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, pathological and molecular
      characteristics of the patients with available tumor material. RESULTS: Forty
      four patients that received erlotinib for >6 months (median 10.1 months) were
      enrolled in the study. The majority of them were male, never-smokers with
      adenocarcinoma histology and a good performance status. KRAS and PIK3CA mutations
      were detected in 21% (9/42 tested) and 13% (4/30 tested) of the patients,
      respectively. The ALK-EML4 translocation was found in 10% (2/20 tested); there
      was no patient with HER2 or BRAF mutated tumor. Twelve (54.5%) tumor specimens
      were considered positive for EGFR-overexpression. Eleven patients experienced a
      partial response (objective response rate 25%; 95% CI 12-38%) and the remaining
      33 had stable disease. The median progression-free survival and overall survival
      were 10.1 (95% CI 8.6-11.6 months) and 24.1 (95% CI 11.2-37 months),
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with erlotinib significantly improves the
      clinical outcome in a subset of NSCLC patients with EGFRwt tumors. Further
      molecular analysis of such tumor specimens could provide a more comprehensive
      characterization of this particular group of patients. Nevertheless, the presence
      of other mutations should not prevent the treating physician from using erlotinib
      at later lines of salvage therapy for NSCLC patients.

PMID- 28631137
TI  - Assessment of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) Induced Hepatotoxicity
      and Ameliorative Effects of Cinnamomum cassia in Sprague-Dawley Rats.
AB  - This study assessed the protective effects of Cinnamomum cassia (cinnamon) bark
      extract in rats exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles or titanium dioxide
      bulk salt. For in vivo evaluation of the ameliorative role of the cinnamon
      extract, the experimental groups were orally administered with the cinnamon
      extract at different dose levels (50 or 100 or 150 mg/kg bodyweight) along with
      the subcutaneous injections of 150 mg/kg bodyweight titanium dioxide
      nanoparticles or titanium dioxide bulk salt. The extract showed significant
      ameliorative role on the antioxidant system in response to elevated levels of
      titanium dioxide nanoparticles or titanium dioxide bulk salt-induced oxidative
      stress. It aided in the recovery of the antioxidant system as well as protective
      role in histological damages and some haematological parameters in the rat liver
      treated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles or titanium dioxide bulk salt.

PMID- 28631138
TI  - College Student Attitudes Towards "Smart" Guns: Results from a Nationwide Survey.
AB  - Existing studies focusing on "smart" guns, weapons that can only be fired by an
      authorized user, have focused largely on overall views towards the topic. Little
      is known about how views differ within key demographics or why Americans feel
      positively or negatively towards smart guns. This study used data from a
      nationwide web survey of 520 college students to address these concerns.
      Multinomial regression was used to identify patterns of smart gun preference in
      quantitative data. Respondents' open-ended reasoning for their views was examined
      through common themes and descriptive statistics. About half of the sample
      preferred smart guns over traditional firearms, with support more likely among
      females and liberals. Those with more advanced academic standing were more likely
      to have a traditional gun preference. The sample did not rank cost as a
      significant concern. Child protection was a much less prominent theme than
      concerns over (un)authorized users.

PMID- 28631140
TI  - Natan Zundel Majerowick, M.D.

PMID- 28631139
TI  - A Systematic Review of Wearable Patient Monitoring Systems - Current Challenges
      and Opportunities for Clinical Adoption.
AB  - The aim of this review is to investigate barriers and challenges of wearable
      patient monitoring (WPM) solutions adopted by clinicians in acute, as well as in
      community, care settings. Currently, healthcare providers are coping with ever
      growing healthcare challenges including an ageing population, chronic diseases,
      the cost of hospitalization, and the risk of medical errors. WPM systems are a
      potential solution for addressing some of these challenges by enabling advanced
      sensors, wearable technology, and secure and effective communication platforms
      between the clinicians and patients. A total of 791 articles were screened and 20
      were selected for this review. The most common publication venue was conference
      proceedings (13, 54%). This review only considered recent studies published
      between 2015 and 2017. The identified studies involved chronic conditions (6,
      30%), rehabilitation (7, 35%), cardiovascular diseases (4, 20%), falls (2, 10%)
      and mental health (1, 5%). Most studies focussed on the system aspects of WPM
      solutions including advanced sensors, wireless data collection, communication
      platform and clinical usability based on a specific area or disease. The current
      studies are progressing with localized sensor-software integration to solve a
      specific use-case/health area using non-scalable and 'silo' solutions. There is
      further work required regarding interoperability and clinical acceptance
      challenges. The advancement of wearable technology and possibilities of using
      machine learning and artificial intelligence in healthcare is a concept that has
      been investigated by many studies. We believe future patient monitoring and
      medical treatments will build upon efficient and affordable solutions of wearable
      technology.

PMID- 28631141
TI  - Cell Labeling with Magneto-Endosymbionts and the Dissection of the Subcellular
      Location, Fate, and Host Cell Interactions.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purposes of this study are to characterize magneto-endosymbiont (ME)
      labeling of mammalian cells and to discern the subcellular fate of these living
      contrast agents. MEs are novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents
      that are being used for cell tracking studies. Understanding the fate of MEs in
      host cells is valuable for designing in vivo cell tracking experiments.
      PROCEDURES: The ME's surface epitopes, contrast-producing paramagnetic
      magnetosomal iron, and genome were studied using immunocytochemistry (ICC), Fe
      and MRI contrast measurements, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR),
      respectively. These assays, coupled with other common assays, enabled validation
      of ME cell labeling and dissection of ME subcellular processing. RESULTS: The
      assays mentioned above provide qualitative and quantitative assessments of cell
      labeling, the subcellular localization and the fate of MEs. ICC results, with an
      ME-specific antibody, qualitatively shows homogenous labeling with MEs. The
      ferrozine assay shows that MEs have an average of 7 fg Fe/ME, ~30 % of which
      contributes to MRI contrast and ME-labeled MDA-MB-231 (MDA-231) cells generally
      have 2.4 pg Fe/cell, implying ~350 MEs/cell. Adjusting the concentration of Fe in
      the ME growth media reduces the concentration of non-MRI contrast-producing Fe.
      Results from the qPCR assay, which quantifies ME genomes in labeled cells, shows
      that processing of MEs begins within 24 h in MDA-231 cells. ICC results suggest
      this intracellular digestion of MEs occurs by the lysosomal degradation pathway.
      MEs coated with listeriolysin O (LLO) are able to escape the primary phagosome,
      but subsequently co-localize with LC3, an autophagy-associated molecule, and are
      processed for digestion. In embryos, where autophagy is transiently suppressed,
      MEs show an increased capacity for survival and even replication. Finally,
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of ME-labeled MDA-231 cells confirms that
      the magnetosomes (the MRI contrast-producing particles) remain intact and enable
      in vivo cell tracking. CONCLUSIONS: MEs are used to label mammalian cells for the
      purpose of cell tracking in vivo, with MRI. Various assays described herein (ICC,
      ferrozine, and qPCR) allow qualitative and quantitative assessments of labeling
      efficiency and provide a detailed understanding of subcellular processing of MEs.
      In some cell types, MEs are digested, but the MRI-producing particles remain.
      Coating with LLO allows MEs to escape the primary phagosome, enhances retention
      slightly, and confirms that MEs are ultimately processed by autophagy. Numerous
      intracellular bacteria and all endosymbiotically derived organelles have evolved
      molecular mechanisms to avoid intracellular clearance, and identification of the
      specific processes involved in ME clearance provides a framework on which to
      develop MEs with enhanced retention in mammalian cells.

PMID- 28631142
TI  - Parametric Imaging of [11C]Flumazenil Binding in the Rat Brain.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study evaluates the performance of several parametric methods for
      assessing [11C]flumazenil binding distribution in the rat brain. PROCEDURES:
      Dynamic (60 min) positron emission tomography data with metabolite-corrected
      plasma input function were retrospectively analyzed (male Wistar rats, n = 10).
      Distribution volume (V T) images were generated from basis function method (BFM),
      Logan graphical analysis (Logan), and spectral analysis (SA). Using the pons as
      pseudo-reference tissue, binding potential (BP ND and DVR-1) images were obtained
      from receptor parametric imaging algorithms (RPM and SRTM2) and reference Logan
      (RLogan). Standardized uptake value images (SUV and SUVR) were also computed for
      different intervals post-injection. Next, regional averages were extracted from
      the parametric images, using pre-defined volumes of interest, which were also
      applied to the regional time-activity curves from the dynamic data. Parametric
      data were compared to their regional counterparts and to two-tissue compartment
      model (2TCM)-based values (previously defined as the model of choice for rats).
      Parameter agreement was assessed by linear regression analysis and Bland-Altman
      plots. RESULTS: All parametric methods strongly correlated to their regional
      counterparts (R 2 > 0.97) and to the 2TCM values (R 2 >= 0.95). SA and RLogan
      underestimated V T and BP ND (slope of 0.93 and 0.86, respectively), while SUVR-1
      overestimated BP ND (slope higher than 1.07 for all intervals). While BFM and
      SRTM2 had the smallest bias to 2TCM values (0.05 for both), ratio Bland-Altman
      plots showed Logan and RLogan displayed relative errors which were comparable
      between different regions, in contrast with the other methods. Although SUV
      consistently underestimated V T, the bias in this method was also constant across
      regions. CONCLUSIONS: All parametric methods performed well for the analysis of
      [11C]flumazenil distribution and binding in the rat brain. However, Logan and
      RLogan slightly outperformed the other methods in terms of precision, providing
      robust parameter estimation and constant bias. Yet, other methods can be of
      interest, because they can provide tissue perfusion (i.e., K 1 with BFM and SA),
      relative flow (i.e., R 1 with RPM and SRTM2), and model order (SA) images.

PMID- 28631144
TI  - Erratum to: Two doses of low-dose perioperative dexamethasone improve the
      clinical outcome after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled study.

PMID- 28631143
TI  - Post-operative 3D CT feedback improves accuracy and precision in the learning
      curve of anatomic ACL femoral tunnel placement.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the feedback from post-operative three-dimensional computed
      tomography (3D-CT) on femoral tunnel placement in the learning process, to obtain
      an anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: A series of
      60 consecutive patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction using autologous
      hamstrings single-bundle outside-in technique were prospectively included in the
      study. ACL reconstructions were performed by the same trainee-surgeon during his
      learning phase of anatomic ACL femoral tunnel placement. A CT scan with dedicated
      tunnel study was performed in all patients within 48 h after surgery. The data
      obtained from the CT scan were processed into a three-dimensional surface model,
      and a true medial view of the lateral femoral condyle was used for the femoral
      tunnel placement analysis. Two independent examiners analysed the tunnel
      placements. The centre of femoral tunnel was measured using a quadrant method as
      described by Bernard and Hertel. The coordinates measured were compared with
      anatomic coordinates values described in the literature [deep-to-shallow distance
      (X-axis) 28.5%; high-to-low distance (Y-axis) 35.2%]. Tunnel placement was
      evaluated in terms of accuracy and precision. After each ACL reconstruction,
      results were shown to the surgeon to receive an instant feedback in order to
      achieve accurate correction and improve tunnel placement for the next surgery.
      Complications and arthroscopic time were also recorded. RESULTS: Results were
      divided into three consecutive series (1, 2, 3) of 20 patients each. A trend to
      placing femoral tunnel slightly shallow in deep-to-shallow distance and slightly
      high in high-to-low distance was observed in the first and the second series. A
      progressive improvement in tunnel position was recorded from the first to second
      series and from the second to the third series. Both accuracy (+52.4%) and
      precision (+55.7%) increased from the first to the third series (p < 0.001).
      Arthroscopic time decreased from a mean of 105 min in the first series to 57 min
      in the third series (p < 0.001). After 50 ACL reconstructions, a satisfactory
      anatomic femoral tunnel was reached. CONCLUSION: Feedback from post-operative 3D
      CT is effective in the learning process to improve accuracy and precision of
      femoral tunnel placement in order to obtain anatomic ACL reconstruction and helps
      to reduce also arthroscopic time and learning curve. For clinical relevance,
      trainee-surgeons should use feedback from post-operative 3DCT to learn anatomic
      ACL femoral tunnel placement and apply it appropriately. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Consecutive case series, Level IV.

PMID- 28631145
TI  - Biaxial mechanical properties of bovine jugular venous valve leaflet tissues.
AB  - Venous valve incompetence has been implicated in diseases ranging from chronic
      venous insufficiency (CVI) to intracranial venous hypertension. However, while
      the mechanical properties of venous valve leaflet tissues are central to CVI
      biomechanics and mechanobiology, neither stress-strain curves nor tangent moduli
      have been reported. Here, equibiaxial tensile mechanical tests were conducted to
      assess the tangent modulus, strength and anisotropy of venous valve leaflet
      tissues from bovine jugular veins. Valvular tissues were stretched to 60% strain
      in both the circumferential and radial directions, and leaflet tissue stress
      strain curves were generated for proximal and distal valves (i.e., valves closest
      and furthest from the right heart, respectively). Toward linking mechanical
      properties to leaflet microstructure and composition, Masson's trichrome and
      Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining and collagen assays were conducted. Results showed:
      (1) Proximal bovine jugular vein venous valves tended to be bicuspid (i.e., have
      two leaflets), while distal valves tended to be tricuspid; (2) leaflet tissues
      from proximal valves exhibited approximately threefold higher peak tangent moduli
      in the circumferential direction than in the orthogonal radial direction (i.e.,
      proximal valve leaflet tissues were anisotropic; [Formula: see text]); (3)
      individual leaflets excised from the same valve apparatus appeared to exhibit
      different mechanical properties (i.e., intra-valve variability); and (4) leaflets
      from distal valves exhibited a trend of higher soluble collagen concentrations
      than proximal ones (i.e., inter-valve variability). To the best of the authors'
      knowledge, this is the first study reporting biaxial mechanical properties of
      venous valve leaflet tissues. These results provide a baseline for studying
      venous valve incompetence at the tissue level and a quantitative basis for
      prosthetic venous valve design.

PMID- 28631146
TI  - Motivations for Interest, Disinterest and Uncertainty in Intrauterine Device Use
      Among Young Women.
AB  - Objective To elucidate salient contraceptive preferences and priorities as they
      relate to young women's interest or lack thereof in intrauterine device (IUD)
      use. Methods Qualitative data were drawn from a 2012 survey on contraceptive
      preferences and IUD interest. Among 413 young (ages 18-29) women, open-ended
      responses describing reasons for interest, disinterest or uncertainty in future
      IUD use were examined using a thematic analysis approach. Results Most
      participants were unsure about (49.2%) or not interested in (30.0%) future IUD
      use. Themes regarding IUD interest related to specific facets of IUD use (e.g.,
      risks and side effects, ease of use), as well as broader influences on
      contraceptive decision-making (e.g., social influences, alignment with pregnancy
      intentions). For interested participants, a sense of empowerment pervaded the
      responses, with many references to the ease of use and lack of requisite
      maintenance. Uninterested participants were concerned about the internal nature
      of the IUD, with many describing "horror stories" and fears that the IUD would
      cause injury or infertility. Unsure participants provided more detailed and
      complex responses, carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages of IUD
      use. Uncertainty was often driven by an acknowledged need for specific
      information, rather than overall lack of knowledge. Conclusions for Practice In
      this analysis, many women had a clear sense of their contraceptive preferences,
      which frequently did not align with IUDs. While continuing to remove barriers to
      IUD access is critical, patient-centered counseling approaches offer the
      opportunity to support women in best matching with a method that aligns with
      their preferences.

PMID- 28631147
TI  - The motor cortical representation of a muscle is not homogeneous in brain
      connectivity.
AB  - Functional connectivity patterns of the motor cortical representational area of
      single muscles have not been extensively mapped in humans, particularly for the
      axial musculature. Functional connectivity may provide a neural substrate for
      adaptation of muscle activity in axial muscles that have both voluntary and
      postural functions. The purpose of this study was to combine brain stimulation
      and neuroimaging to both map the cortical representation of the external oblique
      (EO) in primary motor cortex (M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA), and to
      establish the resting-state functional connectivity associated with this
      representation. Motor-evoked potentials were elicited from the EO muscle in
      stimulation locations encompassing M1 and SMA. The coordinates of locations with
      the largest motor-evoked potentials were confirmed with task-based fMRI imaging
      during EO activation. The M1 and SMA components of the EO representation
      demonstrated significantly different resting-state functional connectivity with
      other brain regions: the SMA representation of the EO muscle was significantly
      more connected to the putamen and cerebellum, and the M1 representation of the EO
      muscle was significantly more connected to somatosensory cortex and the superior
      parietal lobule. This study confirms the representation of a human axial muscle
      in M1 and SMA, and demonstrates for the first time that different parts of the
      cortical representation of a human axial muscle have resting-state functional
      connectivity with distinct brain regions. Future studies can use the brain
      regions of interest we have identified here to test the association between
      resting-state functional connectivity and control of the axial muscles.

PMID- 28631148
TI  - Early postoperative imaging after non-bariatric gastric resection: a primer for
      radiologists.
AB  - : Surgical resection represents the mainstay treatment and only potentially
      curative option for gastric carcinoma, and is increasingly performed
      laparoscopically. Furthermore, other tumours and selected cases of non-malignant
      disorders of the stomach may require partial or total gastrectomy. Often
      performed in elderly patients, gastric resection remains a challenging procedure,
      with significant morbidity (14-43% complication rate) and non-negligible
      postoperative mortality (approximately 3%). This paper provides an overview of
      contemporary surgical techniques for non-bariatric gastric resection, reviews and
      illustrates the expected postoperative imaging appearances, common and unusual
      complications after partial and total gastrectomy. Albeit cumbersome or
      unfeasible in severely ill or uncooperative patients, contrast fluoroscopy
      remains useful to rapidly check for anastomotic patency and integrity. Currently,
      emphasis is placed on multidetector CT, which comprehensively visualizes the
      surgically altered anatomy and consistently detects complications such as
      anastomotic leaks and fistulas, duodenal stump leakage, afferent loop syndrome,
      haemorrhages, pancreatic fistulas and porto-mesenteric venous thrombosis. Our aim
      is to help radiologists become familiar with early postoperative imaging, in
      order to understand the surgically altered anatomy and to differentiate between
      expected imaging appearances and abnormal changes heralding iatrogenic
      complications, thus providing a consistent basis for correct choice between
      conservative, interventional or surgical treatment. TEACHING POINTS: * Radical
      gastrectomy is associated with frequent postoperative morbidity and non
      negligible mortality. * In cooperative patients fluoroscopy allows checking for
      anastomotic patency and leaks. * Multidetector CT with / without oral contrast
      comprehensively visualizes the operated abdomen. * Awareness of surgically
      altered anatomy and expected postoperative appearances is warranted. * Main
      complications include anastomotic and duodenal leaks, haemorrhages and pancreatic
      fistulas.

PMID- 28631149
TI  - Vigor of survival determinism: subtle evolutionary gradualism interspersed with
      robust phylogenetic leaping.
AB  - Discussions of the survival determinism concept have previously focused on its
      primary role in the evolution of early unicellular organisms in the light of
      findings which have been reported on a number of diseases. The rationale for such
      parallel was in the view according to which multicellular organisms could be
      regarded as sophisticated colonies of semi-autonomous, single-celled entities,
      whereby various diseases were described as conditions arising upon the activation
      of the respective survival mechanisms in a milieu unsuitable for such robust
      stress response. The cellular mechanisms that were discussed in these contexts
      have been known to play various roles in other biological processes. The proposed
      notion could thereby be further extended to discussion on mechanisms for the
      implementation of the respective survival pathways in the development of metazoa,
      considering that they would have been propagated in their evolution for so long.
      This manuscript first presents a concise overview of the model previously
      discussed, followed by the discussion on the role of respective mechanism(s) in
      origins and development of metazoa. Finally, a reflection on the concept in
      relation to the prominent evolutionary models is put forward to illustrate a
      broader context of what is being discussed.

PMID- 28631150
TI  - Low-dose subcutaneous ketamine for postoperative pain management in Rwanda: a
      dose-finding study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Good pain control is not a normal part of surgical care in sub-Saharan
      Africa due to lack of resources. The primary objective of this study was to
      determine an efficacious dose of subcutaneous ketamine for postoperative pain for
      use in a future randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Following research ethics
      board and local hospital approval for this research, we obtained informed consent
      from 31 patients undergoing major surgery for a random walk dose-finding study.
      In addition to standard postoperative care, participants received five doses of
      subcutaneous ketamine at scheduled intervals from arrival in the postanesthesia
      care unit (PACU) to postoperative day 2. Participants received 50 mg of ketamine
      (minimum 0.6 to maximum 1.1 mg.kg-1, based on different body weights) for the
      first and second dose, with subsequent doses adjusted by 10 mg according to pain
      and side effects. Pain scores were recorded at rest and with movement. RESULTS:
      The following mean (standard deviation [SD]) pain scores at rest and with
      movement were recorded on arrival in the PACU and on the afternoon of
      postoperative days 1 and 2: [at rest: 8.2 (1.5), 3.2 (1.8), and 0.7 (1.0),
      respectively; with movement: 9.4 (0.8), 5.1 (1.7), and 2.4 (1.1), respectively].
      This rate of improvement suggests possible pain relief through use of ketamine.
      The mean (SD) ketamine dose that appeared efficacious in pain reduction was 0.90
      (0.23) mg.kg-1. There were no serious side effects. CONCLUSION: Adding
      subcutaneous ketamine to standard analgesic measures resulted in decreases in
      postoperative pain scores without serious side effects. These data can be used to
      inform a randomized controlled trial to compare subcutaneous ketamine plus
      standard care with placebo plus standard care for reducing postoperative pain.

PMID- 28631151
TI  - Epidural blood patch treatment for headache caused by a ruptured Tarlov cyst.

PMID- 28631152
TI  - Ketamine: We need to continue to advocate against scheduling.

PMID- 28631153
TI  - Lung Cancer in the Oldest Old: A Nation-Wide Study in The Netherlands.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: An important step in improving research and care for the oldest
      patients with lung cancer is analyzing current data regarding diagnostic work-up,
      treatment choices, and survival. METHODS: We analyzed data on lung cancer from
      the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR-IKNL) regarding diagnostic work-up,
      treatment, and survival in different age categories; the oldest old (>=85 years
      of age) versus those aged 71-84 (elderly) and those aged <=70 years (younger
      patients). RESULTS: 47,951 patients were included in the 2010-2014 NCR database.
      2196 (5%) patients were aged >=85 years. Histological diagnosis was obtained
      significantly less often in the oldest old (38%, p < 0.001), and less standard
      treatment regimen was given (8%, p < 0.001) compared to elderly and younger
      patients. 67% of the oldest old received best supportive care only versus 38% of
      the elderly and 20% of the younger patients (p < 0.001). For the oldest old
      receiving standard treatment, survival rates were similar in comparison with the
      elderly patients. In the oldest old, no survival differences were found when
      comparing standard or adjusted regimens for stage I and IV NSCLC; for stage III,
      oldest old receiving standard treatment had longer survival. No oldest old
      patients with stage II received standard treatment. CONCLUSION: Clinicians make
      limited use of diagnostics and invasive treatment in the oldest old; however,
      selected oldest old patients experienced similar survival rates as the elderly
      when receiving some form of anticancer therapy (standard or adjusted). More
      research is needed to further develop individualized treatment algorithms.

PMID- 28631154
TI  - Soil-derived organic particles and their effects on the community of culturable
      microorganisms.
AB  - Soil microbial community interacts with a range of particulate material in the
      soil, consisting of both inorganic and organic compounds with different levels of
      water solubility. Though sparingly water-soluble and insoluble organic compounds
      in the soil may affect living organisms, they are difficult to introduce into
      microbiological media. Their biological activity (i.e., their effect on soil
      microorganisms) thus has been almost neglected in most of the cultivation assays.
      To fill this gap, we propose the use of fine organic particles prepared from soil
      organic matter that are introduced into a laboratory medium where microbial
      community is cultivated. To this purpose, submicrometer particles consisting of
      sparingly water-soluble or insoluble soil organic matter were obtained from humic
      horizons of two soils by precipitation of organics dissolved in tetrahydrofuran
      by addition of water. The particles could then be size fractionated by
      centrifugation, and coarse fraction obtained from humic horizon formed under
      spruce forest was tested for effects on complex microbial community developing
      under laboratory conditions. The results indicate that low concentration (20
      mg/L) of the particles is efficient to affect the composition of the bacterial
      community revealed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism. The work
      contributes to understanding the factors that determine the composition of soil
      microbial community.

PMID- 28631155
TI  - A simple and facile synthesis of tricyclic-fused pyrimido[4,5-b]indol-2-amines.
AB  - In the present investigation, a simple and facile synthetic strategy for the
      construction of a series of structurally interesting tricyclic-fused N-alkyl-9H
      pyrimido[4,5-b]indol-2-amines has been successfully achieved. Our synthesis,
      based on the annulation reaction between readily available 2-chloroindole-3
      carbaldehydes or 3-acetyl-2-chloroindoles and guanidine nitrate using KOH as the
      base in refluxing EtOH medium, has the attractive features such as mild and
      economical reaction conditions and easy handing with lesser impact on the
      environment.

PMID- 28631156
TI  - Diagnosis of secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia in congenital heart disease: a
      novel role for chest ultrasound and prognostic implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia is a complication of congenital
      heart disease that results from chronic pulmonary venous obstruction. OBJECTIVES:
      We aimed to evaluate the performance of chest ultrasound (US) in diagnosing
      secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia and to review the clinical course of
      children with secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest
      US was performed on 26 children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, total
      anomalous pulmonary venous connection or cor triatriatum in a prospective
      observational study. Thirteen children had pulmonary venous obstruction (62%
      male; median age: 17 days old, range: 1-430 days old) and 13 children did not
      have obstruction (62% male; median age: 72 days old, range: 4-333 days old). US
      features of secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia were documented and diagnostic
      performance was determined. Clinical course of patients with secondary pulmonary
      lymphangiectasia was reviewed. RESULTS: Eleven of 13 (84.6%) patients in the
      obstructed group had a clinical and/or biopsy diagnosis of secondary pulmonary
      lymphangiectasia. Statistically significant chest US criteria for diagnosis were
      presence of irregular lung surface (likelihood ratio [LR] 6.8, 95% confidence
      interval [CI] 1.9-25.1), subpleural cystic appearing structures (LR 3.6, 95% CI
      1.2-10.7), and combination of subpleural cystic appearing structures and surface
      irregularity together (LR 10.9, 95% CI 1.6-75.0). Seven of 11 (63.6%) patients
      with secondary pulmonary lymphangiectasia died during follow-up, the majority due
      to cardiopulmonary failure or complications. CONCLUSION: Chest US is an accurate
      and reproducible bedside method for diagnosing secondary pulmonary
      lymphangiectasia in patients with pulmonary venous obstruction. These patients
      may have worse prognoses.

PMID- 28631157
TI  - Performance characteristics of magnetic resonance imaging without contrast agents
      or sedation in pediatric appendicitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a promising modality
      for evaluating pediatric appendicitis. However optimal imaging protocols,
      including roles of contrast agents and sedation, have not been established and
      diagnostic criteria have not been fully evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate
      performance characteristics of rapid MRI without contrast agents or sedation in
      the diagnosis of pediatric appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included
      patients ages 4-18 years with suspicion of appendicitis who underwent rapid MRI
      between October 2013 and March 2015 without contrast agent or sedation. After two
      radiologist review, we determined performance characteristics of individual
      diagnostic criteria and aggregate diagnostic criteria by comparing MRI results to
      clinical outcomes. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to
      determine cut-points for appendiceal diameter and wall thickness for optimization
      of predictive power, and we calculated area under the curve (AUC) as a measure of
      test accuracy. RESULTS: Ninety-eight MRI examinations were performed in 97
      subjects. Overall, MRI had a 94% sensitivity, 95% specificity, 91% positive
      predictive value and 97% negative predictive value. Optimal cut-points for
      appendiceal diameter and wall thickness were >=7 mm and >=2 mm, respectively.
      Independently, those cut-points produced sensitivities of 91% and 84% and
      specificities of 84% and 43%. Presence of intraluminal fluid (30/33) or localized
      periappendiceal fluid (32/33) showed a significant association with acute
      appendicitis (P<0.01), with sensitivities of 91% and 97% and specificities of 60%
      and 50%. For examinations in which the appendix was not identified by one or both
      reviewers (23/98), the clinical outcome was negative. CONCLUSION: Rapid MRI
      without contrast agents or sedation is accurate for diagnosis of pediatric
      appendicitis when multiple diagnostic criteria are considered in aggregate.
      Individual diagnostic criteria including optimized cut-points of >=7 mm for
      diameter and >=2 mm for wall thickness demonstrate high sensitivities but
      relatively low specificities. Nonvisualization of the appendix favors a negative
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28631158
TI  - Rapid and reliable steroid hormone profiling in Tursiops truncatus blubber using
      liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
AB  - Monitoring of marine mammal steroid hormone status using matrices alternative to
      blood is desirable due to the ability to remotely collect samples, which
      minimizes stress to the animal. However, measurement techniques in alternative
      matrices such as blubber described to date are limited in the number and types of
      hormones measured. Therefore, a new method using bead homogenization to QuEChERS
      (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) extraction, C18 post extraction
      cleanup and analysis by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
      was developed and applied to the measurement of hormone suites in bottlenose
      dolphin blubber. Validations were conducted in blubber from fresh dead stranded
      bottlenose dolphin. The final method consisting of two LC separations and garnet
      bead homogenization was tested for extraction efficiencies. Steroids were
      separated using a biphenyl column for reproductive hormones and C18 column for
      corticosteroids. Three hormones previously noted in blubber, testosterone,
      progesterone, and cortisol, were quantified in addition to previously unmeasured
      androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 11-deoxycortisol, 11
      deoxycorticosterone, and cortisone in a single sample (0.4 g blubber). Extraction
      efficiencies of all hormones from blubber ranged from 84% to 112% and all RSDs
      were comparable to those reported using immunoassay methods (< 15%). The method
      was successfully applied to remote biopsied blubber samples to measure baseline
      hormone concentrations. Through this method, increased coverage of steroid
      hormone pathways from a single remotely collected sample potentially enhances the
      ability to interpret biological phenomena such as reproduction and stress in wild
      dolphin populations. Graphical abstract The steroid hormone profile is
      quantifiable from a single sample of bottlenose dolphin blubber using liquid
      chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. This profile can be applied to remotely
      collected dart biopsies and be used to determine reproductive or stress status of
      a wild-living dolphin.

PMID- 28631160
TI  - Role of imaging in the follow-up of T2-T3 glottic cancer treated by transoral
      laser microsurgery.
AB  - An unblinded retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was carried
      out on 138 patients affected by glottic pT2 and selected pT3 squamous cell
      carcinomas (SCC) treated by transoral laser microsurgery (TLM). The entire cohort
      was divided into two groups: Group A included 78 "high-risk" patients (pT2 with
      impaired vocal cord mobility, pT3 for anterior paraglottic and/or pre-epiglottic
      space invasion, presence of angioembolization, perineural spread, and positive
      lymph nodes in the neck) who underwent postoperative surveillance by endoscopy
      and imaging (CT or MR), while Group B included 60 "low-risk" patients (pT2 with
      absence of the above-mentioned features) who underwent endoscopic follow-up
      alone. Aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic gain in performing
      combined endoscopic and radiologic surveillance in the "high-risk" group compared
      to endoscopy alone in the "low-risk" one. There was no significant difference in
      terms of overall and disease-specific survivals between the two follow-up
      policies in spite of their different risk profiles. The same was true for organ
      preservation rate, which was 81% in the "high-risk" and 89% in the "low-risk"
      group. In contrast, the cumulative probability of disease-free survival was 54%
      for Group A and 65% for Group B (p = 0.0023). Therefore, our combined endoscopy
      and imaging surveillance protocol allowed increasing the submucosal recurrence
      detection rate in "high-risk" pT2-pT3 glottic SCC to 43%. An earlier detection of
      submucosal recurrences made salvage surgery by TLM feasible in at least half of
      cases, thus closing the gap between oncologic outcomes obtained in "high-"- vs.
      "low-risk" patients and leading to organ preservation rates that are favorably
      comparable to those obtained with open-neck partial laryngectomies and non
      surgical organ preservation protocols.

PMID- 28631159
TI  - Distinctive pathological and clinical features of lung carcinoids with high
      proliferation index.
AB  - Typical (TCs) and atypical carcinoids (ACs) are defined based on morphological
      criteria, and no grading system is currently accepted to further stratify these
      entities. The 2015 WHO classification restricts the Ki-67 role to biopsy or
      cytology samples, rather than for prognostic prediction. We aimed to investigate
      whether values and patterns of Ki-67 alone would allow for a clinically
      meaningful stratification of lung carcinoids, regardless of histological typing.
      Ki-67 proliferation index and pattern (homogeneous versus heterogeneous
      expression) were assessed in a cohort of 171 TCs and 68 ACs. Cases were
      subdivided into three Ki-67 ranges (<4/4-9/>=10%). Correlations with
      clinicopathological data, univariate and multivariate survival analyses were
      performed. The majority of cases (61.5%) belonged to the <4% Ki-67 range; 25.1
      and 13.4% had a proliferation index of 4-9% and >=10%, respectively. The <4% Ki
      67 subgroup was significantly enriched for TCs (83%, p < 0.0001); ACs were more
      frequent in the subgroup showing Ki-67 >= 10% (75%, p < 0.0001). A heterogeneous
      Ki-67 pattern was preferentially seen in carcinoids with a Ki-67 >=10% (38%, p <
      0.02). Mean Ki-67 values >=4 and >=10% identified categories of poor prognosis
      both in terms of disease-free and overall survival (p = 0.003 and <0.0001). At
      multivariate analysis, the two thresholds did not retain statistical
      significance; however, a Ki-67 >= 10% identified a subgroup of dismal prognosis
      even within ACs (p = 0.03) at univariate analysis. Here, we describe a subgroup
      of lung carcinoids showing brisk proliferation activity within the necrosis
      and/or mitotic count-based categories. These patients were associated with
      specific clinicopathological characteristics, to some extent regardless of
      histological subtyping.

PMID- 28631161
TI  - The role of eABR with intracochlear test electrode in decision making between
      cochlear and brainstem implants: preliminary results.
AB  - The objective of the study was to discuss the findings of intraoperative
      electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (eABR) test results with a
      recently designed intracochlear test electrode (ITE) in terms of their relation
      to decisions of cochlear or auditory brainstem implantation. This clinical study
      was conducted in Hacettepe University, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and
      Neck Surgery and Department of Audiology. Subjects were selected from inner ear
      malformation (IEM) database. Eleven subjects with profound sensorineural hearing
      loss were included in the current study with age range from 1 year 3 months to 4
      years 3 months for children with prelingual hearing loss. There was only one 42
      year-old post-lingual subject. eABR was recorded with an ITE and intraoperatively
      with an original cochlear implant (CI) electrode in 11 cases with different IEMs.
      Findings of eABR with ITE and their relation to the decision for CI or auditory
      brainstem implant (ABI) are discussed. Positive eABR test results were found to
      be dependent on close to normal cochlear structures and auditory nerve. The
      probability of positive result decreases with increasing degree of malformation
      severity. The prediction value of eABR via ITE on decision for hearing
      restoration was found to be questionable in this study. The results of eABR with
      ITE have predictive value on what we will get with the actual CI electrode. ITE
      appears to stimulate the cochlea like an actual CI. If the eABR is positive, the
      results are reliable. However, if eABR is negative, the results should be
      evaluated with preoperative audiological testing and MRI findings.

PMID- 28631162
TI  - Core curriculum case illustration: blunt traumatic thoracic aortic pseudo
      aneurysm.
AB  - Core Curriculum Illustration: [blunt thoracic aortic pseudo aneurysm]. This is
      the [40th] installment of a series that will highlight one case per publication
      issue from the bank of cases available online as part of the American Society of
      Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to generate more
      interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases online, please
      visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for Study online at:
      http://www.aseronline.org/curriculum/toc.html.

PMID- 28631163
TI  - Evaluation of Streck BCT and PAXgene Stabilised Blood Collection Tubes for Cell
      Free Circulating DNA Studies in Plasma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Blood samples for studies of circulating DNA in disease are often
      collected in clinical settings where prompt processing of samples is not
      possible. In order to avoid problems associated with leukocyte lysis after
      prolonged blood storage, stabilised blood tubes have been developed containing
      preservatives that prevent cell lysis. We evaluated Streck BCT tubes and PAXgene
      ccfDNA tubes, as well as standard EDTA blood collection tubes, in terms of DNA
      yield and fragment size. METHODS: Blood was collected in EDTA, Streck BCT or
      PAXgene ccfDNA tubes and stored for 1 h at 4  degrees C, or 4 days at room
      temperature. DNA was extracted using the QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acids kit,
      and visualised on an agarose gel or quantitated by qPCR. Ratios of a 247-base and
      a 115-base amplicon of the Alu repetitive element were used to infer size
      distribution. RESULTS: While plasma DNA in EDTA tube blood samples increased by
      ~10- to 20-fold after 4 days of storage at room temperature, both Streck BCT
      tubes and PAXgene ccfDNA tubes maintained stable plasma DNA concentrations. A
      slight decrease in DNA yield following 1 h of blood storage at 4  degrees C was
      observed in Streck BCT and PAXgene ccfDNA tubes relative to EDTA tubes. This
      decrease was reversed by increasing the proteinase digest step of the DNA
      extraction protocol to 60 min, as recommended by Streck tube product literature.
      Visualisation of the extracted DNA on an agarose gel showed that after 4 days of
      room temperature storage, samples collected in EDTA tubes contained abundant high
      molecular weight DNA, which was partially fragmented in a ladder pattern. A
      slight increase in high-molecular weight DNA in samples stored for 4 days at room
      temperature in Streck BCT tubes was also observed, but this was not reflected in
      a change in large and small Alu fragment ratios as measured by qPCR. CONCLUSIONS:
      Tubes containing preservative to prevent cell lysis can extend the scope for
      blood collection in clinical settings; however, slight differences between
      samples collected in different tube types underscore the requirement for
      standardised protocols, as well as attention to sample handling.

PMID- 28631164
TI  - Studies on vertical transmission of Trichinella spiralis in experimentally
      infected guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus).
AB  - An experimental study to enhance knowledge on the capability of Trichenella
      spiralis to pass from guinea pigs to progeny at different periods of pregnancy or
      lactation was performed. For this purpose, 18 female adult guinea pigs were
      inoculated with 100 or 1000 T. spiralis muscle larvae (ML) during early, late
      gestation and during lactation period. The presence of T. spiralis (ML) in
      mothers and newborns was studied through enzymatic digestion from muscle samples.
      ML were observed in 9 of 42 newborn guinea pigs and levels of infection were
      significantly higher when infections of mothers were done during late gestation
      (p = 0.0046) with the high infective dose (p = 0.0043). T. spiralis ML were not
      recovered from any of the newborns from mothers infected in the lactation period.
      Ten out of 18 infected mothers presented larvae 1 in their mammary glands. Muscle
      samples from the tongue and the masseter showed the highest larval burdens. These
      observations confirm previous reports on that ML of T. spiralis are capable to
      pass through placental tissues to reach and encyst in striated muscle groups of
      newborn guinea pigs. This study may also reinforce the importance of preventive
      programs to control trichinellosis in those endemic areas where pregnant women
      would have high risk of infection.

PMID- 28631165
TI  - Thoracic Aneurysms and Dissections: Towards a Further and Better Knowledge.

PMID- 28631166
TI  - Morphology and the gradient of a symmetric potential predict gait transitions of
      dogs.
AB  - Gaits and gait transitions play a central role in the movement of animals.
      Symmetry is thought to govern the structure of the nervous system, and constrain
      the limb motions of quadrupeds. We quantify the symmetry of dog gaits with
      respect to combinations of bilateral, fore-aft, and spatio-temporal symmetry
      groups. We tested the ability of symmetries to model motion capture data of dogs
      walking, trotting and transitioning between those gaits. Fully symmetric models
      performed comparably to asymmetric with only a [Formula: see text] increase in
      the residual sum of squares and only one-quarter of the parameters. This required
      adding a spatio-temporal shift representing a lag between fore and hind limbs.
      Without this shift, the symmetric model residual sum of squares was [Formula: see
      text] larger. This shift is related to (linear regression, [Formula: see text],
      [Formula: see text]) dog morphology. That this symmetry is respected throughout
      the gaits and transitions indicates that it generalizes outside a single gait. We
      propose that relative phasing of limb motions can be described by an interaction
      potential with a symmetric structure. This approach can be extended to the study
      of interaction of neurodynamic and kinematic variables, providing a system-level
      model that couples neuronal central pattern generator networks and mechanical
      models.

PMID- 28631167
TI  - Copper and ectopic expression of the Arabidopsis transport protein COPT1 alter
      iron homeostasis in rice (Oryza sativa L.).
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: Copper deficiency and excess differentially affect iron homeostasis
      in rice and overexpression of the Arabidopsis high-affinity copper transporter
      COPT1 slightly increases endogenous iron concentration in rice grains. Higher
      plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to efficiently acquire and use
      micronutrients such as copper and iron. However, the molecular mechanisms
      underlying the interaction between both metals remain poorly understood. In the
      present work, we study the effects produced on iron homeostasis by a wide range
      of copper concentrations in the growth media and by altered copper transport in
      Oryza sativa plants. Gene expression profiles in rice seedlings grown under
      copper excess show an altered expression of genes involved in iron homeostasis
      compared to standard control conditions. Thus, ferritin OsFER2 and ferredoxin
      OsFd1 mRNAs are down-regulated whereas the transcriptional iron regulator OsIRO2
      and the nicotianamine synthase OsNAS2 mRNAs rise under copper excess. As
      expected, the expression of OsCOPT1, which encodes a high-affinity copper
      transport protein, as well as other copper-deficiency markers are down-regulated
      by copper. Furthermore, we show that Arabidopsis COPT1 overexpression (C1 OE ) in
      rice causes root shortening in high copper conditions and under iron deficiency.
      C1 OE rice plants modify the expression of the putative iron-sensing factors
      OsHRZ1 and OsHRZ2 and enhance the expression of OsIRO2 under copper excess, which
      suggests a role of copper transport in iron signaling. Importantly, the C1 OE
      rice plants grown on soil contain higher endogenous iron concentration than wild
      type plants in both brown and white grains. Collectively, these results highlight
      the effects of rice copper status on iron homeostasis, which should be considered
      to obtain crops with optimized nutrient concentrations in edible parts.

PMID- 28631169
TI  - Zika virus infection in Vietnam: current epidemic, strain origin, spreading risk,
      and perspective.
AB  - Zika virus infection and its associated microcephaly have being receiving global
      concern. This infection has spread widely since the first outbreak was recorded
      in Africa in 1952. Now, it has been reported in over 70 countries on five
      continents including Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Europe. Vietnam
      is one of the most recent countries which had cases of Zika virus infection at
      the end of 2016. This country has also reported the first case of a microcephaly
      born baby which was probably linked to Zika virus infection. However, information
      on the Zika virus epidemic in Vietnam is still limited. This brief report intends
      to update the current Zika virus epidemic, and to discuss challenges and
      perspectives in controlling this infection in Vietnam.

PMID- 28631168
TI  - The function of OsbHLH068 is partially redundant with its homolog, AtbHLH112, in
      the regulation of the salt stress response but has opposite functions to control
      flowering in Arabidopsis.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: The homologous genes OsbHLH068 and AtbHLH112 have partially
      redundant functions in the regulation of the salt stress response but opposite
      functions to control flowering in Arabidopsis. The transcription factor (TF)
      basic/Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) is important for plant growth, development, and
      stress responses. OsbHLH068, which is a homologous gene of AtbHLH112 that is up
      regulated under drought and salt stresses, as indicated by previous microarray
      data analysis. However, the intrinsic function of OsbHLH068 remains unknown. In
      the present study, we characterized the function and compared the role of
      OsbHLH068 with that of its homolog, AtbHLH112. Histochemical GUS staining
      indicated that OsbHLH068 and AtbHLH112 share a similar expression pattern in
      transgenic Arabidopsis during the juvenile-to-adult phase transition.
      Heterologous overexpression of OsbHLH068 in Arabidopsis delays seed germination,
      decreases salt-induced H2O2 accumulation, and promotes root elongation, whereas
      AtbHLH112 knock-out mutant displays an opposite phenotype. Both OsbHLH068
      overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings and the Atbhlh112 mutant display
      a late-flowering phenotype. Moreover, the expression of OsbHLH068-GFP driven by
      an AtbHLH112 promoter can compensate for the germination deficiency in the
      Atbhlh112 mutant, but the delayed-flowering phenotype tends to be more severe.
      Further analysis by microarray and qPCR indicated that the expression of FT is
      down-regulated in both OsbHLH068-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants and Atbhlh112
      mutant plants, whereas SOC1 but not FT is highly expressed in AtbHLH112
      overexpressing Arabidopsis plants. A comparative transcriptomic analysis also
      showed that several stress-responsive genes, such as AtERF15 and AtPUB23, were
      affected in both OsbHLH068- and AtbHLH112-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis
      plants. Thus, we propose that OsbHLH068 and AtbHLH112 share partially redundant
      functions in the regulation of abiotic stress responses but have opposite
      functions to control flowering in Arabidopsis, presumably due to the evolutionary
      functional divergence of homolog-encoded proteins.

PMID- 28631170
TI  - Development of a peptide ELISA to discriminate vaccine-induced immunity from
      natural infection of hepatitis A virus in a phase IV study.
AB  - Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a highly infectious agent that causes acute liver
      disease. The infection can trigger the production of antibodies against the
      structural and non-structural proteins of HAV. Nonetheless, vaccination with an
      HAV vaccine leads to the production of a primary antibody against the structural
      proteins. Because the non-structural proteins are only produced during active
      virus replication, there is no or very little antibody production against the non
      structural proteins. However, the current commercial immunoassay cannot
      distinguish between antibodies produced during natural infection and those from
      vaccination against HAV. In our study, six immune-dominant epitopes from the non
      structural proteins were designed, synthesized, linked together and cloned into
      pGEX-5X-1 plasmid. The recombinant protein was expressed in E. coli and purified
      by Ni2+-coated magnetic agarose beads. Then the purified recombinant protein was
      used as an ELISA antigen to detect antibodies for HAV non-structural proteins in
      serum samples. Seventy-seven attenuated and 89 inactivated vaccinated samples
      collected from our previous phase IV study of HAV vaccines were detected by
      peptide ELISA developed in this study. The mean OD450 value for the vaccination
      samples and acute infection samples were 0.529 (0.486 for the attenuated group
      and 0.567 for the inactivated group) and 1.187, respectively. According to the
      receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the sensitivity and specificity of
      the peptide ELISA were 93.80% and 91.00%, respectively. This peptide ELISA was
      confirmed to discriminate vaccine-induced immunity from natural infection of HAV
      in a phase IV study with high sensitivity and specificity.

PMID- 28631171
TI  - Qualitative Assessment of Vaccination Hesitancy Among Members of the Apostolic
      Church of Zimbabwe: A Case Study.
AB  - Vaccine hesitancy or lack of confidence in vaccines is considered a threat to the
      success of vaccination programs. The rise and spread of measles outbreaks in
      southern Africa in 2009-2010 were linked to objections among Apostolic Church
      members, estimated at about 3.5 million in Zimbabwe as of 2014. To inform
      planning of interventions for a measles-rubella vaccination campaign, we
      conducted an assessment of the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy using
      data from various stakeholders. Among nine districts in three regions of
      Zimbabwe, we collected data on religious attitudes toward, and perceptions of,
      vaccines through focus group discussions with health workers serving Apostolic
      communities and members of the National Expanded Programme on Immunization; semi
      structured interviews with religious leaders; and open-ended questions in
      structured interviews with Apostolic parents/caregivers. Poor knowledge of
      vaccines, lack of understanding and appreciation of the effectiveness of
      vaccinations, religious teachings that emphasize prayers over the use of
      medicine, lack of privacy in a religiously controlled community, and low levels
      of education were found to be the main factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy
      among key community members and leaders. Accepting vaccination in public is a
      risk of sanctions. Poor knowledge of vaccines is a major factor of hesitancy
      which is reinforced by religious teachings on the power of prayers as
      alternatives. Because parents/caregivers perceive vaccines as dangerous for their
      children and believe they can cause death or disease, members of the Apostolic
      Church have more confidence in alternative methods such as use of holy water and
      prayers to treat diseases. Under these circumstances, it is important to debunk
      the myths about the power of holy water on the one hand and disseminate positive
      information of the efficacy of vaccines on the other hand in order to reduce
      hesitancy. Education about vaccines and vaccination in conjunction with
      government intervention, for example, through the use of social distancing
      policies can provide a framework for reducing hesitancy and increasing demand for
      vaccination.

PMID- 28631172
TI  - Glutamine: a major player in nitrogen catabolite repression in the yeast Dekkera
      bruxellensis.
AB  - In the present work we studied the expression of genes from nitrogen central
      metabolism in the yeast Dekkera bruxellensis and under regulation by the Nitrogen
      Catabolite Repression mechanism (NCR). These analyses could shed some light on
      the biological mechanisms involved in the adaptation and survival of this yeast
      in the sugarcane fermentation process for ethanol production. Nitrogen sources (N
      sources) in the form of ammonium, nitrate, glutamate or glutamine were
      investigated with or without the addition of methionine sulfoximine, which
      inhibits the activity of the enzyme glutamine synthetase and releases cells from
      NCR. The results showed that glutamine might act as an intracellular sensor for
      nitrogen availability in D. bruxellensis, by activating NCR. Gene expression
      analyses indicated the existence of two different GATA-dependent NCR pathways,
      identified as glutamine-dependent and glutamine-independent mechanisms. Moreover,
      nitrate is sensed as a non-preferential N-source and releases NCR to its higher
      level. After grouping genes according to their regulation pattern, we showed that
      genes for ammonium assimilation represent a regulon with almost constitutive
      expression, while permease encoding genes are mostly affected by the nitrogen
      sensor mechanism. On the other hand, nitrate assimilation genes constitute a
      regulon that is primarily subjected to induction by nitrate and, to a lesser
      extent, to a repressive mechanism by preferential N-sources. This observation
      explains our previous reports showing that nitrate is co-consumed with ammonium,
      a trait that enables D. bruxellensis cells to scavenge limiting N-sources in the
      industrial substrate and, therefore, to compete with Saccharomyces cerevisiae in
      this environment.

PMID- 28631173
TI  - Three New Soil-inhabiting Species of Trichoderma in the Stromaticum Clade with
      Test of Their Antagonism to Pathogens.
AB  - Trichoderma is a dominant component of the soil mycoflora. During the field
      investigations of northern, central, and southwestern China, three new species in
      the Stromaticum clade were encountered from soil, and named as T. hebeiense, T.
      sichuanense, and T. verticillatum. Their phylogenetic positions were determined
      by analyses of the combined two genes: partial sequences of translation
      elongation factor 1-alpha and the second largest RNA polymerase subunit-encoding
      genes. Distinctions between the new species and their close relatives were
      discussed. Trichoderma hebeiense appeared as a separate terminal branch. The
      species is distinctive by its oblong conidia and aggregated pustules in culture.
      Trichoderma sichuanense features in concentric colony and produces numerous clean
      exudates on aerial mycelium in culture. Trichoderma verticillatum is
      characterized by its verticillium-like synanamorph and production of abundant
      chlamydospores. In vitro antagonism towards the new species was tested by dual
      culture technique.

PMID- 28631174
TI  - Studies of the Interaction of Influenza Virus RNA Polymerase PAN with
      Endonuclease Inhibitors.
AB  - Influenza virus is a major causative agent of respiratory viral infections, and
      RNA polymerase catalyzes its replication and transcription activities in infected
      cell nuclei. Since it is highly conserved in all virus strains, RNA polymerase
      becomes a key target of anti-influenza virus agents. Although experimental
      studies have revealed the good inhibitory activity of endonuclease inhibitors to
      RNA polymerase, the mechanism is still unclear. In this study, the docking and
      molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to explore the interaction of
      three kinds of endonuclease inhibitors with the subunit (PAN) of RNA polymerase.
      Our calculations indicate that all these endonuclease inhibitors can bind to the
      binding pocket of PAN, in which the electronegative oxygen atoms of the
      inhibitors form a chelated structure with the two Mn2+ cations of the active
      center. The most important interaction between these inhibitors and PAN is
      electrostatic interaction. The electron density of the chelate oxygen atoms
      determines the magnitude of the electrostatic energy, and the chelated structure
      and orientation of inhibitors depend largely on the distance between the chelate
      oxygen atoms.

PMID- 28631176
TI  - Familial predisposition of myeloid malignancies: biological and clinical
      significance of recurrent germ line mutations.

PMID- 28631175
TI  - Orthodontic force application upregulated pain-associated prostaglandin-I2/PGI2
      receptor/TRPV1 pathway-related gene expression in rat molars.
AB  - This study aimed to analyze the mRNA expression and protein localization of
      prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) synthase (PGIS), the PGI2 receptor (IP receptor) and
      transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1 (TRPV1) in
      force-stimulated rat molars, toward the elucidation of the PGI2-IP receptor-TRPV1
      pathway that is in operation in the pulp and possibly associated with orthodontic
      pain and inflammation. Experimental force was applied to the maxillary first and
      second molars by inserting an elastic band between them for 6-72 h. PGIS, PTGIR
      (the IP receptor gene), and TRPV1 mRNA levels in the coronal pulp were analyzed
      with real-time PCR. PGIS, IP receptor, and TRPV1 proteins were immunostained. The
      force stimulation induced significant upregulation of PGIS at 6-24 h, and PTGIR
      and TRPV1 at 6 and 12 h in the pulp. PGIS was immunolocalized in odontoblasts and
      some fibroblasts in the force-stimulated pulp. The IP receptor and TRPV1
      immunoreactivities were detected on odontoblasts and some nerve fibers. It was
      concluded that PGIS, PTGIR, and TRPV1 in rat molar pulp were significantly
      upregulated shortly after the force application, and that the IP receptor was co
      expressed on TRPV1-expressing nerves and odontoblasts. These findings suggest
      that the PGI2-IP receptor-TRPV1 pathway is associated with the acute phase of
      force-induced pulp changes involving odontoblasts and nerves.

PMID- 28631177
TI  - TRAIL in CD8+ T cells from patients with severe aplastic anemia.
AB  - Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is an autoimmune disease caused mainly by activated
      T lymphocytes. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is
      a member of TNF family, which can induce apoptosis and play a significant role in
      the pathogenesis of many autoimmune disorders. In this study, we sought to
      investigate the role of TRAIL in peripheral CD8+ T cells (CTLs) from SAA patients
      to clarify the autoimmune mechanisms of bone marrow failure in SAA. The
      expression of TRAIL and TRAIL-R2 in CTLs from SAA patients and normal controls
      were determined by flow cytometry, real-time PCR, and western blot. Expression of
      perforin and granzyme B and apoptosis in CTLs were evaluated by flow cytometry.
      The expression of TRAIL and TRAIL-R2 in SAA patients was significantly decreased
      compared with controls; however, there was no statistical difference in TRAIL
      mRNA expression between the two groups. TRAIL expression in CTLs was negatively
      correlated with the expression of perforin and granzyme B, and negatively
      correlated with CTLs apoptosis in SAA patients. The TRAIL pathway may be
      responsible for abnormal CTL activation in SAA patients. Further study of TRAIL
      and its receptors may elucidate the pathogenesis of SAA.

PMID- 28631179
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetics of Volasertib Administered in Patients with Acute
      Myeloid Leukaemia as a Single Agent or in Combination with Cytarabine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Volasertib, a potent and selective polo-like kinase inhibitor, has
      shown to increase response rates and improve survival with a clinically
      manageable safety profile, administered alone and in combination with cytarabine
      in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this
      analysis were to describe the pharmacokinetics of volasertib and cytarabine,
      administered as single agents or in combination. METHODS: Three thousand, six
      hundred and six plasma volasertib concentrations from 501 patients receiving
      either volasertib alone, or in combination with cytarabine, and 826 plasma
      cytarabine concentrations from 650 patients receiving cytarabine as multiple
      subcutaneous injections per cycle either alone, or in combination with
      volasertib, were analysed using NONMEM Version 7.3. Covariates evaluated included
      demographic and disease-related parameters. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetics of
      volasertib were found to be dose independent from 150 to 550 mg. Body surface
      area and ethnicity showed significant effects in all the patients. This is
      reflected as an increase in drug exposure for Japanese patients, although this
      finding has to be interpreted with caution because only 7% of patients were part
      of that population group. Volasertib showed low-to-mild inter-individual
      variability in total clearance. For the case of cytarabine, its pharmacokinetics
      was affected by body surface area. Finally, volasertib and cytarabine did not
      influence the pharmacokinetic characteristics of each other. CONCLUSIONS: The
      pharmacokinetics of volasertib in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia alone or
      in combination with cytarabine is predictable and associated with low-to-mild
      patient variability with the exception of the high variability associated with
      the volume of distribution of the central compartment, having no effect on the
      area under the plasma concentration-time curve.

PMID- 28631178
TI  - Recent insights into the molecular basis of Fanconi anemia: genes, modifiers, and
      drivers.
AB  - Fanconi anemia (FA), the most common form of inherited bone marrow failure,
      predisposes to leukemia and solid tumors. FA is caused by the genetic disruption
      of a cellular pathway that repairs DNA interstrand crosslinks. The impaired
      function of this pathway, and the genetic instability that results, is considered
      the main pathogenic mechanism behind this disease. The identification of breast
      cancer susceptibility genes (for example, BRCA1/FANCS and BRCA2/FANCD1) as being
      major players in the FA pathway has led to a surge in molecular studies,
      resulting in the concept of the FA-BRCA pathway. In this review, we discuss
      recent advances in the molecular pathogenesis of FA from three viewpoints: (a)
      new FA genes, (b) modifier pathways that influence the cellular and clinical
      phenotypes of FA and (c) non-canonical functions of FA genes that may drive
      disease progression independently of deficient DNA repair. Potential therapeutic
      approaches for FA that are relevant to each will also be proposed.

PMID- 28631180
TI  - Microvascular changes after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling:
      an optical coherence tomography angiography study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate superficial capillary plexus (SCP) changes occurring after
      internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for the treatment of idiopathic
      epiretinal membrane (ERM). METHODS: A total of 15 eyes of 15 patients affected by
      idiopathic ERM (eight males and seven females; mean age 59.8 +/- 9.6 years) were
      enrolled in the study. Patients were treated with pars plana vitrectomy followed
      by ERM and ILM peeling. Subjects were evaluated at baseline and at the week-1 and
      month-1 follow-up visits. At each visit, patients were evaluated with a complete
      ophthalmologic evaluation, which included imaging with optical coherence
      tomography angiography. RESULTS: Overall, the SCP vessel density was 43.0 +/-
      3.0% at baseline and was stable throughout the follow-up (40.0 +/- 4.0% at week-1
      and 41.0 +/- 4.0% at month-1 follow-up visits; p = 0.087 and p = 0.426,
      respectively). Nevertheless, the SCP vessel density was reduced at week-1 visit
      in both the superior and inferior sectors. In these sectors, the superficial
      vessel density was still reduced at the month-1 follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS: We
      observed a reduction in the SCP vessel density occurring after pars plana
      vitrectomy with ILM peeling. The reduction is referred to those areas where other
      changes (e.g., swelling of the arcuate nerve fiber layer) have been already
      described. In theory, superficial vessel density modifications may be due to the
      direct surgical trauma to the inner retina, where the superficial plexus is
      contained, during the ILM grasping.

PMID- 28631181
TI  - Glaucoma awareness amongst glaucoma patients seeking a second opinion.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess level of glaucoma awareness amongst
      glaucoma patients by studying characteristics amongst urban and rural glaucoma
      populations in North India. METHODS: A questionnaire was designed and
      administered after appropriate validation amongst patients to identify
      determinants of glaucoma awareness. Trained personnel delivered the 11 questions
      to 1506 patients, aged 18 and above through random sampling. The questionnaire
      evaluated source of awareness, education, gender, location and age on the level
      of awareness of glaucoma. The outcomes were assessed based on patient's
      responses. RESULTS: Age and education essay a significant role in glaucoma
      awareness. Awareness levels increased with the level of education significantly
      in both rural and urban settings (P value <0.001). Patients from lower
      educational backgrounds were significantly more likely to share their condition
      with their spouse compared to those with higher education (P value <0.001).
      Compared to the middle aged and elderly, young adults were less aware that
      glaucoma could run in families (P value <0.015). CONCLUSIONS: There is a
      significant gap in the knowledge about glaucoma and its risks in both urban and
      rural set-ups in Northern India necessitating active steps to spread awareness
      regarding glaucoma and its relation with blindness.

PMID- 28631182
TI  - Association between the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase gene Ser326Cys polymorphism
      and age-related cataract: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase
      (OGG1) gene Ser326Cys (rs1052133) polymorphism and age-related cataract (ARC).
      METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched to identify potential studies published
      before May 19, 2017, investigating the association between the OGG1 gene
      Ser326Cys polymorphism and ARC risk. The quality of eligible studies was assessed
      using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tool. The association between the OGG1 gene
      Ser326Cys polymorphism and ARC was analyzed using meta-analysis. Publication bias
      and sensitivity analyses were also performed. RESULTS: Six studies were included
      in this systematic review, and five of these studies with Hardy-Weinberg
      equilibrium were included in a meta-analysis. The sample size of the meta
      analysis was 3716, including 1831 patients with cataract and 1885 controls. Odds
      ratios (ORs) were 0.67 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-0.85), 0.90 (95% CI
      0.54-1.51), 0.52 (95% CI 0.32-0.85) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.56-0.92) for recessive,
      dominant, additive and allele contrast models, respectively. Sensitivity analysis
      indicated that the results of the meta-analysis were robust. No publication bias
      was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The OGG1 gene Ser326Cys polymorphism was associated
      with ARC risk.

PMID- 28631183
TI  - Comprehension of Idioms in Turkish Aphasic Participants.
AB  - Brain damaged participants offer an opportunity to evaluate the cognitive and
      linguistic processes and make assumptions about how the brain works. Cognitive
      linguists have been investigating the underlying mechanisms of idiom
      comprehension to unravel the ongoing debate on hemispheric specialization in
      figurative language comprehension. The aim of this study is to evaluate and
      compare the comprehension of idiomatic expressions in left brain damaged (LBD)
      aphasic, right brain damaged (RBD) and healthy control participants. Idiom
      comprehension in eleven LBD aphasic participants, ten RBD participants and eleven
      healthy control participants were assessed with three tasks: String to Picture
      Matching Task, Literal Sentence Comprehension Task and Oral Idiom Definition
      Task. The results of the tasks showed that in overall idiom comprehension
      category, the left brain-damaged aphasic participants interpret idioms more
      literally compared to right brain-damaged participants. What is more, there is a
      significant difference in opaque idiom comprehension implying that left brain
      damaged aphasic participants perform worse compared to right brain-damaged
      participants. On the other hand, there is no statistically significant difference
      in scores of transparent idiom comprehension between the left brain-damaged
      aphasic and right brain-damaged participants. This result also contribute to the
      idea that while figurative processing system is damaged in LBD aphasics, the
      literal comprehension mechanism is spared to some extent. The results of this
      study support the view that idiom comprehension sites are mainly left
      lateralized. Furthermore, the results of this study are in consistence with the
      Giora's Graded Salience Hypothesis.

PMID- 28631184
TI  - Willingness to Communicate Orally: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners.
AB  - This study sets out to develop a questionnaire on willingness to communicate
      (WTC) orally specific to English as a Foreign Language setting. It also aims to
      investigate the effect of three independent variables of interlocutor, age and
      gender on the same construct of WTC orally. Exploratory factor analysis resulted
      in three dimensions to WTC, namely WTC with teacher, with classmate, and
      stranger. Also Cronbach's alpha of .86 indicated a high internal consistency.
      Mixed between-within subjects analysis of variance was used to assess the impact
      of interlocutors, age and gender on participants' WTC across the three WTC
      subscale scores. The results showed no interaction effect between any of pairs of
      variables but the main effect of interlocutor on WTC orally. The results are
      discussed in the context of language teaching and some pedagogical implications
      are suggested.

PMID- 28631185
TI  - The increased expression of follicle-stimulating hormone leads to a decrease of
      fecundity in transgenic Large White female pigs.
AB  - Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a pituitary gonadotropin regulating
      reproduction in mammals. Overexpression of the exogenous FSHalpha/beta genes from
      Chinese Erhualian pigs improved female fecundity of transgenic (TG) mice and male
      spermatogenesis ability of Large White TG boars. Here, we investigated the impact
      of the exogenous FSHalpha/beta genes on female reproductive performance of Large
      White TG pigs. First, we identified the integration site of the exogenous
      FSHalpha/beta genes at 140,646,456 bp on chromosome 9 in these TG pigs using
      whole-genome sequencing. Then, we showed that TG gilts had higher levels of serum
      FSH and FSHbeta protein in pituitary while had a potentially lower number of born
      piglets than their wild-type half sibs. TG gilts grew healthily and normally
      without significant difference in growth and health parameters as compared to WT
      gilts. The expression levels of FSHR, LHR, ESR1 and ESR2 were significantly lower
      in TG gilts than in WT gilts at the age of 300 days. Taken together, we proposed
      that the overexpressed FSHalpha/beta transgenes could cause deteriorate fecundity
      via disturbing the normal expression of the endogenous reproduction-related genes
      in female pigs. Our findings provide insight into the effect of overexpression of
      FSHalpha/beta on female reproduction performance in pigs.

PMID- 28631186
TI  - Association between epidermal growth factor receptor amplification and ADP
      ribosylation factor 1 methylation in human glioblastoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Glioblastoma (GB) is the most frequent and most malignant primary brain
      tumor in adults. Previously, it has been found that both genetic and epigenetic
      factors may play critical roles in its etiology and prognosis. In addition, it
      has been found that the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR) is
      frequently over-expressed and amplified in primary GBs. Here, we assessed the
      promoter methylation status of 10 genes relevant to GB and explored associations
      between these findings and the EGFR gene amplification status. METHODS: Tumor
      samples were obtained from 36 patients with primary GBs. In addition, 6 control
      specimens were included from patients who were operated for diseases other than
      brain tumors. The amplification status of the EGFR gene, and its deletion mutant
      EGFRvIII, were evaluated using FISH and MLPA, respectively. The IDH1/2 gene
      mutation status was verified using Sanger sequencing. A commercial DNA
      methylation kit was used to assess the promoter methylation status of 10 pre
      selected genes. Metabolic profiles were measured using HR-MAS NMR spectroscopy.
      The EGFR and ARF1 mRNA expression levels were quantified using qRT-PCR. RESULTS:
      Of the 10 genes analyzed, we found that only ARF1 promoter hypermethylation was
      significantly associated with EGFR gene amplification. ARF1 is a GTPase that is
      involved in vesicle trafficking and the Golgi apparatus. Subsequent tumor
      metabolism measurements revealed a positive association between EGFR
      amplification and different membrane precursors and methyl-donor metabolites.
      Finally, we found that EGFR gene amplifications were associated with distinct
      tumor infiltration patterns, thus representing a putative novel functional
      association between EGFR gene amplification and ARF1 gene promoter methylation in
      GB. CONCLUSIONS: The results reported here provide a basis for a new hypotheses
      connecting EGFR gene amplification in GB cells with ARF1 gene promoter
      methylation, vesicle trafficking, membrane turnover and tumor metabolism. The
      mechanism(s) underlying these connections and their functional consequences
      remain to be established.

PMID- 28631187
TI  - Serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) as novel downstream effector of
      the cadherin-17/beta-catenin axis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver
      cancer worldwide. Previously, we reported that cadherin-17 (CDH17) and its
      related CDH17/beta-catenin axis may be responsible for inducing HCC in a subset
      of patients exhibiting CDH17 over-expression. Here we aimed at obtaining a better
      understanding of the CDH17-related HCC biology and to obtain further indications
      for the design of targeted therapies in CDH17 over-expressing HCC patients.
      RESULTS: We found that SPINK1 acts as a downstream effector of the CDH17/beta
      catenin axis in HCC. In addition, we found that SPINK1 expression exhibited a
      positive correlation with CDH17 expression in human HCCs and was over-expressed
      in up to 70% of the tumors. We identified SPINK1 as a downstream effector of the
      CDH17/beta-catenin axis using a spectrum of in vitro assays, including gene
      expression modulation and inhibitor assays, bioinformatics analyses and
      luciferase reporter assays. These in vitro results were validated in primary
      human HCCs, including the observation that alteration in beta-catenin expression
      (a core component of the CDH17/beta-catenin axis) in tumors affects SPINK1 serum
      levels in HCC patients. Similar to CDH17, SPINK1 expression in HCC cells was
      found to be associated with specific tumor-related properties via activating the
      c-Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our current data substantiate our knowledge
      on the role of CDH17 in the biology of HCC and suggest that components of the
      CDH17/beta-catenin axis may serve as therapeutic targets in CDH17 over-expressing
      HCC patients.

PMID- 28631188
TI  - Role of CLU, PICALM, and TNK1 Genotypes in Aging With and Without Alzheimer's
      Disease.
AB  - Healthy and impaired cognitive aging may be associated to different prevalences
      of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In a multicenter case-control
      association study, we studied the SNPs rs11136000 (clusterin, CLU), rs541458
      (phosphatidylinositol binding clatrin assembly protein, PICALM), and rs1554948
      (transcription factor A, and tyrosine kinase, non-receptor, 1, TNK1) according to
      the three age groups 50-65 years (group 1), 66-80 years (group 2), and 80+ years
      (group 3) in 569 older subjects without cognitive impairment (NoCI) and 520
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. In NoCI subjects, a regression analysis
      suggested a relationship between age and TNK1 genotypes, with the TNK1-A/A
      genotype frequency that increased with higher age, and resulting in a different
      distribution of the TNK1-A allele. In AD patients, a regression analysis
      suggested a relationship between age and PICALM genotypes and TNK1 genotypes,
      with the PICALM-T/C and TNK1-A/A genotype frequencies that decreased with
      increasing age. A resulting difference in the distribution of PICALM-C allele and
      TNK1-A allele was also observed. The TNK1-A allele was overrepresented in NoCI
      subjects than in AD patients in age groups 2 and 3. These results confirmed after
      adjustment for apolipoprotein E polymorphism, which suggested a different role of
      PICALM and TNK1 in healthy and impaired cognitive aging. More studies, however,
      are needed to confirm the observed associations.

PMID- 28631190
TI  - Pedicle screw insertion accuracy in terms of breach and reposition using a new
      intraoperative cone beam computed tomography imaging technique and evaluation of
      the factors associated with these parameters of accuracy: a series of 695 screws.
AB  - PURPOSE: The goals of this study were to assess the accuracy of pedicle screw
      insertion using an intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system,
      and to analyze the factors potentially influencing this accuracy. METHODS: Six
      hundred and ninety-five pedicle screws were inserted in 118 patients between
      October 2013 and March 2016. Screw insertion was performed using 2D-fluoroscopy
      or CBCT-based navigation. Accuracy was assessed in terms of breach and
      reposition. All the intraoperative CBCT scans, done after screw insertion, were
      reviewed to assess the accuracy of screw placement using two established
      classification systems: Gertzbein and Heary. Generalized linear mixed models were
      used to model the odds (95% CI) for a screw to lead to a breach according to the
      independent variables. RESULTS: The breach rate was 11.7% using the Gertzbein
      classification and 15.4% using the Heary classification. Seventeen screws (2.4%)
      were repositioned intraoperatively. The only factor affecting statistically the
      odds to have a breach was the indication of surgery. The patients with non
      degenerative disease had a significantly higher risk of breach than those with
      degenerative disease. CONCLUSION: Use of intraoperative CBCT as 2D-fluoroscopy or
      coupled with a navigation system for pedicle screw insertion is accurate in terms
      of breach occurrence and reposition. However, these rates depend on the
      classification or grading system used. Use of a navigation system does not
      decrease the risk of breach significantly. And the risk of breach is higher in
      non-degenerative conditions (trauma, scoliosis, infection, and malignancy
      disease) than in degenerative diseases.

PMID- 28631191
TI  - Effect of angiotensin system inhibitors on survival in newly diagnosed glioma
      patients and recurrent glioblastoma patients receiving chemotherapy and/or
      bevacizumab.
AB  - Given prior studies that suggest the use of angiotensin system inhibitors (ASIs)
      is associated with prolonged overall survival (OS) in glioblastoma (GBM)
      patients, we evaluated the effect of ASIs in glioma patients receiving
      chemotherapy and/or bevacizumab (BEV). Using retrospective IRB-approved
      electronic chart review of newly diagnosed WHO grade 2-4 glioma patients from the
      Kaiser Permanente Tumor Registry of Northern California, we evaluated the impact
      of ASIs on OS by Cox proportional hazard model analysis for subgroups who
      received cytotoxic therapy, cytotoxic therapy with BEV, or BEV alone, as well as
      those with recurrent GBM (rGBM). Of the 1186 glioma patients who received
      chemotherapy ASI exposure improved OS (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.71, 0.93; p = 0.003).
      When stratified by BEV exposure, a sub-analysis revealed further OS advantage for
      the BEV group (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.62, 0.90; p = 0.002). In a second cohort of 181
      rGBM patients who received BEV in varying dosages, ASI exposure conferred an OS
      advantage (HR 0.649; 95% CI 0.46, 0.92; p = 0.016). Moreover, patients with ASI
      exposure who received low-dose BEV treatment (AUCBEV < 3.6 mg wk/kg) had a
      significantly longer OS (median = 99 weeks; 95% CI 44.3, 205) than those without
      ASI (median OS = 55.6 weeks; 95% CI 37.7-73.7; p = 0.032). ASI use is associated
      with longer OS in glioma patients. Further survival advantage with ASI use was
      observed in rGBM patients receiving low-dose bevacizumab. These data warrant
      prospective evaluation of adding ASI to low-dose BEV treatment in GBM patients to
      improve the outcome of standard therapies.

PMID- 28631192
TI  - Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis 9 years after nodule resection for pulmonary
      carcinoma in situ: MRS and pathological studies.

PMID- 28631194
TI  - The Use of Cannabinoids in Treating Dementia.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review and summarise the current evidence on the safety and
      efficacy of using cannabinoids to treat behavioural and neuropsychiatric symptoms
      of dementia. RECENT FINDINGS: Two randomised controlled trials testing a
      synthetic form of tetrahydrocannabinol have shown that while well tolerated,
      there was no significant therapeutic effect, based on changes to scores on the
      neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI). Case reports and open label trials have
      indicated that there may be some therapeutic benefit of adding synthetic
      cannabinoids as an adjunctive therapy to reduce agitation, aberrant motor
      behaviour and nighttime behaviour. More well-controlled clinical trials in older
      populations with varying severity of dementia are needed to evaluate the
      effectiveness of cannabinoids in treating behaviour symptoms of dementia. We
      provide suggestions for designing such trials and evaluating possible adverse
      effects of cannabinoids on cognitive and neuropsychiatric functioning.

PMID- 28631193
TI  - Current Concepts of Memory Disorder in Epilepsy: Edging Towards a Network
      Account.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A paradigm shift in contemporary epileptology has been the
      reframing of both epilepsy and its comorbid memory disorders as the product of
      diseased brain networks. The current review discusses some of the clinical and
      theoretical implications that stem from this shift. RECENT FINDINGS: Some
      implications of a network conceptualisation of epilepsy include a need for more
      widespread cognitive phenotyping in epilepsy; recognition that memory disorders
      in epilepsy can be multi-determined, including by non-structural factors; deeper
      consideration given to the neurodevelopmental context in which memory problems
      emerge; the utility of new methods to characterise memory impairments in
      epilepsy; and a call for greater recognition of the close interrelationships
      between memory comorbidities and psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy. Memory
      disorder significantly worsens the quality of life of people with epilepsy,
      underscoring the importance to patient wellbeing of giving due consideration to
      the up-to-date neuropsychological practises outlined in this review.

PMID- 28631195
TI  - KCNQ2 Epileptic Encephalopathy in Early Infancy.

PMID- 28631196
TI  - Erratum to: Peroxiredoxins and sports: new insights on the antioxidative defense.

PMID- 28631198
TI  - Boy with the Glue.

PMID- 28631197
TI  - Prioritizing Future Research on Allopurinol and Febuxostat for the Management of
      Gout: Value of Information Analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to quantify the value of conducting
      additional research and reducing uncertainty regarding the cost effectiveness of
      allopurinol and febuxostat for the management of gout. METHODS: We used a
      previously developed Markov model that evaluated the cost effectiveness of nine
      urate-lowering strategies: no treatment, allopurinol-only fixed dose (300 mg),
      allopurinol-only dose escalation (up to 800 mg), febuxostat-only fixed dose (80
      mg), febuxostat-only dose escalation (up to 120 mg), allopurinol-febuxostat
      sequential therapy fixed dose, allopurinol-febuxostat sequential therapy dose
      escalation, febuxostat-allopurinol sequential therapy fixed dose, and febuxostat
      allopurinol sequential therapy dose escalation. Each strategy was evaluated over
      the lifetime of a hypothetical gout patient. We calculated population expected
      value of perfect information (EVPI). We used a linear regression meta-modeling
      approach to calculate population expected value of partial perfect information
      (EVPPI), and a Gaussian approximation to calculate the population expected value
      of sample information for parameters (EVSI) and the expected net benefit of
      sampling (ENBS) for four potential study designs: (1) an allopurinol efficacy
      trial; (2) a febuxostat efficacy trial; (3) a prospective observational study
      evaluating health utilities; and (4) a comprehensive study evaluating the
      efficacy of allopurinol and febuxostat and health utilities. A 5-year decision
      time horizon was used in the base-case analysis. RESULTS: EVPI varied by a
      decision maker's willingness-to-pay (WTP) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY)
      and was $US900 million for WTP of $US60,000 per QALY. Population EVPPI was
      highest across all WTP values for study design #4. For study design #4 and a WTP
      of $US60,000 per QALY, the optimal sample size was 735 patients per study arm.
      CONCLUSIONS: Future studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of
      allopurinol and febuxostat dose escalation.

PMID- 28631199
TI  - Practical Interventions to Enhance Resident Ownership of Patient Care.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In the modern training environment, some question whether trainees
      have the opportunity to develop ownership of patient care, which includes
      concepts such as advocacy, autonomy, commitment, communication, follow-through,
      knowledge about the patient, responsibility, and teamwork. Despite descriptions
      of what ownership is, there is little discussion of how to foster ownership
      during residency. The objective of this study was to solicit psychiatry resident
      and faculty perspectives on ways to enhance resident ownership in training.
      METHODS: Twenty-nine of 74 (39.2%) residents and 31 of 68 (45.6%) faculty members
      surveyed provided narrative responses to a voluntary, anonymous, electronic
      survey asking two structured, open-ended questions about what factors make it
      more or less likely that a resident will take "ownership" of patient care.
      RESULTS: The coding process produced four overarching categories of themes
      (attending, resident, educational program, and environment) that reflect domains
      for possible interventions to increase ownership, with conceptual guidance from
      the Theory of Planned Behavior. From these factors, the authors propose a number
      of practical yet theory-based interventions which include setting expectations,
      modeling, promoting autonomy, countertransference supervision, changing residency
      culture, and longer rotations. CONCLUSIONS: These interventions address
      subjective norms, attitudes, perceived ability and control, environment, and
      actual resident abilities, all of which, according to the Theory of Planned
      Behavior, would be likely to influence patient care ownership. Future studies
      could develop curricula and examine the effectiveness of the interventions
      proposed here in reinforcing or developing ownership in physicians.

PMID- 28631200
TI  - The R-Rated Comedy Ted: A Teaching Tool for Psychiatric Education.

PMID- 28631201
TI  - Seven esophageal perforation cases after aortic replacement/stenting for thoracic
      aortic dissection or aneurysm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Esophageal perforation after aortic replacement/stenting for aortic
      dissection or aneurysm is a rare but severe complication. However, its cause,
      standard treatment, and prognosis are unclear. We analyzed the treatment and
      outcome retrospectively from seven cases experienced at our hospital. CASE
      PRESENTATION: The median age of the patients was 70 years (range, 41-86), and six
      of the seven cases were male. As the first treatment, aortic replacement
      techniques were performed in five, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair
      (TEVAR) procedure was performed in two. We evaluated the treatment of the
      perforation, the cause of death, and the median survival time after reparative
      surgery (esophagectomy). Initial treatment of the perforation was esophagectomy
      without reconstruction in six and esophagogastric bypass (later, esophagectomy
      was performed) in one. Three of seven cases could be discharged from hospital or
      moved to another hospital, but two of these three cases died of major bleeding on
      postoperative days 320 and 645. The other four esophagectomy cases died in
      hospital because of sepsis on postoperative days 14, 30, and 41 and major
      bleeding on postoperative day 54. The one surviving case was a 65-year-old man
      who underwent reconstruction, and was still alive without signs of infection at
      424 days postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of esophageal perforation
      cases after aortic replacement/stenting for thoracic aortic dissection or
      aneurysm is poor, though there were some cases with relatively long survival.
      Therefore, the indication for invasive esophagectomy should be decided carefully.
      Control of infection including regional infection is essential for successful
      treatment.

PMID- 28631202
TI  - Successful radical resection of pancreatic head carcinoma in a patient with
      replaced right hepatic artery originating from posterior inferior
      pancreaticoduodenal artery: a case report.
AB  - Anatomical variations of hepatic arteries may be problematic in
      pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). We experienced pancreatic head cancer in a patient
      with rare variation of hepatic artery and performed PD successfully with the
      resection of this artery. A 75-year-old woman showed pancreatic head tumor on CT.
      Preoperative CT detected rare variation of hepatic artery; posterior segmental
      branch of right hepatic artery (RHA-PB) originating from posterior inferior
      pancreaticoduodenal artery. The image also demonstrated that there was a junction
      between RHA-PB and anterior branch of right hepatic artery (RHA-AB). We performed
      PD for suspected pancreatic head cancer. We divided RHA-PB for complete resection
      of cancer because we preoperatively knew that there was the junction between RHA
      PB and RHA-AB. She was discharged uneventfully, and there was no evidence of
      local recurrence throughout the whole course. Careful preoperative assessment of
      hepatic blood supply is the key to perform successful PD even in this troublesome
      situation.

PMID- 28631203
TI  - Assessment of MRI contrast agent concentration by quantitative susceptibility
      mapping (QSM): application to estimation of cerebral blood volume during steady
      state.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: One major issue in dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI (DSC-MRI) is to
      accurately determine contrast agent (CA) concentration, since T2* relaxivity in
      vivo is generally unknown and varies between blood and tissue. In this study,
      quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) was used for quantification of CA
      concentration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A DSC-MRI protocol, including phase data
      acquisition, was applied to 20 healthy volunteers in a test-retest study. By
      selecting a CSF reference region of interest (ROI), the values of all QSM images
      were shifted to show no CA-induced change in CSF. CA concentration and cerebral
      blood volume (CBV) were estimated using shifted QSM data. CSF reference ROI
      optimization was evaluated by investigation of CBV repeatability. The CBV age
      dependence was analysed and tissue T2* relaxivity was estimated. RESULTS: The
      best repeatability of CBV, using an optimal CSF reference ROI, showed test-versus
      retest correlations of r = 0.81 and r = 0.91 for white and grey matter,
      respectively. A slight CBV decrease with age was observed, and the estimated in
      vivo T2* relaxivity was 85 mM-1s-1. CONCLUSION: Provided that a carefully
      selected CSF reference ROI is used to shift QSM image values, susceptibility
      information can be used to estimate concentration of contrast agent and to
      calculate CBV.

PMID- 28631204
TI  - Adaptive step size LMS improves ECG detection during MRI at 1.5 and 3 T.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We describe a new real-time filter to reduce artefacts on
      electrocardiogram (ECG) due to magnetic field gradients during MRI. The proposed
      filter is a least mean square (LMS) filter able to continuously adapt its step
      size according to the gradient signal of the ongoing MRI acquisition. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: We implemented this filter and compared it, within two databases (at
      1.5 and 3 T) with over 6000 QRS complexes, to five real-time filtering strategies
      (no filter, low pass filter, standard LMS, and two other filters optimized within
      the databases: optimized LMS, and optimized Kalman filter). RESULTS: The energy
      of the remaining noise was significantly reduced (26 vs. 68%, p < 0.001) with the
      new filter vs. standard LMS. The detection error of our ventricular complex (QRS)
      detector was: 11% with our method vs. 25% with raw ECG, 35% with low pass filter,
      17% with standard LMS, 12% with optimized Kalman filter, and 11% with optimized
      LMS filter. CONCLUSION: The adaptive step size LMS improves ECG denoising during
      MRI. QRS detection has the same F1 score with this filter than with filters
      optimized within the database.

PMID- 28631205
TI  - Chemical Tongues and Noses Based upon Conjugated Polymers.
AB  - We report the uses of conjugated polymers in multisensory applications and in
      chemical and optoelectronic tongues. We look at the potential of single polymers
      to discriminate multiple analytes and into small libraries of conjugated polymers
      that represent sensors. These small libraries combine several barely selective,
      promiscuous sensor elements and react with the analytes in a fairly non-selective
      fashion by change of color, emission wavelength, or emission intensity. In such
      optoelectronic noses and tongues, response of a single element is not specific or
      particularly useful at all, but the response pattern after the combination of
      several sensor elements is often specific for an analyte and allows
      discrimination and identification without any problem. These types of tongues and
      noses are well suited for quality control of foodstuff, beverages, and biological
      species such as proteins or cells. The discriminative process is often not well
      understood but it is powerful, particularly if the obtained data are analyzed by
      sophisticated statistical methods, i.e., linear discriminant analysis and/or
      principal component analysis. This added layer of analysis extracts the hidden
      information/patterns out of the data and allows visualization of the results.

PMID- 28631206
TI  - Diclofenac Loaded Lipid Nanovesicles Prepared by Double Solvent Displacement for
      Skin Drug Delivery.
AB  - PURPOSE: Herein, we detail a promising strategy of nanovesicle preparation based
      on control of phospholipid self-assembly: the Double Solvent Displacement. A
      systematic study was conducted and diclofenac as drug model encapsulated. In
      vitro skin studies were carried out to identify better formulation for
      dermal/transdermal delivery. METHODS: This method consists in two solvent
      displacements. The first one, made in a free water environment, has allowed
      triggering a phospholipid pre-organization. The second one, based on the
      diffusion into an aqueous phase has led to liposome formation. RESULTS:
      Homogeneous liposomes were obtained with a size close to 100 nm and a negative
      zeta potential around -40 mV. After incorporation of acid diclofenac, we obtained
      nanoliposomes with a size between 101 +/- 45 and 133 +/- 66 nm, a zeta potential
      between 34 +/- 2 and 49 +/- 3 mV, and the encapsulation efficiency (EE%) was
      between 58 +/- 3 and 87 +/- 5%. In vitro permeation studies showed that
      formulation with higher EE% dispayed the higher transdermal passage (18,4% of the
      applied dose) especially targeting dermis and beyond. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      suggest that our diclofenac loaded lipid vesicles have significant potential as
      transdermal skin drug delivery system. Here, we produced cost effective lipid
      nanovesicles in a merely manner according to a process easily transposable to
      industrial scale. Graphical Abstract ?.

PMID- 28631207
TI  - QRS Width as a Predictor of Right Ventricular Remodeling After Percutaneous
      Pulmonary Valve Implantation.
AB  - Recent data showed a right ventricular dyssynchrony in patients with tetralogy of
      Fallot (TOF). Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) has become an
      important procedure to treat a pulmonary stenosis and/or regurgitation of the
      right ventricular outflow tract in these patients. Despite providing good
      results, there is still a considerable number of nonresponders to PPVI. The
      authors speculated that electrical dysfunction of the right ventricle plays an
      underestimated role in the outcome of patients after PPVI. This study aimed to
      investigate the influence of right ventricular electrical dysfunction, i.e.,
      right bundle branch block (RBBB) on the RV remodeling after PPVI. The study
      included consecutive patients after correction of TOF with or without RBBB, who
      had received a PPVI previously at the Heart Center of the University of Leipzig,
      Germany during the period from 2012 to 2015. 24 patients were included. Patients
      without RBBB, i.e., with narrow QRS complexes pre-intervention, had significantly
      better RV function and had smaller right ventricular volumes. Patients with pre
      interventionally QRS width below 150 ms showed a post-interventional remodeling
      of the right ventricle with the decreasing RV volumes (p = 0.001). The parameters
      of LV function and volume as well as RV ejection fraction remained unaffected by
      RBBB. The presented data indicate that the QRS width seems to be a valuable
      parameter in the prediction of right ventricular remodeling after PPVI, as it
      represents both electrical and mechanical functions of the right ventricle and
      may serve as an additional parameter for optimal timing of a PPVI.

PMID- 28631208
TI  - Pulmonary Vein Doppler Patterns in Infants with Single Right Ventricle Anomalies
      After Initial Staged Palliations.
AB  - The aim of this study was to describe serial changes in echocardiographic Doppler
      pulmonary vein flow (PVF) patterns in infants with single right ventricle (RV)
      anomalies enrolled in the Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial. Measurement of
      PVF peak systolic (S) and diastolic (D) velocities, velocity time integrals
      (VTI), S/D peak velocity and VTI ratios, and frequency of atrial reversal (Ar)
      waves were made at three postoperative time points in 261 infants: early post
      Norwood, pre-stage II surgery, and 14 months. Indices were compared over time,
      between initial shunt type [modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (MBTS) and right
      ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS)] and in relation to clinical
      outcomes. S velocities and VTI increased over time while D wave was stable,
      resulting in increasing S/D peak velocity and VTI ratios, with a median post
      Norwood S/D VTI ratio of 1.14 versus 1.38 at pre-stage II and 1.89 at 14 months
      (P < 0.0001 between intervals). MBTS subjects had significantly higher S/D peak
      velocity and VTI ratios compared to RVPAS at the post-Norwood and pre-stage II
      time points (P < 0.0001) but not by 14 months. PVF patterns did not correlate
      with survival or hospitalization course at 1 year. PVF patterns after Norwood
      palliation differ from normal infants by having a dominant systolic pattern
      throughout infancy. PVF differences based upon shunt type resolve by 14 months
      and did not correlate with clinical outcomes. This study describes normative
      values and variations in PVF for infants with a single RV from shunt-dependent
      pulmonary blood flow to cavopulmonary blood flow.

PMID- 28631209
TI  - Allelopathic effects of exogenous phenylalanine: a comparison of four monocot
      species.
AB  - MAIN CONCLUSION: Exogenous phenylalanine stunted annual ryegrass but not
      switchgrass or winter grain rye, with deuterium incorporation up to 3% from
      phenyalanine-d 8 . Toxicity to duckweed varied with illumination intensity and
      glucose uptake. Isotopic labeling of biomolecules through biosynthesis from
      deuterated precursors has successfully been employed for both structural studies
      and metabolic analysis. Phenylalanine is the precursor of many products
      synthesized by plants, including the monolignols used for synthesis of lignin.
      Possible allelochemical effects of phenylalanine have not been reported, although
      its deamination product cinnamic acid is known to have deleterious effects on
      root elongation and growth of several plant species. The effects of phenylalanine
      and its deuterated analog phenylalanine-d 8 added to growth media were studied
      for annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), winter grain rye (Secale cereale), and
      switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) cultivated under hydroponic conditions. Growth of
      annual ryegrass was inhibited by phenylalanine while switchgrass and rye were not
      significantly affected. Growth was less affected by deuterated phenylalanine-d 8
      than by its protiated counterpart, which may be a typical deuterium kinetic
      isotope effect resulting in slower enzymatic reaction rates. Deuterium
      incorporation levels of 2-3% were achieved in biomass of switchgrass and annual
      ryegrass. Both protiated and deuterated phenylalanine were moderately toxic (IC25
      values 0.6 and 0.8 mM, respectively) to duckweed (Lemna minor) grown using a 12 h
      diurnal cycle under photoautotrophic conditions. A significant increase in
      toxicity, greater for the deuterated form, was noted when duckweed was grown
      under higher intensity, full spectrum illumination with a metal halide lamp
      compared to fluorescent plant growth lamps emitting in the blue and red spectral
      regions. Supplementation with glucose increased toxicity of phenylalanine
      consistent with synergy between hexose and amino acid uptake that has been
      reported for duckweed.

PMID- 28631210
TI  - Carcinoid heart disease: a guide for screening and timing of surgical
      intervention.
AB  - The cardiac manifestations of a neuroendocrine tumour are referred to as
      carcinoid heart disease (CaHD) and are associated with a poor prognosis. Surgical
      intervention is the only proven therapeutic option and may prolong survival and
      quality of life. No consensus has been reached internationally with regard to
      screening for CaHD and the optimal timing for surgery. Although limited evidence
      is available on this matter, a trend towards early surgery and subsequent reduced
      mortality has been observed. In this review we provide an overview of the current
      understanding and propose a protocol to guide cardiologists in the screening for
      CaHD and the timing of referral to a specialised surgical centre.

PMID- 28631211
TI  - Current practice of Dutch cardiologists in detecting and diagnosing atrial
      fibrillation: results of an online case vignette study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is important given the risk
      of complications, such as stroke and heart failure, and the need for preventive
      measures. Detection is complicated because AF can be silent or paroxysmal.
      Describing current practice may give clues to improve AF detection. The aim of
      this study was to describe how cardiologists currently detect AF. METHODS:
      Between December 2014 and May 2015, we sent Dutch cardiologists an online
      questionnaire. Firstly, we asked which tools for detection of AF their department
      has. Secondly, we presented six case vignettes related to AF, in which they could
      choose a diagnostic tool. Thirdly, we compared the results with current
      guidelines. RESULTS: We approached 90 cardiology departments and 48 (53%)
      completed the questionnaire. In asymptomatic patients with risk factors according
      to CHA2DS2-VASc, 40% of the cardiologists would screen for AF. In patients with
      signs or symptoms of AF, all but one cardiologist would start a diagnostic
      process. In both vignettes describing patients with non-frequent symptoms, 46%
      and 54% of the responders would use short-term (i. e. 24- or 48-hour)
      electrocardiographic monitoring, 48% and 27% would use long-term (i. e. 7 day, 14
      day or one month) monitoring. In both cases describing patients with frequent
      symptoms, 85% of the responders would use short-term and 15% and 4% long-term
      monitoring. CONCLUSION: Dutch cardiologists have access to a wide variety of
      ambulatory arrhythmia monitoring tools. Nearly half of the cardiologists would
      perform opportunistic screening. In cases with non-frequent symptoms, monitoring
      duration was shorter than recommended by NICE.

PMID- 28631212
TI  - Erratum to: Use of three-dimensional computed tomography overlay for real-time
      cryoballoon ablation in atrial fibrillation reduces radiation dose and contrast
      dye.

PMID- 28631213
TI  - The constitutive protease release by primary human acute myeloid leukemia cells.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells show constitutive release of
      matrix metalloproteases and their inhibitors. We now investigated this
      constitutive release of protease/protease regulators associated with
      carcinogenesis (ADAM12, uPA, cystatin B), angiogenesis (serpin E1, uPA, CD147),
      cancer cell migration (uPA, cystatin C), coagulation (ADAM TS13, serpin C1),
      inflammation (fetuin A, caspase 1, cystatin C), monocytic differentiation (CFD)
      or regulation of hematopoiesis (neutrophil elastase). METHODS: AML blasts from 79
      consecutive patients were cultured in serum-free medium and mediator levels
      determined in culture supernatants. RESULTS: Detectable release of serpin C1 and
      E1, cystatin B and C, CD147 and uPA was seen for most patients. These mediators
      together with fetuin A, caspase 1, and CFD were included in a hierarchical
      clustering analysis and three patient subsets were identified (high,
      intermediate, and low release). High levels were associated with monocytic
      differentiation. Global gene expression analyses showed increased levels of
      several zinc finger proteins for low-release patients and high expression of
      several cell surface molecules, ATPases, and calcium-binding proteins for high
      release patients. Constitutive release of several mediators was also seen for
      normal hematopoietic cells and mesenchymal stem cells. In cocultures of the
      latter and AML blasts, the release level for most mediators was altered to
      resemble the levels of the mesenchymal cells cultured alone. CONCLUSION:
      Differences in constitutive release of protease/protease regulators are a part of
      the disease heterogeneity in AML.

PMID- 28631215
TI  - Comment on Rosenberg J, et al.: "Deep Neuromuscular Blockade Improves
      Laparoscopic Surgical Conditions: A Randomized, Controlled Study".

PMID- 28631214
TI  - Identification of Bufadienolides from the Boreal Toad, Anaxyrus boreas, Active
      Against a Fungal Pathogen.
AB  - Amphibian granular glands provide a wide range of compounds on the skin that
      defend against pathogens and predators. We identified three bufadienolides-the
      steroid-like compounds arenobufagin, gamabufotalin, and telocinobufagin-from the
      boreal toad, Anaxyrus boreas, through liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
      (LC/MS). Compounds were detected both after inducing skin gland secretions and in
      constitutive mucosal rinses from toads. We described the antimicrobial properties
      of each bufadienolide against Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), an amphibian
      fungal pathogen linked with boreal toad population declines. All three
      bufadienolides were found to inhibit Bd growth at similar levels. The maximum Bd
      inhibition produced by arenobufagin, gamabufotalin, and telocinobufagin were
      approximately 50%, in contrast to the complete Bd inhibition shown by
      antimicrobial skin peptides produced by some amphibian species. In addition, skin
      mucus samples significantly reduced Bd viability, and bufadienolides were
      detected in 15 of 62 samples. Bufadienolides also appeared to enhance growth of
      the anti-Bd bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum, and thus may be involved in
      regulation of the skin microbiome. Here, we localized skin bacteria within the
      mucus layer and granular glands of toads with fluorescent in situ hybridization.
      Overall, our results suggest that bufadienolides can function in antifungal
      defense on amphibian skin and their production is a potentially convergent trait
      similar to antimicrobial peptide defenses found on the skin of other species.
      Further studies investigating bufadienolide expression across toad populations,
      their regulation, and interactions with other components of the skin mucosome
      will contribute to understanding the complexities of amphibian immune defense.

PMID- 28631216
TI  - Safety and Tolerability of Empagliflozin in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Pooled
      Analysis of Phase I-III Clinical Trials.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We characterized the safety and tolerability of empagliflozin in
      patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) randomized 1:1:1 to placebo, empagliflozin
      10 mg, or empagliflozin 25 mg in clinical trials. METHODS: Pooled data were
      analyzed from patients with T2DM treated with placebo (N = 4203), empagliflozin
      10 mg (N = 4221), or empagliflozin 25 mg (N = 4196) in 15 randomized phase I-III
      trials plus four extension studies. Adverse events (AEs) were assessed
      descriptively in participants who took at least one dose of study drug. AE
      incidence rates per 100 patient-years were calculated to adjust for differences
      in drug exposure between trials. RESULTS: Total exposure was 7369, 7782, and 7754
      patient-years in the placebo, empagliflozin 10 mg, and 25 mg groups,
      respectively. The incidence of any AEs, severe AEs, serious AEs, and AEs leading
      to discontinuation was no higher in participants treated with empagliflozin vs.
      placebo. Empagliflozin was not associated with an increased risk of hypoglycemia
      vs. placebo, except in participants on background sulfonylurea. The incidence of
      events consistent with urinary tract infection was similar across treatment
      groups (8.7-9.5/100 patient-years). Events consistent with genital infection
      occurred more frequently in participants treated with empagliflozin 10 and 25 mg
      (3.5 and 3.4/100 patient-years, respectively) than placebo (0.9/100 patient
      years). The incidence of AEs consistent with volume depletion was similar across
      treatment groups (1.7-1.9/100 patient-years) but was higher with empagliflozin 10
      mg and 25 mg vs. placebo in participants aged 75 years or older (3.2 and 3.0 vs.
      2.3/100 patient-years, respectively). The rates of bone fractures, cancer events,
      renal AEs, venous thromboembolic events, hepatic injury, acute pancreatitis,
      lower limb amputations, and diabetic ketoacidosis were similar across treatment
      groups. CONCLUSION: This analysis of pooled safety data based on more than 15,000
      patient-years' exposure supports a favorable benefit-risk profile of
      empagliflozin in patients with T2DM. FUNDING: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH.

PMID- 28631217
TI  - 24-Month Open-Label Teriparatide Once-Weekly Efficacy Research Trial Examining
      Bone Mineral Density in Subjects with Primary Osteoporosis and High Fracture
      Risk.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To clarify the additional efficacy and safety benefits of 24
      months' treatment with the once-weekly formulation of teriparatide, which is
      currently used for 72 weeks. METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label, single
      arm study conducted in Japan. Subjects who were 65 years or older with prevalent
      vertebral fractures received once-weekly subcutaneous injection of 56.5 MUg
      teriparatide for 24 months. The main outcome measure was percentage change from
      baseline in lumbar (L2-L4) BMD measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
      RESULTS: A total of 189 subjects received at least one dose of the once-weekly
      formulation of teriparatide. Lumbar, femoral neck, and total hip BMD increased
      significantly compared with baseline at Weeks 24, 48, 72, and 104. In addition,
      significant increases in lumbar (+1.5%) and femoral neck (+0.8%) BMD were noted
      at Week 104 compared with Week 72. Significant increases from baseline in BMD for
      radius 1/10 were noted at Weeks 24 and 104. No substantial increases were noted
      in the cumulative incidences of new vertebral fracture and other types of
      fracture after Week 72. The safety profile seen in the first 72 weeks remained
      unchanged until 104 weeks. CONCLUSION: The once-weekly formulation of
      teriparatide is effective and safe for the treatment of osteoporosis over 24
      months. The limitation of this study is that this was an open-label, single-arm
      study. FUNDING: Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      JapicCTI-132276.

PMID- 28631219
TI  - Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of oleaginous yeast Lipomyces
      species.
AB  - Interest in using renewable sources of carbon, especially lignocellulosic
      biomass, for the production of hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals has fueled
      interest in exploring various organisms capable of producing hydrocarbon biofuels
      and chemicals or their precursors. The oleaginous (oil-producing) yeast Lipomyces
      starkeyi is the subject of active research regarding the production of
      triacylglycerides as hydrocarbon fuel precursors using a variety of carbohydrate
      and nutrient sources. The genome of L. starkeyi has been published, which opens
      the door to production strain improvements through the development and use of the
      tools of synthetic biology for this oleaginous species. The first step in
      establishment of synthetic biology tools for an organism is the development of
      effective and reliable transformation methods with suitable selectable marker
      genes and demonstration of the utility of the genetic elements needed for
      expression of introduced genes or deletion of endogenous genes. Chemical-based
      methods of transformation have been published but suffer from low efficiency. To
      address these problems, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was investigated as
      an alternative method for L. starkeyi and other Lipomyces species. In this study,
      Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was demonstrated to be effective in the
      transformation of both L. starkeyi and other Lipomyces species. The deletion of
      the peroxisomal biogenesis factor 10 gene was also demonstrated in L. starkeyi.
      In addition to the bacterial antibiotic selection marker gene hygromycin B
      phosphotransferase, the bacterial beta-glucuronidase reporter gene under the
      control of L. starkeyi translation elongation factor 1alpha promoter was also
      stably expressed in six different Lipomyces species. The results from this study
      demonstrate that Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is a reliable and
      effective genetic tool for homologous recombination and expression of
      heterologous genes in L. starkeyi and other Lipomyces species.

PMID- 28631218
TI  - An Observational Study of the Effect of Levodopa-Carbidopa Intestinal Gel on
      Activities of Daily Living and Quality of Life in Advanced Parkinson's Disease
      Patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Continuous delivery of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) by
      percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG-J) in advanced Parkinson's disease
      (PD) patients reduces variability in plasma levels, providing better control of
      motor fluctuations ("on" and "off" states). The MONOTREAT study assessed the
      effect of LCIG on activities of daily living, motor and non-motor symptoms, and
      quality of life in advanced PD patients. METHODS: This prospective, observational
      study included patients with advanced, levodopa-responsive PD with either 2-4 h
      of "off" time or 2 h of dyskinesia daily. Patients received LCIG via PEG-J for 16
      h continuously. Effectiveness was assessed using Unified PD Rating Scale parts II
      and III, the Non-Motor Symptom Scale, and the PD Questionnaire-8. RESULTS: The
      mean (SD) treatment duration was 275 (157) days. Patients experienced significant
      improvement from baseline in activities of daily living at final visit (p < 0.05)
      as well as at months 3 and 6 (p < 0.0001). Patients also experienced significant
      improvements from baseline in quality of life and non-motor symptoms at all time
      points (p < 0.001 for all). Specifically, patients manifested significant
      improvements in mean change from baseline at every study visit in five of nine
      non-motor symptom score domains: sleep/fatigue, mood/cognition, gastrointestinal
      tract, urinary, and miscellaneous. One-third of patients (32.8%) experienced an
      adverse event; 21.9% experienced a serious adverse event; 11.1% discontinued
      because of an adverse event. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated significant and
      clinically relevant improvements in measures of activities of daily living,
      quality of life, and a specific subset of non-motor symptoms after treatment with
      LCIG. FUNDING: AbbVie Inc.

PMID- 28631220
TI  - Applicability of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket and dynamic membrane-coupled
      process for the treatment of municipal wastewater.
AB  - This study investigated the applicability of dynamic membrane filter (DMF)
      technology in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) and DMF-coupled process
      for the treatment of municipal wastewater. The overall treatment performance and
      effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT), operating flux, and mesh pore size on
      the UASB + DMF were assessed. The UASB + DMF-coupled process demonstrated removal
      efficiencies of over 64 and 86% for TCOD and TSS, respectively. The effects of
      filtration flux and support mesh pore size were investigated and it was found
      that while there was little impact on the treatment performance, a 67% increase
      in operating flux resulted in a 25% increase in fouling rate. Similarly, with
      smaller mesh pore size (Mesh 500 with pore size of 28 MUm) the fouling rate
      increased by fourfold as compared to Mesh 300 (pore size of 46 MUm). In
      consideration of the operation duration and contaminant removal, the DMF with
      Mesh 300 support layer and operating at 100 L/m2-h was the most efficient
      configuration for treating the effluent of the UASB operated with a HRT of 6 h.
      Microbial analyses of the foulant layer revealed changes in relative abundance as
      compared to the bulk sludge, particularly with the hydrogenotrophic methanogens
      completely outcompeting the acetoclastic methanogens. Overall, the coupled
      process improved the system robustness and reduced variability of the treated
      effluent.

PMID- 28631221
TI  - Effects of gas condition on acetic acid fermentation by Clostridium thermocellum
      and Moorella thermoacetica (C. thermoaceticum).
AB  - Fermentation with acetogens can be affected by cultivation gas phase, but to
      date, there is not enough evidence on that matter for Clostridium thermocellum
      and Moorella thermoacetica. In this work, the effects of sparged CO2 as well as
      sparged and non-sparged N2 on these microorganisms were studied using glucose and
      cellobiose as substrates. It was revealed that sparged CO2 and non-sparged N2
      supported growth and acetic acid production by C. thermocellum and M.
      thermoacetica, while sparged N2 inhibited both of the microorganisms. Notably,
      part of the sparged CO2 was fermented by the co-culture system and contributed to
      an overestimation of the products from the actual substrate as well as an erring
      material balance. The best condition for the co-culture was concluded to be N2
      without sparging. These results demonstrate the importance of cultivation
      conditions for efficient fermentation by anaerobic clostridia species.

PMID- 28631222
TI  - Defining successful treatment of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension with
      droxidopa in a patient with multiple system atrophy.

PMID- 28631223
TI  - Adjusting droxidopa for neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in a patient with
      Parkinson disease.

PMID- 28631224
TI  - Initiating droxidopa for neurogenic orthostatic hypotension in a patient with
      Parkinson disease.

PMID- 28631225
TI  - Definition of the upper reference limit for thyroglobulin antibodies according to
      the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry guidelines: comparison of eleven
      different automated methods.
AB  - PURPOSE: In the last two decades, thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) measurement
      has progressively switched from marker of thyroid autoimmunity to test associated
      with thyroglobulin (Tg) to verify the presence or absence of TgAb interference in
      the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Of note, TgAb
      measurement is cumbersome: despite standardization against the International
      Reference Preparation MRC 65/93, several studies demonstrated high inter-method
      variability and wide variation in limits of detection and in reference intervals.
      Taking into account the above considerations, the main aim of the present study
      was the determination of TgAb upper reference limit (URL), according to the
      National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry guidelines, through the comparison of
      eleven commercial automated immunoassay platforms. METHODS: The sera of 120
      healthy males, selected from a population survey in the province of Verona,
      Italy, were tested for TgAb concentration using eleven IMA applied on as many
      automated analyzers: AIA-2000 (AIA) and AIA-CL2400 (CL2), Tosoh Bioscience;
      Architect (ARC), Abbott Diagnostics; Advia Centaur XP (CEN) and Immulite 2000 XPi
      (IMM), Siemens Healthineers; Cobas 6000 (COB), Roche Diagnostics; Kryptor (KRY),
      Thermo Fisher Scientific BRAHMS, Liaison XL (LIA), Diasorin; Lumipulse G (LUM),
      Fujirebio; Maglumi 2000 Plus (MAG), Snibe and Phadia 250 (PHA), Phadia AB, Thermo
      Fisher Scientific. All assays were performed according to manufacturers'
      instructions in six different laboratories in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto
      regions of Italy [Lab 1 (AIA), Lab 2 (CL2), Lab 3 (ARC, COB and LUM), Lab 4 (CEN,
      IMM, KRY and MAG), Lab 5 (LIA) and Lab 6 (PHA)]. Since TgAb values were not
      normally distributed, the experimental URL (e-URL) was established at 97.5
      percentile according to the non-parametric method. RESULTS: TgAb e-URLs showed a
      significant inter-method variability. Considering the same method, e-URL was much
      lower than that suggested by manufacturers (m-URL), except for ARC and MAG.
      Correlation and linear regression were unsatisfactory. Consequently, the
      agreement between methods was poor, with significant bias in Bland-Altman plot.
      CONCLUSIONS: Despite the efforts for harmonization, TgAb methods cannot be used
      interchangeably. Therefore, additional effort is required to improve analytical
      performance taking into consideration approved protocols and guidelines.
      Moreover, TgAb URL should be used with caution in the management of
      differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients since the presence and/or the degree of
      TgAb interference in Tg measurement has not yet been well defined.

PMID- 28631226
TI  - Introduction of a Simple Second Tier Screening Test for C5 Isobars in Dried Blood
      Spots: Reducing the False Positive Rate for Isovaleric Acidaemia in Expanded
      Newborn Screening.
AB  - In 2015 the English Newborn Screening programme expanded to include Isovaleric
      Acidaemia (IVA). Screening is performed by flow injection analysis tandem mass
      spectrometry of isovalerylcarnitine. Isovalerylcarnitine is isobaric with
      pivaloylcarnitine which can be present in blood due to the use of pivalic ester
      pro-drugs or pivalic acid derivatives used as emollients in some nipple creams;
      the potential for false positives (FP) is well documented. A pilot study in
      England screened 438,164 babies, 18 had presumptive positive results but only 4
      were confirmed as true positives (TP). We developed a simple test to separate the
      isobaric compounds and investigate these samples further.We studied newborn
      screening blood spots from 122 randomised controls and 34 infants with an initial
      raised C5 result. Dried blood spots were eluted with 30% acetonitrile (150 MUL)
      and injected into a Waters Acquity UPLC coupled to a Waters Premier XE tandem
      mass spectrometer operating in positive ion mode. Isocratic separation of
      isovalerylcarnitine, pivaloylcarnitine, valerylcarnitine and 2
      methylbutyrylcarnitine was achieved within 8 min. Assay performance
      characteristics were acceptable and non-parametric reference ranges (n = 122)
      were determined for each analyte.If this method had been used as a second tier
      test for the 34 presumptive positive samples, the number of FP's would have
      reduced from 24 to 8 and the positive predictive value of the screening test
      would have increased from 29 to 56%. Introduction of this test into the screening
      protocol has the potential to significantly reduce FP results for IVA and prevent
      unnecessary anxiety.

PMID- 28631228
TI  - The Socio-Ecological Model Approach to Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to
      the Accessing of Health Services by Sex Workers: A Systematic Review.
AB  - Inequities in accessing health care persist among sex workers. The purpose of the
      review is to understand the health-seeking behaviours of sex workers and their
      access to health care services with socio-ecological model. Of 3852 citations
      screened, 30 met the inclusion criteria for this review. The access that sex
      workers have to health services is a complex issue. A wide range of barriers and
      facilitators at multiple levels could influence sex workers' utilization of
      health care services, such as health or service information, stigma, social
      support, quality of health care, available, accessible and affordable services,
      healthcare policy. Health services or future intervention studies should take
      into account the facilitators and barriers identified in this review to improve
      the health services utilization and health of sex workers, as part of the effort
      to protect the right of humans to health.

PMID- 28631229
TI  - Do terrestrial animals avoid areas close to turbines in functioning wind farms in
      agricultural landscapes?
AB  - Most studies on the effects of wind energy on animals have focused on avian and
      bat activity, habitat use, and mortality, whereas very few have been published on
      terrestrial, non-volant wildlife. In this paper, we studied the utilization of
      functioning wind farm areas by four terrestrial animals common to agricultural
      landscapes: European roe deer, European hare, red fox, and the common pheasant.
      Firstly, we expected that the studied animals do not avoid areas close to
      turbines and utilize the whole area of functioning wind farms with a frequency
      similar to the control areas. Secondly, we expected that there is no relation
      between the turbine proximity and the number of tracks of these animals. The
      study was conducted over two winter seasons using the snow-tracking method along
      100 m linear transects. In total, 583 transects were recorded. Wind farm
      operations may affect terrestrial animals both in wind farm interiors and in a
      700-m buffer zone around the edge of turbines. The reactions of animals were
      species specific. Herbivorous mammals (roe deer and European hare) avoided wind
      farm interiors and proximity to turbines. The common pheasant showed a positive
      reaction to wind turbine proximity. The red fox had the most neutral response to
      wind turbines. Although this species visited wind farm interiors less often than
      the control area, there was no relation between fox track density and turbine
      proximity. Greater weight should be given to the effects of wind farms on non
      flying wildlife than at present. Investors and regulatory authorities should
      always consider the likely impacts of wind farms during environmental impact
      assessments and try to reduce these negative effects.

PMID- 28631227
TI  - Frequent Occurrence of Pain and Prescription Opioid Use for Treatment of Pain
      Among Women with and at Risk for HIV Infection.
AB  - Pain is frequent and underreported among HIV+ women. We determined occurrence and
      severity of pain, and types of pain treatments used among HIV+ and HIV- women.
      Cross-sectional analyses of pain as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory Short
      Form, and related pain therapies nested in the Women's Interagency HIV Study
      (WIHS). Multiple variable linear regression models examined differences by HIV
      status in pain severity and pain interference in general activity, mood, ability
      to walk, work, relationships with others, sleep, and enjoyment of life. Among
      1393 HIV+ and 587 HIV- participants with median age 47-48 years, there was no
      statistically significant difference in pain reported within the past week by HIV
      status (HIV+ 50% vs. 49% HIV-, p = 0.70). Ratings of pain severity and
      interference were similar between HIV+ and HIV- women, as was receipt of pain
      medication (58% HIV+ vs. 56% HIV-). Pain medications most frequently used were:
      NSAIDS (90% HIV+, 96% HIV-), opioids (65% HIV+, 67% HIV-), topical anesthetics
      (46% HIV+, 56% HIV-), muscle relaxants (23% HIV+, 14% HIV-), and anticonvulsants
      (23% HIV+, 14% HIV-). Nearly half of predominantly low income, minority women
      reported pain in the past week, and two-thirds reported opioid use for pain
      management. The occurrence, severity, and treatment of pain did not differ by HIV
      status, nor did report of pain interference with mood or function. Additional
      research is needed to better characterize pain etiology among HIV+ women in the
      era of potent antiretroviral therapy, and determine the extent to which pain
      severity and type of medication used for pain treatment impact HIV disease
      outcomes.

PMID- 28631230
TI  - Sequence analysis of chromosome 1 revealed different selection patterns between
      Chinese wild mice and laboratory strains.
AB  - Both natural and artificial selection play a critical role in animals' adaptation
      to the environment. Detection of the signature of selection in genomic regions
      can provide insights for understanding the function of specific phenotypes. It is
      generally assumed that laboratory mice may experience intense artificial
      selection while wild mice more natural selection. However, the differences of
      selection signature in the mouse genome and underlying genes between wild and
      laboratory mice remain unclear. In this study, we used two mouse populations:
      chromosome 1 (Chr 1) substitution lines (C1SLs) derived from Chinese wild mice
      and mouse genome project (MGP) sequenced inbred strains and two selection
      detection statistics: Fst and Tajima's D to identify the signature of selection
      footprint on Chr 1. For the differentiation between the C1SLs and MGP, 110
      candidate selection regions containing 47 protein coding genes were detected. A
      total of 149 selection regions which encompass 7.215 Mb were identified in the
      C1SLs by Tajima's D approach. While for the MGP, we identified nearly twice
      selection regions (243) compared with the C1SLs which accounted for 13.27 Mb Chr
      1 sequence. Through functional annotation, we identified several biological
      processes with significant enrichment including seven genes in the olfactory
      transduction pathway. In addition, we searched the phenotypes associated with the
      47 candidate selection genes identified by Fst. These genes were involved in
      behavior, growth or body weight, mortality or aging, and immune systems which
      align well with the phenotypic differences between wild and laboratory mice.
      Therefore, the findings would be helpful for our understanding of the phenotypic
      differences between wild and laboratory mice and applications for using this new
      mouse resource (C1SLs) for further genetics studies.

PMID- 28631231
TI  - 2',3'-Dideoxycytidine Protects Dopaminergic Neurons in a Mouse Model of
      Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - DNA polymerase-beta (DNA pol-beta) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of
      Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to investigate the
      neuroprotective effects of a DNA polymerase-beta inhibitor 2',3'-dideoxycytidine
      (DDC) in PD models. In the in vitro studies, primary cultured neurons were
      challenged with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+). The expression of DNA pol
      beta was assessed using western blot. The neuroprotective effect of DNA pol-beta
      knockdown and DNA pol-beta inhibitor DDC was determined using cell viability
      assay and caspase-3 activity assay. We found that MPP+ induced neuronal death and
      the activation of caspase-3 in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of DNA pol
      beta increased after the neurons were exposed to MPP+. DNA pol-beta siRNA or DNA
      pol-beta inhibitor DDC attenuated neuronal death induced by MPP+. In the 1-methyl
      4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model of PD, MPTP
      treatment triggered behavioral deficits and nigrostriatal lesions. Pretreatment
      with DDC attenuated MPTP-induced behavioral deficits, dopaminergic neuronal death
      and striatal dopamine depletion in the MPTP mouse model. These results indicate
      that DNA pol-beta inhibitors may present a novel promising therapeutic option for
      the neuroprotective treatment of PD.

PMID- 28631232
TI  - Activation of Brain Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase Contributes to Depressive-Like
      Behavior Induced by an Intracerebroventricular Injection of Streptozotocin in
      Mice.
AB  - There is a lack of information concerning the molecular events underlying the
      depressive-like effect of an intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin
      (ICV-STZ) in mice. The elevated activity of the tryptophan-degrading enzyme
      indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) has been proposed to mediate depression in
      inflammatory disorders. In the present study, we reported that ICV-STZ activates
      IDO in the hippocampus of mice and culminates in depressive-like behaviors, as
      measured by the increased duration of immobility in the tail suspension test and
      decreased sucrose intake in the sucrose preference test. The blockade of IDO
      activation by the IDO inhibitor 1-methyltryptophan (1-MT) prevents the
      development of depressive-like behaviors and attenuates STZ-induced up-regulation
      of proinflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus. 1-MT abrogates kynurenine
      production and normalizes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the
      kynurenine/tryptophan ratio, but does not protect the biomarkers of the serotonin
      (5-HT) system in the hippocampus of STZ-injected mice. These results implicate
      IDO as a critical molecular mediator of STZ-induced depressive-like behavior,
      likely through activation of the kynurenine pathway and subsequent reduction of
      BDNF levels. Impairment of the 5-HT system may reflect the inflammatory response
      induced by STZ and also contributes to observed depression symptoms. The present
      study not only provides evidence that IDO plays a critical role in mediating
      inflammation-induced depression but also supports the notion that
      neuroinflammation and the kynurenine pathway are important targets for novel
      therapeutic drugs for depression. In addition, this study provides new insights
      on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ICV-STZ and indicates that this
      model could be employed in preclinical research of depression.

PMID- 28631233
TI  - Interval robotic cytoreduction following neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced
      ovarian cancer.
AB  - The objective of this study is to review our experience with robotic interval
      cytoreduction following neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. We
      retrospectively reviewed patients with advanced ovarian cancer treated with
      neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and interval robotic cytoreduction (IRC) between
      2011 and 2016 at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Demographic
      information, chemotherapy treatment, operative results, and follow-up were
      extracted from medical records. Twenty-nine patients underwent IRC after a mean
      of 3.9 cycles of NAC. The mean operative time was 165 min with a mean EBL of 107
      cc. The mean length of stay was 2.0 days. One case (3.3%) was converted to an
      open procedure because of extensive tumor not amenable to robotic cytoreduction.
      Overall, 19 (66%) patients underwent an R0 cytoreduction, 8 (28%) an optimal (<1
      cm) cytoreduction, and 2 (7%) a suboptimal cytoreduction. The median overall
      survival was 39.7 months and median progression-free survival was 21.2 months.
      Interval robotic cytoreduction following NAC is feasible and may be preferable to
      open interval cytoreductive surgery, in specific patients, to minimize morbidity
      and length of hospital stay.

PMID- 28631234
TI  - Quality Matters: Implementation Moderates Student Outcomes in the PATHS
      Curriculum.
AB  - Analyses of the relationship between levels of implementation and outcomes of
      school-based social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions are relatively
      infrequent and are typically narrowly focused. Thus, our objective was to assess
      the relationship between variability in a range of implementation dimensions and
      intervention outcomes in the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS)
      curriculum. Implementation of PATHS was examined in 69 classrooms across 23
      schools in the first year of a major randomized controlled trial. Implementation
      data were generated via classroom-level structured observations. In addition to
      factual data on dosage and reach, exploratory factor analysis of observer ratings
      revealed two distinct implementation dimensions, namely, "quality and participant
      responsiveness" and "procedural fidelity." Student social-emotional skills, pro
      social behavior, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing problems were captured
      through child self-report and teacher informant-report surveys (N = 1721).
      Hierarchical linear modeling of study data revealed that higher implementation
      quality and participant responsiveness was associated with significantly lower
      ratings of students' externalizing problems at 12-month follow-up. Conversely,
      and contrary to expectations, higher dosage was associated with significantly
      lower pro-social behavior and social-emotional skills at 12-month follow-up. No
      significant associations were found between variability in either procedural
      fidelity or reach and any intervention outcomes. The implications of these
      findings are discussed, and study limitations are noted.

PMID- 28631235
TI  - Prevention of Aggression, Violence, and Mental Health Problems in Childhood and
      Adolescence: Innovative and Sustainable Approaches from Around the World:
      Introduction and Overview.
AB  - This special issue, Prevention of Aggression, Violence, and Mental Health
      Problems in Childhood and Adolescence: Innovative and Sustainable Approaches from
      Around the World, represents a broad set of studies from lower- and middle-income
      countries. The intent of the special issue was to expand our knowledge of
      evidence-based programs in less-resourced settings, given that most of the
      current evidence comes from the USA and other higher-income countries. Many of
      the articles describe adaptations of evidence-based programs developed in higher
      income countries, and their findings suggest that this can be an effective
      approach. Other studies present evidence for context-specific programs that match
      cultural norms, are efficient and cost-effective to implement, and are aligned
      with infrastructure and available resources. We also include articles that
      provide evidence for the preventive effects of everyday activities such as
      orchestra participation and after-school programs. Our hope is that the studies
      reported in this special issue will provide useful guidance for policy makers,
      funders, and key leaders looking for innovative, affordable, and sustainable
      solutions to preventing violence in childhood and adolescence and promoting
      mental health and adjustment around the world.

PMID- 28631237
TI  - Structural characterization of pyoverdines produced by Pseudomonas putida KT2440
      and Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120.
AB  - The previously unknown sequences of several pyoverdines (PVD) produced by a
      biotechnologically-relevant bacterium, namely, Pseudomonas taiwanensis VLB120,
      were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-high
      resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The same structural characterization scheme
      was checked before by analysis of Pseudomonas sp. putida KT2440 samples with
      known PVDs. A new sample preparation strategy based on solid-phase extraction was
      developed, requiring significantly reduced sample material as compared to
      existing methods. Chromatographic separation was performed using hydrophilic
      interaction liquid chromatography with gradient elution. Interestingly, no
      signals for apoPVDs were detected in these analyses, only the corresponding
      aluminum(III) and iron(III) complexes were seen. The chromatographic separation
      readily enabled separation of PVD complexes according to their individual
      structures. HPLC-HRMS and complementary fragmentation data from collision-induced
      dissociation and electron capture dissociation enabled the structural
      characterization of the investigated pyoverdines. In Pseudomonas sp. putida
      KT2240 samples, the known pyoverdines G4R and G4R A were readily confirmed. No
      PVDs have been previously described for Pseudomonas sp. taiwanensis VLB120. In
      our study, we identified three new PVDs, which only differed in their acyl side
      chains (succinic acid, succinic amide and malic acid). Peptide sequencing by
      MS/MS provided the sequence Orn-Asp-OHAsn-Thr-AcOHOrn-Ser-cOHOrn. Of particular
      interest is the presence of OHAsn, which has not been reported as PVD constituent
      before.

PMID- 28631238
TI  - Is it time for personalized cardiac resynchronization therapy.

PMID- 28631239
TI  - 18F-FDG for imaging microvascular injury.

PMID- 28631236
TI  - Use of CTX-I and PINP as bone turnover markers: National Bone Health Alliance
      recommendations to standardize sample handling and patient preparation to reduce
      pre-analytical variability.
AB  - : The National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA) recommends standardized sample
      handling and patient preparation for C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen
      (CTX-I) and N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP) measurements to
      reduce pre-analytical variability. Controllable and uncontrollable patient
      related factors are reviewed to facilitate interpretation and minimize pre
      analytical variability. INTRODUCTION: The IOF and the International Federation of
      Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) Bone Marker Standards Working Group have identified
      PINP and CTX-I in blood to be the reference markers of bone turnover for the
      fracture risk prediction and monitoring of osteoporosis treatment. Although used
      in clinical research for many years, bone turnover markers (BTM) have not been
      widely adopted in clinical practice primarily due to their poor within-subject
      and between-lab reproducibility. The NBHA Bone Turnover Marker Project team aim
      to reduce pre-analytical variability of CTX-I and PINP measurements through
      standardized sample handling and patient preparation. METHODS: Recommendations
      for sample handling and patient preparations were made based on review of
      available publications and pragmatic considerations to reduce pre-analytical
      variability. Controllable and un-controllable patient-related factors were
      reviewed to facilitate interpretation and sample collection. RESULTS: Samples for
      CTX-I must be collected consistently in the morning hours in the fasted state.
      EDTA plasma is preferred for CTX-I for its greater sample stability. Sample
      collection conditions for PINP are less critical as PINP has minimal circadian
      variability and is not affected by food intake. Sample stability limits should be
      observed. The uncontrollable aspects (age, sex, pregnancy, immobility, recent
      fracture, co-morbidities, anti-osteoporotic drugs, other medications) should be
      considered in BTM interpretation. CONCLUSION: Adopting standardized sample
      handling and patient preparation procedures will significantly reduce
      controllable pre-analytical variability. The successful adoption of such
      recommendations necessitates the close collaboration of various stakeholders at
      the global stage, including the laboratories, the medical community, the reagent
      manufacturers and the regulatory agencies.

PMID- 28631240
TI  - Myocardial perfusion imaging in extreme obesity: Leveraging modern technologies
      to meet a modern challenge.

PMID- 28631241
TI  - Improving Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight and Inactive Patients
      Through an Educational and Motivational Intervention Addressing Diet and Physical
      Activity: A Prospective Study in Naples, South Italy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Nutrition and physical activity are key elements in the prevention
      and management of type 2 diabetes. A community-based, multidisciplinary
      educational intervention aimed to improve quality of life and disease self
      management in sedentary, overweight/obese type 2 diabetic patients was
      implemented in Naples, South Italy. METHODS: The 9-month intervention included a
      motivational program, a nutrition program, and an exercise program. Satisfaction,
      worry, and embarrassment regarding their condition, together with disease-related
      behaviors and propensity towards physical activity, were evaluated through a
      validated questionnaire before and after the intervention; health status
      perception was evaluated through the short-form 12 questionnaire. Changes in
      HbA1c level and weight were also checked. RESULTS: A significant improvement (p <
      0.05) was registered in behaviors related to the management of hypoglycemic
      crisis and food choice; in nearly all the items related to living with the
      disease (p < 0.01); and in health status perception (p < 0.01). The adoption of
      healthy behavior was more common among women (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.09, 3.02) and
      persons with higher educational levels (OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.83, 2.17; OR 1.54, 95%
      CI 0.56, 2.27). About 30% of participants did not modify their emotional status
      after the intervention. Although not significantly (p = 0.18), the trust of
      patients towards physical activity increased at the end of the study, together
      with their active lifestyle (p < 0.01) and with the decrease of perceived
      barriers (p < 0.01). A significant improvement was registered in glycemic control
      and weight status (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was feasible and
      effective in addressing diet and physical activity among participants, giving
      consequent improvements in health status. Similar educational interventions
      including a training program for people with diabetes should be standardized and
      adopted by the Italian National Health System.

PMID- 28631242
TI  - Relationship Between Duration of Type 2 Diabetes and Effectiveness of DPP-4
      Inhibitor Versus Sulfonylurea as Add-on Therapy: A Post Hoc Analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To assess the impact of duration of type 2 diabetes on glucose
      lowering effectiveness of the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor
      vildagliptin versus sulfonylureas (SUs) in a real-life setting. METHODS: Data
      were extracted from the large 1-year, observational EDGE study (N = 45,868).
      Patients receiving either DPP-4 inhibitor or any SU as add-on to monotherapy were
      selected (N = 36,164). Impact of the disease duration on change in glycated
      hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels was evaluated by using a linear multiple regression
      model. Descriptive statistics assessed the proportion of patients achieving the
      composite endpoint (HbA1c <7.0%; 53.0 mmol/mol without hypoglycemia or weight
      gain), stratified by diabetes duration. RESULTS: At baseline, the overall mean
      (+/-SD) type 2 diabetes duration was 5.4 +/- 5.24 years, and HbA1c was 8.2 +/-
      1.33% (66.0 +/- 14.5 mmol/mol). HbA1c lowering was directly proportional to the
      baseline HbA1c (-0.69 per unit; 95% CI -0.696, -0.681; p < 0.0001) and inversely
      proportional to the disease duration (0.01 per year; 95% CI 0.01, 0.013). There
      was an increased loss of beta-cell function (less pronounced HbA1c drop with
      increasing disease duration) in patients treated with SU-based regimens (0.025;
      95% CI 0.022, 0.027) compared with vildagliptin-based regimens (0.005; 95% CI
      0.003, 0.007), with the mean adjusted difference being 0.10 (95% CI -0.122, 
      0.092; p < 0.0001). Consistently, a higher proportion of patients achieved the
      composite endpoint with vildagliptin over the diabetes duration (less than 2 to
      more than 10 years). CONCLUSION: Vildagliptin demonstrated less dependency on the
      duration of type 2 diabetes, whereas the effectiveness of SUs diminished faster
      with increasing duration of the disease in a real-life setting. FUNDING: Novartis
      Pharma AG.

PMID- 28631244
TI  - Optical coherence tomography angiography in pre-perimetric open-angle glaucoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of optical coherence tomography
      (OCT) angiography, in patients with pre-perimetric open-angle glaucoma. METHODS:
      Thirty-eight consecutive eyes of 26 patients with pre-perimetric open-angle
      glaucoma and 48 normal eyes of 32 controls were included in this prospective
      study. We evaluated OCT angiography, spectral-domain OCT and visual fields
      parameters. Differences between controls and patients and between OCT angiography
      parameters and traditional glaucoma measurements were evaluated. Receiver
      operating characteristic curves for OCT angiography parameters were assessed.
      RESULTS: The flow index (p = 0.021) and vessel density (p = 0.001) were
      significantly lower in pre-perimetric glaucoma eyes versus normal eyes. Ganglion
      cell complex parameters were significantly correlated to OCT angiography
      parameters (p < 0.05). Neither retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) nor visual field
      parameters correlated with OCT angiography parameters. CONCLUSIONS: OCT
      angiography can be considered a reliable, easy-to-perform method with which to
      evaluate microvascular changes of optic nerve head for the early diagnosis and
      follow-up of glaucoma.

PMID- 28631243
TI  - Amyloid plaques beyond Abeta: a survey of the diverse modulators of amyloid
      aggregation.
AB  - Aggregation of the amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide is strongly correlated with
      Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent research has improved our understanding of the
      kinetics of amyloid fibril assembly and revealed new details regarding different
      stages in plaque formation. Presently, interest is turning toward studying this
      process in a holistic context, focusing on cellular components which interact
      with the Abeta peptide at various junctures during aggregation, from monomer to
      cross-beta amyloid fibrils. However, even in isolation, a multitude of factors
      including protein purity, pH, salt content, and agitation affect Abeta fibril
      formation and deposition, often producing complicated and conflicting results.
      The failure of numerous inhibitors in clinical trials for AD suggests that a
      detailed examination of the complex interactions that occur during plaque
      formation, including binding of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and metal
      ions, is important for understanding the diversity of manifestations of the
      disease. Unraveling how a variety of key macromolecular modulators interact with
      the Abeta peptide and change its aggregation properties may provide opportunities
      for developing therapies. Since no protein acts in isolation, the interplay of
      these diverse molecules may differentiate disease onset, progression, and
      severity, and thus are worth careful consideration.

PMID- 28631245
TI  - Hypoxia and inflammation in the release of VEGF and interleukins from human
      retinal pigment epithelial cells.
AB  - PURPOSE: Retinal diseases are closely associated with both decreased oxygenation
      and increased inflammation. It is not known if hypoxia-induced vascular
      endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in the retina itself evokes
      inflammation, or whether inflammation is a prerequisite for the development of
      neovascularization. METHODS: Human ARPE-19 cell line and primary human retinal
      pigment epithelium (RPE) cells were used. ARPE-19 cells were kept either under
      normoxic (24 h or 48 h) or hypoxic conditions (1% O2, 24 h). Part of the cells
      were re-oxygenated (24 h). Some ARPE-19 cells were additionally pre-treated with
      bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1beta, and IL-18
      were determined from medium samples by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (ELISA) method. Primary human RPE cells were exposed to hypoxia for 24 h, and the
      subsequent release of IL-6 and IL-8 was measured with ELISA. VEGF secretion from
      ARPE-19 cells was determined up to 24 h. RESULTS: Hypoxia induced significant (P
      < 0.01) increases in the levels of both IL-6 and IL-8 in ARPE-19 cells, and LPS
      pre-treatment further enhanced these responses. Hypoxia exposure did not affect
      the IL-1beta or IL-18 release irrespective of LPS pre-treatment. If primary RPE
      cells were incubated for 4 h in hypoxic conditions, IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations
      were increased by 7 and 8-fold respectively. Hypoxia increased the VEGF secretion
      from ARPE-19 cells in a similar manner with or without pre-treatment with LPS.
      CONCLUSIONS: Hypoxia causes an inflammatory reaction in RPE cells that is
      potentiated by pre-treatment with the Toll-like receptor-activating agent, LPS.
      The secretion of VEGF from these cells is regulated directly by hypoxia and is
      not mediated by inflammation.

PMID- 28631246
TI  - Smoking as a risk factor for diabetic nephropathy: a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have investigated the connection between diabetic
      nephropathy and smoking, and reported widely varying rates. This study aimed to
      systematically analyze the impact of smoking on diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: We
      searched the PubMed and EMBASE electronic databases to identify relevant English
      language studies published up to March 2016. Eligible studies were selected using
      inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data for each study were extracted
      independently by two authors. The homogeneity of the effect size across the
      studies was tested. Odds ratio (OR) was calculated by using the random-effect
      model. Sensitivity analysis was performed to reduce heterogeneity, and
      publication biases were examined. RESULTS: A total of 21 eligible studies were
      selected and pooled analyzed. No significant differences in demographic
      characteristics were found between patients with diabetic nephropathy and those
      with non-diabetic nephropathy. Significant heterogeneity across studies was found
      except those of diabetes mellitus controls. The aggregate OR of smoking in the
      patients with diabetic nephropathy in comparison with those with non-diabetic
      nephropathy was 1.70 (95% confidence interval 1.48-1.95). No evidence of
      publication bias was found. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that smoking is a
      significant risk factor for diabetic nephropathy in diabetic patients.

PMID- 28631247
TI  - Choice of reserve capacity by hospitals: a problem for prospective payment.
AB  - This contribution analyzes the impact of prospective payment on hospital
      decisions with regard to reserve capacity, using Swiss hospital data covering the
      years 2004-2009. This data set is unique because it permits distinguishing of
      institutional characteristics (e.g., ownership status) from the mode of payment
      as determinants of hospital efficiency, due to the fact that some Swiss cantons
      introduced prospective payment early while others waited for federal legislation
      to be enacted in 2012. Since a hospital's choice of reserve capacity depends also
      on the risk preferences of management while affecting the cost function,
      heterogeneity is predicted even in the presence of identical technology and
      factor prices. For estimating hospitals' marginal costs, we employ the flexible
      representation of risk preferences by Pope and Chavas [Am J Agric Econ 76, 196
      204 (1994)]. Production uncertainty is measured as the difference between actual
      admissions and admissions predicted by an autoregressive moving average model.
      Its effect on hospital cost is analyzed using a multilevel stochastic cost
      frontier model with random coefficients reflecting unobserved differences in
      technology. Public hospitals are found to opt for a higher probability of meeting
      unexpected demand, as predicted. Their operating cost is 1.1% higher than for
      private hospitals and even 1.9% higher than for teaching hospitals, creating an
      incentive to turn away patients or to keep them waiting for treatment.

PMID- 28631248
TI  - Chilean population norms derived from the health-related quality of Life SF-6D.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The Health-Related Quality of Life Short Form 6D (HRQoL SF-6D)
      provides utility values for health status. Utilities generated have a number of
      potentially valuable applications in economic evaluations and not only to ensure
      comparability between studies. Reference values can be useful to estimate the
      effect on patients' HRQoL as a result of interventions in the absence of control
      groups. Thus, the purpose of this study was to provide normative values in the SF
      6D in relation to the Chilean population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted evaluating 5293 people. SF-6D utilities were derived from the SF-12
      questions. RESULTS: Mean SF-6D utility index for the whole sample was 0.74. It
      was better for men (0.78) than for women (0.71). The ceiling effect was much
      higher for men (11.16%) than for women (5.31%). Women were more likely to show
      problems in any dimension than were men. CONCLUSIONS: Chilean population norms
      for the SF-6D help in the decision-making process around health policies. Men
      reported higher health status than women in all subcategories analyzed. Likewise,
      men also reported higher scores than women in overall SF-6D dimensions.

PMID- 28631249
TI  - Molecular Characterisation of a Novel Isoform of Hepatic Antimicrobial Peptide,
      Hepcidin (Le-Hepc), from Leiognathus equulus and Analysis of Its Functional
      Properties In Silico.
AB  - Hepcidin represents a family of cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides that are
      mainly expressed in the liver of living organisms. In this study, we have
      identified and characterised a novel isoform of hepcidin from the common pony
      fish, Leiognathus equulus (Le-Hepc). A 261-bp fragment cDNA coding for 86 amino
      acids was obtained. Homologous analysis showed that Le-Hepc belongs to the
      hepcidin super family and shares sequence identity with other known fish pre
      propeptide hepcidin sequences. The ORF encodes for a 24-amino acid (aa) signal
      peptide coupled to a 36-aa prodomain followed by a 26-aa mature peptide. The
      mature peptide region has a calculated molecular weight of 2.73 kDa, a net
      positive charge of +2 and a theoretical pI of 8.23. Phylogenetic analysis of Le
      Hepc showed a strong relationship with other fish hepcidin sequences and
      clustered into HAMP2 group hepcidins. Secondary structural analysis indicated
      that Le-Hepc mature peptide contains two antiparallel beta-sheets strengthened by
      four disulphide bonds formed by eight conserved cysteine residues. The
      physicochemical properties of the peptide and its structural parameters are in
      agreement with characteristic features of an antimicrobial peptide. This is the
      first report of an antimicrobial peptide from the common pony fish, L. equulus.

PMID- 28631250
TI  - Lactobacillus salivarius NK02: a Potent Probiotic for Clinical Application in
      Mouthwash.
AB  - A specific strain of naturally occurring oral lactobacilli was isolated and
      identified based on morphological, biochemical, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The
      phylogenetic affiliation of the isolate confirmed that the NK02 strain had close
      association with the Lactobacillus salivarius. An effective mouthwash was
      developed for treatment of periodontitis and suppression of the indicator
      bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans which is an obvious pathogen of
      periodontal disease. The mouthwash containing L. salivarius NK02 was tested at a
      dose level of 108 (colony forming units (CFU) ml-1), monitoring over a period of
      4 weeks. The study was a randomized double-blind placebo control trial, and the
      patients were treated in two groups of control and test by using scaling and root
      planing (SRP) + placebo and scaling and root planing (SRP) + probiotic,
      respectively. It appeared that the probiotic mouthwash was able to inhibit the
      bacterial growth on both saliva and sub-gingival crevice and exhibited
      antibacterial activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans. The results also showed
      that SRP+ probiotic treatment led to a significant decrease of gingival index
      (GI) and bleeding on probing (BOP) compared with that of SRP + placebo for the
      probiotic group. The rate of decrease in pocket depth was displayed in the group
      with SRP + probiotic treatment equal to 1/2 mm, and probing pocket depth (PPD)
      value was decreased in the probiotic bacteria treatment group that can explain
      the decrease in inflammation in gingiva. Our findings suggest that probiotic
      mouthwash is healthy for daily use as an alternative for maintaining dental and
      periodontal health.

PMID- 28631252
TI  - Synthesis and characterization of novel carboxymethyl Assam Bora rice starch for
      the controlled release of cationic anticancer drug based on electrostatic
      interactions.
AB  - Carboxymethyl Assam Bora rice starch (CM-ABRS) was chemically synthesized in non
      aqueous medium with the optimum degree of substitution (DS) of 1.23, and
      physicochemically characterized by FT-IR, DSC, XRD, and SEM analysis. Comparative
      evaluation of CM-ABRS with native starch (ABRS) for powder flow characteristics,
      swelling index, apparent solubility, rheological properties, textural properties,
      and mucoadhesive studies were carried out. The aim of the current work was to
      investigate the potential of CM-ABRS as a novel carrier for the water-soluble
      chemotherapeutic, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). Formation of drug/polymer
      complex (DOX-CM-ABRS) via electrostatic interaction has been evaluated for the
      controlled release of DOX in three different pH media (phosphate-buffered saline
      (PBS), pH 7.4, 6.8, and 5.5). In vitro drug release studies illustrated faster
      release of drug in PBS at pH 5.5 as compared to pH 6.8 and pH 7.4, respectively,
      indicating the importance of pH-sensitive drug release from the DOX-CM-ABRS
      complex in malignant tissues.

PMID- 28631251
TI  - Regulation of cardiac myocyte cell death and differentiation by myocardin.
AB  - Myocardin is a cardiac- and smooth muscle-enriched transcriptional co-activator
      that was originally described as an interacting partner of the serum response
      factor. Shortly after myocardin's discovery, a wealth of published literature
      described the role of myocardin as a regulator of smooth muscle differentiation
      and phenotype modulation, while gene-targeting studies confirmed the essential
      role of myocardin in vascular development. More recently, myocardin has been
      implicated as an important regulator of cardiac myocyte differentiation in
      studies demonstrating direct programming of fibroblasts towards the cardiac
      lineage. This function of myocardin has been attributed to its physical
      interaction with cardiac-enriched transcription factors such as MEF2C, GATA4, and
      TBX5. Moreover, conditional knockout models have revealed a critical role for
      myocardin during cardiac chamber maturation, and a surprising function for
      myocardin in the regulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation, cell death, and
      possibly mitochondrial function. This review summarizes the literature
      surrounding the cardiac-specific roles of myocardin during development and post
      natal cardiac remodeling. In addition, we take a bioinformatics and computational
      approach to discuss known and predicted interactions and biological functions of
      myocardin, which suggests areas for future research.

PMID- 28631254
TI  - Erratum to: Characterization and Functional Phenotyping of Renal Immune Cells via
      Flow Cytometry.

PMID- 28631253
TI  - Portal branch ligation does not counteract the inhibiting effect of temsirolimus
      on extrahepatic colorectal metastatic growth.
AB  - The mTor-inhibitor temsirolimus (TEM) has potent anti-tumor activities on
      extrahepatic colorectal metastases. Treatment of patients with advanced disease
      may require portal branch ligation (PBL). While PBL can induce intrahepatic tumor
      growth, the effect of PBL on extrahepatic metastases under TEM treatment is
      unknown. Therefore, we analyzed the effects of TEM treatment on extrahepatic
      metastases during PBL-associated liver regeneration. GFP-transfected CT26.WT
      colorectal cancer cells were implanted into the dorsal skinfold chamber of BALB/c
      mice. Mice were randomized to four groups (n = 8). One was treated daily with TEM
      (1.5 mg/kg), PBS-treated animals served as controls. Another group underwent PBL
      of the left liver lobe and received daily TEM treatment. Animals with PBL and PBS
      treatment served as controls. Tumor vascularization and growth as well as tumor
      cell migration, proliferation and apoptosis were studied over 14 days. In non-PBL
      animals TEM treatment inhibited tumor cell proliferation as well as
      vascularization and growth of the extrahepatic metastases. PBL did not influence
      tumor cell engraftment, vascularization and metastatic growth. Of interest, TEM
      treatment significantly reduced tumor cell engraftment, neovascularization and
      metastatic groth also after PBL. PBL does not counteract the inhibiting effect of
      TEM on extrahepatic colorectal metastatic growth.

PMID- 28631255
TI  - "Make OSA great again" Report from the 113th American Thoracic Society
      International Conference (2017) in Washington DC.

PMID- 28631257
TI  - The Validity and Responsiveness of Isometric Lower Body Multi-Joint Tests of
      Muscular Strength: a Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Researchers and practitioners working in sports medicine and science
      require valid tests to determine the effectiveness of interventions and enhance
      understanding of mechanisms underpinning adaptation. Such decision making is
      influenced by the supportive evidence describing the validity of tests within
      current research. The objective of this study is to review the validity of lower
      body isometric multi-joint tests ability to assess muscular strength and
      determine the current level of supporting evidence. METHODS: Preferred Reporting
      Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed
      in a systematic fashion to search, assess and synthesize existing literature on
      this topic. Electronic databases such as Web of Science, CINAHL and PubMed were
      searched up to 18 March 2015. Potential inclusions were screened against
      eligibility criteria relating to types of test, measurement instrument,
      properties of validity assessed and population group and were required to be
      published in English. The Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of health
      Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to assess methodological
      quality and measurement property rating of included studies. Studies rated as
      fair or better in methodological quality were included in the best evidence
      synthesis. RESULTS: Fifty-nine studies met the eligibility criteria for quality
      appraisal. The ten studies that rated fair or better in methodological quality
      were included in the best evidence synthesis. The most frequently investigated
      lower body isometric multi-joint tests for validity were the isometric mid-thigh
      pull and isometric squat. The validity of each of these tests was strong in terms
      of reliability and construct validity. The evidence for responsiveness of tests
      was found to be moderate for the isometric squat test and unknown for the
      isometric mid-thigh pull. No tests using the isometric leg press met the criteria
      for inclusion in the best evidence synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Researchers and
      practitioners can use the isometric squat and isometric mid-thigh pull with
      confidence in terms of reliability and construct validity. Further work to
      investigate other validity components such as criterion validity, smallest
      detectable change and responsiveness to resistance exercise interventions may be
      beneficial to the current level of evidence.

PMID- 28631256
TI  - Vulnerability to a Metabolic Challenge Following Perinatal Asphyxia Evaluated by
      Organotypic Cultures: Neonatal Nicotinamide Treatment.
AB  - The hypothesis of enhanced vulnerability following perinatal asphyxia was
      investigated with a protocol combining in vivo and in vitro experiments. Asphyxia
      exposed (AS) (by 21 min water immersion of foetuses containing uterine horns) and
      caesarean-delivered control (CS) rat neonates were used at P2-3 for preparing
      triple organotypic cultures (substantia nigra, neostriatum and neocortex). At DIV
      18, cultures were exposed to different concentrations of H2O2 (0.25-45 mM), added
      to the culture medium for 18 h. After a 48-h recovery period, the cultures were
      either assessed for cell viability or for neurochemical phenotype by confocal
      microscopy. Energy metabolism (ADP/ATP ratio), oxidative stress (GSH/GSSG) and a
      modified ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay were applied to homogenates of
      parallel culture series. In CS cultures, the number of dying cells was similar in
      substantia nigra, neostriatum and neocortex, but it was several times increased
      in AS cultures evaluated under the same conditions. A H2O2 challenge led to a
      concentration-dependent increase in cell death (>fourfold after 0.25 mM of H2O2)
      in CS cultures. In AS cultures, a significant increase in cell death was only
      observed after 0.5 mM of H2O2. At higher than 1 mM of H2O2 (up to 45 mM), cell
      death increased several times in all cultures, but the effect was still more
      prominent in CS than in AS cultures. The cell phenotype of dying/alive cells was
      investigated in formalin-fixed cultures exposed to 0 or 1 mM of H2O2, co
      labelling for TUNEL (apoptosis), MAP-2 (neuronal phenotype), GFAP (astroglial
      phenotype) and TH (tyrosine hydroxylase; for dopamine phenotype), counterstaining
      for DAPI (nuclear staining), also evaluating the effect of a single dose of
      nicotinamide (0.8 nmol/kg, i.p. injected in 100 MUL, 60 min after delivery).
      Perinatal asphyxia produced a significant increase in the number of DAPI/TUNEL
      cells/mm3, in substantia nigra and neostriatum. One millimolar of H202 increased
      the number of DAPI/TUNEL cells/mm3 by ~twofold in all regions of CS and AS
      cultures, an effect that was prevented by neonatal nicotinamide treatment. In
      substantia nigra, the number of MAP-2/TH-positive cells/mm3 was decreased in AS
      compared to CS cultures, also by 1 mM of H202, both in CS and AS cultures,
      prevented by nicotinamide. In agreement, the number of MAP-2/TUNEL-positive
      cells/mm3 was increased by 1 mM H2O2, both in CS (twofold) and AS (threefold)
      cultures, prevented by nicotinamide. The number of MAP-2/TH/TUNEL-positive
      cells/mm3 was only increased in CS (>threefold), but not in AS (1.3-fold)
      cultures. No TH labelling was observed in neostriatum, but 1 mM of H2O2 produced
      a strong increase in the number of MAP-2/TUNEL-positive cells/mm3, both in CS
      (>2.9-fold) and AS (>fourfold), decreased by nicotinamide. In neocortex, H2O2
      increased the number of MAP-2/TUNEL-positive cells/mm3, both in CS and AS
      cultures (~threefold), decreased by nicotinamide. The ADP/ATP ratio was increased
      in AS culture homogenates (>sixfold), compared to CS homogenates, increased by 1
      mM of H202, both in CS and AS homogenates. The GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly
      decreased in AS, compared to CS cultures. One millimolar of H2O2 decreased that
      ratio in CS and AS homogenates. The present results demonstrate that perinatal
      asphyxia induces long-term changes in metabolic pathways related to energy and
      oxidative stress, priming cell vulnerability with both neuronal and glial
      phenotype. The observed effects were region dependent, being the substantia nigra
      particularly prone to cell death. Nicotinamide administration in vivo prevented
      the deleterious effects observed after perinatal asphyxia in vitro, a suitable
      pharmacological strategy against the deleterious consequences of perinatal
      asphyxia.

PMID- 28631258
TI  - Long-term effects of rotational atherectomy in patients with heavy calcified
      coronary artery lesions: a single-centre experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rotational atherectomy (RA) plays a significant role in contemporary
      percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), especially in the era of population
      aging and expansion of PCI indications. AIM: The aim of the current study was to
      evaluate the rate of periprocedural complications, the long-term effectiveness of
      RA, and potential factors influencing the incidence of major adverse cardiac
      events (MACE) and major cardiac as well as cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after
      RA. METHODS: The study included 60 consecutive patients who underwent effective
      RA between January 2002 and May 2016. Patients were followed-up for 2,616 days
      for MACE and MACCE. RESULTS: The mean age of the enrolled patients was 72.1
      years, and 78.3% were males. The mean follow-up period lasted 835.3 +/- 611.8
      days. Periprocedural complications occurred in 12 (20.0%) patients. In the follow
      up of up to 2,616 days, 64% of patients were free of MACCE and 68% were free of
      MACE. Univariate Cox analysis revealed that MACCE occurred more often in patients
      from the high-risk group based on the EuroSCORE II and those with longer lengths
      of the implanted stent(s) after the RA procedure. In multivariate Cox regression
      analysis, both high-risk category and mean stent(s) length were identified as
      independent predictors of MACCE. EuroSCORE II was confirmed to be the only
      independent predictor of MACE after RA. CONCLUSIONS: Rotational atherectomy is a
      safe and sufficient technique for the endovascular treatment of heavily calcified
      coronary artery lesions. Individuals at a higher risk as assessed by the
      EuroSCORE II before RA and those with longer stent(s) implanted after RA are
      predisposed to MACCE in the follow-up.

PMID- 28631259
TI  - Preventive healthcare and health promotion in local governments based on the
      example of health policy programmes concerned with cardiovascular diseases
      implemented in Poland in 2009-2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the cause of over 4.3 million
      deaths in the World Health Organisation European Region and around 1.9 million
      deaths in the European Union member states alone. They are also the number-one
      cause of death in Poland. In 2010 CVDs accounted for 46% of all deaths, and in
      2013 - 45.8%. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of the
      tasks of local government units in the area of preventive healthcare and health
      promotion on the basis of health policy programmes concerning CVD. METHODS: The
      study was based on a desk research. The data included in the annual reports
      submitted to the Minister of Health concerning completed health policy programmes
      concerned with CVD, was used. RESULTS: A total of 795 programmes were completed
      in 2009-2014. The greatest number of programmes were completed by municipalities
      followed by counties. The costs incurred by voivodeships in connection with the
      programmes were significantly higher compared to the costs paid by municipalities
      and counties. Diagnostic programmes accounted for 74% of the overall number of
      programmes, and preventive programmes made up only 24%. The greatest number of
      programmes were completed in Mazowieckie and Swietokrzyskie voivodeships. The
      smallest number of programmes were completed in Lubelskie, Lubuskie, and
      Podlaskie voivodeships. CONCLUSIONS: Insignificant involvement of local
      government units can be seen in the fight against CVD. Particular types of local
      government units demonstrate a varied degree of involvement in the performance of
      health policy programmes. The small number of preventive programmes points to the
      fragmentary completion of tasks concerned with preventive healthcare and health
      promotion. Some of the voivodeships failed to properly address the health needs
      of local communities in respect of CVD. More programmes need to be completed, and
      they need to cover more people. Some guidelines should be developed for local
      government units concerning their involvement in the fight against CVD.

PMID- 28631260
TI  - Low-Income Ethnically Diverse Children's Engagement as a Predictor of School
      Readiness Above Preschool Classroom Quality.
AB  - This study examined whether children's observed individual engagement with
      teachers, peers, and tasks related to their school readiness after controlling
      for observed preschool classroom quality and children's baseline skills. The
      sample included 211 predominately low-income, racially/ethnically diverse 4-year
      old children in 49 preschool classrooms in one medium-sized U.S. city. Results
      indicated that children's positive engagement with (a) teachers related to
      improved literacy skills; (b) peers related to improved language and self
      regulatory skills; and (c) tasks related to closer relationships with teachers.
      Children's negative engagement was associated with lower language, literacy, and
      self-regulatory skills, and more conflict and closeness with teachers. Effect
      sizes were small to medium in magnitude, and some expected relations between
      positive engagement and school readiness were not found.

PMID- 28631261
TI  - Distinct post-translational features of type I collagen are conserved in mouse
      and human periodontal ligament.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Specifics of the biochemical pathways that modulate
      collagen cross-links in the periodontal ligament (PDL) are not fully defined.
      Better knowledge of the collagen post-translational modifications that give PDL
      its distinct tissue properties is needed to understand the pathogenic mechanisms
      of human PDL destruction in periodontal disease. In this study, the post
      translational phenotypes of human and mouse PDL type I collagen were surveyed
      using mass spectrometry. PDL is a highly specialized connective tissue that joins
      tooth cementum to alveolar bone. The main function of the PDL is to support the
      tooth within the alveolar bone while under occlusal load after tooth eruption.
      Almost half of the adult population in the USA has periodontal disease resulting
      from inflammatory destruction of the PDL, leading to tooth loss. Interestingly,
      PDL is unique from other ligamentous connective tissues as it has a high rate of
      turnover. Rapid turnover is believed to be an important characteristic for this
      specialized ligament to function within the oral-microbial environment. Like
      other ligaments, PDL is composed predominantly of type I collagen. Collagen
      synthesis is a complex process with multiple steps and numerous post
      translational modifications including hydroxylation, glycosylation and cross
      linking. The chemistry, placement and quantity of intermolecular cross-links are
      believed to be important regulators of tissue-specific structural and mechanical
      properties of collagens. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Type I collagen was isolated from
      several mouse and human tissues, including PDL, and analyzed by mass spectrometry
      for post-translational variances. RESULTS: The collagen telopeptide cross-linking
      lysines of PDL were found to be partially hydroxylated in human and mouse, as
      well as in other types of ligament. However, the degree of hydroxylation and
      glycosylation at the helical Lys87 cross-linking residue varied across species
      and between ligaments. These data suggest that different types of ligament
      collagen, notably PDL, appear to have evolved distinctive lysine/hydroxylysine
      cross-linking variations. Another distinguishing feature of PDL collagen is that,
      unlike other ligaments, it lacks any of the known prolyl 3-hydroxylase 2
      catalyzed 3-hydroxyproline site modifications that characterize tendon and
      ligament collagens. This gives PDL a novel modification profile, with hybrid
      features of both ligament and skin collagens. CONCLUSION: This distinctive post
      translational phenotype may be relevant for understanding why some individuals
      are at risk of rapid PDL destruction in periodontal disease and warrants further
      investigation. In addition, developing a murine model for studying PDL collagen
      may be useful for exploring potential clinical strategies for promoting PDL
      regeneration.

PMID- 28631263
TI  - ISIAQ Academy Awards 2016.

PMID- 28631264
TI  - Targeted use of LEDs in improvement of production efficiency through
      phytochemical enrichment.
AB  - Based on available literature, ecology and economy of light emitting diode (LED)
      lights in plant foods production were assessed and compared to high pressure
      sodium (HPS) and compact fluorescent light (CFL) lamps. The assessment summarises
      that LEDs are superior compared to other lamp types. LEDs are ideal in luminous
      efficiency, life span and electricity usage. Mercury, carbon dioxide and heat
      emissions are also lowest in comparison to HPS and CFL lamps. This indicates that
      LEDs are indeed economic and eco-friendly lighting devices. The present review
      indicates also that LEDs have many practical benefits compared to other lamp
      types. In addition, they are applicable in many purposes in plant foods
      production. The main focus of the review is the targeted use of LEDs in order to
      enrich phytochemicals in plants. This is an expedient to massive improvement in
      production efficiency, since it diminishes the number of plants per phytochemical
      unit. Consequently, any other production costs (e.g. growing space, water,
      nutrient and transport) may be reduced markedly. Finally, 24 research articles
      published between 2013 and 2017 were reviewed for targeted use of LEDs in the
      specific, i.e. blue range (400-500 nm) of spectrum. The articles indicate that
      blue light is efficient in enhancing the accumulation of health beneficial
      phytochemicals in various species. The finding is important for global food
      production. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28631262
TI  - Lifetime Suicidal Behaviors and Career Characteristics Among U.S. Army Soldiers:
      Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army
      STARRS).
AB  - The current report presents data on lifetime prevalence of suicide ideation and
      nonfatal attempts as reported by the large representative sample of U.S. Army
      soldiers who participated in the Consolidated All-Army Survey of the Army Study
      to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (N = 29,982). We also examine
      associations of key Army career characteristics with these outcomes. Prevalence
      estimates for lifetime suicide ideation are 12.7% among men and 20.1% among
      women, and for lifetime suicide attempts are 2.5% and 5.1%, respectively.
      Retrospective age-of-onset reports suggest that 53.4%-70% of these outcomes had
      preenlistment onsets. Results revealed that, for both men and women, being in the
      Regular Army, compared with being in the National Guard or Army Reserve, and
      being in an enlisted rank, compared with being an officer, is associated with
      increased risk of suicidal behaviors and that this elevated risk is present both
      before and after joining the Army.

PMID- 28631265
TI  - Evolution of ventral hernia repair.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to look at relevant data and research on the
      evolution of ventral hernia repair. METHODS: Resources including books, research,
      guidelines, and online articles were reviewed to provide a concise history of and
      data on the evolution of ventral hernia repair. RESULTS: The evolution of ventral
      hernia repair has a very long history, from the recognition of ventral hernias to
      its current management, with significant contributions from different authors.
      Advances in surgery have led to more cases of ventral hernia formation, and this
      has required the development of new techniques and new materials for ventral
      hernia management. The biocompatibility of prosthetic materials has been
      important in mesh development. The functional anatomy and physiology of the
      abdominal wall has become important in ventral hernia management. New techniques
      in abdominal wall closure may prevent or reduce the incidence of ventral hernia
      in the future. CONCLUSION: The management of ventral hernia is continuously
      evolving as it responds to new demands and new technology in surgery.

PMID- 28631266
TI  - For Better or Worse? System-Justifying Beliefs in Sixth-Grade Predict
      Trajectories of Self-Esteem and Behavior Across Early Adolescence.
AB  - Scholars call for more attention to how marginalization influences the
      development of low-income and racial/ethnic minority youth and emphasize the
      importance of youth's subjective perceptions of contexts. This study examines how
      beliefs about the fairness of the American system (system justification) in sixth
      grade influence trajectories of self-esteem and behavior among 257 early
      adolescents (average age 11.4) from a diverse, low-income, middle school in an
      urban southwestern city. System justification was associated with higher self
      esteem, less delinquent behavior, and better classroom behavior in sixth grade
      but worse trajectories of these outcomes from sixth to eighth grade. These
      findings provide novel evidence that system-justifying beliefs undermine the well
      being of marginalized youth and that early adolescence is a critical
      developmental period for this process.

PMID- 28631267
TI  - Ethical decision making in aged care.

PMID- 28631268
TI  - Network for Investigation of Delirium across the U.S.: Advancing the Field of
      Delirium with a New Interdisciplinary Research Network.

PMID- 28631269
TI  - Missing HLA C group 1 ligand in patients with AML and MDS is associated with
      reduced risk of relapse and better survival after allogeneic stem cell
      transplantation with fludarabine and treosulfan reduced toxicity conditioning.
AB  - Reduced-toxicity conditioning with fludarabine and treosulfan is a dose-intensive
      regimen with enhanced anti-leukemia effect and acceptable toxicity in AML/MDS.
      HLA-C regulates natural-killer (NK) cell function by inhibiting Killer
      immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and is divided into C1 and C2 epitopes. The
      missing-ligand theory suggests that missing recipient KIR ligands drives NK
      alloreactivity after SCT, in the absence of HLA-mismatch by activating unlicensed
      donor NK cells. We analyzed SCT outcomes in 203 patients with AML/MDS, median age
      58 years, given SCT from matched-siblings (n = 97) or matched-unrelated donors (n
      = 106), using two treosulfan doses (total 36 or 42 g/m2 ). 34% expressed one HLA
      C group 1 allele (C1C1), 19% one HLA-C group 2 allele (C2C2), and 48% both KIR
      ligands (C1C2). Median follow-up was 48 months. 5-year relapse, nonrelapse
      mortality (NRM) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) rates were 38%, 27%, and 36%,
      respectively. Relapse rates were 43%, 45%, and 26% in patients expressing C1C1,
      C1C2, and C2C2 ligands, respectively (P = .03). Multivariate-analysis identified
      chemo-refractory disease (HR 3.1, P = .003), poor cytogenetics (HR 1.7, P = .08),
      female donor to male recipient (HR 0.4, P = .01) and C2C2 ligands (HR 0.4, P =
      .04) as independent factors predicting relapse. HLA-C ligands were not associated
      with GVHD or NRM. LFS was 33%, 30%, and 46%, respectively (P = .07).
      Chemorefractory disease (HR 3.1, P = .0004) and C2C2 group ligand (HR 0.6, P =
      .06) independently predicted LFS. Treosulfan dose did not predict any SCT
      outcome. In conclusion, missing HLA-C group 1 ligand is associated with reduced
      relapse risk, similar NRM and improved LFS, after HLA-matched SCT with treosulfan
      conditioning in AML/MDS.

PMID- 28631270
TI  - Comparison of in vivo toxicity, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of
      coconut, nipah and pineapple juice vinegars.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vinegar is widely used as a food additive, in food preparation and as
      a food supplement. This study compared the phenolic acid profiles and in vivo
      toxicities, and antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects of coconut, nipah and
      pineapple juice vinegars, which were respectively prepared via a two-step
      fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae 7013 INRA and Acetobacter aceti vat
      Europeans. RESULTS: Pineapple juice vinegar, which had the highest total phenolic
      acid content, also exhibited the greatest in vitro antioxidant capacity compared
      to coconut juice and nipah juice vinegars. Following acute and sub-chronic in
      vivo toxicity evaluation, no toxicity and mortality were evident and there were
      no significant differences in the serum biochemical profiles between mice
      administered the vinegars versus the control group. In the sub-chronic toxicity
      evaluation, the highest liver antioxidant levels were found in mice fed with
      pineapple juice vinegar, followed by coconut juice and nipah juice vinegars.
      However, compared to the pineapple juice and nipah juice vinegars, the mice fed
      with coconut juice vinegar, exhibited a higher population of CD4+ and CD8+ T
      lymphocytes in the spleen, which was associated with greater levels of serum
      interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the data
      suggested that not all vinegar samples cause acute and sub-chronic toxicity in
      vivo. Moreover, the in vivo immunity and organ antioxidant levels were enhanced,
      to varying extents, by the phenolic acids present in the vinegars. The results
      obtained in this study provide appropriate guidelines for further in vivo
      bioactivity studies and pre-clinical assessments of vinegar consumption. (c) 2017
      Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28631271
TI  - Ocular myasthenic syndrome, adverse reaction to omalizumab? A case report.

PMID- 28631272
TI  - A Unique Fatal Moose Attack Mimicking Homicide.
AB  - Fatalities caused by animal attacks are rare, but have the potential to mimic
      homicide. We present a case in which a moose attacked and killed a woman who was
      walking her dog in a forest. Autopsy showed widespread blunt trauma with a large
      laceration on one leg in which blades of grass were embedded. Flail chest was the
      cause of death. The case was initially conceived as homicide by means of a riding
      lawn mower. A review of the case by moose experts and analyses of biological
      trace material that proved to originate from moose, established the true source
      of injury. The dog probably provoked a moose, which, in response, stomped and
      gored the victim to death. The injuries resembled those previously reported from
      attacks by cattle and water buffalo. Fatal moose attacks constitute an extremely
      rare threat in boreal areas, but can be considered in traumatic deaths of unknown
      cause.

PMID- 28631273
TI  - Dermoscopic features of ocular and extraocular sebaceous carcinomas.
AB  - Sebaceous carcinomas are rare but potentially fatal malignant adenocarcinomas
      with varying degrees of sebaceous differentiation. Several dermoscopic findings
      of extraocular sebaceous carcinomas have been reported; however, there are no
      previous reports of ocular sebaceous carcinomas detected using dermoscopy. We
      present a case of ocular sebaceous carcinomas showing specific findings from
      dermoscopy, and describe the common dermoscopic characteristics. In our cases and
      a review of cases in the literature, we noted that polymorphous vessels and
      yellowish areas were observed in all eight cases. Thus, we consider that
      dermoscopic findings of polymorphous vessels with yellow backgrounds suggest
      sebaceous carcinoma.

PMID- 28631274
TI  - Prenatal Diagnosis of Fetal Goitrous Hypothyroidism in a Euthyroid Mother: A
      Management Challenge.

PMID- 28631275
TI  - A Typology of Interprofessional Teamwork in Acute Geriatric Care: A Study in 55
      units in Belgium.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the quality of interprofessional teamwork in acute
      geriatric care and to build a model of team types. DESIGN: Cross-sectional
      multicenter study. SETTING: Acute geriatric units in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: Team
      members of different professional backgrounds. MEASUREMENTS: Perceptions of
      interprofessional teamwork among team members of 55 acute geriatric units in
      Belgium were measured using a survey covering collaborative practice and
      experience, managerial coaching and open team culture, shared reflection and
      decision-making, patient files facilitating teamwork, members' belief in the
      power of teamwork, and members' comfort in reporting incidents. Cluster analysis
      was used to determine types of interprofessional teamwork. Professions and
      clusters were compared using analysis of variance. RESULTS: The overall response
      rate was 60%. Of the 890 respondents, 71% were nursing professionals, 20% other
      allied health professionals, 5% physicians, and 4% logistic and administrative
      staff. More than 70% of respondents scored highly on interprofessional teamwork
      competencies, consultation, experiences, meetings, management, and results. Fewer
      than 55% scored highly on items about shared reflection and decision-making,
      reporting incidents from a colleague, and patient files facilitating
      interprofessional teamwork. Nurses in this study rated shared reflection and
      decision-making lower than physicians on the same acute geriatric units (P <
      .001). Using the mean score on each of the six areas, four clusters that differed
      significantly in all areas were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis
      and scree plot analysis (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Interprofessional teamwork in
      acute geriatric units is satisfactory, but shared reflection and decision-making
      needs improvement. Four types of interprofessional teamwork are identified and
      can be used to benchmark the teamwork of individual teams.

PMID- 28631276
TI  - Comparison of two different analysis approaches for DTI free-water corrected and
      uncorrected maps in the study of white matter microstructural integrity in
      individuals with depression.
AB  - Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has often been used to examine white matter (WM)
      tract abnormalities in depressed subjects, but these studies have yielded
      inconsistent results, probably, due to gender composition or small sample size.
      In this study, we applied different analysis pipelines to a relatively large
      sample of individuals with depression to determine whether previous findings in
      depression can be replicated with these pipelines. We used a "standard" DTI
      algorithm and maps computed through a free-water (FW) corrected DTI. This latter
      algorithm is able to identify and separate the effects of extracellular FW on DTI
      metrics. Additionally, skeletonized and WM voxel-based analysis (VBA) methods
      were used. Using the skeletonized method, DTI maps showed lower fractional
      anisotropy (FA) in depressed subjects in the left brain hemisphere, including the
      anterior thalamic radiation (ATR L), cortical spinal tract (CST L), inferior
      fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and superior
      longitudinal fasciculus (SLF L). Differences in radial diffusivity (RD) were also
      found. For the VBA using RD, we found different results when we used FW
      uncorrected and corrected DTI metrics. Relative to the VBA approach, the
      skeletonized analysis was able to identify more clusters where WM integrity was
      altered in depressed individuals. Different significant correlations were found
      between RD and the Patient Health Questionnaire in the CST L, and SLF L. In
      conclusion, the skeletonized method revealed more clusters than the VBA and
      individuals with depression showed multiple WM abnormalities, some of which were
      correlated with disease severity Hum Brain Mapp 38:4690-4702, 2017. (c) 2017
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631277
TI  - Spindle cell oncocytoma of adenohypophysis: Review of literature and report of
      another recurrent case.
AB  - Spindle cell oncocytoma (SCO) of adenohypophysis was first described in 2002 by
      Roncaroli et al. as a new entity in the tumors originating from adenohypophysis.
      It was subsequently recognized as a distinct entity in the 2007 WHO
      classification of CNS tumors and retained in the current updated classification.
      In contrast to that suggested by the original authors, this tumor does have a
      potential for recurrence as first described by Kloub et al. and later with many
      such case reports. This tumor can be confused with other sellar tumors like
      pituicytomas and pituitary adenoma, both radiologically and histopathologically.
      However, it is imperative to differentiate these tumors from the above-mentioned
      differential diagnoses as it certainly has a recurrent potential. To date only 34
      cases of SCO have been published in the English literature. Herein we present a
      rare SCO case with unusually aggressive course in a 64-year-old man, which
      recurred 4 years after the initial diagnosis.

PMID- 28631278
TI  - Effects of Different Temperatures on the Development of Dermestes Frischii and
      Dermestes Undulatus (Coleoptera, Dermestidae): Comparison Between Species.
AB  - Dermestidae could be useful in forensic investigations to assess the PMI as
      adults and larvae colonize dried remains. We reared two species of Dermestidae
      (Dermestes frischii and Dermestes undulatus) to understand the effects of
      different temperatures on the length of their whole life cycle and on their
      immature stages. Both species were reared at 23 degrees C +/- 0.5, RH 75% and at
      26 degrees C +/- 0.5, 75% RH. Our result shows that the temperature is the main
      factor that influences the development of those species; in fact, increasing
      temperature leads to a shorter development cycle (59.8 +/- 0.5 and 38.1 +/- 0.2
      for D. frischii; 50.6 +/- 0.6 and 36.2 +/- 0.2 for D. undulatus). Furthermore, we
      found that the number of the molts before the pupa decreases from 5-7 to 5-6 for
      D. frischii and from 4-6 to 4-5 for D. undulatus, respectively, at 23 degrees C
      and 26 degrees C.

PMID- 28631279
TI  - Nurses' attitudes and knowledge regarding organ and tissue donation and
      transplantation in a provincial hospital: A descriptive and multivariate
      analysis.
AB  - The attitudes and knowledge of nursing personnel regarding organ and tissue
      donation can influence the decision to donate. This study aimed to determine
      these two factors among nurses at a district hospital in Barcelona, Spain. A
      survey was carried out using a 35 item questionnaire. Results were subjected to
      descriptive and comparative statistical analyses using bivariate and multivariate
      analyses to examine the relation between demographic data and attitudes toward
      donation. The completion rate was 68.2%, with 98.6% of those responding stating
      that they were in favor of organ donation. The respondents were unsure as to
      whether the criteria for inclusion in transplant waiting lists were appropriate
      (57.5%), whereas 72.2% agreed that brain death is equivalent to death. The
      bivariate analysis revealed a significant association between a positive attitude
      toward donation and working on permanent night shift no religious beliefs.
      Attitudes toward donation among nurses were generally positive; a negative
      attitude, although attitudes towards donation among the nurses participating in
      the study were generally positive, it should be pointed out that when a negative
      attitude does exist this affects significant aspects such as belief in the
      diagnosis of brain death or the criteria for inclusion on the waiting list,
      amongst others, which reflects that specific training in donation focused on
      nurses continues to be needed.

PMID- 28631280
TI  - Age- and sex-associated morphological variations of metatarsal torsional patterns
      in humans.
AB  - It has been demonstrated that the torsional patterns of the metatarsal heads are
      associated with the presence or absence of the medial longitudinal arch in
      hominoid feet. The relatively untwisted second metatarsal is unique in humans,
      but that of the African apes is much more inverted, suggesting that the torsion
      of the second metatarsal might represent the overall shape and flatness of the
      foot. Some clinical studies have recently argued that the onset of foot
      pathologies such as hallux valgus might be related to the torsional pattern of
      the metatarsals. However, to date, no studies have systematically investigated
      the morphological variations of the torsional patterns of human metatarsals. In
      this study, therefore, the aim was to clarify the age- and sex-associated
      variations in the torsional patterns of human metatarsals using three-dimensional
      computed tomography. The torsion angles of the five metatarsals were calculated
      by defining the dorsopalmar vector of the metatarsal base and the vector
      corresponding to the rotational axis of the metatarsal head. The present result
      demonstrated that the second metatarsals of females were significantly more
      inverted with increasing age. Flat foot is known to be most common in elderly
      women. Whether there is a cause-effect relationship between second metatarsal
      torsion and flattening of the medial longitudinal arch has yet to be answered,
      but this study suggested that torsion of the second metatarsal might possibly be
      used as an indicator for the early diagnosis of flat foot and associated foot
      pathologies. Clin. Anat. 30:1058-1063, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631281
TI  - Detecting large-scale networks in the human brain using high-density
      electroencephalography.
AB  - High-density electroencephalography (hdEEG) is an emerging brain imaging
      technique that can be used to investigate fast dynamics of electrical activity in
      the healthy and the diseased human brain. Its applications are however currently
      limited by a number of methodological issues, among which the difficulty in
      obtaining accurate source localizations. In particular, these issues have so far
      prevented EEG studies from reporting brain networks similar to those previously
      detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Here, we report for the
      first time a robust detection of brain networks from resting state (256-channel)
      hdEEG recordings. Specifically, we obtained 14 networks previously described in
      fMRI studies by means of realistic 12-layer head models and exact low-resolution
      brain electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA) source localization, together with
      independent component analysis (ICA) for functional connectivity analysis. Our
      analyses revealed three important methodological aspects. First, brain network
      reconstruction can be improved by performing source localization using the gray
      matter as source space, instead of the whole brain. Second, conducting EEG
      connectivity analyses in individual space rather than on concatenated datasets
      may be preferable, as it permits to incorporate realistic information on head
      modeling and electrode positioning. Third, the use of a wide frequency band leads
      to an unbiased and generally accurate reconstruction of several network maps,
      whereas filtering data in a narrow frequency band may enhance the detection of
      specific networks and penalize that of others. We hope that our methodological
      work will contribute to rise of hdEEG as a powerful tool for brain research. Hum
      Brain Mapp 38:4631-4643, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631282
TI  - Biosynthesis of Complex Indole Alkaloids: Elucidation of the Concise Pathway of
      Okaramines.
AB  - The okaramines are a class of complex indole alkaloids isolated from Penicillium
      and Aspergillus species. Their potent insecticidal activity arises from
      selectively activating glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls) in
      invertebrates, not affecting human ligand-gated anion channels. Okaramines B (1)
      and D (2) contain a polycyclic skeleton, including an azocine ring and an
      unprecedented 2-dimethyl-3-methyl-azetidine ring. Owing to their complex
      scaffold, okaramines have inspired many total synthesis efforts, but the
      enzymology of the okaramine biosynthetic pathway remains unexplored. Here, we
      identified and characterized the biosynthetic gene cluster (oka) of 1 and 2, then
      elucidated the pathway with target gene inactivation, heterologous
      reconstitution, and biochemical characterization. Notably, we characterized an
      alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent non-heme FeII dioxygenase that forged the azetidine
      ring on the okaramine skeleton.

PMID- 28631283
TI  - Assessing causal effects of early life-course factors on early childhood caries
      in 5-year-old Ugandan children using directed acyclic graphs (DAGs): A
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of distal and proximal early life-course
      factors on early childhood caries (ECC) in 5-year-old Ugandan children,
      particularly focusing on the causal effect of exclusive breast feeding (EBF) on
      ECC using directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) for confounder selection. METHODS: This
      study had a nested prospective cohort design, focusing on 5 years of follow-ups
      of caregiver-children pairs from the PROMISE-EBF trial (ClinicalTrials.gov no:
      NCT00397150) conducted in 2011 in Eastern Uganda. Data were from recruitment
      interviews, 24-week, 2-year and 5-year follow-ups of a cohort of 417 mother
      children pairs. Trained research assistants performed interviews with caregivers
      in the local language and ECC was recorded under field conditions using the World
      Health Organization's (WHO) decayed missing or filled teeth (dmft) index. Early
      life-course factors in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, EBF and other
      feeding habits were assessed at the various follow-ups. The outcome (ECC; dmft>0)
      was assessed at the 5-year follow-up. Causal diagrams as DAGs were constructed to
      guide the selection of confounding and collider variables to be included in or
      excluded from the final multivariable analysis. Negative binomial regression
      analyses were performed based on two comparative DAGs representing different
      causal models. RESULTS: Model 1 based on DAG 1, showed EBF to be a protective
      factor against ECC, with an IRR and 95% CI of 0.62 (0.43-0.91). According to
      Model 2 based on DAG 2, EBF and having both parents living together had
      protective effects: the corresponding IRRs and 95% CI were 0.60 (0.41-0.88) and
      0.48 (0.25-0.90), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both plausible models indicated that
      being exclusively breastfed for 24 weeks had a protective causal effect against
      ECC. Further research, examining the unmeasured variables included in the DAGs is
      necessary to strengthen the present finding and allow stronger causal claims.

PMID- 28631284
TI  - The role of radiotherapy in bone metastases: A critical review of current
      literature.
AB  - Radiotherapy is considered the treatment of choice for painful bone metastases.
      However, novel modalities of radiotherapy have emerged in the concept of
      oligometastasic disease. In addition, the increase of overall survival of
      patients with bone metastatic disease in the last decades due to systemic
      treatments has issued the silent topic of re-irradiation. The aim of this
      manuscript was to present a current thorough search of relevant literature.
      Originally, 6,087 articles revealed from PubMed database related to radiotherapy
      and bone metastases. The first objective was to identify prospective randomised
      phase III studies dealing with bone metastases and which treated primary with
      radiotherapy. Abstracts and non-English citations were excluded. Twenty-three
      phase III clinical trials, 17 prospective studies and eight meta
      analysis/systemic reviews matching with these criteria, were identified. Eleven
      randomised studies were comparing single dose fraction to multi-fraction
      schedules of radiotherapy. The overall response rates and complete response rates
      were not significant between the two arms. Re-irradiations rates were
      significantly higher for the single dose fraction arms. Stereotactic radiotherapy
      showed excellent tumour control rates more than 80%. All trials showed the
      equivalence of either single or multi-fractionated radiotherapy for metastatic
      bone lesions. Stereotactic irradiation is feasible and safe for oligometastatic
      disease. However, it seems that the single fraction of 8 Gy is superior to 4 Gy,
      in terms of efficacy.

PMID- 28631285
TI  - Quality assurance of falls reduction in an orthopaedic ward using a novel bedside
      trolley table set-up strategy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a novel bedside trolley table set-up decreased
      inpatient falls (IF) postintervention. METHODS: From December 2012 to December
      2014, geriatric patients admitted to our orthopaedic ward with extreme falls risk
      had a bedside trolley placed between them and a floor sensor mat to give
      responders more time to prevent IF. Pre- and postintervention falls data was
      reviewed for falls reduction using falls per month as comparison standard. IF
      were classified as high or low/medium risk using St Thomas's Risk Assessment Tool
      In Falling Elderly inpatients (STRATIFY) scoring. RESULTS: Sixty-two of 134 falls
      fulfilled inclusion criteria. The high-risk group had 33 patients preintervention
      and 22 patients postintervention, with falls per month at 3.4 preintervention and
      1 postintervention. IF reduction was 71% in STRATIFY >=17 versus 44% in STRATIFY
      <17. CONCLUSIONS: The novel set-up with appropriate assessment may decrease falls
      in the high-risk ortho-geriatric population. Further trials are warranted to
      confirm its effectiveness.

PMID- 28631287
TI  - Incidental findings of implant complications on postimplantation CBCTs: A cross
      sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Survival rates of dental implants are reported to be very high and
      seem to indicate minimal complications related to dental implants. PURPOSE: The
      aim of this report was to evaluate in a cross-sectional study the prevalence of
      implant positioning complications as appears in postimplantation Cone-Beam
      Computerized Tomography (CBCT) in two of the major imaging facilities in
      Bucharest, Romania. METHODS: Demographic and implant data was collected from two
      of the three main CBCT facilities in Bucharest, Romania. All postimplantation
      CBCT imaging were assessed and evaluated for the presence of different implant
      positioning related complications. Data were entered into Excel spreadsheet and
      analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Of the 2323 CBCT's that were analyzed, a total
      of 160 (6.89%) presented with implant positioning related complications. Out of
      those, 62 cases revealed penetration of the implant to adjacent anatomic
      structure. More specifically, there were 21 instances of sinus penetration, 19
      instances of nasal cavity penetration, 9 instances of inferior alveolar canal
      penetration, and 13 instances of lingual plate perforations. There were also 15
      cases of adjacent tooth injury noted. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the popularity of
      dental implants, the surgical placement of these implants is not a riskless
      procedure. Implant mal-positioning might be life-threatening and can lead to
      serious bleeding, airway obstruction, and unnecessary postoperative surgeries.
      Complications of dental implants are not obsolete and dental implant associated
      problems may not be apparent immediately. Surgeons must have proper training and
      use evidenced-based treatment planning in order to prevent dental implant
      complications.

PMID- 28631288
TI  - Higher Intelligence and Later Maternal Age: Which Way Does the Causal Direction
      Go?

PMID- 28631286
TI  - Knockdown of mediator subunit Med19 suppresses bladder cancer cell proliferation
      and migration by downregulating Wnt/beta-catenin signalling pathway.
AB  - Mediator complex subunit 19 (Med19), a RNA polymerase II-embedded coactivator, is
      reported to be involved in bladder cancer (BCa) progression, but its functional
      contribution to this process is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the
      effects of Med19 on malignant behaviours of BCa, as well as to elucidate the
      possible mechanisms. Med19 expression in 15 BCa tissues was significantly higher
      than adjacent paired normal tissues using real-time PCR and Western blot
      analysis. Immunohistochemical staining of 167 paraffin-embedded BCa tissues was
      performed, and the results showed that high Med19 protein level was positively
      correlated with clinical stages and histopathological grade. Med19 was knocked
      down in BCa cells using short-hairpin RNA. Functional assays showed that knocking
      down of Med19 can suppress cell proliferation and migration in T24, UM-UC3 cells
      and 5637 in vitro, and inhibited BCa tumour growth in vivo. TOP/FOPflash reporter
      assay revealed that Med19 knockdown decreased the activity of Wnt/beta-catenin
      pathway, and the target genes of Wnt/beta-catenin pathway were down-regulated,
      including Wnt2, beta-catenin, Cyclin-D1 and MMP-9. However, protein levels of
      Gsk3beta and E-cadherin were elevated. Our data suggest that Med19 expression
      correlates with aggressive characteristics of BCa and Med19 knockdown suppresses
      the proliferation and migration of BCa cells through down-regulating the Wnt/beta
      catenin pathway, thereby highlighting Med19 as a potential therapeutic target for
      BCa treatment.

PMID- 28631289
TI  - Three-dimensional orientation of the acetabulum.
AB  - This study was designed specifically to determine the normal acetabular
      orientation and femoral head covering, and whether these are affected by age or
      sex. Computed tomographic images of normal Japanese hip joints were used (males
      60, females 60; mean age 48.3 years, range 15-79 years). Male and female age
      profiles were matched. The reconstructed 3-D pelvic images were aligned in the
      anatomical pelvic coordinate system. The acetabular orientation angles and
      femoral covering angles were measured in the sagittal, coronal, and horizontal
      planes. In the sagittal plane, the acetabular orientation angle was operative
      anteversion (O-av), and the femoral covering angles were the anterior and
      posterior center-edge angles (ACE and PCE). In the coronal plane, they were the
      Sharp angle (SA) and the lateral center-edge angle (LCE). In the horizontal
      plane, they were anatomical anteversion (A-av) and the anterior and posterior
      sector angles (ASA and PSA). The O-av, SA, and A-av were smaller in the male than
      the female acetabulum (P < 0.01). SA in both males and females was inversely
      correlated with age (P < 0.01). Both male PCE and PSA were significantly smaller
      than those of females, while male ASA was larger than female ASA (P < 0.05). The
      male acetabulum is directed further outward and downward than the female one.
      However, this does not indicate that the male acetabulum covers the femoral head
      more, because there is no significant sex difference in the LCE. Femoral coverage
      is more posteriorly biased in females than in males owing to pelvic inclination.
      Clin. Anat. 30:753-760, 2017. (c) 2017Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631290
TI  - A H2 -oxidizing, 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene-reducing multienzyme complex isolated
      from the obligately organohalide-respiring bacterium Dehalococcoides mccartyi
      strain CBDB1.
AB  - Dehalococcoides mccartyi is a small, slow-growing bacterium of the phylum
      Chloroflexi that conserves energy using aliphatic and aromatic organohalides as
      electron acceptors, and hydrogen as sole electron donor. A recent study
      identified a protein complex in the membrane of strain CBDB1 comprising a Hup
      hydrogenase, a complex iron-sulphur molybdoprotein and a reductive dehalogenase
      (RdhA) that catalyses reduction of 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene. Using a
      combination of size-exclusion chromatography, in-gel hydrogenase activity
      staining, immunological analysis and mass spectrometry, we identified here a
      large molecular mass protein complex solubilized from the cytoplasmic membrane of
      D. mccartyi strain CBDB1 that catalysed H2 -dependent reduction of 1,2,3
      trichlorobenzene (1,2,3-TCB) to 1,3-DCB. In-gel zymographic staining revealed H2
      :benzyl viologen oxidoreductase activity associated with the complex and
      immunological analysis identified co-elution of CdbdA195, the predicted catalytic
      subunit of the iron-sulphur molybdoenzyme, the chlorobenzene-specific RdhA, CbrA,
      and traces of HupL, the catalytic subunit of the Hup hydrogenase. Quantitative
      reverse transcriptase PCR analyses indicated that the expression of the hupL and
      cbdbA195 genes was induced by 1,2,3-TCB but not by hydrogen. Together, these data
      identify and describe a protein-based electron-transfer complex catalysing H2
      oxidation coupled to chlorobenzene reduction.

PMID- 28631291
TI  - Folate deficiency disturbs hsa-let-7 g level through methylation regulation in
      neural tube defects.
AB  - Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy is believed to be a high-risk factor for
      neural tube defects (NTDs). Disturbed epigenetic modifications, including miRNA
      regulation, have been linked to the pathogenesis of NTDs in those with folate
      deficiency. However, the mechanism by which folic acid-regulated miRNA influences
      this pathogenesis remains unclear. It is believed that DNA methylation is
      associated with dysregulated miRNA expression. To clarify this issue, here we
      measured the methylation changes of 22 miRNAs in 57 human NTD cases to explore
      whether such changes are involved in miRNA regulation in NTD cases through folate
      metabolism. In total, eight of the 22 miRNAs tested reduced their methylation
      modifications in NTD cases, which provide direct evidence of the roles of
      interactions between DNA methylation and miRNA level in these defects. Among the
      findings, there was a significant association between folic acid concentration
      and hsa-let-7 g methylation level in NTD cases. Hypomethylation of hsa-let-7 g
      increased its own expression level in both NTD cases and cell models, which
      indicated that hsa-let-7 g methylation directly regulates its own expression.
      Overexpression of hsa-let-7 g, along with its target genes, disturbed the
      migration and proliferation of SK-N-SH cells, implying that hsa-let-7 g plays
      important roles in the prevention of NTDs by folic acid. In summary, our data
      suggest a relationship between aberrant methylation of hsa-let-7 g and disturbed
      folate metabolism in NTDs, implying that improvements in nutrition during early
      pregnancy may prevent such defects, possibly via the donation of methyl groups
      for miRNAs.

PMID- 28631292
TI  - Validation of Reduced Reagent Volumes in the Implementation of the Quantifiler(r)
      Trio Quantification Kit.
AB  - The Quantifiler(r) Trio Quantification Kit has been developed to quantify the
      total amount of amplifiable and human male DNA in samples and to estimate the
      extent of DNA degradation. To minimize the cost of DNA quantification, we
      evaluated kit performance using a reduced volume of reagents (1/10-volume) using
      DNA samples of varying types and concentrations. Our results demonstrated
      concordance between the manufacturer's method and the low-volume method for DNA
      quantification, DNA degradation index estimation, and human male DNA
      quantification. We confirmed the practical utility of the low-volume method with
      109 casework samples by evaluating short tandem repeat (STR) profiling success
      with respect to DNA quantity and quality. We also defined a cutoff value for DNA
      quantity to ensure reliable STR results. Using a reduced volume of reagents, 10
      times more reactions per kit are possible; accordingly, this method reduces the
      cost of DNA quantification, while maintaining performance.

PMID- 28631293
TI  - Region-dependent patterns of trabecular bone growth in the human proximal femur:
      A study of 3D bone microarchitecture from early postnatal to late childhood
      period.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Parallel with body growth and development, bone structure in non
      adults is reorganized to achieve the particular design observed in mature
      individuals. We traced the changes in three-dimensional trabecular
      microarchitectural design during the phases of locomotor maturation to clarify
      how human bone adapts to mechanical demands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Micro-CT was
      performed on biomechanically-relevant subregions of the proximal femur (medial,
      intermediate and lateral neck regions, intertrochanteric region, metaphyseal
      region) from early postnatal period to late childhood. RESULTS: Developmental
      patterns of trabecular microarchitecture showed that gestationally overproduced
      bone present at birth underwent the most dramatic reduction during the first
      year, followed by a reversing trend in some of the quantitative parameters (e.g.,
      bone volume fraction, trabecular anisotropy). Certain regional anisotropy already
      present at birth is further accentuated into the childhood suggesting an
      adaptation to differential loading environments. Trabecular eccentricity in the
      femoral neck was particularly accentuated during childhood, giving the medial
      neck-the site mostly loaded in walking-superior microarchitectural design (high
      bone volume fraction and anisotropy, the earliest appearance and predominance of
      plate- and honeycomb-shaped trabeculae). DISCUSSION: While providing quantitative
      data on how bone microarchitecture adapts to increasing mechanical demands
      occurring during the phases of locomotor maturation, the study reveals how
      regional anisotropy develops in the proximal femur to ensure a functional and
      competent bone structure. Decomposing the region-specific patterns of bone mass
      accrual is important in understanding skeletal adaptations to bipedalism, as well
      for understanding why fractures often occur location-dependent, both in pediatric
      and elderly individuals.

PMID- 28631294
TI  - Practical challenges of I2 as a measure of heterogeneity.

PMID- 28631295
TI  - An EM algorithm for nonparametric estimation of the cumulative incidence function
      from repeated imperfect test results.
AB  - In screening and surveillance studies, event times are interval censored.
      Besides, screening tests are imperfect so that the interval at which an event
      takes place may be uncertain. We describe an expectation-maximization algorithm
      to find the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator of the cumulative
      incidence function of an event based on screening test data. Our algorithm has a
      closed-form solution for the combined expectation and maximization step and is
      computationally undemanding. A simulation study indicated that the bias of the
      estimator tends to zero for large sample size, and its mean squared error is in
      general lower than the mean squared error of the estimator that assumes the
      screening test is perfect. We apply the algorithm to follow-up data from women
      treated for cervical precancer. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28631297
TI  - An augmented reality tool for learning spatial anatomy on mobile devices.
AB  - Augmented Realty (AR) offers a novel method of blending virtual and real anatomy
      for intuitive spatial learning. Our first aim in the study was to create a
      prototype AR tool for mobile devices. Our second aim was to complete a technical
      evaluation of our prototype AR tool focused on measuring the system's ability to
      accurately render digital content in the real world. We imported Computed
      Tomography (CT) data derived virtual surface models into a 3D Unity engine
      environment and implemented an AR algorithm to display these on mobile devices.
      We investigated the accuracy of the virtual renderings by comparing a physical
      cube with an identical virtual cube for dimensional accuracy. Our comparative
      study confirms that our AR tool renders 3D virtual objects with a high level of
      accuracy as evidenced by the degree of similarity between measurements of the
      dimensions of a virtual object (a cube) and the corresponding physical object. We
      developed an inexpensive and user-friendly prototype AR tool for mobile devices
      that creates highly accurate renderings. This prototype demonstrates an
      intuitive, portable, and integrated interface for spatial interaction with
      virtual anatomical specimens. Integrating this AR tool with a library of CT
      derived surface models provides a platform for spatial learning in the anatomy
      curriculum. The segmentation methodology implemented to optimize human CT data
      for mobile viewing can be extended to include anatomical variations and
      pathologies. The ability of this inexpensive educational platform to deliver a
      library of interactive, 3D models to students worldwide demonstrates its utility
      as a supplemental teaching tool that could greatly benefit anatomical
      instruction. Clin. Anat. 30:736-741, 2017. (c) 2017Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631296
TI  - Hydrogen sulphide as a signalling molecule regulating physiopathological
      processes in gastrointestinal motility.
AB  - The biology of H2 S is a still developing area of research and several biological
      functions have been recently attributed to this gaseous molecule in many
      physiological systems, including the cardiovascular, urogenital, respiratory,
      digestive and central nervous system (CNS). H2 S exerts anti-inflammatory effects
      and can be considered an endogenous mediator with potential effects on
      gastrointestinal motility. During the last few years, we have investigated the
      role of H2 S as a regulator of gastrointestinal motility using both animal and
      human tissues. The aim of the present work is to review published data regarding
      the potential role of H2 S as a signalling molecule regulating physiopathological
      processes in gastrointestinal motor function. H2 S is endogenously produced by
      defined enzymic pathways in different cell types of the intestinal wall including
      neurons and smooth muscle. Inhibition of H2 S biosynthesis increases motility and
      H2 S donors cause smooth muscle relaxation and inhibition of propulsive motor
      patterns. Impaired H2 S production has been described in animal models with
      gastrointestinal motor dysfunction. The mechanism(s) of action underlying these
      effects may include several ion channels, although no specific receptor has been
      identified. At this time, even though there is much experimental evidence for H2
      S as a modulator of gastrointestinal motility, we still do not have conclusive
      experimental evidence to definitively propose H2 S as an inhibitory
      neurotransmitter in the gastrointestinal tract, causing nerve-mediated
      relaxation.

PMID- 28631298
TI  - High prevalence of osteonecrosis among the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis
      population: Single institution 10-year retrospective data review.

PMID- 28631299
TI  - Carbazole-azine based fluorescence 'off-on' sensor for selective detection of
      Cu2+ and its live cell imaging.
AB  - A new carbazole-azine based fluorescent sensor was synthesized and characterized.
      The selectivity of the sensor for Cu2+ over other counter ions in a dimethyl
      sulfoxide/H2 O mixture was shown through enhancement in fluorescence - an off to
      on transformation. The specificity of the probe towards Cu2+ was evident in
      ultraviolet/visible, fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared and mass studies.
      Application of the probe in the cell imaging and cytotoxicity of living cells is
      illustrated.

PMID- 28631300
TI  - A bacterial chloroform reductive dehalogenase: purification and biochemical
      characterization.
AB  - We report herein the purification of a chloroform (CF)-reducing enzyme, TmrA,
      from the membrane fraction of a strict anaerobe Dehalobacter sp. strain UNSWDHB
      to apparent homogeneity with an approximate 23-fold increase in relative purity
      compared to crude lysate. The membrane fraction obtained by ultracentrifugation
      was solubilized in Triton X-100 in the presence of glycerol, followed by
      purification by anion exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified
      TmrA was determined to be 44.5 kDa by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF/TOF. The purified
      dehalogenase reductively dechlorinated CF to dichloromethane in vitro with
      reduced methyl viologen as the electron donor at a specific activity of (1.27 +/-
      0.04) * 103 units mg protein-1 . The optimum temperature and pH for the activity
      were 45 degrees C and 7.2, respectively. The UV-visible spectrometric analysis
      indicated the presence of a corrinoid and two [4Fe-4S] clusters, predicted from
      the amino acid sequence. This is the first report of the production, purification
      and biochemical characterization of a CF reductive dehalogenase.

PMID- 28631301
TI  - Prevention of lupus nephritis development in NZB/NZW mice by selective blockade
      of CD28.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease.
      Autoantibodies (autoAbs) against double-stranded DNA (ds DNA), the hallmark of
      lupus, are produced and maintained by the interaction between auto-reactive B
      cells and CD4+ T cells. This interplay is controlled by the CD28/CD80-86/CTLA-4
      axis. Here we investigated whether selective blockade of CD28-CD80/86 co
      stimulatory interactions abrogates lupus nephritis development in a murine model
      of SLE. To this aim, NZB/NZW F1 mice were treated for 3 months, either with an
      anti-CD28 Fab' fragment or a control Fab'-IgG. The effect of CD28 blockade on
      lupus nephritis onset, survival, production of anti-ds DNA antibodies and
      costimulatory molecules was evaluated. CD28 blockade prevented the development of
      lupus nephritis and prolonged survival during the 3-month treatment and 12 weeks
      after. Furthermore, the production of anti-ds DNA autoAbs was decreased. Lastly,
      the protective effect of CD28 blockade was associated with increased intrarenal
      expression of the immunoregulatory molecule, Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase, of the
      co-inhibitory receptor programmed cell-Death - 1 (PD-1) and of its ligand
      programmed death ligand - 1 (PDL-1).In conclusion, CD28 blockade prevented the
      development of lupus nephritis in NZB/NZW F1 mice. This immunomodulatory strategy
      is a promising candidate for SLE therapy in humans.

PMID- 28631302
TI  - l-Homocysteine-induced cathepsin V mediates the vascular endothelial inflammation
      in hyperhomocysteinaemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Vascular inflammation, including the expression of
      inflammatory cytokines in endothelial cells, plays a critical role in
      hyperhomocysteinaemia-associated vascular diseases. Cathepsin V, specifically
      expressed in humans, is involved in vascular diseases through its elastolytic and
      collagenolytic activities. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of
      cathepsin V on l-homocysteine-induced vascular inflammation. EXPERIMENTAL
      APPROACH: A high methionine diet-induced hyperhomocysteinaemic mouse model was
      used to assess cathepsin V expression and vascular inflammation. Cultures of
      HUVECs were challenged with l-homocysteine and the cathepsin L/V inhibitor SID to
      assess the pro-inflammatory effects of cathepsin V. Transfection and antisense
      techniques were utilized to investigate the effects of cathepsin V on the dual
      specificity protein phosphatases (DUSPs) and MAPK pathways. KEY RESULTS:
      Cathepsin L (human cathepsin V homologous) was increased in the thoracic aorta
      endothelial cells of hyperhomocysteinaemic mice; l-homocysteine promoted
      cathepsin V expression in HUVECs. SID suppressed the activity of cathepsin V and
      reversed the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha),
      adhesion and chemotaxis of leukocytes and vascular inflammation induced by l
      homocysteine in vivo and in vitro. Increased cathepsin V promoted the degradation
      of DUSP6 and DUSP7, phosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of
      ERK1/2, phosphorylation of STAT1 and expression of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha.
      CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study has identified a novel mechanism, which
      shows that l-homocysteine-induced upregulation of cathepsin V mediates vascular
      endothelial inflammation under high homocysteine condition partly via ERK1/2
      /STAT1 pathway. This mechanism could represent a potential therapeutic target in
      hyperaemia-associated vascular diseases. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of
      a themed section on Spotlight on Small Molecules in Cardiovascular Diseases. To
      view the other articles in this section visit
      http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.8/issuetoc.

PMID- 28631303
TI  - Photophobia and Seasonal Variation of Migraine in a Subarctic Population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between photophobia and seasonal variation
      of migraine. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, migraineurs consecutively
      recruited were referred to a specialist center located above the Arctic Circle at
      68-71 degrees North during a 2.5-year period. Data were obtained through a
      structured interview. RESULTS: In total, 302 migraineurs with a mean (+/-SD) age
      of 35.5 (+/-12.6) years were included. Patients who reported seasonal variation
      of migraine (n = 90; 29.8%) also reported more often interictal photophobia than
      the others (61/90, 67.8% vs 92/212, 43.4%, P < .0001). Patients reported sunlight
      or other bright light to trigger migraine attacks in 74.4% with seasonal migraine
      (SM) compared with 40.6% in patients with non-seasonal migraine (NSM) (P <
      .0001), but there were similar frequencies of attacks reported to be triggered by
      sleep, menstruation, and other precipitating factors. After adjusting for
      migraine with aura, migraine disability, chronic migraine, interictal
      photophobia, and insomnia, sunlight or other bright light, photophobia was still
      associated with SM (OR; 3.47, CI [95%]; 1.83-6.59, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Migraineurs in a subarctic area reporting seasonal variation of attack frequency
      also report increased interictal photophobia independent of other clinical
      factors. Chronobiological mechanisms and/or increased activity in the visual
      system may be responsible for this phenomenon.

PMID- 28631304
TI  - When and How Do Students Benefit From Ethnic Diversity in Middle School?
AB  - The effects of school-based ethnic diversity on student well-being and race
      related views were examined during the first year in middle school. To capture
      the dynamic nature of ethnic exposure, diversity was assessed both at the school
      level (n = 26) and based on academic course enrollments of African American,
      Asian, Latino, and White students (n = 4,302; M = 11.33 years). Across all four
      pan-ethnic groups, school-level ethnic diversity was associated with lower sense
      of vulnerability (i.e., feeling safer, less victimized, and less lonely) as well
      as perceptions of teachers' fair and equal treatment of ethnic groups and lower
      out-group distance. Underscoring the role of individual experiences, exposure to
      diversity in academic classes moderated the association between school-level
      diversity and the two aforementioned race-related views.

PMID- 28631305
TI  - Two-years results of small-incision lenticule extraction and wavefront-guided
      laser in situ keratomileusis for Myopia.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the 2-years visual and refractive outcomes between small
      incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and wavefront-guided laser in situ
      keratomileusis (LASIK) in eyes with myopia and myopic astigmatism. METHODS: Our
      retrospective case-control study examined 30 eyes of 30 patients with the
      manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE) of -3.71 +/- 1.83 dioptres (D)
      who underwent SMILE and 30 eyes of 30 patients with MRSE of -3.81 +/- 1.40 D who
      underwent wavefront-guided LASIK. We assessed the 2-years clinical outcomes.
      RESULTS: Logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (LogMAR)-corrected distance
      visual acuity (CDVA) was -0.23 +/- 0.07 in the SMILE group and -0.24 +/- 0.07 in
      the wavefront-guided LASIK group 2 years postoperatively (p = 0.82). Logarithm of
      the minimal angle of resolution-uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) was 
      0.18 +/- 0.09 and -0.15 +/- 0.11 (p = 0.30, respectively). In the SMILE and
      wavefront-guided LASIK groups 2 years postoperatively, 100% and 73% of eyes,
      respectively, were within 0.5 D of the prompted MRSE correction (p = 0.005).
      Changes in the MRSE of -0.10 +/- 0.30 D and -0.23 +/- 0.51 D occurred from 3
      months to 2 years (p = 0.40, respectively). We found a significant correlation
      between myopic regression and the changes in the keratometric readings from 3
      months to 2 years after wavefront-guided LASIK (r = -0.48, p = 0.002), but not
      after SMILE (r = -0.004, p = 0.90). CONCLUSION: Small-incision lenticule
      extraction offers better refractive outcomes than wavefront-guided LASIK during a
      2-years follow-up for the correction of myopia and myopic astigmatism.

PMID- 28631306
TI  - Cactus stem (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill): anatomy, physiology and chemical
      composition with emphasis on its biofunctional properties.
AB  - Cactus stem (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill) is native to Mesoamerica and marketed in
      different forms such as fresh, frozen or pre-cooked. Worldwide, this vegetable is
      recognized for its pharmaceutical actions, including its antioxidant, diuretic,
      anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-hypercholesterolemic
      properties, as well as their antiviral and antispermatogenic effects. However,
      not all of these properties have been associated with its chemical composition;
      therefore, this review aims to present and integrate information available on the
      physiology and anatomy of cactus stem and its chemical composition, focusing on
      some of the many factors that determine its biofunctionality. (c) 2017 Society of
      Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28631307
TI  - Interventions for the prevention of recurrent erysipelas and cellulitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Erysipelas and cellulitis (hereafter referred to as 'cellulitis') are
      common bacterial skin infections usually affecting the lower extremities. Despite
      their burden of morbidity, the evidence for different prevention strategies is
      unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess the beneficial and adverse effects of antibiotic
      prophylaxis or other prophylactic interventions for the prevention of recurrent
      episodes of cellulitis in adults aged over 16. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the
      following databases up to June 2016: the Cochrane Skin Group Specialised
      Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE,
      Embase, and LILACS. We also searched five trials registry databases, and checked
      reference lists of included studies and reviews for further references to
      relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs). We searched two sets of dermatology
      conference proceedings, and BIOSIS Previews. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised
      controlled trials evaluating any therapy for the prevention of recurrent
      cellulitis. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently carried out
      study selection, data extraction, assessment of risks of bias, and analyses. Our
      primary prespecified outcome was recurrence of cellulitis when on treatment and
      after treatment. Our secondary outcomes included incidence rate, time to next
      episode, hospitalisation, quality of life, development of resistance to
      antibiotics, adverse reactions and mortality. MAIN RESULTS: We included six
      trials, with a total of 573 evaluable participants, who were aged on average
      between 50 and 70. There were few previous episodes of cellulitis in those
      recruited to the trials, ranging between one and four episodes per study.Five of
      the six included trials assessed prevention with antibiotics in participants with
      cellulitis of the legs, and one assessed selenium in participants with cellulitis
      of the arms. Among the studies assessing antibiotics, one study evaluated oral
      erythromycin (n = 32) and four studies assessed penicillin (n = 481). Treatment
      duration varied from six to 18 months, and two studies continued to follow up
      participants after discontinuation of prophylaxis, with a follow-up period of up
      to one and a half to two years. Four studies were single-centre, and two were
      multicentre; they were conducted in five countries: the UK, Sweden, Tunisia,
      Israel, and Austria.Based on five trials, antibiotic prophylaxis (at the end of
      the treatment phase ('on prophylaxis')) decreased the risk of cellulitis
      recurrence by 69%, compared to no treatment or placebo (risk ratio (RR) 0.31, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) 0.13 to 0.72; n = 513; P = 0.007), number needed to
      treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) six, (95% CI 5 to 15), and we
      rated the certainty of evidence for this outcome as moderate.Under prophylactic
      treatment and compared to no treatment or placebo, antibiotic prophylaxis reduced
      the incidence rate of cellulitis by 56% (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.89; four
      studies; n = 473; P value = 0.02; moderate-certainty evidence) and significantly
      decreased the rate until the next episode of cellulitis (hazard ratio (HR) 0.51,
      95% CI 0.34 to 0.78; three studies; n = 437; P = 0.002; moderate-certainty
      evidence).The protective effects of antibiotic did not last after prophylaxis had
      been stopped ('post-prophylaxis') for risk of cellulitis recurrence (RR 0.88, 95%
      CI 0.59 to 1.31; two studies; n = 287; P = 0.52), incidence rate of cellulitis
      (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.36; two studies; n = 287; P = 0.74), and rate until
      next episode of cellulitis (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.56; two studies; n = 287).
      Evidence was of low certainty.Effects are relevant mainly for people after at
      least two episodes of leg cellulitis occurring within a period up to three
      years.We found no significant differences in adverse effects or hospitalisation
      between antibiotic and no treatment or placebo; for adverse effects: RR 0.87, 95%
      CI 0.58 to 1.30; four studies; n = 469; P = 0.48; for hospitalisation: RR 0.77,
      95% CI 0.37 to 1.57; three studies; n = 429; P = 0.47, with certainty of evidence
      rated low for these outcomes. The existing data did not allow us to fully explore
      its impact on length of hospital stay.The common adverse reactions were
      gastrointestinal symptoms, mainly nausea and diarrhoea; rash (severe cutaneous
      adverse reactions were not reported); and thrush. Three studies reported adverse
      effects that led to discontinuation of the assigned therapy. In one study
      (erythromycin), three participants reported abdominal pain and nausea, so their
      treatment was changed to penicillin. In another study, two participants treated
      with penicillin withdrew from treatment due to diarrhoea or nausea. In one study,
      around 10% of participants stopped treatment due to pain at the injection site
      (the active treatment group was given intramuscular injections of benzathine
      penicillin).None of the included studies assessed the development of
      antimicrobial resistance or quality-of-life measures.With regard to the risks of
      bias, two included studies were at low risk of bias and we judged three others as
      being at high risk of bias, mainly due to lack of blinding. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:
      In terms of recurrence, incidence, and time to next episode, antibiotic is
      probably an effective preventive treatment for recurrent cellulitis of the lower
      limbs in those under prophylactic treatment, compared with placebo or no
      treatment (moderate-certainty evidence). However, these preventive effects of
      antibiotics appear to diminish after they are discontinued (low-certainty
      evidence). Treatment with antibiotic does not trigger any serious adverse events,
      and those associated are minor, such as nausea and rash (low-certainty evidence).
      The evidence is limited to people with at least two past episodes of leg
      cellulitis within a time frame of up to three years, and none of the studies
      investigated other common interventions such as lymphoedema reduction methods or
      proper skin care. Larger, high-quality studies are warranted, including long-term
      follow-up and other prophylactic measures.

PMID- 28631308
TI  - Association between inadequate antenatal care utilisation and severe perinatal
      and maternal morbidity: an analysis in the PreCARE cohort.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Because the effectiveness of antenatal care in reducing pregnancy
      complications is still discussed despite widespread recommendations of its use,
      we sought to assess the association between utilisation of recommended antenatal
      care and severe maternal (SMM) and perinatal morbidity (SPM). DESIGN: Prospective
      cohort study. SETTING: Four maternity units around Paris in 2010-2012. SAMPLE:
      9117 women with singleton pregnancies. METHODS: Logistic regression models
      adjusted for maternal social, demographic and medical characteristics. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Antenatal care utilisation was assessed by: (1) initiation of
      care after 14 weeks, (2) < 50% of recommended visits made, according to
      gestational age, (3) absence of the first, second or third trimester ultrasounds,
      (4) two modified Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilisation indexes, combining these
      components. The two main outcomes were composite variables of SMM and SPM.
      RESULTS: According to the modified Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilisation index,
      34.6% of women had inadequate antenatal care utilisation; the incidence of severe
      maternal morbidity (SMM) was 2.9% and severe perinatal morbidity (SPM) 5.5%. A
      percentage of recommended visits below 50% (2.6% of women) was associated with
      SMM [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 2.40 (1.38-4.17)] and SPM [aOR 2.27 (1.43-3.59)].
      Late initiation of care (17.0% of women) was not associated with SMM or SPM.
      Failure to undergo the recommended ultrasounds (16, 17 and 22% of women) was
      associated with SPM. Inadequate antenatal care utilisation according to the index
      was associated with SPM [aOR 1.37 (1.05-1.80)]. CONCLUSION: Inadequate antenatal
      care utilisation is associated with SMM and SPM, to degrees that vary with the
      component of care and the outcome considered. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Inadequate
      antenatal care utilisation is associated with severe maternal and perinatal
      morbidity.

PMID- 28631309
TI  - Obstructive sleep apnea and silent cerebral infarction in hypertensive
      individuals.
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is very prevalent in hypertensive subjects.
      Moreover, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome activates multiple processes that
      might be associated with silent cerebral infarct independently of established
      risk factors. Our aim is to estimate the frequency of obstructive sleep apnea
      syndrome in hypertensive patients with and without silent cerebral infarct, and
      to determine whether obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is an independent risk
      factor of silent cerebral infarct and/or lacunar silent cerebral infarct in
      patients with hypertension. In this matched cross-sectional study performed in
      hypertensive subjects, each patient with silent cerebral infarct detected by
      magnetic resonance imaging was matched with two patients without silent cerebral
      infarct. Polysomnographic studies were performed, and the apnea-hypopnea index
      was calculated. Severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was considered in those
      with apnea-hypopnea index >30. One-hundred and eighty-three patients, 61 with
      silent cerebral infarct and 122 without silent cerebral infarct, were evaluated.
      The mean age was 64.1 +/- 4.5 years, and 72.1% were men. The frequency of severe
      obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was 44.3% in patients with silent cerebral
      infarct and 38.5% in the control group. An adjusted conditional logistic
      regression model did not show a significant increased risk of silent cerebral
      infarct in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (odds ratio
      1.362; 95% confidence interval: 0.659-2.813; P = 0.404). Forty-three patients
      (70.5%) of the silent cerebral infarct were lacunar. The presence of severe
      obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was significantly higher in lacunar silent
      cerebral infarct when compared with patients without lacunar infarcts (55.8%
      versus 35.7%, P = 0.019), being independently associated on an adjusted logistic
      regression model (odds ratio 2.177; 95% confidence interval: 1.058-4.479; P =
      0.035). In conclusion, severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is highly
      prevalent among hypertensive subjects, and is independently associated with
      lacunar silent cerebral infarct.

PMID- 28631310
TI  - Zinc supplementation for the treatment of measles in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Measles is an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality
      globally, despite increasing vaccine coverage. Zinc plays a significant role in
      the maintenance of normal immunological functions, therefore supplements given to
      zinc-deficient children will increase the availability of zinc and could reduce
      measles-related morbidity and mortality. This is an update of a review first
      published in 2015. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of zinc supplementation in
      reducing morbidity and mortality in children with measles. SEARCH METHODS: We
      searched CENTRAL (03 February 2017, Issue 2), MEDLINE (1946 to 03 February 2017),
      Embase (1974 to 03 February 2017), CINAHL (1981 to 03 February 2017), LILACS
      (1982 to 03 February 2017), Web of Science (1985 to 03 February 2017), and BIOSIS
      Previews (1985 to 27 June 2014). We also searched ClinicalTrials.gov, the
      Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry and the World Health Organization
      (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) on 03 February 2017
      to identify unpublished and ongoing studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised
      controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs evaluating the effects of zinc in
      reducing morbidity and mortality in children with measles. DATA COLLECTION AND
      ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed the studies for inclusion and
      extracted data on outcomes, details of the interventions, and other study
      characteristics using a standardised data extraction form. We used risk ratio
      (RR) and hazard ratio (HR) as measures of effect with 95% confidence intervals
      (CI). We included only one study, and did not conduct meta-analysis. MAIN
      RESULTS: We did not identify any new studies for inclusion in this update. One
      RCT met our inclusion criteria. The study was conducted in India and included 85
      children diagnosed with measles and pneumonia. The trial showed no significant
      difference in mortality between children with measles and pneumonia who received
      zinc supplements and those who received placebo (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.01 to 8.14).
      There was no significant difference in time to absence of fever between children
      who received zinc supplements and those who did not (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.67 to
      1.74). No treatment-related side effects were reported in either group. We
      assessed the overall quality of the evidence as very low. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:
      We could not draw any definitive conclusions from this review about the effects
      of zinc supplementation on clinical outcomes of children with measles due to the
      very low quality of the evidence available. There is insufficient evidence to
      confirm or refute the effect of zinc supplementation in children with measles.

PMID- 28631311
TI  - The IL-10/STAT3 axis: Contributions to immune tolerance by thymus and
      peripherally derived regulatory T-cells.
AB  - The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins are
      important mediators for the integration of extrinsic signals provided by
      cytokines and hormones and thereby adapt cellular processes to their
      surroundings. In the past decade, the involvement of STAT3 in the regulation of T
      cell responses has become a topic of increasing interest. STAT3 is activated in
      response to multiple cytokines, many of which have been shown to influence T-cell
      responses. Interestingly, many of these factors have been described with apparent
      opposing roles, such as the highly pro-inflammatory potency of IL-6 and the anti
      inflammatory properties of IL-10, thus raising the possibility that STAT3
      signaling may fulfill diverse roles in CD4+ T-cells. Here, we review the
      contribution of STAT3 to the induction and function of both peripherally induced
      as well as thymus-derived regulatory T-cells. Indeed, experimental approaches as
      well as studies of human patients suffering from e.g. Job's (hyper IgE) syndrome
      or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have now established a clear-cut role for the
      IL-10/STAT3 axis in immune tolerance; further understanding of these processes
      could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 28631312
TI  - The flow and fate of digestive enzymes in the field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus.
AB  - The flow of enzymes, the ratio of bound to unbound enzymes, and their
      inactivation in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus was studied. The digestive
      enzymes are forced forward into the crop by caecal contraction and then they are
      mixed with freshly chewed food and saliva, forming a crop-chyme. This chyme is
      blended by crop peristalsis, and periodic opening of the preproventricular valve
      (PPV) allows posterior movement into the proventriculus and further into the
      midgut. The contraction of the crop is modulated by Grybi-AST and Grybi-SK
      peptides, which are partially secreted by the caecal endocrine cells. Most of the
      aminopeptidase and the four disaccharidases examined are membrane bound (62-80%);
      the remaining (20-38%) as well all trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, and amylase are
      secreted free into the caecal lumen. Cricket trypsin loses only 30% of its
      activity in 4 h and very little thereafter. The presence of digestive products in
      the lumen appears to retard further trypsin autolysis. Cricket trypsin digests
      42% of the chymotrypsin, 37% of the lipase, and 45% of the amylase in the caecal
      fluids over 24 h in vitro no significant difference. Without Ca ion amylase was
      almost completely digested. About 50% of the membrane bound and free
      aminopeptidase was digested in the caecal lumen, and about 30-38% of the bound
      and free maltase. This loss of digestive enzyme activity is possible, because
      enzyme secretion rates are high, the unbound enzymes are effectively recycled,
      and the time of nutrient passage is short.

PMID- 28631313
TI  - Salivary, gingival crevicular fluid and serum levels of ghrelin and chemerin in
      patients with periodontitis and overweight.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Nutrition and body weight are modifying factors for
      periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to quantify two molecules (ghrelin
      and chemerin), released in association with food intake and obesity, in
      periodontally healthy and diseased individuals with respect to different body
      mass categories. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The two main groups (patients with chronic
      periodontitis and periodontally healthy/gingivitis volunteers) were subdivided
      into groups of subjects with normal weight [body mass index (BMI) <25] and groups
      of overweight/obese subjects (BMI >=25). Subgingival bacteria were analysed and
      the levels of acylated and total ghrelin, chemerin and interleukin-1beta (IL
      1beta) were assessed in saliva, gingival crevicular fluid and serum. RESULTS: The
      amount of Treponema denticola present subgingivally was significantly higher in
      the groups of patients with chronic periodontitis as well as in periodontally
      healthy/gingivitis individuals with BMI >=25 than in periodontally
      healthy/gingivitis individuals with BMI <25. The amount of total ghrelin in
      gingival crevicular fluid differed significantly between the groups, with the
      lowest levels found in the group of patients with chronic periodontitis and BMI
      >=25. The levels of chemerin in gingival crevicular fluid were significantly
      higher in each chronic periodontitis group than in periodontally
      healthy/gingivitis individuals with BMI <25. However, the level of IL-1beta in
      the gingival crevicular fluid was most differentiating between the groups, with
      the highest levels found in the group of patients with chronic periodontitis and
      BMI <25 and the lowest levels in periodontally healthy/gingivitis individuals
      with BMI <25. No significant differences between any groups were seen for
      chemerin or for acylated ghrelin in the stimulated whole saliva, or for acylated
      and total ghrelin in peripheral blood serum. The BMI correlated with the serum
      level of chemerin. CONCLUSION: Low ghrelin and high chemerin levels in the
      gingival crevicular fluid might be linked to periodontal disease and
      overweight/obesity. However, unlike IL-1beta, the levels of chemerin and ghrelin
      in gingival crevicular fluid are not reliable indicators of periodontal
      destruction.

PMID- 28631314
TI  - The Covalent Functionalization of Layered Black Phosphorus by Nucleophilic
      Reagents.
AB  - Layered black phosphorus has been attracting great attention due to its
      interesting material properties which lead to a plethora of proposed
      applications. Several approaches are demonstrated here for covalent chemical
      modifications of layered black phosphorus in order to form P-C and P-O-C bonds.
      Nucleophilic reagents are highly effective for chemical modification of black
      phosphorus. Further derivatization approaches investigated were based on radical
      reactions. These reagents are not as effective as nucleophilic reagents for the
      surface covalent modification of black phosphorus. The influence of covalent
      modification on the electronic structure of black phosphorus was investigated
      using ab initio calculations. Covalent modification exerts a strong effect on the
      electronic structure including the change of band-gap width and spin
      polarization.

PMID- 28631315
TI  - A Two-Year Study of Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol Concentrations in Drivers; Part
      2: Physiological Signs on Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and non-DRE
      Examinations,.
AB  - Whole blood samples were examined for ?9 -Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) over 2 years
      in drivers suspected of driving under the influence. Part one of the study
      examined the link between [THC] and performance on field sobriety tests. This
      portion examined objective signs, eye examinations and physiological indicators;
      and their relationship to the presence of THC. Several objective signs were
      excellent indicators of the presence of THC: red eyes (94%), droopy eyelids
      (85.6%), affected speech (87.6%), tongue coating (96.2%), and odor of marijuana
      (82.4%). About 63.6% of THC positive subjects had dialted pupils (room light).
      THC positive subjects had either rebound dilation or hippus in 88.8% of cases.
      Pulse and blood pressure (BP) were evaluated to determine any correlation with
      [THC]. An increased pulse rate correlated well to the presence of THC (88.5%),
      but not [THC]. BP did not correlate to [THC] and was also a poor indicator of THC
      in the blood (50% high).

PMID- 28631316
TI  - Recannulation of the axillary artery in aortic and complex cardiac surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Axillary artery cannulation has been used as an alternative site for
      cardiopulmonary bypass during surgery for aortic dissections and aneurysmal
      disease of the ascending aorta and arch. This study reports our experience with
      reusing the axillary artery for cardiopulmonary bypass during complex aortic and
      cardiac surgical procedures. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of a single
      surgeon's experience of recannulating the axillary artery for redo operations in
      complex aortic surgery. Seven patients over a 7-year period have undergone
      recannulation of their axillary arteries. The old Dacron graft stump was either
      excised and a new graft was anastamosed to the axillary artery or a new end-to
      side anastamosis was performed either proximal or distal to the original graft
      stump. RESULTS: There were no deaths, strokes, or postoperative complications. In
      one patient, axillary cannulation was aborted intraoperatively due to high-line
      pressures, suggesting a local dissection. The other patients all had adequate
      perfusion via the recannulated axillary artery and there were no complications
      associated with its reuse. CONCLUSIONS: Recannulation of the axillary artery is
      easily achievable and should be considered in redo aortic and complex cardiac
      surgery.

PMID- 28631317
TI  - Platelet counts in women with normal pregnancies: A systematic review.
AB  - The occurrence of thrombocytopenia in 5% of pregnant women at delivery, described
      as gestational thrombocytopenia, is well documented. A commonly believed concept
      is that gestational thrombocytopenia is the result of gradually decreasing
      platelet counts in all women during pregnancy. The goal of our study was to
      evaluate the data supporting this concept. To learn what is known about platelet
      counts throughout normal pregnancies, we systematically reviewed all publications
      describing platelet counts during pregnancy. We identified 3,039 studies; 46
      reporting >=30 women with normal pregnancies were included in our analyses. The
      combined mean platelet counts from all studies supported the concept that
      platelet counts decrease during pregnancy and increase postpartum: first
      trimester, 251,000/uL (95% CI, 238,000-264,000/uL); second trimester, 238,000/uL
      (95% CI, 222,000-253,000/uL); third trimester, 224,000/uL (95% CI, 213,000
      235,000/uL); delivery, 237,000/uL (95% CI, 209,000-264,000/uL); 4-8 weeks
      postpartum, 247,000/uL (95% CI, 207,000-287,000/uL). However, individual studies
      were inconsistent. Eleven longitudinal studies compared platelet counts on the
      same women at different times during gestation: seven reported a decrease; four
      reported no change. Ten cross-sectional studies compared platelet counts of
      different women at different times during gestation: five reported a decrease;
      five reported no change. Five studies compared platelet counts of pregnant to
      nonpregnant women: three reported that platelet counts were lower in pregnant
      women; one reported no difference; one reported that platelet counts were higher
      in pregnant women. These inconsistent data emphasize the need to accurately
      describe platelet counts throughout normal pregnancies. Accurate data are
      essential for evaluating the clinical importance of thrombocytopenia during
      pregnancy.

PMID- 28631318
TI  - Bupropion Overdose Resulted in a Pharmacobezoar in a Fatal Bupropion
      (Wellbutrin(r) ) Sustained-release Overdose: Postmortem Distribution of Bupropion
      and its Major Metabolites.
AB  - Bupropion (BUP) overdose commonly causes generalized seizures and central nervous
      system depression. The case of a 28-year-old woman who died from a massive lethal
      overdose with sustained-release bupropion (Wellbutrin(r) 300 mg) is herein
      presented. The autopsy revealed the presence of a pharmacobezoar consisting of at
      least 40 tablets in the stomach. Determination of bupropion and its active
      metabolites (hydroxybupropion, threobupropion, erythrobupropion) was achieved by
      a liquid chromatographic mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Postmortem
      concentrations for bupropion, hydroxybupropion, threobupropion, and
      erythrobupropion were obtained in intracranial blood, urine, bile, liver, kidney,
      and vitreous humor. In this case, intracranial blood level of the parent drug was
      1.9 mg/L. Threobupropion was the most abundant metabolite in both blood and
      urine, 59.3 and 890.6 mg/L. Tissue distribution showed the highest concentration
      in the liver, 12.3 mg/kg. The 0.8 bupropion concentration ratio vitreous/blood
      suggested that vitreous could be a valuable specimen for toxicological analysis
      should postmortem blood be unavailable.

PMID- 28631319
TI  - Herbivory-induced jasmonates constrain plant sugar accumulation and growth by
      antagonizing gibberellin signaling and not by promoting secondary metabolite
      production.
AB  - Plants respond to herbivory by reconfiguring hormonal networks, increasing
      secondary metabolite production and decreasing growth. Furthermore, some plants
      display a decrease in leaf energy reserves in the form of soluble sugars and
      starch, leading to the hypothesis that herbivory-induced secondary metabolite
      production and growth reduction may be linked through a carbohydrate-based
      resource trade-off. In order to test the above hypothesis, we measured leaf
      carbohydrates and plant growth in seven genetically engineered Nicotiana
      attenuata genotypes that are deficient in one or several major herbivore-induced,
      jasmonate-dependent defensive secondary metabolites and proteins. Furthermore, we
      manipulated gibberellin and jasmonate signaling, and quantified the impact of
      these phytohormones on secondary metabolite production, sugar accumulation and
      growth. Simulated herbivore attack by Manduca sexta specifically reduced leaf
      sugar concentrations and growth in a jasmonate-dependent manner. These effects
      were similar or even stronger in defenseless genotypes with intact jasmonate
      signaling. Gibberellin complementation rescued carbohydrate accumulation and
      growth in induced plants without impairing the induction of defensive secondary
      metabolites. These results are consistent with a hormonal antagonism model rather
      than a resource-cost model to explain the negative relationship between herbivory
      induced defenses, leaf energy reserves and growth.

PMID- 28631321
TI  - John A. Raven.

PMID- 28631320
TI  - Spatial patterns and broad-scale weather cues of beech mast seeding in Europe.
AB  - Mast seeding is a crucial population process in many tree species, but its spatio
      temporal patterns and drivers at the continental scale remain unknown . Using a
      large dataset (8000 masting observations across Europe for years 1950-2014) we
      analysed the spatial pattern of masting across the entire geographical range of
      European beech, how it is influenced by precipitation, temperature and drought,
      and the temporal and spatial stability of masting-weather correlations. Beech
      masting exhibited a general distance-dependent synchronicity and a pattern
      structured in three broad geographical groups consistent with continental climate
      regimes. Spearman's correlations and logistic regression revealed a general
      pattern of beech masting correlating negatively with temperature in the summer 2
      yr before masting, and positively with summer temperature 1 yr before masting
      (i.e. 2T model). The temperature difference between the two previous summers
      (DeltaT model) was also a good predictor. Moving correlation analysis applied to
      the longest eight chronologies (74-114 yr) revealed stable correlations between
      temperature and masting, confirming consistency in weather cues across space and
      time. These results confirm widespread dependency of masting on temperature and
      lend robustness to the attempts to reconstruct and predict mast years using
      temperature data.

PMID- 28631322
TI  - Prolonged embryogenesis in Austrobaileya scandens (Austrobaileyaceae): its
      ecological and evolutionary significance.
AB  - The embryology of basal angiosperm lineages (Amborella, Nymphaeales and
      Austrobaileyales) is central to reconstructing the early evolution of flowering
      plants. Previous studies have shown that mature seeds in Austrobaileyales are
      albuminous, with a small embryo surrounded by a substantial diploid endosperm.
      However, little is known of seed ontogeny and seedling germination in
      Austrobaileya scandens, sister to all other extant Austrobaileyales. Standard
      histochemical techniques were used to study ovule/seed development and
      germination of Austrobaileya. Early development of the endosperm in Austrobaileya
      is ab initio cellular with pronounced cell proliferation. The nucellus
      transiently accumulates some starch, but is obliterated by expansion of a massive
      endosperm, where all embryo-nourishing reserves are ultimately stored. Twelve
      months elapse from fertilization to fruit abscission. Seeds are dispersed with a
      minute embryo, requiring 12 additional months for seedling establishment. The 2
      yr required for seedling establishment is an apomorphic feature of Austrobaileya,
      probably related to germination in extremely dark understory conditions.
      Remarkably, although Austrobaileya seeds are nearly 50 times larger (by length)
      than the smallest seeds of extinct and extant members of early divergent
      angiosperm lineages, the embryo to seed ratio (E : S) falls squarely within the
      narrow range that characterizes the albuminous seeds of ancient flowering plant
      lineages.

PMID- 28631323
TI  - Interactions of saprotrophic fungi with tree roots: can we observe the emergence
      of novel ectomycorrhizal fungi?

PMID- 28631325
TI  - Insights into how the world turned green.

PMID- 28631324
TI  - Recent origin and rapid speciation of Neotropical orchids in the world's richest
      plant biodiversity hotspot.
AB  - The Andean mountains of South America are the most species-rich biodiversity
      hotspot worldwide with c. 15% of the world's plant species, in only 1% of the
      world's land surface. Orchids are a key element of the Andean flora, and one of
      the most prominent components of the Neotropical epiphyte diversity, yet very
      little is known about their origin and diversification. We address this knowledge
      gap by inferring the biogeographical history and diversification dynamics of the
      two largest Neotropical orchid groups (Cymbidieae and Pleurothallidinae), using
      two unparalleled, densely sampled orchid phylogenies (including more than 400
      newly generated DNA sequences), comparative phylogenetic methods, geological and
      biological datasets. We find that the majority of Andean orchid lineages only
      originated in the last 20-15 million yr. Andean lineages are derived from lowland
      Amazonian ancestors, with additional contributions from Central America and the
      Antilles. Species diversification is correlated with Andean orogeny, and multiple
      migrations and recolonizations across the Andes indicate that mountains do not
      constrain orchid dispersal over long timescales. Our study sheds new light on the
      timing and geography of a major Neotropical diversification, and suggests that
      mountain uplift promotes species diversification across all elevational zones.

PMID- 28631326
TI  - Exploring the bark thickness-stem diameter relationship: clues from lianas,
      successive cambia, monocots and gymnosperms.
AB  - Bark thickness is ecologically crucial, affecting functions from fire protection
      to photosynthesis. Bark thickness scales predictably with stem diameter, but
      there is little consensus on whether this scaling is a passive consequence of
      growth or an important adaptive phenomenon requiring explanation. With a
      comparative study across 913 species, we test the expectation that, if bark
      thickness-stem diameter scaling is adaptive, it should be possible to find
      ecological situations in which scaling is predictably altered, in this case
      between species with different types and deployments of phloem. 'Dicots' with
      successive cambia and monocots, which have phloem-free bark, had predictably
      thinner inner (mostly living) bark than plants with single cambia. Lianas, which
      supply large leaf areas with limited stem area, had much thicker inner bark than
      self-supporting plants. Gymnosperms had thicker outer bark than angiosperms.
      Inner bark probably scales with plant metabolic demands, for example with leaf
      area. Outer bark scales with stem diameter less predictably, probably reflecting
      diverse adaptive factors; for example, it tends to be thicker in fire-prone
      species and very thin when bark photosynthesis is favored. Predictable bark
      thickness-stem diameter scaling across plants with different photosynthate
      translocation demands and modes strongly supports the idea that this relationship
      is functionally important and adaptively significant.

PMID- 28631327
TI  - Say hello to my little friends: how microbiota can modulate tree health.

PMID- 28631328
TI  - Phenotypic characterisation of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from
      blood cultures in newborn infants, with a special focus on Staphylococcus
      capitis.
AB  - AIM: This Swedish study determined which species of coagulase-negative
      staphylococci (CoNS) were found in neonatal blood cultures and whether they
      included Staphylococcus capitis clones with decreased susceptibility to
      vancomycin. METHODS: CoNS isolates (n = 332) from neonatal blood cultures
      collected at Orebro University Hospital during 1987-2014 were identified to
      species level with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight
      mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of S.
      capitis isolates was determined by the disc diffusion test and Etest, and the
      presence of heterogeneous glycopeptide-intermediate S. capitis (hGISC) was
      evaluated. RESULTS: Staphylococcus epidermidis (67.4%), Staphylococcus
      haemolyticus (10.5%) and S. capitis (9.6%) were the most common CoNS species. Of
      the S. capitis isolates, 75% were methicillin-resistant and 44% were multidrug
      resistant. No isolate showed decreased susceptibility to vancomycin, but at least
      59% displayed the hGISC phenotype. Staphylococcus capitis isolates related to the
      strain CR01 displaying pulsotype NRCS-A were found. CONCLUSION: Staphylococcus
      epidermidis, S. haemolyticus and S. capitis were the predominant species detected
      in neonatal blood cultures by MALDI-TOF MS. The number of episodes caused by S.
      capitis increased during the study period, but no isolates with decreased
      susceptibility to vancomycin were identified. However, S. capitis isolates
      related to the strain CR01 displaying pulsotype NRCS-A were found.

PMID- 28631329
TI  - Inverting suprastomal granulomas.
AB  - Although suprastomal granulomas are a common complication of tracheotomy, they
      usually are an incidental finding and do not always require treatment. However,
      large granulomas may require removal, either to assist with speech production or
      to make the airway safer in the event of an accidental decannulation. Very large
      suprastomal granulomas extending up to or even through the vocal cords have been
      described. However, inverting suprastomal granulomas extending distally down the
      length of a tracheotomy tube have not been previously described. We present two
      cases of large suprastomal granulomas that extended distally down the trachea.
      Both extended beyond the tip of the tracheotomy tube, causing partial airway
      obstruction, and therefore required excision. Laryngoscope, 127:2883-2885, 2017.

PMID- 28631330
TI  - FOXO transcription factors at the interface of metabolism and cancer.
AB  - Diabetes refers to a group of metabolic diseases characterized by impaired
      insulin signalling and high blood glucose. A growing body of epidemiological
      evidence links diabetes to several types of cancer but the underlying molecular
      mechanisms are poorly understood. The signalling cascade connecting insulin and
      FOXO proteins provides a compelling example for a conserved pathway at the
      interface between insulin signalling and cancer. FOXOs are transcription factors
      that orchestrate programs of gene expression known to control a variety of
      processes in response to cellular stress. Genes regulated by this family of
      proteins are involved in the regulation of cellular energy production, oxidative
      stress resistance and cell viability and proliferation. Accordingly, FOXO factors
      have been shown to play an important role in the suppression of tumour growth and
      in the regulation of metabolic homeostasis. There is emerging evidence that
      deregulation of FOXO factors might account for the association between insulin
      resistance-related metabolic disorders and cancer.

PMID- 28631331
TI  - Missing data in clinical trials: control-based mean imputation and sensitivity
      analysis.
AB  - In some randomized (drug versus placebo) clinical trials, the estimand of
      interest is the between-treatment difference in population means of a clinical
      endpoint that is free from the confounding effects of "rescue" medication (e.g.,
      HbA1c change from baseline at 24 weeks that would be observed without rescue
      medication regardless of whether or when the assigned treatment was
      discontinued). In such settings, a missing data problem arises if some patients
      prematurely discontinue from the trial or initiate rescue medication while in the
      trial, the latter necessitating the discarding of post-rescue data. We caution
      that the commonly used mixed-effects model repeated measures analysis with the
      embedded missing at random assumption can deliver an exaggerated estimate of the
      aforementioned estimand of interest. This happens, in part, due to implicit
      imputation of an overly optimistic mean for "dropouts" (i.e., patients with
      missing endpoint data of interest) in the drug arm. We propose an alternative
      approach in which the missing mean for the drug arm dropouts is explicitly
      replaced with either the estimated mean of the entire endpoint distribution under
      placebo (primary analysis) or a sequence of increasingly more conservative means
      within a tipping point framework (sensitivity analysis); patient-level imputation
      is not required. A supplemental "dropout = failure" analysis is considered in
      which a common poor outcome is imputed for all dropouts followed by a between
      treatment comparison using quantile regression. All analyses address the same
      estimand and can adjust for baseline covariates. Three examples and simulation
      results are used to support our recommendations.

PMID- 28631332
TI  - Inhibition of microRNA-500 has anti-cancer effect through its conditional
      downstream target of TFPI in human prostate cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: We investigated the prognostic potential and regulatory mechanism of
      microRNA-500 (miR-500), and human gene of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI)
      in prostate cancer. METHODS: MiR-500 expression was assessed by qRT-PCR in
      prostate cancer cell lines and primary tumors. Cancer patients'
      clinicopathological factors and overall survival were analyzed according to
      endogenous miR-500 level. MiR-500 was downregulated in DU145 and VCaP cells. Its
      effect on prostate cancer proliferation, invasion in vitro, and tumorigenicity in
      vivo, were probed. Possible downstream target of miR-500, TFPI was assessed by
      luciferase assay and qRT-PCR in prostate cancer cells. In miR-500-downregulated
      DU145 and VCaP cells, TFPI was silenced to see whether it was directly involved
      in the regulation of miR-500 in prostate cancer. TFPI alone was either
      upregulated or downregulated in DU145 and VCaP cells. Their effect on prostate
      cancer development was further evaluated. RESULTS: MiR-500 is upregulated in both
      prostate cancer cells and primary tumors. In prostate cancer patients, high miR
      500 expression is associated with poor prognosis and overall survival. In DU145
      and VCaP cells, miR-500 downregulation inhibited cancer proliferation, invasion
      in vitro, and explant growth in vivo. TFPI was verified to be associated with miR
      500 in prostate cancer. Downregulation of TFPI reversed anti-cancer effects of
      miR-500 downregulation in prostate cancer cells. However, neither TFPI
      upregulation nor downregulation alone had any functional impact on prostate
      cancer development. CONCLUSION: MiR-500 may be a potential biomarker and
      molecular target in prostate cancer. TFPI may conditionally regulate prostate
      cancer in miR-500-downregualted prostate cancer cells.

PMID- 28631333
TI  - A novel treatment for keratitis sicca (Dry eye): Anatomical feasibility study.
AB  - Chronic dry eye (keratitis sicca) is a significant problem that in certain
      populations can result in corneal desiccation and the potential for blindness.
      Therefore, novel treatments for such disorders might decrease patient morbidity.
      The present study aimed to investigate a potential treatment for chronic dry eye
      via a cadaveric feasibility study. On 10 cadaveric sides, the parotid gland
      branch of the auriculotemporal nerve (ATN) was identified and anastomosed to an
      anterior superficial temporal branch (STb) of this same nerve. The STb was then
      transposed anteriorly and sutured to the lacrimal gland. The parotid branch of
      the ATN was easily identified on all sides. The STb of the ATN was easily
      identified and mobilized on all sides. This latter nerve had adequate length to
      be moved to the ipsilateral lacrimal gland on all sides. Rerouting parotid gland
      secretomotor fibers to the superficial branch of the ATN and then moving this
      branch to the lacrimal gland is a feasible surgical maneuver based on our
      cadaveric study. Clinical studies are now necessary to show utility of this
      procedure in patients with chronic dry eye. Clin. Anat. 30:839-843, 2017. (c)
      2017Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631334
TI  - Risk factors for developing food-induced bronchospasm during oral food challenge.

PMID- 28631335
TI  - The mobile dso-gene-sso element in rolling-circle plasmids of staphylococci
      reflects the evolutionary history of its resistance gene.
AB  - : The qacC and lnuA genes of Staphylococcus species were recently proposed to
      comprise a mobile element when residing on rolling-circle plasmids. Here we
      present other examples of resistance genes on staphylococcal rolling-circle
      plasmids, including fosB producing resistance to fosfomycin, cat resulting in
      resistance to chloramphenicol and cadB for resistance to the toxic heavy metal
      cadmium. For three of these genes (qacC, lnuA and fosB), evidence was obtained
      that the genes have spread between different plasmid backgrounds. The lack of
      mutations in qacC suggests that the spread occurred relatively recently, while
      the build up of mutations in lnuA and fosB suggests their mobilization occurred
      in the more distant past. These observations can be explained by the use of the
      respective antibiotics over time. However, the cat and cadB genes sequences
      analysed had not collected any mutations, an observation that is not completely
      understood but possible explanations are discussed. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF
      THE STUDY: We have analysed five resistance genes in Staphylococcus aureus that
      are positioned between the replication elements of rolling-circle plasmids. For
      three of these genes, evidence was obtained indicative of recent mobilization.
      The historical use of the antibiotics to which the genes produce resistance could
      be related to the number of mutations collected in these genes. However, two
      other resistance genes have not collected any mutations over time, and the
      reasons for this are discussed. The analyses presented provide insights into the
      spread and evolution of antibiotic resistance genes.

PMID- 28631336
TI  - A neuroimaging approach to capture cognitive reserve: Application to Alzheimer's
      disease.
AB  - Cognitive reserve (CR) explains interindividual differences in the ability to
      maintain cognitive function in the presence of neuropathology. We developed a
      neuroimaging approach including a measure of brain atrophy and cognition to
      capture this construct. In a group of 511 Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker
      positive subjects in different stages across the disease spectrum, we performed
      3T magnetic resonance imaging and predicted gray matter (GM) volume in each voxel
      based on cognitive performance (i.e. a global cognitive composite score),
      adjusted for age, sex, disease stage, premorbid brain size (i.e. intracranial
      volume) and scanner type. We used standardized individual differences between
      predicted and observed GM volume (i.e. W-scores) as an operational measure of CR.
      To validate this method, we showed that education correlated with mean W-scores
      in whole-brain (r = -0.090, P < 0.05) and temporoparietal (r = -0.122, P < 0.01)
      masks, indicating that higher education was associated with more CR (i.e. greater
      atrophy than predicted from cognitive performance). In a voxel-wise analysis,
      this effect was most prominent in the right inferior and middle temporal and
      right superior lateral occipital cortex (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple
      comparisons). Furthermore, survival analyses among subjects in the pre-dementia
      stage revealed that the W-scores predicted conversion to more advanced disease
      stages (whole-brain: hazard ratio [HR] = 0.464, P < 0.05; temporoparietal: HR =
      0.397, P < 0.001). Our neuroimaging approach captures CR with high anatomical
      detail and at an individual level. This standardized method is applicable to
      various brain diseases or CR proxies and can flexibly incorporate different
      neuroimaging modalities and cognitive parameters, making it a promising tool for
      scientific and clinical purposes. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4703-4715, 2017. (c) 2017
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631337
TI  - A method to assess the loss of a dipole antenna for ultra-high-field MRI.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe a new bench measurement based on quality (Q) factors to
      estimate the coil noise relative to the sample noise of dipole antennas at 7 T.
      METHODS: Placing a dipole antenna close to a highly conductive sample surrogate
      (HCSS) greatly reduces radiation loss, and using QHCSS gives a more accurate
      estimate of coil resistance than Qunloaded . Instead of using the ratio of
      unloaded and sample-loaded Q factors, the ratio of HCSS-loaded and sample-loaded
      Q factors should be used at ultra-high fields. A series of simulations were
      carried out to analyze the power budget of sample-loaded or HCSS-loaded dipole
      antennas. Two prototype dipole antennas were also constructed for bench
      measurements to validate the simulations. RESULTS: Simulations showed that
      radiation loss was suppressed when the dipole antenna was HCSS-loaded, and coil
      loss was largely the same as when the dipole was loaded by the sample. Bench
      measurements also showed good alignment with simulations. CONCLUSIONS: Using the
      ratio QHCSS /Qloaded gives a good estimate of the coil loss for dipole antennas
      at 7 T, and provides a convenient bench measurement to predict the body noise
      dominance of dipole antenna designs. The new approach also applies to
      conventional surface loop coils at ultra-high fields. Magn Reson Med 79:1773
      1780, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28631338
TI  - Cross-Linkable and Dual Functional Hybrid Polymeric Electron Transporting Layer
      for High-Performance Inverted Polymer Solar Cells.
AB  - A cross-linkable dual functional polymer hybrid electron transport layer (ETL) is
      developed by simply adding an amino-functionalized polymer dopant (PN4N) and a
      light crosslinker into a commercialized n-type semiconductor (N2200) matrix. It
      is found that the resulting hybrid ETL not only has a good solvent resistance,
      facilitating multilayers device fabrication but also exhibits much improved
      electron transporting/extraction properties due to the doping between PN4N and
      N2200. As a result, by using PTB7-Th:PC71 BM blend as an active layer, the
      inverted device based on the hybrid ETL can yield a prominent power conversion
      efficiency of around 10.07%. More interestingly, photovoltaic property studies of
      bilayer devices suggest that the absorption of the hybrid ETL contributes to
      photocurrent and hence the hybrid ETL simultaneously acts as both cathode
      interlayer material and an electron acceptor. The resulting inverted polymer
      solar cells function like a novel device architectures with a combination of a
      bulk heterojunction device and miniature bilayer devices. This work provides new
      insights on function of ETLs and may be open up a new direction for the design of
      new ETL materials and novel device architectures to further improve device
      performance.

PMID- 28631339
TI  - The length of the large intestine in children determined by computed tomography
      scan.
AB  - Little information is available on the length of the normal large intestine and
      its component parts in children. This information would be useful for procedures
      such as colonoscopy. The aim of this study was to investigate the length of the
      large intestine and its component parts in New Zealand children. Archival
      deidentified pediatric supine abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scans were
      retrospectively analyzed. After exclusion criteria, a total of 112 scans (57
      males and 55 females) were included in the study and divided into three age
      groups: 0-2 years (n = 33), 4-6 years (n = 40), and 9-11 years of age (n = 39).
      The length of the large bowel increased from a mean of 52 cm in children aged <2
      years to 73 cm at 4-6 years and 95 cm at 9-11 years. In all age groups, the
      transverse colon was the longest segment, contributing ~30% of the total length
      of the large bowel. In comparison to total large bowel length, the mean
      proportional length of the rectum (9-12%), sigmoid colon (23-27%), descending
      colon (19-22%), transverse colon (27-32%), and ascending colon (14-17%) varied
      little between the three age groups. There were no significant differences
      between males and females in all age groups. The cecum was located in the right
      upper quadrant in 27% of children aged 0-2 years but in the right lower quadrant
      in all 9-11 year olds. These data provide useful information on the length of the
      large intestine and its component parts in living children, which are
      particularly relevant to pediatric colonoscopy and surgery. Clin. Anat. 30:887
      893, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631340
TI  - Insights into the genomic plasticity of Pseudomonas putida KF715, a strain with
      unique biphenyl-utilizing activity and genome instability properties.
AB  - Pseudomonas putida KF715 exhibits unique properties in both catabolic activity
      and genome plasticity. Our previous studies revealed that the DNA region
      containing biphenyl and salycilate metabolism gene clusters (termed the bph-sal
      element) was frequently deleted and transferred by conjugation to closely related
      P. putida strains. In this study, we first determined the complete nucleotide
      sequence of the KF715 genome. Next, to determine the underlying cause of genome
      plasticity in KF715, we compared the KF715 genome with the genomes of one KF715
      defective mutant, two transconjugants, and several P. putida strains available
      from public databases. The gapless KF715 genome sequence revealed five replicons:
      one circular chromosome, and four plasmids. Southern blot analysis indicated that
      most of the KF715 cell population carries the bph-sal element on the chromosome
      whereas a small number carry it on a huge plasmid, pKF715A. Moreover, the bph-sal
      element is present stably on the plasmid and did not integrate into the
      chromosome of its transconjugants. Comparative genome analysis and experiments
      showed that a number of diverse putative genetic elements are present in KF715
      and are likely involved in genome rearrangement. These data provide insights into
      the genetic plasticity and adaptability of microorganisms for survival in various
      ecological niches.

PMID- 28631341
TI  - Evaluation of flubendiamide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic
      changes in Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner).
AB  - Phthalic acid diamide insecticides are the most effective insecticides used
      against most of the lepidopteran pests including Helicoverpa armigera, a
      polyphagous pest posing threat to several crops worldwide. The present studies
      were undertaken to understand different target sites and their interaction with
      insect ryanodine receptors (RyR). Bioassays indicated that flubendiamide
      inhibited the larval growth in dose-dependent manner with LD50 value of 0.72 MUM,
      and at 0.8 MUM larval growth decreased by about 88%. Flubendiamide accelerated
      the Ca2+ -ATPase activity in dose-dependent trend, and at 0.8 MUM, the activity
      was increased by 77.47%. Flubendiamide impedes mitochondrial function by
      interfering with complex I and F0 F1 -ATPase activity, and at 0.8 MUM the
      inhibition was found to be about 92% and 50%, respectively. In vitro incubation
      of larval mitochondria with flubendiamide induced the efflux of cytochrome c,
      indicating the mitochondrial toxicity of the insecticide. Flubendiamide inhibited
      lactate dehydrogenase and the accumulation of H2 O2 , thereby preventing the
      cells from lipid peroxidation compared to control larvae. At 0.8 MUM the LDH, H2
      O2 content and lipid peroxidation was inhibited by 98.44, 70.81, and 70.81%,
      respectively. Cytochrome P450, general esterases, AChE, and antioxidant enzymes
      (catalase and superoxide dismutase) exhibited a dose-dependent increasing trend,
      whereas alkaline phosphatase and the midgut proteases, except amino peptidase,
      exhibited dose-dependent inhibition in insecticide-fed larvae. The results
      suggest that flubendiamide induced the harmful effects on the growth and
      development of H. armigera larvae by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and
      inhibition of midgut proteases, along with its interaction with RyR.

PMID- 28631342
TI  - Efficacy of a high-observation protocol in major head and neck cancer surgery: A
      prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to optimize an existing clinical care
      pathway (CCP) for head and neck cancer with a high-observation protocol (HOP) and
      to determine the effect on length of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and
      length of stay in hospital (LOS). METHODS: The HOP mandated initiation of
      spontaneous breathing trials before the conclusion of the surgery, weaning of
      sedation, and limiting mechanical ventilation. All patients with head and neck
      cancer undergoing primary surgery on the HOP were compared to a historical cohort
      regarding length of ICU admission, ICU readmissions, and LOS. RESULTS: Ninety-six
      and 52 patients were observed in "historical" and "HOP" cohorts. The length of
      ICU admission (1.9 vs 1.2 days; p = .021), LOS (20.3 vs 14.1 days; p = .020), and
      ICU readmissions (10.4% vs 1.9%; p = .013) were significantly decreased in the
      "HOP" cohort. CONCLUSION: Rapid weaning of sedation and limiting mechanical
      ventilation may contribute to a shorter length of ICU admission and LOS, as well
      as decreased ICU readmissions. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39:
      1689-1695, 2016.

PMID- 28631343
TI  - Exploration of difficult conversations among Australian paramedics.
AB  - Previous studies indicate that healthcare professionals find it challenging to
      engage in difficult conversations regarding concerning behavior of colleagues. As
      a result, these conversations are often avoided. The inability to have these
      difficult conversations is associated with poorer patient outcomes, staff
      commitment, discretionary effort, and employee satisfaction. This descriptive
      study used an online questionnaire to examine responses of paramedics employed by
      Ambulance Victoria (Australia) regarding difficult conversations between
      colleagues about concerning behavior of co-workers. The results suggest that,
      like other healthcare professions, many paramedics find it challenging to raise
      these concerns. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first study of
      its type to be undertaken within the paramedic profession and provides a platform
      for further research within this and other health professions.

PMID- 28631344
TI  - Evaluation of the genetic structure of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan's Kanto
      and Tanzawa mountain areas, based on microsatellite markers.
AB  - The browsing habits of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan have caused serious
      ecological problems. Appropriate management of sika deer populations requires
      understanding the different genetic structures of local populations. In the
      present study, we used 10 microsatellite polymorphisms to explore the genetic
      structures of sika deer populations (162 individuals) living in the Kanto region.
      The expected heterozygosity of the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I)
      was lower than that of the populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II).
      Our results suggest that moderate gene flow has occurred between the sika deer
      populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II), but not to or from the
      Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I). Also, genetic structure analysis
      showed that the Tanzawa population was separated from the other populations. This
      is probably attributable to a genetic bottleneck that developed in the Tanzawa
      sika deer population in the 1950s. However, we found that the Tanzawa population
      has since recovered from the bottleneck situation and now exhibits good genetic
      diversity. Our results show that it is essential to periodically evaluate the
      genetic structures of deer populations to develop conservation strategies
      appropriate to the specific structures of individual populations at any given
      time.

PMID- 28631346
TI  - Historically-informed nursing: A transnational case study in China.
AB  - The term 'nurse' (hushi-'caring scholar') did not enter the Chinese language
      until the early 20th century. Modern nursing-a fundamentally Western notion
      popularized by Nightingale and introduced to China in 1884-profoundly changed the
      way care of the sick was practiced. For 65 years, until 1949, nursing developed
      in China as a transnational project, with Western and Chinese influences shaping
      the profession of nursing in ways that linger today. Co-authored by Chinese,
      Canadian, and American nurses, this paper examines the early stages of nursing in
      one province of China as an exemplar of the transnational nature of nursing
      development. By identifying sociopolitical influences on the early development of
      nursing in Shandong, the authors aimed not only to contribute to the nascent body
      of knowledge on China nursing history, but also to heighten readers' sensitivity
      to the existence of historical echoes, residue, and resonances in their own
      nursing practices. Tracing current issues, values, or practices back to their
      roots provides context and helps us to better understand the present. Whether we
      are aware of the details or not, the gestalt of nursing practice in a particular
      place has been shaped by its history-including in Shandong province in China.

PMID- 28631345
TI  - Advantages and disadvantages of using intravenous tissue Plasminogen activator as
      salvage therapy for inoperable HeartWare thrombosis.
AB  - Device thrombosis is a devastating complication of left ventricular assist
      devices. The definitive treatment has been device exchange or explant. Evidence
      of increasing morbidity and mortality with device exchange has shifted strategies
      toward conservative management. In this report, we detail the use of
      thrombolytics as salvage therapy in a patient with an occlusive HeartWare
      ventricular assist device (HeartWare Inc., Framingham, MA) thrombus, resulting in
      long-term survival without further intervention.

PMID- 28631347
TI  - Reducing the maternal dietary intake of indigestible and slowly absorbed short
      chain carbohydrates is associated with improved infantile colic: a proof-of
      concept study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate if a low fermentable oligo-, di- and mono-saccharides
      and polyols (FODMAP) diet consumed by breastfeeding mothers may be associated
      with reduced symptoms of infantile colic. METHODS: Exclusively breastfeeding
      mothers and their typically-developing healthy infants who met the Wessel
      Criteria for infantile colic were recruited from the community, to this single
      blind, open-label, interventional study. After a 3-day qualifying period, mothers
      were provided a low FODMAP 7-day diet. On days 5, 6 and 7 mothers completed a
      Baby Day Diary. At baseline and at the end of the 7-day dietary intervention,
      breast milk was analysed for FODMAP content and infant faecal samples for pH.
      RESULTS: Eighteen breastfeeding mothers (aged 27-40 years) adhered (100%) to the
      low FODMAP diet. Infants were of gestational age 37-40.3 weeks and aged 2-17
      weeks. At entry, crying durations were a mean [95% CI] of 142 [106-61] min and
      fell by 52 [178-120] min (P = 0.005; ancova). Combined crying-fussing durations
      fell by 73 [301-223] min (n = 13; P = 0.007), as did crying episodes (P = 0.01)
      and fussing durations (P = 0.011). Infant sleeping, feeding, or awake-and-content
      durations did not change. Infant faecal pH did not change. Breast milk lactose
      content was stable and other known FODMAPs were not detected. At end of study,
      mothers reported their baby 'is much more content' and 'can be put down without
      crying'. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal low FODMAP diet may be associated with a reduction
      in infant colic symptoms. A randomized controlled study is warranted to determine
      if a maternal low FODMAP diet is effective in reducing symptoms.

PMID- 28631348
TI  - Updating of working memory in ecstasy polydrug users: Findings from fNIRS.
AB  - AIMS/OBJECTIVES: Cognitive deficits are now well documented in ecstasy (MDMA)
      users with type and relative demand of task emerging as important factors. The
      updating component of executive processes appears to be particularly affected.
      The study reported here used functional near infrared spectroscopy imaging to
      investigate changes in cortical haemodynamics during memory updating. METHOD:
      Twenty ecstasy users and 20 non-users completed verbal and spatial memory
      updating tasks and brain blood oxygenation and deoxygenation change was measured
      using functional near infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: There was no interaction
      between group and difficulty on the updating tasks, though there was a
      significant main effect of difficulty on both tasks. The effects of group
      approached significance on the verbal updating task. There were significant
      differences in blood oxygenation and deoxygenation change at optodes centred over
      the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, with ecstasy users showing
      greater blood oxygenation than the other groups. DISCUSSION: The lack of a
      behavioural difference on both tasks but presence of blood oxygenation and
      deoxygenation changes in letter updating provides support for the notion that
      ecstasy-polydrug users are investing more effort to achieve the same behavioural
      output. Total lifetime dose was high, and recency of use was significantly
      related to most changes, suggesting that heavy and recent use may be particularly
      detrimental.

PMID- 28631350
TI  - Standard errors and confidence intervals for correlations corrected for indirect
      range restriction: A simulation study comparing analytic and bootstrap methods.
AB  - A frequent topic of psychological research is the estimation of the correlation
      between two variables from a sample that underwent a selection process based on a
      third variable. Due to indirect range restriction, the sample correlation is a
      biased estimator of the population correlation, and a correction formula is used.
      In the past, bootstrap standard error and confidence intervals for the corrected
      correlations were examined with normal data. The present study proposes a large
      sample estimate (an analytic method) for the standard error, and a corresponding
      confidence interval for the corrected correlation. Monte Carlo simulation studies
      involving both normal and non-normal data were conducted to examine the empirical
      performance of the bootstrap and analytic methods. Results indicated that with
      both normal and non-normal data, the bootstrap standard error and confidence
      interval were generally accurate across simulation conditions (restricted sample
      size, selection ratio, and population correlations) and outperformed estimates of
      the analytic method. However, with certain combinations of distribution type and
      model conditions, the analytic method has an advantage, offering reasonable
      estimates of the standard error and confidence interval without resorting to the
      bootstrap procedure's computer-intensive approach. We provide SAS code for the
      simulation studies.

PMID- 28631349
TI  - Tuning Sulfur Oxidation States on Thioether-Bridged Peptide Macrocycles for
      Modulation of Protein Interactions.
AB  - Thioethers, sulfoxides, and sulfonium ions, despite diverse physicochemical
      properties, all engage in noncovalent interactions with proteins. Thioether
      containing macrocycles are also attracting attention as protein-protein
      interaction (PPI) inhibitors. Here, we used a model PPI between alpha-helical
      mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) protein and kinase-inducible domain interacting
      (KIX) domain to evaluate oxidation effects on sulfurcontaining macrocycle
      structure, stability, and protein affinity. Desolvation effects from various
      polarity states were evaluated computationally and experimentally at the side
      chain, amino acid, and peptide level. Sulfur-containing side chains spanned
      polarity ranges between all-hydrocarbon and lactam bridges for modulating
      solubility, cellular uptake, and affinity. Helical propensity studies showed
      that, although oxidized sulfur-containing side chains could be tolerated,
      conformational effects were sequence-dependent. In some cases, proteolytic
      stability, binding capacity with KIX, and increased helicity were obtained as
      first steps toward developing PPI inhibitors.

PMID- 28631351
TI  - Intraoperative acidosis and hypercapnia during thoracoscopic repair of congenital
      diaphragmatic hernia and esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraoperative hypercapnia and acidosis have been associated with
      thoracoscopic repair of both congenital diaphragmatic hernia and esophageal
      atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula. AIM: The aim of the present study was to
      investigate whether thoracoscopic repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia or
      esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula was associated with acidosis and
      hypercapnia in a large group of neonates, and to analyze the effects of acidosis
      and hypercapnia on early postoperative outcomes. METHODS: We reviewed the charts
      of neonates who underwent open or thoracoscopic congenital diaphragmatic hernia
      or esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula repair (2004-2014). Patients with
      available intraoperative arterial gas values were included. Data (PaCO2 : mm Hg)
      were compared using paired/unpaired tests and are reported as difference [95%
      confidence interval]. RESULTS: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: 187 neonates
      underwent open (n=153) or thoracoscopic (n=34) repair. Intraoperative arterial
      gas values were recorded in 96 open and in 23 thoracoscopic operations. Both
      groups had similar preoperative pH and PaCO2 , and developed intraoperative
      acidosis (open -0.08 [-0.11, -0.05] P<.001, thoracoscopic -0.14 [-0.24, -0.04]
      P=.01) and hypercapnia (open: 7.8 [3.2, 12.4], P=.002; thoracoscopic: 20.2 [-2.5,
      43, P=.07). Intraoperatively, neonates undergoing thoracoscopic repair developed
      lower pH than those having open surgery (-0.06 [-0.01, -0.10] P=.018), but
      maintained similar levels of PaCO2 (-4.0 [-9.0, 4.4] P=.39). Esophageal
      atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula: 205 neonates underwent open (n=180) or
      thoracoscopic (n=25) repair. Intraoperative arterial gas values were recorded in
      62 open and in 14 thoracoscopic operations. Both groups had similar preoperative
      pH and PaCO2 , and developed intraoperative acidosis (open: -0.09 [-0.14, -0.04],
      P<.001; thoracoscopic: 0.21 [-0.28, -0.14], P<.001) and hypercapnia (open: 9.2
      [2.6, 15.7] P=.008; thoracoscopic: 15.2 [1.6, 28.7], P=.03). Intraoperatively,
      neonates undergoing thoracoscopic repair developed lower pH than those having
      open surgery (difference 0.08 [0.01, 0.15], P=.02) but maintained similar levels
      of PaCO2 (difference -1 [-9, 3], P=.35). CONCLUSION: Neonates undergoing
      operative repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia and esophageal
      atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula develop intraoperative acidosis and
      hypercapnia, regardless of the approach used. However, this phenomenon is more
      severe during thoracoscopic repair. Novel modalities to reduce intraoperative gas
      derangements, particularly during thoracoscopic repair, need to be established.

PMID- 28631353
TI  - Microbiome dynamics in early life stages of the scleractinian coral Acropora
      gemmifera in response to elevated pCO2.
AB  - Reef-building corals are complex holobionts, harbouring diverse microorganisms
      that play essential roles in maintaining coral health. However, microbiome
      development in early life stages of corals remains poorly understood. Here,
      microbiomes of Acropora gemmifera were analysed during spawning and early
      developmental stages, and also under different seawater partial pressure of CO2
      (pCO2 ) conditions, using amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and
      archaea and of ITS2 for Symbiodinium. No remarkable microbiome shift was observed
      in adults before and after spawning. Moreover, microbiomes in eggs were highly
      similar to those in spawned adults, possibly suggesting a vertical transmission
      from parents to offspring. However, significant stage-specific changes were found
      in coral microbiome during development, indicating that host development played a
      dominant role in shaping coral microbiome. Specifically, Cyanobacteria were
      particularly abundant in 6-day-old juveniles, but decreased largely in 31-day-old
      juveniles with a possible subclade shift in Symbiodinium dominance from C2r to
      D17. Larval microbiome showed changes in elevated pCO2 , while juvenile
      microbiomes remained rather stable in response to higher pCO2 . This study
      provides novel insights into the microbiome development during the critical life
      stages of coral.

PMID- 28631352
TI  - Overexpressing STAMP2 attenuates adipose tissue angiogenesis and insulin
      resistance in diabetic ApoE-/- /LDLR-/- mouse via a PPARgamma/CD36 pathway.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate whether overexpression of STAMP2
      improves insulin resistance by regulating angiogenesis in adipose tissues. The
      characteristics of diabetic mice were measured by serial metabolite and pathology
      tests. Samples were obtained from epididymal, subcutaneous and brown adipose
      tissues. Histological and morphological analysis demonstrated that STAMP2 gene
      overexpression reduced adipocyte size, angiogenesis in epididymal and brown
      adipose tissues. On aortic ring assay, microvessels sprouting from aortas were
      significantly inhibited after STAMP2 gene overexpression. The cellular effect of
      STAMP2 on angiogenesis was explored in human umbilical vein endothelial cells
      (HUVECs) model. Correlation of STAMP2 and angiogenesis was validated by Ad-STAMP2
      transfection and STAMP2 siRNA inhibition. In vitro, overexpression of STAMP2
      significantly inhibited endothelial cell migration, tube formation. The effects
      of Ad-STAMP2 transfection on HUVECs were abolished by treatment with PPARgamma
      antagonist GW9662 (2.5 MUM), and the roles of STAMP2 siRNA on HUVECs were also
      reversed by treatment with PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone (RSG) (0.1 mM). RT-PCR
      indicated that STAMP2 could regulate levels of adhesion molecules, vascular
      endothelial growth factor A and CD36. The expression of PPARgamma and CD36 was
      decreased when STAMP2 was inhibited by siRNA, while PPARgamma and CD36 were
      highly expressed after overexpression of STAMP2. Our results suggested that
      STAMP2 gene overexpression may improve insulin resistance via attenuating
      angiogenesis in epididymal and brown adipose tissues through the PPARgamma/CD36
      signalling pathway.

PMID- 28631354
TI  - Cross-population myelination covariance of human cerebral cortex.
AB  - Cross-population covariance of brain morphometric quantities provides a measure
      of interareal connectivity, as it is believed to be determined by the coordinated
      neurodevelopment of connected brain regions. Although useful, structural
      covariance analysis predominantly employed bulky morphological measures with
      mixed compartments, whereas studies of the structural covariance of any specific
      subdivisions such as myelin are rare. Characterizing myelination covariance is of
      interest, as it will reveal connectivity patterns determined by coordinated
      development of myeloarchitecture between brain regions. Using myelin content MRI
      maps from the Human Connectome Project, here we showed that the cortical
      myelination covariance was highly reproducible, and exhibited a brain
      organization similar to that previously revealed by other connectivity measures.
      Additionally, the myelination covariance network shared common topological
      features of human brain networks such as small-worldness. Furthermore, we found
      that the correlation between myelination covariance and resting-state functional
      connectivity (RSFC) was uniform within each resting-state network (RSN), but
      could considerably vary across RSNs. Interestingly, this myelination covariance
      RSFC correlation was appreciably stronger in sensory and motor networks than
      cognitive and polymodal association networks, possibly due to their different
      circuitry structures. This study has established a new brain connectivity measure
      specifically related to axons, and this measure can be valuable to investigating
      coordinated myeloarchitecture development. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4730-4743, 2017. (c)
      2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631355
TI  - Quantitative risk assessment to guide the treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To develop a risk-factor scoring system for the prediction of bleeding
      during ultrasound-guided dilation and curettage (D&C) for cesarean scar pregnancy
      (CSP). METHODS: The retrospective study included patients with a CSP of 31-67
      days who underwent transabdominal ultrasonography-guided D&C in 2010-2014. Binary
      logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for the need of
      Foley catheter hemostasis. The predictive accuracy of a risk-scoring system based
      on significant factors was evaluated by receiver operating curve analysis.
      RESULTS: Among 82 included patients, 66 (80%) were successfully treated without
      any complications, whereas 16 (20%) required Foley catheter compression
      hemostasis. Four patients who received the Foley catheter needed further
      treatment. A longer pregnancy duration (odds ratio 1.171, 95% confidence interval
      1.050-1.305; P=0.004) and a rich blood supply on ultrasonography (odds ratio
      3.282, 95% confidence interval 1.441-4.742; P=0.005) were significant risk
      factors for the need of compression hemostasis. A scoring system based on these
      two risk factors would have identified 93.8% of patients requiring compression
      hemostasis if the optimum cutoff score was used. CONCLUSION: Heavy bleeding
      during transabdominal ultrasound-guided D&C for CSP is associated with a longer
      pregnancy duration and a rich blood supply on ultrasonography. The new risk
      scoring system can be used to predict bleeding during surgery.

PMID- 28631356
TI  - Immune Tolerance Effect in Mesenteric Lymph Node Lymphocytes of Geniposide on
      Adjuvant Arthritis Rats.
AB  - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, Th1 cytokine-predominant autoimmune
      disease result in a chronic and inflammatory disorder. Geniposide (GE), an
      iridoid glycoside compound that is purified from Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, has
      antiinflammatory and other immunoregulatory effects, but its exact mechanism of
      actions on RA is unknown. The aim of this study was to elucidate antiinflammation
      effects of GE on adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats and its possible immune tolerance
      mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with GE (30, 60, and 120
      mg/kg) orally from day 17 to 24 after immunization. Lymphocyte proliferation was
      assessed by MTT. Levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, and transforming growth
      factor-beta1 were tested by ELISA. The expression of beta2-AR, GRK2, and beta
      arrestin-1 and beta-arrestin-2 was detected by western blot. Geniposide was found
      to relieve the secondary hind paw swelling and arthritis scores, along with
      attenuating histopathologic changes and decreasing IL-2 and increasing IL-4,
      transforming growth factor-beta1 in mesenteric lymph node (MLN) lymphocytes of AA
      rats. In addition, GE in vivo increased the expression of beta2-AR and decreased
      the expression of GRK2, beta-arrestin-1 and beta-arrestin-2, and level of cyclic
      adenosine monophosphate of MLN lymphocytes in AA rats. From these results, we can
      infer that GE on immune tolerance effects, beta2-AR desensitization, and beta2-AR
      AC-cyclic adenosine monophosphate transmembrane signal transduction of MLN
      lymphocytes plays crucial roles in antiinflammatory and immunoregulatory
      pathogeneses of RA. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28631357
TI  - Revealing the global importance of isoprene metabolism by marine bacteria.

PMID- 28631358
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28631359
TI  - Management of pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma: A multimodal approach.
AB  - HCC is rare in the pediatric population, but is the second most common liver
      malignancy in children. Survival rates for primary unresectable HCC have been
      dismal. The objective of this study was to describe our experience with a
      multimodal approach for the management of unresectable HCC in two adolescent
      patients and to review the literature. Both patients are currently alive with no
      recurrence at 51 and 29 months post-transplant. Multimodality treatment involving
      chemotherapy with doxorubicin, cisplatin, and sorafenib; TACE; timely liver
      transplantation; and post-transplant therapy with sorafenib and mTOR inhibitors
      may help improve outcomes and prolong survival in pediatric patients with
      unresectable HCC.

PMID- 28631361
TI  - Optimal right heart filling pressure in acute respiratory distress syndrome
      determined by strain echocardiography.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction is common in acute
      respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). While preload optimization is crucial in
      its management, dynamic fluid responsiveness indices lack reliability, and there
      is no consensus on target central venous pressure (CVP). We analyzed the utility
      of RV free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWS) in the estimation of optimal RV
      filling pressure in ARDS. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of
      clinical data and echocardiograms of patients with ARDS was performed. Tricuspid
      annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tricuspid peak systolic velocity (S'),
      RV fractional area change (RVFAC), RVFWS, CVP, systolic pulmonary artery pressure
      (SPAP), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured. RESULTS:
      Fifty-one patients with moderate-severe ARDS were included. There were inverse
      correlations between CVP and TAPSE, S', RVFAC, RVFWS, and LVEF. The most
      significant was with RVFWS (r:.74, R2 :.55, P:.00001). Direct correlations with
      creatinine and lactate were noted. Receiver operating characteristic analysis
      showed that RVFWS -21% (normal reference value) was associated with CVP: 13 mm Hg
      (AUC: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.83-1.00). Regression model analysis of CVP, and RVFWS
      interactions established an RVFWS range from -18% to -24%. RVFWS -24%
      corresponded to CVP: 11 mm Hg and RVFWS -18% to CVP: 15 mm Hg. Beyond a CVP of 15
      mm Hg, biventricular systolic dysfunction rapidly ensues. CONCLUSIONS: Our data
      are the first to show that an RV filling pressure of 13+/-2 mm Hg-as by CVP
      correlates with optimal RV mechanics as evaluated by strain echocardiography in
      patients with moderate-severe ARDS.

PMID- 28631360
TI  - Reduced cell attachment to poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-coated ventricular
      catheters in vitro.
AB  - The majority of patients with hydrocephalus are dependent on ventriculoperitoneal
      shunts for diversion of excess cerebrospinal fluid. Unfortunately, these shunts
      are failure-prone and over half of all life-threatening pediatric failures are
      caused by obstruction of the ventricular catheter by the brain's resident immune
      cells, reactive microglia and astrocytes. Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)
      (PHEMA) hydrogels are widely used for biomedical implants. The extreme
      hydrophilicity of PHEMA confers resistance to protein fouling, making it a strong
      candidate coating for ventricular catheters. With the advent of initiated
      chemical vapor deposition (iCVD), a solvent-free coating technology that creates
      a polymer in thin film form on a substrate surface by introducing gaseous
      reactant species into a vacuum reactor, it is now possible to apply uniform
      polymer coatings on complex three-dimensional substrate surfaces. iCVD was
      utilized to coat commercially available ventricular catheters with PHEMA. The
      chemical structure was confirmed on catheter surfaces using Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. PHEMA coating
      morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Testing PHEMA
      coated catheters against uncoated clinical-grade catheters in an in vitro
      hydrocephalus catheter bioreactor containing co-cultured astrocytes and microglia
      revealed significant reductions in cell attachment to PHEMA-coated catheters at
      both 17-day and 6-week time points. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed
      Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1268-1279, 2018.

PMID- 28631363
TI  - Experimental evolution of Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - The endospore-forming bacteria have persisted on earth perhaps 3Ga, leveraging
      the flexibility of their distinctive lifestyle to adapt to a remarkably wide
      range of environments. This process of adaptation can be investigated through the
      simple but powerful technique of laboratory evolution. Evolved strains can be
      analyzed by whole genome sequencing and an array of omics technologies. The
      intensively studied, genetically tractable endospore-former, Bacillus subtilis,
      is an ideal subject for laboratory evolution experiments. Here, we describe the
      use of the B. subtilis model system to study the adaptation of these bacteria to
      reduced and stringent selection for endospore formation, as well as to novel
      environmental challenges of low atmospheric pressure, high ultraviolet radiation,
      and unfavourable growth temperatures. In combination with other approaches,
      including comparative genomics and environmental field work, laboratory evolution
      may help elucidate how these bacteria have so successfully adapted to life on
      earth, and perhaps beyond.

PMID- 28631365
TI  - An intensive occupational therapy discharge planning intervention was not more
      effective in improving activities of daily living performance and participation
      than a hospital-based discharge planning consultation for older adults in the
      acute hospital setting.

PMID- 28631366
TI  - Author Guidelines of the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal - revised 2017.

PMID- 28631367
TI  - Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder had lower relationship
      satisfaction than parents of children without a disability with positive
      cognitive appraisal and social support found to be protective factors.

PMID- 28631369
TI  - Inoperable infiltrative basal cell carcinoma successfully treated with
      vismodegib.
AB  - Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer but usually has a good
      prognosis. However, there is a subset of BCC cases with a less favorable
      prognosis. For patients with locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic BCCs who
      are not suitable for surgery or radiotherapy, small-molecule drug inhibitors of
      hedgehog pathway are a new therapeutic opportunity. Here, we present a case of
      infiltrative BCC with multiple recurrences. Wide excision with reconstructive
      plastic surgery was performed initially with adjuvant radiotherapy. Due to
      multiple recurrences afterward, radiotherapy, topical imiquimod and oral
      itraconazole were used but were not effective. Finally, the patient was treated
      with vismodegib which led to a complete response. Moreover, the patient's
      symptoms due to the locally diffused cancer resolved.

PMID- 28631368
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-mediated loss of FGF5 function increases wool staple length in sheep.
AB  - Fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF5) regulates hair length in humans and a variety
      of other animals. To investigate whether FGF5 has similar effects in sheep, we
      used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR
      associated 9 (Cas9) to generate loss-of-function mutations with the FGF5 gene in
      Chinese Merino sheep. A total of 16 lambs were identified with genetic mutations
      within the targeting locus: 13 lambs had biallelic modifications and three lambs
      had monoallelic modifications. Characterization of the modifications revealed
      that 13 were frameshift mutations that led to premature termination, whereas the
      other three were in-frame deletions. Thus, CRISPR/Cas9 efficiently generated loss
      of-function mutations in the sheep FGF5 gene. We then investigated the effect of
      loss of FGF5 function on wool traits in 12 lambs and found that wool staple
      length and stretched length of genetically modified (GM) yearling sheep were
      significantly longer compared with that of wild-type (WT) control animals. The
      greasy fleece weight of GM yearling sheep was also significantly greater compared
      with that of WT sheep. Moreover, the mean fiber diameter in GM sheep showed no
      significant difference compared with WT sheep, suggesting that the increase in
      greasy fleece weight was likely attributed to the increase in wool length. The
      results of this study suggest that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated loss of FGF5 activity
      could promote wool growth and, consequently, increase wool length and yield.

PMID- 28631370
TI  - Microbial manganese(III) reduction fuelled by anaerobic acetate oxidation.
AB  - Soluble manganese in the intermediate +III oxidation state (Mn3+ ) is a newly
      identified oxidant in anoxic environments, whereas acetate is a naturally
      abundant substrate that fuels microbial activity. Microbial populations coupling
      anaerobic acetate oxidation to Mn3+ reduction, however, have yet to be
      identified. We isolated a Shewanella strain capable of oxidizing acetate
      anaerobically with Mn3+ as the electron acceptor, and confirmed this phenotype in
      other strains. This metabolic connection between acetate and soluble Mn3+
      represents a new biogeochemical link between carbon and manganese cycles. Genomic
      analyses uncovered four distinct genes that allow for pathway variations in the
      complete dehydrogenase-driven TCA cycle that could support anaerobic acetate
      oxidation coupled to metal reduction in Shewanella and other Gammaproteobacteria.
      An oxygen-tolerant TCA cycle supporting anaerobic manganese reduction is thus a
      new connection in the manganese-driven carbon cycle, and a new variable for
      models that use manganese as a proxy to infer oxygenation events on early Earth.

PMID- 28631371
TI  - Aqueous humour concentrations of TGF-beta, PLGF and FGF-1 and total retinal blood
      flow in patients with early non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PMID- 28631372
TI  - Patient and provider characteristics related with prescribing of ADHD medication:
      Nationwide health insurance claims database study in Korea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the association between prescribing of
      attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication and the patient's age,
      gender, and type of medical institution in Asia region. INTRODUCTION: This study
      investigates the prevalence and factors of diagnosis and pharmacological
      treatment of ADHD in the pediatric population. METHODS: Using the Korea Health
      Insurance database, study participants were identified as pediatric patients
      (<=17 years) with at least 1 diagnosis of ADHD (ICD-10, F90) from January 1, 2007
      to December 31, 2011. The annual prevalence of ADHD diagnosis and medication was
      calculated. Annual differences in the prevalence between 2007 and 2011 with 95%
      confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. We conducted multiple logistic
      regression analysis to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and their 95% CI to
      investigate predictors associated with prescribing of ADHD medication. RESULTS:
      The prevalence of ADHD medication prescribing increased by 26.57% (95% CI, 26.27
      26.88) from 0.53% in 2007 to 0.72% in 2011. The prevalence increased by 41.56%
      (95% CI, 40.51-42.65) in females compared with 34.91% (95% CI, 34.47-35.36) in
      males. Whereas the prevalence decreased in patients younger than 6 years old, it
      increased by 74.30% (95% CI, 72.84-75.79) in the 13 to 17-year group. Males were
      more likely than females to be treated with ADHD medication (aOR, 1.12; 95% CI,
      1.10-1.13). Physician specialty (psychiatry vs non-psychiatry) (aOR, 1.37; 95%
      CI, 1.34-1.40) were associated with prescribing of ADHD medication. CONCLUSION:
      Rapid increases in the diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of ADHD in the
      pediatric population have been observed. While demographic characteristics were
      similar to other countries, provider characteristics were different with others
      reporting that the majority of patients were treated by physicians specializing
      in psychiatry.

PMID- 28631373
TI  - The risk of violence associated with novel psychoactive substance misuse in
      patients presenting to acute mental health services.
AB  - Novel psychoactive substance (NPS) availability is increasing at a phenomenal
      rate and so is their associated misuse. Currently, the harms associated with NPS
      misuse are unclear. This report presents the initial findings of a continuing
      study looking into the impact of NPS misuse on admissions to an acute mental
      health facility in London. Violence preadmission and violence during admission
      have been found to be significant in NPS misusers compared to non-NPS substance
      misusers. Our findings have important consequences for acute mental health,
      emergency, and public health services. NPS misusers require specific assessment
      and risk management to reduce the risk of violence towards others.

PMID- 28631374
TI  - Multiple papillary fibroelastomas in a patient with severe mitral stenosis.

PMID- 28631375
TI  - 3D Mimicry of Native-Tissue-Fiber Architecture Guides Tendon-Derived Cells and
      Adipose Stem Cells into Artificial Tendon Constructs.
AB  - Tendon and ligament (T/L) function is intrinsically related with their unique
      hierarchically and anisotropically organized extracellular matrix. Their natural
      healing capacity is, however, limited. Here, continuous and aligned electrospun
      nanofiber threads (CANT) based on synthetic/natural polymer blends mechanically
      reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals are produced to replicate the nanoscale
      collagen fibrils grouped into microscale collagen fibers that compose the native
      T/L. CANT are then incrementally assembled into 3D hierarchical scaffolds,
      resulting in woven constructions, which simultaneously mimic T/L nano-to-macro
      architecture, nanotopography, and nonlinear biomechanical behavior. Biological
      performance is assessed using human-tendon-derived cells (hTDCs) and human
      adipose stem cells (hASCs). Scaffolds nanotopography and microstructure induce a
      high cytoskeleton elongation and anisotropic organization typical of tendon
      tissues. Moreover, the expression of tendon-related markers (Collagen types I and
      III, Tenascin-C, and Scleraxis) by both cell types, and the similarities observed
      on their expression patterns over time suggest that the developed scaffolds not
      only prevent the phenotypic drift of hTDCs, but also trigger tenogenic
      differentiation of hASCs. Overall, these results demonstrate a feasible approach
      for the scalable production of 3D hierarchical scaffolds that exhibit key
      structural and biomechanical properties, which can be advantageously explored in
      acellular and cellular T/L TE strategies.

PMID- 28631376
TI  - Scale of human mobility in the southern Andes (Argentina and Chile): A new
      framework based on strontium isotopes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The goal of this article is to assess the scale of human
      paleomobility and ecological complementarity between the lowlands and highlands
      in the southern Andes during the last 2,300 years. By providing isotope results
      for human bone and teeth samples, we assess a hypothesis of "high residential
      mobility" suggested on the basis of oxygen isotopes from human remains. METHODS:
      We develop an isotopic assessment of human mobility in a mountain landscape
      combining strontium and oxygen isotopes. We analyze bone and teeth samples as an
      approach to life-history changes in spatial residence. Human samples from the
      main geological units and periods within the last two millennia are selected.
      RESULTS: We present a framework for the analysis of bioavailable strontium based
      on the combination of the geological data with isotope results for rodent
      samples. The 87 Sr/86 Sr values from human samples indicate residential stability
      within geological regions along life history. When comparing strontium and oxygen
      values for the same human samples, we record a divergent pattern: while delta18 O
      values for samples from distant regions overlap widely, there are important
      differences in 87 Sr/86 Sr values. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the large socio-economic
      changes recorded, 87 Sr/86 Sr values indicate a persisting scenario of low
      systematic mobility between the different geological regions. Our results suggest
      that strontium isotope values provide the most germane means to track patterns of
      human occupation of distinct regions in complex geological landscapes, offering a
      much higher spatial resolution than oxygen isotopes in the southern Andes.

PMID- 28631377
TI  - State of the art technologies to explore long non-coding RNAs in cancer.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) comprise a vast repertoire of RNAs playing a wide
      variety of crucial roles in tissue physiology in a cell-specific manner. Despite
      being engaged in myriads of regulatory mechanisms, many lncRNAs have still
      remained to be assigned any functions. A constellation of experimental techniques
      including single-molecule RNA in situ hybridization (sm-RNA FISH), cross-linking
      and immunoprecipitation (CLIP), RNA interference (RNAi), Clustered regularly
      interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and so forth has been employed to
      shed light on lncRNA cellular localization, structure, interaction networks and
      functions. Here, we review these and other experimental approaches in common use
      for identification and characterization of lncRNAs, particularly those involved
      in different types of cancer, with focus on merits and demerits of each
      technique.

PMID- 28631378
TI  - Runx2-I is an Early Regulator of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Cell Transition in the
      Chick Embryo.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although normally linked to bone and cartilage development, the Runt
      related transcription factor, RUNX2, was reported in the mouse heart during
      development of the valves. We examined RUNX2 expression and function in the
      developing avian heart as it related to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition
      (EMT) in the atrioventricular canal. EMT can be separated into an activation
      stage involving hypertrophy and cell separation and an invasion stage where cells
      invade the extracellular matrix. The localization and activity of RUNX2 was
      explored in relation to these steps in the heart. As RUNX2 was also reported in
      cancer tissues, we examined its expression in the progression of esophageal
      cancer in staged tissues. RESULTS: A specific isoform, RUNX2-I, is present and
      required for EMT by endothelia of the atrioventricular canal. Knockdown of RUNX2
      I inhibits the cell-cell separation that is characteristic of initial activation
      of EMT. Loss of RUNX2-I altered expression of EMT markers to a greater extent
      during activation than during subsequent cell invasion. Transforming growth
      factor beta 2 (TGFbeta2) mediates activation during cardiac endothelial EMT.
      Consistent with a role in activation, RUNX2-I is regulated by TGFbeta2 and its
      activity is independent of similarly expressed Snai2 in regulation of EMT.
      Examination of RUNX2 expression in esophageal cancer showed its upregulation
      concomitant with the development of dysplasia and continued expression in
      adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: These data introduce the RUNX2-I isoform as a
      critical early transcription factor mediating EMT in the developing heart after
      induction by TGFbeta2. Its expression in tumor tissue suggests a similar role for
      RUNX2 in the EMT of metastasis. Developmental Dynamics 247:542-554, 2018. (c)
      2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631379
TI  - Early mortality in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia treated in teaching
      versus non-teaching hospitals: A large database analysis.

PMID- 28631380
TI  - A Highly Sensitive Enzymatic Catalysis System for Trace Detection of Arsenic in
      Water.
AB  - Arsenic (As) is an extremely toxic element that exists in the environment in
      different chemical forms. The detection of arsenic in potable water remains a
      challenging task. This study presents a highly sensitive enzymatic catalysis
      system for trace sensing of inorganic arsenic in water. This is the first enzyme
      catalyzed fluorescence assay capable of detecting arsenic at concentrations below
      the allowable level adopted by the World Health Organization (10 ppb in drinking
      water). The enzyme catalytically produces fluorescent NADH in the presence of
      arsenate, which enables facile detection of arsenate at concentrations in the 0
      200 ppb range. Calibration curves made at a set time interval allow accurate
      determination of unknown arsenic samples. This method holds potential for
      interfacing with automated analytical sampling systems to allow arsenic
      determinations in environmental health applications.

PMID- 28631381
TI  - Tyrosine Kinase Expressed in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, TEC, Controls Pluripotency
      and Early Cell Fate Decisions of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells via Regulation of
      Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 Secretion.
AB  - Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) require signaling provided by fibroblast
      growth factor (FGF) receptors. This can be initiated by the recombinant FGF2
      ligand supplied exogenously, but hPSC further support their niche by secretion of
      endogenous FGF2. In this study, we describe a role of tyrosine kinase expressed
      in hepatocellular carcinoma (TEC) kinase in this process. We show that TEC
      mediated FGF2 secretion is essential for hPSC self-renewal, and its lack mediates
      specific differentiation. Following both short hairpin RNA- and small interfering
      RNA-mediated TEC knockdown, hPSC secretes less FGF2. This impairs hPSC
      proliferation that can be rescued by increasing amounts of recombinant FGF2. TEC
      downregulation further leads to a lower expression of the pluripotency markers,
      an improved priming towards neuroectodermal lineage, and a failure to develop
      cardiac mesoderm. Our data thus demonstrate that TEC is yet another regulator of
      FGF2-mediated hPSC pluripotency and differentiation. Stem Cells 2017;35:2050
      2059.

PMID- 28631383
TI  - Benford's Law for Quality Assurance of Manner of Death Counts in Small and Large
      Databases.
AB  - To assess if Benford's law, a mathematical law used for quality assurance in
      accounting, can be applied as a quality assurance measure for the manner of death
      determination. We examined a regional forensic pathology service's monthly manner
      of death counts (N = 2352) from 2011 to 2013, and provincial monthly and weekly
      death counts from 2009 to 2013 (N = 81,831). We tested whether each dataset's
      leading digit followed Benford's law via the chi-square test. For each database,
      we assessed whether number 1 was the most common leading digit. The manner of
      death counts first digit followed Benford's law in all the three datasets. Two of
      the three datasets had 1 as the most frequent leading digit. The manner of death
      data in this study showed qualities consistent with Benford's law. The law has
      potential as a quality assurance metric in the manner of death determination for
      both small and large databases.

PMID- 28631382
TI  - A phase II trial evaluating the feasibility of adding bevacizumab to standard
      osteosarcoma therapy.
AB  - Increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in osteosarcoma
      correlates with a poor outcome. We conducted a phase II trial to evaluate the
      feasibility and efficacy of combining bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against
      VEGF, with methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin (MAP) in patients with
      localized osteosarcoma. Eligible patients received two courses of MAP
      chemotherapy before definitive surgery at week 10. Bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) was
      administered 3 days before starting chemotherapy then on day 1 of weeks 3 and 5
      of chemotherapy. After surgery, patients received MAP for a total of 29 weeks;
      bevacizumab was added every 2 or 3 weeks on day 1 of chemotherapy at least 5
      weeks after surgery. Group sequential monitoring rules were used to monitor for
      unacceptable bevacizumab-related targeted toxicity (grade 4 hypertension,
      proteinuria or bleeding, grade 3 or 4 thrombosis/embolism, and grade 2-4 major
      wound complications). Thirty-one patients (median age 12.8 years) with localized
      osteosarcoma were enrolled. No unacceptable targeted toxicities were observed
      except for wound complications (9 minor and 6 major), which occurred in 15
      patients; none required removal of prosthetic hardware or amputation. The
      estimated 4-year event-free survival (EFS) rate and overall survival rate were
      57.5 +/- 10.0% and 83.4 +/- 7.8%, respectively. Eight (28%) of 29 evaluable
      patients had good histologic response (<5% viable tumor) to preoperative
      chemotherapy. The addition of bevacizumab to MAP for localized osteosarcoma is
      feasible but frequent wound complications are encountered. The observed
      histologic response and EFS do not support further evaluation of bevacizumab in
      osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28631384
TI  - NMR Study of the Reductive Decomposition of [BMIm][NTf2 ] at Gold Electrodes and
      Indirect Electrochemical Conversion of CO2.
AB  - Potential controlled electrolyses of [BMIm][NTf2 ] ionic liquid were performed at
      a gold cathode under nitrogen atmosphere. The structures of the major conversion
      products of the BMIm+ cation were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D nuclear
      magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses and gas chromatography (GC) analysis of the
      volatile compounds. Recombination of the imidazol-2-yl radicals, generated at the
      electrode by single electron transfer, leads to neutral diastereomeric dimers in
      equal proportions, with a faradaic efficiency of 80 %, while disproportionation
      of these radicals and/or reaction with hydrogen atoms adsorbed at the electrode
      generates a neutral monomer with 20 % faradaic efficiency. Both pathways also
      yield the N-heterocyclic carbene imidazolin-2-ylidene, which is involved in fast
      proton exchange with the parent BMIm+ cation. The reductive decomposition
      products of the BMIm+ cation are no longer detected if the pre-electrolysed
      sample is reacted with CO2 , which undergoes an indirect reduction and generates
      the carboxylate adduct.

PMID- 28631385
TI  - Identification of glucose kinase-dependent and -independent pathways for carbon
      control of primary metabolism, development and antibiotic production in
      Streptomyces coelicolor by quantitative proteomics.

PMID- 28631386
TI  - Toward establishing model organisms for marine protists: Successful transfection
      protocols for Parabodo caudatus (Kinetoplastida: Excavata).
AB  - We developed protocols for, and demonstrated successful transfection of, the free
      living kinetoplastid flagellate Parabodo caudatus with three plasmids carrying a
      fluorescence reporter gene (pEF-GFP with the EF1 alpha promoter, pUB-GFP with
      Ubiquitin C promoter, and pEYFP-Mitotrap with CMV promoter). We evaluated three
      electroporation approaches: (1) a square-wave electroporator designed for
      eukaryotes, (2) a novel microfluidic transfection system employing
      hydrodynamically-controlled electric field waveforms, and (3) a traditional
      exponential decay electroporator. We found the microfluidic device provides a
      simple and efficient platform to quickly test a wide range of electric field
      parameters to find the optimal set of conditions for electroporation of target
      species. It also allows for processing large sample volumes (>10 ml) within
      minutes, increasing throughput 100 times over cuvettes. Fluorescence signal from
      the reporter gene was detected a few hours after transfection and persisted for 3
      days in cells transfected by pEF-GFP and pUB-GFP plasmids and for at least 5 days
      post-transfection for cells transfected with pEYFP-Mitotrap. Expression of the
      reporter genes (GFP and YFP) was also confirmed using reverse transcription-PCR
      (RT-PCR). This work opens the door for further efforts with this taxon and close
      relatives toward establishing model systems for genome editing.

PMID- 28631387
TI  - Umeclidinium bromide versus placebo for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (COPD).
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have poor
      quality of life, reduced survival, and accelerated decline in lung function,
      especially associated with acute exacerbations, leading to high healthcare costs.
      Long-acting bronchodilators are the mainstay of treatment for symptomatic
      improvement, and umeclidinium is one of the new long-acting muscarinic
      antagonists approved for treatment of patients with stable COPD. OBJECTIVES: To
      assess the efficacy and safety of umeclidinium bromide versus placebo for people
      with stable COPD. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Airways Group
      Specialised Register (CAGR), ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization
      (WHO) trials portal, and the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Clinical Study Register, using
      prespecified terms, as well as the reference lists of all identified studies.
      Searches are current to April 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised
      controlled trials (RCTs) of parallel design comparing umeclidinium bromide versus
      placebo in people with COPD, for at least 12 weeks. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:
      We used standard Cochrane methodological procedures. If we noted significant
      heterogeneity in the meta-analyses, we subgrouped studies by umeclidinium dose.
      MAIN RESULTS: We included four studies of 12 to 52 weeks' duration, involving
      3798 participants with COPD. Mean age of participants ranged from 60.1 to 64.6
      years; most were males with baseline mean smoking pack-years of 39.2 to 52.3.
      They had moderate to severe COPD and baseline mean post-bronchodilator forced
      expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) ranging from 44.5% to 55.1% of predicted
      normal. As all studies were systematically conducted according to prespecified
      protocols, we assessed risk of selection, performance, detection, attrition, and
      reporting biases as low.Compared with those given placebo, participants in the
      umeclidinium group had a lesser likelihood of developing moderate exacerbations
      requiring a short course of steroids, antibiotics, or both (odds ratio (OR) 0.61,
      95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46 to 0.80; four studies, N = 1922; GRADE: high),
      but not specifically requiring hospitalisations due to severe exacerbations (OR
      0.86, 95% CI 0.25 to 2.92; four studies, N = 1922, GRADE: low). The number needed
      to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) to prevent an acute
      exacerbation requiring steroids, antibiotics, or both was 18 (95% CI 13 to 37).
      Quality of life was better in the umeclidinium group (mean difference (MD) -4.79,
      95% CI -8.84 to -0.75; three studies, N = 1119), and these participants had a
      significantly higher chance of achieving a minimal clinically important
      difference of at least four units in St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ)
      total score compared with those in the placebo group (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.16 to
      1.82; three studies, N = 1397; GRADE: moderate). The NNTB to achieve one person
      with a clinically meaningful improvement was 11 (95% CI 7 to 29). The likelihood
      of all-cause mortality, non-fatal serious adverse events (OR 1.33; 95% CI 0.89 to
      2.00; four studies, N = 1922, GRADE: moderate), and adverse events (OR 1.06, 95%
      CI 0.85 to 1.31; four studies, N = 1922; GRADE: moderate) did not differ between
      umeclidinium and placebo groups. The umeclidinium group demonstrated
      significantly greater improvement in change from baseline in trough FEV1 compared
      with the placebo group (MD 0.14, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.17; four studies, N = 1381;
      GRADE: high). Symptomatic improvement was more likely in the umeclidinium group
      than in the placebo group, as determined by Transitional Dyspnoea Index (TDI)
      focal score (MD 0.76, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.09; three studies, N = 1193), and the
      chance of achieving a minimal clinically important difference of at least one
      unit improvement was significantly higher with umeclidinium than with placebo (OR
      1.71, 95% CI 1.37 to 2.15; three studies, N = 1141; GRADE: high). The NNTB to
      attain one person with clinically important symptomatic improvement was 8 (95% CI
      5 to 14). The likelihood of rescue medication usage (change from baseline in the
      number of puffs per day) was significantly less for the umeclidinium group than
      for the placebo group (MD -0.45, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.14; four studies, N = 1531).
      AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Umeclidinium reduced acute exacerbations requiring
      steroids, antibiotics, or both, although no evidence suggests that it decreased
      the risk of hospital admission due to exacerbations. Moreover, umeclidinium
      demonstrated significant improvement in quality of life, lung function, and
      symptoms, along with lesser use of rescue medications. Studies reported no
      differences in adverse events, non-fatal serious adverse events, or mortality
      between umeclidinium and placebo groups; however, larger studies would yield a
      more precise estimate for these outcomes.

PMID- 28631389
TI  - To stand back or step in? Exploring the responses of employees who observe
      workplace bullying.
AB  - Bullying remains a pervasive problem in healthcare, and evidence suggests systems
      in place are not utilised due to perceptions of ineffectiveness and inequity.
      This study examines bystander responses to bullying and factors that influence
      decisions to intervene. We explore relationships between bystanders' perceptions
      of psychological safety across three levels (organisation, supervisor and
      colleague) and reactions to witnessing bullying. We suggest psychological safety
      would be positively associated with the decision to intervene. Findings indicate
      the most pervasive reaction to witnessing incidents of bullying is to discuss
      with colleagues, a low-involvement reaction. We find perceptions of supervisory
      and organisational safety/support are positively related to high-involvement
      decisions such as formal reporting of the incidents, highlighting the importance
      of support from those in power. However, perceptions of collegial support may
      lead to low-involvement responses, which risk reinforcing and underpinning
      dysfunctional organisational dynamics by providing informal social and emotional
      responses that may substitute more formal organisational responses to this
      persistent problem. This study highlights the importance of support from
      individuals in power if bystanders are to feel comfortable making high
      involvement interventions.

PMID- 28631388
TI  - The efficacy of commercial tooth storage media for maintaining the viability of
      human periodontal ligament fibroblasts.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate Save-A-Tooth (SAT), EMT Toothsaver (EMT) and Hank's Balanced
      Salt Solution (HBSS) for their influence on the viability and proliferative
      capacity of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs). METHODOLOGY: Primary
      HPDLFs were seeded into 96-well cell culture plates and exposed to SAT, EMT, HBSS
      and water (negative control) for 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h at room temperature
      (22  degrees C). After each exposure time, cell viability was measured through
      quantifying adenosine triphosphate (ATP) using a luminescent dye. The
      proliferative capacity was also quantified using the PrestoBlue assay after 12 or
      24 h storage in each medium. The data were analysed statistically by two-way
      anova and post hoc Least Significant Difference (LSD) test (P < 0.05). The
      morphology of the cells after 12 h storage was also investigated through
      live/dead viability/cytotoxicity kit together with fluorescence microscopy.
      RESULTS: There was no significant difference in cell viability amongst HBSS, SAT
      and EMT groups up to 6 h. SAT was effective in maintaining cell viability only up
      to 12 h and then became detrimental to HPDLF; after 24 h, the effectiveness of
      SAT in maintaining cell viability was similar to that of water (P > 0.05).
      Amongst all the media, only EMT could maintain the proliferative capacity of
      HPDLFs significantly higher than the negative control, that is water (P < 0.05)
      after 24 h storage. CONCLUSION: EMT maintained the proliferative capacity of
      HPDLFs after 24 h storage.

PMID- 28631390
TI  - Metastatic tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma masquerading as a pancreatic cystic
      tumor and diagnosed by EUS-guided FNA.
AB  - Metastatic carcinoma to the pancreas is uncommon and head and neck squamous
      carcinoma metastatic to the pancreas is extremely rare. Metastatic squamous cell
      carcinoma to the pancreas presents a unique diagnostic challenge: in addition to
      mimicking the rare primary squamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas based on
      cytologic, histologic, and immunohistochemical features, it may be mistaken for a
      cystic neoplasm of the pancreas because of its high predilection for cystic
      degeneration in metastatic sites. Herein, we report a case of tonsillar squamous
      cell carcinoma with a cystic pancreatic metastasis diagnosed by ultrasound-guided
      fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA). This represents a third reported case of
      metastatic squamous cell carcinoma to the pancreas from the head and neck region.
      Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential
      diagnosis of EUS-FNA during evaluation of pancreatic cystic lesion.

PMID- 28631391
TI  - Myosin substitution rate is affected by the amount of cytosolic myosin in
      cultured muscle cells.
AB  - In striated muscles, approximately 300 myosin molecules form a single thick
      filament in myofibrils. Each myosin is continuously displaced by another myosin
      to maintain the thick filament structure. Our previous study using a fluorescence
      recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) technique showed that the myosin replacement
      rate is decreased by inhibition of protein synthesis, but myosin is still
      exchangeable. This result prompted us to examine whether myosin in the cytoplasm
      is involved in myosin replacement in myofibrils. To address this, FRAP was
      measured in green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged myosin heavy chain 3 (Myh3)
      expressing myotubes that were treated with streptolysin-O (SLO), which forms
      pores specifically in the plasma membrane to induce leakage of cytoplasmic
      proteins. Our biochemical data demonstrated that the cytoplasmic myosin content
      was reduced in SLO-permeabilized semi-intact myotubes. Furthermore, FRAP
      experiments showed a sluggish substitution rate of GFP-Myh3 in SLO-permeabilized
      myotubes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the myosin substitution
      rate is significantly reduced by a decreased amount of myosin in the cytoplasm
      and that cytoplasmic myosin contributes to myosin replacement in myofibrils.

PMID- 28631392
TI  - Detection of negative and positive RNA strand of poliovirus Sabin 1 and echovirus
      E19 by a stem-loop reverse transcription PCR.
AB  - : In this report a strand specific RT-PCR was established for the detection of
      the replicative negative RNA strand of poliovirus sabin 1 (Sabin1) and Echovirus
      19 (E19) strains. The key for the successful conduction of the assay was the use
      of a specific reverse transcription primer targeting the 5'-UTR of enteroviruses
      that consisted of a stem-loop structure at the 5'-end and an enteroviral-specific
      sequence at the 3'-end. The stem loop RT-PCR was found to be an accurate and
      sensitive method, detecting even 10-2 CCID50 of poliovirus sabin 1 (Sabin1) and
      E19 strains 6 h postinfection (p.i.), while CPE appeared 3 days later. This assay
      was also validated in SiHa and Caski cell lines that are not used for the
      detection of enteroviruses. The negative RNA strand was detected 6 h and 12 h
      p.i. in SiHa and Caski cells, when these cell lines were inoculated with 105 and
      1 CCID50 respectively, whereas CPE was observed 5 days p.i for SiHa cells and 8
      days p.i for Caski cells and that only at 105 CCID50 . The results show that this
      approach may be used for replacing the time-consuming cell cultures in order to
      detect the active replication of enteroviruses. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE
      STUDY: Enteroviruses are positive stranded RNA viruses that may cause severe
      diseases. The conventional method for detection of active viral replication
      involves virus isolation in sensitive cell cultures followed by titration and
      seroneutralization. In this report, we describe the use of a stem-loop secondary
      structured oligonucleotide in RT-PCR assay for the detection of the replicative
      negative strand of the positive-stranded RNA of poliovirus sabin 1 and E19
      strains. This approach proved to be a useful tool that may be used for replacing
      the time-consuming cell culture assays in order to detect the active replication
      of enteroviruses.

PMID- 28631393
TI  - Comparison of thiazide-like diuretics versus thiazide-type diuretics: a meta
      analysis.
AB  - Thiazide diuretics are widely used for the management of hypertension. In recent
      years, it has been actively debated that there is interchangeability of thiazide
      type diuretics hydrochlorothiazide and thiazide-like diuretics including
      indapamide and chlorthalidone for the treatment of hypertension. With the purpose
      of seeking out the best thiazide diuretic for clinicians, we summarized the
      existing evidence on the two types of drugs and conducted a meta-analysis on
      their efficacy in lowering blood pressure and effects on blood electrolyte,
      glucose and total cholesterol. Twelve trials were identified: five based on the
      comparison of indapamide versus hydrochlorothiazide and seven based on the
      chlorthalidone versus hydrochlorothiazide. In the meta-analysis of blood pressure
      reduction, thiazide-like diuretics seemed to further reduce systolic BP ([95%
      CI]; -5.59 [-5.69, -5.49]; P < 0.001) and diastolic BP ([95% CI]; -1.98 [-3.29, 
      0.66]; P = 0.003). Meanwhile, in the analysis of side effects, the incidence of
      hypokalemia ([95% CI]; 1.58 [0.80, 3.12]; P = 0.19), hyponatremia ([95% CI]; 
      0.14 [-0.57, 0.30], P = 0.54), change of blood glucose ([95% CI];0.13 [-0.16,
      0.41], P = 0.39) and total cholesterol ([95% CI]; 0.13 [-0.16, 0.41], P = 0.39)
      showed that there is no statistical significant differences between the two
      groups of drugs. In conclusion, using thiazide-like diuretics is superior to
      thiazide-type diuretics in reducing blood pressure without increasing the
      incidence of hypokalemia, hyponatraemia and any change of blood glucose and serum
      total cholesterol.

PMID- 28631394
TI  - Helping Babies Breathe implementation in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
AB  - AIM: To assess the efficacy and feasibility of implementing Helping Babies
      Breathe, a neonatal resuscitation programme for resource-limited environments.
      BACKGROUND: This quality improvement project focused on training midwives on
      Helping Babies Breathe to address high rates of neonatal mortality secondary to
      birth asphyxia. METHODS: The convenience sample was 33 midwives in Zanzibar,
      Tanzania. The train-the-trainer strategy with repeated measures design was used
      to assess knowledge and skills at 3 time points. Observations were completed
      during "real-time" deliveries, and a focused interview generated feedback
      regarding satisfaction and sustainability. RESULTS: Knowledge scores and
      resuscitation skills significantly improved and were sustained, P < .05. Of the
      62 birth observations, 19% needed intervention. All were appropriately
      resuscitated and survived. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that participants
      retained knowledge and skills and used them in clinical practice. Observations
      demonstrated that participants took appropriate actions when presented with a
      baby who was not breathing.

PMID- 28631395
TI  - A Univariate Approach to Sex Estimation for the Fragmentary Upper Limb.
AB  - Although there are numerous reliable multivariate models for sex estimation, many
      scenarios, both forensic and archaeological, result in the recovery of
      fragmentary remains, which prevents the collection of various standard
      measurements. The purpose of this research was to establish metric applications
      for sex estimation from the distal humerus and distal radius of European/American
      Whites and American Blacks. Data for this research were retrieved from a sample
      consisting of a larger database from multiple skeletal collections. Measurements
      include epicondylar breadth, breadth of the capitulum-trochlea, and distal
      breadth of the radius. Student's t-test and descriptive statistics were utilized
      to analyze the data. Classification rates ranged from 75% to 96.4%, with the
      capitulum-trochlea breadth performing best. Overall, significant metric
      differences exist between the sexes in the distal humerus and radius and can be
      utilized to estimate sex. This study offers a reliable alternative sex estimation
      technique applicable to fragmentary or damaged remains.

PMID- 28631396
TI  - PTTG3P promotes gastric tumour cell proliferation and invasion and is an
      indicator of poor prognosis.
AB  - Pseudogenes play a crucial role in cancer progression. However, the role of
      pituitary tumour-transforming 3, pseudogene (PTTG3P) in gastric cancer (GC)
      remains unknown. Here, we showed that PTTG3P expression was abnormally up
      regulated in GC tissues compared with that in normal tissues both in our 198
      cases of clinical samples and the cohort from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)
      database. High PTTG3P expression was correlated with increased tumour size and
      enhanced tumour invasiveness and served as an independent negative prognostic
      predictor. Moreover, up-regulation of PTTG3P in GC cells stimulated cell
      proliferation, migration and invasion both in vitro in cell experiments and in
      vivo in nude mouse models, and the pseudogene functioned independently of its
      parent genes. Overall, these results reveal that PTTG3P is a novel prognostic
      biomarker with independent oncogenic functions in GC.

PMID- 28631397
TI  - The effects and toxicity of cathinones from the users' perspectives: A
      qualitative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the users' perspectives
      regarding the effects and toxicity of cathinones. METHODS: A systematic search of
      Internet discussion forums yielded 303 threads relevant to the research
      objectives. The threads were analysed by conventional content analysis where
      concepts were developed from codes and themes. RESULTS: The study identified 3
      main themes in relation to cathinone use, effects, and toxicity. The first theme
      considered the modalities of intake of cathinones in relation to the derivative
      taken (mainly mephedrone, 3-methylmethcathinone, and methylenedioxypyrovalerone),
      route of administration (eyeballing, insufflation, smoking, intravenous, oral,
      rectal, and sublingual), multidrug use, and purity of the cathinone derivative.
      The second theme characterised the main effects of cathinones, that is, increased
      energy, euphoria, and empathogenic. Toxic effects were reported regarding the
      nervous system (anxiety, hallucinations, nervousness, and paranoia),
      cardiovascular system (angina, myocardial infarction, and tachycardia), skin
      (discolouration, itching, and allergy), and renal system (difficulty in
      urination). Drug-drug interactions were also reported including multiple drug use
      between cathinones, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. CONCLUSIONS: The
      Internet discussion forums provide useful sources of information regarding the
      effects and toxicity of cathinones, which can be taken into account when
      assessing the safety of drugs.

PMID- 28631398
TI  - Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in a patient with Werner syndrome.

PMID- 28631399
TI  - Into the storm: Chasing the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus from
      skin colonisation to life-threatening infections.
AB  - Colonisation of the human skin by Staphylococcus aureus is a precursor for a
      variety of infections ranging from boils to sepsis and pneumonia. The rapid
      emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus following the clinical introduction
      of this antimicrobial drug and reports of resistance to all currently used anti
      staphylococcal drugs has added to its formidable reputation. S. aureus survival
      on the skin and in vivo virulence is underpinned by a remarkable environmental
      adaptability, made possible by highly orchestrated regulation of gene expression
      and a capacity to undertake genome remodelling. Depending on the ecological or
      infection niche, controlled expression of a variety of adhesins can be initiated
      to facilitate adherence to extracellular matrix proteins, survival against
      desiccation or biofilm accumulation on implanted medical devices and host tissue.
      These adherence mechanisms complement toxin and enzyme production, immune evasion
      strategies, and antibiotic resistance and tolerance to collectively thwart
      efforts to develop reliable antimicrobial drug regimens and an effective S.
      aureus vaccine.

PMID- 28631400
TI  - Effects of uranium concentration on microbial community structure and functional
      potential.
AB  - Located in the Northern Territory of Australia, Ranger uranium mine is directly
      adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park, with
      rehabilitation targets needed to ensure the site can be incorporated into the
      park following the mine's closure in 2026. This study aimed to understand the
      impact of uranium concentration on microbial communities, in order to identify
      and describe potential breakpoints in microbial ecosystem services. This is the
      first study to report in situ deployment of uranium-spiked sediments along a
      concentration gradient (0-4000 mg U kg-1 ), with the study design maximising the
      advantages of both field surveys and laboratory manipulative studies. Changes to
      microbial communities were characterised through the use of amplicon and shotgun
      metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Significant changes to taxonomic and
      functional community assembly occurred at a concentration of 1500 mg U kg-1
      sediment and above. At uranium concentrations of >= 1500 mg U kg-1 , genes
      associated with methanogenic consortia and processes increased in relative
      abundance, while numerous significant changes were also seen in the relative
      abundances of genes involved in nitrogen cycling. Such alterations in carbon and
      nitrogen cycling pathways suggest that taxonomic and functional changes to
      microbial communities may result in changes in ecosystem processes and
      resilience.

PMID- 28631401
TI  - An Intrinsically Stretchable and Compressible Supercapacitor Containing a
      Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Electrolyte.
AB  - Stretchability and compressibility of supercapacitors is an essential element of
      modern electronics, such as flexible, wearable devices. Widely used polyvinyl
      alcohol-based electrolytes are neither very stretchable nor compressible, which
      fundamentally limits the realization of supercapacitors with high stretchability
      and compressibility. A new electrolyte that is intrinsically super-stretchable
      and compressible is presented. Vinyl hybrid silica nanoparticle cross-linkers
      were introduced into polyacrylamide hydrogel backbones to promote dynamic cross
      linking of the polymer networks. These cross-linkers serve as stress buffers to
      dissipate energy when strain is applied, providing a solution to the
      intrinsically low stretchability and compressibility shortcomings of conventional
      supercapacitors. The newly developed supercapacitor and electrolyte can be
      stretched up to an unprecedented 1000 % strain with enhanced performance, and
      compressed to 50 % strain with good retention of the initial performance.

PMID- 28631402
TI  - Authors' response to letter to the editor.

PMID- 28631403
TI  - Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 favours self-produced siderophore over free-loading in
      interspecies competition for iron.
AB  - Many microorganisms compete for extracellular iron using strain-specific
      chelators known as siderophores. The ferric-siderophore complex limits local
      access to iron because import requires a suitable cognate receptor.
      Interestingly, many species carry receptors that enable 'cross-feeding' on
      heterologous siderophores made by neighboring organisms, although little is known
      about how this ubiquitous behaviour is regulated. Here, we investigated the soil
      bacterium Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5, a strain remarkable for its ability to use
      dozens of heterologous siderophores. We characterized the expression of six
      pyoverdine-type (PVD) siderophore receptors in response to their cognate PVD. In
      general, we found expression is tightly regulated to reflect availability of
      their cognate PVD. In contrast, Pf-5 continues to secrete its own primary
      siderophore, PVDPf-5 , despite the capability and opportunity to cross-feed. We
      demonstrate that this strategy is beneficial in co-culture with a competing
      PVDPAO1 -producer, P. aeruginosa PAO1. Although Pf-5 can cross-feed on PVDPAO1 ,
      production of PVDPf-5 is required to maintain a competitive advantage. We
      attribute this to an antagonistic effect of PVDPf-5 on the growth of PAO1,
      presumably through limiting access to iron. Our results demonstrate the benefits
      of excluding competitors out-weigh the incentives associated with a free-loader
      lifestyle for Pf-5.

PMID- 28631404
TI  - Structural connectivity differences in motor network between tremor-dominant and
      nontremor Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Motor phenotypes of Parkinson's disease (PD) are recognized to have different
      prognosis and therapeutic response, but the neural basis for this clinical
      heterogeneity remains largely unknown. The main aim of this study was to compare
      differences in structural connectivity metrics of the main motor network between
      tremor-dominant and nontremor PD phenotypes (TD-PD and NT-PD, respectively) using
      probabilistic tractography-based network analysis. A total of 63 PD patients (35
      TD-PD patients and 28 NT-PD patients) and 30 healthy controls underwent a 3 T
      MRI. Next, probabilistic tractography-based network analysis was performed to
      assess structural connectivity in cerebello-thalamo-basal ganglia-cortical
      circuits, by measuring the connectivity indices of each tract and the efficiency
      of each node. Furthermore, dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed
      tomography (DAT-SPECT) with 123 I-ioflupane was used to assess dopaminergic
      striatal depletion in all PD patients. Both PD phenotypes showed nodal
      abnormalities in the substantia nigra, in agreement with DAT-SPECT evaluation. In
      addition, NT-PD patients displayed connectivity alterations in nigro-pallidal and
      fronto-striatal pathways, compared with both controls and TD-PD patients, in
      which the same motor connections seemed to be relatively spared. Of note, in NT
      PD group, rigidity-bradykinesia score correlated with fronto-striatal
      connectivity abnormalities. These findings demonstrate that structural
      connectivity alterations occur in the cortico-basal ganglia circuit of NT-PD
      patients, but not in TD-PD patients, suggesting that these anatomical differences
      may underlie different motor phenotypes of PD. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4716-4729, 2017.
      (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631405
TI  - A Perylene-Based Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Electron Donor for a Highly
      Efficient Solar Cell Dye.
AB  - The continuing efforts to develop novel polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and
      exploit them as building blocks to create organic donor-acceptor (D-A) dyes with
      impressive excited-state features should offer an excellent means by which to
      improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of dye-sensitized solar cells
      (DSSCs). To this end, a nonacyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, N-annulated
      benzoindenopentaphene (NBIP) was tethered with multiple solubilizing groups,
      including NBIPs with one 2-hexyldecyl, with one 2-hexyldecyloxy, and with four 4
      hexylphenyl substituents. The side- and end-chain-functionalized NBIPs can be
      conveniently prepared in excellent yield, and further cross-coupled with 4-(7
      ethynylbenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl)benzoic acid to afford a metal-free D-A
      dye, which achieves a high power conversion efficiency of 12.6 % under AM1.5G
      illumination in DSSCs without need for any coadsorbent.

PMID- 28631407
TI  - ZYGOTE-ARREST 3 that encodes the tRNA ligase is essential for zygote division in
      Arabidopsis.
AB  - In sexual organisms, division of the zygote initiates a new life cycle. Although
      several genes involved in zygote division are known in plants, how the zygote is
      activated to start embryogenesis has remained elusive. Here, we showed that a
      mutation in ZYGOTE-ARREST 3 (ZYG3) in Arabidopsis led to a tight zygote-lethal
      phenotype. Map-based cloning revealed that ZYG3 encodes the transfer RNA (tRNA)
      ligase AtRNL, which is a single-copy gene in the Arabidopsis genome. Expression
      analyses showed that AtRNL is expressed throughout zygotic embryogenesis, and in
      meristematic tissues. Using pAtRNL::cAtRNL-sYFP-complemented zyg3/zyg3 plants, we
      showed that AtRNL is localized exclusively in the cytoplasm, suggesting that tRNA
      splicing occurs primarily in the cytoplasm. Analyses using partially rescued
      embryos showed that mutation in AtRNL compromised splicing of intron-containing
      tRNA. Mutations of two tRNA endonuclease genes, SEN1 and SEN2, also led to a
      zygote-lethal phenotype. These results together suggest that tRNA splicing is
      critical for initiating zygote division in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28631406
TI  - A cross-sectional analysis of Kenyan postabortion care services using a
      nationally representative sample.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess quality of postabortion care (PAC) offered by Kenyan
      healthcare facilities. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using data
      from the Incidence and Magnitude of Unsafe Abortions study, conducted among 326
      PAC-providing healthcare facilities throughout Kenya from March 13 to June 30,
      2012. Descriptive results with weighted proportions and an ordered probit model
      were used. RESULTS: Overall, 408 (41.8%) first-trimester PAC cases were treated
      using appropriate technology versus 826 (82.6%) second-trimester cases. Private
      healthcare facilities lagged behind public healthcare facilities on the use of
      appropriate technology: 264 (47.5%) public and 144 (33.1%) private facilities
      used such technology for first-trimester abortion, and 664 (89.6%) public versus
      162 (68.8%) private for second-trimester abortions). Most healthcare facilities
      (251, 70.7%) had at least one provider trained in PAC. A total of 273 (80.7%)
      healthcare facilities reported offering contraception to all PAC patients, mainly
      short-acting methods. Delivery of PAC services depended on the availability of
      separate evacuation room (public level 2-3: odds ratio [OR] 22.93; public level 4
      6: OR 77.14), and the number of family planning methods offered within the
      facility (public level 2-3: OR 1.38; public level 4-6 OR 1.57; private level 2-3:
      OR 2.27; private level 4-5: 4.89). CONCLUSION: Effective monitoring of PAC
      services, particularly among private healthcare facilities, might improve overall
      quality of services.

PMID- 28631408
TI  - Resonance frequency analysis of dental implants placed at the posterior maxilla
      varying the surface treatment only: A randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chemical modifications of the dental implant surface that improve the
      wettability result in a faster and better osseointegration. PURPOSE: The aim of
      this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the implant stability quotient
      (ISQ) of implants with similar designs, treated with 2 surfaces, sandblasted acid
      etched (SAE) and hydrophilic SAE, within the initial 16 weeks of healing.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 64 implants (32 SAE-control group and 32
      modified SAE-test group) with the same design, length, and diameter (conical and
      compressive, 4.3 * 10 mm) were inserted into the posterior maxillae of 21
      patients partially edentulous. The ISQ values were collected at post-surgery
      (T0), 1 week (T1), 2 weeks (T2), 3 weeks (T3), 5 weeks (T4), 8 weeks (T5), 12
      weeks (T6), and 16 weeks (T7). RESULTS: None of the implants failed. Test group
      presented ISQ values higher than the control group (ANOVA-P < .01) from T5 to T7.
      When comparing groups regarding the amount of time required to achieve ISQ >= 70
      as a reference, there was a statistically significant difference (cox regression
      P < .01), and a hazard ratio of 2.24 (CI 1.62-3.11). At the 1-year follow-up,
      there was a drop out of 1 patient, and 2 implants were no longer evaluated.
      Survival rate for both groups was 100% at the 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The
      current study suggests that implants with hydrophilic surface (modified SAE)
      integrate faster than implants with SAE surface. The stability gain of the test
      group was 2.24 times faster than the control group after 5 weeks of evaluation at
      the posterior region of the edentulous maxillae.

PMID- 28631409
TI  - Exploration of a ternary deep eutectic solvent of methyltriphenylphosphonium
      bromide/chalcone/formic acid for the selective recognition of rutin and quercetin
      in Herba Artemisiae Scopariae.
AB  - Methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide/chalcone/formic acid, a green ternary deep
      eutectic solvent, was applied as a functional monomer and dummy template
      simultaneously in the synthesis of a new molecularly imprinted polymer. Ternary
      deep eutectic solvent based molecularly imprinted polymers are used as a solid
      phase extraction sorbent in the separation and purification of rutin and
      quercetin from Herba Artemisiae Scopariae combined with high-performance liquid
      chromatography. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field-emission
      scanning electron microscopy were applied to characterize the deep eutectic
      solvent based molecularly imprinted polymers synthesized using different molar
      ratios of chalcone. The static and competitive adsorption tests were performed to
      examine the recognition ability of the molecularly imprinted polymers to rutin
      and quercetin. The ternary deep eutectic solvent consisting of formic
      acid/chalcone/methyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (1:0.05:0.5) had the best
      molecular recognition effect. After optimization of the washing solvents
      (methanol/water, 1:9) and eluting solvents (acetonitrile/acetic acid, 9:1), a
      reliable analytical method was developed for strong recognition towards rutin and
      quercetin in Herba Artemisiae Scopariae with satisfactory extraction recoveries
      (rutin: 92.48%, quercetin: 94.23%). Overall, the chalcone ternary deep eutectic
      solvent-based molecularly imprinted polymer coupled with solid-phase extraction
      is an effective method for the selective purification of multiple bioactive
      compounds in complex samples.

PMID- 28631410
TI  - Coronary artery bypass grafting to treat coronary arterial occlusion incurred
      during orthotopic heart transplantation.
AB  - We report a case of left circumflex coronary artery occlusion sustained during
      orthotopic heart transplantation. Emergent coronary artery bypass grafting was
      performed, with recovery of cardiac function. The etiology and management of this
      complication are reviewed.

PMID- 28631411
TI  - Function of bacterial community dynamics in the formation of cadaveric
      semiochemicals during in situ carcass decomposition.
AB  - The decomposition of dead mammalian tissue involves a complex temporal succession
      of epinecrotic bacteria. Microbial activity may release different cadaveric
      volatile organic compounds which in turn attract other key players of carcass
      decomposition such as scavenger insects. To elucidate the dynamics and potential
      functions of epinecrotic bacteria on carcasses, we monitored bacterial
      communities developing on still-born piglets incubated in different forest
      ecosystems by combining high-throughput Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing with gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry of volatiles. Our results show that the
      community structure of epinecrotic bacteria and the types of cadaveric volatile
      compounds released over the time course of decomposition are driven by
      deterministic rather than stochastic processes. Individual cadaveric volatile
      organic compounds were correlated with specific taxa during the first stages of
      decomposition which are dominated by bacteria. Through best-fitting multiple
      linear regression models, the synthesis of acetic acid, indole and phenol could
      be linked to the activity of Enterobacteriaceae, Tissierellaceae and
      Xanthomonadaceae, respectively. These conclusions are also commensurate with the
      metabolism described for the dominant taxa identified for these families. The
      predictable nature of in situ synthesis of cadaveric volatile organic compounds
      by epinecrotic bacteria provides a new basis for future chemical ecology and
      forensic studies.

PMID- 28631412
TI  - Psychopathology in pediatric bone marrow transplantation survivors and their
      mothers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is used to treat various
      hematologic, oncologic and metabolic diseases. While the treatment is lifesaving,
      it is also associated with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression
      and psychosocial problems both in children and parents. METHODS: The aim of this
      study was to investigate the psychopathology in pediatric BMT survivors and their
      mothers compared with healthy controls. All children were interviewed using
      Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia to assess lifelong
      psychopathology. For the mothers, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) was
      used. RESULTS: In the BMT group, 17 children (63%) had at least one psychiatric
      disorder, while 15 (53.6%) did in the control group. Although lifelong prevalence
      of psychopathology in the BMT group did not differ significantly from the control
      group generally, anxiety disorders were significantly higher in the BMT group.
      When the SCL-90-R scores of the mothers were compared, Anxiety, Obsessive
      Compulsive, Interpersonal Sensitivity and Phobic Anxiety were significantly
      higher in the mothers in the BMT group, indicating more difficulty in these
      areas. CONCLUSIONS: Bone marrow transplantation is a significant stressor,
      especially for mothers. Clinicians should address the child and family as a whole
      in assessments and be aware of psychiatric symptoms in mothers and children who
      have had such a life-threatening condition.

PMID- 28631413
TI  - Young children seek out biased information about social groups.
AB  - Understanding the origins of prejudice necessitates exploring the ways in which
      children participate in the construction of biased representations of social
      groups. We investigate whether young children actively seek out information that
      supports and extends their initial intergroup biases. In Studies 1 and 2, we show
      that children choose to hear a story that contains positive information about
      their own group and negative information about another group rather than a story
      that contains negative information about their own group and positive information
      about the other group. In a third study, we show that children choose to present
      biased information to others, thus demonstrating that the effects of information
      selection can start to propagate through social networks. In Studies 4 and 5, we
      further investigate the nature of children's selective information seeking and
      show that children prefer ingroup-favouring information to other types of biased
      information and even to balanced, unbiased information. Together, this work shows
      that children are not merely passively recipients of social information; they
      play an active role in the creation and transmission of intergroup attitudes.

PMID- 28631414
TI  - Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in cachexia-related genes: Can they optimize the
      treatment of cancer cachexia?

PMID- 28631415
TI  - Highlights from the 9th Cachexia Conference.
AB  - This article highlights updates of pathways as well as pre-clinical and clinical
      studies into the field of wasting disorders that were presented at the 9th
      Cachexia Conference held in Berlin, Germany, December 2016. This year, some
      interesting results from clinical trials and different new therapeutic targets
      were shown. This article presents the biological and clinical significance of
      different markers and new diagnostic tools and cut-offs of detecting skeletal
      muscle wasting. Effective treatments of cachexia and wasting disorders are
      urgently needed in order to improve the patients' quality of life and their
      survival.

PMID- 28631416
TI  - Physical activity for the prevention and treatment of sarcopenic obesity.

PMID- 28631417
TI  - Response letter: Management of statin-induced myopathies: Much demands and still
      (almost) empty hands!

PMID- 28631418
TI  - The effects of Biodentine/polycaprolactone three-dimensional-scaffold with
      odontogenesis properties on human dental pulp cells.
AB  - AIM: To determine the feasibility of using three-dimensional printed
      Biodentine/polycaprolactone composite scaffolds for orthopaedic and dental
      applications. The physicochemical properties and the odontogenic differentiation
      of human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) were investigated. METHODOLOGY: Biodentine was
      well-suspended in ethanol and dropped slowly into molten polycaprolactone with
      vigorous stirring. The Biodentine/polycaprolactone composite scaffolds were then
      fabricated into controlled macropore sizes and structures using an extrusion
      based three-dimensional (3D) printer. The mechanical properties, bioactivity, and
      the proliferation and odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells
      (hDPCs) cultured on the scaffolds were evaluated. RESULTS:
      Biodentine/polycaprolactone scaffolds had uniform macropores 550 MUm in size with
      established interconnections and a compressive strength of 6.5 MPa. In addition,
      the composite scaffolds exhibited a good apatite-forming ability and were capable
      of supporting the proliferation and differentiation of hDPCs. CONCLUSION: The
      composite scaffolds fabricated by an extrusion-based 3D printing technique had
      similar characteristics to Biodentine cement, including bioactivity and the
      ability to promote the differentiation of hDPCs. These results indicate that the
      composite scaffold would be a candidate for dental and bone regeneration.

PMID- 28631419
TI  - The CpxR/CpxA system contributes to Salmonella gold-resistance by controlling the
      GolS-dependent gesABC transcription.
AB  - Several regulatory systems contribute to bacterial resistance to heavy metals
      controlling the expression of factors required to eliminate the intoxicant and/or
      to repair the damage caused by it. In Salmonella, the response to Au ions is
      mediated by the specific metalloregulator GolS that, among other genes, controls
      the expression of the RND-efflux pump GesABC. In this work, we demonstrate that
      CpxR/CpxA, a main cell-envelope stress-responding system, promotes gesABC
      transcription in the presence of Au ions at neutral pH. Deletion of either cpxA
      or cpxR, or mutation of the CpxR-binding site identified upstream of the GolS
      operator in the gesABC promoter region reduces but does not abrogate the GolS-
      and Au-dependent activation of gesABC. Au also triggers the activation of the
      CpxR/CpxA system and deletion of the cpxRA operon severely reduces survival in
      the presence of the toxic metal. Our results indicate that the coordinated action
      of GolS and CpxR/CpxA contribute to protecting the cell from severe Au damage.

PMID- 28631421
TI  - Impact of synthetic cannabinoids on the duration of opioid-related withdrawal and
      craving among patients of addiction clinics in Kazakhstan: A prospective case
      control study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to prospectively assess whether regular use
      of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) affects the duration of opioid-related withdrawal
      and craving symptoms in patients undergoing drug detoxification treatments.
      METHODS: Patients (n = 193) with opioid use disorder, among which 47 patients are
      regularly using SCs, underwent integrated drug detoxification therapies. The
      Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale and a specific visual analogue scale were used
      to assess opioid withdrawal and craving symptoms over time. RESULTS: Subjects
      using SCs had significantly longer duration of withdrawal and craving symptoms (p
      < .001). Higher intake of SCs in the last 30 days (p = .045), shorter time since
      the last intake of SCs (p = .033), longer duration of SCs use (p < .001), and
      higher dosage of SCs (p < .001) were associated with longer duration of symptoms.
      DISCUSSION: This is the first study to assess the impact of SCs on the course of
      opioid withdrawal and craving symptoms. The results (a) suggest that patients
      with opioid use disorder in combination with regular use of SCs exhibit a
      significantly longer duration of opioid withdrawal and craving symptoms, (b) add
      to the accumulating evidence showing clinical and molecular cross talks between
      cannabinoids and opioids, and (c) underline novel harmful effects of SCs.

PMID- 28631420
TI  - Expression of PTEN-long mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 can repress U87 cell
      proliferation.
AB  - PTEN is a tumour suppressor that is frequently mutated in a variety of cancers.
      Hence, PTEN has significant potential as a therapeutic molecule. PTEN-long is an
      alternative translation variant, with an additional 173 amino acids added to the
      N-terminal of the canonical PTEN when CUG of the mRNA is utilized as the start
      codon. PTEN-long is secreted into serum and can re-enter cells throughout the
      body. One of the major barriers for gene therapy is to efficiently and
      specifically deliver DNA or RNA material to target cells. As an alternative
      approach, if a therapeutic protein can be directly delivered to target cell of
      interest, it should theoretically function well within the cells, particularly
      for genes that are deficiently expressed in vivo. Most therapeutic proteins are
      incapable of efficiently permeating the cell membrane. In this study, we have
      employed CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tool combined with single-stranded template to
      edit CTG of PTEN-long to ATG in the genome. Two guide RNAs close to CTG site were
      found to have similar efficiency in driving PTEN-long expression. Furthermore, we
      detected PTEN-long expression in transfected whole-cell lysate and in
      concentrated culture media in Western blot. Interestingly, the culture media of
      PTEN-long expression can reduce Akt phosphorylation level and repress U87 cell
      proliferation compared to wild-type U87 or control media. Taken together, PTEN
      long driven by CRISPR/Cas9 imports and exports cells and represses nearby cell
      proliferation, indicating the PTEN-long generated by CRISPR/Cas9 has potential to
      be an alternative strategy for PTEN gene therapy.

PMID- 28631422
TI  - Dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction using carbon-based adsorbents for the
      sensitive determination of verapamil in plasma samples coupled with capillary
      electrophoresis.
AB  - A dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction procedure coupled with capillary
      electrophoresis ultraviolet detection was developed for determination of
      verapamil in plasma samples. Graphene oxide/polydopamin was synthesized by a one
      step polymerization method, and graphene oxide/Fe3 O4 (magnetic graphene oxide)
      nanocomposite was prepared by coprecipitation method. Moreover, they were fully
      characterized. The use of hazardous and water-immiscible solvents was scaled
      down, and only 500 MUL of acetone was required as the desorption solvent. The
      detector response concentration plots were linear in the range of 5-500 ng/mL,
      and the proposed method was validated according to guidelines. The precision and
      accuracy were less than 15%. Dispersive micro-solid-phase extraction method
      provides a rapid, environmentally friendly, and sensitive analysis for the
      verapamil in patient plasma samples, which is adequate for therapeutic drug
      monitoring and pharmacokinetic studies.

PMID- 28631423
TI  - Pet ownership increases human risk of encountering ticks.
AB  - We examined whether pet ownership increased the risk for tick encounters and
      tickborne disease among residents of three Lyme disease-endemic states as a
      nested cohort within a randomized controlled trial. Information about pet
      ownership, use of tick control for pets, property characteristics, tick
      encounters and human tickborne disease were captured through surveys, and
      associations were assessed using univariate and multivariable analyses. Pet
      owning households had 1.83 times the risk (95% CI = 1.53, 2.20) of finding ticks
      crawling on and 1.49 times the risk (95% CI = 1.20, 1.84) of finding ticks
      attached to household members compared to households without pets. This large
      evaluation of pet ownership, human tick encounters and tickborne diseases shows
      that pet owners, whether of cats or dogs, are at increased risk of encountering
      ticks and suggests that pet owners are at an increased risk of developing
      tickborne disease. Pet owners should be made aware of this risk and be reminded
      to conduct daily tick checks of all household members, including the pets, and to
      consult their veterinarian regarding effective tick control products.

PMID- 28631424
TI  - Unsuccessful treatment of progressive macular hypomelanosis with oral
      isotretinoin.

PMID- 28631425
TI  - Retraction Statement: Mitochondrial protein acetylation mediates nutrient sensing
      of mitochondrial protein synthesis and mitonuclear protein balance.
AB  - : IUBMB Life (2014) 66:793-802. DOI: 10.1002/iub.1328 The above article,
      published online on November 15, 2014 in Wiley Online Library
      (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal's
      Editors-in-Chief, Angelo Azzi and William J. Whelan, Corresponding Author Tina
      Wenz, the University of Cologne, and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The article has been
      retracted on request of the University of Cologne that, after an investigation,
      established that the data reported in it are not reproducible. Note from the
      Corresponding Author: "The paper reports on the influence of mitochondrial
      acetylation on protein synthesis. After publication, several irregularities
      appeared and have been thoroughly investigated by the lab of the Corresponding
      Author in cooperation with the commission of Research integrity of the University
      of Cologne. Both came to the conclusion that data used for the publication are
      erroneous and that the presented data are not reproducible by the lab of the
      Corresponding Author and other labs. The Corresponding Author takes
      responsibility and regrets not having detected these issues before publication.
      The appropriate corrective action is retraction of the paper. The Corresponding
      Author apologizes to the scientific community." REFERENCE: Antonella Di Domenico,
      Annette Hofer, Federica Tundo, Tina Wenz (2014), Mitochondrial protein
      acetylation mediates nutrient sensing of mitochondrial protein synthesis and
      mitonuclear protein balance, IUBMB Life. 66: 793-802, 2014. DOI: 10.1002/iub.1328
      (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(7):553-553, 2017.

PMID- 28631426
TI  - Hsp90alpha regulates ATM and NBN functions in sensing and repair of DNA double
      strand breaks.
AB  - The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90alpha) regulates cell
      proteostasis and mitigates the harmful effects of endogenous and exogenous
      stressors on the proteome. Indeed, the inhibition of Hsp90alpha ATPase activity
      affects the cellular response to ionizing radiation (IR). Although the interplay
      between Hsp90alpha and several DNA damage response (DDR) proteins has been
      reported, its role in the DDR is still unclear. Here, we show that ataxia
      telangiectasia-mutated kinase (ATM) and nibrin (NBN), but not 53BP1, RAD50, and
      MRE11, are Hsp90alpha clients as the Hsp90alpha inhibitor 17-(allylamino)-17
      demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) induces ATM and NBN polyubiquitination and
      proteosomal degradation in normal fibroblasts and lymphoblastoid cell lines.
      Hsp90alpha-ATM and Hsp90alpha-NBN complexes are present in unstressed and
      irradiated cells, allowing the maintenance of ATM and NBN stability that is
      required for the MRE11/RAD50/NBN complex-dependent ATM activation and the ATM
      dependent phosphorylation of both NBN and Hsp90alpha in response to IR-induced
      DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Hsp90alpha forms a complex also with ph-Ser1981
      ATM following IR. Upon phosphorylation, NBN dissociates from Hsp90alpha and
      translocates at the DSBs, while phThr5/7-Hsp90alpha is not recruited at the
      damaged sites. The inhibition of Hsp90alpha affects nuclear localization of MRE11
      and RAD50, impairs DDR signaling (e.g., BRCA1 and CHK2 phosphorylation), and
      slows down DSBs repair. Hsp90alpha inhibition does not affect DNA-dependent
      protein kinase (DNA-PK) activity, which possibly phosphorylates Hsp90alpha and
      H2AX after IR. Notably, Hsp90alpha inhibition causes H2AX phosphorylation in
      proliferating cells, this possibly indicating replication stress events. Overall,
      present data shed light on the regulatory role of Hsp90alpha on the DDR,
      controlling ATM and NBN stability and influencing the DSBs signaling and repair.

PMID- 28631429
TI  - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: Evolving Strategies and Processes.

PMID- 28631428
TI  - An Unremarkable Past History.

PMID- 28631430
TI  - Internal cyclopexy for complicated traumatic cyclodialysis cleft.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the surgical and functional outcome of internal direct
      cyclopexy as therapy of complicated traumatic cyclodialysis. METHODS: The single
      centre interventional case-series study included eyes with traumatic
      cyclodialysis who had consecutively been treated. Internal cyclopexy was
      performed using double-armed sutures introduced into the eye through the pars
      plana opposite to the cyclodialysis cleft and which were laid parallel to limbus.
      Additional procedures included cataract surgery, and pars plana vitrectomy. The
      cyclodialysis was documented upon ultrasound biomicroscopy and gonioscopy.
      RESULTS: The study included 44 patients (44 eyes). The cyclodialysis extended
      over 4.8 +/- 3.2 clock hours of scleral spur circumference (range 1-12 hr, median
      4 hr), involving >180 degrees  of the scleral spur circumference in 16 eyes (37%)
      and 360 degrees  in 3 eyes (7%). Besides cyclodialysis, additional trauma-related
      complications included hyphema, iridodialysis, lens dislocation, cataract,
      vitreous haemorrhage, retinal detachment, suprachoroidal haemorrhage and
      endophthalmitis. The surgery performed on average at 64 days after the trauma
      included a mean number of 4.6 +/- 1.9 sutures (range: 2-9), with 1.2 sutures per
      30 degrees  width of cyclodialysis. Mean follow-up was 32 +/- 8 weeks (range: 6
      51 weeks). Closure of the cyclodialysis was achieved in all 44 eyes, and
      intraocular pressure (IOP) increased from 8.0 +/- 3.4 mmHg (range: 3 21 mmHg) to
      14.4 +/- 4.0 mmHg (range: 11-21 mmHg). Mean visual acuity (VA) improved from 2.3
      +/- 1.1 logMAR (range: 0.22-4.0) to 1.2 +/- 0.8 logMAR (range 0.3-4.0 logMAR).
      CONCLUSION: In conclusion, internal direct cyclopexy is a novel and relatively
      little invasive surgery technique for the repair of traumatic cyclodialysis.

PMID- 28631431
TI  - Phaeohyphomycosis breast masquerading as fibroadenoma in a young teenage girl.
AB  - Phaeohyphomycosis is an unusual granulomatous fungal infection, observed in
      immunocompromised or diabetic patients; however, it is even rarer in
      immunocompetent patients. Cytological findings of the same have been infrequently
      reported. The histopathological diagnosis or fungal culture helps in definitive
      diagnosis to identify the exact fungal species. Hereby, we report a rare case of
      invasive fungal infection in a breast lump in a young female, presenting as
      fibroadenoma breast. Fine needle aspiration cytology from the breast lesion
      showed the presence of septate acute-angled branching fungal hyphae with focal
      pigmentation, morphologically suggestive of phaeohyphomycosis which was positive
      with fungal stains. This was later confirmed on biopsy as histopathology slides
      showed the presence of prominent pigmented fungal hyphae. The pus culture from
      needle aspirate also showed phaeohyphomycotic fungal organism delineating the
      species Exophiala dermatitidis. Aspiration cytology is crucial for the diagnosis
      of fungal infection in such cases. An appropriate diagnosis will help in early
      detection and treatment of such infections as these are usually associated with
      high morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 28631432
TI  - Profile, effects, and toxicity of novel psychoactive substances: A systematic
      review of quantitative studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the profile, effects, and toxicity of novel
      psychoactive substances (NPS). METHODS: A systematic literature review was
      conducted between May 2015 and February 2016 and included 19 databases. Search
      terms included "novel psychoactive substance(s)," "effect(s)," and "toxicity" and
      their synonyms. Studies included were those from any country, in any language,
      and between January 2007 and April 2015. Studies published before 2007 and those
      regarding the synthesis of NPS were excluded. Data were extracted by evaluating
      the titles, abstract, and full text, respectively. Consequently, the extraction
      yielded 20 studies. RESULTS: Forty-three NPS derivatives of 8 main
      pharmacological classes were identified. NPS were mostly used among young adults
      and adults within the age range of 16-64 years old. Cathinones and synthetic
      cannabinoids were the most prevalent among the aforementioned classes. The main
      desired effects of NPS use were empathy and increased ability to socialise.
      Reported toxicity associated with the use of NPS included cardiovascular,
      neurological, and psychoactive adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the unique
      subjective effects associated with the use of NPS, harmful effects could be
      severe and/or lethal. Therefore, there is a need to develop research in the area
      of NPS and promote awareness among healthcare professionals.

PMID- 28631433
TI  - Forensic Radiology Pitfalls: CT Imaging in Gunshot Wounds of the Head.
AB  - Computed tomography (CT) imaging is increasingly used in emergency departments
      and trauma services and is being offered as a supplemental tool with autopsy in
      coroner's and medical examiner's offices throughout the United States. The
      availability of CT images in lieu of traditional X-rays for medicolegal autopsies
      may lead to misinterpretation of images for forensic pathologists who are not
      familiar with these types of images. Forensic pathologists must become familiar
      with CT imaging, the basis of CT image formation and how to interpret CT images
      appropriately. We highlight potential pitfalls of CT image interpretation through
      two cases of fatal gunshot wounds of the head. Antemortem CT imaging available at
      the time of autopsy led to discrepancy between the initial image findings and the
      autopsy due to inexperienced manipulation of the images. With appropriate
      understanding of CT image interpretation and manipulation, forensic personnel
      should be able to avoid most sources of misinterpretation.

PMID- 28631434
TI  - Survival of spray-dried and free-cells of potential probiotic Lactobacillus
      plantarum 564 in soft goat cheese.
AB  - A high viability of probiotics in food product, with a living cells threshold of
      107 /cfu/g (colony-forming units/g) is a challenge to achieve in food production.
      Spray drying is an efficient and economic industrial method for probiotic
      bacterial preservation and its application in food products. In this study, the
      survival of free and spray-dried cells of potential probiotic strain
      Lactobacillus plantarum 564 after production and during 8 weeks of storage of
      soft acid coagulated goat cheese was investigated, as well as compositional and
      sensory quality of cheese. Total bacterial count of spray-dried Lb. plantarum 564
      cells were maintained at the high level of 8.82 log/cfu/g in cheese after 8 weeks
      of storage, while free-cell number decreased to 6.9 log/cfu/g. However, the
      chemical composition, pH values and sensory evaluation between control cheese (C1
      sample made with commercial starter culture) and treated cheese samples (C2 and
      C3, made with the same starter, with the addition of free and spray-dried Lb.
      plantarum 564 cells, respectively) did not significantly differ. High viability
      of potential probiotic bacteria and acceptable sensory properties indicate that
      spray-dried Lb. plantarum 564 strain could be successfully used in the production
      of soft acid coagulated goat cheeses.

PMID- 28631435
TI  - Polar Intermetallics Pr5 Co2 Ge3 and Pr7 Co2 Ge4 with Planar Hydrocarbon-Like
      Metal Clusters.
AB  - Planar hydrocarbon-like metal clusters may foster new insights linking organic
      molecules with conjugated pi-pi bonding interactions and inorganic structures in
      terms of their bonding characteristics. However, such clusters are uncommon in
      polar intermetallics. Herein, we report two polar intermetallic phases, Pr5 Co2
      Ge3 and Pr7 Co2 Ge4 , both of which feature such planar metal clusters, namely,
      ethylene-like [Co2 Ge4 ] clusters plus the concatenated forms and polyacene-like
      [Co2 Ge2 ]n ribbons in Pr5 Co2 Ge3 , and 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene-like [Co4 Ge6
      ] cluster in Pr7 Co2 Ge4 . Just as in the related planar organic structures,
      these metal-metalloid species are dominated by covalent bonding interactions.
      Both compounds magnetically order at low temperature with net ferromagnetic
      components: Pr5 Co2 Ge3 through a series of transitions below 150 K and Pr7 Co2
      Ge4 through a single ferromagnetic transition at 19 K. Spin-polarized electronic
      structure calculations for Pr7 Co2 Ge4 reveal strong spin-orbit coupling within
      Pr and considerable magnetic contributions from Co atoms. This work suggests that
      similar structural chemistry can emerge for other rare-earth/late-transition
      metal/main-group systems.

PMID- 28631436
TI  - Characterization of a novel p110beta-specific inhibitor BL140 that overcomes
      MDV3100-resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our previous studies demonstrated that the class IA PI3K/p110beta is
      critical in castration-resistant progression of prostate cancer (CRPC) and that
      targeting prostate cancer with nanomicelle-loaded p110beta-specific inhibitor
      TGX221 blocked xenograft tumor growth in nude mice, confirming the feasibility of
      p110beta-targeted therapy for CRPCs. To improve TGX221's aqueous solubility, in
      this study, we characterized four recently synthesized TGX221 analogs. METHODS:
      TGX221 analog efficacy were examined in multiple prostate cancer cell lines with
      the SRB cell growth assay, Western blot assay for AKT phosphorylation and cell
      cycle protein levels. Target engagement with PI3K isoforms was evaluated with
      cellular thermal shift assay. PI3K activity was determined with the Kinase-Glo
      Plus luminescent kinase assay. Cell cycle distribution was evaluated with flow
      cytometry after propidium iodide staining. RESULTS: As expected, replacing either
      one of two major functional groups in TGX221 by more hydrophilic groups
      dramatically improved the aqueous solubility (about 40-fold) compared to TGX221.
      In the CETSA assay, all the analogs dramatically shifted the melting curve of
      p110beta protein while none of them largely affected the melting curves of
      p110alpha, p110gamma, or Akt proteins, indicating target-specific engagement of
      these analogs with p110beta protein. However, functional evaluation showed that
      only one of the analogs BL140 ubiquitously inhibited AKT phosphorylation in all
      CRPC cell lines tested with diverse genetic abnormalities including AR, PTEN, and
      p53 status. BL140 was superior than GSK2636771 (IC50 5.74 vs 20.49 nM), the only
      p110beta-selective inhibitor currently in clinical trials, as revealed in an in
      vitro Kinase-Glo assay. Furthermore, BL140 exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect
      than GSK2636771 on multiple CRPC cell lines including a MDV3100-resistant C4-2B
      cell subline, indicating BL140 elimination of MDV3100 resistance. Mechanistic
      studies revealed that BL140 blocked G1 phase cell cycle entry by reducing cyclin
      D1 but increasing p27kip1 protein levels. CONCLUSION: These studies suggested
      that BL140 is a promising p110beta-specific inhibitor with multiple superb
      properties than GSK2636771 worthy for further clinical development.

PMID- 28631438
TI  - Foot health of nurses-A cross-sectional study.
AB  - AIM: To analyze the level of nurses' foot health and its associations with work
      well-being. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was applied to a
      random sample of Finnish nurses (n = 411). The data were collected between May 18
      and June 21, 2015 using a self-administered Foot Health Assessment Instrument and
      analyzed using descriptive statistics and parametric tests. RESULTS: Nurses had a
      variety of foot problems. Dry skin, foot pain, and corns or calluses were the
      most prevalent foot problems. Long-term diseases, the need for a physician's
      appointment due to foot problems, and decreased working ability were all
      associated with foot health. This finding was also supported by multivariate
      analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Foot problems are common among nurses and are associated
      with individual and work-related factors. Prevention of foot problems in nurses
      should be prioritized to promote their working ability and predisposing factors
      identified as potential intervention targets.

PMID- 28631439
TI  - One vowel or two? Diphthongs, digraphs, ligatures, and diaereses, oh my!
AB  - This is the first in a short series about orthography in anatomical Latin.
      Although phonology is an important aspect of diphthongs and digraphs, the focus
      here is on spelling, not the more complicated topic of pronunciation.
      Recommendations are made for standard spellings of words that contain or may
      appear to contain diphthongs in Latin anatomical words or their ancient Greek
      sources. Ligatures and diaereses (typographical symbols that were developed after
      the classical period) are not recommended for use in anatomical Latin terms.
      Clin. Anat. 30:1013-1016, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28631440
TI  - Recognition cascade and metabolite transfer in a marine bacteria-phytoplankton
      model system.
AB  - The trophic linkage between marine bacteria and phytoplankton in the surface
      ocean is a key step in the global carbon cycle, with almost half of marine
      primary production transformed by heterotrophic bacterioplankton within hours to
      weeks of fixation. Early studies conceptualized this link as the passive addition
      and removal of organic compounds from a shared seawater reservoir. Here, we
      analysed transcript and intracellular metabolite patterns in a two-member model
      system and found that the presence of a heterotrophic bacterium induced a
      potential recognition cascade in a marine phytoplankton species that parallels
      better-understood vascular plant response systems. Bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi
      DSS-3 triggered differential expression of >80 genes in diatom Thalassiosira
      pseudonana CCMP1335 that are homologs to those used by plants to recognize
      external stimuli, including proteins putatively involved in leucine-rich repeat
      recognition activity, second messenger production and protein kinase cascades. Co
      cultured diatoms also downregulated lipid biosynthesis genes and upregulated
      chitin metabolism genes. From differential expression of bacterial transporter
      systems, we hypothesize that nine diatom metabolites supported the majority of
      bacterial growth, among them sulfonates, sugar derivatives and organic nitrogen
      compounds. Similar recognition responses and metabolic linkages as observed in
      this model system may influence carbon transformations by ocean plankton.

PMID- 28631441
TI  - Genetic landscape and deregulated pathways in B-cell lymphoid malignancies.
AB  - With the introduction of next-generation sequencing, the genetic landscape of the
      complex group of B-cell lymphoid malignancies has rapidly been unravelled in
      recent years. This has provided important information about recurrent genetic
      events and identified key pathways deregulated in each lymphoma subtype. In
      parallel, there has been intense search and development of novel types of
      targeted therapy that 'hit' central mechanisms in lymphoma pathobiology, such as
      BTK, PI3K or BCL2 inhibitors. In this review, we will outline the current view of
      the genetic landscape of selected entities: follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B
      cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and marginal
      zone lymphoma. We will detail recurrent alterations affecting important
      signalling pathways, that is the B-cell receptor/NF-kappaB pathway, NOTCH
      signalling, JAK-STAT signalling, p53/DNA damage response, apoptosis and cell
      cycle regulation, as well as other perhaps unexpected cellular processes, such as
      immune regulation, cell migration, epigenetic regulation and RNA processing.
      Whilst many of these pathways/processes are commonly altered in different
      lymphoid tumors, albeit at varying frequencies, others are preferentially
      targeted in selected B-cell malignancies. Some of these genetic lesions are
      either involved in disease ontogeny or linked to the evolution of each disease
      and/or specific clinicobiological features, and some of them have been
      demonstrated to have prognostic and even predictive impact. Future work is
      especially needed to understand the therapy-resistant disease, particularly in
      patients treated with targeted therapy, and to identify novel targets and
      therapeutic strategies in order to realize true precision medicine in this
      clinically heterogeneous patient group.

PMID- 28631437
TI  - Control of virulence gene transcription by indirect readout in Vibrio cholerae
      and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.
AB  - Indirect readout mechanisms of transcription control rely on the recognition of
      DNA shape by transcription factors (TFs). TFs may also employ a direct readout
      mechanism that involves the reading of the base sequence in the DNA major groove
      at the binding site. TFs with winged helix-turn-helix (wHTH) motifs use an alpha
      helix to read the base sequence in the major groove while inserting a beta sheet
      'wing' into the adjacent minor groove. Such wHTH proteins are important
      regulators of virulence gene transcription in many pathogens; they also control
      housekeeping genes. This article considers the cases of the non-invasive Gram
      negative pathogen Vibrio cholerae and the invasive pathogen Salmonella enterica
      serovar Typhimurium. Both possess clusters of A + T-rich horizontally acquired
      virulence genes that are silenced by the nucleoid-associated protein H-NS and
      regulated positively or negatively by wHTH TFs: for example, ToxR and LeuO in V.
      cholerae; HilA, LeuO, SlyA and OmpR in S. Typhimurium. Because of their
      relatively relaxed base sequence requirements for target recognition, indirect
      readout mechanisms have the potential to engage regulatory proteins with many
      more targets than might be the case using direct readout, making indirect readout
      an important, yet often ignored, contributor to the expression of pathogenic
      phenotypes.

PMID- 28631443
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631444
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631445
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631442
TI  - Osteoblast migration in vertebrate bone.
AB  - Bone formation, for example during bone remodelling or fracture repair, requires
      mature osteoblasts to deposit bone with remarkable spatial precision. As
      osteoblast precursors derive either from circulation or resident stem cell pools,
      they and their progeny are required to migrate within the three-dimensional bone
      space and to navigate to their destination, i.e. to the site of bone formation.
      An understanding of this process is emerging based on in vitro and in vivo
      studies of several vertebrate species. Receptors on the osteoblast surface
      mediate cell adhesion and polarization, which induces osteoblast migration.
      Osteoblast migration is then facilitated along gradients of chemoattractants. The
      latter are secreted or released proteolytically by several cell types interacting
      with osteoblasts, including osteoclasts and vascular endothelial cells. The
      positions of these cellular sources of chemoattractants in relation to the
      position of the osteoblasts provide the migrating osteoblasts with tracks to
      their destination, and osteoblasts possess the means to follow a track marked by
      multiple chemoattractant gradients. In addition to chemotactic cues, osteoblasts
      sense other classes of signals and utilize them as landmarks for navigation. The
      composition of the osseous surface guides adhesion and hence migration efficiency
      and can also provide steering through haptotaxis. Further, it is likely that
      signals received from surface interactions modulate chemotaxis. Besides the
      nature of the surface, mechanical signals such as fluid flow may also serve as
      navigation signals for osteoblasts. Alterations in osteoblast migration and
      navigation might play a role in metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

PMID- 28631447
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631446
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631448
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631449
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631450
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631451
TI  - Accuracy of transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound for detecting vocal cord
      paralysis in the immediate postoperative period after total thyroidectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound (TLUS) has emerged as a promising
      imaging tool for vocal cord examination in patients undergoing thyroid surgery.
      The focus of this prospective, double-blind study was to assess the accuracy of
      TLUS in the diagnosis of vocal cord paralysis in the immediate postoperative
      period following total thyroidectomy. METHODS: The study included 93 patients
      undergoing total thyroidectomy and assessed by videostrobolaryngoscopy (VSL) and
      TLUS. VSL was carried out the day before surgery and was repeated at 4 days
      postoperatively. TLUS was performed before surgery in the preanesthesia holding
      area and at completion of the procedure in the postanesthesia care unit. The
      preoperative and postoperative TLUS results were correlated with those of VSL.
      The statistical analysis included the sensitivity, specificity, positive
      predictive value, and negative predictive value (with 95% CI) of TLUS for
      detecting vocal cord paralysis. RESULTS: The visualization rate associated with
      TLUS was 93%. The total vocal cord paralysis rate was 16.1%. The performance of
      TLUS for diagnosing this condition was as follows: sensitivity, 93.3% (95% CI:
      77.3-100%); specificity 96.1% (95% CI: 91.2-100%); positive predictive value,
      82.3% (95% CI: 61.2-100%); negative predictive value, 98.6% (95% CI, 95.4-100%).
      CONCLUSIONS: TLUS may be a suitable technique for detecting vocal cord paralysis
      shortly after total thyroidectomy.

PMID- 28631452
TI  - The impact of the anesthetic conserving device on occupational exposure to
      isoflurane among intensive care healthcare professionals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Use of anesthetic conserving devices (ACD) for inhalational
      isoflurane sedation in Intensive Care Units (ICU) has grown in recent years, and
      healthcare professionals are concerned about isoflurane pollution and exposure
      related health risks. Real-time measurements to determine isoflurane exposure in
      ICU personnel during short-term patient care procedures and ACD handling have not
      yet been performed. METHODS: Isoflurane concentrations in the breathing zones of
      ICU staff (25 cm around the nose and mouth) were measured, by photoacoustic gas
      monitoring, during daily practice including tracheal suctioning, oral hygiene,
      body care, and patient positioning. Isoflurane pollution was further determined
      during ACD replacement, syringe filling, and after isoflurane spillages. RESULTS:
      The average mean isoflurane concentration 25 cm above patients' tracheostoma was
      0.3 ppm. Mean (cmean) and maximum (cmax) isoflurane exposure in personnel's
      breathing zones during patient care ranged from 0.4 to 1.9 ppm and 0.7 to 6.6
      ppm, respectively. Isoflurane exposure during ACD replacement was cmean 0.5 to
      17.4 ppm and cmax 0.8 to 114.3 ppm. Isoflurane concentrations during ACD syringe
      filling ranged from 2.4 to 9.1 ppm. The maximum isoflurane concentrations after
      spillage were dose-dependent. CONCLUSIONS: Use of ACDs and patient physical
      manipulation are accompanied by isoflurane pollution. Baseline concentrations did
      not exceed long-term exposure limits, but short-term limits were occasionally
      exceeded during patient care procedures and ACD handling. Spillages should be
      avoided, especially when air-conditioning and scavenging systems are unavailable.

PMID- 28631453
TI  - Propofol-dexmedetomidine versus propofol-remifentanil conscious sedation for
      awake craniotomy during epilepsy surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conscious sedation during awake craniotomy requires balanced
      anesthesia technique to achieve optimum sedation and analgesia. This technique
      should be done without causing respiratory depression or loss of consciousness.
      The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of propofol-dexmedetomidine
      versus propofol-remifentanil conscious sedation during awake craniotomy for
      epilepsy surgery. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing awake craniotomy for
      epilepsy surgery were randomly divided into two groups, PD group and PR group.
      Thirty patients were included in each group. Patients in PD group received
      propofol and dexmedetomidine intravenous infusion and patients in PR group
      received propofol and remifentanil intravenous infusion for conscious sedation.
      Sedation Score, patients' satisfaction, surgeons' satisfaction, heart rate, mean
      arterial blood pressure, and oxygen saturation were recorded. Side effects such
      as respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, airway obstruction, and oxygen
      desaturation were also recorded. RESULTS: Sedation Score was higher in PR group
      compared to PD group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in patients'
      satisfaction scores between both groups. The heart rate was lower in the PD group
      compared to the PR group (P<0.05). The incidences of nausea, vomiting, oxygen
      desaturation and respiratory depression were statistically higher in PR group
      compared to PD group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Propofol-dexmedetomidine combination
      is as effective as propofol-remifentanil combination but with fewer side effects
      for conscious sedation during awake craniotomy for epilepsy surgery.

PMID- 28631454
TI  - Quality of recovery after gastroscopy, colonoscopy, or both endoscopic
      procedures: an observational pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastroscopy and colonoscopy are procedures with low complication
      rates and patients are usually discharged few hours after the procedures.
      Nevertheless, postoperative cognitive decline is a common condition, is often
      missed, and can potentially affect patients' ability to drive and undertake other
      daily living activities. The primary aim was to assess the incidence of failure
      to recover at Day 1 after either colonoscopy, gastroscopy, or both procedures
      combined. METHODS: In an observational pilot study, participants of 18 years or
      above undergoing endoscopy procedures, including colonoscopy (reference group),
      gastroscopy, or both, were included. Postoperative quality of recovery was
      measured over a 1-month period using the "Postoperative Quality of Recovery
      Scale" assessing recovery in five subdomains. RESULTS: In total, 102 participants
      were enrolled, comprised of 53 colonoscopy participants, 28 gastroscopy
      participants, and 21 "combined" participants. At Day 1, overall recovery in the
      colonoscopy group was 57%, compared to 45% in the gastroscopy group with an odds
      ratio of 1.6 (95% CI 0.5-4.9) and 40% in the "combined" group with an odds ratio
      of 2.0 (95% CI 0.6-6.9). Failure to recover was mainly due to failure in
      nociceptive and cognitive recovery at Day 1, which were 76% and 79% for
      colonoscopy participants, respectively, 61% and 84% for gastroscopy participants,
      compared with 63% and 60% for the "combined" group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      This study showed that incomplete recovery is common past discharge after
      gastroscopy, colonoscopy, or both procedures and the study demonstrated modest
      but clinically important differences in early quality of recovery between the
      procedures.

PMID- 28631456
TI  - Comparison between adenosine and magnesium sulphate as adjuvants for transversus
      abdominis plane block: a prospective randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Various adjuvants have been employed during different nerve blocks.
      We aimed to evaluate the effect of adding adenosine versus magnesium sulfate to
      bupivacaine on the quality and duration of transversus abdominis plane (TAP)
      block. METHODS: Participants were randomized to TAP block using either 20 mL of
      bupivacaine hydrochloride 0.375% + 12 mg adenosine in 2 mL of saline 0.9%
      (adenosine group), 20 mL of bupivacaine hydrochloride 0.375% + 500 mg magnesium
      sulphate in 2 mL saline 0.9% (magnesium group) or 20 mL of bupivacaine
      hydrochloride 0.375% + 2 mL saline 0.9% (control group). Primary outcome measure
      included postoperative pain as assessed by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain
      scoring on movement and secondary outcomes included analgesia duration,
      postoperative morphine need and any adverse effects. RESULTS: VAS in adenosine
      and magnesium groups was significantly less than in control group at 6 and 12
      hours postoperatively whereas it was comparable in adenosine and magnesium groups
      at all time points. Analgesia duration was significantly longer in adenosine and
      magnesium groups in comparison to the control group and it was relatively longer
      in the magnesium group when compared to adenosine group (401 vs. 447 vs. 320
      minutes in adenosine, magnesium and control groups, respectively; P=0.003).
      CONCLUSIONS: Both adenosine and magnesium improved the quality and duration of
      TAP block, but the duration was relatively longer with magnesium.

PMID- 28631457
TI  - Time to monitor cuff pressures and to start "thinking supraglottic".

PMID- 28631458
TI  - Pediatric tracheostomy: perhaps good things come to those who do not wait.

PMID- 28631459
TI  - Could the new ultrasound-guided erector spinae plane block be a valid alternative
      to paravertebral block in chronic chest pain syndromes?

PMID- 28631460
TI  - Changing the Italian rules on the legal representative: the Cirinna Act.

PMID- 28631461
TI  - Extracorporeal CO2 removal in the ICU: an effective treatment awaiting proper
      indications.

PMID- 28631455
TI  - The prognostic importance of chronic end-stage diseases in geriatric patients
      admitted to 163 Italian ICUs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The number of elderly patients undergoing major surgical
      interventions and then needing admission to intensive care unit (ICU) grows
      steadily. We investigated this issue in a cohort of 232,278 patients admitted in
      five years (2011-2015) to 163 Italian general ICUs. METHODS: Surgical patients
      older than 75 registered in the GiViTI MargheritaPROSAFE project were analyzed.
      The impact on hospital mortality of important chronic conditions (severe COPD,
      NYHA class IV, dementia, end-stage renal disease, cirrhosis with portal
      hypertension) was investigated with two prognostic models developed yearly on
      patients staying in the ICU less or more than 24 hours. RESULTS: 44,551 elderly
      patients (19.2%) underwent emergency (47.3%) or elective surgery (52.7%). At
      least one severe comorbidity was present in 14.6% of them, yielding a higher
      hospital mortality (32.4%, vs. 21.1% without severe comorbidity). In the models
      for patients staying in the ICU 24 hours or more, cirrhosis, NYHA class IV, and
      severe COPD were constant independent predictors of death (adjusted odds ratios
      [ORs] range 1.67-1.97, 1.54-1.91, and 1.34-1.50, respectively), while dementia
      was statistically significant in four out of five models (adjusted ORs 1.23
      1.28). End-stage renal disease, instead, never resulted to be an independent
      prognostic factor. For patients staying in the ICU less than 24 hours, chronic
      comorbidities were only occasionally independent predictors of death.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that elderly surgical patients represent a
      relevant part of all ICUs admissions. About one of seven bear at least one severe
      chronic comorbidity, that, excluding end-stage renal disease, are all strong
      independent predictors of hospital death.

PMID- 28631462
TI  - Thoracic trauma and acute respiratory distress syndrome: mind the link!

PMID- 28631463
TI  - Anesthesia for endovascular neuroradiology: accepting the challenge.

PMID- 28631464
TI  - Cognitive resistance towards videolaryngoscopy... and why Macintosh refuses to
      die.

PMID- 28631465
TI  - Interfacial Investigation on Printable Carbon-Based Mesoscopic Perovskite Solar
      Cells with NiOx/C Back Electrode.
AB  - Solar cells with high efficiency, low cost, and high stability are the target for
      the new generation of solar cells. A fully printable perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3)
      solar cell (PSC) with device architecture FTO/TiO2/Al2O3/NiOx/C is fabricated in
      the current research as a low-cost and relatively stable structure and is
      investigated to determine how different fabrication factors such as the thickness
      of the insulating spacer layer (Al2O3) or treatments such as heat and UV-O3
      treatments can affect the interfacial properties of this multilayer mesoporous
      structure. X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) show that UV-O3 treatment increases
      the Ni3+(Ni2O3) phase on the surface of the black nickel oxide layer leading to
      better charge extraction and increasing open-circuit voltage (VOC) up to 0.945 V.
      We observe improved CH3NH3PbI3 formation inside the mesoporous layers by the PbI2
      penetration at a higher temperature. Impedance spectral together with current
      voltage measurements show the effect of thickness for the insulator layer in the
      internal and interfacial resistances and photovoltaic characteristics of the
      cell. The best performance of the carbon-based PSC attains power conversion
      efficiency of 12.1% with the thickness of the Al2O3 layer at 450 nm.

PMID- 28631466
TI  - Enhancing the Performance of Polymer Solar Cells by Using Donor Polymers Carrying
      Discretely Distributed Side Chains.
AB  - Conjugated polymers with three components, P1-1 and P1-2, were prepared by one
      pot Stille polymerization. The two-component polymer P1-0 is only composed of a 5
      fluoro-6-alkyloxybenzothiadiazole (AFBT) acceptor unit and a thiophene donor
      unit, while the three-component polymers P1-1 and P1-2 contain 10% and 20% 5,6
      difluorobenzothiadiazole (DFBT), respectively, as the third component. The
      incorporation of the third component, 5,6-difluorobenzothiadiazole, makes the
      side chains discretely distributed in the polymer backbones, which can enhance
      the pi-pi stacking of polymers in film, markedly increase the hole mobility of
      active layers, and improve the power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of devices.
      Influence of the third component on the morphology of active layer was also
      studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), resonant soft X-ray scattering (R-SoXS), and
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM) experiments. P1-1/PC71BM-based PSCs gave a
      high PCE up to 7.25%, whereas similarly fabricated devices for P1-0/PC71BM only
      showed a PCE of 3.46%. The PCE of P1-1/PC71BM-based device was further enhanced
      to 8.79% after the use of 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) as the solvent additive. Most
      importantly, after the incorporation of 10% 5,6-difluorobenzothiadiazole unit, P1
      1 exhibited a marked tolerance to the blend film thickness. Devices with a
      thickness of 265 nm still showed a PCE above 8%, indicating that P1-1 is
      promising for future applications.

PMID- 28631467
TI  - Quantum Dots-Facilitated Printing of ZnO Nanostructure Photodetectors with
      Improved Performance.
AB  - A nanocomposite ink composed of zinc oxide precursor (ZnOPr) and crystalline ZnO
      quantum dots (ZnOPrQDs) has been explored for printing high-performance
      ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors. The performance of the devices has been compared
      with their counterparts' printed from ZnOPr ink without ZnO QDs. Remarkably,
      higher UV photoresponsivity of 383.6 A/W and the on/off ratio of 2470 are
      observed in the former, which are significantly better than 14.7 A/W and 949 in
      the latter. The improved performance is attributed to the increased viscosity in
      the nanocomposite ink to enable a nanoporous structure with improved
      crystallinity and surface-to-volume ratio. This is key to enhanced surface
      electron-depletion effect for higher UV responsivity and on/off ratio. In
      addition, the QD-assisted printing provides a simple and robust method for
      printing high-performance optoelectronics and sensors.

PMID- 28631468
TI  - Pyrene-Tagged Ionic Liquids: Separable Organic Catalysts for SN2 Fluorination.
AB  - We prepared pyrene-substituted imidazolium-based ionic liquids (PILs) as organic
      catalysts for the SN2 fluorination using alkali metal fluoride (MF). In this
      system, the PIL significantly enhanced the reactivity of MF due to the phase
      transfer catalytic effect of the imidazolium moiety as well as the metal cation
      pi (pyrene) interactions. Furthermore, this homogeneous catalyst PIL was easily
      separated from the reaction mixture using reduced graphene oxide by pi-pi
      stacking with the pyrene of PIL.

PMID- 28631469
TI  - Chemical Composition of Blackberry Press Cake, Polyphenolic Extract, and Defatted
      Seeds, and Their Effects on Cecal Fermentation, Bacterial Metabolites, and Blood
      Lipid Profile in Rats.
AB  - Blackberry fiber (BF), extracted blackberry fiber (EBF), defatted blackberry
      seeds (DBS), and blackberry polyphenols (BP) were added to the diets of rats. A
      control diet, fiber diets (BF, EBF, DBS) with 6% addition instead of cellulose,
      and a polyphenol diet (BP) with 1% addition were administered for 4 weeks. BF and
      DBS contained polyphenols (3.6%); EBF did not. DBS was free of fat. Ellagitannins
      were the main phenolics, mostly dimers (sanguiin H-6 with isomers) and monomers
      (pedunculagin, casuarictin isomer, and sanguiin H-2 isomer). Trimers
      (lambertianin C with isomers) and tetramers (lambertianin D) were in the
      minority. EBF increased the production of propionate and butyrate in the cecum
      and improved the blood lipid profile. Polyphenols beneficially decreased the
      activity of cecal beta-glucuronidase, but they may have also increased
      cholesterol levels in blood. Bacterial metabolism of ellagitannins in the colon
      gave rise to nasutin A and urolithin A.

PMID- 28631470
TI  - Regioselective Galactofuranosylation for the Synthesis of Disaccharide Patterns
      Found in Pathogenic Microorganisms.
AB  - Koenigs-Knorr glycosylation of acceptors with more than one free hydroxyl group
      by 2,3,5,6-tetrabenzoyl galactofuranosyl bromide was performed using
      diphenylborinic acid 2-aminoethyl ester (DPBA) as inducer of regioselectivity.
      High regioselectivity for the glycosylation on the equatorial hydroxyl group of
      the acceptor was obtained thanks to the transient formation of a borinate adduct
      of the corresponding 1,2-cis diol. Nevertheless formation of orthoester
      byproducts hampered the efficiency of the method. Interestingly electron
      withdrawing groups on O-6 or on C-1 of the acceptor displaced the reaction in
      favor of the desired galactofuranosyl containing disaccharide. The best yield was
      obtained for the furanosylation of p-nitrophenyl 6-O-acetyl mannopyranoside.
      Precursors of other disaccharides, found in the glycocalix of some pathogens,
      were synthesized according to the same protocol with yields ranging from 45 to
      86%. This is a good alternative for the synthesis of biologically relevant
      glycoconjugates.

PMID- 28631471
TI  - Great Disparity in Photoluminesence Quantum Yields of Colloidal CsPbBr3
      Nanocrystals with Varied Shape: The Effect of Crystal Lattice Strain.
AB  - Understanding the big discrepancy in the photoluminesence quantum yields (PLQYs)
      of nanoscale colloidal materials with varied morphologies is of great
      significance to its property optimization and functional application. Using
      different shaped CsPbBr3 nanocrystals with the same fabrication processes as
      model, quantitative synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the
      increasing trend in lattice strain values of the nanocrystals: nanocube,
      nanoplate, nanowire. Furthermore, transient spectroscopic measurements reveal the
      same trend in the defect quantities of these nanocrystals. These experimental
      results unambiguously point out that large lattice strain existing in CsPbBr3
      nanoparticles induces more crystal defects and thus decreases the PLQY, implying
      that lattice strain is a key factor other than the surface defect to dominate the
      PLQY of colloidal photoluminesence materials.

PMID- 28631472
TI  - Phosphate Shifted Oxygen Reduction Pathway on Fe@Fe2O3 Core-Shell Nanowires for
      Enhanced Reactive Oxygen Species Generation and Aerobic 4-Chlorophenol
      Degradation.
AB  - Phosphate ions widely exist in the environment. Previous studies revealed that
      the adsorption of phosphate ions on nanoscale zerovalent iron would generate a
      passivating oxide shell to block reactive sites and thus decrease the direct
      pollutant reduction reactivity of zerovalent iron. Given that molecular oxygen
      activation process is different from direct pollutant reduction with nanoscale
      zerovalent iron, it is still unclear how phosphate ions will affect molecular
      oxygen activation and reactive oxygen species generation with nanoscale
      zerovalent iron. In this study, we systematically studied the effect of phosphate
      ions on molecular oxygen activation with Fe@Fe2O3 nanowires, a special nanoscale
      zerovalent iron, taking advantages of rotating ring disk electrochemical
      analysis. It was interesting to find that the oxygen reduction pathway on
      Fe@Fe2O3 nanowires was gradually shifted from a four-electron reduction pathway
      to a sequential one-electron reduction one, along with increasing the phosphate
      ions concentration from 0 to 10 mmol.L-1. This oxygen reduction pathway change
      greatly enhanced the molecular oxygen activation and reactive oxygen species
      generation performances of Fe@Fe2O3 nanowires, and thus increased their aerobic 4
      chlorophenol degradation rate by 10 times. These findings shed insight into the
      possible roles of widely existed phosphate ions in molecular oxygen activation
      and organic pollutants degradation with nanoscale zerovalent iron.

PMID- 28631473
TI  - Instrumentation and Method Development for On-Site Analysis of Helium Isotopes.
AB  - Helium isotope determination may be useful in measuring volcanic activity and
      issuing earlier warnings of possible eruptions. A method is presented for
      measuring the 3He/4He ratio in a gas sample using a multiturn time-of-flight mass
      spectrometer "infiTOF". In contrast to conventional waveform averaging, peaks are
      determined by counting ion pulses from each time-of-flight trigger. Samples were
      also measured by conventional magnetic-sector mass spectrometry for comparison.
      Magnetic sector results were used to designate a standard for infiTOF measurement
      and to calculate a ratio for each sample measured by infiTOF. Mass assignment
      error for ultrapure 3He+ standard was 4.30 * 10-5 Da. Mass assignment error of
      4He2+ and 3He+ for sample cylinders was 3.00 * 10-8 Da and 2.25 * 10-4 Da,
      respectively. Abundance ratios determined by infiTOF were found to be within 2%
      of the abundance ratios determined by magnetic-sector mass spectrometry. Mass
      drift was <50 * 10-6 Da over 10 h. Sample flow rate was not found to affect the
      results as long as the reference sample was analyzed under the same conditions.
      Results indicate that the infiTOF system may be a viable tool for measuring
      helium isotopes, which may eventually lead to earlier warnings of volcanic
      activity.

PMID- 28631474
TI  - Flexible Dual-Mode Tactile Sensor Derived from Three-Dimensional Porous Carbon
      Architecture.
AB  - Detecting and monitoring varieties of human activities is one of the most
      essential functions and design purposes of different kinds of wearable sensors.
      Apart from excellent sensitivity and durability, limited by the materials, most
      of the sensors reported in the literature are capable of detecting signals only
      on the basis of a sole mechanism. In this work, a dual-mode flexible sensor
      derived from a high-temperature-pyrolysized 3D carbon sponge (C-Sponge) was
      proposed as a peculiar sensor material that is able to detect human activities
      based on fundamentally different mechanisms, by either the triboelectric effect
      or the piezoresistive effect. The sensor generated an average open circuit
      voltage up to ~2 V and short circuit current up to ~70 nA when being used as self
      powered triboelectric sensor, which was sufficiently sensitive for detecting
      finger touching and plantar pressure distribution of human feet. On the other
      hand, by incorporating MWCNT into the 3D structure, the sensor at piezoresistive
      mode exhibited a sensitivity improvement of nearly 20-fold, from less than 40% to
      more than 800%, and a durability improvement of more than 22-fold (240 000
      cycles) compared with those of original C-Sponge fabricated at 1000  degrees C
      (10 800 cycles). All the experimental results indicated that the proposed
      flexible dual-mode sensor is potentially applicable as wearable sensors for human
      activity monitoring.

PMID- 28631475
TI  - Metal-Free Oxidative C-C Bond Functionalization of Methylenecyclopropanes with
      Ethers Leading to 2-Substituted 3,4-Dihydronaphthalenes.
AB  - A novel metal-free oxidative ring-opening/cyclization of methylenecyclopropanes
      with ethers was established for the synthesis of diverse 2-substituted 3,4
      dihydronaphthalenes with high selectivity and efficiency. This oxidative
      cyclization is achieved by C(sp3)-H functionalization, ring-opening, and
      cyclization, and this method represents a new example of methylenecyclopropane
      oxidative cyclization with an aromatic carbon and a C(sp3)-H bond by
      simultaneously forming two new carbon-carbon bonds.

PMID- 28631476
TI  - Room-Temperature Rutile TiO2 Nanoparticle Formation on Protonated Layered
      Titanate for High-Performance Heterojunction Creation.
AB  - We report a methodology for creating protonated layered titanate-rutile
      heterojunctions on the outer particle surface of protonated layered titanate by
      treating layered potassium titanate (K0.8Ti1.73Li0.27O4) with dilute HCl and then
      drying it at room temperature under reduced pressure. After Pt co-catalyst
      loading, this protonated layered titanate/rutile composite with heterojunctions
      showed higher photocatalytic H2 evolution activity from water under simulated
      solar light compared to that of Pt-loaded P25, the standard photocatalyst for
      this reaction. The high photocatalytic activity was ascribable to enhanced
      photocatalytic activity of the protonated layered titanate based on an efficient
      charge separation at the protonated layered titanate-rutile heterojunction in
      addition to the sensitization effects of rutile, which absorbs light with longer
      wavelengths compared to those of protonated layered titanate.

PMID- 28631477
TI  - Influence of the Electrostatic Interaction between a Molecular Catalyst and
      Semiconductor on Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Activity in Cobaloxime/CdS
      Hybrid Systems.
AB  - The influence of the electrostatic interaction on photocatalytic H2 evolution
      activity in cobaloxime/cadmium sulfide (CdS) hybrid systems was studied by
      measuring the charges of the cobaloximes and the zeta potentials of CdS under
      different pH conditions (pHs 4-7). Cobaloxime/CdS hybrid systems may have
      potential as a valid model for the investigation of the electrostatic interaction
      between a molecular catalyst and semiconductor because the kinetics of methanol
      oxidation and the driving force of electron transfer from photoirradiated CdS to
      cobaloxime have little effect on the pH-dependent photocatalytic H2 evolution
      activity. Our experimental results suggest that electrostatic repulsion between
      cobaloxime and CdS disfavors the electron transfer from CdS to cobaloxime and
      hence lowers the photocatalytic H2 evolution activity. Whereas, electrostatic
      attraction favors the electron transfer process and enhances the photocatalytic
      H2 evolution activity. However, an electrostatic attraction interaction that is
      too strong may accelerate both forward and backward electron transfer processes,
      which would reduce charge separation efficiency and lower photocatalytic H2
      evolution activity.

PMID- 28631479
TI  - Quantitative Analysis of Ligand Induced Heterodimerization of Two Distinct
      Receptors.
AB  - The induced dimerization of two distinct receptors through a heterobifunctional
      inducer is prevalent among all levels of cellular signaling processes, yet its
      complexity poses difficulty for systematic quantitative analysis. This paper
      first shows how to calculate the amount of any possible complex or monomer of
      heteroligand and two receptors present at equilibrium. The theory is subsequently
      applied to the determination of three independent equilibrium parameters involved
      in the rapamycin induced FKBP and FRB dimerization, in which all parameters were
      simultaneously estimated using one set of fluorescence resonance energy transfer
      (FRET) experiments. A MATLAB script is provided for parametric fitting.

PMID- 28631478
TI  - Drying Affects the Fiber Network in Low Molecular Weight Hydrogels.
AB  - Low molecular weight gels are formed by the self-assembly of a suitable small
      molecule gelator into a three-dimensional network of fibrous structures. The gel
      properties are determined by the fiber structures, the number and type of cross
      links and the distribution of the fibers and cross-links in space. Probing these
      structures and cross-links is difficult. Many reports rely on microscopy of dried
      gels (xerogels), where the solvent is removed prior to imaging. The assumption is
      made that this has little effect on the structures, but it is not clear that this
      assumption is always (or ever) valid. Here, we use small angle neutron scattering
      (SANS) to probe low molecular weight hydrogels formed by the self-assembly of
      dipeptides. We compare scattering data for wet and dried gels, as well as
      following the drying process. We show that the assumption that drying does not
      affect the network is not always correct.

PMID- 28631480
TI  - Fully Transparent Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode with a Laminated Top Graphene
      Anode.
AB  - A new method to employ graphene as top electrode was introduced, and based on
      that, fully transparent quantum dot light-emitting diodes (T-QLEDs) were
      successfully fabricated through a lamination process. We adopted the widely used
      wet transfer method to transfer bilayer graphene (BG) on
      polydimethylsiloxane/polyethylene terephthalate (PDMS/PET) substrate. The sheet
      resistance of graphene reduced to ~540 Omega/? through transferring BG for 3
      times on the PDMS/PET. The T-QLED has an inverted device structure of
      glass/indium tin oxide (ITO)/ZnO nanoparticles/(CdSSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs))/1,1
      bis[(di-4-tolylamino)phenyl] cyclohexane (TAPC)/MoO3/graphene/PDMS/PET. The
      graphene anode on PDMS/PET substrate can be directly laminated on the
      MoO3/TAPC/(CdSSe/ZnS QDs)/ZnO nanoparticles/ITO/glass, which relied on the van
      der Waals interaction between the graphene/PDMS and the MoO3. The transmittance
      of the T-QLED is 79.4% at its main electroluminescence peak wavelength of 622 nm.

PMID- 28631481
TI  - 3D Graphene-Ni Foam as an Advanced Electrode for High-Performance Nonaqueous
      Redox Flow Batteries.
AB  - Electrodes composed of multilayered graphene grown on a metal foam (GMF) were
      prepared by directly growing multilayer graphene sheets on a three-dimensional
      (3D) Ni-foam substrate via a self-catalyzing chemical vapor deposition process.
      The multilayer graphene sheets are successfully grown on the Ni-foam substrate
      surface, maintaining the unique 3D macroporous structure of the Ni foam. The
      potential use of GMF electrodes in nonaqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs) is
      carefully examined using [Co(bpy)3]+/2+ and [Fe(bpy)3]2+/3+ redox couples. The
      GMF electrodes display a much improved electrochemical activity and enhanced
      kinetics toward the [Co(bpy)3]+/2+ (anolyte) and [Fe(bpy)3]2+/3+ (catholyte)
      redox couples, compared with the bare Ni metal foam electrodes, suggesting that
      the 2D graphene sheets having lots of interdomain defects provide sufficient
      reaction sites and secure electric-conduction pathways. Consequently, a
      nonaqueous RFB cell assembled with GMF electrodes exhibits high Coulombic and
      voltage efficiencies of 87.2 and 90.9%, respectively, at the first cycle. This
      performance can be maintained up to the 50th cycle without significant efficiency
      loss. Moreover, the importance of a rational electrode design for improving
      electrochemical performance is addressed.

PMID- 28631482
TI  - Carbohydrate Bis-acetal-Based Substrates as Tunable Fluorescence-Quenched Probes
      for Monitoring exo-Glycosidase Activity.
AB  - Tunable Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-quenched substrates are useful
      for monitoring the activity of various enzymes within their relevant
      physiological environments. Development of FRET-quenched substrates for exo
      glycosidases, however, has been hindered by their constrained pocket-shaped
      active sites. Here we report the design of a new class of substrate that
      overcomes this problem. These Bis-Acetal-Based Substrates (BABS) bear a
      hemiacetal aglycon leaving group that tethers fluorochromes in close proximity,
      also positioning them distant from the active site pocket. Following cleavage of
      the glycosidic bond, the liberated hemiacetal spontaneously breaks down, leading
      to separation of the fluorophore and quencher. We detail the synthesis and
      characterization of GlcNAc-BABS, revealing a striking 99.9% quenching efficiency.
      These substrates are efficiently turned over by the human exo-glycosidase O
      GlcNAcase (OGA). We find the hemiacetal leaving group rapidly breaks down,
      enabling quantitative monitoring of OGA activity. We expect this strategy to be
      broadly useful for the development of substrate probes for monitoring exo
      glycosidases, as well as a range of other enzymes having constrained pocket
      shaped active sites.

PMID- 28631483
TI  - Amyloid Beta Peptide Folding in Reverse Micelles.
AB  - Previously published experimental studies have suggested that when the 40-residue
      amyloid beta peptide is encapsulated in a reverse micelle, it folds into a
      structure that may nucleate amyloid fibril formation (Yeung, P. S.-W.; Axelsen,
      P. H. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 6061 ). The factors that induce the formation
      of this structure have now been identified in a multi-microsecond simulation of
      the same reverse micelle system that was studied experimentally. Key features of
      the polypeptide-micelle interaction include the anchoring of a hydrophobic
      residue cluster into gaps in the reverse micelle surface, the formation of a beta
      turn at the anchor point that brings N- and C-terminal segments of the
      polypeptide into proximity, high ionic strength that promotes intramolecular
      hydrogen bond formation, and deformation of the reverse micelle surface to
      facilitate interactions with the surface along the entire length of the
      polypeptide. Together, these features cause the simulation-derived vibrational
      spectrum to red shift in a manner that reproduces the red-shift previously
      reported experimentally. On the basis of these findings, a new mechanism is
      proposed whereby membranes nucleate fibril formation and facilitate the in
      register alignment of polypeptide strands that is characteristic of amyloid
      fibrils.

PMID- 28631484
TI  - Ocular Pharmacokinetics of Therapeutic Antibodies Given by Intravitreal
      Injection: Estimation of Retinal Permeabilities Using a 3-Compartment Semi
      Mechanistic Model.
AB  - Intravitreally (IVT) injected macromolecules for the treatment of age-related
      macular degeneration must permeate through the inner limiting membrane (ILM) into
      the retina and through the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to enter the choroid.
      A quantitative understanding of intraocular transport mechanisms, elimination
      pathways, and the effect of molecular size is currently incomplete. We present a
      semimechanistic, 3-compartment (retina, vitreous, and aqueous) pharmacokinetic
      (PK) model, expressed using linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs), to
      describe the molecular concentrations following a single IVT injection. The model
      was fit to experimental rabbit data, with Fab, Fc, IgG, and IgG null antibodies
      and antibody fragments, to estimate key ocular pharmacokinetic parameters. The
      model predicts an ocular half-life, t1/2, which is the same for all compartments
      and dependent on the hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of the respective molecules,
      consistent with observations from the experimental data. Estimates of the
      permeabilities of the RPE and ILM are derived for Rh values ranging from 2.5 to
      4.9 nm, and are found to be in good agreement with ex-vivo measurements from
      bovine eyes. We show that the ratio of these permeabilities largely determines
      the ratio of the molecular concentrations in the retina and vitreal compartments
      and their dependence on Rh. The model further provides estimates for the ratio of
      fluxes corresponding to the elimination pathways from the eye, i.e., aqueous
      humor to retina/choroid, which increase from 5:1 to 7:1 as Rh decreases. Our
      semimechanistic model provides a quantitative framework for interpreting ocular
      PK and the effects of molecule size on rate-determining parameters. We have shown
      that intraocular permeabilities can be reasonably estimated from 3-compartment
      ocular PK data and can determine how these parameters influence the half-life,
      retinal permeation, and elimination of intravitreally injected molecules from the
      eye.

PMID- 28631485
TI  - Suppression of Magnetoresistance in Thin WTe2 Flakes by Surface Oxidation.
AB  - Recent renewed interest in layered transition metal dichalcogenides stems from
      the exotic electronic phases predicted and observed in the single- and few-layer
      limit. Realizing these electronic phases requires preserving the desired
      transport properties down to a monolayer, which is challenging. Surface oxides
      are known to impart Fermi level pinning or degrade the mobility on a number of
      different systems, including transition metal dichalcogenides and black
      phosphorus. Semimetallic WTe2 exhibits large magnetoresistance due to electron
      hole compensation; thus, Fermi level pinning in thin WTe2 flakes could break the
      electron-hole balance and suppress the large magnetoresistance. We show that WTe2
      develops an ~2 nm thick amorphous surface oxide, which shifts the Fermi level by
      ~300 meV at the WTe2 surface. We also observe a dramatic suppression of the
      magnetoresistance for thin flakes. However, due to the semimetallic nature of
      WTe2, the effects of Fermi level pinning are well screened and are not the
      dominant cause for the suppression of magnetoresistance, supported by fitting a
      two-band model to the transport data, which showed the electron and hole carrier
      densities are balanced down to ~13 nm. However, the fitting shows a significant
      decrease of the mobilities of both electrons and holes. We attribute this to the
      disorder introduced by the amorphous surface oxide layer. Thus, the decrease of
      mobility is the dominant factor in the suppression of magnetoresistance for thin
      WTe2 flakes. Our study highlights the critical need to investigate often
      unanticipated and sometimes unavoidable extrinsic surface effects on the
      transport properties of layered dichalcogenides and other 2D materials.

PMID- 28631486
TI  - Melding Caged Compounds with Supramolecular Containers: Photogeneration and
      Miscreant Behavior of the Coumarylmethyl Carbocation.
AB  - By merging well-established concepts of supramolecular chemistry, protecting
      group strategy, and photochemistry, we have solubilized in water hydrophobic
      organic molecules consisting of a photoactive protecting group and masked
      carboxylic acids, released the desired acid, and confined a reactive carbocation
      intermediate within a capsule. Confinement of the photogenerated carbocation
      brought out the latent radical-like behavior. This observation is consistent with
      the recent theoretical prediction of the 7-(diethylamino)coumarinyl-4-methyl
      carbocation having a triplet diradical ground-state electronic contribution.

PMID- 28631487
TI  - Chemoselective Nitrile Oxide-Alkyne 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reactions from
      Nitroalkane-Tethered Peptides.
AB  - Synthesis and incorporation of a new amino acid with a nitroalkane side chain
      into peptides, in situ transformation of a nitroalkane side chain into nitrile
      oxide, and chemoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions between in situ
      generated nitrile oxide and different alkynes are reported. The nitroalkane
      mediated nitrile oxide-alkyne cycloaddition was found to be orthogonal to the
      copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. The combination of
      orthogonal nitrile oxide-alkyne and azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions can be
      explored to tailor different 1,2,3-triazole and 3,5-isoxazoles, respectively, on
      the peptide backbone.

PMID- 28631488
TI  - Synthesis of (-)-6,7-Dideoxysqualestatin H5 by Carbonyl Ylide Cycloaddition
      Rearrangement and Cross-electrophile Coupling.
AB  - An asymmetric synthesis of (-)-6,7-dideoxysqualestatin H5 is reported. Key
      features of the synthesis include the following: (1) highly diastereoselective n
      alkylation of a tartrate acetonide enolate and subsequent oxidation-hydrolysis to
      provide an asymmetric entry to a beta-hydroxy-alpha-ketoester motif; (2)
      facilitation of Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclic carbonyl ylide formation-cycloaddition by
      co-generation of keto and diazo functionality through ozonolysis of an
      unsaturated hydrazone; and (3) stereoretentive Ni-catalyzed Csp3-Csp2 cross
      electrophile coupling between tricarboxylate core and unsaturated side chain to
      complete the natural product.

PMID- 28631489
TI  - An update on the recognition and treatment of autonomic symptoms in Parkinson's
      disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor, autonomic, and
      neuropsychiatric symptoms. These occur in varying degrees in all stages of the
      disease. Among the autonomic disorders, cardiovascular, urogenital,
      gastrointestinal and thermoregulatory disorders are the most relevant. Within
      cardiovascular disorders drop of blood pressure after orthostasis and non-dipper
      behavior are very important; but also the influence of cardiovascular medication.
      Urgency, nocturia, and incontinence are of particular note within the urological
      problems. Among the gastrointestinal disturbances, swallowing disorders, gastric
      emptying disorders and constipation are particularly noteworthy. Areas covered:
      Autonomic symptoms are inherent in PD, in premotor and all other stages of the
      disease. In this overview, the current status was summarized taking into account
      original articles and reviews based on relevance to the field and quality of
      evidence. Expert commentary: The involvement of the autonomic nervous system in
      Parkinson's disease is still neglected. Because of the significant effects on the
      quality of life and even the prognosis, appropriate diagnostics and therapy
      should be performed at all stages of the disease. Despite intensive scientific
      work the area is still not sufficiently considered and the relevance in pathology
      is not yet understood.

PMID- 28631490
TI  - Pregnancy outcomes in women reporting ingestion of levosulpiride in early
      pregnancy.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate pregnancy outcomes of women who were inadvertently
      exposed to levosulpiride in early pregnancy. All 162 consecutive singleton
      pregnant women counselled through the Korean Motherisk Program, Cheil General
      Hospital, between April 2001 and April 2014, on teratogenic risk after
      inadvertent exposure to levosulpiride in early pregnancy were enrolled in this
      study. The women were exposed to levosulpiride at median 4.8 gestational weeks.
      The rate of miscarriage was not significantly different between groups (9.2% in
      those exposed and 5.5% in the non-exposed; p = .084). The rate of major
      malformations was not significantly different between exposed (2.7%) and non
      exposed pregnancies (4.4%) (p = .481). All other pregnancy outcomes between the
      two groups were comparable (p > .05). Our data suggest that levosulpiride causes
      no significant adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes and therefore may be not a
      major teratogen.

PMID- 28631491
TI  - A longitudinal examination of factors associated with social support satisfaction
      among HIV-positive young Black men who have sex with men.
AB  - This study examined the long-term predictors of social support satisfaction among
      HIV-positive young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Data were collected
      across three waves between October 2012 and November 2014 as part of the baseline
      assessment from Project nGage, a preliminary efficacy randomized control study
      examining the role of social support in improving HIV care among YBMSM. The
      sample included 92 YBMSM aged 18-29. Major results controlling for age, education
      and intervention effects indicated that psychological health, social network
      size, and education at baseline predicted differences in social support
      satisfaction at Wave 3, with no significant effects based on length of HIV
      diagnosis. Therefore, interventions that are intended to promote the quality of
      life for YBMSM and their engagement and retention in HIV care must focus on their
      psychological health concerns and network size.

PMID- 28631492
TI  - The efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in reducing
      cardiovascular events in obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review.
AB  - Prospective studies show an association between obstructive sleep apnea and
      cardiovascular disease. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the
      treatment of choice and effectively reduces subjective sleepiness and apneic and
      hypopneic events. However, randomized trials have not shown a reduction in
      cardiovascular outcomes with CPAP therapy. We review the past 10 years of
      randomized trial evidence regarding the therapeutic efficacy of CPAP on
      cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in adults with obstructive sleep apnea. The
      majority of studies found no significant improvement in cardiovascular outcomes
      with CPAP, although many noted nonsignificant benefits. Adjusted analysis in
      several trials showed significant cardiovascular benefit in those patients with
      higher CPAP compliance. Existing trials may lack sufficient follow-up and CPAP
      compliance, among other limitations.

PMID- 28631493
TI  - Awareness and Misperceptions of Hospice and Palliative Care: A Population-Based
      Survey Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the documented benefits of palliative and hospice care on
      improving patients' quality of life, these services remain underutilized.
      Multiple factors limit the utilization of these services, including patients' and
      caregivers' lack of knowledge and misperceptions. OBJECTIVES: To examine
      palliative and hospice care awareness, misperceptions, and receptivity among
      community-dwelling adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: New York
      State residents >=18 years old who participated in the 2016 Empire State Poll.
      OUTCOMES MEASURED: Palliative and hospice care awareness, misperceptions, and
      receptivity. RESULTS: Of the 800 participants, 664 (83%) and 216 (27%) provided a
      definition of hospice care and palliative care, respectively. Of those who
      defined hospice care, 399 (60%) associated it with end-of-life care, 89 (13.4%)
      mentioned it was comfort care, and 35 (5.3%) reported hospice care provides care
      to patients and families. Of those who defined palliative care (n = 216), 57
      (26.4%) mentioned it provided symptom management to patients, 47 (21.9%) stated
      it was comfort care, and 19 (8.8%) reported it was applicable in any course of an
      illness. Of those who defined hospice or palliative care, 248 (37.3%) had a
      misperception about hospice care and 115 (53.2%) had a misperception about
      palliative care. CONCLUSIONS: Most community-dwelling adults did not mention the
      major components of palliative and hospice care in their definitions, implying a
      low level of awareness of these services, and misinformation is common among
      community-dwelling adults. Palliative and hospice care education initiatives are
      needed to both increase awareness of and reduce misperceptions about these
      services.

PMID- 28631494
TI  - A study on preterm births during 2013-2015, Shiraz, Iran.
AB  - Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal and infant mortality and a
      substantial portion of neonatal morbidities. The perinatal mortality and
      morbidity statistics in developing countries are inadequate. In this study, we
      assessed prevalence and health outcomes of preterm deliveries in tertiary care
      university hospitals. A retrospective study of hospital records of premature
      babies born in all the five governmental tertiary care settings during the time
      interval of 2013-2015 in Shiraz was conducted. Result of this study showed that
      there was an overall 127.6 premature births per 1000 live births in the study
      duration. 23.8% of premature newborn had RDS and Incidence of prematurity with
      RDS was 82.4 per thousand live births. 52.6% of premature newborns were
      hospitalised in NICU and 8.5% had ROP. Five percent suffered from sepsis and 1%
      suffered from NEC. Overall mortality was nearly 10% of all the premature newborn.
      In conclusion, this study showed that premature births and its complications for
      newborn need to be addressed more in Iran. Impact statement Preterm birth is the
      leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidities. Mortality and morbidity
      statistics related to preterm infants are important healthcare indicators
      implying the quality of the perinatal health care system and are prerequisite for
      the identification of problems and implementation of preventive measures.
      However, the perinatal mortality and morbidity statistics in developing countries
      are inadequate. The aim of this study was to assess prevalence and health outcome
      of preterm deliveries in tertiary care university hospitals in Shiraz city, Iran.
      This study showed that prematurity rate was 12.7%. Among preterm cases, 52.6%
      were admitted to NICU. RDS occurred among 23.8% of the total premature neonates
      and 8.2% of the total live births. The incidence of NEC was 1/0% of the total
      premature neonates and 0.4% of the total live births. The incidence of sepsis was
      5% of the premature neonates and 1.9% of the total live births and the incidence
      of ROP was 8.5% among the premature neonate. The overall mortality of premature
      neonates was 9.9% of the total premature neonates and 1.2% of the total live
      births. Rigorous measures for prevention of premature births and its
      complications for newborns are required in Iran.

PMID- 28631495
TI  - Serum endocannabinoids in assessing pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis
      and in those with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The endocannabinoid system plays a substantial role in analgesia.
      AIM: To analyze N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA), N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA),
      linoleoyl ethanolamide (LEA), alpha-linoleoyl ethanolamine (alpha-LNEA), N
      palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and N-stearoyl ethanolamine (SEA) in two groups of
      patients having chronic pancreatic diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six
      patients with chronic pancreatitis, 26 patients with pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma and 36 healthy subjects were studied. The visual analogic scale
      (VAS) was used for assessing pain immediately before the venipuncture to obtain
      blood in all subjects. Six endocannabinoids were measured in serum of the
      patients enrolled. RESULTS: Only OEA, LEA and PEA serum levels were significantly
      higher in patients with pain as compared to those without. Using the cutoff
      values, the sensitivity and specificity of the various endocannabinoids in
      evaluating pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis and in those with
      pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were: 44.2% and 95.6% for AEA, 83.7% and 73.3%
      for LEA, 88.4% and 91.1% for LNEA, 81.4% and 82.2% for OEA, 81.4% and 88.9% for
      PEA, 86.0% and 88.9% for SEA, respectively. CONCLUSION: Endocannabinoids are not
      useful in assessing pain in patients with chronic pancreatic diseases and they
      cannot replace a simple method such as VAS for assessing the pain and its
      intensity.

PMID- 28631496
TI  - Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac functions in newborns of mildly
      preeclamptic pregnant women within postnatal 24-48 hours.
AB  - The aim of this study is to detect preeclampsia-related cardiac dysfunction
      within 24-48 hours of delivery in newborns born from preeclamptic mothers. Forty
      newborns from mildly preeclamptic mothers formed the study group and the control
      group was formed by 40 healthy newborns. Cardiac function for the groups were
      evaluated using conventional echocardiography and myocardial performance index
      (MPI) within the first 24-48 hours of their lifetime and the results of both
      groups were compared. A significant difference between the groups was observed
      especially in the PW Doppler MPI measurements (the left ventricle MPI 0.37 +/-
      0.09 and 0.26 +/- 0.11, p < .001; the right ventricle MPI 0.29 +/- 0.08 and 0.26
      +/- 0.07, p < .035) for the control group and the study group. Elongation in the
      left and right ventricle MPI was detected to be more significant in terms of
      comparing systolic and diastolic functions to determine preeclampsia-related
      cardiac injury in newborns from preeclamptic mothers within the first 24-48 hours
      of their lifetime. Impact statement Today, the methods which may detect cardiac
      injury earlier than conventional echocardiographic methods are used for
      evaluating cardiac functions. Among them, myocardial performance index (MPI)
      measurement with PW Doppler is the most common ones. While studies are available
      in the literature evaluating foetal cardiac functions with MPI in foetuses of
      preeclamptic women, studies evaluating cardiac functions with MPI index within
      the first 24-48 hours in postnatal period are not available. This is the first
      study to detect cardiac injury by measuring cardiac functions of the newborns of
      preeclamptic babies using conventional echocardiography (EF, SF, mitral and
      tricuspid E/A) and myocardial performance index within the first 24-48 hours of
      life and compare these values with those of a control group composed of healthy
      newborns with similar demographic characteristics. According to the results of
      the study, elongation in right and left ventricle MPI was detected to be more
      significant compared to systolic and diastolic functions for determining
      preeclampsia-related cardiac injury in newborns of preeclamptic mothers within 24
      48 hours of delivery. Ventricle functions of the newborns of preeclamptic mothers
      should also be evaluated with MPI measurement besides conventional
      echocardiographic measurements.

PMID- 28631497
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of blinatumomab versus salvage chemotherapy in relapsed or
      refractory Philadelphia-chromosome-negative B-precursor acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia from a US payer perspective.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of blinatumomab (Blincyto) vs
      standard of care (SOC) chemotherapy in adults with relapsed or refractory (R/R)
      Philadelphia-chromosome-negative (Ph-) B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia
      (ALL) based on the results of the phase 3 TOWER study from a US healthcare payer
      perspective. METHODS: The Blincyto Global Economic Model (B-GEM), a partitioned
      survival model, was used to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio
      (ICER) of blinatumomab vs SOC. Response rates, event-free survival (EFS), overall
      survival (OS), numbers of cycles of blinatumomab and SOC, and transplant rates
      were estimated from TOWER. EFS and OS were estimated by fitting parametric
      survival distributions to failure-time data from TOWER. Utility values were based
      on EORTC-8D derived from EORTC QLQ-C30 assessments in TOWER. A 50-year lifetime
      horizon and US payer perspective were employed. Costs and outcomes were
      discounted at 3% per year. RESULTS: The B-GEM projected blinatumomab to yield
      1.92 additional life years and 1.64 additional quality-adjusted life years
      (QALYs) compared with SOC at an incremental cost of $180,642. The ICER for
      blinatumomab vs SOC was estimated to be $110,108/QALY gained in the base case.
      Cost-effectiveness was sensitive to the number and cost of inpatient days for
      administration of blinatumomab and SOC, and was more favorable in the sub-group
      of patients who had received no prior salvage therapy. At an ICER threshold of
      $150,000/QALY gained, the probability that blinatumomab is cost-effective was
      estimated to be 74%. LIMITATIONS: The study does not explicitly consider the
      impact of adverse events of the treatment; no adjustments for long-term
      transplant rates were made. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with SOC, blinatumomab is a
      cost-effective treatment option for adults with R/R Ph - B-precursor ALL from the
      US healthcare perspective at an ICER threshold of $150,000 per QALY gained. The
      value of blinatumomab is derived from its incremental survival and health-related
      quality-of-life (HRQoL) benefit over SOC.

PMID- 28631498
TI  - Naturally conceived heterotopic pregnancy treated with abdominal wall-lifting
      laparoscopic salpingectomy using spinal anaesthesia.

PMID- 28631499
TI  - The microbial contamination and the presence of beta-lactamase producing Gram
      negative bacteria in the water and on the surfaces of public recreation water
      facilities.
AB  - The microbiological quality of bathing water and the surfaces of the surrounding
      pool platforms of two pools was estimated. ESBL- and MBL-producing Gram-negative
      bacteria isolated from water and surface samples were also studied. The water
      samples were satisfactory in 31 (86.1 %) out of 36 cases. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      as well as Escherichia coli were identified in only 2 (5.5 %) cases. There were
      no correlations between the HPC and number of enterobacteria in the pool water
      and those found in the surface samples. Isolated strains were resistant to
      ticarcillin with clavulanic acid in 52.3 % of cases; all of them were susceptible
      to ciprofloxacin. The sequences for blaCTX-M were found in 21.6 % of strains,
      mostly from the groups blaCTX-M9 and blaCTX-M25, whilst the genes for chosen
      carbapenemases were noted in 15 (17.0 %) of strains. It is necessary to implement
      new approaches to monitoring resistant bacteria, not only clinical ones but also
      those found in other public environments.

PMID- 28631500
TI  - Pancreatic-beta-cell survival and proliferation are promoted by protein kinase G
      type Ialpha and downstream regulation of AKT/FOXO1.
AB  - Early studies showed nitric oxide as a pro-inflammatory-cytokine-induced toxin
      involved in pancreatic beta-cell destruction during pathogenesis of type-1
      diabetes. However, nitric oxide has both cytotoxic and cytoprotective effects on
      mammalian cells, depending on concentration and micro-environmental surroundings.
      Our studies have shown that low/physiological-level nitric oxide selectively
      activates protein kinase G type Ialpha isoform, promoting cytoprotective/pro-cell
      survival effects in many cell types. In bone marrow-derived stromal/mesenchymal
      stem cells, protein kinase G type Ialpha mediates autocrine effects of nitric
      oxide and atrial natriuretic peptide, promoting DNA-synthesis/proliferation and
      cell survival. In this study, endothelial nitric oxide synthase/neuronal nitric
      oxide synthase inhibitor L-NIO (L-N(5)-(1-iminoethyl)ornithine), soluble guanylyl
      cyclase inhibitor ODQ (1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3,-a] quinoxalin-1-one), atrial
      natriuretic peptide-receptor inhibitor A71915 and protein kinase G type Ialpha
      kinase activity inhibitor DT-2 all increased apoptosis and decreased insulin
      secretion in RINm5F pancreatic beta-cells, suggesting autocrine regulatory role
      for endogenous nitric oxide- and atrial natriuretic peptide-induced activation of
      protein kinase G type Ialpha. In four pancreatic beta-cell lines, Beta-TC-6,
      RINm5F, INS-1 and 1.1B4, protein kinase G type Ialpha small-interfering RNA
      decreased phospho-serine-239-VASP (indicator of endogenous protein kinase G type
      Ialpha kinase activity), increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation. In
      protein kinase G type Ialpha-knockdown beta-cell lines, expressions of phospho
      protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) (AKT), phospho-Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1)
      (transcriptional repressor of pancreas duodenum homobox-1) and pancreas duodenum
      homobox-1 were decreased, suppressing proliferation and survival in pancreatic
      beta-cells. The data suggest autocrine nitric oxide/atrial natriuretic peptide
      induced activation of protein kinase G type Ialpha/p-AKT/p-FOXO1 promotes
      survival and proliferation in pancreatic beta-cells, providing therapeutic
      implications for development of new therapeutic agents for diabetes.

PMID- 28631501
TI  - Ambivalence in rehabilitation: thematic analysis of the experiences of lower limb
      amputated veterans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Knowledge about the organization and factors of importance to
      rehabilitation of veterans with lower limb amputation is sparse. The aim of this
      study was, therefore, to improve understanding of the influences of "military
      identity" on the organization of rehabilitation services and to investigate those
      factors influential in achieving successful rehabilitation, including
      interprofessional collaboration between different sectors involved in the
      rehabilitation of veterans with lower limb amputations. METHODS: We used a
      qualitative exploratory design, triangulating interviews and participant
      observation. Data were generated using in-depth semi-structured interviews (n =
      6) exploring in-hospital and post-hospital rehabilitation in Danish veterans
      after unilateral lower limb amputation due to trauma. We conducted four sessions
      of participant observation, during weekly post-hospitalization rehabilitation and
      included field notes in the dataset. RESULTS: Two main themes emerged:
      "experiencing different identities" and "experiencing discontinuity in
      rehabilitation." The first theme illustrated how veterans actively shift between
      the identities of disabled person, wounded veteran and athlete according to the
      context. The second theme illustrated the frustration of negotiating military
      versus civilian mindsets during rehabilitation and lack of coordination between
      the public healthcare system, municipal services and the military. CONCLUSION:
      Veterans live with shifting identities after returning to civilian life,
      increasing their awareness of the transition from active service to a new life as
      a civilian. During rehabilitation, it is important to acknowledge the disparities
      between the military and civilian mindsets and to integrate the different sets of
      values, such as structure versus autonomy. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION
      Recommendations for the improvement of rehabilitation of amputated veterans
      include: Rehabilitation professionals working with veterans should focus on
      abilities instead of disabilities, in order to support their active identity.
      Rehabilitation professionals working with veterans should understand and
      integrate military key components, such as autonomy, structure, clear
      expectations, goal setting and ongoing testing and adjustment of goals.
      Rehabilitation professionals working with veterans should facilitate
      collaboration between civilian and military rehabilitation services, in order to
      secure both physical and psychosocial reintegration.

PMID- 28631502
TI  - Impact of acute infarct-related artery patency before percutaneous coronary
      intervention on 30-day outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial
      infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the EUROMAX
      trial.
AB  - AIMS: Early infarct-related artery patency has been associated with improved
      outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with
      primary percutaneous coronary intervention. However, it is unknown whether this
      relationship persists in contemporary practice with pre-hospital initiation of
      treatment, use of novel P2Y12 inhibitors and frequent use of drug-eluting stents.
      The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of early infarct-related
      artery patency on outcomes in the contemporary EUROMAX trial. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: A total of 2218 patients were enrolled. The current analysis was done on
      1863 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and had infarct
      related artery patency data. Thirty-day outcomes were compared according to
      infarct-related artery flow before percutaneous coronary intervention
      (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow 0/1 vs. TIMI flow 2/3), and
      interaction with antithrombotic strategy was examined. A patent infarct-related
      artery (TIMI flow 2/3) was present in 707 patients (37.9%) and was associated
      with a higher rate of final TIMI 3 flow grade (98.9 vs. 92.6%; p<0.001). At 30
      days, a patent infarct-related artery was associated with lower rates of cardiac
      death (1.3% vs. 2.9%; p=0.026) and the composite of death or myocardial
      infarction (2.7% vs. 4.6%; p=0.039). There were no interactions between
      antithrombotic treatment and the impact of infarct-related artery patency on
      cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or the composite of death or myocardial
      infarction (Breslow-Day interaction p-values of 0.21, 0.33 and 0.46,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: Despite evolution in primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention strategies, early infarct-related artery patency is still associated
      with higher procedural success and improved clinical outcomes. The choice of
      antithrombotic strategy did not interact with the benefits of a patent infarct
      related artery at presentation.

PMID- 28631503
TI  - Exercise-Induced Cardioprotection and the Therapeutic Potential of RIPC.
AB  - In the search for innovative solutions to treat ischemic heart disease, recent
      basic science and clinical approaches have focused on remote ischemic
      preconditioning (RIPC). Remote ischemic preconditioning involves short intervals
      of limb blood flow occlusion by the application of a blood pressure cuff inflated
      to a suprasystolic pressure. The promise of RIPC in the development of new
      cardioprotective therapies is founded on the premise that it is cost-effective,
      technically simple, and overcomes many logistical and biochemical hurdles
      associated with other ischemic preconditioning approaches. However, RIPC as a
      research subarea is still in its infancy and clinical applications for
      individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease remain elusive. The thesis of
      the current review is that observational and mechanistic similarities between
      exercise-induced preconditioning and RIPC may reveal novel therapeutic links to
      cardioprotection. While reductionist understanding of the exercised heart is
      still in the formative stages, available mechanistic knowledge of exercise
      induced cardioprotection is juxtaposed to RIPC and potential implications
      discussed. In total, additional research is needed in order to fully appreciate
      the mechanistic and translative connections between exercise and RIPC.
      Nonetheless, existing rationale are strong and suggest that RIPC approaches may
      be helpful in the development and application to pharmacologic interventions in
      those with ischemic heart disease.

PMID- 28631504
TI  - Remote Ischemic Conditioning: The Commercial Market: LifeCuff Perspective.
AB  - Although remote ischemic conditioning promises significant benefit to patients
      with a variety of acute and chronic illnesses, development of automated,
      clinically applicable devices has been slow. At least 3 small companies have
      launched efforts to develop useful tools intended for sale in European and North
      American markets. The market challenges and opportunities linked to the
      development of a cost-effective, reliable, and clinically effective device for
      the application of remote ischemic conditioning are presented in this article.

PMID- 28631505
TI  - Methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 evokes inflammatory reactions in
      endothelial cells via an interaction with receptor for advanced glycation end
      products.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end products contribute to
      vascular inflammation in diabetes. However, what advanced glycation end product
      structure could evoke inflammatory reactions remains unknown. We examined whether
      and how methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1, one of the advanced glycation
      end products formed from glyceraldehyde, elicits inflammatory reactions in human
      umbilical vein endothelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glyceraldehyde-advanced
      glycation end products-aptamer was prepared using a systemic evolution of ligands
      by exponential enrichment. The binding affinities of methylglyoxal-derived
      hydroimidazolone 1 to receptor for advanced glycation end products or advanced
      glycation end product-aptamer were measured with a quartz crystal microbalance.
      Intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and THP-1 cell adhesion were
      evaluated using fluorescent probes. Gene expression was analysed by reverse
      transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Methylglyoxal-derived
      hydroimidazolone 1 bound to receptor for advanced glycation end products and
      advanced glycation end product-aptamer with a dissociation constant ( Kd) of 56.7
      uM and 1.51 mM, respectively. Methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1 at 100
      ug/mL significantly increased reactive oxygen species generation in human
      umbilical vein endothelial cells, which were attenuated by anti-receptor for
      advanced glycation end products antibody or advanced glycation end product
      aptamer. In all, 100 ug/mL methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1 significantly
      increased receptor for advanced glycation end products and intercellular adhesion
      molecule-1 messenger RNA levels in, and THP-1 cell adhesion to, human umbilical
      vein endothelial cells, all of which were blocked by anti-receptor for advanced
      glycation end products antibody. CONCLUSION: Our present results indicate that
      methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1 evokes inflammatory reactions in human
      umbilical vein endothelial cells via receptor for advanced glycation end
      products, although apparently limited to supraphysiological levels of
      methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone 1. Methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone
      1 is a distinct advanced glycation end product structure that could mediate
      harmful effects of methylglyoxal and glyceraldehyde-mediated glycation processes.

PMID- 28631506
TI  - The influence of standards and clinical guidelines on prosthetic and orthotic
      service quality: a scoping review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Standards and guidelines are an integral part of prosthetic and
      orthotic service delivery in the developed world underpinned by an assumption
      that they lead to improved services. Implementing them has a cost, however, and
      that cost needs to be justified, particularly in resource-limited environments.
      This scoping review thus asks the question, "What is the evidence of the impact
      of standards and guidelines on service delivery outcomes in prosthetics and
      orthotics?" MATERIALS AND METHODS: A structured search of three electronic
      databases (Medline, Scopus and Web of Science) followed by manual searching of
      title, abstract and full text, yielded 29 articles. RESULTS: Four categories of
      papers were identified: Descriptions and Commentaries (17 papers), Guideline
      Development (7), Guideline Testing (2) and Standards implementation (3). No
      articles were explicitly designed to assess the impact of standards and
      guidelines on service delivery outcomes in prosthetics and orthotics. DISCUSSION
      AND CONCLUSION: Studies tended to be commentaries on or descriptions of guideline
      development, testing or implementation of standards. The literature is not
      sufficiently well developed to warrant the cost and effort of a systematic
      review. Future primary research should seek to demonstrate whether and how
      guidelines and standards improve the outcomes for people that require prostheses,
      orthoses and other assistive devices. Implications for Rehabilitation
      International Standards and Clinical Guidelines are now an integral part of
      clinical service provision in prosthetics and orthotics in the developed world.
      Complying with standards and guidelines has a cost and, particularly in resource
      limited environments, it should be possible to justify this in terms of the
      resulting benefits. This scoping review concludes that there have been no
      previous studies designed to directly quantify the effects of implementing
      standards and guidelines on service delivery.

PMID- 28631508
TI  - Multimodality medical image fusion: applications in congenital cardiology.

PMID- 28631507
TI  - Placental thickness-to-estimated foetal weight ratios and small-for-gestational
      age infants at delivery.
AB  - This study aimed to determine the correlation between the placental thickness-to
      estimated foetal weight ratio on midterm ultrasonography and small-for
      gestational-age (SGA) infants. In this retrospective study, the placental
      thickness at the umbilical cord insertion site was measured and adjusted for
      foetal body weight at 18-24 weeks gestation. Investigators compared the data of
      women who delivered SGA infants (birth weight <10th percentile) with those of
      women who delivered non-SGA infants. Among the 1281 women in this study, those
      who delivered SGA infants were younger and less likely to be obese. Women with
      higher placental thickness-to-estimated foetal weight ratios delivered more SGA
      infants. In logistic regression analysis, a higher placental thickness-to
      estimated foetal weight ratio remained associated with SGA infants. Since the
      placental thickness-to-estimated foetal weight ratio in midterm pregnancy was
      associated with infant body weight at delivery, this ratio could be an effective,
      adjunctive screening marker for predicting SGA status.

PMID- 28631510
TI  - Characteristics of the spouse caregiving experience: Comparison between early-
      and late-onset dementia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the characteristics of the caregiving experience
      according to age at onset of dementia to adapt support programs. METHOD: Fifty
      seven spouse caregivers of persons with early-onset dementia (PEOD) and 93 spouse
      caregivers of persons with late-onset dementia (PLOD) participated. The
      characteristics of the caregiving experience were assessed using questionnaires.
      We compared the two groups according to age at onset of the disease using a
      multivariate test, Pillai's Trace test. RESULTS: The analysis showed that there
      were similarities and differences between the two groups of spouse caregivers.
      All spouse caregivers were confident in their caregiving role and fairly well
      prepared for future needs and reported mild depressive and anxious symptoms.
      However, they lacked informal support, had low confidence in requesting respite
      care and reported effects on their health. Compared to spouse caregivers of PLOD,
      spouse caregivers of PEOD had more severe perceptions of the cognitive disorders
      of persons with dementia (PWD) and had a better sense of preparedness and
      knowledge of services. Spouse caregivers of PLOD were more confident in their
      ability to control disturbing thoughts. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that
      programs should provide information on support networks to improve preparedness
      for spouse caregivers of PLOD as well as emphasizing positive coping strategies
      for caregivers of PEOD to maintain good-quality relationships with PWD, which
      influences the perception of the symptoms. For both groups, family relationships
      should be considered.

PMID- 28631509
TI  - Comparison of quince with vitamin B6 for treatment of nausea and vomiting in
      pregnancy: a randomised clinical trial.
AB  - This trial was performed to compare quince (Cydonia oblonga) fruit with vitamin
      B6 on 76 pregnant women with a gestational age of 6-14 weeks and mild-to-moderate
      nausea and vomiting (NVP) (40 in the quince and 36 in the B6 group). The
      'Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis' (PUQE-24) scale was used to examine
      the severity of NVP. The quince syrup (1 tablespoon/TDS) or vitamin B6 tablets
      (20 mg/TDS) were used as intervention for 1 week. The mean (+/-SD) age was 27.5
      (+/-5.2) years. The score of the PUQE was decreased from 9.5 (+/- 2) at baseline
      to 5.2 (+/-2.3) on the 7th day and 5.3 (+/-2.6) on the 14th day (p < .001) in the
      quince group. In the other group, the scores were 8.4 (+/-1.8), 7.3 (+/-2.4) and
      7.7 (+/-3.8), respectively (p = .001). The change in symptoms were more marked in
      the quince group (p < .001). Quince syrup seems to be a suitable treatment for
      NVP. Impact statement What is already known on this subject: Pregnancy-induced
      nausea and vomiting (NVP) is one of the most common problems during gestation.
      Treatment is mainly symptomatic, ranging from dietary changes and oral
      pharmacological treatment to hospitalization in severe forms. In early pregnancy,
      the use of chemical drugs is avoided, so there is an increasing tendency to use
      alternative therapies. According to the literature review in Iranian Traditional
      Medicine (ITM), the quince fruit (Cydonia oblonga) can be useful in NVP. Quince
      has a wide range of pharmacological activities including antioxidant,
      antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and antidepressant
      effects. ITM literature suggests some therapeutic effects of the quince fruit on
      important organs like brain, heart, liver and stomach. What the results of this
      study add: The results of this study demonstrated the significant efficacy of
      quince in comparison with vitamin B6. What the implications are of these findings
      for clinical practice and/or further research: This fruit is also safe to be
      administered in pregnant women suffering from NVP.

PMID- 28631511
TI  - Self-collected cervicovaginal sampling for site-of-care primary HPV-based
      cervical cancer screening: a pilot study in a rural underserved Greek population.
AB  - In the present pilot study, the feasibility of a site-of-care cervicovaginal self
      sampling methodology for HPV-based screening was tested in 346 women residing in
      underserved rural areas of Northern Greece. These women provided self-collected
      cervicovaginal sample along with a study questionnaire. Following molecular
      testing, using the cobas(r) HPV Test, Roche(r), HPV positive women, were referred
      to colposcopy and upon abnormal findings, to biopsy and treatment. Participation
      rate was 100%. Regular pap-test examination was reported for 17.1%. Among hrHPV
      testing, 11.9% were positive and colposcopy/biopsy revealed 2 CIN3 cases. Non
      compliance was the most prevalent reason for no previous attendance. Most women
      reported non-difficulty and non-discomfort in self-sampling (77.6% and 82.4%,
      respectively). They would choose self-sampling over clinician-sampling (86.2%),
      and should self-sampling being available, they would test themselves more
      regularly (92.3%). In conclusion, self-sampling is feasible and well-accepted for
      HPV-based screening, and could increase population coverage in underserved areas,
      helping towards successful prevention.

PMID- 28631512
TI  - African, male attitudes on female genital mutilation: an Australian survey.
AB  - Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional practice where female genital
      organs are altered for non-medical reasons. The custom is outlawed in Australia
      and associated with an array of medical consequences. Due to the recent influx of
      migrants from regions endemic to FGM, the practice is becoming a growing concern
      locally. This federal government funded study aimed to elicit the poorly
      understood perceptions that young, Sub-Saharan African, migrant males residing in
      Townsville, Australia have on FGM. Through piloted questionnaires we found that
      amongst the 67 participants, 23.9% believed that FGM should be allowed under
      Australian Law. The independent predictors of supportive attitudes in favour of
      FGM were having resided in Australia for five or less years (p = .016, 95% CI
      0.99-8.09) and coming from a basic educational background (high school or TAFE)
      (p = .003, 95% CI 1.3-12.4). This study also found that participant perceptions
      on FGM were amenable to change through educational interventional strategies.
      Impact statement Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional practice where
      female genital organs are altered for non-medical reasons. The role that males
      play in the continuation of this outlawed practice remains poorly understood. No
      research has ever been conducted in Australia looking at the perception that
      young, migrant males have on FGM. Several European-based studies have examined
      the perceptions of older, poorly educated, migrant male cohorts. Generally, these
      studies show that the attitudinal support for FGM and intention to practice
      remains relatively high amongst these cohorts. This study examined the attitudes
      of a young, Sub-Saharan African, migrant, male cohort residing in Australia. This
      adds to the literature base by establishing the perceptions and associated socio
      demographic variables of this unique and influential subset of the migrant
      population. This directly facilitates the development of interventional
      strategies against FGM by highlighting those most likely to have an attitudinal
      support in favour of FGM. Consequentially, this 'at risk' group can be more
      effectively focussed on interventional programmes and be further investigated in
      larger scale studies.

PMID- 28631513
TI  - The effect of labour pain in caesarean delivery on neonatal and maternal outcomes
      in a term low-risk obstetric population.
AB  - Planned caesarean delivery (CD) frequency is increasing in many countries, and
      elective CD accounts for 50% of preventable causes of neonatal respiratory
      morbidity. The clearing of fluid in the lungs is important for the establishment
      of normal gas exchange with inspired air. A defect in this clearance can result
      in respiratory problems in neonate, but on the other hand patients waiting for
      the onset of spontaneous labour pain, the increase in emergency CD, together with
      severe mortality and morbidity are causes of concern and cause anxiety and
      distrust of obstetricians. In the current study, it was observed that foetal
      respiratory morbidity was reduced in the group with labour pain. The caesarean
      applied after the onset of labour pain could be a reason for the significant
      increase in foetal cord cortisol values in term low-risk neonates. A major
      advantage of this study was the inclusion of a low-risk patient group, and the
      increase in foetal cortisol secondary to pain in term neonates was shown
      objectively. Impact statement What is already known on this subject: The timing
      of CD is reported to be critical for neonatal morbidity, and elective CD accounts
      for 50% of preventable causes of neonatal respiratory morbidity. The clearing of
      fluid in the lungs is important for the establishment of normal gas exchange with
      inspired air. Cortisol secretion from the foetal adrenal gland is stimulated by
      stress. What do the results of this study add: Labour pain-related stress in the
      foetus might be a cause for elevated physiological cortisol, and secondary to
      that, lower respiratory morbidity. Caesarean delivery commenced after the onset
      of labour pain could be a reason for the significant increase in foetal cord
      cortisol values in term neonates. A major advantage of this study was the
      inclusion of a low-risk patient group, and the increase in foetal cortisol
      secondary to pain in term neonates was shown objectively. What are the
      implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research:
      Although it would seem to be rational to perform a caesarean section after the
      onset of labour pain in cases with a planned caesarean and a history of C-section
      delivery, with respect to maternal complications, especially in those with a
      history of more than one caesarean or those who have started active labour; there
      is a need for further prospective studies.

PMID- 28631514
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and dosing requirements of digoxin in pregnant women treated for
      fetal supraventricular tachycardia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics
      (PK) of digoxin in pregnant women and its potential implications for drug dosing.
      METHODS: Serum digoxin concentrations (SDCs) obtained in pregnant women treated
      for fetal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) was retrospectively collected. PK
      analysis was comparatively performed using a two-stage approach (PKSTM) and a
      Population PK approach (NONMEMTM). As clinical outcome the fetal heart rate was
      recorded. RESULTS: A total of 42 SDCs were obtained from 8 women in the 3rd
      trimester of pregnancy (mean age 33.0 years). The PK parameters estimated by both
      two-stage (volume of distribution (Vd) = 682.0 L, CV = 47.5%; serum clearance
      (CL) = 16.1 L/h, CV = 19%) and population approaches (Vd = 731.3 L, CV = 30.5%;
      CL = 18.7 L/h, CV = 17.8%) are very similar and show a clear trend of increasing
      drug disposition in the third trimester of pregnancy. An oral loading dose of 0.5
      mg/8 h during 24 h followed by a maintenance regimen of 0.5 mg/12 h been
      recommended to start treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small population, these
      parameters could be used as a guide to calculate the initial dosage requirements
      in the third trimester of pregnancy for treating fetal SVT. In addition, maternal
      SDCs should be routinely monitored for dosage adjustment purposes.

PMID- 28631515
TI  - One pair of new cyclopentaisochromenone enantiomer from Alternaria sp. TNXY-P-1
      and their cytotoxic activity.
AB  - One pair of new cyclopentaisochromenone derivatives, (+)-(S)-6-hydroxy-1,8
      dimethoxy-3a-methyl-3,3a-dihydrocyclopenta[c]isochromene-2,5-dione (1a) and (-)
      (R)-6-hydroxy-1,8-dimethoxy-3a-methyl-3,3a-dihydrocyclopenta[c]isochromene-2,5
      dione (1b), together with seven known analog 2-8, were isolated from a rice solid
      culture of the endophytic fungus Alternaria sp. TNXY-P-1, obtained from fresh
      leaf of Arisaema heterophyllum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of
      detailed 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS analysis. Among them, compounds 1a and 1b were
      enantiomers separated from 1 by chiral HPLC. The absolute configurations of 1a
      and 1b were assigned by quantum chemical calculations of the electronic circular
      dichroic spectra. All isolated compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities.
      Interestingly, enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b showed distinct selective antitumor
      activities against HL-60 cell lines with IC50 values of >200, 75.3 MUM,
      respectively.

PMID- 28631516
TI  - The top cited articles in occupational therapy: a citation analysis study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify and review the most cited
      articles in the occupational therapy field. METHODS: Using the multi-disciplinary
      Publish or Perish software to extract data, the top 50 lifetime and annual cited
      articles were examined. Studies were organized according to the following: year
      of publication, design, topic, number of authors, country of publication, and
      number of citations for each cohort. RESULTS: We found that randomized control
      trials were the dominant design type used in papers with the most lifetime
      (36.0%) and annual (26.0%) citations. Additionally, in both groups, the most
      frequently cited articles investigated predictors of functional outcome for
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive citation analysis will inform future
      research through its identification of major trends and well-established areas of
      study.

PMID- 28631517
TI  - What factors influence emergency department visits by patients with cancer at the
      end of life? Analysis of a 124,030 patient cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emergency department visits towards the end of life by patients with
      cancer are increasing over time. This is despite evidence of an association with
      poor patient and caregiver outcomes and most patients preferring home-based care.
      AIM: To identify socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with end-of
      life emergency department visits and determine the relationship between patients'
      prior emergency department use and risk of multiple (?2) visits in the last month
      of life. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: All adults
      who died from cancer, in England, between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012. Our
      primary outcome was the adjusted odds ratio for multiple emergency department
      visits in the last month of life, derived using multivariable logistic
      regression. RESULTS: Among 124,030 cancer decedents (52.9% men; mean age: 74.1
      years), 30.7% visited the emergency department once in their last month of life
      and 5.1% visited multiple times. Patients were more likely to visit multiple
      times if they were men, younger, Asian or Black, of lower socio-economic status,
      had greater comorbidity, and lung or head and neck cancer. Patients with ?4
      emergency department visits in the 11 months prior to their last month of life
      were also more likely to make multiple visits during their last 30 days; this
      followed a dose-response pattern ( p for trend <0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with
      greater comorbidity, lung or head and neck cancer and a higher number of previous
      emergency department visits are more likely to visit the emergency department
      multiple times in the last month of life. Previously reported socio-demographic
      factors (men, younger age, Black, low socio-economic status) are also confirmed
      for the first time in a UK population.

PMID- 28631518
TI  - Parenting Practices and Children's Physical Activity: An Integrative Review.
AB  - The purpose of this integrative review was to analyze the state of science
      concerning the influence of parenting practices on children's physical activity
      (PA) levels. A total of 38 studies met the inclusion criteria after full-text
      review. The body of research is limited in experimental designs with only three
      studies measuring the influence of the intervention on parenting practices. Seven
      of the 30 quantitative studies (23.3%) found significant associations between
      parental role modeling of PA and children's PA levels. Seven of the eight (87.5%)
      qualitative studies identified parental role modeling of PA as important in
      promoting children's PA. Sixteen of the 30 (53.3%) quantitative studies found
      that parental support of PA was significantly associated with children's PA. Five
      of the eight (62.5%) qualitative studies identified logistic support as
      supporting PA in children. The science could be expanded by the development of
      randomized controlled trials aimed at this area.

PMID- 28631519
TI  - The Final Fight: An Analysis of Metaphors in Online Obituaries of Professional
      Athletes.
AB  - In literature, obituaries from different cultures and languages have been studied
      on different levels and from different perspectives. One of the popular research
      topics is the use of metaphors, since metaphors help to cope with death, which in
      modern society is still a taboo. This article presents a bottom-up, primarily
      qualitative analysis of the metaphors in 150 obituaries of sportspeople,
      published in online versions of newspapers/magazines and on the Internet. As
      expected, the obituaries contain the traditional metaphors of death. Also more
      original, creative metaphors are introduced to describe death in a euphemistic
      way. Some of those have a link to sports but not systematically to the sport
      practiced by the deceased.

PMID- 28631520
TI  - Striatal changes underlie MPEP-mediated suppression of the acquisition and
      expression of pramipexole-induced place preference in an alpha-synuclein rat
      model of Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Impulsive-compulsive disorders in Parkinson's disease patients have been
      described as behavioural or substance addictions including pathological gambling
      or compulsive medication use of dopamine replacement therapy. A substantial gap
      remains in the understanding of these disorders. We previously demonstrated that
      the rewarding effect of the D2/D3 agonist pramipexole was enhanced after repeated
      exposure to L-dopa and alpha-synuclein mediated dopaminergic nigral loss with
      specific transcriptional signatures suggesting a key involvement of the
      glutamatergic pathway. Here, we further investigate the therapeutic potential of
      metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 antagonism in Parkinson's disease/dopamine
      replacement therapy related bias of reward-mediated associative learning. We
      identified protein changes underlying the striatal remodelling associated with
      the pramipexole-induced conditioned place preference. Acquisition and expression
      of the pramipexole-induced conditioned place preference were abolished by the
      metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-phenylethynyl (pyridine)
      (conditioned place preference scores obtained with pramipexole conditioning were
      reduced by 12.5% and 125.8% when 2-methyl-6-phenylethynyl (pyridine) was co
      administrated with pramipexole or after the pramipexole conditioning,
      respectively). Up-regulation of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 was found
      in the dorsomedial-striatum and nucleus accumbens core. Activation of these two
      brain sub-regions was also highlighted through FosB immunohistochemistry.
      Convergent molecular and pharmacological data further suggests metabotropic
      glutamate receptor 5 as a promising therapeutic target for the management of
      Parkinson's disease/dopamine replacement therapy related reward bias.

PMID- 28631521
TI  - On the die compaction of powders used in pharmaceutics.
AB  - Die compaction is widely used in the compaction of pharmaceutical powders
      (tableting). It is well known that the powder densification is a result of
      particle rearrangement and particle deformation. The former is considered to be
      the governing mechanism of densification in an initial stage of compaction and
      the latter is regarded as the governing mechanism in the compaction at the higher
      pressure range. As a more realistic assumption, one can consider that a
      simultaneous performance of both the rearrangement and deformation mechanisms
      takes place from the beginning of compaction. To mathematically formulate this
      assumption, a piston equation is presented where the material relative density is
      given as a function of the applied pressure on the powder. From the equation, it
      is possible to obtain the contribution of each mechanism to the material
      densification at each value of the applied pressure. In the continuation, the
      piston equation is applied to the tabletting of some pharmaceutical powders.
      These are the powders of Ascorbic Acid, Avicel(r) PH 101, Avicel(r) PH 301,
      Emcompress(r), Sodium Chloride, and Tablettose(r) whose tableting results have
      been previously published in the literature. The results show the piston equation
      as a suitable approach to describe the tabletting of pharmaceutical powders.

PMID- 28631522
TI  - Evidence-based management of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies.
AB  - Recent advances in ultrasonography and the use of other modalities including
      magnetic resonance imaging scans have led to the early and more accurate
      diagnosis of non-tubal ectopic pregnancies (NTE). As a result, the management of
      these pregnancies has evolved. This article addresses the management options
      currently available for NTE. While surgical management remains the mainstay of
      treatment for ovarian, abdominal and cornual ectopics, there is growing evidence
      that some of these can be managed medically. Many authors have utilised a
      combination of medical and surgical approaches in the management of cervical and
      caesarean section (CS) scar ectopic pregnancies with good outcome. The
      availability of dedicated early pregnancy units has further improved diagnosis
      and more importantly the follow-up care for these patients. The rarity of cases
      and the difficulty of ethically organising randomised trials for NTE remain a
      problem in formulating consistent pathways for optimum management of women with
      NTE.

PMID- 28631523
TI  - The association among prematurity, cochlear hyperintensity, and hearing loss.
AB  - Background Prematurity is a major risk factor for neonatal hearing loss. Recent
      advancements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have made it possible to
      evaluate structural details of the membranous labyrinths in premature infants
      that have heretofore been inaccessible. Objective We compared the prevalence of
      abnormal cochlear signal intensity in premature and term neonates and evaluated
      for a potential link with hearing loss. Materials and methods We retrospectively
      reviewed 148 consecutive MR exams performed in premature (< 37 weeks' gestation)
      and term neonates performed over a 30-month period. Cochlear signal alteration
      was evaluated on three-dimensional T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) sequences. Each
      patient's electronic medical record was reviewed to document demographics,
      symptomatology, physical exam findings, and potential medical variables that
      could contribute to cochlear signal alteration. Results Cochlear hyperintensity
      on T1WI was present in 6.8% patients ( n = 10) overall, but was much more common
      in preterm than term patients (12.2% (9 of 74) vs. 1.4% (1 of 74), respectively;
      p value < 0.05; Fisher's exact test). Overall, 14.9% ( n = 15) of the patients
      with hearing test results failed the screening Auditory Brainstem Response exam.
      However, failure was much more common among patients with cochlear hyperintensity
      on T1W1 than those with normal findings (56% (5 of 9) vs. 11% (10 of 92),
      respectively; p value < 0.01; Fisher's exact test). Conclusion Cochlear
      hyperintensity on T1WI is more common in preterm than term neonates, and
      potentially associated with hearing loss. Cochleae should be closely scrutinized
      in all premature infants; signal alterations should prompt further diagnostic
      inquiry and possible early otolaryngology referral.

PMID- 28631524
TI  - The Association between Social Jetlag, the Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2
      Diabetes Mellitus in the General Population: The New Hoorn Study.
AB  - Only a few studies have investigated the metabolic consequences of social jetlag.
      Therefore, we examined the association of social jetlag with the metabolic
      syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a population-based cohort. We used cross
      sectional data from the New Hoorn Study cohort ( n = 1585, 47% men, age 60.8 +/-
      6 years). Social jetlag was calculated as the difference in midpoint sleep (in
      hours) between weekdays and weekend days. Poisson and linear regression models
      were used to study the associations, and age was regarded as a possible effect
      modifier. We adjusted for sex, employment status, education, smoking, physical
      activity, sleep duration, and body mass index. In the total population, we only
      observed an association between social jetlag and the metabolic syndrome, with
      prevalence ratios adjusted for sex, employment status, and educational levels of
      1.64 (95% CI 1.1-2.4), for participants with >2 h social jetlag, compared with
      participants with <1 h social jetlag. However, we observed an interaction effect
      of median age (<61 years). In older participants (>=61 years), no significant
      associations were observed between social jetlag status, the metabolic syndrome,
      and diabetes or prediabetes. In the younger group (<61 years), the adjusted
      prevalence ratios were 1.29 (95% CI 0.9-1.9) and 2.13 (95% CI 1.3-3.4) for the
      metabolic syndrome and 1.39 (95% CI 1.1-1.9) and 1.75 (95% CI 1.2-2.5) for
      diabetes/prediabetes, for participants with 1-2 h and >2 h social jetlag,
      compared with participants with <1 h social jetlag. In conclusion, in our
      population-based cohort, social jetlag was associated with a 2-fold increased
      risk of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes/prediabetes, especially in younger
      (<61 years) participants.

PMID- 28631526
TI  - Lifetime experience with (classic) psychedelics predicts pro-environmental
      behavior through an increase in nature relatedness.
AB  - In a large-scale ( N = 1487) general population online study, we investigated the
      relationship between past experience with classic psychedelic substances (e.g.
      LSD, psilocybin, mescaline), nature relatedness, and ecological behavior (e.g.
      saving water, recycling). Using structural equation modeling we found that
      experience with classic psychedelics uniquely predicted self-reported engagement
      in pro-environmental behaviors, and that this relationship was statistically
      explained by people's degree of self-identification with nature. Our model
      controlled for experiences with other classes of psychoactive substances
      (cannabis, dissociatives, empathogens, popular legal drugs) as well as common
      personality traits that usually predict drug consumption and/or nature
      relatedness (openness to experience, conscientiousness, conservatism). Although
      correlational in nature, results suggest that lifetime experience with
      psychedelics in particular may indeed contribute to people's pro-environmental
      behavior by changing their self-construal in terms of an incorporation of the
      natural world, regardless of core personality traits or general propensity to
      consume mind-altering substances. Thereby, the present research adds to the
      contemporary literature on the beneficial effects of psychedelic substance use on
      mental wellbeing, hinting at a novel area for future research investigating their
      potentially positive effects on a societal level. Limitations of the present
      research and future directions are discussed.

PMID- 28631525
TI  - Polyphenol profile by UHPLC-MS/MS, anti-glycation, antioxidant and cytotoxic
      activities of several samples of propolis from the northeastern semi-arid region
      of Brazil.
AB  - CONTEXT: Propolis has promising biological activities. Propolis samples from the
      Northeast of Bahia, Brazil - sample A from Ribeira do Pombal and B, from Tucano -
      were investigated, with new information regarding their biological activities.
      OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the chemical profile, antioxidant, anti-glycation
      and cytotoxic activities of these propolis samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ethanol
      extracts of these propolis samples (EEP) and their fractions were analyzed to
      determine total phenolic content (TPC); antioxidant capacity through DPPH*, FRAP
      and lipid peroxidation; anti-glycation activity, by an in vitro glucose (10
      mg/mL) bovine serum albumine (1 mg/mL) assay, during 7 d; cytotoxic activity on
      cancer (SF295, HCT-116, OVCAR-8, MDA-MB435, MX-1, MCF7, HL60, JURKAT, MOLT-4,
      K562, PC3, DU145) and normal cell lines (V79) at 0.04-25 MUg/mL concentrations,
      for 72 h. The determination of primary phenols by ultra high-pressure liquid
      chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and volatile
      organic compounds content by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were
      also performed. RESULTS: The EEP polar fractions exhibited up to 90% protection
      against lipid peroxidation. The IC50 value for anti-glycation activity of EEP was
      between 16.5 and 19.2 MUg/mL, close to aminoguanidine (IC50 = 7.7 MUg/mL). The
      use of UHPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS allowed the identification of 12 bioactive phenols
      in the EEP and 24 volatile compounds, all already reported. CONCLUSIONS: The
      samples present good antioxidant/anti-glycation/cytotoxic activities and a
      plethora of biologically active compounds. These results suggest a potential role
      of propolis in targeting ageing and diseases associated with oxidative and
      carbonylic stress, aggregating value to them.

PMID- 28631527
TI  - Buprenorphine/naloxone versus methadone and lofexidine in community stabilisation
      and detoxification: A randomised controlled trial of low dose short-term opiate
      dependent individuals.
AB  - Buprenorphine/naloxone, methadone and lofexidine are medications with utility in
      the treatment of opiate withdrawal. We report the first randomised controlled
      trial to compare the effects of these two medications on withdrawal symptoms and
      outcome during opiate induction/stabilisation and detoxification. A double-blind
      randomised controlled trial was conducted in an outpatient satellite clinic of a
      specialist drug service. Eighty opiate dependent individuals meeting DSM-IV
      criteria for opiate dependence, using ? 1/2 g heroin smoked/chased or 1/4 g
      heroin injected or ? 30mg methadone, with ? 3 years of opioid dependency,
      underwent a short-term opiate treatment programme involving
      induction/stabilisation on methadone 30mg or buprenorphine/naloxone 4mg/1mg,
      followed by detoxification (where the methadone group was assisted by
      lofexidine). The main outcome measures were urine drug screens for opiates and
      withdrawal and craving questionnaires. There were no overall differences in
      positive urine drug screens and drop-outs during any phase of the study. During
      induction/stabilisation, withdrawal symptoms subsided more slowly for
      buprenorphine/naloxone than for methadone, and craving was significantly higher
      in the buprenorphine/naloxone group ( p<0.05, 95% confidence interval -3.5, 
      0.38). During detoxification, withdrawal symptoms were significantly greater and
      the peak of withdrawal was earlier for the methadone/lofexidine group than the
      buprenorphine/naloxone group ( p<0.01, 95% confidence interval 3.0, 8.3).
      Methadone/lofexidine and buprenorphine/naloxone had comparable outcomes during
      rapid outpatient stabilisation and detoxification in low dose opiate users.

PMID- 28631528
TI  - Determined to stop? Longitudinal analysis of the desire to have no more children
      in rural Mozambique.
AB  - Classic demographic theories conceptualize desired family size as a fixed goal
      that guides fertility intentions over the childbearing years. However, a growing
      body of research shows that fertility plans, even nominally long-term plans for
      completed childbearing, change in response to short-term conditions. Because of
      data limitations, much of this research has focused on low-fertility contexts,
      but short-term conditions are likely to be even more important in high-fertility
      contexts. This paper uses three waves of survey data collected in rural
      Mozambique to study predictors of the desire to stop childbearing in a context of
      relatively high fertility and high individual and social instability. We use
      fixed effects models to assess how women's desires to stop childbearing are
      shaped by demographic factors, household economic conditions, and health status,
      controlling for constant individual characteristics. Results provide evidence
      that fertility desires both reflect stable underlying goals and evolve in
      response to individual and social circumstances.

PMID- 28631529
TI  - Use of buccal morphine in the management of pain in children with life-limiting
      conditions: Results of a laboratory study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Children and infants with impaired swallow or compromised enteral
      absorption require alternative routes for administration of analgesia. Recent
      clinical guidance and practice for paediatric palliative care teams, who often
      treat such children, supports buccal morphine sulphate as a fast acting,
      effective and easily administered agent for pain relief. However, a consideration
      of the physicochemical properties and potency of morphine would suggest that it
      is not a suitable candidate for delivery via the transmucosal route, raising
      questions about its use in children and infants. AIM: To explore the permeability
      of buccal morphine sulphate in an established ex vivo porcine buccal mucosa as a
      necessary step in examining efficacy for use in children with life-limiting
      conditions and life-threatening illnesses. DESIGN: A permeation study conducted
      with morphine sulphate in an ex vivo porcine buccal tissue model. Flux values and
      pharmacokinetic data were used to calculate the plasma values of morphine that
      would result following buccal administration in a 20kg child. RESULTS: Results
      show that the estimated steady state plasma values of morphine sulphate following
      buccal administration in this model do not achieve minimum therapeutic
      concentration. CONCLUSION: These data strongly suggest that morphine sulphate is
      not suitable for buccal administration and that further research is needed to
      establish its efficacy in relief of pain in children with life-limiting
      conditions and life-threatening illnesses.

PMID- 28631530
TI  - Intentional preparation of auditory attention-switches: Explicit cueing and
      sequential switch-predictability.
AB  - In an auditory attention-switching paradigm, participants heard two
      simultaneously spoken number-words, each presented to one ear, and decided
      whether the target number was smaller or larger than 5 by pressing a left or
      right key. An instructional cue in each trial indicated which feature had to be
      used to identify the target number (e.g., female voice). Auditory attention
      switch costs were found when this feature changed compared to when it repeated in
      two consecutive trials. Earlier studies employing this paradigm showed mixed
      results when they examined whether such cued auditory attention-switches can be
      prepared actively during the cue-stimulus interval. This study systematically
      assessed which preconditions are necessary for the advance preparation of
      auditory attention-switches. Three experiments were conducted that controlled for
      cue-repetition benefits, modality switches between cue and stimuli, as well as
      for predictability of the switch-sequence. Only in the third experiment, in which
      predictability for an attention-switch was maximal due to a pre-instructed switch
      sequence and predictable stimulus onsets, active switch-specific preparation was
      found. These results suggest that the cognitive system can prepare auditory
      attention-switches, and this preparation seems to be triggered primarily by the
      memorised switching-sequence and valid expectations about the time of target
      onset.

PMID- 28631531
TI  - Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Anakinra, Intravenous Immunoglobulin, and
      Corticosteroids in the Management of Critically Ill Adult Patients With
      Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) causes multiple organ
      dysfunction frequently leading to intensive care unit (ICU) referral and/or
      death. We report on a series of critically ill adult patients treated with a non
      etoposide-based regimen including interleukin 1 antagonist anakinra, intravenous
      immunoglobulin (IVIG), and/or corticosteroids (CS) for HLH. METHODS: Eight adult
      (>=18 years) ICU patients having received treatment with anakinra +/- IVIG +/- CS
      for HLH between March 2014 and March 2016 at a large tertiary care university
      hospital (Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria) were retrospectively
      analyzed. RESULTS: Eight patients (median age: 38 years; range: 20-58 years; 4
      males and 4 females) received anakinra together with IVIG (n = 7) and/or high
      dose CS (n = 5) for suspected reactive HLH (median H-score: 214; range: 171-288).
      Seven (88%) patients required vasopressors and invasive mechanical ventilation
      and 6 (75%) patients required renal replacement therapy (median Sequential Organ
      Failure Assessment [SOFA] score at HLH diagnosis: 9.5; range: 6-14). Six patients
      showed a significant decline in the SOFA score at 1 and 2 weeks following
      treatment initiation ( P = .03), and the remainder 2 patients experienced early
      death. Five patients survived to ICU discharge, 4 of them could further be
      discharged from hospital (hospital survival rate: 50%). No overt treatment
      related toxicity was noted. CONCLUSION: Anakinra in combination with IVIG and/or
      CS resulted in a hospital survival rate of 50% in 8 critically ill adult patients
      with HLH despite a vast degree of organ dysfunction and the need for aggressive
      ICU treatment. Further research on non-etoposide-based treatment strategies for
      HLH in critically ill adults is warranted.

PMID- 28631532
TI  - Measuring Sleep in the Intensive Care Unit: A Critical Appraisal of the Use of
      Subjective Methods.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To collate and appraise the use of subjective measures to assess
      sleep in the intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: A systematic search and critical
      review of the published literature. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Scopus, and Cumulative
      Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched using combinations of
      the key words "Sleep," "Critical Care," "Intensive Care," and "Sleep Disorders,"
      and this was complemented by hand searching the most recent systematic reviews on
      related topics. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Papers were limited to non-gray
      English-language studies of the adult population, published in the last 10 years.
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were the number and categorization of
      quantitative studies reporting measures of sleep, the number of participants for
      each data collection method, and a synthesis of related material to appraise the
      use of survey tools commonly used for sleep measurement in the ICU. RESULTS:
      Thirty-eight papers reported quantitative empirical data collection on sleep, 17
      of which used a primary method of subjective assessment of sleep by the patient
      or nurse. Thirteen methods of subjective sleep assessment were identified. Many
      of these tools lacked validity and reliability testing. CONCLUSIONS: Research
      using questionnaires to assess sleep is commonplace in light of practical
      barriers to polysomnography or other measures of sleep. A methodologically sound
      approach to tool development and testing is crucial to gather meaningful data,
      and this robust approach was lacking in many cases. Further research measuring
      sleep subjectively in ICU should use the Richards Campbell Sleep Questionnaire,
      and researchers should maintain a commitment to transparency in describing
      methods.

PMID- 28631534
TI  - Measuring Well-Being in Israel and Palestine.
AB  - This work presents the psychometric properties of the Subjective Well-Being
      Assessment Scale in a sample of 423 participants composed of Israeli Arabs and
      Palestinians from the West Bank/Gaza Strip. Psychometric assessment of the
      instrument was based on confirmatory factor analysis. The convergent and
      discriminant validity of Subjective Well-Being Assessment Scale were also tested
      via administration of the General Health Questionnaire and the Positive and
      Negative Affect Scale. The results suggest that Subjective Well-Being Assessment
      Scale is valid, reliable, and solid from a psychometric point of view and
      provides an accurate assessment of respondents' well-being. The questionnaire is
      therefore recommended for practical use in the psychological and health-care
      fields, whether locally or in international contexts with migrants and refugees
      from Arabic-speaking countries.

PMID- 28631533
TI  - U-CAN: a prospective longitudinal collection of biomaterials and clinical
      information from adult cancer patients in Sweden.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Progress in cancer biomarker discovery is dependent on access to high
      quality biological materials and high-resolution clinical data from the same
      cases. To overcome current limitations, a systematic prospective longitudinal
      sampling of multidisciplinary clinical data, blood and tissue from cancer
      patients was therefore initiated in 2010 by Uppsala and Umea Universities and
      involving their corresponding University Hospitals, which are referral centers
      for one third of the Swedish population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with
      cancer of selected types who are treated at one of the participating hospitals
      are eligible for inclusion. The healthcare-integrated sampling scheme encompasses
      clinical data, questionnaires, blood, fresh frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin
      embedded tissue specimens, diagnostic slides and radiology bioimaging data.
      RESULTS: In this ongoing effort, 12,265 patients with brain tumors, breast
      cancers, colorectal cancers, gynecological cancers, hematological malignancies,
      lung cancers, neuroendocrine tumors or prostate cancers have been included until
      the end of 2016. From the 6914 patients included during the first five years, 98%
      were sampled for blood at diagnosis, 83% had paraffin-embedded and 58% had fresh
      frozen tissues collected. For Uppsala County, 55% of all cancer patients were
      included in the cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Close collaboration between participating
      hospitals and universities enabled prospective, longitudinal biobanking of blood
      and tissues and collection of multidisciplinary clinical data from cancer
      patients in the U-CAN cohort. Here, we summarize the first five years of
      operations, present U-CAN as a highly valuable cohort that will contribute to
      enhanced cancer research and describe the procedures to access samples and data.

PMID- 28631535
TI  - High resolution magnetic resonance imaging for exposing facial nerve zonal
      vulnerability to microbleeds: A rare cause of facial palsy.
AB  - Background We report a case of hypertensive microbleeds strategically located at
      the attached segment (AS) and root entry zone (REZ) at the left facial nerve
      causing facial paralysis. Case Report A 60-year-old woman presented with sudden
      onset left facial paralysis. Medical history was significant for poorly
      controlled hypertension secondary to bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (primary
      hyperaldosteronism). The patient was initially treated for presumptive Bell's
      palsy. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and internal auditory
      canal showed two microbleeds at the left cerebellopontine angle. Dedicated
      coronal T1 magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo and T2 sampling
      perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle
      evolution sequences revealed two acute microbleeds located at the attached AS and
      REZ of the left facial nerve. The patient experienced only partial recovery from
      House-Brackmann grade IV facial paralysis at presentation to a House-Brackmann
      grade III facial paralysis at 1 year of follow up. Conclusions To the best of the
      authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of facial paralysis caused by
      microbleeds directly affecting the vulnerable AS and REZ facial nerve segments.
      We discuss the zonal microanatomy of the facial nerve and the crucial role of
      high resolution MRI for diagnosis.

PMID- 28631536
TI  - Should ovaries be removed or not in early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma: a
      multicenter retrospective study of 105 patients.
AB  - The study population consisted of 105 patients with stage IA to IIB cervical
      adenocarcinoma (AC) who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy
      from three institutions between 1994 and 2015, including 86 patients with
      bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and 19 patients with ovarian preservation
      operation. Ovarian metastasis were diagnosed in 3 of 86 patients in BSO group
      with an incidence rate of 3.5% (3/86). Among the 19 patients with ovarian
      preservation, none developed an ovarian recurrence in the follow-up (2-71
      months). The 5-year overall survival rate of the BSO group and ovarian
      preservation group were 88.6% and 100%, respectively, with no significant
      difference (p = .266 > .05). FIGO stage was an independent risk factor of ovarian
      metastasis for cervical AC (p = .000 < .05). So we concluded that ovarian
      preservation in young women with early-stage cervical AC may be safe and not
      associated with an increased risk of overall mortality. Impact statement There
      has been long-running considerable controversy regarding ovarian preservation in
      women with cervical AC. The incidence of ovarian metastasis in AC varies
      significantly from 0% to 12.9%. There were few studies regarding the prognosis
      and risk factors of cervical AC patients with ovarian preservation. No
      preoperative selection criteria of ovarian preservation in cervical AC have been
      officially recommended. In our study of 105 patients with stage IA to IIB
      cervical AC, the overall ovarian metastasis rate was 3.5% (3/86), and the
      incidence was 1.5% (1/66) with stage IA to IB. The 5-year overall survival rate
      of 19 cervical adenocarcinoma patients with ovarian preservation was 100%, and no
      ovarian recurrence was observed during the follow-up. Our univariate analysis
      with clinicopathologic variables revealed that only FIGO stage was the risk
      factor associated with ovarian metastasis of cervical AC. Our data implied that
      ovarian preservation in young women with early-stage cervical AC might be safe
      and not associated with an increased risk of overall mortality. Considering the
      deleterious effects of surgical castration on the long-term quality and quantity
      of life, we hold that ovarian preservation should be seriously considered in the
      surgical management of premenopausal women with early-stage cervical AC.

PMID- 28631537
TI  - Sustainability in care through an ethical practice model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While sustainability is a key concept in many different domains
      today, it has not yet been sufficiently emphasized in the healthcare sector.
      Earlier research shows that ethical values and evidence-based care models create
      sustainability in care practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to gain
      further understanding of the ethical values central to the realization of
      sustainability in care and to create an ethical practice model whereby these
      basic values can be made perceptible and active in care practice. RESEARCH
      DESIGN: Part of the ongoing "Ethical Sustainable Caring Cultures" research
      project, a hermeneutical application research design was employed in this study.
      PARTICIPANTS: Dialogues were used, where scientific researchers and co
      researchers were given the opportunity to reflect on ethical values in relation
      to sustainability in care. FINDINGS: An ethical practice model with ethos as its
      core was created from the results of the dialogues. In the model, ethos is
      encircled by the ethical values central to sustainability: dignity,
      responsibility, respect, invitation, and vows. DISCUSSION: The model can be used
      as a starting point for ethical conversations that support carers' reflections on
      the ethical issues seen in day-to-day care work and the work community, allowing
      ethical values to become visible throughout the entire care culture. CONCLUSION:
      It is intended as a tool whereby carers can more deeply understand an
      organization's common basic values and what they entail in regard to
      sustainability in care.

PMID- 28631538
TI  - Just healthcare and human flourishing: Why resource allocation is not just
      enough.
AB  - Over many years, different theories have been developed to guide the social
      practices and policies of institutions so that they demonstrate equal concern and
      respect for all, and satisfy the requirements of justice. Although the normative
      principles described in a theory may support just institutions, whether this
      results in just outcomes will depend on how the decisions that implement the
      principles are made and actioned. As a societal institution charged with caring
      for people, ensuring just outcomes is a distinct concern in healthcare.
      Relationships within this institution are constitutive of human flourishing and
      are also important to justice. Yet, it is not possible to create, maintain or
      evaluate interpersonal relationships in the same manner as institutions because
      rather than being universal and impartial, they are particular and partial.
      Consequently, the link between theories of justice that guide decision-making in
      relation to structures or institutions, and the relationships that influence
      those with a proximate effect on individuals, is not explicit. To address this
      gap, this article argues that a focus on human flourishing provides a nexus
      between the decision-making for just institutions and just outcomes for
      individuals.

PMID- 28631539
TI  - Regional Nerve Blocks for Equine Dentistry.
AB  - Regional nerve blocks are necessary to facilitate equine oral surgery in the
      standing sedated patient. Step-by-step instruction on how to perform common
      regional nerve blocks are discussed, including infraorbital, maxillary, middle
      mental, and inferior alveolar nerve blocks. Regional nerve blocks are critical
      when performing dental procedures in the standing horse.1 The infraorbital and
      maxillary nerve blocks provide anesthesia of the infraorbital nerve, which is a
      branch of the maxillary nerve. Both nerve blocks provide adequate anesthesia for
      all maxillary dental procedures.1 When the infraorbital nerve block is utilized,
      care must be taken to advance the needle into the infraorbital foramen in order
      to appropriately anesthetize the caudal maxillary teeth. Mandibular dental
      procedures require anesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve, which is a branch
      of the mandibular nerve. Local anesthesia at the level of the mental foramen will
      result in anesthesia of ipsilateral incisors and canines, while anesthesia at the
      level of the mandibular foramen will anesthetize the entire ipsilateral
      mandibular dental quadrant. All nerve blocks should have the injection site
      aseptically prepared prior to the procedure. The 4 most common dental nerve
      blocks are described step by step.

PMID- 28631541
TI  - Semilunar Coronally Advanced Periodontal Flap to Increase Soft Tissue Coverage of
      a Maxillary Fourth Premolar in a Dog.
AB  - A 7-year-old, 31.3 kg spayed female Golden Retriever dog was presented for the
      treatment of Miller Class I gingival recession at the right maxillary fourth
      premolar (108). A semilunar coronally advanced periodontal flap was performed at
      this tooth and created an increase of approximately 3 mm of soft tissue coverage
      of the tooth. This method may have benefits over traditional periodontal
      advancement flaps in that there is no need for suturing, can be done more
      quickly, maintains lateral blood supply to the flap, and likely has decreased
      risk of surgical site dehiscence. This case shows that the semilunar coronally
      advanced periodontal flap demonstrates an appropriate method to treat Miller
      Class I gingival recession in the maxilla.

PMID- 28631543
TI  - Scholarship Application.

PMID- 28631546
TI  - Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry: Veterinary Dental Research Grant.

PMID- 28631545
TI  - Life Is Short, Take Pictures!

PMID- 28631547
TI  - Cryptococcal Maxillary Osteomyelitis and Osteonecrosis in a 18-Month-Old Dog.
AB  - An 18-month-old neutered male labradoodle was treated with surgical debridement
      for maxillary osteomyelitis and sequestrum formation. Histopathologic findings of
      the necrotic bone were consistent with Cryptococcus subspecies, confirmed with
      latex agglutination serum titer testing. The patient responded to a combination
      of fluconazole and surgical debridement and was titer negative after 8 months of
      medical therapy. The patient never exhibited signs of systemic illness which is
      commonly reported with cryptococcosis. Cryptococcus subspecies infection in dogs
      in the Pacific Northwest is part of an ongoing outbreak in the region, first
      reported in 2001, and is associated with specific risk factors. This is the first
      published case of oral cryptococcosis from primary inoculation.

PMID- 28631549
TI  - Comparison of Histological and Proliferation Features of Canine Oral Squamous
      Cell Carcinoma Based on Intraoral Location: 36 Cases.
AB  - Grade and labeling indices for immunohistochemical tumor proliferation markers Ki
      67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were evaluated in 36 cases of
      canine oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) based upon intraoral location. Grade
      was significantly associated with location ( P = .035). Grade II tumors were most
      frequently diagnosed. Grade I tumors were identified in the gingiva and the
      buccal mucosa, and grade III tumors were seen in the gingiva and the tonsillar
      region. Animals with tumors arising from the tonsils and of the tongue tended to
      be older ( P = .007), and those in the former group were more likely to have
      metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis ( P = .001). Mean expression of PCNA
      and Ki-67 proliferation index (PI) for all tumors were 62.54% and 50.70%,
      respectively, and there was a statistical significant association between the 2
      variables ( R = .70; P < .001). Proliferation index was not associated with any
      of the intraoral locations evaluated, but higher PCNA PI was significantly
      associated with grade ( P = .031). Ki-67 PI was significantly associated with
      lymph node metastasis at the time of diagnosis, especially for OSCC of gingival
      location ( P = .028). The results obtained in this study are preliminary but
      clinically relevant, since they provide information that can explain differences
      in biologic behavior among intraoral locations and contribute to more accurate
      tumor staging to support the choice for different treatment strategies available
      for OSCC.

PMID- 28631551
TI  - Apical Microleakage in Root Canals Obturated With 2 Different Endodontic Sealer
      Systems in Canine Teeth of Dogs.
AB  - An apical dye leakage test was utilized to compare 2 endodontic sealer systems
      commonly used in veterinary endodontic treatment. Rotary instrumentation followed
      by injection of 2 different sealers (GuttaFlow 2 and AH Plus) and a single master
      cone obturation technique were compared. Following obturation and restoration,
      specimens were immersed in India ink for 48 hours. A tooth mineral clearing
      technique was utilized to render the tooth samples transparent. Subsequently, the
      apices were evaluated for prevalence and magnitude of apical dye penetration
      under magnification. Statistical analysis of the results revealed no significant
      differences in the prevalence or magnitude of apical dye penetration between
      groups.

PMID- 28631552
TI  - Effect of 2,3',4,4',5-Pentachlorobiphenyl Exposure on Endometrial Receptivity and
      the Methylation of HOXA10.
AB  - Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are one of the most common endocrine-disrupting
      chemicals and have obvious toxicity on human reproductive development. The aim of
      our study was to investigate the toxicity of chronic 2,3',4,4',5
      pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 118) exposure on embryo implantation and endometrial
      receptivity, with the possible mechanism of DNA methylation involved. Virgin CD-1
      female mice (3 weeks old) were housed and orally treated with PCB 118 (0, 1, 10,
      100 MUg/kg) for a month. After mating with fertile males, the pregnant mice were
      killed on gestation day 4.5. Compared with the control group, implantation
      failures were observed in 1 MUg/kg PCB 118- and 100 MUg/kg PCB 118-treated
      groups. Abnormal endometrial morphology with open uterine lumens and densely
      compact stromal cells and poorly developed pinopodes were substantially in
      response to PCB 118 doses above, as well as the significant downregulation of
      implantation-associated genes (estrogen receptor 1, homeobox A10 [HOXA10],
      integrin subunit beta 3) and hypermethylation in the promoter region of HOXA10
      further. It was confirmed that chronic exposure to PCB 118 produced an increased
      number of implantation failures in association with a defective uterine
      morphology during the implantation period. Alterations in methylation of HOXA10
      could explain, at least in part, the mechanism of effects of PCB 118 exposure on
      the implantation process.

PMID- 28631553
TI  - Administration of Progesterone Throughout Pregnancy Increases Maternal Steroids
      Without Adverse Effect on Mature Oligodendrocyte Immunostaining in the Guinea
      Pig.
AB  - Progesterone is administered to pregnant women at risk of premature labor,
      despite systematic reviews showing conflicting outcomes regarding its use,
      highlighting doubt over the effectiveness of the therapy. Progesterone can be
      rapidly metabolized into a number of steroids, but to date, there has been a lack
      of investigation into the fetal steroid profiles following administration and
      whether this impacts fetal neurodevelopment. The objective of this study was to
      determine the effect of progesterone treatment on allopregnanolone and cortisol
      levels in the fetus and on a marker of myelination in the fetal brain. We used a
      guinea pig model where pregnant dams were administered vehicle (beta
      cyclodextrin) or progesterone orally throughout pregnancy (GA29-61). Maternal and
      fetal fluids and tissues were collected at both preterm (GA61) and term (GA68)
      ages. Maternal and fetal progesterone and cortisol were analyzed by enzyme
      immunoassay and allopregnanolone by radioimmunoassay. Measurement of myelination
      of fetal brains (hippocampus, cingulum, and subcortical white matter) at preterm
      and term ages was performed by immunohistochemistry staining for myelin basic
      protein. We found that dams receiving progesterone had significantly elevated
      progesterone and cortisol concentrations, but there was no effect on
      allopregnanolone. Interestingly, the increased cortisol concentrations were not
      reflected in the fetuses, and there was no effect of progesterone treatment on
      myelination. Therefore, we conclude that in our guinea pig model, maternal
      administration of progesterone has no effect on cortisol levels or markers of
      mature oligodendrocytes in the fetus and suggest this is potentially due to the
      protective cortisol barrier in the placenta.

PMID- 28631554
TI  - The Effects of Platelet-Activating Factor on Uterine Contractility, Perfusion,
      Hypoxia, and Pain in Mice.
AB  - It is widely hypothesized that menstrual pain is triggered by prostaglandin
      synthesis that evokes high-pressure uterine contractions and ischemia. However,
      the effects of molecules implicated in menstrual pain on uterine contractility,
      perfusion, and oxygenation in vivo have been rarely demonstrated. Studies in
      women that do not respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have
      reported elevated levels of platelet-activating factor (PAF). To establish in
      vivo evidence of PAF's capability to impair uterine homeostasis and to elicit
      visceral pain, we examined the effects of the PAF receptor agonist (carbamyl PAF
      [CPAF]) in comparison to other molecules hypothesized to play a role in uterine
      pain in mice. Uterine pressure was increased by oxytocin, prostaglandin F2alpha
      (PGF2alpha), and CPAF. Even in the absence of inflammatory molecules, uterine
      contractions reduced uterine oxygenation by 38%. CPAF reduced uterine perfusion
      by 40% +/- 8% and elicited further oxygen desaturation approaching hypoxia (9.4
      +/- 3.4 mm Hg Pao2). Intraperitoneal injections of CPAF and PGF2alpha evoked
      visceral pain and pelvic hyperalgesia in awake wild-type mice. However, pain was
      not observed in identically injected PAF-receptor knockout mice. Thus, our model
      provides a demonstration that a molecule implicated in NSAID-resistant
      dysmenorrhea has a detrimental effect on uterine homeostasis and is capable of
      causing visceral pain. Our results support the general hypothesis that menstrual
      cramps are caused by uterine contractions, impaired perfusion, and reduced
      oxygenation. Since this study was limited to mice, confirmation of these results
      in humans would be valuable for development of novel therapeutics targeted at
      inflammatory precursors, contractility, perfusion, and tissue oxygenation.

PMID- 28631555
TI  - GRIK3: A novel oncogenic protein related to tumor TNM stage, lymph node
      metastasis, and poor prognosis of GC.
AB  - Glutamate receptor, ionotropic, kainate 3 (GRIK3), as a member of the glutamate
      kainate receptor family, mainly participated in neuroactive ligand receptor
      interaction pathway. Other members of GRIK family were previously reported to
      regulate cellular migration, transformation, and proliferation in tumor. However,
      the mechanism of GRIK3 in tumor is still unclear. Therefore, the purpose of our
      study was to reveal the expression and clinical significance of GRIK3 in gastric
      cancer (GC). First, we performed the expression analysis and survival analysis of
      GRIK3 using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the results showed that
      the GRIK3 expressed differentially between gastric cancer tissues and the
      adjacent normal tissues and that higher expression of GRIK3 was associated with
      poor survival outcomes. And the gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of
      Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis suggested that GRIK3 mainly took part
      in cancer-related process. Subsequently, the validated immunohistochemistry
      showed that GRIK3 expressed higher in the GC tissues than in the matched normal
      tissues and the patients with overexpressed GRIK3 had worse survival outcomes.
      The univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that the expression of GRIK3
      was an independent prognostic factor to predict GC prognosis. Furthermore,
      additional experiment showed that the lymph node metastasis tissues had higher
      GRIK3 expression than their matched primary GC tissues. These findings suggested
      that elevated GRIK3 expression could serve as an independent prognostic biomarker
      and a novel potential treatment target for patients with GC.

PMID- 28631556
TI  - Kruppel-like factor 4 inhibits non-small cell lung cancer cell growth and
      aggressiveness by stimulating transforming growth factor-beta1-meidated
      ERK/JNK/NF-kappaB signaling pathways.
AB  - Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most common epithelial tumors that cause
      the most common cancer-related mortality due to invasive ability. Research has
      found that Kruppel-like factor 4, a zinc-finger transcription factor, plays a
      critical role in the tumor evolution and progression. However, the molecular
      signal pathways mediated by Kruppel-like factor 4 in the progression of non-small
      cell lung cancer cells have not been well understood yet. In this study, we
      investigated the possible role and potential mechanism of Kruppel-like factor 4
      in growth and aggressiveness of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Results showed
      that Kruppel-like factor 4 is downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer cells.
      Here, we found that Kruppel-like factor 4 knockdown promoted growth and
      aggressiveness of non-small cell lung cancer cells, as well as enhanced apoptotic
      resistance induced by tunicamycin. We also found that Kruppel-like factor 4
      overexpression significantly suppressed growth and aggressiveness of non-small
      cell lung cancer cells. Apoptosis rate of non-small cell lung cancer cells
      induced by tunicamycin was promoted by Kruppel-like factor 4 overexpression.
      Kruppel-like factor 4 overexpression inhibited transforming growth factor-beta1,
      extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, C-jun N-terminal kinase, and
      nuclear factor-kappaB expression levels in non-small cell lung cancer cells.
      Mechanistically, Kruppel-like factor 4-mediated tumorigenesis involved
      suppression of a transforming growth factor-beta1-meidated extracellular signal
      regulated protein kinase/C-jun N-terminal kinase/nuclear factor-kappaB
      transcriptional program in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Our results revealed
      that Kruppel-like factor 4 overexpression non-small cell lung cancer cell reduces
      tumor growth in experimental mice. Overall, these data indicate the inhibitory
      role of Kruppel-like factor 4 in non-small cell lung cancer cells and elaborate a
      potential molecular signal pathway involving in growth and aggressiveness.
      Findings identify Kruppel-like factor 4 can be regarded as a possible new
      molecular agent for designing novel therapeutic protein drug for lung cancer
      treatment to control non-small cell lung cancer growth.

PMID- 28631557
TI  - Bispecific antibody suppresses osteosarcoma aggressiveness through regulation of
      NF-kappaB signaling pathway.
AB  - Osteosarcoma is one of the most lethal malignancies, and the prognosis remains
      dismal due to the paucity of effective therapeutic targets. Bmi-1 and TRIM-14 are
      associated with the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma, which could
      promote angiogenesis, invasion, and apoptotic resistance in bone cancer tissue.
      In this study, we constructed a bispecific antibody of BsAbBmi/TRIM targeting Bmi
      1 and TRIM-14 and investigated the therapeutic value in bone carcinoma cells and
      xenograft mice. Our results showed that Bmi-1 and TRIM-14 expression levels were
      markedly upregulated correlated with nuclear factor-kappaB nuclear translocation
      in bone cancer cells and clinical carcinoma tissues. Results have demonstrated
      that overexpression of Bmi-1 and TRIM-14 promoted growth, proliferation,
      aggressiveness, and apoptosis resistance of osteosarcoma cells. BsAbBmi/TRIM
      administration significantly inhibited nuclear factor-kappaB expression derived
      by matrix metalloproteinase-9 promoter. BsAbBmi/TRIM administration inhibited
      growth of osteosarcoma cells and downregulated Bmi-1 and TRIM-14 expression
      levels. Data also demonstrated that migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells
      were also inhibited by BsAbBmi/TRIM. In addition, results illustrated that
      BsAbBmi/TRIM inhibited tumor growth and tumorigenicity by blockaded sensor
      expression in nuclear factor-kappaB signal pathway. Furthermore, in vivo study
      showed that BsAbBmi/TRIM treatment markedly inhibited the tumorigenicity and
      growth of osteosarcoma cells compared to either AbBmi-1 or AbTRIM-14 treatment.
      Notably, survival of xenograft mice was prolonged by BsAbBmi/TRIM treatment
      compared to either AbBmi-1 or AbTRIM-14 treatment. In conclusion, these results
      provided new evidence that BsAbBmi/TRIM inhibited the progression of
      osteosarcoma, which suggest that BsAbBmi/TRIM may be a novel anti-cancer agent
      for osteosarcoma therapy.

PMID- 28631558
TI  - The overexpression and prognostic role of DCAF13 in hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 13 (DCAF13) is a protein coding gene located on
      chromosome 8q22.3, which is a hotspot amplified in various cancers. DCAF13 has
      been reported to be frequently amplified in breast cancer patients. However, the
      genetic alteration and potential role of DCAF13 in other cancers, including
      hepatocellular carcinoma, have not been investigated yet. In this study, we found
      that DCAF13 was amplified in 14.7% of the cases and its expression was
      upregulated (p < 0.001) in hepatocellular carcinoma samples in The Cancer Genome
      Atlas dataset. Increased expression of DCAF13 was also noticed in 40 paired
      hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non-tumor tissues both at messenger RNA and
      protein levels (p = 0.0002 and 0.0016, respectively). A positive relationship was
      observed between augmented DCAF13 levels and poorer tumor grade (p = 0.005), and
      we also found that hepatocellular carcinoma patients with increased DCAF13
      expression in their tumors had significantly poorer survival compared with those
      with decreased DCAF13 expression (median survival time: 45.73 and 70.53 months,
      respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that DCAF13 was an
      independent prognostic predictor of survival in hepatocellular carcinoma
      patients. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and genomes analysis
      indicated the potential role of DCAF13 as a crucial cell cycle regulator.
      Collectively, our findings revealed that the overexpression of DCAF13 in
      hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly associated with poor survival and may
      participate in the regulation of cell cycle progression.

PMID- 28631559
TI  - PKCzeta in prostate cancer cells represses the recruitment and M2 polarization of
      macrophages in the prostate cancer microenvironment.
AB  - Tumor-associated macrophages are key regulators of the complex interplay between
      tumor and tumor microenvironment. M2 Macrophages, one type of tumor-associated
      macrophages, are involved in prostate cancer growth and progression. Protein
      kinase C zeta has been shown to suppress prostate cancer cell growth, invasion,
      and metastasis as a tumor suppressor; however, its role in chemotaxis and
      activation of tumor-associated macrophages remains unclear. Here, we investigated
      the role of protein kinase C zeta of prostate cancer cells in regulation of
      macrophage chemotaxis and M2 phenotype activation. Immunohistochemistry was
      performed to analyze the expression of protein kinase C zeta and the number of
      CD206+ M2 macrophages in human prostate tissue. Macrophage chemotaxis and
      polarization were examined using Transwell migration assays and a co-culture
      system. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect M2 markers, protein kinase
      C zeta, interleukin-4, and interleukin-10 expression. We found the expression of
      protein kinase C zeta increased in prostate cancer tissues, especially in the
      early stage, and was negatively associated with tumor grade and the number of
      CD206+ macrophages. Inhibition of protein kinase C zeta expression in prostate
      cancer cells promoted chemotaxis of peripheral macrophages and acquisition of M2
      phenotypic features. These results were further supported by the finding that
      silencing of endogenous protein kinase C zeta promoted the expression of prostate
      cancer cell-derived interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. These results suggest that
      protein kinase C zeta plays an important role in reducing infiltration of tumor
      associated macrophages and activation of a pro-tumor M2 phenotype, which may
      constitute an important mechanism by which protein kinase C zeta represses cancer
      progression.

PMID- 28631560
TI  - Mithramycin inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and invasion by
      downregulating SP1 and SNAI1 in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.
AB  - Mithramycin exhibits certain anticancer effects in glioma, metastatic cerebral
      carcinoma, malignant lymphoma, chorionic carcinoma and breast cancer. However,
      its effects on salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma remain unclear. Here, we report
      that mithramycin significantly inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and
      invasion in human salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cell lines. The underlying
      mechanism for this activity was further demonstrated to involve decreasing the
      expression of the transcription factors specificity protein 1 and SNAI1.
      Specificity protein 1 is a pro-tumourigenic transcription factor that is
      overexpressed in SACC-LM and SACC-83 cells, and its expression is inhibited by
      mithramycin. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays showed that
      specificity protein 1 induced SNAI1 transcription through direct binding to the
      SNAI1 promoter. In summary, this study uncovered the mechanism through which
      mithramycin inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and invasion in
      salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cell lines, namely, via downregulating
      specificity protein 1 and SNAI1 expression, which suggests mithramycin may be a
      promising therapeutic option for salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.

PMID- 28631561
TI  - Proinflammatory follicular helper T cells promote immunoglobulin G secretion,
      suppress regulatory B cell development, and correlate with worse clinical
      outcomes in gastric cancer.
AB  - Gastric cancer is one of the most common and aggressive malignancies. Both
      bacterial virulence factors and host chronic inflammation are thought to promote
      gastric cancer development. In this study, we investigated the potential
      involvement of follicular helper T cells in gastric cancer. Functions of
      follicular helper T subsets were examined in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric
      cancer patients and H. pylori-infected but asymptomatic individuals. We found
      that the follicular helper T cells in gastric cancer individuals were skewed
      toward the Th1 and Th17 subsets compared to those in H. pylori-infected but
      asymptomatic individuals. In a naive B cell-follicular helper T cell coculture,
      the Th1-follicular helper T cells by themselves were ineffective at stimulating a
      robust antibody response, unlike the Th2-follicular helper T and Th17-follicular
      helper T cells. However, Th1-follicular helper T cells significantly promoted the
      immunoglobulin G response in collaboration with other follicular helper T
      subsets, through the secretion of interferon gamma. We also found that Th1
      follicular helper T cells suppressed the development of interleukin-10+
      regulatory B cells, a cell type previously thought to protect H. pylori-infected
      individuals from tissue damage. In addition, the frequency of Th1-follicular
      helper T cells in gastric cancer patients was negatively correlated with the
      disease-free survival of gastric cancer patients after tumor resection. These
      results suggested that dysregulation of follicular helper T subsets in gastric
      cancer patients, characterized by increased Th1-follicular helper T cells,
      contributed to inflammation and tumor development.

PMID- 28631562
TI  - Cancer stem cell markers in patterning differentiation and in prognosis of oral
      squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - Differentiation is a major histological parameter determining tumor
      aggressiveness and prognosis of the patient; cancer stem cells with their slow
      dividing and undifferentiated nature might be one of the factors determining the
      same. This study aims to correlate cancer stem cell markers (CD44 and CD147) with
      tumor differentiation and evaluate their subsequent effect on prognosis.
      Immunohistochemical analysis in treatment naive oral cancer patients (n = 53)
      indicated that the expression of CD147 was associated with poorly differentiated
      squamous cell carcinoma and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (p
      < 0.01). Furthermore, co-expression analysis showed that 45% each of moderately
      differentiated squamous cell carcinoma and poorly differentiated squamous cell
      carcinoma patients were CD44high/CD147high as compared to only 10% of patients
      with well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. A three-way analysis indicated
      that differentiation correlated with recurrence and survival (p < 0.05) in only
      the patients with CD44high/CD147high cohort. Subsequently, relevance of these
      cancer stem cell markers in patterning the differentiation characteristics was
      evaluated in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines originating from different
      grades of oral cancer. Flowcytometry-based analysis indicated an increase in
      CD44+/CD147+ cells in cell lines of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma
      (94.35 +/- 1.14%, p < 0.001) and moderately differentiated squamous cell
      carcinoma origin (93.49 +/- 0.47%, p < 0.001) as compared to cell line of well
      differentiated squamous cell carcinoma origin (23.12% +/- 0.49%). Expression
      profiling indicated higher expression of cancer stem cell and epithelial
      mesenchymal transition markers in SCC029B (poorly differentiated squamous cell
      carcinoma originated; p <= 0.001), which was further translated into increased
      spheroid formation, migration, and invasion (p < 0.001) as compared to cell line
      of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma origin. This study suggests that
      CD44 and CD147 together improve the prognostic efficacy of tumor differentiation;
      in vitro results further point out that these markers might be determinant of
      differentiation characteristics, imparting properties of increased self-renewal,
      migration, and invasion.

PMID- 28631563
TI  - Prognostic significance of glutathione peroxidase 2 in gastric carcinoma.
AB  - Increasing evidence suggests that the glutathione peroxidase 2 may actually play
      important roles in tumorigenesis and progression in various human cancers such as
      colorectal carcinomas and lung adenocarcinomas. However, the role of glutathione
      peroxidase 2 in gastric carcinoma remains to be determined. In this study, the
      expression and prognostic significance of glutathione peroxidase 2 in gastric
      carcinoma were investigated and the well-known prognostic factor Ki-67 labeling
      index was also assessed as positive control. Glutathione peroxidase 2 expression
      levels in the tumor tissue specimens, the matched adjacent normal tissue
      specimens, and the lymph node metastases of 176 patients with gastric carcinoma
      were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and
      immunohistochemical staining. The associations between glutathione peroxidase 2
      expression levels, as determined by immunohistochemical staining, and multiple
      clinicopathological characteristics were determined by Pearson's chi-square test
      and Spearman's correlation analysis. The relationships between glutathione
      peroxidase 2 expression and other clinicopathological variables and patient
      prognoses were analyzed further by the Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test,
      and Cox multivariate regression. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction,
      western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining results showed that
      glutathione peroxidase 2 expression levels were upregulated in both the primary
      tumor foci and the lymph node metastases of patients with gastric carcinoma (all
      p values < 0.05). Furthermore, Pearson's chi-square tests, as well as Spearman's
      correlation analysis, revealed that glutathione peroxidase 2 expression levels
      were strongly correlated with the Ki-67 labeling index, differentiation,
      histological patterns, Lauren classifications, lymph node metastasis, vascular
      invasion, tumor-node-metastasis stages, Helicobacter pylori infection, and
      overall survival (all p values < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis, as well as the log
      rank test and multivariate Cox regression analysis, showed that multiple
      clinicopathological risk factors and glutathione peroxidase 2 expression were
      novel independent prognostic factors for gastric carcinoma (all p values < 0.05).
      Glutathione peroxidase 2 expression is a novel independent prognostic biomarker
      for gastric carcinoma that may be used to devise personalized therapeutic
      regimens and precision treatments for this disease.

PMID- 28631564
TI  - Indole-3-carbinol induces apoptosis of chronic myelogenous leukemia cells through
      suppression of STAT5 and Akt signaling pathways.
AB  - Signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 and Akt pathways, implicated
      in signaling transduction downstream of BCR-ABL, play critical roles in the
      pathogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia. Therefore, idenication of novel
      compounds that modulate the activity of such pathways could be a new approach in
      the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. Previous studies have demonstrated
      that indole-3-carbinol inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis of
      various tumor cells. However, its anticancer activity against chronic myeloid
      leukemia cells and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Our data revealed
      that indole-3-carbinol promoted mitochondrial apoptosis of chronic myeloid
      leukemia-derived K562 cells, as evidenced by the activation of caspases and poly
      (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Treatment with indole-3-carbinol was found to
      be associated with a decrease in the cellular levels of phospho-Akt and phospho
      signal transducer and activator of transcription 5. In addition, real-time
      polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the downregulation of genes is
      regulated by Akt and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5. We also
      found that treatment with indole-3-carbinol resulted in the activation of the p38
      mitogen-activated protein kinase and reduced expression of human telomerase and c
      Myc. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the oncogenic signal transducer
      and activator of transcription 5/Akt pathway is a cellular target for indole-3
      carbinol in chronic myeloid leukemia cells. Thus, this clinically tested natural
      compound can be a potential candidate in the treatment of chronic myeloid
      leukemia following confirmation with clinical studies.

PMID- 28631565
TI  - Genetic and epigenetic alterations affecting PARK-2 expression in cervical
      neoplasm among North Indian patients.
AB  - The recent investigation on PARK-2, a putative tumor suppressor gene, has found
      that it has been altered in multiple human malignancies. However, the clinical
      impact of PARK-2 alteration in uterine cervix carcinoma has not yet been studied.
      Therefore, we aimed to examine mutations, promoter hypermethylation, and protein
      expression of PARK-2 among the North Indian patients and their association with
      clinical parameters to evaluate the implication of PARK-2 in the genesis of
      cervical cancer. A total of 168 patient samples were processed for mutational
      analysis by single-strand conformation polymorphism, sequencing, and further in
      silico analysis of the identified mutations. Promoter hypermethylation by
      methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and expression of PARK-2 were
      performed using immunohistochemistry. Statistical correlation between molecular
      findings and the clinicopathological parameters was taken to figure out the
      meaningful outcome. As per our findings, 3.5% (6/168) tumors showed novel
      missense mutations in exon 11 of PARK-2. In silico analysis showed high
      structural deviations manifested by mutations, A398D and Y391N, in both mutant
      proteins as compared to wild type. Promoter hypermethylation was observed in
      total of 29% of (48/168) tumor samples. Furthermore, 46.43% tumors (78/168)
      exhibited loss of PARK-2 expression in cervical carcinoma. The loss of expression
      of PARK-2 when correlated with clinical parameters resulted in significant
      association with tumor stage (p = 0.002) and with histological grade (p = 0.025).
      However, only clinical stage remained significant after Bonferroni correction (p
      < 0.007). A trend was observed between PARK-2 promoter hypermethylation and its
      protein expression. Our study provided sufficient information and insight for
      investigation of PARK-2 and highlighted its role as a tumor suppressor gene in
      cervical cancer in North Indian population.

PMID- 28631566
TI  - Role of magnetic resonance spectroscopy to differentiate high-grade gliomas from
      metastases.
AB  - This study is to measure the diagnostic examination quality of magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy in differentiating high-grade gliomas from metastases. PubMed,
      Embase, and Chinese Biomedical databases were systematically searched for
      relevant studies published through 10 July 2016. Based on the data from eligible
      studies, heterogeneity and threshold effect tests were performed; pooled
      sensitivity, specificity, and areas under summary receiver-operating
      characteristic curve of magnetic resonance spectroscopy were calculated. Finally,
      seven studies with a total of 261 patients were included. Quantitative synthesis
      of studies showed that pooled sensitivity/specificity of Cho/NAA and Cho/Cr ratio
      in peritumoral region was 0.85 (95% confidence interval: 0.79-0.90)/0.93 (95%
      confidence interval: 0.80-0.99) and 0.86 (95% confidence interval: 0.76
      0.92)/0.86 (95% confidence interval: 0.73-0.94). The area under the curve of the
      summary receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.95 and 0.90. Pooled
      sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy to identify high-grade gliomas from metastases were 0.85 (95%
      confidence interval: 0.79-0.90), 0.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.75-0.90), and
      0.90, respectively. We concluded that magnetic resonance spectroscopy
      demonstrated moderate diagnostic performance in distinguishing high-grade gliomas
      from metastases. Furthermore, Cho/NAA ratio showed higher specificity and higher
      value of area under the curve than Cho/Cr ratio in peritumoral region. We suggest
      that Cho/NAA ratio of peritumoral region should be used to improve diagnostic
      accuracy of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for differentiating high-grade
      gliomas from metastases.

PMID- 28631567
TI  - MicroRNA-1285-5p influences the proliferation and metastasis of non-small-cell
      lung carcinoma cells via downregulating CDH1 and Smad4.
AB  - Abnormal expression of microRNAs has been reported to regulate gene expression
      and cancer cell growth, invasion, and migration. Recently, upregulation of hsa
      miR-1285 was demonstrated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples from patients
      with lung cancer and downregulation in plasma level of stage-I lung cancer
      patients. However, the function and the underlying mechanism of miR-1285 in non
      small-cell lung carcinoma have not been elucidated. In this study, we found that
      miR-1285-5p, the mature form of miR-1285, was significantly upregulated in human
      non-small-cell lung carcinoma cell lines A549 and SK-MES-1. Additionally, cells
      transfected with the miR-1285-5p inhibitor LV-anti-miR-1285-5p demonstrated
      significantly inhibited proliferation and invasion and depressed migration.
      Further analysis demonstrated that the miR-1285-5p precursor LV-miR-1285-5p
      attenuated the expression of Smad4 and cadherin-1 (CDH1) but that LV-anti-miR
      1285-5p showed opposite results. A luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR
      1285-5p targeted Smad4 and CDH1. Mechanism analyses revealed that silence of
      Smad4 and CDH1 significantly attenuated the inhibitory effects of LV-anti-miR
      1285-5p on non-small-cell lung carcinoma growth and invasion. Taken together, our
      data suggest that miR-1285-5p functions as a tumor promoter in the development of
      non-small-cell lung carcinoma by targeting Smad4 and CDH1, indicating a novel
      therapeutic strategy for non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28631568
TI  - MiR-183 overexpression inhibits tumorigenesis and enhances DDP-induced
      cytotoxicity by targeting MTA1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
AB  - MicroRNA 183 (miR-183) was identified to be downregulated in nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma spheroids and served as a tumor suppressor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
      However, the regulatory mechanism of miR-183 and its role in cisplatin (DDP)
      resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells are still unclear. The expression of
      miR-183 and metastasis-associated protein 1 at messenger RNA and protein levels
      in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and cells was evaluated using quantitative
      reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting,
      respectively. CNE1 and CNE2 cells were transfected with miR-183 mimic, miR-183
      inhibitor, pcDNA-metastasis-associated protein 1, or respective controls. The
      effects of miR-183 and metastasis-associated protein 1 overexpression on cell
      proliferation, invasion, and DDP-induced apoptosis were detected by 3-(4,5
      dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, Transwell invasion
      assay, and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was
      performed to explore whether miR-183 directly targeted metastasis-associated
      protein 1. Xenograft tumor experiment was applied to confirm the biological
      function of miR-183 in vivo. MiR-183 was downregulated in nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma tissues and cells and negatively correlated with metastasis-associated
      protein 1 expression. Ectopic expression of miR-183 markedly suppressed cell
      proliferation and invasion and strikingly enhanced DDP-induced apoptosis in
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, whereas metastasis-associated protein 1
      overexpression partially reversed these effects. Luciferase reporter assay
      demonstrated that metastasis-associated protein 1 was a direct target of miR-183.
      MiR-183 negatively regulated the expression of metastasis-associated protein 1 at
      both the messenger RNA and protein levels. Xenograft tumor experiment indicated
      that miR-183 overexpression repressed tumor growth and improved DDP-induced
      cytotoxicity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vivo. MiR-183 overexpression
      inhibited tumorigenesis and enhanced DDP-induced cytotoxicity by targeting
      metastasis-associated protein 1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, contributing to the
      development of novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of clinical
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28631569
TI  - Insulin-induced enhancement of MCF-7 breast cancer cell response to 5
      fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide.
AB  - The study was designed to evaluate the potential use of insulin for cancer
      specific treatment. Insulin-induced sensitivity of MCF-7 breast cancer cells to
      chemotherapeutic agents 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide was evaluated. To
      investigate and establish the possible mechanisms of this phenomenon, we assessed
      cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, activation of apoptotic and
      autophagic pathways, expression of glucose transporters 1 and 3, formation of
      reactive oxygen species, and wound-healing assay. Additionally, we reviewed the
      literature regarding theuse of insulin in cancer-specific treatment. We found
      that insulin increases the cytotoxic effect of 5-fluorouracil and
      cyclophosphamide in vitro up to two-fold. The effect was linked to enhancement of
      apoptosis, activation of apoptotic and autophagic pathways, and overexpression of
      glucose transporters 1 and 3 as well as inhibition of cell proliferation and
      motility. We propose a model for insulin-induced sensitization process. Insulin
      acts as a sensitizer of cancer cells to cytotoxic therapy through various
      mechanisms opening a possibility for metronomic insulin-based treatments.

PMID- 28631570
TI  - The effect of RCAN1 on the biological behaviors of small cell lung cancer.
AB  - Bone is the third most common site of cancer metastasis. In total, 30%-40% of
      lung cancer cases can develop skeletal metastasis for which no effective therapy
      in clinic is available. RCAN1 (regulator of calcineurin 1) is an important
      regulator in angiogenesis which is vital to tumor growth. In this study, we
      investigated the changes of biological behaviors in SBC-5 and SBC-3 cells after
      the RCAN1 expression level was changed. Briefly, overexpression of RCAN1
      significantly attenuated their malignancy, including decreased ability of
      proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion, and bone adherence.
      Furthermore, the cell cycle progression was impeded. Although the opposite
      changes were observed in SBC-3 cells after the RCAN1 expression was suppressed by
      RNA interference, the apoptosis rate was not affected by the expression level of
      RCAN1 in these cells. So, our research revealed that RCAN1 was involved in the
      development of small cell lung cancer, and it might be a cancer-inhibiting gene
      for the formation of bone metastases in small cell lung cancer.

PMID- 28631571
TI  - A truncated p53 in human lung cancer cells as a critical determinant of
      proliferation and invasiveness.
AB  - As a transcription factor, p53 must accumulate in the nucleus to be effective.
      Signals related to nuclear localization are distributed mainly in the C-terminal
      of p53. So these nuclear location domains were reserved and the other part of the
      C-terminal was removed in this study. We investigated whether the truncated p53
      (p53(DEL)) may affect proliferation and invasive potential of human lung cancer
      cells. H1299 and 801D cells expressing full-length p53 and the p53(DEL) were
      obtained by screening. Cell proliferation assay, cell apoptotic analysis, cell
      migration assay, and invasion assay were performed. Protein expression was
      examined by Western blotting. The data showed H1299-p53(DEL) and 801D-p53(DEL)
      cells grew more slowly than H1299-p53 and 801D-p53 cells, respectively. The
      colony formation of H1299-p53(DEL) and 801D-p53(DEL) cells reduced. The truncated
      p53 induced cell apoptosis. The expression levels of Bax and p53 upregulated
      modulator of apoptosis were increased in H1299-p53(DEL) and 801D-p53(DEL) cells.
      H1299-p53(DEL) and 801D-p53(DEL) cells were also characterized by decreased
      migration and invasion. The expression of the truncated p53 resulted in
      upregulation of E-cadherin and downregulation of Vimentin, Slug, Twist1, and zinc
      finger E-box-binding homeobox 1, which suggested the truncated p53 inhibited
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition occurrence. The above-mentioned characteristics
      were reverted by treatment of with pifithrin-a, a p53 inhibitor. These findings
      support the existence of a direct link between the p53(DEL), proliferation,
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and invasiveness in human lung cancer cells.
      So the p53(DEL) is a promising target for prevention and treatment of lung
      cancer.

PMID- 28631572
TI  - Endoplasmic reticulum stress could induce autophagy and apoptosis and enhance
      chemotherapy sensitivity in human esophageal cancer EC9706 cells by mediating
      PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
AB  - The study was designed to explore the mechanism of tunicamycin-induced
      endoplasmic reticulum stress in human esophageal cancer EC9706 cells and EC109
      cells, as well as its effects on cell autophagy, apoptosis, and chemoresistance.
      Tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress model was established in EC9706
      and EC109 cell lines. Western blotting was employed to detect the expression of
      endoplasmic reticulum stress iconic protein GRP78. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)
      2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to evaluate the effect of
      different cisplatin and tunicamycin concentrations on survival rate of EC9706
      cells and EC109 cells. Autophagy was monitored using monodansylcadaverin and
      apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the
      expressions of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins (PERK, eIF2alpha,
      and CHOP), PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins, autophagy-related
      proteins (LC3-I/LC3-II, Beclin-1, and p62), and apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl
      2, Bax, and cleaved caspase-3). Tunicamycin led to increased expression of GRP78.
      With tunicamycin treatment, phosphorylation of PERK and eIF2alpha and CHOP
      expression increased. Meanwhile, the increase in cytolysosome was concentration
      and time dependent. With the increased tunicamycin concentration, there were
      increased expressions of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, decreased expression of Bcl
      2, and lower phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins.
      Therefore, it can be concluded that the combination of tunicamycin and cisplatin
      could improve the sensitivity of EC9706 cells and EC109 cells to cisplatin; PI3K
      inhibitor BEZ235 could enhance cell autophagy and apoptosis and increase cell
      sensitivity to cisplatin.

PMID- 28631573
TI  - Effects of miR-1236-3p and miR-370-5p on activation of p21 in various tumors and
      its inhibition on the growth of lung cancer cells.
AB  - The mechanism of dsRNA-induced gene activation (RNAa) is being gradually
      unveiled. The plentiful evidence that it existed in mammalian species other than
      human demonstrated that dsRNA-mediated RNAa is a conservative phenomenon.
      Simultaneously, accumulating evidence suggested that microRNAs could activate
      gene expression by targeting promoter. Nevertheless, it is ambiguous whether
      microRNA-induced gene activation in different human cells is a common phenomenon.
      The study we performed verified that miR-1236-3p (miR-1236) and miR-370-5p can
      activate p21 expression in bladder cancer (BCa) T24, EJ cells, and non-small-cell
      lung carcinoma A549 cells, while in hepatocellular HepG2 cells both microRNAs
      cannot effectively induce the expression of P21WAF1/CIP1 (p21). In pancreatic
      cancer PANC-1 cells, only miR-370-5p had the potent abilities to induce p21
      expression rather than miR-1236-3p. Unlike microRNA-mediated RNA activation, we
      can observe that dsP21-322 significantly activated p21 in above cells. Besides,
      we demonstrated that miR-1236 and miR-370 inhibited cyclin D1-CDK4/CDK6 pathway
      while upregulated E-cadherin expression by upregulation of p21. Overexpression of
      these two microRNAs in A549 induced cell-cycle arrest and cell senescence,
      delayed cell proliferation and colony formation, and inhibited migration and
      invasion. In conclusion, microRNA-mediated RNAa depends on the cell context, and
      miR-1236 and miR-370 can inhibit non-small-cell lung carcinoma cell growth by
      upregulating p21 expression in vitro.

PMID- 28631574
TI  - MicroRNA-125a-5p plays a role as a tumor suppressor in lung carcinoma cells by
      directly targeting STAT3.
AB  - Increasing evidence supports that the dysregulation of microRNA expression plays
      an important role in the process of tumor occurrence and development. Studies
      have found that mir-125a-5p expression was downregulated in a variety of tumors,
      but the effects and mechanism of mir-125a-5p in lung cancer are still unclear.
      The aim of this study is to detect the expression of mir-125a-5p in lung cancer
      tissues and lung cancer cell lines and to explore the effects of mir-125a-5p on
      the biological characteristics of lung cancer cells; thus, this study aims to
      provide new methods and new strategies for the treatment of lung cancer. The
      result from quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction showed
      that the expression of miR-125a-5p was significantly lower in lung cancer tissues
      and lung cancer cell lines (95-D, A549, HCC827, and NCI-H1299) than that in
      normal tissue adjacent to lung cancer or normal human bronchial epithelial cells.
      In order to explore the function and mechanism of mir-125a-5p in lung cancer
      cells, miR-125a-5p mimic or mir-125a-5p inhibitor was transfected into A549
      cells. Mir-125a-5p displayed an obvious upregulation in A549 cells transfected
      with miR-125a-5p and an obvious downregulation in A549 cells transfected with mir
      125a-5p inhibitor compared to that in A549 cells transfected with control miRNA.
      3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, BrdU staining,
      flow cytometry, and Transwell assay showed that the upregulation of miR-125a-5p
      could significantly decrease the cell viability, proliferation, and invasion of
      lung cancer cells and increase apoptosis of lung cancer cells. The downregulation
      of miR-125a-5p provided very contrasting results. Computational algorithms
      predicted that the STAT3 is a target of miR-125a-5p. Here, we validated that miR
      125a-5p could directly bind to the 3'-untranslated region of STAT3, and miR-125a
      5p overexpression could significantly inhibit the protein expression of STAT3.
      These results suggested that mir-125a-5p can regulate the expression of STAT3 in
      lung cancer cells. To further verify whether mir-125a-5p can play a biological
      role through regulating STAT3, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H
      tetrazolium bromide, flow cytometry, and Transwell analysis demonstrated that
      overexpression of STAT3 can reverse the cells' biological effects induced by mir
      125a-5p overexpression. Mir-125a-5p downregulated in lung cancer tissue and cell
      lines can negatively regulate STAT3 protein expression. Taken together, mir-125a
      5p inhibited the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells and facilitated
      lung cancer cell apoptosis through suppressing STAT3. Enhancing the expression of
      miR-125a-5p is expected to benefit the therapy for the patients with lung cancer.

PMID- 28631575
TI  - Long non-coding RNA CCAT1/miR-218/ZFX axis modulates the progression of laryngeal
      squamous cell cancer.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs have been proved to be closely associated with different
      cancers. This study was designed to elucidate the function and mechanisms of
      colon cancer-associated transcript-1 in the progression of human laryngeal
      squamous cell cancer. Expressions of colon cancer-associated transcript-1,
      microRNA-218, and zinc finger protein, X-linked messenger RNA were measured using
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the expression level of
      zinc finger protein, X-linked protein was detected using western blot.
      Proliferation and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell cancer cell lines were
      detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and Transwell invasion assay, respectively.
      Luciferase assay was used to confirm whether microRNA-218 is a target of colon
      cancer-associated transcript-1 and whether microRNA-218 directly binds to 3'
      untranslated region of zinc finger protein, X-linked messenger RNA. Effect of
      colon cancer-associated transcript-1 on tumor growth was observed through
      xenograft mice models in vivo. The results showed that expressions of colon
      cancer-associated transcript-1 and zinc finger protein, X-linked were
      significantly higher while microRNA-218 expression was significantly lower in the
      laryngeal squamous cell cancer tissues than those in the adjacent normal tissues.
      MicroRNA-218 overexpression or zinc finger protein, X-linked silencing
      significantly suppressed proliferation and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell
      cancer cells. Moreover, knockdown of colon cancer-associated transcript-1
      significantly inhibited proliferation and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell
      cancer cells, which were reversed by microRNA-218 downregulation or zinc finger
      protein, X-linked upregulation. Finally, colon cancer-associated transcript-1
      silencing inhibited xenograft tumor growth of laryngeal squamous cell cancer in
      vivo. In conclusion, colon cancer-associated transcript-1 knockdown inhibits
      proliferation and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell cancer cells through
      enhancing zinc finger protein, X-linked by sponging microRNA-218, elucidating a
      novel colon cancer-associated transcript-1-microRNA-218-zinc finger protein, X
      linked regulatory axis in laryngeal squamous cell cancer and providing a
      promising therapeutic target for laryngeal squamous cell cancer patients.

PMID- 28631576
TI  - Mid-term results of percutaneous ventricular septal defect closure with Amplatzer
      Duct Occluder-II in children.
AB  - : Aim The aim of this study was to share the mid-term results of percutaneous
      ventricular septal defect closure using Amplatzer Duct Occluder-II in children.
      BACKGROUND: Nowadays, percutaneous ventricular septal defect closure is accepted
      as an alternative to surgery, but so far no ideal device has been developed for
      this procedure. METHODS: In the study centre, between April, 2011 and October,
      2016, the ventricular septal defect of 49 patients was closed percutaneously
      using the Amplatzer Duct Occluder-II device, and seven of them were <1 year old.
      RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 86.8+/-52.6 months. The mean weight of the
      patients was 24.3+/-16 kg. The mean diameter of the defect was 3.7+/-1.4 mm. Mean
      fluoroscopy time and total procedure time were 37+/-19.3 and 74.1+/-27 minutes,
      respectively. The types of ventricular septal defects were muscular in six
      patients, and were perimembranous in the rest of them. We did not face any major
      complications during the procedure, but one patient was admitted with a complete
      atrioventricular block in the 6th month of follow-up. The total follow-up period
      was 66 months. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, our study includes the largest
      series of paediatric patients whose ventricular septal defect was closed using
      Amplatzer Duct Occluder-II percutaneously. When the complications during the 66
      month follow-up period are taken into consideration, we can state that Amplatzer
      Duct Occluder-II is a safe and effective device, even in infants aged <1 year.

PMID- 28631577
TI  - The impact of opioid medications on subsequent fractures in discharged emergency
      department patients with peripheral vertigo.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vertigo is common in the emergency department (ED). Most aetiologies
      are peripheral and do not require hospitalization, but many patients still fear
      falling. Some patients may be taking opioid analgesic medications (for other
      reasons); the risk of falls leading to fractures among patients with vertigo
      could be potentiated by the simultaneous use of opioids. OBJECTIVES: To examine
      the risk of fractures in discharged ED patients with peripheral vertigo who were
      being prescribed opioids during the same time period. METHODS: Linked
      administrative databases from Ontario were used to compare discharged ED patients
      aged >=65 with peripheral vertigo to patients with urinary tract infection (UTI)
      from 2006 to 2011. We used Cox regression analysis with an interaction term to
      estimate the modifying effect of an opioid prescription on the hazard of fracture
      within 90 days. RESULTS: There were 13,012 patients with a peripheral vertigo
      syndrome and 76,885 with a UTI. Thirteen percent of the vertigo cohort and 25% of
      the UTI cohort had access to a filled opioid prescription. Compared to vertigo
      patients who did not fill an opioid prescription, the adjusted hazard of fracture
      among vertigo patients who did fill a prescription was 3.59 (95% CI 1.97-6.13).
      Among UTI patients who filled an opioid prescription the hazard ratio was 1.68
      (95% CI 1.43-1.97) compared to UTI patients who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Patients
      discharged from the ED with peripheral vertigo who were also being prescribed
      opioids had a higher hazard of subsequent fracture compared to those who were
      not, and the effect was much greater than among UTI patients. These results
      suggest that in the acutely vertiginous older patient, opioid analgesic
      medications should be modified, where possible.

PMID- 28631579
TI  - Opening of KATP Channel Regulates Tonic Currents From Pyramidal Neurons in Rat
      Brain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels couple metabolic state to cellular
      excitability. Activation of neuronal and astrocytic mitochondrial KATP (mitoKATP)
      channels regulates a variety of neuronal functions. However, less is known about
      the impact of mitoKATP on tonic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibition. Tonic
      GABA inhibition is mediated by the binding of ambient GABA on extrasynaptic GABA
      A-type receptors (GABAARs) and is involved in regulating neuronal excitability.
      METHODS: We determined the impact of activation of KATP channels with diazoxide
      (DIZ) on tonic inhibition and recorded tonic current from rat cortical layer 5
      pyramidal cells by patch-clamp recordings. RESULTS: We found that neonatal tonic
      current increased with an increase in GABA concentration, which was partially
      mediated by the GABA A-type receptor (GABAAR) alpha5, and likely the delta
      subunits. Activation of KATP channels resulted in decreased tonic current in
      newborns, but there was increased tonic current during the second postnatal week.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that activation of KATP channels with DIZ
      regulates GABAergic transmission in neocortical pyramidal cells during
      development.

PMID- 28631578
TI  - The journey to autism: Insights from neuroimaging studies of infants and
      toddlers.
AB  - By definition, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder
      that emerges during early childhood. It is during this time that infants and
      toddlers transition from appearing typical across multiple domains to exhibiting
      the behavioral phenotype of ASD. Neuroimaging studies focused on this period of
      development have provided crucial knowledge pertaining to this process, including
      possible mechanisms underlying pathogenesis of the disorder and offering the
      possibility of prodromal or presymptomatic prediction of risk. In this paper, we
      review findings from structural and functional brain imaging studies of ASD
      focused on the first years of life and discuss implications for next steps in
      research and clinical applications.

PMID- 28631580
TI  - Bulletproof heart: Gunshot wound to the ventricular septum without pericardial
      effusion or hemodynamic collapse.

PMID- 28631581
TI  - The writer's guide to education scholarship in emergency medicine: Education
      innovations (part 3).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The scholarly dissemination of innovative medical education practices
      helps broaden the reach of this type of work, allowing scholarship to have an
      impact beyond a single institution. There is little guidance in the literature
      for those seeking to publish program evaluation studies and innovation papers.
      This study aims to derive a set of evidence-based features of high-quality
      reports on innovations in emergency medicine (EM) education. METHODS: We
      conducted a scoping review and thematic analysis to determine quality markers for
      medical education innovation reports, with a focus on EM. A search of MEDLINE,
      EMBASE, ERIC, and Google Scholar was augmented by a hand search of relevant
      publication guidelines, guidelines for authors, and website submission portals
      from medical education and EM journals. Study investigators reviewed the selected
      articles, and a thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Our search strategy
      identified 14 relevant articles from which 34 quality markers were extracted.
      These markers were grouped into seven important themes: goals and need for
      innovation, preparation, innovation development, innovation implementation,
      evaluation of innovation, evidence of reflective practice, and reporting and
      dissemination. In addition, multiple outlets for the publication of EM education
      innovations were identified and compiled. CONCLUSION: The publication and
      dissemination of innovations are critical for the EM education community and the
      training of health professionals. We anticipate that our list of innovation
      report quality markers will be used by EM education innovators to support the
      dissemination of novel educational practices.

PMID- 28631582
TI  - Effect of green tea extract supplementation on glycogen replenishment in
      exercised human skeletal muscle.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week green tea
      extract (GTE) supplementation on promoting postexercise muscle glycogen
      resynthesis and systemic energy substrate utilisation in young college students.
      A total of eight healthy male participants (age: 22.0 (se 1.0) years, BMI: 24.2
      (se 0.7) kg/m2, VO2max: 43.2 (se 2.4) ml/kg per min) participated in this study.
      GTE (500 mg/d for 8 weeks) was compared with placebo in participants in a double
      blind/placebo-controlled and crossover study design with an 8-week washout
      period. Thereafter, all participants performed a 60-min cycling exercise (75 %
      VO2max) and consumed a carbohydrate-enriched meal immediately after exercise.
      Vastus lateralis muscle samples were collected immediately (0 h) and 3 h after
      exercise, and blood and gaseous samples were collected during the 3-h
      postexercise recovery period. An 8-week oral GTE supplementation had no effects
      on further promoting muscle glycogen resynthesis in exercised human skeletal
      muscle, but the exercise-induced muscle GLUT type 4 (GLUT4) protein content was
      greater in the GTE supplementation trial (P<0.05). We observed that, during the
      postexercise recovery period, GTE supplementation elicited an increase in energy
      reliance on fat oxidation compared with the placebo trial (P<0.05), although
      there were no differences in blood glucose and insulin responses between the two
      trials. In summary, 8-week oral GTE supplementation increases postexercise
      systemic fat oxidation and exercise-induced muscle GLUT4 protein content in
      response to an acute bout of endurance exercise. However, GTE supplementation has
      no further benefit on promoting muscle glycogen resynthesis during the
      postexercise period.

PMID- 28631584
TI  - Clinical characterization of Italian suicide attempters with bipolar disorder.
AB  - : IntroductionBipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic, highly disabling condition
      associated with psychiatric/medical comorbidity and substantive morbidity,
      mortality, and suicide risks. In prior reports, varying parameters have been
      associated with suicide risk. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate sociodemographic and
      clinical variables characterizing Italian individuals with BD with versus without
      prior suicide attempt (PSA). METHODS: A sample of 362 Italian patients
      categorized as BD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
      Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR) was assessed and divided in
      2 subgroups: with and without PSA. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were
      compared between prior attempters and non-attempters using corrected multivariate
      analysis of variance (MANOVA). RESULTS: More than one-fourth of BD patients
      (26.2%) had a PSA, with approximately one-third (31%) of these having>1 PSA.
      Depressive polarity at onset, higher number of psychiatric hospitalizations,
      comorbid alcohol abuse, comorbid eating disorders, and psychiatric poly
      comorbidity were significantly more frequent (p<.05) in patients with versus
      without PSA. Additionally, treatment with lithium, polypharmacotherapy (>=4
      current drugs) and previous psychosocial rehabilitation were significantly more
      often present in patients with versus without PSA. CONCLUSIONS: We found several
      clinical variables associated with PSA in BD patients. Even though these
      retrospective findings did not address causality, they could be clinically
      relevant to better understanding suicidal behavior in BD and adopting proper
      strategies to prevent suicide in higher risk patients.

PMID- 28631585
TI  - A case of intracardiac echinococcosis.
AB  - We describe a case of multisystemic cystic echinococcosis exhibiting intracardiac
      involvement. A lesion inside the lateral wall of the left ventricle induced
      negative T waves on leads V5 and V6.

PMID- 28631583
TI  - Dietary magnesium intake and fracture risk: data from a large prospective study.
AB  - Research considering the relationship between dietary Mg and osteoporosis as well
      as fractures are sparse and conflicting. We therefore aimed to investigate Mg
      intake and the onset of fractures in a large cohort of American men and women
      involved in the Osteoarthritis Initiative over a follow-up period of 8 years.
      Dietary Mg intake (including that derived from supplementation) was evaluated
      through a FFQ at baseline and categorised using sex-specific quintiles (Q);
      osteoporotic fractures were evaluated through self-reported history. Overall,
      3765 participants (1577 men; 2071 women) with a mean age of 60.6 (sd 9.1) years
      were included. During follow-up, 560 individuals (198 men and 368 women)
      developed a new fracture. After adjusting for fourteen potential confounders at
      baseline and taking those with lower Mg intake as reference (Q1), men (hazard
      ratio (HR) 0.47; 95 % CI 0.21, 1.00, P=0.05) and women (HR 0.38; 95 % CI 0.17,
      0.82, P=0.01) in the highest quintile reported a significantly lower risk for
      fracture. Women meeting the recommended Mg intake were at a 27 % decreased risk
      for future fractures. In conclusion, higher dietary Mg intake has a protective
      effect on future osteoporotic fractures, especially in women with a high risk for
      knee osteoarthritis. Those women meeting the recommended Mg intake appear to be
      at a lower risk for fractures.

PMID- 28631586
TI  - Benign positional vertigo and endolymphatic hydrops: what is the connection?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and endolymphatic
      hydrops are considered to be distinct diagnoses, a minority of vertiginous
      patients exhibit features of both conditions. This coincidence has been reported
      previously in the literature, and is reviewed here in terms of possible
      aetiology. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: A new hypothesis to account for both
      conditions is offered, implicating free-floating degenerating debris from the
      otolithic apparatus. It is postulated that the gelatinous/proteinaceous component
      may account for an osmotically induced hydrops, while the calcified fragments may
      induce positional vertigo.

PMID- 28631587
TI  - Dietary supplementation with a nucleotide-rich yeast extract modulates gut immune
      response and microflora in weaned pigs in response to a sanitary challenge.
AB  - An experiment was carried out to evaluate the short-term effect of supplementing
      a nucleotide-rich yeast extract (NRYE) on growth performance, gut structure,
      immunity and microflora of piglets raised under sanitary and unsanitary
      conditions. A total of 84, 21-day old piglets were used in this study; 42 piglets
      were raised in a room designated as the clean room that was washed once per week,
      whereas the other 42 piglets were raised in a room designated as the unclean room
      in which 7 kg of manure from the sow herd was spread on each pen floor on day 1
      and 7 and the room was not washed throughout the experiment. The pigs were fed a
      corn-soybean meal-based diet without or with 0.1% NRYE. Each treatment had 7
      replicate pens in each room, and each pen housed 3 pigs. Feed disappearance and
      BW were recorded on day 1 and 14. On day 14, one pig per pen was euthanized to
      collect ileum, mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen tissues, and cecum and colon
      digesta. Overall, NRYE supplementation did not affect growth performance in both
      clean and unclean conditions, improved kidney weight in both clean (P=0.0002) and
      unclean room (P<0.0001) and tended to improve the villus height/crypt depth ratio
      in the clean room (P=0.073). Supplementing NRYE was associated with upregulation
      of Ileal programmed cell death gene-1 (P=0.0003), interleukin (IL)-1beta
      (P<0.0001), IL-6 (P=0.0003), IL-10 (P<0.0001) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF-alpha) (P<0.0001) in pigs raised in the unclean room. Supplementing the NRYE
      in pigs raised in the clean room suppressed growth of cecal Enterobacteriacea
      (P<0.0001) members and colonic Enterococcus spp. (P<0.019), improved
      proliferation of cecal Lactobacillus spp. (P<0.002) and colonic Clostridium
      cluster IV (P<0.011) and XVIa members (P<0.0002). Supplementing the NRYE in the
      unclean room improved proliferation of cecal Clostridium cluster IV (P<0.026) and
      suppressed proliferation of colonic Enterococcus spp. (P<0.037). In conclusion,
      supplementing the NRYE to piglets under unsanitary conditions improved ileal
      immune response by upregulating inflammatory cytokines, and positively modulated
      proliferation of beneficial gut bacteria and suppression of harmful ones in both
      clean and unclean rooms.

PMID- 28631588
TI  - Spawning performance of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) induced with ethanol
      preserved and fresh catfish pituitary extract.
AB  - This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of preserved and fresh
      pituitary extract of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) to induced spawning in
      the same species. Growth performance of fry was also monitored for 15 days to
      determine the possible effect of natural hormone treatment on the fry. Pituitary
      glands (PG) were obtained from 12 male broodstocks, six extracted PG were
      preserved in 96% ethanol 24 h before injection, while the other were extracted
      and used in their fresh state. The PG solutions (1 g ml-1 of saline water) were
      injected at 1 ml kg-1 of the female broodstock. Ovaprim(r) (a synthetic hormone)
      was used as the control and administered at a rate of 0.5 ml kg -1 of fish. After
      a uniform latency period of 9 h 30 min, fish were striped, fertilized, incubated
      and the performance evaluated. Results obtained revealed better hatching
      performance using Ovaprim(r) synthetic hormone (64.52%), however, preserved PG
      gave better hatchability (59.74%) than fresh PG extract (51.39%). After 15 days
      of feeding ad libitum with shell-free Artemia cysts, the growth of fry spawn with
      preserved PG was comparable with that of the control, while least performance was
      observed using the fresh PG. It was concluded that preservation of PG in ethanol
      24 h before injection had a positive effect on breeding performance and could be
      exploited in the commercial production of C. gariepinus fingerlings.

PMID- 28631589
TI  - Comparison of protein expression during wild-type, and E1B-55k-deletion,
      adenovirus infection using quantitative time-course proteomics.
AB  - Adenovirus has evolved strategies to usurp host-cell factors and machinery to
      facilitate its life cycle, including cell entry, replication, assembly and
      egress. Adenovirus continues, therefore, to be an important model system for
      investigating fundamental cellular processes. The role of adenovirus E1B-55k in
      targeting host-cell proteins that possess antiviral activity for proteasomal
      degradation is now well established. To expand our understanding of E1B-55k in
      regulating the levels of host-cell proteins, we performed comparative proteome
      analysis of wild-type, and E1B-55k-deletion, adenovirus-infected cancer cells. As
      such we performed quantitative MS/MS analysis to monitor protein expression
      changes affected by viral E1B-55k. We identified 5937 proteins, and of these, 69
      and 58 proteins were down-regulated during wild-type and E1B-55k (dl1520)
      adenovirus infection, respectively. This analysis revealed that there are many,
      previously unidentified, cellular proteins subjected to degradation by adenovirus
      utilizing pathways independent of E1B-55k expression. Moreover, we found that
      ALCAM, EPHA2 and PTPRF, three cellular proteins that function in the regulation
      of cell-cell contacts, appeared to be degraded by E1B-55k/E4orf3 and/or E1B
      55k/E4orf6 complexes. These molecules, like integrin alpha3 (a known substrate of
      E1B-55k/E4orf6), are critical regulators of cell signalling, cell adhesion and
      cell surface modulation, and their degradation during infection is, potentially,
      pertinent to adenovirus propagation. The data presented in this study illustrate
      the broad nature of protein down-regulation mediated by adenovirus.

PMID- 28631590
TI  - Comparative Evaluation of Veriflow(r) Salmonella Species to USDA and FDA Culture
      Based Methods for the Detection of Salmonella spp. in Food and Environmental
      Samples.
AB  - Veriflow(r) Salmonella species (Veriflow SS) is a molecular-based assay for the
      presumptive detection of Salmonella spp. from environmental surfaces (stainless
      steel, sealed concrete, plastic, and ceramic tile), dairy (2% milk), raw meat
      (20% fat ground beef), chicken carcasses, and ready-to-eat (RTE) food (hot dogs).
      The assay utilizes a PCR detection method coupled with a rapid, visual, flow
      based assay that develops in 3 min post-PCR amplification and requires only an 18
      h enrichment for maximum sensitivity. The Veriflow SS system eliminates the need
      for sample purification, gel electrophoresis, or fluorophore-based detection of
      target amplification and does not require complex data analysis. This Performance
      Tested MethodSM validation study demonstrated the ability of the Veriflow SS
      method to detect low levels of artificially inoculated or naturally occurring
      Salmonella spp. in eight distinct environmental and food matrixes. In each
      reference comparison study, probability of detection analysis indicated that
      there was no significant difference between the Veriflow SS method and the U.S.
      Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service Microbiology
      Laboratory Guidebook Chapter 4.06 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
      Bacteriological Analytical Manual Chapter 5 reference methods. A total of 104
      Salmonella strains were detected in the inclusivity study, and 35 nonspecific
      organisms went undetected in the exclusivity study. The study results show that
      the Veriflow SS method is a sensitive, selective, and robust assay for the
      presumptive detection of Salmonella spp. sampled from environmental surfaces
      (stainless steel, sealed concrete, plastic, and ceramic tile), dairy (2% milk),
      raw meat (20% fat ground beef), chicken carcasses, and RTE food (hot dogs).

PMID- 28631591
TI  - Comparative Evaluation of Veriflow(r)Listeria Species to USDA Culture-Based
      Method for the Detection of Listeria spp. in Food and Environmental Samples.
AB  - Veriflow(r) Listeria species (Veriflow LS) is a molecular-based assay for the
      presumptive detection of Listeria spp. from environmental surfaces (stainless
      steel, sealed concrete, plastic, and ceramic tile) and ready-to-eat (RTE) food
      matrixes (hot dogs and deli meat). The assay utilizes a PCR detection method
      coupled with a rapid, visual, flow-based assay that develops in 3 min post-PCR
      amplification and requires only a 24 h enrichment for maximum sensitivity. The
      Veriflow LS system eliminates the need for sample purification, gel
      electrophoresis, or fluorophore-based detection of target amplification and does
      not require complex data analysis. This Performance Tested MethodSM validation
      study demonstrated the ability of the Veriflow LS assay to detect low levels of
      artificially inoculated Listeria spp. in six distinct environmental and food
      matrixes. In each unpaired reference comparison study, probability of detection
      analysis indicated that there was no significant difference between the Veriflow
      LS method and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection
      Service Microbiology Laboratory Guide Chapter 8.08 reference method. Fifty-one
      strains of various Listeria spp. were detected in the inclusivity study, and 35
      nonspecific organisms went undetected in the exclusivity study. The study results
      show that the Veriflow LS is a sensitive, selective, and robust assay for the
      presumptive detection of Listeria spp. sampled from environmental surfaces
      (stainless steel, sealed concrete, plastic, and ceramic tile) and RTE food
      matrixes (hot dogs and deli meat).

PMID- 28631592
TI  - Blastomonas quesadae sp. nov., isolated from a saline soil by dilution-to
      extinction cultivation.
AB  - We isolated a Gram-stain-negative, aerobic bacterial strain, 912T, from a soil
      sample taken from Rambla Salada (Murcia), south-eastern Spain, by using the
      dilution-to-extinction method. Cells of the strain were motile with a polar
      flagellum, short rod-shaped, catalase- and oxidase-positive and grew at NaCl
      concentrations within the range 0-5 % (w/v) (optimum 3 %, w/v), at 4-32  degrees
      C (optimum 30  degrees C) and at pH 6-9 (optimum pH 7); bacteriochlorophyll a was
      produced. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that this strain
      belonged to the genus Blastomonas in the class Alphaproteobacteria. Its closest
      relatives were Blastomonas natatoria EY 4220T, Blastomonas ursincola KR-99T and
      Blastomonas aquatica PE 4-5T, to which the strain showed 16S rRNA gene sequence
      similarity values of 95.9, 95.8 and 95.1 %, respectively. The DNA G+C content was
      63 mol%. The major fatty acids of strain 912T were C18 : 1omega7c/C18 : 1omega6c,
      C16 : 1omega7c/C16 : 1omega6c, C16 : 0 and C17 : 1omega6c. The predominant
      isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone 10 (Q-10). The polar lipids contained
      diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine,
      phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, phosphoglycolipid, one unidentified
      phospholipid and two unidentified polar lipids. Based on the phylogenetic,
      genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, the strain represents a novel
      species of the genus Blastomonas, for which the name Blastomonas quesadae sp.
      nov. is proposed. Strain 912T (=CECT 9186T=LMG 29921T) is the type strain.

PMID- 28631593
TI  - A DENV-2-type-specific monoclonal antibody binds to the DENV-complex-reactive
      antigenic site on envelope protein domain 3.
AB  - The Dengue virus (DENV) envelope (E) protein is the major component of the viral
      surface and is structurally subdivided into three domains, ED1, ED2 and ED3. ED3
      elicits potent neutralizing antibodies and contains two major antigenic sites:
      the DENV-type-specific and DENV-complex-reactive antigenic sites. Each site is
      composed of a limited subset of residues that are required for monoclonal
      antibody (mAb) binding. Here we show that DENV-2-type-specific mAb 9A3D-8
      utilizes the functionally critical residues K307, V308, K310, I312, P332, L387,
      L389 and N390 for ED3 binding. Surprisingly, this DENV-type-specific epitope is
      predicted to overlap with the ED3 DENV-complex-reactive antigenic site on the
      viral surface. Further, this unique binding site enables mAb 9A3D-8 to neutralize
      virus infectivity at relatively low occupancy of virions compared to other ED3
      mAbs identified to date. Together, the data in this study indicate that this is a
      new DENV-2-type-specific antigenic site on ED3.

PMID- 28631594
TI  - Human picornaviruses associated with neurological diseases and their
      neutralization by antibodies.
AB  - Picornaviruses are the most commonly encountered infectious agents in mankind.
      They typically cause mild infections of the gastrointestinal or respiratory
      tract, but sometimes also invade the central nervous system. There, they can
      cause severe diseases with long-term sequelae and even be lethal. The most
      infamous picornavirus is poliovirus, for which significant epidemics of
      poliomyelitis were reported from the end of the nineteenth century. A successful
      vaccination campaign has brought poliovirus close to eradication, but
      neurological diseases caused by other picornaviruses have increasingly been
      reported since the late 1990s. In this review we focus on enterovirus 71,
      coxsackievirus A16, enterovirus 68 and human parechovirus 3, which have recently
      drawn attention because of their links to severe neurological diseases. We
      discuss the clinical relevance of these viruses and the primary role of humoral
      immunity in controlling them, and summarize current knowledge on the
      neutralization of such viruses by antibodies.

PMID- 28631595
TI  - A 32 kDa viral attachment protein of lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV)
      specifically interacts with a 27.8 kDa cellular receptor from flounder
      (Paralichthys olivaceus).
AB  - The 27.8 kDa protein in flounder gill (FG) cells was previously proved to be a
      receptor specific for lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) entry and infection. In
      this paper, a 32 kDa viral attachment protein (VAP) of LCDV specifically binding
      to the 27.8 kDa receptor (27.8R) was found by far-Western blotting coupled with
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against 27.8R. The 32 kDa protein was confirmed to
      be encoded by the open reading frame (ORF) 038 gene in LCDV-C, and predicted to
      contain a putative transmembrane region, multiple N-myristoylation and
      glycosylation sites and phosphorylation motifs. The expression plasmid of pET-32a
      ORF038 was constructed and the recombinant VAP (rVAP) was obtained. Rabbit
      polyclonal antibodies against the rVAP were prepared and could recognize the rVAP
      and 32 kDa protein in LCDV. Immunogold electron microscopy showed that the 32 kDa
      protein was located on the surface of LCDV particles. Immunofluorescence assay
      demonstrated that the rVAP could bind to the 27.8R on the cell membrane of the FG
      monolayer and the anti-27.8R MAbs could block the rVAP binding. Pre-incubation of
      the rVAP with FG cells before LCDV infection, or pre-incubation of LCDV with the
      antibodies against the rVAP, could significantly decrease the LCDV copy numbers
      (P<0.05) and delay the emergence of cytopathic effects in FG cells in a dose
      dependent manner. These results indicated for the first time that the 32 kDa
      protein functioned as an attachment protein for the initial attachment and entry
      of LCDV, and the interaction of the 32 kDa VAP with the 27.8R-initiated LCDV
      infection.

PMID- 28631596
TI  - Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase acts as a host restriction factor on pseudorabies
      virus replication.
AB  - Cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) catalyses the production of 25
      hydroxycholesterol (25HC) from cholesterol by adding a second hydroxyl group at
      position 25. The aim of this study was to examine the antiviral effect of CH25H
      on pseudorabies virus (PRV), a swine pathogen that can cause devastating disease
      and economic losses worldwide. The results showed that porcine ch25h was induced
      by either interferon or PRV infection. PRV infection of porcine alveolar
      macrophages (3D4/21 cells) was attenuated by CH25H overexpression and enhanced by
      silencing of CH25H. Furthermore, treatment of 3D4/21 cells with 25HC inhibited
      the growth of PRV in vitro, suggesting that CH25H may restrict PRV replication by
      25HC production. We further identified that the anti-PRV role of CH25H and 25HC
      was subject to their inhibitory effect on PRV attachment and entry. Collectively,
      these findings demonstrate that CH25H is an intrinsic host restriction factor in
      PRV infection of porcine alveolar macrophages.

PMID- 28631597
TI  - Colwellia agarivorans sp. nov., an agar-digesting marine bacterium isolated from
      coastal seawater.
AB  - A novel Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, yellowish and agar
      digesting marine bacterium, designated strain QM50T, was isolated from coastal
      seawater in an aquaculture site near Qingdao, China. Phylogenetic analysis based
      on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate represented a member of the
      genus Colwellia and exhibited the highest sequence similarity (97.4 %) to
      Colwellia aestuarii SMK-10T. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) values based on
      draft genome sequences between strain QM50T and C. aestuarii KCTC 12480T showed a
      relatedness of 72.0 % (ANIb) and 85.1 % (ANIm). Cells of strain QM50T were
      approximately 0.3-0.6*0.8-2.5 um in size and motile by means of a polar
      flagellum. Growth occurred in the presence of 1.0-6.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.0
      3.0 %), at pH 6.5-8.5 (optimum, pH 7.0) and at 4-37  degrees C (optimum, 28-30 
      degrees C). Strain QM50T was found to contain ubiquinone 8 (Q-8) as the
      predominant ubiquinone and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1omega7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2
      OH), C16 : 0 and C17 : 1omega8c as the main cellular fatty acids.
      Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol were found to be major polar
      lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain QM50T was determined to be 35.7 mol%. On
      the basis of phylogenetic and phenotypic data, strain QM50T represents a novel
      species of the genus Colwellia, for which the name Colwellia agarivorans sp. nov.
      is proposed. The type strain is QM50T (=KCTC 52273T=MCCC 1H00143T).

PMID- 28631598
TI  - In vitro and in vivo evidence of a potential A(H1N1)pdm09 antigenic drift
      mediated by escape mutations in the haemagglutinin Sa antigenic site.
AB  - Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus continues to circulate worldwide without evidence of
      significant antigenic drift between 2009 and 2016. By using escape mutants, we
      previously identified six haemagglutinin (HA) changes (T80R, G143E, G158E, N159D,
      K166E and A198E) that were located within antigenic sites. Combinations of these
      mutations were introduced into the A(H1N1)pdm09 HA plasmid by mutagenesis.
      Reassortant 6 : 2 viruses containing both the HA and NA genes of the A(H1N1)pdm09
      and the six internal gene segments of A/PR/8/34 were rescued by reverse genetics.
      In vitro, HA inhibition and microneutralization assays showed that the HA hexa
      mutant reassortant virus (RG1) escaped A(H1N1)pdm09 hyper-immune ferret antiserum
      recognition. C57Black/6 mice that received the vaccine formulated with
      A/California/07/09 were challenged with 2*104 p.f.u. of either the 6 : 2 wild
      type (WT) or RG1 viruses. Reductions in body weight loss, mortality rate and lung
      viral titre were observed in immunized animals challenged with the 6 : 2 WT virus
      compared to non-immunized mice. However, immunization did not protect mice
      challenged with RG1 virus. To further characterize the mutations causing this
      antigenic change, 11 additional RG viruses whose HA gene contained single or
      combinations of mutations were evaluated in vitro. Although the RG1 virus was
      still the least reactive against hyper-immune serum by HAI testing, mutations
      G158E and N159D within the Sa antigenic site appeared to play the major role in
      the altered antigenicity of the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. These results show that the
      Sa antigenic site contains the most prominent epitopes susceptible to cause an
      antigenic drift, escaping actual vaccine protection.

PMID- 28631599
TI  - Efficacy and safety of omalizumab in children and adolescents with moderate-to
      severe asthma: A systematic literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are limited pediatric data about the use of omalizumab,
      especially the effectiveness and safety of omalizumab in the real-world
      management of allergic asthma. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to
      summarize the safety and efficacy of omalizumab in both randomized clinical
      trials (RCT) used for U.S. Food and Drug Administration registration and real
      world studies (RWS) based on clinical care of children with moderate-to-severe
      asthma. METHODS: Studies that evaluated omalizumab use in patients <18 years old
      and with asthma, published between January 2003 and October 2016, were retrieved
      from medical literature data bases. Assessed outcomes included the following:
      exacerbation rates, spirometric indices, changes in asthma medication use, asthma
      control, patient-reported outcomes, and health care resource utilization.
      RESULTS: A total of five RWS were identified; outcomes reported were compared
      with three omalizumab RCTs. Overall, the mean rate of annual exacerbations was
      significantly lower after 6 months to 2 years of treatment with omalizumab in
      both RCTs and RWS. In two RCTs and three RWS, inhaled corticosteroid use was
      significantly reduced in patients who used omalizumab. Similar reductions in the
      use of rescue medication were also observed in the RCTs and RWS on omalizumab.
      Real-world evidence demonstrated improvement in forced expiratory volume in the
      first second of expiration (% predicted) in patients treated with omalizumab as
      well as significant improvement in the level of asthma control observed over 1
      year. There also was evidence that omalizumab treatment reduced health care
      resource utilization, including fewer hospitalizations, emergency department
      visits, and unscheduled medical visits. Safety outcomes in all five RWS showed no
      new safety signals and demonstrated that omalizumab was well tolerated.
      CONCLUSION: Overall, RCT evidence strongly supported omalizumab efficacy and
      safety as add-on treatment in children 6 to 11 years old with moderate-to-severe
      persistent allergic asthma. RWS data confirmed these findings in an extended
      patient population of children and adolescents that is more generalizable to the
      actual day-to-day management of these patients.

PMID- 28631600
TI  - Inhibition of Carbonic Anhydrase IX by Ureidosulfonamide Inhibitor U104 Reduces
      Prostate Cancer Cell Growth, But Does Not Modulate Daunorubicin or Cisplatin
      Cytotoxicity.
AB  - Carbonic anhydrase (CA) IX has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy.
      It is highly upregulated in hypoxic regions and mediates pH regulation critical
      for tumor cell survival as well as extracellular acidification of the tumor
      microenvironment, which promotes tumor aggressiveness via various mechanisms,
      such as augmenting metastatic potential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to
      analyze the complex interdependency between CA IX and the tumor microenvironment
      in prostate tumor cells with regard to potential therapeutic implications. CA IX
      was upregulated by hypoxia as well as acidosis in prostate cancer cells. This
      induction did not modulate intracellular pH but led to extracellular
      acidification. Pharmacological inhibition of CA IX activity by U104 (SLC-0111)
      resulted in a reduction in tumor cell growth and an increase in apoptotic cell
      death. Intracellular pH was reduced under normoxic and even more so under hypoxic
      conditions when CA IX level was high. However, although intracellular pH
      regulation was disturbed, targeting CA IX in combination with daunorubicin or
      cisplatin did not intensify apoptotic tumor cell death. Hence, targeting CA IX in
      prostate cancer cells can lead to intracellular pH dysregulation and,
      consequently, can reduce cellular growth and elevate apoptotic cell death.
      Attenuation of extracellular acidification by blocking CA IX might additionally
      impede tumor progression and metastasis. However, no beneficial effect was seen
      when targeting CA IX in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs.

PMID- 28631601
TI  - Viral genes and cellular markers associated with neurological complications
      during herpesvirus infections.
AB  - Despite the importance of neurological disorders associated with herpesviruses,
      the mechanism by which these viruses influence the central nervous system (CNS)
      has not been definitively established. Owing to the limitations of studying
      neuropathogenicity of human herpesviruses in their natural host, many aspects of
      their pathogenicity and immune response are studied in animal models. Here, we
      present an important model system that enables studying neuropathogenicity of
      herpesviruses in the natural host. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is an
      alphaherpesvirus that causes a devastating neurological disease (EHV-1
      myeloencephalopathy; EHM) in horses. Like other alphaherpesviruses, our
      understanding of virus neuropathogenicity in the natural host beyond the
      essential role of viraemia is limited. In particular, information on the role of
      different viral proteins for virus transfer to the spinal cord endothelium in
      vivo is lacking. In this study, the contribution of two viral proteins, DNA
      polymerase (ORF30) and glycoprotein D (gD), to the pathogenicity of EHM was
      addressed. Furthermore, different cellular immune markers, including alpha
      interferon (IFN-alpha), gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and
      interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), were identified to play a role during the course
      of the disease.

PMID- 28631603
TI  - A single point mutation in Tomato spotted wilt virus NSs protein is sufficient to
      overcome Tsw-gene-mediated resistance in pepper.
AB  - The nonstructural protein (NSs) of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was
      previously identified as an avirulence determinant for Tsw-based resistance on
      pepper. The NSs of wild-type (WT) and resistance-breaking (RB) TSWV strains
      isolated in Hungary had only two amino acid substitutions (104, 461). We have
      analysed the ability of the NSs and their point mutant variants to trigger Tsw
      mediated hypersensitive responses and RNA silencing suppressor (RSS) activity in
      patch assays. We identified a single amino acid change at position 104 (T-A) that
      was responsible for the necrosis induction or loss, while a significant
      difference was not detected in the RSS activity of the two parental strains. We
      have successfully complemented the infection of the WT strain on resistant pepper
      cultivar with the infectious S RNA transcript of the RB strain and the WT-T104A
      point mutant. Our work provides direct evidence that a single amino acid change
      can induce an RB phenotype.

PMID- 28631602
TI  - Nationwide overview of the distribution of hepatitis B virus genotypes in Brazil:
      a 1000-sample multicentre study.
AB  - The influence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in the natural history of the
      disease and its response to antiviral treatment have been addressed in many
      studies. In Brazil, studies on HBV genotype circulation have been restricted to
      specific population groups and states. Here, we have conducted a nationwide
      multicentre study with an unprecedented sample size representing all Brazilian
      regions in an effort to better understand the viral variants of HBV circulating
      among chronic carriers. Seven HBV genotypes were found circulating in Brazil.
      Overall, HBV/A was the most prevalent, identified in 589 (58.7 %) samples,
      followed by HBV/D (23.4 %) and HBV/F (11.3 %). Genotypes E, G, C and B were found
      in a minor proportion. The distribution of the genotypes differed markedly from
      the north to the south of the country. While HBV/A was the most prevalent in the
      North (71.6 %) and Northeast (65.0 %) regions, HBV/D was found in 78.9 % of the
      specimens analysed in the South region. HBV/F was the second most prevalent
      genotype in the Northeast region (23.5 %). It was detected in low proportions (7
      to 10 %) in the North, Central-West and Southeast regions, and in only one sample
      in the South region. HBV/E was detected in all regions except in the South, while
      monoinfection with HBV/G was found countrywide, with the exception of Central
      West states. Our sampling covered 24 of the 26 Brazilian states and the Federal
      District and is the first report of genotype distribution in seven states. This
      nationwide study provides the most complete overview of HBV genotype distribution
      in Brazil to date and reflects the origin and plurality of the Brazilian
      population.

PMID- 28631604
TI  - Vaccinia virus egress mediated by virus protein A36 is reliant on the F12
      protein.
AB  - Egress of vaccinia virus from its host cell is mediated by the microtubule
      associated motor kinesin-1, and three viral proteins, A36 and the F12/E2 complex,
      have been implicated in this process. Deletion of F12 expression causes a more
      severe reduction in egress than deletion of A36 but whether these proteins are
      involved in the same or different mechanisms of kinesin-1 recruitment is unknown.
      Here it is shown that a virus lacking both proteins forms a smaller plaque than
      mutants lacking either gene alone, indicating non-redundant functions. A36 not
      only links virions directly to kinesin-1 but also nucleates actin polymerization
      to propel surface virions away from the host cell. To address the relative
      importance of these functions for virus spread, a panel of recombinant viruses
      was constructed in which the ability of A36 to bind kinesin-1 or to nucleate
      actin polymerization was abrogated individually or together, in the presence or
      absence of F12 expression. Analysis of these viruses revealed that in the
      presence of the F12 protein, loss of kinesin-1 interaction made a greater
      contribution to plaque size than did the formation of actin tails. However in the
      absence of F12, the ability of A36 to promote egress was abrogated. Therefore,
      the ability of A36 to promote egress by kinesin-1 is reliant on the F12 protein.

PMID- 28631605
TI  - Loss of Sendai virus C protein leads to accumulation of RIG-I immunostimulatory
      defective interfering RNA.
AB  - Retinoic acid inducible gene (RIG-I)-mediated innate immunity plays a pivotal
      role in defence against virus infections. Previously we have shown that Sendai
      virus (SeV) defective interfering (DI) RNA functions as an exclusive and potent
      RIG-I ligand in DI-RNA-rich SeV-Cantell infected cells. To further understand how
      RIG-I is activated during SeV infection, we used a different interferon (IFN)
      inducing SeV strain, recombinant SeVDeltaC, which, in contrast to SeV-Cantell is
      believed to stimulate IFN production due to the lack of the SeV IFN antagonist
      protein C. Surprisingly, we found that in SevDeltaC-infected cells, DI RNAs also
      functioned as an exclusive RIG-I ligand. Infections with wild-type SeV failed to
      generate any RIG-I-associated immunostimulatory RNA and this correlated with the
      lack of DI genomes in infected cells, as well as with the absence of cellular
      innate immune responses. Supplementation of the C protein in the context of
      SeVDeltaC infection led to a reduction in the number of DI RNAs, further
      supporting the potential role of the C protein as a negative regulator of DI
      generation and/or accumulation. Our findings indicate that limiting DI genome
      production is an important function of viral IFN antagonist proteins.

PMID- 28631607
TI  - One year in review 2017: ultrasound in crystal arthritis.
AB  - Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) has become a relevant part of rheumatology
      practice and research. This imaging modality substantially allows us to optimise
      the management of inflammatory, degenerative and crystal-related musculoskeletal
      diseases. MSUS is a valuable point-of-care tool to accurately assess intra
      articular and periarticular abnormalities involved in rheumatic diseases.
      Furthermore, MSUS is a bedside aid for guiding accurate and safe musculoskeletal
      diagnostic aspirations and therapeutic injections. This review provides an
      overview of the last year's literature on the role of MSUS in crystal arthritis.

PMID- 28631606
TI  - Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.2.1 and clade 2.3.4 viruses do
      not induce a clade-specific phenotype in mallard ducks.
AB  - Among the diverse clades of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses
      of the goose/Guangdong lineage, only a few have been able to spread across
      continents: clade 2.2 viruses spread from China to Europe and into Africa in 2005
      2006, clade 2.3.2.1 viruses spread from China to Eastern Europe in 2009-2010 and
      clade 2.3.4.4 viruses of the H5Nx subtype spread from China to Europe and North
      America in 2014/2015. While the poultry trade and wild-bird migration have been
      implicated in the spread of HPAI H5N1 viruses, it has been proposed that robust
      virus-shedding by wild ducks in the absence of overt clinical signs may have
      contributed to the wider dissemination of the clade 2.2, 2.3.2.1 and 2.3.4.4
      viruses. Here we determined the phenotype of two divergent viruses from clade
      2.3.2.1, a clade that spread widely, and two divergent viruses from clade 2.3.4,
      a clade that was constrained to Southeast Asia, in young (ducklings) and adult
      (juvenile) mallard ducks. We found that the virus-shedding magnitude and
      duration, transmission pattern and pathogenicity of the viruses in young and
      adult mallard ducks were largely independent of the virus clade. A clade-specific
      pattern could only be detected in terms of cumulative virus shedding, which was
      higher with clade 2.3.2.1 than with clade 2.3.4 viruses in juvenile mallards, but
      not in ducklings. The ability of clade 2.3.2.1c A/common buzzard/Bulgaria/38
      WB/2010-like viruses to spread cross-continentally may, therefore, have been
      strain-specific or independent of phenotype in wild ducks.

PMID- 28631608
TI  - One year in review 2017: pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease influenced
      by both genetic and environmental factors. It has been postulated that a high
      risk genetic background, in combination with epigenetic marks and environmental
      exposures, leads to a cascade of events inducing synovitis and consequent
      destructive arthritis. The clinical picture of joint involvement in RA is the
      result of chronic inflammation of the synovium, characterised by interactions of
      resident cells such as fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) with cells of the
      innate (e.g. macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells and NK cells, neutrophils)
      and adaptive immune system (e.g. B and T lymphocytes). Currently, our
      understanding of the role of innate and adaptive immunity in the pathogenesis of
      RA is expanding. The concept of how immune responses contribute to the disease
      has dramatically evolved over the last 50 years. Shedding some light on the
      different aspects of RA pathogenesis will help to identify new targets for the
      development of disease-modifying therapies. Thus, in this review we report new
      insights in RA pathogenesis, resulting from a literature research date published
      in the last year.

PMID- 28631609
TI  - Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for systemic lupus
      erythematosus: time ready for a paradigm shift?

PMID- 28631611
TI  - The gene family that cheats Mendel.
AB  - Some alleles of the wtf gene family can increase their chances of spreading by
      using poisons to kill other alleles, and antidotes to save themselves.

PMID- 28631610
TI  - A large gene family in fission yeast encodes spore killers that subvert Mendel's
      law.
AB  - Spore killers in fungi are selfish genetic elements that distort Mendelian
      segregation in their favor. It remains unclear how many species harbor them and
      how diverse their mechanisms are. Here, we discover two spore killers from a
      natural isolate of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Both killers
      belong to the previously uncharacterized wtf gene family with 25 members in the
      reference genome. These two killers act in strain-background-independent and
      genome-location-independent manners to perturb the maturation of spores not
      inheriting them. Spores carrying one killer are protected from its killing effect
      but not that of the other killer. The killing and protecting activities can be
      uncoupled by mutation. The numbers and sequences of wtf genes vary considerably
      between S. pombe isolates, indicating rapid divergence. We propose that wtf genes
      contribute to the extensive intraspecific reproductive isolation in S. pombe, and
      represent ideal models for understanding how segregation-distorting elements act
      and evolve.

PMID- 28631613
TI  - Repairing a bone defect with a three-dimensional cellular construct composed of a
      multi-layered cell sheet on electrospun mesh.
AB  - In addition to providing maneuverability, electrospun nanofibrous meshes can make
      excellent supports for constructing flexible cell sheets to regulate cell
      behavior by nanofiber features. With the target of bone regeneration, herein
      composite nanofibers with two different fiber arrangements (nestlike, random)
      were electrospun from a blend solution containing poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and
      gelatin (1:1 in weight ratio). Unlike the non-woven morphology in a random
      nanofibrous mesh, PLLA/gelatin composite nanofibers in the nestlike nanofibrous
      mesh displayed both non-woven and parallel morphologies. Both kinds of
      nanofibrous mesh were ~50 MUm thick as-prepared, and shrank to ~30 MUm after
      seeding with bone mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs). After 7 days of in vitro
      culture, cell sheets could form on both meshes (CSM) and on the culture plate. It
      was found that application of nanofibrous mesh promoted the osteogenic
      differentiation of BMSC sheets compared with the control. The nestlike mesh
      displayed slight superiority over the random mesh in enhancing osteogenic
      differentiation, but their different fiber arrangements did not cause much
      difference in cell proliferation. Three-dimensional multi-layered CSM constructs
      were built by stacking four mono-layered CSMs together. The CSM constructs (based
      on a nestlike or random nanofibrous mesh) were incubated in vitro for 3 days
      before being implanted into rat cranial defects. In comparison with the control
      group, there was significant formation of new calcified bone in both CSM
      construct-filled groups at 12 weeks' post-operation. The nestlike group showed
      slightly better bone healing (based on both qualitative and quantitative
      analysis) than the random group, while showing insignificant differences. We
      showed that the concept of using a three-dimensional multi-layered CSM construct
      in enhancing bone regeneration was feasible. Future studies should take more
      nanofiber features (e.g. bioactive components) into account to further enhance
      osteogenesis.

PMID- 28631612
TI  - wtf genes are prolific dual poison-antidote meiotic drivers.
AB  - Meiotic drivers are selfish genes that bias their transmission into gametes,
      defying Mendelian inheritance. Despite the significant impact of these genomic
      parasites on evolution and infertility, few meiotic drive loci have been
      identified or mechanistically characterized. Here, we demonstrate a complex
      landscape of meiotic drive genes on chromosome 3 of the fission yeasts
      Schizosaccharomyces kambucha and S. pombe. We identify S. kambucha wtf4 as one of
      these genes that acts to kill gametes (known as spores in yeast) that do not
      inherit the gene from heterozygotes. wtf4 utilizes dual, overlapping transcripts
      to encode both a gamete-killing poison and an antidote to the poison. To enact
      drive, all gametes are poisoned, whereas only those that inherit wtf4 are rescued
      by the antidote. Our work suggests that the wtf multigene family proliferated due
      to meiotic drive and highlights the power of selfish genes to shape genomes, even
      while imposing tremendous costs to fertility.

PMID- 28631614
TI  - 3D-printed bioceramic scaffolds with antibacterial and osteogenic activity.
AB  - Bacterial infection poses a significant risk with the wide application of bone
      graft materials. Designing bone grafts with good antibacterial performance and
      excellent bone-forming activity is of particular significance for bone tissue
      engineering. In our study, a 3D printing method was used to prepare beta
      tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) bioceramic scaffolds. Silver (Ag) nanoparticles
      were uniformly dispersed on graphene oxide (GO) to form a homogeneous
      nanocomposite (named Ag@GO) with different Ag-to-graphene oxide mass ratios, with
      this being synthesized via the liquid chemical reduction approach. Ag@GO
      nanocomposites were successfully modified on the beta-TCP scaffolds by a simple
      soaking method to achieve bifunctional biomaterials with antibacterial and
      osteogenic activity. The prepared scaffolds possessed a connected network with
      triangle pore morphology and the surfaces of the beta-TCP scaffolds were
      uniformly modified by the Ag@GO nanocomposite layers. The Ag content in the
      scaffolds was controlled by changing the coating times and concentration of the
      Ag@GO nanocomposites. The antibacterial activity of the scaffolds was assessed
      with Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, E. coli). The results demonstrated
      that the scaffolds with Ag@GO nanocomposites presented excellent antibacterial
      activity. In addition, the scaffolds coated with Ag@GO nanocomposites
      conspicuously accelerated the osteogenic differentiation of rabbit bone marrow
      stromal cells by improving their alkaline phosphatase activity and bone-related
      gene expression (osteopontin, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin
      and bone sialoprotein). This study demonstrates that bifunctional scaffolds with
      a combination of antibacterial and osteogenic activity can be achieved for the
      reconstruction of large-bone defects while preventing or treating infections.

PMID- 28631615
TI  - Phonon-drag magnetoquantum oscillations in graphene.
AB  - A theory of low-temperature phonon-drag magnetothermopower [Formula: see text] is
      presented in graphene in a quantizing magnetic field. [Formula: see text] is
      found to exhibit quantum oscillations as a function of magnetic field B and
      electron concentration n e . The amplitude of the oscillations is found to
      increase (decrease) with increasing B (n e ). The behavior of [Formula: see text]
      is also investigated as a function of temperature. A large value of [Formula: see
      text] (~few hundreds of MUV K-1) is predicted. Numerical values of [Formula: see
      text] are compared with the measured magnetothermopower S xx and the diffusion
      component [Formula: see text] from the modified Girvin-Jonson theory.

PMID- 28631616
TI  - On the dynamics of perching manoeuvres with low-aspect-ratio planforms.
AB  - The dynamics of a simple perching manoeuvre are investigated using circular and
      aspect-ratio-two elliptical flat plates, as abstractions of low-aspect-ratio
      planforms observed in highly-manoeuvrable birds. The perching kinematic
      investigated in this study involves a pitch-up motion from an angle of attack of
      [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], while simultaneously decelerating.
      This motion is defined by the shape change number, [Formula: see text], which
      acts as a measure of the relative contributions of added-mass and circulatory
      effects. This motion has been observed in natural flyers during controlled
      landings, and has recently been explored through the use of a nominally two
      dimensional airfoil. The parameter space of low-aspect-ratio plates therefore
      serves to elucidate how realistic free-end conditions affect the timescales of
      vortex evolution, and therefore the relative contributions between added mass and
      circulation. The results presented herein suggest that for the low-aspect-ratio
      plates, the shedding of vortices occurs more rapidly than for equivalent two
      dimensional cases, and therefore faster pitching motions are required to
      compensate for the lower levels of lift and drag. Furthermore, the vortex
      topology and instantaneous forces that arise during the rapid-area changes show
      no sensitivity to aspect ratio, and strong collapse is observed between both flat
      plates. Similar aerodynamic advantages may therefore be exploited during perching
      manoeuvres by birds of various scale regardless of wing aspect ratio.

PMID- 28631617
TI  - HfO2 high-k solid-state incandescent devices: performance improvement using a Ti
      embedded layer and observation of conductive paths as light-emitting sources.
AB  - Solid-state incandescent light-emission devices (SSI-LEDs) with a metal-oxide
      semiconductor structure are promising candidates for future broadband light
      emission devices. In this work, the electrical and light-emission features of SSI
      LEDs based on HfO2 high-k thin films with or without the Ti-embedded layer on p
      type silicon wafers have been studied. It turns out that the Ti-embedded layer
      can effectively reduce the turn-on voltage, thus improving the fluorescence
      efficiency of SSI-LEDs. The combination of scanning electron microscopy, atomic
      force microscope (AFM) and conductive AFM results unambiguously clarifies that
      conductive filaments, which are formed due to local thermal excitation during the
      forming process, are accompanied by the formation of pits on the HfO2 surface and
      are responsible for the light emission. This work develops an effective approach
      to improving the luminescence performance of SSI-LEDs and experimentally explains
      the light-emitting mechanism of such devices, which is of great importance to
      eventually realizng broadband light-emitting devices with low power consumption.

PMID- 28631618
TI  - Exhaled carbon monoxide is correlated with ischemia reperfusion injuries during
      ex vivo lung perfusion in pigs.
AB  - Measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) might help in the selection of lung
      grafts during ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) since its endogenous production is
      increased under ischemia reperfusion. The objective of this study was to measure
      eCO variations depending on the extent of lung ischemia reperfusion injuries.
      Using a porcine model and a laser spectrometer instrument, eCO was measured
      during EVLP. eCO was compared after 30 min (D0) or 24 h (D1) of cold ischemia.
      The ability of eCO to distinguish lungs deemed suitable for transplantation was
      evaluated. Six lungs were studied at D0 and compared to six lungs studied at D1.
      eCO was systematically higher on D1 (1.35 +/- 0.26 ppmv versus 0.95 +/- 0.31
      ppmv, p = 0.01). The best threshold concentration for eCO to select lungs was
      0.86 ppmv (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.65 [95%
      confidence interval: 0.34-0.97], p = 0.40). These results show that eCO varies
      during EVLP. The interpretation of this variation and the role of eCO as a
      biomarker of ischemia reperfusion injuries during EVLP should be tested in
      further clinical studies.

PMID- 28631619
TI  - Modeling trans-spinal direct current stimulation for the modulation of the lumbar
      spinal motor pathways.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Trans-spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) is a potential new
      technique for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). TsDCS aims to facilitate
      plastic changes in the neural pathways of the spinal cord with a positive effect
      on SCI recovery. To establish tsDCS as a possible treatment option for SCI, it is
      essential to gain a better understanding of its cause and effects. We seek to
      understand the acute effect of tsDCS, including the generated electric field (EF)
      and its polarization effect on the spinal circuits, to determine a cellular
      target. We further ask how these findings can be interpreted to explain published
      experimental results. APPROACH: We use a realistic full body finite element
      volume conductor model to calculate the EF of a 2.5 mA direct current for three
      different electrode configurations. We apply the calculated electric field to
      realistic motoneuron models to investigate static changes in membrane resting
      potential. The results are combined with existing knowledge about the theoretical
      effect on a neuronal level and implemented into an existing lumbar spinal network
      model to simulate the resulting changes on a network level. MAIN RESULTS: Across
      electrode configurations, the maximum EF inside the spinal cord ranged from 0.47
      V m-1 to 0.82 V m-1. Axon terminal polarization was identified to be the dominant
      cellular target. Also, differences in electrode placement have a large influence
      on axon terminal polarization. Comparison between the simulated acute effects and
      the electrophysiological long-term changes observed in human tsDCS studies
      suggest an inverse relationship between the two. SIGNIFICANCE: We provide methods
      and knowledge for better understanding the effects of tsDCS and serve as a basis
      for a more targeted and optimized application of tsDCS.

PMID- 28631620
TI  - Effectiveness of pelvic lead blanket to reduce the doses to eye lens and hands of
      interventional cardiologists and assistant nurses.
AB  - The aim of the present study is to analyse quantitatively the potential reduction
      of doses to the eye lens and the hands of an operator and a nurse by the use of a
      pelvic lead blanket during coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous
      transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures. Thermoluminescent dosimeters
      were used to assess dose levels to the left eye lens and fingers on both hands of
      both physician and nurses during single procedures performed with or without the
      lead blanket. The measurements were carried out at one medical centre and include
      dosimetric data from 100 procedures. Additional measurements including
      physician's and patient's doses were made on phantoms in the laboratory. In order
      to determine the reduction potential of the lead blanket, the doses normalized to
      DAP (Dose-Area Product) corresponding to the same position of dosimeter were
      compared against each other for both procedure categories (with and without
      protection). There was no statistically significant decrease observed in
      physicians' and nurses' eye lens doses, nor in doses normalized to DAP due to the
      use of the lead pelvic shield in clinic. However, some trend in reducing the eye
      lens doses by this shield can be observed. Regarding finger doses, the
      differences are statistically significant but only for physicians. The mean DAP
      normalised doses to the eye lens and left and right finger of physicians, in the
      presence of a ceiling-suspended transparent lead shield, were 2.24e-5 +/- 1.41e-5
      mSv/MUGym2, 2.31e-4 +/- 1.21e-4 mSv/MUGym2, and 2.60e-5 +/- 1.57e-5 mSv/MUGym2
      for standard procedures performed without the lead blanket, and 1.77e-5 +/- 1.17e
      5 mSv/MUGym2, 1.70e-4 +/- 1.01e-4 mSv/MUGym2, and 1.86e-5 +/- 1.13e-5 mSv/MUGym2
      for procedures performed with it. A comparison of the results from the laboratory
      and the clinic shows that they are consistent regarding the eye lens, while for
      fingers it suggests that the dose reduction properties of the lead shield are
      related to the physician's work technique and both patient and lead blanket sizes
      or its positioning. The highest degree of reduction is observed for cranial and
      caudal projections together with the use of a patient-adjustable lead blanket;
      about a 2-fold decrease in finger doses is expected for optimum conditions.
      However, the laboratory measurements suggest that the use of lead blanket might
      slightly increase the patient dose, but only when specific projections are
      constantly used. This limitation should be considered by cardiologists during
      clinical work if this protection is used. In the light of the presented results,
      the ceiling-suspended transparent lead shield and the lead glasses seem to be the
      preferred way to reduce the doses to the eye lens, compared to the lead blanket.

PMID- 28631621
TI  - Glancing angle deposition of sculptured thin metal films at room temperature.
AB  - Metallic thin films consisting of separated nanostructures are fabricated by
      evaporative glancing angle deposition at room temperature. The columnar
      microstructure of the Ti and Cr columns is investigated by high resolution
      transmission electron microscopy and selective area electron diffraction. The
      morphology of the sculptured metallic films is studied by scanning electron
      microscopy. It is found that tilted Ti and Cr columns grow with a single
      crystalline morphology, while upright Cr columns are polycrystalline. Further,
      the influence of continuous substrate rotation on the shaping of Al, Ti, Cr and
      Mo nanostructures is studied with view to surface diffusion and the shadowing
      effect. It is observed that sculptured metallic thin films deposited without
      substrate rotation grow faster compared to those grown with continuous substrate
      rotation. A theoretical model is provided to describe this effect.

PMID- 28631622
TI  - Highly-flexible, ultra-thin, and transparent single-layer graphene/silver
      composite electrodes for organic light emitting diodes.
AB  - Transparent conductive electrode (TCE) platforms are required in many
      optoelectronic devices, including organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). To date,
      indium tin oxide based electrodes are widely used in TCEs but they still have few
      limitations in term of achieving flexible OLEDs and display techniques. In this
      paper, highly-flexible and ultra-thin TCEs were fabricated for use in OLEDs by
      combining single-layer graphene (SLG) with thin silver layers of only several
      nanometers in thickness. The as-prepared SLG + Ag (8 nm) composite electrodes
      showed low sheet resistances of 8.5 Omega/?, high stability over 500 bending
      cycles, and 74% transmittance at 550 nm wavelength. Furthermore, SLG + Ag
      composite electrodes employed as anodes in OLEDs delivered turn-on voltages of
      2.4 V, with luminance exceeding 1300 cd m-2 at only 5 V, and maximum luminance
      reaching up 40 000 cd m-2 at 9 V. Also, the devices could work normally under
      less than the 1 cm bending radius.

PMID- 28631623
TI  - Morphological self stabilization of locomotion gaits: illustration on a few
      examples from bio-inspired locomotion.
AB  - To a large extent, robotics locomotion can be viewed as cyclic motions, named
      gaits. Due to the high complexity of the locomotion dynamics, to find the control
      laws that ensure an expected gait and its stability with respect to external
      perturbations, is a challenging issue for feedback control. To address this
      issue, a promising way is to take inspiration from animals that intensively
      exploit the interactions of the passive degrees of freedom of their body with
      their physical surroundings, to outsource the high-level exteroceptive feedback
      control to low-level proprioceptive ones. In this case, passive interactions can
      ensure most of the expected control goals. In this article, we propose a
      methodological framework to study the role of morphology in the design of
      locomotion gaits and their stability. This framework ranges from modelling to
      control aspects, and is illustrated through three examples from bio-inspired
      locomotion: a three-dimensional micro air vehicle in hovering flight, a pendular
      planar climber and a bipedal planar walker. In these three cases, we will see how
      simple considerations based on the morphology of the body can ensure the
      existence of passive stable gaits without requiring any high-level control.

PMID- 28631624
TI  - Printing-induced cell injury evaluation during laser printing of 3T3 mouse
      fibroblasts.
AB  - Three-dimensional bioprinting has emerged as a promising solution for the
      freeform fabrication of living cellular constructs, which can be used for
      tissue/organ transplantation and tissue models. During bioprinting, some living
      cells are unavoidably injured and may become necrotic or apoptotic cells. This
      study aims to investigate the printing-induced cell injury and evaluates injury
      types of post-printing cells using the annexin V/7-aminoactinomycin D and FAM
      DEVD-FMK/propidium iodide assays during laser printing of NIH 3T3 mouse
      fibroblasts. As observed, the percentage of post-printing early apoptotic mouse
      fibroblasts increases with the incubation time, indicating that post-printing
      apoptotic mouse fibroblasts have different initiation lag times of apoptosis due
      to different levels of mechanical stress exerted during laser printing. Post
      printing necrotic mouse fibroblasts can be detected immediately after printing,
      while post-printing early apoptotic mouse fibroblasts need time to develop into a
      late apoptotic stage. The minimum time needed for post-printing early apoptotic
      mouse fibroblasts to complete their apoptosis pathway and transition into late
      apoptotic mouse fibroblasts is from 4 h to 5 h post-printing. The resulting
      knowledge of the evolution of different apoptotic post-printing mouse fibroblasts
      will help better design future experiments to quantitatively determine, model,
      and mitigate the post-printing cell injury based on molecular signal pathway
      modeling.

PMID- 28631625
TI  - High-loading Fe2O3/SWNT composite films for lithium-ion battery applications.
AB  - Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) films are a potential candidate as porous
      conductive electrodes for energy conversion and storage; tailoring the loading
      and distribution of active materials grafted on SWNTs is critical for achieving
      maximum performance. Here, we show that as-synthesized SWNT samples containing
      residual Fe catalyst can be directly converted to Fe2O3/SWNT composite films by
      thermal annealing in air. The mass loading of Fe2O3 nanoparticles is tunable from
      63 wt% up to 96 wt%, depending on the annealing temperature (from 450  degrees C
      to 600  degrees C), while maintaining the porous network structure.
      Interconnected SWNT networks containing high-loading active oxides lead to
      synergistic effect as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. The
      performance is improved consistently with increasing Fe2O3 loading. As a result,
      our Fe2O3/SWNT composite films exhibit a high reversible capacity (1007.1 mA h g
      1 at a current density of 200 mA g-1), excellent rate capability (384.9 mA h g-1
      at 5 A g-1) and stable cycling performance with the discharge capacity up to
      567.1 mA h g-1 after 600 cycles at 2 A g-1. The high-loading Fe2O3/SWNT composite
      films have potential applications as nanostructured electrodes for various energy
      devices such as supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries.

PMID- 28631626
TI  - From Editor's desk.

PMID- 28631627
TI  - Ameloblastoma: A 16-year clinicopathological study on Goan population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ameloblastoma is a benign slow growing tumor of odontogenic origin
      composed of epithelial cells that resemble enamel forming cells namely the
      ameloblasts however these lesional cells do not differentiate to produce enamel.
      They are locally aggressive and can cause severe abnormalities of the face and
      jaw. AIM: This study aimed to correlate the incidence and recurrence rates of
      ameloblastoma to the different clinical and histopathological parameters.
      METHODS: A study on ameloblastomas in the Goan population for 16 years (1999
      2014) was carried out. Archived documented data of surgically treated cases of
      ameloblastomas were used in this study. RESULTS: It was revealed that out of 52
      cases of ameloblastomas, a male preponderance was seen. Age predisposition was
      seen to favor the third-fourth decade, the most common site was the posterior
      aspect of lower jaw for new and recurrent cases. CONCLUSION: The study
      highlights, the possible etiological role of location influencing the incidence
      and recurrence rates of ameloblastomas.

PMID- 28631628
TI  - The absence of CD56 expression can differentiate papillary thyroid carcinoma from
      other thyroid lesions.
AB  - CONTEXT: The neural cell adhesion molecule CD56 is an antigen important for the
      differentiation of the follicular epithelium. Recent studies have reported low or
      absent expression of CD56 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its presence
      in normal thyroid tissue, benign thyroid lesions, and most follicular non-PTC
      tumors. AIM: We wish to estimate the value of CD56 in the differentiation of PTC
      (including follicular variant-PTC [FV-PTC]) from other nontumoral lesions and
      follicular thyroid neoplasias. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a retrospective,
      case-control study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed the expression of CD56 in
      normal thyroid follicular tissue, 15 nonneoplastic thyroid lesions (nodular
      hyperplasia, Graves' disease, and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis/Hashimoto), and
      38 thyroid follicular cell neoplasms (25 cases of PTC). The immunohistochemical
      reactions were performed on sections stained with anti-CD56 antibody. STATISTICAL
      ANALYSIS USED: We used the Chi-square test, values of P< 0.05 being considered
      statistically significant. Risk analysis was applied on these studied groups, by
      calculating the odds ratio (OR) value. RESULTS: Our results indicated that CD56
      immunoexpression had differentiated PTC from benign nonneoplastic lesions (P =
      0.002), as well as from follicular neoplasias (P = 0.046). There were no
      significant differences regarding CD56 expression between FV-PTC and classical
      PTC (P = 0.436). The immunoexpression of CD56 has differentiated PTC from other
      thyroid non-PTC lesions (P < 0.001), with 26.4 OR value. CONCLUSIONS: CD56 has
      been proved to be a useful marker in the diagnosis of PTC, including FV-PTC. Its
      absence can help differentiate FV-PTC from other thyroid nodules with follicular
      patterns.

PMID- 28631629
TI  - Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma: A hospital-based clinicopathological
      study and review of literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) is a rare aggressive
      malignancy of thyroid follicular cells and has unique features in morphology and
      behavior. This study was aimed to describe the experience of a tertiary medical
      center with PDTC within a 10-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a
      descriptive retrospective study of eight cases of PDTC among 418 various thyroid
      carcinomas. All cases of PDTC were retrieved along with the clinicopathological
      information. RESULTS: Only eight cases (1.9%) of PDTC were diagnosed among 418
      thyroid carcinomas. Mean age was 48.12 with 3:5 (male:female) and tumor size
      ranged 3-12 cm. PDTC were diagnosed coexisting with one or more other
      pathologies; nodular hyperplasia (four cases), papillary carcinoma (one case),
      follicular carcinoma (three cases), and Hashimoto thyroiditis (two cases); with
      >=60% PDTC component. Six cases associated with high-grade features died within 3
      years after diagnosis. DISCUSSION: Mean age in this study was younger including a
      20-year-old girl. Younger age was associated with better prognosis. Most of the
      cases had underlying benign thyroid lesions and differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
      Most of the PDTC had poor prognosis associated with PDTC component >=60%, tumor
      necrosis, high mitotic count, lymph node involvement, vascular invasion and
      distant metastasis; and these cases died within 3 years after diagnosis.
      CONCLUSION: Although treatment of PDTC remains surgery followed by radioiodine
      therapy, correct histopathological diagnosis is important for clinicians and
      oncologists to predict the prognosis. All thyroid carcinoma should be sampled
      thoroughly not to miss small foci of PDTC component.

PMID- 28631630
TI  - Diagnostic value of immunohistochemistry staining of Bcl-2, CD34, CD20 and CD3
      for distinction between discoid lupus erythematosus and lichen planus in the
      skin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cluster of differentiation (CD) markers is a classification system
      for monoclonal antibodies against cell surface molecules on leukocytes and
      antigens from other cells. AIMS: The aim of this study is to evaluate
      immunohistochemical markers in patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE)
      and lichen planus (LP) and correlation of these markers in two groups and with
      the normal group in the West of Iran. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Analytical cross
      sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed on paraffin
      blocks of DLE and LP patients with normal group (21, 21 and 16 cases,
      respectively) between 2009 and 2012. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue
      sections from each DLE, LP, and normal skin biopsy specimen were cut into 4-MU
      thick sections and mounted on glass slides. Initial sections were stained with
      hematoxylin and eosin. Primary antihuman antibodies against CD3, CD20, CD34, and
      Bcl-2 were applied. Positive control samples for CD3, CD20, and Bcl-2 were
      received from lymph nodes and for CD34 from dermal microvessels. STATISTICAL
      ANALYSIS USED: SPSS version 19 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, USA) and Microsoft Excel
      2007. RESULTS: The mean staining for four markers was more significant in DLE and
      LP groups compared to normal group and for CD34 and CD3 was more significant in
      LP groups versus DLE group. CONCLUSIONS: CD3+, CD34+, Bcl-2+, and CD20+ cells are
      significantly higher in DLE and LP lesional skins versus normal skin. In
      addition, there were higher expressions of CD3 and CD34 in LP lesional skin
      versus DLE lesional skin.

PMID- 28631631
TI  - Ki-67 evaluation in breast cancer: The daily diagnostic practice.
AB  - CONTEXT: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females. It is routinely
      classified according to the WHO histological typing. However, there is also a
      molecular classification of breast cancer which is routinely substituted with
      surrogate subtypes based on expression of estrogen, progesterone, and human
      epidermal growth factor receptor 2 receptors and proliferation index (PI). PI is
      defined as the percentage of Ki-67-positive cells among overall cell population.
      The method commonly applied by pathologists to determine PI is visual scoring of
      the sample. Strict recommendations for PI assessment do not exist. Thus, the mode
      of PI evaluation differs significantly between pathologists. AIMS: The aim of our
      study was to evaluate the daily approach to defining the PI. SETTINGS AND DESIGN:
      Four practicing nonscholar pathologists were asked to evaluate PI in cases of
      invasive breast carcinoma. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study was performed on a
      group of 98 patients diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma.
      Immunohistochemical reaction was performed with monoclonal antibody against human
      Ki-67 antigen using Ventana BenchMark XT. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Results were
      compared using Pearson's and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients and Fleiss
      and Cohen's kappa values. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed pairwise Pearson's
      coefficients ranging between 0.77 and 0.84 (P < 0.001) and Spearman's rank
      correlation coefficients ranging between 0.68 and 0.83 (P < 0.001). The Fleiss
      kappa value for the 14% cutoff point was 0.58 whereas for the 20% cutoff point
      was 0.60. The pairwise Cohen's kappa values ranged from 0.45 to 0.69 for the 14%
      cutoff point and 0.53 to 0.67 for the 20% cutoff point. Friedman's rank ANOVA
      test showed significant differences among the four pathologists (P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a significant difference in results and methods of
      evaluation of PI between pathologists.

PMID- 28631632
TI  - Risk of cardiac pacemaker pocket infection in a tertiary care hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk of pacemaker pocket infections (PPIs) is rare with good
      antisepsis techniques and use of advanced antibiotics. However, injudicious
      antibiotic usage leads to the rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria, which may
      cause PPI. Few reports exist about the microbial spectrum of the PPI from our
      country, prompting us to study the same. METHODS: We conducted this retrospective
      observational study for 3 years (January 2013-February 2016) from all the
      patients with PPI. We collected the relevant clinical samples (blood and pus) for
      the microbial culture using a standard protocol. We included 100 samples
      collected from the medical staff and the hospital environment as a control
      sample. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods and a P<
      0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Our data showed that 17
      out of 160 (10.6%) patients had PPI. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus sp. was
      isolated in 7 (41.2%) patients, followed by Staphylococcus aureus in 4 patients
      (23.5%). Other isolated bacteria include multidrug-resistant Burkholderia cepacia
      (n = 3), Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 2) and polymicrobial infection in a single
      patient. One out of hundred surveillance samples grew B. cepacia. CONCLUSION: Our
      data revealed a high incidence of Gram-positive cocci causing PPI. Every hospital
      should formulate their antibiotic policy based on the pattern of the hospital
      flora and their drug sensitivity.

PMID- 28631633
TI  - Significance of vascular endothelial growth factor and CD31 and morphometric
      analysis of microvessel density by CD31 receptor expression as an adjuvant tool
      in diagnosis of psoriatic lesions of skin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pathogenesis of psoriasis is a debated issue. Several mechanisms have
      been proposed to identify the etiology and pathogenesis so that specific
      treatments can be given to patients with psoriasis. AIMS: (1) To compare pattern
      and distribution of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD31 in
      patients with psoriasis and other psoriasiform lesions of skin. (2) To study the
      correlation between VEGF and CD31 expression, clinical severity, and
      histopathology of psoriasiform lesions of skin. (3) Evaluation of microvessel
      density (MVD) by using computer-assisted quantitative image analysis in psoriatic
      skin lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on eighty cases,
      out of which forty were diagnosed cases of psoriasis and forty cases of
      clinically suspected psoriasiform lesions, submitted in the Department of
      Pathology, Pt. B.D. Sharma, University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, for
      histopathological examination. Histopathological sections were stained by routine
      hematoxylin and eosin staining, and these biopsies were further subjected to
      immunohistochemical staining with VEGF and CD31 as per standard technique.
      RESULTS: Assessment of various histopathological features revealed strong
      correlation between epidermal hyperplasia, suprapapillary thinning, and
      elongation of rete ridges. Suprabasilar keratinocytes in psoriatic lesions
      stained intensely for VEGF. The difference for number of microvessels and MVD in
      psoriasis and psoriasiform lesions was statistically significant. Correlation
      between intensity of VEGF staining by suprabasilar keratinocytes and MVD was
      found to be highly significant in psoriatic lesions. CONCLUSION: The present
      study concluded that psoriatic lesions exhibit potent angiogenic activity. Early
      lesions show increased MVD along with other histomorphological parameters such as
      hypogranulosis, parakeratosis and Munro's microabscesses. Overexpression of VEGF
      by suprabasilar keratinocytes correlated with increased MVD in papillary dermis.

PMID- 28631634
TI  - Phenotypic and molecular characterization of cefotaximases, temoniera, and
      sulfhydryl variable beta-lactamases in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates in
      an Indian tertiary health-care center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cefotaximases (CTX-M), temoniera (TEM), and sulfhydryl variable (SHV)
      constitute a rapidly growing cluster of enzymes that have disseminated
      geographically. They are spreading to species other than Enterobacteriaceae and
      might be responsible for the presence of blaCTX-M,blaTEM, and blaSHVgenes in
      Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. The present study was designed to characterize
      CTX-M, TEM, and SHV phenotypically and genotypically in Pseudomonas and
      Acinetobacter spp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 90 isolates (73 Pseudomonas
      and 17 Acinetobacter spp.), resistant to any of the third-generation
      cephalosporins, were randomly selected from clinical samples. RESULTS: Of 90
      isolates, 64 (71.11%) were tested positive for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase
      (ESBL) production. Among phenotypically tested ESBL producers, forty isolates
      were randomly selected for molecular characterization. The prevalence of CTX-M,
      TEM, and SHV was found to be 57.5%, 15%, and 75%, respectively. Multiplex
      polymerase chain reaction assay categorized blaCTX-Mgenes into Groups 1 and 26
      where Group 1 was present in only 5 isolates and Group 25 was present in rest of
      the 18 isolates. CONCLUSION: This is among the premier systemic reports from
      India documenting phenotypic and molecular characterization of CTX-M, TEM, and
      SHV beta-lactamases in Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. With judicious use of
      antibiotics and strict infection control procedures, it may be possible to limit
      the effects of these newer beta-lactamases.

PMID- 28631635
TI  - Cytocentrifuged biopsy fixative preparation: A simple cost-effective technique
      facilitating microscopic diagnosis of lumen-dwelling intestinal parasites.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Direct microscopic visualization is the most specific method for
      detecting intestinal parasites and is commonly achieved by stool examination or
      mucosal biopsy. However, postfixation, the intestinal biopsy fragment is often
      curled, and the entire surface of the biopsied mucosa is seldom viewed
      microscopically. Tissue processing further distorts morphology of the organisms
      and causes diagnostic difficulties. Examining multiple sections for parasite
      detection is time-consuming and often requires aid of special stains and/or
      immunohistochemistry. To overcome these disadvantages, we hypothesized that the
      fixative in which biopsies are transferred may provide a valid representation of
      the biopsied mucosal surface and therefore aid in the identification of mucosal
      surface parasites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin in which biopsies were
      transferred was retained, stored at 4 degrees C and processed with a
      cytocentrifuge. Totally, 120 consequent duodenal biopsy fixatives were processed
      in this way and the cytocentrifuged smears visualized after May-Grunwald-Giemsa
      staining. Findings of these smears were correlated with their corresponding
      formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections. RESULTS: Cytocentrifuged
      formalin preparations were found to be representative of the mucosal surface
      contents. Giardia trophozoites were visualized in 10/120 preparations with
      distinct morphological characteristics which were seldom appreciable in tissue
      sections, eliminating the need for special stains. Furthermore, two of the
      corresponding histology sections did not demonstrate the parasites despite step
      sections, while in one case few parasites could be identified in the step
      sections. CONCLUSIONS: Cytocentrifuged fixative preparation is a simple and cost
      effective technique which can be routinely employed for intestinal parasite
      characterization.

PMID- 28631636
TI  - Profiling of peripheral T-cell lymphomas in Kerala, South India: A 5-year study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) are non-Hodgkin's lymphomas
      (NHLs) with considerable variation in incidence across the world. They show a
      wide variety of clinicopathological features and generally associated with poor
      clinical outcome. Lymphoma data from different geographic regions will definitely
      aid in routine clinical practice and research work. PTCLs are reported with a
      higher frequency in Asia as compared to Western countries. OBJECTIVE: The
      objective of this study was to analyze the frequency and distribution of PTCLs
      diagnosed in a tertiary care cancer center in Kerala. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      was a retrospective study carried out in the Division of Pathology, Regional
      Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, for 5 years from January 1, 2011, to December
      31, 2015. All PTCLs diagnosed during this period were reviewed and then
      classified according to the 2016 revision of the World Health Organization
      classification of lymphoid neoplasms. Statistical significance of the results was
      evaluated using Chi-square test. RESULTS: Among the total 3108 cases of lymphomas
      diagnosed at our center, 2404 cases were NHLs (77.35%). PTCLs (n = 333)
      contributed 13.85% of all NHLs. Among these, PTCL, not otherwise specified,
      constituted the most common subtype (92 cases, 27.63%), followed by
      angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (79 cases, 23.72%), anaplastic large cell
      lymphoma (75 cases, 22.52%), mycosis fungoides (28 cases, 8.40%), and adult T
      cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) (28 cases, 8.40%). CONCLUSION: This is the largest
      study on PTCLs reported from Kerala. We document that the frequency of PTCLs is
      higher than that reported from Western studies. The frequency of ATLL reported
      from Kerala is much higher than that reported from other states.

PMID- 28631637
TI  - An integrated genomic profile that includes copy number alterations is highly
      predictive of minimal residual disease status in childhood precursor B-lineage
      acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Copy number alterations (CNA) have been described in childhood
      precursor B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) which in conjunction
      with chromosomal abnormalities drive leukemogenesis. There is no consensus on the
      clinical incorporation of CNA in B-ALL. An integrated genomic classification
      (IGC) has been proposed which includes CNA and cytogenetics. METHODS: We
      correlated this IGC with immunophenotypic minimal residual disease (MRD) as well
      as other standard criteria for 245 patients of B-ALL such as National Cancer
      Institute (NCI) risk, D+8 prednisolone response, cytogenetics, and ploidy status.
      RESULTS: MRD was detectable in 81 patients (33.1%). The most common abnormalities
      were seen in CDKN2A/B (25.7%) followed by PAX5(20%), ETV6(16.7%), IKZF1(15.5%),
      Rb1(5.3%), BTG (3.3%), EBF1(2.0%), and PAR1(0.8%). On integrating CNA into the
      IGC, 170 patients (69.4%) were classified into good genomic risk (GEN-GR) whereas
      75 (30.6%) belonged to the poor genomic risk (GEN-PR) category. The IGC showed a
      significant correlation with MRD and NCI risk. The presence of CNA predicted MRD
      clearance in intermediate cytogenetics group. CONCLUSION: These data seem to
      indicate that in addition to cytogenetics, CNA should be incorporated into
      routine clinical testing and risk algorithms for B-ALL. The IGC is of prognostic
      relevance and offers an additional avenue for prognostication and risk-adapted
      therapy.

PMID- 28631638
TI  - Clinicomicrobiological profile of endophthalmitis: A 10 year experience in a
      Tertiary Care Center in North India.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the clinicomicrobiological profile of infectious agents and
      their antibiotic susceptibility in different type of endophthalmitis. METHODS: A
      retrospective review of clinical and microbiological records from January 2001 to
      December 2010, was performed in 1110 patients diagnosed with different type of
      endophthalmitis (postoperative, posttraumatic, endogenous and post keratitis) to
      record the demographic details, clinical presentations; microbiological agents
      isolated with their antimicrobial sensitivity pattern. Antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing for various culture positive isolates (bacterial/fungal)
      was performed by the disc diffusion technique. RESULTS: Out of the 1110 intra
      ocular specimens processed, 384 (34.6%) were positive for bacteria. S epidermidis
      was the most predominant isolate accounting for 42.7% of all bacteria obtained,
      followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (24.5%). Besides Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter
      spp. were the next common gram negative bacilli detected (8.3%) followed by
      Klebsiella, E. coli, Enterobacter and Alkaligenes in 2.6%, 0.8%, 0.8% and 0.5%
      cases respectively. The predominant fungal species were Aspergillus spp., in
      36.1%, followed by Fusarium spp. in 26.4% cases. Overall susceptibility pattern
      in our study showed that gram positive bacteria were most susceptible to
      glycopeptides like vancomycin (80-100%) and fluoroquinolones (87-91%). The
      sensitivity pattern of gram negative organisms like Pseudomonas and Klebsiella
      towards fluoroquinolones ranged between 61% - 82%. CONCLUSION: S epidermidis was
      the most common bacteria isolated in postoperative and posttraumatic
      endophthalmitis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common bacterial isolated in
      posttraumatic endophthalmitisAmongst fungi Aspergillus was the most common
      organism.

PMID- 28631639
TI  - Prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection among the patients attending a
      tertiary care teaching hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile, a most important nosocomial enteric pathogen,
      is recognized globally as responsible for antibiotic-associated diarrhea and
      colitis. It is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality due to
      widespread use of antibiotics. AIMS: The study was done to determine the
      prevalence of C. difficile infection (CDI) among the patients attending a
      tertiary care teaching hospital in Puducherry. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: We performed
      a prospective cohort study in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research
      Institute. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Around 150 patients were evaluated along with
      the patient details. C. difficile toxin detection was done as per the standard
      algorithm using the C. Diff Quik Chek Complete(r) assay (TECHLAB, Blacksburg, VA,
      USA). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Analysis was done using statistics software
      (SPSS 16.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: The prevalence of CDI was
      found to be 4%. More toxin-positive cases were between 50 and 60 years of age,
      and there was no difference in gender. Intensive Care Unit showed more toxin
      positive cases; however, there was no significant association between the
      occurrence of CDI and the primary diagnosis of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The
      prevalence of CDI in our hospital was found to be 4%, which was relatively lower
      compared to other Indian studies. However, awareness of the risk factors may
      assist in identifying patients at higher risk for CDI, guide implementation of
      appropriate preventive measures, and modulate potential intervention measure
      during management.

PMID- 28631640
TI  - Concept map as an adjunct tool to teach pathology.
AB  - CONTEXT: Concept maps (CMs) were tested for their effectiveness in teaching
      pathology in a conceptual manner. AIMS: To correlate the quality of CMs drawn by
      students with their performance on tests involving clinical problem-solving.
      SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Students were taught "how, why, and so what" about CMs at
      the start of the course. Each student drew one CM every week and a minimum of ten
      throughout the course and submitted them for evaluation and corrections. The
      course which is offered twice a year (approximately 600 students in each class)
      generates approximately 12,000-13,000 CMs each year. Two thousand nine hundred
      CMs from 290 students in one class were included in the study. Each CM was scored
      by three authors independently. The students' scores on the CMs were correlated
      with their scores on the midterm and final examinations. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
      USED: Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Spearman's rank-order correlation. RESULTS:
      The mean scores for the CMs at the course's midterm and final were 59% and 69.7%,
      and the mean scores for the examinations were 76% and 84.2% on the midterm and
      finals, respectively. There was a highly significant correlation between the CM
      scores and examination scores (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: CMs proved to be a great
      tool to teach pathology effectively.

PMID- 28631641
TI  - Placental histopathological findings in preterm/term and early/late onset small
      for gestation age: Are they significant?
AB  - We undertook a prospective comparison of placental histopathological findings in
      preterm versus term and early onset versus late onset small for gestation age
      (SGA) to find more information on the etiological aspects of this disorder. A
      total of 130 women with nonanomalous SGA were allocated into preterm (n = 60);
      term (n = 70); early onset (n = 9) and late onset (n = 121) groups. The blinded
      intergroup placental histopathology comparison was performed both qualitatively
      (type of lesion) and quantitatively (number of the lesion). All SGA placentae
      showed varying number of maternal underperfusion (MUP), fetal under perfusion,
      inflammatory, and others lesions. There was a slight higher percentage of
      placenta having MUP in preterm and early onset SGA. Perivillous fibrin deposition
      was peculiar for placenta of preterm SGA (P = 0.043). Both preterm and early
      onset SGA had a higher number of placental lesions, but there was no statistical
      difference either in type or number of the placental lesion in any of the
      examined groups.

PMID- 28631643
TI  - Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis detection and characterization of mutations in
      mycobacterium tuberculosis by genotype MTBDRplus.
AB  - Detection of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by conventional
      phenotypic drug susceptibility testing methods requires several weeks. Therefore,
      molecular diagnostic tests for rapid detection of multidrug resistance
      tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are urgently needed. Early diagnosis helps in initiating
      optimal treatment which would not only enable cure of an individual patient but
      also will curb the transmission of drug resistance in the community. Line probe
      assay (LPA) has shown great promises in the diagnosis of MDR-TB. All MDR suspect
      patients from ten-linked districts were asked to deposit sputum samples at
      peripheral designated microscopy centers. The district TB officers facilitated
      the transport of samples collected during February 2014-December 2014 to our
      laboratory. The detection of rpoB gene mutations for rifampicin (RIF) and katG
      and inhA genes for isoniazid (INH), respectively, was performed on 663 samples by
      LPA. A total of 663 sputum samples from MDR suspects were received of which 321
      (50.8%) were found to be MDR. Missing of WT8 along with mutation in codon S531 L
      was the most common pattern for RIF-resistant isolates (80.8%) and missing WT
      along with mutation in codon S315T1 of k atG gene was the most common pattern for
      INH-resistant isolates (91.3%).The MDR-TB in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, was
      found to be 50.8%. The common mutations obtained for RIF and INH in the region
      was mostly similar to those reported earlier.

PMID- 28631642
TI  - Sporadic occurrence of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV-seronegative patients:
      Uncommon etiology?
AB  - Cryptococcosis in HIV-seronegative patients is rarely reported from India. This
      prospective study was conducted to look for cryptococcal meningitis in HIV
      seronegative individuals and compare their laboratory features to cryptococcal
      meningitis in HIV-seropositive patients. Cerebrospinal fluid was collected from
      153 suspected cases of meningitis and subjected to India ink preparation, antigen
      detection, and culture. Nineteen samples tested positive for Cryptococcus
      neoformans infection. Seventeen and two patients were HIV reactive and
      nonreactive, respectively. In vitro susceptibility of C. neoformans isolates to
      fluconazole and amphotericin B was performed using standard broth microdilution
      method and E-test. Eighteen strains were susceptible to amphotericin B, while
      fluconazole was reported susceptible in 15 strains. Hence, index of suspicion of
      C. neoformans infection as possible cause of meningitis must be maintained even
      in HIV-negative patients. Use of amphotericin B for treating C. neoformans
      meningitis should be restricted to prevent any increase in resistance.

PMID- 28631644
TI  - Evaluation of a new rapid kit, BD MGIT TBc identification test for confirmation
      of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex.
AB  - At present, three rapid kits are available globally for the confirmation of
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) in cultures by MPT64 antigen (MPT64 Ag)
      detection. These include Capilia TB, SD Bioline, and BD MGIT TBc Identification
      (TBcID). The third kit is yet to be validated in India. We have tested this kit
      and compared with SD Bioline using conventional tests as gold standard. Seventy
      one MTBC (70 M. tuberculosis and one Mycobacterium bovis) and four nontuberculous
      mycobacteria (NTM) were isolated from 649 clinical specimens in MGIT 960 and/or
      Lowenstein-Jensen slants (LJ). MPT64 Ag was detected by both TBcID and SD Bioline
      kits in all the 71 clinical isolates and the reference strain M. tuberculosis
      H37Rv. All NTM species tested were negative by the two different kits. Thus,
      TBcID kit showed 100% concordance in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Rapid
      kits confirm MTBC cultures within 15 min in contrast to several weeks' time
      required by conventional techniques.

PMID- 28631645
TI  - Primary leptomeningeal primitive neuroectodermal tumor: A difficult entity to
      diagnose.
AB  - A 25-year-old male presented with difficulty in walking, loss of vision, and
      seizures. A clinical possibility of craniospinal meningeal pathology was
      considered. On computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging,
      there was an enhancement of leptomeninges with few ring-enhancing lesions in both
      frontal lobes and right frontoparietal region. He was evaluated for low backache
      and occipital headache 21/2 years earlier and was found to have communicating
      hydrocephalus on CT scan. He underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt and was
      followed up with CT scans. Meningeal biopsy was done in the present admission,
      and there was a diffusely infiltrating small round cell tumor.
      Immunohistochemistry was done, and the tumor cells were found to be negative for
      glial, mesenchymal, melanotic, and lymphoid markers. The cells were positive for
      neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, and vimentin. A diagnosis of primitive
      neuroectodermal tumor involving the meninges was made. A possibility of primary
      leptomeningeal tumor extending to parenchyma was considered based on the clinical
      progression. Patient was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He improved
      partially and was stable at 3-year follow-up.

PMID- 28631646
TI  - Primitive neuroectodermal tumor presenting as a presacral mass: A rare case
      report with review of literature.
AB  - Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are a group of highly malignant small
      round cell tumor (SRCT) of neuroectodermal origin. They exhibit a great diversity
      in their clinical manifestations and pathologic similarities with other SRCTs.
      PNET commonly occurs in the central nervous system, head and neck region,
      paravertebral region, pelvis, and lower extremities. PNET presenting as a
      presacral mass is very rare. We present a case of 65-year-old female patient
      presented with a mass in the abdomen. Exploratory laparotomy with excision of
      mass was carried out. Histopathology revealed the diagnosis of PNET. The rarity
      of PNET at presacral region prompted the description of this case.

PMID- 28631648
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma of inferior vena cava with intracardiac extension presenting as
      Budd-Chiari syndrome: Report of a rare case.
AB  - Primary leiomyosarcoma of vascular origin is a rare malignant smooth muscle
      tumor. This report describes a case of primary leiomyosarcoma of the inferior
      vena cava (IVC) in a 52-year-old male who presented with complaints of abdominal
      pain, chest pain, and bilateral lower limb swelling for 4 months. Imaging of the
      chest and abdomen revealed a mass in the IVC extending into right atrium,
      heterogeneous enhancement of liver, hepatosplenomegaly, and ascites.
      Histopathological examination showed a malignant spindle cell tumor with cells
      arranged in fascicular and hemangiopericytomatous pattern. Immunohistochemistry
      for smooth muscle actin and desmin confirmed smooth muscle origin of the tumor.
      Recognition of this tumor in this rare location and Budd-Chiari syndrome-like
      presentation is imperative for proper management of the patient.

PMID- 28631647
TI  - Intrahepatic biliary cystadenoma with ciliary metaplasia: Report of a rare
      morphological variant.
AB  - Histological diagnosis of biliary cystadenoma is based on the type of epithelial
      cells lining the cyst and radiological features. The cyst-lining cells are not
      usually ciliated. We herein report a very rare example of an intrahepatic biliary
      cystadenoma with ciliated epithelial lining, which had taken us away from this
      diagnosis toward an intrahepatic foregut duplication cyst. Radiologically, also
      the lesion was deceptive, and a possibility of hydatid cyst was considered.
      However, immunohistochemical workup finally led us to this diagnosis. This report
      would document this rare morphological variant, which may pose diagnostic
      difficulty.

PMID- 28631649
TI  - Chlamydia trachomatis proctitis masquerading as carcinoma rectum: First case
      report from India.
AB  - While proctitis is caused both by infectious and noninfectious causes, infectious
      causes are acquired typically sexually. Chlamydia trachomatis, which is the most
      frequent bacterial pathogen causing sexually transmitted infections worldwide, is
      one of the causative agents of proctitis. We report a case history of a bisexual
      male who presented to us with rectal bleeding. The colonoscopy showed a nodular
      ulcerated lesion in the rectum suggestive of rectal malignancy, but biopsies from
      rectal mass did not reveal malignancy. A rectal biopsy was positive for C.
      trachomatis by polymerase chain reaction assay, and a diagnosis of C. trachomatis
      proctitis was made. Considering the invasive anorectal disease and patient's
      sexual history, he was treated with prolonged doxycycline therapy as per Centres
      for Disease Control and Prevention's treatment recommendation for lymphogranuloma
      venereum. A high index of clinical suspicion along with appropriate
      microbiological testing can clinch the diagnosis of C. trachomatis infection.

PMID- 28631650
TI  - Extraskeletal mesenchymal chondrosarcoma at unusual location involving spleen and
      kidney with review of literature.
AB  - Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (MC) is a rare malignant neoplasm bearing
      characteristic dimorphic pattern histologically. We describe two rare cases of
      primary MC involving two different visceral organs (1) a 24-year-old man with
      solid renal mass and, (2) a 42-year-old man with cystic splenic mass. The
      histological and immunophenotypical features of both lesions were classical of
      MC. Although this lesion is uncommon in visceral organs, the possibility of this
      rare entity must be kept in differential diagnosis with compatible morphology.

PMID- 28631651
TI  - Follicular variant of peripheral T-cell lymphoma.
AB  - Globally, peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) constitute about 12% of all non
      Hodgkin lymphomas, of which the unspecified category is the most common subtype
      (30%). Mostly, the unspecified category shows a diffuse pattern of involvement in
      the lymph nodes. However, rarely, they may show a follicular/nodular pattern
      mimicking a follicular lymphoma. We report a case of a follicular variant of
      PTCL, not otherwise specified. This case displayed a striking nodular/follicular
      pattern with an admixture of small (centrocyte-like) and large (centroblast-like)
      cells, thus mimicking a follicular lymphoma. The neoplastic cells were strongly
      positive for both CD3 and CD20. In addition, they were positive for pan T-cell
      markers and PD-1. T-cell receptor gene rearrangement studies highlighted a
      monoclonal T-cell population. Even though this variant of PTCL is very rare, it
      is important to keep it as a differential for the lymphomas exhibiting nodular
      pattern.

PMID- 28631652
TI  - Primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma of scalp: Case report of a rare variant.
AB  - Primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma (Bcl) is defined as a lymphoma composed
      of large cells constituting more than 80% of the infiltrate and absence of
      extracutaneous involvement after staging investigations. In the new World Health
      Organization/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer
      classification, cutaneous Bcls with large cells are of three types - primary
      cutaneous large Bcl leg type (PCLBCLLT), primary cutaneous follicle center
      lymphoma diffuse type (PCFCLDT), and primary cutaneous large Bcls other
      (PCLBCLO). These three different types are distinct in terms of their
      clinicopathological features and survival. The PCLBCLO has intermediate features
      between those of PCLBCLLT and PCFCLDT. We present a case of PCLBCLO in a 57-year
      old male who presented with a scalp swelling. Ultrasonography examination was
      suggestive of a sebaceous cyst. Computed tomography scan revealed the presence of
      an ill-defined hyperdense region in the soft tissue of the scalp region extending
      into the deeper layers of the scalp. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)
      revealed the presence of atypical lymphoid cells. Diagnosis was confirmed by
      biopsy and immunohistochemistry. Patient received rituximab combined with
      doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone regimen with
      complete resolution of the lesion. We present this case for its rarity, the
      utility of FNAC in early diagnosis, and to discuss the differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28631653
TI  - Hodgkin's lymphoma with unusual pulmonary presentations: Reporting two cases.
AB  - Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (CHL) presenting with exclusively pulmonary symptoms
      is very unusual. We report two cases of CHL with atypical clinical presentations
      mimicking pulmonary infections. The first case represents a stage IV CHL with
      secondary lung involvement, and the second case demonstrates a very rare case of
      CHL with isolated lung involvement, also known as primary pulmonary Hodgkin's
      lymphoma. The second patient was initially misdiagnosed and treated with six
      months of antibiotics before the correct diagnosis was made by a lung biopsy.
      Both patients received chemotherapy; one patient achieved complete remission and
      the other achieved near-complete remission.

PMID- 28631654
TI  - Composite lymphoma with coexistence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and
      anaplastic large cell lymphoma: Diagnostic pitfalls.
AB  - Composite lymphoma is a rare tumor composed of two or more distinct lymphomas in
      the same topographic site or tissue. Several combinations of B-cell non-Hodgkin
      lymphoma (NHL), T-cell NHL, and Hodgkin lymphoma can occur with different
      prognoses and treatments. The coexistence of a B-cell NHL and a T-cell NHL is
      unusual. The exact etiology of composite lymphoma is unknown; however, few
      mechanisms have been proposed to explain its pathogenesis. The chemotherapeutic
      protocols are heterogeneous but are essentially targeted against the high-grade
      component. Most of the cases show worse outcome with a median survival of 12
      months. In this article, we report a case of composite lymphoma which was
      initially diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and the presence of CD3
      positive atypical cells in the bone marrow urged us to re-evaluate the lymph node
      biopsy following which a focus of Alk-1-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma
      was identified.

PMID- 28631655
TI  - Erratum: Squash cytodiagnosis of synchronous papillary serous carcinoma of ovary
      and endometrium with demonstration of serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma as a
      precursor lesion.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.4103/0377-4929.200039].

PMID- 28631656
TI  - Brevundimonas diminuta infection in a case of nephrotic syndrome.
AB  - Brevundimonas has rarely been isolated from clinical specimens. We here report a
      case of Brevundimonas diminuta infection in an 18-year-old male patient with
      nephrotic syndrome. B. diminuta was identified by the VITEK 2 Compact system,
      following isolation from his blood sample. To the best of our knowledge, B.
      diminuta has not been reported in patients with nephrotic syndrome.

PMID- 28631657
TI  - Citrobacter freundii as a cause of acute suppurative thyroiditis in an
      immunocompetent adult female.
AB  - Acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST) is an uncommon condition, in the patients
      with preexisting thyroid disease or immunosuppression. The most common cause of
      AST is bacterial, and the most common bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus,
      Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella species. Due to
      various complications such as septicemia, septic thrombophlebitis, necrotizing
      mediastinitis, or pericarditis, prompt diagnosis and treatment are the keys to
      reduce mortality and morbidity. Here, we describe a case of a 40-year-old female
      with AST caused by Citrobacter freundii. This is the first case report of
      isolation of this bacterium from AST in the world. It is important to
      differentiate AST from subacute thyroiditis, which is far more frequent and runs
      a more prolonged course. Various risk factors which predispose to this condition
      include structural abnormality in the thyroid gland or thyroid disease and
      immunocompromised state. The route of infection may be either hematogenous or
      lymphatic seeding. With the increase in number of immunocompromised patients, the
      cases of AST will increase.

PMID- 28631658
TI  - A case of Aspergillus tracheobronchitis in a patient with chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease.
AB  - Aspergillus tracheobronchitis (AT) is a unique form of invasive pulmonary
      aspergillosis, which is commonly found in patients with impaired immunity. Early
      stage AT presents in a nonspecific way, both clinically and radiographically,
      thereby delaying diagnosis and resulting in a high mortality. Owing to impaired
      mucociliary clearance, previous nonfungal infections, and administration of
      corticosteroids, among other aspects, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease (COPD) are predisposed to AT, although they are mostly immunocompetent.
      AT in COPD patients has not been well recognized and the condition is often
      misdiagnosed or missed. We herein report a case of AT diagnosed in a male with
      past COPD, with the features of pseudomembranous AT upon bronchoscopy. This
      contradicts the opinion that pseudomembranous AT is found in severely
      immunocompromised hosts with hematologic malignancies.

PMID- 28631659
TI  - Subcutaneous cysticercosis presenting as cervical swelling: Amazing and
      unexpected cytological findings.

PMID- 28631660
TI  - Crescentic C3 glomerulopathy with acquired partial lipodystrophy: An unusual
      cause of rapidly progressive renal failure.

PMID- 28631661
TI  - Primary hydatid cyst of femur masquerading as other bone pathologies.

PMID- 28631662
TI  - Pediatric nasopharyngeal carcinoma with a spectrum of precursor lesions: Cervical
      lymph node metastasis initially diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology.

PMID- 28631663
TI  - T helper 17 cells in atopic dermatitis: Study in a tertiary care center.

PMID- 28631664
TI  - Fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid metastasis: An unusual presentation of
      cervical carcinoma; a case report and review of literature.

PMID- 28631665
TI  - Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and chronic lymphocytic
      leukemia: A rare association.

PMID- 28631666
TI  - 5q deletion myelodysplastic syndrome.

PMID- 28631667
TI  - Pediatric plasmablastic lymphoma: Diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.

PMID- 28631668
TI  - Poly immunophenotypic expression in a case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

PMID- 28631669
TI  - Virtual digital pathology: The future is near.

PMID- 28631670
TI  - [Topographic anatomy of the hook region and its significance for the choice of
      the surgical technique for the cochlear implantation].
AB  - The mode of the introduction of the active electrode of a cochlear implant into
      the cochlea remains a key issue as far as cochlear implantation is concerned.
      Especially much attention has recently been given to the relationship between the
      anatomical features of the basal region of the cochlea (the so-called 'fish
      hook') and the possibility to approach it. We have undertaken the attempt to
      optimize the approach to the tympanic canal (scala tympanica) of the cochlea with
      a view to reducing to a minimum the risk of an injury to the cochlear structures
      in the course of cochlear implantation. A total of 35 cadaveric temporal bones
      were examined to measure the fine structures of the hook region and evaluate the
      risk of their damages associated with various approaches to the tympanic canal.

PMID- 28631671
TI  - [The anatomical features of the middle ear exerting the influence on the
      formation of exudative otitis media in the breast-fed infants of different
      gestational age].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to elucidate the anatomical features of
      the structure of the middle ear and eustachian tube in the breast-fed infants of
      different gestational age that may be responsible for the formation of exudates
      (fluids). We have examined 150 temporal bones obtained from the children's
      cadavers that were allocated to three groups as follows: 50 temporal bones
      obtained at weeks 26-30 weeks of gestation (group 1), 44 bones 31-36 weeks of
      gestation (group 2), and 37-40 weeks of gestation (full-term babies, group 3),The
      analysis of the data obtained on an individual bases revealed either increase or
      decreases in the selected characteristics of the eustachian tube in comparison
      with the respective average values as well as the well apparent predominance of a
      single change or a combination of alteration of several parameters in one case in
      26-30 weeks and 31-36 weeks groups. No significant changes were found in group 1.
      It is concluded that the presence of a single change or a combination of two or
      three abnormal changes in the parameters of the bone structures of the eustachian
      tube can affect the development of the secretory process in the middle ear
      especially in the children born after 36 weeks of pregnancy.

PMID- 28631672
TI  - [The influence of interleukin gene polymorphism on the serum cytokine level in
      the patients presenting with chonic suppurative otitis media].
AB  - The objective of the present work was to study the influence of allelic variant
      associations of 1-beta interleukin (C3953T, &511C, T31C), interleukin-6 (C174G),
      and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (G308A) gene polymorphisms on the serum cytokine
      level in the patients presenting with chronic suppurative otitis media. A total
      of 299 patients at the age varying from 16 to 55 years with this condition
      divided into three groups were examined. Group 1 was comprised of 146 patients
      suffering from the tubotympanic form of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM).
      Group 2 was composed of 153 patients with epitympanic antral form of this
      condition. The control group included 183 subjects who have never suffered
      pathological changes in the middle ear. Human genomic DNA was analyzed with the
      use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The serum cytokine levels were
      measured by the solid-state enzyme immunoassay in the beginning and at the end of
      the treatment period. The study has demonstrated that 56.2% of the healthy
      residents of the trans-Baikal region had the C/T Il-1b (C3953T) genotype. 79.1%
      of the patients presenting with the carious carious-destructive form of chronic
      suppurative otitis media were the heterozygous carriers of the T511C gene of 1
      beta interleukin and had the maximally high concentrations of this interleukin in
      the blood serum. A rise in the production of the pro-inflammatory mediator (IL-6)
      was found to be related to the severity of the inflammatory process in the middle
      ear. The TNF-alpha content in the patients with CSOM during the active period of
      the disease proved to increase by a factor of 6 in comparison with that in the
      subjects of the control group irrespective of the type of mutation.

PMID- 28631673
TI  - [The problems associated with the treatment of stenosing laryngotracheitis in the
      children (the results of the 35 year-long experience)].
AB  - Stenosing laryngotracheitis (SLT) affecting the children is considered to be an
      emergency pediatric condition associated with ENT pathology. Its treatment
      presents a serious challenge for otolaryngologists, pediatricians, specialists in
      communicable diseases, allergologists, etc. We have undertaken a retrospective
      analysis of the available data with a view to summarizing the tendencies in the
      evolution of SLT morbidity. The results of the 35 year-long experience with the
      use of the currently available therapeutic strategies for the treatment of the
      children suffering from stenosing laryngotracheitis are presented. Special
      emphasis is laid on the advantages of the combined treatment of the patients
      presenting with this condition based at a specialized infectious department with
      the participation of an otorhinolaryngologist.

PMID- 28631675
TI  - [The morphological and clinical aspects of the curvature of the nasal septum].
AB  - The curvature of the nasal septum (NS) is one of the most widespread deformations
      of the facial skeleton. The objective of the present study was to substantiate
      the principles of and develop the rationale for the surgical correction and
      conservative treatment of this condition based on the morphological features of
      various types of deflection of the nasal septum. We have undertaken the
      morphological analysis of the osseous and cartilaginous structures determining
      the type and the shape of the curvature of the nasal septum together with the
      clinical analysis of different morphological variants of the deflection of the
      nasal septum making use of the R. Mladina classification. Type I-IV vertical
      deflections are regarded as the acquired deformities whereas type II deviations
      can just as well be congenital malformations. Types V and VI deflections can be a
      consequence of the birth injury resulting in the displacement of the nasal
      structures and leading to the curvature of the nasal septum. The authors describe
      the defects in the anatomical structures adjoining the nasal cavity associated
      with various types of the deflection of the nasal septum that the surgeons should
      take into account when planning and performing septoplasty.

PMID- 28631674
TI  - [The modern possibilities for the application of multispiral computed tomography
      in diagnostics of paranasal sinuses mycetomas].
AB  - The objective of the present study was the analysis of the health status of 20
      patients presenting with histologically verified paranasal sinuses mycetomas
      (fungus balls) with special reference to CT-semiotics characteristic of the
      fungal ball as early as during the pre-verification period. The surgical strategy
      for the management of this condition has been substantiated. It is concluded that
      the final verification of the pathological process in question is possible only
      based on the results of the histological studies.

PMID- 28631677
TI  - [Topographical and anatomical localization of the lacrimal passages in the nasal
      cavity].
AB  - The objective of the present work was to study topographical and anatomical
      relationships between the lacrimal passages and the walls of the nasal cavity
      from the standpoint of the rhinosurgeon. The materials for the study were
      obtained by examining 15 corpses. It was found out that in 91% of the cases, the
      natural ostium of the maxillary sinus is localized within 11.6 cm from the
      lacrimal tubercle. In 62% of the cases, the nasolacrimal passage opens in the
      region of the vault of the inferior nasal passage as an orifice roughly 0.8 mm in
      size displaced approximately 9.4 mm posteriorly from the edge of the inferior
      turbinated bone. In 21% of the cases, the ostium of the nasolacrimal passage
      approximately 2 mm in diameter is situated at the lateral wall of the inferior
      nasal passage, roughly 6.5 mm above the bottom of the nasal cavity. In 10% of the
      cases, the nasolacrimal passage opens at the inner surface of the inferior
      turbinated bone proper at a distance of about 3.4 mm from the site of its
      attachment. It is concluded that topographical and anatomical localization of the
      lacrimal passages is of primary importance in terms of endonasal endoscopic
      interventions on the lateral wall of the nasal cavity including the puncture of
      the maxillary sinus associated with the potentially high risk of the damage to
      the nasolacrimal passage and in a lesser extent to the lacrimal sac.

PMID- 28631676
TI  - [The influence of nasal packing on the quality of life in the early postoperative
      period following septoplastic surgery].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of anterior
      nasal packing on the physical health condition and the quality of life of the
      patients in the early postoperative period following septoplastic surgery and to
      propose an alternative to the anterior nasal packing procedure. The study
      included 90 patients divided into three groups. Those of the first group
      underwent endoscopic septoplasty, the patients of the second group were managed
      by standard septoplastic surgery, and the patients of group 3 were given
      treatment with the use of modified septoplasty including the application of a
      fibrin sealant as an alternative to nasal tampons. It was shown that anterior
      nasal packing exerts the undesirable influence on the quality of life during the
      early postoperative period following septoplastic surgery whereas the use of the
      modified technique based on the application of a fibrin sealant as an alternative
      therapeutic modality significantly enhances the effectiveness of the treatment.

PMID- 28631678
TI  - [The influence of rhinoplasty on the physical and mechanical properties of the
      skin of the external nose].
AB  - This article was designed to report the results of the measurement of the surface
      acoustic wave velocity in the skin of the external nose following rhinoplastic
      surgery based on the analysis of the postoperative conditions in 374 patients.
      The patients were divided into two groups, one comprised of 286 (86.5%) patients
      who underwent the newly developed rehabilitative treatment and the group of
      comparison composed of 88 (23.5%) patients who received a different treatment
      during the postoperative period. The analysis has demonstrated the significant
      reduction in the velocity of the surface acoustic waves in the skin of the
      external nose of the patients of the main study group within 1 and 6 months after
      the surgical intervention. The change was especially well apparent at the sites
      with the relatively thicker skin underlain by the subcutaneous adipose tissue.
      This result can be regarded as giving evidence of the effectiveness of the
      proposed physiotherapeutic treatment that allowed to achieve the rapid decrease
      of postoperative oedema and prevent the subsequent excessive cicatrization.

PMID- 28631679
TI  - [The comparative assessment of the vocal function in the professional voice users
      and non-occupational voice users in the late adulthood].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical and functional
      condition of the voice apparatus in the elderly patients and to elaborate
      recommendations for the prevention of disturbances of the vocal function in the
      professional voice users. This comprehensive study involved 95 patients including
      the active professional voice users (n=48) and 45 non-occupational voice users at
      the age from 61 to 82 years with the employment history varying from 32 to 51
      years. The study was designed to obtain the voice characteristics by means of the
      subjective auditory assessment, microlaryngoscopy, video laryngostroboscopy,
      determination of maximum phonation time (MPT), and computer-assisted acoustic
      analysis of the voice with the use of the MDVP Kay Pentaxy system. The level of
      anxiety of the patients was estimated based on the results of the HADS
      questionnaire study. It is concluded that the majority of the disturbances of the
      vocal function in the professional voice users have the functional nature. It is
      concluded that the method of neuro-muscular electrophonopedic stimulation (NMEPS)
      of laryngeal muscles is the method of choice for the diagnostics of the vocal
      function of the voice users in the late adulthood. It is recommended that the
      professional vocal load for such subjects should not exceed 12-14 hours per week.
      Rational psychotherapy must constitute an important component of the system of
      measures intended to support the working capacity of the voice users belonging to
      this age group.

PMID- 28631680
TI  - [The influence of retinoids on the regeneration of an open osteal wound].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to elucidate the influence of retinoid
      based pharmaceutical products on the process of regeneration of the tissues
      surrounding an open osteal wound under the experimental conditions. The
      experiments were carried out using 20 'Sovetskaya shinshilla' rabbits (12 males
      and 8 females). The animals with the modelled open osteal wound underwent daily
      treatment by the placement of the dressings impregnated with a mixture of dioxo
      methyltetrahydropyrimidine and chloramphenicol ointments supplemented by 0.05%
      retinoic acid (1:1:1). The rabbits of the control group were treated using the
      dressings impregnated only with a mixture of dioxo-methyltetrahydropyrimidine and
      chloramphenicol ointments containing no retinoic acid. The study has demonstrated
      that the application of the retinoid-based medications for the treatment of the
      open osteal wound resulted in the well apparent positive dynamics of the wound
      process in comparison with that in the control animals. It is concluded that the
      data obtained give evidence that retinoid-based preparations can be used as an
      adjuvant treatment for the acceleration and promotion of the wound healing
      process in the trepanation cavity following sanation surgery on the middle ear.

PMID- 28631681
TI  - [The evaluation of the quality of life in a healthy population with the use of
      the COMQ-12 questionnaire].
AB  - The COMQ-12 questionnaire has been elaborated to evaluate the deterioration in
      the quality of life of the subjects suffering from chronic suppurative otitis
      media (CSOM) based on the reports of the patients themselves. This questionnaire
      is of special interest in that it allows to register the complaints of the
      patients stated by them in the order of priority beginning from those that are
      responsible for the most pronounced manifestations of the impairment in the
      quality of life. It, in turn, helps the medical practitioner to rationally
      organize the treatment of a concrete patient taking into consideration his or her
      individual expectations. At the current stage of the development and adaptation
      of the COMQ-12 questionnaire, the main emphasis is placed on the search for the
      possible range of the key scores and their normal values allowing to characterize
      the quality of life in the healthy population. The objective of the present work
      was to estimate the potential of the COMQ-12 questionnaire for the evaluation of
      the quality of life among the subjects having no signs of chronic suppurative
      otitis media. A total of 60 healthy volunteers were recruited for the study and
      asked to fill up the questionnaire. The following information was selected for
      the subsequent analysis: sex and age of the respondents, experience with having
      any ear-related problems other than those related to chronic suppurative otitis
      media in the course of the lifetime. The patients presenting with chronic
      suppurative otitis media were excluded from the study. The score values ranged
      from 0 to 14 among the entire set of the respondents (mean 3.55). The resulting
      score of the respondents' condition was 5 and less in 75% of the cases; it
      achieved 10 and less out of the possible maximum of 60 scores in 95% of the
      participants of the study. It is concluded that the application of the COMQ-12
      questionnaire helps to concentrate the attention of the medical specialists on
      the subjects whose health condition is characterized by score 5 or less and
      motivates them to carry out the thorough and comprehensive analysis for the
      interpretation of the data in favour of or against the prescription of the
      surgical intervention taking into consideration the personal expectations of the
      patients.

PMID- 28631682
TI  - [The combined treatment of dysphonia in the subjects engaged in the voice and
      speech professions].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the
      application of homeovox for the combined treatment of small vocal cord nodules
      and acute laryngitis in the professional voice users. A total of 40 subjects
      presenting with dysphonia were examined after they were divided into two study
      groups and two groups of comparison depending on the nosological form of the
      pathological condition. The subjects comprising the study groups were given
      traditional therapy in the combination with the intake of homeovox whereas the
      patients included in the two groups of comparison received the traditional
      treatment alone. The outcome of the treatment was evaluated on days 1, 5, and 10
      after the initiation of therapy based on the analysis of the changes in the
      videoendostroboscopic picture of the larynx and the acoustic characteristics
      obtained by the computer-assisted analysis of the voice. The analysis of the
      results of the combined treatment has demonstrated the statistically significant
      differences in some acoustic parameters of the voice between the subjects with
      small vocal cord nodules and acute laryngitis belonging to the study groups and
      the groups of comparison. It is concluded that the introduction of homeovox in
      the combined treatment of the patients presenting with the small nodules in the
      vocal cords and acute catarrhal laryngitis accelerates the recovery of the
      acoustic characteristics of the voice within various periods after the onset of
      the treatment in comparison with the patients treated with the use of traditional
      therapy alone.

PMID- 28631683
TI  - [The clinical and bacteriological study of the effectiveness of the application
      of silver nanoparticle for the treatment of tuberculosis].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the expediency of the
      application of nano-scale silver preparations, argovit-C and vitargol, differing
      in concentration for the treatment of tuberculosis of the upper respiratory
      tract. The study was carried out based at the Karachaevo-Cherkessian TB
      dispensary. It has been demonstrated that the 3.3% solution of argovit-C
      possessed of the 100% bactericidal activity with respect to the medically
      resistant mycobacteria at both maximum and minimal concentrations of isoniazid.
      Based on these findings, this preparation was chosen for the clinical study. It
      was shown to exhibit a higher therapeutic effectiveness in comparison with the
      standard anti-tuberculosis treatment. The authors conclude that the inhalation of
      the 3.3% argovit-C solution twice daily for 10 minutes during 2 months can be
      recommended for the local treatment of laryngeal tuberculosis.

PMID- 28631684
TI  - [Multiple pneumocele associated with temporal bone hyperpneumatization].
AB  - The authors consider in brief epidemiology, diagnostics, and variants of the
      surgical treatment of the rare clinical condition pneumocele and
      pneumoencephalocele of the temporal bone. Diagnostic and surgical modalities for
      the management of multiple pneumocele associated with temporal bone
      hyperpneumatization are discussed.

PMID- 28631685
TI  - [The transperygoid approach to the removal of a recurrent juvenile angiofibroma
      at the base of the skull without preoperative embolization].
AB  - The authors report a clinical case of successful elimination of a recurrent
      juvenile angiofibroma at the base of the skull (JAFBS) with the application of
      the optical navigation system and a cold plasma scalpel in the absence of
      preoperative embolization. It has been demonstrated using the proposed
      transperygoid approach to the extirpation of the tumour that a recurrent juvenile
      angiofibroma at the base of the skull can be efficiently removed by means of a
      modern minimally invasive and at the same time radical surgical method.

PMID- 28631686
TI  - [Laryngeal pleomorphic adenoma].
AB  - Pleomorphic adenomas are the most widespread epithelial tumours originating from
      the salivary glands. In almost 90% of the cases, they are localized in the
      parotid salivary glands. Pleomorphic adenomas only rarely affect the larynx. To
      the best of our knowledge, as many as 27 cases of laryngeal pleomorphic adenoma
      have thus far been described in the special literature. The present article was
      designed to report a case of pleomorphic adenoma in the larynx of a 76 year-old
      male patient. The surgical treatment of this condition proved beneficial for the
      patient whose condition remains uncomplicated by the relapse of the tumour during
      the 5 year-long postoperative follow-up.

PMID- 28631687
TI  - [Acquired atresia and stenosis of the external acoustic meatus].
AB  - Acquired atresia of the external acoustic meatus is a rare pathological condition
      characterized by obliteration of the medial part of the external acoustic canal
      by a soft fibrous plug. The present article presents an overview of a series of
      cases of acquired atresia and stenosis of the external acoustic meatus with the
      description of etiology, pathogenesis, and methods for the treatment of this
      condition. In the majority of the cases, atresia develops at the final stage of
      granulation external otitis with or without an accompanying dermatological
      pathology. Another common cause of the acquired atresia of the external acoustic
      meatus is the fracture of the temporal bone as well as extensive ear surgery,
      radiation therapy and a neoplasm in the auditory passage. The surgical strategy
      for the management of the acquired atresia and stenosis of the external acoustic
      meatus consists, besides the excision of the fibrous plug, of the application of
      the cutaneous flaps and/or transplants to cover the bare parts of the bone
      portion of the affected external canal. In spite of such treatment, the state of
      the external acoustic canal remains unstable, and a relapse of its atresia and
      stenosis can not be wholly excluded.

PMID- 28631688
TI  - [Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: modern concepts of its etiology and
      pathogenesis].
AB  - The objective of the present review of the literature is the analysis of the
      currently available data concerning etiology and pathogenesis of benign
      paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The special emphasis is placed on the
      modern hypotheses of BPPV formation that collectively account for not more than
      15% of all known cases of this condition. The best explored are the following
      causes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: vestibular neuronitis, head
      injuries, and disorders in the middle ear. During the recent years, much
      attention has been given to the role of disturbances of calcium metabolism and
      osteoporosis in etiology of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. It is supposed
      that pathogenesis of vertiginous attacks can be explained in terms of the
      canalolithiasis and cupulolithiasis theories.

PMID- 28631689
TI  - [Objective tympanophonia caused by myoclonus of the auricular muscles].
AB  - The objective of the present literature review was to systematize the available
      data on the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnostics, and treatment
      of muscular tympanophonia. The commonest source of muscular tympanophonia is the
      tremor (myoclonus) of the soft palate or the middle ear; sometimes this condition
      can be a consequence of myoclonus of the external ear muscles or head muscles.
      Pharmacotherapy of muscular tympanophonia does not invariably result in the
      favourable outcome. The author describes a rare observation of objective
      tympanophonia attributable to myoclonus of the auricular muscle. The patient
      complained of sensation of clicking sounds in the affected right ear in synchrony
      with involuntary contractions of the muscles above the auricle and in the
      postaural region. The contractions of these muscular groups were palpable at the
      moments when the patient felt snaps in the ear. The presence of myoclonus of the
      auricular muscles was confirmed in the electromyographic studies. Multispiral
      computed tomography did not reveal pathological changes in the brain stem
      structures. The patient took the prescribed doses of clonazepam and baclofen
      during 5 weeks; however, this treatment failed to substantially improve his
      condition. Tympanophonia was eliminated by means of administration of botulinum
      toxin into the m. auricularis posterior and m. temporalis region.

PMID- 28631690
TI  - [Medically-induced rhinitis].
AB  - This paper summarizes the currently accepted concepts of the pathogenetic
      mechanisms underlying the morphological and functional changes in intranasal
      mucosa of the patients having a long history of the application of the long
      acting topical vasoconstrictor agents. The author presents the data illustrating
      the effectiveness of various methods for the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of
      medically-induced rhinitis.

PMID- 28631691
TI  - [The all-Russian scientific and practical conference 'Modern problems of
      otorhinolaryngology' dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the foundation of the
      Department of Ear, Throat and Nose Diseases at I.M. Sechnov First Moscow State
      Medical University].

PMID- 28631692
TI  - [Multidisciplinary problems of rheumatology and pulmonology].
AB  - Damage to the respiratory system worsens prognosis and increases mortality in all
      systemic immunoinflammatory rheumatic diseases (SIRDs). Leading pulmonary
      manifestations in each disease are different, so the typical picture of each
      nosological entity is very peculiar. In all SIRDs, the disease starts with lung
      involvement in 10-20% of cases, preceding the expanded clinical presentation of a
      systemic disease. At a certain stage, lung damage may be the only manifestation
      of the disease or predominate in its clinical picture, determining the severity
      of a condition. Among the patients referred to consultation with a pulmonologist
      for interstitial lung disease, about 15% have manifestations of SIRDs that is
      confirmed by a special survey. The paper discusses the diagnostic features of
      SIRDs with lung involvement, as well as indications for consultation with a
      rheumatologist. The key clinical symptoms indicating a possible rheumatic disease
      in patients with lung involvement are considered. Evidence for the main
      circulating autoantibodies identifiable in high titers in patients with SIRDs in
      a serological test is given and its positivity is interpreted. The issues
      associated with the term 'undifferentiated connective tissue diseases-associated
      interstitial lung disease' are discussed; the expediency of using the term
      'interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune signs (AIS)' is emphasized. The clinical
      characteristics of and classification criteria for AIS are presented. The
      prognosis and outcomes of interstitial pneumonias of varying etiologies, as well
      as the importance of the multidisciplinary approach to managing patients with
      SIRDs and lung involvement, which improves the quality of diagnosis, adequacy of
      treatment, and quality of life, are dealt with.

PMID- 28631693
TI  - [Independent risk factors for severe cardiovascular events in male patients with
      gout: Results of a 7-year prospective study].
AB  - AIM: To determine risk factors for severe cardiovascular (CV) events (CVEs) in
      male patients with crystal-verified gout. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 251 male patients
      with crystal-verified gout were prospectively followed up in 2003 to 2013. The
      mean follow-up period was 6.9+/-2.0 years. New severe CVE cases and deaths were
      recorded. Logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of traditional and
      other risk factors and allopurinol use on the risk for severe CVEs. RESULTS: 32
      patients died during the follow-up period. Severe CVEs were recorded in 58
      (23.1%) patients; CVE deaths were notified in 22 (8.8%) patients. The risk of all
      severe CVEs was high for hypertension, increased serum high-sensitivity C
      reactive protein (hs-CRP) level (>5 mg/l), >= stage III chronic kidney disease
      (CKD) (glomerular filtration rate, <60 ml/min/1.73 m2), alcohol intake (>20
      g/day), coronary heart disease (CHD), and a family history of premature CHD. The
      risk of fatal CVEs was highest for elevated serum hs-CRP level, >= stage III CKD,
      a family history of premature CHD, hypercholesterolemia, upper quartile of serum
      uric acid levels (>552 umol/l), and regular intake of allopurinol. CONCLUSION: In
      addition to the traditional risk factors of CV catastrophes, the presence of
      chronic inflammation and the impact of high serum uric acid levels may explain
      the high frequency of CV catastrophes.

PMID- 28631694
TI  - [The influence of STAT4 rs7574865 (G/T) polymorphism on the risk of clinical and
      immunological phenotypes of systemic sclerosis in a Russian patient population:
      Results of a pilot study].
AB  - AIM: To examine the association of signal transducer and activator transcription
      4 (STAT4) rs7574865 G/T polymorphism with a predisposition to systemic sclerosis
      (SSC) and associated clinical and autoimmune phenotypes in a Russian population.
      SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 102 patients with SSC and 103 healthy
      individuals as controls were examined. STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism was
      investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The carriers of the
      T allele showed a statistically significant association with SSC, a diffuse form
      (DF), the presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD), cardiac injury (CI), and
      seropositivity for anti-topoisomerase I antibodies (ATA). CONCLUSION: The
      findings results confirm the important role of STAT4 gene in the predisposition
      to SSC and its phenotypes, such as DF, ILD, CI, and ATA in the Russian
      population.

PMID- 28631695
TI  - [Chronic stress and mental disorders in patients with systemic scleroderma:
      Results of an interdisciplinary study].
AB  - AIM: To analyze of the prevalence of stressful factors and mental disorders
      (MDs), as well as their clinical psychopathological and clinical psychological
      characteristics to improve the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of systemic
      scleroderma (SSD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Examinations were performed in 110
      patients (predominantly women (n=97 (88.2%); mean age, 49.9+/-2.47 years) with a
      documented diagnosis of SSD (its mean duration, 7.25+/-0.42 years). 62 (56.4%)
      patients had limited SSD, 36 (32.7%) had diffuse SSD, and 12 (10.9%) had overlap
      syndrome. The disease was rapidly and slowly progressive in 33 (30%) and 77 (70%)
      patients, respectively. Oral glucocorticosteroids were used in 99 (90%) patients
      included in the study, cytotoxic drugs in 66 (60%), plaquenil in 33 (30%); 8 (7%)
      patients were treated with the biological agent rituximab. All the patients were
      examined by a psychologist and a psychiatrist. The psychopathological diagnosis
      of MD was made during a semistructured interview in accordance with the ICD-10
      criteria. The Montgomery-Asberg depression and Hamilton anxiety rating scales
      were used to evaluate the severity of depression and anxiety, respectively. All
      patients underwent a clinical and psychological examination, including tests
      assessing memory, attention, and logical thinking, as well as projective
      techniques. RESULTS: MDs were detected in 91 (83%) patients with SSD. There was a
      preponderance of depressive disorders in 74 (67.3%) patients: chronic (dysthymia
      in 33 (30%) patients)) and recurrent (recurrent depressive disorder in 34 (31%))
      depressions. Cognitive impairment (CI) of varying severities was diagnosed in
      100% of the patients. Schizotypal personality disorder was stated in 44 (40%)
      patients. 90% of patients were found to have chronic psychic traumas mainly as
      parental deprivation in childhood (in children less than 11 years of age). 76.7%
      of the SSD cases developed recurrent episodes of depression in the presence of
      long-term MD or had a history of the episodes. There was no relationship of MD to
      gender, age, duration of SSD and its individual clinical manifestations. The
      nature of SSD treatment did not affect the frequency and spectrum of MD.
      CONCLUSION: MDs, predominantly chronic and recurrent depression, and CI are
      characteristic of most SSD patients. Multiple chronic stressful factors, both
      previous SSD and those over time, have commonly an impact on the mental health of
      patients with SSD.

PMID- 28631697
TI  - [Changes in the serum concentrations of adhesion molecules and vascular
      endothelial growth factor in active ankylosing spondylitis patients taking
      amtolmetin guacil: Results of a 56-week prospective oren-label controlled
      observational study].
AB  - AIM: To estimate changes in the concentrations of adhesion molecules and vascular
      endothelial growth factor A after 30-day additional use of amtolmetin guacil
      (AMG) in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who were unresponsive
      to previous one-year treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
      (NSAIDs). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 20 patients with active AS who had not reached a
      BASDAI score <4.0 at week 52 of NSAID therapy and 10 healthy individuals matched
      for cardiovascular risk factors were examined. After 52 weeks of NSAID therapy,
      AMG was administered orally at 1200 mg/day to patients with AS for 30 days. The
      concentrations of adhesion molecules (sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1) and VEGF-A were
      measured. BASDAI and ASDAS scores and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were
      determined in AS patients. The concentrations of adhesion molecules and VEGF-A
      were investigated in patients with AS at baseline, at 52 weeks after NSAID
      treatment start, and at 30 days following AMH initiation (at week 56) and in
      healthy individuals at baseline and at 30 days. RESULTS: The concentration of
      sICAM-1 in patients with AS was 987.0+/-217.39, 938.98+/-293.31, and 364.25+/
      363.3 ng/ml at weeks 0, 52, and 56, respectively; that in healthy individuals was
      769.25+/-189.32 and 740.05+/-225.76 ng/ml at baseline and at 30 days,
      respectively. The differences from the baseline concentration were significant in
      patients with AS (p<0.05) and insignificant in healthy subjects (p>=0.05); the
      differences between the concentrations in patients with AS and the controls were
      significant at baseline and at 52 weeks (p<0.05). The concentration of sVCAM-1 in
      patients with AS was 364.25+/-160.49, 325.34+/-245.1, and 319.1+/-248.73 ng/ml at
      weeks 0, 52 and 56, respectively; that in healthy individuals was 245.13+/-40.4
      and 248.73+/-34.42 ng/ml, respectively (p<0.05 vs baseline values and values in
      healthy subjects). The level of VEGF-A in AS patients was not different from that
      in healthy individuals, but decreased during treatment. Correlations were found
      between the concentration of adhesion molecules and the level of CRP (p<0.01).
      CONCLUSION: Elevated concentrations of adhesion molecules have been found in AS
      patients compared with healthy individuals. The study has demonstrated that AMG
      treatment is efficient in treating patients with AS. NSAID/AMG treatment is
      associated with lower concentrations of adhesion molecules. Decreased CRP levels
      serve as predictors for reduced concentration of adhesion molecules. The level of
      VEGF-A at baseline did not differ from that in healthy subjects, but was
      decreased during treatment with NSAIDs.

PMID- 28631696
TI  - [Ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: Two stages
      of disease?]
AB  - AIM: To compare the clinical manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and
      non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nrAxSpA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A
      Moscow early spondyloarthritis cohort has now included 132 patients with axial
      spondyloarthritis, of whom 69 patients who have been followed up at least 12
      months are to be involved in a preliminary analysis. The mean age at the time of
      inclusion in the study was 28.1+/-5.5 years; the mean disease duration was 24.7+/
      15.8 months; 63 (91.3%) patients were HLA-B27 positive; 41 and 28 included
      patients were diagnosed with AS and nrAxSpA, respectively. RESULTS: Men were
      significantly more in the AS group than in the nrAxSpA group (58.5 and 32.1%,
      respectively; p=0.05). The patients of the two groups did not differ in main
      clinical parameters (the presence of arthritis and enthesitis), disease activity
      (BASDAI, ASDAS-CRP) and functional status (BASFI). All indicators of inflammatory
      activity decreased nearly 2-fold in both groups after 12 months of follow up. In
      7 (25%) patients with nrAxSpA, radiologically detectable sacroiliitis (SI)
      developed over 12 months and the diagnosis of AS was verified. Among them, 2
      (28.5%) patients had initially active SI detected by magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI); 4 (57.1%) had chronic SI, and 1 (14.4%) had no pathological MRI changes.
      CONCLUSION: Due to the fact that the clinical manifestations of AS and nrAxSpA
      are comparable, it can be assumed that the latter is an early stage of AS.

PMID- 28631698
TI  - [Hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinemic vasculitis: A 20-year experience
      with treatment].
AB  - AIM: To summarize the experience of a multidisciplinary therapy hospital in
      treating patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated cryoglobulinemic
      vasculitis (CV). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Seventy-two patients (mean age, 49.4+/
      10.3 years) with HCV-associated CV were examined and followed up for an average
      period of 2.8+/-3.6 years. The efficiency of traditional (corticosteroids +/-
      cyclophosphamide) and selective (rituximab) immunosuppressive therapy (IST) was
      estimated in 31 and 15 observations, respectively, and that of antiviral therapy
      (AVT) in 25. Vasculitis activity was assessed using the Birmingham vasculitis
      activity score (BVAS). The patients' survival was studied; multivariate logistic
      regression analysis was carried out. RESULTS: 24 (33.4%) of the 72 patients had a
      stage of liver cirrhosis (LC). The pretreatment mean BVAS was 11.9+/-7.2 (range 2
      to 36). Severe CV (BVAS >=15) was present in 30.6% of the patients. AVT was
      accompanied by achievement of sustained virologic response in 48% of the
      patients, clinical remission in 68% and had an advantage over IST in relation to
      long-term treatment results. Rituximab was significantly more effective than
      traditional immunosuppressants (remission rates of 73 and 13%, respectively).
      Combined therapy (rituximab and AVT) was most effective in patients with severe
      forms of vasculitis. Sixteen patients died from complications of vasculitis
      (37.5%), infection (37.5%), and LC (25%). The factors adversely affecting
      prognosis were age >55 years (odds ratio (OR), 4.49), the presence of LC (OR,
      3.68), renal failure (OR, 4.66) and the use of glucocorticosteroids (OR, 3.91).
      CONCLUSION: HCV-associated CV can determine the prognosis of chronic HSV
      infection. AVT is the treatment of choice in all patients with HSV-associated CV.
      AVT must be combined with rituximab therapy in patients with severe forms of
      vasculitis.

PMID- 28631699
TI  - [Lower extremity venous diseases in primary knee osteoarthritis].
AB  - AIM: To establish a possible association between knee osteoarthritis (OA) and
      lower extremity venous diseases ((LEVDs) on the basis of thorough clinical and
      instrumental studies. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A case-control study recruiting 40-60
      year-old women was conducted. A study group included 85 women with knee OA; a
      control group consisted of 50 women without this condition. The patients of both
      groups underwent assessment of complaints and goal-directed objective examination
      to identify joint diseases and chronic LEVDs, knee X-ray study, and duplex
      scanning of the lower extremity veins. RESULTS: The patients with knee OA were
      more frequently diagnosed with lower extremity varicose vein disease (VVD) (43%
      vs 22%; p=0.015) and had signs of chronic venous insufficiency (28% vs 12%;
      p=0.03). Duplex scanning of the lower extremities showed that knee OA was
      characterized by generalized LEVD (bilateral valve lesions of the great and small
      saphenous veins and severe valvular incompetence in the veins) that was detected
      in 53% of the patients in this group versus 20% of the women in the control group
      (p = 0.0004). After adjustment for body mass index, the differences in the
      incidence of VVD between the groups remained clinically and statistically
      significant (odds ratio (OR), 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-6.7; p=0.036).
      CONCLUSION: The 40-60-year-old patients with knee OA more commonly develop
      symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency than their healthy peers. Although
      obesity is a risk factor for both diseases, there is an independent association
      between knee OA and lower extremity VVD.

PMID- 28631700
TI  - [Polymorphism in the regulatory regions -S2578A and +C936T of the vascular
      endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) gene in Russian women with rheumatoid
      arthritis].
AB  - AIM: To analyze polymorphism in the regulatory regions of the vascular
      endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene in female patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The investigation enrolled 257 female
      patients with RA. A control group consisted of 297 women without chronic
      diseases. The investigators examined the single-nucleotide polymorphism of VEGF
      A2578S in the promoter region (rs699947) and that of VEGF+S936T 3 in the
      retranslated region (rs3025039) of the gene. Genotyping was performed by
      restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. RESULTS: There was an increase
      in the frequency of VEGF+936 CT and a reduction in that of the VEGF+936SS
      genotypes in the seronegative patients as compared to the healthy women. The
      VEGF+936SS genotype frequency was higher in the patients with seropositive RA
      than in the subgroup of seronegative patients. The frequency of the VEGF-2578SS
      genotype was increased in the patients with RA and rheumatoid nodules, as
      compared to the healthy women. CONCLUSION: The data presented suggest that the
      presence of certain VEGF gene variants located in the regulatory regions may
      reflect the nature of immunopathological mechanisms in RA.

PMID- 28631701
TI  - [Clinical features of osteoarthritis in patients with metabolic syndrome].
AB  - AIM: To estimate clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with
      osteoarthritis (OA) and in those with OA and metabolic syndrome (MS). SUBJECTS
      AND METHODS: 164 patients with OA were examined and divided into 2 groups of 82
      people: a study group (patients with MS) and a control one (those without MS). OA
      was defined according to the diagnostic criteria described by R.D. Althmann
      (1995). MS was identified based on the criteria developed by the International
      Diabetes Federation (2005). The location of affected and swollen joints was
      determined according to the Richie index; the intensity of pain syndrome was
      measured by a visual analogue scale at rest and on movement; the WOMAC and
      Lequesne indexes were estimated in the patients. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
      and C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were determined
      from laboratory data. RESULTS: In the MS group, the frequency of joint injuries
      at various sites, the prevalence of synovitis, and the intensity of pain and
      inflammation were significantly higher than in the non-MS group. CONCLUSION: The
      negative impact of MS on the clinical picture of OA can be inferred by the
      findings.

PMID- 28631702
TI  - [The frequency of ophthalmologic manifestations of granulomatosis with
      polyangiitis (Wegener's) and their relationship to systemic diseases].
AB  - AIM: To estimate the frequency of lesions in the organ of vision in
      granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) (Wegener's) and to determine their
      relationship to systemic diseases. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The retrospective study
      enrolled 218 patients followed up at the E.M. Tareyev Clinic of Nephrology,
      Internal and Occupational Diseases, with a diagnosis of GPA. The frequency and
      association of ophthalmic manifestations with systemic involvement were
      statistically analyzed using PASW Statistics 18. RESULTS: The organ of vision was
      impaired in 48.1% of the patients with GPA. The most common manifestations were
      orbital space-occupying lesion (22.9%), conjunctivitis/episcleritis (14.7%),
      dacryocystitis (6.0%), and scleritis (4.6%). Orbital space-occupying lesions
      occurred more frequently in the local type of the disease (p=0.0003), and, on the
      contrary, the involvement of the conjunctiva and eyeball was seen in patients
      with the systemic types of GPA (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: The findings may suggest
      that the orbital lesion is an independent manifestation of GPA, which develops
      more commonly in its local type. Conjunctivitis/episcleritis is, on the contrary,
      more frequently seen in the active phase of the disease and generally in the
      involvement of other organs and systems.

PMID- 28631703
TI  - [Association of ITGB3, P2RY12, and CYP2C19 gene polymorphisms with platelet
      functional activity in patients with coronary heart disease during dual
      antiplatelet therapy].
AB  - AIM: To assess the association of CYP2C19 G681A, P2RY12 H1/H2, and ITGB3 T1565C
      polymorphisms with the extent of platelet aggregation in patients with coronary
      heart disease (CHD) during antiplatelet therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 166 male
      patients with CHD, living in the Western Siberian Region, were examined. All the
      patients underwent a test for platelet aggregation induced by ADP (2.5 and 5.0
      um) and epinephrine (0.2 um). Genotyping was performed using an allele-specific
      polymerase chain reaction technique. RESULTS: The polymorphic variants of the
      P2RY12 and ITGB3 genes were ascertained to have no impact on the extent of
      platelet aggregation in patients receiving clopidogrel and acetylsalicylic acid.
      An association was found between CYP2C19 681A allele carriage and the increased
      extent of platelet aggregation induced by ADP. CONCLUSION: The carriage of the
      cytochrome P450 CYP2C19 681A allele rather than platelet receptor gene
      polymorphisms determines a risk for clopidogrel resistance in patients with CHD.

PMID- 28631705
TI  - [Vaccination in rheumatology: Evolution of views on the problem].
AB  - The problem of coinfections that are due to both a rheumatic disease (RD) itself
      and the need to use immunosuppressive drugs deserves apparent attention in modern
      rheumatology. Coinfections substantially affect morbidity and mortality rates,
      especially in diffuse connective tissue diseases. The data available in the
      literature on the above subject matter suggest that vaccination is a powerful
      method for prevention of infectious diseases that are the most important problem
      for patients with RD.

PMID- 28631704
TI  - [Behcet's disease: Intracardiac thrombosis (a description of two cases and a
      review of literature)].
AB  - Behcet's disease (BD) is systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology, which is more
      common in the countries located along the Great Silk Road. The disease is
      diagnosed if a patient has 4 key diagnostic signs: aphthous stomatitis, genital
      sores, and eye and skin lesions. Vascular diseases referred to as minor criteria
      for BD are characterized by the formation of aneurysms and thrombosis,
      predominantly in the venous bed. In venous disorders, a blood clot can form in
      any vessel, including caval, cerebral, pulmonary, and other veins. The paper
      describes two clinical cases of BD with intracardiac thrombosis. In one case, a
      24-year-old male patient with a documented diagnosis of BD, echocardiography
      revealed a left ventricular spontaneous echo contrast phenomenon that disappeared
      due to immunosuppressive therapy. The other case was a 34-year-old female
      patient, in whom the diagnosis was based on the international disease criteria:
      aphthous stomatitis, skin lesions (pseudopustulosis, erythema nodosum), and
      genital sores. Computed tomographic angiography showed a 3.7*2.2-cm mass
      (thrombus) in the right atrium. In addition, blood clots were present in the
      hepatic and inferior vena cava. No abnormalities in the coagulation system were
      found in both cases.

PMID- 28631706
TI  - [Osteoporosis: Current state of the art].
AB  - As of now, osteoporosis (OP) is one of the most important sociomedical problems
      because of its high prevalence and resultant disability, as well as significant
      mortality attributable to complications. The current strategy for providing care
      for patients of OP is its early diagnosis, by determining the high risk of
      fractures, and early pathogenetic treatment. The article gives an update on the
      epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment of OP.

PMID- 28631707
TI  - [Chondroprotectors: A range of application in general somatic practice].
AB  - Chondroprotectors (CP) are biological agents that contribute to the regeneration
      of the cartilage surfaces and articular capsule, participating in the metabolic
      processes of the articular cartilage. Progressive loss of hyaline cartilage and
      lower levels of chondroitin sulfate were observed in osteoarthritis (OA) at
      different sites, including dorsopathy. OA therapy is aimed at slowing disease
      progression, relieving pain symptoms, and reducing functional disorders. For this
      purpose, oral or injectable CPs (Chondroguard, Sustaguard) are prescribed. The
      optimal dosing regimen of parenteral CPs is the following: three intramuscular
      Chondrogard 1 ml (100 mg) jections during the first week; 25-30 intramuscular
      chondroguard 2 ml (200 mg) injections every other day during the second week, a
      repeat cycle after 6 months; Sustaguard 400 mg thrice weekly for 4 weeks.

PMID- 28631708
TI  - [New horizons in the use of biological agents during pregnancy in patients with
      rheumatic disease].
AB  - Pregnancy in the presence of rheumatic diseases (RD) and adequate therapy before
      planned conception, during gestation, and after delivery during lactation is
      challenging. Advances in the treatment of RD are largely due to the clinical
      introduction of a new class of biological agents (BAs). There are less than two
      decades of experience in using BAs in rheumatology and to date there are no
      unified standards and accepted rules governing their use during pregnancy.
      According to the current requirements, information on a medicine should be given
      in three sections: 1) pregnancy; 2) lactation, and 3) use in men and women who
      are planning concept (the latter section has appeared for the first time). The
      present article summarizes data on the possible use of BAs in patients with RD
      during pregnancy planning, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

PMID- 28631709
TI  - [Cancer-testis genes in colon cancer].
AB  - The expression of cancer-testis (CT) genes varies with tumor type. There are
      tumors with high, low, and intermediate gene expressions. Tumor cells of
      different origin are characterized by ST gene co-expression. The expression of ST
      genes increases in later stages of tumor development in the presence of
      metastases. In colon cancer, the tumor samples showed most frequently MAGE-A and
      SSX mRNA. The peripheral blood samples displayed most commonly XAGE, MAGE-C, and
      SSX mRNA. In patients with colon cancer, the expression of TSP50, MAGE-A(1-6),
      and SSX1,2,4 genes was associated with a poor prognosis, that of MAGE-C1 and
      XAGE1 was related to a favorable prognosis.

PMID- 28631710
TI  - [Diagnostic problems of histological remission in patients with inflammatory
      bowel disease].
AB  - AIM: to analyze the generally accepted histological criteria for diagnosing the
      activity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with therapy-induced
      endoscopic remission. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Colon biopsy specimens from 57
      patients aged from 19 to 52 years (mean age 31+/-2.5 years), including 41
      patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 16 with Crohn's disease (CD) affecting
      the colon, were examined. All the patients had no clinical signs of disease
      activity; endoscopic examination diagnosed remission (none or minimal changes).
      The biopsy specimens were taken from all colon segments during colonoscopy and
      processed by conventional methods. RESULTS: Persistence in chronic inflammation
      with signs of its activity (neutrophils in an infiltrate and cryptitis) and
      mucosal structural changes (no histological remission) were found in 29.3% of the
      patients with UC and 37.5% of those with CD (only in 31.6% of the patients).
      Persistence in chronic inflammation without signs of its activity and/or mucosal
      structural changes (incomplete histological remission) were detected in 80.5,
      81.25, and 80.7% of the patients, respectively. Complete histological remission
      without mucosal inflammatory and structural changes was observed only in 19.5,
      18.75, and 19.3% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: The investigation
      shows that histological remission is still difficult to achieve to date, despite
      the use of the present-day treatment protocols for IBD. On the other hand, the
      conventional morphological criteria for the diagnosis of histological remission
      in IBD are quite subjective and need further discussion and agreement. Whether
      there may be a complete structural and functional recovery of the colon mucosa
      remains open.

PMID- 28631711
TI  - [Expansion of secretory cells in the fallopian tubal epithelium in the early
      stages of the pathogenesis of ovarian serous carcinomas].
AB  - AIM: to investigate the frequency of the types of fallopian tubal secretory cell
      expansion (SCE) in diseases of the reproductive organs and to determine the
      immunophenotype and biological role of the cells in the early stages of the
      pathogenesis of high-grade ovarian serous carcinomas (HGOSC). SUBJECTS AND
      METHODS: The investigation enrolled 287 patients with extraovarian diseases and
      ovarian serous tumors varying in grade, whose fallopian tubes were
      morphologically and immunohistochemically examined using p53, Ki-67, PAX2, Bcl-2,
      beta-catenin, and ALDH1 markers. The material was statistically processed
      applying the Mann-Whitney test and chi2 test. RESULTS: The rate of secretory cell
      proliferation (SCP) (more than 10 consecutive secretory cells) and that of
      secretory cell overgrowth (SCO) (more than 30 consecutive secretory cells)
      increase with age in all investigated reproductive system diseases. The rate of
      SCP in the corpus fimbriatum of the patients with HGOSC was 5.9 times higher than
      that in those with extraovarian disease (p<0.01); when comparing the same patient
      groups, that of SCO was 3.4 times higher (p<0.05). The immunohistochemical
      characteristics of the investigated lesions (in scores) were as follows: PAX2 was
      expressed in the intact epithelium (2.8), in SCP (1.3), in SCO (1.2), in serous
      tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) (1.0), and in HGOSC (0.9); Bcl-2 was in
      the intact epithelium (2.2), in SCP (2.1), STIC (0.9), and in HGOSC (0.6), beta
      catenin was in the intact epithelium (0.5), in SCP (2.85), in SCO (2.95), in STIC
      (0.6), and in HGOSC (0.5); ALDH1 was in the intact epithelium (0.5), in SCP
      (2.91), in SCO (2.92), in STIC (1.2), and in HGOSC (0.6). There were
      statistically significant differences with a 95% confidence interval (p<0.05)
      for: 1) PAX2 between the intact epithelium and pathology (fallopian tube lesions
      and HGOSC); 2) Bcl-2 between the intact epithelium and SCE (SCP and SCO) and
      between SCE and HGOSC; 3) beta-catenin between the intact epithelium and SCE (SCP
      and SCO) and between SCE and HGOSC; 4) ALDH1 between the intact epithelium and
      SCE, between and SCE and STIC, and between STIC and HGOSC. CONCLUSION: SCE was
      shown to be an independent intraepithelial lesion. The incidence of this
      abnormality increased with age and significantly differed in the patients with
      fallopian tubal lesions in extraovarian diseases from that in those with
      malignant ovarian serous tumors (by 5.3 times), while these groups showed a three
      fold difference in SCO. Thus, SCP may serve as a more sensitive marker for the
      early stages of the pathogenesis of ovarian serous carcinoma. The studied types
      of SCE demonstrated multiple molecular events (loss of PAX2 expression and
      increased Bcl-2, beta-catenin, and ALDH1 expressions), some of which underwent
      considerable changes, by increasing the severity of a pathological process (loss
      of ALDH1, and beta-catenin, and bcl-2 expressions). Thus, therapeutic exposure in
      the early stages of pathogenesis may have a few points of application and just
      several molecules can serve as independent markers for early pathological changes
      in the fallopian tubal epithelium.

PMID- 28631712
TI  - [The molecular mechanisms and morphological manifestations of leiomyoma reduction
      induced by selective progesterone receptor modulators].
AB  - AIM: to investigate the molecular mechanisms and morphological substrate of
      reduced uterine leiomyoma in patients receiving the selective progesterone
      receptor modulator (SPRM) ulipristal acetate for 3 months, by estimating the
      immunohistochemical expression of the markers steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC
      1), nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR-1), ER, PgR, Ki-67, p16, TGF-beta, and
      VEGF in tumor tissue. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The investigation enrolled 75 women
      with uterine leiomyoma, menorrhagias, and anemia. Group 1 included 40 patients
      who were treated with ulipristal for 3 months, followed by laparoscopic
      myomectomy. Group 2 consisted of 35 patients who underwent surgery without
      previous preparation. The intra- and postoperative parameters and molecular and
      morphological changes in the myomatous nodules were comparatively analyzed in
      both groups. RESULTS: After 3 months of therapy initiation, menorrhagia
      completely ceased, myomatous nodules decreased in size (p<0.05), hemoglobin
      levels were elevated (p<0.01), and total intraoperative blood loss and operative
      time decreased in all the patients in Group 1. The morphological substrate of
      partial leiomyoma reduction was leiomyocyte apoptosis and dystrophy, tumor stroma
      sclerosis and hyalinosis with diminished Ki-67 expression and elevated p16 in the
      smooth muscle cells, trophic nodular tissue disorders exhibited by vascular wall
      sclerosis and lower VEGF and TGF-beta expression, and leiomyocyte hormonal
      reception dysregulation that made itself evident through the reduced expression
      of SRC-1 with the unchanged expression of PR and ER and the maintained level of
      NCoR-1. CONCLUSION: The molecular mechanisms of tumor reduction involved the
      reduced Ki-67 expression and elevated p16, lower VEGF and TGF-beta, diminished
      SRC-1 expression with the maintained level of PR, ER, and NCoR-1. Overall, this
      is suggestive of enhanced apoptosis and reduced leiomyoma proliferation and
      angiogenesis induced by SPRM and indicative of the expediency of using ulipristal
      acetate as a preoperative agent for organ-sparing surgery in reproductive-aged
      patients with uterine myoma, menorrhagias, and anemia.

PMID- 28631713
TI  - [BRAF-positive paucicellular variant of anaplastic carcinoma in the presence of
      tall cell variant papillary thyroid cancer].
AB  - To paper describes a case of paucicellular anaplastic cancer in the presence of
      tall cell variant papillary thyroid carcinoma. Microscopic examination showed
      that the differentiated component of the tumor was composed of papillary
      structures with tall cells, the height of which exceeded 3-4 times the width. Its
      anaplastic component consisted of fibrous tissue with occasional spindle-shaped
      cells and focal lymphocytic infiltration to the extent of 70%. The spindle-shaped
      cells expressed cytokeratins, beta-catenin, p53, and vimentin. The tumor cells
      and lymphocytes showed an association with Epstein-Barr virus. Molecular genetic
      study of the tumor revealed the following mutations: BRAF p.Val600Glu (p.V600e
      was), HRAS p.His27His (p.H27H), PIK3CA p.Glu545Lys (p.E545K), TP53 p.Arg248Gln
      (p.R248Q).

PMID- 28631714
TI  - [Extrarenal rhabdoid tumor: A review of literature and a report of cases with
      atypical morphology].
AB  - Extrarenal extracranial rhabdoid tumor (EERT) is a rare malignant pediatric tumor
      characterized by extremely aggressive behavior, rapid metastatic spread, low
      survival rates, and no targeted therapy. The morphological diagnosis of classical
      cases of EERT is not difficult and it is based on its characteristic histologic
      pattern and immunohistochemical findings in a relatively short time, which allows
      one to immediately initiate therapy. The paper describes two cases of ERRT in the
      complete absence of classical rhabdoid morphology, as revealed by light
      microscopy when the material was primarily assessed. The final diagnostic search
      could establish a diagnosis of EERT in both cases on the basis of
      immunohistochemical findings.

PMID- 28631715
TI  - [Concurrence of acute graft rejection and polyomavirus nephropathy: A clinical
      case].
AB  - The paper describes a case of diagnosing acute renal graft rejection concurrent
      with polyomavirus nephropathy. Histochemical and electron microscopic methods
      were used to examine biopsy specimens, which showed morphological changes
      occurring in the allograft, the ultrastructural characteristics of polyomavirus
      and the features of its spread in kidney tissue structures.

PMID- 28631716
TI  - [Anogenital mammary-like glands and related diseases. Part 2. Malignant tumors of
      the anogenital glands].
AB  - Mammary-like glands are a normal anatomical component of the anogenital region
      and can give rise to many benign and malignant tumors that morphologically mimic
      the similar diseases of the breast. The literature review is complemented by a
      description of 199 cases of malignant tumors of mammary-like glands. The paper
      presents the clinical and morphological characteristics of various malignant
      tumors of mammary-like glands, including extramammary Paget's disease, ductal,
      tubulolobular, adenoid cystic adenocarcinoma, low-grade phyllodes tumor, etc.

PMID- 28631717
TI  - [Work quota setting and man-hour productivity estimation in pathologists].
AB  - The paper considers the development and current state of the regulation of work
      quota setting and remuneration in pathologists. Reasoning from the current staff
      standards for morbid anatomy departments (units), the authors present a method to
      calculate the load of pathologists. The essence of the proposed method is
      demonstrated using a specific example.

PMID- 28631718
TI  - [Current prerequisites for a molecular genetic classification of endometrial
      cancer].
AB  - The review analyzes current investigators' data on the introduction of an
      additional endometrial cancer classification based on the results of molecular
      and genetic studies. This necessity is dictated by clinical observations,
      according to which the genetic profile of the tumors may not correspond to their
      morphological structure, which considerably changes patient management tactics.
      The existing dualistic model of carcinogenesis makes it possible to identify and
      describe the characteristic molecular features of the tumors in terms of their
      histological structure. The review also analyzes the concept of 4 new endometrial
      cancer subgroups: ultramutated, hypermutated, copy-number low, and copy-number
      high (serous-like). It gives the results of investigations of the molecular and
      genetic characteristics of each subgroup. Particular attention is paid to the
      role of POLE gene mutations in the ultramutated subgroup. Different theories
      justifying a good prognosis in these patients are considered. The molecular
      characteristics of endometrial cancer versus tumors of other organs are compared.
      The potential benefits of introducing the new classification, which allow one to
      change approaches to stratifying the risk for this disease, are presented.

PMID- 28631719
TI  - Erratum: Changes in initial COPD treatment choice over time and factors
      influencing prescribing decisions in UK primary care: a real-world study.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/npjpcrm.2016.2.

PMID- 28631720
TI  - Contemporary management of men with high-risk localized prostate cancer in the
      United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgery and radiation-based therapies are standard management options
      for men with clinically localized high-risk prostate cancer (PCa). Contemporary
      patterns of care are unknown. We hypothesize the use of surgery has steadily
      increased in more recent years. METHODS: Using the National Cancer Data Base for
      2004-2013, all men diagnosed with high-risk localized PCa were identified using
      National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria. Temporal trends in initial
      management were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate
      demographic and clinical factors associated with undergoing radical prostatectomy
      (RP). RESULTS: In total, 127 391 men were identified. Use of RP increased from
      26% in 2004 to 42% in 2013 (adjusted risk ratio (RR) 1.51, 95% CI 1.42-1.60,
      P<0.001), while external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) decreased from 49% to 42%
      (P<0.001). African American men had lower odds of undergoing RP (unadjusted rate
      of 28%, adjusted RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.66-0.72, <0.001) compared to White men (37%).
      Age was inversely associated with likelihood of receiving RP. Having private
      insurance was significantly associated with the increased use of RP (vs Medicare,
      adjusted odds ratio 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.08, P=0.015). Biopsy Gleason scores 8-10
      with and without any primary Gleason 5 pattern were associated with decreased
      odds of RP (vs Gleason score ?6, both P<0.001). Academic and comprehensive cancer
      centers were more likely to perform RP compared to community hospitals (both
      P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The likelihood of receiving RP for high-risk PCa
      dramatically increased from 2004 to 2013. By 2013, the use of RP and EBRT were
      similar. African American men, elderly men and those without private insurance
      were less likely to receive RP.

PMID- 28631722
TI  - Intrinsic Excitability of Cocaine-Associated Memories.

PMID- 28631721
TI  - DISC1 in Astrocytes Influences Adult Neurogenesis and Hippocampus-Dependent
      Behaviors in Mice.
AB  - The functional role of genetic variants in glia in the pathogenesis of
      psychiatric disorders remains poorly studied. Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia 1
      (DISC1), a genetic risk factor implicated in major mental disorders, has been
      implicated in regulation of astrocyte functions. As both astrocytes and DISC1
      influence adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, we
      hypothesized that selective expression of dominant-negative C-terminus-truncated
      human DISC1 (mutant DISC1) in astrocytes would affect adult hippocampal
      neurogenesis and hippocampus-dependent behaviors. A series of behavioral tests
      were performed in mice with or without expression of mutant DISC1 in astrocytes
      during late postnatal development. In conjunction with behavioral tests, we
      evaluated adult neurogenesis, including neural progenitor proliferation and
      dendrite development of newborn neurons in the DG. The ameliorative effects of D
      serine on mutant DISC1-associated behaviors and abnormal adult neurogenesis were
      also examined. Expression of mutant DISC1 in astrocytes decreased neural
      progenitor proliferation and dendrite growth of newborn neurons, and produced
      elevated anxiety, attenuated social behaviors, and impaired hippocampus-dependent
      learning and memory. Chronic treatment with D-serine ameliorated the behavioral
      alterations and rescued abnormal adult neurogenesis in mutant DISC1 mice. Our
      findings suggest that psychiatric genetic risk factors expressed in astrocytes
      could affect adult hippocampal neurogenesis and contribute to aspects of
      psychiatric disease through abnormal production of D-serine.

PMID- 28631723
TI  - Pharmacogenetic biomarkers of response in Crohn's disease.
AB  - Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic condition, which affects the immune system. It
      can also affect any part of the digestive tract and be associated with external
      manifestations. The causes of the disease remain unknown, although it seems to be
      the result of a combination of factors, such as genetic predisposition,
      environment, lifestyle and the composition of the microbiota, among others. The
      treatment protocol begins with a change in eating and smoking habits, and is
      continued with different lines of treatment, including corticosteroids,
      immunomodulators and biologic therapy (infliximab and adalimumab), which have
      shown differences in response among patients, especially with biologic treatment.
      Several studies have considered the possibility that these differences in
      response are caused by the genetic variability of patients. Many genes have been
      investigated as potential predictors of response to biological drugs, such as
      ADAM17, ATG16L1, EMSY, CASP9, CCNY, CNTN5, FASLG, FCGR, NOD2, PTGER4, IL13, IL1B,
      IL27, IL11, IL17F, TNF and TNFR genes. In this review, we will gather the
      information on influence of gene polymorphisms investigated to date on response
      to biological drugs in CD patients.

PMID- 28631724
TI  - Microscopic origins of the large piezoelectricity of leadfree (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3.
AB  - In light of directives around the world to eliminate toxic materials in various
      technologies, finding lead-free materials with high piezoelectric responses
      constitutes an important current scientific goal. As such, the recent discovery
      of a large electromechanical conversion near room temperature in (1
      x)Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 compounds has directed attention to
      understanding its origin. Here, we report the development of a large-scale
      atomistic scheme providing a microscopic insight into this technologically
      promising material. We find that its high piezoelectricity originates from the
      existence of large fluctuations of polarization in the orthorhombic state arising
      from the combination of a flat free-energy landscape, a fragmented local
      structure, and the narrow temperature window around room temperature at which
      this orthorhombic phase is the equilibrium state. In addition to deepening the
      current knowledge on piezoelectricity, these findings have the potential to guide
      the design of other lead-free materials with large electromechanical responses.

PMID- 28631725
TI  - Erratum: Ruthenium-cobalt nanoalloys encapsulated in nitrogen-doped graphene as
      active electrocatalysts for producing hydrogen in alkaline media.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14969.

PMID- 28631726
TI  - Corrigendum: Ruthenium-cobalt nanoalloys encapsulated in nitrogen-doped graphene
      as active electrocatalysts for producing hydrogen in alkaline media.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14969.

PMID- 28631727
TI  - My Approach to Fecal Incontinence: It's all about Consistency (Stool, that is).

PMID- 28631729
TI  - Backwash Is Hogwash: The Clinical Significance of Ileitis in Ulcerative Colitis.

PMID- 28631730
TI  - Finding Freedom from Fecal Incontinence With My Orange Tote.

PMID- 28631731
TI  - Corrigendum: Treatment of NASH: What Helps Beyond Weight Loss?
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2017.83.

PMID- 28631728
TI  - ACG and CAG Clinical Guideline: Management of Dyspepsia.
AB  - We have updated both the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the
      Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG) guidelines on dyspepsia in a joint
      ACG/CAG dyspepsia guideline. We suggest that patients >=60 years of age
      presenting with dyspepsia are investigated with upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
      to exclude organic pathology. This is a conditional recommendation and patients
      at higher risk of malignancy (such as spending their childhood in a high risk
      gastric cancer country or having a positive family history) could be offered an
      endoscopy at a younger age. Alarm features should not automatically precipitate
      endoscopy in younger patients but this should be considered on a case-by-case
      basis. We recommend patients <60 years of age have a non-invasive test
      Helicobacter pylori and treatment if positive. Those that are negative or do not
      respond to this approach should be given a trial of proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
      therapy. If these are ineffective tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) or prokinetic
      therapies can be tried. Patients that have an endoscopy where no pathology is
      found are defined as having functional dyspepsia (FD). H. pylori eradication
      should be offered in these patients if they are infected. We recommend PPI, TCA
      and prokinetic therapy (in that order) in those that fail therapy or are H.
      pylori negative. We do not recommend routine upper gastrointestinal (GI) motility
      testing but it may be useful in selected patients.

PMID- 28631732
TI  - Skillful prediction of northern climate provided by the ocean.
AB  - It is commonly understood that a potential for skillful climate prediction
      resides in the ocean. It nevertheless remains unresolved to what extent variable
      ocean heat is imprinted on the atmosphere to realize its predictive potential
      over land. Here we assess from observations whether anomalous heat in the Gulf
      Stream's northern extension provides predictability of northwestern European and
      Arctic climate. We show that variations in ocean temperature in the high latitude
      North Atlantic and Nordic Seas are reflected in the climate of northwestern
      Europe and in winter Arctic sea ice extent. Statistical regression models show
      that a significant part of northern climate variability thus can be skillfully
      predicted up to a decade in advance based on the state of the ocean.
      Particularly, we predict that Norwegian air temperature will decrease over the
      coming years, although staying above the long-term (1981-2010) average. Winter
      Arctic sea ice extent will remain low but with a general increase towards 2020.

PMID- 28631733
TI  - Plastid thylakoid architecture optimizes photosynthesis in diatoms.
AB  - Photosynthesis is a unique process that allows independent colonization of the
      land by plants and of the oceans by phytoplankton. Although the photosynthesis
      process is well understood in plants, we are still unlocking the mechanisms
      evolved by phytoplankton to achieve extremely efficient photosynthesis. Here, we
      combine biochemical, structural and in vivo physiological studies to unravel the
      structure of the plastid in diatoms, prominent marine eukaryotes. Biochemical and
      immunolocalization analyses reveal segregation of photosynthetic complexes in the
      loosely stacked thylakoid membranes typical of diatoms. Separation of
      photosystems within subdomains minimizes their physical contacts, as required for
      improved light utilization. Chloroplast 3D reconstruction and in vivo
      spectroscopy show that these subdomains are interconnected, ensuring fast
      equilibration of electron carriers for efficient optimum photosynthesis. Thus,
      diatoms and plants have converged towards a similar functional distribution of
      the photosystems although via different thylakoid architectures, which likely
      evolved independently in the land and the ocean.

PMID- 28631735
TI  - In the news: From ASCO 2017.

PMID- 28631736
TI  - Haematological cancer: Staging and restaging patients with lymphoma - a better
      approach?

PMID- 28631737
TI  - Haematological cancer: Brentuximab vedotin - a new standard for cutaneous T-cell
      lymphoma.

PMID- 28631734
TI  - Learning relative values in the striatum induces violations of normative decision
      making.
AB  - To decide optimally between available options, organisms need to learn the values
      associated with these options. Reinforcement learning models offer a powerful
      explanation of how these values are learnt from experience. However, human
      choices often violate normative principles. We suggest that seemingly
      counterintuitive decisions may arise as a natural consequence of the learning
      mechanisms deployed by humans. Here, using fMRI and a novel behavioural task, we
      show that, when suddenly switched to novel choice contexts, participants' choices
      are incongruent with values learnt by standard learning algorithms. Instead,
      behaviour is compatible with the decisions of an agent learning how good an
      option is relative to an option with which it had previously been paired.
      Striatal activity exhibits the characteristics of a prediction error used to
      update such relative option values. Our data suggest that choices can be biased
      by a tendency to learn option values with reference to the available
      alternatives.

PMID- 28631738
TI  - Breast cancer: Olaparib improves PFS.

PMID- 28631739
TI  - Infection: Impeding UPEC gut colonization.

PMID- 28631741
TI  - Bladder cancer: oligometastases and imaging.
AB  - The term oligometastases was introduced to describe patients with limited
      metastatic disease in whom treatment might result in long-term disease-free
      survival or even cure. Imaging is pivotal for identification of these patients.
      The definition of oligometastatic bladder cancer and the optimal imaging
      modalities for diagnosis and response prediction remain to be determined.

PMID- 28631740
TI  - Radiotherapy for renal cell carcinoma: renaissance of an overlooked approach.
AB  - Conventional radiotherapy previously had a limited role in the definitive
      treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), owing to the disappointing outcomes of
      several trials and the perceived radioresistance of this type of cancer. In this
      context, radiotherapy has been relegated largely to the palliation of symptoms in
      patients with metastatic disease, with variable rates of response. Following the
      availability of newer technologies that enable safe delivery of high-dose
      radiotherapy, stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) has become increasingly
      used in patients with RCC. Preclinical evidence demonstrates that RCC cells are
      sensitive to ablative doses of radiotherapy (>=8-10 Gy). Trials in the setting of
      intracranial and extracranial oligometastases, as well as primary RCC, have
      demonstrated excellent tumour control using this approach. Additionally, an
      awareness of the capacity of high-dose radiation to stimulate antitumour immunity
      has resulted in novel combinations of SABR with immunotherapies. Here we describe
      the historical application of conventional radiotherapy, the current biological
      understanding of the effects of radiation, and the clinical evidence supporting
      the use of ablative radiotherapy in RCC. We also explore emerging opportunities
      to combine systemic targeted agents or immunotherapies with radiation.
      Radiotherapy, although once an overlooked approach, is moving towards the
      forefront of RCC treatment.

PMID- 28631742
TI  - Kidney cancer: Diving into the genome of papillary RCC unearths therapeutic
      pearls.

PMID- 28631743
TI  - Kidney cancer: FBV indicates sunitinib response.

PMID- 28631744
TI  - Traumatic cervical spinal cord injury: a prospective clinical study of laryngeal
      penetration and aspiration.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVES: Dysphagia is a relatively
      common secondary complication in patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord
      injuries (TCSCI). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of
      aspiration and penetration in patients with acute TCSCI. SETTING: Tampere
      University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. METHODS: A total of 46 patients with TCSCI
      were evaluated with a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). Rosenbek's
      penetration-aspiration scale (PAS) was used to classify the degree of penetration
      or aspiration. The medical records of each patient were systematically reviewed.
      RESULTS: Of the 46 patients, 85% were male. The mean age at the time of the
      injury was 62.1 years. Most patients had an incomplete injury (78%), and most of
      them due to a fall (78%). In the VFSS 19 (41%) patients penetrated and 15 (33%)
      aspirated. Only 12 (26%) of the patients had a PAS score of 1 indicating that
      swallowed material did not enter the airway. Of the patients who aspirated, 73%
      had silent aspiration. CONCLUSION: The incidence of penetration or aspiration
      according to VFSS is high in this cohort of patients with TCSCI. Therefore, the
      swallowing function of patients with acute TCSCI should be routinely evaluated
      before initiating oral feeding. VFSS is highly recommended, particularly to rule
      out the possibility of silent aspiration and to achieve information on safe
      nutrition consistency.

PMID- 28631745
TI  - Achieving assessor accuracy on the International Standards for Neurological
      Classification of Spinal Cord Injury.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective audit of assessor accuracy using the International
      Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) in
      three multicentre randomised controlled trials (SCIPA: Spinal Cord Injury and
      Physical Activity) spanning 2010-2014 with standards revised in 2011. OBJECTIVES:
      To investigate assessor accuracy of neurological classification after spinal cord
      injury. SETTING: Australia and New Zealand. METHODS: ISNCSCI examinations were
      undertaken by trained clinicians prior to randomisation. Data were recorded
      manually and ISNCSCI worksheets circulated to panels, consensus reached and
      worksheets corrected. An audit team used a 2014 computerised ISNCSCI algorithm to
      check manual worksheets. A second audit team assessed whether the 2014
      computerised algorithm accurately reflected pre- and post-2011 ISNCSCI standards.
      RESULTS: Of the 208 ISNCSCI worksheets, 24 were excluded. Of the remaining 184
      worksheets, 47 (25.5%) were consistent with the 2014 computerised algorithm and
      137 (74.5%) contained one or more errors. Errors were in motor (30.1%) or sensory
      (12.4%) levels, zone of partial preservation (24.0%), motor/sensory scoring
      (21.5%), ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS, 8.3%) and complete/incomplete classification
      (0.8%). Other difficulties included classification when anal
      contraction/sensation was omitted, incorrect neurological levels and violation of
      the 'motor follows sensory rule in non-testable myotomes' (7.4%). Panel errors
      comprised corrections that were incorrect or missed or incorrect changes to
      correct worksheets. CONCLUSION: Given inaccuracies in the manual ISNCSCI
      worksheets in this long-term clinical trial setting, continued training and a
      computerised algorithm are essential to ensure accurate scoring, scaling and
      classification of the ISNCSCI and confidence in clinical trials.

PMID- 28631746
TI  - Prevalence of androgen deficiency in chronic spinal cord injury patients
      suffering from erectile dysfunction.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the
      prevalence of biochemical androgen deficiency in Iranian spinal cord injured men
      suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) and to determine factors related to this
      problem. SETTING: An andrology clinic of a teaching hospital in Tehran. METHODS:
      Men, 18 years of age and older, with chronic (>2 years) spinal cord injury (SCI)
      suffering from ED were recruited. Demographic data, hormonal and lipid levels,
      injury variables and drug history were obtained from the medical records. The
      relationships between biochemical androgen deficiency (unequivocally low serum
      testosterone levels) and patient characteristics, injury variables and laboratory
      data were determined. RESULTS: Out of 319 patients, 32.6% had total testosterone
      deficiency and 29.1% had biochemical androgen deficiency. Of those with
      biochemical androgen deficiency, 93.5 and 85.7% had luteinizing hormone (LH) and
      follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) within or below the normal ranges,
      respectively. Opioid use, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were
      associated with biochemical androgen deficiency. Significant correlations between
      total testosterone level and sex hormone binding globulin (r=0.3, P<0.001), LH
      (r=0.2, P=0.02), TC (r=-0.1, P=0.04) and TG (r=-0.3, P<0.001) were found.
      CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of our patients with chronic SCI and ED had
      biochemical androgen deficiency. Opioid use, TG and TC levels were associated
      with biochemical androgen deficiency in our studied population. Standard
      screening of androgen deficiency and testosterone replacement therapy are
      recommended in men with chronic SCI suffering from ED. SPONSORSHIP: Tehran
      University of Medical Sciences.

PMID- 28631747
TI  - Optimization of the mean arterial pressure and timing of surgical decompression
      in traumatic spinal cord injury: a retrospective study.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective comparative study. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to
      investigate the extent to which early surgical decompression and maintenance of
      MAP ?85 mm Hg for 5 days postinjury affected neurological recovery utilizing
      internal controls for comparison of outcomes in patients with traumatic spinal
      cord injury. SETTING: Acute trauma center, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. METHODS:
      We identified 94 cases of traumatic SCI. Follow-up data were available at an
      average of 26.7+/-19.5, 115.0+/-69.3, and 252.0+/-152.8 days postinjury for 61,
      48, and 47 patients, respectively. Neurological recovery was assessed using the
      American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS). RESULTS:
      Patients with MAP <85 mm Hg for at least 2 consecutive hours during the 5-day
      period postinjury were 11 times less likely to have an improvement in the AIS
      grade when compared with patients with MAP ?85 mm Hg (P=0.006). This association
      was independent of early surgery or the severity of SCI. At a mean of 252.0 days
      postinjury, a significantly greater proportion of SCI patients treated with early
      surgical decompression (within 24 h) improved neurologically (P=0.031).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated that there may be improved neurologic outcomes
      in patients with SCI who undergo early surgical decompression. Maintenance of MAP
      ?85 mm Hg for 5 consecutive days post-SCI was also associated with higher rates
      of AIS grade improvement at mean 26.7 days without a statistically significance
      difference at prolonged follow-up although a higher rate of neurological recovery
      persisted in patients with MAP ?85 mm Hg.

PMID- 28631750
TI  - Atherosclerosis: Trehalose induces macrophage autophagy-lysosomal biogenesis.

PMID- 28631748
TI  - CCL-2 as a possible early marker for remission after traumatic spinal cord
      injury.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study. OBJECTIVES: To describe the
      correlation between CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-4 and CXCL-5 serum levels and remission
      after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in a human protocol compared with animal
      studies. SETTING: Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz). METHODS: We
      examined the serum levels of CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-4 and CXCL-5 over a 12-week
      period; in particular, at admission and 4, 9 and 12 h, 1 and 3 days and 1, 2, 4,
      8 and 12 weeks after trauma. According to our study design, we matched 10
      patients with TSCI and neurological remission with 10 patients with an initial
      ASIA A grade and no neurological remission. In all, 10 patients with vertebral
      fracture without neurological deficits served as control. Our analysis was
      performed using a Luminex Cytokine Panel. Multivariate logistic regression models
      were used to examine the predictive value with respect to neurological remission
      vs no neurological remission. RESULTS: The results of our study showed
      differences in the serum expression patterns of CCL-2 in association with the
      neurological remission (CCL-2 at admission P=0.013). Serum levels of CCL-2 and
      CCL-4 were significantly different in patients with and without neurological
      remission. The favored predictive model resulted in an area under the curve (AUC)
      of 93.1% in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our results indicate that peripheral serum analysis is a suitable concept for
      predicting the patient's potential for neurological remission after TSCI.
      Furthermore, the initial CCL-2 concentration provides an additional predictive
      value compared with the NLI (neurological level of injury). Therefore, the
      present study introduces a promising approach for future monitoring concepts and
      tracking techniques for current therapies. The results indicate that future
      investigations with an enlarged sample size are needed in order to develop
      monitoring, prognostic and scoring systems.

PMID- 28631749
TI  - Causes of death after traumatic spinal cord injury-a 70-year British study.
AB  - DESIGN: Retrospective and prospective observational. OBJECTIVE: Analyse causes of
      death after traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) in persons surviving the first
      year post injury, and establish any trend over time. SETTING: Two spinal centres
      in Great Britain. METHODS: The sample consisted of 5483 patients with tSCI
      admitted to Stoke Mandeville and Southport spinal centres who were injured
      between 1943 and 2010, survived first year post injury, had residual neurological
      deficit on discharge and were British residents. Mortality information, including
      causes of death, was collected up to 31 December 2014. Age-standardised cause
      specific mortality rates were calculated for selected causes of death, and
      included trends over time and comparison with the general population. RESULTS: In
      total, 2322 persons (42.3% of the sample) died, with 2170 (93.5%) having a
      reliable cause of death established. The most frequent causes of death were
      respiratory (29.3% of all certified causes), circulatory, including
      cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (26.7%), neoplasms (13.9%),
      urogenital (11.5%), digestive (5.3%) and external causes, including suicides
      (4.5%). Compared to the general population, age-standardised cause-specific
      mortality rates were higher for all causes, especially skin, urogenital and
      respiratory; rates showed improvement over time for suicides, circulatory and
      urogenital causes, no significant change for neoplasms, and increase for skin and
      respiratory causes. CONCLUSIONS: Leading causes of death after tSCI in persons
      surviving the first year post injury were respiratory, circulatory, neoplasms and
      urogenital. Cause-specific mortality rates showed improvement over time for most
      causes, but were still higher than the general population rates, especially for
      skin, urinary and respiratory causes.

PMID- 28631751
TI  - Thrombosis: Novel target with antithrombotic potential and low bleeding risk.

PMID- 28631752
TI  - Dyslipidaemia: Statin-associated muscle symptoms - really all in the mind?

PMID- 28631753
TI  - Dominant and recessive imprinting of exosomes from parent cells.

PMID- 28631754
TI  - Regenerative medicine: New targets for enhancing cardiac regeneration.

PMID- 28631756
TI  - Giant capsids from lattice self-assembly of cyclodextrin complexes.
AB  - Proteins can readily assemble into rigid, crystalline and functional structures
      such as viral capsids and bacterial compartments. Despite ongoing advances, it is
      still a fundamental challenge to design and synthesize protein-mimetic molecules
      to form crystalline structures. Here we report the lattice self-assembly of
      cyclodextrin complexes into a variety of capsid-like structures such as lamellae,
      helical tubes and hollow rhombic dodecahedra. The dodecahedral morphology has not
      hitherto been observed in self-assembly systems. The tubes can spontaneously
      encapsulate colloidal particles and liposomes. The dodecahedra and tubes are
      respectively comparable to and much larger than the largest known virus. In
      particular, the resemblance to protein assemblies is not limited to morphology
      but extends to structural rigidity and crystallinity-a well-defined, 2D rhombic
      lattice of molecular arrangement is strikingly universal for all the observed
      structures. We propose a simple design rule for the current lattice self
      assembly, potentially opening doors for new protein-mimetic materials.

PMID- 28631755
TI  - Construction of a synthetic metabolic pathway for biosynthesis of the non-natural
      methionine precursor 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid.
AB  - 2,4-Dihydroxybutyric acid (DHB) is a molecule with considerable potential as a
      versatile chemical synthon. Notably, it may serve as a precursor for chemical
      synthesis of the methionine analogue 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)butyrate, thus,
      targeting a considerable market in animal nutrition. However, no natural
      metabolic pathway exists for the biosynthesis of DHB. Here we have therefore
      conceived a three-step metabolic pathway for the synthesis of DHB starting from
      the natural metabolite malate. The pathway employs previously unreported malate
      kinase, malate semialdehyde dehydrogenase and malate semialdehyde reductase
      activities. The kinase and semialdehyde dehydrogenase activities were obtained by
      rational design based on structural and mechanistic knowledge of candidate
      enzymes acting on sterically cognate substrates. Malate semialdehyde reductase
      activity was identified from an initial screening of several natural enzymes, and
      was further improved by rational design. The pathway was expressed in a minimally
      engineered Escherichia coli strain and produces 1.8 g l-1 DHB with a molar yield
      of 0.15.

PMID- 28631757
TI  - Resolving mixed mechanisms of protein subdiffusion at the T cell plasma membrane.
AB  - The plasma membrane is a complex medium where transmembrane proteins diffuse and
      interact to facilitate cell function. Membrane protein mobility is affected by
      multiple mechanisms, including crowding, trapping, medium elasticity and
      structure, thus limiting our ability to distinguish them in intact cells. Here we
      characterize the mobility and organization of a short transmembrane protein at
      the plasma membrane of live T cells, using single particle tracking and
      photoactivated-localization microscopy. Protein mobility is highly heterogeneous,
      subdiffusive and ergodic-like. Using mobility characteristics, we segment
      individual trajectories into subpopulations with distinct Gaussian step-size
      distributions. Particles of low-to-medium mobility consist of clusters, diffusing
      in a viscoelastic and fractal-like medium and are enriched at the centre of the
      cell footprint. Particles of high mobility undergo weak confinement and are more
      evenly distributed. This study presents a methodological approach to resolve
      simultaneous mixed subdiffusion mechanisms acting on polydispersed samples and
      complex media such as cell membranes.

PMID- 28631759
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631760
TI  - [Astronauts, asteroids and the universe of antithrombotic therapies in primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention].
AB  - A sensation of self-awareness on the relativity of our certainties comes over
      looking to the huge amount of data on antithrombotic therapies assessed in
      patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). This sensation can be compared to the
      so-called "overview effect", a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some
      astronauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit. In this
      review we will mention drugs floated like meteors in the Universe of STEMI
      treatment and we will discuss the body of evidence on oral and intravenous
      antithrombotic therapies for patients undergoing pPCI.

PMID- 28631758
TI  - Bioengineered constructs combined with exercise enhance stem cell-mediated
      treatment of volumetric muscle loss.
AB  - Volumetric muscle loss (VML) is associated with loss of skeletal muscle function,
      and current treatments show limited efficacy. Here we show that bioconstructs
      suffused with genetically-labelled muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and other muscle
      resident cells (MRCs) are effective to treat VML injuries in mice. Imaging of
      bioconstructs implanted in damaged muscles indicates MuSCs survival and growth,
      and ex vivo analyses show force restoration of treated muscles. Histological
      analysis highlights myofibre formation, neovascularisation, but insufficient
      innervation. Both innervation and in vivo force production are enhanced when
      implantation of bioconstructs is followed by an exercise regimen. Significant
      improvements are also observed when bioconstructs are used to treat chronic VML
      injury models. Finally, we demonstrate that bioconstructs made with human MuSCs
      and MRCs can generate functional muscle tissue in our VML model. These data
      suggest that stem cell-based therapies aimed to engineer tissue in vivo may be
      effective to treat acute and chronic VML.

PMID- 28631761
TI  - [Management of outpatients with cardiac disease: follow-up timing and
      modalities].
AB  - The increasing rate of cardiovascular diseases, the improved survival after the
      acute phase, the aging of the population and the implementation of primary
      prevention caused an exponential increase in outpatient cardiac performance,
      thereby making it difficult to maintain a balance between the citizen-patient
      request and the economic sustainability of the healthcare system. On the other
      side, the prescription of many diagnostic tests with a view to defensive medicine
      and the related growth of patients' expectations, has led several scientific
      societies to educational campaigns highlighting the concept that "less is
      more".The present document is aimed at providing the general practitioner with
      practical information about a prompt diagnosis of signs/symptoms (angina,
      dyspnea, palpitations, syncope) of the major cardiovascular diseases. It will
      also provide an overview about appropriate use of diagnostic exams
      (echocardiogram, stress test), about the appropriate timing of their execution,
      in order to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of the health system.

PMID- 28631762
TI  - [Safety and tolerability of oral hypoglycemic therapies in type 2 diabetes
      mellitus patients at high cardiovascular risk].
AB  - Oral hypoglycemic drugs for type 2 diabetes aim at preventing the metabolic
      effects of hyperglycemia and cardiovascular (CV) events. The evidence of the
      possible CV risk related to the prescription of some antidiabetic drugs prompted
      regulatory agencies to require safety studies. This review provides an updated
      analysis of CV safety profiles for antidiabetic drugs used for the treatment of
      patients with high CV risk.The most recent studies analyze different aspects of
      CV morbidity, such as ischemic events, heart failure and arrhythmia, and their
      interactions with hyperglycemia. The endpoints include major adverse
      cardiovascular events (CV mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke) and
      hospitalization for heart failure. There is extra-and intra-class variability of
      CV risk among different oral hypoglycemic drugs, including sulfonylureas,
      metformin, glitazones, glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues, dipeptidyl peptidase-4
      inhibitors and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. Different treatment
      settings, selectivity towards pharmacological targets and hypoglycemia-related
      effects may explain the discrepancies observed.This review may guide
      cardiologists and diabetologists, in collaboration with general practitioners, to
      make the most appropriate therapeutic decision fitting the characteristics of the
      individual diabetic patient.

PMID- 28631763
TI  - [Noninvasive ventilation: general characteristics, indications, and review of the
      literature].
AB  - Noninvasive ventilation (NIV), including both continuous and bilevel positive
      airway pressure, plays a pivotal role in the treatment of acute respiratory
      failure secondary to acute heart failure. For an appropriate use of NIV, it is
      essential to consider the underlying pathophysiological principles, the
      differences between the different modes of ventilation, the main indications,
      contraindications and complications. The aim of this review is also to give
      practical guidance on how and when to start NIV at the bedside, how to monitor
      the response and how to choose the most appropriate interface. A review of the
      literature supports the use of NIV in terms of efficacy (reduction in intubation
      and mortality) and safety (in particular, the risk of myocardial infarction
      associated with its use, suggested by a previous study, has been definitely
      confuted). Nevertheless, NIV is still largely underused in contemporary clinical
      practice, as reported by data from real-world registries. This may be due to
      several factors, including lack of knowledge/confidence, reluctance of
      application in particular settings (acute coronary syndromes) and the risk of
      adverse effects (hypotension), which need to be reappraised.

PMID- 28631764
TI  - [Hemodynamic effects of positive end-expiratory pressure].
AB  - The application of a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), the cornerstone of
      noninvasive ventilation (NIV), causes hemodynamic changes in the cardiovascular
      system. To understand the benefits of NIV it is necessary to resume concepts of
      cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology about cardiac function
      determinants, venous return, ventricular interdependence and heart-lung
      interaction, and to understand how PEEP interacts with them. The hemodynamic
      effects of PEEP are mediated by the increase in transpulmonary pressure, which
      results in increased pulmonary vascular resistance and in an attending small
      reduction of venous return in conditions of euvolemia, in a substantial reduction
      of left ventricular afterload and a potential positive effect on left ventricular
      stroke volume.The aim of this review is to describe how the application of PEEP
      does not necessarily induce detrimental hemodynamic effects, but may decrease
      oxygen consumption and improve cardiac performance. These effects can justify the
      use of NIV in hemodynamically unstable patients.

PMID- 28631765
TI  - [Noninvasive ventilation and sedation: evidence and practical tools for its
      utilization].
AB  - Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has gained increased acceptance inside the critical
      area, since it has been shown to be effective in reducing or avoiding the need
      for oro-tracheal intubation. NIV efficacy is dependent on the selection of the
      appropriate patients and on their compliance to therapy. Actually, full
      collaboration is not easily reached especially in agitated patients.Sedation
      during NIV is useful to reduce the rate of treatment failure, but robust data to
      guide the development of best practice are limited and sometimes local customs
      appear to exert a strong influence on patterns of care. Different sedative drugs
      are ready for use but none of currently available agents fulfill the criteria for
      the ideal drug. Knowledge of the pharmacological and hemodynamic characteristics
      of every single sedative agent is crucial to choose the right drug for every
      clinical scenario. Close monitoring is mandatory to avoid adverse effects. The
      aim of this article is to review the currently available literature, to recognize
      the contraindications for sedation use and to provide practical guidance.

PMID- 28631766
TI  - [Postural effect in patients with patent foramen ovale: evaluation of right-to
      left shunt with transcranial Doppler and transthoracic echocardiography and
      correlation with arterial oxygen saturation].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transcranial Doppler echocardiography and transthoracic
      echocardiography may detect with high accuracy right-to-left shunt (RLS) due to
      patent foramen ovale (PFO). However, a standardized diagnostic protocol has never
      been established. It has been suggested that standing or sitting positions may
      improve sensitivity of transcranial Doppler due to increased LRS in such
      positions. We aimed to test efficacy of the sitting position in addition to the
      supine position in the grading of RLS in patients with PFO. We have also
      evaluated whether an increase in RLS is associated with a fall in oxygen
      saturation (SaO2). METHODS: From September 2015 to February 2016, 70 consecutive
      patients with suspected PFO underwent transcranial Doppler echocardiography and
      transthoracic echocardiography with microbubble count and evaluation of SaO2.
      RESULTS: RLS due to PFO was diagnosed in 58 patients (82.9%). An increase in RLS
      grade in the sitting position was observed in 28 out of 58 patients (48.3%)
      (group 1), whereas no increase was detected in 30 patients (51.7%) (group 2).
      Among the clinical and echocardiographic variables considered, group 1 and group
      2 differed only in the prevalence of atrial septal aneurysm (35.7 vs 3.3%,
      p=0.002). Postural changes were not associated with a fall in SaO2. CONCLUSIONS:
      RLS increases in about half of patients with PFO in the sitting position compared
      with the supine position, whereas no changes occur in SaO2.

PMID- 28631767
TI  - [Conservative treatment of a pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular
      fibrosa: 9 years of follow-up].
AB  - Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF-P) is one of the
      rare complications of endocarditis or, more rarely, of surgical trauma. This
      condition is characterized by a pseudoaneurysm in the intra-annular area between
      the mitral valve and the aortic valve communicating with the outflow tract of the
      left ventricle, between the coronary or noncoronary left aortic valve and the
      front flap of the mitral valve. Nowadays, surgery is recommended to avoid further
      growth and complications. We hereby describe the case of a patient with MAIVF-P
      as a consequence of a surgical trauma and early appearance of MAIVF-P. During the
      long echocardiographic and clinical follow-up, the patients showed stable
      clinical and hemodynamic conditions despite the increase in size of the MAIVF-P.
      A conservative treatment based on a medical follow-up can represent an
      alternative in patients refusing surgery, in high-risk surgical patients as well
      as in patients showing a stable echocardiographic and clinical picture regardless
      of the MAIVF-P size.

PMID- 28631768
TI  - [Alternating bundle branch block during bigeminy supraventricular extrasystole
      triggered by a linking phenomenon].

PMID- 28631771
TI  - [Dying in the Three Graces' arms: when ethics dresses up as aesthetics.]
AB  - The many adjectives usually used to explain the desirable death - painless,
      decent, human... - do not include the term "graceful". However, this is a way
      that can be explored, too, if you imagine to die in the Three Graces' arms,
      namely in a mood that, according to Ugo Foscolo, is "between the exaggerated
      cheerfulness and the deep pain". The pathway turns out to be much more productive
      if we allow ourselves to be led by the original names of the Three Graces and by
      their symbology. Euphrosyne suggests the wisdom through which the mind guides our
      choices, especially those that show as palliative cures; Aglaea suggests the
      peace linked to the possibility to keep the death process under control; Talia
      lets us imagine a death seen as growth, as a pathway that ends at the peak of our
      own humanity. Therefore, in terms of aesthetics, dying in the Three Graces' arms
      seems to be a spiritual task and an ethical commitment.

PMID- 28631772
TI  - [Regional Cancer Registries as observational points for clinical pathways in
      oncological networks.]
AB  - Regional Cancer Registries collect population data on incidence and survival for
      all forms of cancer on a national scale, providing basic elements for National
      and Regional Health Planning. The availability of the reliable and homogeneous
      measurement elements about patient outcomes is the key to improving quality and
      assessing the efficiency of the national healthcare. These measurement elements
      can be aggregated into predefined indicators for the clinical pathways of the
      individual regions to calculate their value and assess the phenomenon of health
      migration.

PMID- 28631773
TI  - [Cardiovascular complications of cancer chemotherapy. The need for cardio
      oncology.]
AB  - Traditional chemotherapic agents as antraciclines and radiumtherapy are known to
      be the cause of cardiovascular complications from many years. Nevertheless also
      recent drugs, which were initially considered effective only on cancer cells are
      now recognized to exert negative effects also on the cardiovascular system. The
      frequency and the entity of the effects are variable for each drug and depend
      from the clinical status of the patient. It is therefore necessary the creation
      of a team of oncologists and cardiologists for the prevention and therapy of
      cardiovascular complications.

PMID- 28631775
TI  - [Innovations in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Analysis of the therapeutic
      development: from platinum to immunotherapy.]
AB  - Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women. The therapeutic
      approach provides for an appropriate integration between surgery and
      chemotherapy. Surgery is an important step for diagnosis, staging and therapy,
      aiming at the complete cytoreduction of all macroscopic visible disease. At the
      moment, adjuvant and first-line chemotherapy has as a standard the carboplatin
      paclitaxel combination. Further, the addition of bevacizumab in the advanced
      stage (IIIB-IV) is strongly recommended. Despite the initial effectiveness,
      however, 70-80% of patients develop relapsed disease within the first two years
      and require subsequent treatment lines that have palliative, rather than curative
      purposes and that seek to reach a chronic state for the disease. Among the causes
      of recurrences, one of the most studied is related to the stem cells that, due to
      a quiescent state, are resistant to chemotherapy. The choice of these treatments
      must consider several factors, including the probability of extending the PFS and
      OS, the residual toxicity, symptoms control, and the improvement of quality of
      life, and always remains subject to platinum free interval (PFI). There are not
      standard therapy. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) as a single agent or in
      combination with other drugs is one of several treatment modalities that may be
      considered for relapsed ovaria cancer. In addition, in about 15% to 20% of
      epithelial tumors, there is a mutation of the BRCA1 and 2 genes. This is
      fundamental to identify immediately a therapeutic opportunity represented by PARP
      inhibitors. These drugs, such as olaparib and niraparib, used in maintenance
      after a previous platinum-response, even partial, have also shown in upfront an
      activity in BRCA wild type, homologous recombination deficent (HRD) and
      homologous recombination proficient (HRP). Therefore, after 20 years of
      chemotherapy alone, new targeted therapies are emerging that will help changing
      the therapeutic approach, making treatments increasingly personalized.

PMID- 28631774
TI  - [Il ruolo di niraparib nel trattamento del carcinoma ovarico: attualita e
      prospettive.]
AB  - Riassunto. I PARP inibitori interferiscono con la riparazione del danno nella
      singola elica del DNA determinando una progressione del difetto nella doppia
      elica. In circa il 50% delle pazienti con carcinoma dell'ovaio sieroso di alto
      grado sono presenti difetti nei meccanismi di ricombinazione omologa, deputati
      alla riparazione del danno della doppia elica del DNA. L'incapacita di riparare
      il danno si traduce nella morte cellulare, un processo definito "letalita
      sintetica". Nella famiglia dei PARP inibitori il niraparib e stato il primo a
      essere approvato dalla FDA nel trattamento delle pazienti con carcinoma ovarico
      ricorrente indipendentemente dalla presenza o assenza di mutazioni BRCA. Questo
      risultato e stato raggiunto grazie ai dati emersi dal trial di fase III ENGOT
      OV16/NOVA, favorevoli in termini di prolungamento della sopravvivenza libera da
      progressione e associati a un buon profilo di tossicita. Ulteriori trial clinici
      sono in corso per valutare ulteriori indicazioni all'impiego di niraparib nel
      trattamento del carcinoma ovarico.

PMID- 28631776
TI  - An overview of pre-clinical studies on the effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3
      gallate, a catechin found in green tea, in treatment of pancreatic cancer
AB  - Human pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity
      worldwide. Despite surgical  resection  remains the  only  curative  therapeutic
      treatment  for  this  disease,  only  the  minority  of  patients can be resected
      due to late diagnosis. Recently, new chemotherapy  schemes  with  the 
      combination  of  different drugs have been shown to improve disease-free
      survival, although best results were obtained mostly as neoadjuvant chemotherapy
      in the minority of patients with resectable tumor. Consequently, there is
      stimulated interest in new chemotherapeutic approaches and alternative medicines.
      Several studies showed that the use of natural compounds, such as phytochemicals,
      represents a promising strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment. One popular
      phytochemical with great anticancer properties, is the (-)-epigallocate-chin3-O
      gallate (EGCG), the most abundant catechin found in green tea. Accumulating
      evidences demonstrated that EGCG  induces  apoptosis  and  inhibits  tumor 
      progression by modulating different signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer. For
      these encouraging results, this catechin is currently used in clinical trials for
      treatment of various type of cancer and other diseases, although its poor
      bioavailability and poor stability represent severe limitations. Therefore, many
      researchers tried to develop a new strategy based of the use of nanotechnology
      which increases EGCG stability and bioavailability and simultaneously targets
      cancer cells in order to improve its anti-tumor effects. The aim of this article
      is to dissect the use of EGCG for management of pancreatic cancer, by reviewing
      the pre-clinical studies reported in literature.

PMID- 28631777
TI  - [Continuity of care in oncology. Quantitative analysis of data from patients
      treated in two different settings in Emilia--Romagna.]
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to ensure high-quality treatment for patients with cancer
      it is vital to implement organisational models (pathways and networks) and that
      guarantee continuity of care. Appropriate assessment tools that promote the
      evaluation and analysis of care pathways from the patients' perspective are
      available. Hence the aim of this study was to verify whether or not the
      coordination between the various stages and care providers in a cancer treatment
      pathway is perceived by our patients. METHODS: Patients being treated for cancer
      of the lung, breast or colorectal tract by the Ferrara University Hospital (FUH)
      and the wider Romagna regional health service (RRHS), Italy, were administered
      the OPTION evaluation questionnaire. Univariate descriptive statistics of
      patients' sociodemographic features and care pathways were generated, and means
      and standard deviations were calculated for patient responses to OPTION items 1
      19 on continuity of care throughout their treatment pathway. RESULTS: Responses
      from 341 patients (37.2 % treated by the FUH and 62.8% by the RRHS) were
      obtained. All mean scores provided for items 1-19 were above 4 on a Likert scale
      of 1-5, showing that the patients' perception of the continuity of their care was
      very positive on the whole. The highest mean scores were given for items
      regarding their emotional experience, while the lowest were given for those
      regarding information and integration with the GPs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
      Organisational efforts to promote patient-centred continuity of oncological care
      improved the experience of patients in our sample. Our data suggest that
      integration with the GPs still remains a problem, both from an organisational
      standpoint and in the perception of the patient being treated for cancer at one
      of the facilities under investigation. Although our findings are non-controlled
      and not generalisable to other geographical areas, they do show how such tools
      can be used to monitor and analyse patient's experience with continuity of care
      with a view to continual improvement in care provision.

PMID- 28631778
TI  - ?

PMID- 28631779
TI  - Recent advances in nanomedicines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a severe systemic inflammatory disease. It is often
      associated with serious cartilage destruction and massive inflammatory
      infiltration, which might ultimately cause disability, wide complications and
      reduced life quality. Current clinical treatments of RA show several drawbacks
      such as high doses, frequent administration and serious side effects. These
      limitations have motivated tremendous expansion of the research and application
      of nanomedicines in RA therapy. In this review, we summarize the cutting edge
      progress in nanomedicines for the treatment of RA and discuss the application of
      various targeting strategies. Additionally, we also discuss the pivotal
      challenges to be addressed, as well as future perspectives.

PMID- 28631780
TI  - Tuning the photocatalytic activity of bismuth wolframate: towards selective
      oxidations for the biorefinery driven by solar-light.
AB  - The sol-gel entrapment of nanostructured Bi2WO6 enhances the activity and the
      selectivity of the short-gap semiconductor in the sunlight-driven photo-oxidation
      of trans-ferulic and trans-cinnamic acid dissolved in water with air as the
      primary oxidant. Valuable products such as vanillin, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid
      and vanillic acid are obtained. This provides the proof of concept that
      photocatalysis could be a promising technology in tomorrow's solar biorefineries.

PMID- 28631783
TI  - Ultrafast charge dynamics in glycine induced by attosecond pulses.
AB  - The combination of attosecond pump-probe techniques with mass spectrometry
      methods has recently led to the first experimental demonstration of ultrafast
      charge dynamics in a biomolecule, the amino acid phenylalanine [Calegari et al.,
      Science, 2014, 346, 336]. Using an extension of the static-exchange density
      functional theory (DFT) method, the observed dynamics was explained as resulting
      from the coherent superposition of ionic states produced by the broadband
      attosecond pulse. Here, we have used the static-exchange DFT method to
      investigate charge migration induced by attosecond pulses in the glycine
      molecule. We show that the observed dynamics follows patterns similar to those
      previously found in phenylalanine, namely that charge fluctuations occur all over
      the molecule and that they can be explained in terms of a few typical frequencies
      of the system. We have checked the validity of our approach by explicitly
      comparing with the photoelectron spectra obtained in synchrotron radiation
      experiments and with the charge dynamics that follows the removal of an electron
      from a given molecular orbital, for which fully correlated ab initio results are
      available in the literature. From this comparison, we conclude that our method
      provides an accurate description of both the coherent superposition of cationic
      states generated by the attosecond pulse and its subsequent time evolution.
      Hence, we expect that the static-exchange DFT method should perform equally well
      for other medium-size and large molecules, for which the use of fully correlated
      ab initio methods is not possible.

PMID- 28631789
TI  - Electrolyte effect in induced charge electroosmosis.
AB  - This paper reports an interesting phenomenon that the velocity increases with
      increasing sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration in induced charge electroosmosis
      (ICEO) around a conducting cylinder measured by microparticle image velocimetry
      (MUPIV). It is different from the widely reported velocity decay with increasing
      electrolyte concentration in AC electroosmosis (ACEO) [M. Z. Bazant et al.,
      MicroTAS, 2007, 2875-2878] and induced charge electrophoresis (ICEP) of Janus
      particles [S. Gangwal et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 100, 058302]. In addition,
      it is found that a reversed vortex flow emerges in deionized water. As the
      electric field increases or with a slight addition of NaCl, the ICEO vortex flow
      recovers. Different from the prediction of thin electric double layer (EDL)
      models, the observed ICEO flow is asymmetric with respect to the cylinder center.
      The asymmetry presents an electrolyte dependence, and it is intensified as the
      applied electric field increases. The ICEO flow obtains maximum values at certain
      electric field frequencies in NaCl and calcium chloride (CaCl2) solutions. But it
      is surprisingly insensitive to the electric field frequency in sodium dodecyl
      sulfate (NaDS) solutions. The optimum electric field frequency varies as
      electrolyte species change. A linear relationship between ICEO velocity and
      electric field strength squared is observed in all the examined electrolyte
      solutions, while the slope varies with the changing electrolyte species.

PMID- 28631790
TI  - Multidentate silyl ligands in transition metal chemistry.
AB  - Silyl ligands are of great interest in transition metal coordination chemistry
      since they exhibit a strong trans-influence and create electron rich metals
      centres, which are in turn eligible to activate reagents. This review presents
      and discusses the use of multidentate Si-based ligand systems in transition metal
      coordination chemistry. These include tri- and tetradentate pincer and
      scorpionate-type ligands, which have been developed in recent years in order to
      tailor both steric and electronic properties for achieving a defined control over
      the reactivity of a transition metal complex. A discussion of synthetic and
      structural aspects of several subgroups of ligand architectures is presented.
      Some compounds allow for a detailed insight into the activation process of
      silanes or are capable of activating small molecules.

PMID- 28631791
TI  - Room temperature sintering of polar ZnO nanosheets: II-mechanism.
AB  - In a previous work by the authors (A. Fernandez-Perez el al., Room temperature
      sintering of polar ZnO nanosheets: I-evidence, 2017, DOI: 10.1039/C7CP02306E),
      polar ZnO nanosheets were stored at room temperature under different atmospheres
      and the evolution of their textural and crystal properties during storage was
      followed. It was found that the specific surface area of the nanosheets
      drastically decreased during storage, with a loss of up to 75%. The ZnO crystals
      increased in size mainly through the partial merging of their polar surfaces at
      the expense of narrow mesoporosity, in a process triggered by the action of
      moisture, oxygen and, in their absence, by light. In the present work, a set of
      spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, Raman and XPS) has been used in an attempt to
      unravel the mechanism behind this spontaneous sintering process. The mechanism
      starts with the molecular adsorption of water, which takes place on Zn atoms
      close to oxygen vacancies on the (100) surface, where H2O dissociates to form two
      hydroxyl groups and to heal one oxygen vacancy. This process triggers the room
      temperature migration of Zn interstitials towards the outer surface of the polar
      region. What were previously interstitial Zn atoms now gradually occupy the
      mesopores, with interstitial oxygen being used to build up the O sublattice until
      total occupancy of the narrow mesoporosity is achieved.

PMID- 28631792
TI  - Nanoscopic dynamics of bicontinous microemulsions: effect of membrane associated
      protein.
AB  - Bicontinous microemulsions (BMUE) generally consist of nanodomains formed by
      surfactant in a mixture of water and oil at nearly equal proportions and are
      potential candidates for the solubilization and purification of membrane
      proteins. Here we present the first time report of nanoscopic dynamics of
      surfactant monolayers within BMUEs formed by the anionic surfactant sodium
      dodecyl sulfate (SDS) measured on the nanosecond to picosecond time scale using
      quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS). BMUEs investigated herein consisted of
      middle phases isolated from Winsor-III microemulsion systems that were formed by
      mixing aqueous and oil solutions under optimal conditions. QENS data indicates
      that surfactants undergo two distinct motions, namely (i) lateral motion along
      the surface of the oil nanodomains and (ii) localized internal motion. Lateral
      motion can be described using a continuous diffusion model, from which the
      lateral diffusion coefficient is obtained. Internal motion of surfactant is
      described using a model which assumes that a fraction of the surfactants'
      hydrogens undergoes localized translational diffusion that could be considered
      confined within a spherical volume. The effect of cytochrome c, an archetypal
      membrane-associated protein known to strongly partition near the surfactant head
      groups in BMUEs (a trend supported by small-angle X-ray scattering [SAXS]
      analysis), on the dynamics of BMUE has also been investigated. QENS results
      demonstrated that cytochrome c significantly hindered both the lateral and the
      internal motions of surfactant. The lateral motion was more strongly affected: a
      reduction of the lateral diffusion coefficient by 33% was measured. This change
      is mainly attributable to the strong association of cytochrome c with oppositely
      charged SDS. In contrast, analysis of SAXS data suggested that thermal
      fluctuations (for a longer length and slower time scale compared to QENS) were
      increased upon incorporation of cytochrome c. This study demonstrates the utility
      of QENS for evaluating dynamics of BMUEs in nanoscopic region, and that proteins
      directly affect the microscopic dynamics, which is of relevance for evaluating
      release kinetics of encapsulated drugs from BMUE delivery systems and the use of
      BMUEs as biomembrane mimetic systems for investigating membrane protein
      biomembrane interactions.

PMID- 28631793
TI  - Organic-inorganic macroion coacervate complexation.
AB  - Coacervate complexes that are liquid-liquid separated complex materials are often
      formed by stoichiometrically mixing oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in salted
      aqueous solution. Entropy-driven ion pairing, resulting from the release of
      counterions near polyelectrolytes, has been identified as the primary driving
      force for coacervate formation between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes,
      including proteins and DNA, in aqueous solution. In this work we have examined
      the complexation between net neutral zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate)
      (PSBMA) and inorganic polyoxometalate (POM) polyanions in LiCl aqueous solutions.
      Biphasic liquid-like coacervate complexes can be formed over a much broader range
      of POM-to-PSBMA molar ratio and LiCl concentration than that for conventional
      polyelectrolyte coacervate complexation. Composition analysis of the dried
      supernatant and dense coacervate has confirmed that both PSBMA and POM macroions
      are primarily present in the dense coacervate as the macroion-rich phase in
      contrast to the presence of LiCl solely in the supernatant as the macroion-poor
      phase. The increase of net charge negativity of PSBMA and supernatant
      conductivity suggests stronger binding of PSBMA with POM anions than monovalent
      Cl-, resulting in the release of bound Cl- anions to the aqueous solution for the
      formation of PSBMA-POM coacervates in LiCl solution. All experimental evidence
      has demonstrated the generality of ion-pairing induced coacervate complexation
      with net neutral zwitterionic polymers and multivalent inorganic nanomaterials.
      The complexation between organic and inorganic macroions could give insights into
      many supramolecular assembly processes in nature and also lead to a new paradigm
      in developing hybrid macroionic materials for emerging applications from green
      catalysis to nanomedicine.

PMID- 28631794
TI  - An efficient target-intermediate recycling amplification strategy for
      ultrasensitive fluorescence assay of intracellular lead ions.
AB  - An ultrasensitive fluorescence assay for intracellular Pb2+ determination was
      proposed through target-intermediate recycling amplification based on metal
      assisted DNAzyme catalysis and strand displacement reactions. Compared with only
      target recycling-based fluorescence assay with an M amplification ratio, the
      proposed assay could achieve an M * N amplification ratio to obtain an improved
      sensitivity by more than 10 times, in which M and N are the amplification ratios
      of target recycling and intermediate recycling, respectively. Remarkably, this
      proposed ultrasensitive fluorescence assay could be applied to the determination
      of various analytes with the well-designed detection probe, especially in
      intracellular assay, providing a promising tool for clinical diagnosis and
      biomedical detection.

PMID- 28631795
TI  - Assembly of dicobalt and cobalt-aluminum oxide clusters on metal-organic
      framework and nanocast silica supports.
AB  - NU-1000, a mesoporous metal-organic framework (MOF) featuring hexazirconium oxide
      nodes and 3 nm wide channels, was infiltrated with a reactive dicobalt complex to
      install dicobalt active sites onto the MOF nodes. The anchoring of the dicobalt
      complex onto NU-1000 occurred with a nearly ideal stoichiometry of one bimetallic
      complex per node and with the cobalt evenly distributed throughout the MOF
      particle. To access thermally robust multimetallic sites on an all-inorganic
      support, the modified NU-1000 materials containing either the dicobalt complex,
      or an analogous cobalt-aluminum species, were nanocast with silica. The resulting
      materials feature Co2 or Co-Al bimetallated hexazirconium oxide clusters within a
      silica matrix. The cobalt-containing materials are competent catalysts for the
      selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. Catalytic activity depends
      on the number of cobalt ions per node, but does not vary significantly between
      the NU-1000 and silica supports. Hence, the multimetallic oxide clusters remain
      site-isolated and substrate-accessible within the nanocast materials.

PMID- 28631796
TI  - Isomerization versus dissociation of phenylalanylglycyltryptophan radical
      cations.
AB  - Four isomers of the radical cation of tripeptide phenylalanylglycyltryptophan, in
      which the initial location of the radical center is well defined, have been
      isolated and their collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra examined. These
      ions, the pi-centered [FGWpi]+, alpha-carbon- [FGalphaW]+, N-centered [FGWN]+ and
      zeta-carbon- [FzetaGW]+ radical cations, were generated via collision-induced
      dissociation (CID) of transition metal-ligand-peptide complexes, side chain
      fragmentation of a pi-centered radical cation, homolytic cleavage of a labile
      nitrogen-nitrogen single bond, and laser induced dissociation of an iodinated
      peptide, respectively. The pi-centered and tryptophan N-centered peptide radical
      cations produced almost identical CID spectra, despite the different locations of
      their initial radical sites, which indicated that interconversion between the pi
      centered and tryptophan N-centered radical cations is facile. By contrast, the
      alpha-carbon-glycyl radical [FGalphaW]+, and zeta-phenyl radical [FzetaGW]+,
      featured different dissociation product ions, suggesting that the
      interconversions among alpha-carbon, pi-centered (or tryptophan N-centered) and
      zeta-carbon-radical cations have higher barriers than those to dissociation.
      Density functional theory calculations have been used to perform systematic
      mechanistic investigations on the interconversions between these isomers and to
      study selected fragmentation pathways for these isomeric peptide radical cations.
      The results showed that the energy barrier for interconversion between [FGWpi]+
      and [FGWN]+ is only 31.1 kcal mol-1, much lower than the barriers to their
      dissociation (40.3 kcal mol-1). For the [FGWpi]+, [FGalphaW]+, and [FzetaGW]+,
      the barriers to interconversion are higher than those to dissociation, suggesting
      that interconversions among these isomers are not competitive with dissociations.
      The [z3 - H]+ ions isolated from [FGalphaW]+ and [FzetaGW]+ show distinctly
      different fragmentation patterns, indicating that the structures of these ions
      are different and this result is supported by the DFT calculations.

PMID- 28631799
TI  - Droplet control technologies for microfluidic high throughput screening (MUHTS).
AB  - The transition from micro well plate and robotics based high throughput screening
      (HTS) to chip based screening has already started. This transition promises
      reduced droplet volumes thereby decreasing the amount of fluids used in these
      studies. Moreover, it significantly boosts throughput allowing screening to keep
      pace with the overwhelming number of molecular targets being discovered. In this
      review, we analyse state-of-the-art droplet control technologies that exhibit
      potential to be used in this new generation of screening devices. Since these
      systems are enclosed and usually planar, even some of the straightforward methods
      used in traditional HTS such as pipetting and reading can prove challenging to
      replicate in microfluidic high throughput screening (MUHTS). We critically review
      the technologies developed for this purpose in depth, describing the underlying
      physics and discussing the future outlooks.

PMID- 28631800
TI  - A hyaluronidase/temperature dual-responsive supramolecular assembly based on the
      anionic recognition of calixpyridinium.
AB  - We have successfully constructed a supramolecular assembly based on the anionic
      recognition of calixpyridinium for the first time employing native biocompatible
      polysaccharide hyaluronan as the guest, which showed hyaluronidase-responsive
      disassembly and temperature-responsive morphological conversion from a nanosphere
      to a nanosquare upon increasing the temperature.

PMID- 28631801
TI  - Morphology of elastic nematic liquid crystal membranes.
AB  - Liquid crystalline phases found in many biological materials, such as actin, DNA,
      cellulose, and collagen can be responsible for the deformation of cell membranes.
      In this paper, cell membrane deformation is investigated through the coupling
      between liquid crystal anisotropy and membrane bending elasticity. The
      generalized shape equation for anisotropic interfaces, which resort to the Cahn
      Hoffman capillarity vector, the Rapini-Papoular anchoring energy, and the
      Helfrich elastic energy, is applied to gain insight into the deformation of
      closed liquid crystal membranes. This study presents a general morphological
      phase diagram of membrane surface patterns, in which two characteristic regimes
      of membrane shapes can be classified with respect to the most dominant factor
      between liquid crystal anisotropy and bending elasticity. To that end, we
      consider a 2D nematic liquid crystal droplet immersed in a isotropic phase in the
      presence of an interfacial layer of surfactants, which leads to an additional
      elastic contribution to the free energy of the system. The presented results
      indicate that, depending on the bending elasticity of the cell membrane, the
      liquid crystal might be able to deform the cell, thereby resulting in anisotropic
      asymmetric shapes. As liquid crystal anisotropy dominates the bending elasticity,
      spindle-like or tactoid shapes, which are extensively observed in experiments,
      can be formed. The findings provide a foundational framework to better understand
      membrane topologies in living soft matters. Furthermore, the coupling between
      order and curvature of membranes shed new light into the design of novel
      functional soft materials.

PMID- 28631802
TI  - Aqueous tantalum polyoxometalate reactivity with peroxide.
AB  - Peroxide ligation of aqueous metal-oxo clusters provides rich speciation and
      structural diversity, radiation sensitivity for manipulation with light, and both
      broadens and shifts pH-range stability. Here we demonstrate peroxide ligation of
      the polyoxometalate (POM) [Ta6O19]8-. We study in detail solution speciation of
      the peroxide-substituted cluster, and benchmark it to the peroxide-ligated
      niobate analogue, [Nb6O10(OH)3(O2)6]5-, whose solid-state structure has been
      reported. Raman and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy do not detect any
      significant differences between the two analogues. However, small and wide-angle
      and total X-ray scattering strongly indicate that peroxide promotes linking of
      the hexameric tantalate clusters, rather than terminating and capping the
      clusters, as observed for the niobate analogue. We used computational studies to
      identify Raman peak positions, determine the energetics of exchange of oxo
      ligands for peroxo-ligands, and provide models to help explain the X-ray
      scattering data. Understanding the solution speciation of peroxide-substituted
      polyoxotantalates is an important step towards its use in solution processed thin
      film materials, as well as developing new Ta-POM chemistry.

PMID- 28631803
TI  - A Gompertz Model Approach to Microbial Inactivation Kinetics by High-Pressure
      Processing (HPP): Model Selection and Experimental Validation.
AB  - A recently proposed Gompertz model (GMPZ) approach describing microbial
      inactivation kinetics by high-pressure processing (HPP) incorporated the initial
      microbial load (N0 ) and lower microbial quantification limit (Nlim ), and
      simplified the dynamic effects of come-up time (CUT). The inactivation of
      Listeria innocua in milk by HPP treatments at 300, 400, 500, and 600 MPa and
      pressure holding times (thold ) <=10 min was determined experimentally to
      validate this model approach. Models based on exponential, logistic-exponential,
      and inverse functions were evaluated to describe the effect of pressure on the
      lag time (lambda) and maximum inactivation rate (MUmax ), whereas the asymptote
      difference (A) was fixed as A = log10 (N0 /Nlim ). Model performance was
      statistically evaluated and further validated with additional data obtained at
      450 and 550 MPa. All GMPZ models adequately fitted L. innocua data according to
      the coefficient of determination (R2  >= 0.95) but those including a logistic
      exponential function for MUmax (P) were superior (R2  >= 0.97). These GMPZ
      versions predicted that approximately 597 MPa is the theoretical pressure level
      (Plambda ) at which microbial inactivation begins during CUT, mathematically
      defined as lambda (P = Plambda ) = tCUT , and matching the value observed on the
      microbial survival curve at 600 MPa. As pressure increased, predictions tended to
      slightly underestimate the HPP lethality in the tail section of the survival
      curve. This may be overseen in practice since the observed microbial counts were
      below the predicted log10 N values. Overall, the modeling approach is promising,
      justifying further validation work for other microorganisms and food systems.

PMID- 28631804
TI  - Mandarin fruit quality: a review.
AB  - During the last decade, there has been a continuous rise in consumption and
      global marketing of fresh, easy-to-peel mandarins, with current annual production
      of nearly 29 million tons. Nevertheless, most of the existing knowledge on
      quality traits of citrus fruit comes from research conducted on oranges and
      grapefruit, which are the main products for the citrus juice manufacturing
      industry; relatively little is yet known regarding the unique fruit quality
      traits of mandarins, nor about the great diversity in these traits among the
      various natural sub-groups and varieties of mandarins. In the present review we
      discuss the physiological, biochemical, and molecular factors governing key fruit
      quality attributes of mandarins, including fruit colour, size and shape, ease of
      peeling, seedlessness, flavour, and nutritional quality. Fruit colour, size, and
      shape contribute to external appearance; peelability and seedlessness to ease of
      consumption; and flavour and nutritional quality to internal quality. (c) 2017
      Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28631805
TI  - Drug therapy for chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy (CIAP) is an insidiously
      progressive sensory or sensorimotor polyneuropathy that affects elderly people.
      Although severe disability or handicap does not occur, CIAP reduces quality of
      life. CIAP is diagnosed in 10% to 25% of people referred for evaluation of
      polyneuropathy. There is a need to gather and review emerging evidence on
      treatments, as the number of people affected is likely to increase in ageing
      populations. This is an update of a review first published in 2004 and previously
      updated in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2013. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of drug
      therapy for chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy for reducing disability and
      ameliorating neurological symptoms and associated impairments, and to assess any
      adverse effects of treatment. SEARCH METHODS: In July 2016, we searched Cochrane
      Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Cochrane Database of Systematic
      Reviews in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Web of Science. We
      searched two trials registries for ongoing trials. We also handsearched the
      reference lists of relevant articles, reviews and textbooks identified
      electronically, and we would have contacted authors and other experts in the
      field to identify additional studies if this seemed useful. SELECTION CRITERIA:
      We sought all randomised or quasi-randomised (alternate or other systematic
      treatment allocation) trials that examined the effects of any drug therapy in
      people with CIAP at least one year after the onset of treatment. People with CIAP
      had to fulfil the following criteria: age 40 years or older, distal sensory or
      sensorimotor polyneuropathy, absence of systemic or other neurological disease,
      chronic clinical course not reaching a nadir in less than two months, exclusion
      of any recognised cause of the polyneuropathy by medical history taking, clinical
      or laboratory investigations, and electrophysiological studies in agreement with
      axonal polyneuropathy, without evidence of demyelinating features. The primary
      outcome was the proportion of participants with a significant improvement in
      disability. Secondary outcomes were change in the mean disability score, change
      in the proportion of participants who make use of walking aids, change in the
      mean Medical Research Council sum score, degree of pain relief and/or reduction
      of other positive sensory symptoms, change in the proportion of participants with
      pain or other positive sensory symptoms, and frequency of adverse effects. DATA
      COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently reviewed the results of
      the literature search and extracted details of trial methodology and outcome data
      of all potentially relevant trials. MAIN RESULTS: We identified 39 studies and
      assessed them for possible inclusion in the review, but we excluded all of them
      because of insufficient quality or lack of relevance. We summarised evidence from
      non-randomised studies in the Discussion. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Even though CIAP
      has been clearly described and delineated, no adequate randomised or quasi
      randomised controlled clinical treatment trials have been performed. In their
      absence there is no proven efficacious drug therapy.

PMID- 28631806
TI  - Increasing Oil Concentration Affects Consumer Perception and Physical Properties
      of Mayonnaise-type Spreads Containing KCl.
AB  - Reducing sodium intakes remains a global challenge for the food industry. KCl is
      a potential salt substitute but imparts bitterness when used at high
      concentrations. Little is known about how oil concentrations (OC) affect
      consumers' perception of saltiness and bitterness in emulsion products such as
      mayonnaise containing KCl. We evaluated consumers' perception and physical
      properties of mayonnaise-type spreads at various oil and tastant (NaCl or KCl)
      concentrations. Consumers (N = 306) evaluated saltiness, bitterness, overall
      taste liking (OTL) and purchase intent (PI). Viscosity, pH, water activity, and
      consistency/texture were also measured. Oil and tastant (NaCl or KCl)
      concentrations had significant effects on saltiness, viscosity, and pH. As OC
      increased, saltiness intensity slightly decreased for spreads. Increasing oil
      concentration increased viscosity. Generally, spreads containing KCl had higher
      bitterness and pH than spreads containing NaCl. All spreads containing KCl were
      penalized for being "too bitter." PI was affected by OTL for all spreads but OC
      was also a significant factor in the purchase decision of spreads containing
      NaCl. This study demonstrated that increasing OC affected consumers' taste
      perception (saltiness and bitterness) and spreads' physical properties including
      pH and viscosity.

PMID- 28631807
TI  - Compositional Analyses and Shelf-Life Modeling of Njangsa (Ricinodendron
      heudelotii) Seed Oil Using the Weibull Hazard Analysis.
AB  - This study investigated the compositional characteristics and shelf-life of
      Njangsa seed oil (NSO). Oil from Njangsa had a high polyunsaturated fatty acid
      (PUFA) content of which alpha eleostearic acid (alpha-ESA), an unusual conjugated
      linoleic acid was the most prevalent (about 52%). Linoleic acid was also present
      in appreciable amounts (approximately 34%). Our investigations also indicated
      that the acid-catalyzed transesterification of NSO resulted in lower yields of
      alpha-ESA methyl esters, due to isomerization, a phenomenon which was not
      observed under basic conditions. The triacylglycerol (TAG) profile analysis
      showed the presence of at least 1 alpha-ESA fatty acid chain in more than 95% of
      the oil's TAGs. Shelf-life was determined by the Weibull Hazard Sensory Method,
      where the end of shelf-life was defined as the time at which 50% of panelists
      found the flavor of NSO to be unacceptable. This was determined as 21 wk. Our
      findings therefore support the potential commercial viability of NSO as an
      important source of physiologically beneficial PUFAs.

PMID- 28631808
TI  - Fabrication of beta-cyclodextrin-mediated single bimolecular inclusion complex:
      characterization, molecular docking, in-vitro release and bioavailability studies
      for gefitinib and simvastatin conjugate.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Introduction of multiple molecules in a single inclusion complex,
      albeit cheaper, lacks conclusive attempts in earlier drug delivery reports. This
      manuscript emphasizes simultaneous incorporation of two anticancer drugs,
      gefitinib (G) and simvastatin (S), in a single molecule of beta-cyclodextrin for
      the first time to achieve effective drug delivery. METHODS: The inclusion complex
      (GSBCD) was prepared by cosolvent evaporation technique using beta-cyclodextrin
      (BCD) as carrier. Characterization of GSBDC was performed by Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy, COSY, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction
      and dynamic light scattering analyses, which were ascribed to the complex
      formation inside BCD cavity, micronization of drugs and conversion to amorphous
      state. KEY FINDINGS: The complex revealed entrapment of G and S in 3 +/- 0.48: 2
      +/- 0.19 molar ratio and showed more than 3.5 and 10 fold increase in drug
      release in in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Docking and COSY studies revealed
      molecular alignment into BCD central cavity that been achieved via hydrogen
      bonding between certain groups of the ligands (G and S) and the polar heads of
      BCD. Partial incorporation of the molecular backbone inside inclusion complex
      suggests superficial contact with the solvent indicating slow steady release
      kinetics. CONCLUSIONS: This approach of forming inclusion complex with multiple
      molecules within a single cavity can be a landmark for further studies in drug
      delivery.

PMID- 28631809
TI  - Anabolic steroids for treating pressure ulcers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores, pressure sores or decubitus
      ulcers develop as a result of a localised injury to the skin or underlying
      tissue, or both. The ulcers usually arise over a bony prominence, and are
      recognised as a common medical problem affecting people confined to a bed or
      wheelchair for long periods of time. Anabolic steroids are used as off-label
      drugs (drugs which are used without regulatory approval) and have been used as
      adjuvants to usual treatment with dressings, debridement, nutritional
      supplements, systemic antibiotics and antiseptics, which are considered to be
      supportive in healing of pressure ulcers. Anabolic steroids are considered
      because of their ability to stimulate protein synthesis and build muscle mass.
      Comprehensive evidence is required to facilitate decision making, regarding the
      benefits and harms of using anabolic steroids. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects
      of anabolic steroids for treating pressure ulcers. SEARCH METHODS: In March 2017
      we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central
      Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); Ovid MEDLINE (including In-Process &
      Other Non-Indexed Citations); Ovid Embase and EBSCO CINAHL Plus. We also searched
      clinical trials registries for ongoing and unpublished studies, and scanned
      reference lists of relevant included studies as well as reviews, meta-analyses
      and health technology reports to identify additional studies. There were no
      restrictions with respect to language, date of publication or study setting.
      SELECTION CRITERIA: Published or unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
      comparing the effects of anabolic steroids with alternative treatments or
      different types of anabolic steroids in the treatment of pressure ulcers. DATA
      COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently carried out study
      selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment. MAIN RESULTS: The review
      contains only one trial with a total of 212 participants, all with spinal cord
      injury and open pressure ulcers classed as stage III and IV. The participants
      were mainly male (98.2%, 106/108) with a mean age of 58.4 (standard deviation
      10.4) years in the oxandrolone group and were all male (100%, 104/104) with a
      mean age of 57.3 (standard deviation 11.6) years in the placebo group. This trial
      compared oxandrolone (20 mg/day, administered orally) with a dose of placebo (an
      inactive substance consisting of 98% starch and 2% magnesium stearate) and
      reported data on complete healing of ulcers and adverse events. There was very
      low-certainty evidence on the relative effect of oxandrolone on complete ulcer
      healing at the end of a 24-week treatment period (risk ratio RR) 0.81, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) 0.52 to 1.26) (downgraded twice for imprecision due to
      an extremely wide 95% CI, which spanned both benefit and harm, and once for
      indirectness, as the participants were mostly male spinal cord injury patients).
      Thus, we are uncertain whether oxandrolone improves or reduces the complete
      healing of pressure ulcers, as we assessed the certainty of the evidence as very
      low.There was low-certainty evidence on the risk of non-serious adverse events
      reported in participants treated with oxandrolone compared with placebo (RR 3.85,
      95% CI 1.12 to 13.26) (downgraded once for imprecision and once for indirectness,
      as the participants were mostly male spinal cord injury patients). Thus, the
      treatment with oxandrolone may increase the risk of non-serious adverse events
      reported in participants.There was very low-certainty evidence on the risk of
      serious adverse events reported in participants treated with oxandrolone compared
      with placebo (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.17) (downgraded twice for imprecision due
      to an extremely wide 95% CI, which spanned both benefit and harm, and once for
      indirectness, as the participants were mostly male spinal cord injury patients).
      Of the five serious adverse events reported in the oxandrolone-treated group,
      none were classed by the trial teams as being related to treatment. We are
      uncertain whether oxandrolone increases or decreases the risk of serious adverse
      events as we assessed the certainty of the evidence as very low.Secondary
      outcomes such as pain, length of hospital stay, change in wound size or wound
      surface area, incidence of different type of infection, cost of treatment and
      quality of life were not reported in the included trial.Overall the evidence in
      this study was of very low quality (downgraded for imprecision and indirectness).
      This trial stopped early when the futility analysis (interim analysis) in the
      opinion of the study authors showed that oxandrolone had no benefit over placebo
      for improving ulcer healing. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is no high quality
      evidence to support the use of anabolic steroids in treating pressure
      ulcers.Further well-designed, multicenter trials, at low risk of bias, are
      necessary to assess the effect of anabolic steroids on treating pressure ulcers,
      but careful consideration of the current trial and its early termination are
      required when planning future research.

PMID- 28631810
TI  - Flavonoids of Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seed Embryos and Their Antioxidant
      Potential.
AB  - Flavonoids from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) seed embryos were fractionated over a
      macroporous resin chromatography into 2 main fractions (I and II), and
      subsequently identified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with
      tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS2 ). Sixteen flavonoids were identified in lotus
      seed embryos, including 8 flavonoid C-glycosides and 8 flavonoid O-glycosides, in
      which the flavonoid C-glycosides were the main flavonoids. Among them, 2
      flavonoid O-glycosides (luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside and kaempferol 7-O
      glucoside) were identified in lotus seed embryos for the 1st time. For further
      elucidating the effects of flavonoid C-glycosides to the bioactivities of lotus
      seed embryos, we compared the differences of the flavonoids and their antioxidant
      activities between leaves and seed embryos of lotus using the same methods. The
      results showed the antioxidant activity of flavonoids in lotus seed embryos was
      comparable or higher than that in lotus leaves, whereas the total flavonoid
      content in seed embryos was lower than lotus leaves which only contained
      flavonoid O-glycosides. The flavonoid C-glycosides of lotus seed embryos had
      higher antioxidant properties than the flavonoid O-glycosides presented in lotus
      leaves. This study suggested that the lotus seed embryos could be promising
      sources with antioxidant activity and used as dietary supplements for health
      promotion.

PMID- 28631811
TI  - The Effects of Fat Structures and Ice Cream Mix Viscosity on Physical and Sensory
      Properties of Ice Cream.
AB  - The purpose of this work was to investigate iciness perception and other sensory
      textural attributes of ice cream due to ice and fat structures and mix viscosity.
      Two studies were carried out varying processing conditions and mix formulation.
      In the 1st study, ice creams were collected at -3, -5, and -7.5  degrees C draw
      temperatures. These ice creams contained 0%, 0.1%, or 0.2% emulsifier, an 80:20
      blend of mono- and diglycerides: polysorbate 80. In the 2nd study, ice creams
      were collected at -3  degrees C draw temperature and contained 0%, 0.2%, or 0.4%
      stabilizer, a blend of guar gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan. Multiple
      linear regressions were used to determine relationships between ice crystal size,
      destabilized fat, and sensory iciness. In the ice and fat structure study, an
      inverse correlation was found between fat destabilization and sensory iciness.
      Ice creams with no difference in ice crystal size were perceived to be less icy
      with increasing amounts of destabilized fat. Destabilized fat correlated
      inversely with drip-through rate and sensory greasiness. In the ice cream mix
      viscosity study, an inverse correlation was found between mix viscosity and
      sensory iciness. Ice creams with no difference in ice crystal size were perceived
      to be less icy when formulated with higher mix viscosity. A positive correlation
      was found between mix viscosity and sensory greasiness. These results indicate
      that fat structures and mix viscosity have significant effects on ice cream
      microstructure and sensory texture including the reduction of iciness perception.

PMID- 28631812
TI  - Identification of allergens by IgE-specific testing improves outcomes in atopic
      dermatitis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: IgE quantitative assaying of allergens (IgEQAA) has long been
      implemented by allergists in determining patients' reactivities for allergic
      rhinitis and asthma, two of the three diagnoses in atopic syndrome. This test
      operates by measuring the patient's IgE response to different allergens and can
      identify potential triggers for a patient's symptoms. Despite this, IgEQAA has
      yet to see the same widespread use in the field of dermatology, specifically in
      the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      affected body surface area (BSA) at first presentation, IgEQAA classes, and total
      immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentration were taken retrospectively for 54 patients
      with AD. RESULTS: Of the 54 patients observed, 41 had an abnormally high total
      IgE concentration (76%). Additionally, it was observed that nine (17%) of our
      patients significantly improved after making lifestyle changes. CONCLUSION:
      Knowledge of the identified specific antigens can guide patients to make
      lifestyle modifications that may improve disease outcomes. IgEQAA and avoidance
      of allergens may help some patients with AD.

PMID- 28631814
TI  - Germination-Assisted Enzymatic Hydrolysis Can Improve the Quality of Soybean
      Protein.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the effects of combined germination and Alcalase
      hydrolysis on the quality of soybean protein. Protein profiles, water solubility,
      foaming and emulsifying properties, thixotropic properties, and in vitro protein
      digestibility (IVPD) were tested, the chemical score (CS), essential amino acid
      index (EAAI), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of soybean protein were also
      defined. The combined treatment of germination and Alcalase hydrolysis remarkably
      improved the solubility, emulsification activity index, emulsion stability index,
      and foaming capacity of soybean protein. Notably, a decrease in foaming stability
      was detected. The electrophoretic profile showed a weak breakdown of soybean
      protein during germination. However, a strong breakdown of protein was observed
      after the hydrolysis with Alcalase. The combined treatment also decreased the CS
      and EAAI of soybean protein, but only by 18%. Meanwhile, the IVPD and PER of
      soybean protein were significantly improved. Moreover, the protein of the
      germinated and hydrolyzed soybean flour demonstrated better swallowing
      properties. These findings indicated that the combined treatment of germination
      and enzymatic hydrolysis can improve the quality of soybean protein.

PMID- 28631813
TI  - High fat diet attenuates hyperglycemia, body composition changes, and bone loss
      in male streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mice.
AB  - There is a growing and alarming prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome
      in type I diabetic patients (T1DM), particularly in adolescence. In general, low
      bone mass, higher fracture risk, and increased marrow adipose tissue (MAT) are
      features of diabetic osteopathy in insulin-deficient subjects. On the other hand,
      type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with normal or high bone mass, a greater
      risk of peripheral fractures, and no change in MAT. Therefore, we sought to
      determine the effect of weight gain on bone turnover in insulin-deficient mice.
      We evaluated the impact of a 6-week high-fat (HFD) rich in medium chain fatty
      acids or low-fat diet (LFD) on bone mass and MAT in a streptozotocin (STZ)
      induced model using male C57BL/6J mice at 8 weeks of age. Dietary intervention
      was initiated after diabetes confirmation. At the endpoint, lower non-fasting
      glucose levels were observed in diabetic mice fed with high fat diet compared to
      diabetic mice fed the low fat diet (STZ-LFD). Compared to euglycemic controls,
      the STZ-LFD had marked polydipsia and polyphagia, as well as reduced lean mass,
      fat mass, and bone parameters. Interestingly, STZ-HFD mice had higher bone mass,
      namely less cortical bone loss and more trabecular bone than STZ-LFD. Thus, we
      found that a HFD, rich in medium chain fatty acids, protects against bone loss in
      a T1DM mouse model. Whether this may also translate to T1DM patients who are
      overweight or obese in respect to maintenance of bone mass remains to be
      determined through longitudinal studies.

PMID- 28631816
TI  - Cognitive rehabilitation for adults with traumatic brain injury to improve
      occupational outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI)
      could affect multiple facets of their daily functioning. Cognitive rehabilitation
      brings about clinically significant improvement in certain cognitive skills.
      However, it is uncertain if these improved cognitive skills lead to betterments
      in other key aspects of daily living. We evaluated whether cognitive
      rehabilitation for people with TBI improves return to work, independence in daily
      activities, community integration and quality of life. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate
      the effects of cognitive rehabilitation on return to work, independence in daily
      activities, community integration (occupational outcomes) and quality of life in
      people with traumatic brain injury, and to determine which cognitive
      rehabilitation strategy better achieves these outcomes. SEARCH METHODS: We
      searched CENTRAL (the Cochrane Library; 2017, Issue 3), MEDLINE (OvidSP), Embase
      (OvidSP), PsycINFO (OvidSP), and clinical trials registries up to 30 March 2017.
      SELECTION CRITERIA: We identified all available randomized controlled trials of
      cognitive rehabilitation compared with any other non-pharmacological intervention
      for people with TBI. We included studies that reported at least one outcome
      related to : return to work, independence in activities of daily living (ADL),
      community integration and quality of life. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two
      review authors independently selected trials. We used standard methodological
      procedures expected by Cochrane. We evaluated heterogeneity among the included
      studies and performed meta-analysis only when we could include more than one
      study in a comparison. We used the online computer programme GRADEpro to assess
      the quality of evidence, and generate 'Summary of findings' tables. MAIN RESULTS:
      We included nine studies with 790 participants. Three trials (160 participants)
      compared cognitive rehabilitation versus no treatment, four trials (144
      participants) compared cognitive rehabilitation versus conventional treatment,
      one trial (120 participants) compared hospital-based cognitive rehabilitation
      versus home programme and one trial (366 participants) compared one cognitive
      strategy versus another. Among the included studies, we judged three to be of low
      risk of bias.There was no difference between cognitive rehabilitation and no
      intervention in return to work (risk ratio (RR) 1.80, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) 0.74 to 4.39, 1 study; very low-quality evidence). There was no difference
      between biweekly cognitive rehabilitation for eight weeks and no treatment in
      community integration (Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale): mean difference
      (MD) -2.90, 95% CI -12.57 to 6.77, 1 study; low-quality evidence). There was no
      difference in quality of life between cognitive rehabilitation and no
      intervention immediately following the 12-week intervention(MD 0.30, 95% CI -0.18
      to 0.78, 1 study; low-quality evidence). No study reported effects on
      independence in ADL.There was no difference between cognitive rehabilitation and
      conventional treatment in return to work status at six months' follow-up in one
      study (RR 1.43, 95% CI 0.87 to 2.33; low-quality evidence); independence in ADL
      at three to four weeks' follow-up in two studies (standardized mean difference
      (SMD) -0.01, 95% CI -0.62 to 0.61; very low-quality evidence); community
      integration at three weeks' to six months' follow-up in three studies (Community
      Integration Questionnaire: MD 0.05, 95% CI -1.51 to 1.62; low-quality evidence)
      and quality of life at six months' follow-up in one study (Perceived Quality of
      Life scale: MD 6.50, 95% CI -2.57 to 15.57; moderate-quality evidence).For active
      duty military personnel with moderate-to-severe closed head injury, there was no
      difference between eight weeks of cognitive rehabilitation administered as a home
      programme and hospital-based cognitive rehabilitation in achieving return to work
      at one year' follow-up in one study (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.05; moderate
      quality evidence). The study did not report effects on independence in ADL,
      community integration or quality of life.There was no difference between one
      cognitive rehabilitation strategy (cognitive didactic) and another (functional
      experiential) for adult veterans or active duty military service personnel with
      moderate-to-severe TBI (one study with 366 participants and one year' follow-up)
      on return to work (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.46; moderate-quality evidence), or
      on independence in ADL (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.08; low-quality evidence). The
      study did not report effects on community integration or quality of life.None of
      the studies reported adverse effects of cognitive rehabilitation. AUTHORS'
      CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient good-quality evidence to support the role of
      cognitive rehabilitation when compared to no intervention or conventional
      rehabilitation in improving return to work, independence in ADL, community
      integration or quality of life in adults with TBI. There is moderate-quality
      evidence that cognitive rehabilitation provided as a home programme is similar to
      hospital-based cognitive rehabilitation in improving return to work status among
      active duty military personnel with moderate-to-severe TBI. Moderate-quality
      evidence suggests that one cognitive rehabilitation strategy (cognitive didactic)
      is no better than another (functional experiential) in achieving return to work
      in veterans or military personnel with TBI.

PMID- 28631815
TI  - Expansion of sesquiterpene biosynthetic gene clusters in pepper confers nonhost
      resistance to the Irish potato famine pathogen.
AB  - Chemical barriers contribute to nonhost resistance, which is defined as the
      resistance of an entire plant species to nonadapted pathogen species. However,
      the molecular basis of metabolic defense in nonhost resistance remains elusive.
      Here, we report genetic evidence for the essential role of phytoalexin capsidiol
      in nonhost resistance of pepper (Capsicum spp.) to potato late blight
      Phytophthora infestans using transcriptome and genome analyses. Two different
      genes for capsidiol biosynthesis, 5-epi-aristolochene synthase (EAS) and 5-epi
      aristolochene-1,3-dihydroxylase (EAH), belong to multigene families. However,
      only a subset of EAS/EAH gene family members were highly induced upon P.
      infestans infection, which was associated with parallel accumulation of capsidiol
      in P. infestans-infected pepper. Silencing of EAS homologs in pepper resulted in
      a significant decrease in capsidiol accumulation and allowed the growth of
      nonadapted P. infestans that is highly sensitive to capsidiol. Phylogenetic and
      genomic analyses of EAS/EAH multigene families revealed that the emergence of
      pathogen-inducible EAS/EAH genes in Capsicum-specific genomic regions rendered
      pepper a nonhost of P. infestans. This study provides insights into evolutionary
      aspects of nonhost resistance based on the combination of a species-specific
      phytoalexin and sensitivity of nonadapted pathogens.

PMID- 28631817
TI  - Application of high-resolution melting analysis for authenticity testing of
      valuable Dendrobium commercial products.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The accurate identification of botanical origin in commercial
      products is important to ensure food authenticity and safety for consumers. The
      Dendrobium species have long been commercialised as functional food supplements
      and herbal medicines in Asia. Three valuable Dendrobium species, namely
      Dendrobium officinale, D. huoshanense and D. moniliforme, are often mutually
      adulterated in trade products in pursuit of higher profit. RESULTS: In this
      paper, a rapid and reliable semi-quantitative method for identifying the
      botanical origin of Dendrobium products in terminal markets was developed using
      high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis with specific primer pairs to target the
      trnL-F region. The HRM analysis method detected amounts of D. moniliforme
      adulterants as low as 1% in D. huoshanense or D. officinale products. CONCLUSION:
      The results have demonstrated that HRM analysis is a fast and effective tool for
      the differentiation of these Dendrobium species both for their authenticity as
      well as for the semi-quantitative determination of the purity of their processed
      products. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28631818
TI  - Inactivation of Bacillus cereus Spores on Red Chili Peppers Using a Combined
      Treatment of Aqueous Chlorine Dioxide and Hot-Air Drying.
AB  - The effect of a combined treatment using aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO2 ) and hot
      air drying to inactivate Bacillus cereus spores on red chili peppers was
      evaluated. Ten washed and dried pepper samples, each comprising half of a single
      pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), were inoculated with B. cereus spore suspension. The
      inoculated samples were washed with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl; 50, 100, or 200
      MUg/mL) or ClO2 (50, 100, or 200 MUg/mL) solution for 1 min and then air-dried
      (25 +/- 1  degrees C, 47 +/- 1% relative humidity), which was followed by drying
      with hot air at 55  degrees C for up to 48 h. The spore populations on the
      samples were enumerated and their aw and chromaticity values were measured. The
      spore numbers immediately after treatment with NaOCl and ClO2 were not
      significantly different. A more rapid reduction in spore numbers was observed in
      the samples treated with ClO2 than those treated with NaOCl during drying. A
      combined treatment of ClO2 and hot-air drying significantly reduced the spore
      populations to below the detection limit (1.7 log CFU/sample). B. cereus spores
      on chili peppers were successfully inactivated by washing with ClO2 solution
      followed by hot-air drying whereas the pepper color was maintained.

PMID- 28631819
TI  - Protective effects of tannic acid on pressure overload-induced cardiac
      hypertrophy and underlying mechanisms in rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the cardioprotective effects and
      latent mechanism of tannic acid (TA) on cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS: Abdominal
      aortic banding (AAB) was used to induce pressure overload-induced cardiac
      hypertrophy in male Wistar rats, sham-operated rats served as controls. AAB rats
      were treated with TA (20 and 40 mg/kg) or captoril. KEY FINDINGS: Abdominal
      aortic banding rats that received TA showed ameliorated pathological changes in
      cardiac morphology and coefficients, decreased cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis,
      a reduction in over expressions of angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1 R),
      angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2 R), phosphorylation of extracellular signal
      regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)
      mRNA, and modified expression of matrix metal proteinase-9 (MMP-9) mRNA in AAB
      rat hearts. Furthermore, TA treatment contributed to a decrease in
      malondialdehyde (MDA) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) activities and content, while it
      caused an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione
      peroxidase (GSH-Px), nitric oxide (NO) and endothelial NO synthase (e-NOS).
      Furthermore, TA downregulated expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), bax, caspase-3 and upregulated expression
      of bcl-2. CONCLUSIONS: Tannic acid displayed obvious suppression of AAB-induced
      cardiac hypertrophy in rats. The cardioprotective effects of TA may be attributed
      to multitargeted inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis and
      apoptosis in addition to an increase in NO levels, decrease in ET-1 levels, and
      downregulation of angiotensin receptors and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2.

PMID- 28631820
TI  - Dietary Intake of Structured Lipids with Different Contents of Medium-Chain Fatty
      Acids on Obesity Prevention in C57BL/6J Mice.
AB  - Three medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) with different contents of
      medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) (10% to 30%, w/w) were prepared and evaluated for
      their anti-obesity potential in C57BL/6J mice. The group fed with a high fat diet
      of MLCT containing 30% (w/w) MCFA showed significantly decreased body weight and
      fat mass (P < 0.05) relative to the control mice fed an obesity-inducing high fat
      rapeseed oil diet. In addition, serum parameters including triacylglycerols,
      total cholesterol, glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1 and apolipoprotein B in the treatment
      group fed with 30% (w/w) MCFA were close to those of mice fed with a low fat
      rapeseed oil diet, but significantly different (P < 0.05) from those of the
      obesity control group. Moreover, the intake of MLCT with high content of MCFA
      reduced the size of adipocytes. In addition, the visceral fat and liver weights,
      as well as the liver triacylglycerol for 3 treatment groups were lower than those
      of the obesity control group. These results demonstrate the great potential of
      MLCT with high content of MCFA in weight loss.

PMID- 28631821
TI  - A new approach to measuring patience in preschoolers.
AB  - Patience in children has usually been studied using delay of gratification
      paradigms. However, another important aspect of patience that has not been well
      documented is the ability to adjust one's behavior while waiting without an
      explicit reward as a motivator (e.g., sitting in the doctor's waiting room). To
      examine this aspect of patience, video-recordings of sixty-one 3- and 4-year olds
      waiting for two separate 3-min periods were examined and coded for children's
      spontaneous behaviors. We found that 4-year olds displayed more patient (i.e.,
      staying still) behaviors than 3-year olds during this "waiting paradigm."
      Interestingly, we also found that children who displayed less patient behaviors
      during the waiting paradigm were also those who succeeded on a future-thinking
      task. These findings have important implications for measuring patience in young
      children and highlight the potential impact of spontaneous behaviors on
      children's performance in cognitive tasks such as those assessing future-oriented
      cognition.

PMID- 28631822
TI  - Mesoporous silica-based dosage forms improve bioavailability of poorly soluble
      drugs in pigs: case example fenofibrate.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Mesoporous silicas (SLC) have demonstrated considerable potential to
      improve bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs by facilitating rapid dissolution
      and generating supersaturation. The addition of certain polymers can further
      enhance the dissolution of these formulations by preventing drug precipitation.
      This study uses fenofibrate as a model drug to investigate the performance of an
      SLC-based formulation, delivered with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate
      succinate (HPMCAS) as a precipitation inhibitor, in pigs. The ability of
      biorelevant dissolution testing to predict the in vivo performance was also
      assessed. KEY FINDINGS: Fenofibrate-loaded mesoporous silica (FF-SLC), together
      with HPMCAS, displayed significant improvements in biorelevant dissolution tests
      relative to a reference formulation consisting of a physical mixture of
      crystalline fenofibrate with HPMCAS. In vivo assessment in fasted pigs
      demonstrated bioavailabilities of 86.69 +/- 35.37% with combination of FF-SLC and
      HPMCAS in capsule form and 75.47 +/- 14.58% as a suspension, compared to 19.92 +/
      9.89% with the reference formulation. A positive correlation was identified
      between bioavailability and dissolution efficiency. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial
      improvements in bioavailability of fenofibrate from the SLC-based formulations
      confirm the ability of this formulation strategy to overcome the dissolution and
      solubility limitations, further raising the prospects of a future commercially
      available SLC-based formulation.

PMID- 28631823
TI  - A Comparative Study Between Labeling and Reality: The Case of Phytochemical
      Composition of Commercial Pomegranate-Based Products.
AB  - Manufacturers are deeply involved in the development of new pomegranate-based
      products, which have acquired great prestige due to many studies proving their
      potential health benefits. Commercial pomegranate products including capsules and
      supplements and juices and nectars were assayed. The contents of the key
      phytochemical compounds (punicalagin, ellagic acid, and total polyphenolic
      content) and the associated antioxidant capacity (DPPH* , ABTS*+ , and FRAP) were
      analyzed. The experimental ranges of punicalagin and ellagic acid contents were
      0.96 to 308 mg/g and 0.09 to 13.1 mg/g, respectively. Punicalagin content was
      positively correlated (P < 0.001) with DPPH* and total polyphenolic content
      values. No significant (P > 0.05) correlation was observed among ellagic acid
      with the antioxidant capacity. The labeling standardization of these products is
      necessary due to the wide variability among "theoretically" similar pomegranate
      based products.

PMID- 28631824
TI  - Incidence of melanoma and keratinocytic carcinomas in patients evaluated by store
      and-forward teledermatology vs. dermatology clinic.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether incidence of detected skin cancer in patients
      evaluated by store-and-forward teledermatology (SAF) vs. face-to-face
      consultation (F2F) significantly differs, and whether such differences are
      because of variations in patient demographics, diagnostic accuracy, or both.
      METHODS: This retrospective cohort study compares patient skin cancer risk
      profile, pre-post biopsy diagnostic accuracy, and detection rates of any skin
      cancer, melanoma, and keratinocytic carcinoma between all SAF teledermatology
      patients and a subset of randomly selected F2F consultations at VA-Boston
      Healthcare System in 2014. RESULTS: Patients in the teledermatology (n = 434) and
      F2F visit cohorts (n = 587) had similar baseline demographics except a higher
      proportion of F2F patients had prior history of skin cancer, 22% (131/587) vs.
      10% (45/434), P < 0.001, and received biopsies, 27.2% (160/587) vs. 11.5%
      (50/434), P < 0.001. When adjusted for age, immunosuppression, and personal and
      family history of skin cancer, there were no significant differences between the
      two cohorts in detection rates for any skin cancer (9.5% vs. 5.8%, P = 0.3),
      melanoma (0.6% vs. 0%, P = N/A), or keratinocytic carcinoma (8.5% vs. 5.5%, P =
      0.7). The two cohorts also had similar pre-post biopsy perfect diagnostic
      concordance, time from initial consult request to biopsy (45.5 d vs. 47.3 d, P =
      0.8), and time from biopsy to definitive treatment (67.5 d vs. 65.4 d, P = 0.8).
      CONCLUSION: F2F patients were more likely to have prior history of skin cancer
      and receive biopsies. When adjusted for presence of skin cancer risk factors,
      incidence of detected melanoma, keratinocytic carcinoma, and any skin cancer was
      similar between SAF teledermatology and F2F patients.

PMID- 28631825
TI  - Studies on the occurrence of infectious myonecrosis virus in pond-reared
      Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) in India.
AB  - Whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, with clinical sign of muscle opaqueness
      with reddish colour at the distal abdominal segments were observed in farms
      located in West Bengal State, India. The mortality of shrimp in all disease
      outbreak ponds ranged from 20% to 50%, and mortality increased gradually. The RT
      PCR assay of these samples using primer sets specific to infectious myonecrosis
      virus (IMNV) revealed its presence in the disease outbreak ponds. The IMNV
      infection was reproduced in healthy shrimp by intramuscular injection to satisfy
      River's postulates. The virus caused mortality in intramuscularly challenged
      shrimp, but failed to cause mortality by oral route. Tissue distribution of IMNV
      in infected shrimp by RT-PCR assay revealed the presence of this virus in
      haemolymph, gill, hepatopancreas and muscle. This study confirms that the disease
      outbreak which occurred in the shrimp farms located at Purba Medinipur District,
      West Bengal, India, was due to IMNV.

PMID- 28631826
TI  - Effects of dietary supplementation of red pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi)
      essential oil on performance, small intestinal morphology and microbial counts of
      weanling pigs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many strategies, such as the antibiotic growth promoters, have been
      developed to improve intestinal health and performance of newly weaned piglets.
      Natural products such as essential oils have been scientifically recognized as
      growth enhancer feed additives for weanling pigs, replacing the antibiotics.
      Therefore, it has been hypothesized that Brazilian red pepper could replace
      performance-enhancing antibiotics also in weanling pig diets. However, one
      experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary Brazilian red pepper
      essential oil or antimicrobial growth promoter on intestinal health and growth
      performance of weanling pigs. RESULTS: No effects of treatments were observed on
      performance and organ weights (P > 0.05). Overall, both additives [red pepper
      essential oil (RPEO) or antibiotic (ANT)] increased gut Lactobacillus counts
      compared to negative control, as well as reduced villi density (P < 0.05).
      Animals fed diets containing 1.5 g kg-1 RPEO presented the lowest incidence of
      diarrhea (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested that essential oil from
      Brazilian red pepper or chlorohydroxyquinoline added in weanling pig diets affect
      gut microbiota and histology without affecting performance and organ weights. In
      addition, there was an indication that high doses of essential oil could reduce
      the incidence of diarrhea. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28631827
TI  - One-year results of the SCANDIV randomized clinical trial of laparoscopic lavage
      versus primary resection for acute perforated diverticulitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent randomized trials demonstrated that laparoscopic lavage
      compared with resection for Hinchey III perforated diverticulitis was associated
      with similar mortality, less stoma formation but a higher rate of early
      reintervention. The aim of this study was to compare 1-year outcomes in patients
      who participated in the randomized Scandinavian Diverticulitis (SCANDIV) trial.
      METHODS: Between February 2010 and June 2014, patients from 21 hospitals in
      Norway and Sweden presenting with suspected perforated diverticulitis were
      enrolled in a multicentre RCT comparing laparoscopic lavage and sigmoid
      resection. All patients with perforated diverticulitis confirmed during surgery
      were included in a modified intention-to-treat analysis of 1-year results.
      RESULTS: Of 199 enrolled patients, 101 were assigned randomly to laparoscopic
      lavage and 98 to colonic resection. Perforated diverticulitis was confirmed at
      the time of surgery in 89 and 83 patients respectively. Within 1 year after
      surgery, neither severe complications (34 versus 27 per cent; P = 0.323) nor
      disease-related mortality (12 versus 11 per cent) differed significantly between
      the lavage and surgery groups. Among the 144 patients with purulent peritonitis,
      the rate of severe complications (27 per cent (20 of 74) versus 21 per cent (15
      of 70) respectively; P = 0.445) and disease-related mortality (8 versus 9 per
      cent) were similar. Laparoscopic lavage was associated with more deep surgical
      site infections (32 versus 13 per cent; P = 0.006) but fewer superficial surgical
      site infections (1 versus 17 per cent; P = 0.001). More patients in the lavage
      group underwent unplanned reoperations (27 versus 10 per cent; P = 0.010).
      Including stoma reversals, a similar proportion of patients required a secondary
      operation (28 versus 29 per cent). The stoma rate at 1 year was lower in the
      lavage group (14 versus 42 per cent in the resection group; P < 0.001); however,
      the Cleveland Global Quality of Life score did not differ between groups.
      CONCLUSION: The advantages of laparoscopic lavage should be weighed against the
      risk of secondary intervention (if sepsis is unresolved). Assessment to exclude
      malignancy (although uncommon) is advised. Registration number: NCT01047462 (
      http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

PMID- 28631828
TI  - Development of a colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA) for the rapid
      detection of Spiroplasma eriocheiris in commercially exploited crustaceans from
      China.
AB  - Spiroplasma eriocheiris is an emerging pathogen in freshwater crustaceans. In
      recent years, Eriocheir sinensis, Procambarus clarkii, Litopenaeus vannamei,
      Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Macrobrachium nipponense had been infected by this
      pathogen in China. An immunochromatographic strip test using gold nanoparticles
      was developed for rapidly detecting this pathogen. The strip test based on the
      principle of sandwich immunoassay by the specific combination between the
      pathogen and polyclonal antibody on a nitrocellulose membrane. Positive samples
      were displayed as red lines at the test and control zones of the nitrocellulose
      membrane, while negative samples resulted in a red line only at the control zone.
      The limit of detection was proved to be 106 Color Change Unit/ml. The test strip
      could be visually detected within 15 min and do not have cross-reaction with
      other aquatic bacteria. This test strip allows on-site rapid detection of S.
      eriocheiris in crustacean without the requirement of specialized equipment and
      professional personnel. The one-step test strips developed in our study had high
      sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and stability. In conclusion, this
      method was proved to be convenient, feasible, rapid and effective for detecting
      S. eriocheiris.

PMID- 28631830
TI  - Overactive bladder symptoms after midurethral sling surgery in women: Risk
      factors and management.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) including urgency and urgency
      urinary incontinence (UUI) occurs frequently after stress urinary incontinence
      (SUI) surgery. It is important to identify the risk factors for the occurrence of
      OAB symptoms in order to adequately inform the patient before surgery.
      Furthermore, when facing OAB after sling surgery it is crucial to know how to
      manage these symptoms. METHODS: We conducted a literature review in order to
      assess the risk factors and management of OAB symptoms after SUI surgery. We
      searched for relevant articles in PubMed that specifically addressed the topic of
      OAB symptoms after midurethral sling surgery. RESULTS: The incidence of de novo
      and persistent urgency and UUI is reported around 15% and 30%, respectively.
      Several studies demonstrated that women with mixed incontinence who have a
      predominant urge component will have worse outcomes after surgery. Older age was
      also found to be a predictive factor in three studies. Furthermore, urodynamic
      signs of overactive bladder (eg, DO, low bladder capacity, elevated detrusor
      pressure) can predict postoperative urgency or UUI. The management of OAB
      symptoms after SUI surgery is essentially the same as in idiopathic OAB. However,
      before commencing therapy it is crucial to rule out other factors than can cause
      urgency, including bladder outlet obstruction, urinary tract infection, or sling
      erosion. CONCLUSIONS: OAB symptoms are frequently reported after sling surgery.
      Women with mixed incontinence and older women are at risk of developing post
      operative OAB symptoms. We have proposed an algorithm for the treatment of these
      symptoms which can be useful in clinical practice.

PMID- 28631829
TI  - Relationship of human herpes virus 6 and multiple sclerosis: A systematic review
      and meta-analysis.
AB  - Infection with human herpes viruses has been suggested to contribute to multiple
      sclerosis (MS), while interaction between human herpes 6 (HHV6) and MS remain
      unclear yet. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis on the relationship of HHV6
      infection and MS. All related studies were collected from major databases. The
      analyses were performed by STATA 14 and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2.0
      softwares. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95%CIs were calculated from the raw data
      of the including studies by the random effects models when I2 > 50% and fix model
      when I2 < 50%. Thirty nine studies were included in the meta-analysis that 34
      studies used molecular assays and 7 studies used serological assays for diagnosis
      of HHV6 infected cases. The relationship of HHV6 and MS was significant in
      healthy control group by yielding a summary OR of (2.23 [1.5-3.3], p = 0.06). A
      significant HHV6 association with MS were in the studies with >6 score that used
      serum/blood sample with OR of (6.7 [95%CI 4.8-8.6], p < 0.00001) and in
      serological studies, IgM positive titer in other neurological diseases (OND)
      control group was significant with OR of (8.3 [95%CI 3-24.07], p < 0.00001). This
      study has been showed that there were significant relationship between MS and
      HHV6 infection.

PMID- 28631831
TI  - Spatial and temporal trends and flow dynamics of glyphosate and other pesticides
      within an agricultural watershed in Argentina.
AB  - In the present study, we evaluated the spatial and temporal trends of current-use
      pesticides in surface water and sediments as well as their relationship with
      hydrological stream dynamics within the agricultural watershed of El Crespo
      stream (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina). We sampled 2 contrasting sites: site 1
      (upstream), surrounded by agricultural lands, and site 2 (downstream), surrounded
      by natural grasslands. Most of the applied pesticides (glyphosate, 2,4-D,
      atrazine, tebuconazole, and imidacloprid) were detected at high frequencies in
      surface water samples at both sites. However, only glyphosate and
      aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were present at high concentrations and had a
      significant spatial-temporal trend. The highest concentrations were found during
      spring 2014 at site 1, in association with the intense rains that occurred in
      that season. The fact that glyphosate and AMPA concentrations were higher than
      the rest of the studied compounds is closely related to the land use within the
      watershed, as glyphosate was the most applied herbicide during the fallow period
      of glyphosate-resistant crops (soybean, maize). The pesticide mixture had a
      significant spatial-temporal trend, reaching the highest levels during storm flow
      events in spring 2014. The intensive rains in spring 2014 could be the main
      factor influencing stream hydrology and pesticide behavior at El Crespo
      watershed. The estimated annual pesticide losses were 3.11 g/ha at site 1 and
      0.72 g/ha at site 2. This result indicates that an attenuation process could be
      decreasing pesticide loads during downstream transport from site 1 to site 2.
      Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3206-3216. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28631832
TI  - Synthesis of 2 carbon-14 analogue of thioflavanones.
AB  - Thioflavanones are prevalent heterocyclic structural units in pharmaceutical and
      biologically active compound (Scheme ). In this paper, the synthesis of 2
      phenylthiochroman-4-ones and 2-phenyl-4H-1-benzothiopyran-4-one labeled with
      carboxyl-14 is demonstrated.

PMID- 28631834
TI  - Citizenship, Community Mental Health, and the Common Good.
AB  - In this article, we address the issue of community mental health and the common
      good via an applied theory of citizenship to support the social inclusion,
      empowerment, and inclusion of persons diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. We
      begin by discussing citizenship, and the concept of the common good, in regard to
      historical conceptions of citizenship, including the historical exclusion of
      women, people of color, persons with mental illness, and others. We then review
      the development of our citizenship framework in response to the limitations of
      even the most innovative community mental health interventions, specifically the
      practice of mental health outreach to persons who are homeless. We review
      findings from three citizenship research studies - a community-level
      intervention, an individual- and group-level intervention, and development of an
      individual instrument of citizenship - along with brief comments on current
      citizenship research. We conclude with a discussion of the challenges of
      realizing both the individual and collective potential of, and challenges to, the
      citizenship framework in relation to current and future community mental health
      systems of care. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28631833
TI  - Tools to minimize interlaboratory variability in vitellogenin gene expression
      monitoring programs.
AB  - The egg yolk precursor protein vitellogenin is widely used as a biomarker of
      estrogen exposure in male fish. However, standardized methodology is lacking and
      little is known regarding the reproducibility of results among laboratories using
      different equipment, reagents, protocols, and data analysis programs. To address
      this data gap we tested the reproducibility across laboratories to evaluate
      vitellogenin gene (vtg) expression and assessed the value of using a freely
      available software data analysis program. Samples collected from studies of male
      fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2)
      and minnows exposed to processed wastewater effluent were evaluated for vtg
      expression in 4 laboratories. Our results indicate reasonable consistency among
      laboratories if the free software for expression analysis LinRegPCR is used, with
      3 of 4 laboratories detecting vtg in fish exposed to 5 ng/L EE2 (n = 5). All 4
      laboratories detected significantly increased vtg levels in 15 male fish exposed
      to wastewater effluent compared with 15 male fish held in a control stream.
      Finally, we were able to determine that the source of high interlaboratory
      variability from complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) to quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses was the expression analysis software
      unique to each real-time qPCR machine. We successfully eliminated the
      interlaboratory variability by reanalyzing raw fluorescence data with independent
      freeware, which yielded cycle thresholds and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      efficiencies that calculated results independently of proprietary software. Our
      results suggest that laboratories engaged in monitoring programs should validate
      their PCR protocols and analyze their gene expression data following the
      guidelines established in the present study for all gene expression biomarkers.
      Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3102-3107. Published 2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on
      behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the
      public domain in the United States of America.

PMID- 28631835
TI  - Suprameatal urethrolysis with Martius flap for refractory bladder outflow
      obstruction following stress incontinence surgery in females.
AB  - AIMS: To present our technique of suprameatal urethrolysis with Martius flap
      (SMUM) and outcomes of this procedure for refractory female bladder outflow
      obstruction (BOO). METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to
      identify female patients who underwent SMUM between January 2010 and August 2016
      after failed transvaginal urethrolysis (TVU) for BOO due to prior stress urinary
      incontinence (SUI) surgery. The primary outcome measure was surgical success
      defined as patient ability to void volitionally without need for catheterization
      or additional surgery for BOO. Secondary outcomes assessed included perioperative
      outcomes, intraoperative and 30-day complications, change in post-void residual
      volume (PVR), resolution of urge urinary incontinence (UUI), incidence of
      recurrent SUI, and treatment for any urinary incontinence. RESULTS: Eleven
      patients were identified. After a median follow-up of 10.8 months (range 3.1
      20.1), the procedure was successful in nine patients (82%). Postoperative median
      PVR was 29 cc (range 0-425) and median change in PVR was a 280 cc (range 29-1050)
      decrease (P < 0.01). Among the seven patients who required catheterization
      preoperatively, five patients (71%) recovered volitional voiding. Two patients
      (18%) continued to require indwelling or intermittent catheterization and
      underwent additional surgery for BOO. SUI recurred in one patient (9%). UUI
      persisted in all four patients who reported this preoperatively. CONCLUSIONS:
      SMUM is successful in improving or relieving refractory BOO in this challenging
      patient population. After TVU, we believe that Martius flap interposition is
      critical to preventing recurrent fixation of the urethra to the pubic bones and
      thus achieving improved voiding.

PMID- 28631836
TI  - Medaka extended one-generation reproduction test evaluating 4-nonylphenol.
AB  - The medaka extended one-generation test (MEOGRT) was developed as a
      multigenerational toxicity test for chemicals, particularly endocrine-disrupting
      chemicals. Briefly, 3 generations of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) are
      exposed to a chemical over a 20-wk period: 3 wk in the parental generation (F0),
      15 wk in the first generation (F1), and 2 wk in the second generation (F2). The
      present study reports the first MEOGRT results concerning branched isomer
      mixtures of 4-nonylphenol (NP). Adult F0 medaka exposed to NP at 5 actual
      concentrations (1.27, 2.95, 9.81, 27.8, 89.4 ug/L) were unaffected in terms of
      reproduction, although vitellogenin in the male liver was increased dose
      dependently at concentration of 2.95 ug/L and higher. In F1, in contrast, total
      egg (fecundity), fertile egg, and fertility decreased as NP increased; lowest
      observed-effect concentrations (LOECs) for total egg, fertile egg, and fertility
      were 1.27, 1.27, 27.8 ug/L, respectively. In F1, but not in F0, secondary sex
      characteristics (i.e., anal fin papillae in males) were suppressed at 27.8 ug/L
      NP. Vitellogenin induction in adult male fish was slightly weaker in F1 than it
      was in F0, however. Gonadal sex abnormality and sex reversal occurred at 27.8 and
      89.4 ug/L NP in F1 subadults. At 89.4 ug/L NP, all genotypic F1 males in breeding
      pairs had female phenotype, and some even demonstrated spawning. Concentrations
      of NP lower than 89.4 ug/L did not affect F2 survival or hatching. The highest
      detected NP level in environmental freshwater in Japan was approximately a half
      of the LOEC (1.27 ug/L for F1 fecundity); in other countries, however,
      environmental concentrations above the LOEC are reported, suggesting that NP may
      be affecting fish populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3254-3266. (c) 2017
      SETAC.

PMID- 28631837
TI  - Transcriptional and histological alterations in gonad of adult zebrafish after
      exposure to the synthetic progestin norgestrel.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of norgestrel (NGT)
      on gonadal development in adult zebrafish. Adult zebrafish were exposed to NGT
      for 14 d at 871 ng L-1 for microarray analysis, and a follow-up experiment was
      conducted to further study the targeted pathway in adult zebrafish after exposure
      to NGT at 6.7, 83, and 912 ng L-1 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction
      (qPCR) and histological analysis. The microarray analysis revealed that 11 545
      transcripts were identified. Gene ontology analysis showed organ development,
      system development, multicellular organismal development, single-organism
      developmental process, and developmental process were significantly enriched. A
      Venn diagram displayed 434 target genes involved in organ development, and these
      genes were common in these 5 development-related processes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of
      Genes and Genomes analysis showed that the notch signaling pathway was the top
      toxicity pathway, and it was selected as the target pathway for further qPCR
      analysis. The qPCR analysis revealed significant and dose-dependent alterations
      of most target genes involved in the notch signaling pathway in the gonads, even
      at an environmentally relevant concentration of 6.7 ng L-1 . The transcriptional
      patterns were consistent with the notch signaling cascade. In addition, NGT
      significantly increased the frequency of mature sperm and decreased the frequency
      of immature sperm at all concentrations. Meanwhile, NGT treatment increased the
      percentage of mature vitellogenic oocytes and atretic follicles at 912 ng L-1 but
      decreased the percentage of immature vitellogenic oocytes. Thus, the present
      study demonstrated significant developmental toxicity in the gonad of adult
      zebrafish even at environmentally relevant NGT concentrations. Environ Toxicol
      Chem 2017;36:3267-3276. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28631838
TI  - Aging of zinc added to soils with a wide range of different properties: Factors
      and modeling.
AB  - The aging of metals added to soil is significant in ecological risk assessment
      and the derivation of soil environmental quality criteria. Semimechanistic aging
      models have been developed for some metals, but not for zinc (Zn). In the present
      study, a published dataset detailing the changes in isotopic exchangeability with
      time, after water-soluble Zn was added to 23 soils and incubated for 813 d, was
      used to analyze the effect of soil properties on aging and develop empirical and
      mechanistic models. Aging was mainly controlled by soil pH, probably because of
      precipitation, and was linearly correlated with the square root of incubation
      time, probably as a result of diffusion. Based on precipitation, diffusion,
      and/or occlusion, semimechanistic aging models were developed using a Zn
      hydrolysis constant of 6.52 to 6.61, apparent diffusion rate coefficient (D/r2 )
      of 1.41 * 10-5 /d, and a root mean square error of less than 15%. The optimized
      models were accurately validated by 4 independent field-incubated soils, with
      different doses of Zn under different conditions (the differences between
      measured and predicted isotopically exchangeable Zn were less than 10%). This
      enabled an understanding of the long-term behavior of Zn added to soils, and the
      results can be used for environmental risk assessments and the normalization of
      ecotoxicity datasets in the derivation of soil environmental quality criteria.
      Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2925-2933. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28631839
TI  - Natural variability of biochemical biomarkers in the macro-zoobenthos: Dependence
      on life stage and environmental factors.
AB  - Biomarkers are widely used in ecotoxicology as indicators of exposure to
      toxicants. However, their ability to provide ecologically relevant information
      remains controversial. One of the major problems is understanding whether the
      measured responses are determined by stress factors or lie within the natural
      variability range. In a previous work, the natural variability of enzymatic
      levels in invertebrates sampled in pristine rivers was proven to be relevant
      across both space and time. In the present study, the experimental design was
      improved by considering different life stages of the selected taxa and by
      measuring more environmental parameters. The experimental design considered
      sampling sites in 2 different rivers, 8 sampling dates covering the whole
      seasonal cycle, 4 species from 3 different taxonomic groups (Plecoptera, Perla
      grandis; Ephemeroptera, Baetis alpinus and Epeorus alpicula; Tricoptera,
      Hydropsyche pellucidula), different life stages for each species, and 4 enzymes
      (acetylcholinesterase, glutathione S-transferase, alkaline phosphatase, and
      catalase). Biomarker levels were related to environmental (physicochemical)
      parameters to verify any kind of dependence. Data were statistically elaborated
      using hierarchical multilevel Bayesian models. Natural variability was found to
      be relevant across both space and time. The results of the present study proved
      that care should be paid when interpreting biomarker results. Further research is
      needed to better understand the dependence of the natural variability on
      environmental parameters. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3158-3167. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28631840
TI  - The effect of infant vocalization in alloparental responsiveness of common
      marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).
AB  - Among mammals, alloparental care can be influenced by hormones as well as by
      previous experience and sensory stimuli from the infants, such as sight and
      sound, smell, and physical contact with the infant. To determine the
      responsiveness of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) nonreproductive females
      and males with and without previous experience in caretaking to infant sensory
      cues, we exposed 12 females and 12 males to vocalization recordings for 10 min
      under two conditions: (1) exposure to adult conspecific vocalization recordings,
      and (2) exposure to infant vocalization recordings. We recorded the frequency of
      approach toward the sound source, the time spent near it and locomotion frequency
      of males and females in the cage under both conditions. Blood samples were
      collected after each test for cortisol measuring by EIA method. The infant
      vocalization affects the behavioral and hormonal responses of males and females
      of common marmosets. The animals approached and spent more time near the sound
      source and showed an increase in locomotion during infant vocalization exposure
      compared to the adult vocalization. However, there was no significant difference
      in the behavioral response of animals when previous experience and the sex were
      taken into account. In both sexes, cortisol levels were significantly higher
      following infant vocalization exposure compared to the adult vocalization. These
      findings suggest that the infant vocalization appears to be an effective cue that
      facilitates the approach of the caregiver and maintaining their responsiveness
      and that the cortisol seems to be important for alertness to sensory stimuli,
      modulating their motivation to interact with the infant.

PMID- 28631841
TI  - Introduction to this Special Issue: Community Mental Health and the Common Good.

PMID- 28631843
TI  - Age-related spontaneous lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in a mouse model.
AB  - The pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration is unclear, but it is a
      major cause of several spinal diseases. Animal models have historically provided
      an appropriate benchmark for understanding the human spine. However, there is
      little information about when intervertebral disc degeneration begins in the
      mouse or regarding the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging and
      histological findings. The aim for this study was to obtain information about age
      related spontaneous intervertebral disc degeneration in the mouse lumbar spine
      using magnetic resonance imaging and a histological score regarding when the
      intervertebral disc degeneration started and how rapidly it progressed, as well
      as how our histological score detected the degeneration. The magnetic resonance
      imaging index yielded a moderate correlation with our Age-related model score.
      The Pfirrmann grade and magnetic resonance imaging index had moderate
      correlations with age. However, our Age-related model score had a high
      correlation with age. Intervertebral disc level was not a significant variable
      for the severity of disc degeneration. Both Pfirrmann grade and the Age-related
      model score were higher in the >=14-month-old group than in the 6-month-old
      group. The present results indicated that mild but significant intervertebral
      disc degeneration occurred in 14-month-old mice, and the degree of degeneration
      progressed slowly, reaching a moderate to severe condition for 22-month-old mice.
      At least a 14-month follow-up is mandatory for evaluating spontaneous age-related
      mouse intervertebral disc degeneration. The histological classification score can
      precisely detect the gradual progression of age-related spontaneous
      intervertebral disc degeneration in the mouse lumbar spine, and is appropriate
      for evaluating it. (c) 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:224-232, 2018.

PMID- 28631842
TI  - UK consensus statement on the use of plerixafor to facilitate autologous
      peripheral blood stem cell collection to support high-dose chemoradiotherapy for
      patients with malignancy.
AB  - Plerixafor is a CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR4) antagonist that mobilizes stem
      cells in the peripheral blood. It is indicated (in combination with granulocyte
      colony stimulating factor [G-CSF]) to enhance the harvest of adequate quantities
      of cluster differentiation (CD) 34+ cells for autologous transplantation in
      patients with lymphoma or multiple myeloma whose cells mobilize poorly.
      Strategies for use include delayed re-mobilization after a failed mobilization
      attempt with G-CSF, and rescue or pre-emptive mobilization in patients in whom
      mobilization with G-CSF is likely to fail. Pre-emptive use has the advantage that
      it avoids the need to re-schedule the transplant procedure, with its attendant
      inconvenience, quality-of-life issues for the patient and cost of additional
      admissions to the transplant unit. UK experience from 2 major centers suggests
      that pre-emptive plerixafor is associated with an incremental drug cost of less
      than L2000 when averaged over all patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell
      (PBSC) transplant. A CD34+ cell count of <15 ul-1 at the time of recovery after
      chemomobilization or after four days of G-CSF treatment, or an apheresis yield of
      <1 * 106 CD34+ cells/kg on the first day of apheresis, could be used to predict
      the need for pre-emptive plerixafor.

PMID- 28631844
TI  - Sonic hedgehog, Wnt, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor cell signaling pathway
      crosstalk: potential therapy for depression.
AB  - There are various theories to explain the pathophysiology of depression and
      support its diagnosis and treatment. The roles of monoamines, brain-derived
      neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and Wnt signaling are well researched, but sonic
      hedgehog (Shh) signaling and its downstream transcription factor Gli1 are not
      well studied in depression. Shh signaling plays a fundamental role in embryonic
      development and adult hippocampal neurogenesis and also involved in the growth of
      cancer. In this article, we summarize the evidence for the Shh signaling pathway
      in depression and the potential crosstalk of Shh with Wnt and BDNF.
      Antidepressants are known to upregulate the adult hippocampal neurogenesis to
      treat depression. Shh plays an important role in adult hippocampal neurogenesis,
      and its downstream signaling components regulate the synthesis of Wnt proteins.
      Moreover, the expression of Gli1 and Smo is downregulated in depression. BDNF and
      Wnt signaling are also regulated by various available antidepressants, so there
      is the possibility that Shh may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression.
      Therefore, the crosstalk between the Shh, Wnt, and BDNF signaling pathways is
      being discussed to identify the potential targets. Specifically, the potential
      role of the Shh signaling pathway in depression is explored as a new target for
      better therapies for depression.

PMID- 28631846
TI  - Visible-Light-Mediated Dual Decarboxylative Coupling of Redox-Active Esters with
      alpha,beta-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids.
AB  - An efficient visible-light-induced decarboxylative coupling between alpha,beta
      unsaturated carboxylic acids and alkyl N-hydroxyphthalimide esters has been
      developed. A wide range of redox-active esters derived from aliphatic carboxylic
      acids (1 degrees , 2 degrees  and 3 degrees ) proved viable in this dual
      decarboxylation process, affording a broad scope of substituted alkenes in
      moderate to excellent yields with good E/Z selectivities. This redox-neutral
      procedure was highlighted by its mild conditions, operational simplicity, easy
      accessibility of carboxylic acids, and excellent functional-group tolerance.

PMID- 28631845
TI  - Mild metabolic perturbations alter succinylation of mitochondrial proteins.
AB  - Succinylation of proteins is widespread, modifies both the charge and size of the
      molecules, and can alter their function. For example, liver mitochondrial
      proteins have 1,190 unique succinylation sites representing multiple metabolic
      pathways. Succinylation is sensitive to both increases and decreases of the NAD+ 
      dependent desuccinylase, SIRT5. Although the succinyl group for succinylation is
      derived from metabolism, the effects of systematic variation of metabolism on
      mitochondrial succinylation are not known. Changes in succinylation of
      mitochondrial proteins following variations in metabolism were compared against
      the mitochondrial redox state as estimated by the mitochondrial NAD+ /NADH ratio
      using fluorescent probes. The ratio was decreased by reduced glycolysis and/or
      glutathione depletion (iodoacetic acid; 2-deoxyglucose), depressed tricarboxylic
      acid cycle activity (carboxyethyl ester of succinyl phosphonate), and impairment
      of electron transport (antimycin) or ATP synthase (oligomycin), while uncouplers
      of oxidative phosphorylation (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazine or
      tyrphostin) increased the NAD+ /NADH ratio. All of the conditions decreased
      succinylation. In contrast, reducing the oxygen from 20% to 2.4% increased
      succinylation. The results demonstrate that succinylation varies with metabolic
      states, is not correlated to the mitochondrial NAD+ /NADH ratio, and may help
      coordinate the response to metabolic challenge.

PMID- 28631847
TI  - Conjunction of Pyrrole and Amide Moieties: Highly Anion-Responsive pi-Electronic
      Molecules Forming Ion-Free and Ion-Pairing Assemblies.
AB  - Dipyrrolyldiketone BF2 complexes with amide units at pyrrole alpha-positions were
      synthesized in modest yields and showed extremely high anion-binding affinities
      because of multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions. The phenyl-amide-substituted
      derivative formed solid-state chiral helical structures, wherein pi planes were
      oriented parallel to the helical directions. Examination of anion-binding
      behavior using 1 H NMR spectroscopy combined with theoretical studies suggested
      fast pyrrole inversions, particularly for the phenyl-amide-substituted
      derivative. The anion complexes behaved as building units of ion-pairing
      assemblies in combination with planar and bulky cations.

PMID- 28631848
TI  - Impact of solar ultraviolet radiation on atopic dermatitis symptoms in young
      children: A longitudinal study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are controversial data about the effects of sun exposure on
      atopic dermatitis (AD). We evaluated the association between solar ultraviolet
      radiation (UVR) exposure and AD symptoms in children. METHODS: Eighty-two
      children under 6 years (48 boys and 34 girls) with AD living in Seoul, Korea,
      were enrolled and followed for 12 months between September 2013 and August 2014.
      Daily symptoms were recorded to describe the degree of itching, sleep
      disturbance, erythema, dryness, oozing, and edema. We assessed solar UVR by
      measuring radiation heat flux over the 290-400 nm wavelength range using
      thermopiles. A generalized linear mixed model and a generalized additive mixed
      model were used to evaluate the effects of UVR exposure on AD symptoms after
      adjusting for age, sex, outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, and ambient air
      pollution. RESULTS: Symptom records of 12 915 person-days were analyzed. UVR
      showed a significantly positive relationship with AD symptoms. Over the study
      period, an increase in UVR by 10 W/cm2 was associated with a 1.46% increase in AD
      symptoms (95% CI: 0.85-2.07) on the exposure day. An increase in the 6-day
      average level of UVR of the previous 5 days and the current day by 10 W/cm2 was
      associated with a 3.58% (95% CI: 2.60-4.56) increase in AD symptoms. UVR exposure
      significantly increased AD symptoms in autumn, but decreased them in winter.
      CONCLUSIONS: Atopic dermatitis symptoms in children are likely to be affected by
      exposure to solar UVR with a cumulative effect, and this effect is different
      according to season.

PMID- 28631850
TI  - A parent-infant music therapy intervention to improve neurodevelopment after
      neonatal intensive care.

PMID- 28631849
TI  - Experiences of closed-loop insulin delivery among pregnant women with Type 1
      diabetes.
AB  - AIMS: To explore the experiences of pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes, and the
      relationships between perceptions of glucose control, attitudes to technology and
      glycaemic responses with regard to closed-loop insulin delivery. METHODS: We
      recruited 16 pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes [mean +/- sd age 34.1 +/- 4.6
      years, duration of diabetes 23.6 +/- 7.2 years, baseline HbA1c 51+/-5 mmol/mol
      (6.8 +/- 0.6%)] to a randomized crossover trial of sensor-augmented pump therapy
      vs automated closed-loop therapy. Questionnaires (Diabetes Technology
      Questionnaire, Hypoglycaemia Fear Survey) were completed before and after each
      intervention, with qualitative interviews at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS:
      Women described the benefits and burdens of closed-loop systems during pregnancy.
      Feelings of improved glucose control, excitement and empowerment were
      counterbalanced by concerns about device visibility, obsessive data checking and
      diminished attentiveness to hyper- and hypoglycaemia symptoms. Responding to
      questionnaires, eight participants felt less worry about overnight hypoglycaemia
      and that diabetes 'did not run their lives'; however, five reported that closed
      loop increased time thinking about diabetes, and three felt it made sleep and
      preventing hyperglycaemia more problematic. Women slightly overestimated their
      glycaemic response to closed-loop therapy. Most became more positive in their
      technology attitudes throughout pregnancy. Women with more positive technology
      attitudes had higher degrees of overestimation, and poorer levels of glycaemic
      control. CONCLUSIONS: Women displayed complex psychosocial responses to closed
      loop therapy in pregnancy. Perceptions of glycaemic response may diverge from
      biomedical data.

PMID- 28631851
TI  - An association of periostin levels with the severity and chronicity of atopic
      dermatitis in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Serum periostin might be a biomarker in the pathogenesis of T helper
      2-type allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the
      relationship between serum periostin levels and the severity and chronicity of
      atopic dermatitis (AD) in children. METHODS: This population-based study examined
      4076 children aged 4 to 13 years between June 2015 and July 2015. Of the 4076
      children, 196-137 with a history of AD in the AD group and 59 without allergic
      diseases history in the healthy control (HC) group-were included for the final
      analysis. RESULTS: Serum periostin levels were higher in the AD group than in the
      HC group (P<.001) and were found to be positively associated with SCORAD score
      (Spearman's rho [r]=.24, P=.001). Children with AD-onset time <2 years had
      significantly higher periostin levels (P=.030) compared to those with AD-onset
      time >=2 years. The total eosinophil (P=.189) and IgE levels (P=.140) were
      comparable between children with AD-onset time <2 years and those with AD-onset
      time >=2 years. After adjustment for age, gender, and parental allergic history,
      serum periostin level (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00-1.06, P=.046) contributed to the
      development of AD in children with AD-onset time <2 years. CONCLUSION: Serum
      periostin level may play a role in the severity and chronicity of AD in children.

PMID- 28631852
TI  - Silver(I) Clusters with Carba-closo-dodecaboranylethynyl Ligands: Synthesis,
      Structure, and Phosphorescence.
AB  - Salts of anionic silver(I) clusters with the carba-closo-dodecaboranylethynyl
      ligand were obtained from {Ag2 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )}n , selected pyridines,
      and [Et4 N]Cl or [Ph4 P]Br. Salts of octahedral silver(I) clusters [Et4 N]2 [Ag6
      (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )4 (4-X-C5 H5 N)x ] were formed with pyridine (X=H,
      x=8), 4-methylpyridine (X=Me, x=8), and 4-cyanopyridine (X=CN, x=10). In
      contrast, 3,5-lutidine (3,5-Me2 Py) did not result in salts of dianionic
      clusters, even in the presence of excess of [Et4 N]Cl or [Ph4 P]Br; instead salts
      of monoanionic AgI7 clusters, [Et4 N][Ag7 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )4 (3,5-Me2
      Py)9 ] and [Ph4 P][Ag7 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )4 (3,5-Me2 Py)13 ] were
      obtained. The AgI7 cluster is pentagonal bipyramidal in the former, but is an
      edge-capped octahedron in the latter. The 4-methylpyridine and 3,5-lutidine
      complexes show green phosphorescence at room temperature. Although argentophilic
      interactions give rise to sufficient spin-orbit coupling for intersystem crossing
      S1 ->Tn and moderate-to-high radiative rate constants, time-resolved measurements
      indicate that the quantum yields are greatly influenced by the pyridine ligands,
      which mainly determine the non-radiative rate constants. In addition, the crystal
      structures of [Ag16 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )8 (Py)9.25 (CH3 CN)2 (CH2 Cl2 )0.75
      ]?CH2 Cl2 , [Ag8 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )4 (Py)12 ], [Ag10 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11
      H11 )4 (4-MePy)10 Br2 ], [Ag7 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )3 (4-tBuPy)11 Cl]?(4
      tBuPy), and [Ag9 (12-C=C-closo-1-CB11 H11 )4 (3,5-Me2 Py)11 Cl] were elucidated.

PMID- 28631853
TI  - High sensitivity MR acoustic radiation force imaging using transition band
      balanced steady-state free precession.
AB  - PURPOSE: MR acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) provides a method to
      visualize the focal spot of a focused ultrasound (FUS) beam without introducing a
      significant temperature rise. With conventional spoiled MR-ARFI pulse sequences,
      the ARFI phase always equals the motion-encoded phase. In this work, MR-ARFI
      using transition band balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) is presented,
      which improves the sensitivity of MR-ARFI with high acquisition speed. THEORY AND
      METHODS: Motion-encoding gradients (MEG) are inserted into bSSFP sequences for MR
      ARFI. By applying an ultrasound pulse during the MEG, motion-encoded phase is
      generated, which leads to an amplified change in the image phase when operating
      in the bSSFP transition band. MR-ARFI was performed on a homemade gel phantom
      using both the proposed technique and a spoiled gradient echo ARFI sequence with
      identical MEG and FUS, and ARFI images were compared. RESULTS: The bSSFP-ARFI
      sequence generated an ARFI image phase that is more than 5 times larger than the
      motion-encoded phase in a few seconds with 2DFT readout. By keeping FUS pulses as
      short as 1.45 ms, temperature rise was insignificant during the measurement.
      CONCLUSION: bSSFP-ARFI has enhanced sensitivity compared with conventional MR
      ARFI pulse sequences and could provide an efficient way to visualize the focal
      spot. Magn Reson Med 79:1532-1537, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for
      Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28631854
TI  - Make dopamine neurons great again: An exciting new therapeutic option in
      parkinson's disease.

PMID- 28631855
TI  - A Photo-Crosslinkable Biotin Derivative of the Phosphoantigen (E)-4-Hydroxy-3
      Methylbut-2-Enyl Diphosphate (HMBPP) Activates Vgamma9Vdelta2 T Cells and Binds
      to the HMBPP Site of BTN3A1.
AB  - Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells play an important role in the cross talk of the innate and
      adaptive immune system. For their activation by phosphoantigens (PAgs), both cell
      surface receptors, the eponymous Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cell antigen receptors
      (Vgamma9Vdelta2 TCRs) on Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells and butyrophilin 3A1 (BTN3A1) on
      the phosphoantigen-"presenting" cell, are mandatory. To find yet undetected but
      further contributing proteins, a biotinylated, photo-crosslinkable benzophenone
      probe BioBP-HMBPP (2) was synthesized from a known allyl alcohol in nine steps
      and overall 16 % yield. 2 is based on the picomolar PAg (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbut
      2-enyl diphosphate (HMBPP, 1). Laser irradiation of 2 at 308 nm initiated the
      photo-crosslinking reaction with proteins. When the B30.2 domain of BTN3A1, which
      contains a positively charged PAg-binding pocket, was exposed to increasing
      amounts of HMBPP (1), labeling by BioBP-HMBPP (2) was reduced significantly.
      Because BSA labeling was not impaired, 2 clearly binds to the same site as
      natural ligand 1. Thus, BioBP-HMBPP (2) is a suitable tool to identify co-ligands
      or receptors involved in PAg-mediated T cell activation.

PMID- 28631856
TI  - Tetrameric and Dimeric [N???I+ ???N] Halogen-Bonded Supramolecular Cages.
AB  - Tripodal N-donor ligands are used to form halogen-bonded assemblies via
      structurally analogous Ag+ -complexes. Selective formation of discrete tetrameric
      I6 L4 and dimeric I3 L2 halonium cages, wherein multiple [N???I+ ???N] halogen
      bonds are used in concert, can be achieved by using sterically rigidified
      cationic tris(1-methyl-1-azonia-4-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane)-mesitylene ligand,
      L1(PF6 )3 , and flexible ligand 1,3,5-tris(imidazole-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6
      trimethylbenzene, L2, respectively. The iodonium cages, I6 L14 (PF6 )18 and I3
      L22 (PF6 )3 , were obtained through the [N???Ag+ ???N]-> [N???I+ ???N] cation
      exchange reaction between the corresponding Ag6 L14 (PF6 )18 and Ag3 L22 (PF6 )3
      coordination cages, prepared as intermediates, and I2 . The synthesized metallo-
      and halonium cages were studied in solution by NMR, in gas phase by ESI-MS and in
      the solid-state by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

PMID- 28631857
TI  - Pd-Catalyzed Hydroxylation of Aryl Boronic Acids Using In Situ Generated Hydrogen
      Peroxide.
AB  - Herein, we describe a benign and efficient palladium-catalyzed hydroxylation of
      aryl boronic acids under mild conditions, with in situ generated hydrogen
      peroxide from carbon monoxide, water, and oxygen. This novel procedure combines
      catalytic production of hydrogen peroxide with an aerobic oxidation process in a
      sole reaction system. This system shows good functional group tolerance and
      provides a benign and efficient access to a variety of functionalized phenols.
      Furthermore, the in situ generated hydroperoxide can be well used for
      triphenylphosphine oxidation, in which the TON is up to 194. Isotope labelling
      studies provide important mechanistic insights for this process.

PMID- 28631858
TI  - Sensory response in host and engrafted astrocytes of adult brain in Vivo.
AB  - Rapid advances in Ca2+ imaging techniques enable us to simultaneously monitor the
      activities of hundreds of astrocytes in the intact brain, thus providing a
      powerful tool for understanding the functions of both host and engrafted
      astrocytes in sensory processing in vivo. These techniques include both improved
      Ca2+ indicators and advanced optical recording methods. Astrocytes in multiple
      cortical and sub-cortical areas are able to respond to the corresponding sensory
      modalities. These sensory stimuli produce astrocytic Ca2+ responses through
      different cellular mechanisms. In addition, it has been suggested that astrocytic
      gene deficiencies in various sensory systems cause impairments in sensory
      circuits and cognition. Therefore, glial transplantation would be a potentially
      interesting approach for the cell-based therapy for glia-related disorders. There
      are multiple cell sources for glial transplantation, including neural stem cells,
      glial progenitors, and pluripotent stem cells. Both in vitro and in vivo studies
      have shown that engrafted astrocytes derived from these cell sources are capable
      of responding to sensory stimulation by elevating the intracellular Ca2+
      concentration. These results indicate that engrafted astrocytes not only
      morphologically but also functionally integrate into the host neural network.
      Until now, many animal studies have proven that glial transplantation would be a
      good choice for treating multiple glial disorders. Together, these studies on the
      sensory responses of host and engrafted astrocytes have provided us a novel
      perspective in both neuron-glia circuit functions and future treatment strategies
      for glial disorders.

PMID- 28631859
TI  - Determining the drivers of population structure in a highly urbanized landscape
      to inform conservation planning.
AB  - Understanding the environmental contributors to population structure is of
      paramount importance for conservation in urbanized environments. We used
      spatially explicit models to determine genetic population structure under current
      and future environmental conditions across a highly fragmented, human-dominated
      environment in Southern California to assess the effects of natural ecological
      variation and urbanization. We focused on 7 common species with diverse habitat
      requirements, home-range sizes, and dispersal abilities. We quantified the
      relative roles of potential barriers, including natural environmental
      characteristics and an anthropogenic barrier created by a major highway, in
      shaping genetic variation. The ability to predict genetic variation in our models
      differed among species: 11-81% of intraspecific genetic variation was explained
      by environmental variables. Although an anthropogenically induced barrier (a
      major highway) severely restricted gene flow and movement at broad scales for
      some species, genetic variation seemed to be primarily driven by natural
      environmental heterogeneity at a local level. Our results show how assessing
      environmentally associated variation for multiple species under current and
      future climate conditions can help identify priority regions for maximizing
      population persistence under environmental change in urbanized regions.

PMID- 28631860
TI  - ABi2 (IO3 )2 F5 (A=K, Rb, and Cs): A Combination of Halide and Oxide Anionic
      Units To Create a Large Second-Harmonic Generation Response with a Wide Bandgap.
AB  - A family of nonlinear optical materials that contain the halide, oxide, and
      oxyhalide polar units simultaneously in a single structure, namely ABi2 (IO3 )2
      F5 (A=K (1), Rb (2), and Cs (3)), have been designed and synthesized. They
      crystallize in the same polar space group (P21 ) with a two-dimensional double
      layered framework constructed by [BiF5 ]2- and [BiO2 F4 ]5- units connected to
      each other by four F atoms, in which two [IO3 ]- groups are linked to [BiO2 F4 ]5
      unit on the same side. A hanging Bi-F bond of [BiF5 ]2- unit is located on the
      other side via ionic interaction with the layer-inserted alkali metal ions to
      form three-dimensional structure. The well-ordered alignments of these polar
      units lead to a very strong second-harmonic generation response of 12 (1), 9.5
      (2), and 7.5 (3) times larger than that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate under
      1064 nm laser radiation. All of them exhibited a wide energy bandgap over 3.75
      eV, suggesting that they will have a high laser damage threshold.

PMID- 28631861
TI  - Renewable Molecular Flasks with NADH Models: Combination of Light-Driven Proton
      Reduction and Biomimetic Hydrogenation of Benzoxazinones.
AB  - Using small molecules with defined pockets to catalyze chemical transformations
      resulted in attractive catalytic syntheses that echo the remarkable properties of
      enzymes. By modulating the active site of a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
      (NADH) model in a redox-active molecular flask, we combined biomimetic
      hydrogenation with in situ regeneration of the active site in a one-pot
      transformation using light as a clean energy source. This molecular flask
      facilitates the encapsulation of benzoxazinones for biomimetic hydrogenation of
      the substrates within the inner space of the flask using the active sites of the
      NADH models. The redox-active metal centers provide an active hydrogen source by
      light-driven proton reduction outside the pocket, allowing the in situ
      regeneration of the NADH models under irradiation. This new synthetic platform,
      which offers control over the location of the redox events, provides a
      regenerating system that exhibits high selectivity and efficiency and is
      extendable to benzoxazinone and quinoxalinone systems.

PMID- 28631862
TI  - Thalamic deep brain stimulation for orthostatic tremor: A multicenter
      international registry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We report the accumulated experience with ventral intermediate
      nucleus deep brain stimulation for medically refractory orthostatic tremor.
      METHODS: Data from 17 patients were reviewed, comparing presurgical, short-term
      (0-48 months), and long-term (>=48 months) follow-up. The primary end point was
      the composite activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living
      score. Secondary end points included latency of symptoms on standing and
      treatment-related complications. RESULTS: There was a 21.6% improvement (P =
      0.004) in the composite activities of daily living/instrumental activities of
      daily living score, which gradually attenuated (12.5%) in the subgroup of
      patients with an additional long-term follow-up (8 of 17). The latency of
      symptoms on standing significantly improved, both in the short-term (P = 0.001)
      and in the long-term (P = 0.018). Three patients obtained no/minimal benefit from
      the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate
      nucleus was, in general, safe and well tolerated, yielding sustained benefit in
      selected patients with medically refractory orthostatic tremor. (c) 2017
      International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

PMID- 28631863
TI  - Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration: Safe as it
      sounds.
AB  - Real-time endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS
      TBNA) has earned its place as a standard of care in the evaluation of mediastinal
      and hilar lymphadenopathy. It is a minimally invasive and a safe procedure with
      high diagnostic accuracy and efficacy. The increased usage of EBUS-TBNA worldwide
      has thrown light on its possible complications including death. The complications
      range from minor to life threatening in few and may occur either early or later
      in the course after the procedure. The present review summarizes the reported
      complications from EBUS-TBNA, their outcome and the modalities used for their
      management.

PMID- 28631865
TI  - Chemical Communication between Molecules.
AB  - In this Minireview conceptual approaches towards the communication between
      (supra)molecular species are illustrated. The reviewed mechanisms include
      photophysical communication through energy transfer and communication mediated by
      chemical species that are released from precursors upon application of an
      external stimulus. The focus is on the stimulation by (reversible)
      photoreactions. Special attention has been given to supramolecular systems that
      illustrate the idea of chemical communication and information transfer in a very
      descriptive manner.

PMID- 28631866
TI  - Mg2+ -Dependent High Mechanical Anisotropy of Three-Way-Junction pRNA as Revealed
      by Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy.
AB  - Mechanical anisotropy is ubiquitous in biological tissues but is hard to
      reproduce in synthetic biomaterials. Developing molecular building blocks with
      anisotropic mechanical response is the key towards engineering anisotropic
      biomaterials. The three-way-junction (3WJ) pRNA, derived from phi29 DNA packaging
      motor, shows strong mechanical anisotropy upon Mg2+ binding. In the absence of
      Mg2+ , 3WJ-pRNA is mechanically weak without noticeable mechanical anisotropy. In
      the presence of Mg2+ , the unfolding forces can differ by more than 4-fold along
      different pulling directions, ranging from about 47 pN to about 219 pN.
      Mechanical anisotropy of 3WJ-pRNA stems from pulling direction dependent
      cooperativity for the rupture of two Mg2+ binding sites, which is a novel
      mechanism for the mechanical anisotropy of biomacromolecules. It is anticipated
      that 3WJ-pRNA can be used as a key element for the construction of biomaterials
      with controllable mechanical anisotropy.

PMID- 28631864
TI  - Ceftriaxone reduces L-dopa-induced dyskinesia severity in 6-hydroxydopamine
      parkinson's disease model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased extracellular glutamate may contribute to l-dopa induced
      dyskinesia, a debilitating side effect faced by Parkinson's disease patients 5 to
      10 years after l-dopa treatment. Therapeutic strategies targeting postsynaptic
      glutamate receptors to mitigate dyskinesia may have limited success because of
      significant side effects. Increasing glutamate uptake may be another approach to
      attenuate excess glutamatergic neurotransmission to mitigate dyskinesia severity
      or prolong the time prior to onset. Initiation of a ceftriaxone regimen at the
      time of nigrostriatal lesion can attenuate tyrosine hydroxylase loss in
      conjunction with increased glutamate uptake and glutamate transporter GLT-1
      expression in a rat 6-hydroxydopamine model. In this article, we examined if a
      ceftriaxone regimen initiated 1 week after nigrostriatal lesion, but prior to l
      dopa, could reduce l-dopa-induced dyskinesia in an established dyskinesia model.
      METHODS: Ceftriaxone (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, once daily, 7 consecutive days)
      was initiated 7 days post-6-hydroxydopamine lesion (days 7-13) and continued
      every other week (days 21-27, 35-39) until the end of the study (day 39
      postlesion, 20 days of l-dopa). RESULTS: Ceftriaxone significantly reduced
      abnormal involuntary movements at 5 time points examined during chronic l-dopa
      treatment. Partial recovery of motor impairment from nigrostriatal lesion by l
      dopa was unaffected by ceftriaxone. The ceftriaxone-treated l-dopa group had
      significantly increased striatal GLT-1 expression and glutamate uptake. Striatal
      tyrosine hydroxylase loss in this group was not significantly different when
      compared with the l-dopa alone group. CONCLUSIONS: Initiation of ceftriaxone
      after nigrostriatal lesion, but prior to and during l-dopa, may reduce dyskinesia
      severity without affecting l-dopa efficacy or the reduction of striatal tyrosine
      hydroxylase loss. (c) 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

PMID- 28631867
TI  - Visible-Light-Irradiated Graphitic Carbon Nitride Photocatalyzed Diels-Alder
      Reactions with Dioxygen as Sustainable Mediator for Photoinduced Electrons.
AB  - Photocatalytic Diels-Alder (D-A) reactions with electron rich olefins are
      realized by graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3 N4 ) under visible-light irradiation
      and aerobic conditions. This heterogeneous photoredox reaction system is highly
      efficient, and the apparent quantum yield reaches a remarkable value of 47 % for
      the model reaction. Dioxygen plays a critical role as electron mediator, which is
      distinct from the previous reports in the homogeneous RuII complex photoredox
      system. Moreover, the reaction intermediate vinylcyclobutane is captured and
      monitored during the reaction, serving as a direct evidence for the proposed
      reaction mechanism. The cycloaddition process is thereby determined to be the
      combination of direct [4+2] cycloaddition and [2+2] cycloaddition followed by
      photocatalytic rearrangement of the vinylcyclobutane intermediate.

PMID- 28631868
TI  - Manganese(I)-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective 1,2-Diheteroarylation of
      Allenes: Combination of C-H Activation and Smiles Rearrangement.
AB  - Heteroarenes are important structural motif in functional molecules. A MnI 
      catalyzed 1,2-diheteroarylation of allenes via a C-H activation/Smiles
      rearrangement cascade is presented. The reaction occurred under additive-free or
      even solvent-free conditions, which allowed the creation of two C-C and one C-N
      bonds in a single operation. A series of structurally diverse bicyclic or
      tricyclic compounds bearing an exocyclic double bond were constructed in good to
      excellent efficiency. The decarboxylative ring-opening of the products led to the
      facile synthesis of vicinal biheteroaryls. Synthetic applications were
      demonstrated and preliminary mechanistic studies were conducted.

PMID- 28631869
TI  - Lateralized hippocampal volume increase following high-frequency left prefrontal
      repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with major depression.
AB  - AIM: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been applied as a
      treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression in recent years, and a
      large body of evidence has demonstrated its therapeutic efficacy through
      stimulating neuronal plasticity. The aim of this study was to investigate
      structural alterations in the hippocampus (HIPP) and amygdala (AM) following
      conventional rTMS in patients with depression. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients
      with depression underwent 10 daily 20-Hz left prefrontal rTMS over 2 weeks. The
      left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was identified using magnetic
      resonance imaging-guided neuronavigation prior to stimulation. Magnetic resonance
      imaging scans were obtained at baseline and after the completion of rTMS
      sessions. The therapeutic effects of rTMS were evaluated with the 17-item
      Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17 ), and the volumes of the HIPP and AM
      were measured by a manual tracing method. RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed
      a significant volume increase in the left HIPP (+3.4%) after rTMS but no
      significant volume change in the AM. No correlation was found between the left
      HIPP volume increase and clinical improvement, as measured by the HAM-D17 .
      CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that conventional left prefrontal rTMS
      increases the HIPP volume in the stimulated side, indicating a remote
      neuroplastic effect through the cingulum bundle.

PMID- 28631870
TI  - Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Neuropathic Pain: Efficacy at Three Years'
      Follow-Up.
AB  - OBJECT: Chronic neuropathic pain is estimated to affect 3-4.5% of the worldwide
      population, posing a serious burden to society. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is
      already established for movement disorders and also used to treat some "off
      label" conditions. However, DBS for the treatment of chronic, drug refractory,
      neuropathic pain, has shown variable outcomes with few studies performed in the
      last decade. Thus, this procedure has consensus approval in parts of Europe but
      not the USA. This study prospectively evaluated the efficacy at three years of
      DBS for neuropathic pain. METHODS: Sixteen consecutive patients received 36
      months post-surgical follow-up in a single-center. Six had phantom limb pain
      after amputation and ten deafferentation pain after brachial plexus injury, all
      due to traumas. To evaluate the efficacy of DBS, patient-reported outcome
      measures were collated before and after surgery, using a visual analog scale
      (VAS) score, University of Washington Neuropathic Pain Score (UWNPS), Brief Pain
      Inventory (BPI), and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS:
      Contralateral, ventroposterolateral sensory thalamic DBS was performed in sixteen
      patients with chronic neuropathic pain over 29 months. A postoperative trial of
      externalized DBS failed in one patient with brachial plexus injury. Fifteen
      patients proceeded to implantation but one patient with phantom limb pain after
      amputation was lost for follow-up after 12 months. No surgical complications or
      stimulation side effects were noted. After 36 months, mean pain relief was
      sustained, and the median (and interquartile range) of the improvement of VAS
      score was 52.8% (45.4%) (p = 0.00021), UWNPS was 30.7% (49.2%) (p = 0.0590), BPI
      was 55.0% (32.0%) (p = 0.00737), and SF-36 was 16.3% (30.3%) (p = 0.4754).
      CONCLUSIONS: DBS demonstrated efficacy at three years for chronic neuropathic
      pain after traumatic amputation and brachial plexus injury, with benefits
      sustained across all pain outcomes measures and slightly greater improvement in
      phantom limb pain.

PMID- 28631871
TI  - Efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic gastro-jejunostomy (PEG-J) decompression
      therapy for patients with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO).
AB  - BACKGROUNDS: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) is an intractable rare
      digestive disease manifesting persistent small bowel distension without any
      mechanical cause. Intestinal decompression is a key treatment, but conventional
      method including a trans-nasal small intestinal tube is invasive and painful.
      Therefore, a less invasive and tolerable new decompression method is urgently
      desired. We conducted a pilot study and assessed the efficacy and safety of
      percutaneous endoscopic gastro-jejunostomy (PEG-J) decompression therapy in CIPO
      patients. METHODS: Seven definitive CIPO patients (2 males and 5 females) were
      enrolled. All patients received PEG-J decompression therapy. The number of days
      with any abdominal symptoms in a month (NODASIM), body mass index (BMI), serum
      albumin level (Alb), and small intestinal volume before and after PEG-J were
      compared in all patients. RESULTS: Percutaneous endoscopic gastro-jejunostomy was
      well tolerated and oral intake improved in all patients. NODASIM has
      significantly decreased (24.3 vs 9.3 days/months) and BMI/Alb have significantly
      increased (14.9 vs 17.2 kg/m2 and 2.6 vs 3.8 g/dL, respectively), whereas total
      volume of the small intestine has not significantly reduced (4.05 vs 2.59 L,
      P=.18). Reflux esophagitis and chemical dermatitis were observed in one case but
      was successfully treated conservatively. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Percutaneous
      endoscopic gastro-jejunostomy decompression therapy can contribute greatly to
      improvement of abdominal symptoms and nutritional status in CIPO patients.
      Although sufficient attention should be paid to acid reflux symptoms, PEG-J has
      the potential to be a non-invasive novel decompression therapy for CIPO available
      at home. However, accumulation of more CIPO patients and long-term observation
      are needed (UMIN000017574).

PMID- 28631872
TI  - Formation of BiFeO3 from a Binary Oxide Superlattice Grown by Atomic Layer
      Deposition.
AB  - We report on the growth of polycrystalline BiFeO3 thin films on SiO2 /Si(001) and
      Pt(111) substrates by atomic layer deposition using the precursors ferrocene,
      triphenyl-bismuth, and ozone. By growing alternating layers of Fe2 O3 and Bi2 O3
      , we employ a superlattice approach and demonstrate an efficient control of the
      cation stoichiometry. The superlattice decay and the resulting formation of
      polycrystalline BiFeO3 films are studied by in situ X-ray diffraction, in situ X
      ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. No
      intermediate ternary phases are formed and BiFeO3 crystallization is initiated in
      the Bi2 O3 layers at 450  degrees C following the diffusion-driven intermixing of
      the cations. Our study of the BiFeO3 formation provides an insight into the
      complex interplay between microstructural evolution, grain growth, and bismuth
      oxide evaporation, with implications for optimization of ferroelectric
      properties.

PMID- 28631873
TI  - Roles of afadin in functional differentiations of hippocampal mossy fiber
      synapse.
AB  - A hippocampal mossy fiber synapse has a complex structure and is implicated in
      learning and memory. In this synapse, the mossy fiber boutons attach to the
      dendritic shaft by puncta adherentia junctions and wrap around a multiply
      branched spine, forming synaptic junctions. We have recently shown using
      transmission electron microscopy, immunoelectron microscopy and serial block face
      scanning electron microscopy that atypical puncta adherentia junctions are formed
      in the afadin-deficient mossy fiber synapse and that the complexity of
      postsynaptic spines and mossy fiber boutons, the number of spine heads, the area
      of postsynaptic densities and the density of synaptic vesicles docked to active
      zones are decreased in the afadin-deficient synapse. We investigated here the
      roles of afadin in the functional differentiations of the mossy fiber synapse
      using the afadin-deficient mice. The electrophysiological studies showed that
      both the release probability of glutamate and the postsynaptic responsiveness to
      glutamate were markedly reduced, but not completely lost, in the afadin-deficient
      mossy fiber synapse, whereas neither long-term potentiation nor long-term
      depression was affected. These results indicate that afadin plays roles in the
      functional differentiations of the presynapse and the postsynapse of the
      hippocampal mossy fiber synapse.

PMID- 28631874
TI  - An integrative review of multicomponent weight management interventions for
      adults with intellectual disabilities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is more prevalent in people with intellectual disabilities
      and increases the risk of developing serious medical conditions. UK guidance
      recommends multicomponent weight management interventions (MCIs), tailored for
      different population groups. METHODS: An integrative review utilizing systematic
      review methodology was conducted to identify the types of MCIs delivered to
      adults with intellectual disabilities. FINDINGS: Five studies were identified.
      All of the studies' MCIs were tailored for adults with intellectual disabilities.
      Tailoring included measures such as simplified communication tools,
      individualized sessions, and the presence of carers where appropriate.
      CONCLUSIONS: Emerging evidence suggests ways in which MCIs can be tailored for
      adults with intellectual disabilities but, given the few studies identified, it
      is not possible to recommend how they can be routinely tailored. Further studies
      are justified for adults with intellectual disabilities at risk of obesity
      related conditions.

PMID- 28631875
TI  - Nursing assessment as an effective tool for the identification of delirium risk
      in older in-patients: A case-control study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the usefulness of comprehensive nursing
      assessment as a strategy for determining the risk of delirium in older in
      patients from a model of care needs based on variables easily measured by nurses.
      BACKGROUND: There are many scales of assessment and prediction of risk of
      delirium, but they are little known and infrequently used by professionals.
      Recognition of delirium by doctors and nurses continues to be limited. DESIGN AND
      METHODS: A case-control study. A specific form of data collection was designed to
      include the risk factors for delirium commonly identified in the literature and
      the care needs evaluated from the comprehensive nursing assessment based on the
      Virginia Henderson model of care needs. We studied 454 in-patient units in a
      basic general hospital. Data were collected from a review of the records of
      patients' electronic clinical history. RESULTS: The areas of care that were
      significant in patients with delirium were dyspnoea, problems with nutrition,
      elimination, mobility, rest and sleep, self-care, physical safety, communication
      and relationships. The specific risk factors identified as independent predictors
      were as follows: age, urinary incontinence, urinary catheter, alcohol abuse,
      previous history of dementia, being able to get out of bed/not being at rest,
      habitual insomnia and history of social risk. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive nursing
      assessment is a valid and consistent strategy with a multifactorial model of
      delirium, which enables the personalised risk assessment necessary to define a
      plan of care with specific interventions for each patient to be made. RELEVANCE
      TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The identification of the risk of delirium is particularly
      important in the context of prevention. In a model of care based on needs,
      nursing assessment is a useful component in the risk assessment of delirium and
      one that is necessary for developing an individualised care regime.

PMID- 28631876
TI  - Incidence of episiotomy in Slovenia: The story behind the numbers.
AB  - Episiotomy is a surgical cut of the perineum performed in the second stage of
      labor in order to widen the vaginal opening and thus facilitate the birth of an
      infant. Despite current recommendations against the routine use of episiotomy, it
      is one of the most commonly performed surgical interventions during childbirth.
      This retrospective study explores the number of episiotomies performed in
      Slovenian maternity hospitals and the differences in episiotomy rates in relation
      to parity. Data were obtained from the Slovenian National Perinatal Information
      System and pooled for 2013. A causal and non-experimental method of empirical
      research was used. The results of the study show that episiotomy rates vary
      widely across Slovenian maternity hospitals, ranging from 2.5% to 51.7%.
      Moreover, the majority of Slovenian maternity hospitals exceed the recommended
      rate, with an overall incidence of episiotomy as high as 31.3%. Further research
      is recommended to obtain relevant information from women as well as from midwives
      and to draw new, evidence-based conclusions related to the maternal benefits and
      adverse effects of episiotomy.

PMID- 28631877
TI  - Identification of chemical components in Baidianling Capsule based on gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography
      combined with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry.
AB  - Baidianling Capsule, which is made from 16 Chinese herbs, has been widely used
      for treating vitiligo clinically. In this study, the sensitive and rapid method
      has been developed for the analysis of chemical components in Baidianling Capsule
      by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in combination with retention indices and
      high-performance liquid chromatography combined with Fourier transform ion
      cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Firstly, a total of 110 potential volatile
      compounds obtained from different extraction procedures including alkanes,
      alkenes, alkynes, ketones, ethers, aldehydes, alcohols, phenols, organic acids,
      esters, furans, pyrrole, acid amides, heterocycles, and oxides were detected from
      Baidianling Capsule by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, of which 75 were
      identified by mass spectrometry in combination with the retention index. Then, a
      total of 124 components were tentatively identified by high-performance liquid
      chromatography combined with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass
      spectrometry. Fifteen constituents from Baidianling Capsule were accurately
      identified by comparing the retention times with those of reference compounds,
      others were identified by comparing the retention times and mass spectrometry
      data, as well as retrieving the reference literature. This study provides a
      practical strategy for rapidly screening and identifying the multiple
      constituents of a complex traditional Chinese medicine.

PMID- 28631878
TI  - Gas swallow during meals in patients with excessive belching.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Swallowed gas is an important source of abdominal gas, and aerophagia
      is often believed as a putative cause of gas-related abdominal symptoms. However,
      altered gas-swallow during meals has not been demonstrated. Our aim was to
      characterize the number of gas swallows during meals in patients complaining of
      excessive belching and gaseousness and a control group without abdominal symptoms
      during a 24-h period. METHODS: A 24-h pH-impedance monitoring was performed in 10
      patients with excessive belching, and 11 patients without digestive symptoms or
      reflux in the pH-impedance study. During the study, patients followed their daily
      routine and customary meals, without any specific limitation. In each patient the
      number and content of swallows and belches were analyzed. KEY RESULTS: Total meal
      periods were similar in controls (75+/-26 min) and patients (79+/-21 min;
      P=.339), but the number of gaseous swallows was greater in patients (114+/-13
      swallows) than controls (71+/-8 swallows; P=.007), due to a greater frequency of
      gaseous swallows during meals (15+/-2 swallows/10 min vs 10+/-1 swallows/10 min,
      respectively; P=.008). During the 24-h study period, 66+/-13 belches were
      recorded in patients, but only 13+/-3 belches in controls (P<.001), mainly
      gastric belches (80+/-4% and 92+/-2% of belches, patients, and controls,
      respectively) which showed a good correlation with the number of gaseous swallows
      performed during meals (r=.756; P=.011). CONCLUSION AND INFERENCES: Gas is
      frequently swallowed during meals. Patients complaining of excessive belching
      have a different swallow pattern during meals, with an increased ingestion of gas
      that correlates with increased gastric belching events.

PMID- 28631879
TI  - Context-dependent effects of cold stress on behavioral, physiological, and life
      history traits of the red flour beetle.
AB  - Animals are exposed in nature to a variety of stressors. While stress is
      generally harmful, mild stress can also be beneficial and contribute to
      reproduction and survival. We studied the effect of five cold shock events versus
      a single cold shock and a control group, representing three levels of stress
      (harsh, mild, and no stress), on behavioral, physiological, and life-history
      traits of the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum, Herbst 1797). Beetles
      exposed to harsh cold stress were less active than a control group: they moved
      less and failed more frequently to detect a food patch. Their probability to mate
      was also lower. Beetle pairs exposed to harsh cold stress frequently failed to
      reproduce at all, and if reproducing, females laid fewer eggs, which were, as
      larvae in mid-development, smaller than those in the control group. However,
      harsh cold stress led to improved female starvation tolerance, probably due to
      enhanced lipid accumulation. Harsh cold shock also improved tolerance to an
      additional cold shock compared to the control. Finally, a single cold shock event
      negatively affected fewer measured response variables than the harsh cold stress,
      but also enhanced neither starvation tolerance nor tolerance to an additional
      cold shock. The consequences of a harsher cold stress are thus not solely
      detrimental but might even enhance survival under stressful conditions. Under
      benign conditions, nevertheless, harsh stress impedes beetle performance. The
      harsh stress probably shifted the balance point of the survival-reproduction
      trade-off, a shift that did not take place following exposure to mild stress.

PMID- 28631880
TI  - EBUS-TBNA risks and repairs.

PMID- 28631881
TI  - Advances in equine anti-doping.

PMID- 28631882
TI  - Tuning the Surface Polarity of Microporous Organic Polymers for CO2 Capture.
AB  - CO2 capture is very important to reduce the CO2 concentration in atmosphere.
      Herein, we report the preparation of microporous polymers with tunable surface
      polarity for CO2 capture. Porous polymers functionalized with -NH2 , -SO3 H, and 
      SO3 Li have been successfully prepared by using a post-synthesis modification of
      microporous polymers (P-PhPh3 prepared with 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene as the monomer
      and AlCl3 as the catalyst) by chemical transformations, such as nitration
      reduction, sulfonation, and cationic exchange. The CO2 adsorption selectivity
      (CO2 /N2 and CO2 /H2 ) and isosteric heats of the microporous polymers increase
      markedly after modification, P-PhPh3 -NH2 and P-PhPh3 -SO3 Li afford higher CO2
      uptake capacity than P-PhPh3 at pressures of less than 0.15 bar due to the
      enhanced interaction between CO2 and the -NH2 and -SO3 Li functional groups.
      Moreover, functionalized porous polymers could be stably used for CO2 capture.
      Surface modification is an efficient approach to tune the CO2 capture properties
      of porous polymers.

PMID- 28631883
TI  - Importance of the patient-physician interaction in assessing acceptability of HIV
      cure trials.

PMID- 28631884
TI  - Molecular machines one molecule at a time.

PMID- 28631885
TI  - Reliability and validity of FluoreCam for white-spot lesion detection: An in
      vitro study.
AB  - AIM: In the present study, we tested the reliability and validity of a new light
      fluorescence device, the FluoreCam. METHODS: Twenty-five human teeth were
      sectioned mesiodistally into halves. Group 1 (n=30) included specimens with
      either sound enamel or natural white-spot lesions (WSL). Group 2 (n=20) included
      specimens with sound enamel used to create artificial WSL. Using the FluoreCam,
      baseline scans of enamel surfaces were obtained under standardized conditions.
      Group1 was scanned again the next day. Group 2 specimens were covered with an
      acid-resistant nail polish, leaving a 2 * 6-mm enamel window exposed, immersed in
      Queiroz-solution (64 hours, 37 degrees C/pH5 with agitation), and then scanned
      again. Random error of the repeated measurements (reliability) was determined
      using method errors and intraclass correlations (ICC). Systematic error and the
      ability to detect demineralization (validity) were tested using Wilcoxon signed
      rank test. RESULTS: Method errors for Group 1 replicates were .39 mm2 (area), .72
      pixels (intensity), and 5.69 pixels.mm2 (impact). Group 2 method errors were
      consistently slightly higher than those of group 1. FluoreCam showed highly
      reliable measurements for group 1 (ICC: 0.93-0.98) and group 2 (ICC: 0.87-0.97).
      There were no statistically-significant systematic errors for either group
      (P>.05). In group 2, enamel demineralization was statistically significant in
      area (P<.001), intensity (P=.001), and impact (P<.001). CONCLUSION: FluoreCam is
      highly reliable and valid for in vitro assessments of enamel demineralization.

PMID- 28631886
TI  - NLRP3 expression and urinary HSP72 in relation to biomarkers of inflammation and
      oxidative stress in diabetic nephropathy patients.
AB  - Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the major causes of end-stage renal disease.
      Nod-like receptors nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat pyrin-3
      domain (NLRP3) inflammasome displays a considerable role in the chronic
      inflammatory state observed in diabetic patients. Urinary heat shock protein 72
      (uHSP72) is a sensitive and specific biomarker for the early detection of acute
      kidney injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate NLRP3 relative gene
      expression, its correlation with inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, and
      to assess the value of uHSP72 in the early detection of DN in type 2 diabetic
      patients with different degrees of DN. Forty-five type 2 diabetic patients: 15
      normoalbuminuric, 15 microalbuminuric, 15 macroalbuminuric, in addition to 15
      healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Clinical examination and routine
      laboratory investigations were performed. NLRP3 mRNA expression was assessed by
      real time polymerase chain reaction. Serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG),
      interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), and uHSP72 levels were estimated by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay. Serum chitotriosidase (CHIT1) activity was examined. NLRP3
      mRNA relative expression, serum levels of 8-OHdG, IL-1beta, and uHSP72, in
      addition to CHIT 1 activity were significantly increased in the macroalbuminuric
      patient group as compared to control and the other two diabetic groups. Also, a
      significant positive correlation was documented between the previously mentioned
      parameters and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, serum creatinine, and HbA1c.
      Multiple linear regression analysis using urinary albumin/creatinine ratio as
      dependent variable confirmed that uHSP72 and NLRP3 mRNA relative expression were
      the independent predictors of DN (beta were 0.432 and 0.448 respectively, P <
      0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed that both NLRP3 mRNA
      relative expression and uHSP72 levels were useful biomarkers discriminating DN
      patients from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (AUC were 0.957 and 0.983,
      respectively). uHSP72 may be considered as a novel potential diagnostic biomarker
      for the early detection of DN. Moreover, these data support the pivotal role of
      NLRP3 in the development and progression of DN. (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(8):623
      630, 2017.

PMID- 28631887
TI  - Thymic stromal lymphopoietin is expressed in human corneal stromal cells and
      secreted upon protease-activated receptor 1 activation.
AB  - Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an interleukin-7 (IL-7) like cytokine that
      triggers inflammatory responses through activating dendritic cell. It is
      demonstrated to be involved in a number of disorders, including cancer,
      gastrointestinal diseases, and autoimmune diseases. In addition, TSLP is also
      found to be able to induce itch sensation by directly activating the itch sensory
      neurons. The expression of human TSLP is detected in various tissues such as
      heart, liver, testis, and prostate. In this study, we report that TSLP was
      expressed in the human corneal stromal cells, the highly specialized cells that
      are critical for the function of the cornea. Furthermore, we found that
      activation of the protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) induced secretion of TSLP
      by the corneal stromal cells. Beside the canonical activator thrombin, PAR1 can
      also be activated by a few matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) such as MMP1 and MMP13.
      Since MMPs including MMP1 and MMP13 are upregulated in many corneal diseases as
      well as the corneal wound healing process, we proposed that TSLP might function
      as the link between increased protease activity and inflammatory responses or
      itch sensation in the corneas. (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(8):606-610, 2017.

PMID- 28631888
TI  - The importance of phase analysis in multiexon copy number variation detected by
      aCGH in autosomal recessive disorder loci.
AB  - Cohen Syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by homozygous
      or compound heterozygous pathogenic variants in VPS13B, also known as COH1. Over
      100 pathogenic variants in VSP13B, primarily truncations, and copy number
      variants, have been found in patients with CS. Here, we present an 11-month-old
      girl with CS caused by two multi-exonic small deletions in VSP13B in trans. Array
      comparative genomic hybridization has revolutionized the field of genome copy
      number analysis down to the exonic level, however it has its limitations. It
      cannot detect balanced structural variation nor determine the phase of copy
      number variants. Heterozygous multi-exonic copy number variation in autosomal
      recessive genes should be interpreted in the context of a clinical phenotype,
      and, if warranted, phase analysis should be performed before sequence analysis
      for that gene is pursued. This patient emphasizes the need of obtaining clinical
      information and determining the phase in multi-exonic copy number variants for
      accurate diagnosis and risk counseling.

PMID- 28631889
TI  - MicroRNA-containing extracellular vesicles released from endothelial colony
      forming cells modulate angiogenesis during ischaemic retinopathy.
AB  - Endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) are a defined subtype of endothelial
      progenitors that modulate vascular repair and promote perfusion in ischaemic
      tissues. Their paracrine activity on resident vasculature is ill-defined, but
      mediated, at least in part, by the transfer of extracellular vesicles (EVs). To
      evaluate the potential of isolated EVs to provide an alternative to cell-based
      therapies, we first performed a physical and molecular characterization of those
      released by ECFCs. Their effects upon endothelial cells in vitro and angiogenesis
      in vivo in a model of proliferative retinopathy were assessed. The EVs expressed
      typical markers CD9 and CD63 and formed a heterogeneous population ranging in
      size from ~60 to 1500 nm by electron microscopy. ECFC EVs were taken up by
      endothelial cells and increased cell migration. This was reflected by microarray
      analyses which showed significant changes in expression of genes associated with
      angiogenesis. Sequencing of small RNAs in ECFCs and their EVs showed that
      multiple microRNAs are highly expressed and concentrated in EVs. The functional
      categories significantly enriched for the predicted target genes of these
      microRNAs included angiogenesis. Intravitreally delivered ECFC EVs were
      associated with the vasculature and significantly reduced the avascular area in a
      mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy model. Our findings confirm the potential of
      isolated EVs to influence endothelial cell function and act as a therapy to
      modulate angiogenesis. The functions associated with the specific microRNAs
      detected in ECFC EVs support a role for microRNA transfer in mediating the
      observed effects.

PMID- 28631890
TI  - Oxidative stress and psychiatric morbidity in patients with facial acne.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is a common cosmetic problem that is frequently
      associated with psychosocial disturbances as well as increased oxidative stress.
      However, oxidative stress and psychological aspects have been studied separately
      in acne. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationships between oxidative stress,
      anxiety, depression, and quality of life in acne patients. METHODS: Sixty
      patients with facial acne and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were
      included in the study. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital
      Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and quality of life (QoL) was measured by
      the Cardiff Acne Disability Index. Disease severity was assessed using the
      Combined Acne Severity Classification. The serum levels of zinc and
      malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured in
      patients and healthy subjects. RESULTS: The mean HADS scores for anxiety and
      depression were higher in patients than controls (P<.001 for both). Acne patients
      showed higher serum MDA and lower TAC and serum zinc levels compared with control
      subjects (P=.019, P<.001, and P=.028, respectively). Anxiety and depression
      scores did not correlate with oxidative stress parameters. Patients with
      moderate/severe acne had worse anxiety scores than mild acne (P=.048), and higher
      anxiety scores were associated with poorer quality of life (r=.436, P=.001).
      CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the high levels of anxiety and depression
      in patients with facial acne were not related to oxidative stress. Anxiety was
      more common than depression and was directly related to QoL impairment.

PMID- 28631891
TI  - No detectable human herpesvirus-8 oral shedding in seronegative-healthy,
      immunocompetent individuals from non-endemic regions for Kaposi's sarcoma: A
      pilot study.
AB  - AIM: Saliva can play an important role in human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8)
      transmission in endemic regions for Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Little is known about
      HHV-8 oral shedding in immunocompetent individuals from non-endemic regions for
      KS. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of HHV-8 salivary excretion among
      59 healthy, immunocompetent individuals from Sao Paulo, Brazil, followed up
      weekly for 4 months, resulting in 16 saliva samples from each participant.
      Antibodies to HHV-8 latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) and lytic-phase
      antigens were investigated with immunofluorescence assays (IFA). HHV-8 DNA
      detection was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS:
      All 59 individuals were seronegative to LANA and lytic antibodies. HHV-8 DNA was
      undetectable in saliva samples in 100% of the participants, totaling 944 samples
      and being consistently negative during the different periods of sampling, which
      lasted approximately 120 days. No sequences of HHV-8 DNA were detected in the
      saliva samples of healthy, immunocompetent adults by using real-time PCR, with
      the resulting data being consistent with IFA-based serological tests.
      CONCLUSIONS: Unlike other herpesviruses, HHV-8 is not excreted in the saliva of
      healthy individuals from non-endemic regions for KS.

PMID- 28631892
TI  - Water-Mediated Structural Transformations of CuII 5-Halonicotinates Coordination
      Networks with Distinct Mechanisms.
AB  - Currently, no unequivocal evidence is given for elucidation of "black box" during
      the structural transformations of dynamic crystalline materials. Here, three
      types of mechanisms are revealed for such transformations through X-ray
      diffraction and optical microscopy; namely, single-crystal to single-crystal (SC
      SC), as well as "core-to-core" and "core-on-shell" processes. As confirmed by
      time-lapse optical microscopy, the latter two cases can be properly ascribed as
      partial recrystallization processes, while the former one is a continuous process
      with two different crystal lattices simultaneously maintained in one single
      crystal. Interestingly, these three distinct pathways can be exquisitely realized
      by changing only the halogen substituent (from -F, -Cl, to -Br) of the organic
      ligands in the coordination supramolecular systems.

PMID- 28631893
TI  - Expanding the allelic disorders linked to TCTN1 to include Varadi syndrome
      (Orofaciodigital syndrome type VI).
AB  - Varadi syndrome is a subtype of orofaciodigital syndrome (OFDS) that combines the
      typical features of OFDS and the posterior fossa features of Joubert syndrome.
      The only gene known to be mutated in Varadi syndrome is C5ORF42. In this report,
      we describe the phenotype of a patient with Varadi syndrome who is homozygous for
      a previously reported mutation in TCTN1 (NM_001082538.2:c.342-2A>G,
      p.Gly115Lysfs*8) and suggest that allelic disorders linked to TCTN1 include
      Varadi syndrome, in addition to Joubert syndrome and Meckel-Gruber syndrome.

PMID- 28631894
TI  - SERPINI1 pathogenic variants: An emerging cause of childhood-onset progressive
      myoclonic epilepsy.
AB  - Progressive myoclonic epilepsies are rare neurodegenerative diseases with a wide
      spectrum of clinical presentations and genetic heterogeneity that render their
      diagnosis perplexing. Discovering new imputable genes has been an ongoing process
      in recent years. We present two pediatric cases of progressive myoclonic epilepsy
      with SERPINI1 pathogenic variants that lead to a severe presentation; we
      highlight the importance of including this gene, previously known as causing an
      adult-onset dementia-epilepsy syndrome, in the genetic work-up of childhood-onset
      progressive myoclonic epilepsies.

PMID- 28631895
TI  - Growth hormone excess in children with neurofibromatosis type-1 and optic glioma.
AB  - In children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and optic pathways glioma (OPG),
      growth hormone (GH) excess has been rarely reported and mainly associated to
      central precocious puberty. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prevalence of
      GH excess, the association with central precocious puberty, the relation with
      tumor site and the evolution over time in a large cohort of children with NF1 and
      OPG. Sixty-four NF1 children with OPG were evaluated. Patients with stature
      and/or height velocity >2 SD for age were studied for GH secretion. Seven out of
      64 children (10.9%) with NF1 and optic pathways glioma showed GH excess, isolated
      in 5 cases and associated to central precocious puberty in 2. All the children
      with GH excess had a tumor involving the chiasma. Children with GH excess
      underwent medical treatment with lanreotide and a minimum clinical/biochemical
      follow up of 2 years is reported. The present study demonstrates that GH excess
      should be considered as a relative frequent endocrine manifestation in NF1
      patients, similarly to central precocious puberty. Therefore, these patients
      should undergo frequent accurate auxologic evaluations. On the other hand, an
      increase in height velocity in children with NF1, even despite normal
      ophthalmological exams, can suggest the presence of OPG and therefore represents
      an indication to perform brain MRI.

PMID- 28631896
TI  - Boric acid gel as local drug delivery in the treatment of class II furcation
      defects in chronic periodontitis: a randomized, controlled clinical trial.
AB  - AIM: Boric acid (BA) exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, as well as
      osteoblastic, activity. The aim of the present study was to explore the efficacy
      of 0.75% BA gel as a local drug-delivery system in adjunct to scaling and root
      planing (SRP) for the treatment of class II furcation defects in comparison with
      placebo gel. METHODS: A total of 48 mandibular class II furcation defects were
      randomized and treated with either 0.75% BA gel or placebo gel. Clinical
      parameters were recorded at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, while radiographic
      parameters were recorded at baseline and 6 months. RESULTS: Greater mean probing
      depth reduction and mean relative vertical and horizontal clinical attachment
      level gain were shown to be greater in group 1 than in group 2 at 3 and 6 months.
      Furthermore, a significantly greater mean percentage of bone fill was found in
      group 1 (16.98%+/-1.03%) than in the placebo (2.86%+/-0.92%) at 6 months.
      CONCLUSION: The .75% BA group showed significant improvement in clinical
      parameters compared to placebo gel as an adjunct to SRP. This implies an
      alternative for treatment of class II furcation.

PMID- 28631897
TI  - The Interaction Mode of Groove Binding Between Quercetin and Calf Thymus DNA
      Based on Spectrometry and Simulation.
AB  - Quercetin, a ubiquitous flavanoid, has numerous pharmacological effects, such as
      antioxidant and antitumor. Previous studies showed nucleic acids were the
      potential biological targets for antitumor medicine. For exploring the mechanism
      of DNA-target medicine, the interaction between quercetin and calf thymus DNA was
      studied based on the method of spectrometry and simulation in our study. Firstly,
      the interaction between quercetin and calf thymus DNA was confirmed by
      fluorescence spectrometry. Furthermore, circular dichroism, fluorescence
      polarization, competitive displacement assay, and salt concentration dependence
      assay were applied to search the interaction mode of quercetin-calf thymus DNA,
      which proved the existence of groove binding and electrostatic interaction.
      Meanwhile, quenching constant Ksv , binding constant Ka and the number of binding
      sites n was calculated, inferring that the fluorescence quenching occurred by
      static quenching process, and the main acting force was hydrogen bond. Finally,
      molecular docking was used to simulate and analyze the interaction between
      quercetin and calf thymus DNA.

PMID- 28631898
TI  - Mass spectrometry-based protein analysis to unravel the tissue pathophysiology in
      Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
AB  - Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic muscle wasting condition with
      limited treatment options available and is caused by the lack of dystrophin.
      However, pathophysiology of different tissues is variable showing different
      histological and molecular signatures. Recently, a number of studies have
      employed gel-free proteomic approaches to unveil the molecular pathophysiology in
      terms of tissue-specific proteome changes in dystrophin deficiency. The authors
      analyzed studies in models of dystrophin deficiency and patients both from the
      published literature. The authors created a database containing all of the
      significantly differentially expressed proteins. By the integration of data from
      nine studies, the authors have identified 31 proteins which are commonly affected
      in different tissues by dystrophin deficiency. These proteins represent pathways
      involved in the maintenance of the actin cytoskeleton and those involved in
      cellular energy metabolism among others. Also represented is glyceraldehyde-3
      phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), often used as a loading control in protein
      assays, it appears to be highly variable, and should be replaced by other
      controls. The same intersection of data was performed using studies of the blood
      and urine of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients and/or animal models and
      identified 33 proteins that are commonly differentially expressed. These proteins
      may themselves be novel therapeutic targets biomarkers that could monitor disease
      progression.

PMID- 28631900
TI  - [Experimental development and rationale for a renal decellularization protocol
      with subsequent comprehensive assessment of the biological scaffold].
AB  - : Chronic renal failure (CRF) is one of the most challenging problems of
      contemporary medicine. Patients with chronic renal failure usually need renal
      replacement therapy as either hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or a kidney
      transplant. The latter is the most promising option for end-stage kidney disease.
      However, the shortage of donor organs, the complexity of their delivery, the
      difficulty in finding an immunologically compatible donor and the need for
      lifelong immunosuppression triggered advances in modern tissue engineering. In
      this field, the primary priority is focused on developing bioengineered scaffolds
      with subsequent recellularization with autologous cells. Using such constructs
      would allow for solving both ethical and immunological problems of
      transplantation. The aim of this pilot study was to develop a new method of renal
      decellularization using small laboratory animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      study investigated the morphological structure of the obtained decellularized
      matrix and quantitatively tested DNA residues in the resulting scaffold. We
      proposed a new biophysical method for assessing the matrix quality using the EPR
      spectroscopy and conducted experiments on the matrix recellularization with
      mesenchymal multipotent stem cells to estimate cytotoxicity, cell viability and
      metabolic activity. RESULTS: The obtained decellularized renal matrix retained
      the native tissue architecture after a complete removal of the cell material, had
      no cytotoxic properties and supported cell adhesion and proliferation.
      CONCLUSION: All the above suggests that the proposed decellularization protocol
      is a promising method to produce tissue-engineered kidney constructs with
      possible clinical application in the foreseeable future.

PMID- 28631901
TI  - [Female genital prolapse surgery using ultra lightweight polypropylene mesh].
AB  - AIM: To compare the results of female genital prolapse (FGP) surgery via vaginal
      access using lightweight and ultra-lightweight polypropylene mesh. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: From 2007 to 2011, 93 women aged from 46 to 71 years with II-IV stage
      FGP (POP-Q classification) were examined and underwent the vaginal extra
      peritoneal colpopexy using polypropylene implants in the Department of Urology.
      Patients were divided into 2 groups. In patients of group 1 (n=50) the surgery
      was performed according to a newly developed technique using perforated ultra
      lightweight (surface density 19 g/m2) domestically manufactured polypropylene
      implant. In group 2, a standard trocar set with light (surface density of 42.7
      g/m2) foreign-made polypropylene implants was used. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Long
      term follow-up was from 1 to 5 years. General surgical complications (urinary
      bladder injury, blood loss over 300 ml, perineal and vaginal hematomas) were
      detected in 2 (4%) patients of group 1 and in 7 (16.3%) patients of group 2. The
      most common specific mesh-related complication was the vaginal wall erosion,
      which was observed in 4 (9.3%) patients of group 2 and in 1 (2%) patient of group
      1. FGP recurrence was diagnosed in 5 (10%) patients of group 1 in the non-treated
      part and in 8 (18.6%) patients of group 2. Three patients (7%) in group 2
      developed recurrent cystocele due to the shrinkage of the mesh implant which was
      not observed in group 1. At 12 month follow-up, the results of FGP surgical
      treatment were estimated as good (full functional recovery and no FGP recurrence)
      in 41 (82%) and 32 (74.4%) patients of groups 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSION:
      We have developed a method of vaginal extra-peritoneal colpopexy using a
      perforated ultra-lightweight polypropylene implant. This technique has resulted
      in the absence of recurrence in the treated part of FGP, and 4.1, 4.2 and 4.7
      fold reductions in the incidence of general surgical complications, vaginal wall
      erosions and perineal and vaginal hematomas, respectively, compared with FGP
      patients undergoing the placement of the lightweight polypropylene implant using
      the standard trocar set.

PMID- 28631902
TI  - [Comparative estimation of antilithogenic activity of porcine kidney derived
      biomedical substance and sodium citrate in experimental urolithiasis].
AB  - AIM: to compare the anti-lithogenic activity of biomedical substance derived from
      freeze-dried porcine kidney and sodium citrate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      experiments were conducted on Wistar rats divided into three groups of 15 animals
      each: control group (disease control), comparison group (sodium citrate
      treatment) and experimental group (treatment with biomedical substance from
      porcine kidneys). Experimental urolithiasis was modeled using the ethylene glycol
      model. On every 7th day of the 6 week experiment testing was done calcium and
      oxalate urine concentration and the activity of marker enzymes of renal
      epithelial damage: lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), -glutamyl transferase (GGT), and
      N-acetyl--D-glucosaminidase (NAG). At the end of the experiment, a part of the
      rats were decapitated and the renal tissue was tested for the oxidant status
      indicators of (renal thiobarbiturate reactive product content, TBRP, and total
      prooxidant activity, TPA) and antioxidant enzyme activities: glutathione
      peroxidase (GPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). To measure the
      number and size of calcium deposits formed in the renal papillary area, the Koss
      histochemical method was used. RESULTS: The experimental findings showed
      developing oxalate nephrolithiasis in the control group, as indicated by urinary
      supersaturation of oxalate ion, increased activity of marker enzymes, oxidative
      stress and the formation of numerous calcium deposits in the renal papillary
      area. In the comparison group, the 3-week use of sodium citrate contributed to a
      significant decrease in nephrolithiasis: a 3 to 4-fold decrease in the activity
      of marker enzymes in the urine, a 3.8-fold increase in the concentration of TBRP,
      normalization of GPO activity; the number and size of urinary calcium deposits
      decreased by 3.4 and 1.9 times, respectively. In the experimental group, using
      biomedical substance led to an even greater therapeutic effect. LDH activity and
      concentration of TPRP showed 1.9 times and by 26.2% greater decrease than in the
      comparison group, respectively, SOD and CAT activity almost doubled, there were
      3.6 times fewer calcium deposits in the field of view and their mean size was 1.7
      times smaller than in the comparison group. CONCLUSION: The study findings showed
      that the porcine kidney derived biomedical substance provide significantly
      greater antilithogenic effect than sodium citrate.

PMID- 28631899
TI  - Dual molecular diagnosis contributes to atypical Prader-Willi phenotype in
      monozygotic twins.
AB  - We describe monozygotic twin girls with genetic variation at two separate loci
      resulting in a blended phenotype of Prader-Willi syndrome and Pitt-Hopkins
      syndrome. These girls were diagnosed in early infancy with Prader-Willi syndrome,
      but developed an atypical phenotype, with apparent intellectual deficiency and
      lack of obesity. Array-comparative genomic hybridization confirmed a de novo
      paternal deletion of the 15q11.2q13 region and exome sequencing identified a
      second mutational event in both girls, which was a novel variant c.145+1G>A
      affecting a TCF4 canonical splicing site inherited from the mosaic mother. RNA
      studies showed that the variant abolished the donor splicing site, which was
      accompanied by activation of an alternative non-canonical splicing-site which
      then predicts a premature stop codon in the following exon. Clinical re
      evaluation of the twins indicated that both variants are likely contributing to
      the more severe phenotypic presentation. Our data show that atypical clinical
      presentations may actually be the expression of blended clinical phenotypes
      arising from independent pathogenic events at two loci.

PMID- 28631903
TI  - [Solitary stones of the lower renal calyx: how to treat?]
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The choice of treatment for the stones of the lower renal calyx is
      one of the challenging issues of modern urology. The aim of this retrospective
      and prospective study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of
      3 modern minimally invasive techniques for treating renal stones: percutaneous
      (PNL) and transurethral (TNL) nephrolithotripsy and extracorporeal shock wave
      lithotripsy (ESWL) in patients with solitary lower calyx stones sized from 10 to
      15 mm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 136 patients with symptomatic
      stones of the lower calyces, who underwent ESWL, PNL and TNL from November 2010
      to the present day. The criteria for inclusion in the study were: the presence of
      a solitary stone of the lower calyx, the stone size of 10 mm to 15 mm, the
      performance of the classical (standard) PNL in the prone position (puncture
      access 28-30 Fr) and the follow-up examination at 3 months after the operation.
      Forty-six patients underwent ESWL, 49 - PNL, and 41 - TNL. Postoperative follow
      up was done at 3 months and included a plain radiography, ultrasound and non
      contrast-enhanced computed tomography. The stone free rate (SFR) was used as a
      criterion for the effectiveness of the intervention, where the stone size of 3 mm
      was taken as the upper limit for the possible presence of fragments. Besides, the
      rate of repeat interventions, complications and subjective assessment of patients
      treatment satisfaction (0 to 10) by using visual analogue scale (VAS) were
      investigated. RESULTS: The effectiveness analysis of the three methods for
      treating the lower calyx stones sized 10-15 mm showed that PNL was no more
      effective than TNL (SFR 95.9% and 85.4%, respectively), but both methods were
      significantly more effective than ESWL (SFR 69.5%). 29.3% of patients who
      underwent TNL required repeat interventions (TNL or ESWL), while among those
      treated with ESWL, 45.6% required repeat ESWL sessions. PNL resulted in stone
      clearance in one stage. Postoperative inflammatory complications were most
      prevalent among patients who underwent TNL (26.8%). Bleeding requiring
      hemotransfusion was observed only after PNL (14.3%). Obstructive complications
      were observed in all study groups. For them, internal stenting was most often
      performed after ESWL (10.9%), puncture nephrostomy - after TNL (7.3%).
      Statistically significantly higher VAS measured quality of life was found after
      ESWL (7.9) and PNL (7.0) compared with THL (4.8). CONCLUSION: All three methods
      (PNL, TNL and ESWL) for treating lower calyceal stones sized from 10 to 15 mm are
      quite effective. Using them separately or in combination allows most patients to
      safely achieve a stone-free state.

PMID- 28631904
TI  - [Analysis of factors affecting the compliance with medical therapy for benign
      prostatic hyperplasia].
AB  - AIM: To investigate factors affecting the compliance of patients with the
      combination therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four
      hundred BPH outpatients treated with combination therapy were surveyed. RESULTS:
      The absolute majority of patients (76.16%) expected a quick positive result.
      10.47% viewed their disease as too advanced, did not believe in the effectiveness
      of medical therapy and believed the surgery to be the only treatment option.
      24.42% of patients changed the medication dosage on their own, and 11% were ready
      to discontinue the treatment without consulting their doctors. 76.16% of patients
      considered the recommended treatment to be effective, 77.33% fully trusted the
      doctor. In the opinion of 8.7% of patients, the doctor did not sufficiently
      inform them about the prescribed drug. 22.67% of patients had doubts about a
      physicians competence, and 5.23% believed the doctor complicated their medical
      treatment and changed prescriptions too often. CONCLUSIONS: The patients had a
      high level of trust in doctors and showed psychological adherence to therapy.
      However, about a quarter of patients changed the treatment regimen on their own.
      Many patients had exaggerated expectations of the treatment. 8% of patients
      reported insufficient awareness regarding the nature and appropriateness of drug
      therapy, and one in five patients had difficulties in perceiving, remembering and
      following the treatment regimen. CONCLUSION: streamlining therapeutic regimens,
      prescribing non-titratable or combined drugs will help improve patients therapy
      compliance.

PMID- 28631905
TI  - [Rationale of pharmacotherapy duration in patients with benign prostatic
      hyperplasia (a clinical-morphological study)].
AB  - AIM: To investigate the nature of morphological alterations in the urinary
      bladder wall in BPH patients receiving pharmacotherapy to establish treatment
      time limits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised 120 BPH patients who
      underwent a transvesical adenomectomy. Prior to the surgery, 110 patients
      received pharmacotherapy (-blockers and 5-reductase inhibitors) lasting from 1-6
      months to 5-10 years. Preoperative evaluation included a standard diagnostic
      algorithm. During the surgery, the urinary bladder wall specimens were taken for
      morphological examination. Histologic specimens were stained with hematoxylin
      eosin and according to van Giesonn, and underwent immunohistochemical examination
      using desmin, vimentin, CD31, type IV collagen and pancitokeratin monoclonal
      antibodies. In patients who did not take medications or used them for less than 6
      months, the bladder preserved the normal histological structure. Pharmacotherapy
      lasting 1 to 5 years resulted in microcirculatory alterations characterized by
      extensive hemorrhages, damage to the endothelium and vessel basal membranes,
      hypertrophy of the bladder muscle membrane. In patients taking the medications
      for 6 to 10 years, microcirculatory alterations resulted in the vascular wall
      sclerosis and thickening, narrowing of the vessel lumen, hypoplasia of the
      transitional epithelium and muscle layer atrophy. RESULTS: The study findings
      suggest that prolonged (over 1 year) pharmacotherapy can adversely affect the
      urinary bladder wall and worsen the results of radical adenomectomy.

PMID- 28631906
TI  - [Technical features of intestinal ureteroplasty. Part 7: forming
      ureterointestinal anastomoses].
AB  - AIM: To present the results and technical features of forming the
      ureterointestinal anastomoses in intestinal ureteral substitution. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: From 1998 to December 2016, 168 patients (mean age 51 +/- 8.7 years)
      underwent ureteral substitution using intestinal segments at the Urology Clinic
      of the I.I. Mechnikov NWSMU. Of them, 76 (45.2%) were males. In 119 (70.8%)
      patients, intestinal segments were used to replace various parts of the ureters
      (iliac in 92, colonic in 4, appendix in 23), and in 49 (29.2%) patients
      ureteroplasty was combined with orthotopic ileocystoplasty. 96 patients underwent
      isolated ureteral substitution with segments of the small and large bowel.
      RESULTS: Among the 96 patients, early postoperative complications occurred in 8
      (8.3%) patients, whereof 5 (5.2%) required reoperations. Among them, 2 (2.1%) had
      a proximal anastomotic failure. Late postoperative complications occurred in 7
      (7.3%) patients whereof 4 (4.2%) required surgical treatment. These patients
      developed strictures of the proximal ureter-intestinal anastomoses over 3 or more
      months after the operation. The urinary flow was restored by antegrade dilation.
      Vesicoureteral reflux occurred in 2 (2.1%) patients. However, it was not
      clinically evident and was not accompanied by hydroureteronephrosis and recurrent
      urinary tract infection. CONCLUSION: A perfect ureterointestinal anastomoses
      should be easy to create and have a low risk of stenosis and reflux. These
      requirements are met by direct anastomosis, which is associated with a minimal
      risk of stricture, and with isoperistaltic positioning and sufficient length (not
      less than 15 cm) of the graft provides antireflux protection. It should be noted
      that proximal (ureterointestinal) anastomoses are vulnerable in these operations
      and prone to the stricture formation. Unlike proximal, the distal anastomosis of
      the graft with the bladder is always wider, and therefore the risk of its
      narrowing is minimal. Isoperistaltic positioning of the graft prevents reflux
      formation.

PMID- 28631907
TI  - [Cryopresipitate in comprehensive conservative therapy of patients with acute
      purulent pyelonephritis].
AB  - AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of cryoprecipitate in the comprehensive
      conservative therapy of patients with acute purulent pyelonephritis. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients
      who were diagnosed with acute non-obstructive pyelonephritis from 2007to 2015.
      During this period, a total of 3912 patients with acute non-obstructive
      pyelonephritis were treated at the Department of Urology. Patients were assigned
      to either receive or not receive cryoprecipitate in the comprehensive
      conservative therapy. The comprehensive conservative therapy of both groups
      included antibacterial agents, detoxification, anti-inflammatory therapy. In the
      study group, patients received additional treatment with cryoprecipitate. By that
      way we estimated the number of patients who avoided surgery in both groups.
      RESULTS: There were 3912 patients divided into two groups. The first group
      included 756 patients (19.3%) who received cryoprecipitate in the comprehensive
      therapy of pyelonephritis. Of them, 735 patients (97.3%) did not require surgical
      treatment, and only 21 patients (2.7%) underwent surgery. The second group
      comprised 3156 patients (80.7%) who did not receive cryoprecipitate. Of them,
      2974 patients (94.2%) were treated conservatively without surgical intervention
      and 182 patients (5.8%) received conservative therapy concurrently with surgical
      treatment. Therefore, including cryoprecipitate in the comprehensive conservative
      therapy of acute non-obstructive pyelonephritis results in twice smaller
      percentage of patients (2.7% vs 5.8%) requiring surgery compared to the
      comprehensive conservative therapy alone.

PMID- 28631908
TI  - [Chronobiological approach to managing an exacerbation of chronic recurrent
      bacterial cystite].
AB  - AIM: To investigate the effects of complex therapy with and without phototherapy
      for an exacerbation of chronic recurrent bacterial cystitis in women at the peaks
      of chronobiological activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised 60
      patients (mean age 30.1+/-5.5 years) with exacerbations of chronic recurrent
      bacterial cystitis. Patients in the comparison group (n=30) were managed with
      standard therapy, in the study group (n=30) standard therapy was used
      concurrently with phototherapy by low-intensity light radiation carried out at
      the maximum peaks of chronobiological activity. An assessment of the results
      included estimation of clinical and laboratory outcomes and the chronobiological
      status of patients in both groups. RESULTS: The study findings showed that
      phototherapy at the peaks of patients chronobiological activity icombined with
      standard treatment resulted in a faster reduction of clinical signs of the
      disease and desynchronosis.

PMID- 28631909
TI  - [Characterization of microbial flora in patients suspected of having urogenital
      tuberculosis].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the structure of tuberculosis morbidity, urogenital tuberculosis
      (UGT) ranks second or third only to pulmonary tuberculosis. Every fourth patient
      has the stage of cavern formation at first presentation. Seventy five percent of
      nephrotuberculosis cases co-occur with nonspecific pyelonephritis, which excludes
      "sterile pyuria". We aimed to determine the microbial spectrum of urine and
      gonadal appendages in patients with suspected UGT and to investigate the
      susceptibility of the isolated microorganisms to the main antibacterial drugs.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study investigated the spectrum of pathogenic
      microflora isolated from patients admitted to the urogenital clinic of the TB
      Research Institute from January 1, 2012 to September 30, 2016 to rule out UGT.
      Microorganism species were identified by time-of-flight mass spectrometry using
      the microbiological analyzer Phoenix 100 (Becton Dickinson, USA). Antibiotic
      resistance was determined using the Phoenix 100 microbiological analyzer (Becton
      Dickinson, USA). RESULTS: A total of 3004 bacteriological tests for nonspecific
      microflora were performed during the analyzed period. In the structure of
      pathogens, E. coli comprised about half of the cases thus confirming its role as
      the leading uropathogen. Only piperacillin/tazobactam and nitrofurantoin provided
      relatively plausible antimicrobial resistance rates, for other antibacterial
      drugs the rates of susceptible strains progressively decreased and by 2016
      dropped to 40% and lower. CONCLUSION: Our findings cannot be extrapolated to the
      entire population since patients presenting for differential diagnosis receive
      multiple courses of treatment with various antibacterial drugs, which led to the
      selection of resistant strains. The findings emphasize the need for a strict
      selection of antibiotics for urogenital infection empirical therapy. In the
      absence of response, the patient should be immediately examined for tuberculosis
      using molecular and genetic diagnostic techniques.

PMID- 28631910
TI  - [Prevalence and risk factors for nephrolithiasis among young rural residents].
AB  - AIM: To determine the prevalence of nephrolithiasis, assess the significance of
      known risk factors, and identify new risk factors for nephrolithiasis among young
      rural residents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted
      in 5 settlements of the Irkutsk rural district of the Irkutsk region and involved
      408 inhabitants (93 men, 315 women) aged from 18 to 47 years. The selection of
      candidates for the study was randomized. The response of the population was
      81.6%. Diagnostic evaluation included clinical examination, renal ultrasound,
      urinalysis and questionnaires; drinking water hardness was determined. RESULTS:
      The prevalence of nephrolithiasis was 10.0% (95% CI 7.1-12.9). The men-to-women
      ratio for the prevalence of nephrolithiasis in was 0.69. No kidney stones were
      found in participants younger than 20 years, but after 20 years of age, there was
      a statistically significant (p=0.04) trend in increasing prevalence of
      nephrolithiasis. Calculi were detected only in participants with acidic urine and
      were absent in individuals with alkaline urine (p=0.001). A higher prevalence of
      nephrolithiasis was found in individuals using hard water (12.5%), compared to
      those using water of medium hardness (1.6%) (p=0.019). The odds ratio of
      nephrolithiasis in persons using hard water was 8.9 (95% CI 1.2-66.6).
      DISCUSSION: and conclusions 1.The incidence of nephrolithiasis in the Irkutsk
      rural area was 10.0%, which is comparable to that in populations of Europe and
      North America; 2. The primary risk factors for nephrolithiasis were age, acidic
      urine and the hardness of drinking water, which is consistent with the data of
      other authors; 3. Difficulties in measuring, grading and controlling subjective
      risk factors for nephrolithiasis (fluid intake, diet, heredity, and past
      diseases) make it difficult to analyze them in cross-sectional studies and
      prevent direct comparison with other studies.

PMID- 28631911
TI  - [The study of mineral composition and structure of uroliths in the residents of
      Tomsk district (Tomsk)].
AB  - AIM: To successfully treat and prevent urolithiasis, the composition and
      structure of uroliths should be examined using modern analytical techniques. For
      a long time, studies of the biomineral formation in the human body have been
      conducted exclusively in the field of medicine. The main attention has been paid
      to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases leading to the occurrence of
      pathogenic formations. At the same time, it is quite obvious that it is important
      to have a clear idea about the causes of pathogenic formations, the mechanisms
      for their further formation, composition and structure. Currently, these issues
      are widely studied all over the world by mineralogists, biochemists, geo
      ecologists using methods of mineralogical analysis. The aim of this work was to
      determine the content of the elements that make up uroliths. This value should be
      normalized by the clarks of the noosphere. Studies on the mineral composition and
      structure of uroliths in the Tomsk region allowed to calculate the content of
      elements. It turned out that each medical district has its own specific
      geochemical series, which depends, probably, on natural and technogenic factors.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included urolith samples obtained from residents
      of 4 medical sub-districts of Tomsk district. 100 samples of different mineral
      composition were studied. Analytical techniques including crystal-morphological,
      spectral, X-ray structural, instrumental neutron-activation, electron microscopic
      analyses were used to investigate the morphology, mineral composition and
      structure of uroliths. RESULTS: The average content of elements in the uroliths,
      and the element concentrations normalized by the clark were established. After
      calculating the concentration, geochemical associative series of elements were
      formed. Depending on the morphology, drusiform, microspherolite, porous, coral
      formations, uroliths with a smoothed surface and stones with combined morphology
      were identified. Three groups of uroliths were defined according to their
      structural features: crystalline-granular, spherolithic and combined. CONCLUSION:
      Studies to determine the mineral composition and structure of the uroliths of the
      inhabitants of the Tomsk region made it possible to calculate the content of the
      elements that make up uroliths, normalized by clarks of the noosphere. Each
      medical sub-district has its own specific geochemical series, which depends on
      natural and technogenic factors. The increased value of the indicator of the
      content of elements in uroliths should serve as a warning factor for developing
      measures to reduce the urolithiasis incidence in the population.

PMID- 28631912
TI  - [Results of urethral reconstruction in adults after multiple hypospadias
      repairs].
AB  - AIM: To improve treatment results in patients after multiple hypospadias repairs
      by optimizing the postoperative management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-two
      patients (mean age 48.1+/-15.3 years) with urethral strictures secondary to
      failed hypospadias repairs underwent staged graft urethroplasty using oral mucosa
      (cheek, lip, tongue) as a grafting material. In 62 patients, at the end of
      surgery the bladder was drained with a standard Foley catheter. In twenty
      patients the bladder was drained with a modified silicone urethral catheter,
      which had an additional channel for delivering drugs and removing the urethral
      wound effluent, and a second additional channel for inflating a balloon fixed to
      the catheter tube at different parts of the catheter. RESULTS: The mean length of
      the stricture was 5.4+/-1.2 cm (from 1 to 16 cm). Twenty-eight patients had
      postoperative complications. Using the modified catheter resulted in
      statistically significantly (p<0.05) smaller percentage of complications (10% vs
      41.9%) compared to standard Foley catheter. Urinalysis and sperm test on the
      follow up examination at 12 months showed that only 9 (10.9%) patients had signs
      of the inflammatory process. Seventy-five patients (91.5%) rated the appearance
      of the penis as "good"; only 5 (6.1%) and 2 (2.4%) patients considered the result
      as "satisfactory" and "unsatisfactory", respectively. Eighty patient (97.6%)
      regarded the treatment result as "good" for the quality of urination and only two
      (2.4%) considered it "satisfactory". When assessing the strength of urinary
      stream, 64 (78.1%), 13 (15.8%) and 5 (6.1%) patients rated it as "good",
      "satisfactory", and "unsatisfactory", respectively. CONCLUSION: The study
      findings shows that staged urethroplasty using the oral mucosa restores the
      urethral patency, reduces the severity of the inflammatory process, thus
      improving the quality of life of patients after failed hypospadias repair. The
      proposed modification of the catheter ensures the timely delivery of drugs to the
      surgical site, evacuation the wound effluent from the urethra and helps prevent
      strictures by periodically inflating the adjustable balloon-dilator.

PMID- 28631913
TI  - [Molecular aspects of the impact of the Speroton complex on the male fertility in
      idiopathic infertility].
AB  - AIM: To characterize the effect of the Speroton complex on the free radical
      homeostasis in the ejaculate of males of infertile couples and the likelihood of
      pregnancy in partners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised 30 men
      aged between 26 and 43 years (mean 33 +/- 4.8 years) with idiopathic infertility.
      All patients received Speroton one sachet once daily during meals for 3 months.
      The comparison group consisted of 29 men of fertile age having 1 to 3 healthy
      children. In infertile men, standard semen parameters including the ejaculate
      volume, sperm concentration, total count and proportion of abnormal forms were
      within the normal range. Markers of oxidative damage to ejaculate macromolecules
      were determined using standard diagnostic testing systems. RESULTS: The patients
      with idiopathic infertility were found to have statistically significant changes
      in the degree of chemical modification of ejaculate biopolymers. The level of
      lipid hydroperoxides in infertile men was significantly higher than in fertile
      participants. Taking Speroton resulted in the decrease of lipid hydroperoxides to
      the level that did not differ from that in the control group. Using Speroton was
      also accompanied by a decrease in the level of the oxidative damage DNA biomarker
      8-oxodGu and a tendency toward normalization of the carbonyl modification of the
      ejaculate proteins. Five married couples in the treatment group reported
      achieving pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Taking Speroton was associated with the
      normalization of the balance of pro- and antioxidant processes in the ejaculate,
      as indicated by a decrease in the oxidative destruction of sperm biopolymers. The
      revealed molecular mechanism of the drug action is the basis for restoring the
      fertilizing ability and increasing the likelihood of pregnancy. The treatment
      effectiveness was 16.7%. Speroton is a promising drug that improves the
      functional sperm characteristics and contributes to achieving pregnancy in
      couples with a male infertility factor.

PMID- 28631914
TI  - [Impact of CPAP therapy on erectile function during sleep and testosterone level
      in men with sleep apnea syndrome].
AB  - The article presents the results of a polysomnographic study with simultaneous
      monitoring spontaneous nocturnal erections - Nocturnal Penile Tumescences (NPT)
      in 69 men with age-related androgen deficiency (AAD). Of these, 45 patients were
      diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). In 34 of the 45 patients
      with OSAS, regimens of non-invasive ventilation with positive-positive airway
      pressure (CPAP) were selected. Titration was carried out using automatic CPAP
      devices for 2 months. The control group (n=24) comprised men with AAD, matched by
      the "copy-pair" type without clinical manifestations of respiratory disturbances
      during sleep. Extreme fragmentation of sleep with a significant predominance of
      the 1st and 2nd stages of the slow sleep phase, the deficiency of deep sleep
      stages and the significant shortening of the fast sleep phase was leveled by
      using a constant positive pressure in the upper respiratory tract. CPAP-therapy
      produced the phenomenon of a "rebound" of slow-wave sleep and fast-sleep phase.
      Before treatment, men with OSAS had a disruptive pattern of NPT (quantitative and
      qualitative characteristics). CPAP-therapy resulted in its recovery and maximum
      preservation relative to fast sleep phase time boundaries. However, the trend
      towards increasing testosterone levels was not significant, which requires
      additional testosterone replacement therapy concurrently with CPAP therapy in
      patients with OSAS and AAD.

PMID- 28631915
TI  - [Multispiral computer tomography in differential diagnosis of congenital
      uretheroidhydronefrosis in children].
AB  - AIM: To identify the characteristic MSCT signs of pediatric ureterohydronephrosis
      allowing to assess the disease severity and differentiate between its various
      forms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty five children with III-IV grade
      ureterohydronephrosis underwent a comprehensive examination including MSCT
      urography. The study comprised 40 (61.5%) boys and 25 (38.5%) girls aged 3 months
      to 14 years (mean age 4.15+/-3.21 years). RESULTS: Obstructive disease was
      detected in 38 (58.5%) children, 27 (41.5%) patients had vesicoureteral reflux
      (VUR). Bilateral ureterohydronephrosis was found in 31 (47.7%) patients,
      unilateral - in 34 (52.3%). Twelve (35.3%) and twenty two (64.7%) patients had
      the right-sided and left-sided disease, respectively. Comparative analysis of
      MSCT signs of obstructive ureterohydronephrosis and VUR allowed for defining
      several distinctive symptoms which afford to accurately differentiate between the
      two pathological conditions. CONCLUSION: Multispiral computed tomography has a
      high sensitivity and specificity in detecting malformations of the urinary tract,
      making it possible to accurately differentiate obstructive ureterohydronephrosis
      from the VUR which plays an important role in assessing the disease severity and
      selecting a surgical strategy.

PMID- 28631916
TI  - [Intravesical prostatic protrusion in diagnosing infravesical obstruction in men
      with benign prostatic hyperplasia].
AB  - Infravesical obstruction (IVO) is an important characteristic of the functional
      state of male lower urinary tract. It is believed that IVO confirmed by pressure
      flow study findings warrants switching from a medical to surgical management of
      lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) is a
      new indicator for detecting IVO secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
      This indicator has several advantages over other non-invasive methods for
      evaluating IVO. The initial findings on the relationship between IPP and IVO
      suggest the feasibility of its clinical use as a screening tool in men with
      obstructive voiding symptoms.

PMID- 28631917
TI  - [Contemporary concept of the diagnosis of prostate cancer].
AB  - This review summarizes current evidence of the etiology and diagnosis of prostate
      cancer. As before, a comprehensive urological examination remains the main method
      of diagnosing the disease. However, the invasive nature of the multicore prostate
      biopsy, its high cost and the need for specially trained personnel prompts to
      seek more state-of-the-art and non-invasive methods for diagnosing prostate
      cancer. The further research in this direction seems promising.

PMID- 28631918
TI  - [Using of cell biocomposite material in tissue engineering of the urinary
      bladder].
AB  - In a systematic review, to present an overview of the current situation in the
      field of tissue engineering of urinary bladder related to the use of cell lines
      pre-cultured on matrices. The selection of eligible publications was conducted
      according to the method described in the article Glybochko P.V. et al. "Tissue
      engineering of urinary bladder using acellular matrix." At the final stage,
      studies investigating the application of matrices with human and animal cell
      lines were analyzed. Contemporary approaches to using cell-based tissue
      engineering of the bladder were analyzed, including the formation of 3D
      structures from several types of cells, cell layers and genetic modification of
      injected cells. The most commonly used cell lines are urothelial cells,
      mesenchymal stem cells and fibroblasts. The safety and efficacy of any types of
      composite cell structures used in the cell-based bladder tissue engineering has
      not been proven sufficiently to warrant clinical studies of their usefulness. The
      results of cystoplasty of rat bladder are almost impossible to extrapolate to
      humans; besides, it is difficult to predict possible side effects. For the
      transition to clinical trials, additional studies on relevant animal models are
      needed.

PMID- 28631919
TI  - [Rehabilitation of patients with complicated forms of urethral obliterations].
AB  - The article describes open surgical modalities for managing patients with severe
      obliterations of the anterior urethra. The mean age of patients was 70 years. The
      causes of urethral strictures and obliteration included prostatic adenomectomy,
      scrotal abscess with pelvic bone osteomyelitis, accidental removal of the bulbar
      and penile urethra during herniotomy and a prolonged use of an indwelling
      urethral catheter. Two patients underwent perineostomy (median and trapezoidal).
      In the third patient, scrotal skin was used to form "scrotal hypospadias" (a
      modified Johansons operation) and the fourth patient underwent Mikhalovskiis
      operation. All patients regained normal voiding.

PMID- 28631921
TI  - Direct Electron Beam Writing of Silver-Based Nanostructures.
AB  - Direct writing utilizing a focused electron beam constitutes an interesting
      alternative to resist-based techniques, as it allows for precise and flexible
      growth onto any conductive substrate in a single-step process. One important
      challenge, however, is the identification of appropriate precursors which allow
      for deposition of the material of choice, e.g., for envisaged applications in
      nano-optics. In this regard the coinage metal silver is of particular interest
      since it shows a relatively high plasma frequency and, thus, excellent plasmonic
      properties in the visible range. By utilizing the precursor compound AgO2Me2Bu,
      direct writing of silver-based nanostructures via local electron beam induced
      deposition could be realized for the first time. Interestingly, the silver
      deposition was strongly dependent on electron dose; at low doses of 30 nC/MUm2 a
      dominant formation of pure silver crystals was observed, while at higher electron
      doses around 104 nC/MUm2 large carbon contents were measured. A scheme for the
      enhanced silver deposition under low electron fluxes by an electronic activation
      of precursor dissociation below thermal CVD temperature is proposed and validated
      using material characterization techniques. Finally, the knowledge gained was
      employed to fabricate well-defined two-dimensional deposits with maximized silver
      content approaching 75 at. %, which was achieved by proper adjustment of the
      deposition parameters. The corresponding deposits consist of plasmonically active
      silver crystallites and demonstrate a pronounced Raman signal enhancement of the
      carbonaceous matrix.

PMID- 28631920
TI  - Microfluidic Mapping of Cancer Cell-Protein Binding Interaction.
AB  - The interaction between tumor cells and microenvironment during metastasis is
      mediated by the binding of cell surface receptors, such as integrins and
      selectins, with protein ligands. Delineation of their binding interaction and
      identification of key receptors may be particularly important both in
      understanding extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and in developing potential
      therapeutic targets. Here we present a microfluidic chip that allows qualitative
      and quantitative mapping of a large population cell-protein interactions. It was
      found that beta1 integrin showed stronger binding interaction with collagen than
      with other ECM proteins. The upregulated beta1 integrin in invasive cancer cells
      enhanced cell-ECM interaction and may promote ECM remodeling. Cancer cells also
      showed strong interaction with plasma fibrinogen, the elevated level of which may
      help cancer cells arrest on blood vessels. We also verified that the chip may
      provide a platform for drug discovery by targeting integrins and cytoskeletons.

PMID- 28631922
TI  - Dual-Property Supramolecular H-Bonded 15-Crown-5 Ln(III) Chains: Joint Magneto
      Luminescence and ab Initio Studies.
AB  - Two complexes comprising 9-coordinate capped square antiprismatic
      [Ln(NO3)3(OH2)2(MeOH)] units [Ln(III) = Dy 6; Tb 7] are reported in which the
      metal complexes are hydrogen-bonded to 15C5 (15-crown-5) macrocycles to form
      supramolecular chains, {[Ln(NO3)3(OH2)2(MeOH)].(15C5)}n. Alternating current
      magnetic susceptibility measurements supported by ab initio studies show field
      induced SMM (single-molecule magnet) behavior for 6, but rapid relaxation of the
      magnetization for 7 because of the presence of dominant quantum tunneling
      processes as evidenced by the presence of a significant calculated tunnel
      splitting within the ground-state multiplet. Modeling the high-resolution
      emission spectra for 6 afforded energies of 37 +/- 5 and 28 +/- 5 cm-1 for the
      first-excited-state Stark sublevels of the two crystallographically independent
      Dy1 and Dy2 ions, in excellent agreement with the calculated values of 31 and 21
      cm-1 for DeltaE1 derived from ab initio studies.

PMID- 28631923
TI  - Influence of Ingesting a Flavonoid-Rich Supplement on the Metabolome and
      Concentration of Urine Phenolics in Overweight/Obese Women.
AB  - This study evaluated the effect of ingesting a flavonoid-rich supplement (329
      mg/d) on total urine phenolics and shifts in plasma metabolites in
      overweight/obese female adults using untargeted metabolomics procedures.
      Participants (N = 103, 18-65 y, BMI >= 25 kg/m2) were randomized to flavonoid (F)
      or placebo (P) groups for 12 weeks with blood and 24 h urine samples collected
      prestudy and after 4 and 12 weeks in a parallel design. Supplements were prepared
      as chewable tablets and included vitamin C, wild bilberry fruit extract, green
      tea leaf extract, quercetin, caffeine, and omega 3 fatty acids. At 4 weeks, urine
      total phenolics increased 24% in F versus P with similar changes at 12 weeks
      (interaction effect, P = 0.041). Groups did not differ in markers of inflammation
      (IL-6, MCP-1, CRP) or oxidative stress (oxLDL, FRAP). Metabolomics data indicated
      shifts in 63 biochemicals in F versus P with 70% from the lipid and xenobiotics
      superpathways. The largest fold changes in F were measured for three gut-derived
      phenolics including 3-methoxycatechol sulfate, 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid
      sulfate, and 1,2,3-benzenetriol sulfate (interaction effects, p <= 0.050). This
      randomized clinical trial of overweight/obese women showed that 12 weeks
      ingestion of a mixed flavonoid nutrient supplement was associated with a
      corresponding increase in urine total phenolics and gut-derived phenolic
      metabolites.

PMID- 28631924
TI  - Insight into the Bonding Mechanism and the Bonding Covalency in Noble Gas-Noble
      Metal Halides: An NBO/NRT Investigation.
AB  - The bonding between noble gas and noble metal halide like hydrogen bonding (H
      bonding) motivates us to investigate the bonding mechanism and the bonding
      covalency in NgMX (Ng = He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn; M = Cu, Ag, Au; X = F, Cl, Br, I)
      complexes using natural bond orbital (NBO) and natural resonance theory (NRT)
      methods. In this study, we introduce the new resonance bonding model in H-bonding
      into NgMX bonding. We provide strong evidence for resonance bonding involving two
      important resonance structures: Ng: M-X <-> Ng+-M :X- in each of NgMX complexes,
      originating in the nNg -> sigma*MX hyperconjugative interaction. The covalency of
      the bonding could be understood by the localized nature of Ng-M bonds in these
      two resonance structures, and the degree of Ng-M covalency can be quantitatively
      described by calculated NRT bond orders bNgM. Furthermore, we find that the bond
      order satisfies conservation of bond order, bNgM + bMX = 1, for all of the
      studied complexes. On the basis of the conservation of bond order and some
      statistical correlations, we also reveal that the Ng-M bond (except He-Ag and Ne
      Ag bonds) can be tuned by changing the auxiliary ligand X. Overall, the present
      studies provide new insight into the bonding mechanism and the covalency of the
      bonding in noble gas-noble metal halides, and develop one resonance bonding
      model.

PMID- 28631926
TI  - Adsorption Geometry and Energy Level Alignment at the PTCDA/TiO2(110) Interface.
AB  - The adsorption geometry and energy alignment at the PTCDA/TiO2(110) interface are
      investigated using a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches. The
      energy alignment is determined experimentally from the occupied and unoccupied
      states electronic structure measured using X-ray and UV photoemission and inverse
      photoemission, respectively. Two possible adsorption geometries compatible with
      previous studies, a flat geometry and a tilted geometry, were explored using DFT
      techniques, in order to obtain theoretical STM images and energy alignment at the
      interface. Both STM images simulation and resulting energy alignment point to a
      tilted geometry for PTCDA on TiO2(110).

PMID- 28631925
TI  - Anticancer Activity of Polyoxometalate-Bisphosphonate Complexes: Synthesis,
      Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Results.
AB  - We synthesized a series of polyoxometalate-bisphosphonate complexes containing
      MoVIO6 octahedra, zoledronate, or an N-alkyl (n-C6 or n-C8) zoledronate analogue,
      and in two cases, Mn as a heterometal. Mo6L2 (L = Zol, ZolC6, ZolC8) and Mo4L2Mn
      (L = Zol, ZolC8) were characterized by using single-crystal X-ray crystallography
      and/or IR spectroscopy, elemental and energy dispersive X-ray analysis and 31P
      NMR. We found promising activity against human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NCI
      H460) cells with IC50 values for growth inhibition of ~5 MUM per bisphosphonate
      ligand. The effects of bisphosphonate complexation on IC50 decreased with
      increasing bisphosphonate chain length: C0 ~ 6.1*, C6 ~ 3.4*, and C8 ~ 1.1*. We
      then determined the activity of one of the most potent compounds in the series,
      Mo4Zol2Mn(III), against SK-ES-1 sarcoma cells in a mouse xenograft system finding
      a ~5* decrease in tumor volume than found with the parent compound zoledronate at
      the same compound dosing (5 MUg/mouse). Overall, the results are of interest
      since we show for the first time that heteropolyoxomolybdate-bisphosphonate
      hybrids kill tumor cells in vitro and significantly decrease tumor growth, in
      vivo, opening up new possibilities for targeting both Ras as well as epidermal
      growth factor receptor driven cancers.

PMID- 28631927
TI  - Stabilization of a Virus-Like Particle and Its Application as a Nanoreactor at
      Physiological Conditions.
AB  - Virus-like particles are very interesting tools for application in
      bionanotechnology, due to their monodisperse features and biocompatibility. In
      particular, the cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) capsid has been studied
      extensively as it can be assembled and disassembled reversibly, facilitating
      cargo encapsulation. CCMV is, however, only stable at physiological conditions
      when its endogenous nucleic acid cargo is present. To gain more flexibility in
      the type of cargo encapsulated and to broaden the window of operation, it is
      interesting to improve the stability of the empty virus-like particles. Here, a
      method is described to utilize the CCMV capsid at close to physiological
      conditions as a stable, enzyme-filled nanoreactor. As a proof-of-principle, the
      encapsulation of T4 lysozyme (T4L) was chosen; this enzyme is a promising
      antibiotic, but its clinical application is hampered by, for example, its
      cationic character. It was shown that four T4L molecules can successfully be
      encapsulated inside CCMV capsids, while remaining catalytically active, which
      could thus improve the enzyme's application potential.

PMID- 28631928
TI  - Free Energy of Nanoparticle Binding to Multivalent Polymeric Substrates.
AB  - Characterization of the interactions between nanosize ligands and polymeric
      substrates is important for predictive design of nanomaterials and in biophysical
      applications. The multivalent nature of the polymer-nanoparticle interaction and
      the dynamics of multiple internal conformations of the polymer chains makes it
      difficult to infer microscopic interactions from macroscopic binding assays.
      Using coarse-grained simulations, we estimate the free energy of binding between
      a nanoparticle and a surface-grafted polymeric substrate as a function of
      pertinent parameters such as polymer chain length, nanoparticle size, and
      microscopic polymer-nanoparticle attraction. We also investigate how the presence
      of the nanoparticle affects the internal configurations of the polymeric
      substrate, and estimate the entropic cost of binding. The results have important
      implications for the understanding of complex macromolecular assemblies.

PMID- 28631929
TI  - 13C Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Using a Trimeric Gd3+ Complex as an Additive.
AB  - Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is one of the most successful
      techniques that resolves the insensitivity problem in liquid-state nuclear
      magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) by amplifying the signal
      by several thousand-fold. One way to further improve the DNP signal is the
      inclusion of trace amounts of lanthanides in DNP samples doped with trityl OX063
      free radical as the polarizing agent. In practice, stable monomeric gadolinium
      complexes such as Gd-DOTA or Gd-HP-DO3A are used as beneficial additives in DNP
      samples, further boosting the DNP-enhanced solid-state 13C polarization by a
      factor of 2 or 3. Herein, we report on the use of a trimeric gadolinium complex
      as a dopant in 13C DNP samples to improve the 13C DNP signals in the solid-state
      at 3.35 T and 1.2 K and consequently, in the liquid-state at 9.4 T and 298 K
      after dissolution. Our results have shown that doping the 13C DNP sample with a
      complex which holds three Gd3+ ions led to an improvement of DNP-enhanced 13C
      polarization by a factor of 3.4 in the solid-state, on par with those achieved
      using monomeric Gd3+ complexes but only requires about one-fifth of the
      concentration. Upon dissolution, liquid-state 13C NMR signal enhancements close
      to 20 000-fold, approximately 3-fold the enhancement of the control samples, were
      recorded in the nearby 9.4 T high resolution NMR magnet at room temperature.
      Comparable reduction of 13C spin-lattice T1 relaxation time was observed in the
      liquid-state after dissolution for both the monomeric and trimeric Gd3+
      complexes. Moreover, W-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data have
      revealed that 3-Gd doping significantly reduces the electron T1 of the trityl
      OX063 free radical, but produces negligible changes in the EPR spectrum,
      reminiscent of the results with monomeric Gd3+-complex doping. Our data suggest
      that the trimeric Gd3+ complex is a highly beneficial additive in 13C DNP samples
      and that its effect on DNP efficiency can be described in the context of the
      thermal mixing mechanism.

PMID- 28631930
TI  - Fluorescent and Electrochemical Supramolecular Coordination Polymer Hydrogels
      Formed from Ion-Tuned Self-Assembly of Small Bis-Terpyridine Monomer.
AB  - Herein, ditopic ligand DTA comprised of terpyridine and acetylene segments with
      only one aromatic pi-conjugated building block was designed and synthesized.
      Driven by metal-ligand coordination interactions, we presented that the use of
      metal salts can direct the self-assembly of DTA in the generation of fluorescent
      and electrochemical polymers that entrapped water to form ambidextrous hydrogels.
      These were characterized by several approaches including fluorescent titrations,
      UV-vis, circular dichroism, and X-ray diffraction spectra as well as scanning
      electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy experiments. DTA can
      selectively recognize Zn2+ ions and gelate water in the presence of ZnC6H10O6
      (zinc lactate), giving Zn2+-specific fluorescent metallogels. Otherwise,
      DTA/Cu(OAc)2 forms nonfluorescent, electrochemical, and chiral hydrogel that
      responds to multiple stimuli such as heat, light, shearing, electrolysis, and
      reducer. The ion-controlled gelation approach, morphology, rheology, as well as
      fluorescent and chiroptical properties of DTA was studied in detail. Hence, our
      work demonstrated for the first time the crucial role of metal salts in the
      supramolecular polymerization and corresponding properties, in which symmetry
      breaking played an important role for the dynamic assembly difference.

PMID- 28631931
TI  - Induction of Lactation in the Biological Mother After Gestational Surrogacy of
      Twins: A Novel Approach and Review of Literature.
AB  - One of the important challenges in surrogate pregnancies is the early bonding of
      genetic mother with her infant and the establishment of breastfeeding. A
      combination of pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods is often used for
      the induction of lactation. Reports of induced lactation in surrogacy are limited
      and scattered. In this report, we present a case of induced lactation and
      initiation of breastfeeding in preterm twins by the genetic mother, through her
      novel approach after a gestational surrogate pregnancy. Thematic approach of
      maternal account is summarized with context and rigor. We reviewed the reported
      literature of induced lactation in similar cases with an aim to address the
      various methods adopted.

PMID- 28631932
TI  - Exercise and heart failure: Improve your functional status and your biomarker
      profile.

PMID- 28631933
TI  - A salt-reduction smartphone app supports lower-salt food purchases for people
      with cardiovascular disease: Findings from the SaltSwitch randomised controlled
      trial.
AB  - Background SaltSwitch is an innovative smartphone application (app) that enables
      shoppers to scan the barcode of a packaged food and receive an immediate,
      interpretive, traffic light nutrition label on the screen, along with suggestions
      for lower salt alternatives. Our aim was to determine the effectiveness of
      SaltSwitch to support people with cardiovascular disease to make lower salt food
      choices. Design Six-week, two-arm, parallel, randomised controlled trial in
      Auckland, New Zealand (2 weeks baseline and 4 weeks intervention). Methods Sixty
      six adults with diagnosed cardiovascular disease (mean (SD) age 64 (7) years)
      were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the SaltSwitch smartphone app or
      control (usual care). The primary outcome was the salt content of household
      packaged food purchases during the 4-week intervention (g/MJ). Secondary outcomes
      were the saturated fat content (g/MJ), energy content (kJ/kg) and expenditure
      (NZ$) of household food purchases; systolic blood pressure (mmHg), urinary sodium
      (mg) and use and acceptability of the SaltSwitch app. Results Thirty-three
      participants with cardiovascular disease were allocated to the SaltSwitch
      intervention, and 33 to the control group. A significant reduction in mean
      household purchases of salt was observed (mean difference (95% confidence
      interval), -0.30 (-0.58 to -0.03) g/MJ), equating to a reduction of ~0.7 g of
      salt per person per day during the 4-week intervention phase. There were no
      significant between-group differences in any secondary outcomes (all P > 0.05).
      Conclusions The SaltSwitch smartphone app is effective in supporting people with
      cardiovascular disease to make lower salt food purchases. A larger trial with
      longer follow-up is warranted to determine the effects on blood pressure. Trial
      registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry
      https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=365784&isReview=
      rue ACTRN12614000206628.

PMID- 28631934
TI  - Breast Milk from Smokers Contains Less Cholesterol and Protein and Smaller Size
      of Apolipoprotein A-I Resulting in Lower Zebrafish Embryo Survivability.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the quality of breast milk (BM), we compared the
      functions of BM from ex-smokers and nonsmokers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed
      the contents of lipids, glucose, and protein in BM from ex-smokers (10
      cigarettes/day for 13 +/- 3 years) as well as infant formula. RESULTS:
      Nonsmokers' BM showed 2.4- and 1.4-fold higher cholesterol and protein contents,
      respectively, than BM from smokers. Infant formula contained almost no
      cholesterol, but did show remarkably higher glucose and triglyceride levels than
      BM. Microinjection of BM (50 nL) from nonsmokers and smokers into zebrafish
      embryos resulted in 59% and 44% survival, respectively, whereas formula injection
      resulted in 31% survival. The higher cholesterol and protein contents of BM were
      directly correlated with higher embryo survivability, suggesting that cholesterol
      content is directly and critically associated with growth of neonate infants.
      Smokers' BM contained smaller-sized apolipoproteinA-I (apoA-I) (24.4 +/- 0.2 kDa)
      than BM from nonsmokers (26.7 +/- 0.4 kDa), suggesting that putative modification
      and cleavage occurred in apoA-I. BM containing higher molecular weight apoA-I
      resulted in higher embryo survivability. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking before pregnancy
      can affect the composition and quality of BM, resulting in almost complete loss
      of cholesterol and protein, especially lactoferrin, lactalbumin, and apoA-I,
      accompanied by proteolytic degradation. These impairment effects of BM are
      associated with elevation of oxidative stress and lower embryo survivability.

PMID- 28631935
TI  - Hospital Supplementation Differentially Impacts the Association Between
      Breastfeeding Intention and Duration Among Women With and Without Gestational
      Diabetes Mellitus History.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about how in-hospital supplementation with water,
      infant formula, or sugar water affects the relationship between breastfeeding
      intentions and duration, and whether this differs by gestational diabetes
      mellitus (GDM) history. Our study objectives were to assess the associations
      between GDM and exclusive breastfeeding intentions, hospital supplementation, and
      breastfeeding duration, including whether hospital supplementation mediates the
      association between exclusive breastfeeding intentions and breastfeeding
      duration. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Using data from the Infant Feeding Practices
      Study II (2005-2007), we included women with GDM (n = 160) and women without GDM
      or prepregnancy diabetes (no diabetes mellitus [NDM]) (n = 2,139). We used
      multivariable logistic and linear regressions to determine the associations
      between GDM history and exclusive breastfeeding intentions, and between
      breastfeeding intentions, hospital supplementation, and breastfeeding duration,
      by GDM. We used mediation analysis to assess whether hospital supplementation
      mediated the association between exclusive breastfeeding intention and
      breastfeeding duration, also by GDM. All analyses were adjusted for prepregnancy
      body mass index. RESULTS: GDM was associated with lower odds of intending to
      exclusively breastfeed (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.71; 95% confidence interval
      [CI, 0.51-0.99]). GDM and NDM women who did not intend to exclusively breastfeed
      had similarly increased odds of hospital supplementation (GDM: AOR 3.52; 95% CI
      [1.44-8.57], NDM: AOR 3.66; 95% CI [2.93-4.56]). Breastfeeding duration was
      similar by exclusive breastfeeding intentions and by hospital supplementation,
      regardless of GDM. Hospital supplementation partially mediated the association
      between breastfeeding intentions and duration in NDM women, but it did not
      mediate the association in women with GDM. CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding intentions,
      rather than hospital supplementation, are particularly important for women with
      GDM to optimize breastfeeding outcomes.

PMID- 28631936
TI  - The Recent Developments in Sample Preparation for Mass Spectrometry-Based
      Metabolomics.
AB  - Metabolomics is a critical member in systems biology. Although great progress has
      been achieved in metabolomics, there are still some problems in sample
      preparation, data processing and data interpretation. In this review, we intend
      to explore the roles, challenges and trends in sample preparation for mass
      spectrometry- (MS-) based metabolomics. The newly emerged sample preparation
      methods were also critically examined, including laser microdissection, in vivo
      sampling, dried blood spot, microwave, ultrasound and enzyme-assisted extraction,
      as well as microextraction techniques. Finally, we provide some conclusions and
      perspectives for sample preparation in MS-based metabolomics.

PMID- 28631937
TI  - The effect of the sagittal ridge angle on cartilage stress in the equine
      metacarpo-phalangeal (fetlock) joint.
AB  - Fatigue failure of bones of the metacarpo-phalangeal (fetlock, MCP) joint is
      common in thoroughbred racehorses. Stresses within the fetlock joint cartilages
      are affected by the morphology of the third metacarpal bone (MC3) and proximal
      phalangeal bone, and the steepness of the median sagittal ridge of MC3 is
      believed to be associated with fracture. This study investigated the influence of
      the steepness of the sagittal ridge on cartilage stress distribution using a
      finite element model of the joint. Changes to the steepness of the sagittal ridge
      were made by applying a parabolic function to the mesh, creating four different
      models with sagittal ridge angles ranging from 95 degrees  to 105 degrees . In
      the fetlock joint of Thoroughbred racehorses, sagittal ridge angles of >100
      degrees  were associated with higher Von Mises stresses in cartilage at the
      palmar aspect of the condylar groove than such stresses in joints with sagittal
      ridge angles of <100 degrees . Stresses were high in the specific region where
      fractures are known to originate in MC3. This aspect of morphology of the fetlock
      joint thus appears to play an important role in the magnitude and distribution of
      cartilage stresses, which, when acting on the underlying hard tissues of the
      articular calcified cartilage and subchondral bone may play a role in the
      initiation of fatigue fracture in the third metacarpal bone.

PMID- 28631938
TI  - Aid and authoritarianism in Africa.

PMID- 28631939
TI  - A High-Throughput Screening Assay for NKCC1 Cotransporter Using Nonradioactive
      Rubidium Flux Technology.
AB  - A high-throughput screening (HTS) assay was developed for cotransporter, NKCC1,
      which is a potential target for the treatment of diverse disorders. This
      nonradioactive rubidium flux assay coupled with ion channel reader series
      provides a working screen for this target expressed in human embryonic kidney
      (HEK) cell line. An eightfold window of detection was achieved with the optimized
      assay. This new functional assay offered a robust working model for NKCC1 in
      determining reliable and concordant rank orders of the test compounds supporting
      its sensitivity and specificity. The robustness of manual assay indicated by Z'
      of 0.9 qualified its amenability to automation. The Z' of 0.7 was displayed by
      automated assay employed in high-throughput screening of compound libraries
      against this target. Being electrically neutral, the NKCC1 screening is difficult
      to achieve by both manual and automated electrophysiological techniques. These
      techniques, although considered gold standard, suffer from their inherent
      problems of being too slow to be in high-throughput format and with high running
      costs. In addition to being a functional assay for NKCC1, it is nontoxic as
      compared with thallium flux assay, which is prone to generate high number of
      false-positive/false-negative rates because of its innate fluorescence issues.

PMID- 28631940
TI  - Moving Forward with ASSAY.

PMID- 28631942
TI  - A systematic review of factors affecting driving and public transportation among
      youth and young adults with acquired brain injury.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although many people with an acquired brain injury (ABI) encounter
      difficulties with executive functioning and memory which could negatively affect
      driving, few people are assessed for fitness to drive after injury. The purpose
      of this systematic review was to synthesize the literature on factors affecting
      driving and public transportation among youth and young adults with ABI, post
      injury. METHOD: Seven databases were systematically searched for articles from
      1980 to 2016. Studies were screened independently by two researchers who
      performed the data extraction. Study quality was appraised using the Standard
      Quality Assessment Criteria (Kmet) for evaluating primary research from a variety
      of fields. RESULTS: Of the 6577 studies identified in the search, 25 met the
      inclusion criteria, which involved 1527 participants with ABI (mean age = 25.1)
      across eight countries. Six studies focused on driving assessment and fitness to
      drive, ten on driving performance or risk of accidents and nine studies explored
      issues related to accessing or navigating public transportation. Quality
      assessment of the included studies ranged from 0.60 to 0.95. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      findings highlight several gaps in clinical practice and research along with a
      critical need for enhanced fitness to drive assessments and transportation
      related training for young people with ABI.

PMID- 28631941
TI  - Analytical Characterization of Methyl-beta-Cyclodextrin for Pharmacological
      Activity to Reduce Lysosomal Cholesterol Accumulation in Niemann-Pick Disease
      Type C1 Cells.
AB  - Methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD) reduces lysosomal cholesterol accumulation in
      Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1) patient fibroblasts. However, the
      pharmacological activity of MbetaCD reported by different laboratories varies. To
      determine the potential causes of this variation, we analyzed the mass spectrum
      characteristics, pharmacological activity of three preparations of MbetaCDs, and
      the protein expression profiles of NPC1 patient fibroblasts after treatment with
      different sources of MbetaCDs. Our data revealed varied mass spectrum profiles
      and pharmacological activities on the reduction of lysosomal cholesterol
      accumulation in NPC1 fibroblasts for these three preparations of MbetaCDs
      obtained from different batches and different sources. Furthermore, a proteomic
      analysis showed the differences of these three MbetaCD preparations on
      amelioration of dysregulated protein expression levels in NPC1 cells. The results
      demonstrate the importance of prescreening of different cyclodextrin preparations
      before use as a therapeutic agent. A combination of mass spectrum analysis,
      measurement of pharmacological activity, and proteomic profiling provides an
      effective analytical procedure for characterization of cyclodextrins for
      therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28631943
TI  - Evaluation of the genotype MTBDRsl test for detection of second-line drug
      resistance in drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Myanmar.

PMID- 28631945
TI  - Vildagliptin: any effect on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and serum uric
      acid? Re: Shelbaya S, Rakha S. Effectiveness and safety of vildagliptin and
      vildagliptin add-on to metformin in real-world settings in Egypt - results from
      the GUARD study. Curr Med Res Opin 2017;33:797-801.

PMID- 28631944
TI  - Clinical significance of repeat blood cultures during febrile neutropenia in
      adult acute myeloid leukaemia patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We evaluated the clinical significance of repeat blood cultures in
      persistent and recurrent fever during neutropenia in adult acute myeloid
      leukaemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients undergoing intensive
      chemotherapy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the chemotherapy cycles at our
      centre between January 2007 and December 2015. Blood cultures obtained within
      three days after initial febrile neutropenia (FN) were defined as initial blood
      cultures and those obtained on or after day 4 were defined as repeat blood
      cultures. RESULTS: Overall, 321 chemotherapy cycles in 89 patients were subjected
      to review. FN was identified in 276 (86.0%) chemotherapy cycles. In persistent FN
      (134 episodes), the causative pathogens were detected by repeat blood cultures in
      seven episodes (5.2%), including only three episodes (2.2%) of new infection.
      Shaking chills and high body temperature were identified as significant
      predictors for bloodstream infection (BSI). In recurrent FN (85 episodes), the
      causative pathogens were detected in seven episodes (8.2%), and all of these were
      new organisms. The frequency of detecting new pathogens by repeat blood cultures
      in recurrent FN (7/85) was higher than that in persistent FN (3/134) (p = .0491).
      A history of recent BSI was identified as a significant predictor for BSI in
      recurrent FN. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic yield of repeat blood cultures for
      persistent FN was low in intensive chemotherapy for AML and MDS. The frequency of
      repeat blood cultures for persistent FN could be reduced based on predictors. On
      the other hand, blood cultures were considered to be essential in cases with
      recurrent FN.

PMID- 28631946
TI  - Stented Versus Stentless Laparoscopic Ureterolithotomy: A Systematic Review and
      Meta-Analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to evaluated
      the efficacy and safety of stented versus stentless laparoscopic ureterolithotomy
      (LU). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis that included
      six trials that investigated the outcomes, including the rate of prolonged urine
      leakage, operative time, time to drain removal, and estimated blood loss, between
      stented versus stentless LU. RESULTS: Four studies with 289 participants were
      included in the study. There was no significant difference between two groups in
      rate of prolonged urine leakage (odds ratios [OR] 0.35, 95% confidence intervals
      [CI] 0.09-1.46, p = 0.15). Significant longer operative time was detected in
      patients who underwent stented LU compared with stentless group (mean difference
      11.36, 95% CI 7.53-15.20, P < .00001). There was no significant difference
      between two groups in day of drain removal (mean difference -1.09, 95% CI -2.33
      0.15, P = .08). No significant difference in blood loss in patients who underwent
      stented LU compared with stentless group was detected (mean difference 7.67, 95%
      CI -0.29-15.64, P = .06). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the rate of
      prolonged urine leakage, time to drain removal, and estimated blood loss were not
      significantly different between stented and stentless LU.

PMID- 28631947
TI  - Predominant contribution of L-type Cav1.2 channel stimulation to impaired
      intracellular calcium and cerebral artery vasoconstriction in diabetic
      hyperglycemia.
AB  - Enhanced L-type Ca2+ channel (LTCC) activity in arterial myocytes contributes to
      vascular dysfunction during diabetes. Modulation of LTCC activity under
      hyperglycemic conditions could result from membrane potential-dependent and
      independent mechanisms. We have demonstrated that elevations in extracellular
      glucose (HG), similar to hyperglycemic conditions during diabetes, stimulate LTCC
      activity through phosphorylation of CaV1.2 at serine 1928. Prior studies have
      also shown that HG can suppress the activity of K+ channels in arterial myocytes,
      which may contribute to vasoconstriction via membrane depolarization. Here, we
      used a mathematical model of membrane and Ca2+ dynamics in arterial myocytes to
      predict the relative roles of LTCC and K+ channel activity in modulating global
      Ca2+ in response to HG. Our data revealed that abolishing LTCC potentiation
      normalizes [Ca2+]i, despite the concomitant reduction in K+ currents in response
      to HG. These results suggest that LTCC stimulation may be the primary mechanism
      underlying vasoconstriction during hyperglycemia.

PMID- 28631948
TI  - Possible contribution of pannexin-1 to capsaicin-induced ATP release in rat nasal
      columnar epithelial cells.
AB  - Current evidence indicates that transient receptor potential (TRP) channel
      activity involves a relationship between opening of pannexin-1 and release of ATP
      into the extracellular space. We examined the effects of agonists of
      thermosensitive TRP channels (TRPM8, TRPA1, TRPV1, and TRPV2) on ATP release from
      rat nasal mucosa, and measured ciliary beat frequency (CBF) using digital high
      speed video imaging. Single-cell patch clamping from dissociated rat nasal
      columnar epithelial cells was performed to confirm the relationship between
      pannexin-1 and TRP. We demonstrated that ATP release and CBF were significantly
      potentiated by the heat-sensitive TRPV1 agonist capsaicin (10 MUM), but not by
      other TRP agonists. Capsaicin-induced ATP release and CBF increase were
      significantly inhibited by the pannexin-1 blockers carbenoxolone (10 MUM) and
      probenecid (300 MUM). In addition, the voltage step-evoked currents in the
      presence of capsaicin were inhibited by the pannexin-1 blockers in single-cell
      patch clamping. Our results suggest the participation of TRPV1 and pannexin-1 in
      the physiologic functions of rat nasal mucosa.

PMID- 28631949
TI  - Diffusion tensor imaging tensor shape analysis for assessment of regional white
      matter differences.
AB  - Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate a novel tensor shape plot
      analysis technique of diffusion tensor imaging data as a means to assess
      microstructural differences in brain tissue. We hypothesized that this technique
      could distinguish white matter regions with different microstructural
      compositions. Methods Three normal canines were euthanized at seven weeks old.
      Their brains were imaged using identical diffusion tensor imaging protocols on a
      7T small-animal magnetic resonance imaging system. We examined two white matter
      regions, the internal capsule and the centrum semiovale, each subdivided into an
      anterior and posterior region. We placed 100 regions of interest in each of the
      four brain regions. Eigenvalues for each region of interest triangulated onto
      tensor shape plots as the weighted average of three shape metrics at the plot's
      vertices: CS, CL, and CP. Results The distribution of data on the plots for the
      internal capsule differed markedly from the centrum semiovale data, thus
      confirming our hypothesis. Furthermore, data for the internal capsule were
      distributed in a relatively tight cluster, possibly reflecting the compact and
      parallel nature of its fibers, while data for the centrum semiovale were more
      widely distributed, consistent with the less compact and often crossing pattern
      of its fibers. This indicates that the tensor shape plot technique can depict
      data in similar regions as being alike. Conclusion Tensor shape plots
      successfully depicted differences in tissue microstructure and reflected the
      microstructure of individual brain regions. This proof of principle study
      suggests that if our findings are reproduced in larger samples, including
      abnormal white matter states, the technique may be useful in assessment of white
      matter diseases.

PMID- 28631950
TI  - Securing Our Future.

PMID- 28631951
TI  - Aging-A Call to Arms!

PMID- 28631952
TI  - The development of visual speech perception in Mandarin Chinese-speaking
      children.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the development of visual speech
      perception in Chinese-speaking children. Children aged 7, 13 and 16 were asked to
      visually identify both consonant and vowel sounds in Chinese as quickly and
      accurately as possible. Results revealed (1) an increase in accuracy of visual
      speech perception between ages 7 and 13 after which the accuracy rate either
      stagnates or drops; and (2) a U-shaped development pattern in speed of perception
      with peak performance in 13-year olds. Results also showed that across all age
      groups, the overall levels of accuracy rose, whereas the response times fell for
      simplex finals, complex finals and initials. These findings suggest that (1)
      visual speech perception in Chinese is a developmental process that is acquired
      over time and is still fine-tuned well into late adolescence; (2) factors other
      than cross-linguistic differences in phonological complexity and degrees of
      reliance on visual information are involved in development of visual speech
      perception.

PMID- 28631953
TI  - A morpho-phonological Past Tense processing as a clinical marker in SLI EFL
      learners.
AB  - The clinical marker in specific language impairment (SLI) population is the
      subject of considerable debate. SLI is the one of the frequently diagnosed
      atypical language phenomena found among early school-age children (McArthur et
      al., 2000; Spear-Swerling, 2006). For example, children with SLI have difficulty
      applying the Past Tense rule to verbs, even though they can accurately repeat
      phonologically similar forms of the words (Hoeffner & McClelland, 1993). In this
      study, I discuss the grammatical deficits in the SLI population by studying the
      generation of both 'regular' and 'irregular' English Past Tense forms and explain
      how the rates of the correct use of the 'irregular' versus 'regular' form may be
      considered as a clinical SLI marker. This study defines the differences in the
      grammatical sensitivity in the EFL learners and provides additional essential
      insight into SLI, in general, and its identification in the EFL learners, in
      particular.

PMID- 28631954
TI  - Parameter setting in the acquisition of consonant clusters by phonologically
      delayed children.
AB  - The relationship between the acquisition of initial complex onset clusters, /s/
      initial clusters, and non-initial clusters is much studied yet poorly understood.
      Pan and Snyder (2004), working within the Government Phonology (GP) framework,
      proposed that the production of the three types of consonant clusters requires
      the proper setting of three binary parameters [+/- Branching onset (BO), [+/
      Branching rhyme (BR)] and [+/-Magic empty nucleus (MEN)]. Specifically, the
      production of onset clusters require [+BO], /s/-initial clusters require both
      [+BR] and [+MEN], and non-initial clusters require [+BR]. Two predictions follow:
      (1) The acquisition of /s/-initial clusters is independent of the acquisition of
      onset clusters, and (2) /s/-initial clusters should never be acquired prior to
      non-initial clusters, because the latter only require [+BR]. These predictions
      were borne out by data from twenty English-speaking children with phonological
      delay (mean age = 4;10). In support of prediction (1), seven children were able
      to produce onset clusters, but never produced /s/-initial clusters, and four
      children had the opposite pattern. Consistent with prediction (2), six children
      produced non-initial clusters but were unable to produce /s/-initial clusters. We
      conclude that a parametric approach is applicable to the acquisition of consonant
      clusters in children with phonological delay.

PMID- 28631956
TI  - Coping strategies and psychological distress in caregivers of patients with
      Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) causes distress in caregivers.
      The present study aims to examine the association between coping strategies and
      psychological distress in caregivers of ALS patients. METHODS: Coping strategies
      were assessed in 96 ALS informal caregivers by means of the Coping Inventory for
      Stressful Situations. Data about caregivers' demographic characteristics, levels
      of burden, depression and anxiety (psychological distress) were also gathered by
      standardised questionnaires. Patients' clinical, cognitive and behavioural
      disturbances were evaluated by ALS specific assessment tools. RESULTS: Sequential
      logistic regression analysis showed that emotion-oriented coping strategy was
      significantly associated with high levels of depressive (p < 0.01) and anxiety (p
      < 0.05) symptoms and high levels of burden (p < 0.05), after controlling for all
      other variables. Moreover, a significant relationship of patients' functional
      dependence levels with burden experienced by caregivers was observed. No
      relationships were detected between task-oriented and avoidance-oriented coping
      strategies and caregivers' levels of psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: The
      present study supported the mediating effects of coping strategies on intensity
      of burden, depression and anxiety experienced by ALS caregivers. These findings
      suggest that interventions aimed at reducing utilisation of maladaptive coping
      strategies may improve well-being in ALS caregivers, and, possibly, management of
      symptoms in ALS patients.

PMID- 28631955
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light concentration in motor neuron disease and
      frontotemporal dementia predicts survival.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To aid diagnostics, patient stratification and studies seeking to find
      treatments for the related diseases motor neuron disease (MND) and frontotemporal
      dementia (FTD), there is a need to establish a way to assess disease severity and
      the amount of ongoing neurodegeneration. Previous studies have suggested that
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light (NFL) may serve this purpose.
      METHODS: We cross-referenced the Swedish mortality registry with the laboratory
      database at Sahlgrenska University Hospital to produce a dataset of CSF NFL
      concentrations and mortality information for 715 MND patients, 87 FTD patients,
      and 107 healthy controls. Biomarker concentrations were analysed in relation to
      recorded cause of death and time of death. RESULTS: MND patients had
      significantly higher CSF NFL concentrations than FTD patients. Both groups had
      significantly higher concentrations than the healthy controls (mean 709% increase
      in MND and 307% increase in FTD). Higher concentrations of CSF NFL were
      associated with shorter survival in both MND and FTD. CONCLUSIONS: The results of
      this study strengthen the notion of CSF NFL as a useful tool for determining
      disease intensity in MND and FTD patients. Further studies in patient cohorts
      with clinically subtyped and genetically classified diagnoses are needed.

PMID- 28631957
TI  - Prognostic value of clinical and electrodiagnostic parameters at time of
      diagnosis in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the added prognostic value of the aggregated clinical and
      electrodiagnostic data, which define a given diagnostic category according to the
      Awaji or revised El Escorial criteria at time of diagnosis in patients with
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: Clinical signs and
      electrodiagnostic test results were collected at time of diagnosis in 396
      patients with ALS between January 2009 and January 2016. Significant predictors
      of prognosis were identified using a univariate model, and later combined in a
      multivariate Cox regression model. RESULTS: Known factors associated with reduced
      survival included older age at onset, shorter diagnostic delay, higher ALSFRS-R
      slope and presence of C9orf72 mutation (all p < 0.05). Diagnostic category
      according to Awaji (p < 0.0001) or to revised El Escorial (p = 0.0177) criteria,
      definite ALS according to Awaji (p < 0.0001) or to revised El Escorial (p =
      0.0343) and number of regions with LMN involvement (p < 0.0001) were all
      associated with shorter survival. DISCUSSION: Clinical and electrodiagnostic data
      at time of diagnosis provide additional prognostic information compared to other
      known prognostic factors. Diagnostic category according to Awaji and the
      extensiveness of LMN involvement contain the most additional value.

PMID- 28631958
TI  - "Anything that makes life's journey better." Exploring the use of digital
      technology by people living with motor neurone disease.
AB  - Our aim was to explore the attitudes of those living with motor neuron disease
      towards digital technology. Postal and online questionnaires surveyed 83 people
      with MND (pwMND) and 54 friends and family members (fMND). Five pwMND and five
      fMND underwent semi-structured interviews. 82% of pwMND and 87% of fMND use
      technology every day with iPads and laptops being the devices most commonly used.
      pwMND used technology to help them continue to participate in everyday activities
      such as socialising, entertainment and accessing the internet. The internet
      provided peer support and information about MND but information could be
      distressing or unreliable. Participants preferred information from professionals
      and official organisations. Participants were generally supportive of using of
      technology to access medical care. Barriers to technology, such as lack of
      digital literacy skills and upper limb dysfunction, and potential solutions were
      identified. More challenging barriers included language and cognitive
      difficulties, and the fear of becoming dependent on technology. Addressing the
      barriers identified in this research could help pwMND access technology. However,
      as healthcare delivery becomes more reliant on digital technology, care should be
      taken to ensure that those who are unable or unwilling to use technology continue
      to have their needs met in alternative ways.

PMID- 28631960
TI  - ALSUntangled 39: Acuscope (micro-Amp electrical muscle stimulation).

PMID- 28631959
TI  - Advance care planning for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine whether an advance care planning (ACP) decision-aid could
      improve communication about end-of-life treatment wishes between patients with
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their clinicians. METHODS: Forty-four
      patients with ALS (>21, English-speaking, without dementia) engaged in ACP using
      an interactive computer based decision-aid. Before participants completed the
      intervention, and again three months later, their clinicians reviewed three
      clinical vignettes, and made treatment decisions (n = 18) for patients. After
      patients indicated their agreement with the team's decisions, concordance was
      calculated. RESULTS: The mean concordance between patient wishes and the clinical
      team decisions was significantly higher post-intervention (post = 91.9%, 95% CI =
      87.8, 96.1, vs. pre = 52.4%, 95% CI = 41.9, 62.9; p <0.001). Clinical team
      members reported greater confidence that their decisions accurately represented
      each patient's wishes post-intervention (mean = 6.5) compared to pre-intervention
      (mean = 3.3, 1 = low, 10 = high, p <0.001). Patients reported high satisfaction
      (mean = 26.4, SD = 3.2; 6 = low, 30 = high) and low decisional conflict (mean =
      28.8, SD = 8.2; 20 = low, 80 = high) with decisions about end-of-life care, and
      high satisfaction with the decision-aid (mean = 52.7, SD = 5.7, 20 = low, 60 =
      high). Patient knowledge regarding ACP increased post-intervention (pre = 47.8%
      correct responses vs. post = 66.3%; p <0.001) without adversely affecting patient
      anxiety or self-determination. CONCLUSION: A computer based ACP decision-aid can
      significantly improve clinicians' understanding of ALS patients' wishes with
      regard to end-of-life medical care.

PMID- 28631961
TI  - Intracranial dural chondroma in a child-conventional and advanced neuroimaging
      characteristics and differential diagnosis.
AB  - Intracranial chondromas are rare tumors, especially in the pediatric population.
      We describe the conventional and advanced neuroimaging characteristics of this
      rare convexity dura-based chondroma in a young adolescent. In particular we
      demonstrate that diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) facilitates differentiation
      between a dura-based chondroma and the more frequent classical meningioma.
      Chondromas are typically DWI hypointense with high apparent diffusion coefficient
      (ADC) values while meningiomas are typically DWI hyperintense with low ADC
      values. We also discuss the relevant additional differential diagnoses of dura
      based focal lesions for the pediatric population as well as the diagnostic
      significance of additional imaging modalities, including computed tomography,
      magnetic resonance imaging and cerebral angiography.

PMID- 28631962
TI  - Needlestick Injuries in Interventional Radiology Are Common and Underreported.
AB  - Purpose To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for needlesticks in
      interventional radiology physicians, as well as the attitudes, behaviors, and
      conditions that promote or interfere with reporting of these injuries. Materials
      and Methods A total of 3889 interventional radiologists from academic and private
      practice in the United States were surveyed by emailing all interventional
      radiologist members of the Society of Interventional Radiology, including
      attending-level physicians and trainees (April-August 2016). The institutional
      review board waived the need for consent. Questions inquired about the nature,
      frequency, and type of needlestick and sharps injuries and whether and to whom
      these incidents were reported. Stepwise regression was used to determine
      variables predicting whether injuries were reported. Results In total, 908 (23%)
      interventional radiologists completed at least a portion of the survey. Eight
      hundred fourteen (91%) of 895 respondents reported a prior needlestick injury,
      583 (35%) of 895 reported at least one injury while treating an HIV-positive
      patient, and 626 (71%) of 884 reported prior training regarding needlestick
      injury. There was, on average, one needlestick for every 5 years of practice.
      Most needlestick or sharps injuries were self inflicted (711 [87%] of 817) and
      involved a hollow-bore device (464 [56%] of 824). Only 566 (66%) of 850 injuries
      were reported. The most common reasons for not reporting included perceived lack
      of utility of reporting (79 [28%] of 282), perceived low risk for injury (56
      [20%] of 282), noncontaminated needle (53 [19%] of 282), too-lengthy reporting
      process (37 [13%] of 282), and associated stigma (23 [8%] of 282). Only 156 (25%)
      of 624 respondents informed their significant other. Stepwise regression
      assessing variables affecting the likelihood of reporting showed that male sex (P
      = .009), low-risk patient (P < .0001), self injury (P = .010), trainee status (P
      < .0001), and the total number of prior injuries (P = .019) were independent
      predictors of not reporting. Conclusion Needlestick injuries are ubiquitous among
      interventional radiologists and are often not reported. (c) RSNA, 2017 Online
      supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28631963
TI  - Tumor-penetrating Peptide-integrated Thermally Sensitive Liposomal Doxorubicin
      Enhances Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation in Liver Tumors.
AB  - Purpose To investigate the role of a tumor-penetrating peptide (internalizing
      CRGDRGPDC [iRGD])-integrated thermally sensitive liposomal (TSL) doxorubicin
      (DOX) in combination with radiofrequency (RF) ablation of liver tumors in an
      animal model. Materials and Methods Approval from the institutional animal care
      and use committee was obtained. Characterization of iRGD-TSL-DOX was performed in
      vitro. Next, H22 liver adenocarcinomas were implanted in 138 mice in vivo. The
      DOX accumulation and cell apoptosis of iRGD-TSL-DOX and TSL-DOX with or without
      RF were evaluated (n = 5) at different time points after treatment with
      quantitative analysis or pathologic staining. Mice bearing tumors were randomized
      into the following six groups (each group, eight mice): no treatment, iRGD-TSL
      DOX, TSL-DOX, RF alone, RF ablation followed by TSL-DOX at 30 minutes (TSL-DOX
      combined with RF), and RF ablation followed by iRGD-TSL-DOX (iRGD-TSL-DOX
      combined with RF). Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival curves
      and log-rank test was used for comparison with statistical software. Results DOX
      encapsulation efficiency in iRGD-TSL-DOX was 97.5% +/- 1.3 (standard deviation)
      with temperature-dependent drug release capability confirmed in vitro. In vivo,
      the iRGD-TSL-DOX group had overall higher DOX concentration in the tumor and had
      maximal difference at 24 hours compared with TSL-DOX group (2.7-fold). RF caused
      more intense cell apoptosis at 24 hours (median, 65% vs 21%, respectively; P <
      .001). For end-point survival, the iRGD-TSL-DOX combined with RF group had better
      survival (median, 32 days) than TSL-DOX combined with RF (median, 27 days; P =
      .035) or RF alone (median, 21 days; P < .001). Conclusion Conjugation to iRGD
      helped to improve intratumoral DOX accumulation and further enhanced the activity
      of TSL-DOX in RF ablation of liver tumors. (c) RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental
      material is available for this article.

PMID- 28631965
TI  - Short-term test-retest reliability of the ImPACT in healthy young athletes.
AB  - The present study examined the short-term test-retest reliability of the
      Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) variables
      with healthy 11- to 14-year-old athletes. 53 young athletes (Mage = 12.4 years, 9
      female) were administered the ImPACT on two separate occasions two weeks apart.
      Participants were instructed to complete the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS)
      and the baseline computerized neurocognitive test during both the baseline and
      retest phases. Intraclass correlation (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM),
      and reliable change index (RCI) were used as reliability metrics. PCSS Total
      Symptoms and Visual-Motor Speed were the only scores to reach clinical
      reliability standards (i.e., R > 0.7). None of the scores exceeded RCI cut-offs.
      Results indicate that the composite scores of the ImPACT are differentially
      reliable in a preadolescent sample across a two-week retest period, with only
      motor processing speed and self-reported symptoms exceeding clinical reliability
      standards. The findings support the view that neurocognitive testing should not
      be the sole determining factor in concussion assessment. This study highlights
      the importance of continuing research with younger athletes to assess the
      reliability of neurocognitive measures in concussion management programs. Future
      research should focus on a larger, heterogeneous sample, including children with
      learning disabilities and ADHD.

PMID- 28631964
TI  - Evidence-based assessment of ADHD diagnosis in children and adolescents.
AB  - This study illustrates the accuracy and efficiency of using an evidence-based
      assessment (EBA) strategy for diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
      disorder (ADHD) by integrating the scale scores obtained on BASC-3 teacher and
      parent rating scales. The examined process used empirical diagnostic likelihood
      ratios (DLRs) derived from a sample of children with ADHD (N = 339) matched on
      demographic characteristics from the normative sample. The results show that
      behavioral scales of executive functioning and functional communication provided
      incremental utility in ADHD diagnosis. With a revised probability of .80 or
      higher as the diagnostic criterion, teachers, and parents positively diagnosed
      70% and 94% of the ADHD cases respectively. The EBA approach was efficient, with
      four scales on average used to reach the proposed posterior probability for final
      diagnosis. Finally, teachers and parents demonstrated a high agreement with
      respect to the diagnosis results and scales used for the diagnosis.

PMID- 28631966
TI  - Executive functioning of Portuguese preschoolers in the Shape School test: A
      cross cultural study.
AB  - The Shape School is a neuropsychological test of executive functions (EF) for
      preschool-aged children. The purposes of this study were: (a) to adapt the use of
      the Shape School for European Portuguese preschool children and (b) to examine
      the cultural sensitivity of this test comparing the performance of Portuguese
      sample and U.S. normative sample. The executive functioning of 233 typically
      developing children aged 3 to 5 years old (M = 57.52; SD = 10.25; in months) was
      analyzed and according to our results, the adapted version was appropriate to
      obtain the discrimination among age-groups. Portuguese and American preschoolers
      show similar EF profiles. It was possible, in both samples, to note the
      sensitivity of the measurement to age-related differences, with the older age
      groups outperforming the younger. Therefore, the Portuguese version of the Shape
      School was considered suitable for research and clinical purposes.

PMID- 28631967
TI  - Reasons for referral and findings of clinical neuropsychological assessment in
      youth with mental illness: A clinical file audit.
AB  - Study aims were to 1) determine the characteristics and reasons for referral for
      Clinical Neuropsychological Assessment (CNA) and 2) characterize the findings and
      recommendations contained in the CNA reports, of clients attending a youth mental
      health service. File audit of all CNA reports (N = 140) of youth attending a
      mental health service. Cognitive performances on neuropsychological tests that
      were administered to >50% of clients were examined. Referral reasons, findings,
      and recommendations for future treatment were coded and described from
      neuropsychological files. Age of clients referred for CNA ranged from 13-29, the
      majority were male (62.5%), referred primarily from the early psychosis clinic
      (63.2%), and had a mean number of 3.5 presenting problems. Cognitive performances
      ranged from extremely low to very superior. Mean number of reasons for referral
      was 2, with treatment recommendation (55%) and diagnostic clarification (50.7%)
      being the most common. Mean number of findings from CNA was 5.8; most commonly, a
      diagnosis of clinically meaningful cognitive impairment (85%), followed by a
      recommendations for additional services/investigations (77.1%). CNA provides
      diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendations for youth receiving mental
      health treatment. Future studies should examine the cost-effectiveness,
      implementation, and objective impact of CNA in clinical practice.

PMID- 28631968
TI  - Improving kindergarten readiness in children with developmental disabilities:
      Changes in neural correlates of response monitoring.
AB  - Among children diagnosed with developmental delays, difficulties in self
      regulation are prominent and have been linked to school readiness problems. The
      current study sought to examine the impact of the Kids in Transition to School
      (KITS) school readiness intervention program on self-regulation, with a specific
      focus on response monitoring skills, among children with developmental delays.
      Children (n = 20 in the KITS group and n = 21 in a services as usual group) were
      administered a flanker task during which event-related potential data were
      collected to examine group differences in response monitoring. Findings indicated
      that children in the KITS group showed significant enhancement of a neural index
      of response monitoring post-intervention. Specifically, the KITS group showed a
      significant change in the magnitude of their feedback-related negativity in
      response to negative performance feedback from baseline to post-intervention,
      whereas children in the services as usual group did not. There were no
      significant differences between the groups for the error-related negativity or
      the error-related positivity on incorrect trials nor were there group differences
      in behavioral performance on the task at the post-intervention assessment.
      Overall, these findings provide support for the plasticity of response monitoring
      skills in young children and support the growing literature demonstrating
      improved self-regulation outcomes via intervention that enhances children's
      response monitoring.

PMID- 28631969
TI  - Cognitive functions among predominantly minority urban adolescents with metabolic
      syndrome.
AB  - The rise in the rate of adolescent obesity has led to a concurrent rise in the
      rate of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among young people. In addition to diabetes and
      cardiovascular disease, MetS has also been linked to cognitive dysfunction. The
      goal of this study was to assess whether cognitive differences exist between
      minority urban adolescents carrying excess weight who meet criteria for MetS as
      compared to their peers without MetS. Two hundred and ninety-six urban
      adolescents, predominantly Hispanic and carrying excess weight as defined by a
      BMI above 25 kg/m2, were screened for MetS and divided into MetS and no MetS
      groups. All participants completed the CNS Vital Signs (CNS-VS) computerized
      neurocognitive battery that assesses cognitive domains of Memory, Processing
      Speed, Reaction Time, Executive Function, Complex Attention, and Cognitive
      Flexibility. The MetS group (29.2%, n = 84) performed significantly lower on 2 of
      the 7 cognitive domains: Executive Function (EF) and Cognitive Flexibility.
      Additionally, waist circumference was determined to be a significant predictor of
      both these domains. These findings suggest EF is negatively impacted in
      adolescents with MetS, despite there being no statistical differences between
      MetS groups on most other measured cognitive domains. Due to the interrelated
      nature of obesity, waist circumference, and MetS, these findings have larger
      implications for the obesity epidemic as well.

PMID- 28631970
TI  - Computerized neuropsychological test performance of youth football players at
      different positions: A comparison of high and low contact players.
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine the effects of head impact frequency on the
      neuropsychological test results of football players who participate in different
      positions on the team. Based on the biomechanical measures of head impact
      frequency reported in high school football, a High Contact group (n = 480)
      consisting of offensive and defensive linemen was compared with a Low Contact
      group (n = 640) comprised of receivers and defensive backs. The results revealed
      that the High Contact group obtained poorer performances on the Immediate Post
      Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) on three Composite scores
      (Verbal Memory, Visual Motor Speed, Impulse Control) and the Total Symptom score
      compared to the Low Contact group. The present study is the first, to date, to
      report differences in the neuropsychological test performances of athletes who
      participate in high and low contact football positions. The findings raise
      tentative concerns that youth football players exposed to repetitive head trauma,
      including subconcussive impacts, may be at risk for lowered neuropsychological
      functioning and increased symptoms.

PMID- 28631971
TI  - Rapidly progressive dementia: an unusual cause.
AB  - Brain metastases are known to be present with a history of increased intra
      cranial pressure headache, seizures or altered sensorium. Corresponding to the
      clinical brain metastases are the most feared complication of a systemic cancer.
      Classically, brain metastases are associated with significant morbidity and are
      known to present with a history of increased intracranial pressure headache,
      seizures or altered sensorium. Neuroimaging is usually suggestive of massive peri
      lesional edema and mass effect surrounding the space occupying lesions. This,
      however it is not a universal rule. We report a 50-year-old gentleman who
      presented with rapidly progressive forgetfulness. Interestingly, the patient's
      neuroimaging discretely showed disproportionate involvement with regards to the
      clinical picture. The lesions were finally recognized as metastases underscoring
      the importance of an avid search for a primary systemic malignancy if similar
      findings are noted on radiology.

PMID- 28631972
TI  - An Analysis of Self: The Development and Assessment of a Measure of Selfobject
      Needs.
AB  - Based on the psychoanalysis of adults with borderline and narcissistic
      personality disorder symptoms, Kohut ( 1971 , 1977, 1980, 1984) formulated a
      theory of self psychology that emphasized the importance of early developmental
      experiences; most centrally, the empathic attunement of caregivers as key
      ingredients for fostering the capacity for healthy self-regulation and
      interpersonal relations. Kohut elaborated 3 critical selfobject needs (i.e.,
      idealizing, mirroring, and twinship) that were ideally satiated by these early
      experiences, deeming the fulfillment of these needs as essential for developing a
      healthy sense of self. The research presented here sought to develop a self
      report measure, titled the Arble Estimate of Selfobject Pursuits (AESOP), capable
      of assessing the selfobject needs identified by Kohut. Across 2 studies involving
      686 and 672 respondents, participants completed the AESOP. In the first study, an
      exploratory factor analysis supported the theorized 3-factor structure. In the
      second study, a confirmatory factor analysis indicated adequate-to-strong model
      fit and cluster analysis with theoretically related measures supported the
      AESOP's discriminant and convergent validity. Further research is encouraged to
      elaborate the implications of these preliminary findings.

PMID- 28631973
TI  - The Lifespan Self-Esteem Scale: Initial Validation of a New Measure of Global
      Self-Esteem.
AB  - This article introduces the Lifespan Self-Esteem Scale (LSE), a short measure of
      global self-esteem suitable for populations drawn from across the lifespan. Many
      existing measures of global self-esteem cannot be used across multiple
      developmental periods due to changes in item content, response formats, and other
      scale characteristics. This creates a need for a new lifespan scale so that
      changes in global self-esteem over time can be studied without confounding
      maturational changes with alterations in the measure. The LSE is a 4-item measure
      with a 5-point response format using items inspired by established self-esteem
      scales. The scale is essentially unidimensional and internally consistent, and it
      converges with existing self-esteem measures across ages 5 to 93 (N = 2,714).
      Thus, the LSE appears to be a useful measure of global self-esteem suitable for
      use across the lifespan as well as contexts where a short measure is desirable,
      such as populations with short attention spans or large projects assessing
      multiple constructs. Moreover, the LSE is one of the first global self-esteem
      scales to be validated for children younger than age 8, which provides the
      opportunity to broaden the field to include research on early formation and
      development of global self-esteem, an area that has previously been limited.

PMID- 28631975
TI  - Assessing the Unidimensionality of Trait Reactance Using a Multifaceted Model
      Assessment Approach.
AB  - This study employed a multifaceted model assessment approach to investigate the
      dimensionality and nomological network of a popular measure of trait reactance,
      the Hong Psychological Reactance Scale (HPRS; Hong & Page, 1989 ). To address
      confusion regarding the scoring and modeling of the HPRS as well as its limited
      external validity evidence, we tested competing factor models, diagnosed model
      data misfit, examined relationships between competing factor models and key
      personality traits, and cross-validated the results. Confirmatory factor analytic
      results supported modeling the HPRS via a bifactor model and, when this model was
      applied, trait reactance was negatively related to agreeableness,
      conscientiousness, and conformity, and positively related to entitlement, as
      expected. However, we also demonstrated the consequences of championing a 1
      factor model by highlighting differences in relationships with external
      variables. Specifically, although modeling the HPRS scores with the bifactor
      model resulted in greater model-data fit than the 1-factor model, relationships
      with external variables based on the 2 models differed negligibly. Moreover,
      bifactor statistical indexes indicted that scores were essentially
      unidimensional, providing some support that HPRS scores can be treated as
      unidimensional in structure. Implications for using and scoring the HPRS are
      discussed.

PMID- 28631974
TI  - Personality Disorders Are Not as We Thought: Hierarchical Factor Structure at the
      Criterion Level.
AB  - The use of personality disorder (PD) categories persists, despite the evidence
      against them. An often overlooked reason for this is the fact that the true
      structure underlying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
      (DSM) taxonomy is still unknown: We cannot be certain which disorders are valid,
      and which ones are arbitrary mixtures of heterogeneous traits. To address this
      gap, we factor analyzed the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4+; Hyler,
      1994 ) at the criterion level in a mixed clinical and nonclinical sample of 2,519
      individuals. The resulting structure was more similar to current dimensional
      taxonomies than to the DSM classification at all hierarchical levels. Whereas
      paranoid and antisocial PDs-and to a lesser extent avoidant, dependent,
      depressive, and schizoid PDs-were fairly homogeneous, all other disorders turned
      out to be combinations of 2 or 3 unrelated dimensions. Our results strongly
      support the structure of empirically based dimensional taxonomies and relocate
      DSM criteria within this emerging framework, thus contributing to preserving much
      of the knowledge accumulated to date.

PMID- 28631976
TI  - The Thorny Relation Between Measurement Quality and Fit Index Cutoffs in Latent
      Variable Models.
AB  - Latent variable modeling is a popular and flexible statistical framework.
      Concomitant with fitting latent variable models is assessment of how well the
      theoretical model fits the observed data. Although firm cutoffs for these fit
      indexes are often cited, recent statistical proofs and simulations have shown
      that these fit indexes are highly susceptible to measurement quality. For
      instance, a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) value of 0.06
      (conventionally thought to indicate good fit) can actually indicate poor fit with
      poor measurement quality (e.g., standardized factors loadings of around 0.40).
      Conversely, an RMSEA value of 0.20 (conventionally thought to indicate very poor
      fit) can indicate acceptable fit with very high measurement quality (standardized
      factor loadings around 0.90). Despite the wide-ranging effect on applications of
      latent variable models, the high level of technical detail involved with this
      phenomenon has curtailed the exposure of these important findings to empirical
      researchers who are employing these methods. This article briefly reviews these
      methodological studies in minimal technical detail and provides a demonstration
      to easily quantify the large influence measurement quality has on fit index
      values and how greatly the cutoffs would change if they were derived under an
      alternative level of measurement quality. Recommendations for best practice are
      also discussed.

PMID- 28631977
TI  - A Profile-Based Framework for Factorial Similarity and the Congruence
      Coefficient.
AB  - We present a novel profile-based framework for understanding factorial similarity
      in the context of exploratory factor analysis in general, and for understanding
      the congruence coefficient (a commonly used index of factor similarity)
      specifically. First, we introduce the profile-based framework articulating
      factorial similarity in terms of 3 intuitive components: general saturation
      similarity, differential saturation similarity, and configural similarity. We
      then articulate the congruence coefficient in terms of these components, along
      with 2 additional profile-based components, and we explain how these components
      resolve ambiguities that can be-and are-found when using the congruence
      coefficient. Finally, we present secondary analyses revealing that profile-based
      components of factorial are indeed linked to experts' actual evaluations of
      factorial similarity. Overall, the profile-based approach we present offers new
      insights into the ways in which researchers can examine factor similarity and
      holds the potential to enhance researchers' ability to understand the congruence
      coefficient.

PMID- 28631978
TI  - Structural and Predictive Properties of the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth
      Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV[S]).
AB  - Emotional intelligence (EI) is a popular construct with concentrated areas of
      application in education and health contexts. There is a need for reliable and
      valid measurement of EI in young people, with brief yet sensitive measures of the
      construct preferable for use in time-limited settings. However, the proliferation
      of EI measures has often outpaced rigorous psychometric evaluation (Gignac, 2009
      ). Using data from 849 adolescents (407 females, 422 males) aged 11 to 16 years
      (M age 13.4, SD = 1.2 years), this article systematically examines the structural
      and predictive properties of a frequently employed measure of adolescent trait EI
      the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV[S]); Bar-On &
      Parker, 2000 ). Although the intended multidimensional factor structure was
      recovered through confirmatory factor analysis, the statistical and conceptual
      coherency of the underlying model was inadequate. Using a multitrait-multimethod
      approach, the EQ-i:YV(S) was found to converge with other measures of EI;
      however, evidence for divergent validity (Big Five personality dimensions) was
      less robust. Predictive utility for adolescent mental health outcomes
      (depression, disruptive behavior) was also limited. Findings suggest that use of
      the EQ-i:YV(S) for predictive or evaluative purposes should be avoided until
      refinements to the scale are made.

PMID- 28631979
TI  - Comparative study of the production of extracellular beta-glucosidase by four
      different strains of Aspergillus using submerged fermentation.
AB  - Four strains of Aspergillus (Aspergillus niger CDBB-H-176, A. niger CDBB-H-175,
      A. niger ATCC 9642, and Aspergillus terreus CDBB-H-194) were used to produce
      extracellular beta-glucosidase. Using an orthogonal experimental design (L9), we
      optimized the parameters of culture medium to maximize the activity of beta
      glucosidase. The optimal conditions (same for the four strains) were as follows:
      temperature, 30 degrees C; pH, 6.0; orbital agitation, 200 rpm; concentration of
      sucrose, 0.5% (w/v). The most productive strain was A. niger CDBB-H-175, with a
      yield of 701.2 U/mL. In a second stage, we optimized (L18) the concentration of
      nutrients in the culture medium to determine whether this modification would
      increase the production of beta-glucosidase. The optimal conditions for A. niger
      CDBB-H-175 were as follows (%, w/v): NaNO3, 0.3; KCl, 0.3; KH2PO4, 0.15; NH4NO3,
      0.1; NH4H2PO4, 0.1; MgSO4 . 7H2O, 0.05; yeast extract, 0.1. The production of
      beta-glucosidase under these conditions was 1207.9 U/mL. Enzymatic assays were
      used to characterize the enzyme; the optimum temperature and pH of beta
      glucosidase produced by the four selected micro-organisms were found to be 65
      degrees C and 5.0, respectively. We determined the Michaelis-Menten constants
      (Km) only for A. niger CDBB-H-175 and CDBB-H-176; the values were 2.7 and 2.2 mM,
      respectively.

PMID- 28631980
TI  - Orexin research: patent news from 2016.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The orexin system consists of two G-protein-coupled receptors,
      orexin 1 and orexin 2 and two endogenous ligands, orexin A and orexin B . It is
      evolutionarily highly conserved. It is involved in the promotion of wakefulness
      as well as in anxiety and addictive disorders. In addition, its activation via
      the Ox1 receptor triggers apoptosis in several cancer cell lines. Dual orexin
      receptor antagonists are successfully used to treat primary insomnia. The major
      open questions are now related to the clinical validation of Ox1 selective
      antagonists. A strong rationale exists for orexin agonism in the treatment of
      narcolepsy with cataplexy. Areas covered: The patent applications from Thomson
      Reuters Integrity Database added in 2016 are summarized and discussed together
      with the most important findings published in the scientific literature. Expert
      opinion: The large number of patents shows the continuing interest in the orexin
      receptors as targets. The structural scope covered is narrow. Questions about
      novelty and inventiveness are evident. The additional information published on X
      ray structures on both orexin receptors opens new ways of optimizing antagonists.
      It might also influence the efforts in the identification of orexin receptor
      agonists. Being potential treatments for narcolepsy with cataplexy.

PMID- 28631981
TI  - Patient-centered Radiology: Where Are We, Where Do We Want to Be, and How Do We
      Get There?
AB  - Purpose The objectives of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)
      Patient-Centered Radiology Steering Committee survey were to (a) assess RSNA
      members' general attitudes and experiences concerning patient-centered radiology,
      with specific attention paid to radiologist-to-patient communication; (b) examine
      the members' barriers to communicating more directly with patients; and (c)
      explore their perceptions of how such barriers can be overcome. Materials and
      Methods A total of 5999 radiologists were invited by e-mail to complete an
      anonymous electronic survey developed by the Steering Committee and the RSNA
      Department of Research. Participants were asked to identify aspects of patient
      centered care important to their practice, report on their interactions with
      patients, and share their opinions on radiologist-patient communication.
      Statistical analyses were performed by using the chi2 test and analysis of
      variance. Results The response rate was 12% (n = 694, 109 invitations were
      undeliverable). Most respondents (89%, 611 of 684) agreed that promoting
      awareness of the role of radiology in patients' overall health care is important
      to how they practice. The majority (73%, 421 of 575) reported that time or
      workload frequently prevented them from communicating directly with patients. The
      majority (74%, 423 of 572) reported that a personal sense of satisfaction was
      likely to motivate them to communicate more directly with patients, but many
      commented that changes to reimbursement and compensation would help them
      communicate with patients more directly. Conclusion Many radiologists support the
      concept of communicating more directly with patients but report they are
      constrained by time or workload. Changes to reimbursement schemes may help
      mitigate these barriers to one crucial aspect of patient-centered care. (c) RSNA,
      2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28631983
TI  - 'Worse than HIV': The logics of cancer screening avoidance in Swaziland.
AB  - This article shows the consequences of competing global health agendas within
      differential clinical and social worlds. Specifically, it examines how HIV's
      prominence in local clinical programming in Swaziland influences cervical cancer
      screening rates. Drawing on 2014 ethnographic research conducted in a semi-urban
      town in Swaziland, the interview and participant observation data show the
      relative scarcity of cervical cancer care and the consequences of HIV/AIDS
      funding and programming dominance. 20 women and 7 health workers were interviewed
      in homes, clinics and small businesses. Data were analysed using frameworks of
      medicoscapes and therapeutic citizenship. Results show that women's patterns of
      screening avoidance were based on lengthy diagnostic procedures, treatment
      expense, therapeutic travel to neighbouring South Africa, and frequent
      therapeutic failure. In sum, avoidance of cervical screening in Swaziland has
      structural components, and is a product of organisational and political choices
      at local and global levels. This study challenges culturalist assumptions about
      African women's avoidance of cervical cancer screening. In the future, delivering
      successful cervical cancer screening in Swaziland will depend on expanding cancer
      screening and treatment, which should be informed by perceptions of clinical care
      held by the very women public health practitioners aim to keep healthy.

PMID- 28631982
TI  - Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage on vessel wall MRI does not correlate with TCD
      emboli monitoring in patients with recently symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis.
AB  - Background Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) seen on vessel wall MRI is
      associated with an increased risk of stroke or transient ischemic attack, as are
      microembolic signals (MES) detected by transcranial Doppler (TCD). We sought to
      examine the association between IPH and MES in acute stroke patients with
      symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Methods Through a retrospective chart
      review, we included patients from 2011 to 2013 with acute ischemic stroke due to
      carotid atherosclerosis of varying stenosis who had both 3D volumetric MRI of the
      neck and TCD emboli monitoring. Results Twenty-four patients met the inclusion
      criteria. Mean time from stroke to MRI was 1.4 +/- 1.9 days and to TCD was 2.6 +/
      2.4 days. MES was seen in 10 patients (42%) and IPH was present in seven
      patients (29%), but we did not find a relationship between MES and IPH ( p =
      0.64). Conclusion In patients with recent acute ischemic stroke attributed to
      carotid atherosclerosis, we did not detect an association between the presence of
      IPH and MES. While this small study may be underpowered, an alternate explanation
      is that MES and IPH reflect vulnerable carotid atherosclerosis through different
      mechanisms. This untested concept warrants prospective study in a larger cohort.

PMID- 28631984
TI  - Effect of exercise interventions on perceived fatigue in people with multiple
      sclerosis: synthesis of meta-analytic reviews.
AB  - Although exercise training has been advocated as a nonpharmacological treatment
      for multiple sclerosis (MS) related fatigue, no consensus exists regarding its
      effectiveness. To address this, we collated meta-analytic reviews that explored
      the effectiveness of exercise training for the treatment of MS-related fatigue.
      We searched five online databases for relevant reviews, published since 2005, and
      identified 172 records. Five reviews were retained for systematic extraction of
      information and evidence quality analysis. Although our review synthesis
      indicated that exercise training interventions have a moderate effect on fatigue
      reduction in people with MS, no clear insight was obtained regarding the relative
      effectiveness of specific types or modes of exercise intervention. Moreover,
      Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation revealed that
      the overall quality of evidence emanating from these five reviews was 'very low'.

PMID- 28631985
TI  - Effect of a Standardized Protocol of Antibiotic Therapy on Surgical Site
      Infection after Laparoscopic Surgery for Complicated Appendicitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although it is accepted that complicated appendicitis requires
      antibiotic therapy to prevent post-operative surgical infections, consensus
      protocols on the duration and regimens of treatment are not well established.
      This study aimed to compare the outcome of post-operative infectious
      complications in patients receiving old non-standardized and new standard
      antibiotic protocols, involving either 5 or 10 days of treatment, respectively.
      METHODS: We enrolled 1,343 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for
      complicated appendicitis between January 2009 and December 2014. At the beginning
      of the new protocol, the patients were divided into two groups; 10 days of
      various antibiotic regimens (between January 2009 and June 2012, called the non
      standardized protocol; n = 730) and five days of cefuroxime and metronidazole
      regimen (between July 2012 and December 2014; standardized protocol; n = 613). We
      compared the clinical outcomes, including surgical site infection (SSI)
      (superficial and deep organ/space infections) in the two groups. RESULTS: The
      standardized protocol group had a slightly shorter operative time (67 vs. 69
      min), a shorter hospital stay (5 vs. 5.4 d), and lower medical cost (US$1,564 vs.
      US$1,654). Otherwise, there was no difference between the groups. No differences
      were found in the non-standardized and standard protocol groups with regard to
      the rate of superficial infection (10.3% vs. 12.7%; p = 0.488) or deep
      organ/space infection (2.3% vs. 2.1%; p = 0.797). CONCLUSIONS: In patients
      undergoing laparoscopic surgery for complicated appendicitis, five days of
      cefuroxime and metronidazole did not lead to more SSIs, and it decreased the
      medical costs compared with non-standardized antibiotic regimens.

PMID- 28631986
TI  - Accuracy statistics in predicting Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADL)
      capacity with comprehensive and brief neuropsychological test batteries.
AB  - This investigation was designed to determine the predictive accuracy of a
      comprehensive neuropsychological and brief neuropsychological test battery with
      regard to the capacity to perform instrumental activities of daily living
      (IADLs). Accuracy statistics that included measures of sensitivity, specificity,
      positive and negative predicted power and positive likelihood ratio were
      calculated for both types of batteries. The sample was drawn from a general
      neurological group of adults (n = 117) that included a number of older
      participants (age >55; n = 38). Standardized neuropsychological assessments were
      administered to all participants and were comprised of the Halstead Reitan
      Battery and portions of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III. A
      comprehensive test battery yielded a moderate increase over base-rate in
      predictive accuracy that generalized to older individuals. There was only limited
      support for using a brief battery, for although sensitivity was high, specificity
      was low. We found that a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery provided
      good classification accuracy for predicting IADL capacity.

PMID- 28631987
TI  - Development of a scale of executive functioning for the RBANS.
AB  - The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is
      a cognitive battery that contains scales of several cognitive abilities, but no
      scale in the instrument is exclusively dedicated to executive functioning.
      Although the subtests allow for observation of executive-type errors, each error
      is of fairly low base rate, and healthy and clinical normative data are lacking
      on the frequency of these types of errors, making their significance difficult to
      interpret in isolation. The aim of this project was to create an RBANS executive
      errors scale (RBANS EE) with items comprised of qualitatively dysexecutive errors
      committed throughout the test. Participants included Veterans referred for
      outpatient neuropsychological testing. Items were initially selected based on
      theoretical literature and were retained based on item-total correlations. The
      RBANS EE (a percentage calculated by dividing the number of dysexecutive errors
      by the total number of responses) was moderately related to each of seven
      established measures of executive functioning and was strongly predictive of
      dichotomous classification of executive impairment. Thus, the scale had solid
      concurrent validity, justifying its use as a supplementary scale. The RBANS EE
      requires no additional administration time and can provide a quantified measure
      of otherwise unmeasured aspects of executive functioning.

PMID- 28631988
TI  - Evidence of practice effect in CANTAB spatial working memory test in a cohort of
      patients with mild cognitive impairment.
AB  - The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) is a system of
      neuropsychological tests frequently used to track the progression of cognitive
      deficits in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We
      investigated test-retest reliability in seven CANTAB tests. Twenty-five MCI
      patients, with either AD-like or conflicting/normal cerebrospinal fluid profiles
      underwent three testing sessions at 6-month intervals, including the following
      tests: Reaction Time and Rapid Visual Information Processing (assessing attention
      and reaction times); Delayed Matching-to-Sample, Paired Associates Learning,
      Spatial Recognition Memory and Pattern Recognition Memory (assessing memory);
      Spatial Working Memory (assessing executive functions). No significant difference
      was found when comparing the two groups. Many CANTAB measures obtained low or
      marginal test-retest coefficients. We observed a marked improvement in Spatial
      Working Memory (SWM) in both groups when comparing the baseline performance with
      the 6-month follow-up, but no difference in performance between 6- and 12-month
      follow-ups. A similar trend was documented in Paired Associates Learning (PAL),
      but the effect size was small. Such improvement may result from a practice
      effect, likely due to the learning of an effective strategy. Our evidence raised
      an important issue concerning the need for methodological caution when
      interpreting the results of longitudinal studies using SWM and PAL.

PMID- 28631989
TI  - Impact of rapport on neuropsychological test performance.
AB  - Guides to neuropsychological assessment emphasize the importance of establishing
      rapport; however, there has been a minimal amount of empirical investigation of
      the impact of rapport on neuropsychological test performance. In this experiment,
      participants (N = 98) were randomly assigned to take neuropsychological tests in
      either a high or low rapport condition. Results showed that we were able to
      manipulate the level of rapport and that the level of rapport had a significant
      effect on the Grooved Pegboard Test and the Controlled Oral Word Association
      Test, with other tests nearing statistical significance. These results suggest
      that the level of rapport may affect neuropsychological test performance.

PMID- 28631990
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28631992
TI  - Validity of a verbal incidental learning measure from the WAIS-IV in older
      adults.
AB  - Incidental memory may reflect a form of learning in everyday life, although it is
      not consistently evaluated during standard neuropsychological evaluations.
      Further validation of a recently created measure of verbal Incidental Learning
      (IL) from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV is necessary to understand the
      utility of such a measure in clinical settings. Sixty-eight adults aged 50 to 89
      were recruited from a Cognitive Disorders Clinic while receiving a standard
      neuropsychological assessment, along with two additional measures of IL. IL-Total
      Score was significantly correlated with immediate and delayed memory trials from
      standard neuropsychological tests (rs = .43 to .73, ps < .001, ds = 0.94-2.14),
      with worse IL performance being associated with lower memory abilities.
      Participants with probable Alzheimer's disease performed worse on the IL-Total
      Score than participants with Mild Cognitive Impairment, t(39.997) = 5.46, p <
      .001, d = 1.13. Given the strong relationships between this IL task and
      traditional memory measures in our sample, and the discrimination of IL-Total
      Score performance among diagnostic groups despite its short administration time,
      this IL task may play a role as a measure of memory in brief cognitive
      evaluations.

PMID- 28631993
TI  - Ovarian ecdysteroid biosynthesis and female germline stem cells.
AB  - The germline stem cells (GSCs) are critical for gametogenesis throughout the
      adult life. Stem cell identity is maintained by local signals from a specialized
      microenvironment called the niche. However, it is unclear how systemic signals
      regulate stem cell activity in response to environmental cues. In our previous
      article, we reported that mating stimulates GSC proliferation in female
      Drosophila. The mating-induced GSC proliferation is mediated by ovarian
      ecdysteroids, whose biosynthesis is positively controlled by Sex peptide
      signaling. Here, we characterized the post-eclosion and post-mating expression
      pattern of the genes encoding the ecdysteroidogenic enzymes in the ovary. We
      further investigated the biosynthetic functions of the ovarian ecdysteroid in GSC
      maintenance in the mated females. We also briefly discuss the regulation of the
      ecdysteroidogenic enzyme-encoding genes and the subsequent ecdysteroid
      biosynthesis in the ovary of the adult Drosophila.

PMID- 28631994
TI  - Gene expression and morphogenesis during the deposition of Drosophila wing
      cuticle.
AB  - The exoskeleton of insects and other arthropods is a very versatile material that
      is characterized by a complex multilayer structure. In Sobala and Adler (2016) we
      analyzed the process of wing cuticle deposition by RNAseq and electron
      microscopy. In this extra view we discuss the unique aspects of the envelope the
      first and most outermost layer and the gene expression program seen at the end of
      cuticle deposition. We discussed the role of undulae in the deposition of cuticle
      and how the hydrophobicity of wing cuticle arises.

PMID- 28631995
TI  - Monitoring the effect of pathogenic nematodes on locomotion of Drosophila larvae.
AB  - One of the key factors that determine the interaction between hosts and their
      parasites is the frequency of their interactions, which depends on the locomotory
      behavior of both parts. To address host behavior we used natural infections
      involving insect pathogenic nematodes and Drosophila melanogaster larvae as
      hosts. Using a modified version of a recently described method (FIMTrack) to
      assess several parameters in larger sets of animals, we initially detected
      specific differences in larval food searching when comparing Drosophila strains.
      These differences were further influenced by the presence of nematodes. Given a
      choice, Drosophila larvae clearly avoided nematodes irrespective of their genetic
      background. Our newly developed methods will be useful to test candidate genes
      and pathways involved in host/pathogen interactions in general and to assess
      specific parameters of their interaction.

PMID- 28631996
TI  - Role of diffusion-weighted imaging in skull base lesions: A pictorial review.
AB  - Skull base lesions can be related to wide number of pathologies including
      infections, benign and malignant tumors. Accurate diagnosis and differentiation
      between these entities is important for prompt and appropriate treatment.
      However, computed tomography and routine magnetic resonance imaging techniques
      only provide information on the extent of the lesions, with limited ability to
      differentiate between benign and malignant lesions. Diffusion-weighted imaging
      can help in many such situations by providing additional information, including
      help in differentiating benign from malignant lesions, so that appropriate
      treatment can be initiated. In this review article, we illustrate the imaging
      findings of the spectrum of skull base lesions, emphasizing the role of diffusion
      weighted imaging in this domain.

PMID- 28631997
TI  - Expression and Purification of a Functional Porcine Soluble Triggering Receptor
      Expressed on Myeloid Cells 1.
AB  - Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) plays a vital role in
      the pathogen-triggered amplification loop required for proinflammatory responses.
      Blockade of TREM-1 signaling may inhibit expansion of sepsis and prolong survival
      of animals. In the present study, the gene of porcine soluble TREM-1 was cloned
      and expressed in E. coli. After purification, the bioactivity of recombinant
      porcine soluble TREM-1 was tested in vitro on porcine alveolar macrophages. The
      results showed that supplementation with the recombinant porcine sTREM-1 protein
      rapidly and dose-dependently attenuated the upregulation of cytokines (IL-1beta,
      IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-16, IL-18, and TNF-alpha) caused by LPS
      stimulation in the cultured porcine alveolar macrophages. These results indicate
      that the recombinant porcine sTREM-1 protein can prevent TREM-1-mediated
      hyperinflammatory responses after exposure to LPS.

PMID- 28631998
TI  - Relevance of anxiety in the perinatal period: prospective study in a Hungarian
      sample.
AB  - There is increasing evidence that anxiety occurs frequently during pregnancy and
      can be one of the most important risk factors and predictors of postpartum
      depression (PPD). The aim of our study was to investigate whether antenatal
      anxiety is an independent predictor of PPD. We used the data of 476 women
      enrolled in a prospective study in a single maternity unit. The first assessment
      was conducted between 22 and 40 weeks gestation and a second time 8-12 months
      postpartum. Symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
      (EPDS) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Based on our results,
      antenatal anxiety measured by a subscale of EPDS has predicted better PPD than
      the antenatal depressive subscale. However, the most relevant predictor of PPD
      might be the trait anxiety level of a women measured by STAI Trait Scale, whereas
      a cutoff value of 38 was identified to indicate higher risk of PPD.

PMID- 28631999
TI  - Adapting Healthcare Quality Measures to Transgender Individuals.
AB  - The healthcare system's rapid shift toward value-based payment poses unique
      quality measurement challenges and new foci for researchers and policy makers.
      Quality measures that use sex-specific criteria may inappropriately include or
      exclude transgender individuals. More large-scale studies must be conducted to
      incorporate transgender individuals into measures that use sex-specific criteria,
      and "measure stewards" should consider the existing clinical guidelines and
      recommendations regarding transgender individuals when developing measures.
      Systems designed only for cisgender individuals will exacerbate existing
      transgender healthcare disparities unless they are revamped and flexible to
      transgender individuals' needs.

PMID- 28632000
TI  - The influence of intrapersonal sensorimotor experiences on the corticospinal
      responses during action-observation.
AB  - The coupling of perception and action has been strongly indicated by evidence
      that the observation of an action primes a response in the observer. It has been
      proposed that these primed responses may be inhibited when the observer is able
      to more closely distinguish between self- and other-generated actions - the
      greater the distinction, then the greater the inhibition of the primed response.
      This self-other distinction is shown to be enhanced following a period of visual
      feedback of self-generated action. The present study was designed to examine how
      sensorimotor experiences pertaining to self-generated action affect primed
      responses from observed actions. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation
      was used to investigate corticospinal activity elicited during the observation of
      index- and little-finger actions before and after training (self-generated
      action). For sensorimotor training, participants executed finger movements with
      or without visual feedback of their own movement. Results showed that the
      increases in muscle-specific corticospinal activity elicited from action
      observation persisted after training without visual feedback, but did not emerge
      following training with visual feedback. This inhibition in corticospinal
      activity during action-observation following training with vision could have
      resulted from the refining of internal models of self-generated action, which
      then led to a greater distinction between "self" and "other" actions.

PMID- 28632001
TI  - Vasodilator responsiveness in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension:
      identifying a distinct phenotype with distinct physiology and distinct prognosis.
AB  - Within the cohort of patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary arterial
      hypertension (IPAH) is a group that responds dramatically (VR-PAH) to an acute
      vasodilator challenge and that has excellent long-term hemodynamic improvement
      and prognosis on high dose calcium channel blockers compared with vasodilator non
      responders (VN-PAH). For the purposes of diagnosing VR-PAH, there is to date no
      test to replace the acute vasodilator challenge. However, recent studies have
      identified markers that may aid in the identification of VR-PAH, including
      peripheral blood lymphocyte RNA expression levels of desmogelin-2 and Ras homolog
      gene family member Q, and plasma levels of provirus integration site for Moloney
      murine leukemia virus. Genome wide-array studies of peripheral blood DNA have
      demonstrated differences in disease specific genetic variants between VR-PAH and
      NR-PAH, with particular convergence on cytoskeletal function pathways and Wnt
      signaling pathways. These studies offer hope for future non-invasive
      identification of VR-PAH, and insights into pathogenesis that may lead to novel
      therapies. Examination of the degree of pulmonary microvascular perfusion in PAH
      has offered additional insights. During the acute vasodilator challenge, VR-PAH
      patients demonstrate true vasodilation with recruitment and increased perfusion
      of the capillary bed, while VN-PAH patients are unable to recruit vasculature. In
      the very few reports of lung histology, VR-PAH has more medial thickening in the
      precapillary arterioles, while VN-PAH has the classic histology of PAH, including
      intimal thickening. VR-PAH is a disorder with a phenotype distinct from VN-PAH
      and other types of PAH, and should be considered separately in the classification
      of PAH.

PMID- 28632002
TI  - Management of prostacyclin side effects in adult patients with pulmonary arterial
      hypertension.
AB  - Therapies that target the prostacyclin pathway are considered effective, yet are
      complex to dose and may cause dose-limiting side effects for patients with
      pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Careful side effect management and the
      ability to discern side effects from worsening disease are essential in order for
      patients to continue, and benefit from, prostacyclin therapy. This manuscript was
      developed through a collaborative effort of allied health providers with
      extensive experience in managing patients with PAH who are treated with
      medications that target the prostacyclin pathway. This article provides an
      overview of individual prostacyclin pathway therapies approved in the United
      States, side effects most commonly associated with these therapies, and practical
      suggestions for side effect management. Most patients will experience significant
      side effects on prostacyclin therapy. Creating a proactive and careful side
      effect management program will increase the likelihood that patients are able to
      stay on therapy and receive the benefits afforded by prostacyclin therapy.

PMID- 28632003
TI  - Factor Structure of the Urdu Version of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale in
      Pakistan.
AB  - Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is one of the most commonly used self
      report questionnaires to measure symptoms of anxiety disorders in adolescents.
      Despite its common use, studies that examine the psychometric properties of SCAS
      in Pakistan is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the
      psychometric properties of the Urdu translated version of the SCAS among
      adolescents in Pakistan. A total of 1277 students (708 boys and 569 girls), aged
      13 to17 years, who had been recruited from 13 schools in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
      participated in the study. The mean overall anxiety score was significantly
      higher in girls than males on all the SCAS subscales except for obsessive
      compulsive disorder. The internal consistency of the Urdu SCAS was good.
      Confirmatory factor analyses supported six separate factor structures. Results of
      the study are discussed with reference to the sociocultural milieu of Pakistan
      and culture sensitive conceptualization of anxiety and its subtypes.

PMID- 28632004
TI  - Behavioral Interventions to Reduce Infections in Pediatric Long-term Care
      Facilities: The Keep It Clean for Kids Trial.
AB  - Children in pediatric long-term care facilities (pLTCF) represent a highly
      vulnerable population and infectious outbreaks occur frequently, resulting in
      significant morbidity, mortality, and resource use. The purpose of this quasi
      experimental trial using time series analysis was to assess the impact of a 4
      year theoretically based behavioral intervention on infection prevention
      practices and clinical outcomes in three pLTCF (288 beds) in New York
      metropolitan area including 720 residents, ages 1 day to 26 years with mean
      lengths of stay: 7.9-33.6 months. The 5-pronged behavioral intervention included
      explicit leadership commitment, active staff participation, work flow
      assessments, training staff in the World Health Organization "'five moments of
      hand hygiene (HH)," and electronic monitoring and feedback of HH frequency. Major
      outcomes were HH frequency, rates of infections, number of hospitalizations
      associated with infections, and outbreaks. Mean infection rates/1000 patient days
      ranged from 4.1-10.4 pre-intervention and 2.9-10.0 post-intervention. Mean
      hospitalizations/1000 patient days ranged from 2.3-9.7 before and 6.4-9.8 after
      intervention. Number of outbreaks/1000 patient days per study site ranged from 9
      24 pre- and 9-18 post-intervention (total = 95); number of cases/outbreak ranged
      from 97-324 (total cases pre-intervention = 591 and post-intervention = 401).
      Post-intervention, statistically significant increases in HH trends occurred in
      one of three sites, reductions in infections in two sites, fewer hospitalizations
      in all sites, and significant but varied changes in the numbers of outbreaks and
      cases/outbreak. Modest but inconsistent improvements occurred in clinically
      relevant outcomes. Sustainable improvements in infection prevention in pLTCF will
      require culture change; increased staff involvement; explicit administrative
      support; and meaningful, timely behavioral feedback.

PMID- 28632005
TI  - Sleep Problems and Life Satisfaction as Predictors of Health in Men with Sex
      Chromosome Aneuploidies.
AB  - More knowledge is needed about men with sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCA). We
      present self-reported data from 53 men with SCA (Mage = 36.8 years, SD = 12.3,
      range 19-67). The Health Survey-Short Form (SF-36) measured eight health domains
      (physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, vitality, emotional health,
      social functioning, pain, general health). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
      measured sleep problems. The Personal Wellbeing Index measured satisfaction with
      eight life domains. Compared to norms, SCA reported poorer health (mean d = 
      0.80) and more sleep problems (mean d = -0.85). Differences between SCA and norms
      on personal well-being were small, except lower health satisfaction in SCA (d = 
      1.06). Seven of eight regression models predicting the SF-36 domains from life
      satisfaction and sleep problems were significant (explained variance 12.2% to
      46.2%), except physical functioning (ns). Clinical assessment/intervention for a
      broad range of health and sleep problems is indicated for men with SCA.

PMID- 28632006
TI  - Psychosocial Obstacles to Smoking Cessation Attempts Among Young Adult Sexual
      Minority Women Who Smoke.
AB  - Sexual minority women (SMW; i.e., women who identify their sexuality as lesbian,
      bisexual, or something other than heterosexual) report greater smoking behaviors
      than their heterosexual counterparts across all ages. We conducted a
      multivariable regression to examine the correlates of prior smoking cessation
      attempts and smoking cessation intentions in a sample of young SMW who smoke (N =
      338; aged 18-24 years). Covariates included sociodemographic characteristics
      (i.e., race/ethnicity, sexual identity, age, urbanity), general (i.e., perceived
      stress), and sexuality-specific (i.e., internalized homophobia) stressors, as
      well as smoking attitudes and subjective norms. Bisexual women (OR = 1.92, 95%
      CI: 1.11, 3.31) were more likely than lesbian counterparts to report a prior
      smoking cessation attempt. Prior cessation attempts were associated with less
      internalized homophobia (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.69) and positive attitudes
      toward smoking (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.70). Smoking cessation intentions in
      the next month were negatively associated with being a daily smoker (beta = 
      0.14) and attitudes toward smoking (beta = -0.19). Based on these findings, we
      underscore the need to address the risk correlates associated with SMW's quit
      attempts and include these in cessation interventions.

PMID- 28632007
TI  - What Do Medical Students Do for Self-Care? A Student-Centered Approach to Well
      Being.
AB  - : Phenomenon: Despite the promotion of medical student health and wellness
      through recent program and curricular changes, research continues to show that
      medical education is associated with decreased well-being in medical students.
      Although many institutions have sought to more effectively assess and improve
      self-care in medical students, no self-care initiatives have been designed using
      the explicit perspectives of students themselves. APPROACH: Using concept mapping
      methodology, the research team created a student-generated taxonomy of self-care
      behaviors taken from a national sample of medical students in response to a
      brainstorming prompt. The research team examined how students' conceptualizations
      of self-care may be organized into a framework suitable for use in programming
      and curricular change in medical education. FINDINGS: Ten clusters of self-care
      activities were identified: nourishment, hygiene, intellectual and creative
      health, physical activity, spiritual care, balance and relaxation, time for loved
      ones, big picture goals, pleasure and outside activities, and hobbies. Using
      results of the two-dimensional scaling analysis, students' individual self-care
      behaviors were organized within two orthogonal dimensions of self-care
      activities. Insights: This concept map of student-identified self-care activities
      provides a starting point for better understanding and ultimately improving
      medical student self-care. Students' brainstormed responses fit within a
      framework of varying levels of social engagement and physical-psychological
      health that included a wide range of solitary, social, physical, and mental
      health behaviors. As students' preferred self-care practices did not often
      include programmatic activities, medical educators may benefit from consulting
      this map as they plan new approaches to student self-care and in counseling
      individual students searching for more effective ways to ease the burdens of
      medical school.

PMID- 28632008
TI  - A Cloud With a Silver Lining: Helping Students Learn About Professionalism.
AB  - PROBLEM: Educators face many challenges in teaching professionalism. Despite
      attempts to define professionalism, it remains abstract for students and often
      not fully appreciated until they are in clinic. Without a way to make it
      personally relevant, students will likely be less motivated to learn.
      INTERVENTION: We used student-generated word clouds to facilitate reflection and
      discussions, thereby helping students make their perceptions of professionalism
      more explicit. Group discussion was followed by a 5-minute written reflection.
      Word clouds created in Semesters 1 and 7 enabled students to compare perceptions
      at two points in the curriculum. CONTEXT: The George Washington University Doctor
      of Physical Therapy Program is a 3-year, 8-semester, 109-credit postgraduate
      program that includes 34 weeks of clinical practice. Reflection is foundational
      to the curriculum, and students reflect on their learning and professional growth
      each semester. Historically, students were introduced to professionalism in
      Semester 1 using explicit instructional strategies. Despite the wealth of
      resources, readings, and discussions, engagement remained challenging. OUTCOME:
      Student-generated word clouds created a personally relevant visual from which
      uniquely designed prompts were created to facilitate discussion. Having students
      compare word clouds across semesters enabled them to identify what, when, how,
      and where they learned about professionalism. Word clouds, categorized words, and
      5-minute written reflections provided evidence of individual and collective
      changes in student perceptions. LESSONS LEARNED: Students will engage in rich
      discussions on professionalism if it is personally relevant. Anonymity can foster
      discussion on personal characteristics and biases. Visualization of student
      generated, narrative data enhanced reflection and discussion. Comparing word
      clouds from two points in time helped students articulate changes in their
      perceptions of professionalism. A 5-minute reflection can be a powerful learning
      tool for students and faculty. Outcomes demonstrated the value of designing
      interventions grounded in the educational principles.

PMID- 28632009
TI  - Self-Observation and Peer Feedback as a Faculty Development Approach for Problem
      Based Learning Tutors: A Program Evaluation.
AB  - PROBLEM: Good teaching requires spontaneous, immediate, and appropriate action in
      response to various situations. It is even more crucial in problem-based learning
      (PBL) tutorials, as the tutors, while directing students toward the
      identification and attainment of learning objectives, must stimulate them to
      contribute to the process and provide them with constructive feedback. PBL tutors
      in medicine lack opportunities to receive feedback from their peers on their
      teaching strategies. Moreover, as tutorials provide little or no time to stop and
      think, more could be learned by reflecting on the experience than from the
      experience itself. We designed and evaluated a faculty development approach to
      developing PBL tutors that combined self-reflection and peer feedback processes,
      both powerful techniques for improving performance in education. INTERVENTION: We
      developed an observation instrument for PBL facilitation to be used both by
      tutors to self-observe and reflect on own teaching strategies and by peers to
      observe and provide feedback to tutors. Twenty PBL sessions were video-recorded.
      Tutors completed the instrument immediately after their PBL session and again
      while watching their video-recorded session (self-observation). A group of three
      observers completed the instrument while watching each recorded session and
      provided feedback to each tutor (peer observation and feedback). We investigated
      tutors' perceptions of the feasibility and acceptability of the approach and
      gathered data on its effectiveness in enhancing tutors' facilitation skills.
      CONTEXT: The preclinical medical curriculum at the University of Geneva is
      essentially taught by PBL. A new program of faculty development based on self
      observation and peer feedback was offered to voluntary tutors and evaluated.
      OUTCOME: Our results suggest that self-observation and peer feedback, supported
      by an instrument, can be effective in enhancing tutors' facilitation skills.
      Reflection on self-observation raised teachers' awareness of the effectiveness of
      the strategies they used to foster student learning. This motivated a need to
      change their teaching practice. However, for the changes to become operative,
      peer feedback was required, providing the cues and strategies needed to improve
      the facilitation skills. LESSONS LEARNED: Peer coaching was considered feasible
      and useful to improve tutors' facilitation skills. Evaluating the program made it
      possible to assess tutors' needs and the reasons underlying their difficulties,
      and this in turn provided the basis for advanced workshops. Nonetheless, aspects
      related to logistics and the time constraints of such an individualized approach,
      as well as the cultural appropriation of peer coaching, might be obstacles that
      need to be addressed.

PMID- 28632010
TI  - Designing a National Longitudinal Faculty Development Curriculum Focused on
      Educational Scholarship: Process, Outcomes, and Lessons Learned.
AB  - PROBLEM: Clinical educators at U.S. academic health centers are frequently
      disadvantaged in the academic promotion system, lacking needed faculty
      development, mentoring, and networking support. INTERVENTION: In 2006, we
      implemented the national Educational Scholars Program to offer faculty
      development in educational scholarship for early career educators in pediatrics.
      We aimed to provide them with skills, experience, and initial success in
      educational scholarship and dissemination. The 3-year curriculum is delivered in
      interactive sessions at the annual pediatric academic meetings and online
      intersession modules. Curriculum content progresses from educational scholarship
      and implementing scholarly projects to dissemination and professional networking.
      Intersession modules address project planning, building an educator portfolio,
      reviewing the literature, using technology, authorship, and peer review.
      Concurrently, all scholars must complete a mentored educational project and
      demonstrate national dissemination of a peer-reviewed product to obtain a
      Certificate of Excellence in Educational Scholarship. CONTEXT: The setting of
      this study was a national, longitudinal, cohort-based faculty development program
      built within the Academic Pediatric Association, a 2,000-member professional
      organization. OUTCOME: In 10 years, the Educational Scholars Program has enrolled
      172 scholars in 8 cohorts; 94 have graduated so far. We describe how formative
      evaluation guided curriculum refinement and process improvement. Summative
      evaluations show that faculty and scholars were satisfied with the program.
      Participant outcomes from Cohort 1, assessed at Kirkpatrick's four levels of
      evaluation, demonstrate increases in scholarly productivity, leadership
      activities, and academic promotions. LESSONS LEARNED: Curriculum building is a
      dynamic process of ongoing evaluation and modification. Our program benefited
      from designing an integrated and focused curriculum, developing educational
      principles to guide program improvements, creating curricular tools to help
      learners organize and document their efforts, supporting project-based learning
      with expert mentoring, and facilitating peer and faculty networking and
      collaboration. A national, longitudinal faculty development program can support
      growth in academic knowledge and skills, promote professional networking, and
      thereby enrich educators' career opportunities.

PMID- 28632011
TI  - Essential Public Health Competencies for Medical Students: Establishing a
      Consensus in Family Medicine.
AB  - : Phenomenon: The integration of public health (PH) competency training into
      medical education, and further integration of PH and primary care, has been urged
      by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. However, PH competencies are numerous, and no
      consensus exists over which competencies are most important for adoption by
      current trainees. Our objective was to conduct a group concept mapping exercise
      with stakeholders identifying the most important and feasible PH skills to
      incorporate in medical and residency curricula. APPROACH: We utilized a group
      concept mapping technique via the Concept System Global Max (
      http://www.conceptsystems.com ), where family medicine educators and PH
      professionals completed the phrase, "A key Public Health competency for
      physicians-in-training to learn is ..." with 1-10 statements. The statement list
      was edited for duplication and other issues; stakeholders then sorted the
      statements and rated them for importance and feasibility of integration.
      Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis were used to create a two
      dimensional point map of domains of PH training, allowing visual comparison of
      groupings of related ideas and relative importance of these ideas. FINDINGS:
      There were 116 nonduplicative statements (225 total) suggested by 120
      participants. Three metacategories of competencies emerged: Clinic, Community &
      Culture, Health System Understanding, and Population Health Science & Data.
      Insights: We identified and organized a set of topics that serve as a foundation
      for the integration of family medicine and PH education. Incorporating these
      topics into medical education is viewed as important and feasible by family
      medicine educators and PH professions.

PMID- 28632012
TI  - Medical School Outcomes, Primary Care Specialty Choice, and Practice in Medically
      Underserved Areas by Physician Alumni of MEDPREP, a Postbaccalaureate Premedical
      Program for Underrepresented and Disadvantaged Students.
AB  - PROBLEM: Minorities continue to be underrepresented as physicians in medicine,
      and the United States currently has a number of medically underserved
      communities. MEDPREP, a postbaccalaureate medical school preparatory program for
      socioeconomically disadvantaged or underrepresented in medicine students, has a
      stated mission to increase the numbers of physicians from minority or
      disadvantaged backgrounds and physicians working with underserved populations.
      This study aims to determine how MEDPREP enhances U.S. physician diversity and
      practice within underserved communities. INTERVENTION: MEDPREP recruits
      disadvantaged and underrepresented in medicine students to complete a 2-year
      academic enhancement program that includes science coursework, standardized test
      preparation, study/time management training, and emphasis on professional
      development. Five hundred twenty-five disadvantaged or underrepresented students
      over 15 years completed MEDPREP and were tracked through entry into medical
      practice. CONTEXT: MEDPREP accepts up to 36 students per year, with two thirds
      coming from the Midwest region and another 20% from nearby states in the South.
      Students complete science, test preparation, academic enhancement, and
      professionalism coursework taught predominantly by MEDPREP faculty on the
      Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus. Students apply broadly to medical
      schools in the region and nation but are also offered direct entry into our
      School of Medicine upon meeting articulation program requirements. OUTCOME:
      Seventy-nine percent of students completing MEDPREP became practicing physicians.
      Fifty-eight percent attended public medical schools, and 62% attended medical
      schools in the Midwest. Fifty-three percent of program alumni chose primary care
      specialties compared to 34% of U.S. physicians, and MEDPREP alumni were 2.7 times
      more likely to work in medically underserved areas than physicians nationally.
      LESSONS LEARNED: MEDPREP increases the number of disadvantaged and
      underrepresented students entering and graduating from medical school, choosing
      primary care specialties, and working in medically underserved areas. MEDPREP may
      therefore serve as a model for increasing physician diversity and addressing the
      needs of medically underserved communities.

PMID- 28632013
TI  - Task Demands in OSCEs Influence Learning Strategies.
AB  - THEORY: Models on pre-assessment learning effects confirmed that task demands
      stand out among the factors assessors can modify in an assessment to influence
      learning. However, little is known about which tasks in objective structured
      clinical examinations (OSCEs) improve students' cognitive and metacognitive
      processes. Research is needed to support OSCE designs that benefit students'
      metacognitive strategies when they are studying, reinforcing a hypothesis-driven
      approach. With that intent, hypothesis-driven physical examination (HDPE)
      assessments ask students to elicit and interpret findings of the physical exam to
      reach a diagnosis ("Examine this patient with a painful shoulder to reach a
      diagnosis"). HYPOTHESES: When studying for HDPE, students will dedicate more time
      to hypothesis-driven discussions and practice than when studying for a part-task
      OSCE ("Perform the shoulder exam"). It is expected that the whole-task nature of
      HDPE will lead to a hypothesis-oriented use of the learning resources, a frequent
      use of adjustment strategies, and persistence with learning. METHOD: In a mixed
      methods study, 40 medical students were randomly paired and filmed while studying
      together for two hypothetical OSCE stations. Each 25-min study period began with
      video cues asking to study for either a part-task OSCE or an HDPE. In a crossover
      design, sequences were randomized for OSCEs and contents (shoulder or spine).
      Time-on-task for discussions or practice were categorized as "hypothesis-driven"
      or "sequence of signs and maneuvers." Content analysis of focus group interviews
      summarized students' perception of learning resources, adjustment strategies, and
      persistence with learning. RESULTS: When studying for HDPE, students allocate
      significantly more time for hypothesis-driven discussions and practice. Students
      use resources contrasting diagnoses and report persistence with learning. When
      studying for part-task OSCEs, time-on-task is reversed, spent on rehearsing a
      sequence of signs and maneuvers. CONCLUSIONS: OSCEs with similar contents but
      different task demands lead to opposite learning strategies regarding how
      students manage their study time. Measuring pre-assessment effects from a
      metacognitive perspective provides empirical evidence to redesign assessments for
      learning.

PMID- 28632014
TI  - Coaching the Coach: A Program for Development of Faculty Portfolio Coaches.
AB  - PROBLEM: Faculty coaching is recognized as an essential element for effective use
      of portfolios in undergraduate medical education, yet best practices for training
      these coaches are uncertain. INTERVENTION: New portfolio coaches participated in
      a multifaceted training program that included orienting modules, a 7.5-hr
      training workshop featuring analysis of reflective writing, an Observed
      Structured Teaching Exercise (OSTE), and subsequent longitudinal coaches'
      meetings for timely task training. Four desired coaching skills were emphasized
      in the initial training: creating a safe environment, explicitly using
      performance data, asking questions that elicit reflection, and guiding the
      student to develop future goals and plans. We collected and analyzed several
      outcomes: (a) coaches' self-assessment at key intervals, (b) open-ended written
      responses to three coaching vignettes, (c) video recordings of the OSTE, and (d)
      subsequent student evaluation of the coach. In an attempt to capture learning
      from the workshop, both the responses to written vignettes and the video-recorded
      encounters were coded for presence or absence of the four desired skills.
      CONTEXT: Our portfolio and coaching program was instituted as part of a major
      undergraduate medical education reform. A new cohort of 25 coaches is enrolled
      with each matriculating student class, and each coach is assigned to work
      individually with 8-10 students, forming a coaching relationship that continues
      over 4 years. Coaches are compensated at 5% full-time equivalent. OUTCOME: On
      coach self-assessment, the majority of coaches reported significant improvement
      in their perceived ability to assess a student's level of reflection, enhance
      reflection, use performance data, and guide a student to develop goals and plans.
      After two semesters, coach perception of improved abilities persisted. Students
      rated coaches as excellent (82%), reporting that coaches created safe
      environments (99%), promoted insight (92%), and aided in goal setting (97%).
      Written responses to vignettes before the OSTE found that several coaches omitted
      desired behaviors; however, posttraining responses showed no discernable pattern
      of learning. Coding of the OSTE, in contrast, documented that all coaches
      demonstrated all four of the desired skills. LESSONS LEARNED: Although coaches
      reported learning related to key skills, learning was not apparent when responses
      to written vignettes were examined. In contrast, skills were demonstrated in the
      OSTE, perhaps due to the added structured tasks as well as anticipation of
      feedback. In conclusion, this portfolio coach training program achieved its
      desired aim of providing students with portfolio coaches who demonstrated the
      desired skills, as reported by both coaches and students.

PMID- 28632015
TI  - The Associations Between Clerkship Objective Structured Clinical Examination
      (OSCE) Grades and Subsequent Performance.
AB  - : Construct: We investigated the extent of the associations between medical
      students' clinical competency measured by performance in Objective Structured
      Clinical Examinations (OSCE) during Obstetrics/Gynecology and Family Medicine
      clerkships and later performance in both undergraduate and graduate medical
      education. BACKGROUND: There is a relative dearth of studies on the correlations
      between undergraduate OSCE scores and future exam performance within either
      undergraduate or graduate medical education and almost none on linking these
      simulated encounters to eventual patient care. Of the research studies that do
      correlate clerkship OSCE scores with future performance, these often have a small
      sample size and/or include only 1 clerkship. APPROACH: Students in USU graduating
      classes of 2007 through 2011 participated in the study. We investigated
      correlations between clerkship OSCE grades with United States Medical Licensing
      Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, Clinical Skills, and Step 3 Exams scores
      as well as Postgraduate Year 1 program director's evaluation scores on Medical
      Expertise and Professionalism. We also conducted contingency table analysis to
      examine the associations between poor performance on clerkship OSCEs with failing
      Step 3 and receiving poor program director ratings. RESULTS: The correlation
      coefficients were weak between the clerkship OSCE grades and the outcomes. The
      strongest correlations existed between the clerkship OSCE grades and the Step 2
      CS Integrated Clinical Encounter component score, Step 2 Clinical Skills, and
      Step 3 scores. Contingency table associations between poor performances on both
      clerkships OSCEs and poor Postgraduate Year 1 Program Director ratings were
      significant. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide additional but
      limited validity evidence for the use of OSCEs during clinical clerkships given
      their associations with subsequent performance measures.

PMID- 28632017
TI  - Correlation of ISO 16840-2:2007 impact damping and hysteresis measures for a
      sample of wheelchair seating cushions.
AB  - Hysteresis and impact damping measures were made on 37 wheelchair seating
      cushions according to ISO 16840-2:2007 Wheelchair seating-Part 2: Determination
      of physical and mechanical characteristics of devices intended to manage tissue
      integrity-seat cushions. These measures were then correlated using Spearman and
      Pearson correlations to investigate the relationship between them. Correlations
      were also conducted on the subset of cushions comprising only those with planar
      foam construction. Correlation between the hysteresis measures (h250 and h500)
      and the mean number of rebounds greater in amplitude than 10% of the peak
      acceleration amplitude (R10%) were weak, as were the correlations between the
      hysteresis measures and the mean peak first rebound acceleration (aa).
      Correlations between hysteresis and the mean peak second rebound acceleration
      (a2), and also hysteresis and the ratio of first and second peak (a2:aa) however
      were moderate. Results demonstrate that the relationship between these two
      measures is complex. The assertion implicit in ISO 16840-2:2007 is that the two
      measures are related, but this study shows that these should not be assumed to be
      equivalent or used interchangeably.

PMID- 28632016
TI  - The Bacteroides fragilis pathogenicity island links virulence and strain
      competition.
AB  - The mature microbiome is a stable ecosystem that resists perturbation despite
      constant host exposure to exogenous microbes. However, the microbial mechanisms
      determining microbiome development and composition are poorly understood. We
      recently demonstrated that a non-toxigenic B. fragilis (NTBF) strain restricts
      enteric colonization by an enterotoxigenic (ETBF) strain dependent on a type VI
      secretion system (T6SS). We show here that a second enterotoxigenic strain is
      competent to colonize, dependent on the Bacteroides fragilis pathogenicity island
      (BFPAI). Additional data showing complex environmental regulation of the
      Bacteroides fragilis toxin (BFT) suggest that virulence factors may be adapted to
      modify the colonic niche to provide a strain-specific colonization advantage. We
      conclude that more complex models of host-microbe-microbiome interactions are
      needed to investigate this hypothesis.

PMID- 28632018
TI  - Exploring the learnability and usability of a near field communication-based
      application for semantic enrichment in children with language disorders.
AB  - Recently, a few software applications (apps) have been developed to enhance
      vocabulary and conceptual networks to address the needs of children with language
      impairments (LI), but there is no evidence about their impact and their usability
      in therapy contexts. Here, we try to fill this gap presenting a system aimed at
      improving the semantic competence and the structural knowledge of children with
      LI. The goal of the study is to evaluate learnability, usability, user
      satisfaction and quality of the interaction between the system and the children.
      The system consists of a tablet, hosting an app with educational and training
      purposes, equipped with a Near Field Communication (NFC) reader, used to interact
      with the user by means of objects. Fourteen preschool children with LI played
      with the device during one 45-minute speech therapy session. Reactions and
      feedbacks were recorded and rated. The system proved to be easy to understand and
      learn, as well as engaging and rewarding. The success of the device probably
      rests on the integration of smart technology and real, tangible objects. The
      device can be seen as a valuable aid to support and enhance communication
      abilities in children with LI as well as typically developing individuals.

PMID- 28632019
TI  - Underappreciated challenges to pediatric powered mobility - Ways to address them
      as illustrated by a case report.
AB  - Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America
      (RESNA) has published a position paper strongly advocating powered mobility (PM)
      for children with severe physical limitations (Rosen et al., 2009). Many studies
      have established that there are gains in social skills and functional mobility.
      While PM can aid independence, there has been more emphasis on the improvements
      in socialization rather than the positive changes PM can make in a child's daily
      living. For example, Bottos and colleagues stated the quality of life did not
      change for the children in their study (2001). This could be an explanation for
      why insurance companies deny coverage for PM. However, without coverage for PM,
      these children face major barriers to mobility and accessibility, even if they
      are able to use PM at physical therapy. If they obtain PM at home through other
      funding, transportation still remains an issue. These barriers have not been
      addressed or only briefly mentioned. We present a case of a 2 years 10 months old
      boy with rachischisis (cervical level spina bifida) who had impressive gains in
      both functional communication and social skills through achieving PM.

PMID- 28632020
TI  - Are patients with hemiplegic stroke really walking with a cane fitted at the
      greater trochanter?
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the cane lengths currently used by
      patients with hemiplegic stroke for ambulatory assistance. The sample consisted
      of 116 adults with hemiplegic stroke. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test
      for trend were conducted to examine the distributions of cane lengths, which were
      classified as follows: reaching >2 cm below the greater trochanter (GT), reaching
      from <2 cm below to <2 cm above the GT, or reaching >2 cm above the GT. Cane
      lengths reaching >2 cm above the GT were most common (range 62%-88%). No
      difference in mean cane length was found with respect to gender, age, time
      elapsed after stroke, nature of pathology (infarction, hemorrhage), paralyzed
      region (left, right), cane type (mono or four-point), or those responsible for
      deciding cane lengths (clinicians, patients, family members). These findings mean
      patients with hemiplegic stroke are actually using canes longer than
      conventionally proposed cane lengths.

PMID- 28632022
TI  - The Wounded Brain Healed: The Golden Age of the Montreal Neurological Institute,
      1934-1984, by William Feindel and Richard Leblanc.

PMID- 28632021
TI  - Neuromyelitis optica: Application of computer diagnostics to historical case
      reports.
AB  - The retrospective diagnosis of illnesses by medical historians can often be
      difficult and prone to bias, although knowledge of the medical disorders of
      historical figures is key to the understanding of their behavior and reactions.
      The recent application of computer diagnostics to historical figures allows an
      objective differential diagnosis to be accomplished. Taking an example from
      clinical neurology, we analyzed the earliest reported cases of Devic's disease
      (neuromyelitis optica) that commonly affects the optic nerve and spinal cord and
      was previously often confused with multiple sclerosis. We conclude that in most
      identified cases the software concurred with the contemporary physicians'
      interpretation, but some claimed cases either had insufficient data to provide a
      diagnosis or other possible diagnoses were suggested that had not been
      considered. Computational methods may, therefore, help historians to diagnose the
      ailments of historical figures with greater objectivity.

PMID- 28632023
TI  - On the origin of the term decussatio pyramidum.
AB  - There is no consensus regarding the origin of the term decussatio pyramidum.
      Various anatomists of the past are honored by modern scholars, for example,
      Vieussens, Reil, and Collins. However, contralateral effects of brain lesions
      were already mentioned in Hippocratic treatises. Aretaeus of Cappadocia assumed
      that the anatomical reason for this phenomenon is the interchange of the nerves
      and called it chiasmos. This opinion was discussed in modern times and the
      anatomists used the term decussatio nervorum. The authorship of the first
      demonstration of decussatio pyramidum is given to Mistichelli (1709) and Petit
      (1710), but neither the term decussatio nor any of its vernacular forms are
      present in their work. A milestone in the history of the term is the Memoire of
      Gall and Spurzheim presented to the Institut de France in 1808. In the French
      printed form of the Memoire (1809), the word combination decussation des
      pyramides was used for the first time in anatomical literature.

PMID- 28632024
TI  - Performance validity testing in a clinical sample of adults with sickle cell
      disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Neuropsychologists utilize performance validity tests (PVTs) as
      objective means for drawing inferences about performance validity. The Test of
      Memory Malingering (TOMM) is a well-validated, stand-alone PVT and the Reliable
      Digit Span (RDS) and Reliable Digit Span-Revised (RDS-R) from the Digit Span
      subtest of the WAIS-IV are commonly employed, embedded PVTs. While research has
      demonstrated the utility of these PVTs with various clinical samples, no research
      has investigated their use in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), a condition
      associated with multiple neurological, physical, and psychiatric symptoms. Thus,
      the purpose of this study was to explore PVT performance in adults with SCD.
      METHOD: Fifty-four adults with SCD (Mage = 40.61, SD = 12.35) were consecutively
      referred by their hematologist for a routine clinical outpatient
      neuropsychological evaluation. During the evaluation, participants were
      administered the TOMM (Trials 1 and 2), neuropsychological measures including the
      WAIS-IV Digit Span subtest, and mood and behavioral questionnaires. RESULTS: The
      average score on the TOMM was 47.70 (SD = 3.47, range = 34-50) for Trial 1 and
      49.69 (SD = 1.66, range = 38-50) for Trial 2. Only one participant failed Trial 2
      of the TOMM, yielding a 98.1% pass rate for the sample. Pass rates at various RDS
      and RDS-R values were calculated with TOMM Trial 2 performance as an external
      criterion. CONCLUSIONS: Results support the use of the TOMM as a measure of
      performance validity for individuals with SCD, while RDS and RDS-R should be
      interpreted with caution in this population.

PMID- 28632025
TI  - Use of Latent Class Analysis to define groups based on validity, cognition, and
      emotional functioning.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to classify a heterogeneous
      sample of neuropsychology data. In particular, we used measures of performance
      validity, symptom validity, cognition, and emotional functioning to assess and
      describe latent groups of functioning in these areas. METHOD: A data-set of 680
      neuropsychological evaluation protocols was analyzed using a LCA. Data were
      collected from evaluations performed for clinical purposes at an urban medical
      center. RESULTS: A four-class model emerged as the best fitting model of latent
      classes. The resulting classes were distinct based on measures of performance
      validity and symptom validity. Class A performed poorly on both performance and
      symptom validity measures. Class B had intact performance validity and heightened
      symptom reporting. The remaining two Classes performed adequately on both
      performance and symptom validity measures, differing only in cognitive and
      emotional functioning. In general, performance invalidity was associated with
      worse cognitive performance, while symptom invalidity was associated with
      elevated emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS: LCA appears useful in identifying
      groups within a heterogeneous sample with distinct performance patterns. Further,
      the orthogonal nature of performance and symptom validities is supported.

PMID- 28632026
TI  - Keeping High the True Values of Sport.

PMID- 28632027
TI  - Shc and the mechanotransduction of cellular anchorage and metastasis.
AB  - Tissue cells continually monitor anchorage conditions by gauging the physical
      properties of their underlying matrix and surrounding environment. The Rho and
      Ras GTPases are essential components of these mechanosensory pathways. These
      molecular switches control both cytoskeletal as well as cell fate responses to
      anchorage conditions and are thus critical to our understanding of how cells
      respond to their physical environment and, by extension, how malignant cells
      gainsay these regulatory pathways. Recent studies indicate that 2 proteins
      produced by the SHC1 gene, thought for the most part to functionally oppose each
      other, collaborate in their ability to respond to mechanical force by initiating
      respective Rho and Ras signals. In this review, we focus on the coupling of Shc
      and GTPases in the cellular response to mechanical anchorage signals, with
      emphasis on its relevance for cancer.

PMID- 28632028
TI  - The Effect of Combined Systemic Erythropoietin and Steroid on Non-arteritic
      Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: A Prospective Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of combined intravenous (IV) erythropoietin
      (EPO) and corticosteroid as well as systemic steroid alone for the treatment of
      non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). METHODS: In this
      prospective interventional comparative case series, 113 consecutive patients
      diagnosed with recent onset (less than 14 days) NAION were included. Patients
      were categorized into three groups. 40 patients received systemic IV
      corticosteroid combined with recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) (group 1),
      43 patients received systemic corticosteroid alone (group 2), and 30 patients
      were enrolled as the control group (group 3). Functional and structural outcomes
      were analyzed 3 and 6 months after treatment. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA)
      was the main outcome, and mean deviation (MD) and peripaillary retinal nerve
      fiber layer thickness (PRNFLT) were secondary outcome measures. RESULTS: The mean
      BCVA at the time of presentation was 0.98 (+/-0.65), 0.96 (+/-0.67), and 1.02 (+/
      0.63) log MAR in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P = 0.95). At month 3, the
      corresponding values were 0.73 (+/-0.45), 0.76 (+/-0.49), and 0.8 (+/-0.45) log
      MAR (P = 0.80), and at the 6-month follow-up, they were 0.76 (+/-0.45), 0.71 (+/
      0.4), and 0.71 (+/-0.46) log MAR, respectively (P = 0.87). There was no
      statistically significant difference in BCVA between months 3 and 6, which
      implies stabilization of the visual acuity by month 3. Considering the visual
      field, within 6 months of follow-up after disease onset, the MD index improved in
      all groups with no statistically significant differences between them (P = 0.82).
      PRNFLT at presentation was 178 (+/-60), 186 (+/-59), and 166 (+/-57) micrometers
      in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (P= 0.99), which decreased to 77 (+/-16), 83
      (+/-22), and 73 (+/-11), respectively, at final visit (P = 0.14) Conclusion: We
      found no beneficial effect of either systemic steroid alone or combined with EPO
      in the visual outcome of NAION patients.

PMID- 28632029
TI  - Longitudinal Evaluation of Wound Healing after Penetrating Corneal Injury:
      Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Ocular imaging can enhance our understanding of wound healing. We report
      anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) findings in penetrating
      corneal injury. METHODS: Serial ASOCT was performed after repair of penetrating
      corneal injury. Internal aberrations of wound edges were labeled as "steps" or
      "gaps" on ASOCT images. The wound type was characterized as: type 1: continuous
      inner wound edge or step height <= 80 um; type 2: step height > 80 um; type 3:
      gap between wound edges; and type 4: intraocular tissue adherent to wound.
      Surgical outcomes of different wound types were compared. RESULTS: 50 consecutive
      patients were included (6 females, 44 males; mean age 33 +/- 12 years). The
      average size of wound was 4.2 +/- 2.6 mm (type 1, 8 eyes; type 2, 27 eyes; type
      3, 12 eyes; type 4, 3 eyes). At the end of 3 months, 70% (n = 35) of the wounds
      were type 1. At the end of 6 months, all type 1 wounds had healed completely,
      whereas about half of type 2 (48.1%) and type 3 (50%) wounds had recovered to
      type 1 configuration. The wound type at baseline affected the height of step (p =
      0.047) and corneal thickness at 6 months (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: ASOCT is a
      useful tool for monitoring wound healing in cases with penetrating corneal
      injury. Majority of the wound edges appose between 3 and 6 months after trauma.
      In our study, baseline wound configuration affected the healing pattern.

PMID- 28632030
TI  - Ultraviolet B Radiation Stimulates the Interaction between Nuclear Factor of
      Activated T Cells 5 (NFAT5) and Nuclear Factor-Kappa B (NF-kappaB) in Human Lens
      Epithelial Cells.
AB  - PURPOSE: Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) has been proposed as a therapeutic
      target for the treatment of cataracts. The authors investigated the relationship
      between nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) and NF-kappaB in
      ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated human lens epithelial (HLE) cells. METHODS: Human
      lens epithelial B-3 (HLE-B3) cells were exposed to UVB light at a dose of 10
      mJ/cm2 and then incubated for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed by using the Cell
      Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Gene expression level of NFAT5 was determined using
      real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Protein expression
      levels of NFAT5, NF-kappaB p65, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and the
      association of NFAT5 with the NF-kappaB p65 subunit were measured by Western blot
      analysis and a co-immunoprecipitation assay, respectively. The cellular
      distribution of NFAT5 and NF-kappaB p65 was examined by triple immunofluorescence
      staining. RESULTS: At 24 h after UVB exposure, cell viability significantly
      decreased in a dose-dependent manner, and UVB light (15 and 20 mJ/cm2)
      significantly increased the ROS generation. UVB irradiation increased NFAT5 mRNA
      and protein levels and increased phosphorylation of NF-kappaB in HLE-B3 cells.
      alpha-SMA protein levels were increased in the irradiated cells. In addition,
      NFAT5 and NF-kappaB translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, and binding
      between the p65 subunit and NFAT5 was increased. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to UVB
      radiation induces nuclear translocation and stimulates binding between NFAT5 and
      NF-kappaB proteins in HLE-B3 cells. These interactions may form part of the
      biochemical mechanism of cataractogenesis in UVB-irradiated HLECs.

PMID- 28632031
TI  - MR Imaging of the Anterior Visual Pathway in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma:
      Correlation with Octopus 101 Perimetry and Spectralis Optical Coherence
      Tomography Findings.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate structural changes in the visual pathway measured by
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its relationship with the clinical severity
      of glaucoma in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The study included 28 patients with POAG and 26 age- and sex-matched
      healthy volunteers. All the subjects underwent spectral domain optical coherence
      tomography (OCT) of the peripapillary retina nerve fiber layer (RNFL). The optic
      nerve diameter (OND), chiasma height (Ch), and lateral geniculate nucleus height
      (LGNh) were measured bilaterally using a 1.5-Tesla MRI system. RESULTS: The mean
      values of the OND and LGNh were significantly lower in the POAG group (OND: right
      p = 0.043 and left p = 0.048; LGNh: right p = 0.008 and left p = 0.025). The OND
      was not correlated with the clinical stage of glaucoma, but it was correlated
      with the ipsilateral RNFL thickness. The Ch was correlated with the ipsilateral
      clinical stage (right r = -0.536, p = 0.004; left r = -0.537, p = 0.004) and
      average RNFL thickness (RNFLav) (right r = 0.655, p < 0.001; left r = 0.626, p <
      0.001). The sum of bilateral clinical stages and left clinical stages showed
      significant correlations with the right and left LGNh and the sum of both the
      right and left LGNh. The left RNFLav and the sum of the right-left RNFLav were
      significantly correlated with all LGNh measurements. CONCLUSIONS: 1.5-Tesla MRI
      can detect structural changes in the visual pathway early in the course of
      glaucoma. Thin optic nerve can be a risk factor for glaucoma. The Ch and LGNh
      seem to be correlated with the clinical stage of glaucoma and RNFL thickness. In
      particular, LGN can be a target of glaucomatous damage.

PMID- 28632032
TI  - Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor Type-1 Tag Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in
      Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 and Diabetic Retinopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is accumulating evidence for genetic susceptibility to the
      development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The role of plasminogen activator
      inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in DR risk remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: The present
      study was designed to investigate possible influence of PAI-1 gene region
      polymorphisms on the risk of DR and on the risk of developing DR early vs late in
      the course of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: A total of 138 patients
      with DR, 107 patients with T2DM without DR, and 315 healthy controls were
      recruited. To cover the majority of the genetic variability across the extended
      region of PAI-1 gene, five tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the
      HapMap using a pairwise approach and an r2 >= 0.8 and a minor allele frequency
      (MAF) of >0.05 were identified. Using logistic regression analyses, tag SNPs and
      haplotypes were tested for associations with DR risk and risk of DR development
      early or late in the course of T2DM. The generalized odds ratio (ORG) was
      calculated to estimate the mutational load effect on DR development among all
      participants. Corrections for multiple comparisons were carried out (p-value <
      0.01). RESULTS: A significant effect of rs2070682 on the risk of early DR onset
      was found in the codominant model of inheritance [odds ratio, OR (95% confidence
      interval, CI): 5.04 (1.47-17.28), p = 0.018]. However, this association
      marginally did not survive multiple testing corrections. No other significant
      association between PAI-1 tag-SNPs and haplotypes was revealed. Furthermore, no
      significant mutational load effect of PAI-1 tag SNPs on the risk of DR
      development in T2DM course was found. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present
      study does not provide any strong evidence that PAI-1 gene variants are
      implicated in the risk of DR or the development of DR during T2DM course.

PMID- 28632033
TI  - Overexpression of ALK5 Induces Human Tenon's Capsule Fibroblasts
      Transdifferentiation and Fibrosis In Vitro.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the involvement of activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5)
      in human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTFs) transdifferentiation and fibrosis.
      METHODS: (1) Cultured HTFs were treated with transforming growth factor beta 1
      (TGF-beta1) at different concentrations for different durations, mRNA expression
      of ALK5 and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) was measured by
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) while protein expression of ALK5,
      alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA), and extracellular matrix deposition
      including fibronectin (FN) and collagen I (Col1) was assessed by western blot.
      HTFs with or without TGF-beta1 were also treated with an ALK5 activity inhibitor,
      SB-431542, and fibrosis-related genes were assessed. (2) HTFs were transduced
      with ALK5 lentivirus (ALK5-OE group) or empty lentivirus (NC-OE) with or without
      the treatment of SB-431542. Protein expression of ALK5, alpha-SMA, FN, and Col1
      was evaluated. (3) HTFs in the ALK5-OE group and NC-OE group were subjected to a
      scratch-wound assay and their migratory activities assessed. RESULTS: (1) TGF
      beta1, in a concentration-dependent manner, upregulated ALK5 and PAI-1
      expressions in the HTFs, which peaked between 24 and 36 h. These changes were
      associated with increases in protein levels of FN, Col1, and alpha-SMA. These TGF
      beta1 effects were blocked by the ALK5 inhibitor SB-431542. (2) Similarly,
      overexpression of ALK5 by lentiviral vector significantly increased protein
      expression of alpha-SMA, FN, and Col1. Addition of TGF-beta1 to the ALK5-OE cells
      did not produce additional expression of any of the marker proteins. The
      upregulation of extracellular matrix and alpha-SMA can be reduced by SB-431542.
      (3) In ALK5-OE group, HTFs migration was significantly increased compared with
      normal control and TGF-beta1 could still promote ALK5-OE cells migration.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that ALK5 is an important mediator of HTFs
      fibrosis. ALK5 is a potential therapeutic target to suppress scar formation after
      filtration surgery.

PMID- 28632035
TI  - A comprehensive study of worldwide selfie-related accidental mortality: a growing
      problem of the modern society.
AB  - Since Oxford dictionary has described 'Selfie', selfie deaths have received a
      fair amount of coverage but the extent of the problem and the data behind it have
      not been appropriately explored. The aim of our study is to obtain
      epidemiological characteristics of selfie-related mortality worldwide with the
      objective of providing an insight to 'Why selfie', 'Why risky', 'Psychological
      basis' and 'measures of control.' Despite thousands of web pages, very few
      scientific articles are available in medical journals. So, we went online via
      Google search engine compiling every reported instance after confirming it and
      verifying the information in Wikipedia. Non-fatal injuries and non-selfie type of
      photography-related deaths were excluded from the study. From 2014 to mid-2016,
      75 people have died while attempting selfie in 52 incidents worldwide. Mean age
      of the victims was 23.3 and 82% were male. India is the most affected country and
      Russia and US being second. Fall from height, drowning and rail accidents are the
      top three modes of death. Large-scale use of cell phone worldwide and underlying
      risk in selfie behaviour seems the culprit. Inability to compare selfie with non
      selfie photography due to lack of data is definitely a limitation. Worldwide
      initiatives are being taken like 'NO SELFIE ZONES' but still a multifactorial
      approach is required before it gets too late.

PMID- 28632034
TI  - Recombinant Human Nerve Growth Factor Treatment Promotes Photoreceptor Survival
      in the Retinas of Rats with Retinitis Pigmentosa.
AB  - PURPOSE: Increasing evidence suggests that nerve growth factor (NGF) exerts
      protective effects against retinal degeneration in animal models of retinitis
      pigmentosa (RP). This study aims at investigating the effects of intravitreal
      injection of recombinant human NGF (rhNGF) on retinal photoreceptors apoptosis in
      an animal model of RP, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. METHODS: Thirty
      six RCS rats were treated with intravitreal injection of rhNGF or murine NGF
      (mNGF) or vehicle at 20 postnatal days (pd) and sacrificed at 40 pd. The eyes
      were enucleated and evaluated by histology, flow cytometric analysis for
      rhodopsin expression, Western blot for TrkA and activated (phosphorylated) TrkA
      (pTrkA) levels, and TUNEL assay for apoptosis' detection. RESULTS: RCS rats
      showed a significant retinal degeneration associated with cell apoptosis at 40 pd
      when compared to wild-type animals. Histology showed that rhNGF intravitreal
      treatment significantly increased retinal thickness when compared to untreated
      eyes. Photoreceptors' number evaluated by flow cytometry was significantly
      increased in both intravitreal rhNGF- and mNGF-treated groups when compared to
      untreated eyes. This protective effect was associated with an increase in TrkA
      and activated pTrkA levels and an inhibition of apoptosis. Intravitreal NGF
      injection was well tolerated and did not show clinical and histological signs of
      adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal rhNGF injection proved safe and
      effective in favoring retinal cell survival in RCS rats. This is the first report
      showing that the novel rhNGF already proved safe in a phase I study exerts a
      biologic effect similar to the well-characterized mNGF-induced retinal
      protection. These results may trigger further studies to investigate rhNGF
      administration for the treatment of progressive degenerative retinal disorders
      such as retinitis pigmentosa.

PMID- 28632036
TI  - Predictability and interpretability of hybrid link-level crash frequency models
      for urban arterials compared to cluster-based and general negative binomial
      regression models.
AB  - Machine learning (ML) techniques have higher prediction accuracy compared to
      conventional statistical methods for crash frequency modelling. However, their
      black-box nature limits the interpretability. The objective of this research is
      to combine both ML and statistical methods to develop hybrid link-level crash
      frequency models with high predictability and interpretability. For this purpose,
      M5' model trees method (M5') is introduced and applied to classify the crash data
      and then calibrate a model for each homogenous class. The data for 1134 and 345
      randomly selected links on urban arterials in the city of Charlotte, North
      Carolina was used to develop and validate models, respectively. The outputs from
      the hybrid approach are compared with the outputs from cluster-based negative
      binomial regression (NBR) and general NBR models. Findings indicate that M5' has
      high predictability and is very reliable to interpret the role of different
      attributes on crash frequency compared to other developed models.

PMID- 28632037
TI  - Construct and concurrent validity of the Cambridge neuropsychological automated
      tests in Portuguese older adults without neuropsychiatric diagnoses and with
      Alzheimer's disease dementia.
AB  - We aimed to analyze the construct and concurrent validity of the Rapid Visual
      Information Processing (RVP), Paired Associates Learning (PAL), Reaction Time
      (RTI), and Spatial Working Memory (SWM) tests from the Cambridge
      Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB(r)). Inclusion criteria were
      checked in a first session. The CANTAB and additional pencil-and-paper tests were
      administered within 1 week. The participants (aged 69-96 years) were 137
      Portuguese adults without neuropsychiatric diagnoses and 37 adults with mild-to
      moderate Alzheimer's disease dementia. Comparisons were made between the CANTAB
      tests and between these tests and the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT), Verbal
      Fluency (VF) test, and some Wechsler Memory Scale-III and Wechsler Adult
      Intelligence Scale-III subtests. Most intra-test correlations were stronger than
      the CANTAB inter-test correlations. The RVP correlated more with VF animals
      (.44), the PAL with RCFT immediate recall (-.52), the RTI with RVP mean latency
      (.42), and the SWM with Spatial Span backward (-.39).

PMID- 28632038
TI  - Spatial navigation deficits in amnestic mild cognitive impairment with
      neuropsychiatric comorbidity.
AB  - AIMS: To find out whether neuropsychiatric comorbidity (comMCI) influences
      spatial navigation performance in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).
      METHODS: We recruited aMCI patients with (n = 21) and without (n = 21)
      neuropsychiatric comorbidity or alcohol abuse, matched for global cognitive
      impairment and cognitively healthy elderly participants (HE, n = 22). They
      completed the Mini-Mental State Examination and a virtual Hidden Goal Task in
      egocentric, allocentric, and delayed recall subtests. RESULTS: In allocentric
      navigation, aMCI and comMCI performed significantly worse than HE and similarly
      to each other. Although aMCI performed significantly worse at egocentric
      navigation than HE, they performed significantly better than patients with
      comMCI. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the growing burden of dementia and the prevalence of
      neuropsychiatric symptoms in the elderly population, comMCI remains under
      studied. Since trials often assess "pure" aMCI, we may underestimate patients'
      navigation and other deficits. This finding emphasizes the importance of taking
      account of the cognitive effects of psychiatric disorders in aMCI.

PMID- 28632039
TI  - Thiocyanate: a review and evaluation of the kinetics and the modes of action for
      thyroid hormone perturbations.
AB  - Exposure of the population to thiocyanate is predominantly through the diet and
      cigarette smoke. Thiocyanate is a potential thyroid disruptor due to its capacity
      to inhibit the uptake of iodide by the thyroid. Thiocyanate also interacts with
      the enzymatic reactions associated with iodide organification and thyroid hormone
      synthesis. Quantification of the dose-response relationships of thiocyanate and
      alteration in thyroid hormone levels is important for evaluating the risk of
      exposure to thiocyanate in humans. In this review, we highlight the key whole
      body and intra-thyroidal aspects of thiocyanate kinetics in rats and its various
      modes of action for perturbing thyroid function. The inter-play between the
      various transporter- and enzyme-mediated modes of action contributes to the
      complexity in the dose-response relationship determinations for thiocyanate. We
      map the available modes of action in a mechanistic and quantitative manner.
      Findings summarized in this study can help support the development of a
      quantitative model to study the interaction effects of thiocyanate on the thyroid
      function. Additionally, the data gaps identified can help guide future
      experimental designs to characterize further thiocyanate dose-response. Finally,
      the strengths and weaknesses in current risk assessment considerations used for
      thiocyanate as a component of thyroid-active chemical mixtures are discussed.

PMID- 28632042
TI  - Lesions to the left lateral prefrontal cortex impair decision threshold
      adjustment for lexical selection.
AB  - Patients with lesions in the left prefrontal cortex (PFC) have been shown to be
      impaired in lexical selection, especially when interference between semantically
      related alternatives is increased. To more deeply investigate which computational
      mechanisms may be impaired following left PFC damage due to stroke, a
      psychometric modelling approach is employed in which we assess the cognitive
      parameters of the patients from an evidence accumulation (sequential information
      sampling) modelling of their response data. We also compare the results to
      healthy speakers. Analysis of the cognitive parameters indicates an impairment of
      the PFC patients to appropriately adjust their decision threshold, in order to
      handle the increased item difficulty that is introduced by semantic interference.
      Also, the modelling contributes to other topics in psycholinguistic theory, in
      which specific effects are observed on the cognitive parameters according to item
      familiarization, and the opposing effects of priming (lower threshold) and
      semantic interference (lower drift) which are found to depend on repetition.
      These results are developed for the blocked-cyclic picture naming paradigm, in
      which pictures are presented within semantically homogeneous (HOM) or
      heterogeneous (HET) blocks, and are repeated several times per block. Overall,
      the results are in agreement with a role of the left PFC in adjusting the
      decision threshold for lexical selection in language production.

PMID- 28632043
TI  - Simultanagnosia and object individuation.
AB  - Simultanagnosic patients have difficulty in perceiving multiple objects when
      presented simultaneously. In this review article, I discuss how
      neuropsychological research on simultanagnosia has been inspirational for two
      interconnected lines of research related to the core mechanisms by which the
      visual system processes cluttered scenes. First, I review previous studies on
      enumeration tasks indicating that, despite their inability to identify multiple
      objects, simultanagnosic patients can enumerate up to 2-3 elements as efficiently
      as healthy individuals (the so-called "subitizing" phenomenon). This intriguing
      observation is one of the first results to support the existence of an "object
      individuation" mechanism that can spatially tag a limited set of objects
      simultaneously, and resonates with recent research on the brain dynamics of
      enumeration in healthy individuals. Second, I further develop the implications of
      the dissociation between object identification and object enumeration in
      simultanagnosia specifically for the distinction between object identification
      and individuation. The latter distinction has been the subject of recent
      neuroimaging research that has provided fine-grained information on the spatial
      as well as temporal aspects of object individuation and recognition. The lessons
      learned from neuropsychological research on exact enumeration in simultanagnosia
      can be generalized to the normal functioning of the human mind, and have provided
      insightful clues for cognitive neuroscience.

PMID- 28632041
TI  - Automated volumetry of hippocampus is useful to confirm unilateral mesial
      temporal sclerosis in patients with radiologically positive findings.
AB  - Background and purpose We evaluated two methods to identify mesial temporal
      sclerosis (MTS): visual inspection by experienced epilepsy neuroradiologists
      based on structural magnetic resonance imaging sequences and automated
      hippocampal volumetry provided by a processing pipeline based on the FMRIB
      Software Library. Methods This retrospective study included patients from the
      epilepsy monitoring unit database of our institution. All patients underwent
      brain magnetic resonance imaging in 1.5T and 3T scanners with protocols that
      included thin coronal T2, T1 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and
      isometric T1 acquisitions. Two neuroradiologists with experience in epilepsy and
      blinded to clinical data evaluated magnetic resonance images for the diagnosis of
      MTS. The diagnosis of MTS based on an automated method included the calculation
      of a volumetric asymmetry index between the two hippocampi of each patient and a
      threshold value to define the presence of MTS obtained through statistical tests
      (receiver operating characteristics curve). Hippocampi were segmented for
      volumetric quantification using the FIRST tool and fslstats from the FMRIB
      Software Library. Results The final cohort included 19 patients with unilateral
      MTS (14 left side): 14 women and a mean age of 43.4 +/- 10.4 years.
      Neuroradiologists had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 73.3% to detect
      MTS (gold standard, k = 0.755). Automated hippocampal volumetry had a sensitivity
      of 84.2% and specificity of 86.7% (k = 0.704). Combined, these methods had a
      sensitivity of 84.2% and a specificity of 100% (k = 0.825). Conclusions Automated
      volumetry of the hippocampus could play an important role in temporal lobe
      epilepsy evaluation, namely on confirmation of unilateral MTS diagnosis in
      patients with radiological suggestive findings.

PMID- 28632045
TI  - Comparison of crossover and jab step start techniques for base stealing in
      baseball.
AB  - Base stealing is an important tactic for increasing the chance of scoring in
      baseball. This study aimed to compare the crossover step (CS) and jab step (JS)
      starts for base stealing start performance and to clarify the differences between
      CS and JS starts in terms of three-dimensional lower extremity joint kinetics.
      Twelve male baseball players performed CS and JS starts, during which their
      motion and the force they applied to the ground were simultaneously recorded
      using a motion-capture system and two force platforms. The results showed that
      the normalised average forward external power, the average forward-backward force
      exerted by the left leg, and the forward velocities of the whole body centre of
      gravity generated by both legs and the left leg were significantly higher for the
      JS start than for the CS start. Moreover, the positive work done by hip extension
      during the left leg push-off was two-times greater for the JS start than the CS
      start. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated that the jab step start may be
      the better technique for a base stealing start and that greater positive work
      produced by left hip extension is probably responsible for producing its larger
      forward ground reaction force.

PMID- 28632046
TI  - Targeting associated mechanisms of anterior cruciate ligament injury in female
      community-level athletes.
AB  - This study aims to determine if biomechanically informed injury prevention
      training can reduce associated factors of anterior cruciate ligament injury risk
      among a general female athletic population. Female community-level team sport
      athletes, split into intervention (n = 8) and comparison groups (n = 10),
      completed a sidestepping movement assessment prior to and following a 9-week
      training period, in which kinetic, kinematic and neuromuscular data were
      collected. The intervention group completed a biomechanically informed training
      protocol, consisting of plyometric, resistance and balance exercises, adjunct to
      normal training, for 15-20 min twice a week. Following the 9-week intervention,
      total activation of the muscles crossing the knee (n = 7) decreased for both the
      training (? -15.02%, d = 0.45) and comparison (? -9.68%, d = 0.47) groups. This
      decrease was accompanied by elevated peak knee valgus (? +27.78%, d = -0.36) and
      internal rotation moments (? +37.50%, d = -0.56) in the comparison group,
      suggesting that female community athletes are at an increased risk of injury
      after a season of play. Peak knee valgus and internal rotation knee moments among
      athletes who participated in training intervention did not change over the
      intervention period. Results suggest participation in a biomechanically informed
      training intervention may mitigate the apparent deleterious effects of community
      level sport participation.

PMID- 28632040
TI  - Engineered nanomaterial-induced lysosomal membrane permeabilization and anti
      cathepsin agents.
AB  - Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), or small anthropogenic particles approximately <
      100 nm in size and of various shapes and compositions, are increasingly
      incorporated into commercial products and used for industrial and medical
      purposes. There is an exposure risk to both the population at large and
      individuals in the workplace with inhalation exposures to ENMs being a primary
      concern. Further, there is increasing evidence to suggest that certain ENMs may
      represent a significant health risk, and many of these ENMs exhibit distinct
      similarities with other particles and fibers that are known to induce adverse
      health effects, such as asbestos, silica, and particulate matter (PM). Evidence
      regarding the importance of lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) and release
      of cathepsins in ENM toxicity has been accumulating. The aim of this review was
      to describe our current understanding of the mechanisms leading to ENM-associated
      pathologies, including LMP and the role of cathepsins with a focus on
      inflammation. In addition, anti-cathepsin agents, some of which have been tested
      in clinical trials and may prove useful for ameliorating the harmful effects of
      ENM exposure, are examined.

PMID- 28632047
TI  - Reliability and magnitude of mechanical variables assessed from unconstrained and
      constrained loaded countermovement jumps.
AB  - This study aimed to (1) assess the reliability of the force, velocity, and power
      output variables measured by a force plate and a linear velocity transducer (LVT)
      for both the unconstrained and constrained loaded countermovement jump (CMJ), and
      (2) examine the effect of both the CMJ type and the measurement method on the
      magnitudes of the same variables. Twenty-three men were tested on the free CMJ
      and the CMJ constrained by a Smith machine. Maximum values of force, velocity,
      and power were recorded by a force plate and by a LVT attached to a bar loaded by
      17, 30, 45, 60, and 75 kg. The reliability of all mechanical variables proved to
      be high (ICC > 0.70; CV < 10%) and similar for two CMJ types. However, force
      plate-derived measures displayed greater reliability than the LVT. The LVT also
      markedly overestimated the magnitudes of the mechanical variables, particularly
      at lower external loads. Therefore, although both jump types and both methods
      could be acceptable for routine testing, we recommend the force platform due to a
      higher reliability and more accurate magnitudes of the obtained variables. The
      unconstrained loaded CMJ could also be recommended due to the simpler equipment
      needed.

PMID- 28632048
TI  - Effects of structural components of artificial turf on the transmission of
      impacts in football players.
AB  - The third generation of artificial turf systems (ATS) has matched the mechanical
      behaviour of natural grass, but today a high heterogeneity at structural level
      and mechanical behaviour in the new ATS also exists. The objective was to analyse
      the effect of the structural components of ATS football pitches and running speed
      on the capacity of impact attenuation. A total of 12 athletes were evaluated at
      three speed conditions (3.33 m/s, 4 m/s and maximum speed) on four different ATS,
      classifying them by their components (length of fibre, type of in-fill and sub
      base). Impact attenuation was significantly higher in ATS3, characterised by
      longer fibre compared to other ATS with less fibre length. The ATS4 with a higher
      length fibre and built on compacted granular material proportioned significantly
      lower values in the maximum peaks of tibia acceleration. Finally, as speed
      increases, the peak tibia impacts were significantly higher. Longer fibre length
      and the capacity to accommodate a higher quantity of infill facilitate higher
      impact attenuation. Equally, a compacted granular sub-base is related to lower
      magnitude of maximum tibia peaks. Finally, the magnitude of the tibia
      acceleration peaks is dependent of running speed for all ATS analysed, being
      higher as speed increases.

PMID- 28632049
TI  - Kinematic comparison of the seoi-nage judo technique between elite and college
      athletes.
AB  - This study sought to identify biomechanical factors that determine fast and
      skilful execution of the seoi-nage (shoulder throw) technique by comparing
      kinematics between elite and college judo athletes. Three-dimensional motion data
      were captured using a VICON-MX system with 18 cameras operating at 250 Hz as
      three male elite and seven male college judo athletes performed seoi-nage. No
      significant difference was found in motion phase time of the turning phase
      between the two groups, indicating that motion phase time is not necessarily a
      factor contributing quickness in seoi-nage. The maximum relative velocity of the
      whole body centre of mass along the anterior-posterior direction was
      significantly greater in the elite athletes (2.74 +/- 0.33 m/s) than in the
      college athletes (1.62 +/- 0.47 m/s) during the turning phase (p = 0.023). The
      overall angular velocity of the body part lines, particularly the arm line,
      tended to be greater in the elite athletes (p = 0.068). The results imply that
      the velocity of the thrower relative to the opponent in the forward drive and
      turning motion reflects high skill seoi-nage. Coaches should recognise the
      relative forward velocity as a factor that may contribute to a successful seoi
      nage when teaching the judo throw technique.

PMID- 28632050
TI  - Effects of turf and cleat footwear on plantar load distributions in adolescent
      American football players during resisted pushing.
AB  - Metatarsal and midfoot injuries are common in American football. Footwear design
      may influence injury rates by altering plantar foot loading patterns in these
      regions. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cleat design on
      in-shoe plantar foot loading during a football-specific, resisted pushing task.
      Twenty competitive football players (age 14.7 +/- 1.8 years, height 1.72 +/- 0.10
      m, and mass 71.8 +/- 26.9 kg) completed three trials of pushing a weighted sled
      at maximal effort in a standard shoe (CLEAT) and artificial turf-specific shoe
      (TURF), with flexible in-shoe force measuring insoles. Repeated measures ANOVAs
      identified mean differences in maximum force and relative load under all regions
      of the foot. Results showed higher forces in the CLEAT under the medial (p <
      0.001) and lateral (p = 0.004) midfoot, central (p = 0.007) and lateral (p <
      0.001) forefoot, and lesser toes (p = 0.01), but lower forces in the hallux (p =
      0.02) compared to the TURF shoe. Additionally, relative loading was higher in the
      CLEAT under the medial (p < 0.001) and lateral (p = 0.002) midfoot and lateral (p
      < 0.001) forefoot, but lower in the medial forefoot (p = 0.006) and hallux (p <
      0.001) compared to the TURF shoe. The two shoes elicited distinct plantar loading
      profiles and may influence shoe selection decisions during injury prevention or
      rehabilitation practices.

PMID- 28632051
TI  - Quantifying coordination among the rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot segments
      during running.
AB  - Because previous studies have suggested that there is a relationship between
      injury risk and inter-segment coordination, quantifying coordination between the
      segments is essential. Even though the midfoot and forefoot segments play
      important roles in dynamic tasks, previous studies have mostly focused on
      coordination between the shank and rearfoot segments. This study aimed to
      quantify coordination among rearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot segments during
      running. Eleven healthy young men ran on a treadmill. The coupling angle,
      representing inter-segment coordination, was calculated using a modified vector
      coding technique. The coupling angle was categorised into four coordination
      patterns. During the absorption phase, rearfoot-midfoot coordination in the
      frontal planes was mostly in-phase (rearfoot and midfoot eversion with similar
      amplitudes). The present study found that the eversion of the midfoot with
      respect to the rearfoot was comparable in magnitude to the eversion of the
      rearfoot with respect to the shank. A previous study has suggested that
      disruption of the coordination between the internal rotation of the shank and
      eversion of the rearfoot leads to running injuries such as anterior knee pain.
      Thus, these data might be used in the future to compare to individuals with foot
      deformities or running injuries.

PMID- 28632052
TI  - Motor unit firing frequency of lower limb muscles during an incremental slide
      board skating test.
AB  - This study investigated how the combination of workload and fatigue affected the
      frequency components of muscle activation and possible recruitment priority of
      motor units during skating to exhaustion. Ten male competitive speed skaters
      performed an incremental maximal test on a slide board. Activation of six muscles
      from the right leg was recorded throughout the test. A time-frequency analysis
      was performed to compute overall, high, and low frequency bands from the whole
      signal at 10, 40, 70, and 90% of total test time. Overall activation increased
      for all muscles throughout the test (p < 0.05 and ES > 0.80). There was an
      increase in low frequency (90 vs. 10%, p = 0.035, ES = 1.06) and a decrease in
      high frequency (90 vs. 10%, p = 0.009, ES = 1.38, and 90 vs. 40%, p = 0.025, ES =
      1.12) components of gluteus maximus. Strong correlations were found between the
      maximal cadence and vastus lateralis, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius
      activation at the end of the test. In conclusion, the incremental skating test
      lead to an increase in activation of lower limb muscles, but only gluteus maximus
      was sensitive to changes in frequency components, probably caused by a pronounced
      fatigue.

PMID- 28632053
TI  - The effect of a secondary cognitive task on landing mechanics and jump
      performance.
AB  - Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries commonly occur during jump-landing
      tasks when individuals' attention is simultaneously allocated to other objects
      and tasks. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of
      allocation of attention imposed by a secondary cognitive task on landing
      mechanics and jump performance. Thirty-eight recreational athletes performed a
      jump-landing task in three conditions: no counting, counting backward by 1 s from
      a randomly given number, and counting backward by 7 s from a randomly given
      number. Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected
      and analysed. Participants demonstrated decreased knee flexion angles at initial
      contact (p = 0.001) for the counting by 1 s condition compared with the no
      counting condition. Participants also showed increased peak posterior and
      vertical ground reaction forces during the first 100 ms of landing (p <= 0.023)
      and decreased jump height (p < 0.001) for the counting by 1 s and counting by 7 s
      conditions compared with the no counting condition. Imposition of a simultaneous
      cognitive challenge resulted in landing mechanics associated with increased ACL
      loading and decreased jump performance. ACL injury risk screening protocols and
      injury prevention programmes may incorporate cognitive tasks into jump-landing
      tasks to better simulate sports environments.

PMID- 28632054
TI  - Middle finger and ball movements around ball release during baseball fastball
      pitching.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to investigate middle finger movements and
      dynamics of ball movements around the instant of ball release during baseball
      pitching. Baseball pitching from an indoor mound among 14 semi-professional
      pitchers was captured using a motion capture system with 16 high-speed cameras
      (1,000 Hz). Kinematics of middle finger joints, ball rotation, and force applied
      to the ball were calculated. The proximal and distal interphalangeal joints
      continued to extend until the instant of ball release, then abruptly flexed. The
      abrupt flexion lasted for only several milliseconds, followed by a short
      extension phase. The finger made a quick double cycle of extension-flexion
      movement, suggesting that it attained high stiffness resulting from co
      contraction. The ball began to roll up to the tip of the finger 8 +/- 1 ms before
      ball release owing to the start of extension or the increased angular velocity of
      extension for the proximal interphalangeal joint. A mean force of 195 +/- 27 N
      was applied in the proximal direction of the hand at the same time as the
      beginning of ball rolling, and a mean force of 109 +/- 22 N was applied to the
      throwing direction just before ball release.

PMID- 28632055
TI  - Muscle activity in sprinting: a review.
AB  - The use of electromyography (EMG) is widely recognised as a valuable tool for
      enhancing the understanding of performance drivers and potential injury risk in
      sprinting. The timings of muscle activations relative to running gait cycle
      phases and the technology used to obtain muscle activation data during sprinting
      are of particular interest to scientists and coaches. This review examined the
      main muscles being analysed by surface EMG (sEMG), their activations and timing,
      and the technologies used to gather sEMG during sprinting. Electronic databases
      were searched using 'Electromyography' OR 'EMG' AND 'running' OR 'sprinting'.
      Based on inclusion criteria, 18 articles were selected for review. While sEMG is
      widely used in biomechanics, relatively few studies have used sEMG in sprinting
      due to system constraints. The results demonstrated a focus on the leg muscles,
      with over 70% of the muscles analysed in the upper leg. This is consistent with
      the use of tethered and data logging EMG systems and many sprints being performed
      on treadmills. Through the recent advances in wireless EMG technology, an
      increase in the studies on high velocity movements such as sprinting is expected
      and this should allow practitioners to perform the analysis in an ecologically
      valid environment.

PMID- 28632056
TI  - Reliability of power and velocity variables collected during the traditional and
      ballistic bench press exercise.
AB  - This study aimed to examine the reliability of different power and velocity
      variables during the Smith machine bench press (BP) and bench press throw (BPT)
      exercises. Twenty-two healthy men conducted four testing sessions after a
      preliminary BP one-repetition maximum (1RM) test. In a counterbalanced order,
      participants performed two sessions of BP in one week and two sessions of BPT in
      another week. Mean propulsive power, peak power, mean propulsive velocity, and
      peak velocity at each tenth percentile (20-70% of 1RM) were recorded by a linear
      transducer. The within-participants coefficient of variation (CV) was higher for
      the load-power relationship compared to the load-velocity relationship in both
      the BP (5.3% vs. 4.1%; CV ratio = 1.29) and BPT (4.7% vs. 3.4%; CV ratio = 1.38).
      Mean propulsive variables showed lower reliability than peak variables in both
      the BP (5.4% vs. 4.0%, CV ratio = 1.35) and BPT (4.8% vs. 3.3%, CV ratio = 1.45).
      All variables were deemed reliable, with the peak velocity demonstrating the
      lowest within-participants CV. Based upon these findings, the peak velocity
      should be chosen for the accurate assessment of BP and BPT performance.

PMID- 28632057
TI  - Rotation sequence to report humerothoracic kinematics during 3D motion involving
      large horizontal component: application to the tennis forehand drive.
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine the respective aptitudes of three rotation
      sequences (YtXf'Yh'', ZtXf'Yh'', and XtZf'Yh'') to effectively describe the
      orientation of the humerus relative to the thorax during a movement involving a
      large horizontal abduction/adduction component: the tennis forehand drive. An
      optoelectronic system was used to record the movements of eight elite male
      players, each performing ten forehand drives. The occurrences of gimbal lock,
      phase angle discontinuity and incoherency in the time course of the three angles
      defining humerothoracic rotation were examined for each rotation sequence. Our
      results demonstrated that no single sequence effectively describes humerothoracic
      motion without discontinuities throughout the forehand motion. The humerothoracic
      joint angles can nevertheless be described without singularities when considering
      the backswing/forward-swing and the follow-through phases separately. Our
      findings stress that the sequence choice may have implications for the report and
      interpretation of 3D joint kinematics during large shoulder range of motion.
      Consequently, the use of Euler/Cardan angles to represent 3D orientation of the
      humerothoracic joint in sport tasks requires the evaluation of the rotation
      sequence regarding singularity occurrence before analysing the kinematic data,
      especially when the task involves a large shoulder range of motion in the
      horizontal plane.

PMID- 28632058
TI  - Assessment of model-based image-matching for future reconstruction of unhelmeted
      sport head impact kinematics.
AB  - Player-to-player contact inherent in many unhelmeted sports means that head
      impacts are a frequent occurrence. Model-Based Image-Matching (MBIM) provides a
      technique for the assessment of three-dimensional linear and rotational motion
      patterns from multiple camera views of a head impact event, but the accuracy is
      unknown for this application. The goal of this study is to assess the accuracy of
      the MBIM method relative to reflective marker-based motion analysis data for
      estimating six degree of freedom head displacements and velocities in a staged
      pedestrian impact scenario at 40 km/h. Results showed RMS error was under 20 mm
      for all linear head displacements and 0.01-0.04 rad for head rotations. For
      velocities, the MBIM method yielded RMS errors between 0.42 and 1.29 m/s for head
      linear velocities and 3.53-5.38 rad/s for angular velocities. This method is thus
      beneficial as a tool to directly measure six degree of freedom head positional
      data from video of sporting head impacts, but velocity data is less reliable.
      MBIM data, combined in future with velocity/acceleration data from wearable
      sensors could be used to provide input conditions and evaluate the outputs of
      multibody and finite element head models for brain injury assessment of sporting
      head impacts.

PMID- 28632059
TI  - Confidence crisis of results in biomechanics research.
AB  - Many biomechanics studies have small sample sizes and incorrect statistical
      analyses, so reporting of inaccurate inferences and inflated magnitude of effects
      are common in the field. This review examines these issues in biomechanics
      research and summarises potential solutions from research in other fields to
      increase the confidence in the experimental effects reported in biomechanics.
      Authors, reviewers and editors of biomechanics research reports are encouraged to
      improve sample sizes and the resulting statistical power, improve reporting
      transparency, improve the rigour of statistical analyses used, and increase the
      acceptance of replication studies to improve the validity of inferences from data
      in biomechanics research. The application of sports biomechanics research results
      would also improve if a larger percentage of unbiased effects and their
      uncertainty were reported in the literature.

PMID- 28632060
TI  - The collision forces and lower-extremity inter-joint coordination during running.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the lower extremity inter-joint
      coordination of different collision forces runners during running braking phase.
      A dynamical system approach was used to analyse the inter-joint coordination
      parameters. Data were collected with six infra-red cameras and two force plates.
      According to the impact peak of the vertical ground reaction force, twenty
      habitually rearfoot-strike runners were categorised into three groups: high
      collision forces runners (HF group, n = 8), medium collision forces runners (MF
      group, n = 5), and low collision forces runners (LF group, n = 7). There were no
      significant differences among the three groups in the ankle and knee joint angle
      upon landing and in the running velocity (p > 0.05). The HF group produced
      significantly smaller deviation phase (DP) of the hip flexion/extension-knee
      flexion/extension during the braking phase compared with the MF and LF groups (p
      < 0.05). The DP of the hip flexion/extension-knee flexion/extension during the
      braking phase correlated negatively with the collision force (p < 0.05). The
      disparities regarding the flexibility of lower extremity inter-joint coordination
      were found in high collision forces runners. The efforts of the inter-joint
      coordination and the risk of running injuries need to be clarified further.

PMID- 28632061
TI  - The effect of unilateral arm swing motion on lower extremity running mechanics
      associated with injury risk.
AB  - Many field sports involve equipment that restricts one or both arms from moving
      while running. Arm swing during running has been examined from a biomechanical
      and physiologic perspective but not from an injury perspective. Moreover, only
      bilateral arm swing suppression has been studied with respect to running. The
      purpose of this study was to determine the influence of running with one arm
      restrained on lower extremity mechanics associated with running or sport-related
      injury. Fifteen healthy participants ran at a self-selected speed with typical
      arm swing, with one arm restrained and with both arms restrained. Lower extremity
      kinematics and spatiotemporal measures were analysed for all arm swing
      conditions. Running with one arm restrained resulted in increased frontal plane
      knee and hip angles, decreased foot strike angle, and decreased centre of mass
      vertical displacement compared to typical arm swing or bilateral arm swing
      restriction. Stride length was decreased and step frequency increased when
      running with one or both arms restrained. Unilateral arm swing restriction
      induces changes in lower extremity kinematics that are not similar to running
      with bilateral arm swing restriction or typical arm swing motion. Running with
      one arm restrained increases frontal plane mechanics associated with risk of knee
      injury.

PMID- 28632062
TI  - Skeleton sled velocity profiles: a novel approach to understand critical aspects
      of the elite athletes' start phases.
AB  - The development of velocity across the skeleton start is critical to performance,
      yet poorly understood. We aimed to understand which components of the sled
      velocity profile determine performance and how physical abilities influence these
      components. Thirteen well-trained skeleton athletes (>85% of athletes in the
      country) performed dry-land push-starts alongside countermovement jump and sprint
      tests at multiple time-points. A magnet encoder attached to the sled wheel
      provided velocity profiles, which were characterised using novel performance
      descriptors. Stepwise regression revealed four variables (pre-load velocity, pre
      load distance, load effectiveness, velocity drop) to explain 99% variance in
      performance (beta weights: 1.70, -0.81, 0.25, -0.07, respectively). Sprint times
      and jump ability were associated (r +/- 90% CI) with pre-load velocity (-0.70 +/-
      0.27 and 0.88 +/- 0.14, respectively) and distance (-0.48 +/- 0.39 and 0.67 +/-
      0.29, respectively), however, unclear relationships between both physical
      measures and load effectiveness (0.33 +/- 0.44 and -0.35 +/- 0.48, respectively)
      were observed. Athletes should develop accelerative ability to attain higher
      velocity earlier on the track. Additionally, the loading phase should not be
      overlooked and may be more influenced by technique than physical factors. Future
      studies should utilise this novel approach when evaluating skeleton starts or
      interventions to enhance performance.

PMID- 28632063
TI  - Kinetic analysis of the lower limbs in baseball tee batting.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of the ground reaction
      forces on the rotation of the body as a whole and on the joint torques of the
      lower limbs associated with trunk and pelvic rotation in baseball tee batting. A
      total of 22 male collegiate baseball players participated in this study. Three
      dimensional coordinate data were acquired by a motion capture system (250 Hz),
      and ground reaction forces of both legs were measured with three force platforms
      (1,000 Hz). Kinetic data were used to calculate the moment about the vertical
      axis through the body's centre of mass resulting from ground reaction forces, as
      well as to calculate the torque and mechanical work in the lower limb joints. The
      lateral/medial ground reaction force generated by both legs resulted in the large
      whole body moment about its vertical axis. The joint torques of flexion/extension
      of both hips, adduction of the stride hip and extension of the stride knee
      produced significantly larger mechanical work than did the other joint torques.
      To obtain high bat-head speed, the batter should push both legs in the
      lateral/medial direction by utilising both hips and stride knee torques so as to
      increase the whole body rotation.

PMID- 28632064
TI  - The effectiveness of front fork systems at damping accelerations during isolated
      aspects specific to cross-country mountain biking.
AB  - Cross-country mountain bike suspension reportedly enhances comfort and
      performance through reduced vibration and impact exposure. This study analysed
      the effectiveness of three different front fork systems at damping accelerations
      during the crossing of three isolated obstacles (stairs, drop, and root). One
      participant completed three trials on six separate occasions in a randomised
      order using rigid, air-sprung, and carbon leaf-sprung forks. Performance was
      determined by time to cross obstacles, while triaxial accelerometers quantified
      impact exposure and damping response. Results identified significant main effect
      of fork type for performance time (p < 0.05). The air-sprung and leaf-sprung
      forks were significantly slower than the rigid forks for the stairs (p < 0.05),
      while air-sprung suspension was slower than the rigid for the root protocol (p <
      0.05). There were no differences for the drop protocol (p < 0.05). Rigid forks
      reduced overall exposure (p < 0.05), specifically at the handlebars for the
      stairs and drop trials. More detailed analysis presented smaller vertical
      accelerations at the handlebar for air-sprung and leaf-sprung forks on the stairs
      (p < 0.05), and drop (p < 0.05) but not the root. As such, it appears that the
      suspension systems tested were ineffective at reducing overall impact exposure at
      the handlebar during isolated aspects of cross-country terrain features which may
      be influenced to a larger extent by rider technique.

PMID- 28632065
TI  - Muscle activation sequencing of leg muscles during linear glide shot putting.
AB  - In the shot put, the athlete's muscles are responsible for generating the
      impulses to move the athlete and project the shot into the air. Information on
      phasic muscle activity is lacking for the glide shot put event and therefore
      important technical information for coaches is not currently available. This
      study provides an electromyography (EMG) analysis of the muscle activity of the
      legs during shot put. Fifteen right-handed Irish national level shot putters
      performed six maximum effort throws using the glide shot put technique. EMG
      records of eight bilateral lower limb muscles (rectus femoris, biceps femoris,
      medial- and lateral-gastrocnemius) were obtained during trials. Analysis using
      smooth EMG linear envelopes revealed patterns of muscle activity across the
      phases of the throw and compare men and women performers. The results showed that
      the preferred leg rectus femoris, the preferred leg biceps femoris and the non
      preferred leg biceps femoris play important roles in the glide technique, with
      the total duration of high volumes of activity between 34 and 53% of the throw
      cycle. A comprehensive understanding of movement and muscle activation patterns
      for coaches could be helpful to facilitate optimal technique throughout each of
      the key phases of the event.

PMID- 28632066
TI  - Differences in trunk and thigh muscle strength, endurance and thickness between
      elite sailors and non-sailors.
AB  - Dinghy sailors lean their upper body over the windward side of the boat
      ('hiking') to keep the boat's balance and maximise its speed. Sustaining the
      hiking position is essential for competitive performance and this study examined
      sport-specific differences of muscles relevant for hiking in elite sailors. Knee
      extensor muscle strength as well as trunk muscle strength, muscle endurance and
      muscle thickness were assessed in elite dinghy sailors (n = 15) and compared to
      matched, non-sailing controls (n = 15). Isometric extensor strength was
      significantly higher in sailors at 60 degrees  (+14%) but not at 20 degrees  knee
      flexion. Sailors showed significantly higher trunk flexor (but not extensor)
      strength under isometric (+18%) and eccentric (+11%) conditions, which was
      associated to greater muscle thickness (rectus abdominis +40%; external oblique
      +26%) and higher endurance for ventral (+66%) and lateral (+61%) muscle chains
      compared to non-sailors. Greater muscles thickness and the particular
      biomechanical requirements to maintain the hiking position may drive the
      increases in isometric and eccentric muscle strength as well as ventral and
      lateral trunk endurance. The current findings identified sport-specific muscle
      function differences and provide performance benchmarks for muscle strength and
      endurance in elite sailors.

PMID- 28632071
TI  - Impact of serious mental illness online training for certified nursing assistants
      in long term care.
AB  - Certified nurse assistants (CNAs) spend the most staff time with nursing home
      residents, yet they receive little training in addressing the mental health needs
      of residents with serious mental illness (SMI). Forty CNAs from four long-term
      care facilities took the online interactive CARES-(r) Serious Mental IllnessTM
      training consisting of two modules guided by the Recovery Movement philosophy of
      care. Responses from pre-post testing, Likert-type items, and open-ended
      questions indicated that CNAs gained information, changed their perspectives, and
      had more confidence in dealing with SMI. Although there were minor concerns
      regarding length, clarity of content, and technical issues, CNAs found the online
      format acceptable and easy to use, and many said they would recommend the
      training. CARES Serious Mental Illness online training appears to be a viable way
      of helping CNAs address the mental health needs of long term care residents.
      Additional testing on CARES Serious Mental Illness is planned.

PMID- 28632072
TI  - Maternal obesity, obstetric interventions and post-partum anaemia increase the
      risk of post-partum sepsis: a population-based cohort study based on Swedish
      medical health registers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective was to estimate whether maternal obesity and/or
      obstetric interventions are associated with diagnosed maternal post-partum
      sepsis. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study including all
      deliveries in Sweden between 1997 and 2012 (N = 1,558,752). Cases of sepsis (n =
      376) were identified by International Classification of Diseases, (ICD-10) codes
      A40, A41 and O 85 in the Medical Birth Register and the National Patient
      Register. The reference population was non-infected, and therefore, women with
      any other infection diagnosis and/or with dispensed antibiotics within eight
      weeks post-partum were excluded. Information on dispensed drugs was available in
      the prescribed drug Register. Women with sepsis were compared with non-infected
      women concerning maternal characteristics and obstetric interventions. Adjusted
      odds ratios (aOR) were determined using the Mantel-Haenszel technique.
      Adjustments were made for maternal age, parity and smoking. RESULTS: Obese women
      (body mass index >=30) had a doubled risk of sepsis (3.6/10,000) compared with
      normal weight women (2.0/10,000) (aOR 1.85 (95%CI: 1.37-2.48)). Induction of
      labour (aOR 1.44 (95%CI: 1.09-1.91)), caesarean section overall (aOR 3.06 (95%CI:
      2.49-3.77)) and elective caesarean section (aOR 2.41 (95%CI: 1.68-3.45))
      increased the risk of sepsis compared with normal vaginal delivery. Post-partum
      anaemia due to acute blood loss was associated with maternal sepsis (aOR 3.40
      (95%CI: 2.59-4.47)). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal obesity, obstetric interventions and
      post-partum anaemia due to acute blood loss increased the risk of diagnosed post
      partum sepsis indicating that interventions in obstetric care should be
      considered carefully and anaemia should be treated if resources are available.

PMID- 28632073
TI  - Clinical Characteristics and Laparoscopic Treatment of Supravesical Hernia.
AB  - AIM: Inguinal hernias may be direct or indirect, and supravesical hernias, a
      subtype of inguinal hernias, are often mistaken as direct hernias as their
      symptoms are similar. The purpose of this study was to describe the
      characteristics of supravesical hernias and to introduce a minimally invasive
      surgical method as a treatment for supravesical hernias. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Thirty-seven patients with supravesical hernias were treated using laparoscopic
      herniorrhaphy and wall defect suture with a mesh implant from September 2012 to
      December 2016 at Damsoyu hospital, Seoul, Korea. Patient characteristics and
      surgical outcomes were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: All 37 patients were
      men with external supravesical hernias. The mean age was 55.3 (range 32-79)
      years; 23 patients had right-sided, 12 had left-sided, and 2 had bilateral
      hernias. Comorbidities included lipoma (7/37), contralateral indirect hernia
      (1/37), and contralateral direct hernia (14/37). No recurrences were reported at
      the end of the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic transabdominal defect
      closure with a mesh implant herniorrhaphy seems to be an effective, minimally
      invasive treatment option for supravesical hernia.

PMID- 28632074
TI  - Isopropyl Alcohol Swabs as a Preferred Substance of Abuse.
AB  - The authors describe the treatment of a 36-year-old woman who presented with
      excessive consumption of antiseptic alcohol swabs. Her behavior was diagnosed as
      a severe substance use disorder with isopropyl alcohol as the primary drug of
      choice. Diagnostic and treatment challenges involved in the case are discussed in
      detail, with particular focus on the differential diagnosis for this unusual
      presentation, including obsessive compulsive disorder, pica, and intentional self
      injurious behavior. A brief review of the literature on non-ethanol ingestion for
      the purposes of intoxication is included, as well as clinical information about
      the potential dangers posed by isopropyl alcohol consumption.

PMID- 28632075
TI  - "Is Marijuana Even a Drug?" A Qualitative Study of How Teens View Marijuana Use
      and Why They Use It.
AB  - This qualitative study examines how youth in the San Francisco Bay Area perceive
      marijuana and their motives for using or not using marijuana. Current regular
      users were more likely to perceive marijuana smoking as an enjoyable activity,
      comparable to a hobby or sport. Current occasional users commonly reported
      smoking marijuana when it was offered to them, on special occasions, and
      sometimes as a result of not wanting to be left out. Most former regular users
      reported quitting marijuana use due to getting into trouble, being ordered into
      drug treatment and/or being drug tested. Former occasional users mostly reported
      that they did not like the somatic effects of marijuana and did not feel it
      enhanced their social interactions or activities. Teens who reported never having
      used marijuana did so out of concerns for their health. Except for never-users,
      marijuana was seen as safe to use. Teens mentioned the widespread use of
      marijuana by people they know and legalization for medical and recreational use
      as evidence that marijuana is not harmful. The findings suggest that
      normalization of marijuana use is taking place. Differences in motives for and
      against marijuana use should be taken into consideration when designing
      interventions and prevention messages.

PMID- 28632076
TI  - Association of OPRD1 Gene Variants with Opioid Dependence in Addicted Male
      Individuals Undergoing Methadone Treatment in the North of Iran.
AB  - Genetic association of rs678849 along with neuroimaging and biomarker phenotypes,
      parallel with the known involvements of the OPRD1 in drug abuse, provided
      additional support for targeting these receptors as potential therapeutic targets
      in both neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiactric disorders such as
      Alzheimer's disease. Samples were selected among 202 opium-addicted participants
      undergoing methadone treatment and 202 healthy controls. Genomic DNA of all
      subjects was extracted from whole blood samples through a Salting Out procedure.
      Four variants (rs678849, 2236857, 2236855, and 760589) were genotyped in the
      studied subjects using ARMS-PCR. The analysis was performed using SNPalyze and
      SPSS ver.20 software. According to single locus analysis, rs678849 under dominant
      model (p < 0.001), rs2236857 under recessive model (p = 0.006), and the two
      variants, rs2236855 and rs760589 under co-dominant model, showed significant
      contributions between groups (p = 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively). rs2236855
      was associated with the development of libido dysfunction in opium-addicted
      patients undergoing methadone treatment (p = 0.011). Through haplotype analyses,
      five haplotypes with frequency of more than 5% displayed significant association
      with opioid dependence in study participants. In conclusion, the four studied
      OPRD1 gene variants and their haplotypes can play important roles in
      susceptibility to opioid dependence.

PMID- 28632077
TI  - Medical Cannabis in Serbia: The Survey of Knowledge and Attitudes in an Urban
      Adult Population.
AB  - There are some indices in which legalization of medical cannabis in the Republic
      of Serbia might be considered. The purpose of this research was to assess
      knowledge and attitudes towards medical cannabis in an urban adult population.
      This cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2015 and January 2016. A
      convenience sample of study participants comprised users of the Community Health
      Center. A total of 360 adults were invited to participate. Data were collected
      through an anonymous questionnaire. Most participants (77.1%) answered correctly
      that cancer was indicative of medical cannabis treatment, while the remaining
      conditions were less frequently recognized. A total of 42% answered correctly
      that adverse effects of cannabis were hallucinations and dizziness. Persons who
      previously used cannabis were more knowledgeable on conditions for medical
      cannabis treatment (rho = 0.155; p = 0.006). Study respondents expressed positive
      attitude towards legalization of medical cannabis (median 5 out of 5) and
      negative towards legalization of recreational cannabis (median 2 out of 5). In
      conclusion, the adult population in Belgrade had some knowledge of medical
      cannabis. The overall attitude of our population regarding legalization of
      medical cannabis was positive, while the attitude towards legalization of
      cannabis for recreational purposes was negative.

PMID- 28632078
TI  - "Less than a Vapor": Positioning Black lesbian women in history teacher
      education.
AB  - In this article, I discuss the possibilities and implications of centering Black
      lesbian identities and relationships in history teacher education through a case
      study with one straight Black woman preservice history teacher named Danitra.
      Danitra's understanding and navigation of historical research on Black lesbians
      are discussed in relation to core themes of lesbian historiography and
      emancipatory historiography. Though the literature on this group is limited, I
      argue that critical considerations of Black lesbians' interests and experiences
      help educators to conceive of and teach about history, citizenship, justice, and
      sexuality in more liberatory ways. I conclude by offering recommendations to
      history teachers and teacher educators who hope to draw on lesbian and
      emancipatory historiographies to challenge discourses of invisibility in history
      teacher education classrooms.

PMID- 28632079
TI  - "No there is nothing wrong with your eyes, my letterhead is indeed crooked": An
      introduction to the study of Black and Brown lesbian educators.
AB  - To date, there is a noticeable lack of studies that focus exclusively on the
      pedagogical practices, teaching experiences, identity, and gender performances of
      Black and Brown lesbian educators (BBLE). This special issue of the Journal of
      Lesbian Studies aims to make the hyperinvisibility of BBLE visible and proposes
      to fill this scholarly gap by exploring this topic from a variety of cultural and
      disciplinary perspectives.

PMID- 28632080
TI  - Lesbian disclosure and health care seeking in the United States: A replication
      study.
AB  - The current study explored factors associated with lesbian disclosure to health
      care providers (HCPs) and engagement in preventative health behaviors by
      replicating and extending a Canadian path analysis study with a sample of U.S.
      lesbians. Both patient (education, feminism, global outness, and internalized
      homophobia) and HCP-related (lesbian-friendly HCPs and patient comfort) factors
      were either directly or indirectly associated with disclosure and engagement in
      preventative health behaviors, including avoidance of health-compromising
      behaviors (e.g., smoking) and health care seeking. Importantly, findings suggest
      that HCPs-particularly those who are inclusive of lesbian patients-may play a
      role in assuaging their patients' experiences of minority stress. Overall, the
      findings were similar to those originally reported in the Canadian study, with
      the exception of internalized homophobia playing a more visible role in the
      current study.

PMID- 28632081
TI  - Meeting other moms: Lesbian adoptive mothers' relationships with other parents at
      school and beyond.
AB  - Little research has examined the friendships of lesbian parents, especially
      within the context of children's schools. This study of 40 lesbian adoptive
      parents (20 couples) focused on their relationships with other parents in the
      school community and how sexual orientation, race, and class dynamics impacted
      these relationships. Half of the participants described friendships with parents
      at the school, sometimes in spite of demographic differences, whereas others felt
      disconnected due to these differences. Outside of school, most participants
      reported friendships with other lesbian/gay parents. Parents who felt less
      connected to other parents at school tended to describe more lesbian/gay parent
      connections. Findings highlight the impact of life stage and context in shaping
      friendship patterns among lesbian parents.

PMID- 28632082
TI  - The alpha-helix alignment of proteins in water solution toward a high-frequency
      electromagnetic field: A FTIR spectroscopy study.
AB  - The aim of this article was to study the effects of mobile phone electromagnetic
      waves at 1750 MHz on the Amide I and Amide II vibration bands of some proteins in
      bidistilled water solution by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)
      spectroscopy and Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) analysis. The proteins that
      were used for the experiment were hemoglobin, myoglobin, bovine serum albumin and
      lysozyme. The exposure system consisted of microwaves emitted by an operational
      mobile phone at the frequency at 1750 MHz at the average power density of 1 W/m2.
      Exposed and control samples were analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy and FSD
      analysis. The main result was that Amide I band of the proteins that were used
      increased significantly (p < 0.05) after 4 h of exposure to MWs, whereas Amide II
      band did not change significantly. This result can be explained assuming that the
      alpha-helix structure of the proteins aligned itself with the direction of the
      electromagnetic field due to the alignment of C = O stretching and N - H bending
      ligands that are oriented along with the alpha-helix axis that give rise to the
      Amide I mode.

PMID- 28632087
TI  - Psychopathology and expressed emotion in parents of patients with eating
      disorders: Relation to patient symptom severity.
AB  - The purpose of the current study was to examine the relation between parental
      psychopathology, parental expressed emotion, and patient symptom severity. One
      hundred twenty-six parents of 79 patients receiving treatment for an eating
      disorder completed measures of expressed emotion and general psychopathology, and
      patients completed a measure of eating disorder psychopathology. Mothers reported
      higher expressed emotion scores than fathers. Both mothers and fathers scored
      higher on general psychopathology compared to nonpatient population means.
      Maternal psychopathology was found to be associated with symptom severity.
      Parental psychopathology and expressed emotion were found to be related, and
      MANCOVAs revealed that maternal criticism and maternal psychopathology were
      associated with patient symptom severity, but fathers' scores on the same
      measures were not. It is recommended that parental expressed emotion and parental
      psychopathology are assessed at the beginning of treatment so that appropriate
      clinical interventions can be utilized.

PMID- 28632083
TI  - Patient Reported Outcome Measure of Spiritual Care as Delivered by Chaplains.
AB  - Chaplains are employed by health organizations around the world to support
      patients in recognizing and addressing their spiritual needs. There is currently
      no generalizable measure of the impact of these interventions and so the clinical
      and strategic worth of chaplaincy is difficult to articulate. This article
      introduces the Scottish PROM, an original five-item patient reported outcome
      measure constructed specifically to address this gap. It describes the validation
      process from its conceptual grounding in the spiritual care literature through
      face and content validity cycles. It shows that the Scottish PROM is internally
      consistent and unidimensional. Responses to the Scottish PROM show strong
      convergent validity with responses to the Warwick and Edinburgh Mental Well-Being
      Scale, a generic well-being scale often used as a proxy for spiritual well-being.
      In summary, the Scottish PROM is fit for purpose. It measures the outcomes of
      spiritual care as delivered by chaplains in this study. This novel project
      introduces an essential and original breakthrough; the possibility of
      generalizable international chaplaincy research.

PMID- 28632088
TI  - The Association of Daytime Maternal Napping and Exercise With Nighttime Sleep in
      First-Time Mothers Between 3 and 6 Months Postpartum.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship of daytime maternal napping,
      exercise, caffeine, and alcohol intake to objective and subjective sleep indices.
      PARTICIPANTS: Sixty healthy, nondepressed, first-time mothers between 3 and 6
      months postpartum. METHODS: Seven consecutive days of online behavior diaries,
      sleep diaries, and wrist actigraphy, collecting Total Sleep Time (TST), Sleep
      Onset Latency (SOL), and Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO). RESULTS: After
      controlling for infant age, employment status, infant feeding method, and infant
      sleeping location, mixed linear models showed that longer average exercise
      durations were associated with longer average TST, and longer average nap
      durations were associated with longer average WASO durations. Significant within
      person differences in TST and SOL were also observed, such that, on days when
      participants exercised and napped longer than average, their respective TST and
      SOL durations that night were longer. CONCLUSION: Shorter nap durations and
      longer exercise durations were associated with longer TST, shorter SOL, and
      reduced WASO. Even small changes in daily exercise and napping behaviors could
      lead to reliable improvements in postpartum maternal sleep.

PMID- 28632089
TI  - Older lesbians receiving home care: formal and informal dimensions of caregiving.
AB  - Older lesbians face the triple jeopardy of ageism, sexism, and heterosexism, and
      their experiences are largely invisible. This qualitative, exploratory study
      examines the formal and informal caregiving experiences of 20 lesbians, 65 and
      older, who had utilized home care services due to acute illness or chronic
      disabilities. Half of those not partnered reported some level of isolation from
      support networks. Nearly all study participants eventually found home care
      workers with whom they were satisfied and even quite connected. Practice
      implications are discussed in context of study participants' views of how being
      lesbian affects their aging process and day-to-day lives.

PMID- 28632090
TI  - From the Editor.

PMID- 28632091
TI  - A phenomenological study of romantic love for women in late life.
AB  - Romantic love in late life is often beneficial, though not without challenges.
      Financial concerns and objections of adult children can interfere with a late
      life individual's decision to commit to a romantic relationship. In this study,
      the experience of romantic love for women who enter committed relationships in
      later life was examined. Fourteen women between the ages of 65 and 84 who had
      lived the experience of romantic love in late life were interviewed. By using
      Moustakas's qualitative Transcendental Phenomenological method, several themes
      emerged to provide a description of the phenomena. These themes included openness
      to experience, attraction, commitment, adjournment, and generativity. According
      to the findings of this study, women in late life who form committed romantic
      love relationships negate the physical and emotional effects of loneliness
      brought about by bereavement or single status in late-life women. In addition,
      this study found these women were attracted to partners to fulfill their needs
      for love, esteem, spiritual connection, and self-actualization.

PMID- 28632092
TI  - Unscripted: Exploring representations of older unpartnered women's sexuality.
AB  - Images of sexually active women beyond the age of 50 are lacking in popular
      culture and in particular on television. Dominant sexual scripts depict older
      women as generally asexual. The television program Hot in Cleveland features
      unpartnered midlife and older women as main characters. In this article, based on
      analysis of four seasons of Hot in Cleveland, we look closely at portrayals of
      sexual activity to see whether they underscore dominant sexual scripts mocking
      older women's sexual interest, position aging as sexual decline, or reinforce the
      narrative of "successful" aging/aging as progress. We find that women are
      depicted as desirable and desiring, counter to the narrative of aging as sexual
      decline. Hot in Cleveland thus provides sexual scripts for older women and
      reinforces the idea of lifelong sexual desire.

PMID- 28632093
TI  - Allergic contact dermatitis from ophthalmics.
AB  - In this article we summarize the recently described allergens responsible for
      allergic contact dermatitis due to ophthalmic drugs and contact lens solutions,
      and emphaage the need on how to perform diagnostic testing in this special
      clinical entity.

PMID- 28632094
TI  - The interactive effects of social support and physical functioning on HIV medical
      outcomes among African Americans whom inject drugs.
AB  - Research suggests a syndemic of substance use, mental illness, and familial
      conflict is associated with poor HIV medical outcomes among African American
      persons living with HIV (PLHIV). Social support may facilitate positive health
      outcomes. This study explores psychosocial correlates of HIV medical outcomes,
      defined as undetectable viral load (UVL) and acute care minimization. Data were
      from baseline of the BEACON study (N = 351). UVL was <=40 copies/mL. Acute care
      minimization was defined as no ER visits and/or hospitalizations in 6 months.
      Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were implemented (N = 351).
      Moderate syndemic burden was associated with viral suppression. Individuals with
      main partner caregivers had 35% higher likelihood of viral suppression than
      individuals whose main supporters were neither kin nor main partners (adjusted
      point-prevalence rate ratio [APR] = 1.35; 95% CI [1.05, 1.74]). Surprisingly,
      individuals with more health-related support were more likely to use acute care
      than individuals with less health-related support (p<.05). Interaction analyses
      showed that physical function modified the relationship between main supporter
      type and acute care minimization. Results suggest that social support receipt was
      not consistently associated with HIV medical outcomes. Conversely, higher
      syndemic burden may have facilitated positive outcomes through necessitating
      increased rates of health care engagement. Health care professionals should
      elicit discussion of social support to strengthen PLHIVs' and their supporters'
      relationships to improve their health. Results highlight the need for culturally
      tailored interventions to improve HIV medical outcomes among African American
      PLHIV substance users.

PMID- 28632095
TI  - Transgressing gender norms in addiction treatment: Transgender rights to access
      within gender-segregated facilities.
AB  - Despite having disproportionately high rates of substance use disorder and co
      occurring health and mental health issues compared to the general population,
      transgender individuals experience significant barriers to accessing and engaging
      in addiction treatment programs. Inpatient addiction treatment centers were
      originally designed to treat substance-dependent heterosexual cisgender
      populations and, as such, feature gender-segregated housing, bathrooms, and
      treatment sessions. The heteronormative structural and programmatic barriers,
      combined with exposures to stigmatic and prejudicial attitudes, may dissuade
      transgender populations from benefiting from the addiction treatment they so
      direly need. The purpose of this article is to examine the current policy debate
      surrounding the rights of transgender individuals in public accommodations in the
      context of inpatient addiction treatment centers.

PMID- 28632096
TI  - Racial/ethnic differences in life-course heavy drinking from adolescence to
      midlife.
AB  - Information on heavy drinking over the life course might help to explain
      racial/ethnic disparities in alcohol-related problems, morbidity, and mortality.
      Using data from the 2009-2010 U.S. National Alcohol Survey (n = 3,026), we
      analyzed retrospective decades-based measures of heavy drinking during
      respondents' teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s. Results indicate that Latino men and
      African American women have greater risk for persistent-high (vs. declining)
      heavy-drinking trajectories than Caucasian men and women, and that socioeconomic
      disadvantage partly accounts for this disparity in women. Prospective
      longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these results and to elucidate the
      relationship of life-course heavy-drinking patterns with health-related outcomes,
      and disparities in these.

PMID- 28632097
TI  - The moderating effect of neighborhood sense of community on predictors of
      substance use among Hispanic urban youth.
AB  - Hispanic adolescents represent a disproportionate number of youth living in urban
      communities. These youth confront significant social problems that increase their
      likelihood for substance use. However, youth that have a greater neighborhood
      sense of community are postulated, through empowerment theory, to be less
      influenced by negative environmental experiences and less inclined to engage in
      drug and alcohol use. We examine the moderating effect neighborhood SOC has on
      predictors of substance use among Hispanic (N = 538) urban youth in low- (n =
      246) and high-conflict homes (n = 292). Using logistic regression analysis and a
      plotting technique to examine interaction effects, we explore these relationships
      and provide recommendations for practice and prevention.

PMID- 28632098
TI  - Utility and accuracy of perceptual voice and speech distinctions in the diagnosis
      of Parkinson's disease, PSP and MSA-P.
AB  - AIM: To determine if perceptual speech measures distinguish people with
      Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy with predominant parkinsonism
      (MSA-P) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). METHODS: Speech-language
      therapists blind to patient characteristics employed clinical rating scales to
      evaluate speech/voice in 24 people with clinically diagnosed PD, 17 with PSP and
      9 with MSA-P, matched for disease duration (mean 4.9 years, standard deviation
      2.2). RESULTS: No consistent intergroup differences appeared on specific
      speech/voice variables. People with PD were significantly less impaired on
      overall speech/voice severity. Analyses by severity suggested further
      investigation around laryngeal, resonance and fluency changes may characterize
      individual groups. CONCLUSION: MSA-P and PSP compared with PD were distinguished
      by severity of speech/voice deterioration, but individual speech/voice parameters
      failed to consistently differentiate groups.

PMID- 28632099
TI  - How Working With a Helpful Versus Less Helpful Confederate Influences Joint
      Action in a Pegboard Task.
AB  - Actors change their movement strategies to complement a coactor's movements when
      performing cooperative tasks. To further investigate this topic, the authors
      designed a pegboard task whereby a participant-confederate pair worked together
      to move a peg from one side of the board to the other. The authors examined how
      the experience of working with a helpful confederate versus less helpful
      confederate influenced the participant's movement behavior. Results provide
      evidence that participants change their movement behaviors in response to the
      actions of the confederate. Here the human capacity to act in such a manner
      exemplifies an individual's ability to utilize his or her own action system to
      understand others and interact to complete joint action tasks. Individuals appear
      to adapt their behavior to their experiences, and thus may be helpful in some
      contexts and less helpful in others.

PMID- 28632100
TI  - When an Object Appears Unexpectedly: Object Circumvention in Adults.
AB  - Obstacles often appear unexpectedly in our pathway and these require us to make
      immediate adjustments. Despite how regularly we encounter such situations only
      few studies have considered how we adjust to unexpected obstacles in the pathway
      that require us to walk around them. The authors considered how adults adjust to
      the possibility of an obstacle appearing and then also how foot placement is
      adjusted to circumvent an obstacle. Fifteen healthy adults walked down an 11-m
      walkway, initially they were told this was a clear pathway and nothing in the
      environment would change (no gate), they then performed a series of trials in
      which a gate may (gate close) or may not (gate open) partially obstruct their
      pathway. The authors found that mediolateral trunk velocity and acceleration was
      significantly increased when there was the possibility of an obstacle but before
      the obstacle appeared. This demonstrates an adaptive walking strategy that seems
      to enable healthy young adults to successfully circumvent obstacles. The authors
      also categorized foot placement adjustments and found that adults favored making
      shorter and wider steps away from the obstacle. They suggest this combination of
      adjustments allows participants to maintain stability while successfully
      circumventing the obstacle.

PMID- 28632102
TI  - Effect of Transient Perturbations of Short-Term Memory on Target-Directed Blind
      Locomotion.
AB  - It is difficult to walk without vision to a nearby destination if there is a time
      delay between watching the destination and walking toward it. Indeed, path
      deviation occurred when delays were introduced before initiating straight ahead
      blindfolded walking (R. A. Tyrrell, K. K., Rudolph, B. G., Eggers, & H. W.
      Leibowitz, 1993 ). The questions are whether the location of a 60-s delay in the
      walking path and whether performing a cognitive task during the delay influence
      the accuracy in reaching a previously seen target while walking without vision.
      Thirty young adults walked blindfolded and stopped when they believed they had
      reached a target at 8 m. Delays were 60 s in duration, were located at 0, 4, and
      7 m, and involved waiting or backward counting. Significant differences were
      found between 0-m and 4-m delay locations for distance to target, distance
      travelled and path deviation (p < .05). Significant effect of backward counting
      during the 60-s delay was found at the 0-m delay for distance travelled (p <
      .05). The interaction between retaining visual guidance information during 60 s
      and performing a cognitive task likely influenced target-directed blind
      navigation.

PMID- 28632101
TI  - Decline of Hip Joint Movement Relates to Overestimation of Maximum Forward Reach
      in Elderly Persons.
AB  - The authors aimed to characterize age-related changes in the performance of
      maximum reach and identify kinematic parameters that explain the age-related
      discrepancy between perceived and actual maximum reach distance. Maximum reach
      was evaluated in 22 younger women (21.3 years old) and 20 older women (81.2 years
      old). Both the perceived and actual maximum forward reach and forward excursion
      of the center of pressure was shorter in older women. Older women also
      overestimated their maximum reach distance to a greater extent. Decline of
      movement at the hip joint specifically correlated with both the maximum distance
      and the overestimation. Based on these results, decline of hip control may be a
      primary factor for the age-related retardation of perceived and actual maximum
      reach.

PMID- 28632103
TI  - Developmental Characteristics of Disparate Bimanual Movement Skills in Typically
      Developing Children.
AB  - Mastery of many tasks in daily life requires role differentiated bimanual hand
      use with high spatiotemporal cooperation and minimal interference. The authors
      investigated developmental changes in the performance of a disparate bimanual
      movement task requiring sequenced movements. Age groups were attributed to
      changes in CNS structures critical for bimanual control such as the corpus
      callosum (CC) and the prefrontal cortex; young children (5-6 years old), older
      children (7-9 years old), and adolescents (10-16 years old). Results show
      qualitative changes in spatiotemporal sequencing between the young and older
      children which typically marks a phase of distinct reduction of growth and
      myelination of the CC. Results show qualitative changes in spatiotemporal
      sequencing between the young and older children, which coincides with distinct
      changes in the growth rate and myelination of the CC. The results further support
      the hypothesis that CC maturation plays an important role in the development of
      bimanual skills.

PMID- 28632104
TI  - Bimanual Lifting: Do Fingertip Forces Work Independently or Interactively?
AB  - Bimanual coordination is a commonplace activity, but the consequences of using
      both hands simultaneously are not well understood. The authors examined fingertip
      forces across 4 experiments in which participants undertook a range of bimanual
      tasks. They first measured fingertip forces during simultaneous lifts of 2
      identical objects, noting that individuals held the objects with more force
      bimanually than unimanually. They then varied the mass of the objects held by
      each hand, noting that when both hands lifted together performance was equivalent
      to unimanual lifts. The authors next measured one hand's static grip force while
      the other hand lifted an object. They found a gradual reduction of grip force
      throughout the trial, but once again no evidence of one hand influencing the
      other. In the final experiment the authors tested whether tapping with one hand
      could influence the static grip force of its counterpart. Although the authors
      found no changes in static grip force as a direct consequence of the other hand's
      actions, they found clear differences from one task to the other, suggesting an
      effect of task instruction. Overall, these results suggest that fingertip forces
      are largely independent between hands in a bimanual lifting context, but are
      sensitive to different task requirements.

PMID- 28632105
TI  - Obstacle Avoidance Increases Asymmetry of Crossing Step in Individuals With
      Parkinson's Disease and Neurologically Healthy Individuals.
AB  - The authors' aim was to investigate gait asymmetry of crossing step during
      obstacle avoidance while walking in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) under
      and without the effects of dopaminergic medication. Thirteen individuals with PD
      and 13 neurologically healthy individuals performed 5 trials of unobstructed gait
      and 10 trials of obstacle crossing during gait (5 trials with each leg) and
      spatiotemporal parameters were analyzed. Obstacle crossing increased step
      duration of the crossing step for the most-affected or nondominant limb compared
      to the crossing step with the least-affected or dominant limb. Individuals with
      PD without the effects of medication increased step duration for the step with
      the least-affected limb compared to the step with the most-affected limb during
      obstacle crossing.

PMID- 28632106
TI  - Speed-Interactive Treadmill Training Using Smartphone-Based Motion Tracking
      Technology Improves Gait in Stroke Patients.
AB  - This study was conducted to investigate the effects of speed-interactive
      treadmill training (SITT) using smartphone-based motion tracking technology on
      gait in stroke patients. Thirty-four chronic stroke patients were randomly
      divided into a SITT group (n = 18) and a standard treadmill training (control)
      group (n = 16). The SITT group underwent smartphone-based SSIT while the control
      group underwent standard treadmill training. Both groups performed the training
      for 35 min per session, 3 times per week, for 6 weeks. Both groups used
      nonmotorized treadmills so that patients could control the speed. Evaluation was
      conducted during the week before and after the training. The OptoGait system
      measured gait spatiotemporal parameters. Both groups showed significant
      improvement in the temporal and spatial gait parameters (p < .05). In the SITT
      group, compared to the control group, the two-way analysis of variance with
      repeated measures showed an improvement in the temporal and spatial gait
      parameters after the intervention period (p < .05). This study confirmed that
      SITT improved the gait function of stroke patients. Based on this result, the
      authors propose that SITT, by improving gait, can be used as an effective
      training method to improve patients' functional activities in the clinic.

PMID- 28632107
TI  - Linking attentional control and PTSD symptom severity: the role of rumination.
AB  - Although deficits in attentional control have been linked to posttraumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD), the mechanism that may account for this association has not been
      fully elucidated. The present study examined rumination as a mediator of the
      relationship between attentional control and PTSD symptoms. Veterans with PTSD
      and trauma-exposed veterans without PTSD completed measures of attentional
      control, rumination, and PTSD symptom severity. As predicted, the findings showed
      that veterans with PTSD reported significantly lower levels of attentional
      control than veterans without PTSD. Veterans with PTSD also reported
      significantly higher levels of rumination than veterans without PTSD. Subsequent
      analysis of the total sample revealed that the relationship between attentional
      control and PTSD symptom severity was accounted for by excessive rumination.
      Attentional control may contribute to PTSD symptoms through excessive rumination.
      Attentional control and rumination may be important targets for PTSD
      interventions.

PMID- 28632108
TI  - Swallowing in Parkinson's disease: clinical issues and management.
AB  - Changes to swallowing affect most people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Changes
      may not initially exercise a decisive impact, but can later pose significant
      threats to nutritional, hydration and respiratory health and psychosocial quality
      of life. This review, from a largely clinical viewpoint, outlines the nature of
      changes in PD and considers the issue of how many people are affected and in what
      ways. It outlines main approaches to assessment and management, with an emphasis
      on aspects relevant to PD. Dysphagia contributes to drooling in PD. The review
      therefore also touches on the nature and management of this condition that has
      its own set of health and psychosocial quality-of-life issues.

PMID- 28632110
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28632109
TI  - Successful treatment of sexually acquired acute HCV reinfection with
      ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in a HIV-infected patient.
AB  - Here we describe the case of a HIV-positive patient with acute hepatitis C virus
      reinfection, who was successfully treated with an interferon-free regimen of
      ledipasvir/sofosbuvir.

PMID- 28632111
TI  - Herpes neolabialis: herpes simplex virus type 1 infection of the neolabia in a
      transgender woman.
AB  - A 24-year-old transgender woman consulted our outpatient clinic with a painful,
      itchy and red left labia. She underwent a penile inversion vaginoplasty 18 months
      before presentation. At physical examination of the left labia, erythema, edema
      and herpetic vesicles with ulceration were observed. A vesicle fluid swab was
      obtained and the presence of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was detected by
      PCR assay. Treatment consisted of oral valaciclovir (500 mg twice daily) for a
      total of five days.Topically-applied lidocaine cream (3%) was used for pain
      management. Treatment gave symptom relief in five days. At physical examination
      14 days after symptom onset, there were no signs of active infection. To our
      knowledge, this is the first case report of HSV-1 infection of the neolabia in a
      transgender woman.

PMID- 28632112
TI  - The 2016 European guideline on the management of epididymo-orchitis.
AB  - Epididymo-orchitis is a commonly encountered condition with a reported incidence
      of 2.45 cases per 1000 men in the United Kingdom. This 2016 International Union
      against Sexually Transmitted Infections guideline provides up-to-date advice on
      the management of this condition. It describes the aetiology, clinical features
      and potential complications, as well as presenting diagnostic considerations and
      clear recommendations for management and follow-up. Early diagnosis and
      management are essential, as serious complications can include abscess formation,
      testicular infarction and infertility. Recent epidemiological evidence suggests
      that selection of fluoroquinolone antibiotics with anti-Chlamydial activity is
      more appropriate in the management of sexually active men in the over 35 years
      age group.

PMID- 28632113
TI  - Paracandidimonas soli gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from soil.
AB  - A slightly yellow-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, strain
      IMT-305T, was isolated from soil in Alabama, USA. Phylogenetic analysis based on
      the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence placed the strain in between the
      genera Pusillimonas, Parapusillimonas and Candidimonas with highest 16S rRNA gene
      sequence similarity to the type strain of Parapusillimonas granuli (97.5 %) and
      Candidimonas nitroreducens (97.4 %). The genomic G+C content of strain IMT-305T
      was 63.9 mol%. The main cellular fatty acids were C18:1omega7c, C17:0 cyclo,
      C16:0 and C16:1omega7c/iso-C15:0 2-OH (detected as summed feature 3). The
      polyamine pattern of strain IMT-305T contained the major compound putrescine and
      the betaproteobacterial diagnostic 2-hydroxyputrescine and the major respiratory
      quinone was ubiquinone Q-8. Predominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol,
      phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, an
      unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified aminophospholipid and an unidentified
      lipid lacking any functional group. Based on phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and
      phenotypic analyses a novel species within a new genus, Paracandidimonas soli
      gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of Paracandidimonas soli is IMT
      305T (=DSM 100048T=CIP 110902T=LMG 28740T=CCM 8599T).

PMID- 28632114
TI  - Enterococcus crotali sp. nov., isolated from faecal material of a timber
      rattlesnake.
AB  - A facultatively anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive bacterium, designated ETRF1T, was
      found in faecal material of a timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus). Based on a
      comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, the isolate was assigned to the
      genus Enterococcus. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain ETRF1T showed >97 %
      similarity to that of the type strains of Enterococcus rotai, E. caccae, E.
      silesiacus, E haemoperoxidus, E. ureasiticus, E. moraviensis, E. plantarum, E.
      quebecensis, E. ureilyticus, E. termitis, E. rivorum and E. faecalis. The
      organism could be distinguished from these 12 phylogenetically related
      enterococci using conventional biochemical testing, the Rapid ID32 Strep system,
      comparative pheS and rpoA gene sequence analysis, and comparative whole genome
      sequence analysis. The estimated in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values were <70
      %, and average nucleotide identity values were <96 %, when compared to these 12
      species, further validating that ETRF1T represents a unique species within the
      genus Enterococcus. On the basis of these analyses, strain ETRF1T (=CCUG
      65857T=LMG 28312T) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species,
      Enterococcus crotali sp. nov.

PMID- 28632115
TI  - Flaviaesturariibacter luteus sp. nov., isolated from an agricultural floodplain
      soil, and emended description of the genus Flaviaesturariibacter.
AB  - A novel slow-growing bacterial strain designated as AW305T was isolated from an
      agricultural floodplain soil located in Mashare, Kavango region, Namibia. Cells
      stained Gram-negative, were non-motile, non-spore-forming, coccoid to rod-shaped
      and did not form a capsule. Colonies were yellow-pigmented, but flexirubin-type
      pigments were not detected. AW305T had an aerobic chemo-organoheterotrophic
      metabolism, using a narrow spectrum of carbon sources for growth, with preference
      for complex protein substrates, organic acids and amino acids. AW305T was able to
      grow at 15-40  degrees C, pH 5.3-8.3 and in the presence of up to 0.25 % (w/v)
      NaCl. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison showed that AW305T belonged to the genus
      Flaviaesturariibacter (family Chitinophagaceae). Its closest relatives were
      Flaviaesturariibacter amylovorans GCR0105T (97.0 %), Flavisolibacter
      ginsengiterrae Gsoil 492T (93.6 %) and Flavisolibacter ginsengisoli Gsoil 643T
      (93.2 %). DNA-DNA hybridization experiments corroborated that AW305T represents
      an independent genomospecies. The genomic DNA G+C content was 57.6 mol%. Major
      fatty acids were iso-C15 : 1 G, iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1omega5c, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and
      summed feature 3 (C16 : 1omega7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH). The predominant
      respiratory quinone was MK-7, albeit minor amounts of MK-6 were also detected.
      The polar lipids comprised major amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine and minor
      amounts of two unidentified lipids, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified
      glycolipid and an unidentified aminoglycophospholipid. On the basis of the
      polyphasic characterization, strain AW305T represents a novel species of the
      genus Flaviaesturariibacter for which the name Flaviaesturariibacter luteus sp.
      nov. is proposed, with the type strain AW305T (=DSM 100282T=LMG 29416T).

PMID- 28632116
TI  - Reyranella terrae sp. nov., isolated from an agricultural soil, and emended
      description of the genus Reyranella.
AB  - A novel strain designated 11G32T was isolated from an agricultural soil
      cultivated with Chinese cabbage in Korea. The cells were Gram-stain-negative,
      aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped. The strain grew at 15-28  degrees C (optimum,
      20  degrees C), pH 5.0-7.0 (optimum, pH 5.0-6.0) and without NaCl.
      Phylogenetically, the strain was found to be closely related to members of the
      genus Reyranella and showed 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 97.18, 96.76
      and 95.99 % with Reyranella graminifolii Wo-34T, Reyranella massiliensis 521T and
      Reyranella soli KIS14-15T, respectively. The major fatty acids were C19 : 0 cyclo
      omega8c, C16 : 0, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1omega7c and/or C18 : 1omega6c) and 11
      methyl C18 : 1omega7c. The predominant ubiquinone was Q-10. The polar lipids
      profile revealed the presence of phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine,
      phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol,
      unidentified aminolipids, unidentified phospholipids and unidentified lipids. On
      the basis of data presented, strain 11G32T is considered to represent a novel
      species of the genus Reyranella, for which the name Reyranella terrae sp. nov. is
      proposed. The type strain is 11G32T (=KACC 18486T=NBRC 111476T).

PMID- 28632117
TI  - Saccharopolyspora spongiae sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from the
      marine sponge Scopalina ruetzleri (Wiedenmayer, 1977).
AB  - A novel marine actinomycete, designated strain CMAA 1452T, was isolated from the
      sponge Scopalina ruetzleri collected from Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago,
      in Brazil, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. The organism
      formed a distinct phyletic line in the Saccharopolyspora 16S rRNA gene tree and
      had chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with its
      classification in this genus. It was found to be closely related to
      Saccharopolyspora dendranthemae KLBMP 1305T (99.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence
      similarity) and shared similarities of 99.3, 99.2 and 99.0 % with
      'Saccharopolyspora endophytica' YIM 61095, Saccharopolyspora tripterygii YIM
      65359T and 'Saccharopolyspora pathumthaniensis' S582, respectively. DNA-DNA
      relatedness values between the isolate and its closest phylogenetic neighbours,
      namely S. dendranthemae KLBMP 1305T, 'S. endophytica' YIM 61095 and S.
      tripterygii YIM 65359T, were 53.5, 25.8 and 53.2 %, respectively. Strain CMAA
      1452T was also distinguished from the type strains of these species using a range
      of phenotypic features. On the basis of these results, it is proposed that strain
      CMAA 1452T (=DSM 103218T=NRRL B-65384T) merits recognition as the type strain of
      a novel Saccharopolyspora species, Saccharopolyspora spongiae sp. nov.

PMID- 28632118
TI  - Tessaracoccus arenae sp. nov., isolated from sea sand.
AB  - A Gram-stain positive, non-spore-forming, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic
      bacterial strain, designated CAU 1319T, was isolated from sea sand and the
      strain's taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Strain
      CAU 1319T grew optimally at 30  degrees C and at pH 7.5 in the presence of 2 %
      (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, revealed
      that strain CAU 1319T belongs to the genus Tessaracoccus, and is closely related
      to Tessaracoccus lapidicaptus IPBSL-7T (similarity 97.69 %), Tessaracoccus
      bendigoensis Ben 106T (similarity 95.64 %) and Tessaracoccus flavescens SST-39T
      (similarity 95.84 %). Strain CAU 1319T had ll-diaminopimelic acid as the
      diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, MK-9 (H4) as the
      predominant menaquinone, and anteiso-C15 : 0 as the major fatty acid. The polar
      lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two unidentified
      aminolipids, three unidentified phospholipids and one unidentified glycolipid.
      Predominant polyamines were spermine and spermidine. The DNA-DNA hybridization
      value between strain CAU 1319T and T. lapidicaptus IPBSL-7T was 24 %+/-0.2. The
      DNA G+C content of the novel strain was 69.5 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and
      chemotaxonomic properties, as well as phylogenetic relatedness, strain CAU
      1319Tshould be classified as a novel species of the genus Tessaracoccus, for
      which the name Tessaracoccus arenae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CAU
      1319T(=KCTC 39760T=NBRC 111973T).

PMID- 28632119
TI  - Alkaliphilus namsaraevii sp. nov., an alkaliphilic iron- and sulfur-reducing
      bacterium isolated from a steppe soda lake.
AB  - A novel alkaliphilic spore-forming bacterium was isolated from the benthic
      sediments of the highly mineralized steppe Lake Khilganta (Transbaikal Region,
      Russia). Cells of the strain, designated X-07-2T, were straight to slightly
      curved rods, Gram-stain-positive and motile. Strain X-07-2T grew in the pH range
      from 7.0 to 10.7 (optimum pH 9.6-10.3). Growth was observed at 25-47  degrees C
      (optimum 30  degrees C) and at an NaCl concentration from 5 to 150 g l-1 with an
      optimum at 40 g l-1. Strain X-07-2T was a chemo-organoheterotroph able to reduce
      amorphous ferric hydroxide, Fe(III) citrate and elemental sulfur in the presence
      of yeast extract as the electron donor. It used tryptone, peptone and trypticase
      with Fe(III) citrate as the electron acceptor. The predominant fatty acids in
      cell walls were C16:1omega8, iso-C15:0, C14 : 0 3-OH and C16 : 0. The DNA G+C
      content was 32.6 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain X-07
      2T was related most closely to members of the genus Alkaliphilus within the
      family Clostridiaceae. The closest relative was Alkaliphilus peptidifermentans Z
      7036T (96.4 % similarity). On the basis of the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and
      phenotypic data, strain X-07-2T represents a novel species in the genus
      Alkaliphilus, for which the name Alkaliphilus namsaraevii sp. nov. is proposed.
      The type strain is X-07-2T (=VKM V-2746T=DSM 26418T).

PMID- 28632120
TI  - Basolateral amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal cortex connectivity predicts
      cognitive behavioural therapy outcome in adults with obsessive-compulsive
      disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), including exposure and ritual
      prevention, is a first-line treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),
      but few reliable predictors of CBT outcome have been identified. Based on
      research in animal models, we hypothesized that individual differences in
      basolateral amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal cortex (BLA-vmPFC) communication
      would predict CBT outcome in patients with OCD. METHODS: We investigated whether
      BLA-vmPFC resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) predicts CBT outcome in
      patients with OCD. We assessed BLA-vmPFC rs-fc in patients with OCD on a stable
      dose of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor who then received CBT and in
      healthy control participants. RESULTS: We included 73 patients with OCD and 84
      healthy controls in our study. Decreased BLA-vmPFC rs-fc predicted a better CBT
      outcome in patients with OCD and was also detected in those with OCD compared
      with healthy participants. Additional analyses revealed that decreased BLA-vmPFC
      rs-fc uniquely characterized the patients with OCD who responded to CBT.
      LIMITATIONS: We used a sample of convenience, and all patients were receiving
      pharmacological treatment for OCD. CONCLUSION: In this large sample of patients
      with OCD, BLA-vmPFC functional connectivity predicted CBT outcome. These results
      suggest that future research should investigate the potential of BLA-vmPFC
      pathways to inform treatment selection for CBT across patients with OCD and
      anxiety disorders.

PMID- 28632121
TI  - Anti-inflammatory treatment and risk for depression after first-time stroke in a
      cohort of 147 487 Danish patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression is a common complication after stroke, and inflammation
      may be a pathophysiological mechanism. This study examines whether anti
      inflammatory treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), nonsteroid anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or statins influence the risk of depression after
      stroke. METHODS: A register-based cohort including all patients admitted to
      hospital with a first-time stroke from Jan. 1, 2001, through Dec. 31, 2011, and a
      nonstroke population with a similar age and sex distribution was followed for
      depression until Dec. 31, 2014. Depression was defined as having a hospital
      contact with depression or having filled prescriptions for antidepressant
      medication. The associations between redeemed prescriptions of ASA, NSAIDs or
      statins with early- (<= 1 year after stroke or study entry) and late-onset (> 1
      year after stroke or study entry) depression were analyzed using Cox proportional
      hazard regression. RESULTS: We identified 147 487 patients with first-time stroke
      and 160 235 individuals without stroke for inclusion in our study. Redeemed
      prescriptions of ASA, NSAIDs or statins after stroke decreased the risk for early
      onset depression, especially in patients with ischemic or severe stroke. Patients
      who received a combination of anti-inflammatory treatments had the lowest risk
      for early-onset depression. On the other hand, use of ASA or NSAIDs 1 year after
      stroke increased the risk for late-onset depression, whereas statin use was
      associated with a tendency toward a decreased risk. LIMITATIONS: The study used
      prescription of antidepressant medication as a proxy measure for depression and
      did not include anti-inflammatory drugs bought over the counter. CONCLUSION: Anti
      inflammatory treatment is associated with a lower risk for depression shortly
      after stroke but a higher risk for late depression. This suggests that
      inflammation contributes differently to the development of depression after
      stroke depending on the time of onset.

PMID- 28632131
TI  - Reciprocal analyses in zebrafish and medaka reveal that harnessing the immune
      response promotes cardiac regeneration.
AB  - Zebrafish display a distinct ability to regenerate their heart following injury.
      However, this ability is not shared by another teleost, the medaka. In order to
      identify cellular and molecular bases for this difference, we performed
      comparative transcriptomic analyses following cardiac cryoinjury. This comparison
      points to major differences in immune cell dynamics between these models. Upon
      closer examination, we observed delayed and reduced macrophage recruitment in
      medaka, along with delayed neutrophil clearance. To investigate the role of
      immune responses in cardiac regeneration, we delayed macrophage recruitment in
      zebrafish and observed compromised neovascularization, neutrophil clearance,
      cardiomyocyte proliferation and scar resolution. In contrast, stimulating Toll
      like receptor signaling in medaka enhanced immune cell dynamics and promoted
      neovascularization, neutrophil clearance, cardiomyocyte proliferation and scar
      resolution. Altogether, these data provide further insight into the complex role
      of the immune response during regeneration, and serve as a platform to identify
      and test additional regulators of cardiac repair.

PMID- 28632130
TI  - The laminar organization of the Drosophila ellipsoid body is semaphorin-dependent
      and prevents the formation of ectopic synaptic connections.
AB  - The ellipsoid body (EB) in the Drosophila brain is a central complex (CX)
      substructure that harbors circumferentially laminated ring (R) neuron axons and
      mediates multifaceted sensory integration and motor coordination functions.
      However, what regulates R axon lamination and how lamination affects R neuron
      function remain unknown. We show here that the EB is sequentially innervated by
      small-field and large-field neurons and that early developing EB neurons play an
      important regulatory role in EB laminae formation. The transmembrane proteins
      semaphorin-1a (Sema-1a) and plexin A function together to regulate R axon
      lamination. R neurons recruit both GABA and GABA-A receptors to their axon
      terminals in the EB, and optogenetic stimulation coupled with
      electrophysiological recordings show that Sema-1a-dependent R axon lamination is
      required for preventing the spread of synaptic inhibition between adjacent EB
      lamina. These results provide direct evidence that EB lamination is critical for
      local pre-synaptic inhibitory circuit organization.

PMID- 28632133
TI  - Correction: Functionally diverse human T cells recognize non-microbial antigens
      presented by MR1.

PMID- 28632136
TI  - Perinatal mortality after the Fukushima accident.

PMID- 28632132
TI  - Antagonistic modulation of NPY/AgRP and POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus by
      noradrenalin.
AB  - In the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) satiety signaling (anorexigenic)
      pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing and hunger signaling (orexigenic) agouti
      related peptide (AgRP)-expressing neurons are key components of the neuronal
      circuits that control food intake and energy homeostasis. Here, we assessed
      whether the catecholamine noradrenalin directly modulates the activity of these
      neurons in mice. Perforated patch clamp recordings showed that noradrenalin
      changes the activity of these functionally antagonistic neurons in opposite ways,
      increasing the activity of the orexigenic NPY/AgRP neurons and decreasing the
      activity of the anorexigenic POMC neurons. Cell type-specific transcriptomics and
      pharmacological experiments revealed that the opposing effect on these neurons is
      mediated by the activation of excitatory alpha1A - and beta- adrenergic receptors
      in NPY/AgRP neurons, while POMC neurons are inhibited via alpha2A - adrenergic
      receptors. Thus, the coordinated differential modulation of the key hypothalamic
      neurons in control of energy homeostasis assigns noradrenalin an important role
      to promote feeding.

PMID- 28632137
TI  - Electrospun silk-polyaniline conduits for functional nerve regeneration in rat
      sciatic nerve injury model.
AB  - The present study describes the fabrication of polyaniline-silk fibroin (PASF)
      nanocomposite-based nerve conduits and their subsequent implantation in a rat
      sciatic nerve injury model for peripheral nerve regeneration. This is the first
      in vivo study of polyaniline-based nerve conduits describing the safety and
      efficacy of the conduits in treating peripheral nerve injuries. The nanocomposite
      was synthesized by electrospinning a mixture of silk fibroin protein and
      polyaniline wherein the silk nanofibers were observed to be uniformly coated with
      polyaniline nanoparticles. Tubular shaped nerve conduits were subsequently formed
      by multiple rolling of the electrospun sheet over a stainless steel mandrel. The
      conduits were characterized in vitro for their physico-chemical properties as
      well as their compatibility with rat Schwann cells. Upon implantation in a 10 mm
      sciatic nerve injury model, the conduits were evaluated for their neuro
      regenerative potential through extensive electrophysiological studies and
      monitoring of gait pattern over a course of 12 months. Gross examination,
      histological and ultra-structure analyses of the conduits and the regenerated
      nerve were also performed to evaluate morphological regeneration of transected
      nerve. PASF nanocomposite conduits seeded with Schwann cell (cell seeded PASF)
      exhibited excellent nerve conduction velocity (NCV) (50 m s-1), compound muscle
      action potential (CMAP) (12.8 mV), motor unit potential (MUP) (124 MUV), growth
      of healthy tissue along the nerve gap and thick myelination of axons 12 months
      after implantation indicating enhanced neuro-regeneration. The excellent
      functional recovery achieved by animals implanted with cell seeded PASF conduits
      (86.2% NCV; 80.00% CMAP; 76.07% MUP) are superior to outcomes achieved previously
      with similar electrically conductive conduits. We believe that the present study
      would encourage further research in developing electrically active neural
      implants using synthetic conducting polymers and the in vivo applications of the
      same.

PMID- 28632138
TI  - Monitoring lung contusion in a porcine polytrauma model using EIT: an application
      study.
AB  - : Lung contusion is the most common lung injury following blunt chest trauma
      which, in turn, is associated with high mortality rates (Gavelli et al 2002 Eur.
      Radiol. 12 1273-94). Lung contusion is characterized by hemorrhage and edema with
      consecutively reduced compliance. Objective and Approach: In this study,
      unilateral lung contusion and other traumata were induced in 12 pigs by using a
      bolt gun machine. To investigate the pathophysiological consequences of lung
      contusion, information on clinical parameters was collected and monitored
      regularly while animals were additionally monitored with electrical impedance
      tomography (EIT) before trauma, and at 4, 24, 48 and 72 h after polytrauma. MAIN
      RESULTS: Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the
      measurement time points in terms of lung compliance ([Formula: see text]) and in
      global EIT parameters, such as absolute global impedance (aGlobImp) ([Formula:
      see text]), tidal impedance variation (TIV) ([Formula: see text]) and the center
      of ventilation (CoV) ([Formula: see text]). Additionally, distinct analyses for
      the left (non-injured) and right (injured) lung were also performed. In this
      context, during the progress of lung contusion, significant changes were found
      for the injured lung in TIV ([Formula: see text]), global inhomogeneity
      ([Formula: see text]), regional ventilation delay ([Formula: see text]), CoV
      ([Formula: see text]) and in regions of non-ventilation (rNoVent) ([Formula: see
      text]). Furthermore, TIV and rNoVent were capable to differentiate the injured
      and the contralateral healthy lung at 4 and 24 h after injury (TIV: [Formula: see
      text] and [Formula: see text]; rNoVent: [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see
      text]). TIV reached a sensitivity of 82% (specificity of 100%) at 4 h and
      sensitivity of 82% (specificity of 82%) at 24 h after injury, in detecting lung
      contusion specific consequences. SIGNIFICANCE: The results indicate that EIT
      might be a valuable tool to detect and to monitor lung injuries including lung
      contusion. Most probably, EIT-derived indices could also be used to adapt
      ventilator settings to optimize individual lung protection.

PMID- 28632139
TI  - Peptide functionalized gold nanoparticles: the influence of pH on binding
      efficiency.
AB  - We report herein on the synthesis of mixed monolayer gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)
      capped with both polyethylene glycol (PEG) and one of three peptides. Either a
      receptor-mediated endocytosis peptide, an endosomal escape pathway (H5WYG)
      peptide or the Nrp-1 targeting RGD peptide (CRGDK) labeled with FITC. All three
      peptides have a thiol containing cysteine residue which can be used to bind the
      peptides to the AuNPs. In order to investigate the influence of pH on peptide
      attachment, PEGylated AuNPs were centrifuged, the supernatant removed, and the
      nanoparticles were then re-suspended in a range of pH buffer solutions above,
      below and at the respective isoelectric points of the peptides before co
      functionalization. Peptide attachment was investigated using dynamic light
      scattering, Ultra-violet visible spectroscopy (UV/Vis), FTIR and photo
      luminescence spectroscopy. UV/Vis analysis coupled with protein assay results and
      photoluminescence of the FITC tagged RGD peptide concluded that a pH of ~8
      optimized the cysteine binding and stability, irrespective of the peptide used.

PMID- 28632140
TI  - Thermal stability and rheological properties of the 'non-stick' Caf1 biomaterial.
AB  - The ability to culture cells in three-dimensions has many applications, from drug
      discovery to wound healing. 3D cell culture methods often require appropriate
      scaffolds that mimic the cellular environments of different tissue types. The
      choice of material from which these scaffolds are made is of paramount
      importance, as its properties will define the manner in which cells interact with
      the scaffold. Caf1 is a protein polymer that is secreted from its host organism,
      Yersinia pestis, to enable escape from phagocytosis. In vitro, cells adhere
      poorly to the protein unless adhesion motifs are specifically introduced. Caf1 is
      a good candidate biomaterial due to its definable bioactivity, economical
      production and its ability to form hydrogels, through the use of cross-linkers.
      In this study, the thermostability of Caf1 was tested over a range of chemical
      conditions, and an initial characterisation of its rheological properties
      conducted in order to assess the suitability of Caf1 as a biomedical material.
      The results show that Caf1 retains its high thermostability even in harsh
      conditions such as extremes of pH, high salt concentrations and the presence of
      detergents. In solution, the concentrated polymer behaves as a complex viscous
      liquid. Due to these properties, Caf1 polymers are compatible with 3D bioprinting
      technologies and could be made to form a stimuli-responsive biomaterial that can
      alter its macrorheological properties in response to external factors. Caf1
      biomaterials could therefore prove useful as 3D cell scaffolds for use in cell
      culture and wound repair.

PMID- 28632141
TI  - Phase transitions of the dimerized Kane-Mele model with/without strong
      interaction.
AB  - The dimerized Kane-Mele model with/without strong interaction is studied using
      analytical methods. The boundary of the topological phase transition of the model
      without strong interaction is obtained. Our results show that the occurrence of
      the transition only depends on dimerized parameter [Formula: see text]. From the
      one-particle spectrum, we obtain the completed phase diagram including the
      quantum spin Hall state and the topologically trivial insulator. Then, using
      different mean field methods, we investigate the Mott transition and the magnetic
      transition of the strongly correlated dimerized Kane-Mele model. In the region
      between the two transitions, the topological Mott insulator with characteristics
      of Mott insulators and topological phases may be the most interesting phase. In
      this work, the effects of hopping anisotropy and Hubbard interaction U on the
      boundaries of the two transitions are observed in detail. The completed phase
      diagram of the dimerized Kane-Mele-Hubbard model is also obtained in this work.
      Quantum fluctuations have extremely important influences on a quantum system.
      However, investigations are under the framework of mean field treatment in this
      work and the effects of fluctuations in this model will be discussed in the
      future.

PMID- 28632142
TI  - Flat bands and Dirac cones in breathing lattices.
AB  - In breathing pyrochlores and kagomes, couplings between neighbouring tetrahedra
      and triangles are free to differ. Breathing lattices thus offer the possibility
      to explore a different facet of the rich physics of these systems. Here we
      consider nearest-neighbour classical Heisenberg interactions, both ferromagnetic
      and antiferromagnetic, and study how the anisotropy of breathing lattices
      modifies the mode spectrum of pyrochlore and kagome systems. The nature and
      degeneracy of the flat bands are shown to be preserved for any value of the
      anisotropy. These flat bands can coexist with Dirac nodes at the [Formula: see
      text] point when the model becomes particle-hole symmetric. We also derive the
      nature of the ground state for the breathing kagome lattice, which bears a
      spontaneous chirality when neighbouring triangles are alternatively ferromagnetic
      and antiferromagnetic.

PMID- 28632143
TI  - The thermal expansion of (Fe1-y Ni y )Si.
AB  - We have measured the thermal expansion of (Fe1-y Ni y )Si for y  =  0, 0.1 and
      0.2, between 40 and 1273 K. Above ~700 K the unit-cell volumes of the samples
      decrease approximately linearly with increasing Ni content. Below ~200 K the unit
      cell volume of FeSi falls to a value between that of (Fe0.9Ni0.1)Si and
      (Fe0.8Ni0.2)Si. We attribute this extra contraction of the FeSi, which is a
      narrow band-gap semiconductor, to the depopulation of the conduction band at low
      temperatures; in the two alloys the additional electrons introduced by the
      substitution of Ni lead to the conduction band always being populated. We have
      fit the unit-cell volume data with a Debye internal energy model of thermal
      expansion and an additional volume term, above 800 K, to take account of the
      volumetric changes associated with changes in the composition of the sample.
      Using the thermophysical parameters of the fit we have estimated the band gap in
      FeSi to be 21(1) meV and the unit-cell volume change in FeSi associated with the
      depopulation of the conduction band to be 0.066(35) A3/unit-cell.

PMID- 28632144
TI  - Optimal pitching axis location of flapping wings for efficient hovering flight.
AB  - Flapping wings can pitch passively about their pitching axes due to their
      flexibility, inertia, and aerodynamic loads. A shift in the pitching axis
      location can dynamically alter the aerodynamic loads, which in turn changes the
      passive pitching motion and the flight efficiency. Therefore, it is of great
      interest to investigate the optimal pitching axis for flapping wings to maximize
      the power efficiency during hovering flight. In this study, flapping wings are
      modeled as rigid plates with non-uniform mass distribution. The wing flexibility
      is represented by a linearly torsional spring at the wing root. A predictive
      quasi-steady aerodynamic model is used to evaluate the lift generated by such
      wings. Two extreme power consumption scenarios are modeled for hovering flight,
      i.e. the power consumed by a drive system with and without the capacity of
      kinetic energy recovery. For wings with different shapes, the optimal pitching
      axis location is found such that the cycle-averaged power consumption during
      hovering flight is minimized. Optimization results show that the optimal pitching
      axis is located between the leading edge and the mid-chord line, which shows
      close resemblance to insect wings. An optimal pitching axis can save up to 33% of
      power during hovering flight when compared to traditional wings used by most of
      flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs). Traditional wings typically use the
      straight leading edge as the pitching axis. With the optimized pitching axis,
      flapping wings show higher pitching amplitudes and start the pitching reversals
      in advance of the sweeping reversals. These phenomena lead to higher lift-to-drag
      ratios and, thus, explain the lower power consumption. In addition, the optimized
      pitching axis provides the drive system higher potential to recycle energy during
      the deceleration phases as compared to their counterparts. This observation
      underlines the particular importance of the wing pitching axis location for
      energy-efficient FWMAVs when using kinetic energy recovery drive systems.

PMID- 28632145
TI  - What really is an indeterminate FNA thyroid nodule?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thyroid nodules are usually benign; however, 5 to 15% prove to be
      malignant. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has become the gold standard in the
      evaluation of thyroid nodules, especially in single nodule more than a centimeter
      and / or in smaller nodule with ultrasound characters of malignancy. METHODS: We
      evaluated retrospectively 179 patients with "undetermined" thyroid fine needle
      aspiration, undergoing surgery. We compared cytology and histology and we
      evaluated sex, age, the presence of thyroiditis and dimension of the
      indeterminate nodule as predictors of malignancy. RESULTS: In 48 patients (26.8%)
      histological examination confirmed the indeterminate cytological diagnosis and
      this means that the nodule underwent FNA was diagnosed in effects such as cancer.
      In 29 patients, on histological examination, the nodule underwent FNA was not
      diagnosed as cancer, but one or more carcinomas were diagnosed in the same lobe
      of indeterminate nodule, but in different location and / or in the contralateral
      lobe. In 102 patients, the definitive histological examination did not confirm
      the suspected diagnosis and we found a significant positive association only
      between male sex and histological malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: The indeterminate FNA
      still remains a challenge for the surgeon because it is not yet possible to
      discriminate patients who really need surgery from those that can be followed in
      follow-up. The potential of molecular diagnostics for thyroid nodules with
      indeterminate cytology is promising, but many of these markers are too complex or
      expensive for routine clinical use or are still poorly standardized. KEY WORDS:
      Indeterminate FNA, Thyroid, Thyroid fine needle aspiration.

PMID- 28632146
TI  - Physiological interrelationships between the venous shunts of penile corpus
      spongiosum and cavernous compartments during erection used in the pharmacotherapy
      of erectile dysfunction.
AB  - AIM OF THE STUDY: Alprostadil (A) induces smooth-muscle relaxation by stimulating
      the increasing of intracellular cAMP. Intra-urethral administration is an
      alternative to its intra-cavernose injection in inducing erection. In order to
      understand the functional and anatomical basis for drug transfer, the possible
      communications of the corpus spongiosum with the corpora cavernosa were studied.
      MATERIAL OF STUDY: A "Spongiogram" (SP) was performed in 44patients (pt.) by
      injection of radiological contrast into the glans. The SP visualized drainage of
      the glans into the deep dorsal vein, as well as that of the spongiosum into the
      circumflex veins, which in turn drained into the deep dorsal vein. RESULTS: In
      34pt. (77,2%) filling of the corpora was also visualized; in 10pt.(22.8%), with
      ectasia of the deep dorsal vein, such a filling was not visualized. DISCUSSION:
      Filling of the corpora cavernosa, in 34 pt. demonstrated the presence of
      "spongiosal-cavernosal" shunts. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of "spongiosal
      cavernosal" shunts justified the efficacy of A in term of complete penile
      erection, regarding also corpora cavernosa; in the other cases an increased speed
      of venous discharge justified the drug's lack of local efficacy, with poor
      results in terms of erection. KEY WORDS: Alprostadil, Erectile Dysfunction,
      Spongiosography.

PMID- 28632147
TI  - Crossover iliofemoral bypass graft through tension-free abdominal wall-repair
      mesh.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In vascular surgery the crossover iliofemoral bypass grafting is a
      well-known surgical technique. In general surgery the repair of an abdominal
      defect using a Polypropylene mesh is also a standard procedure. A particular
      technique is defined by the performance of these 2 separate procedures inside a
      single operation in which the crossover arterial graft is directed from the
      retroperitoneal space toward the contra-lateral femoral bifurcation through a
      Polypropylene mesh which closes the musculoaponeurotic layers of the abdominal
      wall. We present our experience with the use of this particular surgical
      technique in patients with critical limb ischemia and with indication for extra
      anatomic crossover bypass (high-risk patients with contra-indication for the
      transperitoneal approach, extensive calcified aortic or iliac wall which
      contraindicated the direct arterial reconstruction or secondary arterial
      reconstruction after the occlusion of an aorto- femoral graft). METHODS: In
      principle, the hernioplasty was performed by using the Lichtenstein tension-free
      hernia repair technique, followed by the crossover iliofemoral bypass. The main
      feature of this technique is to pass the vascular graft from the retroperitoneal
      space above the mesh through a calibrated hole in the mesh RESULTS: The 7
      patients with inguinal hernia and l limb-threatening ischemia had favorable
      evolution, without hernia recurrence, limb-threatening ischemia or any graft
      complication at 3 years. DISCUSSION: Using this particular surgical technique we
      treated 2 surgical diseases using a single intervention for highrisk patients who
      had both inguinal hernia and contra-lateral critical limb ischemia. Being
      encouraged by the initial satisfactory results, we extended this technique even
      for the patients with indication of crossover iliofemoral bypass but without
      inguinal hernia. CONCLUSIONS: The particular surgical technique of the crossover
      bypass in which the vascular graft crosses a tension-free Polypropylene mesh from
      the retroperitoneal space toward the Retzius space represents an efficient and
      short procedure which treats simultaneously 2 different surgical diseases
      (inguinal hernia and contra-lateral critical limb ischemia) in high-risk
      patients. The results were satisfactory: we had no hernia recurrence and the limb
      threatening ischemia was successfully treated. The preferred vascular graft for
      this particular technique is the reversed autogenous vein because its resistance
      to infections and the vein long-term patency is better than of a vascular
      prosthesis. When a prosthetic graft is required, we prefer to use the classic
      technique in which the crossover graft is placed in an under-aponeurosis site, in
      order to diminish the prosthesis infection risk. KEY WORDS: Abdominal wall,
      Iliofemoral bypass, Vascular surgery.

PMID- 28632148
TI  - Claw foot A case report.
AB  - : A cutaneous horn could be defined as a conical projection on the surface of
      skin made of cornified material and resembling an animal horn. These lesions most
      commonly affect light-skinned men aged between 50 to 89 years and usually appear
      in sun exposed areas. Radiation, chronic irritation and even human papilloma
      virus-2 infection may be precipitating factors. More than half of the cases
      originate from either malignant or premalignant lesions, therefore the base of
      the lesion must be carefully examined histologically. Long standing presence of
      the lesion, conspicuous protrusion of the horn and pain are positive predictive
      factors for malignancy and invasivity. In these cases an invasive surgical
      approach is needed. KEY WORDS: Basal cell carcinoma, Cancer, Clow foot, Non
      melanoma skin cancer, Skin cancer.

PMID- 28632149
TI  - Association between Air Pollution and Emergency Room Visits for Atrial
      Fibrillation.
AB  - Despite the large prevalence in the population, possible factors responsible for
      the induction of atrial fibrillation (AF) events in susceptible individuals
      remain incompletely understood. We investigated the association between air
      pollution levels and emergency department admissions for AF in Rome. We conducted
      a 14 years' time-series study to evaluate the association between the daily
      levels of air pollution (particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5, and nitrogen
      dioxide, NO2) and the daily count of emergency accesses for AF (ICD-9 code:
      427.31). We applied an over-dispersed conditional Poisson model to analyze the
      associations at different lags after controlling for time, influenza epidemics,
      holiday periods, temperature, and relative humidity. Additionally, we evaluated
      bi-pollutant models by including the other pollutant and the influence of several
      effect modifiers such as personal characteristics and pre-existing medical
      conditions. In the period of study, 79,892 individuals were admitted to the
      emergency departments of Rome hospitals because of AF (on average, 15.6 patients
      per day: min = 1, max = 36). Air pollution levels were associated with increased
      AF emergency visits within 24 h of exposure. Effect estimates ranged between 1.4%
      (0.7-2.3) for a 10 ug/m3 increase of PM10 to 3% (1.4-4.7) for a 10 ug/m3 increase
      of PM2.5 at lag 0-1 day. Those effects were higher in patients >=75 years for all
      pollutants, male patients for PM10, and female patients for NO2. The presence of
      previous cardiovascular conditions, but not other effect modifiers, increase the
      pollution effects by 5-8% depending on the lag. This study found evidence that
      air pollution is associated with AF emergency visits in the short term.

PMID- 28632151
TI  - Micro-Viscometer for Measuring Shear-Varying Blood Viscosity over a Wide-Ranging
      Shear Rate.
AB  - In this study, a micro-viscometer is developed for measuring shear-varying blood
      viscosity over a wide-ranging shear rate. The micro-viscometer consists of 10
      microfluidic channel arrays, each of which has a different micro-channel width.
      The proposed design enables the retrieval of 10 different shear rates from a
      single flow rate, thereby enabling the measurement of shear-varying blood
      viscosity with a fixed flow rate condition. For this purpose, an optimal design
      that guarantees accurate viscosity measurement is selected from a parametric
      study. The functionality of the micro-viscometer is verified by both numerical
      and experimental studies. The proposed micro-viscometer shows 6.8% (numerical)
      and 5.3% (experimental) in relative error when compared to the result from a
      standard rotational viscometer. Moreover, a reliability test is performed by
      repeated measurement (N = 7), and the result shows 2.69 +/- 2.19% for the mean
      relative error. Accurate viscosity measurements are performed on blood samples
      with variations in the hematocrit (35%, 45%, and 55%), which significantly
      influences blood viscosity. Since the blood viscosity correlated with various
      physical parameters of the blood, the micro-viscometer is anticipated to be a
      significant advancement for realization of blood on a chip.

PMID- 28632150
TI  - Centrosomal Protein 70 Is a Mediator of Paclitaxel Sensitivity.
AB  - Centrosome aberrations have been implicated in the development and progression of
      breast cancer. Our previous worked show that centrosomal protein 70 (Cep70)
      regulates breast cancer growth and metastasis. However, it remains elusive
      whether Cep70 is implicated in the sensitivity of the anti-microtubule drug
      paclitaxel in breast cancer. Here we provide evidence that Cep70 is a mediator of
      paclitaxel sensitivity in breast cancer. Cell proliferation assays show that
      Cep70 expression correlates with paclitaxel sensitivity in breast cancer cell
      lines. In addition, paclitaxel sensitivity varies when altering Cep70 expression
      level. Mechanistic studies reveal that Cep70 interacts with tubulin, and promotes
      the ability of paclitaxel to stimulate microtubule assembly. These data
      demonstrate that Cep70 mediates paclitaxel sensitivity in breast cancer.

PMID- 28632152
TI  - Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellite Loci for Cotesia plutellae
      (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).
AB  - Fourteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated in this transcriptome
      based data analysis for Cotesia plutellae, which is an important larval
      parasitoid of the worldwide pest Plutella xylostella. A subsequent test was
      performed for a wild C. plutellae population (N = 32) from Fuzhou, Fujian,
      southeastern China, to verify the effectiveness of the 14 microsatellite loci in
      future studies on C. plutellae genetic diversity. The observed number of alleles
      ranged from two to six. The expected and observed heterozygosity ranged from
      0.123 to 0.316 and from 0.141 to 0.281, respectively. The polymorphism
      information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.272 to 0.622. Potentially due to
      the substructure of the sampled population, three of the 14 microsatellite loci
      deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Further, loci C6, C22, and C31
      could be amplified in Cocobius fulvus and Encarsia japonica, suggesting the
      transferability of these three polymorphic loci to other species of Hymenoptera.

PMID- 28632153
TI  - Fabrication and Characterization of Plasmonic Nanopores with Cavities in the
      Solid Support.
AB  - Plasmonic nanostructures are widely used for various sensing applications by
      monitoring changes in refractive index through optical spectroscopy or as
      substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. However, in most practical
      situations conventional surface plasmon resonance is preferred for biomolecular
      interaction analysis because of its high resolution in surface coverage and the
      simple single-material planar interface. Still, plasmonic nanostructures may find
      unique sensing applications, for instance when the nanoscale geometry itself is
      of interest. This calls for new methods to prepare nanoscale particles and
      cavities with controllable dimensions and curvature. In this work, we present two
      types of plasmonic nanopores where the solid support underneath a nanohole array
      has been etched, thereby creating cavities denoted as 'nanowells' or 'nanocaves'
      depending on the degree of anisotropy (dry or wet etch). The refractometric
      sensitivity is shown to be enhanced upon removing the solid support because of an
      increased probing volume and a shift of the asymmetric plasmonic field towards
      the liquid side of the finite gold film. Furthermore, the structures exhibit
      different spectral changes upon binding inside the cavities compared to the gold
      surface, which means that the structures can be used for location-specific
      detection. Other sensing applications are also suggested.

PMID- 28632154
TI  - Synthesis and Biodegradation of Poly(l-lactide-co-beta-propiolactone).
AB  - Although the copolymerizations of l-lactide (LA) with seven- or six-membered ring
      lactones have been extensively studied, the copolymerizations of LA with four
      membered ring lactones have scarcely been reported. In this work, we studied the
      copolymerization of LA with beta-propiolactone (PL) and the properties of the
      obtained copolymers. The copolymerization of LA with PL was carried out using
      trifluoromethanesulfonic acid as a catalyst and methanol as an initiator to
      produce poly(LA-co-PL) with Mn of ~50,000 and PL-content of 6-67 mol %. The Tg
      values of the copolymers were rapidly lowered with increasing PL-contents. The Tm
      and DeltaHm of the copolymers gradually decreased with increasing PL-contents,
      indicating their decreased crystallinity. Biodegradation test of the copolymers
      in compost demonstrated their improved biodegradability in comparison with the
      homopolymer of LA.

PMID- 28632156
TI  - Image Mosaicking Approach for a Double-Camera System in the GaoFen2 Optical
      Remote Sensing Satellite Based on the Big Virtual Camera.
AB  - The linear array push broom imaging mode is widely used for high resolution
      optical satellites (HROS). Using double-cameras attached by a high-rigidity
      support along with push broom imaging is one method to enlarge the field of view
      while ensuring high resolution. High accuracy image mosaicking is the key factor
      of the geometrical quality of complete stitched satellite imagery. This paper
      proposes a high accuracy image mosaicking approach based on the big virtual
      camera (BVC) in the double-camera system on the GaoFen2 optical remote sensing
      satellite (GF2). A big virtual camera can be built according to the rigorous
      imaging model of a single camera; then, each single image strip obtained by each
      TDI-CCD detector can be re-projected to the virtual detector of the big virtual
      camera coordinate system using forward-projection and backward-projection to
      obtain the corresponding single virtual image. After an on-orbit calibration and
      relative orientation, the complete final virtual image can be obtained by
      stitching the single virtual images together based on their coordinate
      information on the big virtual detector image plane. The paper subtly uses the
      concept of the big virtual camera to obtain a stitched image and the
      corresponding high accuracy rational function model (RFM) for concurrent post
      processing. Experiments verified that the proposed method can achieve seamless
      mosaicking while maintaining the geometric accuracy.

PMID- 28632157
TI  - Development of a Novel Transparent Flexible Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic
      Transducer.
AB  - This paper presents the world's first transparent flexible capacitive
      micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) that was fabricated through a roll
      lamination technique. This polymer-based CMUT has advantages of transparency,
      flexibility, and non-contacting detection which provide unique functions in
      display panel applications. Comprising an indium tin oxide-polyethylene
      terephthalate (ITO-PET) substrate, SU-8 sidewall and vibrating membranes, and
      silver nanowire transparent electrode, the transducer has visible-light
      transmittance exceeding 80% and can operate on curved surfaces with a 40 mm
      radius of curvature. Unlike the traditional silicon-based high temperature
      process, the CMUT can be fabricated on a flexible substrate at a temperature
      below 100  degrees C to reduce residual stress introduced at high temperature.
      The CMUT on the curved surfaces can detect a flat target and finger at distances
      up to 50 mm and 40 mm, respectively. The transparent flexible CMUT provides a
      better human-machine interface than existing touch panels because it can be
      integrated with a display panel for non-contacting control in a health conscious
      environment and the flexible feature is critical for curved display and wearable
      electronics.

PMID- 28632158
TI  - On the Application of Image Processing Methods for Bubble Recognition to the
      Study of Subcooled Flow Boiling of Water in Rectangular Channels.
AB  - This work introduces the use of machine vision in the massive bubble recognition
      process, which supports the validation of boiling models involving bubble
      dynamics, as well as nucleation frequency, active site density and size of the
      bubbles. The two algorithms presented are meant to be run employing quite
      standard images of the bubbling process, recorded in general-purpose boiling
      facilities. The recognition routines are easily adaptable to other facilities if
      a minimum number of precautions are taken in the setup and in the treatment of
      the information. Both the side and front projections of subcooled flow-boiling
      phenomenon over a plain plate are covered. Once all of the intended bubbles have
      been located in space and time, the proper post-process of the recorded data
      become capable of tracking each of the recognized bubbles, sketching their
      trajectories and size evolution, locating the nucleation sites, computing their
      diameters, and so on. After validating the algorithm's output against the human
      eye and data from other researchers, machine vision systems have been
      demonstrated to be a very valuable option to successfully perform the recognition
      process, even though the optical analysis of bubbles has not been set as the main
      goal of the experimental facility.

PMID- 28632155
TI  - Microbiota, Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer.
AB  - Colorectal cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is
      a multifactorial disease involving genetic, environmental and lifestyle risk
      factors. In addition, increased evidence has established a role for the
      intestinal microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer. Indeed, changes in
      the intestinal microbiota composition in colorectal cancer patients compared to
      control subjects have been reported. Several bacterial species have been shown to
      exhibit the pro-inflammatory and pro-carcinogenic properties, which could
      consequently have an impact on colorectal carcinogenesis. This review will
      summarize the current knowledge about the potential links between the intestinal
      microbiota and colorectal cancer, with a focus on the pro-carcinogenic properties
      of bacterial microbiota such as induction of inflammation, the biosynthesis of
      genotoxins that interfere with cell cycle regulation and the production of toxic
      metabolites. Finally, we will describe the potential therapeutic strategies based
      on intestinal microbiota manipulation for colorectal cancer treatment.

PMID- 28632159
TI  - Better than Membranes at the Origin of Life?
AB  - Organelles without membranes are found in all types of cells and typically
      contain RNA and protein. RNA and protein are the constituents of ribosomes, one
      of the most ancient cellular structures. It is reasonable to propose that
      organelles without membranes preceded protocells and other membrane-bound
      structures at the origins of life. Such membraneless organelles would be well
      sheltered in the spaces between mica sheets, which have many advantages as a site
      for the origins of life.

PMID- 28632160
TI  - The Protease Inhibitor CI2c Gene Induced by Bird Cherry-Oat Aphid in Barley
      Inhibits Green Peach Aphid Fecundity in Transgenic Arabidopsis.
AB  - Aphids are phloem feeders that cause large damage globally as pest insects. They
      induce a variety of responses in the host plant, but not much is known about
      which responses are promoting or inhibiting aphid performance. Here, we
      investigated whether one of the responses induced in barley by the cereal aphid,
      bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) affects aphid performance in the
      model plant Arabidopsis thaliana L. A barley cDNA encoding the protease inhibitor
      CI2c was expressed in A. thaliana and aphid performance was studied using the
      generalist green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer). There were no consistent
      effects on aphid settling or preference or on parameters of life span and long
      term fecundity. However, short-term tests with apterous adult aphids showed lower
      fecundity on three of the transgenic lines, as compared to on control plants.
      This effect was transient, observed on days 5 to 7, but not later. The results
      suggest that the protease inhibitor is taken up from the tissue during probing
      and weakly inhibits fecundity by an unknown mechanism. The study shows that a
      protease inhibitor induced in barley by an essentially monocot specialist aphid
      can inhibit a generalist aphid in transgenic Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28632161
TI  - Endogenous Retroviral Insertions Indicate a Secondary Introduction of Domestic
      Sheep Lineages to the Caucasus and Central Asia between the Bronze and Iron Age.
AB  - Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After
      initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The
      modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in
      domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive
      introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the
      Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA
      approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age
      domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a
      secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze
      Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia.

PMID- 28632162
TI  - Beyond Food Access: The Impact of Parent-, Home-, and Neighborhood-Level Factors
      on Children's Diets.
AB  - Despite the growth in empirical research on neighborhood environmental
      characteristics and their influence on children's diets, physical activity, and
      obesity, much remains to be learned, as few have examined the relationship
      between neighborhood food availability on dietary behavior in children,
      specifically. This analysis utilized data from a community-based, cross-sectional
      sample of children (n = 199) that was collected in New Orleans, Louisiana, in
      2010. This dataset was linked to food environment data to assess the impact of
      neighborhood food access as well as household and parent factors on children's
      diets. We observed a negligible impact of the neighborhood food environment on
      children's diets, except with respect to fast food, with children who had access
      to fast food within 500 m around their home significantly less likely (OR = 0.35,
      95% CI: 0.1, 0.8) to consume vegetables. Key parental and household factors did
      play a role in diet, including receipt of public assistance and cooking meals at
      home. Children receiving public assistance were 2.5 times (95% CI: 1.1, 5.4) more
      likely to consume fruit more than twice per day compared with children not
      receiving public assistance. Children whose family cooked dinner at home more
      than 5 times per week had significantly more consumption of fruit (64% vs. 58%)
      and vegetables (55% vs. 39%), but less soda (27% vs. 43%). Findings highlight the
      need for future research that focuses on the dynamic and complex relationships
      between built and social factors in the communities and homes of children that
      impact their diet in order to develop multilevel prevention approaches that
      address childhood obesity.

PMID- 28632163
TI  - Melatonin as a Novel Interventional Candidate for Fragile X Syndrome with Autism
      Spectrum Disorder in Humans.
AB  - Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common monogenic form of autism spectrum
      disorder (ASD). FXS with ASD results from the loss of fragile X mental
      retardation (fmr) gene products, including fragile X mental retardation protein
      (FMRP), which triggers a variety of physiological and behavioral abnormalities.
      This disorder is also correlated with clock components underlying behavioral
      circadian rhythms and, thus, a mutation of the fmr gene can result in disturbed
      sleep patterns and altered circadian rhythms. As a result, FXS with ASD
      individuals may experience dysregulation of melatonin synthesis and alterations
      in melatonin-dependent signaling pathways that can impair vigilance, learning,
      and memory abilities, and may be linked to autistic behaviors such as abnormal
      anxiety responses. Although a wide variety of possible causes, symptoms, and
      clinical features of ASD have been studied, the correlation between altered
      circadian rhythms and FXS with ASD has yet to be extensively investigated. Recent
      studies have highlighted the impact of melatonin on the nervous, immune, and
      metabolic systems and, even though the utilization of melatonin for sleep
      dysfunctions in ASD has been considered in clinical research, future studies
      should investigate its neuroprotective role during the developmental period in
      individuals with ASD. Thus, the present review focuses on the regulatory circuits
      involved in the dysregulation of melatonin and disruptions in the circadian
      system in individuals with FXS with ASD. Additionally, the neuroprotective
      effects of melatonin intervention therapies, including improvements in
      neuroplasticity and physical capabilities, are discussed and the molecular
      mechanisms underlying this disorder are reviewed. The authors suggest that
      melatonin may be a useful treatment for FXS with ASD in terms of alleviating the
      adverse effects of variations in the circadian rhythm.

PMID- 28632164
TI  - The Role of Hemoproteins: Hemoglobin, Myoglobin and Neuroglobin in Endogenous
      Thiosulfate Production Processes.
AB  - Thiosulfate formation and biodegradation processes link aerobic and anaerobic
      metabolism of cysteine. In these reactions, sulfite formed from thiosulfate is
      oxidized to sulfate while hydrogen sulfide is transformed into thiosulfate. These
      processes occurring mostly in mitochondria are described as a canonical hydrogen
      sulfide oxidation pathway. In this review, we discuss the current state of
      knowledge on the interactions between hydrogen sulfide and hemoglobin, myoglobin
      and neuroglobin and postulate that thiosulfate is a metabolically important
      product of this processes. Hydrogen sulfide oxidation by ferric hemoglobin,
      myoglobin and neuroglobin has been defined as a non-canonical hydrogen sulfide
      oxidation pathway. Until recently, it appeared that the goal of thiosulfate
      production was to delay irreversible oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfate
      excreted in urine; while thiosulfate itself was only an intermediate, transient
      metabolite on the hydrogen sulfide oxidation pathway. In the light of data
      presented in this paper, it seems that thiosulfate is a molecule that plays a
      prominent role in the human body. Thus, we hope that all these findings will
      encourage further studies on the role of hemoproteins in the formation of this
      undoubtedly fascinating molecule and on the mechanisms responsible for its
      biological activity in the human body.

PMID- 28632165
TI  - Fano Effect and Quantum Entanglement in Hybrid Semiconductor Quantum Dot-Metal
      Nanoparticle System.
AB  - In this paper, we review the investigation for the light-matter interaction
      between surface plasmon field in metal nanoparticle (MNP) and the excitons in
      semiconductor quantum dots (SQDs) in hybrid SQD-MNP system under the full quantum
      description. The exciton-plasmon interaction gives rise to the modified decay
      rate and the exciton energy shift which are related to the exciton energy by
      using a quantum transformation method. We illustrate the responses of the hybrid
      SQD-MNP system to external field, and reveal Fano effect shown in the absorption
      spectrum. We demonstrate quantum entanglement between two SQD mediated by surface
      plasmon field. In the absence of a laser field, concurrence of quantum
      entanglement will disappear after a few ns. If the laser field is present, the
      steady states appear, so that quantum entanglement produced will reach a steady
      state entanglement. Because one of all optical pathways to induce Fano effect
      refers to the generation of quantum entangled states, It is shown that the
      concurrence of quantum entanglement can be obtained by observation for Fano
      effect. In a hybrid system including two MNP and a SQD, because the two Fano
      quantum interference processes share a segment of all optical pathways, there is
      correlation between the Fano effects of the two MNP. The investigations for the
      light-matter interaction in hybrid SQD-MNP system can pave the way for the
      development of the optical processing devices and quantum information based on
      the exciton-plasmon interaction.

PMID- 28632166
TI  - Dual-Channel Cosine Function Based ITD Estimation for Robust Speech Separation.
AB  - In speech separation tasks, many separation methods have the limitation that the
      microphones are closely spaced, which means that these methods are unprevailing
      for phase wrap-around. In this paper, we present a novel speech separation scheme
      by using two microphones that does not have this restriction. The technique
      utilizes the estimation of interaural time difference (ITD) statistics and binary
      time-frequency mask for the separation of mixed speech sources. The novelties of
      the paper consist in: (1) the extended application of delay-and-sum beamforming
      (DSB) and cosine function for ITD calculation; and (2) the clarification of the
      connection between ideal binary mask and DSB amplitude ratio. Our objective
      quality evaluation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed
      method.

PMID- 28632167
TI  - Preparation of Ce- and La-Doped Li4Ti5O12 Nanosheets and Their Electrochemical
      Performance in Li Half Cell and Li4Ti5O12/LiFePO4 Full Cell Batteries.
AB  - This work reports on the synthesis of rare earth-doped Li4Ti5O12 nanosheets with
      high electrochemical performance as anode material both in Li half and
      Li4Ti5O12/LiFePO4 full cell batteries. Through the combination of decreasing the
      particle size and doping by rare earth atoms (Ce and La), Ce and La doped
      Li4Ti5O12 nanosheets show the excellent electrochemical performance in terms of
      high specific capacity, good cycling stability and excellent rate performance in
      half cells. Notably, the Ce-doped Li4Ti5O12 shows good electrochemical
      performance as anode in a full cell which LiFePO4 was used as cathode. The
      superior electrochemical performance can be attributed to doping as well as the
      nanosized particle, which facilitates transportation of the lithium ion and
      electron transportation. This research shows that the rare earth doped Li4Ti5O12
      nanosheets can be suitable as a high rate performance anode material in lithium
      ion batteries.

PMID- 28632168
TI  - A Comparative Study of the Structural Dynamics of Four Terminal Uridylyl
      Transferases.
AB  - African trypanosomiasis occurs in 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa with 10,000
      reported cases annually. No definitive remedy is currently available and if left
      untreated, the disease becomes fatal. Structural and biochemical studies of
      trypanosomal terminal uridylyl transferases (TUTases) demonstrated their
      functional role in extensive uridylate insertion/deletion of RNA. Trypanosoma
      brucei RNA Editing TUTase 1 (TbRET1) is involved in guide RNA 3' end uridylation
      and maturation, while TbRET2 is responsible for U-insertion at RNA editing sites.
      Two additional TUTases called TbMEAT1 and TbTUT4 have also been reported to share
      similar function. TbRET1 and TbRET2 are essential enzymes for the parasite
      viability making them potential drug targets. For this study, we clustered
      molecular dynamics (MD) trajectories of four TUTases based on active site shape
      measured by Pocket Volume Measurer (POVME) program. Among the four TUTases,
      TbRET1 exhibited the largest average pocket volume, while TbMEAT1's and TbTUT4's
      active sites displayed the most flexibility. A side pocket was also identified
      within the active site in all TUTases with TbRET1 having the most pronounced. Our
      results indicate that TbRET1's larger side pocket can be exploited to achieve
      selective inhibitor design as FTMap identifies it as a druggable pocket.

PMID- 28632169
TI  - The Novel Mechanisms Concerning the Inhibitions of Palmitate-Induced
      Proinflammatory Factor Releases and Endogenous Cellular Stress with Astaxanthin
      on MIN6 beta-Cells.
AB  - Astaxanthin, an antioxidant agent, can protect pancreatic beta-cells of db/db
      mice from glucotoxicity and resolve chronic inflammation in adipose tissue.
      Nonetheless, the effects of astaxanthin on free-fatty-acid-induced inflammation
      and cellular stress in beta-cells remain to be demonstrated. Meanwhile, palmitate
      enhances the secretion of pro-inflammatory adipokines monocyte chemoattractant
      protein-1 (MCP-1) and VEGF120 (vascular endothelial growth factor). We therefore
      investigated the influence of astaxanthin on palmitate-stimulated MCP-1 and
      VEGF120 secretion in mouse insulinoma (MIN6) pancreatic beta-cells. Furthermore,
      whether astaxanthin prevents cellular stress in MIN6 cells was also assessed. Pre
      treatment with astaxanthin or with N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) which is an
      antioxidant drug, significantly attenuated the palmitate-induced MCP-1 release
      through downregulation of phosphorylated c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK)
      pathways, and suppressed VEGF120 through the PI3K/Akt pathways relative to the
      cells stimulated with palmitate alone. In addition, palmitate significantly
      upregulated homologous protein (CHOP) and anti-glucose-regulated protein (GRP78),
      which are endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, in MIN6 cells. On the other
      hand, astaxanthin attenuated the increased CHOP content, but further up-regulated
      palmitate-stimulated GRP78 protein expression. By contrast, NAC had no effects on
      either CHOP or GRP78 enhancement induced by palmitate in MIN6 cells. In
      conclusion, astaxanthin diminishes the palmitate-stimulated increase in MCP-1
      secretion via the downregulation of JNK pathways in MIN6 cells, and affects
      VEGF120 secretion through PI3K/Akt pathways. Moreover, astaxanthin can prevent
      not only oxidative stress caused endogenously by palmitate but also ER stress,
      which NAC fails to attenuate, via upregulation of GRP78, an ER chaperon.

PMID- 28632170
TI  - Current Research in Lidar Technology Used for the Remote Sensing of Atmospheric
      Aerosols.
AB  - Lidars are active optical remote sensing instruments with unique capabilities for
      atmospheric sounding. A manifold of atmospheric variables can be profiled using
      different types of lidar: concentration of species, wind speed, temperature, etc.
      Among them, measurement of the properties of aerosol particles, whose influence
      in many atmospheric processes is important but is still poorly stated, stands as
      one of the main fields of application of current lidar systems. This paper
      presents a review on fundamentals, technology, methodologies and state-of-the art
      of the lidar systems used to obtain aerosol information. Retrieval of structural
      (aerosol layers profiling), optical (backscatter and extinction coefficients) and
      microphysical (size, shape and type) properties requires however different levels
      of instrumental complexity; this general outlook is structured following a
      classification that attends these criteria. Thus, elastic systems (detection only
      of emitted frequencies), Raman systems (detection also of Raman frequency-shifted
      spectral lines), high spectral resolution lidars, systems with depolarization
      measurement capabilities and multi-wavelength instruments are described, and the
      fundamentals in which the retrieval of aerosol parameters is based is in each
      case detailed.

PMID- 28632171
TI  - A New Privacy-Preserving Handover Authentication Scheme for Wireless Networks.
AB  - Handover authentication is a critical issue in wireless networks, which is being
      used to ensure mobile nodes wander over multiple access points securely and
      seamlessly. A variety of handover authentication schemes for wireless networks
      have been proposed in the literature. Unfortunately, existing handover
      authentication schemes are vulnerable to a few security attacks, or incur high
      communication and computation costs. Recently, He et al. proposed a handover
      authentication scheme PairHand and claimed it can resist various attacks without
      rigorous security proofs. In this paper, we show that PairHand does not meet
      forward secrecy and strong anonymity. More seriously, it is vulnerable to key
      compromise attack, where an adversary can recover the private key of any mobile
      node. Then, we propose a new efficient and provably secure handover
      authentication scheme for wireless networks based on elliptic curve cryptography.
      Compared with existing schemes, our proposed scheme can resist key compromise
      attack, and achieves forward secrecy and strong anonymity. Moreover, it is more
      efficient in terms of computation and communication.

PMID- 28632172
TI  - Fiber Optic Thermo-Hygrometers for Soil Moisture Monitoring.
AB  - This work deals with the fabrication, prototyping, and experimental validation of
      a fiber optic thermo-hygrometer-based soil moisture sensor, useful for rainfall
      induced landslide prevention applications. In particular, we recently proposed a
      new generation of fiber Bragg grating (FBGs)-based soil moisture sensors for
      irrigation purposes. This device was realized by integrating, inside a customized
      aluminum protection package, a FBG thermo-hygrometer with a polymer micro-porous
      membrane. Here, we first verify the limitations, in terms of the volumetric water
      content (VWC) measuring range, of this first version of the soil moisture sensor
      for its exploitation in landslide prevention applications. Successively, we
      present the development, prototyping, and experimental validation of a novel,
      optimized version of a soil VWC sensor, still based on a FBG thermo-hygrometer,
      but able to reliably monitor, continuously and in real-time, VWC values up to 37%
      when buried in the soil.

PMID- 28632173
TI  - Gene Expression Profiling Reveals Potential Players of Left-Right Asymmetry in
      Female Chicken Gonads.
AB  - Most female birds develop only a left ovary, whereas males develop bilateral
      testes. The mechanism underlying this process is still not completely understood.
      Here, we provide a comprehensive transcriptional analysis of female chicken
      gonads and identify novel candidate side-biased genes. RNA-Seq analysis was
      carried out on total RNA harvested from the left and right gonads on embryonic
      day 6 (E6), E12, and post-hatching day 1 (D1). By comparing the gene expression
      profiles between the left and right gonads, 347 differentially expressed genes
      (DEGs) were obtained on E6, 3730 were obtained on E12, and 2787 were obtained on
      D1. Side-specific genes were primarily derived from the autosome rather than the
      sex chromosome. Gene ontology and pathway analysis showed that the DEGs were most
      enriched in the Piwi-interactiing RNA (piRNA) metabolic process, germ plasm,
      chromatoid body, P granule, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, microbial
      metabolism in diverse environments, and methane metabolism. A total of 111 DEGs,
      five gene ontology (GO) terms, and three pathways were significantly different
      between the left and right gonads among all the development stages. We also
      present the gene number and the percentage within eight development-dependent
      expression patterns of DEGs in the left and right gonads of female chicken.

PMID- 28632174
TI  - Fluorescence Analysis of Vitamin D Receptor Status of Circulating Tumor Cells
      (CTCS) in Breast Cancer: From Cell Models to Metastatic Patients.
AB  - The Vitamin D receptor (VDR) expressed in normal breast tissue and breast tumors
      has been suggested as a new prognostic biomarker in breast cancer (BC). Besides,
      increasing evidence supports the view that the detection of circulating tumor
      cells (CTCs) predicts outcome in early and metastatic BC. Consequently, an
      evaluation of VDR expression in the CTCs of BC patients may allow optimization of
      their treatment. As an attempt to profile and subtype the CTCs of metastatic
      patients, we established an innovative fluorescence technique using nine BC cell
      lines to visualize, define, and compare their individual VDR status. Afterwards,
      we tested the CTC presence and VDR expression in blood samples (cytospins)
      collected from 23 metastatic BC patients. The results demonstrated major
      differences in the VDR levels among the nine cell lines, and VDR positive CTCs
      were detected in 46% of CTC-positive patients, with a total of 42 CTCs
      individually analyzed. Due to the limited number of patients in this study, no
      correlation between VDR expression and BC subtype classification (according to
      estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2) could be determined,
      but our data support the view that VDR evaluation is a potential new prognostic
      biomarker to help in the optimization of therapy management for BC patients.

PMID- 28632175
TI  - Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, or Diet-What Are the
      Correlates of Obesity in Polish School Children?
AB  - There is substantial evidence of rising prevalence of overweight and obesity and
      its co-morbidities among children in western-high income developed countries. In
      the European Union, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing
      fastest among Polish children. Yet, there is paucity of evidence on the
      relationship of behavioral factors with body weight status of children in Poland.
      This study examined the association of obesity with physical fitness, physical
      activity, sedentary behavior and diet among Polish children. A total of 641
      children (10-15 years) recruited from the Lower Silesia region of Poland
      participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants' anthropometrics,
      physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and dietary intake were
      assessed. Outcome variables were weight categories (according to body mass index
      [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], and percentage body fat [% BF]). The strongest
      negative correlation was found between VO2max and %BF (r = -0.39, p <0.05).
      Significant negative correlation was also found between VO2max and weight
      categories (r = -0.15). Results of the multinomial logit analysis showed that
      VO2max increased in groups of overweight, normal weight and underweight children
      by 13%, 26% and 19%, respectively as compared to the group of obese children.
      VO2max and weight and obesity indices were strongly correlated in both gender and
      age groups. Education and intervention programs to increase physical fitness
      (VO2max) through aerobic training are recommended for Physical Education
      teachers, parents and children in order to reduce the rate of overweight and
      obesity among children in the Lower Silesia region of Poland.

PMID- 28632176
TI  - The Ship Movement Trajectory Prediction Algorithm Using Navigational Data Fusion.
AB  - It is essential for the marine navigator conducting maneuvers of his ship at sea
      to know future positions of himself and target ships in a specific time span to
      effectively solve collision situations. This article presents an algorithm of
      ship movement trajectory prediction, which, through data fusion, takes into
      account measurements of the ship's current position from a number of doubled
      autonomous devices. This increases the reliability and accuracy of prediction.
      The algorithm has been implemented in NAVDEC, a navigation decision support
      system and practically used on board ships.

PMID- 28632178
TI  - An Increased Dietary Supply of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids during Early Weaning in
      Rodents Prevents Excessive Fat Accumulation in Adulthood.
AB  - Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) are a directly and readily absorbed source of
      energy. Exposure early-in-life to increased MCFA levels might affect development
      and impact (lipid) metabolism later in life. We tested whether an increased MCFA
      intake early-in-life positively affects adult body composition and metabolic
      status when challenged by a western-style diet (WSD). Male offspring of C57Bl/6j
      mice and Wistar rats were fed a control diet (CTRL; 10 w% fat, 14% MCFA) or a
      medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) diet with 20% MCFA until postnatal (PN) day 42,
      whereupon animals were fed a WSD (10 w% fat) until PN day 98. Body composition
      was monitored by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). In rats, glucose
      homeostasis was assessed by glucose tolerance test (GTT) and insulin tolerance
      test (ITT); in mice, the HOmeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA
      IR) was calculated. At autopsy on PN day 98, plasma lipid profiles, glucose,
      insulin, and adipokines were measured; organs and fat pads were collected and the
      adipocyte size distribution was analysed. Milk analysis in mice showed that the
      maternal MCT diet was not translated into milk, and pups were thus only exposed
      to high MCT levels from early weaning onward: PN day 16 until 42. Mice exposed to
      MCT showed 28% less fat accumulation vs. CTRL during WSD. The average adipocyte
      cell size, fasting plasma triglycerides (TG), and leptin levels were reduced in
      MCT mice. In rats, no effects were found on the adult body composition, but the
      adipocyte cell size distribution shifted towards smaller adipocytes. Particularly
      mice showed positive effects on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity.
      Increased MCFA intake early-in-life protected against the detrimental effects of
      an obesogenic diet in adulthood.

PMID- 28632179
TI  - The Antiproliferative Effect of Cyclodipeptides from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1
      on HeLa Cells Involves Inhibition of Phosphorylation of Akt and S6k Kinases.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, a potential pathogen of plants and animals, produces
      the cyclodipeptides cyclo(l-Pro-l-Tyr), cyclo(l-Pro-l-Phe), and cyclo(l-Pro-l
      Val) (PAO1-CDPs), whose effects have been implicated in inhibition of human tumor
      cell line proliferation. Our purpose was to investigate in depth in the
      mechanisms of HeLa cell proliferation inhibition by the PAO1-CDPs. The results
      indicate that PAO1-CDPs, both purified individually and in mixtures, inhibited
      HeLa cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0-G1 transition. The
      crude PAO1-CDPs mixture promoted cell death in HeLa cells in a dose-dependent
      manner, showing efficacy similar to that of isolated PAO1-CDPs (LD50 of 60-250
      uM) and inducing apoptosis with EC50 between 0.6 and 3.0 uM. Moreover, PAO1-CDPs
      showed a higher proapoptotic activity (~103-105 fold) than their synthetic
      analogs did. Subsequently, the PAO1-CDPs affected mitochondrial membrane
      potential and induced apoptosis by caspase-9-dependent pathway. The mechanism of
      inhibition of cells proliferation in HeLa cells involves inhibition of
      phosphorylation of both Akt-S473 and S6k-T389 protein kinases, showing a cyclic
      behavior of their expression and phosphorylation in a time and concentration
      dependent fashion. Taken together our findings indicate that PI3K-Akt-mTOR-S6k
      signaling pathway blockage is involved in the antiproliferative effect of the
      PAO1-CDPs.

PMID- 28632177
TI  - The Intersection of NGF/TrkA Signaling and Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing
      in Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology.
AB  - Dysfunction of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its high-affinity Tropomyosin
      receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptor has been suggested to contribute to the
      selective degeneration of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCN) associated
      with the progressive cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of
      this review is to describe our progress in elucidating the molecular mechanisms
      underlying the dynamic interplay between NGF/TrkA signaling and amyloid precursor
      protein (APP) metabolism within the context of AD neuropathology. This is mainly
      based on the finding that TrkA receptor binding to APP depends on a minimal
      stretch of ~20 amino acids located in the juxtamembrane/extracellular domain of
      APP that carries the alpha- and beta-secretase cleavage sites. Here, we provide
      evidence that: (i) NGF could be one of the "routing" proteins responsible for
      modulating the metabolism of APP from amyloidogenic towards non-amyloidogenic
      processing via binding to the TrkA receptor; (ii) the loss of NGF/TrkA signaling
      could be linked to sporadic AD contributing to the classical hallmarks of the
      neuropathology, such as synaptic loss, beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) deposition
      and tau abnormalities. These findings will hopefully help to design therapeutic
      strategies for AD treatment aimed at preserving cholinergic function and anti
      amyloidogenic activity of the physiological NGF/TrkA pathway in the septo
      hippocampal system.

PMID- 28632180
TI  - PREVIEW: Prevention of Diabetes through Lifestyle Intervention and Population
      Studies in Europe and around the World. Design, Methods, and Baseline Participant
      Description of an Adult Cohort Enrolled into a Three-Year Randomised Clinical
      Trial.
AB  - Type-2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases worldwide.
      The PREVIEW project has been initiated to find the most effective lifestyle (diet
      and physical activity) for the prevention of T2D, in overweight and obese
      participants with increased risk for T2D. The study is a three-year multi-centre,
      2 * 2 factorial, randomised controlled trial. The impact of a high-protein, low
      glycaemic index (GI) vs. moderate protein, moderate-GI diet in combination with
      moderate or high-intensity physical activity on the incidence of T2D and the
      related clinical end-points are investigated. The intervention started with a two
      month weight reduction using a low-calorie diet, followed by a randomised 34
      month weight maintenance phase comprising four treatment arms. Eight intervention
      centres are participating (Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, The Netherlands,
      Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and New Zealand). Data from blood specimens, urine,
      faeces, questionnaires, diaries, body composition assessments, and accelerometers
      are collected at months 0, 2, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36. In total, 2326 adults were
      recruited. The mean age was 51.6 (SD 11.6) years, 67% were women. PREVIEW is, to
      date, the largest multinational trial to address the prevention of T2D in pre
      diabetic adults through diet and exercise intervention. Participants will
      complete the final intervention in March, 2018.

PMID- 28632182
TI  - MinT: Middleware for Cooperative Interaction of Things.
AB  - This paper proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) middleware called Middleware for
      Cooperative Interaction of Things (MinT). MinT supports a fully distributed IoT
      environment in which IoT devices directly connect to peripheral devices easily
      construct a local or global network, and share their data in an energy efficient
      manner. MinT provides a sensor abstract layer, a system layer and an interaction
      layer. These enable integrated sensing device operations, efficient resource
      management, and active interconnection between peripheral IoT devices. In
      addition, MinT provides a high-level API to develop IoT devices easily for IoT
      device developers. We aim to enhance the energy efficiency and performance of IoT
      devices through the performance improvements offered by MinT resource management
      and request processing. The experimental results show that the average request
      rate increased by 25% compared to Californium, which is a middleware for
      efficient interaction in IoT environments with powerful performance, an average
      response time decrease of 90% when resource management was used, and power
      consumption decreased by up to 68%. Finally, the proposed platform can reduce the
      latency and power consumption of IoT devices.

PMID- 28632181
TI  - Spirulina Protects against Hepatic Inflammation in Aging: An Effect Related to
      the Modulation of the Gut Microbiota?
AB  - Aging predisposes to hepatic dysfunction and inflammation that can contribute to
      the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Spirulina, a cyanobacterium
      used as a food additive or food supplement, has been shown to impact immune
      function. We have tested the potential hepatoprotective effect of a Spirulina in
      aged mice and to determine whether these effects can be related to a modulation
      of the gut microbiota. Old mice have been fed a standard diet supplemented with
      or without 5% Spirulina for six weeks. Among several changes of gut microbiota
      composition, an increase in Roseburia and Lactobacillus proportions occurs upon
      Spirulina treatment. Interestingly, parameters related to the innate immunity are
      upregulated in the small intestine of Spirulina-treated mice. Furthermore, the
      supplementation with Spirulina reduces several hepatic inflammatory and oxidative
      stress markers that are upregulated in old mice versus young mice. We conclude
      that the oral administration of a Spirulina is able to modulate the gut
      microbiota and to activate the immune system in the gut, a mechanism that may be
      involved in the improvement of the hepatic inflammation in aged mice. Those data
      open the way to new therapeutic tools in the management of immune alterations in
      aging, based on gut microbe-host interactions.

PMID- 28632183
TI  - Measurement of Rayleigh Wave Beams Using Angle Beam Wedge Transducers as the
      Transmitter and Receiver with Consideration of Beam Spreading.
AB  - A theoretical model, along with experimental verification, is developed to
      describe the generation, propagation and reception of a Rayleigh wave using angle
      beam wedge transducers. The Rayleigh wave generation process using an angle beam
      wedge transducer is analyzed, and the actual Rayleigh wave sound source
      distributions are evaluated numerically. Based on the reciprocity theorem and
      considering the actual sound source, the Rayleigh wave beams are modeled using an
      area integral method. The leaky Rayleigh wave theory is introduced to investigate
      the reception of the Rayleigh wave using the angle beam wedge transducers, and
      the effects of the wave spreading in the wedge and transducer size are considered
      in the reception process. The effects of attenuations of the Rayleigh wave and
      leaky Rayleigh wave are discussed, and the received wave results with different
      sizes of receivers are compared. The experiments are conducted using two angle
      beam wedge transducers to measure the Rayleigh wave, and the measurement results
      are compared with the predictions using different theoretical models. It is shown
      that the proposed model which considers the wave spreading in both the sample and
      wedges can be used to interpret the measurements reasonably.

PMID- 28632185
TI  - The Effects of Selected Sesquiterpenes from Myrica rubra Essential Oil on the
      Efficacy of Doxorubicin in Sensitive and Resistant Cancer Cell Lines.
AB  - beta-caryophyllene oxide (CAO), alpha-humulene (HUM), trans-nerolidol (NER) and
      valencene (VAL) are constituents of the essential oil of Myrica rubra (MEO),
      which has significant antiproliferative effect in various cancer cell lines. In
      the present study, we compared the antiproliferative effect of these
      sesquiterpenes alone and in combination with the cytostatic drug doxorubicin
      (DOX) in cancer cell lines with different sensitivity to DOX. Two ovarian cancer
      cell lines (sensitive A2780 and partly resistant SKOV3) and two lymphoblast
      cancer cell lines (sensitive CCRF/CEM and completely resistant CEM/ADR) were
      used. The observed effects varied among sesquiterpenes and also differed in
      individual cell lines, with only VAL being effective in all the cell lines. A
      strong synergism of DOX with NER was found in the A2780 cells, while DOX acted
      synergistically with HUM and CAO in the SKOV3 cells. In the CCRF/CEM cells, a
      synergism of DOX with CAO and NER was observed. In resistant CEM/ADR cells,
      sesquiterpenes did not increase DOX efficacy, although they significantly
      increased accumulation of DOX (up to 10-times) and rhodamine-123 (substrate of
      efflux transporter ABCB1) within cancer cells. In conclusion, the tested
      sesquiterpenes were able to improve DOX efficacy in the sensitive and partly
      resistant cancer cells, but not in cells completely resistant to DOX.

PMID- 28632184
TI  - Crude Fucoidan Extracts Impair Angiogenesis in Models Relevant for Bone
      Regeneration and Osteosarcoma via Reduction of VEGF and SDF-1.
AB  - The marine origin polysaccharide fucoidan combines multiple biological
      activities. As demonstrated by various studies in vitro and in vivo, fucoidans
      show anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant
      properties, although the detailed molecular action remains to be elucidated. The
      aim of the present study is to assess the impact of crude fucoidan extracts, on
      the formation of vascular structures in co-culture models relevant for bone
      vascularization during bone repair and for vascularization processes in
      osteosarcoma. The co-cultures consisted of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem
      cells, respectively the osteosarcoma cell line MG63, and human blood derived
      outgrowth endothelial cells (OEC). The concentration dependent effects on the
      metabolic activity on endothelial cells and osteoblast cells were first assessed
      using monocultures of OEC, MSC and MG63 suggesting a concentration of 100 ug/mL
      as a suitable concentration for further experiments. In co-cultures fucoidan
      significantly reduced angiogenesis in MSC/OEC but also in MG63/OEC co-cultures
      suggesting a potential application of fucoidan to lower the vascularization in
      bone tumors such as osteosarcoma. This was associated with a decrease in VEGF
      (vascular endothelial growth factor) and SDF-1 (stromal derived factor-1) on the
      protein level, both related to the control of angiogenesis and furthermore
      discussed as crucial factors in osteosarcoma progression and metastasis. In terms
      of bone formation, fucoidan slightly lowered on the calcification process in MSC
      monocultures and MSC/OEC co-cultures. In summary, these data suggest the
      suitability of lower fucoidan doses to limit angiogenesis for instance in
      osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28632186
TI  - Insights into Penicillium brasilianum Secondary Metabolism and Its
      Biotechnological Potential.
AB  - Over the past few years Penicillium brasilianum has been isolated from many
      different environmental sources as soil isolates, plant endophytes and onion
      pathogen. All investigated strains share a great ability to produce bioactive
      secondary metabolites. Different authors have investigated this great capability
      and here we summarize the metabolic potential and the biological activities
      related to P. brasilianum's metabolites with diverse structures. They include
      secondary metabolites of an alkaloid nature, i.e., 2,5-diketopiperazines,
      cyclodepsipeptides, meroterpenoids and polyketides. Penicillium brasilianum is
      also described as a great source of enzymes with biotechnological application
      potential, which is also highlighted in this review. Additionally, this review
      will focus on several aspects of Penicillium brasilianum and interesting genomic
      insights.

PMID- 28632187
TI  - Complex Coacervation of Soy Proteins, Isoflavones and Chitosan.
AB  - In this study, the chitosan-induced coacervation of soy protein-isoflavone
      complexes in soymilk was investigated. Most of the soymilk proteins, including
      beta-conglycinin (7S), glycinin (11S), and isoflavones, were found to coacervate
      into the soymilk pellet fraction (SPF) following the addition of 0.5% chitosan.
      The total protein in the soymilk supernatant fraction (SSF) decreased from 18.1
      +/- 0.3 mg/mL to 1.6 +/- 0.1 mg/mL, and the pH values decreased slightly, from
      6.6 +/- 0.0 to 6.0 +/- 0.0. The results of SDS-PAGE revealed that the 7S alpha',
      7S alpha, 7S beta, 11S A3, and 11S acidic subunits, as well as the 11S basic
      proteins in the SSF, decreased to 0.7 +/- 0.5%, 0.2 +/- 0.1%, 0.1 +/- 0.0%, 0.2
      +/- 0.2%, 0.2 +/- 0.2% and 0.3 +/- 0.2%, respectively. We also found that
      isoflavones in the SSF, including daidzein, glycitein, and genistein, decreased
      to 9.6 +/- 2.3%, 5.7 +/- 0.9% and 5.9 +/- 1.5%, respectively. HPLC analysis
      indicated that isoflavones mixed with soy proteins formed soy protein-isoflavone
      complexes and were precipitated into the SPF by 0.5% chitosan.

PMID- 28632188
TI  - Smartphone-Based Food Diagnostic Technologies: A Review.
AB  - A new generation of mobile sensing approaches offers significant advantages over
      traditional platforms in terms of test speed, control, low cost, ease-of
      operation, and data management, and requires minimal equipment and user
      involvement. The marriage of novel sensing technologies with cellphones enables
      the development of powerful lab-on-smartphone platforms for many important
      applications including medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food
      safety analysis. This paper reviews the recent advancements and developments in
      the field of smartphone-based food diagnostic technologies, with an emphasis on
      custom modules to enhance smartphone sensing capabilities. These devices
      typically comprise multiple components such as detectors, sample processors,
      disposable chips, batteries and software, which are integrated with a commercial
      smartphone. One of the most important aspects of developing these systems is the
      integration of these components onto a compact and lightweight platform that
      requires minimal power. To date, researchers have demonstrated several promising
      approaches employing various sensing techniques and device configurations. We aim
      to provide a systematic classification according to the detection strategy,
      providing a critical discussion of strengths and weaknesses. We have also
      extended the analysis to the food scanning devices that are increasingly
      populating the Internet of Things (IoT) market, demonstrating how this field is
      indeed promising, as the research outputs are quickly capitalized on new start-up
      companies.

PMID- 28632189
TI  - Phenolic Glycosides from Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik and Their Anti
      Inflammatory Activity.
AB  - A new sesquilignan glycoside 1, together with seven known phenolic glycosides 2-8
      were isolated from the aerial parts of Capsella bursa-pastoris. The chemical
      structure of the new compound 1 was elucidated by extensive nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) data (1H- and 13C-NMR, 1H-1H correlation spectroscopy (1H-1H
      COSY), heteronuclear single-quantum correlation (HSQC), heteronuclear multiple
      bond correlation (HMBC), and nuclear overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY)) and
      HR-FABMS analysis. The anti-inflammatory effects of 1-8 were evaluated in
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine microglia BV-2 cells. Compounds 4 and
      7 exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in LPS
      activated BV-2 cells, with IC50 values of 17.80 and 27.91 uM, respectively.

PMID- 28632190
TI  - Soluble (Pro)renin Receptor and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Oxidative
      Stress in Brain?
AB  - (Pro)renin receptor ((P)RR) is a multi-functional molecule that is related to
      both the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and vacuolar H+-ATPase (v-ATPase), an ATP
      dependent multi-subunit proton pump. Soluble (P)RR (s(P)RR), which consists of
      the extracellular domain of (P)RR, is present in blood and urine. Elevated plasma
      s(P)RR concentrations are reported in patients with chronic kidney disease and
      pregnant women with hypertension or diabetes mellitus. In addition, we have shown
      that plasma s(P)RR concentrations are elevated in patients with obstructive sleep
      apnea syndrome (OSAS). Interestingly, the levels are elevated in parallel with
      the severity of OSAS, but are not related to the presence of hypertension or the
      status of the circulating RAS in OSAS. It is known that v-ATPase activity
      protects cells from endogenous oxidative stress, and loss of v-ATPase activity
      results in chronic oxidative stress. We hypothesize that hypoxia and subsequent
      oxidative stress, perhaps in the brain, may be one of the factors that elevate
      plasma s(P)RR levels in OSAS.

PMID- 28632191
TI  - Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Novel Screening Strategy for Improving Women's
      Health in Vulnerable Populations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Migrant women are one of the most vulnerable population to health
      problems and well-being. This study aimed at implementing a counseling and
      preventive strategy for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in undocumented
      migrant women in Milan, Italy. METHODS: Women (ages 18-65) were enrolled at the
      NAGA Centre (2012-2013) and asked for a urine sample in order to carry out
      molecular detection of Human papillomavirus (HPV), Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct),
      Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng)-DNA. Socio-demographic and
      sexual behavior information were collected. All HPV/Ct+ women were offered Pap
      tests and/or were prescribed antibiotic treatment. RESULTS: 537/757 women
      participated in the study (acceptability rate: 70.9%). Most of the women were
      from Latin America (45.6%) and Eastern Europe (30.7%); >60% of them had stable
      partners, did not use contraception and had had at least one pregnancy. The
      prevalence rates of HPV, Ct, Tv and Ng infections were 24.2%, 7.8%, 4.8% and 0%,
      respectively. In all, 43.2% of the positive women agreed to undergo a
      gynecological examination and accepted suitable treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study shows an overall high prevalence of STIs in undocumented migrant women in
      Milan. The screening strategy based on counseling and urine testing contributed
      to the successfully high acceptability rate. More appropriate health services
      that adequately address all aspects of women's health are required.

PMID- 28632192
TI  - Coverage and Influencing Determinants of Influenza Vaccination in Elderly
      Patients in a Country with a Poor Vaccination Implementation.
AB  - : The seasonal influenza vaccination uptake of the elderly in Poland is one of
      the lowest in Europe. Objective: to assess the vaccination coverage and
      influencing determinants in patients >=65 years of age. METHODS: A cross
      sectional study was conducted (November 2015-April 2016) among consecutive
      patients admitted to a municipal hospital located in the city of Szczecin, North
      west Poland. Patients completed researcher-administered, anonymous questionnaires
      on socio- demographic data/factors related to the vaccination. Results: The
      response rate: 92.0%. Among 230 patients (79.6% women, median of age 69 years,
      range 65-89) who agreed to participate, 34.8% (95% Confidence Interval: 28.6
      41.0%) were vaccinated. About 15.7% of respondents had not previously heard about
      the vaccination; 41.3% of those who stated they were vaccinated or planned on
      being vaccinated the following year, compared to 19.3% of respondents who stated
      they were not currently vaccinated (p < 0.001). A multivariable regression
      analysis revealed that patient factors, such as younger age (Odds Ratio, OR =
      7.69), living in the urban area (OR = 7.69), having comorbidities (OR = 2.70),
      having a vaccinated family member (OR = 3.57), and being informed about
      vaccination (OR = 5.00) were each associated with greater odds of being
      immunized. Willingness for vaccination the next year was strongly associated (OR
      = 8.59) with vaccination status. Conclusions: The influenza vaccination uptake in
      the elderly population in Poland is disturbingly low. Improved education
      strategies are needed to increase the uptake. Vaccinated respondents are more
      likely to plan on being vaccinated the following year. Future interventions
      related to maximizing vaccination coverage should be more tailored, focusing
      especially on older patients living in rural areas.

PMID- 28632193
TI  - Adolescents' Knowledge of Breastfeeding and Their Intention to Breastfeed in the
      Future.
AB  - The aim of this paper is to analyze third-year secondary school students'
      knowledge of breastfeeding and intention to breastfeed their children, based on
      the results of a questionnaire. The respondents were 154 students (101 female/43
      male) of two secondary schools in Bjelovar. The students completed a
      questionnaire which consisted of 23 questions regarding knowledge and intention
      to breastfeed. The answers were analyzed statistically and different results were
      compared by nonparametric tests. About half of the respondents think that both
      partners should decide on breastfeeding and recognize the role that fathers have
      in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. Only 13.64% of the respondents know
      that breastfeeding is to be done only on demand. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6
      months, as recommended by the medical profession, is recognized by 70.13% of the
      students. The question on how justified is the initiation of formula together
      with the mother's milk was answered correctly by 29.22% of the students.
      Secondary school students' knowledge of breastfeeding is insufficient, and
      schools, families, social communities and other sources of information should
      share the responsibility for improving this. We consider it necessary to pay more
      attention to improving students' knowledge of breastfeeding through school
      curricula.

PMID- 28632194
TI  - A Mind-Body Approach to Pediatric Pain Management.
AB  - Pain is a significant public health problem that affects all populations and has
      significant financial, physical and psychological impact. Opioid medications,
      once the mainstay of pain therapy across the spectrum, can be associated with
      significant morbidity and mortality. Centers for Disease and Control (CDC)
      guidelines recommend that non-opioid pain medications are preferred for chronic
      pain outside of certain indications (cancer, palliative and end of life care).
      Mindfulness, hypnosis, acupuncture and yoga are four examples of mind-body
      techniques that are often used in the adult population for pain and symptom
      management. In addition to providing significant pain relief, several studies
      have reported reduced use of opioid medications when mind-body therapies are
      implemented. Mind-body medicine is another approach that can be used in children
      with both acute and chronic pain to improve pain management and quality of life.

PMID- 28632195
TI  - Towards a Long-Term Strategy for Voluntary-Based Internal Radiation Contamination
      Monitoring: Representativeness of the Monitoring Results in Fukushima, Japan.
AB  - Following Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident, voluntary participation,
      rather than mandatory, was adopted as the default scenario for individual
      radiation monitoring. We evaluated the representativeness of the internal
      monitoring results from voluntary participants in Minamisoma City, which is
      located 10-40 km from the Fukushima nuclear plant. Of approximately 70,000
      individuals who were residing in Minamisoma City before the incident, a total of
      19,263 residents (aged >=21 years) participated in the monitoring from 1 October
      2011 to 31 March 2015. Based on regression projection techniques with the
      available data obtained from the voluntary participants, the modeled
      probabilities of radiocesium (Cs) detection in October 2011 for Cs-137 and Cs-134
      were 66.9% and 52.9%, respectively, which declined dramatically within a year
      following the incident. The rate of decline had stagnated since mid-2012, and the
      probability was close to zero after mid-2014. Sufficient agreement between the
      modeled probabilities of Cs detection (for the whole population) versus the
      measured Cs levels (for voluntary participants) was observed, except for Cs-134
      in October 2011, indicating that the voluntary monitoring participant group was a
      good representative sample. Our findings affirmed the clinical importance of
      voluntary-based monitoring as a screening and dose-assessment tool in a post
      nuclear incident. Our study informs societal decision-making regarding the long
      term maintenance of the monitoring program under the current low exposure levels.

PMID- 28632196
TI  - Drug Hypersensitivity and Desensitizations: Mechanisms and New Approaches.
AB  - Drug hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) are increasing in the 21st Century with
      the ever expanding availability of new therapeutic agents. Patients with cancer,
      chronic inflammatory diseases, cystic fibrosis, or diabetes can become allergic
      to their first line therapy after repeated exposures or through cross reactivity
      with environmental allergens. Avoidance of the offending allergenic drug may
      impact disease management, quality of life, and life expectancy. Precision
      medicine provides new tools for the understanding and management of
      hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), as well as a personalized treatment approach
      for IgE (Immunoglobuline E) and non-IgE mediated HSRs with drug desensitization
      (DS). DS induces a temporary hyporesponsive state by incremental escalation of
      sub-optimal doses of the offending drug. In vitro models have shown evidence that
      IgE desensitization is an antigen-specific process which blocks calcium flux,
      impacts antigen/IgE/FcepsilonRI complex internalization and prevents the acute
      and late phase reactions as well as mast cell mediator release. Through a "bench
      to bedside" approach, in vitro desensitization models help elucidate the
      molecular pathways involved in DS, providing new insights to improved
      desensitization protocols for all patients. The aim of this review is to
      summarize up to date information on the drug HSRs, the IgE mediated mechanisms of
      desensitization, and their clinical applications.

PMID- 28632198
TI  - Community Response to Multiple Sound Sources: Integrating Acoustic and Contextual
      Approaches in the Analysis.
AB  - Sufficient data refer to the relevant prevalence of sound exposure by mixed
      traffic sources in many nations. Furthermore, consideration of the potential
      effects of combined sound exposure is required in legal procedures such as
      environmental health impact assessments. Nevertheless, current practice still
      uses single exposure response functions. It is silently assumed that those
      standard exposure-response curves accommodate also for mixed exposures-although
      some evidence from experimental and field studies casts doubt on this practice.
      The ALPNAP-study population (N = 1641) shows sufficient subgroups with
      combinations of rail-highway, highway-main road and rail-highway-main road sound
      exposure. In this paper we apply a few suggested approaches of the literature to
      investigate exposure-response curves and its major determinants in the case of
      exposure to multiple traffic sources. Highly/moderate annoyance and full scale
      mean annoyance served as outcome. The results show several limitations of the
      current approaches. Even facing the inherent methodological limitations (energy
      equivalent summation of sound, rating of overall annoyance) the consideration of
      main contextual factors jointly occurring with the sources (such as vibration,
      air pollution) or coping activities and judgments of the wider area soundscape
      increases the variance explanation from up to 8% (bivariate), up to 15% (base
      adjustments) up to 55% (full contextual model). The added predictors vary
      significantly, depending on the source combination. (e.g., significant vibration
      effects with main road/railway, not highway). Although no significant
      interactions were found, the observed additive effects are of public health
      importance. Especially in the case of a three source exposure situation the
      overall annoyance is already high at lower levels and the contribution of the
      acoustic indicators is small compared with the non-acoustic and contextual
      predictors. Noise mapping needs to go down to levels of 40 dBA,Lden to ensure the
      protection of quiet areas and prohibit the silent "filling up" of these areas
      with new sound sources. Eventually, to better predict the annoyance in the
      exposure range between 40 and 60 dBA and support the protection of quiet areas in
      city and rural areas in planning sound indicators need to be oriented at the
      noticeability of sound and consider other traffic related by-products (air
      quality, vibration, coping strain) in future studies and environmental impact
      assessments.

PMID- 28632199
TI  - Modulatory Effects of Guarana (Paullinia cupana) on Adipogenesis.
AB  - Guarana (Paullinia cupana) is a plant originated in Brazil that presents a
      beneficial effect on body weight control and metabolic alterations. The aim of
      this study was to evaluate the effects of guarana on genes and miRNAs related to
      adipogenesis in 3T3L1 cells. The anti-adipogenic effect of guarana was evaluated
      by Oil Red-O staining. Gene and miRNA expression levels were determined by real
      time PCR. The Cebpalpha and beta-catenin nuclear translocation were evaluated
      using immunocytochemistry. Our data indicated that the triglyceride-reducing
      effect of guarana was dose-dependent from 100 to 300 ug/mL (-12%, -20%, -24% and 
      40%, respectively, p < 0.0001). An up-regulation of the anti-adipogenic genes
      Wnt10b, Wnt3a, Wnt1, Gata3 and Dlk1 and a down-regulation of pro-adipogenic genes
      Cebpalpha, Ppargamma and Creb1 were also observed. Furthermore, guarana repressed
      mmu-miR-27b-3p, mmu-miR-34b-5p and mmu-miR-760-5p, that contributed for up
      regulation of their molecular targets Wnt3a, Wnt1 and Wnt10b. Additionally, cells
      treated with guarana presented an increase on beta-catenin nuclear translocation
      (p < 0.0018). In summary, our data indicate that guarana has an anti-adipogenic
      potential due to its ability to modulate miRNAs and genes related to this
      process. Together our data demonstrate the important role of guarana as a
      putative therapeutic agent.

PMID- 28632197
TI  - Toxic AGE (TAGE) Theory for the Pathophysiology of the Onset/Progression of NAFLD
      and ALD.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are
      among the most common causes of chronic liver diseases in the westernized world.
      NAFLD and ALD are frequently accompanied by extrahepatic complications, including
      hepatocellular carcinoma and cardiovascular diseases, which have a negative
      impact on patient survival. The chronic ingestion of an excessive daily diet
      containing sugar/high-fructose corn syrup increases the level of the
      fructose/glucose metabolite, glyceraldehyde (GA), while the chronic consumption
      of an excessive number of alcoholic beverages increases the level of the alcohol
      metabolite, acetaldehyde (AA) in the liver. GA and AA are known to react non
      enzymatically with the epsilon- or alpha-amino groups of proteins, thereby
      generating advanced glycation end-products (AGEs, GA-AGEs, and AA-AGEs,
      respectively) in vivo. The interaction between GA-AGEs and the receptor for AGEs
      (RAGE) alters intracellular signaling, gene expression, and the release of pro
      inflammatory molecules and also elicits the production of reactive oxygen species
      by human hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells, all of which may contribute to
      the pathological changes associated with chronic liver diseases. We herein
      discuss the pathophysiological roles of GA-AGEs and AA-AGEs (toxic AGEs, TAGE)
      and a related novel theory for preventing the onset/progression of NAFLD and ALD.

PMID- 28632200
TI  - The Beginning and Development of the Theranostic Approach in Nuclear Medicine, as
      Exemplified by the Radionuclide Pair 86Y and 90Y.
AB  - In the context of radiopharmacy and molecular imaging, the concept of
      theranostics entails a therapy-accompanying diagnosis with the aim of a patient
      specific treatment. Using the adequate diagnostic radiopharmaceutical, the
      disease and the state of the disease are verified for an individual patient. The
      other way around, it verifies that the radiopharmaceutical in hand represents a
      target-specific and selective molecule: the "best one" for that individual
      patient. Transforming diagnostic imaging into quantitative dosimetric
      information, the optimum radioactivity (expressed in maximum radiation dose to
      the target tissue and tolerable dose to healthy organs) of the adequate
      radiotherapeutical is applied to that individual patient. This theranostic
      approach in nuclear medicine is traced back to the first use of the radionuclide
      pair 86Y/90Y, which allowed a combination of PET and internal radiotherapy.
      Whereas the beta-emitting therapeutic radionuclide 90Y (t1/2 = 2.7 d) had been
      available for a long time via the 90Sr/90Y generator system, the beta+ emitter
      86Y (t1/2 = 14.7 h) had to be developed for medical application. A brief outline
      of the various aspects of radiochemical and nuclear development work (nuclear
      data, cyclotron irradiation, chemical processing, quality control, etc.) is
      given. In parallel, the paper discusses the methodology introduced to quantify
      molecular imaging of 86Y-labelled compounds in terms of multiple and long-term
      PET recordings. It highlights the ultimate goal of radiotheranostics, namely to
      extract the radiation dose of the analogue 90Y-labelled compound in terms of mGy
      or mSv per MBq 90Y injected. Finally, the current and possible future development
      of theranostic approaches based on different PET and therapy nuclides is
      discussed.

PMID- 28632201
TI  - Advantageous developmental outcomes of advancing paternal age.
AB  - Advanced paternal age (APA) at conception has been associated with negative
      outcomes in offspring, raising concerns about increasing age at fatherhood.
      Evidence from evolutionary and psychological research, however, suggests possible
      link between APA and a phenotypic advantage. We defined such advantage as
      educational success, which is positively associated with future socioeconomic
      status. We hypothesised that high IQ, strong focus on the subject of interest and
      little concern about 'fitting in' will be associated with such success. Although
      these traits are continuously distributed in the population, they cluster
      together in so-called 'geeks'. We used these measures to compute a 'geek index'
      (GI), and showed it to be strongly predictive of future academic attainment,
      beyond the independent contribution of the individual traits. GI was associated
      with paternal age in male offspring only, and mediated the positive effects of
      APA on education outcomes, in a similar sexually dimorphic manner. The
      association between paternal age and GI was partly mediated by genetic factors
      not correlated with age at fatherhood, suggesting contribution of de novo factors
      to the 'geeky' phenotype. Our study sheds new light on the multifaceted nature of
      the APA effects and explores the intricate links between APA, autism and talent.

PMID- 28632203
TI  - Combined assessment of DYRK1A, BDNF and homocysteine levels as diagnostic marker
      for Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Early identification of Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk factors would aid
      development of interventions to delay the onset of dementia, but current
      biomarkers are invasive and/or costly to assess. Validated plasma biomarkers
      would circumvent these challenges. We previously identified the kinase DYRK1A in
      plasma. To validate DYRK1A as a biomarker for AD diagnosis, we assessed the
      levels of DYRK1A and the related markers brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
      and homocysteine in two unrelated AD patient cohorts with age-matched controls.
      Receiver-operating characteristic curves and logistic regression analyses showed
      that combined assessment of DYRK1A, BDNF and homocysteine has a sensitivity of
      0.952, a specificity of 0.889 and an accuracy of 0.933 in testing for AD. The
      blood levels of these markers provide a diagnosis assessment profile. Combined
      assessment of these three markers outperforms most of the previous markers and
      could become a useful substitute to the current panel of AD biomarkers. These
      results associate a decreased level of DYRK1A with AD and challenge the use of
      DYRK1A inhibitors in peripheral tissues as treatment. These measures will be
      useful for diagnosis purposes.

PMID- 28632206
TI  - Letters.

PMID- 28632207
TI  - Hot Rockets.

PMID- 28632204
TI  - Successful pharmacotherapy for the treatment of severe feeding aversion with
      mechanistic insights from cross-species neuronal remodeling.
AB  - Pediatric feeding disorders affect up to 5% of children, causing severe food
      intake problems that can result in serious medical and developmental outcomes.
      Behavioral intervention (BI) is effective in extinguishing feeding aversions, and
      also expert-dependent, time/labor-intensive and not well understood at a
      neurobiological level. Here we first conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled
      trial comparing BI with BI plus d-cycloserine (DCS). DCS is a partial N-methyl-d
      aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonist shown to augment extinction therapies in
      multiple anxiety disorders. We examined whether DCS enhanced extinction of
      feeding aversion in 15 children with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder
      (ages 20-58 months). After five treatment days, BI improved feeding by 37%. By
      contrast, BI+DCS improved feeding by 76%. To gain insight into possible
      mechanisms of successful intervention, we next tested the neurobiological
      consequences of DCS in a murine model of feeding aversion and avoidance. In mice
      with conditioned food aversion, DCS enhanced avoidance extinction across a broad
      dose range. Confocal fluorescence microscopy and three-dimensional neuronal
      reconstruction indicated that DCS enlarged dendritic spine heads-the primary
      sites of excitatory plasticity in the brain-within the orbitofrontal prefrontal
      cortex, a sensory-cognition integration hub. DCS also increased phosphorylation
      of the plasticity-associated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2. In
      summary, DCS successfully augments the extinction of food aversion in children
      and mice, an effect that may involve plasticity in the orbitofrontal cortex.
      These results warrant a larger-scale efficacy study of DCS for the treatment of
      pediatric feeding disorders and further investigations of neural mechanisms.

PMID- 28632209
TI  - Uncharted Territory.

PMID- 28632208
TI  - Letters.

PMID- 28632205
TI  - Speckle-modulating optical coherence tomography in living mice and humans.
AB  - Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a powerful biomedical imaging technology
      that relies on the coherent detection of backscattered light to image tissue
      morphology in vivo. As a consequence, OCT is susceptible to coherent noise
      (speckle noise), which imposes significant limitations on its diagnostic
      capabilities. Here we show speckle-modulating OCT (SM-OCT), a method based purely
      on light manipulation that virtually eliminates speckle noise originating from a
      sample. SM-OCT accomplishes this by creating and averaging an unlimited number of
      scans with uncorrelated speckle patterns without compromising spatial resolution.
      Using SM-OCT, we reveal small structures in the tissues of living animals, such
      as the inner stromal structure of a live mouse cornea, the fine structures inside
      the mouse pinna, and sweat ducts and Meissner's corpuscle in the human fingertip
      skin-features that are otherwise obscured by speckle noise when using
      conventional OCT or OCT with current state of the art speckle reduction methods.

PMID- 28632211
TI  - Amazon Atlantis.

PMID- 28632210
TI  - We Can't Avoid Future Disease Outbreaks.

PMID- 28632202
TI  - Genome-wide association study of borderline personality disorder reveals genetic
      overlap with bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.
AB  - Borderline personality disorder (BOR) is determined by environmental and genetic
      factors, and characterized by affective instability and impulsivity, diagnostic
      symptoms also observed in manic phases of bipolar disorder (BIP). Up to 20% of
      BIP patients show comorbidity with BOR. This report describes the first case
      control genome-wide association study (GWAS) of BOR, performed in one of the
      largest BOR patient samples worldwide. The focus of our analysis was (i) to
      detect genes and gene sets involved in BOR and (ii) to investigate the genetic
      overlap with BIP. As there is considerable genetic overlap between BIP, major
      depression (MDD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) and a high comorbidity of BOR and MDD,
      we also analyzed the genetic overlap of BOR with SCZ and MDD. GWAS, gene-based
      tests and gene-set analyses were performed in 998 BOR patients and 1545 controls.
      Linkage disequilibrium score regression was used to detect the genetic overlap
      between BOR and these disorders. Single marker analysis revealed no significant
      association after correction for multiple testing. Gene-based analysis yielded
      two significant genes: DPYD (P=4.42 * 10-7) and PKP4 (P=8.67 * 10-7); and gene
      set analysis yielded a significant finding for exocytosis (GO:0006887,
      PFDR=0.019; FDR, false discovery rate). Prior studies have implicated DPYD, PKP4
      and exocytosis in BIP and SCZ. The most notable finding of the present study was
      the genetic overlap of BOR with BIP (rg=0.28 [P=2.99 * 10-3]), SCZ (rg=0.34
      [P=4.37 * 10-5]) and MDD (rg=0.57 [P=1.04 * 10-3]). We believe our study is the
      first to demonstrate that BOR overlaps with BIP, MDD and SCZ on the genetic
      level. Whether this is confined to transdiagnostic clinical symptoms should be
      examined in future studies.

PMID- 28632212
TI  - Designing the City of Tomorrow Today.

PMID- 28632214
TI  - Quick Hits.

PMID- 28632215
TI  - Operation: Diabetes.

PMID- 28632213
TI  - Can Plants Hear?

PMID- 28632217
TI  - Boogie Bears.

PMID- 28632216
TI  - The Evolution of Dance.

PMID- 28632218
TI  - The Stuff of Dreams.

PMID- 28632219
TI  - Raise Alcohol Taxes, Reduce Violence.

PMID- 28632220
TI  - The Mouse Parent Trap.

PMID- 28632221
TI  - Probiotics Are No Panacea.

PMID- 28632222
TI  - 50, 100 &150 Years Ago.

PMID- 28632223
TI  - Black Holes from the Beginning of Time.

PMID- 28632224
TI  - Secrets and Lies.

PMID- 28632226
TI  - The Baby Spike.

PMID- 28632225
TI  - Waning Woods.

PMID- 28632227
TI  - Who Are You?

PMID- 28632228
TI  - From Parking Lot to Paradise.

PMID- 28632229
TI  - Grandma's Robot Helper.

PMID- 28632230
TI  - Recommended.

PMID- 28632231
TI  - Computer-Aided Creativity.

PMID- 28632233
TI  - Drilling for Fossil Gold.

PMID- 28632232
TI  - Memory's Intricate Web.

PMID- 28632234
TI  - How Cities Could Save Us.

PMID- 28632235
TI  - Tapping the Trash.

PMID- 28632236
TI  - MERRAclim, a high-resolution global dataset of remotely sensed bioclimatic
      variables for ecological modelling.
AB  - Species Distribution Models (SDMs) combine information on the geographic
      occurrence of species with environmental layers to estimate distributional ranges
      and have been extensively implemented to answer a wide array of applied
      ecological questions. Unfortunately, most global datasets available to
      parameterize SDMs consist of spatially interpolated climate surfaces obtained
      from ground weather station data and have omitted the Antarctic continent, a
      landmass covering c. 20% of the Southern Hemisphere and increasingly showing
      biological effects of global change. Here we introduce MERRAclim, a global set of
      satellite-based bioclimatic variables including Antarctica for the first time.
      MERRAclim consists of three datasets of 19 bioclimatic variables that have been
      built for each of the last three decades (1980s, 1990s and 2000s) using hourly
      data of 2 m temperature and specific humidity. We provide MERRAclim at three
      spatial resolutions (10 arc-minutes, 5 arc-minutes and 2.5 arc-minutes). These
      reanalysed data are comparable to widely used datasets based on ground station
      interpolations, but allow extending their geographical reach and SDM building in
      previously uncovered regions of the globe.

PMID- 28632237
TI  - Auricular Point Acupressure to Manage Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Arthralgia in
      Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of auricular point acupressure to
      manage aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia.?. DESIGN: Wait list control
      design.?. SETTING: Outpatient clinics and oncology center.?. SAMPLE: 20 women
      with aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia.?. METHODS: After baseline data were
      collected, participants waited one month before they received acupressure once
      per week for four weeks at a convenient time. The baseline data served as the
      control comparison. Self-reported measures and blood samples were obtained at
      baseline, at preintervention, weekly during the intervention, and at post
      intervention.?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: The primary outcomes included pain
      intensity, pain interference, stiffness, and physical function. Inflammatory
      cytokines and chemokines were tested.?. FINDINGS: After the four-week
      intervention, participants reported decreases in worst pain and pain
      interference, and improvements in physical function, cancer-related symptom
      severity, and interference. The proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines
      displayed a trend of a mean percentage reduction. The anti-inflammatory cytokine
      interleukin-13 increased from pre- to postintervention.?. CONCLUSIONS: Auricular
      point acupressure is feasible and may be effective in managing arthralgia in
      breast cancer survivors.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses can administer
      acupressure in clinical settings, which could enhance the management of aromatase
      inhibitor-induced arthralgia and contribute to a shift from traditional disease
      based biomedical models to a broader, integrative, medical paradigm for managing
      aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia.

PMID- 28632238
TI  - Attitudes Among Nurses Toward the Integration of Complementary Medicine Into
      Supportive Cancer Care.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore the attitudes of nurses treating patients with
      cancer regarding the use of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM)
      therapies to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life (QOL). ?. DESIGN:
      Prospective and descriptive.? ?. SETTING: 12 hospital and community care settings
      in Israel. ?. SAMPLE: 973 nurses working in oncology and non-oncology
      departments.?. METHODS: A 26-item questionnaire was administered to a convenience
      sample of nurses treating patients with cancer. ?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES:
      Interest in CIM integration and training in supportive cancer care.?. FINDINGS:
      Of the 973 nurses who completed the questionnaire, 934 expressed interest in
      integrating CIM into supportive cancer care. A logistic regression model
      indicated that nurses with a greater interest in integration tended to be older,
      believed that CIM improved patients' QOL, and had no structured postgraduate
      oncology training. Nurses who believed CIM to be beneficial for QOL-related
      outcomes were more likely to express interest in related training. The goals of
      such training include improving QOL-related outcomes, such as anxiety, insomnia,
      gastrointestinal symptoms, and pain. ?. CONCLUSIONS: Most nurses working with
      patients with cancer are interested in the integration of CIM into supportive
      cancer care. ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Most nurses would like to undergo
      training in CIM to supplement conventional care. CIM-trained integrative nurses
      can help promote the integration of patient-centered CIM therapies in supportive
      cancer care settings.

PMID- 28632239
TI  - Feasibility of Mind-Body Movement Programs for Cancer Survivors.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate mind-body movement exercise (MBME) classes (yoga,
      tai chi, and Qigong) for cancer survivors. ?. DESIGN: A single-group, repeated
      measures design.?. SETTING: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
      Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital in Columbus.?. SAMPLE: 33 adult cancer survivors,
      with any cancer diagnosis, participating in MBME classes.?. METHODS: The
      researchers sought to examine feasibility of multiple data collection time points
      and data collection measures; acceptability; and changes to physical, emotional,
      and biometric measures over time, as a result of participation in MBME classes.?.
      MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Quality of life, sleep, depressive symptomatology,
      fatigue, stress, upper body strength, gait and balance, body mass index, heart
      rate, and blood pressure.?. FINDINGS: The current study was feasible because
      survivors were willing to participate and completed most of the questionnaires.
      Participants found these classes to be beneficial not only for exercise, but also
      for social support and social connectedness. Poor sleep quality was consistently
      reported by participants. MBME classes should be recommended to survivors and are
      beneficial for oncology practices to offer.?. CONCLUSIONS: Conducting MBME
      research with cancer survivors is feasible, and participants find the MBME
      acceptable and a way of addressing health and managing cancer-related symptoms.?.
      IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses should help patients and caregivers identify
      locations and times when MBME class participation is possible, assess MBME class
      participation during each clinic visit to promote continued involvement and to
      understand if positive effects are occurring, and continue to provide support for
      MBME classes throughout the survivorship experience.

PMID- 28632240
TI  - Body-Related Shame and Guilt Predict Physical Activity in Breast Cancer Survivors
      Over Time.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To test body-related shame and guilt as predictors of breast
      cancer survivors' (BCS') moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA)
      during six months and to examine motivational regulations as mediators of this
      association.?. DESIGN: Prospective study.?. SETTING: Survivors were recruited
      through advertisements and oncologist referrals from medical clinics and
      hospitals in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.?. SAMPLE: 149 female BCS.?. METHODS: Self
      reports of body-related shame and guilt, motivational regulations, and MVPA were
      measured among BCS at baseline. MVPA was assessed a second time six months later.
      Residual change scores were used.?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Body-related shame
      and guilt; external, introjected, and autonomous (identified and intrinsic)
      motivational regulations; MVPA.?. FINDINGS: In the multiple mediation models,
      body-related shame was associated with low levels of MVPA, as well as external,
      introjected, and autonomous motivational regulations. Guilt was related to high
      levels of MVPA and introjected and autonomous motivational regulations. Indirect
      effects linked shame, guilt, and MVPA via autonomous motivation. Only body
      related shame was a significant predictor of six-month changes in MVPA.?.
      CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, the specific emotions of shame and guilt
      contextualized to the body differentially predict BCS' health motivations and
      behavior over time.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Survivorship programs may benefit
      from integrating intervention strategies aimed at reducing body-related shame and
      helping women manage feelings of guilt to improve physical activity.

PMID- 28632241
TI  - Nursing Support of Home Hospice Caregivers on the Day of Patient Death.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe nurse-caregiver communication on the day of
      patient death.?. DESIGN: A descriptive secondary analysis of 44 audio-recorded
      home hospice nursing visits on day of death.?. SETTING: Nine hospices in Utah,
      Oregon, and Massachusetts.?. SAMPLE: 42 caregiver-patient dyads, 27 hospice
      nurses.?. METHODS: Transcripts of audio recordings were coded for supportive
      nursing communication and relative time spent in physical, psychosocial, and
      spiritual discussion.?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Tangible, emotional,
      informational, esteem, and networking supportive communication; nurses' self
      reported communication effectiveness; caregiver religious affiliation.?.
      FINDINGS: Nurses reported that their communication skills were less effective
      when discussing difficult topics as compared to their overall communication
      effectiveness. Eleven patients died before the nursing visit, 3 died during the
      visit, and 30 died post-visit. Nurses primarily engaged in discussions
      facilitating caregiver emotional, tangible, and informational support. More
      informational support was observed when patient death occurred during the nursing
      visit. Time spent in general conversation showed that physical care conversations
      predominated (80% of the average overall amount of conversation time), compared
      to lifestyle/psychosocial discussions (14%) and spiritual discussions (6%).
      Spiritual discussions were observed in only 7 of 44 hospice visits. Spiritual
      discussions, although short and infrequent, were significantly longer, on
      average, for caregivers without a religious affiliation.?. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses
      support caregivers on the day of patient death using multiple supportive
      communication strategies. Spiritual discussions are minimal.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR
      NURSING: Communication skills programs can potentially increase self-reported
      communication effectiveness. Emerging acute spiritual concerns, particularly for
      caregivers without a previous religious affiliation, should be anticipated.
      Spiritual support is included in the hospice model of holistic care.

PMID- 28632243
TI  - Team Science and Big Brains.
AB  - Recently, I was honored with the task of moderating a session at the Oncology
      Nursing Society's 42nd Annual Congress in Denver, Colorado. The panel discussion,
      "Team Science: A Discussion With the Experts," was described as an opportunity to
      learn about team science implementation in the conduct of cancer research. The
      panel members were leaders in oncology research. As the session was about to
      begin, I looked over at the panelists and decided that this session should have
      been called "The Big Brains Session" because the panelists are giants in the
      field. And yes, I was just a little intimidated to be posing questions to the
      panel, not to mention moderating their discussion.?.

PMID- 28632242
TI  - Exploring Gender Differences in Self-Reported Physical Activity and Health Among
      Older Caregivers.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To document self-reported physical health and activity levels
      of older caregivers. Gender differences in physical health, physical activity
      levels, and predictors of physical activity were also examined.?. DESIGN: A cross
      sectional study.?. SETTING: Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta,
      Canada.?. SAMPLE: 130 caregivers aged 60 years or older caring for individuals
      with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer.?. METHODS: Self-report survey
      including validated questionnaires on physical and mental health and physical
      activity levels. Convenience sampling was used. Data were analyzed using
      descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple regression.?. MAIN RESEARCH
      VARIABLES: The physical component score of the SF-36v2(r) was the main research
      variable. Other variables included the mental component score of the SF-36v2,
      sleep quality, depression, social support, physical activity levels, and
      anxiety.?. FINDINGS: The mean age of caregivers was 70 years. Physical health and
      physical activity levels were higher than population norms. A significant
      difference in physical health (p = 0.015) existed between men and women but not
      in physical activity levels (p = 0.079). Predictors of physical activity levels
      were age (beta = -0.291), physical health (beta = 0.307), and caregiving hours
      per week (beta = -0.221).?. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that gender had a
      minimal effect on physical health and no effect on physical activity levels in
      older caregivers. Depression and poor sleep quality were high in some caregivers
      but did not predict physical activity levels. ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The
      negative effects of caregiving on physical health and physical activity levels in
      older caregivers are not universal. Nurses should be aware of the caregiving
      situation and promote health based on the individual.

PMID- 28632244
TI  - Pain Management in the Middle East: Building Capacity With Global Partners.
AB  - The Middle East (ME) is an economically diverse region that includes countries in
      Central Asia and Northern Africa. Regardless, cancer is a major health concern in
      the ME, and pain management is an essential component of cancer care across the
      disease trajectory. This column will provide background on opioid use for pain
      management in the ME and highlight the collaborative work of the Middle Eastern
      Cancer Consortium, Omani Cancer Association, and the Oncology Nursing Society to
      increase pain assessment and management capacity in the ME.

PMID- 28632245
TI  - Development of an Instrument to Examine Nursing Attitudes Toward Fertility
      Preservation in Oncology.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To develop an instrument to measure staff nurse perceptions
      of the barriers to and benefits of addressing fertility preservation (FP) with
      patients newly diagnosed with cancer. ?. DESIGN: A prospective, nonrandomized
      instrument development approach. ?. SETTING: Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive
      Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
      ?. SAMPLE: 224 RNs who care for patients with cancer. ?. METHODS: The instrument
      was developed with content experts and field-tested with oncology staff nurses.
      Responses to a web-based survey were used in exploratory factor analysis. After
      refining the instrument, the authors conducted a confirmatory factor analysis
      with 230 web-based survey responses. ?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Self-perceived
      barriers to providing FP options to patients newly diagnosed with cancer.?.
      FINDINGS: The results supported a 15-item instrument with five domains.
      CONCLUSIONS: This instrument can be used to explore oncology nurses' attitudes
      toward FP in newly diagnosed people with cancer in their reproductive years. ?.
      IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: A more comprehensive understanding of attitudes and
      barriers related to FP will guide the building of optimal systems that support
      effective FP options, resources, and programs for individuals with cancer.

PMID- 28632246
TI  - Declines Noted in Cognitive Processes and Association With Achievement Among
      Children With Leukemia.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To assess change in specific cognitive processes during
      treatment with chemotherapy only among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
      (ALL). ?. DESIGN: A prospective, repeated measures design.?. SETTING: Pediatric
      oncology treatment centers at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson/Banner
      Children's-Diamond Medical Center (University of Arizona) and Texas Children's
      Cancer and Hematology centers (Baylor College of Medicine) in Houston. ?. SAMPLE:
      71 children with ALL, with a mean age of 6.18 years at the time of diagnosis. ?.
      METHODS: Using mixed-effects latent growth curve modeling with time since
      diagnosis as a fixed effect, age-adjusted standardized measures of working
      memory, processing speed, executive function, and attention were obtained and
      repeated about one and two years later. A subsample was tested for academic
      achievement at the end of treatment.?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Verbal working
      memory, visual spatial memory, processing speed, academic achievement, age, and
      gender. ?. FINDINGS: A significant main effect was observed for age at diagnosis
      on decline in verbal working memory during treatment. Planned contrasts revealed
      greater decline among children who were diagnosed when aged younger than five
      years compared to those diagnosed when aged five years or older. Decline in
      verbal working memory and achievement in letter-word identification and
      calculation skills were associated, and decline in spatial memory was associated
      with calculation. A main effect of gender was observed on processing speed, with
      female patients showing greater decline than male patients. ?. CONCLUSIONS:
      Findings from this study may guide the timing of interventions that could improve
      school achievement among survivors. ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Children
      undergoing treatment for ALL may experience issues with verbal working memory and
      increased difficulty in school. Nurses are in a position to refer parents and
      children to school resources for additional academic support.

PMID- 28632247
TI  - Antecedents and Outcomes of Uncertainty in Older Adults With Cancer: A Scoping
      Review of the Literature.
AB  - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Uncertainty is a major source of distress for cancer
      survivors. Because cancer is primarily a disease of older adults, a comprehensive
      understanding of the antecedents and outcomes of uncertainty in older adults with
      cancer is essential. ?. LITERATURE SEARCH: MEDLINE(r), PsycINFO(r), Scopus, and
      CINAHL(r) were searched from inception to December 2015. Medical Subject Headings
      (MeSH) terms and free text words were used for the search concepts, including
      neoplasms, uncertainty, and aging. ?. DATA EVALUATION: Extracted data included
      research aims; research design or analysis approach; sample size; mean age; type,
      stage, and duration of cancer; type and duration of treatment; uncertainty scale;
      and major results. ?. SYNTHESIS: Of 2,584 articles initially identified, 44
      studies (30 qualitative, 12 quantitative, and 2 mixed-methods) were included.
      Evidence tables were developed to organize quantitative and qualitative data.
      Descriptive numeric and thematic analyses were used to analyze quantitative
      results and qualitative findings, respectively. Outcomes were reported under four
      main categories. CONCLUSIONS: Uncertainty is an enduring and common experience in
      cancer survivorship. Uncertainty is affected by a number of demographic and
      clinical factors and affects quality of life (QOL) and psychological well-being.
      ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Uncertainty should be considered a contributing
      factor to psychological well-being and QOL in older adults with cancer. Nurses
      are in a unique position to assess negative effects of uncertainty and manage
      these consequences by providing patients with information and emotional support.

PMID- 28632248
TI  - Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Exercise for Recently Treated Adults With
      Acute Leukemia.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore perceived exercise benefits and barriers in adults
      with acute leukemia who recently completed an inpatient exercise intervention
      during induction therapy.?. RESEARCH APPROACH: Descriptive, exploratory design
      using semistructured interviews.?. SETTING: Inpatient hematology/oncology unit at
      North Carolina Cancer Hospital in Chapel Hill.?. PARTICIPANTS: 6 adults with
      acute leukemia aged 35-67 years.?. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: Content analyses of
      semistructured interviews that were conducted with each participant prior to
      hospital discharge.?. FINDINGS: Most participants were not meeting the
      recommended physical activity levels of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
      exercise per week before their diagnosis. Patients were highly pleased with the
      exercise intervention and the overall program. Common barriers to exercise were
      anxiety and aches and pains.?. INTERPRETATION: Overall, participants experienced
      physical and psychological benefits with the exercise intervention with no
      adverse events from exercising regularly during induction chemotherapy. Referrals
      for cancer rehabilitation management will lead to prolonged recovery benefits.?.
      IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Findings inform the nurses' role in encouraging and
      supporting adults with acute leukemia to exercise and be physically active during
      their hospitalization. Nurses should also be responsible for assisting patients
      with physical function activities to increase mobility and enhance overall health
      related quality of life.

PMID- 28632249
TI  - Ethical Considerations When Using Social Media for Research.
AB  - Because of its adaptation across age groups and populations, social media is
      being used as a venue for the conduction of research studies. The implications
      for use of social media to streamline data collection and analyses to understand
      epidemiologic effects of disease are intriguing. Public access to personalized
      Internet-based searches and conversations for patients with or at risk for cancer
      can potentially allow providers to target individuals for earlier interventions
      and improved outcomes. Although publicly posted, the use of personal information
      to solicit research participants, implement interventions, or abstract
      information for research studies raises questions regarding maintaining the
      ethical conduct of research.

PMID- 28632250
TI  - Measurement of Hyperglycemia and Impact on Health Outcomes in People With Cancer:
      Challenges and Opportunities.
AB  - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Poor health outcomes have been associated with
      hyperglycemia in patients with and without diabetes. However, the impact of
      hyperglycemia on the health-related outcomes of patients with cancer has shown
      conflicting results. The purpose of this review was to explore definitions and
      measurement issues related to the assessment of hyperglycemia and the subsequent
      impact on the findings of health-related outcomes in adults with cancer.?.
      LITERATURE SEARCH: Four electronic databases were searched. DATA EVALUATION: A
      total of 30 articles were reviewed. Quantitative articles were synthesized using
      integrative review strategies. ?. SYNTHESIS: Three key gaps were identified in
      the literature. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the inconsistencies in
      measuring or assessing hyperglycemia and the lack of standardized guidelines in
      treating hyperglycemia. Failure to have a standard approach to the measurement
      and management of hyperglycemia impedes the ability of healthcare providers to
      determine the significance of its impact on health outcomes. Further research is
      needed to establish appropriate measurement guidelines to address hyperglycemia
      in people with cancer.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Evidence-based measurement
      and treatment guidelines are needed to inform and assist healthcare providers
      with clinical decision making for people with cancer who experience
      hyperglycemia.

PMID- 28632251
TI  - Effects of Nurse-Led Telephone-Based Supportive Interventions for Patients With
      Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: To evaluate the effects of nurse-led telephone-based
      supportive interventions (NTSIs) for patients with cancer.?. LITERATURE SEARCH:
      Electronic databases, including EMBASE(r), MEDLINE, Google Scholar, ?Cochrane
      Library CENTRAL, ProQuest Medical Library, and CINAHL(r), were searched through
      February 2016.?. DATA EVALUATION: 239 studies were identified; 16 were suitable
      for meta-analysis. Cochrane's risk of bias tool and the Comprehensive Meta
      Analysis software were used.?. SYNTHESIS: The authors performed a meta-analysis
      of 16 trials that met eligibility criteria. Thirteen randomized, controlled
      trials (RCTs) and three non-RCTs examined a total of 2,912 patients with cancer.
      Patients who received NTSIs were compared with those who received attentional
      control or usual care (no intervention).?. CONCLUSIONS: Telephone interventions
      delivered by a nurse in an oncology care setting reduced cancer symptoms with a
      moderate effect size (ES) (-0.33) and emotional distress with a small ES (-0.12),
      and improved self-care with a large ES (0.64) and health-related quality of life
      (HRQOL) with a small ES (0.3). Subgroup analyses indicated that the significant
      effects of NTSIs on cancer symptoms, emotional distress, and HRQOL were larger
      for studies that combined an application of a theoretical framework, had a
      control group given usual care, and used an RTC design.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR
      RESEARCH: The findings suggest that an additional tiered evaluation that has a
      theoretical underpinning and high-quality methodology is required to confirm the
      efficacy of NTSI for adoption of specific care models.

PMID- 28632252
TI  - Improving Oncology Nurses' Knowledge About Nutrition and Physical Activity for
      Cancer Survivors.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To assess what percentage of oncology nurses perceived
      themselves as having insufficient knowledge to provide advice on nutrition and/or
      physical activity (PA), which characteristics were associated with nurses'
      perception, and whether the content and information sources differed among those
      nurses.?. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.?. SETTING: A web-based survey among
      oncology nurses in the Netherlands.?. SAMPLE: 355 oncology nurses provided advice
      on nutrition; of these, 327 provided advice on PA.?. METHODS: From May to July
      2013, oncology nurses were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Pearson's
      chi-squared tests and uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were
      conducted.?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Oncology nurses' perception of having
      sufficient or insufficient knowledge to be able to provide advice on nutrition
      and PA, the content of the advice, and the information sources on which the
      advice was based.?. FINDINGS: 43% of oncology nurses perceived themselves as
      having insufficient knowledge to provide advice on nutrition, and 46% perceived
      insufficient knowledge to provide advice on PA. Factors associated with
      perceiving insufficient knowledge on nutrition were being aged younger, having
      lower education, and providing counseling during treatment only. Those nurses
      were more likely to suggest taking oral nutritional supplements or visiting a
      dietitian and were less likely to provide information on fluid intake. Nurses
      perceiving insufficient knowledge about PA used oncology guidelines less often.?.
      CONCLUSIONS: Almost half of the oncology nurses providing advice on nutrition and
      PA perceived themselves as having insufficient knowledge to be able to provide
      such advice. In particular, younger oncology nurses and oncology nurses with an
      intermediate vocational education may benefit most from education about these
      topics. ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Educational training for oncology nurses
      should include nutrition and PA. Oncology nurses should collaborate with
      dietitians to discuss what information should be provided to patients by whom,
      and specific PA advice should be provided by a physical therapist.

PMID- 28632253
TI  - Accuracy of Implant Placement with Computer-Guided Surgery: A Systematic Review
      and Meta-Analysis Comparing Cadaver, Clinical, and In Vitro Studies.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the accuracy of implant
      placement using computer-guided surgery and to compare virtual treatment planning
      and outcome in relation to study type (in vitro, clinical, or cadaver). A further
      objective was to compare the accuracy of half-guided implant surgery with that of
      full-guided implant surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PubMed search was performed
      to identify studies published between January 2005 and February 2015, searching
      the keywords "reliability AND dental implant planning" and "accuracy dental
      implant planning." Inclusion criteria were established a priori. Horizontal
      coronal deviation, horizontal apical deviation, angular deviation, and vertical
      deviation were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 186 articles were reviewed, and 34
      fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Information about 3,033 implants was analyzed
      in 8 in vitro studies (543 implants), 4 cadaver studies (246 implants), and 22
      clinical studies (2,244 implants). Significantly less horizontal apical deviation
      and angular deviation were observed in in vitro studies compared to clinical and
      cadaver studies, but there were no statistically significant differences in
      apical coronal deviation or vertical deviation between the groups. Compared to
      half-guided surgery, full-guided implant surgery showed significantly less
      horizontal coronal deviation for cadaver studies, significantly less horizontal
      apical deviation for clinical studies, and significantly less angular deviation
      for both clinical and cadaver studies. CONCLUSION: Implant placement accuracy was
      lower in clinical and cadaver studies compared with in vitro studies, especially
      in terms of horizontal apical deviation and angular deviation. Full-guided
      implant surgery achieved greater accuracy than half-guided surgery.

PMID- 28632254
TI  - Osteogenic Potential of Gingival Mesenchymal Stem Cells Over Titanium Machined
      Surfaces.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the biochemical composition of bone nodules deposited by
      gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) over titanium machined surfaces in vitro.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: GMSCs were isolated from healthy gingival tissues of
      patients undergoing crown-lengthening surgical procedures. GMSCs were
      characterized following the International Society for Cellular Therapy
      guidelines. After incubation of the GMSCs with titanium discs, osteogenic
      differentiation was induced for 28 days. Osteogenic lineage was confirmed by
      means of Alizarin Red S staining. Bone nodule morphology and deposition by GMSCs
      were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An elemental analysis
      of the bone nodules was done using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
      The biochemical composition of these nodules was further characterized via Raman
      spectroscopy, with native alveolar bone used as a control. RESULTS: GMSCs adhered
      and proliferated on the titanium discs and exhibited a spindle-shaped fibroblast
      like morphology under standard culture conditions. Their phenotype was confirmed
      by the expression of CD105, CD90, CD73, and CD146, observed using flow cytometry.
      Deposits of calcium bone nodules were evident in the cultures after staining with
      Alizarin Red S, but were absent in the controls. Calcium and phosphate, the major
      components of hydroxyapatite, were present in the bone nodules, as shown by means
      of the EDS analysis. The results obtained from Raman spectra of these nodules
      showed the phosphate ions (nu[PO43-], ~960 cm1), amide III (delta[NH], ~1,245 cm
      1), CH2 scissors (~1,451 cm-1), amide I (nu[C = O], ~1,667 cm-1), and nu(CH)
      (2,800-3,100 cm-1) bands were similar to those observed in native bone.
      CONCLUSION: GMSCs can deposit a bone-like mineral highly similar to native bone
      (HA) over titanium surfaces. Ongoing studies are aimed at determining whether
      GMSCs can deposit a similar bone matrix/tissue over removed failed dental
      implants. If HA can be placed over removed failed dental implants, it may be
      possible to re-osseointegrate dental implants that are failing as a result of
      peri-implantitis in vivo.

PMID- 28632255
TI  - Intake of Proton Pump Inhibitors Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Dental
      Implant Failure.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the intake of proton pump
      inhibitors (PPIs) and the risk of dental implant failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      The present retrospective cohort study is based on patients consecutively treated
      between 1980 and 2014 with implant-supported/retained prostheses at one
      specialist clinic. Modern endosseous dental implants with cylindrical or conical
      design were included, and only complete cases were considered; ie, only those
      implants with information available for all variables measured were included in
      the regression model analysis. Zygomatic implants and implants detected in
      radiographies but without basic information about them in the patients' files
      were excluded from the study. Implant- and patient-related data were collected.
      Multilevel mixed-effects parametric survival analysis was used to test the
      association between PPI exposure (predictor variable) and risk of implant failure
      (outcome variable), adjusting for several potential confounders. RESULTS: A total
      of 3,559 implants were placed in 999 patients, with 178 implants reported as
      failures. The implant failure rates were 12.0% (30/250) for PPI users and 4.5%
      (148/3,309) for nonusers. A total of 45 out of 178 (25.3%) failed implants were
      lost up to abutment connection (6 in PPI users, 39 in nonusers), with an early-to
      late failure ratio of 0.34:1. The intake of PPIs was shown to have a
      statistically significant negative effect for implant survival rate (HR 2.811;
      95% CI: 1.139 to 6.937; P = .025). Bruxism, smoking, implant length, prophylactic
      antibiotic regimen, and implant location were also identified as factors with a
      statistically significant effect on the implant survival rate. CONCLUSION: This
      study suggests that the intake of PPIs may be associated with an increased risk
      of dental implant failure.

PMID- 28632256
TI  - Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis of the Adaptation of Single-Unit Screw
      Retained Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacture Abutments After
      Mechanical Cycling.
AB  - PURPOSE: To measure the microgap between dental implants and custom abutments
      fabricated using different computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture
      (CAD/CAM) methods before and after mechanical cycling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CAD
      software (Dental System, 3Shape) was used to design a custom abutment for a
      single-unit, screw-retained crown compatible with a 4.1-mm external hexagon
      dental implant. The resulting stereolithography file was sent for manufacturing
      using four CAD/CAM methods (n = 40): milling and sintering of zirconium dioxide
      (ZO group), cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) sintered via selective laser melting (SLM
      group), fully sintered machined Co-Cr alloy (MM group), and machined and sintered
      agglutinated Co-Cr alloy powder (AM group). Prefabricated titanium abutments (TI
      group) were used as controls. Each abutment was placed on a dental implant
      measuring 4.1* 11 mm (SA411, SIN) inserted into an aluminum block. Measurements
      were taken using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (*4,000) on four regions of
      the implant-abutment interface (IAI) and at a relative distance of 90 degrees
      from each other. The specimens were mechanically aged (1 million cycles, 2 Hz,
      100 N, 37 degrees C) and the IAI width was measured again using the same
      approach. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance, followed by the
      Tukey test. RESULTS: After mechanical cycling, the best adaptation results were
      obtained from the TI (2.29 +/- 1.13 MUm), AM (3.58 +/- 1.80 MUm), and MM (1.89 +/
      0.98 MUm) groups. A significantly worse adaptation outcome was observed for the
      SLM (18.40 +/- 20.78 MUm) and ZO (10.42 +/- 0.80 MUm) groups. Mechanical cycling
      had a marked effect only on the AM specimens, which significantly increased the
      microgap at the IAI. CONCLUSION: Custom abutments fabricated using fully sintered
      machined Co-Cr alloy and machined and sintered agglutinated Co-Cr alloy powder
      demonstrated the best adaptation results at the IAI, similar to those obtained
      with commercial prefabricated titanium abutments after mechanical cycling. The
      adaptation of custom abutments made by means of SLM or milling and sintering of
      zirconium dioxide were worse both before and after mechanical cycling.

PMID- 28632257
TI  - Modeling of Crestal Bone After Submerged vs Transmucosal Implant Placement: A
      Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine differences in marginal bone changes when using submerged
      or transmucosal dental implants through a systematic review of the literature.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were
      electronically searched for trials comparing marginal bone loss between submerged
      and transmucosal dental implants with a minimum follow-up of 12 months published
      between January 1980 and January 2016. Manual searches of the bibliographies of
      the included studies were also carried out. Screening of titles and abstracts,
      data extraction from the included studies, and quality assessment following the
      PRISMA statement were conducted in duplicate. Outcome measures were radiographic
      marginal bone level changes, implant survival, prosthesis failure, prosthetic
      complications, and esthetics. RESULTS: The search strategy identified a total of
      4,991 studies. Two of the authors independently screened 855 abstracts, resulting
      in a total of 12 studies; however, the total included in the systematic review
      was 11, as 2 studies were based on data from the same patients and were therefore
      counted as 1. A total of 998 implants (413 submerged and 585 transmucosal) were
      observed in 542 patients. Seven of the studies had a randomized study design and
      a follow-up of 12 months; therefore, they were included in the meta-analysis of
      bone loss and implant survival. The overall estimate of the bone loss difference
      was -0.01 mm (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -0.11 to 0.09 mm), and there was
      less bone loss in the transmucosal implants than in the submerged implants (P =
      .811, I2 = 63.7%). The estimated relative risk for implant loss at 12 months was
      0.31 (0.09 to 1.09, P = .068, I2 = 0%) in favor of the submerged healing
      protocol. Augmentation procedures seemed to be successful irrespective of the
      implant placement modality, but owing to few clinical data no evidence could be
      found. Because of the lack of clinical data, esthetic outcomes could be reported
      only in a descriptive way. CONCLUSION: In the present meta-analysis, no evidence
      was found of differences between submerged and transmucosal implant placement
      protocols with regard to changes in marginal crestal bone levels or implant
      survival at 12 months follow-up. Therefore, it can be concluded that in many
      clinical situations it seems questionable whether a closed healing protocol
      offers an advantage over a transmucosal protocol.

PMID- 28632259
TI  - Sterically controlled diastereoselectivity in thio-Staudinger cycloadditions of
      alkyl/alkenyl/aryl-substituted thioketenes.
AB  - The [2 + 2] cycloadditions of thioketenes and imines are named as thio-Staudinger
      cycloadditions. The diastereoselectivity in thio-Staudinger cycloaddtions of
      alkyl/alkenyl/aryl-substituted thioketenes is rationalized. The steric effects of
      the thioketenes play an extremely important role in deciding the
      diastereoselectivity (cis/trans selectivity) through controlling exo- and endo
      attack and subsequent ring closure. The conclusion is further supported by our
      additional experimental and calculational results. The isomerization of the
      iminium moiety in zwitterionic intermediates generated from the thioketenes and
      linear imines also affects the diastereoselectivity. The electronic effect of
      imine substituents slightly impacts the diastereoselectivity, while epimerization
      of cis-beta-thiolactams to trans-diastereomers is a significant factor in the
      thio-Staudinger cycloadditions of mono-substituted thioketenes under basic
      conditions.

PMID- 28632260
TI  - Visualization of the protein corona: towards a biomolecular understanding of
      nanoparticle-cell-interactions.
AB  - The use of nanocarriers in biology and medicine is complicated by the current
      need to understand how nanoparticles interact in complex biological surroundings.
      When nanocarriers come into contact with serum, proteins immediately adsorb onto
      their surface, forming a protein corona which defines their biological identity.
      Although the composition of the protein corona has been widely determined by
      proteomics, its morphology still remains unclear. In this study we show for the
      first time the morphology of the protein corona using transmission electron
      microscopy. We are able to demonstrate that the protein corona is not, as
      commonly supposed, a dense, layered shell coating the nanoparticle, but an
      undefined, loose network of proteins. Additionally, we are now able to visualize
      and discriminate between the soft and hard corona using centrifugation-based
      separation techniques together with proteomic characterization. The protein
      composition of the ~15 nm hard corona strongly depends on the surface chemistry
      of the respective nanomaterial, thus further affecting cellular uptake and
      intracellular trafficking. Large diameter protein corona resulting from pre
      incubation with soft corona or Apo-A1 inhibits cellular uptake, confirming the
      stealth-effect mechanism. In summary, the knowledge on protein corona formation,
      composition and morphology is essential to design therapeutic effective
      nanoparticle systems.

PMID- 28632261
TI  - Syntheses and post-functionalization of tri-substituted polyalkoxohexavanadates
      containing tris(alkoxo) ligands.
AB  - A new synthetic approach to tri-substituted trisalkoxy-hexavanadate clusters
      containing different organic groups was developed in this work. Four mixed
      valence or fully reduced POV hybrids were synthesized and structurally
      characterized, including an amino-containing derivative of hexavanadate,
      Na2[VVO10{NH2C(CH2O)3}3] (1). Furthermore, a novel mixed-valence POV hybrid was
      prepared via the amidation of 1, indicating that 1 can be used as an excellent
      building block for the design and synthesis of mixed-valence POV functional
      materials.

PMID- 28632262
TI  - Copper(ii)-promoted oxidative C-H/C-H cross-coupling for rapid access to aza
      BODIPY-indole derivatives with broad optical absorption.
AB  - The direct C-H activation of electron-deficient aza-BODIPYs has been effectively
      achieved via a concise and inexpensive Cu(ii)-promoted oxidative C-H/C-H coupling
      approach. The resulting indole-aza-BODIPY 6b covers a broad spectrum of 429-900
      nm with a FWHM of 294 nm in solution and covers a UV-vis-NIR region up to 1100 nm
      in film.

PMID- 28632263
TI  - Fabrication of a graphene/C60 nanohybrid via gamma-cyclodextrin host-guest
      chemistry for photodynamic and photothermal therapy.
AB  - The wonderful chemical structures and characteristics of low-dimensional carbon
      materials have exciting applications in life sciences. In the present study, we
      developed a facile strategy to conjugate C60 with graphene via host-guest
      chemistry for targeted phototherapy. A versatile carrier based on folic acid
      functionalized graphene (GO-FA) and comprising gamma-cyclodextrin (gamma-CD) at
      its surface was assembled via pi-pi interaction, creating hybrid structures with
      drug storage and tumor targeting properties. This gamma-CD-modified graphene (GO
      FA/Py-gamma-CD) is capable of hosting pristine C60 molecules for the fabrication
      of a GO-FA/Py-gamma-CD/C60 nanohybrid. The hybridization of GO-FA, gamma-CD, and
      C60 hinders the aggregation of C60, promotes cellular uptake, enhances light
      absorption, and finally demonstrates enhanced phototherapy effects of GO-FA/Py
      gamma-CD/C60. Under Xe lamp irradiation (2 W cm-2) for 4 min, GO-FA/Py-gamma
      CD/C60 simultaneously causes heating and intracellular ROS production, which
      further significantly reduces the cell viability to 16.2% at low content of
      loading (30 MUg mL-1). Moreover, it represents an excellent tumor killing
      efficiency, better than that of the other reported graphene/C60 nanohybrids;
      thus, this material is suitable for applications in phototherapy of cancer.

PMID- 28632264
TI  - A modular synthesis approach to multinuclear heterometallic oxo clusters in
      polyoxometalates.
AB  - We report a "modular synthesis approach" to multinuclear heterometallic oxo
      clusters in lacunary polyoxometalates (POMs). This approach allowed the synthesis
      of a POM containing a nonanuclear {CrMn4}Lu2Ag2 cluster with the widest variety
      of metals among the discrete metal oxo clusters prepared to date.

PMID- 28632265
TI  - 3D printed conformal microfluidics for isolation and profiling of biomarkers from
      whole organs.
AB  - The ability to interface microfluidic devices with native complex biological
      architectures, such as whole organs, has the potential to shift the paradigm for
      the study and analysis of biological tissue. Here, we show 3D printing can be
      used to fabricate bio-inspired conformal microfluidic devices that directly
      interface with the surface of whole organs. Structured-light scanning techniques
      enabled the 3D topographical matching of microfluidic device geometry to porcine
      kidney anatomy. Our studies show molecular species are spontaneously transferred
      from the organ cortex to the conformal microfluidic device in the presence of
      fluid flow through the organ-conforming microchannel. Large animal studies using
      porcine kidneys (n = 32 organs) revealed the profile of molecular species in the
      organ-conforming microfluidic stream was dependent on the organ preservation
      conditions. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) studies revealed conformal
      microfluidic devices isolate clinically relevant metabolic and pathophysiological
      biomarkers from whole organs, including heat shock protein 70 (HSP-70) and kidney
      injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), which were detected in the microfluidic device as high
      as 409 and 12 pg mL-1, respectively. Overall, these results show conformal
      microfluidic devices enable a novel minimally invasive 'microfluidic biopsy'
      technique for isolation and profiling of biomarkers from whole organs within a
      clinically relevant interval. This achievement could shift the paradigm for whole
      organ preservation and assessment, thereby helping to relieve the organ shortage
      crisis through increased availability and quality of donor organs. Ultimately,
      this work provides a major advance in microfluidics through the design and
      manufacturing of organ-conforming microfluidic devices and a novel technique for
      microfluidic-based analysis of whole organs.

PMID- 28632258
TI  - Materials and microfluidics: enabling the efficient isolation and analysis of
      circulating tumour cells.
AB  - We present a critical review of microfluidic technologies and material effects on
      the analyses of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) selected from the peripheral
      blood of cancer patients. CTCs are a minimally invasive source of clinical
      information that can be used to prognose patient outcome, monitor minimal
      residual disease, assess tumour resistance to therapeutic agents, and potentially
      screen individuals for the early diagnosis of cancer. The performance of CTC
      isolation technologies depends on microfluidic architectures, the underlying
      principles of isolation, and the choice of materials. We present a critical
      review of the fundamental principles used in these technologies and discuss their
      performance. We also give context to how CTC isolation technologies enable
      downstream analysis of selected CTCs in terms of detecting genetic mutations and
      gene expression that could be used to gain information that may affect patient
      outcome.

PMID- 28632266
TI  - Proteomic analysis reveals Xuesaitong injection attenuates myocardial
      ischemia/reperfusion injury by elevating pyruvate dehydrogenase-mediated aerobic
      metabolism.
AB  - Xuesaitong injection (XST), which mainly consists of Panax notoginseng saponins,
      has been widely used for treating cardio-cerebral vascular diseases. However, the
      underlying mechanisms of XST associated with its cardioprotective effects are
      still unclear. To identify the potential target proteins of XST, two-dimensional
      gel electrophoresis (2-DE)-based proteomics was utilized to analyze the protein
      profile of myocardium in rats with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.
      The differentially expressed proteins were identified by matrix assisted laser
      desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It is interesting that
      XST can alter the expression of 7 proteins, including pyruvate dehydrogenase E1
      alpha (PDHA1), hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (HADHA), peroxiredoxin 3
      (PRX3), gamma-enolase, acetyl-coenzyme A acyltransferase 2 (ACAA2), etc.
      Functional analysis revealed that those proteins were chiefly related to cardiac
      energy metabolism and oxidative stress. The cardioprotective effects of XST were
      further validated in H9c2 cardiac muscle cells with hypoxia/reoxygenation injury.
      We found that XST can promote the activity of PDH, an important enzyme related to
      the TCA cycle, as well as increase the intracellular content of acetyl-CoA and
      ATP. Moreover, XST also attenuated intracellular MDA release in H2O2-injured
      cardiac cells. This is the first study on the proteomic expression of XST-treated
      myocardium with I/R injury to reveal that the cardioprotective effects of XST may
      be attributed to the PDH-mediated restoration of aerobic glucose oxidation.

PMID- 28632267
TI  - Ultrahigh broadband photoresponse of SnO2 nanoparticle thin film/SiO2/p-Si
      heterojunction.
AB  - The SnO2/Si heterojunction possesses a large band offset and it is easy to
      control the transportation of carriers in the SnO2/Si heterojunction to realize
      high-response broadband detection. Therefore, we investigated the potential of
      the SnO2 nanoparticle thin film/SiO2/p-Si heterojunction for photodetectors. It
      is demonstrated that this heterojunction shows a stable, repeatable and broadband
      photoresponse from 365 nm to 980 nm. Meanwhile, the responsivity of the device
      approaches a high value in the range of 0.285-0.355 A W-1 with the outstanding
      detectivity of ~2.66 * 1012 cm H1/2 W-1 and excellent sensitivity of ~1.8 * 106
      cm2 W-1, and its response and recovery times are extremely short (<0.1 s). This
      performance makes the device stand out among previously reported oxide or
      oxide/Si based photodetectors. In fact, the photosensitivity and detectivity of
      this heterojunction are an order of magnitude higher than that of 2D material
      based heterojunctions such as (Bi2Te3)/Si and MoS2/graphene (photosensitivity of
      7.5 * 105 cm2 W-1 and detectivity of ~2.5 * 1011 cm H1/2 W-1). The excellent
      device performance is attributed to the large Fermi energy difference between the
      SnO2 nanoparticle thin film and Si, SnO2 nanostructure, oxygen vacancy defects
      and thin SiO2 layer. Consequently, practical highly-responsive broadband PDs may
      be actualized in the future.

PMID- 28632268
TI  - Ball-in-ball ZrO2 nanostructure for simultaneous CT imaging and highly efficient
      synergic microwave ablation and tri-stimuli-responsive chemotherapy of tumors.
AB  - Combined thermo-chemotherapy displays outstanding synergically therapeutic
      efficiency when compared with standalone thermotherapy and chemotherapy. Herein,
      we developed a smart tri-stimuli-responsive drug delivery system involving X@BB
      ZrO2 NPs (X represents loaded IL, DOX, keratin and tetradecanol) based on novel
      ball-in-ball-structured ZrO2 nanoparticles (BB-ZrO2 NPs). The microwave energy
      conversion efficiency of BB-ZrO2 NPs was 41.2% higher than that of traditional
      single-layer NPs due to the cooperative action of self-reflection and spatial
      confinement effect of the special two-layer hollow nanostructure. The tri-stimuli
      responsive controlled release strategy indicate that integrated pH, redox and
      microwaves in single NPs based on keratin and tetradecanol could effectively
      enhance the specific controlled release of DOX. The release of DOX was only 8.1%
      in PBS with pH = 7.2 and GSH = 20 MUM. However, the release could reach about 50%
      at the tumor site (pH = 5.5, GSH = 13 mM) under microwave ablation. The as-made
      X@BB-ZrO2 NPs exhibited perfect synergic therapy effect of chemotherapy and
      microwave ablation both in subcutaneous tumors (H22 tumor-bearing mice) and deep
      tumors (liver transplantation VX2 tumor-bearing rabbit model). There was no
      recurrence and death in the X@BB-ZrO2 + MW group during the therapy of
      subcutaneous tumors even on the 42nd day. The growth rates in the deep tumor of
      the control, MW and X@BB-ZrO2 + MW groups were 290.1%, 14.1% and -42% 6 days
      after ablation, respectively. Dual-source CT was used to monitor the metabolism
      behavior of the as-made BB-ZrO2 NPs and traditional CT was utilized to monitor
      the tumor growth in rabbits. Frozen section examination and ICP results indicated
      the precise control of drug delivery and enhanced cytotoxicity by the tri-stimuli
      responsive controlled release strategy. The ball-in-ball ZrO2 NPs with high
      microwave energy conversion efficiency were first developed for synergic
      microwave ablation and tri-stimuli-responsive chemotherapy, which may have
      potential applications in clinic.

PMID- 28632269
TI  - Late-stage divergent synthesis and antifouling activity of geraniol-butenolide
      hybrid molecules.
AB  - Hybrid molecules consisting of geraniol and butenolide were designed and
      synthesized by the late-stage divergent strategy. In the synthetic route, ring
      closing metathesis was utilized for the construction of a butenolide moiety. A
      biological evaluation of the eight synthetic hybrid compounds revealed that these
      molecules exhibit antifouling activity against the cypris larvae of the barnacle
      Balanus (Amphibalanus) amphitrite with EC50 values of 0.30-1.31 MUg mL-1. These
      results show that hybridization of the geraniol and butenolide structural motifs
      resulted in the enhancement of the antifouling activity.

PMID- 28632270
TI  - Silicon anodes protected by a nitrogen-doped porous carbon shell for high
      performance lithium-ion batteries.
AB  - Silicon (Si) anodes, which are among the most promising candidates for high
      energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), have attracted considerable attention from
      both academic and industrial communities. However, Si anodes usually suffer from
      an inherently low conductivity and extremely large volume change during the
      lithiation and delithiation processes, and consequently exhibit an inferior rate
      capability and poor cycle life. In this paper, we report new porous polymer
      derived carbon coated Si nanoparticles (NPs) as the next generation anodes for
      LIBs to overcome these serious problems. Specifically, a porous covalent triazine
      framework (CTF) polymer shell was synthesized by in situ trimerization of p
      benzenedinitrile in molten ZnCl2. Then, core-shell structured Si/nitrogen-doped
      porous carbon (Si@NPC) spheres were easily produced after high-temperature
      annealing. As an anode for LIBs, Si@NPC delivers a high capacity of 1390 mA h g-1
      at 0.5 A g-1, stable cycle performance (107% capacity retention at 1 A g-1 for
      200 cycles), and excellent rate capability of up to approximately 420 mA h g-1 at
      16 A g-1. Such an exciting performance can be attributed to the ultra-stable,
      highly conductive, N-doped, and porous carbon shell. This work not only offers a
      new solution to the large volume change of Si-based anodes, but also enables the
      synthesis of porous polymer-based core-shell structures for energy storage and
      conversion.

PMID- 28632271
TI  - Copper-promoted direct C-H alkoxylation of S,S-functionalized internal olefins
      with alcohols.
AB  - Copper-promoted direct C-H alkoxylation of S,S-functionalized internal olefins,
      that is, alpha-oxo ketene dithioacetals, was efficiently achieved with alcohols
      as the alkoxylating agents, (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (PhI(OAc)2) as the oxidant,
      and benzoquinone (BQ) as the co-oxidant. The alkoxylated olefins were thus
      constructed and applied for the synthesis of alkoxylated N-heterocycles. The
      polarization of the olefinic carbon-carbon double bond by the electron-donating
      dialkylthio and electron-withdrawing alpha-oxo functionalities plays a crucial
      role in making such C-H alkoxylation reactions to occur under mild conditions.
      Mechanistic studies implicate a single-electron-transfer (SET) reaction pathway
      involved in the overall catalytic cycle.

PMID- 28632272
TI  - Interfacial synthesis of a three-dimensional hierarchical MoS2-NS@Ag-NP
      nanocomposite as a SERS nanosensor for ultrasensitive thiram detection.
AB  - Interfacial self-assembly of ordered nanostructures at oil-water interfaces
      towards the fabrication of nanofilms has attracted the interest of plenty of
      scientists, since its discovery in 2004. Herein, further developments have been
      achieved, and we report a new strategy for the synthesis of a three-dimensional
      (3D) hierarchical nanostructure, through an interfacial synthesis driven
      microemulsion process. Thus, the synthesis route has been simplified, with the
      rigorous experimental conditions of traditional compositing technology. Combined
      with a two-step seed-mediated growth method for preparing uniform Ag-NPs, a
      plasmonic 3D MoS2-NS@Ag-NP nanostructure was successfully developed as a Surface
      Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) active substrate, with plenty of surface hot
      spots, leading to an enhancement factor (EF) of 1.2 * 108 derived from both
      electromagnetic mechanism (EM) and chemical mechanism (CM) effects. The 3D MoS2
      NS@Ag-NP nanostructure can be applied to detect trace thiram in apple juice and
      local lake water, with a detection limit as low as 10 ppb (42 nM), which is much
      lower than the maximal residue limit (MRL) of 7 ppm in fruit prescribed by the
      U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Furthermore, quantitative analysis
      was achieved in the range of 10 ppb-1 ppm with good homogeneity and selectivity.

PMID- 28632273
TI  - A model for C-F activation by electrophilic phosphonium cations.
AB  - The synthesis of the electrophilic phosphonium cation (EPC) salt
      [C10H6(CF3)PF(C6F5)2][B(C6F5)4] 4 was achieved via oxidation of phosphine
      [C10H6(CF3)P(C6F5)2] 2 with XeF2 to form phosphorane [C10H6(CF3)PF2(C6F5)2] 3 and
      subsequent fluoride ion abstraction. Structural and spectroscopic
      characterization of 4 provides evidence of an interaction between the CF3
      functionality and the phosphonium centre. AIM and NBO analyses also support
      donation from a lone pair on a fluorine atom of the CF3 group to the P-F sigma*
      orbital of the fluorophosphonium unit, consistent with previously proposed
      mechanisms for main group C-F bond activations.

PMID- 28632274
TI  - t-BuOK-mediated reductive addition of P(O)-H compounds to terminal alkynes
      forming beta-arylphosphine oxides.
AB  - A novel and efficient t-BuOK-mediated reductive addition of P(O)-H compounds to
      terminal alkynes was developed. A variety of beta-arylphosphine oxides including
      the valuable beta-heteroarylphosphine oxides were produced in moderate to high
      yields under mild reaction conditions. This reaction may proceed via a tandem
      process involving regio-selective double addition and subsequent transfer
      hydrogenation.

PMID- 28632275
TI  - Architectures of soft robotic locomotion enabled by simple mechanical principles.
AB  - In nature, a variety of limbless locomotion patterns flourish, from the small or
      basic life forms (Escherichia coli, amoebae, etc.) to the large or intelligent
      creatures (e.g., slugs, starfishes, earthworms, octopuses, jellyfishes, and
      snakes). Many bioinspired soft robots based on locomotion have been developed in
      the past few decades. In this work, based on the kinematics and dynamics of two
      representative locomotion modes (i.e., worm-like crawling and snake-like
      slithering), we propose a broad set of innovative designs for soft mobile robots
      through simple mechanical principles. Inspired by and going beyond the existing
      biological systems, these designs include 1-D (dimensional), 2-D, and 3-D robotic
      locomotion patterns enabled by the simple actuation of continuous beams. We
      report herein over 20 locomotion modes achieving various locomotion functions,
      including crawling, rising, running, creeping, squirming, slithering, swimming,
      jumping, turning, turning over, helix rolling, wheeling, etc. Some are able to
      reach high speed, high efficiency, and overcome obstacles. All these locomotion
      strategies and functions can be integrated into a simple beam model. The proposed
      simple and robust models are adaptive for severe and complex environments. These
      elegant designs for diverse robotic locomotion patterns are expected to underpin
      future deployments of soft robots and to inspire a series of advanced designs.

PMID- 28632276
TI  - Optimising the relaxivities of Mn2+ complexes by targeting human serum albumin
      (HSA).
AB  - We report two novel macrocyclic ligands based on the 1,4-DO2AM platform (1,4
      DO2AM = 2,2'-(1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4-diyl)diacetamide) and containing
      two benzyl groups attached either to the nitrogen atoms of the macrocyclic unit
      (1,4-BzDO2AM) or to the amide pendant arms (1,4-DO2AMBz). The protonation
      constants of the ligands and the stability constants of their Mn2+ complexes were
      determined using pH potentiometry. The introduction of benzyl groups results in a
      slight decrease of the stability constants of the Mn2+ complexes and a slight
      increase of their acid-catalysed dissociation reactions. A detailed relaxometric
      characterisation of the complexes using nuclear magnetic dispersion relaxation
      (NMRD) and 17O NMR studies indicated that the increase in molecular weight
      associated with the presence of benzyl groups results in a remarkable increase of
      proton relaxivities r1p, which take values of 3.8, 3.5 and 2.5 mM-1 s-1 for
      [Mn(1,4-BzDO2AM)]2+, [Mn(1,4-DO2AMBz)]2+ and [Mn(1,4-DO2AM)]2+ (at 25  degrees C
      and 20 MHz). The [Mn(1,4-BzDO2AM)]2+ and [Mn(1,4-DO2AMBz)]2+ complexes form
      relatively strong adducts with Human Serum Albumin (HSA) with association
      constants of (3.9 +/- 0.6) * 103 and (2.0 +/- 0.3) * 103 M-1, respectively. The
      interaction with the protein slows down the rotational tumbling of the complex in
      solution, which results in adducts endowed with remarkably high proton
      relaxivities (r1pb = 18.5 +/- 0.7 and 27.4 +/- 1.4 mM-1 s-1 for [Mn(1,4
      BzDO2AM)]2+ and [Mn(1,4-DO2AMBz)]2+, respectively).

PMID- 28632277
TI  - Variable temperature and high-pressure crystal chemistry of perovskite
      formamidinium lead iodide: a single crystal X-ray diffraction and computational
      study.
AB  - We investigate the variable temperature (100-450 K) and high-pressure (p =
      ambient - 0.74 GPa) crystal chemistry of the black perovskite formamidinium lead
      iodide, [(NH2)2CH]PbI3, using single crystal X-ray diffraction. In both cases we
      find a phase transition to a tetragonal phase. Our experimental results are
      combined with first principles calculations, providing information about the
      electronic properties of [(NH2)2CH]PbI3 as well as the most probable orientation
      of the [(NH2)2CH]+ cations.

PMID- 28632278
TI  - Paper microfluidics for nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) of infectious
      diseases.
AB  - The diagnosis of infectious diseases is entering a new and interesting phase.
      Technologies based on paper microfluidics, coupled to developments in isothermal
      amplification of Nucleic Acids (NAs) raise opportunities for bringing the methods
      of molecular biology in the field, in a low setting environment. A lot of work
      has been performed in the domain over the last few years and the landscape of
      contributions is rich and diverse. Most often, the level of sample preparation
      differs, along with the sample nature, the amplification and detection methods,
      and the design of the device, among other features. In this review, we attempt to
      offer a structured description of the state of the art. The domain is not mature
      and there exist bottlenecks that hamper the realization of Nucleic Acid
      Amplification Tests (NAATs) complying with the constraints of the field in low
      and middle income countries. In this domain however, the pace of progress is
      impressively fast. This review is written for a broad Lab on a Chip audience.

PMID- 28632279
TI  - epsilon-Polylysine-based thermo-responsive adsorbents for immunoglobulin
      adsorption-desorption under mild conditions.
AB  - Thermo-responsive adsorbents for immunoglobulin G (IgG) employing epsilon
      polylysine (EPL) as a polymer backbone were developed. The introduction of
      mercaptoethylpyridine (MEP) as an IgG-binding ligand and hydrophobization of side
      chains afforded thermo-responsive IgG adsorbents, whose thermo-responsive IgG
      desorption ratio was up to 88% (EPL/MEP derivative 3m). The changes in surface
      densities of active MEP groups, which are caused by thermal conformational
      changes of the adsorbents, play key roles for IgG desorption. Although a trade
      off of IgG adsorption capacity and IgG desorption ratio was observed, the present
      study offers a novel molecular design for thermo-responsive adsorbents with high
      synthetic accessibility and potentially low toxicity.

PMID- 28632280
TI  - Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators for Primary Prevention in Patients With
      Ischemic or Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
AB  - Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) have a role in
      preventing cardiac arrest in patients at risk for life-threatening ventricular
      arrhythmias. Purpose: To compare ICD therapy with conventional care for the
      primary prevention of death of various causes in adults with ischemic or
      nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of
      Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, and EMBASE databases, as well as several Web
      sites, from 1 April 1976 through 31 March 2017. Study Selection: Randomized
      controlled trials, published in any language, comparing ICD therapy with
      conventional care and reporting mortality outcomes (all-cause, sudden, any
      cardiac, or noncardiac) in the primary prevention setting. Data Extraction: 2
      independent investigators extracted study data and assessed risk of bias. Data
      Synthesis: Included were 11 trials involving 8716 patients: 4 (1781 patients)
      addressed nonischemic cardiomyopathy, 6 (4414 patients) ischemic cardiomyopathy,
      and 1 (2521 patients) both types of cardiomyopathy. Mean follow-up was 3.2 years.
      An overall reduction in all-cause mortality, from 28.26% with conventional care
      to 21.37% with ICD therapy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81 [95% CI, 0.70 to 0.94]; P =
      0.043), was found. The magnitude of reduction was similar in the cohorts with
      nonischemic (HR, 0.81 [CI, 0.72 to 0.91]) and ischemic (HR, 0.82 [CI, 0.63 to
      1.06]) disease, although the latter estimate did not reach statistical
      significance. The rate of sudden death fell from 12.15% with conventional care to
      4.39% with ICD therapy (HR, 0.41 [CI, 0.30 to 0.56]), with a similar magnitude of
      reduction in patients with ischemic (HR, 0.39 [CI, 0.23 to 0.68]) and those with
      nonischemic disease (HR, 0.44 [CI, 0.17 to 1.12]). Noncardiac and any cardiac
      deaths did not differ significantly by treatment. Limitation: Heterogeneous
      timing of ICD placement; heterogeneous pharmacologic and resynchronization co
      interventions; trials conducted in different eras; adverse events and
      complications not reviewed. Conclusion: Overall, primary prevention with ICD
      therapy versus conventional care reduced the incidence of sudden and all-cause
      death. Primary Funding Source: None.

PMID- 28632285
TI  - Whole-Genome Sequencing in Primary Care.

PMID- 28632284
TI  - Benefits and Risks of Antithrombotic Therapy in Essential Thrombocythemia: A
      Systematic Review.
AB  - Background: Patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET) are at high risk for
      both thrombosis and hemorrhage. Purpose: To evaluate the risks and benefits of
      antithrombotic therapy in adults with ET. Data Sources: Multiple databases,
      including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
      Trials, through 4 March 2017. Study Selection: Randomized and observational
      studies of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy, published in any language and
      reporting thrombotic or hemorrhagic events. Data Extraction: Two reviewers
      independently extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and graded certainty of
      evidence. Data Synthesis: No relevant randomized trials were identified. Twenty
      four observational studies (18 comparative and 6 single-group) involving 6153
      patients followed for 31 711 patient-years were reviewed; most were deemed to
      have high risk of bias. Most patients receiving antiplatelet therapy (3613 of
      4527 [80%]) received low-dose aspirin (50 to 150 mg/d); 914 (20%) received high
      dose aspirin (300 to 600 mg/d), dipyridamole, or other agents. Overall, findings
      were inconsistent and imprecise. The reported incidence rates of thrombosis, any
      bleeding, and major bleeding without antiplatelet therapy ranged from 5 to 110
      (median, 20), from 3 to 39 (median, 8), and from 2 to 53 (median, 6) cases per
      1000 patient-years, respectively. The reported relative risks for thrombosis, any
      bleeding, and major bleeding with antiplatelet therapy compared with none ranged
      from 0.26 to 3.48 (median, 0.74), from 0.48 to 11.04 (median, 1.95), and from
      0.48 to 5.17 (median, 1.30), respectively. Certainty of evidence was rated low or
      very low for all outcomes. Limitation: No randomized trials, no extractable data
      on anticoagulants, lack of uniform bleeding definitions, and systematic reporting
      of outcomes. Conclusion: Available evidence about the risk-benefit ratio of
      antiplatelet therapy in adults with ET is highly uncertain. Primary Funding
      Source: Regional Medical Associates. (PROSPERO: CRD42015027051).

PMID- 28632288
TI  - All-Arthroscopic Superior Shoulder Capsule Reconstruction With Partial Rotator
      Cuff Repair.
AB  - Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears are difficult to treat. Although several
      treatment options exist, none provides superior long-term results. There is no
      consensus on optimal surgical technique. Superior capsular reconstruction is an
      operative treatment option aimed at restoring native biomechanics of the
      glenohumeral joint by providing a restraint to superior subluxation. Partial
      rotator cuff repair for massive tears has also been shown to improve shoulder
      kinematics and can be performed in conjunction with superior capsule
      reconstruction. The authors describe a technique for arthroscopic superior
      capsular reconstruction with a dermal allograft with concomitant partial rotator
      cuff repair. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(4):e735-e738.].

PMID- 28632289
TI  - Novel Anterior Plating Technique for Patella Fracture Fixation.
AB  - Patella fracture fixation remains a significant challenge for orthopedic
      surgeons. Although tension band fixation allows for reliable osseous union,
      especially in simple fracture patterns, it still presents several problems. Plate
      fixation of patella fractures is a method that allows for more rigid
      stabilization and earlier mobilization. At the authors' level 1 trauma center,
      one fellowship-trained trauma surgeon has transitioned to using a novel anterior,
      low-profile mesh plate construct for all types of patella fractures. This
      construct allows for stable fixation, osseous union, and neutralization of the
      inferior pole for even the most comminuted of patella fractures. [Orthopedics.
      2017; 40(4):e739-e743.].

PMID- 28632291
TI  - ?

PMID- 28632290
TI  - A Single-Incision Technique for Distal Biceps Repair Using a Flexible Reamer.
AB  - Distal biceps tendon ruptures are rare injuries that usually occur in middle-aged
      men. Most of these injuries are repaired acutely to restore preinjury function
      and strength. There is concern regarding the higher prevalence of certain
      complications with the double-incision technique. As such, the single-incision
      technique has also been studied to determine if it may produce superior safety
      and efficacy. In addition, the point of fixation may be created with either a
      rigid or a flexible reamer. The authors describe a technique that uses a single
      incision cortical fixation achieved with a flexible reamer. [Orthopedics. 2017;
      40(4):e744-e748.].

PMID- 28632292
TI  - ?

PMID- 28632293
TI  - ?

PMID- 28632295
TI  - ?

PMID- 28632294
TI  - [Pneumonia is an uncertain diagnosis even during medical visits].

PMID- 28632296
TI  - ?

PMID- 28632297
TI  - ?
AB  - Core needle biopsies for lymphoma diagnosis seriously affect diagnostics,
      treatment development and research Core needle biopsies (CNBs) are widely used in
      clinical diagnostic labs to aid in the diagnosis of malignant lymphomas and in
      latter years their use is increasing. CNBs provide a rapid method for obtaining
      tumour material and may be beneficial when the affected lymph nodes are located
      deep in the abdominal cavity or mediastinum and surgical excisional biopsies may
      be difficult to perform. However, according to the Swedish Haematopathology
      Quality and Standardization Committee, CNBs are insufficient for lymphoma
      diagnostic purposes and the guidelines state that material from surgical
      excisional biopsies are mandatory in order to obtain a robust histopathological
      evaluation of the lymph node architecture, cellular composition and growth
      pattern. Surgical excision biopsies also ensure that adequate material is
      available if additional molecular analyses should be required and also to
      facilitate future research.

PMID- 28632298
TI  - ?
AB  - Rapid improvement of tick-borne encephalitis after treatment with corticosteroids
      Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a viral disease transmitted by ticks. The virus
      is divided into three subtypes named Western, Siberian and Far Eastern TBE virus
      (TBEV). Western TBEV is endemic in parts of Europe and Sweden and typically
      causes a biphasic illness with influenza-like symptoms followed by neurological
      symptoms ranging from mild meningitis to severe meningoencephalitis and death.
      Despite an effective vaccine, TBE is increasing in Sweden and Europe. The
      pathogenesis of TBE is poorly understood; direct infection of neurons as well as
      immunological reactions mediated by T-cells have been implicated. In some endemic
      areas, such as Lithuania, patients with TBE are given corticosteroids based on
      the clinical experience that it results in rapid improvement. However, existing
      retrospective studies have failed to show beneficial effects of corticosteroids
      compared to symptomatic treatment in patients with TBE. This case report
      describes how an elderly man with meningoencephalitis and cranial nerve palsy due
      to TBE  rapidly improved after administration of high dose corticosteroids.

PMID- 28632299
TI  - ?
AB  - Swimming-induced pulmonary edema (SIPE) has been described in sports and military
      medicine during strenuous swimming in open water. Symptoms include dyspnea,
      cough, frothy mucus and hemoptysis. Hypertension, a tight wetsuit, overhydration
      and previous episodes of SIPE are suggested risk factors. Immediate interruption
      of swimming prevents more serious symptoms. In the open water race at Vansbro
      2016, 69 swimmers (of 13,878 in total) were treated for symptoms suspected for
      SIPE. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was successfully used to treat
      suspected SIPE in 46 patients in the on-site emergency care center. Open water
      swimming races are increasingly popular and also attract many unexperienced
      swimmers. There is a need of validated guidelines for organizers of open water
      races, swimmers and health professionals.

PMID- 28632300
TI  - Chemobacterial Synthesis of a Sialyl-Tn Cyclopeptide Vaccine Candidate.
AB  - A conjugatable form of the tumour-associated carbohydrate antigen sialyl-Tn
      (Neu5Ac-alpha-2,6-GalNAc) was efficiently produced in Escherichia coli.
      Metabolically engineered E. coli strains overexpressing the 6-sialyltransferase
      gene of Photobacterium sp. and CMP-Neu5Ac synthetase genes of Neisseria
      meningitidis were cultivated at high density in the presence of GalNAc-alpha
      propargyl as the exogenous acceptor. The target disaccharides, which were
      produced on the scale of several hundreds of milligrams, were then conjugated by
      using copper(I)-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry to a fully
      synthetic and immunogenic scaffold with the aim to create a candidate anticancer
      vaccine. Four sialyl-Tn epitopes were introduced on the upper face of an azido
      functionalised multivalent cyclopeptide scaffold, the lower face of which was
      previously modified by an immunogenic polypeptide, PADRE. The ability of the
      resulting glycoconjugate to interact with oncofoetal sialyl-Tn monoclonal
      antibodies was confirmed in ELISA assays.

PMID- 28632301
TI  - Regulation of kindling epileptogenesis by hippocampal Toll-like receptors 2.
AB  - This study examined whether Toll-like receptors 2 (TLR2) contribute to rapid
      kindling epileptogenesis. A TLR2 agonist, lipoteichoic acid (LTA), LTA antibody
      (LTA-A), or normal saline (control) was administered daily over 3 consecutive
      days, unilaterally into ventral hippocampus of adult male Wistar rats. Thirty
      minutes after the last injection, the animals were subjected to a rapid kindling
      procedure. The ictogenesis was gauged by comparing afterdischarge threshold (ADT)
      and afterdischarge duration (ADD) before the treatments, after the treatments
      prior to kindling, and 24 h after kindling. Kindling progression and retention
      were analyzed using video recording. The results showed that before kindling, LTA
      produced an ADT reduction. Neither LTA nor LTA-A affected baseline ADD. On
      kindling progression, LTA accelerated occurrence of generalized seizures, whereas
      LTA-A delayed this effect. Treatment with LTA-A reduced the number of secondary
      generalized complex partial seizures. Twenty-four hours after kindling, the rats
      of both the saline and LTA groups showed increased hippocampal excitability as
      compared with prekindling parameters. Administration of LTA-A prevented kindling
      induced increase of hippocampal excitability. Immunostaining revealed that LTA-A
      attenuated the inflammatory response produced by seizures. These findings suggest
      that the activation of TLR2 in the hippocampus may facilitate limbic
      epileptogenesis.

PMID- 28632302
TI  - Sequentially Responsive Shell-Stacked Nanoparticles for Deep Penetration into
      Solid Tumors.
AB  - Nanomedicine to overcome both systemic and tumor tissue barriers ideally should
      have a transformable size and surface, maintaining a certain size and negative
      surface charge for prolonged circulation, while reducing to a smaller size and
      switching to a positive surface charge for efficient penetration to and retention
      in the interstitial space throughout the tumor tissue. However, the design of
      such size and charge dual-transformable nanomedicine is rarely reported. Here,
      the design of a shell-stacked nanoparticle (SNP) is reported, which can undergo
      remarkable size reduction from about 145 to 40 nm, and surface charge reversal
      from -7.4 to 8.2 mV at acidic tumor tissue, for enhanced tumor penetration and
      uptake by cells in deep tumor tissue. The disulfide-cross-linked core maintains
      the stability of the particle and prevents undesired premature drug release until
      the shedding of the shell, which accelerates the cleavage of more exposed
      disulfide bond sand intracellular drug release. SNP penetrates about 1 mm into
      xenografted A549 lung carcinoma, which is about four times penetration depth of
      the nontransformable one. The doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded SNP (SNP/DOX) shows
      significant antitumor efficacy and nearly eradicates the tumor, substantiating
      the importance of the design of size and charge dual-transformable nanomedicine.

PMID- 28632303
TI  - Audition-specific temporal processing deficits associated with language function
      in children with autism spectrum disorder.
AB  - : Sensory processing alterations are highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder
      (ASD). Neurobiologically-based theories of ASD propose that abnormalities in the
      processing of temporal aspects of sensory input could underlie core symptoms of
      ASD. For example, rapid auditory temporal processing is critical for speech
      perception, and language difficulties are central to the social communication
      deficits defining the disorder. This study assessed visual and auditory temporal
      processing abilities and tested their relation to core ASD symptoms. 53 children
      (26 ASD, 27 TD) completed visual and auditory psychophysical gap detection tasks
      to measure gap detection thresholds (i.e., the minimum interval between
      sequential stimuli needed for individuals to perceive an interruption between the
      stimuli) in each domain. Children were also administered standardized language
      assessments such that the relation between individual differences in auditory gap
      detection thresholds and degree of language and communication difficulties among
      children with ASD could be assessed. Children with ASD had substantially higher
      auditory gap detection thresholds compared to children with TD, and auditory gap
      detection thresholds were correlated significantly with several measures of
      language processing in this population. No group differences were observed in the
      visual temporal processing. Results indicate a domain-specific impairment in
      rapid auditory temporal processing in ASD that is associated with greater
      difficulties in language processing. Findings provide qualified support for
      temporal processing theories of ASD and highlight the need for future research
      testing the nature, extent, and universality of auditory temporal processing
      deficits in this population. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1845-1856. (c) 2017
      International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY:
      Sensory symptoms are common in ASD. Temporal processing alterations are often
      implicated, but understudied. The ability to process rapid sensory information,
      particularly auditory input, is critical for language functioning. This study
      tested auditory and visual temporal processing in ASD and controls. Findings
      suggest that rapid auditory (but not visual) processing is impaired in ASD and
      related to language functioning. These results could provide mechanistic clues to
      understanding core symptoms and lead to novel intervention targets.

PMID- 28632305
TI  - Vanadium Hydroxide Cluster Ions in the Gas Phase: Bond-Forming Reactions of
      Doubly-Charged Negative Ions by SO2 -Promoted V-O Activation.
AB  - The gas-phase reactivity of doubly-charged vanadium hydroxides anions with SO2
      has been studied by experimental and computational methods. The obtained results
      highlight the role of sulfur dioxide in promoting unprecedented bond-forming
      reactions, which produce singly-charged products by breaking the Vx Oy skeleton
      or a terminal V-O bond.

PMID- 28632304
TI  - Are visceral adiposity index and lipid accumulation product reliable indices for
      metabolic disturbances in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Visceral adiposity index (VAI) and Lipid accumulation product (LAP)
      are novel visceral adiposity indexes, proposed for the evaluation of
      cardiometabolic risk in adult population. Considering contradictory results
      obtained from many studies so far, we aimed to examine the potential benefit of
      applicability of VAI and LAP, over simple anthropometric indices and traditional
      lipid parameters in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). METHODS: A
      total of 180 DM2 (of them 50% females) and 119 controls who volunteered to
      participate in this cross-sectional study were enrolled. Anthropometric and
      biochemical parameters, as well as blood pressure were obtained. VAI and LAP were
      calculated. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), (P<.001), waist circumference (WC),
      (P=.027), age (P=.001), hypolipemic therapy (P=.024), and LAP (P=.005) were
      independent predictors of DM2 in adjusted models. In Receiver Operating
      Characteristic curve analysis, used to discriminate subjects with DM2 from those
      who did not have it, good accuracy of the applied procedures was only achieved
      with models which were consisted of parameters used in VAI (Body mass index, WC,
      HDL-c, triglycerides) and LAP (WC, triglycerides) indexes equations, respectively
      [Area under the curve (AUC)=0.819 and AUC=0.800, respectively], but not with VAI
      (AUC=0.781) and LAP (AUC=0.784) indexes themselves. CONCLUSION: Visceral
      adiposity index and Lipid accumulation product may not be better than parameters
      that enter its equation in type 2 diabetes prediction.

PMID- 28632306
TI  - Analytical modeling provides new insight into complex mutual coupling between
      surface loops at ultrahigh fields.
AB  - Ultrahigh-field (UHF) (>=7 T) transmit (Tx) human head surface loop phased arrays
      improve both the Tx efficiency (B1+ /?P) and homogeneity in comparison with
      single-channel quadrature Tx volume coils. For multi-channel arrays, decoupling
      becomes one of the major problems during the design process. Further insight into
      the coupling between array elements and its dependence on various factors can
      facilitate array development. The evaluation of the entire impedance matrix Z for
      an array loaded with a realistic voxel model or phantom is a time-consuming
      procedure when performed using electromagnetic (EM) solvers. This motivates the
      development of an analytical model, which could provide a quick assessment of the
      Z-matrix. In this work, an analytical model based on dyadic Green's functions was
      developed and validated using an EM solver and bench measurements. The model
      evaluates the complex coupling, including both the electric (mutual resistance)
      and magnetic (mutual inductance) coupling. Validation demonstrated that the model
      does well to describe the coupling at lower fields (<=3 T). At UHFs, the model
      also performs well for a practical case of low magnetic coupling. Based on the
      modeling, the geometry of a 400-MHz, two-loop transceiver array was optimized,
      such that, by simply overlapping the loops, both the mutual inductance and the
      mutual resistance were compensated at the same time. As a result, excellent
      decoupling (below -40 dB) was obtained without any additional decoupling
      circuits. An overlapped array prototype was compared (signal-to-noise ratio, Tx
      efficiency) favorably to a gapped array, a geometry which has been utilized
      previously in designs of UHF Tx arrays.

PMID- 28632307
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Multidisciplinary
      Management.

PMID- 28632308
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Anal Cancer.

PMID- 28632310
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Pathology
      Standards and Datasets.

PMID- 28632309
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Surgical
      Management.

PMID- 28632311
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28632312
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Diagnosis,
      Investigations and Screening.

PMID- 28632313
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Audit and Outcome
      Reporting.

PMID- 28632314
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Introduction.

PMID- 28632315
TI  - Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain & Ireland (ACPGBI): Guidelines for
      the Management of Cancer of the Colon, Rectum and Anus (2017) - Follow Up,
      Lifestyle and Survivorship.

PMID- 28632316
TI  - Does umbilical cord milking result in higher measures of systemic blood flow in
      preterm infants?

PMID- 28632317
TI  - Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Study on the Photoreactions of Dark- and
      Light-Adapted States of a Blue-Light YtvA LOV Photoreceptor.
AB  - The dark- and light-adapted states of YtvA LOV domains exhibit distinct excited
      state behavior. We have employed high-level QM(MS-CASPT2)/MM calculations to
      study the photochemical reactions of the dark- and light-adapted states. The
      photoreaction from the dark-adapted state starts with an S1 ->T1 intersystem
      crossing followed by a triplet-state hydrogen transfer from the thiol to the
      flavin moiety that produces a diradical intermediate, and a subsequent internal
      conversion that triggers a barrierless C-S bond formation in the S0 state. The
      energy profiles for these transformations are different for the four conformers
      of the dark-adapted state considered. The photochemistry of the light-adapted
      state does not involve the triplet state: photoexcitation to the S1 state
      triggers C-S bond cleavage followed by recombination in the S0 state; both these
      processes are essentially barrierless and thus ultrafast. The present work offers
      new mechanistic insights into the photoresponse of flavin-containing blue-light
      photoreceptors.

PMID- 28632319
TI  - Child shyness and peer likeability: The moderating role of pragmatics and
      vocabulary.
AB  - The association between shyness and children's likeability by peers was examined,
      with pragmatic difficulty and receptive and expressive vocabularies as
      moderators. Participants were 164 preschoolers (72 boys, 92 girls) between 52 and
      79 months old in Singapore. A cross-informant methodology was used, with peers
      and teachers contributing to separate peer likeability ratings. The findings
      highlighted a conceptual distinction between peer- and teacher-rated likeability
      by peers. For the latter only, a 3-way interaction involving shyness, vocabulary,
      and pragmatic difficulty was found, indicating that for shy children with low
      vocabulary scores, those who experienced less pragmatic difficulty tended to be
      seen by teachers as more well-liked by peers than those with more pragmatic
      difficulty. This suggests that pragmatic skills may serve a protective function
      especially for shy children with poor vocabulary skills. Statement of
      contribution What is already known on this subject? Child shyness is related to
      poorer peer acceptance and social competence Expressive vocabulary and pragmatic
      competence each has a buffering effect for shy children What the present study
      adds? Shyness is related to poorer peer likeability as assessed by teachers
      Shyness is unrelated to peer likeability as assessed by same- or different-sex
      peers Pragmatic skills buffer the effects of teacher-rated shyness only for
      children with poor receptive and expressive vocabularies The buffering effect of
      language ability is shown in a multilingual educational context.

PMID- 28632318
TI  - "The Easier the Better" Preparation of Efficient Photocatalysts-Metastable
      Poly(heptazine imide) Salts.
AB  - Cost-efficient, visible-light-driven hydrogen production from water is an
      attractive potential source of clean, sustainable fuel. Here, it is shown that
      thermal solid state reactions of traditional carbon nitride precursors
      (cyanamide, melamine) with NaCl, KCl, or CsCl are a cheap and straightforward way
      to prepare poly(heptazine imide) alkali metal salts, whose thermodynamic
      stability decreases upon the increase of the metal atom size. The chemical
      structure of the prepared salts is confirmed by the results of X-ray
      photoelectron and infrared spectroscopies, powder X-ray diffraction and electron
      microscopy studies, and, in the case of sodium poly(heptazine imide),
      additionally by atomic pair distribution function analysis and 2D powder X-ray
      diffraction pattern simulations. In contrast, reactions with LiCl yield
      thermodynamically stable poly(triazine imides). Owing to the metastability and
      high structural order, the obtained heptazine imide salts are found to be highly
      active photocatalysts in Rhodamine B and 4-chlorophenol degradation, and Pt
      assisted sacrificial water reduction reactions under visible light irradiation.
      The measured hydrogen evolution rates are up to four times higher than those
      provided by a benchmark photocatalyst, mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride.
      Moreover, the products are able to photocatalytically reduce water with
      considerable reaction rates, even when glycerol is used as a sacrificial hole
      scavenger.

PMID- 28632320
TI  - Synthesis, Optoelectronic and Self-Assembly Properties of Diazadioxaacene
      Derivatives.
AB  - Two novel diazadioxaacene derivatives (ADOP and ADOQ) have been successfully
      synthesized and characterized. Their single crystal analyses disclose that
      molecule ADOP forms a twisted topology configuration, whereas ADOQ adopts
      reclining-chair architecture. Both of them emit strong blue fluorescence in
      organic solvents. Moreover, they can self-assemble to form regular nanobelts and
      nanowires, respectively, via a simple surfactant-assisted method.

PMID- 28632321
TI  - Is Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans the missing link between periodontitis
      and rheumatoid arthritis?

PMID- 28632322
TI  - Reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic transplantation after salvage treatment
      with DT-PACE in myeloma patients relapsing early after autologous transplant.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this retrospective single-centre study, we have looked into the
      transplant outcomes(overall survival OS, progression-free survival PFS, GvHD) and
      the role of chimerism, DLI and pretransplant characteristics in patients who had
      a suboptimal response (<12 months) to an autologous stem cell transplant for
      myeloma and underwent an alemtuzumab T-cell depleted reduced-intensity
      allograft(RIC). METHODS: Twenty-four patients were salvaged with two cycles of DT
      PACE and received a RIC transplant with fludarabine, melphalan and alemtuzumab.
      All the patients received PBSC grafts, eight patients had a sibling donor, and 16
      had a graft from a fully matched unrelated donor. The median follow-up was 65.3
      months (6-132 months). RESULTS: The median overall survival was 55.4 months. DLI
      administration was associated with a trend towards better overall survival
      (P=.05). Disease status at allo-HCT, PR or VGPR, ISS score and CMV serostatus was
      not significant predictors of OS and PFS. Full donor whole blood chimerism
      (>=98%) at 3 months post-transplant was associated with PFS (P=.04) but did not
      have a significant impact on OS(P=.45). CONCLUSION: Reduced-intensity alemtuzumab
      conditioned allograft for myeloma after DT-PACE salvage chemotherapy is an
      efficient and low toxicity treatment for those who had a suboptimal response
      postautologous stem cell transplant for myeloma.

PMID- 28632323
TI  - Clinical outcomes of HLA-DPB1 mismatches in 10/10 HLA-matched unrelated donor
      recipient pairs undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplant.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: HLA-DPB1 matching may impact allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation (ASCT) outcomes; however, this locus is not in linkage
      disequilibrium with the remainder of the HLA genes. After classifying HLA-DPB1
      mismatches based on T-cell epitope, avoiding non-permissive mismatches may impact
      survival. We tested this hypothesis at a single academic institution. METHODS:
      Retrospective HLA-DPB1 genotyping was performed on 153 adult patients who
      underwent ASCT and unrelated donors matched for HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1 loci
      (10/10). Using the ImMunoGeneTics/HLA T-cell epitope matching algorithm, mismatch
      status was classified as permissive or non-permissive. RESULTS: Of 153 donor
      recipient pairs, 22 (14.4%) were HLA-DPB1 matches, 64 (42.8%) permissive
      mismatches, and 67 (43.8%) non-permissive mismatches. DPB1 mismatch increased
      risk of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD; RR 2.89 [1.19-9.53], P=.016)
      compared with DPB1-matched transplants, but there were no differences in overall
      mortality, risk of relapse, or acute GVHD (aGVHD). Combining matches and
      permissive mismatches and comparing to non-permissive mismatches, there was no
      significant difference in overall survival or relapse; however, patients
      receiving non-permissive mismatched transplants experienced greater risk of aGVHD
      overall and severe aGVHD (RR 1.66 [1.13-2.44], P=.010 and RR 1.97 [1.10-3.59],
      P=.024, respectively). CONCLUSION: In this single-center study, HLA-DPB1 matching
      influenced outcomes of patients undergoing ASCT for hematologic malignancy.

PMID- 28632324
TI  - Why the donor risk index and Eurotransplant donor risk index can also be applied
      in France; reply to Winter et al. and statistical perspective.

PMID- 28632326
TI  - Abstracts of the 13th Congress of the European Association of Dermato-Oncology
      (EADO), Athens, Greece, 3-6 May 2017.

PMID- 28632325
TI  - Nickelocene-Precursor-Facilitated Fast Growth of Graphene/h-BN Vertical
      Heterostructures and Its Applications in OLEDs.
AB  - The direct growth of high-quality, large-area, uniform, vertically stacked Gr/h
      BN heterostructures is of vital importance for applications in electronics and
      optoelectronics. However, the main challenge lies in the catalytically inert
      nature of the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) substrates, which usually afford a
      rather low decomposition rate of carbon precursors, and thus relatively low
      growth rate of graphene. Herein, a nickelocene-precursor-facilitated route is
      developed for the fast growth of Gr/h-BN vertical heterostructures on Cu foils,
      which shows much improved synthesis efficiency (8-10 times faster) and
      crystalline quality of graphene (large single-crystalline domain up to ~20 um).
      The key advantage of our synthetic route is the utilization of nickel atoms that
      are decomposed from nickelocene molecules as the gaseous catalyst, which can
      decrease the energy barrier for graphene growth and facilitate the decomposition
      of carbon sources, according to our density functional theory calculations. The
      high-quality Gr/h-BN stacks are proved to be perfect anode/protecting layers for
      high-performance organic light-emitting diode devices. In this regard, this work
      offers a brand-new route for the fast growth of Gr/h-BN heterostructures with
      practical scalability and high crystalline quality, thus should propel its wide
      applications in transparent electrodes, high-performance electronic devices, and
      energy harvesting/transition directions.

PMID- 28632327
TI  - Photosensitivity is an early marker of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2
      disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify early clinical, magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI), and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics of neuronal
      ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) disease to enable early diagnosis, thus
      providing the key to early treatment, and optimized care and outcomes. METHODS:
      Retrospective clinical chart review of a series of patients diagnosed with CLN2
      disease from 2005 to 2015 at a single center in Italy. Clinical, MRI, and EEG
      findings were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 14 patients were included. For the
      whole group, median (range) age at disease onset was 3.0 (2.0-3.8) years.
      Epilepsy was the most commonly reported presenting symptom (in 50% [seven of 14]
      of patients), occurring at the age of 3.2 (2.6-3.8) years. First seizure was
      myoclonic in 36% (five of 14) of patients, followed by generalized tonic-clonic
      in 29% (4 of 14), atonic in 22% (three of 14), and focal with motor signs in 14%
      (two of 14). All patients walked independently at the age of 12.0 (11.0-18.0)
      months, but delayed speech or regression of acquired verbal skills was present in
      100% of patients at 3 years. EEGs revealed a photoparoxysmal response (PPR) on
      intermittent photic stimulation in 93% (13 of 14) of patients. PPR was present
      from the first EEG, which was performed at 3.6 (3.1-4.0) years, in 43% (six of
      14) of patients; it was documented at low (1-3 Hz) stimulation frequencies in 69%
      (nine of 13) and took the form of a flash-per-flash response in 69% (nine of 13).
      First brain MRI at the age of 3.8 (3.0-5.1) years revealed cerebellar atrophy in
      100% (14 of 14) of patients and alteration of the periventricular white matter
      signal in the posterior hemispheric region in 79% (11 of 14). SIGNIFICANCE: Early
      photosensitivity (typically PPR at low stimulation frequencies of 1-3 Hz) is a
      hallmark of CLN2 disease. This diagnosis should be considered in a child
      presenting with any type of seizure, and particularly if it is accompanied by
      delayed speech and/or ataxia or MRI abnormalities (posterior white matter signal
      alteration or cerebellar atrophy).

PMID- 28632328
TI  - Traveling with food allergy: What to expect from the airlines?

PMID- 28632329
TI  - Postictal hypoperfusion/hypoxia provides the foundation for a unified theory of
      seizure-induced brain abnormalities and behavioral dysfunction.
AB  - A recent article by Farrell et al. characterizes the phenomenon, mechanisms, and
      treatment of a local and severe hypoperfusion/hypoxia event that occurs in brain
      regions following a focal seizure. Given the well-established role of cerebral
      ischemia/hypoxia in brain damage and behavioral dysfunction in other clinical
      settings (e.g., stroke, cerebral vasospasm), we put forward a new theory:
      postictal hypoperfusion/hypoxia is responsible for the negative consequences
      associated with seizures. Fortunately, inhibition of two separate molecular
      targets, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and l-type calcium channels, can prevent the
      expression of postictal hypoperfusion/hypoxia. These inhibitors are important
      experimental tools used to separate the seizure from the resulting
      hypoperfusion/hypoxia and can allow researchers to address the contribution of
      this phenomenon to negative outcomes associated with seizures. Herein we address
      the implications of this postictal stroke-like event in acute behavioral
      dysfunction (e.g., Todd's paresis) and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
      (SUDEP). Moreover, anatomic alterations such as increased blood-brain barrier
      permeability, glial activation, central inflammation, and neuronal loss could
      also be a consequence of repeated hypoperfusion/hypoxic events and, in turn,
      underlie chronic interictal cognitive and behavioral comorbidities (e.g., memory
      deficits, anxiety, depression, and psychosis) and exacerbate epileptogenesis.
      Thus these seemingly disparate and clinically important observations may share a
      common point of origin: postictal hypoperfusion/hypoxia.

PMID- 28632330
TI  - From Peptides to Peptidomimetics: A Strategy Based on the Structural Features of
      Cyclopropane.
AB  - Peptidomimetics, non-natural mimicries of bioactive peptides, comprise an
      important class of drug molecules. The essence of the peptidomimetic design is to
      mimic the key conformation assumed by the bioactive peptides upon binding to
      their targets. Regulation of the conformation of peptidomimetics is important not
      only to enhance target binding affinity and selectivity, but also to confer cell
      membrane permeability for targeting protein-protein interactions in cells. The
      rational design of peptidomimetics with suitable three-dimensional structures is
      challenging, however, due to the inherent flexibility of peptides and their
      dynamic conformational changes upon binding to the target biomolecules. In this
      Minireview, a three-dimensional structural diversity-oriented strategy based on
      the characteristic structural features of cyclopropane to address this
      challenging issue in peptidomimetic chemistry is described.

PMID- 28632331
TI  - The validity of register data to identify children with atopic dermatitis, asthma
      or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of atopic dermatitis, wheezing, asthma and allergic
      rhinoconjunctivitis has been increasing. Register-based studies are essential for
      research in subpopulations with specific diseases and facilitate epidemiological
      studies to identify causes and evaluate interventions. Algorithms have been
      developed to identify children with atopic dermatitis, asthma or allergic
      rhinoconjunctivitis using register information on disease-specific dispensed
      prescribed medication and hospital contacts, but the validity of the algorithms
      has not been evaluated. This study validated the algorithms vs gold standard deep
      telephone interviews with the caretaker about physician-diagnosed atopic
      dermatitis, wheezing, asthma or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in the child.
      METHODS: The algorithms defined each of the three atopic diseases using register
      based information on disease-specific hospital contacts and/or filled
      prescriptions of disease-specific medication. Confirmative answers to questions
      about physician-diagnosed atopic disease were used as the gold standard for the
      comparison with the algorithms, resulting in sensitivities and specificities and
      95% confidence intervals. The interviews with the caretaker of the included 454
      Danish children born 1997-2003 were carried out May-September 2015; the mean age
      of the children at the time of the interview being 15.2 years (standard deviation
      1.3 years). RESULTS: For the algorithm capturing children with atopic dermatitis,
      the sensitivity was 74.1% (95% confidence interval: 66.9%-80.2%) and the
      specificity 73.0% (67.3%-78.0%). For the algorithm capturing children with
      asthma, both the sensitivity of 84.1% (78.0%-88.8%) and the specificity of 81.6%
      (76.5%-85.8%) were high compared with physician-diagnosed asthmatic bronchitis
      (recurrent wheezing). The sensitivity remained high when capturing physician
      diagnosed asthma: 83.3% (74.3%-89.6%); however, the specificity declined to 66.0%
      (60.9%-70.8%). For allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, the sensitivity was 84.4% (78.0
      89.2) and the specificity 81.6% (75.0-84.4). CONCLUSION: The algorithms are valid
      and valuable tools to identify children with atopic dermatitis, wheezing, asthma
      or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis on a population level using register data.

PMID- 28632332
TI  - Microscale disruption of microorganisms for parallelized process development.
AB  - Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pichia pastoris are the standard
      platforms for biopharmaceutical production with 40% of all between 2010 to 2014
      approved protein drugs produced in those microbial hosts. Typically, products
      overexpressed E. coli and S. cerevisiae remain in the cytosol or are secreted
      into the periplasm. Consequently, efficient cell disruption is essential for high
      product recovery during microbial production. Process development platforms at
      microscale are essential to shorten time to market. While high-pressure
      homogenization is the industry standard for cell disruption at large scale this
      method is not practicable for experiments in microscale. This review describes
      microscale methods for cell disruption at scales as low as 200 uL. Strategies for
      automation, parallelization and miniaturization, as well as comparability of the
      results at this scale to high pressure homogenization are considered as those
      criteria decide which methods are most suited for scale down. Those aspects are
      discussed in detail for protein overexpression in E. coli and yeast but also the
      relevance for alternative products and host such as microalgae are taken into
      account. The authors conclude that bead milling is the best comparable microscale
      method to large scale high-pressure homogenization and therefore the most
      suitable technique for automated process development of microbial hosts with the
      exception of pDNA production.

PMID- 28632333
TI  - From Chemical Topology to Molecular Machines (Nobel Lecture).
AB  - To a large extent, the field of "molecular machines" started after several groups
      were able to prepare, reasonably easily, interlocking ring compounds (named
      catenanes for compounds consisting of interlocking rings and rotaxanes for rings
      threaded by molecular filaments or axes). Important families of molecular
      machines not belonging to the interlocking world were also designed, prepared,
      and studied but, for most of them, their elaboration was more recent than that of
      catenanes or rotaxanes. Since the creation of interlocking ring molecules is so
      important in relation to the molecular machinery area, we will start with this
      aspect of our work. The second part will naturally be devoted to the dynamic
      properties of such systems and to the compounds for which motions can be directed
      in a controlled manner from the outside, that is, molecular machines. We will
      restrict our discussion to a very limited number of examples which we consider as
      particularly representative of the field.

PMID- 28632335
TI  - To Brexit or not to Brexit: The roles of Islamophobia, conspiracist beliefs, and
      integrated threat in voting intentions for the United Kingdom European Union
      membership referendum.
AB  - We used an identities approach to examine voting intentions in the June 2016 UK
      referendum on membership of the European Union (EU). In April 2016, 303 British
      adults (58.7% women, age M = 34.73) indicated their voting intentions for the
      referendum and completed measures of identification with the national in-group,
      perceived threat from Muslim immigrants, belief in Islamophobic conspiracy
      narratives, Islamophobia, general conspiracist beliefs, ambiguity tolerance, and
      belief in a clash of civilizations. Path and mediation analyses indicated that
      greater belief in Islamophobic conspiracy theories mediated the link between
      Islamophobia and intention to vote to leave. Islamophobia and Islamophobic
      conspiracist beliefs also mediated the effects of perceived threat from Muslims
      on voting intentions. Other variables acted as antecedents of perceived threat or
      Islamophobic conspiracy narratives. These findings highlight the role that
      identity-based cognitions may have played in shaping voting intentions for the UK
      EU referendum.

PMID- 28632334
TI  - Functional analysis of female-biased odorant binding protein 6 for volatile and
      nonvolatile host compounds in Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze).
AB  - The polyphagous mirid bug Adelphocoris lineolatus relies heavily on olfactory
      cues to track suitable host plants. Thus, a better understanding of the molecular
      basis of its olfactory detection could contribute to the development of effective
      pest management strategies. In the present study, we report the expression
      profile of the odorant binding protein gene A. lineolatus odorant binding protein
      6 (AlinOBP6). Quantitative real-time PCR experiments suggest that AlinOBP6 is
      female adult antennae-biased. Cellular immunolocalization analyses show that
      AlinOBP6 is highly expressed in the lymph of both multiporous sensilla basiconica
      and uniporous sensilla chaetica. A ligand binding analysis showed that
      recombinant AlinOBP6 not only bound tightly to host plant volatile compounds but
      also to nonvolatile compounds. Homology modelling and molecular docking analyses
      confirmed these unusual ligand binding profiles and revealed that the amino acid
      residues involved in the recognition of volatile and nonvolatile compounds are
      distinct. The results of our study are the first to suggest that an antenna- and
      female-biased OBP in an hemipteran insect is expressed in both olfactory and
      gustatory sensilla as a mechanism to respond to volatile and nonvolatile host
      compounds. These findings warrant further research into the molecular mechanisms
      of chemosensation for mirid bugs in responsive to host plant location.

PMID- 28632336
TI  - Serious life events and the risk of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA)
      and Type 2 diabetes.
AB  - AIM: It has been suggested that experiencing serious life events may promote Type
      1 diabetes in children. Studies in adults are lacking, as are studies on the
      interaction of life events with genetic factors. We aimed to investigate life
      events and the risk of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and Type 2
      diabetes while taking into account HLA genotype. METHODS: Analysis was based on
      425 incident cases of LADA, 1417 incident cases of Type 2 diabetes and 1702
      population-based controls recruited in Sweden between 2010 and 2016. Self
      reported information on life events including conflicts, divorce,
      illness/accidents, death and financial problems experienced during the 5 years
      preceding diagnosis/index year was used. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence
      intervals (95% CI) were calculated by logistic regression and adjusted for age,
      sex, BMI, family history of diabetes, smoking, physical activity and education.
      RESULTS: Overall there was no association between experience of any life event
      and either LADA (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.68-1.08) or Type 2 diabetes (OR 1.00, 95% CI
      0.83-1.21). The results were similar for individual events as well as in separate
      analysis of men and women. Similar results were seen in more autoimmune LADA
      (glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies > median) [OR (any life event) 0.88, 95%
      CI 0.64-1.21] and in LADA carriers of the high-risk HLADR4-DQ8 genotype (OR 0.89,
      95% CI 0.61-1.29). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that experience of a
      serious life event, including the death of a family member, divorce or financial
      problems, is not associated with an increased risk of LADA, overall or in
      genetically susceptible individuals.

PMID- 28632337
TI  - Non-Equilibrium Assembly of Light-Activated Colloidal Mixtures.
AB  - The collective phenomena exhibited by artificial active matter systems present
      novel routes to fabricating out-of-equilibrium microscale assemblies. Here, the
      crystallization of passive silica colloids into well-controlled 2D assemblies is
      shown, which is directed by a small number of self-propelled active colloids. The
      active colloids are titania-silica Janus particles that are propelled when
      illuminated by UV light. The strength of the attractive interaction and thus the
      extent of the assembled clusters can be regulated by the light intensity. A
      remarkably small number of the active colloids is sufficient to induce the
      assembly of the dynamic crystals. The approach produces rationally designed
      colloidal clusters and crystals with controllable sizes, shapes, and symmetries.
      This multicomponent active matter system offers the possibility of obtaining
      structures and assemblies that cannot be found in equilibrium systems.

PMID- 28632338
TI  - Difluoromethylation Reactions of Organic Compounds.
AB  - The relevance of the -CF2 H moiety has attracted considerable attention from
      organic synthetic and medicinal chemistry communities, because this group can act
      as a more lipophilic isostere of the carbinol, thiol, hydroxamic acid, or amide
      groups. Being weakly acidic, the CF2 H moiety can establish hydrogen-bonding
      interactions to improve the binding selectivity of biologically active compounds.
      Therefore, the hydroxyl, amino, and thio substituents of lead structures are
      routinely replaced by a CF2 H motif in drug discovery, with great benefits in the
      pharmacological activity of drugs and drug candidates and agrochemicals.
      Consequently, the late-stage introduction of CF2 H is a sought-after strategy in
      designing bioactive compounds. Secondly, but nonetheless relevant and meaningful,
      is the study of synthetic pathways to introduce a CF2 -Y moiety (Y?H, F) into
      organic substrates because compounds that contain a CF2 -Y functionality have
      also found vast applications in medicinal chemistry and in other areas, such as
      that of fungicides, insecticides, etc., and thus, this functionality deserves
      special attention. Although emphasis is made on difluoromethylation strategies to
      functionalize different families of organic compounds, three main methodological
      protocols will be presented in this review article for the late-stage
      introduction of a CF2 H or CF2 Y moieties into organic substrates: i) a metal
      photoredox catalysis; ii) through transition metal-catalyzed thermal protocols;
      and iii) from transition-metal-free strategies.

PMID- 28632339
TI  - Polymorphisms of human leukocyte antigen B*27 on clinical phenotype of
      spondyloarthritis in Chinese.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In recent years, an ever-increasing number of alleles of human
      leukocyte antigen B*27 (HLA-B*27) have been identified. This study aimed to
      establish an updated method for HLA-B*27 subtyping, and to investigate the impact
      of HLA-B*27 polymorphisms on the clinical phenotype of spondyloarthritis (SpA).
      METHODS: Overall, 184 SpA patients were recruited for analyzing diversity of HLA
      B*27 via an updated high-resolution polymerase chain reaction amplification with
      sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). RESULTS: The prevalence of HLA-B*27 was
      94.0%, and four subtypes were identified including HLA-B*2704 (77.5%), B*2705
      (20.2%), B*2707 (1.7%), and B*2724 (0.6%). There was an obvious male predominance
      (P=.05) and markedly elevated C-reaction protein (CRP) in B*27 positive SpA
      (P<.01). In multivariate linear regression analysis, the elevated CRP was
      positively associated with HLA-B*27 positivity (regression coefficient B=46.1,
      P=.0003), grade of sacroiliitis (B=47.5, P=.0032), and male gender (B=20.4,
      P=.0041). Notably, a male predilection was also found in B*2705 positive SpA
      while B*2707 was associated with older age, higher positive family history, and
      higher prevalence of extra-articular features (all P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this
      study, an updated PCR-SSP technique to identify increasing alleles of HLA-B*27
      was developed and their different effects on clinical manifestations of SpA were
      demonstrated. Genotyping of HLA-B*27 would shed light on our understanding of the
      pathogenesis of SpA.

PMID- 28632341
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28632340
TI  - Prescribing in the oldest old inpatients: a retrospective analysis of patients
      referred for specialist geriatric consultation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While medications may prolong life and prevent morbidity in older
      people, adverse effects of polypharmacy are increasingly recognised. As patients
      age and become frail, prescribing may be expected to focus more on symptom
      control and minimise potentially harmful preventive medication use that confer
      little benefit within a short lifespan. Whether prescribing practice shifts to
      one of symptom controls among the oldest old admitted to hospital remains
      unclear. AIM: To determine, in the oldest old inpatients, whether preventive
      versus symptom control medication prescribing was associated with age or level of
      frailty. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all patients aged >=85 years referred
      for comprehensive geriatric assessment at a tertiary care hospital between May
      2006 and December 2014 for whom all prescribed medications were documented.
      Medication use was assessed according to age group (85-89, 90-94, >=95) and
      categories of frailty index calculated for patients based on 52 deficits (fitter,
      moderately frail, frail and severely frail). RESULTS: Seven hundred and eighty
      three inpatients were assessed of mean (SD) age 89.0 (3.4) and mean frailty index
      0.45 (SD 0.14) with a median of eight co-morbidities (IQR 6-10) and who were
      prescribed a mean of 8.3 (SD 3.8) regular medications per day. Polypharmacy (5-9
      medications per day) was observed in 406 patients (51.9%) and hyper-polypharmacy
      (>=10 medications per day) in 268 patients (34.2%). While there was a significant
      decrease in number of prescribed medications as age increased, there were no
      differences across age groups or frailty categories in proportions of medications
      used for prevention versus symptom control. CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy is prevalent
      in oldest old inpatients and prescribing patterns according to prevention versus
      symptom control appear unaffected by age and frailty status.

PMID- 28632342
TI  - Variation in gene regulation underlying annual and perennial flowering in
      Arabideae species.
AB  - The diversity of life history strategies within the angiosperms illustrates the
      evolutionary flexibility of reproductive characteristics. The number of times an
      individual reproduces is a key life history trait, and transitions from
      iteroparous perennials to semelparous annuals have occurred frequently in the
      flowering plants. Despite the frequency of this evolutionary transition, and the
      importance of annuality versus perenniality to both agriculture and ecology,
      understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms involved in perennial
      flowering is in their infancy. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Kiefer et al.
      () make significant progress towards understanding divergence in seasonal
      flowering between annual and perennial species in the Arabideae tribe of
      Brassicaceae. By combining a comparative approach with gene expression and
      sequence comparisons, they show that transcriptional differences in FLC
      orthologs, a floral inhibitor in Arabidopsis thaliana, have occurred repeatedly
      and underlie differences in flowering between annuals and perennials.

PMID- 28632343
TI  - Dispersal, isolation and diversification with continued gene flow in an Andean
      tropical dry forest.
AB  - The Andes are the world's longest mountain chain, and the tropical Andes are the
      world's richest biodiversity hot spot. The origin of the tropical Andean
      cordillera is relatively recent because the elevation of the mountains was
      relatively low (400-2500 m palaeoelevations) only 10 MYA with final uplift being
      rapid. These final phases of the Andean orogeny are thought to have had a
      fundamental role in shaping processes of biotic diversification and biogeography,
      with these effects reaching far from the mountains themselves by changing the
      course of rivers and deposition of mineral-rich Andean sediments across the
      massive Amazon basin. In a recent issue of Molecular Ecology, Oswald, Overcast,
      Mauck, Andersen, and Smith (2017) investigate the biogeography and
      diversification of bird species in the Andes of Peru and Ecuador. Their study is
      novel in its focus on tropical dry forests (Figure 1) rather than more mesic
      biomes such as rain forests, cloud forests and paramos, which tend to be the
      focus of science and conservation in the Andean hot spot. It is also able to draw
      powerful conclusions via the first deployment of genomic approaches to a
      biogeographic question in the threatened dry forests of the New World.

PMID- 28632344
TI  - A life-cycle approach to species barriers.
AB  - What maintains reproductive barriers between closely related species is, of
      course, of fundamental interest to a closer understanding of the mechanisms that
      generate new biodiversity. One important dichotomy is to separate barriers
      evolved from divergent selection over environmental gradients (extrinsic
      barriers) from barriers caused by incompatibilities between different genetic
      arrangements that may have evolved in isolation (intrinsic barriers). This
      dichotomy also reflects an important applied consequence. As the extrinsic
      barriers are associated with specific environmental contexts, they may be partly
      or completely erased if the environment changes. In contrast, intrinsic barriers
      are inert to the environmental context and resistant to environmental changes.
      From a conservation biology perspective, it may thus be important to be able to
      separate extrinsic and intrinsic species barriers, but this may in many organisms
      be a complex matter. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Montecinos et al. ()
      found a tractable approach that works for species with life cycles that include
      two reproductive but ecologically similar generations, one haploid and the other
      diploid. What they demonstrate is that using a life-cycle approach offers a
      unique possibility to separate between prezygotic and postzygotic barriers.
      Indeed, in the case of an isomorphic life cycle, there is even a possibility to
      suggest whether postzygotic barriers are more likely to be intrinsic or
      extrinsic. In this way, their approach may be useful both to increase our
      understanding of the basic mechanisms of speciation and to single out when
      species barriers will better resist environmental changes.

PMID- 28632345
TI  - Multiple traumatic experiences, post-traumatic stress disorder and offending
      behaviour in female prisoners.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although it is well established that prisoners commonly have
      histories of childhood trauma, little is known about mediators between exposure
      to trauma and criminal behaviour. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesised that the experience
      of trauma in adulthood, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and emotional
      dysregulation would mediate the relationship between childhood traumatic events
      and later criminal behaviour. METHODS: Eighty-nine female prisoners were
      interviewed using standardised scales, in a cross-sectional study design. History
      of traumatic events, DSM-5 PTSD and emotional regulation were assessed, along
      with offending and demographic information. A series of regression and mediation
      analyses were undertaken on the data. RESULTS: Almost all (91%) of the 89 women
      reported both childhood and adulthood trauma. Over half (58%) met the criteria
      for DSM-5 PTSD. Multiple traumas were significantly associated with seriousness
      of offence, as indicated by sentence length. Adult experience of trauma was the
      only significant mediator between childhood trauma and subsequent offending.
      CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Women who have experienced multiple
      traumatic events may be more likely to commit serious offences, so it is very
      important to assess and meet their trauma-related needs. While prisons should
      never be used as substitutes for healthcare facilities, when women or girls are
      sent to prison, the opportunity for constructive interventions must be seized.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28632346
TI  - Transvaginal, rather than traditional, laparoscopy should be used for the
      assessment of infertility: FOR: Transvaginal laparoscopy:a first-line diagnostic
      procedure in infertility investigation.

PMID- 28632347
TI  - Re: Antidepressant use in late gestation and risk of postpartum haemorrhage: a
      retrospective cohort study: Antidepressants in pregnancy and postpartum
      haemorrhage.

PMID- 28632348
TI  - Re: Never Events-the ongoing problem of the retained vaginal sponge/swab:
      Retained vaginal sponge/swab: improve the NPSA seven-point action plan to be less
      overzealous yet crucially more inclusive.

PMID- 28632349
TI  - Re: Insights gained from a negative trial of steroid blocks for perineal pain.

PMID- 28632352
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28632351
TI  - Transvaginal, rather than traditional, laparoscopy should be used for the
      assessment of infertility: AGAINST: Practising specialists prefer traditional
      laparoscopy.

PMID- 28632354
TI  - Author's reply re: Never Events-the ongoing problem of the retained vaginal
      sponge/swab.

PMID- 28632353
TI  - Authors' reply re: Antidepressant use in late gestation and risk of postpartum
      haemorrhage: a retrospective cohort study.

PMID- 28632355
TI  - Changes in the abortion legislation in Ireland: The Protection of Life During
      Pregnancy Act 2013.

PMID- 28632356
TI  - Obstetric consent and the cost of severe obstetric adverse events.

PMID- 28632357
TI  - Self-control depletion impairs goal maintenance: A meta-analysis.
AB  - Initial exertion of self-control has been suggested to impair subsequent self
      regulatory performance. The specific cognitive processes that underlie this ego
      depletion effect have rarely been examined. Drawing on the dual-process theory of
      executive control (Engle & Kane, ; Kane & Engle, ), the current meta-analysis
      revealed that initial self-control exertion impairs participants' capacities of
      maintaining the task goal but its effect on capacities of resolving response
      competition is in need of further investigation. Our results are more consistent
      with recent theoretical views that consider ego depletion as a switch cost and a
      result arising from reduced motivation to engage in further self-control.

PMID- 28632358
TI  - Increased beta power in the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry disaster: A
      paradoxical compensatory phenomenon? A two-channel electroencephalography study.
AB  - AIM: The Sewol ferry capsizing accident on South Korea's southern coast resulted
      in the death of 304 people, and serious bereavement problems for their families.
      Electroencephalography (EEG) beta frequency is associated with psychiatric
      symptoms, such as insomnia. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation
      between frontal beta power, psychological symptoms, and insomnia in the bereaved
      families. METHODS: Eighty-four family members of the Sewol ferry victims (32 men
      and 52 women) were recruited and their EEG was compared with that of 25 (13 men
      and 12 women) healthy controls. A two-channel EEG device was used to measure
      cortical activity in the frontal lobe. Symptom severity of insomnia, post
      traumatic stress disorder, complicated grief, and anxiety were evaluated.
      RESULTS: The bereaved families showed a higher frontal beta power than healthy
      controls. Subgroup analysis showed that frontal beta power was lower in the
      individuals with severe insomnia than in those with normal sleep. There was a
      significant inverse correlation between frontal beta power and insomnia symptom
      in the bereaved families. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that increased beta
      power, reflecting the psychopathology in the bereaved families of the Sewol ferry
      disaster, may be a compensatory mechanism that follows complex trauma. Frontal
      beta power could be a potential marker indicating the severity of sleep
      disturbances. Our results suggest that sleep disturbance is an important symptom
      in family members of the Sewol ferry disaster's victims, which may be screened by
      EEG beta power.

PMID- 28632360
TI  - [Is autism a different kind of intelligence? New insights from cognitive
      neurosciences].
AB  - After being considered a mental disorder for years, then a neurodevelopmental
      handicap, autism is increasingly being considered a human variant that sometimes
      involves extreme adaptive advantages and disadvantages. This point of view partly
      emerges from the fact that autistics perform certain human tasks at the same
      level, and in some cases even better than neurotypical persons. Furthermore, they
      perform these tasks using cognitive strategies and cerebral allocations that are
      different from the majority of humans. We will present some empirical and
      theoretical cognitive neuroscience studies from our group that support this
      school of thought.

PMID- 28632379
TI  - Intracellular Delivery Platform for "Recalcitrant" Cells: When Polymeric Carrier
      Marries Photoporation.
AB  - The intracellular delivery of exogenous macromolecules is of great interest for
      both fundamental biological research and clinical applications. Although
      traditional delivery systems based on either carrier mediation or membrane
      disruption have some advantages; however, they are generally limited with respect
      to delivery efficiency and cytotoxicity. Herein, a collaborative intracellular
      delivery platform with excellent comprehensive performance is developed using
      polyethylenimine of low molecular weight (LPEI) as a gene carrier in conjunction
      with a gold nanoparticle layer (GNPL) acting as a photoporation agent. In this
      system, the LPEI protects the plasmid DNA (pDNA) to avoid possible nuclease
      degradation, and the GNPL improves the delivery efficiency of the LPEI/pDNA
      complex to the cells. The collaboration of LPEI and GNPL is shown to give
      significantly higher transfection efficiencies for hard-to-transfect cells (88.5
      +/- 9.2% for mouse embryonic fibroblasts, 94.0 +/- 6.3% for human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells) compared to existing techniques without compromising cell
      viability.

PMID- 28632380
TI  - Recent Progress in Nanomaterial-Based Optical Aptamer Assay for the Detection of
      Food Chemical Contaminants.
AB  - Food chemical contaminants are a major factor in the cause of foodborne diseases
      and can do harm to human health. Hence, it is highly desirable to develop robust,
      easy, and sensitive methods for rapid evaluation of food chemical contaminants.
      Nanomaterial-based optical aptasensors combined with the advantages of the high
      selectivity of optical detection techniques, excellent stability of aptamer, and
      the unique properties of nanomaterials have been recognized as useful tools for
      routine biosensing applications. The recent progress in nanomaterial-based
      optical aptamer assays to determine food chemical contaminants including heavy
      metals, toxins, pesticides, and antibiotics are presented in this paper.
      Furthermore, the major challenges and future prospects in this field are
      discussed to provide ideas for further research.

PMID- 28632381
TI  - Molecular Modeling of the Interactions between Carborane-Containing Analogs of
      Indomethacin and Cyclooxygenase-2.
AB  - Molecular modeling studies were performed in order to gain insight into the
      binding mode and interaction of carborane-containing derivatives of indomethacin
      methyl ester with the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) isoform, and to assess the
      predictive capability of the computational tools available for studying
      carboranes, a unique class of pharmacophores. Docking simulations were able to
      identify the correct binding mode and reproduced the experimental binding
      affinity trends with encouraging quality. Nevertheless, the docking results
      needed to be verified through extensive and resource-intensive quantum chemical
      calculations, and the interpretation of the theoretical results would not have
      been straightforward without the supporting experimental data. The inclusion of
      full receptor and ligand flexibility into the molecular modeling of carborane
      containing drug molecules may yield more definitive results, but is currently
      hindered by the lack of appropriate carborane force field parameters.

PMID- 28632382
TI  - Manipulation of Chain Conformation for Optimum Charge-Transport Pathways in
      Conjugated Polymers.
AB  - A pair of different diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymers (CPs) were
      designed and synthesized to investigate the effect of chain conformation on their
      molecular assembly. Conformation management was achieved by the incorporation of
      different linkers during polymerization. Through the use of computational
      calculations and UV-vis absorption measurements, the resulting CPs (PDPP-T and
      PDPP-BT) were found to exhibit partly modulated chain geometry. Grazing incident
      X-ray diffraction experiments with a two-dimensional detector revealed that PDPP
      T having a planar chain conformation exhibited an edge-on type molecular
      arrangement, which evolved to a face-on type chain assembly when the planar
      geometry was altered to a slightly twisted one as in PDPP-BT. In addition, it was
      verified that the directional electric carrier mobility of CPs was critically
      distinguished by the distinctive chain arrangement in spite of their similar
      chemical structure. Concentration-dependent absorption measurements could provide
      an improved understanding of the assembly mechanism of CP chains: the planar
      conformation of PDPP-T facilitates the formation of preassembled chains in a
      concentrated solution and further directs the edge-on stacking, while the twisted
      dihedral angle along the benzothiophene in PDPP-BT prevents chain assembly,
      resulting in the face-on stacking. Because CP chain conformation is inevitably
      connected with the generation of preassembled chains, manipulating CP geometry
      could be an efficient tool for extracting an optimum chain assembly that is
      connected with the principal charge-transport pathway in CPs.

PMID- 28632384
TI  - Finite Field Method for Nonlinear Optical Property Prediction Using Rational
      Function Approximants.
AB  - The finite field (FF) method is a quick, easy-to-implement tool for the
      prediction of nonlinear optical properties. Here, we present and explore a novel
      variant of the FF method, which uses a rational function to fit a molecule's
      energy with respect to an electric field. Similarly to previous FF methods,
      factors crucial for the method's accuracy were tuned. These factors include the
      number of terms in the function, the distribution of fields used to construct the
      approximation, and the initial field in the approximation. It was found that the
      approximant form that best fits the energy has four numerator terms and three
      denominator terms. To determine a reasonable field distribution, the common ratio
      of a geometric progression was optimized to ?2. Finally, an algorithm for
      determining a good initial field guess was devised. The optimized FF method was
      used to compute the polarizability and second hyperpolarizability for a set of
      121 molecules and the first hyperpolarizability for a set of 91 molecules. The
      results from this were compared to a previous polynomial-based FF method. It was
      found that using a rational function gives higher errors compared to the
      polynomial model. However, unlike the polynomial model, no subsequent refinement
      steps were needed to obtain usable results. An overall comparison of the behavior
      of the two methods also shows that the rational function is less sensitive to the
      chosen initial field, making it a good choice for new quantum chemistry codes.

PMID- 28632383
TI  - Taking Advantage of Disorder: Small-Molecule Organic Glasses for Radiation
      Detection and Particle Discrimination.
AB  - A series of fluorescent silyl-fluorene molecules were synthesized and studied
      with respect to their photophysical properties and response toward ionizing
      neutron and gamma-ray radiation. Optically transparent and stable organic glasses
      were prepared from these materials using a bulk melt-casting procedure. The
      prepared organic glass monoliths provided fluorescence quantum yields and
      radiation detection properties exceeding the highest-performing benchmark
      materials such as solution-grown trans-stilbene crystals. Co-melts based on
      blends of two different glass-forming compounds were prepared with the goal of
      enhancing the stability of the amorphous state. Accelerated aging experiments on
      co-melt mixtures ranging from 0% to 100% of each component indicated improved
      resistance to recrystallization in the glass blends, able to remain fully
      amorphous for >1 month at 60  degrees C. Secondary dopants comprising singlet
      fluorophores or iridium organometallic compounds provided further improved
      detection efficiency, as evaluated by light yield and neutron/gamma particle
      discrimination measurements. Optimized singlet and triplet doping levels were
      determined to be 0.05 wt % 1,4-bis(2-methylstyryl)benzene singlet fluorophore and
      0.28 wt % Ir3+, respectively.

PMID- 28632385
TI  - Fatigue Resistant Bioinspired Composite from Synergistic Two-Dimensional
      Nanocomponents.
AB  - Portable and wearable electronics require much more flexible graphene-based
      electrode with high fatigue life, which could repeatedly bend, fold, or stretch
      without sacrificing its mechanical properties and electrical conductivity.
      Herein, a kind of ultrahigh fatigue resistant graphene-based nanocomposite via
      tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets is synthesized by introducing a synergistic
      effect with covalently cross-linking inspired by the orderly layered structure
      and abundant interfacial interactions of nacre. The fatigue life of resultant
      graphene-based nanocomposites is more than one million times at the stress level
      of 270 MPa, and the electrical conductivity can be kept as high as 197.1 S/cm
      after 1.0 * 105 tensile testing cycles. These outstanding properties are
      attributed to the synergistic effect from lubrication of WS2 nanosheets for
      deflecting crack propagation, and covalent bonding between adjacent GO nanosheets
      for bridging crack, which is verified by the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
      The WS2 induced synergistic effect with covalent bonding offers a guidance for
      constructing graphene-based nanocomposites with high fatigue life, which have
      great potential for applications in flexible and wearable electronic devices,
      etc.

PMID- 28632387
TI  - Poly(trehalose) Nanoparticles Prevent Amyloid Aggregation and Suppress
      Polyglutamine Aggregation in a Huntington's Disease Model Mouse.
AB  - Prevention and therapeutic strategies for various neurodegenerative diseases
      focus on inhibiting protein fibrillation, clearing aggregated protein plaques
      from the brain, and lowering protein-aggregate-induced toxicity. We have designed
      poly(trehalose) nanoparticles that can inhibit amyloid/polyglutamine aggregation
      under extra-/intracellular conditions, reduce such aggregation-derived
      cytotoxicity, and prevent polyglutamine aggregation in a Huntington's disease
      (HD) model mouse brain. The nanoparticles have a hydrodynamic size of 20-30 nm
      and are composed of a 6 nm iron oxide core and a zwitterionic polymer shell
      containing ~5-12 wt % covalently linked trehalose. The designed poly(trehalose)
      nanoparticles are 1000-10000 times more efficient than molecular trehalose in
      inhibiting protein fibrillation in extra-cellular space, in blocking aggregation
      of polyglutamine-containing mutant huntingtin protein in model neuronal cells,
      and in suppressing mutant huntingtin aggregates in HD mouse brain. We show that
      the nanoparticle form of trehalose with zwitterionic surface charge and a
      trehalose multivalency (i.e., number of trehalose molecules per nanoparticle) of
      ~80-200 are crucial for efficient brain targeting, entry into neuronal cells, and
      suppression of mutant huntingtin aggregation. The present work shows that
      nanoscale trehalose can offer highly efficient antiamyloidogenic performance at
      micromolar concentration, compared with millimollar to molar concentrations for
      molecular trehalose. This approach can be extended to in vivo application to
      combat protein-aggregation-derived neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28632386
TI  - Synthesis of Hierarchically Structured Hybrid Materials by Controlled Self
      Assembly of Metal-Organic Framework with Mesoporous Silica for CO2 Adsorption.
AB  - The HKUST-1@SBA-15 composites with hierarchical pore structure were constructed
      by in situ self-assembly of metal-organic framework (MOF) with mesoporous silica.
      The structure directing role of SBA-15 had an obvious impact on the growth of MOF
      crystals, which in turn affected the morphologies and structural properties of
      the composites. The pristine HKUST-1 and the composites with different content of
      SBA-15 were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, TG,
      XPS, and CO2-TPD techniques. It was found that the composites were assembled by
      oriented growth of MOF nanocrystals on the surfaces of SBA-15 matrix. The
      interactions between surface silanol groups and metal centers induced structural
      changes and resulted in the increases in surface areas as well as micropore
      volumes of hybrid materials. Besides, the additional constraints from SBA-15 also
      restrained the expansion of HKUST-1, contributing to their smaller crystal sizes
      in the composites. The adsorption isotherms of CO2 on the materials were measured
      and applied to calculate the isosteric heats of adsorption. The HS-1 composite
      exhibited an increase of 15.9% in CO2 uptake capacity compared with that of HKUST
      1. Moreover, its higher isosteric heats of CO2 adsorption indicated the stronger
      interactions between the surfaces and CO2 molecules. The adsorption rate of the
      composite was also improved due to the introduction of mesopores. Ten cycles of
      CO2 adsorption-desorption experiments implied that the HS-1 had excellent
      reversibility of CO2 adsorption. This study was intended to provide the
      possibility of assembling new composites with tailored properties based on MOF
      and mesoporous silica to satisfy the requirements of various applications.

PMID- 28632388
TI  - Accelerating Dynamics of H on Graphene by Coadsorbates.
AB  - There are several factors that affect the dynamics of adsorbed hydrogen atoms on
      a carbon surface. Using density functional calculations we show that coadsorption
      can be a highly influential factor. The diffusion of hydrogen adsorbed on
      graphene is explored in the presence of H-containing molecules. Without
      coadsorbates the diffusion barrier of H on graphene is 0.94 eV, while with
      water/ammonia it is 0.85/0.12 eV. The low barrier in the case of ammonia is
      attributed to the formation of a stable intermediate state NH4, while such a
      stable state is not found in the case of water. In addition, hydrogen fluoride,
      hydrogen sulfide, arsine, and phosphine were also considered. We found that
      stronger hydrogen-hydride bonds lead to lower diffusion barriers of H on
      graphene.

PMID- 28632389
TI  - Chiral Selenide-Catalyzed Enantioselective Construction of Saturated
      Trifluoromethylthiolated Azaheterocycles.
AB  - An indane-based, bifunctional, chiral selenide catalyst has been developed. The
      new catalyst is efficient for the enantioselective synthesis of saturated
      azaheterocycles possessing a trifluoromethylthio group. The desired products were
      obtained in good yields with high diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

PMID- 28632390
TI  - Atomistic Simulation Derived Insight on the Irreversible Structural Changes of Si
      Electrode during Fast and Slow Delithiation.
AB  - Quantifying the irreversible chemical and structural changes of Si during cycling
      remains challenging. In this study, a continuous reactive molecular dynamics
      delithiation algorithm, with well-controlled potential gradient and delithiation
      rate, was developed and used to investigate the "natural" delithiation responses
      of an aluminum-oxide coated silicon thin-film. Fast delithiation led to the
      formation of dense Si network near the surface and nanoporosity inside the a
      LixSi, resulting in 141% volume dilation and significant amount of Li trapped
      inside (a-Li1.2Si) at the end of delithiation process. In contrast, slow
      delithiation allowed the a-LixSi to shrink by near-equilibrium condition,
      demonstrating no permanent inner pore with nearly Li-free structure (a-Li0.2Si)
      and minimal volume dilation (44%). However, even without trapped Li, the
      delithiated a-LixSi still exhibited higher volume (lower density) than the
      equilibrium structure with the same Li concentration, despite delithiation rate.
      The origin of this excess volume is the loss of directly bonded Si-Si pairs,
      which made the subsequent relithiation faster. On the basis of the atomistic
      modeling and the quantified degradation mechanism, battery operating guidelines,
      including the delithiation rate and the depth of charge to avoid trapped Li and
      coating delamination, were suggested to improve the durability Si electrodes.

PMID- 28632391
TI  - Transfer Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Derivatives Catalyzed by an Inexpensive
      Phosphine-Free Manganese Precatalyst.
AB  - A very simple and inexpensive catalytic system based on abundant manganese as
      transition metal and on an inexpensive phosphine-free bidendate ligand, 2
      (aminomethyl)pyridine, has been developed for the reduction of a large variety of
      carbonyl derivatives with 2-propanol as hydrogen donor. Remarkably, the reaction
      proceeds at room temperature with low catalyst loading (down to 0.1 mol %) and
      exhibits a good tolerance toward functional groups. High TON (2000) and TOF (3600
      h-1) were obtained.

PMID- 28632392
TI  - Lewis Acid Promoted Hydrogenation of CO2 and HCOO- by Amine Boranes: Mechanistic
      Insight from a Computational Approach.
AB  - We employ quantum chemical calculations to study the hydrogenation of carbon
      dioxide by amine boranes, NMe3BH3 (Me3AB) and NH3BH3 (AB) weakly bonded to a
      bulkier Lewis acid, Al(C6F5)3 (LA). Additionally, computations have also been
      conducted to elucidate the mechanism of hydrogenation of carbon dioxide by Me3AB
      while captured between one Lewis base (P(o-tol3), LB) and two Lewis acids,
      Al(C6F5)3. In agreement with the experiments, our computational study predicts
      that hydride transfer to conjugated HCO2-, generated in the reaction of Me3AB-LA
      with CO2, is not feasible. This is in contrast to the potential hydrogenation of
      bound HCO2H, developed in the reduction of CO2 with AB-LA, to further reduced
      species like H2C(OH)2. However, the FLP-trapped CO2 effortlessly undergoes three
      hydride (H-) transfers from Me3AB to produce a CH3O- derivative. DFT calculations
      reveal that the preference for a H- abstraction by an intrinsically anionic
      formate moiety is specifically dependent on the electrophilicity of the 2 e-
      reduced carbon center, which in particular is controlled by the electron
      withdrawing capability of the associated substituents on the oxygen. These
      theoretical predictions are justified by frontier molecular orbitals and
      molecular electrostatic potential plots. The global electrophicility index, which
      is a balance of electron affinity and hardness, reveals that the electrophilicity
      of the formate species undergoing hydrogenation is twice the electrophilicity of
      the ones where hydrogenation is not feasible. The computed activation energies at
      M06-2X/6-31++G(d,p) closely predict the observed reactivity. In addition, the
      possibility of a dissociative channel of the frustrated Lewis pair trapped CO2
      system has been ruled out on the basis of predominantly high endergonicity.
      Knowledge of the underlying principle of these reactions would be helpful in
      recruiting appropriate Lewis acids/amine boranes for effective reduction of CO2
      and its hydrogenated forms in a catalytic fashion.

PMID- 28632394
TI  - Changes in Eating Behaviors of Children with Obesity in Response to Carbohydrate
      Modified and Portion-Controlled Diets.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study's objective was to determine whether two distinct
      carbohydrate (CHO)-modified diets and a standard portion-controlled (PC) diet
      differentially impacted children's eating behaviors and whether eating behavior
      scores predicted lower BMI among children with obesity. METHODS: Children (n =
      102) aged 7-12 years with obesity were randomly assigned to a 12-month
      intervention of a low-carbohydrate (LC), reduced glycemic load (RGL), or standard
      PC diet. The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) was completed at baseline,
      3, 6, and 12 months by parents to characterize their child's hunger (H),
      disinhibition (D), and cognitive restraint (CR). Baseline and follow-up TFEQ
      scores by diet were evaluated relative to BMI status over time. RESULTS: All diet
      groups showed increased CR and decreased H and D from baseline to 3 months, with
      differences from baseline remaining at 12 months for CR and H. Lower BMI status
      during study follow-up was associated with different TFEQ scores by diet group
      (LC and RGL: higher CR; PC: lower H), adjusting for sex, age, and race. Higher CR
      at follow-up was predicted by race and higher baseline CR; only lower H at
      baseline predicted lower H at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Eating behaviors improved
      significantly with all diets during the initial 3 months; higher CR and lower H
      were sustained at treatment's end. BMI outcomes were associated with different
      eating behaviors in CHO-modified diet groups compared with PC diets. Targeting
      diets of children with obesity with specific baseline characteristics may lead to
      improved outcomes.

PMID- 28632393
TI  - The Antinociceptive Agent SBFI-26 Binds to Anandamide Transporters FABP5 and
      FABP7 at Two Different Sites.
AB  - Human FABP5 and FABP7 are intracellular endocannabinoid transporters. SBFI-26 is
      an alpha-truxillic acid 1-naphthyl monoester that competitively inhibits the
      activities of FABP5 and FABP7 and produces antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory
      effects in mice. The synthesis of SBFI-26 yields several stereoisomers, and it is
      not known how the inhibitor binds the transporters. Here we report co-crystal
      structures of SBFI-26 in complex with human FABP5 and FABP7 at 2.2 and 1.9 A
      resolution, respectively. We found that only (S)-SBFI-26 was present in the
      crystal structures. The inhibitor largely mimics the fatty acid binding pattern,
      but it also has several unique interactions. Notably, the FABP7 complex
      corroborates key aspects of the ligand binding pose at the canonical site
      previously predicted by virtual screening. In FABP5, SBFI-26 was unexpectedly
      found to bind at the substrate entry portal region in addition to binding at the
      canonical ligand-binding pocket. Our structural and binding energy analyses
      indicate that both R and S forms appear to bind the transporter equally well. We
      suggest that the S enantiomer observed in the crystal structures may be a result
      of the crystallization process selectively incorporating the (S)-SBFI-26-FABP
      complexes into the growing lattice, or that the S enantiomer may bind to the
      portal site more rapidly than to the canonical site, leading to an increased
      local concentration of the S enantiomer for binding to the canonical site. Our
      work reveals two binding poses of SBFI-26 in its target transporters. This
      knowledge will guide the development of more potent FABP inhibitors based upon
      the SBFI-26 scaffold.

PMID- 28632395
TI  - Design, synthesis and multitarget biological profiling of second-generation anti
      Alzheimer rhein-huprine hybrids.
AB  - AIM: Simultaneous modulation of several key targets of the pathological network
      of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is being increasingly pursued as a promising option
      to fill the critical gap of efficacious drugs against this condition. MATERIALS &
      METHODS: A short series of compounds purported to hit multiple targets of
      relevance in AD has been designed, on the basis of their distinct basicities
      estimated from high-level quantum mechanical computations, synthesized, and
      subjected to assays of inhibition of cholinesterases, BACE-1, and Abeta42 and tau
      aggregation, of antioxidant activity, and of brain permeation. RESULTS: Using, as
      a template, a lead rhein-huprine hybrid with an interesting multitarget profile,
      we have developed second-generation compounds, designed by the modification of
      the huprine aromatic ring. Replacement by [1,8]-naphthyridine or thieno[3,2
      e]pyridine systems resulted in decreased, although still potent,
      acetylcholinesterase or BACE-1 inhibitory activities, which are more balanced
      relative to their Abeta42 and tau antiaggregating and antioxidant activities.
      CONCLUSION: Second-generation naphthyridine- and thienopyridine-based rhein
      huprine hybrids emerge as interesting brain permeable compounds that hit several
      crucial pathogenic factors of AD.

PMID- 28632396
TI  - Probabilistic Analysis of the (1+1)-Evolutionary Algorithm.
AB  - We give a detailed analysis of the optimization time of the [Formula: see text]
      Evolutionary Algorithm under two simple fitness functions (OneMax and
      LeadingOnes). The problem has been approached in the evolutionary algorithm
      literature in various ways and with different degrees of rigor. Our asymptotic
      approximations for the mean and the variance represent the strongest of their
      kind. The approach we develop is based on an asymptotic resolution of the
      underlying recurrences and can also be extended to characterize the corresponding
      limiting distributions. While most of our approximations can be derived by simple
      heuristic calculations based on the idea of matched asymptotics, the rigorous
      justifications are challenging and require a delicate error analysis.

PMID- 28632397
TI  - Decomposition Algorithms for a Multi-Hard Problem.
AB  - Real-world optimization problems have been studied in the past, but the work
      resulted in approaches tailored to individual problems that could not be easily
      generalized. The reason for this limitation was the lack of appropriate models
      for the systematic study of salient aspects of real-world problems. The aim of
      this article is to study one of such aspects: multi-hardness. We propose a
      variety of decomposition-based algorithms for an abstract multi-hard problem and
      compare them against the most promising heuristics.

PMID- 28632398
TI  - The Mitochondrial Protein Atlas: A Database of Experimentally Verified
      Information on the Human Mitochondrial Proteome.
AB  - Given its central role in various biological systems, as well as its involvement
      in numerous pathologies, the mitochondrion is one of the best-studied organelles.
      However, although the mitochondrial genome has been extensively investigated,
      protein-level information remains partial, and in many cases, hypothetical. The
      Mitochondrial Protein Atlas (MPA; URL: lifeserv.bgu.ac.il/wb/jeichler/MPA ) is a
      database that provides a complete, manually curated inventory of only
      experimentally validated human mitochondrial proteins. The MPA presently contains
      911 unique protein entries, each of which is associated with at least one
      experimentally validated and referenced mitochondrial localization. The MPA also
      contains experimentally validated and referenced information defining function,
      structure, involvement in pathologies, interactions with other MPA proteins, as
      well as the method(s) of analysis used in each instance. Connections to relevant
      external data sources are offered for each entry, including links to NCBI Gene,
      PubMed, and Protein Data Bank. The MPA offers a prototype for other information
      sources that allow for a distinction between what has been confirmed and what
      remains to be verified experimentally.

PMID- 28632399
TI  - Prokaryotic Contig Annotation Pipeline Server: Web Application for a Prokaryotic
      Genome Annotation Pipeline Based on the Shiny App Package.
AB  - Genome annotation is a primary step in genomic research. To establish a light and
      portable prokaryotic genome annotation pipeline for use in individual
      laboratories, we developed a Shiny app package designated as "P-CAPS"
      (Prokaryotic Contig Annotation Pipeline Server). The package is composed of R and
      Python scripts that integrate publicly available annotation programs into a
      server application. P-CAPS is not only a browser-based interactive application
      but also a distributable Shiny app package that can be installed on any personal
      computer. The final annotation is provided in various standard formats and is
      summarized in an R markdown document. Annotation can be visualized and examined
      with a public genome browser. A benchmark test showed that the annotation quality
      and completeness of P-CAPS were reliable and compatible with those of currently
      available public pipelines.

PMID- 28632400
TI  - Evidence of Noncompetent HIV after Ex Vivo Purging Among ART-Suppressed
      Individuals.

PMID- 28632401
TI  - MOTIFSIM 2.1: An Enhanced Software Platform for Detecting Similarity in Multiple
      DNA Motif Data Sets.
AB  - Finding binding site motifs plays an important role in bioinformatics as it
      reveals the transcription factors that control the gene expression. The
      development for motif finders has flourished in the past years with many tools
      have been introduced to the research community. Although these tools possess
      exceptional features for detecting motifs, they report different results for an
      identical data set. Hence, using multiple tools is recommended because motifs
      reported by several tools are likely biologically significant. However, the
      results from multiple tools need to be compared for obtaining common significant
      motifs. MOTIFSIM web tool and command-line tool were developed for this purpose.
      In this work, we present several technical improvements as well as additional
      features to further support the motif analysis in our new release MOTIFSIM 2.1.

PMID- 28632402
TI  - 3-(Benzyloxy)-1-(5-[18F]fluoropentyl)-5-nitro-1H-indazole: a PET radiotracer to
      measure acetylcholinesterase in brain.
AB  - AIM: Noninvasive studies of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) level in Alzheimer's
      disease (AD) patients can contribute to a better understanding of the disease and
      its therapeutic. We propose 3-(benzyloxy)-1-(5-[18F]fluoropentyl)-5-nitro-1H
      indazole, [18F]-IND1, structurally related to the AChE-inhibitor CP126,998, as a
      new positron emission tomography-radiotracer. EXPERIMENTAL: Radiosynthesis, with
      18F, stability, lipophilicity and protein binding of [18F]-IND1 were studied. In
      vivo behavior, in normal mice and on AD mice models, were also analyzed. RESULTS:
      [18F]-IND1 was obtained in good radiochemical yield, was stable for at least 2 h
      in different conditions, and had adequate lipophilicity for blood-brain barrier
      penetration. Biodistribution studies, in normal mice, showed that [18F]-IND1 was
      retained in the brain after 1 h. In vivo tacrine-blocking experiments indicated
      this uptake could be specifically due to AChE interaction. Studies in transgenic
      AD mice showed differential, compared with normal mice, binding in many brain
      regions. CONCLUSION: [18F]-IND1 can be used to detect AChE changes in AD
      patients.

PMID- 28632403
TI  - Effect of Amblyopia Treatment on Choroidal Thickness in Children with Hyperopic
      Anisometropic Amblyopia.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate choroidal thickness (CT) in the eyes of children with
      hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia and to assess changes in CT during amblyopia
      treatment using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). METHODS:
      This longitudinal study, initially enrolled 40 patients, aged 3-9 years with
      hyperopic anisometropic amblyopia. Patients underwent treatment with refractive
      correction alone for 16 weeks and if needed, with refractive correction and
      patching treatment thereafter (6 months). CT was measured perpendicularly (from
      the outer edge of the hyper-reflective retinal pigment epithelium to the inner
      sclera) at the fovea, and 1.5-mm temporal, 3.0-mm temporal, 1.5-mm nasal, and 3.0
      mm nasal to the fovea using SD-OCT in amblyopic eyes and fellow eyes during
      treatment and in the control subjects (n = 22). RESULTS: The baseline subfoveal
      CT measurement was mean 367.9 +/- 54 in the amblyopic eyes, 283.9 +/- 39.6 in the
      fellow eyes, and 267.3 +/- 41.3 um in the control eyes. Before amblyopia
      treatment, the subfoveal CT and CT at 1.5-mm nasal and temporal to the fovea and
      3.0-mm nasal to fovea in the amblyopic eyes were significantly thicker than those
      of the control subjects after adjustment for refraction and axial length by
      multivariate ANCOVA. CT at all locations decreased significantly after treatment
      in the amblyopic eyes. The final measurement of subfoveal choroid and CT at 1.5
      mm nasal to the fovea of the amblyopic eyes was significantly thicker than those
      of the control subjects after adjusting for axial length and refraction.
      CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that children with hyperopic
      anisometropic amblyopia have significant CT alterations, and these changes
      partially regress after amblyopia treatment.

PMID- 28632404
TI  - Medial and Lateral Rectus Muscle Insertion Distance and Width in Esotropia and
      Exotropia Patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The hypothesis that the extraocular muscle insertion distance and muscle
      width may be associated with the type and size of deviation was tested. METHODS:
      This was a prospective study of 129 patients who had surgery for horizontal
      strabismus or retinal detachment. The insertion distances and widths of the
      medial rectus (MR) and lateral rectus (LR) muscles were measured intraoperatively
      in esotropia, exotropia, and buckling surgery (control group) patients.
      Statistical analysis was performed to compare measured factors between the
      groups. RESULTS: Median medial and lateral muscle insertions were 5.7 and 6.9 mm
      in esotropia (ET), 6.0 and 7.1 mm in exotropia (XT), and 5.5 and 6.7 mm in the
      control groups (p > 0.05). The widths of the medial and lateral muscles ranged
      from 7.0 to 13.0 mm in ET and XT groups and from 9.5 to 11.0 mm in the control
      group (p > 0.05). Muscle insertion distance and LR muscle width were not
      correlated with deviation size. Only the MR muscle width was positively
      correlated with the deviation size. CONCLUSIONS: Insertion distances of the
      medial and LR muscles are not statistically different in ET, XT, and control
      patients. Only MR muscle width was affected by the size of the deviation in ET
      patients.

PMID- 28632405
TI  - Reading Performance Improvements in Patients with Central Vision Loss without Age
      Related Macular Degeneration after Undergoing Personalized Rehabilitation
      Training.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of a reading rehabilitation program (RRP) in
      patients with central visual loss (CVL) and assess the impact of the RRP on the
      quality of life (QoL). METHODS: The RRP included four in-office and 39 in-home
      training sessions over 6 weeks. Reading speed, duration, and font size were
      evaluated during each in-office session. The subjective perception of the QoL was
      assessed before and after the RRP using the short version of a questionnaire
      (World Health Organization Quality of Life). A control group who received advice
      about ocular conditions and low-vision aids also was included. RESULTS: Seventeen
      patients with Stargardt's disease (STGD), 11 with adult-onset foveomacular
      vitelliform dystrophy (AFVD), and eight with myopic macular degeneration (MMD)
      were included. The control group included five patients each with STGD, AFVD, and
      MMD. The respective mean corrected distance visual acuities (VAs) in patients
      with STGD, AFVD, MMD, and the control group were 0.57 +/- 0.38, 0.51 +/- 0.38,
      0.49 +/- 0.24, and 0.55 +/- 0.25 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution;
      the mean corrected near VAs were 0.89 +/- 0.20, 1.08 +/- 0.17, 0.99 +/- 0.34, and
      1.18 +/- 0.37 (M notation) using low-vision aids. The reading speed, duration,
      and font size improved in all groups. The RRP groups obtained (p <= 0.01) greater
      improvements than the control group in each reading performance variable
      assessed. Patients with STGD obtained greater improvements in the subjective
      evaluation; the control group did not obtain noteworthy improvement in any
      domain. CONCLUSIONS: The RRP improved reading performance in patients with CVL
      and positively impacted the subjective perception of the QoL.

PMID- 28632406
TI  - Tailored-pharmacophore model to enhance virtual screening and drug discovery: a
      case study on the identification of potential inhibitors against drug-resistant
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (3R)-hydroxyacyl-ACP dehydratases.
AB  - AIM: Virtual screening (VS) is powerful tool in discovering molecular inhibitors
      that are most likely to bind to drug targets of interest. Herein, we introduce a
      novel VS approach, so-called 'tailored-pharmacophore', in order to explore
      inhibitors that overcome drug resistance. Methodology & results: The emergence
      and spread of drug resistance strains of tuberculosis is one of the most critical
      issues in healthcare. A tailored-pharmacophore approach was found promising to
      identify in silico predicted hit with better binding affinities in case of the
      resistance mutations in MtbHadAB as compared with thiacetazone, a prodrug used in
      the clinical treatment of tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: This approach can potentially
      be enforced for the discovery and design of drugs against a wide range of
      resistance targets.

PMID- 28632407
TI  - Prediction of the structural response of the femoral shaft under dynamic loading
      using subject-specific finite element models.
AB  - The goal of this study was to predict the structural response of the femoral
      shaft under dynamic loading conditions using subject-specific finite element (SS
      FE) models and to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the models in relation to
      the model complexity. In total, SS-FE models of 31 femur specimens were
      developed. Using those models, dynamic three-point bending and combined loading
      tests (bending with four different levels of axial compression) of bare femurs
      were simulated, and the prediction capabilities of five different levels of model
      complexity were evaluated based on the impact force time histories: baseline,
      mass-based scaled, structure-based scaled, geometric SS-FE, and heterogenized SS
      FE models. Among the five levels of model complexity, the geometric SS-FE and the
      heterogenized SS-FE models showed statistically significant improvement on
      response prediction capability compared to the other model formulations whereas
      the difference between two SS-FE models was negligible. This result indicated the
      geometric SS-FE models, containing detailed geometric information from CT images
      with homogeneous linear isotropic elastic material properties, would be an
      optimal model complexity for prediction of structural response of the femoral
      shafts under the dynamic loading conditions. The average and the standard
      deviation of the RMS errors of the geometric SS-FE models for all the 31 cases
      was 0.46 kN and 0.66 kN, respectively. This study highlights the contribution of
      geometric variability on the structural response variation of the femoral shafts
      subjected to dynamic loading condition and the potential of geometric SS-FE
      models to capture the structural response variation of the femoral shafts.

PMID- 28632408
TI  - The Burden of Sexual Problems: Perceived Effects on Men's and Women's Sexual
      Partners.
AB  - Sexual dysfunction sometimes negatively affects the individual, his or her
      partner, and the relationship. We investigated the relationship between the
      distress experienced by men and women with orgasmic phase difficulties and the
      perceived distress of their partner(s). We also identified predictors of
      perceived partner distress, and related self and partner distress to severity of
      the problem and relationship quality. Data were drawn from 374 men with premature
      ejaculation (PE) and 377 women with anorgasmia who responded to a survey
      regarding their sexual functioning, including their distress about their
      condition and the perceived distress of their partners. Results yielded an
      overall distress score consisting of combined self and perceived partners
      distress, with women showing a higher overall score and higher perceived partner
      distress than men. For men, significant predictors of perceived partner distress
      included self-distress, relationship quality, interest in sex, and arousal
      difficulty; for women, only the level of self-distress significantly predicted
      perceived partner distress. These findings indicate the burden of experiencing
      sexual difficulty, identify factors related to perceived partner distress, and
      demonstrate differences in self versus partner distress across men and women.
      Overall, such findings reiterate the strong need for the inclusion of the partner
      in any attempted remediation of a sexual problem.

PMID- 28632409
TI  - L-Satropane Prevents Retinal Neuron Damage by Attenuating Cell Apoptosis and
      Abeta Production via Activation of M1 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor.
AB  - : Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) agonists have been used to treat
      glaucoma due to their intraocular pressure-lowering effects. Recently, it has
      been reported that retinal mAChRs activation can also stimulate neuroprotective
      pathways. PURPOSE: In our study, we evaluated the potential neuroprotective
      effect of L-satropane, a novel mAChR agonist, on retinal neuronal injury induced
      by cobalt chloride (CoCl2) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). METHODS: CoCl2-induced
      hypoxia injury in cultured cell models and I/R-induced retinal neuronal damage in
      rats in vivo were used to evaluate the abilities of L-satropane. In detail, we
      measured the occurrence of retinal pathological changes including molecular
      markers of neuronal apoptosis and Abeta expression. RESULTS: Pretreatment with L
      satropane protects against CoCl2-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 and primary
      retinal neuron (PRN) cells in a dose-dependent manner by increasing retinal
      neuron survival. CoCl2 or I/R-induced cell apoptosis by upregulating Bax
      expression and downregulating Bcl-2 expression, which resulted in an increased
      Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and upregulating caspase-3 expression/activity was significantly
      reversed by L-satropane treatment. In addition, L-satropane significantly
      inhibited the upregulation of Abeta production in both retinal neurons and
      tissue. We also found that I/R-induced histopathological retinal changes
      including cell loss in the retinal ganglion cell layer (GCL) and increased TUNEL
      positive retinal ganglion cells in GCL and thinning of the inner plexiform layer
      (IPL) and inner nuclear layer (INL) were markedly improved by L-satropane. The
      effects of L-satropane were largely abolished by the nonselective mAChRs
      antagonist atropine and M1-selective mAChR antagonist pirenzepine. CONCLUSION:
      These results demonstrated that L-satropane might be effective in preventing
      retinal neuron damage caused by CoCl2 or I/R. The neuroprotective effects of L
      satropane may be attributed to decreasing cell apoptosis and Abeta production
      through activation of M1 mAChR.

PMID- 28632410
TI  - Correlation between Interleukin-6 and Thrombin-Antithrombin III Complex Levels in
      Retinal Diseases.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate and correlate the levels of interleukin-6
      (IL-6) and thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) in the vitreous of patients
      with different vitreoretinal pathologies. METHODS: Vitreous samples were
      collected from 78 patients scheduled for pars plana vitrectomy at a tertiary
      medical center. Patients were divided by the underlying vitreoretinal
      pathophysiology, as follows: macular hole (MH)/epiretinal membrane (ERM) (n =
      26); rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) (n = 32); and proliferative diabetic
      retinopathy (PDR) (n = 20). Levels of IL-6 and TAT were measured by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay and compared among the groups. RESULTS: A significant
      difference was found in the vitreal IL-6 and TAT levels between the MH/ERM group
      and both the PDR and RRD groups (P < 0.001 for all). Diabetes was associated with
      higher IL-6 levels in the RRD group. Different relationships between the IL-6 and
      TAT levels were revealed in patients with different ocular pathologies.
      CONCLUSION: Our results imply that variations in vitreal TAT level may be
      attributable not only to an inflammatory reaction or blood-retinal barrier
      breakdown, but also to intraocular tissue-dependent regulation of thrombin.

PMID- 28632411
TI  - The Effect of Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant on Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in
      Patients Diagnosed with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of a single dose of intravitreal dexamethasone
      (DEX) implant on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with
      branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in a 6-month period. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      This retrospective observational study included the patients with BRVO who
      received intravitreal DEX implant and whose assessment included the baseline RNFL
      thickness measurements. The data of 26 eyes of 24 patients were retrospectively
      analyzed. Spectral domain optic coherence tomography was used to measure
      peripapillary RNFL thickness in six regional subfields. Intraocular pressure
      (IOP) values at each visit were recorded. The data of single dose DEX implant
      during 6 months were assessed. RESULTS: The mean preoperative and postoperative
      6th month nasal RNFL values were 85.4 +/- 23.0 MUm and 82.1 +/- 17.6 MUm,
      respectively, and the difference between the measurements was not statistically
      significant (p = 0.372). There was a slight decrease in the mean RNFL values
      postoperatively compared to the baseline values in all quadrants except supero
      temporal quadrant; however, none of them reached statistically significant level
      (p > 0.05). The mean IOP values before and 6 months after implantation were 15.7
      +/- 2.9 mmHg and 16.5 +/- 4.2 mmHg, respectively. The difference between the 6th
      month IOP values and baseline IOP values was not statistically significant (p =
      0.236). CONCLUSION: Intravitreal DEX implant seems to have no adverse effect on
      RNFL thickness in BRVO patients in a 6-month period.

PMID- 28632412
TI  - Not Practicing What You Preach: Religion and Incongruence Between Pornography
      Beliefs and Usage.
AB  - Religious Americans, and conservative Protestants in particular, have
      historically been the most ardent opponents of pornography's production,
      dissemination, and use. Yet while religiously committed and theologically
      conservative Americans are generally less likely to view pornography than others,
      the difference is often not as great or consistent as one might suppose given
      their strong moral stance. Drawing on insights from religious incongruence
      theory, this study considered whether religious commitment and theological
      conservatism predicted a greater incongruence between what Americans say they
      believe about pornography morally and whether they actually watch it. Data are
      taken from the nationally representative 2006 Portraits of American Life Study (N
      = 2,279). Analyses show that greater religious service attendance and prayer
      frequency are predictive of American men (not women) affirming that viewing
      pornography is "always morally wrong" while still viewing it in the previous
      year. Evangelicalism and other sectarian Protestantism are also the religious
      traditions most likely to believe pornography is always morally wrong while also
      viewing it. Findings ultimately suggest that religious commitment and affiliation
      with theological conservatism may influence Americans (primarily men) to oppose
      pornography more strongly in principle than reflected in actual practice. Data
      limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

PMID- 28632413
TI  - alpha-Synuclein aggregation modulation: an emerging approach for the treatment of
      Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial progressive neurological disorder.
      Pathological hallmarks of PD are characterized by the presence of alpha-synuclein
      (alphaSyn) aggregates known as Lewy bodies. alphaSyn aggregation is one of the
      leading causes for the neuronal dysfunction and death in PD. It is also
      associated with neurotransmitter and calcium release. Current therapies of PD are
      limited to only symptomatic relief without addressing the underlying pathogenic
      factors of the disease process such as aggregation of alphaSyn. Consequently, the
      progression of the disease continues with the current therapies. Therefore, the
      modulation of alphaSyn aggregation is an emerging approach as a novel therapeutic
      target to treat PD. There are two major aspects that might be targeted
      therapeutically: first, protein is prone to aggregation, therefore, anti
      aggregative or compounds that can break the pre-existing aggregates should be
      helpful. Second, there are number of molecular events that may be targeted to
      combat the disease.

PMID- 28632414
TI  - Changing US Population Demographics: What Does This Mean for Listeriosis
      Incidence and Exposure?
AB  - Listeria monocytogenes is an important cause of foodborne illness
      hospitalization, fetal loss, and death in the United States. Listeriosis
      incidence rate varies significantly among population subgroups with pregnant
      women, older persons, and the Hispanic population having increased relative risks
      compared with the other subpopulations. Using estimated rates of listeriosis per
      subpopulation based on FoodNet data from 2004 to 2009, we evaluate the expected
      number of cases and incidence rates of listeriosis in the US population and the
      pregnant women subpopulation as the demographic composition changes over time
      with respect to ethnicity, pregnancy status, and age distribution. If the
      incidence rate per subpopulation is held constant, the overall US population
      listeriosis incidence rate would increase from 0.25 per 100,000 (95% confidence
      interval [CI]: 0.19-0.34) in 2010 to 0.28 (95% CI: 0.22-0.38) in 2020 and 0.32
      (95% CI: 0.25-0.43) in 2030, because of the changes in the population structure.
      Similarly, the pregnancy-associated incidence rate is expected to increase from
      4.0 per 100,000 pregnant women (95% CI: 2.5-6.5) in 2010 to 4.1 (95% CI: 2.6-6.7)
      in 2020 and 4.4 (95% CI: 2.7-7.2) in 2030 as the proportion of Hispanic pregnant
      women increases. We further estimate that a reduction of 12% in the exposure of
      the US population to L. monocytogenes would be needed to maintain a constant
      incidence rate from 2010 to 2020 (current trend), assuming infectivity (strain
      virulence distribution and individual susceptibility) is unchanged. To reduce the
      overall US population incidence rate by one-third (Healthy People 2020 goal)
      would require a reduction in exposure (or infectivity) to L. monocytogenes of 48%
      over the same time period. Reduction/elimination in exposure of pregnant and
      Hispanic subpopulations alone could not meet this target. This information may be
      useful in setting public health targets, developing risk management options, and
      in interpreting trends in the public health burden of foodborne listeriosis in
      the United States.

PMID- 28632415
TI  - Synthesis and biological evaluation of tanshinone IIA derivatives as novel
      endothelial protective agents.
AB  - AIM: Oxidative stress-induced endothelial injury is a main risk factor in the
      pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) exerts
      protective functions on endothelial cells in response to oxidative stress. To
      exploit new bioactive compounds from this natural product, 12 derivatives were
      first synthesized and evaluated for endothelial protective activities. MATERIALS
      & METHODS: Title compounds were prepared according to high-yielded synthetic
      routes, and their protective effects on human endothelial EA.hy926 cells were
      evaluated. To explore the mechanism, their inhibition on apoptosis of endothelial
      cells and Nrf2 activating activities were investigated. Furthermore,
      computational ADME prediction and water solubility assay were carried out for
      active compounds. RESULTS: Most of them exhibited potent endothelial protective
      effects on EA.hy926 cells injured by H2O2. In particular, compounds I-2 and II
      showed increased activity and water solubility compared with Tan IIA. Moreover,
      they reduced H2O2-induced apoptosis of EA.hy926 cells. A further exploration on
      the two compounds suggested that their actions were mediated by upregulation of
      antioxidant genes through activating Nrf2 pathway. CONCLUSION: These Tan IIA
      derivatives clearly showed related activities for the development of a new type
      of endothelial protective agents. [Formula: see text].

PMID- 28632416
TI  - Survival of Escherichia coli on Lettuce under Field Conditions Encountered in the
      Northeastern United States.
AB  - Although wildlife intrusion and untreated manure have been associated with
      microbial contamination of produce, relatively few studies have examined the
      survival of Escherichia coli on produce under field conditions following
      contamination (e.g., via splash from wildlife feces). This experimental study was
      performed to estimate the die-off rate of E. coli on preharvest lettuce following
      contamination with a fecal slurry. During August 2015, field-grown lettuce was
      inoculated via pipette with a fecal slurry that was spiked with a three-strain
      cocktail of rifampin-resistant nonpathogenic E. coli. Ten lettuce heads were
      harvested at each of 13 time points following inoculation (0, 2.5, 5, and 24 h
      after inoculation and every 24 h thereafter until day 10). The most probable
      number (MPN) of E. coli on each lettuce head was determined, and die-off rates
      were estimated. The relationship between sample time and the log MPN of E. coli
      per head was modeled using a segmented linear model. This model had a breakpoint
      at 106 h (95% confidence interval = 69, 142 h) after inoculation, with a daily
      decrease of 0.70 and 0.19 log MPN for 0 to 106 h and 106 to 240 h following
      inoculation, respectively. These findings are consistent with die-off rates
      obtained in similar studies that assessed E. coli survival on produce following
      irrigation. Overall, these findings provide die-off rates for E. coli on lettuce
      that can be used in future quantitative risk assessments.

PMID- 28632417
TI  - Detection and Antigenic Profiling of Undeclared Peanut in Imported Garlic Using
      an xMAP Multiplex Immunoassay for Food Allergens.
AB  - A shipment of imported garlic powder was suspected of containing peanut. Samples
      (subs) collected from the shipment displayed considerable variability in peanut
      antigenicity when analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This
      raised questions regarding whether peanut was actually present, the amount
      present, and the basis for the variability in antigenic content. Analyses that
      used an xMAP multiplex assay for the detection of peanut and additional food
      allergens generated responses that were characteristic of peanut. Specifically,
      the relative intensities of two different peanut-specific antibodies coupled to
      beads (peanut-37 and -38) and the antigen profiles were identical to garlic
      controls spiked with peanut. In addition, the xMAP data did not indicate the
      presence of other allergens. Quantitative analyses indicated an approximately
      fivefold variation in peanut concentration among different subs. In contrast,
      within a sub, the apparent peanut concentration appeared constant. Particle size
      analyses of the garlic powder subs indicated a single distribution profile, with
      a peak at 380 MUm. ELISA analysis of sieve-fractionated garlic powder from one of
      the subs indicated that slightly less than half of the detectable peanut was
      smaller than 212 MUm, with the remainder almost evenly split between 212 and 300
      MUm and >300 MUm. Modeling to predict possible oral exposure levels of peanut
      other than those directly measured requires additional research on the
      physicochemical properties of peanut and garlic, along with information on the
      production of the garlic powder.

PMID- 28632418
TI  - Therapeutic monitoring of unfractionated heparin - trials and tribulations.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Heparin is one of the oldest biological medicines with an
      established role in prevention and treatment of arterial and venous
      thromboembolism. Published therapeutic ranges for unfractionated heparin (UFH)
      mostly precede the large increase in the number of activated partial
      thromboplastin time (APTT) reagent/instrument combinations that now show wide
      variability. Areas covered: This paper explores the use of UFH, the development
      of heparin therapeutic ranges (HTRs), and the strengths and limitations of the
      methods used to monitor heparin's anticoagulant effect. Expert commentary:
      Despite longstanding use of UFH for management of thromboembolic conditions, the
      optimal test for monitoring UFH remains undetermined. Although used extensively
      for monitoring UFH, routine APTT-derived HTRs are based on limited science that
      may have little relevance to current laboratory practice. Anti-FXa levels may
      provide better and more reliable HTRs; however, even these levels show
      considerable inter-laboratory variation, and there are insufficient clinical
      studies proving improved clinical efficacy. Alternative tests for monitoring UFH
      reported over time have not been proven effective nor feasible, secondary to
      technical or cost issues, or lack of general adoption. Thus, despite limited
      evidence of clinical utility, an uncomfortable marriage of convenience
      represented by heparin laboratory monitoring is unlikely to be terminated in the
      immediate future.

PMID- 28632419
TI  - In vitro co-expression of human amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light and heavy
      chain proteins: a relevant cell-based model of AL amyloidosis.
AB  - Immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain (LC) amyloidosis (AL) is characterized by the
      overproduction and tissue deposition of monoclonal LC in various organs and
      tissues. The plasma circulating monoclonal LC is believed to be the precursor of
      the deposited protein and in vitro studies aimed at understanding AL pathobiology
      have mainly focused on LC and its variable domain. While 33% of patients have
      free circulating monoclonal LC, ~40% feature LC complexed to heavy chain (HC)
      forming a monoclonal intact Ig; the significance of free vs. bound LC in the
      amyloid forming pathway is unknown. To address this issue, we developed a cell
      based model using stable mouse plasmacytoma Sp2/0 cells that co-express patient
      derived amyloidogenic LC and HC proteins. The system was designed using
      amyloidogenic kappa and lambda LC, and gamma HC sequences; stable production and
      secretion of either free LC and/or intact Ig were accomplished by varying the LC
      to HC ratios. This novel cell-based system provides a relevant tool to
      systematically investigate LC and HC interactions, and the molecular events
      leading to the development of AL amyloidosis.

PMID- 28632420
TI  - Medicinal chemistry advances in neurodegenerative disease therapy: part 2.

PMID- 28632421
TI  - Novel urushiol derivatives as HDAC8 inhibitors: rational design, virtual
      screening, molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies.
AB  - Three series of novel urushiol derivatives were designed by introducing a
      hydroxamic acid moiety into the tail of an alkyl side chain and substituents with
      differing electronic properties or steric bulk onto the benzene ring and alkyl
      side chain. The compounds' binding affinity toward HDAC8 was screened by Glide
      docking. The highest-scoring compounds were processed further with molecular
      docking, MD simulations, and binding free energy studies to analyze the binding
      modes and mechanisms. Ten compounds had Glide scores of -8.2 to -10.2, which
      revealed that introducing hydroxy, carbonyl, amino, or methyl ether groups into
      the alkyl side chain or addition of -F, -Cl, sulfonamide, benzamido, amino, or
      hydroxy substituents on the benzene ring could significantly increase binding
      affinity. Molecular docking studies revealed that zinc ion coordination, hydrogen
      bonding, and hydrophobic interactions contributed to the high calculated binding
      affinities of these compounds toward HDAC8. MD simulations and binding free
      energy studies showed that all complexes possessed good stability, as
      characterized by low RMSDs, low RMSFs of residues, moderate hydrogen bonding and
      zinc ion coordination and low values of binding free energies. Hie147, Tyr121,
      Phe175, Hip110, Phe119, Tyr273, Lys21, Gly118, Gln230, Leu122, Gly269, and Gly107
      contributed favorably to the binding; and Van der Waals and electrostatic
      interactions provided major contributions to the stability of these complexes.
      These results show the potential of urushiol derivatives as HDAC8 binding lead
      compounds, which have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of various
      malignancies, neurological disorders, and human parasitic diseases.

PMID- 28632422
TI  - Risk of diabetes and dyslipidemia during clozapine and other antipsychotic drug
      treatment of schizophrenia in Iceland.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and raised blood lipids are associated with the
      use of antipsychotics, not least clozapine. AIMS: To describe the prevalence of
      high blood glucose levels, T2D, and dyslipidemia, in association with the use of
      clozapine or other antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia in Iceland.
      METHOD: This study identified 188 patients treated with clozapine and 395
      patients never treated with clozapine by searching the electronic health records
      of Landspitali, the National University Hospital. The comparison group consisted
      of Icelandic population controls. Data were obtained on blood glucose, HbA1c, and
      blood lipid levels from these health records. RESULTS: The prevalence of T2D was
      14.3% in the clozapine group, where the mean age was 51.2 years, and 13.7% in the
      never-on-clozapine group, where the mean age was 58.6 years. Males on clozapine
      were 2.3-times more likely and females 4.4-times more likely to have developed
      T2D than controls from an age-adjusted Icelandic cohort, while males on other
      antipsychotics were 1.5-times more likely and females 2.3-times as likely to have
      T2D than controls. Only one case of ketoacidosis was identified. Triglyceride
      levels were significantly higher in both treatment groups compared to controls in
      the age-adjusted Icelandic cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians must take active steps
      to reduce the risk of T2D and raised triglycerides in patients with
      schizophrenia. Antipsychotics were associated with a greater risk of T2D
      developing in females compared to males.

PMID- 28632423
TI  - Making Kin, Making Trouble: Donna Haraway's Critical Ongoingness.

PMID- 28632424
TI  - The progress in the research of antiplatelet agents (1995-2017).
AB  - Antiplatelet therapy displays a critical role in the treatment and prevention of
      antithrombotic disorders. Many new antiplatelet agents have been developed
      following the emergence of various clinical limitations of classical antiplatelet
      drugs. This review covers mainly the recent advances in the development of P2Y12
      antagonists and GPIIb/IIIa antagonists. Meanwhile, it summarizes promising
      approaches to new platelet surface receptors such as prostanoid EP3 receptor,
      thromboxane A2 prostanoid receptor, protease-activated receptors, GPIb-IX-V
      receptor and P-selectin. In addition, PI3Kbeta, a critical protein at the inside
      signaling pathway of platelet activation is also mentioned as an important
      antiplatelet target. Moreover, the development of respective drug candidates is
      discussed in detail.

PMID- 28632425
TI  - Factors Influencing Occupational Therapists' Decision to Supervise Fieldwork
      Students.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence the decision to
      supervise a Level II occupational therapy fieldwork student. A survey was sent to
      occupational therapists identified from licensure boards and alumni rosters,
      including those who have and have not supervised students (n = 548). The results
      identified both positive and negative influences along with predictive factors of
      supervising a student. While positive factors included continuing education
      units, education on fieldwork expectations, their own fieldwork experiences,
      shared supervision, and access to educational resources, negative influences
      consisted of: job responsibilities, caseload, productivity standards, working
      part-time, and fear of failing a student. The discussion focuses on how to
      address the needs of the clinician and facilitate fieldwork placement.

PMID- 28632426
TI  - What is behind the epidemiological difference between community-acquired and
      health-care associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus?

PMID- 28632427
TI  - Speed of processing and executive functions in adults with phenylketonuria: Quick
      in finding the word, but not the ladybird.
AB  - A reduction in processing speed is widely reported in phenylketonuria (PKU),
      possibly due to white matter pathology. We investigated possible deficits and
      their relationships with executive functions in a sample of 37 early-treated
      adults with PKU (AwPKUs). AwPKUs were not characterized by a generalized speed
      deficit, but instead their performance could be explained by two more specific
      impairments: (a) a deficit in the allocation of visuo-spatial attention that
      reduced speed in visual search tasks, in some reading conditions and visuo-motor
      coordination tasks; and (b) a more conservative decision mechanism that slowed
      down returning an answer across domains. These results suggest that the
      impairments in executive functions seen in AwPKUs are not the consequence of a
      generalized speed deficit. They also suggest that processing speed is linked to
      the efficiency of a particular cognitive component and cannot be considered a
      general function spanning domains. Similarities with patterns in ageing are
      discussed.

PMID- 28632428
TI  - Clinical and socio-demographic correlates of anxious distress in Asian
      outpatients with major depressive disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anxious distress in major depressive disorder (MDD) is common and
      associated with poor outcomes and management difficulties. AIMS: This post hoc
      analysis aimed to examine the socio-demographic and clinical correlates of
      anxiety distress in Asian outpatients with MDD. METHODS: Instead of two out of
      five specifiers defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Version-5,
      anxious distress defined in this study was operationalized as the presence of at
      least two out of four proxy items drawn from the 90-item Symptom Checklist,
      Revised (SCL-90-R). Other measures included the Montgomery-Asberg Depression
      Rating Scale (MADRS), the Fatigue Severity Scale, the Sheehan Disability Scale
      and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. RESULTS: The data of
      496 patients with MDD were included. Anxious distress was found in 371
      participants (74.8%). The binary logistic regression analysis found that anxious
      distress was independently and significantly correlated with working status,
      higher MADRS scores, severe insomnia and functional impairment. CONCLUSIONS:
      Three-fourths of Asian patients with MDD in tertiary care settings may have DSM-5
      anxious distress of at least moderate distress. Its prevalence may vary among
      working groups. The specifier was associated with greater depressive symptom
      severity, severe insomnia and functional impairment.

PMID- 28632429
TI  - On Stable States in a Topologically Driven Protein Folding Model.
AB  - Theoretical models of protein folding often make simplifying assumptions that
      allow analysis, yielding interesting theoretical results. In this article, we
      study models where folding dynamics is primarily driven by local topological
      features in an iterative manner. We illustrate the merit of the proposed approach
      through its ability to simulate realistic protein folding processes even when the
      sequence content information is reduced to just hydrophobic and polar. We then
      analyze our models and show that under our simple assumptions, certain structures
      are inherently unstable, and that determining whether structures can be stable is
      an [Formula: see text]-hard problem. Interestingly, we find that when our model
      has only two amino acids, the problem becomes solvable in polynomial time.

PMID- 28632430
TI  - Hematopoietic Developmental Potential of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines Is
      Accompanied by the Morphology of Embryoid Bodies and the Expression of Endodermal
      and Hematopoietic Markers.
AB  - The potential clinical applications of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) derived
      from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are limited by the difficulty of
      recapitulating embryoid hematopoiesis and by the unknown differentiation
      potential of hPSC lines. To evaluate their hematopoietic developmental potential,
      available hPSC lines were differentiated by an embryoid body (EB) suspension
      culture in serum-free medium supplemented with three different cytokine mixes
      (CMs). The hPSC differentiation status was investigated by the flow cytometry
      expression profiles of cell surface molecules, and the gene expression of
      pluripotency and differentiation markers over time was evaluated by real-time
      reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). hPSC lines differed in
      several aspects of the differentiation process, including the absolute yield of
      hematopoietic progenitors, the proportion of hematopoietic progenitor
      populations, and the effect of various CMs. The ability to generate hematopoietic
      progenitors was then associated with the morphology of the developing EBs, the
      expression of the endodermal markers AFP and SOX17, and the hematopoietic
      transcription factor RUNX1. These findings deepen the knowledge about the
      hematopoietic propensity of hPSCs and identify its variability as an aspect that
      must be taken into account before the usage of hPSC-derived HSCs in downstream
      applications.

PMID- 28632431
TI  - Psychometric testing of a Swedish version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Apathy, a prevalent and clinically relevant symptom in
      neurodegenerative disease, is often evaluated by the instrument Apathy Evaluation
      Scale (AES). However, this instrument has not been translated into Swedish,
      halting clinical and research efforts. Furthermore, previous studies lack
      analyses of some basic properties, such as the legitimacy of a total score, or
      have analysed dimensionality by questionable methods. AIM: To translate and
      psychometrically evaluate a Swedish version of the AES. METHOD: The AES was
      translated, and its psychometric properties were tested in the Swedish BioFINDER
      study, including cognitively well elderly, and subjects with mild cognitive or
      parkinsonian symptoms. Psychometric analyses were conducted according to
      classical test theory (CTT) and aimed to resemble those performed in the English
      original study by Marin et al. in 1991. Dimensionality was additionally analysed
      on a matrix of polychoric correlations and parallel analyses. RESULTS: Data
      indicate that the Swedish AES performs satisfactorily regarding data
      completeness, scaling assumptions, targeting, and reliability. Principal
      component analyses (with parallel analysis) of polychoric correlation matrices
      identified a single component. Convergent and discriminative validity
      correlations accorded with a priori expectations. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides
      initial support that this Swedish AES performs similarly to the English original,
      and exhibits acceptable psychometric properties according to CTT, including
      supported unidimensionality, and may be adopted for use in clinical and research
      settings.

PMID- 28632432
TI  - Serum microRNAs as Early Indicators for Estimation of Exposure Degree in Response
      to Ionizing Irradiation.
AB  - Exposure to ionizing radiation from nuclear devices, spaceflights or terrorist
      attacks represents a major threat to human health and public security. After a
      radiological incident, noninvasive biomarkers that can facilitate rapid
      assessment of exposure risk in the early stages are urgently needed for optimal
      medical treatment. Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) are ideal biomarkers because they are
      stable in response to environmental changes, they are common among different
      species and are easily collected. Here, we performed miRNA PCR arrays to analyze
      miRNA expression profiles at 24 h postirradiation. Blood samples were collected
      from animals that received 0.5-2 Gy total-body carbon-ion irradiation. A specific
      signature with 12 radiosensitive miRNAs was selected for further validation.
      After exposure to 0.1-2 Gy of carbon-ion, iron-ion or X-ray radiations, five
      miRNAs that showed a significant response to these radiation types were selected
      for further observation of dose- and time-dependent changes: miR-183-5p, miR-9
      3p, miR-200b-5p, miR-342-3p and miR-574-5p. We developed a universal model using
      these five miRNAs to predict the degree of exposure to different radiation types
      with high sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, we have identified a set of
      miRNAs that are quite sensitive to different radiation types in the early stages
      after exposure, demonstrating their potential use as effective indicators to
      predict the degree of exposure.

PMID- 28632433
TI  - Comments on "Solid Cancer Incidence among the Life Span Study of Atomic Bomb
      Survivors: 1958-2009" (Radiat Res 2017; 187:513-537)

PMID- 28632434
TI  - Screening for celiac disease, by endomysial antibodies, in patients with
      unexplained hypertransaminasaemia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To do a serological screening for celiac disease in patients with
      unexplained liver cytolysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-six patients with liver
      cytolysis without known aetiology were studied. Endomysial antibodies were
      determined by indirect immunofluorescence on human umbilical cord. Two thousand
      and five hundred blood donors served as control group. For statistical analysis,
      we used Chi-square or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The frequency of IgA
      endomysial antibodies in our patients was significantly higher than in the
      control group (8.92% vs. 0.28%, p < .001). In female, endomysial antibodies were
      significantly more frequent in patients than in healthy subjects (12.12% vs.
      0.4%; p < .001). In male, endomysial antibodies were significantly more frequent
      in patients than in healthy subjects (4.34% vs. 0.22%; p = .006). The frequency
      of positive EMA in female patients was higher than in male, but the difference
      was not statistically significant (12.12% vs. 4.43%; p = .6). Two patients were
      non-compliant with the gluten-free diet. One patient was out of touch. For the
      two other patients, transaminase levels reverted to normal level within six
      months of strict gluten withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: A screening for celiac disease
      should be included within the diagnosis protocol of liver cytolysis.

PMID- 28632435
TI  - Relative effects of plasma, fibrinogen concentrate, and factor XIII on ROTEM
      coagulation profiles in an in vitro model of massive transfusion in trauma.
AB  - Massive traumatic haemorrhage is aggravated through the development of trauma
      induced coagulopathy, which is managed by plasma transfusion and/or fibrinogen
      concentrate administration. It is yet unclear whether these treatments are
      equally potent in ensuring adequate haemostasis, and whether additional factor
      XIII (FXIII) administration provides further benefits. In this study, we compared
      ROTEM whole blood coagulation profiles after experimental massive transfusion
      with different transfusion regimens in an in vitro model of dilution- and
      transfusion-related coagulopathy. Healthy donor blood was mixed 1 + 1 with six
      different transfusion regimens. Each regimen contained RBC, platelet concentrate,
      and either fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or Ringer's acetate (RA). The regimens were
      further augmented through addition of a low- or medium-dose fibrinogen
      concentrate and FXIII. Transfusion with FFP alone was insufficient to maintain
      tissue-factor activated clot strength, coincidental with a deficiency in fibrin
      based clot strength. Fibrinogen concentrate conserved, but did not improve
      coagulation kinetics and overall clot strength. Only combination therapy with FFP
      and low-dose fibrinogen concentrate improved both coagulation kinetics and fibrin
      based clot strength. Administration of FXIII did not result in an improvement of
      clot strength. In conclusion, combination therapy with both FFP and low-dose
      fibrinogen concentrate improved clotting time and produced firm clots,
      representing a possible preferred first-line regimen to manage trauma-induced
      coagulopathy when RBC and platelets are also transfused. Further research is
      required to identify optimal first-line transfusion fluids for massive traumatic
      haemorrhage.

PMID- 28632436
TI  - Development of Computer Algorithm for Editing of Next Generation Sequencing
      Metagenome Data.
AB  - The successful implementation of the advanced sequencing technology, the next
      generation sequencing (NGS) motivates scientists from diverse fields of
      biological research especially from genomics and transcriptomics in generating
      large genomic data set to make their analysis more robust and come up with strong
      inference. However, exploiting this huge genomic data set becomes a challenge for
      the molecular biologists. To corroborate this problem, computational software and
      hardware are being developed in parallel and become an integral part of life
      science. While executing the "Genomics project of Indian Drosophila species," we
      found strings of Ns in the whole genome sequences generated on Illumina platform.
      The present article aims at developing a computer algorithm (MATLAB and Python
      based) for editing raw sequences mainly eliminating bad residues before
      submitting to the publicly accessible sequence repository. These algorithms will
      be helpful to life scientists for analyzing large amount of biological data in
      short span of time.

PMID- 28632437
TI  - Conscientious Classification: A Data Scientist's Guide to Discrimination-Aware
      Classification.
AB  - Recent research has helped to cultivate growing awareness that machine-learning
      systems fueled by big data can create or exacerbate troubling disparities in
      society. Much of this research comes from outside of the practicing data science
      community, leaving its members with little concrete guidance to proactively
      address these concerns. This article introduces issues of discrimination to the
      data science community on its own terms. In it, we tour the familiar data-mining
      process while providing a taxonomy of common practices that have the potential to
      produce unintended discrimination. We also survey how discrimination is commonly
      measured, and suggest how familiar development processes can be augmented to
      mitigate systems' discriminatory potential. We advocate that data scientists
      should be intentional about modeling and reducing discriminatory outcomes.
      Without doing so, their efforts will result in perpetuating any systemic
      discrimination that may exist, but under a misleading veil of data-driven
      objectivity.

PMID- 28632439
TI  - Call for Papers: Special Issue on Computational Propaganda and Political Big
      Data.

PMID- 28632438
TI  - Fair Prediction with Disparate Impact: A Study of Bias in Recidivism Prediction
      Instruments.
AB  - Recidivism prediction instruments (RPIs) provide decision-makers with an
      assessment of the likelihood that a criminal defendant will reoffend at a future
      point in time. Although such instruments are gaining increasing popularity across
      the country, their use is attracting tremendous controversy. Much of the
      controversy concerns potential discriminatory bias in the risk assessments that
      are produced. This article discusses several fairness criteria that have recently
      been applied to assess the fairness of RPIs. We demonstrate that the criteria
      cannot all be simultaneously satisfied when recidivism prevalence differs across
      groups. We then show how disparate impact can arise when an RPI fails to satisfy
      the criterion of error rate balance.

PMID- 28632440
TI  - Call for Papers: Special Issue on Profit-Driven Analytics.

PMID- 28632441
TI  - Research Dilemmas with Behavioral Big Data.
AB  - Behavioral big data (BBD) refers to very large and rich multidimensional data
      sets on human and social behaviors, actions, and interactions, which have become
      available to companies, governments, and researchers. A growing number of
      researchers in social science and management fields acquire and analyze BBD for
      the purpose of extracting knowledge and scientific discoveries. However, the
      relationships between the researcher, data, subjects, and research questions
      differ in the BBD context compared to traditional behavioral data. Behavioral
      researchers using BBD face not only methodological and technical challenges but
      also ethical and moral dilemmas. In this article, we discuss several dilemmas,
      challenges, and trade-offs related to acquiring and analyzing BBD for causal
      behavioral research.

PMID- 28632442
TI  - Social and Technical Trade-Offs in Data Science.

PMID- 28632443
TI  - Diversity in Big Data: A Review.
AB  - Big data technology offers unprecedented opportunities to society as a whole and
      also to its individual members. At the same time, this technology poses
      significant risks to those it overlooks. In this article, we give an overview of
      recent technical work on diversity, particularly in selection tasks, discuss
      connections between diversity and fairness, and identify promising directions for
      future work that will position diversity as an important component of a data
      responsible society. We argue that diversity should come to the forefront of our
      discourse, for reasons that are both ethical-to mitigate the risks of exclusion
      and utilitarian, to enable more powerful, accurate, and engaging data analysis
      and use.

PMID- 28632444
TI  - The Structural Consequences of Big Data-Driven Education.
AB  - Educators and commenters who evaluate big data-driven learning environments focus
      on specific questions: whether automated education platforms improve learning
      outcomes, invade student privacy, and promote equality. This article puts aside
      separate unresolved-and perhaps unresolvable-issues regarding the concrete
      effects of specific technologies. It instead examines how big data-driven tools
      alter the structure of schools' pedagogical decision-making, and, in doing so,
      change fundamental aspects of America's education enterprise. Technological
      mediation and data-driven decision-making have a particularly significant impact
      in learning environments because the education process primarily consists of
      dynamic information exchange. In this overview, I highlight three significant
      structural shifts that accompany school reliance on data-driven instructional
      platforms that perform core school functions: teaching, assessment, and
      credentialing. First, virtual learning environments create information technology
      infrastructures featuring constant data collection, continuous algorithmic
      assessment, and possibly infinite record retention. This undermines the
      traditional intellectual privacy and safety of classrooms. Second, these systems
      displace pedagogical decision-making from educators serving public interests to
      private, often for-profit, technology providers. They constrain teachers'
      academic autonomy, obscure student evaluation, and reduce parents' and students'
      ability to participate or challenge education decision-making. Third, big data
      driven tools define what "counts" as education by mapping the concepts, creating
      the content, determining the metrics, and setting desired learning outcomes of
      instruction. These shifts cede important decision-making to private entities
      without public scrutiny or pedagogical examination. In contrast to the public and
      heated debates that accompany textbook choices, schools often adopt education
      technologies ad hoc. Given education's crucial impact on individual and
      collective success, educators and policymakers must consider the implications of
      data-driven education proactively and explicitly.

PMID- 28632445
TI  - Critique and Contribute: A Practice-Based Framework for Improving Critical Data
      Studies and Data Science.
AB  - What would data science look like if its key critics were engaged to help improve
      it, and how might critiques of data science improve with an approach that
      considers the day-to-day practices of data science? This article argues for
      scholars to bridge the conversations that seek to critique data science and those
      that seek to advance data science practice to identify and create the social and
      organizational arrangements necessary for a more ethical data science. We
      summarize four critiques that are commonly made in critical data studies: data
      are inherently interpretive, data are inextricable from context, data are
      mediated through the sociomaterial arrangements that produce them, and data serve
      as a medium for the negotiation and communication of values. We present
      qualitative research with academic data scientists, "data for good" projects, and
      specialized cross-disciplinary engineering teams to show evidence of these
      critiques in the day-to-day experience of data scientists as they acknowledge and
      grapple with the complexities of their work. Using ethnographic vignettes from
      two large multiresearcher field sites, we develop a set of concepts for analyzing
      and advancing the practice of data science and improving critical data studies,
      including (1) communication is central to the data science endeavor; (2) making
      sense of data is a collective process; (3) data are starting, not end points, and
      (4) data are sets of stories. We conclude with two calls to action for
      researchers and practitioners in data science and critical data studies alike.
      First, creating opportunities for bringing social scientific and humanistic
      expertise into data science practice simultaneously will advance both data
      science and critical data studies. Second, practitioners should leverage the
      insights from critical data studies to build new kinds of organizational
      arrangements, which we argue will help advance a more ethical data science.
      Engaging the insights of critical data studies will improve data science. Careful
      attention to the practices of data science will improve scholarly critiques.
      Genuine collaborative conversations between these different communities will help
      push for more ethical, and better, ways of knowing in increasingly datum
      saturated societies.

PMID- 28632446
TI  - Multitarget drug design strategy in Alzheimer's disease: focus on cholinergic
      transmission and amyloid-beta aggregation.
AB  - AIM: Alzheimer pathogenesis has been associated with a network of processes
      working simultaneously and synergistically. Over time, much interest has been
      focused on cholinergic transmission and its mutual interconnections with other
      active players of the disease. Besides the cholinesterase mainstay, the
      multifaceted interplay between nicotinic receptors and amyloid is actually
      considered to have a central role in neuroprotection. Thus, the multitarget drug
      design strategy has emerged as a chance to face the disease network. METHODS: By
      exploiting the multitarget approach, hybrid compounds have been synthesized and
      studied in vitro and in silico toward selected targets of the cholinergic and
      amyloidogenic pathways. RESULTS: The new molecules were able to target the
      cholinergic system, by joining direct nicotinic receptor stimulation to
      acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and to inhibit amyloid-beta aggregation.
      CONCLUSION: The compounds emerged as a suitable starting point for a further
      optimization process.

PMID- 28632447
TI  - In-Hospital Breastfeeding Experiences Among Women with Gestational Diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In-hospital experiences among women with gestational diabetes
      mellitus (GDM) could impact breastfeeding success. We sought (1) to determine
      changes in the prevalence of hospital breastfeeding experiences between 2004-2008
      and 2009-2011 among women with GDM and women without diabetes; (2) to determine
      whether GDM is associated with higher occurrence of experiencing Baby-Friendly
      hospital practices because of their known higher rates of breastfeeding
      difficulties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the 2004 to 2011 Pregnancy Risk
      Assessment Monitoring System, a survey of women with a recent live birth from 16
      states and New York City, were used based on inclusion of an optional survey
      question about hospital breastfeeding experiences. We examined the association of
      in-hospital experiences with GDM within each survey phase using chi-square tests.
      Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association
      between GDM and hospital breastfeeding experiences. RESULTS: Among 157,187 (8.8%
      GDM), there were crude differences by GDM status for at least 60% of hospital
      experiences despite increases in positive hospital experiences between time
      periods. Women with GDM were less likely to report breastfeeding in the first
      hour (adjusted odds ratio: 0.83, confidence interval [95% CI] 0.73-0.94), feeding
      only breast milk in the hospital (0.73, 0.65-0.82), and feeding on demand (0.86,
      0.74-0.99) compared with women without diabetes. Women with GDM were
      significantly more likely to report receiving a pump (1.28, 1.07-1.53) and a
      formula gift pack (1.17, 1.03-1.34) compared with women without diabetes.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although women with GDM experienced improvements in-hospital
      breastfeeding experiences over time, disparities in breastfeeding practices
      remained for five in-patient (hospital) practices that included four negative
      practices (breastfeeding in the first hour, feeding only breast milk in the
      hospital, told to feed per mother's preference, receiving a formula gift pack)
      and one positive practice (receiving a pump).

PMID- 28632448
TI  - Neuroregeneration versus neurodegeneration: toward a paradigm shift in
      Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease represents an enormous global burden in terms of human
      suffering and economic cost. To tackle the current lack of effective drugs and
      the continuous clinical trial failures might require a shift from the prevailing
      paradigm targeting pathogenesis to the one targeting neural stem cells (NSCs)
      regeneration. In this context, small molecules have come to the forefront for
      their potential to manipulate NSCs, provide therapeutic tools and unveil NSCs
      biology. Classically, these molecules have been generated either by target-based
      or phenotypic approaches. To circumvent specific liabilities, nanomedicines
      emerge as a feasible alternative. However, this review is not intended to be
      comprehensive. Its purpose is to focus on recent examples that could accelerate
      development of neuroregenerative drugs against Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28632449
TI  - Prevalence of Essential Hypertension and Its Complications Among Chinese
      Population at High Altitude.
AB  - : Yue Le, Zhiqing Fan, Lin Sun, Wei Feng, and Jingjie Li. Prevalence of essential
      hypertension and its complications among Chinese population at high altitude.
      High Alt Med Biol. 18:140-144, 2017. OBJECTIVES: This study examined the
      prevalence of essential hypertension (EH) and its complications among Chinese
      population at different altitude regions in Qinghai province. METHODS: This cross
      sectional analysis used data from 2000 residents living in the area with two
      different latitudes for more than 20 years, using 1:1 pairing mode. The EH
      patients above were, respectively, found in these two groups by blood osmotic
      pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG). Then, the plasma renin activity (PRA),
      urinary albumin, urine protein in 24 hours, urine and blood osmotic pressure,
      coronary angiography, and cardinal enzyme were measured. RESULTS: The prevalence
      of hypertension in the highlander (36.3%) was significantly higher than that in
      the lowlander (19.6%) [OR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.29-2.41; p = 0.015], in which the EH
      patients in the highlander (20.8%) was also much higher than that in the
      lowlander (8.4%) (OR = 2.48; 95% CI 1.64-3.32; p = 0.002). Considering the age
      and gender, the prevalence of EH was higher in the subjects who were men and
      older than 50 years in both the highlander and lowlander (p < 0.05). The
      concentration of urinary microalbumin, PRA, cardinal enzyme, and the abnormal
      occurrence rate of ECG and coronary angiography among EH patients in the
      highlander was higher than those in the lowlander (p < 0.05), while the
      urine/blood osmotic pressure ratio in the highlander was lower than that in the
      lowlander (p < 0.001). Positive correlations were also shown between the blood
      pressure and renal injury (r = 0.462, p < 0.05) or coronary heart disease (r =
      0.353, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of EH and its complications such as
      renal injury and coronary heart disease were all higher in the highlander.

PMID- 28632451
TI  - Prolyl oligopeptidase and its role in the organism: attention to the most
      promising and clinically relevant inhibitors.
AB  - Prolyl oligopeptidase (POP), also called prolyl endopeptidase, is a cytosolic
      enzyme investigated by several research groups. It has been proposed to play an
      important role in physiological processes such as modulation of the levels of
      several neuronal peptides and hormones containing a proline residue. Due to its
      proteolytic activity and physiological role in cell signaling pathways,
      inhibition of POP offers an emerging approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's
      and Parkinson's diseases as well as other diseases related to cognitive
      impairment. Furthermore, it may also represent an interesting target for
      treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, and as an antiangiogenesis or
      antineoplastic agent. In this review paper, we summarized naturally occurring POP
      inhibitors together with peptide-like inhibitors and their biological effects.
      Some of them have shown promising results and interesting pharmacological
      profiles. However, to date, there is no POP inhibitor available on the market
      although several clinical trials have been undertaken.

PMID- 28632450
TI  - Combinations of Activin A or Nicotinamide with the Pancreatic Transcription
      Factor PDX1 Support Differentiation of Human Amnion Epithelial Cells Toward a
      Pancreatic Lineage.
AB  - The differentiation of multipotent stem cells toward a pancreatic lineage
      provides us with an alternative cell-based therapeutic approach to type 1
      diabetes and enables us to study pancreas development. The current study aims to
      study the effect of growth factors such as activin A or nicotinamide, alone and
      in combinations with the transcription factor, PDX1 (pancreatic and duodenal
      homeobox-1), on human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) toward a pancreatic
      lineage. Ectopic expression of Pdx1 followed by treatment of hAECs with
      nicotinamide for 4 days resulted in strong induction of pancreatic endoderm and
      pancreatic progenitor genes, including NKX6.1 and NEUROD1. Pancreatic lineage
      cells expressing PDX1, SOX17, and RFX6 are derived from Pdx1-transduced hAECs
      treated with activin A or nicotinamide, but not cells treated with activin A or
      nicotinamide alone. Our study provides a novel culture protocol for generating
      pancreas-committed cells from hAECs and reveals an interplay between Pdx1 and
      activin A/nicotinamide signaling in early pancreatic fate determination.

PMID- 28632452
TI  - The effect of G-CSF on infertile women undergoing IVF treatment: A meta-analysis.
AB  - Evidence for the effect of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) on
      infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) remains inconsistent.
      This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of G-CSF on infertile women
      undergoing IVF. PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched before August 2016.
      Comparing the transvaginal perfusion of G-CSF and placebo or no treatment, the
      available studies were considered. The pooled risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence
      intervals (CIs) was used in the analysis and six studies were included.
      Transvaginal perfusion of G-CSF was significantly associated with a higher
      clinical pregnancy rate versus the placebo (RR=1.563, 95%CI: 1.122, 2.176),
      especially for the Asian population. Among patients with a thin endometrium or
      repeated IVF failure, the implantation and biochemical pregnancy rates were also
      significantly increased in patients with the use of G-CSF (implantation rate: RR
      = 1.887, 95% CI: 1.256, 2.833; biochemical pregnancy rate: RR = 2.385, 95% CI:
      1.414, 4.023). However, no statistical significance in increasing endometrial
      thickness was detected. Transvaginal perfusion of G-CSF for infertile women may
      play a critical role in assisting human reproduction, especially for patients
      with a thin endometrium or repeated IVF failure in the Asian population.

PMID- 28632454
TI  - Localized amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light chain-derived amyloidosis in a young
      boy and an adolescent girl.

PMID- 28632453
TI  - Survey of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and
      non-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls in US meat and poultry, 2012-13: toxic
      equivalency levels, patterns, temporal trends and implications.
AB  - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts a statistically based survey of
      the domestic meat supply (beef, pork, chicken and turkey) to determine current
      levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated
      dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and non-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls (no-PCBs) every 5
      years. Fat samples for each slaughter class were collected from US federally
      licensed slaughter facilities. The samples were processed and analysed for 17
      PCDD/Fs and three no-PCBs. The sum of PCDD, PCDF and no-PCB toxic equivalencies
      (sum-TEQ) calculated using 2005 toxic-equivalency factors for all slaughter
      classes ranged from non-detect (n.d.) to 6.47 pg TEQ g-1 lipid. The median sum
      TEQs, when n.d. = 0.5 LOD, for beef, pork, chicken and turkey were 0.66, 0.12,
      0.13 and 0.34 pg TEQ g-1 lipid respectively. A comparison of the current survey
      with the previous three surveys shows a declining trend, with decreasing
      differences between medians; differences between the median sum-TEQs from 2007-08
      and 2012-13 were -10%, -29%, -33% and -25% for beef, pork, chicken and turkey
      respectively. Several beef samples underwent further characterisation and
      congener patterns from these beef samples suggested pentachlorophenol treated
      wood as the likely exposure source. US consumer exposure to these compounds is
      relatively low and no slaughter class contributed more than 26% to the US
      Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) chronic oral reference dose of 0.7 pg TEQ
      kg-1 bw day-1.

PMID- 28632456
TI  - Effect of Carbon Dioxide Laser on Increasing Vestibular Depth in Cleft Lip and
      Palate Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Shallow upper buccal sulcus deformity in cleft lip and palate
      patients is one of the common secondary deformities after primary cleft lip and
      palate repair; this deformity may prevent or complicate orthodontic and
      prosthodontic procedures causing aesthetic and functional problems. A number of
      methods are described to increase the anterior maxillary sulcus in these
      patients. PURPOSE: This study assessed the use of a carbon dioxide laser (CO2) to
      increase the sulcus depth. METHOD: Fifteen patients with cleft lip and palate
      (eight unilateral and seven bilateral) were studied. The surgical procedure was
      performed using CO2 laser. The vestibular depth and lip length were measured at
      three time points namely before surgery (T0), 1 week following surgery (T1), and
      4 months following surgery (T2). After data collection, statistical analyses were
      done using PASW(r) version 18 SPSS. RESULTS: The mean values of vestibular depth
      were 9.46 +/- 1.92, 13.83 +/- 1.88, and 13.23 +/- 1.76 mm for T0, T1, and T2,
      respectively. The vestibular depth significantly increased after 4 months of
      follow-up (p = 0.001). The mean amount of vestibular depth gain was not
      significantly different in unilateral and bilateral cleft groups (p = 0.908). The
      mean value of upper lip length increased by a mean of 1.23 mm and was
      statistically significant (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Upper buccal sulcus
      reconstruction with CO2 laser provides successful and stable results. CO2 laser
      application is suggested as an alternative to conventional vestibuloplasty.

PMID- 28632455
TI  - Joint Preservation Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery.
AB  - CONTEXT: With increasing life expectancy, there is growing demand for
      preservation of native articular cartilage to delay joint arthroplasties,
      especially in younger, active patients. Damage to the hyaline cartilage of a
      joint has a limited intrinsic capacity to heal. This can lead to accelerated
      degeneration of the joint and early-onset osteoarthritis. Treatment in the past
      was limited, however, and surgical treatment options continue to evolve that may
      allow restoration of the natural biology of the articular cartilage. This article
      reviews the most current literature with regard to indications, techniques, and
      outcomes of these restorative procedures. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: MEDLINE and
      PubMed searches relevant to the topic were performed for articles published
      between 1995 and 2016. Older articles were used for historical reference. This
      paper places emphasis on evidence published within the past 5 years. STUDY
      DESIGN: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. RESULTS: Autologous
      chondrocyte implantation and osteochondral allografts (OCAs) for the treatment of
      articular cartilage injury allow restoration of hyaline cartilage to the joint
      surface, which is advantageous over options such as microfracture, which heal
      with less favorable fibrocartilage. Studies show that these techniques are useful
      for larger chondral defects where there is no alternative. Additionally, meniscal
      transplantation can be a valuable isolated or adjunctive procedure to prolong the
      health of the articular surface. CONCLUSION: Newer techniques such as autologous
      chondrocyte implantation and OCAs may safely produce encouraging outcomes in
      joint preservation.

PMID- 28632457
TI  - The BEVPS: A new test battery to assess visual perceptual and spatial processing
      abilities in 5-14 year-old children.
AB  - This study aims to examine the different levels of visual perceptual object
      recognition (early, intermediate, and late) defined in Humphreys and Riddoch's
      model as well as basic visual spatial processing in children using a new test
      battery (BEVPS). It focuses on the age sensitivity, internal coherence,
      theoretical validity, and convergent validity of this battery. French-speaking,
      typically developing children (n = 179; 5 to 14 years) were assessed using 15 new
      computerized subtests. After selecting the most age-sensitive tasks though
      ceiling effect and correlation analyses, an exploratory factorial analysis was
      run with the 12 remaining subtests to examine the BEVPS' theoretical validity.
      Three separate factors were identified for the assessment of the stimuli's basic
      features (F1, four subtests), view-dependent and -independent object
      representations (F2, six subtests), and basic visual spatial processing (F3, two
      subtests). Convergent validity analyses revealed positive correlations between F1
      and F2 and the Beery-VMI visual perception subtest, while no such correlations
      were found for F3. Children's performances progressed until the age of 9-10 years
      in F1 and in view-independent representations (F2), and until 11-12 years in view
      dependent representations (F2). However, no progression with age was observed in
      F3. Moreover, the selected subtests, present good-to-excellent internal
      consistency, which indicates that they provide reliable measures for the
      assessment of visual perceptual processing abilities in children.

PMID- 28632458
TI  - Aquaporins: Novel Targets for Age-Related Ocular Disorders.
AB  - Aquaporins (AQPs), a large family of membrane protein channels that facilitate
      transport of water and other small solutes, play important roles in physiological
      functions and human diseases. Up till now, 13 types of AQPs, numbered 0 through
      12, have been identified in various mammalian tissues. Homologous genes for AQPs
      in amphibians, insects, and bacteria highlight the evolutionary conservation and,
      thus, the importance of these membrane channels. Many members of the AQP family
      are expressed in the eye. AQP1, which is a water-selective channel, is expressed
      in the anterior chamber (cornea, ciliary body, trabecular meshwork) and posterior
      chamber (retina and microvessels in choroid), controlling the fluid homeostasis
      in the eye. Mice knockout studies have indicated that AQP1 plays an important
      function in the eye by suggesting its role in aqueous humor dynamics and retina
      angiogenesis. This review will focus on the role of AQP1 as a novel target for
      ocular disorders such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, and it
      will discuss challenges and advances in identifying modulators of AQP1 function
      that could be useful in clinical applications.

PMID- 28632460
TI  - From the Editor.

PMID- 28632459
TI  - The web of microRNA in B lymphoblastic leukemia.

PMID- 28632461
TI  - Consuming Ecstasy: Representations of Male and Female Orgasm in Mainstream
      Pornography.
AB  - Social representations, which appear in a variety of media, can influence the way
      sexual experiences are perceived and understood. While pornography is not the
      only medium in which orgasm is portrayed, it is the most explicit, and it is
      widespread and easily accessible. As such, pornography is an ideal medium for
      examining representations of male and female orgasm. PornHub's 50 most viewed
      videos of all time were viewed and coded for the frequency of male and female
      orgasm, orgasm-inducing sex acts (and whether activity inducing female orgasms
      included some form of clitoral stimulation), and auditory (verbal, vocal) and
      visual (bodily) indicators of orgasm. Content analysis was used to code and
      analyze the data. Results were analyzed in light of sexual script theory and
      previous orgasm research. Only 18.3% of women, compared to 78.0% of men, were
      shown reaching orgasm. Sex differences in depictions of orgasm, beyond the
      appearance of semen, were documented. Results support the male performance script
      as evident in pornographic depictions of orgasm, as well as coital and orgasm
      imperatives. As a result, representations of male and female orgasm in mainstream
      pornography may serve to perpetuate unrealistic beliefs and expectations in
      relation to female orgasm and male sexual performance.

PMID- 28632462
TI  - Examining changes in negative mood regulation expectancies, posttraumatic stress
      disorder, depression, and substance use following integrated cognitive-behavioral
      therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The comorbidity of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
      and substance use disorder (SUD) is common among veterans. Some research
      indicates that poor expectancies for negative mood regulation (NMR) may be
      associated with depression, trauma symptoms, and substance abuse. However, little
      is known about whether NMR expectancies can be changed through psychotherapy and
      if so, whether changes in NMR expectancies are related to changes in depression,
      PTSD, and SUD. METHODS: Therefore, this study examined (1) whether NMR
      expectancies correlate with depression, PTSD, and SUD symptoms; (2) whether NMR
      expectancies improve after group integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT);
      and (3) whether these changes were associated with improvements in depression,
      PTSD, and SUD symptoms in a sample of 123 veterans (89% male, 64% non-Hispanic
      Caucasian) recruited from a Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Healthcare System.
      RESULTS: Findings indicated that (1) NMR expectancies were significantly
      associated with depression and PTSD symptoms but not substance use at baseline;
      (2) NMR expectancies significantly improved following group ICBT treatment; (3)
      following treatment, improvements in NMR expectancies were associated with
      decreases in depression and PTSD symptoms but were unrelated to changes in
      substance use outcomes; and (4) baseline NMR expectancies did not predict
      treatment outcomes. Similarly, pre-post NMR expectancies change scores were
      significantly associated with changes in depression and PTSD symptoms, but not
      percentage days using or percentage days heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS: In
      conclusion, this study suggests that group ICBT is associated with improvements
      in NMR expectancies among veterans with depression, PTSD, and SUD, which are
      associated with improvements in depression and PTSD symptoms.

PMID- 28632463
TI  - The effects of dosage time and frequency on motor outcomes in children with
      cerebral palsy: A systematic review.
AB  - PURPOSE: Provide an updated review regarding treatment dosage for children with
      cerebral palsy (CP) by examining the variables of type, time, frequency, and
      intensity. METHODS: A systematic review was performed with 30 articles meeting
      the inclusion criteria. Two authors independently extracted data including
      information about risk of bias. Ten articles were included in the review.
      RESULTS: Eight studies manipulated time, two studies manipulated frequency, and
      three studies manipulated both variables. No studies investigated intensity.
      Findings suggest that manipulating time and/or frequency may result in better
      motor function for higher total dosing; however, benefits were not consistent
      across studies and few showed clinically significant improvements. CONCLUSION:
      This most current evidence regarding the effect of dosage on motor function for
      children with CP suggests that there is insufficient evidence to support
      implementing high-dosage therapy. Further research is needed to clarify the
      relationship between dosage variables on motor function for children with CP.

PMID- 28632464
TI  - Effects of video modeling with video feedback on vocational skills of adults with
      autism spectrum disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of a video modeling (VM) with video
      feedback (VFB) intervention to teach vocational gardening skills to three adults
      with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD: A multiple probe design across
      skills was used to assess the effects of the intervention on the three
      participants' ability to perform skills accurately. RESULTS: The use of VM with
      VFB led to improvements across skills for two of the participants. The third
      participant required video prompting (VP) for successful skill acquisition. Skill
      performance generalized across personnel and settings for two of the
      participants, but it was not assessed for the third. Skill performance maintained
      at follow-up for all three participants. Social validity data gathered from
      participants, parents, and co-workers were positive. CONCLUSION: These findings
      suggest that VM with VFB and VP with VFB were effective and socially acceptable
      interventions for teaching vocational gardening skills to young adults with ASD.

PMID- 28632465
TI  - Psychosocial outcome and quality of life following childhood stroke - A
      systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this paper was to critically review the recent literature
      on psychosocial and behavioral outcome following childhood stroke, to assess
      whether quality of life is affected and to investigate the factors related to
      psychosocial outcome. METHODS: Literature searches were conducted and identified
      36 relevant papers from the period 1908-2016. RESULTS: The systematic review
      found that many children experience difficulties in a wide range of psychosocial
      domains. Quality of life can also be significantly reduced. Inconsistent findings
      regarding the correlates of outcome are likely due to methodological limitations.
      These issues include small and heterogeneous samples, lack of control groups, and
      measurement difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review strongly indicates
      that childhood stroke can affect a myriad of psychosocial domains and a child's
      quality of life. Methodological issues, particularly around heterogeneous samples
      and measures, limit the conclusions that can be drawn regarding the predictors of
      outcome.

PMID- 28632466
TI  - Neuropsychological profiles of children with cerebral palsy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore factors contributing to variability in cognitive functioning
      in children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: A geographical cohort of 70
      children with CP was assessed with tests of language comprehension, visual
      spatial reasoning, attention, working memory, memory, and executive functioning.
      Mean age was 9;9 years (range 5;1-17;7), 54.3% were girls, and 50.0% had
      hemiplegic, 25.7% diplegic, 12.9% quadriplegic, and 11.4% dyskinetic CP. For the
      participants with severe motor impairments, assessments were adapted for gaze
      pointing. A cognitive quotient (CQ) was computed. RESULTS: Mean CQ was 78.5
      (range 19-123). Gross motor functioning, epilepsy, and type of brain injury
      explained 35.5% of the variance in CQ (F = 10.643, p = .000). CONCLUSION: Twenty
      four percent had an intellectual disability, most of them were children with
      quadriplegic CP. Verbal comprehension and perceptual reasoning scores did only
      differ for the 21% with an uneven profile, of whom two-thirds had challenges with
      perceptual reasoning.

PMID- 28632467
TI  - Effects of a single session of transcranial direct current stimulation on upper
      limb movements in children with cerebral palsy: A randomized, sham-controlled
      study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Motor impairment in children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral
      palsy (CP) is generally more prominent in the affected upper limb, leading to
      limitations in hand function stemming from deficiencies in motor coordination and
      selective motor control as well as muscle weakness, slower execution of movements
      and deficient integration of sensory-motor information. OBJECTIVE: Determine the
      effect of a single session of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation
      (tDCS) combined with functional training on the spatiotemporal variables of upper
      arm movements in children with spastic hemiparesis. METHOD: A randomized, sham
      controlled trial with a blinded evaluator was conducted involving 20 children
      with CP between 6 and 12 years of age. The spatiotemporal variables of the upper
      limbs were analyzed by comparing the results of Evaluation 1 (before stimulation)
      and Evaluation 2 (immediately after stimulation). The protocol consisted of a 20
      minute session of functional training of the paretic upper limb combined with
      tDCS administered over the primary motor cortex of the hemisphere contralateral
      to the motor impairment at an intensity of 1 mA. The participants were randomly
      allocated to two groups: experimental group (anodal tDCS) and control group (sham
      tDCS). RESULTS: Statistically significant (p < 0.05) reductions in total movement
      duration and returning movement duration were found in both the paretic and non
      paretic limbs in the group submitted to active tDCS. No significant differences
      were found in the control group for any of the variables analyzed. CONCLUSION: A
      single session of anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex of the hemisphere
      ipsilateral to the brain lesion led to momentary motor improvements in both upper
      limbs of the children with spastic hemiparetic CP analyzed in the present study.

PMID- 28632468
TI  - Willingness to use pre-exposure prophylaxis among Black and White men who have
      sex with men in Atlanta, Georgia.
AB  - PrEP willingness may be different among black and white men who have sex with men
      (MSM) given known disparities in HIV incidence, sociodemographic factors, and
      healthcare access between these groups. We surveyed 482 black and white HIV
      negative MSM in Atlanta, GA about their willingness to use pre-exposure
      prophylaxis (PrEP) and facilitators and barriers to PrEP willingness. Overall,
      45% (215/482) of men indicated interest in using PrEP. Engaging in recent
      unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) was the only factor significantly associated
      with PrEP willingness in multivariate analyses (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.13, 2.65).
      Willing men identified "extra protection" against HIV as the most common reason
      for interest in using PrEP, whereas unwilling men most commonly cited not wanting
      to take medication daily, and this reason was more common among white MSM (42.3%
      of white MSM vs. 28.9% of black MSM, p = 0.04). Most men indicated willingness to
      use PrEP if cost was <50 dollars/month; however, more black MSM indicated
      willingness to use PrEP only if cost were free (17.9% of white MSM vs. 25.9% of
      black MSM, p = 0.03). Overall, these data are useful to scale up PrEP
      interventions targeting at-risk MSM in Atlanta and highlight the need for
      implementation of low cost-programs, which will be especially important for black
      MSM.

PMID- 28632469
TI  - Stressful point-of-care rapid testing for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis
      C virus, and syphilis.
AB  - Even with technological advances in point-of-care rapid testing for HIV,
      hepatitis, and syphilis, individuals may still find the experience of submitting
      to testing, and receiving results, to be stressful. Participants completed the
      rapid test experience questionnaires to assess stress both prior to and after the
      specimen collection. Participants completed the risk behavior assessment, the
      coping strategies indicator, and the Barratt impulsivity scale. Participants
      chose which rapid tests they wanted using a list administered via computer.
      Logistic regression analysis was used to model self-reported stress prior to
      testing and after testing. A total of 1097 individuals completed testing.
      Individuals who scored high on avoidance reported a stressful experience at
      pretest (OR = 1.15, CI = 1.04, 1.26) while higher educational attainment was
      associated with no stress at both time points. Injection drug users, avoidant,
      and impulsive individuals experience stress either before or after rapid testing.
      Education appears to be protective against stressful testing.

PMID- 28632470
TI  - Self-collected glans/meatal 'dry' swab specimen and NAAT technology detects
      Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae - implications for public policy
      changes.
AB  - Increasing Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) rates and ever-present Neisseria
      gonorrhoeae (NG) infections in women have given rise in the past to consideration
      of male screening programs in order to address the silent male reservoir. Non
      medical venues (e.g. home collection, restrooms or other private locations) may
      be viable venues to reach certain populations that in the past have not been
      accessed. Effortlessly collected, non-invasive, self-collected male specimens
      that are stable and easy to transport would enhance the success of male screening
      programs. We designed a head-to-head study to consider the effectiveness of non
      invasive self-collected glans/meatal dry swab (SCS) specimens to detect CT and NG
      nucleic acid when compared to traditional clinician-collected swab (CCS)
      specimens and first-catch urine (FCU) specimens. A total of 284 male patients
      were included in the study. Specimens were processed using the Becton Dickinson
      ProbeTec ET system. The overall sensitivity of SCS was 91.1% with a specificity
      of 99.2%. There was an overall SCS agreement of 97.7% with CCS specimens and
      90.4% with FCU specimens. Dry swab specimens are easy to collect, transport and
      test. Non-invasive dry self-collected glans/meatal swab specimens are a viable
      specimen choice.

PMID- 28632472
TI  - Recalcitrant giant condyloma acuminatum treated successfully with a novel
      combination of Mycobacterium indicus pranii immunotherapy and acitretin.
AB  - Giant condyloma acuminatum occurs infrequently in children and adolescents. It is
      a challenging condition which is difficult to treat with both surgical and
      medical modalities. We present a case of a 15-year-old boy with giant condyloma
      acuminatum of the glans penis refractory to several therapeutic modalities. The
      lesions were treated successfully with a novel combination of Mycobacterium
      indicus pranii immunotherapy and acitretin. There was no recurrence of lesions
      after two years of follow-up.

PMID- 28632471
TI  - Lenalidomide as a treatment for relapsed AL amyloidosis in an HIV-positive
      patient.
AB  - We present a case of an HIV-positive man with systemic immunoglobulin light chain
      (AL) amyloid with cardiac involvement. At relapse, he was treated with
      lenalidomide and dexamethasone having previously developed autonomic neuropathy
      with bortezomib-based chemotherapy. The patient achieved a serological complete
      response with symptomatic improvement. After 11 cycles, lenalidomide was
      discontinued due to extensive ischaemia of the gastrointestinal tract. The
      patient remains symptomatically stable with normal levels of serum-free light
      chains 11 months after the treatment was discontinued. Lenalidomide can be a good
      treatment option for AL amyloidosis in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral
      therapy.

PMID- 28632473
TI  - A rare occurrence of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita in a patient with retroviral
      disease.
AB  - Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is a chronic subepidermal blistering disease
      associated with autoimmunity to type-VII collagen within anchoring fibrils
      located at the dermo-epidermal junction. This entity is rarely reported from
      India. It can have a variety of presentations. Its occurrence with retroviral
      disease has rarely been reported. Here, we present a case of epidermolysis
      bullosa acquisita in a patient with HIV infection.

PMID- 28632474
TI  - Evaluation of the concurrent use of dolutegravir and metformin in human
      immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
AB  - An analysis of the interaction between dolutegravir and metformin was conducted
      in the HIV ambulatory clinic setting. This was a multicenter, retrospective case
      series evaluating adult, HIV-infected patients concurrently prescribed
      dolutegravir and metformin. Historical electronic medical records were utilized
      to collect case-specific data. Laboratory parameters including serum creatinine
      (SCr), hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c), plasma HIV RNA, CD4 cell count, and lactate were
      reviewed. Adverse drug reactions were assessed using patient-reported
      gastrointestinal intolerance and hypoglycemic symptoms. Metformin dose reduction
      or discontinuation was also recorded. Nineteen patients identified as
      concurrently taking metformin and dolutegravir were included. Eighteen patients
      were on metformin prior to dolutegravir initiation, with 13 having received
      metformin for at least six months prior to dolutegravir. At the time of
      dolutegravir initiation, one patient had a preemptive metformin dose reduction.
      Seven patients were initiated on dolutegravir with a metformin dose greater than
      1000 mg daily. Eleven patients had baseline and three- to six-month follow-up
      HgbA1c. Of those 11 patients, eight had stable or decreased values. Thirteen of
      the 19 patients had an increase in SCr, with a median increase of 0.3 mg/dl (0.03
      0.43). Gastrointestinal distress (N = 3) and hypoglycemic symptoms (N = 3) were
      reported in a total of five patients. Adverse drug reactions resulted in
      metformin dose reduction (N = 2) and/or discontinuation (N = 2). There were no
      reported cases of lactic acidosis. Providers concurrently prescribing
      dolutegravir and metformin should be aware of potential consequences with this
      combination and may consider an empiric metformin dose reduction to prevent
      intolerable adverse drug reactions.

PMID- 28632475
TI  - Generic substitution of antiretrovirals: patients' and health care providers'
      opinions.
AB  - There is interest in introducing generic antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) into high
      income countries in order to maximise efficiency in health care budgets. Studies
      examining patients' and providers' knowledge and attitudes to generic
      substitution in HIV are few. This was a cross-sectional, observational study with
      a convenience sample of adult HIV-infected patients and health care providers
      (HCPs). Data on demographics, knowledge of generic medicine and facilitators of
      generic substitution were collected. Descriptive and univariate analysis was
      performed using SPSS V.23TM. Questionnaires were completed by 66 patients.
      Seventy-one per cent would have no concerns with the introduction of generic
      ARVs. An increase in frequency of administration (61%) or pill burden (53%) would
      make patients less likely to accept generic ARVs. There were 30 respondents to
      the HCP survey. Concerns included the supply chain of generics, loss of fixed
      dose combinations, adherence and use of older medications. An increase in dosing
      frequency (76%) or an increase in pill burden (50%) would make HCPs less likely
      to prescribe a generic ARV. The main perceived advantage was financial. Generic
      substitution of ARVs would be acceptable to the majority of patients and HCPs.
      Reinvesting savings back into HIV services would facilitate the success of such a
      programme.

PMID- 28632476
TI  - Extensive brain masses and cavitary lung lesions associated with toxoplasmosis
      and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
AB  - Toxoplasmosis is an important cause of enhancing brain lesions in patients with
      acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and it is typically associated with
      low CD4-lymphocyte counts. Extensive toxoplasma encephalitis when the CD4
      lymphocyte count is above 100 cells/ul is unusual. Cavitary lung lesions are also
      not typically associated with toxoplasmosis. Here, we present a case of
      toxoplasmosis associated with extensive brain masses and cavitary lung lesions,
      both of which improved with directed toxoplasmosis therapy, in an AIDS patient
      with a CD4 cell count of 120 cells/ul.

PMID- 28632477
TI  - Antiretroviral therapy adherence and self-efficacy among people living with HIV
      and a history of drug use in Vietnam.
AB  - People living with HIV with a history of drug use face additional psychosocial
      challenges that could compromise their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
      This study examined ART treatment adherence and adherence self-efficacy among
      people living with HIV with a history of drug use in Vietnam. We used cross
      sectional baseline data collected between October 2014 and February 2015 from a
      randomized controlled trial in Vietnam. Of the 900 persons with a history of drug
      use in the trial, a sample of 109 people living with HIV currently on ART were
      included in the study. The vast majority (92%) of the participants reported not
      missing any medications in the past 30 days. Multiple regression results
      indicated that social support was positively associated with adherence self
      efficacy (beta = 0.420, P < 0.001) and general adherence to ART (beta = 0.201, P
      = 0.0368). General adherence to ART was negatively associated with depressive
      symptoms (beta = -0.188, P = 0.046) and current heroin use (beta = -0.196, P =
      0.042). These findings underscore the importance of addressing mental health and
      social challenges facing people living with HIV with a history of drug use to
      promote ART treatment adherence. Clinical management of HIV should identify and
      address concurrent substance use behaviors to maximize adherence and treatment
      outcomes.

PMID- 28632478
TI  - Sexual risk behaviors and predictors of inconsistent condom use among crack
      cocaine users in the French overseas territories in the Americas.
AB  - The French overseas territories in the Americas are the French territories most
      affected by HIV. Crack cocaine users are particularly impacted. The objective of
      this study was to describe sexual risk behaviors and inconsistent condom use
      among crack cocaine users. A total of 640 crack cocaine users were interviewed.
      The sampling method was non-probabilistic. An anonymous standardized
      questionnaire of 110 questions was used. Over a third of persons did not use
      condoms systematically with casual sex partners (36.2%) or commercial sex
      partners (32.3%), and 64% did not use condoms systematically with regular sex
      partners. In a context of multiple sexual partnerships, frequent forced sex, and
      insufficient HIV testing, the lack of systematic condom use may favor the spread
      of HIV. Different predictive factors of inconsistent condom use were identified,
      depending on the type of partner, with a log binomial regression. However, among
      the predictor variables identified, two predictive factors frequently occur among
      the different type of sex partners: high perceived risk of HIV and self-perceived
      capacity to persuade a sex partner to use condom. These results pointed towards
      interventions improving access to rights and raising perceived self-efficacy.

PMID- 28632479
TI  - Use and acceptability of salivary hepatitis C virus testing in an English Young
      Offender Institution.
AB  - People held in prison are at a high risk of having hepatitis C virus (HCV) and
      there is a public health drive in the UK to increase HCV testing in prisons and
      Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), with opt-out testing. There is an oral
      antibody test for HCV; this project aims to determine its acceptability in an
      English YOI setting. This project offered HCV oral point-of-care testing (POCT)
      using the OraQuick(r) test to 107 male young offenders attending a sexual health
      service at an English YOI, monitoring HCV positivity and evaluating
      acceptability. It also investigated young offenders' histories of sexually
      transmitted infections (STIs) and drug use. Mean age was 19.1 years. A total of
      80.4% reported lifetime drug use and 0.9% reported lifetime drug injection. A
      total of 19.6% reported previous STIs. One patient (0.9%) was positive for HCV on
      OraQuick(r) testing. All patients found the POCT acceptable and one stated he
      would have refused a fingerprick test had it been the only test available for HCV
      testing. Salivary rapid HCV testing is acceptable among English YOI inmates. It
      is not as sensitive or specific as standard HCV tests and is more expensive. In
      our cohort, HCV positivity was low.

PMID- 28632480
TI  - Healthcare contacts among patients lost to follow-up in HIV care: review of a
      large regional cohort utilizing electronic health records.
AB  - In the United States 40% of HIV patients are lost to follow-up (LTFU) following
      linkage to HIV care and an estimated 30-61% of new HIV transmissions are
      attributed to this group. To characterize those LTFU and healthcare contacts they
      make, we retrospectively analyzed a large regional HIV cohort in Calgary, Canada,
      utilizing a province-wide electronic health record. Adults engaged in HIV care
      between January 2010 and August 2014 who had >12 months without HIV clinic
      contact were identified as LTFU. Of 1928 individuals engaged in care, 176 became
      LTFU with 64% having no healthcare contacts, 20% receiving HIV care elsewhere,
      and 16% making non-HIV healthcare contacts. Those LTFU making non-HIV healthcare
      contacts did so a median of six times (interquartile range 2-8), 76% attending
      emergency departments (ED). Compared to those retained in care, LTFU patients
      were younger (median age 43 versus 47 years), had lower CD4+ cell counts (median
      420 versus 500 * 106/l) and more commonly resided outside of the centralized HIV
      clinic's city (odds ratio 4.58) (all p < 0.01). Our finding that a majority of
      those LTFU did not make healthcare contacts suggests that community and HIV
      clinic-based relinkage programs are needed. For those LTFU who make healthcare
      contacts enhanced ED-based relinkage programs could engage a majority.

PMID- 28632481
TI  - Trends in CD4 cell count response to first-line antiretroviral treatment in HIV
      positive patients from Asia, 2003-2013: TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database Low
      Intensity Transfer.
AB  - Antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines have changed over the past decade,
      recommending earlier initiation and more tolerable regimens. The study objective
      was to examine the CD4 response to ART, depending on the year of ART initiation,
      in HIV-positive patients in the Asia-Pacific. We included HIV-positive adult
      patients who initiated ART between 2003 and 2013 in our regional cohort from
      eight urban referral centres in seven countries within Asia. We used mixed
      effects linear regression models to evaluate differences in CD4 response by year
      of ART initiation during 36 months of follow-up, adjusted a priori for other
      covariates. Overall, 16,962 patients were included. Patients initiating in 2006-9
      and 2010-13 had an estimated mean CD4 cell count increase of 8 and 15 cells/ul,
      respectively, at any given time during the 36-month follow-up, compared to those
      in 2003-5. The median CD4 cell count at ART initiation also increased from 96
      cells/ul in 2003-5 to 173 cells/ul in 2010-13. Our results suggest that the CD4
      response to ART is modestly higher for those initiating ART in more recent years.
      Moreover, fewer patients are presenting with lower absolute CD4 cell counts over
      time. This is likely to reduce their risk of opportunistic infections and future
      non-AIDS defining cancers.

PMID- 28632482
TI  - Staff, associate specialist and specialty doctors' national audit on the
      management of gonorrhoea in the United Kingdom, 2015.
AB  - The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) revised United Kingdom
      national guideline for the management of gonorrhoea in adults, 2011, identified
      five auditable outcome measures, namely, that all patients should receive first
      line treatment, be screened or treated for chlamydial infection, have a test of
      cure (TOC), be offered written information and have partner notification carried
      out. The UK National Guideline for Gonorrhoea Testing, Clinical Effectiveness
      Group, BASHH, 2012, recommended in addition that all reactive nucleic acid
      amplification tests (NAATs) from pharynx and rectum should be confirmed by
      supplementary testing, using a second NAAT which detects a different nucleic acid
      target, all those with a positive NAAT for gonorrhoea should have culture and
      antimicrobial susceptibility testing and that TOC should be done by two weeks.
      Staff, associate specialist and specialty doctors performed a national audit
      against these standards. Data from 3233 cases were submitted; 8% of cases of
      gonorrhoea diagnosed in England, Scotland and Wales over this period. We found
      that 83% patients received first-line treatment with a reason for not doing so
      provided for 11%. TOC was documented for 62% and written information was offered
      to 41%. Results about supplementary testing were inconsistent. The results for
      the other outcomes were satisfactory.

PMID- 28632483
TI  - Cardiovascular disease risk profile of NCAA Division III intercollegiate football
      athletes: a pilot study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Concerns about the long-term cardiovascular health implications of
      American football participation have been investigated at the professional and
      Division I levels, but limited research is available at the less resourced
      Division III level. Therefore, the objective was to assess the cardiovascular
      disease risk profile of NCAA Division III intercollegiate football athletes.
      METHODS: Eighty-nine varsity football athletes (age = 19.6 +/- 1.7 years, height
      = 1.81 +/- 0.07m, weight = 92.7 +/- 16.2kg; n = 21 linemen, n = 68 non-linemen)
      at a private Division III university volunteered to participate. During a
      preseason pre-participation physical examination, all participants completed a
      health history screening form (to assess personal and family history of cardiac
      related pathologies), and were assessed for height, weight, body mass index
      (BMI), and blood pressure (BP). Linemen only additionally gave a blood sample for
      fasting blood glucose and cholesterol analysis, and were assessed for waist and
      hip circumference, metabolic syndrome, and percent body fat (%BF). These measures
      were reported as averages and frequencies of elevated cardiovascular. Independent
      t-tests compared linemen to non-linemen, all other data was presented
      descriptively. RESULTS: On average, linemen were significantly taller, heavier,
      had a higher BMI and higher systolic BP than non-linemen (all P < 0.05); there
      was no difference in diastolic BP between the groups (P = 0.331). The average
      anthropometric and cardiac risk characteristics for linemen were largely within
      normal ranges, however analyzed individually, a substantial number of
      participants were at elevated risk (BMI >=30 = 85.7%, %BF >=25 = 71.4%, waist
      circumference >=1 = 42.9%, hypertension = 9.5%, high density lipoproteins
      <40mg/dL = 42.9%, and triglycerides >=150mg/dL = 6.7%; metabolic syndrome
      prevalence = 19%). CONCLUSIONS: Similar to research in elite athletics, linemen
      at a single Division III university have elevated cardiovascular disease risk.
      Physicians and other healthcare providers should consider this elevated risk
      during pre-participation physical examinations and in planning educational or
      dietary programming targeted to promoting cardiovascular health.

PMID- 28632485
TI  - Will strict limits on opioid prescription duration prevent addiction? Advocating
      for evidence-based policymaking.

PMID- 28632484
TI  - Rab GTPases and their interacting protein partners: Structural insights into Rab
      functional diversity.
AB  - Rab molecular switches are key players in defining membrane identity and
      regulating intracellular trafficking events in eukaryotic cells. In spite of
      their global structural similarity, Rab-family members acquired particular
      features that allow them to perform specific cellular functions. The overall fold
      and local sequence conservations enable them to utilize a common machinery for
      prenylation and recycling; while individual Rab structural differences determine
      interactions with specific partners such as GEFs, GAPs and effector proteins.
      These interactions orchestrate the spatiotemporal regulation of Rab localization
      and their turning ON and OFF, leading to tightly controlled Rab-specific
      functionalities such as membrane composition modifications, recruitment of
      molecular motors for intracellular trafficking, or recruitment of scaffold
      proteins that mediate interactions with downstream partners, as well as actin
      cytoskeleton regulation. In this review we summarize structural information on
      Rab GTPases and their complexes with protein partners in the context of partner
      binding specificity and functional outcomes of their interactions in the cell.

PMID- 28632486
TI  - Randomized, Noncomparative, Phase II Trial of Early Switch From Docetaxel to
      Cabazitaxel or Vice Versa, With Integrated Biomarker Analysis, in Men With
      Chemotherapy-Naive, Metastatic, Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.
AB  - Purpose The TAXYNERGY trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01718353)
      evaluated clinical benefit from early taxane switch and circulating tumor cell
      (CTC) biomarkers to interrogate mechanisms of sensitivity or resistance to
      taxanes in men with chemotherapy-naive, metastatic, castration-resistant prostate
      cancer. Patients and Methods Patients were randomly assigned 2:1 to docetaxel or
      cabazitaxel. Men who did not achieve >= 30% prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
      decline by cycle 4 (C4) switched taxane. The primary clinical endpoint was
      confirmed >= 50% PSA decline versus historical control (TAX327). The primary
      biomarker endpoint was analysis of post-treatment CTCs to confirm the hypothesis
      that clinical response was associated with taxane drug-target engagement,
      evidenced by decreased percent androgen receptor nuclear localization (%ARNL) and
      increased microtubule bundling. Results Sixty-three patients were randomly
      assigned to docetaxel (n = 41) or cabazitaxel (n = 22); 44.4% received prior
      potent androgen receptor-targeted therapy. Overall, 35 patients (55.6%) had
      confirmed >= 50% PSA responses, exceeding the historical control rate of 45.4%
      (TAX327). Of 61 treated patients, 33 (54.1%) had >= 30% PSA declines by C4 and
      did not switch taxane, 15 patients (24.6%) who did not achieve >= 30% PSA
      declines by C4 switched taxane, and 13 patients (21.3%) discontinued therapy
      before or at C4. Of patients switching taxane, 46.7% subsequently achieved >= 50%
      PSA decrease. In 26 CTC-evaluable patients, taxane-induced decrease in %ARNL
      (cycle 1 day 1 v cycle 1 day 8) was associated with a higher rate of >= 50% PSA
      decrease at C4 ( P = .009). Median composite progression-free survival was 9.1
      months (95% CI, 4.9 to 11.7 months); median overall survival was not reached at
      14 months. Common grade 3 or 4 adverse events included fatigue (13.1%) and
      febrile neutropenia (11.5%). Conclusion The early taxane switch strategy was
      associated with improved PSA response rates versus TAX327. Taxane-induced shifts
      in %ARNL may serve as an early biomarker of clinical benefit in patients treated
      with taxanes.

PMID- 28632488
TI  - Vector-Borne Pathogens in Stray Dogs in Northeastern Turkey.
AB  - This experiment was carried out to attain prevalence and molecular
      characterization of pathogens causing canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs)
      including babesiosis, hepatozoonosis, leishmaniasis, filariosis (Dirofilaria
      immitis, Dirofilaria repens, and Acanthocheilonema reconditum), ehrlichiosis
      (Ehrlichia canis), and anaplasmosis (Anaplasma platys) in stray dogs. The study
      material consisted of 133 asymptomatic female (n = 96) and male (n = 37) stray
      dogs (<=1 year old, n = 16 and 1-6 years old, n = 117) housed in the Animal Care
      and Rehabilitation Center, Erzurum, Northeastern Turkey. Conventional and nested
      PCR were performed on blood samples to detect Babesia spp., Leishmania spp.,
      Hepatozoon spp., D. immitis, D. repens, A. reconditum, E. canis, and A. platys.
      Sex and age association with the pathogen prevalence was determined using X2
      statistics. The positivity rate for at least one CVBD pathogen was 48.9%
      (65/133). DNA of B. canis, Hepatozoon spp., H. canis, D. immitis, and E. canis
      were detected in 5.3% (7/133), 27.1% (36/133), 5.3% (7/133), 1.5% (2/133), and
      9.8% (13/133) of the dogs, respectively. Leishmania spp., D. repens, A.
      reconditum, and A. platys DNA were not detected. Mixed pathogens were determined
      in seven (10.8%) of the infected dogs, with predominant involvement of Hepatozoon
      spp. or H. canis. The pathogen prevalence did not vary by sex or age. Nucleotide
      blast analysis of Erzurum isolates showed 99.8-100% identities with the
      corresponding reference isolates. This study indicates presence of five CVB
      pathogens, including the first report of E. canis, in stray dogs in Erzurum,
      Turkey.

PMID- 28632487
TI  - Prospective Randomized Comparison of Idarubicin and High-Dose Daunorubicin in
      Induction Chemotherapy for Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
AB  - Purpose We compared two induction regimens, idarubicin (12 mg/m2/d for 3 days)
      versus high-dose daunorubicin (90 mg/m2/d for 3 days), in young adults with newly
      diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients and Methods A total of 299
      patients (149 randomly assigned to cytarabine plus idarubicin [AI] and 150
      assigned to cytarabine plus high-dose daunorubicin [AD]) were analyzed. All
      patients received cytarabine (200 mg/m2/d for 7 days). Results Complete remission
      (CR) was induced in 232 patients (77.6%), with no difference in CR rates between
      the AI and AD arms (80.5% v 74.7%, respectively; P = .224). At a median follow-up
      time of 34.9 months, survival and relapse rates did not differ between the AI and
      AD arms (4-year overall survival, 51.1% v 54.7%, respectively; P = .756;
      cumulative incidence of relapse, 35.2% v 25.1%, respectively; P = .194; event
      free survival, 45.5% v 50.8%, respectively; P = .772). Toxicity profiles were
      also similar in the two arms. Interestingly, overall and event-free survival
      times of patients with FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation were
      significantly different (AI v AD: median overall survival, 15.5 months v not
      reached, respectively; P = .030; event-free survival, 11.9 months v not reached,
      respectively; P = .028). Conclusion This phase III trial comparing idarubicin
      with high-dose daunorubicin did not find significant differences in CR rates,
      relapse, and survival. Significant interaction between the treatment arm and the
      FLT3-ITD mutation was found, and high-dose daunorubicin was more effective than
      idarubicin in patients with FLT3-ITD mutation.

PMID- 28632489
TI  - The effects of platelet gel on cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE)
      cells.
AB  - The positive role of platelet gel (PG) in tissue regeneration is well known,
      however, other characteristics of PG still remain to be determined. We
      investigated cellular and molecular changes in cultured human retinal pigment
      epithelial (hRPE) cells when treated with different concentrations of PG named
      PG1, PG2, and PG3. hRPE cells were isolated from donor eyes of two newborn
      children, within 24 hours after their death. The cells were treated with three
      concentrations of PG for 7 days: 3 * 104/ml (PG1), 6 * 104/ml (PG2), and 9 *
      104/ml (PG3). Fetal bovine serum was used as a control. Immunocytochemistry was
      performed with anti-RPE65 (H-85), anti-Cytokeratin 8/18 (NCL-5D3), and anti-PAX6
      antibody. We used MTT assay to determine cell viability. Gene expressions of
      PAX6, MMP2, RPE65, ACTA2, MKI67, MMP9, and KDR were analyzed using real-time PCR.
      A significant increase in viability was observed for PG3-treated cells compared
      to control (p = 0.044) and compared to PG1 group (p = 0.027), on day 7. Cellular
      elongation together with dendritiform extensions were observed in PG-treated
      cells on days 1 and 3, while epithelioid morphology was observed on day 7. All
      cells were immunoreactive for RPE65, cytokeratin 8/18, and PAX6. No significant
      change was observed in the expression of MKI67 and PAX6, but the expressions of
      MMP2, MMP9, ACTA2, and KDR were significantly higher in PG2-treated cells
      compared to controls (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that increased
      concentration of PG and extended exposure time have positive effects on viability
      of hRPE cells. PG may be useful for hRPE cell encapsulation in retinal cell
      replacement therapy.

PMID- 28632492
TI  - Is the location of the signal intensity weighted centroid a reliable measurement
      of fluid displacement within the disc?
AB  - Degenerated discs have shorter T2-relaxation time and lower MR signal. The
      location of the signal-intensity-weighted-centroid reflects the water
      distribution within a region-of-interest (ROI). This study compared the
      reliability of the location of the signal-intensity-weighted-centroid to mean
      signal intensity and area measurements. L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs were measured on 43
      mid-sagittal T2-weighted 3T MRI images in adults with back pain. One rater
      analysed images twice and another once, blinded to measurements. Discs were semi
      automatically segmented into a whole disc, nucleus, anterior and posterior
      annulus. The coordinates of the signal-intensity-weighted-centroid for all
      regions demonstrated excellent intraclass-correlation-coefficients for intra-
      (0.99-1.00) and inter-rater reliability (0.97-1.00). The standard error of
      measurement for the Y-coordinates of the signal-intensity-weighted-centroid for
      all ROIs were 0 at both levels and 0 to 2.7 mm for X-coordinates. The mean signal
      intensity and area for the whole disc and nucleus presented excellent intra-rater
      reliability with intraclass-correlation-coefficients from 0.93 to 1.00, and 0.92
      to 1.00 for inter-rater reliability. The mean signal intensity and area had lower
      reliability for annulus ROIs, with intra-rater intraclass-correlation-coefficient
      from 0.5 to 0.76 and inter-rater from 0.33 to 0.58. The location of the signal
      intensity-weighted-centroid is a reliable biomarker for investigating the effects
      of disc interventions.

PMID- 28632491
TI  - Lessons Learned on Health Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change:
      Experiences Across Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is limited published evidence of the effectiveness of
      adaptation in managing the health risks of climate variability and change in low-
      and middle-income countries. OBJECTIVES: To document lessons learned and good
      practice examples from health adaptation pilot projects in low- and middle-income
      countries to facilitate assessing and overcoming barriers to implementation and
      to scaling up. METHODS: We evaluated project reports and related materials from
      the first five years of implementation (2008-2013) of multinational health
      adaptation projects in Albania, Barbados, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Jordan,
      Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and
      Uzbekistan. We also collected qualitative data through a focus group consultation
      and 19 key informant interviews. RESULTS: Our recommendations include that
      national health plans, policies, and budget processes need to explicitly
      incorporate the risks of current and projected climate variability and change.
      Increasing resilience is likely to be achieved through longer-term, multifaceted,
      and collaborative approaches, with supporting activities (and funding) for
      capacity building, communication, and institutionalized monitoring and
      evaluation. Projects should be encouraged to focus not just on shorter-term
      outputs to address climate variability, but also on establishing processes to
      address longer-term climate change challenges. Opportunities for capacity
      development should be created, identified, and reinforced. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      analyses highlight that, irrespective of resource constraints, ministries of
      health and other institutions working on climate-related health issues in low-
      and middle-income countries need to continue to prepare themselves to prevent
      additional health burdens in the context of a changing climate and socioeconomic
      development patterns. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP405.

PMID- 28632493
TI  - Interplay between PAPP-A, inflammation and adiposity in patients with
      angiographically proven acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
AB  - Introduction Studies conducted in the recent past have demonstrated the role of
      inflammation, obesity and dysfunctional insulin signaling as contributing factors
      in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, pharmacological
      interventions targeting a single pathway have not proven useful in the long run.
      This indicates that a synergism occurs between the various risk factors and hence
      calls for a combinatorial approach. This study was planned to study the
      interplay, if any, between pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A),
      inflammation and adiposity in patients with ACS. Materials and methods The study
      was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. The study population
      consisted of 128 subjects, divided into two groups. The control group consisted
      of 64 healthy subjects without ACS. Cases consisted of 64 subjects with
      angiographically proven ACS cases. PAPP-A and high sensitivity C-reactive protein
      (hs-CRP) were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELIZA) kits.
      Results The mean level of PAPP-A and hs-CRP were significantly higher in cases as
      compared to the controls. A positive correlation of PAPP-A was observed with hs
      CRP, insulin, ApoB and Lp(a). The relative risk for ACS was 14.2 with a p value
      of <0.001 when all the three parameters - hs-CRP, PAPP-A and body mass index
      (BMI) were considered together. This was significantly higher when each risk
      factor was assessed standalone. Conclusions Our study results suggest a possible
      interplay between chronic inflammation, obesity and plaque instability among
      patients with ACS. This interaction can accelerate the process of plaque rupture
      in patients with increased BMI as compare to those patients with low/normal BMI.

PMID- 28632490
TI  - The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban.
AB  - The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban documents a consensus of
      more than 200 scientists and medical professionals on the hazards of and lack of
      demonstrated benefit from common uses of triclosan and triclocarban. These
      chemicals may be used in thousands of personal care and consumer products as well
      as in building materials. Based on extensive peer-reviewed research, this
      statement concludes that triclosan and triclocarban are environmentally
      persistent endocrine disruptors that bioaccumulate in and are toxic to aquatic
      and other organisms. Evidence of other hazards to humans and ecosystems from
      triclosan and triclocarban is presented along with recommendations intended to
      prevent future harm from triclosan, triclocarban, and antimicrobial substances
      with similar properties and effects. Because antimicrobials can have unintended
      adverse health and environmental impacts, they should only be used when they
      provide an evidence-based health benefit. Greater transparency is needed in
      product formulations, and before an antimicrobial is incorporated into a product,
      the long-term health and ecological impacts should be evaluated.
      https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1788.

PMID- 28632494
TI  - Long-term dutasteride therapy in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia alters
      glucose and lipid profiles and increases severity of erectile dysfunction.
AB  - Background Dutasteride has been successfully used in treatment of lower urinary
      tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However,
      dutasteride inhibits 5alpha-reductase type 1 and type 2 enzymes and may
      compromises glucocorticoids and androgen metabolism and alters metabolic function
      resulting in undesirable metabolic and sexual adverse side effects. Aim The aim
      of this study was to investigate the long-term adverse effects of dutasteride
      therapy in men with BPH on: i) blood glucose, ii) glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c),
      iii) low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C); high density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC), iv) testosterone (T), v) liver
      alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT and AST) and vi) erectile
      dysfunction (ED). Methods A retrospective registry study, with a cohort of 230
      men aged between 47 and 68 years (mean 57.78 +/- 4.81) were treated with
      dutasteride (0.5 mg/day) for LUTS, secondary to BPH. A second cohort of 230 men
      aged between 52 and 72 years (mean 62.62 +/- 4.65) were treated with tamsulosin
      (0.4 mg). All men were followed up for 36-42 months. At intervals of 3-6 months,
      and at each visit, plasma glucose, HbA1c, TC, LDL-cholesterol, T levels and liver
      alanine amino transferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were
      determined. Further patient assessment was made by the International Index of
      Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) questionnaire, the Aging Male Symptom (AMS) and
      International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS). Results Long-term treatment with
      dutasteride therapy is associated with significant improvements in LUTS, as
      assessed by reduction in prostate volume, IPSS and prostate specific antigen
      (PSA). Long-term dutasteride therapy, however, resulted in increased blood
      glucose, HbA1c, TC and LDL levels, ALT and AST activities, AMS Score and reduced
      T levels and worsened ED as assessed by the IIEF-EF scores. No worsening of ED,
      glucose, HbA1c, ALT, AST, AMS were observed in men treated with tamsulosin. Most
      importantly, long-term dutasteride therapy resulted in reduction in total T
      levels, contributing to a state of hypogonadism. Conclusion Our findings suggest
      that long-term dutasteride therapy produces worsening of ED, reduced T levels and
      increased glucose, HbA1c and alters lipid profiles, suggesting induced imbalance
      in metabolic function. We strongly recommend that physicians discuss with their
      patients these potential serious adverse effects of long-term dutasteride therapy
      prior to instituting this form of treatment.

PMID- 28632495
TI  - Sad and lonely: body dissatisfaction among adolescent girls.
AB  - Purpose To further understand the association between body dissatisfaction and
      sadness/loneliness among adolescent girls, we examine how this association, as
      reported by pre-teen and adolescent girls, is mediated or moderated by the
      quality of peer and family relationships. Methods Our data are from the Health
      Behavior of School-Aged Children 2009-2010, a nationally representative survey of
      school-aged children in the US. We analyze a sample of 5658 girls in Grades 5
      through 10. We utilize ordinary least squares (OLS) regression techniques and
      adjust for the complex sampling design. We explore how the link between body
      dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness is mediated or moderated by family and
      peer relationships and also include controls for age, race, media exposure, and
      physical health. Results We find that body dissatisfaction is predictive of
      sadness/loneliness for girls at all grade levels and that the quality of peer and
      family relationships mediates 27%-38% of this association, particularly among
      early adolescent girls. Positive peer relationships also moderate or help
      mitigate the association between body dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness
      among pre-teens. Conclusion Our findings underscore the association between body
      dissatisfaction and sadness/loneliness among early adolescent girls. In addition,
      our results highlight the importance of quality peer and family relationships in
      terms of how girls think about their bodies and respond emotionally to them. To
      evaluate feelings of sadness and loneliness among early adolescent girls, health
      care professionals need to consider not only body dissatisfaction but also the
      context of peer and family relationships.

PMID- 28632496
TI  - Clustering of chronic diseases risk factors among adolescents: a quasi
      experimental study in Sousse, Tunisia.
AB  - Background The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a
      school-based physical activity and nutritional behavior intervention, on the
      reduction of clustering of chronic diseases risk factors among school children.
      Materials and methods A quasi-experimental school-based intervention was
      conducted with an intervention group and a control group in the region of Sousse
      in Tunisia. The intervention was implemented between 2010 and 2013, with data
      collected at pre and at post intervention. Studied risk factors were: smoking,
      sedentary behavior, low fruit and vegetable intake and obesity. Odds ratios (ORs)
      were used to calculate the clustering of two risk factors. We calculated ORs in
      each group before and after the intervention. Results In the intervention group,
      the prevalence of adolescents that had no risk factors has significantly
      increased (p = 0.004). In the control group the prevalence of adolescents
      carrying two or more risk factors has increased (p = 0.06). The results showed
      that all risk factors tended to cluster together in both groups. In the
      intervention group, the calculated OR for smoking and sedentary behavior
      decreased after assessment (OR = 5.93) as well as the OR for smoking and low
      fruit and vegetable intake (OR = 3.26). In the control group, all ORs increased,
      showing an enhancement of the association. Conclusion This study showed the
      effectiveness of a school-based intervention in reducing the clustering of
      chronic diseases risk factors.

PMID- 28632498
TI  - Can early ultrasonography explain the lower miscarriage rates in twin as compared
      to singleton pregnancies following assisted reproduction?

PMID- 28632499
TI  - Model-based sphere localization (MBSL) in x-ray projections.
AB  - The detection of spherical markers in x-ray projections is an important task in a
      variety of applications, e.g. geometric calibration and detector distortion
      correction. Therein, the projection of the sphere center on the detector is of
      particular interest as the used spherical beads are no ideal point-like objects.
      Only few methods have been proposed to estimate this respective position on the
      detector with sufficient accuracy and surrogate positions, e.g. the center of
      gravity, are used, impairing the results of subsequent algorithms. We propose to
      estimate the projection of the sphere center on the detector using a simulation
      based method matching an artificial projection to the actual measurement. The
      proposed algorithm intrinsically corrects for all polychromatic effects included
      in the measurement and absent in the simulation by a polynomial which is
      estimated simultaneously. Furthermore, neither the acquisition geometry nor any
      object properties besides the fact that the object is of spherical shape need to
      be known to find the center of the bead. It is shown by simulations that the
      algorithm estimates the center projection with an error of less than [Formula:
      see text] of the detector pixel size in case of realistic noise levels and that
      the method is robust to the sphere material, sphere size, and acquisition
      parameters. A comparison to three reference methods using simulations and
      measurements indicates that the proposed method is an order of magnitude more
      accurate compared to these algorithms. The proposed method is an accurate
      algorithm to estimate the center of spherical markers in CT projections in the
      presence of polychromatic effects and noise.

PMID- 28632497
TI  - DHA reduces oxidative stress following hypoxia-ischemia in newborn piglets: a
      study of lipid peroxidation products in urine and plasma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lipid peroxidation mediated by reactive oxygen species is a major
      contributor to oxidative stress. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has anti-oxidant and
      neuroprotective properties. Our objective was to assess how oxidative stress
      measured by lipid peroxidation was modified by DHA in a newborn piglet model of
      hypoxia-ischemia (HI). METHODS: Fifty-five piglets were randomized to (i)
      hypoxia, (ii) DHA, (iii) hypothermia, (iv) hypothermia+DHA or (v) sham. All
      groups but sham were subjected to hypoxia by breathing 8% O2. DHA was
      administered 210 min after end of hypoxia and the piglets were euthanized 9.5 h
      after end of hypoxia. Urine and blood were harvested at these two time points and
      analyzed for F4-neuroprostanes, F2-isoprostanes, neurofuranes and isofuranes
      using UPLC-MS/MS. RESULTS: F4-neuroprostanes in urine were significantly reduced
      (P=0.006) in groups receiving DHA. Hypoxia (median, IQR 1652 nM, 610-4557) vs.
      DHA (440 nM, 367-738, P=0.016) and hypothermia (median, IQR 1338 nM, 744-3085)
      vs. hypothermia+DHA (356 nM, 264-1180, P=0.006). The isoprostane compound 8-iso
      PGF2alpha was significantly lower (P=0.011) in the DHA group compared to the
      hypoxia group. No significant differences were found between the groups in blood.
      CONCLUSION: DHA significantly reduces oxidative stress by measures of lipid
      peroxidation following HI in both normothermic and hypothermic piglets.

PMID- 28632500
TI  - Photon detection efficiency of laboratory-based x-ray phase contrast imaging
      techniques for mammography: a Monte Carlo study.
AB  - An important challenge in real-world biomedical applications of x-ray phase
      contrast imaging (XPCI) techniques is the efficient use of the photon flux
      generated by an incoherent and polychromatic x-ray source. This efficiency can
      directly influence dose and exposure time and ideally should not affect the
      superior contrast and sensitivity of XPCI. In this paper, we present a
      quantitative evaluation of the photon detection efficiency of two laboratory
      based XPCI methods, grating interferometry (GI) and coded-aperture (CA). We adopt
      a Monte Carlo approach to simulate existing prototypes of those systems, tailored
      for mammography applications. Our simulations were validated by means of a simple
      experiment performed on a CA XPCI system. Our results show that the fraction of
      detected photons in the standard energy range of mammography are about 1.4% and
      10% for the GI and CA techniques, respectively. The simulations indicate that the
      design of the optical components plays an important role in the higher efficiency
      of CA compared to the GI method. It is shown that the use of lower absorbing
      materials as the substrates for GI gratings can improve its flux efficiency by up
      to four times. Along similar lines, we also show that an optimized and compact
      configuration of GI could lead to a 3.5 times higher fraction of detected counts
      compared to a standard and non-optimised GI implementation.

PMID- 28632501
TI  - Evaluation of automatic dose rate control for flat panel imaging using a spatial
      frequency domain figure of merit.
AB  - Current automatic dose rate controls (ADRCs) of dynamic x-ray imaging systems
      adjust their acquisition parameters in response to changes in patient thickness
      in order to achieve a constant signal level in the image receptor. This work
      compares a 3 parameter (3P) ADRC control to a more flexible 5-parameter (5P)
      method to meet this goal. A phantom composed of 15 composite poly(methyl)
      methacrylate (PMMA)/aluminium (Al) plates was imaged on a Siemens Artis Q dynamic
      system using standard 3P and 5P ADRC techniques. Phantom thickness covered a
      water equivalent thickness (WET) range of 2.5 cm to 37.5 cm. Acquisition
      parameter settings (tube potential, tube current, pulse length, copper filtration
      and focus size) and phantom entrance air kerma rate (EAKR) were recorded as the
      thickness changed. Signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) was measured using a
      0.3 mm iron insert centred in the PMMA stack, positioned at the system isocentre.
      SDNR was then multiplied by modulation transfer function (MTF) based correction
      factors for focal spot penumbral blurring and motion blurring, to give a spatial
      frequency dependent parameter, SDNR(u). These MTF correction factors were
      evaluated for an object motion of 25 mm s-1 and at a spatial frequency of 1.4 mm
      1 in the object plane, typical for cardiac imaging. The figure of merit (FOM) was
      calculated as SDNR(u)2/EAKR for the two ADRC regimes. Using 5P versus 3P
      technique showed clear improvements over all thicknesses. Averaged over
      clinically relevant adult WET values (20 cm-37.5 cm), EAKR was reduced by 13% and
      27% for fluoroscopy and acquisition modes, respectively, while the SDNR(u) based
      FOM increased by 16% and 34% for fluoroscopy and acquisition. In conclusion, the
      generalized FOM, taking into account the influence of focus size and object
      motion, showed benefit in terms of image quality and patient dose for the 5
      parameter control over 3-parameter method for the ADRC programming of dynamic x
      ray imaging systems.

PMID- 28632503
TI  - The catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in children.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the difficult syndrome of catastrophic
      antiphospholipid syndrome, emphasizing new developments in the diagnosis,
      pathogenesis and treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Few recent publications directly
      address pediatric catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). Most articles
      are case reports or are data from adult and pediatric registries. The major
      factors contributing to most pediatric catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome
      include infection and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, but complement
      activation also is important in creating diffuse thrombosis in the
      microcirculation. Treatment of the acute emergency requires anticoagulation,
      suppression of the hyperinflammatory state and elimination of the triggering
      infection. Inhibition of complement activation appears to improve outcome in
      limited studies, and suppression of antiphospholipid antibody formation may be
      important in long-term management. SUMMARY: CAPS, an antibody-mediated diffuse
      thrombotic disease of microvasculature, is rare in childhood but has high
      mortality (33-50%). It requires prompt recognition and aggressive multimodality
      treatment, including anticoagulation, anti-inflammatory therapy and elimination
      of inciting infection and pathogenic autoantibodies.

PMID- 28632502
TI  - Targeting activated protein C to treat hemophilia.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hemophilia is a debilitating disease, marked by frequent,
      painful bleeding events, joint deterioration and early death. All current
      treatments consist of i.v. infusions of replacement factor or other procoagulant
      factors, and are incompletely effective, due in part to the short half-lives of
      the proteins. An alternative approach is to rebalance hemostasis by inhibiting
      natural anticoagulant mechanisms. In this article, we explain why activated
      protein C (APC) is an appropriate and safe target for the treatment of
      hemophilia. RECENT FINDINGS: A serpin (serine protease inhibitor) was engineered
      to specifically inhibit APC and was found to rescue hemostasis in a hemophilia
      mouse model, even after a severe tail clip injury. However, APC is also anti
      inflammatory and has cytoprotective activities, raising safety concerns over the
      use of an APC inhibitor to treat hemophilia. We summarize the molecular basis of
      the anticoagulant and signaling activities of APC to assess the potential impact
      of targeting APC. SUMMARY: We conclude that the signaling and anticoagulant
      functions of APC are in spatially and kinetically distinct compartments, and that
      it is possible to specifically inhibit the anticoagulant activity of APC.
      Targeting APC with a serpin is remarkably effective and may be safe for long-term
      prophylactic use in the treatment of hemophilia.

PMID- 28632505
TI  - Obesity and prostate cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To investigate the association between obesity and prostate
      cancer (PCa). RECENT FINDINGS: Obesity has been proposed to be involved in the
      pathogenesis of PCa through different biological mechanisms that include
      deregulation of the insulin axis, sex hormone secretion, adipokines signaling,
      and oxidative stress. Hypertrophic peritumoral adipocytes may also facilitate the
      local spread of PCa through the chemo-attraction of tumor cells. Clinical studies
      demonstrate that obesity might have clinical implications also in disease
      detection and management. Obese men have been shown to be less likely to be
      diagnosed with early-stage disease. Moreover, they are at increased risk of
      experiencing upgrading and upstaging when managed with active surveillance.
      However, the association between obesity and the risk of PCa recurrence and
      mortality after radical treatment is still debated. SUMMARY: Obesity may
      facilitate the development and progression of PCa trough different biologic
      mechanisms that may pose obese men at higher risk of advanced and high-grade
      disease. However, the association between obesity and long-term oncologic outcome
      after radical treatments appears unclear.

PMID- 28632504
TI  - What is New in Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor?
AB  - The classification "gastrointestinal stromal tumor" (GIST) became commonplace in
      the 1990s and since that time various advances have characterized the GIST
      lineage of origin, tyrosine kinase mutations, and mechanisms of response and
      resistance to targeted therapies. In addition to tyrosine kinase mutations and
      their constitutive activation of downstream signaling pathways, GISTs acquire a
      sequence of chromosomal aberrations. These include deletions of chromosomes 14q,
      22q, 1p, and 15q, which harbor putative tumor suppressor genes required for
      stepwise progression from microscopic, preclinical forms of GIST (microGIST) to
      clinically relevant tumors with malignant potential. Recent advances extend our
      understanding of GIST biology beyond that of the oncogenic KIT/PDGFRA tyrosine
      kinases and beyond mechanisms of KIT/PDGFRA-inhibitor treatment response and
      resistance. These advances have characterized ETV1 as an essential interstitial
      cell of Cajal-GIST transcription factor in oncogenic KIT signaling pathways, and
      have characterized the biologically distinct subgroup of succinate dehydrogenase
      deficient GIST, which are particularly common in young adults. Also, recent
      discoveries of MAX and dystrophin genomic inactivation have expanded our
      understanding of GIST development and progression, showing that MAX inactivation
      is an early event fostering cell cycle activity, whereas dystrophin inactivation
      promotes invasion and metastasis.

PMID- 28632506
TI  - Adenotonsillectomy for the Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in a Patient With
      Complex Congenital Heart Disease: A Case Report.
AB  - Pulmonary hypertension is a feared complication in congenital heart disease
      patients. Patients with pulmonary hypertension are at risk for major
      perioperative cardiopulmonary complications when undergoing any surgical
      procedure, especially airway and laparoscopic procedures. We present the
      anesthetic management for a 2-year old with Down syndrome and complex cyanotic
      congenital heart disease undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy for severe
      obstructive sleep apnea.

PMID- 28632507
TI  - Tibialis Posterior Tenosynovitis: A Unique Musculoskeletal Manifestation of Gout.
AB  - Extra-articular manifestations of gout can present in several ways, including
      tenosynovitis. We present a rare case of acute tibialis posterior gouty
      tenosynovitis. An 82-year-old man with a history of well-controlled gout
      presented with acute onset of left ankle pain, occurring without inciting event.
      The medial ankle was slightly erythematous with moderate dorsal-medial swelling
      and mild dorsal-lateral swelling, with severe tenderness to palpation over the
      medial retro-malleolar region. Range of motion and manual muscle testing were
      pain limited throughout. Ultrasound examination revealed a left posterior
      tibialis tendon sheath tenosynovitis with effusion and overlying soft tissue
      edema. Tendon sheath aspirate revealed sodium urate crystals and a white blood
      cell count of 6400/MUL. Tendon sheath injection with a mixture of 1% lidocaine
      and dexamethasone 4 mg resulted in symptom resolution. Repeat ultrasound
      examination demonstrated no evidence of tibialis posterior tendon sheath
      effusion. This case is unique not only because acute gouty posterior tibialis
      tenosynovitis is very rare, particularly in a normouricemic individual, but also
      because the sonographic evidence of gouty infiltration into the posterior
      tibialis tendon and overlying subcutaneous tissue considerably aided in arriving
      at the correct diagnosis in a timely manner.

PMID- 28632508
TI  - Combined Dextroamphetamine and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in
      Poststroke Aphasia.
AB  - There is a growing need for various effective adjunctive treatment options for
      speech recovery after stroke. A pharmacological agent combined with noninvasive
      brain stimulation has not been previously reported for poststroke aphasia
      recovery. In this "proof of concept" study, we aimed to test the safety of a
      combined intervention consisting of dextroamphetamine, transcranial direct
      current stimulation, and speech and language therapy in subjects with nonfluent
      aphasia. Ten subjects with chronic nonfluent aphasia underwent two experiments
      where they received dextroamphetamine or placebo along with transcranial direct
      current stimulation and speech and language therapy on two separate days. The
      Western Aphasia Battery-Revised was used to monitor changes in speech
      performance. No serious adverse events were observed. There was no significant
      increase in blood pressure with amphetamine or deterioration in speech and
      language performance. Western Aphasia Battery-Revised aphasia quotient and
      language quotient showed a statistically significant increase in the active
      experiment. Comparison of proportional changes of aphasia quotient and language
      quotient in active experiment with those in placebo experiment showed significant
      difference. We showed that the triple combination therapy is safe and
      implementable and seems to induce positive changes in speech and language
      performance in the patients with chronic nonfluent aphasia due to stroke.

PMID- 28632509
TI  - Evaluation and Management of Axillary Artery Injury: The Orthopaedic and Vascular
      Surgeon's Perspective.

PMID- 28632510
TI  - Itraq-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Lungs in Murine Polymicrobial
      Sepsis with Hydrogen Gas Treatment.
AB  - Sepsis-associated acute lung injury (ALI), which carries a high morbidity and
      mortality in patients, has no effective therapeutic strategies to date. Our group
      has already reported that hydrogen gas (H2) exerts a protective effect against
      sepsis in mice. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying H2 treatment are not
      fully understood. This study investigated the effects of H2 on lung injuries in
      septic mice through the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation
      (iTRAQ)-based quantitative proteomic analysis. Male ICR mice used in this study
      were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham operation. And 2% H2
      was inhaled for 1 h beginning at 1 and 6 h after sham or CLP operation. The iTRAQ
      based liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis was
      preformed to investigate lung proteomics. Sepsis-challenged animals had decreased
      survival rate, as well as had increased bacterial burden in blood, peritoneal
      lavage, and lung sample, which were significantly ameliorated by H2 treatment.
      Moreover, a total of 4,472 proteins were quantified, and 192 differentially
      expressed proteins were related to the protective mechanism of H2 against sepsis.
      Functional enrichment analysis showed that H2-related differential proteins could
      be related to muscle contraction, oxygen transport, protein synthesis, collagen
      barrier membranes, cell adhesion, and coagulation function. These proteins were
      significantly enriched in four signaling pathways, and two of which are
      associated with coagulation. In addition, H2 alleviates ALI in septic mice
      through downregulating the expression of Sema 7A, OTULIN, and MAP3K1 as well as
      upregulating the expression of Transferrin. Thus, our findings provide an insight
      into the mechanism of H2 treatment in sepsis by proteomic approach, which may be
      helpful to the clinic application of H2 in patients with sepsis.

PMID- 28632511
TI  - Zika virus: a cause of concern in transplantation?
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Worldwide, the number of countries reporting Zika virus (ZKV)
      infection continues to increase. Although 80% of cases are asymptomatic, ZKV has
      been identified as a neurotropic virus associated with congenital microcephaly,
      Guillain-Barre' syndrome, and meningoencephalitis. Until recently, infection in
      transplant recipients has not been identified. This study will review the
      existing literature on ZKV infection, laboratory testing, and management in
      transplant recipients. RECENT FINDINGS: Donor-derived transfusion of contaminated
      blood products and naturally occurring ZKV infections have been recently reported
      in solid organ and stem cell transplant recipients, ranging from asymptomatic
      infections to meningoencephalitis. Interpretation of diagnostic testing of ZKV is
      evolving, with prolonged viral shedding identified in blood, semen, and urine of
      unclear significance. Serologic testing may be associated with cross-reactivity
      with other flaviviridae, requiring plaque reduction neutralization testing for
      confirmation. Thus far, donor screening guidelines for transplantation have not
      been established. SUMMARY: The study reviews the limited existing literature in
      transplant recipients infected with ZKV, available laboratory testing and
      management. Ultimately, guidelines are needed for donor screening from high-risk
      areas, interpretation of studies and management of infected patients to ensure
      safe transplantation.

PMID- 28632512
TI  - Why current drug adherence programs fail: addressing psychological risk factors
      of nonadherence.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of a selection of largely neglected
      psychological risk factors for nonadherence, and to offer new approaches to
      improve medication adherence. RECENT FINDINGS: Current adherence research and
      intervention programs focus on a few risk factors for nonadherence, such as
      complexity of the drug regimen. In addition, other important risk factors of
      nonadherence are neglected or insufficiently addressed. There is good evidence
      for the significant role of the quality of the patient-healthcare provider
      relationship. Other risk factors like the individual history of nonadherence, the
      lack of acceptance of having a treatable disorder, fear of side-effects, comorbid
      depression, and cognitive impairment have been broadly neglected in adherence
      programs, although they offer a powerful key to improve adherence-oriented
      interventions. SUMMARY: Current research on determinants of nonadherence has
      focused on a few risk factors, while neglecting crucial psychological predictors
      of nonadherence. The personalized consideration of a multiplicity of risk factors
      offers a new basis for the development and evaluation of interventions to better
      promote adherence.

PMID- 28632513
TI  - Prevalence and Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress and Depression Symptoms Among
      Syrian Refugees in a Refugee Camp.
AB  - Turkey is hosting the majority of Syrian refugees. The current study investigates
      the prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression
      among adult Syrians residing in a camp (N = 781) and potential predictors. The
      Impact of Event Scale-Revised was used to measure PTSD and the Beck Depression
      Inventory depression. Probable PTSD prevalence was 83.4%, with predictors being
      female sex (odds ratio [OR], 4.1), previous mental health problems (OR, 4.5),
      life threat (OR, 3.0), and injury of a loved one (OR, 1.8). Probable depression
      prevalence was 37.4%, with predictors being female sex (OR, 5.1), previous mental
      health problems (OR, 2.9), having a loved one who was tortured (OR, 1.7), and not
      being satisfied at the camp (OR, 1.7). The current study reveals high rates of
      probable PTSD and depression among Syrian refugees and highlights vulnerabilities
      such as great risk for women of having psychopathology.

PMID- 28632514
TI  - Childhood Precursors of the Narcissistic Personality.
AB  - This research identifies the childhood personality characteristics that predict
      the presence of narcissism in adulthood. Using data from the longitudinal study
      of Block and Block (The California Child Q-set. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting
      Psychologists Press, 1980), childhood personality characteristics were assessed
      at age 11 (N = 100) using the California Child Q-set. A number of these were
      shown to differentially predict the presence of grandiose or vulnerable
      narcissism at age 23. Factor analyses of the Child Q-set items showed that the
      presence of Grandiose Narcissism was positively related to childhood factors
      representing social presence and negatively related to planfulness. In contrast,
      vulnerable narcissism was positively related to childhood impulsivity and
      negatively related to stable self-esteem. Both types of narcissism were
      positively related to childhood factors representing need for control.

PMID- 28632516
TI  - Is Robotic Surgery the Future for Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair? Not So Fast.

PMID- 28632515
TI  - P4 Stump Approach for Intraoperative Portal Vein Stenting in Pediatric Living
      Donor Liver Transplantation: An Innovative Technique for a Challenging Problem.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the P4 stump
      stenting approach for treating portal vein (PV) complications in pediatric living
      donor liver transplantation (LDLT). BACKGROUND: PV complications cause
      significant morbidity and mortality in pediatric LDLT. Biliary atresia in the
      backdrop of pathological PV hypoplasia and sclerosis heightens the complexity of
      PV reconstruction. The authors developed a novel approach for intraoperative PV
      stenting via the graft segment 4 PV stump (P4 stump) to address this challenge.
      METHODS: From April 2009 to December 2016, 15 pediatric LDLT recipients (mean age
      10.3 +/- 5.0 months, mean graft-recipient weight ratio 3.70%) underwent
      intraoperative stenting for suboptimal PV flow (<10 cm/s) or PV occlusion after
      collateral ligation and graft repositioning. Under portography, metallic stents
      were deployed via the reopened P4 stump of the left lateral segment grafts.
      RESULTS: PV diameter and peak flow increased significantly after stent placement
      (2.93 +/- 1.74 to 7.01 +/- 0.91 mm and 2.0 +/- 9.2 to 17.3 +/- 3.5 cm/s,
      respectively, P = 0.001 for both), and there were no technical failures. Stents
      in all surviving patients remained patent up to 8 years (mean 27.7 months), with
      no vascular or biliary complications. After implementation of the P4 approach,
      the incidence of variceal bleeding as a late complication decreased from 7% to
      zero. CONCLUSION: The P4 stump stenting approach affords procedural convenience,
      ease of manipulation, and consistent results with the potential for excellent
      long-term patency in children despite continued growth. This technique obviates
      the need for more demanding post-transplant stenting, and may become a substitute
      for complicated revision surgery, portosystemic shunting, or retransplantation.

PMID- 28632517
TI  - The Changing Face of Surgery Today: It is Not a Women's Issue, It's a Work Force
      Issue.

PMID- 28632518
TI  - #VisualAbstract: A Revolution in Communicating Science?

PMID- 28632519
TI  - Age is the Most Significantly Associated Risk Factor With the Development of
      Delirium in Patients Hospitalized for More Than Five Days in Surgical Wards:
      Retrospective Cohort Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to assess risk factors for
      delirium in patients staying in a surgical ward for more than 5 days. The
      secondary purpose was to assess outcomes in patients with delirium. BACKGROUND:
      Delirium is a syndrome characterized by acute fluctuations in mental status.
      Patients with delirium are at increased risk of adverse inpatient events, higher
      mortality and morbidity rates, prolonged hospital stays, and increased health
      care costs. METHODS: Participants in this study were 2168 patients who had been
      admitted to the surgical ward of St. Luke's International Hospital for 5 days or
      more between January 2011 and December 2014. Data on these patients were
      collected retrospectively from hospital medical records. Firstly, univariate and
      multivariate analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for delirium.
      Secondly, morbidity and mortality associated with delirium were analyzed.
      RESULTS: Delirium occurred in 205 of 2168 patients (9.5%). Age, physical
      restraint, past history of a cerebrovascular disorder, malignancy, intensive care
      unit stay, pain, and high blood urea nitrogen value were significant risk factors
      for delirium in the multivariate analysis. Among these, age was the strongest
      factor, with an odds ratio for delirium of 12.953 in patients 75 years of age or
      older. The length of hospital stays and the mortality rates were higher in
      patients with delirium. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that age, and also physical
      restraint, past history of cerebrovascular disorder, malignancy, intensive care
      unit stay, pain, and high serum blood urea nitrogen were important factors
      associated with delirium in patients hospitalized for more than 5 days in a
      surgical ward.

PMID- 28632520
TI  - Are Sex-Related Category-Specific Differences in Semantic Tasks Innate or
      Influenced by Social Roles? A Viewpoint.
AB  - In semantic tasks, sex-related categorical differences, in the form of better
      processing of fruits and vegetables by women and of artifacts (human-made
      objects) and animals by men, have been reported both in healthy participants and
      in brain-damaged patients. Researchers' interpretation of these sex-related
      categorical asymmetries has, however, been controversial, being connected with
      the more general (innatist versus experience-dependent) interpretations that had
      been given of the mechanisms subsuming the categorical organization of the brain.
      I begin this review with a brief reminder of the debate between supporters of the
      innatist and the experience-related accounts of categorical brain organization.
      Then I summarize results that have documented a preference by women for fruits
      and vegetables and a preference by men for artifacts and animals, and I discuss
      the innatist and social role-related interpretations that have been given of
      these results. I conclude that sex-related categorical effects disappear in
      generations in which the traditional social roles have almost completely
      disappeared, and these differences are not seen in young individuals raised in
      societies that emphasize sex equality.

PMID- 28632521
TI  - Verbal and Figural Fluency in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Does Hippocampal Sclerosis
      Affect Performance?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Clinicians commonly use verbal and nonverbal measures
      to test fluency in patients with epilepsy, either during routine cognitive
      assessment or as part of pre- and postsurgical evaluation. We hypothesized that
      patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with hippocampal sclerosis
      would perform worse than patients with lateral TLE in both verbal and design
      fluency. METHODS: We assessed semantic, phonemic, and nonverbal fluency in 49
      patients with TLE: 31 with lateral TLE and 18 with mesial TLE plus hippocampal
      sclerosis. We also gave non-fluency cognitive measures: psychomotor speed,
      attentional set shifting, selective attention, abstract reasoning, verbal and
      visual episodic memory, and incidental memory. RESULTS: Patients with mesial TLE
      performed significantly worse on figural fluency than patients with lateral TLE.
      Even though group differences on verbal fluency measures were not significant,
      the patients with mesial TLE had a pattern of poorer performance. The patients
      with mesial TLE scored significantly worse on measures of selective attention,
      verbal episodic memory, and incidental memory. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underlines
      differences in cognitive function between patients with mesial and lateral TLE,
      particularly in figural fluency. Although we cannot directly assess the role of
      the hippocampus in cognitive aspects of creative and divergent thinking related
      to figural fluency, the cognitive discrepancies between these two TLE groups
      could be ascribed to the mesial TLE hippocampal pathology shown in our study and
      addressed in the literature on hippocampal involvement in divergent thinking. Our
      findings could benefit cognitive rehabilitation programs tailored to the needs of
      patients with TLE.

PMID- 28632522
TI  - Relationship of Reaction Time to Perception of a Stimulus and Volitionally
      Delayed Response.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Initiation of response in a simple reaction time (RT)
      task may precede conscious perception of the stimulus. Since volitionally delayed
      responses may require conscious perception of the stimulus before response
      initiation, it has been hypothesized that volitionally delayed responses will
      markedly delay RT. METHODS: We conducted two experiments with separate groups of
      healthy volunteers (n=16; n=13) who performed computerized simple and choice RT
      tasks. In the standard condition, we instructed the participants to respond to a
      visual stimulus by pushing a button as quickly as possible. In the second
      condition, we instructed the participants to respond after a slight volitional
      delay. The second experiment had an additional volitional delay condition in
      which we asked participants to delay their responses by an estimated 50% above
      their usual standard response. RESULTS: We found marked delays and increased
      variability when participants volitionally delayed their responses, averaging 322
      ms for standard and 861 ms for delayed simple RTs (267% increase), and 650 ms for
      standard and 1018 ms for delayed choice RTs (157% increase). Effects did not
      differ across age, sex, or handedness. However, a minority of participants did
      not meaningfully delay their RT during the volitional delay conditions.
      CONCLUSIONS: On average, participants had marked delays when they tried to delay
      their responses slightly, but a subset of participants exhibited essentially no
      delay despite trying to delay. We suggest some potential mechanisms that future
      investigations might delineate.

PMID- 28632524
TI  - Callosal Motor Impersistence: A Novel Disconnection Syndrome.
AB  - Motor impersistence, an inability to sustain a certain position or movement, is a
      motor-intentional disorder, caused more often by right than left hemisphere
      lesions. Since the right hemisphere is dominant for mediating motor persistence,
      callosal lesions that disconnect the left hemisphere from the right may induce
      impersistence of the right upper and lower limbs. After an undiagnosed left
      callosal infarction, a 65-year-old right-handed man suddenly developed a
      transient loss of volitional movement of his left leg. Five days after onset, he
      was admitted to our hospital with signs of callosal disconnection: left-hand
      agraphia and apraxia, left-hand tactile anomia, failures on cross-replication of
      hand postures, and intermanual conflict. He had neither weakness nor ataxia of
      his upper or lower extremities, but when asked to keep his arms or legs extended
      he could not maintain his right arm and leg in the extended position, suggesting
      motor impersistence in his dominant limbs. When we examined him 3 months after
      onset, the motor impersistence had disappeared. In conclusion, motor
      impersistence of dominant limbs can result from isolated callosal injury that
      disconnects the left hemisphere from the right hemisphere's frontal-subcortical
      networks.

PMID- 28632523
TI  - Frontotemporal Dementia Presenting as Gambling Disorder: When a Psychiatric
      Condition Is the Clue to a Neurodegenerative Disease.
AB  - Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, the most common form of
      frontotemporal dementia, is characterized by executive dysfunction and changes in
      personality and behavior, sometimes with associated psychiatric disorders. We
      report a man who suddenly developed a gambling disorder when he was 55 years old.
      A year later he developed personality changes of agitation, euphoria, and
      disinhibition, along with binge eating and dysthymia. He did not improve on
      paroxetine 40 mg/day. Two years after the onset of his symptoms, he came to our
      clinic for evaluation. Neuropsychological testing showed deficits in cognitive
      control, planning, and attention. Brain magnetic resonance imaging and 18F
      fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans showed predominant frontal
      and temporal alterations, worse in the right hemisphere than the left.
      Cerebrospinal fluid analysis was not compatible with Alzheimer disease. On the
      basis of current criteria, we gave him a diagnosis of probable behavioral variant
      frontotemporal dementia presenting with a psychiatric symptom. Our findings in
      this unusual patient confirm the importance of close clinical monitoring in
      people who have a psychiatric disorder with atypical features, because the
      condition may mask an underlying neurodegenerative disease.

PMID- 28632525
TI  - Clozapine Safety and Efficacy for Interictal Psychotic Disorder in
      Pharmacoresistant Epilepsy.
AB  - Since the middle of the 19th century, both neurologists and psychiatrists have
      linked psychosis and epilepsy. Clozapine, the most effective antipsychotic drug,
      alters electroencephalographic activity and carries a significant risk of causing
      seizures. Unfortunately, this risk limits the drug's potential use in treating
      pharmacoresistant psychosis in patients with epilepsy. We present a unique case
      in which we used clozapine successfully as a last resort treatment for chronic
      interictal psychosis in a 43-year-old woman with severe pharmacoresistant
      epilepsy and recurrent status epilepticus. Her psychotic symptoms improved
      markedly without an increase in the frequency of seizures despite gradual
      titration of the clozapine dose up to 300 mg daily. Her response demonstrates
      that, properly monitored, clozapine can be an effective treatment for psychosis
      even in patients with daily seizures.

PMID- 28632527
TI  - Assessment of Postoperative Analgesic Drug Efficacy: Method of Data Analysis Is
      Critical.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pain intensity ratings and opioid consumption (OC) are ubiquitous
      indicators of pain in postoperative trials of the efficacy of interventional
      procedures. Unfortunately, consensus on the appropriate statistical handling of
      these outcomes has not been reached. The aim of this article was, therefore, to
      reexamine original data obtained from a postoperative analgesic drug trial,
      applying a collection of standard statistical methods in analgesic outcome
      assessments. Furthermore, a modified integrated assessment method of these
      outcomes was evaluated. METHODS: Data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo
      controlled study investigating the analgesic efficacy of a regional anesthetic
      block following a major elective surgical procedure were analyzed. The original
      data included measurements of pain intensity (visual analog scale [VAS]) at rest
      and during coughing (VAS0/2/4/6/12/18/24 h) and OC0-6/0-24 h administered by
      patient-controlled analgesia. The statistical analyses included comparisons of
      discrete pain intensity scores (VAS0/2/4/6/12/18/24 h), summary measures of pain
      intensity ratings (area under the curve [AUC]-VAS0-6/0-24 h; mean VAS0-6/0-24 h),
      and OC0-6/0-24 h. Finally, the analyses also included an integrated assessment of
      longitudinally measured pain intensity and opioid consumption (PIOC0-6/0-24 h).
      Also, estimation of effect size, generalized odds ratio of the individual
      analgesic outcome variables was performed. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were
      included in the final data analysis. Discrete pain intensity ratings differed
      significantly between the treatment groups at specific postoperative time points,
      but appropriate correction for multiple comparisons eliminated some of these
      differences. AUC-VAS0-6 h differed significantly at rest and during coughing,
      while no difference was found for AUC-VAS0-24 h. In contrast, mean VAS0-6 h and
      VAS0-24 h differed significantly between treatment groups at rest and during
      coughing. OC0-6/0-24 h differed significantly between the treatment groups.
      Finally, also PIOC0-6/0-24 h differed significantly at rest and during coughing.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses demonstrate that the applied statistical method may
      alter the statistical significance and estimates of effect size of analgesic
      outcome variables in postoperative pain trials. Our findings underline the
      importance of defining valid statistical methods for future analgesic drug
      trials. We propose an integrated assessment of longitudinally measured pain
      intensity and opioid consumption (PIOC). The method combines two interdependent
      analgesic outcomes, lowers the risk of mass significance, and provides more
      accurate representation of the dynamic nature of postoperative pain and analgesic
      drug efficacy.

PMID- 28632528
TI  - False Low ETCO2 Measurements From Carbon Dioxide Sampling Nasal Cannula and How
      to Correct the Situation.

PMID- 28632526
TI  - Persistent hypothyroid symptoms in a patient with a normal thyroid stimulating
      hormone level.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A subset of patients being treated for hypothyroidism do not
      feel well while taking levothyroxine (LT4) replacement therapy, despite having a
      normal serum thyroid stimulating hormone level. Pursuing a relative
      triiodothyronine deficiency as a potential explanation for patient
      dissatisfaction, has led to trials of combination therapy with liothyronine
      (LT3), with largely negative outcomes. This review attempts to reconcile these
      diverse findings, consider potential explanations, and identify areas for future
      research. RECENT FINDINGS: Patients being treated with LT4 often have lower
      triiodothyronine levels than patients with endogenous thyroid function. Linking
      patient dissatisfaction with low triiodothyronine levels has fueled multiple
      combination therapy trials that have generally not shown improvement in patient
      quality of life, mood, or cognitive performance. Some trials, however, suggest
      patient preference for combination therapy. There continues, moreover, to be
      anecdotal evidence that patients have fewer unresolved symptoms while taking
      combination therapy. SUMMARY: The 14 trials completed to date have suffered from
      employing doses of LT3 that do not result in steady triiodothyronine levels, and
      having insufficient power to analyze results based on baseline dissatisfaction
      with therapy and patient genotype. Future trials that are able to incorporate
      such features may provide insight into what thyroid hormone preparations will
      most improve patient satisfaction with therapy.

PMID- 28632530
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28632529
TI  - Respiratory System Mechanics During Low Versus High Positive End-Expiratory
      Pressure in Open Abdominal Surgery: A Substudy of PROVHILO Randomized Controlled
      Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the 2014 PROtective Ventilation using HIgh versus LOw positive end
      expiratory pressure (PROVHILO) trial, intraoperative low tidal volume ventilation
      with high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP = 12 cm H2O) and lung
      recruitment maneuvers did not decrease postoperative pulmonary complications when
      compared to low PEEP (0-2 cm H2O) approach without recruitment breaths. However,
      effects of intraoperative PEEP on lung compliance remain poorly understood. We
      hypothesized that higher PEEP leads to a dominance of intratidal overdistension,
      whereas lower PEEP results in intratidal recruitment/derecruitment (R/D). To test
      our hypothesis, we used the volume-dependent elastance index %E2, a respiratory
      parameter that allows for noninvasive and radiation-free assessment of dominant
      overdistension and intratidal R/D. We compared the incidence of intratidal R/D,
      linear expansion, and overdistension by means of %E2 in a subset of the PROVHILO
      cohort. METHODS: In 36 patients from 2 participating centers of the PROVHILO
      trial, we calculated respiratory system elastance (E), resistance (R), and %E2, a
      surrogate parameter for intratidal overdistension (%E2 > 30%) and R/D (%E2 < 0%).
      To test the main hypothesis, we compared the incidence of intratidal
      overdistension (primary end point) and R/D in higher and lower PEEP groups, as
      measured by %E2. RESULTS: E was increased in the lower compared to higher PEEP
      group (18.6 [16...22] vs 13.4 [11.0...17.0] cm H2O.L; P < .01). %E2 was reduced
      in the lower PEEP group compared to higher PEEP (-15.4 [-28.0...6.5] vs 6.2 [
      0.8...14.0] %; P < .05). Intratidal R/D was increased in the lower PEEP group
      (61% vs 22%; P = .037). The incidence of intratidal overdistension did not differ
      significantly between groups (6%). CONCLUSIONS: During mechanical ventilation
      with protective tidal volumes in patients undergoing open abdominal surgery, lung
      recruitment followed by PEEP of 12 cm H2O decreased the incidence of intratidal
      R/D and did not worsen overdistension, when compared to PEEP <=2 cm H2O.

PMID- 28632531
TI  - A Descriptive Survey of Anesthesiology Residency Simulation Programs: How Are
      Programs Preparing Residents for the New American Board of Anesthesiology APPLIED
      Certification Examination?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anesthesiology residency programs may need new simulation-based
      programs to prepare residents for the new Objective Structured Clinical
      Examination (OSCE) component of the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA)
      Primary Certification process. The design of such programs may require
      significant resources, including faculty time, expertise, and funding, as are
      currently needed for structured oral examination (SOE) preparation. This survey
      analyzed the current state of US-based anesthesiology residency programs
      regarding simulation-based educational programming for SOE and OSCE preparation.
      METHODS: An online survey was distributed to every anesthesiology residency
      program director in the United States. The survey included 15 to 46 questions,
      depending on each respondent's answers. The survey queried current practices and
      future plans regarding resident preparation specifically for the ABA APPLIED
      examination, with emphasis on the OSCE. Descriptive statistics were summarized.
      chi and Fisher exact tests were used to test the differences in proportions
      across groups. Spearman rank correlation was used to examine the association
      between ordinal variables. RESULTS: The responding 66 programs (49%) were a
      representative sample of all anesthesiology residencies (N = 136) in terms of
      geographical location (chi P = .58). There was a low response rate from small
      programs that have 12 or fewer clinical anesthesia residents. Ninety-one percent
      (95% confidence interval [CI], 84%-95%) of responders agreed that it is the
      responsibility of the program to specifically prepare residents for primary
      certification, and most agreed that it is important to practice SOEs (94%; 95%
      CI, 88%-97%) and OSCEs (89%; 95% CI, 83%-94%). While 100% of respondents reported
      providing mock SOEs, only 31% (95% CI, 24%-40%) of respondents provided mock OSCE
      experiences. Of those without an OSCE program, 75% (95% CI, 64%-83%) reported
      plans to start one. The most common reasons for not having an OSCE program
      already in place, and the perceived challenges for implementing an OSCE program,
      were the same: lack of time (faculty and residents), expertise in OSCE
      development and assessment, and funding. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide data
      from residency programs for benchmarking their simulation curriculum and ABA
      APPLIED Examination preparation offerings. Despite agreement that residency
      programs should prepare residents for the ABA APPLIED Examination, many programs
      have yet to implement an OSCE preparation program, in part due to lack of
      financial resources, faculty expertise, and time. Additionally, in contrast to
      the SOE, the OSCE is a new format for ABA primary certification. As a result, the
      lack of consensus concerning preparation needs could be related to the amount
      information that is available regarding the examination content and assessment
      process.

PMID- 28632532
TI  - Postpartum Tubal Sterilization: Making the Case for Urgency.
AB  - The parturient who requests postpartum sterilization has given consideration to
      and has made decisions regarding this aspect of her medical care long before her
      delivery. She arrives at parturition expecting the postpartum procedure to be
      performed as intended. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
      has reaffirmed its opinion that postpartum sterilization is an urgent procedure,
      owing to the safety and superior effectiveness of tubal sterilization via
      minilaparotomy in the immediate postpartum period, and the adverse consequences
      for mothers, babies, and society when the procedure is not actualized as desired
      and intended. In contrast, recent practice guidelines for obstetric anesthesia
      address anesthetic procedural aspects and short-term safety but overlook the long
      term complications and considerations associated with failure to perform
      postpartum sterilization as planned. In practice, procedure completion rates are
      strikingly low, reportedly ranging from 31% to 52%. Reasons for failure to
      complete abound and include inadequate resources or inavailability of necessary
      personnel; obstetrician reluctance due to concerns for patient regret in younger
      women or medical comorbidities; barriers related to provision of obstetric care
      in a religiously affiliated hospital, or incomplete, improperly completed, or
      unavailable original federal consent forms among Medicaid-insured women. The
      federal requirement to wait 30 days after signing informed consent, and to retain
      the original signed document to be physically verified at time of the procedure,
      serves as a significant source of health care disparity for Medicaid-dependent
      mothers. This article reviews these larger issues of maternal health and
      comprehensive maternal care to broaden the anesthesiologist's appreciation of
      major benefits and potential risks of postpartum sterilization, including long
      term effects, to promote an evidence-based, informed, and proactive role in
      delivering equitable, safe, and optimal care for these patients.

PMID- 28632533
TI  - Investigation of Two Prototypes of Novel Noncontact Technologies for Automated
      Real-Time Capture of Incremental Drug Administration Data From Syringes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An ideal electronic anesthesia recording system would be capable of
      not only recording physiological data but also injectable drug doses given,
      including those given incrementally from one syringe, without recourse to manual
      data entry. We compared 2 prototype devices which wirelessly recognized
      individual syringes and measured changes in their plunger positions via 2
      different optical noncontact means, allowing calculation of incremental drug
      doses given. METHODS: Both devices incorporated a radio-frequency identification
      reader, which wirelessly read a unique code from a radio-frequency identification
      tag within syringe drug labels. A custom-designed cradle oriented any inserted 1
      mL to 20-mL syringe in a repeatable position. The "laser" device had a moving
      laser beam broken by the end of the syringe plunger. The infrared (IR) device
      measured time of travel of IR light from a sender to a syringe plunger and back
      to a receiver. Both devices could therefore determine the drug and volume
      administered since the previous occasion when any syringe had been used. For each
      syringe size of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 mL, 121 plunger-length measurements were made
      over their full range, with each machine against a reference method of water
      filling and weighing using a randomized de Bruijn sequence. RESULTS: For every
      syringe size, the laser device showed greater accuracy and precision, lower bias,
      and narrower limits of agreement (95% confidence intervals = bias +/- 1.96 SD)
      than the IR device when compared to the reference method. For all syringe sizes,
      the range of bias was -0.05 to 0.32 mL for the laser and -2.42 to 1.38 mL for the
      IR. Lin concordance correlation coefficient values for the IR versus reference
      methods ranged from 0.6259 to 0.9255, with the lowest coefficients seen in
      syringes with the shortest distance of plunger travel (2 and 5 mL), while in
      laser versus reference comparisons, these coefficients were similar (0.9641
      0.9981) over all syringe lengths. CONCLUSIONS: Both devices measured syringe
      volume changes, demonstrating potential for measuring incremental drug doses,
      recording these, and also the time of each measurement. The IR device had no
      moving parts, which would be advantageous in a clinical situation. However, the
      current embodiment was not deemed accurate enough for clinical use, potentially
      remediable through improvements in hardware and software design. The laser device
      showed high accuracy and precision over all syringe sizes and contained volumes,
      and was considered potentially accurate enough for clinical use with suitable
      development.

PMID- 28632534
TI  - Administration of Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) Protects the Renal Microcirculation
      From Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery with suprarenal cross-clamping is
      often associated with renal injury. Although the mechanism underlying such injury
      is unclear, tissue ischemia and reperfusion, which induces endothelial
      dysfunction and decreases the availability of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), may play
      a role. We evaluated whether BH4 administration prevents renal
      ischemia/reperfusion injury in an animal model of aortic cross-clamping. METHODS:
      Nineteen anesthetized, mechanically ventilated, and invasively monitored adult
      sheep were randomized into 3 groups: sham animals (n = 5) that underwent surgical
      preparation but no aortic clamping; an ischemia/reperfusion group (n = 7), where
      the aorta was clamped above the renal arteries for 1 hour, and a BH4 group (n =
      7), in which animals received 20 mg/kg of BH4 followed by aortic cross-clamp for
      1 hour. Animals were followed for a maximum of 6 hours after reperfusion. The
      renal microcirculation was evaluated at baseline (before clamping), and 1, 4, and
      6 hours after reperfusion using side-stream dark field videomicroscopy. The renal
      lactate-to-pyruvate ratio was evaluated using microdialysis. The primary outcome
      was the change in proportion of small perfused vessels before and after injury.
      Secondary outcomes were renal tissue redox state and renal function. RESULTS:
      Ischemia/reperfusion injury was associated with increases in heart rate and mean
      arterial pressure, which were blunted by BH4 administration. From the first to
      the sixth hour after reperfusion, the small vessel density (estimated mean
      difference [EMD], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-1.64; P = .003),
      perfused small vessel density (EMD, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.29-1.39; P = .005), and
      proportion of perfused small vessels (EMD, 8.60; 95% CI, 0.85-16.30; P = .031)
      were altered less in the BH4 than in the ischemia/reperfusion group. The renal
      lactate-to-pyruvate ratios were lower in the cortex in the BH4 than in the
      ischemia/reperfusion group from the first to the sixth hour after reperfusion
      (EMD, -19.16; 95% CI, -11.06 to 33.16; P = .002) and in the medulla from the
      first to the fourth hour (EMD, -26.62; 95% CI, -18.32 to 38.30; P = .020; and
      EMD, -8.68; 95% CI, -5.96 to 12.65; P = .019). At the sixth hour, serum
      creatinine was lower in the BH4 than in the ischemia/reperfusion group (EMD, 
      3.36; 95% CI, -0.29 to 1.39; P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: In this sheep model of renal
      ischemia/reperfusion, BH4 pretreatment reduced renal microvascular injury and
      improved renal metabolism and function. Further work is needed to clarify the
      potential role of BH4 in ischemia/reperfusion injury.

PMID- 28632535
TI  - Perioperative Surgical Home: Evaluation of a New Protocol Focused on a
      Multidisciplinary Approach to Manage Children Undergoing Posterior Spinal Fusion
      Operation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The concept of Perioperative Surgical Home has been gaining
      significant attention in surgical centers. This model is delivering and improving
      coordinated care in a cost-effective manner to patients undergoing surgical
      procedures. It starts with the decision for surgical intervention, continues to
      the intraoperative and postoperative periods, and follows into long-term
      recovery. Constant re-evaluation of outcomes and modifications of delivery
      provides a feedback loop for improvement. Children's Hospital Los Angeles
      initiated a new protocol in June 2014 to manage children undergoing Posterior
      Spinal Fusion (PSF) with the goal to improve patient experience and lower the
      hospital length of stay and cost. METHODS: A retrospective chart review
      identified patients who underwent a PSF for idiopathic scoliosis before and after
      initiation of a new treatment protocol designed by a team of anesthesiologists,
      surgeons, nurses, and physical therapists. The new protocol included preoperative
      teaching of parents and patients, intraoperative anesthetic and surgical
      management, and immediate to long-term postoperative medical management. In
      addition to demographics, we examined length of stay, cost of hospitalization,
      pain scores on discharge, length of patient-controlled analgesia use, time to
      first solid food intake, and time to ambulation. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients
      were identified preinitiation and postinitiation of the protocol (total n = 72).
      There was no statistically significant difference in age, sex, use of intrathecal
      morphine, or estimated blood loss. Patients enrolled in the new protocol had
      higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (P = .003),
      significantly lower duration of patient-controlled analgesia use, time to first
      solid food intake, and time to ambulation (P= .001). The pain scores were higher
      at the time of discharge, although the difference was not statistically
      significant. Length of stay was significantly shorter in the new protocol group
      (P = .001), accounting for $292,560 in cost savings for the hospital.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data show that the cooperation of different teams in designing
      new management guidelines for patients requiring a PSF can significantly decrease
      the total length of stay and cost of hospitalization without altering quality of
      care.

PMID- 28632536
TI  - Pupillary Unrest: Is It a Generalizable Finding?

PMID- 28632538
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28632537
TI  - Platelet Counts and Postoperative Stroke After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
      Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Declining platelet counts may reveal platelet activation and
      aggregation in a postoperative prothrombotic state. Therefore, we hypothesized
      that nadir platelet counts after on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
      surgery are associated with stroke. METHODS: We evaluated 6130 adult CABG surgery
      patients. Postoperative platelet counts were evaluated as continuous and
      categorical (mild versus moderate to severe) predictors of stroke. Extended Cox
      proportional hazard regression analysis with a time-varying covariate for daily
      minimum postoperative platelet count assessed the association of day-to-day
      variations in postoperative platelet count with time to stroke. Competing risks
      proportional hazard regression models examined associations between day-to-day
      variations in postoperative platelet counts with timing of stroke (early: 0-1
      days; delayed: >=2 days). RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) postoperative
      nadir platelet counts were 123.0 (98.0-155.0) * 10/L. The incidences of
      postoperative stroke were 1.09%, 1.50%, and 3.02% for platelet counts >150 *
      10/L, 100 to 150 * 10/L, and <100 * 10/L, respectively. The risk for stroke
      increased by 12% on a given postoperative day for every 30 * 10/L decrease in
      platelet counts (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI],
      1.01-1.24; P= .0255). On a given day, patients with moderate to severe
      thrombocytopenia were almost twice as likely to develop stroke (adjusted HR,
      1.89; 95% CI, 1.13-3.16; P= .0155) as patients with nadir platelet counts >150 *
      10/L. Importantly, such thrombocytopenia, defined as a time-varying covariate,
      was significantly associated with delayed (>=2 days after surgery; adjusted HR,
      2.83; 95% CI, 1.48-5.41; P= .0017) but not early postoperative stroke.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest an independent association between moderate to
      severe postoperative thrombocytopenia and postoperative stroke, and timing of
      stroke after CABG surgery.

PMID- 28632540
TI  - A Shared Opportunity for Improving Electronic Medical Record Data.
AB  - With the recent rapid adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs), studies
      reporting results based on EMR data have become increasingly common. While
      analyzing data extracted from our EMR for a retrospective study, we identified
      various types of erroneous data entries. This report investigates the root causes
      of the incompleteness, inconsistency, and inaccuracy of the medical records
      analyzed in our study. While experienced health information management
      professionals are well aware of the many shortcomings with EMR data, the aims of
      this case study are to highlight the significance of the negative impact of
      erroneous EMR data, to provide fundamental principles for managing EMRs, and to
      provide recommendations to help facilitate the successful use of electronic
      health data, whether to inform clinical decisions or for clinical research.

PMID- 28632539
TI  - Epidemiologic Analysis of Elective Operative Procedures in Infants Less Than 6
      Months of Age in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study uses publicly available data to analyze the total number
      of elective, potentially deferrable operative procedures involving infants <6
      months of age in the United States. We investigated the factors associated with
      the performance of these procedures in this population. METHODS: The State
      Ambulatory Surgery Database was used to identify patients in California, North
      Carolina, New York, and Utah during the years of 2007-2010 who were younger than
      6 months of age at the time that they underwent outpatient (ambulatory) surgery.
      Operations that could reasonably be postponed until 6 months of age were
      classified as potentially deferrable procedures. Hernia repairs were analyzed
      separately from other deferrable procedures. Primary outcomes included the total
      number of elective procedures and the number and rates of potentially deferrable
      procedures per state per year in this population. RESULTS: Over the study period,
      a total of 27,540 procedures were identified as meeting inclusion criteria; of
      those, 7832 (28%) were classified as potentially deferrable, 4315 of which were
      hernia repairs. The average rates of potentially deferrable nonhernia procedures
      in California, North Carolina, New York, and Utah were 8.3, 43.8, 30.0, and 11.7
      per 10,000 person-years, respectively. In multivariable analysis, private
      insurance (odds ratio [OR] = 1.36), self-pay status (OR = 1.50), and treatment in
      a different state (OR = 0.48-3.16) were independent predictors of a potentially
      deferrable procedure being performed on an infant younger than 6 months.
      CONCLUSIONS: Potentially deferrable procedures are still performed in infants <6
      months of age. There appears to be significant variation in timing of these
      procedures among states. Insurance status and geography may be independent
      predictors of a procedure being potentially deferrable.

PMID- 28632541
TI  - Hospital-Based Acute Care Within 7 Days of Discharge After Outpatient
      Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The rate of hospital-based acute care (defined as hospital transfer
      at discharge, emergency department [ED] visit, or subsequent inpatient hospital
      [IP] admission) after outpatient procedure is gaining momentum as a quality
      metric for ambulatory surgery. However, the incidence and reasons for hospital
      based acute care after arthroscopic shoulder surgery are poorly understood.
      METHODS: We studied adult patients who underwent outpatient arthroscopic shoulder
      procedures in New York State between 2011 and 2013 using the Healthcare Cost and
      Utilization Project database. ER visits and IP admissions within 7 days of
      surgery were identified by cross-matching 2 independent Healthcare Cost and
      Utilization Project databases. RESULTS: The final cohort included 103,476
      subjects. We identified 1867 (1.80%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72%-1.89%)
      events, and the majority of these encounters were ER visits (1643, or 1.59%, 95%
      CI, 1.51%-1.66%). Direct IP admission after discharged was uncommon (224, or
      0.22%, 95% CI, 0.19%-0.24%). The most common reasons for seeking acute care were
      musculoskeletal pain (23.78% of all events). Nearly half of all events (43.49%)
      occurred on the day of surgery or on postoperative day 1. Operative time
      exceeding 2 hours was associated with higher odds of requiring acute care (odds
      ratio [OR], 1.28; 99% CI, 1.08-1.51). High-volume surgical centers (OR, 0.67; 99%
      CI, 0.58-0.78) and regional anesthesia (OR, 0.72; 99% CI, 0.56-0.92) were
      associated with lower odds of requiring acute care. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of
      hospital-based acute care after outpatient shoulder arthroscopy was low (1.80%).
      Complications driving acute care visits often occurred within 1 day of surgery.
      Many of the events were likely related to surgery and anesthesia (eg, inadequate
      analgesia), suggesting that anesthesiologists may play a central role in
      preventing acute care visits after surgery.

PMID- 28632542
TI  - Creation and Execution of a Novel Anesthesia Perioperative Care Service at a
      Veterans Affairs Hospital.
AB  - Physician-led perioperative surgical home models are developing as a method for
      improving the American health care system. These models are novel, team-based
      approaches that help to provide continuity of care throughout the perioperative
      period. Another avenue for improving care for surgical patients is the use of
      enhanced recovery after surgery pathways. These are well-described methods that
      have shown to improve perioperative outcomes. An established perioperative
      surgical home model can help implementation, efficiency, and adherence to
      enhanced recovery after surgery pathways. For these reasons, the Tennessee Valley
      Healthcare System, Nashville Veterans Affairs Medical Center created an
      Anesthesiology Perioperative Care Service that provides comprehensive care to
      surgical patients from their preoperative period through the continuum of their
      hospital course and postdischarge follow-up. In this brief report, we describe
      the development, implementation, and preliminary outcomes of the service.

PMID- 28632543
TI  - Stroke Volume Variation-Guided Versus Central Venous Pressure-Guided Low Central
      Venous Pressure With Milrinone During Living Donor Hepatectomy: A Randomized
      Double-Blinded Clinical Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We previously demonstrated the usefulness of milrinone for living
      donor hepatectomy. However, a less-invasive alternative to central venous
      catheterization and perioperative contributors to good surgical outcomes remain
      undetermined. The current study evaluated whether the stroke volume variation
      (SVV)-guided method can substitute central venous catheterization during
      milrinone-induced profound vasodilation. METHODS: We randomly assigned 42 living
      liver donors to receive either SVV guidance or central venous pressure (CVP)
      guidance to obtain milrinone-induced low CVP. Target SVV of 9% was used as a
      substitute for CVP of 5 mm Hg. The surgical field grade evaluated by 2 attending
      surgeons on a 4-point scale was compared between the CVP- and SVV-guided groups
      (n = 19, total number of scores = 38 per group) as a primary outcome variable.
      Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent factors associated
      with the best surgical field as a post hoc analysis. RESULTS: Surgical field
      grades, which were either 1 or 2, were not found to be different between the 2
      groups via Mann-Whitney U test (P = .358). There was a very weak correlation
      between SVV and CVP during profound vasodilation such as CVP <= 5 mm Hg (R = 
      0.06; 95% confidence interval, -0.09 to -0.04; P < .001). Additional post hoc
      analysis suggested that younger age, lower baseline CVP, and longer duration of
      milrinone infusion might be helpful in providing the best surgical field.
      CONCLUSIONS: Milrinone-induced vasodilation resulted in favorable surgical
      environment regardless of guidance methods of low CVP during living donor
      hepatectomy. However, SVV was not a useful indicator of low CVP because of very
      weak correlation between SVV and CVP during profound vasodilation. In addition,
      factors contributing to the best surgical field such as donor age, proactive
      fasting, and proper dosing of milrinone need to be investigated further, ideally
      through prospective studies.

PMID- 28632544
TI  - Improving Outcomes in Emergency General Surgery Patients: What Evidence Is Out
      There?

PMID- 28632545
TI  - Computer-assisted Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion May
      Be Better Than Open Surgery for Treating Degenerative Lumbar Disease.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: This study was a retrospective review of prospectively collected
      clinical data. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes of
      computer-assisted minimally invasive spine surgery transforaminal lumbar
      interbody fusion (CAMISS-TLIF) and open TLIF for the treatment of 1-level
      degenerative lumbar disease. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Minimally invasive TLIF
      is becoming increasingly popular; however, the limited space and high rate of
      hardware complications associated with this method are challenging to surgeons.
      Computer-assisted navigation has the potential to dynamically show the fine
      anatomic structures, which could theoretically facilitate minimally invasive
      spine procedures. METHODS: Sixty-one patients underwent 1-level TLIF procedures
      (30, CAMISS-TLIF; 31, open TLIF). The computer-assisted navigation system was
      used for CAMISS-TLIF, whereas conventional fluoroscopy was used for open TLIF.
      Demographic, operative, visual analog scale, and Oswestry disability index data
      were collected. Screw insertion was assessed by computed tomography, and
      radiologic fusion based on Bridwell grading was evaluated 2 years after surgery
      by independent investigators. RESULTS: The CAMISS-TLIF group had significantly
      less blood loss, postoperative drain, need for transfusion, and initial
      postoperative back pain; earlier rehabilitation; and shorter postoperative
      hospitalization than the open TLIF group, whereas CAMISS-TLIF took longer
      surgical time than open TLIF. However, no significant differences between the 2
      groups in visual analog scale scores and Oswestry disability index were observed
      at 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. A total of 93.33% and 73.39% of
      screws in the CAMISS and open groups, respectively, had no pedicle perforation
      (P=0.016), and the fusion rate was similar in both groups (P=0.787). CONCLUSIONS:
      Computer-assisted navigation facilitated minimally invasive spine surgery-TLIF.
      CAMISS-TLIF was superior to open TLIF for treating 1-level degenerative lumbar
      disease, although it required longer operation time in the initial stage. CAMISS
      TLIF showed several benefits compared with open TLIF, including less
      intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, and pain; earlier
      rehabilitation; and shorter postoperative hospitalization.

PMID- 28632546
TI  - Clinical Outcome and Postoperative CT Measurements of Microendoscopic
      Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective case series. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively
      evaluate the clinical outcome of microendoscopic decompression for lumbar spinal
      stenosis (LSS) including an evaluation of the extent of decompression using
      computed tomography. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Microendoscopic decompression
      has been a widely applied procedure to treat LSS with satisfactory outcomes and
      comparatively fewer complications and revision. However, few reports showed
      computed tomography (CT) measurements of the lumbar spine to assess the
      postoperative decompression. METHODS: This study included 103 patients (55 males
      and 48 females; mean age, 69 y) who underwent microendoscopic decompression for
      treatment of LSS between January 2009 and January 2011. All patients underwent
      preoperative CT and postoperative CT at 6 months and 2 years of follow-up to
      measure the vertebral canal area and the sagittal diameter of the lateral recess
      at the outer rim. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scale, Oswestry
      Disability Index, and Visual Analogue Scale were used to evaluate clinical
      efficacy. RESULTS: The mean vertebral canal area and sagittal diameter of the
      lateral recess were significantly larger at 6 months and 2 years after surgery
      compared with 1 day before surgery (P<0.001). The mean JOA scale scores were
      significantly higher at 6 and 24 months following surgery compared with before
      surgery (P<0.001). The mean Oswestry Disability Index scores and Visual Analogue
      Scale scores at 6 months and 2 years after surgery were significantly lower
      compared with before surgery (both P<0.001). The mean JOA recovery rates at 6
      months and 2 years of follow-up were 61% and 64.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      The results confirm that microendoscopic decompression for LSS is safe and
      effective. This study is one of the first to obtain CT measurements of the lumbar
      spine to assess the postoperative decompression of this procedure.

PMID- 28632547
TI  - A Less-Invasive Retroperitoneal Lumbar Approach: Animal Feasibility Study and
      Primary Clinical Study.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Surgical approach development in an animal model, and a prospective
      study comparing clinical outcomes between novel and conventional approaches in
      thoracolumbar burst fracture fixation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility
      of a less-invasive retroperitoneal approach to the lumbar spine in a sheep model
      and to compare the clinical outcomes of anterior reconstruction in the treatment
      of thoracolumbar burst fractures using novel and conventional approaches. SUMMARY
      OF BACKGROUND DATA: The anterior retroperitoneal lumbar approach is well
      established for anterior lumbar surgical procedures in both humans and animal
      models. However, potential concerns include the increased risk of complications
      such as soft-tissue trauma, and extended periods of rehabilitation
      postoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A less-invasive retroperitoneal approach
      was designed in a sheep model with minimal soft-tissue dissection to keep the
      abdominal and paravertebral muscles intact. Eight sheep underwent anterior lumbar
      interbody fusion using this approach. In the clinical study, 48 patients with
      thoracolumbar burst fractures underwent anterior decompression and
      reconstruction. The less-invasive approach and conventional approach were applied
      in 12 and 36 cases, respectively. The clinical outcomes during the minimum 12
      month follow-up of the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: With the less-invasive
      approach, anterior lumbar interbody fusion was accomplished in all sheep, and no
      surgical complications were observed. In the clinical study, operation time,
      blood loss, and duration of hospitalization were comparable between 2 groups.
      Using the less-invasive approach decreased the length of incision, 3-day
      postoperative visual analogue scale score, postoperative independent standing,
      and narcotic-dependent duration. No surgical complications were observed in
      either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results and early experience suggests that the
      less-invasive retroperitoneal approach is safe and effective for anterior lumbar
      surgery. Compared with the conventional approach, significantly better
      postoperative rehabilitation and abdominal muscle preservation were seen with
      this novel approach.

PMID- 28632548
TI  - Are Modic Changes Able to Help Us in Our Clinical Practice? A Study of the Modic
      Changes in Young Adults During Working Age.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Modic changes [vertebral endplate spinal changes (VESC)] have been
      related to degenerative disk disease, and in past decades it was thought that
      their presence justified the surgical treatment, in particular spinal fusion.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to investigate its prevalence and
      features in a population of young workers suffering from low back pain, and
      explore the eventual relationship with the treatment applied in each case.
      BACKGROUND DATA: We conducted a retrospectively review of 450 magnetic resonance
      images from our hospital, in patients with low back pain or sciatica and age
      below 40. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Age, sex, symptoms predominance, concurrence
      with other spine disease, VESC type, evolution, level/s of involvement and
      placement, affected disk location and extent of the disease, disk height, and
      status of the endplate were recorded. The applied treatment was divided in groups
      according to the degree of invasiveness of the procedure. RESULTS: Prevalence of
      VESC was 13.05% predominant in patients over 30 years, and 100% associated to
      disk degenerative changes. Most frequent features were: type I (54%), lower
      lumbar region (98%), along with a decreased disk height (68%), and distortion of
      the disk endplates (98%, P<0.01). The patients with VESC presented a favorable
      outcome with conservative treatment, but were more frequently associated with
      invasive treatment, compared with non-VESC patients (P<0.024). CONCLUSIONS: VESC
      prevalence increases with age, underlying the degenerative causative etiology.
      Surgical indication should not be stated on the basis of the VESC findings alone,
      the main factor for indicating surgery depends more on other associated
      degenerative spinal changes.

PMID- 28632549
TI  - Biomechanical Investigation of a Novel Revision Device in an Osteoporotic Model:
      Pullout Strength of Pedicle Screw Anchor Versus Larger Screw Diameter.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: In vitro cadaveric biomechanical study. OBJECTIVE: To assess
      revision pullout strength of novel anchored screws (AS) versus conventional
      larger diameter traditional pedicle screws (TPS) in an osteoporotic model.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Pedicle screws are the most ubiquitous method of
      treating spinal pathologies requiring lumbar fusion. Although these screws are
      effective in providing 3-column stabilization of the spine, revision surgeries
      are occasionally necessary, particularly for geriatric and osteoporotic
      populations. Innovative technologies should be tested to ensure continued
      improvement in revision techniques. METHODS: For 4 specimens at L2-L5 (T-score=
      3.6+/-0.54), 6.5-mm-diameter TPS were inserted into left and right pedicles and
      were pulled out; revision screws were then inserted. Polyether-ether-ketone
      anchors, designed to expand around a 6.5-mm screw, were inserted into all left
      pedicles. On the contralateral side, 7.5-mm-diameter TPS were inserted at L2-L3,
      and 8.5-mm-diameter TPS at L4-L5. Pullout testing was performed at 10 mm/min. The
      maximum pullout strength and insertion forces were recorded. RESULTS: The initial
      average pullout force (6.5-mm screw) was 837 N (+/-329 N) and 642 N (+/-318 N) in
      L2-L3 and L4-L5 left pedicles, and 705 N (+/-451 N) and 779 N (+/-378 N) in L2-L3
      and L4-L5 right pedicles, respectively. Comparison of revision pullout forces
      versus initial pullout forces revealed the following: 87% and 63% for AS in L2-L3
      and L4-L5 left pedicles, respectively; 56% for 7.5-mm and 93% for 8.5-mm TPS in
      L2-L3 and L4-L5 right pedicles, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Anchor sleeves with
      6.5-mm-diameter pedicle screws provided markedly higher resistance to screw
      pullout than 7.5-mm-diameter revision screws and fixation statistically
      equivalent to 8.5-mm-diameter screws, possibly because of medial-lateral
      expansion within the vertebral space and/or convex filling of the pedicle. AS
      results had the lowest SD, indicating minimal variability in bone-screw purchase.

PMID- 28632550
TI  - Suture Choice in Lumbar Dural Closure Contributes to Variation in Leak Pressures:
      Experimental Model.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Open-label laboratory investigational study; non-animal surgical
      simulation. OBJECTIVE: The authors perform a comparison of dural closure strength
      in a durotomy simulator across 2 different suture materials. SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: Incidental durotomy leading to persistent cerebrospinal fluid
      leak adds considerable morbidity to spinal procedures, often complicating routine
      elective lumbar spinal procedures. Using an experimental durotomy simulation, the
      authors compare the strength of closure using Gore-Tex with other suture types
      and sizes, using various closure techniques. METHODS: A comparison of dural
      closures was performed through an analysis of the peak pressure at which leakage
      occurred from a standardized durotomy closure in an established cerebrospinal
      fluid repair model with a premade L3 laminectomy. Nurolon was compared with Gore
      Tex sutures sizes (for Gore-Tex, CV-6/5-0 and CV-5/4-0 was compared with Nurolon
      4-0, 5-0, and 6-0). RESULTS: Thirty-six trials were performed with Nurolon 4-0, 5
      0, and 6-0, whereas 21 trials were performed for 4-0 and 5-0 Gore-Tex. The mean
      peak pressure at which fluid leakage was observed was 21 cm H2O for Nurolon and
      34 cm H2O for Gore-Tex. Irrespective of suture choice, all trials were grouped by
      closure technique: running suture, locked continuous, and interrupted suture. No
      significant difference was noted between the groups. For each of the 3 trials
      groups by closure technique, running, locked continuous, and interrupted, Gore
      Tex closures had a significantly higher peak pressure to failure. Interrupted
      Gore-Tex was significantly higher than Interrupted Nurolon (P=0.007), running
      Gore-Tex was significantly higher than running Nurolon (P=0.034), and locked Gore
      Tex was significantly higher than locked Nurolon (P=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Durotomy
      closure in the lumbar spine with Gore-Tex suture may be a reasonable option for
      providing a watertight closure. In this laboratory study, Gore-Tex suture
      provided watertight dural closures that withstood higher peak pressures.

PMID- 28632551
TI  - Comparative Study of C-arms for Intraoperative 3-dimensional Imaging and
      Navigation in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Part I: Applicability and Image
      Quality.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis. OBJECTIVE: This study compares 2
      different 3-dimensional (3D) C-arm devices for intraoperative imaging and
      navigation with regard to clinical applicability and image quality. SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: Minimally invasive spine surgery requires intraoperative imaging
      techniques to adequately visualize the unexposed spine. For this purpose, mobile
      3D C-arms became available along with the evolution of intraoperative navigation
      techniques. METHODS: The C-arm devices Siremobil Iso-C 3D (Siemens) and Vision FD
      Vario 3D (Ziehm) perform an automated orbital rotation around the patient
      acquiring a 3D image set out of multiple successive fluoroscopic images. We
      report on technical specifications of the C-arms and our daily experience
      regarding clinical applicability. Furthermore, 5 spine surgeons evaluated blinded
      triplanar planes of 40 cervical, thoracic, and lumbar 3D scans that were obtained
      during routine surgery regarding usability for navigation. We assessed the
      delineation of cortical bone, artifacts, and overall image quality using a 0-10
      numeric rating scale. RESULTS: The Siremobil Iso-C 3D requires 128 seconds for
      its 190-degree scanning arc with equidistant isocenter. The Vision FD Vario 3D
      performs an elliptical scanning arc and completes its 135-degree scan in 64
      seconds; furthermore, it features a flat panel detector and fully digital
      imaging. The smaller dimensions of the Vision FD Vario 3D made it easier to
      maneuver in the operating room compared with the more bulky Siremobil Iso-C 3D.
      With respect to image quality in cervical 3D scans, the Siremobil Iso-C 3D
      reached significantly higher scores in all categories. The Vision FD Vario 3D
      revealed less artifacts in lumbar 3D scans. CONCLUSIONS: The Siremobil Iso-C 3D
      provides high-quality 3D scans in slender spine regions (eg, cervical spine),
      whereas the Vision FD Vario 3D appears to have advantages in the lumbar spine.
      Further evolution and novel devices are needed to optimize image quality and
      handling.

PMID- 28632552
TI  - Comparative Study of C-Arms for Intraoperative 3-dimensional Imaging and
      Navigation in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Part II: Radiation Exposure.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A radiation exposure study in vitro. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to
      compare the radiation exposure of 2 different 3-dimensional (3D) C-arm devices on
      an anthropomorphic phantom. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Minimally invasive
      pedicle screw placement requires intraoperative imaging techniques for
      visualization of the unexposed spine. Mobile 3D C-arms compose a 3D image data
      set out of multiple successive fluoroscopic images. METHODS: We compared the 3D C
      arm devices Siremobil Iso-C 3D (Siemens Sector Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) and
      Vision FD Vario 3D (Ziehm Imaging, Nuremberg, Germany) regarding their radiation
      exposure. For this purpose, dosimeters were attached on an anthropomorphic
      phantom at various sites (eye lenses, thyroid gland, female, and male gonads).
      With each C-arm, 10 automated 3D scans as well as 400 fluoroscopic images were
      performed on the cervical and lumbar spine, respectively. RESULTS: The Vision FD
      Vario 3D generally causes higher radiation exposures than the Siremobil Iso-C 3D.
      Significantly higher radiation exposures were assessed at the eye lenses
      performing cervical (294.1 vs. 84.6 MUSv) and lumbar 3D scans (22.5 vs. 11.2
      MUSv) as well as at the thyroid gland performing cervical 3D scans (4405.2 vs.
      2761.9 MUSv). Moreover, the Vision FD Vario 3D caused significantly higher
      radiation exposure at the eye lenses for standard cervical fluoroscopic images
      (3.2 vs. 0.4 MUSv). CONCLUSIONS: 3D C-arms facilitate minimally invasive and
      accurate pedicle screw placement by providing 3D image datasets for
      intraoperative 3D imaging and navigation. However, the hereby potentially
      increased radiation exposure has to be considered. In particular, the Vision FD
      Vario 3D appears to generally evoke higher radiation exposures than the Siremobil
      Iso-C 3D. Well-indicated application of ionizing radiation and compliance with
      radiation protection principles remain mandatory to keep radiation exposure to
      patient and staff as low as reasonably achievable.

PMID- 28632553
TI  - Lumbar Retrolisthesis in Aging Spine: What are the Associated Factors?
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective radiographic study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this
      study is to demonstrate that lumbar retrolisthesis serves as an important
      compensatory mechanism and to identify the possible factor related to lumbar
      retrolisthesis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lumbar instability is one of the
      common degenerative changes, which presents as 2 radiologic features:
      anterolisthesis and retrolisthesis. Compared with the extensive studies on
      anterolisthesis, limit data are available on the characteristics and clinical
      relevance of lumbar retrolisthesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 105
      adult patients with low back pain were prospectively recruited, of which 60
      patients had retrolisthesis (group 1) and 45 patients had anterolisthesis (group
      2). Another 40 healthy age-matched adults (group 3) were also included to serve
      as the control group. Sagittal spinopelvic parameters were measured from the
      standing lateral radiograph, including thoracic kyphosis (TK), thoracolumbar
      kyphosis (TLK), lumbar lordosis (LL), pelvic incidence (PI), sacrum slope (SS),
      pelvic tilt (PT), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), spinosacral angle (SSA), and C7
      tilt (C7T). In addition, disk degeneration was quantitatively evaluated by
      Pfirrmann score on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images in patients with
      retrolisthesis. RESULTS: For all the sagittal parameters, SVA, PI, SS, and LL in
      retrolisthesis group were found to be significantly lower than those in the
      anterolisthesis group and in the control group, respectively (P<0.05), whereas
      TLK in retrolisthesis group was significantly larger than other 2 groups
      (P<0.01). In addition, the average Pfirrmann disk score was 2.11 at levels with
      retrolisthesis indicating that the disks were not severely degenerated.
      CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar retrolisthesis, together with thoracolumbar kyphosis, appears
      to be associated with mechanisms associated with regulation of sagittal balance.
      Low PI and disk instability due to degeneration may contribute to the development
      and progression of retrolisthesis.

PMID- 28632554
TI  - The Correlation Between Cage Subsidence, Bone Mineral Density, and Clinical
      Results in Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of prospectively collected radiographic and
      clinical data. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between
      cage subsidence and bone mineral density (BMD), and to reveal the clinical
      implications of cage subsidence. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Posterior lumbar
      interbody fusion (PLIF) has become one of the standard treatment modality for
      lumbar degenerative disease. However, cage subsidence might result in recurrent
      foraminal stenosis and deteriorate the clinical results. Furthermore, numbers of
      osteoporosis patients who underwent PLIF are increasing. Therefore, the
      information on the correlations between cage subsidence, BMD, and clinical
      results will be of great significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 139
      segments was included in this retrospective study. We examined functional rating
      index (Visual Analogue Scale for pain, Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form-36
      score) preoperatively, and investigated their changes after postoperative 1 year.
      Correlation between cage subsidence and clinical scores was investigated. Plain
      anteroposterior and lateral radiograph were taken preoperatively and
      postoperatively and during follow-up. Preoperative BMD and subsidence measured by
      postoperative 1 year 3-dimensional computed tomography were achieved and their
      correlation was assessed. RESULTS: All postoperative clinical scores improved
      significantly compared with preoperative ones (pain Visual Analogue Scale: 7.34
      2.89, Oswestry Disability Index: 25.34-15.86, Short Form-36: 26.45-16.46, all
      P<0.001). BMD showed significant weak correlation with subsidence (r=-0.285,
      P<0.001). Severe osteoporotic segments (T score <-3.0) had more risk to develop
      severe subsidence (>3 mm) compared with the segments in which T score were higher
      than -3.0 (P=0.012), and its odds ratio was 8.44. Subsidence had no significant
      correlation with all clinical scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that cage
      subsidence is relevant to BMD. However, it was demonstrated that subsidence is
      not related to the clinical deterioration. Therefore, PLIF procedure which is
      conducted carefully can be a good surgical option to treat lumbar degenerative
      disease for osteoporotic patients.

PMID- 28632555
TI  - Changes in Cytokines, Sensory Tests, and Self-reported Pain Levels After Manual
      Treatment of Low Back Pain.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Unbalanced 3-factor design with repeated measures on 1 factor.
      OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of manual treatment (MT) on cytokine and pain
      sensations in those with and without low back pain (LBP). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND
      DATA: Evidence suggests that MT reduces LBP but by unknown mechanisms. Certain
      cytokines have been elevated in patients with LBP and may be affected by MT.
      METHODS: Participants aged 20-60 years with chronic LBP or without LBP were
      recruited and randomly assigned to MT, sham ultrasound treatment, or no treatment
      groups. Venous blood samples were collected and pain levels assessed at baseline,
      1 hour later, and 24 hours later. Blood was analyzed for interleukin (IL)-1beta,
      IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and C-reactive protein. Pain levels were
      measured by pressure pain threshold (PPT), mechanical detection threshold (MDT),
      dynamic mechanical allodynia, and self-report. RESULTS: Forty (30 women, age 36+/
      11 y) participants completed the study, 33 with LBP (13 MT, 13 sham ultrasound
      treatment, and 7 no treatment) and 7 without LBP. Participants with or without
      LBP could not be differentiated on the basis of serum cytokine levels, PPT, or
      MDT (P>=0.08). There were no significant differences between the groups at 1 hour
      or 24 hours on serum cytokines, PPT, or MDT (P>=0.07). There was a significant
      decrease from baseline in IL-6 for the no treatment (LBP) group (P=0.04), in C
      reactive protein for the sham ultrasound treatment group (P=0.03), in MDT for all
      3 LBP groups (P<=0.02), and in self-reported pain for the MT and sham ultrasound
      treatment groups (P=0.03 and 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported pain was reduced
      with MT and sham ultrasound treatment 24 hours after treatment, but inflammatory
      markers within venous circulation and quantitative sensory tests were unable to
      differentiate between study groups. Therefore, we were unable to characterize
      mechanisms underlying chronic LBP.

PMID- 28632556
TI  - Watertight Sealing Without Lumbar Drainage for Incidental Ventral Dural Defect in
      Transthoracic Spine Surgery: A Retrospective Review of 53 Cases.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the therapeutic
      efficacy of the triple layer closure technique to establish watertight sealing
      without diversion of lumbar drainage, in preventing persistent incidental
      subarachnoid-pleural fistula and other neurological complications related to
      excessive drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after dural defect in
      transthoracic ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) surgery. SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: CSF leakage into the pleural cavity leads to unfavorable
      conditions for natural healing of incidental durotomy due to the negative
      pressure environment of the pleural space and lack of wound healing around the
      bony cavity near the decompressed spinal cord. This often leads to a persistent
      incidental subarachnoid-pleural fistula. In addition, diversion of lumbar
      drainage may lead to excessive CSF drainage resulting in intracranial
      hypotension. To avoid this, we studied the efficacy of a modified sealing method
      to establish a more watertight covering at the ventral dural defect without
      lumbar CSF drainage. METHODS: Fifty-three patients who had CSF leakage from the
      ventral aspect of the spinal cord during transthoracic spine surgery for thoracic
      OPLL between 2004 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided
      into 2 groups: a conventional group (group A) and a triple layer closure group
      (group B). In group A (n=33 patients), the dural defect was covered with fibrin
      glue (Beriplast P) mixed with gelfoam (Spongostan Standard) with subsequent
      subarachnoid lumbar drainage. In group B (n=20 patients), the dural defect was
      sealed using the triple layer technique with 2 layers of fibrin glue and gelatin
      sponge plus a third layer of synthetic hydrogel (Duraseal, Dural Sealant System)
      without subsequent subarachnoid lumbar drainage. Both groups had chest tubes that
      drained through an underwater seal. Clinical data including duration and total
      amount of drainage (chest tube and lumbar drainage), related complications, and
      duration of hospital stay were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Compared
      with the patients in group A, group B had a significantly smaller total volume of
      drainage and shorter chest tube drainage time (P<0.05) during their hospital
      stay. In group A, complications occurred in 6 cases (18.2%), including 3 cases of
      intracranial hypotension combined with transient mental status alteration,
      postural headache, and dizziness, 1 case of regional atelectasis with pneumonia,
      and 2 cases of revision thoracotomy. Revision thoracotomy was performed to treat
      persistent subarachnoid-pleural fistula due to significant and prolonged CSF
      leakage. In group B, there were no complications and no revision thoracotomy was
      needed. The mean duration of hospital stay was shorter in group B (15.6 d)
      compared with group A (22.4 d). CONCLUSIONS: The established watertight closure
      of the dural defect using the triple layer sealing method without lumbar drainage
      was more effective and safe.

PMID- 28632557
TI  - Vertebral End-Plate Perforation for Intervertebral Disc Height Preservation After
      Single-level Lumbar Discectomy: A Randomized-controlled Trial.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Pilot single-centre, stratified, prospective, randomized, double
      blinded, parallel-group, controlled study. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether
      vertebral end-plate perforation after lumbar discectomy causes annulus reparation
      and intervertebral disc volume restoration. To determine that after 6 months
      there would be no clinical differences between the control and study group.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Low back pain is the most common long-term
      complication after lumbar discectomy. It is mainly caused by intervertebral disc
      space loss, which promotes progressive degeneration. This is the first study to
      test the efficiency of a previously described method (vertebral end-plate
      perforation) that should advocate for annulus fibrosus reparation and disc space
      restoration. METHODS: We selected 30 eligible patients according to inclusion and
      exclusion criteria and randomly assigned them to the control (no end-plate
      perforation) or study (end-plate perforation) group. Each patient was evaluated
      in 5 different periods, where data were collected [preoperative and 6-mo follow
      up magnetic resonance imaging and functional outcome data: visual analogue scale
      (VAS) back, VAS legs, Oswestry disability index (ODI)]. Intervertebral space
      volume (ISV) and height (ISH) were measured form the magnetic resonance images.
      Statistical analysis was performed using paired t test and linear regression.
      P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: We found no
      statistically significant difference between the control group and the study
      group concerning ISV (P=0.6808) and ISH (P=0.8981) 6 months after surgery. No
      statistically significant differences were found between ODI, VAS back, and VAS
      legs after 6 months between the 2 groups, however, there were statistically
      significant differences between these parameters in different time periods.
      Correlation between the volume of disc tissue removed and preoperative versus
      postoperative difference in ISV was statistically significant (P=0.0020).
      CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed positive correlation between the volume of
      removed disc tissue and decrease in postoperative ISV and ISH. There were no
      statistically significant differences in ISV and ISH between the group with end
      plate perforation and the control group 6 months after lumbar discectomy.
      Clinical outcome and disability were significantly improved in both groups 3 and
      6 months after surgery.

PMID- 28632558
TI  - The Long-term Clinical Effect of Minimal-Invasive TLIF Technique in 1-Segment
      Lumbar Disease.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort double-center study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the
      clinical effect of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion
      (miTLIF) using the tunnel technique. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A series of
      short-term studies have indicated that miTLIF could reduce blood loss and improve
      clinical results. However, long-term clinical study and magnetic resonance
      imaging research are still scare. METHODS: From January 2008 to January 2009, 187
      patients with 1-segment lumbar disease requiring intervertebral fusion were
      enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the
      operative methods. Postoperative low back pain (LBP), postoperative lumbar
      function, the fusion rate, lower extremity pain relief, variation of lumbar
      lordosis, and implant failure were assessed. At 48 months postoperation, the
      cross-sectional area of the paraspinal muscle was measured using magnetic
      resonance imaging. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow-up was 54.4+/-5.9 months.
      The intermuscular pressure generated by the tunnel in the miTLIF group was lower
      than that generated in the oTLIF group. Patients in the miTLIF group reported a
      lower degree of LBP at all timepoints. The ODI scores were similar to the VAS
      scores. No significant differences were found in fusion rate, lower extremity
      pain relief, lumbar lordosis, or implant failure rate. A significant difference
      was found between the 2 groups in postoperative cross-sectional area.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the advantages of miTLIF in reducing
      postoperative LBP, improving postoperative quality of life and preventing
      paraspinal muscle atrophy compared with oTLIF, while achieving a similar
      therapeutic outcome. The lower intermuscular pressure generated by minimally
      invasive tunnel and subsequent moderate muscle atrophy were presumed to be
      possible reasons for its superiority.

PMID- 28632559
TI  - Counting the Cost of Failed Spinal Fusion for Relief of Low Back Pain: Does
      Primary Fusion With Bone Morphogenetic Protein Make Economic Sense From a Primary
      Payer Perspective?
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the
      unknown direct costs of failed instrumented lumbar fusion using iliac crest bone
      graft (ICBG) and subsequent reoperation utilizing recombinant human bone
      morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) from a primary payer perspective. SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: Recent evidence has demonstrated increased rates of instrumented
      lumbar fusion and utilization of rhBMP-2 to treat a range of conditions causing
      lower back pain. For health care providers with finite financial resources, there
      is an increasing demand to evaluate economic costs of available treatment
      modalities. The high cost of rhBMP-2 has often been cited as a leading reason for
      delaying its universal acceptance as a preferred substitute to ICBG. It has been
      hypothesized that rhBMP-2 may demonstrate cost-effectiveness if pseudarthrosis
      and reoperation rates are decreased, thus avoiding subsequent expenditure.
      METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent
      instrumented lumbar fusions utilizing rhBMP-2. Hospital finance records were used
      to calculate direct total expenditure incurred by the primary payer for the
      procedure using rhBMP-2. For patients who received rhBMP-2 in a secondary lumbar
      fusion, additional total expenditure related to the patients' failed primary
      instrumented fusion with ICBG was also sought. RESULTS: The mean total costs
      associated with failed instrumented lumbar fusion using ICBG and reoperation
      using rhBMP-2 totaled L47,734 per patient. The total direct costs of a policy of
      primary instrumented lumbar fusion with rhBMP-2 were less at L26,923 per patient;
      however, this was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: To date, this is the first study
      to report the costs of failed primary instrumented lumbar fusions using ICBG and
      subsequent secondary fusions using rhBMP-2 from a primary payer perspective. On
      the basis of this evidence, a policy of using rhBMP-2 in all patients undergoing
      a primary instrumented lumbar fusion cannot be recommended.

PMID- 28632560
TI  - Preoperative Depression, Smoking, and Employment Status are Significant Factors
      in Patient Satisfaction After Lumbar Spine Surgery.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether
      comorbidities and demographics, identified preoperatively, can impact patient
      outcomes and satisfaction after lumbar spine surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA:
      The surgical treatment of lower back pain does not always eliminate a patient's
      pain and symptoms. Revision surgeries are costly and expose the patient to
      additional risk. We aim to identify patient characteristics that may suggest a
      greater or lesser likelihood of postsurgical success by examining patient
      reported measures and outcomes after surgery. METHODS: Preoperative smoking
      status, self-reported depression, prevalence of diabetes, obesity, level of
      education, and employment status were assessed in the context of patient outcome
      and satisfaction after lumbar spine surgery. Patients were contacted before
      surgery, and at 3 and 12 months postoperatively, and responded to Oswestry
      Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) self-assessment
      examinations, as well as a satisfaction measure. RESULTS: A total of 166 patients
      who underwent lumbar spine surgeries at Iowa Spine and Brain Institute, a
      department of Covenant Medical Center, and were included in the National
      Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database were assessed preoperatively, and at 3
      and 12 months postoperatively using self-assessment tools. Depression, smoking,
      and employment status were found to be significant factors in patient
      satisfaction. Depressed patients, smokers, and patients on disability at the time
      of surgery have worse ODI and EQ-5D scores at all of the timepoints (baseline, 3
      months, and 12 months postsurgery). CONCLUSIONS: Depression, smoking, and
      employment status, specifically whether a patient is on disability at the time of
      surgery, are all significant factors in patient satisfaction after lumbar spine
      surgery. These factors are also shown in impact ODI and EQ-5D scores. Surgeons
      should consider these particular characteristics when developing a lower back
      pain treatment plan involving surgery.

PMID- 28632561
TI  - Early Postoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detecting Radicular Pain After
      Lumbar Decompression Surgery: Retrospective Study of the Relationship Between
      Dural Sac Cross-sectional Area and Postoperative Radicular Pain.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective analysis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association
      between early postoperative dural sac cross-sectional area (DCSA) and radicular
      pain. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The correlation between postoperative magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) findings and postoperative neurological symptoms after
      lumbar decompression surgery is controversial. METHODS: This study included 115
      patients who underwent lumbar decompression surgery followed by MRI within 7 days
      postoperatively. There were 46 patients with early postoperative radicular pain,
      regardless of whether the pain was mild or similar to that before surgery. The
      intervertebral level with the smallest DCSA was identified on MRI and compared
      preoperatively and postoperatively. Risk factors for postoperative radicular pain
      were determined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Subanalysis according
      to absence/presence of a residual suction drain also was performed. RESULTS:
      Multivariate regression analysis showed that smaller postoperative DCSA was
      significantly associated with early postoperative radicular pain (per -10 mm;
      odds ratio, 1.26). The best cutoff value for radicular pain was early
      postoperative DCSA of 67.7 mm. Even with a cutoff value of <70 mm, sensitivity
      and specificity are 74.3% and 75.0%, respectively. Early postoperative DCSA was
      significantly larger before suction drain removal than after (119.7+/-10.1 vs.
      93.9+/-5.4 mm). CONCLUSIONS: Smaller DCSA in the early postoperative period was
      associated with radicular pain after lumbar decompression surgery. The best
      cutoff value for postoperative radicular pain was 67.7 mm. Absence of a suction
      drain at the time of early postoperative MRI was related to smaller DCSA.

PMID- 28632562
TI  - Degenerative Changes of the Facet Joints in Adults With Lumbar Spondylolysis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Radiologic analysis using computed tomography. OBJECTIVES: To
      analyze the degenerative changes of the facet joints in patients with
      spondylolysis in comparison with control subjects. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA:
      Defects of the pars interarticularis are thought to result in a reduction of
      biomechanical stress on adjacent facet joints. Therefore, degenerative changes of
      the facet joints in patients with spondylolysis are expected to be less than
      those in patients without spondylolysis. METHODS: Abdominal and pelvic
      multidetector computed tomography scans of 2000 subjects, performed for
      conditions unrelated to low back pain, were reviewed. A total of 107 patients (37
      women and 70 men) with L5 spondylolysis were identified [spondylolysis (+)
      group]. Sex-matched and age-matched controls without spondylolysis were chosen
      randomly [spondylolysis (-) group]. Subjects in the spondylolysis group were
      subdivided into either bilateral spondylolysis or unilateral spondylolysis groups
      for comparison with the control group. Four radiologic findings (narrowing,
      sclerosis, osteophyte, and bone cyst) indicative of degenerative change of the
      facet joints adjacent to the L5 pars defects were evaluated and the degree of
      degenerative change was graded by summing the number of degenerative changes
      (score range, 0-4). The chi test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for
      statistical analysis. RESULTS: Significantly more degenerative changes in both
      L4/L5 and L5/S facet joints were found in the spondylolysis (+) group than in the
      spondylolysis (-) group (chi test, P <0.05). Degenerative changes of the facet
      joints at both L4/L5 and L5/S were more severe in the bilateral spondylolysis (+)
      group than in the spondylolysis (-) group. Degenerative changes of the facet
      joints at both L4/L5 and L5/S were more severe in the unilateral spondylolysis
      (+) group than in the spondylolysis (-) group. CONCLUSIONS: Degenerative changes
      of the facet joints in patients with lumbar spondylolysis were more severe than
      those without spondylolysis.

PMID- 28632563
TI  - Why Lumbar Artificial Disk Replacements (LADRs) Fail.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE:
      To determine why artificial disk replacements (ADRs) fail by examining results of
      91 patients in FDA studies performed at a single investigational device exemption
      (IDE) site with minimum 2-year follow-up. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Patients
      following lumbar ADR generally achieve their 24-month follow-up results at 3
      months postoperatively. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Every patient undergoing ADR at 1
      IDE site by 2 surgeons was evaluated for clinical success. Failure was defined as
      <50% improvement in ODI and VAS or any additional surgery at index or adjacent
      spine motion segment. Three ADRs were evaluated: Maverick, 25 patients; Charite,
      31 patients; and Kineflex, 35 patients. All procedures were 1-level operations
      performed at L4-L5 or L5-S1. Demographics and inclusion/exclusion criteria were
      similar and will be discussed. RESULTS: Overall clinical failure occurred in 26%
      (24 of 91 patients) at 2-year follow-up. Clinical failure occurred in: 28%
      (Maverick) (7 of 25 patients), 39% (Charite) (12 of 31 patients), and 14%
      (Kineflex) (5 of 35 patients). Causes of failure included facet pathology, 50% of
      failure patients (12 of 24). Implant complications occurred in 5% of total
      patients and 21% of failure patients (5 of 24). Only 5 patients went from a
      success to failure after 3 months. Only 1 patient went from a failure to success
      after a facet rhizotomy 1 year after ADR. CONCLUSIONS: Seventy-four percent of
      patients after ADR met strict clinical success after 2-year follow-up. The
      clinical success versus failure rate did not change from their 3-month follow-up
      in 85 of the 91 patients (93%). Overall clinical success may be improved most by
      patient selection and implant type.

PMID- 28632564
TI  - Accuracy of Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement: Does Training Level Matter?
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: In vitro human cadaveric surgical technique study. OBJECTIVE: To
      assess the accuracy of percutaneous pedicle screw placement in a human cadaveric
      model using standard fluoroscopic guidance technique, compared across varying
      levels of experience. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The current literature varies
      widely in the reported frequency of facet violation during placement of
      percutaneous pedicle screws. However, as of yet there are no studies examining
      the effect that training level has on accuracy of placement. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Four surgeons with differing levels of training (PGY-2, PGY-4, fellow,
      attending) were evaluated on their accuracy of percutaneous placement of screws
      in a uniform manner. Each of the 10 cadavers was instrumented from L1 to S1
      bilaterally, for a total of 120 screws. Specimens were dissected to evaluate for
      facet and pedicle wall violations. These were then recorded and analyzed to
      evaluate for correlation among participating surgeons, laterality, spinal level,
      and cadaver body mass index. RESULTS: Of 120 screws placed, there were 35 total
      violations [26 superior articular facet violations (21.7%), 5 intra-articular
      facet joint violations (4.2%), and 4 pedicle breaches (3.3%)]. Among the trainees
      there was no difference in the likelihood of causing a violation (P=0.8863) but
      there was a difference when compared with the attending surgeon (P=0.0175).
      Laterality (P=0.1598), spinal level (P=0.3536), and body mass index (P=0.8547)
      did not correlate with the likelihood of a violation. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons of
      differing training levels are able to safely and accurately place lumbar pedicle
      screws in a percutaneous manner, with a low likelihood of facet and pedicle wall
      violations.

PMID- 28632565
TI  - Neuroforaminal Bone Growth Following Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar
      Interbody Fusion With BMP: A Computed Tomographic Analysis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Computed tomographic analysis. OBJECTIVE: To identify radiographic
      patterns of symptomatic neuroforaminal bone growth (NFB) in patients who have
      undergone a single-level minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody
      fusion (MIS-TLIF) augmented with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) utilizing
      computed tomography (CT). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: BMP induces osteoblast
      differentiation leading to new bone formation. The association of BMP utilization
      and heterotopic bone formation after an MIS-TLIF has been described. However,
      studies have been limited in their patient population and details regarding
      diagnosis and treatment of NFB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Postoperative CT scans of
      the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were analyzed to identify patterns of
      heterotopic bone growth on axial and sagittal views. The area of bone growth at
      the disk level, lateral recess, adjacent foramen, and retrovertebral area were
      measured. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the areas of bone growth
      between cohorts. RESULTS: Postoperative CT images between 18 symptomatic and 13
      asymptomatic patients were compared. On axial views, the symptomatic patients
      demonstrated greater areas of bone growth at the disk level (164.0+/-92.4 vs.
      77.0+/-104.9 mm), and lateral recess (69.6+/-70.5 and 5.9+/-12.5 mm) as well as
      in the total cross-sectional area (290.3+/-162.1 vs. 119.4+/-115.6 mm). On
      sagittal imaging, the mean bone growth at the subarticular level (148.7+/-185.1
      vs. 35.8+/-37.4 mm) and the total cross-sectional area (298.4+/-324.4 vs. 85.8+/
      76.3 mm) were greater in symptomatic patients (P<0.01). Amount of BMP utilized
      and operative levels were no different between cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The findings
      of the present study suggest that an anatomic association exists between
      recalcitrant postoperative radiculopathy and NFB following an MIS-TLIF with BMP.
      Increased total bone growth as measured on serial axial and sagittal sections was
      associated with postoperative radiculopathy. The association between
      radiculopathy and the extension of BMP-induced bone growth toward the traversing
      nerve root appeared the most significant.

PMID- 28632566
TI  - Gottron Papules Show Histopathologic Features of Localized Lymphedema.
AB  - Although Gottron papules are a relevant feature of dermatomyositis, they are
      reported in very few papers in the literature, and the largest series on the
      subject includes 11 cases. We intend to study the main histopathologic features
      of Gottron papules in a series of 12 biopsies. We evaluated hematoxylin-eosin
      stains on all cases. We also performed histochemical stains to evaluate the
      dermal deposition of mucin. Finally, we studied the CD123 cell population in the
      inflammatory infiltrate by immunohistochemistry. We found that the epidermis was
      either acanthotic or hyperplastic in all cases. We found a dermal inflammatory
      infiltrate in all cases but one. Mucin deposition in the reticular dermis was an
      inconstant feature. Vacuolization of the basal layer was also a frequent finding.
      There was thickening of the base membrane on periodic acid-Schiff stains in all
      our cases. We identified CD123 cells in all cases but 2. Intraepidermal CD123
      cells were also found in 8 cases. All cases but one showed lymphangiectasia in
      the upper part of the dermis, including the papillary and reticular dermis. In
      addition, collapsed lymphatics were evident underlying the dermal sclerosis. We
      conclude that Gottron papules show typical features of localized lymphedema.

PMID- 28632567
TI  - Transducing-Like Enhancer of Split 1: A Potential Immunohistochemical Marker for
      Glomus Tumor.
AB  - Glomus tumors (GTs) are rare, perivascular soft tissue tumors. Although GTs are
      usually found in the subcutaneous tissue, they may be detected in extracutaneous
      sites and mucosal areas. Transducing-like enhancer of split 1 (TLE1) is a highly
      useful immunohistochemical marker, which basically helps in differential
      diagnosis of synovial sarcoma. Based on a coincidental detection of TLE1 in one
      GT case, we studied 26 additional GT cases to establish the importance and
      distribution of TLE1 in GTs. Of 24 subcutaneous GTs, 22 (91.6%) were positive for
      TLE1 antibody and the remaining 2 mucosal GTs were negative. Of the 22 positive
      cases, 10 showed strong nuclear positivity. There was no difference between the
      subtypes of the GTs. Although TLE1 expression is significantly correlated to SS18
      (SYT) rearrangements in synovial sarcomas, the fluorescence in situ hybridization
      analyses of the GTs showed no evidence of translocation involving this locus.
      TLE1 is a potential immunohistochemical marker for GTs, but further studies are
      required to confirm this finding.

PMID- 28632568
TI  - Gluteal Papular Eruption.

PMID- 28632569
TI  - Multiple Follicular Keratotic Papules in a Patient With a Distal Limb
      Polyneuropathy: Challenge.

PMID- 28632570
TI  - Annular Plaque on the Inner Thigh.

PMID- 28632571
TI  - Elastic Fibers in Scars and Alopecia.

PMID- 28632572
TI  - Gluteal Papular Eruption.

PMID- 28632573
TI  - Multiple Follicular Keratotic Papules in a Patient With a Distal Limb
      Polyneuropathy.

PMID- 28632574
TI  - An Annular Plaque on the Inner Thigh.

PMID- 28632575
TI  - Clinical Profile, Etiology, and Outcome of Infantile Ocular Trauma: A Developing
      Country Perspective.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to study the clinical profile, etiology,
      and outcome of infantile ocular trauma in a developing country setting. METHODS:
      A retrospective study on corneal trauma in infants (<=12 months old) was
      undertaken in a tertiary care hospital during a 2-year period. An analysis of
      clinical profile, etiology, microbiological profile, clinical course, and outcome
      was studied. RESULTS: Seventy-six infants were included. Approximately 69%
      presented within 24 hours of injury. The common presentations were inability to
      open the eyelids, redness of eyes, and watering. Self-infliction by child's hand
      (49%) was found to be the main cause of corneal trauma. Corneal abrasion was seen
      in 34 cases (45%), isolated epithelial defects were seen in 30%, and infective
      keratitis was seen in 25%. Infection was found in 14 cases (fungal filaments in 7
      and gram-positive cocci in 7). Only 36 infants followed up regularly in the
      hospital. All the infants following up in the hospital recovered in due course.
      CONCLUSIONS: Infantile ocular trauma is a common morbidity that is underreported.
      Self-infliction by child's hand was found to be the main cause of corneal trauma.
      Cases presenting early and following up regularly till recovery have a favorable
      clinical course with good outcome. A high loss to follow-up indicates that
      awareness needs to be created among the caregivers.

PMID- 28632576
TI  - Understanding the Constipation Conundrum: Predictors of Obtaining an Abdominal
      Radiograph During the Emergency Department Evaluation of Pediatric Constipation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Many children with constipation who are evaluated in emergency
      departments (EDs) receive an abdominal radiograph (AR) despite evidence-based
      guidelines discouraging imaging. The objectives of this study were to identify
      predictors associated with obtaining an AR and to determine if ARs were
      associated with a longer length of stay (LOS) among children with constipation
      evaluated in the ED. METHODS: A review of billing and electronic health records
      was conducted in an academic pediatric ED for children ages 0 to 17 years who had
      a primary discharge diagnosis of constipation from July 2013 to June 2014.
      Logistic regression was used to identify predictors for obtaining an AR.
      Differences in mean LOS were analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: In total,
      326 children met inclusion criteria, and 60% of the children received an AR. In
      logistic regression, significant predictors included age (odds ratio [OR] =
      1.1/year of age, P = 0.004), presenting with abdominal pain as chief complaint
      compared with constipation (OR = 4.4, P < 0.0001), and history of emesis (OR =
      2.8, P = 0.001) after controlling for provider type and previous constipation
      medication use. In linear regression, the adjusted mean LOS for those with an AR
      was 163 minutes compared with 117 minutes for those without after controlling for
      age, provider type, and history of constipation medication use (P < 0.0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal radiographs were used frequently in the ED diagnosis and
      management of constipation, particularly in older children and those with
      abdominal pain and emesis. Abdominal radiographs were associated with increased
      LOS.

PMID- 28632577
TI  - Outcome of Pediatric Forearm Fracture Reductions Performed by Pediatric Emergency
      Medicine Providers Compared With Reductions Performed by Orthopedic Surgeons: A
      Retrospective Cohort Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the outcome differences between
      board-certified orthopedists and pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians
      conducting forearm fracture reductions. METHODS: We performed an analysis of
      patients between 1 and 14 years of age who presented to the emergency department
      (ED) with a forearm fracture requiring reduction. Data collected included
      reducing provider (PEM or orthopedist) and prereduction, postreduction, and
      follow-up fracture angles and displacements of both radius and ulna. We collected
      costs of care, both in the ED and at follow-up, as well as length-of-stay data.
      chi Tests and Fisher exact test compared associations between categorical
      variables; 2-sample t tests compared the PEM and orthopedic groups. Regression
      models were used to control for injury severity confounders. RESULTS: Of the 222
      fractures, orthopedists reduced 135, and PEM doctors reduced 87. Based on
      fracture angle and displacement, the orthopedic group tended to have slightly
      more complicated cases. After adjusting for age and time to follow-up, fractures
      reduced by orthopedists were less likely to require remanipulation (adjusted odds
      ratio, 0.30; P = 0.020). The PEM group had a significantly lower length of stay
      (59.4 minutes shorter; P < 0.001) and a small overall saving in charges ($273.90;
      P = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: Orthopedists performed better in maintaining fracture
      reductions compared with PEM physicians but lengthened the ED stay for our
      patients. There was no significant difference in cost.

PMID- 28632578
TI  - Acute Abdominal Pain: Recognition and Management of Constipation in the Emergency
      Department.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the study was to investigate the incidence and the
      clinically relevant features of functional constipation in patients evaluated for
      acute abdominal pain in a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. METHODS:
      This is a retrospective study. We analyzed 4394 medical records and recorded the
      information (demographics, triage code, symptoms, medical history, physical
      evaluation, laboratory tests, radiological studies, procedures, and treatments)
      of all patients admitted for acute abdominal pain to the emergency department of
      the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, during 2010 to 2013. RESULTS: In this study, a
      quarter of patients (1020) presenting in the emergency department with acute
      abdominal pain were affected by functional constipation. Acute pain associated
      with functional constipation is generally rated from moderate to severe, and the
      location of the pain on physical evaluation was not a sufficient criterion to
      guide diagnosis. Isolated vomiting may be present in a minority of cases. Digital
      rectal exploration was never performed; the majority of patients were treated by
      means of an enema with prompt relief. Six percent of patients with constipation
      underwent radiological studies. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that the medical
      history provides a pivotal role in the diagnosis of functional constipation.
      Digital rectal exploration and x-rays should be avoided in this setting, whereas
      an enema plays a useful diagnostic and therapeutic role in our study patients.

PMID- 28632579
TI  - Correspondence.

PMID- 28632580
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28632581
TI  - Multicenter retrospective study of noncompressible torso hemorrhage: Anatomic
      locations of bleeding and comparison of endovascular versus open approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rational development of technology for rapid control of
      noncompressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) requires detailed understanding of what
      is bleeding. Our objectives were to describe the anatomic location of truncal
      bleeding in patients presenting with NCTH and compare endovascular (ENDO)
      management versus open (OPEN) management. METHODS: This is a retrospective study
      of adult trauma patients with NCTH admitted to four urban Level I trauma centers
      in the Houston and San Antonio metropolitan areas in 2008 to 2012. Inclusion
      criteria include named axial torso vessel disruption, Abbreviated Injury Scale
      chest or abdomen score of 3 or higher with shock (base excess, <-4) or truncal
      operation in 90 minutes or less, or pelvic fracture with ring disruption.
      Exclusion criteria include isolated hip fractures, falls from standing, or
      prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation. After dichotomizing into OPEN, ENDO,
      and resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) groups based on the initial approach to
      control NCTH, a mixed-effects Poisson regression with robust error variance
      (controlling for age, mechanism, Injury Severity Score, shock, hypotension, and
      severe head injury as fixed effects and site as a random effect) was used to test
      the hypothesis that ENDO was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality in
      NCTH patients. RESULTS: Five hundred forty-three patients with NCTH underwent
      ENDO (n = 166, 31%), OPEN (n = 309, 57%), or RT (n = 68, 12%). Anatomic bleeding
      locations were 25% chest, 41% abdomen, and 31% pelvis. ENDO was used to treat
      relatively few types of vascular injuries, whereas OPEN and RT injuries were more
      diverse. ENDO patients had more blunt trauma (95% vs. 34% vs. 32%); severe
      injuries (median Injury Severity Score, 34 vs. 27 vs. 21), and increased time to
      intervention (median, 298 vs. 92 vs. 51 minutes) compared with OPEN and RT.
      Mortality was 15% versus 20% versus 79%. ENDO was associated with decreased
      mortality compared to OPEN (relative risk, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.46
      0.73). CONCLUSION: Although ENDO may reduce mortality in NCTH patients,
      significant group differences limit the generalizability of this finding. LEVEL
      OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, level V.

PMID- 28632582
TI  - The effect of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta, partial
      aortic occlusion and aggressive blood transfusion on traumatic brain injury in a
      swine multiple injuries model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite clinical reports of poor outcomes, the degree to which
      resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) exacerbates
      traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not known. We hypothesized that combined effects
      of increased proximal mean arterial pressure (pMAP), carotid blood flow
      (Qcarotid), and intracranial pressure (ICP) from REBOA would lead to TBI
      progression compared with partial aortic occlusion (PAO) or no intervention.
      METHODS: Twenty-one swine underwent a standardized TBI via computer Controlled
      cortical impact followed by 25% total blood volume rapid hemorrhage. After 30
      minutes of hypotension, animals were randomized to 60 minutes of continued
      hypotension (Control), REBOA, or PAO. REBOA and PAO animals were then weaned from
      occlusion. All animals were resuscitated with shed blood via a rapid blood
      infuser. Physiologic parameters were recorded continuously and brain computed
      tomography obtained at specified intervals. RESULTS: There were no differences in
      baseline physiology or during the initial 30 minutes of hypotension. During the
      60-minute intervention period, REBOA resulted in higher maximal pMAP (REBOA,
      105.3 +/- 8.8; PAO, 92.7 +/- 9.2; Control, 48.9 +/- 7.7; p = 0.02) and higher
      Qcarotid (REBOA, 673.1 +/- 57.9; PAO, 464.2 +/- 53.0; Control, 170.3 +/- 29.4; p
      < 0.01). Increases in ICP were greatest during blood resuscitation, with Control
      animals demonstrating the largest peak ICP (Control, 12.8 +/- 1.2; REBOA, 5.1 +/-
      0.6; PAO, 9.4 +/- 1.1; p < 0.01). There were no differences in the percentage of
      animals with hemorrhage progression on CT (Control, 14.3%; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 3.6-57.9; REBOA, 28.6%; 95% CI, 3.7-71.0; and PAO, 28.6%; 95% CI,
      3.7-71.0). CONCLUSION: In an animal model of TBI and shock, REBOA increased
      Qcarotid and pMAP, but did not exacerbate TBI progression. PAO resulted in
      physiology closer to baseline with smaller increases in ICP and pMAP. Rapid blood
      resuscitation, not REBOA, resulted in the largest increase in ICP after
      intervention, which occurred in Control animals. Continued studies of the
      cerebral hemodynamics of aortic occlusion and blood transfusion are required to
      determine optimal resuscitation strategies for multi-injured patients.

PMID- 28632583
TI  - Incremental balloon deflation following complete resuscitative endovascular
      balloon occlusion of the aorta results in steep inflection of flow and rapid
      reperfusion in a large animal model of hemorrhagic shock.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To avoid potential cardiovascular collapse after resuscitative
      endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA), current guidelines recommend
      methodically deflating the balloon for 5 minutes to gradually reperfuse distal
      tissue beds. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that this approach may still
      result in unpredictable aortic flow rates and hemodynamic instability. We sought
      to characterize aortic flow dynamics following REBOA as the balloon is deflated
      in accordance with current practice guidelines. METHODS: Eight Yorkshire-cross
      swine were splenectomized, instrumented, and subjected to rapid 25% total blood
      volume hemorrhage. After 30 minutes of shock, animals received 60 minutes of Zone
      1 REBOA with a low-profile REBOA catheter. During subsequent resuscitation with
      shed blood, the aortic occlusion balloon was gradually deflated in stepwise
      fashion at the rate of 0.5 mL every 30 seconds until completely deflated. Aortic
      flow rate and proximal mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured continuously
      over the period of balloon deflation. RESULTS: Graded balloon deflation resulted
      in variable initial return of aortic flow (median, 78 seconds; interquartile
      range [IQR], 68-105 seconds). A rapid increase in aortic flow during a single
      balloon deflation step was observed in all animals (median, 819 mL/min; IQR, 664
      1241 mL/min) and corresponded with an immediate decrease in proximal MAP (median,
      30 mm Hg; IQR, 14.5-37 mm Hg). Total balloon volume and time to return of flow
      demonstrated no correlation (r = 0.016). CONCLUSION: This study is the first to
      characterize aortic flow during balloon deflation following REBOA. A steep
      inflection point occurs during balloon deflation that results in an abrupt
      increase in aortic flow and a concomitant decrease in MAP. Furthermore, the onset
      of distal aortic flow was inconsistent across study animals and did not correlate
      with initial balloon volume or relative deflation volume. Future studies to
      define the factors that affect aortic flow during balloon deflation are needed to
      facilitate controlled reperfusion following REBOA.

PMID- 28632584
TI  - Featured Articles for CME Credit July 2017.

PMID- 28632586
TI  - Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of Arthroscopic Measurements of Articular
      Cartilage Defects in the Knee.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cartilage lesions of the knee are difficult to treat. Lesion size is
      a critical factor in treatment algorithms, and the accurate, reproducible sizing
      of lesions is important. In this study, we evaluated the interrater and
      intrarater reliability of, and correlations in relation to, various arthroscopic
      sizing techniques. METHODS: Five lesions were created in each of 10 cadaveric
      knees (International Cartilage Repair Society grade 3C). Three orthopaedic
      surgeons used 4 techniques (visualization and use of a 3-mm probe, a simple metal
      ruler, and a sliding metallic ruler tool) to estimate lesion size. Repeated
      measures data were analyzed using a mixed-effect linear model. The differences
      between observed and gold-standard (plastic mold) values were used as the
      response. Intraclass and interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values for
      intrarater and interrater reliability were computed, as were overall correlation
      coefficients between measurements and gold standards. RESULTS: The mean lesion
      size was 2.37 cm (range, 0.36 to 6.02 cm). Rater, lesion location and size, and
      measurement method all affected the cartilage defect measurements. Surgeons
      underestimated lesion size, and measurements of larger lesions had a higher
      percentage of error compared with those of smaller lesions. When compared with
      plastic molds of lesions, 60.5% of surgeon measurements underestimated lesion
      size. Overall, the correlation between measurements and gold standards was
      strongest for the simple metal ruler method and weakest for the visualization
      method. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors may influence arthroscopic estimation of
      cartilage lesion size: the lesion location, measurement tool, surgeon, and defect
      size itself. The intrarater and interrater reliability was moderate to good using
      a 3-mm probe, sliding metallic ruler tool, or simple metal ruler and was fair to
      moderate using visualization only. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There is a need for more
      accurate methods of determining the size of articular cartilage lesions.

PMID- 28632587
TI  - The Clinical Outcome of Computer-Navigated Compared with Conventional Knee
      Arthroplasty in the Same Patients: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Long
      Term Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The available comparative studies of computer navigation-assisted and
      conventional knee arthroplasties have short-term follow-up periods. Therefore,
      the clinical benefits after long-term follow-up are not clear. The purposes of
      the current long-term study were to compare clinical outcomes, alignment of the
      knee components, prevalence of aseptic loosening of the components, implant
      survival, and complications of total knee arthroplasties performed with and
      without computer navigation. METHODS: We prospectively compared the results of
      162 consecutive patients (324 knees) with osteoarthritis. These patients had
      computer-navigated knee arthroplasty in 1 knee and knee arthroplasty without
      computer navigation in the other. Nine men and 153 women were enrolled in the
      study. At the time of the index arthroplasty, the mean age of these patients was
      68.1 years (range, 49 to 81 years). The mean duration of follow-up was 12.3 years
      (range, 12 to 13 years). Clinical and radiographic follow-up examinations of the
      patients were performed at 3 months, 1 year after the operation, and every 2 or 3
      years thereafter. RESULTS: The Knee Society knee score, Western Ontario and
      McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and range of knee
      motion were not significantly different between the groups preoperatively or at
      12.3 years of follow-up. Patient satisfaction at the final follow-up was not
      significantly different between the groups. There were no significant differences
      between the groups with respect to the position and loosening of the components
      at 12.3 years of follow-up. The Kaplan-Meier survivorship, with revision or
      loosening as the end point, was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94% to 100%)
      at 12.3 years in both groups. The prevalence of anterior femoral notching was
      higher in the computer-navigated knee arthroplasty group (5%) than in the
      conventional knee arthroplasty group (0.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical function,
      position, and survivorship of the components were similar between the groups. The
      only effect of navigation was a negative one, anterior femoral notching. However,
      comparison of bilateral total knee arthroplasties may dampen the differentiation
      regarding pain outcomes. Further, the findings of this study are specific to a
      single navigation and total knee system. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I.
      See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632588
TI  - Survivorship and Outcomes 10 Years Following Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular
      Impingement: Labral Debridement Compared with Labral Repair.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies have demonstrated hip arthroscopy to be an effective
      treatment for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) with associated labral tears.
      The purposes of this study were to report 10-year outcomes and hip survival
      following hip arthroscopy for FAI and to compare labral debridement with labral
      repair. METHODS: Prospectively collected data on patients followed for a minimum
      of 10 years after hip arthroscopy for FAI with either labral debridement or
      labral repair performed by a single surgeon were retrospectively analyzed. The
      primary patient-reported outcome measure was the Hip Outcome Score (HOS)
      Activities of Daily Living (ADL) subscale. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to
      compare outcomes between groups, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to
      compare preoperative with postoperative scores. Survival analysis was performed
      using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Seventy-nine
      patients who underwent labral repair and 75 who underwent debridement were
      included in the study, and 94% (145) were followed for >=10 years. Fifty patients
      (34%) underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) within 10 years following the
      arthroscopy. Older patients, hips with >2 mm of joint space preoperatively, and
      patients requiring acetabular microfracture had significantly higher prevalences
      of THA. The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model showed that increased age
      (hazard ratio [HR] for 31 years to 51 years = 3.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]
      = 1.69 to 5.56, p < 0.001), a joint space of <=2 mm (HR = 4.26, 95% CI = 1.98 to
      9.21, p < 0.001), and acetabular microfracture (HR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.07 to 7.62,
      p = 0.036) were independently associated with an increased hazard rate for THA.
      When the analysis was adjusted for these factors, there was no significant
      difference in the HR between treatment groups (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.59 to 2.05,
      p = 0.762). There was also no significant difference in postoperative outcome
      scores between groups. The debridement group demonstrated a significant increase,
      between the preoperative and postoperative evaluations, in the HOS-ADL score
      (from 71 to 96; p < 0.001), HOS-Sport score (from 42 to 89; p < 0.001), modified
      Harris hip score (mHHS) (from 62 to 90; p < 0.001), and Short Form-12 physical
      component summary (SF-12 PCS) score (from 43 to 56; p < 0.001). The repair group
      also demonstrated a significant increase in the HOS-ADL score (from 71 to 96; p <
      0.001), HOS-Sport score (from 47 to 87; p < 0.001), mHHS score (from 65 to 85; p
      < 0.001), and SF-12 PCS score (from 41 to 56; p < 0.001). The median patient
      satisfaction score was 10 (very satisfied) in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hip
      arthroscopy for FAI with labral debridement or repair resulted in significant
      improvements in the patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction of patients who
      did not eventually require THA. Higher rates of conversion to THA were seen in
      older patients, patients treated with acetabular microfracture, and hips with <=2
      mm of joint space preoperatively, regardless of labral treatment. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete
      description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632589
TI  - Emergency Department Visits Following Elective Total Hip and Knee Replacement
      Surgery: Identifying Gaps in Continuity of Care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Major joint replacement surgical procedures are common, elective
      procedures with a care episode that includes both inpatient readmissions and
      postoperative emergency department (ED) visits. Inpatient readmissions are well
      studied; however, to our knowledge, little is known about ED visits following
      these procedures. We sought to characterize 30-day ED visits following a major
      joint replacement surgical procedure. METHODS: We used administrative records
      from California, Florida, and New York, from 2010 through 2012, to identify
      adults undergoing total knee and hip arthroplasty. Factors associated with
      increased risk of an ED visit were estimated using hierarchical regression models
      controlling for patient variables with a fixed hospital effect. The main outcome
      was an ED visit within 30 days of discharge. RESULTS: Among the 152,783 patients
      who underwent major joint replacement, 5,229 (3.42%) returned to the inpatient
      setting and 8,883 (5.81%) presented to the ED for care within 30 days. Among ED
      visits, 17.94% had a primary diagnosis of pain and 25.75% had both a primary
      and/or a secondary diagnosis of pain. Patients presenting to the ED for
      subsequent care had more comorbidities and were more frequently non-white with
      public insurance relative to those not returning to the ED (p < 0.001). There was
      a significantly increased risk (p < 0.05) of isolated ED visits with regard to
      type of insurance when patients with Medicaid (odds ratio [OR], 2.28 [95%
      confidence interval (CI), 2.04 to 2.55]) and those with Medicare (OR, 1.38 [95%
      CI, 1.29 to 1.47]) were compared with patients with private insurance and with
      regard to race when black patients (OR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.25 to 1.53]) and Hispanic
      patients (OR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.22]) were compared with white patients.
      These increases in risk were stronger for isolated ED visits for patients with a
      pain diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: ED visits following an elective major joint
      replacement surgical procedure were numerous and most commonly for pain-related
      diagnoses. Medicaid patients had almost double the risk of an ED or pain-related
      ED visit following a surgical procedure. The future of U.S. health-care insurance
      coverage expansions are uncertain; however, there are ongoing attempts to improve
      quality across the continuum of care. It is therefore essential to ensure that
      all patients, particularly vulnerable populations, receive appropriate
      postoperative care, including pain management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic
      Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of
      evidence.

PMID- 28632590
TI  - Comparison of Anterior and Posterior Surgery for Degenerative Cervical
      Myelopathy: An MRI-Based Propensity-Score-Matched Analysis Using Data from the
      Prospective Multicenter AOSpine CSM North America and International Studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgeons often choose between 2 different approaches (anterior and
      posterior) for surgical treatment of degenerative cervical myelopathy on the
      basis of imaging features of spinal cord compression, the number of levels
      affected, and the spinal alignment. However, there is a lack of consensus on
      which approach is preferable. The objective of the present study was to use
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based propensity-score-matched analysis to
      compare postoperative outcomes between the anterior and posterior surgical
      approaches for degenerative cervical myelopathy. METHODS: A total of 757 patients
      were enrolled in 2 prospective multicenter AOSpine studies, which involved 26
      international sites. Preoperative MRIs were reviewed to characterize the causes
      of the cord compression, including single-level disc disease, multilevel disc
      disease, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament, enlargement of the
      ligamentum flavum, vertebral subluxation/spondylolisthesis, congenital fusion,
      number of compressed levels, or kyphosis. The propensity to choose anterior
      decompression was calculated using demographic data, preoperative MRI findings,
      and the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores in a logistic
      regression model. We then performed 1-to-1 matching of patients who had received
      anterior decompression with those who had the same propensity score but had
      received posterior decompression to compare 2-year postoperative outcomes and 30
      day perioperative complication rates between the 2 groups after adjustment for
      background characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 435 cases were included in the
      propensity score calculation, and 1-to-1 matching resulted in 80 pairs of
      anterior and posterior surgical cases; 99% of these matched patients had
      multilevel compression. The anterior and posterior groups did not differ
      significantly in terms of the postoperative mJOA score (15.1 versus 15.3, p =
      0.53), Neck Disability Index (20.5 versus 24.1, p = 0.44), or Short Form-36 (SF
      36) Physical Component Summary (PCS) score (41.9 versus 40.9, p = 0.30). The
      overall rates of perioperative complications were similar between the 2 groups
      (16% versus 11%, p = 0.48); however, dysphagia/dysphonia was reported only in the
      anterior group whereas surgical site infection and C5 radiculopathy were reported
      only in the posterior group. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior and posterior decompression
      for degenerative cervical myelopathy resulted in similar postoperative outcomes
      and rates of complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See
      Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632591
TI  - Acetabular Retroversion, but Not Increased Acetabular Depth or Coverage, in
      Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis: A Matched-Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Femoral head overcoverage by a deep and retroverted acetabulum has
      been postulated as a mechanical factor in slipped capital femoral epiphysis
      (SCFE). We assessed acetabular depth, coverage, and version in the hips of
      patients with unilateral SCFE; in the contralateral, uninvolved hips; and in
      healthy control hips. METHODS: Thirty-six patients affected by unilateral SCFE
      were matched to 36 controls on the basis of sex and age. The acetabular depth
      width ratio (ADR), the lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), the anterior and
      posterior acetabular sector angle (ASA), and version (10 mm distal to the highest
      point of the acetabular dome and at the level of the femoral head center) were
      assessed on computed tomography (CT). A repeated-measures analysis of variance
      was used to assess differences among the SCFE, contralateral, and matched-control
      hips. Pairwise comparisons were conducted using Bonferroni correction for
      multiple comparisons. RESULTS: The mean coronal ADR was significantly lower in
      the hips affected by SCFE (311.6) compared with the contralateral hips (336.1) (p
      = 0.001) but did not differ from that of controls (331.9) (p = 0.08). The mean
      LCEA was significantly lower in the SCFE hips (29.8 degrees ) compared with the
      contralateral hips (33.7 degrees ) (p < 0.001) but did not differ from that of
      controls (32.2 degrees ) (p = 0.25). The mean anterior ASA did not differ between
      the SCFE hips (65.0 degrees ) and the contralateral hips (66.0 degrees ) (p =
      0.68) or the control hips (64.5 degrees ) (p = 1.00). The mean posterior ASA in
      the SCFE hips (92.5 degrees ) was significantly lower than that in the
      contralateral hips (96.5 degrees ) (p = 0.002), but no difference was observed
      between the SCFE hips and controls (96.0 degrees ) (p = 0.83). The acetabulum was
      retroverted cranially in the SCFE hips compared with the contralateral hips (2.7
      degrees  versus 6.6 degrees ; p = 0.01) and compared with controls (2.7 degrees 
      versus 9.6 degrees ; p = 0.005). A lower mean value for acetabular version at the
      level of the femoral head center was also observed in the SCFE hips compared with
      the contralateral hips (13.9 degrees  versus 15.5 degrees ; p = 0.04) and
      compared with controls (13.9 degrees  versus 16.0 degrees ; p = 0.045). No
      significant difference (p > 0.05) in acetabular measurements was observed between
      the contralateral and control hips. CONCLUSIONS: In SCFE, the acetabulum has
      reduced version but is not deeper, nor is there acetabular overcoverage.
      Additional longitudinal studies will clarify whether acetabular retroversion is a
      primary abnormality influencing the mechanics of SCFE development or an adaptive
      response to the slip. Our data suggest that the contralateral, uninvolved hip in
      patients with unilateral SCFE has normal acetabular morphology. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete
      description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632592
TI  - Changes in Psychological Status and Health-Related Quality of Life Following
      Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has been little documentation of the effects of total shoulder
      arthroplasty (TSA) on psychological status and health-related quality of life
      (HRQoL). We investigated changes in psychological status (depression and anxiety)
      and HRQoL following TSA and assessed the effect of preoperative psychological
      status on postoperative clinical and functional outcome. We hypothesized that TSA
      would improve both psychological status and HRQoL. METHODS: We prospectively
      enrolled 46 patients undergoing TSA for osteoarthritis. Preoperatively and at 3,
      6, and 12 months postoperatively, all of the subjects completed the visual analog
      scale (VAS) for pain, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Scale (ASES), the
      Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV) measure, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression
      Scale (HADS), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated
      Version (WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS: From 3 months after surgery, significant
      improvement in HADS-depression, HADS-anxiety, and WHOQOL-BREF scores as well as
      in the other outcome measures of VAS pain score, ASES score, and SSV were
      observed. The prevalence of depression and anxiety decreased from a rate of 15.2%
      and 19.5%, respectively, preoperatively to a rate of 6.5% for each at 12 months
      postoperatively. Preoperative HADS-depression and HADS-anxiety scores did not
      correlate with any of the clinical and functional outcome measures at 12 months
      after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed significant improvement in
      psychological status and HRQoL as well as in pain and functional ability from 3
      months after TSA in patients with osteoarthritis. Preoperative depression and
      anxiety did not predict poor postoperative outcome. Our findings suggest that TSA
      offers an excellent chance of improving psychological status and HRQoL. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete
      description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632593
TI  - Functional and Radiographic Outcomes Following Growth-Sparing Management of Early
      Onset Scoliosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In this study, we sought to evaluate radiographic, functional, and
      quality-of-life outcomes of patients who have completed growth-sparing management
      of early-onset scoliosis. METHODS: This prospective study involved patients with
      early-onset scoliosis who underwent growth-sparing treatment and either "final"
      fusion or observation for >=2 years since the last lengthening procedure.
      Demographics, radiographic parameters, pulmonary function test (PFT) values, and
      scores of patient-reported assessments (Early-Onset Scoliosis Questionnaire
      [EOSQ] and Scoliosis Research Society [SRS]-30) were obtained. At the most recent
      follow-up, patients performed 2 additional functional outcome tests: step
      activity monitoring and a treadmill exercise-tolerance test. RESULTS: Twelve
      patients were evaluated as "graduates" of growth-sparing management of early
      onset scoliosis (mean of 37 months since the most recent surgery). The major
      scoliosis curve measurement averaged 88 degrees  before treatment and 47 degrees 
      at the most recent follow-up. T1-S1 height increased from a mean of 22.3 cm to
      34.7 cm and T1-T12 height, from 13.3 to 22.3 cm. At the most recent follow-up,
      the mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity
      (FVC) as a percentage of the predicted volume were 52.1% and 55.3%, respectively,
      and were essentially unchanged from the earliest PFT that patients could perform
      (FEV1 = 53.8% of predicted and FVC = 53.5% of predicted). There was no difference
      between graduates and controls with respect to activity time or total steps in
      step-activity monitoring, and in the exercise-tolerance test, graduates walked at
      the same speed but at a higher heart rate and at a significantly higher (p
      <0.001) VO2 cost (rate of oxygen consumed per distance traveled). The EOSQ mean
      score was 102.2 of a possible 120 points, and the SRS mean score was 4.1 of a
      possible 5 points. CONCLUSIONS: A realistic long-term goal for the management of
      early-onset scoliosis appears to be spine elongation and maintenance of pulmonary
      function at a level that is no less than the percentage of normal at initial
      presentation. Functional testing and patient-reported outcomes at a mean of 3
      years from the last surgery suggest that activity levels were generally equal to
      those of controls but required greater physiologic demand. General health and
      physical function outcomes revealed continued impairment in these domains. LEVEL
      OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete
      description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632594
TI  - Outcome of Early and Late Diagnosed Essex-Lopresti Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes in a large
      series of Essex-Lopresti injuries (ELIs) and to compare patients with early and
      late diagnoses. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with an ELI (average age and
      standard deviation [SD], 46 +/- 10 years) who were followed for a minimum of 2
      years were included in the study. Patients were grouped according to whether the
      ELI had been diagnosed early (on the day of the injury) or late (>4 weeks after
      the radial head injury). Acute treatment of early-diagnosed ELI included
      temporary stabilization of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) by Kirschner wires
      with the forearm in supination for 6 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed on
      the basis of the range of motion, Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), Mayo Wrist
      Score (MWS), visual analog scale (VAS) score for wrist and elbow pain, and
      Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score. RESULTS: The ELI was
      diagnosed on the day of the injury in 16 patients (52%; the early group) and late
      (at a mean of 7 +/- 7 months; range, 1 to 24 months) in 15 (48%; the late group).
      After a mean duration of follow-up of 5.3 +/- 3.0 years (range, 2.0 to 13.1
      years), patients with an early diagnosed ELI had significantly better clinical
      outcomes, compared with those with a late diagnosis, with regard to the MEPS
      (91.3 +/- 8.7 versus 74.7 +/- 15.3, p = 0.003), MWS (81.3 +/- 16.5 versus 66.3 +/
      17.6, p = 0.019), DASH score (12.5 +/- 8.7 versus 45.3 +/- 23.5, p = 0.001), VAS
      elbow pain score (0.7 +/- 1.1 versus 3.3 +/- 2.1, p = 0.001), and VAS wrist pain
      score (0.9 +/- 1.2 versus 3.9 +/- 1.7, p < 0.001). The ranges of motion of the
      elbow and wrist did not differ significantly between the early and late groups (p
      > 0.05). A significantly higher percentage of patients had complications or
      subsequent surgical procedures in the early than in the late group (38% [6 of 16]
      versus 93% [14 of 15], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis of an ELI with
      temporary stabilization of the DRUJ leads to satisfactory clinical mid-term
      results, whereas late diagnosis of an ELI is associated with a deteriorated
      outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors
      for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632595
TI  - Plate Fixation Versus Nonoperative Treatment for Displaced Midshaft Clavicular
      Fractures: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim was to analyze whether patients with a displaced midshaft
      clavicular fracture are best managed with plate fixation or nonoperative
      treatment with respect to nonunion, secondary operations, and functional outcome,
      by evaluating all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on this subject.
      METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase,
      and Web of Science) was performed to identify RCTs comparing nonoperative
      treatment with plate fixation for displaced midshaft clavicular fractures. Risk
      of bias of the studies was assessed. Outcomes evaluated were nonunion, shoulder
      function (Constant score and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [DASH]
      score), and secondary operations. RESULTS: Six RCTs (614 patients) were included.
      The risk of nonunion was lower in the operatively treated patients (relative risk
      [RR] = 0.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06 to 0.32). One-third of the
      patients with a nonunion did not receive further treatment. Secondary operations
      for adverse events were performed less often in the operatively treated patients
      (RR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.25 to 0.71). When plate removal operations were also
      included, a secondary operation was performed in 17.6% in the operative group and
      16.6% in the nonoperative group (RR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.64 to 1.59). Constant and
      DASH scores after 1 year were somewhat better after plate fixation, with mean
      differences of 4.4 points (95% CI, 0.9 to 7.9 points) and 5.1 points (95% CI, 0.1
      to 10.1 points), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Plate fixation significantly reduces
      the risk of nonunion, but does not have a clinically relevant advantage regarding
      final functional outcome. Secondary operations are common after both treatments.
      Overall, there is not enough evidence to support routine operative treatment for
      all patients with a displaced midshaft clavicular fracture. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of
      levels of evidence.

PMID- 28632596
TI  - What's New in Spine Surgery.

PMID- 28632597
TI  - Leadership, Communication, and Negotiation Across a Diverse Workforce*: An AOA
      Critical Issues Symposium.
AB  - The current workforce in the United States is rapidly changing and is
      increasingly inclusive of individuals from a broad range of ages, ethnicities,
      and cultural backgrounds. Engaging and leading a diverse workforce creates great
      opportunities for innovation and adaptation in our evolving medical economic and
      clinical care delivery environment. For optimal engagement of employees and
      partners, orthopaedic surgeons must develop the necessary skills for executing
      change inside complex organizations and across teams composed of a variety of
      providers and skilled workers. Important skills include leadership, effective
      communication, and negotiation within an ever-changing employee milieu.
      Understanding generalizable differences between age-based generations can
      increase the effectiveness of one's strategies to execute change and increase
      organizational performance. One of the greatest impediments to effective
      communication and negotiations that all leaders face is unconscious bias. For
      leaders, even the tiniest unconscious biases have an outsized impact. Common
      domains that harbor unconscious bias include sex, race, and ethnicity. Addressing
      unconscious bias begins with developing awareness and then deploying various
      tactics that might include equity in compensation, promotion, and "being heard."
      Effective negotiation skills also are essential to lead a diverse workforce and
      develop a successful organization. The most basic goal in any negotiation should
      be to establish a relationship (or deepen an existing relationship) while seeking
      an agreement that provides win-win opportunities for all parties. To effectively
      achieve a win-win scenario, leaders must recognize and address their tendency to
      interpret others' behaviors, values, and beliefs through the lens of their own
      beliefs and experiences. Finally, and fortunately, there is a set of leader
      attributes that transcends the generational differences and diversity that is
      encountered in the workplace. These attributes include integrity, credibility,
      effective listening, having a vision of your destination, fairness, humility, and
      caring.

PMID- 28632598
TI  - The 2015 Austrian-Swiss-German Fellowship Report.

PMID- 28632599
TI  - Publication Productivity of Orthopaedic Surgery Chairs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As academic leaders, orthopaedic chairs represent role models for
      scholarly activities. Despite the importance of journal publications as a measure
      of scholarly activity, data on the publication productivity of orthopaedic chairs
      remain limited. The goals of this study were to record the publication
      productivity of orthopaedic chairs and evaluate the extent to which they
      maintained their scholarly activity while serving as chairs. METHODS: The chairs
      of all orthopaedic residency programs in the United States were identified
      through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) web
      site, and were confirmed by information found on the web site of each orthopaedic
      program that was included in the study. University and non-university chairs were
      defined based on affiliation of the program with a medical school. The
      publication records of the program chairs were retrieved through the Scopus
      database. RESULTS: During the 7 years prior to their appointment to chair, the
      mean number of total publications was significantly higher for university chairs
      (n = 58.6, range 0 to 217) than for non-university chairs (n = 29.1, range 0 to
      13) (p = 0.003). The mean number of publications per year during the 7 years
      leading up to the chair position was 4.66 (range, 0 to 25) for the university
      chairs, and 2.29 (range, 0 to 10.9) for the non-university group (p = 0.02).
      While serving as chair, the mean number of publications per year significantly
      decreased among the university chairs to 3.75 (range, 0 to 32.8; p = 0.015),
      whereas no significant change was observed among non-university chairs. The mean
      percentage of first authorships was not significantly different between
      university and non-university chairs. Both groups showed significant declines in
      first authorships while serving as chair. CONCLUSIONS: At the time of becoming
      chair, the average university chair had published approximately 60 manuscripts,
      whereas the average non-university chair had published approximately 30
      manuscripts. While serving as chair, the number of publications per year
      significantly decreased for university chairs. Among all chairs, the percentage
      of first authorships significantly decreased while serving as chair.

PMID- 28632600
TI  - Does Size Really Matter?: Commentary on an article by David C. Flanigan, MD, et
      al.: "Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of Arthroscopic Measurements of
      Articular Cartilage Defects in the Knee".

PMID- 28632601
TI  - Navigation in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Procedure Whose Time Has Not Come:
      Commentary on an article by Young-Hoo Kim, MD, et al.: "The Clinical Outcome of
      Computer-Navigated Compared with Conventional Knee Arthroplasty in the Same
      Patients. A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Long-Term Study".

PMID- 28632602
TI  - Visits to the Emergency Department After Joint Replacement: Commentary on an
      article by Micaela A. Finnegan, BA, et al.: "Emergency Department Visits
      Following Elective Total Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery: Identifying Gaps in
      Continuity of Care".

PMID- 28632603
TI  - Which Way Do We Go?: Commentary on an article by So Kato, MD, et al.: "Comparison
      of Anterior and Posterior Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. An MRI
      Based Propensity-Score-Matched Analysis Using Data from the Prospective
      Multicenter AOSpine CSM North America and International Studies".

PMID- 28632604
TI  - Reassessing the Anatomic Origin of the Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A modern imaging review is necessary to further define the anatomic
      origin of the juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. METHODS: After institutional
      review board approval, a search from January 1998 to January 2013 yielded 33 male
      patients (aged 10-23 years) with pathologically proven juvenile nasopharyngeal
      angiofibroma lesions, as well as pretreatment computed tomography/magnetic
      resonance imaging. Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma involvement was assessed
      in the following regions: sphenopalatine foramen, pterygopalatine fossa, vidian
      canal, nasopharynx, nasal cavity, sphenoid sinus, choana, pterygomaxillary
      fissure/masticator space, orbit, and sphenoid bone. RESULTS: The choana and
      nasopharynx were involved in all 33 patients. In contrast, only 22 lesions
      involved the pterygopalatine fossa, 24 lesions involved the sphenopalatine
      foramen, and 28 lesions involved the vidian canal. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      suggest that the juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma origin is in the region of
      the choana and nasopharynx rather than the sphenopalatine foramen or
      pterygopalatine fossa.

PMID- 28632614
TI  - Images in Anesthesiology: Torus Palatinus and Airway Management.

PMID- 28632616
TI  - Should Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Always Be Reversed?

PMID- 28632617
TI  - Neuromuscular Blockade and Risk of Postoperative Pneumonia.

PMID- 28632618
TI  - Accounting for Planned Postoperative Intubation.

PMID- 28632619
TI  - Risk of Postoperative Pneumonia with Neuromuscular Blockade: Keep It Simple!

PMID- 28632620
TI  - Science or Fiction? Risk of Postoperative Pneumonia with Neuromuscular Blockade.

PMID- 28632621
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28632622
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28632623
TI  - Assessing Success of Rescue Intubation Techniques after Failed Direct
      Laryngoscopy.

PMID- 28632624
TI  - Is Airway Management Better?

PMID- 28632625
TI  - Apneic Intubation: Video Laryngoscopy Lacks the Continuous Ventilation Offered by
      Other Airway Management Techniques.

PMID- 28632626
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28632627
TI  - Calculating Ideal Body Weight: Keep It Simple.

PMID- 28632628
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28632629
TI  - Evaluation of Nitrous Oxide in the Gas Mixture for Anesthesia II (ENIGMA II)
      Revisited: Patients Still Vomiting.

PMID- 28632630
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28632631
TI  - Promoting Sustainable Practices via Art.

PMID- 28632633
TI  - Reply: Role of Rhinoplasty in Transsexual Patients.

PMID- 28632634
TI  - Role of Rhinoplasty in Transsexual Patients.

PMID- 28632635
TI  - Comparing Round and Anatomically Shaped Implants in Augmentation Mammaplasty: The
      Experts' Ability to Differentiate the Type of Implant.

PMID- 28632636
TI  - Reply: Comparing Round and Anatomically Shaped Implants in Augmentation
      Mammaplasty: The Experts' Ability to Differentiate the Type of Implant.

PMID- 28632637
TI  - Comparing Round and Anatomically Shaped Implants in Augmentation Mammaplasty: The
      Experts' Ability to Differentiate the Type of Implant.

PMID- 28632639
TI  - Reply: Comparing Round and Anatomically Shaped Implants in Augmentation
      Mammaplasty: The Experts' Ability to Differentiate the Type of Implant.

PMID- 28632640
TI  - Reply: Facial Contouring by Targeted Restoration of Facial Fat Compartment
      Volume: The Midface.

PMID- 28632641
TI  - Reply: Comparing Round and Anatomically Shaped Implants in Augmentation
      Mammaplasty: The Experts' Ability to Differentiate the Type of Implant.

PMID- 28632642
TI  - Comparing Round and Anatomically Shaped Implants in Augmentation Mammaplasty: The
      Experts' Ability to Differentiate the Type of Implant.

PMID- 28632643
TI  - Early Impact of Postoperative Bracing on Pain and Quality of Life After Posterior
      Instrumented Fusion for Lumbar Degenerative Conditions: A Randomized Trial.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether
      bracing after posterior spinal instrumented fusion (PSIF) can improve pain relief
      and quality of life (QoL) 6 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. SUMMARY OF
      BACKGROUND DATA: Braces are commonly prescribed after PSIF in patients with
      lumbar degenerative conditions with the aim of improving pain relief and QoL.
      However, there is a lack of evidence on the indication for postoperative bracing,
      as surgeons use braces mainly based on their experience and training. METHODS: A
      randomized blinded and controlled trial of 43 patients with PSIF for lumbar
      degenerative conditions were recruited. The caregivers were blinded but not the
      orthotist in the present study. There were 25 patients in the brace group and 18
      patients in the control group with similar baseline characteristics. All patients
      completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the short form (SF)-12v2 General
      Health Survey and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for back pain preoperatively, at 6
      weeks and 3 months follow-up. Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test and a level of
      significance of 0.05 were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Both groups had
      comparable demographic characteristics, and preoperative SF-12v2, ODI, and VAS
      scores. The ODI, SF-12v2, and VAS for back pain were improved in comparison to
      preoperative scores. The improvement was significant at 3 months follow-up
      regarding ODI and VAS for both groups and significant only for the control group
      regarding SF-12v2 scores. The improvement in ODI, SF-12v2, and VAS was
      significantly greater for control group at 3 months postoperatively. Moreover,
      larger proportion of patients in the control group reached minimum clinically
      important difference as compared to brace group at 6 weeks and 3 months.
      CONCLUSION: Postoperative bracing did not result in better improvement in QoL or
      pain relief up to 3 months after PSIF in patients with lumbar degenerative
      conditions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1.

PMID- 28632644
TI  - Do Former Smokers Exhibit a Distinct Profile Before and After Lumbar Spine
      Surgery?
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective longitudinal cohort. OBJECTIVES: To determine if
      former smokers undergoing lumbar spine surgery have distinct baseline and
      postoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs) compared with never smokers and
      current smokers. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Smoking has known deleterious
      effects on patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery. However, former smokers have
      not been extensively evaluated. There are few studies regarding the relationship
      between pack-years or duration of smoking cessation, and subsequent clinical
      outcome. METHODS: Patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery at three Quality
      Outcomes Database participating sites were identified. Demographic, surgical and
      PRO data including pre-op and 12-month post-op back and leg pain scores, Oswestry
      Disability Index (ODI) and EuroQOL-5D were collected. Smoking status was assessed
      from individual medical records. Three cohorts, never smokers, former smokers and
      current smokers, were compared. Association between PROs and quantitative smoking
      history and duration of pre-op smoking cessation were evaluated in the former
      smokers. RESULTS: Of 1187 eligible cases, 843 (71%) had complete data, with 477
      never, 250 former, and 116 current smokers. Among patients who had a fusion,
      baseline and 12-month post-op PROs were significantly different between cohorts,
      with former smokers having intermediate scores between current and never smokers.
      In the decompression only group, 12-month ODI was worse in the Current smokers,
      but overall the effects were much less pronounced. There was a significant
      negative correlation between smoke-free days before surgery and baseline back
      pain, ODI, 12-month leg pain and ODI and improvement in ODI. However, the
      correlation coefficients were small. CONCLUSION: Former smokers have distinct
      baseline and 12-month post-op PROs that are intermediate between those of never
      smokers and current smokers. Smoking cessation does not entirely mitigate the
      negative effects of smoking on baseline and postoperative PROs for patients
      undergoing lumbar fusion surgery. This effect is less pronounced in patients
      undergoing decompression alone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

PMID- 28632645
TI  - Management of Symptomatic Lumbar Disk Herniation: An International Perspective.
AB  - : : The diversity among the current international practice patterns and the
      discrepancy between the eminence-based medicine and the evidence-based medicine
      in the treatment of lumbar disk herniation is presented. Minimally invasive
      techniques were expected to give the lowest postoperative low back pain, however,
      also to give the highest risk of recurrent disk herniation. STUDY DESIGN: A
      questionnaire survey. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the current practice patterns of
      surgeons regarding both the surgical and nonsurgical management of lumbar disk
      herniation (LDH) worldwide and to compare this with the current literature.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Sciatica is a common diagnosis in the general
      population. Sciatica is most frequently caused by LDH. Multiple surgical
      techniques and treatment modalities are available to treat LDH, albeit some with
      small effect sizes or without compelling evidence. METHODS: A survey including
      questions on the application of physical examination, expectations regarding
      different surgical and nonsurgical techniques, factors influencing the outcome of
      surgery were distributed among members of AOSpine International and the European
      Association of Neurosurgical Societies. RESULTS: Eight hundred and seventeen
      surgeons from 89 countries completed the questionnaire. These surgeons perform a
      total of 62.477 discectomies yearly. Pain medication and steroid injections were
      expected to be the most effective nonsurgical treatments. The severity of pain
      and/ or disability and failure of conservative therapy were the most important
      indications for surgery. A period of 1 to 2 months of radiculopathy was regarded
      as a minimum for indicating surgery. Unilateral transflaval discectomy was the
      procedure of choice among the majority and was expected to be the most effective
      technique with the lowest complication risk. Surgeons performing more lumbar
      discectomies, with more clinical experience and those located in Asia, were more
      likely to offer minimally invasive surgical techniques. CONCLUSION: This study
      shows that current international practice patterns for LDH surgery are diverse.
      There seems to be a discrepancy between preferred surgical techniques and the
      attitudes of surgeons worldwide and the evidence. Further research should focus
      on developing international guidelines to reduce practice variety and offer
      patients the optimal treatment for LDH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

PMID- 28632646
TI  - Utility of Adding Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Computed Tomography Alone in the
      Evaluation of Cervical Spine Injury: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Adult patients who received computed tomography (CT) alone or CT
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of cervical spine injury.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of CT-MRI in the diagnosis of cervical spine
      injury using propensity-matched techniques. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The
      optimal evaluation (CT alone vs. CT and MRI) for patients with suspected cervical
      spine injury in the setting of blunt trauma remains controversial. METHODS: The
      primary outcome was the identification of a cervical spine injury, with decision
      for surgery and change in management considered secondarily. A propensity score
      was developed based on the likelihood of receiving evaluation with CT-MRI, and
      this score was used to balance the cohorts and develop two groups of patients
      around whom there was a degree of clinical equipoise in terms of the imaging
      protocol. Logistic regression was used to evaluate for significant differences in
      injury detection in patients evaluated with CT alone as compared to those
      receiving CT-MRI. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2014, 8060 patients were evaluated
      using CT and 693 with CT-MRI. Following propensity-score matching, each cohort
      contained 668 patients. There were no significant differences between the two
      groups in baseline characteristics. The odds of identifying a cervical spine
      injury were significantly higher in the CT-MRI group, even after adjusting for
      prior injury recognition on CT (odds ratios 2.6; 95% confidence interval 1.7-4.0;
      P < 0.001). However, only 53/668 patients (8%) in the CT-MRI group had injuries
      identified on MRI not previously recognized by CT. Only a minority of these
      patients (n = 5/668, 1%) necessitated surgical intervention. CONCLUSION: In this
      propensity-matched cohort, the addition of MRI to CT alone identified missed
      injuries at a rate of 8%. Only a minority of these were serious enough to warrant
      surgery. This speaks against the standard addition of MRI to CT-alone protocols
      in cervical spine evaluation after trauma. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

PMID- 28632648
TI  - The Amount of Fluid Given During Surgery That Leaks Into the Interstitium
      Correlates With Infused Fluid Volume and Varies Widely Between Patients: Erratum.

PMID- 28632649
TI  - In the Beginning-There Is the Introduction-and Your Study Hypothesis: Erratum.

PMID- 28632647
TI  - High Osteogenic Potential of Adipose- and Muscle-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
      in Spinal-Ossification Model Mice.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Basic experiments in a mouse model of ossification of the posterior
      longitudinal ligament (OPLL). OBJECTIVE: To assess the osteogenic potential of
      mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from muscle and adipose tissue in Tiptoe
      walking (ttw) mice, in which cervical OPLL compresses the spinal cord and causes
      motor and sensory dysfunction. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In humans, MSCs have
      been implicated in the pathogenesis of cervical OPLL. Cervical OPLL in ttw mice
      causes chronic compression of the spinal cord. Few studies have compared the MSC
      osteogenic potential with behavioral changes in an OPLL animal model. METHODS: We
      compared the osteogenic potential and behavioral characteristics of MSCs from ttw
      mice (4 to 20 weeks old) with those from control wild-type mice (without
      hyperostosis). Ligament ossification was monitored by micro-computed tomography
      and pathology; tissues were double stained with fluorescent antibodies against
      markers for MSCs (CD45 and CD105), at 8 weeks. The Basso Mouse Scale was used to
      assess motor function, and heat and mechanical tests to assess sensory function.
      The osteogenic potential of adipose and muscle MSCs was assessed by Alizarin Red
      S absorbance, staining for osteogenic mineralization, and real-time quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction for osteogenesis-related genes. RESULTS: Spinal
      ligament ossification began in ttw mice at 8 weeks of age, and the ossified area
      increased with age. Immunofluorescence staining identified MSCs in the
      ossification area. The ttw mice became hyposensitive at 8 weeks of age, and Basso
      Mouse Scale scores showed motor-function deficits starting at 12 weeks of age.
      Alizarin Red S staining for mineralization showed a higher osteogenic potential
      in the adipose- and muscle-derived MSCs from ttw mice than from wild-type mice at
      4, 8, and 20 weeks of age. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction
      showed that ttw MSCs strongly expressed osteogenesis-related genes. CONCLUSION:
      MSCs derived from muscle and adipose tissue in ttw mice had a high osteogenic
      potential. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

PMID- 28632650
TI  - Advanced Cardiac Imaging in Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: The Great Wave.

PMID- 28632651
TI  - Imaging in Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
AB  - There has been tremendous growth in the population of adults with congenital
      heart disease (CHD) over the last few decades because of advances in medical
      care. Whereas some cases are cured during childhood, most patients instead
      undergo palliation, which leaves them at risk for late complications. Lifelong
      clinical follow-up involving serial multimodality imaging is helpful to monitor
      and guide the treatment of late complications. Imaging of these individuals is
      challenging because of their unique anatomy and therefore requires careful
      consideration on a case-by-case basis. Knowledge of late complications associated
      with various diseases and surgical palliations provides a basis for selection and
      interpretation of an appropriate imaging study. This review highlights the most
      common conditions in adult CHD and the clinical questions that imaging hopes to
      answer, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of available imaging
      modalities. We illustrate clinical scenarios and the use of noninvasive imaging
      modalities including echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic
      resonance imaging, as well as applications in the following CHDs: tetralogy of
      Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, coarctation of the aorta, shunts,
      functional single ventricle, and coronary anomalies.

PMID- 28632652
TI  - Utility of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Management of Adult
      Congenital Heart Disease.
AB  - The increasing number of patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD)
      calls for the development of noninvasive imaging techniques that allow a long
      term evaluation of native and postsurgical anatomy and function. Echocardiography
      remains the imaging modality of choice for congenital heart disease, but it is
      affected by limited acoustic windows and poor tissue characterization. Cardiac
      computed tomography and cardiac catheter angiography are 2 valid alternatives for
      the anatomic and functional assessment of ACHD; however, both use ionizing
      radiation, and cardiac catheter angiography requires an invasive approach.
      Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), noninvasively and in the absence of ionizing
      radiation, has the ability to evaluate the biventricular function, quantify
      flows, characterize tissue, and provide information on cardiac anatomy. Despite
      the long acquisition time and lower spatial resolution compared with cardiac
      computed tomography, CMR represents the ideal technique for long-term follow-up
      of ACHD. CMR is now widely utilized and is well described in the literature with
      regard to diagnosis, identification of complications, timing of surgery, and
      postoperative prognosis in ACHD. CMR represents a fundamental technique for the
      evaluation of patients with ACHD.

PMID- 28632653
TI  - Imaging Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Part II: Advanced CMR Techniques.
AB  - Because of great strides in medical care, survival into adulthood has become a
      common expectation in patients suffering from nearly all forms of congenital
      heart disease. As this aging population expands, the utilization of cardiac
      magnetic resonance imaging in their care continues to grow. Magnetic resonance
      technology has developed exponentially over the last 2 decades, and several
      advanced techniques for imaging adults with congenital heart disease have moved
      from the purely research arena into routine clinical care. In particular, 4
      dimensional phase-contrast imaging allows comprehensive hemodynamic assessment,
      myocardial characterization quantifies fibrosis, stress magnetic resonance
      imaging detects vulnerable myocardium and hemodynamic reserve, and 3-dimensional
      modeling enables preinterventional planning, all of which are now widespread in
      their applications.

PMID- 28632654
TI  - An Overview of Cardiac Computed Tomography in Adults With Congenital Heart
      Disease.
AB  - Familiarity with congenital heart disease (CHD) and its manifestations in adults
      is becoming increasingly important for the practicing cardiothoracic imager. The
      use of computed tomographic angiography is becoming commonplace not only in
      adults with a history and subsequent interventions for CHD as a child but also in
      de novo detection of-typically-milder, survivable forms of CHD, which are
      clinically suspected because of declining cardiac performance, cardiac events, or
      murmurs. Occasionally, adult CHD (ACHD) is found incidentally on scans performed
      for other indications (eg, trauma or neoplasm staging) because of improvements in
      computed tomographic technology and advanced visualization. A growing number of
      patients with CHD survive into adulthood and lead essentially normal lives all
      over the world and may present in community hospitals and emergency rooms to
      receive care. Advancements in computed tomographic angiography technology have
      further allowed us to individually tailor cardiovascular scans according to the
      patient's anatomy and specifically for the clinical question raised, aiming at
      reduced exposure to iodinated contrast and radiation dose, while obtaining
      diagnostic-quality images. This task, however, is not simple. There is no one
      size-fits-all cardiac scan that serves as a one-stop shop for ACHD patients.
      Careful planning and patient preparation, close supervision of the scan,
      sophisticated postprocessing, and interdisciplinary interpretation of the
      findings are all required ingredients for managing patients with ACHD. In this
      review we highlight the technical principles that should be observed to optimize
      imaging in ACHD. We also provide practical insight into how specific clinical
      questions can be answered utilizing this technology in the most frequently
      encountered forms of ACHD.

PMID- 28632655
TI  - Scientific Abstracts: 4th World Congress of Thoracic Imaging.

PMID- 28632656
TI  - Intramedullary Nail Fixation of Atypical Femur Fractures With Bone Marrow
      Aspirate Concentrate Leads to Faster Union: A Case-Control Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) use in the
      treatment of AFF. DESIGN: Retrospective case control. SETTING: Level 1 trauma
      center. PATIENTS: Complete AFF, defined according to American Society of Bone and
      Mineral Research (ASBMR) criteria, from September 2009 to April 2015 with minimum
      1-year follow-up. INTERVENTION: Operative treatment with antegrade intramedullary
      nails. Beginning June 2014, BMAC from the ipsilateral iliac crest was added to
      all AFFs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Time to union as determined by a blinded
      panel of 3 attending orthopaedic surgeons, union rates, complications. RESULTS:
      Thirty-five patients with 36 AFFs were reviewed, of which 33 AFFs were included
      and 11 received BMAC. Alendronate was the most commonly prescribed
      bisphosphonate, with a similar mean duration of use in controls and BMAC cases
      (5.6 versus 6 years, P = 0.79). BMAC use significantly decreased time to union
      (3.5 versus 6.8 months, P = 0.004). Varus malreduction was associated with a
      significant delay in union (9.7 versus 4.7 months, P = 0.04). Overall, 1 year
      union rate was 86.2% and nonsignificantly higher in BMAC compared with controls
      (100.0% versus 77.3%, P = 0.11). Multivariate analysis revealed BMAC and varus
      malreduction as independent predictors of time to union. There were no
      complications related to BMAC use. CONCLUSION: Our findings support
      intramedullary nailing of AFFs as an effective treatment option with a low
      surgical complication rate and highlight the importance of avoiding varus
      malreduction. BMAC use significantly reduced time to fracture union without an
      increase in surgical complication rates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level
      III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of
      evidence.

PMID- 28632657
TI  - Role of Computed Tomography in the Classification of Pediatric Pelvic Fractures
      Revisited.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the need for computerized tomography (CT) scans in the
      assessment of pediatric pelvic fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective Chart Review.
      SETTING: Level-1 Pediatric Trauma Center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Thirty pediatric
      trauma patients with pelvic fractures who have obtained both a radiograph and CT
      scan. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Fleiss Kappa coefficient to compare
      interreliability. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 7 years (range 1
      13 years). Seventeen were males and 13 were females. The Torode and Zieg
      classification included 3 type I, 6 type II, 13 type III, and 8 type IV. The
      Kappa value for interobserver agreement comparing radiographs was 0.453, and for
      CT was 0.42. Three patients (10%) were treated with a spica cast, and none
      required surgery for their pelvic fracture. Four patients (11%) demonstrated
      liver, spleen, or kidney injuries on CT. Out of those 4, 1 had indications for
      laparotomy and drain placement, 1 died secondary to shock, and 2 were treated
      conservatively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrated that plain
      radiographs alone can be used to classify and manage most pediatric fractures,
      confirming Silber previous findings. Furthermore, we recommend the specific
      instances of Schreck and Haasz et al in which CT scans should be used, sparing
      the general pediatric population unnecessary radiation. Such cases include
      patients with an abnormal abdominal or pelvic examination, complex fracture
      patterns, displacement greater than 1 cm, femur deformities, hematuria, Glasgow
      Coma Scale <13, hemodynamic instability, an aspartate aminotransferase > 200 U/L,
      an Hct < 30%, or an abnormal chest x-ray.

PMID- 28632658
TI  - The Retrograde-Antegrade-Retrograde Technique for Successful Placement of a
      Retrograde Superior Ramus Screw.
AB  - Stabilization of pelvic ring injuries and certain acetabular fractures using
      percutaneous techniques is becoming increasingly more common. Intramedullary
      superior ramus screw fixation is beneficial in both injury types. While implants
      can be placed in an antegrade or retrograde direction, parasymphyseal ramus
      fractures benefit from retrograde implant insertion. In some patients, the
      parabolic osseous anatomy or obstructing soft tissues of the anterior pelvis or
      thigh can prevent appropriate hand and instrumentation positioning for
      appropriate retrograde ramus screw insertion through the entire osseous fixation
      pathway. Instead of abandoning medullary fixation, we propose a technique
      utilizing cannulated screws to successfully place retrograde screws in this
      distinct clinical scenario.

PMID- 28632659
TI  - The 20th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Research Society of Ultrasound
      Stimulation for Fracture Repair.

PMID- 28632660
TI  - Clinical Experience With the Use of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) in
      the Treatment of Atypical Femoral Fractures.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the clinical results of atypical
      femoral fractures (AFFs) treated with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data on AFFs that were surgically treated in our
      hospital from 2010 to 2016 was retrospectively analyzed. AFF was diagnosed based
      on the criteria defined by the second report of an ASBMR task force. RESULTS:
      Seven fractures in 6 cases were included in this study. Two fractures were
      referred to us as being nonunion. Five fractures were subtrochanteric fractures
      and 2 fractures were shaft fractures. Five fresh AFFs were fixed with an
      intramedullary nail and 2 nonunion fractures were fixed with plates. LIPUS was
      used in 6 fractures. Bone union was achieved in 5 fractures with the average time
      to union being 17 months (5-29). In 4 out of the 6 fractures treated with LIPUS,
      bone union was achieved after 14 months on average. In the other 2 LIPUS-treated
      fractures, bone union was not achieved even at 1 year after surgery. DISCUSSION:
      It is known that AFF healing tends to be very slow. Some case reports indicate
      that AFF healing might be accelerated by LIPUS. In the current series, the
      subtrochanteric fracture that was not treated with LIPUS healed at 29 months
      after surgery, which was much longer than the average time to union in the 5
      fractures that were treated with LIPUS. Although our number of cases is small,
      LIPUS may be a potentially useful tool for accelerating AFF repair.

PMID- 28632661
TI  - Efficacy and Limitations of Conservative Treatment for Painful Patella Partita:
      Positioning of an Ultrasound-Accelerated Fracture Healing Apparatus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Generally, painful patella partita is conservatively treated, but the
      usefulness of a low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) healing apparatus is
      unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of LIPUS
      for conservative treatment of painful patella partita. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The
      subjects included 17 patients diagnosed with painful patella partita. The
      subjects were divided into 2 groups: those without pain at 6 months (responsive
      group) and those with pain that persisted for 6 months or longer (non-responsive
      group). The reasons for the different responses between the 2 groups were
      investigated. We evaluated various factors, including age, gender, presence or
      absence of epiphyseal closure on plain xp at the first examination, Saupe
      classification, presence or absence of bone union, and type of conservative
      treatment. The grade of limitation of movement, the presence or absence of
      instruction on quadriceps femoris muscle stretch, and use of an orthosis and
      LIPUS were also investigated. RESULTS: The responsive and non-responsive groups
      consisted of 12 and 5 patients, respectively, and included only male patients.
      The average age was 13 and 16 years old in the responsive and non-responsive
      groups, respectively. Epiphyseal closure was present in 1 of the 12 patients in
      the responsive group and 3 of the 5 patients in the non-responsive group. The
      Saupe classifications in the responsive and in the non-responsive groups,
      respectively, were type I in 1 and 2 patients (3 total), type II in 6 and 1
      patients (7 total), and type III in 4 and 3 patients (7 total). Bone union was
      achieved in 10 patients in the responsive group, whereas no patient achieved bone
      union and 3 patients underwent excision in the non-responsive group. Conservative
      treatment in the responsive and non-responsive groups, respectively, included
      prohibition of exercise for 7 and 2 patients (9 total) and instruction on
      quadriceps femoris muscle stretch for 5 and 2 patients (7 total). In addition,
      all of the 8 patients wearing an orthosis and 2 patients treated with LIPUS were
      in the responsive group. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that painful Saupe type
      II patella partita can be improved by appropriate conservative treatment before
      epiphyseal closure. LIPUS may be advantageous for bone union and pain relief.

PMID- 28632662
TI  - Treatment of Incomplete Jones Fractures With Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound
      (LIPUS).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Stress fractures of the proximal epiphysis of the fifth metatarsal
      bone (termed Jones fracture) frequently occur in both senior high-school-age and
      older contestant-level soccer players, and its incidence in Japanese soccer
      players is higher than that in European players. Surgery is most commonly
      indicated for a complete fracture, and about 3 months are required before the
      patient is able to return to the sport. We have performed a "Jones fracture
      screening" to reduce the incidence of these fractures. While surveying its
      frequency and promoting education on its prevalence and symptoms, we tried to
      discover incomplete fractures early and treat them using LIPUS without limiting
      their soccer practice. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The subjects were 341 students (682
      feet) from 3 senior high schools and university soccer clubs. Primary screening
      for tenderness and by diagnostic ultrasound imaging was performed as a Jones
      fracture screening. Fifty subjects (50 feet) were positive on the ultrasonic
      diagnosis, and secondary screening was recommended. Forty subjects underwent
      radiography (secondary screening rate: 80%), and 5 subjects (5 feet) were
      diagnosed with incomplete Jones fractures. Conservative treatment centering on
      LIPUS was performed in these 5 players who still continued to participate in all
      soccer practices. RESULTS: Bone union was achieved in 2 subjects (2 feet) after
      about 6 months without taking a break from soccer practice. The other 3 subjects
      (3 feet) are at 2 months after the diagnosis and are being followed without
      taking a break from soccer practice. DISCUSSION: Incomplete Jones fractures that
      are discovered early by an ultrasonic check-up for bone expansion with subsequent
      early treatment with LIPUS may heal without taking a break from practice. No
      preventive method has been established for Jones fractures. This check-up may
      serve as a useful preventative approach, and we will make an effort to suggest it
      as a common practice.

PMID- 28632663
TI  - An Examination of the Factors Related to a Reduction in the Use of Low-Intensity
      Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We examined the factors related to a reduction in the use of low
      intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) for patients at both our hospital and other
      affiliated institutions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 350 patients who used LIPUS at
      our and other affiliated institutions from May 2010 to April 2015, 279 (168
      males, 111 females) were evaluated, after excluding mortalities and those with
      unexplained bone adhesion. Those patients with LIPUS compliance [calculated as:
      (number of days LIPUS was used/number of days LIPUS was available) * 100] below
      80% were defined as the non-compliant group (170 patients), and those patients
      with a compliance rate of 80% or above were defined as the compliant group (109
      patients). Factors related to a reduction in compliance were examined and
      included duration of use, age, sex, fracture side (right or left), and fracture
      site. RESULTS: The duration of use was longer in the non-compliant group compared
      with that in the compliant group (mean +/- SD: 160 +/- 118 days vs. 126 +/- 81
      days; P = 0.01), and the mean age was younger in the non-compliant group (42 +/-
      20 years vs. 50 +/- 21 years; P = 0.002). Additionally, there was a higher ratio
      of females/males in the compliant group (60/49 vs. 120/50; P = 0.008). However,
      the side of the fracture was not significantly different between the groups (P =
      0.449). Fractures of the forearm were more frequent in the non-compliant group
      than that in the compliant group (25/170 vs. 7/109; P = 0.003). DISCUSSION: The
      results suggest that the factors predictive of a reduction in the use of LIPUS
      are a long period of use, younger age, male gender, and use on fractures of the
      forearm.

PMID- 28632664
TI  - Outcome of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) for Opening Wedge High Tibial
      Osteotomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy (OWHTO) for knee osteoarthritis
      and for osteonecrosis has reported good results. Use of low intensity pulsed
      ultrasound (LIPUS) after OWHTO had become an option for the treatment of OWHTO
      since April 2016. The purpose of this study was to examine whether LIPUS has an
      accelerating effect on synostosis after OWHTO. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The control
      subjects were 24 patients with a total of 26 knees (9 male with knees and 15
      female with 17 knees treated) treated with OWHTO only. OWHTO was performed from
      April 2015 to March 2016 (non-LIPUS control group). The average age of the
      patients was 61 years. The test subjects were 25 patients with a total of 27
      knees (8 male with 9 knees and 17 female with 18 knees treated) treated with
      OWHTO and LIPUS. OWHTO was performed from April 2016 until the present. LIPUS was
      started after the surgery (LIPUS + group). The average age was 64.6 years. FTA,
      ROM, intraoperative open angle, and the time to bone union were examined.
      RESULTS: There was no difference between the 2 groups in FTA, ROM, and open
      angle. Synostosis was obtained in 18 knees in the control group (no LIPUS) with
      an average duration of 8.4 months. The LIPUS + group had a short observation
      period with none of the patients experiencing bone union. DISCUSSION: The
      synostosis promoting effect of LIPUS is expected. In this study, there were no
      bone union cases because of the short observation period. It is necessary to
      extend the follow-up period, and clarify the utility of LIPUS.

PMID- 28632665
TI  - Effect of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound on Bone Healing at Osteotomy Sites
      After Open Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-intensity
      pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on bone healing at osteotomy sites after open wedge
      high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients
      underwent OWHTO without bone grafting. Thirty cases treated with LIPUS (group L)
      after surgery were compared with 13 cases without LIPUS treatment (group C). We
      divided the osteotomy gap into the lateral hinge and 4 zones on anteroposterior
      radiography, and the progression of gap filling was evaluated at 1, 3, and 6
      months post-operatively in both groups. RESULTS: In group L, the lateral hinge
      formed a union at 3 months postoperatively in 11 knees (84.6%). At 6 months, gap
      filling in 10 knees (76.9%) reached to zone 2. In group C, while the lateral
      hinge formed a union at 3 months postoperatively in all cases. At 6 months, gap
      filling in 6 knees (46.1%) reached to zone 2. The progression of gap filling were
      8.5%, 18.9%, and 32.9% (at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery, respectively) in
      group L, while the progress levels at the same time points were 7.7%, 16.6%, and
      24.4% in group C. There were significant differences at 6 months after surgery
      between the 2 groups. DISCUSSION: LIPUS accelerated bone healing at 6 months
      after OWHTO. It is important that the accuracy of LIPUS methods be further
      studied and improved.

PMID- 28632666
TI  - Change in Calcaneal Bone Strength in Long-Term Care Residents Treated With Low
      Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We examined the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on
      bone strength in osteoporotic elderly residents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was
      a randomized controlled trial. Elderly residents with osteoporosis in a long-term
      care facility were treated with LIPUS (oscillation frequency 100 KHz) that
      involved treatment of the heel bone for 2 minutes a day. The selection of the
      treated heel was decided randomly with a personal computer. The heel bone mineral
      density before and after treatment was measured by calcaneal quantitative
      ultrasound (GE-1000 Express). RESULTS: The study included 23 residents but 3
      patients developed fractures and 1 withdrew from the study. Nineteen elder
      residents (average age 86.9 years) completed the study with ultrasonic
      quantitation before and after treatment. The average speed of sound (following
      SOS) of the treated and non-treated side was 1438.3 and 1437.4 m/s, respectively
      at baseline. After 3 months, the SOS was increased to 1450.8 and 1450.5 m/s,
      respectively, and after 8 months it increased to, 1452.8 and 1451.6 m/s. There
      were no significant changes between the treated and the non-treated side of the
      heel bone. DISCUSSION: LIPUS had no effect on increasing bone density in the
      elderly residents when treatment duration was 2 minutes per day. We suggest that
      therapy for osteoporosis with LIPUS for the elderly should be studied in the
      future to reduce the number of prescribed oral agents.

PMID- 28632667
TI  - Study on Ultrasound Irradiation Induction of Electrical Potentials in Bone.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: It is well known that applied stress induces electrical potentials in
      bone. We have experimentally studied whether induced potentials could be found in
      bone using an ultrasound irradiation system similar to low-intensity pulsed
      ultrasound (LIPUS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Circular plate specimens (diameter 10
      mm, thickness 1 mm) were obtained from bovine femora in order to determine if
      bone behaved as a piezoelectric material. Using these specimens, ultrasound
      receivers were fabricated. The irradiation of an ultrasound pulsed wave
      (amplitude 5 kPa, around 1 MHz) induced weak electrical potentials that were
      almost 0.1% of that observed with conventional ultrasonic transducers using
      piezoelectric polymer films. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The induced potentials
      clearly depended on the angle between the direction of the irradiation and the
      direction of the bone axis and showed a maximum when the angle was 45 degrees. It
      is known that the ultrasonic wave velocity changes due to the propagation
      direction and shows anisotropy. The behavior of induced potentials, however, was
      different from the anisotropy of wave velocities. These results tell us that the
      amount of induced electrical potentials possibly changes depending on the
      direction of the ultrasound wave produced by the LIPUS system.

PMID- 28632668
TI  - Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) Promotes BMP9-Induced Osteogenesis and
      Suppresses Inflammatory Responses in Human Periodontal Ligament-Derived Stem
      Cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We previously reported that low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS)
      promotes marrow stromal cell (MSC) osteogenesis and suppresses the LPS-induced
      inflammatory response in osteoblasts. Here, we examined the effects of LIPUS on
      human periodontal ligament-derived stem cells (hPDLSCs) in chronic inflammatory
      bone disease, such as periodontitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: hPDLSCs were
      collected from 3 healthy third molars. hPDLSCs were induced to differentiate by
      either recombinant BMP2 or BMP9 with or without daily LIPUS treatment (20 min/d).
      hPDLSCs were also stimulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis-derived LPS (LPS-PG), IL
      1beta, and TNF-alpha with or without LIPUS. Matrix mineralization was evaluated
      by alizarin red S staining. The expression of genes for osteogenic makers and for
      inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by real time RT-PCR. RESULTS: LIPUS promoted
      BMP9-induced osteogenesis of hPDLSCs based on increases in both cell
      calcification and osteogenic marker expression. In contrast, LIPUS did not affect
      BMP2-induced osteogenic differentiation. LIPUS-induced Noggin expression was
      potentially involved in the differential response of the cells. Either LPS-PG, IL
      1beta, or TNF-alpha-induced ERK phosphorylation and IL-8, CCL2, and RANKL
      expression were decreased in LIPUS-treated hPDLSCs. Moreover, the inhibitory
      effects of LPS-PG and IL-1beta on osteogenesis of hPDLSCs were significantly
      blocked by LIPUS. DISCUSSION: LIPUS is an effective tool to promote osteogenic
      differentiation under inflammatory conditions.

PMID- 28632669
TI  - Effect of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) on Endochondral Ossification
      via the Wnt Signaling Pathway.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We have previously demonstrated that LIPUS stimulates endochondral
      ossification with decreased expression of sclerostin. The Wnt signaling pathway
      was examined in vitro to further address the effect of LIPUS on endochondral
      ossification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ATDC5 cells were plated at an initial
      density of 6 * 10 cells/well in a 6-multiwell plate and cultured in the presence
      of 5% FBS plus ITS. The bottom of the culture plate was treated every day with
      LIPUS for 20 minutes. The level of calcification and the expression of Wnt
      signaling were investigated. RESULTS: The area of calcified nodules in the LIPUS
      treated group was significantly greater than in the control group. The expression
      of Wnt was significantly elevated by LIPUS exposure. Markers associated with
      endochondral ossification were increased in the LIPUS-treated group. When
      sclerostin was added to the culture media, calcified nodule formation and the
      expression of Wnt were inhibited in both the LIPUS-treated group and the control
      group. DISCUSSION: This study suggests that endochondral ossification was
      stimulated by LIPUS via the Wnt signaling pathway.

PMID- 28632670
TI  - Competency Assessment in Regional Anesthesia: Quantity Today, Quality Tomorrow.

PMID- 28632671
TI  - Recognizing the Hourglass/Bow-Tie Pattern.

PMID- 28632672
TI  - Transversus Thoracic Muscle Plane Block on a Cadaver With History of Coronary
      Artery Bypass Grafting.

PMID- 28632673
TI  - The Ultrasound-Guided Continuous Erector Spinae Plane Block for Postoperative
      Analgesia in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy.

PMID- 28632674
TI  - Something Is Growing Inside: An Unusual Adverse Effect of Paravertebral Block.

PMID- 28632675
TI  - Intermittent Bolus Injection Via Peripheral Nerve Catheters May Exceed Occlusion
      Pressure Limit of an Ambulatory Infusion Pump: An In Vitro Study.

PMID- 28632676
TI  - Is Central Neuraxial Block Advisable in a Patient With Preexisting Ocular Motor
      Palsy?

PMID- 28632677
TI  - Preexisting Ocular Motor Palsy and Central Neuroaxial Block: A Reply to Dr Nair.

PMID- 28632678
TI  - Transversus Abdominis Plane Block as Analgesic Technique for Postoperative Pain
      Management After Cesarean Section: No More?

PMID- 28632679
TI  - Reply to Dr Fusco et al.

PMID- 28632680
TI  - Single-Injection Technique for Medial Parapatellar Arthrotomy.

PMID- 28632681
TI  - Reply to Drs Johnston and Sondekoppam.

PMID- 28632682
TI  - Diaphragm-Sparing Nerve Blocks for Shoulder Surgery: An Alternative Approach.

PMID- 28632683
TI  - Reply to Dr Bansal et al.

PMID- 28632684
TI  - If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride.

PMID- 28632685
TI  - "Don't Throw the Baby Out With the Bath Water: " A Reply to Dr. Onwochei et al.

PMID- 28632686
TI  - Quadratus Lumborum 1 and Transversalis Fascia Blocks: Different Names for the
      Same Posterior Pararenal Space Block.

PMID- 28632687
TI  - Reply to Dr Choquet et al.

PMID- 28632688
TI  - High-Quality 3-Dimensional 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging of the
      Prostate Without Endorectal Receive Coil Using A Semi-LASER Sequence.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Inclusion of 3-dimensional H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging
      (3D-H-MRSI) in routine multiparametric MRI of the prostate requires good quality
      spectra and easy interpretable metabolite maps of the whole organ obtained
      without endorectal coil in clinically feasible acquisition times. We evaluated if
      a semi-LASER pulse sequence with gradient offset independent adiabaticity
      refocusing pulses (GOIA-sLASER) for volume selection can meet these requirements.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients with suspicion of prostate cancer and 1
      patient known to have prostate cancer were examined at 3 T with a multichannel
      body-receive coil. A 3D-H-MRSI sequence with GOIA-sLASER volume selection (echo
      time, 88 milliseconds) was added to a routine clinical multiparametric MRI
      examination of these patients. Repetition times from 630 to 1000 milliseconds and
      effective voxel sizes of approximately 0.9 and 0.6 cm were tested. Spectral
      components were quantified by LCModel software for quality assessment and to
      construct choline and citrate maps. RESULTS: Three-dimensional MRSI of the
      prostate was successfully performed in all patients in measurement times of 5 to
      10 minutes. Analysis of the multiparametric MRI examination or of biopsies did
      not reveal malignant tissue in the prostate of the 13 patients. In 1404 evaluated
      voxels acquired from 13 patients, the citrate resonance could be fitted with a
      high reliability (Cramer-Rao lower bound <30%), 100% for 7 * 7 * 7-mm voxels and
      96 +/- 7 in 6 * 6 * 6-mm voxels. The percentage of 7 * 7 * 7-mm voxels in which
      the choline signal was fitted with Cramer-Rao lower bound of less than 30% was
      approximately 50% at a TR of 630 milliseconds and increased to more than 80% for
      TRs of 800 milliseconds and above. In the patient with prostate cancer, choline
      was detectable throughout the prostate in spectra recorded at a TR of 700
      milliseconds. The homogeneous B1 field over the prostate of the receive coil
      enabled the generation of whole organ metabolite maps, revealing choline and
      citrate variations between areas with normal prostate tissue, seminal vesicles,
      proliferative benign prostatic hyperplasia, and tumor. CONCLUSIONS: The good
      signal-to-noise ratio and low chemical shift artifacts of GOIA-sLASER at an echo
      time of 88 milliseconds enable acquisition of high-quality 3D-H-MRSI of the
      prostate without endorectal coil in less than 10 minutes. This facilitates
      reconstruction of easy interpretable, quantitative metabolite maps for routine
      clinical applications of prostate MRSI.

PMID- 28632689
TI  - 18F-FDG Uptake in Ischemic Colitis During Follow-up of a Patient With Lung
      Cancer.
AB  - A 61-year-old man with previous history of lung adenocarcinoma underwent 2 F-FDG
      PET/CT investigations. The first for assessment of enlarged mediastinal lymph
      nodes revealed an area of increased FDG uptake in the sigmoid colon (located at
      the right pelvis). Colonoscopy showed a segmental area of ischemic sigmoid
      colitis, confirmed on histology postbiopsy. The asymptomatic man had no risk
      factors, and no specific treatment was administered, apart from supportive
      measures. One year later, there was no significantly abnormal uptake on PET/CT.
      Incidental ischemic colitis may be demonstrated with FDG and PET/CT needing no
      specific therapeutic measures for resolution.

PMID- 28632690
TI  - Noninvasive Nuclear SPECT Myocardial Blood Flow Quantitation to Guide Management
      for Coronary Artery Disease.
AB  - Recently, myocardial blood flow quantitation with dynamic SPECT has been
      validated to enhance the detection of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD)
      and conclude equivocal SPECT myocardial perfusion study. This advance opened an
      important clinical application to utilize the tool in guiding CAD management for
      area where myocardial perfusion tracers for PET are unavailable or unaffordable.
      We present a clinical patient with ongoing recursive angina who underwent
      multiple nuclear stress tests for a sequence of CAD evaluation in 26 months and
      demonstrated that SPECT myocardial blood flow quantitation properly guided CAD
      management to warrant patient outcome.

PMID- 28632691
TI  - 18F-FDG Uptake in Benign Fibrous Histiocytoma of Adrenal Gland: A Potential
      Pitfall.
AB  - A 47-year-old man with newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal carcinoma underwent staging
      F-FDG PET/CT. Apart from showing increased FDG uptake in the primary site and
      locoregional nodal and liver metastases, an unusual site of intense FDG focus was
      demonstrated in the left adrenal gland. He underwent CT-guided biopsy, and the
      histopathologic diagnosis was benign fibrous histiocytoma.

PMID- 28632692
TI  - Improved 123I-Ioflupane Binding After Immunotherapy in Anti-NAE Antibody-Positive
      Hashimoto Encephalopathy That Clinically Mimicked Multiple System Atrophy.
AB  - We describe an 84-year-old man with anti-NH2-terminal of alpha-enolase antibody
      positive Hashimoto encephalopathy that clinically mimicked multiple system
      atrophy who underwent investigation by dopamine transporter SPECT before and
      after immunotherapy. Before treatment, dopamine transporter SPECT showed reduced
      striatal I-ioflupane binding, with a mean specific binding ratio of 2.42, even
      though he had no apparent parkinsonism. After immunotherapy, mean specific
      binding ratio was improved to 3.22. Dopamine transporter SPECT was useful in this
      case to detect subclinical striatal dysfunction, and evaluation both before and
      after immunotherapy helped to distinguish between neurodegenerative disease and
      neuroimmunological disorder.

PMID- 28632693
TI  - Extraosseous Extension of Aggressive Vertebral Hemangioma as a Potential Pitfall
      on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT.
AB  - A 74-year-old man with newly diagnosed prostate cancer underwent Ga-PSMA PET/CT,
      which demonstrated intense uptake in and adjacent the L2 vertebral body.
      Subsequent MRI of the lumbar spine showed an aggressive L2 hemangioma with
      adjacent soft tissue extension. There was congruence of the intraosseous and
      extraosseous components of the hemangioma and the PSMA PET uptake. This is a rare
      but important potential pitfall in Ga-PSMA PET/CT-a soft tissue lesion with
      intense tracer uptake related not to a nodal metastasis of prostate cancer but to
      extraosseous extension of an aggressive vertebral body hemangioma.

PMID- 28632694
TI  - Multiorgan Involvement of Chemotherapy-Induced Sarcoidosis Mimicking Progression
      of Lymphoma on FDG PET/CT.
AB  - A 35-year-old woman with biopsy-proven recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma in the neck
      lymph nodes received salvage chemotherapy of brentuximab/insulin growth factor
      methotrexate. Although the patient continued doing well clinically with no
      constitutional symptoms or significant laboratory abnormalities following the
      second recurrence, subsequent FDG PET CT examinations over the next 2 years
      revealed multiple new FDG-avid foci including lymph nodes above/below the
      diaphragm, liver, spleen, lungs, and bone. An alternate diagnosis of chemotherapy
      induced sarcoidosis was suggested and confirmed on both bone marrow and right
      inguinal node biopsy.

PMID- 28632695
TI  - Serum Ceruloplasmin and Striatal Dopamine Transporter Density in Parkinson
      Disease: Comparison With 123I-FP-CIT SPECT.
AB  - PURPOSE: In patients with Parkinson disease (PD), decreased serum ceruloplasmin
      levels have been observed. This study investigated a correlation between serum
      ceruloplasmin-along with its related serum markers- and striatal presynaptic
      dopaminergic denervation measured with I-FP-CIT SPECT. METHODS: We analyzed a
      total of 141 de novo patients divided into 2 groups: the PD group (107 patients
      with PD) and the disease control group (34 patients with vascular
      pseudoparkinsonism, essential tremor, or drug-induced parkinsonism). Serum
      ceruloplasmin and related serum markers, such as copper, iron, total iron-binding
      capacity, and ferritin, were measured. Specific binding ratios of the striatum,
      caudate nucleus, putamen, and posterior putamen were obtained by I-FP-CIT SPECT.
      RESULTS: There was no difference in the serum markers, except for ceruloplasmin,
      between the 2 groups. Ceruloplasmin level was significantly lower in PD patients
      with longer symptom duration (>2 years) than in the disease control group (21.4
      +/- 3.4 vs 24.0 +/- 3.8, P = 0.03). Serum ceruloplasmin had a significant
      correlation with specific binding ratios of the striatum, caudate nucleus, and
      putamen in a subgroup with longer symptom duration (P = 0.01, P = 0.02, P = 0.02,
      respectively, for the subgroup with symptom duration >1 year, and P < 0.01, P <
      0.01, P = 0.04, respectively, for the subgroup with symptom duration >2 years).
      CONCLUSIONS: Decrease in serum ceruloplasmin had a positive correlation with a
      decrease in dopamine transporter density in PD patients with symptom duration of
      more than 1 year.

PMID- 28632696
TI  - Infection of Ventricular Assist Device Detected and Monitored by 18F-FDG PET/CT.
AB  - We report a case of a 59-year-old man who presented with fever, sepsis, and left
      cervicothoracic cutaneous inflammation 13 months after implantation of Jarvik
      2000 device. Device infection was suspected and F-FDG PET/CT showed an intense
      and homogeneous uptake along driveline cable. Bacteriological local sample showed
      Staphylococcus aureus. After adapted antibiotherapy, control F-FDG PET/CT
      displays treatment efficacy with no residual uptake in driveline. F-FDG PET/CT
      could be an important tool for early noninvasive detection of left ventricular
      assist device infection and monitoring antibiotherapy response.

PMID- 28632697
TI  - Increased Activity in the Lung Field on Gastroesophageal Scintigraphy Is Not
      Always Due to Aspiration.
AB  - Elevated activity in the lung field on gastroesophageal scintigraphy (milk scan)
      generally indicates aspiration of the gastric content that has refluxed to the
      pharynx. An 18-year-old man underwent to gastroesophageal scintigraphy to assess
      the rate of gastric emptying. Increased activity was noted in the left lower lung
      field during the image acquisition. Careful analysis of the images showed that
      this activity was caused by hiatal herniation.

PMID- 28632698
TI  - Primary Cutaneous Angiosarcoma Mimicking Metastasis on 18F-FDG PET/CT in Woman
      With Cervix Cancer.
AB  - Primary cutaneous angiosarcoma is a rare vascular tumor usually affecting the
      whole body, and its hypermetabolic features on F-FDG PET/CT may be confused with
      those of infection, metastasis, or primary malignancy. This is a case report of a
      cutaneous angiosarcoma of the lower anterior abdomen showing increased FDG uptake
      on F-FDG PET/CT mimicking a cutaneous metastasis in an 84-year-old woman with
      cervical cancer.

PMID- 28632699
TI  - Inadvertent Arterial Injection of 123I-MIBG Does Not Necessarily Cause Any
      Symptoms.
AB  - An 123I-MIBG scan was obtained to evaluate a right adrenal mass in a 10-year-old
      boy, which showed no elevated activity in the lesion. However, diffuse increased
      activity was noted in the right forearm with typical manifestation of an
      "arterial injection." Different from a prior case report, no symptoms or signs
      related to arterial injection were observed in our patient.

PMID- 28632700
TI  - Editorial on histocompatibility section 2017.

PMID- 28632701
TI  - Effects of Active, Student-Centered Teaching Strategies on Nursing Students'
      Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Comfort Related to Patient Safety.

PMID- 28632702
TI  - Benchmarking of Prelicensure Nursing Students' Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge.
AB  - Evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge among prelicensure nursing students was
      measured before, immediately following, and 1 year after completion of an EBP
      course using a relatively new instrument. There was a significant increase in EBP
      knowledge immediately following the course, and knowledge was sustained 1 year
      later. Results enabled faculty to gauge the effectiveness of the EBP course
      within the curriculum to prepare students with the knowledge needed to enact EBP
      in practice.

PMID- 28632704
TI  - Metal homeostasis: Pumping iron.

PMID- 28632703
TI  - Motivating Reading Compliance: Adaptation of Monte Carlo Quizzes for Online
      Delivery.
AB  - Getting students to complete reading assignments is often a source of frustration
      for nurse educators. Monte Carlo Quizzes (MCQs) were adapted for online delivery
      in a hybrid nursing course to encourage timely completion and deep processing of
      readings. Students indicated that MCQs motivated them to complete the assigned
      readings and to read more carefully. However, there were no significant
      differences on scores for other course assignments between those who completed
      readings and those who did not.

PMID- 28632706
TI  - Synthetic biology: Playing favorites.

PMID- 28632707
TI  - Peptidoglycan: Another brick in the wall.

PMID- 28632705
TI  - Targeting the N terminus for site-selective protein modification.
AB  - The formation of well-defined protein bioconjugates is critical for many studies
      and technologies in chemical biology. Tried-and-true methods for accomplishing
      this typically involve the targeting of cysteine residues, but the rapid growth
      of contemporary bioconjugate applications has required an expanded repertoire of
      modification techniques. One very powerful set of strategies involves the
      modification of proteins at their N termini, as these positions are typically
      solvent exposed and provide chemically distinct sites for many protein targets.
      Several chemical techniques can be used to modify N-terminal amino acids directly
      or convert them into unique functional groups for further ligations. A growing
      number of N-terminus-specific enzymatic ligation strategies have provided
      additional possibilities. This Perspective provides an overview of N-terminal
      modification techniques and the chemical rationale governing each. Examples of
      specific N-terminal protein conjugates are provided, along with their uses in a
      number of diverse biological applications.

PMID- 28632708
TI  - Antimicrobials: Targeting fungal chromatin.

PMID- 28632709
TI  - Circadian regulation: Switching periods.

PMID- 28632710
TI  - Tissue-specific amplifiers.

PMID- 28632711
TI  - Atypical matters in myeloid differentiation.

PMID- 28632712
TI  - Regulating hair growth.

PMID- 28632713
TI  - Systems immunology: just getting started.
AB  - Systems-biology approaches in immunology take various forms, but here we review
      strategies for measuring a broad swath of immunological functions as a means of
      discovering previously unknown relationships and phenomena and as a powerful way
      of understanding the immune system as a whole. This approach has rejuvenated the
      field of vaccine development and has fostered hope that new ways will be found to
      combat infectious diseases that have proven refractory to classical approaches.
      Systems immunology also presents an important new strategy for understanding
      human immunity directly, taking advantage of the many ways the immune system of
      humans can be manipulated.

PMID- 28632716
TI  - Julius Youngner 1920-2017.

PMID- 28632715
TI  - A Hippo in the Fox(p3) house.

PMID- 28632718
TI  - Epigenetic changes in TILs.

PMID- 28632717
TI  - Polymorphisms in IFIH1: the good and the bad.

PMID- 28632714
TI  - The multiple pathways to autoimmunity.
AB  - Efforts to understand autoimmunity have been pursued relentlessly for several
      decades. It has become apparent that the immune system evolved multiple
      mechanisms for controlling self-reactivity, and defects in one or more of these
      mechanisms can lead to a breakdown of tolerance. Among the multitude of lesions
      associated with disease, the most common seem to affect peripheral tolerance
      rather than central tolerance. The initial trigger for both systemic autoimmune
      disorders and organ-specific autoimmune disorders probably involves the
      recognition of self or foreign molecules, especially nucleic acids, by innate
      sensors. Such recognition, in turn, triggers inflammatory responses and the
      engagement of previously quiescent autoreactive T cells and B cells. Here we
      summarize the most prominent autoimmune pathways and identify key issues that
      require resolution for full understanding of pathogenic autoimmunity.

PMID- 28632719
TI  - A rheostat tuning thymic selection.

PMID- 28632720
TI  - Highly localized memory.

PMID- 28632721
TI  - IL-22 in Peyer's patches.

PMID- 28632722
TI  - Learning during inflammation.

PMID- 28632723
TI  - MiR-646 inhibited cell proliferation and EMT-induced metastasis by targeting
      FOXK1 in gastric cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: MiR-646 has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in human
      cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of action of miR-646 in
      gastric cancer (GC) have not yet been investigated. METHODS: In vitro function of
      miR-646 in GC was evaluated using EdU assay, plate colony formation assay, and
      matrigel invasion assay. Real-time PCR or western blotting was performed to
      detect miR-646 and FOXK1 expressions. In vivo tumour growth and metastasis were
      conducted in nude mice. RESULTS: MiR-646 expression was downregulated in GC
      tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Low miR-646 expression is
      associated with malignant progression. Transient transfection of GC cells with
      miR-646 inhibited their growth and migration. Moreover, miR-646 influenced the
      expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins. TGF
      beta1 treatment significantly suppressed the expression of miR-646 and
      overexpression of this microRNA counteracted the influence of the TGF-beta1
      induced EMT phenotype. In terms of the underlying mechanism, miR-646 directly
      targeted FOXK1. In vivo, it inhibited the FOXK1-mediated proliferation and EMT
      induced metastasis. Consistently, inverse correlations were also observed between
      the expression of miR-646 and FOXK1 in human GC tissue samples. Furthermore, miR
      646 regulated Akt/mTOR signalling after FOXK1. CONCLUSIONS: miR-646 inhibited GC
      cell proliferation and the EMT progression in GC cells by targeting FOXK1.

PMID- 28632724
TI  - Oral squamous cell carcinoma patients can be differentiated from healthy
      individuals with label-free serum proteomics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No blood biomarkers to detect early oral cavity squamous cell
      carcinoma (OSCC) without clinical signs exist - diagnosis is solely based on
      histology of a visible tumour. Most OSCC patients are diagnosed at advanced
      stage, which leads to significant morbidity and poor survival. Our aim was to
      find the serum screening or detection biomarkers in OSCC. METHODS: Serum samples
      from patients with OSCC treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head
      and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital (Finland) were collected. Age- and
      gender-matched healthy individuals served as controls. Quantitative label-free
      proteomics in high definition MSE mode(HDMSE) was performed on 13 patients and 12
      healthy samples. Various statistical analyses were performed on quantitative
      proteomics data to obtain the most influential proteins, which classify the
      patients vs healthy samples. RESULTS: In quantitative proteomic analysis (HDMSE),
      388 proteins were quantified in our pilot study. A complete separation between
      cases and controls was seen in supervised and unsupervised classification
      techniques such as orthogonal projections on latent structure-discriminant
      analysis (OPLS-DA) and self-organising maps. Using OPLS-DA S-plot, we identified
      a set of eight proteins that completely separated OSCC patients from healthy
      individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Although the tumour stages varied from I to IVa, these
      potential biomarkers were able to identify all OSCCs demonstrating their
      sensitivity to detect tumours of all stages. We are the first to suggest a set of
      serum biomarkers in our pilot study to be evaluated further as a diagnostic panel
      to detect preclinical OSCC in risk patients.

PMID- 28632725
TI  - The role of primary tumour sidedness, EGFR gene copy number and EGFR promoter
      methylation in RAS/BRAF wild-type colorectal cancer patients receiving
      irinotecan/cetuximab.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The data from randomised trials suggested that primary tumour
      sidedness could represent a prognostic and predictive factor in colorectal cancer
      (CRC) patients, particularly during treatment with anti-epidermal growth factor
      receptor (EGFR) therapy. However, an in-deep molecular selection might overcome
      the predictive role of primary tumour location in this setting. METHODS: We
      conducted a retrospective analysis in which tumour samples from RAS/BRAF wild
      type (WT) metastatic CRC patients treated with second-third-line
      irinotecan/cetuximab were analysed for EGFR gene copy number (GCN) and promoter
      methylation. Study objective was to evaluate the correlation of tumour sidedness,
      EGFR promoter methylation and EGFR GCN with clinical outcome. Median follow-up
      duration was 14.3 months. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients were included in the
      study, 27.3% had right-sided CRC, 72.7% had left-sided CRC; 36.4% had EGFR
      GCN<2.12 tumour, 63.6% had EGFR GCN?2.12 tumour; 50% had EGFR promoter-methylated
      tumour. Right-sided colorectal cancer (RSCRC) were associated with reduced
      overall response rate (ORR) (4.2% for RSCRC vs 35.9% for left sided colorectal
      cancer (LSCRC), P=0.0030), shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (3.0 vs 6.75
      months, P<0.0001) and shorter overall survival (OS) (8 vs 13.6 months, P<0.0001).
      EGFR GCN<2.12 tumours were associated with reduced ORR (6.2% for EGFR GCN<2.12 vs
      39.3% for EGFR GCN?2.12 tumours, P=0.0009), shorter PFS (3.5 vs 6.5 months,
      P=0.0006) and shorter OS (8.5 vs 14.0 months, P<0.0001). Epidermal growth factor
      receptor-methylated tumours were associated with reduced ORR (9.1% for methylated
      vs 45.5% for unmethylated, P=0.0001), shorter PFS (3 vs 7.67 months, P<0.0001)
      and shorter OS (8 vs 17 months, P<0.0001). At multivariate analysis, EGFR GCN and
      EGFR promoter methylation maintained their independent role for ORR (respectively
      P=0.0082 and 0.0025), PFS (respectively P=0.0048 and<0.0001) and OS (respectively
      P=0.0001 and<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, an accurate molecular selection
      based on an all RAS and BRAF analysis along with EGFR GCN and EGFR promoter
      methylation status seems to be more relevant than primary tumour sidedness in the
      prediction of clinical outcome during cetuximab/irinotecan therapy. However,
      these data need to be validated with future prospective and translational
      studies.

PMID- 28632726
TI  - Infradiaphragmatic irradiation and high procarbazine doses increase colorectal
      cancer risk in Hodgkin lymphoma survivors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors are at increased risk of second
      malignancies, but few studies have assessed colorectal cancer (CRC) risk after HL
      treatment. We assessed long-term, subsite-specific CRC risk associated with
      specific radiation fields and chemotherapy regimens. METHODS: In a Dutch cohort
      of 3121 5-year HL survivors treated between 1965 and 1995, subsite-specific CRC
      incidence was compared with general population rates. Treatment effects were
      quantified by Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 22.9
      years, 55 patients developed CRC. The standardized incidence ratios (SIR) was 2.4
      fold increased (95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.8-3.2), leading to 5.7 excess
      cases per 10 000 patient-years. Risk was still increased 30 years after HL
      treatment (SIR: 2.8; 95%CI: 1.6-4.6). The highest (SIR: 6.5, 95%CI: 3.3-11.3) was
      seen for transverse colon cancer (15.0 (95%CI: 4.3-40.8) after inverted-Y
      irradiation). A prescribed cumulative procarbazine dose >4.2 g m-2 was associated
      with a 3.3-fold higher CRC risk (95%CI: 1.8-6.1) compared to treatment without
      procarbazine. Patients receiving >4.2 g m-2 procarbazine and infradiaphragmatic
      radiotherapy had a hazard ratio of 6.8 (95%CI: 3.0-15.6) compared with patients
      receiving neither treatment, which is significantly higher than an additive joint
      effect (Padditivity=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal cancer surveillance should be
      considered for HL survivors who received Infradiaphragmatic radiotherapy and a
      high cumulative procarbazine dose.

PMID- 28632727
TI  - Post-translational regulation contributes to the loss of LKB1 expression through
      SIRT1 deacetylase in osteosarcomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The most prevalent form of bone cancer is osteosarcoma (OS), which is
      associated with poor prognosis in case of metastases formation. Mice harbouring
      liver kinase B1 (LKB1+/-) develop osteoblastoma-like tumours. Therefore, we asked
      whether loss of LKB1 gene has a role in the pathogenesis of human OS. METHODS:
      Osteosarcomas (n=259) were screened for LKB1 and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) protein
      expression using immunohistochemistry and western blot. Those cases were also
      screened for LKB1 genetic alterations by next-generation sequencing, Sanger
      sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism and fluorescence in situ
      hybridisation approaches. We studied LKB1 protein degradation through SIRT1
      expression. MicroRNA expression investigations were also conducted to identify
      the microRNAs involved in the SIRT1/LKB1 pathway. RESULTS: Forty-one per cent
      (106 out of 259) OS had lost LKB1 protein expression with no evident genetic
      anomalies. We obtained evidence that SIRT1 impairs LKB1 protein stability, and
      that SIRT1 depletion leads to accumulation of LKB1 in OS cell lines resulting in
      growth arrest. Further investigations revealed the role of miR-204 in the
      regulation of SIRT1 expression, which impairs LKB1 stability. CONCLUSIONS: We
      demonstrated the involvement of sequential regulation of miR-204/SIRT1/LKB1 in OS
      cases and showed a mechanism for the loss of expression of LKB1 tumour suppressor
      in this malignancy.

PMID- 28632728
TI  - Downregulation of serum metabolite GTA-446 as a novel potential marker for early
      detection of colorectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We previously reported that GTA-446 may be a useful biomarker for
      early detection of colorectal cancer. In the present study, we confirmed the
      clinical feasibility of GTA-446 as a screening tool for colorectal cancer with a
      novel measurement system developed for clinical use. We also improved sensitivity
      by analysing GTA-446 levels according to gender. METHODS: Serum samples were
      collected from 225 colorectal cancer patients and 916 healthy volunteers to
      measure GTA-446 levels by flow injection analysis-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: GTA
      446 levels were downregulated in colorectal cancer patients compared with the
      healthy volunteers, and in females compared with the males in both groups.
      Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an optimal cut-off of
      2.72 MUmol l-1 in males and 1.87 MUmol l-1 in females, with a large area under
      the curve of 0.89-0.93. The sensitivity and specificity were 90.4% and 84.9% for
      males, 85.2% and 80.5% for females, and 83.3% and 84.8% for all subjects,
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: GTA-446 is a clinically relevant biomarker for
      colorectal cancer with high sensitivity when analysed by gender. Thus, GTA-446 is
      a promising tool for primary colorectal cancer screening to identify populations
      at a higher risk of colorectal cancer, with an emphasis on early detection.

PMID- 28632729
TI  - Radiation-associated breast cancer and gonadal hormone exposure: a report from
      the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The relationship between hormone exposure and breast cancer risk in
      women treated with chest radiotherapy for childhood cancer is uncertain. METHODS:
      Participants included 1108 females from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study who
      were diagnosed with childhood cancer 1970-1986, treated with chest radiotherapy,
      and survived to ages ?20 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals
      (CIs) from Cox models adjusted for chest radiation field, delivered dose,
      anthracycline exposure, and age at childhood cancer estimated risk. RESULTS:
      Among 195 women diagnosed with breast cancer, 102 tumours were oestrogen-receptor
      positive (ER+). Breast cancer risk increased with ?10 years of ovarian function
      after chest radiotherapy vs <10 years (HR=2.89, CI 1.56-5.53) and for
      radiotherapy given within 1 year of menarche vs >1 year from menarche (HR=1.80,
      CI 1.19-2.72). Risk decreased with decreasing age at menopause (Ptrend=0.014).
      Risk factors did not differ for ER+ breast cancer. Survivors with an age at
      menopause <20 years treated with hormone therapy had a lower breast cancer risk
      than premenopausal survivors (HR=0.47, CI 0.23-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Endogenous
      hormones are key contributors to breast cancer observed among childhood cancer
      survivors. Hormone therapy given for premature ovarian insufficiency does not
      fully replace the function that endogenous hormones have in breast cancer
      development.

PMID- 28632730
TI  - Phase 2 study of combination SPI-1620 with docetaxel as second-line advanced
      biliary tract cancer treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This multicentre, open-label study evaluated the efficacy and safety
      of SPI-1620, an analogue of endothelin-1, administered in combination with
      docetaxel as second-line treatment for patients with advanced biliary tract
      cancer (ABTC). METHODS: Eligible patients received continuous cycles of
      combination therapy with SPI-1620 (11 MUg m-2) and docetaxel (75 mg m-2)
      intravenously every 3 weeks until disease progression (PD) or intolerable
      toxicity. Tumour response was evaluated using computed tomography or magnetic
      resonance imaging every 2 cycles (6 weeks). The primary efficacy end point was
      progression-free survival (PFS); secondary end points included overall response
      rate (ORR), duration of response, and overall survival (OS) that were estimated
      using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Of the 30 enrolled patients, 25 patients
      had qualifying events (PD or death), 1 patient was nonevaluable, and 4 patients
      were censored at the time of their last tumour assessment. Our primary end point
      of PFS ?5 months was not reached. Median PFS was 2.6 months (95% confidence
      interval (CI): 1.4-2.8), ranging from 0.7 to 8.4 months. The ORR was 10.3% (95%
      CI: 0.02-0.27). Eleven additional patients achieved stable disease. The OS was
      4.87 months. The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were febrile neutropenia and
      neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of docetaxel to SPI-1620 in second-line
      ABTC did not meet the pre-specified primary end point of PFS ?5 months in
      unselected patient population.

PMID- 28632731
TI  - CD47 overexpression is associated with decreased neutrophil
      apoptosis/phagocytosis and poor prognosis in non-small-cell lung cancer patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients often exhibit
      neutrophilia, which has been associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, the
      mechanisms that lead to neutrophilia have not been fully established. CD47 is an
      antiphagocytic molecule that promotes neutrophil recruitment. METHODS: Blood was
      collected from 50 treatment-naive patients with advanced NSCLC and from 25
      healthy subjects. The frequency of CD66b+ cells and the expression of CD47 were
      determined by flow cytometry. Neutrophil apoptosis was determined by 7-amino
      actinomycin D/Annexin V-APC staining. Phagocytosis was assessed by flow
      cytometry. Reactive oxygen species production after phorbol 12-myristate 13
      acetate treatment was quantified by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. Pro
      inflammatory plasma cytokines were quantified using a cytometric bead array
      assay. RESULTS: The percentage of circulating neutrophils was significantly
      higher in patients than in controls (P<0.001). Patient-derived neutrophils had a
      higher oxidative potential than those of controls (P=0.0286). The number of
      neutrophils in late apoptosis/necrosis was lower in patients than in controls
      (P=0.0317). Caspase 3/7 activation was also lower in patients than in controls
      (P=0.0079). CD47 expression in whole-blood samples and in the neutrophil fraction
      was higher in NSCLC patients than in controls (P=0.0408 and P<0.001). Patient
      derived neutrophils were phagocytosed at a lower rate than those of controls
      (P=0.0445). CD47 expression in neutrophils negatively correlated with their
      ingestion by macrophages (P=0.0039). High CD47 expression was associated with a
      lower overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Increased CD47 expression on the surface of
      neutrophils was associated with a delay in neutrophil apoptosis and with an
      impairment in their phagocytic clearance by macrophages, suggesting that CD47
      overexpression may be one of the underlying mechanisms leading to neutrophilia in
      NSCLC patients.

PMID- 28632732
TI  - Fructo-oligosaccharides and intestinal barrier function in a methionine-choline
      deficient mouse model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
AB  - Impairments in intestinal barrier function, epithelial mucins, and tight junction
      proteins have been reported to be associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
      Prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides restore balance in the gastrointestinal
      microbiome. This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary fructo
      oligosaccharides on intestinal barrier function and steatohepatitis in methionine
      choline-deficient mice. Three groups of 12-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were
      studied for 3 weeks; specifically, mice were fed a methionine-choline-deficient
      diet, a methionine-choline-deficient diet plus 5% fructo-oligosaccharides in
      water, or a normal control diet. Fecal bacteria, short-chain fatty acids, and
      immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels were investigated. Histological and
      immunohistochemical examinations were performed using mice livers for CD14 and
      Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) expression and intestinal tissue samples for IgA and
      zonula occludens-1 expression in epithelial tight junctions. The methionine
      choline-deficient mice administered 5% fructo-oligosaccharides maintained a
      normal gastrointestinal microbiome, whereas methionine-choline-deficient mice
      without prebiotic supplementation displayed increases in Clostridium cluster XI
      and subcluster XIVa populations and a reduction in Lactobacillales spp. counts.
      Methionine-choline-deficient mice given 5% fructo-oligosaccharides exhibited
      significantly decreased hepatic steatosis (p = 0.003), decreased liver
      inflammation (p = 0.005), a decreased proportion of CD14-positive Kupffer cells
      (p = 0.01), decreased expression of TLR4 (p = 0.04), and increases in fecal short
      chain fatty acid and IgA concentrations (p < 0.04) compared with the findings in
      methionine-choline-deficient mice that were not administered this prebiotic. This
      study illustrated that in the methionine-choline-deficient mouse model, dietary
      fructo-oligosaccharides can restore normal gastrointestinal microflora and normal
      intestinal epithelial barrier function, and decrease steatohepatitis. The
      findings support the role of prebiotics, such as fructo-oligosaccharides, in
      maintaining a normal gastrointestinal microbiome; they also support the need for
      further studies on preventing or treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis using
      dietary fructo-oligosaccharides.

PMID- 28632733
TI  - Ponseti method in the management of clubfoot under 2 years of age: A systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), also known as clubfoot, is
      common congenital orthopedic foot deformity in children characterized by four
      components of foot deformities: hindfoot equinus, hindfoot varus, midfoot cavus,
      and forefoot adduction. Although a number of conservative and surgical methods
      have been proposed to correct the clubfoot deformity, the relapses of the
      clubfoot are not uncommon. Several previous literatures discussed about the
      technical details of Ponseti method, adherence of Ponseti protocol among walking
      age or older children. However there is a necessity to investigate the relapse
      pattern, compliance of bracing, number of casts used in treatment and the
      percentages of surgical referral under two years of age for clear understanding
      and better practice to achieve successful outcome without or reduce relapse.
      Therefore this study aims to review the current evidence of Ponseti method
      (manipulation, casting, percutaneous Achilles tenotomy, and bracing) in the
      management of clubfoot under two years of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Articles
      were searched from 2000 to 2015, in the following databases to identify the
      effectiveness of Ponseti method treatment for clubfoot: Medline, Cumulative Index
      to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINHAL), PubMed, and Scopus. The
      database searches were limited to articles published in English, and articles
      were focused on the effectiveness of Ponseti method on children with less than 2
      years of age. RESULTS: Of the outcome of 1095 articles from four electronic
      databases, twelve articles were included in the review. Pirani scoring system,
      Dimeglio scoring system, measuring the range of motion and rate of relapses were
      used as outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, all reviewed, 12 articles
      reported that Ponseti method is a very effective method to correct the clubfoot
      deformities. However, we noticed that relapses occur in nine studies, which is
      due to the non-adherence of bracing regime and other factors such as low income
      and social economic status.

PMID- 28632734
TI  - Choroidal thickness in patients with coronary artery disease.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate choroidal thickness (CTh) in patients with coronary artery
      disease (CAD) compared to healthy controls. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS:
      Setting: Ambulatory clinic of a large city hospital. Patient population: Thirty
      four patients had documented CAD, defined as history of >50% obstruction in at
      least one coronary artery on cardiac catheterization, positive stress test, ST
      elevation myocardial infarction, or revascularization procedure. Twenty-eight age
      matched controls had no self-reported history of CAD or diabetes. Patients with
      high myopia, dense cataracts, and retinal disease were excluded. Observation
      procedures: Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography and questionnaire
      regarding medical and ocular history. Main outcome measures: Subfoveal CTh and
      CTh 2000 MUm superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal to the fovea in the left
      eye, measured by 2 readers. RESULTS: CTh was significantly lower in patients with
      CAD compared to controls at the subfoveal location (252 vs. 303 MUm, P = 0.002)
      and at all 4 cardinal macular locations. The mean difference in CTh between the 2
      groups ranged from 46 to 75 MUm and was greatest in the inferior location. Within
      the CAD group, CTh was significantly lower temporally (P = 0.007) and nasally
      (P<0.001) than subfoveally, consistent with the pattern observed in controls. On
      multivariate analysis, CAD was negatively associated with subfoveal CTh (P =
      0.006) after controlling for diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.
      CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Patients with CAD have a thinner macular choroid than
      controls, with preservation of the normal spatial CTh pattern. Decreased CTh
      might predispose patients with CAD to high-risk phenotypes of age-related macular
      degeneration such as reticular pseudodrusen and could serve as a potential
      biomarker of disease in CAD.

PMID- 28632735
TI  - Validity of a minimally invasive autopsy for cause of death determination in
      stillborn babies and neonates in Mozambique: An observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Over 5 million stillbirths and neonatal deaths occur annually.
      Limited and imprecise information on the cause of these deaths hampers progress
      in achieving global health targets. Complete diagnostic autopsies (CDAs)-the gold
      standard for cause of death determination-are difficult to perform in most high
      burden settings. Therefore, validation of simpler and more feasible methods is
      needed. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this observational study, the validity of a
      minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) method in determining the cause of death was
      assessed in 18 stillbirths and 41 neonatal deaths by comparing the results of the
      MIA with those of the CDA. Concordance between the categories of diseases
      obtained by the 2 methods was assessed by the Kappa statistic, and the
      sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of the MIA
      diagnoses were calculated. A cause of death was identified in 16/18 (89%) and
      15/18 (83%) stillborn babies in the CDA and the MIA, respectively. Fetal growth
      restriction accounted for 39%, infectious diseases for 22%, intrapartum hypoxia
      for 17%, and intrauterine hypoxia for 11% of stillborn babies. Overall, the MIA
      showed in this group a substantial concordance with the CDA (Kappa = 0.78, 95% CI
      [0.56-0.99]). A cause of death was identified in all (100%) and 35/41 (85%)
      neonatal deaths in the CDA and the MIA, respectively. In this group, the majority
      of deaths were due to infectious diseases (66%). The overall concordance of the
      MIA with the CDA in neonates was moderate (Kappa = 0.40, 95% CI [0.18-0.63]). A
      high percentage of accuracy was observed for the MIA in all the diagnostic
      categories in both stillbirths and neonates (>75%). The main limitation of this
      study is that some degree of subjective interpretation is inherent to cause-of
      death attribution in both the MIA and the CDA; this is especially so in
      stillbirths and in relation to fetal growth restriction. CONCLUSIONS: The MIA
      could be a useful tool for cause-of-death determination in stillbirths and
      neonatal deaths. These findings may help to accelerate progress towards meeting
      global health targets by obtaining more accurate information on the causes of
      death in these age groups, which is essential in guiding the design of new
      interventions and increasing the effectiveness of those already implemented.

PMID- 28632736
TI  - From the motor cortex to the movement and back again.
AB  - The motor cortex controls motor behaviors by generating movement-specific signals
      and transmitting them through spinal cord circuits and motoneurons to the
      muscles. Precise and well-coordinated muscle activation patterns are necessary
      for accurate movement execution. Therefore, the activity of cortical neurons
      should correlate with movement parameters. To investigate the specifics of such
      correlations among activities of the motor cortex, spinal cord network and
      muscles, we developed a model for neural control of goal-directed reaching
      movements that simulates the entire pathway from the motor cortex through spinal
      cord circuits to the muscles controlling arm movements. In this model, the arm
      consists of two joints (shoulder and elbow), whose movements are actuated by six
      muscles (4 single-joint and 2 double-joint flexors and extensors). The muscles
      provide afferent feedback to the spinal cord circuits. Cortical neurons are
      defined as cortical "controllers" that solve an inverse problem based on a
      proposed straight-line trajectory to a target position and a predefined bell
      shaped velocity profile. Thus, the controller generates a motor program that
      produces a task-specific activation of low-level spinal circuits that in turn
      induce the muscle activation realizing the intended reaching movement. Using the
      model, we describe the mechanisms of correlation between cortical and
      motoneuronal activities and movement direction and other movement parameters. We
      show that the directional modulation of neuronal activity in the motor cortex and
      the spinal cord may result from direction-specific dynamics of muscle lengths.
      Our model suggests that directional modulation first emerges at the level of
      muscle forces, augments at the motoneuron level, and further increases at the
      level of the motor cortex due to the dependence of frictional forces in the
      joints, contractility of the muscles and afferent feedback on muscle lengths
      and/or velocities.

PMID- 28632737
TI  - Supervised filters for EEG signal in naturally occurring epilepsy forecasting.
AB  - Nearly 1% of the global population has Epilepsy. Forecasting epileptic seizures
      with an acceptable confidence level, could improve the disease treatment and thus
      the lifestyle of the people who suffer it. To do that the electroencephalogram
      (EEG) signal is usually studied through spectral power band filtering, but this
      paper proposes an alternative novel method of preprocessing the EEG signal based
      on supervised filters. Such filters have been employed in a machine learning
      algorithm, such as the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), to improve the prediction of
      seizures. The proposed solution extends with this novel approach an algorithm
      that was submitted to win the third prize of an international Data Science
      challenge promoted by Kaggle contest platform and the American Epilepsy Society,
      the Epilepsy Foundation, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Mayo Clinic. A
      formal description of these preprocessing methods is presented and a detailed
      analysis in terms of Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve and Area
      Under ROC curve is performed. The obtained results show statistical significant
      improvements when compared with the spectral power band filtering (PBF) typical
      baseline. A trend between performance and the dataset size is observed,
      suggesting that the supervised filters bring better information, compared to the
      conventional PBF filters, as the dataset grows in terms of monitored variables
      (sensors) and time length. The paper demonstrates a better accuracy in
      forecasting when new filters are employed and its main contribution is in the
      field of machine learning algorithms to develop more accurate predictive systems.

PMID- 28632738
TI  - Correction: Phenotypic heterogeneity promotes adaptive evolution.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2000644.].

PMID- 28632740
TI  - Soft bilateral filtering volumetric shadows using cube shadow maps.
AB  - Volumetric shadows often increase the realism of rendered scenes in computer
      graphics. Typical volumetric shadows techniques do not provide a smooth
      transition effect in real-time with conservation on crispness of boundaries. This
      research presents a new technique for generating high quality volumetric shadows
      by sampling and interpolation. Contrary to conventional ray marching method,
      which requires extensive time, this proposed technique adopts downsampling in
      calculating ray marching. Furthermore, light scattering is computed in High
      Dynamic Range buffer to generate tone mapping. The bilateral interpolation is
      used along a view rays to smooth transition of volumetric shadows with respect to
      preserving-edges. In addition, this technique applied a cube shadow map to create
      multiple shadows. The contribution of this technique isreducing the number of
      sample points in evaluating light scattering and then introducing bilateral
      interpolation to improve volumetric shadows. This contribution is done by
      removing the inherent deficiencies significantly in shadow maps. This technique
      allows obtaining soft marvelous volumetric shadows, having a good performance and
      high quality, which show its potential for interactive applications.

PMID- 28632739
TI  - Validity of a minimally invasive autopsy tool for cause of death determination in
      pediatric deaths in Mozambique: An observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In recent decades, the world has witnessed unprecedented progress in
      child survival. However, our knowledge of what is killing nearly 6 million
      children annually in low- and middle-income countries remains poor, partly
      because of the inadequacy and reduced precision of the methods currently utilized
      in these settings to investigate causes of death (CoDs). The study objective was
      to validate the use of a minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) approach as an adequate
      and more acceptable substitute for the complete diagnostic autopsy (CDA) for
      pediatric CoD investigation in a poor setting. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In this
      observational study, the validity of the MIA approach in determining the CoD was
      assessed in 54 post-neonatal pediatric deaths (age range: >=1 mo to 15 y) in a
      referral hospital of Mozambique by comparing the results of the MIA with those of
      the CDA. Concordance in the category of disease obtained by the two methods was
      evaluated by the Kappa statistic, and the sensitivity, specificity, and positive
      and negative predictive values of the MIA diagnoses were calculated. A CoD was
      identified in all cases in the CDA and in 52/54 (96%) of the cases in the MIA,
      with infections and malignant tumors accounting for the majority of diagnoses.
      The MIA categorization of disease showed a substantial concordance with the CDA
      categorization (Kappa = 0.70, 95% CI 0.49-0.92), and sensitivity, specificity,
      and overall accuracy were high. The ICD-10 diagnoses were coincident in up to 75%
      (36/48) of the cases. The MIA allowed the identification of the specific pathogen
      deemed responsible for the death in two-thirds (21/32; 66%) of all deaths of
      infectious origin. Discrepancies between the MIA and the CDA in individual
      diagnoses could be minimized with the addition of some basic clinical information
      such as those ascertainable through a verbal autopsy or clinical record. The main
      limitation of the analysis is that both the MIA and the CDA include some degree
      of expert subjective interpretation. CONCLUSIONS: The MIA showed substantial
      concordance with CDA for CoD identification in this series of pediatric deaths in
      Mozambique. This minimally invasive approach, simpler and more readily acceptable
      than the more invasive CDA, could provide robust data for CoD surveillance,
      especially in resource-limited settings, which could be helpful for guiding child
      survival strategies in the future.

PMID- 28632741
TI  - Aging, mortality, and the fast growth trade-off of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
AB  - Replicative aging has been demonstrated in asymmetrically dividing unicellular
      organisms, seemingly caused by unequal damage partitioning. Although asymmetric
      segregation and inheritance of potential aging factors also occur in
      symmetrically dividing species, it nevertheless remains controversial whether
      this results in aging. Based on large-scale single-cell lineage data obtained by
      time-lapse microscopy with a microfluidic device, in this report, we demonstrate
      the absence of replicative aging in old-pole cell lineages of Schizosaccharomyces
      pombe cultured under constant favorable conditions. By monitoring more than 1,500
      cell lineages in 7 different culture conditions, we showed that both cell
      division and death rates are remarkably constant for at least 50-80 generations.
      Our measurements revealed that the death rate per cellular generation increases
      with the division rate, pointing to a physiological trade-off with fast growth
      under balanced growth conditions. We also observed the formation and inheritance
      of Hsp104-associated protein aggregates, which are a potential aging factor in
      old-pole cell lineages, and found that these aggregates exhibited a tendency to
      preferentially remain at the old poles for several generations. However, the
      aggregates were eventually segregated from old-pole cells upon cell division and
      probabilistically allocated to new-pole cells. We found that cell deaths were
      typically preceded by sudden acceleration of protein aggregation; thus, a
      relatively large amount of protein aggregates existed at the very ends of the
      dead cell lineages. Our lineage tracking analyses, however, revealed that the
      quantity and inheritance of protein aggregates increased neither cellular
      generation time nor cell death initiation rates. Furthermore, our results
      demonstrated that unusually large amounts of protein aggregates induced by
      oxidative stress exposure did not result in aging; old-pole cells resumed normal
      growth upon stress removal, despite the fact that most of them inherited
      significant quantities of aggregates. These results collectively indicate that
      protein aggregates are not a major determinant of triggering cell death in S.
      pombe and thus cannot be an appropriate molecular marker or index for replicative
      aging under both favorable and stressful environmental conditions.

PMID- 28632742
TI  - The association between serum uric acid and the incidence of prediabetes and type
      2 diabetes mellitus: The Rotterdam Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited evidence is available about the association between serum
      uric acid and sub-stages of the spectrum from normoglycaemia to type 2 diabetes
      mellitus. We aimed to investigate the association between serum uric acid and
      risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Eligible participants
      of the Rotterdam Study (n = 8,367) were classified into mutually exclusive
      subgroups of normoglycaemia (n = 7,030) and prediabetes (n = 1,337) at baseline.
      These subgroups were followed up for incident prediabetes (n = 1,071) and
      incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 407), respectively. We used Cox
      proportional hazard models to determine hazard ratios (HRs) for incident
      prediabetes among individuals with normoglycaemia and incident type 2 diabetes
      mellitus among individuals with prediabetes. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow
      up was 7.5 years for incident prediabetes and 7.2 years for incident type 2
      diabetes mellitus. A standard deviation increment in serum uric acid was
      significantly associated with incident prediabetes among individuals with
      normoglycaemia (HR 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01; 1.18), but not with
      incident type 2 diabetes mellitus among individuals with prediabetes (HR 1.07,
      95% CI 0.94; 1.21). Exclusion of individuals who used diuretics or individuals
      with hypertension did not change our results. Serum uric acid was significantly
      associated with incident prediabetes among normoglycaemic women (HR 1.13, 95% CI
      1.02; 1.25) but not among normoglycaemic men (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.96; 1.21). In
      contrast, serum uric acid was significantly associated with incident type 2
      diabetes mellitus among prediabetic men (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.01; 1.48) but not
      among prediabetic women (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.84; 1.19). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings
      agree with the notion that serum uric acid is more closely related to early-phase
      mechanisms in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus than late-phase
      mechanisms.

PMID- 28632743
TI  - In silico assessment of the effects of quinidine, disopyramide and E-4031 on
      short QT syndrome variant 1 in the human ventricles.
AB  - AIMS: Short QT syndrome (SQTS) is an inherited disorder associated with
      abnormally abbreviated QT intervals and an increased incidence of atrial and
      ventricular arrhythmias. SQT1 variant (linked to the rapid delayed rectifier
      potassium channel current, IKr) of SQTS, results from an inactivation-attenuated,
      gain-of-function mutation (N588K) in the KCNH2-encoded potassium channels. Pro
      arrhythmogenic effects of SQT1 have been well characterized, but less is known
      about the possible pharmacological antiarrhythmic treatment of SQT1. Therefore,
      this study aimed to assess the potential effects of E-4031, disopyramide and
      quinidine on SQT1 using a mathematical model of human ventricular
      electrophysiology. METHODS: The ten Tusscher et al. biophysically detailed model
      of the human ventricular action potential (AP) was modified to incorporate IKr
      Markov chain (MC) formulations based on experimental data of the kinetics of the
      N588K mutation of the KCNH2-encoded subunit of the IKr channels. The modified
      ventricular cell model was then integrated into one-dimensional (1D) strand, 2D
      regular and realistic tissues with transmural heterogeneities. The channel
      blocking effect of the drugs on ion currents in healthy and SQT1 cells was
      modeled using half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and Hill coefficient
      (nH) values from literatures. Effects of drugs on cell AP duration (APD),
      effective refractory period (ERP) and pseudo-ECG traces were calculated. Effects
      of drugs on the ventricular temporal and spatial vulnerability to re-entrant
      excitation waves were measured. Re-entry was simulated in both 2D regular and
      realistic ventricular tissue. RESULTS: At the single cell level, the drugs E-4031
      and disopyramide had hardly noticeable effects on the ventricular cell APD at 90%
      repolarization (APD90), whereas quinidine caused a significant prolongation of
      APD90. Quinidine prolonged and decreased the maximal transmural AP heterogeneity
      (deltaV); this led to the decreased transmural heterogeneity of APD across the 1D
      strand. Quinidine caused QT prolongation and a decrease in the T-wave amplitude,
      and increased ERP and decreased temporal susceptibility of the tissue to the
      initiation of re-entry and increased the minimum substrate size necessary to
      prevent re-entry in the 2D regular model, and further terminated re-entrant waves
      in the 2D realistic model. Quinidine exhibited significantly better therapeutic
      effects on SQT1 than E-4031 and disopyramide. CONCLUSIONS: The simulated
      pharmacological actions of quinidine exhibited antiarrhythmic effects on SQT1.
      This study substantiates a causal link between quinidine and QT interval
      prolongation in SQT1 and suggests that quinidine may be a potential
      pharmacological agent for treating SQT1 patients.

PMID- 28632744
TI  - Comparison between gastrostomy feeding and self-expandable metal stent insertion
      for patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) insertion and percutaneous
      gastrostomy (PG) feeding are commonly used for patients with esophageal cancer
      and dysphagia. This study aimed to compare outcomes between SEMS insertion and PG
      feeding for them. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 308 patients with
      esophageal cancer who underwent fully covered SEMS insertion (stent group) or PG
      (gastrostomy group) for dysphagia due to tumor. Patients with other causes of
      dysphagia, such as radiation-induced or postoperative stricture, were excluded
      from the study. Clinical outcomes were compared between the two groups, including
      overall survival and need for additional intervention and postprocedural
      nutritional status. RESULTS: At baseline, the stent group (n = 169) had more
      stage IV patients, less cervical cancers, and received radiotherapy and
      esophagectomy less often than the gastrostomy group (n = 64). The Kaplan-Meier
      curves showed higher overall survival in the gastrostomy group than in the stent
      group. Multivariate analysis revealed that PG was associated with better survival
      compared with SEMS insertion (hazard ratio 0.541, 95% confidence interval 0.346
      0.848, p = 0.007). In addition, the gastrostomy group needed additional
      intervention less often (3.1% vs. 21.9%, p < 0.001) and experienced less decrease
      in serum albumin levels (-0.15 +/- 0.56 g/dL vs. -0.39 +/- 0.58 g/dL, p = 0.011)
      than the stent group after procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that,
      compared with SEMS insertion, PG is associated with better overall survival in
      patients with esophageal cancer and dysphagia. Stabilized nutritional status by
      PG may play a role in improving patient survival.

PMID- 28632745
TI  - Evaluating patterns and drivers of spatial change in the recreational guided
      fishing sector in Alaska.
AB  - Understanding the impacts of recreational fishing on habitats and species, as
      well as the social and ecological importance of place to anglers, requires
      information on the spatial distribution of fishing activities. This study
      documented long-term changes in core fishing areas of a major recreational
      fishery in Alaska and identified biological, regulatory, social, and economic
      drivers of spatial fishing patterns by charter operators. Using participatory
      mapping and in-person interviews, we characterized the spatial footprint of 46
      charter operators in the communities of Sitka and Homer since the 1990s. The
      spatial footprint differed between Homer and Sitka respondents, with Homer
      operators consistently using larger areas for Pacific halibut than Sitka
      operators. Homer and Sitka showed opposite trends in core fishing location area
      over time, with an overall decrease in Homer and an overall increase in Sitka.
      For both Sitka and Homer respondents, the range of areas fished was greater for
      Pacific halibut than for rockfish/lingcod or Pacific salmon. Spatial patterns
      were qualitatively different between businesses specializing in single species
      trips and those that operated multispecies trips and between businesses with one
      vessel and those with multiple vessels. In Homer, the most frequently cited
      reasons for changes in the location and/or extent of fishing were changes in trip
      type and the price of fuel, while in Sitka, the most frequently cited reasons for
      spatial shifts were changes to Pacific halibut regulations and gaining experience
      or exploring new locations. The diversity of charter fishing strategies in Alaska
      may allow individual charter operators to respond differently to perturbations
      and thus maintain resilience of the industry as a whole to social, environmental,
      and regulatory change. This research also highlights the importance of
      understanding fishers' diverse portfolio of activities to effective ecosystem
      based management.

PMID- 28632746
TI  - Body-part compatibility effects are modulated by the tendency for women to
      experience negative social comparative emotions and the body-type of the model.
AB  - Although exposure to physique-salient media images of women's bodies has been
      consistently linked with negative psychological consequences, little is known
      about the cognitive processes that lead to these negative effects. The present
      study employed a novel adaptation of a computerized response time (RT) task to
      (i) assess implicit cognitive processing when exposed to the body of another
      individual, and (ii) examine individual differences in social comparative
      emotions that may influence the cognitive processing of human bodies. Adult
      females with low (n = 44) or high (n = 23) tendencies for comparative emotions
      completed a task in which they executed responses to coloured targets presented
      on the hands or feet of images of ultra-thin, average-size, and above average
      size female models. Although the colour of the target is the only relevant target
      feature, it is typically found that the to-be-ignored location of the target on
      the body of the model influences RTs such that RTs are shorter when the target is
      on a body-part that is compatible with the responding limb (e.g., hand response
      when target was on hand) than on a body-part that is incompatible with the
      responding limb (e.g., hand response when target was on foot). Findings from the
      present study revealed that the magnitude of the body-part compatibility effect
      (i.e., the index of the cognitive processing of the model) was modulated by
      tendencies for affective body-related comparisons. Specifically, women who were
      prone to experiencing social comparative emotions demonstrated stronger and more
      consistent body-part compatibility effects across models. Therefore, women with
      higher social comparison tendencies have heightened processing of bodies at a
      neurocognitive level and may be at higher risk of the negative outcomes linked
      with physique-salient media exposure.

PMID- 28632747
TI  - Selective cyclooxygenase inhibition by SC-560 improves hepatopulmonary syndrome
      in cirrhotic rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is characterized by hypoxia in patients
      with chronic liver disease. The mechanism of HPS includes pulmonary
      vasodilatation, inflammation, and angiogenesis. Prostaglandins synthesized by
      cyclooxygenases (COX) participate in vascular responsiveness, inflammation and
      angiogenesis, which can be modulated by COX inhibitors. We therefore evaluated
      the impact of COX inhibition in rats with common bile duct ligation (CBDL)
      induced liver cirrhosis and HPS. METHODS: Cirrhotic rats were randomly allocated
      to receive non-selective COX inhibitor (indomethacin), selective COX-1 inhibitor
      (SC-560), or COX-2 inhibitor (celecoxib) for 14 days. After that, hemodynamic
      parameters, severity of hypoxia and intrapulmonary shunts, liver and renal
      biochemistry parameters, histological finding and protein expressions were
      evaluated. RESULTS: Non-selective COX inhibition by indomethacin improved hepatic
      fibrosis and pulmonary inflammation in cirrhotic rats with HPS. It also decreased
      mean arterial blood pressure, portal pressure, and alleviated hypoxia and
      intrapulmonary shunts. However, indomethacin increased mortality rate. In
      contrast, selective COX inhibitors neither affected hemodynamics nor increased
      mortality rate. Hypoxia was improved by SC-560 and celecoxib. In addition, SC-560
      decreased intrapulmonary shunts, attenuated pulmonary inflammation and
      angiogenesis through down-regulating COX-, NFkappaB- and VEGF-mediated pathways.
      CONCLUSION: Selective COX-1 inhibitor ameliorated HPS by mitigating hypoxia and
      intrapulmonary shunts, which are related to anti-inflammation and anti
      angiogenesis.

PMID- 28632748
TI  - Trimetazidine therapy for diabetic mouse hearts subjected to ex vivo acute heart
      failure.
AB  - Acute heart failure (AHF) is the most common primary diagnosis for hospitalized
      heart diseases in Africa. As increased fatty acid beta-oxidation (FAO) during
      heart failure triggers detrimental effects on the myocardium, we hypothesized
      that trimetazidine (TMZ) (partial FAO inhibitor) offers cardioprotection under
      normal and obese-related diabetic conditions. Hearts were isolated from 12-14
      week-old obese male and female diabetic (db/db) mice versus lean non-diabetic
      littermates (db/+) controls. The Langendorff retrograde isolated heart perfusion
      system was employed to establish an ex vivo AHF model: a) Stabilization phase
      Krebs Henseleit buffer (10 mM glucose) at 100 mmHg (25 min); b) Critical Acute
      Heart Failure (CAHF) phase-(1.2 mM palmitic acid, 2.5 mM glucose) at 20 mmHg (25
      min); and c) Recovery Acute Heart Failure phase (RAHF)-(1.2 mM palmitic acid, 10
      mM glucose) at 100 mmHg (25 min). Treated groups received 5 MUM TMZ in the
      perfusate during either the CAHF or RAHF stage for the full duration of each
      respective phase. Both lean and obese males benefited from TMZ treatment
      administered during the RAHF phase. Sex differences were observed only in lean
      groups where the phases of the estrous cycle influenced therapy; only the lean
      follicular female group responded to TMZ treatment during the CAHF phase. Lean
      luteal females rather displayed an inherent cardioprotection (without treatments)
      that was lost with obesity. However, TMZ treatment initiated during RAHF was
      beneficial for obese luteal females. TMZ treatment triggered significant recovery
      for male and obese female hearts when administered during RAHF. There were no
      differences between lean and obese male hearts, while lean females displayed a
      functional recovery advantage over lean males. Thus TMZ emerges as a worthy
      therapeutic target to consider for AHF treatment in normal and obese-diabetic
      individuals (for both sexes), but only when administered during the recovery
      phase and not during the very acute stages.

PMID- 28632751
TI  - OWL2 benchmarking for the evaluation of knowledge based systems.
AB  - OWL2 semantics are becoming increasingly popular for the real domain applications
      like Gene engineering and health MIS. The present work identifies the research
      gap that negligible attention has been paid to the performance evaluation of
      Knowledge Base Systems (KBS) using OWL2 semantics. To fulfil this identified
      research gap, an OWL2 benchmark for the evaluation of KBS is proposed. The
      proposed benchmark addresses the foundational blocks of an ontology benchmark
      i.e. data schema, workload and performance metrics. The proposed benchmark is
      tested on memory based, file based, relational database and graph based KBS for
      performance and scalability measures. The results show that the proposed
      benchmark is able to evaluate the behaviour of different state of the art KBS on
      OWL2 semantics. On the basis of the results, the end users (i.e. domain expert)
      would be able to select a suitable KBS appropriate for his domain.

PMID- 28632750
TI  - Renal sodium handling and blood pressure changes in gestational protein
      restricted offspring: Role of renal nerves and ganglia neurokinin expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Considering long-term changes in renal sodium handling and blood
      pressure in maternal protein-restricted (LP) offspring, we assumed that the
      development of LP hypertension results from abnormal dorsal root ganglia (DRG)
      neurokinin expression associated with impaired responsiveness of renal sensory
      receptors, promoting a reduced urinary excretion of sodium. The present study
      investigates whether increased blood pressure in protein-restricted offspring
      would be associated with changes in the DRG cells and in renal pelvic wall
      expression of NK1R, SP and CGRP when compared to NP offspring. In addition, we
      assessed the tubular sodium handling, estimated by creatinine and lithium
      clearances before and after bilateral renal denervation in conscious LP offspring
      relative to age-matched NP counterparts. METHODS: Dams received a normal (NP) or
      low-protein diet (LP) during their entire pregnancy period. Male NP or LP
      offspring underwent bilateral surgical renal denervation before the 8-week renal
      functional test and blood pressure measurements. Immunofluorescence staining in
      DRG cells was assessed in optical sections by confocal laser scanning microscope.
      RESULTS: The current data demonstrated a sustained rise in blood pressure
      associated with a decrease in fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) by reducing
      post-proximal tubule sodium rejection in 16-wk old LP rats relative to age
      matched NP counterparts. According to this study, bilateral renal denervation
      attenuated blood pressure and increased FENa in LP offspring. Furthermore, an
      immunohistochemical analysis showed a reduced expression of SP and CGRP in DRGs
      of LP when compared with NP rats. Renal pelvis of LP rats did not show a strong
      CGRP expression related to NP rats, whereas there was no change in SP
      immunostaining. CONCLUSIONS: These observations raise the possibility that
      impaired DRG and pelvic neurokinin expression associated with responsiveness of
      renal sensory receptors in 16-wk old LP offspring are conducive to excess renal
      reabsorption of sodium and development of hypertension in this programmed model.

PMID- 28632749
TI  - Using a health-rating system to evaluate the usefulness of Caenorhabditis elegans
      as a model for anthelmintic study.
AB  - Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are intestinal parasitic nematodes that infect
      humans, and are transmitted through contaminated soil. These nematodes include
      the large roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), whipworm (Trichuris trichiura), and
      hookworm (Ancylostoma ceylanicum, Ancylostoma duodenale, and Necator americanus).
      Nearly 1.5 billion people (~24% of the population) worldwide are infected with at
      least one species of these parasites, burdening the poor, in particular, children
      and pregnant women. To combat these diseases, the WHO only recognizes four
      anthelmintic drugs, including the preferred drug, albendazole, for mass drug
      administration (MDA). These four drugs have a total of two different mechanisms
      of action, and, as expected, resistance has been observed. This problem calls for
      new drugs with different mechanisms of action. Although there is precedence for
      the use of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a free-living nematode, as a
      model for drug screening and anthelmintic testing, their usefulness for such
      anthelmintic study is not clear as past research has shown that C. elegans did
      not show a strong response to albendazole, the MDA drug of choice, in comparison
      with various STHs under similar treatment. To further examine if C. elegans has
      the potential to be a good model organism for anthelmintic drug study, we
      employed a health rating scale in order to tease out potential effects of
      albendazole, and other anthelmintics, that may have been missed using a binary,
      dead/alive scale. Using the health-rating scale we found that although the worms
      may have not been dying, they were sick, showing dose responses to anthelmintic
      drugs, including albendazole, reinforcing C. elegans as a useful model for
      anthelmintic study.

PMID- 28632752
TI  - Learning to exploit a hidden predictor in skill acquisition: Tight linkage to
      conscious awareness.
AB  - It is often assumed that implicit learning of skills based on predictive
      relationships proceeds independently of awareness. To test this idea, four groups
      of subjects played a game in which a fast-moving "demon" made a brief appearance
      at the bottom of the computer screen, then disappeared behind a V-shaped
      occluder, and finally re-appeared briefly on either the upper-left or upper-right
      quadrant of the screen. Points were scored by clicking on the demon during the
      final reappearance phase. Demons differed in several visible characteristics
      including color, horn height and eye size. For some subjects, horn height
      perfectly predicted which side the demon would reappear on. For subjects not told
      the rule, the subset who demonstrated at the end of the experiment that they had
      spontaneously discovered the rule showed strong evidence of exploiting it by
      anticipating the demon's arrival and laying in wait for it. Those who could not
      verbalize the rule performed no better than a control group for whom the demons
      moved unpredictably. The implications of this tight linkage between conscious
      awareness and implicit skill learning are discussed.

PMID- 28632754
TI  - Permissive hypercapnia for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome in
      immunocompromised children: A single center experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Controlled hypoventilation while accepting hypercapnia has been
      advocated to reduce ventilator-induced lung injury. The aim of the study was to
      analyze outcomes of a cohort of immunocompromised children with acute respiratory
      distress syndrome (ARDS) ventilated with a strategy of stepwise increasing PCO2
      targets up to 140 mm Hg. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of outcomes of a cohort
      of children with oncologic disease or after stem cell transplantation and severe
      respiratory failure in comparison with a historical control cohort. RESULTS: Out
      of 150 episodes of admission to the PICU 88 children underwent invasive
      mechanical ventilation for >24h (overall survival 75%). In a subgroup of 38
      children with high ventilator requirements the PCO2 target ranges were increased
      stepwise. Fifteen children survived and were discharged from the PICU. Severe
      pulmonary hypertension was seen in two patients and no case of cerebral edema was
      observed. Long term outcome was available in 15 patients and 10 of these patients
      survived without adverse neurological sequelae. With introduction of this
      strategy survival of immunocompromised children undergoing mechanical ventilation
      for >24h increased to 48% compared to 32% prior to introduction (historical
      cohort). CONCLUSIONS: A ventilation strategy incorporating very high carbon
      dioxide levels to allow for low tidal volumes and limited inspiratory pressures
      is feasible in children. Even severe hypercapnia may be well tolerated. No severe
      side effects associated with hypercapnia were observed. This strategy could
      potentially increase survival in immunocompromised children with severe ARDS.

PMID- 28632753
TI  - MAIT cells launch a rapid, robust and distinct hyperinflammatory response to
      bacterial superantigens and quickly acquire an anergic phenotype that impedes
      their cognate antimicrobial function: Defining a novel mechanism of superantigen
      induced immunopathology and immunosuppression.
AB  - Superantigens (SAgs) are potent exotoxins secreted by Staphylococcus aureus and
      Streptococcus pyogenes. They target a large fraction of T cell pools to set in
      motion a "cytokine storm" with severe and sometimes life-threatening consequences
      typically encountered in toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Given the rapidity with
      which TSS develops, designing timely and truly targeted therapies for this
      syndrome requires identification of key mediators of the cytokine storm's initial
      wave. Equally important, early host responses to SAgs can be accompanied or
      followed by a state of immunosuppression, which in turn jeopardizes the host's
      ability to combat and clear infections. Unlike in mouse models, the mechanisms
      underlying SAg-associated immunosuppression in humans are ill-defined. In this
      work, we have identified a population of innate-like T cells, called mucosa
      associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, as the most powerful source of pro
      inflammatory cytokines after exposure to SAgs. We have utilized primary human
      peripheral blood and hepatic mononuclear cells, mouse MAIT hybridoma lines, HLA
      DR4-transgenic mice, MAIThighHLA-DR4+ bone marrow chimeras, and humanized NOD
      scid IL-2Rgammanull mice to demonstrate for the first time that: i) mouse and
      human MAIT cells are hyperresponsive to SAgs, typified by staphylococcal
      enterotoxin B (SEB); ii) the human MAIT cell response to SEB is rapid and far
      greater in magnitude than that launched by unfractionated conventional T,
      invariant natural killer T (iNKT) or gammadelta T cells, and is characterized by
      production of interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and
      interleukin (IL)-2, but not IL-17A; iii) high-affinity MHC class II interaction
      with SAgs, but not MHC-related protein 1 (MR1) participation, is required for
      MAIT cell activation; iv) MAIT cell responses to SEB can occur in a T cell
      receptor (TCR) Vbeta-specific manner but are largely contributed by IL-12 and IL
      18; v) as MAIT cells are primed by SAgs, they also begin to develop a molecular
      signature consistent with exhaustion and failure to participate in antimicrobial
      defense. Accordingly, they upregulate lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3), T
      cell immunoglobulin and mucin-3 (TIM-3), and/or programmed cell death-1 (PD-1),
      and acquire an anergic phenotype that interferes with their cognate function
      against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli; vi) MAIT cell hyperactivation
      and anergy co-utilize a signaling pathway that is governed by p38 and MEK1/2.
      Collectively, our findings demonstrate a pathogenic, rather than protective, role
      for MAIT cells during infection. Furthermore, we propose a novel mechanism of SAg
      associated immunosuppression in humans. MAIT cells may therefore provide an
      attractive therapeutic target for the management of both early and late phases of
      severe SAg-mediated illnesses.

PMID- 28632755
TI  - Potassium is a key signal in host-microbiome dysbiosis in periodontitis.
AB  - Dysbiosis, or the imbalance in the structural and/or functional properties of the
      microbiome, is at the origin of important infectious inflammatory diseases such
      as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and periodontal disease. Periodontitis is a
      polymicrobial inflammatory disease that affects a large proportion of the world's
      population and has been associated with a wide variety of systemic health
      conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Dysbiosis
      has been identified as a key element in the development of the disease. However,
      the precise mechanisms and environmental signals that lead to the initiation of
      dysbiosis in the human microbiome are largely unknown. In a series of previous in
      vivo studies using metatranscriptomic analysis of periodontitis and its
      progression we identified several functional signatures that were highly
      associated with the disease. Among them, potassium ion transport appeared to be
      key in the process of pathogenesis. To confirm its importance we performed a
      series of in vitro experiments, in which we demonstrated that potassium levels a
      increased the virulence of the oral community as a whole and at the same time
      altering the immune response of gingival epithelium, increasing the production of
      TNF-alpha and reducing the expression of IL-6 and the antimicrobial peptide human
      beta-defensin 3 (hBD-3). These results indicate that levels of potassium in the
      periodontal pocket could be an important element in of dysbiosis in the oral
      microbiome. They are a starting point for the identification of key environmental
      signals that modify the behavior of the oral microbiome from a symbiotic
      community to a dysbiotic one.

PMID- 28632756
TI  - Identification of ATF-7 and the insulin signaling pathway in the regulation of
      metallothionein in C. elegans suggests roles in aging and reactive oxygen
      species.
AB  - It has been proposed that aging results from the lifelong accumulation of
      intracellular damage via reactions with reactive oxygen species (ROS).
      Metallothioneins are conserved cysteine-rich proteins that function as efficient
      ROS scavengers and may affect longevity. To better understand mechanisms
      controlling metallothionein expression, the regulatory factors and pathways that
      controlled cadmium-inducible transcription of the C. elegans metallothionein
      gene, mtl-1, were identified. The transcription factor ATF-7 was identified in
      both ethylmethanesulfonate mutagenesis and candidate gene screens. PMK-1 and
      members of the insulin signaling pathway, PDK-1 and AKT-1/2, were also identified
      as mtl-1 regulators. Genetic and previous results support a model for the
      regulation of cadmium-inducible mtl-1 transcription based on the derepression of
      the constitutively active transcription factor ELT-2. In addition, knockdown of
      the mammalian homologs of PDK1 and ATF7 in HEK293 cells resulted in changes in
      metallothionein expression, suggesting that this pathway was evolutionarily
      conserved. The insulin signaling pathway is known to influence the aging process;
      however, various factors responsible for affecting the aging phenotype are
      unknown. Identification of portions of the insulin signaling pathway as
      regulators of metallothionein expression supports the hypothesis that longevity
      is affected by the expression of this efficient ROS scavenger.

PMID- 28632757
TI  - Molecular mechanism of DRP1 assembly studied in vitro by cryo-electron
      microscopy.
AB  - Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that continually adapt their morphology by
      fusion and fission events. An imbalance between fusion and fission has been
      linked to major neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's, Alzheimer's,
      and Parkinson's diseases. A member of the Dynamin superfamily, dynamin-related
      protein 1 (DRP1), a dynamin-related GTPase, is required for mitochondrial
      membrane fission. Self-assembly of DRP1 into oligomers in a GTP-dependent manner
      likely drives the division process. We show here that DRP1 self-assembles in two
      ways: i) in the presence of the non-hydrolysable GTP analog GMP-PNP into spiral
      like structures of ~36 nm diameter; and ii) in the presence of GTP into rings
      composed of 13-18 monomers. The most abundant rings were composed of 16 monomers
      and had an outer and inner ring diameter of ~30 nm and ~20 nm, respectively.
      Three-dimensional analysis was performed with rings containing 16 monomers. The
      single-particle cryo-electron microscopy map of the 16 monomer DRP1 rings
      suggests a side-by-side assembly of the monomer with the membrane in a parallel
      fashion. The inner ring diameter of 20 nm is insufficient to allow four membranes
      to exist as separate entities. Furthermore, we observed that mitochondria were
      tubulated upon incubation with DRP1 protein in vitro. The tubes had a diameter of
      ~ 30nm and were decorated with protein densities. These findings suggest DRP1
      tubulates mitochondria, and that additional steps may be required for final
      mitochondrial fission.

PMID- 28632758
TI  - Safety and tolerability of Elvitegravir/Cobicistat/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir
      Disoproxil fumarate in a real life setting: Data from surveillance cohort long
      term toxicity antiretrovirals/antivirals (SCOLTA) project.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The study aim was to evaluate the impact on Liver and Kidney toxicity
      of the single tablet regimen Elvitegravir/Cobicistat/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir
      Disoproxil Fumarate (EVG/COBI/FTC/TDF) on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)
      experienced or naive patients. METHODS: Patients initiating EVG/COBI/FTC/TDF were
      enrolled in the SCOLTA project, a multicenter observational study reporting grade
      3-4 Adverse Events in subjects beginning new antiretroviral drug regimens. In
      this analysis, patients were evaluated at T0 (baseline), T1 (six months) and at
      T2 (twelve months). RESULTS: A total of 329 patients were enrolled, and 280
      (85.1%) of these had at least one follow-up visit. Median observation time was 11
      months (IQR 7.0-15.5). Two hundred and two patients (72.1%) were ART experienced
      and 78 (27.9%) ART naive. Prevalence of HCV-co-infection was 21.4%. At T1, we
      observed a significant decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR),
      both in experienced and naive patients (mean change from T0-7.5 +/- 12.8 ml/min, 
      15.5 +/- 17.8 ml/min, respectively, p = 0.0005), which was confirmed at T2 (mean
      change from T0-8.2 +/- 15.8 ml/min, -17.6 +/- 19.4 ml/min, respectively, p =
      0.001). Regarding aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT)
      grade 1-2 modifications, no significant differences were observed between
      experienced and naive subjects, but an increased prevalence of abnormal liver
      function test was observed in patients with chronic HCV infection (p<0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: A significant decline in eGFR was observed in patients initiating
      EVG/COBI/FTC/TDF in the first 6 months, with no significant worsening occurring
      at 12 months vs. 6 months of therapy. Patients with chronic HCV infection were at
      higher risk to develop abnormal liver tests.

PMID- 28632759
TI  - Analysis of intra-host genetic diversity of Prunus necrotic ringspot virus
      (PNRSV) using amplicon next generation sequencing.
AB  - PCR amplicon next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis offers a broadly
      applicable and targeted approach to detect populations of both high- or low
      frequency virus variants in one or more plant samples. In this study, amplicon
      NGS was used to explore the diversity of the tripartite genome virus, Prunus
      necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) from 53 PNRSV-infected trees using amplicons from
      conserved gene regions of each of PNRSV RNA1, RNA2 and RNA3. Sequencing of the
      amplicons from 53 PNRSV-infected trees revealed differing levels of polymorphism
      across the three different components of the PNRSV genome with a total number of
      5040, 2083 and 5486 sequence variants observed for RNA1, RNA2 and RNA3
      respectively. The RNA2 had the lowest diversity of sequences compared to RNA1 and
      RNA3, reflecting the lack of flexibility tolerated by the replicase gene that is
      encoded by this RNA component. Distinct PNRSV phylo-groups, consisting of closely
      related clusters of sequence variants, were observed in each of PNRSV RNA1, RNA2
      and RNA3. Most plant samples had a single phylo-group for each RNA component.
      Haplotype network analysis showed that smaller clusters of PNRSV sequence
      variants were genetically connected to the largest sequence variant cluster
      within a phylo-group of each RNA component. Some plant samples had sequence
      variants occurring in multiple PNRSV phylo-groups in at least one of each RNA and
      these phylo-groups formed distinct clades that represent PNRSV genetic strains.
      Variants within the same phylo-group of each Prunus plant sample had >=97%
      similarity and phylo-groups within a Prunus plant sample and between samples had
      less <=97% similarity. Based on the analysis of diversity, a definition of a
      PNRSV genetic strain was proposed. The proposed definition was applied to
      determine the number of PNRSV genetic strains in each of the plant samples and
      the complexity in defining genetic strains in multipartite genome viruses was
      explored.

PMID- 28632760
TI  - The development of acquired equivalence from childhood to adulthood-A cross
      sectional study of 265 subjects.
AB  - Acquired equivalence (AE) is a form of feedback-based associative learning where
      the subject learns that two or more stimuli are equivalent in terms of being
      mapped onto the same outcomes or responses. While several studies dealt with how
      various neurological and psychiatric conditions affect performance on AE tasks
      (typically with small populations), studies dealing with AE in healthy subjects
      are rare, and no study has ever made an attempt to plot the development of this
      form of learning from the childhood through adulthood. In a cross-sectional
      study, we assessed the AE performance of 265 healthy subjects aged 3 to 52 years
      with the computer-based Rutgers Equivalence Test (Fish-Face Test, FFT). The test
      assesses three main aspects of AE: the efficiency of pair learning, the
      efficiency of the retrieval of acquired pairs, and the ability to generalise
      previous knowledge to a new stimulus that partially overlaps with the previous
      ones. It has been demonstrated in imaging studies that the initial, pair learning
      phase of this specific test is dependent on the basal ganglia, while its
      generalization phase requires the hippocampi. We found that both pair learning
      and retrieval exhibited development well into adulthood, but generalisation did
      not, after having reached its adult-like level by the age of 6. We propose that
      these findings might be explained by the integrative encoding theory that focuses
      on the parallel dopaminergic midbrain-striatum/midbrain-hippocampus connections.

PMID- 28632761
TI  - Experience improves the performance of endobronchial ultrasound-guided
      transbronchial biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: A learning curve at a
      medical centre.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endobronchial ultrasound(EBUS)-guided transbronchial biopsy(TBB) is
      the preferred diagnostic tool for peripheral pulmonary lesions(PPLs) and
      mastering this procedure is an important task in the training of chest
      physicians. Little has been published about the learning experience of physicians
      with this technique, particularly at an institutional level. We aimed to
      establish a learning curve for EBUS-guided TBB for PPLs at a medical center.
      METHODS: Between 2008 and 2015, consecutive patients with PPLs referred for EBUS
      guided TBB at National Taiwan University Hospital were enrolled. To build the
      learning curve, the diagnostic yield of TBB (plus brushings and washings) was
      calculated and compared. Meanwhile, lesion characteristics, and procedure-related
      features and complications were obtained to analyze associations with TBB yield
      and safety profile. RESULTS: A total of 2144 patients were included and EBUS
      guided TBB was diagnostic for 1547(72%). The TBB yield was 64% in 2008 and
      reached a plateau of 72% after 2010. It took approximately 400 EBUS-guided
      procedures to achieve stable proficiency. Further analysis showed that
      improvement in diagnostic yield over time was mainly observed in PPLs, in cases
      in which the diameter was <=2 cm or the EBUS probe could not be positioned
      within. Complication rates were low, with 1.8% and 0.5% for pneumothorax and
      hemorrhage, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Even though EBUS-guided TBB is an easy-to
      learn technique, it takes 3 years or around 400 procedures for a medical center
      to achieve a better and stable performance. In particular, the diagnostic yield
      for lesions without the probe within or those sized <=2 cm could improve with
      time.

PMID- 28632762
TI  - DOT1L inhibitor improves early development of porcine somatic cell nuclear
      transfer embryos.
AB  - Incomplete epigenetic reprogramming of the genome of donor cells causes poor
      early and full-term developmental efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer
      (SCNT) embryos. Previous research indicate that inhibition of the histone H3 K79
      methyltransferase DOT1L, using a selective pharmacological inhibitor EPZ004777
      (EPZ), significantly improved reprogramming efficiency during the generation of
      mouse induced pluripotent stem cells. However, the roles of DOT1L in porcine
      nuclear transfer-mediated cellular reprogramming are not yet known. Here we
      showed that DOT1L inhibition via 0.5 nM EPZ treatment for 12 or 24 h
      significantly enhanced the blastocyst rate of SCNT embryos and dramatically
      reduced the level of H3K79me2 during SCNT 1-cell embryonic development.
      Additionally, H3K79me2 level in the EPZ-treated SCNT embryos was similar to that
      in in vitro fertilized embryos, suggesting that DOT1L-mediated H3K79me2 is a
      reprogramming barrier to early development of porcine SCNT embryos. qRT-PCR
      analysis further demonstrated that DOT1L inactivation did not change the
      expression levels of DOT1L itself but increased the expression levels of POU5F1,
      LIN28, SOX2, CDX2 and GATA4 associated with pluripotency and early cell
      differentiation. In conclusion, DOT1L inhibitor improved early developmental
      efficiency of porcine SCNT embryos probably via inducing the increased expression
      of genes important for pluripotency and lineage specification.

PMID- 28632763
TI  - Efficacy of ibuprofen on prevention of high altitude headache: A systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Ibuprofen is used to prevent high altitude headache (HAH) but its
      efficacy remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta
      analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) of ibuprofen for the
      prevention of HAH. METHODS: Studies reporting efficacy of ibuprofen for
      prevention of HAH were identified by searching electronic databases (until
      December 2016). The primary outcome was the difference in incidence of HAH
      between ibuprofen and placebo groups. Risk ratios (RR) were aggregated using a
      Mantel-Haenszel random effect model. Heterogeneity of included trials was
      assessed using the I2 statistics. RESULTS: In three randomized-controlled
      clinical trials involving 407 subjects, HAH occurred in 101 of 239 subjects (42%)
      who received ibuprofen and 96 of 168 (57%) who received placebo (RR = 0.79, 95%
      CI 0.66 to 0.96, Z = 2.43, P = 0.02, I2 = 0%). The absolute risk reduction (ARR)
      was 15%. Number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent HAH was 7. Similarly, The
      incidence of severe HAH was significant in the two groups (RR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.17
      to 0.93, Z = 2.14, P = 0.03, I2 = 0%). Severe HAH occurred in 3% treated with
      ibuprofen and 10% with placebo. The ARR was 8%. NNT to prevent severe HAH was 13.
      Headache severity using a visual analogue scale was not different between
      ibuprofen and placebo. Similarly, the difference between the two groups in the
      change in SpO2 from baseline to altitude was not different. One included RCT
      reported one participant with black stools and three participants with stomach
      pain in the ibuprofen group, while seven participants reported stomach pain in
      the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a limited number of studies ibuprofen
      seems efficacious for the prevention of HAH and may therefore represent an
      alternative for preventing HAH with acetazolamide or dexamethasone.

PMID- 28632764
TI  - Accuracy and reliability of retinal photo grading for diabetic retinopathy:
      Remote graders from a developing country and standard retinal photo grader in
      Australia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of fundus retinal photos
      graded by local graders in Bangladesh with those graded by an expert at the
      Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) in the context of mass scale diabetic
      retinopathy (DR) screening in Bangladesh. METHODS: A population-based cross
      sectional study of 3,104 adults identified 213 (7.2%) eligible patients with
      diabetes of age >= 40 years in 2012-2013. Retinal photographs were collected
      using a non-mydriatic digital fundus retinal camera and a two-field imaging
      protocol. The photos were graded by two remote graders (G1 and G2) who were
      trained by a retinal specialist (RS) in Bangladesh, by the RS himself, and by a
      Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) grader. The local graders up skilled
      their grading ability by comparing 30% of the photos graded by the CERA grader
      with their own grades. Learning from that exercise was applied to the remaining
      70% of photos, which were re-graded. Reliability and accuracy of grading amongst
      the graders were reported using cross tabulation, inter- and intra-grader
      reliability, and with sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Of 122 eyes from 61
      patients, the mild (R1) DR was estimated to be 14 to 25%, pre-proliferative (R2)
      DR 4-8%, and proliferative (R3) DR 0.8 to 1.6%, whereas 25%, 8%, 18%, and 15%
      were found to be ungradable by CERA, RS, G1, and G2, respectively. Of 8 (6.6%)
      eyes identified as R2 by the CERA grader, 5 (63%), 3 (38%) and 3 (38%) were
      correctly classified as R2, whereas the rest were classified either as R1 or R3
      but none were classified as no DR (R0) or ungradable by the RS, G1 and G2,
      respectively. After getting experience reviewing the 30% test set graded by the
      CERA grader, the local graders graded moderate and severe DR with 100% accuracy.
      After excluding ungradable photos, the sensitivity (specificity) relative to the
      CERA grader was 82% (88%) before and 80% (93%) after training for G1 and 56%
      (87%) before and 77% (90%) after training for G2. In case of maculopathy, the
      CERA grader reported 11.2% eyes with maculopathy, which included 100% of the 4.9%
      by RS, 6.6% by G1, and 7.4% by G2. CONCLUSIONS: Local graders in Bangladesh are
      able to grade retinal photos with high accuracy if the DR is at least of a
      moderate level. With appropriate training and experience, local graders have the
      ability to contribute significantly to the grading of millions of retinal photos,
      which required grading in resource- poor countries.

PMID- 28632765
TI  - CTRP3 is a novel biomarker for diabetic retinopathy and inhibits HGHL-induced
      VCAM-1 expression in an AMPK-dependent manner.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe complication of chronic
      diabetes. The C1q/TNF-related protein family (CTRPs) has been demonstrated to
      exert protective effects against obesity and atherosclerosis in animal studies.
      Heretofore, the association between circulating CTRPs and DR patients has been
      unexplored. In the current study, we attempt to define this association, as well
      as the effect of CTRPs upon DR pathophysiology. DESIGN: The present investigation
      is a case control study that enrolled control subjects and type 2 diabetes
      mellitus (T2DM) patients diagnosed with DR. Serum CTRPs and sVACM-1 were
      determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Serum CTRP3 and CTRP5 levels were markedly
      decreased in patients with T2DM compared to controls (p<0.05) and inversely
      associated with T2DM. Furthermore, mutivariate regression and ROC analysis
      revealed CTRP3 deficiency, not CTRP5, was associated with proliferative diabetic
      retinopathy (PDR). Spearman's rank correlation assay demonstrated an inverse
      association between CTRP3 and sVCAM-1. Finally, exogenous CTRP3 administration
      attenuated high glucose high lipid (HGHL)-induced VCAM-1 production in an AMPK
      dependent manner in cultured human retinal microvascular endothelial cells
      (HRMECs). CONCLUSION: CTRP3 may serve as a novel biomarker for DR severity. CTRP3
      may represent a future novel therapeutic against DR, a common ocular complication
      of diabetes.

PMID- 28632766
TI  - Associations between anthropometric parameters and lipid profiles in Chinese
      individuals with age >=40 years and BMI <28kg/m2.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lipid abnormalities are associated with overweight and obesity. Some
      simple anthropometric measurements such as body mass index (BMI), waist
      circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHpR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR),
      may link to increased risk of dyslipidemia. However, diverse results were found
      in different population studies. We focused on the associations between these
      measurements and dyslipidemia in non-obese (BMI <28kg/m2) population aged more
      than 40 years. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Cross-sectional study of 4185 non-obese
      adults aged more than 40 years was conducted in Nanchang, Jiangxi province,
      China. Questionnaire, anthropometric and laboratory tests were conducted. The
      National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection,
      Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment
      Panel III) criteria were used to define high total cholesterol (TC), high low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
      (HDL-C), hypertriglyceridemia and dyslipidemia. The overall prevalence of high
      TC, high LDL-C, low HDL-C, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and
      dyslipidemia were 15.68%, 27.98%, 20.12%, 44.01%, 21.98% and 49.06% respectively.
      Multiple logistic regressions showed only BMI (per quartile increment) increased
      risks for prevalent high LDL-C, low HDL-C, hypercholesterolemia,
      hypertriglyceridemia, and dyslipidemia. Regardless of sex, age and prevalent
      metabolic syndrome, increasing BMI was persistently independent risk factor for
      having low HDL-C, hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidemia, however was not
      associated with high TC. CONCLUSIONS: In non-obese Chinese population aged more
      than 40 years, increasing BMI may better identify the prevalent dyslipidemia than
      other anthropometric measurements. However, due to the different meanings, both
      BMI and WC should be measured and monitored for metabolic risk assessment.

PMID- 28632768
TI  - The cost of demand creation activities and voluntary medical male circumcision
      targeting school-going adolescents in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Voluntary medical male circumcision is an integral part of the South
      African government's response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. However, there
      remains a limited body of economic analysis on the cost of VMMC programming, and
      the demand creation activities used to mobilize males, especially among
      adolescent boys in school. This study addresses this gap by presenting the costs
      of a VMMC program which adopted two demand creation strategies targeting school
      going males in South Africa. METHODS: Cost data was collected from a VMMC program
      in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. A retrospective, micro-costing
      ingredient approach was applied to identify, measure and value resources of two
      demand creation strategies targeting young males. RESULTS: The program
      circumcised 4987 young males between May 2011 and February 2013, at a cost of
      $127.68 per circumcision. Demand creation activities accounted for 32% of the
      total cost, HCT contributing 10% with the medical circumcision procedure
      accounting for 58% of the total cost. Using the first demand creation strategy,
      2168 circumcisions were performed at a cost of $149.57 per circumcision.
      Following this first strategy, a second demand creation strategy was adopted
      which saw the cost fall to $110.85 per circumcision. More young males were
      recruited following the second strategy with clinic services more efficiently
      utilized. Whilst the cost per circumcision of demand activities rose slightly
      between the first ($39.94) and second ($41.65) strategy, there was a substantial
      reduction in the cost of the circumcision procedure; $90.01 under the first
      strategy falling to $60.60 following the adoption of the second demand creation
      strategy. CONCLUSION: Ensuring the optimal use of clinic facilities was the
      primary driver in reducing the cost per circumcision. This VMMC program has
      illustrated the value of evaluating progress and instituting changes to attain
      better cost efficiencies. This adjustment resulted in a substantial reduction in
      the cost per circumcision.

PMID- 28632767
TI  - How is Indonesia coping with its epidemic of chronic noncommunicable diseases? A
      systematic review with meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have emerged as a huge global
      health problem in low- and middle-income countries. The magnitude of the rise of
      NCDs is particularly visible in Southeast Asia where limited resources have been
      used to address this rising epidemic, as in the case of Indonesia. Robust
      evidence to measure growing NCD-related burdens at national and local levels and
      to aid national discussion on social determinants of health and intra-country
      inequalities is needed. The aim of this review is (i) to illustrate the burden of
      risk factors, morbidity, disability, and mortality related to NCDs; (ii) to
      identify existing policy and community interventions, including disease
      prevention and management strategies; and (iii) to investigate how and why an
      inequitable distribution of this burden can be explained in terms of the social
      determinants of health. METHODS: Our review followed the PRISMA guidelines for
      identifying, screening, and checking the eligibility and quality of relevant
      literature. We systematically searched electronic databases and gray literature
      for English- and Indonesian-language studies published between Jan 1, 2000 and
      October 1, 2015. We synthesized included studies in the form of a narrative
      synthesis and where possible meta-analyzed their data. RESULTS: On the basis of
      deductive qualitative content analysis, 130 included citations were grouped into
      seven topic areas: risk factors; morbidity; disability; mortality; disease
      management; interventions and prevention; and social determinants of health. A
      quantitative synthesis meta-analyzed a subset of studies related to the risk
      factors smoking, obesity, and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings echo the
      urgent need to expand routine risk factor surveillance and outcome monitoring and
      to integrate these into one national health information system. There is a
      stringent necessity to reorient and enhance health system responses to offer
      effective, realistic, and affordable ways to prevent and control NCDs through
      cost-effective interventions and a more structured approach to the delivery of
      high-quality primary care and equitable prevention and treatment strategies.
      Research on social determinants of health and policy-relevant research need to be
      expanded and strengthened to the extent that a reduction of the total NCD burden
      and inequalities therein should be treated as related and mutually reinforcing
      priorities.

PMID- 28632769
TI  - Combining 'omics and microscopy to visualize interactions between the Asian
      citrus psyllid vector and the Huanglongbing pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter
      asiaticus in the insect gut.
AB  - Huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, is an economically devastating
      bacterial disease of citrus. It is associated with infection by the gram-negative
      bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). CLas is transmitted by
      Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). For insect transmission to
      occur, CLas must be ingested during feeding on infected phloem sap and cross the
      gut barrier to gain entry into the insect vector. To investigate the effects of
      CLas exposure at the gut-pathogen interface, we performed RNAseq and mass
      spectrometry-based proteomics to analyze the transcriptome and proteome,
      respectively, of ACP gut tissue. CLas exposure resulted in changes in pathways
      involving the TCA cycle, iron metabolism, insecticide resistance and the insect's
      immune system. We identified 83 long non-coding RNAs that are responsive to CLas,
      two of which appear to be specific to the ACP. Proteomics analysis also enabled
      us to determine that Wolbachia, a symbiont of the ACP, undergoes proteome
      regulation when CLas is present. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)
      confirmed that Wolbachia and CLas inhabit the same ACP gut cells, but do not co
      localize within those cells. Wolbachia cells are prevalent throughout the gut
      epithelial cell cytoplasm, and Wolbachia titer is more variable in the guts of
      CLas exposed insects. CLas is detected on the luminal membrane, in puncta within
      the gut epithelial cell cytoplasm, along actin filaments in the gut visceral
      muscles, and rarely, in association with gut cell nuclei. Our study provides a
      snapshot of how the psyllid gut copes with CLas exposure and provides information
      on pathways and proteins for targeted disruption of CLas-vector interactions at
      the gut interface.

PMID- 28632771
TI  - Avian influenza in Latin America: A systematic review of serological and
      molecular studies from 2000-2015.
AB  - Avian influenza or bird flu is a highly contagious acute viral disease that can
      occur in epidemics and cross-border forms in poultry and wild birds. The
      characteristics of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) allow the emergence of new
      viral variants, some with zoonotic and pandemic potential. AIVs have been
      identified in Latin America; however, there is a lack of understanding of these
      viruses at the regional level. We performed a systematic literature review on
      serological or molecular evidence of AIVs circulation in Latin America. Methods
      were designed based on the PRISMA and STROME guidelines. Only peer-reviewed
      studies published between 2000 to 2015 and data was analysed based on country,
      viral subtype, avian species, and phylogenetic origins. From 271 studies
      initially found only twenty-six met our inclusion criteria. Evidence of AIVs
      infection was found in most Latin American countries, with Mexico as the country
      with the largest number of conducted studies and reported cases during the period
      analysed, followed by Chile and Argentina. Most of the AIVs were early reported
      through surveillance systems and at least 14 different subtypes of influenza
      viruses were reported in birds, and the presence of both low (92.9%) and high
      (7.1%) pathogenic AIVs was shown in Latin America. Of the reported AIVs in Latin
      America, 43.7% belong to migratory birds, 28.1% to local wild birds, and 28.1% to
      poultry. The migratory bird population mainly comprises families belonging to the
      orders Anseriformes and Charadriformes. We highlight the importance of
      epidemiological surveillance systems and the possible role of different migratory
      birds in the transmission of AIVs within the Americas. Our findings demonstrate
      the limited information on AIVs in Latin America and highlight the need of more
      studies on AIVs at the regional level, particularly those focused on identifying
      the endemic subtypes in regional wild birds.

PMID- 28632770
TI  - Men, women...who cares? A population-based study on sex differences and gender
      roles in empathy and moral cognition.
AB  - Research on sex differences in empathy has revealed mixed findings. Whereas
      experimental and neuropsychological measures show no consistent sex effect, self
      report data consistently indicates greater empathy in women. However, available
      results mainly come from separate populations with relatively small samples,
      which may inflate effect sizes and hinder comparability between both empirical
      corpora. To elucidate the issue, we conducted two large-scale studies. First, we
      examined whether sex differences emerge in a large population-based sample (n =
      10,802) when empathy is measured with an experimental empathy-for-pain paradigm.
      Moreover, we investigated the relationship between empathy and moral judgment. In
      the second study, a subsample (n = 334) completed a self-report empathy
      questionnaire. Results showed some sex differences in the experimental paradigm,
      but with minuscule effect sizes. Conversely, women did portray themselves as more
      empathic through self-reports. In addition, utilitarian responses to moral
      dilemmas were less frequent in women, although these differences also had small
      effect sizes. These findings suggest that sex differences in empathy are highly
      driven by the assessment measure. In particular, self-reports may induce biases
      leading individuals to assume gender-role stereotypes. Awareness of the role of
      measurement instruments in this field may hone our understanding of the links
      between empathy, sex differences, and gender roles.

PMID- 28632772
TI  - Characterization of slow-cycling cells in the mouse cochlear lateral wall.
AB  - Cochlear spiral ligament fibrocytes (SLFs) play essential roles in the physiology
      of hearing including ion recycling and the generation of endocochlear potential.
      In adult animals, SLFs can repopulate after damages, yet little is known about
      the characteristics of proliferating cells that support SLFs' self-renewal. Here
      we report in detail about the characteristics of cycling cells in the spiral
      ligament (SL). Fifteen P6 mice and six noise-exposed P28 mice were injected with
      5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) for 7 days and we chased BrdU retaining cells for
      as long as 60 days. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the BrdU positive IB4 (an
      endotherial marker) negative cells expressed an early SLF marker Pou3f4 but
      negative for cleaved-Caspase 3. Marker studies revealed that type 3 SLFs
      displayed significantly higher percentage of BrdU+ cells compared to other
      subtypes. Notably, the cells retained BrdU until P72, demonstrating they were
      dividing slowly. In the noise-damaged mice, in contrast to the loss of the other
      types, the number of type 3 SLFs did not altered and the BrdU incorporating-
      phosphorylated Histone H3 positive type 3 cells were increased from day 1 to 14
      after noise exposure. Furthermore, the cells repopulating type 1 area, where the
      cells diminished profoundly after damage, were positive for the type 3 SLF
      markers. Collectively, in the latral wall of the cochlea, type 3 SLFs have the
      stem cell capacity and may contribute to the endogenous regeneration of lateral
      wall spiral ligament. Manipulating type 3 cells may be employed for potential
      regenerative therapies.

PMID- 28632773
TI  - Simulation of oak early life history and interactions with disturbance via an
      individual-based model, SOEL.
AB  - Early tree life history and demography are driven by interactions with the
      environment such as seed predation, herbivory, light availability, and drought.
      For oak (Quercus) in the eastern United States, these interactions may contribute
      to oak regeneration failure. Numerous studies have examined the impact of
      individual factors (like seed predation) on the oak regeneration process, but
      less information is available on the relative and combined impacts of multiple
      intrinsic and extrinsic factors on early oak life history. We developed an
      individual-based, spatially explicit model to Simulate Oak Early Life history
      (SOEL). The model connects acorn survival, acorn dispersal, germination, seedling
      growth, and seedling survival submodels based on empirical data with an existing
      gap model (JABOWA). Using SOEL, we assessed the sensitivity of several metrics of
      oak regeneration to different parameters associated with early oak life history.
      We also applied the model in three individual case studies to assess: (1) how
      variable acorn production interacts with timing of timber harvest; (2) the effect
      of shelterwood harvest-induced differences on seed predation; and (3) the
      consequences of interactions between drought, seedling growth and survival, and
      timber harvest. We found that oak regeneration metrics including percent
      emergence, seedling density, and sapling density were most sensitive to the
      amount of acorn production, acorn caching probability by scatterhoarders, and
      seedling growth rates. In the case studies, we found that timing harvest to
      follow large acorn crops can increase the density of oak regeneration in the
      short term following harvest, at least under some conditions. Following midstory
      removal, lower weevil infestation probability and lower post-dispersal acorn
      survival resulted in a modest decline in seedling density, but the decline did
      not persist to the sapling life stage class. Drought frequency had a powerful
      negative impact on both growth and survival for individual seedlings, which
      resulted in large reductions in both seedling and sapling density. The case
      studies presented here represent only a few examples of what could be
      accomplished within the SOEL modeling framework. Further studies could focus on
      different early life history parameters, or connect the parameter values to
      different predictor variables based on field data.

PMID- 28632774
TI  - Short-term EEG dynamics and neural generators evoked by navigational images.
AB  - The ecological environment offered by virtual reality is primarily supported by
      visual information. The different image contents and their rhythmic presentation
      imply specific bottom-up and top-down processing. Because these processes already
      occur during passive observation we studied the brain responses evoked by the
      presentation of specific 3D virtual tunnels with respect to 2D checkerboard. For
      this, we characterized electroencephalograhy dynamics (EEG), the evoked
      potentials and related neural generators involved in various visual paradigms.
      Time-frequency analysis showed modulation of alpha-beta oscillations indicating
      the presence of stronger prediction and after-effects of the 3D-tunnel with
      respect to the checkerboard. Whatever the presented image, the generators of the
      P100 were situated bilaterally in the occipital cortex (BA18, BA19) and in the
      right inferior temporal cortex (BA20). In checkerboard but not 3D-tunnel
      presentation, the left fusiform gyrus (BA37) was additionally recruited. P200
      generators were situated in the temporal cortex (BA21) and the cerebellum (lobule
      VI/Crus I) specifically for the checkerboard while the right parahippocampal
      gyrus (BA36) and the cerebellum (lobule IV/V and IX/X) were involved only during
      the 3D-tunnel presentation. For both type of image, P300 generators were
      localized in BA37 but also in BA19, the right BA21 and the cerebellar lobule VI
      for only the checkerboard and the left BA20-BA21 for only the 3D-tunnel. Stronger
      P300 delta-theta oscillations recorded in this later situation point to a
      prevalence of the effect of changing direction over the proper visual content of
      the 3D-tunnel. The parahippocampal gyrus (BA36) implicated in navigation was also
      identified when the 3D-tunnel was compared to their scrambled versions,
      highlighting an action-oriented effect linked to navigational content.

PMID- 28632776
TI  - Dynamic knee valgus alignment influences impact attenuation in the lower
      extremity during the deceleration phase of a single-leg landing.
AB  - Dynamic knee valgus during landings is associated with an increased risk of non
      contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. In addition, the impact on the
      body during landings must be attenuated in the lower extremity joints. The
      purpose of this study was to investigate landing biomechanics during landing with
      dynamic knee valgus by measuring the vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and
      angular impulses in the lower extremity during a single-leg landing. The study
      included 34 female college students, who performed the single-leg drop vertical
      jump. Lower extremity kinetic and kinematic data were obtained from a 3D motion
      analysis system. Participants were divided into valgus (N = 19) and varus (N =
      15) groups according to the knee angular displacement during landings. The vGRF
      and angular impulses of the hip, knee, and ankle were calculated by integrating
      the vGRF-time curve and each joint's moment-time curve. vGRF impulses did not
      differ between two groups. Hip angular impulse in the valgus group was
      significantly smaller than that in the varus group (0.019 +/- 0.033 vs. 0.067 +/-
      0.029 Nms/kgm, p<0.01), whereas knee angular impulse was significantly greater
      (0.093 +/- 0.032 vs. 0.045 +/- 0.040 Nms/kgm, p<0.01). There was no difference in
      ankle angular impulse between the groups. Our results indicate that dynamic knee
      valgus increases the impact the knee joint needs to attenuate during landing;
      conversely, the knee varus participants were able to absorb more of the landing
      impact with the hip joint.

PMID- 28632775
TI  - Unique cellular interactions between pancreatic cancer cells and the omentum.
AB  - Pancreatic cancer is a common cause of cancer-related mortality. Omental spread
      is frequent and usually represents an ominous event, leading to patient death.
      Omental metastasis has been studied in ovarian cancer, but data on its role in
      pancreatic cancer are relatively scarce and the molecular biology of this process
      has yet to be explored. We prepared tissue explants from human omental fat, and
      used conditioned medium from the explants for various in vitro and in vivo
      experiments designed to evaluate pancreatic cancer development, growth, and
      survival. Mass spectrometry identified the fat secretome, and mRNA array
      identified specific fat-induced molecular alternations in tumor cells. Omental
      fat increased pancreatic cancer cellular growth, migration, invasion, and
      chemoresistance. We identified diverse potential molecules secreted by the
      omentum, which are associated with various pro-tumorigenic biological processes.
      Our mRNA array identified specific omental-induced molecular alternations that
      are associated with cancer progression and metastasis. Omental fat increased the
      expression of transcription factors, mRNA of extracellular matrix proteins, and
      adhesion molecules. In support with our in vitro data, in vivo experiments
      demonstrated an increased pancreatic cancer tumor growth rate of PANC-1 cells co
      cultured for 24 hours with human omental fat conditioned medium. Our results
      provide novel data on the role of omental tissue in omental metastases of
      pancreatic cancer. They imply that omental fat secreted factors induce cellular
      reprogramming of pancreatic cancer cells, resulting in increased tumor
      aggressiveness. Understanding the mechanisms of omental metastases may enable us
      to discover new potential targets for therapy.

PMID- 28632778
TI  - Over-expressing the soluble gp130-Fc does not ameliorate methionine and choline
      deficient diet-induced non alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice.
AB  - Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease with the potential to
      lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been
      implicated in the pathogenesis of NASH, with the so-called IL-6 'trans-signaling'
      cascade being responsible for the pro-inflammatory actions of this cytokine. We
      aimed to block IL-6 'trans-signaling', using a transgenic mouse that
      overexpresses human soluble glycoprotein130 (sgp130Fc Tg mice) fed a commonly
      used dietary model of inducing NASH (methionine and choline deficient-diet; MCD
      diet) and hypothesized that markers of NASH would be ameliorated in such mice.
      Sgp130Fc Tg and littermate control mice were fed a MCD or control diet for 4
      weeks. The MCD diet induced many hallmarks of NASH including hepatomegaly,
      steatosis, and liver inflammation. However, in contrast with other mouse models
      and, indeed, human NASH, the MCD diet model did not increase the mRNA or protein
      expression of IL-6. Not surprisingly, therefore, markers of MCD diet-induced NASH
      were unaffected by sgp130Fc transgenic expression. While the MCD diet model
      induces many pathophysiological markers of NASH, it does not induce increased IL
      6 expression in the liver, a key hallmark of human NASH. We, therefore, caution
      the use of the MCD diet as a viable mouse model of NASH.

PMID- 28632777
TI  - Immunohistochemiocal subtyping using CK20 and CK5 can identify urothelial
      carcinomas of the upper urinary tract with a poor prognosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Genome-wide analyses revealed basal and luminal subtypes of urothelial
      carcinomas of the bladder. It is unknown if this subtyping can also be applied to
      upper tract urothelial carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tumor samples from 222
      patients with upper tract urothelial carcinomas who were treated with radical
      nephroureterectomy were analyzed for the expression of seven basal/luminal
      immunohistochemical markers (CK5, EGFR, CD44, CK20, p63, GATA3, FOXA1). RESULTS:
      Hierarchical clustering revealed a basal-like subtype (enrichment of CK5, EGFR
      and CD44) in 23.9% and a luminal-like subtype (enrichment of CK20, GATA3, p63 and
      FOXA1) in 13.1% of the patients. In 60.8%, little to no markers were expressed,
      whereas markers of both subtypes were expressed in 2.2%. By using CK5 and CK20 as
      surrogate markers for the basal and luminal subtypes, we defined four subtypes of
      upper tract urothelial carcinomas: (i) exclusively CK20 positive and CK5 negative
      (CK20+/CK5-), (ii) exclusively CK5 positive and CK20 negative (CK20-/ CK5+),
      (iii) both markers positive (CK20+/CK5+) and (iv) both markers negative (CK20
      /CK5-). A receiver-operator analysis provided the optimal cut-off values for this
      discrimination. An immunoreactive score >1 for CK5 and >6 for CK20 were defined
      as positive. In multivariate Cox's regression analysis, the CK20+/CK5- subtype
      was an independent negative prognostic marker with a 3.83-fold increased risk of
      cancer-specific death (p = 0.02) compared to the other three subtypes.
      CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical subgrouping of upper tract urothelial carcinomas
      by analyzing CK5 and CK20 expression can be performed in a routine setting and
      can identify tumors with a significantly worse cancer-specific survival
      prognosis.

PMID- 28632779
TI  - Base-rate sensitivity through implicit learning.
AB  - Two experiments assessed the contributions of implicit and explicit learning to
      base-rate sensitivity. Using a factorial design that included both implicit and
      explicit learning disruptions, we tested the hypothesis that implicit learning
      underlies base-rate sensitivity from experience (and that explicit learning
      contributes comparatively little). Participants learned to classify two
      categories of simple stimuli (bar graph heights) presented in a 3:1 base-rate
      ratio. Participants learned either from "observational" training to disrupt
      implicit learning or "response" training which supports implicit learning.
      Category label feedback on each trial was followed either immediately or after a
      2.5 second delay by onset of a working memory task intended to disrupt explicit
      reasoning about category membership feedback. Decision criterion values were
      significantly larger following response training, suggesting that implicit
      learning underlies base-rate sensitivity. Disrupting explicit processing had no
      effect on base-rate learning as long as implicit learning was supported. These
      results suggest base-rate sensitivity develops from experience primarily through
      implicit learning, consistent with separate learning systems accounts of
      categorization.

PMID- 28632780
TI  - Metformin intake associates with better cognitive function in patients with
      Huntington's disease.
AB  - Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited, dominant neurodegenerative disorder
      caused by an abnormal expansion of CAG triplets in the huntingtin gene (htt).
      Despite extensive efforts to modify the progression of HD thus far only
      symptomatic treatment is available. Recent work suggests that treating
      invertebrate and mice HD models with metformin, a well-known AMPK activator which
      is used worldwide to treat type 2-diabetes, reduces mutant huntingtin from cells
      and alleviates many of the phenotypes associated to HD. Herein we report
      statistical analyses of a sample population of participants in the Enroll-HD
      database, a world-wide observational study on HD, to assess the effect of
      metformin intake in HD patients respect to cognitive status using linear models.
      This cross-sectional study shows for the first time that the use of metformin
      associates with better cognitive function in HD patients.

PMID- 28632781
TI  - Climate change and marine fisheries: Least developed countries top global index
      of vulnerability.
AB  - Future impacts of climate change on marine fisheries have the potential to
      negatively influence a wide range of socio-economic factors, including food
      security, livelihoods and public health, and even to reshape development
      trajectories and spark transboundary conflict. Yet there is considerable
      variability in the vulnerability of countries around the world to these effects.
      We calculate a vulnerability index of 147 countries by drawing on the most recent
      data related to the impacts of climate change on marine fisheries. Building on
      the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change framework for vulnerability, we
      first construct aggregate indices for exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity
      using 12 primary variables. Seven out of the ten most vulnerable countries on the
      resulting index are Small Island Developing States, and the top quartile of the
      index includes countries located in Africa (17), Asia (7), North America and the
      Caribbean (4) and Oceania (8). More than 87% of least developed countries are
      found within the top half of the vulnerability index, while the bottom half
      includes all but one of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
      Development member states. This is primarily due to the tremendous variation in
      countries' adaptive capacity, as no such trends are evident from the exposure or
      sensitivity indices. A negative correlation exists between vulnerability and per
      capita carbon emissions, and the clustering of states at different levels of
      development across the vulnerability index suggests growing barriers to meeting
      global commitments to reducing inequality, promoting human well-being and
      ensuring sustainable cities and communities. The index provides a useful tool for
      prioritizing the allocation of climate finance, as well as activities aimed at
      capacity building and the transfer of marine technology.

PMID- 28632782
TI  - Microbial inhibitors of the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causal agent
      of white-nose syndrome in bats.
AB  - Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in
      hibernating bats, has spread across eastern North America over the past decade
      and decimated bat populations. The saprotrophic growth of P. destructans may help
      to perpetuate the white-nose syndrome epidemic, and recent model predictions
      suggest that sufficiently reducing the environmental growth of P. destructans
      could help mitigate or prevent white-nose syndrome-associated bat colony
      collapse. In this study, we screened 301 microbes from diverse environmental
      samples for their ability to inhibit the growth of P. destructans. We identified
      145 antagonistic isolates, 53 of which completely or nearly completely inhibited
      the growth of P. destructans in co-culture. Further analysis of our best
      antagonists indicated that these microbes have different modes of action and may
      have some specificity in inhibiting P. destructans. The results suggest that
      naturally-occurring microbes and/or their metabolites may be considered further
      as candidates to ameliorate bat colony collapse due to P. destructans.

PMID- 28632783
TI  - Transient effects of transfusion and feeding advances (volumetric and caloric) on
      necrotizing enterocolitis development: A case-crossover study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term effects of feed fortification, feed volume
      increase, and PRBC transfusion on the odds of developing NEC. STUDY DESIGN: Case
      crossover study of neonatal intensive care infants born at <= 32 weeks' gestation
      who were admitted to 5 central Ohio intensive care units from January 2012-July
      2016 and developed NEC Bell Stage >=2. Each patient served as their own control,
      with exposure during the 48-hour period just prior to NEC onset (hazard period)
      being compared to a preceding 48-hour control period, thus eliminating
      confounding by patient factors fixed between both intervals. NEC onset was
      determined by chart review as the earliest occurrence of one of the following
      within 24 hours of confirmatory x-ray: (1) antibiotic initiation, (2) enteral
      feeding cessation, (3) physician first notified of abdominal concerns, or (4)
      abdominal x-ray ordered. Conditional logistic regression compared exposures to
      feed volume increase, fortification, and PRBC transfusion during the 48-hour
      period prior to NEC onset to those during a preceding 48-hour control period.
      Analyses were stratified by gestational age and anemia (defined: hemoglobin <=
      9.3 g/dL within 7 days of NEC onset). RESULTS: We included 63 infants with
      confirmed NEC. Acute exposure to fortification (odds ratio [OR]: 1.67, 95%
      confidence interval [CI]: 0.61, 4.59), feed volume increase (OR: 0.63, 95% CI:
      0.28, 1.38), and PRBC transfusion (OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 0.60, 5.37) was not
      associated with the onset of NEC. Gestational age and anemia did not
      significantly modify the associations. Sensitivity testing substituting 24- and
      72-hour hazard and control periods produced similar results. CONCLUSION: Using a
      case-crossover design, we did not detect an association between NEC development
      and feed fortification, feed volume increase, or PRBC transfusion within 48-hours
      prior to NEC-onset. Replication in a larger set of cases is needed.

PMID- 28632784
TI  - Contemporary use of P2Y12-inhibitors in patients with acute coronary syndrome
      undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in Austria: A prospective, multi
      centre registry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To this day, there is no data concerning guideline adherence on P2Y12
      inhibitors in Austria. Prasugrel and ticagrelor have been shown to be superior to
      clopidogrel in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, recent
      data from European registries showed a reluctant prescription policy with rates
      of clopidogrel at discharge ranging from 35 to 55%. METHODS: In this prospective,
      multi-centre registry we assessed prescription rates of P2Y12-inhibitors in
      patients with ACS in four Austrian PCI centres. Parameters associated with the
      use of clopidogrel have been evaluated in multivariate logistic regression.
      RESULTS: Between January and June 2015, 808 patients with ACS undergoing PCI were
      considered for further analysis. 416 (51.5%) presented with STEMI and 392 (48.5%)
      with NSTE-ACS. Mean age was 65.7 +/- 12.4 and 240 (30.9%) were female. Twenty
      eight (3.5%) died during the hospital stay. At discharge, 212 (27.2% of all
      patients) received clopidogrel, 260 (32.2%) prasugrel and 297 (36.8%) ticagrelor,
      while 11 (1.4%) did not receive any P2Y12-inhibitor. Of those patients, who were
      discharged with clopidogrel, 117 (55.2%) had no absolute contraindication against
      a more potent P2Y12-inhibitor. Diagnosis of NSTE-ACS (p<0.001), COPD (p = 0.049),
      and age (p<0.001) next to factors contributing to absolute contraindication were
      positively associated with the use of clopidogrel. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high
      level of care, a considerable number of patients were not treated with the more
      potent P2Y12-inhibitors. Parameters associated with a presumably higher risk of
      bleeding and side-effects against the more effective P2Y12 inhibitors were the
      most prominent factors for the prescription of clopidogrel.

PMID- 28632785
TI  - The association between various smoking behaviors, cotinine biomarkers and skin
      autofluorescence, a marker for advanced glycation end product accumulation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Skin autofluorescence, a biomarker for advanced glycation end
      products (AGEs) accumulation, has been shown to predict diabetes-related
      cardiovascular complications and is associated with several environmental and
      lifestyle factors. In the present study, we examined the association between
      various smoking behaviors and skin autofluorescence, as well as the association
      between several cotinine biomarkers and skin autofluorescence, using both
      epidemiological and metabolomics data. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we
      evaluated participants from the LifeLines Cohort Study and the Qatar Metabolomics
      Study on Diabetes (QMDiab). In the LifeLines Cohort Study smoking behavior and
      secondhand smoking were assessed in 8,905 individuals including 309 individuals
      (3.5%) with type 2 diabetes. In QMDiab, cotinine biomarkers were measured in
      saliva, plasma and urine in 364 individuals of whom 188 (51%) had type 2
      diabetes. Skin autofluorescence was measured non-invasively in all participants
      using the AGE Reader. RESULTS: Skin autofluorescence levels increased with a
      higher number of hours being exposed to secondhand smoking. Skin autofluorescence
      levels of former smokers approached levels of never smokers after around 15 years
      of smoking cessation. Urinary cotinine N-oxide, a biomarker of nicotine exposure,
      was found to be positively associated with skin autofluorescence in the QMDiab
      study (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we have demonstrated that
      secondhand smoking is associated with higher skin autofluorescence levels whereas
      smoking cessation has a beneficial effect on skin autofluorescence. Finally,
      urinary cotinine N-oxide might be used as an alternative way for questionnaires
      to examine the effect of (environmental) tobacco smoking on skin
      autofluorescence.

PMID- 28632786
TI  - Diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance, computed tomography and contrast
      enhanced ultrasound in radiological multimodality assessment of peribiliary liver
      metastases.
AB  - PURPOSE: We compared diagnostic performance of Magnetic Resonance (MR), Computed
      Tomography (CT) and Ultrasound (US) with (CEUS) and without contrast medium to
      identify peribiliary metastasis. METHODS: We identified 35 subjects with
      histological proven peribiliary metastases who underwent CEUS, CT and MR study.
      Four radiologists evaluated the presence of peribiliary lesions, using a 4-point
      confidence scale. Echogenicity, density and T1-Weigthed (T1-W), T2-W and
      Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) signal intensity as well as the enhancement
      pattern during contrast studies on CEUS, CT and MR so as hepatobiliary-phase on
      MRI was assessed. RESULTS: All lesions were detected by MR. CT detected 8
      lesions, while US/CEUS detected one lesion. According to the site of the lesion,
      respect to the bile duct and hepatic parenchyma: 19 (54.3%) were periductal, 15
      (42.8%) were intra-periductal and 1 (2.8%) was periductal-intrahepatic. According
      to the confidence scale MRI had the best diagnostic performance to assess the
      lesion. CT obtained lower diagnostic performance. There was no significant
      difference in MR signal intensity and contrast enhancement among all metastases
      (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in CT density and contrast
      enhancement among all metastases (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MRI is the method of
      choice for biliary tract tumors but it does not allow a correct differential
      diagnosis among different histological types of metastasis. The presence of
      biliary tree dilatation without hepatic lesions on CT and US/CEUS study may be an
      indirect sign of peribiliary metastases and for this reason the patient should be
      evaluated by MRI.

PMID- 28632787
TI  - Risk of Alzheimer's disease or dementia following a cancer diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risks after a
      cancer diagnosis in a population-based prospective cohort, the Adult Changes in
      Thought (ACT) study. METHODS: We followed community-dwelling people aged >=65
      years without dementia at study entry for incident dementia and AD from 1994
      2015. We linked study data with cancer registry data and categorized cancer
      diagnoses as prevalent (diagnosed before ACT study enrollment) or incident
      (diagnosed during follow-up). We used Cox regression to estimate cause-specific
      hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dementia or AD risk
      comparing people with a cancer diagnosis to people without cancer. We conducted
      sensitivity analyses restricted to people surviving beyond age 80, and stratified
      by cancer stage, type, and whether the cancer was smoking-related. RESULTS: Among
      4,357 people, 756 (17.4%) had prevalent cancer; 583 (13.4%) developed incident
      cancer, 1,091 (25.0%) developed dementia, and 877 (20.1%) developed AD over a
      median 6.4 years (34,482 total person-years) of follow-up. Among complete cases
      (no missing covariates) with at least one follow-up assessment, adjusted HRs for
      dementia following prevalent and incident cancer diagnoses were 0.92 (95%CI:
      0.76, 1.11) and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.64, 1.04), compared to no cancer history. HRs for
      AD were 0.95 (95%CI: 0.77, 1.17) for prevalent cancer and 0.73 (95%CI: 0.55,
      0.96) for incident cancer. In sensitivity analyses, prevalent late-stage cancers
      were associated with reduced risks of dementia (HR = 0.51, 95%CI: 0.30, 0.89) and
      AD (HR = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.27, 0.94). When limited to people who survived beyond age
      80, incident cancers were still associated with reduced AD risk (HR = 0.69,
      95%CI: 0.51, 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support an inverse
      association between prevalent cancer diagnoses, which were primarily early-stage,
      less aggressive cancers, and risk of dementia or AD. A reduced risk of AD
      following an incident cancer diagnosis is biologically plausible but may reflect
      selective mortality.

PMID- 28632788
TI  - High-throughput identification and rational design of synergistic small-molecule
      pairs for combating and bypassing antibiotic resistance.
AB  - Antibiotic-resistant infections kill approximately 23,000 people and cost
      $20,000,000,000 each year in the United States alone despite the widespread use
      of small-molecule antimicrobial combination therapy. Antibiotic combinations
      typically have an additive effect: the efficacy of the combination matches the
      sum of the efficacies of each antibiotic when used alone. Small molecules can
      also act synergistically when the efficacy of the combination is greater than the
      additive efficacy. However, synergistic combinations are rare and have been
      historically difficult to identify. High-throughput identification of synergistic
      pairs is limited by the scale of potential combinations: a modest collection of
      1,000 small molecules involves 1 million pairwise combinations. Here, we describe
      a high-throughput method for rapid identification of synergistic small-molecule
      pairs, the overlap2 method (O2M). O2M extracts patterns from chemical-genetic
      datasets, which are created when a collection of mutants is grown in the presence
      of hundreds of different small molecules, producing a precise set of phenotypes
      induced by each small molecule across the mutant set. The identification of
      mutants that show the same phenotype when treated with known synergistic
      molecules allows us to pinpoint additional molecule combinations that also act
      synergistically. As a proof of concept, we focus on combinations with the
      antibiotics trimethoprim and sulfamethizole, which had been standard treatment
      against urinary tract infections until widespread resistance decreased efficacy.
      Using O2M, we screened a library of 2,000 small molecules and identified several
      that synergize with the antibiotic trimethoprim and/or sulfamethizole. The most
      potent of these synergistic interactions is with the antiviral drug
      azidothymidine (AZT). We then demonstrate that understanding the molecular
      mechanism underlying small-molecule synergistic interactions allows the rational
      design of additional combinations that bypass drug resistance. Trimethoprim and
      sulfamethizole are both folate biosynthesis inhibitors. We find that this
      activity disrupts nucleotide homeostasis, which blocks DNA replication in the
      presence of AZT. Building on these data, we show that other small molecules that
      disrupt nucleotide homeostasis through other mechanisms (hydroxyurea and
      floxuridine) also act synergistically with AZT. These novel combinations inhibit
      the growth and virulence of trimethoprim-resistant clinical Escherichia coli and
      Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, suggesting that they may be able to be rapidly
      advanced into clinical use. In sum, we present a generalizable method to screen
      for novel synergistic combinations, to identify particular mechanisms resulting
      in synergy, and to use the mechanistic knowledge to rationally design new
      combinations that bypass drug resistance.

PMID- 28632790
TI  - Diversity structure of culturable bacteria isolated from the Fildes Peninsula
      (King George Island, Antarctica): A phylogenetic analysis perspective.
AB  - It has been proposed that Antarctic environments select microorganisms with
      unique biochemical adaptations, based on the tenet 'Everything is everywhere,
      but, the environment selects' by Baas-Becking. However, this is a hypothesis that
      has not been extensively evaluated. This study evaluated the fundamental
      prediction contained in this hypothesis-in the sense that species are structured
      in the landscape according to their local habitats-, using as study model the
      phylogenetic diversity of the culturable bacteria of Fildes Peninsula (King
      George Island, Antarctica). Eighty bacterial strains isolated from 10 different
      locations in the area, were recovered. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA
      gene sequences, the isolates were grouped into twenty-six phylotypes distributed
      in three main clades, of which only six are exclusive to Antarctica. Results
      showed that phylotypes do not group significantly by habitat type; however, local
      habitat types had phylogenetic signal, which support the phylogenetic niche
      conservatism hypothesis and not a selective role of the environment like the Baas
      Becking hypothesis suggests. We propose that, more than habitat selection
      resulting in new local adaptations and diversity, local historical colonization
      and species sorting (i.e. differences in speciation and extinction rates that
      arise by interaction of species level traits with the environment) play a
      fundamental role on the culturable bacterial diversity in Antarctica.

PMID- 28632789
TI  - Movement and contact patterns of long-distance free-grazing ducks and avian
      influenza persistence in Vietnam.
AB  - Presence of ducks, and in particular of free-grazing ducks, has consistently been
      shown to be one of the most important risk factors for highly pathogenic avian
      influenza outbreaks which has compromised poultry production in South-East Asia
      since the early 2000s and continues to threaten public health, farmers'
      livelihood and food security. Although free-grazing duck production has been
      practised for decades in South-East Asia, there are few published studies
      describing this production system, which is suspected to play an important role
      in the maintenance of avian influenza viruses. This study aimed at describing
      quantitatively the long-distance free-grazing duck production system in South
      Vietnam, characterising the movement and contact patterns of the duck flocks, and
      identifying potential associations between farming practices, movement and
      contact patterns and the circulation of avian influenza viruses. We conducted
      interviews among stakeholders involved in the free-grazing duck production system
      (duck farmers, transporters and rice paddy owners) in combination with a
      virological cross-sectional survey in South Vietnam. Results show that both
      direct and indirect contacts between free-grazing duck flocks were frequent and
      diverse. The flocks were transported extensively across district and province
      boundaries, mainly by boat but also by truck or on foot. A third of the
      investigated flocks had a positive influenza A virology test, indicating current
      circulation of avian influenza viruses, but none were positive for H5 subtypes.
      The age and size of the flock as well as its location at the time of sampling
      were associated with the risk of influenza A circulation in the flocks. These
      findings should be considered when developing risk assessment models of influenza
      virus spread aimed at informing the development of improved biosecurity practices
      leading to enhanced animal health, sustainable animal production and reliable
      income for farmers.

PMID- 28632791
TI  - Long term oncological outcome of thymoma and thymic carcinoma - an analysis of
      235 cases from a single institution.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Thymoma has a variable long-term oncological outcome
      after surgical resection. Survival and tumor recurrence were analyzed to
      determine the predisposing factors for tumor recurrence. METHODS: A total of 235
      patients who underwent surgery for thymoma or thymic carcinoma from December 1997
      to March 2013 were analyzed using Masaoka staging system and World Health
      Organization (WHO) histological classification. Surgical intervention included
      extended thymothymectomy via median sternotomy and thymomectomy via thoracotomy/
      video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). RESULTS: The median duration of
      follow-up was 105 months (12-198 months). Among these 235 patients, recurrence
      was observed in 25 patients (10.7%). according to Masaoka stage I, IIA, IIB, III,
      IVA, IVB, recurrence rates were 1/65(1.5%), 8/106(7.5%), 1/32(3.1%), 6/20(30.0%),
      8/10(80.0%), 1/1(100.0%), respectively. Disease or treatment-related mortality
      was observed in 13 patients. Overall survival rate was 94.4%. After univariate
      analysis, predisposing factors for tumor recurrence included Masaoka stage, WHO
      histologic type, tumor size, adjuvant therapy and margin status. CONCLUSIONS: Due
      to the indolent behavior of thymoma, tumor recurrence appears to be a better
      assessment of oncological outcome rather than survival. Factors associated with
      tumor recurrence include Masaoka stage, WHO histologic type, tumor size, adjuvant
      therapy and margin status.

PMID- 28632792
TI  - Identification of cell proliferation, immune response and cell migration as
      critical pathways in a prognostic signature for HER2+:ERalpha- breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multi-gene prognostic signatures derived from primary tumor biopsies
      can guide clinicians in designing an appropriate course of treatment. Identifying
      genes and pathways most essential to a signature performance may facilitate
      clinical application, provide insights into cancer progression, and uncover
      potentially new therapeutic targets. We previously developed a 17-gene prognostic
      signature (HTICS) for HER2+:ERalpha- breast cancer patients, using genes that are
      differentially expressed in tumor initiating cells (TICs) versus non-TICs from
      MMTV-Her2/neu mammary tumors. Here we probed the pathways and genes that underlie
      the prognostic power of HTICS. METHODS: We used Leave-One Out, Data Combination
      Test, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Correlation and Substitution analyses
      together with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and Kaplan-Meier survival
      analysis to identify critical biological pathways within HTICS. Publically
      available cohorts with gene expression and clinical outcome were used to assess
      prognosis. NanoString technology was used to detect gene expression in formalin
      fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues. RESULTS: We show that three major
      biological pathways: cell proliferation, immune response, and cell migration,
      drive the prognostic power of HTICS, which is further tuned by Homeostatic and
      Glycan metabolic signalling. A 6-gene minimal Core that retained a significant
      prognostic power, albeit less than HTICS, also comprised the
      proliferation/immune/migration pathways. Finally, we developed NanoString probes
      that could detect expression of HTICS genes and their substitutions in FFPE
      samples. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the prognostic power of a
      signature is driven by the biological processes it monitors, identify cell
      proliferation, immune response and cell migration as critical pathways for
      HER2+:ERalpha- cancer progression, and defines substitutes and Core genes that
      should facilitate clinical application of HTICS.

PMID- 28632794
TI  - Migrants, healthy worker effect, and mortality trends in the Gulf Cooperation
      Council countries.
AB  - The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries namely, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,
      Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia, have experienced unique
      demographic changes. The major population growth contributor in these countries
      is young migrants, which has led to a shift in the population age pyramid.
      Migrants constitute the vast proportion of GCC countries' population reaching
      >80% in Qatar and UAE. Using Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD 2015) and
      United Nations data, for the GCC countries, we assessed the association between
      age-standardized mortality and population size trends with linear and polynomial
      regressions. In 1990-2015, all-cause age-standardized mortality was inversely
      proportional to national population size (p-values: 0.0001-0.0457). In Bahrain,
      Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, the highest annual decrease in mortality was
      observed when the annual population growth was the highest. In Qatar, all-cause
      age-specific mortality was inversely proportional to age-specific population
      size. This association was statistically significant among the 5-14 and 15-49 age
      groups, which have the largest population size. Cause-specific age-standardized
      mortality was also inversely proportional to population size. This association
      was statistically significant for half of the GBD 2015-defined causes of death
      such as "cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases" and "HIV/AIDS and
      tuberculosis". Remarkably, incoming migrants to Qatar have to be negative for
      HIV, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis. These results show that decline in
      mortality can be partly attributed to the increase in GCC countries' population
      suggesting a healthy migrant effect that influences mortality rates.
      Consequently, benefits of health interventions and healthcare improvement are
      likely to be exaggerated in such countries hosting a substantial proportion of
      migrants compared with countries where migration is low. Researchers and
      policymakers should be cautious to not exclusively attribute decline in mortality
      within the GCC countries as a result of the positive effects of health
      interventions or healthcare improvement.

PMID- 28632793
TI  - The prevalence and correlates of low sexual functioning in women on hemodialysis:
      A multinational, cross-sectional study.
AB  - Sexual dysfunction may affect 80% of women in hemodialysis. However the specific
      patterns and clinical correlates of sexual functioning remain poorly described.
      The aim of this study was to assess prevalence and correlates of the individual
      domains of sexual functioning in women treated with hemodialysis. We recruited,
      into this multinational cross-sectional study, women treated with long-term
      hemodialysis (Collaborative Working Group on Depression and Sexual dysfunction in
      Hemodialysis study). Self-reported domains of sexual functioning were assessed by
      the Female Sexual Function Index, which is routinely administered within the
      network of dialysis patients followed by the working group. Lower scores
      represented lower sexual functioning. Socio-demographic and clinical correlates
      of each domain of sexual functioning were identified by stepwise multivariable
      linear regression. Sensitivity analyses were restricted to women who reported
      being sexually active. We found that of 1309 enrolled women, 659 (50.3%) provided
      complete responses to FSFI survey questions and 232 (35%) reported being sexually
      active. Overall, most respondents reported either no sexual activity or low
      sexual functioning in all measured domains (orgasm 75.1%; arousal 64.0%;
      lubrication 63.3%; pain 60.7%; satisfaction 60.1%; sexual desire 58.0%).
      Respondents who were waitlisted for a kidney transplant reported scores with
      higher sexual functioning, while older respondents reported scores with lower
      functioning. The presence of depression was associated with worse lubrication and
      pain scores [mean difference for depressed versus non-depressed women (95% CI) 
      0.42 (-0.73 to -0.11), -0.53 (-0.89 to -0.16), respectively] while women who had
      experienced a previous cardiovascular event reported higher pain scores [-0.77 (
      1.40- to -0.13)]. In conclusion, women in hemodialysis reported scores consistent
      with marked low sexual functioning across a range of domains; the low functioning
      appeared to be associated with comorbidity.

PMID- 28632795
TI  - Sun protection for infants: parent behaviors and beliefs in Miami, Florida.
AB  - Children who are not adequately protected from the sun have an increased risk for
      developing skin cancers later in life. The primary objective of this study was to
      determine the sun protection behaviors that black and Hispanic parents in Miami,
      Florida, employ in infants younger than 6 months. Secondary objectives included
      determining if this patient population is at risk for infant sunburns and
      tanning, beliefs among parents regarding sunscreen's efficacy in the prevention
      of skin cancers, and limitations of sunscreen use. An institutional review board
      approved survey was administered to parents presenting to the University of Miami
      general pediatrics clinic. The main outcome measure was the self-reported
      consistency with which parents employed each of 6 sun protection strategies in
      infants. The results of this study highlight some potential shortcomings in
      current practices in sun protection for black and Hispanic infants.

PMID- 28632796
TI  - Handheld reflectance confocal microscopy to aid in the management of complex
      facial lentigo maligna.
AB  - Diagnosis and management of lentigo maligna (LM) and LM melanoma (LMM) is
      challenging. Novel noninvasive imaging technologies such as reflectance confocal
      microscopy (RCM) have advanced the ability to better diagnose and monitor
      challenging lesions. In addition, the new handheld RCM (HRCM) together with the
      use of videomosaics has allowed an accurate evaluation of large lesions in
      concave/convex areas of the body (eg, the face). Herein, we review the impact of
      HRCM in the detection, treatment decision-making, and monitoring of 5 cases of
      complex facial LM/LMM. In the cases presented, HRCM enabled the detection of
      subclinical margins, presence of invasion, detection of persistence/recurrence,
      and monitoring of surgical and nonsurgical therapies. In this preliminary report,
      our results suggest that HRCM is a versatile ancillary tool in pretreatment
      decision-making, intraoperative surgical mapping, and posttreatment monitoring of
      complex facial LM/LMM.

PMID- 28632797
TI  - Approach to management of giant basal cell carcinomas.
AB  - Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a common nonmelanoma skin cancer with increasing
      incidence in the United States and worldwide. It is strongly linked to UV
      radiation exposure and typically is slow growing. Malignancy in BCCs is due to
      local growth and invasion rather than metastasis, and the prognosis is generally
      favorable. We report the case of a 60-year-old man with a large, locally
      destructive giant BCC on the right side of the upper back that was successfully
      treated via complete surgical excision (SE) and did not recur in the subsequent
      36 months. We review the indications, evidence, advantages, and disadvantages
      associated with multiple surgical and nonsurgical treatment modalities available
      for the management of giant BCCs.

PMID- 28632798
TI  - Skin cancer mortality in patients with skin of color.

PMID- 28632799
TI  - Recalcitrant solitary erythematous scaly patch on the foot.

PMID- 28632800
TI  - Total-body photography in skin cancer screening: the clinical utility of
      standardized imaging.
AB  - Early detection of skin cancer is essential to reducing morbidity and mortality
      from both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Total-body skin examinations
      (TBSEs) may improve early detection of malignant melanomas (MMs) but are
      controversial due to the poor quality of data available to establish a mortality
      benefit from skin cancer screening. Total-body photography (TBP) promises to
      provide a way forward by lowering the costs of dermatologic screening while
      simultaneously leveraging technology to increase patient access to dermatologic
      care. Standardized TBP also offers the ability for dermatologists to work
      synergistically with modern computer technology involving algorithms capable of
      analyzing high-quality images to flag concerning lesions that may require closer
      evaluation. On a population level, inexpensive TBP has the potential to increase
      access to skin cancer screening and it has several specific applications in a
      military population. The utility of standardized TBP is reviewed in the context
      of skin cancer screening and teledermatology.

PMID- 28632802
TI  - Diversity in dermatology: a society devoted to skin of color.
AB  - The US Census Bureau predicts that more than half of the country's population
      will identify as a race other than non-Hispanic white by the year 2044. Racial
      disparities also exist in the physician population where black individuals and
      Latinos are underrepresented. The Skin of Color Society (SOCS) was established to
      address the need for parity among dermatology patients with skin of color. The
      society provides educational support on dermatologic health related to skin of
      color and functions through committees that represent the multifaceted aspects of
      the organization. This column highlights the ongoing efforts of SOCS and its
      impact since its inception. We also chronicle the society's approach to
      broadening the scope of the specialty of dermatology.

PMID- 28632801
TI  - Enlarging mass on the lateral neck.

PMID- 28632803
TI  - What's eating you? Cheyletiella mites.
AB  - Cheyletiella are nonburrowing mites commonly found on rabbits, dogs, and cats.
      The mites have been known to cause disease in humans, ranging from mild
      dermatitis to more severe illness with systemic symptoms. Because these mites do
      not complete any part of their life cycle in humans, diagnosis can be
      challenging. Herein, we review various clinical presentations associated with
      Cheyletiella mites as well as diagnostic techniques and treatment options for
      both humans and animals.

PMID- 28632804
TI  - Black linear streaks on the face with pruritic plaques on the trunk and arms.

PMID- 28632805
TI  - Perifollicular papules on the trunk.

PMID- 28632806
TI  - Granulomatous cheilitis mimicking angioedema.

PMID- 28632807
TI  - Transverse melanonychia and palmar hyperpigmentation secondary to hydroxyurea
      therapy.

PMID- 28632808
TI  - Unilateral verrucous porokeratosis of the gluteal cleft.

PMID- 28632809
TI  - Acquired epidermodysplasia verruciformis occurring in a renal transplant
      recipient.
AB  - Acquired epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EDV) is a rare condition occurring in
      patients with depressed cellular immunity, particularly individuals with human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Acquired EDV is less commonly reported in
      recipients of stem cell or solid organ transplantation. This condition typically
      manifests within 5 years of initial immunosuppression and can present as multiple
      hypopigmented to red, tinea versicolor-like macules or as multiple verrucous,
      flat-topped papules distributed over the trunk, arms, and legs. Human
      papillomavirus (HPV) types 5 and 8 are the most commonly isolated EDV-HPV
      subtypes as well as the most oncogenic subtypes, carrying the greatest risk for
      malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We present the case
      of a 44-year-old renal transplant recipient who developed multiple hypopigmented
      papules on the chest and neck with histopathology showing characteristic changes
      of EDV.

PMID- 28632810
TI  - Hydralazine-associated cutaneous casculitis presenting with aerodigestive tract
      involvement.
AB  - Hydralazine-induced small vessel vasculitis is a rare entity with a limited
      number of cases reported in the dermatologic literature. A characteristic pattern
      of acral pseudoembolic vesiculopustules with necrosis and ulceration has been
      suggested along with involvement of the aerodigestive tract, indicating mucosal
      involvement is an important feature of this disease. We report the case of a
      patient with hydralazine-induced vasculitis who exemplified this characteristic
      presentation associated with severe involvement of the aerodigestive tract and
      gastrointestinal tract bleeding. In addition to the distinctive clinical
      presentation, the patient's workup revealed the characteristic antineutrophil
      cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive serologic profile. Increased recognition of
      the clinical and serological features of hydralazine-induced small vessel
      vasculitis may lead to earlier recognition of this disease and decreased time to
      discontinuation of hydralazine when appropriate. Drug withdrawal is the
      cornerstone of therapy, and depending on the severity of symptoms, additional
      immunosuppressive treatment such as corticosteroids may be necessary.

PMID- 28632811
TI  - Management of poorly controlled indolent systemic mastocytosis using narrowband
      UVB phototherapy.
AB  - The mastocytoses comprise a group of proliferative stem cell disorders defined by
      the abnormal accumulation of mast cells (MCs) in the skin or other body tissues
      including the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, and liver. Systemic
      mastocytosis is defined by the presence of one major and one minor criterion or 3
      minor criteria delineated by the World Health Organization (WHO). We present the
      case of a 57-year-old woman with a 10-year history of red-brown pruritic
      maculopapular lesions on the upper and lower extremities and trunk who was
      originally diagnosed with cutaneous mastocytosis. Symptoms had been adequately
      controlled with a combination of topical corticosteroids and antihistamines.
      After 9 years of controlled disease, the patient presented with increasingly
      severe breakthrough pruritus and new skin lesions on the head and neck. Further
      workup included bone marrow biopsy, which demonstrated dense mastocyte
      infiltrates without evidence of functional impairment, and elevated serum
      tryptase levels. Narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy was initiated, and after 20
      treatments the patient reported a marked decrease in symptoms. This case provides
      evidence of the efficacy of NB-UVB phototherapy in managing patients with long
      standing indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) who have stopped responding
      adequately to topical corticosteroids and antihistamines.

PMID- 28632812
TI  - Systemic interferon alfa injections for the treatment of a giant orf.
AB  - Orf is a zoonotic infection caused by a parapoxvirus and is endemic in sheep and
      goats. It may be transmitted to humans by direct contact with infected animals.
      We report a case of a giant orf in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia
      (CLL), which proliferated dramatically after surgical excision and resolved after
      systemic interferon alfa-2a injections.

PMID- 28632813
TI  - Cutaneous metastasis of a pulmonary carcinoid tumor.
AB  - Carcinoid tumors are uncommon neoplasms of neuroendocrine origin that generally
      arise in the gastrointestinal or bronchopulmonary tracts and typically are
      characterized by an indolent clinical course. Metastases from these primary
      neoplasms more commonly affect the viscera, with rare reports of cutaneous
      metastases to the skin. We report the case of a patient with a cutaneous
      carcinoid metastasis that was incidentally brought to our attention because of
      the exquisite tenderness of the lesion. A brief review of the literature also is
      provided.

PMID- 28632818
TI  - Benefits of Islet Transplantation as an Alternative to Pancreas Transplantation:
      Retrospective Study of More Than 10 Ten Years of Experience in a Single Center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pancreas transplantation (PTx) represents the method of choice in
      type 1 diabetic patients with conservatively intractable hypoglycemia unawareness
      syndrome. In 2005, the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKEM)
      launched a program to investigate the safety potential of islet transplantation
      (ITx) in comparison to PTx. AIM: This study aims to compare the results of PTx
      and ITx regarding severe hypoglycemia elimination, metabolic control, and
      complication rate. METHODS: We analyzed the results of 30 patients undergoing ITx
      and 49 patients treated with PTx. All patients were C-peptide-negative and
      suffered from hypoglycemia unawareness syndrome. Patients in the ITx group
      received a mean number of 12,349 (6,387-15,331) IEQ/kg/person administered
      percutaneously into the portal vein under local anesthesia and radiological
      control. The islet number was reached by 1-3 applications, as needed. In both
      groups, we evaluated glycated hemoglobin, insulin dose, fasting and stimulated C
      peptide, frequency of severe hypoglycemia, and complications. We used the Mann
      Whitney test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and paired t-test for analysis. We also
      individually assessed the ITx outcomes for each patient according to recently
      suggested criteria established at the EPITA meeting in Igls. RESULTS: Most of the
      recipients showed a significant improvement in metabolic control one and two
      years after ITx, with a significant decrease in HbA1c, significant elevation of
      fasting and stimulated C-peptide, and a markedly significant reduction in insulin
      dose and the frequency of severe hypoglycemia. Seventeen percent of ITx
      recipients were temporarily insulin-independent. The results in the PTx group
      were comparable to those in the ITx group, with 73% graft survival and insulin
      independence in year 1, 68% 2 years and 55% 5 years after transplantation. There
      was a higher rate of complications related to the procedure in the PTx group.
      Severe hypoglycemia was eliminated in the majority of both ITx and PTx
      recipients. CONCLUSION: This report proves the successful initiation of
      pancreatic islet transplantation in a center with a well-established PTx program.
      ITx has been shown to be the method of choice for hypoglycemia unawareness
      syndrome, and may be considered for application in clinical practice if
      conservative options are exhausted.

PMID- 28632820
TI  - The Nexus of Stem Cell-Derived Beta-Cells and Genome Engineering.
AB  - Diabetes, type 1 and type 2 (T1D and T2D), are diseases of epidemic proportions,
      which are complicated and defined by genetics, epigenetics, environment, and
      lifestyle choices. Current therapies consist of whole pancreas or islet
      transplantation. However, these approaches require life-time immunosuppression,
      and are compounded by the paucity of available donors. Pluripotent stem cells
      have advanced research in the fields of stem cell biology, drug development,
      disease modeling, and regenerative medicine, and importantly allows for the
      interrogation of therapeutic interventions. Recent developments in beta-cell
      differentiation and genomic modifications are now propelling investigations into
      the mechanisms behind beta-cell failure and autoimmunity, and offer new
      strategies for reducing the propensity for immunogenicity. This review discusses
      the derivation of endocrine lineage cells from human pluripotent stem cells for
      the treatment of diabetes, and how the editing or manipulation of their genomes
      can transcend many of the remaining challenges of stem cell technologies, leading
      to superior transplantation and diabetes drug discovery platforms.

PMID- 28632822
TI  - [Strategies to reduce infections and antibiotic use and its effects in a neonatal
      care unit].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Late onset sepsis (LOS) remains an important cause of morbidity and
      mortality in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). The empirical use of
      vancomycin and other broad spectrum antibiotics is very frequent and is
      associated with the emergence of resistant agents, infection by gram-negative
      bacilli (GNB), fungal infections and increased morbidity and mortality.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of 5 intervention protocols designed to reduce
      infections and promote the rational use of antibiotics (AB) in a single NICU.
      PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective analysis included all hospitalized patients
      before (year 2012) and after interventions (August 2013 through July 2014). All
      episodes of positive cultures (blood, urine, tracheal and spinal fluid) were
      considered as late onset infections. RESULTS: After intervention, a significant
      decrease of late onset infections was observed from 14.3 to 8.5 per 1,000 live
      births (p < 0.01); with a decrease in LOS from 5.7 to 2.9 per 1,000 live births,
      although no significant. There was a decrease in vancomycin and 3rd generation
      cephalosporin use without Candida spp infections in the intervention period.
      Mortality rates and length of hospital stay were similar in both study periods.
      CONCLUSION: After interventions, there was an important reduction in overall late
      onset infections and AB related costs.

PMID- 28632819
TI  - Enzyme Development for Human Islet Isolation: Five Decades of Progress or
      Stagnation?
AB  - In comparison to procedures used for the separation of individual cell types from
      other organs, the process of human pancreatic islet isolation aims to digest the
      pancreatic exocrine matrix completely without dispersing the individual cells
      within the endocrine cell cluster. This objective is unique within the field of
      tissue separation, and outlines the challenge of islet isolation to balance two
      opposing priorities. Although significant progress has been made in the
      characterization and production of enzyme blends for islet isolation, there are
      still numerous areas which require improvement. The ultimate goal of enzyme
      production, namely the routine production of a consistent and standardized enzyme
      blend, has still not been realized. This seems to be mainly the result of a lack
      of detailed knowledge regarding the structure of the pancreatic extracellular
      matrix and the synergistic interplay between collagenase and different
      supplementary proteases during the degradation of the extracellular matrix.
      Furthermore, the activation of intrinsic proteolytic enzymes produced by the
      pancreatic acinar cells, also impacts on the chance of a successful outcome of
      human islet isolation. This overview discusses the challenges of pancreatic
      enzymatic digestion during human islet isolation, and outlines the developments
      in this field over the past 5 decades.

PMID- 28632824
TI  - [Adolescents find it easy to collect their own samples to study sexually
      transmitted infections].
AB  - BACKGROUND: As alternative for patients that fear genital examination, we
      assessed adolescent's comfort and ease with self-collected samples for nucleic
      acid amplification testing for sexually transmitted infections. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Sexually active Chilean adolescents and youth under 25 years (174 males
      and 117 females) were enrolled. Females used self-collected vaginal swabs and
      males collected first-stream urine. A satisfaction survey evaluating self
      sampling system was applied. RESULTS: Self-collection was considered easy in
      99.3% of the interviewees (CI 95% 0.88-0.98). In women, 79.3% preferred vaginal
      self-collected samples than pelvic exam (CI 95% 0.73-0.85). In men, 80.3%
      preferred self-collected first-stream urine to urethral swabs (CI 95% 0.73-0.87).
      Assuming that self-collected sampling were available, 89.6% of women (CI 95% 0.85
      0.94) and 93.2% of men (CI 95% 0.89-0.98) would be prone to be tested more often.
      Ease of self-collected sampling is not associated with age, gender, educational
      level or poverty. CONCLUSIONS: Chile currently does not have sexually transmitted
      infections surveillance or screening programs for youth and adolescents. Given
      self-collected sampling's good acceptability, it could be successfully used when
      these programs are implemented.

PMID- 28632823
TI  - [Features of Bordetella pertussis, Bordetella spp. infection and whopping cough
      in Cordoba province, Argentina].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Whooping cough is a re-emerging infection in the world and Latin
      America. OBJECTIVE: It was considered relevant to investigate the clinical and
      epidemiological profile of Bordetella spp. and Bordetella pertussis infection in
      Cordoba province, Argentina; evaluating, at the same time, the co-infection with
      virus producing respiratory infections that may be confused with whooping cough.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: All whooping cough suspected cases were studied by
      Polimerase Chain Reaction, amplifying the repeated insertion sequence (IS) 481
      and the promoter gene encoding pertussis toxin, between 2011 and 2013. The data
      were obtained from the clinical and epidemiological records. RESULTS: From 2,588
      whooping cough suspected cases, 11.59% was infected by Bordetella spp. and 9.16%
      was confirmed as Bordetella pertussis infection. The rate of infection was 7.22
      and 1.84 per 100,000 for 2011 and 2012, respectively. The infection presented a
      seasonal tendency and it was mainly found on the group of children between 13 and
      24 months old. The co-infection with virus producing respiratory infections, were
      uncommon. Paroxysmal cough, cyanosis and/or vomiting were predictors of the
      infection for Bordetella pertussis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: To deal with the
      re-emergence of whooping cough is important the knowledge of the regional
      epidemiological situation. This paper shows the situation of these infections in
      the regional clinical and epidemiological context, and makes the information
      available for health decision-making.

PMID- 28632821
TI  - Encapsulated Islet Transplantation: Where Do We Stand?
AB  - Transplantation of pancreatic islets encapsulated within immuno-protective
      microcapsules is a strategy that has the potential to overcome graft rejection
      without the need for toxic immunosuppressive medication. However, despite
      promising preclinical studies, clinical trials using encapsulated islets have
      lacked long-term efficacy, and although generally considered clinically safe,
      have not been encouraging overall. One of the major factors limiting the long
      term function of encapsulated islets is the host's immunological reaction to the
      transplanted graft which is often manifested as pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth
      (PFO). PFO forms a barrier on the capsule surface that prevents the ingress of
      oxygen and nutrients leading to islet cell starvation, hypoxia and death. The
      mechanism of PFO formation is still not elucidated fully and studies using a pig
      model have tried to understand the host immune response to empty alginate
      microcapsules. In this review, the varied strategies to overcome or reduce PFO
      are discussed, including alginate purification, altering microcapsule geometry,
      modifying alginate chemical composition, co-encapsulation with immunomodulatory
      cells, administration of pharmacological agents, and alternative transplantation
      sites. Nanoencapsulation technologies, such as conformal and layer-by-layer
      coating technologies, as well as nanofiber, thin-film nanoporous devices, and
      silicone based NanoGland devices are also addressed. Finally, this review
      outlines recent progress in imaging technologies to track encapsulated cells, as
      well as promising perspectives concerning the production of insulin-producing
      cells from stem cells for encapsulation.

PMID- 28632826
TI  - [Pyogenic liver abscess in children: clinical experience in a pediatric reference
      center].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Liver abscess is a serious and an uncommon pediatric disease.
      OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: Description of 20 pediatric patients with liver abscess
      admitted in "Ricardo Gutierrez" Children's Hospital, a Tertiary Reference Center
      of Buenos Aires, between 2009 and 2015. RESULTS: The hospitalization rate was
      35/100.000 admissions. Median age was 5 years old, male/female ratio 4/1. Five
      patients (25%) had predisposing factors. Median days at diagnosis were 12.
      FEATURES: Fever 100%, prolonged fever 60%, abdominal pain 50%. The majority had
      leukocytosis and elevated CRP (median 160 mg/L). Liver enzymes were elevated in
      only 40% of patients. Ultrasonography detected 90%. A single abscess was observed
      in 60%; localized at right hepatic lobe, 65%. Purulent material was positive in
      12/17 (70%) and bacteremia was present in 3/20 (15%). Wide empirical antibiotic
      therapy was used. Treatment shift was needed in four patients. The median days of
      intravenous antibiotics were 30 and the median of total treatment were 53.
      Surgical procedures were performed in 13/20 (65%). CONCLUSION: Community-acquired
      methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was the most frequent
      pathogen, especially in healthy children that associated skin or respiratory
      illness. Appropriate antibiotic treatment and eventual drainage allows good
      outcome without sequela or deaths.

PMID- 28632825
TI  - [What do the numbers tell us about the temporal evolution of Chagas' disease?]
AB  - Chagas disease remains highly prevalent in Chile, especially between the regions
      of Arica and Parinacota, and Coquimbo. Since 1999 it is considered that in Chile
      the vector transmission was interrupted. Under this premise, the epidemiological
      dynamics should be changing. We analyzed the evolution of the prevalence of
      Chagas' disease analyzing 64,995 xenodiagnosis performed in the laboratory of
      Parasitology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Chile between 1949
      and 2014. The evolution of the mortalities and incidences from the databases of
      the Ministry of Health in the periods in which it was analyzed. The rates of
      domiciliary infestation and the number of vector insects sent to the Public
      Health Institute and its trypano-triatomine indices were also analyzed. The
      prevalence of Chagas' disease in inhabitants of risk areas remained stable in
      this period as well as mortality. The incidence rate shows a progressive increase
      with a tendency towards stabilization. A significant decrease in sampling effort
      was found, declining by two orders of magnitude, especially since 2000. The
      progressive increase in morbidity had no clear relation to the interruption of
      the vector chain nor to the greater diagnostic effort occurred in 2009, since it
      was evident from before. While home infestation declines, reports of intrusion of
      solitary individuals and wild foci of T. infestans have increased. Trypano
      triatomine indices were maintained with high values in all vector species. This
      study shows a worrying situation, for while on the one hand the interruption of
      the vector transmission and improvement in the research systems is emphasized,
      the concern for this disease seems to be decreasing with less diagnostic efforts
      and lower education at the higher level, and by the other hand the numbers show
      that the problem if it is not increasing, at least maintains its careless
      historical magnitude.

PMID- 28632827
TI  - [Occult bacteremia in Sotero del Rio Hospital: Experience after pneumococcal
      conjugated vaccine].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Occult bacteremia (OB) is one of the possible diagnoses of children
      younger than 3 years with fever without source in the emergency room. OBJECTIVE:
      describe OB in the era after introduction of pneumococcal vaccine in Chile.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective descriptive review of data of children with
      possible OB diagnosis, referred from the emergency department between 2010-2013.
      RESULTS: Possible OB was diagnosed on 391 patients. 233 had focus, mainly
      respiratory virus and urinary tract infection. On 158 patients, probable BO was
      diagnosed, 20 had proven OB from which 15 had positive blood culture for
      Streptococcus pneumoniae. From these, 7 were fully or partially vaccinated. The
      serotype was identified on 14 cases: 6 were PCV10 vaccine serotypes (none of them
      vaccinated), 2 were serotype related (both partially vaccinated) and 6 were non
      vaccine serotypes (partially or totally vaccinated). DISCUSSION: It is necessary
      to improve diagnostic methods for respiratory viruses and urinary tract
      infections and try to expand coverage of pneumococcal conjugated vaccines in the
      pediatric population in order to reduce the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease
      in Chile.

PMID- 28632828
TI  - [Phialocephala sp].

PMID- 28632829
TI  - [Advances in dengue virus research in Colombia: the role of cellular microRNAs as
      an anti-dengue virus response].
AB  - Dengue is one of the most important mosquito-borne diseases, and its incidence
      has increased at an alarming rate in recent years, becoming a real public health
      problem. Currently, there is no vaccine or medication or proper treatment for
      dengue control. Considering this situation, it is necessary to prioritize the
      search for new alternatives and strategies for dengue prevention and control, in
      order to reduce not only the economic burden of endemic countries, but also to
      improve the quality of life of patients. In this regard, a brief reflection on
      some aspects related to the search for new alternatives in Colombia is presented.
      This is focused on the use of microRNAs, which could be a new strategy with great
      therapeutic potential.

PMID- 28632830
TI  - [Declaration of the Chilean Academy of Medicine of Law 20.850 "On clinical trials
      of pharmaceutical products and medical devices" and of the bylaw that will
      regulate its application].
AB  - In Chile, high cost treatments required by selected medical conditions are
      financed by the State, according to Law 20.850. A bylaw under discussion by the
      Senate regulates clinical trials, posing complex issues that will endanger local
      interest in front-line research: 1) The exclusive and mandatory control bestowed
      to the Institute of Public Health during all stages of the trials and also the
      surveillance of institutions performing clinical trials, overriding their
      Clinical Research Review Boards; 2) The 10 year period during which any adverse
      event is assumed to have been caused by the medication or devise evaluated by the
      trial, unless the contrary is proven in a judicial process; 3) Individuals
      submitted to the trials are entitled to free post trial access to the treatment
      received during the study, financed by the trial supporting entities and as long
      as the drug or devise is considered to be useful. While agreeing with the need to
      have a National Registry of Clinical Trials, we predict that the mentioned
      critical issues in the bylaw will lead to difficulties and unnecessary judicial
      processes, thus limiting clinicians' interest in performing research. We propose
      to modify the bylaw, excluding responsibilities on events associated with the
      natural evolution of the medical condition, with patients' ageing or with
      comorbidities and clinical events considered unpredictable when the protocol was
      accepted. We recommend that the free post trial access should be a joint decision
      involving the patient and the attending physician, taking in consideration that
      the volunteer has been exposed to risks and burdens, or when discontinuation of
      treatment entails a vital risk until the treatment under study has been approved
      and becomes available in the national market.

PMID- 28632831
TI  - [Antiseptics and disinfectants: aiming at rational use. Recommendations of the
      Advisory Committee on Healthcare Associated Infections. Sociedad Chilena de
      Infectologia].
AB  - Proper use of antiseptics and disinfectants, is an essential tool to prevent the
      spread of infectious agents and to control of healthcare-associated infections
      (HAI). Given the increasing importance of environmental aspects, as well as
      several advances and updates in the field of its proper use at local and
      intemational level, the SOCHINF HAI Advisory Committee considers that it is
      necessary to develop a guide for the rational use of antiseptics and
      disinfectants, which it will provide consistent scientific basis with that
      purpose.

PMID- 28632832
TI  - [A hundred years since the beginning of the Great War: trichinosis outbreak in
      Dresden marine in Chile: Chronicle of an announced infection].
AB  - In commemoration of one hundred years of the beginning of World War I, the
      occurrence of an outbreak of trichinosis in the crew of the SMS Dresden, a German
      ship that participated in that world conflagration, is re-viewed. In September
      1915, while the sailors of SMS Dresden were forcibly detained on Isla Quiriquina,
      Bio Bio Region, Chile, 60 individuals became ill. The cause of the outbreak was
      the consumption of sausages made from pork infected with the parasite Trichinella
      spiralis. There was a fatal case. The review of the epidemiological aspects that
      facilitated the presentation and spread of human trichinosis at that time allows
      to conclude that, pork breeded in poor hygienic conditions, meat and its by
      products clandestinely sold without sanitary inspection and the language barrier
      were determinant in the occurrence of the epidemic outbreak.

PMID- 28632833
TI  - [Tetanus after cat scratch and bites in a previously immunized patient].
AB  - : Tetanus is declining due to vaccination, professional labor management and
      appropriate wound care. Tetanus cases have been reported despite immunization. We
      report the case of a previously healthy 21 years old female patient that
      presented a mild generalized tetanus requiring admission after mild and recurrent
      cat scratch and bites. She had received six vaccine shots during childhood, and a
      booster dose five years earlier after a rabbit bite. Symptoms appeared seven
      weeks after the last contact, and included headache, muscle spasms and mild
      opisthotonus. Laboratory evaluation, including CSF analysis and microbiological
      investigation, as well as imaging studies were all normal. The patient received
      6,000 IU of human antitoxin immunoglobulin. No autonomic manifestations or
      respiratory compromise were registered. Symptoms resolved rapidly and she was
      discharge after seven days with an order to complete a tetanus toxoid
      immunization schedule with three doses. CONCLUSIONS: Tetanus is possible in urban
      settings with a declining epidemiologic curve of disease in previously immunized
      patients. Severity of disease is modulated by previous vaccination.

PMID- 28632834
TI  - [Bladder fungus ball by Candida tropicalis: a pediatric case report].
AB  - Vesical fungus ball is a mobile, oval and echogenic mass as a result of
      accumulation of long and wide numerous hyphae. Fungal urinary tract infection
      incidence has increased notoriously and there are isolated yeast in 7 to 8% of
      urine cultures. Different species of Candida are cause of urinary tract
      infection. Epidemiologically, the first isolated pathogen is Candida albicans,
      followed by Candida tropicalis. Bladder poll has been documented as the most
      important risk factor for candiduria in critical patients into intensive care.

PMID- 28632835
TI  - [Evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing directly from positive blood
      cultures using the Vitek 2 system: comparison of two rapid protocols].
AB  - Antimicrobial susceptibility testing using Vitek(r) 2 (bioMerieux) cards
      inoculated directly from positive blood cultures was compared with the standard
      method for gramnegative rods. Two different protocols for the inoculum
      preparation were evaluated. Protocol 2 was faster and easier to perform. Rapid
      susceptibility testing was accurate and reduced time to results in 24 h.

PMID- 28632836
TI  - [Multidrug-resistant Candida auris: "new kid on the block" in hospital-associated
      infections?]

PMID- 28632837
TI  - [Conventional versus prolonged infusion of meropenem in neonates with Gram
      negative late-onset sepsis: a randomized controlled trial].

PMID- 28632839
TI  - ?

PMID- 28632838
TI  - [Infeccion por el virus Zika en el embarazo y su impacto].

PMID- 28632840
TI  - The Effect of Stimulus Valence on Lexical Retrieval in Younger and Older Adults.
AB  - Purpose: Although there is evidence that emotional valence of stimuli impacts
      lexical processes, there is limited work investigating its specific impact on
      lexical retrieval. The current study aimed to determine the degree to which
      emotional valence of pictured stimuli impacts naming latencies in healthy younger
      and older adults. Method: Eighteen healthy younger adults and 18 healthy older
      adults named positive, negative, and neutral images, and reaction time was
      measured. Results: Reaction times for positive and negative images were
      significantly longer than reaction times for neutral images. Reaction times for
      positive and negative images were not significantly different. Whereas older
      adults demonstrated significantly longer naming latencies overall than younger
      adults, the discrepancy in latency with age was far greater when naming emotional
      pictures. Conclusions: Emotional arousal of pictures appears to impact naming
      latency in younger and older adults. We hypothesize that the increase in naming
      latency for emotional stimuli is the result of a necessary disengagement of
      attentional resources from the emotional images prior to completion of the naming
      task. We propose that this process may affect older adults disproportionately due
      to a decline in attentional resources as part of normal aging, combined with a
      greater attentional preference for emotional stimuli.

PMID- 28632841
TI  - Green-Light Autofluorescence Versus Combined Blue-Light Autofluorescence and Near
      Infrared Reflectance Imaging in Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related
      Macular Degeneration.
AB  - Purpose: To compare the intermodality and interreader agreement for geographic
      atrophy (GA) lesion size quantification in green-light fundus autofluorescence
      (GAF; excitation = 518 nm) versus combined blue-light fundus autofluorescence
      (BAF; excitation = 488 nm) and near-infrared reflectance (NIR; 820 nm) -based
      grading. Methods: Confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (cSLO) GAF, BAF, and NIR
      images of 40 eyes from 29 patients (mean age 79.7 years) with GA secondary to AMD
      were recorded according to a standardized protocol. GA areas were analyzed in
      GAF, BAF combined with NIR (BAF+NIR), or BAF alone, by four independent readers
      using semiautomated software (RegionFinder; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg,
      Germany). A mixed-effects model was used to assess the effect of image modality
      on the measured square-root lesion area. The coefficient of repeatability (CR)
      and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were assessed for the square-root
      lesion area, lesion perimeter, and circularity. Results: GAF-based measurements
      were on average 0.062 mm (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-0.08 mm) larger than
      BAF+NIR-based measurements and 0.077 mm (95% CI 0.06 - 0.10 mm) larger than BAF
      based measurements. Interreader agreement was highest for GAF-based analysis
      ([CR, ICC] 0.196 mm, 0.995) followed by BAF+NIR (0.232 mm, 0.992) and BAF alone
      (0.263 mm, 0.991). The same was noted for the lesion perimeter and circularity.
      Post hoc review revealed that interreader differences were associated with media
      opacification interfering with lesion boundary demarcation to a larger extent in
      BAF than in GAF. Conclusions: cSLO-based GAF and combined BAF+NIR imaging with
      semiautomated lesion delineation allow for an accurate and reproducible
      quantification of GA. The slightly better interreader agreement using cSLO GAF
      suggests that its use may be preferable in clinical trials examining the change
      in lesion size as a clinical endpoint.

PMID- 28632842
TI  - Practical Considerations for the US Preventive Services Task Force
      Recommendations on Obesity in Children and Adolescents.

PMID- 28632843
TI  - The Promise and Opportunities for Screening and Treating Childhood Obesity:
      USPSTF Recommendation Statement.

PMID- 28632844
TI  - Complement-Mediated Regulation of Apolipoprotein E in Cultured Human RPE Cells.
AB  - PURPOSE: Complement activation is implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related
      macular degeneration (AMD). Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and complement activation
      products such as membrane attack complex (MAC) are present in eyes of individuals
      with AMD. Herein, we investigated the effect of complement activation on
      induction of ApoE accumulation in human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.
      METHODS: Cultured human RPE cells were primed with a complement-fixing antibody
      followed by treatment with C1q-depleted (C1q-Dep) human serum to elicit
      alternative pathway complement activation. Controls included anti-C5 antibody
      treated serum and heat-inactivated C1q-Dep. Total protein was determined on RPE
      cell extracts, conditioned media, and extracellular matrix (ECM) by Western blot.
      ApoE and MAC colocalization was assessed on cultured RPE cells and human eyes by
      immunofluorescent stain. ApoE mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative PCR
      (qPCR). RESULTS: Complement challenge upregulated cell-associated ApoE, but not
      apolipoprotein A1. ApoE accumulation was blocked by anti-C5 antibody and enhanced
      by repetitive complement challenge. ApoE mRNA levels were not affected by
      complement challenge. ApoE was frequently colocalized with MAC in complement
      treated cells and drusen from human eyes. ApoE was released into complement
      treated conditioned media after a single complement challenge and accumulated on
      ECM after repetitive complement challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Complement challenge
      induces time-dependent ApoE accumulation in RPE cells. An understanding of the
      mechanisms by which complement affects RPE ApoE accumulation may help to better
      explain drusen composition, and provide insights into potential therapeutic
      targets.

PMID- 28632845
TI  - Iris Malformation and Anterior Segment Dysgenesis in Mice and Humans With a
      Mutation in PI 3-Kinase.
AB  - Purpose: To determine the ocular consequences of a dominant-negative mutation in
      the p85alpha subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PIK3R1) using a knock-in
      mouse model of SHORT syndrome, a syndrome associated with short stature,
      lipodystrophy, diabetes, and Rieger anomaly in humans. Methods: We investigated
      knock-in mice heterozygous for the SHORT syndrome mutation changing arginine 649
      to tryptophan in p85alpha (PIK3R1) using physical examination, optical coherence
      tomography (OCT), tonometry, and histopathologic sections from paraffin-embedded
      eyes, and compared the findings to similar investigations in two human subjects
      with SHORT syndrome heterozygous for the same mutation. Results: While overall
      eye development was normal with clear cornea and lens, normal anterior chamber
      volume, normal intraocular pressure, and no changes in the retinal structure, OCT
      images of the knock-in mouse eyes revealed a significant decrease in thickness
      and width of the iris resulting in increased pupil area and irregularity of
      shape. Both human subjects had Rieger anomaly with similar defects including thin
      irides and irregular pupils, as well as a prominent ring of Schwalbe,
      goniosynechiae, early cataract formation, and glaucoma. Although the two subjects
      had had diabetes for more than 30 years, there were no signs of diabetic
      retinopathy. Conclusions: A dominant-negative mutation in the p85alpha regulatory
      subunit of PI3K affects development of the iris, and contributes to changes
      consistent with anterior segment dysgenesis in both humans and mice.

PMID- 28632846
TI  - Suppression of HSP27 Restores Retinal Function and Protects Photoreceptors From
      Apoptosis in a Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration Animal Model.
AB  - Purpose: We used a light-induced retinal degeneration animal model to investigate
      possible roles of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) in retinal/photoreceptor
      protection. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the light-induced retinal
      degeneration animal model. The histology of eye sections was observed for
      morphologic changes in the retina. Cell apoptosis was examined in each group
      using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay, and
      electroretinography was used to evaluate retinal function. Protein and mRNA
      expression levels of different retinal cell markers were also detected through
      immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and real-time PCR. Results: The
      thickness of the outer nuclear layer significantly decreased after 7-day light
      exposure. Moreover, we injected a viral vector for silencing HSP27 expression
      into the eyes and observed that photoreceptors were better preserved in the HSP27
      suppressed (sHSP27) retina 2 weeks after injection. HSP27 suppression also
      reduced retinal cell apoptosis caused by light exposure. In addition, the loss of
      retinal function caused by light exposure was reversed on suppressing HSP27
      expression. We subsequently found that the expression of the Rho gene and
      immunofluorescence staining of rhodopsin and arrestin (cell markers for
      photoreceptors) increased in sHSP27-treated retinas. HSP27 suppression did not
      affect the survival of ganglion and amacrine cells. Conclusions: Retinal cell
      apoptosis and functional loss were observed after 7-day light exposure. However,
      in the following 2 weeks after light exposure, HSP27 suppression may initiate a
      protective effect for retinal cells, particularly photoreceptors, from light
      induced retinal degeneration.

PMID- 28632848
TI  - Effect of Gabapentin/Memantine on the Infantile Nystagmus Syndrome in the
      Zebrafish Model: Implications for the Therapy of Ocular Motor Diseases.
AB  - Purpose: Infantile nystagmus syndrome (INS) is a disorder characterized by
      typical horizontal eye oscillations. Due to the uncertain etiology of INS,
      developing specific treatments remains difficult. Single reports demonstrated, on
      limited measures, alleviating effects of gabapentin and memantine. In the current
      study, we employed the zebrafish INS model belladonna (bel) to conduct an in
      depth study of how gabapentin and memantine interventions alleviate INS signs,
      which may further restore visual conditions in affected subjects. Moreover, we
      described the influence of both medications on ocular motor functions in healthy
      zebrafish, evaluating possible iatrogenic effects. Methods: Ocular motor function
      and INS characteristics were assessed by eliciting optokinetic response,
      spontaneous nystagmus, and spontaneous saccades in light and in dark, in 5- to 6
      day postfertilization bel larvae and heterozygous siblings. Single larvae were
      recorded before and after a 1-hour drug treatment (200 mM gabapentin/0.2 mM
      memantine). Results: Both interventions significantly reduced nystagmus intensity
      (gabapentin: 59.98%, memantine: 39.59%). However, while the application of
      gabapentin affected all tested ocular motor functions, memantine specifically
      reduced nystagmus amplitude and intensity, and thus left controls completely
      unaffected. Finally, both drug treatments resulted in specific changes in
      nystagmus waveform and velocity. Conclusions: Our study provides deeper insight
      into gabapentin and memantine treatment effect in the zebrafish INS model.
      Moreover, this study should establish zebrafish as a pharmacologic animal model
      for treating nystagmus and ocular motor disease, serving as a basis for future
      large-scale drug screenings.

PMID- 28632847
TI  - Pattern Recognition Analysis of Age-Related Retinal Ganglion Cell Signatures in
      the Human Eye.
AB  - Purpose: To characterize macular ganglion cell layer (GCL) changes with age and
      provide a framework to assess changes in ocular disease. This study used data
      clustering to analyze macular GCL patterns from optical coherence tomography
      (OCT) in a large cohort of subjects without ocular disease. Methods: Single eyes
      of 201 patients evaluated at the Centre for Eye Health (Sydney, Australia) were
      retrospectively enrolled (age range, 20-85); 8 * 8 grid locations obtained from
      Spectralis OCT macular scans were analyzed with unsupervised classification into
      statistically separable classes sharing common GCL thickness and change with age.
      The resulting classes and gridwise data were fitted with linear and segmented
      linear regression curves. Additionally, normalized data were analyzed to
      determine regression as a percentage. Accuracy of each model was examined through
      comparison of predicted 50-year-old equivalent macular GCL thickness for the
      entire cohort to a true 50-year-old reference cohort. Results: Pattern
      recognition clustered GCL thickness across the macula into five to eight
      spatially concentric classes. F-test demonstrated segmented linear regression to
      be the most appropriate model for macular GCL change. The pattern recognition
      derived and normalized model revealed less difference between the predicted
      macular GCL thickness and the reference cohort (average +/- SD 0.19 +/- 0.92 and 
      0.30 +/- 0.61 MUm) than a gridwise model (average +/- SD 0.62 +/- 1.43 MUm).
      Conclusions: Pattern recognition successfully identified statistically separable
      macular areas that undergo a segmented linear reduction with age. This regression
      model better predicted macular GCL thickness. The various unique spatial patterns
      revealed by pattern recognition combined with core GCL thickness data provide a
      framework to analyze GCL loss in ocular disease.

PMID- 28632849
TI  - Putting the US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation for Childhood
      Obesity Screening in Context.

PMID- 28632850
TI  - Cetuximab or Bevacizumab With First-Line Chemotherapy in Advanced KRAS Wild-Type
      Colorectal Cancer: No Difference, but Not the Same.

PMID- 28632852
TI  - Antioxidant Drug Approved for ALS.

PMID- 28632851
TI  - Losing Weight During the Postpartum Period.

PMID- 28632853
TI  - Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer.

PMID- 28632854
TI  - Warnings for Anesthetic Drugs.

PMID- 28632856
TI  - The Patent Laws and Patent Office Practice.

PMID- 28632858
TI  - Nonreproducibility of Preclinical Research.

PMID- 28632857
TI  - Trends in Use of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplements Exceeding 1000 or 4000
      International Units Daily, 1999-2014.

PMID- 28632860
TI  - Temporal Changes in Subsequent Malignancies Among Childhood Cancer Survivors.

PMID- 28632859
TI  - Changes in Coronary Artery Plaque With Testosterone Therapy.

PMID- 28632861
TI  - Nonreproducibility of Preclinical Research-Reply.

PMID- 28632862
TI  - Changes in Coronary Artery Plaque With Testosterone Therapy-Reply.

PMID- 28632863
TI  - Temporal Changes in Subsequent Malignancies Among Childhood Cancer Survivors
      Reply.

PMID- 28632864
TI  - Junk Food Ads Reach Children Despite Food Industry Self-regulation.

PMID- 28632865
TI  - Effect of First-Line Chemotherapy Combined With Cetuximab or Bevacizumab on
      Overall Survival in Patients With KRAS Wild-Type Advanced or Metastatic
      Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - Importance: Combining biologic monoclonal antibodies with chemotherapeutic
      cytotoxic drugs provides clinical benefit to patients with advanced or metastatic
      colorectal cancer, but the optimal choice of the initial biologic therapy in
      previously untreated patients is unknown. Objective: To determine if the addition
      of cetuximab vs bevacizumab to the combination of leucovorin, fluorouracil, and
      oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) regimen or the combination of leucovorin, fluorouracil,
      and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) regimen is superior as first-line therapy in advanced or
      metastatic KRAS wild-type (wt) colorectal cancer. Design, Setting, and
      Participants: Patients (>=18 years) enrolled at community and academic centers
      throughout the National Clinical Trials Network in the United States and Canada
      (November 2005-March 2012) with previously untreated advanced or metastatic
      colorectal cancer whose tumors were KRAS wt chose to take either the mFOLFOX6
      regimen or the FOLFIRI regimen as chemotherapy and were randomized to receive
      either cetuximab (n = 578) or bevacizumab (n = 559). The last date of follow-up
      was December 15, 2015. Interventions: Cetuximab vs bevacizumab combined with
      either mFOLFOX6 or FOLFIRI chemotherapy regimen chosen by the treating physician
      and patient. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was overall
      survival. Secondary objectives included progression-free survival and overall
      response rate, site-reported confirmed or unconfirmed complete or partial
      response. Results: Among 1137 patients (median age, 59 years; 440 [39%] women),
      1074 (94%) of patients met eligibility criteria. As of December 15, 2015, median
      follow-up for 263 surviving patients was 47.4 months (range, 0-110.7 months), and
      82% of patients (938 of 1137) experienced disease progression. The median overall
      survival was 30.0 months in the cetuximab-chemotherapy group and 29.0 months in
      the bevacizumab-chemotherapy group with a stratified hazard ratio (HR) of 0.88
      (95% CI, 0.77-1.01; P = .08). The median progression-free survival was 10.5
      months in the cetuximab-chemotherapy group and 10.6 months in the bevacizumab
      chemotherapy group with a stratified HR of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.84-1.08; P = .45).
      Response rates were not significantly different, 59.6% vs 55.2% for cetuximab and
      bevacizumab, respectively (difference, 4.4%, 95% CI, 1.0%-9.0%, P = .13).
      Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with KRAS wt untreated advanced or
      metastatic colorectal cancer, there was no significant difference in overall
      survival between the addition of cetuximab vs bevacizumab to chemotherapy as
      initial biologic treatment. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov identifier:
      NCT00265850.

PMID- 28632868
TI  - Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents.

PMID- 28632867
TI  - Effect of an Internet-Based Program on Weight Loss for Low-Income Postpartum
      Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - Importance: Postpartum weight retention increases lifetime risk of obesity and
      related morbidity. Few effective interventions exist for multicultural, low
      income women. Objective: To test whether an internet-based weight loss program in
      addition to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
      Children (WIC program) for low-income postpartum women could produce greater
      weight loss than the WIC program alone over 12 months. Design, Setting, and
      Participants: A 12-month, cluster randomized, assessor-blind, clinical trial
      enrolling 371 adult postpartum women at 12 clinics in WIC programs from the
      California central coast between July 2011 and May 2015 with data collection
      completed in May 2016. Interventions: Clinics were randomized to the WIC program
      (standard care group) or the WIC program plus a 12-month primarily internet-based
      weight loss program (intervention group), including a website with weekly
      lessons, web diary, instructional videos, computerized feedback, text messages,
      and monthly face-to-face groups at the WIC clinics. Main Outcomes and Measures:
      The primary outcome was weight change over 12 months, based on measurements at
      baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included proportion
      returning to preconception weight and changes in physical activity and diet.
      Results: Participants included 371 women (mean age, 28.1 years; Hispanic, 81.6%;
      mean weight above prepregnancy weight, 7.8 kg; mean months post partum, 5.2
      months) randomized to the intervention group (n = 174) or standard care group (n
      = 197); 89.2% of participants completed the study. The intervention group
      produced greater mean 12-month weight loss compared with the standard care group
      (3.2 kg in the intervention group vs 0.9 kg in standard care group, P < .001;
      difference, 2.3 kg (95% CI, 1.1 to 3.5). More participants in the intervention
      group than the standard care group returned to preconception weight by 12 months
      (32.8% in the intervention group vs 18.6% in the standard care group, P < .001;
      difference, 14.2 percentage points [95% CI, 4.7 to 23.5]). The intervention group
      and standard care group did not significantly differ in 12-month changes in
      physical activity (mean [95% CI]: -7.8 min/d [-16.1 to 0.4] in the intervention
      group vs -7.2 min/d [-14.6 to 0.3] in the standard care group; difference, -0.7
      min/d [95% CI, -42.0 to 10.6], P = .76), calorie intake (mean [95% CI]: -298
      kcal/d [-423 to -174] in the intervention group vs -144 kcal/d [-257 to -32] in
      the standard care group; difference, -154 kcal/d [-325 to 17], P = .06), or
      incidences of injury (16 in the intervention group vs 16 in the standard care
      group) or low breastmilk supply from baseline to month 6 (21 of 61 participants
      in the intervention group vs 23 of 72 participants in the standard care group)
      and from month 6 to 12 (13 of 32 participants in the intervention group vs 14 of
      37 participants in the standard care group). Conclusions and Relevance: Among low
      income postpartum women, an internet-based weight loss program in addition to the
      Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC
      program) compared with the WIC program alone resulted in a statistically
      significant greater weight loss over 12 months. Further research is needed to
      determine program and cost-effectiveness as part of the WIC program. Trial
      Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01408147.

PMID- 28632869
TI  - Phenytoin Toxicity.

PMID- 28632866
TI  - Risks of Breast, Ovarian, and Contralateral Breast Cancer for BRCA1 and BRCA2
      Mutation Carriers.
AB  - Importance: The clinical management of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers requires
      accurate, prospective cancer risk estimates. Objectives: To estimate age-specific
      risks of breast, ovarian, and contralateral breast cancer for mutation carriers
      and to evaluate risk modification by family cancer history and mutation location.
      Design, Setting, and Participants: Prospective cohort study of 6036 BRCA1 and
      3820 BRCA2 female carriers (5046 unaffected and 4810 with breast or ovarian
      cancer or both at baseline) recruited in 1997-2011 through the International
      BRCA1/2 Carrier Cohort Study, the Breast Cancer Family Registry and the Kathleen
      Cuningham Foundation Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer, with
      ascertainment through family clinics (94%) and population-based studies (6%). The
      majority were from large national studies in the United Kingdom (EMBRACE), the
      Netherlands (HEBON), and France (GENEPSO). Follow-up ended December 2013; median
      follow-up was 5 years. Exposures: BRCA1/2 mutations, family cancer history, and
      mutation location. Main Outcomes and Measures: Annual incidences, standardized
      incidence ratios, and cumulative risks of breast, ovarian, and contralateral
      breast cancer. Results: Among 3886 women (median age, 38 years; interquartile
      range [IQR], 30-46 years) eligible for the breast cancer analysis, 5066 women
      (median age, 38 years; IQR, 31-47 years) eligible for the ovarian cancer
      analysis, and 2213 women (median age, 47 years; IQR, 40-55 years) eligible for
      the contralateral breast cancer analysis, 426 were diagnosed with breast cancer,
      109 with ovarian cancer, and 245 with contralateral breast cancer during follow
      up. The cumulative breast cancer risk to age 80 years was 72% (95% CI, 65%-79%)
      for BRCA1 and 69% (95% CI, 61%-77%) for BRCA2 carriers. Breast cancer incidences
      increased rapidly in early adulthood until ages 30 to 40 years for BRCA1 and
      until ages 40 to 50 years for BRCA2 carriers, then remained at a similar,
      constant incidence (20-30 per 1000 person-years) until age 80 years. The
      cumulative ovarian cancer risk to age 80 years was 44% (95% CI, 36%-53%) for
      BRCA1 and 17% (95% CI, 11%-25%) for BRCA2 carriers. For contralateral breast
      cancer, the cumulative risk 20 years after breast cancer diagnosis was 40% (95%
      CI, 35%-45%) for BRCA1 and 26% (95% CI, 20%-33%) for BRCA2 carriers (hazard ratio
      [HR] for comparing BRCA2 vs BRCA1, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.47-0.82; P=.001 for
      difference). Breast cancer risk increased with increasing number of first- and
      second-degree relatives diagnosed as having breast cancer for both BRCA1 (HR for
      >=2 vs 0 affected relatives, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.41-2.82; P<.001 for trend) and BRCA2
      carriers (HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.08-3.37; P=.02 for trend). Breast cancer risk was
      higher if mutations were located outside vs within the regions bounded by
      positions c.2282-c.4071 in BRCA1 (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.11-1.93; P=.007) and c.2831
      c.6401 in BRCA2 (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.36-2.74; P<.001). Conclusions and Relevance:
      These findings provide estimates of cancer risk based on BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation
      carrier status using prospective data collection and demonstrate the potential
      importance of family history and mutation location in risk assessment.

PMID- 28632871
TI  - Speak Up.

PMID- 28632875
TI  - Podoconiosis Is the Diagnosis.

PMID- 28632873
TI  - Screening for Obesity and Intervention for Weight Management in Children and
      Adolescents: Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services
      Task Force.
AB  - Importance: Obesity is common in children and adolescents in the United States,
      is associated with negative health effects, and increases the likelihood of
      obesity in adulthood. Objective: To systematically review the benefits and harms
      of screening and treatment for obesity and overweight in children and adolescents
      to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force. Data Sources: MEDLINE, PubMed,
      PsycINFO, Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials, and the Education
      Resources Information Center through January 22, 2016; references of relevant
      publications; government websites. Surveillance continued through December 5,
      2016. Study Selection: English-language trials of benefits or harms of screening
      or treatment (behavior-based, orlistat, metformin) for overweight or obesity in
      children aged 2 through 18 years, conducted in or recruited from health care
      settings. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Two investigators independently reviewed
      abstracts and full-text articles, then extracted data from fair- and good-quality
      trials. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the benefits of
      lifestyle-based programs and metformin. Main Outcomes and Measures: Weight or
      excess weight (eg, body mass index [BMI]; BMI z score, measuring the number of
      standard deviations from the median BMI for age and sex), cardiometabolic
      outcomes, quality of life, other health outcomes, harms. Results: There was no
      direct evidence on the benefits or harms of screening children and adolescents
      for excess weight. Among 42 trials of lifestyle-based interventions to reduce
      excess weight (N = 6956), those with an estimated 26 hours or more of contact
      consistently demonstrated mean reductions in excess weight compared with usual
      care or other control groups after 6 to 12 months, with no evidence of causing
      harm. Generally, intervention groups showed absolute reductions in BMI z score of
      0.20 or more and maintained their baseline weight within a mean of approximately
      5 lb, while control groups showed small increases or no change in BMI z score,
      typically gaining a mean of 5 to 17 lb. Only 3 of 26 interventions with fewer
      contact hours showed a benefit in weight reduction. Use of metformin (8 studies,
      n = 616) and orlistat (3 studies, n = 779) were associated with greater BMI
      reductions compared with placebo: -0.86 (95% CI, -1.44 to -0.29; 6 studies; I2 =
      0%) for metformin and -0.50 to -0.94 for orlistat. Groups receiving lifestyle
      based interventions offering 52 or more hours of contact showed greater
      improvements in blood pressure than control groups: -6.4 mm Hg (95% CI, -8.6 to 
      4.2; 6 studies; I2 = 51%) for systolic blood pressure and -4.0 mm Hg (95% CI, 
      5.6 to -2.5; 6 studies; I2 = 17%) for diastolic blood pressure. There were mixed
      findings for insulin or glucose measures and no benefit for lipids. Medications
      showed small or no benefit for cardiometabolic outcomes, including fasting
      glucose level. Nonserious harms were common with medication use, although
      discontinuation due to adverse effects was usually less than 5%. Conclusions and
      Relevance: Lifestyle-based weight loss interventions with 26 or more hours of
      intervention contact are likely to help reduce excess weight in children and
      adolescents. The clinical significance of the small benefit of medication use is
      unclear.

PMID- 28632876
TI  - Cholera Vaccine Safe During Pregnancy.

PMID- 28632874
TI  - Screening for Obesity in Children and Adolescents: US Preventive Services Task
      Force Recommendation Statement.
AB  - Importance: Based on year 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth
      charts, approximately 17% of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years in the
      United States have obesity, and almost 32% of children and adolescents are
      overweight or have obesity. Obesity in children and adolescents is associated
      with morbidity such as mental health and psychological issues, asthma,
      obstructive sleep apnea, orthopedic problems, and adverse cardiovascular and
      metabolic outcomes (eg, high blood pressure, abnormal lipid levels, and insulin
      resistance). Children and adolescents may also experience teasing and bullying
      behaviors based on their weight. Obesity in childhood and adolescence may
      continue into adulthood and lead to adverse cardiovascular outcomes or other
      obesity-related morbidity, such as type 2 diabetes. Subpopulation Considerations:
      Although the overall rate of child and adolescent obesity has stabilized over the
      last decade after increasing steadily for 3 decades, obesity rates continue to
      increase in certain populations, such as African American girls and Hispanic
      boys. These racial/ethnic differences in obesity prevalence are likely a result
      of both genetic and nongenetic factors (eg, socioeconomic status, intake of sugar
      sweetened beverages and fast food, and having a television in the bedroom).
      Objective: To update the 2010 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
      recommendation on screening for obesity in children 6 years and older. Evidence
      Review: The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on screening for obesity in children and
      adolescents and the benefits and harms of weight management interventions.
      Findings: Comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions (>=26 contact hours)
      in children and adolescents 6 years and older who have obesity can result in
      improvements in weight status for up to 12 months; there is inadequate evidence
      regarding the effectiveness of less intensive interventions. The harms of
      behavioral interventions can be bounded as small to none, and the harms of
      screening are minimal. Therefore, the USPSTF concluded with moderate certainty
      that screening for obesity in children and adolescents 6 years and older is of
      moderate net benefit. Conclusions and Recommendation: The USPSTF recommends that
      clinicians screen for obesity in children and adolescents 6 years and older and
      offer or refer them to comprehensive, intensive behavioral interventions to
      promote improvements in weight status. (B recommendation).

PMID- 28632877
TI  - Blood-Clotting Drug Saves Lives During Childbirth.

PMID- 28632879
TI  - Reliability and Agreement Between Metrics of Cone Spacing in Adaptive Optics
      Images of the Human Retinal Photoreceptor Mosaic.
AB  - Purpose: To assess reliability and agreement among three metrics used to evaluate
      the distribution of cell distances in adaptive optics (AO) images of the cone
      mosaic. Methods: Using an AO flood illumination retinal camera, we acquired
      images of the cone mosaic in 20 healthy subjects and 12 patients with retinal
      diseases. The three spacing metrics studied were the center-to-center spacing
      (Scc), the local cone spacing (LCS), and the density recovery profile distance
      (DRPD). Each metric was calculated in sampling areas of different sizes (64 * 64
      MUm and 204 * 204 MUm) across the parafovea. Results: Both Scc and LCS were able
      to discriminate between healthy subjects and patients with retinal diseases; DRPD
      did not reliably detect any abnormality in the distribution of cell distances in
      patients with retinal diseases. The agreement between Scc and LCS was high in
      healthy subjects (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] >= 0.79) and moderate
      in patients with retinal diseases (ICC <= 0.51). The DRPD had poor agreement with
      Scc (ICC <= 0.47) and LCS (ICC <= 0.37). The correlation between the spacing
      metrics of the two sampling areas was greater in healthy subjects than in
      patients with retinal diseases. Conclusions: The Scc and LCS provided
      interchangeable estimates of cone distance in AO retinal images of healthy
      subjects but could not be used interchangeably when investigating retinal
      diseases with significant cell reflectivity loss (>=30%). The DRPD was unreliable
      for describing cell distance in a human retinal cone mosaic and did not correlate
      with Scc and LCS. Caution is needed when comparing spacing metrics evaluated in
      sampling areas of different sizes.

PMID- 28632881
TI  - Clinically Available Assessment Measures for Lingual and Labial Somatosensation
      in Healthy Adults: Normative Data and Test Reliability.
AB  - Purpose: High-quality orofacial somatosensory inputs are essential for achieving
      rapid and accurate motor outputs. Little somatosensory testing is currently being
      completed in clinical settings. The purpose of this study is to assess the
      feasibility and test-retest reliability of clinical assessment tools for
      orofacial somatosensory testing in healthy young adults. Method: A total of 45
      healthy young adults (ages 20-41 years) was recruited. Participants reported
      basic health information, completed pure-tone hearing thresholds, and were
      assessed using two-point discrimination discs and Von Frey hair detection and
      discrimination thresholds for bilateral lip and tongue. A subsample of
      participants (n = 18; 40%) returned to complete reliability testing. Results:
      Descriptive results are presented for the normative group as well as the
      reliability group. Difference scores between Tests 1 and 2 for each testing
      measure and location show high agreement. Conclusion: Two-point discrimination
      and Von Frey hair monofilament assessment for both detection- and discrimination
      threshold estimates have high test-retest reliability in a healthy young
      population. These testing measures could be a way to easily complete objective
      somatosensory testing of the orofacial region in a clinical context.

PMID- 28632880
TI  - The Urokinase Receptor-Derived Peptide UPARANT Recovers Dysfunctional
      Electroretinogram and Blood-Retinal Barrier Leakage in a Rat Model of Diabetes.
AB  - Purpose: The activation of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its
      receptor system is associated with retinal diseases. Among peptide inhibitors of
      this system, UPARANT acts by preventing the onset of pathologic signs of
      neovascular ocular diseases. We investigated whether systemic UPARANT may act in
      a therapeutic regimen by suppressing the retinal damage that characterizes
      diabetic retinopathy using a rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
      Methods: In healthy rats, plasma, eye, and retina concentrations of UPARANT were
      evaluated by mass spectrometry. In rat models of streptozotocin-induced diabetes,
      the appearance of diabetic retinopathy was assessed by electroretinogram (ERG).
      UPARANT was then administered at different dosages and daily regimens. ERG
      recording, Evans blue perfusion, and real-time PCR were used to evaluate UPARANT
      efficacy. UPARANT safety was also determined. Results: UPARANT was found in
      plasma, eye, and retina soon after its administration and remained detectable
      after 24 hours. Between the 4th and the 5th week after diabetes onset, UPARANT at
      8 mg/kg (daily for 5 days) was effective in recovering dysfunctional ERG. Three
      day treatments at 8 mg/kg or a half dose for 5 days were ineffective. ERG
      recovery lasted approximately 2 weeks. ERG recovery was accompanied by restored
      blood-retinal barrier integrity and inhibition of inflammatory and angiogenic
      responses. UPARANT showed a safety profile. Conclusions: These data suggest that
      targeting the urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its receptor system by
      systemic UPARANT is a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of early
      diabetic retinopathy, thus providing a potential alternative approach to delay
      disease progression in humans.

PMID- 28632878
TI  - Identification of Novel G Protein-Coupled Receptor 143 Ligands as Pharmacologic
      Tools for Investigating X-Linked Ocular Albinism.
AB  - Purpose: GPR143 regulates melanosome biogenesis and organelle size in pigment
      cells. The mechanisms underlying receptor function remain unclear. G protein
      coupled receptors (GPCRs) are excellent pharmacologic targets; thus, we developed
      and applied a screening approach to identify potential GPR143 ligands and
      chemical modulators. Methods: GPR143 interacts with beta-arrestin; we therefore
      established a beta-arrestin recruitment assay to screen for compounds that
      modulate activity. Because GPR143 is localized intracellularly, screening with
      the wild-type receptor would be restricted to agents absorbed by the cell. For
      the screen we used a mutant receptor, which shows similar basal activity as the
      wild type but traffics to the plasma membrane. We tested two compound libraries
      and investigated validated hits for their effects on melanocyte pigmentation.
      Results: GPR143, which showed high constitutive activity in the beta-arrestin
      assay, was inhibited by several compounds. The three validated inhibitors
      (pimozide, niclosamide, and ethacridine lactate) were assessed for impact on
      melanocytes. Pigmentation and expression of tyrosinase, a key melanogenic enzyme,
      were reduced by all compounds. Because GPR143 appears to be constitutively
      active, these compounds may turn off its activity. Conclusions: X-linked ocular
      albinism type I, characterized by developmental eye defects, results from GPR143
      mutations. Identifying pharmacologic agents that modulate GPR143 activity will
      contribute significantly to our understanding of its function and provide novel
      tools with which to study GPCRs in melanocytes and retinal pigment epithelium.
      Pimozide, one of three GPR143 inhibitors identified in this study, maybe be a
      good lead structure for development of more potent compounds and provide a
      platform for design of novel therapeutic agents.

PMID- 28632882
TI  - Tattooing and psoriasis: demographics, motivations and attitudes, complications,
      and impact on body image in a series of 90 Finnish patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Koebner phenomenon (KP) affects up to a third of patients with
      psoriasis and can occur on tattoos. Little is known about the extent of tattooing
      and its consequences among psoriatic patients. A survey was conducted to
      determine the demographics, motivations and attitudes towards tattoos, and
      complications among tattooed patients with psoriasis, and the impact on their
      body image. METHODS: Ninety Finnish patients completed an internet self-reported
      questionnaire in June 2016. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent (48/90) had one tattoo or
      more (mean number of three tattoos, range 1-20). They were younger than non
      tattooed patients (p = 0.001). Of these, 27.6% experienced a KP on their tattoos
      from 1 week to 15 to 20 years after tattooing. Among those, 30% reported an acute
      flare-up of psoriasis within the first weeks after tattooing. They were more
      likely to have a history of KP. Less than 7% reported a psoriasis flare-up on
      another part of the body after tattooing. Eighty-two percent stated that their
      tattoo(s) had a positive effect on their body image. CONCLUSION: KP on tattoos is
      not particularly frequent in patients with psoriasis. Tattooing has a bolstering
      effect on body image and should not be a contraindication. However, patients need
      proper counseling before receiving tattoos.

PMID- 28632883
TI  - Importance of immunogenicity testing for cost-effective management of psoriasis
      patients treated with adalimumab.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Up to 30% of patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs
      do not respond adequately, and up to 50% lose response over time. Immunogenicity
      is now known to be one of the main causes of this loss of response. METHODS:
      Serum levels of adalimumab and anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) were measured in 19
      patients with psoriasis. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of the patients were
      responders (Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) > 75) and 11% were partial
      responders (PASI 50-75). The serum levels of adalimumab were lower than the
      cutoff in both of the partial responders and the ADAs were high, whereas the
      other 17 patients had adalimumab levels above the cutoff and low ADA levels. Both
      partial responders were obese and none of them were taking methotrexate. Both
      patients switched to ustekinumab, and a PASI 90 response was observed after 16
      weeks. CONCLUSION: Immunogenicity is a risk of biological drugs. In this work,
      the detection of low levels of adalimumab and high levels of ADAs using a
      sandwich ELISA correlated with loss of clinical response. Testing immunogenicity
      and the drug pharmacokinetics of biological drugs in psoriasis patients will
      probably be part of the daily management of these patients in the future.

PMID- 28632884
TI  - Components of the alternative complement pathway in patients with psoriasis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Adipose tissue
      plays important roles in the events that regulate body metabolism. This study
      determined the levels of complement 3 ( C3), acylation-stimulating protein (ASP),
      and adipsin, which take part in the alternate complement pathway, and are
      synthesized in and secreted by adipose tissue. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with
      psoriasis were matched with 22 controls in terms of age, sex, body mass index,
      and lipid profiles. Serum C3, ASP, and adipsin levels were measured in both
      groups. RESULTS: The serum C3 level was higher and ASP and adipsin levels were
      lower in the patient group, but these differences were not significant (p =
      0.708, p = 0.628, and p = 0.218, respectively). ASP and adipsin levels were
      correlated positively in patients with psoriasis (p = 0.029). CONCLUSION: To our
      knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate ASP and adipsin levels in patients
      with psoriasis. The roles of ASP and adipsin in the etiopathogenesis of psoriasis
      are unclear. Although not statistically significant, the lower ASP and adipsin
      levels in the patient group suggest a potential anti-inflammatory role of these
      proteins in psoriasis. Further studies should examine the relationships between
      ASP/adipsin and psoriasis.

PMID- 28632886
TI  - Dermatobia hominis misdiagnosed as abscesses in a traveler returning from Brazil
      to Denmark.
AB  - We present the case of a 62-year-old woman that consulted us for two boil-like
      lesions on her thighs after returning from a trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she
      had swum in a freshwater lake. After consulting three specialist doctors and
      undergoing two antibiotic treatments, she was diagnosed with furuncular myiasis
      caused by Dermatobia hominis. The parasites were excised with no complications.

PMID- 28632885
TI  - Restoring facial symmetry through non-surgical cosmetic procedures after
      permanent facial paralysis: a case report.
AB  - Facial nerve paralysis can occur due to infection, inflammation, trauma, surgery,
      and tumors. It leads to facial asymmetry, impaired oral competence, articulation
      deficits, and psychological problems. Treatment options include physical therapy,
      static slings, nerve and muscle transfers, blepharoplasty, brow lift, and
      chemodenervation with botulinum toxin. We report the case of a 66-year-old
      Caucasian female with permanent facial paralysis following middle ear surgery.
      The facial asymmetry was treated successfully with botulinum toxin A injection,
      hyaluronic acid dermal filler injection, and a thread-lift procedure.

PMID- 28632887
TI  - Pushing the edge of dermoscopy in new directions: entomodermoscopy of Trombicula
      autumnalis.
AB  - Dermatologists are often faced with the challenge of patients presenting with non
      specific symptoms such as itching and or erythema. These symptoms may be
      attributed to a number of diseases, many of which are trivial, and others even
      life-threatening. In order to establish the correct diagnosis, dermatologists
      must rely on good diagnostic tools and knowledge. Dermoscopy was introduced
      mainly for inspection of pigmented lesions, but its use has now also spread to
      non-melanoma skin cancer, inflammatory diseases, and almost any skin disease.
      This diagnostic technique also applies to skin infestation today, often offering
      the opportunity to rapidly identify new hidden features of parasites. This case
      report describes an unusual but representative case in which entomodermoscopy
      enabled a rapid diagnosis in a patient with a non specific erythematous patch.
      Whereas differential diagnosis of such skin manifestations could have been too
      laborious and misleading, dermoscopy easily allowed us to find a small parasite,
      later identified as Trombicula autumnalis.

PMID- 28632888
TI  - Excellent response to tofacitinib treatment in a patient with alopecia
      universalis.
AB  - Alopecia universalis (AU) is generally considered a variant of alopecia areata
      (AA), in which the treatment options seldom provide satisfactory results.
      However, successful treatment of several cases of AA and its variants with oral
      Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have been reported recently. Here we report a 23
      year-old female patient with AU successfully treated with tofacitinib, a
      selective JAK-3 inhibitor. The initial tofacitinib dose was 5 mg twice daily.
      After 2 months of treatment, partial hair regrowth was seen on the scalp and
      eyebrows. Thereafter, the dose was increased to 10 mg in the morning and 5 mg at
      night. By 6 months of the treatment, there was complete hair regrowth throughout
      the entire body. Our patient tolerated tofacitinib well, without any significant
      side effects. Tofacitinib emerges as a promising novel therapy in alopecia
      universalis. We believe further study is required to establish the safety and
      confirm the efficacy of tofacitinib treatment for alopecia universalis.

PMID- 28632889
TI  - Onychodystrophy due to porokeratosis of Mibelli: a rare association.
AB  - Porokeratosis is a specific keratinization disorder that manifests clinically as
      well-demarcated annular or linear keratotic plaques of various sizes and forms
      and with distinguished histology showing cornoid lamella, which is a column of
      closely packed parakeratotic cells extending through the stratum corneum. Nail
      changes secondary to porokeratotic lesions involving digits are quite uncommon
      and rarely reported in the porokeratosis of Mibelli (PM) subtype. Here we report
      the case of a young girl with a PM lesion over the hand along with nail dystrophy
      of the involved digit.

PMID- 28632890
TI  - Minimally invasive surgery and its impact on 30-day postoperative complications,
      unplanned readmissions and mortality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A critical appraisal of the benefits of minimally invasive surgery
      (MIS) is needed, but is lacking. This study examined the associations between MIS
      and 30-day postoperative outcomes including complications graded according to the
      Clavien-Dindo classification, unplanned readmissions, hospital stay and mortality
      for five common surgical procedures. METHODS: Patients undergoing appendicectomy,
      colectomy, inguinal hernia repair, hysterectomy and prostatectomy were identified
      in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program
      database. Non-parsimonious propensity score methods were used to construct
      procedure-specific matched-pair cohorts that reduced baseline differences between
      patients who underwent MIS and those who did not. Bonferroni correction for
      multiple comparisons was applied and P < 0.006 was considered significant.
      RESULTS: Of the 532 287 patients identified, 53.8 per cent underwent MIS.
      Propensity score matching yielded an overall sample of 327 736 patients
      (appendicectomy 46 688, colectomy 152 114, inguinal hernia repair 59 066,
      hysterectomy 59 066, prostatectomy 10 802). Within the procedure-specific matched
      pairs, MIS was associated with significantly lower odds of Clavien-Dindo grade I
      II, III and IV complications (P <= 0.004), unplanned readmissions (P < 0.001) and
      reduced hospital stay (P < 0.001) in four of the five procedures studied, with
      the exception of inguinal hernia repair. The odds of death were lower in patients
      undergoing MIS colectomy (P < 0.001), hysterectomy (P = 0.002) and appendicectomy
      (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: MIS was associated with significantly fewer 30-day
      postoperative complications, unplanned readmissions and deaths, as well as
      shorter hospital stay, in patients undergoing colectomy, prostatectomy,
      hysterectomy or appendicectomy. No benefits were noted for inguinal hernia
      repair.

PMID- 28632891
TI  - Estimating the size of an open population using sparse capture-recapture data.
AB  - Sparse capture-recapture data from open populations are difficult to analyze
      using currently available frequentist statistical methods. However, in closed
      capture-recapture experiments, the Chao sparse estimator (Chao, 1989, Biometrics
      45, 427-438) may be used to estimate population sizes when there are few
      recaptures. Here, we extend the Chao (1989) closed population size estimator to
      the open population setting by using linear regression and extrapolation
      techniques. We conduct a small simulation study and apply the models to several
      sparse capture-recapture data sets.

PMID- 28632892
TI  - Maternal Overweight and Obesity and Genital Anomalies in Male Offspring: A
      Population-Based Swedish Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Overweight and obese pregnant women face higher risk of several
      critical birth outcomes, including an overall increased risk of congenital
      abnormalities. Only few studies have focused on associations between maternal
      overweight and the genital anomalies in boys, cryptorchidism and hypospadias, and
      results are inconclusive. METHODS: We performed a population-based cohort study
      and assessed the associations between maternal body mass index (BMI) in early
      pregnancy and occurrence of cryptorchidism and hypospadias. All live-born
      singleton boys born in Sweden from 1992 to 2012 were included. From the Swedish
      Patient Register, information on cryptorchidism and hypospadias was available.
      Data were analysed using Cox proportional hazards regression adjusted for
      potential confounders. Mediation analyses were performed to estimate how much of
      the association between BMI and genital anomalies were mediated through obesity
      related diseases. RESULTS: Of the 1 055 705 live-born singleton boys born from
      1992 to 2012, 6807 (6.4 per 1000) were diagnosed with hypospadias and 16 469
      (15.6 per 1000) were diagnosed with cryptorchidism, of which 9768 (9.3 per 1000)
      underwent corrective surgery for cryptorchidism. We observed dose-response
      associations between maternal BMI and hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Boys of
      mothers with BMI >=40.0 kg/m2 had the highest adjusted hazard ratios for
      hypospadias (HR 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04, 1.76) and cryptorchidism
      (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.00, 1.58). A substantial proportion of the associations
      between BMI and the genital anomalies were mediated through preeclampsia.
      CONCLUSION: This large register-based study adds to the current literature and
      indicates that the occurrence of hypospadias and cryptorchidism increase with
      maternal overweight and obesity severity.

PMID- 28632893
TI  - Atopic dermatitis is associated with anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation,
      but not with psychiatric hospitalization or suicide.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) has been linked with psychiatric disease in
      adults. However, the exact relationship and its consequences have been
      insufficiently studied. Our aim of this study was to assess the association
      between depression, anxiety, and AD in adults and examine the risk of
      hospitalization and suicide. METHODS: We utilized questionnaire data from a large
      general population study with data on social habits and psychiatric symptoms to
      compare prevalences of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and anxiety
      attacks, in adults with and without a history of AD. Additionally, we used
      nationwide hospital/clinic registry and prescription data to examine the risk of
      anxiety and depression in Danish adults with mild and moderate-severe AD, as well
      as the risk of hospitalization and suicide. RESULTS: In the general population
      study, those with AD reported clinician-diagnosed depression and anxiety more
      often than non-AD subjects, and had an increased prevalence of suicidal ideation
      and depressive symptoms. In the health registry study, moderate-severe AD
      patients had increased risk of antidepressant and anxiolytic medication use,
      while patients with mild AD only had increased risk of anxiolytic medication use.
      There was no increased risk of hospitalization or outpatient contacts due to
      depression or anxiety, or risk of suicide in AD patients. CONCLUSIONS:
      Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation are more common among AD individuals,
      but do not lead to psychiatric consultations, hospitalization, or suicide.

PMID- 28632896
TI  - Reliability of a novel approach for quadriceps motor point assessment.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We studied the ability of clinicians to identify quadriceps motor
      points using a transcutaneous electrical stimulation unit (TENS). METHODS: Twenty
      two certified athletic trainers and 1 expert-rater identified the 7 motor points
      of the quadriceps at 2 time-points separated by 1 week. The difference was
      calculated between where each participant and the expert-rater identified each
      motor point using an x-y coordinate system. Bland-Altman plots were used to
      compare differences between 2 testing sessions. RESULTS: No differences were
      observed between participants and the expert-rater for motor point location. The
      smallest variability in the limits of agreements were observed in the distal
      vastus medialis oblique (-1.89 to 1.86 cm) and proximal vastus lateralis (-1.61
      to 2.35 cm). DISCUSSION: Our results suggest the utilization of a TENS unit may
      be 1 way to identify quadriceps motor points to improve electrical stimulation
      applications. The smallest limits of agreement were over the most common
      quadriceps electrical stimulation electrode positions. Muscle Nerve 57: E1-E7,
      2018.

PMID- 28632894
TI  - Flavonoids as modulators of metabolic enzymes and drug transporters.
AB  - Flavonoids, natural compounds found in plants and in plant-derived foods and
      beverages, have been extensively studied with regard to their capacity to
      modulate metabolic enzymes and drug transporters. In vitro, flavonoids
      predominantly inhibit the major phase I drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP450 3A4 and
      the enzymes responsible for the bioactivation of procarcinogens (CYP1 enzymes)
      and upregulate the enzymes involved in carcinogen detoxification (UDP
      glucuronosyltransferases, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs)). Flavonoids have
      been reported to inhibit ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters (multidrug
      resistance (MDR)-associated proteins, breast cancer-resistance protein) that
      contribute to the development of MDR. P-glycoprotein, an ABC transporter that
      limits drug bioavailability and also induces MDR, was differently modulated by
      flavonoids. Flavonoids and their phase II metabolites (sulfates, glucuronides)
      inhibit organic anion transporters involved in the tubular uptake of nephrotoxic
      compounds. In vivo studies have partially confirmed in vitro findings, suggesting
      that the mechanisms underlying the modulatory effects of flavonoids are complex
      and difficult to predict in vivo. Data summarized in this review strongly support
      the view that flavonoids are promising candidates for the enhancement of oral
      drug bioavailability, chemoprevention, and reversal of MDR.

PMID- 28632895
TI  - Genome mining reveals high incidence of putative lipopeptide biosynthesis
      NRPS/PKS clusters containing fatty acyl-AMP ligase genes in biofilm-forming
      cyanobacteria.
AB  - Cyanobacterial lipopeptides have antimicrobial and antifungal bioactivities with
      potential for use in pharmaceutical research. However, due to their hemolytic
      activity and cytotoxic effects on human cells, they may pose a health issue if
      produced in substantial amounts in the environment. In bacteria, lipopeptides can
      be synthesized via several well-evidenced mechanisms. In one of them, fatty acyl
      AMP ligase (FAAL) initiates biosynthesis by activation of a fatty acyl residue.
      We have performed a bioinformatic survey of the cyanobacterial genomic
      information available in the public databases for the presence of FAAL-containing
      non-ribosomal peptide synthetase/polyketide synthetase (NRPS/PKS) biosynthetic
      clusters, as a genetic basis for lipopeptide biosynthesis. We have identified 79
      FAAL genes associated with various NRPS/PKS clusters in 16% of 376 cyanobacterial
      genomic assemblies available, suggesting that FAAL is frequently incorporated in
      NRPS/PKS biosynthetases. FAAL was present either as a stand-alone protein or
      fused either to NRPS or PKS. Such clusters were more frequent in derived
      phylogenetic lineages with larger genome sizes, which is consistent with the
      general pattern of NRPS/PKS pathways distribution. The putative lipopeptide
      clusters were more frequently found in genomes of cyanobacteria that live
      attached to surfaces and are capable of forming microbial biofilms. While
      lipopeptides are known in other bacterial groups to play a role in biofilm
      formation, motility, and colony expansion, their functions in cyanobacterial
      biofilms need to be tested experimentally. According to our data, benthic and
      terrestrial cyanobacteria should be the focus of a search for novel candidates
      for lipopeptide drug synthesis and the monitoring of toxic lipopeptide
      production.

PMID- 28632897
TI  - Delving within: the new science of the unconscious.
AB  - What exactly is the relationship between conscious awareness and the unconscious
      mind? How, for example, does the brain classify and sort its different functions
      into conscious or unconscious processes? How has the history of human
      conceptualizations about the unconscious influenced current theories? Steve
      Paulson, executive producer of To the Best of Our Knowledge, moderated a
      discussion among neuroscientist Heather Berlin, psychologist Efrat Ginot, and
      psychiatrist George Makari to shed light on the history of the mind and the
      latest insights into the still emerging science of the unconscious.

PMID- 28632898
TI  - HBsAg loss after peginterferon-nucleotide combination treatment in chronic
      hepatitis B patients: 5 years of follow-up.
AB  - Combining peginterferon-alfa-2a (pegIFN) with a nucleotide analogue can result in
      higher rates of HBsAg loss than either therapy given alone. Here, we investigated
      the durability of the response to combination therapy in chronic hepatitis B
      (CHB) patients after 5 years of follow-up. In the initial study, 92 CHB patients
      (44 HBeAg-positive, 48 HBeAg-negative) with HBV DNA >100 000 c/mL (~20 000 IU/mL)
      and active hepatitis were treated for 48 weeks with pegIFN 180 MUg/week and 10 mg
      adefovir dipivoxil daily. For the long-term follow-up (LTFU) study, patients were
      followed up for 5 years after the end of treatment. At year 5, 70 (32 HBeAg
      positive, 38 HBeAg-negative) patients remained in the study. At year 5, 19%
      (6/32) of HBeAg-positive patients and 16% (6/38) of HBeAg-negative patients lost
      HBsAg, and no HBsAg seroreversion was observed. The 5-year cumulative Kaplan
      Meier estimate for HBsAg loss was 17.2% for HBeAg-positive patients and 19.3% for
      HBeAg-negative patients. Fourteen of sixteen patients who lost HBsAg at any time
      point during follow-up developed anti-HBs antibodies (>10 IU/L). At year 5, in
      total 63% (20/32) of HBeAg-positive and 71% (27/38) of HBeAg-negative patients
      were retreated with nucleos(t)ide analogues during follow-up. The cumulative
      Kaplan-Meier estimate for retreatment was 60% of patients at year 5. At year 5 of
      follow-up, 18% of CHB patients treated with pegIFN/nucleotide analogue
      combination therapy had durable HBsAg loss and 88% of these had developed anti
      HBs antibodies.

PMID- 28632899
TI  - Novel intracytoplasmic inclusions immunoreactive for phosphorylated-TDP43 and
      cystatin C in anterior horn cells in a case of sporadic amyotrophic lateral
      sclerosis.
AB  - Novel intracytoplasmic inclusions immunoreactive for phosphorylated
      transactivation response DNA-binding protein 43 (p-TDP43), cystatin C, and
      transferrin were found in anterior horn cells in a case of sporadic amyotrophic
      lateral sclerosis (ALS). The patient was a 59-year-old woman, who died of ALS
      after a clinical course of 8 years. She had been receiving mechanical support for
      respiration for 6 years and in a "totally locked-in" state for 4 years prior to
      death. The spinal cord showed severe degeneration involving the anterior and
      lateral funiculi, whereas the posterior funiculus was preserved. Neurons in the
      anterior horn and Clarke's column were markedly lost, and many Bunina bodies and
      a few skein-like inclusions were found. Some remaining anterior horn cells had
      round and densely eosinophilic or amphophilic intracytoplasmic inclusions. They
      were immunoreactive for ubiquitin, p-TDP43, cystatin C and transferrin. On
      confocal laser microscopy, cystatin C was found to consistently surround p-TDP43
      within the inclusions. The inclusions ultrastructurally consisted of granule
      associated fibrils and, in the central portion, dense aggregates of fibrils were
      associated with masses of electron-dense, coarsely granular or amorphous
      material. Although their pathogenesis remains unknown, these unique inclusions
      may have been formed under a specific condition whereby p-TDP43 and cystatin C
      interacted with each other.

PMID- 28632900
TI  - Native-predator-invasive-prey trophic interactions in Tierra del Fuego: the
      beginning of biological resistance?

PMID- 28632901
TI  - Biexponential T1rho relaxation mapping of human knee cartilage in vivo at 3 T.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of biexponential
      T1rho relaxation mapping of human knee cartilage in vivo. A three-dimensional,
      customized, turbo-flash sequence was used to acquire T1rho -weighted images from
      healthy volunteers employing a standard 3-T MRI clinical scanner. A series of
      T1rho -weighted images was fitted using monoexponential and biexponential models
      with two- and four-parametric non-linear approaches, respectively. Non-parametric
      Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-statistical tests were used to evaluate the
      regional relaxation and gender differences, respectively, with a level of
      significance of P = 0.05. Biexponential relaxations were detected in the
      cartilage of all volunteers. The short and long relaxation components of T1rho
      were estimated to be 6.9 and 51.0 ms, respectively. Similarly, the fractions of
      short and long T1rho were 37.6% and 62.4%, respectively. The monoexponential
      relaxation of T1rho was 32.6 ms. The experiments showed good repeatability with a
      coefficient of variation (CV) of less than 20%. A biexponential relaxation model
      showed a better fit than a monoexponential model to the T1rho relaxation decay in
      knee cartilage. Biexponential T1rho components could potentially be used to
      increase the specificity to detect early osteoarthritis by the measurement of
      different water compartments and their fractions.

PMID- 28632902
TI  - Impaired hippocampal glucose metabolism during and after flurothyl-induced
      seizures in mice: Reduced phosphorylation coincides with reduced activity of
      pyruvate dehydrogenase.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in glucose metabolism and the enzymes involved in
      the hippocampus ictally and postictally in the acute mouse flurothyl seizure
      model. METHODS: [U-13 C]-Glucose was injected (i.p.) prior to, or following a 5
      min flurothyl-induced seizure. Fifteen minutes later, mice were killed and the
      total metabolite levels and % 13 C enrichment were analyzed in the hippocampal
      formation using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Activities of key metabolic
      and antioxidant enzymes and the phosphorylation status of pyruvate dehydrogenase
      were measured, along with lipid peroxidation. RESULTS: During seizures, total
      lactate levels increased 1.7-fold; however, [M + 3] enrichment of both lactate
      and alanine were reduced by 30% and 43%, respectively, along with a 28% decrease
      in phosphofructokinase activity. Postictally the % 13 C enrichments of all
      measured tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates and the amino acids were
      reduced by 46-93%. At this time, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity was 56% of
      that measured in controls, and there was a 1.9-fold increase in the
      phosphorylation of PDH at ser232. Phosphorylation of PDH is known to decrease its
      activity. SIGNIFICANCE: Here, we show that the increase of lactate levels during
      flurothyl seizures is from a source other than [U-13 C]-glucose, such as
      glycogen. Surprisingly, although we saw a reduction in phosphofructokinase
      activity during the seizure, metabolism of [U-13 C]-glucose into the TCA cycle
      seemed unaffected. Similar to our recent findings in the chronic phase of the
      pilocarpine model, postictally the metabolism of glucose by glycolysis and the
      TCA cycle was impaired along with reduced PDH activity. Although this decrease in
      activity may be a protective mechanism to reduce oxidative stress, which is
      observed in the flurothyl model, ATP is critical to the recovery of ion and
      neurotransmitter balance and return to normal brain function. Thus we identified
      promising novel strategies to enhance energy metabolism and recovery from
      seizures.

PMID- 28632904
TI  - Nerve growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor promote reinnervation by
      nerve-muscle-endplate grafting.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to test whether exogenous application of
      nerve growth factor (NGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) to muscles
      reinnervated with nerve-muscle-endplate band grafting (NMEG) could promote
      specific outcomes. METHODS: The right sternomastoid muscle in adult rats was
      experimentally denervated and immediately reinnervated by implanting an NMEG
      pedicle from the ipsilateral sternohyoid muscle. A fibrin sealant containing NGF
      and FGF-2 was focally applied to the implantation site. Maximal tetanic force,
      muscle weight, regenerated axons, and motor endplates were analyzed 3 months
      after treatment. RESULTS: Mean tetanic force, wet muscle weight, and number of
      regenerated axons in the treated muscles were 91%, 92%, and 84% of the
      contralateral controls, respectively. The majority of endplates (86%) in the
      treated muscles were reinnervated by regenerated axons. DISCUSSION: Focal
      administration of NGF and FGF-2 promotes efficacy of the NMEG technique. Muscle
      Nerve 57: 449-459, 2018.

PMID- 28632903
TI  - Immunohistochemical dissection of cystic panfolliculoma focusing on the
      expression of multiple hair follicle lineage markers with an insight into the
      pathogenesis.
AB  - Panfolliculoma (PF) is a rare benign tumor with signs of differentiation toward
      all components of the hair follicle (HF). Cystic panfolliculoma (CPF) is a subset
      of PF with histological similarity to trichofolliculoma making the differential
      diagnosis difficult in some cases. Immunohistopathological investigations of PF
      have been reported; however, previous studies focused mostly on the expression
      profile of the outer root sheath markers. Herein, we report a case of CPF. A
      panel of antibodies was developed and used for the detection of the expression of
      cytokeratin (CK) 10, CK13, CK14, CK15, hair-hard keratin (AE13) and EpCAM within
      the lesion, supporting the differentiation of all epithelial lineages of the HF
      and the diagnosis of CPF. Immunohistopathological examinations clearly showed the
      spatial distribution pattern of each subset of tumor cells with distinct HF
      differentiation marker expression. Intriguingly, fibroblastic dermal cells were
      distributed preferentially near CK15-negative epithelium or CK13-positive HF-like
      structures, suggesting a role for epithelial-mesenchymal interactions (EMIs) in
      CPF pathogenesis. Further characterization of EMIs between the tumor and
      surrounding mesenchymal cells in CPF may provide an explanation for immature HF
      differentiation. These findings suggest that the more intense and coordinated EMI
      in the analogous tumorigenesis gives rise to mature HF structures, resulting in
      trichofolliculoma, which may explain their histological resemblance.

PMID- 28632905
TI  - The malleable brain: plasticity of neural circuits and behavior - a review from
      students to students.
AB  - One of the most intriguing features of the brain is its ability to be malleable,
      allowing it to adapt continually to changes in the environment. Specific neuronal
      activity patterns drive long-lasting increases or decreases in the strength of
      synaptic connections, referred to as long-term potentiation and long-term
      depression, respectively. Such phenomena have been described in a variety of
      model organisms, which are used to study molecular, structural, and functional
      aspects of synaptic plasticity. This review originated from the first
      International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) and Journal of Neurochemistry
      (JNC) Flagship School held in Alpbach, Austria (Sep 2016), and will use its
      curriculum and discussions as a framework to review some of the current knowledge
      in the field of synaptic plasticity. First, we describe the role of plasticity
      during development and the persistent changes of neural circuitry occurring when
      sensory input is altered during critical developmental stages. We then outline
      the signaling cascades resulting in the synthesis of new plasticity-related
      proteins, which ultimately enable sustained changes in synaptic strength. Going
      beyond the traditional understanding of synaptic plasticity conceptualized by
      long-term potentiation and long-term depression, we discuss system-wide
      modifications and recently unveiled homeostatic mechanisms, such as synaptic
      scaling. Finally, we describe the neural circuits and synaptic plasticity
      mechanisms driving associative memory and motor learning. Evidence summarized in
      this review provides a current view of synaptic plasticity in its various forms,
      offers new insights into the underlying mechanisms and behavioral relevance, and
      provides directions for future research in the field of synaptic plasticity. Read
      the Editorial Highlight for this article on doi: 10.1111/jnc.14102.

PMID- 28632907
TI  - Preferential aerosolization of bacteria in bioaerosols generated in vitro.
AB  - AIMS: Little is known about how bacteria are aerosolized in terms of whether some
      bacteria will be found in the air more readily than others that are present in
      the source. This report describes in vitro experiments to compare aerosolization
      rates (also known as preferential aerosolization) of Gram-positive and Gram
      negative bacteria as well as rod- and coccus-shaped bacteria, using two
      nebulization conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A consortium of five bacterial
      species was aerosolized in a homemade chamber. Aerosols generated with a
      commercial nebulizer and a homemade bubble-burst aerosol generator were compared.
      Data suggest that Pseudomonas aeruginosa was preferentially aerosolized in
      comparison to Moraxella catarrhalis, Lactobacillus paracasei, Staphylococcus
      aureus and Streptococcus suis, independently of the method of aerosolization.
      Bacterial integrity of Strep. suis was more preserved compared to other bacteria
      studied as revealed with PMA-qPCR. CONCLUSION: We reported the design of an
      aerosol chamber and bubble-burst generator for the in vitro study of preferential
      aerosolization. In our setting, preferential aerosolization was influenced by
      bacterial properties instead of aerosolization mechanism. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT
      OF THE STUDY: These findings could have important implications for predicting the
      composition of bioaerosols in various locations such as wastewater treatment
      plants, agricultural settings and health care settings.

PMID- 28632906
TI  - Improving the histologic characterization of burn depth.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Visual assessment of burn wound appearance is the standard of care to
      determine the depth of thermal injury but often incorrectly predicts wound
      healing potential. Histologic evaluation of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained
      burn tissue is prone to subjectivity and is challenging for the novice. Lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH) staining may offer a simplified and consistent technique to
      identify burn tissue viability. METHODS: Thirty tissue samples were obtained from
      6 patients undergoing surgical excision for clinically determined deep partial
      thickness or full thickness burns. Tissues were stained with H&E or LDH. Each
      specimen was scored by 3 individuals with varying levels of skill in histologic
      interpretation using a standardized checklist at 2 distinct time points. RESULTS:
      Agreement within raters was highest for the expert rater and lowest for the
      novice; however, the LDH stained tissue method had improved agreement for an
      experienced burn surgeon and novice. Agreement between raters was greater for the
      LDH stained samples which were determined to have greater viability than the
      corresponding H&E section in 100% of samples scored by the expert and in 80% for
      the novice clinician. CONCLUSION: LDH staining offers a more consistent measure
      of tissue viability that can be used by experienced and novice clinicians.

PMID- 28632908
TI  - Prediction of Groundwater Quality Trends Resulting from Anthropogenic Changes in
      Southeast Florida.
AB  - The effects of surface water flow system changes caused by constructing water
      conservation areas and canals in southeast Florida on groundwater quality under
      the Atlantic Coastal Ridge was investigated with numerical modeling. Water
      quality data were used to delineate a zone of groundwater with low total
      dissolved solids (TDS) within the Biscayne aquifer under the ridge. The
      delineated zone has the following characteristics. Its location generally
      coincides with an area where the Biscayne aquifer has high transmissivities,
      corresponds to a high recharge area of the ridge, and underlies a part of the
      groundwater mound formed under the ridge prior to completion of the canals. This
      low TDS groundwater appears to be the result of pre-development conditions rather
      than seepage from the canals constructed after the 1950s. Numerical simulation
      results indicate that the time for low TDS groundwater under the ridge to reach
      equilibrium with high TDS surface water in the water-conservation areas and
      Everglades National Park are approximately 70 and 60 years, respectively. The
      high TDS groundwater would be restricted to the water-conservation areas and the
      park due to its slow eastward movement caused by small hydraulic gradients in
      Rocky Glades and its mixing with the low TDS groundwater under the high-recharge
      area of the ridge. The flow or physical boundary conditions such as high recharge
      rates or low hydraulic conductivity layers may affect how the spatial
      distribution of groundwater quality in an aquifer will change when a groundwater
      flow system reaches equilibrium with an associated surface water flow system.

PMID- 28632909
TI  - Catalyst-Controlled, Enantioselective, and Diastereodivergent Conjugate Addition
      of Aldehydes to Electron-Deficient Olefins.
AB  - A chiral-amine-catalyzed enantioselective and diastereodivergent method for
      aldehyde addition to electron-deficient olefins is presented. Hydrogen bonding
      was used as a control element to achieve unusual anti selectivity, which was
      further elucidated through mechanistic and computational studies.

PMID- 28632910
TI  - WITHDRAWN: Hypnosis for children undergoing dental treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Managing children is a challenge that many dentists face. Many non
      pharmacological techniques have been developed to manage anxiety and behavioural
      problems in children, such us: 'tell, show & do', positive reinforcement,
      modelling and hypnosis. The use of hypnosis is generally an overlooked area,
      hence the need for this review. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review attempted to
      answer the question: What is the effectiveness of hypnosis (with or without
      sedation) for behaviour management of children who are receiving dental care in
      order to allow successful completion of treatment?Null hypothesis: Hypnosis has
      no effect on the outcome of dental treatment of children. SEARCH METHODS: We
      searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE
      (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), and PsycINFO. Electronic and manual searches were
      performed using controlled vocabulary and free text terms with no language
      restrictions. Date of last search: 11th June 2010. SELECTION CRITERIA: All
      children and adolescents aged up to 16 years of age. Children having any dental
      treatment, such as: simple restorative treatment with or without local
      anaesthetic, simple extractions or management of dental trauma. DATA COLLECTION
      AND ANALYSIS: Information regarding methods, participants, interventions, outcome
      measures and results were independently extracted, in duplicate, by two review
      authors. Authors of trials were contacted for details of randomisation and
      withdrawals and a quality assessment was carried out. The methodological quality
      of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the criteria described
      in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 5.0.2. MAIN
      RESULTS: Only three RCTs (with 69 participants) fulfilled the inclusion criteria.
      Statistical analysis and meta-analysis were not possible due to insufficient
      number of studies. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Although there are a considerable number
      of anecdotal accounts indicating the benefits of using hypnosis in paediatric
      dentistry, on the basis of the three studies meeting the inclusion criteria for
      this review there is not yet enough evidence to suggest its beneficial effects.

PMID- 28632911
TI  - Polymer functionalized gold nanoparticles as nonviral gene delivery reagents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the present study, we investigated the ability of polyethylene
      glycol (PEG) functionalized gold nanoparticles to function as nonviral vectors in
      the transfection of different cell lines, comparing them with commercial
      lipoplexes. METHODS: Positively-charged gold nanoparticles were synthesized using
      polyethylenimine (PEI) as a reducing and stabilizer agent and its cytotoxicity
      was reduced by its functionalization with PEG. We bound the nanoparticles to
      three plasmids with different sizes (4-40 kpb). Vector internalization was
      evaluated by confocal and electronic microscopy. Its transfection efficacy was
      studied by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The application of the
      resulting vector in gene therapy was evaluated indirectly using ganciclovir in
      HeLa cells transfected to express the herpes virus thymidine kinase. RESULTS: An
      appropriate ratio between the nitrogen from the PEI and the phosphorous from the
      phosphate groups of the DNA, together with a reduced size and an elevated
      electrokinetic potential, are responsible for an increased nanoparticle
      internalization and enhanced protein expression when carrying plasmids of up to
      40 kbp (plasmid size close to the limit of the DNA-carrying capacity of viral
      vectors). Compared to a commercial transfection reagent, an equal or even higher
      expression of reporter genes (on HeLa and Hek293t) and a suicide effect on HeLa
      cells transfected with the herpes virus thymidine kinase gene were observed when
      using this novel nanoparticulated vector. CONCLUSIONS: Nonviral vectors based on
      gold nanoparticles covalently coupled with PEG and PEI can be used as efficient
      transfection reagents showing expression levels that are the same or greater than
      those obtained with commercially available lipoplexes.

PMID- 28632912
TI  - Surveillance and early warning systems of infectious disease in China: From 2012
      to 2014.
AB  - Appropriate surveillance and early warning of infectious diseases have very
      useful roles in disease control and prevention. In 2004, China established the
      National Notifiable Infectious Disease Surveillance System and the Public Health
      Emergency Event Surveillance System to report disease surveillance and events on
      the basis of data sources from the National Notifiable Infectious Disease
      Surveillance System, China Infectious Disease Automated-alert and Response System
      in this country. This study provided a descriptive summary and a data analysis,
      from 2012 to 2014, of these 3 key surveillance and early warning systems of
      infectious disease in China with the intent to provide suggestions for system
      improvement and perfection.

PMID- 28632913
TI  - A Carbene Catalysis Strategy for the Synthesis of Protoilludane Natural Products.
AB  - The Armillaria and Lactarius genera of fungi produce the antimicrobial and
      cytotoxic mellolide, protoilludane, and marasmane sesquiterpenoids. We report a
      unified synthetic strategy to access the protoilludane, mellolide, and marasmane
      families of natural products. The key features of these syntheses are 1) the
      organocatalytic, enantioselective construction of key chiral intermediates from a
      simple achiral precursor, 2) the utility of a key 1,2-cyclobutanediol
      intermediate to serve as a precursor to each natural product class, and 3) a
      direct chemical conversion of a protoilludane to a marasmane through
      serendipitous ring contraction, which provides experimental support for their
      proposed biosynthetic relationships.

PMID- 28632916
TI  - Diastasis of the pubic symphysis following vaginal delivery.

PMID- 28632915
TI  - Increasing awareness and knowledge of lifestyle recommendations for cancer
      prevention in Lynch syndrome carriers: Randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Lynch syndrome (LS) mutation carriers may reduce their cancer risk by adhering to
      lifestyle recommendations for cancer prevention. This study tested the effect of
      providing LS mutation carriers with World Cancer Research Fund-the Netherlands
      (WCRF-NL) health promotion materials on awareness and knowledge of and adherence
      to these recommendations. In this randomized controlled trial (n = 226), the
      intervention group (n = 114) received WCRF-NL health promotion materials. All LS
      mutation carriers were asked to fill out questionnaires at 2 weeks before
      (baseline, T0) and at 2 weeks (T1) and 6 months (T2) after the intervention.
      Linear mixed models were performed on awareness (0-7) and knowledge (0-7) of the
      recommendations, and on the secondary outcomes, that is adherence, distress,
      cancer worry, and risk perception. Compared with the control group, the
      intervention group became significantly more aware (overall mean difference =
      1.24; 95%CI = 0.82-1.67) and obtained significantly improved knowledge of the
      recommendations (overall mean difference = 1.65; 95%CI = 1.27-2.03). Differences
      were significantly larger for T1 (Pinteraction  = .003 and <=.001, respectively)
      but remained significant for T2. No effect on secondary outcomes was found. In
      conclusion, provision of WCRF-NL health promotion materials increases awareness
      and knowledge of lifestyle recommendations for cancer prevention among LS
      mutation carriers without causing additional distress, but does not affect
      adherence.

PMID- 28632914
TI  - Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography for differential diagnosis
      of localized gallbladder lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Differential diagnosis of localized gallbladder lesions is
      challenging. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of contrast
      enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography (CH-EUS) for diagnosis of localized
      gallbladder lesions. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five patients with localized
      gallbladder lesions were evaluated by CH-EUS between March 2007 and February
      2014. This was a single-center retrospective study. Utilities of fundamental B
      mode EUS (FB-EUS) and CH-EUS in the differentiation of gallbladder lesions and
      sludge plug were initially compared. Thereafter, these two examinations were
      compared with respect to their accuracy in the diagnosis of malignant lesions.
      Five reviewers blinded to the clinicopathological results evaluated
      microcirculation patterns in the vascular and perfusion images. RESULTS: In the
      differentiation between gallbladder lesions and sludge plug, FB-EUS had a
      sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 82%, 100%, and 95%, respectively,
      whereas CH-EUS had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 99%, and
      99%, respectively. FB-EUS-based diagnosis of carcinomas based on tumor size
      and/or shape had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 61-87%, 71-88%, and
      74-86%, respectively. Additional information regarding irregular vessel patterns
      in the vascular image and/or heterogeneous enhancement in the perfusion image on
      CH-EUS increased the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of
      carcinomas to 90%, 98%, and 96%, respectively. There was a significant difference
      between FB-EUS and CH-EUS in terms of carcinoma diagnosis. CONCLUSION: CH-EUS was
      useful for the evaluation of localized gallbladder lesions.

PMID- 28632917
TI  - Miniaturization of sebaceous glands: A novel histopathological finding in
      pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus of the scalp.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraepidermal acantholysis is a characteristic histopathological
      feature of pemphigus. The histopathology of scalp biopsies in pemphigus has not
      been widely discussed in the literature, although the scalp is commonly involved
      in pemphigus. METHODS: A total of 32 consecutive patients with scalp involvement
      (17 with pemphigus vulgaris [PV] and 15 with pemphigus foliaceus [PF]) were
      enrolled into the study. The histopathological examination of scalp biopsies was
      performed in all patients. Tissue specimens were stained with hematoxylin and
      eosin. RESULTS: Acantholysis extended down the entire length of the outer root
      sheath of the hair follicle in 12 of 17 (70.6%) patients with PV. Follicular
      acantholysis in PF was restricted to the infundibulum and occurred in 12 of 15
      (80.0%) patients. Acantholysis in the vellus hair follicles was observed in 12 of
      17 (70.6%) and 9 of 15 (60.0%) cases, respectively. The miniaturization of
      sebaceous glands was seen in 14 of 17 (82.4%) and 12 of 15 (80.0%) patients,
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Follicular acantholysis is a common histopathological
      feature of pemphigus. It may serve as a clue to the diagnosis of pemphigus
      subtypes, as PV and PF differ in the depth of follicular acantholysis. The
      miniaturization of sebaceous glands is a common histopathological feature
      observed in scalp specimens of patients with pemphigus.

PMID- 28632919
TI  - Isolated facial palsy from perineural spread of cutaneous squamous cell
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28632918
TI  - Predicting inpatient hypoglycaemia in hospitalized patients with diabetes: a
      retrospective analysis of 9584 admissions with diabetes.
AB  - AIMS: To explore whether a quantitative approach to identifying hospitalized
      patients with diabetes at risk of hypoglycaemia would be feasible through
      incorporation of routine biochemical, haematological and prescription data.
      METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of all diabetic admissions
      (n=9584) from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014 was performed. Hypoglycaemia was
      defined as a blood glucose level of <4 mmol/l. The prediction model was
      constructed using multivariable logistic regression, populated by clinically
      important variables and routine laboratory data. RESULTS: Using a prespecified
      variable selection strategy, it was shown that the occurrence of inpatient
      hypoglycaemia could be predicted by a combined model taking into account
      background medication (type of insulin, use of sulfonylureas), ethnicity (black
      and Asian), age (>=75 years), type of admission (emergency) and laboratory
      measurements (estimated GFR, C-reactive protein, sodium and albumin). Receiver
      operating curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was 0.733 (95% CI
      0.719 to 0.747). The threshold chosen to maximize both sensitivity and
      specificity was 0.15. The area under the curve obtained from internal validation
      did not differ from the primary model [0.731 (95% CI 0.717 to 0.746)].
      CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of routine biochemical data, available at the time of
      admission, can add prognostic value to demographic and medication history. The
      predictive performance of the constructed model indicates potential clinical
      utility for the identification of patients at risk of hypoglycaemia during their
      inpatient stay.

PMID- 28632920
TI  - Rural health: Better together.

PMID- 28632921
TI  - Conference recommendations set bold agenda.

PMID- 28632922
TI  - Comparison of Manual and Automated Measurements of Tracheobronchial Airway
      Geometry in Three Balb/c Mice.
AB  - Mammalian lungs are comprised of large numbers of tracheobronchial airways that
      transition from the trachea to alveoli. Studies as wide ranging as pollutant
      deposition and lung development rely on accurate characterization of these
      airways. Advancements in CT imaging and the value of computational approaches in
      eliminating the burden of manual measurement are providing increased efficiency
      in obtaining this geometric data. In this study, we compare an automated method
      to a manual one for the first six generations of three Balb/c mouse lungs. We
      find good agreement between manual and automated methods and that much of the
      disagreement can be attributed to method precision. Using the automated method,
      we then provide anatomical data for the entire tracheobronchial airway tree from
      three Balb/C mice. Anat Rec, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Anat Rec,
      300:2046-2057, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28632928
TI  - N-acylsulfonamides: Synthetic routes and biological potential in medicinal
      chemistry.
AB  - Sulfonamide is a common structural motif in naturally occurring and synthetic
      medicinal compounds. The rising interest in sulfonamides and N-acyl derivatives
      is attested by the large number of drugs and lead compounds identified in last
      years, explored in different fields of medicinal chemistry and showing biological
      activity. Many acylsulfonamide derivatives were designed and synthesized as
      isosteres of carboxylic acids, being the characteristics of these functional
      groups very close. Starting from chemical routes to N-acylsulfonamides, this
      review explores compounds of pharmaceutical interest, developed as enzymatic
      inhibitors or targeting receptors.

PMID- 28632926
TI  - Meta-analysis of health-related quality of life after minimally invasive versus
      open oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare
      health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes between minimally invasive and
      open oesophagectomy for cancer at different postoperative time points. METHODS: A
      search of PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL and the
      Cochrane Library was performed for studies that compared open with minimally
      invasive oesophagectomy. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted for studies
      that measured HRQoL scores using the European Organisation for Research and
      Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OES18 questionnaires. Mean
      differences (MDs) greater than 10 in scores were considered clinically relevant.
      Pooled effects of MDs with 95 per cent confidence intervals were estimated to
      assess statistical significance. RESULTS: Nine studies were included in the
      qualitative analysis, involving 1157 patients who had minimally invasive surgery
      and 907 patients who underwent open surgery. Minimally invasive surgery resulted
      in better scores for global quality of life (MD 11.61, 95 per cent c.i. 3.84 to
      19.39), physical function (MD 11.88, 3.92 to 19.84), fatigue (MD -13.18, -17.59
      to -8.76) and pain (MD -15.85, -20.45 to -11.24) compared with open surgery at 3
      months after surgery. At 6 and 12 months, no significant differences remained.
      CONCLUSION: Patients report better global quality of life, physical function,
      fatigue and pain 3 months after minimally invasive surgery compared with open
      surgery. No such differences remain at longer follow-up of 6 and 12 months.

PMID- 28632929
TI  - Persistent neuropsychiatric impairment in HCV patients-or educational mismatch?

PMID- 28632927
TI  - Prospective associations between environmental heavy metal exposure and renal
      outcomes in adults with chronic kidney disease.
AB  - AIM: In Taiwan, Changhua County residents were exposed to high heavy metal
      pollution and exhibited high heavy metal levels in blood and urine. We examined
      associations between heavy metals in residential soil and renal outcomes of
      residents with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHOD: From 1 January 2003 to 30
      June 2015, we retrospectively identified CKD patients with an estimated
      glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 at one tertiary care centre.
      We linked data displaying heavy metal concentrations from farm soil adjacent to
      the patients' residences to clinical outcomes. We included 2343 CKD patients (533
      with progression to end-stage renal disease [ESRD] and 1810 without]. We followed
      these patients for 3.49 +/- 2.27 years, until death or initiation of maintenance
      dialysis. RESULTS: There were high correlations among the concentrations of the
      eight metals: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, copper, lead, nickel, and
      zinc. After factor analysis, chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc were grouped and
      labelled Factor 1. High Factor 1 concentration near the patients' residences was
      associated with diagnoses of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cerebral
      vascular accident. Patients living in areas with high Factor 1 concentrations
      were at higher risk of ESRD. After multivariate adjustment [adjusted hazard
      ratio: 1.08, 95% Confidence interval: 1.01-1.14, P = 0.02], only zinc and nickel
      were risk factors for progression to ESRD. CONCLUSION: Patients with CKD, with
      long-term exposure to soil-based heavy metals, had rapid progression to ESRD.
      Groups of minerals from the same source of contamination may accumulate and lead
      to additional harm.

PMID- 28632924
TI  - Metabolomics as a Driver in Advancing Precision Medicine in Sepsis.
AB  - The objective of this review is to explain the science of metabolomics-a science
      of systems biology that measures and studies endogenous small molecules
      (metabolites) that are present in a single biological sample-and its application
      to the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. In addition, we discuss how discovery
      through metabolomics can contribute to the development of precision medicine
      targets for this complex disease state and the potential avenues for those new
      discoveries to be applied in the clinical environment. A nonsystematic literature
      review was performed focusing on metabolomics, pharmacometabolomics, and sepsis.
      Human (adult and pediatric) and animal studies were included. Metabolomics has
      been investigated in the diagnosis, prognosis, and risk stratification of sepsis,
      as well as for the identification of drug target opportunities. Metabolomics
      elucidates a new level of detail when compared with other systems biology
      sciences, with regard to the metabolites that are most relevant in the
      pathophysiology of sepsis, as well as highlighting specific biochemical pathways
      at work in sepsis. Metabolomics also highlights biochemical differences between
      sepsis survivors and nonsurvivors at a level of detail greater than that
      demonstrated by genomics, transcriptomics, or proteomics, potentially leading to
      actionable targets for new therapies. The application of pharmacometabolomics and
      its integration with other systems pharmacology to sepsis therapeutics could be
      particularly helpful in differentiating drug responders and nonresponders and
      furthering knowledge of mechanisms of drug action and response. The accumulated
      literature on metabolomics suggests it is a viable tool for continued discovery
      around the pathophysiology, diagnosis and prognosis, and treatment of sepsis in
      both adults and children, and it provides a greater level of biochemical detail
      and insight than other systems biology approaches. However, the clinical
      application of metabolomics in sepsis has not yet been fully realized.
      Prospective validation studies are needed to translate metabolites from the
      discovery phase into the clinical utility phase.

PMID- 28632931
TI  - Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice: Revisions and Validation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Iowa Model is a widely used framework for the implementation of
      evidence-based practice (EBP). Changes in health care (e.g., emergence of
      implementation science, emphasis on patient engagement) prompted the re
      evaluation, revision, and validation of the model. METHODS: A systematic multi
      step process was used capturing information from the literature and user feedback
      via an electronic survey and live work groups. The Iowa Model Collaborative
      critically assessed and synthesized information and recommendations before
      revising the model. RESULTS: Survey participants (n = 431) had requested access
      to the Model between years 2001 and 2013. Eighty-eight percent (n = 379) of
      participants reported using the Iowa Model and identified the most problematic
      steps as: topic priority, critique, pilot, and institute change. Users provided
      587 comments with rich contextual rationale and insightful suggestions. The
      revised model was then evaluated by participants (n = 299) of the 22nd National
      EBP Conference in 2015. They validated the model as a practical tool for the EBP
      process across diverse settings. Specific changes in the model are discussed.
      CONCLUSION: This user driven revision differs from other frameworks in that it
      links practice changes within the system. Major model changes are expansion of
      piloting, implementation, patient engagement, and sustaining change. LINKING
      EVIDENCE TO ACTION: The Iowa Model-Revised remains an application-oriented guide
      for the EBP process. Intended users are point of care clinicians who ask
      questions and seek a systematic, EBP approach to promote excellence in health
      care.

PMID- 28632923
TI  - Comparing the risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation between direct-acting
      antiviral therapies and interferon-based therapies for hepatitis C.
AB  - Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation has been reported during antihepatitis C
      treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HBV co-infection. We aimed
      to evaluate the frequency and risk factors of HBV reactivation during anti-HCV
      therapy and compared those between interferon (IFN)-free direct-acting antiviral
      (DAA) therapies and IFN-based therapies. Three hundred and twenty-two patients
      with HCV infection receiving anti-HCV therapy were retrospectively screened. The
      baseline HBV infection statuses of all eligible patients and the HBV-DNA level of
      all patients with current or previous HBV infection were examined at the end of
      treatment. In patients with baseline anti-HBs positivity, changes in anti-HBs
      titre were evaluated. Of 287 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 157 had
      current (n=4) or previous (n=153) HBV infection; 85 were treated with IFN-free
      DAA therapies and 72 were treated with IFN-based therapies. Six patients
      experienced HBV reactivation (n=2) or HBV reappearance (n=4) after IFN-free DAA
      therapies, while no patient developed HBV reactivation after IFN-based therapies.
      The risk factors of HBV reactivation or reappearance were DAA therapies and a
      reduction in anti-HBs titre to <12 mIU mL-1 by the end of treatment. The decline
      changes of anti-HBs titre were significantly higher in patients treated with DAA
      therapies. Although HBV reactivation hepatitis was not observed, three of four
      patients with HBV reactivation or reappearance after achieving HCV eradication
      had viremia 8 weeks after completion of therapy. A significant proportion of
      patients develop HBV reactivation or reappearance without hepatitis after IFN
      free DAA therapies. Low levels of anti-HBs and their decrease to <12 mIU mL-1
      after treatment are significant risk factors for HBV reactivation or
      reappearance.

PMID- 28632930
TI  - Long-term follow-up of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection-conceived offspring
      compared with in vitro fertilization-conceived offspring: a systematic review of
      health outcomes beyond the neonatal period.
AB  - The use of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has increased significantly
      worldwide, often chosen instead of in vitro fertilization (IVF), yet long-term
      health outcomes are unknown and health differences between ICSI and IVF
      conceptions have not been comprehensively assessed. A systematic review of health
      outcomes of ICSI-conceived offspring beyond the neonatal period compared to IVF
      conceived offspring was carried out. PubMed, OVID Medline/Embase, Informit, Web
      of Science and Proquest databases were searched on 9 November 2016 for studies
      reporting on health outcomes in ICSI-conceived offspring beyond 28 days after
      birth. Physical and psychosocial health were the main outcome measures. The
      search strategy yielded 2781 articles; 2539 were not relevant or did not meet
      inclusion criteria and 137 were duplicates. One hundred and five full-text papers
      were evaluated further and 34 satisfied the inclusion criteria. Studies comparing
      ICSI- and IVF-conceived children suggest their neurodevelopment is comparable.
      Growth and aspects of physical health are also similar; however, studies are few
      and limited to childhood. ICSI-conceived children may be at increased risk of
      autism and intellectual impairment. No difference in risk of childhood cancer was
      reported in one study. Whilst the neurodevelopment of ICSI-conceived children
      appears comparable to those of IVF conception, data relating to
      neurodevelopmental disorders, growth, physical health and childhood cancer are
      inconclusive. Further research into health outcomes in adolescence and adulthood
      is required before conclusions can be drawn about the long-term safety of ICSI
      compared to IVF. Until then, ICSI might be better reserved for its original
      intended use, male-factor infertility.

PMID- 28632933
TI  - Patient Characteristics Associated With a Successful Response to Nurse-Led Care
      Programs Targeting the Oldest-Old: A Comparison of Two RCTs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To improve the effectiveness of community-based care programs,
      especially those targeting the oldest-old population (80+), data are needed that
      elucidate those factors associated with a successful response to the
      intervention. Two comparable nurse-led care programs have been evaluated in two
      large randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one in Switzerland and one in the
      Netherlands. AIMS: To identify common patient characteristics that are related to
      a successful response to proactive nurse-led care, we explored if and to what
      extent, identical factors were present in both study populations. METHODS: A
      secondary data analysis using trial data from the intervention group of both RCTs
      was conducted. The study sample consisted 461 older adults, 230 from the U-PROFIT
      trial (the Netherlands) and 231 from the HPC trial (Switzerland). The mean age of
      the total sample was 85.1 years (SD 3.7). The UPROFIT intervention, delivered by
      registered nurses, included a frailty assessment and a comprehensive geriatric
      assessment (CGA) at home followed by an individualized evidence-based care plan,
      care coordination, and follow-up. The HCP intervention was delivered by advanced
      practice nurses consisting of four home visits and three phone calls, and was
      guided by the principles of health promotion, empowerment, partnership, and
      family-centeredness. A successful response was defined as "stable" or "no
      decline" in daily functioning at follow-up. Daily functioning was measured with
      13 items of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily
      living. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to calculate the
      association between individual characteristics and a successful response.
      RESULTS: Almost half of the participants in the U-PROFIT trial (50.9%), and two
      thirds (65.7%) of the participants in the HCP trial had a successful response at
      follow-up. Fewer comorbidities and a better self-rated health had the strongest
      predictive value for benefiting from the intervention (OR = 0.83 [95% CI 0.66
      1.03], and OR = 1.5 [95% CI 0.92-2.45]), respectively. LINKING EVIDENCE TO
      ACTION: Two large RCTs demonstrated that a preventive nurse-led care program can
      preserve daily functioning in the oldest-old population. Older people with few
      comorbidities and higher self-rated health had a higher likelihood of a positive
      outcome. Unraveling the characteristics associated with a successful response
      provides important information for further refining and targeting an intervention
      to obtain maximum effectiveness. More effort is needed to modify interventions
      for the oldest-old with multiple morbidities and low levels of education.

PMID- 28632932
TI  - Compliance Versus Innovation in Evidence-Based Nursing.

PMID- 28632925
TI  - A kallikrein-targeting RNA aptamer inhibits the intrinsic pathway of coagulation
      and reduces bradykinin release.
AB  - : Essentials Kallikrein amplifies contact activation and is a potential target
      for preventing thrombosis. We developed and characterized a kallikrein aptamer
      using convergent evolution and kinetic assays. Kall1-T4 prolongs intrinsic
      clotting time by inhibiting factor XIIa-mediated prekallikrein activation. Kall1
      T4 decreases high-molecular-weight kininogen cleavage and bradykinin release.
      SUMMARY: Background Plasma kallikrein is a serine protease that plays an integral
      role in many biological processes, including coagulation, inflammation, and
      fibrinolysis. The main function of kallikrein in coagulation is the amplification
      of activated factor XII (FXIIa) production, which ultimately leads to thrombin
      generation and fibrin clot formation. Kallikrein is generated by FXIIa-mediated
      cleavage of the zymogen prekallikrein, which is usually complexed with the non
      enzymatic cofactor high molecular weight kininogen (HK). HK also serves as a
      substrate for kallikrein to generate the proinflammatory peptide bradykinin (BK).
      Interestingly, prekallikrein-deficient mice are protected from thrombotic events
      while retaining normal hemostatic capacity. Therefore, therapeutic targeting of
      kallikrein may provide a safer alternative to traditional anticoagulants with
      anti-inflammatory benefits. Objectives To isolate and characterize an RNA aptamer
      that binds to and inhibits plasma kallikrein, and to elucidate its mechanism of
      action. Methods and Results Using convergent Systematic Evolution of Ligands by
      Exponential Enrichment (SELEX), we isolated an RNA aptamer that targets
      kallikrein. This aptamer, Kall1-T4, specifically binds to both prekallikrein and
      kallikrein with similar subnanomolar binding affinities, and dose-dependently
      prolongs fibrin clot formation in an activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)
      coagulation assay. In a purified in vitro system, Kall1-T4 inhibits the
      reciprocal activation of prekallikrein and FXII primarily by reducing the rate of
      FXIIa-mediated prekallikrein activation. Additionally, Kall1-T4 significantly
      reduces kallikrein-mediated HK cleavage and subsequent BK release. Conclusions We
      have isolated a specific and potent inhibitor of prekallikrein/kallikrein
      activity that serves as a powerful tool for further elucidating the role of
      kallikrein in thrombosis and inflammation.

PMID- 28632936
TI  - Peritumoral cuffing by T-cell tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes distinguishes HPV
      related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma from oral cavity squamous cell
      carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is unclear why human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck
      squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has improved clinical behavior compared to HPV
      negative HNSCC. We sought to better characterize the immune microenvironment of
      tongue cancers by examining the CD3 and CD8 TIL pattern in HPV-positive and HPV
      negative tumors. METHODS: Histologic sections from 40 oral tongue and
      oropharyngeal cases were analyzed (n=21 HPV DNA-positive, n=19 HPV DNA-negative).
      CD3 and CD8 T-cell immunostaining were performed on whole-slide sections to
      quantify tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density and assess its morphology.
      RESULTS: A subset of cases (HPV-positive) displayed a unique TIL pattern
      consisting of circumferential peritumoral population T cells, which was absent in
      the HPV-negative cases. The presence of peritumoral cuffing was strongly
      predictive of improved recurrence-free survival compared to cases that lacked
      this morphologic pattern of immune infiltrate. Four HPV-positive cases lacked the
      pattern, including two cases with disease recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: For the first
      time, we show an architectural pattern of immune infiltrate in HNSCC is seen
      exclusively in HPV-positive patients with improved recurrence-free survival and
      suggests an organized host immunological response contributes to disease control.

PMID- 28632935
TI  - Impact of preoperative calculation of nephron volume loss on future of partial
      nephrectomy techniques; planning a strategic roadmap for improving functional
      preservation and securing oncological safety.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the correlation of the resected and ischaemic volume
      (RAIV), which is a preoperatively calculated volume of nephron loss, with the
      amount of postoperative renal function (PRF) decline after minimally invasive
      partial nephrectomy (PN) in a multi-institutional dataset. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      We identified 348 patients from March 2005 to December 2013 at six institutions.
      Data on all cases of laparoscopic (n = 85) and robot-assisted PN (n = 263)
      performed were retrospectively gathered. Univariable and multivariable linear
      regression analyses were used to identify the associations between various time
      points of PRF and the RAIV, as a continuous variable. RESULTS: The mean (sd) RAIV
      was 24.2 (29.2) cm3 . The mean preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate
      (eGFR) and the eGFRs at postoperative day 1, 6 and 36 months after PN were 91.0
      and 76.8, 80.2 and 87.7 mL/min/1.73 m2 , respectively. In multivariable linear
      regression analysis, the amount of decline in PRF at follow-up was significantly
      correlated with the RAIV (beta 0.261, 0.165, 0.260 at postoperative day 1, 6 and
      36 months after PN, respectively). This study has the limitation of its
      retrospective nature. CONCLUSION: Preoperatively calculated RAIV significantly
      correlates with the amount of decline in PRF during long-term follow-up. The RAIV
      could lead our research to the level of prediction of the amount of PRF decline
      after PN and thus would be appropriate for assessing the technical advantages of
      emerging techniques.

PMID- 28632937
TI  - Synthesis, biological evaluation and docking studies of trans-stilbene methylthio
      derivatives as cytochromes P450 family 1 inhibitors.
AB  - Cytochromes P450 family 1 (CYP1) are responsible for the metabolism of
      procarcinogens, for example polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aromatic and
      heterocyclic amines. The inhibition of CYP1 activity is examined in terms of
      chemoprevention and cancer chemotherapy. We designed and synthesized a series of
      trans-stilbene derivatives possessing a combination of methoxy and methylthio
      functional groups attached in different positions to the trans-stilbene skeleton.
      We determined the effects of synthesized compounds on the activities of human
      recombinant CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and CYP1B1 and, to explain the variation of inhibitory
      potency of methoxystilbene derivatives and their methylthio analogues, we
      employed computational analysis. The compounds were docked to CYP1A1, CYP1A2 and
      CYP1B1 binding sites with the use of Accelrys Discovery Studio 4.0 by the CDOCKER
      procedure. For CYP1A2 and CYP1B1, values of scoring functions correlated well
      with inhibitory potency of stilbene derivatives. All compounds were relatively
      poor inhibitors of CYP1A2 that possess the most narrow and flat enzyme cavity
      among CYP1s. For the most active CYP1A1 inhibitor, 2-methoxy-4'-methylthio-trans
      stilbene, a high number of molecular interactions was observed, although the
      interaction energies were not distinctive.

PMID- 28632934
TI  - A prospective microbiome-wide association study of food sensitization and food
      allergy in early childhood.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alterations in the intestinal microbiome are prospectively associated
      with the development of asthma; less is known regarding the role of microbiome
      alterations in food allergy development. METHODS: Intestinal microbiome samples
      were collected at age 3-6 months in children participating in the follow-up phase
      of an interventional trial of high-dose vitamin D given during pregnancy. At age
      3, sensitization to foods (milk, egg, peanut, soy, wheat, walnut) was assessed.
      Food allergy was defined as caretaker report of healthcare provider-diagnosed
      allergy to the above foods prior to age 3 with evidence of IgE sensitization.
      Analysis was performed using Phyloseq and DESeq2; P-values were adjusted for
      multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Complete data were available for 225 children;
      there were 87 cases of food sensitization and 14 cases of food allergy. Microbial
      diversity measures did not differ between food sensitization and food allergy
      cases and controls. The genera Haemophilus (log2 fold change -2.15, P=.003),
      Dialister (log2 fold change -2.22, P=.009), Dorea (log2 fold change -1.65,
      P=.02), and Clostridium (log2 fold change -1.47, P=.002) were underrepresented
      among subjects with food sensitization. The genera Citrobacter (log2 fold change 
      3.41, P=.03), Oscillospira (log2 fold change -2.80, P=.03), Lactococcus (log2
      fold change -3.19, P=.05), and Dorea (log2 fold change -3.00, P=.05) were
      underrepresented among subjects with food allergy. CONCLUSIONS: The temporal
      association between bacterial colonization and food sensitization and allergy
      suggests that the microbiome may have a causal role in the development of food
      allergy. Our findings have therapeutic implications for the prevention and
      treatment of food allergy.

PMID- 28632939
TI  - Acute skin trauma induces hyperemia, but superficial papillary nutritive
      perfusion remains unchanged.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Superficial skin papillary capillaries with blood supply from a
      superficial vascular plexus and regulated by local metabolic needs supply oxygen
      and nutrients for epithelial cell proliferation. A deep vascular plexus regulated
      by autonomous nerves serves body thermoregulation. In healthy volunteers, we
      assessed circulatory effects of a standardized skin trauma by CAVM, DRS, and LDPM
      to assess the measuring depth of the three techniques and to describe the acute
      trauma effects on nutritive and thermoregulatory perfusion. METHODS: Volunteers
      (n=12) were examined at baseline and after induction of a 5.0 mm*1.0 mm incision
      on the forearm; 30 minutes after the trauma induction, data were collected at 0
      1, 2-3 and 30 mm distances. RESULTS: LDPM showed hyperemia at 2-3 mm distance
      (35.8+/-15.2 a.u.), but not at 30 mm distance (7.4+/-2.5 a.u.) compared to
      baseline (8.8+/-1.8 a.u.). The DRS saturation increased at 2-3 mm (71.2+/-4.8%),
      but not at 30 mm (49.8+/-7.9%) compared to baseline (45.8+/-7.4%). Capillary
      density and flow velocities were unaffected at all distances. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results indicate that skin nutritive papillary capillary function can be assessed
      by CAVM and DRS, but not with LDPM because of its dependence of the deep plexus
      perfusion.

PMID- 28632938
TI  - MEK inhibitors induce Akt activation and drug resistance by suppressing negative
      feedback ERK-mediated HER2 phosphorylation at Thr701.
AB  - Targeting the MEK/ERK pathway has been viewed as a promising strategy for cancer
      therapy. However, MEK inhibition leads to the compensatory PI3K/AKT activation
      and thus contributes to the desensitization of cancer cells to MEK inhibitors.
      The underlying molecular mechanism of this event is not yet understood. In this
      study, our data showed that the induction of Akt activity by MEK inhibitors was
      specifically observed in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Silence of HER2, or
      overexpression of HER2 kinase-dead mutant, prevents the induction of Akt
      activation in response to MEK inhibition, indicating HER2 as a critical regulator
      for this event. Furthermore, HER2 Thr701 was demonstrated as a direct
      phosphorylation target of ERK1/2. Inhibition of this specific phosphorylation
      prolonged the dimerization of HER2 with EGFR in a clathrin-dependent manner,
      leading to the enhanced activation of HER2 and EGFR tyrosine kinase and their
      downstream Akt pathway. These results suggest that suppression of ERK-mediated
      HER2 Thr701 phosphorylation contributes to MEK inhibitor-induced Akt activation.

PMID- 28632942
TI  - The glycan-mediated mechanism on the interactions of gp120 with CD4 and antibody:
      Insights from molecular dynamics simulation.
AB  - N-linked glycans such as 234 and 276 gp120 glycans are vital components of HIV
      evasion from humoral immunity and important for HIV-1 neutralization of many
      broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). However, it is unknown the action
      mechanism of two glycans. To investigate the roles of the glycans on the
      interactions of gp120 with CD4 and antibody, molecular dynamic simulations based
      on gp120-CD4-8ANC195 complex with 234 and 276 gp120 glycans, 234 gp120 glycan,
      276 gp120 glycan, and without glycan were performed. Our results reveal that 276
      gp120 glycan can enhance gp120-CD4 and gp120-antibody interactions through the
      formation of hydrogen bonds of the glycan with CD4 and antibody and make the
      binding interface of gp120, CD4 and antibody stable; 234 gp120 glycan primarily
      reinforces gp120-antibody interactions and weakly affects gp120-CD4 interactions
      as it mainly lies between gp120 and antibody. The co-operating of two glycans can
      enhance gp120-CD4 and gp120-antibody associations. Through the structural
      analysis, it can be seen that 234 gp120 glycan leads to moving upward of two
      glycans and the variable region of heavy chain, which is favorable for the
      interactions of gp120 with CD4 and antibody. The information obtained in this
      study can provide the guidance for design vaccines and small molecule inhibitors.

PMID- 28632944
TI  - Deconstructing the landscape of fear in stable multi-species societies.
AB  - Animal distributions are influenced by variation in predation risk in space,
      which has been described as the "landscape of fear." Many studies suggest animals
      also reduce predation risk by eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls,
      allowing them to occupy otherwise risky habitats. One unexplored area of study is
      understanding how different species' alarms vary in quality, and how this
      variation is distributed in the landscape. We tested this phenomenon in a unique
      system of avian mixed species flocks in Amazonian rainforests: flock mates
      (eavesdropping species) strongly associate with alarm-calling antshrikes (genus
      Thamnomanes), which act as sentinel species. Up to 70 species join these flocks,
      presumably following antshrike behavioral cues. Since flocks in this region of
      the Amazon are exclusively led by a single antshrike species, this provides a
      unique natural system to compare differences in sentinel quality between flocks.
      We simulated predation threat by flying three species of live trained raptors
      (predators) towards flocks to compare sentinel probability to (1) produce alarm
      calls, and (2) encode information about magnitude and type of threat within such
      alarm calls. Our field experiments show significant differences in the
      probability of different sentinel species to produce alarm calls and distinguish
      predators. This variation may have important fitness consequences and shape the
      "landscape of fear" for eavesdropping species.

PMID- 28632943
TI  - Habitat coupling writ large: pelagic-derived materials fuel benthivorous
      macroalgal reef fishes in an upwelling zone.
AB  - Coastal marine upwelling famously supports elevated levels of pelagic biological
      production, but can also subsidize production in inshore habitats via pelagic
      benthic coupling. Consumers inhabiting macroalgae-dominated rocky reef habitats
      are often considered to be members of a food web fuelled by energy derived from
      benthic primary production; conversely, they may also be subsidized by materials
      transported from pelagic habitats. Here, we used stable isotopes (delta13 C,
      delta15 N) to examine the relative contribution of pelagic and benthic materials
      to an ecologically and economically important benthivorous fish assemblage
      inhabiting subtidal macroalgae-dominated reefs along ~1,000 km of the northern
      Chilean coast where coastal upwelling is active. Fish were isotopically most
      similar to the pelagic pathway and Bayesian mixing models indicated that
      production of benthivorous fish was dominated (median 98%, range 69-99%) by
      pelagic-derived C and N. Although the mechanism by which these materials enter
      the benthic food web remains unknown, our results clearly highlight the
      importance of pelagic-benthic coupling in the region. The scale of this subsidy
      has substantial implications for our basic understanding of ecosystem functioning
      and the management of nearshore habitats in northern Chile and other upwelling
      zones worldwide.

PMID- 28632941
TI  - Systematic review of carotid artery procedures and the volume-outcome
      relationship in Europe.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hospitals that conduct more procedures on the carotid arteries may
      achieve better outcomes. In the context of ongoing reconfiguration of UK vascular
      services, this systematic review was conducted to evaluate the relationship
      between the volume of carotid procedures and outcomes, including mortality and
      stroke. METHODS: Searches of electronic databases identified studies that
      reported the effect of hospital or clinician volume on outcomes. Reference and
      citation searches were also performed. Inclusion was restricted to European
      populations on the basis that the model of healthcare delivery is similar across
      Europe, but differs from that in the USA and elsewhere. Analyses of hospital and
      clinician volume, and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting
      (CAS) were conducted separately. RESULTS: Eleven eligible studies were identified
      (233 411 participants), five from the UK, two from Sweden, one each from Germany,
      Finland and Italy, and a combined German, Austrian and Swiss population. All
      studies were observational. Two large studies (179 736 patients) suggested an
      inverse relationship between hospital volume and mortality (number needed to
      treat (NNT) as low as 165), and combined mortality and stroke (NNT as low as 93),
      following CEA. The evidence was less clear for CAS; multiple analyses in three
      studies did not identify convincing evidence of an association. Limited data are
      available on the relationship between clinician volume and outcome in CAS; in
      CEA, an inverse relationship was identified by two of three small studies.
      CONCLUSION: The evidence from the largest and highest-quality studies included in
      this review support the centralization of CEA.

PMID- 28632940
TI  - Characterization of the I4399M variant of apolipoprotein(a): implications for
      altered prothrombotic properties of lipoprotein(a).
AB  - : Essentials Elevated lipoproteinp(a) is an independent and causal risk factor
      for atherothrombotic diseases. rs3798220 (Ile/Met substitution in apo(a) protease
      like domain) is associated with disease risk. Recombinant I4399M apo(a) altered
      clot structure to accelerate coagulation/delay fibrinolysis. Evidence was found
      for increased solvent exposure and oxidation of Met residue. SUMMARY: Background
      Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is a causal risk factor for a variety of cardiovascular
      diseases. Apolipoprotein(a) (apo[a]), the distinguishing component of Lp(a), is
      homologous with plasminogen, suggesting that Lp(a) can interfere with the normal
      fibrinolytic functions of plasminogen. This has implications for the persistence
      of fibrin clots in the vasculature and hence for atherothrombotic diseases. A
      single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs3798220) in the gene encoding apo(a) has
      been reported that results in an Ile->Met substitution in the protease-like
      domain (I4399M variant). In population studies, the I4399M variant has been
      correlated with elevated plasma Lp(a) levels and higher coronary heart disease
      risk, and carriers of the SNP had increased cardiovascular benefit from aspirin
      therapy. In vitro studies suggested an antifibrinolytic role for Lp(a) containing
      this variant. Objectives We performed a series of experiments to assess the
      effect of the Ile->Met substitution on fibrin clot formation and lysis, and on
      the architecture of the clots. Results We found that the Met variant decreased
      coagulation time and increased fibrin clot lysis time as compared with wild-type
      apo(a). Furthermore, we observed that the presence of the Met variant
      significantly increased fibrin fiber width in plasma clots formed ex vivo, while
      having no effect on fiber density. Mass spectrometry analysis of a recombinant
      apo(a) species containing the Met variant revealed sulfoxide modification of the
      Met residue. Conclusions Our data suggest that the I4399M variant differs
      structurally from wild-type apo(a), which may underlie key differences related to
      its effects on fibrin clot architecture and fibrinolysis.

PMID- 28632948
TI  - Nodular cutaneous amyloidoma of the extremity secondary to chronic granulomatous
      inflammation in setting of sarcoidosis.
AB  - Soft tissue amyloidoma is a rare condition that presents primarily in the abdomen
      and/or mediastinum and more uncommonly on the extremities. Soft tissue
      amyloidomas on the extremities have been associated with chronic inflammation,
      particularly when accompanied by AA-type amyloid deposition as seen in local
      trauma, surgery, hypertension and diabetes. To our knowledge, this is the first
      reported case of nodular cutaneous amyloidoma in the setting of systemic and
      cutaneous sarcoidosis. A 65-year-old woman presented with an asymptomatic
      subcutaneous nodule above her left lateral malleolus. Histopathology of the
      lesion showed an inconspicuous epidermis with amorphous eosinophilic material
      deposited in masses within the entire dermis. Congo red and crystal violet stains
      were positive. Based on the clinical and pathologic findings she was diagnosed
      with nodular cutaneous amyloidoma. We hypothesize that this process developed
      secondary to the chronic granulomatous inflammation of sarcoidosis.

PMID- 28632945
TI  - Developing multidisciplinary clinics for neuromuscular care and research.
AB  - Multidisciplinary care is considered the standard of care for both adult and
      pediatric neuromuscular disorders and has been associated with improved quality
      of life, resource utilization, and health outcomes. Multidisciplinary care is
      delivered in multidisciplinary clinics that coordinate care across multiple
      specialties by reducing travel burden and streamlining care. In addition, the
      multidisciplinary care setting facilitates the integration of clinical research,
      patient advocacy, and care innovation (e.g., telehealth). Yet, multidisciplinary
      care requires substantial commitment of staff time and resources. We calculated
      personnel costs in our ALS clinic in 2015 and found an average cost per patient
      visit of $580, of which only 45% was covered by insurance reimbursement. In this
      review, we will describe classic and emerging concepts in multidisciplinary care
      models for adult and pediatric neuromuscular disease. We will then explore the
      financial impact of multidisciplinary care with emphasis on sustainability and
      metrics to demonstrate quality and value. Muscle Nerve 56: 848-858, 2017.

PMID- 28632946
TI  - Emerging Biomarkers of Illness Severity: Urinary Metabolites Associated with
      Sepsis and Necrotizing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Pneumonia.
AB  - Our objective was to illustrate the potential of metabolomics to identify novel
      biomarkers of illness severity in a child with fatal necrotizing pneumonia caused
      by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We present a case report
      with two control groups and a metabolomics analysis: an infant with fatal MRSA
      pneumonia, four children with influenza pneumonia (pneumonia control group), and
      seven healthy children with no known infections (healthy control group). Urine
      samples were collected from all children. Metabolites were identified and
      quantified using 1 H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Normalized
      metabolite concentration data from children with influenza pneumonia and healthy
      controls were compared by using an unpaired Student t test. To identify
      differentiating metabolites of MRSA pneumonia, the fold change of each metabolite
      was calculated by dividing each urine metabolite concentration of the patient
      with fatal MRSA pneumonia by the median urine concentration values of the same
      metabolite of the patients with influenza pneumonia and healthy controls,
      respectively. MetScape (http://metscape.ncibi.org/), a bioinformatics tool, was
      used for data visualization and interpretation. Urine metabolite concentrations
      previously identified as associated with sepsis in children (e.g., 3
      hydroxybutyrate, carnitine, and creatinine) were higher in the patient with fatal
      MRSA pneumonia compared with those of patients with influenza pneumonia and
      healthy controls. The concentrations of additional metabolites-acetone,
      acetoacetate, choline, fumarate, glucose, and 3-aminoisobutyrate-were more than
      25-fold higher in the patient with MRSA pneumonia than those of patients with
      influenza pneumonia and healthy controls. These metabolic changes in the urine
      preceded the clinical severe sepsis phenotype, suggesting that detection of the
      extent of metabolic disruption can aid in the early identification of a sepsis
      phenotype in advance of the clinical diagnosis. These data also support the
      utility of metabolomics for the development of clinical assays to identify
      patients with pediatric pneumonia at high risk for deterioration.

PMID- 28632954
TI  - Pharmacology (2017/028).

PMID- 28632950
TI  - Fibroblastic connective tissue nevus: Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical
      study of 14 cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We present herein a series of 14 lesions showing overlapping features
      with the newly defined benign cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasm labeled as
      fibroblastic connective tissue nevus (FCTN). METHODS AND RESULTS: Total of 8
      patients were male and 5 were female, ranging in age from 1 to 56 years. Lesions
      appeared as isolated nodules or plaques on the trunk (7 cases), the limbs (4
      cases) and the neck (2 cases). Histologically, all cases were composed of bundles
      of bland spindle cells of fibroblastic/myofibroblastic lineage irregularly
      branching within the reticular dermis and along fibrous septa in the subcutis.
      Adnexal structures and dermal adipocytes were entrapped by the fascicles, the
      epidermis was often papillomatous and elastic fibers were decreased and
      fragmented. Expression of CD34 and ASMA was found in 8 and 7 cases, respectively.
      Follow-up was available for 7 patients (mean follow-up, 5 years; range, 1-10
      years). None of the cases metastasized or recurred, even when incompletely
      excised. CONCLUSION: The differential diagnosis of FCTN is broad and includes
      hypertrophic scar, dermatofibroma, dermatomyofibroma, pilar leiomyoma, plaque
      stage DFSP, CD34-positive plaque-like dermal fibroma, fibroblastic-predominant
      plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumor, lipofibromatosis, superficial desmoid
      fibromatosis and fibrous hamartoma of infancy, of which it represents probably
      the monophasic variant.

PMID- 28632955
TI  - The Hallmarks of Midwifery Connect This Diverse Pharmacology Continuing Education
      Theme Issue.

PMID- 28632957
TI  - Iridium(I)-Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydrocarbonation of Alkenes: Efficient Access
      to Cyclic Systems Bearing Quaternary Stereocenters.
AB  - A catalytic, versatile and atom-economical C-H functionalization process that
      provides a wide variety of cyclic systems featuring methyl-substituted quaternary
      stereocenters is described. The method relies on the use of a cationic IrI 
      bisphosphine catalyst, which promotes a carboxamide-assisted activation of an
      olefinic C(sp2 )-H bond followed by exo-cyclization to a tethered 1,1
      disubstituted alkene. The extension of the method to aromatic and heteroaromatic
      C-H bonds, as well as developments on an enantioselective variant, are also
      described.

PMID- 28632947
TI  - Pimozide reduces toxic forms of tau in TauC3 mice via 5' adenosine monophosphate
      activated protein kinase-mediated autophagy.
AB  - In neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD), tau is
      hyperphosphorylated and forms aggregates and neurofibrillary tangles in affected
      neurons. Autophagy is critical to clear the aggregates of disease-associated
      proteins and is often altered in patients and animal models of AD. Because
      mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) negatively regulates autophagy and is
      hyperactive in the brains of patients with AD, mTOR is an attractive therapeutic
      target for AD. However, pharmacological strategies to increase autophagy by
      targeting mTOR inhibition cause various side effects. Therefore, autophagy
      activation mediated by non-mTOR pathways is a new option for autophagy-based AD
      therapy. Here, we report that pimozide activates autophagy to rescue tau
      pathology in an AD model. Pimozide increased autophagic flux through the
      activation of the AMPK-Unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1) axis, but
      not of mTOR, in neuronal cells, and this function was independent of dopamine D2
      receptor inhibition. Pimozide reduced levels of abnormally phosphorylated tau
      aggregates in neuronal cells. Further, daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment of
      pimozide led to a recovery from memory deficits of TauC3 mice expressing a
      caspase-cleaved form of tau. In the brains of these mice, we found increased
      phosphorylation of AMPK1 and ULK1, and reduced levels of the soluble oligomers
      and NP40-insoluble aggregates of abnormally phosphorylated tau. Together, these
      results suggest that pimozide rescues memory impairments in TauC3 mice and
      reduces tau aggregates by increasing autophagic flux through the mTOR-independent
      AMPK-ULK1 axis.

PMID- 28632952
TI  - Injecting drug use in low and middle-income countries: Opportunities to improve
      care and prevent harm.
AB  - Inadequate response to injecting drug use (IDU) is a significant problem the
      world over. Low levels of funding, political inaction, poor levels of health
      service coverage, high prevalence and incidence of IDU-related blood-borne
      viruses (BBVs) and ongoing stigmatization/marginalization affect people who
      inject drugs (PWID) regardless of the income status of the country they reside
      in. These barriers and system failings are, however, exacerbated in low and
      middle-income countries (LMICs), meaning that the potential consequences of
      inaction are more pressing. In this narrative review, we describe the levels of
      IDU and IDU-specific BBV prevalence in LMICs; levels of harm reduction
      implementation; the consequences of late or insufficient response, the
      shortcomings of data collection and dissemination; and the barriers to effective
      LMIC harm reduction implementation. We also exemplify cases where IDU-related
      harms and BBV epidemics have been successfully curtailed in LMICs, showing that
      effective response, despite the barriers, is possible. In conclusion, we suggest
      four key priorities on the basis of the review: confirming the presence or
      absence of IDU in LMICs, improving the collection and dissemination of national
      IDU-specific data, increasing the level of harm reduction programme
      implementation in LMICs, and increasing both national and international advocacy
      for PWID and attendant public health interventions.

PMID- 28632953
TI  - Updates to the US Food and Drug Administration Regulations for Mifepristone:
      Implications for Clinical Practice and Access to Abortion.
AB  - This article provides information on recent changes in the US Food and Drug
      Administration (FDA) labeling and safety regulations for mifepristone (Mifeprex).
      The revised label now permits midwives, advanced practice nurses, and physician
      assistants to order and prescribe mifepristone, eliminating the requirement for
      physician supervision. The updated label also extends eligibility for use from 49
      to 70 days' gestation and decreases the number of required visits from 3 to 2.
      The recommended dose of mifepristone has been reduced, and the dosage, timing,
      and route of administration for misoprostol have also been changed to reflect
      current research. These changes have implications for clinical practice and may
      lead to expanded access for women in the United States.

PMID- 28632949
TI  - Potential impact of nonavalent HPV vaccine in the prevention of high-grade
      cervical lesions and cervical cancer in Portugal.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the potential impact of the nonavalent HPV vaccine for
      high-grade cervical lesions and invasive cervical cancer (ICC) in Portugal.
      METHODS: The present secondary analysis used data collected in the CLEOPATRE II
      study on the prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58 among female patients
      aged 20-88 years. The prevalence of HPV types in patients with cervical
      intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grades 2/3 and ICC was examined. RESULTS: Data
      were included from 582 patients. There were 177, 341, and 64 patients with CIN2,
      CIN3, and ICC, respectively, and 169 (95.5%), 339 (99.4%), and 62 (96.9) of them
      had HPV infections. Of patients with HPV infections, HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52,
      and 58 infections were identified in 150 (88.8%), 329 (97.1%), and 60 (96.8%)
      patients with CIN2, CIN3, and ICC, respectively. HPV genotypes 6, 11, 16, 18, 31,
      33, 45, 52, and 58 were identified in 540 (94.7%) of the patients with HPV
      infections. CONCLUSION: The addition of the five HPV genotypes included in the
      nonavalent HPV vaccine (HPV 31/33/45/52/58) could result in the new HPV vaccine
      preventing 94.7% of CIN2/3 and ICC occurrences.

PMID- 28632951
TI  - Improving the quality of maternity services in Uganda through accelerated
      implementation of essential interventions by healthcare professional
      associations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the implementation of a package of activities
      through the joint action of the three international healthcare professionals
      associations (HCPAs) increased the use of intrapartum and postnatal essential
      interventions (EIs) in two hospitals in Uganda. METHODS: A non-controlled before
      and-after study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of a package of activities
      designed to change practice relating to nine EIs among providers. Coverage of the
      EIs was measured in a 3-month pre-implementation period and a 3-month post
      implementation period in 2014. Data were obtained for women older than 18 years
      who delivered vaginally or by cesarean. RESULTS: Overall, 4816 women were
      included. Level of use remained high for EIs used widely at baseline. Some EIs
      that had low use at baseline did not show improvement after the implementation.
      Promotion of breastfeeding showed a significant improvement in the Kampala
      hospital, from 8.5% (8/94) to 25.6% (30/117; P=0.001), whereas promotion of
      hygiene in cord care improved at the Mbarara hospital, from 0.1% (2/1592) to
      46.0% (622/1351; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: These exploratory results show that a
      package delivered through the joint work of the three HCPAs was feasible to
      implement along with rigorous data collection. Although the data show
      disparities, trends suggest that improvement could be achieved.

PMID- 28632956
TI  - Anti-inflammatory potential of a heat-killed Lactobacillus strain isolated from
      Kimchi on house dust mite-induced atopic dermatitis in NC/Nga mice.
AB  - AIMS: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic skin disease driven by the Th2-prone
      immune response. Therefore, a fundamental approach to restoring the Th1/Th2
      balance is needed to treat AD. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighteen different
      Lactobacillus strains isolated from Kimchi were screened to identify those that
      stimulated immune cells to secret Th1-type or Th2-type cytokines. Lactobacillus
      brevis NS1401 induced the greatest IFN-gamma and IL-12 secretion and the least IL
      4 production among the tested Lactobacillus strains. Furthermore, oral
      administration of heat-killed NS1401 ameliorated the symptoms of dust mite
      induced AD in NC/Nga mice by decreasing the serum IgE level and reducing the
      number of mast cells and eosinophils in lesions. Also, the size and number of
      cells in the draining lymph nodes of NS1401-administered mice were significantly
      reduced. In agreement with these results, secretion of a Th1-type cytokine (IFN
      gamma) and allergen-specific IgG2a were increased, whereas secretion of Th2-type
      cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10) and allergen-specific IgG1 were decreased upon
      administration of NS1401 in mice. CONCLUSIONS: Lactobacillus brevis NS1401
      alleviates the symptoms of AD by restoring the Th1/Th2 balance through enhancing
      Th1-prone immunity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The immunomodulatory
      function of L. brevis NS1401 may provide effective new therapeutics against AD.

PMID- 28632958
TI  - Decreased portal vein velocity is predictive of the development of portal vein
      thrombosis: A matched case-control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in cirrhosis may lead to hepatic
      decompensation and increased mortality. We aimed to investigate if decreased
      portal vein (PV) velocity is associated with future PVT. METHODS: Data on adult
      patients with cirrhosis and PVT between January 1, 2005 and July 30, 2015 were
      obtained. Cases with PVT were matched by age, gender and Model for End-stage
      Liver Disease (MELD) score to corresponding controls without PVT. Cox
      proportional hazards models, receiver operator curves and Kaplan Meier curves
      were constructed. RESULTS: One hundred subjects (50 matched pairs) with mean age
      53.8+/-13.1 y and MELD score 14.9+/-5.5 were included in our analysis. Sixty-four
      percent were male and 76% were Child-Turcotte-Pugh Class A or B. Baseline
      characteristics (prior to development of PVT) were similar, except for baseline
      PV velocity (16.9 cm/s, 95% CI 13.9-20.0 PVT vs 25.0, 95% CI 21.8-28.8 no PVT,
      P<.001). 30 PVT subjects had PV velocity <15 cm/s compared to five without PVT
      (P<.001). On adjusted multivariable analysis, PV velocity was the strongest
      independent risk factor predicting PVT development (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.80-0.93).
      The predictive value for PVT development was greatest for flow <15 cm/s (c
      statistic 0.77). PV velocity <15 cm/s had a highly significant association with
      future PVT (HR 6.00, 95% CI 2.20-16.40, P=<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased PV
      velocity is associated with increased risk of future PVT. Patients with cirrhosis
      and decreased PV velocity are a high-risk subgroup that warrants further
      investigation with prospective study.

PMID- 28632959
TI  - Defect-Based Modulation of Optoelectronic Properties for Biofunctionalized
      Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets.
AB  - Defect engineering potentially allows for dramatic tuning of the optoelectronic
      properties of two-dimensional materials. With the help of DFT calculations, a
      systematic study of DNA nucleobases adsorbed on hexagonal boron-nitride
      nanoflakes (h-BNNFs) with boron (VB ) and nitrogen (VN ) monovacancies is
      presented. The presence of VN and VB defects increases the binding strength of
      nucleobases by 9 and 34 kcal mol-1 , respectively (h-BNNF-VB >h-BNNF-VN >h-BNNF).
      A more negative electrostatic potential at the VB site makes the h-BNNF-VB
      surface more reactive than that of h-BNNF-VN , enabling H-bonding interactions
      with nucleobases. This binding energy difference affects the recovery time-a
      significant factor for developing DNA biosensors-of the surfaces in the order h
      BNNF-VB >h-BNNF-VN >h-BNNF. The presence of VB and VN defect sites increases the
      electrical conductivity of the h-BNNF surface, VN defects being more favorable
      than VB sites. The blueshift of absorption peaks of the h-BNNF-VB -nucleobase
      complexes, in contrast to the redshift observed for h-BNNF-VN -nucleobase
      complexes, is attributed to their observed differences in binding energies, the
      HOMO-LUMO energy gap and other optoelectronic properties. Time-dependent DFT
      calculations reveal that the monovacant boron-nitride-sheet-nucleobase composites
      absorb visible light in the range 300-800 nm, thus making them suitable for light
      emitting devices and sensing nucleobases in the visible region.

PMID- 28632960
TI  - SNAP-Tag-Based Subcellular Protein Labeling and Fluorescent Imaging with
      Naphthalimides.
AB  - Genetically encoded technologies provide methods for the specific labeling and
      imaging of proteins, which is essential to understand the subcellular
      localization of these proteins and their function. Herein, we employed
      naphthalimide, an efficient two-photon fluorophore, to develop O6 -benzylguanine
      (BG) derivatives for specific labeling of subcellular proteins and fluorescent
      imaging through the SNAP-tag. Three naphthalimide-BG derivatives, TNI-BG, QNI-BG,
      and ONI-BG, were conveniently synthesized through modular "click chemistry" in
      high yields. All of them showed high labeling efficiency with SNAP-tag in
      solution (~1-2*103  s-1  m-1 ) and in bacteria. Among them, ONI-BG showed high
      specificity to diffused, histone H2B and mitochondria COX8A targeted SNAP-tag in
      mammalian cells. The protein-labeled naphthalimides exhibited high two-photon
      absorption cross-sections, which indicated their potential application in protein
      specific two-photon fluorescent imaging, such as two-photon fluorescent lifetime
      imaging and two-photon multicolor imaging. Therefore, ONI-BG is a versatile tool
      that can be used to track subcellular proteins through multiple fluorescent
      techniques.

PMID- 28632961
TI  - Increased neural response to social rejection in major depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Being a part of community is critical for survival and individuals
      with major depressive disorder (MDD) have a greater sensitivity to interpersonal
      stress that makes them vulnerable to future episodes. Social rejection is a
      critical risk factor for depression and it is said to increase interpersonal
      stress and thereby impairing social functioning. It is therefore critical to
      understand the neural correlates of social rejection in MDD. METHODS: To this
      end, we scanned 15 medicated MDD and 17 healthy individuals during a modified
      cyberball passing game, where participants were exposed to increasing levels of
      social exclusion. Neural responses to increasing social exclusion were
      investigated and compared between groups. RESULTS: We showed that compared to
      controls, MDD individuals exhibited greater amygdala, insula, and ventrolateral
      prefrontal cortex activation to increasing social exclusion and this correlated
      negatively with hedonic tone and self-esteem scores across all participants.
      CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results support the hypothesis that depression is
      associated with hyperactive response to social rejection. These findings
      highlight the importance of studying social interactions in depression, as they
      often lead to social withdrawal and isolation.

PMID- 28632962
TI  - A Novel Minimally Invasive Wireless Technology for Neuromodulation via
      Percutaneous Intercostal Nerve Stimulation for Post-Herpetic Neuralgia: A Case
      Report with Short-Term Follow-up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve stimulation of primary afferent neurons provides
      control of localized chronic pain. This technique applies permanent electrical
      stimulation at the target area via a minimally invasive, subcutaneous placement
      of an electrode. OBJECTIVE: To assess the analgesic effects of minimally invasive
      wireless neuromodulation in the treatment of chronic intractable pain secondary
      to post-herpetic neuralgia. CASE SUMMARY: A 78-year-old man presented with severe
      intractable post-herpetic neuralgic pain. He was known to have non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma under remission following treatment with chemotherapy and stem cell
      transplantation, twice. He also developed steroid-induced diabetes mellitus
      during this treatment. In view of his compromised immune status, he was deemed a
      suitable candidate for our minimally invasive neuromodulation technology. Two
      subcutaneous electrodes were placed on the right-hand side of the trunk, 10 cm
      medial and parallel to the spinous process at the level of T7-T8 under
      fluoroscopic guidance along the T7 intercostal nerve. The external transmitter
      was worn with a belt over a single layer of clothing and used to transmit power
      to the stimulator. The entire procedure required only a small incision for the
      introduction of the electrode placement. RESULTS: After an uneventful procedure,
      the pain score decreased from 8 to 3, with a reduction in pain medication. The
      EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire scores were 0.102 before the trial, 0.630
      at 1 month, and 0.576 at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous placement of
      electrodes with our minimally invasive technique and wireless neuromodulation
      technology was safe and effective. Significant improvements in pain relief
      ensued, and no further adverse events had been reported at the end of 3 months'
      follow-up.

PMID- 28632963
TI  - Metal-Ion Induced In Situ Ligand Oxidation for Self-Assembled Clusters: from
      Bis(5-(2-pyridine-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methane to Alcohol or Ketone.
AB  - Hydrothermal reactions of metal nitrates and ligand bis(5-(pyridine-2-yl)-1,2,4
      triazol-3-yl)methane (H2 L1 ) gave three cluster compounds, {Cr2 }, {Zn12 } and
      {Fe8 }. Notably, methylene group of H2 L1 was in situ oxidized either to
      hydroxymethylated (L2 -O)3- in the metallo-ring {Zn12 } or to a rigid
      carbonylated (L3 =O)2- in the screw-type {Fe8 }. In light of comparative
      experimental results, NO3- was deduced to be of a catalytic role in the ligand
      oxidation. Metal ion could be regarded as an "induced" tool for clusters
      generation in self-assembly process.

PMID- 28632964
TI  - Long-term follow-up of patients triply infected with HIV and hepatitis B and C
      viruses in a comprehensive hospital in central China.

PMID- 28632966
TI  - Characterizing Alzheimer's disease through metabolomics and investigating anti
      Alzheimer's disease effects of natural products.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in elderly people
      and is among the greatest healthcare challenges of the 21st century. However, the
      etiology and pathogenesis of AD remain poorly understood, and no curative
      treatments are available to slow down or stop the degenerative effects of AD. As
      a high-throughput approach, metabolomics is gaining significant attention in AD
      research, because it has a powerful potential to discover novel biomarkers,
      unravel new therapeutic targets for AD, and identify perturbed metabolic pathways
      involved in AD progression. Here, we systematically review metabolomics with
      regard to its recent advances and applications in the identification of potential
      biomarkers for early AD diagnosis and pathogenesis research. In addition, we
      illustrate the developments in metabolomics as an effective tool for
      understanding the anti-AD mechanisms of natural products. We believe that the
      insights from these advances can narrow the gap between metabolomics research and
      clinical applications of laboratory findings. Moreover, we discuss some
      limitations and perspectives of biomarker identification in metabolomics.

PMID- 28632965
TI  - Frequent COL4 mutations in familial microhematuria accompanied by later-onset
      Alport nephropathy due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
AB  - Familial microscopic hematuria (FMH) is associated with a genetically
      heterogeneous group of conditions including the collagen-IV nephropathies, the
      heritable C3/CFHR5 nephropathy and the glomerulopathy with fibronectin deposits.
      The clinical course varies widely, ranging from isolated benign familial
      hematuria to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) later in life. We investigated 24
      families using next generation sequencing (NGS) for 5 genes: COL4A3, COL4A4,
      COL4A5, CFHR5 and FN1. In 17 families (71%), we found 15 pathogenic mutations in
      COL4A3/A4/A5, 9 of them novel. In 5 families patients inherited classical AS with
      hemizygous X-linked COL4A5 mutations. Even more patients developed later-onset
      Alport-related nephropathy having inherited heterozygous COL4A3/A4 mutations that
      cause thin basement membranes. Amongst 62 heterozygous or hemizygous patients, 8
      (13%) reached ESRD, while 25% of patients with heterozygous COL4A3/A4 mutations,
      aged >50-years, reached ESRD. In conclusion, COL4A mutations comprise a frequent
      cause of FMH. Heterozygous COL4A3/A4 mutations predispose to renal function
      impairment, supporting that thin basement membrane nephropathy is not always
      benign. The molecular diagnosis is essential for differentiating the X-linked
      from the autosomal recessive and dominant inheritance. Finally, NGS technology is
      established as the gold standard for the diagnosis of FMH and associated collagen
      IV glomerulopathies, frequently averting the need for invasive renal biopsies.

PMID- 28632967
TI  - Prevalence and orthopedic management of foot and ankle deformities in Charcot
      Marie-Tooth disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Foot deformities are frequent complications in Charcot-Marie-Tooth
      disease (CMT) patients, often requiring orthopedic surgery. However, there are no
      prospective, randomized studies on surgical management, and there is variation in
      the approaches among centers both within and between countries. METHODS: In this
      study we assessed the frequency of foot deformities and surgery among patients
      recruited into the Inherited Neuropathies Consortium (INC). We also designed a
      survey addressed to orthopedic surgeons at INC centers to determine whether
      surgical approaches to orthopedic complications in CMT are variable. RESULTS:
      Foot deformities were reported in 71% of CMT patients; 30% of the patients had
      surgery. Survey questions were answered by 16 surgeons working in different
      specialized centers. Most of the respondents were foot and ankle surgeons. There
      was marked variation in surgical management. DISCUSSION: Our findings confirm
      that the approaches to orthopedic management of CMT are varied. We identify areas
      that require further research. Muscle Nerve 57: 255-259, 2018.

PMID- 28632968
TI  - Perspective on Precision Medicine in Oncology.
AB  - The topic of precision medicine is increasingly more prevalent in the general
      medical literature, with oncology research leading the way. Many factors, such as
      availability of targeted drugs, advances in laboratory science, and improved
      information systems, converged to make precision medicine research possible on a
      large scale at the National Cancer Institute. The resultant big data will spur
      new kinds of research in the decades to come, but until then, all clinicians are
      challenged to make sense of an overabundance of information when managing
      individual patients.

PMID- 28632969
TI  - Vascular endothelial growth factor is neuroprotective against ischemic brain
      injury by inhibiting scavenger receptor A expression on microglia.
AB  - Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a secreted mitogen associated with
      angiogenesis. VEGF has long been thought to be a potent neurotrophic factor for
      the survival of spinal cord neurons. However, the role of VEGF in the regulation
      of ischemic brain injury remains unclear. In this study, rats were subjected to
      MCAO (middle cerebral artery occlusion) followed by intraperitoneal injection of
      VEGF165 (10 mg/kg) immediately after surgery and once daily until the day 10. The
      expression of target genes was assayed using qPCR, western blot and
      immunofluorescence to investigate the role of VEGF165 in regulating ischemic
      brain injury. We found that VEGF165 significantly inhibited MCAO-induced up
      regulation of Scavenger receptor class A (SR-A) on microglia in a VEGFR1
      dependent manner. VEGF165 inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression
      of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)
      and iNOS in microglia. More importantly, the role of VEGF165 in inhibiting
      neuroinflammation is partially abolished by SR-A over-expression. SR-A further
      reduced the protective effect of VEGF165 in ischemic brain injury. These data
      suggest that VEGF165 suppresses neuroinflammation and ischemic brain injury by
      inhibiting SR-A expression, thus offering a new target for prevention of ischemic
      brain injury.

PMID- 28632970
TI  - Hexaazatriphenylene-Based Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework with Permanent
      Porosity and Single-Crystallinity.
AB  - Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) have drawn unprecedented interest
      because of their high crystallinity as well as facile process for construction,
      deconstruction, and reassembly arising from reversible bond formation
      dissociation. However, structural fragility and low stability frequently prevent
      formation of robust HOFs with permanent porosity. Here, we report that hexakis(4
      carboxyphenyl)-hexaazatriphenylene (CPHAT) forms three dimensionally networked H
      bonded framework CPHAT-1. Interestingly, the activated framework CPHAT-1 a
      retains not only permanent porosity but single-crystallinity, enabling precise
      structural characterization and property evaluation on a single crystal.
      Moreover, CPHAT-1 a retains its framework up to 339  degrees C or in hot water
      and in acidic aqueous solution. These results clearly show that even a simple H
      bonding motif can be applied for the construction of robust HOFs, which creates a
      pathway to establish a new class of porous organic frameworks. We also
      characterize its uptake of gases and I2 , in addition to a detailed photophysical
      study (spectroscopy and dynamics of proton and charge transfers) of its unit in
      solution, and of its single crystal under fluorescence microscopy, in which we
      observed a marked strong anistropy and narrow distribution. The results bring new
      findings to the area of HOFs and their possible applications in science and
      technology.

PMID- 28632971
TI  - Maternal depression and bullying victimization among adolescents: Results from
      the 2004 Pelotas cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Maternal depression impacts on several detrimental outcomes during a
      child's life course, and could increase their risk of victimization. This
      longitudinal study examined the association between antenatal maternal
      depression, postnatal trajectories, and current maternal depression and offspring
      bullying victimization at 11 years. METHODS: We included 3,441 11-year-old
      adolescents from the 2004 Pelotas Cohort Study. Antenatal maternal depression,
      postnatal trajectories, and current maternal depression data were assessed during
      the follow-up waves. Bullying victimization was self-reported by the adolescents.
      We used ordinal logistic regression to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95%
      confidence intervals (CIs), for the association between maternal depression and
      offspring bullying victimization. RESULTS: The most prevalent type of bullying
      was verbal victimization (37.9%). We observed a positive association between
      antenatal maternal depression, postnatal trajectories, and current maternal
      depression and physical bullying victimization. Maternal mood symptoms during
      pregnancy were associated with physical (OR = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.11-1.53), verbal
      (OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.12-1.49), and any victimization (OR = 1.22, 95%CI = 1.05
      1.41). Severe current maternal depression was associated with physical (OR =
      1.34, 95%CI = 1.10-1.62), social manipulation (OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 1.08-1.53),
      attacks on property (OR = 1.30, 95%CI = 1.08-1.57) and any victimization (OR =
      1.32, 95%CI = 1.12-1.56). Regarding maternal depression trajectories, the
      "chronic-high" group was associated with higher risk of social manipulation,
      attacks on property and any victimization, than the "low" group. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results strengthen the evidence of association between maternal depression and
      offspring bullying victimization, and physical victimization appears to be the
      main component. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings and to
      elucidate the theoretical pathways for this longitudinal association.

PMID- 28632972
TI  - Nonrandomised interventional study showed that early aggressive nutrition was
      effective in reducing postnatal growth restriction in preterm infants.
AB  - AIM: This study evaluated whether an early aggressive nutrition (EAN) strategy
      could limit extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) in a cohort of preterm
      infants. METHODS: This prospective nonrandomised interventional study was carried
      out in the neonatal intensive care unit of an Italian hospital from January 2013
      to December 2015. The prevalence of EUGR was assessed in 100 infants with a
      gestational age of <=34 weeks, 50 after the introduction of an EAN regimen in
      October 2014 and 50 before. RESULTS: The prevalence of EUGR at discharge was
      significantly lower after the introduction of EAN than before for weight (34% vs.
      66%), head circumference (22% vs. 42%) and length at discharge (20% vs. 48%). The
      Z-scores for all measurements were significantly higher after the introduction of
      EAN. In the EAN group, weight velocity was significantly higher and maximum
      weight loss and negative changes in the Z-scores from birth to discharge for
      weight were lower than in the pre-intervention controls. In extremely low
      birthweight subjects, the weight Z-score and weight velocity were significantly
      higher in the EAN group than the control group. CONCLUSION: The use of EAN at a
      very early age reduced EUGR and improved auxological outcomes in preterm infants.

PMID- 28632974
TI  - HCV-Positive Donor Organs in Solid Organ Transplantation: "Mind the Gap!"

PMID- 28632973
TI  - Molecular modeling study on the tubulin-binding modes of epothilone derivatives:
      Insight into the structural basis for epothilones activity.
AB  - Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to study the tubulin-binding
      modes of 20 epothilone derivatives spanning a wide range of antitumor activity.
      Trajectory analysis revealed that active ligands shared a common region of
      association and similar binding poses compared to the high-resolution crystal
      structure of the tubulin complex with epothilone A, the stathmin-like protein
      RB3, and tubulin tyrosine ligase (PDB code 4I50). Conformational analysis of
      epothilones in aqueous solution and tubulin-bound states indicated that the bound
      conformations of active species can be found to a significant extent within the
      ensemble of conformers available in aqueous solution. On the other hand, inactive
      derivatives were unable to adopt bound-like conformations in aqueous solution,
      thus requiring an extensive conformational pre-organization to accomplish an
      effective interaction with the tubulin receptor. Additionally, MD results
      revealed that epothilone binding-induced structuring of the M-loop and local
      flexibility changes in protein regions involved in interdimeric contacts that are
      relevant for microtubule stabilization. These results provide novel, valuable
      structural information to increase understanding about the underlying molecular
      aspects of epothilones activity and support further work on the search for new
      active tubulin-binding agents.

PMID- 28632977
TI  - 32nd Annual BACCN Conference.

PMID- 28632975
TI  - Effects of Messages Delivered by Mobile Phone on Increasing Compliance With
      Shoulder Exercises Among Patients With a Frozen Shoulder.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of reminders,
      encouragement, and educational messages delivered by mobile phone on shoulder
      exercise compliance and improvements in shoulder function among patients with a
      frozen shoulder. DESIGN AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was
      used. A convenience sample of patients with a frozen shoulder in an orthopedic
      outpatient clinic was recruited. All participants were instructed on how to do
      shoulder exercises and were provided with a printed pamphlet about shoulder
      exercises. Then, the intervention group received reminders, encouragement, and
      educational messages by mobile phone daily for the next 2 weeks, while the
      comparison group did not. FINDINGS: The intervention group had higher compliance
      with shoulder exercises than did the comparison group (t = 2.263, p = .03) and
      had significant improvements in shoulder forward flexion (F = 12.067, p = .001),
      external rotation (F = 13.61, p = .001), and internal rotation (F = 5.903, p =
      .018) compared to those in the comparison group after the 2-week intervention.
      CONCLUSIONS: The text messages significantly increased patient compliance with
      shoulder exercises and thus improved patients' shoulder range of motion. CLINICAL
      RELEVANCE: Hospital or clinics can send appropriate messages to patients via text
      message platforms in order to remind and encourage them to do shoulder exercises.

PMID- 28632976
TI  - Succession planning: a case for revisiting the process in critical care.

PMID- 28632978
TI  - What's in this issue?

PMID- 28632980
TI  - Are you interested in joining the BACCN national board?

PMID- 28632979
TI  - BACCN clinically commissioned papers.

PMID- 28632981
TI  - BACCN Twitter chats.

PMID- 28632982
TI  - Regional news and events.

PMID- 28632983
TI  - A descriptive Study of a Community-Based Home-Visiting Program with Preschool
      Children Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Research suggests that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and Fetal
      Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) increases the risk of insecure caregiver-child
      attachment and related negative child emotional-behavioural outcomes. Research
      also shows positive effects of attachment-focused interventions in preventing
      disrupted caregiver-child attachment relationships; however, such interventions
      have not been specifically adapted for children with FASD. OBJECTIVES: This paper
      describes the implementation, challenges, and results of a community home-based
      attachment intervention, Circle of Security(r) (COS), with preschool children
      affected by PAE/FASD in Manitoba, Canada. METHODS: Twelve caregiver-child dyads
      completed the FASD adapted COS intervention. Children's ages ranged from 2-5
      years. RESULTS: Results support a positive influence of this individualized
      intervention on child behaviour and parent efficacy. There was a significant
      reduction in parent stress that was maintained at 3-month follow-up, and a
      clinically significant reduction in child behavioural issues was noted. Children
      showed increased ability to communicate their needs more effectively to their
      parent. Parents also showed an improvement in their ability to attend to their
      child's cues. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the use of community home-based
      attachment intervention for caregivers of children with PAE/FASD.

PMID- 28632984
TI  - Aging Induced Changes in Biochar's Functionality and Adsorption Behavior for
      Phosphate and Ammonium.
AB  - Biochar, a form of pyrogenic carbon, can contribute to agricultural and
      environmental sustainability by increasing soil reactivity. In soils, biochar
      could change its role over time through alterations in its surface chemistry.
      However, a mechanistic understanding of the aging process and its role in ionic
      nutrient adsorption and supply remain unclear. Here, we aged a wood biochar (550 
      degrees C) by chemical oxidation with 5-15% H2O2 and investigated the changes in
      surface chemistry and the adsorption behavior of ammonium and phosphate.
      Oxidation changed the functionality of biochar with the introduction of
      carboxylic and phenolic groups, a reduction of oxonium groups and the
      transformation of pyridine to pyridone. After oxidation, the adsorption of
      ammonium increased while phosphate adsorption decreased. Ammonium adsorption
      capacity was nonlinearly related to the biochar's surface charge density (r2 =
      0.94) while electrostatic repulsion and loss of positive charge due to
      destruction of oxonium and pyridine, possibly caused the reduced phosphate
      adsorption. However, the oxidized biochar substantially adsorbed both ammonium
      and phosphate when biochar derived organic matter (BDOM) was included. Our
      results suggest that aging of biochar could reverse its capacity for the
      adsorption of cationic and anionic species but the inclusion of BDOM could
      increase ionic nutrient and contaminant retention.

PMID- 28632985
TI  - Healable, Reconfigurable, Reprocessable Thermoset Shape Memory Polymer with
      Highly Tunable Topological Rearrangement Kinetics.
AB  - The unique capability of topological rearrangement for dynamic covalent polymer
      networks has enabled various unusual properties (self-healing, solid-state
      plasticity, and reprocessability) that are not found in conventional thermosets.
      Achieving these properties in one network in a synergetic fashion can open up new
      opportunities for shape memory polymer. To accomplish such a goal, the freedom to
      tune topological rearrangement kinetics is critical. This is, however,
      challenging to achieve. In this work, two sets of dynamic bonds (urethane and
      hindered urea) are incorporated into a hybrid network for synthesizing shape
      memory poly(urea-urethane). By changing the bond ratio, networks with highly
      tunable topological rearrangement kinetics are obtained. Combining self-healing,
      solid-state plasticity, and reprocessability in one such shape memory network
      leads to unusual versatility in its shape-shifting performance.

PMID- 28632986
TI  - Atom Probe Tomography Unveils Formation Mechanisms of Wear-Protective Tribofilms
      by ZDDP, Ionic Liquid, and Their Combination.
AB  - The development of advanced lubricant additives has been a critical component in
      paving the way for increasing energy efficiency and durability for numerous
      industry applications. However, the formation mechanisms of additive-induced
      protective tribofilms are not yet fully understood because of the complex
      chemomechanical interactions at the contact interface and the limited spatial
      resolution of many characterizing techniques currently used. Here, the tribofilms
      on a gray cast iron surface formed by three antiwear additives are systematically
      studied; a phosphonium-phosphate ionic liquid (IL), a zinc dialkyldithiophosphate
      (ZDDP), and an IL+ZDDP combination. All three additives provide excellent wear
      protection, with the IL+ZDDP combination exhibiting a synergetic effect,
      resulting in further reduced friction and wear. Atom probe tomography (APT) and
      scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging and electron energy loss
      spectroscopy (EELS) were used to interrogate the subnm chemistry and bonding
      states for each of the tribofilms of interest. The IL tribofilm appeared
      amorphous and was Fe, P, and O rich. Wear debris particles having an Fe-rich core
      and an oxide shell were present in this tribofilm and a transitional oxide
      (Fe2O3)-containing layer was identified at the interface between the tribofilm
      and the cast iron substrate. The ZDDP+IL tribofilm shared some of the
      characteristics found in the IL and ZDDP tribofilms. Tribofilm formation
      mechanisms are proposed on the basis of the observations made at the atomic
      level.

PMID- 28632987
TI  - The Usher Syndrome Type IIIB Histidyl-tRNA Synthetase Mutation Confers
      Temperature Sensitivity.
AB  - Histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HARS) is a highly conserved translation factor that
      plays an essential role in protein synthesis. HARS has been implicated in the
      human syndromes Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Type 2W and Type IIIB Usher (USH3B).
      The USH3B mutation, which encodes a Y454S substitution in HARS, is inherited in
      an autosomal recessive fashion and associated with childhood deafness, blindness,
      and episodic hallucinations during acute illness. The biochemical basis of the
      pathophysiologies linked to USH3B is currently unknown. Here, we present a
      detailed functional comparison of wild-type (WT) and Y454S HARS enzymes. Kinetic
      parameters for enzymes and canonical substrates were determined using both steady
      state and rapid kinetics. Enzyme stability was examined using differential
      scanning fluorimetry. Finally, enzyme functionality in a primary cell culture was
      assessed. Our results demonstrate that the Y454S substitution leaves HARS amino
      acid activation, aminoacylation, and tRNAHis binding functions largely intact
      compared with those of WT HARS, and the mutant enzyme dimerizes like the wild
      type does. Interestingly, during our investigation, it was revealed that the
      kinetics of amino acid activation differs from that of the previously
      characterized bacterial HisRS. Despite the similar kinetics, differential
      scanning fluorimetry revealed that Y454S is less thermally stable than WT HARS,
      and cells from Y454S patients grown at elevated temperatures demonstrate
      diminished levels of protein synthesis compared to those of WT cells. The thermal
      sensitivity associated with the Y454S mutation represents a biochemical basis for
      understanding USH3B.

PMID- 28632988
TI  - Solid Sampling with a Diode Laser for Portable Ambient Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - A hand-held diode laser is implemented for solid sampling in portable ambient
      mass spectrometry (MS). Specifically, a pseudocontinuous wave battery-powered
      surgical laser diode is employed for portable laser diode thermal desorption
      (LDTD) at 940 nm and compared with nanosecond pulsed laser ablation at 2940 nm.
      Postionization is achieved in both cases using atmospheric pressure
      photoionization (APPI). The laser ablation atmospheric pressure photoionization
      (LAAPPI) and LDTD-APPI mass spectra of sage leaves (Salvia officinalis) using a
      field-deployable quadrupole ion trap MS display many similar ion peaks, as do the
      mass spectra of membrane grown biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These results
      indicate that LDTD-APPI method should be useful for in-field sampling of plant
      and microbial communities, for example, by portable ambient MS. The feasibility
      of many portable MS applications is facilitated by the availability of relatively
      low cost, portable, battery-powered diode lasers. LDTD could also be coupled with
      plasma- or electrospray-based ionization for the analysis of a variety of solid
      samples.

PMID- 28632989
TI  - Impact of Interface Mixing on the Performance of Solution Processed Organic Light
      Emitting Diodes-Impedance and Ultraviolet Photoelectron Spectroscopy Study.
AB  - We investigated interfacial mixing of solution-processed organic light-emitting
      devices (OLEDs) using impedance spectroscopy (IS) and ultraviolet photoelectron
      spectroscopy (UPS) and its impact on device performance. We focused on
      interfacial mixing between a solution-processed cross-linkable hole transport
      layer (XM) and an emitting layer (EML), formed either by solution processing or
      vacuum evaporation. The results of IS and UPS clearly indicated that extensive
      interfacial mixing was unavoidable, even after the XM was cross-linked to make it
      insoluble and rinsed to remove residual soluble species, if the subsequent EML
      was solution processed. In addition, we also demonstrated that interfacial mixing
      indeed increased hole current density in corresponding hole only device (HOD). In
      fact, the hole injection efficiency could be an order of magnitude better when
      the EML was solution processed rather than vacuum evaporated. We investigated
      such behavior to find the desirable process condition of solution-processed
      OLEDs.

PMID- 28632990
TI  - Shortening gametes co-incubation time improves live birth rate for couples with a
      history of fragmented embryos.
AB  - : Short gamete co-incubation (SGCO) consists in decreasing the duration of
      contact between oocytes and sperm from the standard overnight insemination (SOI)
      toward 2 hours. However, the effectiveness of this technique to improve in vitro
      fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) outcomes remains controversial. Our
      study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of SGCO in a poor prognosis
      population with a history of fragmented embryos defined by the presence of at
      least 50% of the embryos with more than 25% of cytoplasmic fragments. From
      January 2010 to January 2014, 97 couples were included in a SGCO protocol. We
      separated women into 2 subgroups: younger and older than 35 years. Compared to
      SOI, after SGCO, 2-cell stage embryos were higher in all women (p<0.001) and less
      fragmented in women over 35 years (p<0.05). On day 2, top quality embryos
      obtained and transferred were higher with SCGO than with SOI, independently of
      the age of the women (p<0.001). Moreover, the number of embryos with less than
      25% of fragmentation was higher after SGCO than SOI (p<0.001) whereas the number
      of multinucleated embryos was lower (p<0.001). We observed that after fresh ET,
      independently of the age of the women, the clinical pregnancy rate was 3 times
      higher after SGCO than after SOI. However, the live-birth rate was 4 times higher
      with SGCO than with SOI in women above 35 years but 3 times higher with SGCO than
      with SOI in women younger than 35 years. The present results indicate that for a
      particular indication, reducing the time of oocytes and sperm co-incubation may
      improve IVF-ET outcomes in terms of live-birth rate. ABBREVIATIONS: AMH: anti
      mullerian hormone; COC: cumulus-oocytes complex; E2: estradiol; ET: embryo
      transfer; FET: frozen embryo transfer; FSH: follicle stimulating hormone; GnRH:
      gonadotrophin releasing hormone; hCG: human chorionic gonadotropin hormone; hMG:
      human menopausal gonadotropin hormone; IRB: institutional review board; IVF: in
      vitro fertilization; IVF-ET: in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer; MNB:
      multinucleated blastomere; mRNA: messanger ribonucleic acid; OC: oocyte
      retrieval; O2: oxygen; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SGCO: short gamete co
      incubation; SOI: standard overnight insemination.

PMID- 28632991
TI  - Uncovering the repertoire of fungal secondary metabolites: From Fleming's
      laboratory to the International Space Station.
AB  - Fungi produce a variety of secondary metabolites (SMs), low-molecular weight
      compounds associated with many potentially useful biologic activities. The
      examples of biotechnologically relevant fungal metabolites include penicillin, a
      beta-lactam antibiotic, and lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug. The
      discovery of pharmaceutical lead compounds within the microbial metabolic pools
      relies on the selection and biochemical characterization of promising strains.
      Not all SMs are produced under standard cultivation conditions, hence the
      uncovering of chemical potential of investigated strains often requires the use
      of induction strategies to awake the associated biosynthetic genes. Triggering
      the secondary metabolic pathways can be achieved through the variation of
      cultivation conditions and growth media composition. The alternative strategy is
      to use genetic engineering to activate the respective genomic segments, e.g. by
      the manipulation of regulators or chromatin-modifying enzymes. Recently, whole
      genome sequencing of several fungi isolated from the Chernobyl accident area was
      reported by Singh et al. (Genome Announc 2017; 5:e01602-16). These strains were
      selected for exposure to microgravity at the International Space Station.
      Biochemical characterization of fungi cultivated under extreme conditions is
      likely to provide valuable insights into the adaptation mechanism associated with
      metabolism and, possibly, a catalog of novel molecules of potential
      pharmaceutical importance.

PMID- 28632992
TI  - Targeting the RhoGTPase/ROCK pathway for the treatment of VHL/HIF pathway-driven
      cancers.
AB  - The loss of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor-suppressor is a major driver of
      Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (CC-RCC) resulting in the stabilization and
      overactivation of hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs). ROCK1 is a well-known protein
      serine/threonine kinase which is recognized as having a role in cancer including
      alterations in cell motility, metastasis and angiogenesis. We recently
      investigated and identified a synthetic lethal interaction between VHL loss and
      ROCK1 inhibition in CC-RCC that is dependent on HIF overactivation. Increased
      expression and activity of both HIFs and ROCK1 occurs in many types of cancer
      supporting the potential therapeutic role of ROCK inhibitors beyond CC-RCC. We
      also discuss future research required to establish prognostic markers to predict
      tumor response to ROCK inhibitors.

PMID- 28632994
TI  - Role of the small GTPase Rap1 in signal transduction, cell dynamics and bacterial
      infection.
AB  - Rap1 belongs to the Ras family of small GTPases, which are involved in a
      multitude of cellular signal transduction pathways and have extensively been
      linked to cancer biogenesis and metastasis. The small GTPase is activated in
      response to various extracellular and intracellular cues. Rap1 has conserved
      functions in Dictyostelium discoideum amoeba and mammalian cells, which are
      important for cell polarity, substrate and cell-cell adhesion and other processes
      that involve the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics. Moreover, our recent study
      has shown that Rap1 is required for the formation of the replication-permissive
      vacuole of an intracellular bacterial pathogen. Here we review the function and
      regulation of Rap1 in these distinct processes, and we discuss the underlying
      signal transduction pathways.

PMID- 28632995
TI  - Microenvironment and tumors-a nurturing relationship.
AB  - When exposed to adverse environmental conditions, cells degrade their own content
      to recycle cellular building blocks through a process called autophagy. A large
      body of literature has connected autophagy to cancer, but most studies up until
      now focused on its function in transformed cells. In her thesis, Nadja Katheder
      dissected the role of autophagy in a well-characterized neoplastic in vivo tumor
      model in Drosophila and demonstrates a novel non-cell-autonomous requirement of
      this process for tumor growth. Neighboring epithelial cells and distal tissues
      increase autophagy in the presence of a malignant tumor. Pharmacological
      autophagy inhibition reduces tumor growth and genetic ablation of autophagy in
      the microenvironment reveals a tumor-supportive role of this process in this
      specific cell population. Tumor cells are metabolically stressed and induce
      autophagy in their neighbors through a TNFalpha-JNK-IL-6 signaling cascade.
      Moreover, they are dependent on amino acid import to sustain their proliferation,
      which indicates a coupling of metabolism between these two cell populations.
      Finally, allografted growth-impaired tumors from autophagy-deficient donor
      animals resume growth in an autophagy-competent host. Together, the results
      described in this thesis highlight the tumor-promoting role of autophagy the
      microenvironment and show that cancer cells engage their epithelial neighbors as
      essential contributors aiding their own growth.

PMID- 28632993
TI  - The role of small GTPases and EPAC-Rap signaling in the regulation of the blood
      brain and blood-retinal barriers.
AB  - Maintenance and regulation of the vascular endothelial cell junctional complex is
      critical for proper barrier function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the
      highly related blood-retinal barrier (BRB) that help maintain proper neuronal
      environment. Recent research has demonstrated that the junctional complex is
      actively maintained and can be dynamically regulated. Studies focusing on the
      mechanisms of barrier formation, maintenance, and barrier disruption have been of
      interest to understanding development of the BBB and BRB and identifying a means
      for therapeutic intervention for diseases ranging from brain tumors and dementia
      to blinding eye diseases. Research has increasingly revealed that small GTPases
      play a critical role in both barrier formation and disruption mechanisms. This
      review will summarize the current data on small GTPases in barrier regulation
      with an emphasis on the EPAC-Rap1 signaling pathway to Rho in endothelial
      barriers, as well as explore its potential involvement in paracellular flux and
      transcytosis regulation.

PMID- 28632997
TI  - Epidemiology of Obesity and Pharmacologic Treatment Options.
AB  - Prevalence of obesity and its related morbidity have increased to alarming levels
      in adults and children in the United States and globally. Weight loss results in
      improvement of much of the obesity-related morbidity. Lifestyle changes such as
      dietary modifications, increased physical activity, and behavioral therapy form
      the crux of weight management. However, many individuals need additional
      assistance (pharmacologic or surgical) to initiate or sustain weight loss.
      Pharmacologic therapy consists of a number of agents that work by decreasing
      appetite, gastric emptying, or nutrient absorption or by increasing satiety. Five
      classes of drug are currently approved for adults, including sympathomimetics
      (with and without an antiepileptic agent topiramate), gastrointestinal lipase
      inhibitors, serotonin agonists, glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists, and
      antidepressant/opioid antagonist combination. Pharmacologic options for children
      with obesity are minimal (lipase inhibitor orlistat is the only approved
      medication for children aged >12 years); however, all adult medications are
      approved by the Food and Drug Administration for children aged >16 years old.
      While side effect profiles of these medications are far superior to older
      medications, their use is limited by lack of long-term cardiovascular safety
      data, costs of medications and variable insurance coverages, and the need for
      continued usage for sustainable benefits. Weight loss medications may induce
      complacence, on part of both the patient and the provider, regarding lifestyle
      modifications, without which the drug therapy is almost certain to be of minimal
      benefit. Several novel drugs are in the pipeline targeting brown fat, energy
      expenditure, appetite suppression, and satiety.

PMID- 28632996
TI  - Taking control: Hijacking of Rab GTPases by intracellular bacterial pathogens.
AB  - Intracellular bacterial pathogens survive and replicate within specialized
      eukaryotic cell organelles. To establish their intracellular niches these
      pathogens have adopted sophisticated strategies to control intracellular membrane
      trafficking. Since Rab-family GTPases are critical regulators of endocytic and
      secretory membrane trafficking events, many intracellular pathogens have evolved
      specific mechanisms to modulate or hijack Rab GTPases dynamics and trafficking
      functions. One such strategy is the delivery of bacterial effectors through
      specialized machines to specifically target Rab GTPases. Some of these effectors
      functionally mimic host proteins that regulate the Rab GTP cycle, while others
      regulate Rabs proteins through their post-translation modifications or
      proteolysis. In this review, we examine how the localization and function of Rab
      family GTPases are altered during infection with 3 well-studied intracellular
      bacterial pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella enterica and
      Legionella pneumophila. We also discuss recent findings about specific mechanisms
      by which these intracellular pathogens target this protein family.

PMID- 28632998
TI  - tRNA structure and evolution and standardization to the three nucleotide genetic
      code.
AB  - Cloverleaf tRNA with a 75 nucleotide (nt) core is posited to have evolved from
      ligation of three 31 nt minihelices followed by symmetric internal deletions of 9
      nt within ligated acceptor stems. Statistical tests strongly support the model.
      Although the tRNA anticodon loop and T loop are homologs, their U-turns have been
      treated as distinct motifs. An appropriate comparison, however, shows that
      intercalation of D loop G19 between T loop bases 4 and 5 causes elevation of T
      loop base 5 and flipping of T loop bases 6 and 7 out of the 7 nt loop. In the
      anticodon loop, by contrast, loop bases 3-7 stack tightly to form a stiff
      connection to mRNA. Furthermore, we identify ancient repeat sequences of 3 (GCG),
      5 (UAGCC) and 17 nt (~CCGGGUUCAAAACCCGG) that comprise 75 out of 75 nts of the
      tRNA cloverleaf core. To present a sufficiently stiff 3-nt anticodon, a 7-nt
      anticodon loop was necessary with a U-turn between loop positions 2 and 3.
      Cloverleaf tRNA, therefore, was a radical evolutionary innovation essential for
      the 3-nt code. Conservation of GCG and UAGCC repeat sequences indicates that
      cloverleaf tRNA is at the interface between a strange RNA repeat world and the
      first evolution of molecules that fold to assume biologic functions. We posit
      that cloverleaf tRNA was the molecular archetype around which translation systems
      evolved.

PMID- 28632999
TI  - Long noncoding RNA lnc-sox5 modulates CRC tumorigenesis by unbalancing tumor
      microenvironment.
AB  - Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been recently regarded as systemic regulators
      in multiple biologic processes including tumorigenesis. In this study, we
      observed the expression of lncRNA lnc-sox5 was significantly increased in
      colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite the CRC cell growth, cell cycle and cell
      apoptosis was not affected by lnc-sox5 knock-down, lnc-sox5 knock-down suppressed
      CRC cell migration and invasion. In addition, xenograft animal model suggested
      that lnc-sox5 knock-down significantly suppressed the CRC tumorigenesis. Our
      results also showed that the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1)
      was significantly reduced by lnc-sox5 knock-down and therefore modulated the
      infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD3+CD8+T cells. Taken together, these results
      suggested that lnc-sox5 unbalances tumor microenvironment to regulate colorectal
      cancer progression.

PMID- 28633000
TI  - Nutrition Support for Critically Ill Patients With Cancer.
AB  - Oncology patients often experience the classic signs of malnutrition-weight loss
      as well as fat and muscle wasting, which have been associated with poor tolerance
      to treatment and increased morbidity and mortality. Nutrition status may be an
      important factor in determining tolerance to treatment and outcomes associated
      with it. Thus, identification of those with preexisting malnutrition or who are
      at risk for developing malnutrition is crucial not only at time of cancer
      diagnosis but also throughout the treatment course so that nutrition
      interventions may be implemented to prevent development or worsening of
      malnutrition in this high-risk population. These patients often have extremely
      complicated hospital courses due to the aggressive nature of the disease and
      treatment, leading to intensive care unit admission and periods of critical
      illness. Critical illness is associated with catabolism, extreme stress on the
      body, and a state of systemic inflammation. During critical illness, it is
      important to provide adequate nutrition to prevent further break down of lean
      muscle mass and oxidative cellular injury and to regulate favorable immune
      responses. The purpose of this review is to discuss the importance of nutrition
      screening and assessment for the critically ill patient with cancer; to
      appropriately identify those at risk for, or who have developed, malnutrition;
      and to provide appropriate interventions to optimize nutrition status. This
      review also discusses the complications and difficulties associated with feeding
      this patient population and offers nutrition support recommendations.

PMID- 28633001
TI  - Impact of 4 weeks of interval training on resting metabolic rate, fitness, and
      health-related outcomes.
AB  - Resting metabolic rate (RMR) and substrate oxidation (respiratory exchange ratio;
      RER) are important indicators of health. The effects of interval training on RMR
      have not been thoroughly investigated, which was the purpose of the present
      study. Thirty men and women (mean +/- SD age and maximal oxygen uptake: 28.8 +/-
      7.6 years and 33.0 +/- 8.3 mL.kg-1.min-1) completed 4 weeks of Wingate-based
      sprint interval training (SIT), repeated 1-min high-intensity intervals (HIIT),
      or served as controls. Before and after training, RMR, resting RER, maximal
      oxygen uptake, body composition, physical activity, and energy intake were
      recorded. Data were analyzed using a repeated-measures ANOVA. RMR increased in
      response to 4 weeks of SIT training (1789 +/- 293 to 1855 +/- 320 kcal.day-1; p =
      0.003) but did not increase after HIIT (1670 +/- 324 to 1704 +/- 329 kcal.day-1;
      p = 0.06). While SIT increased RMR by ~2* the magnitude of HIIT, the difference
      was not significant (p = 0.5). Fasting substrate oxidation and RER did not change
      (p > 0.05). Maximal oxygen uptake increased, and small changes were also observed
      in percent body fat and fat mass (p < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, SIT provided
      a time-efficient stimulus to increase RMR after 4 weeks in healthy adults.
      However, the clinical relevance of the changes observed in this study remains to
      be determined. Further studies should be conducted in obese individuals and those
      with diabetes or insulin resistance to examine if interval training (>=4 weeks)
      influences resting metabolic rate in magnitudes similar to that reported here.

PMID- 28633003
TI  - Assessment of Selected Overdose Poisoning Indicators in Health Care
      Administrative Data in 4 States, 2012.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In 2012, a consensus document was developed on drug overdose
      poisoning definitions. We took the opportunity to apply these new definitions to
      health care administrative data in 4 states. Our objective was to calculate and
      compare drug (particularly opioid) poisoning rates in these 4 states for 4
      selected Injury Surveillance Workgroup 7 (ISW7) drug poisoning indicators, using
      2 ISW7 surveillance definitions, Option A and Option B. We also identified
      factors related to the health care administrative data used by each state that
      might contribute to poisoning rate variations. METHODS: We used state-level
      hospital and emergency department (ED) discharge data to calculate age-adjusted
      rates for 4 drug poisoning indicators (acute drug poisonings, acute opioid
      poisonings, acute opioid analgesic poisonings, and acute or chronic opioid
      poisonings) using just the principal diagnosis or first-listed external cause-of
      injury fields (Option A) or using all diagnosis or external cause-of-injury
      fields (Option B). We also calculated the high-to-low poisoning rate ratios to
      measure rate variations. RESULTS: The average poisoning rates per 100 000
      population for the 4 ISW7 poisoning indicators ranged from 11.2 to 216.4 (ED) and
      from 14.2 to 212.8 (hospital). For each indicator, ED rates were usually higher
      than were hospital rates. High-to-low rate ratios between states were lowest for
      the acute drug poisoning indicator (range, 1.5-1.6). Factors potentially
      contributing to rate variations included administrative data structure,
      accessibility, and submission regulations. CONCLUSIONS: The ISW7 Option B
      surveillance definition is needed to fully capture the state burden of opioid
      poisonings. Efforts to control for factors related to administrative data,
      standardize data sources on a national level, and improve data source
      accessibility for state health departments would improve the accuracy of drug
      poisoning surveillance.

PMID- 28633004
TI  - Field evaluations of newly available "interference-free" monitors for nitrogen
      dioxide and ozone at near-road and conventional National Ambient Air Quality
      Standards compliance sites.
AB  - : Long-standing measurement techniques for determining ground-level ozone (O3)
      and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are known to be biased by interfering compounds that
      result in overestimates of high O3 and NO2 ambient concentrations under conducive
      conditions. An increasing near-ground O3 gradient (NGOG) with increasing height
      above ground level is also known to exist. Both the interference bias and NGOG
      were investigated by comparing data from a conventional Federal Equivalent Method
      (FEM) O3 photometer and an identical monitor upgraded with an "interference-free"
      nitric oxide O3 scrubber that alternatively sampled at 2 m and 6.2 m inlet
      heights above ground level (AGL). Intercomparison was also made between a
      conventional nitrogen oxide (NOx) chemiluminescence Federal Reference Method
      (FRM) monitor and a new "direct-measure" NO2 NOx 405 nm photometer at a near-road
      air quality measurement site. Results indicate that the O3 monitor with the
      upgraded scrubber recorded lower regulatory-oriented concentrations than the
      deployed conventional metal oxide-scrubbed monitor and that O3 concentrations 6.2
      m AGL were higher than concentrations 2.0 m AGL, the nominal nose height of
      outdoor populations. Also, a new direct-measure NO2 photometer recorded generally
      lower NO2 regulatory-oriented concentrations than the conventional FRM
      chemiluminescence monitor, reporting lower daily maximum hourly average
      concentrations than the conventional monitor about 3 of every 5 days.
      IMPLICATIONS: Employing bias-prone instruments for measurement of ambient ozone
      or nitrogen dioxide from inlets at inappropriate heights above ground level may
      result in collection of positively biased data. This paper discusses tests of new
      regulatory instruments, recent developments in bias-free ozone and nitrogen
      dioxide measurement technology, and the presence/extent of a near-ground O3
      gradient (NGOG). Collection of unbiased monitor inlet height-appropriate data is
      crucial for determining accurate design values and meeting National Ambient Air
      Quality Standards.

PMID- 28633002
TI  - The TRPM2 channel: A thermo-sensitive metabolic sensor.
AB  - Living organisms continually experience changes in ambient temperature. To detect
      such temperature changes for adaptive behavioral responses, we evolved the
      ability to sense temperature. Thermosensitive transient receptor potential (TRP)
      channels, so-called thermo-TRPs, are involved in many physiologic functions in
      diverse organisms and constitute important temperature sensors. One of the
      important roles of thermo-TRPs is detecting ambient temperature in sensory
      neurons. Importantly, the functional expression of thermo-TRPs is observed not
      only in sensory neurons but also in tissues and cells that are not exposed to
      drastic temperature changes, indicating that thermo-TRPs are involved in many
      physiologic functions within the body's normal temperature range. Among such
      thermo-TRPs, this review focuses on one thermo-sensitive metabolic sensor in
      particular, TRPM2, and summarizes recent progress to clarify the regulatory
      mechanisms and physiologic functions of TRPM2 at body temperature under various
      metabolic states.

PMID- 28633006
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633007
TI  - Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics: News.

PMID- 28633008
TI  - Letter from the Editor.

PMID- 28633005
TI  - Autophagy impairment mediated by S-nitrosation of ATG4B leads to neurotoxicity in
      response to hyperglycemia.
AB  - The majority of diabetic patients develop neuropathy and there is an increasing
      prevalence of neurodegeneration in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the
      mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Here we first observed that
      macroautophagy/autophagy was suppressed in the hippocampus of diabetic GK rats
      with hyperglycemia, whereas it was unchanged in ob/ob mice without hyperglycemia.
      Autophagy could be directly inhibited by high glucose in mouse primary
      hippocampal neurons. Moreover, autophagy was protective in high-glucose-induced
      neurotoxicity. Further studies revealed that autophagic flux was suppressed by
      high glucose due to impaired autophagosome synthesis illustrated by mRFP-GFP-LC3
      puncta analysis. We showed that decreased autophagy was dependent on NO produced
      under high glucose conditions. Therefore, (LC-MS/MS)-based quantitative proteomic
      analysis of protein S-nitrosation was performed and a core autophagy protein,
      ATG4B was found to be S-nitrosated in the hippocampus of GK rats. ATG4B was also
      verified to be S-nitrosated in neuronal cells cultured with high glucose. The
      activities of ATG4B in the processing of unmodified, precursor Atg8-family
      proteins and in the deconjugation of PE from lipidated Atg8-family proteins,
      which are essential for efficient autophagosome biogenesis were both compromised
      by S-nitrosation at Cys189 and Cys292 sites. In addition, ATG4B processing of the
      GABARAPL1 precursor was affected the least by S-nitrosation compared with other
      substrates. Finally, ATG4B S-nitrosation was verified to be responsible for
      decreased autophagy and neurotoxicity in response to high glucose. In conclusion,
      autophagy impairment mediated by S-nitrosation of ATG4B leads to neurotoxicity in
      response to hyperglycemia. Our research reveals a novel mechanism linking
      hyperglycemia with CNS neurotoxicity and shows that S-nitrosation is a novel post
      transcriptional modification of the core autophagy machinery.

PMID- 28633009
TI  - RNA Interference Reveals the Coregulatory Effects of Cylindromatosis on Apoptosis
      and Necroptosis of Photoreceptor Cells in Experimental Retinal Detachment.
AB  - Inhibiting only cell apoptosis or necroptosis in photoreceptor cells does not
      protect them against death after traumatic retinal detachment. This study was
      designed to evaluate the coregulatory effects of the deubiquitinating enzyme
      cylindromatosis on the apoptosis and necroptosis of photoreceptor cells in
      experimental retinal detachment. Lentivirus Cyld shRNA was generated and used to
      suppress cylindromatosis expression in Sprague-Dawley rats. Three weeks after
      injection of lentivirus Cyld shRNA, retinal detachment surgery was performed.
      Transmission electron microscopy, propidium iodide staining, terminal
      deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay,
      electroretinography, and determination of ubiquitination and phosphorylation of
      receptor-interacting protein 1 were performed to detect the apoptosis and
      necroptosis of photoreceptor cells. Knockdown of cylindromatosis expression led
      to inhibition of caspase 8 activity, a decrease in the number of apoptotic
      photoreceptor cells, and an increase in the ubiquitination level of receptor
      interacting protein 1. In addition, the number of necroptotic cells decreased and
      the phosphorylation level of receptor-interacting protein 1 decreased
      dramatically; significant protective effects of RNA interference-mediated
      suppression of cylindromatosis expression on electroretinogram wave were
      observed. Cylindromatosis coregulates the apoptosis and necroptosis of
      photoreceptor cells by regulating the ubiquitination of receptor-interacting
      protein 1 after retinal detachment.

PMID- 28633010
TI  - Tensing Up for Lipid Droplet Formation.
AB  - Lipid droplets are fat storage organelles in cells that physically resemble
      stable oil-water emulsion droplets. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Ben
      M'barek et al. (2017) show that the resemblance is more than superficial:
      physical principles governing emulsion stability also control lipid droplet
      nucleation and growth.

PMID- 28633011
TI  - Partners in Crime.
AB  - Caspases have apoptotic and non-apoptotic functions, both of which depend on
      their abilities to cleave proteins at specific sites. What distinguishes
      apoptotic from non-apoptotic substrates has so far been unclear. In this issue of
      Developmental Cell, Weaver et al. (2017) now provide an answer to this crucial
      question.

PMID- 28633012
TI  - Morph or Move? How Distinct Endothelial Cell Responses to Blood Flow Shape
      Vascular Networks.
AB  - Blood vessel shape is malleable and dynamically regulated. In two recent papers
      in Nature Cell Biology, Jin et al. (2017) and Sugden et al. (2017) show that
      endoglin alters endothelial cell shape or behavior in response to blood flow,
      thus regulating vessel structure.

PMID- 28633013
TI  - Sphingosine-1-Phosphate as the Lymphocyte's Ticket to Ride and Survive.
AB  - An established role of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 in T cells is to guide
      their exit from lymph nodes. Reporting in Nature, Mendoza et al. (2017) now show
      that lymphatic endothelial sphingosine 1-phosphate signals through sphingosine 1
      phosphate receptor-1 to prevent mitochondria degradation and thereby support
      survival of naive T cells.

PMID- 28633014
TI  - A KRABsody for Embryo-Placental Development.
AB  - Many of the hundreds of KRAB zinc finger proteins encoded by human and mouse are
      involved in taming the transcriptional regulatory potential of transposable
      elements. Reporting recently in Science, Yang et al. (2017) reveal that one
      murine family member, ZFP568, controls Igf2 expression for proper embryonic and
      placental development.

PMID- 28633015
TI  - Haploidy in Humans: An Evolutionary and Developmental Perspective.
AB  - Although haploidy has not been observed in vertebrates, its natural occurrence in
      various eukaryotic species that had diverged from diploid ancestors suggests that
      there is an innate capacity for an organism to regain haploidy and that haploidy
      may confer evolutionary benefits. Haploid embryonic stem cells have been
      experimentally generated from mouse, rat, monkey, and humans. Haploidy results in
      major differences in cell size and gene expression levels while also affecting
      parental imprinting, X chromosome inactivation, and mitochondrial metabolism
      genes. We discuss here haploidy in evolution and the barriers to haploidy, in
      particular in the human context.

PMID- 28633016
TI  - MLL/WDR5 Complex Regulates Kif2A Localization to Ensure Chromosome Congression
      and Proper Spindle Assembly during Mitosis.
AB  - Mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL), along with multisubunit (WDR5, RbBP5, ASH2L, and
      DPY30) complex catalyzes the trimethylation of H3K4, leading to gene activation.
      Here, we characterize a chromatin-independent role for MLL during mitosis. MLL
      and WDR5 localize to the mitotic spindle apparatus, and loss of function of MLL
      complex by RNAi results in defects in chromosome congression and compromised
      spindle formation. We report interaction of MLL complex with several kinesin and
      dynein motors. We further show that the MLL complex associates with Kif2A, a
      member of the Kinesin-13 family of microtubule depolymerase, and regulates the
      spindle localization of Kif2A during mitosis. We have identified a conserved WDR5
      interaction (Win) motif, so far unique to the MLL family, in Kif2A. The Win motif
      of Kif2A engages in direct interactions with WDR5 for its spindle localization.
      Our findings highlight a non-canonical mitotic function of MLL complex, which may
      have a direct impact on chromosomal stability, frequently compromised in cancer.

PMID- 28633017
TI  - Distinct Roles of RNA Helicases MVH and TDRD9 in PIWI Slicing-Triggered Mammalian
      piRNA Biogenesis and Function.
AB  - Small RNAs called PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) act as an immune system to
      suppress transposable elements in the animal gonads. A poorly understood adaptive
      pathway links cytoplasmic slicing of target RNA by the PIWI protein MILI to
      loading of target-derived piRNAs into nuclear MIWI2. Here we demonstrate that
      MILI slicing generates a 16-nt by-product that is discarded and a pre-piRNA
      intermediate that is used for phased piRNA production. The ATPase activity of
      Mouse Vasa Homolog (MVH) is essential for processing the intermediate into
      piRNAs, ensuring transposon silencing and male fertility. The ATPase activity
      controls dissociation of an MVH complex containing PIWI proteins, piRNAs, and
      slicer products, allowing safe handover of the intermediate. In contrast, ATPase
      activity of TDRD9 is dispensable for piRNA biogenesis but is essential for
      transposon silencing and male fertility. Our work implicates distinct RNA
      helicases in specific steps along the nuclear piRNA pathway.

PMID- 28633018
TI  - Chromosome Mis-segregation Generates Cell-Cycle-Arrested Cells with Complex
      Karyotypes that Are Eliminated by the Immune System.
AB  - Aneuploidy, a state of karyotype imbalance, is a hallmark of cancer. Changes in
      chromosome copy number have been proposed to drive disease by modulating the
      dosage of cancer driver genes and by promoting cancer genome evolution. Given the
      potential of cells with abnormal karyotypes to become cancerous, do pathways that
      limit the prevalence of such cells exist? By investigating the immediate
      consequences of aneuploidy on cell physiology, we identified mechanisms that
      eliminate aneuploid cells. We find that chromosome mis-segregation leads to
      further genomic instability that ultimately causes cell-cycle arrest. We further
      show that cells with complex karyotypes exhibit features of senescence and
      produce pro-inflammatory signals that promote their clearance by the immune
      system. We propose that cells with abnormal karyotypes generate a signal for
      their own elimination that may serve as a means for cancer cell
      immunosurveillance.

PMID- 28633019
TI  - EDEM Function in ERAD Protects against Chronic ER Proteinopathy and Age-Related
      Physiological Decline in Drosophila.
AB  - The unfolded protein response (UPR), which protects cells against accumulation of
      misfolded proteins in the ER, is induced in several age-associated degenerative
      diseases. However, sustained UPR activation has negative effects on cellular
      functions and may worsen disease symptoms. It remains unknown whether and how UPR
      components can be utilized to counteract chronic ER proteinopathies. We found
      that promotion of ER-associated degradation (ERAD) through upregulation of ERAD
      enhancing alpha-mannosidase-like proteins (EDEMs) protected against chronic ER
      proteinopathy without inducing toxicity in a Drosophila model. ERAD activity in
      the brain decreased with aging, and upregulation of EDEMs suppressed age
      dependent behavioral decline and extended the lifespan without affecting the UPR
      gene expression network. Intriguingly, EDEM mannosidase activity was dispensable
      for these protective effects. Therefore, upregulation of EDEM function in the
      ERAD protects against ER proteinopathy in vivo and thus represents a potential
      therapeutic target for chronic diseases.

PMID- 28633021
TI  - Sex Differences: Satellite DNA Directs Male-Specific Gene Expression.

PMID- 28633022
TI  - Phoresy.
AB  - White et al. introduce the phenomenon of phoresy - animals hitching a ride on
      other animals.

PMID- 28633020
TI  - Apoptosis and Compensatory Proliferation Signaling Are Coupled by CrkI-Containing
      Microvesicles.
AB  - Apoptosis has been implicated in compensatory proliferation signaling (CPS),
      whereby dying cells induce proliferation in neighboring cells as a means to
      restore homeostasis. The nature of signaling between apoptotic cells and their
      neighboring cells remains largely unknown. Here we show that a fraction of
      apoptotic cells produce and release CrkI-containing microvesicles (distinct from
      exosomes and apoptotic bodies), which induce proliferation in neighboring cells
      upon contact. We provide visual evidence of CPS by videomicroscopy. We show that
      purified vesicles in vitro and in vivo are sufficient to stimulate proliferation
      in other cells. Our data demonstrate that CrkI inactivation by ExoT bacterial
      toxin or by mutagenesis blocks vesicle formation in apoptotic cells and inhibits
      CPS, thus uncoupling apoptosis from CPS. We further show that c-Jun amino
      terminal kinase (JNK) plays a pivotal role in mediating vesicle-induced CPS in
      recipient cells. CPS could have important ramifications in diseases that involve
      apoptotic cell death.

PMID- 28633023
TI  - The insular cortex.
AB  - Whether you see the person you are in love with, try to listen to your own
      heartbeat, suffer from a headache, or crave for a chocolate cookie, one part of
      your brain is sure to increase its activity strongly: the insular cortex. The
      insular cortex, or 'insula' for short, is part of the cerebral cortex. J.C. Reil,
      a German neurologist, first named this brain structure in the early 19th century.
      Subsequent research findings have implicated the insula in an overwhelming
      variety of functions ranging from sensory processing to representing feelings and
      emotions, autonomical and motor control, risk prediction and decision-making,
      bodily- and self-awareness, and complex social functions like empathy. How is one
      single brain area involved in so many different tasks? Is the insula comprised of
      several functional regions? How are these related? And, are there any common
      themes underlying the apparently so heterogeneous roles of the insula?

PMID- 28633024
TI  - Seeing lightness in the dark.
AB  - From intense sunlight in bright snow down to a moonless night in a dark forest,
      we can use light to recognize objects and guide our actions. This remarkable
      range mainly rests on having two different types of photoreceptors, the rods and
      the cones. The cones are active under daylight conditions, allowing high acuity
      and color vision. Rods are mainly active under very dim illumination conditions
      and have an exquisite sensitivity to light [1]. There are obvious detriments to
      visual perception in near darkness, such as a central scotoma, reduced motion
      perception [2], and most of all a lack of color [3]. There is only one type of
      rod, and thus intensity and wavelength differences cannot be disentangled when
      only the rods are active. This is captured well by the old saying "at night all
      cats are gray", meaning that different colors inevitably get mapped onto
      different shades of gray. Here we show that the perception of lightness is also
      different for night vision: our results indicate that surfaces that appear to be
      white under daylight conditions, at best, appear medium gray under night vision,
      suggesting that activation of the cones is necessary for the perception of white.

PMID- 28633025
TI  - Chimpanzee culture extends beyond matrilineal family units.
AB  - The 'grooming handclasp' is one of the most well-established cultural traditions
      in chimpanzees. A recent study by Wrangham et al.[1] reduced the cultural scope
      of grooming-handclasp behavior by showing that grooming-handclasp style
      convergence is "explained by matrilineal relationship rather than conformity"
      [1]. Given that we previously reported cultural differences in grooming-handclasp
      style preferences in captive chimpanzees [2], we tested the alternative view
      posed by Wrangham et al.[1] in the chimpanzee populations that our original
      results were based on. Using the same outcome variable as Wrangham et al.[1] -
      the proportion of high-arm grooming featuring palm-to-palm clasping - we found
      that matrilineal relationships explained neither within-group homogeneity nor
      between-group heterogeneity, thereby corroborating our original conclusion that
      grooming-handclasp behavior can represent a group-level cultural tradition in
      chimpanzees.

PMID- 28633026
TI  - Response to: Chimpanzee culture extends beyond matrilineal family units.
AB  - We thank van Leeuwen et al.[1] for their response to our finding that matrilineal
      relationships strongly influence the style of high-arm grooming in wild
      chimpanzees of the Kanyawara community. We agree with them that grooming styles
      could be transmitted by different mechanisms in different contexts, and we
      appreciate their effort to assess whether the transmission of grooming styles
      within two captive groups in Chimfunshi accords with our result.

PMID- 28633027
TI  - Cell Size: Fat Makes Cells Fat.
AB  - Nutrients are required for the multiple biosynthetic pathways that result in cell
      growth, and faster growth due to increased nutrient supply results in larger cell
      volume. A new study demonstrates that fatty-acid availability limits growth rate
      and cell envelope capacity, revealing that fatty-acid synthesis is the primary
      determinant of cell size in bacteria and in budding yeast.

PMID- 28633028
TI  - Visual Perception: Neural Networks for Stereopsis.
AB  - How does our brain use differences between the images in our two eyes, binocular
      disparities, to generate depth perception? New work shows that a type of neural
      network trained on natural binocular images can learn parameters that match key
      properties of visual cortex. Most information is conveyed by cells which sense
      differences between the two eyes' images.

PMID- 28633029
TI  - Evolution: Hearing and Feeding in Fossil Whales.
AB  - The evolution of whales marks one of the major transitions in the history of
      mammals. Two new studies provide key insights into the evolution of hearing
      specializations and feeding strategies in early whales.

PMID- 28633030
TI  - Human Navigation: Occipital Place Area Detects Potential Paths in a Scene.
AB  - Navigation - determining how to get from where you are to somewhere else - has
      obvious importance for the survival of motile animals. A new neuroimaging study
      has revealed that, in the human brain, the occipital place area detects the
      number of possible paths in a vista.

PMID- 28633031
TI  - Cell Division: Centrosomes Have Separation Anxiety.
AB  - Prior to mitosis, duplicated centrosomes are tethered together, which is thought
      to prevent mitotic defects. A new study establishes the role of tetrameric Kif25,
      a microtubule minus-end-directed kinesin-14 motor, in preventing premature
      centrosome separation through a microtubule-dependent pathway.

PMID- 28633032
TI  - Animal Navigation: The Eel's Magnetic Guide to the Gulf Stream.
AB  - The geographic distribution of migratory species can span thousands of
      kilometers. Yet, traits that enable large-scale migrations are poorly understood.
      A recent study demonstrates that juvenile eels use the Earth's magnetism for
      their dispersal, with possible implications for their evolution.

PMID- 28633033
TI  - Centrosome Assembly: Reconstructing the Core Cartwheel Structure In Vitro.
AB  - Centrioles are microtubule-based cylinders essential for the formation of
      centrosomes and cilia. A recent study provides a new cell-free assay that
      reconstitutes the initial structure formed during centriole assembly - the
      cartwheel - and proposes a new model for its formation and growth.

PMID- 28633034
TI  - Evolution: Complex Multicellular Life with 5,500 Genes.
AB  - The origin of complex multicellularity was a major transition in evolution and is
      generally associated with higher genomic complexity. However, some complex
      multicellular fungi defy this principle, having small genomes that resemble those
      of unicellular yeasts rather than those of other complex multicellular organisms.

PMID- 28633035
TI  - Economy and Endurance in Human Evolution.
AB  - The evolutionary pressures shaping humans' unique bipedal locomotion have been a
      focus of research since Darwin, but the origins of humans' economical walking
      gait and endurance running capabilities remain unclear. Here, I review the
      anatomical and physiological determinants of locomotor economy (e.g., limb length
      and posture) and endurance (e.g., muscle volume and fiber type) and investigate
      their development in the hominin fossil record. The earliest hominins were
      bipedal but retained ape-like features in the hind limb that would have limited
      their walking economy compared to living humans. Moreover, the evolution of
      bipedalism and the loss of the forelimbs in weight support and propulsion would
      have reduced locomotor endurance in the earliest hominins and likely restricted
      ranging. Australopithecus evinced longer hind limbs, extended limb posture, and a
      stiff midfoot, suggesting improved, human-like economy, but were likely still
      limited in their endurance compared to modern humans. The appearance of skeletal
      traits related to endurance (e.g., larger limb joints, spring-like plantar arch)
      in Homo was somewhat mosaic, with the full endurance suite apparent only ~1
      million years ago. The development of endurance capabilities in Homo appears to
      parallel the evolutionary increase in brain size, cognitive sophistication, and
      metabolic rate.

PMID- 28633036
TI  - Recent advances in understanding multiple myeloma.
AB  - There have been major recent advancements in the understanding and management of
      multiple myeloma which in turn has led to unprecedented survival outcomes for
      patients. Diagnostic and response criteria have been recently revised. Our
      understanding of clonal progression, evolution, and clonal tides will inform
      therapeutic choices and appropriate treatment for patients. Response rates to
      initial induction with modern triplet therapies containing proteasome inhibitors
      and immunomodulators have made this approach the global standard for initial
      treatment. Although the relevance of autologous transplantation has been
      questioned in the setting of modern induction therapy, we have new data
      suggesting its continued relevance. Recent studies performed in the context of
      novel agent induction suggest that autologous transplantation continues to
      improve response rates and progression-free survival, thus underscoring its role
      in transplant-eligible patients. Emerging paradigms in the treatment of multiple
      myeloma include immune approaches, such as adoptive cellular therapies, vaccines,
      or antibody-based immune manipulations, all of which seem to synergize with a
      transplant platform. Allogeneic transplantation is limited in scope by the
      concern of prohibitive toxicity and is applicable mainly to younger patients with
      high-risk disease. However, the allogeneic approach offers even more options of
      immunotherapy at relapse, including donor lymphocyte infusions, immunomodulatory
      drug maintenance, and withdrawal of immune suppression.

PMID- 28633037
TI  - Treatment with methotrexate, rituximab, and cytosine arabinoside followed by
      autologous stem cell transplantation in primary central nervous system lymphoma:
      A single-center experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is
      associated with worst prognosis compared with other aggressive non-Hodgkin's
      lymphomas. However, recent trials have demonstrated that long-term progression
      free survival can be achieved by immunochemotherapy. Our goal is to present our
      experience in aggressive PCNSL in this study. METHODS: We retrospectively
      evaluated the clinical features and management of 13 PCNSL patients who were
      diagnosed and treated between 2006 and 2015. RESULTS: Nine patients received
      rituximab (R) 375mg/m2/day on Day 1, methotrexate (MTX) 3.5g/m2/day and cytosine
      arabinoside (ARA-C) 4.4g/m2/day on Day 2, as well as ARA-C 4.4g/m2/day on Day 3
      every 28days, and underwent autologous stem cell transplantation. Two patients
      received procarbazine instead of ARA-C. One patient relapsed, and allogeneic
      hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was performed. All nine patients are
      followed in complete remission. Two of 13 patients received one course of MTX and
      36-45Gy radiotherapy and died. One patient with renal transplantation had
      progressive disease and died. Grade 3-4 hematological toxicity was detected in 11
      (85%), Grade 3-4 mucositis in 11 (85%), and febrile neutropenia in 12 (92%)
      patients. The median overall survival in the R-MTX-ARA-C/procarbazine group was
      28+/-16months. CONCLUSION: R-MTX-ARA-C followed by autologous stem cell
      transplantation seems a promising strategy with high response rates in PCNSL.

PMID- 28633038
TI  - Hematopoietic cell transplantation for diffuse large B-cell and follicular
      lymphoma: Current controversies and advances.
AB  - Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) constitutes a collection of lymphoproliferative
      disorders with diverse biologic, histologic, and clinical features. With a better
      understanding of the molecular pathogenesis, recently there have been major
      advances in the treatment of NHLs including addition of novel monoclonal
      antibodies, targeted therapies, and immune activators to the therapy
      armamentarium. Despite these remarkable developments, autologous hematopoietic
      cell transplantation (auto-HCT) remains not only a standard-of-care curative
      option for aggressive NHL but also an important therapeutic option for indolent
      NHL. In NHL, for patients with high-risk features, including those heavily
      pretreated or with refractory disease or those experiencing failure after an auto
      HCT, allogeneic HCT (allo-HCT) remains the only curative option. In this review,
      we briefly discuss the role of transplantation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
      (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL). In DLBCL patients, we discuss the role of
      HCT in clinically and biologically defined ultra-high-risk disease. In FL
      patients, auto-HCT is best reserved for relapsed chemosensitive patients after
      two to three lines of prior chemoimmunotherapies, who are not candidates for allo
      HCT, either because of donor unavailability, associated comorbidities, or patient
      preference. Reduced-intensity conditioning allo-HCT offers the curative option
      for patients with relapsed/refractory FL. Although the emergence of targeted,
      biologic, and immunological therapies is welcoming, it is currently unclear how
      these new therapies might enhance or replace allo-HCT. Until we have further
      definitive data, allo-HCT remains the only curative option.

PMID- 28633039
TI  - Giant-cell tumor of bone with pathological evidence of blood vessel invasion.
AB  - Giant cell tumor of bone is a rare but aggressive benign tumor that arises at the
      end of long tubular bones. The tumor rarely metastasizes; however, we report a
      case in which a giant cell tumor of bone presented with progressive pulmonary
      metastases. There has been no clear pathologic evidence of the definitive cause
      or route of metastasis. In our case, the primary tumor site was located in the
      left femur with pathological evidence of blood vessel invasion. The histological
      and pathological features of this entity are discussed in this letter to the
      editor.

PMID- 28633040
TI  - Hematopoietic cell transplantation: Training challenges and potential
      opportunities through networking and integration of modern technologies to the
      practice setting.
AB  - Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), particularly allogeneic HCT, is a
      complex and a high-risk procedure requiring expertise to manage potential
      treatment complications. Published data supports the value of quality management
      systems in improving post-transplant outcomes; however, there are no universally
      established, or agreed upon, criteria to assess adequacy of training of
      physicians, transplant or nontransplant, and supporting staff, among others. It
      is of paramount importance for transplant centers to identify the needed area(s)
      of expertise in order to seek appropriate training for their staff. Moreover,
      transplant physicians need to keep up-to-date with the rapidly occurring advances
      in the field. Outcomes of patients undergoing HCT are affected by various factors
      related to patient, disease, procedure, preventative, and supportive strategies,
      among others. Accordingly, availability of databases is necessary to collect
      information on these variables and use to benchmark future prospective clinical
      trials aiming at further improving clinical outcomes. Twinning with leading
      centers worldwide is helping to not only bridge the survival gap of patients
      diagnosed with cancer in the developing vis-a-vis the developed world, but
      eventually closing it. The advent of the World Wide Web and revolution in
      telecommunication has made access to information more readily available to
      various sectors including healthcare. Telemedicine is enabling healthcare
      delivery to remote and underserved geographic areas. In the setting of HCT,
      ensuring compliance to prescribed therapies and post-transplant surveillance are
      some areas where implementing telemedicine programs could fulfill an unmet need.

PMID- 28633041
TI  - Study of platelet activation, hypercoagulable state, and the association with
      pulmonary hypertension in children with beta-thalassemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The increased survival rate of thalassemic patients has led to
      unmasking of management related complications which were infrequently
      encountered. OBJECTIVE: Study the increased coagulation and platelet activation
      in children with beta-thalassemia, to analyze the factors that lead to such
      hypercoagulable state and to study pulmonary hypertension (PH) in conjunction
      with platelet activation and hypercoagulable state in children with beta
      thalassemia. METHODS: 36 Egyptian children with beta-thalassemia with a mean age
      of 9.9years (+/-4.7 SD). In addition, 20 healthy Egyptian children matched for
      age and sex were enrolled as a control group. Both were subjected to clinical and
      laboratory assessments. Echocardiography was done to the patient group and PH was
      diagnosed based on calculated mean pulmonary artery pressure [MPAP] >25mmHg.
      RESULTS: We found that, mean+/-SD serum P-selectin level (platelet activator
      marker) was significantly higher in thalassemic patients (2337+/-566pg/ml) in
      comparison to controls (1467+/-247pg/ml) (P<0.001). Mean serum protein-C and
      antithrombin-III levels were significantly lower in thalassemic patients (1.2+/
      1.3ug/ml, 27.3+/-7.5mg/dl) in comparison to controls (2.3+/-1.3ug/ml, 35.1+/
      4.1mg/dl) (P=0.003 and <0.001) respectively. PH was detected in 17 (47.2%)
      patients and it was significantly associated with splenectomy (P=0.01) and non
      transfusion dependent thalassemia (NTDT) (P=0.04). PH was positively correlated
      with serum levels of P-selectin (r=0.38, P=0.02), fibrinogen (r=0.41, P=0.01) and
      negatively correlated with serum protein-C level (r=-0.48, P=0.003). CONCLUSION:
      A chronic hypercoagulable state and platelet activation is present in children
      with beta-thalassemia. Splenectomy and transfusion infrequency are the main risk
      factors noted to be associated with such hypercoagulable state and platelet
      activation and consequently the PH among our thalassemic patients.

PMID- 28633042
TI  - Feasibility study of a family-focused intervention to improve outcomes for
      children with FASD.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Growing evidence shows that children with fetal alcohol spectrum
      disorder (FASD) can benefit from interventions, and specifically interventions
      focused on improving self-regulation. However, novel ways of improving outcomes
      for children with FASD need further investigation so that programs target not
      only the individual child but also the family context, which includes the parent
      child relationship. AIMS: The current study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of
      an adapted version of the Parents under Pressure (PuP) program that addresses
      self-regulatory processes, through improving the parent-child relationship and
      the use of mindfulness-based strategies for both children and parents. METHODS:
      This was a mixed methods study. Feasibility was examined by evaluating
      recruitment, data collection/outcome measures, and intervention procedures. The
      study used a phenomenological approach to obtain qualitative information from
      caregivers and a single-case experimental design to evaluate the preliminary
      participant responses to the intervention. RESULTS: Two out of three families
      completed treatment. The recruitment and intervention procedures were found to be
      suitable for and acceptable to the families involved. Some concerns were
      identified regarding the outcome measures that would need to be addressed in
      future research. Quantitative and qualitative outcomes were positive. CONCLUSIONS
      AND IMPLICATIONS: The results provide preliminary support for the feasibility of
      an adapted version of the PuP program. Thus, offering a potential multi-component
      option, that aims to improve self-regulatory skills for children with FASD,
      through focusing on improving the parent-child relationship and incorporating
      mindfulness-based techniques for both parents and children.

PMID- 28633043
TI  - De novo 12q22.q23.3 duplication associated with temporal lobe epilepsy.
AB  - PURPOSE: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of focal epilepsy
      and may be associated with acquired central nervous system lesions or could be
      genetic. Various susceptibility genes and environmental factors are believed to
      be involved in the aetiology of TLE, which is considered to be a heterogeneous,
      polygenic, and complex disorder. Rare point mutations in LGI1, DEPDC5, and RELN
      as well as some copy number variations (CNVs) have been reported in families with
      TLE patients. METHODS: We perform a genetic analysis by Array-CGH in a patient
      with dysmorphic features and temporal lobe epilepsy. RESULTS: We report a de novo
      duplication of the long arm of chromosome 12. CONCLUSION: We confirm that 12q22
      q23.3 is a candidate locus for familial temporal lobe epilepsy with febrile
      seizures and highlight the role of chromosomal rearrangements in patients with
      epilepsy and intellectual disability.

PMID- 28633044
TI  - Written accounts of living with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A thematic
      analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Qualitative studies examining lived experiences of psychogenic
      nonepileptic seizures (PNES) have predominantly relied on datasets collected
      using clinical or research interviews. This study pursued a different approach by
      investigating individuals' written accounts of their condition. METHODS:
      Participants (n=19) were recruited from membership-led organisations for
      individuals living with seizures and from a United Kingdom hospital. Participants
      were instructed to produce four pieces of writing: 1) about their thoughts and
      feelings about their condition; 2) a letter to their condition; 3) a letter to
      their younger self; and 4) about a personal value. All writings were analysed
      using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Six main-themes emerged from the data. Theme 1:
      'living with PNES' demonstrated that all participants presented the condition as
      having a debilitating effect. Theme 2: 'Emotions' revealed that individuals were
      struggling with anxiety, low mood and self-worth. Theme 3: 'Seizure symptoms'
      showed variability was a prominent feature in the description of ictal events.
      Theme 4: 'Treatment and outcomes' demonstrated that individual's perception of
      diagnosis and therapy differed greatly. Theme 5: 'Causation and development'
      revealed that the majority of participants spontaneously reported experiencing a
      traumatic event in the past. Theme 6: 'Lack of understanding' by themselves, the
      public and healthcare professionals appeared to pose considerable challenges to
      participants. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative research has an important role to play for
      improving our understanding of PNES. The findings contribute to the literature by
      highlighting the nature of stigma that people with PNES experience, and also
      their proneness to demonstrate problems with self-worth.

PMID- 28633045
TI  - mRNA transport & local translation in neurons.
AB  - Neurons are amongst the most structurally complex cells and exhibit a high degree
      of spatial compartmentalization. Also, neurons exhibit rapid and dynamic
      signaling by processing information in a precise and, sometimes, spatially
      restricted manner. The signaling that occurs in axons and dendrites necessitates
      the maintenance and modification of their local proteomes. Local translation of
      mRNAs into protein is one solution that neurons use to meet synaptic demand and
      activity. Here we review some of the key findings and recent discoveries that
      have shaped our understanding of local translation in neuronal function and
      highlight important new techniques that might pave the way for new insights.

PMID- 28633047
TI  - The impacts of the global financial crisis on hospitalizations due to depressive
      illnesses in Taiwan: A prospective nationwide population-based study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the third quarter of 2008, a major financial crisis hit many
      developed countries. Taiwan suffered its own share: a rise in unemployment and a
      severe decline in gross domestic product. This study is to address the health
      consequences of this crisis on different socioeconomic populations in Taiwan.
      METHODS: A sample of 6,225,766 men and 5,417,651 women, was obtained and their
      admissions data over 2007-2012 were retrieved. Stratified into three income
      levels, the sample was examined on the 147,921 episodes of hospitalization due to
      depressive illnesses (DIs) over that period by an interrupted time series
      analysis for monthly incidence rates of DI hospitalizations RESULTS: The adjusted
      incidence rates of hospitalization (AIRH) for DIs among the low income were 10
      times that of the high income group. The AIRHs were generally higher in all of
      three female income groups than they were in the three male income groups. The
      low income men and women showed increases (of 18.0% and 14.2%, respectively)
      beginning in April 2008 that sustained for two years. The high income women
      exhibited a 5.0% monthly rise in the rate of DI hospitalizations. LIMITATIONS:
      Our time series models can control some confounding factors, but the ecological
      fallacy remained. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that the economic
      recession resulted in increased rates of DI hospitalization in Taiwan, especially
      among the low income population. Women of higher incomes may have suffered a more
      enduring impact.

PMID- 28633046
TI  - Macrophages with cellular backpacks for targeted drug delivery to the brain.
AB  - Most potent therapeutics are unable to cross the blood-brain barrier following
      systemic administration, which necessitates the development of unconventional,
      clinically applicable drug delivery systems. With the given challenges,
      biologically active vehicles are crucial to accomplishing this task. We now
      report a new method for drug delivery that utilizes living cells as vehicles for
      drug carriage across the blood brain barrier. Cellular backpacks, 7-10 MUm
      diameter polymer patches of a few hundred nanometers in thickness, are a
      potentially interesting approach, because they can act as drug depots that travel
      with the cell-carrier, without being phagocytized. Backpacks loaded with a potent
      antioxidant, catalase, were attached to autologous macrophages and systemically
      administered into mice with brain inflammation. Using inflammatory response cells
      enabled targeted drug transport to the inflamed brain. Furthermore, catalase
      loaded backpacks demonstrated potent therapeutic effects deactivating free
      radicals released by activated microglia in vitro. This approach for drug
      carriage and release can accelerate the development of new drug formulations for
      all the neurodegenerative disorders.

PMID- 28633048
TI  - Affective traits and history of depression are related to ventral striatum
      connectivity.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Studying remitted Major Depressive Disorder (rMDD) facilitates a
      better understanding of neural mechanisms for risk, given that confounding
      effects of active symptoms are removed. Disrupted functional connectivity has
      been reported in multiple networks in MDD. However, no study to date of rMDD has
      specifically examined connectivity of the ventral striatum (VS), a region highly
      implicated in reward and motivation. We investigated functional connectivity of
      the VS in individuals with and without a history of MDD, and in relation to
      affective personality traits. METHODS: Forty-two individuals with rMDD and 28
      healthy controls across two sites completed resting-state fMRI and the Behavioral
      Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scale. Voxel-wise, whole-brain
      comparisons were conducted across and between groups for four seeds: left and
      right inferior VS (VSi), left and right superior VS (VSs). RESULTS: VSs
      connectivity to temporal and subcortical regions including the putamen and
      amygdala was positive and greater in HCs compared to rMDD individuals. Across
      groups, VSi connectivity was positively correlated with trait reward
      responsiveness in somatomotor regions. Across groups, VSs connectivity was
      positively correlated with trait drive, particularly in the putamen,
      parahippocampal, and inferior temporal gyrus, and was negatively associated with
      trait behavioral inhibition in the anterior cingulate, frontal gyri, and insula.
      LIMITATIONS: Limitations include scanning at two sites and using multiple
      comparisons. DISCUSSION: Group connectivity differences emerged from the VSs
      rather than VSi. VSs showed associations with trait drive and behavioral
      inhibition, whereas VSi corrrelated with reward-responsiveness. Depression
      history and affective traits contribute meaningful and specific information about
      VS connectivity in understanding risk for MDD.

PMID- 28633049
TI  - Physical activity correlates among 24,230 people with depression across 46 low-
      and middle-income countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of nationally representative data available on the
      correlates of physical activity (PA) among people with depression, especially in
      low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, we investigated PA correlates
      among community-dwelling adults with depression in this setting. METHODS: World
      Health Survey data included 24,230 adults (43.1 +/- 16.1 years; 36.1% male) with
      ICD-10 diagnoses of depression including brief depressive episode and
      subsyndromal depression aged >= 18 years from 46 LMICs. PA was assessed by the
      International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants were dichotomised
      into low and moderate-to-high physically active groups. Associations between PA
      and a range of sociodemographic, health behaviour and mental and physical health
      variables were examined using multivariable logistic regressions. RESULTS: 34.8%
      of participants with depression were physically inactive. In the multivariate
      analyses, inactivity was associated with male sex, older age, not being
      married/cohabiting, high socio-economic status, unemployment, living in an urban
      setting, less vegetable consumption, and poor sleep/ low energy. In addition,
      mobility difficulties and some somatic co-morbidity were associated with not
      complying with the 150min per week moderate-to-vigorous PA recommendations.
      CONCLUSIONS: The current data provide guidance for future population level
      interventions across LMICs to help people with depression engage in regular PA.

PMID- 28633050
TI  - The adenosine-mediated, neuronal-glial, homeostatic sleep response.
AB  - Slow wave activity (SWA) during slow wave sleep (SWS) is the best indicator of
      the sleep homeostasis. The intensity of the SWA observed during SWS that follows
      prolonged waking is directly correlated with the duration of prior waking and its
      intensity decays during SWS suggesting a buildup and a resolution of sleep need.
      This sleep-homeostasis related SWA results from a buildup and decay of
      extracellular adenosine that acts at neuronal adenosine A1 receptors to
      facilitate SWA and is metabolized by adenosine kinase found in glia. This local
      neuronal-glial circuit for homeostatic SWA is primarily under the requisite
      control of two genes, the Adora1 and Adk, encoding the responsible adenosine
      receptor and adenosine's highest affinity metabolizing enzyme.

PMID- 28633051
TI  - Influence of lactic acid and post-treatment recovery time on the heat resistance
      of Listeria monocytogenes.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of lactic acid (LA) with and
      without organic material at various post-treatment recovery times on the heat
      resistance of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). LA decreased Lm numbers; however, the
      effect was remarkably attenuated by the presence of organic matter. Five strains
      of Lm were treated with LA and the listericidal effects were compared. The effect
      of LA varied depending on the strain, with >=3.0% (w/w) LA required to kill the
      Lm strains in a short time. The heat resistance of Lm treated with LA was
      examined with respect to the time interval between the acid treatment and the
      subsequent manufacturing step. The heat resistance of Lm was shown to
      significantly increase during the post-treatment period. Heat tolerance (D value)
      increased up to 3.4-fold compared with the non-treated control bacteria. RNA
      sequencing and RT-PCR analyses suggested that several stress chaperones, proteins
      controlled by RecA and associated with high-temperature survival, were involved
      in the mechanism of enhanced heat resistance. These results are applicable to
      manufacturers when LA and heat treatment methods are utilized for the effective
      control of Lm in foods.

PMID- 28633052
TI  - Disinfection efficiencies of sage and spearmint essential oils against planktonic
      and biofilm Staphylococcus aureus cells in comparison with sodium hypochlorite.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus causes human infections and foodborne intoxications. This
      study explored the potential antibacterial actions of sage and spearmint
      essential oils (EOs) against both its planktonic and biofilm cells, in comparison
      with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), a commonly applied chemical sanitizer.
      Initially, the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MICs, MBCs) of
      each plant mixture were determined against planktonic cultures, following growth
      at 30 degrees C for 24h. Stationary phase planktonic bacteria were then
      individually exposed for 6min to either each EO (applied at 1-2*MBC; 2.5-5%), or
      NaOCl (250-450ppm). These were also left to form biofilms on 96-well polystyrene
      microplates, at 30 degrees C for 96h, with medium renewal at 48h, in the presence
      of 10 different concentrations of each EO, expanding from sub- to super
      inhibitory for planktonic growth, and the minimum biofilm inhibitory
      concentrations (MBICs; >90% inhibition) of each plant mixture were calculated.
      Formed biofilms were finally exposed for 6min to either each EO (applied at 2
      6*MBC; 5-15%), or NaOCl (7500-25,000ppm; applied either alone or in combination
      with each EO at 5%). Results showed that both EOs presented MIC and MBC equal to
      1.25 and 2.5%, respectively. As expected, their application at their MIC and
      above significantly inhibited biofilm formation, while spearmint EO was still
      able to cause this at 1/2 of its MIC, with MBICs equal to 1.25 and 0.63% for sage
      and spearmint EOs, respectively. Alarmingly, the application of both EOs at 1/8
      to 1/16 of their MIC further increased biofilm formation. Regarding biofilm
      disinfection experiments, the individual application of each EO against the pre
      established sessile communities resulted in log decrease ranges of 0.8
      3logCFU/cm2, while in the case of NaOCl application (either alone or combined
      with each EO), the observed reductions never exceeded 1.7logCFU/cm2. These last
      results highlight the great antimicrobial recalcitrance of biofilm communities,
      found here to be ca. 100 times more resistant to NaOCl compared to planktonic
      ones, and stress the urgent need for further research on alternative, adequate
      and safe disinfection strategies to control them in food processing and other
      environments.

PMID- 28633053
TI  - The major Alternaria alternata allergen, Alt a 1: A reliable and specific marker
      of fungal contamination in citrus fruits.
AB  - The ubiquitously present spores of Alternaria alternata can spoil a wide variety
      of foodstuffs, including a variety of fruits belonging to the Citrus genus. The
      major allergenic protein of A. alternata, Alt a 1, is a species-specific
      molecular marker that has been strongly associated with allergenicity and
      phytopathogenicity of this fungal species. This study aimed to evaluate the
      potential of the detection of Alt a 1 as a reliable indicator of A. alternata
      contamination in citrus fruits. To accomplish this aim, sixty oranges were
      artificially infected with a spore suspension of A. alternata. Internal fruit
      material was collected at different incubation times (one, two and three weeks
      after the fungal inoculation) and used for both total RNA extraction and protein
      extraction. Alt a 1 detection was then performed by polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) amplification using Alt a 1 specific primers and by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The experimental model presented in this work was
      effective to simulate the typical Alternaria black rot phenotype and its
      progression. Although both PCR and ELISA techniques have been successfully
      carried out for detecting Alt a 1 allergen in A. alternata infected oranges, the
      PCR method was found to be more sensitive than ELISA. Nevertheless, ELISA results
      were highly valuable to demonstrate that considerable amounts of Alt a 1 are
      produced during A. alternata fruit infection process, corroborating the recently
      proposed hypothesis that this protein plays a role in the pathogenicity and
      virulence of Alternaria species. Such evidence suggests that the detection of Alt
      a 1 by PCR-based assay may be used as a specific indicator of the presence of
      pathogenic and allergenic fungal species, A. alternata, in fruits. This knowledge
      can be employed to control the fungal infection and mitigate agricultural losses
      as well as human exposure to A. alternata allergens and toxins.

PMID- 28633054
TI  - Men and women with psychosis and the impact of illness-duration on sex
      differences: The second Australian national survey of psychosis.
AB  - We aimed to examine and compare sex-differences in people receiving treatment for
      psychotic illnesses in community settings, based on long or short duration of
      illness; expecting association between longer illness-duration and worse outcomes
      in women and men. Clinical, demographic and service-use data from the Survey of
      High Impact Psychosis were analysed by sex and duration of illness (<=5 years;
      >=6 years), using independent t-tests, chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and
      Cramer's V. Of the 1825 participants, 47% had schizophrenia, 17.5% bipolar and
      16.1% schizo-affective disorders. More women than men had undertaken post-school
      education, maintained relationships, and been living in their own homes. Women
      with a shorter-illness-duration showed social functioning equivalent to non-ill
      women in the general population. Men tended to have an early illness onset, show
      premorbid dysfunction, be single, show severe disability, and to use illicit
      substances. Men with a longer-illness-duration were very socially disadvantaged
      and isolated, often experiencing homelessness and substance use. Men with a short
      illness-duration were most likely to be in paid employment, but two-thirds earned
      less than $AUD500 per fortnight. Men with longer-illness-duration showed most
      disability, socially and globally. Interventions should be guided by diagnosis,
      but also by a person's sex and duration of illness.

PMID- 28633055
TI  - Face-related visual search deficits in first-episode schizophrenia.
AB  - Schizophrenia is considered a complex illness with multiple cognitive
      dysfunctions, including a deficit in visual processing. However, whether the
      deficiency of visual processing in schizophrenia is general across stimuli or
      stimulus-specific remains the subject of debate. In the current study, eighteen
      first-episode schizophrenic patients and eighteen healthy controls participated
      in three visual search tasks in which they were asked to search a specific target
      of a triangle, face identity or facial affect. The results showed that, compared
      to healthy controls, the accuracies for face identity and facial affect searches
      were significantly lower in schizophrenic patients, while the performance of the
      triangle search was the same. Furthermore, the accuracy of the facial affect
      search was negatively correlated to negative symptoms in schizophrenia. These
      results revealed a face-related deficit in schizophrenia and suggest that visual
      processing deficits in schizophrenia were stimuli-specific.

PMID- 28633057
TI  - Predicting falls in community dwelling older adults using the Activities-specific
      Balance Confidence Scale.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Falls are a significant problem associated with aging, and can lead
      to serious consequences including injury and death. The purpose of this study was
      to determine whether balance confidence differed between future fallers and non
      fallers, and whether the construct prospectively predicted falls. METHODS: Forty
      five community dwelling older adults aged 65 or older completed the Activities
      specific Balance Confidence scale (ABC) and reported falls experienced during the
      next 6 months. RESULTS: Eleven (24.4%) subjects were fallers, and had
      significantly poorer ABC scores (x=50.6%) than their non-faller counterparts
      (x=76.3%). The regression model was significant, where the ABC score predicted
      falls at 6 months. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that balance confidence
      differs between fallers and non-fallers, and that ABC scores can predict future
      falls in community dwelling older adults. CONCLUSION: Balance confidence is a
      fall risk predictor, and thus a critical component of fall risk assessment.
      Balance confidence should be measured regularly in community dwelling older
      adults using the ABC.

PMID- 28633058
TI  - Prenatal and early postnatal depression and child maltreatment among Japanese
      fathers.
AB  - We investigated the association of paternal depression in the prenatal and early
      postnatal period with child maltreatment tendency at two months postpartum among
      Japanese fathers. This population-based longitudinal study recruited Japanese
      perinatal women and their partners living in Nishio City, Aichi, Japan. Of the
      270 fathers who participated, 196 were included in the analysis. All data were
      collected via self-administrated questionnaires at four time points: 20 weeks'
      gestation and in the first few days, one month, and two months postpartum.
      Paternal depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
      Three definitions of paternal depression were coded based on participants' scores
      on this measure: prenatal, prior, and current. Child maltreatment tendency was
      evaluated using the Child Maltreatment Scale at two months postpartum. The
      associations of the three definitions of paternal depression and child
      maltreatment tendency were separately analyzed using logistic regression
      analysis. The prevalence of prenatal, prior, and current paternal depression was
      9.7%, 10.2%, and 8.8%, respectively. According to the multivariate analysis,
      current paternal depression was significantly associated with child maltreatment
      tendency at two months postpartum (adjusted odds ratio: 7.77, 95% CI: 1.83
      33.02). The other two types of depression, however, were not related to child
      maltreatment tendency. Thus, current paternal depression increased the risk of
      child maltreatment tendency in the postnatal period, suggesting that early
      detection and treatment of paternal depression might be useful for the prevention
      of child maltreatment.

PMID- 28633056
TI  - Exploratory analysis of normative performance on the UCSD Performance-Based
      Skills Assessment-Brief.
AB  - The UCSD Performance-Based Skills Assessment (UPSA) is a performance-based
      measure of functional capacity. The brief, two-domain (finance and communication
      ability) version of the assessment (UPSA-B) is now widely used in both clinical
      research and treatment trials. To date, research has not examined possible
      demographic-UPSA-B relationships within a non-psychiatric population. We aimed to
      produce and describe preliminary normative scores for the UPSA-B over a full
      range of ages and educational attainment. The finance and communication subscales
      of the UPSA were administered to 190 healthy participants in the context of three
      separate studies. These data were combined to examine the effects of age, sex,
      and educational attainment on the UPSA-B domain and total scores. Fractional
      polynomial regression was used to compute demographically-corrected T-scores for
      the UPSA-B total score, and percentile rank conversion was used for the two
      subscales. Age and education both had significant non-linear effects on the UPSA
      B total score. The finance subscale was significantly related to both gender and
      years of education, whereas the communication subscale was not significantly
      related to any of the demographic characteristics. Demographically corrected T
      scores and percentile ranks for UPSA-B scores are now available for use in
      clinical research.

PMID- 28633059
TI  - Adverse family experiences and flourishing amongst children ages 6-17 years:
      2011/12 National Survey of Children's Health.
AB  - Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are prevalent in the population and linked
      to various negative long-term health and social consequences. However, due to the
      retrospective nature of most studies on the topic, little is currently known
      regarding ACEs' immediate health impact. This study aims to provide insight into
      this area by examining the association between a new measurement, Adverse Family
      Experiences (AFEs), and flourishing amongst children ages 6-17 years in the
      United States. Data from the 2011/12 National Survey of Children's Health were
      analyzed. Adjusted prevalence ratios assessed flourishing by the number of AFEs
      (0 events versus 1, 2, 3/3+) controlling for individual/household
      characteristics. A sub-analysis examined characteristics of flourishing children
      ages 12-17 years with 3/3+ AFEs. The results showed children with 1 AFE
      (APR=0.87; 95% CI=0.83-0.91), 2 AFEs (0.74; 0.69-0.79), and 3/3+ AFEs (0.68; 0.62
      0.72) were less likely to flourish compared to those without any AFEs. Sub
      analysis of children ages 12-17 years with 3/3+ AFEs revealed a higher proportion
      of flourishing children volunteering, participating in extracurricular
      activities, and working for pay compared to those who did not flourish. Findings
      show significant differences in flourishing by number of AFEs and suggest that
      social connectedness may play a role in determining flourishing amongst children
      with 3/3+ AFEs. Furthermore, the results highlight the potential importance of
      identifying children with high AFE counts and helping them build resilience
      outside of the home.

PMID- 28633061
TI  - 1,4-Anthraquinone: A new useful pre-column reagent for the determination of N
      acetylcysteine and captopril in pharmaceuticals by high performance liquid
      chromatography.
AB  - 1,4-Anthraquinone (ANQ) is proposed as a novel pre-column reagent for high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
      and captopril (CAP) in pharmaceutical formulations. The derivatization reactions
      were carried out at room temperature: NAC at pH 8 for 1min, while CAP at pH 7.5
      for 20min. Both reactions reached completeness at a reagent to thiol molar ratio
      of about 2.5. The synthesised derivatives were characterized by 1H NMR and IR.
      The chromatographic separations were performed on a C18 Phenomenex Synergi Fusion
      4MUm (250mm*4.6mm I.D.) stainless steel column with detection at lambda=300nm.
      The mobile phase consisted of methanol/triethylammonium (TEA) phosphate buffer
      (pH 3; 0.05mol/L) 75:25 (v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.4mL/min for NAC and 88:12
      (v/v), at a flow-rate of 0.6mL/min for CAP. The validation parameters (linearity,
      sensitivity, accuracy, precision, specificity and stability) were highly
      satisfactory. Linear response was observed (determination coefficient >=0.9996).
      Detection limits were about 8 and 18ng/mL for NAC and CAP, respectively. Intra
      day precision (relative standard deviation, R.S.D.) was <=1.58%, for thiol to
      internal standard (IS) peak area ratio and <=0.33%, for thiol and IS retention
      times (tR), without significant differences between intra- and inter-day data.
      Thiol recovery studies were satisfactory (99.50%) with R.S.D. <=0.56%. The
      results highlight the high sensitivity of the method and the remarkable
      reactivity and selectivity of the reagent towards the thiol function. The
      developed method is suitable for the quality control of both thiols in commercial
      products. The method can be applied in any analytical laboratory not requiring a
      sophisticated instrumentation.

PMID- 28633060
TI  - Childhood adversity and cognitive functioning in patients with major depression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Major depression is often accompanied by deficits in cognitive
      functioning and lowered executive functions. However, not all depressed patients
      show impairments in these domains. The aim of this study was to examine whether
      different kinds of childhood adversity might account for cognitive deficits in
      patients with major depression. METHODS: Ninety-one patients with major
      depression (DSM-IV) and 40 healthy controls completed a neuropsychological test
      battery assessing memory, processing speed and executive functions. The Childhood
      Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to measure the severity and number of
      incidences of sexual, physical and emotional abuse and physical and emotional
      neglect. RESULTS: Patients with major depression had a significantly higher
      number of traumas and reported more severe emotional abuse, emotional neglect and
      physical neglect than healthy controls. Patients performed less well in memory
      tasks, general knowledge and processing speed than healthy controls. Hierarchical
      regression analyses indicated that the overall number of traumas was
      significantly associated with poorer general knowledge, lower processing speed
      and impaired executive functions in patients with major depression. A second
      model including all CTQ-subscales simultaneously demonstrated an association
      between physical neglect and poorer verbal learning, and physical abuse and
      diminished executive functions. CONCLUSION: A higher number of childhood
      adversities may influence general knowledge, processing speed and executive
      functions in patients with major depression. In addition, physical abuse and
      neglect seemed to be associated with verbal learning deficits and poorer
      executive functions.

PMID- 28633062
TI  - Blue light induced reactive oxygen species from flavin mononucleotide and flavin
      adenine dinucleotide on lethality of HeLa cells.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a safe and non-invasive treatment for cancers and
      microbial infections. Various photosensitizers and light sources have been
      developed for clinical cancer therapies. Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin
      adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are the cofactor of enzymes and are used as
      photosensitizers in this study. Targeting hypoxia and light-triggering reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) are experimental strategies for poisoning tumor cells in
      vitro. HeLa cells are committed to apoptosis when treated with FMN or FAD and
      exposed to visible blue light (the maximum emitted wavelength of blue light is
      462nm). Under blue light irradiation at 3.744J/cm2 (=0.52mW/cm2 irradiated for
      2h), the minimal lethal dose is 3.125MUM and the median lethal doses (LD50) for
      FMN and FAD are 6.5MUM and 7.2MUM, respectively. Individual exposure to visible
      blue light irradiation or riboflavin photosensitizers does not produce
      cytotoxicity and no side effects are observed in this study. The western blotting
      results also show that an intrinsic apoptosis pathway is activated by the ROS
      during photolysis of riboflavin analogues. Blue light triggers the cytotoxicity
      of riboflavins on HeLa cells in vitro. Based on these results, this is a feasible
      and efficient of PDT with an intrinsic photosensitizer for cancer research.

PMID- 28633063
TI  - Serum perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) and associations with behavioral attributes.
AB  - The ubiquitous use of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in a variety of
      industrial and consumer products has resulted in chronic exposure in most
      industrialized nations, and led to measurable concentrations in blood and other
      tissues in humans across all life stages; however, behavioral attributes that
      relate to exposure are not well studied. To further investigate how behavior may
      relate to PFAS exposure, 37 adults were recruited from central North Carolina.
      Participants provided blood samples and behavioral questionnaires were
      administered, asking questions about a variety of household, dietary, and
      behavioral outcomes. Six PFAAs, including PFHxA (geometric mean: 0.14 ng/mL),
      PFOA (1.57 ng/mL), PFNA (0.67 ng/mL), PFDA (0.28 ng/mL), PFHxS (3.17 ng/mL) and
      PFOS (4.96 ng/mL) were detected in >50% of the samples. Generally, males had
      higher serum levels than females across all chemicals, and levels were very
      similar to NHANES levels; however, PFHxS and PFDA levels were higher in our study
      population. Several personal characteristics and behaviors were associated with
      serum PFAS levels. Reported use of filtration devices was associated with lower
      levels of PFOA (28% lower, p = 0.03), but higher levels of PFHxA (122% higher, p
      = 0.04). Serum PFHxS levels were also elevated in individuals that vacuumed less
      often, and in individuals that reported consuming more microwavable foods. These
      results suggest that personal behaviors may be important determinants of PFAS
      exposures.

PMID- 28633064
TI  - An innovative approach to bioremediation of mercury contaminated soils from
      industrial mining operations.
AB  - Soils contaminated with mercury (Hg) have proved expensive and logistically
      difficult to remediate. Research continues into finding suitable environmentally
      friendly and efficient ways of achieving this end. Bioremediation is an option,
      which employs the strategies microorganisms have evolved to deal with Hg. One
      microbial strategy involves uptake and intracellular volatilisation of mercuric
      ions, which passively diffuse from the cell and back into the atmosphere. In this
      work, Pseudomonas veronii cells grown to stationary phase were immobilised in a
      xanthan gum-based biopolymer via encapsulation. The P. veronii-biopolymer mix was
      then coated onto natural zeolite granules. Zeolite immobilised cells remained
      viable for at least 16 weeks stored under ambient room temperature. Furthermore,
      the immobilised cells were shown to retain both viability and Hg volatilisation
      functionality after transportation from Australia to the USA, where they were
      applied to Hg contaminated soil. Maximum flux rates exceeded 10 MUg Hg m2 h-1
      from mine tailings (~7 mg kg-1 Hg with 50% v/v water). This was 4 orders of
      magnitude above background flux levels. It is envisioned that emitted gaseous
      elemental mercury (GEM) can be readily captured, and transformed back into
      metallic Hg, which can then be stored appropriately or recycled. This breaks the
      Hg cycle, as GEM is no longer translocated back to the atmospheric compartment.
      The immobilising excipients used in this research overcome many logistical issues
      with delivery of suitable microbial loads to locations of mercury contamination
      and presents a facile and inexpensive method of augmenting contaminated sites
      with selected microbial consortia for bioremediation.

PMID- 28633066
TI  - An EMG-assisted modeling approach to assess passive lumbar tissue loading in vivo
      during trunk bending.
AB  - Lower back pain (LBP) is a condition with high prevalence and high cost both in
      the United States and around the world. The magnitude of mechanical loading on
      spine is strongly associated with the occurrence of LBP. Previously, to assess
      spinal loading, biologically assisted biomechanical models were developed to
      estimate trunk muscle contraction forces. Loadings on lumbar passive tissues are
      estimated using anatomical models. However, despite the substantial individual
      variability in lumbar ligament geometry and viscoelastic properties, the existing
      anatomical models do not account for these differences. As such, the accuracy of
      model prediction is compromised especially when mid to full range of trunk
      motions are involved. This paper describes a new modeling approach to assess
      lumbar passive tissue loading with the consideration of individual differences in
      lumbar passive tissue properties. A data set that has trunk bending data from 13
      human participants was analyzed; on average, lumbar passive tissue contributes to
      ~89% of the total spinal compression force at fully flexed trunk postures; the
      estimated spinal tissue loadings were in feasible ranges as reported from
      previous cadaver studies; the estimated spinal loadings were also mostly in
      agreement with results from previous in vivo studies.

PMID- 28633065
TI  - Differential accumulation of PAHs, elements, and Pb isotopes by five lichen
      species from the Athabasca Oil Sands Region in Alberta, Canada.
AB  - A 2014 case study investigated the relative accumulation efficiency of polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), total sulfur (S), total nitrogen (N), major and
      minor elements and Pb isotopes in five common lichen species at three boreal
      forest sites in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in northeastern Alberta,
      Canada to identify the optimum lichen species for future biomonitoring.
      Differences in concentrations of PAHs, multiple elements, and Pb isotopes in
      fruticose (Bryoria furcellata, Cladina mitis, Evernia mesomorpha) and foliose
      (Hypogymnia physodes and Tuckermannopsis americana) lichens were found along a
      100 km distance gradient from the primary oil sands operations. Integration of
      insights from emission source samples and oil sands mineralogy in consort with
      aerosol collection indicates incorporation of more fine particulate matter (PM)
      into foliose than fruticose lichen biomass. Contrasting PAH with element
      concentrations allowed lichen species specific accumulation patterns to be
      identified. The ability of lichen species to incorporate different amounts of gas
      phase (S and N), petrogenic (V, Ni, Mo), clay (low Si/Al and more rare earth
      elements), and sand (higher Si/Al and Ti) components from the oil sand operations
      reflects aerosol particle size and lichen physiology differences that translate
      into differences in PM transport distances and lichen accumulation efficiencies.
      Based on these findings Hypogymnia physodes is recommended for future PAH
      biomonitoring and source attribution studies.

PMID- 28633067
TI  - Microbial electrosynthesis of butyrate from carbon dioxide: Production and
      extraction.
AB  - To date acetate is the main product of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) from
      carbon dioxide (CO2). In this work a tubular bioelectrochemical system was used
      to carry out MES and enhance butyrate production over the other organic products.
      Batch tests were performed at a fixed cathode potential of -0.8V vs SHE. The
      reproducibility of the results according to previous experiments was validated in
      a preliminary test. According to the literature butyrate production could take
      place by chain elongation reactions at low pH and high hydrogen partial pressure
      (pH2). During the experiment, CO2 supply was limited to build up pH2 and trigger
      the production of compounds with a higher degree of reduction. In test 1 butyrate
      became the predominant end-product, with a concentration of 59.7mMC versus
      20.3mMC of acetate, but limitation on CO2 supply resulted in low product titers.
      CO2 limitation was relaxed in test 2 to increase the bioelectrochemical activity
      but increase pH2 and promote the production of butyrate, what resulted in the
      production of 87.5mMC of butyrate and 34.7mMC of acetate. The consumption of
      ethanol, and the presence of other products in the biocathode (i.e. caproate)
      suggested that butyrate production took place through chain elongation reactions,
      likely driven by Megasphaera sueciensis (>39% relative abundance). Extraction and
      concentration of butyrate was performed by liquid membrane extraction. A
      concentration phase with 252.4mMC of butyrate was obtained, increasing also
      butyrate/acetate ratio to 16.4. The results are promising for further research on
      expanding the product portfolio of MES.

PMID- 28633069
TI  - Mitogenomic diversity in Russians and Poles.
AB  - Complete mtDNA genome sequencing improves molecular resolution for distinguishing
      variation between individuals and populations, but there is still deficiency of
      mitogenomic population data. To overcome this limitation, we used Sanger-based
      protocol to generate complete mtDNA sequences of 376 Russian individuals from six
      populations of European part of Russia and 100 Polish individuals from northern
      Poland. Nearly complete resolution of mtDNA haplotypes was achieved - about 97%
      of haplotypes were unique both in Russians and Poles, and no haplotypes
      overlapped between them when indels were considered. While European populations
      showed a low, but statistically significant level of between-population
      differentiation (Fst=0.66%, p=0), Russians demonstrate lack of between-population
      differences (Fst=0.22%, p=0.15). Results of the Bayesian skyline analysis of
      Russian mitogenomes demonstrate not only post-Last Glacial Maximum expansion, but
      also rapid population growth starting from about 4.3kya (95% CI: 2.9-5.8kya),
      i.e. in the Bronze Age. This expansion strongly correlates with the Kurgan model
      established by archaeologists and confirmed by paleogeneticists.

PMID- 28633068
TI  - Multi-electrode system for measurement of transmembrane ion-fluxes through living
      epithelial cells.
AB  - Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal human genetic disease. It is caused
      by the defect in a single anion channel protein which affects ion and water
      transport across the epithelial tissue. A flat multi-electrode platform of
      diameter 12mm, allowing for measurement of four ions: sodium, potassium, hydrogen
      and chloride by exchangeable/replaceable ion-selective electrodes is described.
      The measurement is possible owing to the architecture of the platform which
      accommodates all the electrodes and inlets/outlets. The platform fits to the cup
      and operates in a small volume of the solution bathing the living epithelial cell
      layer (membrane) deposited on a porous support of the cup, which allows for
      effective monitoring of ion concentration changes. By applying two multi
      electrode platforms, it is possible to measure the ion transmembrane fluxes. The
      inlet and outlet tubes in the platforms allow for on-fly change of the
      calibrants, ion-concentration changes and ion channel blockers. Using different
      ion-concentration gradients and blockers of ion-transporting molecules we show
      for the first time that sodium ions flow from the basolateral to apical face of
      the cell monolayer via a paracellular route and return also via a transcellular
      one, while chloride anions are transported back and forth exclusively via a
      transcellular route.

PMID- 28633070
TI  - Length and repeat-sequence variation in 58 STRs and 94 SNPs in two Spanish
      populations.
AB  - We have genotyped the 58 STRs (27 autosomal, 24 Y-STRs and 7 X-STRs) and 94
      autosomal SNPs in Illumina ForenSeqTM Primer Mix A in 88 Spanish Roma (Gypsy)
      samples and 143 Catalans. Since this platform is based in massive parallel
      sequencing, we have used simple R scripts to uncover the sequence variation in
      the repeat region. Thus, we have found, across 58 STRs, 541 length-based alleles,
      which, after considering repeat-sequence variation, became 804 different alleles.
      All loci in both populations were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. FST between both
      populations was 0.0178 for autosomal SNPs, 0.0146 for autosomal STRs, 0.0101 for
      X-STRs and 0.1866 for Y-STRs. Combined a priori statistics showed quite large;
      for instance, pooling all the autosomal loci, the a priori probabilities of
      discriminating a suspect become 1-(2.3*10-70) and 1-(5.9*10-73), for Roma and
      Catalans respectively, and the chances of excluding a false father in a trio are
      1-(2.6*10-20) and 1-(2.0*10-21).

PMID- 28633071
TI  - Structural characterization of the immunostimulatory exopolysaccharide produced
      by Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain NTM048.
AB  - The exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by probiotic Leuconostoc mesenteroides
      subsp. mesenteroides strain NTM048 has been reported to be an immunostimulant
      that enhances mucosal IgA production. In this study, we found that intranasal
      administration of mice with the EPS and an antigen (ovalbumin) resulted in
      secretion of antigen-specific IgA and IgG in the airway mucosa and the serum,
      suggesting that the EPS has the adjuvant activity for use with mucosal
      vaccination. Methylation analysis coupled to GC-MS, and 1D and 2D NMR
      spectroscopy revealed that 94% of the EPS consists of an alpha-(1 -> 6) glucan
      containing 4% of 1->3-linked alpha-glucose branches. To determine structures of
      minor components, we enzymatically digested the glucan with dextranase and used
      2D NMR spectroscopy to identify the remaining polymer as a fructan (or fructans),
      containing both beta-(2 -> 6)- and beta-(2 -> 1)-linked fructofuranose residues.
      These residues may either enter into separate polymers of each linkage type or
      form a mixed fructan containing both linkage types.

PMID- 28633073
TI  - Aggregation of N,N'-diallylurea and N,N'-diallylthiourea in solutions.
AB  - Joint studies by IR spectroscopy, dipole moments, average molecular weight
      measurements and DFT calculations on the self-aggregation of N,N'-diallylureas
      and N,N'-diallylthioureas in solvents of different polarities were performed.
      Simultaneous uses of all these methods are required for better understanding the
      mechanism of aggregation and the effects of different polarity of solvents. In
      this study also the measurements of IR spectra in polarized light were
      additionally performed, which gives information on arrangement of aggregates in
      liquid crystal matrix-built of 4-CN biphenyl derivative. It was demonstrated that
      in such conditions two forms of dimers the linear and cyclic ones are in
      equilibrium with different arrangements according the axis of CN group.

PMID- 28633074
TI  - Programming cells for cardiac repair.
AB  - Because the heart is a poorly regenerative organ, there has been considerable
      interest in developing novel cell-based approaches to restore lost contractile
      function after myocardial infarction (MI). While a wide variety of candidate cell
      types have been tested in animal MI models, the vast majority of clinical trials
      have used adult stem cell types, usually derived from bone marrow. These studies
      have generally yielded disappointing results, an outcome that may reflect in part
      the limited cardiogenic potential of the adult stem cell sources employed. Post
      MI heart failure is ultimately a disease of cardiomyocyte deficiency, so better
      outcomes may be possible with more cardiogenic approaches that may
      'remuscularize' the infarct scar with new, electrically-integrated myocardium. In
      this review, we summarize work in the field to 'program' exogenous or endogenous
      cells into such a cardiogenic state, as well as efforts to test their capacity to
      mediate true heart regeneration.

PMID- 28633072
TI  - Roles of serum in innate immune responses of human leukocytes to synthetic
      lipopeptide.
AB  - Tripalmitoyl-S-glyceryl-l-Cys-Ser-(Lys)4 (Pam3CSK4) is a highly conserved
      molecular motif found in various classes of lipoproteins. The requirement for
      leukocyte to respond to synthetic Pam3CSK4 were studied. Pam3CSK4 primed
      neutrophils for a respiratory burst in a serum-dependent manner. Pam3CSK4
      upregulated CD11b, CD14, and cytochrome b558, and downregulated Leu-8. Treatment
      of neutrophils with anti-CD14 antibodies and treatment of serum with anti-LPS
      binding protein (LBP) antibodies resulted in the inhibition of priming for
      respiratory burst by Pam3CSK4. It should be noted that LBP could not replicate
      the effects of serum in priming of neutrophils for respiratory burst by Pam3CSK4.
      Serum LBP bound to immobilized Pam3CSK4. Pam3CSK4 induced the interleukin-8 (IL
      8) production by leukocytes in a serum-dependent manner. Further, Pam3CSK4
      induced priming of neutrophils for respiratory burst was not inhibited by the LPS
      antagonists LA-14-PP, Rhodobacter sphaeroides LPS, or E5531, and Pam3CSK4-induced
      IL-8 production by leukocytes was not affected by LPS antagonist, E5531,
      indicating that Pam3CSK4 was recognized by a different receptor than LPS. Thus,
      Pam3CSK4 and LPS had similar biological activities and similar requirement to act
      on leukocytes, but were recognized by different receptors. Serum in the action of
      Pam3CSK4 on leukocytes was not replicated by LBP, suggesting that Pam3CSK4 might
      be disaggregated by serum to result in the activation of leukocytes.

PMID- 28633075
TI  - Elective unilateral nodal irradiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A
      paradigm shift.
AB  - There is a long-standing convention to irradiate the great majority of head and
      neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) electively to both sides of the neck, to
      reduce the theoretically increased risk of contralateral regional failure (cRF).
      With the currently available diagnostic imaging techniques this treatment
      paradigm means, in our opinion, an overtreatment in considerable proportion of
      these patients. From all the published studies (n = 11, with 1116 patients
      treated in total), the incidence of cRF in patients with oropharyngeal cancer
      treated to one side of the neck is 2.4%. The incidence was higher in patients
      with tumours involving the midline (12.1%). The low incidence of cRF was also
      seen in patients with HNSCC treated by local excision combined with unilateral
      neck dissection or sentinel node procedure. It seems clear from the aggregated
      data of these studies that a less conservative approach with regard to the
      selection of patients for unilateral elective nodal irradiation is justified. The
      fear of leaving the contralateral neck untreated in well-selected groups of
      patients with HNSCC needs nowadays to be mitigated since the incidence of cRF in
      lateralised tumours extending to but not crossing the midline is low.
      Furthermore, the obviously improved diagnostic imaging nowadays could help us to
      guide the selection of considerable proportion of patients with lateralised HNSCC
      for unilateral elective nodal irradiation with significant reduction of radiation
      related toxicity and improved quality of life.

PMID- 28633077
TI  - Simplified empirical model for phosphorous removal in a facultative wastewater
      lagoon.
AB  - Nutrient removal in a facultative lagoon in Manitoba, Canada, was monitored from
      May 2015 to April 2016. According to the 12-month data, phosphorous concentration
      in the effluent did not meet the regulatory requirement. Various models have been
      developed to predict nitrogen removal from lagoon through the years; however, not
      much effort has been deployed to model phosphorous removal from lagoons.
      Therefore, this research aims to relate the lagoon phosphate removal to the
      volatile suspended solids (VSS), metal concentration, and detention time. A
      simple empirical equation was derived by observing the one-year data, which
      considers assimilation into biomass as a major mechanism of phosphorous removal.
      The metals' concentration was found to be very low in the facultative lagoon
      studied. Hence, phosphorous precipitation by metals was neglected. The model
      relates assimilation directly to VSS which is simple to evaluate practically
      unlike other models that require individual algae and bacteria concentration. The
      correlation coefficient (R2) between the observed and the predicted effluent VSS
      was 0.92, which indicates excellent fit. The R2 between observed and predicted
      effluent orthophosphate was 0.83, which indicates moderate fit. The trend of
      modeled effluent phosphate is similar to the observed effluent phosphate
      concentration, which approves the validity of this model. The model developed in
      this research can be used to predict the average effluent VSS and phosphorous
      concentration in similar facultative lagoons.

PMID- 28633076
TI  - Resting-state functional connectivity of anterior and posterior hippocampus in
      posttraumatic stress disorder.
AB  - Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with altered resting
      state functional connectivity (rs-FC) of several brain regions within the
      salience (SN) and default-mode (DMN) networks, including the hippocampus.
      However, most rs-FC studies have not focused primarily on the hippocampus, nor
      have they appreciated its structural heterogeneity, despite clear evidence for a
      dissociation between posterior and anterior hippocampal connectivity. Here, we
      examine rs-FC of anterior and posterior hippocampus with key regions in the SN
      (amygdala, insula, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex/pre-supplementary motor
      area) and DMN (ventromedial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and
      precuneus) previously implicated in PTSD, using a seed-based approach. Resting
      state magnetic resonance images were obtained from 48 PTSD patients and 34 trauma
      exposed healthy participants (TEHC). Results indicated no group differences when
      examining the hippocampus as a whole. However, examining the anterior and
      posterior hippocampus revealed a loss of anterior to posterior connectivity
      differentiation in PTSD patients. The PTSD group also demonstrated lower negative
      connectivity of the posterior hippocampus-precuneus pathway compared with the
      TEHC group. Finally, as differences in anterior and posterior hippocampus
      connectivity have been also related to age, we performed a secondary analysis
      exploring the association between age and posterior- and anterior-hippocampus
      connectivity in both groups. Results showed that among PTSD patients, increased
      age had the effect of normalizing posterior hippocampus-precuneus and hippocampus
      posterior cingulate cortex connectivity, whereas no such effect was noted for the
      control group. These findings highlight the need for PTSD connectivity research
      to consider sub-parts of the hippocampus and to account for age-related
      connectivity differences.

PMID- 28633078
TI  - Utilization of phosphogypsum and phosphate tailings for cemented paste backfill.
AB  - This research is an investigation of the feasibility of utilizing phosphogypsum
      (PG) and phosphate tailings (PTS) for cemented paste backfill. Some experiments
      were conducted with various combinations of PTS and PG as aggregates, along with
      slags and/or Portland cement as binders and CaO as an additive. The influence of
      the PG's ageing time on the consolidation of backfill was also explored. The
      unconfined compressive strength (UCS), the generated gases and the scanning
      electron microscope (SEM) were all tested and used in the analysis of backfill
      characteristics. The results show that (i) the highest UCS of backfill prepared
      by PG and PTS after curing for either 7 days or 28 days is still less than 1.0
      MPa, with a large amount of CO2 and SO2 generated; (ii) the slags can improve the
      UCS by a factor of three, but not without a vast generation of CO2, SO2, and H2S.
      However, the gases were not produced when CaO was added, but the UCS decreases
      suddenly to 0.2 or 0.4 MPa after curing for 7 days or 28 days, respectively;
      (iii) the UCS of backfill increases linearly with increasing cement content. When
      the CaO was added at 2%, the UCS reached 3.36 MPa after curing for 7 days and
      4.44 MPa after curing for 28 days, and no gases were generated; (iv) the
      influence of the PG's ageing time on the UCS is negligible after 4 days of aging.
      Based on these results, it was concluded that PG and PTS can be utilized as
      backfill materials when Portland cement is used as a binder and CaO is used as an
      additive.

PMID- 28633080
TI  - Disruptive non-disruptive applications of CRISPR/Cas9.
AB  - The bacterial type II Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
      (CRISPR)-CRISPR Associated (Cas) systems, and in particular Streptococcus
      pyogenes CRISPR-Cas9, have been broadly applied to edit the genome of bacterial
      and eukaryotic cells. Cas9, which is an RNA-guided programmable nuclease, is a
      powerful tool for disrupting protein-coding genes. Cas9 cleaves target sites to
      generate a double-strand break (DSB) that is repaired via an error-prone repair
      process, leading to insertion/deletion mutations and gene knockouts. However,
      Cas9 can also be used to modulate genome function without gene disruption,
      enabling base editing, transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming, genome
      imaging, cellular barcoding, genetic recording, and genetic computation.

PMID- 28633079
TI  - Assessment of stormwater runoff management practices and BMPs under soil sealing:
      A study case in a peri-urban watershed of the metropolitan area of Rome (Italy).
AB  - By 2006, almost 100,000 km2 of EU soil (2.3% of the whole territory) had been
      sealed, with a per capita quota of 200 m2 of sealed surface for each EU citizen.
      Italy, in 2016, recorded a soil sealing rate of 2.8% of the entire territory. In
      this context, the urban expansion which occurred in past decades is considered
      one of the main causes of the increase in flood frequency and intensity in small
      catchments, causing both social and financial damage. In the present paper, the
      positive impact of introducing Best Management Practices (BMPs) at urban scale is
      assessed, with particular regard to the decreasing of flood prone areas. A
      suburban watershed of the metropolitan area of Rome has been selected for a study
      case, as its soil sealing rate can be considered paradigmatic at this scale.
      Starting from the analysis of rainfall events occurring between 2008 and 2011
      which caused millions of euros worth of damage, and using a high resolution data
      set in a GIS environment, two scenarios, with and without BMP introduction, are
      evaluated applying a rainfall-runoff model and a bidimensional hydraulic model.
      From a comparison of the flood maps with and without the introduction of BMPs, it
      was determined that in 90% of the circumstances the employment of the BMPs would
      completely remove the hydraulic risk, while in the remaining 10% the BMP would at
      least reduce the areas subjected to flooding.

PMID- 28633081
TI  - Deflagration to detonation transition in JP-10 mist/air mixtures in a large-scale
      tube.
AB  - Deflagration to detonation transitions (DDTs) in JP-10 mist/air mixtures have
      been studied in a horizontal multiphase combustion and explosion tube with inner
      diameter of 199mm and length of 32.8m. The mist/air mixtures were generated by
      injecting liquid samples into the experimental tube. Experiments were performed
      at 298k and 101kPa with equivalence ratio ranged from 0.51 to 2.09. The coupling
      process of deflagration wave with leading shock wave and low-velocity self
      sustained detonation were observed in JP-10 mist/air mixture with a concentration
      of 142.86g/m3, and the average velocity of the self-sustained detonation wave is
      510m/s, which is as low as 26% of C-J value. The low-velocity detonation in JP-10
      mist/air mixture can be explained by the low-volatile property of JP-10 liquid
      and boundary condition. The leanest and richest critical detonable concentrations
      were studied. The detonation structure was studied by using pressure sensors
      array mounted in the wave structure test section. A single-head spin detonation
      wave front was observed and the cellular structure resulting from the spinning
      movement of the triple point was analyzed.

PMID- 28633082
TI  - Role of indigenous microbiota from heavily contaminated sediments in the
      bioprecipitation of arsenic.
AB  - High arsenic concentrations have been detected in alluvial aquifers of arid and
      semi-arid zones in Mexico. This work describes the potential of microbial
      arsenate reduction of the indigenous community present in sediments from an
      arsenic contaminated aquifer. Microcosms assays were conducted to evaluate
      arsenate and sulfate-reducing activities of the native microbiota. Two different
      sediments were used as inoculum in the assays amended with lactate (10mM) as
      electron donor and with sulfate and arsenate (10mM each) as electron acceptors.
      Sediments were distinguished by their concentration of total arsenic 238.3+/
      4.1mg/kg or 2263.1+/-167.7mg/kg, which may be considered as highly contaminated
      sediments with arsenic. Microbial communities present in both sediments were able
      to carry out arsenate reduction, accomplished within 4days, with the
      corresponding formation of arsenite; sulfate reduction took place as well. Both
      reducing activities occurred without previous acclimation period or enrichment,
      even at potential inhibitory concentrations of arsenate as high as 750mg/L
      (10mM). The formation of a yellowish colloidal precipitate was evident when both
      reducing processes occurred in the microcosm, which contributed to remove between
      52 and 90.9% of As(III) from the liquid phase by bioprecipitation of arsenic as
      arsenic sulfide.

PMID- 28633083
TI  - Adsorption of Cu (II), Pb (II) and Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions using black
      wattle tannin-immobilized nanocellulose.
AB  - A novel nanocomposite based on black wattle (BW) tannin and nanocellulose was
      prepared and applied in heavy metal ions adsorptive removal from aqueous
      solutions. Firstly, nanocrystalline cellulose was oxidized by sodium periodate to
      get dialdehyde nanocellulose (DANC). BW tannin was then covalently immobilized
      onto DANC, which was used as both the matrix and crosslinker, to obtain tannin
      nanocellulose (TNCC) composite. The resulting nanocomposite was characterized
      using FTIR, AFM, and TG. The successful immobilization was confirmed by the
      chromogenic reaction between FeCl3 and TNCC and FT-IR analysis. AFM images
      revealed that TNCC was ellipsoidal particles with lengths ranging from 100-400nm.
      Zeta potential measurement showed that TNCC was negative charged at a pH range
      from 1-12. Compared to the original tannin, the thermal stability of TNCC was
      slightly increased by the addition of nanocellulose. TNCC demonstrated the
      maximum adsorption efficiency at pH2 for Cr(VI) and pH 6 for Cu(II) and Pb(II),
      respectively. The adsorption for these three metal ions followed pseudo second
      order kinetics, indicating the chemisorption nature. The adsorption isotherms all
      fitted well with the Sips model, and the calculated maximum adsorption capacities
      were 51.846mgg-1, 53.371mgg-1 and 104.592mgg-1 for Cu(II), Pb(II) and Cr (VI),
      respectively.

PMID- 28633084
TI  - Public health costs accounting of inorganic PM2.5 pollution in metropolitan areas
      of the United States using a risk-based source-receptor model.
AB  - In order to design effective strategies to reduce the public health burden of
      ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) imposed in an area, it is necessary to
      identify the emissions sources affecting that location and quantify their
      contributions. However, it is challenging because PM2.5 travels long distances
      and most constituents are the result of complex chemical processes. We developed
      a reduced-form source-receptor model for estimating locations and magnitudes of
      downwind health costs from a source or, conversely, the upwind sources that
      contribute to health costs at a receptor location. Built upon outputs from a
      state-of-the-art air quality model, our model produces comprehensive risk-based
      source apportionment results with trivial computational costs. Using the model,
      we analyzed all the sources contributing to the inorganic PM2.5 health burden in
      14 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the United States. Our analysis for
      12 source categories shows that 80-90% of the burden borne by these areas
      originates from emissions sources outside of the area and that emissions sources
      up to 800 km away need to be included to account for 80% of the burden.
      Conversely, 60-80% of the impacts of an MSA's emissions occurs outside of that
      MSA. The results demonstrate the importance of regionally coordinated measures to
      improve air quality in metropolitan areas.

PMID- 28633085
TI  - Biotechnological production of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator protein
      (reteplase) from transplastomic tobacco cell cultures.
AB  - Transplastomic plants are a system of choice for the mass production of
      biopharmaceuticals due to the polyploidy of the plastid genome and the low risk
      of pollen-mediated outcrossing because of maternal inheritance. However, as field
      grown plants, they can suffer contamination by agrochemicals and fertilizers, as
      well as fluctuations in yield due to climatic changes and infections. Tissue-type
      plasminogen activator (tPA), a protein used to treat heart attacks, converts
      plasminogen into plasmine, which digests fibrin and induces the dissolution of
      fibrin clots. Recently, we obtained transplastomic tobacco plants carrying the
      K2S gene encoding truncated human tPA (reteplase) with improved biological
      activity, and confirmed the presence of the target protein in the transgenic
      plant leaves. Considering the advantages of plant cell cultures for
      biopharmaceutical production, we established a cell line derived from the K2S
      tobacco plants. The active form of reteplase was quantified in cultures grown in
      light or darkness, with production 3-fold higher in light.

PMID- 28633086
TI  - Beneficial effects of melatonin in overcoming drought stress in wheat seedlings.
AB  - Melatonin plays an important role in abiotic stress in plant, but its role in
      wheat drought tolerance is less known. To verify its role, wheat seedlings
      (Triticum aestivum L. 'Yan 995') at 60% and 40% of field capacity were treated
      with 500 MUM melatonin in this study. Melatonin treatment significantly enhanced
      the drought tolerance of wheat seedlings, as demonstrated by decreased membrane
      damage, more intact grana lamella of chloroplast, higher photosynthetic rate, and
      maximum efficiency of photosystem II, as well as higher cell turgor and water
      holding capacity in melatonin-treated seedlings. Besides, melatonin markedly
      decreased the content of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion in melatonin
      treated seedlings, which is attributed to the increased total antioxidant
      capacity, GSH and AsA contents, as well as enzyme activity including ascorbate
      peroxidase (APX), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate
      reductase (DHAR), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione transferase
      (GST). The GSH-AsA related genes including APX, MDHAR, and DHAR were commonly
      upregulated by melatonin and correlated to the antioxidant enzyme activity as
      well as the content of GSH and AsA, indicating that the increase of GSH and AsA
      was attributed to the expression of these genes. Our result confirmed the
      mitigation potential of melatonin in drought stress and certain mechanisms of
      melatonin-induced GSH and AsA accumulation, which could deepen our understanding
      of melatonin-induced drought tolerance in wheat.

PMID- 28633087
TI  - In-field study on traditional Italian tomato landraces: The constitutive
      activation of the ROS scavenging machinery reduces effects of drought stress.
AB  - The involvement and the efficiency of the antioxidants scavenging system upon
      drought were examined by comparing traditional tomato landraces with respect to
      an industrial commercial genotype (Red Setter); for the first time, comprehensive
      analyses of physiological, biochemical and molecular parameters were investigated
      directly under real field conditions, in a typical agricultural environment of
      Southern Italy. The characterization of the responses upon drought evidenced
      peculiar changes in stomatal conductance, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase
      activities and expression in drought tolerant tomato landraces, with respect to
      the industrial genotype. An in silico analysis (promoter and co-expression study)
      coupled to a phylogenetic investigation of selected enzymes was performed,
      reinforcing the hypothesis of a basal activation of ROS scavenging machinery in
      the Mediterranean landraces. Thus our data suggest a constitutive increase in the
      expression and activities of specific enzymes involved in ROS detoxification that
      can play a pivotal role in the drought response shown by tomato landraces.
      Therefore, traditional landraces could represent an important source of useful
      genetic variability for the improvement of commercial varieties; their ROS
      detoxifying capabilities denote peculiar aspects worth being explored to better
      describe their specific stress tolerance.

PMID- 28633088
TI  - Second line with oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based chemotherapy for gemcitabine
      pretreated pancreatic cancer: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: oxaliplatin (OXA)- and irinotecan (IRI)-based chemotherapies are the
      most frequently used salvage regimens in patients with metastatic pancreatic
      cancer (PC) after first-line gemcitabine-based therapy. There are no prospective
      comparisons of these regimens in this setting. We conducted a systematic review
      of published trials to compare the efficacy of these treatments. METHODS: studies
      that enrolled patients with stage IV disease receiving chemotherapy with OXA or
      IRI plus fluoropyrimidines were identified using electronic databases (Pubmed,
      Embase, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane Library). Clinical outcomes
      were compared using weighted values of median overall survival (OS), progression
      free survival (PFS), response rates (RRs), and clinical benefit rates (CBRs). A 2
      tailed t-test with a significance level of 0.05 for comparisons of continuous
      variables and a Chi-squared test for comparisons of proportions were used.
      RESULTS: overall, 24 studies were included. The pooled overall response rate
      (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), PFS and OS were 11%, 37.9%, 2.87 and 5.48
      months respectively. There was no significant difference in response rates
      between OXA-based and IRI-based chemotherapies (11.9% versus 8.7%; Chi-squared P
      = 0.1), respectively. Also there was no significant difference in median PFS (2.9
      months versus 2.7 months; t-test P = 0.72), OS (5.3 months versus 5.5 months; t
      test P = 0.72), but a greater DCR with OXA-based chemotherapy (41.1% versus
      29.4%; Chi-squared P = 0.0008). CONCLUSION: OXA- and IRI-containing regimens were
      associated with similar efficacy when used after gemcitabine-based chemotherapy
      in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28633090
TI  - Pulmonary and cardiac pathology in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review studies on structural pulmonary and cardiac changes in SUDEP
      cases as well as studies showing pulmonary or cardiac structural changes in
      living epilepsy patients. METHODS: We conducted electronic literature searches
      using the PubMed database for articles published in English, regardless of
      publication year, that included data on cardiac and/or pulmonary structural
      abnormalities in SUDEP cases or in living epilepsy patients during the postictal
      period. RESULTS: Fourteen postmortem studies reported pulmonary findings in SUDEP
      cases. Two focused mainly on assessing lung weights in SUDEP cases versus
      controls; no group difference was found. The other 12 reported descriptive
      autopsy findings. Among all SUDEP cases with available descriptive postmortem
      pulmonary examination, 72% had pulmonary changes, most often pulmonary
      edema/congestion, and, less frequently, intraalveolar hemorrhage. Eleven studies
      reported on cardiac pathology in SUDEP. Cardiac abnormalities were found in
      approximately one-fourth of cases. The most common findings were myocyte
      hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis of various degrees. Among living epilepsy
      patients, postictal pulmonary pathology was the most commonly reported pulmonary
      abnormality and the most common postictal cardiac abnormality was transient left
      ventricular dysfunction - Takotsubo or neurogenic stunned myocardium.
      SIGNIFICANCE: Cardiac and pulmonary pathological abnormalities are frequent among
      SUDEP cases, most commonly pulmonary edema/congestion and focal interstitial
      myocardial fibrosis. Most findings are not quantified, with subjective elements
      and undefined interobserver reliability, and lack of controls such as matched
      epilepsy patients who died from other causes. Further, studies have not
      systematically evaluated potential confounding factors, including postmortem
      interval to autopsy, paramedic resuscitation and IV fluids administration,
      underlying heart/lung disease, and risk factors for cardiac or pulmonary disease.
      Prospective studies with controls are needed to define the heart and lung changes
      in SUDEP and understand their potential relationship to mechanisms of death in
      SUDEP.

PMID- 28633089
TI  - First-line panitumumab plus FOLFOX4 or FOLFIRI in colorectal cancer with multiple
      or unresectable liver metastases: A randomised, phase II trial (PLANET-TTD).
AB  - BACKGROUND: In first-line wild-type (WT)-Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene
      homologue (KRAS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), panitumumab (Pmab) improves
      outcomes when added to FOLFOX [folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin] or
      FOLFIRI [folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and irinotecan]. However no trial has
      directly compared these combinations. METHODS: Multicentre, open-label study in
      untreated patients >= 18 years with (WT)-KRAS mCRC and multiple or unresectable
      liver-limited disease (LLD) randomised to either Pmab-FOLFOX4 or Pmab-FOLFIRI.
      The primary end-point was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary end-points
      included liver metastases resection rate (R0 + R1), progression-free survival
      (PFS), overall survival (OS), adverse events and perioperative safety.
      Exploratory end-points were: response by RAS status, early tumour shrinkage (ETS)
      and depth of response (DpR) in WT-RAS patients. RESULTS: Data on 77 patients were
      analysed (38 Pmab-FOLFOX4; 39 Pmab-FOLFIRI; WT-RAS: 27/26, respectively). ORR was
      74% with Pmab-FOLFOX4 and 67% with Pmab-FOLFIRI (WT-RAS: 78%/73%). Out of the
      above, 45% and 59% underwent surgical resection, respectively (WT-RAS: 37%/69%).
      The R0-R1 resection rate was 34%/46% (WT-RAS:26%/54%). Median PFS was 13/14
      months (hazard ratio [HR] Pmab-FOLFIRI versus Pmab-FOLFOX4: 0.9; 95% confidence
      interval: [0.6-1.5]; WT-RAS:13/15; HR: 0.7 [0.4-1.3]). Median OS was 37/41 months
      (HR:1.0 [0.6-1.8]; WT-RAS: 39/49; HR:0.9 [0.4-1.9]). In WT-RAS patients with
      confirmed response, median DpR was 71%/66%, and 65%/77% of patients showed ETS >=
      30%/ >= 20% at week 8, without significant differences between arms; these
      patients had longer median PFS and OS and higher resectability rates. Surgery was
      associated with longer survival. Perioperative and overall safety were similar,
      except for higher grade 3/4 neutropenia (40%/10%; p = 0.003) and neuropathy
      (13%/0%; p = 0.025) in the Pmab-FOLFOX4 arm. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with WT
      KRAS mCRC and LLD, both first-line Pmab-FOLFOX4 and Pmab-FOLFIRI resulted in high
      ORR and ETS, allowing potentially curative resection. No significant differences
      in efficacy were observed between the two regimens.
      (clinicaltrials.gov:NCT00885885).

PMID- 28633091
TI  - Cyclic alternating pattern and interictal epileptiform discharges during morning
      sleep after sleep deprivation in temporal lobe epilepsy.
AB  - PURPOSE: Sleep deprivation (SD) increases the occurrence of interictal
      epileptiform discharges (IED) compared to basal EEG in temporal lobe epilepsy
      (TLE). In adults, EEG after SD is usually performed in the morning after SD. We
      aimed to evaluate whether morning sleep after SD bears additional IED-inducing
      effects compared with nocturnal physiological sleep, and whether changes in sleep
      stability (described by the cyclic alternating pattern-CAP) play a significant
      role. METHODS: Adult patients with TLE underwent in-lab night polysomnography (n
      PSG) and, within 7days from n-PSG, they underwent also a morning EEG after night
      SD (SD-EEG). We included only TLE patients in which both recordings showed IED.
      SD-EEG consisted of waking up patients at 2:00 AM and performing video EEG at
      8:00 AM. For both recordings, we obtained the following markers for the first
      sleep cycle: IED/h (Spike Index, SI), sleep macrostructure, microstructure (NREM
      CAP rate; A1, A2 and A3 Indices), and SI association with CAP variables. RESULTS:
      The macrostructure of the first sleep cycle was similar in n-PSG and morning SD
      EEG, whereas CAP rate and SI were significantly higher in SD-EEG. SI increase was
      selectively associated with CAP phases. CONCLUSIONS: SD increases the instability
      of morning recovery sleep compared with n-PSG, and particularly enhances CAP A1
      phases, which are associated with the majority of IED. Thus, higher instability
      of morning recovery sleep may account at least in part for the increased IED
      yield in SD-EEG in TLE patients.

PMID- 28633092
TI  - Epilepsy in neurofibromatosis type 1.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of epilepsy in patients with
      Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). METHODS: Analysis of a cohort of consecutive NF1
      patients seen in our NF1 clinic during a three-year period. RESULTS: Of the 184
      NF1 patients seen during that period, 26 had epilepsy and three had febrile
      seizures. Of the 26, 17 (65%) had localization-related epilepsy, seven of whom
      (41%) were drug resistant. Six (23%) had apparently primary generalized epilepsy
      (0/6 drug resistant), two (8%) Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and one (4%) West
      syndrome (all three were drug-resistant). As compared to the patients with no
      epilepsy, those with epilepsy were more likely to have MRI findings of mesial
      temporal sclerosis (MTS) (23% vs. 5%, p=0.0064), and cerebral hemisphere tumors
      (31% vs. 10%, p=0.0079), but not of the other MRI findings including
      neurofibromatosis bright objects, or optic gliomas. Three of the six patients
      with MTS underwent temporal lobectomy with subsequent control of their seizures
      with confirmation of MTS on pathology in 3/3 and presence of coexisting focal
      cortical dysplasia (FCD) in 2/3. We also have observed three additional patients
      outside the above study with the association of NF1, MTS, and intractable
      epilepsy. SIGNIFICANCE: Epilepsy is relatively common in NF1, often occurs in
      patients with brain tumors or with MTS which can coexist with FCD, can be
      associated with multiple types of epilepsy syndromes, and when localization
      related is often drug-resistant. Patients with NF1 and MTS can respond to medial
      temporal lobectomy and may have coexisting medial temporal lobe cortical
      dysplasia.

PMID- 28633093
TI  - Fracture resistance of ceramic and polymer-based occlusal veneer restorations.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of
      thermodynamic loading on the durability and fracture resistance behavior of
      occlusal veneers fabricated from different biomedical dental CAD/CAM materials.
      METHODS: The occlusal surfaces of 64 extracted premolars were prepared in the
      enamel layer and restored with occlusal veneers with a fissure/cusp thickness of
      0.5/0.8mm made from four different dental CAD/CAM materials: group LD lithium
      disilicate (e.max CAD), group LS zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (Vita
      Suprinity), group PI polymer-infiltrated ceramic (Vita Enamic), and group PM
      polymethylmethacrylate PMMA (Telio CAD). The prepared teeth were etched with
      phosphoric acid. The occlusal veneers were then bonded using an adhesive luting
      system (Multilink Primer A/B and Multilink Automix luting resin). Half of the
      specimens were subjected to thermodynamic loading in a chewing simulator (1.2
      million cycles at 98N). All specimens were quasi-statically loaded until
      fracture. The statistical analysis was made using the t-test and one-way ANOVA
      followed by the Tukey HSD test (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: All aged specimens
      survived the thermodynamic loading. Thermodynamic loading significantly raised
      the fracture resistance in groups LS, PI, and PM (P < 0.03). Occlusal veneers
      made from lithium disilicate and zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate recorded
      higher fracture resistance than those made from polymer-infiltrated ceramic and
      PMMA resin. CONCLUSIONS: All tested dental CAD/CAM biomaterials exhibited a
      fracture resistance considerably exceeding the average occlusal force in the
      posterior dentition. Therefore, they might present a viable long-term treatment
      for restoring the occlusal surfaces of posterior teeth.

PMID- 28633094
TI  - Impact of management on mortality in patients with invasive cervical cancer in
      Reunion Island.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In Reunion Island, the standardized mortality rate for cervical cancer
      is 4.8/100,000 women, twice higher than in Metropolitan France. For locally
      advanced disease, the standard of care includes a treatment by brachytherapy.
      Nevertheless, brachytherapy was not available on the Island before 2016. The
      objective of this study was to assess the impact of the management of patients
      with invasive cervical cancer on mortality in Reunion. METHODS: We have
      identified all the women hospitalized in one of the health care centers of the
      Island diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer between 01/01/2010 and 31/12/2015.
      The guidelines of the French Society of Gynecological Oncology (FSGO) were
      considered as the reference to evaluate professional practices. The
      characteristics that had an influence on global survival after log-rank test were
      included in a multivariate analysis according to the Cox Model. RESULTS:
      Retrospective analysis identified 303 women meeting inclusion criteria. The
      assessment of professional practices showed that the decisions on 11.6% of the
      patients discussed during multidisciplinary meetings, were not applied,
      consequentially leading to a decrease in survival (p=0.001). A total of 156
      patients (51.5%) were administered a treatment in accordance with the guidelines
      of the FSGO and had a better survival, even after multivariate analysis (HR 2.53
      [CI 95% 1.55-4.14], p<10-3). Nonconformity was associated with the lack of access
      to brachytherapy on the Island. Women on the Island presented low rates of
      screening tests (cover rates 53.2%). CONCLUSION: The absence of treatment in
      accordance with the guidelines and decisions taken during multidisciplinary
      meetings and the absence of brachytherapy were associated to a higher mortality
      among patients with invasive cervical cancer in Reunion Island. We hope that the
      implementation of brachytherapy in Reunion will address these deficiencies.

PMID- 28633095
TI  - Development and validation of the Polish version of the Urogenital Distress
      Inventory short form and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire short form.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ) measures the impact of
      urinary incontinence on activities, roles, and emotional states of women, whereas
      the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI) measures how troubling the symptoms are.
      The aim of this study was to develop and assess the effectiveness of a Polish
      version of the IIQ and UDI. STUDY DESIGN: The translation into Polish followed
      standardized procedures. 206 women aged between 31 and 83 years were included
      into the study. All patients were recruited from women attending the Outpatient
      Clinic of the 2nd Gynecology Department of the Medical University in Lublin. SUI
      was observed in 116 cases; OAB in 16 patients and 24 had MUI (confirmed by
      medical history, bladder diary and urodynamic investigation). 50 healthy women
      served as control. All patients completed the Polish version of the ICIQ - 'the
      gold standard' in UI diagnosis - as well as the newly translated Polish versions
      of the UDI-6 and IIQ-7 questionnaires at baseline. Moreover, 116 women repeated
      the UDI-6 and IIQ-7 self-assessment again 7days later. RESULTS: The internal
      consistency was tested by calculating Cronbach's alpha, using baseline scores.
      The high reliability of the scale indicates a value greater than 0.7. The
      reliability was calculated by way of the Intraclass Correlation (ICC) and was
      considered acceptable when ICC was>=0.7. In fact, ICC in all investigated groups
      was >0.95. The Cronbach's alpha values were as follows: for SUI patients - 0.74;
      for OAB - 0.78; and for MUI - 0.28 (the UDI-6 total score for the whole study
      group was 0.72). Cronbach's alpha total score for IIQ-7-0.89 (SUI group - 0.89;
      OAB group - 0.93; and MUI group - 0.77). Finally, the Cronbach's alpha total
      score for the ICIQ Questionnaire was 0.73 (SUI group - 0.71; OAB group - 0.65 and
      MUI group - 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: The Polish versions of the UDI-6 and IIQ-7
      Questionnaires are reliable, valid, and responsive instruments for assessing the
      severity of symptoms and quality of life in females suffering from urinary
      incontinence.

PMID- 28633096
TI  - Hysterectomy is not associated with de-novo urinary incontinence: A ten-year
      cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence, incidence proportion, and changes of urinary
      incontinence (UI) 10-13 years after hysterectomy compared to two control groups.
      STUDY DESIGN: A longitudinal cohort study of 661 women with follow-up for ten
      years. Originally, 866 women answered a questionnaire on continence status
      preoperatively. Ten years postoperatively the queries were repeated in 371 with a
      hysterectomy, 89 with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), and 201 with
      transcervical endometrial resection (TCRE). Significant incontinence was UI at
      least once a week. The main outcome measures were prevalence and incidence
      proportions of UI. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of stress UI ten years after
      surgery was 23% compared to 12% preoperatively. Urge UI was prevalent in 12%
      compared to 5% preoperatively. Incidence proportions of stress UI were in
      hysterectomies 21%, in LC 15%, and in TCRE 18%. Similarly, incidence proportions
      of urge UI were in hysterectomies 11%, in LC 11%, and in TCRE 8%. No significant
      differences between surgical procedures were found; however, we found substantial
      amount of changes in continence status from continent to incontinent and vice
      versa in all three groups. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was found after
      hysterectomy compared to controls in the prevalence or incidence proportions of
      UI after 10 years follow-up. Hysterectomy is not a risk factor of UI.

PMID- 28633097
TI  - Results of the first international HIV-1 coreceptor proficiency panel test.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Quality Assurance (QA) programs are essential to evaluate performance
      in diagnostics laboratories. OBJECTIVES: We present the results from the first QA
      for HIV-1 genotypic tropism testing, organized and coordinated by the Institute
      of Virology at the University of Cologne. STUDY DESIGN: 12 cell culture-derived
      viral strains of different HIV-1 clades from the NIH AIDS Reagent Program were
      sent to the participants to be processed with their standard diagnostic methods
      Fasta files containing the V3 region sequence were centrally analyzed at the
      Institute of Virology, Cologne. All samples were sent in parallel for phenotypic
      testing. RESULTS: 36 laboratories from 16 countries reported genotypic results.
      The sequence-generation efficacy was 95.1%, while the phenotypic assays ESTA(r)
      and PhenXR only achieved results for 58.3% of the samples. All four X4 samples
      were identified by 31/36 laboratories, two laboratories amplified 3/4*4 samples,
      and three detected 2/4*4 samples. There was high concordance among the genotypic
      and phenotypic results, although differences in FPR values were detected. Most
      deficiencies in sequence editing did not result in wrong classification of X4
      viruses as R5, with the exception of sample NRZ05 by laboratory 38, but in an
      overestimation of CXCR4 use. CONCLUSIONS: This demonstrates that genotypic
      tropism prediction is a safe procedure for clinical purposes. As we used
      homogeneous cell culture samples and all sequence fasta files were centrally
      analyzed, variations in FPR values can only be attributed to sample preparation,
      RT-PCR or sequence editing protocols.

PMID- 28633098
TI  - High prevalence of cytomegalovirus infection in surgical intestinal specimens
      from infants with necrotizing enterocolitis and spontaneous intestinal
      perforation: A retrospective observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe, often fatal
      gastrointestinal emergency that predominantly affects preterm infants, and there
      is evidence that neonatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may in some cases
      contribute to its pathogenesis. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the
      prevalence of CMV in infants with NEC. STUDY DESIGN: Seventy intestinal specimens
      from 61 infants with NEC, spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP), or related
      surgical complications were collected at Karolinska University Hospital and
      Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. Ten specimens from autopsied infants without
      bowel disease served as controls. Samples were analyzed for CMV immediate-early
      antigen (IEA), CMV late antigen (LA), 5-lipoxigenase (5LO) and CMV-DNA by
      immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH), respectively. In 10
      index samples, CMV DNA was analyzed with Taqman PCR after laser capture
      microdissection (LCM) of cells positive for CMV IEA by IHC. RESULTS: CMV IEA was
      detected by IHC in 57 (81%) and CMV LA in 45 (64%) of 70 intestinal specimens
      from index cases; 2 (20%) of 10 control specimens were positive for both
      antigens. 5LO was detected in intestinal tissue section obtained from all
      examined index and controls. CMV DNA was detected in 4 of 10 samples (40%) after
      LCM. By ISH, all 13 IHC-IEA-positive samples were positive for CMV DNA; however,
      3 of 5 IHC-IEA-negative samples (60%) were also positive. CONCLUSIONS: CMV
      specific antigens and CMV DNA were highly prevalent in intestinal specimens from
      infants with NEC, SIP, and related surgical complications. Our findings provide
      further evidence that neonatal CMV infection contributes to the pathogenesis of
      these diseases and may affect patient outcome.

PMID- 28633099
TI  - Simultaneous and specific enrichment of several amphenicol antibiotics residues
      in food based on novel aptamer functionalized magnetic adsorbents using HPLC-DAD.
AB  - In this work, a novel aptamer functionalized magnetic adsorbent was developed and
      combined with magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (MDSPE) for selective
      enrichment of several amphenicol antibiotics residues (chloramphenicol(CAP),
      thiamphenicol(TAP) and florphenicol(FF)) in foodstuff then determined by High
      Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)-Diode array detector(DAD). Firstly, a
      magnetic silica-coated Fe3O4 microsphere(Fe3O4@SiO2) was synthetized by sol-gel
      method, then it was functionalized by amino groups through 3
      Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) reagent to form Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2; Thirdly, the
      amino group on Fe3O4@SiO2-NH2 was transferred to carboxylic group via the
      succinic anhydride to form Fe3O4@SiO2-COOH. Finally a kind of DNA aptamer with
      amino group which can simultaneously recognize CAP, TAP, FF, was functionalized
      on Fe3O4@SiO2-COOH through adding the EDC/sulfo-NHS coupling reagent
      (Fe3O4@SiO2@Apt). Therefore, a very stable and useful adsorbent was synthesized
      for the detection of chloramphenicol series antibiotics. This adsorbent can
      specifically and simultaneously recognize and enrich CAP, TAP, and FF with high
      adsorption amount from some complicated food matrix, e.g. milk based on the high
      affinity of aptamer towards the analytes. The saturated extraction capacities for
      CAP, TAP and FF by the adsorbent were 2.82, 2.56, 2.72MUg/g (mass of
      target/adsorbent)respectively and the enrichment folds were more than 100 times.
      Afterwards, the target analytes were washed away by pH 8.5 0.1M Tris-HCl buffer
      solution and detected by HPLC-DAD. The parameters including extraction
      temperature, extraction capacity, extraction & desorption pH, extraction &
      desorption time were investigated. With the optimized conditions, the limits of
      detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.12-0.17ng/ml and 0.40
      0.55ng/ml for the amphenicols in milk. The adsorbent also has good
      reproducibility for extraction which can be reused at least for 60 cycles with
      the recovery over 80% (Fig. S2). The MDSPE combined with HPLC-DAD detection
      possessed the advantages of high selectivity, extraction capacity and very
      convenient for magnetic separation. In addition, this method is environment
      friendly and employed no organic solution in the period of pretreatment and
      extracting. It is a universal platform which can be extended to selective
      enrichment other organic pollutants residues if changing the modified aptamers.

PMID- 28633100
TI  - Improving the accuracy of hyaluronic acid molecular weight estimation by
      conventional size exclusion chromatography.
AB  - There is an unreasonably high variation in the literature reports on molecular
      weight of hyaluronic acid (HA) estimated using conventional size exclusion
      chromatography (SEC). This variation is most likely due to errors in estimation.
      Working with commercially available HA molecular weight standards, this work
      examines the extent of error in molecular weight estimation due to two factors:
      use of non-HA based calibration and concentration of sample injected into the SEC
      column. We develop a multivariate regression correlation to correct for
      concentration effect. Our analysis showed that, SEC calibration based on non-HA
      standards like polyethylene oxide and pullulan led to approximately 2 and 10
      times overestimation, respectively, when compared to HA-based calibration.
      Further, we found that injected sample concentration has an effect on molecular
      weight estimation. Even at 1g/l injected sample concentration, HA molecular
      weight standards of 0.7 and 1.64MDa showed appreciable underestimation of 11-24%.
      The multivariate correlation developed was found to reduce error in estimations
      at 1g/l to <4%. The correlation was also successfully applied to accurately
      estimate the molecular weight of HA produced by a recombinant Lactococcus lactis
      fermentation.

PMID- 28633102
TI  - An integrated assessment of ceftazidime and photoproducts on the feeding behavior
      of rotifers: From exposure to post-exposure.
AB  - Compared to traditional toxicological studies, which depict the dose-effect of
      contaminants themselves on organisms at the given time, the exposure and post
      exposure impacts of antibiotic ceftazidime and its photoproducts are carried out
      to systematically evaluate the environmental risk fate of ceftazidime in aquatic
      environments. For the exposure process, the promotion effect of ceftazidime on
      the feeding behavior of the rotifers decreased when the target compound was
      irradiated by sunlight, and the promotion effect was converted into inhibition
      effect, which indicated that the highest toxicity of ceftazidime on the feeding
      behavior of the rotifers was found after UV-B irradiation. The overcompensation
      occurred in the post-exposure, indicating a short - term effect of the
      corresponding photoproducts on the rotifer. In order to better understand the
      mechanism of this change, the photodegradation pathways of the target compound
      was analyzed and compared. The degradation degree under the UV-B irradiation had
      intensified greatly than that under the nature light irradiation. The reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) of the rotifer in exposure and post-exposure was also
      detected. Ceftazidime and photoproducts induced generation of ROS, indicating
      that oxidative damage occurred, and the decreasing of ROS levels could be viewed
      as the recovery of the rotifers in the post-exposure.

PMID- 28633101
TI  - Assessment of environmental and health risks in former polymetallic ore mining
      and smelting area, Slovakia: Spatial distribution and accumulation of mercury in
      four different ecosystems.
AB  - Former long-term mining and smelting of pollymetallic ores in the Middle Spis
      area caused a serious contamination problem of the environment with heavy metals
      and metalloids, especially mercury (Hg). Several studies have reported
      concentration of Hg in the area but this paper provides first detailed
      characterization of Hg contamination of different environmental components in
      agricultural, forest, grassland and urban ecosystems. The ecosystems are in
      different distances from emission sources - former mercury and copper smelting
      plants in NE Slovakia. Total Hg content was studied in soil/substrate samples (n
      = 234) and characteristic biological samples (Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth,
      Macrolepiota procera (Scop.) Singer, Boletus edulis Bull., Cyanoboletus
      pulverulentus (Opat.) Gelardi, Vizzini & Simonini, Triticum aestivum (L.), Poa
      pratensis (L.)) (n = 234) collected in the above-mentioned ecosystems. The level
      of contamination and environmental risks were assessed by contamination factor
      (Cf), index of geoaccumulation (Igeo) and potential environmental risk index
      (PER). To determine the level of transition of Hg from abiotic to biotic
      environment, bioconcentration factor (BCF) was used. To determine a health risk
      resulting from regular and long-term consumption of the locally available
      species, the results of the Hg content were compared with the Provisional
      Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for Hg defined by World Health Organization. The
      results suggest that almost 63% of the area belong to the very high risk category
      and 80% of the sampling sites shown very high contamination factor.
      Geoaccumulation index showed that almost 30% of the area is very strongly
      contaminated and only 8% is not contaminated with Hg. Spearman's correlation
      relationship confirmed that the values of PER, BCF, Cf and Igeo decreased with an
      increasing distance from the pollution source. The percentage of contribution to
      PTWI ranged between 5.76-69.0% for adults and 11.5-138% for children. Mushroom M.
      procera showed the highest %PTWI among the tested biological samples. Studied
      ecotoxicological parameters showed high level of health risk for population
      living in the area. Consumption of the crops grown in the area and mainly edible
      wild mushrooms might negatively affect the health of the consumers in the long
      term.

PMID- 28633103
TI  - Dietary risk ranking for residual antibiotics in cultured aquatic products around
      Tai Lake, China.
AB  - Antibiotics are widely used in aquaculture and therefore may be present as a
      dietary risk in cultured aquatic products. Using the Tai Lake Basin as a study
      area, we assessed the presence of 15 antibiotics in 5 widely cultured aquatic
      species using a newly developed dietary risk ranking approach. By assigning
      scores to each factor involved in the ranking matrices, the scores of dietary
      risks per antibiotic and per aquatic species were calculated. The results
      indicated that fluoroquinolone antibiotics posed the highest dietary risk in all
      aquatic species. Then, the total scores per aquatic species were summed by all 15
      antibiotic scores of antibiotics, it was found that Crab (Eriocheir sinensis) had
      the highest dietary risks. Finally, the most concerned antibiotic category and
      aquatic species were selected. This study highlighted the importance of dietary
      risk ranking in the production and consumption of cultured aquatic products
      around Tai Lake.

PMID- 28633104
TI  - Transcriptional and cellular effects of paracetamol in the oyster Crassostrea
      gigas.
AB  - Acetaminophen (paracetamol) (PAR) is one of the most popular non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with analgesic and antipyretic properties consumed
      worldwide and often detected in the aquatic environment. Due to the fact that PAR
      induces oxidative stress in mammals, the aim of this study was to evaluate if
      similar effects were observed in oysters Crassostrea gigas, given their economic
      and ecological importance and worldwide distribution. Oysters were exposed for 1,
      4 and 7 days to two different sublethal PAR concentrations (0, 1 and 100MUgL-1).
      Cell viability, DNA damage in hemocytes and enzymatic activities of superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidases (GPx), glutathione
      reductase (GR), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and glutathione S
      transferases (GST) were evaluated in oyster gills. In addition, changes at
      transcriptional level of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase-like (CAT
      like), cytochrome P450 genes (CYP30C1, CYP2AU2, CYP3071A1, CYP356A1), glutathione
      S-transferase isoforms (GST-omega and GST-pi-like), cyclooxygenase (COX), fatty
      acid binding proteins-like (FABP-like), and caspase genes were evaluated in
      oyster gills and digestive gland. No changes in cell viability and DNA damage
      were observed in oysters exposed to both PAR concentrations. Similarly, no
      significant changes were detected in the major antioxidant enzymes (except for
      auxiliary enzyme GR) in oyster gills, suggesting that changes in GR activity are
      enough to counteract a potential oxidative stress in C. gigas gills under these
      experimental conditions. Furthermore, changes at transcriptional level are
      concentration and tissue dependent. PAR elicited an inhibition of CYP30C1,
      CYP3071A1 and FABP-like transcripts highlighting their role in drug metabolism,
      transport and detoxification of PAR in the gills. GST transcript levels were
      type, tissue and concentration-dependent. GST-pi-like was down-regulated in
      oyster gills exposed to the lowest PAR concentration and up-regulated in the
      digestive gland of oysters exposed to the highest PAR concentration. However, GST
      omega transcript levels were lower only in oysters digestive gland exposed to the
      lowest PAR concentration. Therefore, changes at transcriptional level were more
      sensitive to assess the exposure to PAR at environmental relevant concentrations.

PMID- 28633105
TI  - Effects of triacontanol on ascorbate-glutathione cycle in Brassica napus L.
      exposed to cadmium-induced oxidative stress.
AB  - The ability of exogenous triacontanol (TRIA), a plant growth regulator, to reduce
      Cd toxicity was studied in canola (Brassica napus L.) plants. The following
      biological parameters were examined in canola seedlings to investigate TRIA
      induced tolerance to Cd toxicity: seedling growth, chlorophyll damage and
      antioxidant response. In particular, TRIA application reduced Cd-induced
      oxidative damage, as shown by reduction of ROS content, lipoxygenase (LOX)
      activity and lipid peroxidation level. TRIA pretreatment increased non-enzymatic
      antioxidant contents (ascorbate, AsA, glutathione and GSH), phytochelatin content
      (PCs) and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD),
      catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX),
      monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydro ascorbate reductase (DHAR), and
      glutathione reductase (GR), so reducing the oxidative stress. These results
      clearly indicate the protective ability of TRIA to modulate the redox status
      through the antioxidant pathway AGC and GSH, so reducing Cd-induced oxidative
      stress.

PMID- 28633106
TI  - Selective photocytotoxicity of anthrols on cancer stem-like cells: The effect of
      quinone methides or reactive oxygen species.
AB  - Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a subpopulation of cancer cells that share
      properties of embryonic stem cells like pluripotency and self-renewal and show
      increased resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. Targeting CSC, rather than
      cancer cells in general, is a novel and promising strategy for cancer treatment.
      Novel therapeutic approaches, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) have been
      investigated. A promising group of phototherapeutic agents are reactive
      intermediates - quinone methides (QMs). This study describes preparation of QM
      precursor, 2-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylanthracene (2) and a detailed photochemical
      and photobiological investigation on similar anthracene derivatives 3 and 4. Upon
      photoexcitation with near visible light at lambda > 400 nm 1 and 2 give QMs, that
      were detected by laser flash photolysis and their reactivity with nucleophiles
      has been demonstrated in the preparative irradiation experiments where the
      corresponding adducts were isolated and characterized. 3 and 4 cannot undergo
      photodehydration and deliver QM, but lead to the formation of phenoxyl radical
      and singlet oxygen, respectively. The activity of 1-4 was tested on a panel of
      human tumor cell lines, while special attention was devoted to demonstrate their
      potential selectivity towards the cells with CSC-like properties (HMLEshEcad).
      Upon the irradiation of cell lines treated with 1-4, an enhancement of
      antiproliferative activity was demonstrated, but the DNA was not the target
      molecule. Confocal microscopy revealed that these compounds entered the cell and,
      upon irradiation, reacted with cellular membranes. Our experiments demonstrated
      moderate selectivity of 2 and 4 towards CSC-like cells, while necrosis was shown
      to be a dominant cell death mechanism. Especially interesting was the selectivity
      of 4 that produced higher levels of ROS in CSC-like cells, which forms the basis
      for further research on cancer phototherapy, as well as for the elucidation of
      the underlying mechanism of the observed CSC selectivity based on oxidative
      stress activation.

PMID- 28633107
TI  - Effects of chemical and physical enhancement techniques on transdermal delivery
      of 3-fluoroamphetamine hydrochloride.
AB  - The present study investigated the passive transdermal delivery of 3
      fluoroamphetamine hydrochloride (PAL-353) and evaluated the effects of chemical
      and physical enhancement techniques on its permeation through human skin. In
      vitro drug permeation studies through dermatomed human skin were performed using
      Franz diffusion cells. Passive permeation of PAL-353 from propylene glycol and
      phosphate buffered saline as vehicles was studied. Effect of oleic acid, maltose
      microneedles, ablative laser, and anodal iontophoresis on its transdermal
      permeation was investigated. Infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy,
      calcein imaging, confocal laser microscopy, and histology studies were used to
      characterize the effects of chemical and physical treatments on skin integrity.
      Passive permeation of PAL-353 (propylene glycol) after 24h was found to be 1.03+/
      0.17MUg/cm2. Microneedles, oleic acid, and laser significantly increased the
      permeation to 7.35+/-4.87MUg/cm2, 38.26+/-5.56MUg/cm2, and 523.24+/-86.79MUg/cm2
      (p<0.05), respectively. A 548-fold increase in drug permeation was observed using
      iontophoresis as compared to its passive permeation from phosphate buffered
      saline (p<0.05). The characterization studies depicted disruption of the stratum
      corneum by microneedles and laser treatment. Overall, transdermal permeation of
      PAL-353 was significantly enhanced by the use of chemical and physical
      enhancement techniques.

PMID- 28633108
TI  - Bioactivity and quantitative analysis of isohexenylnaphthazarins in root periderm
      of two Echium spp.: E. plantagineum and E. gaditanum.
AB  - Isohexenylnaphthazarins are commonly found in the root periderm of several
      Boraginaceous plants and are known for their broad range of biological
      activities. The work described herein concerns the biological activity of
      compounds from the roots of Echium plantagineum L. and Echium gaditanum Boiss
      (Boraginaceae) collected from field sites in southern Spain and Australia.
      Bioactivity was assessed using etiolated wheat coleoptile bioassay and in vitro
      growth inhibitory activity in HeLa and IGROV-1 cells. The quantification of four
      isohexenylnaphthazarins (shikonin/alkannin, deoxyshikonin/deoxyalkannin,
      acetylshikonin/acetylalkannin and dimethylacrylshikonin/dimethylacrylalkannin)
      was performed by LC-MS/MS using juglone as internal standard. Correlation
      coefficient values for the activities and concentrations of these four analytes
      were in the linear range and were greater than 0.99.
      Acetylshikonin/acetylalkannin and dimethylacrylshikonin/dimethylacrylalkannin
      were present in the highest concentrations in extracts of both species. The
      results reveal that greatest overall inhibition was observed in both bioassays
      with E. gaditanum extracts. Strong correlations between time of collection,
      sampling location and bioactivity were identified.

PMID- 28633110
TI  - Emerging contaminants related to the occurrence of forest fires in the Spanish
      Mediterranean.
AB  - Forest fires can be a source of contamination because, among others, of the use
      of chemicals to their extinction (flame retardants, FRs), or by the production of
      Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) derived from high temperature alteration
      of organic matter. Up to our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the
      direct (PAHs 16 on the USA EPA's priority list), and indirect [tri- to hepta-
      brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) and
      perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)] contamination related to forest fires. The
      abundance and distribution of these contaminants were monitored on two
      Mediterranean hillslopes, one burned and one unburned, near Azuebar (SE Spain).
      Samples were taken in the foot, middle, and top of the slope, at two depths, and
      in two environments (under canopy and bare soil). Sediments were collected from
      sediment fences after erosive rainfall events. Most of the screened compounds
      were found in both, burned and control hillslopes, though significant differences
      were found between both. In burned soil, low concentrations of PBDEs (maximum
      SigmaPBDEs: 7.3ngg-1), PFRs (664.4ngg-1) and PFASs (56.4ngg-1) were detected in
      relation to PAHs (Sigma16 PAHs=1255.3ngg-1). No significant influence of the
      hillslope position was observed for any of the contaminants but differences based
      on depth and vegetation presence tended to be significant, particularly for the
      PAHs. After the first erosive event, concentrations of PBDEs and PAHs were higher
      in sediment than in soil (SigmaPBDEs: 17.8ngg-1 and Sigma16 PAHs=3154.2ngg-1)
      pointing out the importance of connectivity processes, especially shortly after
      fire.

PMID- 28633111
TI  - Drought-avoiding plants with low water use can achieve high rainfall retention
      without jeopardising survival on green roofs.
AB  - Green roofs are increasingly being used among the suite of tools designed to
      reduce the volume of surface water runoff generated by cities. Plants provide the
      primary mechanism for restoring the rainfall retention capacity of green roofs,
      but selecting plants with high water use is likely to increase drought stress.
      Using empirically-derived plant physiological parameters, we used a water balance
      model to assess the trade-off between rainfall retention and plant drought stress
      under a 30-year climate scenario. We compared high and low water users with
      either drought avoidance or drought tolerance strategies. Green roofs with low
      water-using, drought-avoiding species achieved high rainfall retention (66-81%)
      without experiencing significant drought stress. Roofs planted with other
      strategies showed high retention (72-90%), but they also experienced >50days of
      drought stress per year. However, not all species with the same strategy behaved
      similarly, therefore selecting plants based on water use and drought strategy
      alone does not guarantee survival in shallow substrates where drought stress can
      develop quickly. Despite this, it is more likely that green roofs will achieve
      high rainfall retention with minimal supplementary irrigation if planted with low
      water users with drought avoidance strategies.

PMID- 28633109
TI  - Endothelial NLRP3 inflammasome activation and arterial neointima formation
      associated with acid sphingomyelinase during hypercholesterolemia.
AB  - The NLRP3 inflammasome has been reported to be activated by atherogenic factors,
      whereby endothelial injury and consequent atherosclerotic lesions are triggered
      in the arterial wall. However, the mechanisms activating and regulating NLRP3
      inflammasomes remain poorly understood. The present study tested whether acid
      sphingomyelinase (ASM) and ceramide associated membrane raft (MR) signaling
      platforms contribute to the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and atherosclerotic
      lesions during hypercholesterolemia. We found that 7-ketocholesterol (7-Keto) or
      cholesterol crystal (ChC) markedly increased the formation and activation of
      NLRP3 inflammasomes in mouse carotid arterial endothelial cells (CAECs), as shown
      by increased colocalization of NLRP3 with ASC or caspase-1, enhanced caspase-1
      activity and elevated IL-1beta levels, which were markedly attenuated by mouse
      Asm siRNA, ASM inhibitor- amitriptyline, and deletion of mouse Asm gene. In CAECs
      with NLRP3 inflammasome formation, membrane raft (MR) clustering with NADPH
      oxidase subunits was found remarkably increased as shown by CTXB (MR marker) and
      gp91phox aggregation indicating the formation of MR redox signaling platforms.
      This MR clustering was blocked by MR disruptor (MCD), ROS scavenger (Tempol) and
      TXNIP inhibitor (verapamil), accompanied by attenuation of 7-Keto or ChC-induced
      increase in caspase-1 activity. In animal experiments, Western diet fed mice with
      partially ligated left carotid artery (PLCA) were found to have significantly
      increased neointimal formation, which was associated with increased NLRP3
      inflammasome formation and IL-1beta production in the intima of Asm+/+ mice but
      not in Asm-/- mice. These results suggest that Asm gene and ceramide associated
      MR clustering are essential to endothelial inflammasome activation and
      dysfunction in the carotid arteries, ultimately determining the extent of
      atherosclerotic lesions.

PMID- 28633113
TI  - Transformation and toxicity assessment of two UV filters using UV/H2O2 process.
AB  - The treatment of two typical UV filters benzophenone-4 (BP4) and benzophenone-9
      (BP9) was evaluated in aqueous solutions by UV/H2O2 process. High-resolution
      accurate mass spectrometry (HRMS) was used to identify the degradation
      intermediates. A total of 12 BP4 degradation products and 17 BP9 degradation
      products were identified. A series of OH-initiated reactions, including
      hydroxylation, dihydroxylation, decarboxylation, demethylation, and ring
      breaking, lead to the final mineralization of BP4 and BP9. The degradation
      mechanisms of BP4 and BP9 are also proposed, separately. Toxicity prediction and
      assessment indicate that the bio-toxicity of the intermediates is higher, even if
      the parent compounds are completely transformed. It is necessary to further
      assess the environmental risk of BP4, BP9 and their intermediates in engineered
      systems and ambient aquatic environments.

PMID- 28633112
TI  - Perfluorinated alkyl substances in Spanish adults: Geographical distribution and
      determinants of exposure.
AB  - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely found in humans and the
      environment. Their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity make them a source
      of increasing public health concern. In this study, we analyzed the
      concentrations and geographical distribution of six PFAS in the serum of 755
      Spanish adults aged 18-65. The geometric mean concentrations (and P95 values) for
      PFOS (perfluoroctane sulfonate), PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), PFHxS
      (perfluorohexane sulfonate), PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid) and PFDA
      (perfluorodecanoic acid) were 7.67 (19.3), 1.99 (5.48), 0.91 (2.84), 0.96 (2.44)
      and 0.42 (0.99) MUg/L, respectively. N-Methylperfluorooctane sulfonamide (N
      MeFOSAA) was detected in only 3.3% of samples. Residents in northeast (Catalonia)
      and northwest of Spain (Galicia) were found to have the highest serum values,
      whereas residents in the Canary Islands had the lowest values for almost all
      PFAS. Men presented higher levels than women, and we confirm that lactation
      (breastfeeding) contributes to a reduced body burden for all PFAS in women. Our
      data provide new information on exposure to PFAS in a national cross section
      sample of Spanish adults, thus providing a proxy for reference values for the
      Spanish population and forming the base for following temporal trends in the
      future.

PMID- 28633114
TI  - Do glucosinolate hydrolysis products reduce nitrous oxide emissions from urine
      affected soil?
AB  - New Zealand agriculture is predominantly comprised of pastoral grazing systems
      and deposition of animal excreta during grazing has been identified as a major
      source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Nitrification inhibitors have been shown
      to significantly reduce nitrous oxide emissions from grazing pastoral systems,
      and some plants have been identified as having nitrification inhibiting
      properties. Brassica crops are one such example as they contain the secondary
      metabolite glucosinolate (GLS) whose hydrolysis products are thought to slow soil
      nitrogen cycling. Forage brassicas have been increasingly used to supplement the
      diet of grazing animals. The aim of this study was to determine if GLS hydrolysis
      products (phenylethyl isothiocyanate, 4-pent-1-yl isothiocyanate, 2-propenyl
      nitrile, 2 propenyl isothiocyanate, 4-pentene nitrile) produced in brassica crops
      reduced N2O emissions from soil amended with urea or animal urine. In the
      laboratory, some GLS hydrolysis products added with urea to soil were found to
      decrease N2O emissions and the most effective product (phenylethyl isothiocyante)
      reduced N2O emissions by 51% during the study. There was some evidence that the
      reduction in N2O emissions found in the lab could be attributed to inhibition of
      nitrification. Results suggest that the inhibition by GLS hydrolysis products was
      short-lived and, if considered for use, multiple applications may be necessary to
      achieve effective inhibition of N2O emissions. This reduction, however, was not
      observed under field conditions. Further investigation is required to test more
      GLS hydrolysis products to fully understand their impact on N2O emissions from
      urine affected soil.

PMID- 28633115
TI  - Occurrence of commonly used pesticides in personal air samples and their
      associated health risk among paddy farmers.
AB  - Tanjung Karang, Selangor, is widely known for its paddy cultivation activity and
      hosts the third largest paddy field in Malaysia. Pesticides contamination in
      agriculture fields has become an unavoidable problem, as pesticides are used to
      increase paddy productivity and reduce plant disease. Human exposure to
      agrichemicals is common and could results in both acute and chronic health
      effects, such as acute and chronic neurotoxicity. This study aims to determine
      the concentrations of commonly used pesticides (azoxystrobin, buprofezin,
      chlorantraniliprole, difenoconazole, fipronil, imidacloprid, isoprothiolane,
      pretilachlor, propiconazole, pymetrozine, tebuconazole, tricyclazole, and
      trifloxystrobin) in personal air samples and their associated health risks among
      paddy farmers. Eighty-three farmers from Tangjung Karang, Selangor were involved
      in this study. A solid sorbent tube was attached to the farmer's breathing zone
      with a clip, and an air pump was fastened to the belt to collect personal air
      samples. Pesticides collected in the XAD-2 resin were extracted with acetone,
      centrifuged, concentrated via nitrogen blowdown and reconstituted with 1mL of 3:1
      ultrapure water/HPLC-grade methanol solution. The extract was analyzed using
      ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC
      MS/MS). The target compounds were detected with a maximum concentration reaching
      up to 462.5ngm-3 (fipronil). The hazard quotient (HQ) was less than 1 and the
      hazard index (HI) value was 3.86*10-3, indicating that the risk of pesticides
      related diseases was not significant. The lifetime cancer risk (LCR) for
      pymetrozine was at an acceptable level (LCR<10-6) with 4.10*10-8. The results
      reported in this study can be beneficial in terms of risk management within the
      agricultural community.

PMID- 28633116
TI  - Spatial and temporal variation in autochthonous and allochthonous contributors to
      increased organic carbon and nitrogen burial in a plateau lake.
AB  - Increased organic carbon and nitrogen accumulation rates (OCAR and ONAR) in lake
      sediment significantly regulate the global carbon cycle. However, the reasons for
      and contributors to the increased OCAR and ONAR are unclear. Seven sediment
      cores, collected in July 2014 from Dianchi Lake, China, were used to evaluate the
      effects of autochthonous and allochthonous sources on OCAR and ONAR. The results
      indicate that OCAR and ONAR increased by factors of 4.33 and 7.34 over the past
      hundred years (1900-2000), particularly after algal blooms began to occur
      frequently (beginning in the 1980s). Dianchi stored 0.467+/-0.0055Tg (mean
      value+/-standard deviation) organic carbon (OC) and 0.033+/-0.0004Tg organic
      nitrogen (ON) after 1986, which is almost equal to the total storage of OC and ON
      from 1900 to 1985 (OC, 0.468+/-0.0022Tg; ON, 0.032+/-0.0002Tg). OCAR and ONAR
      increases were due to increasing autochthonous production and allochthonous
      loading. Examination of the increased OCAR, which was estimated from a newly
      developed multi-source mixing model, suggests that >90% of increased OCAR was
      caused by allochthonous sources (such as intensified cultivation, land-use cover
      change, etc.) in southern and eastern Dianchi and that >70% of the increased OCAR
      was due to autochthonous sources in western and northern Dianchi Lake. The
      significant spatial and temporal variation in the contributors to increased OCAR
      indicates complicated migration and transformation of OC in inland lakes. Land
      use cover change around Dianchi and the occurrence of algal blooms regulate the
      contributions of allochthonous and autochthonous sources to the increased OC and
      ON.

PMID- 28633117
TI  - Breakup characteristics of aqueous droplet with surfactant in oil under direct
      current electric field.
AB  - The breakup process of aqueous droplet with surfactant suspended in oil under
      direct current (DC) electric field is investigated in this paper. The
      characteristics of the breakup process, stretching, necking and breakup, are
      discussed quantitatively with the electric capillary number Ca and the
      dimensionless surfactant concentration C* which is the ratio of surfactant
      concentration to the critical micelle concentration. The results show that the
      presence of surfactant reduces the steady deformation of droplet and
      significantly decelerates the stretching process, resulting from the
      redistribution of surfactant molecules within the oil/water interface. The law of
      droplet stretching process when C*>=1 indicates that the exchange of surfactant
      molecules between the bulk phase and the interface could not catch up with the
      increase of oil/water interfacial area. Ca and C* count a great deal to the
      necking position and the daughter droplet size. The daughter droplet size
      decreases with the increase of surfactant concentration. These results provide a
      mechanistic framework to promote the electrocoalescence efficiency of oil/water
      emulsion and to the application of electric emulsification.

PMID- 28633118
TI  - Surface enhanced Raman scattering properties of dynamically tunable nanogaps
      between Au nanoparticles self-assembled on hydrogel microspheres controlled by
      pH.
AB  - We developed an interesting route for preparing a poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic
      acid) (P(AAm-co-AA)) hydrogel microsphere with a coating of Au nanospheres
      (hydrogel microsphere @ Au nanospheres) through self-assembly based on
      electrostatic interaction. The fabricated composites could be used as highly
      sensitive enhanced Raman scattering substrates. The nanogaps between adjacent Au
      nanospheres were dynamically tuned by volume changes in the hydrogel microspheres
      in the semiwet state under different pH conditions. At pH 6, the hydrogel
      microsphere @ Au nanospheres demonstrated highly sensitive SERS with an
      enhancement factor of 109. The product could detect very low concentrations of
      analytes up to 10-12M 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) molecules. This paper proposes a
      new method for detecting trace amounts of environmental organic pollutants by
      dynamically tuning the SERS enhancement in the semiwet testing state.

PMID- 28633119
TI  - Polymer grafted-magnetic halloysite nanotube for controlled and sustained release
      of cationic drug.
AB  - In this research, novel polymer grafted-magnetic halloysite nanotubes with
      norfloxacin loaded (NOR-MHNTs) and controlled-release, was achieved by surface
      initiated precipitation polymerization. The magnetic halloysite nanotubes
      exhibited better adsorption of NOR (72.10mgg-1) compared with the pristine HNTs
      (30.80mgg-1). Various parameters influencing the drug adsorption of the MHNTs for
      NOR were studied. Polymer grafted NOR-MHNTs has been designed using flexible
      docking in computer simulation to choose optimal monomers. NOR-MHNTs/poly
      (methacrylic acid or acrylamide-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) nanocomposite
      were synthesized using NOR-MHNTs, methacrylic acid (MAA) or acrylamide (AM),
      ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and AIBN as nanotemplate, monomers, cross
      linker and initiator, respectively. The magnetic nanocomposites were
      characterized by FTIR, TEM, XRD and VSM. The magnetic nanocomposites show
      superparamagnetic property and fast magnetic response (12.09emug-1). The
      copolymerization of monomers and cross linker led to a better sustained release
      of norfloxacin (>60h) due to the strong interaction formed between monomers and
      this cationic drug. The cumulative release rate of NOR is closely related to the
      cross linker amount. In conclusion, combining the advantages of the high
      adsorption capacity and magnetic proprieties of this biocompatible clay nanotube
      and the advantages of polymer shell in the enhancement of controlled-sustained
      release of cationic drug, a novel formulation for the sustained-controlled
      release of bioactive agents is developed and may have considerable potential
      application in targeting drug delivery system.

PMID- 28633120
TI  - Heatwave and infants' hospital admissions under different heatwave definitions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Data on the health impacts of heatwaves in infants are limited, and
      this study aimed to examine how heatwaves affect hospital admissions in infants.
      METHODS: A quasi-Poisson generalized additive model was used to assess the
      effects of heatwaves on hospital admissions in infants from 1st January 2005 to
      31st December 2015 in Brisbane, Australia, using a series of heatwave definitions
      after controlling for possible confounders. A case-only analysis was conducted to
      examine the possible modification effects of personal and community
      characteristics on the heatwaves effects on infants' hospital admissions.
      RESULTS: There was no significant increase in infants' hospital admissions when
      heatwave intensity was defined as mean temperature >=90th percentile or >=95th
      percentile of the mean temperature across the study period. When heatwave
      intensity increased to >=97th percentile, infants' hospital admissions increased
      significantly (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.10), and this increase raised with the
      increase of heatwave duration. No modification effect of gender, indigenous
      status, or Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) level on heatwave effect was
      observed. CONCLUSIONS: Infants in Brisbane were sensitive to intense heatwaves,
      and future heat early warning system based on a local evidence-based heatwave
      definition is needed to protect infants from heatwave impacts. Community-based
      heatwave adaptation programs aiming at raising the awareness of the adverse
      health impacts of intense heatwaves among infants' caregivers may relieve the
      postnatal health care demand in infants.

PMID- 28633121
TI  - Biomaterials based strategies for rotator cuff repair.
AB  - Tearing of the rotator cuff commonly occurs as among one of the most frequently
      experienced tendon disorders. While treatment typically involves surgical repair,
      failure rates to achieve or sustain healing range from 20 to 90%. The
      insufficient capacity to recover damaged tendon to heal to the bone, especially
      at the enthesis, is primarily responsible for the failure rates reported. Various
      types of biomaterials with special structures have been developed to improve
      tendon-bone healing and tendon regeneration, and have received considerable
      attention for replacement, reconstruction, or reinforcement of tendon defects. In
      this review, we first give a brief introduction of the anatomy of the rotator
      cuff and then discuss various design strategies to augment rotator cuff repair.
      Furthermore, we highlight current biomaterials used for repair and their clinical
      applications as well as the limitations in the literature. We conclude this
      article with challenges and future directions in designing more advanced
      biomaterials for augmentation of rotator cuff repair.

PMID- 28633122
TI  - Plasma treatment switches the regime of wetting and floating of pepper seeds.
AB  - Cold radiofrequency plasma treatment modified wetting and floating regimes of
      pepper seeds. The wetting regime of plasma-treated seeds was switched from the
      Wenzel-like partial wetting to the complete wetting. No hydrophobic recovery
      following the plasma treatment was registered. Environmental scanning electron
      microscopy of the fine structure of the (three-phase) triple line observed with
      virgin and plasma-treated seeds is reported. Plasma treatment promoted rapid
      sinking of pepper seeds placed on the water/air interface. Plasma treatment did
      not influence the surface topography of pepper seeds, while charged them
      electrically. Electrostatic repulsion of floating plasma-treated seeds was
      observed. The surface charge density was estimated from the data extracted from
      floating of charged seeds and independently with the electrostatic pendulum as
      sigma~1-2MUC/m2.

PMID- 28633123
TI  - Severe but reversible neuropathy and encephalopathy due to vitamin E deficiency.

PMID- 28633124
TI  - Mesothelial cyst in the liver round ligament: A case report and review of the
      literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cysts of the liver round ligament are rare and they are benign in
      the majority of cases. Current literature has been reviewed on this subject.
      PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 22-year-old woman with a history of epigastric pain was
      admitted at our institution. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a 14
      mm cystic lesion in the epigastrium. A large cyst of the liver round ligament was
      successfully removed during exploratory laparoscopy and histopathology revealed a
      benign mesothelial cyst. DISCUSSION: Mesothelial cysts of the liver round
      ligament are rare entities and we found a total of 5 cases from the literature.
      Diameter varies from 5 to 14cm. Most patients were asymptomatic or may complain
      abdominal pain in the upper quadrants. Ultrasonography and CT scan are the most
      useful diagnostic tools, however differential diagnosis between various abdominal
      cystic lesions can be difficult. Treatment is usually surgical excision.
      CONCLUSION: Mesothelial cysts of the liver round ligament are extremely rare but
      should be taken in consideration in the differential diagnosis of intra-abdominal
      cystic lesions. We stress the importance of exploratory laparoscopy that can
      allow both diagnosis and radical surgical excision.

PMID- 28633126
TI  - Emergency incarcerated obturator hernia repair with biologic mesh in a male
      patient after ipsilateral hip disarticulation: A case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: An obturator hernia is an uncommon form of abdominal hernia that is
      difficult to diagnose due to its non-distinct presentation. This case
      investigates an emergency treatment of an obturator hernia presenting in a
      patient with an ipsilateral hip disarticulation in a 266-bed community hospital.
      PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 53-year old man with a history of a left hip
      disarticulation 3-weeks prior presented to the emergency department with fever,
      nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea for the past 5-days. An elevated WBC and presence
      of gas within the hip stump on CT led to an emergency operation to rule out
      necrotizing fasciitis within the stump. Opening of the stump incision revealed
      two herniated loops of small bowel corresponding to the left obturator foramen,
      revealing the diagnosis of an incarcerated obturator hernia. The bowel was
      reduced and secured within the hip stump and the defect was covered with
      Strattice biologic mesh. DISCUSSION: Obturator hernias are rare and can involve
      vague symptoms, but it is essential to make an accurate diagnosis and repair the
      defect on an emergency basis. Obturator hernias may appear in the setting of a
      hip disarticulation, being caused by iatrogenic anatomic alteration, and can be
      treated in a community acute care hospital. CONCLUSION: Being aware of the
      possibility of obturator foramen herniation and bowel incarceration as part of
      the differential diagnosis for patients with abdominal pain after a prior hip
      disarticulation can facilitate prompt diagnosis and reduce morbidity and
      mortality.

PMID- 28633125
TI  - Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid: Case report and systematic review
      of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary squamous cell cancer (PSCC) of thyroid is a rare malignancy
      with poor prognosis. It is mandatory to exclude secondary involvement of the
      thyroid by panendoscopy, CT-scan and immunohistochemical analysis. As treatment
      surgery, radiation and rarely chemotherapy is employed. METHODS: A systematic
      review of the literature was conducted searching medline and embase database
      using the medical subject headings "primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid"
      and "primary squamous cell cancer of thyroid", for articles published until April
      2016 (n=1733). Of interest were the used treatment modalities and survival
      outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 35 publications reporting on 50 cases including
      ours were finally analyzed. A curative treatment approach was described in 24
      patients (48%). Additional radiotherapy, chemotherapy or radiochemotherapy was
      applied in 17, 7 and 7 patients respectively. Median overall survival was 6
      months [range 0-48] for 47 patients. Disease free survival was only achieved in 8
      patients with disease limited to the thyroid gland, complete surgical resection
      and additional radiotherapy or radiochemotherapy [reported median 20 months;
      range 12-48]. CONCLUSION: Reported disease free survival of PSCC of the thyroid
      was only achieved in patients with complete surgical resection in combination
      with adjuvant radio- and/or chemotherapy. However long term survival has not been
      reported in the literature yet.

PMID- 28633127
TI  - Successful endoscopic treatment of gastric phytobezoar: A case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Gastric bezoars are a rare condition associated with situations of
      gastric dysmotility and prior gastric surgery, though sometimes they can present
      without any risk factor. We describe the first successful treatment in medical
      literature of a large gastric bezoar in the outpatient setting through endoscopic
      fragmentation. CASE PRESENTATION: A 76-year-old man was referred to our
      outpatient endoscopy clinic because of dyspepsia and epigastric pain. Upper GI
      endoscopy with a standard endoscope revealed a 10-cm-diameter gastric phytobezoar
      with necrotic pressure ulcer of the angulus. We fragmentized the bezoar into
      smaller pieces, with complete dissolution and without any complication. The
      patient was then promptly discharged home with a medical therapy. Follow-up
      endoscopy at 6 months showed the total disappearance of any residual fibers.
      DISCUSSION: Different types of bezoars are described in literature, of which
      phyto- and trychobezoars are the most frequent. They can be absolutely
      asymptomatic or can arise with epigastric pain, pressure ulcer bleeding,
      gastrointestinal perforation or small bowel obstruction. The treatment is debated
      though endoscopic removal or fragmentation with the help of Coca-Cola lavages has
      showed the best success rate. The main experiences in literature concern
      hospitalized patients or describe treatment techniques which require overnight
      stays. An effective and rapid treatment in the outpatient setting is described in
      our experience, without short- or long-term complications. CONCLUSION: The
      endoscopic fragmentation of large gastric bezoars in the outpatient setting is
      safe with a good clinical course.

PMID- 28633128
TI  - Involvement of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases in higenamine glucuronidation and the
      gender and species differences in liver.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Higenamine (HG), an active ingredient of Aconite root in Chinese
      herbal medicine, is mainly metabolized by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT).
      However, the systematic glucuronidation of HG in humans remains unclear. The
      purpose of this study was to investigate the glucuronidation of HG. METHODS: 12
      recombinant human UGT (rUGT) isozymes were used to characterize the HG
      glucuronidation. Liver microsomes from male and female mice, rats, guinea pigs,
      dogs, and humans were used to determine the species and gender differences using
      liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. KEY FINDINGS: One monoglucuronide was
      detected in reactions catalyzed by rUGT1A6, rUGT1A8, rUGT1A9, also human and dog
      liver microsomes. UGT1A9 is the most important glucuronosyltransferase that
      metabolizes HG. Because carvacrol, a specific inhibitor of UGT1A9, can
      significantly decrease the glucuronidation of HG in Human liver microsomes and
      UGT1A9. HG metabolism by UGT1A9 described in Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Km=15.4
      mM,Vmax=2.2 nmol/mg/min) and glucuronidation in liver microsomes were species
      dependent. Gender did not affect the kinetic parameters among species except in
      rats. CONCLUSIONS: UGT1A9 is a major isoenzyme responsible for the
      glucuronidation of HG in Human liver microsomes (HLMs). Dog may be an appropriate
      animal model to evaluate HG metabolism.

PMID- 28633129
TI  - Inhibition effect of tacrolimus and platelet-derived growth factor-BB on
      restenosis after vascular intimal injury.
AB  - Excessive proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs) and
      delayed proliferation and migration of endothelial cells(ECs) were the main cause
      of restenosis after endovascular interventional therapy. Since tacrolimus has
      proved to be more sensitive to inhibiting VSMCs' proliferation,and platelet
      derived growth factor-BB(PDGF-BB) benefitted ECs' and VSMCs' proliferation, this
      study was aimed to identify combined effect of tacrolimus and PDGF-BB,
      investigate any mechanisms underneath and demonstrate combined effect of two
      drugs in vivo. As the results showed we confirmed differential effect of PDGF-BB
      and tacrolimus on ECs and VSMCs. On the concentration level of 2-5MUg/ml
      tacrolimus plus 10ng/ml PDGF-BB, combination of drugs could effectively promote
      ECs proliferation and migration, and meanwhile inhibit VSMCs proliferation and
      migration, and the inhibition of p-mTOR's expression within VSMCs played an
      important role in this differentiated effect. Raising concentration level of PDGF
      BB would weaken inhibitory effect of tacrolimus on both kinds of cell. For
      injured intima, the mix solution of two drugs could promote intima healing and
      suppress excessive intimal hyperplasia.

PMID- 28633130
TI  - Synthesis, screening and pro-apoptotic activity of novel acyl spermidine
      derivatives on human cancer cell lines.
AB  - The polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine are polycationic, alkyl
      polyamines which play a significant role in eukaryotic cell proliferation. The
      polyamine metabolism and function are dysregulated in tumor cells making them an
      attractive therapeutic target by employing polyamine analogs. These analogs have
      a high degree of similarity with the structure of polyamines but not with their
      function. Multidrug resistance is a major factor in the failure of many
      chemotherapeutic drugs which necessitates further research and exploration of
      better novel alternatives. In the present study, Twenty-six novel acylspermidine
      derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-proliferative and pro
      apoptotic activities on human breast cancer cells and T-lymphoblastic leukemia
      cells. The cell proliferation and apoptosis assays using WST-1 and annexin-V/7AAD
      staining respectively suggest that Compound 1 (C19H41N3O2), Compound
      7(C25H51N3O2) and Compound 8 (C29H59N3O) significantly reduced cancer cell
      viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Interestingly, compounds 7, 8 and
      9 had slight or no effect on cell proliferation of non-cancerous cells. These
      studies speculate that these novel acylspermidine derivatives could be promising
      candidates in designing an anti-proliferative drug, targeting both solid and
      blood cancer cells.

PMID- 28633131
TI  - Dose calculation using Haar wavelets with buildup correction.
AB  - In this work, we focus on the buildup correction of dose calculation using Haar
      wavelets in the Tunisian gamma irradiation facility. The buildup effect of gamma
      rays was used to adjust absorbed dose calculation for different depth in the
      irradiated products. A buildup study with different product densities was carried
      out to generalize the dose adjustment approach to any product at any depth.

PMID- 28633132
TI  - Radon emanation from fresh, altered and disturbed granitic rock characterized by
      14C-PMMA impregnation and autoradiography.
AB  - Radon emanation from intact samples of fresh ("BG"), altered ("Fract") and
      disturbed ("EDZ") Finnish granitic rock from Kuru (Finland) and its dependence on
      humidity and rock structural factors was studied. The pore network of the rock
      was characterized by microscopy and impregnation with 14C-PMMA
      (polymethylmethacrylate) resin and autoradiography. The radon emanation factor
      was increasing linearly with the relative humidity. 14C-PMMA autoradiography of
      the altered zones and the EDZ indicated significant, mineral-specific increase of
      porosity and porosity gradients towards the fracture surfaces (Fract) and
      microcracks within the EDZ. For small samples in the cm-scale emanation was not
      diffusion, but source term controlled.

PMID- 28633133
TI  - Optically stimulated luminescence study in rare earth doped SrBPO5.
AB  - Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) was studied in rare earth doped SrBPO5
      for the possible applications in radiation dosimetry using optically stimulated
      luminescence. The study shows that the sensitivity of the Eu doped SrBPO5 shows
      good OSL and the sensitivity is comparable to that of Al2O3:C. It is observed
      that annealing has a profound effect on the OSL sensitivity. Slowly cooled Eu
      doped sample shows highest sensitivity and is 77% compared to that Al2O3:C
      whereas lowest sensitivity is observed in the quenched sample. Other properties
      like good linearity and low fading will make this phosphor suitable for the
      applications in radiation dosimetry using OSL.

PMID- 28633135
TI  - Children with a Higher Activity of Carbonic Anhydrase VI in Saliva Are More
      Likely to Develop Dental Caries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the concentration and activity of carbonic
      anhydrase (CA) VI in the saliva of school children. We investigated the
      relationship among caries, CA VI concentration/activity, flow rate, pH, and
      buffering capacity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-four school children were
      divided into a caries-free group and a caries group. Clinical examinations were
      conducted by one examiner according to World Health Organization criteria + early
      caries lesions. Salivary flow rate, pH, and buffering capacity were analyzed.
      Salivary CA VI concentration and activity were evaluated by ELISA and zymography,
      respectively. The data were analyzed using Student's t test and the Mann-Whitney
      test, and Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were also done. In
      multivariate modeling, associations between variables were expressed as odds
      ratios. RESULTS: The results showed that salivary flow rate, salivary pH, and BC
      were significantly higher in the saliva of caries-free children. Also, the
      salivary CA VI concentration was significantly higher in the saliva of caries
      free children. The salivary CA VI activity was higher in children with caries. We
      found a negative correlation between BC and dental caries. Also, in the caries
      group we found a positive correlation between the concentration and the activity
      of CA VI and a negative correlation between BC and CA VI activity. A negative
      correlation between salivary pH and CA VI concentration was observed in the
      caries-free group. A high activity of CA and a low salivary flow rate were
      associated with dental caries. CONCLUSION: These results support the conclusion
      that dental caries is highly affected by the activity of CA VI in saliva as well
      as by the salivary flow rate.

PMID- 28633134
TI  - Peritoneal Water Transport Characteristics of Diabetic Patients Undergoing
      Peritoneal Dialysis: A Longitudinal Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Volume overload is frequent in diabetics undergoing peritoneal
      dialysis (PD), and may play a significant role in the excess mortality observed
      in these patients. The characteristics of peritoneal water transport in this
      population have not been studied sufficiently. METHOD: Following a prospective,
      single-center design we made cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons of
      peritoneal water transport in 2 relatively large samples of diabetic and
      nondiabetic PD patients. We used 3.86/4.25% glucose-based peritoneal
      equilibration tests (PET) with complete drainage at 60 min, for these purposes.
      MAIN RESULTS: We scrutinized 59 diabetic and 120 nondiabetic PD patients. Both
      samples showed relatively similar characteristics, although diabetics were
      significantly more overhydrated than nondiabetics. The baseline PET disclosed
      lower ultrafiltration (mean 439 mL diabetics vs. 532 mL nondiabetics, p = 0.033)
      and sodium removal (41 vs. 53 mM, p = 0.014) rates in diabetics. One hundred and
      nine patients (36 diabetics) underwent a second PET after 12 months, and 45 (14
      diabetics) underwent a third one after 24 months. Longitudinal analyses disclosed
      an essential stability of water transport in both groups, although nondiabetic
      patients showed a trend where an increase in free water transport (p = 0.033) was
      observed, which was not the case in diabetics. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic patients
      undergoing PD present lower capacities of ultrafiltration and sodium removal than
      their nondiabetic counterparts. Longitudinal analyses disclose an essential
      stability of water transport capacities, both in diabetics and nondiabetics. The
      clinical significance of these differences deserves further analysis.

PMID- 28633136
TI  - Malaria Fever Therapy for General Paralysis of the Insane: A Historical Cohort
      Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first malaria fever
      treatment (MFT) given to patients with general paralysis of the insane (GPI) by
      the Austrian psychiatrist and later Nobel laureate, Julius Wagner-Jauregg. In
      1921 Wagner-Jauregg reported an impressive therapeutic success of MFT and it
      became the standard treatment for GPI worldwide. In this study, MFT practice in
      the Dutch Vincent van Gogh psychiatric hospital in GPI patients who had been
      admitted in the period 1924-1954 is explored. METHODS: To identify patients with
      GPI, cause-of-death statistics was used. Data on MFT were retrieved from annual
      hospital reports and individual patient records. RESULTS: Data on MFT were
      mentioned in the records of 43 out of 105 GPI patients. MFT was practiced in a
      wide range of patients with GPI, including those with disease duration of more
      than 1 year, up to 70 years of age, and those with a broad array of symptoms and
      comorbidities, such as (syphilitic) cardiac disease. Inoculation with malaria was
      done by patient-to-patient transmission of infected blood. CONCLUSIONS: MFT
      practice and mortality rates in MFT-treated patients correspond to similar
      findings worldwide. MFT was well tolerated and MFT-treated patients had a
      significantly longer survival.

PMID- 28633137
TI  - Incidence and Characteristics of Congenital Cataract Surgery in France from 2010
      to 2012: The EPISAFE Program.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Prevention of visual impairment due to congenital cataract is an
      international priority as part of VISION 2020 - The Right to Sight, the joint
      initiative of the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the
      Prevention of Blindness. The present study is part of the Epidemiology and Safety
      (EPISAFE) collaborative program aiming at assessing the epidemiology and safety
      of interventions in ophthalmology. METHODS: All children who underwent cataract
      surgery before the age of 1 year in France between January 2010 and December 2012
      were identified by using the Programme de Medicalisation des Systemes
      d'Information. RESULTS: In 3 years, 532 children (699 eyes; 46.6% girls) had
      cataract surgery before the age of 1 year; 31.4% had bilateral surgery. During
      the first year of life, the incidence of cataract surgery was 2.15/10,000 births.
      The median (interquartile range) age at surgery was 3.5 (2.2-4.8) months for
      children with unilateral cataract and 4.0 (2.2-7.2) months for children with
      bilateral cataract. Of the 699 operated eyes, 76.49% received intraocular lens
      implantation during the cataract surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of
      congenital cataract surgery observed in France is close to that in the literature
      in the industrialized world, which is estimated at 1-3/10,000 births. The timing
      of surgery is critical for visual development. Surgery was performed younger in
      children with monocular cataracts than in those with bilateral cataracts.

PMID- 28633138
TI  - Combined Stimulation with Interleukin-18 and Interleukin-12 Potently Induces
      Interleukin-8 Production by Natural Killer Cells.
AB  - The combination of interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-12 (IL-18+IL-12) potently
      stimulates natural killer (NK) cells, triggering an innate immune response to
      infections and cancers. Strategies exploiting the effects of IL-18+IL-12 have
      shown promise for cancer immunotherapy. However, studies have primarily
      characterized the NK cell response to IL-18+IL-12 in terms of interferon (IFN)
      gamma production, with little focus on other cytokines produced. IL-8 plays a
      critical role in activating and recruiting immune cells, but it also has tumor
      promoting functions. IL-8 is classically produced by regulatory NK cells;
      however, cytotoxic NK cells do not typically produce IL-8. In this study, we
      uncover that stimulation with IL-18+IL-12 induces high levels of IL-8 production
      by ex vivo expanded and freshly isolated NK cells and NK cells in peripheral
      blood mononuclear cells. We further report that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
      alpha, produced by NK cells following IL-18+IL-12 stimulation, regulates IL-8
      production. The IL-8 produced is in turn required for maximal IFN-gamma and TNF
      alpha production. These findings may have important implications for the immune
      response to infections and cancer immunotherapies. This study broadens our
      understanding of NK cell function and IL-18+IL-12 synergy by uncovering an
      unprecedented ability of IL-18+IL-12-activated peripheral blood NK cells to
      produce elevated levels of IL-8 and identifying the requirement for intermediates
      induced by IL-18+IL-12 for maximal cytokine production following stimulation.

PMID- 28633139
TI  - Mitochondrial Metabolism in a Large-Animal Model of Huntington Disease: The Hunt
      for Biomarkers in the Spermatozoa of Presymptomatic Minipigs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder
      involving reduced muscle coordination, mental and behavioral changes, and
      testicular degeneration. In order to further clarify the decreased fertility and
      penetration ability of the spermatozoa of transgenic HD minipig boars (TgHD), we
      applied a set of mitochondrial metabolism (MM) parameter measurements to this
      promising biological material, which can be collected noninvasively in
      longitudinal studies. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to optimize methods for MM measurements
      in spermatozoa and to establish possible biomarkers of HD in TgHD spermatozoa
      expressing the N-terminal part of mutated human huntingtin. METHODS: Semen
      samples from 12 TgHD and wild-type animals, aged 12-65 months, were obtained
      repeatedly during the study. Respiration was measured by polarography, MM was
      assessed by the detection of oxidation of radiolabeled substrates (mitochondrial
      energy-generating system; MEGS), and the content of the oxidative phosphorylation
      system subunits was detected by Western blot. Three possibly interfering factors
      were statistically analyzed: the effect of HD, generation and aging. RESULTS: We
      found 5 MM parameters which were significantly diminished in TgHD spermatozoa and
      propose 3 specific MEGS incubations and complex I-dependent respiration as
      potential biomarkers of HD in TgHD spermatozoa. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest
      a link between the gain of toxic function of mutated huntingtin in TgHD
      spermatozoa and the observed MM and/or glycolytic impairment. We determined 4
      biomarkers useful for HD phenotyping and experimental therapy monitoring studies
      in TgHD minipigs.

PMID- 28633140
TI  - Early Intrauterine Transfusion in Fetuses with Severe Anemia Caused by Parvovirus
      B19 Infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe procedure-related complications and perinatal survival
      after intrauterine transfusion (IUT) before 20 weeks of gestation in fetuses with
      severe anemia due to human parvovirus B19 infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      retrospective study was conducted of all fetuses requiring IUT before 20 weeks of
      gestation in two tertiary referral centers between January 2002 and July 2015.
      Gestational age (GA) at first IUT, fetal blood sampling results, and presence of
      hydrops were related to procedure-related complications, fetal death (FD), and
      perinatal outcome. RESULTS: A total of 93 IUTs was performed on 55 fetuses. The
      mean GA at first IUT was 16+6 (13+0-19+6) weeks. FD occurred in 11 (20.0%) of the
      55 fetuses. Overall survival was 80.0% (44/55). Hydrops was present in 38.2%
      (21/55) and was strongly associated with FD (p = 0.001). There was no difference
      with regard to FD, hydrops, or hemoglobin concentration at first IUT in fetuses
      with transfusion before or after 16+0 weeks. CONCLUSION: Severe anemia due to
      parvovirus B19 infection in the early second trimester can be treated
      successfully by IUT before 20 weeks of gestation in specialized centers with
      sufficient expertise.

PMID- 28633141
TI  - Interaction of Soluble CXC Ligand 16 and Cardiac Injury Markers in Hemodialysis
      Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that there is a pathogenic role for CXC ligand 16
      (CXCL16) in cardiovascular diseases. Little is known about circulating CXCL16 in
      patients with kidney dysfunction. We explored the relationships of plasma CXCL16
      with cardiac injury markers in a group of dialysis patients. METHODS: Plasma
      CXCL16 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured in 366 patients who were on
      maintenance hemodialysis. Cardiac injury was evaluated via measurements of the
      circulating B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal prohormone of brain
      natriuretic peptide (NT proBNP), Troponin I (TnI), and Troponin T (TnT). Sixty
      healthy subjects who were frequency matched with the patients on the basis of age
      and gender were recruited as healthy controls. RESULTS: The mean age of the
      patients was 52.5 +/- 12.1 years and 56.3% were male. Circulating CXCL16 was
      significantly higher in the patients than in the controls (patients vs. CONTROLS:
      477.3 (367.0-647.1) pg/mL vs. 229.5 (203.8-254.5) pg/mL; p < 0.001). The log
      transformed (log-) CXCL16 level was correlated with all 4 cardiac markers (log
      BNP, log-NTproBNP, log-TnI, and log-TnT) with high levels of significance (all p
      < 0.001), even after extensive controls for the covariates. In contrast, CRP was
      correlated only with BNP (marginally) and NT proBNP and was not correlated with
      troponins. CONCLUSION: We showed, for the first time, highly significant
      relationships of circulating CXCL16 level with cardiac injury markers in dialysis
      patients. Our data suggest that circulating CXCL16 is possibly involved in the
      pathological process of cardiovascular damage in dialysis patients and may serve
      as a therapeutic target for cardiac protection in these patients.

PMID- 28633142
TI  - Multifactorial Analysis of a Biomarker Pool for Alzheimer Disease Risk in a North
      Indian Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease
      with a complex multifactorial etiology. Here, we aim to identify a biomarker pool
      comprised of genetic variants and blood biomarkers as predictor of AD risk.
      METHODS: We performed a case-control study involving 108 cases and 159 non
      demented healthy controls to examine the association of multiple biomarkers with
      AD risk. RESULTS: The APOE genotyping revealed that epsilon4 allele frequency was
      significantly high (p value = 0.0001, OR = 2.66, 95% CI 1.58-4.46) in AD as
      compared to controls, whereas epsilon2 (p = 0.0430, OR = 0.29, CI 0.07-1.10) was
      overrepresented in controls. In biochemical assays, significant differences in
      levels of total copper, free copper, zinc, copper/zinc ratio, iron, epidermal
      growth factor receptor (EGFR), leptin, and albumin were also observed. The AD
      risk score (ADRS) as a linear combination of 6 candidate markers involving age,
      education status, APOE epsilon4 allele, levels of iron, Cu/Zn ratio, and EGFR was
      created using stepwise linear discriminant analysis. The area under the ROC curve
      of the ADRS panel for predicting AD risk was significantly high (AUC = 0.84, p <
      0.0001, 95% CI 0.78-0.89, sensitivity = 70.0%, specificity = 83.8%) compared to
      individual parameters. CONCLUSION: These findings support the multifactorial
      etiology of AD and demonstrate the ability of a panel involving 6 biomarkers to
      discriminate AD cases from non-demented healthy controls.

PMID- 28633143
TI  - Tumor-Associated Macrophages in the Development of 4-Nitroquinoline-1-Oxide
      Induced Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Mouse Model.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the distribution of tumor-associated macrophages
      (TAMs) in the development of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to
      elucidate the role of TAMs in the progression of tongue SCC. METHODS: The
      expression of the macrophage markers nitric oxide synthase, Retnla, and mannose
      receptor 1 in the development of tongue SCC was longitudinally observed using
      real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, an
      immunohistochemical study using an anti-mannose receptor (MR) antibody was
      performed. RESULTS: The numbers of both of M1 and M2 macrophages in the tongues
      of mice treated with 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) were significantly lower
      compared with those of normal tongues. The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor did
      not prevent cancer progression and did not affect the total number of macrophages
      in the tongues of 4NQO-treated mice. In the immunohistochemical studies, MR
      staining was observed in lymphangioendothelium in the subepithelial area of the
      tongues. The staining intensity of the MR was significantly stronger in the 4NQO
      treated mice compared with that in control mice and 4NQO-treated mice treated
      with the COX-2 inhibitor. CONCLUSION: TAMs may not contribute to the development
      of 4NQO-induced tongue SCC. MR expression is associated with the progression of
      4NQO-induced tongue SCC.

PMID- 28633144
TI  - Standardized Renal Endpoints for Perioperative Clinical Trials: The Standardized
      Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Initiative.
AB  - Perioperative acute kidney injury is a common problem. While clinical trials seek
      to evaluate the impact of interventions on a variety of primary and secondary
      endpoints with the aim of implementing this knowledge to improve perioperative
      outcomes, the use of valid and relevant endpoints within clinical trials is of
      critical importance to achieving this goal. Suitable endpoints must be validated
      for the study population and in light of the clinical context under investigation
      while also considering regulatory requirements that govern the licensing of new
      therapeutic agents as well as the values of patients whose outcomes we seek to
      improve. Heterogeneity in perioperative clinical trial endpoints and their
      definitions limits the ability to compare and interpret differences in outcomes
      across studies or to pool outcomes from different studies in meta-analysis. The
      Standardized Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine (StEP) initiative is an
      international collaboration whose goal is to identify and recommend a suite of
      clearly and precisely defined endpoints across multiple domains, specifically
      suited for use in perioperative clinical trials. The current review describes the
      rationale, goals and the planned pathway of the StEP renal subgroup. Development
      of a set of standardized and core renal endpoints, valid and relevant for use in
      the perioperative context, precisely defined and yet with sufficient flexibility
      to encourage broad uptake and application should facilitate high-quality and
      practice-changing perioperative research into the future.

PMID- 28633145
TI  - Urinary Volatile Organic Compounds as Potential Biomarkers in Idiopathic
      Membranous Nephropathy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To detect urinary volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in patients with
      idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMN) and normal controls, and to examine
      whether or not urinary VOCs can act as biomarkers for the diagnosis of iMN
      independent of renal biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gas chromatography/mass
      spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to assess the urine collected from 63 iMN patients
      and 15 normal controls. The statistical methods of principal component analysis
      and partial least squares discriminant analysis were performed to process the
      final data in Common Data Format which were converted from GC/MS data. RESULTS:
      Six VOCs in the urine samples of iMN patients exhibited significant differences
      from those of normal controls: carbamic acid monoammonium salt, 2-pentanone, 2,4
      dimethyl-pentanal, hydrogen azide, thiourea, and 4-heptanone were significantly
      higher than in controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Six urinary VOCs were isolated
      from patients with iMN using GC/MS. The analysis of urinary VOCs using GC/MS
      could be developed into a non-invasive method for the detection of iMN.

PMID- 28633147
TI  - Tranexamic Acid Safely Reduced Blood Loss in Hemi- and Total Hip Arthroplasty for
      Acute Femoral Neck Fracture: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine whether (1) tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces the
      incidence of transfusion (2) TXA reduces the calculated blood loss, and (3) there
      are any observable differences in 30- and 90-day complications with TXA
      administration during arthroplasty for femoral neck fracture (FNF). DESIGN:
      Prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Level 1
      Academic Trauma Center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: One hundred thirty-eight patients
      who presented with a low-energy, isolated, FNF (AO 31B) treated with either hemi-
      or total hip arthroplasty within 72 hours of injury were randomized to either the
      TXA group (69 patients) or placebo group (69 patients). INTERVENTION: In the TXA
      group, patients received 2 doses of 15 mg/kg intravenous TXA dissolved in 100 mL
      of saline, each administered over 10 minutes; 1 dose just before incision, and
      the second at wound closure. In the placebo group, 100 mL of saline solution was
      administered in a similar fashion. Perioperative care was otherwise standardized
      including conservative transfusion criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Our
      primary outcome was to determine the proportion of patients who underwent blood
      transfusion during hospitalization. Secondary outcomes were calculated blood
      loss, number of units transfused during hospitalization, and incidence of adverse
      events at 30 and 90 days including thromboembolic event, wound complications,
      reoperation, hospital readmission, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: TXA reduced
      mean incidence of transfusion by 305 mL (P = 0.0005). There was a trend toward
      decreased transfusion rate in the TXA group (17% vs. 26%, P = 0.22). TXA was safe
      with no differences in adverse events at 30 and 90 days. CONCLUSIONS: This
      randomized clinical trial found that TXA administration safely reduced blood loss
      with a tendency for decreased transfusion rate and total blood product
      consumption for patients undergoing hip arthroplasty for acute FNF. More studies
      are needed to further ascertain the role of TXA in the management of patients
      with FNF. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors
      for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28633148
TI  - Clinical and Functional Results of 119 Patients With Knee Dislocations.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe clinical results and functional outcomes of knee
      dislocations treated with a consistent strategy within our institution. DESIGN:
      Retrospective case series. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS: One hundred
      nineteen patients were treated at one institution between 2000 and 2014 for knee
      dislocation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Knee range of motion, functional
      instability, and complications were recorded. Musculoskeletal Function Assessment
      (MFA) and Lysholm scores were obtained after minimum of 1 year. RESULTS: Sixty
      three early complications were noted in 36 patients (32%), with an overall
      amputation rate of 9.2% (8 early and 3 late amputations). Of the patients who
      retained their limb, 4.5% reported instability. Open knee dislocations were
      associated with amputation (26% vs. 1.3%, P < 0.001). Popliteal arterial injuries
      were associated with more amputation (31% vs. 3.2%, P = 0 < 0.001), infection
      (37% vs. 8%, P = 0.002), and deep venous thrombosis (32% vs. 8.8%, P = 0.014).
      Patients with wound infection were more likely to develop heterotopic
      ossification (36% vs. 9.4%, P = 0.017) and less knee motion (77.5 vs. 117 degrees
      P = 0.049). Knee motion improved over time for all patients with a mean arc of 86
      degrees at 3 months, 109 degrees at 6 months, and 115 degrees at 12 months. An
      Injury Severity Score of >=20 was associated with less knee motion (97 vs. 121
      degrees P = 0.029). Mean Lysholm score was 86.7, and mean MFA score was 35.7
      after mean follow-up of 90 months and 82 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Few
      patients (4.5%) experienced functional instability. However, early complications
      occurred frequently (32%) as expected, particularly in patients with open
      injuries and/or arterial injury. Limitations in knee motion were associated with
      high Injury Severity Score, infection, and heterotopic ossification. Mean knee
      scores were good, consistent with reasonable knee function, although MFA scores
      suggest a lower level of generalized function. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic
      Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of
      evidence.

PMID- 28633149
TI  - Tibial Eminence Involvement With Tibial Plateau Fracture Predicts Slower Recovery
      and Worse Postoperative Range of Knee Motion.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine 1-year functional and clinical outcomes in patients with
      tibial plateau fractures with tibial eminence involvement. DESIGN: Retrospective
      analysis of prospectively collected data. SETTING: Academic Medical Center.
      PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: All patients who presented with a tibial plateau fracture
      (Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) 41-B and 41-C). INTERVENTION: Patients were
      divided into fractures with a tibial eminence component (+TE) and those without (
      TE) cohorts. All patients underwent similar surgical approaches and fixation
      techniques for fractures. No tibial eminence fractures received fixation
      specifically. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Short musculoskeletal functional
      assessment (SMFA), pain (Visual Analogue Scale), and knee range-of-motion (ROM)
      were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively and compared between
      cohorts. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-three patients were included for review.
      Patients with OTA 41-C fractures were more likely to have an associated TE
      compared with 41-B fractures (63% vs. 28%, P < 0.01). At 3 months
      postoperatively, the +TE cohort was noted to have worse knee ROM (75.16 +/- 51
      vs. 86.82 +/- 53 degree, P = 0.06). At 6 months, total SMFA and knee ROM was
      significantly worse in the +TE cohort (29 +/- 17 vs. 21 +/- 18, P <= 0.01; 115.6
      +/- 20 vs. 124.1 +/- 15, P = 0.01). By 12 months postoperatively, only knee ROM
      remained significantly worse in the +TE cohort (118.7 +/- 15 vs. 126.9 +/- 13, P
      < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that tibial eminence involvement was a
      significant predictor of ROM at 6 and 12 months and SFMA at 6 months. Body mass
      index was found to be a significant predictor of ROM and age was a significant
      predictor of total SMFA at all time points. CONCLUSION: Knee ROM remains worse
      throughout the postoperative period in the +TE cohort. Functional outcome
      improves less rapidly in the +TE cohort but achieves similar results by 1 year.
      LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a
      complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID- 28633150
TI  - Hexapod Frame Stacked Transport for Tibial Infected Nonunions With Bone Loss:
      Analysis of Use of Adjunctive Stability.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The stacked hexapod bone transport technique is an effective
      treatment for infected tibial nonunions with bone loss. The purpose of this study
      was to evaluate the patients' risk factors and timing for requiring adjunctive
      stabilization. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Level 1 trauma
      center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-five patients with infected posttraumatic
      nonunions of the tibia. INTERVENTION: Resection of nonunion with application of
      stacked hexapod frame for bone transport. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Parameters
      measured included age, sex, diabetes, smoking, use of a free flap, bone defect
      size, length in frame, external fixation index, and direction of lengthening.
      Outcomes recorded: removal of frame, below knee amputation, or adjunctive
      stability. Further analysis evaluated location of nonunion, timing of adjunctive
      stabilization, and type of fixation. RESULTS: The average patient age was 45.7 +/
      12.5 years, 76% patients were men, 11% were diabetic, and 44% were smokers.
      Forty two percent had soft tissue defects that required a free flap. Thirty-eight
      patients had removal of frame, whereas 36 patients required adjunctive stability
      of the hexapod frame. Patient receiving adjunctive stabilization had a longer
      length of time in the hexapod frame (P = 0.026) and were more likely to require a
      free flap (P = 0.053). Ninety-three percent docking site nonunions occurred after
      the removal of the frame (P = 0.032); whereas 79% regenerate nonunions occurred
      before the hexapod frame was removed (P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: The use of a
      hexapod frame for the infected tibial nonunions with bone loss is an effective
      method for achieving union and eradicating infection in a difficult orthopaedic
      patient population. Use of adjunctive stabilization is a reasonable technique to
      address delayed regenerate and docking site nonunions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of
      levels of evidence.

PMID- 28633151
TI  - Age-Based Normative Measurements of the Pediatric Pelvis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Pediatric pelvic trauma is associated with high rates of morbidity
      and mortality. Current classifications do not take into account age-dependent
      quantitative differences of the pediatric pelvis making accurate diagnosis of
      pathologic diastasis of the pubic symphysis, sacroiliac (SI) joints, and
      triradiate cartilage difficult. The purpose of this study was to establish age
      based normative values for the width of the pubic symphysis, SI joints, and the
      triradiate cartilage of the pediatric pelvis. METHODS: All computed tomographic
      (CT) scans of the abdomen and pelvis from patients between the ages 2 and 16
      years over a 3-year period at a single institution were evaluated. Patients were
      excluded if the CT was performed as part of a trauma evaluation or for a history
      of neuromuscular disease or spinopelvic instrumentation. A total of 821 CT were
      included. The width of pubic symphysis, right and left SI joints, and each limb
      of the triradiate cartilages was measured using the PACS digital measurement
      tool. Left and right measurements of the SI joints and triradiate cartilage were
      combined and reported together. RESULTS: From age 2 to 16 years, the average
      widths of the SI joint and pubic symphysis decreased from 3.11 to 1.80 mm and
      5.55 to 3.69 mm, respectively. The average widths of the 3 limbs of the
      triradiate cartilage also slightly decreased from age 2 until closure:
      ilioischial, iliopubic, and ischiopubic cartilages decreasing from 3.72 to 2.74
      mm, 4.42 to 3.52 mm, and 3.08 to 2.97 mm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      demonstrates an age-dependent decrease in width of the pubic symphysis and left
      and right SI joints. By contrast, the widths of the triradiate cartilage remain
      relatively stable until closure. We believe that these age-based normative values
      will aid in future diagnosis of pathologic diastasis of these areas of the
      pediatric pelvis.

PMID- 28633152
TI  - State of Pelvic and Acetabular Surgery in the Developing World: A Global Survey
      of Orthopaedic Surgeons at Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN) Hospitals.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To document the current state of pelvic and acetabular surgery in the
      developing world and to identify critical areas for improvement in the treatment
      of these complex injuries. DESIGN: A 50-question online survey. SETTING:
      International, multicenter. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: One hundred eighty-one
      orthopaedic surgeons at Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN) hospitals,
      which represent a cross-section of institutions in low- and middle-income
      countries that treat high-energy musculoskeletal trauma. INTERVENTIONS:
      Administration and analysis of 50-question survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgeon
      training and experience; hospital resources; volume and patterns of
      pelvic/acetabular fracture management; postoperative protocols and resources for
      rehabilitation; financial responsibilities for patients with pelvic/acetabular
      fractures. RESULTS: Complete surveys were returned by 75 institutions,
      representing 61.8% of the global SIGN nail volume. Although 96% of respondents
      were trained in orthopaedic surgery, 53.3% have no formal training in pelvic or
      acetabular surgery. Emergency access to the operating room is available at all
      responding sites, but computed tomography scanners are available at only 60% of
      sites, and a mere 21% of sites have access to angiography for pelvic
      embolization. Cannulated screws (53.3%) and pelvic reconstruction plates (56%)
      are available at just over half of the sites, and 68% of sites do not have pelvic
      reduction clamps and retractors. 21.3% of sites do not have access to
      intraoperative fluoroscopy. Responding hospitals see an average of 38.8 pelvic
      ring injuries annually, with 24% of sites treating them all nonoperatively. Sites
      treated an average of 22.5 acetabular fractures annually, with 34.7% of
      institutions treating them all nonoperatively. Patients travel up to 1000 km or
      20 hours for pelvic/acetabular treatment at some sites. Although 78.7% of sites
      have inpatient physical or occupational therapy services, only 17% report access
      to home physical therapy, and only 9% report availability of nursing or
      rehabilitation facilities postdischarge. At over 80% of hospitals, patients and
      their families are at least partially responsible for payment of surgical,
      implant, hospital, and outpatient fees. Government aid is available for inpatient
      fees at over 40% of sites, but outpatient services are subsidized at only 28% of
      sites. CONCLUSIONS: We report the current state of pelvic and acetabular surgery
      in low- and middle-income countries. Our results identify significant needs in
      surgeon training, hospital resources, availability of instruments and implants,
      and access to appropriate postoperative rehabilitation services for pelvic and
      acetabular surgery in the developing world. Targeted programs designed to
      overcome these barriers are required to advance the care of pelvic and acetabular
      fractures in the developing world.

PMID- 28633153
TI  - ASSOCIATION BETWEEN VISUAL FUNCTION AND SUBRETINAL DRUSENOID DEPOSITS IN NORMAL
      AND EARLY AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION EYES.
AB  - PURPOSE: To examine the association between subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs)
      identified by multimodal retinal imaging and visual function in older eyes with
      normal macular health or in the earliest phases of age-related macular
      degeneration (AMD). METHODS: Age-related macular degeneration status for each eye
      was defined according to the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) 9-step
      classification system (normal = Step 1, early AMD = Steps 2-4) based on color
      fundus photographs. Visual functions measured were best-corrected photopic visual
      acuity, contrast and light sensitivity, mesopic visual acuity, low-luminance
      deficit, and rod-mediated dark adaptation. Subretinal drusenoid deposits were
      identified through multimodal imaging (color fundus photographs, infrared
      reflectance and fundus autofluorescence images, and spectral domain optical
      coherence tomography). RESULTS: The sample included 1,202 eyes (958 eyes with
      normal health and 244 eyes with early AMD). In normal eyes, SDDs were not
      associated with any visual function evaluated. In eyes with early AMD, dark
      adaptation was markedly delayed in eyes with SDDs versus no SDD (a 4-minute delay
      on average), P = 0.0213. However, this association diminished after age
      adjustment, P = 0.2645. Other visual functions in early AMD eyes were not
      associated with SDDs. CONCLUSION: In a study specifically focused on eyes in
      normal macular health and in the earliest phases of AMD, early AMD eyes with SDDs
      have slower dark adaptation, largely attributable to the older ages of eyes with
      SDD; they did not exhibit deficits in other visual functions. Subretinal
      drusenoid deposits in older eyes in normal macular health are not associated with
      any visual functions evaluated.

PMID- 28633154
TI  - Localized Bilateral Juxtafoveal Photoreceptor Loss in POEMS: A New Association.

PMID- 28633155
TI  - Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine: US Anesthesiology Resident Training-The
      Year 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Anesthesiology Review Committee of the
      Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education sets core requirements for
      residency program accreditation. We periodically report and analyze the US
      anesthesiology residents' training experience in regional anesthesia and pain
      medicine. METHODS: Resident caseload, procedure, and pain medicine evaluation
      data were aggregated for the resident cohort who graduated in 2015. These data
      were analyzed for present-day experience and compared with previous reports from
      years 1980, 1990, and 2000 graduates. RESULTS: Data were available for 1631
      residents who graduated from 129 training programs. Regional anesthesia as a
      portion of the overall anesthesiology residents' training experience remains
      unchanged since 1990. The distribution of regional anesthesia training has
      shifted from neuraxial to peripheral blocks. All residents at the 10th percentile
      and above achieved the benchmark for spinal, epidural, and peripheral nerve block
      anesthetics and for new pain evaluations. CONCLUSIONS: The focus of US
      anesthesiology resident training in regional anesthesia and pain medicine has
      changed over the past 15 years by shifting from neuraxial to peripheral nerve
      block techniques. Previous training deficits have resolved for spinal anesthesia
      and peripheral nerve block. Procedural experience in pain medicine overwhelmingly
      involves epidural and facet injections.

PMID- 28633156
TI  - Generalized Indeterminate Cell Histiocytosis Presenting as Eroded Papules and
      Crusts.
AB  - Indeterminate cell histiocytosis (ICH) is a very rare histiocytic disease. We
      reported a case of generalized ICH presenting as eroded papules and crusts,
      accompanied with intermittent fever, pulmonary disorder, lymphadenectasis in the
      mediastinum, and the retroperitoneum. The histopathology indicated a neoplasm
      that was composed of small nests of large cells with ample pale cytoplasm.
      Immunohistochemistry results and the absence of Birbeck granules led us to the
      diagnosis of ICH. Four months later, the patient died of anemia, ascites, and
      swelling of the limbs.

PMID- 28633158
TI  - [Humoral response markers in GCK MODY].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The prevalence of antibodies to pancreatic islets in monogenic
      diabetes remains unknown and the incidence estimation is difficult as the
      occurrence of autoantibodies in patient is one of the well-known exclusion
      criteria for further genetic diagnostics. They has been found not only among
      patients with type 1 diabetes, but also in other types of diabetes: Type 2
      diabetes, Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) (16) and monogenic diabetes
      (MD). AIM: Immunological characteristic of GCK MODY patients. METHODS: The study
      group included families of 27 adolescent patients with GCK MODY (39 parents and
      19 siblings) monitored in the Department of Pediatrics, Endocrinology and
      Diabetes and in the Diabetes Clinic of John Paul II Upper Silesian Child Health
      Centre in Katowice in the years 2007-2012. All patients and family members with
      GCK MODY underwent a blood sample drawing for immunological (classic humoral
      response markers: ICA, GAD, IA-2, IAA) and biochemical diagnostics. Pediatric,
      diabetes and family medical history was collected from the subjects and parents.
      RESULTS: Immunological diagnostics was performed in all patients except 1
      (96.3%). Immunological diagnostics included 17 (89.5%) parents and 7 (87.5%)
      siblings with diagnosed GCK MODY. 8 (30.8%) adolescent patients with GCK MODY, 3
      subjects (17.64%) among parents (with GCK MODY), as well as 2 subjects (28.57%)
      among siblings (with GCK MODY) showed a positive antibodies screen. CONCLUSION:
      The results of our study in children with GCK MODY and their family members
      suggest that the occurrence of classic antibodies directed against pancreatic
      islets antigens is fairly common in patients with GCK MODY. Despite various
      observations and many legitimate discussions, it is difficult to clarify the
      pathogenesis of the occurrence of autoantibodies in monogenic diabetes.

PMID- 28633159
TI  - [Carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) in young type 1 diabetic patients
      in relation to comorbid additional autoimmune diseases and microvascular
      complications].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Atherosclerosis, which is the cause of diseases of the
      cardiovascular system, and frequent and serious complications of type 1 diabetes
      (T1DM), has an autoimmune origin. Some diseases of this type, as rheumatoid
      arthritis, but also Hashimoto thyroiditis or celiac disease are associated with a
      higher incidence of heart disease. So far no studies evaluated the preclinical
      phase of development of atherosclerosis (cIMT) in young patients with T1DM and
      the comorbid additional autoimmune diseases. AIM OF THE STUDY: was evaluation of
      cIMT (carotid intima media thickness) carotid arteries and the risk factors of
      atherosclerosis in young patients with type 1 diabetes according to the comorbid
      autoimmune diseases and a comparison group of patients with known vascular
      complications and a group of healthy people. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study
      involved a group of 90 adolescents and young adults with T1DM in middle age
      17,1+/-3years, with an average disease duration of 10,5+/-3,3 years. Diabetes
      patients were divided into 4 groups - diabetes without complications - C,
      diabetes with celiac disease - CC, diabetes with Hashimoto's thyroiditis - CH,
      diabetes with vascular complications - CN. The control group (K) consisted of 22
      healthy age-matched volunteers. In statistical analysis rated: average A1C of all
      the years of illness, BMI, blood pressure, lipid values, duration of illness,
      presence of diabetes complications, daily insulin dose and cIMT thickness of the
      common carotid artery. RESULTS: cIMT of T1DM patients was significantly higher:
      0,470 mm than in healthy: 0,409 mm. In the group with vascular complications of
      diabetes was found the highest rate of cIMT: 0,501 mm in comparison to the group
      of diabetes without complications: 0,462 mm, diabetes with celiac disease: 0,462
      mm, and diabetes with Hashimoto's thyroiditis: 0,453 mm. HbA1c was highest in the
      group CN: 9,84+/-1,5%, compared to CH: 9,04+/- 1,2%, CC: 8,84+/-1,8% and C
      without complications: 8,55+/-1,2%. BMI was highest in the group CN: 23,3+/-
      4,4kg/m2and CH: 22,6 +/- 2,4 kg/m2. It was the same with waist circumference: CN:
      79,33+/- 9,39and CH: 79,2 +/- 9,56 cm. Patients with vascular complications were
      characterized by the higher value of blood pressure and lipids compared to
      patients with additional autoimmune disease. Coexistence of celiac disease was
      not associated with a greater value of cIMT and cardiovascular risk factors in
      young patients with type 1 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: 1. Increased value of cIMT, and
      thus increased risk of early disease of the cardiovascular system depends
      primarily on metabolic compensation and classic risk factors for atherosclerosis.
      2. The coexistence of additional autoimmune disease does not significantly affect
      the value of cIMT in the study population. 3. Young patients with diabetes type 1
      and coexisting Hashimoto disease have greater BMI and waist circumference, what
      can lead to earlier macroangiopathy in the future.

PMID- 28633160
TI  - [Proposals for therapeutic decisions according to glucose trends in patients with
      type 1 diabetes].
AB  - Nowadays, self-management of diabetes is more and more often based on continuous
      and flash glucose monitoring systems. In addition to measuring current glucose
      levels, both systems provide blood glucose levels from the past few hours in the
      form of a graph, as well as an indication of glucose trends via arrows. This
      information adds a new dimension to the self-management of diabetes, and should
      result in the modification of diabetes therapy. The paper presents proposals for
      modifications of treatment decisions based on glucose trends in patients with
      type 1 diabetes. By considering glucose trends, it is hoped that glycemic
      variability and numbers of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia episodes will be
      reduced.

PMID- 28633161
TI  - [Insulin secretion in the early phase of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and new
      hopes for maintaining it through therapy].
AB  - Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease with a progressive loss
      of pancreatic beta cell functional mass and subsequent impairment of insulin
      secretion. At present, the most important factors that help sustain insulin
      secretion at the early stage of the disease and have the potential to reduce the
      risk or even prevent long-term diabetic complications include early diagnosis,
      early initiation of the insulin therapy, an appropriate education of patients and
      immunotherapeutic interventions. In this paper, the issue of insulin secretion at
      the early stage of T1DM and some of the most recent research on novel therapies
      supporting traditional treatments are discussed.

PMID- 28633162
TI  - [Neurotrophins, VEGF and matrix metalloproteinases: new markers or causative
      factors of metabolic syndrome components?]
AB  - Currently the number of obese people in the world is still growing, as well as
      people suffering from other metabolic disorders included in the metabolic
      syndrome. The factors responsible for this are anincorrect diet, low physical
      activity, as well as a tendency of the population to aging. Therefore, more
      research aimed at seeking potential factors that could in the future be useful in
      the prevention or treatment of obesity and related diseases is carried out. In
      this article we present a few selected biochemical markers, affecting the
      metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids in a way that is not always clear and
      obvious.

PMID- 28633163
TI  - [Permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus in a young Ukrainian child].
AB  - Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with the manifestation possible
      in any period of life. The incidence of diabetes is rising around the world, and
      studies show that children are at an increasing risk of developing the disease.
      Type 1 diabetes accounts for over 90% of childhood and adolescent diabetes,
      although less than 10% of children suffer from type 2 diabetes. Over the last few
      decades, inherited monogenic forms of DM were discovered and studied. An
      extremely rare form of diabetes (less than 1-2% of all diabetes in young people),
      with neonatal diabetes as a subset, and is usually suspected if a child is
      diagnosed with diabetes at less than 6 months of age. We present the first case
      reported in Ukraine of a child diagnosed with permanent neonatal diabetes
      resulting from a EIF2AK3 gene missense mutation of exon 15 (WolcottRallison
      Syndrome). Despite low incidence of the permanent neonatal diabetes, this
      diagnosis should be considered in infants with persistent hyperglycaemia
      requiring insulin therapy.

PMID- 28633164
TI  - Neural Network Optimization of Ligament Stiffnesses for the Enhanced Predictive
      Ability of a Patient-Specific, Computational Foot/Ankle Model.
AB  - Computational models of diarthrodial joints serve to inform the biomechanical
      function of these structures, and as such, must be supplied appropriate inputs
      for performance that is representative of actual joint function. Inputs for these
      models are sourced from both imaging modalities as well as literature. The latter
      is often the source of mechanical properties for soft tissues, like ligament
      stiffnesses; however, such data are not always available for all the soft tissues
      nor is it known for patient-specific work. In the current research, a method to
      improve the ligament stiffness definition for a computational foot/ankle model
      was sought with the greater goal of improving the predictive ability of the
      computational model. Specifically, the stiffness values were optimized using
      artificial neural networks (ANNs); both feedforward and radial basis function
      networks (RBFNs) were considered. Optimal networks of each type were determined
      and subsequently used to predict stiffnesses for the foot/ankle model.
      Ultimately, the predicted stiffnesses were considered reasonable and resulted in
      enhanced performance of the computational model, suggesting that artificial
      neural networks can be used to optimize stiffness inputs.

PMID- 28633166
TI  - A Heavy Burden.

PMID- 28633165
TI  - Investigation of Biotransport in a Tumor With Uncertain Material Properties Using
      a Nonintrusive Spectral Uncertainty Quantification Method.
AB  - In this study, statistical models are developed for modeling uncertain
      heterogeneous permeability and porosity in tumors, and the resulting
      uncertainties in pressure and velocity fields during an intratumoral injection
      are quantified using a nonintrusive spectral uncertainty quantification (UQ)
      method. Specifically, the uncertain permeability is modeled as a log-Gaussian
      random field, represented using a truncated Karhunen-Loeve (KL) expansion, and
      the uncertain porosity is modeled as a log-normal random variable. The efficacy
      of the developed statistical models is validated by simulating the concentration
      fields with permeability and porosity of different uncertainty levels. The
      irregularity in the concentration field bears reasonable visual agreement with
      that in MicroCT images from experiments. The pressure and velocity fields are
      represented using polynomial chaos (PC) expansions to enable efficient
      computation of their statistical properties. The coefficients in the PC expansion
      are computed using a nonintrusive spectral projection method with the Smolyak
      sparse quadrature. The developed UQ approach is then used to quantify the
      uncertainties in the random pressure and velocity fields. A global sensitivity
      analysis is also performed to assess the contribution of individual KL modes of
      the log-permeability field to the total variance of the pressure field. It is
      demonstrated that the developed UQ approach can effectively quantify the flow
      uncertainties induced by uncertain material properties of the tumor.

PMID- 28633167
TI  - Medical Student Perceptions of Their Education About Suffering.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To explore student perceptions of their medical school
      teaching and learning about human suffering and to elicit student recommendations
      for better approaches to teaching about suffering. METHODS: Qualitative study
      involving focus groups of students from each class at two US medical schools.
      RESULTS: Students reported that teaching about human suffering was variable,
      rarely explicit, and occurred primarily in the pre-clinical curriculum. In the
      clinical curriculum, addressing patient suffering was neither overtly valued nor
      evaluated by attending physicians. Students perceived little or no explicit
      educational attention to the suffering of patients and their families, with the
      exceptions of specific rotations and attendings. They described little or no
      teaching of clinical skills to identify and manage suffering and desired such
      training. Students learned about the clinical management of suffering primarily
      by ad hoc observation of role models. Some also noted that exposure to patient
      suffering and the demands of medical education contributed to their own
      suffering. Students recommended intentional, integrated and longitudinal teaching
      about suffering, with regular reinforcement and evaluation, across the medical
      school curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Students perceived teaching about human suffering
      as insufficient at the institutions studied and desired to learn clinical skills
      to identify and help patients manage suffering. Medical educators should
      explicitly address patient suffering and create longitudinal curricula with
      improved clinical teaching, faculty role modeling, and student evaluation.

PMID- 28633168
TI  - Integration of Clinical Pharmacists in Family Medicine Residency Programs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Clinical pharmacists are valued educators and
      practitioners within family medicine residency programs (FMRPs). Since the last
      survey of clinical pharmacists within FMRPs, there have been significant
      advancements to pharmacy education and training as well as growth of
      interprofessional education and collaborative practice within family medicine.
      The objective of this study is to describe the integration of clinical
      pharmacists within FMRPs. METHODS: All 480 Accreditation Council for Graduate
      Medical Education (ACGME)-approved FMRPs were contacted to identify clinical
      pharmacists involved with their programs. An electronic survey was distributed to
      these 253 pharmacists. Questions addressed educational, clinical, scholarly, and
      administrative activities. RESULTS: Of 396 FMRPs reached, 208 (52.5%) reported
      253 clinical pharmacists within their programs. Survey responses were received
      from 142 (56.1%) pharmacists. Academic appointments in colleges/schools of
      pharmacy and medicine were held by 105 (75.5%) and 69 (50.0%) respondents,
      respectively. Eighty-nine (64.0%) pharmacists reported a single source of salary,
      19.1% of which received full support from the FMRP. Clinical pharmacists
      dedicated an average of 50.4% of their overall time to the FMRP, and 14.5% of
      pharmacists dedicated all of their time to the FMRP. Time within the FMRP was
      spent on patient care (52.9%), teaching (31.6%), research/scholarship (7.5%),
      administrative activities (5.9%), and drug dispensing (0.7%). DISCUSSION:
      Prevalence of clinical pharmacists within FMRPs has increased since 2000, from
      27.9% to 52.5%. However, the amount of time dedicated to the FMRPs has decreased.
      This shift from teaching to a more clinical role may reflect both a growth of
      patient-centered, interprofessional care and a needed mechanism to assist funding
      these positions.

PMID- 28633169
TI  - Untapped Potential: Performance of Procedural Skills in the Family Medicine
      Clerkship.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: While family medicine residency directors have
      expressed concern about low procedural skills proficiency among incoming
      residents, curricular recommendations do not provide widely accepted guidance.
      This study was designed to describe requirements and experiences in procedural
      skill training during the family medicine clerkship and test the hypothesis that
      more rural placements may support this training. METHODS: The survey was
      conducted as part of the CAFM Educational Research Alliance (CERA) Family
      Medicine Clerkship Director (CD) 2013 survey. All Liaison Committee on Medical
      Education (LCME)-accredited medical schools in the US and Canada with a family
      medicine educator as family medicine or primary care CD were surveyed. CDs
      answered questions about clerkship structure and procedure experience and
      requirements for students. Choosing from a list of procedures, respondents
      detailed how often students perform specific skills during a rotation. RESULTS:
      The response rate was 73% (94 out of 129). Thirty-six procedures were performed
      during the family medicine clerkship. Of the procedures performed at least once,
      the most common were Pap test (57.1%), vaginal swab (42.9%), ECG recording
      (41.9%), urinalysis (40.0%), and throat swab (39.0%). Of the procedures performed
      more than three times, the most common were Pap test (21.0%) and sterile
      technique (20.0%). Learners in rural rotations were more likely to perform a
      range of procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Though exposed to a wide range of procedures
      during the family medicine clerkship, students did not often repeat procedures.
      Creation of a core list of procedures and taking better advantage of rural
      placements may improve procedural skill training in the family medicine
      clerkship.

PMID- 28633170
TI  - Teaching Primary Care Genetics: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparison.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Given the increasing discussions of the impact of
      genetic medicine within family medicine, it is important to determine the most
      effective way of teaching this material to family medicine residents (FMRs). The
      objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the impact of three methods
      of delivering primary care genetic content to FMRs. METHODS: Curriculum materials
      and assessment tools were created to teach and evaluate knowledge, skills, and
      attitudes around four core competencies in primary care genetics, with a focus on
      hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC). Participants were randomly allocated to four
      learning conditions: (1) no intervention (control), (2) web-based module
      outlining genetic concepts applied to CRC, (3) live presentation of the web-based
      material, (4) live presentation and subsequent standardized patient (SP)
      encounter. Three months later, all participants completed a written knowledge
      test, attitude survey, and a standardized patient-based performance assessment.
      RESULTS: Sixty FMRs completed the study. All three educational interventions
      resulted in significantly improved outcome measures in knowledge and skills but
      not attitudes, compared to control. There was no significant difference in
      outcomes between intervention groups. CONCLUSION: FMRs acquired knowledge and
      improved skills in genetic medicine with three educational methods. Resources
      such as faculty expertise in genetic medicine and cost should guide decisions on
      curricular development for this rapidly expanding field. This may be especially
      relevant for programs with distributed teaching sites.

PMID- 28633157
TI  - Epidemiology, practice of ventilation and outcome for patients at increased risk
      of postoperative pulmonary complications: LAS VEGAS - an observational study in
      29 countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited information exists about the epidemiology and outcome of
      surgical patients at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications
      (PPCs), and how intraoperative ventilation was managed in these patients.
      OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of surgical patients at increased risk of
      PPCs, and to compare the intraoperative ventilation management and postoperative
      outcomes with patients at low risk of PPCs. DESIGN: This was a prospective
      international 1-week observational study using the 'Assess Respiratory Risk in
      Surgical Patients in Catalonia risk score' (ARISCAT score) for PPC for risk
      stratification. PATIENTS AND SETTING: Adult patients requiring intraoperative
      ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals across 29
      countries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incidence of
      patients at increased risk of PPCs based on the ARISCAT score. Secondary outcomes
      included intraoperative ventilatory management and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A
      total of 9864 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The incidence of
      patients at increased risk was 28.4%. The most frequently chosen tidal volume
      (VT) size was 500 ml, or 7 to 9 ml kg predicted body weight, slightly lower in
      patients at increased risk of PPCs. Levels of positive end-expiratory pressure
      (PEEP) were slightly higher in patients at increased risk of PPCs, with 14.3%
      receiving more than 5 cmH2O PEEP compared with 7.6% in patients at low risk of
      PPCs (P < 0.001). Patients with a predicted preoperative increased risk of PPCs
      developed PPCs more frequently: 19 versus 7%, relative risk (RR) 3.16 (95%
      confidence interval 2.76 to 3.61), P < 0.001) and had longer hospital stays. The
      only ventilatory factor associated with the occurrence of PPCs was the peak
      pressure. CONCLUSION: The incidence of patients with a predicted increased risk
      of PPCs is high. A large proportion of patients receive high VT and low PEEP
      levels. PPCs occur frequently in patients at increased risk, with worse clinical
      outcome. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov,
      number NCT01601223.

PMID- 28633171
TI  - Examining Accuracy of Self-Assessment of In-Training Examination Performance in a
      Context of Guided Self-Assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In our family medicine residency program, we have
      established a culture of guided self-assessment through a systematic approach of
      direct observation of residents and documentation of formative feedback. We have
      observed that our residents have become more accurate in self-assessing their
      clinical performance. The objective of this study was to examine whether this
      improved accuracy extended to residents' self-assessment of their medical
      knowledge and clinical reasoning on the In-Training Examination (ITE). METHODS:
      In November each year, residents in their first (PGY1) and second (PGY2) years of
      residency take the ITE (240 multiple-choice questions). Immediately before and
      right after taking the ITE, residents complete a questionnaire, self-assessing
      their knowledge and predicting their performances, overall and in eight high
      level domains. Consented data from residents who took the ITE in 2009-2015
      (n=380, 60% participation rate) were used in the Generalized Estimating Equations
      analyses. RESULTS: PGY2 residents outperformed PGY1 residents; Canadian medical
      graduates consistently outperformed international medical graduates; urban and
      rural residents performed similarly overall. Residents' pre-post self-assessments
      were in line with residents' actual performance on the overall examination and in
      the domains of Adult Medicine and Care of Surgical Patients. The underperforming
      residents in this study accurately predicted both pre- and post-ITE that they
      would perform poorly. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the ITE operates well
      in our program. There was a tendency among residents in this study to
      appropriately adjust their self-assessment of their overall performance after
      completing the ITE. Irrespective of the residency year, resident self-assessment
      was less accurate on individual domains.

PMID- 28633173
TI  - Exploring Residents' Skills in Diagnosing Dementia: The Unexpected Dissonance
      Between Ability and Confidence.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The diagnosis of dementia is a challenge for
      physicians due to numerous interrelated barriers. Research shows that this
      difficulty may be rooted in an incomplete knowledge about dementia. To address
      this gap, we developed an assessment scale of resident confidence in the
      diagnosis of dementia and used it to compare resident confidence to their
      practical ability to diagnose dementia. METHODS: The study used a piloted
      confidence assessment tool for diagnosing dementia correlated with family
      medicine residents (n=45) performance during an objective structured clinical
      examination (OSCE). Residents were evaluated during the OSCE for thoroughness of
      evaluation and patient-centeredness. Following the OSCE, they completed knowledge
      and diagnostic questionnaires and the confidence assessment tool. RESULTS:
      Residents with more years of training performed a more thorough exam and were
      more confident in their ability to diagnose dementia. However, residents who
      missed the diagnosis were no less confident in their ability than residents who
      correctly diagnosed dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Using confidence as a self-assessment
      may be an inaccurate representation of resident knowledge and ability to diagnose
      dementia.

PMID- 28633172
TI  - Burnout and Depression in MS1 and MS3 Years: A Comparison of Cohorts at One
      Medical School.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Losses of idealism, empathy, and professionalism over the course of
      medical education have been described previously in the literature. A 2012
      national survey of medical students estimated 37%-44% with burnout, 58% screen
      positive for depression, and 9.4% with suicidal ideation in the past 12 months.
      Given changes in related traits, we sought to explore whether burnout and
      symptoms of depression change over time. The objectives of this study were to
      assess the differences in medical student burnout and symptoms of depression
      between first year (MS1) and third-year (MS3) medical students at one medical
      college. METHODS: Students were administered the modified Maslach Burnout
      Inventory (MBI) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) depression
      screening instrument as an optional part of a mandatory annual survey
      administered by the medical college near the end of the academic year (March-May,
      2015). Anonymous responses from MS1s and MS3s were analyzed to estimate trends in
      burnout and possible depression over time and to examine the relationship between
      the two measures. RESULTS: Possible depression (Total PHQ2 equal or greater than
      3) was present in 28.5% of all respondents. MS3s had significantly higher levels
      of Emotional Exhaustion (EE) and Depersonalization (DP), and lower levels of
      Personal Accomplishment (PA), than MS1s. When PHQ2, gender, and campus/program
      effects were controlled via regression, MS3s tended to record EE and DP scores
      over 2 points higher than MS1s and PA scores over 2 points lower. Regrets about
      entering medicine were also higher in MS3s in the controlled models. PHQ2 scores
      were also positively associated with all subscales except for PA. CONCLUSIONS:
      Students appear to be at slightly greater risk for burnout as they temporally
      progress through medical school. These findings are consistent with similar
      measurements of decreasing empathy and idealism when comparing cohorts of early
      versus late medical students.

PMID- 28633174
TI  - Do US Medical Licensing Applications Treat Mental and Physical Illness
      Equivalently?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: State medical licensing boards are responsible for
      evaluating physician impairment. Given the stigma generated by mental health
      issues among physicians and in the medical training culture, we were interested
      in whether states asked about mental and physical health conditions differently
      and whether questions focused on current impairment. METHODS: Two authors
      reviewed physician medical licensing applications for US physicians seeking first
      time licensing in 2013 in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Questions
      about physical and mental health, as well as substance abuse, were identified and
      coded as to whether or not they asked about diagnosis and/or treatment or limited
      the questions to conditions causing physician impairment. RESULTS: Forty-three
      (84%) states asked questions about mental health conditions, 43 (84%) about
      physical health conditions, and 47 (92%) about substance use. States were more
      likely to ask for history of treatment and prior hospitalization for mental
      health and substance use, compared with physical health disorders. Among states
      asking about mental health, just 23 (53%) limited all questions to disorders
      causing functional impairment and just 6 (14%) limited to current problems.
      CONCLUSIONS: While most state medical licensing boards ask about mental health
      conditions or treatment, only half limited queries to disorders causing
      impairment. Differences in how state licensing boards assess mental health raise
      important ethical and legal questions about assessing physician ability to
      practice and may discourage treatment for physicians who might otherwise benefit
      from appropriate care.

PMID- 28633175
TI  - The Marshall Family Medicine Residency twINTERN Schedule: The Impact of an
      Innovative Hospital Coverage Scheme on Resident Fatigue.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Work hour restriction has strained the balance between
      resident service and education. Night Float (NF) rotations are a popular answer
      to managing this balance but weakens continuity, an essential tenant of family
      medicine. An innovative short call system for Marshall University's Family
      Medicine Hospital Service (FMHS), the twINTERN call model, was created in
      response. We studied the impact of this approach on resident fatigue. METHODS:
      Anonymous surveys assessed fatigue of the Marshall University's 2013-2014 Family
      Medicine intern resident class while on NF rotations (ICU, Pediatrics and
      Surgery) and the twINTERN call. Stanford Sleepiness Score (SSS) and Epworth
      Sleepiness Score (ESS) were administered trimonthly. RESULTS were categorized
      'Alert' or 'Fatigued' and evaluated by Chi Square analysis. Also, outpatient
      office frequency was evaluated. RESULTS: 146 surveys were completed by eight
      residents. More even distribution of resident office experience was seen. The
      twINTERN call model didn't show worsening fatigue compared to NF systems in any
      parameter measured. It was superior mitigating fatigue by ESS for night shifts (P
      value 0.047). While fatigue was statistically worse for night float rotations by
      both parameters (ESS P value = 0.009; SSS P value = 0.008), the twINTERN call
      model only showed worsening fatigue in the SSS (P value = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS:
      Our study demonstrated that the twINTERN Call Model, which allows for improved
      continuity on the inpatient service, was at least as effective, and by some
      parameters superior to NF systems for mitigating resident fatigue.

PMID- 28633177
TI  - Give Me What's in Your Heart.

PMID- 28633176
TI  - Determinants of the 5-Year Retention and Rural Location of Family Physicians:
      Results from the Iowa Family Medicine Training Network.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: States are seeking ways to retain primary care
      physicians trained within their borders. We analyzed the 5-year retention and
      rural Iowa location decisions for 1,645 graduates of the Iowa Family Medicine
      Training Network (IFMTN)-eight residency programs (in seven different cities)
      that are affiliated with the Carver College of Medicine (University of Iowa).
      METHODS: Data from 1977-2014 includes 98.5% of active graduates. Location in Iowa
      5 years after graduation was the dependent variable in a binary logistic
      regression. A second model used rural location in Iowa as the dependent variable.
      Independent variables included graduation year cohort, IMG status, sex,
      undergraduate medical training in Iowa, medical degree, and residency location.
      RESULTS: Undergraduate medical training in Iowa was strongly related to
      retention. Compared to graduates of the AMC residency, graduates of six of the
      seven community-based programs were significantly more likely to be practicing in
      Iowa. While the overall proportion of graduates practicing in rural Iowa was high
      (47.3%), women and IMGs were significantly less likely to practice in rural
      areas. Graduates of the Mason City program were significantly more likely to
      practice in a rural area after graduation. CONCLUSIONS: The experience of the
      IFMTN suggests that educating family physicians in community-based programs
      contributes significantly to in-state retention even 5 years after graduation.
      While all programs contribute to the rural FM workforce in Iowa, the residency
      program located in a rural community (Mason City) has a disproportionately
      positive impact.

PMID- 28633178
TI  - I Don't Want to Know.

PMID- 28633179
TI  - Rethinking the "Black Cloud" of Medical Training.

PMID- 28633182
TI  - Agreement Between Family Medicine Residency Program Directors and Clerkship
      Directors Is Crucial to the Formation of the Next Generation of Physicians.

PMID- 28633183
TI  - Shared Goals, Togetherness, Accountability, and Embracing Love.

PMID- 28633184
TI  - Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Position Evaluated by Ultrasound: Can it Replace
      Abdomen X-Ray in Patients Presenting Catheter Misplacement?
AB  - Background Malfunction of the peritoneal dialysis catheter is frequently caused
      by dislocation. The diagnostic approach is classically based on abdomen X-ray
      together with detailed case history and physical examination. Despite being
      rarely applied in clinical practice to evaluate catheter misplacement, ultrasound
      is a noninvasive, radiation-free technique that is potentially useful also to
      explore reasons for catheter malfunction. Consequently, we aimed to evaluate the
      diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound to identify peritoneal catheter misplacement.
      Methods In a multicenter observational blinded study, we compared ultrasound to
      abdomen X-ray for catheter localization in 93 consecutive peritoneal dialysis
      patients with dialysate outflow problems enrolled in two nephrology and dialysis
      units. The position of the catheter was annotated on a standard scheme of nine
      abdominopelvic regions. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative
      predictive value and Kappa coefficient were calculated. Results Dislocation out
      of the inferior abdominopelvic regions was present in 19 patients (20 %) at X-ray
      and 23 patients (25 %) at ultrasound. Correct determination of the position of
      the catheter in the lower abdomen by ultrasound had a sensitivity of 93 % (95 %
      CI 84 - 97 %), specificity of 95 % (95 % CI 72 - 100 %), positive predictive
      value of 99 % (95 % CI 91 - 100 %), negative predictive value of 78 % (95 %CI 56 
      92 %) and Kappa coefficient of 0.82 (95 % CI 0.67 - 0.96). In 10 out of 93
      patients (11 %), there was a position mismatch between X-ray and ultrasound in an
      adjacent abdominopelvic region. Conclusion Our results suggest that abdomen X-ray
      for the evaluation of peritoneal catheter position can be replaced by ultrasound
      in experienced hands. This bedside diagnostic procedure might reduce costs, the
      time necessary for diagnosis and lifetime radiation exposure.

PMID- 28633185
TI  - Erratum: The Prevalence of Cruciate Ligament and Meniscus Knee Injury in Young
      Adults and Associations with Gender, Body Mass Index, and Height a Large Cross
      Sectional Study.

PMID- 28633186
TI  - Erratum: Early Removal of Drainage Tube after Fast-Track Primary Total Knee
      Arthroplasty.

PMID- 28633187
TI  - [Development and Validation of a Fully Automated, Experimental Set-Up for Ex-Vivo
      Burst Pressure Testing after Surgical Vessel Closure].
AB  - Background A growing number of operations are performed using minimally invasive
      techniques. Therefore, a lot of new requirements must be met by the staplers
      currently available. At the present time, the most widely used methods of
      minimally invasive vascular occlusion involve high-frequency energy, clips, and
      staplers. The most important quality parameter is burst pressure, which is
      measured with a variety of experimental set-ups, all of which are subject to
      criticism. With this study, we want to introduce a fully automated vascular burst
      pressure measuring system that largely mimics physiological conditions. An
      important feature of this set-up is the detection of very early leakage from the
      staple line (FAIR Leakage = First Appearance of Leakage requiring Intervention).
      Material and Methods Burst pressure was measured in vessel segments of porcine
      common carotid arteries. For vascular occlusion, we used the stapler device Micro
      Cutter XCHANGE(r) by DexteraSurgical. Prior to closure, the vessel was filled to
      a pressure of 80 mmHg. The pressure was increased at a defined flow rate. Burst
      pressure was defined as staple line leakage requiring intervention. Results and
      Validation 30 staple lines were examined. The average burst pressure visually
      determined by two independent investigators was 515.8 mmHg +/- 236.3 mmHg.
      Maximal burst pressure was 911 mmHg, and minimal burst pressure 80 mmHg. The
      average burst pressure detected electronically was 511.8 mmHg +/- 239.1 mmHg.
      Statistically, there was a highly significant correlation of visually and
      electronically detected burst pressures. Conclusion This is the first
      experimental set-up for a systematic burst pressure test that is fully automated
      and therefore eliminates any bias related to the investigator. The experimental
      set-up with a defined intravascular pressure prior to closure and the use of a
      liquid with blood-like viscosity enabled us to largely mimic intraoperative
      conditions. Since burst pressure is not defined as a complete rupture of the
      staple line, but as the moment of first occurrence of leakage requiring
      intervention, the results can be transferred into daily surgical practice.

PMID- 28633188
TI  - Clarification to article Meier R., Panzica M. First Results with a Resorbable
      MgYREZr Compression Screw in Unstable Scaphoid Fractures Show Extensive Bone
      Cysts.

PMID- 28633189
TI  - ?

PMID- 28633190
TI  - [Intravesical salpingiosis: case report and review of the literature].
AB  - Endosalpingiosis of the urinary bladder is a rare benign condition characterised
      by the presence of ectopic endosalpingeal tissue in the bladder. If histology
      shows two or more Mullerian-derived components, this condition is referred to as
      Mullerianosis.To our knowledge less than 20 cases of Mullerianosis and 5 cases of
      endosalpingiosis have been documented in the literature.Although the pathogenesis
      remains unclear, two theories exist. The implantation theory assumes that
      Mullerian-derived tissue gets implanted in the wall of the urinary bladder during
      pelvic surgery. The second theory proposes a metaplastic origin of the
      disease.Patients suffering from endosalpingiosis or Mullerianosis may present
      with symptoms such as suprapubic pain, frequent urination, dysuria or gross
      haematuria, possibly with a cyclical appearance.We present the case of a 40-year
      old female patient, who primarily presented with painful haematuria and was
      diagnosed with endosalpingiosis and treated by transurethral resection. Also we
      review the current literature.

PMID- 28633191
TI  - [Urothelial cancer: update on systemic treatment options].
AB  - Perioperative chemotherapy is likely to improve survival in both the neoadjuvant
      and the adjuvant setting. Therefore, it is an integral part of the modern
      treatment of patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer. All
      patients who are suitable for cisplatin-based chemotherapy should be involved in
      a corresponding concept.Cisplatin-based combinations are standard regimens in the
      perioperative and palliative systemic treatment of urothelial cancer. Carboplatin
      is only an inferior substitute for "unfit" patients in the palliative treatment
      situation. Vinflunine may be used as a second-line agent in case of recurrence
      after palliative first-line treatment or in patients presenting with rapid
      progression after perioperative treatment. Alternatively, taxane or taxane-based
      combinations can be used in these situations.New therapeutic options may include
      the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which have shown promising results in
      early studies. Two substances have already been approved by the FDA for the
      treatment of advanced/metastatic urothelial cancer following platin-based upfront
      treatment. Other future options may be "tailored" treatment concepts based on the
      molecular pathogenesis of the individual patient. However, extensive pre-clinical
      work is still required for this approach.

PMID- 28633192
TI  - Position-tunable diazirine tags for peptide-peptide ion cross-linking in the gas
      phase.

PMID- 28633193
TI  - Trictide, a tricellulin-derived peptide to overcome cellular barriers.
AB  - The majority of tight junction (TJ) proteins restrict the paracellular permeation
      of solutes via their extracellular loops (ECLs). Tricellulin tightens tricellular
      TJs (tTJs) and regulates bicellular TJ (bTJ) proteins. We demonstrate that the
      addition of recombinantly produced extracellular loop 2 (ECL2) of tricellulin
      opens cellular barriers. The peptidomimetic trictide, a synthetic peptide derived
      from tricellulin ECL2, increases the passage of ions, as well as of small and
      larger molecules up to 10 kDa, between 16 and 30 h after application to human
      epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line 2. Tricellulin and lipolysis
      stimulated lipoprotein receptor relocate from tTJs toward bTJs, while the TJ
      proteins claudin-1 and occludin redistribute from bTJs to the cytosol. Analyzing
      the opening of the tricellular sealing tube by the peptidomimetic using super
      resolution stimulated-emission depletion microscopy revealed a tricellulin-free
      area at the tricellular region. Cis-interactions (as measured by fluorescence
      resonance energy transfer) of tricellulin-tricellulin (tTJs), tricellulin-claudin
      1, tricellulin-marvelD3, and occludin-occludin (bTJs) were strongly affected by
      trictide treatment. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular modeling
      suggest that trictide adopts a beta-sheet structure, resulting in a peculiar
      interaction surface for its binding to tricellulin. In conclusion, trictide is a
      novel and promising tool for overcoming cellular barriers at bTJs and tTJs with
      the potential to transiently improve drug delivery.

PMID- 28633194
TI  - Moving forward in circles: challenges and opportunities in modelling population
      cycles.
AB  - Population cycling is a widespread phenomenon, observed across a multitude of
      taxa in both laboratory and natural conditions. Historically, the theory
      associated with population cycles was tightly linked to pairwise consumer
      resource interactions and studied via deterministic models, but current empirical
      and theoretical research reveals a much richer basis for ecological cycles.
      Stochasticity and seasonality can modulate or create cyclic behaviour in non
      intuitive ways, the high-dimensionality in ecological systems can profoundly
      influence cycling, and so can demographic structure and eco-evolutionary
      dynamics. An inclusive theory for population cycles, ranging from ecosystem-level
      to demographic modelling, grounded in observational or experimental data, is
      therefore necessary to better understand observed cyclical patterns. In turn, by
      gaining better insight into the drivers of population cycles, we can begin to
      understand the causes of cycle gain and loss, how biodiversity interacts with
      population cycling, and how to effectively manage wildly fluctuating populations,
      all of which are growing domains of ecological research.

PMID- 28633195
TI  - Survival of patients with cancer starting chronic dialysis: Data from kidney and
      cancer registries in lower Normandy.
AB  - AIM: Cancer and chronic kidney disease are known to be associated. The way in
      which a history of cancer can influence outcome in dialysis is not well
      described. This work aimed to evaluate survival of cancer patients starting
      chronic dialysis after their diagnosis of cancer. METHODS: We merged data from
      cancer registries and a dialysis registry, and explored patients' charts.
      RESULTS: Between January 2001 and December 2008, 74 patients with incident cancer
      in the two-counties-study-area (Calvados and Manche) started chronic dialysis
      after their diagnosis of cancer. Survival of these incident dialysis patients
      with a previous diagnosis of cancer was respectively 80.9% (confidence interval
      69.9; 88.2) and 68.3% (confidence interval 56.3%; 77.7%) at 1 and 2 years. Only
      29 of the 74 patients (39.2%) were still alive at the end of the observation
      period; median participation time was 2.8 years (1st and 3rd quartiles: 1.3-4.4).
      Survival of patients with cancer was not different to that of non-cancer dialysis
      patients matched for age and sex, except in patients with haematological
      malignancies who had a poorer outcome. In a multivariate stratified Cox model,
      the history of cancer before dialysis start was not associated with death, after
      adjustment on diabetes. CONCLUSION: In our study, survival in dialysis was not
      different among patients with a history of cancer compared to matched patients
      without malignancy. We can hypothesize that only some selected patients with
      cancer have access to dialysis. Studies in ESRD patients with cancer should be
      performed to evaluate access to dialysis in that population.

PMID- 28633197
TI  - Influence of electron beam irradiation doses on bone regeneration by octacalcium
      phosphate collagen composites.
AB  - An octacalcium phosphate and collagen composite (OCP/Col) achieved efficient bone
      regeneration with excellent resorbability. After the confirmation of its safety
      and efficacy in preclinical animal studies, the present study investigated the
      influence of electron beam irradiation doses on bone regeneration by OCP/Col in
      order to secure its commercialization. OCP/Col was prepared as previously
      described and the packed OCP/Col was sterilized using different doses of electron
      beam irradiation. A standardized defect, 9 mm in diameter, was made in the rat
      calvarium. A disk of OCP/Col (diameter 9 mm, thickness 1.5 mm) sterilized using
      different doses of electron beam irradiation was then implanted into the defect.
      Five defects in each group were treated and fixed 4, 12 and 24 weeks after
      implantation. Specimens were decalcified and stained with haematoxylin and eosin.
      In a histomorphometrical analysis, the percentage of newly formed bone in the
      defect (n-Bone%) was calculated. In OCP/Col 15 kGy, newly formed bone was
      enhanced and present throughout the defect with the resorption of OCP/Col.
      Furthermore, vigorous bone remodelling and bone maturation were observed. In
      OCP/Col 40 kGy, newly formed bone was not as prominent as that with OCP/Col 15
      kGy. A histomorphometrical analysis using Student's t-test at 24 weeks revealed
      that the n-Bone% of OCP/Col 15 kGy (65.9 +/- 7.14%) was significantly higher than
      that of OCP/Col 40 kGy (38.0 +/- 10.2%). These results suggest that different
      electron beam irradiation doses influence bone regeneration by OCP/Col.

PMID- 28633196
TI  - Tight junction strand formation by claudin-10 isoforms and claudin-10a/-10b
      chimeras.
AB  - Claudins are integral components of tight junctions (TJs) in epithelia and
      endothelia. When expressed in cell lines devoid of TJs, claudins are able to form
      TJ-like strands at contacts between adjacent cells. According to a current model
      of TJ strand formation, claudin protomers assemble in an antiparallel double row
      within the plasma membrane of each cell (cis-interaction) while binding to
      corresponding double rows from the neighboring cells (trans-interaction). Cis
      interaction was proposed to involve two interfaces of the protomers' first
      extracellular segment (extracellular loop (ECL)1). In the current study, three
      naturally occurring claudin-10 isoforms and two claudin-10 chimeras were used to
      investigate strand formation. All constructs were able to interact in cis
      (Forster/fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)), to integrate into TJs of
      MDCK-C7 cells (confocal laser scanning microscopy), and to form TJ-like strands
      in HEK293 cells (freeze-fracture electron microscopy). Strand formation occurred
      despite the fact that isoform claudin-10a_i1 lacks both structural ECL1 elements
      reported to be crucial for cis-interaction. Furthermore, results from FRET
      experiments on claudin-10 chimeras indicated that identity of the first
      transmembrane region rather than ECL1 is decisive for claudin-10 cis-interaction.
      Therefore, in addition to the interaction interfaces suggested in the current
      model for TJ strand assembly, alternative interfaces must exist.

PMID- 28633198
TI  - Factors related to the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid
      nodules.

PMID- 28633199
TI  - Diffuse-Type Caroli Disease with Characteristic Central Dot Sign Complicated by
      Multiple Intrahepatic and Common Bile Duct Stones.
AB  - Caroli disease (CD) is a rare congenital malformation of the liver characterized
      by non-obstructive, segmental, cystic dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts
      (IHDs). The clinical course is usually asymptomatic for the first 5-20 years, and
      symptoms may seldom occur throughout the patient's life. Bile stagnation leads to
      recurrent episodes of cholangitis, stone formation, or liver abscesses, and
      biliary cirrhosis usually occurs years later. Here we report on a 42-year-old man
      diagnosed with diffuse-type CD with a characteristic central dot sign, who had
      multiple intrahepatic and common bile duct (CBD) stones. CBD stones were treated
      successfully with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

PMID- 28633200
TI  - Complete response of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma to sorafenib: another case
      and a comprehensive review.
AB  - Since sorafenib was introduced in 2007 for treating advanced hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC), 15 patients have achieved a complete response (CR) in advanced
      HCC. However, only four of these reports can be regarded as real CRs involving
      adequate assessments including imaging, serum tumor markers, and histologic
      examinations of completely resected specimens. A 54-year-old man with hepatitis C
      virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis (LC) presented to our unit. A CT scan
      demonstrated a 3.8-cm arterial hypervascular/portal-washout mass in the right
      lobe and invasion in the right portal vein. Twelve weeks after beginning
      sorafenib therapy, the AFP level was normalized and a CT scan showed a prominent
      decrease in the hepatic mass and a significant decrease in the volume of portal
      vein thrombosis (PVT). The patient received a right liver hemihepatectomy after
      12 months. No viable tumor cells were found in the resected specimen, and there
      was no thrombotic obstruction of the portal vein. Twelve months later the patient
      showed no clinical evidence of HCC recurrence. This is the first case of CR in
      HCC treatment following sorafenib with histologically confirmed HCV-related HCC
      without LC evidence, HCC with PVT, and a follow-up of longer than 12 months. This
      case seems to be an extremely unusual clinical outcome in advanced HCC.

PMID- 28633202
TI  - Time to take notice: The impact of previous transradial catheterization on radial
      artery graft performance in coronary artery bypass grafting.

PMID- 28633203
TI  - Out of sight, out of mind.

PMID- 28633201
TI  - Rapid start-up of denitrifying granular sludge by dosing with semi-starvation
      fluctuation C/N ratio strategy.
AB  - This study cultivated denitrifying granular sludge in three UASB reactors by the
      semi-starvation fluctuation C/N ratio strategy (reactor 1 (R1): constant C/N
      ratio; R2: regular fluctuation C/N ratio; and R3: semi-starvation fluctuation C/N
      ratio (SSF)). Microbial aggregates appeared in R1, R2 and R3 on days 28, 14 and
      6, respectively. Compared with the results in R1 and R2, the guanosine
      tetraphosphate (ppGpp) concentration was highest, the acyl homoserine lactones
      (AHLs) concentration quickly reached a certain threshold, and more protein (PN)
      of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion resulted in the rapid
      formation of denitrifying granular sludge in R3. The SSF strategy enhances
      microbial diversity, and denitrifying granular sludge has a better nitrogen
      removal performance. The result demonstrates that ppGpp, AHLs, EPS and the
      denitrifying sludge granulation process are associated. A mechanism for
      denitrifying sludge granulation with SSF strategy was proposed from the aspect of
      quorum sensing (QS).

PMID- 28633204
TI  - Hands off, the radial artery is mine!

PMID- 28633205
TI  - Advancing the science of myocardial recovery with mechanical circulatory support:
      A Working Group of the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
AB  - The medical burden of heart failure (HF) has spurred interest in clinicians and
      scientists to develop therapies to restore the function of a failing heart. To
      advance this agenda, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
      convened a Working Group of experts from June 2 to 3, 2016, in Bethesda,
      Maryland, to develop NHLBI recommendations aimed at advancing the science of
      cardiac recovery in the setting of mechanical circulatory support (MCS). MCS
      devices effectively reduce volume and pressure overload that drives the cycle of
      progressive myocardial dysfunction, thereby triggering structural and functional
      reverse remodeling. Research in this field could be innovative in many ways, and
      the Working Group specifically discussed opportunities associated with genome
      phenome systems biology approaches; genetic epidemiology; bioinformatics and
      precision medicine at the population level; advanced imaging modalities,
      including molecular and metabolic imaging; and the development of minimally
      invasive surgical and percutaneous bioengineering approaches. These new avenues
      of investigations could lead to new treatments that target phylogenetically
      conserved pathways involved in cardiac reparative mechanisms. A central point
      that emerged from the NHLBI Working Group meeting was that the lessons learned
      from the MCS investigational setting can be extrapolated to the broader HF
      population. With the precedents set by the significant effect of studies of other
      well-controlled and tractable subsets on larger populations, such as the genetic
      work in both cancer and cardiovascular disease, the work to improve our
      understanding of cardiac recovery and resilience in MCS patients could be
      transformational for the greater HF population.

PMID- 28633206
TI  - When and how should surgeons treat subsolid nodule?

PMID- 28633207
TI  - Ground-glass opacities: A curable disease but a big challenge for surgeons.

PMID- 28633208
TI  - Effect of transcatheter aortic valve size and position on valve-in-valve
      hemodynamics: An in vitro study.

PMID- 28633209
TI  - Response to mr bapat: does size matter? it does in texas.

PMID- 28633210
TI  - Value of surgery for infective endocarditis in dialysis patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) in
      patients on hemodialysis by comparing the nature and invasiveness of endocarditis
      in hemodialysis and nonhemodialysis patients and their hospital and long-term
      outcomes, and identifying risk factors for time-related mortality after surgery.
      METHODS: From January 1997 to January 2013, 144 patients on chronic hemodialysis
      and 1233 nonhemodialysis patients underwent valve surgery for IE at our
      institution. Propensity matching identified 99 well-matched hemodialysis and
      nonhemodialysis patient pairs for comparison of outcomes. RESULTS: Staphylococcus
      aureus infection was more common in hemodialysis patients than in nonhemodialysis
      patients (42% vs 21%; P < .0001), but invasive disease was similar in the 2
      groups (47%; P = .3). Hospital mortality was 13% and 5-year survival was 20% for
      hemodialysis patients, 20% below that expected in a general hemodialysis
      population but 15% above that of hemodialysis patients treated nonsurgically for
      IE. For matched patients, hospital mortality was 13% for hemodialysis patients
      versus 5.1% for nonhemodialysis patients (P = .05), and survival at 1 and 5 years
      was 56% versus 83% and 24% versus 59%, respectively (P < .004). Use of an
      arteriovenous graft for dialysis access (P = .01) and preoperative placement of a
      pacemaker (P < .0001) were risk factors for late mortality in hemodialysis
      patients. For matched patients, freedom from reoperation was similar in the
      hemodialysis and nonhemodialysis groups (P > .9). CONCLUSIONS: Intermediate-term
      survival after surgery for IE in hemodialysis patients is substantially worse
      than that in nonhemodialysis patients, but only slightly worse than that in the
      general hemodialysis population and substantially better than that in
      hemodialysis patients with IE treated nonsurgically, supporting continued
      surgical intervention for IE.

PMID- 28633211
TI  - Discussion.

PMID- 28633212
TI  - Transatlantic editorial on transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

PMID- 28633213
TI  - Plowing with unicorns.

PMID- 28633214
TI  - Plan, scan, model, print, manufacture, and implant personalized external aortic
      root support (PEARS).

PMID- 28633215
TI  - No free lunch: Even with a diet heavy on PEARS.

PMID- 28633217
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633216
TI  - Transatlantic Editorial on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

PMID- 28633218
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633219
TI  - Optimizing Public Reporting of Congenital Heart Surgery Outcomes.

PMID- 28633220
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633221
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633222
TI  - Endosonographic Mediastinal Lymph Node Staging in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: How
      I Teach It.

PMID- 28633224
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633223
TI  - Primary Pulmonary Vein Stenosis: Outcomes, Risk Factors, and Severity Score in a
      Multicentric Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary vein stenosis (PPVS) still carries a poor
      prognosis, and prognostic factors remain controversial. The aim of this study was
      to determine outcomes and prognostic factors after PPVS repair in the current
      era. METHODS: Thirty patients with PPVS and a normal pulmonary vein (PV)
      connection operated on in 10 European/North American centers (2000-2012) were
      included retrospectively. A specific PVS severity score was developed based on
      the assessment of each PV. Studied end points were death, PV reoperation, and
      restenosis. A univariate and multivariate risk analysis was performed. RESULTS:
      The mean number of affected PVs per patient was 2.7 +/- 1.1. Sutureless repair
      was used in 21 patients (70%), endovenectomy was used in 5 patients, and patch
      venoplasty was used in 4 patients. Overall PV restenosis, reoperation, and
      mortality occurred in 50%, 40%, and 30% of patients respectively. Freedom from
      mortality, reoperation, and restenosis at 8 years of follow-up was 70% +/- 8%,
      62% +/- 8%, and 47% +/- 9%, respectively. Restenosis and mortality rates after
      sutureless repair versus nonsutureless repair were 57% (n = 12 of 21) versus 33%
      (n = 3 of 9) (p = 0.42) for restenosis and 38% (n = 8 of 21) versus 11% (n = 1 of
      9) (p = 0.21) for mortality. Patients selected for a sutureless technique were
      younger and smaller and had more severe disease before operation. A postoperative
      high PVS score and pulmonary hypertension 1 month after the operation were
      independent risk factors for restenosis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; p = 0.002 and
      HR, 6.81; p = 0.02, respectively), reoperation (HR, 1.24; p = 0.01 and HR, 7.60;
      p = 0.02), and mortality (HR, 1.39; p = 0.01 and HR, 39.5; p = 0.008).
      CONCLUSIONS: Primary PVS still has a guarded prognosis in the current era despite
      adoption of the sutureless technique. Postoperative pulmonary hypertension and
      severity of disease evaluated by a new severity score are independent prognostic
      factors regardless of surgical technique.

PMID- 28633225
TI  - Patient-Specific Simulation of Endovascular Thoracic Aortic Repair: Initial
      Experience.
AB  - PURPOSE: Endovascular thoracic aortic repair (TEVAR) has become the treatment
      modality of diverse aortic pathology. We report the use of patient-specific
      simulation using a dedicated PROcedure Rehearsal Studio (PRS) platform (Simbionix
      USA Corp, Cleveland, OH) before TEVAR and evaluate the feasibility and realism of
      this technology. DESCRIPTION: Virtual three-dimensional models of the patient's
      relevant anatomy were reconstructed from computed tomography data. PRS was used
      in 2 patients before TEVAR. In a multicenter retrospective study, we evaluated
      how PRS compares with real TEVAR. EVALUATION: PRS before TEVAR was feasible and
      demonstrated good correlation with the actual procedure. In the retrospective
      study, 16 patients were reconstructed (median duration, 26 minutes; interquartile
      range, 21 to 36 minutes). The realism of the simulated angiographies was rated
      highly (median, 4; interquartile range, 3 to 4). Final angiography revealed type
      I endoleak in 2 simulated cases and 1 real case. CONCLUSION: Patient-specific
      rehearsal before TEVAR is feasible and permits the creation of realistic case
      studies; however, software updates are required to improve face validity and to
      foster implementation in clinical practice.

PMID- 28633226
TI  - The Early Days of Cardiac Surgery in South Asia: The History and Heritage.
AB  - The 1.79 billion people of South Asia share common history and heritage. The
      fascinating stories of introducing cardiac surgery in this region would inspire
      the surgeons today. Information was collected for more than a decade from these
      countries through personal visits, interviews, and searching journals and the
      Internet. India was first to establish cardiac surgery chronologically, followed
      by Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Afghanistan. South Asia did not
      lag far behind the Western world in commencing cardiac surgery. The pioneering
      surgeons deserve respect for their dedication and innovation overcoming the
      economic hardship and bureaucratic barriers ensuring service for one-quarter of
      the world's population today.

PMID- 28633227
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633229
TI  - A Hand is a Terrible Thing to Waste.

PMID- 28633228
TI  - Catamenial Pneumothorax: A Matter of Anamnesis.

PMID- 28633230
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633231
TI  - Use of Unfolded Gauze in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery.

PMID- 28633232
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633233
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633234
TI  - Aortic Cannulation: First Option in Aortic Dissection?

PMID- 28633235
TI  - Effects of Blood Transfusion on Long-Term Survival of Cardiac Surgery Patients.

PMID- 28633236
TI  - Mild to Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation: Should a Mitral Surgical
      Procedure be Added to Revascularization?

PMID- 28633237
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633238
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633239
TI  - Cardiothoracic Surgery in Developing Countries.

PMID- 28633240
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633241
TI  - Extent of Lymphadenectomy in Operable Esophageal Cancer.

PMID- 28633242
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28633244
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633243
TI  - Tracheal Resection and Pregnancy.

PMID- 28633245
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633246
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633247
TI  - Invited Commentary.

PMID- 28633248
TI  - Endobronchial-Guided Vascularized Tissue Flaps for a Bronchopleural Fistula.
AB  - The management of bronchopleural fistulas can be challenging. The initial
      treatment is usually conservative, but operative intervention with transposition
      of vascularized pedicled flaps may be required in refractory cases. We present
      the case of a 67-year-old man with stage IIIa squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
      who underwent a lower and middle bilobectomy after receiving neoadjuvant
      chemoradiation. His postoperative course was complicated by empyema and a
      bronchopleural fistula. Because of difficulty accessing the fistula,
      endobronchial-guided vascularized tissue flaps were successfully used to close
      the fistula.

PMID- 28633249
TI  - Augmentation of Bridging Leaflets in Repair of Atrioventricular Canal Defects.
AB  - Left atrioventricular (AV) valve regurgitation is the most common complication
      after a atrioventricular canal defect (AVCD) repair. Despite what appears to be a
      less complex repair, patients with partial and transitional AV canal have higher
      reoperation rates for left AV valve regurgitation and left ventricular outflow
      tract (LVOT) obstruction. Retraction of bridging leaflets with secondary
      attachments to the septal crest commonly produces increased tension and
      flattening of the medial left AV valve leaflet and LVOT obstruction after cleft
      closure. We describe a novel technique of detachment and patch augmentation of
      bridging leaflets to avoid these complications.

PMID- 28633250
TI  - Permeable Nonabsorbable Mesh for Total Diaphragmatic Replacement in Extended
      Pneumonectomy.
AB  - After complex thoracic exenterations, total diaphragmatic resection and
      reconstruction is challenging. We describe our novel technique for total
      diaphragmatic replacement with permeable nonabsorbable mesh after extended
      pneumonectomy.

PMID- 28633251
TI  - Successful Lung Transplantation for Pulmonary Disease Associated With Erdheim
      Chester Disease.
AB  - A 53-year-old man with pulmonary fibrosis associated with Erdheim-Chester disease
      achieved long-term survival after lung transplantation. Major clinical
      manifestations included lung and bone injuries, and other vital organs were
      functionally unaffected by the disease. After a careful observation for the
      disease progression, he underwent bilateral deceased-donor lung transplantation.
      He has returned to his normal social life and is doing well without recurrence of
      Erdheim-Chester disease in the lung allograft or progression in other organs 5
      years after transplant. Lung transplantation is a potentially reasonable
      treatment option for Erdheim-Chester disease involving the lungs if the functions
      of other vital organs remain stable.

PMID- 28633252
TI  - Delayed Management of Partial Aortic Valve Avulsion After Transcatheter Aortic
      Valve Replacement.
AB  - We report a case of delayed treatment of a partial aortic valve leaflet avulsion
      during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and its successful
      management by a percutaneous snare retrieval technique. Post-TAVR transesophogeal
      echocardiography showed an avulsed native valve leaflet. We deferred retrieval of
      the mass with anticoagulant agents. One month later, a 30-mm EN-Snare was used to
      snare the mass. This case report demonstrates that the management of an avulsed
      aortic valve leaflet can be safely deferred with the use of an anticoagulant
      agent. Snare retrieval of the avulsed valve can be achieved under local
      anesthesia with close neurological monitoring.

PMID- 28633253
TI  - Transforming Growth Factor Beta-2 Mutations in Barlow's Disease and Aortic
      Dilatation.
AB  - We report on a patient operated on for degenerative myxomatous mitral and
      tricuspid valve disease (Barlow's disease) and aortic root dilatation. A valve
      repair operation and the postoperative course were uneventful. Multigenerational
      genetic analyses revealed two different mutations in the transforming growth
      factor beta-2 gene in the same patient. The two mutations in different exons were
      inherited from both parents each. None of the parents presented with either valve
      dysfunction or aortic root dilatation. This rare case illustrates potentially
      common genetic and signaling pathways of concomitant myxomatous valve disease and
      aortic root dilatation.

PMID- 28633254
TI  - Successful Surgical Treatment of an Aggressive Pelvic Angiomyxoma With
      Intracardiac Extension.
AB  - We present a case of an intravenous tumor with extension into the right atrium
      and right ventricle of the heart. Pelvic angiomyxoma is a rare benign tumor,
      which in this case carried a significant operative risk due to its extension. The
      patient initially presented with suspected caval and intracardiac thrombus, but
      unsuccessful treatment led to further investigations. The tumor was extensively
      dissected from the right atrium, suprarenal vena cava, and left iliac vein on
      cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Affected
      gynecological organs were removed. The patient recovered uneventfully and
      received hormonal therapy postoperatively.

PMID- 28633255
TI  - Surgical Management of Giant Left Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm Causing Left
      Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Occlusion.
AB  - Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is a rare cardiac anomaly, which mostly occurs
      in the right or noncoronary sinus of Valsalva. Left sinus of Valsava is
      infrequent. Unruptured SVAs are usually asymptomatic, and the diagnosis of
      unruptured SVA is usually accidental. A giant unruptured SVA may compress the
      coronary artery and cause myocardial infarction. Here, we report a rare case of a
      50-year-old patient with unruptured giant left SVA causing occlusion of the left
      anterior descending coronary artery, which was successfully managed with our
      apparently unique surgical procedure.

PMID- 28633256
TI  - Successful Delivery in a Patient With Left Ventricular Assist Device and
      Unplanned Pregnancy.
AB  - We report the case of a woman supported by a left ventricular assist device
      (LVAD) who presented at 20 weeks of gestation and decided against recommendations
      to continue with her pregnancy. This was managed with well-developed plan for a
      multidisciplinary team approach. With close and regular follow-up and regular
      adjustment of the patient's medications and LVAD parameters, successful delivery
      and outcome for both the mother and the newborn were achieved.

PMID- 28633257
TI  - Takayasu Arteritis Mimicking Type A Intramural Hematoma.
AB  - Takayasu arteritis is a panarteritis of unknown etiology involving the aorta and
      its main branches, with higher prevalence in women and peak of incidence in the
      second and third decades of life. Up to 30% of patients have coronary lesions and
      aortic valve involvement. Presentation mimicking aortic dissection is quite rare.
      Here described is the case of a young patient, presenting with an acute coronary
      syndrome associated with severe aortic regurgitation, who underwent emergent
      surgery with the suspicion of acute aortic dissection. The diagnostic and
      therapeutic implications are discussed.

PMID- 28633258
TI  - Stepwise Total Aortic Repairs With Fenestrated Endografts in a Patient With Loeys
      Dietz Syndrome.
AB  - Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder (CTD) caused by
      mutations in the gene encoding transforming growth factor-beta receptors I and
      II. Patients with LDS manifest spontaneous aneurysms and dissections of the aorta
      and peripheral artery. We report a successful treatment with a hybrid
      endovascular repair for a rapidly expanding thoracoabdominal aneurysm in a 41
      year-old woman affected by LDS. To overcome the difficulties of anatomical and
      surgical repair, we applied an original strategy using surgeon-modified
      fenestrated endografts.

PMID- 28633259
TI  - Mycobacterium chimaera Infection After Cardiac Surgery: First Canadian Outbreak.
AB  - Recently reported in Europe and United States, disseminated Mycobacterium
      chimaera infection is a novel clinical entity linked to point contamination of
      Stockert 3T heater-cooler units used for cardiopulmonary bypass. We present here
      the first two cases in Canada. Both patients presented with nonspecific
      extracardiac symptoms 1 year after undergoing minimally invasive mitral surgical
      repair. Before the right diagnosis was established, the patients were initially
      treated with prednisone for suspected sarcoidosis. One patient is currently
      improving, and the other needed mitral valve repair despite aggressive treatment.
      Because of the nonspecific mode and timing of presentation, a high index of
      suspicion is necessary for the diagnosis of M. chimaera infection.

PMID- 28633260
TI  - Total Chordal Sparing Mitral Valve Replacement in Rheumatic Disease: A Word of
      Caution.
AB  - Total chordal preservation is the standard for mitral valve replacement to
      maintain long-term left ventricular geometry. Whereas it is appropriate for
      functional and degenerative mitral regurgitation, the role of chordal sparing in
      rheumatic valve disease is less well understood, with limited evidence supporting
      total chordal sparing. Inasmuch as this autoimmune disease affects the
      subvalvular apparatus in addition to the leaflets, it can be expected to continue
      after surgical repair. Here we present 2 patients who experienced adverse events
      associated with total chordal sparing mitral replacement as a result of disease
      progression with rapid fibrous growth causing inflow obstruction and early
      prosthetic valve failure.

PMID- 28633261
TI  - Mediastinal Abscess Caused by an Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Membrane.
AB  - A 76-year-old man who had undergone tricuspid annuloplasty 13 years earlier was
      admitted to our hospital because of a high fever. Although he was treated with
      antibiotics for pneumonia, a mild fever persisted. Computed tomography and
      gallium scintigraphy revealed a mediastinal abscess with an expanded
      polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane. There were no positive cultures or
      sternal changes indicating poststernotomy mediastinitis. The membrane was removed
      by a left parasternal approach without resternotomy, and its total removal was
      essential for the patient's recovery. This is the first reported case of sterile
      mediastinal abscess caused by an ePTFE membrane after a cardiac operation.

PMID- 28633262
TI  - Intratracheal Thyroid: A Different Approach.
AB  - During embryonic development, the abnormal migration of thyroid tissue may cause
      ectopic localization of the gland in the intralaryngotracheal space. This case
      report describes the management of a young patient with a recent diagnosis of
      asthma. During bronchoscopy, a large mass occupying the tracheal lumen was
      discovered. After tracheotomy to protect the airway, an incisional biopsy was
      performed and revealed an intratracheal ectopic thyroid. The deep incisions
      through the tracheotomy to the base of the lesion allowed colloidal content to
      leak out of the mass until complete resolution of airway obstruction. Fifteen
      days later the patient was released totally rehabilitated.

PMID- 28633263
TI  - Structural Valve Deterioration of a Subcoronary Implanted Stentless
      Bioprosthesis: How to Treat?
AB  - We present a case of transcatheter valve-in-valve replacement performed because
      of structural valve deterioration of a subcoronary implanted stentless aortic
      bioprosthesis. A 23-mm self-expandable transcatheter heart valve (THV) with
      supraannular seating was chosen. The procedure was performed with the patient
      under conscious sedation. After anchoring and partial valve deployment, the
      patient experienced an acute onset of angina. The angiogram showed left main
      coronary artery obstruction. Prompt resheathing and retrieval of the THV was
      performed, and the procedure was aborted. Subsequently, an open-heart redo
      operation was performed by the use of a sutureless aortic bioprosthesis, with
      satisfactory hemodynamic and clinical results.

PMID- 28633264
TI  - Rapidly Progressive Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Stenosis Due to Bartonella Species
      Endocarditis.
AB  - Rapid progression of valvular stenosis in the setting of infective endocarditis
      is extremely rare. Here we describe a patient with Bartonella endocarditis on a
      bioprosthetic aortic valve that caused rapidly progressive aortic stenosis
      without regurgitation. At operation the bioprosthetic valve was severely fibrotic
      and calcified, with markedly thickened and distorted leaflets and circular
      partial detachment from the aortic ring. The patient underwent aortic root
      replacement with aortic bioprosthesis and aortic grafting with reimplantation of
      the coronary ostia.

PMID- 28633265
TI  - Again, Two Melodies in Concert: Transcatheter Double Valve Replacement in
      Hedinger Syndrome.
AB  - Transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation is established as a valuable option to
      reconstruct failing right ventricular outflow tract function. Percutaneous
      tricuspid valve-in-valve or valve-in-ring reconstruction is even applied with
      increasing acceptance. A 46-year-old woman with a diagnosis of carcinoid
      dependent right heart failure underwent surgical bioprosthetic tricuspid and
      pulmonary valve replacement. Almost 1 year later, she presented again with
      markedly dilatated and reduced right heart function caused by degeneration of
      both biologic valves. We report a successful two-stage percutaneous transcatheter
      double-valve replacement with the use of a Melody valve in pulmonary and
      tricuspid positions.

PMID- 28633266
TI  - Complete Neurological Recovery After Acute Total Occlusion of the Superior Vena
      Cava.
AB  - Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome, characterized by swelling of the upper torso,
      can result from a wide range of causes. The presence and severity of clinical
      symptoms depends on the degree of stenosis, the location of stenosis, the speed
      of development of stenosis, and existing collateral flow. Acute complete
      occlusion of the SVC frequently leads to poor neurologic outcomes such as coma or
      death. We report a case of a patient who had complete neurologic recovery after
      26 minutes of acute total occlusion of the SVC. This report highlights the
      importance of meticulous management during acute SVC occlusion to improve patient
      outcome.

PMID- 28633268
TI  - Surgical-Interventional Hybrid Concept in a Newborn With Borderline Left Heart.
AB  - Through a series of complex surgical and interventional procedures including
      downsizing of an unrestricted atrial septal defect, aortic arch reconstruction,
      pulmonary artery banding, reversed Potts shunt, and Melody valve in a mitral
      position, biventricular conversion was successfully achieved in a patient with a
      distinct borderline left ventricle. By use of these interventional steps, flow
      mediated and load-mediated growth of a small left ventricle was observed,
      highlighting the plasticity of hearts in growing children. Surgical and catheter
      interventional teamwork may lead to fascinating results, provoking us to quote
      Aristotle's wisdom: "The whole is more than the sum of its parts."

PMID- 28633267
TI  - Perventricular Implantation of Melody Valve in Child With Pulmonary Hypertension
      After a Potts Shunt.
AB  - The Potts operation is a surgical option for the treatment of children with
      suprasystemic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Its positive hemodynamic
      effect may be obliterated by pulmonary valvar insufficiency. We describe a case
      in which the Potts shunt was followed by perventricular Melody valve implantation
      in the pulmonary position in a 12-kg child with a previously repaired truncus
      arteriosus communis (TAC) in whom PAH developed. The combined approach using both
      procedures significantly improved functional capacity and led to spectacular
      reverse remodeling of the right ventricle seen at 2-year follow-up. Elimination
      of significant pulmonary insufficiency is crucial in achieving the hemodynamic
      benefits of a Potts shunt in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

PMID- 28633269
TI  - Stenting and Reimplanting Disconnected Pulmonary Artery in Tetralogy of Fallot.
AB  - Tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve syndrome (TOF/APV) is a rare
      congenital malformation. Although pulmonary artery (PA) anomalies have been
      observed in TOF, its association with disconnected PA is extremely rare. We
      report successful stenting of the disconnected left PA in a 3-year-old boy with
      TOF/APV followed by surgical reimplantation. The significance of this
      transcatheter intervention for guidance during surgery and the importance of
      visualizing a ductal stump on angiography as an indicator of disconnected PA are
      discussed.

PMID- 28633270
TI  - Surgical Correction for a Neonate With Ebstein's Anomaly Associated With
      Tetralogy of Fallot.
AB  - Ebstein's anomaly in combination with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is rare. We
      report a male infant with these combined anomalies who presented with severe
      cyanosis, heart failure, and respiratory distress after birth. Biventricular
      repair was successfully performed with 1-stage correction of his ventricular
      septal defect (VSD), right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction, and
      tricuspid regurgitation. The downward displaced tricuspid valve was also restored
      to the normal annulus position. The infant recovered well. The surgical technique
      for this rare and severe anomaly is reported here.

PMID- 28633271
TI  - Rupture of a Metastatic Uterine Leiomyosarcoma Invading the Right Atrium Causing
      Cardiac Tamponade.

PMID- 28633272
TI  - Mechanical Failure of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Induced by
      Hypertriglyceridemia.

PMID- 28633273
TI  - Percutaneous Intervention of a Rare Complication Post Cardiac Surgery.

PMID- 28633274
TI  - Intraventricular Septal Echinococcosis.

PMID- 28633275
TI  - Phrenic Nerve Reconstruction and Bilateral Diaphragm Plication After Lobectomy.
AB  - A 49-year-old man with left phrenic nerve paralysis caused by mediastinal tumor
      resection 28 years earlier was found to have a nodule in the right upper lobe.
      The right phrenic nerve was severed during right upper lobectomy but was
      reconstructed along with bilateral plication of the diaphragm. The patient was
      weaned from the ventilator during the daytime on postoperative day 13 and was
      discharged home on postoperative day 48. Three months postoperatively, chest
      fluoroscopic imaging showed recovery of movement of the right diaphragm. Nerve
      conduction studies showed improvement of function of the reconstructed right
      phrenic nerve.

PMID- 28633277
TI  - Giant Transdiaphragmatic Intercostal Hernia.

PMID- 28633276
TI  - Heart Failure Caused by Misdiagnosed Subaortic Stenosis in Adulthood: Lesson for
      Daily Practice.

PMID- 28633278
TI  - Radiopaque Marker Addition During Aortic Root Replacement With the Use of a
      Freestyle Porcine Bioprosthesis.
AB  - Aortic root replacement is indicated for aortic root aneurysm, small aortic root,
      and most root abscesses. This report describes the placement of a radiopaque
      marker during aortic root replacement using a Freestyle porcine bioprosthesis.
      This marker is a useful landmark during fluoroscopy for transcatheter valve-in
      valve aortic valve replacement in the event of bioprosthesis degeneration.

PMID- 28633279
TI  - Off-Pump Semicircular Annuloplasty: Effective Treatment of Concurrent Moderate
      Aortic Regurgitation.
AB  - The treatment of aortic regurgitation (AR) in patients undergoing off-pump
      coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a difficult problem. Aortic valve
      repair has become a promising therapy for AR. Various annuloplasty approaches
      have been used and have gained satisfactory results. Thus we adopted off-pump
      semicircular annuloplasty to treat concurrent moderate AR in 12 high-risk
      patients. Early follow-up results showed that this way is simple, safe, and
      effective.

PMID- 28633280
TI  - MotifHyades: expectation maximization for de novo DNA motif pair discovery on
      paired sequences.
AB  - Motivation: In higher eukaryotes, protein-DNA binding interactions are the
      central activities in gene regulation. In particular, DNA motifs such as
      transcription factor binding sites are the key components in gene transcription.
      Harnessing the recently available chromatin interaction data, computational
      methods are desired for identifying the coupling DNA motif pairs enriched on long
      range chromatin-interacting sequence pairs (e.g. promoter-enhancer pairs)
      systematically. Results: To fill the void, a novel probabilistic model (namely,
      MotifHyades) is proposed and developed for de novo DNA motif pair discovery on
      paired sequences. In particular, two expectation maximization algorithms are
      derived for efficient model training with linear computational complexity. Under
      diverse scenarios, MotifHyades is demonstrated faster and more accurate than the
      existing ad hoc computational pipeline. In addition, MotifHyades is applied to
      discover thousands of DNA motif pairs with higher gold standard motif matching
      ratio, higher DNase accessibility and higher evolutionary conservation than the
      previous ones in the human K562 cell line. Lastly, it has been run on five other
      human cell lines (i.e. GM12878, HeLa-S3, HUVEC, IMR90, and NHEK), revealing
      another thousands of novel DNA motif pairs which are characterized across a broad
      spectrum of genomic features on long-range promoter-enhancer pairs. Availability
      and implementation: The matrix-algebra-optimized versions of MotifHyades and the
      discovered DNA motif pairs can be found in
      http://bioinfo.cs.cityu.edu.hk/MotifHyades. Contact: kc.w@cityu.edu.hk.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28633282
TI  - Editorial: Host Attractiveness and Malaria Transmission to Mosquitoes.

PMID- 28633283
TI  - Janus kinase inhibitors clear to land: Janus kinase inhibitors in RA.

PMID- 28633281
TI  - The sweet side of the pathogenic Neisseria: the role of glycan interactions in
      colonisation and disease.
AB  - Glycomics is a rapidly growing field that focuses on the structure and function
      of carbohydrates (glycans) in biological systems. Glycan interactions play a
      major role in infectious disease, at all stages of colonisation and disease
      progression. Neisseria meningitidis, the cause of meningococcal sepsis and
      meningitis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted
      infection gonorrhoea, are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality
      worldwide. Neisseria meningitidis displays a range of surface glycosylations
      including capsule polysaccharide, lipooligosaccharide and O-linked glycoproteins.
      While N. gonorrhoeae does not have a capsule, it does express both
      lipooligosaccharide and O-linked glycoproteins. Neisseria gonorrhoeae also has
      the ability to scavenge host sialic acids, while several N. meningitidis
      serogroups can synthesise sialic acid. Surface expressed sialic acid is key in
      serum resistance and survival in the host. On the host side, the pathogenic
      Neisseria protein adhesins such as Opc and NHBA bind to host glycans for
      adherence and colonisation of host cells. Essentially, from both the bacterial
      and host perspective, glycan interactions are fundamental in colonisation and
      disease of pathogenic Neisseria. The key aspects of glycobiology of the
      pathogenic Neisseria are reviewed herein.

PMID- 28633284
TI  - Determination of Some beta-Blockers and beta2-Agonists in Plasma and Urine Using
      Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry and Solid Phase Extraction.
AB  - A highly sensitive method for the determinations of acebutolol, clenbuterol,
      nadolol, oxprenolol, propranolol, terbutaline and timolol beta-blockers and beta2
      agonists in plasma and urine was developed. The method was optimized using
      electrospray ionization liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS
      MS) and clean screen solid phase extraction cartridges. Matrix effect was reduced
      by removing co-extractives from the SPE cartridges using methanol prior to drugs'
      elution. Using blood and serum matrices for calibration and applying the internal
      standard method has also contributed to the reduction of matrix effect. Method's
      validation yielded linear dynamic ranges of 5.0-50.0 and 50.0-1000.0 ng/ml for
      drugs spiked in plasma and urine respectively. It also gave correlation
      coefficients of 0.94-0.99, detection limits ranged in 0.06-5.04 pg/ml and
      quantification limits ranged in 0.14-22.88 pg/ml for the target drugs. Developed
      method was successfully applied to the analysis of beta-blockers and beta2
      agonists in plasma and urine samples. Plasma samples fortified with drugs at 7.5,
      40.0 and 75.0 ng/ml gave percentage recoveries ranged in 78.66-118.10, 67.02
      83.97 and 74.77-93.80, respectively. Urine samples fortified with drugs at 80.0,
      400.0 and 800.0 ng/ml gave percentage recoveries ranged in 104.68-130.18, 110.23
      125.16 and 109.46-116.89, respectively. Variance coefficients ranged in 0.05-0.35
      and 0.04-0.12 were, respectively, obtained for the analyses of drugs in plasma
      and urine samples. Results suggest that developed method is well suited for the
      analysis of investigated drugs in biological fluids.

PMID- 28633285
TI  - Chronic Kidney Disease in the Aging Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected
      Population.

PMID- 28633286
TI  - Do Treatment Attitudes and Decisions of Psychotherapists-in-Training Depend on a
      Patient's Age?
AB  - Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze how psychotherapists'
      treatment attitudes and decisions depend on a patient's age. Methods: A sample of
      psychotherapists-in-training (N = 97) responded to questions concerning a
      naturalistic case vignette of a female patient with symptoms of depression and
      anxiety. The patient was described as being either 79 or 47 years old. Results:
      Results revealed no evidence that psychotherapists-in-training had more negative
      treatment attitudes towards an older relative to a younger patient. However, the
      patient's age had an influence on participants' therapeutic approach.
      Specifically, psychotherapists-in-training recommended short- as opposed to long
      term therapy, considered motivational clarification less important, and viewed
      clarifying techniques as less appropriate for an older patient. Conclusions: The
      stereotype of the rigid and resigned old person appears to be an important and
      potentially problematic factor in psychotherapy. Interventions to help therapists
      to reflect on their individual representations of aging may increase the
      likelihood of successful psychotherapy.

PMID- 28633287
TI  - Genetic diseases and aneuploidies can be detected with a single blastocyst
      biopsy: a successful clinical approach.
AB  - STUDY QUESTION: Can simultaneous detection of aneuploidies and genetic diseases
      or chromosomal aberrations in blastocysts reduce the chance of transferring
      embryos with low implantation potential, guaranteeing good clinical outcomes?
      SUMMARY ANSWER: The screening for chromosomal aneuploidies revealed that 50.6% of
      blastocysts diagnosed free of genetic disease or balanced, were aneuploid,
      therefore avoiding the transfer of blastocysts potentially resulting in
      implantation failures, miscarriages, or in some cases, in health affected live
      births. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: PGD is applied in patients at risk of transmitting
      genetically inheritable diseases to their offspring. It has been demonstrated
      that aneuploidies can involve chromosomes other than those investigated with PGD,
      affecting embryo implantation competence. Performing the biopsy at blastocyst
      level produces higher clinical outcomes allowing a more accurate diagnosis,
      compared to blastomere biopsy. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This consecutive
      case series study was performed from October 2011 to May 2016. Clinical and
      biological outcomes from 1122 blastocysts obtained in 304 PGD cycles for
      monogenic diseases (N = 163) or chromosomal rearrangements (N = 141) were
      analyzed. When the blastocyst resulted transferable after the PGD analysis or
      chromosomal rearrangement analysis, its ploidy status by mean of preimplantation
      genetic screening (PGS) was also detected using the same biopsy sample. Mean
      female age was 35.4 +/- 4.2 years old. All biopsies were performed at blastocyst
      stage and analyzed by Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) followed by PCR for
      monogenic diseases, and by array-comparative genotype hybridization (array-CGH)
      for all cycles. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHOD: All mature oocytes
      retrieved were injected and cultured individually until the blastocyst stage at
      37 degrees C, 6% CO2, 5% O2. When the blastocyst was formed, it was biopsied and
      vitrified, awaiting the genetic results. The frozen-thawed embryo transfer was
      performed in a subsequent cycle. In some cases, when the blastocyst was obtained
      within the morning of Day 5 of culture, it had been maintained in culture and
      transferred on Day 6, after receiving the genetic report. MAIN RESULTS AND THE
      ROLE OF CHANCE: A total of 2809 (2718 fresh and 91 frozen-thawed) mature oocytes
      were injected with a fertilization rate of 75.5% (N = 2120), leading to the
      development of 2102 embryos. A further 24 frozen embryos, previously vitrified
      without any genetic testing, were successfully warmed for genetic screening. A
      total of 2126 embryos were cultured with a blastocyst formation rate of 52.8% (N
      = 1122); all of them were biopsied from Day 4 to Day 7 of culture. After the
      genetic analysis, 309 (27.5%) blastocysts resulted transferable, both for
      monogenic disease or translocation and for their ploidy status, 42 were
      diploid/aneuploid mosaic, 55 were no result and 716 were not transferable, due to
      genetic disease or chromosomal rearrangement and/or for their ploidy status. Of
      note, 316 (50.6% of transferable blastocysts after PGD and 28.2% of total number
      of biopsied blastocysts) of the blastocysts resulted healthy for the genetic
      disease or chromosomal rearrangement were aneuploid. Out of 304 PGD/PGS cycles
      performed, 28.6% (N = 87) resulted in no-transferable blastocysts after only PGD
      analysis; this percentage increased to 39.8% (N = 121) when also PGS was carried
      out (Mc Nemar test P < 0.001). A total of 202 embryo-transfers were performed, 53
      fresh and 149 cryopreserved, in which 218 healthy or carrier euploid blastocysts
      were transferred. Clinical pregnancy, implantation and miscarriage rates were
      49.0, 47.7 and 9.9%, respectively. To date, 66 deliveries occurred with 70
      healthy babies born and 13 pregnancies are still ongoing. Finally, 91 euploid
      healthy blastocysts are still cryopreserved waiting to be transferred.
      LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: A higher than expected cycle cancellation rate
      could be found due to the double genetic analysis performed. For this reason,
      particular care should be taken in drafting and explaining informed consent, in
      order to avoid patient drop out. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: When the
      biopsy has to be performed in order to prevent the transmission of an inheritable
      disease, it should be mandatory to analyze also the genetic status of the
      blastocyst, avoiding useless embryo-transfers in this particular category of
      patients. In our study, 316 aneuploid healthy blastocysts could have been
      transferred without performing PGS, leading to implantation failures,
      miscarriages, or in some cases, to live births affected by different syndromes.
      STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): No specific funding was obtained for this
      study. None of the authors have any competing interests to declare. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.

PMID- 28633288
TI  - Invited Commentary: Quantifying the Added Value of Repeated Measurements.
AB  - Meaningful inference in epidemiology relies on accurate exposure measurement. In
      longitudinal observational studies, having more exposure data in the form of
      repeated measurements in the same individuals adds useful information. But
      exactly how much do repeated measurements add, incremental to the information
      provided by baseline measurements? In this issue of the Journal, Paige et al. (Am
      J Epidemiol. 2017;186(8):899-907 have quantified the value of adding repeated
      cholesterol and blood pressure measurements to baseline measurements in a meta
      analysis of individual participant data from 38 longitudinal cohort studies.
      Repeated measurements improve prediction significantly, but the magnitude of this
      gain in information may be less than expected. In research studies and clinical
      practice, quality of measurement is more important than quantity.

PMID- 28633289
TI  - Discussion: Is the FDA in need of a major change in the way it regulates?

PMID- 28633290
TI  - Planning, evaluating and vetting receptor signaling studies to assess hyaluronan
      size-dependence and specificity.
AB  - Exciting discoveries in many diverse fields of hyaluronan (HA) biology over the
      last 40 years have centered around the ability of HA to bind cell surface HA
      receptors (e.g., CD44, Layilin, LYVE-1, HARE/Stab2 and RHAMM) and sometimes also
      to activate intracellular signal transduction pathways, frequently involving
      ERK1/2. Although perplexing, a major characteristic of HA-mediated signal pathway
      activation for some receptors has been a dependence on the size of the bound HA.
      Receptors that directly interact with HA, which may not include TLR2/4, bind very
      well to any HA molecule >8-20 sugars, depending on the receptor. Despite their
      ability to bind virtually any size HA, only HA chains of a particular mass range
      can activate receptor-mediated cell signaling. Many studies have demonstrated
      parts of this emerging story by utilizing different: HA receptors, cell types,
      animal models, HA sources, HA sizes, assays to assess HA mass and varying
      controls to verify HA specificity or HA size-dependence. Recent reports have
      highlighted issues with potential endotoxin contamination of HA fragments,
      especially those generated by hyaluronidase digestion. Also, researchers
      unfamiliar with HA polydispersity must adjust to working with, and interpreting
      data for, preparations without a unique molecular mass (molecular weight). The
      confusion, uncertainty and skepticism generated by these and other factors has
      hindered the development of a general consensus about HA-specific and HA-size
      dependent receptor activation. An overview of issues, suggested strategies and
      validating controls is presented to aid those planning an HA-mediated receptor
      signaling study or those trying to evaluate the literature.

PMID- 28633291
TI  - P2X7 Receptors Drive Spine Synapse Plasticity in the Learned Helplessness Model
      of Depression.
AB  - Background: Major depressive disorder is characterized by structural and
      functional abnormalities of cortical and limbic brain areas, including a decrease
      in spine synapse number in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Recent studies
      highlighted that both genetic and pharmacological invalidation of the purinergic
      P2X7 receptor (P2rx7) leads to antidepressant-like phenotype in animal
      experiments; however, the impact of P2rx7 on depression-related structural
      changes in the hippocampus is not clarified yet. Methods: Effects of genetic
      deletion of P2rx7s on depressive-like behavior and spine synapse density in the
      dentate gyrus were investigated using the learned helplessness mouse model of
      depression. Results: We demonstrate that in wild-type animals, inescapable
      footshocks lead to learned helplessness behavior reflected in increased latency
      and number of escape failures to subsequent escapable footshocks. This behavior
      is accompanied with downregulation of mRNA encoding P2rx7 and decrease of spine
      synapse density in the dentate gyrus as determined by electron microscopic
      stereology. In addition, a decrease in synaptopodin but not in PSD95 and
      NR2B/GluN2B protein level was also observed under these conditions. Whereas the
      absence of P2rx7 was characterized by escape deficit, no learned helpless
      behavior is observed in these animals. Likewise, no decrease in spine synapse
      number and synaptopodin protein levels was detected in response to inescapable
      footshocks in P2rx7-deficient animals. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the
      endogenous activation of P2rx7s in the learned helplessness model of depression
      and decreased plasticity of spine synapses in P2rx7-deficient mice might explain
      the resistance of these animals to repeated stressful stimuli.

PMID- 28633292
TI  - AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 act downstream of CKI1 in Arabidopsis female gametophyte
      development.
AB  - Histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPs) are key elements of the two-component
      signaling system, which act as a shuttle to transfer phosphorylation signals from
      histidine kinases (HKs) to response regulators (RRs). CYTOKININ INDEPENDENT 1
      (CKI1), a key regulator of central cell specification in the Arabidopsis female
      gametophyte, activates the cytokinin signaling pathway through the Arabidopsis
      histidine phosphotransfer proteins (AHPs). There are five HP genes in
      Arabidopsis, AHP1-AHP5, but it remains unknown which AHP genes act downstream of
      CKI1 in Arabidopsis female gametophyte development. Promoter activity analysis of
      AHP1-AHP5 in embryo sacs revealed AHP1, AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 expression in the
      central cell. Phenotypic studies of various combinations of ahp mutants showed
      that triple mutations in AHP2, AHP3, and AHP5 resulted in defective embryo sac
      development. Using cell-specific single and double markers in the female
      gametophyte, the ahp2-2 ahp3 ahp5-2/+ triple mutant ovules showed loss of central
      cell and antipodal cell fates and gain of egg cell or synergid cell attributes,
      resembling the cki1 mutant phenotypes. These data suggest that AHP2, AHP3, and
      AHP5 are the major factors acting downstream of CKI1 in the two-component
      cytokinin signaling pathway to promote Arabidopsis female gametophyte
      development.

PMID- 28633294
TI  - Response to Pre-Pregnancy Blood Pressure and Offspring Sex in the HUNT Study,
      Norway.

PMID- 28633293
TI  - The Tonoplast-Localized Transporter MTP8.2 Contributes to Manganese
      Detoxification in the Shoots and Roots of Oryza sativa L.
AB  - Manganese (Mn) cation diffusion facilitators (Mn-CDFs) play important roles in
      the Mn homeostasis of plants. In rice, the tonoplast-localized Mn-CDF metal
      tolerance protein 8.1 (MTP8.1) is involved in Mn detoxification in the shoots.
      This study functionally characterized the Mn-CDF MTP8.2 and determined its
      contribution to Mn tolerance. MTP8.2 was found to share 68% identity with MTP8.1
      and was expressed in both the shoots and roots, but its transcription level was
      lower than that of MTP8.1. Transient expression of the MTP8.2:green fluorescent
      protein (GFP) fusion protein and immunoblotting studies indicated that MTP8.2 was
      also localized to the tonoplast. MTP8.2 expression in yeast conferred tolerance
      to Mn but not to Fe, Zn, Co, Ni or Cd. MTP8.2 knockdown caused further growth
      reduction of shoots and roots in the mtp8.1 mutant, which already exhibits
      stunted growth under conditions of excess Mn. In the presence of high Mn, the
      MTP8.2 knockdown lines of the mtp8.1 mutant showed lower root Mn concentrations,
      as well as lower root:total Mn ratios, than those of wild-type rice and the
      mtp8.1 mutant. These findings indicate that MTP8.2 mediates Mn tolerance along
      with MTP8.1 through the sequestration of Mn into the shoot and root vacuoles.

PMID- 28633295
TI  - Long cold exposure induces transcriptional and biochemical remodelling of xylem
      secondary cell wall in Eucalyptus.
AB  - Although eucalypts are the most planted hardwood trees worldwide, the majority of
      them are frost sensitive. The recent creation of frost-tolerant hybrids such as
      Eucalyptus gundal plants (E. gunnii * E. dalrympleana hybrids), now enables the
      development of industrial plantations in northern countries. Our objective was to
      evaluate the impact of cold on the wood structure and composition of these
      hybrids, and on the biosynthetic and regulatory processes controlling their
      secondary cell-wall (SCW) formation. We used an integrated approach combining
      histology, biochemical characterization and transcriptomic profiling as well as
      gene co-expression analyses to investigate xylem tissues from Eucalyptus hybrids
      exposed to cold conditions. Chilling temperatures triggered the deposition of
      thicker and more lignified xylem cell walls as well as regulation at the
      transcriptional level of SCW genes. Most genes involved in lignin biosynthesis,
      except those specifically dedicated to syringyl unit biosynthesis, were up
      regulated. The construction of a co-expression network enabled the identification
      of both known and potential new SCW transcription factors, induced by cold
      stress. These regulators at the crossroads between cold signalling and SCW
      formation are promising candidates for functional studies since they may
      contribute to the tolerance of E. gunnii * E. dalrympleana hybrids to cold.

PMID- 28633297
TI  - Sauna Bathing and Incident Hypertension: A Prospective Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sauna bathing is associated with reduced cardiovascular risk, but the
      mechanisms underlying this beneficial effect are not entirely understood. We
      aimed to assess the relationship between sauna bathing and risk of incident
      hypertension. METHODS: Frequency of sauna bathing was ascertained using
      questionnaires in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Study, a prospective cohort
      study conducted in Eastern Finland that comprised a population-based sample of
      1,621 men aged 42 to 60 years without hypertension at baseline. The incidence of
      hypertension was defined as a physician diagnosis of hypertension, systolic blood
      pressure (SBP) >140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure >90 mm Hg, or use of
      antihypertensive medication. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 24.7 years,
      251 incident cases (15.5%) were recorded. In Cox regression analysis adjusted for
      baseline age, smoking, body mass index, and SBP; compared to participants
      reporting 1 sauna session per week, the hazard ratio for incident hypertension in
      participants reporting 2 to 3 sessions and 4 to 7 sessions was 0.76 (95%
      confidence interval: 0.57-1.02) and 0.54 (0.32-0.91), respectively. The
      corresponding hazard ratios were similar after further adjustment for glucose,
      creatinine, alcohol consumption, heart rate, family history of hypertension,
      socioeconomic status, and cardiorespiratory fitness: 0.83 (95% confidence
      interval: 0.59-1.18) and 0.53 (0.28-0.98), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Regular
      sauna bathing is associated with reduced risk of hypertension, which may be a
      mechanism underlying the decreased cardiovascular risk associated with sauna use.
      Further epidemiological and experimental studies could help elucidate the effects
      of sauna bathing on cardiovascular function.

PMID- 28633296
TI  - Similar Ratios of Introns to Intergenic Sequence across Animal Genomes.
AB  - One central goal of genome biology is to understand how the usage of the genome
      differs between organisms. Our knowledge of genome composition, needed for
      downstream inferences, is critically dependent on gene annotations, yet problems
      associated with gene annotation and assembly errors are usually ignored in
      comparative genomics. Here, we analyze the genomes of 68 species across 12 animal
      phyla and some single-cell eukaryotes for general trends in genome composition
      and transcription, taking into account problems of gene annotation. We show that,
      regardless of genome size, the ratio of introns to intergenic sequence is
      comparable across essentially all animals, with nearly all deviations dominated
      by increased intergenic sequence. Genomes of model organisms have ratios much
      closer to 1:1, suggesting that the majority of published genomes of nonmodel
      organisms are underannotated and consequently omit substantial numbers of genes,
      with likely negative impact on evolutionary interpretations. Finally, our results
      also indicate that most animals transcribe half or more of their genomes arguing
      against differences in genome usage between animal groups, and also suggesting
      that the transcribed portion is more dependent on genome size than previously
      thought.

PMID- 28633298
TI  - Protein expression in tension wood formation monitored at high tissue resolution
      in Populus.
AB  - Tension wood (TW) is a specialized tissue with contractile properties that is
      formed by the vascular cambium in response to gravitational stimuli. We
      quantitatively analysed the proteomes of Populus tremula cambium and its xylem
      cell derivatives in stems forming normal wood (NW) and TW to reveal the
      mechanisms underlying TW formation. Phloem-, cambium-, and wood-forming tissues
      were sampled by tangential cryosectioning and pooled into nine independent
      samples. The proteomes of TW and NW samples were similar in the phloem and
      cambium samples, but diverged early during xylogenesis, demonstrating that
      reprogramming is an integral part of TW formation. For example, 14-3-3, reactive
      oxygen species, ribosomal and ATPase complex proteins were found to be up
      regulated at early stages of xylem differentiation during TW formation. At later
      stages of xylem differentiation, proteins involved in the biosynthesis of
      cellulose and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of rhamnogalacturonan-I,
      rhamnogalacturonan-II, arabinogalactan-II and fasciclin-like arabinogalactan
      proteins were up-regulated in TW. Surprisingly, two isoforms of exostosin family
      proteins with putative xylan xylosyl transferase function and several lignin
      biosynthesis proteins were also up-regulated, even though xylan and lignin are
      known to be less abundant in TW than in NW. These data provided new insight into
      the processes behind TW formation.

PMID- 28633300
TI  - Pre-pregnancy Blood Pressure and Offspring Sex in the HUNT Study, Norway.

PMID- 28633299
TI  - Structural Covariance Networks in Children with Autism or ADHD.
AB  - Background: While autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are
      considered distinct conditions from a diagnostic perspective, clinically they
      share some phenotypic features and have high comorbidity. Regardless, most
      studies have focused on only one condition, with considerable heterogeneity in
      their results. Taking a dual-condition approach might help elucidate shared and
      distinct neural characteristics. Method: Graph theory was used to analyse
      topological properties of structural covariance networks across both conditions
      and relative to a neurotypical (NT; n = 87) group using data from the ABIDE
      (autism; n = 62) and ADHD-200 datasets (ADHD; n = 69). Regional cortical
      thickness was used to construct the structural covariance networks. This was
      analysed in a theoretical framework examining potential differences in long and
      short-range connectivity, with a specific focus on relation between central graph
      measures and cortical thickness. Results: We found convergence between autism and
      ADHD, where both conditions show an overall decrease in CT covariance with
      increased Euclidean distance between centroids compared with a NT population. The
      2 conditions also show divergence. Namely, there is less modular overlap between
      the 2 conditions than there is between each condition and the NT group. The ADHD
      group also showed reduced cortical thickness and lower degree in hub regions than
      the autism group. Lastly, the ADHD group also showed reduced wiring costs
      compared with the autism groups. Conclusions: Our results indicate a need for
      taking an integrated approach when considering highly comorbid conditions such as
      autism and ADHD. Furthermore, autism and ADHD both showed alterations in the
      relation between inter-regional covariance and centroid distance, where both
      groups show a steeper decline in covariance as a function of distance. The 2
      groups also diverge on modular organization, cortical thickness of hub regions
      and wiring cost of the covariance network. Thus, on some network features the
      groups are distinct, yet on others there is convergence.

PMID- 28633301
TI  - Reply to Chung et al.

PMID- 28633302
TI  - Mumps clinical diagnostic uncertainty.
AB  - Background: During recent years, various mumps outbreaks have occurred among
      populations vaccinated for mumps worldwide. In Italy, improving routine coverage
      with two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is one of the key
      strategies to eliminate measles and rubella. To monitor the effect of the
      vaccination programme on the population, the surveillance of these vaccine
      preventable diseases has been implemented. This provided the opportunity to
      evaluate the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of those diseases, including
      mumps. In fact, vaccinated children may develop a variety of diseases caused by a
      series of different viruses [Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), parainfluenza virus types
      1-3, adenoviruses, herpes virus and parvovirus B19] whose symptoms (i.e. swelling
      of parotid glands) may mimic mumps. For this reason, laboratory diagnosis is
      essential to confirm clinical suspicion. Methods: The accuracy of clinical
      diagnosis of mumps was evaluated by differential diagnosis on EBV in Italy, a
      country at low incidence of mumps. This retrospective study investigated whether
      the etiology of 131 suspected mumps cases with a negative molecular/serological
      result for mumps virus, obtained from 2007 to 2016, were due to EBV, in order to
      establish a diagnosis. Results: Differential diagnosis revealed a EBV positivity
      rate of 19.8% and all cases were caused by EBV type 1. Conclusions: This study
      confirms the importance of a lab based differential diagnosis that can
      discriminate between different infectious diseases presenting with symptoms
      suggestive of mumps and, in particular, emphasize the importance to discriminate
      between mumps and EBV-related mononucleosis.

PMID- 28633303
TI  - Cognitive Trajectories of Older Adults With Prediabetes and Diabetes: A
      Population-Based Cohort Study.
AB  - Background: Diabetes has been linked to dementia risk; however, the cognitive
      trajectories in older adults with diabetes remain unclear. We aimed to
      investigate the effect of prediabetes and diabetes on cognitive trajectories
      among cognitively intact older adults in a long-term follow-up study. Methods:
      Within the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging, 793 cognitively intact older
      adults aged >=50 were identified at baseline and followed for up to 23 years.
      Based on standardized scores from 11 cognitive tests, administered at baseline
      and up to seven follow-ups, four cognitive domains (verbal abilities,
      spatial/fluid, memory, perceptual speed) were identified by principal-component
      analysis. Prediabetes was defined according to blood glucose levels in diabetes
      free participants. Diabetes was ascertained based on self-report, hypoglycemic
      medication use and blood glucose levels. Data were analyzed with linear mixed
      effect models adjusting for potential confounders. Results: At baseline, 68
      participants (8.6%) had prediabetes and 45 (5.7%) had diabetes. Compared to
      diabetes-free individuals, people with diabetes had a steeper decline over time
      in perceptual speed and verbal abilities. The annual declines in these domains
      were greater than the annual decline in memory. Prediabetes was associated with
      lower performance in memory in middle-age, but also associated with a less steep
      memory decline over the follow-up. Conclusions: Diabetes is associated with a
      faster decline in perceptual speed and verbal abilities, while prediabetes is
      associated with lower memory performance in middle-age. However, the detrimental
      effects of hyperglycemia seem to not affect memory over time.

PMID- 28633304
TI  - Molecular aspects of the biophysical CO2-concentrating mechanism and its
      regulation in marine diatoms.
AB  - Diatoms operate a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) that drives upwards of 20% of
      annual global primary production. Recent progress in CCM research in the marine
      pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum revealed that this diatom directly takes
      up HCO3- from seawater through low-CO2-inducible plasma membrane HCO3-
      transporters, which belong to the solute carrier (SLC) 4 family. Apart from this,
      studies of carbonic anhydrases (CAs) in diatoms have revealed considerable
      diversity in classes and localization among species. This strongly suggests that
      the CA systems, which control permeability and flux of dissolved inorganic carbon
      (DIC) by catalysing reversible CO2 hydration, have evolved from diverse origins.
      Of particular interest is the occurrence of low-CO2-inducible external CAs in the
      centric marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, offering a strategy of CA
      catalysed initial CO2 entry via passive diffusion, contrasting with active DIC
      transport in P. tricornutum. Molecular mechanisms to transport DIC across
      chloroplast envelopes are likely also through specific HCO3- transporters,
      although details have yet to be elucidated. Furthermore, recent discovery of a
      luminal theta-CA in the diatom thylakoid implied a common strategy in the
      mechanism to supply CO2 to RubisCO in the pyrenoid, which is conserved among
      green algae and some heterokontophytes. These results strongly suggest an
      occurrence of convergent coevolution between the pyrenoid and thylakoid membrane
      in aquatic photosynthesis.

PMID- 28633305
TI  - Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for the identification of vascular
      dementia due to cerebral small vessel disease.
AB  - Background: the diagnosis of cerebral small vessel disease, a leading cause of
      vascular dementia (VaD), relies solely on neuroimaging studies. Circulating
      microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as diagnostic biomarkers in various
      disorders. Our aim was to identify differentially expressed, circulating miRNAs
      in small vessel VaD which could serve as diagnostic biomarkers for this disease.
      Method: we performed plasma miRNA profiling by quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction (qPCR) array in small vessel VaD patients and age- and gender-matched,
      cognitively normal and healthy controls. Selected, differentially expressed
      miRNAs were validated by qPCR. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve
      (AUC) were calculated for each individual miRNA. Results: profiling results
      showed that 44 miRNAs were differentially expressed in small vessel VaD cases (P
      < 0.05 with a fold change of <2 or >2). A set of seven, highly differentially
      expressed miRNAs (fold change of <3.6 or >3.6), were estimated in a cohort of 204
      small vessel VaD patients and 200 healthy, age and gender-matched controls.
      Validation study revealed that four miRNAs (miR-409-3p, miR-502-3p, miR-486-5p
      and miR-451a) could be used as valuable biomarkers for identifying the disease.
      Sensitivity, specificity and AUC for these miRNAs were 76, 75, 75  and 70%; 89,
      89, 83 and 75% and 0.94, 0.92, 0.90 and 0.86, respectively. However, combined
      receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of seven miRNAs revealed an AUC
      of 0.64 with sensitivity of 55.5% and specificity of 65.7%. Conclusion: plasma
      miR-409-3p, miR-502-3p, miR-486-5p and miR-451a could be used to differentiate
      small vessel VaD patients from healthy controls. Large-scale studies of their
      biomarker potential are warranted.

PMID- 28633306
TI  - Multivariate Phylogenetic Comparative Methods: Evaluations, Comparisons, and
      Recommendations.
AB  - Recent years have seen increased interest in phylogenetic comparative analyses of
      multivariate data sets, but to date the varied proposed approaches have not been
      extensively examined. Here we review the mathematical properties required of any
      multivariate method, and specifically evaluate existing multivariate phylogenetic
      comparative methods in this context. Phylogenetic comparative methods based on
      the full multivariate likelihood are robust to levels of covariation among trait
      dimensions and are insensitive to the orientation of the data set, but display
      increasing model misspecification as the number of trait dimensions increases.
      This is because the expected evolutionary covariance matrix (V) used in the
      likelihood calculations becomes more ill-conditioned as trait dimensionality
      increases, and as evolutionary models become more complex. Thus, these approaches
      are only appropriate for data sets with few traits and many species. Methods that
      summarize patterns across trait dimensions treated separately (e.g., SURFACE)
      incorrectly assume independence among trait dimensions, resulting in nearly a
      100% model misspecification rate. Methods using pairwise composite likelihood are
      highly sensitive to levels of trait covariation, the orientation of the data set,
      and the number of trait dimensions. The consequences of these debilitating
      deficiencies are that a user can arrive at differing statistical conclusions, and
      therefore biological inferences, simply from a dataspace rotation, like principal
      component analysis. By contrast, algebraic generalizations of the standard
      phylogenetic comparative toolkit that use the trace of covariance matrices are
      insensitive to levels of trait covariation, the number of trait dimensions, and
      the orientation of the data set. Further, when appropriate permutation tests are
      used, these approaches display acceptable Type I error and statistical power. We
      conclude that methods summarizing information across trait dimensions, as well as
      pairwise composite likelihood methods should be avoided, whereas algebraic
      generalizations of the phylogenetic comparative toolkit provide a useful means of
      assessing macroevolutionary patterns in multivariate data. Finally, we discuss
      areas in which multivariate phylogenetic comparative methods are still in need of
      future development; namely highly multivariate Ornstein-Uhlenbeck models and
      approaches for multivariate evolutionary model comparisons.

PMID- 28633307
TI  - Discussion: The role, position, and function of the FDA-The past, present, and
      future.

PMID- 28633308
TI  - Prior-Season Vaccination and Risk of Influenza During the 2014-2015 Season in the
      United States.

PMID- 28633310
TI  - Macromolecular creatine kinase type 1 in immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy.

PMID- 28633313
TI  - Discussion: New directions for the FDA in the 21st century.

PMID- 28633311
TI  - Cofactor specificity switch in Shikimate dehydrogenase by rational design and
      consensus engineering.
AB  - Consensus engineering has been used to design more stable variants using the most
      frequent amino acid at each site of a multiple sequence alignment; sometimes
      consensus engineering modifies function, but efforts have mainly been focused on
      studying stability. Here we constructed a consensus Rossmann domain for the
      Shikimate dehydrogenase enzyme; separately we decided to switch the cofactor
      specificity through rational design in the Escherichia coli Shikimate
      dehydrogenase enzyme and then analyzed the effect of consensus mutations on top
      of our design. We found that consensus mutations closest to the 2' adenine moiety
      increased the activity in our design. Consensus engineering has been shown to
      result in more stable proteins and our findings suggest it could also be used as
      a complementary tool for increasing or modifying enzyme activity during design.

PMID- 28633312
TI  - The influence of Dekkera bruxellensis on the transcriptome of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae and on the aromatic profile of synthetic wine must.
AB  - A double compartment membrane system was constructed in order to systematically
      study possible microbial interactions between yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and
      Dekkera bruxellensis and their impact on wine aroma. The presence of D.
      bruxellensis induced 77 transcripts of S. cerevisiae. These were mostly of
      unknown function; however, some were involved in thiamine biosynthesis and in
      amino acid and polyamine transport, suggesting a competitive relationship between
      the two yeast species. Among the transcripts with no biological function, 14 of
      them were found to be the members of the PAU gene family that is associated with
      response to anaerobiosis stress. In separated cultures, S. cerevisiae produced
      glycerol which was subsequently consumed by D. bruxellensis. The concentration of
      ethylphenols was reduced and we assume that they were absorbed onto the surfaces
      of S. cerevisiae yeast walls. Also in separated cultures, D. bruxellensis formed
      a typical profile of aromatic esters with decreased levels of acetate esters and
      increased level of ethyl esters.

PMID- 28633309
TI  - TMPRSS2:ERG Gene Fusions in Prostate Cancer of West African Men and a Meta
      Analysis of Racial Differences.
AB  - The prevalence of fusions of the transmembrane protease, serine 2, gene (TMPRSS2)
      with the erythroblast transformation-specific-related gene (ERG), or TMPRSS2:ERG,
      in prostate cancer varies by race. However, such somatic aberration and its
      association with prognostic factors have neither been studied in a West African
      population nor been systematically reviewed in the context of racial differences.
      We used immunohistochemistry to assess oncoprotein encoded by the ERG gene as the
      established surrogate of ERG fusion genes among 262 prostate cancer biopsies from
      the Ghana Prostate Study (2004-2006). Poisson regression with robust variance
      estimation provided prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals of ERG
      expression in relation to patient characteristics. We found that 47 of 262 (18%)
      prostate cancers were ERG-positive, and being negative for ERG staining was
      associated with higher Gleason score. We further conducted a systematic review
      and meta-analysis of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in relation to race, Gleason score, and
      tumor stage, combining results from Ghana with 40 additional studies. Meta
      analysis showed the prevalence of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in prostate cancer to be
      highest in men of European descent (49%), followed by men of Asian (27%) and then
      African (25%) descent. The lower prevalence of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in men of
      African descent implies that alternative genomic mechanisms might explain the
      disproportionately high prostate cancer burden in such populations.

PMID- 28633315
TI  - Estimating Demand and Cross-Price Elasticity for Very Low Nicotine Content (VLNC)
      Cigarettes Using a Simulated Demand Task.

PMID- 28633316
TI  - Discussion: Is the FDA in need of a major change in the way it regulates?

PMID- 28633314
TI  - Qualitative Identification of Fentanyl Analogs and Other Opioids in Postmortem
      Cases by UHPLC-Ion Trap-MSn.
AB  - Since 2013, the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department has experienced an
      increase in the number of opioid-related deaths. The majority of cases coincided
      with the introduction of fentanyl into the local heroin supply. From 2014 to
      2015, Miami-Dade County experienced a near 600% increase in fentanyl-related
      deaths, followed by an additional 200% increase in 2016. In 2015, two novel
      fentanyl analogs were identified in medical examiner cases: beta
      hydroxythiofentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. In 2016, four additional fentanyl
      analogs emerged: para-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, furanyl
      fentanyl and carfentanil, as well as the synthetic opioid U-47700. In order to
      address this epidemic, a method was developed and validated to identify 44 opioid
      related and analgesic compounds in postmortem samples using ultra high
      performance liquid chromatography ion trap mass spectrometry with MSn
      capabilities. The limit of detection for all compounds ranged from 0.1 to 5
      ng/mL, with a majority having MS3 spectral fragmentation. Blood, urine, liver or
      brain specimens from ~500 postmortem cases were submitted for analysis based on
      case history and/or initial screening results. Of those cases, 375 were positive
      for illicit fentanyl and/or one or more fentanyl analogs. Due to the potency of
      these compounds, they were almost always included in the cause of death. Worth
      emphasizing and extremely alarming is the detection of carfentanil in 134 cases,
      104 of which were initially missed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. By
      incorporating this sensitive, highly specific, and evolving screening procedure
      into the workflow, the toxicology laboratory continues to effectively assist the
      medical examiners in determining the cause and manner of death of decedents in
      Miami-Dade County.

PMID- 28633317
TI  - Discussion: The FDA is Unprepared for Personalized Medicine.

PMID- 28633318
TI  - Evaluation of Oral Fluid as a Specimen for DUID.
AB  - Drugged driving has become more prevalent than drunk driving and is quickly
      gaining national attention due to increased prescription drug abuse and recent
      cannabis legalization. Unlike alcohol, police officers do not generally have
      access to approved devices to screen for drugs at the roadside. Onsite drug
      screening devices do exist and are used in other countries, but have not garnered
      widespread approval for use in the United States in driving under the influence
      of drugs (DUID) cases. One reason for this is that the devices are designed to
      test oral fluid, which is not a commonly accepted specimen for DUID. A study was
      conducted to test the effectiveness of using oral fluid during routine traffic
      stops in DUID cases in conjunction with drug recognition expert (DRE) officers
      from the Tulsa Police Department (TPD). Samples were screened at the roadside
      using an Alere DDS(r)2 Mobile Test System and QuantisalTM collection devices were
      used for laboratory based screening by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and
      confirmation by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results of
      the DRE observations, alternate specimens like blood and urine, onsite oral fluid
      screening and laboratory based oral fluid screening and confirmations were used
      to assess the usefulness of oral fluid as a DUID specimen. Due to the small
      sample size (N = 9), no significant differences in the measured performance of
      onsite and laboratory based tests was seen. The results of this study indicate
      that oral fluid testing is a viable option both at the roadside and in a
      laboratory setting.

PMID- 28633320
TI  - Discussion: Is FDA in need of a major change in the way it regulates?

PMID- 28633319
TI  - Immunotherapy Targeting Adenosine Synthase A Decreases Severity of Staphylococcus
      aureus Infection in Mouse Model.
AB  - Staphylococcusaureus is a severe pathogen found in the community and in
      hospitals. Most notably, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is resistant to
      almost all antibiotics, which is a growing public health concern. The emergence
      of drug-resistant strains has prompted the search for alternative treatments such
      as immunotherapeutic approaches. Previous research showed that S. aureus exploit
      the immunomodulatory attributes of adenosine to escape host immunity. In this
      study, we investigated adenosine synthase A (AdsA), an S. aureus cell wall
      anchored enzyme as possible targets for immunotherapy. Mice vaccinated with
      aluminum hydroxide-formulated recombinant AdsA (rAdsA) induced high-titer anti
      AdsA antibodies, thereby providing consistent protection in 3 mouse infection
      models when challenged with 2 S. aureus strains. The importance of anti-AdsA
      antibody in protection was demonstrated by passive transfer experiments.
      Moreover, AdsA-specific antisera promote killing S. aureus by immune cells.
      Altogether, our data demonstrate that the AdsA is a promising target for vaccines
      and therapeutics development to alleviate severe S. aureus diseases.

PMID- 28633321
TI  - Places in the Brain: Bridging Layout and Object Geometry in Scene-Selective
      Cortex.
AB  - Diverse animal species primarily rely on sense (left-right) and egocentric
      distance (proximal-distal) when navigating the environment. Recent neuroimaging
      studies with human adults show that this information is represented in 2 scene
      selective cortical regions-the occipital place area (OPA) and retrosplenial
      complex (RSC)-but not in a third scene-selective region-the parahippocampal place
      area (PPA). What geometric properties, then, does the PPA represent, and what is
      its role in scene processing? Here we hypothesize that the PPA represents
      relative length and angle, the geometric properties classically associated with
      object recognition, but only in the context of large extended surfaces that
      compose the layout of a scene. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging
      adaptation, we found that the PPA is indeed sensitive to relative length and
      angle changes in pictures of scenes, but not pictures of objects that reliably
      elicited responses to the same geometric changes in object-selective cortical
      regions. Moreover, we found that the OPA is also sensitive to such changes, while
      the RSC is tolerant to such changes. Thus, the geometric information typically
      associated with object recognition is also used during some aspects of scene
      processing. These findings provide evidence that scene-selective cortex
      differentially represents the geometric properties guiding navigation versus
      scene categorization.

PMID- 28633322
TI  - The Detrimental Consequences of Overestimating Future Health in Late Life.
AB  - Objectives: Although forecasting a positive future can be adaptive, it may not be
      when expectations are unmet. Our study examined whether such inaccurate
      expectations about future health status (overestimation) were maladaptive for
      older adults who commonly experience late life declines in physical functioning.
      Method: We analyzed data from the nationally representative German Aging Survey
      (DEAS; 1996-2011; n = 2,539; age range 60-85 years) using multilevel growth
      models that assessed the influence of inaccurate health expectations on older
      adults' physical functioning over a 9-year period. Results: Overestimating future
      health status predicted reduced day-to-day physical functioning when age, gender,
      and self-rated health were controlled. A Time * Overestimation interaction
      indicated that the negative effects of overestimation on physical functioning
      became more pronounced over the 9-year period. Discussion: Results suggest that
      repeatedly unmet health expectations may undermine motivational resources and
      accelerate late life declines in physical functioning.

PMID- 28633323
TI  - E-Cigarette Susceptibility as a Predictor of Youth Initiation of E-Cigarettes.

PMID- 28633324
TI  - Mammographic Density Reduction as a Prognostic Marker for Postmenopausal Breast
      Cancer: Results Using a Joint Longitudinal-Survival Modeling Approach.
AB  - Previous studies have linked reductions in mammographic density after a breast
      cancer diagnosis to an improved prognosis. These studies focused on short-term
      change, using a 2-stage process, treating estimated change as a fixed covariate
      in a survival model. We propose the use of a joint longitudinal-survival model.
      This enables us to model long-term trends in density while accounting for dropout
      as well as for measurement error. We studied the change in mammographic density
      after a breast cancer diagnosis and its association with prognosis (measured by
      cause-specific mortality), overall and with respect to hormone replacement
      therapy and tamoxifen treatment. We included 1,740 women aged 50-74 years,
      diagnosed with breast cancer in Sweden during 1993-1995, with follow-up until
      2008. They had a total of 6,317 mammographic density measures available from the
      first 5 years of follow-up, including baseline measures. We found that the impact
      of the withdrawal of hormone replacement therapy on density reduction was larger
      than that of tamoxifen treatment. Unlike previous studies, we found that there
      was an association between density reduction and survival, both for tamoxifen
      treated women and women who were not treated with tamoxifen.

PMID- 28633325
TI  - Malus hupehensis miR168 Targets to ARGONAUTE1 and Contributes to the Resistance
      against Botryosphaeria dothidea Infection by Altering Defense Responses.
AB  - MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated post-transcriptional regulation plays a fundamental
      role in various plant physiological processes, including responses to pathogens.
      MicroRNA168 has been implicated as an essential factor of miRNA pathways by
      targeting ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1), the core component of the RNA-induced silencing
      complex (RISC). A fluctuation in AGO1 expression influences various plant
      pathogen interactions, and the homeostasis of AGO1 and miR168 accumulation is
      maintained by a complicated feedback regulatory loop. In this study, the
      connection between miR168 and the resistance of Malus hupehensis to
      Botryosphaeria dothidea is revealed. The induction of both the mature miR168 and
      its precursor in plants subjected to B. dothidea infection indicate the
      transcriptional activation of MIR168a. MIR168a promoter analysis demonstrates
      that the promoter can be activated by B. dothidea and salicylic acid (SA).
      However, the direct target of miR168, M. hupehensis ARGONAUTE1 (MhAGO1), is shown
      to be induced under the infection. Expression and transcription activity analysis
      demonstrate the transcriptional activation and the post-transcriptional
      suppression of MhAGO1 in response to B. dothidea infection. By inhibiting
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and enhancing SA-mediated defense
      responses, miR168a delays the symptom development of leaves inoculated with B.
      dothidea and impedes the pathogen growth, while MhAGO1 is found to have the
      opposite effects. Collectively, these findings suggest that the expression of
      miR168 and MhAGO1 in M. hupehensis in response to B. dothidea infection is
      regulated by a complicated mechanism. Targeting to MhAGO1, a negative regulator,
      miR168 plays a positive role in the resistance by alterations in diverse defense
      responses.

PMID- 28633326
TI  - The Association between Subjective Memory Complaints and Sleep within Older
      African American Adults.
AB  - Objective: The purpose of the current study is to examine the association between
      subjective memory complaints and sleep (quantity and quality) in African American
      older adults. Method: Participants from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging (BSBA;
      n = 351; mean age = 71.99) completed a self-report sleep scale, subjective memory
      complaint scale, global cognitive status measure, and demographic questionnaire.
      Results: Worse overall sleep quality was significantly associated with subjective
      reports of difficulty recalling the placement of objects, recalling specific
      facts from reading materials, and worse memory currently compared to the past.
      Specific sleep parameters (e.g., longer sleep latency and shorter sleep duration)
      were associated with negative appraisals of participants' ability to do specific
      tasks involving memory (e.g., difficulty recalling placement of objects).
      Participants classified as poor sleepers (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]
      total score > 5) were more likely to report worse memory now compared to the past
      than participants classified as good sleepers (PSQI total score <= 5).
      Conclusions: Evaluation of sleep may be warranted when older adults, particularly
      African Americans, communicate concerns regarding their memory. Insufficient
      sleep may be a useful marker of acute daytime dysfunction and, perhaps, cognitive
      decline. Given memory problems are the hallmark of dementia, our findings support
      further evaluation of whether poor sleep can aid in the diagnosis of cognitive
      impairment.

PMID- 28633327
TI  - A prognosis-based approach to infertility: understanding the role of time.
AB  - The current definition of infertility acknowledges the importance of duration of
      pregnancy seeking but fails to recognize the prevalent negative impact of female
      age. In fact, the diagnosis of unexplained infertility increases with women's age
      because of our incapacity to discern between age-related infertility and real
      unexplained infertility. Physicians' response to the pressures of increased
      female age has been to take prompt refuge in assisted reproduction despite the
      lack of robust evidence and the inherent risks and costs of these procedures.
      Moreover, the prioritization of immediate health gains over those in the future,
      preference for accessing active treatment rapidly and reluctance to wait for
      spontaneous pregnancy expose patients to additional risks of overtreatment.
      Solutions are not simple to find but an alternative and innovative vision of
      infertility based on prognosis may be a valid solution. The availability of
      validated dynamic models based on real-life data that could predict both natural
      and ART-mediated conceptions may be of benefit. They could facilitate patients'
      counselling and could optimize the chances of success without exposing patients
      to unnecessary, expensive and demanding treatments.

PMID- 28633329
TI  - Mid-Term Blood Pressure Variability Is Associated With Clinical Outcome After
      Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between mid
      term blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) within 7 days of onset and the
      prognosis in acute stroke patients. METHODS: Total 873 acute ischemic stroke
      patients were included in this study. Mid-term BPV was evaluated through the
      calculations of coefficient of variation (CV) of the systolic BP (SBP) and
      diastolic BP (DBP) within 7 days of onset. Clinical outcomes were assessed using
      the recovery situations of neurological function at 3 months, the primary outcome
      (symptomatic recurrent stroke) and the secondary outcomes (recurrent stroke, all
      cause mortality, and the composite of cardiovascular events) within 12 months.
      RESULTS: Among 873 patients with ischemic stroke, 83 died, 125 developed
      recurrent stroke, and 212 developed cardiovascular events during 12 months'
      follow-up. At 3 months, systolic or diastolic BPV (within 7 days of onset) was
      associated with the recovery situations of neurological function in three models
      (all P < 0.05). Both higher CV of SBP and CV of DBP were significantly correlated
      with the increased risk of recurrent stroke (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.32, 95%
      confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-4.18, P = 0.005 for CV of SBP; HR = 2.33, 95% CI:
      1.29-4.19, P = 0.005 for CV of DBP) and composite cardiovascular events (HR =
      2.22, 95% CI: 1.41-3.48, P = 0.001 for CV of SBP; HR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.41-3.47, P
      = 0.001 for CV of DBP) during 12 months' follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: After acute
      ischemic stroke, high systolic or diastolic BPV within 7 days of onset was
      associated with the recovery situations of neurological function at 3 months, and
      recurrent stroke and composite cardiovascular events within 12 months. CLINICAL
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn. Unique identifier: ChiCTR-TRC
      14004804.

PMID- 28633328
TI  - Identification and characterization of a solute carrier, CIA8, involved in
      inorganic carbon acclimation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
AB  - The supply of inorganic carbon (Ci) at the site of fixation by Rubisco is a key
      parameter for efficient CO2 fixation in aquatic organisms including the green
      alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells, when grown on
      limiting CO2, have a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) that functions to
      concentrate CO2 at the site of Rubisco. Proteins thought to be involved in
      inorganic carbon uptake have been identified and localized to the plasma membrane
      or chloroplast envelope. However, current CCM models suggest that additional
      molecular components are involved in Ci uptake. In this study, the gene Cia8 was
      identified in an insertional mutagenesis screen and characterized. The protein
      encoded by Cia8 belongs to the sodium bile acid symporter subfamily. Transcript
      levels for this gene were significantly up-regulated when the cells were grown on
      low CO2. The cia8 mutant exhibited reduced growth and reduced affinity for Ci
      when grown in limiting CO2 conditions. Prediction programs localize this protein
      to the chloroplast. Ci uptake and the photosynthetic rate, particularly at high
      external pH, were reduced in the mutant. The results are consistent with the
      model that CIA8 is involved in Ci uptake in C. reinhardtii.

PMID- 28633330
TI  - The asparagine-rich protein NRP interacts with the Verticillium effector PevD1
      and regulates the subcellular localization of cryptochrome 2.
AB  - The soil-borne fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae infects a wide range of
      dicotyledonous plants including cotton, tobacco, and Arabidopsis. Among the
      effector proteins secreted by V. dahliae, the 16 kDa PevD1 induces a
      hypersensitive response in tobacco. Here we report the high-resolution structure
      of PevD1 with folds resembling a C2 domain-like structure with a calcium ion
      bound to the C-terminal acidic pocket. A yeast two-hybrid screen, designed to
      probe for molecular functions of PevD1, identified Arabidopsis asparagine-rich
      protein (NRP) as the interacting partner of PevD1. Extending the pathway of V.
      dahliae effects, which include induction of early flowering in cotton and
      Arabidopsis, NRP was found to interact with cryptochrome 2 (CRY2), leading to
      increased cytoplasmic accumulation of CRY2 in a blue light-independent manner.
      Further physiological and genetic evidence suggests that PevD1 indirectly
      activates CRY2 by antagonizing NRP functions. The promotion of CRY2-mediated
      flowering by a fungal effector outlines a novel pathway by which an external
      stimulus is recognized and transferred in changing a developmental program.

PMID- 28633331
TI  - Does timing of antiretroviral treatment influence treatment outcomes of visceral
      leishmaniasis in Northwest Ethiopia?
AB  - Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients with HIV co-infection should
      receive antiretroviral treatment (ART). However, the best timing for initiation
      of ART is not known. Among such individuals, we assessed the influence of ART
      timing on VL outcomes. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in
      Northwest Ethiopia among VL patients starting ART between 2008 and 2015. VL
      outcomes were assessed by the twelfth month of starting ART, within 4 weeks of VL
      diagnosis or thereafter. Results: Of 213 VL-HIV co-infected patients with ART
      initiation, 96 (45.1%) had moderate to severe malnutrition, 53 (24.9%) had active
      TB and 128 (60.1%) had hemoglobin levels under 9 g/dL. Eighty-nine (41.8%) were
      already on ART before VL diagnosis, 46 (21.6%) started ART within 4 weeks, and 78
      (36.6%) thereafter. Definitive cure in those starting ART within 4 weeks 59% (95%
      CI 43-75%) and those starting thereafter 56% (95% CI 44-68%) was not
      significantly different. Those starting ART before primary VL had higher 12
      months mortality compared to those starting later (RR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4-0.9;
      p=0.012). Conclusions: VL-HIV patients are severely ill and with serious
      additional comorbidities. Outcomes of HIV-VL management are unsatisfactory and
      early ART initiation was associated with higher mortality. Further research on
      the optimal timing of ART initiation, and ensuring earlier diagnosis of VL
      patients, with improved management of comorbidities are needed.

PMID- 28633332
TI  - Anti-Fas2 IgM antibodies in Fasciola hepatica infected patients with positive IgG
      serology.
AB  - Background: Fascioliasis is an infectious disease caused by parasites Fasciola
      hepatica and F. gigantica. Humans are infected by the consumption of vegetables
      and water contaminated with the infective form of the parasite. Materials and
      Methods: In this study, an IgM-ELISA with the cysteine proteinase Fas2 antigen
      was evaluated with sera from 76 patients infected with F. hepatica, 24 patients
      with other parasite infections and 84 healthy volunteers. Results: IgM-ELISA
      resulted in 43% positives in F. hepatica patients with positive serology to Fas2
      ELISA, but no positives resulted from testing healthy volunteers and individuals
      infected with other parasites. The IgM-ELISA diagnostic parameters showed a
      sensitivity of 43.4% (95% CI 0.321-0.553), specificity of 100% (95% CI 0.957-1),
      and no cross-reactivity with other parasitic infection. Interference by
      rheumatoid factor in the IgM immunoassay was controlled by treating sera with
      rheumatoid factor absorbent before testing. Conclusions: Fas2 antigen is detected
      by circulating IgM in patients infected with F. hepatica and IgM-ELISA using Fas2
      appears as a specific immunoassay to detect the acute phase of the acute phase of
      F. hepatica infection in humans.

PMID- 28633333
TI  - Anti-natural octyl disaccharide-leprosy IDRI diagnostic (NDO-LID) antibodies as
      indicators of leprosy reactions and neuritis.
AB  - Background: Leprosy is a complex infectious and neurological disease caused by
      Mycobacterium leprae. Nerve damage is related to immunological hypersensitivity
      responses known as leprosy reactions (LRs). Diagnostic tools to predict LRs are
      not available. We hypothesized that natural octyl disaccharide-leprosy IDRI
      diagnostic (NDO-LID) would be helpful as an indicator of LRs and neuritis.
      Methods: To assess the utility of NDO-LID in indicating reactions, ELISA were
      used to detect specific antibodies in serum samples from 80 Colombian leprosy
      patients (40 with and 40 without history of LRs). Responses were detected using a
      range of detection reagents detecting IgG, IgM or both isotypes. Results:
      Patients with a history of LRs had an increased seropositivity rate for anti-NDO
      LID antibodies compared to patients without (anti-NDO-LID protein A [p=0.02], IgG
      anti-NDO-LID [p=0.01] and IgM anti-NDO-LID [p=0.01]). Further analyses of
      patients with a history of LRs indicated that both seropositivity rate and
      magnitude of responses were elevated among patients with neuritis versus those
      without neuritis (anti-NDO-LID protein A [p=0.03], IgG anti-NDO-LID [p=0.001] and
      IgM anti-NDO-LID [p=0.06]). Conclusions: Our data indicate that testing for serum
      anti-NDO-LID antibodies can be a useful screen to identify patients at risk of
      developing LRs and neuritis.

PMID- 28633334
TI  - Knowledge, attitude and practice of Gambian health practitioners towards
      antibiotic prescribing and microbiological testing: a cross-sectional survey.
AB  - Background: Inappropriate antibiotic use is the leading cause of antibiotic
      resistance worldwide. At the same time, the practice of antibiotic prescribing in
      Africa is less well documented when compared to developed countries. The
      objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP)
      of health practitioners towards antibiotic prescribing and microbiological
      testing in The Gambia. Methods: A KAP survey was conducted in The Gambia from
      March to May 2016. Self-administered paper-based questionnaires were distributed
      to health practitioners working in 12 health facilities. Results: Out of 241
      questionnaires distributed, 216 (89.6%) were returned. One third of respondents
      reported making a request for microbiological tests or using results as a guide
      in less than 25% of patients with possible infectious disease. Thirty-two percent
      of the participants reported that '25-50%' of antibiotic prescriptions in their
      departments were inappropriate. Only 16.1% of the participants had some training
      on antibiotic prescribing in the last 12 months. Respondents agreed with the
      options 'inadequate supervision' (82.6%) and 'insufficient laboratory support'
      (82.5%) as the main causes of inappropriate antibiotic use in their settings.
      Conclusions: There are deficits related to antibiotic prescriptions in The
      Gambia. Availability and use of microbiological services and training should be
      emphasized.

PMID- 28633335
TI  - Pulmonary TB: varying radiological presentations in individuals with HIV in
      Soweto, South Africa.
AB  - Background: HIV-uninfected individuals with pulmonary TB (PTB) commonly present
      with radiological features of upper lobe cavitatory disease. In contrast,
      individuals with HIV and PTB may present differently. This study compared
      radiological features of individuals with laboratory-confirmed PTB by HIV status
      from the largest study in South Africa. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional
      analysis of adults recruited between 2012 and 2015 with laboratory-confirmed PTB
      in Soweto, South Africa. Baseline characteristics and chest radiograph (CXR)
      findings were compared by chi2 test stratified by HIV status. Results: Of the 474
      individuals with PTB, 348 (73.4%) had HIV. Individuals with HIV had a higher
      proportion of infiltrates (58.9% vs 46.8%, p=0.02) and a lower proportion of
      cavitations (40.8% vs 68.3%; p<0.0001) compared to HIV-uninfected individuals.
      Additionally, individuals with HIV had a lower proportion of cavitations sized
      >=4 cm (16.7% vs 36.5%, p<0.001) and a lower proportion of disease extent
      involving half or more of the total lung area radiologically (25.9% vs 45.3%,
      p<0.0001). Conclusions: Individuals with HIV co-infected with PTB have a higher
      proportion of infiltrates and a lower proportion of cavitations relative to the
      HIV-uninfected PTB individuals. The absence of classical upper lobe cavitatory
      disease on CXR does not exclude PTB in individuals with HIV.

PMID- 28633336
TI  - A278C mutation of dihydropteridine reductase decreases autophagy via mTOR
      signaling.
AB  - Dihydropteridine reductase (QDPR) plays an important role in the recycling of BH4
      and is closely related to oxidative stress. We have previously reported that the
      overexpression of QDPR in human kidney HEK293T cells significantly protected
      against oxidative stress, and these beneficial effects were abolished by A278C
      mutation. To evaluate the effect of wild-type and mutant QDPR on autophagy and
      its mechanism in HEK293T cells, we constructed the wild-type and mutant QDPR
      expression plasmids and transfected them into HEK293T cells. Three days later,
      cells were collected to observe the expression of fusion protein and the
      intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Western blot analysis
      was employed to evaluate the change of mTOR and ribosomal protein S6 kinase B1
      (S6K1) signaling and the expression of LC-I, LC-II, Bcl-1, Bcl-2, p62, and p53.
      The results showed that the exogenous wild-type QDPR significantly decreased the
      expression of mTOR and phosphorylation of the mTOR and S6K1. Mutation of QDPR
      inhibited the regulation of mTOR, suggesting that QDPR is a positive regulator of
      autophagy via suppressing mTOR signaling. The expressions of p62, LC3-II and
      Beclin 1 were dramatically enhanced in wild-type QDPR group, which were reversed
      after QDPR mutation. Additionally, mutation of QDPR altered the upregulation of
      QDPR on Beclin 2. It is therefore concluded that QDPR appears to play an
      important role in enhancing autophagy, and its mutation contributes to
      dysregulation of autophagy.

PMID- 28633337
TI  - Differences in below-ground bud bank density and composition along a climatic
      gradient in the temperate steppe of northern China.
AB  - Background and Aims: Understanding the changes in below-ground bud bank density
      and composition along a climatic gradient is essential for the exploration of
      species distribution pattern and vegetation composition in response to climatic
      changes. Nevertheless, investigations on bud banks along climatic gradients are
      still scarce. The below-ground bud bank is expected to be reduced in size in arid
      conditions, and costly, bud-bearing organs with long spacers would be replaced by
      more compact forms with buds that are better protected than those found in moist
      conditions. Methods: How total bud density and composition (different bud bank
      types) change with aridity (calculated value 0.43-0.91), mean annual
      precipitation (MAP; 93-420 mm) and mean annual temperature (MAT; -1.51 to 6.93 
      degrees C) was tested at 21 sites along a 2500-km climatic gradient in the
      temperate steppe of northern China. Conclusions: Belowground bud bank density
      decreases towards the dry, hot end of the climatic gradient. Based on the
      distribution of bud types along the climatic gradient, bulb buds and tiller buds
      of tussock grasses seem to be more resistant to environmental stress than rhizome
      buds. The dominance of annual species and smaller bud banks in arid region
      implies that plant reproductive strategies and vegetation composition will be
      shifted in scenarios of increased drought under future climate change.

PMID- 28633338
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633339
TI  - Will electronic health record data become the standard resource for clinical
      research?

PMID- 28633340
TI  - Citrus CitNAC62 cooperates with CitWRKY1 to participate in citric acid
      degradation via up-regulation of CitAco3.
AB  - Citric acid is the predominant organic acid of citrus fruit. Degradation of
      citric acid occurs during fruit development, influencing fruit acidity.
      Associations of CitAco3 transcripts and citric acid degradation have been
      reported for citrus fruit. Here, transient overexpression of CitAco3
      significantly reduced the citric acid content of citrus leaves and fruits. Using
      dual luciferase assays, it was shown that CitNAC62 and CitWRKY1 could
      transactivate the promoter of CitAco3. Subcellular localization results showed
      that CitWRKY1 was located in the nucleus and CitNAC62 was not. Yeast two-hybrid
      analysis and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays indicated
      that the two differently located transcription factors could interact with each
      other. Furthermore, BiFC showed that the protein-protein interaction occurred
      only in the nucleus, indicating the potential mobility of CitNAC62 in plant
      cells. A synergistic effect on citrate content was observed between CitNAC62 and
      CitWRKY1. Transient overexpression of CitNAC62 or CitWRKY1 led to significantly
      lower citrate content in citrus fruit. The combined expression of CitNAC62 and
      CitWRKY1 resulted in lower citrate content compared with the expression of
      CitNAC62 or CitWRKY1 alone. The transcript abundance of CitAco3 was consistent
      with the citrate content. Thus, we propose that a complex of CitWRKY1 and
      CitNAC62 contributes to citric acid degradation in citrus fruit, potentially via
      modulation of CitAco3.

PMID- 28633341
TI  - SWALLOWING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY: DOSE ESTIMATION IN A PHANTOM STUDY CONDUCTED AT
      VARIOUS PATIENT RECLINING ANGLES.
AB  - Swallowing computed tomography (SCT) is a relatively new technique for the
      morphological and kinematic analyses of swallowing. However, no optimal scan
      protocols are available till date. We conducted the present SCT study to estimate
      the patient dose at various patient reclining positions. A RANDO phantom with a
      thermoluminescent dosemeter was placed on a hard Table board in a semi-reclining
      position at the centre and off-centre. According to predetermined scan protocols,
      irradiation was performed to acquire scanograms at reclining angles of 55 degrees
      and 65 degrees . The effective dose was the lowest at the centre 45 degrees 
      (3.8 mSv) reclining angle. Comparison between the off-centre (4.6 mSv at 55
      degrees , 6.8 mSv at 65 degrees ) and centre (4.5 mSv, 5.8 mSv) values suggested
      that the off-centre position is undesirable with regard to the patient dose.
      Accordingly, we believe that SCT methods must be revised on the basis of these
      factors.

PMID- 28633343
TI  - An unknown reaction to pembrolizumab: giant cell arteritis.

PMID- 28633342
TI  - Associations of Biomarker-Calibrated Sodium and Potassium Intakes With
      Cardiovascular Disease Risk Among Postmenopausal Women.
AB  - Studies of the associations of sodium and potassium intakes with cardiovascular
      disease incidence often rely on self-reported dietary data. In the present study,
      self-reported intakes from postmenopausal women at 40 participating US clinical
      centers are calibrated using 24-hour urinary excretion measures in cohorts from
      the Women's Health Initiative, with follow-up from 1993 to 2010. The incidence of
      hypertension was positively related to (calibrated) sodium intake and to the
      ratio of sodium to potassium. The sodium-to-potassium ratio was associated with
      cardiovascular disease incidence during an average follow-up period of 12 years.
      The estimated hazard ratio for a 20% increase in the sodium-to-potassium ratio
      was 1.13 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.22) for coronary heart disease,
      1.20 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.42) for heart failure, and 1.11 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.19) for a
      composite cardiovascular disease outcome. The association with total stroke was
      not significant, but it was positive for ischemic stroke and inverse for
      hemorrhagic stroke. Aside from hemorrhagic stroke, corresponding associations of
      cardiovascular disease with sodium and potassium jointly were positive for sodium
      and inverse for potassium, although some were not statistically significant.
      Specifically, for coronary heart disease, the hazard ratios for 20% increases
      were 1.11 (95% CI: 0.95, 1.30) for sodium and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.99) for
      potassium; and corresponding values for heart failure were 1.36 (95% CI: 1.02,
      1.82) for sodium and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.18) for potassium.

PMID- 28633344
TI  - Pheno4J: a gene to phenotype graph database.
AB  - Summary: Efficient storage and querying of large amounts of genetic and
      phenotypic data is crucial to contemporary clinical genetic research. This
      introduces computational challenges for classical relational databases, due to
      the sparsity and sheer volume of the data. Our Java based solution loads
      annotated genetic variants and well phenotyped patients into a graph database to
      allow fast efficient storage and querying of large volumes of structured genetic
      and phenotypic data. This abstracts technical problems away and lets researchers
      focus on the science rather than the implementation. We have also developed an
      accompanying webserver with end-points to facilitate querying of the database.
      Availability and implementation: The Java and Python code are available at
      https://github.com/phenopolis/pheno4j. Contact: n.pontikos@ucl.ac.uk.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28633345
TI  - Reply to Marx et al.

PMID- 28633346
TI  - Tetramethylpyrazine reverses intracerebroventricular streptozotocin-induced
      memory deficits by inhibiting GSK-3beta.
AB  - Brain dysfunction, especially cognitive impairment, is one of the main
      complications in Alzheimer's disease (AD), which threatens the health of 46.8
      million people worldwide. At present, the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction
      is only partially understood, and effective therapies for memory loss in AD
      remain elusive. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is one of the major bioactive compounds
      purified from Chuanxiong, a Chinese herb used for the treatment of neurovascular
      and cardiovascular diseases. The neuroprotective properties of TMP are evident in
      some neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. However, whether
      TMP plays a neuroprotective role in AD is still unknown. Here, we report that 2
      week treatment with TMP rescued both short-term and long-term fear memory
      impairment induced by intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin in a
      well-known AD rat model. Administration of TMP also restored spatial learning and
      memory retention abilities in streptozotocin-injected rats. Furthermore, TMP
      inhibited the activity of GSK-3beta, an important kinase that mediates
      hippocampal synaptic and memory disorders in diabetes mellitus. Finally, we found
      that TMP treatment restored the function of cholinergic neurons. Our data suggest
      that dietary uptake of TMP can provide protection against memory loss in AD, and
      the inhibition of GSK-3beta may play an important role in this protective effect.

PMID- 28633347
TI  - Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in tracheal tumour under
      spontaneous ventilation anaesthesia.
AB  - We present an innovative method using uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic
      surgery under spontaneous ventilation anaesthesia (SVA) to perform tracheal
      surgery in a 46-year-old man with distal tracheal squamous cell carcinoma. SVA
      offered better exposure of the surgical field and facilitated anastomosis
      following a single incision. Such simplification of the ventilation strategy and
      uniportal incision accelerated the postoperative recovery and reduced the side
      effects of conventional anaesthesia.

PMID- 28633348
TI  - Lifelong arrhythmic risk stratification in arrhythmogenic right ventricular
      cardiomyopathy: distribution of events and impact of periodical reassessment.
AB  - Aims: The arrhythmic risk stratification of arrhythmogenic right ventricular
      cardiomyopathy (ARVC) remains controversial. We evaluated the long-term
      distribution of life-threatening arrhythmic events assessing the impact of
      periodical risk reassessment. Methods and results: Ninety-eight ARVC patients
      with no previous major ventricular arrhythmias were retrospectively analysed.
      Patients were assessed at baseline, at 22 [inter-quartile range (IQR) 16-26], 49
      (IQR 41-55) and 97 months (IQR 90-108). The primary endpoint was a composite of
      sudden cardiac death, ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia
      or appropriate implanted cardioverter-defibrillator intervention. During a median
      follow-up of 91 months (IQR 34-222) 28 patients (29%) experienced the composite
      endpoint. The median time for the primary event was 35 months (IQR 18-86 months),
      and 39% of events occurred beyond 49 months of follow-up. History of syncope (HR
      4.034; 95% CI, 1.488 to 10.932; P-value = 0.006), non-sustained ventricular
      tachycardia (NSVT; HR 3.534; 95% CI 1.265-9.877; P-value = 0.016), premature
      ventricular contractions (PVC) >1000/24h (HR 2.761; 95% CI 1.120-6.807; P-value =
      0.027), and right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC; HR 0.945; 95% CI
      0.906-0.985; P-value = 0.008) were found as independent predictors at baseline
      multivariate analysis. Nevertheless, when the prognostic impact of each variable
      was reassessed overtime only NSVT (HR 3.282; 95% CI, 1.122 to 9.598, P-value =
      0.023) and RVFAC (HR 0.351, 95% CI, 0.157 to 0.780; P-value = 0.010) remained
      independent predictors throughout the whole follow-up. Conclusion: In our cohort
      of ARVC patients only NSVT and RVFAC maintained their independent prognostic
      impact in predicting arrhythmic events during the long-term follow-up. Periodical
      re-assessment of risk in these patients is strongly recommended.

PMID- 28633349
TI  - Colchicine application significantly affects plant performance in the second
      generation of synthetic polyploids and its effects vary between populations.
AB  - Background and Aims: Understanding the direct consequences of polyploidization is
      necessary for assessing the evolutionary significance of this mode of speciation.
      Previous studies have not studied the degree of between-population variation that
      occurs due to these effects. Although it is assumed that the effects of the
      substances that create synthetic polyploids disappear in second-generation
      synthetic polyploids, this has not been tested. Methods: The direct consequences
      of polyploidization were assessed and separated from the effects of subsequent
      evolution in Vicia cracca , a naturally occurring species with diploid and
      autotetraploid cytotypes. Synthetic tetraploids were created from diploids of
      four mixed-ploidy populations. Performance of natural diploids and tetraploids
      was compared with that of synthetic tetraploids. Diploid offspring of the
      synthetic tetraploid mothers were also included in the comparison. In this way,
      the effects of colchicine application in the maternal generation on offspring
      performance could be compared independently of the effects of polyploidization.
      Key Results: The sizes of seeds and stomata were primarily affected by cytotype,
      while plant performance differed between natural and synthetic polyploids. Most
      performance traits were also determined by colchicine application to the mothers,
      and most of these results were largely population specific. Conclusions: Because
      the consequences of colchicine application are still apparent in the second
      generation of the plants, at least the third-generation polyploids should be
      considered in future comparisons. The specificities of the colchicine-treated
      plants may also be caused by strong selection pressures during the creation of
      synthetic polyploids. This could be tested by comparing the initial sizes of
      plants that survived the colchicine treatments with those of plants that did not.
      High variation between populations also suggests that different polyploids follow
      different evolutionary trajectories, and this should be considered when studying
      the effects of polyploidization.

PMID- 28633350
TI  - Accuracy of on-line self-reported weights and heights by young adults.
AB  - Background: e-epidemiology, a convenient and low-cost research method, is
      becoming increasingly popular. This study seeks to validate on-line self-reported
      heights and weights against objectively measured data in young adults. Methods:
      Young adults self-reported heights and weights in an on-line lifestyle survey.
      These were validated using two methods: (i) measurements by staff at the primary
      care clinic and (ii) measurements by a researcher within two weeks of
      distribution of the survey. Analyses were conducted to determine differences
      between the self-reported and measured heights and weights and to identify
      characteristics associated with under- or over-reporting of these. Results: From
      a total of 23 010 young adults invited to the survey, 24% provided on-line data,
      mean age = 19.2 (SD 3.2) years, 43% male, 91% EU citizens. Both self-reported and
      measured data were available for 1446 individuals (547 men, 896 women and mean
      age 19.2 (SD2.6) years); 1278 validated using medical records, 168 by researcher
      measurements. Intra-class correlations between self-reported and measured
      parameters were weight (r = 0.99), height (r = 0.98), with acceptable levels of
      agreement between measured and self-reported weight, height and BMI using Bland &
      Altman analyses. Self-reported weight was underestimated uniformly across BMI
      categories, gender and ethnicity, by a mean -0.4 (SD 0.4) kg (P < 0.001). Height
      was accurately reported overall across BMI and gender: both self-reported and
      measured heights =1.72 (SD 0.01) m, P = 0.783. Discrepancies between methods
      caused misclassification of BMI category for 17 (1.8%) of participants.
      Conclusions: Engagement of young adults with on-line research is encouraging. On
      line self-reporting provides acceptably reliable anthropometric data for young
      adults, with under-reporting of weight by just 0.4 kg.

PMID- 28633351
TI  - Data compression can discriminate broilers by selection line, detect haplotypes,
      and estimate genetic potential for complex phenotypes.
AB  - Accurately establishing the relationships among individuals lays the foundation
      for genetic analyses such as genome-wide association studies and identification
      of selection signatures. Of particular interest to the poultry industry are
      estimates of genetic merit based on molecular data. These estimates can be
      commercially exploited in marker-assisted breeding programs to accelerate genetic
      improvement. Here, we test the utility of a new method we have recently developed
      to estimate animal relatedness and applied it to genetic parameter estimation in
      commercial broilers. Our approach is based on the concept of data compression
      from information theory. Using the real-world compressor gzip to estimate
      normalized compression distance (NCD) we have built compression-based
      relationship matrices (CRM) for 988 chickens from 4 commercial broiler lines-2
      male and 2 female lines. For all pairs of individuals, we found a strong negative
      relationship between the commonly used genomic relationship matrix (GRM) and NCD.
      This reflects the fact that "similarity" is the inverse of "distance." The CRM
      explained more genetic variation than the corresponding GRM in 2 of 3 phenotypes,
      with corresponding improvements in accuracy of genomic-enabled predictions of
      breeding value. A sliding-window version of the analysis highlighted haplotype
      regions of the genome apparently under selection in a line-specific manner. In
      the male lines, we retrieved high population-specific scores for IGF-1 and a
      cognate receptor, INSR. For the female lines, we detected an extreme score for a
      region containing a reproductive hormone receptor (GNRHR). We conclude that our
      compression-based method is a valid approach to established relationships and
      identify regions under selective pressure in commercial lines of broiler
      chickens.

PMID- 28633352
TI  - Aortopulmonary window: results of repair beyond infancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To study the anatomic and haemodynamic data and results of surgery in
      patients undergoing surgical repair of aortopulmonary window beyond infancy.
      METHODS: Between July 2005 and December 2015, 23 patients, older than 1 year
      undergoing surgery for aortopulmonary window were analysed retrospectively.
      Postoperative clinical and echocardiography follow-up were performed. RESULTS:
      Median age and weight at repair was 4 years (range 14 months-12 years) and 12 kg
      (range 3.5-22 kg), respectively. Fifteen patients had Richardson's Type I, 6
      patients had Type II and 2 patients had Type III aortopulmonary window. Six
      patients had associated defects. Baseline mean systolic pulmonary artery pressure
      was 101 +/- 14.9 mmHg (range 80-130, median 100 mmHg) and pulmonary vascular
      resistance index was 9.6 +/- 5.9 (median 7.7 Wood units/m2, range 3.7-23.5 Wood
      units/m2). Patch repair of aortopulmonary window was performed using the sandwich
      method (transwindow) (n = 15), transaortic (n = 3) and transpulmonary artery (n =
      2) approaches; 2 patients underwent double ligation and 1 underwent division and
      suturing. Two patients underwent valved patch closure of aortopulmonary window
      and 1 patient underwent valved patch closure of associated ventricular septal
      defect. There were 2 in-hospital deaths: one due to intractable pulmonary
      hypertension and the other due to low cardiac output. Mean follow-up was 36
      months (range 2-119 months). Eighteen patients were in NYHA Class I at last
      follow-up. There were no late deaths or reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery can be
      safely undertaken beyond infancy in carefully selected patients of aortopulmonary
      window with acceptable early and mid-term outcomes.

PMID- 28633353
TI  - Modulating role of ROS in re-establishing desiccation tolerance in germinating
      seeds of Caragana korshinskii Kom.
AB  - In close agreement with visible germination, orthodox seeds lose desiccation
      tolerance (DT). This trait can be regained under osmotic stress, but the
      mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, germinating seeds of Caragana
      korshinskii Kom. were investigated, focusing on the potential modulating roles of
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the re-establishment of DT. Germinating seeds
      with 2 mm long radicles can be rendered tolerant to desiccation by incubation in
      a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution (-1.7 MPa). Upon PEG incubation, ROS
      accumulation was detected in the radicles tip by nitroblue tetrazolium chloride
      staining and further confirmed by confocal microscopy. The PEG-induced re
      establishment of DT was repressed when ROS scavengers were added to the PEG
      solution. Moreover, ROS act downstream of abscisic acid (ABA) to modulate PEG
      mediated re-establishment of DT and serve as a new inducer to re-establish DT.
      Transcriptomic analysis revealed that re-establishment of DT by ROS involves the
      up-regulation of key genes in the phenylpropanoid-flavonoid pathway, and total
      flavonoid content and key enzyme activity increased after ROS treatment.
      Furthermore, DT was repressed by an inhibitor of phenylalanine ammonia lyase. Our
      data suggest that ROS play a key role in the re-establishment of DT by regulating
      stress-related genes and the phenylpropanoid-flavonoid pathway.

PMID- 28633354
TI  - Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis associated with thymic carcinoma.

PMID- 28633355
TI  - How proteins bind to DNA: target discrimination and dynamic sequence search by
      the telomeric protein TRF1.
AB  - Target search as performed by DNA-binding proteins is a complex process, in which
      multiple factors contribute to both thermodynamic discrimination of the target
      sequence from overwhelmingly abundant off-target sites and kinetic acceleration
      of dynamic sequence interrogation. TRF1, the protein that binds to telomeric
      tandem repeats, faces an intriguing variant of the search problem where target
      sites are clustered within short fragments of chromosomal DNA. In this study, we
      use extensive (>0.5 ms in total) MD simulations to study the dynamical aspects of
      sequence-specific binding of TRF1 at both telomeric and non-cognate DNA. For the
      first time, we describe the spontaneous formation of a sequence-specific native
      protein-DNA complex in atomistic detail, and study the mechanism by which
      proteins avoid off-target binding while retaining high affinity for target sites.
      Our calculated free energy landscapes reproduce the thermodynamics of sequence
      specific binding, while statistical approaches allow for a comprehensive
      description of intermediate stages of complex formation.

PMID- 28633356
TI  - Ridesharing and Motor Vehicle Crashes in 4 US Cities: An Interrupted Time-Series
      Analysis.
AB  - Uber, the world's largest ridesharing company, has reportedly provided over 2
      billion journeys globally since operations began in 2010; however, the impact on
      motor vehicle crashes is unclear. Theoretically, ridesharing could reduce alcohol
      involved crashes in locations where other modes of transportation are less
      attractive than driving one's own vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
      We conducted interrupted time-series analyses using weekly counts of injury
      crashes and the proportion that were alcohol-involved in 4 US cities (Las Vegas,
      Nevada; Reno, Nevada; Portland, Oregon; and San Antonio, Texas). We considered
      that a resumption of Uber operations after a temporary break would produce a more
      substantial change in ridership than an initial launch, so we selected cities
      where Uber launched, ceased, and then resumed operations (2013-2016). We
      hypothesized that Uber's resumption would be associated with fewer alcohol
      involved crashes. Results partially supported this hypothesis. For example, in
      Portland, Uber's resumption was associated with a 61.8% reduction (95% confidence
      interval: 38.7, 86.4) in the alcohol-involved crash rate (an absolute decrease of
      3.1 (95% confidence interval: 1.7, 4.4) alcohol-involved crashes per week);
      however, there was no concomitant change in all injury crashes. Relationships
      between ridesharing and motor vehicle crashes differ between cities over time and
      may depend on specific local characteristics.

PMID- 28633357
TI  - matter: an R package for rapid prototyping with larger-than-memory datasets on
      disk.
AB  - Summary: We introduce matter , an R package for direct interactions with larger
      than-memory datasets, stored in an arbitrary number of files of any size. matter
      is primarily designed for datasets in new and rapidly evolving file formats,
      which may lack extensive software support. matter enables a wide variety of data
      exploration and manipulation steps, and is extensible to many bioinformatics
      applications. It supports reproducible research by minimizing the need of
      converting and storing data in multiple formats. We illustrate the performance of
      matter in conjunction with the Bioconductor package Cardinal for analysis of high
      resolution, high-throughput mass spectrometry imaging experiments. Availability:
      The package, vignettes, and examples of applications in several areas of
      bioinformatics are available open-source at www.bioconductor.org under the
      Artistic-2.0 license. Contact: o.vitek@neu.edu.

PMID- 28633359
TI  - Does long-term intraoral service affect the mechanical properties and elemental
      composition of multistranded wires of lingual fixed retainers?
AB  - Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the elemental and mechanical
      alterations of stainless steel (SS) multistranded orthodontic wires used in fixed
      retention after intraoral ageing. Materials and Methods: Two types of 0.022-inch,
      seven-stranded wires, Lingual Retainer Wire (LRW) and Tru-Chrome (TCH), from the
      same manufacturer (Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Denver, Colo, USA) were tested.
      Thirty-three samples from LRW group and thirty-seven from TCH were collected,
      whereas three unused wires from each package were used as controls. The median
      ageing time for LRW was 7.4 years and 8.4 for TCH. All samples were subjected to
      scanning electron microscope/X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis. Three
      spectra were taken from the surface of each wire and then all samples were used
      for the assessment of Martens hardness, indentation modulus (EIT), and elastic
      index (etaIT) with the instrumented indentation testing method (IIT). The
      intraoral ageing time was statistically compared between the two groups by Mann
      Whitney rank sum test and the compositional and mechanical properties were
      compared by unpaired t-test. The Spearman correlation between elemental content
      and ageing time was carried out for all elements (a = 0.05). Results: No
      significant differences were found for both the elemental content and for the
      mechanical properties between the wires tested. Spearman analysis revealed no
      correlation between elemental content and intraoral time while two groups share
      statistically equal intraoral ageing times (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Both wires
      seemed to maintain their mechanical and elemental integrity within a period of 14
      year intraoral exposure, whereas no measurable ionic release could be identified.

PMID- 28633358
TI  - Phylogeography of herbarium specimens of asexually propagated paper mulberry
      [Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Her. ex Vent. (Moraceae)] reveals genetic
      diversity across the Pacific.
AB  - Background and Aims: Paper mulberry or Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Her. ex
      Vent. (Moraceae) is a dioecious species native to continental South-east Asia and
      East Asia, including Taiwan, that was introduced to the Pacific by pre-historic
      voyagers and transported intentionally and propagated asexually across the full
      range of Austronesian expansion from Taiwan to East Polynesia. The aim of this
      study was to gain insight into the dispersal of paper mulberry into Oceania
      through the genetic analysis of herbaria samples which represent a more complete
      coverage of the historical geographical range of the species in the Pacific
      before later introductions and local extinctions occurred. Methods: DNA from 47
      herbarium specimens of B. papyrifera collected from 1882 to 2006 from different
      islands of the Pacific was obtained under ancient DNA protocols. Genetic
      characterization was based on the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer ITS-1
      sequence, a sex marker, the chloroplast ndhF-rpl32 intergenic spacer and a set of
      ten microsatellites developed for B. papyrifera. Key Results: Microsatellites
      allowed detection of 15 genotypes in Near and Remote Oceanian samples, in spite
      of the vegetative propagation of B. papyrifera in the Pacific. These genotypes
      are structured in two groups separating West and East Polynesia, and place
      Pitcairn in a pivotal position. We also detected the presence of male plants that
      carry the Polynesian chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) haplotype, in contrast to findings
      in contemporary B. papyrifera populations where only female plants bear the
      Polynesian cpDNA haplotype. Conclusions: For the first time, genetic diversity
      was detected among paper mulberry accessions from Remote Oceania. A clear
      separation between West and East Polynesia was found that may be indicative of
      pulses during its dispersal history. The pattern linking the genotypes within
      Remote Oceania reflects the importance of central Polynesia as a dispersal hub,
      in agreement with archaeological evidence.

PMID- 28633360
TI  - Expression properties exhibit correlated patterns with the fate of duplicated
      genes, their divergence, and transcriptional plasticity in Saccharomycotina.
AB  - Gene duplication is an important source of novelties and genome complexity. What
      genes are preserved as duplicated through long evolutionary times can shape the
      evolution of innovations. Identifying factors that influence gene duplicability
      is therefore an important aim in evolutionary biology. Here, we show that in the
      yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae the levels of gene expression correlate with gene
      duplicability, its divergence, and transcriptional plasticity. Genes that were
      highly expressed before duplication are more likely to be preserved as duplicates
      for longer evolutionary times and wider phylogenetic ranges than genes that were
      lowly expressed. Duplicates with higher expression levels exhibit greater
      divergence between their gene copies. Duplicates that exhibit higher expression
      divergence are those enriched for TATA-containing promoters. These duplicates
      also show transcriptional plasticity, which seems to be involved in the origin of
      adaptations to environmental stresses in yeast. While the expression properties
      of genes strongly affect their duplicability, divergence and transcriptional
      plasticity are enhanced after gene duplication. We conclude that highly expressed
      genes are more likely to be preserved as duplicates due to their promoter
      architectures, their greater tolerance to expression noise, and their ability to
      reduce the noise-plasticity conflict.

PMID- 28633362
TI  - Human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer.
AB  - High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is now recognised as the principal cause of
      the increasing incidence rates of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC)
      in some parts of the world. The primary risk factor for developing HPV-related
      OPSCC is oral HPV-infection and the majority of oral HPV-infections are acquired
      by oral sex. Progression into an OPSCC includes persistent infection with evasion
      of immune response in the microenvironment, the activation of viral early genes
      (E6, E7) in basal epithelial cells, the deregulation of cell cycle and the
      accumulation of chromosomal instability. Patients affected by HPV-related OPSCC
      tend to be younger and have better outcomes. This observation has lead current
      research to evaluate treatment de-escalation options to reduce long-term
      associated morbidity. Moreover, a different molecular profile for HPV-related
      OPSCC has been described, opening new options for targeted therapy and
      immunotherapy approaches. This paper comprehensively reviews our accumulated
      knowledge regarding the role of HPV in OPSCC spanning from infection to cancer
      development, including its clinical diagnosis, management and preventive
      strategies.

PMID- 28633361
TI  - Evolution of miRNA Tailing by 3' Terminal Uridylyl Transferases in Metazoa.
AB  - In bilaterian animals the 3' ends of microRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently modified
      by tailing and trimming. These modifications affect miRNA-mediated gene
      regulation by modulating miRNA stability. Here, we analyzed data from three
      nonbilaterian animals: two cnidarians (Nematostella vectensis and Hydra
      magnipapillata) and one poriferan (Amphimedon queenslandica). Our analysis
      revealed that nonbilaterian miRNAs frequently undergo modifications like the
      bilaterian counterparts: the majority are expressed as different length isoforms
      and frequent modifications of the 3' end by mono U or mono A tailing are
      observed. Moreover, as the factors regulating miRNA modifications are largely
      uncharacterized in nonbilaterian animal phyla, in present study, we investigated
      the evolution of 3' terminal uridylyl transferases (TUTases) that are known to
      involved in miRNA 3' nontemplated modifications in Bilateria. Phylogenetic
      analysis on TUTases showed that TUTase1 and TUTase6 are a result of duplication
      in bilaterians and that TUTase7 and TUTase4 are the result of a vertebrate
      specific duplication. We also find an unexpected number of Drosophila-specific
      gene duplications and domain losses in most of the investigated gene families.
      Overall, our findings shed new light on the evolutionary history of TUTases in
      Metazoa, as they reveal that this core set of enzymes already existed in the last
      common ancestor of all animals and was probably involved in modifying small RNAs
      in a similar fashion to its present activity in bilaterians.

PMID- 28633363
TI  - Development, Initial Testing and Challenges of an Ecologically Valid Reward
      Prediction Error FMRI Task for Alcoholism.
AB  - Aims: To advance translational studies of the role of reward prediction error
      (PE) in alcohol use disorder, the present study sought to develop and conduct an
      initial test of an alcohol-specific PE task paradigm using functional magnetic
      resonance imaging in humans. Methods: Alcohol dependent or social drinkers
      received small tastes of their preferred alcohol beverage or control beverage,
      with preceding visual cues indicating whether alcohol (or water) would be
      delivered. To assess both positive and negative PE signals, expectancies were
      systematically violated in both positive (i.e. expecting water and receiving
      alcohol) and negative (i.e. expecting alcohol and receiving water) directions.
      Exploratory trial-by-trial analyses were conducted to explore temporal
      fluctuations of activation within a priori-defined regions of interest that have
      been implicated in cue reactivity and PE processing. Results: Across the entire
      sample of participants, positive PE-related brain activation was found in a large
      cluster comprised of frontal lobe regions, as well as insular cortex, and
      motor/sensory cortices. Compared to social drinking subjects, alcohol dependent
      subjects had greater positive PE-related brain activity in left superior parietal
      lobule, lateral occipital cortex and postcentral gyrus. Exploratory trial-by
      trial analyses indicated differences in activation specific to type of taste,
      mostly at earlier trials. Conclusions: This task-development oriented pilot study
      found that PE signaling may not be detected in expected brain regions when image
      analyses average across all PE trials of the task. Rather, a trial-by-trial
      analysis approach may help detect sparse, temporally distinct PE signaling in
      expected reward processing regions. Short Summary: This fMRI study of reward
      prediction error found greater positive prediction error-related activity (i.e.
      expecting water taste, receiving alcohol taste) in alcohol dependent individuals
      relative to social drinkers in parietal and occipital cortices. Trial-by-trial
      analyses may be able to better detect sparse prediction error signaling in
      expected reward processing regions.

PMID- 28633364
TI  - Restricted health care entitlements for child migrants in Europe and Australia.
AB  - Background: More than 300 000 asylum seeking children were registered in Europe
      alone during 2015. In this study, we examined entitlements for health care for
      these and other migrant children in Europe and Australia in a framework based on
      United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Methods: Survey to
      child health professionals, NGO's and European Ombudspersons for Children in 30
      EU/EEA countries and Australia, supplemented by desktop research of official
      documents. Migrant children were categorised as asylum seekers and
      irregular/undocumented migrants. Results: Five countries (France, Italy, Norway,
      Portugal and Spain) explicitly entitle all migrant children, irrespective of
      legal status, to receive equal health care to that of its nationals. Sweden and
      Belgium entitle equal care to asylum seekers and irregular non-EU migrants, while
      entitlements for EU migrants are unclear. Twelve European countries have limited
      entitlements to health care for asylum seeking children, including Germany that
      stands out as the country with the most restrictive health care policy for
      migrant children. In Australia entitlements for health care are restricted for
      asylum seeking children in detention and for irregular migrants. The needs of
      irregular migrants from other EU countries are often overlooked in European
      health care policy. Conclusion: Putting pressure on governments to honour the
      obligations of the UNCRC and explicitly entitle all children equal rights to
      health care can be an important way of advocating for better access to primary
      and preventive care for asylum seeking and undocumented children in Australia and
      the EU.

PMID- 28633366
TI  - Magnesium-deficiency-induced alterations of gas exchange, major metabolites and
      key enzymes differ among roots, and lower and upper leaves of Citrus sinensis
      seedlings.
AB  - Magnesium (Mg)-deficiency is a widespread problem adversely affecting the quality
      and yield of crops, including citrus. 'Xuegan' [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck]
      seedlings were irrigated every other day with nutrient solution at an Mg
      concentration of 0 mM (Mg-deficiency) or 1 mM (Mg-sufficiency) for 16 weeks.
      Thereafter, biomass, leaf mass per area, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate
      carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), pigments in the upper and lower leaves, Mg, gas
      exchange, organic acids, nonstructural carbohydrates, total soluble proteins,
      amino acids, phenolics and anthocyanins, and key enzymes related to organic acid,
      amino acid and phenolic metabolisms in the roots, and upper and lower leaves were
      assayed in order to test the hypothesis that Mg-deficiency-induced alterations of
      gas exchange, major metabolites and key enzymes may differ among the roots, and
      upper and lower leaves. Magnesium-deficiency affected the most measured
      parameters more in the lower than in the upper leaves except for the
      nonstructural carbohydrates, but the variation trends were similar between the
      two. Despite increased accumulation of nonstructural carbohydrates, the lower CO2
      assimilation in the Mg-deficient leaves was not caused by the feedback inhibition
      mechanism via sugar accumulation. Both dark respiration and organic acid
      metabolism were elevated in the Mg-deficient lower leaves to 'consume' the excess
      carbohydrates, and inhibited in the Mg-deficient roots with less accumulation of
      nonstructural carbohydrates to keep the balance of net carbon. More total
      phenolics and fewer anthocyanins were accumulated in the Mg-deficient lower
      leaves, whereas the accumulation of both total phenolics and anthocyanins was
      reduced in the Mg-deficient roots. Interestingly, amino acid biosynthesis was
      repressed in the Mg-deficient roots and lower leaves, thus lowering the level of
      total free amino acids in these roots and leaves. To conclude, great differences
      existed in the Mg-deficiency-induced alterations of gas exchange, major
      metabolites and key enzymes among the roots, and upper and lower leaves.

PMID- 28633365
TI  - Phase II study of copanlisib, a PI3K inhibitor, in relapsed or refractory,
      indolent or aggressive lymphoma.
AB  - Background: Copanlisib is a pan-class I phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor
      with predominant activity against the alpha- and delta-isoforms. Patients and
      methods: This phase II study evaluated the response rate of copanlisib
      administered intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle, in patients
      with indolent or aggressive malignant lymphoma. Archival tumor tissues were used
      for immunohistochemistry, gene-expression profiling, and mutation analysis.
      Results: Thirty-three patients with indolent lymphoma and 51 with aggressive
      lymphoma received copanlisib. Follicular lymphoma (48.5%) and peripheral T-cell
      lymphoma (33.3%) were the most common histologic subtypes. Most patients (78.6%)
      had received prior rituximab and 54.8% were rituximab-refractory. Median duration
      of treatment was 23 and 8 weeks in the indolent and aggressive cohorts,
      respectively (overall range 2-138). Eighty patients were evaluated for efficacy.
      The objective response rate was 43.7% (14/32) in the indolent cohort and 27.1%
      (13/48) in the aggressive cohort; median progression-free survival was 294 days
      (range 0-874) and 70 days (range 0-897), respectively; median duration of
      response was 390 days (range 0-825) and 166 days (range 0-786), respectively.
      Common adverse events included hyperglycemia (57.1%; grade >=3, 23.8%),
      hypertension (54.8%; grade >=3, 40.5%), and diarrhea (40.5%; grade >=3, 4.8%),
      all generally manageable. Neutropenia occurred in 28.6% of patients (grade 4,
      11.9%). Molecular analyses showed enhanced antitumor activity in tumors with
      upregulated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway gene expression. Conclusion:
      Intravenous copanlisib demonstrated promising efficacy and manageable toxicity in
      heavily pretreated patients with various subtypes of indolent and aggressive
      malignant lymphoma. Subtype-specific studies of copanlisib in patients with
      follicular, peripheral T-cell, and mantle cell lymphomas are ongoing. This trial
      is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01660451 (Part A).

PMID- 28633367
TI  - Cortical glutamate in migraine.
AB  - Cortical hyperexcitability due to enhanced glutamatergic activity has been
      implicated in migraine pathophysiology but direct evidence is lacking. Here we
      assessed glutamate levels and intracellular mobility of glutamate in the visual
      cortex of migraineurs in-between attacks. We included 50 migraineurs (23 with
      aura and 27 without aura) and 24 age- and gender-matched non-headache controls.
      We used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and diffusion weighted
      spectroscopy at 7 T with a single volume of interest (2 * 2 * 3 cm) located in
      the primary and secondary visual cortex. For 1H-MRS we used a semi-LASER sequence
      with water referencing for absolute quantification. For diffusion weighted
      spectroscopy we used an adapted PRESS sequence with gradients applied in three
      directions and two different gradient amplitudes. Between-group differences were
      evaluated using analysis of covariance with the grey matter fraction in the
      volume of interest as covariate and post hoc comparisons with Bonferroni
      correction. Glutamate concentrations differed between groups (P = 0.047) and were
      higher in migraineurs without aura (mean +/- standard deviation: 7.02 +/- 0.50
      mM) compared to controls (mean +/- standard deviation: 6.40 +/- 0.78 mM, P =
      0.042). The apparent diffusion coefficient of glutamate was similar among groups
      (P = 0.129) suggesting similar inter- and intracellular mobility of glutamate in
      all three study groups. No differences were observed for concentrations and
      diffusion constants of other metabolites. The present study suggests that
      interictal glutamate levels are increased in the visual cortex of migraineurs
      without aura, supporting the hypothesis of cortical hyperexcitability in
      migraine.

PMID- 28633369
TI  - Fine Subdivisions of the Semantic Network Supporting Social and Sensory-Motor
      Semantic Processing.
AB  - Neuroimaging studies have consistently indicated that semantic processing
      involves a brain network consisting of multimodal cortical regions distributed in
      the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. However, little is known about how
      semantic information is organized and processed within the network. Some recent
      studies have indicated that sensory-motor semantic information modulates the
      activation of this network. Other studies have indicated that this network
      responds more to social semantic information than to other information. Using
      fMRI, we collectively investigated the brain activations evoked by social and
      sensory-motor semantic information by manipulating the sociality and imageability
      of verbs in a word comprehension task. We detected 2 subgroups of brain regions
      within the network showing sociality and imageability effects, respectively. The
      2 subgroups of regions are distinct but overlap in bilateral angular gyri and
      adjacent middle temporal gyri. A follow-up analysis of resting-state functional
      connectivity showed that dissociation of the 2 subgroups of regions is partially
      associated with their intrinsic functional connectivity differences.
      Additionally, an interaction effect of sociality and imageability was observed in
      the left anterior temporal lobe. Our findings indicate that the multimodal
      cortical semantic network has fine subdivisions that process and integrate social
      and sensory-motor semantic information.

PMID- 28633368
TI  - Impact of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: hospitalization and patient
      quality of life.
AB  - Objectives: Data quantifying outcomes of recurrent Clostridium difficile
      infection (rCDI) are lacking. We sought to determine the UK hospital resource use
      and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with rCDI hospitalizations.
      Patients and methods: A non-interventional study in six UK acute hospitals
      collected retrospective clinical and resource use data from medical records of 64
      adults hospitalized for rCDI and 64 matched inpatient controls with a first
      episode only (f)CDI. Patients were observed from the index event (date rCDI/fCDI
      confirmed) for 28 days (or death, if sooner); UK-specific reference costs were
      applied. HRQoL was assessed prospectively in a separate cohort of 30 patients
      hospitalized with CDI, who completed the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire during their
      illness. Results: The median total management cost (post-index) was L7539 and
      L6294 for rCDI and fCDI, respectively (cost difference, P = 0.075); median length
      of stay was 21 days and 15.5 days, respectively (P = 0.269). The median cost
      difference between matched rCDI and fCDI cases was L689 (IQR=L1873-L3954).
      Subgroup analysis demonstrated the highest median costs (L8542/patient) in severe
      rCDI cases. CDI management costs were driven primarily by hospital length of
      stay, which accounted for >85% of costs in both groups. Mean EQ-5D index values
      were 46% lower in CDI patients compared with UK population values (0.42 and 0.78,
      respectively); EQ visual analogue scale scores were 38% lower (47.82 and 77.3,
      respectively). Conclusions: CDI has considerable impact on patients and
      healthcare resources. This multicentre study provides a contemporaneous estimate
      of the real-world UK costs associated with rCDI management, which are substantial
      and comparable to fCDI costs.

PMID- 28633370
TI  - Therapeutic catheterization in congenital heart disease: reflections on the value
      of risk scores.

PMID- 28633371
TI  - Does atrial fibrillation lead to cognitive decline and dementia?

PMID- 28633372
TI  - Farmer suicides: a qualitative study from Australia.
AB  - Background: Farmers in Australia, in general, have poorer health outcomes,
      including higher rates of suicide. Aims: To investigate risk and protective
      factors and attitudes towards suicide and help-seeking among farmers living and
      working in New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. Methods: A qualitative
      study in which three farming sites were selected in each state to represent an
      area with a suicide rate equal to, below and above the state average. Focus
      groups were conducted with men and women separately. Results: Focus groups
      involved 30 men and 33 women. Inductive thematic analysis showed three broad
      themes characterized responses: environment and society; community and
      relationships; and individual factors. There was considerable overlap and dynamic
      interaction between themes. A combination of individual factors, as well as
      social and environmental stressors, was described as most likely to increase risk
      of suicide death and reduce help-seeking. The vast majority of known farmer
      suicides described involved men and many of the issues discussed pertained
      specifically to male farmers. Participants found suicide as an act complex,
      intertwined with many factors, and hard to fathom. A common belief was that an
      individual must feel a complete lack of hope and perceive their situation vastly
      differently from others to contemplate suicide. Conclusions: Future suicide
      prevention efforts for farmers should take a biopsycho-ecological approach.
      Physical, psychological and cultural isolation could be addressed with education
      and training programmes and public campaigns. These could also improve people's
      ability to recognize possible suicidality.

PMID- 28633373
TI  - Auxin transport and response requirements for root hydrotropism differ between
      plant species.
AB  - The direction of auxin transport changes in gravistimulated roots, causing auxin
      accumulation in the lower side of horizontally reoriented roots. This study found
      that auxin was similarly involved in hydrotropism and gravitropism in rice and
      pea roots, but hydrotropism in Lotus japonicus roots was independent of both
      auxin transport and response. Application of either auxin transport inhibitors or
      an auxin response inhibitor decreased both hydrotropism and gravitropism in rice
      roots, and reduced hydrotropism in pea roots. However, Lotus roots treated with
      these inhibitors showed reduced gravitropism but an unaltered or an enhanced
      hydrotropic response. Inhibiting auxin biosynthesis substantially reduced both
      tropisms in rice and Lotus roots. Removing the final 0.2 mm (including the root
      cap) from the root tip inhibited gravitropism but not hydrotropism in rice
      seedling roots. These results suggested that modes of auxin involvement in
      hydrotropism differed between plant species. In rice roots, although auxin
      transport and responses were required for both gravitropism and hydrotropism, the
      root cap was involved in the auxin regulation of gravitropism but not
      hydrotropism. Hydrotropism in Lotus roots, however, may be regulated by a novel
      mechanism that is independent of both auxin transport and the TIR1/AFBs auxin
      response pathway.

PMID- 28633374
TI  - Cohort study of preoperative blood pressure and risk of 30-day mortality after
      elective non-cardiac surgery.
AB  - Background: Preoperative blood pressure (BP) thresholds associated with increased
      postoperative mortality remain unclear. We investigated the relationship between
      preoperative BP and 30-day mortality after elective non-cardiac surgery. Methods:
      We performed a cohort study of primary care data from the UK Clinical Practice
      Research Datalink (2004-13). Parsimonious and fully adjusted multivariable
      logistic regression models, including restricted cubic splines for numerical
      systolic and diastolic BP, for 30-day mortality were constructed. The full model
      included 29 perioperative risk factors, including age, sex, comorbidities,
      medications, and surgical risk scale. Sensitivity analyses were conducted for age
      (>65 vs <65 years old) and the timing of BP measurement. Results: A total of 251
      567 adults were included, with 589 (0.23%) deaths within 30 days of surgery.
      After adjustment for all risk factors, preoperative low BP was consistently
      associated with statistically significant increases in the odds ratio (OR) of
      postoperative mortality. Statistically significant risk thresholds started at a
      preoperative systolic pressure of 119 mm Hg (adjusted OR 1.02 [95% confidence
      interval (CI) 1.01-1.02]) compared with the reference (120 mm Hg) and diastolic
      pressure of 63 mm Hg [OR 1.24 (95% CI 1.03-1.49)] compared with the reference (80
      mm Hg). As BP decreased, the OR of mortality risk increased. Subgroup analysis
      demonstrated that the risk associated with low BP was confined to the elderly.
      Adjusted analyses identified that diastolic hypertension was associated with
      increased postoperative mortality in the whole cohort. Conclusions: In this large
      observational study we identified a significant dose-dependent association
      between low preoperative BP values and increased postoperative mortality in the
      elderly. In the whole population, elevated diastolic, not systolic, BP was
      associated with increased mortality.

PMID- 28633375
TI  - Final 5-year clinical and echocardiographic results for treatment of severe
      aortic stenosis with a self-expanding bioprosthesis from the ADVANCE Study.
AB  - Aims: The ADVANCE study was designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of
      transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with a self-expanding
      bioprosthesis in real-world patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis at
      high surgical risk for valve replacement. Methods and results: Study participants
      were enrolled from 44 experienced centres in 12 countries. Patient eligibility,
      treatment approach, and choice of anaesthesia were determined by the local Heart
      Team. The study was 100% monitored, and adverse events were adjudicated by an
      independent clinical events committee using Valve Academic Research Consortium
      (VARC-1) criteria. There were 1015 patients enrolled with 996 attempted TAVI
      procedures. Mean age was 81 years, and mean logistic EuroSCORE was 19.3 +/-
      12.3%. Five-year follow-up was available on 465 (46.7%) patients. At 5 years, the
      rate of all-cause mortality was 50.7% (95% confidence interval: 46.7%, 54.5%),
      and the rate of major stroke was 5.4%. Haemodynamic measures remained consistent
      for paired patients with a mean aortic valve gradient of 8.8 +/- 4.4 mmHg (n =
      198) and an effective orifice area of 1.7 +/- 0.4 cm2 (n = 123). Aortic
      regurgitation (AR) decreased over time and among paired patients dropped from
      12.8% to 8.0% moderate AR at 5 years (n = 125). Of the 860 patients with
      echocardiographic data or a reintervention after 30 days, there were 22 (2.6%)
      patients meeting the VARC-2 criteria for valve dysfunction and 10 (1.2%) patients
      with a reintervention >30 days. Conclusion: Five-year results in real-world,
      elderly, high-risk patients undergoing TAVI with a self-expanding bioprosthesis
      provided evidence for continued valve durability with low rates of
      reinterventions and haemodynamic valve dysfunction. Trial registration:
      ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01074658.

PMID- 28633376
TI  - Keeping Things in Balance: Family Experiences of Living With Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - Background and Objectives: Historically, research, practice, and policy on
      Alzheimer's family care has been largely focused on dyadic relationships and the
      experience of burden and stress, often failing to capture the complex caring
      dynamics as they unfold over time. This study sought to develop a more nuanced
      understanding of how people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their families are
      affected by the disease and how they respond to the challenges AD poses. Research
      Design and Methods: Using constructivist grounded theory, the study explored the
      experiences of living with AD for native Spanish families residing in Navarra.
      Data were collected from a series of 26 interviews with seven family units living
      with early stage AD and further validated with three focus groups with 14
      caregivers of people with mid/advanced AD. Data were analyzed to capture the main
      processes involved and charted how these evolved over time. Results: Keeping
      things in balance describes the way family works to preserve a balance between
      caring and their lives before the onset of AD. Three main temporal stages to the
      experience of early AD, along with their associated processes, were identified:
      (a) what's going on here and the processes of noticing, suspecting, and
      confirming; (b) our life is changing underpinned by the processes of watching and
      redefining; and (c) keeping things together and its associated balancing process.
      These reinforced the dynamic nature of living with AD over time. Discussion and
      Implications: This study was novel in its design as it included the person with
      AD as part of the functioning family unit. The temporal stages and the key social
      processes identified have the potential to inform the development of "stage
      specific" interventions for the support of the whole family at various points in
      time.

PMID- 28633379
TI  - Making sense of remote monitoring studies in heart failure.

PMID- 28633378
TI  - The cost of avoiding freezing in stems: trade-off between xylem resistance to
      cavitation and supercooling capacity in woody plants.
AB  - Stems and leaves of Olea europaea L. (olive) avoid freezing damage by substantial
      supercooling during the winter season. Physiological changes during acclimation
      to low temperatures were studied in five olive cultivars. Water relations and
      hydraulic traits, ice nucleation temperature (INT) and temperatures resulting in
      50% damage (LT50) were determined. All cultivars showed a gradual decrease in INT
      and LT50 from the dry and warm summer to the wet and cold winter in Patagonia,
      Argentina. During acclimation to low temperatures there was an increase in leaf
      cell wall rigidity and stomatal conductance (gs), as well as a decrease in leaf
      apoplastic water content, leaf water potential (Psi), sap flow and stem hydraulic
      conductivity (ks). More negative Psi as a consequence of high gs and detrimental
      effects of low temperatures on root activity resulted in a substantial loss of ks
      due to embolism formation. Seasonal stem INT decrease from summer to winter was
      directly related to the xylem resistance to cavitation, determined by the loss of
      ks across cultivars. Thus the loss of freezable water in xylem vessels by
      embolisms increased stem supercooling capacity and delayed ice propagation from
      stems to the leaves. For the first time, a trade-off between xylem resistance to
      cavitation and stem and leaf supercooling capacity was observed in plants that
      avoid extracellular freezing by permanent supercooling. The substantial loss of
      hydraulic function in olive cultivar stems by embolism formation with their high
      repair costs are compensated by avoiding plant damage at very low subzero
      temperatures.

PMID- 28633377
TI  - Emerging mechanisms of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase mutations in recessive and
      dominant human disease.
AB  - Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are responsible for charging amino acids to
      cognate tRNA molecules, which is the essential first step of protein translation.
      Interestingly, mutations in genes encoding ARS enzymes have been implicated in a
      broad spectrum of human inherited diseases. Bi-allelic mutations in ARSs
      typically cause severe, early-onset, recessive diseases that affect a wide range
      of tissues. The vast majority of these mutations show loss-of-function effects
      and impair protein translation. However, it is not clear how a subset cause
      tissue-specific phenotypes. In contrast, dominant ARS-mediated diseases
      specifically affect the peripheral nervous system-most commonly causing axonal
      peripheral neuropathy-and usually manifest later in life. These neuropathies are
      linked to heterozygosity for missense mutations in five ARS genes, which points
      to a shared mechanism of disease. However, it is not clear if a loss-of-function
      mechanism or a toxic gain-of-function mechanism is responsible for ARS-mediated
      neuropathy, or if a combination of these mechanisms operate on a mutation
      specific basis. Here, we review our current understanding of recessive and
      dominant ARS-mediated disease. We also propose future directions for defining the
      molecular mechanisms of ARS mutations toward designing therapies for affected
      patient populations.

PMID- 28633380
TI  - Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and related phenol compounds redirect the
      amyloidogenic aggregation pathway of ataxin-3 towards non-toxic aggregates and
      prevent toxicity in neural cells and Caenorhabditis elegans animal model.
AB  - The protein ataxin-3 (ATX3) triggers an amyloid-related neurodegenerative disease
      when its polyglutamine stretch is expanded beyond a critical threshold. We
      formerly demonstrated that the polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) could
      redirect amyloid aggregation of a full-length, expanded ATX3 (ATX3-Q55) towards
      non-toxic, soluble, SDS-resistant aggregates. Here, we have characterized other
      related phenol compounds, although smaller in size, i.e. (-)-epigallocatechin
      gallate (EGC), and gallic acid (GA). We analysed the aggregation pattern of ATX3
      Q55 and of the N-terminal globular Josephin domain (JD) by assessing the time
      course of the soluble protein, as well its structural features by FTIR and AFM,
      in the presence and the absence of the mentioned compounds. All of them
      redirected the aggregation pattern towards soluble, SDS-resistant aggregates.
      They also prevented the appearance of ordered side-chain hydrogen bonding in ATX3
      Q55, which is the hallmark of polyQ-related amyloids. Molecular docking analyses
      on the JD highlighted three interacting regions, including the central,
      aggregation-prone one. All three compounds bound to each of them, although with
      different patterns. This might account for their capability to prevent
      amyloidogenesis. Saturation transfer difference NMR experiments also confirmed
      EGCG and EGC binding to monomeric JD. ATX3-Q55 pre-incubation with any of the
      three compounds prevented its calcium-influx-mediated cytotoxicity towards neural
      cells. Finally, all the phenols significantly reduced toxicity in a transgenic
      Caenorhabditis elegans strain expressing an expanded ATX3. Overall, our results
      show that the three polyphenols act in a substantially similar manner. GA,
      however, might be more suitable for antiamyloid treatments due to its simpler
      structure and higher chemical stability.

PMID- 28633383
TI  - Commentary: Utilization of Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping for Direct
      Targeting of the Subthalamic Nucleus During Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery.

PMID- 28633382
TI  - Detecting Predeath Grief in Family Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: Validity
      and Utility of the Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief Inventory in a Multiethnic Asian
      Population.
AB  - Background and Objectives: Coping with predeath grief (PDG) is an unmet need in
      caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD). The Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief
      Inventory (MM-CGI) and its abbreviated MM-CGI-Short-Form (MM-CGI-SF) are among
      the few empirically developed scales that detect PDG, yet they have not been
      substantially validated outside United States. We evaluated the reliability and
      validity of the PDG scales in a multiethnic Asian population distinct from that
      of United States. Research Design and Methods: Family caregivers of community
      dwelling PWD (n = 300) completed self-administered questionnaires containing MM
      CGI and other scales of related construct. Sixty percent of the participants
      repeated the questionnaires 1 week later for test-retest reliability. Internal
      consistency reliability was assessed by Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability
      by intraclass-correlation-coefficient, construct validity by Spearman's
      correlation-coefficient, and factorial validity by confirmatory factor analysis
      (CFA). Cohen's kappa was used to compare the agreement between MM-CGI and a
      commonly-used caregiver burden scale (Zarit Burden Interview). Results: MM-CGI
      and MM-CGI-SF demonstrated internal-consistency reliability, test-retest
      reliability, construct validity, and known-group validity. In CFA, MM-CGI showed
      modest model-fit (comparative-fit-index, CFI = .80; Tucker-Lewis-index, TLI =
      .79), whereas MM-CGI-SF showed better model-fit (CFI = .91; TLI = .90). Eighty
      six percent of the caregivers reported average or high levels of PDG, with 18%
      reporting high PDG. High scores in the caregiver burden scale only showed modest
      agreement with high scores in MM-CGI (kappa = .47). Discussion and Implications:
      MM-CGI and MM-CGI-SF demonstrated adequate psychometric properties and utility,
      beyond that of a caregiver burden scale, in detecting high PDG in a multiethnic
      Asian population. They open the way for PDG intervention in clinical care, as
      well as further exploration in caregiver research.

PMID- 28633381
TI  - Robust Tests for Additive Gene-Environment Interaction in Case-Control Studies
      Using Gene-Environment Independence.
AB  - There have been recent proposals advocating the use of additive gene-environment
      interaction instead of the widely used multiplicative scale, as a more relevant
      public health measure. Using gene-environment independence enhances statistical
      power for testing multiplicative interaction in case-control studies. However,
      under departure from this assumption, substantial bias in the estimates and
      inflated type I error in the corresponding tests can occur. In this paper, we
      extend the empirical Bayes (EB) approach previously developed for multiplicative
      interaction, which trades off between bias and efficiency in a data-adaptive way,
      to the additive scale. An EB estimator of the relative excess risk due to
      interaction is derived, and the corresponding Wald test is proposed with a
      general regression setting under a retrospective likelihood framework. We study
      the impact of gene-environment association on the resultant test with case
      control data. Our simulation studies suggest that the EB approach uses the gene
      environment independence assumption in a data-adaptive way and provides a gain in
      power compared with the standard logistic regression analysis and better control
      of type I error when compared with the analysis assuming gene-environment
      independence. We illustrate the methods with data from the Ovarian Cancer
      Association Consortium.

PMID- 28633384
TI  - Correlates of dyspnoea and its association with adverse outcomes in a cohort of
      adults aged 80 and over.
AB  - Background: adults aged 80 and over, a fast growing age-group, with increased co
      morbidity and frailty have not been the focus of previous research on dyspnoea.
      We investigate the correlates of dyspnoea and its association with adverse
      outcomes in a cohort of adults aged 80 and over. Methods: about 565 community
      dwelling adults aged 80 and over of the BELFRAIL prospective cohort had
      assessment of Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (MRC), forced expiratory
      volume in 1 s (FEV1), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP),
      physical performance tests, grip strength, 15 items geriatric depression scale,
      activities of daily living (ADL), body mass index (BMI) and demographics data.
      Kaplan-Meier survival curves, Cox and logistic multivariable regression,
      classification and regression tree (CART) analysis assessed association of
      dyspnoea (MRC 3-5) with time-to-cardiovascular and all-cause death (5 years),
      time to first hospitalisation (3 years), new/worsened ADL disability (2 years),
      and its correlates. Results: participants with dyspnoea MRC 3-5 (29.9%) had
      increased hazard ratios for cardiovascular mortality 2.85 (95% confidence
      interval 1.93-4.20), all-cause mortality 2.04 (1.58-2.64), first hospitalisation
      1.72 (1.35-2.19); and increased odds ratio for new/worsened disability 2.49 (1.54
      4.04), independent of age, sex and smoking status. Only FEV1, physical
      performance, BMI and NT-proBNP (in order of importance) were selected in the tree
      based classification model for dyspnoea. Conclusions: in a cohort of adults aged
      80 and over, dyspnoea was common and an independent predictor of adverse
      outcomes, with cardio-respiratory and physical performance impairments as key
      independent correlates. Its routine and comprehensive evaluation in primary care
      could be very valuable in caring for this age-group.

PMID- 28633385
TI  - TIminer: NGS data mining pipeline for cancer immunology and immunotherapy.
AB  - Summary: Recently, a number of powerful computational tools for dissecting tumor
      immune cell interactions from next-generation sequencing data have been
      developed. However, the assembly of analytical pipelines and execution of multi
      step workflows are laborious and involve a large number of intermediate steps
      with many dependencies and parameter settings. Here we present TIminer, an easy
      to-use computational pipeline for mining tumor-immune cell interactions from next
      generation sequencing data. TIminer enables integrative immunogenomic analyses,
      including: human leukocyte antigens typing, neoantigen prediction,
      characterization of immune infiltrates and quantification of tumor
      immunogenicity. Availability and implementation: TIminer is freely available at
      http://icbi.i-med.ac.at/software/timiner/timiner.shtml. Contact:
      zlatko.trajanoski@i-med.ac.at. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are
      available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28633386
TI  - Oral administration of tea saponins to relive oxidative stress and immune
      suppression in chickens.
AB  - The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of tea saponins on
      oxidative stress induced by cyclophosphamide in chickens. One hundred twenty
      chickens were randomly divided into 5 groups. Groups 3 to 4 received
      intramuscular injection of cyclophosphamide to induce oxidative stress and
      immunosuppression. After that, groups 2 and 4 were orally administered tea
      saponins in drinking water for 7 d. Then, groups 1 to 4 were immunized with a
      live, bivalent vaccine of Newcastle disease virus and infectious bronchitis
      virus. Blood samples were collected for analysis of oxidative parameters and
      specific antibody titers, and splenocytes were prepared for lymphocyte
      proliferative assay. The results showed that administration of tea saponins
      significantly increased total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase,
      catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione, ascorbic acid, and alpha
      tocopherol, and decreased malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl. Enhanced immune
      responses, such as lymphocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A and
      lipopolysaccharides, and serum Newcastle disease virus- and infectious bronchitis
      virus-specific antibodies were also observed in chickens injected with or without
      cyclophosphamide. In addition, no side effects were found in chickens throughout
      the study. Therefore, tea saponins may be a potential agent to improve
      imunosuppression induced by oxidative stress in chickens.

PMID- 28633387
TI  - Anal Intercourse Among Female Sex Workers in Cote d'Ivoire: Prevalence,
      Determinants, and Model-Based Estimates of the Population-Level Impact on HIV
      Transmission.
AB  - Current evidence suggests that anal intercourse (AI) during sex work is common in
      sub-Saharan Africa, but there have been few studies in which the contribution of
      heterosexual AI to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics has been
      investigated. Using a respondent-driven sampling survey of female sex workers
      (FSWs; n = 466) in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, in 2014, we estimated AI prevalence
      and frequency. Poisson regressions were used to identify AI determinants.
      Approximately 20% of FSWs engaged in AI during a normal week (95% confidence
      interval: 15, 26). Women who performed AI were generally younger, had been
      selling sex for longer, were born in Cote d'Ivoire, and reported higher sex-work
      income, more frequent sex in public places, and violence from clients than women
      not reporting AI. Condom use was lower, condom breakage/slippage more frequent,
      and use of water-based lubricants was less frequently reported for AI than for
      vaginal intercourse. Using a dynamic transmission model, we estimated that 22%
      (95% credible interval: 11, 37% of new HIV infections could have been averted
      among FSWs during 2000-2015 if AI had been substituted for vaginal intercourse.
      Despite representing a small fraction of all sex acts, AI is an underestimated
      source of HIV transmission. Increasing availability and uptake of condoms,
      lubricants, and pre-exposure prophylaxis for women engaging in AI could help
      mitigate HIV risk.

PMID- 28633388
TI  - Sex, Obesity, and Blood Pressure Among African American Adolescents: The Jackson
      Heart KIDS Pilot Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined the degree to which sex, weight status, and the
      presence of hypertension and obesity in parents/grandparents were associated with
      systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (BP) among African American
      youth in a pilot offspring study examining obesity-related cardiovascular disease
      (CVD) risks among adolescents. RESULTS: Fully adjusted linear regression models
      of the total sample produced results indicating that obesity was associated with
      BP (SBP: beta = 7.08, P < 0.01; DBP: beta = 8.14, P < 0.001). Sex-stratified
      analyses indicated that overweight and obesity were associated with SBP
      (overweight: beta = 6.77, P < 0.01; obese: beta = 11.65, P < 0.001) and obesity
      was correlated with DBP (beta = 9.86, P < 0.001) among males. For females,
      overweight was correlated with SBP (beta = 4.11, P < 0.05) while obesity was
      associated with DBP (beta = 6.98, P < 0.01). Attempting to lose weight was
      inversely related to SBP (beta = -4.01, P < 0.05) in the full sample and among
      males (beta = -11.94, P < 0.001). Familial presence of hypertension and/or
      obesity was significantly associated with SBP among adolescent females but not
      males. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between weight status, familial hypertension
      and obesity status, and BP among adolescents vary by sex. This study underscores
      the need for additional research investigating the relationship between
      individual sex, weight status, BP and familial BP, and obesity status on risk
      among African American adolescents.

PMID- 28633390
TI  - Investigating microRNA-mediated regulation of the nascent nuclear transcripts in
      plants: a bioinformatics workflow.
AB  - Most of the microRNAs (miRNAs) play their regulatory roles through
      posttranscriptional target decay or translational inhibition. For both plants and
      animals, these regulatory events were previously considered to take place in
      cytoplasm, as mature miRNAs were observed to be exported to the cytoplasm for
      Argonaute (AGO) loading and subsequent target binding. Recently, this notion was
      challenged by increasing pieces of evidence in the animal cells that uncovered
      the nuclear importation and action of the AGO-associated miRNAs. The nuclear
      localized regulatory mode was also reported for the plant miRNAs. However,
      evidence is still lacking to show the universality and conservation of the miRNA
      mediated regulation in the plant nuclei. Here, we introduced a bioinformatics
      workflow for genome-wide investigation of miRNA-guided, cleavage-based regulation
      of the nascent nuclear transcripts. Facilitated by the tool package PmiRNTSA
      (Plant microRNA-mediated nascent transcript slicing analyzer), plant biologists
      could perform a comprehensive search for the miRNA slicing sites located within
      the introns or the exon-intron/intron-exon junctions of the target transcripts,
      which are supported by degradome sequencing data. The results enable the
      researchers to examine the co-transcriptional regulatory model of the miRNAs for
      a specific plant species. Moreover, a case study was performed to search for the
      slicing sites located within the exon-intron/intron-exon junctions in two model
      plants. A case study was performed to show the feasibility and reliability of our
      workflow. Together, we hope that this work could inspire much more innovative
      research efforts to expand the current understanding of the miRNA action modes in
      plants.

PMID- 28633389
TI  - Multiple Soluble TGF-beta Receptors in Addition to Soluble Endoglin Are Elevated
      in Preeclamptic Serum and They Synergistically Inhibit TGF-beta Signaling.
AB  - Context: Preeclampsia (PE) can be classified into early-onset (<34 weeks of
      gestation) and late-onset (>34 weeks of gestation) subtypes. Soluble endoglin, an
      auxiliary receptor for transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta ligands, is
      increased in PE circulation and believed to inhibit TGF-beta action by
      sequestering the ligands. However, soluble endoglin, with a low affinity to TGF
      beta ligands, has been demonstrated to have little effect by itself on TGF-beta
      action. Objectives: We examined whether multiple soluble TGF-beta receptors are
      elevated in PE circulation and whether they synergistically block TGF-beta
      signaling. Design: TGF-beta receptors were measured using enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay in sera collected from preeclamptic pregnancies and gestation
      age-matched controls. TGF-beta signaling was assessed using an in vitro bioassay
      and a tube formation assay. Results: TGF-beta type I, II, and III receptors were
      all identified in pregnant serum; all were substantially elevated in early-onset
      but not late-onset PE. Endoglin was increased in both subtypes. At the greatest
      concentrations detected in PE, none of these soluble TGF-beta receptors alone,
      including endoglin, inhibited TGF-beta signaling. However, when all four soluble
      receptors were present, signaling of both TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 was
      substantially reduced. Removal of any one of these soluble receptors alleviated
      TGF-beta1 inhibition; however, removal of soluble TGFbetaRIII was necessary to
      relieve TGF-beta2 inhibition. Conclusions: Multiple soluble TGF-beta receptors
      are present in pregnant circulation and elevated in early-onset PE; they
      synergistically inhibit TGF-beta signaling, which might be more likely to occur
      in early-onset than late-onset PE. Reducing soluble TGFbetaRIII, rather than
      endoglin, would be more effective in alleviating the inhibition of both TGF-beta1
      and TGF-beta2 signaling in PE.

PMID- 28633391
TI  - kmerPyramid: an interactive visualization tool for nucleobase and k-mer
      frequencies.
AB  - Summary: Bioinformatics methods often incorporate the frequency distribution of
      nulecobases or k-mers in DNA or RNA sequences, for example as part of metagenomic
      or phylogenetic analysis. Because the frequency matrix with sequences in the rows
      and nucleobases in the columns is multi-dimensional it is hard to visualize. We
      present the R-package 'kmerPyramid' that allows to display each sequence, based
      on its nucleobase or k-mer distribution projected to the space of principal
      components, as a point within a 3-dimensional, interactive pyramid. Using the
      computer mouse, the user can turn the pyramid's axes, zoom in and out and
      identify individual points. Additionally, the package provides the k-mer
      frequency matrices of about 2000 bacteria and 5000 virus reference sequences
      calculated from the NCBI RefSeq genbank. The 'kmerPyramid' can particularly be
      used for visualization of intra- and inter species differences. Availability and
      implementation: The R-package 'kmerPyramid' is available from the GitHub website
      at https://github.com/jkruppa/kmerPyramid. Contact: klaus.jung@tiho-hannover.de.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28633392
TI  - Invited Commentary: Can Estimation of Sodium Intake Be Improved by Borrowing
      Information From Other Variables?
AB  - Estimation of dietary sodium intake is problematic. The most accurate measure is
      average sodium excretion from multiple 24-hour urine collections, but such an
      approach is impractical. Using data from the Women's Health Initiative, Prentice
      et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2017;186(9):1035-1043) assessed the relationship of
      calibrated estimates of sodium and potassium excretion with cardiovascular
      outcomes. The calibrated estimates were a function of self-reported sodium-to
      potassium ratio from a food frequency questionnaire, age, body mass index, race,
      supplement use, smoking status, educational level, income, and aspirin use. In
      general, associations with outcomes using the calibrated estimates were in the
      expected direction: direct for the sodium-to-potassium ratio and sodium intake
      and indirect for potassium. The unexpected associations were an increased risk of
      hemorrhagic stroke with lower sodium-to-potassium ratio and sodium intake and
      increased risk with higher potassium intake, along with a null relationship of
      sodium intake with ischemic stroke. Overall, our assessment is that the authors
      have improved the estimation of mean dietary sodium and potassium intakes.
      However, more work is needed to show that calibrated estimates actually improve
      estimation of future clinical events. If this methodological issue can be
      successfully addressed, their approach has the potential to improve estimation of
      dietary sodium and potassium intakes in observational studies.

PMID- 28633393
TI  - Outcomes of palliative right ventricle to pulmonary artery connection for
      pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the early, intermediate and long-term outcomes of
      pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) Types I, II and III
      initially palliated by a right ventricle to pulmonary artery (RVPA) connection.
      METHODS: We performed a retrospective study from 2000 to 2014 that included 109
      patients with PA/VSD who had undergone an RVPA connection (tetralogy of Fallot
      and PA/VSD Type IV excluded). The end-points of this strategy were adequate
      pulmonary artery tree post-palliation, second palliation, biventricular repair,
      right ventricular pressure post-biventricular repair and late reoperation. Mean
      follow-up was 5.4 years (1 day to 14-78 years). RESULTS: Early mortality after an
      RVPA connection was 2.7% (3 of 109). The interstage mortality rate was 6.6% (7 of
      106). Eighty-four (77%) patients had a biventricular repair and 8 patients (7%)
      are awaiting repair. Overall survival was 90% at 1 year and 81% at 10 years. The
      RVPA connection allowed significant growth of the native pulmonary artery with a
      Nakata index of 101 mm2/m2 before the RVPA connection and 274 mm2/m2 after (P =
      0.001). Twenty-nine reinterventions for restrictive pulmonary blood flow have
      been done (9 before 2 months and 20 after 2 months). Of the 84 patients who had a
      repair, 22 patients (26%) initially had a right ventricular pressure greater than
      40 mmHg. Twenty-eight patients (33%) required late reoperation. CONCLUSIONS:
      Hospital deaths after the RVPA connection were low. The procedure allowed good
      growth of the native pulmonary artery. Biventricular repair was possible in a
      large number of cases. The late morbidity rate remains significant. Early
      reinterventions could be avoided by appropriate calibration. This technique
      appears to be suitable for any type of PA/VSD with central pulmonary arteries.

PMID- 28633394
TI  - Diagnostic Accuracy of Somatosensory Evoked Potential Monitoring in Evaluating
      Neurological Complications During Endovascular Aneurysm Treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring is used extensively
      for early detection and prevention of neurological complications in patients
      undergoing many different neurosurgical procedures. However, the predictive
      ability of SSEP monitoring during endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms is
      not well detailed. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of intraoperative SSEP
      in the prediction postprocedural neurological deficits (PPNDs) after coil
      embolization of intracranial aneurysms. METHODS: This population-based cohort
      study included patients >=18 years of age undergoing intracranial aneurysm
      embolization with concurrent SSEP monitoring between January 2006 and August
      2012. The ability of SSEP to predict PPNDs was analyzed by multiple regression
      analyses and assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic
      curve. RESULTS: In a population of 888 patients, SSEP changes occurred in 8.6% (n
      = 77). Twenty-eight patients (3.1%) suffered PPNDs. A 50% to 99% loss in SSEP
      waveform was associated with a 20-fold increase in risk of PPND; a total loss of
      SSEP waveform, regardless of permanence, was associated with a greater than 200
      fold risk of PPND. SSEPs displayed very good predictive ability for PPND, with an
      area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.84 (95% CI 0.76
      0.92). CONCLUSION: This study supports the predictive ability of SSEPs for the
      detection of PPNDs. The magnitude and persistence of SSEP changes is clearly
      associated with the development of PPNDs. The utility of SSEP monitoring in
      detecting ischemia may provide an opportunity for neurointerventionalists to
      respond to changes intraoperatively to mitigate the potential for PPNDs.

PMID- 28633395
TI  - Is sarcopenia associated with depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis
      of observational studies.
AB  - Objectives: to explore whether sarcopenia is associated with depression. Design:
      electronic literature databases from PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar
      were searched. A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies was
      conducted. Setting: community and outpatient clinic. Participants: people with
      and without diagnoses of sarcopenia. Measurements: outcome measures of
      depression. Results: about 15 articles were included, 5 of which were retrieved
      for narrative review. The crude odds ratios (ORs) between sarcopenia and
      depression were extracted from the remaining 10 studies, 6 of which also included
      adjusted ORs. Sarcopenia was associated with depression without adjusting
      covariates (crude OR, 1.640; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.247-2.155). After
      adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, cognitive performance
      and physical activity, sarcopenia still demonstrated a significant positive
      association with depression (adjusted OR, 1.821; 95% CI, 1.160-2.859). A
      stratified analysis showed that the studies that used bioelectrical impedance
      analysis for measurement of body composition tended to have an elevated
      association between sarcopenia and depression compared with those that used dual
      energy X-ray absorptiometry or equation estimation. Conclusion: sarcopenia was
      independently associated with depression. The causal relationship between the two
      clinical conditions requires future validation with cohort studies.

PMID- 28633396
TI  - Response to "Motor Output Variability Impairs Driving Ability in Older Adults".

PMID- 28633397
TI  - Impact of a refined advanced design for left atrial appendage exclusion.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Exclusion of the left atrial appendage has been proposed to reduce
      the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study
      was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the AtriClip PRO.V device (AOD2),
      now in development, for left atrial appendage exclusion in a canine model.
      METHODS: The newest AtriClip design comprises a dual-spring mechanism that allows
      the clip to open into a 'V' shape while still providing equivalent force along
      the length of the beam. The AOD2's hallmark is a distal tip closure to help
      retain the appendage during clip closure. Six dogs were implanted via thoracotomy
      with the clinically available AtriClip device (AOD1) on the right atrial
      appendage and the AOD2 on the left. At 90 days after implantation, all devices
      were evaluated by epicardial echocardiography, computed tomography, gross
      pathology and histology. System performance at the initial surgery was evaluated
      as well. RESULTS: The ease of use of the clinically available AtriClip device
      (AOD1) and AOD2 was deemed comparable in all cases. All animals survived for the
      planned 90-day duration without complications. The atrial appendages were fully
      occluded in all cases without device migration. On histology, all AtriClip
      devices demonstrated an acceptable biocompatibility response. CONCLUSIONS: The
      AOD2 achieved easy, reliable and safe exclusion of the left atrial appendage,
      with favourable histologic findings. Once approved for clinical application, the
      AOD2 could provide a new therapeutic option to lower the risks of stroke in
      patients with atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28633398
TI  - A novel system for the treatment of aortic annular dilation: an ex vivo
      investigation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The main reason for aortic repair failures is recurrent annular
      dilatation. The fibrous portion of left ventricular outflow tract dilates. A
      novel device was designed to tackle this problem. METHODS: The device consists of
      an internal ring applied at the aortic annulus plus an external flexible band at
      the level of the aortic root. The internal ring has a semi-rigid portion (40%,
      placed at ventriculo-arterial junction) and a flexible portion to allow it to
      conform along the curves of the non-coronary/right coronary leaflet and right
      coronary/left coronary leaflet commissures. The external band acts as a
      reinforcement to the internal ring. A pulsatile mock loop capable of housing
      porcine aortic valve was used. Working conditions were 60 bpm of heart rate, 75
      of stroke volumes and 120-80 mmHg of simulated pressure. Mean gradient, effective
      orifice area, annular diameter, coaptation height and length were recorded on 11
      aortic root units (ARUs). High-speed video and standard echocardiographic images
      were also recorded. All data were acquired in the following conditions: (i) basal
      (untreated ARU); (ii) pathological condition (left coronary/non-coronary triangle
      was dilated by suturing an aortic patch); and (iii) ARU treated with the device.
      RESULTS: Gradients and effective orifice area were respectively 0.9 +/- 0.64 mmHg
      and 3.1 +/- 0.7cm2 (pathological) and 3.7 +/- 1.1 mmHg and 1.5 +/- 0.2cm2
      (treated, P < 0.05). Left coronary/non-coronary diameter decreased from 2.4 +/-
      0.2 cm (pathological) to 2.0 +/- 0.2 (treated, P < 0.05). Coaptation length and
      height were fully restored to basal values following treatment. Visual inspection
      showed proper dynamics of the leaflet, confirmed by high-speed video and
      echocardiography. CONCLUSIONS: The device allowed for restoring physiologic-like
      coaptation in the experimental model, without inducing clinically relevant
      worsening of the haemodynamics of the treated ARU.

PMID- 28633399
TI  - The interfacial character of antibody paratopes: analysis of antibody-antigen
      structures.
AB  - Summary: In this study, computational methods are applied to investigate the
      general properties of antigen engaging residues of a paratope from a non
      redundant dataset of 403 antibody-antigen complexes to dissect the contribution
      of hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic, van der Waals contacts and ionic interactions, as
      well as role of water molecules in the antigen-antibody interface. Consistent
      with previous reports using smaller datasets, we found that Tyr, Trp, Ser, Asn,
      Asp, Thr, Arg, Gly, His contribute substantially to the interactions between
      antibody and antigen. Furthermore, antibody-antigen interactions can be mediated
      by interfacial waters. However, there is no reported comprehensive analysis for a
      large number of structured waters that engage in higher ordered structures at the
      antibody-antigen interface. From our dataset, we have found the presence of
      interfacial waters in 242 complexes. We present evidence that suggests a
      compelling role of these interfacial waters in interactions of antibodies with a
      range of antigens differing in shape complementarity. Finally, we carry out 296
      835 pairwise 3D structure comparisons of 771 structures of contact residues of
      antibodies with their interfacial water molecules from our dataset using CLICK
      method. A heuristic clustering algorithm is used to obtain unique structural
      similarities, and found to separate into 368 different clusters. These clusters
      are used to identify structural motifs of contact residues of antibodies for
      epitope binding. Availability and implementation: This clustering database of
      contact residues is freely accessible at http://mspc.bii.a
      star.edu.sg/minhn/pclick.html. Contact: minhn@bii.a-star.edu.sg, chandra@bii.a
      star.edu.sg or zhong_pingyu@immunol.a-star.edu.sg. Supplementary information:
      Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28633400
TI  - Herpes zoster encephalitis: a rare complication in a nonagenarian.

PMID- 28633402
TI  - Pitcher perfect: arrhythmia monitoring at the Munich Oktoberfest.

PMID- 28633401
TI  - Biomedical text mining for research rigor and integrity: tasks, challenges,
      directions.
AB  - An estimated quarter of a trillion US dollars is invested in the biomedical
      research enterprise annually. There is growing alarm that a significant portion
      of this investment is wasted because of problems in reproducibility of research
      findings and in the rigor and integrity of research conduct and reporting. Recent
      years have seen a flurry of activities focusing on standardization and guideline
      development to enhance the reproducibility and rigor of biomedical research.
      Research activity is primarily communicated via textual artifacts, ranging from
      grant applications to journal publications. These artifacts can be both the
      source and the manifestation of practices leading to research waste. For example,
      an article may describe a poorly designed experiment, or the authors may reach
      conclusions not supported by the evidence presented. In this article, we pose the
      question of whether biomedical text mining techniques can assist the stakeholders
      in the biomedical research enterprise in doing their part toward enhancing
      research integrity and rigor. In particular, we identify four key areas in which
      text mining techniques can make a significant contribution: plagiarism/fraud
      detection, ensuring adherence to reporting guidelines, managing information
      overload and accurate citation/enhanced bibliometrics. We review the existing
      methods and tools for specific tasks, if they exist, or discuss relevant research
      that can provide guidance for future work. With the exponential increase in
      biomedical research output and the ability of text mining approaches to perform
      automatic tasks at large scale, we propose that such approaches can support tools
      that promote responsible research practices, providing significant benefits for
      the biomedical research enterprise.

PMID- 28633403
TI  - Structured Populations of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius with Susceptibility to Mobile
      Genetic Elements.
AB  - The impact of a structured environment on genome evolution can be determined
      through comparative population genomics of species that live in the same habitat.
      Recent work comparing three genome sequences of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
      suggested that highly structured, extreme, hot spring environments do not limit
      dispersal of this thermoacidophile, in contrast to other co-occurring Sulfolobus
      species. Instead, a high level of conservation among these three S.
      acidocaldarius genomes was hypothesized to result from rapid, global-scale
      dispersal promoted by low susceptibility to viruses that sets S. acidocaldarius
      apart from its sister Sulfolobus species. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a
      comparative analysis of 47 genomes of S. acidocaldarius from spatial and temporal
      sampling of two hot springs in Yellowstone National Park. While we confirm the
      low diversity in the core genome, we observe differentiation among S.
      acidocaldarius populations, likely resulting from low migration among hot spring
      "islands" in Yellowstone National Park. Patterns of genomic variation indicate
      that differing geological contexts result in the elimination or preservation of
      diversity among differentiated populations. We observe multiple deletions
      associated with a large genomic island rich in glycosyltransferases, differential
      integrations of the Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus, as well as two
      different plasmid elements. These data demonstrate that neither rapid dispersal
      nor lack of mobile genetic elements result in low diversity in the S.
      acidocaldarius genomes. We suggest instead that significant differences in the
      recent evolutionary history, or the intrinsic evolutionary rates, of sister
      Sulfolobus species result in the relatively low diversity of the S.
      acidocaldarius genome.

PMID- 28633404
TI  - Agreement Between 35 Published Frailty Scores in the General Population.
AB  - In elderly populations, frailty is associated with higher mortality risk.
      Although many frailty scores (FS) have been proposed, no single score is
      considered the gold standard. We aimed to evaluate the agreement between a wide
      range of FS in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Through a
      literature search, we identified 35 FS that could be calculated in ELSA wave 2
      (2004-2005). We examined agreement between each frailty score and the mean of 35
      FS, using a modified Bland-Altman model and Cohen's kappa (kappa). Missing data
      were imputed. Data from 5,377 participants (ages >=60 years) were analyzed (44.7%
      men, 55.3% women). FS showed widely differing degrees of agreement with the mean
      of all scores and between each pair of scores. Frailty classification also showed
      a very wide range of agreement (Cohen's kappa = 0.10-0.83). Agreement was highest
      among "accumulation of deficits"-type FS, while accuracy was highest for
      multidimensional FS. There is marked heterogeneity in the degree to which various
      FS estimate frailty and in the identification of particular individuals as frail.
      Different FS are based on different concepts of frailty, and most pairs cannot be
      assumed to be interchangeable. Research results based on different FS cannot be
      compared or pooled.

PMID- 28633405
TI  - Addressing the key communication barriers between microbiology laboratories and
      clinical units: a qualitative study.
AB  - Background: Many countries are on the brink of establishing antibiotic
      stewardship programmes in hospitals nationwide. In a previous study we found that
      communication between microbiology laboratories and clinical units is a barrier
      to implementing efficient antibiotic stewardship programmes in Norway. We have
      now addressed the key communication barriers between microbiology laboratories
      and clinical units from a laboratory point of view. Methods: Qualitative semi
      structured interviews were conducted with 18 employees (managers, doctors and
      technicians) from six diverse Norwegian microbiological laboratories,
      representing all four regional health authorities. Interviews were recorded and
      transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was applied, identifying emergent themes,
      subthemes and corresponding descriptions. Results: The main barrier to
      communication is disruption involving specimen logistics, information on request
      forms, verbal reporting of test results and information transfer between poorly
      integrated IT systems. Furthermore, communication is challenged by lack of
      insight into each other's area of expertise and limited provision of laboratory
      services, leading to prolonged turnaround time, limited advisory services and
      restricted opening hours. Conclusions: Communication between microbiology
      laboratories and clinical units can be improved by a review of testing processes,
      educational programmes to increase insights into the other's area of expertise,
      an evaluation of work tasks and expansion of rapid and point-of-care test
      services. Antibiotic stewardship programmes may serve as a valuable framework to
      establish these measures.

PMID- 28633406
TI  - In Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene targeting fidelity depends on a transformation
      method and proportion of the overall length of the transforming and targeted DNA.
AB  - Gene replacement is one of the most essential approaches in construction of the
      genetically modified yeast strains. However, the fidelity of gene targeting and
      the effort needed for construction of a particular strain can vary significantly.
      We investigated the influence of two important factors-the choice of the
      transformation method and the design of the transforming DNA fragment, which can
      vary in overall length (including flanking regions and selectable marker)
      compared to the length of the targeted region in the genome. Gene replacement
      fidelity was determined in several assays using electroporation and spheroplast
      transformation, and compared with our previous results obtained by lithium
      acetate. We have demonstrated clearly that gene targeting fidelity depends on the
      transformation protocol, being highest for lithium acetate method. In contrast,
      lower fidelity was observed with electroporation and spheroplast transformation.
      Additionally, the fidelity also depends on a design of the transformation assay,
      since a higher overall length ratio of the transforming DNA and targeted region
      results in higher fidelity. Moreover, the karyotype analysis of the aberrant
      transformants by qPCR demonstrates that gene targeting can result in
      diploidisation of haploid strains, most likely via targeted chromosome
      duplication followed by subsequent duplication of other chromosomes.

PMID- 28633408
TI  - Risk Factors for Readmission with Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage Within 30 Days of
      Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is a well-recognized complication
      after surgical resection of vestibular schwannomas and is associated with a
      number of secondary complications, including readmission and meningitis.
      OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for and timing of 30-d readmission with CSF
      leak. METHODS: Patients who had undergone surgical resection of a vestibular
      schwannoma from 1995 to 2010 were identified in the California Office of
      Statewide Health Planning and Development database. The most common admission
      diagnoses were identified by International Classification of Disease, ninth
      Revision, diagnosis codes, and predictors of readmission with CSF leak were
      determined using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 6820 patients were
      identified. CSF leak, though a relatively uncommon cause of admission after
      discharge (3.52% of all patients), was implicated in nearly half of 490
      readmissions (48.98%). Significant independent predictors of readmission with CSF
      leak were male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32
      2.25), first admission at a teaching hospital (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.06-10.39), CSF
      leak during first admission (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.33-2.55), obesity during first
      admission (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.20-3.66), and case volume of first admission
      hospital (OR of log case volume 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.95). Median time to
      readmission was 6 d from hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: This study has
      quantified CSF leak as an important contributor to nearly half of all
      readmissions following vestibular schwannoma surgery. We propose that surgeons
      should focus on technical factors that may reduce CSF leakage and take advantage
      of potential screening strategies for the detection of CSF leakage prior to first
      admission discharge.

PMID- 28633407
TI  - Exploring fungus-plant N transfer in a tripartite ant-plant-fungus mutualism.
AB  - Background and Aims: The plant Hirtella physophora, the ant Allomerus
      decemarticulatus and a fungus, Trimmatostroma sp., form a tripartite association.
      The ants manipulate both the plant trichomes and the fungus to build galleries
      under the stems of their host plant used to capture prey. In addition to its
      structural role, the fungus also improves nutrient uptake by the host plant. But
      it still remains unclear whether the fungus plays an indirect or a direct role in
      transferring nutrients to the plant. This study aimed to trace the transfer of N
      from the fungus to the plant's stem tissue. Methods: Optical microscopy and
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate the presence of
      fungal hyphae in the stem tissues. Then, a 15N-labelling experiment was combined
      with a nanoscale secondary-ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS 50) isotopic imaging
      approach to trace the movement of added 15N from the fungus to plant tissues. Key
      Results: The TEM images clearly showed hyphae inside the stem tissue in the
      cellular compartment. Also, fungal hyphae were seen perforating the wall of the
      parenchyma cell. The 15N provisioning of the fungus in the galleries resulted in
      significant enrichment of the 15N signature of the plant's leaves 1 d after the
      15N-labelling solution was deposited on the fungus-bearing trap. Finally,
      NanoSIMS imaging proved that nitrogen was transferred biotrophically from the
      fungus to the stem tissue. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the
      fungi are connected endophytically to an ant-plant system and actively transfer
      nitrogen from 15N-labelling solution to the plant's stem tissues. Overall, this
      study underlines how complex the trophic structure of ant-plant interactions is
      due to the presence of the fungus and provides insight into the possibly
      important nutritional aspects and tradeoffs involved in myrmecophyte-ant
      mutualisms.

PMID- 28633409
TI  - The effect of PD-L1 testing on the cost-effectiveness and economic impact of
      immune checkpoint inhibitors for the second-line treatment of NSCLC.
AB  - Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors improve outcomes compared with
      chemotherapy in lung cancer. Tumor PD-L1 receptor expression is being studied as
      a predictive biomarker. The objective of this study was to assess the cost
      effectiveness and economic impact of second-line treatment with nivolumab,
      pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab with and without the use of PD-L1 testing for
      patient selection. Design: We developed a decision-analytic model to determine
      the cost-effectiveness of PD-L1 assessment and second-line immunotherapy versus
      docetaxel. The model used outcomes data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs)
      and drug acquisition costs from the United States. Thereafter, we used
      epidemiologic data to estimate the economic impact of the treatment. Results: We
      included four RCTs (2 with nivolumab, 1 with pembrolizumab, and 1 with
      atezolizumab). The incremental quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for nivolumab
      was 0.417 among squamous tumors and 0.287 among non-squamous tumors and the
      incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were $155 605 and $187 685,
      respectively. The QALY gain in the base case for atezolizumab was 0.354 and the
      ICER was $215 802. Compared with treating all patients, the selection of patients
      by PD-L1 expression improved incremental QALY by up to 183% and decreased the
      ICER by up to 65%. Pembrolizumab was studied only in patients whose tumors
      expressed PD-L1. The QALY gain was 0.346 and the ICER was $98 421. Patient
      selection also reduced the budget impact of immunotherapy. Conclusion: The use of
      PD-L1 expression as a biomarker increases cost-effectiveness of immunotherapy but
      also diminishes the number of potential life-years saved.

PMID- 28633410
TI  - Cryptococcus neoformans and gattii promote DNA damage in human peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells.
AB  - Cryptococcosis, a systemic mycosis capable of disseminating to the central
      nervous system with frequent lethal effects, is caused by the species Cryptococus
      neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Several infectious agents such as virus,
      bacteria, and parasites may be associated to DNA damage and carcinogenesis in
      humans. Products of the oxidative metabolism, such as NO, produced as a host
      defense mechanism to destroy these pathogens, have been implicated in this damage
      process, due to excessive production related to an established chronic
      inflammatory response. Here, we investigated whether C. neoformans and /or C.
      gattii can cause DNA damage in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)
      and whether this process is related to NO levels produced by PBMCs. We found that
      both species are equally able to induce genotoxicity in PBMCs. However, an
      association between DNA damage and high NO levels was only detected in relation
      to C. gattii. The results point to the possibility that patients with
      cryptococcosis are more susceptible to the development of other diseases.

PMID- 28633411
TI  - Surgeon-Level Variability in Outcomes, Cost, and Comorbidity Adjusted-Cost for
      Elective Lumbar Decompression and Fusion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The costs and outcomes following degenerative spine surgery may vary
      from surgeon to surgeon. Patient factors such as comorbidities may increase the
      health care cost. These variations are not well studied. OBJECTIVE: To understand
      the variation in outcomes, costs, and comorbidity-adjusted cost for surgeons
      performing lumbar laminectomy and fusions surgery. METHODS: A total of 752
      patients undergoing laminectomy and fusion, performed by 7 surgeons, were
      analyzed. Patient-reported outcomes and 90-d cost were analyzed. Multivariate
      regression model was built for high-cost surgery. A separate linear regression
      model was built to derive comorbidity-adjusted 90-d costs. RESULTS: No
      significant differences in improvement were found across all the patient-reported
      outcomes, complications, and readmission among the surgeons. In multivariable
      model, surgeons #4 (P < .0001) and #6 (P = .002) had higher odds of performing
      high-cost fusion surgery. The comorbidity-adjusted costs were higher than the
      actual 90-d costs for surgeons #1 (P = .08), #3 (P = .002), #5 (P < .0001), and
      #7 (P < .0001), whereas they were lower than the actual costs for surgeons #2 (P
      = .128), #4 (P < .0001), and #6 (P = .44). CONCLUSION: Our study provides
      valuable insight into variations in 90-d costs among the surgeons performing
      elective lumbar laminectomy and fusion at a single institution. Specific surgeons
      were found to have greater odds of performing high-cost surgeries. Adjusting for
      preoperative comorbidities, however, led to costs that were higher than the
      actual costs for certain surgeons and lower than the actual costs for others.
      Patients' preoperative comorbidities must be accounted for when crafting value
      based payment models. Furthermore, designing intervention targeting "modifiable"
      factors tied to the way the surgeons practice may increase the overall value of
      spine care.

PMID- 28633412
TI  - Are leaves only involved in flowering? Bridging the gap between structural botany
      and functional morphology.

PMID- 28633413
TI  - 4-Bromodiphenyl Ether Induces Germ Cell Apoptosis by Induction of ROS and DNA
      Damage in Caenorhabditis elegans.

PMID- 28633414
TI  - An extended model of heartwood secondary metabolism informed by functional
      genomics.
AB  - The development of heartwood (HW) and the associated accumulation of secondary
      metabolites, which are also known as 'specialized metabolites' or 'extractives',
      is an important feature of tree biology. Heartwood development can affect tree
      health with broader implications for forest health. Heartwood development also
      defines a variety of wood quality traits that are important in the forest
      industry such as durability and colour of wood products. In the bioproducts
      industry, HW provides a source of high-value small molecules such as fragrances
      and antimicrobials. The HW properties of decay resistance in living trees,
      durability and colour of wood products, and small molecule bioproducts are
      largely defined by secondary metabolites, the biosynthesis of which appears to be
      activated during the onset of HW formation. Traditionally, it is thought that HW
      formation involves a spike in the activity of secondary metabolism in parenchyma
      cells in a transition zone between sapwood and HW, followed by programmed cell
      death. The resulting HW tissue is thought to consist entirely of dead cells.
      Here, we discuss a variation of existing models of HW formation, based on the
      recent discovery of HW-specific transcriptome signatures of terpenoid
      biosynthesis in sandalwood (Santalum album L.) that invokes the activity of
      living cells in HW.

PMID- 28633416
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633415
TI  - Prentice et al. Respond to "Improving Estimation of Sodium Intake".

PMID- 28633418
TI  - Detecting and removing multiplicative spatial bias in high-throughput screening
      technologies.
AB  - Motivation: Considerable attention has been paid recently to improve data quality
      in high-throughput screening (HTS) and high-content screening (HCS) technologies
      widely used in drug development and chemical toxicity research. However, several
      environmentally- and procedurally-induced spatial biases in experimental HTS and
      HCS screens decrease measurement accuracy, leading to increased numbers of false
      positives and false negatives in hit selection. Although effective bias
      correction methods and software have been developed over the past decades, almost
      all of these tools have been designed to reduce the effect of additive bias only.
      Here, we address the case of multiplicative spatial bias. Results: We introduce
      three new statistical methods meant to reduce multiplicative spatial bias in
      screening technologies. We assess the performance of the methods with synthetic
      and real data affected by multiplicative spatial bias, including comparisons with
      current bias correction methods. We also describe a wider data correction
      protocol that integrates methods for removing both assay and plate-specific
      spatial biases, which can be either additive or multiplicative. Conclusions: The
      methods for removing multiplicative spatial bias and the data correction protocol
      are effective in detecting and cleaning experimental data generated by screening
      technologies. As our protocol is of a general nature, it can be used by
      researchers analyzing current or next-generation high-throughput screens.
      Availability and implementation: The AssayCorrector program, implemented in R, is
      available on CRAN. Contact: makarenkov.vladimir@uqam.ca. Supplementary
      information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28633417
TI  - Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) and PTB-associated splicing factor in
      CVB3 infection: an ITAF for an ITAF.
AB  - The 5' UTR of Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) contains internal ribosome entry site
      (IRES), which allows cap-independent translation of the viral RNA and a 5'
      terminal cloverleaf structure that regulates viral replication, translation and
      stability. Here, we demonstrate that host protein PSF (PTB associated splicing
      factor) interacts with the cloverleaf RNA as well as the IRES element. PSF was
      found to be an important IRES trans acting factor (ITAF) for efficient
      translation of CVB3 RNA. Interestingly, cytoplasmic abundance of PSF protein
      increased during CVB3 infection and this is regulated by phosphorylation status
      at two different amino acid positions. Further, PSF protein was up-regulated in
      CVB3 infection. The expression of CVB3-2A protease alone could also induce
      increased PSF protein levels. Furthermore, we observed the presence of an IRES
      element in the 5'UTR of PSF mRNA, which is activated during CVB3 infection and
      might contribute to the elevated levels of PSF. It appears that PSF IRES is also
      positively regulated by PTB, which is known to regulate CVB3 IRES. Taken
      together, the results suggest for the first time a novel mechanism of regulations
      of ITAFs during viral infection, where an ITAF undergoes IRES mediated
      translation, sustaining its protein levels under condition of translation shut
      off.

PMID- 28633419
TI  - Is a Health Interview Survey an appropriate tool to assess domestic violence?
AB  - Background: The aim of this study is to assess if a Health Interview Survey (HIS)
      targeting the general population is an appropriate tool to collect valid data on
      domestic violence. Studying item non-response on the question on domestic
      violence and its association with socio-demographic and health characteristics
      compared with victims of domestic violence can contribute to this. Methods: Cross
      sectional data from the Belgian HIS 2013 were analysed. A question whether the
      perpetrator of a violent event was a member of the respondents' household was
      embedded in a general topic on violence in the self-administered questionnaire.
      This study is limited to people aged 15+ that at least completed the first
      question of this topic. Socio-demographic characteristics of item non-respondents
      and of victims of domestic violence were explored and the association with health
      status was assessed through ORs calculated via logistic regression. Results: The
      year prevalence of domestic violence is 1.1%. Although the question on domestic
      violence yields a high level of non-response (62%), this does not hinder the
      further completion of the questionnaire. When compared with victims of domestic
      violence, those not responding on the question on the perpetrator have better
      (mental) health. When compared with those not being victim of domestic violence,
      victims report poorer physical and mental health. Conclusion: An HIS can be an
      appropriate tool to assess domestic violence in the general population and its
      association with health. However, a solution should be found for the high item
      non-response on the question on the perpetrator of the violent event.

PMID- 28633420
TI  - Pancreas Fat and beta Cell Mass in Humans With and Without Diabetes: An Analysis
      in the Japanese Population.
AB  - Context: The mechanisms by which beta cell mass is reduced in patients with type
      2 diabetes remain unclear. It has been postulated that ectopic fat deposits in
      the pancreas induce beta cell apoptosis, leading to the development of diabetes.
      Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of intrapancreatic
      fat on beta and alpha cell mass in humans with and without diabetes. Design and
      Subjects: Using our tissue database, pancreas sections of 72 Japanese nondiabetic
      (NDM) autopsy cases and 50 diabetic and 49 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched
      NDM patients who underwent pancreatic surgery were analyzed. In addition to
      histological grading, intrapancreatic fat area (IPFA) was quantified as
      fractional intralobular, but not interlobular, fat area to the whole pancreas
      area. Results: Although IPFA was positively correlated with age and BMI, there
      was no significant difference in IPFA between cases with and without diabetes.
      Moreover, no association was found between IPFA and either beta or alpha cell
      area, or glycated hemoglobin. Conclusion: These findings suggest that pancreatic
      fat deposits have little effect on beta cell mass and the development of diabetes
      in humans.

PMID- 28633421
TI  - Linking noise to cardiovascular disease pathogenesis.

PMID- 28633422
TI  - "Research on Infertility: Definition Makes a Difference" Revisited.
AB  - In a 1989 paper, Marchbanks et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 1989;130(2):259-267) noted
      inconsistent definitions of infertility across research and clinical practice and
      examined differences in prevalence estimates across definitions. Since their
      study, there have been substantial changes in society, technology, and clinical
      practice related to female reproductive health. In response, we revisited the
      original paper using data from a recent study among reproductive-aged women.
      Internal comparisons across various definitions of infertility were made by
      assessing how many and which women were classified as infertile, their age at
      infertility, and the probability of spontaneous pregnancy after infertility.
      Results were also compared with Marchbanks et al. Black women were more likely to
      be classified as infertile than white women based on the definition "12 months of
      unprotected intercourse" (40.1% vs. 33.7%) but less likely by "12 months of
      attempting pregnancy" (14.3% vs. 21.8%) and "visiting a doctor for help getting
      pregnant" (8.4% vs. 19.7%). After unprotected intercourse for 12 months, 36.1% of
      women who were attempting pregnancy spontaneously conceived by 6 months compared
      with 13.5% of women who were not attempting pregnancy. While our results for most
      infertility definitions were similar to those of Marchbanks et al., prevalence
      estimates continued to differ across demographic groups by definition.

PMID- 28633423
TI  - rqt: an R package for gene-level meta-analysis.
AB  - Motivation: Despite recent advances of modern GWAS methods, it is still remains
      an important problem of addressing calculation an effect size and corresponding p
      value for the whole gene rather than for single variant. Results: We developed an
      R package rqt, which offers gene-level GWAS meta-analysis. The package can be
      easily included into bioinformatics pipeline or used stand-alone. We applied this
      tool to the analysis of Alzheimer's disease data from three datasets CHS, FHS and
      LOADFS. Test results from meta-analysis of three Alzheimer studies show its
      applicability for association testing. Availability and implementation: The
      package rqt is freely available under the following link:
      https://github.com/izhbannikov/rqt. Contact: ilya.zhbannikov@duke.edu.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28633424
TI  - From the Cover: Three-Dimensional (3D) HepaRG Spheroid Model With Physiologically
      Relevant Xenobiotic Metabolism Competence and Hepatocyte Functionality for Liver
      Toxicity Screening.
AB  - Effective prediction of human responses to chemical and drug exposure is of
      critical importance in environmental toxicology research and drug development.
      While significant progress has been made to address this challenge using invitro
      liver models, these approaches often fail due to inadequate tissue model
      functionality. Herein, we describe the development, optimization, and
      characterization of a novel three-dimensional (3D) spheroid model using
      differentiated HepaRG cells that achieve and maintain physiologically relevant
      levels of xenobiotic metabolism (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, and CYP3A4/5). This invitro
      model maintains a stable phenotype over multiple weeks in both 96- and 384-well
      formats, supports highly reproducible tissue-like architectures and models
      pharmacologically- and environmentally important hepatic receptor pathways (ie
      AhR, CAR, and PXR) analogous to primary human hepatocyte cultures. HepaRG
      spheroid cultures use 50-100* fewer cells than conventional two dimensional
      cultures, and enable the identification of metabolically activated toxicants.
      Spheroid size, time in culture and culture media composition were important
      factors affecting basal levels of xenobiotic metabolism and liver enzyme
      inducibility with activators of hepatic receptors AhR, CAR and PXR. Repeated
      exposure studies showed higher sensitivity than traditional 2D cultures in
      identifying compounds that cause liver injury and metabolism-dependent toxicity.
      This platform combines the well-documented impact of 3D culture configuration for
      improved tissue functionality and longevity with the requisite throughput and
      repeatability needed for year-over-year toxicology screening.

PMID- 28633426
TI  - Atypical Histiocytoid Cells in Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: An
      Underrecognized Cytologic Pattern.
AB  - Objectives: Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of head and neck lymph nodes (LNs) is
      useful in diagnosing metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and most
      commonly shows classic cytologic features of PTC. Metastatic PTC, however, may
      occasionally present with a pattern unfamiliar to most pathologists: atypical
      histiocytoid cells (AHCs). Methods: All PTC thyroidectomy specimens with
      associated FNA of LNs were retrieved from our files for 2007 to 2013. We aimed to
      assess cytologic features of metastatic PTC, as well as the presence of AHCs and
      their morphology. Results: Fifty-six FNAs from LNs with metastatic PTC were
      reviewed. AHCs were identified in 38 (68%) cases, while only PTC with classic
      cytologic features was seen in 18 (32%) cases. AHCs did not show diagnostic
      nuclear features of PTC and presented as large cells with abundant cytoplasm
      either vacuolated or dense. Nuclei varied from vesicular with prominent nucleoli
      to dark and smudgy. Thirty-one cases showed mixed AHCs and classic PTC, but seven
      cases (13% of all metastatic PTCs in LNs) consisted only of AHCs. Conclusions:
      AHCs are an often unrecognized metastatic morphologic pattern of cystic PTC, as
      it does not show diagnostic classic nuclear features of PTC. AHCs are the
      predominant cytologic finding in approximately 13% of metastatic PTCs to neck
      LNs.

PMID- 28633425
TI  - Androgen receptor mutations in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer
      treated with apalutamide.
AB  - Background: Mutations in the androgen receptor (AR) ligand-binding domain (LBD),
      such as F877L and T878A, have been associated with resistance to next-generation
      AR-directed therapies. ARN-509-001 was a phase I/II study that evaluated
      apalutamide activity in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Here, we
      evaluated the type and frequency of 11 relevant AR-LBD mutations in apalutamide
      treated CRPC patients. Patients and methods: Blood samples from men with
      nonmetastatic CRPC (nmCRPC) and metastatic CRPC (mCRPC) pre- or post-abiraterone
      acetate and prednisone (AAP) treatment (>=6 months' exposure) were evaluated at
      baseline and disease progression in trial ARN-509-001. Mutations were detected in
      circulating tumor DNA using a digital polymerase chain reaction-based method
      known as BEAMing (beads, emulsification, amplification and magnetics) (Sysmex
      Inostics' GmbH). Results: Of the 97 total patients, 51 had nmCRPC, 25 had AAP
      naive mCRPC, and 21 had post-AAP mCRPC. Ninety-three were assessable for the
      mutation analysis at baseline and 82 of the 93 at progression. The overall
      frequency of detected AR mutations at baseline was 7/93 (7.5%) and at progression
      was 6/82 (7.3%). Three of the 82 (3.7%) mCRPC patients (2 AAP-naive and 1 post
      AAP) acquired AR F877L during apalutamide treatment. At baseline, 3 of the 93
      (3.2%) post-AAP patients had detectable AR T878A, which was lost after
      apalutamide treatment in 1 patient who continued apalutamide treatment for 12
      months. Conclusions: The overall frequency of detected mutations at baseline
      (7.5%) and progression (7.3%) using the sensitive BEAMing assay was low,
      suggesting that, based on this assay, AR-LBD mutations such as F877L and T878A
      are not common contributors to de novo or acquired resistance to apalutamide.
      ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01171898.

PMID- 28633428
TI  - Integrated Multimaneuver Dissection Technique of the Sylvian Fissure: Operative
      Nuances.

PMID- 28633427
TI  - Genotypic variation in tolerance to drought stress is highly coordinated with
      hydraulic conductivity-photosynthesis interplay and aquaporin expression in field
      grown mulberry (Morus spp.).
AB  - Hydraulic conductivity quantifies the efficiency of a plant to transport water
      from root to shoot and is a major constriction on leaf gas exchange physiology.
      Mulberry (Morus spp.) is the most economically important crop for sericulture
      industry. In this study, we demonstrate a finely coordinated control of hydraulic
      dynamics on leaf gas exchange characteristics in 1-year-old field-grown mulberry
      genotypes (Selection-13 (S13); Kollegal Local (KL) and Kanva-2 (K2)) subjected to
      water stress by withholding water for 20 days and subsequent recovery for 7 days.
      Significant variations among three mulberry genotypes have been recorded in net
      photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductance and sap flow rate, as well as
      hydraulic conductivity in stem (KS) and leaf (KL). Among three genotypes, S13
      showed significantly high rates of Pn, KS and KL both in control as well as
      during drought stress (DS) and recovery, providing evidence for superior drought
      adaptive strategies. The plant water hydraulics-photosynthesis interplay was
      finely coordinated with the expression of certain key aquaporins (AQPs) in roots
      and leaves. Our data clearly demonstrate that expression of certain AQPs play a
      crucial role in hydraulic dynamics and photosynthetic carbon assimilation during
      DS and recovery, which could be effectively targeted towards mulberry improvement
      programs for drought adaptation.

PMID- 28633429
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633430
TI  - Giant steps forward.

PMID- 28633431
TI  - Differential Effects of Alcohol on Memory Performance in Adolescent Men and Women
      with a Binge Drinking History.
AB  - Aims: Binge drinking (BD) is characterized by intermittent consumption of large
      quantities of alcohol in short periods. This pattern of drinking is prevalent
      among adolescents, and has been associated with undermined learning and memory
      ability. This study investigates the relationships between a history of BD and
      the effects of acute exposure to alcohol on learning and memory performance in
      adolescent men and women. Methods: A high, acute dose of alcohol or control
      refreshment was administered to a sample of 172 adolescent undergraduate
      students, some of which had a history of BD and others of which had refrained
      from alcohol consumption. Subsequently, immediate visual memory (IVM) and working
      memory (WM) was measured according to the Wechsler Memory Scale in females and
      males with different BAC (Experiment 1) and similar BAC (Experiment 2). Results:
      In both experiments, IVM was reduced after acute alcohol consumption and there
      was no significant main effect of Drinking Pattern. Furthermore, an effect of
      cognitive alcohol tolerance on IVM was observed in women but not in men. WM was
      not affected by alcohol, but a gender difference was evident in that performance
      was superior in men than in women. Conclusions: In adolescents, IVM is more
      sensitive than WM to impairment by alcohol, and women are more vulnerable to the
      neurotoxic effects of alcohol than men, since the cognitive tolerance effect of
      alcohol on IVM develops in BD women but not in BD men. These findings emphasize
      the need to investigate the neurotoxic effects of alcohol in adolescent women.
      Short summary: In adolescents, immediate visual memory (IVM) is more sensitive
      than working memory to impairment by alcohol, and women are more vulnerable to
      the neurotoxic effects of alcohol than men, because the cognitive tolerance
      effect of alcohol on IVM develops in binge drinking (BD) women but not in BD men.

PMID- 28633432
TI  - Factors Associated With Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Among US Adults: National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2014.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) has a substantial role in
      hypertension management and control. METHODS: Cross-sectional data for
      noninstitutionalized US adults 18 years and older (10,958) from the National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), years 2011-2014, were used to
      examine factors related to HBPM. RESULTS: In 2011-2014, estimated 9.5% of US
      adults engaged in weekly HBPM, 7.2% engaged in monthly HBPM, 8.0% engaged in HBPM
      less than once a month, and 75.3% didn't engage any HBPM. The frequency of HBPM
      increased with age, body mass index, and the number of health care visits (all, P
      < 0.05). Also, race/ethnicity (Non-Hispanic Blacks and non-Hispanic Asians),
      health insurance, diagnosed with diabetes, told by a health care provider to
      engage in HBPM, and diagnosed as hypertensive, were all associated with more
      frequent HBPM (P < 0.05). Adjusting for covariates, hypertensives who were aware
      of, treated for, and controlled engaged in more frequent HBPM compared to their
      respective references: unaware (odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval
      [CI] = 1.53-2.63), untreated (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.52-2.60), and uncontrolled
      (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.13-1.82). Hypertensive adults (aware/unaware,
      treated/untreated, or controlled/uncontrolled), who received providers'
      recommendations to perform HBPM, were more likely to do so compared to those who
      did not receive recommendations (OR = 8.04, 95% CI = 6.56-9.86; OR = 7.98, 95% CI
      = 6.54-9.72; OR = 8.75, 95% CI = 7.18-10.67, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:
      Seventeen percent of US adults engaged in monthly or more frequent HBPM and
      health care providers' recommendations to engage in HBPM have a significant
      impact on the frequency of HBPM.

PMID- 28633433
TI  - The International Society for Computational Biology and WikiProject Computational
      Biology: celebrating 10 years of collaboration towards open access.

PMID- 28633434
TI  - PSIP1/p75 promotes tumorigenicity in breast cancer cells by promoting the
      transcription of cell cycle genes.
AB  - Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, both at the pathological
      and molecular level, and several chromatin-associated proteins play crucial roles
      in BC initiation and progression. Here, we demonstrate the role of PSIP1 (PC4 and
      SF2 interacting protein)/p75 (LEDGF) in BC progression. PSIP1/p75, previously
      identified as a chromatin-adaptor protein, is found to be upregulated in basal
      like/triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patient samples and cell lines.
      Immunohistochemistry in tissue arrays showed elevated levels of PSIP1 in
      metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma. Survival data analyses revealed that the
      levels of PSIP1 showed a negative association with TNBC patient survival.
      Depletion of PSIP1/p75 significantly reduced the tumorigenicity and metastatic
      properties of TNBC cell lines while its over-expression promoted tumorigenicity.
      Further, gene expression studies revealed that PSIP1 regulates the expression of
      genes controlling cell-cycle progression, cell migration and invasion. Finally,
      by interacting with RNA polymerase II, PSIP1/p75 facilitates the association of
      RNA pol II to the promoter of cell cycle genes and thereby regulates their
      transcription. Our findings demonstrate an important role of PSIP1/p75 in TNBC
      tumorigenicity by promoting the expression of genes that control the cell cycle
      and tumor metastasis.

PMID- 28633435
TI  - MCM3AP in recessive Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy and mild intellectual
      disability.
AB  - Defects in mRNA export from the nucleus have been linked to various
      neurodegenerative disorders. We report mutations in the gene MCM3AP, encoding the
      germinal center associated nuclear protein (GANP), in nine affected individuals
      from five unrelated families. The variants were associated with severe childhood
      onset primarily axonal (four families) or demyelinating (one family) Charcot
      Marie-Tooth neuropathy. Mild to moderate intellectual disability was present in
      seven of nine affected individuals. The affected individuals were either compound
      heterozygous or homozygous for different MCM3AP variants, which were predicted to
      cause depletion of GANP or affect conserved amino acids with likely importance
      for its function. Accordingly, fibroblasts of affected individuals from one
      family demonstrated severe depletion of GANP. GANP has been described to function
      as an mRNA export factor, and to suppress TDP-43-mediated motor neuron
      degeneration in flies. Thus our results suggest defective mRNA export from
      nucleus as a potential pathogenic mechanism of axonal degeneration in these
      patients. The identification of MCM3AP variants in affected individuals from
      multiple centres establishes it as a disease gene for childhood-onset recessively
      inherited Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy with intellectual disability.

PMID- 28633436
TI  - Membrane Androgen Receptor ZIP9 Induces Croaker Ovarian Cell Apoptosis via
      Stimulatory G Protein Alpha Subunit and MAP Kinase Signaling.
AB  - Recent studies show that androgen-induced apoptosis in Atlantic croaker primary
      granulosa and theca (G/T) cells and in human breast and prostate cancer cell
      lines is mediated by the membrane androgen receptor ZIP9, which belongs to the
      SLC39A zinc transporter family. However, the apoptotic signaling pathways remain
      unclear because ZIP9 activates an inhibitory G protein in human cancer cells,
      whereas recombinant croaker ZIP9 activates a stimulatory G protein (Gs) in
      transfected cancer cells. We investigated androgen-dependent apoptotic pathways
      to identify the signaling pathways regulated through wild-type croaker ZIP9 in
      ovarian follicle cells. We show that the ZIP9-mediated apoptotic signaling
      pathway in croaker G/T cells shares several proapoptotic members with those in
      human cancer cells, but is activated through a Gsalpha subunit-dependent pathway.
      Testosterone treatment of croaker G/T cells increased intracellular zinc levels,
      mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity, caspase 3 activity, messenger
      RNA levels of proapoptotic members Bax, p53, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and the
      incidence of apoptosis, similar to findings in mammalian cancer cells, but also
      increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations. Transfection with small
      interfering RNA targeting croaker ZIP9 blocked testosterone-induced increase in
      bax, p53, and jnk expression. Testosterone-induced apoptosis and caspase 3
      activation depended on the presence of extracellular zinc and were effectively
      blocked with cotreatment of inhibitors of the Gsalpha subunit, adenylyl cyclase,
      protein kinase A, and MAP kinase (Erk1/2) activation. These results indicate that
      ZIP9-mediated testosterone signaling in croaker G/T cells involves multiple
      pathways, some of which differ from those activated through ZIP9 in human cancer
      cells even though a similar apoptotic response is observed.

PMID- 28633437
TI  - Corrigendum: Barriers to Alcohol Screening Among Hypertensive Patients and the
      Role of Stigma: Lessons for the Implementation of Screening and Brief
      Interventions in European Primary Care Settings.

PMID- 28633439
TI  - Mobility Difficulties, Physical Activity, and All-cause Mortality Risk in a
      Nationally representative Sample of Older Adults.
AB  - Background: This study sought to determine the association between levels of
      physical activity and mobility difficulties and time to death while accounting
      for the effect of several confounders. We also examined the possible interaction
      between them and how various daily-life mobility difficulties could predict all
      cause mortality. Methods: A nationally representative sample of 2,074
      noninstitutionalized adults aged 60 years and older was analyzed. Vital status
      over a 3-year follow-up period was ascertained through national registers or by
      asking participants' relatives. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were stratified by
      levels of physical activity and mobility difficulties. Unadjusted and adjusted
      Cox proportional hazards regression models (by age, gender, marital status, years
      of education, multimorbidity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, depression, and
      memory function) were calculated, and interactions between the predictors and the
      covariates were explored. Results: There was a dose-gradient effect of physical
      activity on time to death, with high levels associated with a 51% lower risk of
      dying, compared with moderate physical activity. Each unit increase in mobility
      functioning was associated with a 2% drop in mortality. Difficulties in standing
      for long periods, getting where one wants to go or extending arms to reach
      objects, were also found to be strong predictors of all-cause mortality.
      Conclusions: Our results confirm the importance of older adults practicing
      moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The assessment of self-reported
      difficulties in daily-life mobility activities, such as standing for long periods
      or not being able to move around, could be used in health settings as a screening
      for mortality risk.

PMID- 28633438
TI  - SANDPUMA: ensemble predictions of nonribosomal peptide chemistry reveal
      biosynthetic diversity across Actinobacteria.
AB  - Summary: Nonribosomally synthesized peptides (NRPs) are natural products with
      widespread applications in medicine and biotechnology. Many algorithms have been
      developed to predict the substrate specificities of nonribosomal peptide
      synthetase adenylation (A) domains from DNA sequences, which enables
      prioritization and dereplication, and integration with other data types in
      discovery efforts. However, insufficient training data and a lack of clarity
      regarding prediction quality have impeded optimal use. Here, we introduce
      prediCAT, a new phylogenetics-inspired algorithm, which quantitatively estimates
      the degree of predictability of each A-domain. We then systematically benchmarked
      all algorithms on a newly gathered, independent test set of 434 A-domain
      sequences, showing that active-site-motif-based algorithms outperform whole
      domain-based methods. Subsequently, we developed SANDPUMA, a powerful ensemble
      algorithm, based on newly trained versions of all high-performing algorithms,
      which significantly outperforms individual methods. Finally, we deployed SANDPUMA
      in a systematic investigation of 7635 Actinobacteria genomes, suggesting that NRP
      chemical diversity is much higher than previously estimated. SANDPUMA has been
      integrated into the widely used antiSMASH biosynthetic gene cluster analysis
      pipeline and is also available as an open-source, standalone tool. Availability
      and implementation: SANDPUMA is freely available at
      https://bitbucket.org/chevrm/sandpuma and as a docker image at
      https://hub.docker.com/r/chevrm/sandpuma/ under the GNU Public License 3 (GPL3).
      Contact: chevrette@wisc.edu or marnix.medema@wur.nl. Supplementary information:
      Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28633440
TI  - Low Alanine Aminotransferase Levels in the Elderly Population: Frailty,
      Disability, Sarcopenia, and Reduced Survival.
AB  - Background: Although low alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels have been
      associated with poor outcomes in the elderly population, the determinants
      subtending this association have been poorly explored. To gain insight into this
      topic, we analyzed data from a prospective population-based database (InCHIANTI
      study) in which frailty, disability, sarcopenia, and pyridoxine levels were
      systematically assessed. Methods: Data are from 765 participants aged more than
      65 years (mean age 75.3 years, women 61.8%), without chronic liver disease,
      malignancies, or alcohol abuse. Frailty was defined according to Fried criteria,
      sarcopenia through peripheral Quantitative-Computed-Tomography (lowest gender
      specific tertile of the residuals of a linear regression of muscle mass from
      height and fat mass), and disability as self-reported need for help in at least
      one basic daily living activity. Associations of ALT with overall and
      cardiovascular mortality were assessed by Cox-models with time-dependent
      covariates. Results: ALT activity was inversely associated with frailty,
      sarcopenia, disability, and pyridoxine deficiency; however, higher ALT was
      confirmed to be protective with respect of overall and cardiovascular mortality
      even in multiple-adjusted models including all these covariates (overall: hazard
      ratio [HR] 0.98 [0.96-1], p = .02; cardiovascular: 0.94 [0.9-0.98], p < .01). The
      association between ALT activity and mortality was nonlinear (J-shaped), and
      subjects in the lower quintiles of ALT levels showed a sharply increased overall
      and cardiovascular mortality. Conclusions: These results suggest that reduced ALT
      levels in older individuals can be considered as a marker of frailty, disability,
      and sarcopenia, and as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes. The possible
      relationship between reduced ALT and impaired hepatic metabolic functions should
      be explored.

PMID- 28633441
TI  - BioQueue: a novel pipeline framework to accelerate bioinformatics analysis.
AB  - Motivation: With the rapid development of Next-Generation Sequencing, a large
      amount of data is now available for bioinformatics research. Meanwhile, the
      presence of many pipeline frameworks makes it possible to analyse these data.
      However, these tools concentrate mainly on their syntax and design paradigms, and
      dispatch jobs based on users' experience about the resources needed by the
      execution of a certain step in a protocol. As a result, it is difficult for these
      tools to maximize the potential of computing resources, and avoid errors caused
      by overload, such as memory overflow. Results: Here, we have developed BioQueue,
      a web-based framework that contains a checkpoint before each step to
      automatically estimate the system resources (CPU, memory and disk) needed by the
      step and then dispatch jobs accordingly. BioQueue possesses a shell command-like
      syntax instead of implementing a new script language, which means most biologists
      without computer programming background can access the efficient queue system
      with ease. Availability and implementation: BioQueue is freely available at
      https://github.com/liyao001/BioQueue. The extensive documentation can be found at
      http://bioqueue.readthedocs.io. Contact: li_yao@outlook.com or gcsui@nefu.edu.cn.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28633442
TI  - Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Female NOD Mice Reveals Daily Rhythms and a
      Negative Correlation With Body Temperature.
AB  - Previous studies with continuous glucose monitoring in mice have been limited to
      several days or weeks, with the mouse's physical attachment to the equipment
      affecting behavior and measurements. In the current study, we measured blood
      glucose and body temperature at 10-second intervals for 12 weeks in a cohort of
      NOD/ShiLtJ female mice using wireless telemetry. This allowed us to obtain a high
      resolution profile of the circadian rhythm of these two parameters and the onset
      of hyperglycemic development in real time. The most striking observations were
      the elevated nocturnal concentrations of glucose into the diabetic range days
      before elevations in diurnal glucose (when glucose concentrations are
      historically measured) and the strong, negative correlation between elevated
      blood glucose concentrations and body temperature with a steady decline of the
      body temperature with diabetes development. Taken together, this technological
      advancement provides improved resolution in the study of the disease trajectory
      of diabetes in mouse models, including relevant translatability to the current
      technologies of continuous glucose monitoring now regularly used in patients.

PMID- 28633443
TI  - NOD2 Genetic Variants Predispose One of Two Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
      Siblings to Pouchitis Through Microbiome Dysbiosis.
AB  - Background and Aims: Individuals with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) may
      undergo a total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) to
      surgically treat their disease. Inflammation of the ileal pouch, termed
      pouchitis, is uncommon in FAP patients but prevalent in patients who received
      IPAA for ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods
      and Results: We report on two FAP siblings, living in the same household, who
      underwent IPAA surgery within one week of each other. Their mother also had an
      IPAA for FAP. One sibling developed pouchitis while his brother and mother have
      remained pouchitis-free. We investigated the genetic and microbial factors that
      might explain the development of pouchitis in the one sibling. We surveyed DNA
      isolated from the two brothers and their parents for NOD2 IBD risk variants by
      Sanger sequencing. The composition of mucosa-associated bacteria was analyzed by
      16S rRNA gene sequencing on terminal ileum and rectal tissue collected at the
      time of surgical resection from the two brothers. The sibling with pouchitis
      inherited the IBD-associated risk alleles for NOD2 (rs17221417 and rs2076756)
      from his healthy father. Both the mother and unaffected brother lacked these
      variants. Microbiome sequencing of the terminal ileum and rectum found reduced
      levels of potentially 'beneficial' bacteria (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii,
      Bacteroides, and Ruminococcaceae) in the sibling with pouchitis relative to his
      brother. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the NOD2 signaling pathway may
      contribute to intrinsic bacterial dysbiosis which is pre-existing and which may
      then predispose individuals to pouchitis after IPAA surgery.

PMID- 28633445
TI  - BPP: a sequence-based algorithm for branch point prediction.
AB  - Motivation: Although high-throughput sequencing methods have been proposed to
      identify splicing branch points in the human genome, these methods can only
      detect a small fraction of the branch points subject to the sequencing depth,
      experimental cost and the expression level of the mRNA. An accurate computational
      model for branch point prediction is therefore an ongoing objective in human
      genome research. Results: We here propose a novel branch point prediction
      algorithm that utilizes information on the branch point sequence and the
      polypyrimidine tract. Using experimentally validated data, we demonstrate that
      our proposed method outperforms existing methods. Availability and
      implementation: https://github.com/zhqingit/BPP. Contact: djguo@cuhk.edu.hk.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28633447
TI  - A rare pathological entity of right ventricular diverticulum.

PMID- 28633448
TI  - The Origin of Novelty Through the Evolution of Scaling Relationships.
AB  - Morphological novelty is often thought of as the evolution of an entirely new
      body plan or the addition of new structures to existing body plans. However,
      novel morphologies may also arise through modification of organ systems within an
      existing body plan. The evolution of novel scaling relationships between body
      size and organ size constitutes such a novel morphological feature. Experimental
      studies have demonstrated that there is genetic variation for allometries and
      that scaling relationships can evolve under artificial selection. We show that an
      allometry equation derived from Gompertz growth kinetics can accurately
      reconstruct complex non-linear allometries, and can be used to deduce the growth
      kinetics of the parts being compared. The equation also shows the relationship
      between ontogenetic and static allometries. We discuss how changes in the non
      linear kinetics of growth can give rise to novel allometric relationships. Using
      parameters for wing and body growth of Manduca sexta, and a population simulation
      of the allometry equation, we show that selection on wing-body scaling can
      dramatically alter wing size without changing body size.

PMID- 28633446
TI  - Genetic Indicators of Drug Resistance in the Highly Repetitive Genome of
      Trichomonas vaginalis.
AB  - Trichomonas vaginalis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted parasite,
      causes ~283 million trichomoniasis infections annually and is associated with
      pregnancy complications and increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition. The
      antimicrobial drug metronidazole is used for treatment, but in a fraction of
      clinical cases, the parasites can become resistant to this drug. We undertook
      sequencing of multiple clinical isolates and lab derived lines to identify
      genetic markers and mechanisms of metronidazole resistance. Reduced
      representation genome sequencing of ~100 T. vaginalis clinical isolates
      identified 3,923 SNP markers and presence of a bipartite population structure.
      Linkage disequilibrium was found to decay rapidly, suggesting genome-wide
      recombination and the feasibility of genetic association studies in the parasite.
      We identified 72 SNPs associated with metronidazole resistance, and a comparison
      of SNPs within several lab-derived resistant lines revealed an overlap with the
      clinically resistant isolates. We identified SNPs in genes for which no function
      has yet been assigned, as well as in functionally-characterized genes relevant to
      drug resistance (e.g., pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase). Transcription
      profiles of resistant strains showed common changes in genes involved in drug
      activation (e.g., flavin reductase), accumulation (e.g., multidrug resistance
      pump), and detoxification (e.g., nitroreductase). Finally, we identified
      convergent genetic changes in lab-derived resistant lines of Tritrichomonas
      foetus, a distantly related species that causes venereal disease in cattle.
      Shared genetic changes within and between T. vaginalis and Tr. foetus parasites
      suggest conservation of the pathways through which adaptation has occurred. These
      findings extend our knowledge of drug resistance in the parasite, providing a
      panel of markers that can be used as a diagnostic tool.

PMID- 28633444
TI  - Controversies in the Management of Low-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.
AB  - Controversy exists over optimal management of low-risk differentiated thyroid
      cancer. This controversy occurs in all aspects of management, including surgery,
      use of radioactive iodine for remnant ablation, thyroid hormone supplementation,
      and long-term surveillance. Limited and conflicting data, treatment paradigm
      shifts, and differences in physician perceptions contribute to the controversy.
      This lack of physician consensus results in wide variation in patient care, with
      some patients at risk for over- or undertreatment. To reduce patient harm and
      unnecessary worry, there is a need to design and implement studies to address
      current knowledge gaps.

PMID- 28633449
TI  - Night work as a risk factor of future disability pension due to musculoskeletal
      diagnoses: a prospective cohort study of Swedish twins.
AB  - Background: This study investigated the associations between night work, sleep
      and disability pension (DP) due to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), while
      controlling for several confounding factors including both genetic factors and
      shared family background. Methods: The study sample consisted of 27 165 Swedish
      twin individuals born in 1935-58 with comprehensive survey data on
      sociodemographic, health and lifestyle factors. Night work was assessed as years
      of working hours at night at least every now and then, and categorized into 'not
      at all, 1-10 years and over 10 years'. Data on DP with MSD (ICD-diagnoses M00
      M99) were obtained from the National Social Insurance Agency. Follow-up was from
      the time of the interview in 1998-2003 until 2013. Information on the length and
      quality of sleep was available for a sub-sample of twins (n = 1684). Cox
      proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) with 95%
      confidence intervals (CI). Results: During the follow-up, 1338 (5%) participants
      were granted DP due to MSD. Both 1-10 years (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.17-1.53) and over
      10 years of night work (HR 1.39 95% CI 1.18-1.64) increased the risk of future
      DP. The associations were not affected by health, lifestyle or sleep factors. In
      the discordant twin pair analysis, the associations between night work and DP due
      to MSD attenuated. Conclusions: Night work was associated with increased risk of
      DP due to MSD independently from health and lifestyle factors. Familial
      confounding could not be ruled out.

PMID- 28633451
TI  - CHA2DS2-VASc score and blood biomarkers to identify patients with atrial high
      rate episodes and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: the role of TIMP-4 regulation.

PMID- 28633450
TI  - Comparative Genomics of All Three Campylobacter sputorum Biovars and a Novel
      Cattle-Associated C. sputorum Clade.
AB  - Campylobacter sputorum is a nonthermotolerant campylobacter that is primarily
      isolated from food animals such as cattle and sheep. C. sputorum is also
      infrequently associated with human illness. Based on catalase and urease
      activity, three biovars are currently recognized within C. sputorum: bv. sputorum
      (catalase negative, urease negative), bv. fecalis (catalase positive, urease
      negative), and bv. paraureolyticus (catalase negative, urease positive). A multi
      locus sequence typing (MLST) method was recently constructed for C. sputorum.
      MLST typing of several cattle-associated C. sputorum isolates suggested that they
      are members of a divergent C. sputorum clade. Although catalase positive, and
      thus technically bv. fecalis, the taxonomic position of these strains could not
      be determined solely by MLST. To further characterize C. sputorum, the genomes of
      four strains, representing all three biovars and the divergent clade, were
      sequenced to completion. Here we present a comparative genomic analysis of the
      four C. sputorum genomes. This analysis indicates that the three biovars and the
      cattle-associated strains are highly related at the genome level with
      similarities in gene content. Furthermore, the four genomes are strongly syntenic
      with one or two minor inversions. However, substantial differences in gene
      content were observed among the three biovars. Finally, although the strain
      representing the cattle-associated isolates was shown to be C. sputorum, it is
      possible that this strain is a member of a novel C. sputorum subspecies; thus,
      these cattle-associated strains may form a second taxon within C. sputorum.

PMID- 28633453
TI  - A multifaceted quality improvement strategy reduces the risk of catheter
      associated urinary tract infection.
AB  - Objective: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are common and
      preventable hospital-acquired infections, yet their rate continues to rise
      nationwide. We describe the implementation of a multifaceted program to reduce
      catheter use and CAUTI rates while simultaneously addressing barriers to long
      term success. Design/Setting/Participants: Pre-post study of medical inpatient
      veterans between December 2012 and February 2015. Intervention: Five component
      intervention: (i) a bedside catheter reminder; (ii) multidisciplinary educational
      campaign; (iii) structured catheter order set with clinical decision support;
      (iv) automated catheter discontinuation orders; and (v) protocol for post
      catheter removal care. Main Outcome Measure(s): Catheter utilization rates and
      CAUTI rates on the study ward were followed during the 14-week baseline period,
      the 27-week transition/intervention period and the 70-week period of full
      implementation/sustainability. Rates of patient falls per bed days and catheter
      reinsertions were collected during the same time periods as balancing measures.
      Results: Catheter use declined by 35% from the baseline period to the full
      implementation/sustainability period. This improvement was not realized until
      deployment of the structured electronic orders with automated catheter
      discontinuation and protocolized post-catheter care. The average number of days
      between CAUTIs on the study ward increased from 101 days in the baseline period
      to over 400 days in the full implementation/sustainability period. There was no
      significant change in the rates of falls or catheter reinsertions during the
      study period. Conclusions: A multicomponent intervention aimed specifically at
      targeting local barriers was successful in reducing catheter utilization as well
      as CAUTIs in a veteran population without compensatory increase in patient falls
      or catheter replacement.

PMID- 28633454
TI  - Long-Term Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Injection of IncobotulinumtoxinA in
      Piriformis Syndrome.

PMID- 28633452
TI  - Threshold Effects of Circulating Angiopoietin-Like 3 Levels on Plasma
      Lipoproteins.
AB  - Context: Angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) deficiency in plasma due to loss-of
      function gene mutations results in familial combined hypobetalipoproteinemia type
      2 (FHBL2) in homozygotes. However, the lipid phenotype in heterozygotes is much
      milder and does not appear to relate directly to ANGPTL3 levels. Furthermore, the
      low-density lipoprotein (LDL) phenotype in carriers of ANGPTL3 mutations is
      unexplained. Objective: To determine whether reduction below a critical threshold
      in plasma ANGPTL3 levels is a determinant of lipoprotein metabolism in FHBL2, and
      to determine whether proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is
      involved in determining low LDL levels in this condition. Design: We studied
      subjects from 19 families with ANGPTL3 mutations and subjects with familial
      combined hypobetalipoproteinemia type 1 (FHBL1) due to truncated apolipoprotein B
      (apoB) species. Results: First, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
      cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL and LDL particle concentration correlated
      with plasma ANGPTL3 levels but only when the latter was <25% of normal (<60
      ng/dL). Second, the very low-density lipoprotein particle concentration
      correlated strongly with plasma ANGPTL3 when the latter was <58% of normal.
      Third, both FHBL1 and FHBL2 subjects showed low levels of mature and LDL-bound
      PCSK9 and higher levels of its furin-cleaved form. Finally, LDL-bound PCSK9 is
      protected from cleavage by furin and binds to the LDL receptor more strongly than
      apoB-free PCSK9. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the hypolipidemic effects
      of ANGPTL3 mutations in FHBL2 are dependent on a threshold of plasma ANGPTL3
      levels, with differential effects on various lipoprotein particles. The increased
      inactivation of PCSK9 by furin in FHBL1 and FHBL2 is likely to cause increased
      LDL clearance and suggests novel therapeutic avenues.

PMID- 28633456
TI  - Feeding during dialysis-risks and uncertainties.
AB  - Allowing dialysis patients to eat during the treatment is controversial. It is,
      therefore, no surprise that practices and policies with respect to intradialytic
      food consumption vary considerably from unit to unit and from country to country.
      Those who defend the position of feeding during dialysis reason that
      intradialytic meals offer a supervised and effective therapy for protein-energy
      wasting. Those who take the opposite view argue that intradialytic food intake
      should be avoided for the following three reasons. First, interventional studies
      show that eating during dialysis causes a clinically significant reduction in
      systemic blood pressure during the postprandial period and elevates the risk of
      symptomatic intradialytic hypotension; the latter is associated with increased
      mortality risk. Second, clinical studies have shown that eating during dialysis
      interferes with the adequacy of the delivered dialysis, whereas eating 2-3 h
      before the dialysis session has no impact on the efficiency of the subsequent
      dialysis treatment. And third, randomized studies show that eating during
      dialysis focus on the positive outcomes but do not adequately balance this
      potential benefit against the risk of intradialytic hemodynamic instability and
      poor quality of delivered dialysis. Even after half a century of providing long
      term dialysis, definitive randomized trials that balance risks and benefits of
      eating during dialysis are missing. These knowledge gaps require randomized
      trials. Since there is a real possibility of harm with eating during dialysis, we
      caution that instead of encouraging the widespread use of intradialytic meals,
      practices and policies should focus on adequate nutrient intake during the
      interdialytic interval.

PMID- 28633455
TI  - Fetal Metabolic Stress Disrupts Immune Homeostasis and Induces Proinflammatory
      Responses in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1- and Combination Antiretroviral
      Therapy-Exposed Infants.
AB  - Increased morbidity and fetal growth restriction are reported in uninfected
      children born to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected women
      treated with antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. Viruses and/or pharmacological
      interventions such as ARVs can induce metabolic stress, skewing the cell's immune
      response and restricting (cell) growth. Novel metabolomic techniques provided the
      opportunity to investigate the impact of fetal HIV-1 and combination ARV therapy
      (cART) exposure on the infants' immune metabolome. Peroxidized lipids, generated
      by reactive oxygen species, were increased in cART/HIV-1-exposed infants,
      indicating altered mitochondrial functioning. The lipid metabolism was further
      dysregulated with increased triglyceride species and a subsequent decrease in
      phospholipids in cART/HIV-1-exposed infants compared to control infants.
      Proinflammatory immune mediators, lysophospholipids as well as cytokines such as
      CXCL10 and CCL3, were increased whereas anti-inflammatory metabolites from the
      cytochrome P450 pathway were reduced in cART/HIV-1-exposed infants. Taken
      together, these data demonstrate that the fetal metabolism is impacted by
      maternal factors (cART and HIV-1) and skews physiological immune responses toward
      inflammation in the newborn infant.

PMID- 28633458
TI  - Causes of death and mortality trends of all individuals reported with HIV/AIDS in
      Israel, 1985-2010.
AB  - Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has changed life
      expectancy and mortality trends among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) since
      1996. This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the mortality epidemiology
      of PLWHA in Israel and analyze the causes of death. Methods: This cohort study
      included all adult Israeli-citizens PLWHA between 1985 and 2010 and crossed
      matched with the Civil Registry to identify those who died. Death certificates
      were classified into AIDS or non-AIDS deaths related-causes. Standardized
      mortality-ratio (SMR) represented mortality excess. Results: Of all 5140 PLWHA
      who were followed-up for 36 955 person-years, 1066 (20.7%) died. The ratio of
      AIDS-related deaths to non-AIDS related deaths reduced from 1.2:1 before 1996 to
      0.6:1 after 1997, and case-fatality rates reduced from 12.0 to 0.9%, respectively
      (P < 0.001). SMR were 3.0 (95% CI: 2.3-3.5) for males and 3.9 (95% CI: 3.3-4.5)
      for females. Fatality cases were more likely older Israeli-born males, co
      infected with tuberculosis, reported before 1996 and acquired HIV by drug
      injection or infected-blood products. Deaths of AIDS-related causes were common
      among Israeli-born gay men, while non-AIDS deaths were common among those
      reported after 1997 and drug users. Conclusions: Death rates declined since HAART
      introduction. Yet, SMR remained high, and PLWHA infected by drug-use or blood
      products have not enjoyed relative longevity.

PMID- 28633457
TI  - The Hemagglutinin A Stem Antibody MEDI8852 Prevents and Controls Disease and
      Limits Transmission of Pandemic Influenza Viruses.
AB  - Background: MEDI8852 is a novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) that neutralizes both
      group I and group II influenza A viruses (IAVs) in vitro. We evaluated whether
      MEDI8852 was effective for prophylaxis and therapy against representative group I
      (H5N1) and group II (H7N9) pandemic IAVs in mice and ferrets and could be used to
      block transmission of influenza H1N1pdm09 in ferrets, compared to an irrelevant
      control mAb R347 and oseltamivir. Methods: MEDI8852 was administered to mice and
      ferrets by intraperitoneal injection at varying doses, 24 hours prior to
      intranasal infection with H5N1 and H7N9 viruses for prophylaxis, and 24, 48, and
      72 hours post-infection for treatment. A comparison with oseltamivir alone and
      combination of MEDI8852 and oseltamivir was included in some studies. Survival,
      weight loss, and viral titers were assessed over a 14-day study period. For the
      transmission study, naive respiratory contact ferrets received MEDI8852 or R347
      prior to exposure to ferrets infected with an H1N1pdm09 virus. Results: MEDI8852
      was effective for prophylaxis and treatment of H7N9 and H5N1 infection in mice,
      with a clear dose-dependent response and treatment with MEDI8852 24, 48, or 72
      hours postinfection was superior to oseltamivir for H5N1. MEDI8852 alone was
      effective treatment for lethal H5N1 infection in ferrets compared to oseltamivir
      and R347, and MEDI8852 plus oseltamivir was better than oseltamivir alone.
      MEDI8852 or oseltamivir alone early in infection was equally effective for H7N9
      infection in ferrets while the combination yielded similar protection when
      treatment was delayed. MEDI8852 was able to protect naive ferrets from airborne
      transmission of H1N1pdm09. Conclusions: MEDI8852, alone or with oseltamivir,
      shows promise for prophylaxis or therapy of group I and II IAVs with pandemic
      potential. Additionally, MEDI8852 blocked influenza transmission in ferrets, a
      unique finding among influenza-specific mAbs.

PMID- 28633459
TI  - Electron microscopy of voids in Si formed by permeable pulse laser irradiation.
AB  - Voids formed in Si by permeable laser irradiation were investigated by
      comprehensive electron microscopy. Two types of voids were identified: Type (1):
      This type was formed mostly closer to the entrance surface of a laser, and a
      considerable volume of a non-diamond Si (DS) phase was formed in the surrounding
      matrix. Type (2): This type was formed at the focus of an incident laser, and
      none of dislocations, cracks and non-DS phase was observed in the surrounding
      matrix. Type (1) voids are considered to be formed to accommodate volume change
      resulting from transformation from DS to the non-DS. However, it is difficult to
      explain formation of Type (2) voids by this mechanism.

PMID- 28633460
TI  - Guidelines for Composing and Assessing a Paper on Treatment of Pain.
AB  - Authors, readers, and editors share a common focus. Authors want to publish their
      work. Readers want to see high-quality, new information. Referees and editors
      serve to ensure that authors provide valid conclusions based on the quality of
      information that readers want.Common to each of these roles are instructions to
      authors. However, these are typically written in an uninspiring, legalistic
      style, as if they are a set of rules that authors must obey if they expect to get
      published. This renders the instructions boring and oppressive, if not
      forbidding. Yet they need not be so, if they are set in context.Instructions to
      authors can be cast in a way as to reflect common purpose. They can remind
      authors what perceptive readers want to see in a paper and, thereby, prompt
      authors to include all necessary information. If cast in this way, instructions
      to authors are not a set of rules by which to satisfy publishers; they become
      guidelines for the etiquette of communication between authors and their
      readers.Against this background, the present article has been composed to serve
      several purposes. Foremost, it amplifies instructions to authors beyond the
      conventional technicalities such as headings, layout, font size, and line
      spacing. It prescribes the type of information that should be communicated and
      explains the reasons for those recommendations. Doing so not only informs authors
      about what to write, but also informs readers and referees about what to look for
      in a good paper. Secondarily, the article publicizes examples of errors and
      deficiencies of manuscripts submitted to the Journal in the past that have
      delayed their acceptance and publication, which could have been avoided had the
      forthcoming recommendations been followed. The recommendations also reprise the
      elements taught in courses conducted by the Spine Intervention Society in their
      extended program on evidence-based medicine. Doing so underscores that
      instructions for authors are not a procedural technicality but a way to ensure
      that what authors write, what readers read, and what the Journal publishes comply
      with contemporary precepts of good evidence.Some 20 years ago, the Journal of the
      American Medical Association published a comprehensive series of articles with a
      common title: "Users' Guides to the Medical Literature" [1,2]. These articles
      focused on the science of statistical tests and critical appraisal, and their
      importance for properly understanding the literature. The present article differs
      in that it does not presume to teach technicalities. Instead, it describes and
      explains, step by step, the critical components of an article, what authors
      should include, and what readers should look for, so that the Journal can ensure
      that consistent, high-quality information is shared between its authors and
      readers.The present article focuses on articles concerning treatment of pain,
      largely because this type of article is more commonly submitted than articles on
      reliability or validity of diagnostic procedures. Although the present article
      principally focuses on papers for the Spine Section of the Journal, the same
      principles, appropriately adapted, serve for other sections.

PMID- 28633461
TI  - TRAC(ERx)-ing lung cancer evolution.

PMID- 28633462
TI  - In Reply: Genealogy of Training in Vascular Neurosurgery.

PMID- 28633463
TI  - The Body Odor Disgust Scale (BODS): Development and Validation of a Novel
      Olfactory Disgust Assessment.
AB  - Disgust plays a crucial role in the avoidance of pathogen threats. In many
      species, body odors provide important information related to health and disease,
      and body odors are potent elicitors of disgust in humans. With this background,
      valid assessments of body odor disgust sensitivity are warranted. In the present
      article, we report the development and psychometric validation of the Body Odor
      Disgust Scale (BODS), a measure suited to assess individual differences in
      disgust reaction to a variety of body odors. Collected data from 3 studies (total
      n = 528) show that the scale can be used either as a unidimensional scale or as a
      scale that reflects two hypothesized factors: sensitivity to one's own body odors
      versus those of others. Guided by our results, we reduced the scale to 12 items
      that capture the essence of these 2 factors. The final version of the BODS shows
      an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alphas > 0.9). The BODS subscales
      show convergent validity with other general disgust scales, as well as with other
      olfactory functions measures and with aspects of personality that are related to
      pathogen avoidance. A fourth study confirmed the construct validity of the BODS
      and its measurement invariance to gender. Moreover, we found that, compared with
      other general disgust scales, the BODS is more strongly related to perceived
      vulnerability to disease. The BODS is a brief and valid assessment of trait body
      odor disgust sensitivity.

PMID- 28633464
TI  - Hyposmia and Disgust: Gender-Specific Effects.
AB  - Reduced olfactory function is associated with altered trait disgust in men. This
      study sought to determine whether hyposmic women show similar changes in disgust
      responsiveness. We compared patients with hyposmia (25 men, 23 women) and 50
      normosmic individuals (25 men, 25 women) with regard to their tendency to
      experience disgust across different disgust domains (disgust proneness), their
      self-disgust and their tendency to perceive their own disgust feelings as
      difficult to control and embarrassing (disgust sensitivity). We replicated the
      finding that male patients reported elevated self-disgust and disgust proneness
      toward a specific disgust domain (poor hygiene), whereas female patients obtained
      comparable disgust scores as the female control group. Both men and women of the
      patient group indicated disgust regulation difficulties in social contexts. In
      conclusion, we found greater changes in trait disgust in men with hyposmia. This
      gender-specific effect, which might be a result of more efficient compensatory
      behaviors in women, needs further investigation.

PMID- 28633465
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28633467
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28633466
TI  - Is complete response the answer?

PMID- 28633468
TI  - Skin Sensitization: Challenging the Conventional Thinking-A Case Against 2 Out of
      3 as Integrated Testing Strategy.

PMID- 28633469
TI  - A Framework Illustrating Care-Seeking Among Older Adults in a Hospital Emergency
      Department.
AB  - Background and Objectives: Older adults seeking emergency department (ED) care
      often have multiple, complex chronic conditions. We sought to understand factors
      that influence ED care-seeking by older adults and present a theoretical
      framework illustrating this process. Research Design and Methods: In this
      grounded theory study, we interviewed 40 older adults with chronic illness within
      90 days of an ED visit to explore their decision-making about seeking ED care. We
      also interviewed 10 primary care and ED physicians to explore conditions that
      influence ED referrals. Interview transcripts were analyzed using constant
      comparison and dimensional analysis. Results: ED care-seeking among older adults
      is complex and influenced by multiple internal and external conditions including
      symptom type, severity, and onset; previous experience with and meaning of
      similar symptoms; limited access to prompt primary care; social and financial
      concerns; and deciding if symptoms warranted immediate attention. When contacting
      their primary care providers (PCPs), patients were often referred to the ED.
      Discussion and Implications: Older adults seeking ED care make rational and
      appropriate choices which are often predicated by referrals from their PCPs.
      Expecting patients to have the requisite knowledge to determine if symptoms
      require emergency care is unrealistic. ED visits are often the best strategy for
      patients to receive appropriate care. A healthcare system that provides better
      continuity between PCPs and the ED, better access to PCPs for urgent care, and
      timely follow-up care that takes into account the multiple and complex medical
      and social needs of older community-living adults is needed.

PMID- 28633470
TI  - Longitudinal Trajectories of Quality of Life and Depression by Housing Tenure
      Status.

PMID- 28633471
TI  - Development of a chicken ileal explant culture model for measurement of gut
      inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide.
AB  - Gut mucosa holds a single layer of epithelial cells and the largest mass of
      lymphoid tissue in the body. Although the epithelial cell culture model is widely
      used to assess intestinal barrier function, it has limitations for studying
      cellular interactions, in particular those of the immune system. In this study, a
      chicken ileal explant culture model was developed for investigating short-term
      gut inflammatory and secretory responses in an ex vivo environment. Initially,
      ileal explants from broilers at 21 d of age were cultured ex vivo up to 6 h.
      Explants cultured for a maximum of 2 h remained over 90% viable, based on lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Morphologically, explants cultured for 2 h
      displayed normal morphology compared to those cultured longer, further confirming
      that short-term culture for up to 2 h duration is an acceptable model for
      studying ex vivo regulation of inflammation. Subsequently, lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS) dose-related responses were determined for explants cultured for 2 h.
      Results from LDH activity assay showed that the viability of explants was
      decreased (P <= 0.05) at an LPS dose higher than 50 MUg/mL. A significant (P <=
      0.05) nitric oxide release was observed at LPS concentrations of 10 and 20
      MUg/mL. In addition, the highest inflammatory and secretory responses were
      detected at 20 MUg/mL LPS based on gene expression of TLR-4, IL-1beta, IL-8,
      MUC2, IgA, and pIgR (P <= 0.05). However, the gene expression of claudin-1 and
      claudin-4 were not increased at the determined LPS concentrations (P > 0.05).
      These results demonstrated the potential usefulness of this intestinal explant
      culture model for short-term study of biological factors in gut inflammatory and
      secretory responses, but not a sufficient duration for evaluation of tight
      junction responsiveness.

PMID- 28633472
TI  - Association Between Subjective Sleep Quality and Future Risk of Falls in Older
      People: Results From LOHAS.
AB  - Background: Inadequate sleep is correlated with morbidity and mortality among
      older adults. However, the longitudinal relationship between subjective sleep
      quality and risk of falls in the elderly population remains to be clarified.
      Methods: Study participants were from Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in
      Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS) sites (1,071 community-dwelling people ?65 years of
      age, mean: 71 years). Subjective sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh
      Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Occurrence of falls (defined as experiencing at least
      one fall) during the subsequent year was ascertained by a self-reported
      questionnaire. Results: Mean global PSQI score was 4.3 (SD 3.2), with 28.9% of
      participants rating their sleep quality as poor (PSQI > 5). A total of 210
      participants (19.6%) fell at least once in the year following sleep examination.
      Multivariable analysis revealed that participants reporting worse subjective
      sleep quality had significantly higher odds of experiencing falls during the 1
      year follow-up period (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.50 for each three-point
      increase in global PSQI score; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20, 1.89).
      Participants in the highest global PSQI score (PSQI > 5) quartile had
      significantly increased odds of experiencing falls compared to those in the
      lowest global score quartile (PSQI < 2; AOR = 2.14; 95% CI = 1.09, 4.22). This
      association was similarly significant in subgroup analyses for older men and
      women, nonusers of sleep medication, and those without a history of falls at
      baseline. Conclusion: Subjective poor sleep quality, as measured by the PSQI, is
      longitudinally associated with greater risk of experiencing falls in community
      dwelling older adults.

PMID- 28633473
TI  - Experimental evolution and the adjustment of metabolic strategies in lactic acid
      bacteria.
AB  - Experimental evolution of microbes has gained lots of interest in recent years,
      mainly due to the ease of strain characterisation through next-generation
      sequencing. While evolutionary and systems biologists use experimental evolution
      to address fundamental questions in their respective fields, studies with lactic
      acid bacteria are often more directed by applied questions. Insight into
      population and genome dynamics are valuable for experimental design and data
      interpretation, and it is becoming increasingly apparent how different
      constraints limit and govern the outcome of microbial adaptation to a selective
      environment. Examples for such constraints are the finite membrane and cellular
      space which can lead to trade-offs between cellular strategies. A powerful
      perspective is that of resource allocation, which allows cells to maximise
      fitness. This impacts on metabolic strategies that have different
      protein/resource demands. This review focuses on parameters and forces that shape
      cellular optimisation processes and that are determining for the outcome of
      laboratory evolution experiments. Phenotypic changes of experimentally evolved
      lactic acid bacteria will be discussed in the light of the selection conditions
      and the prevailing constraints.

PMID- 28633474
TI  - Interleukin-1 blockade for the treatment of pericarditis.
AB  - Pericarditis is a debilitating condition that results from profound inflammation
      of the pericardial tissue. Between 10 and 15% of first episodes of acute
      pericarditis will be followed by several episodes refractory to conventional
      treatment. Current standard of care for pericarditis treatment includes high-dose
      non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine, and systemic corticosteroids,
      each associated with potentially severe toxicities and nominal efficacy.
      Interleukin-1 (IL-1), an apical pro-inflammatory cytokine, plays an important
      role as an autocrine magnifier of systemic inflammation in pericarditis.
      Interruption of the IL-1 circuit has been shown to have a favourable risk profile
      in several disease states. In this review, we discuss the growing body of
      evidence which supports the use of IL-1 blockade in the treatment of recurrent
      pericarditis as well as provide practical considerations for the use of IL-1
      blockade in clinical practice.

PMID- 28633475
TI  - Cloning and Characterization of Cheilanthifoline and Stylopine Synthase Genes
      from Chelidonium majus.
AB  - The most prominent alkaloid of Chelidonium majus is dihydrocoptisine, revealing
      the characteristic benzophenanthridine skeleton. To date, any informationon on
      the enzymes responsible for its biosynthesis and the related genes in C. majus is
      lacking. Based on sequence similarities to the corresponding methylenedioxy
      bridge-forming Cyt P450 enzymes involved in isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis in
      Eschscholzia californica, genes for a cheilanthifoline synthase and a stylopine
      synthase from C. majus were isolated, sequenced and heterologously expressed in
      yeast. The activity of the heterologously expressed Cyt P450 enzymes was
      determined in situ as well as on the basis of microsomal fractions. It was shown
      that cheilanthifoline synthase (c8931) converts scoulerine into cheilanthifoline,
      the latter subsequently being converted to stylopine by the action of a stylopine
      synthase (c1128). Based on the well-known instability of stylopine, it can be
      assumed that in vivo-under the acidic conditions in the vacuole-this alkaloid is
      converted to dihydrocoptisine, which accumulates in C. majus leaves. Both
      methylenedioxy bridge-forming Cyt P450 enzymes from C. majus are characterized by
      their high substrate specificity. Apart from their genuine substrates, i.e.
      scoulerine and cheilanthifoline, cheilanthifoline synthase and stylopine synthase
      do not accept other substrates tested; the only alternative substrate identified
      was scoulerine, which is converted by stylopine synthase to yield minor amounts
      of nandinine. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the expression of
      cheilanthifoline synthase and stylopine synthase genes is very similar in both
      roots and leaves from C. majus, although the alkaloid accumulation patterns in
      these organs are quite different.

PMID- 28633476
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633477
TI  - Loop diuretics for chronic heart failure: a foe in disguise of a friend?
AB  - Loop diuretics are recommended for relieving symptoms and signs of congestion in
      patients with chronic heart failure and are administered to more than 80% of
      them. However, several of their effects have not systematically been studied.
      Numerous cohort and four interventional studies have addressed the effect of
      diuretics on renal function; apart from one prospective study, which showed that
      diuretics withdrawal is accompanied by increase in some markers of early-detected
      renal injury, all others converge to the conclusion that diuretics receipt,
      especially in high doses is associated with increased rates of renal dysfunction.
      Although a long standing perception has attributed a beneficial effect to
      diuretics in the setting of chronic heart failure, many cohort studies support
      that their use, especially in high doses is associated with adverse outcome.
      Several studies have used propensity scores in order to match diuretic and non
      diuretic receiving patients; their results reinforce the notion that diuretics
      use and high diuretics dose are true risk factors and not disease severity
      markers, as some have suggested. One small, randomized study has demonstrated
      that diuretics decrease is feasible and safe and accompanied by a better
      prognosis. In conclusion, until elegantly designed, randomized trials, powered
      for clinical endpoints answer the unsettled issues in the field, the use of
      diuretics in chronic heart failure will remain subject to physicians' preferences
      and biases and not evidence based.

PMID- 28633478
TI  - Efficacy of 3D transoesophageal echocardiography for transcatheter device closure
      of atrial septal defect without balloon sizing.
AB  - Aims: Using balloon sizing to determine device size may cause complications and
      increase procedure time in performing transcatheter closure of atrial septal
      defect (ASD). We aimed to validate the clinical utility of a formula using
      measurements from 3D transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) images in performing
      the procedure without balloon sizing. Methods and results: We enrolled 248
      consecutive patients with ASD in a prospective registry. In the first tier (n =
      53), we determined the device size before the procedure using our formula and
      performed balloon sizing during the procedure to verify our decision. In the
      second tier (n = 195), the procedure was performed without balloon sizing. In the
      first tier, the estimated device size correlated well with the device size
      finally implanted (R = 0.961, P < 0.001; bias, 0.38 +/- 1.5 mm, P < 0.001) and
      with the stretched balloon diameter (R = 0.929, P < 0.001; bias, 0.13 +/- 2.0 mm,
      P < 0.001). In the second tier, the device size derived from the formula was used
      in all patients, with the exception of one patient who showed a deficient rim on
      the aorta and superior sides and ASD that was not on a single plane. Two patients
      with unfavourable morphologies for device implantation experienced embolization
      of the device. Of the 193 patients with procedural success (99.0%), 2 suffered
      from haemopericardium caused by atrial wall erosion by the device. There were no
      procedure-related deaths. Conclusion: The transcatheter closure of ASD using the
      3D TOE-derived formula without balloon sizing is clinically feasible and safe.
      However, caution should be taken to exclude unfavourable features of ASD
      (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT 02097758).

PMID- 28633479
TI  - Geographical inequalities in uptake of NHS funded eye examinations: Poisson
      modelling of small-area data for Essex, UK.
AB  - Background: Small-area analysis of National Health Service (NHS)-funded sight
      test uptake in Leeds showed significant inequalities in access among people aged
      <16 or >=60. Methods: Data were extracted from 604 126 valid General Ophthalmic
      Services (GOS)1 claim forms for eye examinations for Essex residents between
      October 2013 and July 2015. Expected GOS1 uptake for each lower super output area
      was based on England annual uptake. Poisson regression modelling explored
      associations in GOS1 uptake ratio with deprivation. Results: People aged >=60 or
      <16 living in the least deprived quintile were 15% and 26%, respectively, more
      likely to have an NHS funded eye examination than the most deprived quintile,
      although all are equally entitled. GOS1 uptake is higher in the more deprived
      quintiles among 16-59-year old, as means tested social benefits are the main
      eligibility criteria in this age-group. Inequalities were also observed at local
      authority level. Conclusions: Inequalities in access among people >=60 years were
      not as large as those reported in Leeds, although inequalities in <16-year old
      were similar. However, demonstrable inequalities in this data set over a longer
      time period and a larger and more diverse area than Leeds, reinforce the argument
      that interventions are needed to address eye examination uptake inequalities.

PMID- 28633480
TI  - A prospective examination of circulating tumor cell profiles in non-small-cell
      lung cancer molecular subgroups.
AB  - Background: We report the first study examining the clinical, numerical and
      biological properties of circulating tumor cells according to molecular subtypes
      of non-small-cell lung cancer. Patients and methods: 125 patients with treatment
      naive stage IIIb-IV NSCLC were prospectively recruited for CellSearch analysis.
      Anti-vimentin antibody was included for examination of CTCs to assess their
      mesenchymal character. Associations of total CTCs and vimentin-positive (vim +)
      CTCs with clinical characteristics, tumor genotype, and survival were assessed.
      Results: 51/125 patients (40.8%) were total CTC+ and 26/125 (20.8%) were vim CTC+
      at baseline. Multivariate analysis showed patients with >=5 total CTCs had
      significantly reduced OS (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.33-0.92, P = 0.022) but not PFS (HR
      0.68, 95% CI 0.42-1.1, P = 0.118) compared to patients with <5 total CTCs. No OS
      difference was evident between vim+ CTC and vim-negative CTC patients overall (HR
      1.24, 95% CI 0.67-2.28, P = 0.494), but after subdivision according to NSCLC
      driver mutation, we found an increase of vim+ CTCs in the EGFR-mutated subgroup
      (N = 21/94 patients; mean 1.24 vs 1.22 vim+ CTCs, P = 0.013), a reduction of
      total CTCs in the ALK-rearranged subgroup (N = 13/90 patients; mean 1.69 vs 5.82
      total CTCs, P = 0.029), and a total absence of vim+ CTCs in KRAS-mutated
      adenocarcinomas (N = 19/78 patients; mean 0 vs 1.4 vim+ CTCs, P = 0.006).
      Conclusions: We validate that the baseline presence of >=5 total CTCs in advanced
      NSCLC confers a poor prognosis. CTCs from EGFR-mutant NSCLC express epithelial
      mesenchymal transition characteristics, not seen in CTCs from patients with KRAS
      mutant adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28633481
TI  - Adherence to oral chemotherapy medications among gastroenterological cancer
      patients visiting an outpatient clinic.
AB  - Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate medication adherence to
      oral chemotherapy medications and determinants of medication non-adherence to
      them among gastroenterological cancer patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study
      was conducted on 117 consecutive, consenting, eligible patients visiting an
      outpatient clinic of university hospital in Japan. Good medication adherence was
      defined as taking 100% of the prescribed dose. Medication adherence was measured
      via self-report. We hypothesized that there was a significant relationship
      between medication non-adherence and the five factors defined by the World Health
      Organization: patient-related, socioeconomic-related, condition-related,
      treatment-related, and healthcare-system/provider-related factors. Multiple
      logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with oral
      chemotherapy medication non-adherence. Results: The proportion of patients
      showing good medication adherence was 56.4%. The multiple logistic regression
      analysis revealed that the determinants of medication non-adherence to oral
      chemotherapy medications included having a history of patient-caused treatment
      interruptions due to worsening of symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 9.59, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] = 1.38-66.47), having diarrhea (AOR = 3.25, 95% CI =
      1.13-9.34), experiencing pain (AOR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05-0.55), taking oral
      chemotherapy medication every 8 h (AOR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.71-17.81), and
      diminished sense of priority for medication (AOR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.21-1.63).
      Conclusions: This study suggests that many patients with gastroenterological
      cancer were non-adherent to oral chemotherapy medications. It might be necessary
      to conduct periodic screening and connect patients at a high risk of medication
      non-adherence to appropriate support.

PMID- 28633483
TI  - An informatics research agenda to support patient and family empowerment and
      engagement in care and recovery during and after hospitalization.
AB  - As part of an interdisciplinary acute care patient portal task force with members
      from 10 academic medical centers and professional organizations, we held a
      national workshop with 71 attendees representing over 30 health systems,
      professional organizations, and technology companies. Our consensus approach
      identified 7 key sociotechnical and evaluation research focus areas related to
      the consumption and capture of information from patients, care partners (eg,
      family, friends), and clinicians through portals in the acute and post-acute care
      settings. The 7 research areas were: (1) standards, (2) privacy and security, (3)
      user-centered design, (4) implementation, (5) data and content, (6) clinical
      decision support, and (7) measurement. Patient portals are not yet in routine use
      in the acute and post-acute setting, and research focused on the identified
      domains should increase the likelihood that they will deliver benefit, especially
      as there are differences between needs in acute and post-acute care compared to
      the ambulatory setting.

PMID- 28633482
TI  - Markers of Adipogenesis, but Not Inflammation, in Adipose Tissue Are
      Independently Related to Insulin Sensitivity.
AB  - Context: In obesity, adipose tissue (AT) undergoes dynamic remodeling, including
      an alternation in adipogenesis, AT-resident cell content, angiogenesis, and
      turnover of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Studies of AT in humans have
      been carried out mostly in people with severe metabolic abnormalities, like type
      2 diabetes or morbid obesity. Objective: The purpose of this study was to
      investigate subcutaneous AT gene expression of markers of adipogenesis, ECM
      remodeling, and inflammation in young, healthy, overweight or obese subjects.
      Design: The study group comprised 83 normal-weight, 48 overweight, and 19 obese
      subjects. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, biopsy of subcutaneous AT, and
      isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were performed. Gene
      expression was measured with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results:
      Overweight/obese subjects had lower AT expression of markers of adipogenesis,
      insulin signaling, and angiogenesis; higher expression of markers of ECM
      remodeling; altered expression of genes of the nuclear factor-kappa-B (NFkappaB),
      but not c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, pathway; and higher expression of macrophage
      markers but not markers of other immune cells. In multiple regression analysis,
      the expression of CEBPA, ADIPOQ, IRS1, IRS2, SLC2A4, and MMP9 was associated with
      insulin sensitivity independently of body mass index. No differences were found
      in inflammatory-gene PBMC expression. Conclusion: Overweight/obesity is
      associated with altered expression of genes of adipogenesis, insulin signaling,
      ECM remodeling, and inflammation. NFkappaB seems to be the earliest inflammatory
      pathway altered at the transcriptional level in AT. Macrophages seem to be the
      first immune cells to infiltrate AT. Adipogenesis and ECM remodeling are the
      initial processes in AT that are independently associated with insulin
      sensitivity.

PMID- 28633484
TI  - Disparities in cigarette smoking and use of other tobacco products in Minnesota,
      2003-14.
AB  - Background: Despite efforts to reduce disadvantages across society, widening
      health disparities have been observed in Minnesota. This research examined
      whether observed declines in state-wide smoking prevalence were experienced
      equally by all adults with varying educational attainment. Methods: Serial cross
      sectional data from the 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2014 Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey
      (MATS) were analyzed. Weighted regression analyses for smoking status, time to
      first cigarette, cigarettes per day and non-cigarette other tobacco products
      (OTP) were conducted across education levels. Results: Controlling for age and
      gender, a decreased rate of smoking among high and middle education groups was
      offset by an increase in the low education group. Dependence (time to first
      cigarette) was twice as high in the lowest education group compared to highest,
      yet dependence did not decline over time for any group. There was a decline in
      cigarettes per day in all education groups, but an increase in OTP use in the
      lowest and middle education groups. Conclusions: Given existing smoking
      disparities, novel efforts are urgently needed. Complementing known population
      level strategies with community and individual-level approaches will be necessary
      to eliminate the widening gap in smoking disparities and to end the burden of
      tobacco-related disease.

PMID- 28633485
TI  - Whole-genome sequencing identifies nosocomial transmission of extra-pulmonary
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PMID- 28633486
TI  - Electron microscopy gain a glimpse into the pathogenesis of cardiac sarcoidosis.

PMID- 28633487
TI  - High Intensity Interval Training Improves Physical Performance and Frailty in
      Aged Mice.
AB  - Sarcopenia and frailty are highly prevalent in older individuals, increasing the
      risk of disability and loss of independence. High intensity interval training
      (HIIT) may provide a robust intervention for both sarcopenia and frailty by
      achieving both strength and endurance benefits with lower time commitments than
      other exercise regimens. To better understand the impacts of HIIT during aging,
      we compared 24-month-old C57BL/6J sedentary mice with those that were
      administered 10-minute uphill treadmill HIIT sessions three times per week over
      16 weeks. Baseline and end point assessments included body composition, physical
      performance, and frailty based on criteria from the Fried physical frailty scale.
      HIIT-trained mice demonstrated dramatic improvement in grip strength (HIIT 10.9%
      vs -3.9% in sedentary mice), treadmill endurance (32.6% vs -2.0%), and gait speed
      (107.0% vs 39.0%). Muscles from HIIT mice also exhibited greater mass, larger
      fiber size, and an increase in mitochondrial biomass. Furthermore, HIIT exercise
      led to a dramatic reduction in frailty scores in five of six mice that were frail
      or prefrail at baseline, with four ultimately becoming nonfrail. The uphill
      treadmill HIIT exercise sessions were well tolerated by aged mice and led to
      performance gains, improvement in underlying muscle physiology, and reduction in
      frailty.

PMID- 28633488
TI  - Viral Diagnostics: Only Half the Battle.

PMID- 28633489
TI  - Effects of early pregnancy on uterine lymphocytes and endometrial expression of
      immune-regulatory molecules in dairy heifers.
AB  - Natural killer (NK) cells are essential for establishment of human and rodent
      pregnancies. The function of these and other cytotoxic T cells (CTL) is
      controlled by stimulatory and inhibitory signaling. A role for cytotoxic cells
      during early pregnancy in cattle has not been described, but regulation of their
      function at the fetal-maternal interface is thought to be critical for conceptus
      survival. The hypothesis that the relative abundance of CTL and expression of
      inhibitory signaling molecules is increased by the conceptus during early
      pregnancy was tested. The proportions of lymphoid lineage cells and expression of
      inhibitory signaling molecules in the endometrium during early pregnancy in dairy
      heifers were determined using flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and real-time
      PCR on days 17 and 20 of pregnancy and day 17 of the estrous cycle. Results
      revealed an increased percentage of NKp46+ and CD8+ cells in the uterus of
      pregnant heifers. Furthermore, a large percentage of uterine immune cells
      coexpressed these proteins. Compared to cyclic heifers, CD45+ uterine cells from
      pregnant heifers exhibited greater degranulation. Endometrium from pregnant
      heifers had greater mRNA abundance for the inhibitory molecules, CD274 and
      lymphocyte activating gene 3 (LAG3), and greater cytotoxic T lymphocyte
      associated protein 4 (CTLA4), molecules that can interact with receptors on
      antigen-presenting cells and induce lymphocyte tolerance. This study demonstrates
      a dynamic regulation of both cytotoxic immune cells and tolerogenic molecules
      during the peri-implantation period that may be required to support establishment
      of pregnancy and placentation.

PMID- 28633490
TI  - Isolated Fourth Ventricle: To Shunt or Stent.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Of the various management options for isolated fourth ventricle
      (IFV), fourth ventriculoperitoneal shunts (FVPS) and aqueductal stents (AST) have
      been the most favored. Though effective, FVPS are often difficult to place and
      have higher complication rates than conventional ventricular shunts. OBJECTIVE:
      To assess the efficacy of AST in IFV and compare the outcome with FVPS. METHODS:
      Twenty-five patients surgically treated for IFV were analyzed. In all, a
      preoperative magnetic resonance imaging assessed the extent of aqueductal
      obstruction. Patients with an identified short-segment aqueductal stenosis were
      considered for AST placement; those with long-segment aqueductal obstruction
      underwent FVPS. RESULTS: Of the 25, 12 were symptomatic, while 13 were
      asymptomatic (progressive dilation of IFV in 9, persistent dilation with
      distortion of the brain stem in 4). In 3 with normal ventricles, the ventricles
      had to be dilated by externalizing the shunt before placing the stent. Nineteen
      underwent AST placement, whereas in 6 FVPS was performed. Sixteen patients
      underwent a simultaneous cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedure and fourth
      ventricular decompression. At follow-up (mean: 45 mo), stent migration was
      observed in 2 patients. In the FVPS group, 1 had 2 shunt revisions while another
      developed reversible cranial nerve paresis. Though a reduction of the IFV was
      observed with both procedures, the extent of reduction was more with FVPS.
      CONCLUSION: Both FVPS and AST are effective in managing IFV. The extent of
      aqueductal obstruction and degree of ventriculomegaly are often the deciding
      factors in choosing the management option.

PMID- 28633491
TI  - Optimization of inactivated H5N9 highly pathogenic avian influenza vaccine and
      inactivated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccine with antigen dose and
      prime-boost regimen in domestic ducks.
AB  - Owing to the increase in the number of diseases affecting ducks and the demand
      for food safety by consumers, vaccination has become one of the factors that
      influence duck meat productivity. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
      virus is one of the most prevalent and causes one of the most lethal diseases in
      domestic ducks, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a food-borne
      pathogen persistent in the domestic duck population. To better understand the
      optimal usage of HPAI and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium vaccines, we aimed to
      determine antigen dose, oil and gel adjuvant usage with prime-boost regimen, and
      vaccination age, inducing the best immune response in ducks, without an effect on
      body weight gain. In the case of the inactivated H5N9 vaccine, a single dose of
      vaccine was inadequate to induce proper antibody titer when administered to day
      old ducks, which necessitates boost vaccination. Administration of the oil
      adjuvanted H5N9 vaccine administration in day-old and 2-week-old ducks resulted
      in a lower body weight at the time of slaughtering, compared to that of gel
      adjuvanted H5N9 vaccine. However, gel-adjuvanted H5N9 vaccine failed to induce
      proper immune response to an extent recommend by OIE-World Organization for
      Animal Health. In the case of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
      vaccine, a moderate or low dose of vaccine was appropriate for day-old ducks
      receiving the gel prime-oil boost vaccination. Single vaccination with oil
      adjuvants affects the mean body weight of 7-week-old ducks, suggesting that the
      gel adjuvant is more suitable for meat production. We expect that the use of
      adjuvants in a prime-boost regimen and at antigen doses set in this study will be
      helpful to maximize body weight in the case of domestic duck production at the
      actual farm site.

PMID- 28633492
TI  - Letter: Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Cystic Vestibular Schwannomas.

PMID- 28633493
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633494
TI  - Silencing Effect of Hominoid Highly Conserved Noncoding Sequences on Embryonic
      Brain Development.
AB  - Superfamily Hominoidea, which consists of Hominidae (humans and great apes) and
      Hylobatidae (gibbons), is well-known for sharing human-like characteristics,
      however, the genomic origins of these shared unique phenotypes have mainly
      remained elusive. To decipher the underlying genomic basis of Hominoidea
      restricted phenotypes, we identified and characterized Hominoidea-restricted
      highly conserved noncoding sequences (HCNSs) that are a class of potential
      regulatory elements which may be involved in evolution of lineage-specific
      phenotypes. We discovered 679 such HCNSs from human, chimpanzee, gorilla,
      orangutan and gibbon genomes. These HCNSs were demonstrated to be under purifying
      selection but with lineage-restricted characteristics different from old CNSs. A
      significant proportion of their ancestral sequences had accelerated rates of
      nucleotide substitutions, insertions and deletions during the evolution of common
      ancestor of Hominoidea, suggesting the intervention of positive Darwinian
      selection for creating those HCNSs. In contrary to enhancer elements and similar
      to silencer sequences, these Hominoidea-restricted HCNSs are located in close
      proximity of transcription start sites. Their target genes are enriched in the
      nervous system, development and transcription, and they tend to be remotely
      located from the nearest coding gene. Chip-seq signals and gene expression
      patterns suggest that Hominoidea-restricted HCNSs are likely to be functional
      regulatory elements by imposing silencing effects on their target genes in a
      tissue-restricted manner during fetal brain development. These HCNSs, emerged
      through adaptive evolution and conserved through purifying selection, represent a
      set of promising targets for future functional studies of the evolution of
      Hominoidea-restricted phenotypes.

PMID- 28633495
TI  - Estradiol Protects Against Cardiorespiratory Dysfunctions and Oxidative Stress in
      Intermittent Hypoxia.
AB  - Study Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that estradiol (E2) protects against
      cardiorespiratory disorders and oxidative stress induced by chronic intermittent
      hypoxia (CIH) in adult female rats. Methods: Sprague-Dawley female rats (230-250
      g) were ovariectomized and implanted with osmotic pumps delivering vehicle or E2
      (0.5 mg/kg/d). After 14 days of recovery, the rats were exposed to CIH (21%-10%
      O2: 8 h/d, 10 cycles per hour) or room air (RA). After 7 days of CIH or RA
      exposure, we measured arterial pressures (tail cuff), metabolic rate (indirect
      calorimetry), minute ventilation, the frequency of sighs and apneas at rest, and
      ventilatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia (whole body plethysmography). We
      collected the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and adrenal glands to measure the
      activity of NADPH and xanthine oxidase (pro-oxidant enzymes), glutathione
      peroxidase, and the mitochondrial and cytosolic superoxide dismutase (antioxidant
      enzymes) and measured lipid peroxidation and advanced oxidation protein products
      (markers of oxidative stress). Results: CIH increased arterial pressure, the
      frequency of apnea at rest, and the hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responses
      and reduced metabolic rate. CIH also increased oxidant enzyme activities and
      decreased antioxidant activity in the cortex. E2 treatment reduced body weight
      and prevented the effects of CIH. Conclusions: E2 prevents cardiorespiratory
      disorders and oxidative stress induced by CIH. These observations may help to
      better understand the underlying mechanisms linking menopause and occurrence of
      sleep apnea in women and highlight a potential advantage of hormone therapy.

PMID- 28633497
TI  - Genome-Wide Identification and Functional Characterization of UDP
      Glucosyltransferase Genes Involved in Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Glycine max.
AB  - Flavonoids, natural products abundant in the model legume Glycine max, confer
      benefits to plants and to animal health. Flavonoids are present in soybean mainly
      as glycoconjugates. However, the mechanisms of biosynthesis of flavonoid
      glycosides are largely unknown in G. max. In the present study, 212 putative UDP
      glycosyltransferase (UGT) genes were identified in G. max by genome-wide
      searching. The GmUGT genes were distributed differentially among the 20
      chromosomes, and they were expressed in various tissues with distinct expression
      profiles. We further analyzed the enzymatic activities of 11 GmUGTs that are
      potentially involved in flavonoid glycosylation, and found that six of them
      (UGT72X4, UGT72Z3, UGT73C20, UGT88A13, UGT88E19 and UGT92G4) exhibited activity
      toward flavonol, isoflavone, flavone and flavanol aglycones with different
      kinetic properties. Among them, UGT72X4, UGT72Z3 and UGT92G4 are flavonol
      specific UGTs, and UGT73C20 and UGT88E19 exhibited activity toward both flavonol
      and isoflavone aglycones. In particular, UGT88A13 exhibited activity toward
      epicatechin, but not for the flavonol aglycones kaempferol and quercetin.
      Overexpression of these six GmUGT genes significantly increased the contents of
      isoflavone and flavonol glucosides in soybean hairy roots. In addition,
      overexpression of these six GmUGT genes also affected flavonol glycoside contents
      differently in seedlings and seeds of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. We provide
      valuable information on the identification of all UGT genes in soybean, and
      candidate GmUGT genes for potential metabolic engineering of flavonoid compounds
      in both Escherichia coli and plants.

PMID- 28633496
TI  - Clinical sensitivity and specificity of the Check-Points Check-Direct ESBL Screen
      for BD MAX, a real-time PCR for direct ESBL detection from rectal swabs.
AB  - Objectives: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Check-Direct ESBL Screen
      for BD MAX (ESBL qPCR) and an ESBL culture method to identify ESBLs directly from
      rectal swabs. Methods: Rectal swabs were obtained from clinical patients by
      performing cross-sectional (point)prevalence measurements in three regional
      hospitals. Rectal swabs were analysed by direct culture (ChromID ESBL agar) and
      with the ESBL qPCR. Suspected ESBL-producing isolates were confirmed with the
      combination disc method and analysed by WGS. Results: Out of 354 rectal swabs and
      351 patients, 21 rectal swabs and 20 patients were positive for ESBL-producing
      isolates, resulting in a regional ESBL colonization prevalence of 5.7%. One
      rectal swab was false negative with the ESBL qPCR (blaTEM-12) and not covered by
      the ESBL qPCR. Eight ESBL qPCR-positive rectal swabs could not be confirmed by
      culture and were classified as false ESBL qPCR positive. The sensitivity and
      specificity of the ESBL qPCR were 95.2% (n = 20) and 97.6% (n = 323),
      respectively. When an optimal cycle threshold cut-off value of 37 was used, the
      ESBL qPCR displayed a sensitivity and specificity of 95.2% (n = 20) and 98.8% (n
      = 327), respectively (AUC = 0.975, 95% CI = 0.922-1). Conclusions: This ESBL qPCR
      offers rapid direct detection of the most prevalent ESBL types (blaCTX-M group
      and blaSHV group) from rectal swabs. The relatively high false-positive rate
      renders this test the most suitable as a screening test in high-prevalence
      regions or in an outbreak setting where a fast result is essential.

PMID- 28633498
TI  - Thymol as natural antioxidant additive for poultry feed: oxidative stability
      improvement.
AB  - Antioxidant are regularly included in poultry feed as protection from
      deterioration during storage. Recently the interest for the use of natural
      phytochemicals in animal diets has been increased. Thymol (THY) has been proven
      to be an effective antioxidant for extending broiler meat quality during storage
      with similar action to the widely used butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). This study
      evaluates whether THY can also have a protective effect on the feed mash by
      assessing its antioxidant potential and related changes in fatty acid (FA)
      balance. Feed mash was assigned to 1 of 4 treatments, control (CON, no additive),
      vehicle (VEH, ethanol 96%), BHT (400 mg BHT /kg feed) and THY (400 mg THY /kg
      feed). Three replicates of each treatment were taken after 0, 30, and 60 d of
      storage at room temperature (23 +/- 3 degrees C) and relative humidity (40 +/-
      5%). Peroxide value (PV), titratable acidity (TA) and FA relative composition
      were determined. As expected, there were no treatment effects on those variables
      at 0 d of storage. However, higher PV values were detected in the CON and VEH
      groups after 30 and 60 d of storage in comparison to the THY and BHT treated
      samples (CON = VEH > THY = BHT). While a slight increase was also observed in TA
      through storage time, no particular treatment effects were detected. Relative FA
      composition changed with storage time only in the CON and VEH group which had a
      decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acids and an increase in saturated FA. No
      changes were detected in the Thy and BHT treated feeds. The results suggest a
      similar THY and BHT protective effect on feed mash lipid oxidation. Thus, THY
      could be considered as a useful natural alternative to help sustain quality of
      poultry feed.

PMID- 28633500
TI  - Examining the health status of homeless adults entering permanent supportive
      housing.
AB  - Background: Permanent supportive housing (PSH) has been recognized as an
      effective intervention and the national policy for addressing chronic
      homelessness in the United States. Due to an aging cohort of homeless adults and
      prioritizing those who are most vulnerable for housing, the health status of
      those entering PSH is likely worse than those previously reported in the
      literature. Methods: This report examined the self-reported health and health
      conditions of a sample of 421 homeless adults entering PSH between 2014 and 2016.
      The average age of our sample was 54 years old. Results: Overall, 90% reported
      two or more chronic conditions (either physical or mental), 68% reported at least
      two chronic physical health conditions and 56% indicated at least two chronic
      mental health conditions. Describing their health status, 57% reported fair, poor
      or very poor health. Conclusions: These findings suggest that access to housing
      will not easily remedy the well-documented premature mortality among chronically
      homeless adults.

PMID- 28633499
TI  - Lateralized Basal Ganglia Vulnerability to Pesticide Exposure in Asymptomatic
      Agricultural Workers.
AB  - Pesticide exposure is linked to Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder
      marked by dopamine cell loss in the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia (BG)
      that often presents asymmetrically. We previously reported that pesticide-exposed
      agricultural workers (AW) have nigral diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) changes. The
      current study sought to confirm this finding, and explore its hemisphere and
      regional specificity within BG structures using an independent sample population.
      Pesticide exposure history, standard neurological exam, high-resolution magnetic
      resonance imaging (T1/T2-weighted and DTI), and [123I]ioflupane SPECT images (to
      quantify striatal dopamine transporters) were obtained from 20 AW with chronic
      pesticide exposure and 11 controls. Based on median cumulative days of pesticide
      exposure, AW were subdivided into high (AWHi, n = 10) and low (AWLo, n = 10)
      exposure groups. BG (nigra, putamen, caudate, and globus pallidus [GP])
      fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and striatal [123I]ioflupane
      binding in each hemisphere were quantified, and compared across exposure groups
      using analysis of variance. Left, but not right, nigral and GP FA were
      significantly lower in AW compared with controls (p's < .029). None of the
      striatal (putamen and caudate) DTI or [123I]ioflupane binding measurements
      differed between AW and controls. Subgroup analyses indicated that significant
      left nigral and GP DTI changes were present only in the AWHi (p <= .037) but not
      the AWLo subgroup. AW, especially those with higher pesticide exposure history,
      demonstrate lateralized microstructural changes in the nigra and GP, whereas
      striatal areas appear relatively unaffected. Future studies should elucidate how
      environmental toxicants cause differential lateralized- and regionally specific
      brain vulnerability.

PMID- 28633501
TI  - Epidemiology of Pediatric Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in the United States,
      1993-2014.
AB  - Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is an important global
      public health threat, but accurate estimates of MDR-TB burden among children are
      lacking. Methods: We analyzed demographic, clinical, and laboratory data for
      newly diagnosed pediatric (age <15 years) TB cases reported to the US National TB
      Surveillance System during 1993-2014. MDR-TB was defined as culture-confirmed TB
      disease with resistance to at least isoniazid and rifampicin. To ascertain
      potential underestimation of pediatric MDR-TB, we surveyed high-burden states for
      clinically diagnosed cases treated for MDR-TB. Results: Of 20789 pediatric TB
      cases, 5162 (24.8%) had bacteriologically confirmed TB. Among 4826 (93.5%) with
      drug susceptibility testing, 82 (1.7%) had MDR-TB. Most pediatric MDR-TB cases
      were female (n = 51 [62%]), median age was 5 years (interquartile range, 1-12
      years), one-third were Hispanic (n = 28 [34%]), and two-thirds (n = 55 [67%])
      were born in the United States. Most cases had additional resistance to >=1 other
      first-line drug (n = 66 [81%]) and one-third had resistance to >=1 second-line
      drug (24/73 tested). Of 77 who started treatment prior to 2013, 66 (86%)
      completed treatment and 4 (5%) died. Among the 4 high-TB-burden
      states/jurisdictions surveyed, there was 42%-55% underestimation of pediatric MDR
      TB cases when using only culture-confirmed case definitions. Conclusions: Only
      one-quarter of pediatric TB cases had culture-confirmed TB, likely resulting in
      underestimation of true pediatric MDR-TB burden in the United States using
      strictly bacteriologic criteria. Better estimates of pediatric MDR-TB burden in
      the United States are needed and should include clinical diagnoses based on
      epidemiologic criteria.

PMID- 28633502
TI  - Promoting Seniors' Health With Home Care Aides: A Pilot.
AB  - Purpose: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits older adults. However, frail
      older adults lack opportunities to be physically active. This pilot study aimed
      to test and enhance the feasibility of a PA program delivered by home care aides
      (HCAs) for community-dwelling older adults in a Medicaid-funded home care setting
      and to generate preliminary efficacy and cost data. Design and Methods: HCAs were
      trained to deliver a brief motivational enhancement and three chair-bound
      movements to motivate their older clients to do PA daily and to help maintain
      their independence in the community. Mixed methods were used to evaluate clients'
      function and health before and after the 4-month intervention. Results: Clients'
      daily activity function and health outcomes (physical fitness, self-rated health,
      pain interference, and fear of falling) improved significantly. The program was
      well-received by clients (N = 54) and their HCAs (N = 46) as indicated by high
      retention rates among client participants (93%) and remarks provided by clients.
      Implications: Building PA into the everyday care of older adults and the routine
      work of HCAs is feasible. The intervention has the potential for further
      implementation and dissemination.

PMID- 28633503
TI  - Range Expansion and Increasing Borrelia burgdorferi Infection of the Tick Ixodes
      scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Iowa, 1990-2013.
AB  - A passive surveillance program monitored ticks submitted by the public in Iowa
      from 1990-2013. Submitted ticks were identified to species and life stage, and
      Ixodes scapularis Say nymphs and adults were tested for the presence of Borrelia
      burgdorferi. An average of 2.6 of Iowa's 99 counties submitted first reports of
      I. scapularis per year over the surveillance period, indicating expansion of this
      tick species across the state. The proportion of vector ticks infected by B.
      burgdorferi increased over time between 1998 and 2013. In 2013, 23.5% of nymphal
      and adult I. scapularis were infected with B. burgdorferi, the highest proportion
      of any year. Active surveillance was performed at selected sites from 2007-2009.
      Ixodes scapularis nymphs collected at these sites were tested for the presence of
      B. burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and spotted fever group Rickettsia
      spp. (likely representing Rickettsia buchneri). Nymphs tested were 17.3% positive
      for B. burgdorferi, 28.9% for A. phagocytophilum, and 67.3% for Rickettsia spp.
      The results of these surveillance programs indicate an increasing risk of disease
      transmission by I. scapularis in Iowa.

PMID- 28633505
TI  - Aging Parents' Daily Support Exchanges With Adult Children Suffering Problems.
AB  - Objectives: When adult children incur life problems (e.g., divorce, job loss,
      health problems), aging parents generally report providing more frequent support
      and experiencing poorer well-being. Yet, it is unclear how adult children's
      problems may influence aging parents' daily support exchanges with these children
      or the parents' daily mood. Methods: Aging parents from the Family Exchanges
      Study Wave 2 (N = 207, Mage = 79.86) reported providing and receiving emotional
      support, practical support, and advice from each adult child each day for 7 days.
      Parents also rated daily positive and negative mood. Results: Multilevel models
      showed that aging parents were more likely to provide emotional and practical
      support to adult children incurring life problems than children not suffering
      problems. Parents were also more likely to receive emotional support and advice
      from these children with problems. Further, parents reported less negative mood
      on days when providing practical support to children with problems. Discussion:
      Examining daily support exchanges adds to our understanding of how children's
      problems influence parent-child ties in late life. Prior research suggests that
      children's problems upset parents. In this study, however, it appears that
      supporting adult children who suffer problems may alleviate aging parents'
      distress regarding such children.

PMID- 28633506
TI  - Role of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 and Gastric Inhibitory Peptide in Anorexia
      Induction Following Oral Exposure to the Trichothecene Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol
      (Vomitoxin).
AB  - Deoxynivalenol (DON), which is a Type B trichothecene mycotoxin produced by
      Fusarium, frequently contaminates cereal staples, such as wheat, barley and corn.
      DON threatens animal and human health by suppressing food intake and impairing
      growth. While anorexia induction in mice exposed to DON has been linked to the
      elevation of the satiety hormones cholecystokinin and peptide YY3-36 in plasma,
      the effects of DON on the release of other satiety hormones, such as glucagon
      like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), have not been
      established. The purpose of this study was to determine the roles of GLP-1 and
      GIP in DON-induced anorexia. In a nocturnal mouse food consumption model, the
      elevation of plasma GLP-1 and GIP concentrations markedly corresponded to
      anorexia induction by DON. Pretreatment with the GLP-1 receptor antagonist
      Exendin9-39 induced a dose-dependent attenuation of both GLP-1- and DON-induced
      anorexia. In contrast, the GIP receptor antagonist Pro3GIP induced a dose
      dependent attenuation of both GIP- and DON-induced anorexia. Taken together,
      these results suggest that GLP-1 and GIP play instrumental roles in anorexia
      induction following oral exposure to DON, and the effect of GLP-1 is more potent
      and long-acting than that of GIP.

PMID- 28633504
TI  - A Phase II study of palonosetron, aprepitant, dexamethasone and olanzapine for
      the prevention of cisplatin-based chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in
      patients with thoracic malignancy.
AB  - Background: The three-drug combination of a 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor
      antagonist, a neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist and dexamethasone is recommended
      for patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy. However, standard
      antiemetic therapy is not completely effective in all patients. Methods: We
      conducted an open-label, single-center, single-arm Phase II study to evaluate the
      efficacy of olanzapine in combination with standard antiemetic therapy in
      preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients with thoracic
      malignancy receiving their first cycle of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Patients
      received 5 mg oral olanzapine on Days 1-5 in combination with standard antiemetic
      therapy. The primary endpoint was complete response (no vomiting and no use of
      rescue therapy) during the overall Phase (0-120 h post-chemotherapy). Results:
      Twenty-three men and seven women were enrolled between May and October 2015. The
      median age was 64 years (range: 36-75 years). The most common chemotherapy
      regimen was 75 mg/m2 cisplatin and 500 mg/m2 pemetrexed, which was administered
      to 14 patients. Complete response rates in acute (0-24 h post-chemotherapy),
      delayed (24-120 h post-chemotherapy) and overall phases were 100%, 83% and 83%
      (90% confidence interval: 70-92%; 95% confidence interval: 66-93%), respectively.
      There were no Grade 3 or Grade 4 adverse events. Although four patients (13%)
      experienced Grade 1 somnolence, no patients discontinued olanzapine. Conclusions:
      The addition of 5 mg oral olanzapine to standard antiemetic therapy demonstrates
      promising efficacy in preventing cisplatin-based chemotherapy-induced nausea and
      vomiting and an acceptable safety profile in patients with thoracic malignancy.

PMID- 28633507
TI  - Digenic DUOX1 and DUOX2 Mutations in Cases With Congenital Hypothyroidism.
AB  - Context: The DUOX2 enzyme generates hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a crucial electron
      acceptor for the thyroid peroxidase-catalyzed iodination and coupling reactions
      mediating thyroid hormone biosynthesis. DUOX2 mutations result in
      dyshormonogenetic congenital hypothyroidism (CH) that may be phenotypically
      heterogeneous, leading to the hypothesis that CH severity may be influenced by
      environmental factors (e.g., dietary iodine) and oligogenic modifiers (e.g.,
      variants in the homologous reduced form of NAD phosphate-oxidase DUOX1). However,
      loss-of-function mutations in DUOX1 have not hitherto been described, and its
      role in thyroid biology remains undefined. Case Description: We previously
      described a Proband and her brother (P1, P2) with unusually severe CH associated
      with a DUOX2 homozygous nonsense mutation (p.R434*); P1, P2: thyrotropin >100
      uU/mL [reference range (RR) 0.5 to 6.3]; and P1: free T4 (FT4) <0.09 ng/dL (RR
      0.9 to 2.3). Subsequent studies have revealed a homozygous DUOX1 mutation (c.1823
      1G>C) resulting in aberrant splicing and a protein truncation (p.Val607Aspfs*43),
      which segregates with CH in this kindred. Conclusion: This is a report of digenic
      mutations in DUOX1 and DUOX2 in association with CH, and we hypothesize that the
      inability of DUOX1 to compensate for DUOX2 deficiency in this kindred may
      underlie the severe CH phenotype. Our studies provide evidence for a digenic
      basis for CH and support the notion that oligogenicity as well as environmental
      modulators may underlie phenotypic variability in genetically ascertained CH.

PMID- 28633509
TI  - A qualitative study exploring awareness and attitudes towards tuberculosis in
      migrant populations in a Metropolitan District Council in the North of England.
AB  - Background: The majority of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the UK occur among people
      born in high-burden countries (73%), and are concentrated in large urban centres.
      This study explores migrants' attitudes and beliefs towards TB in an English
      District where the incidence is higher than the UK average. Methods: Community
      engagement workers ran 26 focus groups using a standardized questionnaire.
      Purposeful sampling was used to obtain a cross-section of migrant communities.
      The summary reports were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Most groups
      did not see TB as a current issue in their community and associated it either
      with the past or with their country of birth. It appeared to be rarely discussed
      in their communities and generally not noted as being associated with stigma.
      Conclusions: This study revealed a change in social attitudes to TB in migrant
      groups to those reported in previous literature. Stigma had considerably less
      effect than expected. However, the evidence revealed that these high-risk groups
      made the erroneous assumption that, by moving to a low incidence country, they
      were no longer at risk of the disease. TB services need to respond by revising
      the information that they provide to take into account the risk perception of
      these populations.

PMID- 28633508
TI  - Rescue of peripheral vestibular function in Usher syndrome mice using a splice
      switching antisense oligonucleotide.
AB  - Usher syndrome type 1C (USH1C/harmonin) is associated with profound retinal,
      auditory and vestibular dysfunction. We have previously reported on an antisense
      oligonucleotide (ASO-29) that dramatically improves auditory function and balance
      behavior in mice homozygous for the harmonin mutation Ush1c c.216G > A following
      a single systemic administration. The findings were suggestive of improved
      vestibular function; however, no direct vestibular assessment was made. Here, we
      measured vestibular sensory evoked potentials (VsEPs) to directly assess
      vestibular function in Usher mice. We report that VsEPs are absent or abnormal in
      Usher mice, indicating profound loss of vestibular function. Strikingly, Usher
      mice receiving ASO-29 treatment have normal or elevated vestibular response
      thresholds when treated during a critical period between postnatal day 1 and 5,
      respectively. In contrast, treatment of mice with ASO-29 treatment at P15 was
      minimally effective at rescuing vestibular function. Interestingly, ASO-29
      treatment at P1, P5 or P15 resulted in sufficient vestibular recovery to support
      normal balance behaviors, suggesting a therapeutic benefit to balance with ASO-29
      treatment at P15 despite the profound vestibular functional deficits that persist
      with treatment at this later time. These findings provide the first direct
      evidence of an effective treatment of peripheral vestibular function in a mouse
      model of USH1C and reveal the potential for using antisense technology to treat
      vestibular dysfunction.

PMID- 28633510
TI  - In Reply: Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Cystic Vestibular Schwannomas.

PMID- 28633511
TI  - Cardiovascular risk at health checks performed opportunistically or following an
      invitation letter. Cohort study.
AB  - Background: A population-based programme of health checks has been established in
      England. Participants receive postal invitations through a population-based call
      recall system but health check providers may also offer health checks
      opportunistically. We compared cardiovascular risk scores for 'invited' and
      'opportunistic' health checks. Methods: Cohort study of all health checks
      completed at 18 general practices from July 2013 to June 2015. For each general
      practice, cardiovascular (CVD) risk scores were compared by source of check and
      pooled using meta-analysis. Effect estimates were compared by gender, age-group,
      ethnicity and fifths of deprivation. Results: There were 6184 health checks
      recorded (2280 invited and 3904 opportunistic) with CVD risk scores recorded for
      5359 (87%) participants. There were 17.0% of invited checks and 22.2% of
      opportunistic health checks with CVD risk score >=10%; a relative increment of
      28% (95% confidence interval: 14-44%, P < 0.001). In the most deprived quintile,
      15.3% of invited checks and 22.4% of opportunistic checks were associated with
      elevated CVD risk (adjusted odds ratio: 1.94, 1.37-2.74, P  < 0.001).
      Conclusions: Respondents at health checks performed opportunistically are at
      higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those participating in response to a
      standard invitation letter, potentially reducing the effect of uptake
      inequalities.

PMID- 28633512
TI  - Media optimization for economic succinic acid production by Enterobacter sp. LU1.
AB  - Enterobacter sp. LU1 could efficiently convert glycerol to succinic acid under
      anaerobic conditions after the addition of lactose. In this study, media
      constituents affecting both Enterobacter sp. LU1 biomass and succinic acid
      production were investigated employing response surface methodology (RSM) with
      central composite design. Statistical methods led to the development of an
      efficient and inexpensive microbiological media based on crude glycerol, whey
      permeate as carbon sources and urea as a nitrogen source. The optimized
      production of bacterial biomass in aerobic conditions was predicted and the
      interactive effects between crude glycerol, urea and magnesium sulfate were
      investigated. As a result, a model for predicting the concentration of bacterial
      biocatalyst biomass was developed with crude glycerol as a sole carbon source. In
      addition, it was observed that the interactive effect between crude glycerol and
      urea was statistically significant. Response surface methodology was also
      employed to develop the model for predicting the concentration of succinic acid
      produced. Validity of the model was confirmed during verification experiments
      wherein actual results differed from predicted values by 0.77%. The applied
      statistical methods proved the feasibility for anaerobic succinic acid production
      on crude glycerol without expensive yeast extract addition. In conclusion, the
      RSM method can provide valuable information for succinic acid scale-up
      fermentation using Enterobacter sp. LU1.

PMID- 28633513
TI  - Gram-Scale Production of Ginsenoside F1 Using a Recombinant Bacterial beta
      Glucosidase.
AB  - Naturally occurring ginsenoside F1 (20-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)
      protopanaxatriol) is rare. Here, we produced gram-scale quantities of ginsenoside
      F1 from a crude protopanaxatriol saponin mixture comprised mainly of Re and Rg1
      through enzyme-mediated biotransformation using recombinant beta-glucosidase
      (BgpA) cloned from a soil bacterium, Terrabacter ginsenosidimutans Gsoil 3082T.
      In a systematic step-by-step process, the concentrations of substrate, enzyme,
      and NaCl were determined for maximal production of F1. At an optimized NaCl
      concentration of 200 mM, the protopanaxatriol saponin mixture (25 mg/ml) was
      incubated with recombinant BgpA (20 mg/ml) for 3 days in a 2.4 L reaction.
      Following octadecylsilyl silica gel column chromatography, 9.6 g of F1 was
      obtained from 60 g of substrate mixture at 95% purity, as assessed by
      chromatography. These results represent the first report of gramscale F1
      production via recombinant enzyme-mediated biotransformation.

PMID- 28633514
TI  - Metagenomic SMRT Sequencing-Based Exploration of Novel Lignocellulose-Degrading
      Capability in Wood Detritus from Torreya nucifera in Bija Forest on Jeju Island.
AB  - Lignocellulose, composed mostly of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin generated
      through secondary growth of woody plant, is considered as promising resources for
      biofuel. In order to use lignocellulose as a biofuel, biodegradation besides high
      cost chemical treatments were applied, but knowledge on the decomposition of
      lignocellulose occurring in a natural environment is insufficient. We analyzed
      the 16S rRNA gene and metagenome to understand how the lignocellulose is
      decomposed naturally in decayed Torreya nucifera (L) of Bija forest (Bijarim) in
      Gotjawal, an ecologically distinct environment. A total of 464,360 reads were
      obtained from 16S rRNA gene sequencing, representing diverse phyla;
      Proteobacteria (51%), Bacteroidetes (11%) and Actinobacteria (10%). The
      metagenome analysis using single molecules real-time sequencing revealed that the
      assembled contigs determined originated from Proteobacteria (58%) and
      Actinobacteria (10.3%). Carbohydrate Active enZYmes (CAZy)- and Protein families
      (Pfam)-based analysis showed that Proteobacteria was involved in degrading whole
      lignocellulose, and Actinobacteria played a role only in a part of hemicellulose
      degradation. Combining these results, it suggested that Proteobacteria and
      Actinobacteria had selective biodegradation potential for different
      lignocellulose substrates. Thus, it is considered that understanding of the
      systemic microbial degradation pathways may be a useful strategy for recycle of
      lignocellulosic biomass, and the microbial enzymes in Bija forest can be useful
      natural resources in industrial processes.

PMID- 28633515
TI  - Crystal Structure and Functional Characterization of a Cytochrome P450
      (BaCYP106A2) from Bacillus sp. PAMC 23377.
AB  - Bacterial cytochrome P450 (CYP) steroid hydroxylases are effectively useful in
      the pharmaceutical industry for introducing hydroxyl groups to a wide range of
      steroids. We found a putative CYP steroid hydroxylase (BaCYP106A2) from the
      bacterium Bacillus sp. PAMC 23377 isolated from Kara Sea of the Arctic Ocean,
      showing 94% sequence similarity with BmCYP106A2 (Bacillus megaterium ATCC 13368).
      In this study, soluble BaCYP106A2 was overexpressed to evaluate its substrate
      binding activity. The substrate affinity (Kd value) to 4-androstenedione was 387
      +/- 37 uM. Moreover, the crystal structure of BaCYP106A2 was determined at 2.7 A
      resolution. Structural analysis suggested that the alpha8-alpha9 loop region of
      BaCYP106A2 is intrinsically mobile and might be important for initial ligand
      binding. The hydroxyl activity of BaCYP106A2 was identified using in vitro enzyme
      assays. Its activity was confirmed with two kinds of steroid substrates, 4
      androstenedione and nandrolone, using chromatography and mass spectrometry
      methods. The main products were monohydroxylated compounds with high conversion
      yields. This is the second study on the structure of CYP106A steroid
      hydroxylases, and should contribute new insight into the interactions of
      bacterial CYP106A with steroid substrates, providing baseline data for studying
      the CYP106A steroid hydroxylase from the structural and enzymatic perspectives.

PMID- 28633516
TI  - Synthesis of Curcumin Glycosides with Enhanced Anticancer Properties Using One
      Pot Multienzyme Glycosylation Technique.
AB  - Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound, widely acclaimed for its
      antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and anticancerous properties.
      However, its use has been limited due to its low-aqueous solubility and poor
      bioavailability, rapid clearance, and low cellular uptake. In order to assess the
      effect of glycosylation on the pharmacological properties of curcumin, one-pot
      multienzyme (OPME) chemoenzymatic glycosylation reactions with UDP- alpha-D
      glucose or UDP-alpha-D-2-deoxyglucose as donor substrate were employed. The
      result indicated significant conversion of curcumin to its glycosylated
      derivatives: curcumin 4'-O-beta- glucoside, curcumin 4',4''-di-O-beta-glucoside,
      curcumin 4'-O-beta-2-deoxyglucoside, and curcumin 4',4''-di-O-beta-2
      deoxyglucoside. The products were characterized by ultra-fast performance liquid
      chromatography, high-resolution quadruple-time-of-flight electrospray ionization
      mass spectrometry, and NMR analyses. All the products showed improved water
      solubility and comparable antibacterial activities. Additionally, the curcumin 4'
      O-beta-glucoside and curcumin 4'-O-beta-2-deoxyglucoside showed enhanced
      anticancer activities compared with the parent aglycone and diglycoside
      derivatives. This result indicates that glycosylation can be an effective
      approach for enhancing the pharmaceutical properties of different natural
      products, such as curcumin.

PMID- 28633517
TI  - Biomethanation of Sewage Sludge with Food Waste Leachate Via Co-Digestion.
AB  - Anaerobic mono- and co-digestion of sewage sludge and food waste leachate (FWL)
      were performed by assessing methane production and characterizing microbial
      communities. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste activated sludge (WAS) alone
      produced the lowest methane (281 ml CH4), but an approximately 80% increase in
      methane production was achieved via co-digestion of WAS and FWL (506 ml CH4).
      There were less differences in the diversity of bacterial communities in
      anaerobic digesters, while archaeal (ARC) and bacterial (BAC) amounts reflected
      AD performance. Compared with the total ARC and BAC amounts in the mono-digestion
      of WAS, the ARC and BAC amounts increased two and three times, respectively,
      during co-digestion of FWL and WAS. In characterized archaeal communities, the
      dominant ratio of hydrogenotrophic methanogens in the mono-digestion of WAS
      approached nearly a 1:1 ratio of the two acetoclastic and hydrogenotrophic
      methanogens in the co-digestion of FWL and WAS. The ARC/BAC ratio in the
      digesters varied in the range of 5.9% to 9.1%, indicating a positive correlation
      with the methane production of AD.

PMID- 28633518
TI  - Optimization of Siderophore Production by Bacillus sp. PZ-1 and Its Potential
      Enhancement of Phytoextration of Pb from Soil.
AB  - In this study, the siderophore-producing characteristics and conditions of
      Bacillus sp. PZ-1 were investigated and the enhancement of siderophores on Pb
      uptake and translocation in Brassica juncea were determined. Results of single
      factor experiment showed that glucose, pH, and Pb(NO3)2 could stimulate PZ-1
      growth and siderophore production. The maximum siderophore production of 90.52%
      siderophore units was obtained by response surface methodology optimization at
      the glucose concentration of 21.84 g/l, pH 6.18, and Pb(NO3)2 concentration of
      245.04 MUmol/l. The type of siderophore was hydroxamate and its concentration in
      the fermentation broth amounted to 32.24 MUg/ml. Results of pot experiments
      indicated that the siderophores enhanced B. juncea to assimilate more Pb from
      soil with the uptake ratio from 1.04 to 2.74, and to translocate more Pb from
      underground to overground with the TF values from 1.21 to 1.48. The results
      revealed that Bacillus sp. PZ-1 could produce abundant siderophores and might be
      potentially used to augment the phytoextraction of Pb from soil.

PMID- 28633519
TI  - Changes in abdominal aortic aneurysm epidemiology.
AB  - The epidemiology and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) has changed
      over the past 30 years. This review aims to give the reader an overview of these
      changes and current trends in AAA epidemiology, management and outcome. In the
      past decades there have been three changes in AAA management and epidemiology: 1)
      introduction of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR); 2) population screening; and
      3) a markedly reduced prevalence of the disease. These developments have resulted
      in an increased incidence of intact AAA-repair and reduced incidence of ruptured
      AAA-repair. Overall, survival after both intact and ruptured AAA repair has
      improved, much thanks to the broad introduction of EVAR. Additionally, both
      elective and rupture repair in the elderly population has increased, with
      octogenarians constituting >20% of intact AAA repairs performed in several
      countries. International analyses of vascular registries indicate that important
      variations remain in AAA management and results. The changes in AAA epidemiology
      and management have led to a situation where most AAAs today are treated with
      EVAR electively. The incidence of ruptured AAA-repair continues to decrease.
      These changes are accompanied by improvements in both short- and long-term
      survival.

PMID- 28633520
TI  - Ion-Selective Nanosensor for Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Imaging of Potassium.
AB  - Ion-selective optodes (ISOs), the optical analog of ion-selective electrodes,
      have played an increasingly important role in chemical and biochemical analysis.
      Here we extend this technique to ion-selective photoacoustic optodes (ISPAOs)
      that serve at the same time as fluorescence-based ISOs, and apply it specifically
      to potassium (K+). Notably, the potassium ion is one of the most abundant cations
      in biological systems, involved in numerous physiological and pathological
      processes. Furthermore, it has been recently reported that the presence of
      abnormal extracellular potassium concentrations in tumors suppresses the immune
      responses and thus suppresses immunotherapy. However, unfortunately, sensors
      capable of providing potassium images in vivo are still a future proposition.
      Here, we prepared an ion-selective potassium nanosensor (NS) aimed at in vivo
      photoacoustic (PA) chemical imaging of the extracellular environment, while being
      also capable of fluorescence based intracellular ion-selective imaging. This
      potassium nanosensor (K+ NS) modulates its optical properties (absorbance and
      fluorescence) according to the potassium concentration. The K+ NS is capable of
      measuring potassium, in the range of 1 mM to 100 mM, with high sensitivity and
      selectivity, by ISPAO based measurements. Also, a near infrared dye surface
      modified K+ NS allows fluorescence-based potassium sensing in the range of 20 mM
      to 1 M. The K+ NS serves thus as both PA and fluorescence based nanosensor, with
      response across the biologically relevant K+ concentrations, from the
      extracellular 5 mM typical values (through PA imaging) to the intracellular 150
      mM typical values (through fluorescence imaging).

PMID- 28633521
TI  - Consideration of Natural Sources in a Bacteria TMDL-Lines of Evidence, Including
      Beach Microbial Source Tracking.
AB  - Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) stipulations remained unmet at a southern
      California beach despite a suite of management actions carried out since 2001,
      prompting exploration of a Natural Sources Exclusion (NSE) provision within the
      TMDL. Quantitative Microbial Source Tracking (MST) was employed from 2012 to 2015
      to inventory sources of natural and anthropogenic fecal indicator bacteria (FIB).
      Data suggested FIB exceedances could be traced to gulls based on gull marker
      prevalence and correlations with FIB concentrations in seawater, sand, and
      eelgrass. In contrast, human marker concentrations and a tracer dye test did not
      indicate prevalent human sources. Exponential decay of gull marker in sand
      amended with live Catellicoccus marimammalium suggested that measured marker
      reflected fecal inputs versus growth outside the host. Improved water quality was
      coincident with a 2013 bird exclusion structure, consistent with NSE. However,
      load allocation needed for TMDL reconsideration was hampered by variable ratios
      of FIB, MST markers, and pathogens measured in seawater and in gull, cat, and
      raccoon feces. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment is a suggested path forward
      because such models can incorporate distributions from a combination of FIB
      sources and communicate criteria in terms of human health risk.

PMID- 28633522
TI  - Molecular Dynamics Information Improves cis-Peptide-Based Function Annotation of
      Proteins.
AB  - cis-Peptide bonds, whose occurrence in proteins is rare but evolutionarily
      conserved, are implicated to play an important role in protein function. This has
      led to their previous use in a homology-independent, fragment-match-based protein
      function annotation method. However, proteins are not static molecules; dynamics
      is integral to their activity. This is nicely epitomized by the geometric
      isomerization of cis-peptide to trans form for molecular activity. Hence we have
      incorporated both static (cis-peptide) and dynamics information to improve the
      prediction of protein molecular function. Our results show that cis-peptide
      information alone cannot detect functional matches in cases where cis-trans
      isomerization exists but 3D coordinates have been obtained for only the trans
      isomer or when the cis-peptide bond is incorrectly assigned as trans. On the
      contrary, use of dynamics information alone includes false-positive matches for
      cases where fragments with similar secondary structure show similar dynamics, but
      the proteins do not share a common function. Combining the two methods reduces
      errors while detecting the true matches, thereby enhancing the utility of our
      method in function annotation. A combined approach, therefore, opens up new
      avenues of improving existing automated function annotation methodologies.

PMID- 28633523
TI  - Effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens on Buried Steel Pipeline Corrosion.
AB  - Buried steel infrastructure can be a source of iron ions for bacterial species,
      leading to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Localized corrosion of
      pipelines due to MIC is one of the key failure mechanisms of buried steel
      pipelines. In order to better understand the mechanisms of localized corrosion in
      soil, semisolid agar has been developed as an analogue for soil. Here,
      Pseudomonas fluorescens has been introduced to the system to understand how
      bacteria interact with steel. Through electrochemical testing including open
      circuit potentials, potentiodynamic scans, anodic potential holds, and
      electrochemical impedance spectroscopy it has been shown that P. fluorescens
      increases the rate of corrosion. Time for oxide and biofilms to develop was shown
      to not impact on the rate of corrosion but did alter the consistency of biofilm
      present and the viability of P. fluorescens following electrochemical testing.
      The proposed mechanism for increased corrosion rates of carbon steel involves the
      interactions of pyoverdine with the steel, preventing the formation of a cohesive
      passive layer, after initial cell attachment, followed by the formation of a
      metal concentration gradient on the steel surface.

PMID- 28633524
TI  - Charge Migration in Eyring, Walter and Kimball's 1944 Model of the Electronically
      Excited Hydrogen-Molecule Ion.
AB  - In an elementary variational treatment of the electronic structure of H2+,
      Eyring, Walter, and Kimball (EWK) serendipitously discovered charge migration
      (CM) in 1944. Using an analytic expression for the electronic probability density
      (EPD), they found that if the electron is initially localized on one of the
      protons (by taking the initial state to be a superposition of the ground and
      first excited electronic energy eigenstates), then it oscillates adiabatically
      between fixed protons with a period T inversely proportional to the energy gap
      between the eigenstates. At the equilibrium internuclear separation, T = 550.9
      as. As shown here, the EWK model also yields an analytic formula for the
      electronic flux density (EFD). While the EPD indicates where the electron is at
      any instant, the EFD reveals the pathways the electron follows during its
      migration. Thus, the EFD complements the EPD, providing valuable new insight into
      the mechanism of CM. The formula for the EFD is a simple product of a time factor
      and a spatial factor. This factoring exposes a plethora of spatial-temporal
      symmetry relations which imply novel and surprising properties. An especially
      significant finding is that, in contrast to multielectron systems, where electron
      correlation may play a role in CM, in the EWK model of H2+, CM is due strictly to
      quantum interference between the ground and first excited electronic states.

PMID- 28633525
TI  - Use of Dimethyl Pimelimidate with Microfluidic System for Nucleic Acids
      Extraction without Electricity.
AB  - The isolation of nucleic acids in the lab on a chip is crucial to achieve the
      maximal effectiveness of point-of-care testing for detection in clinical
      applications. Here, we report on the use of a simple and versatile single-channel
      microfluidic platform that combines dimethyl pimelimidate (DMP) for nucleic acids
      (both RNA and DNA) extraction without electricity using a thin-film system. The
      system is based on the adaption of DMP into nonchaotropic-based nucleic acids and
      the capture of reagents into a low-cost thin-film platform for use as a
      microfluidic total analysis system, which can be utilized for sample processing
      in clinical diagnostics. Moreover, we assessed the use of the DMP system for the
      extraction of nucleic acids from various samples, including mammalian cells,
      bacterial cells, and viruses from human disease, and we also confirmed that the
      quality and quantity of the nucleic acids extracted were sufficient to allow for
      the robust detection of biomarkers and/or pathogens in downstream analysis.
      Furthermore, this DMP system does not require any instruments and electricity,
      and has improved time efficiency, portability, and affordability. Thus, we
      believe that the DMP system may change the paradigm of sample processing in
      clinical diagnostics.

PMID- 28633526
TI  - Reduced-Graphene Oxide/Poly(acrylic acid) Aerogels as a Three-Dimensional
      Replacement for Metal-Foil Current Collectors in Lithium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - We report the synthesis and properties of a low-density (~5 mg/cm3) and highly
      porous (99.6% void space) three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide
      (rGO)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) nanocomposite aerogel as the scaffold for cathode
      materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The rGO-PAA is both simple and starts
      from readily available graphite and PAA, thereby providing a scalable fabrication
      procedure. The scaffold can support as much as a 75 mg/cm2 loading of LiFePO4
      (LFP) in a ~430 MUm thick layer, and the porosity of the aerogel is tunable by
      compression; the flexible aerogel can be compressed 30-fold (i.e., to as little
      as 3.3% of its initial volume) while retaining its mechanical integrity.
      Replacement of the Al foil by the rGO-PAA current collector of the slurry-cast
      LFP (1.45 +/- 0.2 g/cm3 tap density) provides for exemplary mass loadings of 9
      mgLFP/cm2 at 70 MUm thickness and 1.4 g/cm3 density or 16 mgLFP/cm2 at 100 MUm
      thickness and ~1.6 g/cm3 density. When compared to Al foil, the distribution of
      LFP throughout the three-dimensional rGO-PAA framework doubles the effective LFP
      solution-contacted area at 9 mg/cm2 loading and increases it 2.5-fold at 16
      mg/cm2 loading. Overall, the rGO-PAA current collector increases the volumetric
      capacity by increasing the effective electrode area without compromising the
      electrode density, which was compromised in past research where the effective
      electrode area has been increased by reducing the particle size.

PMID- 28633527
TI  - Molecular Beam Epitaxy of Highly Crystalline Monolayer Molybdenum Disulfide on
      Hexagonal Boron Nitride.
AB  - Atomically thin molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a direct-band-gap semiconductor, is
      promising for applications in electronics and optoelectronics, but the scalable
      synthesis of highly crystalline film remains challenging. Here we report the
      successful epitaxial growth of a continuous, uniform, highly crystalline
      monolayer MoS2 film on hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) by molecular beam epitaxy.
      Atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy studies reveal that MoS2 grown on
      h-BN primarily consists of two types of nucleation grains (0 degrees  aligned and
      60 degrees  antialigned domains). By adopting a high growth temperature and
      ultralow precursor flux, the formation of 60 degrees  antialigned grains is
      largely suppressed. The resulting perfectly aligned grains merge seamlessly into
      a highly crystalline film. Large-scale monolayer MoS2 film can be grown on a 2
      in. h-BN/sapphire wafer, for which surface morphology and Raman mapping confirm
      good spatial uniformity. Our study represents a significant step in the scalable
      synthesis of highly crystalline MoS2 films on atomically flat surfaces and paves
      the way to large-scale applications.

PMID- 28633528
TI  - Binding Space Concept: A New Approach To Enhance the Reliability of Docking
      Scores and Its Application to Predicting Butyrylcholinesterase Hydrolytic
      Activity.
AB  - Docking simulations are very popular approaches able to assess the capacity of a
      given ligand to interact with a target. Docking simulations are usually focused
      on a single best complex even though many studies showed that ligands retain a
      significant mobility within a binding pocket by assuming different binding modes
      all of which may contribute to the monitored ligand affinity. The present study
      describes an innovative concept, the binding space, which allows an exploration
      of the ligand mobility within the binding pocket by simultaneously considering
      several ligand poses as generated by docking simulations. The multiple poses and
      the relative docking scores can then be analyzed by taking advantage of the same
      concepts already used in the property space analysis; hence the binding space can
      be parametrized by (a) mean scores, (b) score ranges, and (c) score sensitivity
      values. The first parameter represents a very simple procedure to account for the
      contribution of the often neglected alternative binding modes, while the last two
      descriptors encode the degree of mobility which a given ligand retains within the
      binding cavity (score range) as well as the ease with which a ligand explores
      such a mobility (score sensitivity). Here, the binding space concept is applied
      to the prediction of the hydrolytic activity of BChE by synergistically
      considering multiple poses and multiple protein structures. The obtained results
      shed light on the remarkable potential of the binding space concept, whose
      parameters allow a significant increase of the predictive power of the docking
      results as revealed by extended correlative analyses. Mean scores are the
      parameters affording the largest statistical improvement, and all the here
      proposed docking-based descriptors show enhancing effects in developing
      predictive models. Finally, the study describes a new score function (Contacts
      score) simply based on the number of surrounding residues which appears to be
      particularly productive in the framework of the binding space.

PMID- 28633529
TI  - The Weekday Wheezer.

PMID- 28633530
TI  - Essential oil composition of Rydingia michauxii (Briq.) Scheen & V.A. Albert
      endemic of Iran.
AB  - The chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts
      of Rydingia michauxii (Briq.) Scheen & V.A. Albert was analysed by gas
      chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Eighty
      components were identified in the oil with caryophyllene oxide (20.1%), trans
      verbenol (10.2%), linalool (5.3%) and humulene epoxide II (4.6%) as main
      constituents. We reported here the chemical compositions of R. michauxii EOs from
      southern Zagros of Iran with a distinct chemical profile for the first time.

PMID- 28633532
TI  - Complementary therapies - conflicting complications?

PMID- 28633531
TI  - The effectiveness of aided augmented input techniques for persons with
      developmental disabilities: a systematic review.
AB  - When working with individuals with little or no functional speech, clinicians
      often recommend that communication partners use the client's augmentative and
      alternative communication (AAC) device when speaking to the client. This is
      broadly known as "augmented input" and is thought to enhance the client's
      learning of language form and content. The purpose of this systematic review was
      to determine the effects of augmented input on communication outcomes in persons
      with developmental disabilities and persons with childhood apraxia of speech who
      use aided AAC. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Each included study
      was reviewed in terms of participant characteristics, terminology used, symbol
      format, augmented input characteristics, outcomes measured, effectiveness, and
      study quality. Results indicate that augmented input can improve single-word
      vocabulary skills and expression of multi-symbol utterances; however,
      comprehension beyond the single word level has not been explored. Additionally,
      it is difficult to form conclusions about the effect of augmented input on
      specific diagnostic populations. Directions for future research are posited.

PMID- 28633533
TI  - In the modern era of percutaneous coronary intervention: Is cardiac
      rehabilitation engagement purely a patient or a service level decision?
AB  - Aims Despite the proven benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), utilization
      rates remain below recommendation in the percutaneous coronary intervention
      cohort in most European countries. Although extensive research has been carried
      out on CR uptake, no previous study has investigated the factors that lead
      patients to attend the initial CR baseline assessment (CR engagement). This paper
      attempts to provide new insights into CR engagement in the growing percutaneous
      coronary intervention population. Methods and results In total, we analysed data
      on 59,807 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention during 2013
      to 2016 (mean age 65 years; 25% female). Twenty factors were hypothesized to have
      a direct impact on CR engagement and they were grouped into four main categories;
      namely socio-demographic factors, cardiac risk factors, medical status and
      service-level factors. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to
      examine the association between CR engagement and tested factors. All but one of
      the proposed factors had a statistically significant impact on CR engagement.
      Results showed that CR engagement decreases by 1.2% per year of age (odds ratio
      0.98) and is approximately 7% lower (odds ratio 0.93) in female patients, while
      patients are 4.4 times more likely to engage if they receive a confirmed joining
      date (odds ratio 4.4). The final model achieved 86.6% sensitivity and 49.0%
      specificity with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of
      0.755. Conclusion The present results highlight the important factors of the
      likelihood of CR engagement. This implies that future strategies should focus on
      factors that are associated with CR engagement.

PMID- 28633534
TI  - Neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves exercise tolerance in patients with
      advanced heart failure on continuous intravenous inotropic support use-randomized
      controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a short-term neuromuscular electrical
      stimulation program on exercise tolerance in hospitalized patients with advanced
      heart failure who have suffered an acute decompensation and are under continuous
      intravenous inotropic support. DESIGN: A randomized controlled study. SUBJECTS:
      Initially, 195 patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure were
      recruited, but 70 were randomized. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomized into
      two groups: control group subject to the usual care ( n = 35); neuromuscular
      electrical stimulation group ( n = 35) received daily training sessions to both
      lower extremities for around two weeks. MAIN MEASURES: The baseline 6-minute walk
      test to determine functional capacity was performed 24 hours after hospital
      admission, and intravenous inotropic support dose was daily checked in all
      patients. The outcomes were measured in two weeks or at the discharge if the
      patients were sent back home earlier than two weeks. RESULTS: After losses of
      follow-up, a total of 49 patients were included and considered for final analysis
      (control group, n = 25 and neuromuscular electrical stimulation group, n = 24).
      The neuromuscular electrical stimulation group presented with a higher 6-minute
      walk test distance compared to the control group after the study protocol (293 +/
      34.78 m vs. 265.8 +/- 48.53 m, P < 0.001, respectively). Neuromuscular
      electrical stimulation group also demonstrated a significantly higher dose
      reduction of dobutamine compared to control group after the study protocol (2.72
      +/- 1.72 ug/kg/min vs. 3.86 +/- 1.61 ug/kg/min, P = 0.001, respectively).
      CONCLUSION: A short-term inpatient neuromuscular electrical stimulation
      rehabilitation protocol improved exercise tolerance and reduced intravenous
      inotropic support necessity in patients with advanced heart failure suffering a
      decompensation episode.

PMID- 28633535
TI  - Changes in the level of cardiac troponine and disorders in pulmonary gas exchange
      as predictors of short- and long-term outcomes of patients with aneurysm
      subarachnoid haemorrhage.
AB  - SUBJECT: Cardiopulmonary abnormalities are common after aneurysmal subarachnoid
      haemorrhage (aSAH). However, the relationship between short- and long-term
      outcome is poorly understood. In this paper, we present how cardiac troponine
      elevations (cTnI) and pulmonary disorders are associated with short- and long
      term outcomes assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and Extended Glasgow
      Outcome Scale (GOSE). METHODS: A total of 104 patients diagnosed with aSAH were
      analysed in the study. The non-parametric U Mann-Whitney test was used to
      evaluate the difference between good (GOS IV-V, GOSE V-VIII) and poor (GOS I-III,
      GOSE I-IV) outcomes in relation to cTnI elevation and pulmonary disorders.
      Outcome was assessed at discharge from the hospital, and then followed up 6 and
      12 months later. Pulmonary disorders were determined by the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and
      radiography. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were used to determine the
      predictive power of these factors. RESULTS: In the group with good short-term
      outcomes cTnI elevation on the second day after aSAH was significantly lower (p =
      .00007) than in patients with poor short-term outcomes. The same trend was
      observed after 6 months, although there were different results 12 months from the
      onset (p = .024 and n.s., respectively). A higher peak of cTnI was observed in
      the group with a pathological X-ray (p = .008) and pathological PaO2/FiO2 ratio
      (p ? .001). cTnI was an accurate predictor of short-term outcomes (AUC = 0.741, p
      ? .001) and the outcome after 6 months (AUC = 0.688, p = .015). CONCLUSION: The
      results showed that cardiopulmonary abnormalities perform well as predictive
      factors for short- and long-term outcomes after aSAH.

PMID- 28633536
TI  - A new bisabolane sesquiterpenoid and a new abietane diterpenoid from Cephalotaxus
      sinensis.
AB  - Phytochemical investigation of Cephalotaxus sinensis has led to the isolation of
      a new bisabolane sesquiterpenoid (1), a new abietane diterpenoid (2), and 13
      known compounds (3-15). Their structures were elucidated by extensive
      spectroscopic analysis (MS, UV, IR, and NMR).

PMID- 28633537
TI  - Extensive Assessment of Blood Glucose Monitoring During Postprandial Period and
      Its Impact on Closed-Loop Performance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Closed-loop (CL) systems aims to outperform usual treatments in blood
      glucose control and continuous glucose monitors (CGM) are a key component in such
      systems. Meals represents one of the main disturbances in blood glucose control,
      and postprandial period (PP) is a challenging situation for both CL system and
      CGM accuracy. METHODS: We performed an extensive analysis of sensor's performance
      by numerical accuracy and precision during PP, as well as its influence in blood
      glucose control under CL therapy. RESULTS: During PP the mean absolute relative
      difference (MARD) for both sensors presented lower accuracy in the hypoglycemic
      range (19.4 +/- 12.8%) than in other ranges (12.2 +/- 8.6% in euglycemic range
      and 9.3 +/- 9.3% in hyperglycemic range). The overall MARD was 12.1 +/- 8.2%. We
      have also observed lower MARD for rates of change between 0 and 2 mg/dl. In CL
      therapy, the 10 trials with the best sensor spent less time in hypoglycemia (PG <
      70 mg/dl) than the 10 trials with the worst sensors (2 +/- 7 minutes vs 32 +/- 38
      minutes, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In terms of accuracy, our results resemble
      to previously reported. Furthermore, our results showed that sensors with the
      lowest MARD spent less time in hypoglycemic range, indicating that the
      performance of CL algorithm to control PP was related to sensor accuracy.

PMID- 28633538
TI  - Relationship between emergency care utilization, ambient temperature, and the
      pollution standard index in Taiwan.
AB  - This study applied a vector error correction model to investigate the effects of
      ambient temperature (AT) and air quality index values on emergency care
      utilization (ECU). The Pollution Standards Index (PSI) and total suspended
      particulates (TSP) were used for analysis. Data were obtained from the National
      Health Insurance Research Database of the Ministry of Transportation and
      Communications and Ministry Environmental of Protection Administration of Taiwan.
      Data from January of 1998 to December of 2012 (180 months) were analyzed. Study
      results showed that, regardless of long-term equilibrium or short-term dynamics,
      a 1  degrees C increase in AT will decrease ECU, showing that AT strongly affects
      ECU. There were no significant corrections of long-term equilibrium of PSI and
      TSP on ECU. Only short-term TSP dynamics caused negative effects in the first ECU
      phase. Emergency care requires special monitoring of AT and TSP to respond to the
      increased number of high-risk patients consulting emergency departments.

PMID- 28633539
TI  - A Survey on Chemical Constituents and Indications of Aromatic Waters Soft Drinks
      (Hydrosols) Used in Persian Nutrition Culture and Folk Medicine for Neurological
      Disorders and Mental Health.
AB  - In Persian nutrition culture, drinking aromatic waters (hydrosols, distillate)
      has a long history as functional beverages or therapeutic remedies. The co
      distilled water with essential oils, which contains partial amounts of more water
      soluble volatile compounds are diluted and used as beverages. Since the
      solubility of volatile components is different in water, the overall composition,
      and thus the biological activities of aromatic waters seem to be different from
      the essential oils they were co-distilled with. Despite the essential oils,
      chemical constituents of many aromatic waters have not been evaluated
      scientifically. This research investigated hydrosols used for mental and
      neurological health maintenance in Persian nutrition culture and their chemical
      constituents. Constitutions of these hydrosols were extracted by liquid/liquid
      extraction method and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
      Furthermore, cluster analysis was used to evaluate the relevance of these
      hydrosols chemical constituents. About 93 compounds were identified from 20
      aromatic waters. the major or second major constituents were thymol (azarol
      howthorn, frankincense, lemon balm, valerian, shadab), phenethyl alcohol (damask
      rose, dog-rose, starflower), carvacrol (basil, creeping buttercup, lemon balm);
      eugenol (shadab, dog-rose, starflower, basil), camphor (yarrow and wormwood),
      carvone (oriental plane), caryophyllene (cuminum), cinnamaldehyde (Chinese
      cinnamon), p-cymen-7-ol (musk willow), limonene (lemon verbena), linalool and
      alpha-terpineol (bitter orange), menthol (date palm) and methyl 5-vinylnicotinate
      (olive). Although, these hydrosols prepared from plants belong to different genus
      and families, but cluster analysis showed obvious similarities between their
      chemical constituents. Results of this investigation showed in many cases that
      the constituents of aromatic waters are different from the pure essential oil.

PMID- 28633540
TI  - Benign ependymoma with extensive intracranial and spinal cerebrospinal fluid
      dissemination: case report and literature review.
AB  - Myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE) is a rare variant of ependymoma that is most
      commonly located in the cauda equina and filum terminale. We present a case of 23
      year-old man diagnosed with MPE in the fourth ventricle and sacral canal area
      with extensive disseminated lesions along the cerebrospinal ventricular system.
      Additionally, a molecular pathological diagnosis was performed. The patient
      underwent a craniotomy and a lumbar laminectomy. In the course of 18 months of
      follow-up, the patient have recovered very well.

PMID- 28633541
TI  - The Development of a Glucose Dehydrogenase 3D-Printed Glucose Sensor: A Proof-of
      Concept Study.
AB  - This work represents a preliminary proof-of-concept design and verification of a
      3D-printed glucose biosensor. The proof of concept presented is the first example
      of glucose dehydrogenase sensor fabricated by a 3D-printer while maintaining
      similar features to current lab-industry standards. The sensor was verified to
      detect physiological glucose concentrations between 0 and 400 mg/dL with a linear
      coefficient as high as .97. This study showed that it was possible to use 3D
      printed technology to create a biosensor sensitive to glucose detection. As
      availability and functionality of 3D-printers expands, this technology has the
      potential to be an option for diabetes management. This preliminary study shows
      that the 3D-printed sensor platform holds promise for sensitive glucose
      detection.

PMID- 28633542
TI  - Deciphering participation: an interpretive synthesis of its meaning and
      application in rehabilitation.
AB  - PURPOSE: Participation is widely recognized as an important outcome for
      rehabilitation. However, it lacks a universally accepted definition. The purpose
      of this review is to synthesize the literature about participation in
      rehabilitation in order to clarify the term and increase its usefulness for
      rehabilitation providers and researchers. METHODS: We undertook an interpretive
      synthesis of the literature, drawing from a broad and varied selection of the
      vast number of publications on the subject of participation. The search and
      analysis was iterative and continued until saturation of themes was achieved.
      RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Seventy-six articles were included in our analysis. We
      argue that three essential dimensions - performance, subjective experience, and
      interpersonal connection - constitute participation. We further divide
      participation into community-based and interventional contexts. Interventional
      participation is circumscribed by the treatment setting, whereas community-based
      encompasses all other areas. Participation in either interventional or community
      based contexts is largely determined by the available opportunities from which a
      person can choose, with such opportunities affected by conditions that are either
      internal or external to the individual. As defined in this framework,
      participation is not inherently good or bad; rather, its effect is determined by
      a person's unique life circumstances and the impact may not always be apparent.
      We posit this model as a resource for future research as well as clinical
      reasoning. Implications for Rehabilitation The often tacit assumption that
      increasing participation is a desirable outcome needs to be challenged and
      considered in each patient's life situation. Treatment settings constitute a
      unique context in which patients participate. Intervention goals should be
      clearly connected with patients' personal goals for community-based
      participation.

PMID- 28633543
TI  - Staffs' documentation of participation for adults with profound intellectual
      disability or profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study investigated what areas of International Classification of
      Functioning, Disability and Health were documented in implementation plans for
      adults with profound intellectual disability or profound intellectual and
      multiple disabilities with focus on participation. METHODS: A document analysis
      of 17 implementation plans was performed and International Classification of
      Functioning, Disability and Health was used as an analytic tool. RESULTS: One
      hundred and sixty-three different codes were identified, especially in the
      components Activities and participation and Environmental factors. Participation
      was most frequently coded in the chapters Community, social and civic life and
      Self-care. Overall, the results showed that focus in the implementation plans
      concerned Self-care and Community, social and civic life. The other life areas in
      Activities and participation were seldom, or not at all, documented. CONCLUSIONS:
      A deeper focus on participation in the implementation plans and all life areas in
      the component Activities and participation is needed. It is important that the
      documentation clearly shows what the adult wants, wishes, and likes in everyday
      life. It is also important to ensure that the job description for staff contains
      both life areas and individual preferences so that staff have the possibility to
      work to fulfill social and individual participation for the target group.
      Implications for rehabilitation There is a need for functioning working models to
      increase participation significantly for adults with profound intellectual
      disability or profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. For these adults,
      participation is achieved through the assistance of others and support and
      services carried out must be documented in an implementation plan. The
      International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health can be used to
      support staff and ensure that information about the most important factors in an
      individual's functioning in their environment is not omitted in documentation.

PMID- 28633544
TI  - Medical versus surgical management of penetrating Crohn's disease: the current
      situation and future perspectives.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The development of penetrating Crohn's disease (CD) occurs in up to
      50% of patients over the course of their lifetime. While the presentation of
      these complications, including free perforation, intra-abdominal abscess, and
      enteric fistula, are usually obvious, the management can require a nuanced
      approach, with distinct short and long-term approaches. Areas covered: This
      review discusses medical and surgical methods of treating these complications,
      including the role of percutaneous drainage of abscesses, the implications of a
      stricture associated with a fistula, and the efficacy of postoperative anti-TNF
      therapy in preventing recurrence after surgical treatment. Expert commentary: An
      approach to the management of these complications that begins with control of
      sepsis, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, bowel rest, and nutritional support
      is proposed. The next appropriate step is a diagnostic evaluation to determine
      the utility of medical versus surgical therapy, considering the presence of a
      stricture and prior immunosuppressive therapy. Postoperative anti-TNF therapy, a
      highly effective method to prevent recurrence, should be considered in many
      cases.

PMID- 28633545
TI  - Late recovery of awareness in prolonged disorders of consciousness -a cross
      sectional cohort study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To detect any improvement of awareness in prolonged disorders of
      consciousness in the long term. METHODS: A total of 34 patients with prolonged
      disorders of consciousness (27 vegetative state and seven minimally conscious
      state; 16 males; aged 21-73) were included in the study. All patients were
      initially diagnosed with vegetative/minimally conscious state on admission to our
      specialist neurological rehabilitation unit. Re-assessment was performed 2-16
      years later using Coma Recovery Scale-Revised. RESULTS: Although remaining
      severely disabled, 32% of the patients showed late improvement of awareness
      evidenced with development of non-reflexive responses such as reproducible
      command following and localization behaviors. Most of the late recoveries
      occurred in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (5/11, 45.5%). The ages of
      patients within the late recovery group (Mean = 45, SD = 11.4) and non-recovery
      group (Mean = 43, SD = 15.5) were not statistically different (p = 0.76).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that late improvements in awareness are not
      exceptional in non-traumatic prolonged disorders of consciousness cases. It
      highlights the importance of long-term follow up of patients with prolonged
      disorders of consciousness, regardless of the etiology, age, and time passed
      since the brain injury. Long-term follow up will help clinicians to identify
      patients who may benefit from further assessment and rehabilitation. Although
      only one patient achieved recovery of function, recovery of awareness may have
      important ethical implications especially where withdrawal of artificial
      nutrition and hydration is considered. Implications for rehabilitation Long-term
      regular follow-up of people with prolonged disorders of consciousness is
      important. Albeit with poor functional outcomes late recovery of awareness is
      possible in both traumatic and non-traumatic prolonged disorders of consciousness
      cases. Recovery of awareness has significant clinical and ethical implications
      especially where withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration is considered.

PMID- 28633546
TI  - Identification of specific antibodies against the Ag85C-MPT51-HspX fusion protein
      (CMX) for serological screening of tuberculosis in endemic area.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Development of new tools for rapid and accurate diagnosis of
      tuberculosis (TB) is considered a strategy for controlling the disease. The
      recombinant CMX fusion protein is composed of immunodominant epitopes of the
      Ag85C (Rv0129c), MPT51 (Rv3803c) and the entire HspX (Rv2031c) proteins from
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (Mtb). The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      applicability of a test using the CMX protein in individuals suspected of TB.
      METHODS: Indirect ELISA was used to measure serum anti-CMX IgM and IgG in
      individuals with pulmonary TB. RESULTS: Patients with pulmonary TB had higher
      titers of IgM (OD = 0.502 +/- 0.281) than healthy controls (OD = 0.200 +/-
      0.125). The cutoff for IgM-ELISA was determined using ROC curve analyzes (AUC =
      0.868) with a sensitivity of 80.1% and a specificity of 78.2%. Patients with
      pulmonary TB also had higher titers of IgG (OD = 0.525 +/- 0.391) than healthy
      controls (OD = 0.215 +/- 0.077). The cutoff for IgG-ELISA was determined using
      ROC curve analyzes (AUC = 0.864) with a sensitivity of 81.7% and a specificity of
      74.7%. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the recombinant protein CMX can be
      used in a serological test to complement the screening of individuals suspected
      of having active pulmonary TB.

PMID- 28633547
TI  - Lipid-based nanosystem of edaravone: development, optimization, characterization
      and in vitro/in vivo evaluation.
AB  - Edaravone (EDR) is a well-recognized lipophilic free radical scavenger for
      diseases including neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
      However, its oral use is restricted due to poor oral bioavailability (BA). The
      aim of present research was to enable its oral use by developing a lipid-based
      nanosystem (LNS). The components of LNS including oil, surfactants, and co
      surfactants were selected based on their potential to maximize the solubilization
      in gastrointestinal (GI) fluids, reduce its glucuronidation and improve
      transmembrane permeability. The liquid LNS (L-LNS) with CapryolTM PGMC (Oil),
      Cremophor(r) RH 40:Labrasol(r):TPGS 1000 (1:0.8:0.2) (Surfactant) and Transcutol
      P(r) (Co-surfactant) were optimized to form microemulsion having droplet size
      (16.25 nm), polydispersity index (0.039), % Transmittance (99.85%), and self
      emulsification time (32 s). It significantly improved the EDR loading as well as
      its metabolism and permeability profile during transport across the GI tract. To
      overcome the possible drawbacks of L-LNS, Aerosil(r) 200 was used to formulate
      solid LNS (S-LNS), and its concentration was optimized based on flow properties.
      S-LNS possessed all quality attributes of L-LNS confirmed by solid-state
      characterization, reconstitution ability, and stability study. The dissolution
      rate of EDR was significantly enhanced with L-LNS and S-LNS in simulated gastric,
      and intestinal fluids. The pharmacokinetic study revealed significant improvement
      in relative BA, Cmax, and t1/2 with L-LNS and S-LNS against EDR suspension.
      Moreover, S-LNS showed superior cellular uptake and neuroprotective effect
      compared to EDR in SH-SY5Y695 cell line. An appropriate selection of the
      components of LNS could enable effective oral delivery of challenging
      therapeutics that are conventionally used by the parenteral administration.

PMID- 28633548
TI  - Polyquaternium-mediated delivery of morpholino oligonucleotides for exon-skipping
      in vitro and in mdx mice.
AB  - Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy has shown great
      potential in preclinical and clinical trials, but its therapeutic applications
      are still limited due to inefficient delivery. In this study, we investigated a
      few polyquaterniums (PQs) with different size and composition for their potential
      to improve delivery performance of an antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino
      oligomer (PMO) both in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that LuviquatTM
      series, especially PQ-1 and PQ-3, promoted the exon-skipping efficiency
      comparable to Endoporter-mediated PMO delivery in vitro. Significant enhancement
      in skipping dystrophin exon 23 has also been achieved with PQ-3 up to seven-fold
      when compared to PMO alone in mdx mice. Cytotoxicity of the PQs was lower than
      Endoporter and PEI 25 K in vitro and muscle damage not clearly detected in vivo
      under the tested concentrations. These results together demonstrate that the
      optimization of PQ in molecular size, composition and distribution of positive
      charges is the key factor to achieve enhanced PMO exon-skipping efficiency. The
      higher efficiency and lower toxicity endow polyquaternium series as AO delivery
      enhancing agents for treating muscular dystrophy and other diseases.

PMID- 28633549
TI  - An update on Zika vaccine developments.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The devastating consequences of congenital Zika virus (ZIKV)
      infection led to a global response directed toward a better understanding of the
      epidemiology and pathogenesis of ZIKV and to efforts at vaccine development. As a
      result, there are currently 45 ZIKV vaccine candidates in development. Areas
      covered: Both traditional (purified inactivated, live attenuated, viral-vectored,
      recombinant sub-unit) and novel (DNA, self-replicating RNA, mRNA) vaccine
      platforms are being utilized. For emergency use, vaccines that are appropriate
      for women of child-bearing age (including pregnant women) are being developed.
      Live vaccines that may be contraindicated in pregnancy are also in development
      for potential inclusion in national immunization programmes in childhood or pre
      teenage age groups. WHO developed a target product profile for Zika vaccines for
      use in an emergency. Expert commentary: Although ZIKV vaccine development had a
      quick head start, further development may be hampered because of the inability to
      conduct large efficacy trials with the decline in cases globally and
      unpredictability of new outbreaks. Furthermore, there are complex ethical issues
      involved in conducting efficacy trials in pregnant women.

PMID- 28633550
TI  - Right Fronto-Temporal EEG can Differentiate the Affective Responses to Award
      Winning Advertisements.
AB  - Affective engineering aims to improve service/product design by translating the
      customer's psychological feelings. Award-winning advertisements (AAs) were
      selected on the basis of the professional standards that consider creativity as a
      prerequisite. However, it is unknown if AA is related to satisfactory advertising
      performance among customers or only to the experts' viewpoints towards the
      advertisements. This issue in the field of affective engineering and design
      merits in-depth evaluation. We recruited 30 subjects and performed an
      electroencephalography (EEG) experiment while watching AAs and non-AAs (NAAs).
      The event-related potential (ERP) data showed that AAs evoked larger positive
      potentials 250-1400 [Formula: see text]ms after stimulus onset, particularly in
      the right fronto-temporal regions. The behavioral results were consistent with
      the professional recognition given to AAs by experts. The perceived levels of
      creativity and "product-like" quality were higher for the AAs than for the NAAs.
      Event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) analysis further revealed
      statistically significant differences in the theta, alpha, beta, and gamma band
      activity in the right fronto-temporal regions between the AAs and NAAs. Our
      results confirm that EEG features from the time/frequency domains can
      differentiate affective responses to AAs at a neural circuit level, and provide
      scientific evidence to support the identification of AAs.

PMID- 28633551
TI  - A Pareto-based Ensemble with Feature and Instance Selection for Learning from
      Multi-Class Imbalanced Datasets.
AB  - Imbalanced classification is related to those problems that have an uneven
      distribution among classes. In addition to the former, when instances are located
      into the overlapped areas, the correct modeling of the problem becomes harder.
      Current solutions for both issues are often focused on the binary case study, as
      multi-class datasets require an additional effort to be addressed. In this
      research, we overcome these problems by carrying out a combination between
      feature and instance selections. Feature selection will allow simplifying the
      overlapping areas easing the generation of rules to distinguish among the
      classes. Selection of instances from all classes will address the imbalance
      itself by finding the most appropriate class distribution for the learning task,
      as well as possibly removing noise and difficult borderline examples. For the
      sake of obtaining an optimal joint set of features and instances, we embedded the
      searching for both parameters in a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm, using
      the C4.5 decision tree as baseline classifier in this wrapper approach. The multi
      objective scheme allows taking a double advantage: the search space becomes
      broader, and we may provide a set of different solutions in order to build an
      ensemble of classifiers. This proposal has been contrasted versus several state
      of-the-art solutions on imbalanced classification showing excellent results in
      both binary and multi-class problems.

PMID- 28633553
TI  - Giant Bullous Emphysema With Placental Transmogrification: A Case Report of a 14
      Year-Old With Right Middle- and Lower-Lobe Involvement.
AB  - Giant bullous emphysema with placental transmogrification is an extremely rare
      entity, with 30 previously reported cases. Of these reported cases, it is
      typically identified with varied clinical and radiological impressions, presents
      in young adulthood to elderly, is always unilateral, and usually involves just
      one lobe. Despite the unknown pathogenesis, this diagnosis carries an excellent
      prognosis and is curative with complete resection. The pulmonary placental
      transmogrification is histologically indistinguishable from placental origin.
      Although not necessary to utilize because of the male predominance and no
      reported association, immunohistochemical stains can be used to prove lung
      origin. We report an extremely rare case of 2-lobe involvement of giant bullous
      emphysema with placental transmogrification in a boy 14 years of age, who is the
      youngest diagnosed patient with this lung abnormality.

PMID- 28633552
TI  - Cabozantinib for the treatment of kidney cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cabozantinib is a small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that
      initially showed activity in medullary thyroid cancer and was recently approved
      by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of metastatic renal cell
      carcinoma after progression on first line therapy. Areas covered: In the METEOR
      trial, cabozantinib demonstrated significantly improved efficacy in all three
      endpoints; response rates, progression free survival and overall survival in a
      randomized trial with everolimus as an active comparator. Cabozantinib also
      showed activity in the front line setting in RCC within the CABOSUN trial. The
      study randomized untreated metastatic RCC patients to either cabozantinib or
      sunitinib and the former showed improved progression free survival which was the
      primary endpoint. The future holds promise for indications in other malignancies,
      given the preliminary efficacy and unique mechanism of action of cabozantinib. In
      this review we address the mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics and
      pharmacokinetics of cabozantinib, and also review the development pathway of this
      agent in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. The potential benefit in
      specific patient populations, such as poor risk patients and bone metastases
      subgroups is also discussed. Expert commentary: The clinical applications of
      cabozantinib will be addressed within the context of the current competitive
      therapeutic landscape of RCC.

PMID- 28633554
TI  - Belief in Life After Death and Attitudes Toward Voluntary Euthanasia.
AB  - Research has documented associations among religious affiliation, religious
      practice, and attitudes toward voluntary euthanasia, yet very few studies have
      investigated how particular religious beliefs influence these attitudes. I use
      data from the General Social Survey (GSS; N = 19,967) to evaluate the association
      between the belief in life after death and attitudes toward voluntary euthanasia.
      I find that those who believe in life after death are significantly less likely
      than those who do not believe in life after death or those who doubt the
      existence of life after death to have positive attitudes toward voluntary
      euthanasia. These associations hold even after controlling for religious
      affiliation, religious attendance, views of the Bible, and sociodemographic
      factors. The findings indicate that to understand individuals' views about
      voluntary euthanasia, one must pay attention to individuals' particular religious
      beliefs.

PMID- 28633555
TI  - Glutamine Administration in Early or Late Septic Phase Downregulates Lymphocyte
      PD-1/PD-L1 Expression and the Inflammatory Response in Mice With Polymicrobial
      Sepsis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a severe inflammatory response to infection. Excessive
      compensation to inflammation leads to dysregulated immune response that
      ultimately results in organ damage and lethality of sepsis. This study
      administered glutamine (GLN) in the early or late phase of sepsis to investigate
      its effects on regulating leukocyte programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand
      (programmed cell death ligand 1 [PD-L1]) expression, macrophage function,
      inflammation, and acute kidney injury in sepsis. METHODS: Mice were randomly
      assigned to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or sham-operated groups. Septic
      mice were respectively injected once with saline or 0.75 g GLN/kg body weight at
      3 or 10 hours post-CLP via tail vein. All mice were sacrificed 24 hours after
      CLP. RESULTS: Sepsis enhanced the percentage of interferon-gamma-expressing and
      interleukin (IL)-17A-expressing CD4+ T cells, expression of PD-1 on T cells, and
      PD-L1 on B cells and monocytes. Inflammatory mediator messenger RNA (mRNA)
      expression in kidney tissues and proapoptotic caspase-3 mRNA expression in
      mesenteric lymph nodes were also upregulated. GLN administration decreased plasma
      IL-6 level, downregulated the percentage of IL-17A-expressing CD4+ T cells,
      attenuated macrophage dysfunction, decreased caspase-3 mRNA expression, and
      reduced PD-1/PD-L1 expression by T and B cells. Histological findings also showed
      that kidney damage was attenuated. GLN administered at 3 and 10 hours after CLP
      offered nearly equal effects on PD-1/PD-L1 and inflammatory mediator expression
      after CLP. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that a single dose of GLN
      administration in either the early or late phase during sepsis promotes a more
      balanced immune regulation and reduced systemic and kidney inflammatory responses
      in mice.

PMID- 28633556
TI  - Oxidative stress and DNA damage in newborns born to mothers with hyperglycemia -
      a prospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemic mothers have increased oxidative stress during
      pregnancy, which can adversely affect the outcome in their neonates. OBJECTIVES:
      To measure the oxidative stress and DNA damage in newborns born to mothers with
      hyperglycemia and correlate their immediate outcome with the amount of oxidative
      stress and DNA damage. METHODS: This prospective cohort study conducted in a
      tertiary care teaching hospital, South India included three groups - newborns
      born to pregestational diabetic mothers, gestational diabetic mothers, and
      euglycemic mothers with 24 newborns in each. Oxidative stress parameters -
      malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and DNA damage (comet
      assay) were assessed in umbilical cord blood. Association between these
      parameters and immediate neonatal outcome among three groups were studied.
      RESULTS: Newborns born to diabetic mothers had more MDA levels and DNA damage
      compared to euglycemic mothers. There was a positive correlation between comet
      parameters and MDA levels. There was an inverse correlation between comet
      parameters and TAC. Newborns born to diabetic mothers were at high risk to
      develop respiratory distress syndrome, hypoglycemia, and sepsis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Newborns born to diabetic mothers had increased oxidative stress and DNA damage
      compared to those born to mothers with euglycemia.

PMID- 28633558
TI  - An introduction to Bayesian statistics in health psychology.
AB  - The aim of the current article is to provide a brief introduction to Bayesian
      statistics within the field of health psychology. Bayesian methods are increasing
      in prevalence in applied fields, and they have been shown in simulation research
      to improve the estimation accuracy of structural equation models, latent growth
      curve (and mixture) models, and hierarchical linear models. Likewise, Bayesian
      methods can be used with small sample sizes since they do not rely on large
      sample theory. In this article, we discuss several important components of
      Bayesian statistics as they relate to health-based inquiries. We discuss the
      incorporation and impact of prior knowledge into the estimation process and the
      different components of the analysis that should be reported in an article. We
      present an example implementing Bayesian estimation in the context of blood
      pressure changes after participants experienced an acute stressor. We conclude
      with final thoughts on the implementation of Bayesian statistics in health
      psychology, including suggestions for reviewing Bayesian manuscripts and grant
      proposals. We have also included an extensive amount of online supplementary
      material to complement the content presented here, including Bayesian examples
      using many different software programmes and an extensive sensitivity analysis
      examining the impact of priors.

PMID- 28633557
TI  - CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling mediated ERK1/2 activation in spinal cord contributes to
      the pathogenesis of postsurgical pain in rats.
AB  - Background: It has been demonstrated that upregulation of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in
      spinal cord involves in the pathogenesis of neuropathic, inflammatory, and cancer
      pain. However, whether CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling contributes to postsurgical pain
      remains unknown. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of
      CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling in the genesis of postsurgical pain and the underlying
      mechanism. Results: Plantar incision in rat hind paw resulted in increased
      expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in spinal dorsal horn. Double immunofluorescence
      staining revealed that CXCL12 expressed in neurons and astrocytes, and CXCR4
      exclusively co-localized with neuronal cells. Prior administration of AMD3100, a
      specific antagonist of CXCR4, or CXCL12 neutralizing antibody, intrathecally
      attenuated plantar incision-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal
      hyperalgesia. Plantar incision also augmented the phosphorylation of NF-kappaB
      p65 in spinal cord. Pre intrathecal (i.t.) injection of PDTC, a specific NF
      kappaB activation inhibitor, alleviated plantar incision-induced postsurgical
      pain and reduced the expression of CXCL12 in spinal cord. Correlated with the
      upregulation of CXCL12 and CXCR4, plantar incision also resulted in an increased
      phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and Akt in spinal
      cord. Prior i.t. administration of AMD3100 prevented extracellular signal
      regulated kinase, but not Akt, activation in spinal cord. Rats when given a
      repetitive i.t. PD98059, a specific extracellular signal-regulated kinase
      inhibitor, started 30 min before surgery also ameliorate plantar incision-induced
      mechanical and thermal pain hypersensitivity. Conclusion: Our results suggests
      that plantar incision-induced activation of NF-kappaB signaling may mediate
      upregulation of CXCL12 in spinal cord, and CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling via
      extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation contributes to the genesis of
      postsurgical pain.

PMID- 28633559
TI  - Dating persons with physical disabilities: the perceptions of South Africans
      without disabilities.
AB  - There is good reason to believe that the attitudes of persons without disability
      towards dating a person with a physical disability might be unfavourable.
      However, in general, and in the Global South in particular, there is a dearth of
      research in this area. This study sought to take the first step in addressing
      this lack of enquiry, by surveying the attitudes of a general population sample
      in South Africa towards dating people with physical disabilities, using a
      vignette. Data from 1723 survey respondents were analysed thematically. Findings
      reveal largely negative attitudes towards people with physical disabilities.
      Respondents without disability perceived numerous barriers to dating a person
      with a physical disability, including social stigma, anxiety and concerns about
      the burden of care they believed such a relationship would place upon them.
      However, there was some evidence to suggest that some positive attitudes do
      exist, and a few respondents were open to dating a person with physical
      disabilities. Findings contribute to a nuancing and expanding of the 'myth of
      asexuality' among physically disabled people by showing that people with physical
      disabilities are actively desexualised by persons without disability. Future
      research is needed to explore how the inclusive attitudes, of which we did find
      evidence here, can be further cultivated.

PMID- 28633561
TI  - Regulation of Energy Homeostasis After Gastric Bypass Surgery.
AB  - The obesity epidemic continues to escalate each year in the United States more
      than anywhere else in the world. The existing pharmaceutical and other
      nonsurgical treatments for morbid obesity produce suboptimal physiologic outcomes
      compared with those of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. RYGB has been the
      gold standard of bariatric surgery because the beneficial long-term outcomes,
      which include sustainable weight loss and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
      resolution, are far superior to those obtained with other bariatric surgeries.
      However, the current understanding of RYGB's mechanisms of actions remains
      limited and incomplete. There is an urgent need to understand these mechanisms as
      gaining this knowledge may lead to the development of innovative and less
      invasive procedures and/or medical devices, which can mirror the favorable
      outcomes of RYGB surgery. In this review, we highlight current observations of
      the metabolic and physiologic events following RYGB, with a particular focus on
      the role of the anatomical reconfiguration of the gastrointestinal tract after
      RYGB.

PMID- 28633562
TI  - Advances in Imaging Brain Metabolism.
AB  - Metabolism is central to neuroimaging because it can reveal pathways by which
      neuronal and glial cells use nutrients to fuel their growth and function. We
      focus on advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (MRS) methods used in brain metabolic studies. 17O-MRS and 31P-MRS,
      respectively, provide rates of oxygen use and ATP synthesis inside mitochondria,
      whereas 19F-MRS enables measurement of cytosolic glucose metabolism. Calibrated
      functional MRI (fMRI), an advanced form of fMRI that uses contrast generated by
      deoxyhemoglobin, provides maps of oxygen use that track neuronal firing across
      brain regions. 13C-MRS is the only noninvasive method of measuring both
      glutamatergic neurotransmission and cell-specific energetics with signaling and
      nonsignaling purposes. Novel MRI contrasts, arising from endogenous diamagnetic
      agents and exogenous paramagnetic agents, permit pH imaging of glioma. Overall,
      these magnetic resonance methods for imaging brain metabolism demonstrate
      translational potential to better understand brain disorders and guide diagnosis
      and treatment.

PMID- 28633563
TI  - Mammalian Synthetic Biology: Engineering Biological Systems.
AB  - The programming of new functions into mammalian cells has tremendous application
      in research and medicine. Continued improvements in the capacity to sequence and
      synthesize DNA have rapidly increased our understanding of mechanisms of gene
      function and regulation on a genome-wide scale and have expanded the set of
      genetic components available for programming cell biology. The invention of new
      research tools, including targetable DNA-binding systems such as CRISPR/Cas9 and
      sensor-actuator devices that can recognize and respond to diverse chemical,
      mechanical, and optical inputs, has enabled precise control of complex cellular
      behaviors at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. These tools have been
      critical for the expansion of synthetic biology techniques from prokaryotic and
      lower eukaryotic hosts to mammalian systems. Recent progress in the development
      of genome and epigenome editing tools and in the engineering of designer cells
      with programmable genetic circuits is expanding approaches to prevent, diagnose,
      and treat disease and to establish personalized theranostic strategies for next
      generation medicines. This review summarizes the development of these enabling
      technologies and their application to transforming mammalian synthetic biology
      into a distinct field in research and medicine.

PMID- 28633560
TI  - Bioinspired Hydrogels to Engineer Cancer Microenvironments.
AB  - Recent research has demonstrated that tumor microenvironments play pivotal roles
      in tumor development and metastasis through various physical, chemical, and
      biological factors, including extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, matrix
      remodeling, oxygen tension, pH, cytokines, and matrix stiffness. An emerging
      trend in cancer research involves the creation of engineered three-dimensional
      tumor models using bioinspired hydrogels that accurately recapitulate the native
      tumor microenvironment. With recent advances in materials engineering, many
      researchers are developing engineered tumor models, which are promising platforms
      for the study of cancer biology and for screening of therapeutic agents for
      better clinical outcomes. In this review, we discuss the development and use of
      polymeric hydrogel materials to engineer native tumor ECMs for cancer research,
      focusing on emerging technologies in cancer engineering that aim to accelerate
      clinical outcomes.

PMID- 28633564
TI  - Energy Harvesting from the Animal/Human Body for Self-Powered Electronics.
AB  - Living subjects (i.e., humans and animals) have abundant sources of energy in
      chemical, thermal, and mechanical forms. The use of these energies presents a
      viable way to overcome the battery capacity limitation that constrains the long
      term operation of wearable/implantable devices. The intersection of novel
      materials and fabrication techniques offers boundless possibilities for the
      benefit of human health and well-being via various types of energy harvesters.
      This review summarizes the existing approaches that have been demonstrated to
      harvest energy from the bodies of living subjects for self-powered electronics.
      We present material choices, device layouts, and operation principles of these
      energy harvesters with a focus on in vivo applications. We discuss a broad range
      of energy harvesters placed in or on various body parts of human and animal
      models. We conclude with an outlook of future research in which the integration
      of various energy harvesters with advanced electronics can provide a new platform
      for the development of novel technologies for disease diagnostics, treatment, and
      prevention.

PMID- 28633566
TI  - Microsphere-Based Scaffolds in Regenerative Engineering.
AB  - Microspheres have long been used in drug delivery applications because of their
      controlled release capabilities. They have increasingly served as the fundamental
      building block for fabricating scaffolds for regenerative engineering because of
      their ability to provide a porous network, offer high-resolution control over
      spatial organization, and deliver growth factors/drugs and/or nanophase
      materials. Because they provide physicochemical gradients via spatiotemporal
      release of bioactive factors and nanophase ceramics, microspheres are a desirable
      tool for engineering complex tissues and biological interfaces. In this review we
      describe various methods for microsphere fabrication and sintering, and elucidate
      how these methods influence both micro- and macroscopic scaffold properties, with
      a special focus on the nature of sintering. Furthermore, we review key
      applications of microsphere-based scaffolds in regenerating various tissues. We
      hope to inspire researchers to join a growing community of investigators using
      microspheres as tissue engineering scaffolds so that their full potential in
      regenerative engineering may be realized.

PMID- 28633565
TI  - FEBio: History and Advances.
AB  - The principal goal of the FEBio project is to provide an advanced finite element
      tool for the biomechanics and biophysics communities that allows researchers to
      model mechanics, transport, and electrokinetic phenomena for biological systems
      accurately and efficiently. In addition, because FEBio is geared toward the
      research community, the code is designed such that new features can be added
      easily, thus making it an ideal tool for testing novel computational methods.
      Finally, because the success of a code is determined by its user base, integral
      goals of the FEBio project have been to offer support and outreach to our
      community; to provide mechanisms for dissemination of results, models, and data;
      and to encourage interaction between users. This review presents the history of
      the FEBio project, from its initial developments through its current funding
      period. We also present a glimpse into the future of FEBio.

PMID- 28633568
TI  - The potential inhibitory effect of beta-casein on the aggregation and deposition
      of Abeta1-42 fibrils in Alzheimer's disease: insight from in-vitro and in-silico
      studies.
AB  - Abeta1-40 and Abeta1-42 have been shown to be the main components of the amyloid
      plaques found in the extracellular environment of neurons in Alzheimer's disease.
      beta-Casein, a milk protein, has been shown to display a remarkable chaperone
      ability in preventing the aggregation of proteins. In this study, the ability of
      beta-casein to suppress the amyloid fibril formation of Abeta1-42 has been
      examined through in vitro studies and molecular docking simulation. The results
      demonstrate the inhibitory effect of beta-casein on fibril formation in Abeta1
      42, in a concentration dependent manner, suggesting that the chaperone binds to
      the Abeta1-42 and prevents amyloid fibril formation. Molecular docking results
      show that the inhibitory effect of the beta-casein may be due to binding of the
      chaperone with the aggregation-prone region of the Abeta1-42 mainly via
      hydrophobic interactions. beta-Casein probably binds to the CHC and C-terminal
      domain of the Abeta1-42, and stabilizes proteins by inhibiting the conversion of
      monomeric Abeta1-42 into fibrils. Thus our data suggests that the hydrophobic
      interactions between beta-casein and Abeta1-42 play an important role in the
      burial of the hydrophobic part of the Abeta1-42. This means that beta-casein
      maybe considered for use in preventing amyloid fibril formation in degenerative
      diseases such as Alzheimer.

PMID- 28633567
TI  - Endogenous Bioelectric Signaling Networks: Exploiting Voltage Gradients for
      Control of Growth and Form.
AB  - Living systems exhibit remarkable abilities to self-assemble, regenerate, and
      remodel complex shapes. How cellular networks construct and repair specific
      anatomical outcomes is an open question at the heart of the next-generation
      science of bioengineering. Developmental bioelectricity is an exciting emerging
      discipline that exploits endogenous bioelectric signaling among many cell types
      to regulate pattern formation. We provide a brief overview of this field, review
      recent data in which bioelectricity is used to control patterning in a range of
      model systems, and describe the molecular tools being used to probe the role of
      bioelectrics in the dynamic control of complex anatomy. We suggest that
      quantitative strategies recently developed to infer semantic content and
      information processing from ionic activity in the brain might provide important
      clues to cracking the bioelectric code. Gaining control of the mechanisms by
      which large-scale shape is regulated in vivo will drive transformative advances
      in bioengineering, regenerative medicine, and synthetic morphology, and could be
      used to therapeutically address birth defects, traumatic injury, and cancer.

PMID- 28633569
TI  - Thermal and chemical denaturation of Colocasia esculenta tuber agglutinin from
      alpha2beta2 to unfolded state.
AB  - The major tuber storage protein of Colocasia esculenta, is a monocot mannose
      binding, widely used dietary lectin, containing two polypeptides of 12.0 and 12.4
      kDa. By both gel filtration and dynamic light scattering at pH 7.2, the lectin
      has a alpha2beta2 form of apparent molecular mass of 48.2 kDa and a hydrodynamic
      radius of 6.1 +/- .2 nm; however, at pH 3, it migrates as alphabeta and has a
      reduced hydrodynamic radius of 4.6 +/- .3 nm. Our circular dichroism spectroscopy
      studies show that the lectin retains approximately 100% of its secondary
      structure between pH 2-8, going down to ~90% for extreme acidic/alkaline
      conditions. The fluorescence emission maxima of 346 to 350 nm for pH 4 to 10 show
      that the tryptophan residues are relatively exposed. The unfolding is a simple
      two-state process, N4 <-> 4U, as seen in our denaturation scan profiles. These
      denaturation profiles, monitored separately by fluorescence, far-UV CD, and near
      UV CD, are completely super imposable. Analyses of these profiles provide an
      estimate of several thermodynamic parameters at each guanidinium chloride
      concentration, including the melting temperature Tg, which is 346.9 K in 0 M, but
      lowers to 321.8 K in 3.6 M. Dimeric and tetrameric interfaces observed in the
      crystal structure for the same protein are used to rationalize solution data in
      some detail.

PMID- 28633570
TI  - Enantioselective light switch effect of Delta- and Lambda-[Ru(phenanthroline)2
      dipyrido[3,2-a:2', 3'-c]phenazine]2+ bound to G-quadruplex DNA.
AB  - The interaction of Delta- and Lambda-[Ru(phen)2DPPZ]2+ (DPPZ = dipyrido[3,2-a:2',
      3'-c]phenazine, phen = phenanthroline) with a G-quadruplex formed from 5'
      G2T2G2TGTG2T2G2-3'(15-mer) was investigated. The well-known enhancement of
      luminescence intensity (the 'light-switch' effect) was observed for the
      [Ru(phen)2DPPZ]2+ complexes upon formation of an adduct with the G-quadruplex.
      The emission intensity of the G-quadruplex-bound Lambda-isomer was 3-fold larger
      than that of the Delta-isomer when bound to the G-quadruplex, which is opposite
      of the result observed in the case of double stranded DNA (dsDNA); the light
      switch effect is larger for the dsDNA-bound Delta-isomer. In the job plot of the
      G-quadruplex with Delta- and Lambda-[Ru(phen)2DPPZ]2+, a major inflection point
      for the two isomers was observed at x ~ .65, which suggests a binding
      stoichiometry of 2:1 for both enantiomers. When the G base at the 8th position
      was replaced with 6-methyl isoxanthopterin (6MI), a fluorescent guanine analog,
      the excited energy of 6-MI transferred to bound Delta- or Lambda
      [Ru(phen)2DPPZ]2+, which suggests that at least a part of both Ru(II) enantiomers
      is close to or in contact with the diagonal loop of the G-quadruplex. A
      luminescence quenching experiment using [Fe(CN)6]4- for the G-quadruplex-bound
      Ru(II) complex revealed downward bending curves for both enantiomers in the Stern
      Volmer plot, which suggests the presence of Ru(II) complexes that are both
      accessible and inaccessible to the quencher and may be related to the 2:1 binding
      stoichiometry.

PMID- 28633572
TI  - Not having verbal repetitiveness might increase confidence that cognitive
      concerns in ageing are not due to Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28633571
TI  - The role of peri-traumatic stress and disruption distress in predicting symptoms
      of major depression following exposure to a natural disaster.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Few studies have examined the contribution of specific disaster
      related experiences to symptoms of depression. The aims of this study were to do
      this by examining the roles of peri-traumatic stress and distress due to
      lingering disaster-related disruption in explaining linkages between disaster
      exposure and major depressive disorder symptoms among a cohort exposed to the
      2010-2011 Canterbury (New Zealand) earthquakes. METHODS: Structural equation
      models were fitted to data obtained from the Christchurch Health and Development
      Study at age 35 ( n = 495), 20-24 months following the onset of the disaster.
      Measures included earthquake exposure, peri-traumatic stress, disruption distress
      and symptoms of major depressive disorder. RESULTS: The associations between
      earthquake exposure and major depression were explained largely by the experience
      of peri-traumatic stress during the earthquakes (beta = 0.180, p < 0.01) and not
      by disruption distress following the earthquakes (beta = 0.048, p = 0.47).
      CONCLUSION: The results suggest that peri-traumatic stress has been under
      recognised as a predictor of major depressive disorder.

PMID- 28633573
TI  - Should we encourage smokers with severe mental illness to switch to electronic
      cigarettes?

PMID- 28633574
TI  - An Erudite Encounter with: Robert Post.

PMID- 28633575
TI  - Personality disorders: A Retrospective.

PMID- 28633576
TI  - Trauma, treatment and temperament: From troubling times to troubled thinking.

PMID- 28633577
TI  - Psychotropic pharmacogenetics - Distraction or destiny?

PMID- 28633578
TI  - The imperative to screen for obstructive sleep apnoea in people with
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 28633579
TI  - 'Hey, how's it going?' The practical value of assessing quality of life in mental
      illness.

PMID- 28633580
TI  - Platinum agents and mitomycin C-specific complications in cytoreductive surgery
      (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal
      chemotherapy (HIPEC) have been found to prolong survival in patients with
      peritoneal disease but is associated with significant morbidity. We evaluate the
      perioperative complications and the association with the chemotherapy agent used
      for HIPEC. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database
      of CRS-HIPEC cases between April 2001 and February 2016 was performed. Patients
      were stratified by the chemotherapy used, and perioperative complications were
      compared. RESULTS: Out of 214 CRS-HIPEC cases, 113 procedures used Mitomycin
      C(MMC), 92 used cisplatin, 8 used oxaliplatin and the HIPEC regimen for one
      procedure was not recorded and excluded. 94 patients (44%) suffered low-grade
      complications (grade I-II), and 49 patients (23%) suffered high-grade
      complications (grade III-V). The frequency of low-grade complications for the
      cisplain, oxaliplatin and MMC groups were 49%, 50% and 40%, respectively, whereas
      that of high-grade complications were 24%, 50% and 20%, respectively. HIPEC with
      platinum agents was associated with a higher rate of acute renal impairment (ARI)
      compared to MMC (32% and 62% for cisplatin and oxaliplatin vs. 5.6% for MMC),
      whereas grade IV ARI requiring dialysis occurred only in the cisplatin group
      (5.6%). HIPEC with oxaliplatin was associated with higher rates of post-operative
      bleeding (25% vs. 1.1% and 0.88%). Rates of other complications did not differ
      significantly between the groups receiving different HIPEC regimens. CONCLUSIONS:
      The overall complication rates do not significantly differ after HIPEC with MMC
      and platinum based agents. Renal impairment tends to be more common and of
      greater severity when a platinum agent is used, whereas oxaliplatin is associated
      with significant post-operative bleeding.

PMID- 28633581
TI  - Prediction and management of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic
      symptoms (DRESS).

PMID- 28633582
TI  - Dopamine and light: effects on facial emotion recognition.
AB  - Bright light can affect mood states and social behaviours. Here, we tested
      potential interacting effects of light and dopamine on facial emotion
      recognition. Participants were 32 women with subsyndromal seasonal affective
      disorder tested in either a bright (3000 lux) or dim light (10 lux) environment.
      Each participant completed two test days, one following the ingestion of a
      phenylalanine/tyrosine-deficient mixture and one with a nutritionally balanced
      control mixture, both administered double blind in a randomised order.
      Approximately four hours post-ingestion participants completed a self-report
      measure of mood followed by a facial emotion recognition task. All testing took
      place between November and March when seasonal symptoms would be present.
      Following acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion (APTD), compared to the
      nutritionally balanced control mixture, participants in the dim light condition
      were more accurate at recognising sad faces, less likely to misclassify them, and
      faster at responding to them, effects that were independent of changes in mood.
      Effects of APTD on responses to sad faces in the bright light group were less
      consistent. There were no APTD effects on responses to other emotions, with one
      exception: a significant light * mixture interaction was seen for the reaction
      time to fear, but the pattern of effect was not predicted a priori or seen on
      other measures. Together, the results suggest that the processing of sad
      emotional stimuli might be greater when dopamine transmission is low. Bright
      light exposure, used for the treatment of both seasonal and non-seasonal mood
      disorders, might produce some of its benefits by preventing this effect.

PMID- 28633583
TI  - Severe viral pneumonia in adults: what is important for the ICU physician?

PMID- 28633584
TI  - Variation of alkaloid contents and antimicrobial activities of Papaver rhoeas L.
      growing in Turkey and northern Cyprus.
AB  - CONTEXT: Papaver rhoeas L. (Papaveraceae) corn poppy, widely distributed in
      Turkey, is used to make a cough syrup for children, as a tea for disturbed sleep,
      for pain relief and as a sedative in folk medicine. OBJECTIVE: Samples of P.
      rhoeas collected from eight different locations in Turkey and three from northern
      Cyprus were investigated for their alkaloid content and screened for their
      antimicrobial activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From the aerial parts of P.
      rhoeas samples, alkaloids were isolated by column and preparative thin-layer
      chromatography. The alkaloids were identified by comparing their spectral data
      (UV, IR and 1H-NMR) and TLC Rf values with those of authentic samples. The
      antimicrobial study was carried out by microbroth dilution technique against six
      strains of bacteria and three strains of fungi. RESULTS: Twelve different
      alkaloids belonging to proaporphine (mecambrine), aporphine (roemerine),
      promorphinan (salutaridine), protopine (coulteropine and protopine) and rhoeadine
      (epiglaucamine, glaucamine, glaudine, isorhoeadine, isorhoeagenine, rhoeadine and
      rhoeagenine) groups were isolated. The most significant activity was observed
      with the alkaloid extract of P8 against Staphylococcus aureus with a MIC value of
      1.22 MUg/mL and against Candida albicans with a MIC value of 2.4 MUg/mL.
      DISCUSSION: The results indicate that P. rhoeas samples (P8 and P9), which
      contain roemerine as their major alkaloid, were the most active extracts.

PMID- 28633585
TI  - Lipoprotein(a)-activated immunity, insulin resistance and new-onset diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Some evidence suggests that serum lipoprotein[Lp](a) may be inversely
      linked to type-2 diabetes. We aimed to determine in nondiabetic people the
      relationship of serum [Lp](a) with insulin resistance and new-onset diabetes
      (NOD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Population-based middle-aged adults (n = 1685) were
      categorized by fasting glucose and stratified to gender, having excluded
      prevalent diabetic subjects. NOD (n = 90) occurred over a median 5 years' follow
      up. RESULTS: Subjects that subsequently developed NOD, derived both from the
      normoglycemia and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) groups,were distinguished, among
      others, primarily by significantly elevated serum gamma glutamyltransferase,
      reduced Lp(a) (by 31%) and, compared to IFG, by low total cholesterol levels.
      Partial correlation of Lp(a) with homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) was inverse
      in normoglycemic men; such correlation, neutral in normoglycemic women, proved
      inverse in IFG (r = -0.17). Circulating Lp(a) in individuals with paired measures
      increased significantly (1.55-fold) in the period from baseline up to NOD.
      Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analysis for NOD in combined sexes
      indicated independent and additive prediction by serum Lp(a), albeit inverse in
      direction (RR 0.84, [95%CI 0.72; 0.97]). CONCLUSION: Lp(a) is significantly
      reduced in the period preceding NOD and is inversely associated with HOMA index,
      observations consistent with underlying autoimmune activation.

PMID- 28633586
TI  - Porphyromonas gingivalis and its LPS differentially regulate the expression of
      peptidyl arginine deiminases in human chondrocytes.
AB  - Periodontitis, an inflammatory disease initiated by Gram-negative bacteria such
      as Porphyromonas gingivalis ( Pg), is considered as a risk factor for rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA). Our study aimed to determine the effect of Pg and its LPS on the
      expression of peptidyl arginine deiminase isotypes (PADs) in human primary
      chondrocytes (HC). HCs were infected with Pg and activated by its LPS (LPS- Pg).
      The mRNA expression levels of human PADs (1, 2, 3, 4 and 6) and bacterial enzyme
      (PADPg) were quantified by RT-qPCR. Cellular extracts served to measure the
      enzymatic activities of PADs and PADPg and to visualize the profiles of
      citrullinated proteins/peptides by Western blotting. Our data showed significant
      inhibitions of mRNA expressions of human PAD-2, PAD-3 and PAD-4 during infection
      of HC with live Pg. Activation of HC by LPS- Pg increased mRNA expressions of
      human PAD-2 and PAD-3. The PADPg enzymatic activity was significantly increased
      in only infected HC. Analysis of citrullinated proteins/peptides profiles
      revealed the occurrence of low molecular bands only in cellular extracts from HC
      infected with Pg. Our data showed that Pg and its LPS differentially regulate the
      expression of PADs in human chondrocytes and that Pg favors the apparition of new
      citrullinated proteins/peptides.

PMID- 28633587
TI  - Sarcomatoid Carcinoma Manifesting as Recurrent Rectal Cancer and Mimicking
      Radiation-Induced Extraskeletal Osteosarcoma: A Case Report.
AB  - Here, we report an unusual case of sarcomatoid carcinoma mimicking extraskeletal
      osteosarcoma that manifested as recurrent rectal cancer. Five years earlier, a 76
      year-old male patient had undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by a
      laparoscopic low anterior resection due to adenocarcinoma of the rectum. He was
      admitted because of pain in the anus and left hip. He underwent abdominal
      computed tomography that revealed a newly developed left perirectal mass with
      gluteus maximus invasion measuring up to 8 cm, and therefore, an abdominoperineal
      resection was performed. Histologically, the tumor revealed sheets of spindled or
      epithelioid cells, an absence of gland formation, mucicarmine and periodic acid
      Schiff stain negativity, and prominent intercellular deposits of osteoid-like
      calcified tissue. Tumor cells were diffusely immunoreactive for vimentin and
      cytokeratins. Ultrastructural examination demonstrated microvilli on the surface
      or within intercellular spaces. In this report, we also discuss the possible
      pathogenesis as well as the differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28633588
TI  - New strategies for cancer management: how can temozolomide carrier modifications
      improve its delivery?

PMID- 28633589
TI  - Laser-induced thermal ablation of cancerous cell organelles.
AB  - AIM: By exploiting the physical changes experienced by cancerous organelles, we
      investigate the feasibility of destroying cancerous cells by single and
      multipulse modes of laser heating. MATERIALS & METHODS: Our procedure consists of
      two primary steps: determining the normal and cancerous organelles optical
      properties and simulating the heating of all of the major organelles in the cell
      to find the treatment modes for the laser ablation of cancerous organelles
      without harming healthy cells. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Our simulations show that
      the cancerous nucleus can be selectively heated to damaging temperatures, making
      this nucleus a feasible therapeutic particle and removing the need for
      nanoparticle injection. Because of the removal of this extra step, the procedure
      we propose is simpler and safer for the patient.

PMID- 28633590
TI  - Polymeric therapeutic delivery systems for the treatment of infectious diseases.
AB  - Infectious diseases caused by germs, parasites, fungi, virus and bacteria are one
      of the leading causes of death worldwide. Polymeric therapeutics are
      nanomedicines that offer several advantages making them useful for the treatment
      of infectious diseases such as targeted drug release mechanism, ability to
      maintain the drug concentration within a therapeutic window for a desired
      duration, biocompatibility with low immunogenicity and reduced drug toxicity
      resulting in enhanced therapeutic efficacy of the incorporated drug. Although
      polymeric therapeutics have been evaluated for the treatment of infectious
      diseases in vitro and in vivo with improved therapeutic efficacy, most treatments
      for infectious disease have not been evaluated using polymeric therapeutics. This
      review will focus on the applications of polymeric therapeutics for the treatment
      of infectious diseases (preclinical studies and clinical trials), with particular
      focus on parasitic and viral infections.

PMID- 28633591
TI  - Approaches in topical ocular drug delivery and developments in the use of contact
      lenses as drug-delivery devices.
AB  - Drug-delivery approaches have diversified over the last two decades with the
      emergence of nanotechnologies, smart polymeric systems and multimodal
      functionalities. The intended target for specific treatment of disease is the key
      defining developing parameter. One such area which has undergone significant
      advancements relates to ocular delivery. This has been expedited by the
      development of material advancement, mechanistic concepts and through the
      deployment of advanced process technologies. This review will focus on the
      developments within lens-based drug delivery while touching on conventional and
      current methods of topical ocular drug delivery. A summary table will provide
      quick reference to note the key findings in this area. In addition, the review
      also elucidates current theranostic and diagnostic approaches based on ocular
      lenses.

PMID- 28633592
TI  - Recent advances in therapeutic delivery systems of bacteriophage and
      bacteriophage-encoded endolysins.
AB  - Antibiotics have been the cornerstone of clinical management of bacterial
      infection since their discovery in the early 20th century. However, their
      widespread and often indiscriminate use has now led to reports of multidrug
      resistance becoming globally commonplace. Bacteriophage therapy has undergone a
      recent revival in battle against pathogenic bacteria, as the self-replicating and
      co-evolutionary features of these predatory virions offer several advantages over
      conventional therapeutic agents. In particular, the use of targeted bacteriophage
      therapy from specialized delivery platforms has shown particular promise owing to
      the control of delivery location, administration conditions and dosage of the
      therapeutic cargo. This review presents an overview of the recent formulations
      and applications of such delivery vehicles as an innovative and elegant tool for
      bacterial control.

PMID- 28633594
TI  - Targeting and delivery of therapeutic enzymes.
AB  - Biotechnology has revolutionized therapeutics for the treatment of a wide range
      of diseases. Recent advances in protein engineering and material science have
      made the targeted delivery of enzyme therapeutics using nanocarriers (NCs) a new
      model of treatment. Several NCs have been approved for clinical use in drug
      delivery. Despite their advantages, few NCs have been approved to deliver enzyme
      cargo in a targeted manner. This review details the current arsenal of platforms
      developed to deliver enzyme therapeutics as well as the advantages and challenges
      of using enzymes as drugs, with examples from the literature, and discusses the
      benefits and liabilities of a given approach. We conclude by providing a
      perspective on how this field may evolve over the near and long-term.

PMID- 28633595
TI  - Central venous catheter insertion into the false lumen of a complicated aortic
      dissection.
AB  - Thoracic endovascular repair is considered the first-line treatment in
      complicated acute type B dissection. Central venous catheters provide valuable
      vascular access during endovascular treatments. However, central venous catheters
      are not without complications. Herein, we report a case of central venous
      catheter insertion into the false lumen of a complicated acute type B aortic
      dissection by direct aortic puncture. The tip of the central venous catheter was
      in the false lumen. The central venous catheter was left in place initially and
      was removed after graft stent deployment. This case illustrates the importance of
      image guidance during central venous catheter insertion, which may further
      complicate an already complicated aortic dissection case.

PMID- 28633596
TI  - Laparotomy site implantation metastasis of carcinoma of the papilla of Vater.
AB  - Introduction Carcinomas of the papilla of Vater make up a heterogeneous group of
      tumours arising from different types of epithelium. Regional lymph nodes, liver
      and lungs are the primary sites of metastatic progression of these tumours. Case
      presentation We present a patient with an abdominal incision site metastasis of
      low-grade (mixed type) adenocarcinoma of the papilla of Vater one year after
      pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. Implantation metastasis of low-grade
      ampullary carcinoma in the laparotomy wound after open Whipple's procedure is
      unusual. Conclusion Adjuvant chemoradiation might be considered for patients with
      low-grade localised disease as a potentially preventative measure vs. metastatic
      progression.

PMID- 28633597
TI  - Effect of T-2 toxin-injected shrimp muscle extracts on mouse macrophage cells
      (RAW264.7).
AB  - Following intramuscular injections of 0.1 mL, 3 mg kg-1 BW-1(1/10 LD50) T-2 toxin
      (T-2), the tissue concentration of T-2 in shrimp was quantitatively detected
      using LC-MS/MS. The biological half-time (t1/2) of T-2 in blood was 40.47 +/-
      0.24 min. The highest number of intramuscular T-2 shrimp could tolerate when
      given at blood t1/2 intervals was 4. The shrimps which were injected 5 T-2 died.
      The T-2 toxin highest accumulation was 0.471 +/- 0.012 ng g-1 BW-1. The effect of
      toxic shrimp muscle subjected to different processing conditions (high pressure,
      trifluoroacetic acid, acid and alkali digestions, artificial digestive juice [to
      simulate exposure to gastric and intestinal juices]) on mouse macrophage cells
      (RAW267.4) were evaluated by the MTT assay. The inhibition ratio of 2% muscle
      extract on RAW267.4 was 85.70 +/- 2.63%. The immunocytotoxicity of muscle
      extracts to RAW264.7 was highest in muscle extracts subjected to physical and
      chemical digestion (high pressure > NaOH > trifluoroacetic acid > 0.02 M HCl >
      0.2 M HCl > controls), and also artificial digestion (artificial intestinal juice
      > artificial gastric juice > N type intestinal juice > N type gastric liquid >
      controls). Results showed that high-pressure and artificial intestinal juice were
      most effective in the release of modified T-2 to free T-2 thus enhancing
      toxicity. These results can be interpreted as measurement of T-2 in food being of
      little value because of enhanced toxicity of T-2-contaminated food as they pass
      through the gastrointestinal tract.

PMID- 28633598
TI  - Metabolism of inhaled methylethylketone in rats.
AB  - Methylethylketone (MEK) is widely used in industry, often in combination with
      other compounds. Although nontoxic, it can make other chemicals harmful. This
      study investigates the fate of MEK in rat blood, brain and urine as well as its
      hepatic metabolism following inhalation over 1 month (at 20, 200 or 1400 ppm).
      MEK did not significantly accumulate in the organism: blood concentrations were
      similar after six-hour or 1-month inhalation periods, and brain concentrations
      only increased slightly after 1 month's exposure. Urinary excretion, based on the
      major metabolites, 2,3-butanediols (+/- and meso forms), accounted for less than
      2.4% of the amount inhaled. 2-Butanol, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone and MEK itself were
      only detectable in urine in the highest concentration conditions investigated,
      when metabolic saturation occurred. Although MEK exposure did not alter the total
      cytochrome P450 concentration, it induced activation of both CYP1A2 and CYP2E1
      enzymes. In addition, the liver glutathione concentration (reduced and oxidized
      forms) decreased, as did glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity (at exposure
      levels over 200 ppm). These metabolic data could be useful for pharmacokinetic
      model development and/or verification and suggest the ability of MEK to influence
      the metabolism (and potentiate the toxicity) of other substances.

PMID- 28633599
TI  - Mechanism of deltamethrin induced thymic and splenic toxicity in mice and its
      protection by piperine and curcumin: in vivo study.
AB  - Deltamethrin (DLM) is a well-known pyrethroid insecticide which is widely used in
      the agriculture and home pest control due to restriction on the sale of
      organophosphate. DLM induced apoptosis is well known but its mechanism is still
      unclear. This study has been designed to find out its mechanism of apoptosis with
      the help of computational methods along with in vivo methods. The QikProp and
      ProTox results have shown that DLM has good oral absorption. The docking results
      reveal that DLM has a strong binding affinity toward the CD4, CD8, CD28 and CD45
      receptors. Further, to understand the toxicity of DLM on lymphoid cells, a single
      dose of DLM (5 mg/kg, oral for seven days) has been administered to male Balb/c
      mice and cytotoxicity (MTT assay), oxidative stress indicators (glutathione,
      reactive oxygen species) and apoptotic markers (caspase-3 activity, DNA
      fragmentation) have been assessed in thymic and splenic single cell suspensions.
      Lowering of body weight, cellularity and loss in cell viability have been
      observed in DLM treated mice. The significant increase in ROS and GSH depletion
      in spleen and thymus, indicate the possible involvement of oxidative stress. The
      spleen cells appear more susceptible to the adverse effects of DLM than thymus
      cells. Further, for the amelioration of its effect, two structurally different
      bioactive herbal extracts, piperine and curcumin have been evaluated and have
      shown the cytoprotective effect by inhibiting the apoptogenic signaling pathways
      induced by DLM.

PMID- 28633600
TI  - Direct comparison of tricyclic and serotonin-reuptake inhibitor antidepressants
      in randomized head-to-head trials in acute major depression: Systematic review
      and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A comparison across trials conducted over several decades suggested
      superior efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) over selective serotonin
      reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, this outcome may reflect a selective
      secular decline of responses after randomization to placebo. Remaining
      uncertainty encouraged direct comparison of the drug-types in trials involving
      randomized, head-to-head comparisons. METHODS: We systematically identified
      reports of randomized trials of TCAs versus SSRIs for major depression in several
      digital databases, and applied standard meta-analytic and multiple-factor
      regression methods to analyze and pool the findings. RESULTS: In 89 head-to-head
      trials, there was no detectable overall difference in responder rates or percent
      improvement between TCAs and SSRIs. In addition to non-difference between drug
      types, outcomes were unrelated to reporting-year, trial-size or nominal duration,
      proportion of women participants, initial depression ratings, rating scales,
      subjects/arm, imipramine-equivalent mg/day drug dose, or dropout rate. Trial size
      and duration increased significantly over the years 1980-2016. CONCLUSIONS:
      Previous evidence suggesting superior benefits of TCAs over SSRIs for the
      treatment of acute major depression is probably an artifact of a selective
      secular decline in responses to placebo, as no difference was found in a large
      series of direct comparisons of these antidepressant-types.

PMID- 28633601
TI  - Lectin microarray analysis of isolated polysaccharides from Sasa veitchii.
AB  - We report lectin microarray profile of the polysaccharide fraction derived from
      Sasa veitchii leaf that exhibits anti-influenza activity. This fraction showed
      higher reactivities with lectins known as binders to oligo-mannose, fucose, or
      galactose. Our findings along with previously reported monosaccharide components
      suggest that the polysaccharide can be cross-reactive with cell surface receptors
      involved in immune system, thereby exerting anti-influenza activity.

PMID- 28633602
TI  - Functional principal component analysis of glomerular filtration rate curves
      after kidney transplant.
AB  - This article is motivated by some longitudinal clinical data of kidney transplant
      recipients, where kidney function progression is recorded as the estimated
      glomerular filtration rates at multiple time points post kidney transplantation.
      We propose to use the functional principal component analysis method to explore
      the major source of variations of glomerular filtration rate curves. We find that
      the estimated functional principal component scores can be used to cluster
      glomerular filtration rate curves. Ordering functional principal component scores
      can detect abnormal glomerular filtration rate curves. Finally, functional
      principal component analysis can effectively estimate missing glomerular
      filtration rate values and predict future glomerular filtration rate values.

PMID- 28633603
TI  - Standardized and weighted time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves
      to evaluate the intrinsic prognostic capacities of a marker by taking into
      account confounding factors.
AB  - Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves allow to evaluate the
      capacity of a marker to discriminate between subjects who experience the event up
      to a given prognostic time from those who are free of this event. In this
      article, we propose an inverse probability weighting estimator of a standardized
      and weighted time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve. This
      estimator provides a measure of the prognostic capacities by taking into account
      potential confounding factors. We illustrate the robustness of the estimator by a
      simulation-based study and its usefulness by two applications in kidney
      transplantation.

PMID- 28633604
TI  - A two-stage approach to the joint analysis of longitudinal and survival data
      utilising the Coxian phase-type distribution.
AB  - The Coxian phase-type distribution is a special type of Markov model which can be
      utilised both to uncover underlying stages of a survival process and to make
      inferences regarding the rates of flow of individuals through these latent stages
      before an event of interest occurs. Such models can be utilised, for example, to
      identify individuals who are likely to deteriorate faster through a series of
      disease states and thus require more aggressive medical intervention. Within this
      paper, a two-stage approach to the analysis of longitudinal and survival data is
      presented. In Stage 1, a linear mixed effects model is first used to represent
      how some longitudinal response of interest changes through time. Within this
      linear mixed effects model, the individuals' random effects can be considered as
      a proxy measure for the effect of the individuals' genetic profiles on the
      response of interest. In Stage 2, the Coxian phase-type distribution is employed
      to represent the survival process. The individuals' random effects, estimated in
      Stage 1, are incorporated as covariates within the Coxian phase-type distribution
      so as to evaluate their effect on the individuals' rates of flow through the
      system represented by the Coxian. The approach is illustrated using data
      collected on individuals suffering from chronic kidney disease, where focus is
      given to an emerging longitudinal biomarker of interest - an individual's
      haemoglobin level.

PMID- 28633605
TI  - Controlling response dependence in the measurement of change using the Rasch
      model.
AB  - The advantages of using person location estimates from the Rasch model over raw
      scores for the measurement of change using a common test include the
      linearization of scores and the automatic handling of statistical properties of
      repeated measurements. However, the application of the model requires that the
      responses to the items are statistically independent in the sense that the
      specific responses to the items on the first time of testing do not affect the
      responses at a second time. This requirement implies that the responses to the
      items at both times of assessment are governed only by the invariant location
      parameters of the items at the two times of testing and the location parameters
      of each person each time. A specific form of dependence that is pertinent when
      the same items are used is when the observed response to an item at the second
      time of testing is affected by the response to the same item at the first time, a
      form of dependence which has been referred to as response dependence. This paper
      presents the logic of applying the Rasch model to quantify, control and remove
      the effect of response dependence in the measurement of change when the same
      items are used on two occasions. The logic is illustrated with four sets of
      simulation studies with dichotomous items and with a small example of real data.
      It is shown that the presence of response dependence can reduce the evidence of
      change, a reduction which may impact interpretations at the individual, research,
      and policy levels.

PMID- 28633606
TI  - Exact Bayesian p-values for a test of independence in a 2 * 2 contingency table
      with missing data.
AB  - Altham (Altham PME. Exact Bayesian analysis of a 2 * 2 contingency table, and
      Fisher's "exact" significance test. J R Stat Soc B 1969; 31: 261-269) showed that
      a one-sided p-value from Fisher's exact test of independence in a 2 * 2
      contingency table is equal to the posterior probability of negative association
      in the 2 * 2 contingency table under a Bayesian analysis using an improper prior.
      We derive an extension of Fisher's exact test p-value in the presence of missing
      data, assuming the missing data mechanism is ignorable (i.e., missing at random
      or completely at random). Further, we propose Bayesian p-values for a test of
      independence in a 2 * 2 contingency table with missing data using alternative
      priors; we also present results from a simulation study exploring the Type I
      error rate and power of the proposed exact test p-values. An example, using data
      on the association between blood pressure and a cardiac enzyme, is presented to
      illustrate the methods.

PMID- 28633607
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28633608
TI  - Biomechanics of increased spin velocity of flying discs during forehand throws by
      skilled and unskilled throwers.
AB  - We aimed to assess the relationship between throwing distance and kinematic
      release parameters of the flying disc in unskilled throwers, and to assess the
      relationship between kinetic variables acting on flying discs and the change in
      spin velocity during long forehand throws by skilled and unskilled throwers. Ten
      skilled and eleven unskilled throwers performed throws at maximum effort.
      Reflective marker positions on the disc and body were recorded with a 3D motion
      capture system during the throws to derive kinematic variables of a disc and
      kinetic variables acting on the disc. The analysis interval was from maximum
      external shoulder rotation to disc release. Significant correlations were
      observed between the throwing distance and spin velocity in skilled (r = 0.722, P
      < 0.05) and unskilled throwers (r = 0.794, P < 0.01), between the change in spin
      velocity and the angular impulse of moments of force, in unskilled throwers (r =
      0.703, P < 0.05), and between the change in spin velocity and the angular impulse
      of torque among skilled throwers (r = 0.680, P < 0.01). Therefore, a strategy for
      increasing spin velocity in unskilled throwers could be used to generate a larger
      torque, similar to that observed in skilled throwers.

PMID- 28633609
TI  - Modelling and sample size reestimation for longitudinal count data with
      incomplete follow up.
AB  - We consider modelling and inference as well as sample size estimation and
      reestimation for clinical trials with longitudinal count data as outcomes. Our
      approach is general but is rooted in design and analysis of multiple sclerosis
      trials where lesion counts obtained by magnetic resonance imaging are important
      endpoints. We adopt a binomial thinning model that allows for correlated counts
      with marginal Poisson or negative binomial distributions. Methods for sample size
      planning and blinded sample size reestimation for randomised controlled clinical
      trials with such outcomes are developed. The models and approaches are applicable
      to data with incomplete observations. A simulation study is conducted to assess
      the effectiveness of sample size estimation and blinded sample size reestimation
      methods. Sample sizes attained through these procedures are shown to maintain the
      desired study power without inflating the type I error. Data from a recent trial
      in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis illustrate the
      modelling approach.

PMID- 28633610
TI  - Popliteal artery entrapment syndrome presenting as Raynaud phenomenon.

PMID- 28633611
TI  - Rawification and the careful generation of open government data.
AB  - Drawing on a two-year ethnographic study within several French administrations
      involved in open data programs, this article aims to investigate the conditions
      of the release of government data - the rawness of which open data policies
      require. This article describes two sets of phenomena. First, far from being
      taken for granted, open data emerge in administrations through a progressive
      process that entails uncertain collective inquiries and extraction work. Second,
      the opening process draws on a series of transformations, as data are modified to
      satisfy an important criterion of open data policies: the need for both human and
      technical intelligibility. There are organizational consequences of these two
      points, which can notably lead to the visibilization or the invisibilization of
      data labour. Finally, the article invites us to reconsider the apparent
      contradiction between the process of data release and the existence of raw data.
      Echoing the vocabulary of one of the interviewees, the multiple operations can be
      seen as a 'rawification' process by which open government data are carefully
      generated. Such a notion notably helps to build a relational model of what counts
      as data and what counts as work.

PMID- 28633613
TI  - Thermal effects on cognition: a new quantitative synthesis.
AB  - There is little doubt that increases in thermal load beyond the thermo-neutral
      state prove progressively stressful to all living organisms. Increasing
      temperatures across the globe represent in some locales, and especially for
      outdoors workers, a significant source of such chronic load increase. However,
      increases in thermal load affect cognition as well as physical work activities.
      Such human cognition has perennially been viewed as the primary conduit through
      which to solve many of the iatrogenic challenges we now face. Yet, thermal stress
      degrades the power to think. Here, we advance and refine the isothermal
      description of such cognitive decrements, founded upon a synthesis of extant
      empirical evidence. We report a series of mathematical functions which describe
      task-specific patterns of performance deterioration, linking such degrees of
      decrement to the time/temperature conditions in which they occur. Further, we
      provide a simple, free software tool to support such calculations so that adverse
      thermal loads can be monitored, assessed and (where possible) mitigated to
      preserve healthy cognitive functioning.

PMID- 28633612
TI  - Clinical features and treatment outcomes in large granular lymphocytic leukemia
      (LGLL).
AB  - Large granular lymphocytic leukemia (LGLL) represents a clonal/oligoclonal
      lymphoproliferation of cytotoxic T and natural killer cells often associated with
      STAT3 mutations. When symptomatic, due to mostly anemia and neutropenia, therapy
      choices are often empirically-based, because only few clinical trials and
      systematic studies have been performed. Incorporating new molecular and flow
      cytometry parameters, we identified 204 patients fulfilling uniform criteria for
      LGLL diagnoses and analyzed clinical course with median follow-up of 36 months,
      including responses to treatments. While selection of initial treatment was
      dictated by clinical features, the initial responses, as well as overall
      responses to methotrexate (MTX), cyclosporine (CsA), and cyclophosphamide (CTX),
      were similar at 40-50% across drugs. Sequential use of these drugs resulted in
      responses in most cases: only 10-20% required salvage therapies such as ATG,
      Campath, tofacitinib, splenectomy or abatacept. MTX yielded the most durable
      responses. STAT3-mutated patients required therapy more frequently and had better
      overall survival.

PMID- 28633614
TI  - Detection of prognostically relevant mutations and translocations in myeloid
      sarcoma by next generation sequencing.

PMID- 28633615
TI  - Experts' opinion on manual wheelchair adjustments for adults with diabetes.
AB  - : Diabetes is a global health concern that can lead to mobility limitations
      necessitating a wheelchair. However, there are currently no guidelines for
      wheelchair adjustments tailored to the diabetic population. PURPOSE: To describe
      relevant manual wheelchair adjustments for adults with diabetes, and to explore
      how these adjustments apply to populations living in less-resourced countries.
      METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 wheelchair experts
      from five different countries working with adult with diabetes. Interviews were
      analyzed using the constant comparison method. RESULTS: The most frequently
      mentioned wheelchair adjustments were related to neuropathies, skin integrity,
      decreased strength and amputations. Air cushions were preferred for managing seat
      sores. Lightweight wheelchairs could be advantageous for people with decreased
      strength and endurance. In less-resourced settings, wheelchair adjustment
      decisions prioritized durability and low maintenance. DISCUSSION: The
      recommendation of lightweight wheelchairs for adults with diabetes may be limited
      by the lack of adjustment possibilities compared to regular weight wheelchairs.
      In less-resourced settings, prioritizing durability and low maintenance may limit
      prevention and management of conditions associated to diabetes. CONCLUSION: This
      study represents a first step towards the development of guidelines for manual
      wheelchair adjustments specifically tailored to adults with diabetes, in a global
      health context. Implications of rehabilitation When prescribing manual
      wheelchairs to persons with diabetes, expert clinicians agree that skin
      integrity, neuropathies and decreased strength are their primary concerns.
      Compromises are often necessary when adjusting a wheelchair for a person with
      diabetes, due to the complexity of their symptoms: same modification can be
      indicated for one symptom but contraindicated for another. Diabetes prevalence is
      high in less-resourced settings. There is a need for increased availability of
      affordable wheelchair equipment that is durable, reliable and adapted to persons
      with diabetes.

PMID- 28633616
TI  - Sclerosing Stromal Tumor Mimicking a Pregnancy Luteoma: Case Report of a
      Diagnostically Challenging Entity Further Complicated by the Presence of
      Metastatic Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma From the Stomach.
AB  - Sclerosing stromal tumors of the ovary are very rare. We report the case of a 29
      year-old pregnant woman who presented with a history of preterm labor and
      gestational hypertension. A huge mass measuring 30 cm in greatest dimension was
      recognized on the right ovary during cesarean section. Signet ring cell
      infiltration was seen during intraoperative frozen section consultation. She
      underwent a right salpingo-oophorectomy, and the permanent diagnosis was
      sclerosing stromal tumor infiltrated by signet ring cells. Pregnancy-related
      changes were seen in tumor morphology. Signet ring cells were immunoreactive with
      antibodies MUC5ac, MUC2, and EMA. Thus, stromal cells were immunoreactive with
      antibodies inhibin and calretinin. Endoscopic biopsy of the stomach showed a
      signet ring cell carcinoma, from which the metastasis had originated. This is the
      first reported case in the literature, and is notable for its challenging
      differential diagnosis, which included a pregnancy luteoma and primary signet
      ring stromal tumor of the ovary.

PMID- 28633617
TI  - Simultaneous determination of primary and secondary d- and l-amino acids by
      reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using pre-column
      derivatization with two-step labelling method.
AB  - This work describes a method for the simultaneous determination of primary d- and
      l-amino acids and secondary amino acids such as d- and l-proline. In order to
      remove interferences in the simultaneous determination of primary and secondary
      amines, the primary amines were derivatized with o-phthalaldehyde/N-acetyl-l
      cysteine (OPA/NAC) and subsequently with 1-(9-fluorenyl)ethyl chloroformate
      (FLEC) for secondary amines, in a pre-column separation derivatization technique.
      These fluorescent diastereomers of the amino acids were obtained within 3 min at
      room temperature and determined simultaneously by changing wavelengths during
      analysis in a single eluting run in the high-performance liquid chromatography
      column. This method, referred to as the "two-step labelling method," is effective
      for the simultaneous determination of d- and l-amino acids.

PMID- 28633618
TI  - Specialized consultations in a hospital-based referral center for patients
      suspected of having limb lymphedema: Impact on diagnosis.
AB  - Lymphedema, a chronic debilitating disease, is not always easily diagnosed. A
      total of 254 new patients ((217 women, 37 men), median (Q1-Q3) age 61 (46-72)
      years) were referred for suspected limb lymphedema to an exclusively lymphedema
      dedicated department for a first consultation (January - March 2015) were
      included; among 118 with upper limb involvement, 100 (84.7%) were diagnosed with
      post-breast cancer therapy and four with primary lymphedemas; among 136 with
      lower limb involvement, 31 (22.8%) were diagnosed with primary lymphedemas and 35
      (25.7%) with post-cancer lymphedemas. The main alternative diagnoses were: 32
      (45.7%) lipedemas/lipo-lymphedemas and 21 (30%) chronic venous insufficiencies.
      Age at symptom onset, body mass index, referral origins and first-symptom-to
      specialized-consultation intervals differed between primary, post-cancer
      lymphedema and alternative diagnosis patients. Among the entire cohort, 57
      (22.4%) had cellulitis. For all 135 (53.1%) upper or lower limb post-cancer
      lymphedemas and the 119 (46.9%) others, the median (Q1-Q3) first-symptom-to
      specialized-consultation intervals were 1.4 (0.7-3.8) and 4 (1.1-18.8) years,
      respectively ( p < 0.0001). Specialized consultations confirmed primary and post
      cancer lymphedema diagnoses and identified others, especially for patients with
      suspected lower limb lymphedema.

PMID- 28633619
TI  - The Affect Misattribution Procedure.
AB  - The Affect Misattribution Procedure (AMP) has been forwarded as one of the most
      promising alternatives to the Implicit Association Test and the evaluative
      priming task for measuring attitudes such as prejudice indirectly. We
      investigated whether the AMP is indeed able to detect an evaluative out-group
      bias. In contrast to recent conclusions about the robustness of AMP effects, six
      out of seven pilot studies indicated that participants did not show any prejudice
      effects in the AMP. Yet, these pilot studies were not fully conclusive with
      regard to our research question because they investigated different domains of
      prejudice, used small sample sizes, and employed a modified AMP version. In a
      preregistered, high-powered AMP study, we therefore examined whether the standard
      AMP does reveal prejudice against Turks, the biggest minority in Germany, and
      found a significant, albeit very small prejudice effect. We discuss possible
      reasons for the AMP's weak sensitivity to evaluations in socially sensitive
      domains.

PMID- 28633620
TI  - Reversing the Manual Digit Bias in Two-Digit Number Comparison.
AB  - Though recent work in numerical cognition has supported a strong tie between
      numerical and spatial representations (e.g., a mental number line), less is known
      about such ties in multi-digit number representations. Along this line, Bloechle,
      Huber, and Moeller (2015) found that pointing positions in two-digit number
      comparison were biased leftward toward the decade digit. Moreover, this bias was
      reduced in unit-decade incompatible pairs. In the present study, we tracked
      computer mouse movements as participants compared two-digit numbers to a fixed
      standard (55). Similar to Bloechle et al. (2015) , we found that trajectories
      exhibited a leftward bias that was reduced for unit-decade incompatible
      comparisons. However, when positions of response labels were reversed, the biases
      reversed. That is, we found a rightward bias for compatible pairs that was
      reduced for incompatible pairs. This result calls into question a purely embodied
      representation of place value structure and instead supports a competition model
      of two-digit number representation.

PMID- 28633621
TI  - Heads Up!
AB  - Possibilities for behavior (i.e., affordances) can be perceived with units
      spanning anatomical components and external objects. For example, affordances for
      standing on an inclined surface can be perceived with an object held in the hand
      or attached to the head. We investigated whether these two person-plus-object
      perceptual systems exhibit the same pattern of nonlinear phase transitions in
      perception of this affordance. Blindfolded participants explored an inclined
      surface with a rod held in the hand or attached to the head and reported whether
      they could stand on that surface. Inclinations were presented in ascending or
      descending sequences. In both conditions, responses exhibited negative hysteresis
      - perceptual boundaries occurred at steeper angles for descending than for
      ascending sequences. The generalization of this pattern across components that
      differ in physiology, sensitivity, and experience is consistent with both the
      soft assembly of perceptual devices and with a dynamical systems perspective on
      perception of affordances.

PMID- 28633622
TI  - Search for Capacity-Limited and Super-Capacity Search.
AB  - The present study investigated capacity limitations of visual search. In a series
      of experiments, participants searched for a singleton target among homogenous
      distractors, a conjunction target defined by combination of two features, or a
      feature target among heterogeneous distractors. Using the simultaneous-sequential
      paradigm, I found that singleton search proceeded in a capacity-unlimited manner.
      By contrast, the performance of the conjunction search was found to depend on a
      capacity-limited process. For feature searches, the performance of searching for
      a specific color was not affected by how the stimuli were presented, while the
      orientation search performance was enhanced as the number of distractors
      simultaneously presented with the target increased. These results imply that
      distinct colors are individually coded, whereas multiple orientations are encoded
      as an ensemble in a structured way. Taken together, the present study clarifies
      which type of search process are capacity-limited and reveals how this limit can
      be overcome.

PMID- 28633623
TI  - Numerical Congruency Effect in the Sentence-Picture Verification Task.
AB  - In two experiments, we showed that irrelevant numerical information influenced
      the speed of sentence-picture verification. Participants were asked to verify
      whether the concept mentioned in a sentence matched the object presented in a
      subsequent picture. Concurrently, the number word attached to the concept in the
      sentence and the quantity of objects presented in the picture were manipulated
      (numerical congruency). The number of objects varied from one to four. In
      Experiment 1, participants read statements such as three dogs. In Experiment 2,
      they read sentences such as three dogs were wandering in the street. In both
      experiments, the verification speed revealed the interaction between response and
      numerical congruency. The verification times for concept-object match were faster
      when there was also numerical congruence (compared with incongruence) between the
      number word and quantity. On the other hand, there was no difference between
      numerical congruence and incongruence when the concept and object mismatched. The
      results are interpreted as evidence for the symbol grounding of number words in
      perceptual representation of small quantities, that is, quantities falling in the
      subitization range.

PMID- 28633624
TI  - The Automatic Mapping of Magnitude to Temporal Order Is Space-Dependent.
AB  - Past research has shown that performance in ordinal magnitude tasks is enhanced
      when stimuli are presented in ascending order, suggesting that magnitude is
      mapped to temporal order, with small magnitude associated with early and large
      with late presentation. The present study addresses the automaticity of this
      effect and its limitations. We used the "same/different" task for numbers
      (Experiment 1) and physical sizes of shapes (Experiment 2) as well as identity of
      shapes (Experiment 3). The advantage for stimuli in ascending order was found for
      both numbers and physical sizes of shapes. However, it was limited to specific
      conditions - when magnitude processing was required for the task and when a
      "different" response was mapped to the right hand side. Thus, it seems that the
      automatic mapping of magnitude to temporal order is dependent on the mapping of
      magnitude to space.

PMID- 28633625
TI  - On the Inability to Ignore Useless Advice.
AB  - Research in the judge-advisor-paradigm suggests that advice is generally utilized
      less than it should be according to its quality. In a series of four experiments,
      we challenge this widely held assumption. We hypothesize that when advice quality
      is low, the opposite phenomenon, namely overutilization of advice, occurs. We
      further assume that this overutilization effect is the result of anchoring:
      advice serves as an anchor, thus causing an adjustment toward even useless
      advice. The data of our four experiments support these hypotheses. Judges
      systematically adjusted their estimates toward advice that we introduced to them
      as being useless, and this effect was stable after controlling for intentional
      utilization of this advice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that anchoring-based
      adjustment toward advice is independent of advice quality. Our findings enhance
      our understanding of the processes involved in advice taking and identify a
      potential threat to judgment accuracy arising from an inability to discount
      useless advice.

PMID- 28633626
TI  - Age-related differences in management and outcomes in hospitalized healthy and
      well-functioning bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia patients: a cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited data are available regarding fit and healthy patients with
      pneumonia at different ages. We evaluated the association of age with clinical
      presentation, serotype and outcomes among healthy and well-functioning patients
      hospitalized for bacteremic pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia. METHODS:
      We performed a prospective cohort study of consecutive healthy and well
      functioning patients hospitalized for this type of pneumonia. Patients were
      stratified into younger (18 to 64 years) and older (>=65 years) groups. RESULTS:
      During the study period, 399 consecutive patients were hospitalized with
      bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia. We included 203 (50.8%) patients who were
      healthy and well-functioning patients, of whom 71 (35%) were classified as older.
      No differences were found in antibiotic treatment, treatment failure rate,
      antibiotic resistance, or serotype, except for serotype 7F that was less common
      in older patients. In the adjusted multivariate analysis, the older patients had
      higher 30-day mortality (OR 6.83; 95% CI 1.22-38.22; P = 0.028), but were less
      likely to be admitted to the ICU (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.05-0.39; P < 0.001) and had
      shorter hospital stays (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.54-0.94; P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS:
      Healthy and well-functioning older patients have higher mortality than younger
      patients, but nevertheless, ICU admission was less likely and hospital stays were
      shorter. These results suggest that the aging process is a determinant of
      mortality, beyond the functional status of patients with bacteremic pneumococcal
      pneumonia.

PMID- 28633627
TI  - Effectiveness of a motivational intervention on overweight/obese patients in the
      primary healthcare: a cluster randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are common health problems which increase the
      risk of developing several serious health conditions. The main difficulty in the
      management of weight-loss lies in its maintenance, once it is achieved. The aim
      of this study was to investigate whether a motivational intervention, together
      with current clinical practice, was more efficient than a traditional
      intervention, in the treatment of overweight and obesity and whether this
      intervention reduces cardiovascular risk factors associated with overweight and
      obesity. METHODS: Multi-centre cluster randomized trial with a 24-month follow-up
      included 864 overweight/obese patients randomly assigned. Motivational
      intervention group (400 patients), delivered by a nurse trained by an expert
      psychologist, in 32 sessions, 1 to 12 fortnightly, and 13 to 32, monthly, on top
      of their standard programmed diet and exercise. The control group (446 patients),
      received the usual follow-up. RESULTS: Weight reduction was statistically
      significant in the second year with a mean reduction of 1.0 Kg in the control
      group and 2.5 Kg in the intervention group (p = 0. 02). While 18.1% of patients
      in the control group reduced their weight by more than 5%, this percentage rose
      to 26.9% in the intervention group, which is statistically significant (p =
      0.04). Patients in the motivational intervention group had significantly greater
      improvements in triglycerides and APOB/APOA1ratio. CONCLUSIONS: The results
      highlight the importance of the group motivational interview in the treatment of
      overweight /obese patients in primary care, and in the improvement of their
      associated cardiovascular risks factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov
      Identifier: NCT01006213 October 30, 2009.

PMID- 28633628
TI  - Olfactory testing in consecutive patients referred with suspected dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and
      early and accurate diagnosis is important. Olfactory dysfunction is an early sign
      of AD. The contribution by test of olfactory function has been surveyed in AD vs
      a line of conditions but remains to be settled in the workup of unselected
      patients referred with suspected dementia. METHODS: We performed a two-step
      investigation: first, a comparative study of healthy controls and probable AD
      patients to test the applicability of the chosen scents (cuisine study); second,
      a study of consecutive patients referred to our geriatric outpatient clinic for
      suspected dementia with the investigating personnel blinded to the results of the
      Olfactory Test (blinded study). RESULTS: The sum of scents detected discriminated
      patients with probable AD from controls in the cuisine study (n = 40; p < 0.001;
      area under ROC curve 0.94). In the blinded study (n = 50) the diagnosis was
      probable AD in 48%, minimal cognitive impairment in 24%, vascular dementia in 8%,
      alcohol induced impairment in 12%, depression in 4%, and Parkinson's disease and
      Lewy body dementia in 2%. Area under the ROC-curve was 0.67. The odds ratio for
      probable AD with 2+ smell errors was 12 (95%-CI: 1.3-101; p = 0.026 (reference 0
      1 smell errors)) age adjusted. None in the AD group had zero smell errors
      (Negative Predictive Value 100%). CONCLUSION: Olfactory testing may support to
      dismiss the diagnosis of probable AD in the workup of a mixed group of patients
      referred with cognitive impairment. Still, it had a low sensitivity for probable
      AD.

PMID- 28633630
TI  - Clinical characteristics of acute hepatitis A outbreak in Taiwan, 2015-2016:
      observations from a tertiary medical center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute hepatitis A is a fecal-oral transmitted disease related to
      inadequate sanitary conditions. In addition to its traditional classification,
      several outbreaks in the men who have sex with men (MSM) population have resulted
      in acute hepatitis A being recognized as a sexually transmitted disease. However,
      few studies have clarified the clinical manifestations in these outbreaks
      involving the MSM population. METHODS: Beginning in June 2015, there was an
      outbreak of acute hepatitis A involving the MSM population in Northern Taiwan. We
      conducted a 15-year retrospective study by recruiting 207 patients with the
      diagnosis of acute hepatitis A that included the pre-outbreak (January 2001 to
      May 2015) and outbreak (June 2015 to August 2016) periods in a tertiary medical
      center in Northern Taiwan. Using risk factors, comorbidities, presenting
      symptoms, laboratory test results and imaging data, we aimed to evaluate the
      clinical significance of acute hepatitis A in the MSM population, where human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection is common. RESULTS: There was a higher
      prevalence of reported MSM (p < 0.001), HIV (p < 0.001) and recent syphilis (p <
      0.05) coinfection with acute hepatitis A during the outbreak period. The outbreak
      population had more prominent systemic symptoms, was more icteric with a higher
      total bilirubin level (p < 0.05) and had a 7-times higher tendency (p < 0.05) to
      have a hepatitis A relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical course of acute hepatitis A
      during an outbreak involving the MSM and HIV-positive population is more
      symptomatic and protracted than in the general population.

PMID- 28633629
TI  - Prevalence of and risk factors for severe cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS
      and MS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are considerable phenotypic and neuroimmune overlaps between
      myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and multiple
      sclerosis (MS). While the precise aetiologies of both MS and ME/CFS are unclear,
      evidence suggests that deterioration in cognitive function is widely prevalent in
      patients with either condition. Little is known about differing risk factors or
      exposures, which may lead to severe cognitive or sleep symptoms. This study aims
      to gauge the extent of cognitive and sleep symptoms in ME/CFS and MS patients
      participating in the UK ME/CFS Biobank and identify the characteristics of those
      experiencing severe symptoms. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 395 UK
      ME/CFS Biobank participants, recruited from primary care and the community, using
      similar standardised protocols, and matched by age, sex and geographical area.
      Data were collected from participants using a standardized written questionnaire
      at clinical visits. Cognitive symptoms included problems with short-term memory,
      attention, and executive function. Sleep symptoms included unrefreshing sleep and
      poor quality or inadequate duration of sleep. All participants reported symptoms
      based on an ordinal severity scale. Multivariable logistic regression was carried
      out in the ME/CFS group to investigate socio-demographic factors associated with
      severe symptoms. RESULTS: All cognitive and sleep symptoms were more prevalent in
      the ME/CFS group, with 'trouble concentrating' (98.3%) the most commonly reported
      symptom. Severe symptoms were also more commonly reported in the ME/CFS group,
      with 55% reporting 'severe, unrefreshing sleep'. Similarly, in the MS group, the
      most commonly reported severe symptoms were sleep-related. Logistic regression
      analysis revealed that ME/CFS patients aged over 50 years were more than three
      times as likely to experience severe symptoms than those younger than 30 (OR
      3.23, p = 0.031). Current smoking was associated with severe symptoms, increasing
      the risk by approximately three times (OR 2.93, p = 0.003) and those with
      household incomes of more than L15,000 per year were less likely to experience
      severe symptoms compared to those earning less than this (OR 0.31, p = 0.017).
      CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive and sleep symptoms are more common in ME/CFS patients than
      in MS patients and healthy controls, providing further support for existing
      evidence of central nervous system abnormalities in ME/CFS. Our findings suggest
      that people with ME/CFS who are smokers, or have a low income, are more likely to
      report severe cognitive and sleep symptoms. Future research should aim to develop
      strategies to prevent the progression of severe cognitive and sleep symptoms
      through early interventions that prioritise patients identified as being at
      highest risk.

PMID- 28633631
TI  - Knowledge of antibiotic resistance and antibiotic prescription practices among
      prescribers in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana; a cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance (ABR) has become a major public health
      challenge in most parts of the world including Ghana and is a major threat to
      gain in bacterial disease control. The role of prescribers in the control of
      antibiotics is identified as crucial in developing interventions to control ABR.
      To guide policy recommendations on ABR, a study was carried out among prescribers
      to identify gaps in their knowledge of ABR and to document their prescription
      practices. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among prescribers from
      both public and private facilities in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana using both
      quantitative and qualitative methods in 2014. RESULTS: Three hundred and seventy
      nine prescribers participated in the quantitative study and a subset of 33
      participated in in-depth interviews. Majority (50.0%) of the prescribers
      interviewed were nurses. Most (51.0%) of the prescribers were located in
      hospitals. Knowledge of ABR was high among all the prescribers. About 80.0%
      percent of all prescribers agreed that the antibiotics that are currently used
      could lose its efficacy in future. There is no singular formal source of
      information on antibiotic resistance. The prescribers held a strong perception
      that antibiotic resistance is imminent though their knowledge on various
      resistant bacterial strains was limited. Prescribers attributed ABR burden to
      factors such as poor prescription practices and limited ABR control measures. The
      prescription practices of the prescribers vary but were mostly inappropriate
      among the lower cadre. CONCLUSION: The knowledge of ABR is high among
      prescribers. There is however a gap in the knowledge and perception of optimal
      antibiotic prescription practices among prescribers. There is the need for a
      formal source of information on ABR to support prescriber's antibiotic
      prescription practices.

PMID- 28633633
TI  - Utilization and farmers' knowledge on pigeonpea diversity in Benin, West Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding factors driving farmers' uses of crop genetic resources
      is a key component not only to design appropriate conservation strategies but
      also to promote sustainable production. However, in Benin, limited information is
      available on farmers' knowledge related to pigeonpea uses and conservation. This
      study aimed at i) identifying and investigating the different uses of pigeonpea
      in relation with socio-cultural factors, namely age, gender, ethnic group and
      respondents' residence, ii) assessing pigeonpea varieties richness at household
      level and iii) evaluating the extent and distribution of pigeonpea varieties.
      METHODS: Three hundred and two farmers were surveyed using structured
      questionnaire. Direct observation, field visit and focus group discussion were
      carried out. Association between number of varieties maintained at household
      level and socio-cultural variables was tested. Mann-Whitney test was used to
      assess whether the number of varieties held by households headed by men and women
      were different. Distribution and extent of diversity was assessed through four
      cells analysis. RESULTS: Farmers in Benin mainly grow pigeonpea for its grains
      for home consumption. Pigeonpea's stem and leaves are used for medicinal purposes
      to treat malaria, dizziness, measles, and eye infection. The ethnic group and the
      locality of residence of farmers influenced on the use of pigeonpea for medicinal
      purposes (P < 0.01). There was no significant association (P > 0.05) between the
      number of varieties held by household and the age of the respondent, number of
      years of experience in pigeonpea cultivation, the size of household, number of
      family members engaged in agricultural activities and gender. Farmers used
      criteria including seed colors, seed size, plant height, maturity groups and
      cooking time to classify their varieties. Varieties with white seed coat color
      were the most grown while varieties with black, red or mottled seed coat color
      are being abandoned and deserve to be conserved. CONCLUSION: Knowledge on
      medicinal uses of pigeonpea is vertically transmitted within community and
      pigeonpea varieties maintenance at household level does not depend on socio
      cultural factors. This study will contribute to raise awareness on the various
      utilization of pigeonpea. In addition, it provides the basis for designing
      conservation strategies of pigeonpea genetic resources.

PMID- 28633632
TI  - Antagonizing miR-455-3p inhibits chemoresistance and aggressiveness in esophageal
      squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The plasticity of cancer stem cells (CSCs)/tumor-initiating cells (T
      ICs) suggests that multiple CSC/T-IC subpopulations exist within a tumor and that
      multiple oncogenic pathways collaborate to maintain the CSC/T-IC state. Here, we
      aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets that concomitantly regulate
      multiple T-IC subpopulations and CSC/T-IC-associated pathways. METHODS: A
      chemoresistant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of human esophageal squamous
      cell carcinoma (ESCC) was employed to identify microRNAs that contribute to ESCC
      aggressiveness. The oncogenic effects of microRNA-455-3p (miR-455-3p) on ESCC
      chemoresistance and tumorigenesis were examined by in vivo and in vitro
      chemoresistance, tumorsphere formation, side-population, and in vivo limiting
      dilution assays. The roles of miR-455-3p in activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin
      and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)/Smad pathways were determined by
      luciferase and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. RESULTS: We found that miR-455-3p
      played essential roles in ESCC chemoresistance and tumorigenesis. Treatment with
      a miR-455-3p antagomir dramatically chemosensitized ESCC cells and reduced the
      subpopulations of CD90+ and CD271+ T-ICs via deactivation of multiple stemness
      associated pathways, including Wnt/beta-catenin and TGF-beta signaling.
      Importantly, miR-455-3p exhibited aberrant upregulation in various human cancer
      types, and was significantly associated with decreased overall survival of cancer
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that miR-455-3p functions as an
      oncomiR in ESCC progression and may provide a potential therapeutic target to
      achieve better clinical outcomes in cancer patients.

PMID- 28633634
TI  - The development and appraisal of a tool designed to find patients harmed by
      falsely labelled, falsified (counterfeit) medicines.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Falsely labelled, falsified (counterfeit) medicines (FFCm's) are
      produced or distributed illegally and can harm patients. Although the occurrence
      of FFCm's is increasing in Europe, harm is rarely reported. The European
      Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Health-Care (EDQM) has therefore
      coordinated the development and validation of a screening tool. METHODS: The tool
      consists of a questionnaire referring to a watch-list of FFCm's identified in
      Europe, including symptoms of their use and individual risk factors, and a
      scoring form. To refine the questionnaire and reference method, a pilot-study was
      performed in 105 self-reported users of watch-list medicines. Subsequently, the
      tool was validated under "real-life conditions" in 371 patients in 5 ambulatory
      and in-patient care sites ("sub-studies"). The physicians participating in the
      study scored the patients and classified their risk of harm as "unlikely" or
      "probable" (cut-off level: presence of >=2 of 5 risk factors). They assessed all
      medical records retrospectively (independent reference method) to validate the
      risk classification and documented their perception of the tool's value. RESULTS:
      In 3 ambulatory care sites (180 patients), the tool correctly classified 5
      patients as harmed by FFCm's. The positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+/LR
      ) and the discrimination power were calculated for two cut-off levels: a) 1 site
      (50 patients): presence of two risk factors (at 10% estimated health care system
      contamination with FFCm's): LR + 4.9/LR-0, post-test probability: 35%; b) 2 sites
      (130 patients): presence of three risk factors (at 5% estimated prevalence of use
      of non-prescribed medicines (FFCm's) by certain risk groups): LR + 9.7/LR-0, post
      test probability: 33%. In 2 in-patient care sites (191 patients), no patient was
      confirmed as harmed by FFCm's. The physicians perceived the tool as valuable for
      finding harm, and as an information source regarding risk factors. CONCLUSIONS:
      This "decision aid" is a systematic tool which helps find in medical practice
      patients harmed by FFCm's. This study supports its value in ambulatory care in
      regions with health care system contamination and in certain risk groups. The
      establishment of systematic communication between authorities and the medical
      community concerning FFCm's, current patterns of use and case reports may sustain
      positive public health impacts.

PMID- 28633635
TI  - Maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy is
      associated with Hirschsprung's disease in newborns - a nationwide cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung's disease is a rare condition caused by congenital
      malformation of the gastrointestinal tract affecting 1:5000 children. Not much is
      known about risk factors for development of Hirschsprung's disease. Two clinical
      cases of hirschsprung's disease led to an investigation of the association
      between maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during
      pregnancy and development of Hirschsprung's Disease in the newborn child. The
      study examined a nationwide, unselected cohort of children born in Denmark from 1
      January 1996 until 12 March 2016 (n = 1,256,317). We applied multivariate models
      to register-based data to estimate the odds ratio of Hirschsprung's disease,
      adjusting for possible confounders. The studied exposure period for SSRIs were 30
      days prior to conception to the end of the first trimester. RESULTS: In the main
      exposed cohort the prevalence of Hirschsprung's disease was 16/19.807 (0.08%)
      compared to 584/1.236.510 (0.05%) in the unexposed cohort. In women who redeemed
      a minimum of one prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the
      adjusted odds ratio for development of Hirschsprung's disease was 1.76 (95%CI:
      1.07-2.92). In women who redeemed a minimum of two prescriptions, the adjusted
      odds ratio for Hirschsprung's disease was 2.34 (95% CI: 1.21-4.55). CONCLUSIONS:
      Our data suggest that early maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake
      inhibitors is significantly associated with the development of Hirschsprung's
      disease in the newborn child. Treatment of depression during pregnancy always has
      to be weighed against the risks posed by untreated maternal depression. Our
      results have to be confirmed in other studies.

PMID- 28633636
TI  - Typology of birth centres in the Netherlands using the Rainbow model of
      integrated care: results of the Dutch Birth Centre Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The goal of integrated care is to offer a continuum of care that
      crosses the boundaries of public health, primary, secondary, and tertiary care.
      Integrated care is increasingly promoted for people with complex needs and has
      also recently been promoted in maternity care systems to improve the quality of
      care. Especially when located near an obstetric unit, birth centres are
      considered to be ideal settings for the realization of integrated care. At
      present, however, we know very little about the degree of integration in these
      centres and we do not know if increased levels of integration improve the quality
      of the care delivered. The Dutch Birth Centre Study is designed to evaluate birth
      centres and their contribution to the Dutch maternity care system. The aim of
      this particular sub-study is to classify birth centres in clusters with similar
      characteristics based on integration profiles, to support the evaluation of birth
      centre care. METHODS: This study is based on the Rainbow Model of Integrated
      Care. We used a survey followed by qualitative interviews in 23 birth centres in
      the Netherlands to determine which integration profiles can be distinguished and
      to describe their discriminating characteristics. Cluster analysis was used to
      classify the birth centres. RESULTS: Birth centres were classified into three
      clusters: 1)"Mono-disciplinary-oriented birth centres" (n = 10): which are mainly
      owned by primary care organizations and established as physical facilities to
      provide an alternative birthplace for low risk births; 2) "Multi-disciplinary
      oriented birth centres" (n = 6): which are mainly multi-disciplinary oriented and
      can be regarded as facilities to give birth, with a focus on integrated birth
      care; 3) "Mixed Cluster of birth centres" (n = 7): which have a range of
      organizational forms that differentiate them from centres in the other clusters.
      CONCLUSION: We identified a recognizable classification, with similar
      characteristics between birth centres in the clusters. The results of this study
      can be used to relate integration profiles of birth centres to quality of care,
      costs, and perinatal outcomes. This assessment makes it possible to develop
      recommendations with regard to the type and degree of integration of Dutch birth
      centres in the future.

PMID- 28633638
TI  - Evaluating the impact of prescription drug monitoring program implementation: a
      scoping review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have been implemented
      in 49 out of 50 states in an effort to reduce opioid-related misuse, abuse, and
      mortality, yet the literature evaluating the impact of PDMP implementation
      remains limited. We conducted a scoping review to: (1) describe available
      evidence regarding impact of PDMPs in the U.S.; and (2) propose a conceptual
      model to inform future PDMP implementation and evaluation efforts. METHODS:
      Scoping systematic review following Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) methodology. We
      identified 11 relevant studies based on inclusion criteria using a PubMed
      database search of English-language studies published 1/1/2000-5/31/16. Data were
      extracted and thematic analysis conducted to synthesize results. RESULTS: Extant
      evidence for the impact of PDMPs as an opioid risk mitigation tool remains mixed.
      Thematic analysis revealed four domains of opioid-related outcomes frequently
      examined in original studies evaluating PDMP implementation: (1) opioid
      prescribing; (2) opioid diversion and supply; (3) opioid misuse; and (4) opioid
      related morbidity and mortality. An evaluation framework incorporating these
      domains is presented that highlights significant gaps in empirical research
      across each of these domains. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for the impact of state-level
      PDMPs remains mixed. We propose a conceptual model for evaluating PDMP
      implementation toward the goals of clarifying PDMP mechanisms of impact,
      identifying characteristics of PDMPs associated with best outcomes, and
      maximizing the utility of PDMP policy and implementation to reduce opioid-related
      public health burden.

PMID- 28633637
TI  - Seroma change during magnetic resonance imaging-guided partial breast irradiation
      and its clinical implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the patterns of post-lumpectomy seroma volume (SV)
      change and related clinical factors to determine the benefits of adaptive
      planning in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided partial breast irradiation
      (PBI). METHODS: MRI data obtained from 37 women with early breast cancer acquired
      at simulation and at the 1st, 6th, and 10th fractions were analyzed. The planning
      target volume (PTV) was defined as unequal margins of 10-15 mm added according to
      the directional surgical margin status of each seroma. Treatment was performed
      using a 0.35 T MRI-guided radiotherapy system. Univariate analysis was performed
      to assess the correlations between SV change rate and clinical factors. Seroma
      and PTV for adaptive planning were based on the images obtained at the 6th
      fraction. RESULTS: The average time intervals between surgery-simulation,
      simulation-1st, 1st-6th, and 6th-10th fractions were 23.1, 8.5, 7.2, and 5.9
      days, respectively. Of the 37 patients, 33 exhibited decreased SV over the
      treatment period. The mean SV of these 33 patients decreased from 100% at
      simulation to 60, 48, and 40% at each MRI scan. In most cases (26/33), the
      logarithm of SV was inversely proportional to the elapsed time from surgery (R 2
      > 0.90, Pearson's correlation test). The volume of spared normal tissue from
      adaptive radiotherapy was proportional to the absolute change in SV (R 2 = 0.89,
      Pearson's correlation test). CONCLUSION: Seromas exhibit exponential shrinkage
      over the course of PBI. In patients receiving PBI, frequent monitoring of SV
      could be helpful in decision-making regarding adaptive planning, especially those
      with a large seroma.

PMID- 28633639
TI  - Fusobacterial liver abscess: a case report and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fusobacteriae are facultative anaerobic gram-negative bacilli which
      cause a range of invasive infections, amongst which pyogenic liver abscesses are
      rare. We describe a case of Fusobacterium nucleatum liver abscess and review the
      relevant literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old lady presented with a 4-day
      history of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, rigors, and lethargy. Imaging
      revealed an abscess which was drained. Cultures of the blood and abscess aspirate
      grew Fusobacterium nucleatum and Prevotella pleuritidis respectively. She
      achieved full recovery following treatment. A MEDLINE search was undertaken using
      free-text and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), keywords "Fusobacterium" and
      "Liver abscess". Non-English language reports and cases without confirmed growth
      of Fusobacterium species were excluded. Additional cases were identified by
      surveying the references of each report and by using the same keywords in a web
      based search. Forty-eight cases were identified, 41 in men. The median age was
      42.5, with an interquartile range of 33. F. nucleatum and F. necrophorum were in
      involved in 22 cases each, and 4 cases were not further speciated. Among cases of
      F. nucleatum liver abscess, nine were attributed to periodontal disease, four to
      lower gastrointestinal tract disease, one to Lemierre's Syndrome, and eight were
      considered cryptogenic. All patients treated made a full recovery. Antimicrobial
      treatment duration ranged from 2 weeks to 6 months with a median of 6 weeks.
      CONCLUSION: Fusobacterium nucleatum is an uncommon cause of liver abscess
      generally associated with good clinical outcomes with contemporary medical and
      surgical care.

PMID- 28633640
TI  - Biological mechanisms discriminating growth rate and adult body weight phenotypes
      in two Chinese indigenous chicken breeds.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intensive selection has resulted in increased growth rates and
      muscularity in broiler chickens, in addition to adverse effects, including
      delayed organ development, sudden death syndrome, and altered metabolic rates.
      The biological mechanisms underlying selection responses remain largely unknown.
      Non-artificially-selected indigenous Chinese chicken breeds display a wide
      variety of phenotypes, including differential growth rate, body weight, and
      muscularity. The Wuding chicken breed is a fast growing large chicken breed, and
      the Daweishan mini chicken breed is a slow growing small chicken breed. Together
      they form an ideal model system to study the biological mechanisms underlying
      broiler chicken selection responses in a natural system. The objective of this
      study was to study the biological mechanisms underlying differential phenotypes
      between the two breeds in muscle and liver tissues, and relate these to the
      growth rate and body development phenotypes of the two breeds. RESULTS: The
      muscle tissue in the Wuding breed showed higher expression of muscle development
      genes than muscle tissue in the Daweishan chicken breed. This expression was
      accompanied by higher expression of acute inflammatory response genes in Wuding
      chicken than in Daweishan chicken. The muscle tissue of the Daweishan mini
      chicken breed showed higher expression of genes involved in several metabolic
      mechanisms including endoplasmic reticulum, protein and lipid metabolism, energy
      metabolism, as well as specific immune traits than in the Wuding chicken. The
      liver tissue showed fewer differences between the two breeds. Genes displaying
      higher expression in the Wuding breed than in the Daweishan breed were not
      associated with a specific gene network or biological mechanism. Genes highly
      expressed in the Daweishan mini chicken breed compared to the Wuding breed were
      enriched for protein metabolism, ABC receptors, signal transduction, and IL6
      related mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that faster growth rates and larger
      body size are related to increased expression of genes involved in muscle
      development and immune response in muscle, while slower growth rates and smaller
      body size are related to increased general cellular metabolism. The liver of the
      Daweishan breed displayed increased expression of metabolic genes.

PMID- 28633641
TI  - Expression levels of atherosclerosis-associated miR-143 and miR-145 in the plasma
      of patients with hyperhomocysteinaemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An elevated level of homocysteine (Hcy) in the blood is designated
      hyperhomocysteinaemia (Hhcy) and is regarded as a strong risk factor for the
      development of atherosclerosis (ATH), although the association remains
      controversial. Considered to be essential gene expression regulators, micro-RNAs
      (miRNAs) modulate cardiovascular disease development and thus can be regarded as
      potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in atherosclerosis. The aim of the
      current study is to investigate the expression levels of atherosclerosis
      associated miR-143 and miR-145 in Hhcy patients and predict the progress of
      atherosclerosis in Hhcy patients. METHODS: A total of 100 participants were
      enrolled and included normal control subjects (NC = 20), hyperhomocysteinaemia
      alone subjects (Hhcy = 25), hyperhomocysteinaemia and carotid artery
      atherosclerosis combined subjects (Hhcy + ATH = 30) and patients with standalone
      carotid artery atherosclerosis (ATH = 25). Plasma Hcy, supplementary biochemical
      parameters and carotid artery ultrasonography (USG) were measured in all
      participants. MicroRNA expression levels in the peripheral blood were calculated
      by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The
      correlations of miR-143 and miR-145 with Hcy, blood lipid parameters and carotid
      artery atherosclerotic plaques were evaluated using Pearson's correlation
      coefficients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were
      performed to evaluate the capacities of miR-143 and miR-145 for the detection of
      Hhcy and atherosclerosis patients. RESULTS: MiR-143 and miR-145 exhibited trends
      towards significance with stepwise decreases from the NC to Hhcy groups and then
      to the Hhcy + ATH and ATH groups. Similar results were observed in the carotid
      artery plaque group (Hhcy + ATH and ATH grups) compared with the no-plaque group
      (NC and Hhcy groups). The miR-143 expression level exhibited significant negative
      correlations with Hcy, total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDL-c). The miR-145 expression level exhibited significant negative
      correlations with Hcy, TC, triglyceride (TG) and LDL-c. MiR-143 and miR-145
      exhibited the greatest area under the curves (AUCs) (0.775 and 0.681,
      respectively) for the detection of every Hhcy patient, including those in the
      Hhcy and Hhcy + ATH groups, from among all subjects. CONCLUSION: The results
      indicated that the levels of atherosclerosis-associated circulating miR-143 and
      miR-145 are linked to Hhcy. MiR-143 may be used as a potential non-invasive
      biomarkers of Hhcy and thus may be helpful in predicting the progress of
      atherosclerosis in Hhcy patients.

PMID- 28633642
TI  - Prediction and analysis of three gene families related to leaf rust (Puccinia
      triticina) resistance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).
AB  - BACKGROUND: The resistance to leaf rust (Lr) caused by Puccinia triticina in
      wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been well studied over the past decades with
      over 70 Lr genes being mapped on different chromosomes and numerous QTLs
      (quantitative trait loci) being detected or mapped using DNA markers. Such
      resistance is often divided into race-specific and race-nonspecific resistance.
      The race-nonspecific resistance can be further divided into resistance to most or
      all races of the same pathogen and resistance to multiple pathogens. At the
      molecular level, these three types of resistance may cover across the whole
      spectrum of pathogen specificities that are controlled by genes encoding
      different protein families in wheat. The objective of this study is to predict
      and analyze genes in three such families: NBS-LRR (nucleotide-binding sites and
      leucine-rich repeats or NLR), START (Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory protein
      [STaR] related lipid-transfer) and ABC (ATP-Binding Cassette) transporter. The
      focus of the analysis is on the patterns of relationships between these protein
      coding genes within the gene families and QTLs detected for leaf rust resistance.
      RESULTS: We predicted 526 ABC, 1117 NLR and 144 START genes in the hexaploid
      wheat genome through a domain analysis of wheat proteome. Of the 1809 SNPs from
      leaf rust resistance QTLs in seedling and adult stages of wheat, 126 SNPs were
      found within coding regions of these genes or their neighborhood (5 Kb upstream
      from transcription start site [TSS] or downstream from transcription termination
      site [TTS] of the genes). Forty-three of these SNPs for adult resistance and 18
      SNPs for seedling resistance reside within coding or neighboring regions of the
      ABC genes whereas 14 SNPs for adult resistance and 29 SNPs for seedling
      resistance reside within coding or neighboring regions of the NLR gene. Moreover,
      we found 17 nonsynonymous SNPs for adult resistance and five SNPs for seedling
      resistance in the ABC genes, and five nonsynonymous SNPs for adult resistance and
      six SNPs for seedling resistance in the NLR genes. Most of these coding SNPs were
      predicted to alter encoded amino acids and such information may serve as a
      starting point towards more thorough molecular and functional characterization of
      the designated Lr genes. Using the primer sequences of 99 known non-SNP markers
      from leaf rust resistance QTLs, we found candidate genes closely linked to these
      markers, including Lr34 with distances to its two gene-specific markers being
      1212 bases (to cssfr1) and 2189 bases (to cssfr2). CONCLUSION: This study
      represents a comprehensive analysis of ABC, NLR and START genes in the hexaploid
      wheat genome and their physical relationships with QTLs for leaf rust resistance
      at seedling and adult stages. Our analysis suggests that the ABC (and START)
      genes are more likely to be co-located with QTLs for race-nonspecific, adult
      resistance whereas the NLR genes are more likely to be co-located with QTLs for
      race-specific resistance that would be often expressed at the seedling stage.
      Though our analysis was hampered by inaccurate or unknown physical positions of
      numerous QTLs due to the incomplete assembly of the complex hexaploid wheat
      genome that is currently available, the observed associations between (i) QTLs
      for race-specific resistance and NLR genes and (ii) QTLs for nonspecific
      resistance and ABC genes will help discover SNP variants for leaf rust resistance
      at seedling and adult stages. The genes containing nonsynonymous SNPs are
      promising candidates that can be investigated in future studies as potential new
      sources of leaf rust resistance in wheat breeding.

PMID- 28633643
TI  - Enhancement of thermoalkaliphilic xylanase production by Pichia pastoris through
      novel fed-batch strategy in high cell-density fermentation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Xylanase degrades xylan into monomers of various sizes by catalyzing
      the endohydrolysis of the 1,4-beta-D-xylosidic linkage randomly, possessing
      potential in wide industrial applications. Most of xylanases are susceptible to
      be inactive when suffering high temperature and high alkaline process. Therefore,
      it is necessary to develop a high amount of effective thermoalkaliphilic
      xylanases. This study aims to enhance thermoalkaliphilic xylanase production in
      Pichia pastoris through fermentation parameters optimization and novel efficient
      fed-batch strategy in high cell-density fermentation. RESULTS: Recombinant
      xylanase activity increased 12.2%, 7.4%, 12.0% and 9.9% by supplementing the
      Pichia pastoris culture with 20 g/L wheat bran, 5 mg/L L-histidine, 10 mg/L L
      tryptophan and 10 mg/L L-methionine in shake flasks, respectively. Investigation
      of nutritional fermentation parameters, non-nutritional fermentation parameters
      and feeding strategies in 1 L bioreactor and 1 L shake flask revealed that
      glycerol and methanol feeding strategies were the critical factors for high cell
      density and xylanase activity. In 50 L bioreactor, a novel glycerol feeding
      strategy and a four-stage methanol feeding strategy with a stepwise increase in
      feeding rate were developed to enhance recombinant xylanase production. In the
      initial 72 h of methanol induction, the linear dependence of xylanase activity on
      methanol intake was observed (R2 = 0.9726). The maximum xylanase activity was
      predicted to be 591.2 U/mL, while the actual maximum xylanase activity was 560.7
      U/mL, which was 7.05 times of that in shake flask. Recombinant xylanase retained
      82.5% of its initial activity after pre-incubation at 80  degrees C for 50 min
      (pH 8.0), and it exhibited excellent stability in the broad temperature (60-80 
      degrees C) and pH (pH 8.0-11.0) ranges. CONCLUSIONS: Efficient glycerol and
      methanol fed-batch strategies resulting in desired cell density and xylanase
      activity should be applied in other P. pastoris fermentation for other
      recombinant proteins production. Recombinant xylanases with high pH- and thermal
      stability showed potential in various industrial applications.

PMID- 28633644
TI  - Risk factors for pulmonary complications after hepatic resection: role of
      intraoperative hemodynamic instability and hepatic ischemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Postoperative operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after hepatic
      surgery are associated with increased length of hospital stays. Intraoperative
      blood transfusion, extensive resection and different comorbidities have been
      identified. Other parameters, like time of hepatic ischemia, have neither been
      clinically studied, though experimental studies show that hepatic ischemia can
      provide lung injury. The objective of this study was to determinate the risk
      factors of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after hepatic resection
      within 7 postoperative days. METHOD: Ninety-four patients consecutively who
      underwent elective hepatectomy between January and December 2013. Demographic
      data, pathological variables, and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative
      variables had been prospectively collected in a data base. The dependant
      variables studied were the occurrence of PPCs, defined before analysis of the
      data. RESULTS: PPCs occurred in 32 (34%) patients. A multivariate analysis
      allowed identifying the risk factors for PPCs. On multivariate analysis,
      preoperative gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) elevation OR =5,12 [1,85-15,69] p =
      0,002, liver ischemia duration OR = 1,03 [1,01-1,06] p = 0,01 and the
      intraoperative use of vasopressor OR = 4,40 [1,58-13,36] p = 0,006 were
      independently associated with PPCs. For every 10 min added in ischemia duration,
      the OR of the risk of PPCs was estimated to be 1.37 (CI95% = [1.08-1.81], p =
      0.01). CONCLUSION: Three risk factors for PPCs have been identified in a
      population undergoing liver resection: preoperative GGT elevation, ischemia
      duration and the intraoperative use of vasopressor. PPCs after liver surgery
      could be related to lung injury induced by liver ischemia reperfusion and not
      solely by direct infectious process. That could explain why factors influencing
      directly or indirectly liver ischemia were independently associated with PPCs.

PMID- 28633646
TI  - Role of serotonin on the intestinal mucosal immune response to stress-induced
      diarrhea in weaning mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: During weaning, babies and young animal often experience diarrhea
      from food intolerance and/or decreasing levels of maternal antibodies, and
      diarrhea tends to be particularly severe during the early-weaned period, which
      often exhibits an underdeveloped immune system, a disturbed gut environment and
      results in nutrient malabsorption and dehydration. It was deduced that
      neuroendocrine might have close relation with diarrhea, especially 5-HT. METHODS:
      To explore the role of serotonin (5-HT) in weaning mice subjected to stress
      induced diarrhea, 21-day-old weaned mice were divided into the following groups:
      control group, stress-induced diarrhea group (restrained by binding the hind
      limbs and intragastric administration of folium sennae with 0.4 g/mL, 15 mL/kg
      body weight) and para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) + stress-induced diarrhea group
      (30 mg/mL, 300 mg/kg body weight PCPA intraperitoneal injection before stress
      induced diarrhea treatment). RESULTS: Based on results from enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays, histological staining, lymphocyte proliferation assays and
      flow cytometry analysis, we found that the mice experienced increases in several
      stress markers, which coincided with severe diarrhea and an increase in 5-HT
      levels. However, pre-treatment with PCPA resulted in a decrease in the stress
      indicators and the severity of diarrhea, which correlated with decreased 5-HT
      levels. Interestingly, stress-induced diarrhea caused changes in various aspects
      of the immune system, including the amount of intraepithelium lymphocytes,
      CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocyte populations, B and T lymphocyte proliferation, and the
      secretion of sIgA and cytokines in the small intestine and ileum. However, these
      immune system changes could be reversed upon treatment with PCPA. CONCLUSIONS: We
      observed a distinct correlation between 5-HT levels and the occurrence of stress
      induced diarrhea in weaning mice, which may result in the deregulation of the
      mucosal immune system.

PMID- 28633645
TI  - Generation of populations of antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells using DCs
      transfected with DNA construct encoding HER2/neu tumor antigen epitopes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent fundamental and clinical studies have confirmed the
      effectiveness of utilizing the potential of the immune system to remove tumor
      cells disseminated in a patient's body. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are
      considered the main effectors in cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Approaches
      based on antigen presentation to CTLs by dendritic cells (DCs) are currently
      being intensively studied, because DCs are more efficient in tumor antigen
      presentation to T cells through their initiation of strong specific antitumor
      immune responses than other types of antigen-presenting cells. Today, it has
      become possible to isolate CTLs specific for certain antigenic determinants from
      heterogeneous populations of mononuclear cells. This enables direct and specific
      cell-mediated immune responses against cells carrying certain antigens. The aim
      of the present study was to develop an optimized protocol for generating CTL
      populations specific for epitopes of tumor-associated antigen HER2/neu, and to
      assess their cytotoxic effects against the HER2/neu-expressing MCF-7 tumor cell
      line. METHODS: The developed protocol included sequential stages of obtaining
      mature DCs from PBMCs from HLA A*02-positive healthy donors, magnet-assisted
      transfection of mature DCs with the pMax plasmid encoding immunogenic peptides
      HER2 p369-377 (E75 peptide) and HER2 p689-697 (E88 peptide), coculture of antigen
      activated DCs with autologous lymphocytes, magnetic-activated sorting of CTLs
      specific to HER2 epitopes, and stimulation of isolated CTLs with cytokines (IL-2,
      IL-7, and IL-15). RESULTS: The resulting CTL populations were characterized by
      high contents of CD8+ cells (71.5% in cultures of E88-specific T cells and 90.2%
      in cultures of E75-specific T cells) and displayed strong cytotoxic effects
      against the MCF-7 cell line (percentages of damaged tumor cells in samples under
      investigation were 60.2 and 65.7% for E88- and E75-specific T cells,
      respectively; level of spontaneous death of target cells was 17.9%). CONCLUSIONS:
      The developed protocol improves the efficiency of obtaining HER2/neu-specific
      CTLs and can be further used to obtain cell-based vaccines for eradicating
      targeted tumor cells to prevent tumor recurrence after the major tumor burden has
      been eliminated and preventing metastasis in patients with HER2-overexpressing
      tumors.

PMID- 28633647
TI  - Meeting the oral health needs of 12-year-olds in China: human resources for oral
      health.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An appropriate level of human resources for oral health [HROH] is
      required to meet the oral health needs of population, and enable maximum
      improvement in health outcomes. The aim of this study was to estimate the
      required HROH to meet the oral health needs of the World Health Organization
      [WHO] reference group of 12-year-olds in China and consider the implications for
      education, practice, policy and HROH nationally. METHODS: We estimated the need
      of HROH to meet the needs of 12-year-olds based on secondary analysis of the
      epidemiological and questionnaire data from the 3rd Chinese National Oral Health
      Survey, including caries experience and periodontal factors (calculus), dentally
      related behaviour (frequency of toothbrushing and sugar intake), and social
      factors (parental education). Children's risk for dental caries was classified in
      four levels from low (level 1) to high (level 4). We built maximum and minimum
      intervention models of dental care for each risk level, informed by contemporary
      evidence-based practice. The needs-led HROH model we used in the present study
      incorporated need for treatment and risk-based prevention using timings verified
      by experts in China. These findings were used to estimate HROH for the survey
      sample, extrapolated to 12-year-olds nationally and the total population, taking
      account of urban and rural coverage, based on different levels of clinical
      commitment (60-90%). RESULTS: We found that between 40,139 and 51,906 dental
      professionals were required to deliver care for 12-year-olds nationally based on
      80% clinical commitment. We demonstrated that the majority of need for HROH was
      in the rural population (72.5%). Over 93% of HROH time was dedicated to
      prevention within the model. Extrapolating the results to the total population,
      the estimate for HROH nationally was 3.16-4.09 million to achieve national
      coverage; however, current HROH are only able to serve an estimated 5% of the
      population with minimum intervention based on a HROH spending 90% of their time
      in providing clinical care. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the gap between
      dental workforce needs and workforce capacity in China. Significant implications
      for health policy and human resources for oral health in this country with a
      developing health system are discussed including the need for public health
      action.

PMID- 28633648
TI  - Radiologic comparison of posterior release, internal distraction, final PSO and
      spinal fusion with one-stage posterior vertebral column resection for multi-level
      severe congenital scoliosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To compare radiologic results of posterior release, internal
      distraction, and final pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) and spinal fusionwith
      one-stage posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR) in treating multi-level
      severe congenital scoliosis. METHODS: Forty-onesevere congenital scoliosis
      patients were used in the study. Group A comprised 24 patients who underwent one
      stage PVCR. Group B comprised 17 patients who underwent posterior release with
      internal distraction, followed by final posterior fusion and instrumentation. The
      average preoperative main curve was 110.4 degrees  (95-130 degrees ) in group A
      and 109.4 degrees  (range 90 degrees -126 degrees ) in group B. Postoperative
      follow-up time was >=2 years (2.0-4.5 years) to analyze the radiographic and
      clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A comparison of posterior release, internal
      distraction, and final spinal fusion with PVCR showed no significant differences
      in postoperative main curve and compensatory caudal curve correction, coronal and
      sagittal imbalance. However, significant differences were found between the 2
      groups in compensatory cranial curve correction. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior release,
      internal distraction, and final spinal fusion produce better corrective results
      in compensatory cranial curve correction than PVCR in treating severe multi-level
      congenital scoliosis.

PMID- 28633649
TI  - Erratum to: Pesticide exposures and chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology:
      an epidemiologic review.

PMID- 28633650
TI  - Effects of Tolvaptan in patients with acute heart failure: a systematic review
      and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute heart failure, which requires urgent evaluation and treatment,
      is a leading cause for admission to the emergency department. The aim of this
      meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of tolvaptan on acute heart failure and
      compare them with the effects of conventional therapy or placebo. METHODS: The
      electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trial registry
      were searched from their starting dates to October 24, 2016. Two authors
      independently read the trials and extracted related information from the included
      studies. We used fixed-effects or random-effects models to assess the overall
      combined risk estimates according to I2 statistics. Analysis to determine
      sensitivity and publication bias was conducted. RESULTS: Six randomised
      controlled trials from eight articles, with a total of 746 patients, were
      included for analysis. Compared with the control, tolvaptan reduced body weight
      in two days (WMD 1.35; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.96), elevated sodium level in two days
      (WMD 2.33; 95% CI 1.08 to 3.57) and five days (WMD 1.57; 95% CI 0.04 to 3.09),
      and ameliorated symptoms of dyspnoea (RR 0.82; 95% CI 0.71-0.95). However,
      tolvaptan did not improve long-term (RR 1.04; 95% CI 0.66-1.62) or short-term all
      cause mortality (RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.45-1.76), incidence of clinical events
      (worsening heart failure, RR 0.75; 95% CI 0.50-1.12 and worsening renal function,
      RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.75-1.27), and length of hospital stay in patients (WMD 0.14;
      95% CI -0.29 to 2.38) with acute heart failure. CONCLUSION: Tolvaptan can
      decrease body weight, increase serum sodium level, and ameliorate some of the
      congestion symptoms in patients with acute heart failure, which may help avoid
      the overdose of loop diuretics, especially in patients with renal dysfunction.

PMID- 28633651
TI  - Epidemiology of intestinal helminthiasis among school children with emphasis on
      Schistosoma mansoni infection in Wolaita zone, Southern Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intestinal helminth infections are major parasitic diseases causing
      public health problems in Ethiopia. Although the epidemiology of these infections
      are well documented in Ethiopia, new transmission foci for schistosomiasis are
      being reported in different parts of the country. The objective of this study was
      to assess the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and other intestinal helminth
      infections among school children and determine the endemicity of schistosomiasis
      in Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Cross-sectional parasitological and
      malacological surveys were conducted by collecting stool samples for microscopic
      examination and snails for intermediate host identification. Stool samples were
      collected from 503 children and processed for microscopic examination using Kato
      Katz and formalin-ether concentration methods. Snails collected from aquatic
      environments in the study area were identified to species level and Biomphalaria
      pfeifferi snails, the intermediate host of S. mansoni,, were individually exposed
      to artificial light in order to induce cercariae shedding. Cercariae shed from
      snails were used to infect laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice in order to identify
      the schistosome to species level. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of intestinal
      helminth infections was 72.2% among school children. S. mansoni infection
      prevalence was 58.6%. The prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni infections
      varied among schools and sex of children. Swimming was the only factor reported
      to be significantly associated with S. mansoni infection (AOR = 2.954, 95%
      CI:1.962-4.449). Other intestinal helminth species identified were hookworms
      (27.6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (8.7%), E. vermicularis (2.8%), Taenia species
      (2.6%), T. trichiura (1.2%) and H. nana (0.6%). Only B. pfeifferi snails
      collected from streams shed schistosome cercariae and 792 adult S. mansoni worms
      were harvested from mice exposed to cercariae shed from B. pfeifferi on the 6th
      week post-exposure. CONCLUSION: The present study found high level of intestinal
      helminth infections in the study area. The study also confirmed autochthonous
      transmission and endemicity of S. mansoni as evidenced by both parasitological
      and malacological findings as well as by further establishing infections in lab
      bred mice. Therefore, there is a need to include the area in the control programs
      with anti-helminth drugs and also consider other complementary measures including
      sanitation, provision of clean water supply, and snail control.

PMID- 28633652
TI  - Spontaneous rupture of the common hepatic duct associated with acute
      pancreatitis: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rupture of the common bile duct is a life-threatening condition,
      usually observed after a trauma or in association with choledocholithiasis or an
      obstructive tumor of the bile duct. However, a spontaneous rupture of the common
      bile duct is a rare entity. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a new observation of a
      spontaneous rupture of the common bile duct, associated with biliary peritonitis
      and pancreatitis, in a 15-year-old North African girl. Etiological aspects,
      specificities of clinical presentation, means of diagnosis, as well as surgical
      and perioperative management are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of
      spontaneous rupture of the common bile duct is a challenge for both radiologist
      and surgeon. Beyond the difficulty of diagnosis, which requires radiological
      exploration, management of the subsequent biliary peritonitis involves urgent
      surgery, life-supporting measures, and close monitoring.

PMID- 28633653
TI  - Household cereal crop harvest and children's nutritional status in rural Burkina
      Faso.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Reduction of child undernutrition is one of the Sustainable
      Development Goals for 2030. Achievement of this goal may be made more difficult
      in some settings by climate change through adverse impact on agricultural
      productivity. However, there is only limited quantitative evidence on the link
      between household crop harvests and child nutrition. We examined this link in a
      largely subsistence farming population in rural Burkina Faso. METHODS: Data on
      the middle-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of 975 children <=5 years of age,
      household crop yields, and other parameters were obtained from the Nouna Health
      and Demographic Surveillance System. Multilevel modelling was used to assess the
      relationship between MUAC and the household crop harvest in the year 2009
      estimated in terms of kilocalories per adult equivalent per day (kcal/ae/d).
      RESULTS: Fourteen percent of children had a MUAC <125 mm (a value indicative of
      acute undernutrition). The relationship between MUAC and annual household food
      energy production adjusted for age, sex, month of MUAC measurement, household
      wealth, whether a household member had a non-agricultural occupation, garden
      produce, village infrastructure and market presence, suggested a decline in MUAC
      below around 3000 kcal/ae/d. The mean MUAC was 2.49 (95% CI 0.45, 4.52) mm less
      at 1000 than at 3000 kcal/ae/d. CONCLUSIONS: Low per capita household crop
      production is associated with poorer nutritional status of children in a rural
      farming population in Burkina Faso. This and similar populations may thus be
      vulnerable to the adverse effects of weather on agricultural harvest, especially
      in the context of climate change.

PMID- 28633654
TI  - Physical activity and associated factors from a cross-sectional survey among
      adults in northern Tanzania.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Insufficient physical activity (PA) is a major contributing factor in
      the growing problem of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in urban and rural Sub
      Saharan Africa. This study aimed to determine PA and associated factors among
      adults in Northern Tanzania. METHODS: We analyzed secondary data from a cross
      sectional serological survey nested within the Magu health and demographic
      sentinel surveillance population in Magu District Northwestern Tanzania. All
      resident adults aged 15 years and older were invited to participate in the study,
      and physical activity data were analyzed for 5663 participants. Data were
      analyzed using Stata version 13.0. We used logistic regression to obtain odds
      ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk factors associated with
      differences in PA. RESULTS: In this mainly rural population, 96% reported
      sufficient PA, with a higher proportion in males (97.3%) compared to females
      (94.8%). In males the odds of sufficient PA were lower in rural areas compared to
      urban areas (OR = 0.19; P < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.08-0.42), while in females the odds
      of sufficient PA were higher in rural areas compared to urban areas (OR = 2.27; P
      < 0.001; 95%CI = 1.59-3.24). Leisure-related activity was low compared to work
      related and transport-related activity. Farmers had a higher odds of sufficient
      PA than those in professional jobs in both males (OR = 9.75; P < 0.001; 95% CI =
      3.68-5.82) and females (OR = 2.83; P = 0.021; 95% CI = 1.17-6.86). CONCLUSION:
      The prevalence of PA in this population was high. However, there is need for PA
      programs to maintain the high level of compliance during and following the
      transition to a more urban-based culture.

PMID- 28633655
TI  - Inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 decreases cellular migration, and angiogenesis in
      in vitro models of retinoblastoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Retinoblastoma (Rb) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in
      children. Local treatment of the intraocular disease is usually effective if
      diagnosed early; however advanced Rb can metastasize through routes that involve
      invasion of the choroid, sclera and optic nerve or more broadly via the ocular
      vasculature. Metastatic Rb patients have very high mortality rates. While current
      therapy for Rb is directed toward blocking tumor cell division and tumor growth,
      there are no specific treatments targeted to block Rb metastasis. Two such
      targets are matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2, -9), which degrade
      extracellular matrix as a prerequisite for cellular invasion and have been shown
      to be involved in other types of cancer metastasis. Cancer Clinical Trials with
      an anti-MMP-9 therapeutic antibody were recently initiated, prompting us to
      investigate the role of MMP-2, -9 in Rb metastasis. METHODS: We compare MMP-2, -9
      activity in two well-studied Rb cell lines: Y79, which exhibits high metastatic
      potential and Weri-1, which has low metastatic potential. The effects of
      inhibitors of MMP-2 (ARP100) and MMP-9 (AG-L-66085) on migration, angiogenesis,
      and production of immunomodulatory cytokines were determined in both cell lines
      using qPCR, and ELISA. Cellular migration and potential for invasion were
      evaluated by the classic wound-healing assay and a Boyden Chamber assay. RESULTS:
      Our results showed that both inhibitors had differential effects on the two cell
      lines, significantly reducing migration in the metastatic Y79 cell line and
      greatly affecting the viability of Weri-1 cells. The MMP-9 inhibitor (MMP9I) AG-L
      66085, diminished the Y79 angiogenic response. In Weri-1 cells, VEGF was
      significantly reduced and cell viability was decreased by both MMP-2 and MMP-9
      inhibitors. Furthermore, inhibition of MMP-2 significantly reduced secretion of
      TGF-beta1 in both Rb models. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our data indicates MMP-2
      and MMP-9 drive metastatic pathways, including migration, viability and secretion
      of angiogenic factors in Rb cells. These two subtypes of matrix
      metalloproteinases represent new potential candidates for targeted anti
      metastatic therapy for Rb.

PMID- 28633656
TI  - Children's physical activity during a segmented school week: results from a quasi
      experimental education outside the classroom intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Movement integration (MI) into traditional classroom teaching is a
      promising opportunity for children to increase physical activity (PA). Education
      outside the classroom (EOtC) can be regarded as MI, and has increased children's
      PA in case studies. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of EOtC
      on children's PA by segmenting weekly activity-related behavior into a range of
      day types and domains. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental design, 33 classes were
      recruited and participants' PA was objectively measured using accelerometers
      taped to the lower back. In total, 361 (10.89 +/- 1.03 years) participants with 7
      days of 24 h wear time per day were included in a day type PA analysis, and 194
      of these participants (10.46 +/- 0.99 years) provided information on time spent
      in specific domains (e.g. EOtC or recess) and were included in a domain-specific
      PA analysis. Differences in proportion of time spent in PA intensities were
      tested using mixed-effects regression models. RESULTS: More moderate-to-vigorous
      physical activity (MVPA) occurred on days with physical education (PE) than days
      with EOtC (girls 0.79%, p = .001, CI = .26% to 1.31%; boys 1.35%, p = .003, CI =
      .32% to 2.38%), while no difference was found between EOtC days and school days
      without EOtC and PE. Light physical activity (LPA) was higher on EOtC days than
      school days without EOtC and PE (girls 2.43% p < .001, CI = 1.21% to 3.65%; boys
      2.08%, p < .001, CI = .69% to 3.47%) and PE days (girls 2.18%, p < .001, CI =
      .80% to 3.56%; boys 2.40%, p < .001, CI = .83% to 3.96%). Comparing EOtC and
      classroom domains, boys proportionally spent 7.95% (p < .001, CI = 3.00% to
      12.90%) more time in MVPA while no difference (p = 1.000) was measured for LPA,
      and girls had no difference (p = .176) in MVPA, but spent 9.76% (p < .001, CI =
      7.12% to 12.41%) more time in LPA. CONCLUSIONS: EOtC was implemented without the
      provision of additional resources and with positive effects on PA. Findings
      suggest EOtC as a way to provide children with an additional opportunity to
      accumulate PA within the existing school setting.

PMID- 28633657
TI  - Patient safety culture in Norwegian nursing homes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patient safety culture concerns leader and staff interaction,
      attitudes, routines, awareness and practices that impinge on the risk of patient
      adverse events. Due to their complex multiple diseases, nursing home patients are
      at particularly high risk of adverse events. Studies have found an association
      between patient safety culture and the risk of adverse events. This study aimed
      to investigate safety attitudes among healthcare providers in Norwegian nursing
      homes, using the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire - Ambulatory Version (SAQ-AV). We
      studied whether variations in safety attitudes were related to professional
      background, age, work experience and mother tongue. METHODS: In February 2016,
      463 healthcare providers working in five nursing homes in Tonsberg, Norway, were
      invited to answer the SAQ-AV, translated and adapted to the Norwegian nursing
      home setting. Previous validation of the Norwegian SAQ-AV for nursing homes
      identified five patient safety factors: teamwork climate, safety climate, job
      satisfaction, working conditions and stress recognition. SPSS v.22 was used for
      statistical analysis, which included estimations of mean values, standard
      deviations and multiple linear regressions. P-values <0.05 were considered to be
      significant. RESULTS: Out of the 463 employees invited, 288 (62.2%) answered the
      questionnaire. Response rates varied between 56.9% and 72.2% across the five
      nursing homes. In multiple linear regression analysis, we found that increasing
      age and job position among the healthcare providers were associated with
      significantly increased mean scores for the patient safety factors teamwork
      climate, safety climate, job satisfaction and working conditions. Not being a
      Norwegian native speaker was associated with a significantly higher mean score
      for job satisfaction and a significantly lower mean score for stress recognition.
      Neither professional background nor work experience were significantly associated
      with mean scores for any patient safety factor. CONCLUSIONS: Patient safety
      factor scores in nursing homes were poorer than previously found in Norwegian
      general practices, but similar to findings in out-of-hours primary care clinics.
      Patient safety culture assessment may help nursing home leaders to initiate
      targeted quality improvement interventions. Further research should investigate
      associations between patient safety culture and the occurrence of adverse events
      in nursing homes.

PMID- 28633658
TI  - Nucleated red blood cells, critical illness survivors and postdischarge outcomes:
      a cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about risk factors associated with out-of-hospital
      outcomes in survivors of critical illness. We hypothesized that the presence of
      nucleated red blood cells in patients who survived critical care would be
      associated with adverse outcomes following hospital discharge. METHODS: We
      performed a two-center observational cohort study of patients treated in medical
      and surgical intensive care units in Boston, Massachusetts. All data were
      obtained from the Research Patient Data Registry at Partners HealthCare. We
      studied 2878 patients, age >= 18 years, who received critical care between 2011
      and 2015 and survived hospitalization. The exposure of interest was nucleated red
      blood cells occurring from 2 days prior to 7 days after critical care initiation.
      The primary outcome was mortality in the 90 days following hospital discharge.
      Secondary outcome was unplanned 30-day hospital readmission. Adjusted odds ratios
      were estimated by multivariable logistic regression models with inclusion of
      covariate terms thought to plausibly interact with both nucleated red blood cells
      and outcome. Adjustment included age, race (white versus nonwhite), gender, Deyo
      Charlson Index, patient type (medical versus surgical), sepsis and acute organ
      failure. RESULTS: In patients who received critical care and survived
      hospitalization, the absolute risk of 90-day postdischarge mortality was 5.9%,
      11.7%, 15.8% and 21.9% in patients with 0/MUl, 1-100/MUl, 101-200/MUl and more
      than 200/MUl nucleated red blood cells respectively. Nucleated red blood cells
      were a robust predictor of postdischarge mortality and remained so following
      multivariable adjustment. The fully adjusted odds of 90-day postdischarge
      mortality in patients with 1-100/MUl, 101-200/MUl and more than 200/MUl nucleated
      red blood cells were 1.77 (95% CI, 1.23-2.54), 2.51 (95% CI, 1.36-4.62) and 3.72
      (95% CI, 2.16-6.39) respectively, relative to patients without nucleated red
      blood cells. Further, the presence of nucleated red blood cells is a significant
      predictor of the odds of unplanned 30-day hospital readmission. CONCLUSION: In
      critically ill patients who survive hospitalization, the presence of nucleated
      red blood cells is a robust predictor of postdischarge mortality and unplanned
      hospital readmission.

PMID- 28633659
TI  - Computing patient data in the cloud: practical and legal considerations for
      genetics and genomics research in Europe and internationally.
AB  - Biomedical research is becoming increasingly large-scale and international. Cloud
      computing enables the comprehensive integration of genomic and clinical data, and
      the global sharing and collaborative processing of these data within a flexibly
      scalable infrastructure. Clouds offer novel research opportunities in genomics,
      as they facilitate cohort studies to be carried out at unprecedented scale, and
      they enable computer processing with superior pace and throughput, allowing
      researchers to address questions that could not be addressed by studies using
      limited cohorts. A well-developed example of such research is the Pan-Cancer
      Analysis of Whole Genomes project, which involves the analysis of petabyte-scale
      genomic datasets from research centers in different locations or countries and
      different jurisdictions. Aside from the tremendous opportunities, there are also
      concerns regarding the utilization of clouds; these concerns pertain to perceived
      limitations in data security and protection, and the need for due consideration
      of the rights of patient donors and research participants. Furthermore, the
      increased outsourcing of information technology impedes the ability of
      researchers to act within the realm of existing local regulations owing to
      fundamental differences in the understanding of the right to data protection in
      various legal systems. In this Opinion article, we address the current
      opportunities and limitations of cloud computing and highlight the responsible
      use of federated and hybrid clouds that are set up between public and private
      partners as an adequate solution for genetics and genomics research in Europe,
      and under certain conditions between Europe and international partners. This
      approach could represent a sensible middle ground between fragmented individual
      solutions and a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

PMID- 28633660
TI  - A re-assessment of the safety of silver in household water treatment: rapid
      systematic review of mammalian in vivo genotoxicity studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite poor evidence of their effectiveness, colloidal silver and
      silver nanoparticles are increasingly being promoted for treating potentially
      contaminated drinking water in low income countries. Recently, however, concerns
      have been raised about the possible genotoxicity of particulate silver.
      OBJECTIVES: The goal of this paper was to review the published mammalian in vivo
      genotoxicity studies using silver micro and nanoparticles. METHODS: SCOPUS and
      Medline were searched using the following search string: ("DNA damage" OR
      genotox* OR Cytotox* OR Embryotox*) AND (silver OR AgNP). Included papers were
      any mammalian in vivo experimental studies investigating genotoxicity of silver
      particles. Studies were quality assessed using the ToxRTool. RESULTS: 16 relevant
      papers were identified. There were substantial variations in study design
      including the size of silver particles, animal species, target organs, silver
      dose, route of administration and the method used to detect genotoxicity. Thus,
      it was not possible to produce a definitive pooled result. Nevertheless, most
      studies showed evidence of genotoxicity unless using very low doses. We also
      identified one human study reporting evidence of "severe DNA damage" in silver
      jewellery workers occupationally exposed to silver particles. CONCLUSIONS: With
      the available evidence it is not possible to be definitive about risks to human
      health from oral exposure to silver particulates. However, the balance of
      evidence suggests that there should be concerns especially when considering the
      evidence from jewellery workers. There is an urgent need to determine whether
      people exposed to particulate silver as part of drinking water treatment have
      evidence of DNA damage.

PMID- 28633661
TI  - Prevalence of arthritis according to age, sex and socioeconomic status in six low
      and middle income countries: analysis of data from the World Health Organization
      study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave 1.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In higher income countries, social disadvantage is associated with
      higher arthritis prevalence; however, less is known about arthritis prevalence or
      determinants in low to middle income countries (LMICs). We assessed arthritis
      prevalence by age and sex, and marital status and occupation, as two key
      parameters of socioeconomic position (SEP), using data from the World Health
      Organization Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). METHODS: SAGE Wave 1
      (2007-10) includes nationally-representative samples of older adults (>=50 yrs),
      plus smaller samples of adults aged 18-49 yrs., from China, Ghana, India, Mexico,
      Russia and South Africa (n = 44,747). Arthritis was defined by self-reported
      healthcare professional diagnosis, and a symptom-based algorithm. Marital status
      and education were self-reported. Arthritis prevalence data were extracted for
      each country by 10-year age strata, sex and SEP. Country-specific survey
      weightings were applied and weighted prevalences calculated. RESULTS: Self
      reported (lifetime) diagnosed arthritis was reported by 5003 women and 2664 men
      (19.9% and 14.1%, respectively), whilst 1220 women and 594 men had current
      symptom-based arthritis (4.8% and 3.1%, respectively). For men, standardised
      arthritis rates were approximately two- to three-fold greater than for women. The
      highest rates were observed in Russia: 38% (95% CI 36%-39%) for men, and 17% (95%
      CI 14%-20%) for women. For both sexes and in all LMICs, arthritis was more
      prevalent among those with least education, and in separated/divorced/widowed
      women. CONCLUSIONS: High arthritis prevalence in LMICs is concerning and may
      worsen poverty by impacting the ability to work and fulfil community roles. These
      findings have implications for national efforts to prioritise arthritis
      prevention and management, and improve healthcare access in LMICs.

PMID- 28633662
TI  - OrthoReD: a rapid and accurate orthology prediction tool with low computational
      requirement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying orthologous genes is an initial step required for
      phylogenetics, and it is also a common strategy employed in functional genetics
      to find candidates for functionally equivalent genes across multiple species. At
      the same time, in silico orthology prediction tools often require large
      computational resources only available on computing clusters. Here we present
      OrthoReD, an open-source orthology prediction tool with accuracy comparable to
      published tools that requires only a desktop computer. The low computational
      resource requirement of OrthoReD is achieved by repeating orthology searches on
      one gene of interest at a time, thereby generating a reduced dataset to limit the
      scope of orthology search for each gene of interest. RESULTS: The output of
      OrthoReD was highly similar to the outputs of two other published orthology
      prediction tools, OrthologID and/or OrthoDB, for the three dataset tested, which
      represented three phyla with different ranges of species diversity and different
      number of genomes included. Median CPU time for ortholog prediction per gene by
      OrthoReD executed on a desktop computer was <15 min even for the largest dataset
      tested, which included all coding sequences of 100 bacterial species.
      CONCLUSIONS: With high-throughput sequencing, unprecedented numbers of genes from
      non-model organisms are available with increasing need for clear information
      about their orthologies and/or functional equivalents in model organisms.
      OrthoReD is not only fast and accurate as an orthology prediction tool, but also
      gives researchers flexibility in the number of genes analyzed at a time, without
      requiring a high-performance computing cluster.

PMID- 28633663
TI  - Targeting psychologic stress signaling pathways in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most prevalent progressive neurodegenerative
      disease; to date, no AD therapy has proven effective in delaying or preventing
      the disease course. In the search for novel therapeutic targets in AD, it has
      been shown that increased chronic psychologic stress is associated with AD risk.
      Subsequently, biologic pathways underlying psychologic stress have been
      identified and shown to be able to exacerbate AD relevant pathologies. In this
      review, we summarize the literature relevant to the association between
      psychologic stress and AD, focusing on studies investigating the effects of
      stress paradigms on transgenic mouse models of Amyloid-beta (Abeta) and tau
      pathologies. In recent years, a substantial amount of research has been done
      investigating a key stress-response mediator, corticotropin-releasing hormone
      (CRH), and its interactions with AD relevant processes. We highlight attempts to
      target the CRH signaling pathway as a therapeutic intervention in these
      transgenic mouse models and discuss how targeting this pathway is a promising
      avenue for further investigation.

PMID- 28633665
TI  - Optimizing bronchodilation in the prevention of COPD exacerbations.
AB  - The natural disease course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is
      often punctuated by exacerbations: acute events of symptom worsening associated
      with significant morbidity and healthcare resource utilization; reduced quality
      of life; and increased risk of hospitalization and death. The Global Initiative
      for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) recommend that patients at risk of
      exacerbations (GOLD Groups C and D) receive a long-acting muscarinic antagonist
      (LAMA) or a long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA)/LAMA combination, respectively, as
      preferred initial treatments. The latter recommendation is based on recent trial
      evidence demonstrating the superior efficacy of a fixed-dose LABA/LAMA over an
      inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/LABA in exacerbation prevention. ICS in combination
      with a LABA is also indicated for prevention of exacerbations, but the use of ICS
      is associated with an increased risk of adverse events such as pneumonia, and
      offers limited benefits beyond those provided by LABA or LAMA monotherapy. In
      this review, we examine evidence from a number of pivotal studies of LABAs and
      LAMAs, administered as monotherapy or as part of dual or triple combination
      therapy, with a specific focus on their effect on exacerbations. We also discuss
      a new proposed treatment paradigm for the management of COPD that takes into
      account this recent evidence and adopts a more cautious approach to the use of
      ICS. In alignment with GOLD 2017, we suggest that ICS should be reserved for
      patients with concomitant asthma or in whom exacerbations persist despite
      treatment with LABA/LAMA.

PMID- 28633666
TI  - Molecular detection of vector-borne pathogens in dogs and cats from Qatar.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) have been increasingly reported in dogs
      and cats worldwide. However, no data are currently available regarding canine and
      feline VBDs in Qatar and limited information is available from other Persian Gulf
      countries. METHODS: Blood samples from 98 client-owned animals (i.e. 64 dogs and
      34 cats) living in Doha (Qatar) were collected and the presence of genomic DNA of
      Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., Dirofilaria spp., Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon spp.,
      Mycoplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. was assessed by polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR), real time-PCR (rt-PCR) and sequence analysis. RESULTS: Of the 64 dogs, 12
      (18.8%) were infected with at least one pathogen (i.e. 7.8% with Mycoplasma spp.,
      4.7% with Babesia vogeli, 3.1% with Ehrlichia canis, and 1.6% with Anaplasma
      platys, Babesia gibsoni and Hepatozoon canis, each). One of the 12 dogs was co
      infected with B. vogeli and E. canis. Of the 34 cats, seven (20.6%) animals were
      infected with at least one pathogen (i.e. 5.9% were positive for Mycoplasma spp.,
      and 2.9% for Babesia felis, B. vogeli, E. canis, "Candidatus Mycoplasma
      haemominutum" and Mycoplasma haemofelis, each). No dogs or cats were positive for
      Dirofilaria spp. or Rickettsia spp. CONCLUSIONS: Although the sample sizes of
      dogs and cats herein analysed was moderately small, data from this study report
      the occurrence of A. platys, B. vogeli, B. gibsoni, E. canis, H. canis and
      Mycoplasma spp. in domestic dogs and of B. felis, B. vogeli, "Candidatus M.
      haemominutum", E. canis and M. haemofelis in domestic cats from Qatar. Further
      investigations along with prophylactic measures are strongly recommended in order
      to reduce the risk of dogs and cats acquiring VBDs in Qatar.

PMID- 28633664
TI  - A review of Sarcoptes scabiei: past, present and future.
AB  - The disease scabies is one of the earliest diseases of humans for which the cause
      was known. It is caused by the mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, that burrows in the
      epidermis of the skin of humans and many other mammals. This mite was previously
      known as Acarus scabiei DeGeer, 1778 before the genus Sarcoptes was established
      (Latreille 1802) and it became S. scabiei. Research during the last 40 years has
      tremendously increased insight into the mite's biology, parasite-host
      interactions, and the mechanisms it uses to evade the host's defenses. This
      review highlights some of the major advancements of our knowledge of the mite's
      biology, genome, proteome, and immunomodulating abilities all of which provide a
      basis for control of the disease. Advances toward the development of a diagnostic
      blood test to detect a scabies infection and a vaccine to protect susceptible
      populations from becoming infected, or at least limiting the transmission of the
      disease, are also presented.

PMID- 28633667
TI  - HPV and cofactors for invasive cervical cancer in Morocco: a multicentre case
      control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited national information is available in Morocco on the
      prevalence and distribution of HPV-sub-types of cervical cancer and the role of
      other risk factors. The aim was to determine the frequency of HPV-sub-types of
      cervical cancer in Morocco and investigate risk factors for this disease.
      METHODS: Between November 2009 and April 2012 a multicentre case-control study
      was carried out. A total of 144 cases of cervical cancer and 288 age-matched
      controls were included. Odds-ratios and corresponding confidence-intervals were
      computed by conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: Current HPV
      infection was detected in 92.5% of cases and 13.9% of controls. HPV16 was the
      most common type for both cases and controls. Very strong associations between
      HPV-sub-types and cervical cancer were observed: total-HPV (OR = 39), HPV16 (OR =
      49), HPV18 (OR = 31), and multiple infections (OR = 13). Education, high parity,
      sexual intercourse during menstruation, history of sexually transmitted
      infections, and husband's multiple sexual partners were also significantly
      associated with cervical cancer in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results could be used to establish a primary prevention program and to prioritize
      limited screening to women who have specific characteristics that may put them at
      an increased risk of cervical cancer.

PMID- 28633668
TI  - Use of social adaptability index to explain self-care and diabetes outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To examine whether the social adaptability index (SAI) alone or
      components of the index provide a better explanatory model for self-care and
      diabetes outcomes. METHODS: Six hundred fifteen patients were recruited from two
      primary care settings. A series of multiple linear regression models were run to
      assess (1) associations between the SAI and diabetes self-care/outcomes, and (2)
      associations between individual SAI indicator variables and diabetes self
      care/outcomes. Separate models were run for each self-care behavior and outcome.
      Two models were run for each dependent variable to compare associations with the
      SAI and components of the index. RESULTS: The SAI has a significant association
      with the mental component of quality of life (0.23, p < 0.01). In adjusted
      analyses, the SAI score did not have a significant association with any of the
      self-care behaviors. Individual components from the index had significant
      associations between self-care and multiple SAI indicator variables. Significant
      associations also exist between outcomes and the individual SAI indicators for
      education and employment. CONCLUSIONS: In this population, the SAI has low
      explanatory power and few significant associations with diabetes self
      care/outcomes. While the use of a composite index to predict outcomes within a
      diabetes population would have high utility, particularly for clinical settings,
      this SAI lacks statistical and clinical significance in a representative diabetes
      population. Based on these results, the index does not provide a good model fit
      and masks the relationship of individual components to diabetes self-care and
      outcomes. These findings suggest that five items alone are not adequate to
      explain or predict outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28633669
TI  - Impact of exercise programs among helicopter pilots with transient LBP.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Flight related low back pain (LBP) among helicopter pilots is
      frequent and may influence flight performance. Prolonged confined sitting during
      flights seems to weaken lumbar trunk (LT) muscles with associated secondary
      transient pain. Aim of the study was to investigate if structured training could
      improve muscular function and thus improve LBP related to flying. METHODS: 39
      helicopter pilots (35 men and 4 women), who reported flying related LBP on at
      least 1 of 3 missions last month, were allocated to two training programs over a
      3-month period. Program A consisted of 10 exercises recommended for general LBP.
      Program B consisted of 4 exercises designed specifically to improve LT muscular
      endurance. The pilots were examined before and after the training using
      questionnaires for pain, function, quality of health and tests of LT muscular
      endurance as well as ultrasound measurements of the contractility of the lumbar
      multifidus muscle (LMM). RESULTS: Approximately half of the participants
      performed the training per-protocol. Participants in this subset group had
      comparable baseline characteristics as the total study sample. Pre and post
      analysis of all pilots included, showed participants had marked improvement in
      endurance and contractility of the LMM following training. Similarly,
      participants had improvement in function and quality of health. Participants in
      program B had significant improvement in pain, function and quality of health.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that participants who performed a three months
      exercise program had improved muscle endurance at the end of the program. The
      helicopter pilots also experienced improved function and quality of health. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Identifier: NCT01788111 Registration date; February 5th, 2013,
      verified April 2016.

PMID- 28633670
TI  - Preclinical anti-myeloma activity of EDO-S101, a new bendamustine-derived
      molecule with added HDACi activity, through potent DNA damage induction and
      impairment of DNA repair.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM),
      the prognosis of most patients remains poor, and resistance to traditional and
      new drugs frequently occurs. EDO-S101 is a novel therapeutic agent conceived as
      the fusion of a histone deacetylase inhibitor radical to bendamustine, with the
      aim of potentiating its alkylating activity. METHODS: The efficacy of EDO-S101
      was evaluated in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, alone, and in combination with
      standard anti-myeloma agents. The underlying mechanisms of action were also
      evaluated on MM cell lines, patient samples, and different murine models.
      RESULTS: EDO-S101 displayed potent activity in vitro in MM cell lines (IC50 1.6
      4.8 MUM) and ex vivo in cells isolated from MM patients, which was higher than
      that of bendamustine and independent of the p53 status and previous melphalan
      resistance. This activity was confirmed in vivo, in a CB17-SCID murine
      plasmacytoma model and in de novo Vk*MYC mice, leading to a significant survival
      improvement in both models. In addition, EDO-S101 was the only drug with single
      agent activity in the multidrug resistant Vk12653 murine model. Attending to its
      mechanism of action, the molecule showed both, a HDACi effect (demonstrated by
      alpha-tubulin and histone hyperacetylation) and a DNA-damaging effect (shown by
      an increase in gammaH2AX); the latter being again clearly more potent than that
      of bendamustine. Using a reporter plasmid integrated into the genome of some MM
      cell lines, we demonstrate that, apart from inducing a potent DNA damage, EDO
      S101 specifically inhibited the double strand break repair by the homologous
      recombination pathway. Moreover, EDO-S101 treatment reduced the recruitment of
      repair proteins such as RAD51 to DNA-damage sites identified as gammaH2AX foci.
      Finally, EDO-S101 preclinically synergized with bortezomib, both in vitro and in
      vivo. CONCLUSION: These findings provide rationale for the clinical investigation
      of EDO-S101 in MM, either as a single agent or in combination with other anti-MM
      drugs, particularly proteasome inhibitors.

PMID- 28633671
TI  - Preliminary safety and efficacy profile of prucalopride in the treatment of
      systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related intestinal involvement: results from the open
      label cross-over PROGASS study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prokinetics are used to treat enteric dismotility symptoms in
      systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, but they often lack adequate efficacy. The
      most effective prokinetics belonging to the serotonin (5-HT4) receptor agonists
      class were withdrawn due to cardiac toxicity in relation to modest 5-HT4 receptor
      affinity. Prucalopride is a high-affinity 5-HT4 receptor agonist with no major
      cardiac issues, for which the efficacy in SSc has not yet been assessed. METHODS:
      Forty patients with self-reported mild to moderately severe enteric symptoms were
      enrolled in a cross-over 2 * 2 study. Subjects were randomized 1:1 to
      prucalopride 2 mg/day or no treatment for one month and vice versa after a 2-week
      washout period. Before and after each sequence the patients compiled the
      University of California Los Angeles gastrointestinal tract (UCLA GIT) 2.0
      questionnaire and the numbers of complete intestinal movements were recorded. Oro
      cecal transit time (OCTT) was evaluated by lactulose breath test in a subgroup of
      patients. Data were evaluated by mixed linear models corrected for the number of
      laxatives used during the study periods. RESULTS: There were 29 subjects who
      completed the study; 7 subjects withdrew due to side-effects and 4 subjects were
      not compliant with the study procedures. As compared to dummy treatment,
      prucalopride was associated with more intestinal evacuations (p < 0.001),
      improvement of UCLA GIT constipation (-0.672 +/- 0.112 vs 0.086 +/- 0.115; p <
      0.001), reflux (-0.409 +/- 0.094 vs 0.01 +/- 0.096; p < 0.005) and bloating (
      0.418 +/- 0.088 vs -0.084 +/- 0.09; p = 0.01) scores. Treatment was ranked
      moderately to more than moderately effective by 22 patients (72.4%). OCTT was
      significantly reduced during prucalopruide consumption (prucalopride: -20.1 +/-
      20.1 vs no treatment: 45.8 +/- 21.3 minutes; treatment effect = -65.9 minutes; p
      = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: The safety profile of prucalopride in SSc is similar to
      what is known from the literature. In patients with mild to severe
      gastrointestinal problems, prucalopride may be effective in treating dismotility
      symptoms, increasing the number of complete bowel movements and improving bowel
      transit, reducing reflux disease and bloating. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EU Clinical
      Trial Registry, EudraCT2012-005348-92 . Registered on 19 February 2013.

PMID- 28633672
TI  - Influence of the number and timing of malaria episodes during pregnancy on
      prematurity and small-for-gestational-age in an area of low transmission.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most evidence on the association between malaria in pregnancy and
      adverse pregnancy outcomes focuses on falciparum malaria detected at birth. We
      assessed the association between the number and timing of falciparum and vivax
      malaria episodes during pregnancy on small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and preterm
      birth. METHODS: We analysed observational data collected from antenatal clinics
      on the Thailand-Myanmar border (1986-2015). We assessed the effects of the total
      number of malaria episodes in pregnancy on SGA and the effects of malaria in
      pregnancy on SGA, very preterm birth, and late preterm birth, by the gestational
      age at malaria detection and treatment using logistic regression models with time
      dependent malaria variables (monthly intervals). World Health Organisation
      definitions of very preterm birth (>=28 and <32 weeks) and late preterm birth
      (>=32 and <37 weeks) and international SGA standards were used. RESULTS: Of
      50,060 pregnant women followed, 8221 (16%) had malaria during their pregnancy. Of
      the 50,060 newborns, 10,005 (21%) were SGA, 540 (1%) were very preterm, and 4331
      (9%) were late preterm. The rates of falciparum and vivax malaria were highest at
      6 and 5 weeks' gestation, respectively. The odds of SGA increased linearly by
      1.13-fold (95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.17) and 1.27-fold (1.21, 1.33) per
      episode of falciparum and vivax malaria, respectively. Falciparum malaria at any
      gestation period after 12-16 weeks and vivax malaria after 20-24 weeks were
      associated with SGA (falciparum odds ratio, OR range: 1.15-1.63 [p range: <0.001
      0.094]; vivax OR range: 1.12-1.54 [p range: <0.001-0.138]). Falciparum malaria at
      any gestation period after 24-28 weeks was associated with either very or late
      preterm birth (OR range: 1.44-2.53; p range: <0.001-0.001). Vivax malaria at 24
      28 weeks was associated with very preterm birth (OR: 1.79 [1.11, 2.90]), and
      vivax malaria at 28-32 weeks was associated with late preterm birth (OR: 1.23
      [1.01, 1.50]). Many of these associations held for asymptomatic malaria.
      CONCLUSIONS: Protection against malaria should be started as early as possible in
      pregnancy. Malaria control and elimination efforts in the general population can
      avert the adverse consequences associated with treated asymptomatic malaria in
      pregnancy.

PMID- 28633673
TI  - The influence of total hysterectomy in a cervical cancer screening population: a
      register-based cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High coverage of a screening program is essential to program success.
      Many European screening programs cover only 10-80% of their target population. A
      possible explanation for the low coverage may be that some women in the screening
      population have had a total hysterectomy, thus they are not at risk of cervical
      cancer. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of hysterectomy in
      the target population of the Danish National Cervical Cancer Screening Program
      (NCCSP) and to recalculate coverage after excluding women with total
      hysterectomy. Furthermore, to analyze the association between hysterectomy and
      sociodemographic factors within the screening population. METHODS: A population
      based cross-sectional study using register data on all women in the target
      population of the NCCSP on January 12, 2012 (women born January 12, 1947, to
      January 12, 1986). The total coverage included women with hysterectomy in the
      target population whereas the recalculated coverage was calculated excluding
      women with total hysterectomy. To test the differences between the total coverage
      and the recalculated coverage, a two-sample z-test between the proportion of
      covered hysterectomized women and the proportion of covered non-hysterectomised
      women were used. A logistic regression model adjusted for age and
      sociodemographic characteristics was used to analyze the association between
      sociodemographic factors and total hysterectomy. RESULTS: The coverage among
      women aged 26-49 years and 55-64 years were 77.4% and 72.7%, respectively. The
      recalculated coverage was 78.2% (26-49 years) and 79.4% (55-64 years).
      Recalculating the coverage did not result in coverage higher than 82.7% at any
      age. The effect of excluding women with total hysterectomy increased with age,
      reaching its maximum of 8 % points for the oldest women. Women with higher
      socioeconomic status (higher education and higher disposable income) had lower
      odds of being hysterectomized compared to other women. Also, immigrants and
      descendants had lower odds of being hysterectomized compared to ethnic Danes.
      CONCLUSIONS: Excluding women with total hysterectomy only partly explained the
      low coverage of the NCCSP. Thus, initiatives must be made to improve
      acceptability of and accessibility to the NCCSP, especially in the youngest and
      the oldest women.

PMID- 28633674
TI  - Primary tumor volume delineation in head and neck cancer: missing the tip of the
      iceberg?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate the geometric and corresponding dosimetric
      differences between two delineation strategies for head and neck tumors
      neighboring air cavities. METHODS: Primary gross and clinical tumor volumes (GTV
      and CTV) of 14 patients with oropharynx or larynx tumors were contoured using a
      soft tissue window (S). In a second strategy, the same volumes were contoured
      with an extension to include the parts which became visible on lung window (L).
      For the calculation of Hausdorff-distances (HD) between contoured volumes of the
      two strategies, triangular meshes were exported. Two radiotherapy plans with
      identical goals and optimization parameters were generated for each case. Plan_S
      were optimized on CTV_S, and Plan_L on CTV_L. The dose coverages of CTV_L and
      CTV_Delta (CTV_L minus CTV_S) were evaluated in Plan_S. OAR doses were compared
      among Plan_S and Plan_L. RESULTS: Median three-dimensional HD for GTVs and CTVs
      were 5.7 (+/-2.6) and 9.3 (+/-2.8) mm, respectively. The median volume
      differences between structures contoured using L and S windows were 9% (+/-5%)
      and 9% (+/-4%) for GTV and CTV, respectively. In 13 out of 14 cases, Plan_S met
      the plan acceptance criteria for CTV_L. In 8 cases CTV_Delta was covered
      insufficiently in Plan_S. Mean and median differences in OAR dose-volume
      histogram parameters between Plan_S and Plan_L were within 3%. CONCLUSION: For
      the current practice in radiotherapy planning for head and neck cancer, the
      delineation of L-based volumes seems unnecessary. However, in special settings,
      where smaller or no PTV margins are used, this approach may play an important
      role for local control.

PMID- 28633675
TI  - Acupuncture treatment on the motor area of the scalp for motor dysfunction in
      patients with ischemic stroke: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scalp acupuncture has shown a remarkable treatment efficacy on motor
      dysfunction in patients with stroke in China, especially the motor area of Jiao's
      scalp acupuncture, which is the most widely used treatment. However, previous
      studies have summarized that the clinical curative effect of acupuncture
      treatment for stroke remains uncertain. Meanwhile, no randomized controlled
      trials on Jiao's scalp acupuncture have been performed. The aim of this study is
      to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Jiao's scalp acupuncture for motor
      dysfunction in ischemic stroke. METHODS/DESIGN: This is an assessor- and analyst
      blinded, randomized controlled trial. One hundred and eight stroke patients with
      motor dysfunction meeting the inclusion criteria will be allocated by a 1:1 ratio
      into either an acupuncture treatment group or a control group. Stroke patients in
      the control group will receive conventional rehabilitation treatment, whereas a
      combination of Jiao's scalp acupuncture and conventional rehabilitation treatment
      will be applied to the acupuncture group. Forty treatment sessions will be
      performed over an 8-week period. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale will be assessed
      as the primary outcome measure. The Modified Barthel Index, the Stroke-Specific
      Quality of Life, and the Stroke Syndrome of Traditional Chinese Medicine scales
      will be selected as secondary outcome measurements. All assessments will be
      conducted at baseline, week 4 (treatment 20), week 8 (treatment 40), week 12
      (follow-up), and week 16 (follow-up). DISCUSSION: This is the first trial
      evaluating the efficacy and safety of Jiao's scalp acupuncture for motor
      dysfunction in ischemic stroke. The results of this trial are expected to provide
      relevant evidence demonstrating that Jiao's scalp acupuncture can be used as an
      effective rehabilitation treatment method for improving motor dysfunction in
      ischemic stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02871453 . Registered
      on 17 July 2016.

PMID- 28633676
TI  - Evaluation of P16 expression in canine appendicular osteosarcoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma (OSA) is a common malignant bone tumor of large breed
      dogs that occurs at predictable anatomic sites. At the time of initial diagnosis,
      most affected dogs have occult pulmonary metastases. Even with aggressive
      surgical treatment combined with chemotherapy, the majority of dogs diagnosed
      with OSA live less than 1 year from the time of diagnosis. The ability to
      identify canine OSA cases most responsive to treatment is needed. In humans, OSA
      is also an aggressive tumor that is histologically and molecularly similar to
      canine OSA. The expression of the tumor suppressor gene product P16 by human OSA
      tissue has been linked to a favorable response to chemotherapy. RESULTS: We
      identified an antibody that binds canine P16 and developed a canine OSA tissue
      microarray in order to test the hypothesis that P16 expression by canine OSA
      tissue is predictive of clinical outcome following amputation and chemotherapy.
      Although statistical significance was not reached, a trend was identified between
      the lack of canine OSA P16 expression and a shorter disease free interval.
      CONCLUSIONS: The identification of a molecular marker for canine OSA is an
      important goal and the results reported here justify a larger study.

PMID- 28633677
TI  - Surveillance of Endoscopes: Comparison of Different Sampling Techniques.
AB  - OBJECTIVE To compare different techniques of endoscope sampling to assess
      residual bacterial contamination. DESIGN Diagnostic study. SETTING The endoscopy
      unit of an 1,100-bed university hospital performing ~13,000 endoscopic procedures
      annually. METHODS In total, 4 sampling techniques, combining flushing fluid with
      or without a commercial endoscope brush, were compared in an endoscope model.
      Based on these results, sterile physiological saline flushing with or without
      PULL THRU brush was selected for evaluation on 40 flexible endoscopes by
      adenosine triphosphate (ATP) measurement and bacterial culture. Acceptance
      criteria from the French National guideline (<25 colony-forming units [CFU] per
      endoscope and absence of indicator microorganisms) were used as part of the
      evaluation. RESULTS On biofilm-coated PTFE tubes, physiological saline in
      combination with a PULL THRU brush generated higher mean ATP values (2,579
      relative light units [RLU]) compared with saline alone (1,436 RLU; P=.047). In
      the endoscope samples, culture yield using saline plus the PULL THRU (mean, 43
      CFU; range, 1-400 CFU) was significantly higher than that of saline alone (mean,
      17 CFU; range, 0-500 CFU; P<.001). In samples obtained using the saline+PULL THRU
      brush method, ATP values of samples classified as unacceptable were significantly
      higher than those of samples classified as acceptable (P=.001). CONCLUSION
      Physiological saline flushing combined with PULL THRU brush to sample endoscopes
      generated higher ATP values and increased the yield of microbial surveillance
      culture. Consequently, the acceptance rate of endoscopes based on a defined CFU
      limit was significantly lower when the saline+PULL THRU method was used instead
      of saline alone. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1062-1069.

PMID- 28633678
TI  - Variation in Empiric Coverage Versus Detection of Methicillin-Resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Hospitalizations for
      Community-Onset Pneumonia Across 128 US Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE To examine variation in antibiotic coverage and detection of resistant
      pathogens in community-onset pneumonia. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING A
      total of 128 hospitals in the Veterans Affairs health system. PARTICIPANTS
      Hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia from 2009 through 2010.
      METHODS We examined proportions of hospitalizations with empiric antibiotic
      coverage for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa (PAER) and with initial detection in blood or respiratory cultures. We
      compared lowest- versus highest-decile hospitals, and we estimated adjusted
      probabilities (AP) for patient- and hospital-level factors predicting coverage
      and detection using hierarchical regression modeling. RESULTS Among 38,473
      hospitalizations, empiric coverage varied widely across hospitals (MRSA lowest vs
      highest, 8.2% vs 42.0%; PAER lowest vs highest, 13.9% vs 44.4%). Detection rates
      also varied (MRSA lowest vs highest, 0.5% vs 3.6%; PAER lowest vs highest, 0.6%
      vs 3.7%). Whereas coverage was greatest among patients with recent
      hospitalizations (AP for anti-MRSA, 54%; AP for anti-PAER, 59%) and long-term
      care (AP for anti-MRSA, 60%; AP for anti-PAER, 66%), detection was greatest in
      patients with a previous history of a positive culture (AP for MRSA, 7.9%; AP for
      PAER, 11.9%) and in hospitals with a high prevalence of the organism in pneumonia
      (AP for MRSA, 3.9%; AP for PAER, 3.2%). Low hospital complexity and rural setting
      were strong negative predictors of coverage but not of detection. CONCLUSIONS
      Hospitals demonstrated widespread variation in both coverage and detection of
      MRSA and PAER, but probability of coverage correlated poorly with probability of
      detection. Factors associated with empiric coverage (eg, healthcare exposure)
      were different from those associated with detection (eg, microbiology history).
      Providing microbiology data during empiric antibiotic decision making could
      better align coverage to risk for resistant pathogens and could promote more
      judicious use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
      2017;38:937-944.

PMID- 28633679
TI  - Multistate Modeling to Analyze Nosocomial Infection Data: An Introduction and
      Demonstration.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Multistate and competing risks models have become an established and
      adequate tool with which to quantify determinants and consequences of nosocomial
      infections. In this tutorial article, we explain and demonstrate the basics of
      these models to a broader audience of professionals in health care, infection
      control, and hospital epidemiology. METHODS Using a publicly available data set
      from a cohort study of intensive care unit patients, we show how hospital
      infection data can be displayed and explored graphically and how simple formulas
      are derived under some simplified assumptions for illustrating the basic ideas
      behind multistate models. Only a few simply accessible values (event counts and
      patient days) and a pocket calculator are needed to reveal basic insights into
      cumulative risk and clinical outcomes of nosocomial infection in terms of
      mortality and length of stay. RESULTS We show how to use these values to perform
      basic multistate analyses in own data or to correct biased estimates in published
      data, as these values are often reported. We also show relationships between
      multistate-based hazard ratios and odds ratios, which are derived from the
      popular logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS No sophisticated statistical
      software is required to apply a basic multistate model and to avoid typical
      pitfalls such as time-dependent or competing-risks bias. Infect Control Hosp
      Epidemiol 2017;38:953-959.

PMID- 28633680
TI  - Impact of Organism Identification Method on Central Line-Associated Bloodstream
      Infection Designation.

PMID- 28633681
TI  - COPEWELL: A Conceptual Framework and System Dynamics Model for Predicting
      Community Functioning and Resilience After Disasters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Policy-makers and practitioners have a need to assess community
      resilience in disasters. Prior efforts conflated resilience with community
      functioning, combined resistance and recovery (the components of resilience), and
      relied on a static model for what is inherently a dynamic process. We sought to
      develop linked conceptual and computational models of community functioning and
      resilience after a disaster. METHODS: We developed a system dynamics
      computational model that predicts community functioning after a disaster. The
      computational model outputted the time course of community functioning before,
      during, and after a disaster, which was used to calculate resistance, recovery,
      and resilience for all US counties. RESULTS: The conceptual model explicitly
      separated resilience from community functioning and identified all key components
      for each, which were translated into a system dynamics computational model with
      connections and feedbacks. The components were represented by publicly available
      measures at the county level. Baseline community functioning, resistance,
      recovery, and resilience evidenced a range of values and geographic clustering,
      consistent with hypotheses based on the disaster literature. CONCLUSIONS: The
      work is transparent, motivates ongoing refinements, and identifies areas for
      improved measurements. After validation, such a model can be used to identify
      effective investments to enhance community resilience. (Disaster Med Public
      Health Preparedness. 2018;12:127-137).

PMID- 28633682
TI  - Effect of space allowance and floor type on performance, welfare and
      physiological measurements of finishing beef heifers.
AB  - Accommodating cattle indoors during the winter is widely practiced throughout
      Europe. There is currently no legislation surrounding the space allowance and
      floor type that should be provided to cattle during this time, however, concerns
      have been raised regarding the type of housing systems currently in use. The
      objective of the study was to investigate the effect of space allowance and floor
      type on performance and welfare of finishing beef heifers. Continental crossbred
      heifers (n=240: mean initial live; weight, 504 (SD 35.8) kg) were blocked by
      breed, weight and age and randomly assigned to one of four treatments; (i) 3.0
      m2, (ii) 4.5 m2 and (iii) 6.0 m2 space allowance per animal on a fully slatted
      concrete floor and (iv) 6.0 m2 space allowance per animal on a straw-bedded
      floor, for 105 days. Heifers were offered a total mixed ration ad libitum. Dry
      matter intake was recorded on a pen basis and refusals were weighed back twice
      weekly. Heifers were weighed, dirt scored and blood sampled every 3 weeks. Whole
      blood was analysed for complete cell counts and serum samples were assayed for
      metabolite concentrations. Behaviour was recorded continuously using IR cameras
      from days 70 to 87. Heifers' hooves were inspected for lesions at the start of
      the study and again after slaughter. Post-slaughter, carcass weight, conformation
      and fat scores and hide weight were recorded. Heifers housed at 4.5 m2 had a
      greater average daily live weight gain (ADG) than those on both of the other
      concrete slat treatments; however, space allowance had no effect on carcass
      weight. Heifers accommodated on straw had a greater ADG (0.15 kg) (P<0.05), hide
      weight (P<0.01) better feed conversion ratio (P<0.05) and had greater dirt scores
      (P<0.05) at slaughter than heifers accommodated on concrete slats at 6.0 m2. The
      number of heifers lying at any one time was greater (P<0.001) on straw than on
      concrete slats. Space allowance and floor type had no effect on the number of
      hoof lesions gained or on any of the haematological or metabolic variables
      measured. It was concluded that increasing space allowance above 3.0 m2/animal on
      concrete slats was of no benefit to animal performance but it did improve animal
      cleanliness. Housing heifers on straw instead of concrete slats improved ADG and
      increased lying time; however carcass weight was not affected.

PMID- 28633683
TI  - Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 is Regulated Through Dietary Fat Intake and
      Heritability: Studies in Twins.
AB  - In different pathophysiological conditions plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI
      1) plasma concentrations are elevated. As dietary patterns are considered to
      influence PAI-1 concentration, we aimed to determine active PAI-1 plasma
      concentrations and mRNA expression in adipose tissue before and after consumption
      of a high-fat diet (HFD) and the impact of additive genetic effects herein in
      humans. For 6 weeks, 46 healthy, non-obese pairs of twins (aged 18-70) received a
      normal nutritionally balanced diet (ND) followed by an isocaloric HFD for 6
      weeks. Active PAI-1 plasma levels and PAI-1 mRNA expression in subcutaneous
      adipose tissue were assessed after the ND and after 1 and 6 weeks of HFD. Active
      PAI-1 plasma concentrations and PAI-1 mRNA expression in adipose tissue were
      significantly increased after both 1 and 6 weeks of HFD when compared to
      concentrations determined after ND (p < .05), with increases of active PAI-1
      being independent of gender, age, or changes of BMI and intrahepatic fat content,
      respectively. However, analysis of covariance suggests that serum insulin
      concentration significantly affected the increase of active PAI-1 plasma
      concentrations. Furthermore, the increase of active PAI-1 plasma concentrations
      after 6 weeks of HFD was highly heritable (47%). In contrast, changes in PAI-1
      mRNA expression in fatty tissue in response to HFD showed no heritability and
      were independent of all tested covariates. In summary, our data suggest that even
      an isocaloric exchange of macronutrients - for example, a switch to a fat-rich
      diet - affects PAI-1 concentrations in humans and that this is highly heritable.

PMID- 28633684
TI  - Double burden of underweight and overweight among Bangladeshi adults differs
      between men and women: evidence from a nationally representative survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of underweight and overweight among
      Bangladeshi adults and to determine if the double burden of underweight and
      overweight differs by gender and other socio-economic characteristics of
      individuals. DESIGN: We used data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health
      Survey 2011. Multinominal logistic regression was used to examine associations
      between the different nutritional statuses of individuals and related
      determinants. Interaction effect was checked between gender and various socio
      economic factors. SETTING: Nationwide, covering the whole of Bangladesh.
      SUBJECTS: Individuals aged >18 years (women, n 16 052; men, n 5090). RESULTS:
      Underweight was observed among 28.3 % of men and 24.4 % of women, whereas
      overweight was observed among 8.4 % of men and 16.9 % of women. The odds of being
      overweight were significantly lower among urban men (OR=0.46; 95 % CI 0.37, 0.57)
      compared with urban women, whereas the odds of being underweight were
      significantly higher among urban men (OR=1.33; 95 % CI 1.07, 1.64) compared with
      urban women. The odds of being overweight were lower among higher educated men
      (OR=0.48; 95 % CI 0.39, 0.58) and men of rich households (OR=0.45; 95 % CI 0.37,
      0.54) compared with higher educated women and women of rich households,
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There are important gender differences in the
      prevalence of underweight and overweight among the adult population in
      Bangladesh. Women with higher education, in rich and urban households have higher
      chances of being overweight and lower chances of being underweight compared with
      their male counterparts.

PMID- 28633685
TI  - Cross-validation analysis for genetic evaluation models for ranking in endurance
      horses.
AB  - Ranking trait was used as a selection criterion for competition horses to
      estimate racing performance. In the literature the most common approaches to
      estimate breeding values are the linear or threshold statistical models. However,
      recent studies have shown that a Thurstonian approach was able to fix the race
      effect (competitive level of the horses that participate in the same race), thus
      suggesting a better prediction accuracy of breeding values for ranking trait. The
      aim of this study was to compare the predictability of linear, threshold and
      Thurstonian approaches for genetic evaluation of ranking in endurance horses. For
      this purpose, eight genetic models were used for each approach with different
      combinations of random effects: rider, rider-horse interaction and environmental
      permanent effect. All genetic models included gender, age and race as systematic
      effects. The database that was used contained 4065 ranking records from 966
      horses and that for the pedigree contained 8733 animals (47% Arabian horses),
      with an estimated heritability around 0.10 for the ranking trait. The prediction
      ability of the models for racing performance was evaluated using a cross
      validation approach. The average correlation between real and predicted
      performances across genetic models was around 0.25 for threshold, 0.58 for linear
      and 0.60 for Thurstonian approaches. Although no significant differences were
      found between models within approaches, the best genetic model included: the
      rider and rider-horse random effects for threshold, only rider and environmental
      permanent effects for linear approach and all random effects for Thurstonian
      approach. The absolute correlations of predicted breeding values among models
      were higher between threshold and Thurstonian: 0.90, 0.91 and 0.88 for all
      animals, top 20% and top 5% best animals. For rank correlations these figures
      were 0.85, 0.84 and 0.86. The lower values were those between linear and
      threshold approaches (0.65, 0.62 and 0.51). In conclusion, the Thurstonian
      approach is recommended for the routine genetic evaluations for ranking in
      endurance horses.

PMID- 28633686
TI  - Polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha gene interact with plasma fatty acids on
      inflammatory biomarker profile: a population-based, cross-sectional study in Sao
      Paulo, Brazil.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship of four TNF
      alpha SNP with inflammatory biomarkers and plasma fatty acids (FA), and the
      interaction among them in a population-based, cross-sectional study in Sao Paulo,
      Brazil. A total of 281 subjects, aged >19 and <60 years, participated in a cross
      sectional, population-based study performed in Brazil. The following SNP spanning
      the TNF-alpha gene were genotyped: -238G/A (rs361525), -308G/A (rs1800629), 
      857C/T (rs1799724) and -1031T/C (rs1799964). In all, eleven plasma inflammatory
      biomarkers and plasma FA profile were determined. To analyse the interaction
      between TNF-alpha SNP and plasma FA, a cluster analysis was performed to stratify
      individuals based on eleven inflammatory biomarkers into two groups used as
      outcome: inflammatory (INF) and non-inflammatory clusters. The -238A allele
      carriers had higher TNF-alpha (P=0.033), IL-6 (P=0.013), IL-1beta (P=0.037), IL
      12 (0.048) and IL-10 (P=0.010) than the GG genotype. The -308A allele carriers
      also had lower levels of plasma palmitoleic acid (P=0.009), oleic acid (P=0.039),
      total MUFA (P=0.014), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) activity index-16 (P=0.007),
      SCD-18 (P=0.020) and higher levels of PUFA (P=0.046) and DHA (P=0.044).
      Significant interactions modifying the risk of belonging to the INF cluster were
      observed with inflammatory cluster as outcome between -857C/T and plasma alpha
      linolenic acid (P=0.026), and also between -308G/A and plasma stearic acid
      (P=0.044) and total SFA (P=0.040). Our study contributes to knowledge on TNF
      alpha SNP and their association with inflammatory biomarker levels, plasma FA and
      the interaction among them, of particular interest for the Brazilian population.

PMID- 28633687
TI  - Facilitators and barriers experienced by federal cross-sector partners during the
      implementation of a healthy eating campaign.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify facilitators and barriers that Health Canada's (HC) cross
      sector partners experienced while implementing the Eat Well Campaign: Food Skills
      (EWC; 2013-2014) and describe how these experiences might differ according to
      distinct partner types. DESIGN: A qualitative study using hour-long semi
      structured telephone interviews conducted with HC partners that were transcribed
      verbatim. Facilitators and barriers were identified inductively and analysed
      according partner types. SETTING: Implementation of a national mass-media health
      education campaign. SUBJECTS: Twenty-one of HC's cross-sector partners (food
      retailers, media and health organizations) engaged in the EWC. RESULTS:
      Facilitators and barriers were grouped into seven major themes: operational
      elements, intervention factors, resources, collaborator traits, developer traits,
      partnership factors and target population factors. Four of these themes had dual
      roles as both facilitators and barriers (intervention factors, resources,
      collaborator traits and developer traits). Sub-themes identified as both
      facilitators and barriers illustrate the extent to which a facilitator can easily
      become a barrier. Partnership factors were unique facilitators, while operational
      and target population factors were unique barriers. Time was a barrier that was
      common to almost all partners regardless of partnership type. There appeared to
      be a greater degree of uniformity among facilitators, whereas barriers were more
      diverse and unique to the realities of specific types of partner. CONCLUSIONS:
      Collaborative planning will help public health organizations anticipate barriers
      unique to the realities of specific types of organizations. It will also prevent
      facilitators from becoming barriers. Advanced planning will help organizations
      manage time constraints and integrate activities, facilitating implementation.

PMID- 28633689
TI  - The relationship between community nutritionists' use of policy, systems and
      environmental strategies to prevent obesity and its determinants depends on
      networking.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To apply the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine the relationship
      between the constructs of background factors and beliefs towards using policy,
      systems and environmental (PSE) strategies and reported use of PSE strategies to
      prevent obesity by a group of professional nutrition educators. DESIGN: Cross
      sectional study using self-reported survey. SETTING: Cooperative Extension in New
      York, USA. SUBJECTS: Nutrition educators (n 58); survey response rate 100 %.
      RESULTS: Nutrition educators' reported use of PSE strategies to prevent obesity
      were positively associated with background factors of their community networking
      and number of staff they managed, their belief of other people's expectations of
      them to make PSE changes and the belief that their communities were ready to use
      PSE strategies; and negatively associated with their belief that individual-level
      factors contributed to obesity. The relationships among these variables were
      complicated and their use of PSE strategies occurred only when they utilized
      their professional networks at a moderately high level (above mean of 5.3 on a
      scale of 1-7), given that their community was also ready to use PSE strategies.
      CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition educators' use of PSE strategies depends on several
      internal and external factors. Community networking needs to be emphasized as one
      of the most significant factors contributing to nutrition educators' work in this
      area. Organizational and community support should be in place in order to
      facilitate nutrition educators' effective use of PSE strategies.

PMID- 28633688
TI  - Normative development of the Child Behavior Checklist Dysregulation Profile from
      early childhood to adolescence: Associations with personality pathology.
AB  - The Dysregulation Profile (DP) is a broad indicator of concurrent affective,
      behavioral, and cognitive dysregulation, often measured with the
      anxious/depressed, aggressive behavior, and attention problems syndrome scales of
      the Child Behavior Checklist. Despite an expanding body of research on the DP,
      knowledge of the normative developmental course of the DP from early childhood to
      adolescence is lacking. Furthermore, although we know that the DP longitudinally
      predicts personality pathology, no research yet has examined whether next to the
      DP in early childhood, the rate of change of the DP across development predicts
      personality pathology. Therefore, using cohort-sequential latent growth modeling
      in a population-based sample (N = 668), we examined the normative developmental
      course of mother-reported DP from ages 4 to 17 years and its associations with a
      wide range of adolescent-reported personality pathology dimensions 3 years later.
      The results showed that the DP follows a nonlinear developmental course with a
      peak in early adolescence. The initial level of the DP at age 4 and, to a lesser
      extent, the rate of change in the DP predicted a range of personality pathology
      dimensions in late adolescence. The findings suggest that the DP is a broad
      developmental precursor of personality pathology in late adolescence.

PMID- 28633690
TI  - Early solid additional feeding of suckling rabbits from 3 to 15 days of age.
AB  - Studies have shown that nutrient requirement of suckling kits is not satisfied,
      but they can be fed a double quantity of milk (double nursing) resulting in
      improved BW and weight gain. The aim of our trials was to give additional solid
      feed during the early suckling period (3 to 15 days of age) when rabbit kits
      drink exclusively milk. Two experiments were conducted with animals from Pannon
      Rabbit Breeding Program. In experiment 1 (n=77 does, 734 kits) the does received
      commercial feed (C) or C pellet supplemented with 0.2 g powdered thyme/kg (CT).
      Within both dietary groups of the does three groups of litters were formed: no
      additional solid creep feeding (N); soya bean-based pellet (S); S pellet with 1%
      added powdered thyme (ST). In group S and ST, cylinder-shaped solid pellets were
      made. At the beginning (3 days of age) two pieces of pellets were placed daily
      into the nestbox after nursing. Later on it was increased to six pellets till 15
      days of age. The kits consumed the additional solid feed (S and ST), however, it
      did not affect the BW, weight gain or survival. In experiment 2 (n=30 does, 240
      kits) all does consumed commercial feed. The additional feed for kits was based
      on commercial piglet feed. Three groups were formed: the litters in control group
      were fed no additional solid feed (K), kits were fed additionally with pellets (8
      mm of diameter) based on piglet feed powder, pellet adhesive and water (PI), and
      extra glycerin powder was added to the mixture of piglet feed powder and water
      (PG). The experiment lasted from the age of 3 days till 21 days. At the beginning
      six pellets were placed on the nest material. Later on the amount was gradually
      increased to 24 pellets till age of 15 days. The kits consumed the pellets. The
      BW of PI group differed from group PG at age of 5, 9, 12 and 21 days by +7.3%,
      +6.5%, +5.9%, +4.8%, respectively (P<0.05) and from group K at age of 12 days by
      +5.9% (P< 0.05). The differences were more expressed at age of 16 and 19 days in
      favour of group PI (from K by +7.1%, +6.9% and from PG by +5.9%, +5 8%,
      respectively, P<0.01) and at 21 days of age (from K by +6.2%, P<0.01). To find
      appropriate composition of creep feed for kits further studies are needed.

PMID- 28633691
TI  - Dietary gap assessment: an approach for evaluating whether a country's food
      supply can support healthy diets at the population level.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Dietary diversity, and in particular consumption of nutrient-rich
      foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and animal-source foods, is
      linked to greater nutrient adequacy. We developed a 'dietary gap assessment' to
      evaluate the degree to which a nation's food supply could support healthy diets
      at the population level. Design/Setting In the absence of global food-based
      dietary guidelines, we selected the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
      (DASH) diet as an example because there is evidence it prevents diet-related
      chronic disease and supports adequate micronutrient intakes. We used the DASH
      guidelines to shape a hypothetical 'healthy' diet for the test country of
      Cameroon. Food availability was estimated using FAO Food Balance Sheet data on
      country-level food supply. For each of the seven food groups in the 'healthy'
      diet, we calculated the difference between the estimated national supply (in
      kcal, edible portion only) and the target amounts. RESULTS: In Cameroon, dairy
      and other animal-source foods were not adequately available to meet healthy diet
      recommendations: the deficit was -365 kcal (-1527 kJ)/capita per d for dairy
      products and -185 kcal (-774 kJ)/capita per d for meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
      Adequacy of fruits and vegetables depended on food group categorization. When
      tubers and plantains were categorized as vegetables and fruits, respectively,
      supply nearly met recommendations. Categorizing tubers and plantains as starchy
      staples resulted in pronounced supply shortfalls: -109 kcal (-457 kJ)/capita per
      d for fruits and -94 kcal (-393 kJ)/capita per d for vegetables. CONCLUSIONS: The
      dietary gap assessment illustrates an approach for better understanding how food
      supply patterns need to change to achieve healthier dietary patterns.

PMID- 28633692
TI  - Cross-border collaboration in tuberculosis prevention and care in Europe: can we
      do better?

PMID- 28633693
TI  - The role of pre-migration medical screening in high TB burden countries.

PMID- 28633694
TI  - Is it time to rethink the role of AFB smears?

PMID- 28633695
TI  - How should discordance between molecular and growth-based assays for rifampicin
      resistance be investigated?
AB  - Molecular tests to detect the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and genetic
      polymorphisms in the rpoB gene conferring resistance to rifampicin (RMP) have
      become integral parts of tuberculosis diagnostics worldwide. These assays are
      often performed sequentially or in parallel to phenotypic drug susceptibility
      testing. Discordances between molecular and phenotypic tests invariably occur.
      Root causes range from pre-, post- and analytic errors to co-existence of non
      tuberculous mycobacteria, silent mutations, mutations outside the 81 base-pair
      RMP resistance-determining region, non-canonical mutations conferring increased
      minimal inhibitory concentrations below the critical concentration in some
      phenotypic drug susceptibility tests, and heteroresistance. Resolving discordant
      results is challenging. This guide aims to assist both clinicians and
      microbiologists in interpreting discordances by providing a structured approach
      to manage further investigations. Case scenarios are discussed, including the
      likelihood of occurrence.

PMID- 28633696
TI  - Cross-border collaboration for improved tuberculosis prevention and care:
      policies, tools and experiences.
AB  - As tuberculosis (TB) spreads beyond borders with people movements, several
      interventions ensuring the continuity of care are essential, although difficult
      to put in place in the absence of well-defined agreements allowing data sharing
      and easy referral of patients to appropriate health facilities. This article
      first sets out general principles for cross-border collaboration and continuity
      of care. It then presents a series of case studies. Policies and practices on
      cross-border collaboration in selected low-incidence countries (Australia, Italy,
      Norway, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States) are described
      and critically appraised. Details of the World Health Organization's (WHO's)
      European Respiratory Society TB Consilium for transborder migration and those of
      the Health Network's TBNet activities are described. With increasing population
      movement, including migrants and travellers, it is time to build on good
      practices and existing tools and to remove legal, financial and social barriers
      to ensure early diagnosis, full treatment and continuity of care across our
      world. Data sharing between the sending and the receiving countries is of utmost
      importance and must be conducted in line with privacy protection rules.
      Successful implementation of these interventions is key to being on track with
      the WHO's End TB strategy targets for 2030.

PMID- 28633697
TI  - Capacity strengthening through pre-migration tuberculosis screening programmes:
      IRHWG experiences.
AB  - Effective tuberculosis (TB) prevention and care for migrants requires population
      health-based approaches that treat the relationship between migration and health
      as a progressive, interactive process influenced by many variables and addressed
      as far upstream in the process as possible. By including capacity building in
      source countries, pre-migration medical screening has the potential to become an
      integral component of public health promotion, as well as infection and disease
      prevention, in migrant-receiving nations, while simultaneously increasing
      capabilities in countries of origin. This article describes the collaborative
      experiences of five countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and
      the United States of America, members of the Immigration and Refugee Health
      Working Group [IRHWG]), with similar pre-migration screening programmes for TB
      that are mandated. Qualitative examples of capacity building through IRHWG
      programmes are provided. Combined, the IRHWG member countries screen
      approximately 2 million persons overseas every year. Large-scale pre-entry
      screening programmes undertaken by IRHWG countries require building additional
      capacity for health care providers, radiology facilities and laboratories. This
      has resulted in significant improvements in laboratory and treatment capacity,
      providing availability of these facilities for national public health programmes.
      As long as global health disparities and disease prevalence differentials exist,
      national public health programmes and policies in migrant-receiving nations will
      continue to be challenged to manage the diseases prevalent in these migrating
      populations. National TB programmes and regulatory systems alone will not be able
      to achieve TB elimination. The management of health issues resulting from
      population mobility will require integration of national and global health
      initiatives which, as demonstrated here, can be supported through the capacity
      building endeavours of pre-migration screening programmes.

PMID- 28633698
TI  - Feasibility of a streamlined tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment initiation
      strategy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a streamlined strategy for improving
      tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic evaluation and treatment initiation among patients
      with presumed TB. DESIGN: Single-arm interventional pilot study at five primary
      care health centers of a streamlined, SIngle-saMPLE (SIMPLE) TB diagnostic
      evaluation strategy: 1) examination of two smear results from a single spot
      sputum specimen using light-emitting diode fluorescence microscopy, and 2) daily
      transportation of smear-negative sputum samples to Xpert(r) MTB/RIF testing
      sites. RESULTS: Of 1212 adults who underwent sputum testing for TB, 99.6% had two
      smears examined from the spot sputum specimen. Sputum was transported for Xpert
      testing within 1 clinic day for 83% (907/1091) of the smear-negative patients. Of
      157 (13%) patients with bacteriologically positive TB, 116 (74%) were identified
      using sputum smear microscopy and 41 (26%) using Xpert testing of smear-negative
      samples. Anti-tuberculosis treatment was initiated in 142 (90%) patients with
      bacteriologically positive TB, with a median time to treatment of 1 day for smear
      positive patients and 6 days for smear-negative, Xpert-positive patients.
      CONCLUSION: The SIMPLE TB strategy led to successful incorporation of Xpert
      testing and rapid treatment initiation in the majority of patients with
      bacteriologically confirmed TB in a resource-limited setting.

PMID- 28633699
TI  - Migration histories of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients from the
      Thailand-Myanmar border, 2012-2014.
AB  - SETTING: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a growing public health
      threat in South-East Asia. TB is typically a disease of poverty and can be spread
      by infectious humans who migrate from one region to another. DESIGN: We
      interviewed 20 MDR-TB patients on the Thailand-Myanmar border with regard to
      their migration histories. Migration origins and destinations were mapped.
      RESULTS: All but one participant had a history of migration, and maps of
      migration ranges revealed wide geographic dispersal. Most described living and
      work conditions that could contribute to the spread of drug-resistant TB,
      including numerous contacts and crowded living quarters. CONCLUSION: Our results
      show that at least some migrant workers in the region carry MDR-TB, and indicate
      that this subgroup of the population is important with regard to the transmission
      of MDR-TB throughout the region. Migrants in this region come into contact with
      high numbers of people and may be able to spread the disease across wide
      geographic ranges. Access to diagnosis and treatment and socio-economic
      development are at least as important as any TB control measures, meaning that
      innovative and bold approaches that extend across international borders are
      needed to address these problems.

PMID- 28633700
TI  - Trends in drug-resistant tuberculosis after the implementation of the DOTS
      strategy in Shenzhen, China, 2000-2013.
AB  - SETTING: The DOTS strategy has been regarded as the most cost-effective way to
      stop the spread of tuberculosis (TB) since its launch by the World Health
      Organization. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effects of DOTS by tracking long-term
      trends in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study
      was conducted from 2000 to 2013 to analyse trends in resistance to anti
      tuberculosis drugs and the effect of DOTS-based treatment in Shenzhen, China,
      using the chi2 test. RESULTS: An overall MDR-TB rate of 4.2% was observed between
      2000 and 2013, with an annual reduction of 0.16%. From 2000 to 2013, trends in
      resistance to isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP) and MDR-TB declined significantly
      in new TB patients (P < 0.01), but not in retreatment cases. Sputum smear
      conversion rates after 2 months of treatment decreased significantly, in
      particular after 2007, in new and retreatment cases. CONCLUSION: INH and RMP
      resistance and MDR-TB rates declined significantly, suggesting that DOTS-based
      programmes were successful in reducing drug resistance in new cases but not in
      retreatment cases. The decreasing sputum smear conversion rates may have been due
      to an increase in the number of migrants. These two findings suggest that TB is
      unlikely to be completely eliminated by 2050 in Shenzhen.

PMID- 28633701
TI  - Management of child MDR-TB contacts across countries in the WHO European Region:
      a survey of current practice.
AB  - The World Health Organization European Region has one of the highest rates of
      multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the world, resulting in many
      vulnerable children being exposed each year. Evidence for preventive therapy
      following MDR-TB exposure is limited and current guidance is conflicting. An
      internet-based survey was performed to determine clinical practice in this
      region. Seventy-two clinicians from 25 countries participated. Practices related
      to screening and decision-making were highly variable. Just over half provided
      preventive therapy for children exposed to MDR-TB; the only characteristic
      associated with provision was practice within the European Union (adjusted OR
      4.07, 95%CI 1.33-12.5).

PMID- 28633702
TI  - Impact of isoniazid preventive therapy on the evaluation of long-term
      effectiveness of infant MVA85A vaccination.
AB  - SETTING: South Africa. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of
      infant modified vaccinia Ankara virus-expressing antigen 85A (MVA85A) vaccination
      against tuberculosis (TB). DESIGN: We analysed data from a double-blind
      randomised placebo-controlled Phase 2b MVA85A infant TB vaccine trial (2009
      2012), with extended post-trial follow-up (2012-2014). Isoniazid preventive
      therapy (IPT) was provided by public health services according to national
      guidelines. The primary outcome was curative treatment for TB disease. Survival
      analysis and Poisson regression were used for study analysis. RESULTS: Total
      follow-up was 10 351 person-years of observation (pyo). Median follow-up age was
      4.8 years (interquartile range 4.4-5.2). There were 328 (12%) TB cases. TB
      disease incidence was 3.2/100 pyo (95%CI 2.8-3.5) overall, and respectively 3.3
      (95%CI 2.9-3.9) and 3.0 (95%CI 2.6-3.5)/100 pyo in the MVA85A vaccine and placebo
      arms. A total of 304 children (11%) received IPT, with respectively 880 and 9471
      pyo among IPT and non-IPT recipients. There were 23 (7.6%) TB cases among 304 IPT
      recipients vs. 305 (12.9%) among 2374 non-IPT recipients (P = 0.008). IPT
      effectiveness was 85% (95%CI 76-91). CONCLUSION: Extended follow-up confirms no
      long-term effectiveness of infant MVA85A vaccination, but a six-fold reduction in
      TB risk can be attributed to IPT. National TB programmes in high TB burden
      countries should ensure optimal implementation of IPT for eligible children.

PMID- 28633703
TI  - Tuberculosis inequalities and socio-economic deprivation in Portugal.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyse the geographical distribution of tuberculosis (TB) in
      Portugal and estimate the association between TB and socio-economic deprivation.
      METHODS: An ecological study at the municipality level using TB notifications for
      2010-2014 was conducted. Spatial Bayesian models were used to calculate smoothed
      standardised notification rates, identify high- and low-risk areas and estimate
      the association between TB notification and the European Deprivation Index (EDI)
      for Portugal and its component variables. RESULTS: Standardised notification
      rates ranged from 4.41 to 76.44 notifications per 100 000 population. Forty-one
      high-risk and 156 low-risk municipalities were identified. There was no
      statistically significant association between TB notification rate and the EDI,
      but some of its variables, such as the proportion of manual workers and the
      percentage unemployed, were significantly and directly associated with TB
      notification, whereas the variable 'proportion of residents with low education
      level' showed an inverse relationship. CONCLUSION: Wide inequalities in TB
      notification rates were observed, and some areas continued to exhibit high TB
      notification rates. We found significant associations between TB and some socio
      economic factors of the EDI.

PMID- 28633704
TI  - Effect of Brazil's conditional cash transfer programme on tuberculosis incidence.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the Brazilian cash transfer programme (Bolsa
      Familia Programme, BFP) on tuberculosis (TB) incidence in Brazil from 2004 to
      2012. DESIGN: We studied tuberculosis surveillance data using a combination of an
      ecological multiple-group and time-trend design covering 2458 Brazilian
      municipalities. The main independent variable was BFP coverage and the outcome
      was the TB incidence rate. All study variables were obtained from national
      databases. We used fixed-effects negative binomial models for panel data adjusted
      for selected covariates and a variable representing time. RESULTS: After
      controlling for covariates, TB incidence rates were significantly reduced in
      municipalities with high BFP coverage compared with those with low and
      intermediate coverage (in a model with a time variable incidence rate ratio =
      0.96, 95%CI 0.93-0.99). CONCLUSION: This was the first evidence of a
      statistically significant association between the increase in cash transfer
      programme coverage and a reduction in TB incidence rate. Our findings provide
      support for social protection interventions for tackling TB worldwide.

PMID- 28633705
TI  - Household food insecurity is associated with low interferon-gamma levels in
      pregnant Indian women.
AB  - SETTING: Over 20% of tuberculosis (TB) cases during pregnancy occur in India.
      OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between household food insecurity and
      interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels in pregnancy. DESIGN: Pregnant women in India
      were administered the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS)
      questionnaire and underwent an IFN-gamma release assay. Logistic regression was
      used to identify factors associated with food insecurity. RESULTS: Of 538 women,
      60 (11%) had household food insecurity, 47 (78%) of which were moderate or severe
      food insecure. After mitogen stimulation, moderate or severe food insecure women
      had a median IFN-gamma concentration of 4.2 IU/ml (IQR 2.2-9.8) vs. 8.4 IU/ml
      (IQR 3.0-10) in women with no or mild food insecurity (P = 0.03). In multivariate
      analysis, higher IFN-gamma concentrations were associated with human
      immunodeficiency virus infection (OR 1.3, 95%CI 0.51-2.1, P = 0.001), and
      inversely associated with moderate or severe food insecurity (OR -1.6, 95%CI -2.9
      to -0.27, P = 0.02) and the number of adults in the household (OR -0.08, 95%CI 
      0.16 to -0.01, P = 0.03). There was no association between food insecurity and
      IFN-gamma response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen. CONCLUSION: Food
      insecurity in pregnancy is associated with low IFN-gamma levels. There was no
      association between food insecurity and IFN-gamma response to M. tuberculosis
      antigen, but our study was underpowered to detect this outcome.

PMID- 28633706
TI  - Depression and risk of tuberculosis: a nationwide population-based cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies on the association between depression and risk of
      tuberculosis (TB) are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between
      depression and risk of TB. METHODS: From a nationwide database, patients with
      depression were identified to form the exposure cohort between 2003 and 2013. The
      control cohort comprised an equivalent number of subjects without any mood
      disorders, with each subject age- and sex-matched to a patient in the exposure
      cohort. The incidence of TB was identified in the exposure cohort and control
      cohort between 2003 and 2013. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was
      used to estimate the association between depression and the subsequent risk of
      TB. RESULTS: A total of 32 372 patients with depression and the same number of
      controls were identified. The risk of TB in the depression cohort was 2.63-fold
      (95%CI 1.74-3.96) higher than in the control cohort. When the depression was
      classified as 'mild' and 'severe', the risk of TB was proportional to depression
      severity. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with depression are at a higher risk for TB, and
      a dose-response relationship exists between depression and the subsequent risk of
      TB.

PMID- 28633707
TI  - Qualitative analysis of biological tuberculosis samples by an electronic nose
      based artificial neural network.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To apply an e-nose system for monitoring headspace volatiles in
      biological samples from Egyptian patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB)
      and healthy controls (HCs) and compare them with standard sputum analysis.
      DESIGN: The study population comprised 260 (140 males, 120 females) newly
      diagnosed TB patients and 240 (120 males, 120 females) HCs matched by age and
      socio-economic level admitted to hospitals specialising in chest diseases in
      Alexandria, Behera, Giza and Damietta Governorates, Egypt. Participants provided
      a history of TB and underwent clinical examinations, chest X-ray, and
      microbiological and e-nose analyses. Biological samples (blood, breath, sputum
      and urine) were collected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Being a confirmed TB patient
      was directly proportional to e-nose 10-sensor responses. Principal component
      analysis clusters showed a clear distinction between TB and HC groups, with
      variances of 93%, 85%, 75% and 95% for blood, breath, sputum and urine samples,
      respectively. Overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the artificial
      neural network (ANN) analysis for classifying samples were >99%. The e-nose
      successfully distinguished TB patients from HC participants for all measured
      biological samples with great precision. With urine samples gaining broader
      acceptance for clinical diagnosis, an e-nose-based ANN can be a very useful tool
      for low-cost mass screening and early detection of TB patients in developing
      countries.

PMID- 28633708
TI  - Once-daily dosing of amikacin for treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus lung
      disease.
AB  - SETTING: Tertiary referral centre, Samsung Medical Center, South Korea.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters and toxicities of once
      daily amikacin (AMK) dosing for lung disease due to Mycobacterium abscessus.
      DESIGN: A retrospective review of 48 patients with M. abscessus lung disease who
      received once-daily AMK for 4 weeks between January 2012 and June 2015. RESULTS:
      With a starting dose of 15 mg/kg/day and adjustment of AMK dose according to the
      peak serum level (Cmax), the Cmax target of 55-65 MUg/ml was achieved in 31.3%
      (15/48) of patients in the first week, 68.8% (33/48) in week 2, 91.7% (44/48) in
      week 3 and 95.8% (46/48) in week 4. Transient nephrotoxicity developed in 6.3%
      (3/48) of patients and ototoxicity in 25.0% (6/24), which was determined by
      audiogram as hearing loss, asymptomatic in five patients and tinnitus in one.
      Multivariate analysis revealed that the highest drug concentration 12 h after
      administration was significantly associated with the development of toxicities
      (adjusted odds ratio 1.862, P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that once
      daily AMK for 4 weeks with a target Cmax of 55-65 MUg/ml can be used in patients
      with M. abscessus lung disease, with careful monitoring of toxicity.

PMID- 28633709
TI  - Primary pulmonary actinomycosis: a retrospective analysis of 145 cases in
      mainland China.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To improve our understanding of pulmonary actinomycosis. METHODS: A
      retrospective analysis of 145 cases in mainland China was conducted. RESULTS: The
      male:female ratio was 2.7:1. Mean age at diagnosis was 48 years (+/- 12). Main
      symptoms were cough (87.6%), expectoration (40%), blood-stained sputum (37.2%),
      fever (26.9%), chest pain (24.8%) and haemoptysis (16.6%). Eighty-eight (60.7%)
      patients had no underlying disease. Only five patients received a correct initial
      diagnosis; 60 patients were misdiagnosed with lung cancer, followed by pulmonary
      tuberculosis (TB) and lung abscess. Most patients were diagnosed using surgical
      resection, transthoracic needle aspiration or flexible bronchoscopy. Sixty-seven
      patients received penicillin G, and one patient did not receive any antibiotics
      after surgery. The mean duration of treatment with antibiotics was 4.5 months (+/
      3.7). Overall, 110 (75.9%) patients were fully cured, 4 died, 1 was lost to
      follow-up, and a record of the prognosis was not available for 30 patients. Mean
      duration of follow-up was 26 months (+/- 32). CONCLUSION: Pulmonary actinomycosis
      is a rare bacterial infection and is often misdiagnosed as lung cancer or
      pulmonary TB. The definitive diagnosis depends on pathology; sulfur granules are
      suggestive, but not specific. Penicillin G is the standard treatment. The optimal
      duration of antibiotic treatment merits further investigation.

PMID- 28633710
TI  - Symptom-based screening of child TB contacts: defining 'symptomatic'.

PMID- 28633711
TI  - In reply.

PMID- 28633712
TI  - Use of inhaled corticosteroids for obstructive lung disease following anti
      tuberculosis treatment.

PMID- 28633713
TI  - ERRATUM.

PMID- 28633714
TI  - Three-Generation Family With Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome and
      Novel PHOX2B Gene Non-Polyalanine Repeat Mutation.
AB  - ABSTRACT: PHOX2B non-polyalanine repeat mutation (NPARM) in patients with
      congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is generally considered to be
      associated with full-time ventilator dependence and severe autonomic nervous
      system dysfunction. We report a three-generation family with four individuals
      possessing a novel PHOX2B NPARM (c.245C > T) with variable phenotypes. This
      mutation was inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern with variable penetrance.
      The affected family members with CCHS have a milder phenotype than is typically
      expected with a NPARM. Two family members are ventilator dependent only during
      sleep and do not have Hirschsprung disease or neural crest tumors. One family
      member was asymptomatic until systemic hypertension developed during adulthood
      and another family member remains asymptomatic as an adult. Our findings
      emphasize the importance of monitoring adults with a PHOX2B NPARM who are
      considered asymptomatic in childhood.

PMID- 28633716
TI  - Sense and Sensitivity: Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Morning Blood Pressure, and
      Occult Hypertension.

PMID- 28633717
TI  - Aerophagia During CPAP for OSA: The Case for Auto-CPAP and Nasal Mask.

PMID- 28633715
TI  - Restless Legs Syndrome and Sleep-Wake Disturbances in Pregnancy.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To estimate the association of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and
      its frequency with sleep-wake disturbances in pregnancy. METHODS: A cohort of
      1,563 women in their third trimester of pregnancy were recruited from prenatal
      clinics between March 2007 and December 2010. Demographic, pregnancy, and
      delivery data were extracted from medical records and sleep information was
      collected with questionnaires. To diagnose RLS, we used standardized criteria of
      RLS symptoms and frequency that were developed by the International Restless Legs
      Study Group. Logistic regression models were constructed to investigate the
      association of RLS and its frequency with sleep-wake disturbances (poor sleep
      quality, daytime sleepiness, poor daytime function) and delivery outcomes.
      RESULTS: Overall 36% of the pregnant women had RLS, and half had moderate to
      severe symptoms. Compared to women without RLS, those with RLS were more likely
      to have poor sleep quality (odds ratio [OR] 2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7
      2.9), poor daytime function (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4-2.4), and excessive daytime
      sleepiness (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.0). A dose-response relationship also was
      evident between RLS frequency and each of the sleep-wake disturbances. There was
      no evidence for any association between RLS and delivery outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:
      RLS is a significant contributor to poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and
      poor daytime function, all common and often debilitating conditions in pregnancy.
      Obstetric health care providers should be aware of these associations and screen
      women for RLS. COMMENTARY: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on
      page 857.

PMID- 28633718
TI  - Shaking Up Perspectives of Restless Legs Syndrome in Pregnancy.

PMID- 28633719
TI  - A Case of Recurrent Hypersomnia With Autonomic Dysfunction.
AB  - ABSTRACT: We report the case of a 50-year-old man with disabling recurrent
      hypersomnia with autonomic instability due to catatonia in the setting of
      atypical bipolar disorder. Treatment with valproic acid for bipolar disorder
      resulted in complete resolution of symptoms.

PMID- 28633720
TI  - Evaluation of Continuous Negative External Pressure (cNEP) for the Treatment of
      Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine if the application of continuous negative external
      pressure (cNEP) is effective and safe in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea
      (OSA) during an overnight in-laboratory sleep study. METHODS: A prospective, open
      label pilot study in subjects with documented OSA recruited from the patient
      population at one sleep clinic. The intervention was application and titration of
      cNEP during overnight polysomnography. RESULTS: Of the 15 subjects studied (mean
      apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] at baseline, 43.9 events/h), 13 (87%) were responders
      to cNEP: 9 had an excellent response (AHI < 5 events/h) and 4 had a partial
      response (AHI < 50% baseline and < 15 events/h). Three minor, self-limited
      adverse events occurred, which appeared related to contact pressure of the cNEP
      device on the skin. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, cNEP appears to be safe and
      effective during short-term use in subjects with OSA. Further studies are
      warranted.

PMID- 28633722
TI  - Characterization of Patients Who Present With Insomnia: Is There Room for a
      Symptom Cluster-Based Approach?
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study examined empirically derived symptom cluster
      profiles among patients who present with insomnia using clinical data and
      polysomnography. METHODS: Latent profile analysis was used to identify symptom
      cluster profiles of 175 individuals (63% female) with insomnia disorder based on
      total scores on validated self-report instruments of daytime and nighttime
      symptoms (Insomnia Severity Index, Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale, Fatigue Severity
      Scale, Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pre-Sleep
      Arousal Scale), mean values from a 7-day sleep diary (sleep onset latency, wake
      after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency), and total sleep time derived from an in
      laboratory PSG. RESULTS: The best-fitting model had three symptom cluster
      profiles: "High Subjective Wakefulness" (HSW), "Mild Insomnia" (MI) and "Insomnia
      Related Distress" (IRD). The HSW symptom cluster profile (26.3% of the sample)
      reported high wake after sleep onset, high sleep onset latency, and low sleep
      efficiency. Despite relatively comparable PSG-derived total sleep time, they
      reported greater levels of daytime sleepiness. The MI symptom cluster profile
      (45.1%) reported the least disturbance in the sleep diary and questionnaires and
      had the highest sleep efficiency. The IRD symptom cluster profile (28.6%)
      reported the highest mean scores on the insomnia-related distress measures (eg,
      sleep effort and arousal) and waking correlates (fatigue). Covariates associated
      with symptom cluster membership were older age for the HSW profile, greater
      obstructive sleep apnea severity for the MI profile, and, when adjusting for
      obstructive sleep apnea severity, being overweight/obese for the IRD profile.
      CONCLUSIONS: The heterogeneous nature of insomnia disorder is captured by this
      data-driven approach to identify symptom cluster profiles. The adaptation of a
      symptom cluster-based approach could guide tailored patient-centered management
      of patients presenting with insomnia, and enhance patient care.

PMID- 28633721
TI  - Allergic and Non-Allergic Rhinitis Are Common in Obstructive Sleep Apnea but Not
      Associated With Disease Severity.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: Several studies have suggested that rhinitis contributes to the
      pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We aimed to investigate the
      prevalence and influence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis
      (NAR) on severity of OSA. METHODS: Two hundred forty patients with OSA confirmed
      by standardized polysomnography were assessed for presence of AR and NAR, using
      validated questionnaires and skin prick tests. Data comparison was carried out by
      using chi-square test, analysis of variance, and least significant difference
      test. Associations between severity of OSA and rhinitis, age, sex, and body mass
      index were assessed with ordinal logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The
      prevalence of AR and NAR among patients with OSA was 27.1% and 28.7%,
      respectively, with no significant differences in the severity of rhinitis.
      Ordinal logistic regression analysis showed AR and NAR were not the risk factors
      for severity of OSA. There were significant differences of polysomnography
      parameters in sleep efficiency (79.7 +/- 2.0 versus 85.2 +/- 1.4 between AR and
      NAR; 79.7 +/- 2.0 versus 87.2 +/- 1.4 between AR and no-rhinitis) and arousal
      index (36.8 +/- 4.1 versus 24.7 +/- 3.5 between AR and no-rhinitis). Patients
      with NAR had lower average arterial oxygen saturation (91.9 +/- 0.6 versus 94.0
      +/- 0.6) and minimal arterial oxygen saturation (70.6 +/- 1.7 versus 77.3 +/-
      1.8), compared with subjects categorized as no-rhinitis. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      suggests that despite a comparatively high prevalence in patients with OSA, the
      presence or severity of AR or NAR does not influence the severity of OSA;
      however, rhinitis may significantly disturb sleep in patients with OSA.

PMID- 28633723
TI  - Validated Measures of Insomnia, Function, Sleepiness, and Nasal Obstruction in a
      CPAP Alternatives Clinic Population.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: Although efficacious in the treatment of obstructive sleep
      apnea (OSA), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can be difficult to
      tolerate, with long-term adherence rates approaching 50%. CPAP alternatives
      clinics specialize in the evaluation and treatment of CPAP-intolerant patients;
      yet this population has not been studied in the literature. To better understand
      these patients, we sought to assess insomnia, sleep-related functional status,
      sleepiness, and nasal obstruction, utilizing data from validated instruments.
      METHODS: After approval from the Emory University Institutional Review Board, a
      retrospective chart review was performed from September 2015 to September 2016 of
      new patient visits at the Emory CPAP alternatives clinic. Patient demographics
      and responses were recorded from the Insomnia Severity Index, Functional Outcomes
      of Sleep Questionnaire-10 (FOSQ-10), Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Nasal
      Obstruction Symptom Evaluation questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 172 patients
      were included, with 81% having moderate-severe OSA. Most of the patients
      demonstrated moderate-severe clinical insomnia and at least moderate nasal
      obstruction. FOSQ-10 scores indicated sleep-related functional impairment in 88%.
      However, most patients did not demonstrate excessive daytime sleepiness.
      CONCLUSION: This patient population demonstrates significant symptomatology and
      functional impairment. Because of the severity of their OSA, they are at
      increased risk of complications. In order to mitigate the detrimental effects of
      OSA, these significantly impacted patients should be identified and encouraged to
      seek CPAP alternatives clinics that specialize in the treatment of this
      population.

PMID- 28633724
TI  - Change in End-Expiratory Lung Volume During Sleep in Patients at Risk for
      Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: As lung volume decreases radial traction on the upper airway is
      reduced, making it more collapsible. The purpose of this study was to measure
      change in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) following sleep onset and to evaluate
      the relationship between change in EELV and sleep-disordered breathing. METHODS:
      Twenty subjects underwent overnight polysomnography, of whom 14 (70%) had
      obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Change in EELV was measured throughout the night
      using magnetometry. Sleep was staged and respiratory events scored using American
      Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria. An additional 10 subjects had change in EELV
      measured simultaneously by magnetometer and spirometer while awake. RESULTS: In
      the subjects studied while awake, change in EELV calculated from magnetometer
      data correlated very strongly (r = 0.89, P < .001) with that obtained by
      spirometry. In the 20 subjects who underwent polysomnography, there was a decline
      in EELV for sleep stages N1, N2, N3, and R (REM sleep); 17.9 +/- 121.0 mL (mean
      +/- standard deviation), 228.5 +/- 151.8 mL, 198.1 +/- 122.1 mL, and 316.7 +/-
      131.9 mL, respectively. Mean EELV reduction during stage R sleep doubled that
      noted during non-stage R sleep (316.7 +/- 131.9 mL versus 150.9 +/- 89.7 mL,
      respectively) (P < .001). The difference in EELV between non-stage R and stage R
      sleep inversely correlated with mean oxygen saturation (r = -0.56, P = .06). EELV
      reduction in individuals with moderate and severe OSA was greater than in those
      with mild SDB but did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS:
      Magnetometry provides a precise, unobtrusive, and continuous means to study lung
      volume changes during sleep. EELV declines from sleep onset, reaching its nadir
      during stage R sleep. The reduction in EELV in stage R sleep was associated with
      lower mean oxygen saturation but was not associated with greater sleep-disordered
      breathing.

PMID- 28633725
TI  - Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumor-A Low b-Grade Tumor's Aggressive Course
      and Dismal Outcome: A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Incidence of well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of
      the colon and rectum is increasing and is now approximately 1 per 100,000 in the
      US. NETs are either well-differentiated (indolent) or poorly differentiated
      (aggressive). The majority of these tumors are found incidentally during
      screening colonoscopies and rarely are associated with symptoms of hormonal
      syndrome, even during the advanced stage. Metastatic well-differentiated NETs of
      the colon and rectum are incurable, hard to treat, and associated with a poor
      prognosis and survival rates similar to colorectal adenocarcinoma survival. CASE
      PRESENTATION: A 56-year-old man presented to our clinic with right-sided weakness
      and a 40-pound weight loss during the previous 2 months. A neurologic examination
      was remarkable for atrophy of the right trapezius muscle and decreased strength
      in the right upper extremity. Imaging revealed extensive blastic and lytic
      lesions involving the axial skeleton, a large rectal mass, a large necrotic nodal
      mass extending from the left iliac region to the level of the left renal veins,
      and multiple necrotic liver metastasis. Liver lesion fine-needle aspiration
      findings were consistent with metastatic well-differentiated neuroendocrine
      carcinoma. DISCUSSION: This case illustrates how a low-grade tumor can have an
      aggressive course with poor outcomes. Metastatic well-differentiated NETs of the
      colon and rectum remain difficult to treat because evidence is scarce. More
      research is needed on this topic.

PMID- 28633726
TI  - Small-Bowel Intussusception in a Pregnant Woman: A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intussusception usually is associated with children, rarely with
      adults. CASE PRESENTATION: A 42-year-old pregnant woman (29 weeks' gestation)
      reported mild pain in the upper aspect of the abdomen after an intense physical
      effort. Ultrasound examination found a normally evolving pregnancy and a bowel
      obstacle, without bowel distention. Because it was not a surgical emergency at
      the time of evaluation, she was sent to the hospital's Obstetrics Department. The
      patient's symptoms worsened the next day. Ultrasound examination revealed dilated
      bowel loops and free fluid. Strangulated epigastric hernia was suspected.
      Computed tomography was not performed. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a small
      bowel intussusception, which was successfully manually reduced, and no leading
      point was found. Four days later, she delivered a premature baby boy. Two days
      later the necrotized reduced ileal loop had to be surgically removed because of
      the patient's altered status. After this procedure, the patient's recovery was
      uneventful. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case of small-bowel
      intussusception in a pregnant woman reported in the literature.

PMID- 28633728
TI  - Bilateral Large Pneumothoraxes Following Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator
      Generator Change: A Case Report of an Uncommon Event Complicating a Common
      Procedure.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A bilateral large spontaneous pneumothorax to our knowledge has
      never been reported after a device implantation. We report an unusual case of a
      patient developing spontaneous bilateral large pneumothoraxes after an
      implantable cardioverter-defibrillator generator and lead revision without
      evidence of any obvious traumatic cardiac injury. CASE PRESENTATION: A 79-year
      old white man was scheduled for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator generator
      change and addition of an atrial lead. Approximately one hour after the
      procedure, he suddenly went into respiratory distress with profuse sweating, and
      pallor with falling oxygen saturation and blood pressure. Chest x-ray showed
      bilateral large pneumothoraxes. DISCUSSION: In our literature search, we found no
      reports of large bilateral pneumothorax in the absence of any traumatic cardiac
      or lung injury. Rupture of bilateral pleura during subclavian access or presence
      of pleuropleural communication or a right atrial microperforation could be
      possible causes.

PMID- 28633729
TI  - Image Diagnosis: Bronchial Anthracofibrosis-A Bronchoscopic Diagnosis.

PMID- 28633730
TI  - Lessons Learned in War.

PMID- 28633731
TI  - Image Diagnosis: Multivessel Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Dextrocardia:
      Success with Usual Techniques in a Case of Mirror-Image Heart.

PMID- 28633732
TI  - To Err is Human: Can American Medicine Learn from Past Mistakes?
AB  - The history of medicine includes many errors. Some persisted for decades and
      caused great harm. Several are highlighted in this article, including the
      mythical thymic diseases: thymic asthma and status thymicolymphaticus. Some
      medical mistakes, such as the diet-heart hypothesis of Ancel Keys, continue to
      cause harm. To avoid future errors and their associated harm, I suggest a
      cultural shift encouraging professional humility and greater questioning of
      medical dogma. Medical education focused on teaching students this history may
      help with this cultural shift.

PMID- 28633733
TI  - Rituximab in the management of juvenile pemphigus foliaceus.
AB  - BackgroundPemphigus foliaceus (PF) is a blistering disorder most commonly
      presenting in middle age. As PF is restricted to the superficial epidermis, it is
      considered more benign than other pemphigus diseases. However, progression to
      severe disease is not uncommon. Although rituximab's efficacy has been well
      documented in adults with refractory PF, little data is available on its role in
      adolescents.PurposeWe describe a patient with juvenile PF treated with rituximab
      and review the literature for similar cases.MethodsPubMed was searched for the
      terms: antibody, B cells, blistering, CD20, foliaceus, juvenile, pemphigus,
      rituximab, immunosuppression. As the first reported case of rituximab treated
      pemphigus was in 2001, only cases from 2001 and after were included. Juvenile PF
      was defined as disease diagnosis between ages 12-17.ResultsFive cases have been
      reported. The indication for rituximab in most cases was refractory PF
      unresponsive to systemic glucocorticoids and non-steroidal adjuvant therapies.
      All cases demonstrated significant improvement or complete remission and most
      experienced no adverse events.ConclusionsRituximab appears to be both well
      tolerated and efficacious for refractory juvenile PF. Therefore, it may be
      considered for severe cases of PF to avoid side effects associated with
      conventional glucocorticoid therapy.

PMID- 28633734
TI  - Cutaneous HIV-associated Kaposi sarcoma: a potential setting for management by
      clinical observation.
AB  - Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a malignancy of viral etiology whose course ranges from
      cutaneous limited lesions to fulminant disease with multi-organ involvement. Four
      clinical variants of the disease exist: classic, endemic, iatrogenic, and
      epidemic. Iatrogenic and epidemic variants of Kaposi sarcoma develop in the
      setting of immune suppression. Transplant recipients who develop iatrogenic KS
      typically demonstrate improvement of lesions following de-escalation of
      immunosuppressive therapy. Similarly, HIV-infected patients who begin highly
      active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) experience immune reconstitution, which can
      induce KS regression. We describe two patients with varying clinical outcomes of
      cutaneous-limited HIV-associated KS after immune reconstitution with HAART. We
      propose that immune reconstitution with HAART, followed by clinical and
      radiographic surveillance for disease progression, may be an appropriate initial
      management strategy for limited cutaneous HIV-associated KS. In patients with
      more extensive disease at presentation or failure of HAART alone, antineoplastic
      therapy should be instituted.

PMID- 28633735
TI  - Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia of the nail unit.
AB  - Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a distinctive lymphocyte
      rich vasoformative proliferation comprising epithelioid-appearing endothelial
      cells with partially canalized capillary vessels in a lymphohistiocytic and
      eosinophil rich environment. ALHE presents clinically as single or multiple pink
      brown dome-shaped papules or nodules, most commonly on the ear and peri-auricular
      area, followed by the face, and scalp. ALHE involving the subungual unit is rare
      with only 5 previously reported cases and all involved the underlying bone. The
      authors describe a case of a painful subungual nodule of the left 1st fingernail
      in a 48-year-old woman. An excisional biopsy was performed confirming a diagnosis
      of ALHE. There was no bone involvement and immediately following excision of the
      tumor, there was complete resolution of her symptoms. Our patient's presentation
      expands upon the clinical and histopathological spectrum of subungual ALHE.

PMID- 28633736
TI  - Klippel-Trenauney syndrome with axillary hyperhidrosis.
AB  - Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare, clinically variable congenital
      disorder involving capillary malformations, soft tissue or bone hypertrophy, and
      venous malformations or varicose veins. We report a 28-year-old man who presented
      with a hypertrophic right arm as well as markedly increased ipsilateral axillary
      hyperhidrosis and erythematous patches on the back, chest, and arm. This case of
      KTS is unusual because our patient presented with a markedly increased unilateral
      axillary hyperhidrosis ipsilateral to the hypertrophic limb.

PMID- 28633737
TI  - Linear verrucous hemangioma of the upper limb: a rare case.
AB  - Verrucous hemangioma is a rare, congenital vascular malformation of the cutaneous
      and subcutaneous tissue. It is usually present at birth and gradually increases
      in size and number with age; occasionally it presents in later adulthood. It has
      a predilection for the lower extremity and usually presents as warty or
      hyperkeratotic, bluish and partly confluent papules and plaques. Verrucous
      hemangioma occurring in a linear pattern is an even more uncommon presentation
      and very few cases have been reported. We report a boy with verrucous hemangioma
      localized to the left upper extremity in a linear pattern. We also discuss
      management.

PMID- 28633738
TI  - Sebaceous carcinoma on the arm of a 10-year-old girl.
AB  - We report a case of a 10 year-old girl diagnosed with sebaceous carcinoma of the
      posterior left arm. The presented case reviews the histopathological and
      immunohistochemical characteristics of this malignancy, including a review of the
      literature in pediatric patients regarding prognosis and treatment. Sebaceous
      carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm with sebaceous differentiation, typically
      occurring in the sixth-to-seventh decades of life. It most commonly arises in the
      periocular region. It is extremely rare in the pediatric population.

PMID- 28633740
TI  - Parvovirus B19 infection in an adult presenting with connective tissue disease
      like symptoms: a report of the clinical and histological findings.
AB  - Parvovirus B19 infections in adults are usually associated with nonspecific and
      mild symptoms. However, cases presenting with a lupus-like syndrome have been
      described, leading to the hypothesis that parvovirus infection can induce
      connective tissue disease. Various histopathologic features of cutaneous
      manifestations of parvovirus have been reported, including features which overlap
      with those of connective tissue disease. Herein, we discuss an unusual case of
      Parvovirus  B19 infection in a middle-aged woman. The biopsy results showed
      granulomatous vasculitis and were consistent with the previously described
      superantigen id reaction. This case demonstrates that infectious causes should be
      considered in the differential diagnosis for granulomatous vasculitis and
      clinicopathologic correlation is required for accurate diagnosis. We also provide
      a review of the literature highlighting the possible role of parvovirus in
      induction of a connective tissue disease-like presentation.

PMID- 28633739
TI  - Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis presenting as fixed drug eruption: a case
      report.
AB  - Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD) is a rare disorder characterized by
      periodic skin lesions that erupt during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
      Clinical manifestations of APD is caused by an unusual allergy to progesterone
      and has a wide range of clinical manifestations from eczema and urticaria to
      angioedema and erythema multiforme. A 46-year-old woman described recurrent,
      round erythematous plaques on the lower lip, both forearms and buttocks. These
      skin eruptions waxed and waned for 10 months, reoccurring 3-4 days before
      menstruation. Based on her medical history and physical examination, APD was
      suspected and the progesterone challenge test showed positive results. After
      treatment with oral prednisolone (30 mg/day) before menstruation, the severity of
      eruptions decreased dramatically but recurrence did not cease completely.

PMID- 28633741
TI  - High-frequency ultrasound features in a case of gouty panniculitis.
AB  - Gouty panniculitis is caused by the deposition of urate crystals in the
      subcutaneous tissue, accompanied by a lobular panniculitis. It presents as
      subcutaneous nodules, most commonly located on the lower extremities. Being an
      unusual clinical presentation of gout, the sonographic findings of gouty
      panniculitis have been scarcely described in the literature. Our report describes
      the ultrasound features we found in a case of gouty panniculitis and the
      usefulness of this technique for diagnosis and monitoring of this disease.

PMID- 28633742
TI  - Cutaneous varicella zoster virus infection following zoster vaccination: report
      of post-vaccination herpes zoster skin infection and literature review of zoster
      vaccination efficacy and guidelines.
AB  - : BackgroundHerpes zoster vaccine is currently recommended in the United States
      for immune competent individuals >=60 years. The efficacy of the herpes zoster
      vaccine decreases with age and with time following vaccination.PurposeAn elderly
      man with herpes zoster following vaccination is described. The guidelines for
      vaccination and issues regarding re-vaccination are reviewed. METHODS: PubMed was
      used to search the following terms: efficacy, elderly, herpes zoster, herpes
      zoster incidence, herpes zoster recurrence, and vaccination. The papers and
      relevant citations were reviewed. The clinical features of a patient with post
      vaccination herpes zoster skin infection are presented; in addition, vaccine
      efficacy and guidelines are reviewed.ResultsA 91-year-old man, vaccinated for
      herpes zoster 10 years earlier, presented with crusted erosions on his face
      corresponding to the area innervated by the ophthalmic division of the left
      trigeminal nerve. Evaluation using polymerase chain reaction confirmed the
      diagnosis of herpes zoster.ConclusionsHerpes zoster vaccine decreases in efficacy
      with both age and number of years following vaccination. Therefore, booster shots
      or revaccination in the older population may be of benefit.

PMID- 28633743
TI  - Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus: atypical case simulating lichen planus.
AB  - Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis,
      characterized by shiny, atrophic, hypochromic papules with a predilection for the
      genital and perineal skin. Extragenital involvement may occur, but is rare in the
      isolated form. LSA more commonly affects prepubertal and postmenopausal women. We
      describe an unusual case of isolated extragenital LSA, restricted to the wrists
      and mimicking lichen planus.

PMID- 28633744
TI  - Examining the race-specific prevalence of hidradenitis suppurativa at a large
      academic center; results from a retrospective chart review.
AB  - Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory, debilitating disease of
      unknown etiology. HS can occur in people of all ethnicities and ages, and affects
      approximately 3-4% of the United States. To date, few studies have specifically
      examined the race prevalence of HS; further epidemiological research is needed to
      identify specific trends among HS and its racial predilections. At our center,
      1.3% of African-American patients were seen for HS, compared to 18% of Caucasian
      patients (p<0.05), and the percent ratio of African-American versus Caucasian
      patients with HS was 7.22:1. Our number ratio of African-American patients versus
      Caucasian patients with HS was 1.19:1. Studies performed at Henry Ford Medical
      Center and University of Pittsburgh report ratios of 1.64:1 and 1.98:1
      respectively. These data support study trends suggesting HS is more common among
      patients of African-American descent. A large, population-based study across the
      United States is needed to better assess the associations between ethnicity and
      HS. Examining this patient population has the potential to improve our
      understanding of HS pathophysiology, and will enable clinicians to better manage
      patients with this disease.

PMID- 28633745
TI  - Carcinoma hemorrhagiectoides: case report of an uncommon presentation of
      cutaneous metastatic breast carcinoma.
AB  - In most cases, cutaneous metastases develop after the diagnosis of the primary
      internal malignancy has been established, but sometimes they can be discovered
      earlier or simultaneously. We describe a case of a 90-year-old woman who
      presented to the emergency room in poor general condition, with cutaneous lesions
      characterized by hot, infiltrated, violaceous and erythematous plaques involving
      the left chest wall. The clinical and histopathological findings were consistent
      with the recently described variant of inflammatory cutaneous metastatic
      carcinoma named carcinoma hemorrhagiectoides. Microscopic examination
      demonstrated extensive infiltration of the dermis by tumor cells as well as
      intralymphatic involvement by neoplastic cells. This is a very rare presentation
      of cutaneous metastasis from breast cancer.

PMID- 28633746
TI  - Extragenital bullous lichen sclerosus on the anterior lower extremities: report
      of a case and literature review.
AB  - Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a benign, chronic, inflammatory skin disease with a
      predilection for the anogenital region in women. Although males can also be
      affected, the ratio of female to male incidence has been reported to be as high
      as 6-10:1 and possesses a bimodal age distribution of pre-pubertal girls and
      postmenopausal women [1, 2]. Affected skin usually demonstrates polygonal papules
      that coalesce into porcelain white plaques and can be associated with edema,
      telangiectasias, and comedo-like plug formation [3]. Lichen sclerosus can be
      debilitating for some patients causing significant pruritus, pain, dysuria, and
      dyspareunia [4]. Rarely, lichen sclerosus appears in various extragenital areas,
      although most cases are relatively asymptomatic [3]. Even more uncommonly, as
      displayed in this case report of a 69-year-old woman, LS can present
      extragenitally with a bullous or hemorrhagic appearance [5].

PMID- 28633747
TI  - Trichomycosis axillaris dermoscopy.
AB  - Trichomycosis axillaris is a common but underdiagnosed condition of the skin. The
      dermoscopic image of this disease is not previously described in the scientific
      literature. We believe that dermoscopy is a convenient and interesting diagnostic
      method that may aid in the diagnosis.

PMID- 28633748
TI  - Multiple papulonodular lesions on central area of the face: what is your
      diagnosis?
AB  - A healthy 31-year-old woman presented with a 20-year history of asymptomatic skin
      colored papules and nodules on the central area of the face. Her maternal
      grandmother, aunts, mother, and sister also had similar lesions. Clinical,
      histopathological, and genetic features allowed the diagnosis of multiple
      familial trichoepithelioma. The patient and family were referred to the genetic
      department for genetic counselling. Close follow-up for the possibility of
      secondary basal cell carcinoma is warranted.

PMID- 28633749
TI  - Lichen planus pigmentosus in a blaschkoid distribution.
AB  - Lichen planus pigmentosus is a pigmentary disorder of unknown etiology, with
      diffuse hyperpigmentation of sun-exposed areas, more commonly seen in some ethnic
      and racial groups. We report an unusual case of lichen planus pigmentosus in a 40
      year-old man with Fizpatrick type III skin that was present in a blaschkoid
      distribution on the trunk, a distribution that has been rarely reported. This
      unique presentation of lichen planus pigmentosus may contribute to better
      understanding of the etiology, as the blaschkoid distribution may reflect
      underlying cutaneous mosaicism that renders those cells more susceptible to an
      insult that results in lichen planus pigmentosus. This disorder should be
      considered in the differential diagnosis of macular hyperpigmentation, especially
      in those from more commonly affected ethnic and racial groups, even when the
      distribution is atypical and in the absence of history of sun exposure.

PMID- 28633750
TI  - Evaluating cultural competency and patient satisfaction in an urban dermatology
      clinic.
AB  - Cultural competency continues to gain increased attention in medicine. Not only
      does it play a significant role in the delivery of health care and patient
      outcomes, but it also remains a major determinant of patient satisfaction. This
      study investigated how patients in an urban dermatology clinic rated their
      satisfaction with cultural competency. Compared to White patients, satisfaction
      scores were greater for Hispanic or Latino patients and less for Asian patients,
      while there was no significant difference for Black or African American patients.
      There were clear differences in patient satisfaction rates of various dimensions
      of cultural competency. A follow-up study with a larger sample size is needed for
      closer examination into the conclusions.

PMID- 28633751
TI  - Use of a punch tool for paring plantar warts in an "awl-like" manner.
AB  - Paring is useful for both diagnosis and treatment of plantar warts. Paring
      techniques generally involve scalpel blades, abrasive tools, or curettes.
      However, these tools do not permit the use of an "awl-like" carving technique of
      the wart afforded by using a punch biopsy tool. We have found this technique to
      be associated with greater precision and safety, as well as potentially increased
      efficacy compared to traditional methods.

PMID- 28633752
TI  - Rituximab administration in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris following
      reactivation of occult hepatitis B virus infection.
AB  - Immunosuppressive drugs are the milestone of treatment of autoimmune diseases,
      but they can lead to serious complications, including hepatitis B virus
      reactivation in HBV carriers as well as in patients with occult HBV infection
      (OBI). A 36-year-old man with OBI was diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris. He was
      prescribed prednisolone and his hepatitis B surface antigen turned positive.
      Viral replication was successfully controlled by lamivudine and adefovir.
      Mycophenolate mofetil and intravenous immunoglobulin  were not effective in
      controlling the pemphigus vulgaris. The patient received rituximab 500 mg weekly
      for four weeks and went into remission without any adverse effect. He safely
      received another course of rituximab after a relapse one year later. In
      conclusion, testing for hepatitis B core antibody should be considered mandatory,
      in addition to HBsAg, for the screening of pemphigus patients to detect rare
      cases of OBI before starting therapy. Furthermore, rituximab may in some cases be
      safely used in HBV carriers using antivirals concomitantly.

PMID- 28633753
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor-induced alopecia: alternative pathology and therapy.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are used to treat Crohn disease and
      psoriasis. Although they are typically well tolerated, adverse effects include
      the development of alopecia, and paradoxically, psoriatic lesions. We recently
      described a woman with Crohn disease who developed alopecia and scalp psoriasis
      during infliximab therapy. After discontinuing infliximab and beginning oral and
      topical therapies, her alopecia completely resolved. We compared our experience
      with that of the Craddock et al. who described a woman with Crohn disease and
      alopecia secondary to adalimumab therapy. Although the authors described typical
      histopathologic features of TNF inhibitor-induced alopecia, including decreased
      sebaceous glands, psoriasiform changes, superficial and deep perifollicular
      infiltrate of peribulbar lymphocytes, prominent plasma cells, and variable
      eosinophils, we observed atypical findings that included chronic folliculitis and
      perifolliculitis with dermal scarring and naked hair shafts in the dermis -
      reminiscent of folliculitis decalvans. Both patients experienced a complete
      recovery; however, Craddock et al. described continuing adalimumab therapy and
      using intralesional triamcinolone acetonide whereas our patient discontinued
      infliximab therapy, used a combination of topical scalp therapies including
      betamethasone lotion and mineral oil overnight under occlusion, and began oral
      minocycline. In conclusion, various histopathologies are observed with TNF
      inhibitor induced alopecia and multiple, effective, therapeutic avenues exist for
      this affliction.

PMID- 28633754
TI  - Total body skin examination adherence among young adults with an increased risk
      for skin cancer.
AB  - Although ultraviolent radiation exposure and skin cancer rates are rising in the
      US, there is not a consistent national message calling for routine total body
      skin examinations (TBSE) by a healthcare provider. This pilot study examined TBSE
      rates among adults at an increased risk for skin cancer (history of sunburn,
      indoor tanning use, excessive UV exposure, poor sunscreen use). Overall skin
      cancer prevention behaviors were insufficient among respondents (n=953) and only
      a quarter of respondents considered at an increased risk for skin cancer reported
      a TBSE. White, older students with light skin who regularly use sunscreen were
      significantly more likely to report a TBSE. These findings highlight the need for
      a national study examining TBSE across the lifespan among high-risk individuals.

PMID- 28633756
TI  - Immunotherapy: The Wave of the Future in Bladder Cancer?
AB  - Urothelial cell carcinoma (UC) is one of the most common cancers and one of the
      most deadly. Metastatic UC is particularly hard to treat, because it is typically
      diagnosed when patients are elderly and have medical comorbidities. Many patients
      with metastatic UC are unable to receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy, due to
      older age at diagnosis and comorbidities, and even when platinum chemotherapy can
      be administered, it has limited success in prolonging survival. Recently,
      improved understanding of molecular targets and immunologic characteristics of
      urothelial tumor cells has resulted in new therapeutic approaches that may help
      optimize first- and second-line therapy. The most exciting of these approaches is
      inhibition of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 or programmed cell
      death protein 1. These so-called "immune checkpoint" proteins are negative
      regulators of T-cell immune function, and inhibiting these proteins results in
      increased activation of the immune response to tumors. Two checkpoint inhibitors,
      atezolizumab and nivolumab, are now approved by the Food and Drug Administration
      as second-line therapy for advanced UC, and a wealth of clinical trials of these
      and other agents are ongoing. This review shows how oncology clinicians can
      incorporate checkpoint inhibitors into the management of patients with locally
      advanced or metastatic UC. It also introduces other forms of immunotherapy that
      are being investigated in bladder cancer: antibody-drug conjugates, vaccines,
      adoptive immunotherapy, and recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guerin.

PMID- 28633757
TI  - The relationship between circulating mitochondrial DNA and inflammatory cytokines
      in patients with major depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although inflammatory cytokines are established biomarkers of mood
      disorders, their molecular mechanism is not known. We hypothesized that
      circulating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contributes to inflammation and could be
      used as biomarkers. We investigated if circulating mtDNA level is associated with
      inflammatory cytokines and can be used as a biomarker of mood disorders. METHODS:
      Plasma mtDNA concentration was measured with real-time quantitative PCR targeting
      two regions of the mtDNA and plasma levels of four cytokines (GM-CSF, IL-2, IL-4,
      and IL-6) were measured with a multiplex immunoassay method in 109 patients with
      major depressive disorder (MDD). The most significantly correlated cytokine was
      verified with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data from 28
      patients with bipolar disorder (BD), 17 patients with schizophrenia (SZ), and 29
      healthy controls were compared. RESULTS: MtDNA levels showed a nominal positive
      correlation with GM-CSF, IL-2 and IL-4 in patients with MDD. The most significant
      correlation with IL-4 (rho = 0.38, P < 0.00005) was verified with an ELISA (rho =
      0.19, P = 0.049). Unexpectedly, patients with MDD and BD showed significantly
      lower plasma mtDNA levels than controls. MtDNA levels were lower in the
      depressive state than in the euthymic state in patients with MDD. Patients with
      depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia did not show significantly higher
      levels of these four cytokines than controls. LIMITATIONS: There is a possibility
      that the patients in this study are different from previous studies in which
      increased cytokine levels were reported. MtDNA levels should be measured in
      patients showing elevated plasma cytokine levels. A larger sample is required to
      generalize the results. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings coincide with our
      hypothesis that circulating mtDNA contributes to the inflammation in MDD. Further
      studies are needed to conclude whether plasma mtDNA would be a biomarker of mood
      disorders.

PMID- 28633758
TI  - Listen: When words don't come easy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Listening is at the very heart of communication in healthcare, but
      largely ignored in research and teaching. This paper presents different
      perspectives on listening within the context of healthcare and its implications
      for goal-directed communication. METHODS: The assets of listening are examined
      from several angles (the listening patient, the listening health professional,
      and the listening self) and illustrated by the results of relevant research.
      RESULTS: Listening is a multidimensional concept and serves different purposes in
      healthcare. To benefit fully from it's potentials, the listening attitude and
      skills of patients and health professionals need to be enhanced through
      interventions at the level of policy, practice and research. Results from
      research evaluating creative and innovative ways of strenghtening persons'
      listening skills are encouraging. CONCLUSION: Listening has underused potential
      which can be boosted by interventions directed at the level of healthcare policy,
      practice and research. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: For healthcare practice, it is
      helpful to keep in mind that listening involves more than hearing what the other
      person says; one also needs eyes, a heart, and undivided attention.

PMID- 28633760
TI  - The future is now: A 2020 view of alcoholism research.

PMID- 28633761
TI  - The opinion of health professionals regarding the presence of relatives during
      cardiopulmonary resucitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The latest recommendations from the American Heart Association and
      the European Resuscitation Council invite allowance for the presence of relatives
      (PR) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as an extra measure of family
      care. OBJECTIVE: To discover the opinion of health professionals on the PR during
      CPR. METHOD: Cross-sectional observational study through an online survey in
      Spain, based on a non-probability sample (n=315). RESULTS: 45% consider that the
      PR during CPR is not demanded by users. 64% value the implementation of this
      practice in a negative or a very negative way. 45% believe that the practice
      would avoid the feeling of abandonment that is instilled in the relatives, this
      being the most widely perceived potential benefit. 30% do not believe that it can
      help reduce the anxiety of relatives. The majority remarked that PR would cause
      situations of violence, psychological harm in witnesses, and more mistakes during
      care. 48% feel prepared to perform the role of companion. CONCLUSIONS: Most
      professionals perceive more risks than benefits, and are not in favour of
      allowing PR due to a paternalistic attitude, and fear of the reactions that could
      be presented to the team. Extra-hospital emergency personnel seems to be the
      group most open to allowing this practice. Most professionals do not feel fully
      prepared to perform the role of companion.

PMID- 28633759
TI  - Martini Coarse-Grained Force Field: Extension to RNA.
AB  - RNA has an important role not only as the messenger of genetic information but
      also as a regulator of gene expression. Given its central role in cell biology,
      there is significant interest in studying the structural and dynamic behavior of
      RNA in relation to other biomolecules. Coarse-grain molecular dynamics
      simulations are a key tool to that end. Here, we have extended the coarse-grain
      Martini force field to include RNA after our recent extension to DNA. In the same
      way DNA was modeled, the tertiary structure of RNA is constrained using an
      elastic network. This model, therefore, is not designed for applications
      involving RNA folding but rather offers a stable RNA structure for studying RNA
      interactions with other (bio)molecules. The RNA model is compatible with all
      other Martini models and opens the way to large-scale explicit-solvent molecular
      dynamics simulations of complex systems involving RNA.

PMID- 28633762
TI  - Usefulness of Mean Platelet Volume-to-Lymphocyte Ratio for Predicting
      Angiographic No-Reflow and Short-Term Prognosis After Primary Percutaneous
      Coronary Intervention in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial
      Infarction.
AB  - Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) is associated with improved
      prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
      However, no-reflow phenomenon limits the benefit of revascularization and
      predicts adverse outcomes. The specific mechanism for its occurrence is still not
      entirely clear, and it is believed at present that platelet activation and
      inflammation play a pivotal role in developing no-reflow. Both increased mean
      platelet volume (MPV), which is a platelet activation marker, and lymphopenia,
      which is an inflammation marker, have been linked to adverse events and poor
      prognosis after STEMI. Recently, MPV-to-lymphocyte ratio (MPVLR) has emerged as a
      novel marker of poor short- and long-term prognosis in diabetic patients with
      STEMI who underwent pPCI. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether MPVLR
      predicts angiographic no-reflow and in-hospital mortality in all STEMI patients.
      From January 2014 to January 2017, a total of 1,206 patients who underwent pPCI,
      admitted within 12 hours from symptom onset, were enrolled and divided into 2
      groups based on the final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow
      grading. No-reflow was defined as post-pPCI TIMI grade 0, 1, and 2 flows and
      normal-reflow was defined as TIMI 3 flow. The incidence of no-reflow was 16.1% (n
      = 198). The MPVLR values were higher in no-reflow group than in normal-reflow
      group (p <0.001). In multivariate analysis, MPVLR was an independent predictor of
      angiographic no-reflow. Furthermore, in multivariable Cox regression models
      adjusted for potential confounders, MPVLR was independently and positively
      associated with the hazard of 30-day all-cause mortality. In conclusion, the
      MPVLR was a strong independent predictor for angiographic no-reflow and short
      term mortality in patients with STEMI who underwent pPCI.

PMID- 28633764
TI  - beta-blocker treatment of vascular disease in cocaine addiction.

PMID- 28633763
TI  - Bioinformatics analysis in type 1 diabetes increases retention of low-density
      lipoprotein in the atherosclerosis-prone area of the murine aorta.

PMID- 28633766
TI  - Health Services Research and the Health Insurance Experiment?

PMID- 28633765
TI  - Neck dissection for unknown cancer of the head and neck in the era of
      chemoradiation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report outcomes for patients with cervical lymph node metastases from
      an unknown primary site of the head and neck treated with either non-operative
      therapy or neck dissection followed by adjuvant therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      All patients with squamous cell carcinoma of an unknown primary site of the head
      or neck seen between 2003 and 2013 were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method was
      used to estimate overall survival, local recurrence free survival, loco-regional
      recurrence free survival, and progression free survival. The log-rank test and
      proportional hazards regression were used to analyze factors influencing
      outcomes. RESULTS: Of 2258 patients with a new diagnosis of head and neck cancer,
      no primary site was identified in 66 patients. Twenty-nine patients were treated
      with definitive non-operative therapy (15 with chemoradiation and 14 with
      radiation alone). Thirty-seven patients received an upfront neck dissection
      followed by adjuvant radiation or chemoradiation. Three-year loco-regional
      recurrence free survival, progression free survival, and overall survival were
      55.9%, 55.4%, and 69.4% respectively. Patients treated with preoperative neck
      dissection had improved local recurrence free survival (96.7% vs 54.1%, p=0.003)
      and loco-regional recurrence free survival (82.2% vs 46.4%, p=0.068) compared to
      patients treated with definitive chemoradiation with no difference in overall
      survival (p=0.641). CONCLUSIONS: Neck dissection improved local and regional
      control but not overall survival in patients with unknown primary squamous cell
      carcinoma of the head and neck over non-operative therapy alone.

PMID- 28633767
TI  - Temporal Variation in Ankle Fractures and Orthopedic Resident Program Planning in
      an Urban Level 1 Trauma Center.
AB  - Previous studies have described the mechanism of ankle fractures, their seasonal
      variation, and fracture patterns but never in conjunction. In addition, the
      cohorts previously studied were either not from trauma centers or were often
      dominated by low-energy mechanisms. The present study aimed to describe the
      epidemiology of ankle fractures presenting to an urban level 1 trauma center. The
      records from an urban level 1 trauma center located in the Midwestern United
      States were retrospectively reviewed, and the injury mechanism and energy, time
      of injury, day of week, month, and patient characteristics (age, gender,
      comorbidities, smoking status) were collected. The fractures were classified
      using the AO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen), Lauge-Hansen, and
      Danis-Weber systems. Of these systems, the Lauge-Hansen classification system
      resulted in the greatest number of "unclassifiable" cases. Most ankle fractures
      were due to high-energy mechanisms, with motor vehicle collisions the most common
      high-energy mechanism. The review found that most ankle fractures were malleolar
      fractures, regardless of the mechanism of injury. The ankle fracture patients had
      greater rates of obesity, diabetes, and smoking than present in the region where
      the hospital is located. The fractures were most likely to occur in the
      afternoon, with more fractures presenting on the weekend than earlier in the week
      and more fractures in the fall and winter than in the spring and summer. The
      temporal variation of these fractures should be considered for health services
      planning, in particular, in regard to resident physician staffing at urban level
      1 trauma centers.

PMID- 28633768
TI  - Comparing Different Surgical Techniques for Addressing the Posterior Malleolus in
      Supination External Rotation Ankle Fractures and the Need for Syndesmotic Screw
      Fixation.
AB  - Trimalleolar ankle fractures are unstable injuries with possible syndesmotic
      disruption. Recent data have described inherent morbidity associated with screw
      fixation of the syndesmosis, including the potential for malreduction, hardware
      irritation, and post-traumatic arthritis. The posterior malleolus is an important
      soft tissue attachment for the posterior inferior syndesmosis ligament. We
      hypothesized that fixation of a sizable posterior malleolar (PM) fracture in
      supination external rotation type IV (SER IV) ankle fractures would act to
      stabilize the syndesmosis and minimize or eliminate the need for trans
      syndesmotic fixation. A retrospective review of trimalleolar ankle fractures
      surgically treated from October 2006 to April of 2011 was performed. A total of
      143 trimalleolar ankle fractures were identified, and 97 were classified as SER
      IV. Of the 97 patients, 74 (76.3%) had a sizable PM fragment. Syndesmotic
      fixation was required in 7 of 34 (20%) and 27 of 40 (68%), respectively, when the
      PM was fixed versus not fixed (p = .0002). When the PM was indirectly reduced
      using an anterior to posterior screw, 7 of 15 patients (46.7%) required
      syndesmotic fixation compared with none of 19 patients when the PM fragment was
      fixated with direct posterior lateral plate fixation (p = .0012). Fixation of the
      PM fracture in SER IV ankle fractures can restore syndesmotic stability and,
      thus, lower the rate of syndesmotic fixation. We found that fixation of a sizable
      PM fragment in SER IV or equivalent injuries through posterolateral plating can
      eliminate the need for syndesmotic screw fixation.

PMID- 28633769
TI  - Blisters in Ankle Fractures: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
AB  - The most frequent postoperative complications after an ankle fracture are usually
      skin related. We present the results of a retrospective study of 112 patients
      with ankle fracture who had undergone open reduction and internal fixation from
      January 2014 to December 2014. The following features were analyzed: patient
      comorbidities, fracture type, the presence of an open fracture or fracture
      dislocation, timing and duration of surgery, preoperative glucose level, and
      short-term complications (i.e., blisters, wound dehiscence, deep and superficial
      infections, and reintervention). The mean age of the patients was 50.38 years.
      Fracture blisters were present in 20.5% of the cases. The operative time was
      75.74 +/- 25.09 minutes for patients with blisters and 64.48 +/- 19.73 minutes
      for patients without blisters (p = .023). The preoperative blood glucose levels
      were 122.96 +/- 28.46 g/dL in the patients with blisters and 106.70 +/- 21.32
      g/dL in the patients without blisters (p = .003). No statistically significant
      differences were observed between the patients who had undergone surgery <24
      hours after injury and those who had done so >24 hours after injury. In
      conclusion, the presence of postoperative blisters in patients with ankle
      fractures was associated with prolonged surgical procedures and high serum
      glucose levels.

PMID- 28633770
TI  - A 24-Month Follow-Up of a Custom-Made Suture-Button Assembly for Syndesmotic
      Injuries of the Ankle.
AB  - In the present retrospective analysis, we introduce a custom suture-button
      fixation device for acute ankle syndesmotic injuries that allows for early
      weightbearing without another planned operation for hardware removal. We
      evaluated 87 consecutive ankles in 87 patients (49 males [56.32%] and 38 females
      [43.68%]). Of the 87 patients, 15 (17.24%) withdrew or were lost to follow-up,
      leaving 72 patients (82.76%) in the present study. Their mean age was 35.2 (range
      17 to 67) years. Nineteen patients (26.39%) presented with a pure syndesmotic
      disruption, and 53 (73.61%) had associated malleolar fractures. The American
      Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scale score improved significantly from 31.2
      +/- 4.2 preoperatively to 88.5 +/- 5.3 at an average of 24 months postoperatively
      (p < .0043). Revision was undertaken because of implant failure in 4 ankles
      (5.56%). Two revisions (2.78%) were performed in 2 ankles because of early
      weightbearing in the first 2 weeks after surgery. The third patient (1.39%)
      underwent revision at 5 weeks postoperatively. This syndesmotic reduction failure
      was attributed to failure of the threads, which was noted at the second surgery.
      The fourth patient (1.39%), a 66-year-old male, underwent revision at 5 months
      postoperatively because of persistent infection. An 18-month postoperative
      radiograph was available for all patients. The medial clear space had
      significantly decreased, from 8.2 +/- 3.1 mm preoperatively to 3.5 +/- 2.2 mm at
      18 months postoperatively (p < .0344). Likewise, the tibiofibular clear space had
      decreased significantly, from a mean of 8.8 +/- 3.7 mm preoperatively to a mean
      of 3.7 +/- 2.2 mm at 18 months postoperatively (p < .0322). In conclusion, suture
      button fixation described in the present report delivered satisfactory functional
      outcomes and anatomic reduction at minimum of 18 months after surgery.

PMID- 28633771
TI  - Relationship of Cuboid Height to Plantar Ulceration and Other Radiographic
      Parameters in Midfoot Charcot Neuroarthropathy.
AB  - The objective of the present investigation was to examine the effect of cuboid
      height on the presence of plantar midfoot ulceration and the relationship of
      cuboid height to other commonly performed radiographic parameters during
      evaluation of midfoot Charcot neuroarthropathy. A retrospective analysis was
      performed of 68 feet in 60 subjects who met the inclusion criteria. We did not
      observe statistically significant differences in the presence of a plantar
      midfoot ulceration when considering a cuboid height threshold of 0.0 mm, 2.0 mm, 
      2.0 mm, or -5.0 mm nor was the cuboid height a robust predictor for the presence
      of plantar midfoot ulceration when considering the positive predictive value,
      negative predictive value, sensitivity, or specificity. We observed a significant
      negative association between a negative cuboid height and the presence of Sanders
      Type 2 deformities (76.2% of those with negative height versus 50.0% of those
      with positive height had type 2 deformities; p = .0036), the absence of
      radiographic visualization of the lateral tarsometatarsal joint (71.4% of those
      with negative height versus 26.9% of those with positive height had an absence of
      radiographic visualization; p = .005), and lower calcaneal inclination angles
      (6.06 degrees  versus 15.08 degrees ; p < .001). We further observed significant
      positive correlations between the cuboid height and the calcaneal-fifth
      metatarsal angle (0.655; p < .000), calcaneal inclination angle (0.591; p <
      .001), calcaneal-cuboid angle (0.254; p = .038), medial column height (0.264; p =
      .029), and first metatarsal inclination angle (0.245; p = .047). We also observed
      negative correlations with Meary's angle (-0.475; p < .001) and the talar
      declination angle (-0.387; p < .001). These findings showed a general trend
      toward a decreasing cuboid height and increasing sagittal plane deformity
      involving both the medial and the lateral columns. The results of the present
      investigation provide evidence against a single radiographic parameter being
      associated with the presence of plantar midfoot ulceration.

PMID- 28633772
TI  - Omnidirectional Internal Fixation by Double Approaches for Treating Ruedi
      Allgower Type III Pilon Fractures.
AB  - In the present study, we explored the effectiveness and complications of
      omnidirectional internal fixation using a double approach for treating Ruedi
      Allgower type III pilon fractures. A retrospective analysis was performed of 19
      cases of Ruedi-Allgower type III unilateral closed pilon fracture. With
      preoperative preparation and correct surgical timing, the reduction was performed
      using anteromedial and posterolateral approaches, and the fracture fragments were
      fixed by omnidirectional internal fixation. Imaging evaluation was performed
      using the Burwell-Charnley scoring system. The Johner-Wruhs scoring system was
      used to assess the functional status of the patients. A comprehensive evaluation
      of efficacy was performed using a 5-point Likert score. The complications were
      also recorded and analyzed. All patients were followed up for an average of 16.2
      months. The operative incisions of 15 cases healed by primary intent and with
      delayed healing in 4. All patients had achieved bony union at an average of 16
      weeks postoperatively. No deep infection, broken nail or withdrawn nail, exposed
      plate, or skin flap necrosis occurred. The Burwell-Charnley imaging evaluation
      showed that 14 patients had anatomic reduction of the articular surface and 5 had
      acceptable reduction. Using the Johner-Wruhs scoring system, the results were
      excellent for 8, good for 7, fair for 2, and poor for 2 patients; the combined
      rate of excellent and good results was 78.9%. The Likert score of efficacy self
      reported by the patients was 3 to 4 points for 12 patients, 2 points for 4
      patients, and 0 to 1 point for 3 patients. The Likert score of therapeutic
      efficacy reported by the physicians was 3 to 4 points for 10 patients, 2 points
      for 5 patients, and 0 to 1 point for 4 patients. Omnidirectional internal
      fixation using double approaches was an effective method to treat Ruedi-Allgower
      type III pilon fractures with satisfactory reduction and rigid fixation, good
      joint function recovery, and few complications.

PMID- 28633773
TI  - Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Outcomes of Laser Therapy, Ultrasound
      Therapy, and Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Treatment of Plantar
      Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - We determined and compared the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT),
      therapeutic ultrasound (US) therapy, and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT)
      using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We performed a randomized, prospective,
      comparative clinical study. A total of 60 patients with a diagnosis of chronic
      plantar fasciitis were divided randomly into 3 treatment groups: group 1
      underwent 15 sessions of LLLT (8 J/cm2; 830 nm); group 2 underwent 15 sessions of
      continuous US (1 mHz; 2 W/cm2); and group 3 underwent 3 sessions of ESWT (2000
      shocks). All patients were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), heel
      tenderness index (HTI), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle
      hindfoot scale, Roles-Maudsley score, and MRI before and 1 month after treatment.
      The primary efficacy success criterion was the percentage of decrease in heel
      pain of >60% from baseline at 1 month after treatment for >=2 of the 3 heel pain
      (VAS) measurements. Significant improvement was measured using the mean VAS,
      AOFAS scale, and HTI scores for all 3 groups. The thickness of the plantar fascia
      had decreased significantly on MRI in all 3 groups. The treatment success rate
      was 70.6% in the LLLT group, 65% in the ESWT group, and 23.5% in the US group.
      LLLT and ESWT proved significantly superior to US therapy using the primary
      efficacy criterion (p = .006 and p = .012, respectively), with no significant
      difference between the LLLT and ESWT groups (p > .05). The treatment of chronic
      plantar fasciitis with LLLT and ESWT resulted in similar outcomes and both were
      more successful than US therapy in pain improvement and functional outcomes.

PMID- 28633774
TI  - Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis with Noninvasive Interactive
      Neurostimulation: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.
AB  - The initial treatment of plantar fasciitis should be conservative, with most
      cases responding to standard physiotherapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
      (NSAIDs), heel pads, and stretching. In cases of chronic refractory symptoms,
      more invasive treatment could be necessary. Noninvasive interactive
      neurostimulation (NIN) is a form of electric therapy that works by locating areas
      of lower skin impedance. The objective of the present prospective randomized
      controlled study was to evaluate whether the use of NIN for chronic plantar
      fasciitis could result in greater improvement in a foot functional score, lower
      levels of reported pain, reduced patient consumption of NSAIDs, and greater
      patient satisfaction compared with electric shockwave therapy in patients without
      a response to standard conservative treatment. The patients were randomized using
      random blocks to the NIN program (group 1) or electric shockwave therapy (group
      2). The outcome measurements were the pain subscale of the validated Foot
      Function Index (PS-FFI), patient-reported subjective assessment of the level of
      pain using a standard visual analog scale, and daily intake of NSAID tablets
      (etoricoxib 60 mg). The study group was evaluated at baseline (time 0), week 4
      (time 1), and week 12 (final follow-up point). Group 1 (55 patients) experienced
      significantly better results compared with group 2 (49 patients) in term of the
      PS-FFI score, visual analog scale score, and daily intake of etoricoxib 60 mg.
      NIN was an effective treatment of chronic resistant plantar fasciitis, with full
      patient satisfaction in >90% of cases. The present prospective randomized
      controlled study showed superior results for noninvasive neurostimulation
      compared with electric shockwave therapy, in terms of the functional score, pain
      improvement, and use of NSAIDs.

PMID- 28633775
TI  - Ball and Socket Ankle: Mechanism and Computational Evidence of Concept.
AB  - The ball and socket ankle joint is a morphologically abnormal joint characterized
      by rounding of the articular surface of the talus. Other than anecdotal
      observation, little evidence has been presented to describe the development of
      this deformity. The purpose of the present study was to review ankle and subtalar
      joint mechanics and to kinematically examine the functional combination of these
      joints as a mechanism of the ball and socket ankle deformity. We reviewed
      functional representations of the ankle joint, subtalar joint, and ball and
      socket ankle deformity. A computational study of joint kinematics was then
      performed using a 3-dimensional model derived from a computed tomography scan of
      a ball and socket deformity. The joint kinematics were captured by creating a
      "virtual map" of the combined kinematics of the ankle and subtalar joints in the
      respective models. The ball and socket ankle deformity produces functionally
      similar kinematics to a combination of the ankle and subtalar joints. The
      findings of the present study support the notion that a possible cause of the
      ball and socket deformity is bony adaptation that compensates for a functional
      deficit of the ankle and subtalar joints.

PMID- 28633776
TI  - Bioabsorbable Calcaneo-Stop Implant for the Treatment of Flexible Flatfoot: A
      Retrospective Cohort Study at a Minimum Follow-Up of 4 Years.
AB  - Arthroereisis of the subtalar joint is a common surgical technique in Europe for
      the management of flexible flatfoot in the pediatric population. In most cases,
      it is performed using a calcaneo-stop metallic screw. Despite the good clinical
      results, screw removal is always advised after 2 to 3 years. The use of a
      bioabsorbable screw might overcome the need for a second operation to remove a
      nonabsorbable device. We report the results of a biodegradable calcaneo-stop
      screw at a minimum of 4 years of follow-up. Eighty-eight procedures were
      performed on 44 children. All patients were clinically and radiologically
      evaluated preoperatively and at a minimum 4-year follow-up period. Patient
      satisfaction and plantar collapse using Viladot's classification were recorded.
      Meary's talus-first metatarsal angle and talocalcaneal angle were measured on
      radiographs preoperatively and at the last follow-up visit. The presence of the
      device at the last follow-up examination was assessed by magnetic resonance
      imaging. The mean follow-up duration was 56 months. Of the 44 patients, 33 (75%)
      reported excellent clinical outcomes, 9 (20.5%) good outcomes, and 2 (4.5%) poor.
      Foot print improvement was registered for all patients. The mean Meary's talus
      first metatarsal angle had improved from 160.6 degrees  +/- 7.7 degrees 
      preoperatively to 170.6 degrees  +/- 6.5 degrees  at the last follow-up visit (p
      < .001). The talocalcaneal angle had decreased from 39.9 degrees  +/- 5.2 degrees
      preoperatively to 29.4 degrees  +/- 4 degrees  at the last follow-up examination
      (p < .001). At the 4-year follow-up point, the implant could be seen to have
      almost completely biodegraded on magnetic resonance imaging. Two screw breakages
      occurred. The bioabsorbable calcaneo-stop screw seems to be an effective solution
      for flexible flatfoot in pediatric patients. Also, owing to its biodegradable
      composition, the need of a second operation for implant removal will not always
      be necessary.

PMID- 28633777
TI  - Shall We Inject Superficial or Deep to the Plantar Fascia? An Ultrasound Study of
      the Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciitis.
AB  - We compared the effectiveness of ultrasound (US)-guided corticosteroid, injected
      superficial or deep to the fascia, in patients with plantar fasciitis. Thirty
      patients (24 females [75%] and 6 males [25%]) with unilateral chronic plantar
      fasciitis were divided into 2 groups according to the corticosteroid injection
      site: superficial (n = 15) or deep (n = 15) to the plantar fascia. Patient heel
      pain was measured using a Likert pain scale and the Foot Ankle Outcome Scale
      (FAOS) for foot disability, evaluated at baseline and repeated in the first and
      sixth weeks. The plantar fascia and heel pad thicknesses were assessed on US
      scans at baseline and the sixth week. The groups were similar in age, gender, and
      body mass index (p > .05 for all). Compared with the baseline values, the Likert
      pain scale (p < .001 for all) and FAOS subscale (p < .01 for all) scores had
      improved at the first and sixth week follow-up visits in both groups. Although
      the plantar fascia thickness had decreased significantly in both groups at the
      sixth week (p < .001 for both), the heel pad thickness remained unchanged (p >
      .05 for both). The difference in the FAOS subscales (pain, p = .002; activities
      of daily living, p = .003; sports/recreational activities, p = .008; quality of
      life, p = .009) and plantar fascia thickness (p = .049) showed better improvement
      in the deep than in the superficial injection group. US-guided corticosteroid
      injections are safe and effective in the short-term therapeutic outcome of
      chronic plantar fasciitis. Additionally, injection of corticosteroid deep to the
      fascia might result in greater reduction in plantar fascia thickness, pain, and
      disability and improved foot-related quality of life.

PMID- 28633778
TI  - Results of HemiCAP(r) Implantation as a Salvage Procedure for Osteochondral
      Lesions of the Talus.
AB  - Osteochondral defects (OCDs) of the talus remain a surgical challenge, especially
      after failed primary treatment. The aim of the present study was to examine the
      clinical outcomes after HemiCAP(r) implantation for OCDs of the medial talar dome
      after failed previous surgery. Our retrospective study included 11 patients, who
      had undergone surgery from June 2009 to September 2012 for an OCD of the medial
      talar dome and received a HemiCAP(r) on the talus after failed previous surgery
      for OCD. The data were acquired using patients' medical records and standardized
      questionnaires, including the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), University of
      California at Los Angeles (UCLA) activity score, EQ-5D, numerical rating scale
      (NRS), and Short-Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36). Using these scores, the
      possibility of returning to work and sports was determined. Any complications and
      the need for revision surgery were recorded. One patient refused to participate
      in the study, leaving 10 patients for evaluation. The mean age was 47.64 +/-
      10.97 years. The mean follow-up period was 43.5 +/- 35.51 months. The FAOS and SF
      36 subscale scores and the EQ-5D and UCLA activity scores did not improve
      significantly (p < .05). The mean postoperative pain score on the NRS improved
      significantly from 6.6 +/- 1.77 preoperatively to 5.1 +/- 2.02 postoperatively (p
      < .05). A greater body mass index led to worse postoperative outcomes with higher
      scores on the pain-NRS and less satisfaction (p < .05). Ten revisions for ongoing
      pain were performed in 7 patients (70.0%) within a mean of 28.4 +/- 13.35 months
      of the initial procedure, and 6 patients (60%) indicated they would undergo
      surgery again. The results of the present study have shown that implantation of
      the HemiCAP(r) as a salvage procedure for OCDs of the talus is challenging and
      does not consistently lead to good clinical results. Also, overweight patients
      appear to have an increased risk of postoperative dissatisfaction and persistent
      ankle pain.

PMID- 28633779
TI  - Differences in Classification Between Mono- and Polytrauma and Low- and High
      Energy Trauma Patients With an Ankle Fracture: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
AB  - Although fracture type and treatment options for ankle fractures are well
      defined, the differences between mono- and polytrauma patients and low- and high
      energy trauma have not been addressed. The aim of the present study was to
      compare the fracture type and trauma mechanism between mono- and polytrauma and
      low- and high-energy trauma patients with an ankle fracture. We performed a
      single-center retrospective cohort study. Fractures were classified according to
      the Lauge-Hansen classification and a descriptive classification. High-energy
      trauma (HET) was defined using triage criteria. All other patients were
      classified as having experienced low-energy trauma (LET). The patients were
      divided into 2 groups according to the injury severity score (ISS). Monotrauma
      patients were defined as patients with an ISS of 4 to 11 with an isolated ankle
      fracture or an ankle fracture with a minor contusion or laceration. Polytrauma
      patients were defined as patients with an ISS of >=16 with >=2 body regions
      involved. Patients with an ISS from 12 to 15 were excluded. A total of 96
      patients were eligible for analysis. Of the 96 patients, 62 had experienced
      monotrauma and 34 had experienced polytrauma. A significant difference was found
      between the mono- and polytrauma patients in the Lauge-Hansen classification (p <
      .001). Monotrauma patients had a high incidence of an isolated supination
      external rotation injury. Supination adduction and pronation abduction injuries
      were more often observed in polytrauma patients. The same pattern was observed
      for ankle fractures after HET compared with LET (p < .001), because all pronation
      abduction and supination adduction injuries were observed after a HET mechanism.
      The results of the present study indicate that polytrauma patients sustain
      different types of ankle fractures than patients with an isolated ankle fracture.
      This difference likely results from the high-energy transfer associated with
      polytrauma, because pronation abduction and supination adduction injuries were
      only observed after HET.

PMID- 28633780
TI  - Subtalar Coalitions: Does the Morphology of the Subtalar Joint Involvement
      Influence Outcomes After Coalition Excision?
AB  - Posteromedial subtalar (PMST) coalitions are a recently described anatomic
      subtype of tarsal coalitions. We compared with clinical patient-based outcomes of
      patients with PMST and standard middle facet (MF) coalitions who had undergone
      surgical excision of their coalition. The included patients had undergone
      surgical excision of a subtalar tarsal coalition, preoperative computed
      tomography (CT), and patient-based outcomes measures after surgery (including the
      American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society [AOFAS] scale and University of
      California, Los Angeles [UCLA], activity score). Blinded analysis of the
      preoperative CT scan findings determined the presence of a standard MF versus a
      PMST coalition. The perioperative factors and postoperative outcomes between the
      MF and PMST coalitions were compared. A total of 51 feet (36 patients) were
      included. The mean follow-up duration was 2.6 years after surgery. Of the 51
      feet, 15 (29.4%) had a PMST coalition and 36 (70.6%) had an MF coalition. No
      difference was found in the UCLA activity score; however, the mean AOFAS scale
      score was higher for patients with PMST (95.7) than for those with MF (86.5; p =
      .018). Of the patients with a PMST, none had foot pain limiting their activities
      at the final clinical follow-up visit. However, in the group with an MF subtalar
      coalition, 10 (27.8%) had ongoing foot pain limiting activity at the final follow
      up visit (p = .024). Compared with MF subtalar tarsal coalitions, patients with
      PMST coalitions showed significantly improved clinical outcomes after excision.
      Preoperative identification of the facet morphology can improve patient
      counseling and expectations after surgery.

PMID- 28633781
TI  - Beaming in Charcot Arthropathy-Intramedullary Fixation for Complicated
      Reconstructions: A Cadaveric Study.
AB  - In the modern treatment of Charcot neuroarthropathy, beam screw fixation is an
      alternative to plate and screw fixation. Exposure is minimized for implantation,
      and this technique supports the longitudinal columns of the foot as a rigid load
      sharing construct. A published data review identified a paucity of data regarding
      metatarsal intramedullary canal morphology relevant to beam screw fixation. The
      purpose of the present study was to describe metatarsal diaphyseal morphology
      qualitatively and quantitatively in an effort to provide data that can be used by
      surgeons when selecting axially based intramedullary fixation. Twenty fresh
      frozen cadaveric below-the-knee specimens were obtained. The metatarsals were
      exposed, cleaned of soft tissue, and axially transected at the point of the
      narrowest external diameter. Next, a digital caliper was used to measure the size
      and shape of the diaphysis of the first through fourth metatarsals. The
      diaphyseal canal shape was categorized as round, oval, triangular, or pear. The
      widest distance between the endosteal cortical surfaces was measured. Triangular
      endosteal canals were only found in the first metatarsal, and the remainder of
      the metatarsal canals were largely round or oval. These data help to approximate
      the size of fixation needed to achieve maximal screw-endosteal purchase.

PMID- 28633782
TI  - Factors Predicting Length of Hospital Stay and Extended Care Facility Admission
      After Hindfoot Arthrodesis Procedures.
AB  - Delayed identification of patients requiring admission to extended care
      facilities (ECFs) can lead to greater healthcare costs through an increased
      length of hospital stay (LOHS). Previous studies of hip and knee arthroplasty
      identified factors associated with a likely discharge to an ECF. These issues
      have not been extensively studied for major hindfoot procedures. We conducted a
      retrospective review of 198 cases treated during a 3-year period to identify the
      risk factors for an extended LOHS and ECF admission after ankle arthrodesis,
      triple arthrodesis, pantalar arthrodesis, and subtalar arthrodesis. The primary
      outcomes were LOHS and ECF admission. The independent predictors included age,
      sex, body mass index, housing status, American Society of Anesthesiologists
      class, diabetes and/or diabetic neuropathy, health insurance, fixation type, and
      perioperative infection. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to
      determine which variables were related to a longer LOHS. Nonparametric
      discriminant function analysis was used to identify the preoperative factors that
      best predicted ECF admission. A longer LOHS was significantly related to
      postoperative ECF admission, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
      insurance, diabetic neuropathy, external fixation, and infection. ECF admission
      was required for 34 of 198 patients (17.2%). Discriminant analysis found that
      older age, living alone, external fixation, and CMS insurance predicted a greater
      probability of ECF admission. The function accurately classified 94% of ECF
      admissions and 80% of non-ECF admission patients. ECF admission and CMS insurance
      extended the LOHS, likely owing to the administrative process of arranging an ECF
      discharge. If externally validated, the function we have derived could provide
      preoperative identification of likely ECF discharge candidates and reduce costs
      by shortening the LOHS.

PMID- 28633783
TI  - A Biomechanical Analysis of Interference Screw Versus Bone Tunnel Fixation of
      Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon Transfers to the Calcaneus.
AB  - The flexor hallucis longus tendon transfer is commonly used to restore function
      in chronic Achilles tendon ruptures and chronic Achilles tendinopathy. The tendon
      is often secured to the calcaneus either through a bone tunnel or by an
      interference screw. We hypothesized that tenodesis using the bone tunnel method
      would be mechanically superior to interference screw fixation for flexor hallucis
      longus transfers. Eight matched pairs of cadaveric specimens were assigned
      randomly to the bone tunnel or interference screw technique and were loaded to
      failure. Biomechanical analysis was performed to evaluate the ultimate strength,
      peak stress, Young's modulus, failure strain, and strain energy. Unpaired
      comparison, paired comparison, and linear regression analyses were used to
      determine statistical significance. A slight 22% +/- 9% decrease in Young's
      modulus and a 52% +/- 18% increase of strain energy were found in the
      interference screw group. However, no differences in ultimate strength, peak
      stress, or failure strain were seen between the 2 groups on paired comparison.
      Our findings suggest that interference screw fixation provides similar
      spontaneous biomechanical properties to the use of a bone tunnel for flexor
      hallucis longus transfer to the calcaneus. The interference screw is a practical
      option for fixation of the flexor hallucis longus tendon to the calcaneus and can
      be performed through a single incision approach.

PMID- 28633784
TI  - Complications of Talar Neck Fractures by Hawkins Classification: A Systematic
      Review.
AB  - The goal of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the published
      data on talar neck fractures for a better understanding of the postoperative
      clinical outcomes using open reduction and internal fixation stratified by
      Hawkins type. A PubMed search was performed using the keywords "talar," "neck,"
      and "fracture." This search identified 209 potential studies, which were reviewed
      to yield 16 studies that met the criteria. The surgical outcomes of talar neck
      fractures stratified by the Hawkins classification analyzed in the present study
      were as follows: American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scale score was
      77.00 for type I, 86.10 for type II, 68.30 for type III, 68.30 for type IV, and
      76.50 for all talar neck fractures. Avascular necrosis presented in 0.00% of type
      I fractures, 15.91% of type II fractures, 38.89% of type III fractures, 55.00% of
      type IV fractures, and 26.47% of all fractures. Osteoarthritis presented in
      25.00% of type I fractures, 41.33% of type II fractures, 54.23% of type III
      fractures, 72.73% of type IV fractures, and 51.69% of all fractures. Subtalar
      arthritis presented in 0.00% of type I fractures, 54.29% of type II fractures,
      46.43% of type III fractures, 45.45% of type IV fractures, and 44.97% of all
      fractures. The malunion prevalence was 13.29% and the nonunion prevalence was
      3.97% for all fractures. Type II fractures were the most common (50.88%) fracture
      type reported in the reports reviewed in the present study.

PMID- 28633785
TI  - The Lisfranc Amputation: A More Reliable Level of Amputation With Proper
      Intraoperative Tendon Balancing.
AB  - Traditional transmetatarsal amputations are a reliable level of amputation.
      However, amputations at the Lisfranc level have met with limited success owing to
      improper biomechanics resulting from tendon imbalance, ultimately leading to foot
      deformity positions and an unstable soft tissue envelope with ensuing skin
      breakdown, infection, and below-the-knee amputation. We describe proper tendon
      rebalancing that results in improved biomechanics and a more reliable and stable
      amputation at the more proximal Lisfranc level.

PMID- 28633786
TI  - Metastatic Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma of the Talus: A Case Report.
AB  - Tumors rarely metastasize to the foot bones; however, a misdiagnosis can lead to
      a poor outcome. These metastatic tumors can cause foot pain and other symptoms in
      patients who are asymptomatic for the primary tumor. To accurately diagnose
      acrometastases, the attending physician must have a high index of suspicion and
      conduct a thorough examination and appropriate diagnostic testing. We present a
      rare case of metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma of the talus, which was
      initially misdiagnosed as a benign bone cyst. After pulmonary adenocarcinoma was
      diagnosed, the patient received multidrug treatment for the primary and
      metastatic lesions and was still responding well at the 12-month follow-up visit.

PMID- 28633787
TI  - The Disappearing Phalanx: A Case Report of a Vascular Tumor of the Toe.
AB  - We report a unique case of an epithelioid hemangioma of the third middle phalanx
      in which the lesion replaced the phalanx, became symptomatic, and then required
      resection, bone grafting, and joint arthroplasty. To the best of our knowledge,
      this is the first report of an epithelioid hemangioma in the toe that was treated
      using this approach.

PMID- 28633788
TI  - Fluoroscopic and Gait Analyses for the Functional Performance of a Custom-Made
      Total Talonavicular Replacement.
AB  - The present study evaluated the restoration of joint function in a special
      clinical case: a professional rock climber who underwent an original total
      talonavicular replacement with a custom-made prosthesis after a complex articular
      fracture. Full body gait analysis and 3-dimensional joint kinematics using single
      plane fluoroscopy were performed on the same day at the 30-month follow-up
      examination. Gait analysis was performed using stereophotogrammetric,
      dynamometric, electromyographic, and baropodometric systems. Gait analysis showed
      good restoration of rotation, as well as moment patterns in the main lower limb
      and foot joints in the operated leg. At the artificial tibiotalar joint,
      videofluoroscopic analysis revealed a flexion capability of about 20 degrees ,
      together with a few degrees of motion in the frontal and transverse planes. The
      neighboring joints of the foot did not present with severe kinematic
      abnormalities. A full talonavicular replacement can be a viable and effective
      solution for complex ankle injury sequelae, even in patients with highly
      demanding functionality.

PMID- 28633789
TI  - Displaced Salter-Harris Type I Distal Fibula Fractures: Two Case Reports and a
      Review of the Literature.
AB  - Salter-Harris type I (SH-I) fractures of the distal fibula are commonly
      encountered in pediatric orthopedics. We describe 2 unique cases of adolescents
      with completely displaced SH-I distal fibula fractures that were treated
      operatively. In the first case, a closed reduction attempt failed and the patient
      required open reduction and internal fixation of the distal fibula and
      syndesmosis. The syndesmotic ligaments were avulsed from the distal fibular
      metaphysis. In the second case, closed reduction of the distal fibula fracture
      was partially successful, but anatomic reduction could not be achieved without
      open reduction. The distal fibula fracture was fixed with an intramedullary
      screw. We believe this pattern of injury represents a variant of the adolescent
      transitional ankle fracture. Because the distal tibial physes were nearing
      complete closure in these patients, the energy propagated through the distal
      fibular physis. To the best of our knowledge, this combination of injuries has
      not been previously reported. This type of physeal fracture raises concern for
      premature physeal closure, fibular growth disturbance, syndesmotic instability,
      and medial (deltoid ligament) injury. Both patients had excellent outcomes after
      anatomic reduction and fixation of the displaced SH-I distal fibula fractures at
      1 and 6 years of follow up, respectively.

PMID- 28633790
TI  - Ochrobactrum anthropi-Caused Osteomyelitis in the Foot Mimicking a Bone Tumor:
      Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - Osteomyelitis due to Ochrobactrum anthropi, a new genus Ochrobacterum widely
      distributed in the environment and occasionally associated with human infection,
      has been described in only a few case reports. We present a report of an unusual
      case of osteomyelitis caused by O. anthropi that was identified 9 years after a
      nail puncture to the lateral cuneiform bone. The patient was an 18-year-old male
      with a painful foot lesion that had originally been misdiagnosed as an osteolytic
      tumor. He underwent surgery and 2 firm pieces of rubber measuring 7 and 10 mm
      were removed from the lower portion of the lateral cuneiform bone, which appeared
      to be affected by an infection. After surgical debridement, O. anthropi was
      isolated from the bone cultures. The patient was successfully treated with a 6
      week course of oral ciprofloxacin and clindamycin. At 1 year after the corrected
      diagnosis and appropriate treatment, he was symptom free and had resumed regular
      activities and an athletic lifestyle.

PMID- 28633791
TI  - Peroneus Tertius Tendon Tear Causing Lateral Ankle Pain in a Child.
AB  - The peroneus tertius muscle arises in the anterior compartment of the leg and
      demonstrates significant morphologic variation. Its function is not yet clearly
      delineated. We present the case of a 12-year-old patient with an isolated tear of
      the peroneus tertius tendon that resulted in lateral based ankle pain. After
      surgical reconstruction, the patient's pain resolved, and he was able to return
      to his normal activities.

PMID- 28633792
TI  - Nonoperative Treatment of a Lesser Toe Plantar Plate Tear with Serial MRI Follow
      up: A Case Report.
AB  - With the current data concentrating on different operative treatment options for
      plantar plate tears, few data can be found on possible nonoperative treatment
      strategies for this entity and the specifics of such treatment. In the present
      case report, the successful nonoperative treatment of a patient with a rupture of
      the plantar plate in a lesser toe metatarsophalangeal joint is presented. The
      patient was followed up using repeat clinical examinations and high-resolution
      magnetic resonance imaging scans for 1 year after the imitation of therapy to
      provide information on the different stages of the healing process.

PMID- 28633793
TI  - Treatment of a Focal Articular Cartilage Defect of the Talus with Polymer-Based
      Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation: A 12-Year Follow-Up Period.
AB  - Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a first-line treatment option for
      large articular cartilage defects. Although well-established for cartilage
      defects in the knee, studies of the long-term outcomes of matrix-assisted ACI to
      treat cartilage defects in the ankle are rare. In the present report, we describe
      for the first time the long-term clinical and radiologic results 12 years after
      polymer-based matrix-assisted ACI treat a full-thickness talar cartilage defect
      in a 25-year-old male patient. The clinical outcome was assessed using the visual
      analog scale and Freiburg ankle score, magnetic resonance imaging evaluation
      using the Henderson-Kreuz scoring system and T2 mapping. Clinical assessment
      revealed improved visual analog scale and Freiburg ankle scores. The radiologic
      analysis and T2 relaxation time values indicated the formation of hyaline-like
      repair tissue. Polymer-based autologous chondrocytes has been shown to be a safe
      and clinically effective long-term treatment of articular cartilage defects in
      the talus.

PMID- 28633794
TI  - Glomus Tumor in the Tarsal Tunnel: A Case Report.
AB  - Glomus tumors are painful benign neoplasms. They commonly present in the hand and
      are mostly solitary lesions. We report a rare case of multiple glomus tumors in
      the lower leg. Moreover, 1 of the tumors was in the tarsal tunnel. Resection of
      the tumors resulted in the early diagnosis of glomus tumors and complete symptom
      relief. Because of its rarity, diagnosing an extradigital glomus tumor is
      difficult. Recognition of glomus tumors allows for an early diagnosis and
      resection, and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging helps in the detection of
      multiple lesions. Before resection, we considered tarsal tunnel syndrome in the
      differential diagnosis because of the symptoms and location of the tumor. Tarsal
      tunnel syndrome is a comparatively well-known disease in the foot. When tarsal
      tunnel syndrome is suspected, a glomus tumor should also be considered in the
      differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28633795
TI  - Valgus Ankle Degenerative Arthritis with an Isolated Deltoid Insufficiency and
      Tibial Varus: A Case Report.
AB  - We report a case of valgus ankle degenerative arthritis due to chronic isolated
      deltoid insufficiency combined with tibial varus that was treated successfully
      with ankle joint preserving surgery. A 63-year-old male complained of right
      lateral ankle pain with 10 minutes of maximal pain-free walking time. The
      assessed American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle ankle-hindfoot scale score was 33
      points. The ankle joint showed 18 degrees  of valgus deformity with 6 degrees  of
      tibia varus. Medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy, supramalleolar open wedge
      osteotomy, and deltoid ligament imbrication were performed. At the 2-year follow
      up examination, the ankle joint showed 10 degrees  of valgus and the tibial
      plafond showed flattening. The hindfoot showed 7 degrees  of valgus. He could run
      for 2 hours on the treadmill without pain. The American Orthopaedic Foot and
      Ankle ankle-hindfoot scale score was 90 points. In conclusion, valgus ankle
      degenerative arthritis with isolated deltoid insufficiency and tibial varus could
      be treated successfully with realignment using a double osteotomy and additional
      deltoid imbrication.

PMID- 28633796
TI  - Cotton Osteotomy in Flatfoot Reconstruction: A Case Report Highlighting Surgical
      Technique and Modified Incision to Protect the Medial Dorsal Cutaneous Nerve.
AB  - The Cotton osteotomy or opening wedge medial cuneiform osteotomy is a useful
      adjunctive flatfoot reconstructive procedure that is rarely performed in
      isolation. The Cotton procedure is relatively quick to perform and effectively
      corrects forefoot varus deformity after rearfoot fusion or osteotomy to achieve a
      rectus forefoot to rearfoot relationship. Proper patient selection is critical,
      because preoperative findings of medial column joint instability, concomitant
      hallux valgus deformity, or degenerative joint disease of the medial column might
      be better treated with arthrodesis of the naviculocuneiform or first
      tarsometatarsal joints. Procedure indications also include elevatus of the first
      ray, which can be a primary deformity in hallux limitus, or iatrogenic deformity
      after base wedge osteotomy in hallux valgus. We present the case of an adolescent
      patient who underwent flatfoot reconstruction, including Cotton osteotomy for
      correction of forefoot varus that was accentuated after double heel osteotomy.
      This case highlights our preferred procedure technique, including the use of a
      nerve-centric incision design. The use of an oblique dorsal medial incision is
      primarily intended to minimize the risk of trauma to the medial dorsal cutaneous
      nerve. At 20 months postoperatively for the right extremity and 12 months
      postoperatively for the left extremity, sensation remained intact, and the
      patient had not experienced any postoperative nerve symptoms. The patient had
      returned to playing sports without pain or restrictions.

PMID- 28633797
TI  - Sponge Rubber Revealed Two Years After Penetrating Injury: A Case Report.
AB  - The present report illustrates a very rare case report of a foreign body
      granuloma of the foot associated with a 2-year period of a retained spongeous
      rubber foreign body after a penetrating injury. Because it appeared almost 2
      years after the injury, the history of trauma was minimized, the foreign body had
      migrated from the plantar to the dorsal side of the foot, and the radiographic
      appearance resembled a malignant process, it was difficult to rule out the
      possibility of a malignant tumor. This case shows the weakness of magnetic
      resonance imaging in detecting spongeous rubber in the body. Also, a bone
      osteoblastic reaction to the foreign body has very rarely been noted. To the best
      of our knowledge, just 5 cases have been previously reported. Provided suspicion
      exists of previous trauma with an embedded foreign body, the differential
      diagnosis of a bone neoplasm should consider the possibility of a foreign body
      reaction. Biopsy proved to be the best diagnostic tool.

PMID- 28633798
TI  - Case Report: Irreducible Ankle Fracture With Posterior Tibialis Tendon and
      Retinaculum, Deltoid Ligament, and Anteromedial Joint Capsule Entrapment.
AB  - Irreducible ankle fractures are a relatively rare phenomenon. We present a case
      of a pronation abduction-type ankle fracture that was irreducible in the
      emergency room despite sedation. The patient was taken to the operating room,
      where the posterior tibialis tendon and retinaculum, deltoid ligament, and
      anteromedial capsule were found to be trapped within the joint. After removal of
      the tissue, alignment was restored. The patient did well clinically and was
      advanced to full weightbearing at 6 weeks. This is, to the best of our knowledge,
      the first report of entrapment of all 4 anatomic structures, preventing closed
      reduction.

PMID- 28633799
TI  - Interposition Ankle Arthroplasty Using Acellular Dermal Matrix: A Small Series.
AB  - Although ankle arthrodesis is the reference standard for end-stage ankle
      arthritis, loss of mobility and adjacent joint arthritis are consequences that
      alternatives to arthrodesis attempt to avoid. The purpose of the present study
      was to report the clinical results of interpositional arthroplasty using
      acellular dermal matrix in 4 patients (age 32 to 42 years) for the treatment of
      advanced ankle osteoarthritis. The primary findings included relief of pain, with
      improvement in tibiotalar joint range of motion from a mean of 16.5 degrees 
      (range 0 degrees  to 24 degrees ) preoperatively to a mean of 31 degrees  (range
      25 degrees  to 40 degrees ) postoperatively. All 4 patients underwent open
      arthrotomy of the anterior and posterior tibiotalar capsule with plafond
      exostectomy and debridement of all deleterious tissue within the ankle capsule.
      The articular surface of the talar dome was denuded down to smooth subchondral
      bone, and microfracture was performed. Autologous calcaneal bone marrow aspirate
      was applied, and talar resurfacing was achieved using an acellular dermal matrix.
      Knotless anchors placed medially and laterally within the anterior and posterior
      dome were used to affix the dermal matrix. The follow-up period ranged from 12 to
      18 (mean 14) months. The mean pre- and 12-month postoperative Association of
      Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hindfoot-ankle scale scores were 35 and 88.5,
      respectively. These outcomes suggest that interpositional tibiotalar arthroplasty
      using an acellular dermal matrix is successful in improving function and range of
      motion and decreasing pain. As an alternative to tibiotalar arthrodesis,
      interpositional tibiotalar arthroplasty might be the procedure of choice for
      young patients with end-stage ankle arthritis. Longer follow-up periods,
      histologic testing, and arthroscopic evaluations would be advantageous to further
      assess the durability of this procedure.

PMID- 28633800
TI  - Two-View Gravity Stress Imaging Protocol for Nondisplaced Type II Supination
      External Rotation Ankle Fractures: Introducing the Gravity Stress Cross-Table
      Lateral View.
AB  - Assessing ankle stability in nondisplaced Lauge-Hansen supination external
      rotation type II injuries requires stress imaging. Gravity stress mortise imaging
      is routinely used as an alternative to manual stress imaging to assess deltoid
      integrity with the goal of differentiating type II from type IV injuries in cases
      without a posterior or medial fracture. A type II injury with a nondisplaced
      fibula fracture is typically treated with cast immobilization, and a type IV
      injury is considered unstable and often requires operative repair. The present
      case series (two patients) highlights a standardized 2-view gravity stress
      imaging protocol and introduces the gravity stress cross-table lateral view. The
      gravity stress cross-table lateral view provides a more thorough evaluation of
      the posterior malleolus owing to the slight external rotation and posteriorly
      directed stress. External rotation also creates less bony overlap between the
      tibia and fibula, allowing for better visualization of the fibula fracture.
      Gravity stress imaging confirmed medial-sided injury in both cases, confirming
      the presence of supination external rotation type IV or bimalleolar equivalent
      fractures. Open reduction and internal fixation was performed, and both patients
      achieved radiographic union. No further treatment was required at 21 and 33
      months postoperatively.

PMID- 28633801
TI  - Total Talar Prosthesis Replacement after Talar Extrusion.
AB  - Dislocation of the talus is a serious and extremely rare injury, with 86 cases
      reported in the published data in 20 years. The reference standard for case
      management involves replacement of the dislocated talus to restore the height and
      function of the tibiotalar joint. The risk of avascular necrosis remains very
      high, and the standard treatment in such cases is tibiotalar arthrodesis. We
      report the case of total dislocation of the talus, which was treated with the
      insertion of a custom total talar prosthesis affixed directly to the tibial
      cartilage at 6 months after injury. At the 2-year follow-up point, the
      preliminary results were rather encouraging, with well-functioning activity and
      an improved American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society foot function scale score
      increasing from 11 to 77 of 100 and a Short-Form 36-item Health Survey score
      increasing from 17 to 82. Much longer follow-up periods are necessary to evaluate
      longer term trends.

PMID- 28633802
TI  - Assumptions of Statistical Tests: What Lies Beneath.
AB  - We have discussed many statistical tests and tools in this series of
      commentaries, and while we have mentioned the underlying assumptions of the
      tests, we have not explored them in detail. We stop to look at some of the
      assumptions of the t-test and linear regression, justify and explain them,
      mention what can go wrong when the assumptions are not met, and suggest some
      solutions in this case.

PMID- 28633803
TI  - Why don't we mention "impact on intimacy" when we ask patients to give consent
      for treatment of oral cancer?

PMID- 28633804
TI  - Protective effect of N-acetylcysteine on progression to end-stage renal disease:
      Necessity for prospective clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
      on the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression to dialysis-requiring end
      stage renal disease (ESRDd). METHODS: In a population-based cohort study of
      145,062 individuals, 123,608 CKD patients who were followed up for 10years were
      included, and CKD patients treated with NAC (ICD-9-CM) were compared with those
      who were not treated. Using propensity score matching, we analyzed the predictors
      of CKD progression to ESRDd by Cox proportional hazards regression with
      adjustments for sex, age, and comorbidities, and evaluated the effect of NAC
      using cumulative defined daily dose (cDDD). RESULTS: NAC use was associated with
      a reduced risk for progression to ESRDd [hazard ratio (HR), 0.819; 95% confidence
      interval (CI), 0.781-0.965; P=0.017]. Risk reduction was proportional to cDDD in
      NAC users compared with that in NAC non users (HR, 0.835, 0.811, and 0.799 for
      cDDD 91-180, 181-360, and >360, respectively; P for trend=0.018). Risk reduction
      was apparent in women (P=0.001) and in younger-aged patients of 18-29years
      (P=0.021) and 30-39years (P=0.033), in the presence of hypertension (P=0.003),
      and in the absence of diabetes mellitus (P=0.042) and congestive heart failure
      (P=0.036). CONCLUSION: NAC use was associated with a reduced risk for progression
      to ESRDd. These results, obtained from retrospective data, indicate that a
      prospective study is warranted.

PMID- 28633805
TI  - Somatic support following cardiac arrest for 90 days leading to a healthy baby
      boy: A case report.
AB  - Due to a lack of published case reports regarding the somatic support of brain
      dead pregnant patients, each one adds to the limited knowledge that directs care
      for this patient population. A young woman experienced a cardiac arrest and was
      subsequently determined to be approximately 20 weeks pregnant following cardio
      pulmonary resuscitation. Soon after, she was diagnosed as brain dead, but her
      family chose to keep her supported in hopes of the delivery of a healthy child.
      She was transferred to our facility, where she was supported after being
      diagnosed as brain dead for a total of 90 days and delivered a healthy baby boy
      at almost 32 weeks gestational age. Following delivery, the pregnant patient
      expired per brain death protocol. The following case report outlines the details
      of her care and the outcome of our somatic support to share and collaborate with
      other healthcare professionals caring for this rare patient population.

PMID- 28633806
TI  - IL-17 for therapy.
AB  - The cytokine IL-17 is now a target for an array of therapeutic monoclonal
      antibodies supposed to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases. The forerunner
      Secukinumab, an IL-17A neutralizing antibody, is meanwhile approved as first-line
      treatments for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and as second-line treatment
      for psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Ixekizumab and Brodalumab,
      both also targeting the IL-17 pathway, were also recently approved by the FDA for
      plaque psoriasis. Using mice overexpressing IL-17A in a tissue of choice, we
      showed that the ectopic expression of this cytokine in keratinocytes resulted in
      a spontaneous and very strong form of psoriasis-like dermatitis. Interestingly,
      this model showed some typical comorbidities found in humans with psoriasis. In
      this review, we will discuss why IL-17 is a good target especially in psoriasis
      and what we learned from mouse models about its functions in pathological
      situations.

PMID- 28633807
TI  - Differential induction of ATF3 and HO-1 in myeloid cells and keratinocytes via
      Dimethylfumarate or Cyclosporine A.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammatory skin diseases are characterized by controlled
      proliferation of keratinocytes. Here, activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3)
      might play a fundamental role. In these inflammatory diseases, proliferation is
      controlled and only rarely leads to cancer development which can be supported by
      an inflammatory microenvironment. ATF3 is a dual function protein as it
      suppresses pro-inflammatory IL-6 and IL-8, but also acts as a pro-oncogenic
      factor by the suppression of p53. We therefore analyzed ATF3 expression comparing
      myeloid cells with keratinocytes. OBJECTIVE: To dissect the bi-modal role of ATF3
      we pharmacologically induced ATF3 and analyzed its influence on cytokine
      expression and secretion in a cell type specific manner. METHODS: Since
      inflammatory skin diseases can be treated systemically with Cyclosporin A or
      Dimethylfumarate we stimulated myeloid cells and primary human keratinocytes with
      these drugs and analyzed gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR. Cytokine
      secretion was measured by ELISA. RESULTS: In the present study, we could show
      that ATF3 is induced in PBMCs by DMF and weakly by Ebselen, while CsA is the most
      prominent inducer of ATF3 in keratinocytes without enhancing HO-1 transcription.
      Further we could show that induction of stress by LPS treatment elevates IL-1beta
      and IL-6 and weakly ATF3 transcription in PBMCs. While transcription of both
      cytokines is elevated, LPS treatment mediates IL-6 secretion with only little IL
      1beta secretion. Treatment with DMF dampens LPS-induced transcription.
      CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results shed light into the different
      carcinogenic potential of CsA and DMF, which both target ATF3. Collectively our
      data demonstrate that CsA strongly induces pro-carcinogenic ATF3 in
      keratinocytes, whereas ATF3 induction by DMF in myeloid cells acts anti
      inflammatory.

PMID- 28633808
TI  - Impact of MR-guided boiling histotripsy in distinct murine tumor models.
AB  - Interest in mechanical high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation is
      rapidly growing. Boiling histotripsy (BH) is applied for mechanical fragmentation
      of soft tissue into submicron fragments with limited temperature increase using
      the shock wave and cavitation effects of HIFU. Research on BH has been largely
      limited to ex vivo experiments. As a consequence, the in vivo pathology after BH
      treatment and the relation to preexistent tissue characteristics are not well
      understood. This study reports on in vivo MR guided BH treatment, either with 100
      or 200 pulses per focal spot, in three different subcutaneous mouse tumor models:
      a soft-tissue melanoma (B16OVA), a compact growing thymoma (EL4), and a highly
      vascularized neuroblastoma (9464D). Extensive treatment evaluation was performed
      using MR imaging followed by histopathology 2h after treatment. T2 weighted MRI
      allowed direct in vivo visualization of the BH lesions in all tumor models. The
      100-pulse treated area in the B16OVA tumors was larger than the predicted
      treatment volume (500+/-10%). For the more compact growing EL4 and 9464D tumors
      this was 95+/-13% and 55+/-33%, respectively. Histopathology after the 100-pulse
      treatment revealed completely disintegrated lesions in the treated area with
      sharp borders in the compact EL4 and 9464D tumors, while for B16OVA tumors the
      lesion contained a mixture of discohesive (partly viable) clusters of cells,
      micro-vessel remainings, and tumor cell debris. The treatment of B16OVA with 200
      pulses increased the fragmentation of tumor tissue. In all tumor types only micro
      hemorrhages were detected after ablation (slightly higher after 200-pulse
      treatment for the highly vascularized 9464D tumors). Collagen staining revealed
      that the collagen fibers were to a greater or lesser extent still intact and
      partly clotted together near the lesion border in all tumor models. In
      conclusion, this study reveals effective mechanical fragmentation of different
      tumor types using BH without major hemorrhages. However, treatment settings may
      need to be adjusted to the tissue characteristics for optimal tissue
      fragmentation.

PMID- 28633809
TI  - Extraction of olive oil assisted by high-frequency ultrasound standing waves.
AB  - High-frequency ultrasound standing waves (megasonics) have been demonstrated to
      enhance oil separation in the palm oil process at an industrial level. This work
      investigated the application of megasonics in the olive oil process on laboratory
      and pilot scale levels. Sound pressure level and cavitational yield distribution
      were characterised with hydrophones and luminol to determine associated physical
      and sonochemical effects inside the reactor. The effect of water addition (0%,
      15%, and 30%), megasonic power levels (0%, 50%, and 100%), and malaxation time
      (10min, 30min, and 50min) was evaluated using response surface methodology (RSM)
      in a 700g batch extraction process. The RSM showed that the effect of the
      megasonic treatment (585kHz) in the presence of a reflector is more prominent at
      longer malaxation time (50min) and at higher water addition (30%) levels post
      malaxation. Longer megasonic treatment of the malaxed paste (up to 15min;
      220kJ/kg) increased oil extractability by up to 3.2%. When treating the malaxed
      paste with the same specific energy, higher oil extractability was obtained with
      longer treatments and low megasonic power levels in comparison to higher power
      levels and shorter times. Megasonic treatment of the paste before malaxation
      (585kHz, 10min, 146kJ/kg) and no water addition provided an increase in oil
      extractability of up to 3.8% with respect to the non-sonicated control. A double
      sonication intervention, before and after malaxation, using low (40kHz) and high
      (585kHz) frequency, respectively, provided up to 2.4% increase in oil
      extractability. A megasonic intervention post-malaxation (400 and 600kHz, 57
      67min, 18-21kJ/kg) on a pilot scale using early-harvest olive fruits resulted in
      up to 1.7% extra oil extractability. Oil extracted under a high sonication
      frequency (free radical production regime) did not impact on olive oil quality
      parameters at reactor characterisation levels. Megasonic standing wave forces can
      enhance olive oil separation at various stages of the olive oil extraction
      process.

PMID- 28633810
TI  - Sonochemical rate enhanced by a new nanomagnetic embedded core/shell
      nanoparticles and catalytic performance in the multicomponent synthesis of
      pyridoimidazoisoquinolines.
AB  - A sonochemical approach for the one-pot three-component synthesis of
      pyridoimidazoisoquinolines via by using phthalaldehyde, trimethylsilylcyanide and
      aminopyridines the presence of a catalytic amount of a new nanomagnetic catalyst
      Fe3O4@SiO2-CO-C6H4-NH2 is described. The characterization of the nanocatalyst and
      the product was done by various methods, such as FT-IR, SEM, EDX, TGA/DTA, NMR,
      MS and CHN analyses. This is the first design, preparation, characterization and
      application of the present core/shell nanomaterial and also the first ultrasound
      irradiated synthesis of the biologically and pharmaceutically important fused
      polycyclic compounds in ethanol as a green solvent. This novel protocol offers
      several advantages such as high yields, short reaction times, environmentally
      friendly reaction media, easily isolation of the products, simple preparation and
      recoverability of the nanocatalyst by an external magnet and reusing several
      times without significant decrease in catalytic activity.

PMID- 28633811
TI  - Effects and mechanism of ultrasonic irradiation on solidification microstructure
      and mechanical properties of binary TiAl alloys.
AB  - In spite of their high temperature and reactivity, the binary TiAl alloys are
      successfully imposed by the ultrasonic irradiation and the microstructure
      evolution, solidification behaviors and mechanical properties are elaborately
      investigated. After ultrasonic irradiation, a high quality ingot without
      shrinkage defects and element segregation is obtained and the coarse dendrite
      structure is well modified into fine non-dendrite globular grains. The coarse
      lamellar colony and lamellar space of Ti44Al alloy is refined from 685MUm to
      52MUm and 1185nm to 312nm, respectively (similarly, 819MUm to 102MUm and 2085nm
      to 565nm for Ti48Al alloy). For Ti48Al alloy, the alpha peritectic phase is
      simultaneously precipitated from the melt as well as the beta primary phase
      before the peritectic reaction and the solidification is transformed into the
      mixed alpha-solidifying and beta-solidifying. Ultrasonic irradiation promotes the
      peritectic reaction and phase transformation completely and the phase constituent
      becomes more close to the equilibrium level. The compressive strength of Ti44Al
      and Ti48Al alloys are increased from 623MPa to 1250MPa and 980MPa to 1295MPa,
      respectively. The grain refinement and dendrite transformation enhance the grain
      boundary sliding improving the plastic deformation ability. Ultrasonic
      irradiation significantly accelerates the melt flow and solute redistribution and
      the main grain refinement mechanism is the cavitation-enhanced nucleation by
      inclusion activation and heightened supercooling.

PMID- 28633812
TI  - Sonochemical synthesis of a new cobalt(II) complex: Crystal structure, thermal
      behavior, Hirshfeld surface analysis and its usage as precursor for preparation
      of CoO/Co3O4 nanoparticles.
AB  - A bidentate Schiff base ligand and its nano-structured cobalt(II) complex were
      synthesized under ultrasound irradiation and then their structures were
      identified by physical and spectral techniques SEM and XRD techniques were used
      to confirm the nanostructure character of the complex. Single crystal X-ray
      diffraction analysis showed that the complex crystallizes in the triclinic system
      with space group of P1- and two crystallographically independent molecules
      participate in its asymmetric unit. In the structure of complex, cobalt center is
      four-coordinated by two iminic nitrogens of bidentate Schiff base ligand and two
      bromide anions in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. Crystal packing analysis well
      indicates that C-H?Br, C-H?pi and pi?pi are the most intermolecular interactions.
      Moreover Hirshfeld surface analysis and 2D Fingerprint plots were applied for
      more investigation of intermolecular interactions. In addition, sonochemically
      prepared cobalt(II) bromide complex was subjected to calcination process under
      air atmosphere for preparation of cobalt oxide nanoparticles. The XRD pattern
      confirmed the simultaneous formation of CoO and Co3O4 nanoparticles.

PMID- 28633813
TI  - Multi-stimuli responsive smart chitosan-based microcapsules for targeted drug
      delivery and triggered drug release.
AB  - In the present study, we designed a novel, multi-stimuli responsive,
      biocompatible and non-immunogenic smart carrier for targeted delivery and
      triggered release of hydrophobic drugs. The designed multi-stimuli responsive
      smart chitosan-based microcapsules (MSRS-CS-MCs) have been fabricated
      successfully from folic acid (FA) functionalized thiolated chitosan via a facile
      sonochemical method. Targeting moiety FA and red fluorescent dye (Rhodamine B
      isothiocyanate, RITC) were immobilized onto the shells of microcapsules.
      Meanwhile, oleic acid (OA) modified Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (OA-Fe3O4MNPs)
      and a model hydrophobic drug, green fluorescent dye (Coumarin 6, C6), were
      encapsulated into the microcapsules. As drug carriers, the obtained spherical
      MSRS-CS-MCs with the average size of 500nm showed excellent magnetic responsive
      ability, favorable selectively folate-receptor-mediated targeting functionality
      to the HeLa cells, and attractive reduction-responsive release ability for
      hydrophobic drugs. The integration of magnetic and reduction dual-responsiveness,
      folate-receptor-mediated targeting functionality and fluorescence visualization
      into the versatile microcapsules make MSRS-CS-MCs promising nanocarriers for
      future biomedical applications.

PMID- 28633814
TI  - Na emission and bubble instability in single-bubble sonoluminescence.
AB  - Na emission in single-bubble sonoluminescence (SBSL) was observed from 0.1mM
      sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution containing a dissolved noble gas at a low
      acoustic pressure, at which a continuous spectral component was negligible. High
      speed shadowgraph movies were captured at a frame rate of 30,000fps, which
      indicated that bubble dancing is responsible for the Na emission. The measured
      bubble path length was well correlated with the Na intensity. The disintegration
      of a daughter bubble followed by immediate coalescence was frequently observed,
      which may have been the cause of the bubble dancing. A comparison of the Na
      spectra obtained in SBSL and multibubble SL showed that the conditions under
      which Na emission is generated are twofold. A narrow component was observed in
      the Na spectrum in SBSL, while narrow and broad components were observed in MBSL.

PMID- 28633815
TI  - Ultrasound assisted selective catalytic transfer hydrogenation of soybean oil
      using 5% Pd/C as catalyst under ambient conditions in water.
AB  - Catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) is an alternative approach that does not
      require the use of potentially dangerous hydrogen gas. Pd/C is the most favoured
      catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of soybean oil yielding lower extent of
      formation of stearic acid and trans-isomer, which have adverse health effects.
      The present work deals with intensification of catalytic transfer hydrogenation
      of soybean oil in the presence of 5wt.% Pd/C using ultrasound under ambient
      reaction conditions. The effect of important operating parameters such as
      ultrasound power, temperature, type of hydrogen donor, catalyst loading and donor
      concentration on the progress of reaction has been investigated. It was
      established that the maximum extent of hydrogenation as indicated by reduction in
      iodine value from 135 to 95 was observed under optimized conditions of
      irradiation power as 100W, 22kHz frequency, 90% duty cycle, ammonium formate
      concentration of 0.32mol/50ml water and 2% (w/w) Pd/C loading at ambient
      temperature and pressure in the presence of water as solvent. The approach also
      offered excellent selectivity with much lower trans-isomer formation as compared
      to the conventional approach of high pressure hydrogenation. Overall, the work
      has successfully demonstrated process intensification benefits due to the use of
      ultrasound for the Pd/C catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of soybean oil.

PMID- 28633816
TI  - A derivation of the stable cavitation threshold accounting for bubble-bubble
      interactions.
AB  - The subharmonic emission of sound coming from the nonlinear response of a bubble
      population is the most used indicator for stable cavitation. When driven at twice
      their resonance frequency, bubbles can exhibit subharmonic spherical oscillations
      if the acoustic pressure amplitude exceeds a threshold value. Although various
      theoretical derivations exist for the subharmonic emission by free or coated
      bubbles, they all rest on the single bubble model. In this paper, we propose an
      analytical expression of the subharmonic threshold for interacting bubbles in a
      homogeneous, monodisperse cloud. This theory predicts a shift of the subharmonic
      resonance frequency and a decrease of the corresponding pressure threshold due to
      the interactions. For a given sonication frequency, these results show that an
      optimal value of the interaction strength (i.e. the number density of bubbles)
      can be found for which the subharmonic threshold is minimum, which is consistent
      with recently published experiments conducted on ultrasound contrast agents.

PMID- 28633817
TI  - Computational study of state equation effect on single acoustic cavitation
      bubble's phenomenon.
AB  - Many models have been established to study the evolution of the bubble dynamics
      and chemical kinetics within a single acoustic cavitation bubble during its
      oscillation. The content of the bubble is a gas medium that generates the
      evolution of a chemical mechanism governed by the internal bubble conditions.
      These gases are described by a state equation, linking the pressure to the
      volume, temperature and species amounts, and influencing simultaneously the
      dynamical, the thermal and the mass variation in the cavitation bubble. The
      choice of the state equation to apply has then a non-neglected effect on the
      obtained results. In this paper, a comparative study was conducted through two
      numerical models based on the same assumptions and the same scheme of chemical
      reactions, except that the first one uses the ideal gas equation to describe the
      state of the species, while the second one uses the Van der Waals equation. It
      was found that though the dynamic of the bubble is not widely affected, the
      pressure and temperature range are significantly increased when passing from an
      ideal gas model to a real one. The amounts of chemical products are consequently
      raised to approximately the double. This observation was more significant for
      temperature and pressure at low frequency and high acoustic amplitude, while it
      is noticed that passing from ideal gas based approach to the Van der Waals one
      increases the free radicals amount mainly under high frequencies. When taking the
      results of the second model as reference, the relative difference between both
      results reaches about 60% for maximum attained temperature and 100% for both
      pressure and free radicals production.

PMID- 28633818
TI  - Insight into the synthesis procedure of Fe3+/TiO2-based photocatalyst applied in
      the selective photo-oxidation of benzyl alcohol under sun-imitating lamp.
AB  - Fe3+/TiO2/zeolite Y photocatalyst synthesized by using sonophotodeposition method
      was compared with photocatalysts prepared by simple photodeposition and
      sonodeposition methods in order to clarify the role of light irradiation and
      ultrasounds while they are used simultaneously. To gain an insight into the
      mechanism of this method a detailed characterization of the photocatalysts was
      carried out by means of the following techniques: UV-vis diffuse reflectance
      spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy,
      Mossbauer measurements and photocatalytic test reaction. Basing on the results
      from these techniques the chemical role of light and mainly mechanical role of
      ultrasound were observed. The selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl
      alcohol into benzaldehyde in liquid phase was a test reaction verifying the
      utility of the prepared materials. The best photocatalytic efficiency in this
      reaction was performed by photocatalyst synthesized using compilation of
      ultrasound energy with photoexcitation.

PMID- 28633819
TI  - Effects of ultrasound pretreatment with different frequencies and working modes
      on the enzymolysis and the structure characterization of rice protein.
AB  - The effects of ultrasound pretreatment with different frequencies and working
      modes, including mono-frequency ultrasound (MFU), dual-frequency ultrasound (DFU)
      and tri-frequency ultrasound (TFU), on the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of rice
      protein (RP) and angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of RP
      hydrolysate were investigated. Ultraviolet-visible (UV) spectroscopy, fourier
      transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, surface hydrophobicity and scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM) of RP pretreated with ultrasound were measured. The
      results showed that ultrasound pretreatment did not increase DH of RP
      significantly (p>0.05). However, all the ultrasound pretreatment increased the
      ACE inhibitory activity of RP hydrolysate significantly (p<0.05). The MFU of
      20kHz showed higher ACE inhibitory activity compared to that of other MFU. The
      ACE inhibitory activity of sequential DFU was higher than that of simultaneous
      with the same frequency combination. Sequential TFU of 20/35/50kHz produced the
      highest increase in ACE inhibitory activity in contrast with other ultrasound
      frequencies and working modes. All the results under ultrasound pretreatment
      showed that ultrasound frequencies and working modes were of great effect on the
      ACE inhibitory activity of RP. The changes in UV-Vis spectra and surface
      hydrophobicity indicated the unfolding of protein and exposure of hydrophobic
      groups by ultrasound. The FTIR analysis showed that all the ultrasound
      pretreatment with different frequencies and working modes decreased alpha-helix,
      beta-turn content and increased beta-sheet, random coil content of RP. The SEM
      results indicated that ultrasound pretreatment resulted in the deformation of RP.
      In conclusion, the frequency selection of ultrasound pretreatment of RP is
      essential for the preparation of ACE inhibitory peptide.

PMID- 28633820
TI  - Green synthesis of Ag-Cr-AC nanocomposites by Azadirachta indica and its
      application for the simultaneous removal of binary mixture of dyes by
      ultrasonicated assisted adsorption process using Response Surface Methodology.
AB  - In the present studies the Ag-Cr-AC nanocomposites were synthesized by
      Azadirachta indica leaves extract. They were inoculated on the amorphous surface
      of activated carbon. The surface morphology and structural identification was
      determined by SEM, FTIR and XRD techniques. The simultaneous removal of binary
      dye system of Reactive Red and Crystal Violet were performed by ultrasonicated
      assisted adsorption process utilizing Ag-Cr-AC nanocomposites. Central Composite
      Design (CCD) having 5 factors of time, pH, amount of Ag-Cr-AC (adsorbent),
      concentrations of Reactive Red (RR) and Crystal Violet (CV) was employed.
      Response Surface Methodology was applied to study the Optimum Operating
      Parameters (OOP) for the adsorption process. The current studies showed that they
      can be efficiently employed to remove the coloured effluent from aqueous media as
      the simultaneous removal of dyes was observed to be 64.92% and 82.47% for RR and
      CV dyes respectively. Adsorption equilibrium was studied by Freundlich, Langmuir,
      Dubinin-Radushkevich, Temkin and Harkins-Jura Isotherm Models. The Langmuir
      isotherm was observed to be followed by the RR-Ag-Cr-AC system while CV-Ag-Cr-AC
      followed Harkins-Jura Isotherm model. For the binary system, the removal of CV
      and RR dyes by the nanocomposites obeyed Harkins-Jura model at temperature of 40
      degrees C. Thermodynamics studies affirmed the spontaneous nature of adsorption
      process. pHpzc was evaluated to be 6.29. The purification cost per cubic meter of
      the effluent was evaluated to be US$ 85.08. The proposed method might prove to be
      an efficient and cost effective way to eradicate color from the binary mixture of
      RR and CV dyes.

PMID- 28633821
TI  - Enhanced production of hypocrellin A by ultrasound stimulation in submerged
      cultures of Shiraia bambusicola.
AB  - Hypocrellin A (HA), a naturally occurring fungal perylenequinone, is widely used
      in clinic to treat skin diseases and developed as a photodynamic therapy (PDT)
      agent against cancers. In this study, a low intensity ultrasound (US, 0.28W/cm2
      at 40kHz) was conducted thrice of repeated US exposure (5-min) with an interval
      of 12h to stimulate HA production of Shiraia bambusicola after 72h of the initial
      submerged cultures. US not only increased the content of HA by 177.2% in mycelia,
      but stimulated the release of HA into the medium with the highest total
      production of HA (247.67mg/L) on day 8. US could result in the decreased pellet
      diameter, the enhanced membrane permeability, the alternation of membrane
      compounds and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, the
      ultrasonic treatment up-regulated the expression of some HA biosynthetic genes
      including polyketide synthase gene (PKS), O-methyltransferase gene (Omef), O
      methyltransferase/FAD-dependent monooxygenase (Mono) and FAD/FMN-dependent
      oxidoreductase gene (FAD), and activated major facilitator superfamily
      transporter gene (MFS) for HA exudation. The enhancement of HA production was
      mainly due to both the stimulated cellular biosynthesis and the enhanced fungal
      exudation of HA. These results provide a basis for understanding the US
      elicitation and a valuable strategy for enhancing HA production in submerged
      Shiraia cultures.

PMID- 28633822
TI  - Effects of pulsed ultrasound on rheological and structural properties of chicken
      myofibrillar protein.
AB  - The effects of pulsed ultrasound (PUS) (power: 240w) with varying time (0, 3, 6,
      9, 12 and 15min) on rheological and structural properties of chicken myofibrillar
      protein (CMP) were examined. PUS treatment significantly caused a decrease in the
      viscosity coefficients (k) but an increase in the flow index (n) value of CMP
      solutions within short time (0-6min), while had no significant effect for longer
      time (9-15min). Besides, at 6min, the solubility and microstructure of CMP
      samples were optimum. The primary structure of CMP was not altered by PUS
      treatment. However, Raman spectroscopy revealed a decrease in the alpha-helix and
      beta-sheets proportion and an increase in the beta-turn of CMP following PUS
      treatment. Random coil reached a maximum at 6min. The changes in tertiary and
      quaternary structure of CMP by PUS treatment also occurred. As PUS time extended,
      S0-ANS for CMP increased measured by ANS fluorescence probe method. However, the
      normalized intensity of 760cm-1 increased from 0min to 6min, and then decreased
      to 15min by Raman test. Moreover, the reactive sulphur (SH) contents and
      disulfide bonds (S-S) of samples increased while the total SH contents decreased
      within 0-6min. At 9min and above, the contents of reactive SH groups were almost
      equal to the contents of total SH groups. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
      of CMP showed that peak temperature (Td2) for myosin and peak temperature (Td3)
      for actin were both reduced in the first 6min, while Td3 was not observed from
      9min following PUS treatment. Therefore, 6min was the optimum PUS time to obtain
      better CMP rheological and structural properties.

PMID- 28633823
TI  - Sono-synthesis of solar light responsive S-N-C-tri doped TiO2 photo-catalyst
      under optimized conditions for degradation and mineralization of Diclofenac.
AB  - C-N-S-tri doped TiO2 anatase phase was synthesized using a facile, effective and
      novel sonochemical method at low frequency (20kHz) and at room temperature.
      Titanium butoxide as the titanium precursor and thiourea as the dopant source
      were used in the synthesis of the photo-catalyst. The effects of important
      parameters such as thiourea/Ti molar ratio, ultrasound intensity, sonication time
      and temperature were studied on the synthesis of tri-doped TiO2. The XPS results
      confirmed the presence of N, S, and C in the photo-catalyst. The photo-catalytic
      efficiency of the synthesized catalyst was studied toward the removal of
      Diclofenac as a model pharmaceutical organic pollutant. The results confirmed
      that the photo-catalyst synthesized with narrower band gap energy, shorter
      sonication time and higher ultrasound intensity leads to a rapid removal of
      Diclofenac. The effect of operational variables on the photo-catalytic activity
      of C-N-S tri doped TiO2 nanoparticles was studied and optimized using the Taguchi
      method as a statistical technique. Additionally, the degradation process followed
      the pseudo-first-order kinetics model and the highest apparent rate constant of
      0.0632min-1 achieved in 90min. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis confirmed
      that the mineralization took place completely (100%) under the optimized
      conditions in 180min. Different scavengers were applied during the degradation
      process and active species such as OH and O2- had key roles in the photo
      catalytic process.

PMID- 28633824
TI  - Ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharides from Rhododendron aganniphum:
      Antioxidant activity and rheological properties.
AB  - In this study, we aimed to optimize the extraction of polysaccharides from the
      leaves of Rhododendron aganniphum and investigate its rheological properties and
      antioxidant activity. After optimizing the operating parameters using a Box
      Behnken design (BBD), the results showed that the optimal ultrasound-assisted
      extraction conditions were as follows: extraction temperature, 55 degrees C;
      liquid-solid ratio, 25:1; extraction time, 2.2h; and ultrasound treatment power,
      200W. The optimized experimental yield of polysaccharides by ultrasound-assisted
      extraction (PUAE) was 9.428%, higher than that obtained by hot water extraction
      (PHWE) for 12h at the same liquid-solid ratio and extraction temperature. In the
      in vitro antioxidant activity tests, PUAE had higher positive radical scavenging
      activity for hydroxyl, superoxide and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)
      radicals than PHWE. However, PUAE and PHWE solutions had similar intermolecular
      interactions in the steady-shear flow and dynamic viscoelasticity tests,
      resulting in similar macroscopic behaviour. With respect to the apparent
      viscosity, storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G") of PUAE were lower at the
      same shear rate or angular frequency. All PUAE solutions exhibited non-Newtonian
      shear-thinning pseudoplastic behaviour that was accurately described by the
      Carreau model but was better fit by the power-law model at high shear rates
      (>=1/s), which demonstrated that the variation in the apparent viscosity
      dependence was greater at higher concentrations and shear rates. The G' and G" of
      the solutions increased as the experimental frequency increased from 0.05 to
      500rad/s under all experimental concentrations, and the modulus crossover point
      decreased gradually with increasing PUAE concentration. The above results
      demonstrated that the ultrasound-assisted extraction methods gave a higher yield
      of polysaccharides from the leaves of R. aganniphum with a shorter extraction
      time than the hot water extraction method, which could affect the apparent
      viscosity and dynamic viscoelasticity. PUAE presented good radical scavenging
      activity for DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in vitro and could be used as
      a natural antioxidant in the food and medical industries.

PMID- 28633826
TI  - Optimization and characterization of ultrasound assisted preparation of curcumin
      loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: Application of central composite design,
      thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction techniques.
AB  - This study is devoted to preparation of novel solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs)
      for the encapsulation of curcumin which is produced by micro-emulsion and
      ultrasonication using stearic acid and tripalmitin as solid lipids, tween80 and
      span80 as surfactants. The relation between particle size and entrapment
      efficiency of the produced SLNs was operated by central composite design (CCD)
      under response likes surface method (RSM). The variables including the ratio of
      lipids (X1), the ratio of surfactants (X2), drug/lipid ratio (X3), time of
      sonication (X4) and time of homogenization (X5). Particle size and entrapment
      efficiency of the loaded curcumin was justified according to the minimum particle
      size and maximum entrapment efficiency. The curcumin loaded SLNs presented fairly
      spherical shape with the mean diameter and entrapment efficiency of 112.0+/-2.6nm
      and 98.7+/-0.3%, respectively. The optimized SLNs were characterized by X-ray
      diffraction analysis (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), photon
      correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy
      (FESEM). The drug release profile of the optimal formulated material was examined
      in aqueous media and almost 30% of the curcumin loaded in SLNs was gradually
      released during 48h, which reveals efficient prolonged release of the drug.

PMID- 28633825
TI  - Structural evolution, growth mechanism and photoluminescence properties of CuWO4
      nanocrystals.
AB  - Copper tungstate (CuWO4) crystals were synthesized by the sonochemistry (SC)
      method, and then, heat treated in a conventional furnace at different
      temperatures for 1h. The structural evolution, growth mechanism and
      photoluminescence (PL) properties of these crystals were thoroughly investigated.
      X-ray diffraction patterns, micro-Raman spectra and Fourier transformed infrared
      spectra indicated that crystals heat treated and 100 degrees C and 200 degrees C
      have water molecules in their lattice (copper tungstate dihydrate (CuWO4.2H2O)
      with monoclinic structure), when the crystals are calcinated at 300 degrees C
      have the presence of two phase (CuWO4.2H2O and CuWO4), while the others heat
      treated at 400 degrees C and 500 degrees C have a single CuWO4 triclinic
      structure. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed a change in the
      morphological features of these crystals with the increase of the heat treatment
      temperature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution-TEM images
      and selected area electron diffraction were employed to examine the shape, size
      and structure of these crystals. Ultraviolet-Visible spectra evidenced a decrease
      of band gap values with the increase of the temperature, which were correlated
      with the reduction of intermediary energy levels within the band gap. The intense
      photoluminescence (PL) emission was detected for the sample heat treat at 300
      degrees C for 1h, which have a mixture of CuWO4.2H2O and CuWO4 phases. Therefore,
      there is a synergic effect between the intermediary energy levels arising from
      these two phases during the electronic transitions responsible for PL emissions.

PMID- 28633827
TI  - Effect of ultrasonic vibration treatment on solid-state reactions between Fe2O3
      and CaO.
AB  - In the present study, ultrasonic vibration was applied to the solid-state
      reaction between Fe2O3 and CaO. The effect of the ultrasonic vibration treatment
      on the formation of CaFe2O4 (CF) from the solid-state reaction was investigated
      by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the Rietveld structure refinement method. The
      results indicated that the solid-state reaction between Fe2O3 and CaO was
      accelerated by ultrasonic treatment (UT), which efficiently lowered the formation
      temperature of the solid-state CF and increased the quantity formed by enhancing
      the mass transfer process of the reactions. Without the UT, CF and Ca2Fe2O5 (C2F)
      were produced at 750 degrees C and the mass fractions of CF and C2F increased
      with the experiment temperature, with approximately 47.76% CF and 40.66% C2F
      produced at 850 degrees C. With the UT, mass fractions of 5.67% CF and 18.20% C2F
      were formed at 700 degrees C, and increasing the experiment temperature enhanced
      the formation of CF and C2F. Moreover, a significantly greater amount of CF than
      C2F was formed when the temperature exceeded 700 degrees C. A CF mass fraction of
      approximately 98.73% was obtained by UT at 850 degrees C, much higher than the
      47.76% obtained without UT. In addition, increasing the ultrasonic power
      influenced the formation of the CF phase. The CF content increased from 19% to
      77.34% with increasing ultrasonic power from 0 to 89%*2kW. Furthermore, a
      prolonged UT time also promoted the formation of solid phase CF. The mass
      fraction of CF ranged from 19% to 77.34% when the UT time was varied from 0 to
      150min.

PMID- 28633828
TI  - Bi25VO40 microcube with step surface for visible light photocatalytic reduction
      of Cr(VI): Enhanced activity and ultrasound assisted regeneration.
AB  - In this study, a kind of bismuth vanadium (Bi25VO40) microcube with step surface
      was successfully synthesized by a fast and mild hydrothermal method. The reaction
      time and hydrothermal temperature are the key factors which are accounted for the
      formation of this unique structure. The as-prepared Bi25VO40 microcube exhibited
      considerably higher visible light photocatalytic activity compared with the
      smooth one, revealing that fabrication of Bi25VO40 with step surface was an
      effective method to improve the photocatalytic activity. The enhanced
      photocatalytic activity over this Bi25VO40 could be attributed to its enhanced
      separation efficiency of photo-generated holes and electrons. In addition, the
      XPS analysis of the Bi25VO40 after photo-reduction showed that most of highly
      toxic Cr(VI) were reduced into less dangerous Cr(III). The XRD results indicated
      the reduced Cr(III) existed in the form of Cr2O3 and Cr3O8 on the catalyst
      surface and occupied the active site, counting for the decreased activity after
      multiple use. A facile ultrasound treatment facilitated the regeneration of
      deactivated photocatalyst by removing the adsorbed Cr2O3 and Cr3O8, improving the
      removal ratio of Cr(VI) over the photocatalyst from 74.0% to 85.6% after four
      recycling use, which make it applicable for the photocatalytic removal of a
      typical Cr(VI) pollutant continuously.

PMID- 28633829
TI  - Different valence Sn doping - A simple way to detect oxygen concentration
      variation of ZnO quantum dots synthesized under ultrasonic irradiation.
AB  - An ultrasonic method is employed to synthesize the Sn doped Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum
      dots with green light emission. Sn2+ and Sn4+ ions are used to create different
      optical defects inside Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum dots and the changing trend of
      oxygen concentration under different ultrasonic irradiation power are
      investigated. The photoluminescence spectra are employed to characterize the
      optical defects of Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum dots. The UV-vis spectra are used to
      study the band gap of Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum dots, which is influenced by their
      sizes. The results indicate that ultrasonic power would influence the size of
      Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum dots as well as the type and quantity of defects in ZnO
      quantum dots. Changing trends in size of Sn2+ and Sn4+ doped Zn0.95Sn0.05O
      quantum dots are quite similar with each other, while the changing trends in
      optical defects types and concentration of Sn2+ and Sn4+ doped Zn0.95Sn0.05O
      quantum dots are different. The difference of the optical defects concentration
      changing between Sn2+ doped Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum dots (VO defects) and Sn4+
      doped Zn0.95Sn0.05O quantum dots (OZn and Oi defects) shows that the formation
      process of ZnO under ultrasonic irradiation wiped oxygen out.

PMID- 28633830
TI  - Accompanying the frequency shift of the nonlinear resonance of a gas bubble using
      a dual-frequency excitation.
AB  - An asymptotic method is applied to analyze the nonlinear oscillations of a gas
      bubble driven by a dual-frequency excitation. More specifically, the latter is
      considered as a combination of two neighboring, incommensurate frequencies and is
      treated as a nonstationary excitation. This implies that both amplitude and phase
      of the bubble response are slowly oscillating at the time scale of the frequency
      difference, thus leading to a regime of aperiodic oscillations. The approximate
      solution is successfully compared with numerical simulations and reveals the
      possibility of achieving larger bubble response amplitude compared to the
      monofrequency excitation for sufficiently high driving pressure and specific
      values of the frequency difference. The asymptotic theory captures the generation
      of additional spectral components coming from the nonlinear mixing of both
      driving frequencies. This mechanism is responsible for a global enhancement of
      the dual-frequency bubble response as it enables an energy transfer towards more
      efficient components which are successively tuned with the nonlinearly shifted
      resonance frequency of the bubble, thus limiting the saturation due to softening.

PMID- 28633831
TI  - The effects of organoclay on the morphology and mechanical properties of PAI/clay
      nanocomposites coatings prepared by the ultrasonication assisted process.
AB  - In this research, solvent based polyamide - imide (PAI)/clay nanocomposites were
      prepared successfully using the solution dispersion technique. With the
      assistance of the ultrasonic wave, the effect of the ultrasonic wave time on the
      microstructure of 3wt% PAI/C20A nanocomposite (NC) was investigated. Then, the
      best ultrasonic parameters were selected and the effects of the concentration of
      Cloisite 20A (C20A) (1, 3 and 5wt% C20A) on the microstructure and mechanical
      properties (adhesion, hardness, flexibility, wear and impact) of NCs were
      investigated. The PAI, C20A and nanocomposites (NC)s were characterized by
      Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron
      microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and Wide-angle X-ray
      diffraction (WAXD). The results showed that the sample with 1 and 3wt% C20A had
      better mechanical properties, as compared to the pure PAI and the 5wt% NC.

PMID- 28633832
TI  - Effects of ultrasound on the beef structure and water distribution during curing
      through protein degradation and modification.
AB  - The objective of this study was to explore the mechanisms of power ultrasound
      (PUS, 150 and 300W) and treatment time (30 and 120min) on the water-holding
      capacity (WHC) and tenderness of beef during curing. Beef muscle at 48h post
      mortem was subjected to PUS treatment at a frequency of 20kHz. Analysis of
      compression loss and shear force showed that PUS-assisted curing significantly
      increased the WHC and the tenderness of beef compared to static brining (p<0.05).
      According to the analysis of LF-NMR, PUS treatment could increase the P21 values
      which indicated an improvement in water-binding ability of beef muscle. SDS-PAGE
      and LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis suggested that PUS induced moderate oxidation of myosin
      causing polymerization, which may contribute to increased water retention. On the
      other hand, an increased tenderness of beef is suggested by the increased MFI
      values and proteolysis of desmin and troponin-T. Transmission electron microscopy
      (TEM) further supported the effects of PUS on WHC and tenderness changes due to
      the swelling and disruption of myofibrils. Thus, these results provide knowledge
      about the mechanism for improving WHC and tenderness of beef by PUS curing, which
      could be employed as an emerging technology for various meat curing processes.

PMID- 28633833
TI  - Recent advances in ultrasonic treatment: Challenges and field applications for
      controlling harmful algal blooms (HABs).
AB  - Algal blooms are a naturally occurring phenomenon which can occur in both
      freshwater and saltwater. However, due to excess nutrient loading in water bodies
      (e.g. agricultural runoff and industrial activities), harmful algal blooms (HABs)
      have become an increasing issue globally, and can even cause health effects in
      humans due to the release of cyanotoxins. Among currently available treatment
      methods, sonication has received increasing attention for algal control because
      of its low impact on ecosystems and the environment. The effects of ultrasound on
      algal cells are well understood and operating parameter such as frequency,
      intensity, and duration of exposure has been well studied. However, most studies
      have been limited to laboratory data interpretation due to complicated
      environmental conditions in the field. Only a few field and pilot tests in small
      reservoirs were reported and the applicability of ultrasound for HABs prevention
      and control is still under question. There is a lack of information on the
      upscaling of ultrasonication devices for HAB control on larger water bodies,
      considering field influencing factors such as rainfall, light intensity/duration,
      temperature, water flow, nutrients loading, and turbidity. In this review
      article, we address the challenges and field considerations of ultrasonic
      applications for controlling algal blooms. An extensive literature survey, from
      the fundamentals of ultrasound techniques to recent ultrasound laboratory and
      field studies, has been thoroughly conducted and summarized to identify future
      technical expectations for field applications. Case studies investigating spatial
      distribution of frequency and pressure during sonication are highlighted with
      future implications.

PMID- 28633834
TI  - Preparation of a novel sonocatalyst, Au/NiGa2O4-Au-Bi2O3 nanocomposite, and
      application in sonocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants.
AB  - A novel nanocomposite, Au/NiGa2O4-Au-Bi2O3, as an effective sonocatalyst was
      prepared through hydrothermal process and high-temperature calcination methods,
      and then characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron
      microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The
      sonocatalytic activity of Au/NiGa2O4-Au-Bi2O3 nanocomposite was detected through
      the degradation of some organic pollutants under ultrasonic irradiation.
      Furthermore, the influences of mass ratio of NiGa2O4 and Bi2O3, ultrasonic
      irradiation time and used times on the sonocatalytic degradation efficiency were
      investigated by using Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and UV-vis spectroscopy. The
      experimental results showed that, because of the existence of Au nanoparticles
      (AuNPs) served as both conductive passageway and co-catalyst, the nanocomposite
      sonocatalyst (Au/NiGa2O4-Au-Bi2O3) displayed an excellent sonocatalytic activity
      in degradation of some organic pollutants under ultrasonic irradiation.

PMID- 28633835
TI  - Influence of increase in static pressure on bulk nanobubbles.
AB  - The concentration and size distribution of bulk nanobubbles (ultrafine bubbles)
      of air in liquid was measured before and after increasing the static pressure. It
      was found that, after pressurization, the number concentration decreased and the
      size increased. The effect of pressurization is to compress the bubbles and
      decrease the distance between solids on the bubble surface, which act as
      nucleation sites for bubble growth and coalescence when the static pressure is
      returned to atmospheric pressure.

PMID- 28633836
TI  - A parametric review of sonochemistry: Control and augmentation of sonochemical
      activity in aqueous solutions.
AB  - In this review the phenomenon of ultrasonic cavitation and associated
      sonochemistry is presented through system parameters. Primary parameters are
      defined and considered, namely; pressure amplitude, frequency and reactor design;
      including transducer type, signal type, vessel-transducer ratio, liquid flow,
      liquid height, liquid temperature and the presence of a reflective plate.
      Secondary parameters are similarly characterised and involve the use of gas and
      liquid additives to influence the chemical and physical environments. Each of the
      parameters are considered in terms of their effect on bubble characteristics and
      subsequent impact on sonochemical activity. Evidence suggests that via parametric
      variation, the reaction products and efficiency may be controlled. This is
      hypothesised to occur through manipulation of the structural stability of the
      bubble.

PMID- 28633837
TI  - Synthesis and characterization of ZnS:Ni-NPs loaded on AC derived from apple tree
      wood and their applicability for the ultrasound assisted comparative adsorption
      of cationic dyes based on the experimental design.
AB  - The applicability of ZnS:Ni nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon derived from
      apple tree wood (ZnS:Ni-NPs-ACATW) for the adsorption of Methylene Blue (MB) and
      Janus Green B (JGB) dyes in single system from water solution has been described.
      The synthesized adsorbent characterized and identified by UV-Vis, FE-SEM, EDX,
      TEM, FTIR and XRD. The influences of operation parameters including initial MB or
      JGB concentration (9.0-33.0mgL-1), pH (4.0-10.0), extent of adsorbent (0.08
      0.12g) and sonication time (4.0-8.0min) investigated and subsequently best
      operational condition optimized by central composite design (CCD) combined with
      response surface methodology (RSM) and desirability function (DF) using
      STATISTICA 10.0 software. At optimum conditions, maximum MB and JSB adsorption
      onto ZnS:Ni-NPs-ACATW, i.e. 99.57%+/-1.34 and 98.70%+/-2.01, respectively was
      achieved pH of 7.0, 0.11g adsorbent, 14 and 28mgL-1 of MB and JSB concentration
      respectively and 8min sonication time. Experimental data were modelled by
      Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms. Langmuir
      isotherm and monolayer adsorption capacity of MB and JSB was found to be 21.79
      and 28.01mgg-1 respectively. The regression results strongly support more
      contribution of pseudo-second-order model for more accurate and repeatable
      representation of kinetic data. These results reveal that ZnS:Ni-NPs-ACATW could
      be useful as agents to efficiently remove dyes (JGB and MB) from contaminated
      water and can be very well recommended for wastewater remediation and control of
      environmental pollution.

PMID- 28633838
TI  - Sonochemically preparation and characterization of bimetallic Ni-Co/Al2O3-ZrO2
      nanocatalyst: Effects of ultrasound irradiation time and power on catalytic
      properties and activity in dry reforming of CH4.
AB  - The catalytic performance of nanostructured Ni-Co/Al2O3-ZrO2 catalysts, prepared
      by ultrasound-assisted impregnation method was examined in the dry reforming of
      methane. The effect of irradiation power and irradiation time have been studied
      by changing time (0, 20, 80min) and power of the sonication (30, 60, 90W) during
      the synthesis which resulted in different physiochemical properties of the
      nanocatalyst. The nanocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FESEM, PSD, EDX, TEM,
      TPR-H2, BET, FTIR and TG analyses. Based on the characterization results,
      ultrasound treatment endowed the sample with more uniform and smaller
      nanoparticles; higher surface area, stronger metal-support interaction and more
      homogenous dispersion. Moreover, the analyses exhibited smaller particles with
      higher surface area and less population of particle aggregates at longer and
      highly irradiated nanocatalysts. The nanocatalyst irradiated at 90W for 80min
      (the longest irradiation time and the most intense power) showed a uniform
      morphology and a very narrow particles size distribution. More than 65% of
      particles of this nanocatalyst were in the range of 10-30nm. Activity tests
      demonstrated that employing ultrasound irradiation during impregnation improves
      feed conversion and products yield, reaching values close to equilibrium. Among
      sonicated nanocatalysts, with increasing power and time of irradiation, the
      nanocatalyst represents higher activity. The superior performance amongst the
      various bimetallic catalysts tested was observed over the catalyst with 90W and
      80min ultrasonic irradiation which is stable in 24h time on stream test. The
      excellent anti-coking performance of this bimetallic catalyst, confirmed by TG
      and FESEM analyses of spent catalyst, is closely related to the promoting effect
      of sonication on the metal-support interaction, Ni dispersion and particle size;
      and probably, the synergy between metallic species.

PMID- 28633839
TI  - Permeability recovery of damaged water sensitive core using ultrasonic waves.
AB  - It is imperative to recover the well productivity lose due to formation damage
      nearby wellbore during variant well operations. Some indispensable issues in
      conventional techniques make ultrasonic technology more attractive due to simple,
      reliable, favorable, cost-effective, and environment friendly nature. This study
      proposes the independent and combined use of ultrasonic waves and chemical agents
      for the treatment of already damaged core samples caused by exposure to distilled
      water. Results elucidate that ultrasonic waves with optimum (20kHz, 1000W)
      instead of maximum frequency and power worked well in the recovery owing to
      peristaltic transport caused by matching of natural frequency with acoustic waves
      frequency. In addition, hundred minutes was investigated as optimum irradiation
      time which provided ample time span to detach fine loosely suspended particles.
      However, further irradiation adversely affected the damaged permeability
      recovery. Moreover, permeability improvement attributes to cavitation due to
      ultrasonic waves propagation through fluid contained in porous medium and thermal
      energy generated by three different ways. Eventually, experimental outcomes
      indicated that maximum (25.3%) damaged permeability recovery was witnessed by
      applying ultrasonic waves with transducer #2 (20kHz and 1000W) and optimum
      irradiation timeframe (100min). This recovery was further increased to 45.8% by
      applying chemical agent and optimum ultrasonic waves simultaneously.

PMID- 28633840
TI  - Changes in pore size distribution inside sludge under various ultrasonic
      conditions.
AB  - The pore size distribution is quite significant for determining the transport
      capacity of heat and moisture in sludge during the drying process. It is crucial
      to investigate the transformation of the pore size in sludge under sonication. In
      this paper, the microstructures of pores inside sludge before and after
      ultrasonic treatment with various ultrasonic conditions were observed using a
      microscope. Fractal geometry and image analysis were combined to quantitatively
      identify the evolution of pore size in sludge undergoing various acoustic energy
      densities and treatment times. The surface fractal dimension (df) was applied to
      characterize the pore size distribution of sludge. The results confirmed that
      sonication has a positive influence on the characteristics of pore structure
      inside the sludge and that the average pore size increases with increasing
      ultrasonic energy level, as determined by both acoustic energy density and
      treatment time. The df appropriately characterizes and quantifies the evolution
      of the pore size distribution of sludge under various ultrasonic conditions. This
      work is quite valuable for further investigating and evaluating moisture removal
      in the sludge drying process assisted by ultrasonic treatment.

PMID- 28633841
TI  - Novel approaches based on ultrasound for treatment of wastewater containing
      potassium ferrocyanide.
AB  - Industrial wastewaters containing biorefractory compounds like cyanide offer
      significant environmental problems attributed to the fact that the conventional
      methods have limited effectiveness and hence developing efficient treatment
      approaches is an important requirement. The present work investigates the use of
      novel treatment approach of ultrasound (US) combined with advanced oxidation
      techniques for the degradation of potassium ferrocyanide (KFC) for the first
      time. An ultrasonic bath equipped with longitudinal horn (1kW rated power and
      25kHz frequency) has been used. The effect of initial pH (2-9) on the progress of
      degradation has been investigated initially and subsequently using the optimized
      pH, effect of addition of hydrogen peroxide (ratio of KFC:H2O2 varied over the
      range of 1:0.5-1:5) and TiO2 in the presence of H2O2 (1:1 ratio by weight of
      TiO2) as process intensifying approach has been studied. Combination of
      ultrasonic irradiation with ozone (O3) (100-400mg/h) and ultraviolet irradiation
      (UV) has also been investigated. Use of combination of US with H2O2, H2O2+TiO2
      and ozone resulted in extent of KFC degradation as 54.2%, 74.82% and 82.41%
      respectively. Combination of US with both UV and ozone was established to be the
      best approach yielding 92.47% degradation. The study also focused on establishing
      kinetic rate constants for all the treatment approaches which revealed that all
      the approaches followed first order kinetic mechanism with higher rate constants
      for the combination approaches. Overall, it has been conclusively established
      that ultrasound based combined treatment schemes are very effective for the
      treatment of KFC containing wastewaters.

PMID- 28633842
TI  - Effects of multi-frequency ultrasound pretreatment under low power density on the
      enzymolysis and the structure characterization of defatted wheat germ protein.
AB  - The effects of ultrasonic frequency mode, power density, pretreatment time and
      other parameters under low power density on the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of
      defatted wheat germ protein (DWGP) and angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE)
      inhibitory activity of DWGP hydrolysate were studied in this research.
      Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra, free sulfhydryl (SH), disulfide bond (SS),
      surface hydrophobicity and hydrophobic protein content of ultrasound-pretreated
      protein and hydrophobic amino acid (HAA) content of alcalase-hydrolysate of DWGP
      were measured under optimized ultrasonic condition. The ultrasonic frequency mode
      with dual-fixed frequency combination of 28/40kHz showed higher ACE inhibitory
      activity of DWGP hydrolysate compared with that of other ultrasound frequency
      modes and all the ultrasonic frequency combinations involving in 28kHz showed
      higher ACE inhibitory activity. Under the dual-fixed frequency ultrasound mode of
      28/40kHz, ultrasonic power density of 60W/L, pretreatment time of 70min,
      temperature of 60 degrees C and substrate concentration of 60g/L, the ACE
      inhibitory activity of DWGP hydrolysate was the highest with its value of 74.75%
      (increased by 62.30% compared to control). However, all the ultrasonic
      pretreatment did not increase the DH of DWGP significantly (p>0.05). The changes
      in UV-Vis spectra, SH and SS groups, surface hydrophobicity and hydrophobic
      protein content indicated that the structure of DWGP unfolded after ultrasound
      pretreatment. The HAA content of hydrolysate from the pretreated DWGP increased
      significantly (p<0.05). The results proved that ultrasound pretreatment loosed
      the protein structure and exposed more HAA residues of protein to be attacked
      easily by alcalase. This resulted in the increase in the HAA content which
      related to the ACE inhibitory activity.

PMID- 28633843
TI  - Ultrasound-assisted dispersive magnetic solid phase extraction for
      preconcentration and determination of trace amount of Hg (II) ions from food
      samples and aqueous solution by magnetic graphene oxide (Fe3O4@GO/2-PTSC):
      Central composite design optimization.
AB  - In this work, the synthesis of the magnetic graphene oxide modified by 2
      pyridinecarboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone groups (Fe3O4@GO/2-PTSC) was utilized
      for preconcentration and determination of mercuric ions in a trace amount by
      inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).
      Characterization of the adsorbent was performed using various techniques, such as
      FT-IR, VSM, SEM and XRD analysis. Central composite design (CCD) under response
      surface methodology (RSM) was used for obtaining the most important parameters
      and probable interactions in variables. The variables such as adsorbent dosage,
      pH, desorption time, and eluent volume was optimized. These values were 8mg,
      5.4min, 0.5mL (HCl, 0.1M), respectively. Sonication had an important role in
      shortening the adsorption time of Hg (II) ions by enhancing the dispersion of
      adsorbent in solution. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method
      presented high enrichment factor of 193, an extraction percentage of 96.5, a
      detection limit of 0.0079ugL-1 and a relative standard deviation (RSD %) of
      1.63%. Finally, the application of the synthesized material was evaluated for
      preconcentration and determination of mercuric ions from foods and environmental
      waters samples.

PMID- 28633844
TI  - Effect of ultrasound pretreatment on the hydrothermal synthesis of SSZ-13
      zeolite.
AB  - SSZ-13 zeolite has been identified as effective material for catalysts and
      membranes for years because of its structure, but the long crystallization time
      is the main obstacle for the industry application. The sonochemical-assisted
      method was identified as one of the potential pre-treatment methods which could
      reduce the formation duration of zeolites as well as other microporous and
      mesoporous materials. In this work, zeolite SSZ-13 was prepared by ultrasound
      pretreatment prior to hydrothermal crystallization. For comparison, samples by
      the conventional pretreatment and hydrothermal method were also prepared. The
      synthesized powders were characterized by XRD, SEM, BET, FTIR, NMR and TGA. The
      results showed that the complete crystallization of SSZ-13 synthesized by the
      ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method was achieved within 72h, and much faster
      than conventional hydrothermal synthesis (120h). Furthermore, the ultrasound
      pretreatment showed very little effect on the structure properties of the final
      product compared with the conventional aging method.

PMID- 28633845
TI  - Intensification of extraction of curcumin from Curcuma amada using ultrasound
      assisted approach: Effect of different operating parameters.
AB  - Curcumin, a dietary phytochemical, has been extracted from rhizomes of Curcuma
      amada using ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) and the results compared with
      the conventional extraction approach to establish the process intensification
      benefits. The effect of operating parameters such as type of solvent, extraction
      time, extraction temperature, solid to solvent ratio, particle size and
      ultrasonic power on the extraction yield have been investigated in details for
      the approach UAE. The maximum extraction yield as 72% was obtained in 1h under
      optimized conditions of 35 degrees C temperature, solid to solvent ratio of 1:25,
      particle size of 0.09mm, ultrasonic power of 250W and ultrasound frequency of
      22kHz with ethanol as the solvent. The obtained yield was significantly higher as
      compared to the batch extraction where only about 62% yield was achieved in 8h of
      treatment. Peleg's model was used to describe the kinetics of UAE and the model
      showed a good agreement with the experimental results. Overall, ultrasound has
      been established to be a green process for extraction of curcumin with benefits
      of reduction in time as compared to batch extraction and the operating
      temperature as compared to Soxhlet extraction.

PMID- 28633846
TI  - Aqueous norfloxacin sonocatalytic degradation with multilayer flower-like ZnO in
      the presence of peroxydisulfate.
AB  - Multilayer ZnO nanoflowers were synthesized through a simple precipitation method
      and characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray
      diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and nitrogen absorption
      desorption techniques. The FE-SEM images show the integrated morphology of an
      individual flower-like ZnO nanostructure, which is made of nano-platelets with
      uniform thickness (20-30nm). The average pore size and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller
      (BET) surface area of the as-synthesized ZnO were 27.25nm and 13.53m2/g. The
      sonocatalytic ability of the prepared samples was evaluated through norfloxacin
      (NF) degradation in an aqueous system using ultrasound (US) irradiation. To
      improve degradation efficiency, peroxydisulfate (Na2S2O8) was introduced to
      develop a US/ZnO/peroxydisulfate system, which exhibited an excellent synergistic
      effect. The effects of ZnO dosage, Na2S2O8 concentration, pH, and initial NF
      concentration were studied to determine the performances of the
      US/ZnO/peroxydisulfate process. Corresponding results showed that NF degradation
      rate increased with the increase of ZnO dosage but decreased with the increase of
      initial NF concentration. Under the optimal Na2S2O8 concentration of 0.1gL-1 at
      pH 9, the best degradation efficiency can be achieved. Moreover, based on the
      scavenging experiment results and literatures, NF degradation through
      US/ZnO/peroxydisulfate system is majorly induced by OH and SO4- radicals.

PMID- 28633847
TI  - The role of ultrasound in hydrogen removal and microstructure refinement by
      ultrasonic argon degassing process.
AB  - In this work, the role of ultrasound in hydrogen removal and microstructure
      refinement by the ultrasonic argon degassing has been fully investigated by the
      experimental work in water and AZ91-0.4Ca magnesium melt, respectively.
      Ultrasound is able to break up argon gas into numbers of small bubbles and drive
      them diving deeply to the bottom of water, which are responsible for the
      efficient degassing regime of ultrasonic argon process. The argon flowrate plays
      a dominant role in promoting hydrogen removal effect. Meanwhile, the increasing
      argon flowrate can suppress the microstructure refinement, due to the subdued
      ultrasonic cavitation under a large argon flowrate. Mechanical properties of AZ91
      0.4Ca alloy can be much promoted by the ultrasonic argon degassing process.
      Ultrasound is the key to achieve not only efficient degassing regime, but also
      microstructure refinement as well as mechanical properties promotion.

PMID- 28633848
TI  - Novel synthesis of nanocomposite for the extraction of Sildenafil Citrate
      (Viagra) from water and urine samples: Process screening and optimization.
AB  - A sensitive analytical method is investigated to concentrate and determine trace
      level of Sildenafil Citrate (SLC) present in water and urine samples. The method
      is based on a sample treatment using dispersive solid-phase micro-extraction
      (DSPME) with laboratory-made Mn@ CuS/ZnS nanocomposite loaded on activated carbon
      (Mn@ CuS/ZnS-NCs-AC) as a sorbent for the target analyte. The efficiency was
      enhanced by ultrasound-assisted (UA) with dispersive nanocomposite solid-phase
      micro-extraction (UA-DNSPME). Four significant variables affecting SLC recovery
      like; pH, eluent volume, sonication time and adsorbent mass were selected by the
      Plackett-Burman design (PBD) experiments. These selected factors were optimized
      by the central composite design (CCD) to maximize extraction of SLC. The results
      exhibited that the optimum conditions for maximizing extraction of SLC were 6.0
      pH, 300MUL eluent (acetonitrile) volume, 10mg of adsorbent and 6min sonication
      time. Under optimized conditions, virtuous linearity of SLC was ranged from 30 to
      4000ngmL-1 with R2 of 0.99. The limit of detection (LOD) was 2.50ngmL-1 and the
      recoveries at two spiked levels were ranged from 97.37 to 103.21% with the
      relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 4.50% (n=15). The enhancement factor
      (EF) was 81.91. The results show that the combination UAE with DNSPME is a
      suitable method for the determination of SLC in water and urine samples.

PMID- 28633849
TI  - Effects of bovine serum albumin on a single cavitation bubble.
AB  - The dynamics and sonoluminescence (SL) of a single cavitation bubble in bovine
      serum albumin (BSA) aqueous solutions have been experimentally and theoretically
      investigated. A phase-locked integral imaging has been used to record the bubble
      pulsation evolutions. The results show that, under the optimum driving condition,
      the endurable driving pressure, maximum radius, radius compression ratio and SL
      intensity of the cavitation bubble increase correspondingly with the increase of
      BSA concentrations within the critical micelle concentration, which indicates
      that the addition of BSA increases the power capability of the cavitation bubble.
      In addition, BSA molecules dampen the interfacial motion, and especially the
      rebounds of the bubble after its collapse. BSA molecules modify the dilatational
      viscosity and elasticity of the bubble wall. A viscoelastic interfacial
      rheological model that mainly emphasizes on the description of the bubble wall
      has been introduced and modified to theoretically explain the measured bubble
      dynamics. A good consensus between the experimental observation and model
      calculation has been achieved.

PMID- 28633851
TI  - Nano-Fe3O4/PEG/succinic anhydride: A novel and efficient catalyst for the
      synthesis of benzoxanthenes under ultrasonic irradiation.
AB  - In this paper, we reported the successful synthesis of Fe3O4/polyethyleneglycol
      (PEG)/succinic anhydride nanocatalyst. The catalyst was fully characterized by
      scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray
      diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic laser scattering
      (DLS) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Fe3O4/PEG/succinic anhydride nanocatalyst as an
      efficient and green catalyst has been used for the synthesis of benzoxanthenes by
      the three-component condensation reaction of aldehydes, 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4
      dione and 2-naphthol or dimedone under ultrasonic irradiation. This method offers
      several advantages such as easy work-up, excellent yields, short reaction times,
      using of ultrasonic as a green method, recoverability of the catalyst and little
      catalyst loading.

PMID- 28633850
TI  - Stabilization of nano-structured ZnO particles onto the surface of cotton fibers
      using different surfactants and their antimicrobial activity.
AB  - ZnO NPs were prepared and deposited onto cotton fibers via ultrasound irradiation
      successfully. Different surfactants (SDS, HY, CTAB, TX-100) have been used to
      stabilize, homogenize the coated ZnO NPs and control their shape and size as
      encapsulated species. The use of surfactants has improved the durability of ZnO
      NPs and decreased its leaching in particular SDS. The small mean crystallite size
      for ZnO particles due to the use of surfactants is the main reason for decreasing
      the leached of ZnO particles from cotton substrate. SEM and XRD analysis revealed
      information about the shape and size of the coated ZnO nanoparticles. The use of
      SDS and HY surfactants in the synthesis of ZnO NPs coated fabrics showed the
      highest antibacterial and antifungal activities against different pathogenic
      bacterial and fungal species with high reduction reached over 90%.

PMID- 28633852
TI  - Lipase-ultrasound assisted synthesis of polyesters.
AB  - Poly (ethylene glutarate), poly (ethylene malonate) and poly (ethylene
      phthalate), were enzymatically synthesized by immobilized Candida antarctica
      lipase B in solvent free conditions. The synthesis of these polyesters was based
      on the ester-ester exchange reaction between ethylene glycol diacetate and di
      ethyl glutarate, di-benzyl malonate, di-n-octyl phthalate to produce poly
      (ethylene glutarate), poly (ethylene malonate) and poly (ethylene phthalate),
      respectively. The effect of ultrasound and PET polymeric beads was evaluated and
      showed to improve the synthesis of all polyesters. Ultrasound, as a green solvent
      free technology, showed high potentiality for the polyester synthesis
      intensification.

PMID- 28633853
TI  - Multi-objective optimization of oxidative desulfurization in a sono-photochemical
      airlift reactor.
AB  - Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize
      ultrasound/ultraviolet-assisted oxidative desulfurization in an airlift reactor.
      Ultrasonic waves were incorporated in a novel-geometry reactor to investigate the
      synergistic effects of sono-chemistry and enhanced gas-liquid mass transfer. Non
      hydrotreated kerosene containing sulfur and aromatic compounds was chosen as a
      case study. Experimental runs were conducted based on a face-centered central
      composite design and analyzed using RSM. The effects of two categorical factors,
      i.e., ultrasound and ultraviolet irradiation and two numerical factors, i.e.,
      superficial gas velocity and oxidation time were investigated on two responses,
      i.e., desulfurization and de-aromatization yields. Two-factor interaction (2FI)
      polynomial model was developed for the responses and the desirability function
      associate with overlay graphs was applied to find optimum conditions. The results
      showed enhancement in desulfurization ability corresponds to more reduction in
      aromatic content of kerosene in each combination. Based on desirability approach
      and certain criteria considered for desulfurization/de-aromatization, the optimal
      desulfurization and de-aromatization yields of 91.7% and 48% were obtained in
      US/UV/O3/H2O2 combination, respectively.

PMID- 28633854
TI  - An investigation of lipase catalysed sonochemical synthesis: A review.
AB  - Ultrasonic irradiation has recently gained attention of researchers for its
      process intensification in numerous reactions. Earlier ultrasound was known for
      its application either to deactivate enzyme activity or to disrupt the cell.
      However, in recent years, practice of ultrasonic irradiation began to emerge as a
      tool for the activation of the enzymes under mild frequency conditions. The
      incorporation of ultrasound in any of enzymatic reactions not only increases
      yield but also accelerates the rate of reaction in the presence of mild
      conditions with better yield and less side-products. To attain maximum yield, it
      is crucial to understand the mechanism and effect of sonication on reaction
      especially for the lipase enzyme. Thus, the influence of ultrasound irradiation
      on reaction yield for different parameters including temperature, enzyme
      concentration, mole ratio of substrates, solvents ultrasonic frequency and power
      was reviewed and discussed. The physical effect of cavitation determined by
      bubble dynamics and rate of reaction through kinetic modelling also needs to be
      assessed for complete investigation and scale up of synthesis. Thus, prudish
      utilisation of ultrasound for enzymatic synthesis can serve better future for
      sustainable and green chemistry.

PMID- 28633855
TI  - Nanocomposites: Synthesis, characterization and its application to removal azo
      dyes using ultrasonic assisted method: Modeling and optimization.
AB  - S-doped and Cu- and Co-doped TiO2 was synthesized by a sol-gel method and
      characterized by FE-SEM, XRD, EDX and FTIR. The Co/Cu/S-TiO2 nanocomposite loaded
      on the activated carbon as new nanoadsorbent was used for simultaneous removal of
      methylene blue (MB) and sunset yellow (SY) from aqueous solution by ultrasonic
      assisted adsorption method. In this work, central composite design (CCD) and
      adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) as a support tool for examining
      data and making prediction are used to recognize and predict the removal
      percentage in MB and SY dye solution of different concentrations. The predictive
      capabilities of CCD and ANFIS are compared in terms of square correlation
      coefficient (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and
      absolute average deviation (AAD) against the empirical data. It is found that the
      ANFIS model shows the better prediction accuracy than the CCD model. In addition
      to, the optimization of ultrasound-assisted simultaneous removal of methylene
      blue (MB) and sunset yellow (SY) on the Co/Cu/S-TiO2/AC nanocomposite by response
      surface methodology (RSM) for the optimization of the process variables, such as
      MB and SY concentrations, Co/Cu/S-TiO2/AC nanocomposite dose and sonication time,
      was investigated. Various isotherm and kinetic models were used in the
      experimental data. The results revealed that the langmuir isotherm and pseudo
      second-order model had a better correlation than the other models.

PMID- 28633856
TI  - Using of sonochemically prepared SbSI for electrospun nanofibers.
AB  - A novel polymeric, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers containing ferroelectric
      and semiconducting antimony sulfoiodide (SbSI) have been made by electrospinning.
      SbSI nanowires, used as the filler, have been prepared sonochemically from
      antimony sulphide (Sb2S3) and antimony tri-iodide (SbI3) for the first time.
      Nanocrystalline SbSI has been fabricated in ethanol under ultrasonic irradiation
      (20kHz, 565W/cm2) at 323K within 2h. The products have been characterized by
      using techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy,
      energy dispersive X-ray analysis, high-resolution transmission electron
      microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and optical diffuse reflection as
      well as transmission spectroscopy. The good quality of the nanocrystals and their
      dispersion in the nanofiber's volume is important because this material is
      attractive for nanogenerators due to its ferroelectric and piezoelectric
      properties. The amplitude of the voltage pulse, generated under shock pressure of
      3.0MPa, has reached 180V in the prototype PAN/SbSI piezoelectric nanogenerator.
      The peak output voltage of about 0.2V was measured in bending/releasing
      conditions with the deformation frequency of 1Hz.

PMID- 28633857
TI  - State-of-the-art on ultrasonic oil production technique for EOR in China.
AB  - Ultrasonic oil production technique for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) attracts more
      attention due to its high adaptability, simple operation, low cost and zero
      pollution to the oil reservoir. In this paper, recent new downhole tools used for
      enhanced oil recovery developed in China are summarized. Furthermore, research
      advance on some key problems that affect the widespread application of ultrasonic
      oil production technique in China are also summarized in view of what are the
      primary factors that influence crude oil paraffin inhibition and viscosity
      reduction, whether ultrasonic excitation is better than chemical agent for any
      plugs removal and whether ultrasound-chemical combination plug removal technology
      has the best plugs removal effect. The purpose of this paper is to provide
      reference for the broad application of ultrasonic oil production for enhance oil
      recovery.

PMID- 28633858
TI  - Effects of processing parameters in the sonic assisted water extraction (SAWE) of
      6-gingerol.
AB  - The use of water in subcritical conditions for extraction has several drawbacks.
      These include the safety features, higher production costs and possible
      degradation of the bioactive compounds. To overcome these problems, sonic energy
      and an entrainer were used as external interventions to decrease the polarity of
      water at milder operating conditions. The effect of low (28kHz) and high (800kHz)
      frequencies of sonication in the extraction of the main ginger bioactive compound
      (6-gingerol) were compared. Six parameters were studied: mean particle size (MPS,
      mm), time of extraction, applied power, sample to solvent ratio (w/v),
      temperature of extraction, and the percentage of entrainer. The optimum
      conditions for high frequency SAWE prototype were MPS 0.89-1.77mm, 45min, 40W
      applied power, 1:30 (w/v), 45 degrees C, and 15% of ethanol as entrainer. Two-way
      analysis of variance (ANOVA) gave the most significant parameter, which was power
      with F (1, 45.07), p<2.50*10-9. Although the effect of low frequency was stronger
      than high frequency, at the optimum conditions of the sample to solvent ratio
      1:30 (w/v) with 700mL solvent and temperature 45 degrees C, the concentration and
      recovery of 6-gingerol from high frequency of SAWE prototype was 2.69 times
      higher than at low frequency of SAWE. It was found that although the effects of
      high frequency (800kHz) were negligible in other studies, it could extract
      suitable compounds, such as 6-gingerol, at lower temperature. Therefore, the
      effects of sonication, which cause an enlargement in the cell wall of the ginger
      plant matrix, were observed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It was
      found that the applied power of sonication was the most significant parameter
      compared to the other parameters.

PMID- 28633859
TI  - Stability of cavitation structures in a thin liquid layer.
AB  - The inception and evolution of acoustic cavitation structures in thin liquid
      layers under different conditions and perturbations are investigated
      experimentally with high speed photography. The stability and characterization of
      cavitation structures are quantified by image analysis methods. It is found that
      cavitation structures (shape of bubble cloud and number of bubbles) are stable
      under unaltered experimental conditions, and the cavitation bubble cloud will
      return to the original structure and remain stable even in the face of large
      perturbations. When the experimental conditions are altered (for example,
      acoustic intensity, cavitation nuclei, boundary), the cavitation structures will
      vary correspondingly. Further analysis implies that the stability of cavitation
      structures is closely related to the number of bubbles in the cavitation bubble
      cloud. There are two mechanisms acting simultaneously in the cavitation bubble
      cloud evolution, one "bubble production" and the other "bubble disappearance". We
      propose that the two mechanisms acting together constitute the most likely
      explanation for the stability of cavitation structures and their transformation.

PMID- 28633861
TI  - Optimization of magnetic field-assisted ultrasonication for the disintegration of
      waste activated sludge using Box-Behnken design with response surface
      methodology.
AB  - This study investigated for the first time the feasibility of using a magnetic
      field for sludge disintegration. Approximately 41.01% disintegration degree (DD)
      was reached after 30min at 180mT magnetic field intensity upon separate magnetic
      field treatment. Protein and polysaccharide contents significantly increased.
      This test was optimized using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) with response surface
      methodology (RSM) to fit the multiple equation of the DD. The maximum DD was
      43.75% and the protein and polysaccharide contents increased to 56.71 and
      119.44mg/L, respectively, when the magnetic field strength was 119.69mT, reaction
      time was 30.49min, and pH was 9.82 in the optimization experiment. We then
      analyzed the effects of ultrasound alone. We are the first to combine magnetic
      field with ultrasound to disintegrate waste-activated sludge (WAS). The optimum
      effect was obtained with the application of ultrasound alone at 45kHz frequency,
      with a DD of about 58.09%. By contrast, 62.62% DD was reached in combined
      magnetic field and ultrasound treatment. This combined test was also optimized
      using BBD with RSM to fit the multiple equation of DD. The maximum DD of 64.59%
      was achieved when the magnetic field intensity was 197.87mT, ultrasonic frequency
      was 42.28kHz, reaction time was 33.96min, and pH was 8.90. These results were
      consistent with those of particle size and electron microscopy analyses. This
      research proved that a magnetic field can effectively disintegrate WAS and can be
      combined with other physical techniques such as ultrasound for optimal results.

PMID- 28633860
TI  - Influencing factors and kinetics analysis on the leaching of iron from boron
      carbide waste-scrap with ultrasound-assisted method.
AB  - In this paper, the ultrasound-assisted leaching of iron from boron carbide waste
      scrap was investigated and the optimization of different influencing factors had
      also been performed. The factors investigated were acid concentration, liquid
      solid ratio, leaching temperature, ultrasonic power and frequency. The leaching
      of iron with conventional method at various temperatures was also performed. The
      results show the maximum iron leaching ratios are 87.4%, 94.5% for 80min-leaching
      with conventional method and 50min-leaching with ultrasound assistance,
      respectively. The leaching of waste-scrap with conventional method fits the
      chemical reaction-controlled model. The leaching with ultrasound assistance fits
      chemical reaction-controlled model, diffusion-controlled model for the first
      stage and second stage, respectively. The assistance of ultrasound can greatly
      improve the iron leaching ratio, accelerate the leaching rate, shorten leaching
      time and lower the residual iron, comparing with conventional method. The
      advantages of ultrasound-assisted leaching were also confirmed by the SEM-EDS
      analysis and elemental analysis of the raw material and leached solid samples.

PMID- 28633862
TI  - Ultrasound assisted methods for enhanced extraction of phycobiliproteins from
      marine macro-algae, Gelidium pusillum (Rhodophyta).
AB  - Extraction of phycobiliproteins (R-phycoerythrin, R-PE and R-phycocyanin, R-PC)
      from macro-algae is difficult due to the presence of large polysaccharides (agar,
      cellulose etc.) present in the cell wall which offer major hindrance for cell
      disruption. The present study is aimed at developing most suitable methodology
      for the primary extraction of R-PE and R-PC from marine macro-algae, Gelidium
      pusillum(Stackhouse) Le Jolis. Such extraction of phycobiliproteins by using
      ultrasonication and other conventional methods such as maceration, maceration in
      presence of liquid nitrogen, homogenization, and freezing and thawing (alone and
      in combinations) is reported for the first time. Standardization of
      ultrasonication for different parameters such as ultrasonication amplitude (60,
      90 and 120um) and ultrasonication time (1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10mins) at different
      temperatures (30, 35 and 40 degrees C) was carried out. Kinetic parameters were
      estimated for extraction of phycobiliproteins by ultrasonication based on second
      order mass transfer kinetics. Based on calorimetric measurements, power,
      ultrasound intensity and acoustic power density were estimated to be 41.97W,
      14.81W/cm2 and 0.419W/cm3, respectively. Synergistic effect of ultrasonication
      was observed when employed in combination with other conventional primary
      extraction methods. Homogenization in combination with ultrasonication resulted
      in an enhancement in efficiency by 9.3% over homogenization alone. Similarly,
      maceration in combination with ultrasonication resulted in an enhancement in
      efficiency by 31% over maceration alone. Among all the methods employed,
      maceration in combination with ultrasonication resulted in the highest extraction
      efficiency of 77 and 93% for R-PE and R-PC, respectively followed by
      homogenization in combination with ultrasonication (69.6% for R-PE and 74.1% for
      R-PC). HPLC analysis was carried out in order to ensure that R-PE was present in
      the extract and remained intact even after processing. Microscopic studies
      indicated a clear relation between the extraction efficiency of phycobiliproteins
      and degree of cell disruption in a given primary extraction method. These
      combination methods were found to be effective for extraction of
      phycobiliproteins from rigid biomass of Gelidium pusillum macro-algae and can be
      employed for downstream processing of biomolecules also from other macro-algae.

PMID- 28633863
TI  - Targeted Deletion of an Entire Chromosome Using CRISPR/Cas9.
AB  - CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing can facilitate efficient deletion of genomic region,
      but it has not been used to delete an entire chromosome. Here, Adikusuma et al.
      show proof-of-concept for efficient CRISPR-mediated selective chromosome deletion
      by removing the centromere or shredding the chromosome arm in mouse embryonic
      stem cells and zygotes.

PMID- 28633865
TI  - Corrigendum to "Neural correlates of reduced awareness in instrumental activities
      of daily living in frontotemporal dementia" [Exp. Gerontol. 83 (2016) 158-164].

PMID- 28633866
TI  - Tea consumption may decrease the risk of osteoporosis: an updated meta-analysis
      of observational studies.
AB  - Several epidemiological investigations have evaluated the correlation between tea
      consumption and risk of osteoporosis, but the results are inconsistent.
      Therefore, we conducted an updated meta-analysis of observational studies to
      assess this association. We searched for all relevant studies including cohort,
      cross-sectional, and case-control studies published from database inception to
      July 15, 2016, using MEDLINE EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Polled odds ratios
      (ORs) were calculated using the random-effect model. Fourteen articles (16
      studies) that examined 138523 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Seven
      studies concerning bone mineral density (BMD) showed an increase in BMD with tea
      consumption, including 4 cross-sectional studies (OR, 0.04, 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 0.01-0.08) and 3 cohort studies (OR, 0.01; 95% CI, 0.01-0.01). The
      remaining 9 studies concerning fracture, including 6 case-control studies and 3
      cohort studies, showed no association between tea consumption and osteoporotic
      fracture (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74-1.01). This updated meta-analysis demonstrates
      that tea consumption could increase BMD, but the association with osteoporotic
      fracture requires further investigation. Together, the results highlight the need
      for future, high-quality-designed clinical trials on tea consumption and
      osteoporosis.

PMID- 28633864
TI  - Perinatal Group B Streptococcal Infections: Virulence Factors, Immunity, and
      Prevention Strategies.
AB  - Group B streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae is a beta-hemolytic, Gram
      positive bacterium that is a leading cause of neonatal infections. GBS commonly
      colonizes the lower gastrointestinal and genital tracts and, during pregnancy,
      neonates are at risk of infection. Although intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis
      during labor and delivery has decreased the incidence of early-onset neonatal
      infection, these measures do not prevent ascending infection that can occur
      earlier in pregnancy leading to preterm births, stillbirths, or late-onset
      neonatal infections. Prevention of GBS infection in pregnancy is complex and is
      likely influenced by multiple factors, including pathogenicity, host factors,
      vaginal microbiome, false-negative screening, and/or changes in antibiotic
      resistance. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of GBS infections during
      pregnancy will facilitate the development of novel therapeutics and vaccines.
      Here, we summarize and discuss important advancements in our understanding of GBS
      vaginal colonization, ascending infection, and preterm birth.

PMID- 28633867
TI  - Review of a causal role of fructose-containing sugars in myocardial
      susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion injury.
AB  - In 2012, the World Health Organization Global Status Report on noncommunicable
      diseases showed that 7.4 million deaths were due to ischemic heart disease.
      Consequently, cardiovascular disease is a significant health burden, especially
      when partnered with comorbidities such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2
      diabetes mellitus. Of note, these diseases can all be induced or exacerbated by
      diet. Carbohydrates, in particular, fructose and glucose, generally form the
      largest part of the human diet. Accumulating evidence from animal studies
      suggests that if large amounts of fructose are consumed either in isolation or in
      combination with glucose (fructose-containing sugars), myocardial susceptibility
      to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury increases. However, the underlying
      mechanisms that predisposes the myocardium to I/R injury in the fructose model
      are not elucidated, and no single mechanistic pathway has been described. Based
      on all available data on this topic, this review describes previously
      investigated mechanisms and highlights 3 main mechanistic pathways whereby
      fructose has shown to increase myocardial susceptibility to I/R injury. These
      pathways include (1) increased reactive oxygen species, resulting in reduced
      nitric oxide synthase and coronary flow; (2) elevated plasma fatty acids and
      insulin, leading to increased cardiac triglyceride content and lipotoxicity; and
      (3) disrupted myocardial calcium handling/homeostasis. Moreover, we highlight
      various factors that should be taken into account when the fructose animal model
      is used, such as rat strain, treatment periods, and doses. We argue that failure
      to do so would result in erratic inferences drawn from the existing body of
      evidence on fructose animal models.

PMID- 28633868
TI  - Daidzein stimulates osteogenesis facilitating proliferation, differentiation, and
      antiapoptosis in human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells via estrogen receptor
      dependent MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt activation.
AB  - Daidzein, a natural soy isoflavone, has a structure similar to estradiol and
      exhibiting bone-sparing effects against osteoporosis. However, the molecular
      mechanisms of osteogenesis remain unclear. We hypothesized that daidzein
      stimulates osteogenesis through estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent signal pathways.
      To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of daidzein compared with
      17beta-estradiol on proliferation, differentiation, and cisplatin-induced
      apoptosis in human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells containing 2 ER isoforms. The
      results showed that daidzein stimulated cell proliferation by altering cell cycle
      distribution, promoted cell differentiation by increasing the alkaline
      phosphatase activity and collagen content, and reduced cell apoptosis associated
      by up-regulating the expression of Bcl-xL. The above actions of daidzein were
      prevented by cotreatment with the ER antagonist ICI 182780. Using small
      interfering RNA technology, we further demonstrated that the effects of daidzein
      on alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen content, and cell apoptosis are
      mediated by both ERalpha and ERbeta, whereas the effects on cell proliferation
      are primarily mediated by ERalpha. However, the effects of 17beta-estradiol on
      osteoblastic proliferation and survival are mediated by both ER isotypes, and the
      effects on osteoblastic differentiation are primarily mediated by ERalpha. The
      use of specific inhibitors indicated that activation of the mitogen-activated
      protein kinase kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) and
      phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B or PKB (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway at
      least partially accounts for these effects of daidzein. Taken together, the
      results indicate that daidzein stimulates osteogenesis through facilitating
      proliferation, differentiation, and antiapoptosis in human osteoblast-like MG-63
      cells via activation of MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt in an ER-dependent manner.

PMID- 28633869
TI  - Baccaurea angulata fruit juice ameliorates altered hematological and biochemical
      biomarkers in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
AB  - Hypercholesterolemia is an important risk factor linked to the alteration of
      blood hematology and clinical chemistry associated with the development and
      progression of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have demonstrated the safety and
      potential health benefits of Baccaurea angulata (BA) fruit. We hypothesized that
      the oral administration of BA fruit juice could ameliorate the alteration in the
      hematological and biochemical biomarkers of diet-induced hypercholesterolemic
      rabbits. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different doses
      of BA juice on the hematological and biochemical biomarkers in normo- and
      hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Thirty-five healthy adult New Zealand White rabbits
      were assigned to seven different groups for 90days of diet intervention. Four
      atherogenic groups were fed a 1% cholesterol diet and 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5mL of
      BA juice per kg of rabbit daily. The other three normal groups were fed a
      commercial rabbit pellet diet and 0, 0.5, and 1.0mL of BA juice per kg of rabbit
      daily. Baseline and final blood samples after 90days of repeated administration
      BA juice were analyzed for hematological parameters while serum, aortic and
      hepatic lysates were analyzed for lipid profiles and other biochemical
      biomarkers. The alteration of the hemopoietic system, physiological changes in
      serum and tissues lipid profiles and other biochemicals resulting from the
      consumption of a high-cholesterol diet were significantly (P<.05) ameliorated by
      the administration of BA juice. Improvements of the biomarkers in rabbits were
      dose-dependent, markedly enhanced at the highest dose of juice (1.5mL/kg/day).
      The results suggest potential health benefits of the antioxidant-rich BA fruit
      juice against hypercholesterolemia-associated hematological and biochemical
      alterations in the rabbit.

PMID- 28633870
TI  - Omega-3 free fatty acids attenuate insulin-promoted breast cancer cell
      proliferation.
AB  - High insulin levels in obese people are considered as a risk factor to induce
      breast carcinogenesis. And consumption of fish oils which mainly contain omega-3
      fatty acids is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. However, whether
      omega-3 free fatty acids (FFAs) modulate insulin signaling pathway to prevent
      breast cancer is poorly understood. The current study tested the hypothesis that
      omega-3 FFAs attenuate insulin-induced breast cancer cell proliferation and
      regulate insulin signaling pathway. We show here that omega-3 FFAs attenuate MCF
      7 cell proliferation and Akt and Erk1/2 phosphorylation levels stimulated by
      insulin. Knockdown Shp2 by siRNA resulted in significantly elevated omega-3 FFAs
      activated Akt phosphorylation but failed to change insulin-stimulated Akt and
      Erk1/2 phosphorylation. And viable cell number was not affected by either
      downregulation of Shp2 expression or Erk1/2 inhibitor U0126 treatment. These
      observations indicated that omega-3 FFAs attenuate insulin-promoted breast cancer
      cell proliferation and insulin-activated Akt phosphorylation.

PMID- 28633871
TI  - High-fat diet-induced plasma protein and liver changes in obese rats can be
      attenuated by melatonin supplementation.
AB  - Obesity triggers changes in protein expression in various organs that might
      participate in the pathogenesis of obesity. Melatonin has been reported to
      prevent or attenuate such pathological protein changes in several chronic
      diseases. However, such melatonin effects on plasma proteins have not yet been
      studied in an obesity model. Using a proteomic approach, we investigated the
      effect of melatonin on plasma protein profiles after rats were fed a high-fat
      diet (HFD) to induce obesity. We hypothesized that melatonin would attenuate
      abnormal protein expression in obese rats. After 10weeks of the HFD, animals
      displayed increased body weight and fat accumulation as well as increased glucose
      levels, indicating an obesity-induced prediabetes mellitus-like state. Two
      dimensional gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass
      spectrometry revealed 12 proteins whose expression was altered in response to the
      HFD and the melatonin treatment. The altered proteins are related to the
      development of liver pathology, such as cirrhosis (alpha1-antiproteinase),
      thrombosis (fibrinogen, plasminogen), and inflammation (mannose-binding protein
      A, complement C4, complement factor B), contributing to liver steatosis or
      hepatic cell death. Melatonin treatment most probably reduced the severity of the
      HFD-induced obesity by reducing the amplitude of HFD-induced plasma protein
      changes. In conclusion, we identified several potential biomarkers associated
      with the progression of obesity and its complications, such as liver damage.
      Furthermore, our findings reveal melatonin's beneficial effect of attenuating
      plasma protein changes and liver pathogenesis in obese rats.

PMID- 28633872
TI  - Frozen yogurt and ice cream were less healthy than yogurt, and adding toppings
      reduced their nutrition value: evidence from 1999-2014 National Health and
      Nutrition Examination Survey.
AB  - It was hypothesized that frozen yogurt and ice cream would be less healthy than
      yogurt. We examined daily energy and nutrient intake from yogurt, frozen yogurt,
      and ice cream among US adults. In-person 24-hour dietary recall data (n=6453)
      came from the 1999-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
      Regression analyses were performed to examine the differences in energy/nutrient
      intake from frozen yogurt and ice cream (with/without toppings) in comparison to
      yogurt. Approximately 5.3%, 0.9%, and 14.3% of US adults consumed yogurt, frozen
      yogurt, and ice cream on any given day, respectively. Among frozen yogurt and ice
      cream consumers, 29.7% and 14.8% added toppings to their consumption,
      respectively. Compared with yogurt, frozen yogurt consumption with and without
      toppings was associated with increased daily energy intake by 214.6 and 97.9kj,
      respectively; whereas ice cream consumption with and without toppings was
      associated with increased daily energy intake by 427.2 and 343.5kj, respectively.
      Compared with yogurt, frozen yogurt consumption was associated with a decreased
      intake of most vitamins/minerals under examination, but increased intake of
      sugar, total/saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber, and iron. Adding toppings to
      frozen yogurt further increased total and saturated fat intake. Compared with
      yogurt, ice cream consumption was associated with a decreased intake of multiple
      micronutrients, but increased intake of sugar, total/saturated fat, cholesterol,
      fiber, vitamins A and E, and iron. Adding toppings to ice cream further increased
      sugar intake. In conclusion, frozen yogurt and ice cream were less healthy than
      yogurt, and adding toppings made them even less desirable.

PMID- 28633873
TI  - Elental(r) amino acid component has protective effects on primary cultured
      hepatocytes and a rat model of acute liver injury.
AB  - Amino acids can exert protective effects on the liver either when administered as
      a medication or following an operation. In this study, we examined the protective
      effects of amino acids on the liver using in vitro and in vivo models by studying
      their influence on the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and
      nitric oxide production as a liver injury marker in cultured hepatocytes and
      liver-protective effects in d-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (GalN/LPS)
      treated rats, respectively. Primary cultured rat hepatocytes were treated with
      interleukin (IL)-1beta in the presence or absence of Elental(r) amino acid
      component (EleAA; 17 amino acids). Rats were pretreated with either EleAA or a
      diet containing selected amino acids followed by GalN/LPS injection. Survival
      rate and mRNA expression were analyzed. EleAA inhibited iNOS induction through
      reduction of mRNA synthesis and stability in cultured hepatocytes, indicating
      prevention of liver injury, but did not show a liver-protective effect in
      GalN/LPS rats. Among EleAA, Lys, Trp, His, and Arg (4AA) markedly decreased
      nitric oxide production and inhibited nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB)
      activation. In GalN/LPS rats, 4AA (3% of each amino acid in diet) increased
      survival rate by 50% and decreased mRNA expression of iNOS, tumor necrosis factor
      alpha, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 in the liver. 4AA
      reduced NF-kappaB activation induced by GalN/LPS. 4AA inhibited the expression of
      inflammatory mediators, in part through inhibition of NF-kappaB activation in
      cultured hepatocytes and GalN/LPS-treated rats. The results suggest that EleAA
      has therapeutic potential for organ injuries including liver.

PMID- 28633874
TI  - Proportional bias between dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical
      impedance analysis varies based on sex in active adults consuming high- and low
      carbohydrate diets.
AB  - Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)
      are common methods of body composition assessment, but the agreement between
      these methods varies. Bias between DXA and single-frequency BIA was evaluated at
      6 different time points in 48 active male and female adults consuming
      standardized high- and low-carbohydrate diets. It was hypothesized that fixed and
      proportional biases exist between DXA and BIA but that the extent of bias does
      not differ based on sex. Substantial fixed bias was present for estimates
      obtained by DXA and BIA, and both men and women exhibited proportional bias for
      fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM). The magnitude of bias was greater in
      women, and only women exhibited proportional bias for body fat percentage. In
      individuals with less FM, the mean difference between DXA and BIA was high,
      indicating that BIA underestimated FM relative to DXA. However, in individuals
      with greater FM, better agreement was seen. Correspondingly, the mean difference
      in FFM estimates was greater in individuals with less FFM. In some individuals
      with high quantities of FM or FFM relative to the sample, the relationship
      between devices was reversed such that BIA overestimated FM and underestimated
      FFM. The degree of disagreement between DXA and BIA varies substantially based on
      body size and sex such that all-encompassing statements regarding the
      comparability of these technologies cannot presently be made.

PMID- 28633875
TI  - Rational drug loading of liposomes revisited.

PMID- 28633877
TI  - Epithelial proteome profiling suggests the essential role of interferon-inducible
      proteins in patients with allergic rhinitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) caused by intermittent exposure to
      seasonal pollen causes itching, nasal congestion, and repeated sneezing, with
      profound effects on quality of life, work productivity, and school performance.
      Although both the genotype and environmental factors can contribute to the
      immunologic basis of allergic reactions, the molecular underpinnings associated
      with the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis are not entirely clear. METHODS: To
      address these questions, nasal epithelial brushings were collected from 29
      patients with SAR and 31 control subjects during and after the pollen season. We
      then implemented an orbitrap-based, bottom-up, label-free quantitative proteomics
      approach, followed by multivariate analyses to identify differentially abundant
      (DA) proteins among the 4 sample groups. RESULTS: We identified a total of 133 DA
      proteins for which the most significantly overrepresented functional category was
      found to be interferon 1 signaling. Two proteins, cystatin 1 and myeloblastin,
      the former of which protects against protease activity of allergens and the
      latter with a role in epithelial barrier function, were DA in patients with SAR
      and control subjects, irrespective of season. Moreover, interferon-inducible
      protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1, cystatin 1, and interferon-inducible
      protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 were found to be differentially
      regulated between patients with SAR and control subjects, with inverse abundance
      dynamics during the transition from fall to spring. CONCLUSION: We identified
      type 1 interferon-regulated proteins as biomarkers in patients with SAR,
      potentially playing an important role in its pathogenesis. Moreover, when
      compared with patients with SAR, healthy subjects exhibit an antagonistic
      proteomic response across seasons, which might prove to be a therapeutic target
      for disease prevention.

PMID- 28633876
TI  - Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis as presenting manifestation of profound
      combined immunodeficiency due to an ORAI1 mutation.

PMID- 28633878
TI  - Reply to Basu et al.

PMID- 28633879
TI  - Intensive preoperative rehabilitation improves functional capacity and
      postoperative hospital length of stay in elderly patients with lung cancer
      [commentary].

PMID- 28633880
TI  - Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire.

PMID- 28633881
TI  - Placebo pills provided without deception may help to reduce pain and disability
      in people with chronic low back pain [commentary].

PMID- 28633882
TI  - Knee osteoarthritis.

PMID- 28633883
TI  - The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM).

PMID- 28633884
TI  - Differences in Practice Characteristics Between Male and Female Chiropractors in
      Switzerland.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A total of 75% of the chiropractic medicine students in the new
      program at the University of Zurich are women, which is in stark contrast to the
      traditional ratio of chiropractors in Switzerland, where 75% have been men.
      Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare work behaviors between female
      and male chiropractors relating to workload, patient variety, and chiropractic
      treatment techniques. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from the
      Swiss Job Analysis 2009 study. The design was an online survey to all practicing
      chiropractors in Switzerland that had a 70% response rate of 183 returned
      surveys. Differences between male and female chiropractors in the various
      categorical responses involving practice workload, characteristics and patient
      types were compared using the chi2 test. RESULTS: Male chiropractors had
      significantly more years in practice (P = .0001), worked more hours per week (P =
      .0001), and saw more patients (P = .0001) and more new patients (P = .004) per
      week compared with female chiropractors. Female chiropractors spent significantly
      more time with patients during follow-up visits (P = .017). There were no
      significant differences in treatment techniques used or the types of patients
      seen between the sexes. CONCLUSION: Because female chiropractors work fewer hours
      and see fewer patients per week, this may lead to a shortage of chiropractors in
      the future as the sex ratio within the profession slowly changes in Switzerland.

PMID- 28633885
TI  - Characteristics of Paraspinal Muscle Spindle Response to Mechanically Assisted
      Spinal Manipulation: A Preliminary Report.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this preliminary study is to determine muscle spindle
      response characteristics related to the use of 2 solenoid powered clinical
      mechanically assisted manipulation (MAM) devices. METHODS: L6 muscle spindle
      afferents with receptive fields in paraspinal muscles were isolated in 6 cats.
      Neural recordings were made during L7 MAM thrusts using the Activator V
      (Activator Methods Int. Ltd., Phoenix, AZ) and/or Pulstar (Sense Technology Inc.,
      Pittsburgh, PA) devices at their 3 lowest force settings. Mechanically assisted
      manipulation response measures included (a) the time required post-thrust until
      the first action potential, (b) differences in mean frequency (MF) and mean
      instantaneous frequency (MIF) 2 seconds before and after MAM, and (c) the time
      required for muscle spindle discharge (MF and MIF) to return to 95% of baseline
      after MAM. RESULTS: Depending on device setting, between 44% to 80% (Pulstar) and
      11% to 63% (Activator V) of spindle afferents required >6 seconds to return to
      within 95% of baseline MF values; whereas 66% to 89% (Pulstar) and 75% to 100%
      (Activator V) of spindle responses returned to within 95% of baseline MIF in <6
      seconds after MAM. Nonparametric comparisons between the 22 N and 44 N settings
      of the Pulstar yielded significant differences for the time required to return to
      baseline MF and MIF. CONCLUSION: Short duration (<10 ms) MAM thrusts decrease
      muscle spindle discharge with a majority of afferents requiring prolonged periods
      (>6 seconds) to return to baseline MF activity. Physiological consequences and
      clinical relevance of described MAM mechanoreceptor responses will require
      additional investigation.

PMID- 28633887
TI  - Visual integration of fear and anger emotional cues by children on the autism
      spectrum and neurotypical peers: An EEG study.
AB  - Communication deficits in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often
      related to inefficient interpretation of emotional cues, which are conveyed
      visually through both facial expressions and body language. The present study
      examined ASD behavioral and ERP responses to emotional expressions of anger and
      fear, as conveyed by the face and body. Behavioral results showed significantly
      faster response times for the ASD than for the typically developing (TD) group
      when processing fear, but not anger, in isolated face expressions, isolated body
      expressions, and in the integration of the two. In addition, EEG data for the
      N170 and P1 indicated processing differences between fear and anger stimuli only
      in TD group, suggesting that individuals with ASD may not be distinguishing
      between emotional expressions. These results suggest that ASD children may employ
      a different neural mechanism for visual emotion recognition than their TD peers,
      possibly relying on inferential processing.

PMID- 28633886
TI  - Remembering and imagining alternative versions of the personal past.
AB  - Although autobiographical memory and episodic simulations recruit similar core
      brain regions, episodic simulations engage additional neural recruitment in the
      frontoparietal control network due to greater demands on constructive processes.
      However, previous functional neuroimaging studies showing differences in
      remembering and episodic simulation have focused on veridical retrieval of past
      experiences, and thus have not fully considered how retrieving the past in
      different ways from how it was originally experienced may also place similar
      demands on constructive processes. Here we examined how alternative versions of
      the past are constructed when adopting different egocentric perspectives during
      autobiographical memory retrieval compared to simulating hypothetical events from
      the personal past that could have occurred, or episodic counterfactual thinking.
      Participants were asked to generate titles for specific autobiographical memories
      from the last five years, and then, during functional magnetic resonance (fMRI)
      scanning, were asked to repeatedly retrieve autobiographical memories or imagine
      counterfactual events cued by the titles. We used an fMRI adaptation paradigm in
      order to isolate neural regions that were sensitive to adopting alternative
      egocentric perspectives and counterfactual simulations of the personal past. The
      fMRI results revealed that voxels within left posterior inferior parietal and
      ventrolateral frontal cortices were sensitive to novel visual perspectives and
      counterfactual simulations. Our findings suggest that the neural regions
      supporting remembering become more similar to those underlying episodic
      simulation when we adopt alternative egocentric perspectives of the veridical
      past.

PMID- 28633888
TI  - Burden of acute gastroenteritis caused by norovirus in China: A systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To understand the epidemiology and disease burden of norovirus (NoVs)
      gastroenteritis in China, a systematic review was conducted. METHODS: Studies on
      acute gastroenteritis (AGE) caused by NoVs from mainland China, published before
      2017 were searched. All retrieved articles were screened and reviewed by a
      standardized algorithm. NoVs detection rates as well as strain variations by
      ages, seasonal variations and geographic locations were analyzed using random
      effects model. RESULTS: A total of 225 articles were included in the final
      analysis. Similar detection rates at 21.0% and 19.8% were obtained from the North
      and the South, respectively. NoVs infection occurred year round, with a peak
      between October and January in the North and between August and November in the
      South. High detection rates (~29%) of NoVs were found in adults and the elderly
      and in children aged 6-35 months (~22%). The predominant strains were GII.4
      (70.4%), followed by GII.3 (13.5%). CONCLUSION: NoVs cause significant disease
      burden in China which warrants development of vaccines against NoVs, particularly
      for children and the elderly who are vulnerable to gastroenteritis diseases. To
      achieve a broad protection, continual monitoring NoV epidemics and strain
      variations for selection of proper vaccine strains is critical.

PMID- 28633889
TI  - Serious pneumococcal disease outbreak in men exposed to metal fume - detection,
      response and future prevention through pneumococcal vaccination.
AB  - Welders and those exposed to metal fume are known to be at increased risk of
      pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease. Current UK guidance
      recommends that vaccination against pneumococcus be considered in those at risk
      of frequent or continuous occupational exposure to metal fume, taking into
      account the exposure control measures in place. We report an outbreak of serious
      pneumococcal disease that occurred between April and June 2015 among a
      multinational workforce exposed to metal fumes while working on the refurbishment
      of an oil rig in a Belfast shipyard. Four confirmed and five probable cases were
      identified, which occurred despite the use of environmental control measures and
      the availability of respiratory protective equipment. To provide direct
      protection to those at risk of pneumococcal disease and to eradicate carriage of
      pneumococcus and interrupt transmission, pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
      (PPV23) and antibiotic prophylaxis were offered to 680 individuals identified as
      potentially exposed to metal fume. Low levels of prior pneumococcal vaccination
      were reported among this target group (<1%). Genomic sequencing indicated a
      common strain of serotype 4 pneumococcus in two of the confirmed cases and a
      distinct serotype 4 in one case. The fourth confirmed case was identified as
      likely serotype 3 using a serotype-specific immunoassay on a urine specimen. Both
      serotypes 3 and 4 are vaccine-preventable strains covered by the conjugate and
      polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccines currently available. We propose that
      consideration should be given to strengthening implementation around pneumococcal
      vaccination for those exposed to metal fume through their work, even when other
      control measures are in place, to reduce the risk of future cases and outbreaks
      of serious pneumococcal disease.

PMID- 28633890
TI  - Universal measles-mumps-rubella vaccination to new recruits and the incidence of
      mumps in the military.
AB  - In response to the resurgence of mumps, the Korean Armed Forces started the
      measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination to all new recruits regardless of prior
      vaccination history. We evaluated the effectiveness of the vaccination by
      comparing the incidence between the military and civilian populations before and
      after implementation of the new policy. The standardized incidence ratio of mumps
      in the military was 7.06 in the prevaccine period, which declined to 0.96 in the
      postvaccine period. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated at 86.4%. Incidence rate
      ratio was lower in the 1996-1998 birth cohort (BC) compared with 1989-1995 BC
      (0.10 vs. 0.55), suggesting higher effectiveness of vaccination in the 1996-1998
      BC. Our data provide evidence for the use of the MMR vaccination in the
      prevention of mumps in high-risk adults.

PMID- 28633891
TI  - AIDS, Avian flu, SARS, MERS, Ebola, Zika... what next?
AB  - Emerging infections have threatened humanity since times immemorial. The dramatic
      anthropogenic, behavioral and social changes that have affected humanity and the
      environment in the past century have accelerated the intrusion of novel pathogens
      into the global human population, sometimes with devastating consequences. The
      AIDS and influenza pandemics have claimed and will continue to claim millions of
      lives. The recent SARS and Ebola epidemics have threatened populations across
      borders. The emergence of MERS may well be warning signals of a nascent pandemic
      threat, while the potential for geographical spread of vector-borne diseases,
      such as Zika, but also Dengue and Chikungunya is unprecedented. Novel
      technologies and innovative approaches have multiplied to address and improve
      response preparedness towards the increasing yet unpredictable threat posed by
      emerging pathogens.

PMID- 28633892
TI  - Seropositivity to non-vaccine incorporated genotypes induced by the bivalent and
      quadrivalent HPV vaccines: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus vaccines have demonstrated remarkable efficacy
      against persistent infection and disease associated with vaccine-incorporated
      genotypes and a degree of efficacy against some genetically related, non-vaccine
      incorporated genotypes. The vaccines differ in the extent of cross-protection
      against these non-vaccine genotypes. Data supporting the role for neutralizing
      antibodies as a correlate or surrogate of cross-protection are lacking, as is a
      robust assessment of the seroconversion rates against these non-vaccine
      genotypes. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of
      available data on vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody seropositivity to non
      vaccine incorporated HPV genotypes. RESULTS: Of 304 articles screened, 9 were
      included in the analysis representing ca. 700 individuals. The pooled estimate
      for seropositivity against HPV31 for the bivalent vaccine (86%; 95%CI 78-91%) was
      higher than that for the quadrivalent vaccine (61%; 39-79%; p=0.011). The pooled
      estimate for seropositivity against HPV45 for the bivalent vaccine (50%; 37-64%)
      was also higher than that for the quadrivalent vaccine (16%; 6-36%; p=0.007).
      Seropositivity against HPV33, HPV52 and HPV58 were similar between the vaccines.
      Mean seropositivity rates across non-vaccine genotypes were positively associated
      with the corresponding vaccine efficacy data reported from vaccine trials.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data improve our understanding of vaccine-induced functional
      antibody specificity against non-vaccine incorporated genotypes and may help to
      parameterize vaccine-impact models and improve patient management in a post
      vaccine setting.

PMID- 28633893
TI  - Genes encoding cuticular proteins are components of the Nimrod gene cluster in
      Drosophila.
AB  - The Nimrod gene cluster, located on the second chromosome of Drosophila
      melanogaster, is the largest synthenic unit of the Drosophila genome. Nimrod
      genes show blood cell specific expression and code for phagocytosis receptors
      that play a major role in fruit fly innate immune functions. We previously
      identified three homologous genes (vajk-1, vajk-2 and vajk-3) located within the
      Nimrod cluster, which are unrelated to the Nimrod genes, but are homologous to a
      fourth gene (vajk-4) located outside the cluster. Here we show that, unlike the
      Nimrod candidates, the Vajk proteins are expressed in cuticular structures of the
      late embryo and the late pupa, indicating that they contribute to cuticular
      barrier functions.

PMID- 28633894
TI  - Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 5-methylphenanthridium derivatives as
      FtsZ inhibitors.
AB  - 5-Methylphenanthridium derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated for
      their in vitro antibacterial activity and cell division inhibitory activity
      against various Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Among them, compounds 5A2,
      5B1, 5B2, 5B3, 5C1 and 5C2 displayed the best on-target antibacterial activity
      with an MIC value of 4ug/mL against B. subtilis ATCC9372 and S. pyogenes PS,
      showing over 2-fold better activity than sanguinarine. The SARs showed that the 5
      methylphenanthridium derivatives with the alkyl side chains at the 2-postion,
      especially the straight alkyl side chains exerted better on-target antibacterial
      activity.

PMID- 28633895
TI  - Synthesis of MeON-neoglycosides of digoxigenin with 6-deoxy- and 2,6-dideoxy-d
      glucose derivatives and their anticancer activity.
AB  - Cardiac glycosides show anticancer activities and their deoxy-sugar chains are
      vital for their anticancer effects. In order to study the structure-activity
      relationship (SAR) of cardiac glycosides toward cancers and get more potent
      anticancer agents, a series of MeON-neoglycosides of digoxigenin was synthesized
      and evaluated. First, ten 6-deoxy- and 2,6-dideoxy-d-glucopyranosyl donors were
      synthesized starting from methyl alpha-d-glucopyranoside and 2-deoxy-d-glucose.
      Meanwhile, the digoxigenin was obtained by acidic hydrolysis of commercially
      available digoxin as glycosyl acceptor. Then, a 22-member MeON-neoglycoside
      library of digoxigenin was successfully synthesized by neoglycosylation method.
      Finally, the induction of Nur77 expression and its translocation from the nucleus
      to cytoplasm together with cytotoxicity of these MeON-neoglycosides were
      evaluated. The SAR analysis revealed that C3 glycosylation is required for their
      induction of Nur77 expression. Moreover, some MeON-neoglycosides (2b and 8b)
      could significant induce the expression of Nur77 and its translocation from the
      nucleus to cytoplasm. However, these compounds showed no inhibitory effects on
      the proliferation of cancer cells, suggesting that they may not induce apoptosis
      of NIH-H460 cancer cells and their underlying potential and application toward
      cancer cells deserves future study.

PMID- 28633896
TI  - Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 3H-imidazole [4,5-b]
      pyridine derivatives as selective mTOR inhibitors.
AB  - A series of 3H-imidazo [4,5-b] pyridines derivatives were designed and
      synthesized as selective mTOR inhibitors. The systematic optimization of the
      molecules resulted in the identification of two compounds 10d and 10n with
      nanomolar mTOR inhibitory activity and selectivity over PI3Kalpha. Besides,
      compounds 10d and 10n demonstrated attractive potency against human breast cancer
      cells (MCF-7) and human ovarian cancer cell (A2780).

PMID- 28633897
TI  - Discovery and optimization of 3-(4-aryl/heteroarylsulfonyl)piperazin-1-yl)-6
      (piperidin-1-yl)pyridazines as novel, CNS penetrant pan-muscarinic antagonists.
AB  - This letter describes the synthesis and structure activity relationship (SAR)
      studies of structurally novel M4 antagonists, based on a 3-(4
      aryl/heteroarylsulfonyl)piperazin-1-yl)-6-(piperidin-1-yl)pyridazine core,
      identified from a high-throughput screening campaign. A multi-dimensional
      optimization effort enhanced potency at human M4 (hM4 IC50s<200nM), with only
      moderate species differences noted, and with enantioselective inhibition.
      Moreover, CNS penetration proved attractive for this series (rat brain:plasma
      Kp=2.1, Kp,uu=1.1). Despite the absence of the prototypical mAChR antagonist
      basic or quaternary amine moiety, this series displayed pan-muscarinic antagonist
      activity across M1-5 (with 9- to 16-fold functional selectivity at best). This
      series further expands the chemical diversity of mAChR antagonists.

PMID- 28633898
TI  - 2-Chlorophenyl-substituted benzofuro[3,2-b]pyridines with enhanced topoisomerase
      inhibitory activity: The role of the chlorine substituent.
AB  - A new series of 2-chloropheny-substituted benzofuro[3,2-b]pyridines were
      designed, synthesized, and evaluated for topoisomerase I and II inhibition and
      antiproliferative activity. Compounds 17-19, 23, 24, 26, and 27 exhibited
      excellent topo II inhibitory activity. A systematic structure-activity
      relationship study revealed the important role of chlorine substitution in the
      strong topoisomerase inhibitory activity.

PMID- 28633899
TI  - Discovery of BMS-961955, an allosteric inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus NS5B
      polymerase.
AB  - The synthesis, structure-activity relationship (SAR) data, and further
      optimization of the metabolic stability and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties for a
      previously disclosed class of cyclopropyl-fused indolobenzazepine HCV NS5B
      polymerase inhibitors are described. These efforts led to the discovery of BMS
      961955 as a viable contingency backup to beclabuvir which was recently approved
      in Japan for the treatment of HCV as part of a three drug, single pill
      combination marketed as XimencyTM.

PMID- 28633901
TI  - Patient ethnicity and causative species determine the manifestations of anti
      interferon-gamma autoantibody-associated nontuberculous mycobacterial disease: a
      review.
AB  - Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections involving anti-interferon-gamma (IFN
      gamma)-neutralizing autoantibodies have been described in previously
      immunocompetent adults. To investigate the factors underlying various disease
      manifestations, we reviewed 35 articles published between January 2004 and
      November 2016 and identified 111 NTM patients with anti-IFN-gamma autoantibodies.
      Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) accounted for 53% of the isolated species. RGM
      were predominant among the NTM species isolated from Thai (73%), Chinese (58%)
      and Filipino (56%) patients, whereas M. avium complex (MAC) was predominant among
      Japanese (58%) and non-Asian (80%) patients. The commonly involved organs
      included the lymph nodes (79%), bones/joints (34%) and lungs (32%). Compared with
      the patients with MAC, the patients with RGM had a higher incidence of lymph node
      lesions (P<0.05) and a lower incidence of bone/joint (P<0.01), lung (P<0.01),
      soft tissue (P<0.01), bronchus (P<0.01) and muscle (P<0.05) lesions. Clinical
      manifestations of NTM disease with anti-IFN-gamma-neutralizing autoantibodies
      differ across ethnicities and NTM species.

PMID- 28633900
TI  - Analytical and clinical performance of a Chikungunya qRT-PCR for Central and
      South America.
AB  - Chikungunya was introduced into the Americas in 2015 causing a pandemic across
      the continent. Testing during the acute phase of infection relies on qRT-PCR, but
      available assays have a number of limitations. A qRT-PCR assay specific to the
      chikungunya E1 gene was designed using sequence data from contemporary strains. A
      probit analysis established the 95% limit of detection as 19.6 copies per
      reaction. We compared the assay with a US Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
      chikungunya qRT-PCR as the reference standard. The assay had a sensitivity and
      specificity of 98.4% and 100% in 90 samples retrospectively collected in
      Guatemala. In a further 74 febrile samples prospectively collected in Ecuador and
      Guatemala the test had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 98.4%,
      respectively. Sequencing the nsp4 gene of the discordant positive sample
      indicated the presence of chikungunya RNA, and mismatches to the primer binding
      sites of the CDC assay.

PMID- 28633902
TI  - Calcium sensing receptor initiating cystathionine-gamma-lyase/hydrogen sulfide
      pathway to inhibit platelet activation in hyperhomocysteinemia rat.
AB  - Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy, high homocysteine) induces the injury of endothelial
      cells (ECs). Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) protects ECs and inhibits the activation of
      platelets. Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) regulates the production of endogenous
      H2S. However, whether CaSR inhibits the injury of ECs and the activation of
      platelets by regulating the endogenous cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE, a major
      enzyme that produces H2S)/H2S pathway in hyperhomocysteinemia has not been
      previously investigated. Here, we tested the ultrastructure alterations of ECs
      and platelets, the changes in the concentration of serum homocysteine and the
      parameters of blood of hyperhomocysteinemia rats were measured. The aggregation
      rate and expression of P-selectin of platelets were assessed. Additionally, the
      expression levels of CaSR and CSE in the aorta of rats were examined by western
      blotting. The mitochondrial membrane potential and the production of reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) were measured; the expression of phospho-calmodulin kinases
      II (p-CaMK II) and Von Willebrand Factor (vWF) of cultured ECs from rat thoracic
      aortas were measured. We found that the aggregation rate and the expression of P
      selectin of platelets increased, and the expression of CaSR and CSE decreased in
      HHcy rats. In the ECs of HHcy group, the ROS production increased and the
      mitochondrial membrane potential decreased markedly, the expression of CSE and
      the p-CaMK II increased after treatment with CaSR agonist while decreased upon
      administration of U73122 (PLC-specific inhibitor) and 2-APB (IP3 Receptor
      inhibitor). CaSR agonist or NaHS significantly reversed the ECs injured and
      platelet aggregation caused by hyperhomocysteinemia. Our results demonstrate that
      CaSR regulates the endogenous CSE/H2S pathway to inhibit the activation of
      platelets which concerts the protection of ECs in hyperhomocysteinemia.

PMID- 28633903
TI  - Internal validation of a scoring system to evaluate the probability of ureteral
      stones: The CHOKAI score.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The CHOKAI and STONE scores are prediction models for ureteral stones.
      The aims of the present study were to evaluate the diagnostic performance, to
      examine the optimal cut-off value, and to compare the diagnostic performance of
      each model. METHODS: Patients who presented to our emergency department with
      renal colic were considered for this prospective study. We analyzed the
      predictive performance of both STONE and CHOKAI scores at their optimal cut-off
      values, using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the
      curve (AUC), as well as sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio
      (LR+), and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) at the optimal cut-off value. RESULTS:
      Of the 96 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 79 were definitively diagnosed
      with ureteral stones. All patients were of Japanese descent. The AUC of the
      CHOKAI score was 0.971 at an optimal cut-off value of 6, showing a sensitivity of
      0.911, specificity of 0.941, LR+ of 15.49, and LR- of 0.094. The AUC of the STONE
      score was 0.873 at an optimal cut-off value of 8, showing a sensitivity of 0.823,
      specificity of 0.824, LR+ of 4.662, and LR- of 0.215. The AUC of the CHOKAI score
      was significantly higher than that of the STONE score (p=0.010). Of the 73
      patients with a CHOKAI score of >=6, 98.6% had ureteral stones, and of the 68
      patients with a STONE score of >=8, 95.6% had ureteral stones. CONCLUSIONS: The
      simplified CHOKAI score is a useful tool to screen for ureteral stones in
      patients with renal colic.

PMID- 28633904
TI  - Clinical characteristics of type A acute aortic dissection with CNS symptom.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Accurate diagnosis of acute aortic dissection (AAD) is
      sometimes difficult because of accompanying central nervous system (CNS)
      symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical
      characteristics of Type A AAD (TAAAD) with CNS symptoms. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 8403 patients ambulanced to our
      emergency and critical care center between April 2009 and May 2014. RESULTS: We
      identified 59 TAAAD patients for the analysis (mean age, 67.3+/-10.5years; 37
      (62.0%) male). Eleven patients (18.6%) presented CNS symptoms at the onset of
      TAAAD, and these patients complained less frequently of typical chest and back
      pain than those without CNS symptoms (p<0.0001). Initial systolic and diastolic
      blood pressure were lower (p=0.003, and p=0.049, respectively) and involvement of
      the supra-aortic artery was more frequent in patients with CNS symptoms
      (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Because CNS symptom can mask chest and back pain caused
      by TAAAD, physicians should always consider the possibility of TAAAD in patients
      with CNS symptoms in emergency medicine settings.

PMID- 28633905
TI  - Short and long-term mortality of patients presenting with bleeding events to the
      Emergency Department.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Death of patients presenting with bleeding events to the Emergency
      Department still represent a major problem. We sought to analyze clinical
      characteristics associated with worse outcomes including short- and long-term
      death, beyond antithombotic treatment strategy. METHODS: Patients presenting with
      any bleeding events during 2016-2017years were enrolled. Clinical parameters,
      site of bleeding, major bleeding, ongoing anti-thrombotic treatment strategy and
      death were collected. Hard 5:1 propensity score matching was performed to adjust
      dead patients in baseline characteristics. Endpoints were one-month and one-year
      death. RESULTS: Out of 166,000 visits to the Emergency Department, 3.050 patients
      (1.8%) were enrolled and eventually 429 were analyzed after propensity. Overall,
      anticoagulants or antiplatelets were given to 234(54%). Major bleeding account
      for 111(26%) patients, without differences between those taking anticoagulants or
      antiplatelets versus others. Death at one-month and one-year was 26(6%) and
      72(17%), respectively. Independent predictors of one-month death were major
      bleeding (Odds Ratio, OR 26, p<0.001), female gender (OR 7, p<0.001) and white
      blood cells (OR 1.2, p=0.01); of one-year were major bleeding (OR 7, p<0.001),
      age (OR 1.1, p<0.001) and female gender (OR 2.3, p=0.043). Of note, death rate of
      gastrointestinal and intracranial bleeding where higher than others (p<0.001).
      Overall mortality was approximately 40% on one-month; 60% in older patients and
      80% in female gender with CHA2D2VASC-score>=2. Receiver operator characteristics
      analysis showed larger areas for major bleeding and age (0.75 and 0.72,
      respectively) over others; p<0.05 on C-statistic. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with
      bleeding events, death rate was driven by major bleeding on short-term and older
      age on long-term. Among dead patients mortality was approximately 40% on one
      month; 60% in older patients, and 80% in female gender.

PMID- 28633906
TI  - RSV in adult ED patients: Do emergency providers consider RSV as an admission
      diagnosis?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) has been recognized for over half a
      century as a cause of morbidity in infants and children. Over the past 20years,
      data has emerged linking RSV as a cause of illness in adults resulting in 177,000
      annual hospitalizations and up to 14,000 deaths among older adults. OBJECTIVE:
      Characterize clinical variables in a cohort of adult RSV patients. We hypothesize
      that emergency physicians do not routinely consider RSV in the differential
      diagnosis (DDx) of influenza like illness. METHODS: Observational study of all
      adult inpatients, age>=19, with a positive RSV swab ordered within 48h of their
      hospital visit, including their emergency department (ED) visit, and who
      initially presented to a university affiliated urban 100,000 annual visit
      emergency department from 2007 to 2014. A data collection form was created, and a
      single trained clinical research assistant abstracted demographic, clinical
      variables. ED providers were given credit for RSV DDx if an RSV swab was ordered
      as part of the diagnostic ED workup. RESULTS: 295 consecutive inpatients (mean
      age=66.5years, range, 19-97, 53% male) were RSV positive during the 7-year study
      period. 207 cases (70%) were age>=60. 76 (26%) had fever, 86 (29%) had O2sat <92%
      and 145 (49%) had wheezing. 279 patients required admission, 30 needed ICU stay
      and overall mortality was 12 patients (4%). Age>=60 was associated with overall
      mortality (p=0.09). There were 106 (36%) immunocompromised patients (23%
      transplant, 40% cancer, 33% steroid use) in the cohort. A diagnosis of RSV was
      considered in the ED in 105 (36%) of patients. Being immunocompromised, having
      COPD/asthma, O2sat <92, or wheezing did not alert the ED provider to order an RSV
      test. CONCLUSION: Adults can harbor RSV as this can lead to significant mobility
      and mortality, especially in individuals who are over the age of 60. RSV is not
      being considered in the DDx diagnosis, and this was especially surprising in the
      transplant/immunocompromised subgroups. Given antiviral treatment options,
      educational efforts should be undertaken to raise awareness of RSV in adults.

PMID- 28633907
TI  - An increase in per-patient naloxone requirements in an opioid epidemic.

PMID- 28633908
TI  - Dynamics of the cell division orientation of granule cell precursors during
      cerebellar development.
AB  - The cerebellar granule cell (GC) system provides a good model for studying
      neuronal development. In the external granule layer (EGL), granule cell
      precursors (GCPs) rapidly and continuously divide to produce numerous GCs as well
      as GCPs. In some brain regions, the orientation of cell division affects daughter
      cell fate, thus the direction of GCP division is related to whether it produces a
      GCP or a GC. Therefore, we tried to characterize the orientation of GCP division
      from embryonic to postnatal stages and to identify an environmental cue that
      regulates the orientation. By visualizing chromatin in EGL GCPs at M-phase, we
      found that the directions of cell divisions were not random but dynamically
      regulated during development. While horizontal and vertical divisions were
      equivalently observed in embryos, horizontal division was more frequently
      observed at early postnatal stages. Vertical division became dominant at late
      cerebellar developmental stages. Administration of a SHH inhibitor to cultured
      cerebellar slices resulted in randomized orientation of cell division, suggesting
      that SHH signaling regulates the direction of cell division. These results
      provide fundamental data towards understanding the development of GCs.

PMID- 28633910
TI  - Gentle antibody-mimetic affinity chromatography with polyol-responsive
      nanoCLAMPs.

PMID- 28633909
TI  - Resolving in vivo gene expression during collective cell migration using an
      integrated RNAscope, immunohistochemistry and tissue clearing method.
AB  - During collective cell migration individual cells display diverse behaviors that
      complicate our understanding of group cell decisions of direction and cohesion.
      In vivo gene and protein expression analyses would shed light on the underlying
      molecular choreography. However, this information has been limited due to
      difficulties to integrate single cell detection methods and the simultaneous
      readout of multiple signals deep within the embryo. Here, we optimize and
      integrate multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization by RNAscope,
      immunohistochemistry, and tissue clearing to visualize transcript and protein
      localization within single cells deep within intact chick embryos. Using standard
      confocal microscopy, we visualize the mRNA expression of up to 3 genes
      simultaneously within protein labeled HNK1-positive migrating cranial neural
      crest cells within 2day old cleared chick embryos. Gene expression differences
      measured between adjacent cells or within subregions are quantified using spot
      counting and polyline kymograph methods, respectively. This optimization and
      integration of methods provide an improved 3D in vivo molecular interrogation of
      collective cell migration and foundation to broaden into a wider range of embryo
      and adult model systems.

PMID- 28633911
TI  - Fate of metals and emissions of organic pollutants from torrefaction of waste
      wood, MSW, and RDF.
AB  - Torrefaction of municipal solid waste (MSW), refuse-derived fuel (RDF), and
      demolition and construction wood (DC) was performed at 220 degrees C and a
      residence time of 90min in a bench-scale reactor. The levels of toxic
      polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) contained in
      emission from the torrefaction process were evaluated. In addition, main ash
      forming elements and trace metals in the raw feedstock and char were determined.
      The use of MSW in fuel blends with DC resulted in lower PCDD and PCDF emissions
      after torrefaction, compared with the RDF blends. The migration of chlorine from
      the feedstock to the gas phase reduces the chlorine content of the char which may
      reduce the risk of alkali chloride-corrosion in char combustion. However, trace
      metals catalytically active in the formation of PCDD and PCDF remain in the char,
      thereby may promote PCDD and PCDF formation during subsequent char combustion for
      energy recovery; this formation is less extensive than when the feedstock is
      used.

PMID- 28633912
TI  - Life cycle assessment and life cycle costs for pre-disaster waste management
      systems.
AB  - This study develops a method of environmental and economic evaluation of an
      integrated disaster waste management system that considers the spatial scale of
      removal, transport, and treatment of disaster waste. A case study was conducted
      on combustibles, which is a type of disaster waste derived from dwellings, in Mie
      Prefecture, Japan. First, we calculated the quantity and the spatial distribution
      of disaster waste derived from dwellings and tsunami debris produced as a result
      of a large-scale earthquake. The quantity of disaster waste was estimated as
      7,178,000t with functioning flood-preventing facilities and 11,956,000t without
      functioning flood prevention facilities. Ensuring resilience in the face of
      earthquakes and tsunamis by renovating flood-preventing facilities is extremely
      important in decreasing the production of wastes, especially in coastal regions.
      Next, the transportation network for transporting combustibles in disaster waste
      to temporary storage sites, incineration plants, and landfill was constructed
      using an optimization model. The results showed that if flood-preventing
      facilities do not function properly, the installation of temporary incineration
      facilities becomes essential. Life-cycle emissions of CO2, SOx, NOx, and PM and
      the costs of removal, storage, and treatment of combustibles were calculated as
      258,000t, 618t, 1705t, 7.9t, and 246millionUSD, respectively, in the case of
      functioning flood-preventing facilities. If flood-preventing facilities do not
      function, the quantity of environmentally unfriendly emissions and the costs
      increase. This result suggested the significance of renovation in order to
      maintain the conditions of flood-preventing facilities to decrease the
      environmental burden and costs as well as keep the production of disaster waste
      at a minimum.

PMID- 28633913
TI  - Commentary on "The New Opt-Out Dutch National Breast Implant Registry: Lessons
      learnt from the road to implementation".

PMID- 28633914
TI  - Breast reconstruction by exclusive fat grafting: What about the breast
      projection?

PMID- 28633916
TI  - Novel variant of OCT4B4 is differentially expressed in human embryonic stem and
      embryonic carcinoma cells.
AB  - POU domain proteins are an important family of transcription factors that
      regulates cell type-specific gene expression. One of the most crucial members of
      this family that maintains pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells
      is POU5F1/OCT4. The OCT4 gene can generate several variants under different
      situations/cell types includes OCT4A that is the major factor sustains
      pluripotency in embryonic stem and embryonic carcinoma cells, and also OCT4B and
      OCT4B1, which are transcribed from a different potential promoter located in
      intron1 and are expressed in various tissues and cell types. In present study,
      during expression check of OCT4B1 in embryonic carcinoma cells (NT2), we
      discovered a novel OCT4 transcript for the first time and designated it as
      OCT4B4. This variant is expressed in various human pluripotent cells and its
      expression is down-regulated upon induction of differentiation. Moreover,
      knocking down of OCT4B4 by shRNA resulted in increased accumulation of
      transfected cells in G0/G1 phase compared to the mock-transfected control cells.

PMID- 28633915
TI  - Patient-centered care in obstructive sleep apnea: A vision for the future.
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnea is a common condition, with multiple potential
      neurocognitive, cardiovascular, and metabolic consequences. Efficacious treatment
      is available, but patient engagement is typically required for treatment to be
      effective. Patients with sleep apnea are phenotypically diverse and have
      individual needs, preferences, and values that impact treatment decisions. There
      has been a shift in obstructive sleep apnea management from diagnosis to chronic
      care management. Making treatment decisions that incorporate an individual
      patient's values and preferences and are personalized for that patient's biology
      has the potential to improve patient outcomes. A patient-centered care approach
      in obstructive sleep apnea is reviewed including 1) determining patient-specific
      needs to guide treatment decisions, 2) understanding patient values, preferences,
      and other factors impacting treatment decisions and using shared decision-making,
      3) enhancing patient education and support to improve treatment adherence, 4)
      promoting patient engagement, 5) optimizing care coordination, continuity of
      care, and access to care, and 6) determining and assessing patient-centered
      outcomes.

PMID- 28633917
TI  - Polymorphic variants of Caspase genes (8 & 3) in the risk prediction of Coronary
      Artery Disease.
AB  - Apoptosis has been involved in a number of pathological conditions including
      coronary artery disease (CAD). Caspases (CASP) are important regulators and
      executioners in both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. The aim of the
      present study is to examine the role of Caspase 8 and 3 polymorphisms in the
      pathogenesis of CAD. CAD patients (n=300) and healthy controls (n=300) were
      genotyped for polymorphisms in CASP8 (-652 6N del/ins, IVS12-19G>A), CASP3
      (rs4647601;G>T) by PCR-RFLP. Splicing defects were determined by HSF. Gene
      interactions, Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis were carried out by
      MDR analysis and Haploview software respectively. Molecular analysis revealed
      that insertion genotype (II) of CASP8 -652 6N del/ins and TT genotype of CASP3
      rs4647601;G>T polymorphism conferred risk for the development of CAD. HSF
      analysis showed that intronic cryptic donor site for CASP8 -652 6N del/ins and a
      new ESE site for CASP3 rs4647601;G>T polymorphisms. SNP combinations of Caspase 8
      and 3 were in perfect LD (D'=1) in controls. D-A, I-G haplotypes of Caspase 8
      polymorphisms (-652 6N del/ins & IVS12-19G>A) were found to be significantly
      predominant in the disease group. The present study suggests that CASP8 & 3
      polymorphic variants might be used as markers for susceptibility to CAD.

PMID- 28633918
TI  - Traction force and its regulation during cytokinesis in Dictyostelium cells.
AB  - Cytokinesis is the final stage of cell division. Dictyostelium cells have
      multiple modes of cytokinesis, including cytokinesis A, B and C. Cytokinesis A is
      a conventional mode, which depends on myosin II in the contractile ring. Myosin
      II null cells divide depending on substratum-attachment (cytokinesis B) or in a
      multi-polar fashion independent of the cell cycle (cytokinesis C). We
      investigated the traction stress exerted by dividing cells in the three different
      modes using traction force microscopy. In all cases, the traction forces were
      directed inward from both poles. Interestingly, the traction stress of
      cytokinesis A was the smallest of the three modes. Latrunculin B, an inhibitor of
      actin polymerization, completely diminished the traction stress of dividing
      cells, but blebbistatin, an inhibitor of myosin II ATPase, increased the traction
      stress. Myosin II is proposed to contribute to the detachment of cell body from
      the substratum. When the cell-substratum attachment was artificially strengthened
      by a poly-lysine coating, wild type cells increased their traction stress in
      contrast to myosin II null and other cytokinesis-deficient mutant cells, which
      suggests that wild type cells may increase their own power to conduct their
      cytokinesis. The cytokinesis-deficient mutants frequently divided unequally,
      whereas wild type cells divided equally. A traction stress imbalance between two
      daughter halves was correlated with cytokinesis failure. We discuss the
      regulation of cell shape changes during cell division through mechanosensing.

PMID- 28633919
TI  - Guiding Stars Influences Perception of Healthy Food Choices at a 4-Year
      University.

PMID- 28633920
TI  - Identifying Underlying Beliefs About Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Low
      Income Older Adults: An Elicitation Study Based on the Theory of Planned
      Behavior.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Identify underlying salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs
      about fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption among limited-income older adults.
      DESIGN: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used as the framework for
      conducting semistructured individual interviews in 2016. SETTING: Two congregate
      meal sites in the city of Tuscaloosa, AL. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 25 low-income
      older adults aged >=60 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Behavioral, normative, and
      control beliefs about F&V intake. ANALYSIS: All interviews were audiotaped and
      transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive
      content analysis approach. RESULTS: The elicitation interviews identified salient
      behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about F&V intake among low-income
      older adults. CONCLUSIONS: These results can be used to develop nutrition
      education programs aimed at improving economically vulnerable older adults' F&V
      intake.

PMID- 28633921
TI  - Applying the National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Centered Specialty
      Practice Framework to Radiology.

PMID- 28633923
TI  - "Quality in Practice": An Introduction to a New Bimonthly Column Focused on
      Radiology Quality and Safety.

PMID- 28633922
TI  - Quantifying Language Before and After Instituting Structured CT Reports.
AB  - AIM: Our aim was to quantify the language in abdominopelvic CT reports before and
      after implementing structured reporting templates, specifically evaluating the
      terms normal and unremarkable. METHODS: We performed a search of our database for
      all CT abdomen and pelvis examinations before and after full template
      implementation. There were 1,753 studies included-878 "pretemplate" reports, 875
      "posttemplate" reports. Pre- and posttemplate reports were analyzed for word
      count in preliminary report, word count in final report, number of changed words
      between preliminary and final report, and frequency of normal and unremarkable.
      The averages of each data point for both pre- and posttemplate reports were
      calculated and compared. RESULTS: Between all pre- and posttemplate reports, the
      total number of words and number of changes between preliminary and final reports
      was not significantly changed. The frequency of the word normal increased from an
      average of 5.29 (pretemplate) to 8.92 (posttemplate) per report (P < .0001). The
      frequency of the word unremarkable increased from an average of 0.11
      (pretemplate) to 0.22 (posttemplate) per report (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: When
      comparing language before and after implementing structured reports, we found an
      increase in the frequency of normal, without any significant change in number of
      words per report. The increase in normal in posttemplate reports reflects a trend
      toward more definitive reporting, which may increase clarity and satisfaction
      among referring physicians. The increased use of the less definitive term
      unremarkable identifies an area in need of further training and improvement in
      our department.

PMID- 28633924
TI  - The Just Culture Framework.

PMID- 28633925
TI  - The discovery of plasma cells: An historical note.
AB  - The name plasma cell was introduced by the anatomist Heinrich H. von Hartz
      Waldeyer in 1875. Plasma cells derive from small B lymphocytes after their
      activation. A fully mature plasma cell lacks surface immunoglobulin expression.
      Its form is round or oval, with characteristic basophilic cytoplasm and an
      eccentric nucleus that contains coarse heterochromatin. Antigen activation of
      mature B cells leads initially to germinal center development, the transient
      generation of plasmablasts that secrete antibody while still dividing, and short
      lived extrafollicular plasma cells that secrete antigen-specific germ line
      encoded antibodies. Plasma cells are characterized by the co-expression of CD138
      and CD38, which allows their identification in flow cytometry in bone marrow,
      peripheral blood, or cell suspensions from tissues. The identification of plasma
      cells as antibody producers was a key discovery that paved the way for the
      development of monoclonal antibodies.

PMID- 28633926
TI  - Synergic stimulation of serotonin 5-HT1A receptor and alpha2-adrenoceptors for
      neuropathic pain relief: Preclinical effects of 2-substituted imidazoline
      derivatives.
AB  - Neuropathic pain affects millions of people causing disability and impairing
      quality of life. Commonly used analgesics are generally characterized by limited
      therapeutic outcomes. The serotonin 5-HT1A receptor and the alpha2 adrenergic
      receptors are involved in central nociceptive mechanisms with a pivotal role in
      the inhibitory descending pain pathway. Since their stimulation may modulate the
      nervous signaling altered by neuropathies, the purpose of the present research is
      the study of the combined activation of 5-HT1A and alpha2 receptors by rationally
      designed imidazoline ligands ((S)-(-)-1 and 2-5) in a rat model of neuropathic
      pain (chronic constriction injury - CCI). On day 14 after nerve damage, the acute
      administration per os (p.o.) of low doses of (S)-(-)-1 (0.1-1mg/kg) was able to
      significantly increase the pain threshold to mechanical noxious stimuli for more
      than 1h. (S)-(-)-1 efficacy was confirmed by the decrease of spontaneous pain
      evaluated as hind limb weight bearing alterations. The clinically-used compound
      gabapentin (100mg/kg p.o.) induced a pain relieving effect similar to (S)-(-)-1
      administered at 100 fold lower dose. In the same model, the selected analogues,
      compounds 2-5 (1mg/kg p.o.) were effective 30min after administration. In
      particular, 5 fully reverted the CCI-induced hypersensitivity. The pain relieving
      activity of 5 was significantly prevented by the selective 5-HT1A receptor
      antagonist WAY 100635 (1mg/kg intraperitoneally, i.p.) and, at a lesser extent,
      by the alpha2 antagonist yohimbine (3mg/kg i.p.). A novel pharmacodynamic
      approach to the treatment of neuropathic pain is presented.

PMID- 28633927
TI  - Dencichine ameliorates kidney injury in induced type II diabetic nephropathy via
      the TGF-beta/Smad signalling pathway.
AB  - Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a common complication associated with both type I and
      type II diabetes mellitus (DM), is a major cause of chronic nephropathy and a
      common cause of end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) throughout the world. This study
      is aimed to determine whether dencichine (De) can ameliorate renal damage in high
      glucose-and-fat diet combined STZ (streptozocin) induced DN in type II DM rats
      and to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms. Markers of metabolism,
      diabetes, and renal function, and levels of extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen I
      (Col I), collagen IV (Col IV), fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LN), and of proteins
      in the TGF-beta/Smad pathway were analysed through RT-PCR, western blot,
      immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. The results show that De
      significantly alleviates metabolism disorder, improved renal function, relieved
      pathological alterations in the glomerulus of DN rats, decreased ECM deposition
      and increased the ratio of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 to tissue inhibitor
      of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, De negatively
      regulated TGF-beta/Smad signalling pathway and increased the expression of Smad7,
      an endogenic inhibitory Smad located downstream of the signalling pathway. In
      conclusion, we provide experimental evidence indicating that the renoprotective
      effect of De could significantly prevent the progression of DN possibly attribute
      to down-regulation of the TGF-beta/Smad pathway and rebalance the deposition and
      degradation of ECM proteins.

PMID- 28633928
TI  - Clinical immunophenotype of nasopharyngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma with
      metastatic liver cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma (NNC) refers to a rare and
      lethal cancer, characterized with high risk of metastases. Here, we report a case
      of nasopharyngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma with subsequent liver metastases to
      discuss its clinical immunophenotype and challenges. METHODS: In clinical
      biochemical assays, hematological determination, immunohistochemical examination,
      imaging medicine investigations, and therapeutical analysis were subjected to the
      hospitalized patient, respectively. RESULTS: A group of clinical detectable data
      highlighted that clinical immunophenotype of nasopharyngeal neuroendocrine
      carcinoma was identified in immunohistochemical inspection, followed by
      validation of liver metastases via imaging observations. Subsequent chemotherapy
      schedule showed disease remission in certain aspect before patient' death.
      CONCLUSION: Our current clinical data disclose that it is vital to identify
      nasopharyngeal neuroendocrine carcinoma for main cause of liver metastases with
      potential risk. Further, early diagnosis and effective pharmacotherapy may
      improve the survival rate of NNC patient with liver metastases.

PMID- 28633929
TI  - Biomechanical evaluation of different osteosynthesis methods after mandibular
      sagittal split osteotomy in major advancements.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess the biomechanical stability of six different
      osteosynthesis methods after sagittal split osteotomy. Sixty polyurethane
      hemimandibles were divided into two groups, with six subgroups in each. After 10
      mm advancement of the distal segment (group 1) and 10-mm advancement combined
      with 20 degrees  counterclockwise rotation (group 2), the bone segments were
      fixed using 2.0-mm plates/screws as follows: subgroup A, one conventional
      straight plate; subgroup B, two conventional straight plates; subgroup C, one
      conventional sagittal plate; subgroup D, one locking straight plate; subgroup E,
      two locking straight plates; subgroup F, one locking sagittal plate. The
      hemimandibles were tested for compressive strength by three-point biomechanical
      test, until there was 3mm of displacement between the segments. The fixations
      showed better performance in group 1 than in group 2 in all cases, with
      statistical significance for subgroups A, C, and D. In both groups, the use of
      two straight miniplates showed the most resistance, followed by the sagittal
      miniplates. However, in counterclockwise rotations, no statistically significant
      difference was found between two conventional straight plates and the sagittal
      locking plate. This study shows that the use of two plates is the form of
      fixation with the minimum displacement. If the clinician opts to use one plate, a
      sagittal plate is the best alternative.

PMID- 28633930
TI  - Phospholipase A2 in the venom of three cottonmouth snakes.
AB  - Two phospholipase A2s (PLA2s), Asp49 (D49) and Lys49 (K49), were purified by one
      step reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) from the
      venom of each of the three subspecies of cottonmouth snake, Western cottonmouth
      (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma; Apl), Eastern cottonmouth (Agkistrodon
      piscivorus piscivorus; App) and Florida cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus
      conanti; Apc). Venom protein profiles and PLA2s elution pattern of the three
      cottonmouth snakes were remarkably similar displaying four similar sharp and two
      wide peaks; in all cases K49 PLA2 eluted first followed by D49 PLA2. The yields
      of K49 and D49 PLA2s were, respectively, 13.2 and 17.5 mg/g venom from the
      Western cottonmouth, 16.8 and 19.2 mg/g from the Eastern cottonmouth, and 17.3
      and 22.7 mg/g from the Florida cottonmouth. Biochemical and enzymatic techniques
      were used to characterize the purified PLA2. The amino acid sequences of all
      three K49PLA2s were identical; App-D49 and Apc-D49 were also identical but
      displayed a single amino acid difference with Apl-D49. To our knowledge, this is
      the first report on the amino acid sequence and molecular mass of Apc-D49 and Apc
      K49 PLA2s from Florida cottonmouth venom. As expected, PLA2 enzymatic analysis
      revealed that D49 PLA2s from all three venoms hydrolyze phospholipids to a
      similar extent, whereas no phospholipid hydrolysis was detectable by any of the
      K49 PLA2s purified. Cottonmouth snake venoms contain abundant PLA2 isoforms, thus
      the identification of PLA2s in these venoms is of interest to facilitate the
      purification of specific PLA2 from rich sources of subspecies venom for future
      biological and biomedical research. Results of this study also contribute towards
      the understanding of venom protein profiles, variation, and evolution in
      subspecies of venomous snakes.

PMID- 28633931
TI  - Dyspigmentation of Skin as a Clue to the Diagnosis of Dystonia.

PMID- 28633932
TI  - beta2-adrenoreceptor stimulation dampens the LPS-induced M1 polarization in pig
      macrophages.
AB  - The cross-talk between sympatho-adreno-medullar axis and innate immunity players
      was mainly studied in rodents. In intensive husbandry, pigs are exposed to
      multiple stressors inducing repeated releases of catecholamines that bind to
      adrenoreceptors (AR) on target cells. Among adrenoreceptors, the beta2-AR is
      largely expressed by immune cells including macrophages. We report herein on the
      effects of catecholamines, through beta2-AR stimulation, on pig macrophage
      functions activated by LPS. beta2-AR stimulation of porcine macrophages prevented
      the LPS-induced increase in TNFalpha and IL-8 secretion while increasing IL-10
      secretion. In contrast, treatment with a beta2-agonist had no effect on anti
      microbial functions. Lastly, beta2-AR stimulation of macrophages reduced the
      expression of genes up-regulated by LPS. Altogether, we demonstrated that beta2
      AR stimulation of porcine macrophages prevented polarization towards a pro
      inflammatory phenotype. Since porcine macrophages are a suitable model for human
      macrophages, our results might be relevant to appreciate catecholamine effects on
      human macrophages.

PMID- 28633933
TI  - Trajectories of self-evaluation bias in primary and secondary school: Parental
      antecedents and academic consequences.
AB  - Using a longitudinal approach spanning nine years of children's formal education,
      this study investigated the developmental trajectories of self-evaluation bias of
      academic competence. The study also examined how parenting styles were associated
      with the trajectories of bias in mid-primary school, and how those trajectories
      predicted academic outcomes at the end of secondary school and the beginning of
      college. A total of 711 children in 4th and 5th grades (mean age=10.71years old;
      358 girls) participated in this study. Using a latent class growth modeling
      framework, results indicated that children can be classified in three latent
      growth trajectories of self-evaluation bias: the optimistic, realistic and
      pessimistic trajectories. These trajectories differed in their initial status of
      bias and also in their development over time. Children's adherence to a specific
      trajectory was associated with parenting variables in childhood. Finally, the
      optimistic, realistic, or pessimistic trajectories distinctively predicted
      achievement and persistence.

PMID- 28633934
TI  - The impact of ordinate scaling on the visual analysis of single-case data.
AB  - Visual analysis is the primary method for detecting the presence of treatment
      effects in graphically displayed single-case data and it is often referred to as
      the "gold standard." Although researchers have developed standards for the
      application of visual analysis (e.g., Horner et al., 2005), over- and
      underestimation of effect size magnitude is not uncommon among analysts. Several
      characteristics have been identified as potential contributors to these errors;
      however, researchers have largely focused on characteristics of the data itself
      (e.g., autocorrelation), paying less attention to characteristics of the graphic
      display which are largely in control of the analyst (e.g., ordinate scaling). The
      current study investigated the impact that differences in ordinate scaling, a
      graphic display characteristic, had on experts' accuracy in judgments regarding
      the magnitude of effect present in single-case percentage data. 32 participants
      were asked to evaluate eight ABAB data sets (2 each presenting null, small,
      moderate, and large effects) along with three iterations of each (32 graphs in
      total) in which only the ordinate scale was manipulated. Results suggest that
      raters are less accurate in their detection of treatment effects as the ordinate
      scale is constricted. Additionally, raters were more likely to overestimate the
      size of a treatment effect when the ordinate scale was constricted.

PMID- 28633935
TI  - Teacher-student relationship quality and academic achievement in elementary
      school: A longitudinal examination of gender differences.
AB  - Multiple group longitudinal cross-lagged panel models were implemented to
      understand the directional influences between teacher-student closeness and
      conflict and measured math and reading achievement across elementary grades and
      gender groups using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
      longitudinal sample (N=1133). Specifically, after testing multiple group
      longitudinal measurement invariance to ensure consistent measurement across
      genders and time, and tests of equivalence of the latent parameters, we were
      interested in whether longitudinal changes in teacher-rated closeness and
      conflict explained longitudinal changes in achievement, and vice versa, and
      whether those longitudinal influences varied by gender. Latent teacher-student
      closeness decreased for both genders over time (Cohen's d=-0.15 to -0.32), but
      latent conflict increased for males (Cohen's d=0.16). There was also increased
      heterogeneity in teacher-student relationship quality for males relative to
      females. Math and reading achievement had medium reciprocal effects (beta=0.12 to
      0.23), and previous math achievement had small to medium effects on subsequent
      teacher-student closeness (beta=0.08 to 0.11) and conflict (beta=-0.07 to -0.09).
      Teacher-student conflict and closeness did not influence subsequent levels of
      math or reading achievement once previous levels were controlled. Further, these
      influences were consistent across gender groups despite latent differences in
      teacher-student closeness and conflict with teachers reporting closer
      relationships with female students and more conflictual relationships with male
      students.

PMID- 28633936
TI  - Additional comparisons of randomization-test procedures for single-case multiple
      baseline designs: Alternative effect types.
AB  - A number of randomization statistical procedures have been developed to analyze
      the results from single-case multiple-baseline intervention investigations. In a
      previous simulation study, comparisons of the various procedures revealed
      distinct differences among them in their ability to detect immediate abrupt
      intervention effects of moderate size, with some procedures (typically those with
      randomized intervention start points) exhibiting power that was both respectable
      and superior to other procedures (typically those with single fixed intervention
      start points). In Investigation 1 of the present follow-up simulation study, we
      found that when the same randomization-test procedures were applied to either
      delayed abrupt or immediate gradual intervention effects: (1) the powers of all
      of the procedures were severely diminished; and (2) in contrast to the previous
      study's results, the single fixed intervention start-point procedures generally
      outperformed those with randomized intervention start points. In Investigation 2
      we additionally demonstrated that if researchers are able to successfully
      anticipate the specific alternative effect types, it is possible for them to
      formulate adjusted versions of the original randomization-test procedures that
      can recapture substantial proportions of the lost powers.

PMID- 28633937
TI  - Our teacher likes you, so I like you: A social network approach to social
      referencing.
AB  - A teacher is a social referent for peer liking and disliking when students adjust
      their evaluations of a peer based on their perceptions of teacher liking and
      disliking for this peer. The present study investigated social referencing as an
      intra-individual process that occurs over time, using stochastic actor-oriented
      modeling with RSiena. The co-evolution of peer-perceived teacher liking and
      disliking networks with peer liking and disliking networks was analyzed in 52
      fifth-grade classes in the Netherlands, with 1370 students (Mage=10.60). Results
      showed that when a student viewed the teacher to like a peer, this student would
      also like this peer. Regarding disliking, there was a stronger effect in the
      opposite direction, indicating that students' disliking a peer increased the
      likelihood that they would view the peer as disliked by the teacher as well. In
      sum, partial evidence for social referencing as an intra-individual process was
      found. For teachers this implies that the cues they provide regarding their
      liking of a student, and not necessarily their disliking, may affect individual
      peers' liking of this student.

PMID- 28633938
TI  - Classroom relationship qualities and social-cognitive correlates of defending and
      passive bystanding in school bullying in Sweden: A multilevel analysis.
AB  - Using the social-ecological and social cognitive theories as integrated guiding
      frameworks, the present study examined whether moral disengagement and defender
      self-efficacy at the individual level, and moral disengagement, quality of
      teacher-student relationships and quality of student-student relationships at the
      classroom level were associated with passive bystanding and defending in bullying
      situations. Participants were 900 Swedish students from 43 classrooms, ranging in
      age from 9 to 13years. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that passive
      reactions by bystanders were associated with greater moral disengagement and less
      defender self-efficacy. Defending, in turn, was associated with less moral
      disengagement and greater defender self-efficacy and classroom student-student
      relationship quality. Furthermore, students who scored high in moral
      disengagement were even less prone to defend victims when the classroom student
      student relationship quality was low, but more prone to act as defenders when the
      classroom student-student relationship quality was high. In addition, the
      negative association between defender self-efficacy and passive bystanding was
      stronger both in classrooms with higher student-student relationship quality and
      in those with lower class moral disengagement. Implications for prevention are
      discussed.

PMID- 28633939
TI  - A comparison of problem identification interviews conducted face-to-face and via
      videoconferencing using the consultation analysis record.
AB  - School psychologists who experience challenges delivering face-to-face
      consultation may utilize videoconferencing to facilitate their consultation
      activities. Videoconferencing has been found to be an effective method of service
      delivery in related fields and emerging research suggests that it may be
      effective for providing teacher training and support in school settings. In this
      exploratory investigation, we used the Consultation Analysis Record (Bergan &
      Tombari, 1975) and its four indices to assess the effectiveness of conducting
      problem identification interviews via videoconferencing versus face-to-face.
      Overall, findings indicated significant differences across these two conditions,
      with videoconference interviews coded as having higher indices of content
      relevance, process effectiveness, and message control, but lower content focus,
      compared to face-to-face interviews. As these indices have been positively
      associated with favorable consultation outcomes, the results provide initial
      support for the effectiveness of consultation delivered via videoconferencing.

PMID- 28633940
TI  - Mindfulness-based interventions with youth: A comprehensive meta-analysis of
      group-design studies.
AB  - The treatment effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) with youth were
      synthesized from 76 studies involving 6121 participants. A total of 885 effect
      sizes were aggregated using meta-regression with robust variance estimation.
      Overall, MBIs were associated with small treatment effects in studies using pre
      post (g=0.305, SE=0.039) and controlled designs (g=0.322, SE=0.040). Treatment
      effects were measured after a follow-up period in 24 studies (n=1963). Results
      demonstrated that treatment effects were larger at follow-up than post-treatment
      in pre-post (g=0.462, SE=0.118) and controlled designs (g=0.402, SE=0.081).
      Moderator analyses indicated that intervention setting and intervention dosage
      were not meaningfully related to outcomes after controlling for study design
      quality. With that said, the between-study heterogeneity in the intercept-only
      models was consistently small, thus limiting the amount of variance for the
      moderators to explain. A series of exploratory analyses were used to investigate
      the differential effectiveness of MBIs across four therapeutic process domains
      and seven therapeutic outcome domains. Small, positive results were generally
      observed across the process and outcome domains. Notably, MBIs were associated
      with moderate effects on the process variable of mindfulness in controlled
      studies (n=1108, g=0.510). Limitations and directions for future research and
      practice are discussed.

PMID- 28633941
TI  - Pancreatic Cyst Fluid Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A and Carcinoembryonic
      Antigen: A Highly Accurate Test for the Diagnosis of Serous Cystic Neoplasm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accurate differentiation of pancreatic cystic lesions is important
      for pancreatic cancer early detection and prevention as well as avoidance of
      unnecessary surgical intervention. Serous cystic neoplasms (SCN) have no
      malignant potential, but may mimic premalignant mucinous cystic lesions: mucinous
      cystic neoplasm (MCN) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN). We
      recently identified vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A as a novel
      pancreatic fluid biomarker for SCN. We hypothesize that combining cyst fluid
      carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) with VEGF-A will improve the diagnostic accuracy
      of VEGF-A. METHODS: Pancreatic cyst/duct fluid was collected from consenting
      patients undergoing surgical cyst resection with corresponding pathologic
      diagnoses. Pancreatic fluid VEGF-A and CEA levels were detected by ELISA.
      RESULTS: One hundred forty-nine patients with pancreatic cystic lesions met
      inclusion criteria. Pathologic diagnoses included pseudocyst (n=14), SCN (n=26),
      MCN (n=40), low/moderate grade IPMN (n=34), high grade IPMN (n=20), invasive IPMN
      (n=10) and solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (n=5). VEGF-A was significantly
      elevated in SCN cyst fluid compared to all other diagnoses (p<0.001). With a
      threshold of >5,000 pg/ml, VEGF-A alone has 100% sensitivity and 83.7%
      specificity to distinguish SCN from other cystic lesions. With a threshold of
      <=10ng/ml, CEA alone identifies SCN with 95.5% sensitivity and 81.5% specificity.
      Sensitivity and specificity of the VEGF-A/CEA combination are 95.5% and 100%
      respectively. The c-statistic increased from 0.98 to 0.99 when CEA was added to
      VEGF-A alone in the ROC analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Although VEGF-A alone is a highly
      accurate test for SCN, the combination of VEGF-A with CEA approaches the gold
      standard of pathologic diagnosis, thus importantly avoiding false positives.
      Patients with a positive test indicating benign SCN can be spared a high risk
      surgical pancreatic resection.

PMID- 28633942
TI  - Outbreak of immediate-type hydrolyzed wheat protein allergy due to a facial soap
      in Japan.

PMID- 28633943
TI  - Diet-borne systemic inflammation is associated with prevalent tooth loss.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: The deleterious effect of cariogenic dietary patterns on tooth
      loss is well characterized, but the contribution of diet-borne systemic
      inflammation to loss of teeth remains uncharted. Recent efforts have unveiled a
      protective role of single nutrients to periodontal health. However, the
      assessment of overall diet as a modifiable risk factor for oral health remains
      elusive. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the association between diet
      borne systemic inflammation and tooth loss in a representative sample of the US
      adult non-institutionalized population. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of a
      sample of participants of the 2009-2010 and 2011-2012 continuous NHANES receiving
      an oral exam and providing dietary recall data was performed. Dietary
      inflammatory potential was assessed by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), a
      composite measure computed based on the association between nutrients and
      systemic pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. The outcome measure was prevalent
      tooth loss. Numbers of missing teeth were regressed across quartiles of the DII
      using multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: 6887 eligible NHANES
      participants were included in the analysis; participants in the highest quartile
      of the DII index (pro-inflammatory diet) had an average [95% CI] of 0.84 [0.24,
      1.45] additional more teeth lost as compared to those in the lowest quartile of
      DII (anti-inflammatory diet) (p = 0.015), after adjusting for known confounders.
      This significant association remained in subgroup analyses, including the lowest
      tertiles of energy-adjusted carbohydrate intake, and in persons aged >=50 years.
      CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to an anti-inflammatory diet is associated with fewer
      missing teeth. These results suggest protective dietary patterns as a modifiable
      protective factor for tooth loss in the US adult population and support the
      incorporation of tooth loss prevention in the agenda of dietary public health
      interventions to prevent chronic inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28633944
TI  - Gene expression analysis identify a metabolic and cell function alterations as a
      hallmark of obesity without metabolic syndrome in peripheral blood, a pilot
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding molecular basis involved in overweight is an important
      first step in developing therapeutic pathways against excess in body weight gain.
      OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our pilot study was to evaluate the gene expression
      profiles in the peripheral blood of obese patients without other metabolic
      complications. DESIGN: A sample of 17 obese patients without metabolic syndrome
      and 15 non obese control subjects was evaluated in a prospective way. Following
      'One-Color Microarray-Based Gene Expression Analysis' protocol Version 5.7
      (Agilent p/n 4140-90040), cRNA was hybridized with Whole Human Genome Oligo
      Microarray Kit (Agilent p/n G2519F-014850) containing 41,000+ unique human genes
      and transcripts. RESULTS: The average age of the study group was 43.6 +/- 19.7
      years with a sex distribution of 64.7% females and 35.3% males. No statistical
      differences were detected with healthy controls 41.9 +/- 12.3 years with a sex
      distribution of 70% females and 30% males. Obese patients showed 1436 genes that
      were differentially expressed compared to control group. Ingenuity Pathway
      Analysis showed that these genes participated in 13 different categories related
      to metabolism and cellular functions. In the gene set of cellular function, the
      most important genes were C-terminal region of Nel-like molecule 1 protein
      (NELL1) and Pigment epithelium-derived factor (SPEDF), both genes were over
      expressed. In the gene set of metabolism, insulin growth factor type 1 (IGF1),
      ApoA5 (apolipoprotein subtype 5), Foxo4 (Forkhead transcription factor 4),
      ADIPOR1 (receptor of adiponectin type 1) and AQP7 (aquaporin channel proteins7)
      were over expressed. Moreover, PIKFYVE (PtdIns(3) P 5-kinase), and ROCK-2 (rho
      kinase II) were under expressed. CONCLUSION: We showed that PBMCs from obese
      subjects presented significant changes in gene expression, exhibiting 1436
      differentially expressed genes compared to PBMCs from non-obese subjects.
      Furthermore, our data showed a number of genes involved in relevant processes
      implicated in metabolism, with genes presenting high fold-change values (up
      regulation and down regulation) associated with lipid, carbohydrate and protein
      metabolism.

PMID- 28633945
TI  - Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Marine Sediments of East Coast of
      Tamil Nadu Affected by Different Pollution Sources.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the
      sediments of Periyakalapet to Parangipettai coast, east coast of Tamil Nadu, by
      using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique. The average heavy
      metal concentrations in the sediment samples were found in the order
      Al>Fe>Ca>Ti>K>Mg>Mn>Ba>V>Cr>Zn>La>Ni>Pb>Co>Cd>Cu. The average heavy metal
      concentrations were below the world crustal average. The degree of contamination
      by heavy metals was evaluated using pollution indices. The results of pollution
      indices revealed that titanium (Ti) and cadmium (Cd) were significantly enriched
      in sediments. Pearson correlation analysis was performed among heavy metal
      concentrations to know the existing relationship between them. Multivariate
      statistical technique was employed to identify the heavy metal pollution sources.

PMID- 28633946
TI  - Microplastics in gut contents of coastal freshwater fish from Rio de la Plata
      estuary.
AB  - The presence of microplastics (MPs) in gut contents of coastal freshwater fish of
      the Rio de la Plata estuary was studied. Samples were taken in six sites where 87
      fish belonging to 11 species and four feeding habits were captured. Presence of
      MPs was verified in the 100% of fish. The fibres represented the 96% of MPs
      found. The number of MPs in gut contents was significantly higher close to sewage
      discharge. There was not found relationship between number of MPs and fish
      length, weight or feeding habit. The spatial differences in mean number of MPs in
      fish observed in this study, suggest that environmental availability of MPs could
      be of great importance to explain the differences found among sampling sites
      analysed. This work represents the first study about the interaction between MPs
      and aquatic organisms in this important estuarine ecosystem of South America.

PMID- 28633947
TI  - Occurrence and spatial distribution of organophosphorus flame retardants and
      plasticizers in the Bohai and Yellow Seas, China.
AB  - Seawater samples from 50 sites in the BS and YS were collected to investigate the
      spatial distribution of 7 OPs. Concentrations of the total OPs (?OPs) in the BS
      and YS ranged from 8.12ngL-1 to 98.04ngL-1 with a geometric mean (GM) of 23.70ngL
      1. Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) was the dominant compound, followed
      by tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO). The
      ?OPs together with the most commonly detected individual OPs (TCPP, TCEP,
      tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP), tri-iso-butyl phosphate (TiBP),
      triphenyl phosphate (TPhP), and TPPO) tended to decrease from nearshore to
      offshore and from the surface to the bottom seawaters, indicating major land
      based sources. Furthermore, the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM), Changjiang
      Diluted Water (CDW), Taiwan Warm Current (TaWC), and Subei Coastal Water (SCW)
      influenced the horizontal and vertical distributions of the OPs in the study
      area.

PMID- 28633948
TI  - Effect of nutrient pollution on dinoflagellate cyst assemblages across estuaries
      of the NW Atlantic.
AB  - We analyzed surface sediments from 23 northeast USA estuaries, from Maine to
      Delaware, and nine estuaries from Prince Edward Island (PEI, Canada), to
      determine how dinoflagellate cyst assemblages varied with nutrient loading.
      Overall the abundance of cysts of heterotrophic dinoflagellates correlates with
      modeled nitrogen loading, but there were also regional signals. On PEI cysts of
      Gymnodinium microreticulatum characterized estuaries with high nitrogen loading
      while the sediments of eutrophic Boston Harbor were characterized by high
      abundances of Spiniferites spp. In Delaware Bay and the Delaware Inland Bays
      Polysphaeridium zoharyi correlated with higher temperatures and nutrient loading.
      This is the first study to document the dinoflagellate cyst eutrophication signal
      at such a large geographic scale in estuaries, thus confirming their value as
      indicators of water quality change and anthropogenic impact.

PMID- 28633949
TI  - Habitat suitability index model of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus
      (Selenka): A case study of Shandong Peninsula, China.
AB  - A habitat suitability index (HSI) model for the sea cucumber Apostichopus
      japonicus (Selenka) was established in the present study. Based on geographic
      information systems, the HSI model was used to identify potential sites around
      the Shandong Peninsula suitable for restoration of immature (<25g) and mature
      (>25g) A. japonicus. Six habitat factors were used as input variables for the HSI
      model: sediment classification, water temperature, salinity, water depth, pH and
      dissolved oxygen. The weighting of each habitat factor was defined through the
      Delphi method. Sediment classification was the most important condition affecting
      the HSI of A. japonicus in the different study areas, while water temperature was
      the most important condition in different seasons. The HSI of Western Laizhou Bay
      was relatively low, meaning the site was not suitable for aquaculture-based
      restoration of A. japonicus. In contrast, Xiaoheishan Island, Rongcheng Bay and
      Qingdao were preferable sites, suitable as habitats for restoration efforts.

PMID- 28633950
TI  - A multi-scale integrated modeling framework to measure comprehensive impact of
      coastal reclamation activities in Yellow River estuary, China.
AB  - In this paper, an improved multi-scale integrated modeling framework has been
      established to evaluate coastal reclamation intensity (CRI). About 7 indicators
      are considered, including ecological degradation intensity (EDI), hydrodynamic
      disturbance (IHD), engineering types, water quality, economic investment,
      population growth, and reclaimed land area. Meanwhile, an integrated framework
      enhanced methods in terms of (a) measuring intensity of ecological degradation
      process under multi-scale impact, (b) developing the indicator system of CRI, and
      discussing the driving forces and trends of coastal reclamation, (c) determining
      fuzzy preference relations of weight and calculating the specific value of CRI
      with the case study areas of Yellow River estuary from 2000 to 2015. As the
      result, the CRI has been expanded unceasingly in recent years. The total growth
      rate from 2000 to 2015 is about 37.97%. It is concluded that CRI has climbed to a
      higher intensity level in resent 15years.

PMID- 28633951
TI  - Beach litter sourcing: A trawl along the Northern Ireland coastline.
AB  - Fourteen non-recreational coastal locations in Northern Ireland were investigated
      as to whether beach litter deposition was related to seasonal or site specific
      factors. Litter items were counted in 100m width transects and 1km strand-line
      surveys over a five-season period (autumn to autumn). Survey sites comprised
      fishing ports; estuarine areas, north (high energy) and east coast (low energy)
      beaches. Fishing ports accumulated the most litter. In the 100m beach surveys,
      plastics, string and cord, bottle caps, food items, rope, and drink containers
      dominated. In strand-line surveys, large plastic pieces were dominant, followed
      by rope, string and cord, strapping bands (absent on beach surveys), cloth, wood
      (mainly pallets, fish boxes) and metal items. Multivariate analyses revealed
      major litter category differences between the ports and all other sites, with a
      lesser distinction between exposed and estuarine sites. There was no simple
      coastline trend and no apparent effect of seasonality between samples.

PMID- 28633952
TI  - Chronic methylphenidate regulates genes and proteins mediating neuroplasticity in
      the juvenile rat brain.
AB  - Methylphenidate (MPH) is the front-line psychostimulant medication prescribed for
      alleviating the symptoms associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
      (ADHD) in children. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic MPH (2.0mg/kg,
      twice daily for 15days) exposure to young rats (20-25days old at start of
      treatment) on the expression of genes and proteins associated with
      neuroplasticity, such as activity regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein
      (Arc), insulin receptor substrate protein 53 (IRSp53), cell division control
      protein 42 (Cdc42), and actin-related protein 2 (Arp2). Chronic MPH increased Arc
      expression in areas of the cerebrum including, the striatum, nucleus accumbens
      and hippocampus. In addition, chronic MPH also increased the expression of IRSp53
      in the striatum, while Cdc42 and Arp2 were specifically increased in the nucleus
      accumbens. Conversely, chronic MPH decreased Arc and IRSp53 protein expression in
      the cerebellum, indicating differential effects of the drug in cerebral areas
      relative to the cerebellum. Overall, our results indicate that chronic MPH
      treatment increases expression of genes and proteins associated with dendritic
      spine formation and neuronal plasticity in target areas of the cerebrum while it
      decreases the expression in the cerebellum.

PMID- 28633953
TI  - Reversal learning and resurgence of operant behavior in zebrafish (Danio rerio).
AB  - Zebrafish are used extensively as vertebrate animal models in biomedical research
      for having such features as a fully sequenced genome and transparent embryo. Yet,
      operant-conditioning studies with this species are scarce. The present study
      investigated reversal learning and resurgence of operant behavior in zebrafish. A
      target response (approaching a sensor) was reinforced in Phase 1. In Phase 2, the
      target response was extinguished while reinforcing an alternative response
      (approaching a different sensor). In Phase 3, extinction was in effect for the
      target and alternative responses. Reversal learning was demonstrated when
      responding tracked contingency changes between Phases 1 and 2. Moreover,
      resurgence occurred in 10 of 13 fish in Phase 3: Target response rates increased
      transiently and exceeded rates of an unreinforced control response. The present
      study provides the first evidence with zebrafish supporting reversal learning
      between discrete operant responses and a laboratory model of relapse. These
      findings open the possibility to assessing genetic influences of operant behavior
      generally and in models of relapse (e.g., resurgence, renewal, reinstatement).

PMID- 28633954
TI  - Resident challenges with daily life in Chinese long-term care facilities: A
      qualitative pilot study.
AB  - As traditional family-based care in China declines, the demand for residential
      care increases. Knowledge of residents' experiences with long-term care (LTC)
      facilities is essential to improving quality of care. This pilot study aimed to
      describe residents' experiences in LTC facilities, particularly as it related to
      physical function. Semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted in two
      facilities with residents stratified by three functional levels (n = 5). Directed
      content analysis was guided by the Adaptive Leadership Framework. A two-cycle
      coding approach was used with a first-cycle descriptive coding and second-cycle
      dramaturgical coding. Interviews provided examples of challenges faced by
      residents in meeting their daily care needs. Five themes emerged: staff care,
      care from family members, physical environment, other residents in the facility,
      and personal strategies. Findings demonstrate the significance of organizational
      context for care quality and reveal foci for future research.

PMID- 28633955
TI  - The microbiome and transfusion in cancer patients.
AB  - Our microbiota is determined by many variables including ABO blood groups. The
      microbiota is not only confined to the gut and skin but is also recoverable from
      blood of healthy donors. The microbiota shape our immune system through cross
      reactivity with antigens, the expression of direct molecular patterns, the
      release of cytokines, the effects on nutrients and micronutrients and even
      through an interplay with epigenetics. It is likely, therefore, that a donor's
      microbiota could alter the antigenicity of blood and its components and
      potentially contribute to transfusion-related immune modulation [TRIM]. It could
      also potentially transmit infections. The recipient's microbiome contributes, on
      the other hand, to the tolerance to transfused blood, or to the development of
      transfusion reactions. Cancer patients are a particularly vulnerable population,
      often immunosuppressed with a significantly altered microbiota. They are more at
      risk for transmission of "dormant" bacteria via blood transfusion. Furthermore,
      chemotherapy and radiation induce mucositis that likely results in significant
      translocation of gut microbiota and abnormal immune reactions to transfused
      blood. It is therefore relevant to revisit transfusion thresholds and consider
      transfusion-saving strategies in cancer patients.

PMID- 28633956
TI  - A time-adjustable pulsatile release system for ketoprofen: In vitro and in vivo
      investigation in a pharmacokinetic study and an IVIVC evaluation.
AB  - A time-adjustable pulsatile release system (TAPS) containing ketoprofen (KF) as
      an active pharmaceutical agent was developed having been designed for bedtime
      dosing and releasing drug in the early morning to control the symptoms of
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The formulation involved a tablet core (KF) and a
      control-release layer, and the coating membrane was composed of EC and Eudragit
      L100. A single-factor study, a central composite design and a response surface
      method were selected to optimize the formula and the optimum prescription was as
      follows: tablet core (KF 50mg, MCC 70mg, lactose 40mg, L-HPC 38mg), and film (EC
      7.8g, Eudragit L100 4.2g, PEG 6000 1.8g in 95% alcohol each 200ml). The in vivo
      release behavior of the tablets was evaluated in Beagle dogs after a parallel
      oral administration of KF TAPS tablets and commercial KF capsules, when it was
      found that the KF TAPS tablets released the drug after a lag-time of 3.458h and
      the Tmax was 5.833h. The relative bioavailability was 85.01%, and the two
      formulations were bioequivalent in terms of Cmax and AUC0-t and the in vitro- in
      vivo correlations indicated that test formulation had a good in vivo-in vitro
      correlation (r=0.9703). These results show that the novel drug delivery system
      (TAPS) has the potential to be used as a KF preparation with
      chronophamacokinetics characteristics.

PMID- 28633957
TI  - Displacement patterns of stranded I-125 seeds after permanent brachytherapy of
      the prostate: Dosimetry in the operating room put into perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The reliability of post-implant dosimetry in the OR
      depends on the geometrical variability of implant and anatomy after the
      procedure. The purpose was to gain detailed information on seed displacement
      patterns in different sectors of the prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 33
      patients with stranded seed implants the seed geometry and the dose distribution
      were compared between the situation in the OR just after the procedure, based on
      ultrasound images, and the situation after 1month, based on registered CT and MR
      images. RESULTS: There was a substantial displacement of ventral seeds of 3.8+/
      2.5mm in caudal direction (p<0.001). Of these ventral seeds cranially located
      seeds moved more than caudally located seeds, 4.5+/-2.7mm and 2.9+/-2.6mm,
      respectively (p<0.001). The D90 in the dorsal-caudal and ventral-caudal sectors
      increased with respectively 44+/-20Gy and 29+/-28Gy (p<0.001) and decreased with
      17+/-31Gy in the ventral-cranial sector (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: There were
      substantial changes in dose distribution 1month after the procedure, mainly due
      to implant and prostate shrinkage and displacement of ventral seed strands in
      caudal direction. When performing dynamic dosimetry or dosimetry at the end of
      the procedure the effect of these phenomena has to be taken into account when
      using stranded seeds.

PMID- 28633958
TI  - Small Talk: Identifying communication problems in maltreated children.
AB  - Development of speech and language is rapid in early years, yet if developmental
      problems in speech and language are not addressed they are likely to continue and
      impact negatively on a child's overall development and their life trajectory.
      Children who have experienced abuse and or neglect are particularly vulnerable.
      The aim of this study was to develop a tool to assist in identifying a child's
      need for assessment by a speech pathologist so that there could be early
      identification of problems. A culturally sensitive tool was developed to be
      completed by the child's carer included questions on language, speech and
      hearing, voice, fluency, understanding sentences, vocabulary and expression.
      Sixty-five children aged between 4 and 8 years, who had experienced abuse and/or
      neglect participated in the study. Fourteen percent were Aboriginal. A speech
      pathologist undertook an assessment for each child and the results were compared
      with the information on the Small Talk tool. The Tool was found to be high in
      sensitivity but low in specificity, requiring further refinement. However, it has
      the potential to assist non speech pathologists to identify a child's need for
      speech and language assessment with the findings identifying the Tool as
      promising practice.

PMID- 28633959
TI  - Characterization of the superior olivary complex of Canis lupus domesticus.
AB  - The superior olivary complex (SOC) is a collection of brainstem auditory nuclei
      which play essential roles in the localization of sound sources, temporal coding
      of vocalizations and descending modulation of the cochlea. Notwithstanding, the
      SOC nuclei vary considerably between species in accordance with the auditory
      needs of the animal. The canine SOC was subjected to anatomical and physiological
      examination nearly 50 years ago and was then virtually forgotten. Herein, we
      aimed to characterize the nuclei of the canine SOC using quantitative
      morphometrics, estimation of neuronal number, histochemistry for perineuronal
      nets and immunofluorescence for the calcium binding proteins calbindin and
      calretinin. We found the principal nuclei to be extremely well developed: the
      lateral superior olive (LSO) contained over 20,000 neurons and the medial
      superior olive (MSO) contained over 15,000 neurons. In nearly all non
      chiropterian terrestrial mammals, the MSO exists as a thin, vertical column of
      neurons. The canine MSO was folded into a U-shaped contour and had associated
      with the ventromedial tip a small, round collection of neurons we termed the tail
      nucleus of the MSO. Further, we found evidence within the LSO, MSO and medial
      nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB) for significant morphological variations
      along the mediolateral or rostrocaudal axes. Finally, the majority of MNTB
      neurons were calbindin-immunopositive and associated with calretinin
      immunopositive calyceal terminals. Together, these observations suggest the
      canine SOC complies with the basic plan of the mammalian SOC but possesses a
      number of unique anatomical features.

PMID- 28633961
TI  - Full-genome amplification and sequencing of Zika viruses using a targeted
      amplification approach.
AB  - We have developed methods for full-genome sequencing of Zika viruses (ZIKVs)
      based on a targeted amplification approach. We used alignments of publicly
      available complete genome data to design a primer set that selectively amplifies
      ZIKVs. The approach includes amplification strategies for templates present at
      both high- and low-copy number, and PCR cycling conditions that have been
      normalized across genome fragments in order to streamline laboratory handling.
      Abundant templates can be amplified using a strategy that uses 6 overlapping
      amplicons to cover the complete viral genome, whereas scarce templates can be
      amplified using a strategy that uses 11 overlapping amplicons of smaller size.
      The workflow is sequencing platform agnostic, and thus, can be used in low
      resource settings where access to traditional Sanger sequencing is the only
      option available. Given the scarcity of tools for ZIKV, this approach should
      facilitate epidemiological surveillance and other studies that require the
      generation of complete viral genomic information quickly and cost-effectively.

PMID- 28633962
TI  - Evaluation of three commercial multiplex assays for the detection of respiratory
      viral infections.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Timely identification of respiratory virus infection is essential to
      mitigate inappropriate antibiotic use and to implement appropriate treatment
      and/or infection control procedures. As such, multiplexed PCR assays have become
      standard in many virology laboratories. OBJECTIVES: To compare the Seeplex RV15
      (test of record) with two newer generation multiplex assays, the Anyplex II RV16
      and the xTAG respiratory virus panels. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred and three
      retrospective and 36 prospective respiratory samples were tested by all three
      assays. Samples were deemed to be positive if they tested positive for a virus by
      at least two of the three respective assays. Negative samples also had to test
      negative by at least two of the three assays. Inconclusive samples were those
      that showed band signal intensity between 0 and 100 on the RV15, but had not been
      previously tested on the RV16 or xTAG. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Overall
      sensitivity and specificity of all three assays were similar (~85% and 100%,
      respectively). Given each assay can identify multiple different viruses, the
      targets reported by one assay did not always agree with each target from another
      assay. Partial discordant rates were 47% and 21% for positive and negative
      samples, respectively. These higher than expected partial discordant rates may be
      due to primer or chemistry differences amongst the three multiplex assays.

PMID- 28633960
TI  - Effect of stimulus level on the temporal response properties of the auditory
      nerve in cochlear implants.
AB  - Electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs) have been used to examine
      temporal response patterns of the auditory nerve in cochlear implant (CI)
      recipients. ECAP responses to individual pulses in a pulse train vary across
      stimulation rates for individual CI users. For very slow rates, auditory neurons
      have ample time to discharge, recover, and respond to each pulse in the train. As
      the pulse rate increases, an alternating ECAP-amplitude pattern occurs. As the
      stimulation rate increases further, the alternating pattern eventually ceases and
      the overall ECAP amplitudes are diminished, yielding a relatively stochastic
      state that presumably reflects a combination of adaptation, desynchronization,
      and facilitation across fibers. Because CIs operate over a range of current
      levels in everyday use, it is important to understand auditory-nerve responses to
      pulse trains over a range of levels. The effect of stimulus level on ECAP
      temporal response patterns in human CI users has not been well studied. The first
      goal of this study was to examine the effect of stimulus level on various aspects
      of ECAP temporal responses to pulse-train stimuli. Because higher stimulus levels
      yield more synchronous responses and faster recovery, it was hypothesized that:
      (1) the maximum alternation would occur at slower rates for lower levels and
      faster rates at higher levels, (2) the alternation depth at its maximum would be
      smaller for lower levels, (3) the rate that produces a stochastic state
      ('stochastic rate') would decrease with level, (4) adaptation would be greater
      for lower levels as a result of slower recovery, and (5) refractory-recovery time
      constants would be longer (slower) for lower levels, consistent with earlier
      studies. The second goal of this study was to examine how refractory-recovery
      time constants relate specifically to maximum alternation and stochastic rate.
      Data were collected for 12 ears in 10 CI recipients. ECAPs were recorded in
      response to each of 13 pulses in an equal-amplitude pulse train ranging in rate
      from 900-3500 pps for three levels (low, medium, high). The results generally
      supported hypotheses 1-4; there were no significant effects of level on the
      refractory-recovery time constants (hypothesis 5). When data were pooled across
      level, there was a significant negative correlation between alternation depth and
      refractory recovery time. Understanding the effects of stimulus level on auditory
      nerve responses may provide further insight into improving the use of objective
      measures for potentially optimizing speech-processing strategies.

PMID- 28633963
TI  - Comparison of gargle samples and throat swab samples for the detection of
      respiratory pathogens.
AB  - Respiratory illness causes significant morbidity especially in children, the
      elderly and the immunocompromised. The sample type taken and the quality of that
      sample are of great significance in providing an accurate diagnosis. Gargle
      samples are easy to take and sample the same area as a throat swab (THS). In this
      study, we assessed the utility of gargle samples for the molecular detection of
      common respiratory infections. Paired gargle and THS samples collected on the
      same day from the same patient were compared. We also included in our analysis
      paired THS and gargle samples that were collected within three days of each other
      as these samples are likely to have been taken during the same illness. Overall
      the data suggests that gargle samples are a more sensitive sample type than THS
      samples as overall the diagnostic yield was higher in the gargle samples and the
      Ct value of the gargle samples was stronger for the majority of samples in
      comparison to THS samples. Similar data was seen in the paired samples collected
      within one to three days of each other, as although the diagnostic yield between
      the sample types was similar (similar discrepant results), the majority of
      gargles had stronger Ct values than THS samples. This paper highlights the
      usefulness of gargle samples as non-invasive sensitive respiratory sample in
      comparison to THS samples. We recommend that other testing sites should consider
      using gargle samples for respiratory diagnosis as it will bring benefits in terms
      of sensitivity and sampling ease of use.

PMID- 28633964
TI  - Sampling methods for recovery of human enteric viruses from environmental
      surfaces.
AB  - Acute gastroenteritis causes the second highest infectious disease burden
      worldwide. Human enteric viruses have been identified as leading causative agents
      of acute gastroenteritis as well as foodborne illnesses in the U.S. and are
      generally transmitted by fecal-oral contamination. There is growing evidence of
      transmission occurring via contaminated fomite including food contact surfaces.
      Additionally, human enteric viruses have been shown to remain infectious on
      fomites over prolonged periods of time. To better understand viral persistence,
      there is a need for more studies to investigate this phenomenon. Therefore,
      optimization of surface sampling methods is essential to aid in understanding
      environmental contamination to ensure proper preventative measures are being
      applied. In general, surface sampling studies are limited and highly variable
      among recovery efficiencies and research parameters used (e.g., virus
      type/density, surface type, elution buffers, tools). This review aims to discuss
      the various factors impacting surface sampling of viruses from fomites and to
      explore how researchers could move towards a more sensitive and standard sampling
      method.

PMID- 28633965
TI  - Phosphoproteome analysis reveals a critical role for hedgehog signalling in
      osteoblast morphological transitions.
AB  - The reciprocal and adaptive interactions between cells and substrates governing
      morphological transitions in the osteoblast compartment remain largely obscure.
      Here we show that osteoblast cultured in basement membrane matrix (MatrigelTM)
      exhibits significant morphological changes after ten days of culture, and we
      decided to exploit this situation to investigate the molecular mechanisms
      responsible for guiding osteoblast morphological transitions. As almost all
      aspects of cellular physiology are under control of kinases, we generated more or
      less comprehensive cellular kinome profiles employing PepChip peptide arrays that
      contain over 1000 consensus substrates of kinase peptide. The results obtained
      were used to construct interactomes, and these revealed an important role for
      FoxO in mediating morphological changes of osteoblast, which was validated by
      Western blot technology when FoxO was significantly up-expressed in response to
      MatrigelTM. As FoxO is a critical protein in canonical hedgehog signalling, we
      decided to explore the possible involvement of hedgehog signalling during
      osteoblast morphological changes. It appeared that osteoblast culture in
      MatrigelTM stimulates release of a substantial amounts Shh while concomitantly
      inducing upregulation of the expression of the bona fide hedgehog target genes
      Gli-1 and Patched. Functional confirmation of the relevance of these results for
      osteoblast morphological transitions came from experiments in which Shh hedgehog
      signalling was inhibited using the well-established pathway inhibitor cyclopamine
      (Cyc). In the presence of Cyc, culture of osteoblasts in MatrigelTM is not
      capable of inducing morphological changes but appears to provoke a proliferative
      response as evident from the upregulation of Cyclin D3 and cdk4. The most
      straightforward interpretation of our results is that hedgehog signalling is both
      necessary and sufficient for membrane matrix-based morphological transitions.

PMID- 28633966
TI  - The effect of feed composition on anaerobic co-digestion of animal-processing by
      products.
AB  - Four streams and their mixtures have been considered for anaerobic co-digestion,
      all of them generated during pig carcasses processing or in related industrial
      activities: meat flour (MF), process water (PW), pig manure (PM) and glycerin
      (GL). Biochemical methane potential assays were conducted at 37  degrees C to
      evaluate the effects of the substrate mix ratio on methane generation and process
      behavior. The results show that the co-digestion of these products favors the
      anaerobic fermentation process when limiting the amount of meat flour in the
      mixture to co-digest, which should not exceed 10%. The ratio of other tested
      substrates is less critical, because different mixtures reach similar values of
      methane generation. The presence in the mixture of process water contributes to a
      quick start of the digester, something very interesting when operating an
      industrial reactor. The analysis of the fraction digested reveals that the four
      analyzed streams can be, a priori, suitable for agronomic valorization once
      digested.

PMID- 28633968
TI  - Editorial: ICRM-LLRMT'16 7th International Conference on Radionuclide Metrology
      Low Level Radioactivity Measurement Techniques.

PMID- 28633969
TI  - Single-fraction Radiotherapy Should be the Standard of Care for Palliation of
      Cancer Symptoms in Patients with Limited Life Expectancy.

PMID- 28633967
TI  - The effects of chronic FAAH inhibition on myocardial lipid metabolism in
      normotensive and DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.
AB  - AIMS: There is significant evidence that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) takes
      part in the regulation of the cardiovascular system in hypertension. It is quite
      well established that hypertension causes several changes in the heart
      metabolism, but it is still unknown whether the ECS affects this process.
      Therefore, we investigated the influence of prolonged ECS activation on
      myocardial lipid metabolism in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt
      hypertensive rats by chronic fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined the uptake and oxidation of palmitic acid
      during the heart perfusion as well as intramyocardial and plasma lipid contents
      using gas liquid chromatography. Total, plasmalemmal and intracellular
      expressions of selected proteins were estimated by the Western blot technique.
      Moreover, the left ventricle's morphology, including myocardial vessels density,
      was measured using immunohistochemistry. KEY FINDINGS: We demonstrated that
      hypertension induced cardiomyocytes and myocardial blood vessels hypertrophy,
      followed by a reduction in myocardial palmitate oxidation. Interestingly,
      prolonged activation of the ECS in the normotensive rats induced cardiomyocyte
      enlargement and intensified fatty acids metabolism. We have also shown that FAAH
      inhibition improved morphology of coronary blood vessels and only partially
      maintained its effect on lipid metabolism in the DOCA-salt hearts (i.e. elevated
      plasma and intramyocardial TAG contents as well as plasmalemmal FAT/CD36 and
      total FATP1 expressions). SIGNIFICANCE: This study revealed that chronic FAAH
      inhibition has no protective effects on the heart lipid metabolism in
      hypertension.

PMID- 28633970
TI  - Unified neural field theory of brain dynamics underlying oscillations in
      Parkinson's disease and generalized epilepsies.
AB  - The mechanisms underlying pathologically synchronized neural oscillations in
      Parkinson's disease (PD) and generalized epilepsies are explored in parallel via
      a physiologically-based neural field model of the corticothalamic-basal ganglia
      (CTBG) system. The basal ganglia (BG) are approximated as a single effective
      population and their roles in the modulation of oscillatory dynamics of the
      corticothalamic (CT) system and vice versa are analyzed. In addition to normal
      EEG rhythms, enhanced activity around 4 Hz and 20 Hz exists in the model,
      consistent with the characteristic frequencies observed in PD. These rhythms
      result from resonances in loops formed between the BG and CT populations,
      analogous to those that underlie epileptic oscillations in a previous CT model,
      and which are still present in the combined CTBG system. Dopamine depletion is
      argued to weaken the dampening of these loop resonances in PD, and network
      connections then explain the significant coherence observed between BG, thalamic,
      and cortical population activity around 4-8 Hz and 20 Hz. Parallels between the
      afferent and efferent connection sites of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN)
      and BG predict low dopamine to correspond to a reduced likelihood of tonic-clonic
      (grand mal) seizures, which agrees with experimental findings. Furthermore, the
      model predicts an increased likelihood of absence (petit mal) seizure resulting
      from pathologically low dopamine levels in accordance with experimental
      observations. Suppression of absence seizure activity is demonstrated when
      afferent and efferent BG connections to the CT system are strengthened, which is
      consistent with other CTBG modeling studies. The BG are demonstrated to have a
      suppressive effect on activity of the CTBG system near tonic-clonic seizure
      states, which provides insight into the reported efficacy of current treatments
      in BG circuits. Sleep states of the TRN are also found to suppress pathological
      PD activity in accordance with observations. Overall, the findings demonstrate
      strong parallels between coherent oscillations in generalized epilepsies and PD,
      and provide insights into possible comorbidities.

PMID- 28633972
TI  - The neural basis of form and form-motion integration from static and dynamic
      translational Glass patterns: A rTMS investigation.
AB  - A long-held view of the visual system is that form and motion are independently
      analysed. However, there is physiological and psychophysical evidence of early
      interaction in the processing of form and motion. In this study, we used a
      combination of Glass patterns (GPs) and repetitive Transcranial Magnetic
      Stimulation (rTMS) to investigate in human observers the neural mechanisms
      underlying form-motion integration. GPs consist of randomly distributed dot pairs
      (dipoles) that induce the percept of an oriented stimulus. GPs can be either
      static or dynamic. Dynamic GPs have both a form component (i.e., orientation) and
      a non-directional motion component along the orientation axis. GPs were presented
      in two temporal intervals and observers were asked to discriminate the temporal
      interval containing the most coherent GP. rTMS was delivered over early visual
      area (V1/V2) and over area V5/MT shortly after the presentation of the GP in each
      interval. The results showed that rTMS applied over early visual areas affected
      the perception of static GPs, but the stimulation of area V5/MT did not affect
      observers' performance. On the other hand, rTMS was delivered over either V1/V2
      or V5/MT strongly impaired the perception of dynamic GPs. These results suggest
      that early visual areas seem to be involved in the processing of the spatial
      structure of GPs, and interfering with the extraction of the global spatial
      structure also affects the extraction of the motion component, possibly
      interfering with early form-motion integration. However, visual area V5/MT is
      likely to be involved only in the processing of the motion component of dynamic
      GPs. These results suggest that motion and form cues may interact as early as
      V1/V2.

PMID- 28633971
TI  - Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging depicts brain activity in models of
      acute and chronic pain: A new window to study experimental spontaneous pain?
AB  - Application of functional imaging techniques to animal models is vital to
      understand pain mechanisms, but is often confounded by the need to limit movement
      artefacts with anaesthesia, and a focus on evoked responses rather than
      clinically relevant spontaneous pain and related hyperalgesia. The aim of the
      present study was to investigate the potential of manganese-enhanced magnetic
      resonance imaging (MEMRI) to measure neural responses during on-going pain that
      underpins hyperalgesia in pre-clinical models of nociception. As a proof of
      concept that MEMRI is sensitive to the neural activity of spontaneous,
      intermittent behaviour, we studied a separate positive control group undergoing a
      voluntary running wheel experiment. In the pain models, pain behaviour (weight
      bearing asymmetry and hindpaw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs)) was measured at
      baseline and following either intra-articular injection of nerve growth factor
      (NGF, 10ug/50ul; acute pain model, n=4 rats per group), or the chondrocyte toxin
      monosodium iodoacetate (MIA, 1mg/50ul; chronic model, n=8 rats per group), or
      control injection. Separate groups of rats underwent a voluntary wheel running
      protocol (n=8 rats per group). Rats were administered with paramagnetic ion Mn2+
      as soluble MnCl2 over seven days (subcutaneous osmotic pump) to allow cumulative
      activity-dependent neural accumulation in the models of pain, or over a period of
      running. T1-weighted MR imaging at 7T was performed under isoflurane anaesthesia
      using a receive-only rat head coil in combination with a 72mm volume coil for
      excitation. The pain models resulted in weight bearing asymmetry (NGF: 20.0 +/-
      5.2%, MIA: 15 +/- 3%), and a reduction in PWT in the MIA model (8.3 +/- 1.5g) on
      the final day of assessment before undergoing MR imaging. Voxel-wise and region
      based analysis of MEMRI data did not identify group differences in T1 signal.
      However, MnCl2 accumulation in the VTA, right Ce amygdala, and left cingulate was
      negatively correlated with pain responses (greater differences in weight
      bearing), similarly MnCl2 accumulation was reduced in the VTA in line with
      hyperalgesia (lower PWTs), which suggests reduced regional activation as a result
      of the intensity and duration of pain experienced during the 7 days of MnCl2
      exposure. Motor cortex T1-weighted signal increase was associated with the
      distance ran in the wheel running study, while no between group difference was
      seen. Our data suggest that on-going pain related signal changes identified using
      MEMRI offers a new window to study the neural underpinnings of spontaneous pain
      in rats.

PMID- 28633973
TI  - Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis Progression and Alignment Changes after Open-Wedge
      High Tibial Osteotomy Do Not Affect Clinical Outcomes at Mid-term Follow-up.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of open-wedge high
      tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) with respect to the patellofemoral joint and to assess
      whether patellofemoral osteoarthritis (OA) progression and alignment changes
      after OWHTO affect clinical outcomes. METHODS: Inclusion criteria were
      consecutive patients who underwent OWHTO from March 2005 to September 2013.
      Exclusion criteria were loss to follow-up within 2 years and absence of second
      look arthroscopy findings at the time of plate removal. The clinical parameters,
      including anterior knee pain while climbing stairs, Japanese Orthopedic
      Association score, and Oxford Knee Score, were evaluated. Radiological outcomes,
      including weight-bearing line ratio, modified Blackburne-Peel ratio, posterior
      tibial slope, tilting angle, lateral shift ratio, and patellofemoral OA (Kellgren
      Lawrence grade), were evaluated preoperatively and at the final follow-up.
      Cartilage status (International Cartilage Repair Society grade) was evaluated at
      the initial HTO and at plate removal. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients (60 knees)
      were included in this study. The mean follow-up was 58.2 +/- 22.4 months. Two
      knees (3%) presented with mild anterior knee pain after OWHTO. The mean Japanese
      Orthopedic Association score (66.9 +/- 11.2 to 91.2 +/- 9.7) significantly
      improved (P < .001), and the mean Oxford Knee Score at the final follow-up was
      42.0 +/- 5.3. The mean modified Blackburne-Peel ratio (0.9 +/- 0.1 to 0.7 +/-
      0.1, P < .001) and tilting angle (6.8 +/- 3.7 to 5.6 +/- 3.4, P = .033)
      significantly decreased after OWHTO, whereas no significant changes in posterior
      tibial slope (P = .511) and lateral shift ratio (P = .522) were observed.
      Radiologically, patellofemoral OA had progressed in 15 knees (27%), and
      arthroscopically patellofemoral cartilage degeneration had progressed in 27 knees
      (45%). However, there was no significant correlation between changes in
      patellofemoral alignment and clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in
      patellofemoral alignment and patellofemoral OA progression did not affect the
      clinical outcomes of OWHTO at mid-term follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV,
      therapeutic case series.

PMID- 28633974
TI  - Ribosomes Dance to a Daily Rhythm.
AB  - Sinturel et al. demonstrate that feeding-fasting rhythms and light-dark cycles
      direct daily changes in liver mass and cell size. These feeding-fasting- and
      light-dark-driven diurnal fluctuations are controlled by an unconventional
      mechanism that affects ribosome assembly and protein levels during the active
      phase.

PMID- 28633975
TI  - Efficacy of inactivation of viral contaminants in hyperimmune horse plasma
      against botulinum toxin by low pH alone and combined with pepsin digestion.
AB  - Assuring viral safety of horse plasma-derived products is fundamental for ethical
      and regulatory reasons. We previously demonstrated the ability of pepsin
      digestion at low pH to inactivate West Nile and Sindbis viruses in horse plasma.
      The present study further examined the efficiency of pepsin digestion to
      inactivate four additional viruses: HSV-1 and BVDV (lipid-enveloped), BPV and Reo
      3 (nonenveloped). These viruses were spiked into hyperimmunized horse plasma
      against botulinum toxin and subjected to low pH (3.2) alone or combined with
      pepsin digestion (1200 units/ml). Peptic digestion inactivated the lipid
      enveloped viruses, whereas the nonenveloped viruses were unaffected.
      Interestingly, HSV-1 was rapidly inactivated by acidic pH alone (>=4.9 +/- 0.6
      log10), whereas a non-robust but meaningful BVDV inactivation (2.9 +/- 0.7 log10)
      was achieved by combined low pH and pepsin. The current study demonstrated the
      ability of low pH alone and in combination with pepsin digestion to inactivate
      enveloped viral contaminants in anti-toxin horse plasma.

PMID- 28633976
TI  - Transnasal endoscopic removal of bilateral postoperative maxillary cysts after
      aesthetic orthognathic ssurgery: Differences from that of Caldwell-Luc
      operations.
AB  - Postoperative maxillary cysts (PMCs) after orthognathic surgery are a rare
      disease condition. In this study, we reported first case of bilateral PMCs after
      cosmetic orthognathic surgery which was treated via the intranasal endoscopic
      approach. In addition, we compared the characteristics of PMCs after aesthetic
      orthognathic surgery with those of PMCs after Caldwell-Luc operation. We expect
      that this case will be helpful to surgeons who encounter similar cases.

PMID- 28633977
TI  - Vascular endothelial cell mechanosensing: New insights gained from biomimetic
      microfluidic models.
AB  - In vivo, cells of the vascular system are subjected to various mechanical stimuli
      and have demonstrated the ability to adapt their behavior via
      mechanotransduction. Recent advances in microfluidic and "on-chip" techniques
      have provided the technology to study these alterations in cell behavior.
      Contrary to traditional in vitro assays such as transwell plates and parallel
      plate flow chambers, these microfluidic devices (MFDs) provide the opportunity to
      integrate multiple mechanical cues (e.g. shear stress, confinement, substrate
      stiffness, vessel geometry and topography) with in situ quantification
      capabilities. As such, MFDs can be used to recapitulate the in vivo mechanical
      setting and systematically vary microenvironmental conditions for improved
      mechanobiological studies of the endothelium. Additionally, adequate modelling
      provides for enhanced understanding of disease progression, design of cell
      separation and drug delivery systems, and the development of biomaterials for
      tissue engineering applications. Here, we will discuss the advances in knowledge
      about endothelial cell mechanosensing resulting from the design and application
      of biomimetic on-chip and microfluidic platforms.

PMID- 28633978
TI  - Airborne nitro-PAHs induce Nrf2/ARE defense system against oxidative stress and
      promote inflammatory process by activating PI3K/Akt pathway in A549 cells.
AB  - Ambient particulate matter (PM) is a worldwide health issue of concern. However,
      limited information is available regarding the toxic contributions of the nitro
      derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs). This study intend
      to examine whether 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) and 3-nitrofluoranthene (3-NF) could
      activate the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response
      element (Nrf2/ARE) antioxidant defense system, and whether the
      phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway participates in
      regulating pro-inflammatory responses in A549 cells. Firstly, 1-NP and 3-NF
      concentration-dependently induced cellular apoptosis, reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) generation, DNA damage, S phase cell cycle arrest and differential
      expression of related cytokine genes. Secondly, 1-NP and 3-NF activated the
      Nrf2/ARE defense system, as evidenced by increased protein expression levels and
      nuclear translocation of transcription factor Nrf2, elevated Nrf2/ARE binding
      activity, up-regulated expression of the target gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1).
      Significantly increased protein expression of DNA-dependent protein kinase
      catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and phosphorylation level of Akt indicated that the
      PI3K/Akt pathway was activated during pro-inflammatory process. Further, both
      PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and Akt inhibitor (MK-2206) reversed the elevated TNF
      alpha expression to control level. Our results suggested that Nrf2/ARE pathway
      activation might cause an initiation step in cellular protection against
      oxidative stress caused by nitro-PAHs, and the PI3K/Akt pathway participated in
      regulating inflammatory responses.

PMID- 28633979
TI  - Zerumbone modulates CD1d expression and lipid antigen presentation pathway in
      breast cancer cells.
AB  - Natural Killer T (NKT) cells based cancer immunotherapy is an evolving area of
      cancer therapy, but tumors escape from this treatment modality by altering CD1d
      expression and its antigen presentation pathway. Here, we have studied the
      relation of CD1d expression in various breast cancer cell lines to their
      viability and progression. We observed a novel phenomenon that CD1d expression
      level increases with the progressive stage of the cancer. A small molecule,
      zerumbone (ZER) caused down-regulation of CD1d that was accompanied by breast
      cancer cell growth in vitro. The growth inhibitory effect of ZER against breast
      cancer cells was augmented by treatment with anti-CD1d mAb. This effect was
      mediated by G1-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction coupled with an
      increase in mitochondrial membrane depolarization. CD1d expression and cell
      proliferation were inhibited by both CD1d siRNA and ZER. The alpha
      galactosylceramide, a ligand for CD1d, showed increased CD1d expression as well
      as cell proliferation which was opposite to the effects of ZER. This study shows
      that, CD1d overexpression is associated with the progressive stages of breast
      cancer and ZER could be an adjuvant to potentiate cancer immunotherapy.

PMID- 28633980
TI  - The Genes That Make a Good Parent.
AB  - What is the genetic basis of differences in parental care between promiscuous and
      monogamous mammal species? A team led by Hopi Hoekstra studied an intercross
      between deer mice and old-field mice that differ in their mating systems and
      parental behaviours. The authors discovered 12 genomic regions contributing to
      those differences and identified vasopressin as a regulator of nestbuilding
      behaviour.

PMID- 28633981
TI  - Development of a propidium monoazide-polymerase chain reaction assay for
      detection of viable Lactobacillus brevis in beer.
AB  - The spoilage of beer by bacteria is of great concern to the brewer as this can
      lead to turbidity and abnormal flavors. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      method for detection of beer-spoilage bacteria is highly specific and provides
      results much faster than traditional microbiology techniques. However, one of the
      drawbacks is the inability to differentiate between live and dead cells. In this
      paper, the combination of propidium monoazide (PMA) pretreatment and conventional
      PCR had been described. The established PMA-PCR identified beer spoilage
      Lactobacillus brevis based not on their identity, but on the presence of horA
      gene which we show to be highly correlated with the ability of beer spoilage LAB
      to grow in beer. The results suggested that the use of 30MUg/mL or less of PMA
      did not inhibit the PCR amplification of DNA derived from viable L. brevis cells.
      The minimum amount of PMA to completely inhibit the PCR amplification of DNA
      derived from dead L. brevis cells was 2.0MUg/mL. The detection limit of PMA-PCR
      assay described here was found to be 10 colony forming units (CFU)/reaction for
      the horA gene. Moreover, the horA-specific PMA-PCR assays were subjected to 18
      reference isolates, representing 100% specificity with no false positive
      amplification observed. Overall the use of horA-specific PMA-PCR allows for a
      substantial reduction in the time required for detection of potential beer
      spoilage L. brevis and efficiently differentiates between viable and nonviable
      cells.

PMID- 28633982
TI  - Corrigendum to 'Does Size and Site Matter in Therapeutic Decompressive
      Craniectomy? A Laboratory-Based Experimental Study' [World Neurosurgery 95 (2016)
      441-446].

PMID- 28633983
TI  - Corrigendum to 'Cost-Utility of Video-Electroencephalography Monitoring Followed
      by Surgery in Adults with Drug-Resistant Focal Epilepsy in Thailand' [World
      Neurosurgery 98 (2017) 750-760].

PMID- 28633984
TI  - Herbal medicinal products in pregnancy - which data are available?
AB  - This review aims to highlight recent approaches concerning usage of (traditional)
      herbal medicinal products in pregnancy and to discuss appropriate strategies to
      handle limited information. Therefore, published monographs of the Committee on
      Herbal Medicinal products (HMPC) and selected publicly funded webpages, medicinal
      handbooks, publications and industry and health care organisations webpages were
      evaluated. While within the monographs of the HMPC a rather conservative approach
      could be found (mainly because of lacking nonclinical and/or clinical studies),
      all other sources display a wide variety of information or assessments, thereby
      often giving contradictory recommendations. However, some experience with the
      usage of herbal substances/preparations exists in daily clinical practise without
      clinical trials or observational studies and some herbal substances/preparations
      are also used as food/food supplements/cosmetics/medical devices. Discussions
      should be started how to use that knowledge and experience to adjust regulatory
      decisions on a case-by-case basis, if possible.

PMID- 28633985
TI  - Autophagy: A Double-Edged Sword to Fight Plant Viruses.
AB  - In metazoans, autophagy is an essential component of host defense against
      viruses, orchestrating their degradation. Such antiviral functions for autophagy
      have also been long suspected in the green lineage. Two recent reports provide
      molecular insights on how plants selectively send viral proteins and even
      particles to the vacuole.

PMID- 28633987
TI  - A paradigm shift for bone quality in dentistry: A literature review.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to present the current concept of bone quality
      based on the proposal by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and some of the
      cellular and molecular factors that affect bone quality. STUDY SELECTION: This is
      a literature review which focuses on collagen, biological apatite (BAp), and bone
      cells such as osteoblasts and osteocytes. RESULTS: In dentistry, the term "bone
      quality" has long been considered to be synonymous with bone mineral density
      (BMD) based on radiographic and sensible evaluations. In 2000, the NIH proposed
      the concept of bone quality as "the sum of all characteristics of bone that
      influence the bone's resistance to fracture," which is completely independent of
      BMD. The NIH defines bone quality as comprising bone architecture, bone turnover,
      bone mineralization, and micro-damage accumulation. Moreover, our investigations
      have demonstrated that BAp, collagen, and bone cells such as osteoblasts and
      osteocytes play essential roles in controlling the current concept of bone
      quality in bone around hip and dental implants. CONCLUSION: The current concept
      of bone quality is crucial for understanding bone mechanical functions. BAp,
      collagen and osteocytes are the main factors affecting bone quality. Moreover,
      mechanical loading dynamically adapts bone quality. Understanding the current
      concept of bone quality is required in dentistry.

PMID- 28633986
TI  - Gray Matter Abnormalities in Non-comorbid Medication-naive Patients with Major
      Depressive Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An overlap of clinical symptoms between major depressive disorder
      (MDD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) suggests that the two disorders exhibit
      similar brain mechanisms. However, few studies have directly compared the brain
      structures of the two disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the gray
      matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness alterations between non-comorbid
      medication-naive MDD patients and SAD patients. METHODS: High-resolution T1
      weighted images were acquired from 37 non-comorbid MDD patients, 24 non-comorbid
      SAD patients and 41 healthy controls (HCs). Voxel-based morphometry analysis of
      the GMV (corrected with a false discovery rate of p<0.001) and vertex-based
      analysis of cortical thickness (corrected with a clusterwise probability of
      p<0.001) were performed, and group differences were compared by ANOVA followed by
      post hoc tests. OUTCOMES: Relative to the HCs, both the MDD patients and SAD
      patients showed the following results: GMV reductions in the bilateral orbital
      frontal cortex (OFC), putamen, and thalamus; cortical thickening in the bilateral
      medial prefrontal cortex, posterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, insular
      cortex, left temporal pole, and right superior parietal cortex; and cortical
      thinning in the left lateral OFC and bilateral rostral middle frontal cortex. In
      addition, MDD patients specifically showed a greater thickness in the left
      fusiform gyrus and right lateral occipital cortex and a thinner thickness in the
      bilateral lingual and left cuneus. SAD patients specifically showed a thinner
      cortical thickness in the right precentral cortex. INTERPRETATION: Our results
      indicate that MDD and SAD share common patterns of gray matter abnormalities in
      the orbitofrontal-striatal-thalamic circuit, salience network and dorsal
      attention network. These consistent structural differences in the two patient
      groups may contribute to the broad spectrum of emotional, cognitive and
      behavioral disturbances observed in MDD patients and SAD patients. In addition,
      we found disorder-specific involvement of the visual processing regions in MDD
      and the precentral cortex in SAD. These findings provide new evidence regarding
      the shared and specific neuropathological mechanisms that underlie MDD and SAD.

PMID- 28633988
TI  - A cross-clade H5N1 influenza A virus neutralizing monoclonal antibody binds to a
      novel epitope within the vestigial esterase domain of hemagglutinin.
AB  - The sporadic outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus have
      raised public health concerns. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against hemagglutinin
      (HA) have been increasingly used successfully for therapeutic purposes.
      Previously, MAb 9F4, generated against clade 1 H5N1 HA, was observed to have
      cross-clade neutralizing efficacy and inhibited viral entry by preventing the pH
      mediated conformational change of HA. Furthermore, mouse-human chimeric MAb 9F4
      was found to retain high degrees of neutralizing activity. In this study, through
      escape mutant generation and in-silico prediction, it was revealed that MAb 9F4
      binds to a novel epitope in the vestigial esterase sub-domain of HA comprising at
      least three non-continuous amino acid residues, arginine (R) at position 62,
      tryptophan (W) at position 69 and phenylalanine (F) at position 79, which
      interacted with MAb 9F4 in a conformation-dependent manner. Binding and
      neutralization studies suggested that R62 is the critical residue for MAb 9F4
      binding whereas W69 and F79 seem to cooperate with R62 to stabilize the epitope.
      Mutation of either R62 or W69 did not affect replicative fitness of the virus in
      vitro. Interestingly, MAb 9F4 retained neutralizing efficacy against a clade
      2.3.2.1a H5N1 virus consisting of an arginine to lysine substitution at position
      62 in HA.

PMID- 28633989
TI  - Efficacy and cytotoxicity in cell culture of novel alpha-hydroxytropolone
      inhibitors of hepatitis B virus ribonuclease H.
AB  - Chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major worldwide public health
      problem. Current direct-acting anti-HBV drugs target the HBV DNA polymerase
      activity, but the equally essential viral ribonuclease H (RNaseH) activity is
      unexploited as a drug target. Previously, we reported that alpha-hydroxytropolone
      compounds can inhibit the HBV RNaseH and block viral replication. Subsequently,
      we found that our biochemical RNaseH assay underreports efficacy of the alpha
      hydroxytropolones against HBV replication. Therefore, we conducted a structure
      activity analysis of 59 troponoids against HBV replication in cell culture. These
      studies revealed that antiviral efficacy is diminished by larger substitutions on
      the tropolone ring, identified key components in the substitutions needed for
      high efficacy, and revealed that cytotoxicity correlates with increased
      lipophilicity of the alpha-hydroxytropolones. These data provide key guidance for
      further optimization of the alpha-hydroxytropolone scaffold as novel HBV RNaseH
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28633990
TI  - Cellular Gauge Symmetry and the Li Organization Principle: A Mathematical
      Addendum. Quantifying energetic dynamics in physical and biological systems
      through a simple geometric tool and geodetic curves.
AB  - The present Addendum complements the accompanying paper "Cellular Gauge Symmetry
      and the Li Organization Principle"; it illustrates a recently-developed
      geometrical physical model able to assess electronic movements and energetic
      paths in atomic shells. The model describes a multi-level system of circular,
      wavy and zigzag paths which can be projected onto a horizontal tape. This model
      ushers in a visual interpretation of the distribution of atomic electrons' energy
      levels and the corresponding quantum numbers through rather simple tools, such as
      compasses, rulers and straightforward calculations. Here we show how this
      geometrical model, with the due corrections, among them the use of geodetic
      curves, might be able to describe and quantify the structure and the temporal
      development of countless physical and biological systems, from Langevin equations
      for random paths, to symmetry breaks occurring ubiquitously in physical and
      biological phenomena, to the relationships among different frequencies of EEG
      electric spikes. Therefore, in our work we explore the possible association of
      binomial distribution and geodetic curves configuring a uniform approach for the
      research of natural phenomena, in biology, medicine or the neurosciences.

PMID- 28633991
TI  - The path to timelessness: Insight, assignment conditions and strong anticipation.
AB  - This paper focusses on the notions of time and timelessness in Eastern and
      Western thought traditions. The Introduction addresses the Eastern
      differentiation between the mind, which does not operate in a successive manner
      and is therefore not caught in time, and the time-laden successively operating
      mind and brain. I also describe how Jiddu Krishnamurti reconciles the two through
      insight, an event which restructures the brain and culminates in an eternal Now.
      In the following sections, I draw analogies to Western notions of timelessness
      and insight. Insight-induced transition from time to timelessness can be
      described in terms of a fractal temporal perspective which is void of succession.
      Insight is defined as sheer simultaneity: zero succession and infinite
      simultaneity. Another path to timelessness focusses on decoupling the
      successively operating mind from outward movement as a way of ceasing all inward
      movement and with it, all internal time. According to Krishnamurti, if we cannot
      focus our life on 'the outward', the inward movement and all internal time will
      cease. However, the noise of the observer turns out to be an insurmountable
      obstacle. Next, Daniel Dubois' concept of strong anticipation, i.e. delay
      compensation, is described from both the fractal endo- and the exo-perspective.
      Timelessness is defined as zero succession and infinite simultaneity. Finally, I
      describe - again with a fractal model - Otto Rossler's notion of assignment
      conditions as a second causation as a way of describing Krishnamurti's eternal
      Now through interfacial shifts.

PMID- 28633992
TI  - Eating out in four Nordic countries: National patterns and social stratification.
AB  - Using a survey conducted in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and
      Sweden) in 2012, we investigated whether eating out in cafes and restaurants in
      these countries is best characterized as a workday pattern activity or a leisure
      activity; and, whether frequent eating at cafes and restaurants is related to
      socio-demographic factors and factors relevant to the organization of daily life.
      We found that eating out is not a fundamental part of everyday eating. It is
      something which takes place occasionally. This may be taken to suggest that
      eating out in the Nordic countries is primarily a leisure activity. However,
      while this is an accurate portrayal of Denmark and Norway, eating out in Finland
      and Sweden is somewhat more common and linked to work-life. This difference
      probably reflects contrasting historical-institutional paths: in Finland and
      Sweden a food culture emphasizing cooked lunches and dedicated public policies
      supporting the provisioning of lunches outside the home may have promoted eating
      out. Multivariate analysis revealed that eating out declines with age. An
      urbanization effect exists, as residence in a capital city increases the
      propensity to eat out. There were socio-economic differences in all countries. We
      hypothesized that education and status would not significantly explain eating out
      activity after people's gastronomic interest had been controlled for. However,
      education was statistically significant in Sweden and Norway, and surprisingly
      status was negatively associated with eating out in Sweden. As expected, eating
      out was positively associated with income, and it was more frequent among the
      higher salariat and the self-employed (although not in Norway).

PMID- 28633993
TI  - Microfluidics as a Strategic Player to Decipher Single-Cell Omics?
AB  - Most cell studies are performed at a population level, relying on the assumption
      of a normal distribution of the function and fate of a cell among a population.
      However, technologies allowing single-cell analysis (SCA) have recently arisen
      and have led to increasing evidence of cell population heterogeneity and its
      importance. Tremendous amounts of new data could now be uncovered to redefine our
      understanding of cell omics. Microfluidics has emerged as a major technological
      player in this new era and is gradually increasing in use among biology
      laboratories, mainly due to the single-cell high-throughput handling solutions it
      offers. In this review, we assess its use and relevance for omics analysis at the
      single-cell level, with a specific focus on compartment-based microfluidic
      approaches.

PMID- 28633994
TI  - T lymphocytes infiltration promotes blood-brain barrier injury after experimental
      intracerebral hemorrhage.
AB  - T lymphocytes migrate into the brain after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and
      promote cerebral inflammation, thus exacerbating neuronal injury. However, the
      relationship between of T lymphocytes infiltration and blood-brain barrier (BBB)
      injury after ICH has not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the
      spatial-temporal distribution of infiltrating T lymphocytes after ICH in C57BL/6
      mice by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, and the accompanying change rules
      of BBB permeability were detected by Evans blue dye leakage and tight junction
      protein expression. Furthermore, T lymphocyte-deficient nude mice and T
      lymphocyte-decreased C57BL/6 mice treated with fingolimod were used to verify the
      relationship between T lymphocytes infiltration and BBB leakage after ICH. Here,
      we reported that brain-infiltrating T lymphocytes in the hemorrhagic hemisphere
      began to accumulate on the first day and peaked on the fifth day after ICH; BBB
      leakage also at peaked on the fifth day. Moreover, T lymphocyte-deficient nude
      mice showed minor BBB leakage after ICH compared with C57BL/6 control mice.
      Similarly, fingolimod treatment can significantly decrease T lymphocyte
      infiltration and promote BBB integrity compared with a vehicle control. Overall,
      our results suggested that suppression of T lymphocyte infiltration may be a
      novel way to improve BBB integrity after ICH.

PMID- 28633995
TI  - Quantitative MRI study of the permeability of peritumoral brain edema in lung
      cancer patients with brain metastases.
AB  - PURPOSE: To use Ktrans to evaluate the aggressiveness and vascular permeability
      of peritumoral edema in cases of lung cancer brain metastases. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A total of 68 lung cancer patients with 92 metastatic brain lesions were
      enrolled (20 metastatic lesions only in the gray matter - group 1; and 72
      metastatic lesions located in the gray and white matter junction - group 2). All
      patients underwent MRI examination, which involved a dual angle (2 degrees  and
      15 degrees ) enhanced T1W-VIBE (volume interpolated breath-hold examination)
      sequence to calculate the T1 parameter map. We used the enhanced T1-3D sequence
      to measure the tumor volume. The vascular permeability coefficient (Ktrans) was
      calculated using the single-compartment Tofts model, motion registration, and
      quick input mode. We examined the correlations of Ktrans with the edema index
      (EI), Ktrans with the tumor volume, and Ktrans with the histological expression
      of MMP-9 or VEGF in the original lung tumor using Pearson's' correlation
      analysis. RESULTS: Ktrans and EI were highly correlated in group 2 (r=0.66687;
      P<0.001) and not correlated in group 1 (r=0.33096; P=0.15405). Ktrans was also
      moderately related to the positive expression of MMP-9 (r=0.50912; P<0.001) and
      VEGF (r=0.36995; P=0.00138) There is statistical correlation between Ktrans and
      EI for group 2, and no statistical correlation between Ktrans and EI for group 1.
      CONCLUSION: The Ktrans of the peritumoral brain edema may be used to indicate the
      aggressiveness and vascular permeability of brain metastases in patients with
      lung cancer.

PMID- 28633997
TI  - Nicotinamide inhibits the growth of P. falciparum and enhances the antimalarial
      effect of artemisinin, chloroquine and pyrimethamine.
AB  - Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) - is a water soluble amide derivative of nicotinic
      acid, which has been used at high doses for a variety of therapeutic
      applications. However, its antimalarial effect has not been intensively explored.
      In this work we analysed the effect of nicotinamide alone and in combination with
      artemisinin, chloroquine andpyrimethamine on the growth of blood stages of P.
      falciparum. Our results demonstrate that nicotinamide effectively inhibits the
      growth of blood stage parasites with IC50 of 6.9+/-0.1mM and 2.2+/-0.3mM for CS2
      and 3G8 strains, respectively. The combination of nicotinamide with artemisinin,
      chloroquine and pyrimethamine demonstrated synergistic effects at IC 10-90%.
      Treatment of uninfected red blood cells with high dose of nicotinamide (60mM) did
      not provoke the significant LDH release, demonstrating its non-toxicity for
      erythrocytes. Nicotinamide acts below the level of tolerance and reduces the
      effective concentration of anti-malarial drugs due to synergism. These in vitro
      results suggest that nicotinamide might be useful not only as a vitamin
      supplement but also as an enhancer of the anti-parasitic effect of common
      antimalarial drugs including artemisinin, chloroquine and pyrimethamine.

PMID- 28633996
TI  - Effects of monoaminergic drugs on training-induced motor cortex plasticity in
      older adults.
AB  - Primary motor cortex (M1) plasticity is involved in motor learning and stroke
      motor recovery, and enhanced by increasing monoaminergic transmission. Age
      impacts these processes but there is a paucity of systematic studies on the
      effects of monoaminergic drugs in older adults. Here, in ten older adults (age
      61+4years, 4 males), we determine the effects of a single oral dose of
      carbidopa/levodopa (DOPA), d-amphetamine (AMPH), methylphenidate (MEPH) and
      placebo (PLAC) on M1 excitability and motor training-induced M1 plasticity. M1
      plasticity is defined as training related long lasting changes in M1 excitability
      and kinematics of the trained movement. At peak plasma level of the drugs,
      subjects trained wrist extension movements for 30min. Outcome measures were motor
      evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation at
      increasing intensity (stimulus response curve, SRC) and peak acceleration of the
      trained wrist extension movements. Measures were obtained before and after
      completion of training. The curve parameters plateau (MEPmax), inflection point,
      and slope were extracted from SRC. At baseline drugs had a differential effect on
      curve parameters, while kinematics remained unchanged. Training alone (PLAC)
      increased MEPmax but did not improve kinematics. Drugs affected training-related
      changes of the curve parameters differently, but did not enhance them or
      kinematics when compared to PLAC. The results demonstrate that in the older
      adults, MEPH, DOPA, or AMPH have differential effects on baseline M1 excitability
      and training-related M1 plasticity but fail to enhance them above the naive
      level.

PMID- 28633999
TI  - Characteristics of a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Sample Recruited Using Amazon's
      Mechanical Turk.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several barriers exist in the recruitment of individuals with a
      history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The current study is the first to
      examine whether crowdsourcing, which has been used in other clinical populations,
      is useful in the recruitment of those with mTBI. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether
      Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk), an online crowdsourcing platform, is a useful
      tool in the recruitment of individuals with a history of mTBI and to examine the
      injury and psychological characteristics of individuals who report a history of
      mTBI. DESIGN: Retrospective, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Online.
      PARTICIPANTS: A total of 468 MTurk workers (215 who reported mTBI history on the
      screener, 253 who did not). METHODS: Comparison of MTurk participants ("workers")
      who report a history of mTBI on a one-item screener and/or a more comprehensive
      mTBI assessment tool (ie, the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury
      Identification Method [OSU TBI-ID]) with workers who do not report mTBI history.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence rates of mTBI in the MTurk sample (one-item
      screener and/or OSU TBI-ID), associations between self-reported mTBI with history
      of psychological disorders and current psychological symptoms (ie, selected
      Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System scales). RESULTS: Of
      workers who reported a history of mTBI on the screener, 169 (79%) met mTBI
      criteria on the OSU TBI-ID. Compared with those who denied history of mTBI on
      both the screener and OSU TBI-ID, workers who reported a history of mTBI on both
      measures were more likely to have a history of diagnosed depression (P = .008),
      anxiety (P = .007) or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (P = .04), and
      were more likely to currently experience cognitive (P = .01) and sleep disorder
      symptoms (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: Workers recruited via MTurk with history of
      mTBI show similar rates of psychological disorder history and current symptoms to
      samples recruited via noncrowdsourcing methods in previous studies. MTurk may be
      a useful recruitment tool in the mTBI population and should be used in future
      studies of outcomes after mTBI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

PMID- 28633998
TI  - Changes in risk behaviours during and following treatment for hepatitis C virus
      infection among people who inject drugs: The ACTIVATE study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) reinfection due to continued
      injecting risk behaviours might remain a barrier to HCV treatment among people
      who inject drugs. We aimed to evaluate changes in risk behaviours during and
      following HCV treatment among people with ongoing injecting drug use or receiving
      opioid substitution treatment (OST). METHODS: ACTIVATE was an international
      multicentre clinical trial conducted between 2012 and 2014. Participants with HCV
      genotypes 2/3 infection were treated with peg-interferon/ribavirin for 12 or 24
      weeks and completed a self-administered behavioural questionnaire at each study
      visit. The impact of time in treatment and follow-up on longitudinally measured
      recent (past month) behavioural outcomes was evaluated using generalized
      estimating equations. RESULTS: Among 93 enrolled participants (83% male, median
      age 41 years), 55 (59%) had injected in the past month. Any injecting drug use
      decreased during HCV treatment and follow-up (OR 0.89 per incremental study
      visit; 95% CI 0.83-0.95). No significant changes were found in >=daily injecting
      (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.89-1.07), use of non-sterile needles (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.79
      1.12), sharing of injecting paraphernalia (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.70-1.07) or non
      injecting drug use (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.92-1.10). Hazardous alcohol use decreased
      throughout (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.40-0.77) and OST increased between enrolment and
      end of treatment (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.07-2.04). CONCLUSIONS: Recent injecting drug
      use and hazardous alcohol use decreased, while OST increased during and following
      HCV treatment among participants with ongoing injecting drug use. These findings
      support further expansion of HCV care among PWID.

PMID- 28634000
TI  - Dose-Dependent Effects of AbobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport) on Spasticity and Active
      Movements in Adults With Upper Limb Spasticity: Secondary Analysis of a Phase 3
      Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: AbobotulinumtoxinA has beneficial effects on spasticity and active
      movements in hemiparetic adults with upper limb spasticity (ULS). However,
      evidence-based information on optimal dosing for clinical use is limited.
      OBJECTIVE: To describe joint-specific dose effects of abobotulinumtoxinA in
      adults with ULS. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a phase 3 study (NCT01313299).
      SETTING: Multicenter, international, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical
      trial. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 243 adults with ULS >6 months after stroke or
      traumatic brain injury, aged 52.8 (13.5) years and 64.3% male, randomized 1:1:1
      to receive a single-injection cycle of placebo or abobotulinumtoxinA 500 U or
      1000 U (total dose). METHODS: The overall effects of injected doses were assessed
      in the primary analysis, which showed improvement of angles of catch in finger,
      wrist, and elbow flexors and of active range of motion against these muscle
      groups. This secondary analysis was performed at each of the possible doses
      received by finger, wrist, and elbow flexors to establish possible dose effects.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Angle of arrest (XV1) and angle of catch (XV3) were
      assessed with the Tardieu Scale, and active range of motion (XA). RESULTS: At
      each muscle group level (finger, wrist, and elbow flexors) improvements in all
      outcome measures assessed (XV1, XV3, XA) were observed. In each muscle group,
      increases in abobotulinumtoxinA dose were associated with greater improvements in
      XV3 and XA, suggesting a dose-dependent effect. CONCLUSIONS: Previous clinical
      trials have established the clinical efficacy of abobotulinumtoxinA by total dose
      only. The wide range of abobotulinumtoxinA doses per muscle groups used in this
      study allowed observation of dose-dependent improvements in spasticity and active
      movement. This information provides a basis for future abobotulinumtoxinA dosing
      recommendations for health care professionals based on treatment objectives and
      quantitative assessment of spasticity and active range of motion at individual
      joints. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

PMID- 28634001
TI  - The Effect of Preoperative Cognitive Behavior and Exercise Therapy for a Patient
      With an Implanted Left Ventricular Assist Device in Korea.
AB  - : Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are used in patients with progressive
      heart failure symptoms to provide circulatory support. Patients with LVADs are
      referred to inpatient cardiac rehabilitation to prevent postoperative
      complications and improve aerobic capacity and quality of life. Preoperative
      exercise therapy for cardiac patients is an emerging treatment modality, and
      several studies have reported that it improves postoperative outcomes, such as
      length of hospital stay and postoperative complications. This case report
      describes the benefits of preoperative cognitive behavioral and exercise therapy
      in a Korean patient undergoing LVAD implantation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.

PMID- 28634002
TI  - Acupressure Therapy for Acute Ankle Sprains: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ankle sprains occur frequently among young and active people,
      accounting for almost 2 million injuries per year. Previous reports suggest that
      acupressure therapy for acute ankle sprains may shorten the recovery time.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether acupressure therapy can improve ankle sprain
      recovery compared with standard RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation)
      treatment. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. The study
      protocol was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with the study
      registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-14004794. SETTING: Department of Traditional
      Chinese Medicine Orthopedics, PLA No.60 Center Hospital, Dali, China, and
      Department of Orthopedics, Xixi Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou China, between
      June 2014 and January 2016. PATIENTS: A total of 68 patients with acute ankle
      sprains were assessed for study eligibility, and a total of 62 patients were
      included in the present study. METHODS: All patients with ankle sprains seen by
      the Orthopedics Department within 48 hours since the time of injury were
      identified. Consenting patients were randomized to either (1) standard treatment
      (ST group), (2) standard treatment + acupressure (AP group), or (3) standard
      treatment + mock acupressure (mock AP group). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Outcomes
      of interest included a volumetric measurement of the foot, ankle, and lower leg),
      range of ankle movement, and visual analog pain scores. The American Orthopedic
      Foot and Ankle Score) and SF12v2 scores were used to assess quality of life.
      RESULTS: Among the 62 randomized patients, the mean (95% confidence interval
      [CI]) volumetric measurement of the foot, ankle, and lower leg in the AP group
      decreased from 185.24 (95% CI 142.80-227.67) to 62.14 (95% CI 44.03-80.25) after
      3 sessions of acupressure treatment. This was a statistically significant
      difference (P < .01) compared with the means of ST group (119.00; 95% CI 89.14
      148.86) and mock AP group (118.18; 95% CI 83.99-152.37). After the first
      treatment, the mean range of ankle movement, visual analog pain scores, and
      American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Scores of the AP group were 31.67 (95% CI
      27.78-35.55), 3.33 (95% CI 2.97-3.70), and 55.86 (95% CI 50.03-61.69),
      respectively. These scores were statistically better (P < .01) than the mean of
      the ST and mock AP group scores. In addition, the mean SF12v2 scores of AP group
      at 4 and 8 weeks were 109.95 (95% CI 107.29-112.62) and 119.67 (95% CI 119.27
      120.05), respectively. These scores were also significantly greater than those of
      the ST group and mock AP groups (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Acupressure therapy may
      improve recovery after acute ankle sprain injury, yielding shortened time of
      disability and improved quality of life. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

PMID- 28634003
TI  - Spasticity Video Challenge: A Look at Methods for Addressing Difficult Cases.
AB  - As seen in this CME online activity (available at
      http://courses.elseviercme.com/spasticity/662e), treatment of patients with
      spasticity due to upper motor neuron syndromes, including traumatic brain injury,
      stroke, and cerebral palsy, is multifaceted, involving chemodenervation, systemic
      medications, surgical therapy, rehabilitation efforts, and home care. Optimal
      care begins with the recognition that each patient's impairments are unique and
      must be assessed carefully to determine the impact of muscle overactivity, loss
      of dexterity, and weakness on passive and active function in the context of the
      patients' goals. While botulinum toxin plays a major role in providing
      symptomatic relief and functional improvement from hypertonia, it should rarely
      be used as a standalone treatment.

PMID- 28634004
TI  - Minyoo Matata - The Vicious Worm - A Taenia solium Computer-Based Health
      Education Tool - in Swahili.
AB  - Lack of knowledge is one of the main risk factors for the spread of the zoonotic
      parasite Taenia solium. The computer-based health-education tool 'The Vicious
      Worm' was developed to create awareness and provide evidence-based health
      education as a specific measure in control strategies. To increase the reach of
      the tool, a new version in Swahili was developed and can now be downloaded for
      free from http://theviciousworm.sites.ku.dk.

PMID- 28634005
TI  - Semaphorin 3E Alleviates Hallmarks of House Dust Mite-Induced Allergic Airway
      Disease.
AB  - Semaphorins are an essential family of guidance cues ubiquitously expressed in
      various organs, which play diverse developmental, homeostatic, and pathological
      roles. Semaphorin 3E (Sema3E), initially identified as a neuronal chemorepellent,
      is involved in the regulation of cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis.
      However, expression and function of Sema3E in allergic asthma has not been
      extensively investigated. We determined the expression of Sema3E in the airways
      and its effect on airway inflammation, hyperresponsiveness, and remodeling as
      pathological features of allergic asthma provoked by house dust mite in vivo. Our
      data indicate that exposure to house dust mite markedly reduces Sema3E expression
      in mouse airways. More important, replenishment of Sema3E by intranasal
      administration of exogenous Sema3E protects mice from allergic asthma by reducing
      eosinophilic inflammation, serum IgE level, and T helper cell 2/T helper cell 17
      cytokine response. The regulatory effect of Sema3E on cytokine response was
      sustained on allergen recall response in the lymph nodes and spleen. Furthermore,
      goblet cell hyperplasia, collagen deposition, and airway hyperresponsiveness were
      significantly diminished on Sema3E treatment. The inhibitory effect of Sema3E was
      associated with a reduction of pulmonary CD11b+ conventional dendritic cells and
      regulation of CD4+ T-cell cytokine response. Collectively, our data represent a
      novel approach to treating allergic asthma via regulation of immune response to
      house dust mite.

PMID- 28634006
TI  - Testosterone Differentially Affects T Cells and Neurons in Murine and Human
      Models of Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration.
AB  - The high female-to-male sex ratio of multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence has
      continuously confounded researchers, especially in light of male patients'
      accelerated disease course at later stages of MS. Although multiple studies have
      concentrated on estrogenic mechanisms of disease modulation, fairly little
      attention has been paid to androgenic effects in a female system, and even fewer
      studies have attempted to dissociate hormonal effects on the neurodegenerative
      and neuroinflammatory processes of MS. Herein, we demonstrate the differential
      effects of hormone treatment on the acute inflammatory and chronic
      neurodegenerative phases of murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
      Although s.c. treatment with testosterone and aromatase inhibitor applied
      beginning on the day of immunization ameliorated initial course of disease,
      similar treatment administered therapeutically exacerbated chronic disease
      course. Spinal cord analyses of axonal densities reflected the clinical scores of
      the chronic phase. In vitro, testosterone treatment not only decreased Th1 and
      Th17 differentiation in an aromatase-independent fashion, but also exacerbated
      cell death in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived primary human neurons under
      oxidative stress conditions in an aromatase inhibitor-dependent manner. Thus,
      through the alleviation of inflammatory processes and the exacerbation of
      neurodegenerative processes, androgens may contribute to the epidemiologic sex
      differentials observed in MS prevalence and course.

PMID- 28634007
TI  - Gene Expression Differences between Ductal Carcinoma in Situ with and without
      Progression to Invasive Breast Cancer.
AB  - To understand the molecular alterations driving the progression of ductal
      carcinoma in situ (DCIS), we compared patients with pure DCIS and patients with
      DCIS and synchronous invasive breast cancer (IBC). Twelve patients with extensive
      pure DCIS were included as a representation of indolent lesions with limited
      invasive capacity. These cases were matched with 12 patients with a limited DCIS
      component and IBC, representing lesions with a high invasive potential. Matching
      included age and surrogate DCIS subtypes. Gene expression profiling was performed
      on DCIS cells to identify transcriptional differences between these two groups.
      The identified genes were validated by immunohistochemistry. Nine genes showed
      significantly different expression. Most of these genes were highly expressed in
      DCIS samples with IBC, including PLAU (P = 0.002), COL1A1 (P = 0.006), KRT81 (P =
      0.009), S100A7 (P = 0.015), SCGB1D2 (P = 0.023), KRT18 (P = 0.029), and NOTCH3 (P
      = 0.044), whereas EGFR and CXCL14 showed a higher expression in cases with pure
      DCIS (P = 0.015 and P = 0.028, respectively). This difference was only
      significant for SCGB1D2 (P = 0.009). Hierarchical clustering revealed distinct
      clustering of patients with and without invasion. Patients with pure DCIS have a
      different gene expression pattern as compared to patients with DCIS and
      synchronous IBC. These genes may pinpoint to driver pathway(s) that play an
      important role in DCIS progression.

PMID- 28634008
TI  - Aging-associated modifications of collagen affect its degradation by matrix
      metalloproteinases.
AB  - The natural aging process and various pathologies correlate with alterations in
      the composition and the structural and mechanical integrity of the connective
      tissue. Collagens represent the most abundant matrix proteins and provide for the
      overall stiffness and resilience of tissues. The structural changes of collagens
      and their susceptibility to degradation are associated with skin wrinkling, bone
      and cartilage deterioration, as well as cardiovascular and respiratory
      malfunctions. Here, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are major contributors to
      tissue remodeling and collagen degradation. During aging, collagens are modified
      by mineralization, accumulation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), and
      the depletion of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which affect fiber stability and
      their susceptibility to MMP-mediated degradation. We found a reduced
      collagenolysis in mineralized and AGE-modified collagen fibers when compared to
      native fibrillar collagen. GAGs had no effect on MMP-mediated degradation of
      collagen. In general, MMP digestion led to a reduction in the mechanical strength
      of native and modified collagen fibers. Successive fiber degradation with MMPs
      and the cysteine-dependent collagenase, cathepsin K (CatK), resulted in their
      complete degradation. In contrast, MMP-generated fragments were not or only
      poorly cleaved by non-collagenolytic cathepsins such as cathepsin V (CatV). In
      conclusion, our data indicate that aging and disease-associated collagen
      modifications reduce tissue remodeling by MMPs and decrease the structural and
      mechanic integrity of collagen fibers, which both may exacerbate extracellular
      matrix pathology.

PMID- 28634009
TI  - The fish parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis - Host immunology, vaccines and
      novel treatments.
AB  - Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, the causative agent of white spot disease
      (ichthyophthiriasis) is a major burden for fish farmers and aquarists globally.
      The parasite infects the skin and the gills of freshwater fish, which may acquire
      a protective adaptive immune response against this disease, making vaccine
      strategies feasible. However, there is no prophylactic treatment available and
      repetitive treatments with auxiliary substances are needed to control the
      infection. Historically, a variety of drugs and chemicals have been used to
      combat the disease but due to changing regulations and recognition of
      carcinogenic and environmentally damaging effects the most efficient compounds
      are prohibited. A continuous search for novel substances, which are highly
      effective against the parasites and harmless for the fish is ongoing. These
      compounds should be environmentally friendly and cost-effective. This review
      presents recent progress within host immunology, vaccinology and a description of
      novel substances, which have been tested as treatments against
      ichthyophthiriasis.

PMID- 28634010
TI  - LAMP-1-chimeric DNA vaccines enhance the antibody response in Japanese flounder,
      Paralichthys olivaceus.
AB  - DNA vaccination is one method to protect farmed fish from viral and bacterial
      diseases. Chimeric antigens encoded by DNA vaccines have been shown to increase
      the resistance to viral diseases. Here, we sequenced the gene encoding lysosome
      associated membrane protein-1 from Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus,
      (JfLAMP-1) and assessed its use in a chimeric DNA vaccine fused with the major
      capsule protein (MCP) from red seabream iridovirus (RSIV). JfLAMP-1 cDNA has a
      length of 1248 bp encoding 415 aa, which contains transmembrane and cytoplasmic
      domains. JfLAMP-1 is constitutively expressed in several tissues and its
      expression in spleen was upregulated following injection of formalin-killed cells
      (FKC) of Edwardsiella tarda. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that JfLAMP-1 is
      distributed in the small and large granules in the cytoplasm and groups close to
      the nucleus. The DNA encoding the luminal domain of JfLAMP-1 was replaced with
      the gene for the RSIV MCP, and the construct was cloned in an expression vector
      (pCIneo). Fish vaccinated with pCLAMP-MCP had significantly higher antibody
      levels than fish vaccinated with pCIneo vector harboring the MCP gene (p < 0.05)
      at day 30 post-vaccination.

PMID- 28634011
TI  - Immunomodulatory properties of Concholepas concholepas hemocyanin against
      francisellosis in a zebrafish model.
AB  - The development of vaccines for aquaculture has been an important milestone in
      providing a continuous and sustainable production. Most of the vaccines currently
      on the market for aquaculture include oil as adjuvant. Nevertheless, several
      studies reported an occurrence of side effects after their use in farmed fish. As
      a result, there is a need for new and improved adjuvants that can stimulate the
      immune system while causing as few side-effects as possible. Hemocyanins are
      versatile macromolecules with strong immunogenic and immunomodulatory properties.
      Due to these characteristics, hemocyanin from Concholepas concholepas (CCH) has
      been biochemically characterized and evaluated as vaccine adjuvant in mice and
      humans. Francisellosis is a chronic granulomatous disease, which can result in
      high mortality depending on the host. The disease is caused by the facultative
      intracellular Gram-negative bacteria Francisella noatunensis, which remains an
      unsolved problem for the aquaculture, as no efficient vaccines are available. The
      aim of the present work was to investigate the immunoregulatory properties of CCH
      against francisellosis in an experimental zebrafish model. When immunized with
      CCH, zebrafish were protected from subsequent challenge with a lethal dose of
      Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis. Subsequently the mRNA expression
      levels of several immune-related genes were studied, including mhcii, il12a,
      tnfalpha and ifng1-1. Taken together, the data report the immunoregulatory
      properties of CCH and its potential use as a vaccine adjuvant for aquaculture.

PMID- 28634012
TI  - Different expression of sox17 gene during gametogenesis between scallop Chlamys
      farreri and vertebrates.
AB  - SOX17, a member of SRY-related high-mobility-group box (SOX) family, involves in
      endoderm formation, angiogenesis and carcinogenesis, and its expression
      characteristics are different in spermatogenesis among several vertebrates. In
      this study, we cloned a full-length cDNA sequence of sox17 from Zhikong scallop
      Chlamys farreri, and determined its expression characteristics in gonad at mRNA
      and protein levels. The cDNA sequence was 2802 bp in length, predicted to encode
      a protein of 511 amino acids and contained a conservative HMG-box of SOX family,
      while lacked the C-terminal region of SOX17 comparing to vertebrates. Semi
      quantitative RT-PCR showed that C. farreri sox17 (Cf-sox17) mRNA exhibited a
      different tissue distribution, and the transcript abundance was the highest in
      the gonads. In situ hybridization determined that the Cf-sox17 mRNA was located
      in various germ cells in testis and ovary. Similar result of Cf-SOX17 protein was
      also observed by immunohistochemical detection. The location in gonad is
      different from that of mammals and fish in which SOX17 is only located in some
      specific germ cells. Our finding revealed a different characteristic of sox17
      expression in gametogenesis between scallop and vertebrates, which implied that
      Cf-sox17 may involve in gametogenesis of bivalves and the function may differ
      from that in vertebrates.

PMID- 28634013
TI  - Breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma: Impact and
      implications.

PMID- 28634014
TI  - Chemotherapy for resected colorectal cancer pulmonary metastases: Utilization and
      outcomes in routine clinical practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of chemotherapy in the setting of resected colorectal cancer
      pulmonary metastases (CRCPM) is not well defined. Here we describe utilization of
      peri-operative chemotherapy and outcomes among patients with resected CRCPM in
      the general population. METHODS: All cases of CRCPM who underwent resection from
      2002 to 2009 were identified using the Ontario Cancer Registry (OCR). Electronic
      treatment records identified peri-operative chemotherapy delivered within 16
      weeks before or after pulmonary metastasectomy (PM). Modified Poisson regression
      was used to evaluate factors associated with chemotherapy delivery. Cox
      proportional models were used to explore the association between post-operative
      chemotherapy and cancer-specific (CSS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The
      study population included 420 patients. Thirty-six percent of patients (151/420)
      received peri-operative chemotherapy. Among these patients, 75% (113/151)
      received post-operative chemotherapy. Factors that were independently associated
      with use of post-operative chemotherapy included higher socioeconomic status
      (SES) and no prior adjuvant chemotherapy (p < 0.01). In adjusted analyses post
      operative chemotherapy was not associated with improved CSS (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.67
      1.47) or OS (HR 0.93 95% CI 0.66-1.31). In exploratory analyses, among those
      patients who did not receive previous adjuvant therapy for the primary colorectal
      cancer, post-operative chemotherapy following lung metastasectomy was associated
      with HR 0.50 (95% CI 0.27-0.95) for OS and HR 0.59 (95% CI 0.27-1.27) for CSS.
      CONCLUSION: One third of patients with resected CRCPM in routine practice receive
      peri-operative chemotherapy. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to
      evaluate whether chemotherapy following resection of CRCPM is associated with
      improved survival.

PMID- 28634016
TI  - First Case of Mole in the Horn.

PMID- 28634015
TI  - Case Report: Three-Dimensional Printed Model for Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis.
AB  - The combination of a thorough physical examination and imaging with either
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or pelvic ultrasound are important in the
      preoperative planning for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). A 2-dimensional
      (2D) rendering of the pathology by imaging does not always accurately represent
      intraoperative findings. The detailed topographical relationship and extent of
      surrounding tissue invasion can be better appreciated by 3-dimensional (3D)
      modeling. A 49-year-old patient with history of endometriosis and persistent pain
      underwent preoperative MRI that showed features consistent with DIE
      endometriosis. Surgery was performed, and the findings were documented. A 3D
      printed model of the DIE was generated from the MRI and retrospectively compared
      with intraoperative findings. The 3D model demonstrated both the laterality and
      spatial relationship of the endometriotic nodule to the posterior uterine wall
      and rectum. Three-dimensional printing of DIE may be a beneficial adjunct to 2D
      imaging and can identify further structural relationships to support surgical
      planning.

PMID- 28634017
TI  - The Conditional Survival with Time of Intravesical Recurrence of Upper Tract
      Urothelial Carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Since conditional survival analysis provides better estimates of
      survival time at each followup, we assessed changes in conditional intravesical
      recurrence-free survival rates after radical nephroureterectomy. We also sought
      to determine how the impact of well-known risk factors evolves with time,
      particularly in patients with localized upper tract urothelial carcinoma.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 364 patients with Ta-3N0M0 localized upper
      tract urothelial carcinoma who underwent open or laparoscopic radical
      nephroureterectomy at 1 of our 3 institutions. Conditional intravesical
      recurrence-free and cancer specific survival rates were calculated using the
      Kaplan-Meier method. The changing impact of parameters on intravesical recurrence
      with time was assessed by multivariate Cox regression analysis. RESULTS:
      Intravesical recurrence after radical nephroureterectomy was detected in 176
      patients (48.4%) and 93 (25.5%) died of localized upper tract urothelial
      carcinoma. Five-year intravesical recurrence-free and cancer specific survival
      rates after surgery were 41.5% and 72.9%, respectively. Based on 1, 2, 3 and 4
      year survivorship the 5-year conditional intravesical recurrence-free survival
      rate increased from 41.5% to 60.5%, 73.4%, 79.5% and 96.7%, respectively. The 5
      year conditional cancer specific survival rate also improved from 72.9% to 78.4%,
      85.4%, 90.9% and 95.5% at 1, 2, 3 and 4 years, respectively. The effects of well
      known predictive factors on estimated conditional survival decreased with time
      for intravesical recurrence. In contrast, the impact of T2 or lower pathological
      stage and laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy sustained statistical power
      with time. CONCLUSIONS: Conditional survival analysis revealed that the
      probability of intravesical recurrence-free survival increased with time in
      patients with localized Ta-3N0M0 upper tract urothelial carcinoma after radical
      nephroureterectomy. Patients with T2 or lower T stage who undergo laparoscopic
      radical nephroureterectomy may be recommended for longer followup to detect
      subsequent intravesical recurrence.

PMID- 28634019
TI  - Economic evaluation of epinephrine auto-injectors for peanut allergy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Three commercial epinephrine auto-injectors were available in the
      United States in the summer of 2016: EpiPen, Adrenaclick, and epinephrine
      injection, USP auto-injector. OBJECTIVE: To describe the variation in pharmacy
      costs among epinephrine auto-injector devices in New England and evaluate the
      additional expense associated with incremental auto-injector costs. METHODS:
      Decision analysis software was used to evaluate costs of the most and least
      expensive epinephrine auto-injector devices for children with peanut allergy. To
      evaluate regional variation in epinephrine auto-injector costs, a random sample
      of New England national and corporate pharmacies was compared with a convenience
      sample of pharmacies from 10 Canadian provinces. RESULTS: Assuming prescriptions
      written for 2 double epinephrine packs each year (home and school), the mean
      costs of food allergy over the 20-year model horizon totaled $58,667 (95%
      confidence interval [CI] $57,745-$59,588) when EpiPen was prescribed and $45,588
      (95% CI $44,873-$46,304) when epinephrine injection, USP auto-injector was
      prescribed. No effectiveness differences were evident between groups, with 17.19
      (95% CI 17.11-17.27) quality-adjusted life years accruing for each subject. The
      incremental cost per episode of anaphylaxis treated with epinephrine over the
      model horizon was $12,576 for EpiPen vs epinephrine injection, USP auto-injector.
      EpiPen costs were lowest at Canadian pharmacies ($96, 95% CI $85-$107). There was
      price consistency between corporate and independent pharmacies throughout New
      England by device brand, with the epinephrine injection, USP auto-injector being
      the most affordable device. CONCLUSION: Cost differences among epinephrine auto
      injectors were significant. More expensive auto-injector brands did not appear to
      provide incremental benefit.

PMID- 28634018
TI  - Distribution, subtype population, and IgE positivity of mast cells in chronic
      rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) has been
      categorized into 2 subtypes in the Asian population: eosinophilic chronic
      rhinosinusitis (ECRS; similar to CRSwNP in Western countries) and non-ECRS
      (characterized by inflammation dominated by T-helper cell type 1). The
      pathogenesis of CRSwNP and the role of mast cells are poorly understood.
      OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution, phenotypes, and immunoglobulin E
      (IgE) positivity of mast cells in these 2 subtypes of CRSwNP. METHODS: We
      collected nasal tissue from patients with CRSwNP and control subjects. The mRNA
      for mast cell proteases tryptase and chymase was measured using real-time
      polymerase chain reaction, and the distribution of each type of protease-positive
      mast cell was examined using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. IgE
      distribution on mast cells was determined using double-immunofluorescent staining
      for IgE and tryptase. RESULTS: Expression of tryptase mRNA was significantly
      increased in nasal polyps from patients with the 2 subtypes of CRSwNP compared
      with controls. Immunohistochemistry showed increased numbers of tryptase-positive
      mast cells in the epithelium, glands, and submucosa of ECRS polyps, whereas the
      number of tryptase- and chymase-positive mast cells was increased in the glands
      and submucosa of non-ECRS polyps. IgE-positive mast cells were abundant in the
      epithelial, glandular, and submucosal regions of ECRS polyps but few were
      detected in non-ECRS polyps. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that the
      distribution, subtype population, and IgE positivity of mast cells is different
      between ECRS and non-ECRS nasal polyps. Our results suggest a role for IgE
      mediated mast cell activation in the pathogenesis of ECRS.

PMID- 28634020
TI  - Accumulated evidence on Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of asthma: A
      meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection has been suggested to be
      related to a decreased risk of asthma, but findings in the literature are
      inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively summarize the existing evidence on the
      association between H pylori infection and asthma risk. METHODS: The PubMed
      database was searched for observational studies of H pylori infection in relation
      to the risk of asthma published in English through May 2017. Measurements of
      association were pooled using a meta-analytic approach and expressed as odds
      ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). RESULTS: Twenty-four
      studies were identified in this meta-analysis, including 8 case-control studies
      composed of 1,247 cases and 2,410 controls, and 16 cross-sectional studies
      composed of 50,290 participants (4,185 cases and 46,105 noncases). The average H
      pylori infection rates were 40.01% and 48.74% in case-control and cross-sectional
      studies, respectively. Five studies subcategorized H pylori infection according
      to CagA status, in which 59.37% of H pylori-infected participants were identified
      as having CagA positivity. Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly
      inversely associated with the risk of asthma in case-control studies (OR 0.83,
      95% CI 0.71-0.98) but was borderline significant in cross-sectional studies (OR
      0.88, 95% CI 0.76-1.02). The observed inverse association persisted for CagA
      positive H pylori infection (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.93, P for interaction = .03)
      but not for CagA-negative strains (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.66-1.78). No significant
      difference was observed across age or region subgroups. CONCLUSION: The
      accumulated evidence supports that H pylori infection, especially CagA-positive H
      pylori infection, is inversely associated with the risk of asthma.

PMID- 28634021
TI  - Mycoplasma pneumoniae and health outcomes in children with asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute infections with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) have been associated
      with worsening asthma in children. Mp can be present in the respiratory tract for
      extended periods; it is unknown whether the long-term persistence of Mp in the
      respiratory tract affects long-term asthma control. OBJECTIVE: To determine the
      effect of Mp on asthma control. METHODS: We enrolled 31 pediatric subjects 3 to
      10 years of age with persistent asthma who completed up to 8 visits over a 24
      month period. We detected Mp by antigen capture and polymerase chain reaction.
      Primary outcome measurements included symptom scores, quality of life, medication
      scores, oral corticosteroid use, health care usage, school absences, and exhaled
      breath condensate pH. RESULTS: Low levels of Mp community-acquired respiratory
      distress syndrome toxin were detected in 20 subjects (64.5%) at enrollment.
      Subjects with Mp positivity at a given visit had a .579 probability of remaining
      Mp positive at the subsequent visit, whereas those with Mp negativity had a .348
      probability of becoming Mp positive at the following visit. The incidence of Mp
      overall was higher in the spring and summer months. Overall, we found no
      significant relation between the detection of Mp and worse outcome measurements
      at the same visit or at subsequent visits. CONCLUSION: The long-term persistence
      of Mp in the respiratory tract is common in children with asthma. However, the
      detection of Mp was not associated significantly with worse asthma symptoms,
      quality of life, health care usage, school absences, or exhaled breath condensate
      pH in this pediatric asthma cohort.

PMID- 28634022
TI  - Goals and objectives of the Italian Network for Tumor Biotherapy (NIBIT).
AB  - The explosion in the immuno-oncology field, exemplified by the clinical
      implementation of immune checkpoint inhibitor blockade and other
      immunotherapeutic strategies was quickly recognized by the Italian biomedical
      community, thanks to the networking activities of the Italian Network for Tumor
      Biotherapy (NIBIT), which has been active since 2004 in the diffusion of new
      scientific and clinical findings in the fields of tumor immunology and
      immunotherapy. Numerous activities of NIBIT have also helped to overcome the
      hurdles associated with the clinical implementation of cancer immune
      biotherapeutic strategies at the national and international levels. Looking
      forward, a concerted interaction of NIBIT with existing European networks focused
      on cancer bio-immunotherapy will further contribute to the development of
      improved therapies in the immuno-oncology field. This Introduction briefly
      summarizes the history and objectives of NIBIT, as well as the current activities
      of the Network.

PMID- 28634024
TI  - Follow the glow.

PMID- 28634023
TI  - Antibiotic stewardship in burns patients: ISBI guidelines.

PMID- 28634025
TI  - Impaired cerebral autoregulation in preoperative newborn infants with congenital
      heart disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To characterize cerebral autoregulation (CA) in preoperative newborn
      infants with congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS: This was a prospective,
      pilot study of term newborns with CHD who required intensive care. Continuous
      mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SCTO2) via
      near-infrared spectroscopy, and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were collected.
      Significant low-frequency coherence between MAP and SCTO2 was used to define
      impaired CA in 20-minute epochs. Cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction
      (FTOE) = (SaO2 - SCTO2)/SaO2 was calculated. Spearman's and rank bi-serial
      correlations and logistic linear models accounting for multiple measures were
      used to identify associations with impaired CA and coherence. RESULTS: Twenty
      four term neonates were evaluated for 23.4 +/- 1.8 hours starting the first day
      of life. Periods of SaO2 variability >5% were excluded, leaving 63 +/- 10 epochs
      per subject, 1515 total for analysis. All subjects demonstrated periods of
      abnormal CA, mean 15.3% +/- 12.8% of time studied. Significant associations with
      impaired CA per epoch included greater FTOE (P = .02) and lack of sedation (P =
      .02), and associations with coherence included greater FTOE (P = .03), lack of
      sedation (P = .03), lower MAP (P = .006), and lower hemoglobin (P = .02).
      CONCLUSIONS: Term newborns with CHD display time-varying CA abnormalities.
      Associations seen between abnormal CA and greater FTOE, lack of sedation, and
      lower hemoglobin suggest that impaired oxygen delivery and increased cerebral
      metabolic demand may overwhelm autoregulatory capacity in these infants. Further
      studies are needed to determine the significance of impaired CA in this
      population.

PMID- 28634026
TI  - The analogy between the timing of renal replacement therapy and mechanical
      circulatory intervention.

PMID- 28634027
TI  - A novel aortic clamp distributing equal pressure along the jaws.

PMID- 28634028
TI  - A how-to-do-it message from the strategic surgical command center.

PMID- 28634029
TI  - Discovery of SCORs: Anciently derived, highly conserved gene-associated repeats
      in stony corals.
AB  - Stony coral (Scleractinia) genomes are still poorly explored and many questions
      remain about their evolution and contribution to the success and longevity of
      reefs. We analyzed transcriptome and genome data from Montipora capitata,
      Acropora digitifera, and transcriptome data from 20 other coral species. To our
      surprise, we found highly conserved, anciently derived, Scleractinia COral
      specific Repeat families (SCORs) that are abundant in all the studied lineages.
      SCORs form complex secondary structures and are located in untranslated regions
      and introns, but most abundant in intergenic DNA. These repeat families have
      undergone frequent duplication and degradation, suggesting a 'boom and bust'
      cycle of invasion and loss. We speculate that due to their surprisingly high
      sequence identities across deeply diverged corals, physical association with
      genes, and dynamic evolution, SCORs might have adaptive functions in corals that
      need to be explored using population genomic and function-based approaches.

PMID- 28634030
TI  - Effects of membrane curvature and pH on proton pumping activity of single
      cytochrome bo3 enzymes.
AB  - The molecular mechanism of proton pumping by heme-copper oxidases (HCO) has
      intrigued the scientific community since it was first proposed. We have recently
      reported a novel technology that enables the continuous characterisation of
      proton transport activity of a HCO and ubiquinol oxidase from Escherichia coli,
      cytochrome bo3, for hundreds of seconds on the single enzyme level (Li et al. J
      Am Chem Soc 137 (2015) 16055-16063). Here, we have extended these studies by
      additional experiments and analyses of the proton transfer rate as a function of
      proteoliposome size and pH at the N- and P-side of single HCOs. Proton transport
      activity of cytochrome bo3 was found to decrease with increased curvature of the
      membrane. Furthermore, proton uptake at the N-side (proton entrance) was
      insensitive to pH between pH6.4-8.4, while proton release at the P-side had an
      optimum pH of ~7.4, suggesting that the pH optimum is related to proton release
      from the proton exit site. Our previous single-enzyme experiments identified
      rare, long-lived conformation states of cytochrome bo3 where protons leak back
      under turn-over conditions. Here, we analyzed and found that ~23% of cytochrome
      bo3 proteoliposomes show DeltapH half-lives below 50s after stopping turnover,
      while only ~5% of the proteoliposomes containing a non-pumping mutant, E286C
      cytochrome bo3 exhibit such fast decays. These single-enzyme results confirm our
      model in which HCO exhibit heterogeneous pumping rates and can adopt rare leak
      states in which protons are able to rapidly flow back.

PMID- 28634031
TI  - Does atopy affect the course of viral pneumonia?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presence of atopy is considered as a risk factor for severe
      respiratory symptoms in children. The objective of this study was to examine the
      effect of atopy on the course of disease in children hospitalised with viral
      pneumonia. METHODS: Children between the ages of 1 and 6 years hospitalised due
      to viral pneumonia between the years of 2013 and 2016 were included to this
      multicentre study. Patients were classified into two groups as mild-moderate and
      severe according to the course of pneumonia. Presence of atopy was evaluated with
      skin prick tests. Groups were compared to evaluate the risk factors associated
      with severe viral pneumonia. RESULTS: A total of 280 patients from nine centres
      were included in the study. Of these patients, 163 (58.2%) were male. Respiratory
      syncytial virus (29.7%), Influenza A (20.5%), rhinovirus (18.9%), adenovirus
      (10%), human metapneumovirus (8%), parainfluenza (5.2%), coronavirus (6%), and
      bocavirus (1.6%) were isolated from respiratory samples. Eighty-five (30.4%)
      children had severe pneumonia. Atopic sensitisation was found in 21.4% of the
      patients. Ever wheezing (RR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.4), parental asthma (RR: 1.5, 95%
      CI: 1.1-2.2), other allergic diseases in the family (RR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.2-2.9)
      and environmental tobacco smoke (RR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-3.5) were more common in
      the severe pneumonia group. CONCLUSIONS: When patients with mild-moderate
      pneumonia were compared to patients with severe pneumonia, frequency of atopy was
      not different between the two groups. However, parental asthma, ever wheezing and
      environmental tobacco smoke exposure are risk factors for severe viral pneumonia
      in children.

PMID- 28634033
TI  - Nickel Sulfate Promotes IL-17A Producing CD4+ T Cells by an IL-23-Dependent
      Mechanism Regulated by TLR4 and Jak-STAT Pathways.
AB  - Allergic contact dermatitis, caused by nickel, is a delayed-type hypersensitivity
      reaction, and 14.5% of the general population may be affected in Europe. Among a
      wide range of cytokines, the IL-12 family has unique structural and immunological
      characteristics. Whereas IL-12p70 promotes T helper (Th) 1 cell polarization, IL
      23 promotes Th17 cell development and both have been isolated from nickel
      allergic patients. In this work, we were interested in understanding the
      mechanism behind nickel-induced Th17 cell development. We showed that nickel
      induced an early production of IL-23 in human monocyte-derived dendritic cells
      along with an increase in the expression of il-23p19 and il-12p40 mRNA. However,
      the production of a significant level of IL-12p70 required an additional signal
      such as IFN-gamma. Moreover, nickel-treated monocyte-derived dendritic cells
      induced an increase in the percentage of IL-17A+ CD4+ T cells, an effect reduced
      by IL-23 neutralization. We then investigated the molecular mechanism of IL-23
      production. Our results showed that toll-like receptor 4, p38 mitogen-activated
      protein kinase, and NF-kappaB were involved in IL-23 production induced by
      nickel. However, Jak-signal transducer and activator of transcription activation
      seems to maintain the IL-23/IL-12p70 balance by limiting IL-23 production and
      promoting Th1 polarization. These results indicate that nickel-induced Th17 cell
      development is dependent on the production of IL-23 by human monocyte-derived
      dendritic cells via toll-like receptor 4, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase,
      NF-kappaB, and Jak-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathways.

PMID- 28634032
TI  - Cyclosporine Use in Epidermal Necrolysis Is Associated with an Important
      Mortality Reduction: Evidence from Three Different Approaches.
AB  - Several immunomodulatory agents are used in the treatment of epidermal
      necrolysis, but evidence of their efficacy is limited. The Autonomous Community
      of Madrid has two reference burn units to which all patients with epidermal
      necrolysis are referred. One burn unit has mostly used cyclosporine (CsA), and
      the other has used non-CsA therapies (mainly high-dose intravenous
      immunoglobulin). The allocation of patients to one or the other burn unit was
      mainly based on proximity, resembling a random assignment. Thus, we took
      advantage of this "natural experiment" to estimate the mortality risk ratio (MRR)
      of CsA (n = 26) compared with non-CsA (n = 16) treatment using hospital as an
      instrumental variable over the period from 2001 to 2015. We also computed the
      observed versus expected (O/E) MRR in a case series of 49 CsA-treated patients
      (including 23 patients from other regions treated in Madrid), and using the Score
      for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (i.e., SCORTEN) scale to estimate the expected
      values. The instrumental variable-based MRR of CsA versus non-CsA was 0.09 (95%
      confidence interval = 0.00-0.49). The O/E analysis also showed a reduction in
      mortality risk (MRROE = 0.42; 95% confidence interval = 0.14-0.99). We identified
      five other case series of CsA-treated patients providing MRROE and meta-analyzed
      their results. The pooled MRROE (including from this study) was 0.41 (95%
      confidence interval = 0.21-0.80). All three approaches consistently show that CsA
      reduces the mortality in epidermal necrolysis patients.

PMID- 28634034
TI  - Absence of gamma-Chain in Keratinocytes Alters Chemokine Secretion, Resulting in
      Reduced Immune Cell Recruitment.
AB  - Loss-of-function mutations in the common gamma (gammac) chain cytokine receptor
      subunit give rise to severe combined immunodeficiency characterized by lack of T
      and natural killer cells and infant death from infection. Hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation or gene therapy offer a cure, but despite successful replacement
      of lymphoid immune lineages, a long-term risk of severe cutaneous human papilloma
      virus infections persists, possibly related to persistent gammac-deficiency in
      other cell types. Here we show that keratinocytes, the only cell type directly
      infected by human papilloma virus, express functional gammac and its co
      receptors. After stimulation with the gammac-ligand IL-15, gammac-deficient
      keratinocytes show significantly impaired secretion of specific chemokines
      including CXCL1, CXCL8, and CCL20, resulting in reduced chemotaxis of dendritic
      cells and CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, gammac-deficient keratinocytes also exhibit
      defective induction of T-cell chemotaxis in a model of stable human papilloma
      virus-18 infection. These findings suggest that persistent gammac-deficiency in
      keratinocytes alters immune cell recruitment to the skin, which may contribute to
      the development and persistence of warts in this condition and would require
      different treatment approaches.

PMID- 28634036
TI  - The influence of sex and age on ventricular arrhythmia in a population-based
      registry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Post-hoc analyses of clinical trials and population-based studies
      have shown no difference in mortality between men and women, but often show that
      men are more likely to receive appropriate ICD therapy. We utilized a population
      based registry to investigate the interaction of sex and age and the occurrence
      of ventricular arrhythmia in an ICD population. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of
      776 consecutive patients receiving an ICD for primary or secondary prevention in
      a provincial ICD registry were studied. No significant mortality difference was
      found between men and women (27.5% versus 23.7%, p=0.39). Overall, men were more
      likely to receive appropriate ICD therapy compared to women (39.3% versus 26.7%,
      p=0.006). The hazard ratio for appropriate therapy in men vs. women <60years of
      age was 3.22, CI 95% (1.56-6.65), p=0.002, and the same comparison in men vs.
      women over the age of 60 showed no significant difference (HR 1.11, CI 95% [0.74
      1.65], p=0.61). This interaction between age and sex remained significant when
      adjusted for New York Heart Associated Class, ejection fraction, coronary artery
      disease and indication for ICD (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates
      that the risk of appropriate ICD therapy increases as women are older, reaching
      similar risk as men in that age group. Further study of the mechanism of the
      interaction of age and sex as they modulate the occurrence of ventricular
      arrhythmia may be warranted.

PMID- 28634035
TI  - Psoriasis-Associated Late Cornified Envelope (LCE) Proteins Have Antibacterial
      Activity.
AB  - Terminally differentiating epidermal keratinocytes express a large number of
      structural and antimicrobial proteins that are involved in the physical barrier
      function of the stratum corneum and provide innate cutaneous host defense. Late
      cornified envelope (LCE) genes, located in the epidermal differentiation complex
      on chromosome 1, encode a family of 18 proteins of unknown function, whose
      expression is largely restricted to epidermis. Deletion of two members, LCE3B and
      LCE3C (LCE3B/C-del), is a widely-replicated psoriasis risk factor that interacts
      with the major psoriasis-psoriasis risk gene HLA-C*06. Here we performed
      quantitative trait locus analysis, utilizing RNA-seq data from human skin and
      found that LCE3B/C-del was associated with a markedly increased expression of
      LCE3A, a gene directly adjacent to LCE3B/C-del. We confirmed these findings in a
      3-dimensional skin model using primary keratinocytes from LCE3B/C-del genotyped
      donors. Functional analysis revealed that LCE3 proteins, and LCE3A in particular,
      have defensin-like antimicrobial activity against a variety of bacterial taxa at
      low micromolar concentrations. No genotype-dependent effect was observed for the
      inside-out or outside-in physical skin barrier function. Our findings identify an
      unknown biological function for LCE3 proteins and suggest a role in epidermal
      host defense and LCE3B/C-del-mediated psoriasis risk.

PMID- 28634038
TI  - IDF releases report of global survey on access to medicines and supplies for
      people with diabetes.

PMID- 28634037
TI  - Clinical benefit of drugs targeting mitochondrial function as an adjunct to
      reperfusion in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis of
      randomized clinical trials.
AB  - AIMS: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical
      trials (RCT) comparing the effectiveness of drugs targeting mitochondrial
      function vs. placebo in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI) undergoing mechanical coronary reperfusion. METHODS: Inclusion criteria:
      RCTs enrolling STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention (PCI) and comparing drugs targeting mitochondrial function vs.
      placebo. Odds ratios (OR) were computed from individual studies and pooled with
      random-effect meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were identified involving
      5680 patients. When compared with placebo, drugs targeting mitochondrial
      component/pathway were not associated with significant reduction of
      cardiovascular and all-cause mortality (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.7-1.17 and OR 0.92, 95%
      CI 0.69-1.23, respectively). However, these agents significantly reduced hospital
      admission for heart failure (HF) (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.45-0.92) and increased left
      ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.15-1.82). After analysis
      for subgroups according to the mechanism of action, drugs with direct/selective
      action did not reduce any outcome. Conversely, those with indirect/unspecific
      action showed a significant effect on cardiovascular mortality (0.65, 95% CI 0.46
      0.92), all-cause mortality (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.52-0.92), hospital readmission for
      HF (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.28-0.6) and LVEF (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.09-2.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      Administration of drugs targeting mitochondrial function in STEMI patients
      undergoing primary PCI appear to have no effect on mortality, but may reduce
      hospital readmission for HF. The drugs with a broad-spectrum mechanism of action
      seem to be more effective in reducing adverse events.

PMID- 28634039
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of peptide proline-boronic acids as proteasome
      inhibitors.
AB  - On the basis of the application of proline-boronic acid as pharmacophore in the
      kinase inhibitors and our previous research results, using proline-boronic acid
      as warhead, two series of peptide proline-boronic acids, dipeptide proline
      boronic acids (I) and tripeptide proline-boronic acids (II), were designed and
      synthesized. All the synthesized compounds were first evaluated for their
      biological activity against MGC803 cell, and then, the best compound II-7 was
      selected to test its anti-tumor spectrum on six human tumor cell lines and
      proteasome inhibition against three subunits. The results indicated that series
      II have much better biological activities than series I. The compound II-7
      exhibited not only excellent biological activities with IC50 values of nM level
      in both cell and proteasome models, but also much better subunit selectivity.
      Thus, proline-boronic acid as warhead is reasonable in the design of proteasome
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28634040
TI  - 1,2,4-Triazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole analogues: Synthesis, MO studies, in silico
      molecular docking studies, antimalarial as DHFR inhibitor and antimicrobial
      activities.
AB  - 1,2,4-Triazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole analogues are of interest due to their
      potential activity against microbial and malarial infections. In search of
      suitable antimicrobial and antimalarial compounds, we report here the synthesis,
      characterization and biological activities of 1,2,4-triazole and 1,3,4-oxadiazole
      analogues (SS 1-SS 10). The molecules were characterized by IR, mass, 1H NMR, 13C
      NMR and elemental analysis. The in vitro antimicrobial activity was investigated
      against pathogenic strains, the results were explained with the help of DFT and
      PM6 molecular orbital calculations. In vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the
      molecules were studied against S. pombe cells. In vitro antimalarial activity was
      studied. The active compounds were further evaluated for enzyme inhibition
      efficacy against the receptor Pf-DHFR computationally as well as in vitro to
      prove their candidature as lead dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors.

PMID- 28634041
TI  - A Machine-Learning Algorithm Toward Color Analysis for Chronic Liver Disease
      Classification, Employing Ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to employ a computer-aided diagnosis system
      that classifies chronic liver disease (CLD) using ultrasound shear wave
      elastography (SWE) imaging, with a stiffness value-clustering and machine
      learning algorithm. A clinical data set of 126 patients (56 healthy controls, 70
      with CLD) was analyzed. First, an RGB-to-stiffness inverse mapping technique was
      employed. A five-cluster segmentation was then performed associating
      corresponding different-color regions with certain stiffness value ranges
      acquired from the SWE manufacturer-provided color bar. Subsequently, 35 features
      (7 for each cluster), indicative of physical characteristics existing within the
      SWE image, were extracted. A stepwise regression analysis toward feature
      reduction was used to derive a reduced feature subset that was fed into the
      support vector machine classification algorithm to classify CLD from healthy
      cases. The highest accuracy in classification of healthy to CLD subject
      discrimination from the support vector machine model was 87.3% with sensitivity
      and specificity values of 93.5% and 81.2%, respectively. Receiver operating
      characteristic curve analysis gave an area under the curve value of 0.87
      (confidence interval: 0.77-0.92). A machine-learning algorithm that quantifies
      color information in terms of stiffness values from SWE images and discriminates
      CLD from healthy cases is introduced. New objective parameters and criteria for
      CLD diagnosis employing SWE images provided by the present study can be
      considered an important step toward color-based interpretation, and could assist
      radiologists' diagnostic performance on a daily basis after being installed in a
      PC and employed retrospectively, immediately after the examination.

PMID- 28634042
TI  - Routine Ultrasound Quality Assurance in a Multi-Unit Radiology Department: A
      Retrospective Evaluation of Transducer Failures.
AB  - The importance of quality assurance (QA) in medical ultrasound (US) has been
      widely recognized and recommendations concerning technical QA have been published
      over the years. However, the demonstrated impact of a properly working QA
      protocol on clinical routine has been scarce. We investigated the transducer
      write-off causes for a 5-y period in a multi-unit radiology department with an
      annual average of 230 transducers in demanding diagnostic use. The transducer
      faults and the initial observers of the faults leading to transducer write-offs
      were traced and categorized. The most common cause of transducer write-off was an
      image uniformity problem or element failure. Mechanical faults or excessive
      leakage current and defects in the lens constituted smaller yet substantial
      shares. Our results suggest that a properly working routine QA program can detect
      majority of the faults before they are reported by users.

PMID- 28634043
TI  - The roles of integrin alphavbeta6 in cancer.
AB  - Integrins are a family of heterodimeric cell surface receptors that are expressed
      in most cells, where they mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM)
      interactions. Integrin alphavbeta6 is a heterodimer with alphav and beta6
      subunits. It is epithelial-specific and strongly induced during wound healing,
      inflammation and carcinogenesis. Integrin alphavbeta6 is considered to be a
      prognostic indicator because it is up-regulated in various types of cancers and
      integrin alphavbeta6 expression correlates with the survival time of patients. A
      large body of evidence suggests that integrin alphavbeta6 is of great
      significance in tumor progression, as integrin alphavbeta6 has been demonstrated
      to modulate numerous malignant behaviors of tumor cells. A number of classic
      oncogenic signaling pathways are involved in integrin alphavbeta6-mediated tumor
      progression. The expression characteristics and vital effects of integrin
      alphavbeta6 in the progression of tumors has led studies to focus on integrin
      alphavbeta6-targeted tumor imaging and tumor therapy, which have subsequently
      made integrin alphavbeta6 a promising target for clinical examination and
      treatment. This review provides an overview of the current understanding of the
      roles and underlying mechanisms of integrin alphavbeta6 in tumors. Furthermore,
      the common links as well as discrepancies between independent studies are also
      discussed.

PMID- 28634044
TI  - miR-218 suppresses gastric cancer cell cycle progression through the CDK6/Cyclin
      D1/E2F1 axis in a feedback loop.
AB  - Studies in several cancers have suggested that miR-218 has anti-tumor activities,
      but its function is yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the
      regulation and function of miR-218 (miR-218-5p) in the cell cycle progression of
      gastric cancer (GC). We found that miR-218 could suppress proliferation of
      gastric cancer cells, induce cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and inhibit tumor
      growth and metastasis in vivo. We also demonstrated that miR-218 specifically
      targeted the 3'-UTR regions of CDK6 and cyclin D1 and inhibited the expression of
      these molecules, which in turn repressed the pRb/E2F1 signaling pathway.
      Overexpression of CDK6 and Cyclin D1 reversed miR-218-mediated inhibition of
      pRB/E2F1 signaling and attenuated the miR-218-induced cell cycle arrest. More
      importantly, miR-218 expression was significantly reduced and inversely
      correlated with the levels of CDK6 and Cyclin D1 in gastric cancer tissues.
      Decreased miR-218 expression was also correlated with advanced clinical stage,
      lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients.
      Furthermore, we showed that miR-218 expression was directly activated by E2F1
      through the transactivation of miR-218 host genes, SLIT2 and SLIT3, revealing a
      negative feedback regulation of miR-218 expression. Taken together, our results
      describe a regulatory loop miR-218-CDK6/CyclinD1-E2F1 whose disruption may
      contribute to cell cycle progression in gastric cancer and indicate the potential
      application of miR-218 in cancer therapy.

PMID- 28634046
TI  - Tumor antigen PRAME is up-regulated by MZF1 in cooperation with DNA
      hypomethylation in melanoma cells.
AB  - Elevated expression of preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) has
      been implicated in disease progression in a variety of cancers. However, the
      mechanisms underlying the transcriptional regulation of PRAME remain largely
      unexplored. Initially, we observed that PRAME was elevated in proportion to the
      malignant potential of melanoma cells. From the in silico prediction of PRAME
      gene structure, we identified the putative myeloid zinc finger 1 (MZF1) binding
      sites, which overlap with a CpG-rich region located in the first intron. The
      transcription factor MZF1 increased PRAME expression via its direct binding to
      the intron DNA. Upon treatment with a DNA methylation inhibitor, 5-aza-2'
      deoxycitidine (5-azaC), together with ectopic expression of MZF1, PRAME
      expression was significantly enhanced at both the protein and mRNA levels. More
      pronounced MZF1 binding to the PRAME DNA was observed in the presence of 5-azaC.
      DNA methylation was inversely correlated with PRAME expression in melanoma cells.
      Finally, we observed that MZF1, like PRAME, promotes the colony-forming ability
      in melanoma cells. Overall, our findings suggest that MZF1, via stimulation of
      PRAME expression, may be a potential prognostic and therapeutic target in
      melanoma.

PMID- 28634045
TI  - EGFR/EGFRvIII remodels the cytoskeleton via epigenetic silencing of AJAP1 in
      glioma cells.
AB  - EGFR amplification and mutations are the most common oncogenic events in GBM.
      EGFR overexpression correlates with GBM invasion, but the underlying mechanisms
      are poorly understood. In a previous study, we showed that AJAP1 is involved in
      regulating F-actin to inhibit the invasive ability of GBM. In addition, in a GBM
      cell line, the AJAP1 promoter was highly bound by H3K27me3 and, through
      bioinformatics analysis, we found that AJAP1 expression was negatively correlated
      with EGFR. In this study, we found that the pathway downstream of EGFR had a
      higher activation level in GBM cell lines, which led to excessive tumor
      suppressor silencing. Therefore, we deduced that in glioma cells, the pathway
      downstream of EGFR remodels the cytoskeleton via AJAP1 epigenetic silencing to
      enhance invasion. Furthermore, MK2206 reversed AJAP1 downregulation by inhibiting
      the EGFR pathway. In vivo, MK2206 also inhibited the proliferation and local
      invasion of 87-EGFRvIII. These data suggest that activation of the EGFR signal
      transduction pathway genetically silences anti-oncogenes to enhance GBM
      malignancy. MK2206 might be a promising therapeutic for EGFR/EGFRvIII-positive
      GBMs.

PMID- 28634047
TI  - The study of the intervertebral disc microstructure in matured rats with
      diffusion kurtosis imaging.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to use DKI to detect the microstructural
      change of the discs in matured normal rats. METHODS: Total 24 normal SD rats (12
      males/12 females) underwent DWI/DKI and T2 sequences with a 3T MRI scanner to get
      the values of ADC, FA, MD, Da, Dr, MK, Ka and Kr. The discs were categorized
      using a five-grade degeneration grading system in the T2-images. The height of
      the discs and the parameters in DWI/DKI were measured to compare between the
      different grades and sexes. The histological images and the images of fiber
      tracking were also done in the discs. RESULTS: There were 30 Grade 1 and 18 Grade
      2 in the discs. Compared with Grade 1, decreased ADC, increased FA and MK values
      were observed in Grade 2 (P<0.05). By the ROC analysis of grades of the discs,
      there was low diagnostic accuracy in ADC value, while FA and MK showed higher
      accuracy. In Grade 1, there were lower ADC value, lower Dr, higher MK, Ka and Kr
      in male's group than them in female's group. There were no differences in the
      parameters except the ADC value in the two sexes in Grade 2. The different
      microstructure of the normal discs in the male and female rats had been proved by
      the histological images and the images of fiber tracking. CONCLUSION: DKI is a
      noninvasive and sustainable means to test the changes of intervertebral discs.
      The discs in Grade 2 were also found in the normal matured SD rat tails. The
      assessment of the grade of the discs in T2-images should be done before the
      experimental management. There was microstructural difference in the nucleus
      pulposus in the discs in Grade 1 and 2. FA and MK showed higher diagnostic
      accuracy. The laboratory rats should be the same sex because the microstructure
      of the normal discs weren't the same.

PMID- 28634048
TI  - Activation volume vs BOLD signal change as measures of fMRI activation - Its
      impact on GABA - fMRI activation correlation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the relative robustness of functional MRI (fMRI) activation
      volume and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal change as fMRI metric, and
      to study the effect of relative robustness on the correlation between fMRI
      activation and cortical gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) in healthy controls and
      patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: fMRI data were acquired from
      healthy controls and patients with MS, with the subjects peforming self paced
      bilateral finger tapping in block design. GABA spectroscopy was performed with
      voxel placed on the area of maximum activation during fMRI. Activation volume and
      BOLD signal changes at primary motor cortex (M1), as well as GABA concentration
      were calculated for each patient. RESULTS: Activation volume correlated with BOLD
      signal change in healthy controls, but no such correlation was observed in
      patients with MS. This difference was likely the result of higher intersubject
      noise variance in the patient population. GABA concentration correlated with M1
      activation volume in patients but not in controls, and did not correlate with any
      fMRI metric in patients or controls. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that activation
      volume is a more robust measure than BOLD signal change in a group with high
      intersubject noise variance as in patients with MS. Additionally, this study
      demonstrated difference in correlation behavior between GABA concentration and
      the 2 fMRI metrics in patients with MS, suggesting that GABA - activation volume
      correlation is more appropriate measure in the patient group.

PMID- 28634049
TI  - Training individuals with speech and hearing impairment in basic life support: A
      pilot study.

PMID- 28634050
TI  - Was capnographic waveform the gold standard to confirm the endotracheal
      intubation? We need more proofs.

PMID- 28634051
TI  - Revisiting Interdialytic Weight Gain and Mortality Association With Serum Albumin
      Interactions: The Japanese Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The dialysis practice guideline in Japan sets a limit on the allowed
      interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) <6%. However, the effects of relative gain of
      fluid volume to body weight may differ in presence of morbid conditions. Here, we
      examined whether or not the associations between IDWG and mortality differ by
      serum albumin (sAlb), a nutritional and illness marker. DESIGN: The study type
      used was prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: Patients who participated in the
      Japan Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Pattern Study (phase 1-4 [1999-2011]) and
      received thrice-weekly hemodialysis. METHODS: IDWG was the exposure of interest
      and was collected every 4 months, divided into 7 categories as follows: <2%, 2%
      to 3%, 3% to 4% (reference), 4% to 5%, 5% to 6%, 6% to 7%, and >7%. sAlb was
      treated as both an effect modifier and confounder and dichotomized into >=3.8
      g/dL and <3.8 g/dL segments, according to the protein-energy wasting criteria
      proposed by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURE: The outcome in this study was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A
      total of 8,661 patients were analyzed. Time-varying Cox regression analyses
      revealed that, when sAlb was >=3.8 g/dL, an IDWG >7% was associated with greater
      risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 2.74; 95% confidence interval
      [CI], 1.49-5.05). When sAlb was <3.8 g/dL, however, IDWGs <2% (AHR 1.89; 95% CI,
      1.50-2.39) and 4% to 5% (AHR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58-0.96) were associated with
      mortality (P for interaction = .001). Cubic spline analyses showed that the
      mortality increased when IDWG exceeded 6% for patients with sAlb >=3.8 g/dL; in
      contrast, for patients with sAlb <3.8 g/dL, the mortality increased when IDWG was
      <3% and decreased when IDWG was between 4% and 6%. LIMITATION: The main
      limitation was possible residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: The direction and
      magnitude of the associations between IDWG and mortality were modified by sAlb.
      Dialysis experts should take these results into account when revising the
      clinical practice guidelines.

PMID- 28634052
TI  - Management of wide-based renal artery aneurysms using noncovered stent-assisted
      coil embolization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study describes the safety and midterm efficacy of a noncovered
      stent-assisted embolization (SAE) technique in treating patients with wide-base
      renal artery aneurysms (RAAs). METHODS: Between February 2011 and June 2014, 34
      RAAs in 28 consecutive patients were treated with noncovered SAE in our center.
      RESULTS: Technical success was 100%. During an average follow-up of 19 months,
      the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly decreased. Serum
      creatinine was significantly decreased, and the glomerular filtration rate was
      significantly increased at the 6 and 12 month follow-up compared with the
      baseline. The aneurysm sac thrombosis ratio was obviously increased at 1, 6, and
      12 months of follow-up. Complications occurred in four patients, including one
      major, two minor, and one late complication. Computed tomography angiography or
      digital subtraction angiography demonstrated that the primary patency at 1, 6,
      and 12 months was 100%, 96%, and 100%, respectively, and primary assisted and
      secondary patency was 100%, without endoleaks. CONCLUSIONS: SAE can be safely and
      effectively performed in patients with wide-based RAAs or those with critical
      anatomy. It showed a midterm reduction of blood pressure and improvement of renal
      function in RAA patients.

PMID- 28634053
TI  - Using short-term bioassays to evaluate the endocrine disrupting capacity of the
      pesticides linuron and fenoxycarb.
AB  - Several short-term whole-organism bioassays based on transgenic aquatic models
      are now under validation by the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and
      Development) to become standardized test guidelines for the evaluation of the
      endocrine activity of substances. Evaluation of the endocrine disrupting capacity
      of pesticides will be a domain of applicability of these future reference tests.
      The herbicide linuron and the insecticide fenoxycarb are two chemicals commonly
      used in agricultural practices. While numerous studies indicate that linuron is
      likely to be an endocrine disruptor, there is little information available on the
      effect of fenoxycarb on vertebrate endocrine systems. Using whole-organism
      bioassays based on transgenic Xenopus laevis tadpoles and medaka fry we assessed
      the potential of fenoxycarb and linuron to disrupt thyroid, androgen and estrogen
      signaling. In addition we used in silico approach to simulate the affinity of
      these two pesticides to human hormone receptors. Linuron elicited thyroid hormone
      like activity in tadpoles at all concentrations tested and, showed an anti
      estrogenic activity in medaka at concentrations 2.5mg/L and higher. Our
      experiments suggest that, in addition to its previously established anti
      androgenic action, linuron exhibits thyroid hormone-like responses, as well as
      acting at the estrogen receptor level to inhibit estrogen signaling. Fenoxycarb
      on the other hand, did not cause any changes in thyroid, androgen or estrogen
      signaling at the concentrations tested.

PMID- 28634054
TI  - Effect of Endothelin-1 on proliferation, migration and fibrogenic gene expression
      in human RPE cells.
AB  - The pathology of the fibrotic proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) membrane
      represents an excessive wound healing response characterised by cells'
      proliferation, migration and secretion of extracellular matrix molecules (ECMs).
      Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are a major cellular component of the
      fibrotic membrane. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been reported to be involved in the
      development of PVR in vivo research. However, little is known about the role of
      ET-1 in RPE cells in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the role of ET
      1 in the proliferation, migration and secretion of ECMs (such as type I collagen
      and fibronectin) in RPE cells in vitro. Our results illustrated that ET-1
      promoted the proliferation, migration and secretion of ECMs through the protein
      kinase B (Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) signaling pathways
      in RPE cells in vitro. These findings strongly suggested that ET-1 may play a
      vital role in the development of PVR.

PMID- 28634055
TI  - An insight on the association of glycation with hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the frequent cause of cancer-related
      death worldwide and dominant form of primary liver cancer. However, the reason
      behind a steady increase in the incidence of this form of cancer remains elusive.
      Glycation has been reported to play a significant role in the induction of
      several chronic diseases including cancer. Several risk factors that could induce
      HCC have been reported in the literature. Deciphering the complex patho
      physiology associated with HCC is expected to provide new targets for the early
      detection, prevention, progression and recurrence. Even-though, some of the
      causative aspects of HCC is known, the advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
      related mechanism still needs further research. In the current manuscript, we
      have tried to uncover the possible role of glycation in the induction of HCC. In
      the light of the available scientific literature, we advocate in-depth
      comprehensive studies which will shed light towards mechanistic association of
      glycation with HCC.

PMID- 28634057
TI  - Evaluation of the biotechnological potential of a novel purified protease BS1
      from Bacillus safensis S406 on the chitin extraction and detergent formulation.
AB  - An extracellular alkaline stable protease BS1 from a new bacteria strain,
      Bacillus safensis S406, isolated from the Sfax solar saltern, was purified and
      characterized. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate
      precipitation, Sephadex G-75 gel filtration, Mono-Q anion-exchange chromatography
      and ultrafiltration, with a 12.70-fold increase in specific activity and 20.29%
      recovery. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 29kDa and appeared as a single
      band on native-PAGE. The optimum pH and temperature values of its proteolytic
      activity were pH 11.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively. BS1 was tested for the
      deproteinization of shrimp wastes to extract chitin. An enzyme-protein ratio of
      10U/mg of proteins allows to eliminate 93% of protein linked to the chitin after
      3h hydrolysis at 45 degrees C. Being very active in alkaline conditions, the
      potential application of BS1 in laundry formulation was investigated. The enzyme
      showed high stability in the presence of non-ionic surfactants and some
      commercial liquid and solid detergents, suggesting its eventual use in detergent
      formulations.

PMID- 28634056
TI  - New and Accurate Predictive Model for the Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave
      Therapy in Managing Patients With Chronic Plantar Fasciitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify factors for the outcome of a minimum clinically successful
      therapy and to establish a predictive model of extracorporeal shock wave therapy
      (ESWT) in managing patients with chronic plantar fasciitis. DESIGN: Randomized,
      controlled, prospective study. SETTING: Outpatient of local medical center
      settings. PARTICIPANTS: Patients treated for symptomatic chronic plantar
      fasciitis between 2014 and 2016 (N=278). INTERVENTIONS: ESWT was performed by the
      principal authors to treat chronic plantar fasciitis. ESWT was administered in 3
      sessions, with an interval of 2 weeks (+/-4d). In the low-, moderate-, and high
      intensity groups, 2400 impulses total of ESWT with an energy flux density of 0.2,
      0.4, and 0.6mJ/mm2, respectively (a rate of 8 impulses per second), were applied.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The independent variables were patient age, sex, body mass
      index, affected side, duration of symptoms, Roles and Maudsley score, visual
      analog scale (VAS) score when taking first steps in the morning, edema, bone
      spurs, and intensity grade of ESWT. A minimal reduction of 50% in the VAS score
      was considered as minimum clinically successful therapy. The correlations between
      the achievement of minimum clinically successful therapy and independent
      variables were analyzed. The statistically significant factors identified were
      further analyzed by multivariate logistic regression, and the predictive model
      was established. RESULTS: The success rate of ESWT was 66.9%. Univariate analysis
      found that VAS score when taking first steps in the morning, edema, and the
      presence of heel spur in radiograph significantly affected the outcome of the
      treatment. Logistic regression drew the equation: minimum clinically successful
      therapy=(1+e[.011+42.807*heel spur+.109*edema+5.395*VASscore])-1.The sensitivity
      of the predictive factors was 96.77%, 87.63%, and 86.02%, respectively. The
      specificity of the predictive factors was 45.65%, 42.39%, and 85.87%,
      respectively. The area under the curve of the predictive factors was .751, .650,
      and .859, respectively. The Youden index was .4243, .3003, and .7189,
      respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a good fitting of the predictive
      model, with an overall accuracy of 89.6%. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes a
      new and accurate predictive model for the efficacy of ESWT in managing patients
      with chronic plantar fasciitis. The use of these parameters, in the form of a
      predictive model for ESWT efficacy, has the potential to improve decision-making
      in the application of ESWT.

PMID- 28634058
TI  - Apoptotic gene expression profiles and DNA damage levels in rat liver treated
      with perfluorooctane sulfonate and protective role of curcumin.
AB  - Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) such as PFOS and PFOA, are xenobiotics that can
      be detected worldwide in the environment and humans. PFOS (C8F17SO3-) is a
      fluorinated organic compound has been used for decades in industrial and
      commercial products. We investigated the genotoxic and apoptotic impact of PFOS
      in rat liver using comet assay, micronucleus test and apoptotic gene expression
      methods for caspase 3, caspase 8 and the protective role of curcumin on the PFOS-
      induced damage under chronic exposure. In this study, rats were treated either
      with three different PFOS doses only (0.6, 1.25 and 2.5mg/kg) or one dose of
      curcumin (80mg/kg) or three different doses of PFOS combined with 80mg/kg dose of
      curcumin by gavage for 30days at 48h intervals. We evaluated the DNA damage via
      comet assay and micronucleus test. Doses of PFOS increased micronucleus frequency
      (p<0.05) and strongly induced DNA damage in liver in two different parameters; i:
      the damaged cell percentage and ii: genetic damage index. Curcumin prevented the
      formation of DNA damage induced by PFOS and curcumin substance applied with PFOS
      caused a decrease in the micronucleus frequency. PFOS increased apoptotic gene
      expression but curcumin decreased the expression levels of caspase 3 and 8.

PMID- 28634059
TI  - A pumpkin polysaccharide induces apoptosis by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway
      in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a purified
      polysaccharide (PPPF) from pumpkin fruit on the Janus activated kinase
      (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling during
      apoptotic process. The results showed that PPPF or STAT3 siRNA inhibits the cell
      growth of HepG2 cells via induction of apoptosis. Moreover, PPPF is able to
      suppress both constitutive and IL-6-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 (on Tyr705)
      and subsequent nuclear translocation in cancer cells. Such inhibition is found to
      be achieved through down-regulation of constitutive phosphorylation of JAK2, but
      not JAk1, c-Src, ERK1/2, and Akt, which means STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation in
      HepG2 cells following PPPF treatment is associated with a reduction in JAK2
      activity. In addition, the protein expression of SHP-1 was increased in cells in
      response to PPPF treatment, whereas SHP-2, SOCS-1 and SCOS-3 protein expression
      remain unchanged. In vivo animal experiment also indicated that PPPF had a potent
      inhibitory effect on tumor growth in mice bearing HepG2 xenograft tumors. Thus we
      can conclude that PPPF directly induces apoptotic cell death of HepG2 cells via
      down-regulation of the JAK2/STAT3 signal transduction pathways, which may
      facilitates the development of a therapeutic strategy for treating HCC.

PMID- 28634060
TI  - Potent inhibitions of monoamine oxidase A and B by acacetin and its 7-O-(6-O
      malonylglucoside) derivative from Agastache rugosa.
AB  - Five compounds were isolated from the leaves of Agastache rugosa and tested for
      monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory activity. Acacetin, a flavonoid, potently
      inhibited recombinant human MAO-A and MAO-B (IC50=0.19 and 0.17MUM,
      respectively), and reversibly and competitively inhibited MAO-A and MAO-B
      (Ki=0.045 and 0.037MUM, respectively). Acacetin 7-O-(6-O-malonylglucoside) (AMG)
      was also found to effectively inhibit MAO-A and MAO-B (IC50=2.34 and 1.87MUM,
      respectively), and to reversibly and competitively inhibit MAO-A and MAO-B
      (Ki=1.06 and 0.38MUM, respectively). Tilianin (a glucoside derivative of
      acacetin) had little inhibitory activity, but the introduction of a malonyl group
      at sugar moiety significantly increased inhibitory activity. Molecular docking
      simulation revealed the binding energy of acacetin for MAO-B (-44.2kcal/mol) was
      greater than its energy for MAO-A (-27.0kcal/mol), and that the Cys172 residue of
      MAO-B was important for hydrogen bonding with acacetin. AMG was predicted to bind
      to MAO-B with an energy of -23.1kcal/mol by possible hydrogen-bond formation
      between an oxygen atom of Ile477 residue and a hydrogen atom (H17) of AMG.
      However, the interaction between AMG and MAO-A was not verified by the docking
      simulation. This study suggests acacetin and AMG be viewed as new reversible MAO
      inhibitors, and useful lead compounds for the inhibitor development.

PMID- 28634061
TI  - Isolation of a protease-resistant and pH-stable alpha-galactosidase displaying
      hydrolytic efficacy toward raffinose family oligosaccharides from the button
      mushroom Agaricus bisporus.
AB  - A 45-kDa monomeric acidic alpha-galactosidase with a specific activity of 193.12
      units/mg was isolated from the fruiting bodies of Agaricus bisporus. Blast search
      of internal peptide sequences suggested that it is a member of GH family 27 and
      it is most similar to hypothetical protein AGABI2DRAFT_70106. The enzyme
      displayed maximal activity at pH 4.0 and 60 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme
      remained stable within the pH range 2.0-9.0 but its activity was markedly
      suppressed in the presence of Cu2+, Hg2+, Fe3+ and Ag+ ions. It displayed
      resistance to alpha-chymotrypsin and neutral protease. Moreover, it manifested
      degradative activity toward both oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. The enzyme
      manifested Km values of 0.30mM, 10.65mM and 19.21mM, toward pNPGal, stachyose and
      raffinose respectively. These results suggest that Agaricus bisporus alpha
      galactosidase is a promising candidate for elimination of raffinose
      oligosaccharides (RFOs) in biotechnological applications.

PMID- 28634062
TI  - Site-directed mutagenesis of GH10 xylanase A from Penicillium canescens for
      determining factors affecting the enzyme thermostability.
AB  - In order to investigate factors affecting the thermostability of GH10 xylanase A
      from Penicillium canescens (PcXylA) and to obtain its more stable variant, the
      wild-type (wt) enzyme and its mutant forms, carrying single amino acid
      substitutions, were cloned and expressed in Penicillium verruculosum B1-537 (niaD
      ) auxotrophic strain under the control of the cbh1 gene promoter. The recombinant
      PcXylA-wt and I6V, I6L, L18F, N77D, Y125R, H191R, S246P, A293P mutants were
      successfully expressed and purified for characterization. The mutations did not
      affect the enzyme specific activity against xylan from wheat as well as its pH
      optimum of activity. One mutant (L18F) displayed a higher thermostability
      relative to the wild-type enzyme; its half-life time at 50-60 degrees C was 2-2.5
      fold longer than that for the PcXylA-wt, and the melting temperature was 60.0 and
      56.1 degrees C, respectively. Most of other mutations led to decrease in the
      enzyme thermostability. This study, together with data of other researchers,
      suggests that multiple mutations should be introduced into GH10 xylanases in
      order to dramatically improve their stability.

PMID- 28634063
TI  - Occipital Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Refractory Occipital Neuralgia:
      A Case Series.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Occipital neuralgia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by
      sharp, shooting pains in the distribution of the occipital nerves. Although
      relatively rare, it associated with extremely debilitating symptoms that
      drastically affect a patient's quality of life. Furthermore, it is extremely
      difficult to treat as the symptoms are refractory to traditional treatments,
      including pharmacologic and procedural interventions. A few previous case studies
      have established the use of a neurostimulation of the occipital nerves to treat
      occipital neuralgia. OBJECTIVE: The following expands on that literature by
      retrospectively reviewing the results of occipital nerve stimulation in a
      relatively large patient cohort (29 patients). METHODS: A retrospective review of
      29 patients undergoing occipital nerve stimulation for occipital neuralgia from
      2012 to 2017 at a single institution with a single neurosurgeon. RESULTS: Of
      those 29 patients, 5 were repair or replacement of previous systems, 4 did not
      have benefit from trial stimulation, and 20 saw benefit to their trial stage of
      stimulation and went on to full implantation. Of those 20 patients, even with a
      history of failed procedures and pharmacological therapies, there was an overall
      success rate of 85%. The average preoperative 10-point pain score dropped from
      7.4 +/- 1.7 to a postoperative score of 2.9 +/- 1.7. However, as with any
      peripheral nerve stimulation procedure, there were complications (4 patients),
      including infection, hardware erosion, loss of effect, and lead migration, which
      required revision or system removal. CONCLUSION: Despite complications, the
      results suggest, overall, that occipital nerve stimulation is a safe and
      effective procedure for refractory occipital neuralgia and should be in the
      neurosurgical repertoire for occipital neuralgia treatment.

PMID- 28634064
TI  - Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Advanced Age: Comparison of Patients Aged 70-79 Years
      and 80 Years and Older.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical routine shows an increasing admission rate of elderly
      patients suffering from subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). OBJECTIVE: Aim of the
      study was to identify differences in outcome and prognostic factors to better
      anticipate clinical course and therefore treat this special subgroup better.
      METHODS: We retrospectively compared patients aged 70-79 and older than 80 years
      (80+). Patients were entered into a prospectively collected database. Between
      1999 and June 2014, 191 patients aged >=70 years suffered from SAH. We stratified
      between patients aged from 70 to 79 years (n = 138) and 80+ years (n = 53).
      Outcome was assessed by modified Rankin Scale 6 months after SAH. RESULTS: During
      the observation period, the rate of elderly patients increased from 9% to 24%.
      Patients aged 80+ years less often showed significant early hydrocephalus,
      cerebral vasospasm, and shunt dependence. A total of 51% of all patients were
      treated by coiling, whereupon also treatment modality had no influence on
      outcome. By comparing clinical outcomes, no significant differences could be
      detected. However, mortality rate was not significantly greater in patients 80+
      years. Clinical status at time of admission statistically was a prognostic factor
      in elderly patients as well as the extent of blood clots and an early
      hydrocephalus. Patients aged 80+ years suffered less from severe cerebral
      vasospasm, which statistically was no prognostic factor for a favorable outcome
      in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients aged 80+ years with SAH also can achieve a
      favorable outcome. There was no difference in clinical outcome comparing both
      groups, but several pathophysiological mechanisms in elderly patients (especially
      80+ years) seem to have a positive influence on typical complications after SAH,
      such as cerebral vasospasm, early hydrocephalus, and shunt dependence.

PMID- 28634065
TI  - Remote Lesions of Synchronous Sacral and Cervical Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: A
      Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is a rare disease, and
      multiple concurrent lesions are extremely rare. Such multiple spinal DAVFs have
      similar outflow routes at neighboring levels. However, there have been no
      reported cases of remote lesions of multiple spinal DAVFs. The authors herein
      report a case of double synchronous cervical and sacral DAVFs. CASE DESCRIPTION:
      A 56-year-old man with no previous history of disease presented with progressive
      myelopathy, and spinal magnetic resonance imaging showed extensive edema of the
      spinal cord from the conus to T7. The initial angiography incidentally revealed a
      C1 DAVF, but the sacral DAVF was not diagnosed. The C1 DAVF was treated
      surgically, because of the risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage. A second angiography
      was performed 2 months after the first surgery because of high clinical
      suspicion, and the sacral DAVF was diagnosed at that time. The sacral DAVF was
      treated surgically, and the symptoms gradually resolved within 6 months after
      surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Spinal DAVF is a rare disease, but clinicians should be
      aware of the possibility of the concurrence of multiple spinal fistulas located
      at different levels in the same patient.

PMID- 28634066
TI  - Recent biotechnology developments and trends in the Russian Federation.
AB  - This paper addresses recent government initiatives in biotechnology and various
      federal and regional initiatives. It presents an overview of the most visible
      industrial biotechnology projects under implementation and highlights changes in
      legislation affecting development of the bioeconomy in the Russian Federation.

PMID- 28634067
TI  - Magnetic graphene coated inorganic-organic hybrid nanocomposite for enhanced
      preconcentration of selected pesticides in tomato and grape.
AB  - The new magnetic graphene based hybrid silica-N-[3
      (trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (MG@SiO2-TMSPED) nanocomposite was
      synthesized via sol-gel process, and used as an effective adsorbent in magnetic
      solid phase extraction (MSPE) of three selected pesticides followed by gas
      chromatography micro-electron capture detection (GC-MUECD). The adsorbent was
      characterized using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Brunauer
      Emmett-Teller (BET), Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH), scanning electron microscopy
      (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy (EDXS) techniques. The analytical validity of the developed method
      was evaluated under optimized conditions and the following figures of merit were
      obtained: linearity, 1-20MUgkg-1 with good determination coefficients (R2=0.995
      0.999); limits of detection (LODs), 0.23-0.30MUgkg-1 (3*SD/m, n=3); and limits of
      quantitation (LOQ), 0.76-1.0MUgkg-1 (10*SD/m, n=3). The precision (RSD%) of the
      proposed MSPE method was studied based on intra-day (3.43-8.83%, n=3) and inter
      day (6.68-8.37%, n=12) precisions. Finally, the adsorbent was applied to
      determination of pesticides in tomato and grape samples and good recoveries were
      obtained in the range from 82 to 113% (RSDs 5.1-8.1%, n=3).

PMID- 28634068
TI  - Investigation of changes in endocannabinoids and N-acylethanolamides in
      biofluids, and their correlations with female infertility.
AB  - Female infertility is a worldwide medical problem, and the scarcity of
      infertility biomarkers has hindered the ability to launch preventive and
      therapeutic measures in a timely manner. Intriguingly, alterations in
      endocannabinoids (eCBs) and N-acylethanolamides (NAEs) have been observed in the
      biofluids of infertile females. Therefore, a hypothesis of using eCB and NAEs in
      biofluids as infertility biomarkers was proposed by several researchers; however,
      little evidence exists to verify the hypothesis. To investigate their
      correlations with female infertility, we developed a magnetic liquid
      microextraction-chemical derivatization (MLME-CD) method coupled with liquid
      chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of eCBs and NAEs
      in biofluids. The target compounds were first purified with magnetic toluene as
      sorbents, and then labeled with 4-(N,N-dimethyamino)benzoyl chloride (4-DMABC).
      The MLME-CD method offered several advantages, including reliable quantification
      results by preventing the isomerization of eCB, high throughput by requiring
      20min for sample preparation, and good sensitivity with limits of detection at
      3.0-54.3 fmol. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations were
      below 14.5%, and the recoveries were 87.4%-117.9%. Concentrations of eCBs and
      NAEs in the serum of 49 infertile women and 53 fertile women (controls), and in
      the ovarian follicular fluid of 21 infertile women and 20 controls were then
      quantified. Using unpaired t test analysis indicated significant differences in
      AEA and PEA in serum, and OEA in follicular fluid between infertile women and
      healthy controls, and the areas under the curve were in the range of 0.605-0.707.

PMID- 28634069
TI  - High through-put liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry requires new
      strategies for the management of fluid at the interface.

PMID- 28634070
TI  - High and low concentration of 17alpha-estradiol protect cerebellar granule
      neurons in different time windows.
AB  - 17alpha-estradiol is a hormonally inactive isomer of 17beta-estradiol, but with
      similar potency as neuroprotector. However, we have previously reported that
      pretreatment with high concentration (10 MUM) of both estrogens abolishes their
      neuroprotection in rat cerebellar granule neurons. Here, we have examined
      neuroprotective properties of 17alpha-estradiol against glutamate-induced
      excitotoxicity in chicken cerebellar granule neurons using low (1 nM) and high
      concentration.17alpha-Estradiol, 1 nM, was neuroprotective when glutamate was
      administered after a pretreatment period of 24 h, but not when coadministered
      with glutamate. In contrast, 10 MUM was protective when coadministered with
      glutamate, but was not efficient when glutamate was administered after a
      pretreatment period. The difference in protection was linked to a stronger
      calcium response during glutamate exposure in the non-protective treatments. In
      addition, the pretreatment period with 10 MUM was accompanied by increased
      protein level of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit NR2B and reduced
      glutathione level. Thus, 17alpha-estradiol has a concentration and time dependent
      protective effect against glutamate-induced cell death.

PMID- 28634071
TI  - The novel YAP target gene, SGK1, upregulates TAZ activity by blocking GSK3beta
      mediated TAZ destabilization.
AB  - YAP (Yes-associated protein) and TAZ (transcription activator with PDZ binding
      motif) are important in tissue regeneration and cancer development, highlighting
      the importance of discovering partners that regulate their oncogenicity. SGK1
      (serum/glucocorticoid regulated kinase 1), initially identified as a homolog of
      Akt in phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling, acts as a serine/threonine protein
      kinase in multiple oncogenic pathways. However, possible links between SGK1 and
      Hippo-YAP/TAZ signaling remain unexplored. Here, we reveal that SGK1 is a
      potential positive feedback regulator of YAP and TAZ, showing that the TEAD
      YAP/TAZ complex directly activates SGK1 transcription by binding to the distal
      enhancer of SGK1, and SGK1, in turn, stabilizes YAP/TAZ. Moreover, we demonstrate
      that expression of YAP/TAZ target genes is positively regulated by SGK1.
      Mechanistically, SGK1 inhibits ubiquitin-mediated degradation of TAZ by
      inhibiting GSK3beta activity. These findings expand our understanding of YAP/TAZ
      regulation to include the novel downstream target of YAP, SGK1.

PMID- 28634072
TI  - Mitochondrial dynamics coordinate cell differentiation.
AB  - Cells differentiate into specific and functional lineages to build up tissues. It
      has been shown in several tissues that mitochondrial morphology, levels of
      "mitochondria-shaping" proteins, and mitochondrial functions change upon
      differentiation. In this review, we highlight the significance of mitochondrial
      dynamics and functions in tissue development, cell differentiation, and
      reprogramming processes. Signalling cascades are critical for tissue stem cell
      maintenance and cell fate determination, and growing evidence demonstrates
      mitochondria could act as a centre of intra and extracellular signals to
      coordinate signalling pathways, such as Notch, Wnt, and YAP/TAZ signalling. Just
      an organelle, however, emerges as a master regulator of cell differentiation, and
      can be a target to manipulate cell fates.

PMID- 28634073
TI  - Long noncoding RNA MEG3 mediated angiogenesis after cerebral infarction through
      regulating p53/NOX4 axis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of lncRNA MEG3 on
      angiogenesis after cerebral infarction (CI). METHODS: The rat brain microvascular
      endothelial cells (RBMVECs) isolated from rat was used to establish CI model,
      which were treated with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). The
      genes mRNA and protein expression levels in RBMVECs were determined by the
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blot,
      respectively. The flow cytometry was used to measured cell apoptosis and
      intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The RBMVECs activities
      was detected by MTT method. The RNA-immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay was used to
      detect the interaction between MEG3 and p53, and the relationship between p53 and
      NOX4 was proved by chromatin co-immunoprecipitation (chip) assay. RESULTS: The
      results showed that OGD or OGD/R increased MEG3 and NOX4 expression, and there
      was positive correlation between MEG3 and NOX4 expression in RBMVECs. Next,
      knockdown of MEG3 indicated that inhibition of MEG3 was conducive to protect
      RBMVECs against OGD/R-induced apoptosis, with decreased NOX4 and p53 expression,
      further enhanced pro-angiogenic factors (HIF-1alpha and VEGF) expression, and
      reduced intracellular ROS generation. And then the RIP and CHIP assay
      demonstrated that MEG3 could interacted with p53 and regulated its expression,
      and p53 exerted significant binding in the promoters for NOX4, suggesting that
      MEG3 regulated NOX4 expression via p53. At last, knockdown of NOX4 indicated that
      inhibition of NOX4 protected RBMVECs against OGD/R-induced apoptosis, with
      increased cell viability and pro-angiogenic factors expression, and reduced ROS
      generation. CONCLUSION: LncRNA MEG3 was an important regulator in OGD/R induced
      RBMVECs apoptosis and the mechanism of MEG3 on angiogenesis after CI was reduced
      ROS by p53/NOX4 axis.

PMID- 28634074
TI  - Distinct regulation of activity-dependent transcription of immediate early genes
      in cultured rat cortical neurons.
AB  - The activity-regulated expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) contributes to
      long-lasting neuronal functions underlying long-term memory. However, their
      response properties following neuronal activity are unique and remain poorly
      understood. To address this knowledge gap, here we further investigated the
      response properties of two representative IEGs, c-fos and brain-derived
      neurotrophic factor (Bdnf). Treatment of cultured cortical cells with KCl
      produces a depolarization process that results in the increase of intracellular
      calcium concentration in a KCl concentration-dependent manner. Consistent with
      this increase, c-fos expression was induced in a KCl concentration-dependent
      manner. In contrast, however, Bdnf expression was optimally activated by both 25
      and 50 mM concentration of KCl. Similar results were observed when the cells were
      treated with okadaic acid, which inhibits protein phosphatases and elicits the
      hyper-phosphorylation of signaling molecules. Thus, Bdnf expression is strictly
      regulated by a neuronal activity threshold in an all or nothing manner, whereas c
      fos expression is activated in a neuronal activity-dependent manner. Our findings
      also suggest that these differential responses might be due to the presence or
      absence of a TATA box.

PMID- 28634075
TI  - Mint3 in bone marrow-derived cells promotes lung metastasis in breast cancer
      model mice.
AB  - Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the world. Although
      breast cancer is well treatable at the early stage, patients with distant
      metastases show a poor prognosis. Data from recent studies using transplantation
      models indicate that Mint3/APBA3 might promote breast cancer malignancy. However,
      whether Mint3 indeed contributes to tumor development, progression, or metastasis
      in vivo remains unclear. To address this, here we examined whether Mint3
      depletion affects tumor malignancy in MMTV-PyMT breast cancer model mice. In MMTV
      PyMT mice, Mint3 depletion did not affect tumor onset and tumor growth, but
      attenuated lung metastases. Experimental lung metastasis of breast cancer Met-1
      cells derived from MMTV-PyMT mice also decreased in Mint3-depleted mice,
      indicating that host Mint3 expression affected lung metastasis of MMTV-PyMT
      derived breast cancer cells. Further bone marrow transplant experiments revealed
      that Mint3 in bone marrow-derived cells promoted lung metastasis in MMTV-PyMT
      mice. Thus, targeting Mint3 in bone marrow-derived cells might be a good strategy
      for preventing metastasis and improving the prognosis of breast cancer patients.

PMID- 28634076
TI  - lncRNA HULC promotes the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via stabilizing
      COX-2 protein.
AB  - Highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC), a lncRNA overexpressed in
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has been demonstrated to be involved in the
      carcinogenesis and progression of HCC. However, the mechanisms of HULC promoting
      the abnormal growth of HCC cells are still not well elucidated. In the present
      study, we for the first time demonstrated that HULC promoted the growth of HCC
      cells through elevating COX-2 protein. Moreover, the study of the corresponding
      mechanism by which HULC upregulated COX-2 showed that HULC enhanced the level of
      ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (USP22), which decreased ubiquitin-mediated
      degradation of COX-2 protein by removing the conjugated polyubiquitin chains from
      COX-2 and finally stabilized COX2 protein. In addition, knockdown of USP22 or COX
      2 attenuated HULC-mediated abnormal growth of HCC cells. In conclusion, our
      results demonstrated that "USP22/COX-2" axis played an important role in HULC
      promoting growth of HCC cells. The identification of this novel pathway may pave
      a road for developing new potential anti-HCC strategies.

PMID- 28634077
TI  - DEPDC1 promotes cell proliferation and tumor growth via activation of E2F
      signaling in prostate cancer.
AB  - DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) is recently reported to be overexpressed in
      several types of human cancer; however the role of DEPDC1 in prostate cancer
      remains to be investigated. Herein, we identified that the DEPDC1 mRNA and
      protein expression levels were dramatically increased in prostate cancer tissues
      and cell lines. Overexpression of DEPDC1 promoted, but depletion of DEPDC1
      inhibited cell proliferation by regulating the G1-S phase cell cycle transition.
      Importantly, we found that DEPDC1 was essential for the tumor growth and
      formation of bone metastases of prostate cancer cells in vivo. Finally, we
      demonstrated that DEPDC1 interacted with E2F1 and increased its transcriptional
      activity, leading to hyper-activation of E2F signaling in prostate cancer cells.
      Our findings reveal an oncogenic role of DEPDC1 in prostate cancer progression
      via activation of E2F signaling, and suggest DEPDC1 might be a potential
      therapeutic target against the disease.

PMID- 28634078
TI  - Astrocytes regulate the expression of Sp1R3 on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells
      through Cx47 and promote their proliferation.
AB  - Many degenerative diseases of the central nervous system are associated with
      demyelination. Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are potential stem cells
      that can differentiate into various cell types, including oligodendrocytes (OLs).
      Promoting the proliferation and differentiation of OPCs into mature OLs that can
      myelinate axons is the key to stimulate remyelination. Here, we report that
      astrocytes (ASTs) increase the number of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors 3
      (S1pR3) on OPCs and promote OPCs proliferation through a direct contact via
      connexin 47 (Cx47). Our results demonstrate that ASTs can regulate the
      proliferation of OPCs through Cx47-mediated induction of S1pR3 expression on
      OPCs. Cx47/S1pR3 remarkably increases the number of OPCs and promotes cell
      transition from the G1 to the S phase. Furthermore, inhibiting either Cx47 or
      S1pR3 decreases OPC proliferation. In summary, ASTs regulate the expression of
      S1pR3 in OPCs via Cx47, which could be a valuable approach for promoting OPC
      proliferation. This strategy may therefore represent a potential treatment for
      neurological diseases caused by OLs death and demyelination.

PMID- 28634079
TI  - Relaxin reduces susceptibility to post-infarct atrial fibrillation in mice due to
      anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Relaxin-2 (RLX) is a peptide hormone that exerts beneficial anti
      fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects in diverse models of cardiovascular
      disease. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of RLX treatment on
      the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation (AF) after myocardial infarction (MI).
      METHODS: Mice with cryoinfarction of the left anterior ventricular wall were
      treated for two weeks with either RLX (75 MUg/kg/d) or vehicle (sodium acetate)
      delivered via subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps. RESULTS: RLX treatment
      significantly attenuated the increase in AF-inducibility following cryoinfarction
      and reduced the mean duration of AF episodes. Furthermore, epicardial mapping of
      both atria revealed an increase in conduction velocity. In addition to an
      attenuation of atrial hypertrophy, chronic application of RLX reduced atrial
      fibrosis, which was linked to a significant reduction in atrial mRNA expression
      of connective tissue growth factor. Transcript levels of the pro-inflammatory
      cytokines interleukin-6 and interleukin-1beta were reduced in RLX treated mice,
      but macrophage infiltration into atrial myocardium was similar in the vehicle and
      RLX treated groups. CONCLUSION: Treatment with RLX in mice after MI reduces
      susceptibility to AF due to anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties.
      Because to these favorable actions, RLX may become a new therapeutic option in
      the treatment of AF, even when complicating MI.

PMID- 28634080
TI  - nonG, a constituent of the nonactin biosynthetic gene cluster, regulates
      nocardamine synthesis in Streptomyces albus J1074.
AB  - Many factors regulate the expression of specialised secondary metabolite
      biosynthetic gene clusters, which have been recognised as important for the
      discovery of novel microbial natural products. A cosmid library based on genomic
      DNA of the marine-derived Streptomyces puniceus Act1085 was constructed and
      screened to identify a short gene cluster similar to the nonactin biosynthetic
      cluster. The ORFs of the gene cluster isolated had high amino acid sequence
      identity, from 82% to 96%, with corresponding ORFs of the nonactin biosynthetic
      gene cluster from S. griseus subsp. griseus ETH A7796. Despite the expectation
      that nonactin or its derivatives would be made from heterologous expression of
      the gene cluster found in S. albus J1074, nocardamine was isolated. The
      heterologous expression data indicate that the production of nocardamine in S.
      albus J1074 is due to an ortholog of nonG, a TetR family transcriptional
      regulator, from S. puniceus Act1085.

PMID- 28634081
TI  - Quantitative proteomic reveals the dynamic of protein profile during final oocyte
      maturation in zebrafish.
AB  - The molecular mechanisms underlying final oocyte maturation in zebrafish (Danio
      rerio) remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to employ iTRAQ approach
      for a comprehensive characterization of during zebrafish oocyte maturation
      proteome and for comparison between fully-grow immature and mature oocytes prior
      to ovulation. A total of 1568 proteins were identified, which was representing
      the largest zebrafish isolated oocytes proteome dataset to date. Differential
      expression analysis revealed 190 proteins significantly changes between immature
      and mature oocytes, which 136 proteins were up-regulated and 54 proteins were
      down-regulated in mature oocytes comparison with immature oocytes. Functional
      analysis revealed that these differential proteins were mostly involved in
      cellular response to estrogen stimulus, cellular components, extracellular
      region, and enzyme regulator activity, etc. The revealed differentially changes
      in protein expression patterns associated with oocyte maturation suggest that
      several of the examined proteins, such as vitellogenin(Vtg3), protein
      S100(S100A10), 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase(HSD17B1), pentaxin, zona
      pellucida (ZP3.2), elongation factor1-alpha, caluemnin B, and 14-3-3 protein may
      play a specific role during zebrafish final oocyte maturation. These data will
      provide powerful information for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying
      zebrafish oocyte maturation, and these proteins may potentially act as markers to
      predict control oocyte maturation of zebrafish oocytes.

PMID- 28634082
TI  - Cytokine modulation by stress hormones and antagonist specific hormonal
      inhibition in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and gilthead sea bream (Sparus
      aurata) head kidney primary cell culture.
AB  - A tight interaction between endocrine and immune systems takes place mainly due
      to the key role of head kidney in both hormone and cytokine secretion,
      particularly under stress situations in which the physiological response promotes
      the synthesis and release of stress hormones which may lead into immunomodulation
      as side effect. Although such interaction has been previously investigated, this
      study evaluated for the first time the effect of stress-associated hormones
      together with their receptor antagonists on the expression of cytokine genes in
      head kidney primary cell culture (HKPCC) of the freshwater rainbow trout
      (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and the seawater gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata). The
      results showed a striking difference when comparing the response obtained in
      trout and seabream. Cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) decreased the
      expression of immune-related genes in sea bream but not in rainbow trout and this
      cortisol effect was reverted by the antagonist mifepristone but not
      spironolactone. On the other hand, while adrenaline reduced the expression of pro
      inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, IL-6) in rainbow trout, the opposite effect was
      observed in sea bream showing an increased expression (IL-1beta, IL-6).
      Interestingly, this effect was reverted by antagonist propranolol but not
      phentolamine. Overall, our results confirm the regional interaction between
      endocrine and cytokine messengers and a clear difference in the sensitivity to
      the hormonal stimuli between the two species.

PMID- 28634083
TI  - Effects of the soya isoflavone genistein in early life stages of the Senegalese
      sole, Solea senegalensis: Thyroid, estrogenic and metabolic biomarkers.
AB  - This study examines the effects induced by environmentally relevant
      concentrations of the isoflavone genistein (3mg/L and 10mg/L) during early life
      stages of the Senegalese sole. Throughout the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid
      (HPT) axis, several neurohormonal regulatory thyroid signalling patterns
      (thyroglobulin/Tg, thyroid peroxidase/TPO, transthyretin/TTR, thyroid
      receptors/TRbeta, and iodothrynonine deiodinases, Dio2 and Dio3) were analysed.
      Furthermore, the expression patterns of estrogen receptor ERbeta and haemoprotein
      Cyp1a were also evaluated. In the control larvae, progressive increases of
      constitutive hormonal signalling pathways have been evidenced from the pre
      metamorphosis phase onwards, reaching the highest expression basal levels at the
      metamorphosis (Tg, TPO, Dio2) and/or during post-metamorphosis (TTR, TRbeta,
      ERbeta). When the early larvae were exposed to both genistein concentrations
      (3mg/L and 10mg/L), a statistically significant down-regulation of TPO, TTR and
      Tg mRNA levels was clearly detected at the metamorphic stages. In addition, the
      Dio2 and Dio3 transcript expression levels were also down and up-regulated when
      exposed to both genistein concentrations. In the larvae exposed to genistein, no
      statistically significant responses were recorded for the TRbeta expression
      patterns. Nevertheless, the ERbeta and Cyp1a transcript levels were up-regulated
      at the middle metamorphic stage (S2, at 16 dph) in the larvae exposed to high
      genistein concentrations and, only the ERbeta was down-regulated (S1, at 12dph)
      at the lower doses. Finally, all these pointed out imbalances were only
      temporarily disrupted by exposure to genistein, since most of the modulated
      transcriptional signals (i.e. up or down-regulation) were quickly restored to the
      baseline levels. Additionally, the control and genistein-exposed Senegalese sole
      specimens showed characteristic ontogenetic patterns and completely suitable for
      an optimal development, metamorphosis, and growth.

PMID- 28634085
TI  - Use of the Furosemide Fludrocortisone Test to Clinically Assess Distal Tubular
      Acidification.

PMID- 28634086
TI  - Towards building a more complex view of the lateral geniculate nucleus: Recent
      advances in understanding its role.
AB  - The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) has often been treated in the past as a
      linear filter that adds little to retinal processing of visual inputs. Here we
      review anatomical, neurophysiological, brain imaging, and modeling studies that
      have in recent years built up a much more complex view of LGN. These include
      effects related to nonlinear dendritic processing, cortical feedback, synchrony
      and oscillations across LGN populations, as well as involvement of LGN in higher
      level cognitive processing. Although recent studies have provided valuable
      insights into early visual processing including the role of LGN, a unified model
      of LGN responses to real-world objects has not yet been developed. In the light
      of recent data, we suggest that the role of LGN deserves more careful
      consideration in developing models of high-level visual processing.

PMID- 28634084
TI  - Drug delivery to melanoma brain metastases: Can current challenges lead to new
      opportunities?
AB  - Melanoma has a high propensity to metastasize to the brain, and patients with
      melanoma brain metastases (MBM) have an extremely poor prognosis. The recent
      approval of several molecularly-targeted agents (e.g., BRAF, MEK inhibitors) and
      biologics (anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 antibodies) has brought new hope
      to patients suffering from this formerly untreatable and lethal disease.
      Importantly, there have been recent reports of success in some clinical studies
      examining the efficacy of both targeted agents and immunotherapies that show
      similar response rates in both brain metastases and extracranial disease. While
      these studies are encouraging, there remains significant room for improvement in
      the treatment of MBM, given the lack of durable response and the development of
      resistance to current therapies. Critical questions remain regarding mechanisms
      that lead to this lack of durable response and development of resistance, and how
      those mechanisms may differ in systemic sites versus brain metastases. One issue
      that may not be fully appreciated is that the delivery of several small molecule
      molecularly-targeted therapies to the brain is often restricted due to active
      efflux at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) interface. Inadequate local drug
      concentrations may be partially responsible for the development of unique
      patterns of resistance at metastatic sites in the brain. It is clear that there
      can be local, heterogeneous BBB breakdown in MBM, as exemplified by contrast
      enhancement on T1-weighted MR imaging. However, it is possible that the
      successful treatment of MBM with small molecule targeted therapies will depend,
      in part, on the ability of these therapies to penetrate an intact BBB and reach
      the protected micro-metastases (so called "sub-clinical" disease) that escape
      early detection by contrast-enhanced MRI, as well as regions of tumor within MRI
      detectable metastases that may have a less compromised BBB. The emergence of
      resistance in MBM may be related to several diverse, yet interrelated, factors
      including the distinct microenvironment of the brain and inadequate brain
      penetration of targeted therapies to specific regions of tumor. The tumor
      microenvironment has been ascribed to play a key role in steering the course of
      disease progression, by dictating changes in expression of tumor drivers and
      resistance-related signaling mechanisms. Therefore, a key issue to consider is
      how changes in drug delivery, and hence local drug concentrations within a
      metastatic microenvironment, will influence the development of resistance. Herein
      we discuss our perspective on several critical questions that focus on many
      aspects relevant to the treatment of melanoma brain metastases; the answers to
      which may lead to important advances in the treatment of this devastating
      disease.

PMID- 28634088
TI  - Duration of untreated psychosis and neurocognition in first-episode psychosis: A
      meta-analysis.
AB  - Neurocognitive impairment is a well-established feature of first-episode
      psychosis (FEP). Neurotoxicity hypothesis of psychosis suggests that untreated
      psychosis before the initiation of first effective treatment is associated with
      loss of acquired cognitive abilities. However, the outcome of the studies
      investigating the relationship between duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) and
      cognitive impairment in FEP remains inconclusive. No previous meta-analysis
      investigating the relationship between DUP and cognitive impairment in FEP has
      been published. Following the systematic review of FEP studies, a random-effects
      meta-analysis of the relationship between DUP and neurocognition in schizophrenia
      was conducted. Current meta-analysis included 27 studies including 3127 patients
      with first-episode psychosis. Overall, DUP and cognitive abilities were not
      significantly related, with the exception of evidence for a weak relationship
      with a single cognitive domain. There was a very small but significant
      association between longer DUP and reduced performance in planning/problem
      solving ability (r=-0.09, CI=-0.14 to -0.03). Current findings do not provide
      support for the neurotoxicity hypothesis of psychosis.

PMID- 28634087
TI  - Treatment with levetiracetam improves cognition in a ketamine rat model of
      schizophrenia.
AB  - Imbalance in neural excitation and inhibition is associated with behavioral
      dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia and at risk for this illness. We
      examined whether targeting increased neural activity with the antiepileptic
      agent, levetiracetam, would benefit memory performance in a preclinical model of
      schizophrenia that has been shown to exhibit hyperactivity in the hippocampus.
      Adult rats exposed to ketamine subchronically during late adolescence showed
      impaired hippocampal-dependent memory performance. Treatment with levetiracetam
      dose-dependently improved memory performance of the ketamine-exposed rats. In
      contrast, the antipsychotic medication risperidone was not effective in this
      assessment. Levetiracetam remained effective when administered concurrently with
      risperidone, supporting potential viability of adjunctive therapy with
      levetiracetam to treat cognitive deficits in schizophrenia patients under
      concurrent antipsychotic therapy. In addition to its pro-cognitive effect,
      levetiracetam was also effective in attenuating amphetamine-induced augmentation
      of locomotor activity, compatible with the need for therapeutic treatment of
      positive symptoms in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28634089
TI  - Wedelolactone, a plant coumarin, prevents vascular smooth muscle cell
      proliferation and injury-induced neointimal hyperplasia through Akt and AMPK
      signaling.
AB  - Wedelolactone (WDL) is a natural compound derived from Chinese herbal medicine
      Eclipta prostrate L, and has been reported to exhibit various effects potentially
      beneficial for human health. However, the possible preventive effects of WDL
      toward vascular remodeling and mechanisms involved have not been investigated to
      date. In this study, we investigated the effects of WDL on proliferation induced
      by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in primary rat aortic smooth muscle
      cells (VSMCs) and on neointimal hyperplasia resulted from balloon injury in rats.
      WDL exhibited strong inhibitory effects against PDGF-induced VSMC proliferation.
      Cell cycle analysis revealed that WDL induced G0/G1 arrest and prevented cell
      cycle from entering S phase. Immunoblot analysis suggested that the cell cycle
      arrest induced by WDL was through Akt suppression and adenosine 5'-monophosphate
      activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation, with a subsequent cyclin-dependent
      kinase inhibitor p21 induction and cyclin D1 inhibition. We also observed that
      WDL notably reduced neointima-to-media area ratio of balloon-injured rat common
      carotid arteries (CCAs) in comparison with those untreated balloon-injured CCAs.
      The regulation of WDL on protein expressions of Akt, AMPK and cyclin D1 in vivo
      were also consistent with that in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest WDL
      exhibits potential preventive effects toward vascular remodeling and neointimal
      hyperplasia through the reduction of VSMC proliferation via inhibition of Akt and
      activation of AMPK.

PMID- 28634090
TI  - Evaluation of the effect of 3-month bladder basic advice in children with
      monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Advice (BBA) into the standards of patients' care in both
      monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis. Although the idea of
      this recommendation was clear and reflects clinical experience, duration and
      efficacy have not been definitely established. Recent data have demonstrated the
      lack of efficacy of BBA and a fierce discussion has ensued. The present study was
      aimed to assess the efficacy of BBA in a group of previously untreated children
      with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE). STUDY DESIGN: The study
      was a prospective interventional multicenter trial in a cohort of previously
      untreated MNE patients. Forty-nine children (36 males, 13 females, mean age 7.2
      years) were included in the analysis. The treatment efficacy was assessed at the
      30th, 60th, and 90th days of BBA. RESULTS: We discovered that the mean number of
      wet nights decreased significantly (p < 0.001) only after 3 months of BBA from
      8.9 to 5.9 episodes every 2 weeks. BBA was fully successful in 2% o the children
      after 30 day, 12% after 60 days, and 18% after 90 days (Figure). Partial response
      (by ICCS) was assessed for 8%, 20%, and 34% of the patients. We noted a
      relatively high rate of non-responders that decreased from 90% to 47% after 90
      days. We detected no differences in BBA efficacy between children with night-time
      polyuria or decreased maximal voided volume. A lower number of wet nights
      initially predicted the response to the BBA. DISCUSSION: Our study confirmed
      rather limited efficacy of BBA, similarly to previous observations, but provided
      more information on isolated MNE, because of a more specific study group and
      longer period of observation. The limitation of the study was lack of
      randomization. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that in treatment-naive children
      with monosymptomatic enuresis basic bladder training had a low (18%) and late
      effect, mostly pronounced after the third month of therapy. It seems that only if
      the patient presents with a favorable profile of bedwetting, occasionally and
      with a high maximum voided volume, it is worth maintaining BBA for a longer
      period of up to 3 months before initiating second-line therapy. In an unfavorable
      initial profile desmopressin or an alarm may be introduced much earlier.

PMID- 28634091
TI  - A Simple Method Associated With Reduced Opioid Consumption After Total Knee
      Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most patients experience moderate to severe pain after total knee
      arthroplasty (TKA). We hypothesized that intraoperative treatment of cut bone
      surfaces with local anesthetic (preimplantation immersion anesthesia, PIA) would
      lead to decreased postoperative pain and opioid consumption. METHODS: Records of
      76 patients who underwent unilateral, cemented TKA were retrospectively reviewed.
      For PIA patients, surgical wounds were immersed in local anesthetic solution
      immediately prior to component implantation. Both PIA (n = 43) and control (n =
      33) groups received multimodal pain management, including intra-articular local
      anesthetic injections. Endpoints were opioid consumption and mean pain scores for
      postoperative day (POD) 0, 1, and 2. Demographic, medical, and social factors
      were included in multivariate analyses. RESULTS: PIA patients reported
      significantly lower mean pain scores than controls on PODs 0 and 1 (both P <
      .005). Pain scores on POD 2 were similar. PIA patients used 45%-33% less opioids
      on PODs 0, 1, and 2 (all P < .005). POD 0 pain scores showed a significant
      interaction between PIA treatment and preoperative opioid use (P = .013). On POD
      1, PIA was the only factor associated with lower mean pain scores (P < .001). No
      factors were significant for POD 2. PIA was the only factor associated with lower
      postoperative opioid consumption on PODs 0 and 2 (both P < .005). For POD 1, PIA
      and increasing age (both P <= .005) were associated with lower postoperative
      opioid consumption. CONCLUSION: PIA was associated with significant reductions in
      opioid use and mean pain scores after TKA.

PMID- 28634092
TI  - Alarmingly High Rate of Implant Fractures in One Modular Femoral Stem Design: A
      Comparison of Two Implants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Reports of implant fracture at the modular junction have been seen in
      modular neck designs, stem-sleeve modular femoral stems, and diaphyseal engaging
      bi-body modular stems. To date, however, there has never been a direct comparison
      between 2 different implant designs from the same modular family. The purpose of
      this study is to compare the rate of implant failure of 2 such stem-sleeve
      modular femoral stem designs, the S-ROM and Emperion, to further identify factors
      which increase the risk of this mode of failure. METHODS: A retrospective, single
      surgeon, review of our institutional database was performed to compare the 2
      groups of patients. RESULTS: A total of 1168 total hip arthroplasty procedures
      were included in our analysis, 547 (47%) with Emperion and 621 (53%) with S-ROM.
      Eight (1.5%) fractures in 7 patients occurred in the Emperion group compared to 1
      (0.2%) fracture in the S-ROM group (P = .015). CONCLUSION: The precise cause of
      the stem fractures in our study remains unknown and is likely multifactorial.
      Given the unexpectedly high rate of catastrophic implant failures in the form of
      stem fracture at the stem-sleeve junction, we recommend more judicious use of
      modularity in primary total hip arthroplasty.

PMID- 28634093
TI  - Total Hip Arthroplasty After Transtrochanteric Rotational Osteotomy for
      Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Mean 10-Year Follow-Up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to investigate clinical,
      quality of life, and radiographic outcomes of patients who underwent total hip
      arthroplasty (THA) after transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy (TRO) for
      osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). METHODS: We performed a case-control
      study. The participants were 29 patients (34 hips) who underwent THA after TRO
      (TRO group). These patients had a mean age at surgery of 51.6 years (range, 30-72
      years) and underwent postoperative follow-up for a mean period of 10.5 years
      (range, 3-19 years). For the control group (primary group), we included 58
      patients (68 hips) who underwent primary THA for ONFH, matching for age and
      gender. RESULTS: The Harris Hip Scores at the last follow-up were significantly
      poorer in the TRO group than in the primary group. Similarly, preoperative and
      postoperative hip range of motion was significantly poorer in the TRO group than
      in the primary group. Quality of life (Short Form-36, Oxford Hip Score, and
      Japanese Orthopaedic Association Hip Disease Evaluation Questionnaire) and
      complication rates were not significantly different between the groups. The
      survival rates at 10 years, with revision for any reason as the endpoint, were
      81% in the TRO group and 91% in the primary group, showing no significant
      difference between the groups. The TRO group had a larger average postoperative
      leg length discrepancy and a higher rate of stem malalignment than the primary
      group. CONCLUSION: The clinical outcomes of THA after TRO for ONFH were poorer
      than those of primary THA.

PMID- 28634094
TI  - Regional Anesthesia in Total Joint Arthroplasty: What Is the Evidence?
AB  - Total joint arthroplasty is one of the most common surgical procedures performed
      for end-stage osteoarthritis. The increasing demand for knee and hip
      arthroplasties along with the improvement in life expectancy has created a
      substantial medical and economic impact on the society. Effective planning of
      health care for these individuals is vital. The best method for providing
      anesthesia and analgesia for total joint arthroplasty has not been defined. Yet,
      emerging evidence suggests that the type of anesthesia can affect morbidity and
      mortality of patients undergoing these procedures.

PMID- 28634095
TI  - Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Drug Prophylaxis for Prevention of Venous
      Thromboembolism After Total Knee Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rates of venous thromboembolism in contemporary studies of primary
      total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been reported to be as high as 3.5%. Although
      drug prophylaxis is effective, the best option among these regimens is not well
      established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comparative
      effectiveness and safety of aspirin, low-molecular-weight heparin, synthetic
      pentasaccharide factor Xa inhibitors, and vitamin K antagonist. METHODS: Data
      were from a US total joint replacement registry, with 30,499 patients receiving
      unilateral TKA from May 16, 2006, to December 31, 2013. Patients received either
      aspirin (324-325 mg daily), enoxaparin (40-60 mg daily), fondaparinux (2.5 mg
      daily), or warfarin (all doses) and were followed up 90 days postoperatively on
      several outcomes: deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, major bleeding, wound
      complications, infection, and death. RESULTS: There was no evidence that
      fondaparinux, enoxaparin, or warfarin were superior to aspirin in the prevention
      of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or venous thromboembolism or that
      aspirin was safer than these alternatives. However, enoxaparin was found to be as
      safe as aspirin with respect to bleeding, and fondaparinux was as safe as aspirin
      for risk of wound complications. CONCLUSION: Among TKA patients, we did not find
      evidence for decreased effectiveness or increased safety with use of aspirin, but
      enoxaparin had comparable safety to aspirin for bleeding and fondaparinux had
      comparable safety to aspirin for wound complications.

PMID- 28634096
TI  - Reconstruction of Disrupted Extensor Mechanism After Total Knee Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Disruption of the extensor mechanism after total knee arthroplasty
      (TKA) is a debilitating complication that results in extension lag, limited range
      of motion, difficulty in walking, frequent falls, and chronic pain. This study
      presents the clinical and radiographic results of reconstruction after extensor
      mechanism disruption in TKA patients. METHODS: Consecutive patients with
      allograft reconstruction of extensor mechanism after TKA were identified
      retrospectively from an academic tertiary center for revision TKA. RESULTS:
      Sixteen patients with a mean age of 61 +/- 14 years at extensor mechanism
      reconstruction with a minimum of 2-year follow-up were included. The mean follow
      up was 3.3 +/- 2.2 years. Knee Society score (KSS), before and at final follow-up
      extension lag, range of motion, and radiographic change in patellar height were
      reviewed. There were statistically significant improvements between preoperative
      and final follow-up KSS (P < .001; KSS for pain, preoperative 40 +/- 14 points to
      final follow-up 67 +/- 15 points [P < .001]; KSS for function, preoperative 26 +/
      21 points to final follow-up 48 +/- 25 points [P < .001]). The extension lag was
      also reduced from 35 degrees  +/- 16 degrees  preoperatively to 14 degrees  +/-
      18 degrees  (P < .001) at final follow-up. There was an average proximal patellar
      migration of 8 +/- 10 mm. Five (31%) cases had an extensor lag of >30 degrees  or
      revision surgery for repeat extensor mechanism reconstruction, infection, or
      arthrodesis. CONCLUSION: Our 10-year experience using allografts during extensor
      mechanism reconstruction demonstrates reasonable outcomes, but failures are to be
      anticipated in approximately one-third of patients.

PMID- 28634097
TI  - Acetabular Reconstruction With the Medial Protrusio Technique for Complex Primary
      and Revision Total Hip Arthroplasties.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the setting of acetabular deficiency during total hip arthroplasty
      (THA), the medial protrusio technique (MPT) allows for increased component
      coverage while avoiding excessive component abduction or elevation of the hip
      center. The technique involves controlled reaming through the medial acetabular
      wall while maintaining the continuity of the anterior and posterior columns. The
      purpose of this study is to analyze the results of the largest reported series to
      date of primary and revision THAs using the MPT. METHODS: A retrospective review
      of THAs performed by a single surgeon from July 2004 to July 2010 identified 102
      patients who underwent THA necessitating the use of the MPT (primary 86 and
      revision 16), with at least 2 years follow-up. RESULTS: This study reports the
      largest series to date of primary and revision THAs using the MPT for acetabular
      deficiency. Postoperatively, mean Harris hip score was 86 (range 31-96). There
      was no correlation with degree of medialization and change in Harris hip score (P
      = .12). At mean follow-up of 41.1 months (range 24-92 months), there were no
      intrapelvic structure injuries and no acetabular components required revision.
      The MPT provided a safe and effective method for addressing acetabular deficiency
      and avoiding component malposition. CONCLUSION: The MPT provided a safe and
      effective method for addressing acetabular deficiency in this large series of
      patients. The technique was successful at improving component coverage while
      maintaining an anatomic hip center and avoiding excessive component abduction.
      Fixation remained durable with no cases of loosening at final follow-up.

PMID- 28634098
TI  - Sepsis Within 30 Days of Geriatric Hip Fracture Surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sepsis after hip fracture typically develops from one of the 3
      potential infectious sources: urinary tract infection (UTI), pneumonia, and
      surgical site infection (SSI). The purpose of this investigation is to determine
      (1) the proportion of cases of sepsis that arises from each of these potential
      infectious sources; (2) baseline risk factors for developing each of the
      potential infectious sources; and (3) baseline risk factors for developing
      sepsis. METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was
      searched for geriatric patients (aged >65 years) who underwent surgery for hip
      fracture during 2005-2013. Patients subsequently diagnosed with sepsis were
      categorized according to concomitant diagnosis with UTI, SSI, and/or pneumonia.
      Multivariate regression was used to test for associations while adjusting for
      baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Among the 466 patients who developed sepsis
      (2.4% of all patients), 157 (33.7%) also had a UTI, 135 (29.0%) also had
      pneumonia, and 36 (7.7%) also had SSI. The rate of sepsis was elevated in
      patients who developed UTI (13.0% vs 1.7%; P < .001), pneumonia (18.2% vs 1.8%; P
      < .001), or SSI (14.8% vs 2.3%; P < .001). The mortality rate was elevated among
      those who developed sepsis (21.0% vs 3.8%; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Sepsis occurs
      in about 1 in 40 patients after geriatric hip fracture surgery. Of these septic
      cases, 1 in 3 is associated with UTI, 1 in 3 with pneumonia, and 1 in 15 with
      SSI. The cause of sepsis is often unknown on clinical diagnosis, and this
      distribution of potential infectious sources allows clinicians for direct
      identification and treatment.

PMID- 28634099
TI  - Fatal anaphylaxis caused by gadolinium due to beta-tryptase-induced hemorragic
      diathesis.

PMID- 28634100
TI  - Anaphylactic shock due to brentuximab-vendotin confirmed by skin test and in
      vitro tests.

PMID- 28634101
TI  - First-dose anaphylaxis to infliximab: a case of mammalian meat allergy.

PMID- 28634102
TI  - Depression and Asthma Outcomes in Older Adults: Results from the National Health
      and Nutrition Examination Survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Older adults have high rates of asthma morbidity and mortality, as
      well as increased rates of depression. There are no nationally representative
      studies describing the association of depression on key asthma outcomes such as
      emergency department (ED) visits among older adults. OBJECTIVE: The objective of
      this study was to determine the association of depression with asthma outcomes in
      older adults (age >= 55) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
      Survey (NHANES). METHODS: Data from the NHANES survey (2007-2012) were analyzed.
      Bivariate analyses and multivariate Poisson regression models were used to
      examine associations between depression and asthma outcomes among adults above
      the age of 55. RESULTS: Approximately 7.01% (n = 509) of the sample reported a
      physician diagnosis of asthma. Older adults with asthma and depression (n = 196)
      had increased asthma episodes (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.53; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 1.00-2.35), ED/urgent care visits for asthma (PR, 2.24; 95% CI,
      1.15-4.34), sleep disturbances due to asthma (PR 2.75; 95% CI, 1.54-4.92), and
      activity limitation (PR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.00-3.18; P = .05) compared with older
      asthmatics without depression. They also reported worse health-related quality of
      life measures across 4 domains including days of poor general health, physical
      health, mental health, and inactivity (P < .001 for all). No significant
      differences in spirometric values were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with
      asthma and depression are nearly twice as likely to have poor asthma outcomes
      across several indicators, including asthma-related ED/urgent care visits
      compared with those without depression. Screening for depression and providing
      supportive resources may decrease the burden of asthma among older adults.

PMID- 28634103
TI  - Undetectable Mannose Binding Lectin and Corticosteroids Increase Serious
      Infection Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infection is the leading cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
      Corticosteroid (CS) use is a known and important risk factor for serious
      infections (SIs). Mannose binding lectin (MBL) is a genetically determined
      component of the innate immune system implicated in neonatal infections.
      OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether MBL deficiency is a risk factor for
      SIs in RA and to compare it with CS use and also synthetic and biologic disease
      modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. METHODS: Data on 228 patients with
      RA were collected for up to 7 years (median = 5.9 years). Serum MBL
      concentrations were determined in all patients receiving synthetic (n = 96) or
      biologic (n = 132) DMARD therapy. RESULTS: High rates of SIs were observed in RA
      irrespective of treatment (17%). Similar rates of SIs were observed in synthetic
      and biologic DMARD users. The rates of single and multiple SIs were similar,
      irrespective of the use of a biologic agent. Undetectable MBL (<56 ng/mL)
      concentrations and maintenance prednisolone at 10 mg per day or higher were
      associated with an increased risk for an SI, with incident risk ratio of 4.67 (P
      = .001) and 4.70 (P < .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Undetectable MBL and
      prednisolone confer a high risk for an SI. The use of biologic DMARDs did not
      confer substantial SI risk in this observational study. MBL deficiency is
      hitherto an unrecognized risk factor for an SI in RA.

PMID- 28634104
TI  - Natural Language Processing for Asthma Ascertainment in Different Practice
      Settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We developed and validated NLP-PAC, a natural language processing
      (NLP) algorithm based on predetermined asthma criteria (PAC) for asthma
      ascertainment using electronic health records at Mayo Clinic. OBJECTIVE: To adapt
      NLP-PAC in a different health care setting, Sanford Children Hospital, by
      assessing its external validity. METHODS: The study was designed as a
      retrospective cohort study that used a random sample of 2011-2012 Sanford Birth
      cohort (n = 595). Manual chart review was performed on the cohort for asthma
      ascertainment on the basis of the PAC. We then used half of the cohort as a
      training cohort (n = 298) and the other half as a blind test cohort to evaluate
      the adapted NLP-PAC algorithm. Association of known asthma-related risk factors
      with the Sanford-NLP algorithm-driven asthma ascertainment was tested. RESULTS:
      Among the eligible test cohort (n = 297), 160 (53%) were males, 268 (90%) white,
      and the median age was 2.3 years (range, 1.5-3.1 years). NLP-PAC, after
      adaptation, and the human abstractor identified 74 (25%) and 72 (24%) subjects,
      respectively, with 66 subjects identified by both approaches. Sensitivity,
      specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the NLP
      algorithm in predicting asthma status were 92%, 96%, 89%, and 97%, respectively.
      The known risk factors for asthma identified by NLP (eg, smoking history) were
      similar to the ones identified by manual chart review. CONCLUSIONS: Successful
      implementation of NLP-PAC for asthma ascertainment in 2 different practice
      settings demonstrates the feasibility of automated asthma ascertainment
      leveraging electronic health record data with a potential to enable large-scale,
      multisite asthma studies to improve asthma care and research.

PMID- 28634105
TI  - Genetic diversity in the C-terminus of merozoite surface protein 1 among
      Plasmodium knowlesi isolates from Selangor and Sabah Borneo, Malaysia.
AB  - Plasmodium knowlesi, a malaria parasite of macaques, has emerged as an important
      parasite of humans. Despite the significance of P. knowlesi malaria in parts of
      Southeast Asia, very little is known about the genetic variation in this
      parasite. Our aim here was to explore sequence variation in a molecule called the
      42kDa merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1), which is found on the surface of blood
      stages of Plasmodium spp. and plays a key role in erythrocyte invasion. Several
      studies of P. falciparum have reported that the C-terminus (a 42kDa fragment) of
      merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-142; consisting of MSP-119 and MSP-133) is a
      potential candidate for a malaria vaccine. However, to date, no study has yet
      investigated the sequence diversity of the gene encoding P. knowlesi MSP-142
      (comprising Pk-msp-119 and Pk-msp-133) among isolates in Malaysia. The present
      study explored this aspect. Twelve P. knowlesi isolates were collected from
      patients from hospitals in Selangor and Sabah Borneo, Malaysia, between 2012 and
      2014. The Pk-msp-142 gene was amplified by PCR and directly sequenced. Haplotype
      diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (l) were studied among the isolates.
      There was relatively high genetic variation among P. knowlesi isolates; overall
      Hd and l were 1+/-0.034 and 0.01132+/-0.00124, respectively. A total of nine
      different haplotypes related to amino acid alterations at 13 positions, and the
      Pk-MSP-119 sequence was found to be more conserved than Pk-msp-133. We have found
      evidence for negative selection in Pk-msp-42 as well as the 33kDa and 19kDa
      fragments by comparing the rate of non-synonymous versus synonymous
      substitutions. Future investigations should study large numbers of samples from
      disparate geographical locations to critically assess whether this molecule might
      be a potential vaccine target for P. knowlesi.

PMID- 28634106
TI  - Biology, evolution, and medical importance of polyomaviruses: An update.
AB  - The family Polyomaviridae encompasses non-enveloped viruses with a circular dsDNA
      genome that is typically approximately 5000bp in length. Originally isolated from
      mammals, polyomavirus sequences have now been detected in invertebrates, fish,
      amphibians, reptiles and birds, although it remains to be determined whether all
      these animals are genuine hosts. The genomes of all polyomaviruses encode at
      least two regulatory proteins (large and small tumour antigen) and two structural
      proteins (capsid proteins VP1 and VP2) whose functions have been defined. The
      large and small tumour antigens have domains conserved among the polyomaviruses,
      which are responsible for specific interactions with cellular proteins and may
      result in alteration of the cell cycle. Additional open reading frames (ORFs) are
      present in the genomes of the different polyomavirus species. Some of these ORFs
      are transcribed and translated in viral proteins, but their functions remain
      poorly understood. Polyomaviruses have a restricted host specificity. This may
      indicate that co-divergence with their hosts, which has been demonstrated in a
      few cases, was an important factor during polyomavirus diversification. However,
      a strict co-divergence scenario fails to explain family-wide patterns of
      diversity, suggesting an important contribution of lineage duplication and,
      possibly to a lesser extent, recombination and cross-species transmission.
      Polyomaviruses are pathogens that can cause various malignant and non-malignant
      diseases in birds and mammals, including humans, but so far they have not been
      linked to disease in lower vertebrates. In immunosuppressed individuals,
      reactivation of polyomavirus BK or JC can cause serious disease of the urogenital
      tract and brain, respectively, while Merkel cell polyomavirus is most probably
      associated with the development of a highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin tumour
      in elderly or patients with pre-existing conditions. This review provides an
      update on the life cycle, prevalence, disease association, and evolution of the
      viruses belonging to this family.

PMID- 28634107
TI  - Chronic pramipexole treatment induces compulsive behavior in rats with 6-OHDA
      lesions of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area.
AB  - Dopamine replacement therapy (DRT) reduces motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease
      (PD), but also induces impulsive-compulsive behavior (ICB) in up to 25% of PD
      patients. These non-motor side effects of DRT generally follow a gradual
      transition from impulsive to compulsive-like-i.e. repetitive, compelled, and non
      pleasurable-behavior. Here, we investigated the effect of chronic pramipexole
      (PPX) treatment on the onset of compulsive-like behavior, measured via the post
      training signal attenuation (PTSA) procedure, in rats with dopaminergic lesions.
      Accordingly, we aimed to mimic chronic DRT in a PD context, and obtain data on
      the brain regions that potentially sustain this type of compulsive behavior
      pattern in rats. We observed that the lesion or treatment alone did not induce
      compulsive lever pressing in rats. However, rats with lesions of the substantia
      nigra and ventral tegmental area as well as with chronic PPX treatment developed
      strong compulsive lever-pressing behavior, as measured via PTSA. Furthermore,
      when chronic PPX treatment was discontinued before the PTSA test, the lesioned
      rats showed the same level of compulsive behavior as sham-operated rats. In fact,
      lesioned, treated, and compulsive-like rats showed significantly higher Fos
      expression in the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal striatum. Thus, chronic PPX
      treatment in PD rats induced a strong compulsive-like behavior. Furthermore, Fos
      expression mapping suggests that the behavior was sustained via the activation of
      the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal striatum.

PMID- 28634108
TI  - Disturbances of novel object exploration and recognition in a chronic ketamine
      mouse model of schizophrenia.
AB  - Schizophrenia is a chronic and devastating disease with an overall lifetime risk
      of 1%. While positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations and
      delusions are reduced by antipsychotic medication based on the inhibition of type
      2 dopaminergic receptors (D2R), negative symptoms (e.g. reduced motivation) and
      cognitive symptoms (e.g. impaired working memory) of schizophrenia are not
      effectively treated by current medication. This dichotomy might arise in part
      because of our limited understanding of the pathophysiology of negative and
      cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia. In addition to genetic approaches, chronic
      systemic application of NMDA inhibitors such as ketamine have been used to
      generate rodent models, which displayed several relevant endophenotypes related
      to negative and cognitive symptoms and might thus facilitate mechanistic studies
      into the underlying pathophysiology. In this context, previous behavioral testing
      identified impairments in novel object recognition memory as a key feature in
      chronic NMDA-inhibitor schizophrenia rodent models. Using a chronic ketamine
      mouse model, we have however identified are more complex behavioral phenotype
      including deficits in novel space and novel object exploration in combination
      deficits in short-term novel object recognition memory. These impairments in
      novelty discrimination are in line with prefrontal and hippocampal reductions in
      parvalbumin-expression as well as reduced expression of the early immediate gene
      c-fos after novel-object exploration in hippocampal areas in our model. Our
      results indicate that adult C57Bl6N mice chronically treated with ketamine
      display combined impairments in novelty exploration and recognition, which might
      represent both motivational (negative) and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.

PMID- 28634109
TI  - Cannabis-associated psychosis: Neural substrate and clinical impact.
AB  - Prospective epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated that cannabis
      use is associated with an increased subsequent risk of both psychotic symptoms
      and schizophrenia-like psychoses. Early onset of use, daily use of high-potency
      cannabis, and synthetic cannabinoids carry the greatest risk. The risk-increasing
      effects are not explained by shared genetic predisposition between schizophrenia
      and cannabis use. Experimental studies in healthy humans show that cannabis and
      its active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can produce transient,
      dose-dependent, psychotic symptoms, as well as an array of psychosis-relevant
      behavioral, cognitive and psychophysiological effects; the psychotogenic effects
      can be ameliorated by cannabidiol (CBD). Findings from structural imaging studies
      in cannabis users have been inconsistent but functional MRI studies have linked
      the psychotomimetic and cognitive effects of THC to activation in brain regions
      implicated in psychosis. Human PET studies have shown that acute administration
      of THC weakly releases dopamine in the striatum but that chronic users are
      characterised by low striatal dopamine. We are beginning to understand how
      cannabis use impacts on the endocannabinoid system but there is much still to
      learn about the biological mechanisms underlying how cannabis increases risk of
      psychosis. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in
      Cannabinoid Neurobiology".

PMID- 28634111
TI  - Levels of plasma selenium and urinary total arsenic interact to affect the risk
      for prostate cancer.
AB  - This study investigated whether plasma selenium levels modified the risk for
      prostate cancer (PC) related to arsenic exposure. We conducted a case-control
      study that included 318 PC patients and 318 age-matched, healthy control
      subjects. Urinary arsenic profiles were examined using HPLC-HG-AAS and plasma
      selenium levels were measured by ICP-MS. We found that plasma selenium levels
      displayed a significant dose-dependent inverse association with PC. The odds
      ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for PC was 0.07 (0.04-0.13) among
      participants with a plasma selenium level >28.06 MUg/dL vs. <=19.13 MUg/dL. A
      multivariate analysis showed that participants with a urinary total arsenic
      concentration >29.28 MUg/L had a significantly higher OR (1.75, 1.06-2.89) for PC
      than participants with <=29.89 MUg/L. The combined presence of a low plasma
      selenium level and a high urinary total arsenic concentration exponentially
      increased the OR for PC, and additively interacted with PSA at levels >=20 ng/mL.
      This is the first epidemiological study to examine the combined effects of plasma
      selenium and urinary total arsenic levels on the OR for PC. Our data suggest a
      low plasma selenium level coupled with a high urinary total arsenic concentration
      creates a significant risk for aggressive PC.

PMID- 28634112
TI  - Concentrations of environmental organic contaminants in meat and meat products
      and human dietary exposure: A review.
AB  - Meat and meat products is one of the most relevant food groups in an important
      number of human diets. Recently, the IARC, based on results of a number of
      epidemiological studies, classified the consumptions of red meat and processed
      meat as "probably carcinogenic to humans" and as "carcinogenic to humans",
      respectively. It was suggested that the substances responsible of the potential
      carcinogenicity would be mainly generated during meat processing, such as curing
      and smoking, or when meat is heated at high temperatures. However, the exposure
      to environmental pollutants through meat consumption was not discussed. The
      purpose of the present paper was to review recent studies reporting the
      concentrations of PCDD/Fs, DL-PCBs and PAHs in meat and meat products, as well as
      the human exposure to these pollutants through the diet. It is concluded that the
      health risks derived from exposure to carcinogenic environmental contaminants
      must be considered in the context of each specific diet, which besides meat and
      meat products, includes other foodstuffs containing also chemical pollutants,
      some of them with carcinogenic potential. Anyhow, meat and meat products are not
      the main food group responsible of the dietary exposure to carcinogenic (or
      probably carcinogenic) environmental organic pollutants.

PMID- 28634110
TI  - Restoration of CFTR Activity in Ducts Rescues Acinar Cell Function and Reduces
      Inflammation in Pancreatic and Salivary Glands of Mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Sjogren's syndrome and autoimmune pancreatitis are disorders
      with decreased function of salivary, lacrimal glands, and the exocrine pancreas.
      Nonobese diabetic/ShiLTJ mice and mice transduced with the cytokine BMP6 develop
      Sjogren's syndrome and chronic pancreatitis and MRL/Mp mice are models of
      autoimmune pancreatitis. Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator
      (CFTR) is a ductal Cl- channel essential for ductal fluid and HCO3- secretion. We
      used these models to ask the following questions: is CFTR expression altered in
      these diseases, does correction of CFTR correct gland function, and most notably,
      does correcting ductal function correct acinar function? METHODS: We treated the
      mice models with the CFTR corrector C18 and the potentiator VX770. Glandular,
      ductal, and acinar cells damage, infiltration, immune cells and function were
      measured in vivo and in isolated duct/acini. RESULTS: In the disease models, CFTR
      expression is markedly reduced. The salivary glands and pancreas are inflamed
      with increased fibrosis and tissue damage. Treatment with VX770 and, in
      particular, C18 restored salivation, rescued CFTR expression and localization,
      and nearly eliminated the inflammation and tissue damage. Transgenic
      overexpression of CFTR exclusively in the duct had similar effects. Most notably,
      the markedly reduced acinar cell Ca2+ signaling, Orai1, inositol triphosphate
      receptors, Aquaporin 5 expression, and fluid secretion were restored by rescuing
      ductal CFTR. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal that correcting ductal function is
      sufficient to rescue acinar cell function and suggests that CFTR correctors are
      strong candidates for the treatment of Sjogren's syndrome and pancreatitis.

PMID- 28634113
TI  - Vitamin D3 supplementation attenuates the early stage of mouse
      hepatocarcinogenesis promoted by hexachlorobenzene fungicide.
AB  - Hexachlorobezene (HCB), a fungicide widely distributed in the environment,
      promotes the development of hepatocellular preneoplastic lesions (PNL) and tumors
      in rodents. In contrast, vitamin D3 (VD3) supplementation presents a potential
      role for the prevention/treatment of chronic liver diseases. Thus, we
      investigated whether VD3 supplementation attenuates the early stage of HCB
      promoted hepatocarcinogenesis. Female Balb/C mice were injected a single dose of
      diethylnitrosamine (DEN, 50 mg/kg) at postnatal day 15. From day 40 onwards, mice
      were fed with a standard diet containing 0.02% HCB alone or supplemented with VD3
      (10,000 or 20,000 IU/Kg diet) for 20 weeks. Untreated mice were fed just standard
      diet. After this period, mice were euthanized and liver and serum samples were
      collected. Compared to the untreated group, DEN/HCB treatment decreased total
      hepatic glutathione levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity while
      increased lipid peroxidation, p65 protein expression, cell
      proliferation/apoptosis and the PNL development. In contrast, dietary VD3
      supplementation enhanced vitamin D receptor (VDR) protein expression, total
      glutathione levels and GSH-Px activity while diminished lipid hydroperoxide
      levels. Also, VD3 supplementation decreased p65 protein expression, hepatocyte
      proliferation, the size and the liver area occupied by PNL. Therefore, our
      findings indicate that VD3 supplementation attenuates the early stage of HCB
      promoted hepatocarcinogenesis.

PMID- 28634114
TI  - Peanut digestome: Identification of digestion resistant IgE binding peptides.
AB  - Stability to proteolytic degradation in the digestive tract is considered a
      general feature shared by most food allergens. Current digestibility models
      exclusively utilize purified allergen proteins, neglecting the relevant effects
      of matrix that occur for foodstuff systems. In the present study, we investigated
      digestion stability of the major peanut allergens directly in the natural matrix
      using an in vitro static model that simulates the gastrointestinal digestion
      including the oral, gastric, duodenal and intestinal (brush border membrane
      enzymes) phases. Immunogenicity was evaluated by Western Blot using N=8 pooled
      sera of peanut allergic pediatric subjects. Immunoreactive, large-sized and
      fragments of Ara h 2, Ara h 6 and Ara h 3 survived hydrolysis as assessed by SDS
      PAGE. Smaller resistant peptides mainly arising from Ara h 3 and also Ara h 1
      were detected and further identified by LC-high resolution-MS/MS. RP-HPLC
      purification followed by dot-blot analysis and MS/MS-based identification
      demonstrated that stable IgE-binding peptides derived from Ara h 3. These results
      provide a more realistic picture of the potentially allergenic determinants of
      peanuts that survived the human digestion, taking into account the role of the
      food matrix, which may significantly affect gastrointestinal breakdown of peanut
      allergens.

PMID- 28634115
TI  - Delineating the roles of cellular and innate antiviral immune parameters
      mediating ranavirus susceptibility using rainbow trout cell lines.
AB  - Frog virus 3 is the type species of the Ranavirus genus and the causative agent
      of massive mortalities of aquatic species worldwide. A critical step in limiting
      virus replication, particularly early in infection, is the innate immune
      response. Presently, little is known regarding what innate immune strategies
      limit FV3 at the cellular level. To this end, the present study uses two rainbow
      trout cell lines, RTG-2 and RTgutGC, which demonstrate susceptible and relatively
      resistant phenotypes to FV3 infection, to elucidate susceptibility factors to
      FV3. RTG-2 demonstrated a lower LD50 and significantly higher virus transcript
      production compared to RTgutGC. The mode of cell death appeared to be apoptosis
      for both cell lines; however, RTG-2 did not demonstrate fragmented nuclei typical
      of apoptosis in cell culture. Next, the source of RTG-2's enhanced susceptibility
      was pursued, in hopes of highlighting unique features of this virus-host
      interaction that would predispose a cell to susceptibility. The type I interferon
      (IFN) response is the keystone mechanism used by the innate immune system to
      limit virus replication. FV3 induced very low to no levels of IFNs and interferon
      stimulated genes (ISGs) in either cell line, nor did inducing IFNs prior to
      infection inhibit virus-induced cell death. A dsRNA-induced antiviral state did
      reduce virus replication however. UV-inactivated FV3 was also able to kill RTG-2;
      thus, susceptibility to FV3-induced cell death observed in RTG-2 was independent
      of virus replication or the cell's ability, or lack thereof, to produce an IFN
      response. Importantly, RTG-2 showed greater viral entry compared to RTgutGC,
      suggesting non-innate immune factors, such as surface receptor expression or
      endocytic mechanism rates, may be key contributors to FV3 susceptibility. These
      findings contribute to our understanding of cell-level susceptibility to this
      environmentally important aquatic animal pathogen.

PMID- 28634116
TI  - Succinate-induced neuronal mitochondrial fission and hexokinase II malfunction in
      ischemic stroke: Therapeutical effects of kaempferol.
AB  - Mitochondrial dysfunction is known as one of causative factors in ischemic
      stroke, leading to neuronal cell death. The present work was undertaken to
      investigate whether succinate induces neuron apoptosis by regulating
      mitochondrial morphology and function. In neurons, oxygen-glucose deprivation
      induced succinate accumulation due to the reversal of succinate dehydrogenase
      (SDH) activation, leading to mitochondrial fission. Kaempferol inhibited
      mitochondrial fission and maintained mitochondrial HK-II through activation of
      Akt, and thereby protected neurons from succinate-mediated ischemi injury.
      Knockdown of Akt2 with siRNA diminished the effect of kaempferol, indicating that
      kaempferol suppressed dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) activation and promoted HK
      II mitochondrial binding dependently on Akt. Moreover, we demonstrated that
      kaempferol potentiated autophagy during oxygen and glucose deprivation,
      contributing to protecting neuron survival against succinate insult. In vivo,
      oral administration of kaempferol in mice attenuated the infract volume after
      ischemic and reperfusion (I/R) injury and reproduced the similar mitochondrial
      protective effect in the brain infract area. This study indicates that succinate
      accumulation plays a pivotal role in I/R injury-induced neuronal mitochondrial
      dysfunction, and suggests that modulation of Drp1 phosphorylation might be
      potential therapeutic strategy to protect neuron mitochondrial integrity and
      treat ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28634117
TI  - To assess the effects of parathyroidectomy (TPTX versus TPTX+AT) for Secondary
      Hyperparathyroidism in chronic renal failure: A Systematic Review and Meta
      Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) requiring parathyroidectomy
      (PTX) occurs more commonly in patients with progressive chronic kidney disease
      and in those on long-term lithium therapy. Successful PTX often results in a
      dramatic drop of parathyroid hormone level, relieves the patient from clinical
      symptoms, and reduces mortality. However, there is an ongoing debate on the
      optimal surgical treatment of SHPT. Currently, no clinical guidelines or trials
      have definitely answered the question of whether Total Parathyroidectomy (TPTX)
      is superior or equal to Total Parathyroidectomy with Autotransplantation (TPTX +
      AT). OBJECTIVE: The aims of the study were to compare the efficacy of two
      different surgical procedures and to develop evidence-based practice guidelines
      for the treatment of SHPT. METHODS: Citations were identified in the Medline,
      Cochrane, EMBASE, and Chinese Biomedical Literature databases through November
      2016. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) score was used to assess the
      methodological quality of the studies included. All data were analyzed using
      Review Manager 5.3. RESULTS: A total of nine cohort studies and one Randomized
      Controlled Trials (RCT), comprising 1283 patients, were identified. The NOS score
      of all the studies included was 5 or above. Compared with TPTX + AT, patients in
      the TPTX group had lower rates of "recurrence" (OR = 0.20; 95%CI, 0.11-0.38; P <
      0.01), "recurrence or persistence" (OR = 0.18; 95%CI, 0.10-0.33; P < 0.01),
      "reoperation due to recurrence or persistence" (OR = 0.17; 95%CI, 0.06-0.54; P =
      0.002), and shorter "operative time" (WMD = -17.30; 95%CI, -30.53 to -4.06; P <
      0.05), except for a higher risk of "hypoparathyroidism" (OR = 2.97; 95%CI, 1.09
      8.08; P = 0.01). However, none of the patients had developed permanent
      hypocalcemia or adynamic bone disease. No significant difference was found for
      "symptomatic improvement", "complications", "drug requirements", and "hospital
      stay" (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that TPTX is superior to TPTX
      + AT, while referring to the rate of recurrent SHPT. However, this conclusion
      needs to be tested in large-scale confirmatory trials. TPTX seems to be a
      feasible alternative therapeutic option for the surgical treatment of refractory
      SHPT.

PMID- 28634118
TI  - Identification of chickpea seed proteins resistant to simulated in vitro human
      digestion.
AB  - : Proteins and peptides able to resist gastrointestinal digestion and reach the
      intestinal mucosa have the potential to influence human health. Chickpea (Cicer
      arietinum L.) seed proteins are able to resist cooking (86.9% total protein)
      and/or in vitro simulated human digestion (15.9% total protein resists soaking,
      cooking and digestion with pepsin and pancreatin). To identify and characterize
      proteins resisting digestion we made use of different MS methodologies. The
      efficiency of several proteases (trypsin, AspN, chymotrypsin and LysC) was
      tested, and two technologies were employed (MALDI-MS/MS and LC-nESI-MS/MS).
      Digestion with trypsin and AspN were most successful for the identification of
      seed proteins. When analyzed by MALDI- MS/MS, trypsin allowed the identification
      of at least one protein in 60% of the polypeptide bands, while AspN allows the
      identification in 48%. The use of LC-nESI-MS/MS, allowed the identification of
      much more proteins/polypeptides from digested seeds (232 vs 17 using trypsin).
      The majority of the proteins found to be able to resist simulated digestion were
      members of the 7S vicilin and 11S legumin seed storage protein classes, which are
      reported to contain bio-active functions. In addition, we have found proteins
      that had not yet been described as potentially able to cause an impact on human
      health. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first proteomic study to analyze the effect of
      processing and simulated human gastrointestinal digestion on the proteome of
      chickpea seed. Chickpea is reported to have anti-nutritional effects as well as
      nutraceutical properties, so the identification and characterization of the
      proteins able to resist digestion is crucial to understand the targets underlying
      such properties.

PMID- 28634119
TI  - An ultrasensitive stain for negative protein detection in SDS-PAGE via 4',5'
      Dibromofluorescein.
AB  - A highly sensitive method for brief and economical staining of proteins in 1-D
      and 2-D sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) by
      4',5'-Dibromofluorescein (DBF) was developed in this study. Down to 0.025-0.05ng
      protein could be detected within 10min (only 2 steps) by DBF stain, which is
      approximately 10-fold more sensitive than those of Eosin Y (EY) and SYPRO Ruby
      stains, and 20-fold more sensitive than that of imidazole-zinc (IZ) negative
      stain. In addition, the LC-MS/MS results indicated that the newly developed
      staining method is compatible with the downstream protein identification.
      Moreover, the mechanism of DBF stain was investigated by molecular docking.

PMID- 28634120
TI  - Highly reproducible improved label-free quantitative analysis of cellular
      phosphoproteome by optimization of LC-MS/MS gradient and analytical column
      construction.
AB  - Expanding the sequencing depth of the peptides with a statistically significant
      quantitative change derived from a biological stimulation is critical. Here we
      demonstrate that optimization of LC gradient and analytical column construction
      can reveal over 30,000 unique peptides and 23,000 phosphopeptides at high
      confidence. The quantitative reproducibility of different analytical workflows
      was evaluated by comparing the phosphoproteome of CD3/4 stimulated and
      unstimulated T-cells as a model system. A fritless, 50cm-long column packed with
      1.9MUm particles operated with a standard pressure HPLC significantly improved
      the sequencing depth 51% and decreased the selected ion chromatogram peak
      spreading. Most importantly, under the optimal workflow we observed an
      improvement of over 300% in detection of significantly changed phosphopeptides in
      the stimulated cells compared with the other workflows. The discovery power of
      the optimized column configuration was illustrated by identification of
      significantly altered phosphopeptides harboring novel sites from proteins
      previously established as important in T cell signaling including A-Raf, B-Raf, c
      Myc, CARMA1, Fyn, ITK, LAT, NFAT1/2/3, PKCalpha, PLCgamma1/2, RAF1, and SOS1.
      Taken together, our results reveal the analytical power of optimized
      chromatography using sub 2MUm particles for the analysis of the T cell
      phosphoproteome to reveal a vast landscape of significantly altered
      phosphorylation changes in response to T cell receptor stimulation.

PMID- 28634121
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetics of Tobramycin Inhalation Solution in Pediatric
      Patients With Cystic Fibrosis.
AB  - Tobramycin inhalation solution given as a twice daily inhalation of nebulized
      aerosols of 300 mg is approved for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      infection in cystic fibrosis patients over 6 years of age. To investigate
      tobramycin pharmacokinetics (PK) after inhalation of tobramycin in pediatric
      cystic fibrosis patients below 7 years, a population PK approach was used to
      evaluate tobramycin PK data in patients 6 months to 44 years of age from 4
      clinical studies. The final model used a 2-compartmental, first-order absorption
      model with effect of body mass index on the apparent central volume of
      distribution. Relative bioavailability in patients between 6 months and 7 years
      increased with age by a linear relationship, and was modeled as a ratio to that
      of patients over 7 years. Simulation showed that steady-state concentrations of
      tobramycin are lower in pediatric patients 6 months to 6 years than those in
      patients over 6 years. However, systemic exposure is not predictive of clinical
      efficacy due to direct dosing at the infection site. P aeruginosa eradication
      rate and safety profile in patients less than 7 years of age were similar to
      patients older than 6 years; therefore, no dose adjustment is warranted in the
      younger pediatric patients.

PMID- 28634122
TI  - Mapping the Binding Interface in a Noncovalent Size Variant of a Monoclonal
      Antibody Using Native Mass Spectrometry, Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass
      Spectrometry, and Computational Analysis.
AB  - Variants of monoclonal antibody containing an extra light chain have been
      reported in protein products. Due to potential impact on potency and
      immunogenicity, it is important to understand the formation mechanism of such
      variants so that appropriate control strategies can be implemented to assure
      product quality. In a model monoclonal antibody, we observed a size variant with
      an extra light chain noncovalently associated with the monomer (later named as
      "1.2mer"). The interaction between monomer and the extra light chain was
      characterized by native spray and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry
      techniques. The goal is to understand the nature of the noncovalent interaction,
      to map out the interaction interface and regions of potential conformational
      distortions. In addition, computational modeling was used to aid in binding site
      identification. The combined results identify the interaction interface to be
      located in the heavy chain region 38-57 and in the extra light chain region 30
      50. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize
      noncovalent interaction of a size variant comprising an antibody monomer and an
      extra light chain. Structural knowledge generated in this research work is
      invaluable for process development and construct design of antibody-based
      biopharmaceuticals.

PMID- 28634124
TI  - Cell disruption and lipid extraction for microalgal biorefineries: A review.
AB  - The microalgae-based biorefinement process has attracted much attention from
      academic and industrial researchers attracted to its biofuel, food and
      nutraceutical applications. In this paper, recent developments in cell-disruption
      and lipid-extraction methods, focusing on four biotechnologically important
      microalgal species (namely, Chlamydomonas, Haematococcus, Chlorella, and
      Nannochloropsis spp.), are reviewed. The structural diversity and rigidity of
      microalgal cell walls complicate the development of efficient downstream
      processing methods for cell-disruption and subsequent recovery of intracellular
      lipid and pigment components. Various mechanical, chemical and biological cell
      disruption methods are discussed in detail and compared based on microalgal
      species and status (wet/dried), scale, energy consumption, efficiency, solvent
      extraction, and synergistic combinations. The challenges and prospects of the
      downstream processes for the future development of eco-friendly and economical
      microalgal biorefineries also are outlined herein.

PMID- 28634123
TI  - Clinical Utility of Chromosomal Aneusomy in Individuals at High Risk of Lung
      Cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer has a high
      false-positive rate with frequent discovery of indeterminate pulmonary nodules.
      Noninvasive biomarkers are needed to reduce false positives and improve risk
      stratification. A retrospective longitudinal evaluation was performed to assess
      chromosomal aneusomy in sputum by fluorescence in situ hybridization (CA-FISH) in
      four nested case-control studies. METHODS: Receiver operating characteristic
      analysis resulted in two grouped cohorts: a high-risk cohort (Colorado High-Risk
      Cohort and Colorado Nodule Cohort [68 case patients and 69 controls]) and a
      screening cohort (American College of Radiology Imaging Network/National Lung
      Screening Trial and Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study [97 case patients and 185
      controls]). The CA-FISH assay was a four-target DNA panel encompassing the EGFR
      and v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC) genes, and the 5p15
      and centromere 6 regions or the fibroblast growth factor 1 gene (FGFR1) and
      phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene
      (PIK3CA). A four-category scale (normal, probably normal, probably abnormal, and
      abnormal) was applied. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative
      likelihood ratios (LRs) (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were estimated for
      each cohort. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 0.67 (95%
      CI: 0.55-0.78) and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.85-0.98) for high-risk participants and 0.20
      (95% CI: 0.13-0.30) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78-0.89) for screening participants. The
      positive and negative LRs were, respectively, 11.66 (95% CI: 4.44-30.63) and 0.34
      (95% CI: 0.24-0.48) for high-risk participants and 1.36 (95% CI: 0.81-2.28) and
      0.93 (95% CI: 0.83-1.05) for screening participants. CONCLUSION: The high
      positive LR of sputum CA-FISH indicates that it could be a useful adjunct to low
      dose computed tomography for lung cancer in high-risk settings. For screening,
      however, its low positive LR limits clinical utility. Prospective assessment of
      CA-FISH in the incidentally identified indeterminate nodule setting is ongoing in
      the Colorado Pulmonary Nodule Biomarker Trial.

PMID- 28634125
TI  - Metabolic engineering of yeast for fermentative production of flavonoids.
AB  - Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was engineered for de novo production of six
      different flavonoids (naringenin, liquiritigenin, kaempferol, resokaempferol,
      quercetin, and fisetin) directly from glucose, without supplementation of
      expensive intermediates. This required reconstruction of long biosynthetic
      pathways, comprising up to eight heterologous genes from plants. The obtained
      titers of kaempferol 26.57+/-2.66mgL-1 and quercetin 20.38+/-2.57mgL-1 exceed the
      previously reported titers in yeast. This is also the first report of de novo
      biosynthesis of resokaempferol and fisetin in yeast. The work demonstrates the
      potential of flavonoid-producing yeast cell factories.

PMID- 28634126
TI  - Biosorption of high-concentration Cu (II) by periphytic biofilms and the
      development of a fiber periphyton bioreactor (FPBR).
AB  - In this study, a kind of microbial aggregates: periphytic biofilms were used for
      Cu removal and immobilized onto fiber for developing a novel bioreactor. Results
      show that periphyton can effectively entrap Cu at initial concentrations of 2
      20mgL-1 due to the overproduction of EPS and porous structure of periphyton, and
      biosorption was the primary mechanism of Cu removal. Cu (mainly Cu3(OH)42+,
      Cu2(OH)22+ and Cu2+) adsorption onto periphytic biofilms followed the pseudo
      second order kinetic model. The biosorption process fitted the Freundlich,
      Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich Isotherm models well and was thermodynamically
      spontaneous. The fiber substrate used in the periphyton bioreactor greatly
      increased the Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) of the system. This study indicates
      that immobilization of periphytic biofilms onto fiber for novel bioreactor
      development is a feasible way of entrapping high-concentration Cu from
      wastewater.

PMID- 28634127
TI  - Application of advanced techniques for the assessment of bio-stability of
      biowaste-derived residues: A minireview.
AB  - Bio-stability is a key feature for the utilization and final disposal of biowaste
      derived residues, such as aerobic compost or vermicompost of food waste, bio
      dried waste, anaerobic digestate or landfilled waste. The present paper reviews
      conventional methods and advanced techniques used for the assessment of bio
      stability. The conventional methods are reclassified into two categories.
      Advanced techniques, including spectroscopic (fluorescent, ultraviolet-visible,
      infrared, Raman, nuclear magnetic resonance), thermogravimetric and
      thermochemolysis analysis, are emphasized for their application in bio-stability
      assessment in recent years. Their principles, pros and cons are critically
      discussed. These advanced techniques are found to be convenient in sample
      preparation and to supply diversified information. However, the viability of
      these techniques as potential indicators for bio-stability assessment ultimately
      lies in the establishment of the relationship of advanced ones with the
      conventional methods, especially with the methods based on biotic response.
      Furthermore, some misuses in data explanation should be noted.

PMID- 28634128
TI  - Growth stimulation and synthesis of lipids, pigments and antioxidants with
      magnetic fields in Chlorella kessleri cultivations.
AB  - This study aimed at applying different intensities (30 and 60mT) and exposure
      times (24 and 1hd-1) of MF to cultures of Chlorella kessleri and evaluated their
      effects on cell growth, proximate composition of biomass, pigment production and
      antioxidant activity. The condition of 60mT for 1hd-1 stimulated biomass
      concentration of 83.2% by comparison with control culture (CC). Besides
      stimulated 13.7% lipid synthesis, 38.9% chlorophyll a and 59.1% chlorophyll b,
      25.0% total carotenoids and antioxidants up to 185.7%. Thus MF application is an
      excellent alternative to stimulate cell growth and high biotechnological interest
      biocompounds.

PMID- 28634129
TI  - State of the art review of biofuels production from lignocellulose by
      thermophilic bacteria.
AB  - Biofuels, including ethanol and butanol, are mainly produced by mesophilic
      solventogenic yeasts and Clostridium species. However, these microorganisms
      cannot directly utilize lignocellulosic materials, which are abundant, renewable
      and non-compete with human demand. More recently, thermophilic bacteria show
      great potential for biofuels production, which could efficiently degrade
      lignocellulose through the cost effective consolidated bioprocessing. Especially,
      it could avoid contamination in the whole process owing to its relatively high
      fermentation temperature. However, wild types thermophiles generally produce low
      levels of biofuels, hindering their large scale production. This review
      comprehensively summarizes the state of the art development of biofuels
      production by reported thermophilic microorganisms, and also concludes strategies
      to improve biofuels production including the metabolic pathways construction, co
      culturing systems and biofuels tolerance. In addition, strategies to further
      improve butanol production are proposed.

PMID- 28634130
TI  - The inhibitory impacts of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG-derived extracellular
      vesicles on the growth of hepatic cancer cells.
AB  - Bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) have come forth into notice as possible
      important agent to mediate host-pathogen interactions. In this scientific
      research, the authors have tried to find out the effect of EVs derived from
      Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LDEVs) on the apoptosis induction in HepG2 cell line.
      The EVs were purified from the conditioned medium of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG
      using ultrafiltration and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
      The HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of purified LDEVs and
      the cytotoxicity and their effects on the expression of bcl-2 and bax genes were
      assessed by the MTT assay and semi-quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. The MTT
      assay showed that only 100 MUg/ml of LDEVs had a significant cytotoxic effect on
      cancer cells (p < 0.05). The apoptotic index (bax/bcl2 expression ratio) was
      significantly increased after treating with 50 and 100 MUg/ml LDEVs (p < 0.05).
      Increased bax/bcl-2 ratio was led to cancer cell death.

PMID- 28634132
TI  - Diagnosis of Autoimmune Pancreatitis: The Evolution of Diagnostic Criteria for a
      Rare Disease.

PMID- 28634131
TI  - Cost Effectiveness of Pre- vs Post-Liver Transplant Hepatitis C Treatment With
      Direct-Acting Antivirals.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus
      (HCV) treatment offer new hope to both pre- and post-liver transplant (LT)
      patients. However, whether to treat HCV patients before vs after LT is not clear
      because treatment can improve liver function but could reduce the chance of
      receiving an LT while on the waiting list. Our objective was to evaluate the cost
      effectiveness of pre-LT vs post-LT HCV treatment with oral DAAs in decompensated
      cirrhotic patients on the LT waiting list. METHODS: We used a validated
      mathematical model that simulated a virtual trial comparing long-term clinical
      and cost outcomes of pre-LT vs post-LT HCV treatment with oral DAAs. Model
      parameters were estimated from United Network for Organ Sharing data, SOLAR-1 and
      2 trials, and published studies. For each strategy, we estimated the quality
      adjusted life-year, life expectancy, cost, and the incremental cost-effectiveness
      ratio. RESULTS: For lower MELD scores, quality-adjusted life-years were higher
      with pre-LT HCV treatment compared with post-LT treatment. Pre-LT HCV treatment
      was cost saving in patients with MELD scores of 15 or less, and cost effective in
      patients with MELD scores of 16 to 21. In contrast, post-LT HCV treatment was
      cost effective in patients with MELD scores of 22 to 29 and cost saving if MELD
      scores were 30 or higher. Results varied by drug prices and by United Network for
      Organ Sharing regions. CONCLUSIONS: For cirrhotic patients awaiting LT, pre-LT
      HCV treatment with DAAs is cost effective/saving in patients with MELD scores of
      21 or lower, whereas post-LT HCV treatment is cost effective/saving in patients
      with MELD scores of 22 or higher.

PMID- 28634133
TI  - Acute Severe Gastrointestinal Tract Bleeding Is Associated With an Increased Risk
      of Thromboembolism and Death.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with and
      without gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) to determine whether GIB increases the
      risks of thromboembolism and death. METHODS: We collected data from 522 patients
      with acute severe GIB and 1044 patients without GIB (control subjects, matched
      for age, sex, year of diagnosis, history of thromboembolism, and use of
      antithrombotic drugs) who underwent endoscopy at the National Center for Global
      Health and Medicine in Japan from January 2009 through December 2014. Hazard
      ratios of GIB for thromboembolism and mortality risk were estimated, adjusting
      for confounders. We also compared standardized mortality ratios between the GIB
      cohort and the age- and sex-matched general population in Japan. RESULTS: During
      a mean follow up of 23.7 months, thromboembolism was identified in 11.5% of
      patients with GIB and 2.4% of control subjects (hazard ratio, 5.3; 95% confidence
      interval, 3.3-8.5; P < .001). Multivariate analysis revealed GIB as a risk factor
      for all-thromboembolic events, cerebrovascular events, and cardiovascular events.
      During a mean follow-up of 24.6 months, 15.9% of patients with GIB and 8.6% of
      control subjects died (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-2.9; P <
      .001). Multivariate analysis revealed GIB as a risk factor for all-cause
      mortality. Compared with the general population, patients with GIB were at
      increased risk of death (standardized mortality ratio, 12.0). CONCLUSIONS: In a
      retrospective analysis of patients undergoing endoscopy in Japan, we identified
      acute GIB was a significant risk factor for late thromboembolism and death,
      compared with patients without GIB. GIB also increased risk of death compared
      with the general population.

PMID- 28634134
TI  - A Terminal Rectal Mass Ultimately Identified by Histopathology Examination.

PMID- 28634135
TI  - Outcomes and Role of Urgent Endoscopy in High-Risk Patients With Acute
      Nonvariceal Gastrointestinal Bleeding.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: We investigated clinical outcomes in high-risk patients with
      acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), and determined if
      urgent endoscopy is effective. METHODS: Consecutive patients with a Glasgow
      Blatchford score greater than 7 who underwent endoscopy for acute nonvariceal
      UGIB at the emergency department from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2014, were
      included. Urgent (<6 h) and elective (6-48 h) endoscopies were defined according
      to the time to endoscopy after the initial presentation. The primary outcomes
      were mortality and rebleeding within 28 days of admission. RESULTS: Among 961
      patients, 571 patients underwent urgent endoscopy. The 28-day mortality rate was
      2.5%, and the rebleeding rate was 10.4%. There were significant differences in
      mortality rate (1.6% vs 3.8%), the number of transfused packed red blood cells
      (2.6 +/- 2.5 vs 2.3 +/- 2.1 packs), need for intervention (69.5% vs 53.5%), and
      embolization (2.8% vs 0.5%), but no differences in rebleeding, intensive care
      unit admission, vasopressor use, and length of stay between the urgent and
      elective endoscopy groups. Mortality was associated with malignancy (odds ratio
      [OR], 3.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-9.62), cirrhosis (OR, 4.67; 95%
      CI, 1.85-11.76), urgent endoscopy (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.14-0.95), failed primary
      endoscopic treatment (OR, 15.03; 95% CI, 4.63-48.82), and rebleeding (OR, 2.77;
      95% CI, 1.03-7.45). Rebleeding was associated with Forrest I ulcers (OR, 7.67;
      95% CI, 2.71-21.69), Forrest II ulcers (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.51-3.60), and
      coagulopathy (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.51-3.60). CONCLUSIONS: Urgent endoscopy was an
      independent predictor of lower mortality rate but was not associated with
      rebleeding in high-risk patients with acute nonvariceal UGIB.

PMID- 28634137
TI  - Comparison of Patterns and Outcomes of Liver Resection for Hepatocellular
      Carcinoma: East vs West.

PMID- 28634136
TI  - Tongxie Formula Reduces Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common chronic
      gastrointestinal disorder, yet few drugs are effective in reducing symptoms.
      Approximately 50% of patients with IBS attempt herbal therapy at least once. We
      performed a randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of the herb
      formulation tongxie vs placebo or pinaverium (an antispasmodic agent) in reducing
      symptoms of IBS. METHODS: We performed a trial of 1044 adult patients with IBS
      (based on Rome III criteria) at 5 hospitals in China, from August 2012 through
      January 2015. Subjects were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to groups given tongxie (a
      combination of A macrocephalae, P lactiflora, C reticulata, S divaricata, C
      pilosula, C wenyujin, C medica, and P cocos, along with other herbs, based on
      patient features), placebo, or pinaverium (50 mg tablets) 3 times daily for 4
      weeks. Primary end points were significantly greater reductions in abdominal pain
      and Bristol stool score (before vs after the 4-week study period) in patients
      given tongxie compared with patients given placebo or pinaverium. Secondary end
      points were reductions in pain and stool frequencies and abdominal discomfort and
      its frequency. RESULTS: Subjects given tongxie had significant reductions, before
      vs after the study period, in all 6 symptoms assessed, compared to patients given
      placebo (P < .001). A significantly higher proportion of patients given tongxie
      had increased stool consistency (75.6%) than patients given pinaverium (50.6%),
      and a significantly higher proportion of patients given tongxie had fewer daily
      stools (72.7%) than subjects given pinaverium (58.3%) (P < .001 for both).
      However, significantly higher proportions of patients given pinaverium had
      reduced pain (63.5%) and pain frequency (69.5%) than patients given tongxie
      (51.4% and 58.6%, respectively; P < .005 for both). CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized
      controlled trial of patients with IBS in China, we found 4 weeks of tongxie to
      produce significantly greater reduction in symptoms than placebo, and greater
      increases in stool consistency and reductions in stool frequency, than patients
      given pinaverium. Tongxie can therefore be considered an effective alternative
      therapy for patients with IBS who do not respond well to conventional therapies.
      Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT01641224.

PMID- 28634138
TI  - Intracellular and transdermal protein delivery mediated by non-covalent
      interactions with a synthetic guanidine-rich molecular carrier.
AB  - The impermeability of the cell plasma membrane is one of the major barriers for
      protein transduction into mammalian cells, and it also limits the use of proteins
      as therapeutic agents. Protein transduction has usually been achieved based on
      certain invasive processes or cell penetrating peptides (CPP). Herein we report
      our study in which a synthetic guanidine-rich molecular carrier is used as a
      delivery vector for intracellular and transdermal delivery of proteins. First a
      sorbitol-based molecular carrier having 8 guanidine units (Sor-G8) was
      synthesized, and then was simply mixed with a cargo protein of varying sizes to
      form the non-covalent complex of carrier-cargo proteins. These ionic complexes
      were shown to have efficient cellular uptake properties. The optimum conditions
      including the molar ratio between cargo protein and carrier, and the treatment
      time have been defined. Several protein cargoes were successfully examined with
      differing sizes and molecular weights: green fluorescent protein (MW 27kDa),
      albumin (66kDa), concanavalin A (102kDa), and immunoglobulin G (150kDa). These
      non-covalent complexes were also found to have excellent transdermal penetration
      ability into the mouse skin. The skin penetration depth was studied
      histologically by light microscopy as well as two-photon microscopy thus
      generating a depth profile. These complexes were largely found in the epidermis
      and dermis layers, i.e. down to ca. 100MUm depth of the mouse skin. Our synthetic
      Sor-G8 carrier was found to be substantially more efficient that Arg8 in both the
      intracellular transduction and the transdermal delivery of proteins. The
      mechanism of the cellular uptake of the complex was briefly studied, and the
      results suggested macropinocytosis.

PMID- 28634139
TI  - Ocular disposition of ciprofloxacin from topical, PEGylated nanostructured lipid
      carriers: Effect of molecular weight and density of poly (ethylene) glycol.
AB  - Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is an antibacterial agent prescribed for the treatment of
      ocular infections. The objective of the present project is to investigate the
      effect of surface PEG functionalization of the Nano structured lipid carriers
      (NLCs) on formulation stability, ocular penetration and distribution. CIP NLCs
      were tested with different molecular weight (poly ethylene glycol) PEGs ranging
      from (2K to 20K) grafted onto the phospholipid and with different chain lengths
      (14-18 carbons) of phospholipids derivatized with PEG-2K. Drug load in the
      formulations was maintained at 0.3%w/v. Formulations prepared were evaluated with
      respect to in vitro release, transcorneal permeation, autoclavability,
      morphological characteristics and in vivo ocular tissue distribution. Scanning
      Transmission electron microscopy (STEM) studies revealed that the PEG-CIP-NLCs
      were spherical in shape. Transcorneal penetration of CIP was optimum with PEG
      molecular weight in between 2K-10K. Carbon chain length of the phospholipid,
      however, did not affect transcorneal penetration of CIP. In vivo ocular tissue
      CIP concentrations attained from the various formulations was consistent with the
      in vitro data obtained. The results suggest that surface functionalization of
      PEGs, within a specified range of molecular weight and surface packing density,
      significantly enhance trans-ocular penetration and impart sterilization
      stabilization characteristics into the formulations.

PMID- 28634140
TI  - Novel nanoparticles based on chitosan-dicarboxylate conjugates via tandem
      ionotropic/covalent crosslinking with tripolyphosphate and subsequent evaluation
      as drug delivery vehicles.
AB  - Chitosan-based nanoparticles prepared by ionotropic gelation are prone to
      stability issues. The aim of this work is to chemically modify chitosan by
      grafting to succinate, phthalate, glutarate and phenylsuccinate moieties and to
      investigate the suitability of the resulting polymers as covalently-crosslinked
      nanocarriers. Corresponding nanoparticles (NPs) were formulated by ionotropic
      gelation using tripolyphosphate (TPP) anion then they were covalently crosslinked
      using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC). Infrared and thermal
      analysis confirmed the formation of phosphoramide bonds within the NPs indicating
      the involvement of TPP in covalent crosslinking. This is the first time to report
      phosphormide covalent crosslinking within nanoparticles matrices. The resulting
      NPs were found to resist drastic pH and calcium ion conditions. Size analysis
      indicated the NPs to be spherical and less than 500nm in diameter. Loading
      studies using Safranine O showed enhanced NPs drug loading upon covalent
      crosslinking compared to ionotropic gelling. Doxorubicin-loaded NPs were of
      superior cytotoxic properties compared to free doxorubicin.

PMID- 28634141
TI  - One step preparation of spherical drug particles by contamination-free dry
      milling technique with corn starch beads.
AB  - The novel dry milling technique has been developed by using a mechanical powder
      processor for improving the dissolution properties of poorly water-soluble drugs.
      It was found that the drug crystals were well pulverized by co-processing with
      fine particles of corn starch (CS). The morphological observation and particle
      size evaluation revealed that the processed products formed the composite
      particles with ordered-mixed structure, having double-layered particles with a
      core of CS and a coating layer of phenytoin (Phe), as a model drug. This result
      suggested that the drug crystals were selectively micronized and the resultant
      miniaturized Phe particles were adhered/fixed on the surface of un-milled CS
      particles. The mechanical characteristics detected by the indentation test
      assumed that the brittle Phe crystals sandwiched between elastic CS particles
      would be successfully crushed down by high shearing stress in the processor. The
      newly-established dispersion-sedimentation test indicated that the fine Phe
      particles were immediately detached from the composite particles in aqueous
      phase, constructing the suspension. The dissolution behavior from the processed
      particles was found to be improved and strongly dependent on the size and amount
      of detached Phe particles. Such milling and ordered-mixturization have been also
      successfully done by using recrystallized larger Phe particles than 100MUm. These
      results would propose the contamination-free dry milling technique without using
      hard milling balls or beads. The mechanism of the current milling and ordered
      mixing phenomena is also provided in this report.

PMID- 28634143
TI  - PCR-based verification of positive rapid diagnostic tests for intestinal protozoa
      infections with variable test band intensity.
AB  - Stool-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for pathogenic intestinal protozoa
      (e.g. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis) allow for prompt diagnosis
      and treatment in resource-constrained settings. Such RDTs can improve individual
      patient management and facilitate population-based screening programmes in areas
      without microbiological laboratories for confirmatory testing. However, RDTs are
      difficult to interpret in case of 'trace' results with faint test band
      intensities and little is known about whether such ambiguous results might
      indicate 'true' infections. In a longitudinal study conducted in poor
      neighbourhoods of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, a total of 1428 stool samples
      from two cohorts of schoolchildren were examined on the spot for Cryptosporidium
      spp. and G. intestinalis using an RDT (Crypto/Giardia DuoStrip; Coris
      BioConcept). Overall, 121 samples were positive for G. intestinalis and the RDT
      suggested presence of cryptosporidiosis in 22 samples. After a storage period of
      9-10 months in cohort 1 and 2-3 months in cohort 2, samples were subjected to
      multiplex PCR (BD MaxTM Enteric Parasite Panel, Becton Dickinson). Ninety-three
      percent (112/121) of RDT-positive samples for G. intestinalis were confirmed by
      PCR, with a correlation between RDT test band intensity and quantitative pathogen
      load present in the sample. For Cryptosporidium spp., all positive RDTs had
      faintly visible lines and these were negative on PCR. The performance of the BD
      MaxTM PCR was nearly identical in both cohorts, despite the prolonged storage at
      disrupted cold chain conditions in cohort 1. The Crypto/Giardia DuoStrip warrants
      further validation in communities with a high incidence of diarrhoea.

PMID- 28634142
TI  - Cysteamine polysaccharide hydrogels: Study of extended ocular delivery and
      biopermanence time by PET imaging.
AB  - Cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder in which cystine crystals
      accumulate within the lysosomes of various organs, including the cornea. Ocular
      treatment is based on the administration of cysteamine eye drops, requiring its
      instillation several times per day. We have introduced the cysteamine in two
      types of previously developed ocular hydrogels (ion sensitive hydrogel with the
      polymers gellan gum and kappa-carrageenan and another one composed of hyaluronic
      acid), aiming at increasing the ocular retention in order to extend the dosing
      interval. The biopermanence studies (direct measurements and PET/CT) show that
      these formulations present a high retention time on the ocular surface of rats.
      From the in vitro release study we determined that both hydrogels can control the
      release of cysteamine over time, showing a zero order kinetics during four hours.
      At the same time, these hydrogels could act as corneal absorption promoters, as
      they allow a higher permeation of cysteamine through bovine cornea compared to a
      solution. HET-CAM test and cytotoxicity assays show no irritation on the ocular
      surface. These results demonstrate that the developed formulations present a high
      potential as vehicles for the topical ocular administration of cysteamine.

PMID- 28634144
TI  - Development of a multiplex PCR assay for the detection and differentiation of
      Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia mallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, and
      Burkholderia cepacia complex.
AB  - Two species of Burkholderia pseudomallei complex (Bpc), B. pseudomallei and B.
      mallei, can cause severe life-threatening infections. Rapidly discerning
      individual species within the group and separating them from other opportunistic
      pathogens of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) is essential to establish a
      correct diagnosis and for epidemiological surveillance. In this study, a
      multiplex PCR assay based on the detection of an individual set of chromosomal
      beta-lactamase genes for single-step identification and differentiation of B.
      pseudomallei, B. mallei, B. thailandensis, and Bcc was developed. Two pairs of
      primers specific to a distinct class of B metallo-beta-lactamase genes and a pair
      of primers specific to the oxacillin-hydrolyzing class D beta-lactamase gene were
      demonstrated to successfully discriminate species within Bpc and from Bcc. The
      assay sensitivity was 9561 genomic equivalents (GE) for B. pseudomallei, 7827 GE
      for B. mallei, 8749 GE for B. thailandensis and 6023 GE for B. cepacia.

PMID- 28634145
TI  - Taeniasis caused by Taenia saginata in Gianyar town and Taenia solium in
      Karangasem villages of Bali, Indonesia, 2011-2016: How to detect tapeworm
      carriers, anamnesis or microscopy?
AB  - From January 2011 until September 2016, screening of taeniasis carriers was
      carried out in a town in Gianyar District (Taenia saginata) and in villages which
      consisted of several Banjars (the smallest community units) on the eastern slope
      of Mt. Agung, Karangasem District (Taenia solium) in Bali, Indonesia. Fecal
      samples from all community members who chose to participate were examined
      microscopically for detection of taeniid eggs each person completedwith a
      questionnaire to determine if they had seen whitish, noodle-like proglottids
      (anamnesis) in their feces. Members with egg positive feces, and those with
      anamnesis, were treated with niclosamide (Yomesan(r), Bayer). A total of 39T.
      saginata tapeworm carriers were confirmed in Gianyar after deworming based on
      anamnesis (100%, 39/39). Only three of them (3/39, 7.7%) and 3/173 participants
      (1.7%) were identified by fecal microscopy. In contrast, 20T. solium carriers
      including one migrated to Gianyar were confirmed from 12 patients with eggs in
      their feces and from another 8 persons of 12 persons suspected to be infected due
      anamnesis only (8/12,66.7%) in Karangasem. The majority of carriers (12/20,
      60.0%) identified by microscopy included 4 (33.3%) and 8 (66.7%) carriers
      confirmed microscopically with and without anamnesis, respectively. The
      prevalence rate was 12/1090 (1.10%) of participants. The results indicate that
      anamnesis is reliable for detection of T. saginata carriers, whereas it is not so
      reliable for detection of T. solium taeniasis (8/12, 66.7%) and that microscopy
      is more informative than anamnesis for T. solium. Eggs were detected more
      frequently in T. solium carriers (4/12, 33.3%) than in patients infected with T.
      saginata (3/39, 7.7%). T. solium carriers have so far been confirmed from nine of
      13 Banjars examined in Karangasem. This study reveals that anamnesis is highly
      useful for screening of T. saginata carriers, whereas microscopy is a more
      valuable tool for detection of T. solium carriers.

PMID- 28634146
TI  - Sub-chronic oral toxicity of Cuminum cyminum L.'s essential oil in female Wistar
      rats.
AB  - The current study was performed to evaluate the toxicity of Cuminum cyminum L.
      (C. cyminum)'s essential oil after 23 days and 45 days of repeated oral
      administration in female Wistar rats. A total of 80 healthy female Wistar rats
      were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups. The rats were gavaged with C.
      cyminum's essential oil at dose levels of 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg/day.
      Clinical signs, body weight, hematology, serum biochemistry and organ
      histopathology were assessed once after 23 days and again after 45 days passed
      from the start of the intervention. Oral administration of C. cyminum's essential
      oil had no observed adverse effects on clinical signs, mortality, body weight,
      hematology, biochemistry and organ histology (liver, kidneys, spleen and lungs)
      in a sample of healthy female Wistar rats after 23 days and 45 days from the
      start of the study. However, an increase in serum levels of alanine transaminase
      (ALT) was found only at dose level of 1000 mg/kg/d C. cyminum's essential oil,
      after the 23-days interval. We conservatively defined the non-observed adverse
      effect level (NOAEL) for C. cyminum's essential oil as 500 mg/kg/d in female
      Wistar rats. The present study results should be treated with cautious in terms
      of the other organs' toxicity.

PMID- 28634147
TI  - CSAHi study-2: Validation of multi-electrode array systems (MEA60/2100) for
      prediction of drug-induced proarrhythmia using human iPS cell-derived
      cardiomyocytes: Assessment of reference compounds and comparison with non
      clinical studies and clinical information.
AB  - With the aim of reconsidering ICH S7B and E14 guidelines, a new in vitro assay
      system has been subjected to worldwide validation to establish a better
      prediction platform for potential drug-induced QT prolongation and the consequent
      TdP in clinical practice. In Japan, CSAHi HEART team has been working on hiPS-CMs
      in the MEA (hiPS-CMs/MEA) under a standardized protocol and found no inter
      facility or lot-to-lot variability for proarrhythmic risk assessment of 7
      reference compounds. In this study, we evaluated the responses of hiPS-CMs/MEA to
      another 31 reference compounds associated with cardiac toxicities, and gene
      expression to further clarify the electrophysiological characteristics over the
      course of culture period. The hiPS-CMs/MEA assay accurately predicted reference
      compounds potential for arrhythmogenesis, and yielded results that showed better
      correlation with target concentrations of QTc prolongation or TdP in clinical
      setting than other current in vitro and in vivo assays. Gene expression analyses
      revealed consistent profiles in all samples within and among the testing
      facilities. This report would provide CiPA with informative guidance on the use
      of the hiPS-CMs/MEA assay, and promote the establishment of a new paradigm,
      beyond conventional in vitro and in vivo assays for cardiac safety assessment of
      new drugs.

PMID- 28634148
TI  - Iodine and freeze-drying enhanced high-resolution MicroCT imaging for
      reconstructing 3D intraneural topography of human peripheral nerve fascicles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The precise annotation and accurate identification of the topography
      of fascicles to the end organs are prerequisites for studying human peripheral
      nerves. NEW METHOD: In this study, we present a feasible imaging method that
      acquires 3D high-resolution (HR) topography of peripheral nerve fascicles using
      an iodine and freeze-drying (IFD) micro-computed tomography (microCT) method to
      greatly increase the contrast of fascicle images. RESULTS: The enhanced microCT
      imaging method can facilitate the reconstruction of high-contrast HR fascicle
      images, fascicle segmentation and extraction, feature analysis, and the tracing
      of fascicle topography to end organs, which define fascicle functions. COMPARISON
      WITH EXISTING METHODS: The complex intraneural aggregation and distribution of
      fascicles is typically assessed using histological techniques or MR imaging to
      acquire coarse axial three-dimensional (3D) maps. However, the disadvantages of
      histological techniques (static, axial manual registration, and data instability)
      and MR imaging (low-resolution) limit these applications in reconstructing the
      topography of nerve fascicles. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, enhanced microCT is a new
      technique for acquiring 3D intraneural topography of the human peripheral nerve
      fascicles both to improve our understanding of neurobiological principles and to
      guide accurate repair in the clinic. Additionally, 3D microstructure data can be
      used as a biofabrication model, which in turn can be used to fabricate scaffolds
      to repair long nerve gaps.

PMID- 28634149
TI  - A non-invasive restraining system for awake mouse imaging.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preclinical neuroimaging allows for the assessment of brain anatomy,
      connectivity and function in laboratory animals, such as mice and rats. Most of
      these studies are performed under anesthesia to avoid movement during the
      scanning sessions. METHOD: Due to the limitations associated with anesthetized
      imaging, recent efforts have been made to conduct rodent imaging studies in awake
      animals, habituated to the restraint systems used in these instances. As of now,
      only one such system is commercially available for mouse scanning (Animal Imaging
      Research, Boston, MA, USA) integrating the radiofrequency coil electronics with
      the restraining element, an approach which, although effective in reducing head
      motion during awake imaging, has some limitations. In the current report, we
      present a novel mouse restraining system that addresses some of these
      limitations. RESULTS/COMPARISON TO OTHER METHODS: The effectiveness of the
      restraining system was evaluated in terms of three-dimensional linear head
      movement across two consecutive functional MRI scans (total 20min) in 33 awake
      mice. Head movement was minimal, recorded in roughly 12% of the time-series.
      Respiration rate during the acclimation procedure dropped while the bolus count
      remained unchanged. Body movement during functional acquisitions did not have a
      significant effect on magnetic field (B0) homogeneity. CONCLUSION/NOVELTY:
      Compared to the commercially available system, the benefit of the current design
      is two-fold: 1) it is compatible with a range of commercially-available coils,
      and 2) it allows for the pairing of neuroimaging with other established
      techniques involving intracranial cannulation (i.e. microinfusion and
      optogenetics).

PMID- 28634150
TI  - Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of the ambush bugs (Hemiptera:
      Reduviidae: Phymatinae).
AB  - The ambush bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae) are a diverse clade of
      predators known for their cryptic hunting behavior and morphologically diverse
      raptorial forelegs. Despite their striking appearance, role as pollinator
      predators, and intriguing biogeographic distribution, phylogenetic relationships
      within Phymatinae are largely unknown and the evolutionary history of the
      subfamily has remained in the dark. We here utilize the most extensive molecular
      phylogeny of ambush bugs to date, generated from a 3328 base pair molecular
      dataset, to refine our understanding of phymatine relationships, estimate dates
      of divergence (BEAST 2), and uncover historical biogeographic patterns (S-DIVA
      and DEC). This taxon set (39 species of Phymatinae and six outgroups) allowed
      reevaluation of the proposed sister group of Phymatinae and tribal-level
      relationships within the group, and for the first time proposes species-level
      relationships within Phymata Latreille, the largest genus of ambush bugs
      (~109spp.). Available evidence suggests that Phymata originated in the
      Neotropical region, with subsequent dispersals to the Nearctic and Palearctic
      regions. This study provides a framework for future research investigating the
      evolutionary history of ambush bugs, as well as ecological and microevolutionary
      investigations.

PMID- 28634151
TI  - Speech and swallowing abnormalities in adults with POLG associated ataxia (POLG
      A).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma
      (POLG) can result in a wide spectrum of neurological deficits. A common
      presentation is progressive ataxia (POLG-A) which includes impaired speech and
      swallowing. The nature, severity and impact of these deficits in POLG-A is not
      known. A comprehensive quantitative and qualitative characterization of
      dysarthria and dysphagia in this recurrent ataxia disorder will assist in
      diagnostics, provide insights into the underlying pathology, and establish the
      foundation for future therapy trials. METHODS: 14 consecutive patients with POLG
      (9 females, mean age=50.1y, SD=11.2) and 34 healthy controls were enrolled.
      Comprehensive assessments of motor speech and swallowing function, acoustic
      analysis of speech, videofluoroscopy and measures of quality of life were
      conducted. RESULTS: The speech profile of individuals with POLG-A was
      characterized by poor control of pitch and strain-strangled voice quality,
      reduced rate of speech and longer variable silences between words, and
      articulatory breakdown including imprecise consonants and vowel distortions.
      Swallowing deficits included slower initiation of the swallow reflex, poor
      control of bolus and late epiglottic closure. Speech and swallowing related
      quality of life was worse than healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: The dysarthria and
      dysphagia profiles in POLG-A are largely symptomatic of impaired timing,
      indicating a mainly spinocerebellar deficit. Dysarthria and dysphagia contribute
      to a significant impairment in functional quality of life, and progress
      distinctly from other POLG-A dysfunctions like ataxia or cognitive impairment.
      Our assessments establish meaningful patient focused outcome measures that will
      be suitable for use in natural history studies and clinical trials.

PMID- 28634152
TI  - Ensuring Inclusion of Adolescent Key Populations at Higher Risk of HIV Exposure:
      Recommendations for Conducting Biological Behavioral Surveillance Surveys.
AB  - Ending acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) depends on greater efforts to
      reduce new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and prevent AIDS-related
      deaths among key populations at highest HIV risk, including males who have sex
      with males, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. Although adolescent key
      populations (AKP) are disproportionately affected by HIV, they have been largely
      ignored in HIV biological behavioral surveillance survey (BBSS) activities to
      date. This paper reviews current ethical and sampling challenges and provides
      suggestions to ensure AKP are included in surveillance activities, with the aim
      being to enhance evidence-informed, strategic, and targeted funding allocations
      and programs toward ending AIDS among AKP. HIV BBSS, conducted every few years
      worldwide among adult key populations, provide information on HIV and other
      infections' prevalence, HIV testing, risk behaviors, program coverage, and when
      at least three of these surveys are conducted, trend data with which to evaluate
      progress. We provide suggestions and recommendations on how to make the case to
      ethical review boards to involve AKP in surveillance while assuring that AKP are
      properly protected. We also describe two widely used probability sampling
      methods, time location sampling and respondent driven sampling, and offer
      considerations of feature modifications when sampling AKP. Effectively responding
      to AKP's HIV and sexual risks requires the inclusion of AKP in HIV BBSS
      activities. The implementation of strategies to overcome barriers to including
      AKP in HIV BBSS will result in more effective and targeted prevention and
      intervention programs directly suited to the needs of AKP.

PMID- 28634153
TI  - Beyond Basic Feedback in Mobile Brief Interventions: Designing SMS Message
      Content for Delivery to Young Adults During Risky Drinking Events.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Brief interventions can reduce alcohol consumption in young people
      through screening and delivery of personally relevant feedback. Recently, Web and
      mobile platforms have been harnessed to increase the reach of brief
      interventions. Existing literature on mobile-based alcohol brief interventions
      indicates mixed use of theory in developing interventions. There is no research
      available to guide the development of SMS text messaging (short message service,
      SMS) interventions delivered during risky drinking events. OBJECTIVE: The aim of
      this study was to develop and pilot an alcohol-related risk-reduction brief
      intervention delivered by SMS to Australian young adults during drinking events.
      This paper describes the development of intervention message content, with
      specific focus on the context of delivery during drinking events. METHODS: A
      sample of 42 young adults attended 4 workshops; these comprised focus-group style
      discussion on drinking habits and motivations, discussion of intervention design,
      analysis of existing alcohol media campaigns, and participant development of
      message content. Data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Participants described
      a focus on having fun and blocking out any incongruent negative influences during
      drinking episodes. For content to be acceptable, nonjudgmental and non
      authoritative language was deemed essential. A preference for short, actionable
      messages was observed, including suggestions for reminders around drinking water,
      organizing transport home, checking on friends, and plans the next day.
      Participants were excited about the potential for messages to be tailored to
      individuals, as previous alcohol-related campaigns were deemed too generic and
      often irrelevant. Normative-based messages were also perceived as largely
      irrelevant as participants felt that they understood the drinking-related norms
      of their immediate peers already. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study offer
      insights into young adults' drinking events and practical advice for designing
      alcohol-related brief interventions. During our formative development process, we
      demonstrated a neat correspondence between young people's preferences for alcohol
      harm reduction interventions and the theoretical principles of brief
      interventions, including acceptable topics and message style.

PMID- 28634154
TI  - Improving Consensus Scoring of Crowdsourced Data Using the Rasch Model:
      Development and Refinement of a Diagnostic Instrument.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss in
      working age individuals worldwide. While screening is effective and cost
      effective, it remains underutilized, and novel methods are needed to increase
      detection of DR. This clinical validation study compared diagnostic gradings of
      retinal fundus photographs provided by volunteers on the Amazon Mechanical Turk
      (AMT) crowdsourcing marketplace with expert-provided gold-standard grading and
      explored whether determination of the consensus of crowdsourced classifications
      could be improved beyond a simple majority vote (MV) using regression methods.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine whether regression methods could
      be used to improve the consensus grading of data collected by crowdsourcing.
      METHODS: A total of 1200 retinal images of individuals with diabetes mellitus
      from the Messidor public dataset were posted to AMT. Eligible crowdsourcing
      workers had at least 500 previously approved tasks with an approval rating of 99%
      across their prior submitted work. A total of 10 workers were recruited to
      classify each image as normal or abnormal. If half or more workers judged the
      image to be abnormal, the MV consensus grade was recorded as abnormal. Rasch
      analysis was then used to calculate worker ability scores in a random 50%
      training set, which were then used as weights in a regression model in the
      remaining 50% test set to determine if a more accurate consensus could be
      devised. Outcomes of interest were the percent correctly classified images,
      sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic
      (AUROC) for the consensus grade as compared with the expert grading provided with
      the dataset. RESULTS: Using MV grading, the consensus was correct in 75.5% of
      images (906/1200), with 75.5% sensitivity, 75.5% specificity, and an AUROC of
      0.75 (95% CI 0.73-0.78). A logistic regression model using Rasch-weighted
      individual scores generated an AUROC of 0.91 (95% CI 0.88-0.93) compared with
      0.89 (95% CI 0.86-92) for a model using unweighted scores (chi-square P
      value<.001). Setting a diagnostic cut-point to optimize sensitivity at 90%, 77.5%
      (465/600) were graded correctly, with 90.3% sensitivity, 68.5% specificity, and
      an AUROC of 0.79 (95% CI 0.76-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Crowdsourced interpretations of
      retinal images provide rapid and accurate results as compared with a gold
      standard grading. Creating a logistic regression model using Rasch analysis to
      weight crowdsourced classifications by worker ability improves accuracy of
      aggregated grades as compared with simple majority vote.

PMID- 28634155
TI  - Perceptions of HIV Seriousness, Risk, and Threat Among Online Samples of HIV
      Negative Men Who Have Sex With Men in Seven Countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rates of new HIV infections continue to increase worldwide among men
      who have sex with men (MSM). Despite effective prevention strategies such as
      condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), low usage of both methods in many
      parts of the world hinder prevention efforts. An individual's perceptions of the
      risk of acquiring HIV and the seriousness they afford to seroconversion are
      important drivers of behavioral risk-taking. Understanding the behavioral factors
      suppressing the uptake of HIV prevention services is a critical step in informing
      strategies to improve interventions to combat the ongoing HIV pandemic among MSM.
      OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine cross-national perceptions of HIV/AIDS
      seriousness, risk, and threat and the association between these perceptions and
      sociodemographic characteristics, relationships, and high-risk sexual behaviors
      among MSM. METHODS: Participants in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Thailand, South
      Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States were recruited for a self
      administered survey via Facebook (N=1908). Respondents were asked to rate their
      perceived seriousness from 1 (not at all serious) to 5 (very serious) of
      contracting HIV, their perceived risk from 1 (no risk) to 10 (very high risk) of
      contracting HIV based on their current behavior, and their perception of the
      threat of HIV-measured as their confidence in being able to stay HIV-negative
      throughout their lifetimes-on a scale from 1 (will not have HIV by the end of his
      lifetime) to 5 (will have HIV by the end of his lifetime). Covariates included
      sociodemographic factors, sexual behavior, HIV testing, drug use, and
      relationship status. Three ordered logistic regression models, one for each
      outcome variable, were fit for each country. RESULTS: Contracting HIV was
      perceived as serious (mean=4.1-4.6), but perceptions of HIV risk (mean=2.7-3.8)
      and threat of HIV (mean=1.7-2.2) were relatively low across countries. Older age
      was associated with significantly lower perceived seriousness of acquiring HIV in
      five countries (Australia: odds ratio, OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-0.99; Brazil: OR
      0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.98; Canada: OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.98; South Africa: OR 0.96,
      95% CI 0.94-0.98; United Kingdom: OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98). Being in a male
      male sexual relationship was associated with significantly lower perceived risk
      of HIV in four countries (Australia: OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.30-0.75; Canada: OR: 0.54,
      95% CI 0.35-0.86; United Kingdom: OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.24-0.60; United States: OR
      0.5, 95% CI 0.31-0.82). Drug use in the previous year was associated with greater
      threat of contracting HIV in two countries (Canada: OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.13-2.91;
      United Kingdom: OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.06-2.74). CONCLUSIONS: Few measures of
      behavioral or sexual risk-taking were significantly associated with perceived HIV
      seriousness, risk, or threat across countries. Overall, low levels of reported
      risk were identified, and results illustrate important gaps in the understanding
      of risk among MSM across societies that could be addressed through culturally
      tailored prevention messaging.

PMID- 28634156
TI  - Classifying Chinese Questions Related to Health Care Posted by Consumers Via the
      Internet.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In question answering (QA) system development, question
      classification is crucial for identifying information needs and improving the
      accuracy of returned answers. Although the questions are domain-specific, they
      are asked by non-professionals, making the question classification task more
      challenging. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to classify health care-related
      questions posted by the general public (Chinese speakers) on the Internet.
      METHODS: A topic-based classification schema for health-related questions was
      built by manually annotating randomly selected questions. The Kappa statistic was
      used to measure the interrater reliability of multiple annotation results. Using
      the above corpus, we developed a machine-learning method to automatically
      classify these questions into one of the following six classes: Condition
      Management, Healthy Lifestyle, Diagnosis, Health Provider Choice, Treatment, and
      Epidemiology. RESULTS: The consumer health question schema was developed with a
      four-hierarchical-level of specificity, comprising 48 quaternary categories and
      35 annotation rules. The 2000 sample questions were coded with 2000 major codes
      and 607 minor codes. Using natural language processing techniques, we expressed
      the Chinese questions as a set of lexical, grammatical, and semantic features.
      Furthermore, the effective features were selected to improve the question
      classification performance. From the 6-category classification results, we
      achieved an average precision of 91.41%, recall of 89.62%, and F1 score of
      90.24%. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we developed an automatic method to classify
      questions related to Chinese health care posted by the general public. It enables
      Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents to understand Internet users' information
      needs on health care.

PMID- 28634158
TI  - Stem cell therapy for enhancement of bone consolidation in distraction
      osteogenesis: A contemporary review of experimental studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Distraction osteogenesis (DO) mobilises bone regenerative potential
      and avoids the complications of other treatments such as bone graft. The major
      disadvantage of DO is the length of time required for bone consolidation.
      Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to promote bone formation with some
      good results. METHODS: We hereby review the published literature on the use of
      MSCs in promoting bone consolidation during DO. RESULTS: Studies differed in
      animal type (mice, rabbit, dog, sheep), bone type (femur, tibia, skull), DO
      protocols and cell transplantation methods. CONCLUSION: The majority of studies
      reported that the transplantation of MSCs enhanced bone consolidation or
      formation in DO. Many questions relating to animal model, DO protocol and cell
      transplantation regime remain to be further investigated. Clinical trials are
      needed to test and confirm these findings from animal studies.Cite this article:
      Y. Yang, S. Lin, B. Wang, W. Gu, G. Li. Stem cell therapy for enhancement of bone
      consolidation in distraction osteogenesis: A contemporary review of experimental
      studies. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:385-390. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.66.BJR-2017-0023.

PMID- 28634159
TI  - A Role for the Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay Pathway in Maintaining Genome
      Stability in Caenorhabditis elegans.
AB  - Ionizing radiation (IR) is commonly used in cancer therapy and is a main source
      of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), one of the most toxic forms of DNA damage. We
      have used Caenorhabditis elegans as an invertebrate model to identify novel
      factors required for repair of DNA damage inflicted by IR. We have performed an
      unbiased genetic screen, finding that smg-1 mutations confer strong hyper
      sensitivity to IR. SMG-1 is a phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) involved in
      mediating nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) of transcripts containing premature
      stop codons and related to the ATM and ATR kinases which are at the apex of DNA
      damage signaling pathways. Hyper-sensitivity to IR also occurs when other genes
      mediating NMD are mutated. The hyper-sensitivity to bleomycin, a drug known to
      induce DSBs, further supports that NMD pathway mutants are defective in DSB
      repair. Hyper-sensitivity was not observed upon treatment with alkylating agents
      or UV irradiation. We show that SMG-1 mainly acts in mitotically dividing germ
      cells, and during late embryonic and larval development. Based on epistasis
      experiments, SMG-1 does not appear to act in any of the three major pathways
      known to mend DNA DSBs, namely homologous recombination (HR), nonhomologous end
      joining (NHEJ), and microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ). We speculate that
      SMG-1 kinase activity could be activated following DNA damage to phosphorylate
      specific DNA repair proteins and/or that NMD inactivation may lead to aberrant
      mRNAs leading to synthesis of malfunctioning DNA repair proteins.

PMID- 28634160
TI  - High-Throughput Characterization of Cascade type I-E CRISPR Guide Efficacy
      Reveals Unexpected PAM Diversity and Target Sequence Preferences.
AB  - Interactions between Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat
      (CRISPR) RNAs and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins form an RNA-guided adaptive
      immune system in prokaryotes. The adaptive immune system utilizes segments of the
      genetic material of invasive foreign elements in the CRISPR locus. The loci are
      transcribed and processed to produce small CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs), with degradation
      of invading genetic material directed by a combination of complementarity between
      RNA and DNA and in some cases recognition of adjacent motifs called PAMs
      (Protospacer Adjacent Motifs). Here we describe a general, high-throughput
      procedure to test the efficacy of thousands of targets, applying this to the
      Escherichia coli type I-E Cascade (CRISPR-associated complex for antiviral
      defense) system. These studies were followed with reciprocal experiments in which
      the consequence of CRISPR activity was survival in the presence of a lytic phage.
      From the combined analysis of the Cascade system, we found that (i) type I-E
      Cascade PAM recognition is more expansive than previously reported, with at least
      22 distinct PAMs, with many of the noncanonical PAMs having CRISPR-interference
      abilities similar to the canonical PAMs; (ii) PAM positioning appears precise,
      with no evidence for tolerance to PAM slippage in interference; and (iii) while
      increased guanine-cytosine (GC) content in the spacer is associated with higher
      CRISPR-interference efficiency, high GC content (>62.5%) decreases CRISPR
      interference efficiency. Our findings provide a comprehensive functional profile
      of Cascade type I-E interference requirements and a method to assay spacer
      efficacy that can be applied to other CRISPR-Cas systems.

PMID- 28634161
TI  - Oncolytic adenovirus expressing bispecific antibody targets T-cell cytotoxicity
      in cancer biopsies.
AB  - Oncolytic viruses exploit the cancer cell phenotype to complete their lytic life
      cycle, releasing progeny virus to infect nearby cells and repeat the process. We
      modified the oncolytic group B adenovirus EnAdenotucirev (EnAd) to express a
      bispecific single-chain antibody, secreted from infected tumour cells into the
      microenvironment. This bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) binds to EpCAM on target
      cells and cross-links them to CD3 on T cells, leading to clustering and
      activation of both CD4 and CD8 T cells. BiTE transcription can be controlled by
      the virus major late promoter, limiting expression to cancer cells that are
      permissive for virus replication. This approach can potentiate the cytotoxicity
      of EnAd, and we demonstrate using primary pleural effusions and peritoneal
      malignant ascites that infection of cancer cells with the BiTE-expressing EnAd
      leads to activation of endogenous T cells to kill endogenous tumour cells despite
      the immunosuppressive environment. In this way, we have armed EnAd to combine
      both direct oncolysis and T cell-mediated killing, yielding a potent therapeutic
      that should be readily transferred into the clinic.

PMID- 28634162
TI  - Linking the content to demographic reach of online advertising of electronic
      nicotine delivery systems.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have separately examined the content and demographic
      reach of the advertising of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). No study
      to our knowledge has linked the two in investigating whether racial/ethnic groups
      are differentially exposed to the comparative messages conveyed in online ENDS
      advertisements. METHODS: 932 unique ENDS advertisements (6311 total), which were
      posted on 3435 websites between December, 2009 and October, 2015, were
      categorized as either comparative or non-comparative with respect to the
      traditional cigarette. The race/ethnicity of website visitors was obtained from a
      proprietary source and used in constructing variables for racial/ethnic
      viewership. The variables for advertising content and website racial/ethnic
      viewership were then linked yielding a final sample of 551 unique ENDS
      advertisements (2498 total) on 1206 websites. A two-level hierarchical
      generalized linear model, used in estimating website racial/ethnic viewership as
      a predictor of comparative advertising, accounted for the nesting of
      advertisements (level 1) within 152 ENDS brands (level 2). RESULTS: In contrast
      to racial/ethnic minorities, a greater proportion of non-Hispanic whites visited
      websites with ENDS advertisements than the overall proportion of nonHispanic
      white U.S. Internet users. Yet, it was the advertisements on websites that
      appealed to Hispanics that had greater odds of comparing ENDS to traditional
      cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS: The lower exposure to ENDS advertising among
      racial/ethnic minorities versus non-Hispanic whites is consistent with survey
      data. Yet, the greater odds of comparative advertising of ENDS on websites that
      appeal to racial/ethnic minorities (ie, Hispanics) could impact the longterm
      health of minority smokers. IMPLICATIONS: This study's findings have important
      implications for the uptake of ENDS among minority smokers. If the comparative
      advertising yields greater interest and eventual use of ENDS, then minority
      smokers could either benefit from smoking cessation because they switch to ENDS,
      or adopt dual tobacco use. The fate of comparative advertising of ENDS versus the
      traditional cigarette will depend on the Food and Drug Administration enforcement
      of its deeming rules and the ensuing changes in the ENDS marketplace.

PMID- 28634163
TI  - Reducing tobacco-related harm: FDA's proposed product standard for smokeless
      tobacco.
AB  - This Special Communication discusses the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's)
      proposed rule that would limit N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) levels in smokeless
      tobacco products. It argues that finalising and implementing this first 'product
      standard' would mark a significant step forward in the FDA's efforts to reduce
      tobacco-related harms.

PMID- 28634164
TI  - Medical school entry requirements discriminate against poorer students.

PMID- 28634166
TI  - Development and Validation of the Pediatric Medical Complexity Algorithm (PMCA)
      Version 2.0.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Pediatric Medical Complexity Algorithm (PMCA) was
      developed to stratify children by level of medical complexity. We sought to
      refine PMCA and evaluate its performance based on the duration of eligibility and
      completeness of Medicaid data. METHODS: PMCA version 1.0 was applied to a cohort
      of 299 children insured by Washington State Medicaid with >=1 Seattle Children's
      Hospital outpatient, emergency department, and/or inpatient encounter in 2012.
      Blinded assessment of the validation cohort's PMCA category was performed by
      using medical records. In-depth review of discrepant cases was performed and
      informed the development of PMCA version 2.0. The sensitivity and specificity of
      PMCA version 2.0 were assessed. RESULTS: Using Medicaid data, the sensitivity of
      PMCA version 2.0 was 74% for complex chronic disease (C-CD), 60% for noncomplex
      chronic disease (NC-CD), and 87% for those without chronic disease (CD).
      Specificity was 84% to 91% in Medicaid data for all 3 groups. Medicaid data were
      most complete for children that had primarily fee-for-service claims and were
      less complete for those with some managed care encounter data. PMCA version 2.0
      performed optimally when children had a longer duration of coverage (25 to 36
      months) with fee-for-service reimbursement, identifying children with C-CD with
      85% sensitivity and 75% specificity, children with NC-CD with 55% sensitivity and
      88% specificity, and children without CD with 100% sensitivity and 97%
      specificity. CONCLUSIONS: PMCA version 2.0 identifies children with C-CD with
      good sensitivity and very good specificity when applied to Medicaid data. Data
      quality is a critical consideration when using PMCA.

PMID- 28634167
TI  - Improved Toys to Identify Pediatric Complexity in the Administrative Data
      Sandbox.

PMID- 28634169
TI  - 60 seconds on . . . the Carlisle method.

PMID- 28634168
TI  - Contributions of Children With Multiple Chronic Conditions to Pediatric
      Hospitalizations in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Children with multiple chronic conditions (CMCC) are increasingly
      using hospital care. We assessed how much of US pediatric inpatient care is used
      by CMCC and which chronic conditions are the key drivers of hospital use.
      METHODS: A retrospective analysis of all 2.3 million US acute-care hospital
      discharges in 2012 for children age 0 to 18 years in the Kids' Inpatient
      Database. The ~4.5 million US hospitalizations for pregnancy, childbirth, and
      newborn and neonatal care were not assessed. We adapted the Agency for Healthcare
      Research and Quality's Chronic Condition Indicators to classify hospitalizations
      for children with no, 1, or multiple chronic conditions, and to determine which
      specific chronic conditions of CMCC are associated with high hospital resource
      use. RESULTS: Of all pediatric acute-care hospitalizations, 34.3% were of
      children with no chronic conditions, 36.5% were of those with 1 condition, and
      29.3% were of CMCC. Of the $23.6 billion in total hospital costs, 19.7%, 27.4%,
      and 53.9% were for children with 0, 1, and multiple conditions, respectively, and
      similar proportions were observed for hospital days. The three populations
      accounted for the most hospital days were as follows: children with no chronic
      condition (20.9%), children with a mental health condition and at least 1
      additional chronic condition (20.2%), and children with a mental health condition
      without an additional chronic condition (13.3%). The most common mental health
      conditions were substance abuse disorders and depression. CONCLUSIONS: CMCC
      accounted for over one-fourth of acute-care hospitalizations and one-half of all
      hospital dollars for US pediatric care in 2012. Substantial CMCC hospital
      resource use involves children with mental health-related conditions.

PMID- 28634170
TI  - I am a better doctor for allowing myself to stop, reflect, and grieve.

PMID- 28634172
TI  - Identifying an Oxygenation Index Threshold for Increased Mortality in Acute
      Respiratory Failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to examine current oxygenation index
      (OI) data and outcomes using electronic medical record data to identify a
      specific OI value associated with mortality. METHODS: This study was a
      retrospective electronic medical record data review from the pediatric ICU of
      Phoenix Children's Hospital, with data mining for variables to calculate OIs on
      subjects age 1 month to 20 y mechanically ventilated > 24 h, excluding those with
      known intracardiac shunts or cyanotic heart disease. Age, length of hospital
      stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, and outcomes were also assessed. The
      Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare continuous variables, receiver
      operating characteristic analysis was used in determining discriminant ability,
      and logistic regression was conducted to determine the odds ratio (OR) for risk
      of death with increasing OI. RESULTS: OI was calculated on 65 subjects, of whom 6
      died (9%). The median maximum OI was 10 for all subjects, 17 for non-survivors,
      and 8 for survivors (P = .14 via Wilcoxon rank-sum test). ORs indicated a 2.4
      fold increase in the odds of death (P = .09, 95% CI 0.9-6.6) for each increasing
      point in maximum OI. Mean OI OR revealed a 1.9-fold increase in the odds of death
      (P = .25, 95% CI 0.6-5.9). Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated a
      higher discriminate ability for maximum OI (area under the curve = 0.68) than
      mean OI (area under the curve = 0.58). OI cut-points for mortality were
      established. Mortality was unchanged until maximum OI > 17, for which mortality
      nearly tripled at a value of 18% versus 6-7% for range 0-17. CONCLUSIONS:
      Limitations exist in obtaining serial OI values from current electronic medical
      records. Serial assessment of OI values may allow creation of alert values for
      increased mortality risk. Consideration of escalation of therapies for
      respiratory failure, such as high-frequency ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, or
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be warranted at lower OIs than
      historically reported.

PMID- 28634171
TI  - Preoperative Functional Status Is Associated With Unplanned Intubations Following
      Thyroidectomies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unplanned postoperative intubation is an important event that may
      influence the outcome of thyroid- and parathyroidectomies. We performed a focused
      study on the association of preoperative functional status with unplanned
      intubation outcomes in these relatively common surgeries. METHODS: Utilizing data
      from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2007 to
      2013, a propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study was performed
      assessing this outcome in the functionally independent versus dependent groups.
      Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and a Cox proportional hazards model were
      performed to assess the difference. RESULTS: There were a total of 98,035 thyroid
      and parathyroidectomies identified from the National Surgical Quality
      Improvement Program from 2007 to 2013. After propensity score matching, there
      were 1,862 and 931 cases in the independent and dependent group, respectively.
      There were 11 versus 33 per 1,000 persons in the independent and dependent group,
      respectively, who experienced an unplanned intubation within 30 d following
      surgery (P < .001). The dependent group showed worse intubation-free survival
      over 30 d (P < .001). There were no differences in this outcome during
      postoperative days 0-1 (P = .17). Dependent functional status was statistically
      significantly associated with unplanned intubations up to 30 d postoperatively
      (hazard ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.18, P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative
      functional status is a good marker for identifying patients at risk for re
      intubation after thyroid- and parathyroidectomy.

PMID- 28634173
TI  - A Comparison of 2 Respiratory Devices for Sputum Clearance in Adults With Non
      Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Airway clearance techniques are a vital part of routine care for
      patients with bronchiectasis. There is no clear superior modality. The Flutter
      combines oscillations (6-20 Hz) and positive expiratory pressure; the Lung Flute
      combines positive expiratory pressure and low frequency acoustic waves (18-22
      Hz), to augment clearance. This project aimed to compare these devices. METHODS:
      This was a randomized crossover study of adult subjects with stable non-cystic
      fibrosis bronchiectasis (expectorating > 25 mL/d). Subjects attended 2 separate
      out-patient visits, 1 week apart, and completed a supervised sputum clearance
      regime and Lickert scale (8 questions regarding subjects' perception of the
      experience using each device). Total sputum expectorated during supervised
      intervention (T1) and after 30 min from the end of T1 (T2) was recorded as wet
      sputum weight. Total wet sputum weight desiccated in a microwave (10 min at 300
      watts), allowed measurement of total dry sputum weight. Data were compared using
      paired t test. RESULTS: We recruited 40 subjects with a mean +/- SD age of 63 +/-
      16 y. Overall, there was no significant difference in wet sputum weight (Flutter,
      5.78 +/- 6.47 g; Lung Flute, 5.75 +/- 0.22 g) and dry sputum weight (Flutter,
      0.40 +/- 0.86 g; Lung Flute, 0.22 +/- 0.21 g). At T1, wet sputum weight was
      higher for the Flutter (5.10 +/- 6.26 g) compared with the Lung Flute (3.74 +/-
      3.44 g) (P = .038). At T2, wet sputum weight was higher for the Lung Flute (2.02
      +/- 3.01 g) compared with the Flutter (0.68 +/- 0.75 g) (P = .001). Subjects
      perceived the Flutter as being significantly better at clearing secretions (P =
      .01), easy to understand (P = .03), and simple to use (P = .01) compared with the
      Lung Flute. CONCLUSIONS: Both devices were well-tolerated and successfully
      augmented secretion clearance. Most subjects preferred the Flutter because of
      increased speed of secretion clearance, and greater ease of use.

PMID- 28634174
TI  - Prognostic Value of Uric Acid for Pulmonary Thromboembolism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary thromboembolism is a serious cardiovascular condition with
      considerable morbidity and mortality. Clinical studies have indicated that
      hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. The aim of
      this study was to investigate possible value of the serum levels of uric acid
      (UA) in predicting 30-d pulmonary thromboembolism-related mortality. METHODS:
      Pulmonary thromboembolism was confirmed by computed tomography pulmonary
      angiography, demographic data, troponin, systolic pressure and pulse on
      admission, and simplified pulmonary embolism severity index assessment. UA levels
      were analyzed on admission. The primary end point was all-cause mortality during
      the first 30 d. RESULTS: A total of 337 acute pulmonary thromboembolism subjects,
      of whom 59% were females, were enrolled. The median (interquartile range) serum
      UA level was 5.35 (4.1-7.3) mg/dL. Serum UA levels of deceased subjects were
      higher than those of alive subjects during the study period (6.9 [4.6-10.0] mg/dL
      vs 5.2 [4.1-7.0] mg/dL, P = .038). In the receiver operating characteristic
      analysis, the area under the curve was 0.650 (CI 0.732-0.960) for UA levels for
      all-cause mortality. A level of serum UA >= 5 mg/dL showed 73% sensitivity and
      88% negative predictive value for all-cause 30-d mortality. A weak correlation
      was determined between the UA levels and age (r = 0.25, P < .001) and any
      troponin (r = 0.267, P < .001). Serum UA level was an independent predictor of
      short-term mortality in pulmonary thromboembolism (odds ratio 1.2, P = .002).
      CONCLUSIONS: Serum UA levels may be a potential biomarker for predicting outcome
      in patients with acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

PMID- 28634177
TI  - Pneumococcal pulmonary valve endocarditis.
AB  - Pulmonary valve endocarditis is an rare type of infective endocarditis (IE).
      Streptococcus pneumoniae is a pathogen that is uncommonly associated with IE. A
      50 year-old man was referred to us to an incidental echocardiographic finding of
      a pulmonary valve vegetation. He had a recent admission for drainage of a scrotal
      abscess from which streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated, complicated by hospital
      acquired pneumonia and pulmonary embolism. Analysis using Polymerase Chain
      Reaction of the surgically resected mass revealed signs of 16S rDNA consistent
      with Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. This is the first confirmed case of
      pneumococcal pulmonary valve IE presenting entirely asymptomatically in the
      absence of any known risk factors.

PMID- 28634176
TI  - Impact of Glycemic Variability on Chromatin Remodeling, Oxidative Stress, and
      Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and With Target HbA1c
      Levels.
AB  - Intensive glycemic control (IGC) targeting HbA1c fails to show an unequivocal
      reduction of macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, the
      underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Epigenetic changes are emerging as
      important mediators of cardiovascular damage and may play a role in this setting.
      This study investigated whether epigenetic regulation of the adaptor protein
      p66Shc, a key driver of mitochondrial oxidative stress, contributes to persistent
      vascular dysfunction in patients with T2D despite IGC. Thirty-nine patients with
      uncontrolled T2D (HbA1c >7.5%) and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy control
      subjects were consecutively enrolled. IGC was implemented for 6 months in
      patients with T2D to achieve a target HbA1c of <=7.0%. Brachial artery flow
      mediated dilation (FMD), urinary 8-isoprostaglandin F2alpha (8-isoPGF2alpha), and
      epigenetic regulation of p66Shc were assessed at baseline and follow-up.
      Continuous glucose monitoring was performed to determine the mean amplitude of
      glycemic excursion (MAGE) and postprandial incremental area under the curve
      (AUCpp). At baseline, patients with T2D showed impaired FMD, increased urinary 8
      isoPGF2alpha, and p66Shc upregulation in circulating monocytes compared with
      control subjects. FMD, 8-isoPGF2alpha, and p66Shc expression were not affected by
      IGC. DNA hypomethylation and histone 3 acetylation were found on the p66Shc
      promoter of patients with T2D, and IGC did not change such adverse epigenetic
      remodeling. Persistent downregulation of methyltransferase DNMT3b and deacetylase
      SIRT1 may explain the observed p66Shc-related epigenetic changes. MAGE and AUCpp
      but not HbA1c were independently associated with the altered epigenetic profile
      on the p66Shc promoter. Hence, glucose fluctuations contribute to chromatin
      remodeling and may explain persistent vascular dysfunction in patients with T2D
      with target HbA1c levels.

PMID- 28634175
TI  - Inter-relations between 3-hydroxypropionate and propionate metabolism in rat
      liver: relevance to disorders of propionyl-CoA metabolism.
AB  - Propionate, 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP), methylcitrate, related compounds, and
      ammonium accumulate in body fluids of patients with disorders of propionyl-CoA
      metabolism, such as propionic acidemia. Although liver transplantation alleviates
      hyperammonemia, high concentrations of propionate, 3HP, and methylcitrate persist
      in body fluids. We hypothesized that conserved metabolic perturbations occurring
      in transplanted patients result from the simultaneous presence of propionate and
      3HP in body fluids. We investigated the inter-relations of propionate and 3HP
      metabolism in perfused livers from normal rats using metabolomic and stable
      isotopic technologies. In the presence of propionate, 3HP, or both, we observed
      the following metabolic perturbations. First, the citric acid cycle (CAC) is
      overloaded but does not provide sufficient reducing equivalents to the
      respiratory chain to maintain the homeostasis of adenine nucleotides. Second,
      there is major CoA trapping in the propionyl-CoA pathway and a tripling of liver
      total CoA within 1 h. Third, liver proteolysis is stimulated. Fourth, propionate
      inhibits the conversion of 3HP to acetyl-CoA and its oxidation in the CAC. Fifth,
      some propionate and some 3HP are converted to nephrotoxic maleate by different
      processes. Our data have implications for the clinical management of propionic
      acidemia. They also emphasize the perturbations of the liver intermediary
      metabolism induced by supraphysiological, i.e., millimolar, concentrations of
      labeled propionate used to trace the intermediary metabolism, in particular,
      inhibition of CAC flux and major decreases in the [ATP]/[ADP] and [ATP]/[AMP]
      ratios.

PMID- 28634178
TI  - Ascorbate protects the diheme enzyme, MauG, against self-inflicted oxidative
      damage by an unusual antioxidant mechanism.
AB  - Ascorbate protects MauG from self-inactivation that occurs during the
      autoreduction of the reactive bis-FeIV state of its diheme cofactor. The
      mechanism of protection does not involve direct reaction with reactive oxygen
      species in solution. Instead, it binds to MauG and mitigates oxidative damage
      that occurs via internal transfer of electrons from amino acid residues within
      the protein to the high-valent hemes. The presence of ascorbate does not inhibit
      the natural catalytic reaction of MauG, which catalyzes oxidative post
      translational modifications of a substrate protein that binds to the surface of
      MauG and is oxidized by the high-valent hemes via long-range electron transfer.
      Ascorbate was also shown to prolong the activity of a P107V MauG variant that is
      more prone to inactivation. A previously unknown ascorbate peroxidase activity of
      MauG was characterized with a kcat of 0.24 s-1 and a Km of 2.2 uM for ascorbate.
      A putative binding site for ascorbate was inferred from inspection of the crystal
      structure of MauG and comparison with the structure of soybean ascorbate
      peroxidase with bound ascorbate. The ascorbate bound to MauG was shown to
      accelerate the rates of both electron transfers to the hemes and proton transfers
      to hemes which occur during the multistep autoreduction to the diferric state
      which is accompanied by oxidative damage. A structural basis for these effects is
      inferred from the putative ascorbate-binding site. This could be a previously
      unrecognized mechanism by which ascorbate mitigates oxidative damage to heme
      dependent enzymes and redox proteins in nature.

PMID- 28634179
TI  - Lessons from bacterial homolog of tubulin, FtsZ for microtubule dynamics.
AB  - FtsZ, a homolog of tubulin, is found in almost all bacteria and archaea where it
      has a primary role in cytokinesis. Evidence for structural homology between FtsZ
      and tubulin came from their crystal structures and identification of the GTP box.
      Tubulin and FtsZ constitute a distinct family of GTPases and show striking
      similarities in many of their polymerization properties. The differences between
      them, more so, the complexities of microtubule dynamic behavior in comparison to
      that of FtsZ, indicate that the evolution to tubulin is attributable to the
      incorporation of the complex functionalities in higher organisms. FtsZ and
      microtubules function as polymers in cell division but their roles differ in the
      division process. The structural and partial functional homology has made the
      study of their dynamic properties more interesting. In this review, we focus on
      the application of the information derived from studies on FtsZ dynamics to study
      microtubule dynamics and vice versa. The structural and functional aspects that
      led to the establishment of the homology between the two proteins are explained
      to emphasize the network of FtsZ and microtubule studies and how they are
      connected.

PMID- 28634180
TI  - A MUTYH germline mutation is associated with small intestinal neuroendocrine
      tumors.
AB  - The genetics behind predisposition to small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI
      NETs) is largely unknown, but there is growing awareness of a familial form of
      the disease. We aimed to identify germline mutations involved in the
      carcinogenesis of SI-NETs. The strategy included next-generation sequencing of
      exome- and/or whole-genome of blood DNA, and in selected cases, tumor DNA, from
      24 patients from 15 families with the history of SI-NETs. We identified seven
      candidate mutations in six genes that were further studied using 215 sporadic SI
      NET patients. The result was compared with the frequency of the candidate
      mutations in three control cohorts with a total of 35,688 subjects. A
      heterozygous variant causing an amino acid substitution p.(Gly396Asp) in the MutY
      DNA glycosylase gene (MUTYH) was significantly enriched in SI-NET patients (minor
      allele frequencies 0.013 and 0.003 for patients and controls respectively) and
      resulted in odds ratio of 5.09 (95% confidence interval 1.56-14.74; P value =
      0.0038). We also found a statistically significant difference in age at diagnosis
      between familial and sporadic SI-NETs. MUTYH is involved in the protection of DNA
      from mutations caused by oxidative stress. The inactivation of this gene leads to
      specific increase of G:C- > T:A transversions in DNA sequence and has been shown
      to cause various cancers in humans and experimental animals. Our results suggest
      that p.(Gly396Asp) in MUTYH, and potentially other mutations in additional
      members of the same DNA excision-repair pathway (such as the OGG1 gene) might be
      involved in driving the tumorigenesis leading to familial and sporadic SI-NETs.

PMID- 28634181
TI  - Outcomes after observation stays among older adult Medicare beneficiaries in the
      USA: retrospective cohort study.
AB  - Objective To characterize rates and trends over time of emergency department
      treatment-and-discharge stays, repeat observation stays, inpatient stays, any
      hospital revisit, and death within 30 days of discharge from observation
      stays.Design Retrospective cohort study.Setting 4750 hospitals in the
      USA.Participants Nationally representative sample of Medicare fee for service
      beneficiaries aged 65 or over discharged after 363 037 index observation stays, 2
      540 000 index emergency department treatment-and-discharge stays, and 2 667 525
      index inpatient stays from 2006-11.Main outcome measures Rates of emergency
      department treatment-and-discharge stays, observation stays, inpatient stays, any
      hospital revisit, and death within 30 days of discharge from index observation
      stays. Rates were compared with corresponding outcomes within 30 days of
      discharge from both index emergency department treatment-and-discharge stays and
      index inpatient stays.Results Among 363 037 index observation stays resulting in
      discharge from 2006-11, 30 day rates of emergency department treatment-and
      discharge stays were 8.4%, repeat observation stays were 2.9%, inpatient stays
      were 11.2%, any hospital revisit was 20.1%, and death was 1.8%. Of all revisits,
      49.7% were for inpatient stays. Revisit rates for emergency department treatment
      and-discharge stays, repeat observation stays, and any hospital revisit increased
      from 2006-11 (P<0.001 for trend), while 30 day rates of inpatient stays (P=0.054
      for trend) and 30 day mortality (P=0.091 for trend) were both unchanged. Averaged
      over the study period, 30 day rates of any hospital revisit were similar after
      discharge from index emergency department treatment-and-discharge stays (19.9%)
      and index observation stays (20.1%), as was 30 day mortality (1.8% for both).
      Rates of any hospital revisit (21.8%) and death (5.2%) were highest after
      discharge from index inpatient stays.Conclusions Hospital revisits are common
      after discharge from observation stays, frequently result in inpatient
      hospitalizations, and have increased over time among Medicare beneficiaries. As
      revisit rates are similar after emergency department and observation stays,
      strategies shown to enhance emergency department transitional care may be
      reasonable starting points to improve post-observation outcomes.

PMID- 28634183
TI  - Syk inhibitors interfere with erythrocyte membrane modification during P
      falciparum growth and suppress parasite egress.
AB  - Band 3 (also known as the anion exchanger, SLCA1, AE1) constitutes the major
      attachment site of the spectrin-based cytoskeleton to the erythrocyte's lipid
      bilayer and thereby contributes critically to the stability of the red cell
      membrane. During the intraerythrocytic stage of Plasmodium falciparum's
      lifecycle, band 3 becomes tyrosine phosphorylated in response to oxidative
      stress, leading to a decrease in its affinity for the spectrin/actin cytoskeleton
      and causing global membrane destabilization. Because this membrane weakening is
      hypothesized to facilitate parasite egress and the consequent dissemination of
      released merozoites throughout the bloodstream, we decided to explore which
      tyrosine kinase inhibitors might block the kinase-induced membrane
      destabilization. We demonstrate here that multiple Syk kinase inhibitors both
      prevent parasite-induced band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation and inhibit parasite
      promoted membrane destabilization. We also show that the same Syk kinase
      inhibitors suppress merozoite egress near the end of the parasite's
      intraerythrocytic lifecycle. Because the entrapped merozoites die when prevented
      from escaping their host erythrocytes and because some Syk inhibitors have
      displayed long-term safety in human clinical trials, we suggest Syk kinase
      inhibitors constitute a promising class of antimalarial drugs that can suppress
      parasitemia by inhibiting a host target that cannot be mutated by the parasite to
      evolve drug resistance.

PMID- 28634184
TI  - Patients in Wales to take control of medical records.

PMID- 28634182
TI  - SF3B1-initiating mutations in MDS-RSs target lymphomyeloid hematopoietic stem
      cells.
AB  - Mutations in the RNA splicing gene SF3B1 are found in >80% of patients with
      myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS). We investigated the
      origin of SF3B1 mutations within the bone marrow hematopoietic stem and
      progenitor cell compartments in patients with MDS-RS. Screening for recurrently
      mutated genes in the mononuclear cell fraction revealed mutations in SF3B1 in 39
      of 40 cases (97.5%), combined with TET2 and DNMT3A in 11 (28%) and 6 (15%)
      patients, respectively. All recurrent mutations identified in mononuclear cells
      could be tracked back to the phenotypically defined hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)
      compartment in all investigated patients and were also present in downstream
      myeloid and erythroid progenitor cells. While in agreement with previous studies,
      little or no evidence for clonal (SF3B1 mutation) involvement could be found in
      mature B cells, consistent involvement at the pro-B-cell progenitor stage was
      established, providing definitive evidence for SF3B1 mutations targeting
      lymphomyeloid HSCs and compatible with mutated SF3B1 negatively affecting
      lymphoid development. Assessment of stem cell function in vitro as well as in
      vivo established that only HSCs and not investigated progenitor populations could
      propagate the SF3B1 mutated clone. Upon transplantation into immune-deficient
      mice, SF3B1 mutated MDS-RS HSCs differentiated into characteristic ring
      sideroblasts, the hallmark of MDS-RS. Our findings provide evidence of a
      multipotent lymphomyeloid HSC origin of SF3B1 mutations in MDS-RS patients and
      provide a novel in vivo platform for mechanistically and therapeutically
      exploring SF3B1 mutated MDS-RS.

PMID- 28634185
TI  - Low-Dose Aspirin and Pancreatic Cancer Risk-Reply.

PMID- 28634186
TI  - Telomere Length and Pancreatic Cancer Risk-Letter.

PMID- 28634187
TI  - Telomere Length and Pancreatic Cancer Risk-Reply.

PMID- 28634188
TI  - Low-Dose Aspirin and Pancreatic Cancer Risk-Letter.

PMID- 28634190
TI  - A GP's experience of the Grenfell Tower fire.

PMID- 28634189
TI  - Reduced platelet count, but no major platelet function abnormalities, are
      associated with loss-of-function ATP-binding cassette-1 gene mutations.
AB  - Loss-of-function mutations of the the ATP-binding cassette-1 (ABCA1) gene are the
      cause of Tangier disease (TD) in homozygous subjects and familial HDL deficiency
      (FHD) in heterozygous subjects. These disorders are characterized by reduced
      plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and altered efflux of cholesterol from cells.
      Previous studies in TD patients and ABCA1-/- murine models reported defects in
      platelet count, morphology, and function, but the issue is still controversial.
      We analyzed three subjects with low to very low HDL-C levels due to the loss-of
      function mutations of the ABCA1 gene. Two related patients with FHD were
      heterozygous carriers of two mutations on the same ABCA1 allele; one, with TD,
      was homozygous for a different mutation. Mild to moderate thrombocytopenia was
      observed in all the patients. No morphological platelet abnormalities were
      detected under optical or EM. History of moderate bleeding tendency was recorded
      only in one of the FHD patients. Only limited alterations in platelet aggregation
      and activation of the integrin alphaIIbbeta3 were observed in one FHD patient.
      While alpha-granule secretion (P-selectin), content, and secretion of platelet
      delta-granules (serotonin, ATP, and ADP) and thromboxane (TX) A2 synthesis were
      normal in all the patients, the expression of lysosomal CD63, in response to some
      agonists, was reduced in TD patients. In conclusion, three patients carrying
      ABCA1 genetic variants had low platelet count, with the lowest values observed in
      TD, not associated with major alterations in platelet morphology and response to
      agonists or bleeding.

PMID- 28634191
TI  - Cd36 knockout mice are protected against lithogenic diet-induced gallstones.
AB  - The scavenger receptor and multiligand transporter CD36 functions to promote
      cellular free fatty acid uptake and regulates aspects of both hepatic and
      intestinal cholesterol metabolism. However, the role of CD36 in regulating
      canalicular and biliary cholesterol transport and secretion is unknown. Here, we
      show that germline Cd36 knockout (KO) mice are protected against lithogenic diet
      (LD)-induced gallstones compared with congenic (C57BL6/J) controls. Cd36 KO mice
      crossed into congenic L-Fabp KO mice (DKO mice) demonstrated protection against
      LD-induced gallstones, reversing the susceptibility phenotype observed in L-Fabp
      KO mice. DKO mice demonstrated reduced biliary cholesterol secretion and a shift
      into more hydrophophilic bile acid species, without changes in either BA pool
      size or fecal excretion. In addition, we found that the mean and maximum force of
      gallbladder contraction was increased in germline Cd36 KO mice, and gallbladder
      lipid content was reduced compared with wild-type controls. Finally, whereas
      germline Cd36 KO mice were protected against LD-induced gallstones, neither liver
      nor intestine-specific Cd36 KO mice were protected. Taken together, our findings
      show that CD36 plays an important role in modifying gallstone susceptibility in
      mice, at least in part by altering biliary lipid composition, but also by
      promoting gallbladder contractility.

PMID- 28634192
TI  - A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system for human serum hepatic
      triglyceride lipase.
AB  - There is no established method for measuring human hepatic triglyceride (TG)
      lipase (HTGL) concentration in serum. In this study, we developed new monoclonal
      Abs (MoAbs) (9A1 mouse MoAb and 141A1 rat MoAb) that react with HTGL both in
      serum and in postheparin plasma (PHP) and established a novel ELISA system for
      measuring serum HTGL and PHP-HTGL concentrations. To confirm the specificity of
      MoAbs, we performed immunoprecipitation-immunoblotting analysis. Both 9A1 mouse
      MoAb and 141A1 rat MoAb were able to immunoprecipitate not only recombinant HTGL
      and PHP-HTGL but also serum HTGL, demonstrating that HTGL exists in serum
      obtained without heparin injection. This method yielded intra- and interassay
      coefficients of variation of <6% and showed no cross-reactivity with LPL or
      endothelial lipase. In clinical analysis on 42 male subjects with coronary artery
      disease, there were strong positive correlations of serum HTGL concentration to
      PHP-HTGL concentration (r = 0.727, P < 0.01). Serum HTGL concentrations showed
      positive correlations to serum TGs (r = 0.314, P < 0.05) and alanine
      aminotransferase (r = 0.406, P < 0.01), and tendencies toward positive
      correlations to LDL cholesterol, small dense LDL, and gammaGTP. These results
      suggest that this new ELISA method for measuring serum HTGL is applicable in
      daily clinical practice.

PMID- 28634193
TI  - Design Improvements for Personal Protective Equipment Used in Ebola and Other
      Epidemic Outbreaks.

PMID- 28634194
TI  - ZBP1/DAI ubiquitination and sensing of influenza vRNPs activate programmed cell
      death.
AB  - Innate sensing of influenza virus infection induces activation of programmed cell
      death pathways. We have recently identified Z-DNA-binding protein 1 (ZBP1) as an
      innate sensor of influenza A virus (IAV). ZBP1-mediated IAV sensing is critical
      for triggering programmed cell death in the infected lungs. Surprisingly, little
      is known about the mechanisms regulating ZBP1 activation to induce programmed
      cell death. Here, we report that the sensing of IAV RNA by retinoic acid
      inducible gene I (RIG-I) initiates ZBP1-mediated cell death via the RIG-I-MAVS
      IFN-beta signaling axis. IAV infection induces ubiquitination of ZBP1, suggesting
      potential regulation of ZBP1 function through posttranslational modifications. We
      further demonstrate that ZBP1 senses viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes of
      IAV to trigger cell death. These findings collectively indicate that ZBP1
      activation requires RIG-I signaling, ubiquitination, and vRNP sensing to trigger
      activation of programmed cell death pathways during IAV infection. The mechanism
      of ZBP1 activation described here may have broader implications in the context of
      virus-induced cell death.

PMID- 28634195
TI  - Setting Sights on Chlamydia Immunity's Central Paradigm: Can We Hit a Moving
      Target?

PMID- 28634196
TI  - Reply to Vicetti Miguel et al., "Setting Sights on Chlamydia Immunity's Central
      Paradigm: Can We Hit a Moving Target?"

PMID- 28634198
TI  - The effect of sustained virological response on the risk of extrahepatic
      manifestations of hepatitis C virus infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Chronic HCV infection is associated with several extrahepatic
      manifestations (EHMs). Data on the effect of sustained virological response (SVR)
      on the risk of EHMs are limited. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort
      study using data of patients from the US Veterans Affairs HCV Clinical Case
      Registry who had a positive HCV RNA test (10/1999-08/2009). Patients receiving
      interferon-based antiviral therapy (AVT) were identified. SVR was defined as
      negative HCV RNA at least 12 weeks after end of AVT. Risks of eight incident EHMs
      were evaluated in Cox regression models. RESULTS: Of the 160 875 HCV-infected
      veterans, 31 143 (19.4%) received AVT, of whom 10 575 (33.9%) experienced SVR.
      EHM risk was reduced in the SVR group compared with untreated patients for mixed
      cryoglobulinaemia (adjusted HR (aHR)=0.61; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.94),
      glomerulonephritis (aHR=0.62; 95% CI 0.48 to 0.79), porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT)
      (aHR=0.41; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.83), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) (aHR=0.64; 95% CI
      0.43 to 0.95), diabetes (aHR=0.82; 95% CI 0.76 to 0.88) and stroke (aHR=0.84; 95%
      CI 0.74 to 0.94), but not for lichen planus (aHR=1.11; 95% CI 0.78 to 1.56) or
      coronary heart disease (aHR=1.12; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.56). Risk reductions were also
      observed when patients with SVR were compared with treated patients without SVR
      for mixed cryoglobulinaemia, glomerulonephritis, PCT and diabetes. Significant
      reductions in the magnitude of aHRs towards the null with increasing time to
      initiation of AVT after HCV diagnosis were observed for glomerulonephritis, NHL
      and stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Risks of several EHMs of HCV infection are reduced after
      AVT with SVR. However, early initiation of AVT may be required to reduce the risk
      of glomerulonephritis, NHL and stroke.

PMID- 28634200
TI  - Is it possible to use acupressure to reduce adverse effects related to
      radiotherapy?

PMID- 28634199
TI  - Characterising cis-regulatory variation in the transcriptome of histologically
      normal and tumour-derived pancreatic tissues.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the genetic architecture of gene expression in pancreatic
      tissues. DESIGN: We performed expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis
      in histologically normal pancreatic tissue samples (n=95) using RNA sequencing
      and the corresponding 1000 genomes imputed germline genotypes. Data from
      pancreatic tumour-derived tissue samples (n=115) from The Cancer Genome Atlas
      were included for comparison. RESULTS: We identified 38 615 cis-eQTLs (in 484
      genes) in histologically normal tissues and 39 713 cis-eQTL (in 237 genes) in
      tumour-derived tissues (false discovery rate <0.1), with the strongest effects
      seen near transcriptional start sites. Approximately 23% and 42% of genes with
      significant cis-eQTLs appeared to be specific for tumour-derived and normal
      derived tissues, respectively. Significant enrichment of cis-eQTL variants was
      noted in non-coding regulatory regions, in particular for pancreatic tissues
      (1.53-fold to 3.12-fold, p<=0.0001), indicating tissue-specific functional
      relevance. A common pancreatic cancer risk locus on 9q34.2 (rs687289) was
      associated with ABO expression in histologically normal (p=5.8*10-8) and tumour
      derived (p=8.3*10-5) tissues. The high linkage disequilibrium between this
      variant and the O blood group generating deletion variant in ABO (exon 6)
      suggested that nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of the 'O' mRNA might explain this
      finding. However, knockdown of crucial NMD regulators did not influence decay of
      the ABO 'O' mRNA, indicating that a gene regulatory element influenced by
      pancreatic cancer risk alleles may underlie the eQTL. CONCLUSIONS: We have
      identified cis-eQTLs representing potential functional regulatory variants in the
      pancreas and generated a rich data set for further studies on gene expression and
      its regulation in pancreatic tissues.

PMID- 28634201
TI  - Phosphoproteomic Profiling Reveals ALK and MET as Novel Actionable Targets across
      Synovial Sarcoma Subtypes.
AB  - Despite intensive multimodal treatment of sarcomas, a heterogeneous group of
      malignant tumors arising from connective tissue, survival remains poor. Candidate
      based targeted treatments have demonstrated limited clinical success, urging an
      unbiased and comprehensive analysis of oncogenic signaling networks to reveal
      therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies. Here we applied mass
      spectrometry-based phosphoproteomic profiling to the largest and most
      heterogeneous set of sarcoma cell lines characterized to date and identified
      novel tyrosine phosphorylation patterns, enhanced tyrosine kinases in specific
      subtypes, and potential driver kinases. ALK was identified as a novel driver in
      the Aska-SS synovial sarcoma (SS) cell line via expression of an ALK variant with
      a large extracellular domain deletion (ALKDelta2-17). Functional ALK dependency
      was confirmed in vitro and in vivo with selective inhibitors. Importantly, ALK
      immunopositivity was detected in 6 of 43 (14%) of SS patient specimens, one of
      which exhibited an ALK rearrangement. High PDGFRalpha phosphorylation also
      characterized SS cell lines, which was accompanied by enhanced MET activation in
      Yamato-SS cells. Although Yamato-SS cells were sensitive to crizotinib (ALK/MET
      inhibitor) but not pazopanib (VEGFR/PDGFR-inhibitor) monotherapy in vitro,
      synergistic effects were observed upon drug combination. In vivo, both drugs were
      individually effective, with pazopanib efficacy likely attributable to reduced
      angiogenesis. MET or PDGFRalpha expression was detected in 58% and 84% of SS
      patients, respectively, with coexpression in 56%. Consequently, our integrated
      approach has led to the identification of ALK and MET as promising therapeutic
      targets in SS. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4279-92. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634205
TI  - Macrophages don't take more than they can eat.
AB  - Innate immune signaling feeds forward to control the rate at which macrophages
      phagocytose bacteria.

PMID- 28634202
TI  - Hemoglobin A1c Variability Predicts Symptoms of Depression in Elderly Individuals
      With Type 2 Diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the relationship of variability in
      hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) over years with subsequent depressive symptoms. RESEARCH
      DESIGN AND METHODS: Subjects (n = 837) were participants of the Israel Diabetes
      and Cognitive Decline (IDCD) study, which aimed to examine the relationship of
      characteristics of long-term type 2 diabetes with cognitive decline. All pertain
      to a diabetes registry established in 1998, which contains an average of 18 HbA1c
      measurements per subject. The results presented here are based on the IDCD
      baseline examination. Symptoms of depression were assessed using the 15-item
      version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). To quantify the association
      between variability in glycemic control (measured as the SD of HbA1c measurements
      [HbA1c-SD]) since 1998 with the number of depression symptoms at IDCD baseline,
      incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and corresponding 95% CIs were estimated via
      negative binomial regression modeling and used to account for the overdispersion
      in GDS scores. RESULTS: Subjects' ages averaged 72.74 years (SD 4.63 years), and
      the mean number of years in the diabetes registry was 8.7 (SD 2.64 years). The
      mean GDS score was 2.16 (SD 2.26); 10% of subjects had a GDS score >=6, the
      cutoff for clinically significant depression. Mean HbA1c significantly correlated
      with HbA1c-SD (r = 0.6625; P < 0.0001). The SD, but not the mean, of HbA1c
      measurements was significantly associated with the number of subsequent
      depressive symptoms. For each additional 1% increase in HbA1c-SD, the number of
      depressive symptoms increased by a factor of 1.31 (IRR = 1.31 [95% CI 1.03-1.67];
      P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Variability in glycemic control is associated with more
      depressive symptoms.

PMID- 28634207
TI  - Dazed and confused from infection.
AB  - TNF-alpha produced by circulating CX3CR1high monocytes causes the problems that
      infected individuals have with learning and remembering.

PMID- 28634208
TI  - Ligand- and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels differentially regulate the mode of
      vesicular neuropeptide release in mammalian sensory neurons.
AB  - Neuropeptides released from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons play essential
      roles in the neurotransmission of sensory inputs, including those underlying
      nociception and pathological pain. Neuropeptides are released from intracellular
      vesicles through two modes: a partial release mode called "kiss-and-run" (KAR)
      and a full release mode called "full fusion-like" (FFL). Using total internal
      reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, we traced the release of pH-sensitive
      green fluorescent protein-tagged neuropeptide Y (pHluorin-NPY) from individual
      dense-core vesicles in the soma and axon of single DRG neurons after Ca2+ influx
      through either voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) or ligand-gated transient
      receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channels. We found that Ca2+ influx
      through VGCCs stimulated FFL and a greater single release of neuropeptides. In
      contrast, Ca2+ influx through TRPV1 channels stimulated KAR and a pulsed but
      prolonged release of neuropeptides that was partially mediated by Dynamin 1,
      which limits fusion pore expansion. Suppressing the Ca2+ gradient to an extent
      similar to that seen after TRPV1 activation abolished the VGCC preference for
      FFL. The findings suggest that by generating a steeper Ca2+ gradient, VGCCs
      promote a more robust fusion pore opening that facilitates FFL. Thus, KAR and FFL
      release modes are differentially regulated by the two principal types of Ca2+
      permeable channels in DRG neurons.

PMID- 28634211
TI  - Grenfell Tower fire: why we cannot ignore the political determinants of health.

PMID- 28634209
TI  - Genetic evidence that beta-arrestins are dispensable for the initiation of beta2
      adrenergic receptor signaling to ERK.
AB  - The beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) has provided a paradigm to elucidate how
      G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) control intracellular signaling, including
      the discovery that beta-arrestins, which bind to ligand-activated GPCRs, are
      central for GPCR function. We used genome editing, conditional gene deletion, and
      small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to determine the roles of beta-arrestin 1 (beta
      arr1) and beta-arr2 in beta2AR internalization, trafficking, and signaling to
      ERK. We found that only beta-arr2 was essential for beta2AR internalization.
      Unexpectedly, beta-arr1 and beta-arr2 and receptor internalization were
      dispensable for ERK activation. Instead, beta2AR signaled through Galphas and
      Gbetagamma subunits through a pathway that involved the tyrosine kinase SRC, the
      adaptor protein SHC, the guanine nucleotide exchange factor SOS, the small GTPase
      RAS, and the kinases RAF and MEK, which led to ERK activation. These findings
      provide a molecular framework for beta2AR signaling through beta-arrestin
      independent pathways in key physiological functions and under pathological
      conditions.

PMID- 28634210
TI  - The glycosylation pathway is required for the secretion of Slit and for the
      maintenance of the Slit receptor Robo on axons.
AB  - Slit proteins act as repulsive axon guidance cues by activating receptors of the
      Roundabout (Robo) family. During early neurogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster,
      Slit prevents the growth cones of longitudinal tract neurons from inappropriately
      crossing the midline, thus restricting these cells to trajectories parallel to
      the midline. Slit is expressed in midline glial cells, and Robo is present in
      longitudinal axon tracts and growth cones. We showed that the enzyme Mummy (Mmy)
      controlled Slit-Robo signaling through mechanisms that affected both the ligand
      and the receptor. Mmy was required for the glycosylation of Slit, which was
      essential for Slit secretion. Mmy was also required for maintaining the abundance
      and spatial distribution of Robo through an indirect mechanism that was
      independent of Slit secretion. Moreover, secretion of Slit was required to
      maintain the fasciculation and position of longitudinal axon tracts, thus
      maintaining the hardwiring of the nervous system. Thus, Mmy is required for Slit
      secretion and for maintaining Robo abundance and distribution in the developing
      nervous system in Drosophila.

PMID- 28634214
TI  - Effects of microRNA-146a on the proliferation and apoptosis of human
      osteochondrocytes by targeting TRAF6 through the NF- kappaB signalling pathway.
AB  - MicroRNAs are important cellular mediators of mRNA degradation and translation
      repression, which in turn can have an impact on various processes and, if their
      function is perturbed, can cause disease. Here, we summarize the recent
      manuscript by Zhong et al. [(2017) Biosci. Rep. 37, BSR20160578], which explores
      microRNA-146a and how it may play an indirect yet vital role in the proliferation
      of osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes. The data presented by the authors could have
      important implications for future OA therapies.

PMID- 28634212
TI  - Prolonged darkness reduces liver fibrosis in a mouse model of primary sclerosing
      cholangitis by miR-200b down-regulation.
AB  - Melatonin therapy or prolonged exposure to complete darkness reduces biliary
      hyperplasia and liver fibrosis in bile-duct-ligated (BDL) rats; however, no
      information exists in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Thus, we aimed to
      determine the therapeutic effects of prolonged dark therapy or melatonin
      administration on hepatic fibrosis in the multidrug resistance gene 2-knockout
      (Mdr2-/-) mouse model of PSC. Melatonin levels, biliary mass, liver fibrosis,
      angiogenesis and miR-200b expression were evaluated in wild-type and Mdr2-/- mice
      exposed to darkness or melatonin treatment or in male patients with PSC and
      healthy controls. Mdr2-/- mice were also treated with miR-200b inhibitor or
      control before evaluating biliary mass, liver fibrosis, and angiogenesis. After
      overexpression of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT; the enzyme
      regulating melatonin synthesis) or inhibition of miR-200b in cholangiocytes and
      hepatic stellate cells in vitro, we evaluated angiogenesis and fibrosis gene
      expression. After exposure to darkness or administration of melatonin, Mdr2-/-
      mice show elevated serum melatonin levels and inhibition of biliary mass, along
      with reduction of liver fibrosis and angiogenesis. MicroRNA PCR analysis
      demonstrated that miR-200b expression increased in Mdr2-/- mice and patients with
      PSC compared with controls and decreased in Mdr2-/- mice subjected to dark
      exposure or melatonin treatment. Inhibition of miR-200b in Mdr2-/- ablates
      biliary proliferation, liver fibrosis, and angiogenesis. In vitro, overexpression
      of AANAT or inhibition of miR-200b in cholangiocytes and hepatic stellate cells
      decreased the expression of miR-200b, angiogenesis, and fibrosis genes. Dark
      therapy or targeting melatonin/miR-200b axis may be important in the management
      of biliary damage and liver fibrosis in cholangiopathies including PSC.-Wu, N.,
      Meng, F., Zhou, T., Han, Y., Kennedy, L., Venter, J., Francis, H., DeMorrow, S.,
      Onori, P., Invernizzi, P., Bernuzzi, F., Mancinelli, R., Gaudio, E., Franchitto,
      A., Glaser, S., Alpini G. Prolonged darkness reduces liver fibrosis in a mouse
      model of primary sclerosing cholangitis by miR-200b down-regulation.

PMID- 28634213
TI  - Omega-3 fatty acids increase the unfolded protein response and improve amyloid
      beta phagocytosis by macrophages of patients with mild cognitive impairment.
AB  - Macrophages (Mphis) of patients with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive
      impairment (MCI) are defective in amyloid-beta1-42 (Abeta) phagocytosis and have
      low resistance to apoptosis by Abeta. Omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s) in vitro and
      in vivo and the omega-3 mediator, resolvin D1, in vitro increase Abeta
      phagocytosis by Mphis of patients with MCI. We have investigated the unfolded
      protein response (UPR) to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress by Mphis in a
      longitudinal study of fish-derived, omega-3-supplemented patients with MCI.
      Patients in the apolipoprotein E (ApoE)e3/e3 subgroup over time exhibited an
      increase of protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase (PERK) expression, Abeta
      phagocytosis, intermediate M1-M2 Mphi type, and a Mini-Mental State Examination
      (MMSE) rate of change of +1.8 points per year, whereas patients in the ApoEe3/e4
      subgroup showed individually divergent results with an MMSE rate of change of 
      3.2 points per year. In vitro treatment of Mphis by fish-derived omega-3 emulsion
      increased Abeta phagocytosis, PERK expression, and UPR RNA signature, and
      decreased ER stress signature. Augmented genes in the UPR signature included
      chaperones, lectins, foldases, and N-linked glycosylation enzymes. In summary,
      fish-derived omega-3s increase cytoprotective genes and decrease proapoptotic
      genes, improve immune clearance of Abeta, and are associated with an improved
      MMSE rate of change in ApoEe3/e3 vs. ApoEe3/e4 patients.-Olivera-Perez, H. M.,
      Lam, L., Dang, J., Jiang, W., Rodriguez, F., Rigali, E., Weitzman, S., Porter,
      V., Rubbi, L., Morselli, M., Pellegrini, M., Fiala, M. Omega-3 fatty acids
      increase the unfolded protein response and improve amyloid-beta phagocytosis by
      macrophages of patients with mild cognitive impairment.

PMID- 28634215
TI  - Vaccination with High-Affinity Epitopes Impairs Antitumor Efficacy by Increasing
      PD-1 Expression on CD8+ T Cells.
AB  - Antitumor vaccines encoding self-antigens generally have low immunogenicity in
      clinical trials. Several approaches are aimed at improving vaccine
      immunogenicity, including efforts to alter encoded epitopes. Immunization with
      epitopes altered for increased affinity for the major histocompatibility complex
      (MHC) or T-cell receptor (TCR) elicits greater numbers of CD8 T cells but
      inferior antitumor responses. Our previous results suggested that programmed
      death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) increased on antigen-specific CD8 T cells
      and tumor cells, respectively, after high-affinity vaccination. In this report,
      we use two murine models to investigate whether the dose, MHC affinity, or TCR
      affinity of an epitope affected the antitumor response via the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. T
      cells activated with high-affinity epitopes resulted in prolonged APC:T-cell
      contact time that led to elevated, persistent PD-1 expression, and expression of
      other checkpoint molecules, in vitro and in vivo Immunization with high-affinity
      epitopes also decreased antitumor efficacy in the absence of PD-1 blockade. Thus,
      APC:T-cell contact time can be altered by epitope affinity and lead to
      therapeutically relevant changes in vaccine efficacy mediated by changes in PD-1
      expression. These findings have implications for the use of agents targeting PD-1
      expression or function whenever high-affinity CD8 T cells are elicited or
      supplied by means of vaccination or adoptive transfer. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8);
      630-41. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634216
TI  - Respecting patient choices: using the 'Go Wish' cards as a teaching tool.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals have different values and priorities that can have an
      important impact on their medical management. Understanding this concept can help
      physicians provide medical care that is in line with the goals of their patients.
      Communicating this message effectively to students is challenging. OBJECTIVE: To
      report our experience with using Go Wish cards in the medical education setting.
      DESIGN: A thematic analysis of student reflection papers using grounded theory.
      SETTING/SUBJECTS: Second-year medical students participated in an activity using
      the Go Wish cards as part of a course module on palliative care. The activity
      aimed to encourage students to reflect on their own choices at the end of life
      and to highlight that different people have different priorities. RESULTS: Forty
      two students (42%) mentioned the Go Wish activity in their reflections on the
      module. They reported that the activity demonstrated the different priorities at
      the end of life, it illustrated the importance of providing personalised care, it
      promoted self-discovery, it transformed their view of death and dying, and it
      increased their appreciation of the importance of palliative care. CONCLUSION: Go
      Wish cards can be used to help illustrate the variability in priorities of
      patients. They can be used as an effective to teach medical students about the
      importance of considering patient preferences when illness progresses.

PMID- 28634218
TI  - High-Quality Statin Trials Support the 2013 American College of
      Cardiology/American Heart Association Cholesterol Guidelines After the HOPE-3
      Trial (Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation-3): MESA (The Multiethnic Study of
      Atherosclerosis).

PMID- 28634219
TI  - Early Use of N-acetylcysteine With Nitrate Therapy in Patients Undergoing Primary
      Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
      Reduces Myocardial Infarct Size (the NACIAM Trial [N-acetylcysteine in Acute
      Myocardial Infarction]).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Contemporary ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction management
      involves primary percutaneous coronary intervention, with ongoing studies
      focusing on infarct size reduction using ancillary therapies. N-acetylcysteine
      (NAC) is an antioxidant with reactive oxygen species scavenging properties that
      also potentiates the effects of nitroglycerin and thus represents a potentially
      beneficial ancillary therapy in primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The
      NACIAM trial (N-acetylcysteine in Acute Myocardial Infarction) examined the
      effects of NAC on infarct size in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial
      infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: This
      randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study evaluated the
      effects of intravenous high-dose NAC (29 g over 2 days) with background low-dose
      nitroglycerin (7.2 mg over 2 days) on early cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
      assessed infarct size. Secondary end points included cardiac magnetic resonance
      determined myocardial salvage and creatine kinase kinetics. RESULTS: Of 112
      randomized patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, 75 (37 in
      NAC group, 38 in placebo group) underwent early cardiac magnetic resonance
      imaging. Median duration of ischemia pretreatment was 2.4 hours. With background
      nitroglycerin infusion administered to all patients, those randomized to NAC
      exhibited an absolute 5.5% reduction in cardiac magnetic resonance-assessed
      infarct size relative to placebo (median, 11.0%; [interquartile range 4.1, 16.3]
      versus 16.5%; [interquartile range 10.7, 24.2]; P=0.02). Myocardial salvage was
      approximately doubled in the NAC group (60%; interquartile range, 37-79) compared
      with placebo (27%; interquartile range, 14-42; P<0.01) and median creatine kinase
      areas under the curve were 22 000 and 38 000 IU.h in the NAC and placebo groups,
      respectively (P=0.08). CONCLUSIONS: High-dose intravenous NAC administered with
      low-dose intravenous nitroglycerin is associated with reduced infarct size in
      patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous
      coronary intervention. A larger study is required to assess the impact of this
      therapy on clinical cardiac outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New
      Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. URL: http://www.anzctr.org.au/. Unique
      identifier: 12610000280000.

PMID- 28634221
TI  - Public's distrust of medicines needs urgent action, says academy.

PMID- 28634222
TI  - The Role of Procalcitonin in Diagnosis of Sepsis and Antibiotic Stewardship:
      Opportunities and Challenges.

PMID- 28634220
TI  - Tidal changes on CT and progression of ARDS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Uncertain prediction of outcome in acute respiratory distress
      syndrome (ARDS) impedes individual patient management and clinical trial design.
      OBJECTIVES: To develop a radiological metric of injurious inflation derived from
      matched inspiratory and expiratory CT scans, calibrate it in a model of
      experimental lung injury, and test it in patients with ARDS. METHODS: 73
      anaesthetised rats (acid aspiration model) were ventilated (protective or non
      protective) for up to 4 hours to generate a spectrum of lung injury. CT was
      performed (inspiratory and expiratory) at baseline each hour, paired inspiratory
      and expiratory images were superimposed and voxels tracked in sequential scans.
      In nine patients with ARDS, paired inspiratory and expiratory CT scans from the
      first intensive care unit week were analysed. RESULTS: In experimental studies,
      regions of lung with unstable inflation (ie, partial or reversible airspace
      filling reflecting local strain) were the areas in which subsequent progression
      of injury was greatest in terms of progressive infiltrates (R=0.77) and impaired
      compliance (R=0.67, p<0.01). In patients with ARDS, a threshold fraction of
      tissue with unstable inflation was apparent: >28% in all patients who died and
      <=28% in all who survived, whereas segregation of survivors versus non-survivors
      was not possible based on oxygenation or lung mechanics. CONCLUSIONS: A single
      set of superimposed inspiratory-expiratory CT scans may predict progression of
      lung injury and outcome in ARDS; if these preliminary results are validated, this
      could facilitate clinical trial recruitment and individualised care.

PMID- 28634217
TI  - Incident Cardiovascular Disease Among Adults With Blood Pressure <140/90 mm Hg.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Data from before the 2000s indicate that the majority of incident
      cardiovascular disease (CVD) events occur among US adults with systolic and
      diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) >=140/90 mm Hg. Over the past several decades,
      BP has declined and hypertension control has improved. METHODS: We estimated the
      percentage of incident CVD events that occur at SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg in a pooled
      analysis of 3 contemporary US cohorts: the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic
      and Racial Differences in Stroke), the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of
      Atherosclerosis), and the JHS (Jackson Heart Study) (n=31 856; REGARDS=21 208;
      MESA=6779; JHS=3869). Baseline study visits were conducted in 2003 to 2007 for
      REGARDS, 2000 to 2002 for MESA, and 2000 to 2004 for JHS. BP was measured by
      trained staff using standardized methods. Antihypertensive medication use was
      self-reported. The primary outcome was incident CVD, defined by the first
      occurrence of fatal or nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal
      coronary heart disease, or heart failure. Events were adjudicated in each study.
      RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, 2584 participants had incident CVD
      events. Overall, 63.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 54.9-71.1) of events
      occurred in participants with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg; 58.4% (95% CI, 47.7-69.2)
      and 68.1% (95% CI, 60.1-76.0) among those taking and not taking antihypertensive
      medication, respectively. The majority of events occurred in participants with
      SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg among those <65 years of age (66.7%; 95% CI, 60.5-73.0) and
      >=65 years of age (60.3%; 95% CI, 51.0-69.5), women (61.4%; 95% CI, 49.9-72.9)
      and men (63.8%; 95% CI, 58.4-69.1), and for whites (68.7%; 95% CI, 66.1-71.3),
      blacks (59.0%; 95% CI, 49.5-68.6), Hispanics (52.7%; 95% CI, 45.1-60.4), and
      Chinese-Americans (58.5%; 95% CI, 45.2-71.8). Among participants taking
      antihypertensive medication with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg, 76.6% (95% CI, 75.8-77.5)
      were eligible for statin treatment, but only 33.2% (95% CI, 32.1-34.3) were
      taking one, and 19.5% (95% CI, 18.5-20.5) met the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure
      Intervention Trial) eligibility criteria and may benefit from a SBP target goal
      of 120 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: Although higher BP levels are associated with
      increased CVD risk, in the modern era, the majority of incident CVD events occur
      in US adults with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg. While absolute risk and cost
      effectiveness should be considered, additional CVD risk-reduction measures for
      adults with SBP/DBP <140/90 mm Hg at high risk for CVD may be warranted.

PMID- 28634223
TI  - Refining Measurement of Hemoglobin A1c.

PMID- 28634224
TI  - IGH/MYC Translocation Associates with BRCA2 Deficiency and Synthetic Lethality to
      PARP1 Inhibitors.
AB  - Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia cells carry t(8;14)(q24;q32) chromosomal translocation
      encoding IGH/MYC, which results in the constitutive expression of the MYC
      oncogene. Here, it is demonstrated that untreated and cytarabine (AraC)-treated
      IGH/MYC-positive Burkitt lymphoma cells accumulate a high number of potentially
      lethal DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and display low levels of the BRCA2 tumor
      suppressor protein, which is a key element of homologous recombination (HR)
      mediated DSB repair. BRCA2 deficiency in IGH/MYC-positive cells was associated
      with diminished HR activity and hypersensitivity to PARP1 inhibitors (olaparib,
      talazoparib) used alone or in combination with cytarabine in vitro Moreover,
      talazoparib exerted a therapeutic effect in NGS mice bearing primary Burkitt
      lymphoma xenografts. In conclusion, IGH/MYC-positive Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia
      cells have decreased BRCA2 and are sensitive to PARP1 inhibition alone or in
      combination with other chemotherapies.Implications: This study postulates that
      IGH/MYC-induced BRCA2 deficiency may predispose Burkitt lymphoma cells to
      synthetic lethality triggered by PARP1 inhibitors.Visual Overview:
      http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/molcanres/15/8/967/F1.large.jpgMol Cancer
      Res; 15(8); 967-72. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634225
TI  - Homeobox Transcription Factor NKX2-1 Promotes Cyclin D1 Transcription in Lung
      Adenocarcinomas.
AB  - The known oncogene cyclin D1 (CCND1) participates in progression of the cell
      cycle from G1 to S-phase. Expression of cyclin D1 is frequently promoted in
      multiple human cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, a
      relationship between cyclin D1 expression and the prognosis of NSCLC has not been
      confirmed. NKX2-1 is a homeobox transcription factor involved in pulmonary
      development as a differentiation-promoting factor. In NSCLC, it acts as a
      metastasis suppressor and correlates with a good prognosis. Here, NKX2-1-binding
      motifs were identified in the cyclin D1 promoter, but it has not been clarified
      whether NKX2-1 is involved in cyclin D1 expression in NSCLC. To shed light on
      this issue, endogenous NKX2-1 was depleted in NSCLC cell lines, which resulted in
      decreased cyclin D1 mRNA and protein. In contrast, forced overexpression of NKX2
      1 increased cyclin D1 levels. Moreover, NKX2-1 directly bound to the cyclin D1
      promoter and enhanced its activity. Finally, using human NSCLC clinical
      specimens, it was determined that both NKX2-1 protein and mRNA were significantly
      correlated with cyclin D1 expression status in adenocarcinomas. These results
      indicate that NKX2-1 directly and positively regulates transcription of cyclin D1
      Finally, expression of NKX2-1, but not cyclin D1, was significantly associated
      with metastatic incidence as an independent good prognostic factor of
      adenocarcinoma.Implications: NKX2-1-expressing adenocarcinomas, whereas NKX2-1
      promoted cyclin D1 expression, may show good prognosis features by the metastasis
      inhibition potency of NKX2-1 regardless cyclin D1 expression. Mol Cancer Res;
      15(10); 1388-97. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634227
TI  - Evidence based medicine manifesto for better healthcare.

PMID- 28634226
TI  - Phostine PST3.1a Targets MGAT5 and Inhibits Glioblastoma-Initiating Cell
      Invasiveness and Proliferation.
AB  - Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor
      and accounts for a significant proportion of all primary brain tumors. Median
      survival after treatment is around 15 months. Remodeling of N-glycans by the N
      acetylglucosamine glycosyltransferase (MGAT5) regulates tumoral development.
      Here, perturbation of MGAT5 enzymatic activity by the small-molecule inhibitor 3
      hydroxy-4,5-bis-benzyloxy-6-benzyloxymethyl-2-phenyl2-oxo-2lambda5
      [1,2]oxaphosphinane (PST3.1a) restrains GBM growth. In cell-based assays, it is
      demonstrated that PST3.1a alters the beta1,6-GlcNAc N-glycans of GBM-initiating
      cells (GIC) by inhibiting MGAT5 enzymatic activity, resulting in the inhibition
      of TGFbetaR and FAK signaling associated with doublecortin (DCX) upregulation and
      increase oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 (OLIG2) expression.
      PST3.1a thus affects microtubule and microfilament integrity of GBM stem cells,
      leading to the inhibition of GIC proliferation, migration, invasiveness, and
      clonogenic capacities. Orthotopic graft models of GIC revealed that PST3.1a
      treatment leads to a drastic reduction of invasive and proliferative capacity and
      to an increase in overall survival relative to standard temozolomide therapy.
      Finally, bioinformatics analyses exposed that PST3.1a cytotoxic activity is
      positively correlated with the expression of genes of the epithelial-mesenchymal
      transition (EMT), while the expression of mitochondrial genes correlated
      negatively with cell sensitivity to the compound. These data demonstrate the
      relevance of targeting MGAT5, with a novel anti-invasive chemotherapy, to limit
      glioblastoma stem cell invasion. Mol Cancer Res; 15(10); 1376-87. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634228
TI  - Spatial Mapping and Profiling of Metabolite Distributions during Germination.
AB  - Germination is a highly complex process by which seeds begin to develop and
      establish themselves as viable organisms. In this study, we utilize a combination
      of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-fluorescence, and
      mass spectrometry imaging approaches to profile and visualize the metabolic
      distributions of germinating seeds from two different inbreds of maize (Zea mays)
      seeds, B73 and Mo17. Gas chromatography and liquid chromatography analyses
      demonstrate that the two inbreds are highly differentiated in their metabolite
      profiles throughout the course of germination, especially with regard to amino
      acids, sugar alcohols, and small organic acids. Crude dissection of the seed
      followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of polar metabolites
      also revealed that many compounds were highly sequestered among the various seed
      tissue types. To further localize compounds, matrix-assisted laser
      desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging was utilized to visualize
      compounds in fine detail in their native environments over the course of
      germination. Most notably, the fatty acyl chain-dependent differential
      localization of phospholipids and triacylglycerols was observed within the embryo
      and radicle, showing correlation with the heterogeneous distribution of fatty
      acids. Other interesting observations include unusual localization of ceramides
      on the endosperm/scutellum boundary and subcellular localization of ferulate in
      the aleurone.

PMID- 28634229
TI  - Akt activation by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) in
      ovarian cancer cells.
AB  - Hyperactivation of Akt is associated with oncogenic changes in the growth,
      survival, and chemoresistance of cancer cells. The PI3K/phosphoinositide
      dependent kinase (PDK) 1 pathway represents the canonical mechanism for
      phosphorylation of Akt at its primary activation site, Thr-308. We observed that
      Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (beta) (CaMKK2) is highly
      expressed in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, and we investigated its role in
      Akt activation in ovarian cancer (OVCa) cell lines (OVCAR-3, SKOV-3, and Caov-3).
      Knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of CaMKK2 produced phenotypes expected of
      Akt inhibition, including reductions in cell growth and cell viability and in the
      regulation of Akt downstream targets involved in G1/S transition and apoptosis.
      CaMKK2 knockdown or inhibition decreased Akt phosphorylation at Thr-308 and Ser
      473 to extents similar to those of PDK1 knockdown or PI3K inhibition. Combined
      CaMKK2 and PDK1 knockdown or CaMKK and PI3K inhibition, respectively, produced
      additive effects on p-Akt and cell growth, consistent with direct Akt
      phosphorylation by CaMKK2. This conclusion was supported by the absence of
      effects of CaMKK2 knockdown/inhibition on alternative means of activating Akt via
      p-Akt Thr-450, p-PDK1 Ser-241, or p-IRS1 Ser-636/639. Recombinant CaMKK2 directly
      activated recombinant Akt by phosphorylation at Thr-308 in a Ca2+/CaM-dependent
      manner. In OVCa cells, p-Akt Thr-308 was significantly inhibited by intracellular
      Ca2+i chelation or CaM inhibition. Ionomycin-induced Ca2+ influx promoted p-Akt,
      an effect blocked by PDK1, and/or CaMKK2, siRNAs, and by PI3K and/or CaMKK
      inhibitors. CaMKK2 knockdown potentiated the effects of the chemotherapeutic
      drugs carboplatin and PX-866 to reduce proliferation and survival of OVCa cells.

PMID- 28634230
TI  - Similarity in gene-regulatory networks suggests that cancer cells share
      characteristics of embryonic neural cells.
AB  - Cancer cells are immature cells resulting from cellular reprogramming by gene
      misregulation, and redifferentiation is expected to reduce malignancy. It is
      unclear, however, whether cancer cells can undergo terminal differentiation.
      Here, we show that inhibition of the epigenetic modification enzyme enhancer of
      zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), histone deacetylases 1 and 3 (HDAC1 and -3), lysine
      demethylase 1A (LSD1), or DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), which all promote
      cancer development and progression, leads to postmitotic neuron-like
      differentiation with loss of malignant features in distinct solid cancer cell
      lines. The regulatory effect of these enzymes in neuronal differentiation resided
      in their intrinsic activity in embryonic neural precursor/progenitor cells. We
      further found that a major part of pan-cancer-promoting genes and the signal
      transducers of the pan-cancer-promoting signaling pathways, including the
      epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mesenchymal marker genes, display
      neural specific expression during embryonic neurulation. In contrast, many tumor
      suppressor genes, including the EMT epithelial marker gene that encodes cadherin
      1 (CDH1), exhibited non-neural or no expression. This correlation indicated that
      cancer cells and embryonic neural cells share a regulatory network, mediating
      both tumorigenesis and neural development. This observed similarity in regulatory
      mechanisms suggests that cancer cells might share characteristics of embryonic
      neural cells.

PMID- 28634231
TI  - Hyperactivity of the Arabidopsis cryptochrome (cry1) L407F mutant is caused by a
      structural alteration close to the cry1 ATP-binding site.
AB  - Plant cryptochromes (cry) act as UV-A/blue light receptors. The prototype,
      Arabidopsis thaliana cry1, regulates several light responses during the life
      cycle, including de-etiolation, and is also involved in regulating flowering
      time. The cry1 photocycle is initiated by light absorption by its FAD
      chromophore, which is most likely fully oxidized (FADox) in the dark state and
      photoreduced to the neutral flavin semiquinone (FADH degrees ) in its lit state.
      Cryptochromes lack the DNA-repair activity of the closely related DNA
      photolyases, but they retain the ability to bind nucleotides such as ATP. The
      previously characterized L407F mutant allele of Arabidopsis cry1 is biologically
      hyperactive and seems to mimic the ATP-bound state of cry1, but the reason for
      this phenotypic change is unclear. Here, we show that cry1L407F can still bind
      ATP, has less pronounced photoreduction and formation of FADH degrees  than wild
      type cry1, and has a dark reversion rate 1.7 times lower than that of the wild
      type. The hyperactivity of cry1L407F is not related to a higher FADH degrees 
      occupancy of the photoreceptor but is caused by a structural alteration close to
      the ATP-binding site. Moreover, we show that ATP binds to cry1 in both the dark
      and the lit states. This binding was not affected by cry1's C-terminal extension,
      which is important for signal transduction. Finally, we show that a recently
      discovered chemical inhibitor of cry1, 3-bromo-7-nitroindazole, competes for ATP
      binding and thereby diminishes FADH degrees  formation, which demonstrates that
      both processes are important for cry1 function.

PMID- 28634232
TI  - The phosphocarrier protein HPr of the bacterial phosphotransferase system
      globally regulates energy metabolism by directly interacting with multiple
      enzymes in Escherichia coli.
AB  - The histidine-phosphorylatable phosphocarrier protein (HPr) is an essential
      component of the sugar-transporting phosphotransferase system (PTS) in many
      bacteria. Recent interactome findings suggested that HPr interacts with several
      carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes, but whether HPr plays a regulatory role was
      unclear. Here, we provide evidence that HPr interacts with a large number of
      proteins in Escherichia coli We demonstrate HPr-dependent allosteric regulation
      of the activities of pyruvate kinase (PykF, but not PykA), phosphofructokinase
      (PfkB, but not PfkA), glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase (NagB), and adenylate
      kinase (Adk). HPr is either phosphorylated on a histidyl residue (HPr-P) or non
      phosphorylated (HPr). PykF is activated only by non-phosphorylated HPr, which
      decreases the PykF Khalf for phosphoenolpyruvate by 10-fold (from 3.5 to 0.36
      mm), thus influencing glycolysis. PfkB activation by HPr, but not by HPr-P,
      resulted from a decrease in the Khalf for fructose-6-P, which likely influences
      both gluconeogenesis and glycolysis. Moreover, NagB activation by HPr was
      important for the utilization of amino sugars, and allosteric inhibition of Adk
      activity by HPr-P, but not by HPr, allows HPr to regulate the cellular energy
      charge coordinately with glycolysis. These observations suggest that HPr serves
      as a directly interacting global regulator of carbon and energy metabolism and
      probably of other physiological processes in enteric bacteria.

PMID- 28634233
TI  - Structural analyses of human thymidylate synthase reveal a site that may control
      conformational switching between active and inactive states.
AB  - Thymidylate synthase (TS) is the sole enzyme responsible for de novo biosynthesis
      of thymidylate (TMP) and is essential for cell proliferation and survival.
      Inhibition of human TS (hTS) has been extensively investigated for cancer
      chemotherapy, but several aspects of its activity and regulation are still
      uncertain. In this study, we performed comprehensive structural and biophysical
      studies of hTS using crystallography and thermal shift assay and provided the
      first detailed structural information on the conformational changes induced by
      ligand binding to the hTS active site. We found that upon binding of the
      antifolate agents raltitrexed and nolatrexed, the two insert regions in hTS, the
      functions of which are unclear, undergo positional shifts toward the catalytic
      center. We investigated the inactive conformation of hTS and found that the two
      insert regions are also involved in the conformational transition between the
      active and inactive state of hTS. Moreover, we identified a ligand-binding site
      in the dimer interface, suggesting that the cavity in the dimer interface could
      serve as an allosteric site of hTS to regulate the conformational switching
      between the active and inactive states. On the basis of these findings, we
      propose a regulatory mechanism of hTS activity that involves allosteric
      regulation of interactions of hTS with its own mRNA depending on cellular demands
      for TMP.

PMID- 28634234
TI  - The thioreduction component CcmG confers efficiency and the heme ligation
      component CcmH ensures stereo-specificity during cytochrome c maturation.
AB  - In many Gram-negative bacteria, including Rhodobacter capsulatus, cytochrome c
      maturation (Ccm) is carried out by a membrane-integral machinery composed of nine
      proteins (CcmA to I). During this process, the periplasmic thiol-disulfide
      oxidoreductase DsbA is thought to catalyze the formation of a disulfide bond
      between the Cys residues at the apocytochrome c heme-binding site (CXXCH).
      Subsequently, a Ccm-specific thioreductive pathway involving CcmG and CcmH
      reduces this disulfide bond to allow covalent heme ligation. Currently, the
      sequence of thioredox reactions occurring between these components and
      apocytochrome c and the identity of their active Cys residues are unknown. In
      this work, we first investigated protein-protein interactions among the
      apocytochrome c, CcmG, and the heme-ligation components CcmF, CcmH, and CcmI. We
      found that they all interact with each other, forming a CcmFGHI-apocytochrome c
      complex. Using purified wild-type CcmG, CcmH, and apocytochrome c, as well as
      their respective Cys mutant variants, we determined the rates of thiol-disulfide
      exchange reactions between selected pairs of Cys residues from these proteins. We
      established that CcmG can efficiently reduce the disulfide bond of apocytochrome
      c and also resolve a mixed disulfide bond formed between apocytochrome c and
      CcmH. We further show that Cys-45 of CcmH and Cys-34 of apocytochrome c are most
      likely to form this mixed disulfide bond, which is consistent with the stereo
      specificity of the heme-apocytochrome c ligation reaction. We conclude that CcmG
      confers efficiency, and CcmH ensures stereo-specificity during Ccm and present a
      comprehensive model for thioreduction reactions that lead to heme-apocytochrome c
      ligation.

PMID- 28634235
TI  - Mechanistic elucidation of the mycofactocin-biosynthetic radical S
      adenosylmethionine protein, MftC.
AB  - Ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) pathways
      produce a diverse array of natural products. A subset of these pathways depends
      on radical S-adenosylmethionine proteins to modify the RiPP-produced peptide.
      Mycofactocin biosynthesis is one example of an S-adenosylmethionine protein
      dependent RiPP pathway. Recently, it has been shown that MftC catalyzes the
      oxidative decarboxylation of the C-terminal tyrosine (Tyr-30) on the mycofactocin
      precursor peptide MftA; however, this product has not been verified by techniques
      other than MS. Herein, we provide a more detailed study of MftC catalysis and
      report a revised mechanism for MftC chemistry. We show that MftC catalyzes the
      formation of two isomeric products. Using a combination of MS, isotope labeling,
      and 1H and 13C NMR techniques, we established that the major product, MftA*, is a
      tyramine-valine-cross-linked peptide formed by MftC through two S
      adenosylmethionine-dependent turnovers. In addition, we show that the hydroxyl
      group on MftA Tyr-30 is required for MftC catalysis. Furthermore, we show that a
      substitution in the penultimate MftA Val-29 position causes the accumulation of
      an MftA** minor product. The 1H NMR spectrum indicates that this minor product
      contains an alphabeta-unsaturated bond that likely arises from an aborted
      intermediate of MftA* synthesis. The finding that MftA* is the major product
      formed during MftC catalysis could have implications for the further elucidation
      of mycofactocin biosynthesis.

PMID- 28634236
TI  - Alternative Evolutionary Pathways for Drug-Resistant Small Colony Variant Mutants
      in Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus is known to generate small colony variants (SCVs) that are
      resistant to aminoglycoside antibiotics and can cause persistent and recurrent
      infections. The SCV phenotype is unstable, and compensatory mutations lead to
      restored growth, usually with loss of resistance. However, the evolution of
      improved growth, by mechanisms that avoid loss of antibiotic resistance, is very
      poorly understood. By selection with serial passaging, we isolated and
      characterized different classes of extragenic suppressor mutations that
      compensate for the slow growth of small colony variants. Compensation occurs by
      two distinct bypass mechanisms: (i) translational suppression of the initial SCV
      mutation by mutant tRNAs, ribosomal protein S5, or release factor 2 and (ii)
      mutations that cause the constitutive activation of the SrrAB global
      transcriptional regulation system. Although compensation by translational
      suppression increases growth rate, it also reduces antibiotic susceptibility,
      thus restoring a pseudo-wild-type phenotype. In contrast, an evolutionary pathway
      that compensates for the SCV phenotype by activation of SrrAB increases growth
      rate without loss of antibiotic resistance. RNA sequence analysis revealed that
      mutations activating the SrrAB pathway cause upregulation of genes involved in
      peptide transport and in the fermentation pathways of pyruvate to generate ATP
      and NAD+, thus explaining the increased growth. By increasing the growth rate of
      SCVs without the loss of aminoglycoside resistance, compensatory evolution via
      the SrrAB activation pathway represents a threat to effective antibiotic therapy
      of staphylococcal infections.IMPORTANCE Small colony variants (SCVs) of
      Staphylococcus aureus are a significant clinical problem, causing persistent and
      antibiotic-resistant infections. However, SCVs are unstable and can rapidly
      evolve growth-compensated mutants. Previous data suggested that growth
      compensation only occurred with the loss of antibiotic resistance. We have used
      selection with serial passaging to uncover four distinct pathways of growth
      compensation accessible to SCVs. Three of these paths (reversion, intragenic
      suppression, and translational suppression) increase growth at the expense of
      losing antibiotic resistance. The fourth path activates an alternative
      transcriptional program and allows the bacteria to produce the extra ATP required
      to support faster growth, without losing antibiotic resistance. The importance of
      this work is that it shows that drug-resistant SCVs can evolve faster growth
      without losing antibiotic resistance.

PMID- 28634237
TI  - The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PSL Polysaccharide Is a Social but Noncheatable Trait
      in Biofilms.
AB  - Extracellular polysaccharides are compounds secreted by microorganisms into the
      surrounding environment, and they are important for surface attachment and
      maintaining structural integrity within biofilms. The social nature of many
      extracellular polysaccharides remains unclear, and it has been suggested that
      they could function as either cooperative public goods or as traits that provide
      a competitive advantage. Here, we empirically tested the cooperative nature of
      the PSL polysaccharide, which is crucial for the formation of biofilms in
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa We show that (i) PSL is not metabolically costly to
      produce; (ii) PSL provides population-level benefits in biofilms, for both growth
      and antibiotic tolerance; (iii) the benefits of PSL production are social and are
      shared with other cells; (iv) the benefits of PSL production appear to be
      preferentially directed toward cells which produce PSL; (v) cells which do not
      produce PSL are unable to successfully exploit cells which produce PSL. Taken
      together, this suggests that PSL is a social but relatively nonexploitable trait
      and that growth within biofilms selects for PSL-producing strains, even when
      multiple strains are on a patch (low relatedness at the patch level).IMPORTANCE
      Many studies have shown that bacterial traits, such as siderophores and quorum
      sensing, are social in nature. This has led to an impression that secreted traits
      act as public goods, which are costly to produce but benefit both the producing
      cell and its surrounding neighbors. Theories and subsequent experiments have
      shown that such traits are exploitable by asocial cheats, but we show here that
      this does not always hold true. We demonstrate that the Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      exopolysaccharide PSL provides social benefits to populations but that it is
      nonexploitable, because most of the fitness benefits accrue to PSL-producing
      cells. Our work builds on an increasing body of work showing that secreted traits
      can have both private and public benefits to cells.

PMID- 28634238
TI  - Electron Transport Chain Is Biochemically Linked to Pilus Assembly Required for
      Polymicrobial Interactions and Biofilm Formation in the Gram-Positive
      Actinobacterium Actinomyces oris.
AB  - The Gram-positive actinobacteria Actinomyces spp. are key colonizers in the
      development of oral biofilms due to the inherent ability of Actinomyces to adhere
      to receptor polysaccharides on the surface of oral streptococci and host cells.
      This receptor-dependent bacterial interaction, or coaggregation, requires a
      unique sortase-catalyzed pilus consisting of the pilus shaft FimA and the
      coaggregation factor CafA forming the pilus tip. While the essential role of the
      sortase machine SrtC2 in pilus assembly, biofilm formation, and coaggregation has
      been established, little is known about trans-acting factors contributing to
      these processes. We report here a large-scale Tn5 transposon screen for mutants
      defective in Actinomyces oris coaggregation with Streptococcus oralis We obtained
      33 independent clones, 13 of which completely failed to aggregate with S. oralis,
      and the remainder of which exhibited a range of phenotypes from severely to
      weakly defective coaggregation. The former had Tn5 insertions in fimA, cafA, or
      srtC2, as expected; the latter were mapped to genes coding for uncharacterized
      proteins and various nuo genes encoding the NADH dehydrogenase subunits. Electron
      microscopy and biochemical analyses of mutants with nonpolar deletions of nuo
      genes and ubiE, a menaquinone C-methyltransferase-encoding gene downstream of the
      nuo locus, confirmed the pilus and coaggregation defects. Both nuoA and ubiE
      mutants were defective in oxidation of MdbA, the major oxidoreductase required
      for oxidative folding of pilus proteins. Furthermore, supplementation of the ubiE
      mutant with exogenous menaquinone-4 rescued the cell growth and pilus defects.
      Altogether, we propose that the A. oris electron transport chain is biochemically
      linked to pilus assembly via oxidative protein folding.IMPORTANCE The Gram
      positive actinobacterium A. oris expresses adhesive pili, or fimbriae, that are
      essential to biofilm formation and Actinomyces interactions with other bacteria,
      termed coaggregation. While the critical role of the conserved sortase machine in
      pilus assembly and the disulfide bond-forming catalyst MdbA in oxidative folding
      of pilins has been established, little is known about other trans-acting factors
      involved in these processes. Using a Tn5 transposon screen for mutants defective
      in coaggregation with Streptococcus oralis, we found that genetic disruption of
      the NADH dehydrogenase and menaquinone biosynthesis detrimentally alters pilus
      assembly. Further biochemical characterizations determined that menaquinone is
      important for reactivation of MdbA. This study supports the notion that the
      electron transport chain is biochemically linked to pilus assembly in A. oris via
      oxidative folding of pilin precursors.

PMID- 28634239
TI  - The Dual Activity Responsible for the Elongation and Branching of beta-(1,3)
      Glucan in the Fungal Cell Wall.
AB  - beta-(1,3)-Glucan, the major fungal cell wall component, ramifies through beta
      (1,6)-glycosidic linkages, which facilitates its binding with other cell wall
      components contributing to proper cell wall assembly. Using Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae as a model, we developed a protocol to quantify beta-(1,6)-branching
      on beta-(1,3)-glucan. Permeabilized S. cerevisiae and radiolabeled substrate UDP
      (14C)glucose allowed us to determine branching kinetics. A screening aimed at
      identifying deletion mutants with reduced branching among them revealed only two,
      the bgl2Delta and gas1Delta mutants, showing 15% and 70% reductions in the
      branching, respectively, compared to the wild-type strain. Interestingly, a
      recombinant Gas1p introduced beta-(1,6)-branching on the beta-(1,3)-oligomers
      following its beta-(1,3)-elongase activity. Sequential elongation and branching
      activity of Gas1p occurred on linear beta-(1,3)-oligomers as well as Bgl2p
      catalyzed products [short beta-(1,3)-oligomers linked by a linear beta-(1,6)
      linkage]. The double S. cerevisiae gas1Delta bgl2Delta mutant showed a
      drastically sick phenotype. An ScGas1p ortholog, Gel4p from Aspergillus
      fumigatus, also showed dual beta-(1,3)-glucan elongating and branching activity.
      Both ScGas1p and A. fumigatus Gel4p sequences are endowed with a carbohydrate
      binding module (CBM), CBM43, which was required for the dual beta-(1,3)-glucan
      elongating and branching activity. Our report unravels the beta-(1,3)-glucan
      branching mechanism, a phenomenon occurring during construction of the cell wall
      which is essential for fungal life.IMPORTANCE The fungal cell wall is essential
      for growth, morphogenesis, protection, and survival. In spite of being essential,
      cell wall biogenesis, especially the core beta-(1,3)-glucan ramification, is
      poorly understood; the ramified beta-(1,3)-glucan interconnects other cell wall
      components. Once linear beta-(1,3)-glucan is synthesized by plasma membrane-bound
      glucan synthase, the subsequent event is its branching event in the cell wall
      space. Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model, we identified GH72 and GH17
      family glycosyltransferases, Gas1p and Bgl2p, respectively, involved in the beta
      (1,3)-glucan branching. The sick phenotype of the double Scgas1Delta bgl2Delta
      mutant suggested that beta-(1,3)-glucan branching is essential. In addition to
      ScGas1p, GH72 family ScGas2p and Aspergillus fumigatus Gel4p, having CBM43 in
      their sequences, showed dual beta-(1,3)-glucan elongating and branching activity.
      Our report identifies the fungal cell wall beta-(1,3)-glucan branching mechanism.
      The essentiality of beta-(1,3)-glucan branching suggests that enzymes involved in
      the glucan branching could be exploited as antifungal targets.

PMID- 28634240
TI  - Leucine Biosynthesis Is Involved in Regulating High Lipid Accumulation in
      Yarrowia lipolytica.
AB  - The yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is a potent accumulator of lipids, and lipogenesis
      in this organism can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetics and
      environmental conditions. Using a multifactorial study, we elucidated the effects
      of both genetic and environmental factors on regulation of lipogenesis in Y.
      lipolytica and identified how two opposite regulatory states both result in lipid
      accumulation. This study involved comparison of a strain overexpressing
      diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGA1) with a control strain grown under either
      nitrogen or carbon limitation conditions. A strong correlation was observed
      between the responses on the transcript and protein levels. Combination of DGA1
      overexpression with nitrogen limitation resulted in a high level of lipid
      accumulation accompanied by downregulation of several amino acid biosynthetic
      pathways, including that of leucine in particular, and these changes were further
      correlated with a decrease in metabolic fluxes. This downregulation was supported
      by the measured decrease in the level of 2-isopropylmalate, an intermediate of
      leucine biosynthesis. Combining the multi-omics data with putative transcription
      factor binding motifs uncovered a contradictory role for TORC1 in controlling
      lipid accumulation, likely mediated through 2-isopropylmalate and a Leu3-like
      transcription factor.IMPORTANCE The ubiquitous metabolism of lipids involves
      refined regulation, and an enriched understanding of this regulation would have
      wide implications. Various factors can influence lipid metabolism, including the
      environment and genetics. We demonstrated, using a multi-omics and multifactorial
      experimental setup, that multiple factors affect lipid accumulation in the yeast
      Yarrowia lipolytica Using integrative analysis, we identified novel interactions
      between nutrient restriction and genetic factors involving regulators that are
      highly conserved among eukaryotes. Given that lipid metabolism is involved in
      many diseases but is also vital to the development of microbial cell factories
      that can provide us with sustainable fuels and oleochemicals, we envision that
      our report introduces foundational work to further unravel the regulation of
      lipid accumulation in eukaryal cells.

PMID- 28634241
TI  - Psl Produced by Mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa Contributes to the Establishment of
      Biofilms and Immune Evasion.
AB  - Despite years of research and clinical advances, chronic pulmonary infections
      with mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa remain the primary concern for cystic fibrosis
      patients. Much of the research on these strains has focused on the contributions
      of the polysaccharide alginate; however, it is becoming evident that the neutral
      polysaccharide Psl also contributes to biofilm formation and the maintenance of
      chronic infections. Here, we demonstrate that Psl produced by mucoid strains has
      significant roles in biofilm structure and evasion of immune effectors. Though
      mucoid strains produce less Psl than nonmucoid strains, the Psl that is produced
      is functional, since it mediates adhesion to human airway cells and epithelial
      cell death. Additionally, Psl protects mucoid bacteria from opsonization and
      killing by complement components in human serum. Psl production by mucoid strains
      stimulates a proinflammatory response in the murine lung, leading to reduced
      colonization. To determine the relevance of these data to clinical infections, we
      tested Psl production and biofilm formation of a panel of mucoid clinical
      isolates. We demonstrated three classes of mucoid isolates, those that produce
      Psl and form robust biofilms, those that did not produce Psl and have a poor
      biofilm phenotype, and exopolysaccharide (EPS) redundant strains. Collectively,
      these experimental results demonstrate that Psl contributes to the biofilm
      formation and immune evasion of many mucoid strains. This is a novel role for Psl
      in the establishment and maintenance of chronic pulmonary infections by mucoid
      strains.IMPORTANCE Cystic fibrosis patients are engaged in an ongoing battle
      against chronic lung infections by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa One key
      factor contributing to the maintenance of chronic infections is the conversion to
      a mucoid phenotype, where the bacteria produce copious amounts of the
      polysaccharide alginate. Once the bacteria become mucoid, existing treatments are
      poorly effective. We proposed that mucoid bacteria produce an additional
      polysaccharide, Psl, which is important for their establishment and maintenance
      of chronic infections. This work demonstrates that Psl enhances attachment of
      mucoid bacteria to lung surfaces and leads to inflammation and damage in the
      lung. Additionally, we find that 50% of mucoid bacteria isolated from patients
      with chronic infections rely on Psl for the structure of their biofilm
      communities, suggesting that treatments against Psl should be investigated to
      enhance the success of current therapies.

PMID- 28634243
TI  - Erratum for Perkowski et al., "The EXIT Strategy: an Approach for Identifying
      Bacterial Proteins Exported during Host Infection".

PMID- 28634242
TI  - Type II Secretion Substrates of Legionella pneumophila Translocate Out of the
      Pathogen-Occupied Vacuole via a Semipermeable Membrane.
AB  - Legionella pneumophila replicates in macrophages in a host-derived phagosome,
      termed the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). While the translocation of type
      IV secretion (T4S) effectors into the macrophage cytosol is well established, the
      location of type II secretion (T2S) substrates in the infected host cell is
      unknown. Here, we show that the T2S substrate ProA, a metalloprotease,
      translocates into the cytosol of human macrophages, where it associates with the
      LCV membrane (LCVM). Translocation is detected as early as 10 h postinoculation
      (p.i.), which is approximately the midpoint of the intracellular life cycle.
      However, it is detected as early as 6 h p.i. if ProA is hyperexpressed,
      indicating that translocation depends on the timing of ProA expression and that
      any other factors necessary for translocation are in place by that time point.
      Translocation occurs with all L. pneumophila strains tested and in amoebae,
      natural hosts for L. pneumophila It was absent in murine bone marrow-derived
      macrophages and murine macrophage cell lines. The ChiA chitinase also associated
      with the cytoplasmic face of the LCVM at 6 h p.i. and in a T2S-dependent manner.
      Galectin-3 and galectin-8, eukaryotic proteins whose localization is influenced
      by damage to host membranes, appeared within the LCV of infected human but not
      murine macrophages beginning at 6 h p.i. Thus, we hypothesize that ProA and ChiA
      are first secreted into the vacuolar lumen by the activity of the T2S and
      subsequently traffic into the macrophage cytosol via a novel mechanism that
      involves a semipermeable LCVM.IMPORTANCE Infection of macrophages and amoebae
      plays a central role in the pathogenesis of L. pneumophila, the agent of
      Legionnaires' disease. We have previously demonstrated that the T2S system of L.
      pneumophila greatly contributes to intracellular infection. However, the location
      of T2S substrates within the infected host cell is unknown. This report presents
      the first evidence of a L. pneumophila T2S substrate in the host cell cytosol
      and, therefore, the first evidence of a non-T4S effector trafficking out of the
      LCV. We also provide the first indication that the LCV is not completely intact
      but is instead semipermeable and that this occurs in human but not murine
      macrophages. Given this permeability, we hypothesize that other T2S substrates
      and LCV lumenal contents can escape into the host cell cytosol. Thus, these
      substrates may represent a battery of previously unidentified effectors that can
      interact with host factors and contribute to intracellular infection by L.
      pneumophila.

PMID- 28634245
TI  - Targeting Nectin-4 in Bladder Cancer.
AB  - Preliminary findings from a phase I clinical trial indicate that enfortumab
      vedotin, an investigational antibody-drug conjugate targeting nectin-4, shows
      considerable efficacy in metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Robust responses were
      seen even among patients with disease progression on platinum chemotherapy and/or
      immune checkpoint blockade.

PMID- 28634244
TI  - Simple Expression Domains Are Regulated by Discrete CRMs During Drosophila
      Oogenesis.
AB  - Eggshell patterning has been extensively studied in Drosophila melanogaster
      However, the cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), which control spatiotemporal
      expression of these patterns, are vastly unexplored. The FlyLight collection
      contains >7000 intergenic and intronic DNA fragments that, if containing CRMs,
      can drive the transcription factor GAL4. We cross-listed the 84 genes known to be
      expressed during D. melanogaster oogenesis with the ~1200 listed genes of the
      FlyLight collection, and found 22 common genes that are represented by 281
      FlyLight fly lines. Of these lines, 54 show expression patterns during oogenesis
      when crossed to an UAS-GFP reporter. Of the 54 lines, 16 recapitulate the full or
      partial pattern of the associated gene pattern. Interestingly, while the average
      DNA fragment size is ~3 kb in length, the vast majority of fragments show one
      type of spatiotemporal pattern in oogenesis. Mapping the distribution of all 54
      lines, we found a significant enrichment of CRMs in the first intron of the
      associated genes' model. In addition, we demonstrate the use of different
      anteriorly active FlyLight lines as tools to disrupt eggshell patterning in a
      targeted manner. Our screen provides further evidence that complex gene patterns
      are assembled combinatorially by different CRMs controlling the expression of
      genes in simple domains.

PMID- 28634246
TI  - Assisted Reproductive Techniques and Risk of Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The emerging association of assisted reproductive
      techniques (ART) with imprinting disorders represents a major issue in the
      scientific debate on infertility treatment and human procreation. We studied the
      prevalence of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) in children conceived through ART
      to define the specific associated relative risk. METHODS: Patients with BWS born
      in Piemonte, Italy, were identified and matched with the general demographic data
      and corresponding regional ART registry. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2014, live
      births in Piemonte were 379 872, including 7884 from ART. Thirty-eight patients
      with BWS were born, 7 from ART and 31 naturally conceived. BWS birth prevalence
      in the ART group was significantly higher than that of the naturally conceived
      group (1:1126 vs 1:12 254, P < .001). The absolute live birth risk in the ART
      group was 887.9 per 1 000 000 vs 83.3 per 1 000 000 in the naturally conceived
      group, providing a relative risk of 10.7 (95% confidence interval 4.7-24.2).
      During the 1997-2014 period, 67 patients were diagnosed with BWS out of 663 834
      newborns (1:9908 live births). Nine out of the 67 BWS patients were conceived
      through ART (13.4%), and 8 were molecularly tested, with 4 having an imprinting
      center 2 loss of methylation, 2 with 11p15.5 paternal uniparental disomy, and 2
      negative results. CONCLUSIONS: ART entails a 10-fold increased risk of BWS and
      could be implicated in the pathogenesis of genomic events besides methylation
      anomalies. These data highlight the need for awareness of ART-associated health
      risk.

PMID- 28634247
TI  - Clinicians' Perceptions of Screening for Food Insecurity in Suburban Pediatric
      Practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: National organizations recommend pediatricians screen for food
      insecurity (FI). Although there has been growing research in urban practices,
      little research has addressed FI screening in suburban practices. We evaluated
      the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of screening in suburban practices.
      METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods study that implemented FI screening in 6
      suburban pediatric primary care practices. We included all children presenting
      for either a 2-, 15-, or 36-month well-child visit (N = 5645). Families who
      screened positive were eligible to be referred to our community partner that
      worked to connect families to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. We
      conducted focus groups with clinicians to determine their perceptions of
      screening and suggestions for improvement. RESULTS: Of the 5645 children
      eligible, 4371 (77.4%) were screened, of which 122 (2.8%) screened positive for
      FI (range: 0.9%-5.9% across practices). Of the 122 food-insecure families, only 1
      received new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. In focus groups,
      3 themes emerged: (1) Time and workflow were not barriers to screening, but
      concerns about embarrassing families and being unable to provide adequate
      resources were; (2) Clinicians reported that parents felt the screening showed
      caring, which reinforced clinicians' continued screening; (3) Clinicians
      suggested implementing screening before the visit. CONCLUSIONS: We found it is
      feasible and acceptable for clinicians to screen for FI in suburban practices,
      but the referral method used in this study was ineffective in assisting families
      in obtaining benefits. Better approaches to connect families to local resources
      may be needed to maximize the effectiveness of screening in suburban settings.

PMID- 28634248
TI  - Suburban Families' Experience With Food Insecurity Screening in Primary Care
      Practices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Food insecurity (FI) remains a major public health problem. With the
      rise in suburban poverty, a greater understanding of parents' experiences of FI
      in suburban settings is needed to effectively screen and address FI in suburban
      practices. METHODS: We conducted 23 semistructured interviews with parents of
      children <4 years of age who presented for well-child care in 6 suburban
      pediatric practices and screened positive for FI. In the interviews, we elicited
      parents' perceptions of screening for FI, how FI impacted the family, and
      recommendations for how practices could more effectively address FI. All
      interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. We used a modified grounded
      theory approach to code the interviews inductively and identified emerging themes
      through an iterative process. Interviews continued until thematic saturation was
      achieved. RESULTS: Of the 23 parents interviewed, all were women, with 39% white
      and 39% African American. Three primary themes emerged: Parents expressed initial
      surprise at screening followed by comfort discussing their unmet food needs;
      parents experience shame, frustration, and helplessness regarding FI, but
      discussing FI with their clinician helped alleviate these feelings; parents
      suggested practices could help them more directly access food resources, which,
      depending on income, may not be available to them through government programs.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although most parents were comfortable discussing FI, they felt it
      was important for clinicians to acknowledge their frustrations with FI and
      facilitate access to a range of food resources.

PMID- 28634249
TI  - David Oliver: Towards a GP consensus on the future of UK general practice.

PMID- 28634251
TI  - News Feature: Radiation redux.

PMID- 28634253
TI  - Role of autophagy in tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced apoptosis of osteoblast
      cells.
AB  - The aim of this study is to investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF-alpha) in apoptosis and autophagy of mouse osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells, as
      well as the crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis. Mouse osteoblast MC3T3-E1
      cells were cultured in vitro and treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), rapamycin, 3
      methyl adenine (3-MA) and TNF-alpha either alone or in combination, respectively.
      MTT assays were used to monitor the cell viability upon different treatments.
      Annexin-V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to detect the apoptotic
      rate of osteoblasts. Autophagic structure and apoptotic bodies were visualized by
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Western blot analysis was performed to
      detect the autophagic marker LC3-II/I, p62 and apoptotic marker cleaved caspase
      3. TNF-alpha inhibits MC3T3-E1 cell viability in a dose-dependent and time
      dependent manner. Annexin-V-FITC/PI staining, coupled with TEM, showed that TNF
      alpha induced cell apoptosis and autophagy in MC3T3-E1 cells. The autophagy
      inducer rapamycin ameliorated TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis. In contrast, 3-MA,
      which is an autophagy inhibitor, caused an exaggerated induction of TNF-alpha
      induced apoptosis. TNF-alpha upregulated autophagy marker LC3-II/I, but
      downregulated p62 in osteoblasts. Combined treatment of rapamycin and TNF-alpha
      further exaggerated this effect, whereas co-treatment of 3-MA and TNF-alpha
      decreased LC3-II/I, but increased p62 compared with TNF-alpha alone. In addition,
      TNF-alpha caused an induction of apoptotic marker cleaved caspase-3. TNF-alpha
      mediated induction of cleaved caspase-3 was downregulated by rapamycin, but
      upregulated by 3-MA, respectively. TNF-alpha induced both autophagy and apoptosis
      in osteoblasts, and upregulated autophagy protects the cell by reducing TNF-alpha
      induced apoptosis.

PMID- 28634254
TI  - Widespread paleopolyploidy, gene tree conflict, and recalcitrant relationships
      among the carnivorous Caryophyllales.
AB  - PREMISE OF STUDY: The carnivorous members of the large, hyperdiverse
      Caryophyllales (e.g., Venus flytrap, sundews, and Nepenthes pitcher plants)
      represent perhaps the oldest and most diverse lineage of carnivorous plants.
      However, despite numerous studies seeking to elucidate their evolutionary
      relationships, the early-diverging relationships remain unresolved. METHODS: To
      explore the utility of phylogenomic data sets for resolving relationships among
      the carnivorous Caryophyllales, we sequenced 10 transcriptomes, including all the
      carnivorous genera except those in the rare West African liana family
      Dioncophyllaceae. We used a variety of methods to infer the species tree, examine
      gene tree conflict, and infer paleopolyploidy events. KEY RESULTS: Phylogenomic
      analyses supported the monophyly of the carnivorous Caryophyllales, with a crown
      age of 68-83 million years. In contrast to previous analyses, we recovered the
      remaining noncore Caryophyllales as nonmonophyletic, although the node supporting
      this relationship contained a significant amount of gene tree discordance. We
      present evidence that the clade contains at least seven independent
      paleopolyploidy events, previously unresolved nodes from the literature have high
      levels of gene tree conflict, and taxon sampling influences topology even in a
      phylogenomic data set, regardless of the use of coalescent or supermatrix
      methods. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate the importance of carefully
      considering gene tree conflict and taxon sampling in phylogenomic analyses.
      Moreover, they provide a remarkable example of the propensity for paleopolyploidy
      in angiosperms, with at least seven such events in a clade of less than 2500
      species.

PMID- 28634255
TI  - Population genetic structure of Bromus tectorum in the mountains of western North
      America.
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Invasive species are often initially restricted to a narrow
      range and may then expand through any of multiple mechanisms including phenotypic
      plasticity, in situ evolution, or selection on traits preadapted for new
      habitats. Our study used population genetics to explore possible processes by
      which the highly selfing invasive annual grass Bromus tectorum has expanded into
      montane environments. METHODS: We used 69 single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP)
      markers to genotype ca. 20 individuals from each of 38 montane cheatgrass
      populations from throughout the Intermountain West and to identify characteristic
      SNP haplotypes and examine their distribution. KEY RESULTS: Five invariant SNP
      haplotypes were dominant in montane cheatgrass populations, making up 59% of
      genotyped individuals, with each haplotype present in 12 to 21 populations. Four
      of these were absent or present at low frequency in low elevation populations,
      while the fifth was also sometimes dominant at low elevation. Sixteen haplotypes
      made up 78% of all genotyped individuals. These haplotypes were distributed
      across several haplogroups within the clade that also includes most sagebrush
      steppe lineages. CONCLUSIONS: The wide geographic distribution of several common
      haplotypes almost completely restricted to montane habitats suggests that
      dominant lineages in montane populations may possess adaptive syndromes that are
      preserved through reduced outcrossing rates or negative selection on outcrossed
      progeny. However, conclusive evidence of such local adaptation requires
      reciprocal seeding experiments and further characterization of adaptive traits
      and breeding system characteristics. Other lineages have likely risen to
      dominance in montane populations through selectively neutral processes.

PMID- 28634256
TI  - Molecular systematics and historical biogeography of Maianthemum s.s.
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Understanding the underlying mechanisms for the evolution
      of intercontinental disjunct patterns has long fascinated botanists. We present a
      molecular phylogenetic reconstruction of Maianthemum s.l. (including Smilacina)
      with a focus on Maianthemum s.s. species, which have a disjunct distribution
      between Eurasia and North America. Within this evolutionary framework, we clarify
      the systematic classification and biogeographical history of Maianthemum s.s.
      METHOD: Data from two nuclear and five chloroplast DNA regions were analyzed
      using the programs PAUP*, RAxML, MrBayes, BEAST, and RASP. KEY RESULTS: Our
      molecular phylogeny supports Maianthemum s.s. as monophyletic. Maianthemum
      bifolium and M. canadense are grouped according to their taxonomic species, but
      the accessions of M. dilatatum are divided into two well-defined groups, i.e.,
      one comprising western North American accessions, and the other composed of
      northeast Asian accessions. Molecular dating and biogeographic reconstructions
      suggest a northeast Asian origin for Maianthemum s.s. and that a complicated
      pattern of divergent evolution began approximately in the late Miocene.
      Intercontinental disjunctions of Maianthemum s.s. in the Northern Hemisphere
      appear to have occurred two times during the Pliocene. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our
      results, two possible ways to treat Maianthemum s.s. species can be envisioned:
      (1) elevate Asian populations of M. dilatatum to specific rank; or (2) combine
      the three Maianthemum s.s. species into a broadly defined single species. We
      recommend treatment of Maianthemum s.s. as a single species. The biogeographic
      patterns of Maianthemum s.s. coupled with molecular dating suggest both
      vicariance and long-distance dispersal events as key mechanisms for
      diversification of the clade.

PMID- 28634257
TI  - Two fossil species of Metrosideros (Myrtaceae) from the Oligo-Miocene Golden
      Fleece locality in Tasmania, Australia.
AB  - PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The capsular-fruited genus Metrosideros (Myrtaceae) is one
      of the most widely distributed flowering plant genera in the Pacific but is
      extinct in Australia today. The center of geographic origin for the genus and the
      reason for and timing of its extinction in Australia remain uncertain. We
      identify fossil Metrosideros fruits from the newly discovered Golden Fleece
      fossil flora in the Oligo-Miocene of Tasmania, Australia, shedding further light
      on these problems. METHODS: Standard paleopalynological techniques were used to
      date the fossil-bearing sediments. Scanning electron microscopy and an auto
      montage camera system were used to take high-resolution images of fossil and
      extant fruits taken from herbarium specimens. Fossils are identified using a
      nearest-living-relative approach. KEY RESULTS: The fossil-bearing sediments are
      palynostratigraphically dated as being Proteacidites tuberculatus Zone Equivalent
      (ca. 33-16 Ma) in age and provide a confident Oligo-Miocene age for the
      macrofossils. Two new fossil species of Metrosideros are described and are here
      named Metrosideros dawsonii sp. nov. and Metrosideros wrightii sp. nov.
      CONCLUSIONS: These newly described fossil species of Metrosideros provide a
      second record of the genus in the Cenozoic of Australia, placing them in the late
      Early Oligocene to late Early Miocene. It is now apparent not only that
      Metrosideros was present in Australia, where the genus is now extinct, but that
      at least several Metrosideros species were present during the Cenozoic. These
      fossils further strengthen the case for an Australian origin of the genus.

PMID- 28634258
TI  - Margaret McCartney: To the best of humankind, thank you.

PMID- 28634259
TI  - Effectiveness of an online SUpport PRogramme (SUPR) for older hearing aid users:
      study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An educational SUpport PRogramme called SUPR has been developed for
      hearing aid users (HAUs) and their communication partners (CPs) offering care
      beyond hearing aid fitting. SUPR teaches its users communication strategies,
      hearing aid handling skills and personal adjustment to hearing impairment.
      METHODS/DESIGN: Using a cluster randomised controlled trial design, 70 Dutch
      hearing aid dispenser practices were randomised into hearing aid fitting (care as
      usual, 34 practices) and hearing aid fitting including SUPR (36 practices). The
      aim was to recruit a total of 569 older (aged 50+ years) first-time (n=258) and
      experienced (n=311) HAUs and their CPs. SUPR consists of a Practical Support
      Booklet and online material offered via email over a period of 6-7 months. The
      booklet provides practical information on hearing aids, advice on communication
      strategies and home exercises. The online material consists of educational videos
      on hearing aid functionality and usage, communication strategies and peer
      testimonials. Finally, noncommittal email contact with the dispenser is offered.
      Every HAU is asked to assign a CP who is advised to be involved intensively.
      Effect measurements for HAUs and their CPs will occur at baseline and at 6, 12
      and 18 months follow-up via online questionnaires. The primary outcomes for HAUs
      will be the use of communication strategies as measured by the subscales of the
      Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired. A process evaluation will be
      performed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the Dutch
      Institutional Review Board of the VU Medical University Center Amsterdam. This
      intervention could contribute to lowering the hearing impairment burden in our
      ageing society. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed
      publications and scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:
      ISRCTN77340339; Pre-results.

PMID- 28634260
TI  - Did the suicide barrier work after all? Revisiting the Bloor Viaduct natural
      experiment and its impact on suicide rates in Toronto.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This research aims to determine the long-term impact of the Bloor
      Street Viaduct suicide barrier on rates of suicide in Toronto and whether media
      reporting had any impact on suicide rates. DESIGN: Natural experiment. SETTING:
      City of Toronto, Canada; records at the chief coroner's office of Ontario 1993
      2003 (11 years before the barrier) and 2004-2014 (11 years after the barrier).
      PARTICIPANTS: 5403 people who died by suicide in the city of Toronto. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURE: Changes in yearly rates of suicide by jumping at Bloor Street
      Viaduct, other bridges including nearest comparison bridge and walking distance
      bridges, and buildings, and by other means. RESULTS: Suicide rates at the Bloor
      Street Viaduct declined from 9.0 deaths/year before the barrier to 0.1
      deaths/year after the barrier (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.005, 95% CI 0.0005 to
      0.19, p=0.002). Suicide deaths from bridges in Toronto also declined
      significantly (IRR 0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.71, p<0.0001). Media reports about
      suicide at the Bloor Street Viaduct were associated with an increase in suicide
      by-jumping from bridges the following year. CONCLUSIONS: The current study
      demonstrates that, over the long term, suicide-by-jumping declined in Toronto
      after the barrier with no associated increase in suicide by other means. That is,
      the barrier appears to have had its intended impact at preventing suicide despite
      a short-term rise in deaths at other bridges that was at least partially
      influenced by a media effect. Research examining barriers at other locations
      should interpret short-term results with caution.

PMID- 28634262
TI  - RASSF4: Regulator of plasma membrane PI(4,5)P2.
AB  - Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) is a negatively charged
      phospholipid that plays a major role in recruiting and regulating proteins at the
      plasma membrane-cytosol interface. In this issue, Chen et al. (2017. J. Cell
      Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201606047) demonstrate that RAS association
      domain family 4 (RASSF4) positively influences PI(4,5)P2 synthesis through ARF6
      dependent regulation of PIP5K.

PMID- 28634263
TI  - 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: Short reflections on the discovery of
      the mineralocorticoid receptor.

PMID- 28634264
TI  - 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: The scientific impact of cloning the
      mineralocorticoid receptor: 30 years on.

PMID- 28634261
TI  - Autophagy gene FIP200 in neural progenitors non-cell autonomously controls
      differentiation by regulating microglia.
AB  - Recent studies have shown important roles for autophagy genes in the regulation
      of different tissue stem cells, including neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs).
      However, little is known about whether autophagy can regulate NSCs through cell
      extrinsic mechanisms. Here, we show that deletion of an essential autophagy gene,
      FIP200, in NSCs increased expression of Ccl5 and Cxcl10 in a p53-independent
      manner, mediating increased infiltration of microglia into the subventricular
      zone of both FIP200hGFAP conditional knockout (cKO) and FIP200;p53hGFAP 2cKO
      mice. The microglia exhibited an activated M1 phenotype consistent with their
      potential to inhibit differentiation of FIP200-null NSCs. Blocking either
      microglia infiltration or activation rescued the deficient differentiation of
      FIP200-null NSCs from FIP200;p53hGFAP 2cKO mice. Lastly, we showed that increased
      chemokine expression in FIP200-null NSCs was induced by abnormal p62 aggregate
      formation and activation of NF-kappaB signaling. Our results suggest that
      autophagy plays a crucial role in regulating neurogenesis and restricting local
      immune response in postnatal NSCs through non-cell autonomous mechanisms.

PMID- 28634265
TI  - 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: Coregulators as mediators of
      mineralocorticoid receptor signalling diversity.
AB  - The cloning of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) 30 years ago was the start of
      a new era of research into the regulatory processes of MR signalling at target
      genes in the distal nephron, and subsequently in many other tissues. Nuclear
      receptor (NR) signalling is modified by interactions with coregulatory proteins
      that serve to enhance or inhibit the gene transcriptional responses. Over 400
      coregulatory proteins have been described for the NR super family, many with
      functional roles in signalling, cellular function, physiology and
      pathophysiology. Relatively few coregulators have however been described for the
      MR although recent studies have demonstrated both ligand and/or tissue
      selectivity for MR-coregulator interactions. A full understanding of the cell,
      ligand and promoter-specific requirements for MR-coregulator signalling is an
      essential first step towards the design of small molecular inhibitors of these
      protein-protein interactions. Tissue-selective steroidal or non-steroidal
      modulators of the MR are also a desired therapeutic goal. Selectivity, as for
      other steroid hormone receptors, will probably depend on differential expression
      and recruitment of coregulatory proteins.

PMID- 28634266
TI  - 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: The brain mineralocorticoid receptor:
      a saga in three episodes.
AB  - In 1968, Bruce McEwen discovered that 3H-corticosterone administered to
      adrenalectomised rats is retained in neurons of hippocampus rather than those of
      hypothalamus. This discovery signalled the expansion of endocrinology into the
      science of higher brain regions. With this in mind, our contribution highlights
      the saga of the brain mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in three episodes. First,
      the precloning era dominated by the conundrum of two types of corticosterone
      binding receptors in the brain, which led to the identification of the high
      affinity corticosterone receptor as the 'promiscuous' MR cloned in 1987 by Jeff
      Arriza and Ron Evans in addition to the classical glucocorticoid receptor (GR).
      Then, the post-cloning period aimed to disentangle the function of the brain MR
      from that of the closely related GR on different levels of biological complexity.
      Finally, the synthesis section that highlights the two faces of brain MR: Salt
      and Stress. 'Salt' refers to the regulation of salt appetite, and reciprocal
      arousal, motivation and reward, by a network of aldosterone-selective MR
      expressing neurons projecting from nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and
      circumventricular organs. 'Stress' is about the limbic-forebrain nuclear and
      membrane MRs, which act as a switch in the selection of the best response to cope
      with a stressor. For this purpose, activation of the limbic MR promotes selective
      attention, memory retrieval and the appraisal process, while driving emotional
      expressions of fear and aggression. Subsequently, rising glucocorticoid
      concentrations activate GRs in limbic-forebrain circuitry underlying executive
      functions and memory storage, which contribute in balance with MR-mediated
      actions to homeostasis, excitability and behavioural adaptation.

PMID- 28634269
TI  - Human development, heredity and evolution.
AB  - From March 27-29 2017, the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology held a
      symposium entitled 'Towards Understanding Human Development, Heredity, and
      Evolution' in Kobe, Japan. Recent advances in technologies including stem cell
      culture, live imaging, single-cell approaches, next-generation sequencing and
      genome editing have led to an expansion in our knowledge of human development.
      Organized by Yoshiya Kawaguchi, Mitinori Saitou, Mototsugu Eiraku, Tomoya
      Kitajima, Fumio Matsuzaki, Takashi Tsuji and Edith Heard, the symposium covered a
      broad range of topics including human germline development, epigenetics,
      organogenesis and evolution. This Meeting Review provides a summary of this
      timely and exciting symposium, which has convinced us that we are moving into the
      era of science targeted on humans.

PMID- 28634267
TI  - 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: The role of the mineralocorticoid
      receptor in the vasculature.
AB  - Since the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) was cloned 30 years ago, it has become
      clear that MR is expressed in extra-renal tissues, including the cardiovascular
      system, where it is expressed in all cells of the vasculature. Understanding the
      role of MR in the vasculature has been of particular interest as clinical trials
      show that MR antagonism improves cardiovascular outcomes out of proportion to
      changes in blood pressure. The last 30 years of research have demonstrated that
      MR is a functional hormone-activated transcription factor in vascular smooth
      muscle cells and endothelial cells. This review summarizes advances in our
      understanding of the role of vascular MR in regulating blood pressure and
      vascular function, and its contribution to vascular disease. Specifically,
      vascular MR contributes directly to blood pressure control and to vascular
      dysfunction and remodeling in response to hypertension, obesity and vascular
      injury. The literature is summarized with respect to the role of vascular MR in
      conditions including: pulmonary hypertension; cerebral vascular remodeling and
      stroke; vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction; acute
      kidney injury; and vascular pathology in the eye. Considerations regarding the
      impact of age and sex on the function of vascular MR are also described. Further
      investigation of the precise molecular mechanisms by which MR contributes to
      these processes will aid in the identification of novel therapeutic targets to
      reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 28634268
TI  - 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: Mineralocorticoid receptor
      antagonists: 60 years of research and development.
AB  - The cDNA of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) was cloned 30 years ago, in 1987.
      At that time, spirolactone, the first generation of synthetic steroid-based MR
      antagonists (MRAs), which was identified in preclinical in vivo models, had
      already been in clinical use for 30 years. Subsequent decades of research and
      development by Searle & Co., Ciba-Geigy, Roussel Uclaf and Schering AG toward
      identifying a second generation of much more specific steroidal MRAs were all
      based on the initial 17-spirolactone construct. The salient example is
      eplerenone, first described in 1987, coincidentally with the cloning of MR cDNA.
      Its launch on the market in 2003 paralleled intensive drug discovery programs for
      a new generation of non-steroidal MRAs. Now, 30 years after the cDNA cloning of
      MR and 60 years of clinical use of steroidal MRAs, novel non-steroidal MRAs such
      as apararenone, esaxerenone and finerenone are in late-stage clinical trials in
      patients with heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension and liver
      disease. Finerenone has already been studied in over 2000 patients with heart
      failure plus chronic kidney disease and/or diabetes, and in patients with
      diabetic kidney disease, in five phase II clinical trials. Here, we reflect on
      the history of the various generations of MRAs and review characteristics of the
      most important steroidal and non-steroidal MRAs.

PMID- 28634270
TI  - Making muscle: skeletal myogenesis in vivo and in vitro.
AB  - Skeletal muscle is the largest tissue in the body and loss of its function or its
      regenerative properties results in debilitating musculoskeletal disorders.
      Understanding the mechanisms that drive skeletal muscle formation will not only
      help to unravel the molecular basis of skeletal muscle diseases, but also provide
      a roadmap for recapitulating skeletal myogenesis in vitro from pluripotent stem
      cells (PSCs). PSCs have become an important tool for probing developmental
      questions, while differentiated cell types allow the development of novel
      therapeutic strategies. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive overview of
      skeletal myogenesis from the earliest premyogenic progenitor stage to terminally
      differentiated myofibers, and discuss how this knowledge has been applied to
      differentiate PSCs into muscle fibers and their progenitors in vitro.

PMID- 28634271
TI  - Development of the thyroid gland.
AB  - Thyroid hormones are crucial for organismal development and homeostasis. In
      humans, untreated congenital hypothyroidism due to thyroid agenesis inevitably
      leads to cretinism, which comprises irreversible brain dysfunction and dwarfism.
      Elucidating how the thyroid gland - the only source of thyroid hormones in the
      body - develops is thus key for understanding and treating thyroid dysgenesis,
      and for generating thyroid cells in vitro that might be used for cell-based
      therapies. Here, we review the principal mechanisms involved in thyroid
      organogenesis and functional differentiation, highlighting how the thyroid
      forerunner evolved from the endostyle in protochordates to the endocrine gland
      found in vertebrates. New findings on the specification and fate decisions of
      thyroid progenitors, and the morphogenesis of precursor cells into hormone
      producing follicular units, are also discussed.

PMID- 28634274
TI  - Btbd7 branches out across multiple organs.

PMID- 28634275
TI  - Female fertility: no bed of ROS(es).

PMID- 28634272
TI  - The secreted MSP domain of C. elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 patterns the adult
      striated muscle mitochondrial reticulum via SMN-1.
AB  - The major sperm protein domain (MSPd) has an extracellular signaling function
      implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Secreted MSPds derived from the C.
      elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 promote mitochondrial localization to actin-rich I
      bands in body wall muscle. Here we show that the nervous system and germ line are
      key MSPd secretion tissues. MSPd signals are transduced through the CLR-1 Lar
      like tyrosine phosphatase receptor. We show that CLR-1 is expressed throughout
      the muscle plasma membrane, where it is accessible to MSPd within the
      pseudocoelomic fluid. MSPd signaling is sufficient to remodel the muscle
      mitochondrial reticulum during adulthood. An RNAi suppressor screen identified
      survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN-1) as a downstream effector. SMN-1 acts in
      muscle, where it colocalizes at myofilaments with ARX-2, a component of the
      Arp2/3 actin-nucleation complex. Genetic studies suggest that SMN-1 promotes
      Arp2/3 activity important for localizing mitochondria to I-bands. Our results
      support the model that VAPB homologs are circulating hormones that pattern the
      striated muscle mitochondrial reticulum. This function is crucial in adults and
      requires SMN-1 in muscle, likely independent of its role in pre-mRNA splicing.

PMID- 28634273
TI  - The C. elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 is a permissive signal for gonad development.
AB  - VAMP/synaptobrevin-associated proteins (VAPs) contain an N-terminal major sperm
      protein domain (MSPd) that is associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. VAPs
      have an intracellular housekeeping function, as well as an extracellular
      signaling function mediated by the secreted MSPd. Here we show that the C.
      elegans VAP homolog VPR-1 is essential for gonad development. vpr-1 null mutants
      are maternal effect sterile due to arrested gonadogenesis following embryo
      hatching. Somatic gonadal precursor cells and germ cells fail to proliferate
      fully and complete their respective differentiation programs. Maternal or zygotic
      vpr-1 expression is sufficient to induce gonadogenesis and fertility. Genetic
      mosaic and cell type-specific expression studies indicate that vpr-1 activity is
      important in the nervous system, germ line and intestine. VPR-1 acts in parallel
      to Notch signaling, a key regulator of germline stem cell proliferation and
      differentiation. Neuronal vpr-1 expression is sufficient for gonadogenesis
      induction during a limited time period shortly after hatching. These results
      support the model that the secreted VPR-1 MSPd acts at least in part on gonadal
      sheath cell precursors in L1 to early L2 stage hermaphrodites to permit
      gonadogenesis.

PMID- 28634276
TI  - Sox2+ pituitary stem cells on the MAP(K).

PMID- 28634277
TI  - A new model for single-cell delamination.

PMID- 28634278
TI  - MSPd signalling: new roles in muscle and reproduction.

PMID- 28634279
TI  - In-frame seven amino-acid duplication in AIP arose over the last 3000 years,
      disrupts protein interaction and stability and is associated with gigantism.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP)
      gene are associated with pituitary adenoma, acromegaly and gigantism. Identical
      alleles in unrelated pedigrees could be inherited from a common ancestor or
      result from recurrent mutation events. DESIGN AND METHODS: Observational,
      inferential and experimental study, including: AIP mutation testing;
      reconstruction of 14 AIP-region (8.3 Mbp) haplotypes; coalescent-based
      approximate Bayesian estimation of the time to most recent common ancestor
      (tMRCA) of the derived allele; forward population simulations to estimate current
      number of allele carriers; proposal of mutation mechanism; protein structure
      predictions; co-immunoprecipitation and cycloheximide chase experiments. RESULTS:
      Nine European-origin, unrelated c.805_825dup-positive pedigrees (four familial,
      five sporadic from the UK, USA and France) included 16 affected (nine
      gigantism/four acromegaly/two non-functioning pituitary adenoma patients and one
      prospectively diagnosed acromegaly patient) and nine unaffected carriers. All
      pedigrees shared a 2.79 Mbp haploblock around AIP with additional haploblocks
      privately shared between subsets of the pedigrees, indicating the existence of an
      evolutionarily recent common ancestor, the 'English founder', with an estimated
      median tMRCA of 47 generations (corresponding to 1175 years) with a confidence
      interval (9-113 generations, equivalent to 225-2825 years). The mutation occurred
      in a small tandem repeat region predisposed to slipped strand mispairing. The
      resulting seven amino-acid duplication disrupts interaction with HSP90 and leads
      to a marked reduction in protein stability. CONCLUSIONS: The c.805_825dup allele,
      originating from a common ancestor, associates with a severe clinical phenotype
      and a high frequency of gigantism. The mutation is likely to be the result of
      slipped strand mispairing and affects protein-protein interactions and AIP
      protein stability.

PMID- 28634281
TI  - Margaret McCartney: Health inequality has to be political.

PMID- 28634280
TI  - Surgical clipping or endovascular coiling for unruptured intracranial aneurysms:
      a pragmatic randomised trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are increasingly diagnosed
      and are commonly treated using endovascular treatment or microsurgical clipping.
      The safety and efficacy of treatments have not been compared in a randomised
      trial. How to treat patients with UIAs suitable for both options remains unknown.
      METHODS: We randomly allocated clipping or coiling to patients with one or more 3
      25 mm UIAs judged treatable both ways. The primary outcome was treatment failure,
      defined as: initial failure of aneurysm treatment, intracranial haemorrhage or
      residual aneurysm on 1-year imaging. Secondary outcomes included neurological
      deficits following treatment, hospitalisation >5 days, overall morbidity and
      mortality and angiographic results at 1 year. RESULTS: The trial was designed to
      include 260 patients. An analysis was performed for slow accrual: 136 patients
      were enrolled from 2010 through 2016 and 134 patients were treated. The 1-year
      primary outcome, available for 104 patients, was reached in 5/48 (10.4% (4.5%
      22.2%)) patients allocated surgical clipping, and 10/56 (17.9% (10.0%-29.8%))
      patients allocated endovascular coiling (OR: 0.54 (0.13-1.90), p=0.40). Morbidity
      and mortality (modified Rankin Scale>2) at 1 year occurred in 2/48 (4.2% (1.2%
      14.0%)) and 2/56 (3.6% (1.0%-12.1%)) patients allocated clipping and coiling,
      respectively. New neurological deficits (15/65 vs 6/69; OR: 3.12 (1.05-10.57),
      p=0.031), and hospitalisations beyond 5 days (30/65 vs 6/69; OR: 8.85 (3.22
      28.59), p=0.0001) were more frequent after clipping. CONCLUSION: Surgical
      clipping or endovascular coiling of UIAs did not show differences in morbidity at
      1 year. Trial continuation and additional randomised evidence will be necessary
      to establish the supposed superior efficacy of clipping.

PMID- 28634283
TI  - Phase Ib Study of Utomilumab (PF-05082566), a 4-1BB/CD137 Agonist, in Combination
      with Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors.
AB  - Purpose: This phase Ib study (NCT02179918) evaluated the safety, antitumor
      activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of utomilumab, a fully human
      IgG2 mAb agonist of the T-cell costimulatory receptor 4-1BB/CD137 in combination
      with the humanized, PD-1-blocking IgG4 mAb pembrolizumab in patients with
      advanced solid tumors.Experimental Design: Utomilumab (0.45-5.0 mg/kg) and
      pembrolizumab (2 mg/kg) were administered intravenously every 3 weeks. Utomilumab
      dose escalation was conducted using the time-to-event continual reassessment
      method.Results: Twenty-three patients received combination treatment with no dose
      limiting toxicities. Treatment-emergent adverse events were mostly grades 1 to 2,
      without any treatment-related discontinuations. Six patients (26.1%) had
      confirmed complete or partial responses. Pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of
      utomilumab and pembrolizumab were similar when administered alone or in
      combination. A trend toward higher levels of activated memory/effector peripheral
      blood CD8+ T cells was observed in responders versus nonresponders.Conclusions:
      The safety, tolerability, and clinical activity demonstrated by utomilumab in
      combination with pembrolizumab support further investigation in patients with
      advanced solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5349-57. (c)2017 AACRSee related
      commentary by Perez-Ruiz et al., p. 5326.

PMID- 28634282
TI  - Genomic Alterations in Fatal Forms of Non-Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer:
      Identification of MED12 and RBM10 as Novel Thyroid Cancer Genes Associated with
      Tumor Virulence.
AB  - Purpose: Patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) have a very high death
      rate. In contrast, deaths from non-anaplastic thyroid (NAT) cancer are much less
      common. The genetic alterations in fatal NAT cancers have not been
      reported.Experimental Design: We performed next-generation sequencing of 410
      cancer genes from 57 fatal NAT primary cancers. Results were compared with The
      Cancer Genome Atlas study (TCGA study) of papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs) and to
      the genomic changes reported in ATC.Results: There was a very high prevalence of
      TERT promoter mutations, comparable with that of ATC, and these co-occurred with
      BRAF and RAS mutations. A high incidence of chromosome 1q gain was seen
      highlighting its importance in tumor aggressiveness. Two novel fusion genes DLG5
      RET and OSBPL1A-BRAF were identified. There was a high frequency of mutations in
      MED12 and these were mutually exclusive to TERT promoter mutations and also to
      BRAF and RAS mutations. In addition, a high frequency of mutations in RBM10 was
      identified and these co-occurred with RAS mutations and PIK3CA mutations.
      Compared with the PTCs in TCGA, there were higher frequencies of mutations in
      TP53, POLE, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway effectors, SWI/SNF subunits, and histone
      methyltransferases.Conclusions: These data support a model, whereby fatal NAT
      cancers arise from well-differentiated tumors through the accumulation of key
      additional genetic abnormalities. The high rate of TERT promoter mutations, MED12
      mutations, RBM10 mutations, and chromosome 1q gain highlight their likely
      association with tumor virulence. Clin Cancer Res; 23(19); 5970-80. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634284
TI  - Co-administration of RANKL and CTLA4 Antibodies Enhances Lymphocyte-Mediated
      Antitumor Immunity in Mice.
AB  - Purpose: Novel partners for established immune checkpoint inhibitors in the
      treatment of cancer are needed to address the problems of primary and acquired
      resistance. The efficacy of combination RANKL and CTLA4 blockade in antitumor
      immunity has been suggested by recent case reports in melanoma. Here, we provide
      a rationale for this combination in mouse models of cancer.Experimental Design:
      The efficacy and mechanism of a combination of RANKL and CTLA4 blockade was
      examined by tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte analysis, tumor growth, and metastasis
      using a variety of neutralizing antibodies and gene-targeted mice.Results: RANKL
      blockade improved the efficacy of anti-CTLA4 mAbs against solid tumors and
      experimental metastases, with regulatory T-cell (Treg)-depleting anti-CTLA4 mAbs
      of the mouse IgG2a isotype showing greatest combinatorial activity. The optimal
      combination depended on the presence of activating Fc receptors and lymphocytes
      (NK cells for metastatic disease and predominantly CD8+ T cells for subcutaneous
      tumor control), whereas anti-RANKL alone did not require FcR. The significantly
      higher T-cell infiltration into solid tumors post anti-RANKL and anti-CTLA4 was
      accompanied by increased T-cell effector function (cytokine polyfunctionality),
      and anti-RANKL activity occurred independently of Treg depletion. The majority of
      RANKL expression in tumors was on T cells whereas RANK-expressing cells were
      mostly tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), with some expression also observed on
      dendritic cells (DC) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC).Conclusions:
      These results provide a rationale for the further investigation of RANKL-RANK
      interactions in tumor immunity and a basis for development of translational
      markers of interest in human clinical trials. Clin Cancer Res; 23(19); 5789-801.
      (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28634285
TI  - Frequency of chest pain in primary care, diagnostic tests performed and final
      diagnoses.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Observational study of patients with chest pain in primary care:
      determination of incidence, referral rate, diagnostic tests and (agreement
      between) working and final diagnoses. METHODS: 118 general practitioners (GPs) in
      the Netherlands and Belgium recorded all patient contacts during  2weeks.
      Furthermore, patients presenting with chest pain were registered extensively. A
      follow-up form was filled in after 30 days. RESULTS: 22 294 patient contacts were
      registered. In 281 (1.26%), chest pain was a reason for consulting the GP (mean
      age for men 54.4/women 53 years). In this cohort of 281 patients, in 38.1% of
      patients, acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was suspected at least temporarily during
      consultation, 40.2% of patients were referred to secondary care and 512
      diagnostic tests were performed by GPs and consulted specialists. Musculoskeletal
      pain was the most frequent working (26.1%) and final diagnoses (33.1%).
      Potentially life-threatening diseases as final diagnosis (such as myocardial
      infarction) accounted for 8.4% of all chest pain cases. In 23.1% of cases, a
      major difference between working and final diagnoses was found, in 0.7% a severe
      disease was initially missed by the GP. CONCLUSION: Chest pain was present in 281
      patients (1.26% of all consultations). Final diagnoses were mostly non-life
      threatening. Nevertheless, in 8.4% of patients with chest pain, life-threatening
      underlying causes were identified. This seems reflected in the magnitude and wide
      variety of diagnostic tests performed in these patients by GPs and specialists,
      in the (safe) overestimation of life-threatening diseases by GPs at initial
      assessment and in the high referral rate we found.

PMID- 28634287
TI  - Antibiotics for urinary tract infection in pregnant women.

PMID- 28634286
TI  - Conjugate Vaccine Immunotherapy for Substance Use Disorder.
AB  - Substance use disorder, especially in relation to opioids such as heroin and
      fentanyl, is a significant public health issue and has intensified in recent
      years. As a result, substantial interest exists in developing therapeutics to
      counteract the effects of abused drugs. A promising universal strategy for
      antagonizing the pharmacology of virtually any drug involves the development of a
      conjugate vaccine, wherein a hapten structurally similar to the target drug is
      conjugated to an immunogenic carrier protein. When formulated with adjuvants and
      immunized, the immunoconjugate should elicit serum IgG antibodies with the
      ability to sequester the target drug to prevent its entry to the brain, thereby
      acting as an immunoantagonist. Despite the failures of first-generation conjugate
      vaccines against cocaine and nicotine in clinical trials, second-generation
      vaccines have shown dramatically improved performance in preclinical models, thus
      renewing the potential clinical utility of conjugate vaccines in curbing
      substance use disorder. This review explores the critical design elements of drug
      conjugate vaccines such as hapten structure, adjuvant formulation, bioconjugate
      chemistry, and carrier protein selection. Methods for evaluating these vaccines
      are discussed, and recent progress in vaccine development for each drug is
      summarized.

PMID- 28634288
TI  - qSVA framework for RNA quality correction in differential expression analysis.
AB  - RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a powerful approach for measuring gene expression
      levels in cells and tissues, but it relies on high-quality RNA. We demonstrate
      here that statistical adjustment using existing quality measures largely fails to
      remove the effects of RNA degradation when RNA quality associates with the
      outcome of interest. Using RNA-seq data from molecular degradation experiments of
      human primary tissues, we introduce a method-quality surrogate variable analysis
      (qSVA)-as a framework for estimating and removing the confounding effect of RNA
      quality in differential expression analysis. We show that this approach results
      in greatly improved replication rates (>3*) across two large independent
      postmortem human brain studies of schizophrenia and also removes potential RNA
      quality biases in earlier published work that compared expression levels of
      different brain regions and other diagnostic groups. Our approach can therefore
      improve the interpretation of differential expression analysis of transcriptomic
      data from human tissue.

PMID- 28634289
TI  - Sex-specific early survival drives adult sex ratio bias in snowy plovers and
      impacts mating system and population growth.
AB  - Adult sex ratio (ASR) is a central concept in population biology and a key factor
      in sexual selection, but why do most demographic models ignore sex biases? Vital
      rates often vary between the sexes and across life history, but their relative
      contributions to ASR variation remain poorly understood-an essential step to
      evaluate sex ratio theories in the wild and inform conservation. Here, we combine
      structured two-sex population models with individual-based mark-recapture data
      from an intensively monitored polygamous population of snowy plovers. We show
      that a strongly male-biased ASR (0.63) is primarily driven by sex-specific
      survival of juveniles rather than adults or dependent offspring. This finding
      provides empirical support for theories of unbiased sex allocation when sex
      differences in survival arise after the period of parental investment.
      Importantly, a conventional model ignoring sex biases significantly overestimated
      population viability. We suggest that sex-specific population models are
      essential to understand the population dynamics of sexual organisms: reproduction
      and population growth are most sensitive to perturbations in survival of the
      limiting sex. Overall, our study suggests that sex-biased early survival may
      contribute toward mating system evolution and population persistence, with
      implications for both sexual selection theory and biodiversity conservation.

PMID- 28634292
TI  - Monte Carlo sampling for stochastic weight functions.
AB  - Conventional Monte Carlo simulations are stochastic in the sense that the
      acceptance of a trial move is decided by comparing a computed acceptance
      probability with a random number, uniformly distributed between 0 and 1. Here, we
      consider the case that the weight determining the acceptance probability itself
      is fluctuating. This situation is common in many numerical studies. We show that
      it is possible to construct a rigorous Monte Carlo algorithm that visits points
      in state space with a probability proportional to their average weight. The same
      approach may have applications for certain classes of high-throughput experiments
      and the analysis of noisy datasets.

PMID- 28634290
TI  - Geospatial analysis of nonmedical vaccine exemptions and pertussis outbreaks in
      the United States.
AB  - Because of increased numbers of recorded pertussis cases in the United States,
      this study sought to understand the role of nonmedical vaccine exemptions and
      waning immunity may have had on the resurgence of pertussis in the United States
      at the community level. We used geospatial scan statistics, SaTScan, version 9.4,
      to analyze nonmedical vaccine exemptions of children entering kindergarten in
      2011 and 2012 and reported pertussis cases in 2012 for children in age groups 5
      years and younger and 10 to 14 years. Eight statistically significant clusters of
      nonmedical vaccine exemptions in kindergarteners and 11 statistically significant
      clusters of pertussis cases in children and adolescents were identified and
      geospatially linked. Forty-five percent of the counties in the study had high
      rates of nonmedical vaccine exemptions. The proportion of kindergarteners with
      nonmedical vaccine exemptions was 2.8 times larger in the identified exemption
      clusters. In addition, 31 counties had geographic clusters of high rates of
      pertussis in children ages 10 to 14 years old, consistent with waning immunity.
      Our findings are consistent with the view that geographic clusters of nonmedical
      vaccine exemptions and waning immunity may have been factors contributing to
      community-level pertussis outbreaks.

PMID- 28634291
TI  - Rhodium metalloinsertor binding generates a lesion with selective cytotoxicity
      for mismatch repair-deficient cells.
AB  - The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway recognizes and repairs errors in base
      pairing and acts to maintain genome stability. Cancers that have lost MMR
      function are common and comprise an important clinical subtype that is resistant
      to many standard of care chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin. We have identified
      a family of rhodium metalloinsertors that bind DNA mismatches with high
      specificity and are preferentially cytotoxic to MMR-deficient cells. Here, we
      characterize the cellular mechanism of action of the most potent and selective
      complex in this family, [Rh(chrysi)(phen)(PPO)]2+ (Rh-PPO). We find that Rh-PPO
      binding induces a lesion that triggers the DNA damage response (DDR). DDR
      activation results in cell-cycle blockade and inhibition of DNA replication and
      transcription. Significantly, the lesion induced by Rh-PPO is not repaired in MMR
      deficient cells, resulting in selective cytotoxicity. The Rh-PPO mechanism is
      reminiscent of DNA repair enzymes that displace mismatched bases, and is
      differentiated from other DNA-targeted chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin by its
      potency, cellular mechanism, and selectivity for MMR-deficient cells.

PMID- 28634293
TI  - Intrinsic map dynamics exploration for uncharted effective free-energy
      landscapes.
AB  - We describe and implement a computer-assisted approach for accelerating the
      exploration of uncharted effective free-energy surfaces (FESs). More generally,
      the aim is the extraction of coarse-grained, macroscopic information from
      stochastic or atomistic simulations, such as molecular dynamics (MD). The
      approach functionally links the MD simulator with nonlinear manifold learning
      techniques. The added value comes from biasing the simulator toward unexplored
      phase-space regions by exploiting the smoothness of the gradually revealed
      intrinsic low-dimensional geometry of the FES.

PMID- 28634294
TI  - Hidden electrostatic basis of dynamic allostery in a PDZ domain.
AB  - Allosteric effect implies ligand binding at one site leading to structural and/or
      dynamical changes at a distant site. PDZ domains are classic examples of dynamic
      allostery without conformational changes, where distal side-chain dynamics is
      modulated on ligand binding and the origin has been attributed to entropic
      effects. In this work, we unearth the energetic basis of the observed dynamic
      allostery in a PDZ3 domain protein using molecular dynamics simulations. We
      demonstrate that electrostatic interaction provides a highly sensitive yardstick
      to probe the allosteric modulation in contrast to the traditionally used
      structure-based parameters. There is a significant population shift in the
      hydrogen-bonded network and salt bridges involving side chains on ligand binding.
      The ligand creates a local energetic perturbation that propagates in the form of
      dominolike changes in interresidue interaction pattern. There are significant
      changes in the nature of specific interactions (nonpolar/polar) between
      interresidue contacts and accompanied side-chain reorientations that drive the
      major redistribution of energy. Interestingly, this internal redistribution and
      rewiring of side-chain interactions led to large cancellations resulting in small
      change in the overall enthalpy of the protein, thus making it difficult to detect
      experimentally. In contrast to the prevailing focus on the entropic or dynamic
      effects, we show that the internal redistribution and population shift in
      specific electrostatic interactions drive the allosteric modulation in the PDZ3
      domain protein.

PMID- 28634295
TI  - Population-genomic inference of the strength and timing of selection against gene
      flow.
AB  - The interplay of divergent selection and gene flow is key to understanding how
      populations adapt to local environments and how new species form. Here, we use
      DNA polymorphism data and genome-wide variation in recombination rate to jointly
      infer the strength and timing of selection, as well as the baseline level of gene
      flow under various demographic scenarios. We model how divergent selection leads
      to a genome-wide negative correlation between recombination rate and genetic
      differentiation among populations. Our theory shows that the selection density
      (i.e., the selection coefficient per base pair) is a key parameter underlying
      this relationship. We then develop a procedure for parameter estimation that
      accounts for the confounding effect of background selection. Applying this method
      to two datasets from Mimulus guttatus, we infer a strong signal of adaptive
      divergence in the face of gene flow between populations growing on and off
      phytotoxic serpentine soils. However, the genome-wide intensity of this selection
      is not exceptional compared with what M. guttatus populations may typically
      experience when adapting to local conditions. We also find that selection against
      genome-wide introgression from the selfing sister species M. nasutus has acted to
      maintain a barrier between these two species over at least the last 250 ky. Our
      study provides a theoretical framework for linking genome-wide patterns of
      divergence and recombination with the underlying evolutionary mechanisms that
      drive this differentiation.

PMID- 28634296
TI  - 1T-TaS2 as a quantum spin liquid.
AB  - 1T-TaS2 is unique among transition metal dichalcogenides in that it is understood
      to be a correlation-driven insulator, where the unpaired electron in a 13-site
      cluster experiences enough correlation to form a Mott insulator. We argue, based
      on existing data, that this well-known material should be considered as a quantum
      spin liquid, either a fully gapped [Formula: see text] spin liquid or a Dirac
      spin liquid. We discuss the exotic states that emerge upon doping and propose
      further experimental probes.

PMID- 28634297
TI  - SUPERMAN prevents class B gene expression and promotes stem cell termination in
      the fourth whorl of Arabidopsis thaliana flowers.
AB  - The molecular and genetic networks underlying the determination of floral organ
      identity are well studied, but much less is known about how the flower is
      partitioned into four developmentally distinct whorls. The SUPERMAN gene is
      required for proper specification of the boundary between stamens in whorl 3 and
      carpels in whorl 4, as superman mutants exhibit supernumerary stamens but usually
      lack carpels. However, it has remained unclear whether extra stamens in superman
      mutants originate from an organ identity change in whorl 4 or the
      overproliferation of whorl 3. Using live confocal imaging, we show that the extra
      stamens in superman mutants arise from cells in whorl 4, which change their fate
      from female to male, while floral stem cells proliferate longer, allowing for the
      production of additional stamens.

PMID- 28634298
TI  - Analyses of PDE-regulated phosphoproteomes reveal unique and specific cAMP
      signaling modules in T cells.
AB  - Specific functions for different cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) have
      not yet been identified in most cell types. Conventional approaches to study PDE
      function typically rely on measurements of global cAMP, general increases in cAMP
      dependent protein kinase (PKA), or the activity of exchange protein activated by
      cAMP (EPAC). Although newer approaches using subcellularly targeted FRET reporter
      sensors have helped define more compartmentalized regulation of cAMP, PKA, and
      EPAC, they have limited ability to link this regulation to downstream effector
      molecules and biological functions. To address this problem, we have begun to use
      an unbiased mass spectrometry-based approach coupled with treatment using PDE
      isozyme-selective inhibitors to characterize the phosphoproteomes of the
      functional pools of cAMP/PKA/EPAC that are regulated by specific cAMP-PDEs (the
      PDE-regulated phosphoproteomes). In Jurkat cells we find multiple, distinct PDE
      regulated phosphoproteomes that can be defined by their responses to different
      PDE inhibitors. We also find that little phosphorylation occurs unless at least
      two different PDEs are concurrently inhibited in these cells. Moreover,
      bioinformatics analyses of these phosphoproteomes provide insight into the unique
      functional roles, mechanisms of action, and synergistic relationships among the
      different PDEs that coordinate cAMP-signaling cascades in these cells. The data
      strongly suggest that the phosphorylation of many different substrates
      contributes to cAMP-dependent regulation of these cells. The findings further
      suggest that the approach of using selective, inhibitor-dependent phosphoproteome
      analysis can provide a generalized methodology for understanding the roles of
      different PDEs in the regulation of cyclic nucleotide signaling.

PMID- 28634299
TI  - Biosynthesis of isonitrile lipopeptides by conserved nonribosomal peptide
      synthetase gene clusters in Actinobacteria.
AB  - A putative lipopeptide biosynthetic gene cluster is conserved in many species of
      Actinobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. marinum, but the
      specific function of the encoding proteins has been elusive. Using both in vivo
      heterologous reconstitution and in vitro biochemical analyses, we have revealed
      that the five encoding biosynthetic enzymes are capable of synthesizing a family
      of isonitrile lipopeptides (INLPs) through a thio-template mechanism. The
      biosynthesis features the generation of isonitrile from a single precursor Gly
      promoted by a thioesterase and a nonheme iron(II)-dependent oxidase homolog and
      the acylation of both amino groups of Lys by the same isonitrile acyl chain
      facilitated by a single condensation domain of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase.
      In addition, the deletion of INLP biosynthetic genes in M. marinum has decreased
      the intracellular metal concentration, suggesting the role of this biosynthetic
      gene cluster in metal transport.

PMID- 28634300
TI  - Understanding the mechanical response of double-stranded DNA and RNA under
      constant stretching forces using all-atom molecular dynamics.
AB  - Multiple biological processes involve the stretching of nucleic acids (NAs).
      Stretching forces induce local changes in the molecule structure, inhibiting or
      promoting the binding of proteins, which ultimately affects their functionality.
      Understanding how a force induces changes in the structure of NAs at the atomic
      level is a challenge. Here, we use all-atom, microsecond-long molecular dynamics
      to simulate the structure of dsDNA and dsRNA subjected to stretching forces up to
      20 pN. We determine all of the elastic constants of dsDNA and dsRNA and provide
      an explanation for three striking differences in the mechanical response of these
      two molecules: the threefold softer stretching constant obtained for dsRNA, the
      opposite twist-stretch coupling, and its nontrivial force dependence. The lower
      dsRNA stretching resistance is linked to its more open structure, whereas the
      opposite twist-stretch coupling of both molecules is due to the very different
      evolution of molecules' interstrand distance with the stretching force. A
      reduction of this distance leads to overwinding in dsDNA. In contrast, dsRNA is
      not able to reduce its interstrand distance and can only elongate by unwinding.
      Interstrand distance is directly correlated with the slide base-pair parameter
      and its different behavior in dsDNA and dsRNA traced down to changes in the sugar
      pucker angle of these NAs.

PMID- 28634301
TI  - Microbial glycoside hydrolases as antibiofilm agents with cross-kingdom activity.
AB  - Galactosaminogalactan and Pel are cationic heteropolysaccharides produced by the
      opportunistic pathogens Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
      respectively. These exopolysaccharides both contain 1,4-linked N-acetyl-d
      galactosamine and play an important role in biofilm formation by these organisms.
      Proteins containing glycoside hydrolase domains have recently been identified
      within the biosynthetic pathway of each exopolysaccharide. Recombinant hydrolase
      domains from these proteins (Sph3h from A. fumigatus and PelAh from P.
      aeruginosa) were found to degrade their respective polysaccharides in vitro. We
      therefore hypothesized that these glycoside hydrolases could exhibit antibiofilm
      activity and, further, given the chemical similarity between
      galactosaminogalactan and Pel, that they might display cross-species activity.
      Treatment of A. fumigatus with Sph3h disrupted A. fumigatus biofilms with an EC50
      of 0.4 nM. PelAh treatment also disrupted preformed A. fumigatus biofilms with
      EC50 values similar to those obtained for Sph3h In contrast, Sph3h was unable to
      disrupt P. aeruginosa Pel-based biofilms, despite being able to bind to the
      exopolysaccharide. Treatment of A. fumigatus hyphae with either Sph3h or PelAh
      significantly enhanced the activity of the antifungals posaconazole, amphotericin
      B, and caspofungin, likely through increasing antifungal penetration of hyphae.
      Both enzymes were noncytotoxic and protected A549 pulmonary epithelial cells from
      A. fumigatus-induced cell damage for up to 24 h. Intratracheal administration of
      Sph3h was well tolerated and reduced pulmonary fungal burden in a neutropenic
      mouse model of invasive aspergillosis. These findings suggest that glycoside
      hydrolases can exhibit activity against diverse microorganisms and may be useful
      as therapeutic agents by degrading biofilms and attenuating virulence.

PMID- 28634303
TI  - Structural characterization of the Rabphilin-3A-SNAP25 interaction.
AB  - Membrane fusion is essential in a myriad of eukaryotic cell biological processes,
      including the synaptic transmission. Rabphilin-3A is a membrane trafficking
      protein involved in the calcium-dependent regulation of secretory vesicle
      exocytosis in neurons and neuroendocrine cells, but the underlying mechanism
      remains poorly understood. Here, we report the crystal structures and biochemical
      analyses of Rabphilin-3A C2B-SNAP25 and C2B-phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate
      (PIP2) complexes, revealing how Rabphilin-3A C2 domains operate in cooperation
      with PIP2/Ca2+ and SNAP25 to bind the plasma membrane, adopting a conformation
      compatible to interact with the complete SNARE complex. Comparisons with the
      synaptotagmin1-SNARE show that both proteins contact the same SNAP25 surface, but
      Rabphilin-3A uses a unique structural element. Data obtained here suggest a model
      to explain the Ca2+-dependent fusion process by membrane bending with a myriad of
      variations depending on the properties of the C2 domain-bearing protein, shedding
      light to understand the fine-tuning control of the different vesicle fusion
      events.

PMID- 28634302
TI  - Structure of human Fe-S assembly subcomplex reveals unexpected cysteine
      desulfurase architecture and acyl-ACP-ISD11 interactions.
AB  - In eukaryotes, sulfur is mobilized for incorporation into multiple biosynthetic
      pathways by a cysteine desulfurase complex that consists of a catalytic subunit
      (NFS1), LYR protein (ISD11), and acyl carrier protein (ACP). This NFS1-ISD11-ACP
      (SDA) complex forms the core of the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) assembly complex and
      associates with assembly proteins ISCU2, frataxin (FXN), and ferredoxin to
      synthesize Fe-S clusters. Here we present crystallographic and electron
      microscopic structures of the SDA complex coupled to enzyme kinetic and cell
      based studies to provide structure-function properties of a mitochondrial
      cysteine desulfurase. Unlike prokaryotic cysteine desulfurases, the SDA structure
      adopts an unexpected architecture in which a pair of ISD11 subunits form the
      dimeric core of the SDA complex, which clarifies the critical role of ISD11 in
      eukaryotic assemblies. The different quaternary structure results in an
      incompletely formed substrate channel and solvent-exposed pyridoxal 5'-phosphate
      cofactor and provides a rationale for the allosteric activator function of FXN in
      eukaryotic systems. The structure also reveals the 4'-phosphopantetheine
      conjugated acyl-group of ACP occupies the hydrophobic core of ISD11, explaining
      the basis of ACP stabilization. The unexpected architecture for the SDA complex
      provides a framework for understanding interactions with acceptor proteins for
      sulfur-containing biosynthetic pathways, elucidating mechanistic details of
      eukaryotic Fe-S cluster biosynthesis, and clarifying how defects in Fe-S cluster
      assembly lead to diseases such as Friedreich's ataxia. Moreover, our results
      support a lock-and-key model in which LYR proteins associate with acyl-ACP as a
      mechanism for fatty acid biosynthesis to coordinate the expression, Fe-S cofactor
      maturation, and activity of the respiratory complexes.

PMID- 28634304
TI  - Redox-dependent interaction between thaumatin-like protein and beta-glucan
      influences malting quality of barley.
AB  - Barley is the cornerstone of the malting and brewing industry. It is known that
      250 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of the grain are associated with 19 malting
      quality phenotypes. However, only a few of the contributing genetic components
      have been identified. One of these, on chromosome 4H, contains a major malting
      QTL, QTL2, located near the telomeric region that accounts, respectively, for
      28.9% and 37.6% of the variation in the beta-glucan and extract fractions of
      malt. In the current study, we dissected the QTL2 region using an expression- and
      microsynteny-based approach. From a set of 22 expressed sequence tags expressed
      in seeds at the malting stage, we identified a candidate gene, TLP8 (thaumatin
      like protein 8), which was differentially expressed and influenced malting
      quality. Transcript abundance and protein profiles of TLP8 were studied in
      different malt and feed varieties using quantitative PCR, immunoblotting, and
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The experiments demonstrated that TLP8
      binds to insoluble (1, 3, 1, 4)-beta-D glucan in grain extracts, thereby
      facilitating the removal of this undesirable polysaccharide during malting.
      Further, the binding of TLP8 to beta-glucan was dependent on redox. These
      findings represent a stride forward in our understanding of the malting process
      and provide a foundation for future improvements in the final beer-making
      process.

PMID- 28634305
TI  - Data-Driven Extraction of a Nested Model of Human Brain Function.
AB  - Decades of cognitive neuroscience research have revealed two basic facts
      regarding task-driven brain activation patterns. First, distinct patterns of
      activation occur in response to different task demands. Second, a superordinate,
      dichotomous pattern of activation/deactivation, is common across a variety of
      task demands. We explore the possibility that a hierarchical model incorporates
      these two observed brain activation phenomena into a unifying framework. We apply
      a latent variable approach, exploratory bifactor analysis, to a large set of
      human (both sexes) brain activation maps (n = 108) encompassing cognition,
      perception, action, and emotion behavioral domains, to determine the potential
      existence of a nested structure of factors that underlie a variety of commonly
      observed activation patterns. We find that a general factor, associated with a
      superordinate brain activation/deactivation pattern, explained the majority of
      the variance (52.37%) in brain activation patterns. The bifactor analysis also
      revealed several subfactors that explained an additional 31.02% of variance in
      brain activation patterns, associated with different manifestations of the
      superordinate brain activation/deactivation pattern, each emphasizing different
      contexts in which the task demands occurred. Importantly, this nested factor
      structure provided better overall fit to the data compared with a non-nested
      factor structure model. These results point to a domain-general psychological
      process, representing a "focused awareness" process or "attentional episode" that
      is variously manifested according to the sensory modality of the stimulus and
      degree of cognitive processing. This novel model provides the basis for
      constructing a biologically informed, data-driven taxonomy of psychological
      processes.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A crucial step in identifying how the brain
      supports various psychological processes is a well-defined categorization or
      taxonomy of psychological processes and their interrelationships. We hypothesized
      that a nested structure of cognitive function, in terms of a canonical domain
      general cognitive process, and various subfactors representing different
      manifestations of the canonical process, is a fundamental organization of human
      cognition, and we tested this hypothesis using fMRI task-activation patterns.
      Using a data-driven latent-variable approach, we demonstrate that a nested factor
      structure underlies a large sample of brain activation patterns across a variety
      of task domains.

PMID- 28634306
TI  - Representations of Time-Varying Cochlear Implant Stimulation in Auditory Cortex
      of Awake Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).
AB  - Electrical stimulation of the auditory periphery organ by cochlear implant (CI)
      generates highly synchronized inputs to the auditory system. It has long been
      thought such inputs would lead to highly synchronized neural firing along the
      ascending auditory pathway. However, neurophysiological studies with hearing
      animals have shown that the central auditory system progressively converts
      temporal representations of time-varying sounds to firing rate-based
      representations. It is not clear whether this coding principle also applies to
      highly synchronized CI inputs. Higher-frequency modulations in CI stimulation
      have been found to evoke largely transient responses with little sustained firing
      in previous studies of the primary auditory cortex (A1) in anesthetized animals.
      Here, we show that, in addition to neurons displaying synchronized firing to CI
      stimuli, a large population of A1 neurons in awake marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
      responded to rapid time-varying CI stimulation with discharges that were not
      synchronized to CI stimuli, yet reflected changing repetition frequency by
      increased firing rate. Marmosets of both sexes were included in this study. By
      comparing directly each neuron's responses to time-varying acoustic and CI
      signals, we found that individual A1 neurons encode both modalities with similar
      firing patterns (stimulus-synchronized or nonsynchronized). These findings
      suggest that A1 neurons use the same basic coding schemes to represent time
      varying acoustic or CI stimulation and provide new insights into mechanisms
      underlying how the brain processes natural sounds via a CI device.SIGNIFICANCE
      STATEMENT In modern cochlear implant (CI) processors, the temporal information in
      speech or environmental sounds is delivered through modulated electric pulse
      trains. How the auditory cortex represents temporally modulated CI stimulation
      across multiple time scales has remained largely unclear. In this study, we
      compared directly neuronal responses in primary auditory cortex (A1) to time
      varying acoustic and CI signals in awake marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus).
      We found that A1 neurons encode both modalities using similar coding schemes, but
      some important differences were identified. Our results provide insights into
      mechanisms underlying how the brain processes sounds via a CI device and suggest
      a candidate neural code underlying rate-pitch perception limitations often
      observed in CI users.

PMID- 28634308
TI  - [Variations of the Endoscopic Keyhole Transcranial Approach].

PMID- 28634307
TI  - Prefrontal Neurons Encode a Solution to the Credit-Assignment Problem.
AB  - To adapt successfully to our environments, we must use the outcomes of our
      choices to guide future behavior. Critically, we must be able to correctly assign
      credit for any particular outcome to the causal features which preceded it. In
      some cases, the causal features may be immediately evident, whereas in others
      they may be separated in time or intermingled with irrelevant environmental
      stimuli, creating a potentially nontrivial credit-assignment problem. We examined
      the neuronal representation of information relevant for credit assignment in the
      dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of two male rhesus macaques performing a
      task that elicited key aspects of this problem. We found that neurons conveyed
      the information necessary for credit assignment. Specifically, neuronal activity
      reflected both the relevant cues and outcomes at the time of feedback and did so
      in a manner that was stable over time, in contrast to prior reports of
      representational instability in the dlPFC. Furthermore, these representations
      were most stable early in learning, when credit assignment was most needed. When
      the same features were not needed for credit assignment, these neuronal
      representations were much weaker or absent. These results demonstrate that the
      activity of dlPFC neurons conforms to the basic requirements of a system that
      performs credit assignment, and that spiking activity can serve as a stable
      mechanism that links causes and effects.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Credit assignment
      is the process by which we infer the causes of our successes and failures. We
      found that neuronal activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex conveyed the
      necessary information for performing credit assignment. Importantly, while there
      are various potential mechanisms to retain a "trace" of the causal events over
      time, we observed that spiking activity was sufficiently stable to act as the
      link between causes and effects, in contrast to prior reports that suggested
      spiking representations were unstable over time. In addition, we observed that
      this stability varied as a function of learning, such that the neural code was
      more reliable over time during early learning, when it was most needed.

PMID- 28634309
TI  - [Investigation of Repeatability of Residual Urine Volume Measurement for Lower
      Urinary Tract Disorder in Patients with Lumbar Degenerative Disorders].
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: prospective study OBJECTIVE:To evaluate repeatability of residual
      urine(RU)volume measurement(RUM)in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders.
      SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: RUM by abdominal echo is a non-invasive modality to
      evaluate lower urinary tract disorder(LUTD), repeatability of which is not found
      in urological disorders. Additionally, its repeatability has not been confirmed
      in spinal disorders. The authors examined repeatability of RUM for evaluation of
      LUTD in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders. METHODS: Thirty-four
      patients with lumbar degenerative disorders and 7 normal adult volunteers entered
      our study. RUM was performed at least twice(two to seven times; average 3.6
      times). According to urological guidelines, RU over 50 cc is defined as abnormal.
      Thirty-four patients were divided into two groups:the U+group with lower urinary
      tract lesion(16 patients)and the U-group without such a lesion(18 patients).
      RESULTS: In normal adult volunteers:In all volunteers, there was no abnormal RU.
      Repeatability of RUM was 100%. Average RU volume was 1.6 cc. In patients with
      lumbar degenerative disorders:Repeatability of RUM was 94.4% in the U
      group(average RU volume was 35.2 cc)and 50% in the U+group(average RU volume was
      50.1 cc). In all patients with lumbar degenerative disorders, repeatability of
      RUM was 73.5%(average RU volume was 43.0 cc). CONCLUSIONS: Repeatability of RUM
      in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders was 73.5%. Especially, in patients
      without lower urinary tract lesion, high repeatability of RUM was confirmed.
      According to the present study, RUM seemed to be a dependable modality to
      evaluate LUTD in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders.

PMID- 28634310
TI  - [A Case of Coexistent Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia and Hemifacial Spasm
      Successfully Treated with Transposition of the Vertebral Artery].
AB  - A case of coexistent glossopharyngeal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm was treated
      by transposition of the vertebral artery. A 60-year-old man was referred to our
      hospital due to pain in the left posterior part of the tongue that was difficult
      to control with oral medication at a local hospital. The diagnosis was left
      glossopharyngeal neuralgia based on the symptoms, imaging findings, and lidocaine
      test results. Moreover, the patient had left hemifacial spasm. Microvascular
      decompression was performed, which confirmed that the vertebral artery was
      compressing the lower cranial nerve and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery
      was compressing the root exit zone of the facial nerve. The vertebral artery and
      posterior inferior cerebellar artery were transposed using
      TachoSil<sup>(r)</sup>. After the surgery, both glossopharyngeal neuralgia and
      hemifacial spasm disappeared, and the patient was discharged.

PMID- 28634311
TI  - [Bevacizumab-Related Hyperintense Lesions on Diffusion-Weighted Imaging at
      Different Locations in a Patient with Malignant Glioma].
AB  - We report the case of a 60-year-old man who first presented with transient
      difficulty of word recall. Subsequent MRI revealed an invasive brain tumor in the
      left frontal lobe. The patient underwent open biopsy, and diffuse astrocytoma(WHO
      grade II)was diagnosed. However, the malignant potential of this tumor was not
      particularly low because of a few enhancement on preoperative evaluation, and
      radiation therapy was initially performed. Four months after ending irradiation,
      temozolomide treatment was introduced for tumor regrowth. After another 2 months,
      combined chemotherapy with bevacizumab was also started due to tumor enlargement,
      which was evaluated as malignant transformation to glioblastoma. Two focal
      lesions with signal hyperintensity on DWI appeared in the frontal and temporal
      lobes at different locations 3 months after starting bevacizumab. The left
      temporal lesion subsequently changed to a ring-enhanced tumor, and
      glioblastoma(WHO grade IV)was finally diagnosed at decompressive surgery. Another
      frontal lesion, however, continued to maintain a favorable course without any
      changes in signal despite appearing as similar signal-hyperintense lesions. The
      temporal hyperintense lesion may undergo malignant transformation into
      glioblastoma with typical radiological appearance. Recent studies on image
      changes following bevacizumab treatment have attracted widespread attention, and
      the clinical significance of such hyperintense lesions has gained attention. This
      present case was thought to be valuable because of the contradistinctive aspects
      at the same time, in which the hyperintense lesions of the frontal and temporal
      lobes seemed to represent antitumor activity or drug refractory effects based on
      bevacizumab treatment.

PMID- 28634312
TI  - [A Case of Dural Arteriovenous Fistula in the Anterior Cranial Fossa that
      Developed Remote from the Craniotomy Site after Surgery].
AB  - Dural arteriovenous fistula(dAVF)is relatively rare, and its etiology remains
      uncertain. Generally, dAVF is thought to be acquired and has been reported to
      develop secondary to sinus thrombosis, head injury, infection, and surgery. We
      report a rare case of dAVF in the anterior cranial fossa that developed remote
      from the craniotomy site after surgery. A 52-year-old man underwent surgery for
      hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage 4 years prior. Perioperative imaging
      modalities demonstrated no abnormal vascular malformation except for an un
      ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm. Four years later, follow-up
      magnetic resonance angiography showed abnormal vascular malformation in the
      anterior cranial fossa, and cerebral angiography demonstrated dAVF. dAVF and
      aneurysm were successfully treated. Possible formation of a dAVF should be
      considered after craniotomy.

PMID- 28634313
TI  - [A Case of Bilateral Traumatic Carotid-Cavernous Fistula].
AB  - Bilateral traumatic carotid-cavernous fistula(CCF)is rare. It is most commonly
      caused by a direct head or face injury involving the cavernous sinus and develops
      immediately after trauma. We report a case of bilateral traumatic CCF that
      occurred as an intracerebral hematoma(ICH)mimicking apoplexy 5 months later. We
      treated the patient with point occlusion of venous reflux causing an ICH using
      coil embolization to remove the hematoma. Three days after we performed trans
      venous occlusion of the intercavernous connection and right cavernous sinus using
      coil embolization through the right inferior petrosal vein, it was identified
      that the left CCF was occluded after first embolization into the left sylvian
      vein. The mechanism of delayed development of traumatic CCF and spontaneous
      disappearance of CCF after occlusion of venous reflux are discussed.

PMID- 28634314
TI  - [A Case of Moyamoya Disease Associated with SAPHO Syndrome].
AB  - Moyamoya disease is a unique occlusive disease of the internal carotid
      artery(ICA)with moyamoya vessels that can lead to transient ischemic attacks and
      hemorrhagic stroke. When other inherited or acquired disorders and conditions
      occur in conjunction with moyamoya disease, the syndrome is known as quasi
      moyamoya disease. We report the case of a 34-year-old woman with a past history
      of SAPHO(Synovitis-Acne-Pustulosis-Hyperostosis-Osteomyelitis)syndrome, who
      presented with arm weakness and headache. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed
      severe terminal stenosis of the left ICA with moyamoya vessels, and she was
      diagnosed as moyamoya disease associated with SAPHO syndrome. She underwent
      superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis and her arm
      weakness improved postoperatively. Postoperative course was uneventful, although
      she showed transient right paresthesia, which improved with conservative therapy.
      Autoimmune response could contribute to the development of this moyamoya disease,
      and we discuss its mechanism with a literature review.

PMID- 28634315
TI  - [A Case of Metastatic Brain Tumor Complicated by Multiple Repeated Hemorrhages].
AB  - Metastatic brain tumor occasionally results in multiple cerebral hemorrhages.
      Here, we report a case of metastatic brain tumor complicated by multiple repeated
      cerebral hemorrhages. An 80-year-old man with a history of removal of lung cancer
      was admitted to our hospital because of disturbed consciousness following
      headache. A brain CT revealed a mass lesion of 40-mm diameter in the left
      cerebellum and a mass lesion of 2-mm diameter in the right temporal lobe. The
      cerebellar mass lesion showed homogeneous iso-density, indicating a subacute
      phase hemorrhage. Two days later, a follow-up CT revealed that the mass lesion
      had become high-density, indicating complication by a fresh hemorrhage. Hematoma
      was removed and histological examination was performed on the cerebellar lesion.
      There was leakage of dark-red liquid intraoperatively, and histological
      examination revealed an adenocarcinoma, indicating metastasis of the lung cancer.
      Additionally, necrosis and hemorrhage were identified. Postoperatively, whole
      brain irradiation was performed. The right temporal lesion gradually enlarged but
      disappeared after irradiation. In conclusion, multiple brain metastases may
      result in multiple cerebral hemorrhages. Repeated hemorrhage from necrosis of the
      carcinoma causes a slowly growing hematoma.

PMID- 28634316
TI  - [Pre- and Intra-Operative Supporting Technology for Brain Tumors(8)Microsurgery
      and Endoscopic Surgery for Deep-seated Brain Tumor].

PMID- 28634319
TI  - Common hepatic artery quadrifurcation associated with right hepatic artery from
      superior mesenteric artery during laparoscopic total splenopancreasectomy.
AB  - : Hepatobiliopancreatic surgery is challenging becouse of the complexity of
      resections and reconstructions and variability of vascular anatomy. The arterial
      vascularization of the liver is susteined by the common hepatic artery (CHA) that
      originates from the celiac trunk (CT). The CHA bifurcates into the gastroduodenal
      artery (GDA) and proper hepatic artery (PHA) 0.5-1 cm medial to the common bile
      duct (CBD), and the PHA bifurcates into a right and a left branch at hepatic
      hilum. The most frequent variants are the right hepatic artery (RHA) from the
      superior mesenteric artery (SMA), the left hepatic artery (LHA) from the left
      gastric artery (LGA) or a combination of these two variants. Herein, we describe
      the case of a 70 years old woman affected by IPMN of the pancreas with a
      quadrifurcation of CHA, associated with a RHA off the SMA. KEY WORDS: Anatomic
      variant Hepatic artery variant, Hepatic anatomy, Hepatic vascular anatomy.

PMID- 28634318
TI  - Evaluation and validation of the diagnostic value of the apparent diffusion
      coefficient for differentiating early-stage endometrial carcinomas from benign
      mimickers at 3T MRI.
AB  - Previous researchers obtained various apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) cutoff
      values to differentiate endometrial carcinoma from benign mimickers with 1.5T
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Few studies have used 3T MRI or validated the
      effectiveness of these cutoff ADC values prospectively. This study was designed
      in two stages to obtain a cutoff ADC value at 3T MRI and to validate
      prospectively the role of the ADC value. First, we conducted a retrospective
      study of 60 patients to evaluate the diagnostic value of ADC by obtain a
      theoretical cutoff ADC value for differentiating between benign and malignant
      endometrial lesions. Student's t test revealed that ADC values for stage I
      endometrial carcinomas were significantly lower than those for benign lesions.
      The area under the curve value of the receiver operating characteristic curve was
      0.993, and the cutoff ADC value was 0.98 * 10-3 mm2/s. The sensitivity,
      specificity, and overall accuracy of diagnosing stage I endometrial carcinoma
      were 100%, 97.1%, and 98.3%, respectively. Second, we conducted a prospective
      study of 26 patients to validate the use of the cutoff ADC value obtained in the
      study's first stage. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy for
      differentiating malignant from benign endometrial lesions based on the cutoff ADC
      value obtained earlier were as follows: radiologist 1 attained 86.67%, 100.0%,
      and 92.31%, respectively; radiologist 2 attained 86.67%, 91.0%, and 88.5%,
      respectively. Our results suggest that ADC values could be a potential biomarker
      for use as a quantitative and qualitative tool for differentiating between early
      stage endometrial carcinomas and benign mimickers.

PMID- 28634320
TI  - Comparison of 2 Analgesia Modalities in Total Knee Replacement Surgery: Is There
      an Effect on Knee Function Rehabilitation?
AB  - BACKGROUND We compared the effects of continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) and
      continuous intraarticular block (CIAB) on pain, functional recovery and adverse
      effects after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). MATERIAL AND METHODS We
      prospectively randomized 54 patients undergoing TKA into 2 groups: CFNB (Group F)
      and CIAB (Group I). Surgery was performed under spinal anesthesia. All patients
      received patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine, diclofenac, and
      acetaminophen for the first 72 h postoperatively. Pain was assessed with a visual
      analog scale (VAS), 48-h morphine consumption and 72-h local anesthetic dosage
      were recorded, motor blockade was assessed, maximum range of motion (ROM) was
      measured, and adverse effect profiles were recorded. RESULTS There was no
      significant difference in postoperative pain at rest, in passive motion, active
      motion, or active movement (2-min walk test (2MWT)) between study groups. Group I
      had less opioid usage in the first 24 h postoperatively (p<0.05). No significant
      difference was found between the groups in the postoperative local anesthetic
      dosage (p>0.05). Significantly lower scores of Bromage scale in Group I in 72 h
      after surgery (p<0.05) were found. Group I had superior passive maximum ROM in 1
      month after surgery and superior active maximum ROM on day 7 and at 1 month after
      surgery (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Both CFNB and CIAB are effective postoperative
      analgesia methods after TKA. CIAB leads to lower postoperative opioid usage in
      the first 24 h, lower motor blockade in the first 72 h, and better knee function
      on day 7 and at 1 month after surgery.

PMID- 28634322
TI  - Helium Irradiation and Implantation Effects on the Structure of Amorphous Silicon
      Oxycarbide.
AB  - Despite recent interest in amorphous ceramics for a variety of nuclear
      applications, many details of their structure before and after
      irradiation/implantation remain unknown. Here we investigated the short-range
      order of amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) alloys by using the atomic pair
      distribution function (PDF) obtained from electron diffraction. The PDF results
      show that the structure of SiOC alloys are nearly unchanged after both
      irradiation up to 30 dpa and He implantation up to 113 at%. TEM characterization
      shows no sign of crystallization, He bubble or void formation, or segregation in
      all irradiated samples. Irradiation results in a decreased number of Si-O bonds
      and an increased number of Si-C and C-O bonds. This study sheds light on the
      design of radiation-tolerant materials that do not experience helium swelling for
      advanced nuclear reactor applications.

PMID- 28634321
TI  - A central mechanism enhances pain perception of noxious thermal stimulus changes.
AB  - Pain perception temporarily exaggerates abrupt thermal stimulus changes revealing
      a mechanism for nociceptive temporal contrast enhancement (TCE). Although the
      mechanism is unknown, a non-linear model with perceptual feedback accurately
      simulates the phenomenon. Here we test if a mechanism in the central nervous
      system underlies thermal TCE. Our model successfully predicted an optimal
      stimulus, incorporating a transient temperature offset (step-up/step-down), with
      maximal TCE, resulting in psychophysically verified large decrements in pain
      response ("offset-analgesia"; mean analgesia: 85%, n = 20 subjects). Next, this
      stimulus was delivered using two thermodes, one delivering the longer duration
      baseline temperature pulse and the other superimposing a short higher temperature
      pulse. The two stimuli were applied simultaneously either near or far on the same
      arm, or on opposite arms. Spatial separation across multiple peripheral receptive
      fields ensures the composite stimulus timecourse is first reconstituted in the
      central nervous system. Following ipsilateral stimulus cessation on the high
      temperature thermode, but before cessation of the low temperature stimulus
      properties of TCE were observed both for individual subjects and in group-mean
      responses. This demonstrates a central integration mechanism is sufficient to
      evoke painful thermal TCE, an essential step in transforming transient afferent
      nociceptive signals into a stable pain perception.

PMID- 28634323
TI  - Intestinal microbial dysbiosis aggravates the progression of Alzheimer's disease
      in Drosophila.
AB  - Neuroinflammation caused by local deposits of Abeta42 in the brain is key for the
      pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease. However, inflammation in the
      brain is not always a response to local primary insults. Gut microbiota
      dysbiosis, which is recently emerging as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders,
      can also initiate a brain inflammatory response. It still remains unclear
      however, whether enteric dysbiosis also contributes to Alzheimer's disease. Here
      we show that in a Drosophila Alzheimer's disease model, enterobacteria infection
      exacerbated progression of Alzheimer's disease by promoting immune hemocyte
      recruitment to the brain, thereby provoking TNF-JNK mediated neurodegeneration.
      Genetic depletion of hemocytes attenuates neuroinflammation and alleviated
      neurodegeneration. We further found that enteric infection increases the motility
      of the hemocytes, making them more readily attracted to the brain with an
      elevated oxidative stress status. This work highlights the importance of gut
      brain crosstalk as a fundamental regulatory system in modulating Alzheimer's
      disease neurodegeneration.Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota
      influences immune function in the brain and may play a role in neurological
      diseases. Here, the authors offer in vivo evidence from a Drosophila model that
      supports a role for gut microbiota in modulating the progression of Alzheimer's
      disease.

PMID- 28634324
TI  - Ficolins do not alter host immune responses to lipopolysaccharide-induced
      inflammation in vivo.
AB  - Ficolins are a family of pattern recognition molecules that are capable of
      activating the lectin pathway of complement. A limited number of reports have
      demonstrated a protective role of ficolins in animal models of infection. In
      addition, an immune modulatory role of ficolins has been suggested. Yet, the
      contribution of ficolins to inflammatory disease processes remains elusive. To
      address this, we investigated ficolin deficient mice during a lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS)-induced model of systemic inflammation. Although murine serum ficolin was
      shown to bind LPS in vitro, there was no difference between wildtype and ficolin
      deficient mice in morbidity and mortality by LPS-induced inflammation. Moreover,
      there was no difference between wildtype and ficolin deficient mice in the
      inflammatory cytokine profiles after LPS challenge. These findings were
      substantiated by microarray analysis revealing an unaltered spleen transcriptome
      profile in ficolin deficient mice compared to wildtype mice. Collectively,
      results from this study demonstrate that ficolins are not involved in host
      response to LPS-induced systemic inflammation.

PMID- 28634325
TI  - In Utero and Lactational Exposure Study in Rats to Identify Replacements for Di(2
      ethylhexyl) Phthalate.
AB  - Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and other phthalates are ubiquitous
      environmental contaminants with endocrine disrupting properties. Two novel
      plasticizers, 1,4 butanediol dibenzoate (BDB) and dioctyl succinate (DOS), have
      been proposed as potential replacements. Both have desirable properties as
      plasticizers and minimal in vitro biological effects. Herein, we present an in
      utero and lactational exposure study comparing DEHP with BDB, DOS, and 1,2
      cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH), a commercial alternative.
      Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged with vehicle or one of these
      chemicals at 30 or 300 mg/kg/day from gestational day 8 until postnatal day (PND)
      21. The offspring were examined for effects on developmental and endocrine
      markers until PND 46. DEHP treatment (300 mg/kg) decreased heart weights in dams
      and induced a significant decrease in anogenital index and an increase in
      hemorrhagic testes and multinucleated gonocytes in PND 3 male pups. An increase
      in the incidence of hemorrhagic testes was also observed on PND 8 after exposure
      to DINCH (30 and 300 mg/kg). The only other effects observed were decreases in
      serum alanine transaminase and magnesium in BDB 30 exposed dams. These data
      suggest that both BDB and DOS are viable alternative plasticizers.

PMID- 28634326
TI  - A Chrysoporthe cubensis enzyme cocktail produced from a low-cost carbon source
      with high biomass hydrolysis efficiency.
AB  - Low cost and high efficiency cellulolytic cocktails can consolidate
      lignocellulosic ethanol technologies. Sugarcane bagasse (SCB) is a low cost agro
      industrial residue, and its use as a carbon source can reduce the costs of fungi
      cultivation for enzyme production. Chrysoporthe cubensis grown under solid state
      fermentation (SSF) with wheat bran has potential to produce efficient enzymatic
      extracts for SCB saccharification. This fungus was grown under submersed
      fermentation (SmF) and SSF with in natura SCB, pretreated with acid or alkali and
      with others carbon sources. In natura SCB induced the highest
      carboxymethylcellulase (CMCase), xylanase, beta-xylosidase, alpha-galactosidase
      and mannanase activities by C. cubensis under SSF. In natura and washed SCB,
      inducers of enzyme production under SSF, did not induce high cellulases and
      hemicellulases production by C. cubensis in SmF. The C. cubensis enzymatic
      extract produced under SSF with in natura SCB as a carbon source was more
      efficient for lignocelulolic biomass hydrolysis than extracts produced under SSF
      with wheat bran and commercial cellulolytic extract. Chrysoporthe cubensis showed
      high potential for cellulases and hemicellulases production, especially when
      grown under SSF with in natura SCB as carbon source.

PMID- 28634327
TI  - High quality factor confined Tamm modes.
AB  - We demonstrate that quality factors up to 5000 can be obtained in Tamm-like
      hybrid metal/semiconductor structures. To do this, a Bragg mirror is covered by a
      thin transparent layer and a metallic film. The reduced losses of these modes are
      related to an intermediate behavior between conventional Tamm plasmon and Bragg
      modes lying deeper in the semiconductor medium. One of the most striking features
      of this approach is that these super Tamm modes can still be spatially confined
      with the metal. Confinement on micrometric scale is experimentally demonstrated.
      The simplicity and versatility of high-Q mode control by metal structuration open
      perspectives for lasing and polaritonic applications.

PMID- 28634328
TI  - Multiple magnetoelectric coupling effect in BaTiO3/Sr2CoMoO6 heterostructures.
AB  - Due to the demand of controlling magnetism by electric fields for future storage
      devices, materials with magnetoelectric coupling are of great interests. Based on
      first-principles calculations, we study the electronic and magnetic properties of
      a double perovskite Sr2CoMoO6 (SCMO) in a hybrid heterostructure combined with
      BaTiO3 (BTO) in different polarization states. The calculations show that by
      introducing ferroelectric state in BTO, SCMO transforms from an antiferromagnetic
      semiconductor to a half-metal. Specially, altering the polarization direction not
      only controls the interfacial magnetic moment, but also changes the orbital
      occupancy of the Co-3d state. This novel multiple magnetoelectric coupling opens
      possibilities for designing new type of spintronic and microelectronic devices
      with controllable degree of freedom of interfacial electrons in the
      heterostructures.

PMID- 28634330
TI  - Increase in predation risk and trophic level induced by nocturnal visits of
      piscivorous fishes in a temperate seagrass bed.
AB  - The majority of surveys on food webs of aquatic ecosystems have been conducted
      during the day owning to difficulties in sampling animals at night. In this
      study, to examine diurnal changes in predator-prey interactions in a temperate
      seagrass Zostera marina bed, a quantitative day/night survey of fish, the
      dominant animal community, coupled with acoustic telemetry of their predators,
      was conducted. The number of species, abundance, and biomass of piscivorous
      predators and mean trophic level during the night were significantly higher than
      those in the day in all seasons. Analysis of the stomach contents of 182
      piscivorous predators showed that no fish predation occurred during the day
      whereas predation occurred during the night in winter, spring, and summer.
      Acoustic telemetry demonstrated nocturnal visits by dominant piscivorous fish
      species (rockfishes and conger eel) to the seagrass bed. We conclude that the
      nocturnal visits by piscivorous fishes increased the predation risk and trophic
      level in the fish nursery. The ecological functions of seagrass beds should be
      reevaluated accounting for day/night changes in food webs; these areas serve as
      nurseries for juvenile and small-sized fishes during the day and as foraging
      grounds for predators during the night.

PMID- 28634329
TI  - Long days enhance recognition memory and increase insulin-like growth factor 2 in
      the hippocampus.
AB  - Light improves cognitive function in humans; however, the neurobiological
      mechanisms underlying positive effects of light remain unclear. One obstacle is
      that most rodent models have employed lighting conditions that cause cognitive
      deficits rather than improvements. Here we have developed a mouse model where
      light improves cognitive function, which provides insight into mechanisms
      underlying positive effects of light. To increase light exposure without
      eliminating daily rhythms, we exposed mice to either a standard photoperiod or a
      long day photoperiod. Long days enhanced long-term recognition memory, and this
      effect was abolished by loss of the photopigment melanopsin. Further, long days
      markedly altered hippocampal clock function and elevated transcription of Insulin
      like Growth Factor2 (Igf2). Up-regulation of Igf2 occurred in tandem with
      suppression of its transcriptional repressor Wilm's tumor1. Consistent with
      molecular de-repression of Igf2, IGF2 expression was increased in the hippocampus
      before and after memory training. Lastly, long days occluded IGF2-induced
      improvements in recognition memory. Collectively, these results suggest that
      light changes hippocampal clock function to alter memory, highlighting novel
      mechanisms that may contribute to the positive effects of light. Furthermore,
      this study provides insight into how the circadian clock can regulate hippocampus
      dependent learning by controlling molecular processes required for memory
      consolidation.

PMID- 28634331
TI  - Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the plasma jet-treated medium on lymphoblastoid
      WIL2-NS cell line using the cytokinesis block micronucleus cytome assay.
AB  - Despite growing interest in the application of atmospheric plasma jets as medical
      treatment strategies, there has been comparatively little research on the
      potential genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of plasma jet treatment. In this study,
      we have employed the cytokinesis block micronucleus cytome (CBMN-Cyt) assay with
      WIL2-NS B lymphoblastoid cells to test the potential genotoxicity, as well as the
      cytotoxicity, of toxic species generated in cell culture media by an argon (Ar)
      plasma jet. Elevated levels of cell death (necrosis) and occurrence of
      chromosomal damage (micronuclei MN, nculeoplasmic bridge NPBs and nuclear bus,
      Nbuds) were observed when cells were exposed to plasma jet-treated media. These
      results provide a first insight into how we might measure the genotoxic and
      cytotoxic effect of plasma jet treatments (both indirect and direct) in dividing
      human cells.

PMID- 28634332
TI  - Predicting the potential risk area of illegal vaccine trade in China.
AB  - Since the disclosure of the "Illegal vaccine operation series case in Jinan,
      Shandong" in March, 2016, this issue has attracted a great deal of attention and
      has led to public concerns about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines involved
      in this case. The main purpose of this paper is to scientifically and
      scrupulously predict the possible geographic distribution of illegal vaccines in
      China, and provide a foundation to guide future governmental policies and
      actions. A species distribution model was used because of the advantages of using
      presence/pseudo-absence or presence-only data, and it performs well with
      incomplete species distribution data. A series of socioeconomic variables were
      used to simulate habitat suitability distribution. Maxent (Maximum Entropy Model)
      and GARP (Genetic Algorithm for Rule set Production) were used to predict the
      risks of illegal vaccines in China, and define the spatial distribution and
      significant factors of the area at risk from illegal vaccines. Jackknife tests
      were used to evaluate the relative importance of socioeconomic variables. It was
      found that: (1) Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu and Anhui are the main high-risk
      areas impacted by the vaccines involved in Jinan case. (2) Population density and
      industrial structure are the main socioeconomic factors affecting areas which may
      be at risk from illegal vaccines.

PMID- 28634333
TI  - Atomic rearrangement of a sputtered MoS2 film from amorphous to a 2D layered
      structure by electron beam irradiation.
AB  - We synthesised a crystalline MoS2 film from as-sputtered amorphous film by
      applying an electron beam irradiation (EBI) process. A collimated electron beam
      (60 mm dia.) with an energy of 1 kV was irradiated for only 1 min to achieve
      crystallisation without an additional heating process. After the EBI process, we
      observed a two-dimensional layered structure of MoS2 about 4 nm thick and with a
      hexagonal atomic arrangement on the surface. A stoichiometric MoS2 film was
      confirmed to grow well on SiO2/Si substrates and include partial oxidation of Mo.
      In our experimental configuration, EBI on an atomically thin MoS2 layer
      stimulated the transformation from a thermodynamically unstable amorphous
      structure to a stable crystalline nature with a nanometer grain size. We employed
      a Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the penetration depth of electrons into the
      MoS2 film and investigated the atomic rearrangement of the amorphous MoS2
      structure.

PMID- 28634334
TI  - Image-guided transplantation of single cells in the bone marrow of live animals.
AB  - Transplantation of a single hematopoietic stem cell is an important method for
      its functional characterization, but the standard transplantation protocol relies
      on cell homing to the bone marrow after intravenous injection. Here, we present a
      method to transplant single cells directly into the bone marrow of live mice. We
      developed an optical platform that integrates a multiphoton microscope with a
      laser ablation unit for microsurgery and an optical tweezer for cell
      micromanipulation. These tools allow image-guided single cell transplantation
      with high spatial control. The platform was used to deliver single hematopoietic
      stem cells. The engraftment of transplants was tracked over time, illustrating
      that the technique can be useful for studying both normal and malignant stem
      cells in vivo.

PMID- 28634335
TI  - Ordered hydroxyls on Ca3Ru2O7(001).
AB  - As complex ternary perovskite-type oxides are increasingly used in solid oxide
      fuel cells, electrolysis and catalysis, it is desirable to obtain a better
      understanding of their surface chemical properties. Here we report a pronounced
      ordering of hydroxyls on the cleaved (001) surface of the Ruddlesden-Popper
      perovskite Ca3Ru2O7 upon water adsorption at 105 K and subsequent annealing to
      room temperature. Density functional theory calculations predict the dissociative
      adsorption of a single water molecule (E ads = 1.64 eV), forming an (OH)ads group
      adsorbed in a Ca-Ca bridge site, with an H transferred to a neighboring surface
      oxygen atom, Osurf. Scanning tunneling microscopy images show a pronounced
      ordering of the hydroxyls with (2 * 1), c(2 * 6), (1 * 3), and (1 * 1)
      periodicity. The present work demonstrates the importance of octahedral rotation
      and tilt in perovskites, for influencing surface reactivity, which here induces
      the ordering of the observed OH overlayers.As ternary perovskite-type oxides are
      increasingly used in fuel cells and catalysis, greater understanding of their
      surface chemical properties is required. Here the authors report a pronounced
      ordering of hydroxyls on the cleaved (001) surface of Ca3Ru2O7 perovskite induced
      by O-octahedral rotation and tilt.

PMID- 28634336
TI  - LC-MS/MS quantification of sulfotransferases is better than conventional
      immunogenic methods in determining human liver SULT activities: implication in
      precision medicine.
AB  - This study aims to determine whether enzyme activities are correlated with
      protein amounts and mRNA expression levels of five major human sulfotransferase
      (SULT) enzymes in 10 matched pericarcinomatous and hepatocellular carcinoma liver
      samples. The MRM UHPLC-MS/MS method, Western blot and RT-PCR were used along with
      SULT activity measurement using probe substrates. The LC-MS/MS method was
      specific for all five tested SULTs, whereas Western blot was specific for only
      two isoforms. The activities of SULT1A1, SULT1B1, SULT1E1 and SULT2A1 in 9 of 10
      samples showed a significant decrease in tumor tissues relative to matched
      pericarcinomatous tissues, whereas the activities of SULT1A3 in 7 of 10 samples
      increased. The turnover numbers of SULTs did not change, except for SULT1A1. A
      generally high degree of correlations was observed between SULT activities and
      protein amounts (r2 >= 0.59 except one), whereas a low degree of correlations was
      observed between SULT activities and mRNA expression levels (r2 <= 0.48 except
      one). HCC reduced the SULT activities via impaired protein amounts. LC-MS/MS
      quantification of SULTs is highly reliable measurement of SULT activities, and
      may be adopted for implementing precision medicine with respect to drugs mainly
      metabolized by SULTs in healthy and HCC patients.

PMID- 28634337
TI  - Evolutionary and network analysis of virus sequences from infants infected with
      an Australian recombinant strain of human parechovirus type 3.
AB  - We present the near complete virus genome sequences with phylogenetic and network
      analyses of potential transmission networks of a total of 18 Australian cases of
      human parechovirus type 3 (HPeV3) infection in infants in the period from 2012
      2015. Overall the results support our previous finding that the Australian
      outbreak strain/lineage is a result of a major recombination event that took
      place between March 2012 and November 2013 followed by further virus evolution
      and possibly recombination. While the nonstructural coding region of unknown
      provenance appears to evolve significantly both at the nucleotide and amino acid
      level, the capsid encoding region derived from the Yamagata 2011 lineage of HPeV3
      appears to be very stable, particularly at the amino acid level. The phylogenetic
      and network analyses performed support a temporal evolution from the first
      Australian recombinant virus sequence from November 2013 to March/April 2014,
      onto the 2015 outbreak. The 2015 outbreak samples fall into two separate clusters
      with a possible common ancestor between March/April 2014 and September 2015, with
      each cluster further evolving in the period from September to November/December
      2015.

PMID- 28634338
TI  - Coumarin-benzimidazole hybrids as a potent antimicrobial agent: synthesis and
      biological elevation.
AB  - Molecular hybridization approach is an emerging tool in drug discovery for
      designing new pharmacophores with biological activity. A novel, new series of
      coumarin-benzimidazole hybrids were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their
      broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Among all the synthesized molecules,
      compound (E)-3-(2-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)-1-((4-chlorobenzyl)oxy)imino)ethyl)
      2H-chromen-2-one showed the most promising broad spectrum antibacterial activity
      against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and
      Proteus vulgaris. In addition, it has showed no cytotoxicity and hemolysis at 10
      times the MIC concentration. SAR studies indicate that position of the chlorine
      atom in the hybrid critically determines the antibacterial activity.

PMID- 28634339
TI  - Effective Synthesis of Highly Oxidized Graphene Oxide That Enables Wafer-scale
      Nanopatterning: Preformed Acidic Oxidizing Medium Approach.
AB  - Demand for rapid and massive-scale exfoliation of bulky graphite remains high in
      graphene commercialization and property manipulation. We report a procedure
      utilizing "preformed acidic oxidizing medium (PAOM)" as a modified version of the
      Hummers' method for fast and reliable synthesis of graphene oxide. Pre-mixing of
      KMnO4 and concentrated H2SO4 prior to the addition of graphite flakes enables the
      formation of effectively and efficiently oxidized graphene oxide (EEGO) featured
      by its high yields and suspension homogeneity. PAOM expedites diffusion of the Mn
      oxidants into the graphite galleries, resulting in the rapid graphite oxidation,
      capable of oxidizing bulky graphite flakes (~0.8 mm in diameter) that can not be
      realized by the Hummers' method. In the scale-up tests, ten-time amount of
      graphite can be completely exfoliated by PAOM without need of extended reaction
      time. The remarkable suspension homogeneity of EEGO can be exploited to deposit
      ultra-flat coating for wafer-scale nanopatterning. We successfully fabricated GO
      optical gratings with well-defined periodicity (300 nm) and uniform thickness
      (variation <7 nm). The combination of the facile and potent PAOM approach with
      the wafer-scale patterning technique may realize the goal for massive throughput
      graphene nanoelectronics.

PMID- 28634340
TI  - Dispersal ability determines the scaling properties of species abundance
      distributions: a case study using arthropods from the Azores.
AB  - Species abundance distributions (SAD) are central to the description of diversity
      and have played a major role in the development of theories of biodiversity and
      biogeography. However, most work on species abundance distributions has focused
      on one single spatial scale. Here we used data on arthropods to test predictions
      obtained with computer simulations on whether dispersal ability influences the
      rate of change of SADs as a function of sample size. To characterize the change
      of the shape of the SADs we use the moments of the distributions: the skewness
      and the raw moments. In agreement with computer simulations, low dispersal
      ability species generate a hump for intermediate abundance classes earlier than
      the distributions of high dispersal ability species. Importantly, when plotted as
      function of sample size, the raw moments of the SADs of arthropods have a power
      law pattern similar to that observed for the SAD of tropical tree species, thus
      we conjecture that this might be a general pattern in ecology. The existence of
      this pattern allows us to extrapolate the moments and thus reconstruct the SAD
      for larger sample sizes using a procedure borrowed from the field of image
      analysis based on scaled discrete Tchebichef moments and polynomials.

PMID- 28634341
TI  - Terahertz circular Airy vortex beams.
AB  - Vortex beams have received considerable research interests both in optical and
      millimeter-wave domain since its potential to be utilized in the wireless
      communications and novel imaging systems. Many well-known optical beams have been
      demonstrated to carry orbital angular momentum (OAM), such as Laguerre-Gaussian
      beams and high-order Bessel beams. Recently, the radially symmetric Airy beams
      that exhibit an abruptly autofocusing feature are also demonstrated to be capable
      of carrying OAM in the optical domain. However, due to the lack of efficient
      devices to manipulate terahertz (THz) beams, it could be a challenge to
      demonstrate the radially symmetric Airy beams in the THz domain. Here we
      demonstrate the THz circular Airy vortex beams (CAVBs) with a 0.3-THz continuous
      wave through 3D printing technology. Assisted by the rapidly 3D-printed phase
      plates, individual OAM states with topological charge l ranging from l = 0 to l =
      3 and a multiplexed OAM state are successfully imposed into the radially
      symmetric Airy beams. We both numerically and experimentally investigate the
      propagation dynamics of the generated THz CAVBs, and the simulations agree well
      with the observations.

PMID- 28634342
TI  - Natural canopy bridges effectively mitigate tropical forest fragmentation for
      arboreal mammals.
AB  - Linear infrastructure development and resulting habitat fragmentation are
      expanding in Neotropical forests, and arboreal mammals may be disproportionately
      impacted by these linear habitat clearings. Maintaining canopy connectivity
      through preservation of connecting branches (i.e. natural canopy bridges) may
      help mitigate that impact. Using camera traps, we evaluated crossing rates of a
      pipeline right-of-way in a control area with no bridges and in a test area where
      13 bridges were left by the pipeline construction company. Monitoring all canopy
      crossing points for a year (7,102 canopy camera nights), we confirmed bridge use
      by 25 mammal species from 12 families. With bridge use beginning immediately
      after exposure and increasing over time, use rates were over two orders of
      magnitude higher than on the ground. We also found a positive relationship
      between a bridge's use rate and the number of species that used it, suggesting
      well-used bridges benefit multiple species. Data suggest bridge use may be
      related to a combination of bridge branch connectivity, multiple connections,
      connectivity to adjacent forest, and foliage cover. Given the high use rate and
      minimal cost, we recommend all linear infrastructure projects in forests with
      arboreal mammal populations include canopy bridges.

PMID- 28634343
TI  - Falling Direction can Predict the Mechanism of Recurrent Falls in Advanced
      Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - Falls are a common and disabling symptom in patients with Parkinson's disease
      (PD). For prevention, it is important to understand the pathophysiology of falls
      in PD patients, but the predictors for the possible mechanisms underlying such
      falls have not been clearly elucidated. In this prospective observational study,
      we investigated the implications of falling direction to predict the mechanisms
      of recurrent falls in PD patients. We enrolled 62 recurrent fallers with PD and
      divided them into two groups according to the main falling directions: 45 PD
      fallers who fell forward (forward fallers), and 17 PD fallers who fell in the
      other directions (non-forward fallers). Although there was no difference in
      demographic data, parkinsonism, or frontal lobe function, forward fallers showed
      more severe falls and tended to fall during walking or turning, while non-forward
      fallers usually fell during sitting/standing or turning. Additionally, forward
      fallers revealed higher score on a freezing of gait (FOG) questionnaire. Logistic
      regression analysis demonstrated that FOG was associated with falling forward,
      while balance impairment, akinetic-rigid subtype, and neuropsychiatric symptoms
      were associated with falling into the other directions. Our results indicate that
      FOG and balance impairment are two major mechanisms for recurrent falling in PD
      patients, and falling direction is an important predictor for these mechanisms.

PMID- 28634344
TI  - OmniGA: Optimized Omnivariate Decision Trees for Generalizable Classification
      Models.
AB  - Classification problems from different domains vary in complexity, size, and
      imbalance of the number of samples from different classes. Although several
      classification models have been proposed, selecting the right model and
      parameters for a given classification task to achieve good performance is not
      trivial. Therefore, there is a constant interest in developing novel robust and
      efficient models suitable for a great variety of data. Here, we propose OmniGA, a
      framework for the optimization of omnivariate decision trees based on a parallel
      genetic algorithm, coupled with deep learning structure and ensemble learning
      methods. The performance of the OmniGA framework is evaluated on 12 different
      datasets taken mainly from biomedical problems and compared with the results
      obtained by several robust and commonly used machine-learning models with
      optimized parameters. The results show that OmniGA systematically outperformed
      these models for all the considered datasets, reducing the F1 score error in the
      range from 100% to 2.25%, compared to the best performing model. This
      demonstrates that OmniGA produces robust models with improved performance. OmniGA
      code and datasets are available at www.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/omniga/.

PMID- 28634346
TI  - Generating conditional gene knockouts in Plasmodium - a toolkit to produce stable
      DiCre recombinase-expressing parasite lines using CRISPR/Cas9.
AB  - Successful establishment of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology in Plasmodium
      spp. has provided a powerful tool to transform Plasmodium falciparum into a
      genetically more tractable organism. Conditional gene regulation approaches are
      required to study the function of gene products critical for growth and
      erythrocyte invasion of blood stage parasites. Here we employ CRISPR/Cas9 to
      facilitate use of the dimerisable Cre-recombinase (DiCre) that is frequently used
      to mediate the excision and loss of loxP-flanked DNA sequences in a rapamycin
      controlled manner. We describe novel CRISPR/Cas9 transfection plasmids and
      approaches for the speedy, stable and marker-free introduction of transgenes
      encoding the DiCre recombinase into genomic loci dispensable for blood stage
      development. Together these plasmids form a toolkit that will allow the rapid
      generation of transgenic DiCre-expressing P. falciparum lines in any genetic
      background. Furthermore, the newly developed 3D7-derived parasite lines,
      constitutively and stably expressing DiCre, generated using this toolkit will
      prove useful for the analysis of gene products. Lastly, we introduce an improved
      treatment protocol that uses a lower rapamycin concentration and shorter
      treatment times, leading to loxP-guided recombination with close to 100%
      efficiency within the same replication cycle.

PMID- 28634345
TI  - Sirtuin 3 deficiency does not alter host defenses against bacterial and fungal
      infections.
AB  - Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) is the main mitochondrial deacetylase. SIRT3 regulates cell
      metabolism and redox homeostasis, and protects from aging and age-associated
      pathologies. SIRT3 may drive both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive effects. SIRT3
      deficiency has been reported to promote chronic inflammation-related disorders,
      but whether SIRT3 impacts on innate immune responses and host defenses against
      infections remains essentially unknown. This aspect is of primary importance
      considering the great interest in developing SIRT3-targeted therapies. Using
      SIRT3 knockout mice, we show that SIRT3 deficiency does not affect immune cell
      development and microbial ligand-induced proliferation and cytokine production by
      splenocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. Going well along with these
      observations, SIRT3 deficiency has no major impact on cytokine production,
      bacterial burden and survival of mice subjected to endotoxemia, Escherichia coli
      peritonitis, Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia, listeriosis and candidiasis of
      diverse severity. These data suggest that SIRT3 is not critical to fight
      infections and support the safety of SIRT3-directed therapies based on SIRT3
      activators or inhibitors for treating metabolic, oncologic and neurodegenerative
      diseases without putting patients at risk of infection.

PMID- 28634347
TI  - Decreased circulating Zinc levels in Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis study.
AB  - There is no consensus on the involvement of zinc (Zn) dysfunctions in Parkinson's
      Disease (PD). We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate whether circulating Zn
      levels in the serum, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are altered in PD.
      Twenty-three published studies were selected by searching the databases of PubMed
      and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). A total of 803 PD patients
      and 796 controls, 342 PD patients and 392 controls, and 135 PD patients and 93
      controls were included to study Zn levels in the serum, plasma, and CSF,
      respectively. Our meta-analysis showed that the serum Zn levels were
      significantly lower in PD patients compared with health controls (SMD = -0.59;
      95% CI [-1.06, -0.12]; P = 0.014). A reduced Zn levels in PD patients were found
      when serum and plasma studies were analyzed together (SMD = -0.60, 95% CI [-0.98;
      -0.22]; p = 0.002). PD patients had a tendency toward reduced CSF Zn levels
      compared with health controls (SMD = -0.50; 95% CI [-1.76, 0.76]; P = 0.439), but
      no statistical significance was obtained and this data did not allow conclusions
      due to a small sample size of CSF studies. This study suggests that reduced Zn
      levels in the serum and plasma are associated with an increased risk for PD.

PMID- 28634348
TI  - Distinct arsenic metabolites following seaweed consumption in humans.
AB  - Seaweeds contain arsenic primarily in the form of arsenosugars, which can be
      metabolized to a wide range of arsenic compounds. To characterize human exposure
      to arsenic from seaweed consumption, we determined concentrations of arsenic
      species in locally available seaweeds, and assessed urinary arsenic compounds in
      an experimental feeding study. A total of 11 volunteers consumed 10 g per day of
      three types of seaweeds (nori, kombu, and wakame) for three days each, while
      abstaining from rice and seafood following a three-day washout period. Urinary
      arsenosugars and their metabolites (including dimethyl arsenate (DMA), thio
      dimethylarsinoylethanol (thio-DMAE), thio-dimethylarsinoylacetate (thio-DMAA),
      and thio-DMA) were measured in spot urine samples prior to seaweed consumption,
      and in 24-hour urine samples while consuming seaweed. Commercial products made
      from whole seaweed had substantial concentrations of arsenic (12-84 ug/g),
      dominated by arsenosugars. Intact arsenosugars along with DMA, thio-DMAA, thio
      DMAE all increased in urine after ingesting each type of seaweed, and varied
      between seaweed types and between individuals. Only trace levels of the known
      toxic metabolite, thio-DMA, were observed, across individuals. Thio-DMAE and thio
      DMAA are unique products of arsenosugar breakdown, thus assessment of these
      compounds may help to identify dietary intake of arsenic from seaweed from other
      exposure pathways.

PMID- 28634349
TI  - Synuclein impairs trafficking and signaling of BDNF in a mouse model of
      Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Recent studies have demonstrated that hyperphosphorylation of tau protein plays a
      role in neuronal toxicities of alpha-synuclein (ASYN) in neurodegenerative
      disease such as familial Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies
      (DLB) and Parkinson's disease. Using a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson's
      disease (PD) that expresses GFP-ASYN driven by the PDGF-beta promoter, we
      investigated how accumulation of ASYN impacted axonal function. We found that
      retrograde axonal trafficking of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in DIV7
      cultures of E18 cortical neurons was markedly impaired at the embryonic stage,
      even though hyperphosphorylation of tau was not detectable in these neurons at
      this stage. Interestingly, we found that overexpressed ASYN interacted with
      dynein and induced a significant increase in the activated levels of small Rab
      GTPases such as Rab5 and Rab7, both key regulators of endocytic processes.
      Furthermore, expression of ASYN resulted in neuronal atrophy in DIV7 cortical
      cultures of either from E18 transgenic mouse model or from rat E18 embryos that
      were transiently transfected with ASYN-GFP for 72 hrs. Our studies suggest that
      excessive ASYN likely alters endocytic pathways leading to axonal dysfunction in
      embryonic cortical neurons in PD mouse models.

PMID- 28634350
TI  - A subset of cerebrovascular pericytes originates from mature macrophages in the
      very early phase of vascular development in CNS.
AB  - Pericytes are believed to originate from either mesenchymal or neural crest
      cells. It has recently been reported that pericytes play important roles in the
      central nervous system (CNS) by regulating blood-brain barrier homeostasis and
      blood flow at the capillary level. However, the origin of CNS microvascular
      pericytes and the mechanism of their recruitment remain unknown. Here, we show a
      new source of cerebrovascular pericytes during neurogenesis. In the CNS of
      embryonic day 10.5 mouse embryos, CD31+F4/80+ hematopoietic lineage cells were
      observed in the avascular region around the dorsal midline of the developing
      midbrain. These cells expressed additional macrophage markers such as CD206 and
      CD11b. Moreover, the CD31+F4/80+ cells phagocytosed apoptotic cells as
      functionally matured macrophages, adhered to the newly formed subventricular
      vascular plexus, and then divided into daughter cells. Eventually, these
      CD31+F4/80+ cells transdifferentiated into NG2/PDGFRbeta/desmin-expressing
      cerebrovascular pericytes, enwrapping and associating with vascular endothelial
      cells. These data indicate that a subset of cerebrovascular pericytes derive from
      mature macrophages in the very early phase of CNS vascular development, which in
      turn are recruited from sites of embryonic hematopoiesis such as the yolk sac by
      way of blood flow.

PMID- 28634351
TI  - A Dynamical Model for Activating and Silencing the Mitotic Checkpoint.
AB  - The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism,
      exclusively sensitive to the states of kinetochores attached to microtubules.
      During metaphase, the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is inhibited
      by the SAC but it rapidly switches to its active form following proper attachment
      of the final spindle. It had been thought that APC/C activity is an all-or
      nothing response, but recent findings have demonstrated that it switches
      steadily. In this study, we develop a detailed mathematical model that considers
      all 92 human kinetochores and all major proteins involved in SAC activation and
      silencing. We perform deterministic and spatially-stochastic simulations and find
      that certain spatial properties do not play significant roles. Furthermore, we
      show that our model is consistent with in-vitro mutation experiments of crucial
      proteins as well as the recently-suggested rheostat switch behavior, measured by
      Securin or CyclinB concentration. Considering an autocatalytic feedback loop
      leads to an all-or-nothing toggle switch in the underlying core components, while
      the output signal of the SAC still behaves like a rheostat switch. The results of
      this study support the hypothesis that the SAC signal varies with increasing
      number of attached kinetochores, even though it might still contain toggle
      switches in some of its components.

PMID- 28634352
TI  - Differences in sequences between HBV-relaxed circular DNA and covalently closed
      circular DNA.
AB  - The hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome exists in two forms: circular covalently
      closed DNA (cccDNA) and relaxed circular DNA (RCDNA). Here, we investigated the
      presence of differences in the sequences of both forms in paired samples of serum
      and liver tissue. The serum and liver biopsy samples were collected at the same
      time from 67 chronically infected patients. The genotyping of the RCDNA and
      cccDNA was performed using mass spectrometry analysis. The HBV mutations located
      in the HBV pol (P) and the HBV basal core promoter/pre-core (BCP/PC) regions were
      included. The BCP/PC and P sequences of the RCDNA extracted from liver and blood
      samples were different in 39% and 16% of patients, respectively. Differences were
      also found between RCDNA and cccDNA extracted from the same liver specimen.
      Moreover, the cccDNA BCP/PC region sequence had an impact on various virological
      and clinical parameters. We demonstrated that there are differences between the
      RCDNA and cccDNA sequences that were extracted from the same liver tissue.
      However, further investigations are needed to analyze whether the mutations in
      the cccDNA are conserved and whether cccDNA serves as a 'mutation storage' pool
      for HBV. This result could have profound implications for the subsequent therapy
      choices for treatment-experienced patients.

PMID- 28634353
TI  - Coronavirus HKU15 in respiratory tract of pigs and first discovery of coronavirus
      quasispecies in 5'-untranslated region.
AB  - Coronavirus HKU15 is a deltacoronavirus that was discovered in fecal samples of
      pigs in Hong Kong in 2012. Over the past three years, Coronavirus HKU15 has been
      widely detected in pigs in East/Southeast Asia and North America and has been
      associated with fatal outbreaks. In all such epidemiological studies, the virus
      was generally only detected in fecal/intestinal samples. In this molecular
      epidemiology study, we detected Coronavirus HKU15 in 9.6% of the nasopharyngeal
      samples obtained from 249 pigs in Hong Kong. Samples that tested positive were
      mostly collected during winter. Complete genome sequencing of the Coronavirus
      HKU15 in two nasopharyngeal samples revealed quasispecies in one of the samples.
      Two of the polymorphic sites involved indels, but the other two involved
      transition substitutions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the two
      nasopharyngeal strains in the present study were most closely related to the
      strains PDCoV/CHJXNI2/2015 from Jiangxi, China, and CH/Sichuan/S27/2012 from
      Sichuan, China. The outbreak strains in the United States possessed highly
      similar genome sequences and were clustered monophyletically, whereas the Asian
      strains were more diverse and paraphyletic. The detection of Coronavirus HKU15 in
      respiratory tracts of pigs implies that in addition to enteric infections,
      Coronavirus HKU15 may be able to cause respiratory infections in pigs and that in
      addition to fecal-oral transmission, the virus could possibly spread through the
      respiratory route. The presence of the virus in respiratory samples provides an
      alternative clinical sample to confirm the diagnosis of Coronavirus HKU15
      infection. Quasispecies were unprecedentedly observed in the 5'-untranslated
      region of coronavirus genomes.

PMID- 28634354
TI  - Primary osteomyelitis caused by an NDM-1-producing K. pneumoniae strain of the
      highly virulent sequence type 23.

PMID- 28634355
TI  - Longitudinal study of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus infection in
      dromedary camel herds in Saudi Arabia, 2014-2015.
AB  - Two herds of dromedary camels were longitudinally sampled with nasal and rectal
      swabs and serum, between September 2014 and May 2015, and the samples were tested
      for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus RNA and antibodies.
      Evidence of MERS-CoV infection was confirmed in one herd on the basis of
      detection of virus RNA in nasal swabs from three camels and significant increases
      in the antibody titers from three others. The three viruses were genetically
      identical, thus indicating introduction of a single virus into this herd. There
      was evidence of reinfection of camels that were previously seropositive, thus
      suggesting that prior infection does not provide complete immunity from
      reinfection, a finding that is relevant to camel vaccination strategies as a
      means to prevent zoonotic transmission.

PMID- 28634356
TI  - An outbreak of echovirus 18 encephalitis/meningitis in children in Hebei
      Province, China, 2015.

PMID- 28634357
TI  - Astroviruses in bats, Madagascar.

PMID- 28634358
TI  - HIV-1 gp41-targeting fusion inhibitory peptides enhance the gp120-targeting
      protein-mediated inactivation of HIV-1 virions.
AB  - Protein- or peptide-based viral inactivators are being developed as novel
      antiviral drugs with improved efficacy, pharmacokinetics and toxicity profiles
      because they actively inactivate cell-free human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      (HIV-1) virions before attachment to host cells. By contrast, most clinically
      used antiviral drugs must penetrate host cells to inhibit viral replication. In
      this study, we pre-treated HIV-1 particles with a gp120-targeting bispecific
      multivalent protein, 2Dm2m or 4Dm2m, in the presence or absence of the gp41
      targeting HIV-1 fusion inhibitory peptides enfuvirtide (T20), T2635, or
      sifuvirtide (SFT). HIV-1 virions were separated from the inhibitors using PEG
      6000, followed by testing of the residual infectivity of the HIV-1 virions. 2Dm2m
      and 4Dm2m exhibited significant inactivation activity against all HIV-1 strains
      tested with EC50 values at the low nanomolar level, whereas none of the gp41
      targeting peptides showed inactivation activity at concentrations up to 250 nM.
      Notably, these three peptides significantly enhanced protein-mediated
      inactivation against cell-free HIV-1 virions, including HIV-1 laboratory-adapted
      and primary HIV-1 strains, as well as those resistant to T20 or T2635 and virions
      released from reactivated latently HIV-1-infected cells. These results indicate
      that the gp120-targeting bispecific multivalent proteins 2Dm2m and 4Dm2m have
      potential for further development as HIV-1 inactivator-based antiviral drugs for
      use in the clinic, either alone or in combination with a gp41-targeting HIV-1
      fusion inhibitor such as T20, to treat patients with HIV-1 infection and AIDS.

PMID- 28634359
TI  - Infections of horses and shrews with Bornaviruses in Upper Austria: a novel
      endemic area of Borna disease.
AB  - Borna disease, a lethal infection with Borna disease virus-1 (BoDV-1), was
      diagnosed in four horses from Upper Austria in 2015 and 2016. All cases occurred
      in winter (two cases in February 2015 and two cases in December 2016), and the
      maximal distance of the affected stables was 17 km. To demonstrate whether the
      causative agent was also harbored by its reservoir host, the bicolored white
      toothed shrew (Crocidura leucodon), 28 shrews from this geographic area were
      collected in 2015 and investigated for the presence of BoDV-1. The shrew species
      were identified according to taxonomic clues and molecular barcodes. Affected
      horses and all shrews were investigated using histology, immunohistochemistry
      (IHC) and reverse transcription PCR. The horses exhibited severe nonpurulent
      encephalitis. Large amounts of BoDV-1 antigen were identified in their CNS. Among
      the 28 shrews, nine were identified as C. leucodon and 13 as Sorex araneus
      (Common shrew; Eurasian shrew). Six C. leucodon (66.7%) and one S. araneus (7.7%)
      had BoDV-1 infections. In accordance with previous findings, the IHC of C.
      leucodon exhibited a high amount of viral antigen in many neural and extraneural
      tissues. By contrast, the single positive S. araneus had an exclusively neural
      staining pattern. Of all positive samples, whole-genome BoDV-1 sequences were
      generated. The acquired sequences of the affected shrews were not identical to
      each other and clustered around the sequences of the diseased horses belonging,
      surprisingly, to the German 'strain V' cluster.

PMID- 28634360
TI  - Missing magnetism in Sr4Ru3O10: Indication for Antisymmetric Exchange
      Interaction.
AB  - Metamagnetism occuring inside a ferromagnetic phase is peculiar. Therefore,
      Sr4Ru3O10, a T C  = 105 K ferromagnet, has attracted much attention in recent
      years, because it develops a pronounced metamagnetic anomaly below T C for
      magnetic fields applied in the crystallographic ab-plane. The metamagnetic
      transition moves to higher fields for lower temperatures and splits into a double
      anomaly at critical fields H c1 = 2.3 T and H c2 = 2.8 T, respectively. Here, we
      report a detailed study of the different components of the magnetization vector
      as a function of temperature, applied magnetic field, and varying angle in
      Sr4Ru3O10. We discover for the first time a reduction of the magnetic moment in
      the plane of rotation at the metamagnetic transition. The anomaly shifts to
      higher fields by rotating the field from H ? c to H || c. We compare our
      experimental findings with numerical simulations based on spin reorientation
      models taking into account magnetocrystalline anisotropy, Zeeman effect and
      antisymmetric exchange interactions. While Magnetocrystalline anisotropy combined
      with a Zeeman term are sufficient to explain a metamagnetic transition in
      Sr4Ru3O10, a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya term is crucial to account for the reduction
      of the magnetic moment as observed in the experiments.

PMID- 28634361
TI  - Uridine Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-Induced Colitis in Mice.
AB  - Uridine, one of the four components that comprise RNA, has attracted attention as
      a novel therapeutic modulator of inflammation. However, very little is known
      about its effect on intestinal inflammation. The aim of the present study was to
      investigate the potential protective effect of intracolonic administered uridine
      against DSS induced colitis in male C57BL/6 mice. Intracolonic instillation of 3
      doses of uridine 1 mg/Kg (lower dose), 5 mg/Kg (medium dose), and 10 mg/Kg
      (higher dose) in saline was performed daily. Uridine at medium and high dose
      significantly reduced the severity of colitis (DAI score) and alleviated the
      macroscopic and microscopic signs of the disease. The levels of proinflammatory
      cytokines IL-6, IL-1beta and TNF in serum as well as mRNA expression in colon
      were significantly reduced in the uridine treated groups. Moreover, colon tissue
      myloperoxidase activities, protein expression of IL-6, TNF- alpha, COX-2, P-NFkB
      and P-Ikk-betaalpha in the colon tissues were significantly reduced in medium and
      high dose groups. These findings demonstrated that local administration of
      uridine alleviated experimental colitis in male C57BL/6 mice accompanied by the
      inhibition of neutrophil infiltration and NF-kappaB signaling. Thus, Uridine may
      be a promising candidate for future use in the treatment of inflammatory bowel
      disease.

PMID- 28634362
TI  - Reconstructing the phylogeny of Blattodea: robust support for interfamilial
      relationships and major clades.
AB  - Cockroaches are among the most recognizable of all insects. In addition to their
      role as pests, they play a key ecological role as decomposers. Despite numerous
      studies of cockroach phylogeny in recent decades, relationships among most major
      lineages are yet to be resolved. Here we examine phylogenetic relationships among
      cockroaches based on five genes (mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, COII; nuclear
      28S rRNA and histone H3), and infer divergence times on the basis of 8 fossils.
      We included in our analyses sequences from 52 new species collected in China,
      representing 7 families. These were combined with data from a recent study that
      examined these same genes from 49 species, resulting in a significant increase in
      taxa analysed. Three major lineages, Corydioidea, Blaberoidea, and Blattoidea
      were recovered, the latter comprising Blattidae, Tryonicidae, Lamproblattidae,
      Anaplectidae, Cryptocercidae and Isoptera. The estimated age of the split between
      Mantodea and Blattodea ranged from 204.3 Ma to 289.1 Ma. Corydioidea was
      estimated to have diverged 209.7 Ma (180.5-244.3 Ma 95% confidence interval [CI])
      from the remaining Blattodea. The clade Blattoidea diverged from their sister
      group, Blaberoidea, around 198.3 Ma (173.1-229.1 Ma). The addition of the extra
      taxa in this study has resulted in significantly higher levels of support for a
      number of previously recognized groupings.

PMID- 28634363
TI  - Long-term health outcomes in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome: a nationwide
      cohort study in Denmark.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a rare congenital disease that affects
      growth, sexual development, cognitive function and behavior. Individuals exhibit
      food preoccupation and hyperphagia, which may lead to obesity with premature
      morbidity and mortality. The aim of this work was to evaluate the risk of venous
      thromboembolisms (VTEs), myocardial infarction, pulmonary hypertension, sleep
      apnea, depression, anxiety and all-cause mortality among persons with PWS as
      compared with an age- and sex-matched general-population cohort. METHODS: All
      persons diagnosed with PWS (n=155) were identified in the Danish Health
      Registries; an age- and sex-matched comparison group was selected from the
      general population of Denmark (n=15 500); diseases of interest were identified
      through the health registry and cause of death register. Follow-up began on date
      of birth or first medical record availability through to first occurrence of an
      outcome of interest; follow-up ceased at emigration from Denmark or end of study.
      Incidence rates (IRs) were calculated and Cox's proportional hazards models were
      used to understand the relative risk (RR) of disease. RESULTS: The IRs for VTE
      among patients with PWS was 144 (60-347) per 100 000 person-years. Risks for VTE
      events and all-cause mortality were 9.4 times (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.7
      23.5) and 11.0 times (95% CI: 5.7-21.1) higher, respectively, for patients with
      PWS versus the general population. Increased risks were also found individually
      for deep venous thromboses (DVTs) (RR: 9.1; 95% CI: 3.2-25.2), pulmonary
      embolisms (RR: 11.0; 95% CI: 1.4-86.9), myocardial infarction (RR: 7.2; 95% CI:
      1.7-30.2) and anxiety (RR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.0-7.5). No cases of pulmonary
      hypertension, sleep apnea or depressive disorders were identified within this PWS
      cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple cardiovascular and behavioral illnesses are more
      likely to occur among patients with PWS than within the general population. These
      increased risks may provide an impetus for enhanced disease prevention,
      screening, diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28634364
TI  - Lipid changes 8 years post gastric bypass in adolescents with severe obesity
      (FABS-5+ study).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Severe obesity in adolescents is increasing and few effective
      treatments exist. Bariatric surgery is one option, but the extent to which
      surgery influences cardiovascular risk factors over time in youth is not clear.
      We hypothesized that Roux-en Y gastric bypass (RYGB) would be associated with
      sustained improvements in lipids over time (>5 years). PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:
      Youth who underwent RYGB from 2001 to 2007 were recruited for the Follow-up of
      Adolescent Bariatric Surgery-5+ (FABS-5+) in 2011-2014. Baseline body mass index
      (BMI) and lipids were abstracted from medical records. Follow-up data were
      obtained at a research visit. Analyses included paired t-tests to assess changes
      in BMI and lipids over time. General linear models were used to evaluate
      predictors of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and non-HDL-cholesterol at follow
      up. A non-operative group was recruited for comparison. RESULTS: Surgical
      participants (n=58) were a mean+/-s.d. age of 17+/-2 years at baseline and 25+/-2
      years at long-term follow-up. Eighty-six percent were Caucasian and 64% were
      female. At long-term follow-up BMI decreased by 29% and all lipids (except total
      cholesterol) significantly improved (P<0.01). Female sex was a significant
      predictor of non-HDL-cholesterol level at 1 year, while change in BMI from 1 year
      to long-term follow-up was a significant predictor of non-HDL-cholesterol and HDL
      cholesterol during the same interval (P<0.05). In the non-operative group, BMI
      increased by 8% and lipid parameters were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: This is the
      longest and most complete follow-up of youth following RYGB. Weight loss
      maintenance over time was significantly associated with improvements in lipid
      profile over 5 years.

PMID- 28634365
TI  - Different levels of blood pressure, different benefit from dual antiplatelet
      therapy in minor stroke or TIA patients.
AB  - The study aimed to evaluate whether the benefits of dual antiplatelet therapy
      would be influenced by blood pressure (BP) levels, among acute minor stroke or
      transient ischemic attack (TIA). In CHANCE (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients
      with Acute Nondisabling cerebrovascular Events) trail, Patients were stratified
      by systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) level measured on admission,
      respectively, using the supine position BP within 24 hours after symptoms onset.
      The primary efficacy outcome was stroke recurrence, bleeding was the safety
      outcome. Patients with SBP >= 140 mmHg, dual antiplatelet treatment could reduce
      the risk of stroke recurrence significantly (HR 0.654, 95% CI 0.529-0.793, p <
      0.001) than mono antiplatelet therapy. And patients with DBP >= 90 mmHg,
      clopidogrel-aspirin significantly reduced the risk of recurrent stroke (HR 0.588,
      95% CI 0.463-0.746, p < 0.001), compared with aspirin alone. However, in patients
      with SBP < 140 mmHg or DBP < 90 mmHg, no significant difference was observed
      between clopidogrel plus aspirin and aspirin alone. there was no difference in
      bleeding episodes by treatment assignment across categories of SBP or DBP.
      Patients with SBP >= 140 mmHg or DBP >= 90 mmHg after minor stroke or TIA got
      more benefits from dual antiplatelet therapy. Bleeding risk from dual
      antiplatelet treatment did not increase among patients with higher BP level on
      admission.

PMID- 28634366
TI  - Quantifying non-ergodicity of anomalous diffusion with higher order moments.
AB  - Anomalous diffusion is being discovered in a fast growing number of systems. The
      exact nature of this anomalous diffusion provides important information on the
      physical laws governing the studied system. One of the central properties
      analysed for finite particle motion time series is the intrinsic variability of
      the apparent diffusivity, typically quantified by the ergodicity breaking
      parameter EB. Here we demonstrate that frequently EB is insufficient to provide a
      meaningful measure for the observed variability of the data. Instead, important
      additional information is provided by the higher order moments entering by the
      skewness and kurtosis. We analyse these quantities for three popular anomalous
      diffusion models. In particular, we find that even for the Gaussian fractional
      Brownian motion a significant skewness in the results of physical measurements
      occurs and needs to be taken into account. Interestingly, the kurtosis and
      skewness may also provide sensitive estimates of the anomalous diffusion exponent
      underlying the data. We also derive a new result for the EB parameter of
      fractional Brownian motion valid for the whole range of the anomalous diffusion
      parameter. Our results are important for the analysis of anomalous diffusion but
      also provide new insights into the theory of anomalous stochastic processes.

PMID- 28634367
TI  - Proteomic analysis reveals large amounts of decomposition enzymes and major
      metabolic pathways involved in algicidal process of Trametes versicolor F21a.
AB  - A recent algicidal mode indicates that fungal mycelia can wrap and eliminate
      almost all co-cultivated algal cells within a short time span. However, the
      underlying molecular mechanism is rarely understood. We applied proteomic
      analysis to investigate the algicidal process of Trametes versicolor F21a and
      identified 3,754 fungal proteins. Of these, 30 fungal enzymes with endo- or
      exoglycosidase activities such as beta-1,3-glucanase, alpha-galactosidase, alpha
      glucosidase, alginate lyase and chondroitin lyase were significantly up
      regulated. These proteins belong to Glycoside Hydrolases, Auxiliary Activities,
      Carbohydrate Esterases and Polysaccharide Lyases, suggesting that these enzymes
      may degrade lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycans and alginic acid of algal cells.
      Additionally, peptidase, exonuclease, manganese peroxidase and cytochrome c
      peroxidase, which decompose proteins and DNA or convert other small molecules of
      algal cells, could be other major decomposition enzymes. Gene Ontology and KEGG
      pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated that pyruvate metabolism and
      tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways play a critical role in response to adverse
      environment via increasing energy production to synthesize lytic enzymes or
      uptake molecules. Carbon metabolism, selenocompound metabolism, sulfur
      assimilation and metabolism, as well as several amino acid biosynthesis pathways
      could play vital roles in the synthesis of nutrients required by fungal mycelia.

PMID- 28634368
TI  - Preparation and Properties of A Hyperbranch-Structured Polyamine adsorbent for
      Carbon Dioxide Capture.
AB  - A fibrous adsorbent with amino-terminated hyperbranch structure (PP-AM-HBP-NH2)
      was prepared by grafting hyperbranched polyamine (HBP-NH2) onto the acrylamide
      modified polypropylene (PP) fibers. The grafting of AM on PP fibers provided the
      active sites for introducing HBP-NH2 onto the PP fibers. This kind of "grafting
      to" procedure to synthesize hyperbranch-structured fiber could overcome the
      disadvantages of stepwise growth procedure, avoiding the complicated synthesis
      process and the requirement of strict experimental conditions. The grafted HBP
      NH2 was three-dimensional dentritic architecture and had a large number of pores
      existing within the grafted polymers, which is favorable for CO2 molecules to
      diffuse into the HBP-NH2. Therefore, the as-prepared PP-AM-HBP-NH2 fibers showed
      a high adsorption capacity (5.64 mmol/g) for CO2 in the presence of water at 25 
      degrees C, and the utilization efficiency of alkyl amino groups could reach
      88.2%, demonstrating that the hyperbranched structure of adsorbents can greatly
      promote adsorption capacity and efficiency. This could be attributed to better
      swelling properties and lower mass transfer resistance to CO2 of the
      hyperbranched adsorbent. PP-AM-HBP-NH2 also showed excellent regeneration
      performance, and it could maintain the same adsorption capacity for CO2 after 15
      recycle numbers as the fresh adsorbent.

PMID- 28634369
TI  - Forecasting Effusive Dynamics and Decompression Rates by Magmastatic Model at
      Open-vent Volcanoes.
AB  - Effusive eruptions at open-conduit volcanoes are interpreted as reactions to a
      disequilibrium induced by the increase in magma supply. By comparing four of the
      most recent effusive eruptions at Stromboli volcano (Italy), we show how the
      volumes of lava discharged during each eruption are linearly correlated to the
      topographic positions of the effusive vents. This correlation cannot be explained
      by an excess of pressure within a deep magma chamber and raises questions about
      the actual contributions of deep magma dynamics. We derive a general model based
      on the discharge of a shallow reservoir and the magmastatic crustal load above
      the vent, to explain the linear link. In addition, we show how the drastic
      transition from effusive to violent explosions can be related to different
      decompression rates. We suggest that a gravity-driven model can shed light on
      similar cases of lateral effusive eruptions in other volcanic systems and can
      provide evidence of the roles of slow decompression rates in triggering violent
      paroxysmal explosive eruptions, which occasionally punctuate the effusive phases
      at basaltic volcanoes.

PMID- 28634370
TI  - Microbial Antigens Stimulate Metalloprotease-7 Secretion in Human B-Lymphocytes
      Using mTOR-Dependent and Independent Pathways.
AB  - Metalloproteinases (MMPs) contribute to tissue remodeling and acute inflammation
      not only by degrading extracellular matrix proteins but also by controlling the
      influx of chemokines through the regulation and shedding of syndecans. B
      lymphocytes, in addition to their well-known function as antibody producing
      cells, participate in the innate immune response by secreting inflammatory
      cytokines and chemokines. However, there is little information about the role of
      B-lymphocytes in the regulation of MMPs; consequently, herein we investigated
      whether activated human circulating B-lymphocytes contributed to the secretion of
      MMPs. We demonstrate that B-lymphocytes activated by un-methylated CpG motifs,
      found in bacterial DNA, and beta-glucans, found in the cell wall of fungi, both
      induced MMP-7. Interestingly, while CpG-stimulated cells activated the mTOR
      pathway via TLR9 receptor to induced MMP-7, beta-glucan-stimulated cells were
      mTOR-independent and used Dectin-1 receptor. B-lymphocytes did not seem to have a
      major role in the secretion of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs).
      However, secreted MMP-7 participated in the shedding of Syndecan-4 from the
      surface of B-lymphocytes. In conclusion, circulating human B-lymphocytes
      contribute to the regulation of the innate immune system by participating in the
      secretion of MMP-7 which in turn is important for the shedding of Syndecan-4 in
      response to infectious stimuli.

PMID- 28634371
TI  - Factors related to good asthma control using different medical adherence scales
      in Latvian asthma patients: an observational study.
AB  - : One of the main challenges in asthma control is adherence to pharmaceutical
      treatment. The aim of this study was to test the association between adherence to
      asthma medication, control and medical beliefs, cognitive and emotional
      perceptions using three different validated questionnaires. Beliefs about asthma
      medicine, cognitive and emotional factors were determined in a cross-sectional
      survey of patients attending outpatient pulmonologist practices in Latvia (n =
      352). The validated Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire and the Brief Illness
      Perception Questionnaire were used. Adherence to asthma medication was assessed
      using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale and two different versions of the
      Medication Adherence Reporting Scale. Several questions about necessity or
      concerns related to pharmaceutical treatment were able to predict poor adherence
      according to the Morisky scale. If the patient felt that without the asthma
      medication his life would be impossible, his risk to have poor treatment
      adherence was 46% reduced (odds ratio 0.54; 95% confidence interval 0.33-0.89).
      Furthermore, asthma patients who were convinced that their health depends on the
      asthma treatment were less likely to have poor treatment adherence (odds ratio
      0.56: 95% confidence interval 0.32-0.97). In case the patient was concerned by
      the need to constantly use asthma medication or sometimes concerned by long-term
      effects of asthma medication the odds of poor treatment adherence were 1.96 (95%
      confidence interval 1.19-3.24) and 2.43 (95% confidence interval 1.45-4.08),
      respectively. In conclusion, medication beliefs, particularly concerns and
      necessity of asthma treatment were associated with poor treatment adherence when
      assessed with the Morisky or 5-item Medication Adherence Reporting Scale. ASTHMA
      TREATMENT: INVESTIGATING POOR ADHERENCE IN THE LATVIAN POPULATION: Concerns about
      treatment necessity and uses of asthma medication are key factors influencing
      poor treatment adherence in Latvia. There are multiple psychological and
      behavioral reasons why patients do not adhere to asthma treatment courses,
      including social and religious beliefs, and perceptions of chronic illness.
      Patient questionnaires and 'adherence scales' can help predict whether patients
      are likely to follow advice, but their efficacy differs for individual nations.
      Dins Smits at Riga Stradins University, Latvia, and co-workers analyzed responses
      to three questionnaires completed by 352 asthma patients to assess treatment
      perceptions and the best questionnaire option for the Latvian population.
      Concerns about the use of asthma medication and beliefs about treatment necessity
      were key factors in poor adherence. These were picked up by the Morisky and MARS
      5-item scales, which the authors recommend for future use.

PMID- 28634372
TI  - DNA methylation changes in endometrium and correlation with gene expression
      during the transition from pre-receptive to receptive phase.
AB  - The inner uterine lining (endometrium) is a unique tissue going through
      remarkable changes each menstrual cycle. Endometrium has its characteristic DNA
      methylation profile, although not much is known about the endometrial methylome
      changes throughout the menstrual cycle. The impact of methylome changes on gene
      expression and thereby on the function of the tissue, including establishing
      receptivity to implanting embryo, is also unclear. Therefore, this study used
      genome-wide technologies to characterize the methylome and the correlation
      between DNA methylation and gene expression in endometrial biopsies collected
      from 17 healthy fertile-aged women from pre-receptive and receptive phase within
      one menstrual cycle. Our study showed that the overall methylome remains
      relatively stable during this stage of the menstrual cycle, with small-scale
      changes affecting 5% of the studied CpG sites (22,272 out of studied 437,022
      CpGs, FDR < 0.05). Of differentially methylated CpG sites with the largest
      absolute changes in methylation level, approximately 30% correlated with gene
      expression measured by RNA sequencing, with negative correlations being more
      common in 5' UTR and positive correlations in the gene 'Body' region. According
      to our results, extracellular matrix organization and immune response are the
      pathways most affected by methylation changes during the transition from pre
      receptive to receptive phase.

PMID- 28634373
TI  - An Assessment of Mobile Predator Populations along Shallow and Mesophotic Depth
      Gradients in the Hawaiian Archipelago.
AB  - Large-bodied coral reef roving predators (sharks, jacks, snappers) are largely
      considered to be depleted around human population centers. In the Hawaiian
      Archipelago, supporting evidence is primarily derived from underwater visual
      censuses in shallow waters (<=30 m). However, while many roving predators are
      present or potentially more abundant in deeper strata (30-100 m+), distributional
      information remains sparse. To partially fill that knowledge gap, we conducted
      surveys in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) and populated Main
      Hawaiian Islands (MHI) from 2012-2014 using baited remote underwater stereo
      video. Surveys between 0-100 m found considerable roving predator community
      dissimilarities between regions, marked conspicuous changes in species abundances
      with increasing depth, and largely corroborated patterns documented during
      shallow water underwater visual censuses, with up to an order of magnitude more
      jacks and five times more sharks sampled in the NWHI compared to the MHI.
      Additionally, several species were significantly more abundant and larger in
      mesophotic versus shallow depths, which remains particularly suggestive of deep
      water refugia effects in the MHI. Stereo-video extends the depth range of current
      roving predator surveys in a more robust manner than was previously available,
      and appears to be well-suited for large-scale roving predator work in the
      Hawaiian Archipelago.

PMID- 28634374
TI  - Behavioural responses to potential dispersal cues in two economically important
      species of cereal-feeding eriophyid mites.
AB  - Passively dispersing organisms should optimise the time and direction of
      dispersal by employing behaviours that increase their probability of being
      successfully transported by dispersal agents. We rigorously tested whether two
      agriculturally important passively-dispersing eriophyoid species, wheat curl mite
      (WCM) and cereal rust mite (CRM), display behaviours indicating their readiness
      to depart from current host plants in the presence of potential dispersal cues:
      wind, an insect vector and presence of a fresh plant. Contrary to our
      expectations, we found that both species decreased their general activity in the
      presence of wind. When exposed to wind, WCM (but not CRM) significantly increased
      behaviour that has previously been considered to facilitate dispersal (in this
      case, standing vertically). Our study provides the first sound test of the
      function of what have been interpreted as dispersal-related behaviours of
      eriophyid mites. The low proportion of WCM exhibiting dispersal behaviour
      suggests there may be predisposed dispersers and residents in the population.
      Moreover, we found that WCM was generally more active than CRM, which is likely a
      contributing factor to its high invasive potential.

PMID- 28634375
TI  - Sea-level projections representing the deeply uncertain contribution of the West
      Antarctic ice sheet.
AB  - There is a growing awareness that uncertainties surrounding future sea-level
      projections may be much larger than typically perceived. Recently published
      projections appear widely divergent and highly sensitive to non-trivial model
      choices. Moreover, the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) may be much less stable
      than previous believed, enabling a rapid disintegration. Here, we present a set
      of probabilistic sea-level projections that approximates the deeply uncertain
      WAIS contributions. The projections aim to inform robust decisions by clarifying
      the sensitivity to non-trivial or controversial assumptions. We show that the
      deeply uncertain WAIS contribution can dominate other uncertainties within
      decades. These deep uncertainties call for the development of robust adaptive
      strategies. These decision-making needs, in turn, require mission-oriented basic
      science, for example about potential signposts and the maximum rate of WAIS
      induced sea-level changes.

PMID- 28634376
TI  - Structural basis to stabilize the domain motion of BARD1-ARD BRCT by CstF50.
AB  - BRCA1 associated ring domain protein 1(BARD1) is a tumor suppressor protein
      having a wide role in cellular processes like cell-cycle checkpoint, DNA damage
      repair and maintenance of genomic integrity. Germ-line mutation Gln 564 His
      discovered in linker region of BARD1 leads to loss of binding to Cleavage
      stimulating factor (CstF50), which in turn instigates the premature mRNA
      transcript formation and apoptosis. We have studied the dynamics of ARD domain
      present in the BARD1 wild-type and mutant protein in association with CstF50
      using biophysical, biochemical and molecular dynamics simulations. It has been
      observed that the ARD domain is relatively more flexible than the BRCT domain of
      BARD1. Further relative orientations of both the ARD and BRCT domains varies due
      to the highly flexible nature of the connecting linker region present between the
      domains. It has been observed that mutant ARD domain is more dynamic in nature
      compared to wild-type protein. Molecular docking studies between BARD1 Gln 564
      His mutant and CstF50 shows the loss of interactions. Furthermore, domain motion
      of ARD present in BARD1 was stabilized when complexed with CstF50.

PMID- 28634377
TI  - Hepatoprotective and in vitro antioxidant effects of native depolymerised
      exopolysaccharides derived from Termitomyces albuminosus.
AB  - In this study, native depolymerised-exopolysaccharides (DEPS) were successfully
      derived from the exopolysaccharides (EPS) of Termitomyces albuminosus, and its
      hepatoprotective effects against a high-fat emulsion and in vitro antioxidant
      activities were investigated. Based on the results of in vitro assays, DEPS
      showed superior antioxidant activities compared with EPS dose-dependently.
      According to the in vivo assays both EPS and DEPS significantly decreased the
      lipid levels, improved the enzymatic activities, and reduced lipid peroxidation
      in both serum and hepatic homogenates. Furthermore, EPS and DEPS attenuated the
      high-fat emulsion-induced histopathological injury to the liver. Both EPS and
      DEPS might be used as natural drugs to treat and protect against hyperlipidaemia
      and liver injury induced by a high-fat emulsion. In addition, based on the
      results of GC and HPLC analyses, rhamnose and low molecular weight compounds may
      play an important role in contributing to the antioxidant activities of EPS and
      DEPS.

PMID- 28634378
TI  - Compact acceleration of energetic neutral atoms using high intensity laser-solid
      interaction.
AB  - Recent advances in high-intensity laser-produced plasmas have demonstrated their
      potential as compact charge particle accelerators. Unlike conventional
      accelerators, transient quasi-static charge separation acceleration fields in
      laser produced plasmas are highly localized and orders of magnitude larger.
      Manipulating these ion accelerators, to convert the fast ions to neutral atoms
      with little change in momentum, transform these to a bright source of MeV atoms.
      The emittance of the neutral atom beam would be similar to that expected for an
      ion beam. Since intense laser-produced plasmas have been demonstrated to produce
      high-brightness-low-emittance beams, it is possible to envisage generation of
      high-flux, low-emittance, high energy neutral atom beams in length scales of less
      than a millimeter. Here, we show a scheme where more than 80% of the fast ions
      are reduced to energetic neutral atoms and demonstrate the feasibility of a high
      energy neutral atom accelerator that could significantly impact applications in
      neutral atom lithography and diagnostics.

PMID- 28634379
TI  - The effect of weak acid anions on the selective catalytic wet air oxidation of
      aqueous ammonia to nitrogen.
AB  - In this work, the effect of weak acid anions on the ammonia removal has been
      extensively studied for the process of selective catalytic wet air oxidation
      (CWAO) of ammonia to nitrogen. It is found that the presence of weak acid anions
      can effectively enhance the ammonia conversion and selectivity towards nitrogen.
      The combination between the weak acid anions and H+ to produce weak acid
      molecules is responsible for such enhancement. Firstly, the H+ consumption of
      weak acid anions can increase the NH3 concentration and thus the reactivity of
      ammonia oxidation, due to the shift to NH3 on the equilibrium of NH4+/NH3.
      Secondly, the competition combination with H+ between the weak acid anions and
      NO2- can increase the concentration of NO2- and thus boosts the
      disproportionation reaction between NH4+ and NO2- to produce nitrogen.

PMID- 28634380
TI  - Late-onset Circulatory Collapse and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure are
      Useful Predictors of Treatment-requiring Retinopathy of Prematurity: A 9-year
      Retrospective Analysis.
AB  - Visual loss caused by retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will be prevented if
      treatment-requiring ROP (TR-ROP) can be predicted. In this retrospective study
      including 418 infants with <=32 weeks of gestational age (GA) and/or <=1500 grams
      of birthweight, we attempted to identify useful predictors. We also examined the
      efficiency of significant predictors compared with existing predictive models,
      ROPScore and CHOP model. Multivariable logistic regression analyses supported the
      following factors were useful for predicting TR-ROP from all infants and infants
      with any ROP: GA (odds ratio [OR], 0.47 and 0.48), history of late-onset
      circulatory collapse (LCC) (OR, 2.76 and 2.44) and use of continuous positive
      airway pressure (CPAP) at 35 weeks of postmenstrual age (OR, 3.78 and 4.50). The
      comparison of areas under receiver operating characteristic curves indicated the
      combination of LCC, CPAP and ROPScore was better than ROPScore to predict TR-ROP
      from all infants and infants with any ROP (P = 0.007 and 0.02) and the
      combination of LCC, CPAP and CHOP model was also better than CHOP model to
      predict TR-ROP from all infants and infants with any ROP (P = 0.01 and 0.02). Our
      results suggested infants with a history of LCC and a long CPAP support have a
      high incidence of TR-ROP.

PMID- 28634381
TI  - Impact of initial active engagement in self-monitoring with a telemonitoring
      device on glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the effect of patient engagement in self
      monitoring with a telemonitoring device on glycemic control among patients with
      type 2 diabetes. We conducted a subanalysis of the telemonitoring device study in
      Kaiser Permanente Northern California members. We divided the telemonitoring
      group into 53 frequent and 54 infrequent users based on self-monitoring of blood
      glucose (SMBG) frequency of the first 6 weeks. The frequency of SMBG transmitted
      from the telemonitoring device was examined over 24 weeks. Clinic and laboratory
      tests were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months. There was no significant
      difference in baseline HbA1c level between the two groups. After 6 months, change
      in HbA1c was -2.4 +/- 1.6% among frequent users and -1.5 +/- 1.5% among
      infrequent users (p = 0.003). The proportion of patients achieving target HbA1C
      level at 6 months was significantly higher among frequent users than among
      infrequent users. An increased frequency of SMBG was significantly correlated
      with a reduction in HbA1c at 6 months. In conclusion, initial active engagement
      in self-monitoring with a telemonitoring device could provide incremental
      improvement of glycemic control over 6 months.

PMID- 28634382
TI  - Expression of P301L-hTau in mouse MEC induces hippocampus-dependent memory
      deficit.
AB  - Intracellular accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated tau in different types of
      neurons is a pathological characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While tau
      modification and associated neuronal loss and hypometabolism start in the
      entorhinal cortex (EC) in early AD patients, the mechanism by which mutant P301L
      hTau leads to dementia is not fully elucidated. Here, we studied the effects of
      P301L hTau transduction in the medial EC (MEC) of mice on tau phosphorylation and
      accumulation, and cognitive deficit. We found that the exogenous mutant tau
      protein was restricted in MEC without spreading to other brain regions at one
      month after transduction. Interestingly, expression of the mutant tau in MEC
      induces endogenous tau hyperphosphorylation and accumulation in hippocampus and
      cortex, and inhibits neuronal activity with attenuated PP-DG synapse plasticity,
      leading to hippocampus-dependent memory deficit with intact olfactory function.
      These findings suggest a novel neuropathological mechanism of early AD, which is
      initiated by tau accumulation in MEC, and demonstrate a tau pathological model of
      early stage AD.

PMID- 28634383
TI  - Discrepancy between objective and subjective cognition in adults with major
      depressive disorder.
AB  - This study aimed to determine: i) the correlation between objective and
      subjective cognition, ii) the correlates of objective and subjective cognition
      and iii) the predictors of discrepancy between objective and subjective
      cognition. Participants were non-elderly patients with major depressive disorder
      (MDD). We assessed subjective cognition using the Perceived Deficit Questionnaire
      for Depression (PDQ-D) and objective cognition using Face I and Face II tests of
      the Wechsler Memory Scale, 3rd edition and Digit Span and Matrix Reasoning tests
      of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults, 3rd edition. The discrepancy
      between objective and subjective cognition was estimated. Participants were 57
      outpatients with MDD. PDQ-D scores were not correlated with composite
      neurocognitive test (NCT) z scores. Years of education significantly predicted
      composite NCT z scores, as did age. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ
      9) scores significantly predicted PDQ-D scores, as did antidepressant treatment.
      Age significantly predicted discrepancy scores, as did PHQ-9 scores. In
      conclusion, objective and subjective cognition in patients with MDD are not
      correlated. Age and education predict objective cognition. Depression. severity
      and antidepressant treatment predict subjective cognition. Age and depression
      severity may predict the discrepancy between objective and subjective cognition.

PMID- 28634384
TI  - Alternative splicing regulates distinct subcellular localization of Epithelial
      splicing regulatory protein 1 (Esrp1) isoforms.
AB  - Epithelial-Splicing-Regulatory-Protein 1 (Esrp1) is a cell-type specific RNA
      binding protein (RBP) that is essential for mammalian development through
      maintenance of epithelial cell properties including barrier function. Esrp1 also
      regulates splicing during the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). It
      contains three highly conserved RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) in the absence of
      other clearly defined protein domains. Esrp1 itself is also alternatively spliced
      to produce multiple protein isoforms. Here we determined that two competing
      alternative 5' splice sites in exon 12 yield Esrp1 isoforms with differential
      nucleocytoplasmic localization. We carried out a detailed characterization of the
      Esrp1 peptide that is sufficient to confer nuclear localization. Furthermore, we
      identified splice variants encoding distinct nuclear and cytoplasmic isoforms of
      fusilli, the D. Melanogaster Esrp1 ortholog. Our observations demonstrate that
      the production of both nuclear and cytoplasmic Esrp1 isoforms through alternative
      splicing is phylogenetically conserved; strongly suggesting it is biologically
      significant. Thus, while previous studies have described extensive regulation by
      nuclear Esrp1 to promote epithelial specific splicing, it will be of great
      interest to study the contribution of cytoplasmic Esrp1 in maintenance of
      epithelial cell functions.

PMID- 28634385
TI  - Vertical and bevel-structured SiC etching techniques incorporating different gas
      mixture plasmas for various microelectronic applications.
AB  - This study presents a detailed fabrication method, together with validation,
      discussion, and analysis, for state-of-the-art silicon carbide (SiC) etching of
      vertical and bevelled structures by using inductively coupled plasma reactive ion
      etching (ICP-RIE) for microelectronic applications. Applying different gas
      mixtures, a maximum bevel angle of 87 degrees  (almost vertical), large-angle
      bevels ranging from 40 degrees  to 80 degrees , and small-angel bevels ranging
      from 7 degrees  to 17 degrees  were achieved separately using distinct gas
      mixtures at different ratios. We found that SF6 with additive O2 was effective
      for vertical etching, with a best etching rate of 3050 A/min. As for the large
      angle bevel structures, BCl3 + N2 gas mixtures show better characteristics,
      exhibiting a controllable and large etching angle range from 40 degrees  to 80
      degrees  through the adjustment of the mixture ratio. Additionally, a Cl2 + O2
      mixture at different ratios is applied to achieve a small-angel bevels ranging
      from 7 degrees  to 17 degrees . A minimum bevel angel of approximately 7 degrees 
      was achieved under the specific volume of 2.4 sccm Cl2 and 3.6 sccm O2. These
      results can be used to improve performance in various microelectronic
      applications including MMIC via holes, PIN diodes, Schottky diodes, JFETs' bevel
      mesa, and avalanche photodiode fabrication.

PMID- 28634386
TI  - Shape and Composition Control of Monodisperse Hybrid Pt-CoO Nanocrystals by
      Controlling the Reaction Kinetics with Additives.
AB  - Here, we report the effect of Fe(CO)5 additives in the synthesis of branched Pt
      CoO nanowires (NWs) and core@shell concave nanocubes (NCs), in a one-pot system.
      Key to the success of this synthesis is control over the shape of the Pt seeds by
      controlling the quantity of Fe(CO)5 additive. In the absence of Fe(CO)5, branched
      Pt-CoO NWs were synthesized through the attachment of small Pt seed particles,
      followed by the growth of CoO by deposition. On the other hand, Pt@CoO concave
      NCs were obtained in the presence of Fe(CO)5 because of the stronger adsorption
      of Co on the Pt (100) surfaces than on the closely packed (111) surfaces. Also,
      various other conditions including the control of reducing agents, precursor
      concentrations, and stabilizing agents, were used to verify the effects of
      reaction kinetics on the synthesis of Pt-CoO nanoparticles. Compared to
      Pt/graphene oxide (GO) catalyst, branched Pt-CoO NWs supported on GO showed
      enhanced specific activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).

PMID- 28634387
TI  - Quasiparticle and optical properties of strained stanene and stanane.
AB  - Quasiparticle band structures and optical properties of two dimensional stanene
      and stanane (fully hydrogenated stanene) are studied by the GW and GW plus Bethe
      Salpeter equation (GW-BSE) approaches, with inclusion of the spin-orbit coupling
      (SOC). The SOC effect is significant for the electronic and optical properties in
      both stanene and stanane, compared with their group IV-enes and IV-anes
      counterparts. Stanene is a semiconductor with a quasiparticle band gap of 0.10
      eV. Stanane has a sizable band gap of 1.63 eV and strongly binding exciton with
      binding energy of 0.10 eV. Under strain, the quasiparticle band gap and optical
      spectrum of both stanene and stanane are tunable.

PMID- 28634388
TI  - Mito-xenophagic killing of bacteria is coordinated by a metabolic switch in
      dendritic cells.
AB  - Chlamydiae are bacterial pathogens that grow in vacuolar inclusions. Dendritic
      cells (DCs) disintegrate these compartments, thereby eliminating the microbes,
      through auto/xenophagy, which also promotes chlamydial antigen presentation via
      MHC I. Here, we show that TNF-alpha controls this pathway by driving cytosolic
      phospholipase (cPLA)2-mediated arachidonic acid (AA) production. AA then impairs
      mitochondrial function, which disturbs the development and integrity of these
      energy-dependent parasitic inclusions, while a simultaneous metabolic switch
      towards aerobic glycolysis promotes DC survival. Tubulin deacetylase/autophagy
      regulator HDAC6 associates with disintegrated inclusions, thereby further
      disrupting their subcellular localisation and stability. Bacterial remnants are
      decorated with defective mitochondria, mito-aggresomal structures, and components
      of the ubiquitin/autophagy machinery before they are degraded via mito-xenophagy.
      The mechanism depends on cytoprotective HSP25/27, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin
      and HDAC6 and promotes chlamydial antigen generation for presentation on MHC I.
      We propose that this novel mito-xenophagic pathway linking innate and adaptive
      immunity is critical for effective DC-mediated anti-bacterial resistance.

PMID- 28634389
TI  - Novel indolyl-chalcone derivatives inhibit A549 lung cancer cell growth through
      activating Nrf-2/HO-1 and inducing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Increasing evidence indicates that Nrf-2, named the nuclear factor-erythroid 2
      related factor, may perform anticancer function. In this study, a series of novel
      substituted phenyl- (3-methyl-1H-indol-2-yl)-prop-2-en-1-one (indolyl-chalcone)
      derivatives were synthesized and their effects on Nrf-2 activity were observed.
      We found that compounds 3a-3d and 6c elevated Nrf-2 activity. Then we evaluated
      their anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo by utilizing human lung cancer
      cell line A549. The in vitro results showed that among the compounds, 3d
      performed effectively anti-growth activity by inducing A549 lung cancer cell
      apoptosis and activating Nrf-2/HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1) pathway. In vivo, we
      proved that compound 3d inhibited the tumor growth effectively through inducing
      cell apoptosis without affecting CAM normal angiogenesis. These data suggest that
      our discovery of a novel Nrf-2 activator compound 3d would provide a new point of
      human lung cancer treatment.

PMID- 28634390
TI  - Increased Glutamate in Somatosensory Cortex in Functional Dyspepsia.
AB  - Functional Dyspepsia-Post-prandial Distress Syndrome (FD-PDS) was associated with
      mood-related increases in resting activity and lowered activation threshold in
      the somatosensory cortex (SSC), insula and perigenual anterior cingulate
      cortex(pgACC) in functional imaging studies. The underlying cortical
      neurochemical changes are unknown. We performed proton Magnetic Resonance
      Spectroscopy (1H-MRS) on 17 consecutive tertiary clinic-recruited psychotropic
      naive Rome III FD-PDS female and 17 age-sex matched healthy controls. Voxels were
      placed on bilateral pgACC, left insula and SSC. Water-suppressed spectra were
      acquired using PRESS with short echo time (TE) (T = 24 ms) to separately quantify
      glutamate (Glu) and glutamine (Gln). Main outcome measure was regional Glu/Cr +
      PCr. Severity of depression, anxiety, somatization, and dyspepsia were also
      assessed. We found significantly increased SSC Glu/Cr + PCr in FD-PDS subjects
      compared to controls. SSC Glu/Cr + PCr correlated significantly with postprandial
      distress chronicity, dyspeptic symptoms severity and anxiety. The SSC Glu/Cr +
      PCr - dyspepsia correlations became insignificant after controlling for anxiety
      but were independent of depression. Gln/Glu ratio, which indicates glial Glu
      cycling failure, was unchanged. No between-group differences were noted in other
      regional metabolite concentrations. Our findings suggested enhanced SSC glutamate
      transmission in FD-PDS that was linked to post-prandial distress chronicity and
      severity and anxiety.

PMID- 28634391
TI  - Two alternative pathways for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) biosynthesis are
      widespread among teleost fish.
AB  - Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays important physiological roles in vertebrates.
      Studies in rats and rainbow trout confirmed that DHA biosynthesis proceeds
      through the so-called "Sprecher pathway", a biosynthetic process requiring a
      Delta6 desaturation of 24:5n-3 to 24:6n-3. Alternatively, some teleosts possess
      fatty acyl desaturases 2 (Fads2) that enable them to biosynthesis DHA through a
      more direct route termed the "Delta4 pathway". In order to elucidate the
      prevalence of both pathways among teleosts, we investigated the Delta6 ability
      towards C24 substrates of Fads2 from fish with different evolutionary and
      ecological backgrounds. Subsequently, we retrieved public databases to identify
      Fads2 containing the YXXN domain responsible for the Delta4 desaturase function,
      and consequently enabling these species to operate the Delta4 pathway. We
      demonstrated that, with the exception of Delta4 desaturases, fish Fads2 have the
      ability to operate as Delta6 desaturases towards C24 PUFA enabling them to
      synthesise DHA through the Sprecher pathway. Nevertheless, the Delta4 pathway
      represents an alternative route in some teleosts and we identified the presence
      of putative Delta4 Fads2 in a further 11 species and confirmed the function as
      Delta4 desaturases of Fads2 from medaka and Nile tilapia. Our results
      demonstrated that two alternative pathways for DHA biosynthesis exist in
      teleosts.

PMID- 28634392
TI  - The traditional Chinese medicine Achyranthes bidentata and our de novo conception
      of its metastatic chemoprevention: from phytochemistry to pharmacology.
AB  - Our recent biosystems analysis revealed similarities between embryonic
      implantation and cancer cell adhesion, which suggests that abortifacients may be
      good for safe and effective metastatic chemoprevention targeting circulating
      tumor cells (CTC). Here we test the hypothesis by using the well-known abortion
      herb Achyranthes bidentata Blume (A. bidentata). Five compounds were separated
      from the herb root. Among them, ginsenoside Ro was the most potent in inhibiting
      embryonic implantation within non-cytotoxic concentrations. It specifically
      inhibited the metastatic dissemination capability of colon cancer cells HT29,
      including the migration and invasion ability, and their adhesion to human
      endothelium through inhibiting integrin alphavbeta6, MMP-2, MMP-9, and ERK
      phosphorylation by HT29. Pretreatment of nude mice with oral ginsenoside Ro
      followed by HT29 intravenous inoculation and 40-day oral ginsenoside Ro
      significantly prevented lung metastasis with downregulation of integrin
      alphavbeta6 and no toxicity. The present study firstly introduces the new
      conception of utilizing safe and effective abortion botanic medicines for CTC
      based metastatic chemoprevention.

PMID- 28634393
TI  - A small-molecule DS44170716 inhibits Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability
      transition.
AB  - Mitochondria are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological
      processes. Ca2+ uptake is one of the important functions of the organelle for
      maintenance of cellular Ca2+ homeostasis. In pathological conditions such as
      ischemia reperfusion injury, Ca2+ overload into mitochondria induces
      mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), a critical step for cell death.
      Because inhibition of MPT is a promising approach to protecting cells and organs,
      it is important for drug discovery to identify novel chemicals or mechanisms to
      inhibit MPT. Here we report upon a small-molecule compound DS44170716 that
      inhibits Ca2+-induced MPT in rat liver isolated mitochondria. DS44170716 protects
      human liver HepG2 cells from Ca2+-induced death with a level of protection
      similar to cyclosporin A (CsA). The inhibitory mechanism of DS44170716 against
      MPT is independent on PPIF, a target of CsA. DS44170716 blocks Ca2+ flux into the
      mitochondria by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential, while potently
      inhibiting mitochondrial complex III activities and weakly inhibiting complex IV
      and V activities. Similarly, complex III inhibitor antimycin A, complex IV
      inhibitor KCN or complex V inhibitor oligomycin inhibits Ca2+ uptake of isolated
      mitochondria. These results show that DS44170716 is a novel class inhibitor of
      MPT by blocking of mitochondrial complexes and Ca2+-overload into mitochondria.

PMID- 28634394
TI  - The roles of Toll-like receptor 4 in the pathogenesis of pathogen-associated
      biliary fibrosis caused by Clonorchis sinensis.
AB  - Pathogen-associated biliary fibrosis (PABF) is a type of liver fibrosis
      characterized by injuries of cholangiocytes and extra cellular matrix (ECM)
      deposition around bile ducts caused by various bacteria, fungi, virus and
      parasites. Recent studies show that TLR4 plays an important role in several other
      types of liver fibrosis, but the mechanism of TLR4 in PABF is yet really unclear.
      In the present study, a PABF mouse model was established by a trematode infection
      Clonorchis sinensis which dwells in the bile ducts and causes severe biliary
      fibrosis of mice. The results showed that the levels of collagen depositions,
      alpha-SMA and hydroxyproline (Hyp) contents in TLR4 mut mice infected by C.
      sinensis were significantly lower than in those of TLR4 wild ones. Furthermore,
      we found that the activation of TGF-beta signaling was impaired in the TLR4 mut
      mice, compared with wild mice when they were challenged to the same dose of C.
      sinensis metacercariae. Moreover, the mice with TLR4 mutation showed a decreased
      activation of hepatic stellate cells indicated by the expression of alpha-SMA,
      when compared with TLR4 wild mice. These data demonstrate that TLR4 contributes
      to PABF caused by C. sinensis and TLR4 signaling may be a potential medical
      target for treatment of PABF.

PMID- 28634395
TI  - Seven-Membered Lactam Derivatives of Podophyllotoxins as New Pesticidal Agents.
AB  - As a continuation of our efforts to discover and develop natural-product-based
      insecticidal agents, three novel and unusual 7-membered lactam derivatives of
      podophyllotoxin were prepared by thionyl chloride-mediated ring-expanded Beckmann
      rearrangement. The steric configurations of 3a-c were unambiguously identified by
      X-ray crystallography. It demonstrated that the configuration of the
      picropodophyllotoxin C4-oximes could also be confirmed by the corresponding C
      ring expansion products via Beckmann rearrangement. Moreover, it was obviously
      further testified that when picropodophyllones reacted with hydroxylamine
      hydrochloride, only E configuration of picropodophyllotoxin C4-oximes was
      selectively produced. Compounds 3b and 3c showed more potent pesticidal activity
      than toosendanin against oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker).

PMID- 28634396
TI  - Epigenetic silencing of downstream genes mediated by tandem orientation in lung
      cancer.
AB  - Epigenetic deregulation is of importance in tumorigenesis. In particular CpG
      islands (CGI), are frequently hypermethylated. Here, genome-wide DNA-methylation
      profiles of 480,000 CpGs in lung cancer cells were generated. It was observed
      that intra- and intergenic CGI exhibited higher methylation compared to normal
      cells. The functional annotation of hypermethylated CGI revealed that the
      hypermethylation was associated with homeobox domain genes and targets marked by
      repressive histone modifications. The strongest methylation variation was
      observed in transitional areas of CGI, termed shores. 5'-shores of promoter
      associated CGI in lung cancer cell lines were higher methylated than 3'-shores.
      Within two tandem-oriented genes, a significant hypermethylation of the
      downstream-located CGI promoters was revealed. Hypermethylation correlates with
      the length of the intergenic region between such tandem genes. As the RASSF1A
      tumor suppressor gene represents such a downstream tandem gene, its silencing was
      analyzed using an inducible system. It was determined that the induction of an
      upstream gene led to a repression of RASSF1A through a process involving histone
      deacetylases and CPSF1. A tumor-specific increase in expression of histone
      deacetylases and CPSF1 was detected in lung cancer. Our results suggest that the
      downstream gene could be susceptible to epigenetic silencing when organized in a
      tandem orientation.

PMID- 28634397
TI  - One-pot hydrothermal synthesis of CdS decorated CuS microflower-like structures
      for enhanced photocatalytic properties.
AB  - CdS decorated CuS structures have been controllably synthesized through a one-pot
      hydrothermal method. The morphologies and compositions of the as-prepared samples
      could be concurrently well controlled by simply tuning the amount of CdCl2 and
      thiourea. Using this strategy, the morphology of the products experienced from
      messy to flower-like morphologies with multiple porous densities, together with
      the phase evolution from pure CuS to the CdS/CuS composites. Serving as a
      photocatalyst, the samples synthesized with the addition of 1 mmol cadmium
      chloride and 3 mmol thiourea during synthetic process, showed the best
      photocatalytic activity, which could reach a maximum photocatalytic efficiency of
      93% for methyl orange (MO) photodegradation after 150 min. The possible mechanism
      for the high photocatalytic efficiency of the sample was proposed by
      investigating the composition, surface area, structure, and morphology before and
      after photocatalytic reaction.

PMID- 28634398
TI  - Mutations in human AID differentially affect its ability to deaminate cytidine
      and 5-methylcytidine in ssDNA substrates in vitro.
AB  - Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is known for its established role in
      antibody production. AID induces the diversification of antibodies by deaminating
      deoxycytidine (C) within immunoglobulin genes. The capacity of AID to deaminate 5
      methyldeoxycytidine (5 mC) and/or 5-hydroxymethyldeoxycytidine (5 hmC), and
      consequently AID involvement in active DNA demethylation, is not fully resolved.
      For instance, structural determinants of AID activity on different substrates
      remain to be identified. To better understand the latter issue, we tested how
      mutations in human AID (hAID) influence its ability to deaminate C, 5 mC, and 5
      hmC in vitro. We showed that each of the selected mutations differentially
      affects hAID's ability to deaminate C and 5 mC. At the same time, we did not
      observe hAID activity on 5 hmC. Surprisingly, we found that the N51A hAID mutant,
      with no detectable activity on C, efficiently deaminated 5 mC, which may suggest
      different requirements for C and 5 mC deamination. Homology modeling and
      molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the pattern of enzyme-substrate
      recognition is one of the important factors determining enzyme activity on C and
      5 mC. Consequently, we have proposed mechanisms that explain why wild type hAID
      more efficiently deaminates C than 5 mC in vitro and why 5 hmC is not deaminated.

PMID- 28634399
TI  - Terrestrial water load and groundwater fluctuation in the Bengal Basin.
AB  - Groundwater-level fluctuations represent hydraulic responses to changes in
      groundwater storage due to aquifer recharge and drainage as well as to changes in
      stress that include water mass loading and unloading above the aquifer surface.
      The latter 'poroelastic' response of confined aquifers is a well-established
      phenomenon which has been demonstrated in diverse hydrogeological environments
      but is frequently ignored in assessments of groundwater resources. Here we
      present high-frequency groundwater measurements over a twelve-month period from
      the tropical, fluvio-deltaic Bengal Aquifer System (BAS), the largest aquifer in
      south Asia. The groundwater level fluctuations are dominated by the aquifer
      poroelastic response to changes in terrestrial water loading by processes acting
      over periods ranging from hours to months; the effects of groundwater flow are
      subordinate. Our measurements represent the first direct, quantitative
      identification of loading effects on groundwater levels in the BAS. Our analysis
      highlights the potential limitations of hydrogeological analyses which ignore
      loading effects in this environment. We also demonstrate the potential for
      employing poroelastic responses in the BAS and across other tropical fluvio
      deltaic regions as a direct, in-situ measure of changes in terrestrial water
      storage to complement analyses from the Gravity and Climate Experiment (GRACE)
      mission but at much higher resolution.

PMID- 28634400
TI  - Chronic treatment with cisplatin induces chemoresistance through the TIP60
      mediated Fanconi anemia and homologous recombination repair pathways.
AB  - The Fanconi anemia pathway in coordination with homologous recombination is
      essential to repair interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) caused by cisplatin. TIP60
      belongs to the MYST family of acetyltransferases and is involved in DNA repair
      and regulation of gene transcription. Although the physical interaction between
      the TIP60 and FANCD2 proteins has been identified that is critical for ICL
      repair, it is still elusive whether TIP60 regulates the expression of FA and HR
      genes. In this study, we found that the chemoresistant nasopharyngeal carcinoma
      cells, derived from chronic treatment of cisplatin, show elevated expression of
      TIP60. Furthermore, TIP60 binds to the promoters of FANCD2 and BRCA1 by using the
      chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments and promote the expression of FANCD2
      and BRCA1. Importantly, the depletion of TIP60 significantly reduces sister
      chromatid exchange, a measurement of HR efficiency. The similar results were also
      shown in the FNACD2-, and BRCA1-deficient cells. Additionally, these TIP60
      deficient cells encounter more frequent stalled forks, as well as more DNA double
      strand breaks resulting from the collapse of stalled forks. Taken together, our
      results suggest that TIP60 promotes the expression of FA and HR genes that are
      important for ICL repair and the chemoresistant phenotype under chronic treatment
      with cisplatin.

PMID- 28634401
TI  - OhrR of Mycobacterium smegmatis senses and responds to intracellular organic
      hydroperoxide stress.
AB  - Organic hydroperoxide reductase regulator (OhrR) in bacteria is a sensor for
      organic hydroperoxide stress and a transcriptional regulator for the enzyme
      organic hydroperoxide reductase (Ohr). In this study we investigated, using a GFP
      reporter system, whether Mycobacterium smegmatis OhrR has the ability to sense
      and respond to intracellular organic hydroperoxide stress. It was observed that
      M. smegmatis strains bearing the pohr-gfpuv fusion construct were able to express
      GFP only in the absence of an intact ohrR gene, but not in its presence. However,
      GFP expression in the strain bearing pohr-gfpuv with an intact ohrR gene could be
      induced by organic hydroperoxides in vitro and in the intracellular environment
      upon ingestion of the bacteria by macrophages; indicating that OhrR responds not
      only to in vitro but also to intracellular organic hydroperoxide stress. Further,
      the intracellular expression of pohr driven GFP in this strain could be abolished
      by replacing the intact ohrR gene with a mutant ohrR gene modified for N-terminal
      Cysteine (Cys) residue, suggesting that OhrR senses intracellular organic
      hydroperoxides through Cys residue. This is the first report demonstrating the
      ability of OhrR to sense intracellular organic hydroperoxides.

PMID- 28634402
TI  - Enhanced antiviral and antifibrotic effects of short hairpin RNAs targeting HBV
      and TGF-beta in HBV-persistent mice.
AB  - The hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes acute and chronic liver infection, which may
      lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current treatments
      including interferons and nucleotide analogs, have limited therapeutic effects,
      underscoring the need to identify effective therapeutic options to inhibit HBV
      replication and prevent complications. Previous animal models mimicking chronic
      HBV infection do not faithfully reflect disease progression in humans. Here, we
      used our established HBV-persistent mouse line with liver fibrosis to evaluate
      the efficacy of novel therapies. The combination of two short hairpin RNAs (dual
      shRNA) against different coding regions of HBV delivered by a self-complementary
      AAV vector showed better antiviral effects than single shRNA both in vitro and in
      HBV-persistent mice. The dual-shRNA also exhibited stronger antifibrotic activity
      in vivo. Vector carrying shRNA against TGF-beta, though did not inhibit HBV
      replication alone, enhanced the antiviral and antifibrotic activities of single
      and dual HBV shRNAs. Co-administration of TGF-beta shRNA and HBV dual-shRNA
      decreased HBV DNA, HBV RNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, and liver fibrosis markers in serum and
      tissues, and improved liver morphology more effectively than single treatments.
      Our results suggest that the combination of shRNAs against HBV and TGF-beta could
      be developed into a viable treatment for human HBV infection.

PMID- 28634404
TI  - Modelled responses of the Kalahari Desert to 21st century climate and land use
      change.
AB  - Drylands are home to over 2 billion people globally, many of whom use the land
      for agricultural and pastoral activities. These vulnerable livelihoods could be
      disrupted if desert dunefields become more active in response to climate and land
      use change. Despite increasing knowledge about the role that wind, moisture
      availability and vegetation cover play in shaping dryland landscapes, relatively
      little is known about how drylands might respond to climatic and population
      pressures over the 21st century. Here we use a newly developed numerical model,
      which fully couples vegetation and sediment-transport dynamics, to simulate
      potential landscape evolution at three locations in the Kalahari Desert, under
      two future emissions scenarios: stabilising (RCP 4.5) and high (RCP 8.5). Our
      simulations suggest that whilst our study sites will experience some climatically
      induced landscape change, the impacts of climate change alone on vegetation cover
      and sediment mobility may be relatively small. However, human activity could
      strongly exacerbate certain landscape trajectories. Fire frequency has a primary
      impact on vegetation cover, and, together with grazing pressure, plays a
      significant role in modulating shrub encroachment and ensuing land degradation
      processes. Appropriate land management strategies must be implemented across the
      Kalahari Desert to avoid severe environmental and socio-economic consequences
      over the coming decades.

PMID- 28634403
TI  - Fine Particulate Air Pollution and First Hospital Admissions for Ischemic Stroke
      in Beijing, China.
AB  - The primary objective of this study was to assess the association between short
      term changes in ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and first hospital
      admissions for ischemic stroke. We identified 63,956 first hospital admissions
      for ischemic stroke from the Beijing Medical Claim Data for Employees from
      January 1, 2010, through June 30, 2012. A generalized additive Poisson model was
      applied to explore the association between PM2.5 and admissions for ischemic
      stroke. We also explore the effect modification of risk by age and gender. The
      exposure-response relationship between PM2.5 and admissions for ischemic stroke
      was approximately linear, with a relatively stable response at lower
      concentrations (<100 MUg/m3) and a steeper response at higher concentrations. A
      10 MUg/m3 increase in the same-day PM2.5 concentration was associated with 0.31%
      (95% CI, 0.17-0.45%, P < 1.57 * 10-5) increase in the daily admissions for
      ischemic stroke. The association was also statistically significant at lag 1, 2,
      3, 0-2 and 0-4 days. Subgroup analyses showed that the association was not
      different between patients >=65 years and <65 years old or between males and
      females. In conclusion, short-term exposure to PM2.5 was positively associated
      with first hospital admissions for ischemic stroke in Beijing, China.

PMID- 28634405
TI  - Shedding new light on an old molecule: quinophthalone displays uncommon N-to-O
      excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) between photobases.
AB  - Excited state dynamics of common yellow dye quinophthalone (QPH) was probed by
      femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Multi-exponential decay of the
      excited state and significant change of rate constants upon deuterium
      substitution indicate that uncommon nitrogen-to-oxygen excited state
      intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) occurs. By performing density functional
      theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations,
      we found that adiabatic surface crossing between the S1 and S2 states takes place
      in the photoreaction. Unlike most cases of ESIPT, QPH does not exhibit tautomer
      emission, possibly due to internal conversion or back-proton transfer. The ESIPT
      of QPH presents a highly interesting case also because the moieties participating
      in ESIPT, quinoline and aromatic carbonyl, are both traditionally considered as
      photobases.

PMID- 28634406
TI  - Enhancing KCC2 function counteracts morphine-induced hyperalgesia.
AB  - Morphine-induced hyperalgesia (MIH) is a severe adverse effect accompanying
      repeated morphine treatment, causing a paradoxical decrease in nociceptive
      threshold. Previous reports associated MIH with a decreased expression of the Cl-
      extruder KCC2 in the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) of the spinal cord, weakening
      spinal GABAA/glycine-mediated postsynaptic inhibition. Here, we tested whether
      the administration of small molecules enhancing KCC2, CLP257 and its pro-drug
      CLP290, may counteract MIH. MIH was typically expressed within 6-8 days of
      morphine treatment. Morphine-treated rats exhibited decreased withdrawal
      threshold to mechanical stimulation and increased vocalizing behavior to
      subcutaneous injections. Chloride extrusion was impaired in SDH neurons measured
      as a depolarizing shift in E GABA under Cl- load. Delivering CLP257 to spinal
      cord slices obtained from morphine-treated rats was sufficient to restore Cl-
      extrusion capacity in SDH neurons. In vivo co-treatment with morphine and oral
      CLP290 prevented membrane KCC2 downregulation in SDH neurons. Concurrently, co
      treatment with CLP290 significantly mitigated MIH and acute administration of
      CLP257 in established MIH restored normal nociceptive behavior. Our data indicate
      that enhancing KCC2 activity is a viable therapeutic approach for counteracting
      MIH. Chloride extrusion enhancers may represent an effective co-adjuvant therapy
      to improve morphine analgesia by preventing and reversing MIH.

PMID- 28634407
TI  - Analysis of survival and hatching transcriptomes from potato cyst nematodes,
      Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida.
AB  - Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs), Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida, cause
      important economic losses. They are hard to manage because of their ability to
      remain dormant in soil for many years. Although general knowledge about these
      plant parasitic nematodes has considerably increased over the past decades, very
      little is known about molecular events involved in cyst dormancy and hatching,
      two key steps of their development. Here, we have studied the progression of PCN
      transcriptomes from dry cysts to hatched juveniles using RNA-Seq. We found that
      several cell detoxification-related genes were highly active in the dry cysts.
      Many genes linked to an increase of calcium and water uptake were up-regulated
      during transition from dormancy to hydration. Exposure of hydrated cysts to host
      plant root exudates resulted in different transcriptional response between
      species. After 48 h of exposure, G. pallida cysts showed no significant
      modulation of gene expression while G. rostochiensis had 278 differentially
      expressed genes. The first G. rostochiensis significantly up-regulated gene was
      observed after 8 h and was coding for a transmembrane metalloprotease. This
      enzyme is able to activate/inactivate peptide hormones and could be involved in a
      cascade of events leading to hatching. Several known effector genes were also up
      regulated during hatching.

PMID- 28634408
TI  - A tightly regulated IL-22 response maintains immune functions and homeostasis in
      systemic viral infection.
AB  - Interleukin-22 (IL-22) plays an important role in host immunity and tissue
      homeostasis in infectious and inflammatory diseases. However, the function and
      regulation of IL-22 in viral infection remain largely unknown. Here, we report
      that viral infection triggered early IL-22 production from the liver and lymphoid
      organs. gammadelta T cells are the main immune cells to produce IL-22 in the
      liver, a process mediated by the IL-23/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian
      target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway. In the presence of IL
      23, IL-22 production is independent of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling.
      In acute and persistent viral infections, IL-22 deficiency resulted in thymic and
      splenic hypertrophy, while excessive IL-22 induced atrophy in these lymphoid
      organs. Moreover, IL-22 deficiency enhanced T cell responses to promote viral
      clearance, but increased IL-22 in vivo decreased T cell numbers and functions in
      the liver and lymphoid tissues. Together, our findings reveal a significant
      effect of the IL-23/PI3K/mTORC1 axis on regulating IL-22 production and also
      identify a novel role of IL-22 in controlling antiviral T cell responses in the
      non-lymphoid and lymphoid organs during acute and persistent viral infections.

PMID- 28634409
TI  - Characterization of the 3D structure of a cultivated land surface and its
      influence on wheat seedlings growth using Kinect.
AB  - The quality of wheat emergence has a significant impact on the subsequent growth
      and development of seedlings. The structure of cultivated land surfaces is an
      important factor influencing wheat seedlings growth. However, few studies have
      investigated this. In this study, three-dimensional structural parameters of
      cultivated land surfaces were collected using 3D imaging equipment, and the
      effects of different grades of lands on the emergence and growth of wheat were
      evaluated. The evaluation criteria for the soil blocks was designed according to
      the ISO-25178-2 standard, and the wheat emergence rate, speed, tillering capacity
      per plant, dry weight per plant, and final yields of different grades of
      cultivated land were investigated. The results indicated that the three
      dimensional information obtained through the Kinect sensors was reliable. The
      deviation of measured values from the factual values was trivial. The value of R2
      was greater than 0.99**. The value of RMSE was less than 2 mm. These results
      describe a method for obtaining three-dimensional structures of land surfaces
      using 3D cameras and the evaluation of wheat emergence capacity. It can be used
      as a reference for obtaining three-dimensional cultivated land structures or
      other similar objects.

PMID- 28634411
TI  - Stomach: A chief role for Lgr5+ cells.

PMID- 28634410
TI  - Climate response to the 8.2 ka event in coastal California.
AB  - A fast-growing stalagmite from the central California coast provides a high
      resolution record of climatic changes synchronous with global perturbations
      resulting from the catastrophic drainage of proglacial Lake Agassiz at ca. 8.2
      ka. High frequency, large amplitude variations in carbon isotopes during the 8.2
      ka event, coupled with pulsed increases in phosphorus concentrations, indicate
      more frequent or intense winter storms on the California coast. Decreased
      magnesium-calcium ratios point toward a sustained increase in effective moisture
      during the event, however the magnitude of change in Mg/Ca suggests this event
      was not as pronounced on the western North American coast as anomalies seen in
      the high northern latitudes and monsoon-influenced areas. Nevertheless, shifts in
      the White Moon Cave record that are synchronous within age uncertainties with
      cooling of Greenland, and changes in global monsoon systems, suggest rapid
      changes in atmospheric circulation occurred in response to freshwater input and
      associated cooling in the North Atlantic region. Our record is consistent with
      intensification of the Pacific winter storm track in response to North Atlantic
      freshwater forcing, a mechanism suggested by simulations of the last
      deglaciation, and indicates this intensification led to increases in
      precipitation and infiltration along the California coast during the Holocene.

PMID- 28634413
TI  - Topical Fibronectin Improves Wound Healing of Irradiated Skin.
AB  - Wound healing is significantly delayed in irradiated skin. To better understand
      global changes in protein expression after radiation, we utilized a reverse phase
      protein array (RPPA) to identify significant changes in paired samples of normal
      and irradiated human skin. Of the 210 proteins studied, fibronectin was the most
      significantly and consistently downregulated in radiation-damaged skin. Using a
      murine model, we confirmed that radiation leads to decreased fibronectin
      expression in the skin as well as delayed wound healing. Topically applied
      fibronectin was found to significantly improve wound healing in irradiated skin
      and was associated with decreased inflammatory infiltrate and increased
      angiogenesis. Fibronectin treatment may be a useful adjunctive modality in the
      treatment of non-healing radiation wounds.

PMID- 28634414
TI  - Monitoring and analysis of coastal reclamation from 1995-2015 in Tianjin Binhai
      New Area, China.
AB  - Increasing coastal reclamation activities have been undertaken to solve the
      conflict between people and land resources, creating significant challenges for
      coordinating coastal reclamation, economic development and environmental
      protection. This paper analyzes the effects of coast reclamation on Gross
      Domestic Product growth and the quality of inshore seawater in the Tianjin Binhai
      New Area. Remote sensing and a Geographic Information System were used to extract
      the information of coastal reclamation. The correlation between the area of
      coastal reclamation, GDP growth and the quality of inshore seawater was analyzed
      and a decoupling elasticity model was used to explore trends in the relationship
      between economic development and coastal reclamation. Results showed that coastal
      reclamation activities played an important role in promoting economic
      development, but greatly damaged the ecological environment. Although the
      relationship between coastal reclamation and economic development has weakened
      during the last three periods, the influence on the environment will continue
      because of the cumulative effects of pollution. To maintain a balance between
      coastal reclamation, economic development and environmental protection, (1)
      coastal reclamation planning must address both economic and environmental
      outcomes; (2) environmental deficiencies from existing coastal reclamation
      projects must be rectified; and (3) the legal system regulating coastal
      reclamation needs to be refined and strengthened.

PMID- 28634412
TI  - Extracellular vesicles in liver disease and potential as biomarkers and
      therapeutic targets.
AB  - Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous vesicles originating from different
      cells in the liver. The pathophysiological role of EVs is increasingly recognized
      in liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease, NAFLD, viral hepatitis and
      hepatocellular carcinoma. EVs, via their cargo, can provide communication between
      different cell types in the liver and between organs. EVs are explored as
      biomarkers of disease and could also represent therapeutic targets and vehicles
      for treatment delivery. Here, we review advances in understanding the role of EVs
      in liver diseases and discuss their utility in biomarker discovery and
      therapeutics.

PMID- 28634415
TI  - Force-induced increased osteogenesis enables accelerated orthodontic tooth
      movement in ovariectomized rats.
AB  - As the number of elderly orthodontic patients increases, the impact of
      postmenopausal osteoporosis on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) has attracted a
      great deal of attention because OTM relies on alveolar bone remodeling. The
      question of whether OTM causes subsequent alveolar bone loss and is harmful to
      alveolar bone health under osteoporotic conditions remains to be answered. The
      present study aimed to clarify the influences of OTM on alveolar bone in
      osteoporotic rats. OTM was accelerated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats as a result
      of increased bone resorption in the pressure area. At the same time, anabolic
      bone formation was promoted in the tension area during OTM in OVX rats. Micro-CT
      analysis of alveolar bone revealed a decrease in BMD, BV/TV and Tb.Th. in the OTM
      group compared with that in non-OTM rats on day 21 of OTM, suggesting that OTM
      caused alveolar bone loss in OVX rats during OTM. However, the OTM-induced bone
      loss could be recovered 3 months after OTM in OVX rats. Thus, our findings
      suggest that increased osteogenesis may compensate for the increased bone
      resorption during and after OTM and enable effective accelerated OTM in OVX rats.

PMID- 28634416
TI  - New climatic targets against global warming: will the maximum 2  degrees C
      temperature rise affect estuarine benthic communities?
AB  - The Paris Agreement signed by 195 countries in 2015 sets out a global action plan
      to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to remain below 2 
      degrees C. Under that premise, in situ experiments were run to test the effects
      of 2  degrees C temperature increase on the benthic communities in a seagrass bed
      and adjacent bare sediment, from a temperate European estuary. Temperature was
      artificially increased in situ and diversity and ecosystem functioning components
      measured after 10 and 30 days. Despite some warmness effects on the analysed
      components, significant impacts were not verified on macro and microfauna
      structure, bioturbation or in the fluxes of nutrients. The effect of site/habitat
      seemed more important than the effects of the warmness, with the seagrass habitat
      providing more homogenous results and being less impacted by warmness than the
      adjacent bare sediment. The results reinforce that most ecological responses to
      global changes are context dependent and that ecosystem stability depends not
      only on biological diversity but also on the availability of different habitats
      and niches, highlighting the role of coastal wetlands. In the context of the
      Paris Agreement it seems that estuarine benthic ecosystems will be able to cope
      if global warming remains below 2  degrees C.

PMID- 28634417
TI  - Expression Status of PIWIL1 as a Prognostic Marker of Colorectal Cancer.
AB  - The PIWI-like protein 1 (PIWIL1) plays a crucial role in stem cell proliferation,
      embryogenesis, growth, and development, as well as differentiation and maturation
      in multiple organisms. The relationships between PIWIL1 expression and
      clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients were analyzed by
      us. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox's
      proportional hazards model. The high expression rate of PIWIL1 in the cancer
      tissue was obviously higher than that in the corresponding adjacent tissue. The
      expression of PIWIL1 was closely related to the tumor differentiation degree,
      infiltration depth, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, and TNM
      stage. The Kaplan-Meier survival model suggested that the survival time of CRC
      patients in the high PIWIL1 expression group was notably lower than that in the
      low PIWIL1 expression group. High PIWIL1 expression suggests a poor prognosis for
      CRC patients, and PIWIL1 can serve as an important molecular marker for
      predicting the prognosis of CRC patients.

PMID- 28634419
TI  - Elevated Plasma Levels of sIL-2R in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Pathogenic
      Role for T-Lymphocytes?
AB  - The immune system has long been thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of
      complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). However, not much is known about the role
      of the immune system and specifically T-cells in the onset and maintenance of
      this disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate T-cell activity in CRPS by
      comparing blood soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels between CRPS
      patients and healthy controls. CRPS patients had statistically significant
      elevated levels of sIL-2R as compared to healthy controls (median sIL-2R levels:
      4151 pg/ml (Q3 - Q1 = 5731 pg/ml - 3546 pg/ml) versus 1907 pg/ml (Q3 - Q1: 2206
      pg/ml - 1374 pg/ml), p < 0.001, resp.). Furthermore, sIL-2R level seems to be a
      good discriminator between CRPS patients and healthy controls with a high
      sensitivity (90%) and specificity (89.5%). Our finding indicates increased T-cell
      activity in patients with CRPS. This finding is of considerable relevance as it
      could point towards a T-cell-mediated inflammatory process in this disease. This
      could pave the way for new anti-inflammatory therapies in the treatment of CRPS.
      Furthermore, sIL-2R could be a promising new marker for determining inflammatory
      disease activity in CRPS.

PMID- 28634420
TI  - Characterization of the Proinflammatory Profile of Synovial Fluid-Derived
      Exosomes of Patients with Osteoarthritis.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to characterize synovial fluid- (SF-) derived
      exosomes of patients with gonarthrosis comparing two methods of isolation and to
      investigate their immune regulatory properties. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have
      been isolated from inflamed SF by polymer precipitation method and quantified by
      Exocet kit and by nanoparticle tracking analysis. Vesicles expressed all the
      specific exosomal markers by immunoblot and FACS. After isolation with Exoquick,
      a relevant contamination by immune complexes was detected, which required further
      magnetic bead-based purification to remove. SF-derived exosomes significantly
      stimulated the release of several inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and
      metalloproteinases by M1 macrophages but did not influence the expression of CD80
      and CD86 costimulatory molecules. In conclusion, we characterized purified
      exosomes isolated from inflamed SF and demonstrate that purified exosomes are
      functionally active in their ability to stimulate the release of proinflammatory
      factors from M1 macrophages. Our data indicate that SF-derived exosomes from
      gonarthrosis patients play a role in disease progression.

PMID- 28634418
TI  - Long Noncoding RNAs as Biomarkers in Cancer.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a relatively well-characterized class of
      noncoding RNA (ncRNA) molecules, involved in the regulation of various cell
      processes, including transcription, intracellular trafficking, and chromosome
      remodeling. Their deregulation has been associated with the development and
      progression of various cancer types, the fact which makes them suitable as
      biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In recent years, detection of
      cancer-associated lncRNAs in body fluids of cancer patients has proven itself as
      an especially valuable method to effectively diagnose cancer. Cancer diagnosis
      and prognosis employing circulating lncRNAs are preferential when compared to
      classical biopsies of tumor tissues, especially due to their noninvasiveness, and
      have great potential for routine usage in clinical practice. Thus, this review
      focuses on summarizing the perspectives of lncRNAs as biomarkers in cancer, based
      on evaluating their expression profiles determined in body fluids of cancer
      patients.

PMID- 28634423
TI  - Tumor RAS Gene Expression Levels Are Influenced by the Mutational Status of RAS
      Genes and Both Upstream and Downstream RAS Pathway Genes.
AB  - The 3 human RAS genes play pivotal roles regulating proliferation,
      differentiation, and survival in normal cells and become mutated in 15% to 20% of
      all human tumors and amplified in many others. In this report, we examined data
      from The Cancer Genome Atlas to investigate the relationship between RAS gene
      mutational status and messenger RNA expression. We show that all 3 RAS genes
      exhibit increased expression when they are mutated in a context-dependent manner.
      In the case of KRAS, this increase is manifested by a larger proportional
      increase in KRAS4A than KRAS4B, although both increase significantly. In
      addition, the mutational status of RAS genes can be associated with expression
      changes in other RAS genes, with most of these cases showing decreased
      expression. The mutational status associations with expression are recapitulated
      in cancer cell lines. Increases in expression are mediated by both copy number
      variation and contextual differences, including mutational status of epidermal
      growth factor receptor (EGFR) and BRAF. These findings potentially reveal an
      adaptive response during tumor evolution that is dependent on the mutational
      status of proximal genes in the RAS pathway and cellular context. Cell contextual
      differences in these adaptations may influence therapeutic responsiveness and
      alternative resistance mechanisms.

PMID- 28634422
TI  - Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein Downregulates Fractalkine through Activation
      of p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB.
AB  - BACKGROUND: LBP and fractalkine are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of
      ARDS. This study investigated the relationship between LBP and fractalkine in LPS
      induced A549 cells and rat lung tissue in an ARDS rat model. METHODS: A549 cells
      were transfected with LBP or LBP shRNA plasmid DNA or pretreated with SB203580 or
      SC-514 following LPS treatment. An ARDS rat model was established using LPS with
      or without LBPK95A, SB203580, or SC-514 treatment. RT-PCR, western blotting,
      ELISA, immunofluorescence, coimmunoprecipitation, and immunohistochemical
      staining were used to study the expression of fractalkine and LBP and p38 MAPK
      and p65 NF-kappaB activities. RESULTS: LPS increased LBP and reduced fractalkine.
      LBP overexpression further decreased LPS-induced downregulation of fractalkine
      and p38 MAPK and p65 NF-kappaB activation; LBP gene silencing, SB203580, and SC
      514 suppressed LPS-induced downregulation of fractalkine and p38 MAPK and p65 NF
      kappaB activation in A549 cells. LBP and fractalkine in lung tissue were
      increased and decreased, respectively, following LPS injection. LBPK95A,
      SB203580, and SC-514 ameliorated LPS-induced rat lung injury and suppressed LPS
      induced downregulation of fractalkine by decreasing phospho-p38 MAPK and p65 NF
      kappaB. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that LBP downregulates fractalkine
      expression in LPS-induced A549 cells and in an ARDS rat model through activation
      of p38 MAPK and NF-kappaB.

PMID- 28634424
TI  - Overexpression and Knockdown of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 Disrupt the Expression
      of Steroidogenic Enzyme Genes and Early Embryonic Development in Zebrafish.
AB  - Hypoxia is an important environmental stressor leading to endocrine disruption
      and reproductive impairment in fish. Although the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF
      1) is known to regulate the transcription of various genes mediating oxygen
      homeostasis, its role in modulating steroidogenesis-related gene expression
      remains poorly understood. In this study, the regulatory effect of HIF-1 on the
      expression of 9 steroidogenic enzyme genes was investigated in zebrafish embryos
      using a "gain-of-function and loss-of-function" approach. Eight of the genes,
      CYP11a, CYP11b2, 3beta-HSD, HMGCR, CYP17a1, 17beta-HSD2, CYP19a, and CYP19b, were
      found to be differentially upregulated at 24 and 48 hpf following zHIF-1alpha
      DeltaODD overexpression (a mutant zebrafish HIF-1alpha protein with proline-414
      and proline-557 deleted). Knockdown of zHIF-1alpha also affected the expression
      pattern of the steroidogenic enzyme genes. Overexpression of zHIF-1alpha and
      hypoxia exposure resulted in downregulated StAR expression but upregulated CYP11a
      and 3beta-HSD expression in zebrafish embryos. Conversely, the expression
      patterns of these 3 genes were reversed in embryos in which zHIF-1alpha was
      knocked down under normoxia, suggesting that these 3 genes are regulated by HIF
      1. Overall, the findings from this study indicate that HIF-1-mediated mechanisms
      are likely involved in the regulation of specific steroidogenic genes.

PMID- 28634421
TI  - The Role of von Willebrand Factor in Vascular Inflammation: From Pathogenesis to
      Targeted Therapy.
AB  - Beyond its role in hemostasis, von Willebrand factor (VWF) is an emerging
      mediator of vascular inflammation. Recent studies highlight the involvement of
      VWF and its regulator, ADAMTS13, in mechanisms that underlie vascular
      inflammation and immunothrombosis, like leukocyte rolling, adhesion, and
      extravasation; vascular permeability; ischemia/reperfusion injury; complements
      activation; and NETosis. The VWF/ADAMTS13 axis is implicated in the pathogenesis
      of atherosclerosis, promoting plaque formation and inflammation through
      macrophage and neutrophil recruitment in inflamed lesions. Moreover, VWF and
      ADAMTS13 have been recently proposed as prognostic biomarkers in cardiovascular,
      metabolic, and inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, stroke, myocardial
      infarction, and sepsis. All these features make VWF an attractive therapeutic
      target in thromboinflammation. Several lines of research have recently
      investigated "tailor-made" inhibitors of VWF. Results from animal models and
      clinical studies support the potent anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effect
      of VWF antagonism, providing reassuring data on its safety profile. This review
      describes the role of VWF in vascular inflammation "from bench to bedside" and
      provides an updated overview of the drugs that can directly interfere with the
      VWF/ADAMTS13 axis.

PMID- 28634426
TI  - Prevalence and Consequences of Perinatal Substance Use-Growing Worldwide
      Concerns.

PMID- 28634425
TI  - A Transcriptional Regulatory Role for the Membrane Type-1 Matrix
      Metalloproteinase in Carcinogen-Induced Inflammasome Gene Expression.
AB  - Signal-transducing functions driven by the cytoplasmic domain of membrane type-1
      matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) are believed to regulate many inflammation
      associated cancer cell functions including migration, proliferation, and
      survival. Aside from upregulation of the inflammation biomarker cyclooxygenase-2
      (COX-2) expression, MT1-MMP's role in relaying intracellular signals triggered by
      extracellular pro-inflammatory cues remains poorly understood. Here, we triggered
      inflammation in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate
      (PMA), an inducer of COX-2 and of MT1-MMP. To assess the global transcriptional
      regulatory role that MT1-MMP may exert on inflammation biomarkers, we combined
      gene array screens with a transient MT1-MMP gene silencing strategy. Expression
      of MT1-MMP was found to exert both stimulatory and repressive transcriptional
      control of several inflammasome-related biomarkers such as interleukin (IL)-1B,
      IL-6, IL-12A, and IL-33, as well as of transcription factors such as EGR1, ELK1,
      and ETS1/2 in PMA-treated cells. Among the signal-transducing pathways explored,
      the silencing of MT1-MMP prevented PMA from phosphorylating extracellular signal
      regulated kinase, inhibitor of kappaB, and p105 nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB)
      intermediates. We also found a signaling axis linking MT1-MMP to MMP-9
      transcriptional regulation. Altogether, our data indicate a significant
      involvement of MT1-MMP in the transcriptional regulation of inflammatory
      biomarkers consolidating its contribution to signal transduction functions in
      addition to its classical hydrolytic activity.

PMID- 28634427
TI  - Leveraging Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reports for the Automated
      Monitoring of Electronic Health Records in a Pediatric Hospital.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine whether the Food and Drug
      Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data set could serve as
      the basis of automated electronic health record (EHR) monitoring for the adverse
      drug reaction (ADR) subset of adverse drug events. We retrospectively collected
      EHR entries for 71 909 pediatric inpatient visits at Cincinnati Children's
      Hospital Medical Center. Natural language processing (NLP) techniques were used
      to identify positive diseases/disorders and signs/symptoms (DDSSs) from the
      patients' clinical narratives. We downloaded all FAERS reports submitted by
      medical providers and extracted the reported drug-DDSS pairs. For each patient,
      we aligned the drug-DDSS pairs extracted from their clinical notes with the
      corresponding drug-DDSS pairs from the FAERS data set to identify Drug-Reaction
      Pair Sentences (DRPSs). The DRPSs were processed by NLP techniques to identify
      ADR-related DRPSs. We used clinician annotated, real-world EHR data as reference
      standard to evaluate the proposed algorithm. During evaluation, the algorithm
      achieved promising performance and showed great potential in identifying ADRs
      accurately for pediatric patients.

PMID- 28634428
TI  - Marketization in Long-Term Care: A Cross-Country Comparison of Large For-Profit
      Nursing Home Chains.
AB  - This article presents cross-country comparisons of trends in for-profit nursing
      home chains in Canada, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States.
      Using public and private industry reports, the study describes ownership,
      corporate strategies, costs, and quality of the 5 largest for-profit chains in
      each country. The findings show that large for-profit nursing home chains are
      increasingly owned by private equity investors, have had many ownership changes
      over time, and have complex organizational structures. Large for-profit nursing
      home chains increasingly dominate the market and their strategies include the
      separation of property from operations, diversification, the expansion to many
      locations, and the use of tax havens. Generally, the chains have large revenues
      with high profit margins with some documented quality problems. The lack of
      adequate public information about the ownership, costs, and quality of services
      provided by nursing home chains is problematic in all the countries. The
      marketization of nursing home care poses new challenges to governments in
      collecting and reporting information to control costs as well as to ensure
      quality and public accountability.

PMID- 28634429
TI  - Exploration of Spinal Cord Aging-Related Proteins Using a Proteomics Approach.
AB  - How aging affects the spinal cord at a molecular level is unclear. The aim of
      this study was to explore spinal cord aging-related proteins that may be involved
      in pathological mechanisms of age-related changes in the spinal cord. Spinal
      cords of 2-year-old and 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were dissected from
      the animals. Protein samples were subjected to 2-dimentional polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis followed by mass spectrometry. Screened proteins were further
      investigated with immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Among the screened
      proteins, we selected alpha-crystallin B-subunit (alphaB-crystallin) and
      peripherin for further investigation because these proteins were previously
      reported to be related to central nervous system pathologies.
      Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting revealed significant upregulation of
      alphaB-crystallin and peripherin expression in aged rat spinal cord. Further
      exploration is needed to elucidate the precise mechanism and potential role of
      these upregulated proteins in spinal cord aging processes.

PMID- 28634430
TI  - Evaluation of Four Bait Traps for Sampling Wireworm (Coleoptera: Elateridae)
      Infesting Cereal Crops in Montana.
AB  - The basic principles of a reliable integrated pest management program include
      pest identification, monitoring, and distribution. Selecting the appropriate
      sampling protocol to monitor wireworm for research or applied entomology depends
      on the objective, including simply detecting the presence or absence of wireworm,
      surveying the composition of wireworm assemblages, or estimating spatial and
      temporal population densities. In this study, the efficacy of pitfall, stocking,
      pot, and canister traps baited with wheat and barley mixtures was evaluated for
      monitoring wireworm populations in four commercial cereal fields in Montana.
      Pitfall and stocking traps collected greater numbers of wireworm (1625 and 1575,
      respectively) followed by pot-type and canister-type traps (1173 and 725,
      respectively). The 5098 wireworm collected from four sites included seven
      species: Aeolus mellillus, Agriotes sp, Dalopius sp, Hypnoidus bicolor, Limonius
      californicus, Limonius infuscatus, and S. aeripennis.

PMID- 28634431
TI  - The Aftermath of a Hepatic Artery Aneurysm-A Rare Etiology of Biliary
      Obstruction!
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatic artery aneurysms (HAAs) constitute 14% to 20% of visceral
      artery aneurysms. Most HAAs are asymptomatic. Although rare, obstructive jaundice
      due to external bile duct compression or rupture of the HAA into the biliary tree
      with occlusion of the lumen from blood clots has been reported. CASE
      PRESENTATION: A 56-year-old white man presented to an outside hospital with
      symptoms of obstructive jaundice, including abdominal pain and yellowing of the
      skin. Imaging showed a large HAA. Patient was transferred to our hospital where
      an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biliary stenting was
      performed. This was followed by coil embolization of the HAA with improvement in
      symptoms and liver chemistries. CONCLUSIONS: Most clinicians agree that
      management of HAA is highly variable and depends on clinical presentation and
      anatomic location. Biliary stenting provides temporary relief for patients with
      obstructive jaundice. Definitive options include open aneurysmal repair versus
      endovascular therapy. Hepatic artery aneurysms represent a significant risk for
      hemorrhage and therefore must be addressed promptly once discovered.

PMID- 28634432
TI  - Effect of Ice Bag Application to Femoral Region on Pain in Patients Undergoing
      Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
AB  - AIMS: The aim of this study is to determine the pain reduction effectiveness of
      ice bag applications to the femoral region in patients undergoing percutaneous
      coronary intervention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized controlled trial with
      repeated measures and two-group design. The study was completed with a total of
      104 patients who met the inclusion criteria: 52 each in the experimental group
      and the control group. The pain experienced by the patients was evaluated before
      and during removal and again while the nurse applied pressure on the catheter
      site after removal. The NRS scores were identified as NRS1, NRS2, and NRS3 for
      the three assessment, respectively. RESULTS: The NRS1 score was similar between
      the two groups. It increased at the 2nd measurement, and a statistically
      significant difference was determined between the two groups (4.0 (3.0-4.0) in
      the experimental group and 6.0 (4.0-7.0) in the control group) (p < 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study revealed that ice bag application to
      femoral region was effective in reducing pain induced by femoral catheter removal
      in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Local ice bag
      application may therefore be recommended as a nursing intervention for pain
      control in such cases.

PMID- 28634433
TI  - The Draft Genome of the Non-Host-Associated Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus
      Strain DH1 Encodes a Large Repertoire of Adhesin-Like Proteins.
AB  - Methanobrevibacter arboriphilus strain DH1 is an autotrophic methanogen that was
      isolated from the wetwood of methane-emitting trees. This species has been of
      considerable interest for its unusual oxygen tolerance and has been studied as a
      model organism for more than four decades. Strain DH1 is closely related to other
      host-associated Methanobrevibacter species from intestinal tracts of animals and
      the rumen, making this strain an interesting candidate for comparative analysis
      to identify factors important for colonizing intestinal environments. Here, the
      genome sequence of M. arboriphilus strain DH1 is reported. The draft genome is
      composed of 2.445.031 bp with an average GC content of 25.44% and predicted to
      harbour 1964 protein-encoding genes. Among the predicted genes, there are also
      more than 50 putative genes for the so-called adhesin-like proteins (ALPs). The
      presence of ALP-encoding genes in the genome of this non-host-associated
      methanogen strongly suggests that target surfaces for ALPs other than host
      tissues also need to be considered as potential interaction partners. The high
      abundance of ALPs may also indicate that these types of proteins are more
      characteristic for specific phylogenetic groups of methanogens rather than being
      indicative for a particular environment the methanogens thrives in.

PMID- 28634434
TI  - An Acidic Exopolysaccharide from Haloarcula hispanica ATCC33960 and Two Genes
      Responsible for Its Synthesis.
AB  - A 1.1 * 106 Da acidic exopolysaccharide (EPS) was purified from an extremely
      halophilic archaeon Haloarcula hispanica ATCC33960 with a production of 30 mg L-1
      when grown in AS-168 medium, which mainly composed of mannose and galactose with
      a small amount of glucose in a molar ratio of 55.9 : 43.2 : 0.9. Two
      glycosyltransferase genes (HAH_1662 and HAH_1667) were identified to be
      responsible for synthesis of the acidic EPS. Deletion of either HAH_1662 or
      HAH_1667 led to loss of the acidic EPS. The mutants displayed a different cell
      surface morphology, retarded growth in low salty environment, an increased
      adhesion, and swimming ability. Our results suggest that biosynthesis of the
      acidic EPS might act as an adaptable mechanism to protect the cells against harsh
      environments.

PMID- 28634435
TI  - The Clinical Uses of Electrocochleography.
AB  - The clinical uses of electrocochleography are reviewed with some technical notes
      on the apparatus needed to get clear recordings under different conditions.
      Electrocochleography can be used to estimate auditory thresholds in difficult to
      test children and a golf club electrode is described. The same electrode can be
      used to obtain electrical auditory brainstem responses (EABR). Diagnostic testing
      in the clinic can be performed with a transtympanic needle electrode, and a
      suitable disposable monopolar electrode is described. The use of tone bursts
      rather than click stimuli gives a better means of diagnosis of the presence of
      endolymphatic hydrops. Electrocochleography can be used to monitor the cochlear
      function during surgery and a long coaxial cable, which can be sterilized, is
      needed to avoid electrical artifacts. Recently electrocochleography has been used
      to monitor cochlear implant insertion and to record residual hearing using an
      electrode on the cochlear implant array as the non-inverting (active) electrode.

PMID- 28634436
TI  - Dual Coding Theory Explains Biphasic Collective Computation in Neural Decision
      Making.
AB  - A central question in cognitive neuroscience is how unitary, coherent decisions
      at the whole organism level can arise from the distributed behavior of a large
      population of neurons with only partially overlapping information. We address
      this issue by studying neural spiking behavior recorded from a multielectrode
      array with 169 channels during a visual motion direction discrimination task. It
      is well known that in this task there are two distinct phases in neural spiking
      behavior. Here we show Phase I is a distributed or incompressible phase in which
      uncertainty about the decision is substantially reduced by pooling information
      from many cells. Phase II is a redundant or compressible phase in which numerous
      single cells contain all the information present at the population level in Phase
      I, such that the firing behavior of a single cell is enough to predict the
      subject's decision. Using an empirically grounded dynamical modeling framework,
      we show that in Phase I large cell populations with low redundancy produce a slow
      timescale of information aggregation through critical slowing down near a
      symmetry-breaking transition. Our model indicates that increasing collective
      amplification in Phase II leads naturally to a faster timescale of information
      pooling and consensus formation. Based on our results and others in the
      literature, we propose that a general feature of collective computation is a
      "coding duality" in which there are accumulation and consensus formation
      processes distinguished by different timescales.

PMID- 28634437
TI  - Latent Growth Curve Models for Biomarkers of the Stress Response.
AB  - Objective: The stress response is a dynamic process that can be characterized by
      predictable biochemical and psychological changes. Biomarkers of the stress
      response are typically measured over time and require statistical methods that
      can model change over time. One flexible method of evaluating change over time is
      the latent growth curve model (LGCM). However, stress researchers seldom use the
      LGCM when studying biomarkers, despite their benefits. Stress researchers may be
      unaware of how these methods can be useful. Therefore, the purpose of this paper
      is to provide an overview of LGCMs in the context of stress research. We
      specifically highlight the unique benefits of using these approaches. Methods:
      Hypothetical examples are used to describe four forms of the LGCM. Results: The
      following four specifications of the LGCM are described: basic LGCM, latent
      growth mixture model, piecewise LGCM, and LGCM for two parallel processes. The
      specifications of the LGCM are discussed in the context of the Trier Social
      Stress Test. Beyond the discussion of the four models, we present issues of
      modeling nonlinear patterns of change, assessing model fit, and linking specific
      research questions regarding biomarker research using different statistical
      models. Conclusions: The final sections of the paper discuss statistical software
      packages and more advanced modeling capabilities of LGCMs. The online Appendix
      contains example code with annotation from two statistical programs for the LCGM.

PMID- 28634439
TI  - Inconsistency in Abnormal Brain Activity across Cohorts of ADHD-200 in Children
      with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
AB  - Many papers have shown results from the multi-site dataset of resting-state fMRI
      (rs-fMRI) in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a data-sharing
      project named ADHD-200. However, few studies have illustrated that to what extent
      the pooled findings were consistent across cohorts. The present study analyzed
      three voxel-wise whole-brain metrics, i.e., amplitude of low-frequency
      fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and degree centrality (DC) based
      on the pooled dataset as well as individual cohort of ADHD-200. In addition to
      the conventional frequency band of 0.01-0.08 Hz, sub-frequency bands of 0-0.01,
      0.01-0.027, 0.027-0.073, 0.073-0.198, and 0.198-0.25 Hz, were assessed. While the
      pooled dataset showed abnormal activity in some brain regions, e.g., the
      bilateral sensorimotor cortices, bilateral cerebellum, and the bilateral lingual
      gyrus, these results were highly inconsistent across cohorts, even across the
      three cohorts from the same research center. The standardized effect size was
      rather small. These findings suggested a high heterogeneity of spontaneous brain
      activity in ADHD. Future studies based on multi-site large-sample dataset should
      be performed on pooled data and single cohort data, respectively and the effect
      size must be shown.

PMID- 28634438
TI  - Computational Models of Anterior Cingulate Cortex: At the Crossroads between
      Prediction and Effort.
AB  - In the last two decades the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has become one of the
      most investigated areas of the brain. Extensive neuroimaging evidence suggests
      countless functions for this region, ranging from conflict and error coding, to
      social cognition, pain and effortful control. In response to this burgeoning
      amount of data, a proliferation of computational models has tried to characterize
      the neurocognitive architecture of ACC. Early seminal models provided a
      computational explanation for a relatively circumscribed set of empirical
      findings, mainly accounting for EEG and fMRI evidence. More recent models have
      focused on ACC's contribution to effortful control. In parallel to these
      developments, several proposals attempted to explain within a single
      computational framework a wider variety of empirical findings that span different
      cognitive processes and experimental modalities. Here we critically evaluate
      these modeling attempts, highlighting the continued need to reconcile the array
      of disparate ACC observations within a coherent, unifying framework.

PMID- 28634441
TI  - Roles of Pannexin-1 Channels in Inflammatory Response through the TLRs/NF-Kappa B
      Signaling Pathway Following Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats.
AB  - Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that neuroinflammation plays a
      critical role in early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Pannexin
      1 channels, as a member of gap junction proteins located on the plasma membrane,
      releases ATP, ions, second messengers, neurotransmitters, and molecules up to 1
      kD into the extracellular space, when activated. Previous studies identified that
      the opening of Pannexin-1 channels is essential for cellular migration, apoptosis
      and especially inflammation, but its effects on inflammatory response in SAH
      model have not been explored yet. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      divided into six groups: sham group (n = 20), SAH group (n = 20), SAH + LV
      Scramble-ShRNA group (n = 20), SAH + LV-ShRNA-Panx1 group (n = 20), SAH + LV-NC
      group (n = 20), and SAH + LV-Panx1-EGFP group (n = 20). The rat SAH model was
      induced by injection of 0.3 ml fresh arterial, non-heparinized blood into the
      prechiasmatic cistern in 20 s. In SAH + LV-ShRNA-Panx1 group and SAH + LV-Panx1
      EGFP group, lentivirus was administered via intracerebroventricular injection
      (i.c.v.) at 72 h before the induction of SAH. The Quantitative real-time
      polymerase chain reaction, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting were
      performed to explore the potential interactive mechanism between Pannexin-1
      channels and TLR2/TLR4/NF-kappaB-mediated signaling pathway. Cognitive and memory
      changes were investigated by the Morris water maze test. Results: Administration
      with LV-ShRNA-Panx1 markedly decreased the expression levels of TLR2/4/NF-kappaB
      pathway-related agents in the brain cortex and significantly ameliorated
      neurological cognitive and memory deficits in this SAH model. On the contrary,
      administration of LV-Panx1-EGFP elevated the expressions of TLR2/4/NF-kappaB
      pathway-related agents, which correlated with augmented neuronal apoptosis.
      Conclusion: Pannexin-1 channels may contribute to inflammatory response and
      neurobehavioral dysfunction through the TLR2/TLR4/NF-kappaB-mediated pathway
      signaling after SAH, suggesting a potential role of Pannexin-1 channels could be
      a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of SAH.

PMID- 28634440
TI  - Cysteines as Redox Molecular Switches and Targets of Disease.
AB  - Thiol groups can undergo numerous modifications, making cysteine a unique
      molecular switch. Cysteine plays structural and regulatory roles as part of
      proteins or glutathione, contributing to maintain redox homeostasis and regulate
      signaling within and amongst cells. Not surprisingly therefore, cysteines are
      associated with many hereditary and acquired diseases. Mutations in the primary
      protein sequence (gain or loss of a cysteine) are most frequent in membrane and
      secretory proteins, correlating with the key roles of disulfide bonds. On the
      contrary, in the cytosol and nucleus, aberrant post-translational oxidative
      modifications of thiol groups, reflecting redox changes in the surrounding
      environment, are a more frequent cause of dysregulation of protein function. This
      essay highlights the regulatory functions performed by protein cysteine residues
      and provides a framework for understanding how mutation and/or (in)activation of
      this key amino acid can cause disease.

PMID- 28634443
TI  - The Narrow Abdomen Ion Channel Complex Is Highly Stable and Persists from
      Development into Adult Stages to Promote Behavioral Rhythmicity.
AB  - The sodium leak channel NARROW ABDOMEN (NA)/ NALCN is an important component of
      circadian pacemaker neuronal output. In Drosophila, rhythmic expression of the NA
      channel regulator Nlf-1 in a subset of adult pacemaker neurons has been proposed
      to contribute to circadian regulation of channel localization or activity. Here
      we have restricted expression of Drosophila NA channel subunits or the Nlf-1
      regulator to either development or adulthood using the temperature-inducible
      tubulin-GAL80ts system. Surprisingly, we find that developmental expression of
      endogenous channel subunits and Nlf-1 is sufficient to promote robust rhythmic
      behavior in adults. Moreover, we find that channel complex proteins produced
      during development persist in the Drosophila head with little decay for at least
      5-7 days in adults. In contrast, restricting either endogenous or transgenic gene
      expression to adult stages produces only limited amounts of the functional
      channel complex. These data indicate that much of the NA channel complex that
      functions in adult circadian neurons is normally produced during development, and
      that the channel complex is very stable in most neurons in the Drosophila brain.
      Based on these findings, we propose that circadian regulation of NA channel
      function in adult pacemaker neurons is mediated primarily by post-translational
      mechanisms that are independent of Nlf-1.

PMID- 28634442
TI  - Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Evokes Pyramidal Neuron Axon Initial Segment
      Plasticity and Diffuse Presynaptic Inhibitory Terminal Loss.
AB  - The axon initial segment (AIS) is the site of action potential (AP) initiation,
      thus a crucial regulator of neuronal activity. In excitatory pyramidal neurons,
      the high density of voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV1.6) at the distal AIS
      regulates AP initiation. A surrogate AIS marker, ankyrin-G (ankG) is a structural
      protein regulating neuronal functional via clustering voltage-gated ion channels.
      In neuronal circuits, changes in presynaptic input can alter postsynaptic output
      via AIS structural-functional plasticity. Recently, we showed experimental mild
      traumatic brain injury (mTBI) evokes neocortical circuit disruption via diffuse
      axonal injury (DAI) of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal systems. A key finding
      was that mTBI-induced neocortical electrophysiological changes involved non-DAI/
      intact excitatory pyramidal neurons consistent with AIS-specific alterations. In
      the current study we employed Thy1-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-H mice to
      test if mTBI induces AIS structural and/or functional plasticity within intact
      pyramidal neurons 2 days after mTBI. We used confocal microscopy to assess intact
      YFP+ pyramidal neurons in layer 5 of primary somatosensory barrel field (S1BF),
      whose axons were continuous from the soma of origin to the subcortical white
      matter (SCWM). YFP+ axonal traces were superimposed on ankG and NaV1.6
      immunofluorescent profiles to determine AIS position and length. We found that
      while mTBI had no effect on ankG start position, the length significantly
      decreased from the distal end, consistent with the site of AP initiation at the
      AIS. However, NaV1.6 structure did not change after mTBI, suggesting uncoupling
      from ankG. Parallel quantitative analysis of presynaptic inhibitory terminals
      along the postsynaptic perisomatic domain of these same intact YFP+ excitatory
      pyramidal neurons revealed a significant decrease in GABAergic bouton density.
      Also within this non-DAI population, patch-clamp recordings of intact YFP+
      pyramidal neurons showed AP acceleration decreased 2 days post-mTBI, consistent
      with AIS functional plasticity. Simulations of realistic pyramidal neuron
      computational models using experimentally determined AIS lengths showed a subtle
      decrease is NaV1.6 density is sufficient to attenuate AP acceleration.
      Collectively, these findings highlight the complexity of mTBI-induced neocortical
      circuit disruption, involving changes in extrinsic/presynaptic inhibitory
      perisomatic input interfaced with intrinsic/postsynaptic intact excitatory neuron
      AIS output.

PMID- 28634444
TI  - Experience-Dependency of Reliance on Local Visual and Idiothetic Cues for Spatial
      Representations Created in the Absence of Distal Information.
AB  - Spatial encoding in the hippocampus is based on a range of different input
      sources. To generate spatial representations, reliable sensory cues from the
      external environment are integrated with idiothetic cues, derived from self
      movement, that enable path integration and directional perception. In this study,
      we examined to what extent idiothetic cues significantly contribute to spatial
      representations and navigation: we recorded place cells while rodents navigated
      towards two visually identical chambers in 180 degrees  orientation via two
      different paths in darkness and in the absence of reliable auditory or olfactory
      cues. Our goal was to generate a conflict between local visual and direction
      specific information, and then to assess which strategy was prioritized in
      different learning phases. We observed that, in the absence of distal cues, place
      fields are initially controlled by local visual cues that override idiothetic
      cues, but that with multiple exposures to the paradigm, spaced at intervals of
      days, idiothetic cues become increasingly implemented in generating an accurate
      spatial representation. Taken together, these data support that, in the absence
      of distal cues, local visual cues are prioritized in the generation of context
      specific spatial representations through place cells, whereby idiothetic cues are
      deemed unreliable. With cumulative exposures to the environments, the animal
      learns to attend to subtle idiothetic cues to resolve the conflict between visual
      and direction-specific information.

PMID- 28634446
TI  - Are Distal and Proximal Visual Cues Equally Important during Spatial Learning in
      Mice? A Pilot Study of Overshadowing in the Spatial Domain.
AB  - Animals use distal and proximal visual cues to accurately navigate in their
      environment, with the possibility of the occurrence of associative mechanisms
      such as cue competition as previously reported in honey-bees, rats, birds and
      humans. In this pilot study, we investigated one of the most common forms of cue
      competition, namely the overshadowing effect, between visual landmarks during
      spatial learning in mice. To this end, C57BL/6J * Sv129 mice were given a two
      trial place recognition task in a T-maze, based on a novelty free-choice
      exploration paradigm previously developed to study spatial memory in rodents. As
      this procedure implies the use of different aspects of the environment to
      navigate (i.e., mice can perceive from each arm of the maze), we manipulated the
      distal and proximal visual landmarks during both the acquisition and retrieval
      phases. Our prospective findings provide a first set of clues in favor of the
      occurrence of an overshadowing between visual cues during a spatial learning task
      in mice when both types of cues are of the same modality but at varying distances
      from the goal. In addition, the observed overshadowing seems to be non
      reciprocal, as distal visual cues tend to overshadow the proximal ones when
      competition occurs, but not vice versa. The results of the present study offer a
      first insight about the occurrence of associative mechanisms during spatial
      learning in mice, and may open the way to promising new investigations in this
      area of research. Furthermore, the methodology used in this study brings a new,
      useful and easy-to-use tool for the investigation of perceptive, cognitive and/or
      attentional deficits in rodents.

PMID- 28634445
TI  - Antioxidant Treatment with N-acetyl Cysteine Prevents the Development of
      Cognitive and Social Behavioral Deficits that Result from Perinatal Ketamine
      Treatment.
AB  - Alterations of the normal redox state can be found in all stages of
      schizophrenia, suggesting a key role for oxidative stress in the etiology and
      maintenance of the disease. Pharmacological blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid
      (NMDA) receptors can disrupt natural antioxidant defense systems and induce
      schizophrenia-like behaviors in animals and healthy human subjects. Perinatal
      administration of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist ketamine produces
      persistent behavioral deficits in adult mice which mimic a range of positive,
      negative, and cognitive symptoms that characterize schizophrenia. Here we tested
      whether antioxidant treatment with the glutathione (GSH) precursor N-acetyl
      cysteine (NAC) can prevent the development of these behavioral deficits. On
      postnatal days (PND) 7, 9 and 11, we treated mice with subanesthetic doses (30
      mg/kg) of ketamine or saline. Two groups (either ketamine or saline treated) also
      received NAC throughout development. In adult animals (PND 70-120) we then
      assessed behavioral alterations in a battery of cognitive and psychomotor tasks.
      Ketamine-treated animals showed deficits in a task of cognitive flexibility,
      abnormal patterns of spontaneous alternation, deficits in novel-object
      recognition, as well as social interaction. Developmental ketamine treatment also
      induced behavioral stereotypy in response to an acute amphetamine challenge, and
      it impaired sensorimotor gating, measured as reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI) of
      the startle response. All of these behavioral abnormalities were either prevented
      or strongly ameliorated by NAC co-treatment. These results suggest that oxidative
      stress is a major factor for the development of the ketamine-induced behavioral
      dysfunctions, and that restoring oxidative balance during the prodromal stage of
      schizophrenia might be able to ameliorate the development of several major
      symptoms of the disease.

PMID- 28634448
TI  - From Behavioral Facilitation to Inhibition: The Neuronal Correlates of the
      Orienting and Reorienting of Auditory Attention.
AB  - Successful adaptive behavior relies on the ability to automatically (bottom-up)
      orient attention to different locations in the environment. This results in a
      biphasic pattern in which reaction times (RT) are faster for stimuli that occur
      in the same spatial location (valid) for the first few hundred milliseconds,
      which is termed facilitation. This is followed by faster RT for stimuli that
      appear in novel locations (invalid) after longer delays, termed inhibition of
      return. The neuronal areas and networks involved in the transition between states
      of facilitation and inhibition remain poorly understood, especially for auditory
      stimuli. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were therefore
      collected in a large sample of healthy volunteers (N = 52) at four separate
      auditory stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs; 200, 400, 600, and 800 ms).
      Behavioral results indicated that facilitation (valid RT < invalid RT) occurred
      at the 200 ms SOA, with inhibition of return (valid RT > invalid RT) present at
      the three longer SOAs. fMRI results showed several brain areas varying their
      activation as a function of SOA, including bilateral superior temporal gyrus,
      anterior thalamus, cuneus, dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus, and right
      ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC)/anterior insula. Right VLPFC was active
      during a behavioral state of facilitation, and its activation (invalid - valid
      trials) further correlated with behavioral reorienting at the 200 ms delay. These
      results suggest that right VLPFC plays a critical role when auditory attention
      must be quickly deployed or redeployed, demanding heightened cognitive and
      inhibitory control. In contrast to previous work, the ventral and dorsal
      frontoparietal attention networks were both active during valid and invalid
      trials across SOAs. These results suggest that the dorsal and ventral networks
      may not be as specialized during bottom-up auditory orienting as has been
      previously reported during visual orienting.

PMID- 28634447
TI  - The Moving Rubber Hand Illusion Reveals that Explicit Sense of Agency for Tapping
      Movements Is Preserved in Functional Movement Disorders.
AB  - Functional movement disorders (FMD) are characterized by motor symptoms (e.g.,
      tremor, gait disorder, and dystonia) that are not compatible with movement
      abnormalities related to a known organic cause. One key clinical feature of FMD
      is that motor symptoms are similar to voluntary movements but are subjectively
      experienced as involuntary by patients. This gap might be related to abnormal
      self-recognition of bodily action, which involves two main components: sense of
      agency and sense of body ownership. The aim of this study was to systematically
      investigate whether this function is altered in FMD, specifically focusing on the
      subjective feeling of agency, body ownership, and their interaction during normal
      voluntary movements. Patients with FMD (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 21)
      underwent the moving Rubber Hand Illusion (mRHI), in which passive and active
      movements can differentially elicit agency, ownership or both. Explicit measures
      of agency and ownership were obtained via a questionnaire. Patients and controls
      showed a similar pattern of response: when the rubber hand was in a plausible
      posture, active movements elicited strong agency and ownership; implausible
      posture of the rubber hand abolished ownership but not agency; passive movements
      suppressed agency but not ownership. These findings suggest that explicit sense
      of agency and body ownership are preserved in FMD. The latter finding is shared
      by a previous study in FMD using a static version of the RHI, whereas the former
      appears to contrast with studies demonstrating altered implicit measures of
      agency (e.g., sensory attenuation). Our study extends previous findings by
      suggesting that in FMD: (i) the sense of body ownership is retained also when
      interacting with the motor system; (ii) the subjective experience of agency for
      voluntary tapping movements, as measured by means of mRHI, is preserved.

PMID- 28634449
TI  - Electromyography Data Processing Impacts Muscle Synergies during Gait for
      Unimpaired Children and Children with Cerebral Palsy.
AB  - Muscle synergies calculated from electromyography (EMG) data identify weighted
      groups of muscles activated together during functional tasks. Research has shown
      that fewer synergies are required to describe EMG data of individuals with
      neurologic impairments. When considering potential clinical applications of
      synergies, understanding how EMG data processing impacts results and clinical
      interpretation is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate how EMG signal
      processing impacts synergy outputs during gait. We evaluated the impacts of two
      common processing steps for synergy analyses: low pass (LP) filtering and unit
      variance scaling. We evaluated EMG data collected during barefoot walking from
      five muscles of 113 children with cerebral palsy (CP) and 73 typically-developing
      (TD) children. We applied LP filters to the EMG data with cutoff frequencies
      ranging from 4 to 40 Hz (reflecting the range reported in prior synergy
      research). We also evaluated the impact of normalizing EMG amplitude by unit
      variance. We found that the total variance accounted for (tVAF) by a given number
      of synergies was sensitive to LP filter choice and decreased in both TD and CP
      groups with increasing LP cutoff frequency (e.g., 9.3 percentage points change
      for one synergy between 4 and 40 Hz). This change in tVAF can alter the number of
      synergies selected for further analyses. Normalizing tVAF to a z-score (e.g.,
      dynamic motor control index during walking, walk-DMC) reduced sensitivity to LP
      cutoff. Unit variance scaling caused comparatively small changes in tVAF. Synergy
      weights and activations were impacted less than tVAF by LP filter choice and unit
      variance normalization. These results demonstrate that EMG signal processing
      methods impact outputs of synergy analysis and z-score based measures can assist
      in reporting and comparing results across studies and clinical centers.

PMID- 28634450
TI  - Leonurine Improves Age-Dependent Impaired Angiogenesis: Possible Involvement of
      Mitochondrial Function and HIF-1alpha Dependent VEGF Activation.
AB  - Objective: Advanced age is associated with impaired angiogenesis in part because
      of mitochondrial dysfunction. We have recently reported that leonurine exerts
      protective effects in neuron via regulation of mitochondrial function. The aim of
      this study was to explore whether leonurine is able to attenuate mitochondrial
      dysfunction and to enhance angiogenesis in old rats with hindlimb ischemia.
      Methods and Results: At day 14 after surgery, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)
      1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was decreased in
      the ischemic muscle of aged animals, which was accompanied by enhanced oxidative
      stress, increased mitochondrial damage, decreased capillary density, and reduced
      limb perfusion compared with young mice. Importantly, these effects were
      inhibited by leonurine treatment in old animals. In vitro, we showed that the
      functional activities (migration and tube formation) of human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVECs) were significantly impaired in senescent compared to
      young. However, leonurine rescued HUVECs functional activities in senescent
      HUVECs. Mechanistically, we found that leonurine restored the age-dependent
      reduction in HIF activity and subsequent reduced VEGF expression in senescent
      HUVECs. Moreover, the mitochondrial oxidative stress was significantly augmented
      in senescent HUVECs, in association with reduced mitochondrial function. However,
      leonurine significantly reduced the mitochondrial oxidative stress and restored
      the mitochondrial membrane potential. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that
      leonurine protects against age-dependent impairment of angiogenesis possibly
      through attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent VEGF up
      regulation impairment.

PMID- 28634451
TI  - Berberine Ameliorates Diabetes-Associated Cognitive Decline through Modulation of
      Aberrant Inflammation Response and Insulin Signaling Pathway in DM Rats.
AB  - Background: Memory-impairment was one of the common characteristics in patients
      with diabetes mellitus. The release of chronic inflammation mediators and insulin
      resistance in diabetic brain gave rise to the generation of toxic factor Abeta42
      which was the marker of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the impairment of
      memory in diabetes mellitus was also correlated predominantly with
      uptake/metabolism of glucose in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Previously, anti
      inflammation and hypoglycemic effects of berberine (BBr) have been described in
      peripheral tissues. For better understanding the effects of BBr on cognitive
      action in diabetics, we investigated the functions of BBr involved in anti
      inflammation and ameliorating insulin resistance in prefrontal cortex of diabetic
      rats. Methods: Intragastric administration of BBr (187.5 mg/Kg/d) was used in
      diabetic rats. Fear-condition assay was applied for cognitive assessment, and
      relative protein expressions were detected by western-blot. The glucose uptake in
      prefrontal cortex of diabetic rats was tested by Positron-Emission Tomography
      imaging. The levels of inflammation mediators were determined by commercial ELISA
      kits. Results: The inflammation mediator release and insulin resistance in the
      mPFC of diabetic rats was inhibited by BBr. The activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and
      MAPK signaling pathway, as well as two novel isoforms PKCeta and PKC?? and the
      translocation of NF-kappaB in neuron were also down-regulated by BBr;
      furthermore, the neuron specific glucose transporter GLUT3 was remarkably
      augmented by 2-3 times when compared with diabetic group; meanwhile, BBr also
      promoted glucose uptake in the brain. Additionally BBr decreased the expressions
      of amyloid precursor protein and BACE-1, and the production of oligomeric
      Abeta42. Finally, it accelerates the reinforcement of the information and
      ameliorates cognitive impairment. Conclusion: BBr inhibited the activation of
      inflammation pathway and insulin resistance in the mPFC of diabetic rats.
      Finally, it improved the lesion of cognition in diabetic rats.

PMID- 28634452
TI  - Establishing the Basis for Mechanobiology-Based Physical Therapy Protocols to
      Potentiate Cellular Healing and Tissue Regeneration.
AB  - Life is mechanobiological: mechanical stimuli play a pivotal role in the
      formation of structurally and functionally appropriate body templates through
      mechanobiologically-driven cellular and tissue re/modeling. The body responds to
      mechanical stimuli engendered through physical movement in an integrated fashion,
      internalizing and transferring forces from organ, through tissue and cellular
      length scales. In the context of rehabilitation and therapeutic outcomes, such
      mechanical stimuli are referred to as mechanotherapy. Physical therapists use
      mechanotherapy and mechanical interventions, e.g., exercise therapy and manual
      mobilizations, to restore function and treat disease and/or injury. While the
      effect of directed movement, such as in physical therapy, is well documented at
      the length scale of the body and its organs, a number of recent studies implicate
      its integral effect in modulating cellular behavior and subsequent tissue
      adaptation. Yet the link between movement biomechanics, physical therapy, and
      subsequent cellular and tissue mechanoadaptation is not well established in the
      literature. Here we review mechanoadaptation in the context of physical therapy,
      from organ to cell scale mechanotransduction and cell to organ scale
      extracellular matrix genesis and re/modeling. We suggest that physical therapy
      can be developed to harness the mechanosensitivity of cells and tissues, enabling
      prescriptive definition of physical and mechanical interventions to enhance
      tissue genesis, healing, and rehabilitation.

PMID- 28634453
TI  - Relaxin-Family Peptide Receptors 1 and 2 Are Fully Functional in the Bovine.
AB  - In most mammals the peptide hormone relaxin is a key physiological component
      regulating early pregnancy and birth. However, synteny analysis shows that the
      gene encoding ovarian relaxin-2 is deleted in cows and sheep. While, these
      ruminants appear to exhibit a relaxin-like physiology, as in other mammals, until
      now a molecular understanding of this has been lacking. Cloning and expression
      analysis of the cognate bovine receptor for relaxin, RXFP1, as well as of the
      structurally related receptor, RXFP2, in female tissues, shows that these are
      expressed in a similar way to other mammals. RXFP1 transcripts are found in
      ovarian theca cells, endometrium, and myometrium, whereas RXFP2 transcripts are
      expressed in ovarian theca cells, oocytes, as well as in myometrium. Transfection
      of receptor-expressing gene constructs into HEK293 cells indicates that bovine
      RXFP1 has a greater EC50 at 10-50 nM for porcine or human relaxin, compared to
      human RXFP1. For bovine RXFP2, in contrast, the EC50 is <1 nM for its cognate
      ligand, bovine INSL3, but also 10-30 nM for porcine or human relaxin. Functional
      analysis shows that bovine myometrial cells are able to respond to exogenous
      relaxin and INSL3 with a significant increase in cAMP. Although expressing mRNA
      for both RXFP1 and RXFP2, bovine follicular theca cells only respond to INSL3
      with a dose-dependent increase in cAMP. Altogether the results suggest that the
      cow is able to compensate for the missing hormone, and moreover imply that
      relaxin analogs could offer an important therapeutic option in treating female
      ruminant infertility.

PMID- 28634455
TI  - Fertilizing a Patient Engagement Ecosystem to Innovate Healthcare: Toward the
      First Italian Consensus Conference on Patient Engagement.
AB  - Currently we observe a gap between theory and practices of patient engagement. If
      both scholars and health practitioners do agree on the urgency to realize patient
      engagement, no shared guidelines exist so far to orient clinical practice.
      Despite a supportive policy context, progress to achieve greater patient
      engagement is patchy and slow and often concentrated at the level of policy
      regulation without dialoguing with practitioners from the clinical field as well
      as patients and families. Though individual clinicians, care teams and health
      organizations may be interested and deeply committed to engage patients and
      family members in the medical course, they may lack clarity about how to achieve
      this goal. This contributes to a wide "system" inertia-really difficult to be
      overcome-and put at risk any form of innovation in this filed. As a result,
      patient engagement risk today to be a buzz words, rather than a real guidance for
      practice. To make the field clearer, we promoted an Italian Consensus Conference
      on Patient Engagement (ICCPE) in order to set the ground for drafting
      recommendations for the provision of effective patient engagement interventions.
      The ICCPE will conclude in June 2017. This document reports on the preliminary
      phases of this process. In the paper, we advise the importance of "fertilizing a
      patient engagement ecosystem": an oversimplifying approach to patient engagement
      promotion appears the result of a common illusion. Patient "disengagement" is a
      symptom that needs a more holistic and complex approach to solve its underlined
      causes. Preliminary principles to promote a patient engagement ecosystem are
      provided in the paper.

PMID- 28634454
TI  - The Structure and Function of the Na,K-ATPase Isoforms in Health and Disease.
AB  - The sodium and potassium gradients across the plasma membrane are used by animal
      cells for numerous processes, and the range of demands requires that the
      responsible ion pump, the Na,K-ATPase, can be fine-tuned to the different
      cellular needs. Therefore, several isoforms are expressed of each of the three
      subunits that make a Na,K-ATPase, the alpha, beta and FXYD subunits. This review
      summarizes the various roles and expression patterns of the Na,K-ATPase subunit
      isoforms and maps the sequence variations to compare the differences
      structurally. Mutations in the Na,K-ATPase genes encoding alpha subunit isoforms
      have severe physiological consequences, causing very distinct, often neurological
      diseases. The differences in the pathophysiological effects of mutations further
      underline how the kinetic parameters, regulation and proteomic interactions of
      the Na,K-ATPase isoforms are optimized for the individual cellular needs.

PMID- 28634457
TI  - Perceptual Categories Derived from Reid's "Common Sense" Philosophy.
AB  - The 18th-century Scottish 'common sense' philosopher Thomas Reid argued that
      perception can be distinguished on several dimensions from other categories of
      experience, such as sensation, illusion, hallucination, mental images, and what
      he called 'fancy.' We extend his approach to eleven mental categories, and
      discuss how these distinctions, often ignored in the empirical literature, bear
      on current research. We also score each category on five properties (ones
      abstracted from Reid) to form a 5 * 11 matrix, and thus can generate statistical
      measures of their mutual dependencies, a procedure that may have general interest
      as illustrating what we can call 'computational philosophy.'

PMID- 28634456
TI  - Absolute and Relative Training Load and Its Relation to Fatigue in Football.
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess the relationship of external and internal
      training load (TL) indicators with the objective and subjective fatigue
      experienced by 15 semi-professional football players, over eight complete weeks
      of the competition period in the 2015-2016 season, which covered microcycles from
      34th to 41st. The maximum heart rate (HRmax) and maximum speed (Vmax) of all the
      players were previously measured in specific tests. The TL was monitored via
      questionnaires on rating of perceived exertion (RPE), pulsometers and GPS
      devices, registering the variables: total distance (TD), player load 2D (PL2D),
      TD at >80% of the Vmax (TD80), TD in deceleration at < -2 m?sec-2 (TDD <-2), TD
      in acceleration >2 m?sec-2 (TDA >2), Edwards (ED), time spent at between 50 and
      80% (50-80% HRmax), 80-90% (80-90% HRmax), and >90% of the HRmax (>90% HRmax),
      and RPE both respiratory/thoracic (RPEres) and leg/muscular (RPEmus). All the
      variables were analyzed taking into account both the absolute values accumulated
      over the week and the normalized values in relation to individual mean
      competition values. Neuromuscular fatigue was measured objectively using the
      countermovement jump test and subjectively via the Total Quality Recovery (TQR)
      scale questionnaire. Analytical correlation techniques were later applied within
      the general linear model. There is a correlation between the fatigue experienced
      by the player, assessed objectively and subjectively, and the load accumulated
      over the week, this being assessed in absolute and relative terms. Specifically,
      the load relative to competition correlated with the physical variables TD (
      0.279), PL2D (-0.272), TDD < -2 (-0.294), TDA >2 (-0.309), and sRPEmus (-0.287).
      The variables related to heart rate produced a higher correlation with TQR. There
      is a correlation between objectively and subjectively assessed fatigue and the
      accumulated TL of a player over the week, with a higher sensitivity being shown
      when compared to the values related to the demands of competition. Monitoring
      load and assessing fatigue, we are closer to knowing what the prescription of an
      adequate dose of training should be in order for a player to be as fresh as
      possible and in top condition for a match. Normalizing training demands with
      respect to competition could be an appropriate strategy for individualizing
      player TL.

PMID- 28634460
TI  - Children's Self-Regulation in Cultural Contexts: The Role of Parental
      Socialization Theories, Goals, and Practices.
AB  - Self-regulation is a complex multidimensional construct which has been approached
      mainly in Western cultural contexts. The present contribution examines the
      importance of considering the culture-sensitive nature of self-regulation by
      reviewing theory and research on the development of children's self-regulation in
      different cultural contexts. This review of theory and research allows to suggest
      that widely shared values in a cultural group influence parental socialization
      theories, goals, and practices, which in turn have an impact on how children
      learn to self-regulate, the forms of self-regulation they develop, and the goals
      associated with self-regulation. Thus, this article concludes that more specific
      research is required to relate both the developmental and the cultural aspects of
      children's self-regulation.

PMID- 28634459
TI  - Cognitive Correlates of Different Mentalizing Abilities in Individuals with High
      and Low Trait Schizotypy: Findings from an Extreme-Group Design.
AB  - Mentalizing or Theory of Mind (ToM) deficits in schizophrenia have been studied
      to great extent, but studies involving samples of trait schizotypy yield
      ambiguous results. Executive functions like cognitive inhibition, cognitive
      flexibility, and agency are all prerequisites of mentalizing, and it is assumed
      that the impairment of these functions contributes to ToM deficits in
      schizophrenia. Whether these impairments influence the ToM performance of people
      with high trait schizotypy remains unclear. Although impaired self-agency has
      repeatedly been identified in people with schizotypy, its role in mentalizing is
      yet to be investigated. The main aim of this study was to explore whether
      deficits in cognitive and affective ToM can be found in high trait schizotypy,
      and to identify in what way these deficits are related to the positive and
      negative dimensions of schizotypy. The secondary aim was to examine whether these
      deficits correlate with executive functions. Based on the dimensional view of the
      schizophrenia spectrum, an extreme-group design was applied to non-clinical
      volunteers demonstrating high (N = 39) and low (N = 47) trait schizotypy.
      Affective and cognitive ToM were investigated using the Movie for Assessment of
      Social Cognition, a sensitive and video-based measurement. Cognitive inhibition
      was assessed using the Stroop Test, and cognitive flexibility was analyzed using
      the Trail-Making Test. Agency was measured using a computerized self-agency
      paradigm. Participants in the high-schizotypy group performed significantly worse
      in the affective ToM task (d = 0.79), and their overall ToM performance was
      significantly impaired (d = 0.60). No between-group differences were found with
      regards to cognitive ToM, executive functions, and self-agency. Cognitive
      flexibility correlated negatively with positive schizotypy, and contributed to a
      worse overall and affective ToM. Impaired cognitive inhibition contributed to
      undermentalizing-type errors. It was found that non-clinical participants with
      high trait (positive) schizotypy - especially those with slight executive
      function deficits - may have difficulties in understanding the emotional state of
      others and consequently in functioning in social situations.

PMID- 28634458
TI  - Phone Conversation while Processing Information: Chronometric Analysis of Load
      Effects in Everyday-media Multitasking.
AB  - This is a pilot study that examined the effect of cell-phone conversation on
      cognition using a continuous multitasking paradigm. Current theorizing argues
      that phone conversation affects behavior (e.g., driving) by interfering at a
      level of cognitive processes (not peripheral activity) and by implying an
      attentional-failure account. Within the framework of an intermittent spare
      utilized capacity threading model, we examined the effect of aspects of
      (secondary-task) phone conversation on (primary-task) continuous arithmetic
      performance, asking whether phone use makes components of automatic and
      controlled information-processing (i.e., easy vs. hard mental arithmetic) run
      more slowly, or alternatively, makes processing run less reliably albeit with the
      same processing speed. The results can be summarized as follows: While neither
      expecting a text message nor expecting an impending phone call had any
      detrimental effects on performance, active phone conversation was clearly
      detrimental to primary-task performance. Crucially, the decrement imposed by
      secondary-task (conversation) was not due to a constant slowdown but is better be
      characterized by an occasional breakdown of information processing, which
      differentially affected automatic and controlled components of primary-task
      processing. In conclusion, these findings support the notion that phone
      conversation makes individuals not constantly slower but more vulnerable to
      commit attention failure, and in this way, hampers stability of (primary-task)
      information processing.

PMID- 28634461
TI  - Sensitivity to Acceleration in the Human Early Visual System.
AB  - It is widely believed that the human visual system is insensitive to acceleration
      in moving stimuli. This notion is supported by evidence that detection
      sensitivity for velocity modulation in moving stimuli is a lowpass function of
      the velocity modulation's temporal frequency. However, the lowpass function might
      be a mixture of detection by attention-based tracking and low-level mechanisms
      sensitive to acceleration. To revisit the issue of acceleration perception in
      relation to attentive tracking, we measured detection sensitivities for velocity
      modulations at various temporal frequencies (0.25-8 Hz) by using drifting
      gratings within long or short spatial windows that make the tracking of grating
      easier or more difficult respectively. Results showed that modulation sensitivity
      is lowpass for gratings with long windows but bandpass for gratings with short
      windows (peak at ~1 Hz). Moreover, we found that lowpass sensitivity becomes
      bandpass when we removed observer attention by a concurrent letter identification
      task. An additional visual-search experiment showed that a target dot moving with
      a velocity modulation at relatively high temporal frequencies (~2-4 Hz) was most
      easily detected among dots moving at various constant velocities. These results
      support the notion that high sensitivity to sluggish velocity modulation is a
      product of attentively tracking of moving stimuli and that the visual system is
      directly sensitive to accelerations and/or decelerations at the preattentive
      level.

PMID- 28634462
TI  - Gender Invariance of the Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents (GBS-A): An
      Analysis of Differential Item Functioning Using Item Response Theory.
AB  - As there is a lack of evidence attesting the equivalent item functioning across
      genders for the most employed instruments used to measure pathological gambling
      in adolescence, the present study was aimed to test the gender invariance of the
      Gambling Behavior Scale for Adolescents (GBS-A), a new measurement tool to assess
      the severity of Gambling Disorder (GD) in adolescents. The equivalence of the
      items across genders was assessed by analyzing Differential Item Functioning
      within an Item Response Theory framework. The GBS-A was administered to 1,723
      adolescents, and the graded response model was employed. The results attested the
      measurement equivalence of the GBS-A when administered to male and female
      adolescent gamblers. Overall, findings provided evidence that the GBS-A is an
      effective measurement tool of the severity of GD in male and female adolescents
      and that the scale was unbiased and able to relieve truly gender differences. As
      such, the GBS-A can be profitably used in educational interventions and clinical
      treatments with young people.

PMID- 28634463
TI  - Protective Effect of N-Acetylcysteine Amide on Blast-Induced Increase in
      Intracranial Pressure in Rats.
AB  - Blast-induced traumatic brain injury is associated with acute and possibly
      chronic elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP). The outcome after TBI is
      dependent on the progression of complex processes which are mediated by oxidative
      stress. So far, no effective pharmacological protection against TBI exists. In
      this study, rats were exposed to a single or repetitive blast overpressure (BOP)
      at moderate intensities of 72 or 110 kPa in a compressed air-driven shock tube.
      The degree and duration of the increase in ICP were proportional to the intensity
      and frequency of the blast exposure(s). In most cases, a single dose of
      antioxidant N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) (500 mg/kg) administered intravenously
      2 h after exposure to BOP significantly attenuated blast-induced increase in ICP.
      A single dose of NACA was not effective in improving the outcome in the group of
      animals that were subjected to repetitive blast exposures at 110 kPa on the same
      day. In this group, two treatments with NACA at 2 and 4 h post-BOP exposure
      resulted in significant attenuation of elevated ICP. Treatment with NACA prior to
      BOP exposure completely prevented the elevation of ICP. The findings indicate
      that oxidative stress plays an important role in blast-induced elevated ICP as
      treatment with NACA-ameliorated ICP increase, which is frequently related to poor
      functional recovery after TBI.

PMID- 28634464
TI  - Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects of Co-UltraPEALut in a Mouse Model
      of Vascular Dementia.
AB  - Vascular dementia (VaD), the second most common cause of cognitive impairment in
      the population, is a disease that results from reduction in regional cerebral
      blood flow and involves oxidative stress and inflammation. Co-ultramicronized
      PEALut (co-ultra PEALut) is a new compound with beneficial effects, which include
      anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Recently, co-ultraPEALut has been
      shown to exhibit neuroprotective effects in models of Parkinson's disease,
      cerebral ischemia and Alzheimer's disease. However, its effects on VaD remain
      unknown. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to highlight the
      potential neuroprotective actions of co-ultraPEALut containing N
      palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and the antioxidant flavonoid luteolin (Lut) (10:1 by
      mass) in a mouse model of VaD induced by bilateral carotid arteries occlusion. At
      24 h after VaD induction, mice were orally treated with 1 mg/kg co-ultraPEALut
      daily for 15 days. On the 15th day, brain tissues were processed for
      histological, immunohistochemical, Western blot, and immunofluorescent analysis.
      Our results clearly demonstrate that co-ultraPEALut improved learning, memory
      ability, locomotor activity, and the reciprocal social interaction. In addition,
      the mice subjected to VaD and treated with the co-ultraPEALut showed a
      reorganization of CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus and restored the number
      of hippocampal neurons as evidenced by NeuN expression, a specific marker of
      neurons. Furthermore following carotid arteries ligation, mice treated with co
      ultraPEALut showed a modification of proinflammatory, proapoptotic proteins and
      of oxidative stress as evidenced by the expression of IkappaB-alpha, NF-kappaB
      p65, Bax, Bcl-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2. In order,
      co-ultraPEALut treatment restored VaD-induced loss of brain-derived neurotrophic
      factor and neurotrophins 3 (NT-3) expression in mice. These results confirmed
      that the neuroprotective effects of co-ultraPEALut were associated with its anti
      inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

PMID- 28634465
TI  - Abnormal Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
      and Corticobasal Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pathological and MRI-based evidence suggests that multiple brain
      structures are likely to be involved in functional disconnection between brain
      areas. Few studies have investigated resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC)
      in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). In this
      study, we investigated within- and between-network rsFC abnormalities in these
      two conditions. METHODS: Twenty patients with PSP, 11 patients with CBS, and 16
      healthy subjects (HS) underwent a resting-state fMRI study. Resting-state
      networks (RSNs) were extracted to evaluate within- and between-network rsFC using
      the Melodic and FSLNets software packages. RESULTS: Increased within-network rsFC
      was observed in both PSP and CBS patients, with a larger number of RSNs being
      involved in CBS. Within-network cerebellar rsFC positively correlated with mini
      mental state examination scores in patients with PSP. Compared to healthy
      volunteers, PSP and CBS patients exhibit reduced functional connectivity between
      the lateral visual and auditory RSNs, with PSP patients additionally showing
      lower functional connectivity between the cerebellar and insular RSNs. Moreover,
      rsFC between the salience and executive-control RSNs was increased in patients
      with CBS compared to HS. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence of functional
      brain reorganization in both PSP and CBS. Increased within-network rsFC could
      represent a higher degree of synchronization in damaged brain areas, while
      between-network rsFC abnormalities may mainly reflect degeneration of long-range
      white matter fibers.

PMID- 28634466
TI  - Abnormal Temporal Coupling of Tactile Perception and Motor Action in Parkinson's
      Disease.
AB  - Evidence shows altered somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) in
      Parkinson's disease in comparison to normal subjects. In healthy subjects,
      movement execution modulates STDT values through mechanisms of sensory gating. We
      investigated whether STDT modulation during movement execution in patients with
      Parkinson's disease differs from that in healthy subjects. In 24 patients with
      Parkinson's disease and 20 healthy subjects, we tested STDT at baseline and
      during index finger abductions (at movement onset "0", 100, and 200 ms
      thereafter). We also recorded kinematic features of index finger abductions.
      Fifteen out of the 24 patients were also tested ON medication. In healthy
      subjects, STDT increased significantly at 0, 100, and 200 ms after movement
      onset, whereas in patients with Parkinson's disease in OFF therapy, it increased
      significantly at 0 and 100 ms but returned to baseline values at 200 ms. When
      patients were tested ON therapy, STDT during index finger abductions increased
      significantly, with a time course similar to that of healthy subjects.
      Differently from healthy subjects, in patients with Parkinson's disease, the mean
      velocity of the finger abductions decreased according to the time lapse between
      movement onset and the delivery of the paired electrical stimuli for testing
      somatosensory temporal discrimination. In conclusion, patients with Parkinson's
      disease show abnormalities in the temporal coupling between tactile information
      and motor outflow. Our study provides first evidence that altered temporal
      processing of sensory information play a role in the pathophysiology of motor
      symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 28634467
TI  - Brain Network Activation Technology Does Not Assist with Concussion Diagnosis and
      Return to Play in Football Athletes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Concussion diagnosis and management remains a largely subjective
      process. This investigation sought to evaluate the utility of a novel
      neuroelectric measure for concussion diagnosis and return to play decision
      making. HYPOTHESIS: Brain Network Activation (BNA) scores obtained within 72-h of
      injury will be lower than the athlete's preseason evaluation and that of a
      matched control athlete; and the BNA will demonstrate ongoing declines at the
      return to play and post-season time points, while standard measures will have
      returned to pre-injury and control athlete levels. DESIGN: Case-control study.
      METHODS: Football athletes with a diagnosed concussion (n = 8) and matched
      control football athletes (n = 8) completed a preseason evaluation of cognitive
      (i.e., Cogstate Computerized Cognitive Assessment Tool) and neuroelectric
      function (i.e., BNA), clinical reaction time, SCAT3 self-reported symptoms, and
      quality of life (i.e., Health Behavior Inventory and Satisfaction with Life
      Scale). Following a diagnosed concussion, injured and control athletes completed
      post-injury evaluations within 72-h, once asymptomatic, and at the conclusion of
      the football season. RESULTS: Case analysis of the neuroelectric assessment
      failed to provide improved diagnostics beyond traditional clinical measures.
      Statistical analyses indicated significant BNA improvements in the concussed and
      control groups from baseline to the asymptomatic timepoint. CONCLUSION: With
      additional attention being placed on rapid and accurate concussion diagnostics
      and return to play decision-making, the addition of a novel neuroelectric
      assessment does not appear to provide additional clinical benefit at this time.
      Clinicians should continue to follow the recommendations for the clinical
      management of concussion with the assessment of the symptom, cognitive, and motor
      control domains.

PMID- 28634468
TI  - Fragile X Syndrome: Prevalence, Treatment, and Prevention in China.
AB  - Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual
      disability and the leading monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder. Although
      FXS has been studied for several decades, there is relatively little basic
      science or clinical research being performed on FXS in China. Indeed, there is a
      large gap between China and Western countries in the FXS field. China has a
      potentially large number of FXS patients. However, many of them are
      underdiagnosed or even misdiagnosed, and treatments are not always administered
      in the Chinese population. This review discusses the prevalence, treatment, and
      prevention of FXS in China to facilitate an understanding of this disease in the
      Chinese population.

PMID- 28634469
TI  - Alexander Disease Mutations Produce Cells with Coexpression of Glial Fibrillary
      Acidic Protein and NG2 in Neurosphere Cultures and Inhibit Differentiation into
      Mature Oligodendrocytes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alexander disease (AxD) is a rare disease caused by mutations in the
      gene encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). The disease is
      characterized by presence of GFAP aggregates in the cytoplasm of astrocytes and
      loss of myelin. OBJECTIVES: Determine the effect of AxD-related mutations on
      adult neurogenesis. METHODS: We transfected different types of mutant GFAP into
      neurospheres using the nucleofection technique. RESULTS: We find that mutations
      may cause coexpression of GFAP and NG2 in neurosphere cultures, which would
      inhibit the differentiation of precursors into oligodendrocytes and thus explain
      the myelin loss occurring in the disease. Transfection produces cells that
      differentiate into new cells marked simultaneously by GFAP and NG2 and whose
      percentage increased over days of differentiation. Increased expression of GFAP
      is due to a protein with an anomalous structure that forms aggregates throughout
      the cytoplasm of new cells. These cells display down-expression of vimentin and
      nestin. Up-expression of cathepsin D and caspase-3 in the first days of
      differentiation suggest that apoptosis as a lysosomal response may be at work.
      HSP27, a protein found in Rosenthal bodies, is expressed less at the beginning of
      the process although its presence increases in later stages. CONCLUSION: Our
      findings seem to suggest that the mechanism of development of AxD may not be due
      to a function gain due to increase of GFAP, but to failure in the differentiation
      process may occur at the stage in which precursor cells transform into
      oligodendrocytes, and that possibility may provide the best explanation for the
      clinical and radiological images described in AxD.

PMID- 28634470
TI  - The Dark Side of the Mushroom Spring Microbial Mat: Life in the Shadow of
      Chlorophototrophs. II. Metabolic Functions of Abundant Community Members
      Predicted from Metagenomic Analyses.
AB  - Microbial mat communities in the effluent channels of Octopus and Mushroom
      Springs within the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park have been
      extensively characterized. Previous studies have focused on the
      chlorophototrophic organisms of the phyla Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi. However,
      the diversity and metabolic functions of the other portion of the community in
      the microoxic/anoxic region of the mat are poorly understood. We recently
      described the diverse but extremely uneven microbial assemblage in the undermat
      of Mushroom Spring based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequences, which was dominated by
      Roseiflexus members, filamentous anoxygenic chlorophototrophs. In this study, we
      analyzed the orange-colored undermat portion of the community of Mushroom Spring
      mats in a genome-centric approach and discuss the metabolic potentials of the
      major members. Metagenome binning recovered partial genomes of all abundant
      community members, ranging in completeness from ~28 to 96%, and allowed
      affiliation of function with taxonomic identity even for representatives of novel
      and Candidate phyla. Less complete metagenomic bins correlated with high
      microdiversity. The undermat portion of the community was found to be a mixture
      of phototrophic and chemotrophic organisms, which use bicarbonate as well as
      organic carbon sources derived from different cell components and fermentation
      products. The presence of rhodopsin genes in many taxa strengthens the hypothesis
      that light energy is of major importance. Evidence for the usage of all four
      bacterial carbon fixation pathways was found in the metagenome. Nitrogen fixation
      appears to be limited to Synechococcus spp. in the upper mat layer and
      Thermodesulfovibrio sp. in the undermat, and nitrate/nitrite metabolism was
      limited. A closed sulfur cycle is indicated by biological sulfate reduction
      combined with the presence of genes for sulfide oxidation mainly in phototrophs.
      Finally, a variety of undermat microorganisms have genes for hydrogen production
      and consumption, which leads to the observed diel hydrogen concentration
      patterns.

PMID- 28634471
TI  - A Chitin-binding Protein Purified from Moringa oleifera Seeds Presents
      Anticandidal Activity by Increasing Cell Membrane Permeability and Reactive
      Oxygen Species Production.
AB  - Candida species are opportunistic pathogens that infect immunocompromised and/or
      immunosuppressed patients, particularly in hospital facilities, that besides
      representing a significant threat to health increase the risk of mortality. Apart
      from echinocandins and triazoles, which are well tolerated, most of the
      antifungal drugs used for candidiasis treatment can cause side effects and lead
      to the development of resistant strains. A promising alternative to the
      conventional treatments is the use of plant proteins. M. oleifera Lam. is a plant
      with valuable medicinal properties, including antimicrobial activity. This work
      aimed to purify a chitin-binding protein from M. oleifera seeds and to evaluate
      its antifungal properties against Candida species. The purified protein, named Mo
      CBP2, represented about 0.2% of the total seed protein and appeared as a single
      band on native PAGE. By mass spectrometry, Mo-CBP2 presented 13,309 Da. However,
      by SDS-PAGE, Mo-CBP2 migrated as a single band with an apparent molecular mass of
      23,400 Da. Tricine-SDS-PAGE of Mo-CBP2 under reduced conditions revealed two
      protein bands with apparent molecular masses of 7,900 and 4,600 Da. Altogether,
      these results suggest that Mo-CBP2 exists in different oligomeric forms.
      Moreover, Mo-CBP2 is a basic glycoprotein (pI 10.9) with 4.1% (m/m) sugar and it
      did not display hemagglutinating and hemolytic activities upon rabbit and human
      erythrocytes. A comparative analysis of the sequence of triptic peptides from Mo
      CBP2 in solution, after LC-ESI-MS/MS, revealed similarity with other M. oleifera
      proteins, as the 2S albumin Mo-CBP3 and flocculating proteins, and 2S albumins
      from different species. Mo-CBP2 possesses in vitro antifungal activity against
      Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis, with MIC50 and
      MIC90 values ranging between 9.45-37.90 and 155.84-260.29 MUM, respectively. In
      addition, Mo-CBP2 (18.90 MUM) increased the cell membrane permeabilization and
      reactive oxygen species production in C. albicans and promoted degradation of
      circular plasmid DNA (pUC18) from Escherichia coli. The data presented in this
      study highlight the potential use of Mo-CBP2 as an anticandidal agent, based on
      its ability to inhibit Candida spp. growth with apparently low toxicity on
      mammalian cells.

PMID- 28634473
TI  - Toxic Effects of Prodigiosin Secreted by Hahella sp. KA22 on Harmful Alga
      Phaeocystis globosa.
AB  - Application of algicidal compounds secreted by bacteria is a promising and
      environmentally friendly strategy to control harmful algal blooms (HABs). Years
      ago prodigiosin was described as an efficient algicidal compound, but the details
      about the effect of prodigiosin on algal cells are still elusive. Prodigiosin
      shows high algicidal activity on Phaeocystis globosa, making it a potential
      algicide in HAB control. When P. globosa were treated with prodigiosin at 5
      MUg/mL, algae cells showed cytoplasmic hypervacuolization, chloroplast and
      nucleus rupture, flagella missing, and cell fracture, when observed by scanning
      electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy. Prodigiosin induced a
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst in P. globosa at 2 h, which could result in
      severe oxidative damage to algal cells. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence
      decreased significantly after prodigiosin treatment; about 45.3 and 90.0% of
      algal cells lost Chl a fluorescence at 24 and 48 h. The Fv/Fm value, reflecting
      the status of the photosystem II electron flow also decreased after prodigiosin
      treatment. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis psbA and rbcS
      expression indicated that photosynthesis process was remarkably inhibited by
      prodigiosin. The results indicated that the inhibition of photosynthesis may
      produce excessive ROS causing cell necrosis. This study is the first report about
      algal lysis mechanism of prodigiosin on harmful algae. Our results could increase
      our knowledge on the interaction between algicidal compounds and harmful algae,
      which could lead to further studies in the microcosm.

PMID- 28634472
TI  - Antifungal Activity against Filamentous Fungi of Ts1, a Multifunctional Toxin
      from Tityus serrulatus Scorpion Venom.
AB  - Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous and multipotent components of the
      innate immune defense arsenal used by both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
      The search for new AMPs has increased in recent years, due to the growing
      development of microbial resistance to therapeutical drugs. In this work, we
      evaluate the effects of Tityus serrulatus venom (Tsv), its fractions and its
      major toxin Ts1, a beta-neurotoxin, on fungi growth. The fractions were obtained
      by ion-exchange chromatography of Tsv. The growth inhibition of 11 pathogenic and
      non-pathogenic filamentous fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus, A. nidulans, A. niger,
      A. terreus, Neurospora crassa, Penicillium corylophilum, P. ochrochloron, P.
      verrucosum, P. viridicatum, P. waksmanii, and Talaromyces flavus) was evaluated
      by quantitative microplate reader assay. Tsv (100 and 500 MUg/well, which
      correspond to 1 and 5 mg/mL, respectively, of total soluble protein) was active
      in inhibiting growth of A. nidulans, A. terreus, P. corylophilum, and P.
      verrucosum, especially in the higher concentration used and at the first 30 h.
      After this period, fungi might have used Tsv components as alternative sources of
      nutrients, and therefore, increased their growth tax. Only fractions IX, X, XI,
      XIIA, XIIB (3 and 7.5 MUg/well, which correspond to 30 and 75 MUg/mL,
      respectively, of total soluble protein) and Ts1 (1.5, 3, and 6 MUg/well, which
      correspond to 2.18, 4.36, and 8.72 MUM, respectively) showed antifungal activity.
      Ts1 showed to be a non-morphogenic toxin with dose-dependent activity against A.
      nidulans, inhibiting 100% of fungal growth from 3 MUg/well (4.36 MUM). The
      inhibitory effect of Ts1 against A. nidulans growth was accompanied by
      fungistatic effects and was not amended by 1 mM CaCl2 or tetrodotoxin (46.98 and
      93.96 MUM). The structural differences between Ts1 and drosomycin, a potent
      cysteine-rich antifungal peptide, are discussed here. Our results highlight the
      antifungal potential of the first cysteine-containing scorpion toxin. Since Ts1
      is a multifunctional toxin, we suggest that it could be used as a template in the
      design of engineered scorpion AMPs and in the search for new mechanisms of action
      of antifungal drugs.

PMID- 28634474
TI  - Different Dynamic Distribution in Chickens and Ducks of the Hypervirulent, Novel
      Genotype Fowl Adenovirus Serotype 4 Recently Emerged in China.
AB  - A hypervirulent fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) has caused hepatitis
      hydropericardium syndrome (HHS) with mortalities that range from 30 to 80% in
      outbreaks across China since 2015. The FAdV-4 strain was characterized as a novel
      genotype based on the specific genome characteristics. However, our understanding
      of the dynamic distribution, tissue tropism, and pathogenesis of the novel FAdV-4
      is incomplete. In this study, a new, sensitive and FAdV-4-specific real-time PCR
      was developed and applied to detect the dynamic distribution of the duck origin,
      novel FAdV-4 strain HLJDAd15 in experimentally infected special-pathogen free
      (SPF) chickens and ducks. Notably, the pathogenicity and replication pattern of
      HLJDAd15 were completely different between chickens and ducks. Severe
      hydropericardium and 10% mortality were induced in chickens, whereas no clinical
      signs were observed in any duck. The virus replicated was detected throughout the
      study in both chickens and ducks. However, only one replication peak with a high
      virus concentration appeared in chickens at 5 days post infection (dpi), whereas
      two peaks with relatively low virus titres appeared in ducks at 7 and 21 dpi.
      Thus, ducks could be a natural reservoir of the novel FAdV-4 absent of clinical
      signs, and a new transmission route from ducks shedding FAdV-4 continually to
      chickens was revealed, which might aggravate the outbreak of HHS in chickens.
      This study provides the first accurate quantitative data for the replication
      kinetics of the novel FAdV-4 in different hosts. The different pathogenicity,
      dynamic distribution and replication pattern in chickens and ducks provide a
      foundation for further clarification of the pathogenesis of the novel FAdV-4.

PMID- 28634475
TI  - Cesarean or Vaginal Birth Does Not Impact the Longitudinal Development of the Gut
      Microbiome in a Cohort of Exclusively Preterm Infants.
AB  - The short and long-term impact of birth mode on the developing gut microbiome in
      neonates has potential implications for the health of infants. In term infants,
      the microbiome immediately following birth across multiple body sites corresponds
      to birth mode, with increased Bacteroides in vaginally delivered infants. We
      aimed to determine the impact of birth mode of the preterm gut microbiome over
      the first 100 days of life and following neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
      discharge. In total, 867 stool samples from 46 preterm infants (21 cesarean and
      25 vaginal), median gestational age 27 weeks, were sequenced (V4 region 16S rRNA
      gene, Illumina MiSeq). Of these, 776 samples passed quality filtering and were
      included in the analysis. The overall longitudinal alpha-diversity and within
      infant beta-diversity was comparable between cesarean and vaginally delivered
      infants. Vaginally delivered infants kept significantly more OTUs from 2 months
      of life and following NICU discharge, but OTUs lost, gained, and regained were
      not different based on birth mode. Furthermore, the temporal progression of
      dominant genera was comparable between birth modes and no significant difference
      was found for any genera following adjustment for covariates. Lastly, preterm gut
      community types (PGCTs) showed some moderate differences in very early life, but
      progressed toward a comparable pattern by week 5. No PGCT was significantly
      associated with cesarean or vaginal birth. Unlike term infants, birth mode was
      not significantly associated with changes in microbial diversity, composition,
      specific taxa, or overall microbial development in preterm infants. This may
      result from the dominating effects of NICU exposures including the universal use
      of antibiotics immediately following birth and/or the lack of Bacteroides
      colonizing preterm infants.

PMID- 28634476
TI  - Changes in N:P Supply Ratios Affect the Ecological Stoichiometry of a Toxic
      Cyanobacterium and Its Fungal Parasite.
AB  - Human activities have dramatically altered nutrient fluxes from the landscape
      into receiving waters. As a result, not only the concentration of nutrients in
      surface waters has increased, but also their elemental ratios have changed. Such
      shifts in resource supply ratios will alter autotroph stoichiometry, which may in
      turn have consequences for higher trophic levels, including parasites. Here, we
      hypothesize that parasite elemental composition will follow changes in the
      stoichiometry of its host, and that its reproductive success will decrease with
      host nutrient limitation. We tested this hypothesis by following the response of
      a host-parasite system to changes in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supply in a
      controlled laboratory experiment. To this end, we exposed a fungal parasite (the
      chytrid Rhizophydium megarrhizum) to its host (the freshwater cyanobacterium
      Planktothrix rubescens) under control, low N:P and high N:P conditions. Host N:P
      followed treatment conditions, with a decreased N:P ratio under low N:P supply,
      and an increased N:P ratio under high N:P supply, as compared to the control.
      Shifts in host N:P stoichiometry were reflected in the parasite stoichiometry.
      Furthermore, at low N:P supply, host intracellular microcystin concentration was
      lowered as compared to high N:P supply. In contrast to our hypothesis, zoospore
      production decreased at low N:P and increased at high N:P ratio as compared to
      the control. These findings suggest that fungal parasites have a relatively high
      N, but low P requirement. Furthermore, zoospore elemental content, and thereby
      presumably their size, decreased at high N:P ratios. From these results we
      hypothesize that fungal parasites may exhibit a trade-off between zoospore size
      and production. Since zooplankton can graze on chytrid zoospores, changes in
      parasite production, stoichiometry and cell size may have implications for
      aquatic food web dynamics.

PMID- 28634477
TI  - Metabolomic Analysis and Mode of Action of Metabolites of Tea Tree Oil Involved
      in the Suppression of Botrytis cinerea.
AB  - Tea tree oil (TTO), a volatile essential oil, has been widely used as an
      antimicrobial agent. However, the mechanism underlying TTO antifungal activity is
      not fully understood. In this study, a comprehensive metabolomics survey was
      undertaken to identify changes in metabolite production in Botrytis cinerea cells
      treated with TTO. Significant differences in 91 metabolites were observed,
      including 8 upregulated and 83 downregulated metabolites in TTO-treated cells.
      The results indicate that TTO inhibits primary metabolic pathways through the
      suppression of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and fatty acid metabolism.
      Further experiments show that TTO treatment decreases the activities of key
      enzymes in the TCA cycle and increases the level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
      Membrane damage is also induced by TTO treatment. We hypothesize that the effect
      of TTO on B. cinerea is achieved mainly by disruption of the TCA cycle and fatty
      acid metabolism, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress.

PMID- 28634478
TI  - Transcriptional and Antagonistic Responses of Biocontrol Strain Lysobacter
      enzymogenes OH11 to the Plant Pathogenic Oomycete Pythium aphanidermatum.
AB  - Lysobacter enzymogenes is a ubiquitous, beneficial, plant-associated bacterium
      emerging as a novel biological control agent. It has the potential to become a
      new source of antimicrobial secondary metabolites such as the Heat-Stable
      Antifungal Factor (HSAF), which is a broad-spectrum antimycotic with a novel mode
      of action. However, very little information about how L. enzymogenes detects and
      responds to fungi or oomycetes has been reported. An in vitro confrontation
      bioassay between the pathogenic oomycete Pythium aphanidermatum and the
      biocontrol bacterial strain L. enzymogenes OH11 was used to analyze the
      transcriptional changes in the bacteria that were induced by the oomycetes.
      Analysis was performed at three time points of the interaction, starting before
      inhibition zone formation until inhibition zone formation. A L. enzymogenes OH11
      DNA microarray was constructed for the analysis. Microarray analysis indicated
      that a wide range of genes belonging to 14 diverse functions in L. enzymogenes
      were affected by P. aphanidermatum as critical antagonistic effects occurred. L.
      enzymogenes detected and responded to the presence of P. aphanidermatum early,
      but alteration of gene expression typically occurred after inhibition zone
      formation. The presence of P. aphanidermatum increased the twitching motility and
      HSAF production in L. enzymogenes. We also performed a contact interaction
      between L. enzymogenes and P. aphanidermatum, and found that HSAF played a
      critical role in the interaction. Our experiments demonstrated that L.
      enzymogenes displayed transcriptional and antagonistic responses to P.
      aphanidermatum in order to gain advantages in the competition with this oomycete.
      This study revealed new insights into the interactions between bacteria and
      oomycete.

PMID- 28634479
TI  - Whole Blood Profiling of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-Induced Trained Innate Immunity
      in Infants Identifies Epidermal Growth Factor, IL-6, Platelet-Derived Growth
      Factor-AB/BB, and Natural Killer Cell Activation.
AB  - Vaccination of infants with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) activates both the
      innate and adaptive arms of the immune response. The antimycobacterial effects of
      these responses most likely account for the ability of BCG to protect against
      childhood forms of tuberculosis (TB). There is also evidence for a heterologous
      protective effect of BCG vaccination against TB-unrelated mortality in low birth
      weight infants. A possible mechanism of action of this effect, the induction of
      trained innate immunity, has been demonstrated when cells from BCG-vaccinated
      adults are restimulated in vitro with non-related microbial stimuli. Our aim was
      to examine an extensive panel of secreted immune biomarkers to characterize the
      profile of trained innate immunity in infants. Stimulation of whole blood for 48
      h was performed 4 months after BCG vaccination, or in control unvaccinated
      infants. Stimulants were lipopolysaccharide; Pam3Cys (P3C); heat-killed Candida
      albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and a lysate of Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis. Culture supernatants were tested for secreted cytokines and
      chemokines by 42-plex bead array and monocytes and natural killer (NK) cells
      assessed for expression of activation markers by flow cytometry. BCG-vaccinated
      infants displayed increases in 11 cytokines and chemokines in response to
      different non-specific innate immunity stimuli: epidermal growth factor (EGF);
      eotaxin; IL-6; IL-7; IL-8; IL-10; IL-12p40; monocyte chemotactic protein-3;
      macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha; soluble CD40 ligand and platelet-derived
      growth factor (PDGF)-AB/BB. Although each stimulant induced a distinct response
      profile, three analytes, EGF, IL-6, and PDGF-AB/BB, were commonly higher after
      stimulation with Pam3Cys, C. albicans, and S. aureus. Conversely, certain
      cytokines such as interferon gamma-inducible protein-10, IL-2, IL-13, IL-17, GM
      CSF, and GRO were suppressed in BCG-vaccinated infants, while no increases in
      TNFalpha or IL-1beta production were detected. We did not observe a concomitant,
      BCG-associated change in monocyte surface activation markers in response to non
      specific stimuli, but we detected a significant increase in CD69 expression on NK
      cells in response to Pam3Cys. Pam3Cys-induced NK cell activation correlated with
      the magnitude of IL-12p40 and IL-10 responses to the same stimulant. This study
      reveals a novel cytokine/chemokine biomarker signature of BCG-induced trained
      innate immunity in infants and the involvement of NK cells in these responses.

PMID- 28634480
TI  - Fc-Galactosylation of Human Immunoglobulin Gamma Isotypes Improves C1q Binding
      and Enhances Complement-Dependent Cytotoxicity.
AB  - Binding of the complement component C1q to the CH2 domain of antigen-bound
      immunoglobulin gamma (IgG) activates the classical complement pathway and depends
      on its close proximity to Fc fragments of neighboring antibodies. IgG subclasses
      contain a highly conserved asparagine 297 (N)-linked biantennary glycan within
      their CH2 domains, the core structure of which can be extended with terminal
      galactose and sialic acid residues. To investigate whether Fc-glycosylation
      regulates effector functions of human IgG subclasses, we cloned the antigen
      binding region of the CD20-specific monoclonal antibody rituximab into IgG
      isotype expression vectors. We found that Fc-galactosylation enhances the
      efficacy of CD20-targeting complement-fixing antibodies for C1q binding and
      complement-mediated tumor cell lysis. Increased efficacies were restricted to
      IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses indicating that Fc-galactosylation alone is not
      sufficient for IgG2 and IgG4 to acquire complement-fixing properties. Addition of
      terminal galactose to the N-glycan specifically improved binding of C1q without
      changing antigen- and FcgammaRIIIa-binding affinities of IgG isotypes. These data
      indicate that Fc galactosylation can be harnessed to enhance the complement
      activating properties of IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies.

PMID- 28634481
TI  - Genome-Wide Analysis of the RAV Family in Soybean and Functional Identification
      of GmRAV-03 Involvement in Salt and Drought Stresses and Exogenous ABA Treatment.
AB  - Transcription factors play vital roles in plant growth and in plant responses to
      abiotic stresses. The RAV transcription factors contain a B3 DNA binding domain
      and/or an APETALA2 (AP2) DNA binding domain. Although genome-wide analyses of RAV
      family genes have been performed in several species, little is known about the
      family in soybean (Glycine max L.). In this study, a total of 13 RAV genes, named
      as GmRAVs, were identified in the soybean genome. We predicted and analyzed the
      amino acid compositions, phylogenetic relationships, and folding states of
      conserved domain sequences of soybean RAV transcription factors. These soybean
      RAV transcription factors were phylogenetically clustered into three classes
      based on their amino acid sequences. Subcellular localization analysis revealed
      that the soybean RAV proteins were located in the nucleus. The expression
      patterns of 13 RAV genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Under
      drought stresses, the RAV genes expressed diversely, up- or down-regulated.
      Following NaCl treatments, all RAV genes were down-regulated excepting GmRAV-03
      which was up-regulated. Under abscisic acid (ABA) treatment, the expression of
      all of the soybean RAV genes increased dramatically. These results suggested that
      the soybean RAV genes may be involved in diverse signaling pathways and may be
      responsive to abiotic stresses and exogenous ABA. Further analysis indicated that
      GmRAV-03 could increase the transgenic lines resistance to high salt and drought
      and result in the transgenic plants insensitive to exogenous ABA. This present
      study provides valuable information for understanding the classification and
      putative functions of the RAV transcription factors in soybean.

PMID- 28634482
TI  - Whole Plant Temperature Manipulation Affects Flavonoid Metabolism and the
      Transcriptome of Grapevine Berries.
AB  - Among environmental factors, temperature is the one that poses serious threats to
      viticulture in the present and future scenarios of global climate change. In this
      work, we evaluated the effects on berry ripening of two thermal regimes, imposed
      from veraison to harvest. Potted vines were grown in two air-conditioned
      greenhouses with High Temperature (HT) and Low Temperature (LT) regimes
      characterized by 26 and 21 degrees C as average and 42 and 35 degrees C as
      maximum air daily temperature, respectively. We conducted analyses of the main
      berry compositional parameters, berry skin flavonoids and berry skin
      transcriptome on HT and LT berries sampled during ripening. The two thermal
      conditions strongly differentiated the berries. HT regime increased sugar
      accumulation at the beginning of ripening, but not at harvest, when HT treatment
      contributed to a slight total acidity reduction and pH increase. Conversely,
      growing temperatures greatly impacted on anthocyanin and flavonol concentrations,
      which resulted as strongly reduced, while no effects were found on skin tannins
      accumulation. Berry transcriptome was analyzed with several approaches in order
      to identify genes with different expression profile in berries ripened under HT
      or LT conditions. The analysis of whole transcriptome showed that the main
      differences emerging from this approach appeared to be more due to a shift in the
      ripening process, rather than to a strong rearrangement at transcriptional level,
      revealing that the LT temperature regime could delay berry ripening, at least in
      the early stages. Moreover, the results of the in-depth screening of genes
      differentially expressed in HT and LT did not highlight differences in the
      expression of transcripts involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoids (with the
      exception of PAL and STS) despite the enzymatic activities of PALs and UFGT being
      significantly higher in LT than HT. This suggests only a partial correlation
      between molecular and biochemical data in our conditions and the putative
      existence of post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms playing
      significant roles in the regulation of flavonoid metabolic pathways and in
      particular of anthocyanins.

PMID- 28634483
TI  - Elicitor-Induced Biochemical and Molecular Manifestations to Improve Drought
      Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) through Seed-Priming.
AB  - Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the major grain cereals of the Indian
      subcontinent which face water-deficit stress for their cultivation. Seed-priming
      has been reported to be a useful approach to complement stress responses in
      plants. In the present study, seed-priming with hormonal or chemical elicitor
      [viz. methyl jasmonate (MJ), salicylic acid (SA), paclobutrazol (PB)] showed
      significant increase in total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and
      expression of Rice Drought-responsive (RD1 and RD2) genes (of AP2/ERF family) in
      contrasting rice genotypes (Nagina-22, drought-tolerant and Pusa Sugandh-5,
      drought-sensitive) under drought stress. However, decrease in lipid peroxidation
      and protein oxidation was observed not only under the stress but also under
      control condition in the plants raised from primed seeds. Expression analyses of
      RD1 and RD2 genes showed upregulated expression in the plants raised from primed
      seeds under drought stress. Moreover, the RD2 gene and the drought-sensitive
      genotype showed better response than that of the RD1 gene and the drought
      tolerant genotype in combating the effects of drought stress. Among the
      elicitors, MJ was found to be the most effective for seed-priming, followed by PB
      and SA. Growth and development of the plants raised from primed seeds were found
      to be better under control and drought stress conditions compared to that of the
      plants raised from unprimed seeds under the stress. The present study suggests
      that seed-priming could be one of the useful approaches to be explored toward the
      development of simple, cost-effective and farmer-friendly technology to enhance
      rice yield in rainfed areas.

PMID- 28634484
TI  - Manipulation of Metabolic Pathways to Develop Vitamin-Enriched Crops for Human
      Health.
AB  - Vitamin deficiencies are major forms of micronutrient deficiencies, and are
      associated with huge economic losses as well as severe physical and intellectual
      damages to humans. Much evidence has demonstrated that biofortification plays an
      important role in combating vitamin deficiencies due to its economical and
      effective delivery of nutrients to populations in need. Biofortification enables
      food plants to be enriched with vitamins through conventional breeding and/or
      biotechnology. Here, we focus on the progress in the manipulation of the vitamin
      metabolism, an essential part of biofortification, by the genetic modification or
      by the marker-assisted selection to understand mechanisms underlying metabolic
      improvement in food plants. We also propose to integrate new breeding
      technologies with metabolic pathway modification to facilitate biofortification
      in food plants and, thereby, to benefit human health.

PMID- 28634485
TI  - Nitrogen Can Alleviate the Inhibition of Photosynthesis Caused by High
      Temperature Stress under Both Steady-State and Flecked Irradiance.
AB  - Nitrogen is one of the most important elements for plants and is closely related
      to photosynthesis. High temperature stress significantly inhibits photosynthesis
      under both steady-state and flecked irradiance. However, it is not known whether
      nitrogen can affect the decrease in photosynthesis caused by high temperature,
      especially under flecked irradiance. In the present study, a pot experiment was
      conducted under two nitrogen (N) supplies with rice plants, and the steady-state
      and dynamic photosynthesis rates were measured under 28 and 40 degrees C. High
      temperature significantly increased leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) under high
      N supply (HN) but not under low N supply (LN). The increased Kleaf maintained a
      constant leaf water potential (Psileaf) and steady-state stomatal conductance
      (gs,sat) under HN, while the Psileaf and gs,sat significantly decreased under
      high temperature in LN conditions. This resulted in a more severe decrease in
      steady-state photosynthesis (Asat) under high temperature in the LN conditions.
      After shifting from low to high light, high temperature significantly delayed the
      recovery of photosynthesis, which resulted in more carbon loss under flecked
      irradiance. These effects were obtained under HN to a lesser extent than under LN
      supply. Therefore, it is concluded that nitrogen can alleviate the inhibition of
      photosynthesis caused by high temperature stress under both steady-state and
      flecked irradiance.

PMID- 28634487
TI  - Dynamic Inertia Weight Binary Bat Algorithm with Neighborhood Search.
AB  - Binary bat algorithm (BBA) is a binary version of the bat algorithm (BA). It has
      been proven that BBA is competitive compared to other binary heuristic
      algorithms. Since the update processes of velocity in the algorithm are
      consistent with BA, in some cases, this algorithm also faces the premature
      convergence problem. This paper proposes an improved binary bat algorithm (IBBA)
      to solve this problem. To evaluate the performance of IBBA, standard benchmark
      functions and zero-one knapsack problems have been employed. The numeric results
      obtained by benchmark functions experiment prove that the proposed approach
      greatly outperforms the original BBA and binary particle swarm optimization
      (BPSO). Compared with several other heuristic algorithms on zero-one knapsack
      problems, it also verifies that the proposed algorithm is more able to avoid
      local minima.

PMID- 28634486
TI  - beta-Cell Replacement Strategies: The Increasing Need for a "beta-Cell Dogma".
AB  - Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease resulting in the loss of pancreatic
      beta-cells and, consequently, in chronic hyperglycemia. Insulin supplementation
      allows diabetic patients to control their glycaemia quite efficiently, but
      treated patients still display an overall shortened life expectancy and an
      altered quality of life as compared to their healthy counterparts. In this
      context and due to the ever increasing number of diabetics, establishing
      alternative therapies has become a crucial research goal. Most current efforts
      therefore aim at generating fully functional insulin-secreting beta-like cells
      using multiple approaches. In this review, we screened the literature published
      since 2011 and inventoried the selected markers used to characterize insulin
      secreting cells generated by in vitro differentiation of stem/precursor cells or
      by means of in vivo transdifferentiation. By listing these features, we noted
      important discrepancies when comparing the different approaches for the initial
      characterization of insulin-producing cells as true beta-cells. Considering the
      recent advances achieved in this field of research, the necessity to establish
      strict guidelines has become a subject of crucial importance, especially should
      one contemplate the next step, which is the transplantation of in vitro or ex
      vivo generated insulin-secreting cells in type 1 diabetic patients.

PMID- 28634488
TI  - Antiherding in Financial Decision Increases Valuation of Return on Investment: An
      Event-Related Potential Study.
AB  - Using event-related potentials, this study investigated how financial herding or
      antiherding affected the valuation of subsequent outcomes. For each trial,
      subjects decided whether to buy the stock according to its net money flow
      information which could be used to reflect the strength of buying power or
      selling power of the stock. The return on investment (ROI) as feedback included
      the increase or decrease percentage after subjects' responses. Results showed
      that, compared with herding, antiherding induced larger discrepancies of FRN and
      P300 amplitude between positive ROI and negative ROI, indicating that individuals
      under antiherding condition had stronger motivation and paid more attention in
      the evaluation process of ROI. Moreover, only for positive ROI, the amplitudes of
      FRN and P300 were modulated by two kinds of behaviors. We suggested that
      individuals making antiherd decisions were more confident with their own ability
      and choices, which reduced the positive outcome prediction error and gave more
      mental resources to evaluate positive outcome. However, negative outcomes evoked
      no different motivational meaning and negative emotion for individuals between
      herding and antiherding. The study may provide new insights into neurocognitive
      processes of herding and antiherding in financial market.

PMID- 28634489
TI  - A Study of Patients with Primary Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumors Treated Using
      Multimodal Therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Primary mediastinal germ cell tumors (PMGCTs) are rare, which often
      makes them difficult to treat. Herein, we examined patients with PMGCTs who
      underwent multimodal treatment. METHODS: We examined 6 patients (median age: 25
      years, range: 19-27 years) with PMGCTs who underwent multimodal treatment between
      April 2001 and March 2015. Three patients had seminomas, 2 patients had yolk sac
      tumors, and 1 patient had choriocarcinoma. The median observation period was 32.5
      months (range: 8-84 months). RESULTS: Three of the 6 patients received initial
      operation followed by 3-4 courses of chemotherapy (bleomycin, etoposide, and
      cisplatin (BEP) or etoposide and cisplatin (EP)). One patient developed multiple
      lung metastases 17 months after surgery; received salvage chemotherapy with
      vinblastine, ifosfamide, and cisplatin; and achieved complete remission. The
      remaining 3 patients received initial BEP and EP chemotherapy. Multiple lung
      metastases and supraclavicular lymph node metastases were detected in 2 of these
      patients at the initial diagnosis. The patients underwent resections to remove
      residual tumor after treatment, and no viable tumor cells were found.
      CONCLUSIONS: Reliable diagnosis and immediate multimodal treatments are necessary
      for patients with PMGCTs. The 6 patients treated in our hospital have never
      experienced recurrence after the multimodal treatment.

PMID- 28634490
TI  - Associations of Pet Ownership with Older Adults Eating Patterns and Health.
AB  - Pet ownership has been shown to improve quality of life for older adults. The
      objective of this cross-sectional study was to compare older pet owners and older
      non-pet owners and assess differences between groups. This study was conducted on
      adults over 50 years of age, who owned either one cat or one dog versus nonowners
      based on age, race, gender, and education. Matched older pet owners (OPO) versus
      non-pet owners (NPO) pairs (n = 84), older cat owners (OCO) versus non-cat owners
      (NCO) (n = 29), and older dog owners (ODO) versus non-dog owners (NDO) pairs (n =
      55) were analyzed. No differences were found between OPO and NPO for dietary,
      activity, or lifestyle, except OPO had fewer health conditions [p < 0.03]. Total
      OCO had greater body mass indices [BMI] (MU = 29.6 +/- 8.2) than ODO (MU = 23.2
      +/- 5.2) [p < 0.02], less activity [p < 0.02], and shorter duration of activity
      [p < 0.05] and took fewer supplements [p < 0.003]. OCO and NCO differed on health
      conditions (MU = 0.8 +/- 0.9 versus MU = 1.9 +/- 1.3, [p < 0.008]) and ODO versus
      NDO differed on BMI (MU = 25 +/- 4 versus MU = 27 +/- 6, [p < 0.04]). Although
      there are limitations to this study, data may be useful for targeting marketing
      and health messages to older persons.

PMID- 28634491
TI  - More Favorable Metabolic Impact of Three-Times-Weekly versus Daily Growth Hormone
      Treatment in Naive GH-Deficient Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether two different regimens of weekly injections could
      lead to similar auxological and metabolic effects in children with growth hormone
      deficiency (GHD). DESIGN: 32 GHD children (25 males, mean age 10.5 +/- 2.2 yr)
      were randomly assigned to receive daily (group A, 16 patients) or TIW (group B,
      16 patients) GHT for 12 months. METHODS: Auxological parameters, insulin-like
      growth factor-I (IGF-I), glucose and insulin during OGTT, glycosylated hemoglobin
      (HbA1c), lipid profile, the oral disposition index (DIo), the homeostasis model
      assessment estimate of insulin resistance (Homa-IR), and the insulin sensitivity
      index (ISI). RESULTS: After 12 months, both groups showed a significant and
      comparable improvement in height (p < 0.001) and IGF-I (p < 0.001). As regards
      the metabolic parameters, in both groups, we found a significant increase in
      fasting insulin (p < 0.001 and p = 0.026) and Homa-IR (p < 0.001 and p = 0.019).
      A significant increase in fasting glucose (p = 0.001) and a decrease in ISI (p <
      0.001) and DIo (p = 0.002) were only found in group A. CONCLUSIONS: The TIW
      regimen is effective and comparable with the daily regimen in improving
      auxological parameters and has a more favorable metabolic impact in GHD children.
      This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03033121.

PMID- 28634493
TI  - An Exceptional Case of Intraparotid Plexiform Neurofibroma Originating from
      Autonomic Fibers of the Auriculotemporal Nerve.
AB  - Plexiform neurofibromas are benign tumors that tend to occur in patients
      suffering from neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). This report addresses a rare case
      where the tumor affected the parotid gland, deriving almost exclusively from the
      peripheral portion of the facial nerve. A 6-year-old male was referred to us
      complaining about a gradually enlarging swelling over the right parotid area.
      Imaging localized the lesion to the superficial lobe of the parotid gland,
      suggesting a neurofibroma. Cosmetic disfigurement and a functional deficit led us
      to perform complete surgical resection. Meticulous surgical dissection as well as
      auriculotemporal nerve origin made complete extirpation possible with almost zero
      morbidity and ensured alleviation of both aesthetic impairment and pain. This is
      the first case of an intraparotid PN in a pediatric NF-1 patient, which
      originated from branches of the auriculotemporal nerve and particularly from
      fibers of the autonomic nervous system. Radical surgical excision was decided
      according to established decision-making algorithms.

PMID- 28634492
TI  - Effectiveness of Different Preventive Programs in Cariogram Parameters of Young
      Adults at High Caries Risk.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of different preventive programs in
      young adults at high caries risk using Cariogram software. METHODS: Sixty-six
      young adults with high caries risk were evaluated. Dental caries risk for all
      subjects was determined according to WHO criteria. Subjects were divided into
      three different preventive groups (control: OH, fluoride varnish: FV, and
      chlorhexidine varnish: CV). They were followed for 12 weeks (baseline: T0, 1
      week: T1, 4 weeks: T2, and 12 weeks: T3). Plaque index, diet frequency, and
      salivary chairside tests (to record the flow rate, buffer capacity, and mutans
      streptococci and lactobacillus counts) were performed at each visit. Based on
      these data, ten caries-related variables were collected and inserted into the
      Cariogram software to calculate the predicted chance of avoiding caries for each
      subject. RESULTS: Significant changes were obtained about the Cariogram
      parameters (diet, bacteria, susceptibility, circumstances, and Cariogram risk
      group). No significant differences were found between the three methods regarding
      mean Cariogram scores after 3 months (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The regular and
      effective short-term (three months) use of 1450 ppm fluoridated toothpaste, one
      visit application of fluoride, and chlorhexidine varnishes were effective for
      reducing caries risk in young adults, which can be clearly demonstrated using
      Cariogram software.

PMID- 28634494
TI  - Antiviral Activity of Fridericia formosa (Bureau) L. G. Lohmann (Bignoniaceae)
      Extracts and Constituents.
AB  - A phytochemical study of Fridericia formosa (Bignoniaceae) ethanol extracts of
      leaves, stems, and fruits was guided by in vitro assays against vaccinia virus
      Western Reserve (VACV-WR), human herpes virus 1 (HSV-1), murine
      encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), and dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) by the MTT
      method. All the ethanol extracts were active against DENV-2, HSV-1, and VACV-WR
      with best results for the fruits extract against DENV-2 (SI > 38.2). For VACV-WR
      and HSV-1, EC50 values > 200 MUg mL-1 were determined, while no inhibition of the
      cytopathic effect was observed with EMCV. Five compounds were isolated and
      identified as the C-glucosylxanthones mangiferin (1), 2'-O-trans
      caffeoylmangiferin (2), 2'-O-trans-coumaroylmangiferin (3), 2'-O-trans
      cinnamoylmangiferin (5), and the flavonoid chrysin (4). The most active compound
      was 2'-O-trans-coumaroylmangiferin (3) with SI > 121.9 against DENV-2 and 108.7
      for HSV-1. These results indicate that mangiferin cinnamoyl esters might be
      potential antiviral drugs.

PMID- 28634495
TI  - Choking Hazards: Are Current Product Testing Methods for Small Parts Adequate?
AB  - Choking on small parts remains one of the leading causes of death and injury in
      infants and toddlers. The current method of testing for small parts, created by
      the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), has become outdated and has yet to
      be changed despite the many deaths and injuries of children. The method uses a
      device called the small parts test fixture (SPTF) that is supposed to mimic the
      size of a fully expanded throat of a toddler. If a product does not fit inside
      the cavity of the SPTF, then it is deemed safe to play with because it "will not
      fit" in the esophagus of a child. The present study obtains a dataset of products
      recalled by the CPSC within the last twelve years due to choking
      hazards/incidents and discovers that a noteworthy amount of the children's
      products have parts that are larger than the fixture size and are still capable
      of causing choking. This study indicates that a larger SPTF size must be
      implemented by the CPSC in order to prevent future choking incidents on small
      parts.

PMID- 28634496
TI  - Household Response to Inadequate Sewerage and Garbage Collection Services in
      Abuja, Nigeria.
AB  - Provision of sanitation and garbage collection services is an important and yet
      challenging issue in the rapidly growing cities of developing countries, with
      significant human health and environmental sustainability implications. Although
      a growing number of studies have investigated the consequences of inadequate
      delivery of basic urban services in developing countries, few studies have
      examined how households cope with the problems. Using the Exit, Voice, Loyalty,
      and Neglect (EVLN) model, this article explores how households respond to
      inadequate sewerage and garbage collection services in Abuja, Nigeria. Based on a
      qualitative study, data were gathered from in-depth interviews with sixty
      households, complemented with personal observation. The findings from grounded
      analysis indicated that majority (62%) and about half (55%) of the respondents
      have utilized the informal sector for sewerage services and garbage collection,
      respectively, to supplement the services provided by the city. While 68% of the
      respondents reported investing their personal resources to improve the delivery
      of existing sewerage services, half (53%) have collectively complained to the
      utility agency and few (22%) have neglected the problems. The paper concludes by
      discussing the public health and environmental sustainability implications of the
      findings.

PMID- 28634497
TI  - Weighted Polynomial Approximation for Automated Detection of Inspiratory Flow
      Limitation.
AB  - Inspiratory flow limitation (IFL) is a critical symptom of sleep breathing
      disorders. A characteristic flattened flow-time curve indicates the presence of
      highest resistance flow limitation. This study involved investigating a real-time
      algorithm for detecting IFL during sleep. Three categories of inspiratory flow
      shape were collected from previous studies for use as a development set. Of
      these, 16 cases were labeled as non-IFL and 78 as IFL which were further
      categorized into minor level (20 cases) and severe level (58 cases) of
      obstruction. In this study, algorithms using polynomial functions were proposed
      for extracting the features of IFL. Methods using first- to third-order
      polynomial approximations were applied to calculate the fitting curve to obtain
      the mean absolute error. The proposed algorithm is described by the weighted
      third-order (w.3rd-order) polynomial function. For validation, a total of 1,093
      inspiratory breaths were acquired as a test set. The accuracy levels of the
      classifications produced by the presented feature detection methods were
      analyzed, and the performance levels were compared using a misclassification
      cobweb. According to the results, the algorithm using the w.3rd-order polynomial
      approximation achieved an accuracy of 94.14% for IFL classification. We concluded
      that this algorithm achieved effective automatic IFL detection during sleep.

PMID- 28634498
TI  - Evaluation of in vitro cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, and changes in the
      expression of apoptosis regulatory proteins induced by cerium oxide nanocrystals.
AB  - Cerium oxide nanocrystals (CeO2-NCs) exhibit superoxide dismutase and catalase
      mimetic activities. Based on these catalytic activities, CeO2-NCs have been
      suggested to have the potential to treat various diseases. The crystalline size
      of these materials is an important factor that influences the performance of CeO2
      NCs. Previous reports have shown that several metal-based nanocrystals, including
      CeO2-NCs, can induce cytotoxicity in cancer cells. However, the underlying
      mechanisms have remained unclear. To characterize the anticancer activities of
      CeO2-NCs, several assays related to the mechanism of cytotoxicity and induction
      of apoptosis has been performed. Here, we have carried out a systematic study to
      characterize CeO2-NCs phase purity (X-ray diffraction), morphology (electron
      microscopy), and optical features (optical absorption, Raman scattering, and
      photoluminescence) to better establish their potential as anticancer drugs. Our
      study revealed anticancer effects of CeO2-NCs in HT29 and SW620 colorectal cancer
      cell lines with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2.26 and
      121.18 MUg ml-1, respectively. Reductions in cell viability indicated the
      cytotoxic potential of CeO2-NCs in HT29 cells based on inverted and florescence
      microscopy assessments. The mechanism of cytotoxicity confirmed by estimating
      possible changes in the expression levels of Bcl2, BclxL, Bax, PARP, cytochrome
      c, and beta-actin (control) proteins in HT29 cells. Down-regulation of Bcl2 and
      BclxL and up-regulation of Bax, PARP, and cytochrome c proteins suggested the
      significant involvement of CeO2-NCs exposure in the induction of apoptosis.
      Furthermore, biocompatibility assay showed minimum effect of CeO2-NCs on human
      red blood cells.

PMID- 28634499
TI  - Three-input gate logic circuits on chemically assembled single-electron
      transistors with organic and inorganic hybrid passivation layers.
AB  - Single-electron transistors (SETs) are sub-10-nm scale electronic devices based
      on conductive Coulomb islands sandwiched between double-barrier tunneling
      barriers. Chemically assembled SETs with alkanethiol-protected Au nanoparticles
      show highly stable Coulomb diamonds and two-input logic operations. The
      combination of bottom-up and top-down processes used to form the passivation
      layer is vital for realizing multi-gate chemically assembled SET circuits, as
      this combination enables us to connect conventional complementary metal oxide
      semiconductor (CMOS) technologies via planar processes. Here, three-input gate
      exclusive-OR (XOR) logic operations are demonstrated in passivated chemically
      assembled SETs. The passivation layer is a hybrid bilayer of self-assembled
      monolayers (SAMs) and pulsed laser deposited (PLD) aluminum oxide (AlO[Formula:
      see text]), and top-gate electrodes were prepared on the hybrid passivation
      layers. Top and two-side-gated SETs showed clear Coulomb oscillation and diamonds
      for each of the three available gates, and three-input gate XOR logic operation
      was clearly demonstrated. These results show the potential of chemically
      assembled SETs to work as logic devices with multi-gate inputs using organic and
      inorganic hybrid passivation layers.

PMID- 28634500
TI  - Stroke Performance Measures Do Not Predict Functional Outcome.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Poststroke functional outcome is critical to stroke
      survivors. We sought to determine whether adherence to current stroke performance
      measures is associated with better functional outcome 90 days after an ischemic
      stroke. METHODS: Utilizing the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi
      cohort, we examined adherence to 7 ischemic stroke performance measures from
      February 2009 to June 2012. Adherence to the measures was analyzed in aggregate
      using a binary defect-free score and an opportunity score, representing the
      proportion of eligible measures met. The opportunity score ranges from 0 to 1,
      with values closer to 1 implying better adherence. Functional outcome, defined by
      an activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living
      (ADL/IADL) score (range 1-4, higher scores worse), was ascertained at 90 days
      poststroke. Tobit regression models were fitted to examine the associations
      between the performance measures and functional outcome, adjusting for
      demographic and clinical characteristics, including stroke severity. RESULTS:
      There were 565 patients with ischemic stroke included in the analysis. The median
      ADL/IADL score was 2.32 (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.41-3.41). The median
      opportunity score was 1 (IQR: 0.8-1), and 58.4% of the patients received defect
      free care. After adjustment, the opportunity score (P = .67) and defect-free care
      (P = .92) were not associated with functional outcome. CONCLUSION: In this
      population, adherence to a composite of current stroke performance measures was
      not associated with poststroke functional outcome after adjustment for other
      factors. Performance measures that are associated with improved functional
      outcome should be developed and incorporated into stroke quality measures.

PMID- 28634501
TI  - Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Long-Term Stroke Risk After Traumatic Brain Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a risk
      factor for subsequent ischemic stroke, even years after the initial insult. The
      mechanisms of the association remain unclear. The presence of traumatic
      subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH) may mediate the effect of TBI on long-term stroke
      risk, as it has previously been linked to short-term vasospasm and delayed
      cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Using administrative claims data, we conducted a
      retrospective cohort study of acute care hospitalizations. Patients discharged
      with a first-recorded diagnosis of tSAH were followed for a primary diagnosis of
      stroke. They were matched to patients with TBI but not tSAH. Cox proportional
      hazards modeling was used to assess the association between tSAH and stroke while
      adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: We identified 40 908 patients with TBI (20 454
      patients with tSAH) who were followed for a mean of 4.3 + 1.8 years. A total of
      531 had an ischemic stroke after discharge. There was no significant difference
      in stroke risk between those with tSAH (1.79%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.54%
      2.08%) versus without tSAH (2.12%; 95% CI 1.83%-2.44%). The same pattern was
      found in adjusted analyses even when the group was stratified by age-group or by
      proxies of TBI severity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings do not support a role of tSAH
      in mediating the association between TBI and protracted stroke risk. Further
      study is required to elucidate the mechanisms of long-term increased stroke risk
      after TBI.

PMID- 28634502
TI  - Impact of Neurological Follow-Up on Early Hospital Readmission Rates for Acute
      Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Despite advances in stroke care, readmission rates for patients
      with ischemic stroke remain high. Although factors such as age, diabetes, and
      continuous use of antiplatelet agents have been found to predict readmission
      rates, the impact of after-hospital care has not been examined. METHODS: The
      present study reviewed the charts of 416 patients with acute ischemic stroke and
      recorded stroke-related comorbidities, neurology follow-up within 21 days,
      readmission at 0 to 30 days, readmission at 31 to 90 days, and any reasons for
      readmission. RESULTS: For those readmitted within 0 to 30 days, reasons for
      readmission were other medical conditions (62.5%), recurrent stroke (30.4%), and
      elective procedure (7.1%). For those readmitted within 31 to 90 days, reasons for
      readmission were other medical conditions (62.3%), recurrent stroke (15.1%), and
      elective procedure (22.6%). There was no significant relationship between being
      evaluated within 21 days and readmission at 0 to 30 or 31 to 90 days. However,
      those who did have a neurology follow-up at any point in time had a lower
      readmission rate of 10.6% compared to those who never came back (19.2%, P =
      .017). Patients with coronary artery disease and diabetes had a significantly
      higher likelihood of readmission within 0 to 30 days. CONCLUSION: The present
      study suggests that neurology follow-up at any point in time for patients with
      acute ischemic stroke may reduce short-term readmissions, but special attention
      to optimizing management of other underlying medical conditions, coronary artery
      disease, or diabetes may also help reduce overall readmissions. Patients with
      stroke, therefore, may benefit from a follow-up with both the primary care and
      neurology in a coordinated fashion to prevent early readmissions at 30 days.

PMID- 28634503
TI  - Monitoring the Diagnostic Process on an Inpatient Neurology Service.
AB  - The Institute of Medicine report Improving Diagnosis in Health Care called for
      tools to monitor physicians' diagnostic process. We addressed this need by
      developing a tool for clinicians to record and analyze their diagnostic process.
      The tool was a secure web application in which clinicians used a structured
      grading system to assess the relative impact of clinical, laboratory, and
      neuroimaging data for every new diagnosis. Four neurohospitalists used the tool
      for 6.5 months on a general neurology ward service at a single tertiary-level
      teaching hospital. Process measures of tool use included number of diagnoses
      entered, time spent on each data entry, and concordance of diagnoses compared to
      the medical record. We also aggregated the data across clinicians to examine the
      average process scores across common inpatient disorders. The 4 clinicians
      entered 254 new diagnoses that took approximately 3 minutes per patient. In 50
      randomly chosen cases, the neurohospitalists' diagnoses entered into the tool
      agreed with 92% of diagnoses in the medical record, which was better than the
      agreement between billing code and medical record diagnoses (74%). The diagnostic
      process varied across disease categories, showing a spectrum of clinical-dominant
      (eg, headache), laboratory-dominant (eg, encephalitis), and neuroimaging-dominant
      (eg, stroke) disorders. This study demonstrated the feasibility of a clinician
      driven diagnostic process monitoring system, along with preliminary
      characterization of the process for common disorders. The tracking of diagnostic
      process has the potential to promote reflection on clinical practice, deconstruct
      neurologists' clinical decision-making, and improve health-care safety.

PMID- 28634504
TI  - The Reemergence of EEG Reactivity After Cardiac Arrest.
AB  - Electroencephalogram (EEG) reactivity has been increasingly utilized in
      prognostication after cardiac arrest. Recent studies have demonstrated a false
      positive rate of 0% in predicting poor outcome with a nonreactive EEG. The
      reemergence of reactivity after an initial nonreactive EEG has been noted in
      cases of drug intoxication, rewarming after hypothermia, and after discontinuing
      sedation. This is the first case describing the reemergence of EEG reactivity
      without the confounding factors listed above. We describe a case of resuscitated
      cardiac arrest with initial EEG demonstrating a lack of reactivity. A repeat EEG
      completed 3 days later revealed a reemergence of reactivity in the setting of
      normothermia, a negative drug screen, and the absence of sedation. The delayed
      recovery of EEG reactivity without previously established confounding factors is
      novel. Serial EEGs may be beneficial as the available literature on reactivity
      and prognostication is based on an average of 24 to 48 hours of EEG tracing.
      Prognostication after cardiac arrest continues to require a multimodal approach.

PMID- 28634505
TI  - A 57-Year-Old Man With Headache, Numbness, and Weakness.
AB  - We present the case of a 57-year-old man with headache, numbness, and weakness.
      We review the differential diagnosis and discuss the relevant imaging. Once the
      diagnosis is evident, we review the natural history and evidence in support of
      each possible treatment.

PMID- 28634506
TI  - Meningovascular Syphilis.

PMID- 28634507
TI  - Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging Diagnosis of Cerebral Fat Embolism.

PMID- 28634508
TI  - Reversible Rhombencephalitis in Neuro-Behcet's Disease.

PMID- 28634509
TI  - Movements Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Images in Clinical Neurology Case of
      Hyperglycemic Hemichorea.

PMID- 28634510
TI  - Internal Carotid Artery and Sphenoidal Emissary (Vesalian) Vein Fistula Mimicking
      a Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula.

PMID- 28634511
TI  - Extreme Delta Brush in NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.

PMID- 28634512
TI  - Diffusion weighted imaging for the detection and evaluation of cholesteatoma.
AB  - Cholesteatoma is a collection of keratinous debris and stratified squamous
      epithelium. It is trapped in the middle ear and can lead to bony erosion. The
      disease is treated surgically often followed by a second-look procedure to check
      for residual tissue or recurrence. Cholesteatoma has specific signal-intensity
      characteristics on magnetic resonance imaging with very high signal intensity on
      diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Various DWI techniques exist: Echo-planar
      imaging (EPI)-based and non-EPI-based techniques as well as new approaches like
      multi-shot EPI DWI. This article summarizes all techniques, discusses the
      significance in detecting cholesteatoma and mentions actual studies. Further
      recommendations for daily clinical practise are provided.

PMID- 28634513
TI  - Correlation of lumbar lateral recess stenosis in magnetic resonance imaging and
      clinical symptoms.
AB  - AIM: To assess the correlation of lateral recess stenosis (LRS) of lumbar
      segments L4/5 and L5/S1 and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). METHODS: Nine
      hundred and twenty-seven patients with history of low back pain were included in
      this uncontrolled study. On magnetic resonance images (MRI) the lateral recesses
      (LR) at lumbar levels L4/5 and L5/S1 were evaluated and each nerve root was
      classified into a 4-point grading scale (Grade 0-3) as normal, not deviated,
      deviated or compressed. Patient symptoms and disability were assessed using ODI.
      The Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used for statistical analysis (P
      < 0.05). RESULTS: Approximately half of the LR revealed stenosis (grade 1-3; 52%
      at level L4/5 and 42% at level L5/S1) with 2.2% and 1.9% respectively reveal a
      nerve root compression. The ODI score ranged from 0%-91.11% with an arithmetic
      mean of 34.06% +/- 16.89%. We observed a very weak statistically significant
      positive correlation between ODI and LRS at lumbar levels L4/5 and L5/S1, each
      bilaterally (L4/5 left: rho < 0.105, P < 0.01; L4/5 right: rho < 0.111, P < 0.01;
      L5/S1 left: rho 0.128, P < 0.01; L5/S1 right: rho < 0.157, P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSION: Although MRI is the standard imaging tool for diagnosing lumbar
      spinal stenosis, this study showed only a weak correlation of LRS on MRI and
      clinical findings. This can be attributed to a number of reasons outlined in this
      study, underlining that imaging findings alone are not sufficient to establish a
      reliable diagnosis for patients with LRS.

PMID- 28634514
TI  - Cystic lesions of peripheral nerves: Are we missing the diagnosis of the
      intraneural ganglion cyst?
AB  - AIM: To highlight the salient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of the
      intraneural ganglion cyst (INGC) of various peripheral nerves for their precise
      diagnosis and to differentiate them from other intra and extra-neural cystic
      lesions. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the magnetic resonance (MR) images
      of a cohort of 245 patients presenting with nerve palsy involving different
      peripheral nerves was done. MR images were analyzed for the presence of a nerve
      lesion, and if found, it was further characterized as solid or cystic. The serial
      axial, coronal and sagittal MR images of the lesions diagnosed as INGC were
      studied for their pattern and the anatomical extent along the course of the
      affected nerve and its branches. Its relation to identifiable anatomical
      landmarks, intra-articular communication and presence of denervation changes in
      the muscles supplied by involved nerve was also studied. RESULTS: A total of 45
      cystic lesions in the intra or extraneural locations of the nerves were
      identified from the 245 MR scans done for patients presenting with nerve palsy.
      Out of these 45 cystic lesions, 13 were diagnosed to have INGC of a peripheral
      nerve on MRI. The other cystic lesions included extraneural ganglion cyst,
      paralabral cyst impinging upon the suprascapular nerve, cystic schwannoma and
      nerve abscesses related to Hansen's disease involving various peripheral nerves.
      Thirteen lesions of INGC were identified in 12 patients. Seven of these affected
      the common peroneal nerve with one patient having a bilateral involvement. Two
      lesions each were noted in the tibial and suprascapular nerves, and one each in
      the obturator and proximal sciatic nerve. An intra-articular connection along the
      articular branch was demonstrated in 12 out of 13 lesions. Varying stages of
      denervation atrophy of the supplied muscles of the affected nerves were seen in 7
      cases. Out of these 13 lesions in 12 patients, 6 underwent surgery. CONCLUSION:
      INGC is an important cause of reversible mono-neuropathy if diagnosed early and
      surgically treated. Its classic MRI pattern differentiates it from other lesions
      of the peripheral nerve and aid in its therapeutic planning. In each case, the
      joint connection has to be identified preoperatively, and the same should be
      excised during surgery to prevent further cyst recurrence.

PMID- 28634516
TI  - Online table of contents.

PMID- 28634515
TI  - Transarterial chemoembolization using 40 um drug eluting beads for hepatocellular
      carcinoma.
AB  - AIM: To assess the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE)
      of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using a new generation of 40 MUm drug eluting
      beads in patients not eligible for curative treatment. METHODS: Drug eluting bead
      TACE (DEB-TACE) using a new generation of microspheres (embozene tandem, 40 MUm)
      preloaded with 100 mg of doxorubicin was performed on 48 early or intermediate
      HCC patients with compensated cirrhosis. Response to therapy was assessed with
      Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and modified RECIST
      (mRECIST) guidelines applied to computed tomography or magnetic resonance
      imaging. Eleven out of the 48 treated patients treated progressed on to receive
      liver orthotopic transplantation (OLT). This allowed for histological analysis on
      the treated explanted nodules. RESULTS: DEB-TACE with 40 MUm showed a good safety
      profile without major complications or 30-d mortality. The objective response
      rate of treated tumors was 72.6% and 26.7% according to mRECIST and RECIST
      respectively. Histological examination in 11 patients assigned to OLT showed a
      necrosis degree > 90% in 78.6% of cases. The overall time to progression was 13
      mo (11-21). CONCLUSION: DEB-TACE with 40 MUm particles is an effective treatment
      for the treatment of HCC in early-intermediate patients (Barcelona Clinic Liver
      Cancer stage A/B) with a good safety profile and good results in term of
      objective response rate and necrosis.

PMID- 28634517
TI  - Introduction of a quality improvement curriculum in the Department of Internal
      Medicine, Lincoln Medical Center.
AB  - Community hospitals with limited resources struggle to engage physicians in
      Quality improvement initiatives. We introduced Quality Improvement (QI)
      curriculum for residents in response to ACGME requirements and surveyed the
      residents understanding of QI and their involvement in QI projects before and
      after the introduction of the curriculum. The current article describes our
      experiences with the process, the challenges and possible solutions to have a
      successful resident led QI initiative in a community hospital. Methods: A formal
      QI curriculum was introduced in the Department of Internal Medicine from
      September to October 2015 using the Model for Improvement from Institute for
      Health care Improvement (IHI). Learners were expected to read the online modules,
      discuss in small group sessions and later encouraged to draft their QI projects
      using the Charter form and PDSA form available on the HI website. Online surveys
      were conducted a week prior and 3 months after completion of the curriculum
      Results: 80% (100/117) of residents completed the pre-curriculum survey and 52%
      (61/117) completed the survey post curriculum. 96.7% of residents report that
      physicians should lead QI projects and training rather than the hospital
      administrators. Residents had 20% increase in understanding and confidence in
      leading quality improvement projects post curriculum once initiated. Most
      Residents (72%) feel QI should be taught during residency. Active involvement of
      residents with interest was seen after the initiation of Open School Institute of
      health improvement (IHI) curriculum as compared to Institutional led QI's. The
      resident interventions, pitfalls with change processes with an example of PDSA
      cycle are discussed. Conclusion: A Dedicated QI curriculum is necessary to
      prepare the physicians deliver quality care in an increasing complex health care
      delivery system. The strength of the curriculum is the ease of understanding the
      material, easily available to all, and can be easily replicated in a Community
      Hospital program with limited resources. Participation in QI by residents may
      promote constructive competitiveness among related hospitals in public system to
      improve delivery of safe care. Abbreviations: ACGME: Accreditation Council for
      Graduate Medical Education; IHI: Institute of Healthcare Improvement; PDSA: Plan
      Do-Study-Act; PGY: QI: Quality improvement.

PMID- 28634518
TI  - Role of albumin in cirrhosis: from a hospitalist's perspective.
AB  - Albumin, a negatively charged globular protein encoded on chromosome 4, is one of
      the most abundant proteins in the plasma and accounts for approximately 75% of
      plasma oncotic pressure. The role of albumin in the management of various disease
      states has shown to be beneficial historically. Low serum albumin is a predictor
      of mortality and poor outcomes. In cirrhotics undergoing paracentesis, albumin
      infusion prevents rapid re-accumulation of ascitic fluid while simultaneously
      decreasing the risk of post-paracentesis related circulatory dysfunction.
      Additionally, albumin is utilized in patients with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) and
      spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Overall, albumin appears to be an
      effective pharmacological agent in the management of cirrhosis and its
      complications.

PMID- 28634519
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors of heart failure in the USA: NHANES 2013 - 2014
      epidemiological follow-up study.
AB  - Background: Heart Failure (HF) is a progressive epidemic associated with
      considerable morbidity and mortality. Self-reported data from the National Health
      and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) provides a unique representation of
      individuals suffering from HF. The purpose of this study is to analyze updated
      NHANES 2013-2014 data to identify any changes in the prevalence and current risk
      factors of HF, especially given the novel lifestyles and increased medical
      awareness of current generations. Methods: NHANES uses a multistage probability
      sampling design under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The
      Student's t-test and Chi-square test/ Fisher's exact test was used for analysis
      of variables. A multiple logistic regression model was used to identify
      statistically significant risk factors for HF. Analyses were performed with the
      use of SAS software, version 9.4. Results: Based on our analysis, the primary
      risk factor was coronary artery disease followed by hypertension, diabetes
      mellitus, age >= 65 years, and obesity. Conclusion: The findings revealed that
      despite improved population awareness and advancements in diagnostics and
      therapeutics, the same risk factors continue to persist. This provided an insight
      into the path towards which our resources need to be directed, so as to
      effectively tackle the aforementioned risk factors.

PMID- 28634520
TI  - Effect of heartfulness meditation on burnout, emotional wellness, and telomere
      length in health care professionals.
AB  - Background: Burnout poses significant challenges during training years in
      residency and later in the career. Meditation is a tool to treat stress-related
      conditions and promote wellness. Telomere length may be affected by burnout and
      stress. However, the benefits of meditation have not been fully demonstrated in
      health care professionals. Objective: We assessed the effects of a 12-week
      'Heartfulness Meditation' program on burnout, emotional wellness, and telomere
      length in residents, faculty members, and nurses at a large community teaching
      hospital during the 2015-16 academic year. Methods: All subjects completed a
      baseline Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Emotional Wellness Assessment (EWA)
      at the beginning of the study. Meditators received instructions in Heartfulness
      Meditation. At week 12, subjects completed a follow up MBI and EWA scores.
      Salivary telomere length was measured at baseline and week 12. Results: Twenty
      seven out of a total 155 residents (17.4%) along with eight faculty physicians
      and 12 nurses participated in the study. Thirty-five enrolled as meditators and
      12 as controls. At 12 weeks, the meditators had statistically significant
      improvement in all measures of burnout and in nearly all attributes of EWA.
      Controls showed no statistically significant changes in either burnout or
      emotional wellness scores. Relative telomere length increased with statistical
      significance in a younger subset of meditators. Conclusion: Our results indicate
      that meditation offers an accessible and efficient method by which physician and
      nurse burnout can be ameliorated and wellness can be enhanced. The increased
      telomere length is an interesting finding but needs to be confirmed with further
      research. Abbreviations: EWA: Emotional wellness assessment; MBI: Maslach burnout
      inventory; EE: Emotional exhaustion; DP: Depersonalization; PA: Personal
      accomplishment; PI: Prinicipal investigator; JT: Jayaram Thimmapuram.

PMID- 28634521
TI  - A review of echocardiograms in hypertensive patients greater than 60 years in a
      community based family medicine program.
AB  - Background: Heart disease as a result of Hypertension is known to occur.
      Anatomical and functional changes of the heart can easily be detected by
      echocardiography, which is a safe and readily available study. Objectives: The
      aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of common echocardiographic
      changes in chronic hypertensive patients and to compare these changes in male and
      female populations. Design/methods: The study was a community-based cross
      sectional study, on 227 hypertensive patients, 60 years and older, seen in St.
      Joseph's Family Medicine at Clifton, with integrated clinical and
      echocardiographic data. Results: Study population consisted of 227 hypertensive
      patients, over the age of 60 years who had echocardiography done. Overall 92.5%
      of the echocardiograms had abnormal findings including but not limited to TR,
      Diastolic dysfunction, MR, and LVH. There was significant difference between the
      rate of MR in male and female population. Conclusion: A variety of
      echocardiographic abnormalities can be found in hypertensive patients. Drug
      selection in hypertension should be driven by the underlying cardiac pathology.
      Certain drugs have more effectiveness for diastolic dysfunction, LVH, systolic
      dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension and are superior choices when these
      conditions are present. Echocardiogram is a non-invasive and easily available
      tool in order to help us to select the best treatment strategy to optimize
      hypertensive control in the challenging group of elderly patients. The results of
      our study should influence us to liberally use echocardiography in these patients
      to guide treatment decision and drug selection. Abbreviations: LVH: left
      ventricular hypertrophy; MR: mitral valve regurgitation; TR: tricuspidvalve
      regurgitation; LVD: left ventricular dilation; LVEF: left ventricular ejection
      fraction.

PMID- 28634522
TI  - Popliteal arterial thrombosis in nephrotic syndrome: a case report.
AB  - Thrombosis is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with
      nephrotic syndrome (NS). Though venous thromboses are common in NS, arterial
      thromboses are relatively rare. Commonly involved arteries include coronary,
      iliac, femoral, renal, cerebral, pulmonary, mesenteric, and axillary arteries,
      and the aorta. Arterial thromboses are associated with poor prognosis; treatment
      options are limited and patients may not always be amenable to treatment. We
      present the case of a 39-year-old female with NS who presented with thigh pain
      and was found to have sub-acute popliteal artery thrombosis.

PMID- 28634523
TI  - Mallory-Weiss tear after violent hiccups: a rare association.
AB  - We present an unusual case of a 44-year-old male who developed violent hiccups
      soon after a ureteroscopy for nephrolithiasis; later, the forceful hiccups were
      followed by hematemesis. Upper esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed Mallory-Weiss
      tears and esophageal erosions in the lower esophagus. Esophageal biopsy was
      unremarkable. The patient did not have a prior history of the gastrointestinal
      disorder. Although extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy has on rare occasion
      been implicated in the development of gastrointestinal erosions, no such
      correlation exists for ureteroscopy and upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the
      management of nephrolithiasis. It was the development of violent hiccups for
      several hours before the onset of hematemesis that likely led to the upper
      gastrointestinal bleed.

PMID- 28634524
TI  - A rare case of pylephlebitis after colonic polypectomy.
AB  - Pylephlebitis or infective suppurative thrombosis of the portal mesenteric venous
      system is an uncommon condition that can potentially be deadly if not recognized
      and treated early. Although most commonly associated with pancreatitis and
      diverticulitis, any intra-abdominal or pelvic infection occurring in the region
      drained by the portal venous system can cause this rare entity. We report a case
      of a 75-year-old woman who developed post polypectomy pylephlebitis following
      colonoscopy, a condition rarely reported in the literature.

PMID- 28634526
TI  - Concurrent babesiosis and serological evidence of Lyme disease in a young
      patient.
AB  - Human babesiosis co-infected with Lyme disease in a young patient is an important
      condition. Here, we describe a case of a 39-year-old male patient with concurrent
      babesiosis and Lyme disease. Co-infections of tick borne diseases are often
      difficult to diagnose and underreported, and resulting in significant morbidity
      and mortality to patients. While co-infections have been infrequently described,
      it is of paramount importance that clinicians should be able to diagnose early
      and treat them effectively according to the patient geographical area and history
      of tick bite.

PMID- 28634525
TI  - Pseudomembranous aspergillar tracheobronchitis in a non-neutropenic critically
      ill patient in the intensive care unit.
AB  - Invasive aspergillosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among
      immunocompromised patients. Prolonged neutropenia is the most common risk factor.
      It has rarely been reported to occur in non-neutropenic critically ill patients
      in the intensive care unit setting. Mortality rate in this group has been
      reported to be as high as 92%. We report a case of tracheobronchial aspergillosis
      in a non-neutropenic critically ill patient to highlight the fact that critically
      ill patients admitted in the intensive care unit can develop opportunistic
      infections such as invasive aspergillosis even in the absence of classic risk
      factors and prior history of immunosuppression. Early diagnosis and prompt
      initiation of antifungal therapy may improve the outcome and decrease mortality
      rate.

PMID- 28634527
TI  - An atypical presentation of a re-emerging disease.
AB  - Often referred to as 'The Great Mimicker', syphilis infections have been on the
      rise since 2000 including cases of primary and secondary syphilis where 19,999
      were reported in the USA in 2014. The increase in cases has led the USPSTF to
      recommend screening for syphilis infection in persons who are at increased risk
      of infection. Changes in screening and re-emergence of the disease necessitates
      review of the multitude of circumstances a patient can present for care.
      Immunocompetent patients begin to show classic symptoms within 10-90 days
      following infection with the spirochete. In the immunocompromised patient, the
      presenting symptoms are often atypical and more complex. With the rise in HIV
      infections, syphilitic infections have become increasingly common worldwide and
      several atypical presentations have been observed. The following case is an
      atypical presentation of syphilis involving both central and peripheral nervous
      system findings in a patient without significant medical history.

PMID- 28634528
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the ascending colon: two cases.
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the colon without known primary source is a rare
      finding that needs aggressive management. We report two cases of SCC of the colon
      without any clear extra-colonic source despite extensive workup. In our
      experience, the clinical course and prognosis are largely dependent on the
      presence of metastatic disease at diagnosis. The main treatment is surgery, with
      chemotherapy having less defined role.

PMID- 28634529
TI  - Duodenal diverticulum: incidental finding with potentially dangerous outcomes.
AB  - We present the case of an 83-year-old woman with a past medical history
      significant for schizoaffective disorder, presenting to our emergency department
      with the complaint of 'pain'. Given the non-specific complaint and the limited
      history obtained, CT imaging was performed on her chest and abdomen which
      incidentally found a large duodenal diverticulum. This manuscript discusses the
      incidence of duodenal diverticula and the potential associated complications.

PMID- 28634530
TI  - The role of medical education in the development of the scientific practice of
      medicine.
AB  - The authors describe the important role of medical schools and graduate medical
      education programs (residencies) in relationship to the advances in Medicine
      witnessed during the twentieth century; diagnosis, prognosis and treatment were
      revolutionized. This historical essay details the evolution of the education
      system and the successful struggle to introduce a uniform, science-based
      curriculum and bedside education. The result was successive generations of
      soundly educated physicians prepared with a broad knowledge in science, an
      understanding of laboratory methods and the ability to practice medicine at the
      bedside. These changes in medical education created a foundation for the
      advancement of medicine.

PMID- 28634531
TI  - Smallpox vaccination: an early start of modern medicine in America.
AB  - Smallpox was eradicated by the World Health Organization in 1980. Before its
      eradication thedisease had a mortality rate upwards of 50% and had a significant
      impact on society. During theAmerican Revolutionary war, smallpox outbreaks were
      impeding the American war effort until1777 when George Washington carried out a
      mass inoculation campaign in the ContinentalArmy that reduced the mortality from
      smallpox to less than 2%. Inoculation was an early formof vaccination that used
      live virus from active pustules to induce a milder, but still sometimesdeadly,
      case of disease. Washington has been credited with helping to ease the burden
      ofsmallpox on the Army which improved the odds of success against the British.
      When EdwardJenner's vaccine reached America it was more readily accepted by
      political and medical leadersdue the success of Washington's inoculation
      campaign. The Founding Fathers argued thatsmallpox vaccination was the greatest
      discovery in modern medicine and they were likely correctthat it helped to usher
      in the modern era of vaccinology.

PMID- 28634533
TI  - A study to evaluate the prevalence of impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia in
      adults with type 2 diabetes in outpatient clinic in a tertiary care centre in
      Singapore.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia (IAH) predisposes affected
      patients to severe hypoglycaemia. There are few data on prevalence of IAH in
      adults with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in Asia. We aim to ascertain the
      prevalence of IAH among insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes in an
      outpatient clinic in a tertiary care centre in Singapore. METHODS: A total of 374
      patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes attending the outpatient diabetes
      clinic in a tertiary referral centre in Singapore were recruited over a 4-month
      period. Participants completed a questionnaire to document baseline
      characteristics and assess their hypoglycaemia awareness status, using a
      combination of the Clarke, Gold and Pedersen-Bjergaard methods. RESULTS: Using
      the Clarke, Gold and Pedersen-Bjergaard methods, prevalence of IAH in our cohort
      was 9.6%, 13.4% and 33.2% respectively. Overall, 7.2% of participants suffered
      from severe hypoglycaemia in the preceding year. The IAH group had more episodes
      of severe hypoglycaemia across all three methods, compared with the normal
      awareness group (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in mean HbA1c,
      duration of diabetes and insulin treatment between the IAH and normal awareness
      groups. CONCLUSIONS: IAH is prevalent in adults with insulin-treated type 2
      diabetes in Asia, and is associated with significantly increased risk of severe
      hypoglycaemia.

PMID- 28634534
TI  - Etiological factors of short stature in children and adolescents: experience at a
      tertiary care hospital in Egypt.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accurate anthropometric measurements and critical analysis of growth
      data allow the clinician to promptly recognize children with short stature. The
      aim of this study was to determine the frequency of etiological factors causing
      short stature among children referred to the pediatric endocrinology clinic of
      Assiut University Children's Hospital, the main tertiary care center in Upper
      Egypt. METHODS: We conducted this descriptive observational study from May 2012
      to December 2015, to analyze 637 children (boys 354, girls 283) with short
      stature. Evaluation included: detailed medical history, physical examination,
      laboratory tests, bone age and chromosomal analysis. RESULTS: Endocrinological
      causes accounted for 26% of short stature [of them, 11.8% had growth hormone
      deficiency (GHD)], 63.6% had normal variants of growth [of them, 42% had familial
      short stature (FSS), 15.8% had constitutional growth delay (CGD) and 5.5% a
      combination of both]. Interestingly, celiac disease (CD) constituted 6.6% of
      children with short stature in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Although potentially
      treatable causes such as GHD, hypothyroidism and CD accounted for a considerable
      percentage of short stature in our study, the majority of short stature in
      children had normal variations of growth. Growth hormone treatment in children,
      however, should be promptly initiated with specific clinical indications. CD is a
      not uncommon cause of short stature.

PMID- 28634532
TI  - Cellularizing hydrogel-based scaffolds to repair bone tissue: How to create a
      physiologically relevant micro-environment?
AB  - Tissue engineering is a promising alternative to autografts or allografts for the
      regeneration of large bone defects. Cell-free biomaterials with different degrees
      of sophistication can be used for several therapeutic indications, to stimulate
      bone repair by the host tissue. However, when osteoprogenitors are not available
      in the damaged tissue, exogenous cells with an osteoblast differentiation
      potential must be provided. These cells should have the capacity to colonize the
      defect and to participate in the building of new bone tissue. To achieve this
      goal, cells must survive, remain in the defect site, eventually proliferate, and
      differentiate into mature osteoblasts. A critical issue for these engrafted cells
      is to be fed by oxygen and nutrients: the transient absence of a vascular network
      upon implantation is a major challenge for cells to survive in the site of
      implantation, and different strategies can be followed to promote cell survival
      under poor oxygen and nutrient supply and to promote rapid vascularization of the
      defect area. These strategies involve the use of scaffolds designed to create the
      appropriate micro-environment for cells to survive, proliferate, and
      differentiate in vitro and in vivo. Hydrogels are an eclectic class of materials
      that can be easily cellularized and provide effective, minimally invasive
      approaches to fill bone defects and favor bone tissue regeneration. Furthermore,
      by playing on their composition and processing, it is possible to obtain
      biocompatible systems with adequate chemical, biological, and mechanical
      properties. However, only a good combination of scaffold and cells, possibly with
      the aid of incorporated growth factors, can lead to successful results in bone
      regeneration. This review presents the strategies used to design cellularized
      hydrogel-based systems for bone regeneration, identifying the key parameters of
      the many different micro-environments created within hydrogels.

PMID- 28634535
TI  - Effectiveness and safety of daptomycin in patients with infective endocarditis
      undergoing heart valve replacement: a subgroup analysis from real-world data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: European Cubicin(r) Outcomes Registry and Experience (EU-CORE) was a
      retrospective, non-interventional, multicenter registry that collected real-world
      clinical outcomes following daptomycin use for the treatment of Gram-positive
      infections. EU-CORE data from patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who
      underwent heart valve replacement were analysed. METHODS: Clinical outcomes were
      assessed as success (cured or improved), failure, or non-evaluable. Adverse
      events (AEs) were recorded for up to 30 days after daptomycin treatment. RESULTS:
      Of 610 patients with IE, 198 [32.5%; left-sided IE (LIE), 166 (83.8%); right
      sided IE (RIE), 21 (10.6%); both LIE and RIE, 11 (5.6%)] underwent heart valve
      replacement. Other than cardiovascular disease, renal disease (18.2%), sepsis
      (16.2%), and diabetes mellitus (15.2%) were the most significant underlying
      diseases. Major pathogens in patients with positive culture results (68.0%) were
      Staphylococcus aureus [36.8%; methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), 12.8%] and
      coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS; 31.6%). Daptomycin treatment [median
      duration (range), 21 days (1-112)] resulted in high clinical success in patients
      with S. aureus (88.4%; MRSA, 80.0%) and CoNS (81.1%) infections, with an overall
      success rate of 83.3%. Clinical success rate was high (90.0%) in patients who
      received daptomycin dose >6 mg/kg/day. Overall clinical success rate in patients
      followed for up to 2 years was 90.7%. AEs and serious AEs possibly related to
      daptomycin were reported in 6 (3.0%) and 4 (2.0%) patients, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Daptomycin treatment was effective and well tolerated with a
      sustained response in patients with IE who underwent heart valve surgery. A trend
      towards better clinical outcomes was observed with higher daptomycin doses.

PMID- 28634537
TI  - A meta-analysis of antibacterial envelope use in prevention of cardiovascular
      implantable electronic device infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection has been a
      major clinical problem in addition to being a major financial burden. In spite of
      antimicrobial prophylaxis, CIED infection rates have been increasing
      disproportionately. We therefore conducted this meta-analysis to assess the role
      of TYRX antibiotic envelope for the prevention of CIED infection. METHODS: Using
      extensive online search, we conducted a meta-analysis of studies reporting CIED
      infections with versus without the use of TYRX antibiotic envelope. A random
      effect model was used, and between studies heterogeneity was estimated with I2.
      All analyses were performed with RevMan (version 5.0.20). RESULTS: Five cohort
      studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio (OR) of
      included studies was 0.29 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09-0.94; p < 0.004].
      There was evidence of heterogeneity with I2 of 58%. There was also evidence of
      publication bias on funnel plot analysis. On sensitivity analysis, no
      statistically significant difference was noted when stratified by study design or
      duration of follow-up. CONCLUSION: The results of our study demonstrate a
      significant beneficial effect of TYRX antibiotic envelope for the prevention of
      CIED infections.

PMID- 28634536
TI  - Telavancin: a novel semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide agent to counter the challenge
      of resistant Gram-positive pathogens.
AB  - Telavancin (TD-6424), a semisynthetic lipoglycopeptide vancomycin-derivative, is
      a novel antimicrobial agent developed by Theravance for overcoming resistant Gram
      positive bacterial infections, specifically methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus (MRSA). The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had approved
      telavancin in 2009 for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure
      infections (cSSSIs) caused by Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA (S. aureus,
      Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus anginosus group,
      or Enterococcus faecalis). Telavancin has two proposed mechanisms of action. In
      vitro, telavancin has a rapid, concentration-dependent bactericidal effect, due
      to disruption of cell membrane integrity. Telavancin has demonstrable in vitro
      activity against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria. Telavancin and
      vancomycin have similar spectra of activity. Gram-negative bacteria are usually
      non-susceptible to telavancin. Telavancin has been successfully tested in various
      animal models of bacteremia, endocarditis, meningitis, and pneumonia. Phase II
      Telavancin versus Standard Therapy for Treatment of Complicated Skin and Soft
      Tissue Infections due to Gram-Positive Bacteria (FAST 1 and FAST 2) and phase III
      [Assessment of Telavancin in Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections 1
      (ATLAS 1 and ATLAS 2)] clinical trials have been conducted for evaluating
      telavancin's efficacy and safety in cSSSIs. Phase III clinical trials have been
      carried out for evaluating telavancin's safety and efficacy in nosocomial
      pneumonia [Assessment of Telavancin for Treatment of Hospital acquired Pneumonia
      1 and 2 (ATTAIN 1 and ATTAIN 2)]. A phase II randomized, double-blind, clinical
      trial has been carried out for evaluating telavancin's safety and efficacy in
      uncomplicated S. aureus bacteremia [Telavancin for Treatment of Uncomplicated S.
      aureus Bacteremia (ASSURE)]. Pacemaker lead-related infective endocarditis due to
      a vancomycin intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strain (non-daptomycin susceptible)
      was successfully treated with parenteral telavancin for 8 weeks. Telavancin
      extensively binds to serum albumin (~93%) and has a relatively small volume of
      distribution. Telavancin is not biotransformed by any cytochrome P450 microsomal
      enzymes and excreted mainly in the urine. Though well-tolerated, worrisome
      adverse effects, including renal dysfunction and QTc prolongation are of
      potential concern. Given its extensive binding to plasma proteins, long half
      life, and a long post-antibiotic effect, it represents a promising addition to
      the therapeutic armamentarium in combating infections caused by resistant Gram
      positive pathogens, namely, MRSA.

PMID- 28634538
TI  - Prevalence and clinical impact of vitamin D deficiency on abdominal tuberculosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vitamin D is recognised to have multiple actions, including role in
      immune modulation. The prevalence and impact of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in
      abdominal tuberculosis is unknown. METHODS: We report the prevalence and clinical
      impact of VDD in patients with abdominal tuberculosis. The patients were divided
      into two groups: VDD (<20 ng/ml) or vitamin D sufficient (VDS) (?20 ng/ml).
      Groups were compared for extent (abdominal alone or extra-abdominal also) of
      disease and pattern of involvement (intestinal, peritoneal or both) and
      inflammatory response [serum C-reactive protein (CRP)]. RESULTS: Of 63 patients,
      53 had complete data (mean age: 36.3 +/- 14.43, 31 males). Fourty-five (84.9%)
      patients had VDD and mean VD levels were 11.1 +/- 10.1 ng/ml. Of 8 patients with
      VDS, 1 (12.5%) had extra-abdominal involvement while 13 (28.9%) with VDD had
      extra-abdominal involvement (p = 0.066). The mean CRP in patients with VDD was
      42.9 +/- 34.9 mg/dl vis-a-vis 105.38 +/- 64.8 in VDS (p ? 0.05). All seven
      patients with both intestinal and peritoneal involvement had VDD. CONCLUSION: VDD
      is common in abdominal tuberculosis and may be associated with more extensive
      involvement albeit a reduced inflammatory response.

PMID- 28634539
TI  - Using mHealth technologies to improve the identification of behavioral health
      problems in urban primary care settings.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Behavioral health disorders remain under recognized and under
      diagnosed among urban primary care patients. Screening patients for such problems
      is widely recommended, yet is challenging to do in a brief primary care
      encounter, particularly for this socially and medically complex patient
      population. METHODS: In 2013, intervention patients at an urban Connecticut
      primary clinic were screened for post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and
      risky drinking (n = 146) using an electronic tablet-based screening tool.
      Screening data were compared to electronic health record data from control
      patients (n = 129) to assess differences in the prevalence of behavioral health
      problems, rates of follow-up care, and the rate of newly identified cases in the
      intervention group. RESULTS: Results from logistic regressions indicated that
      both groups had similar rates of disorder at baseline. Patients in the
      intervention group were five times more likely to be identified with depression
      (p < 0.05). Post-traumatic stress disorder was virtually unrecognized among
      controls but was observed in 23% of the intervention group (p < 0.001). The vast
      majority of behavioral health problems identified in the intervention group were
      new cases. Follow-up rates were significantly higher in the intervention group
      relative to controls, but were low overall. CONCLUSION: This tablet-based
      electronic screening tool identified significantly higher rates of behavioral
      health disorders than have been previously reported for this patient population.
      Electronic risk screening using patient-reported outcome measures offers an
      efficient approach to improving the identification of behavioral health problems
      and improving rates of follow-up care.

PMID- 28634540
TI  - Improvement of walking ability during postoperative rehabilitation with the
      hybrid assistive limb after total knee arthroplasty: A randomized controlled
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the efficacies of rehabilitation with the hybrid
      assistive limb and conventional rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 37 consecutive patients who underwent primary
      total knee arthroplasty for knee osteoarthritis were enrolled. Seven patients
      withdrew from the study after randomization, and 30 patients (hybrid assistive
      limb group: n = 16; conventional group: n = 14) completed the randomized
      controlled trial. Patients in the hybrid assistive limb group underwent ten 20
      min rehabilitation sessions with the hybrid assistive limb as well as 20-min
      conventional sessions over the course of 2 weeks, whereas patients in the
      conventional group received ten 40-min conventional sessions during the same
      period. The primary outcome measure was walking speed, whereas the secondary
      outcome measures included quadriceps strength and knee pain assessed using a
      numerical rating scale. The outcome measures were evaluated prior to surgery and
      on postoperative weeks 1, 2, and 3. RESULTS: In the early postoperative period,
      rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty with the hybrid assistive limb
      resulted in a significantly greater improvement in walking speed (weeks 1 and 2:
      p = 0.045), quadriceps strength (weeks 1 and 2; weeks 1 and 3: p < 0.0001), and
      numerical rating scale scores (week 1: p = 0.03) than conventional
      rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitation with the hybrid assistive limb after
      total knee arthroplasty led to greater improvements in walking speed, quadriceps
      strength, and pain scores than conventional rehabilitation.

PMID- 28634541
TI  - Campylobacter jejuni myocarditis: A journey from the gut to the heart.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Campylobacter jejuni is an unusual cause of myocarditis and could
      easily be missed. METHODS: We describe a case of a 25 year old man, who presented
      with 3 day history of vomiting and diarrhoea, followed by chest pain and
      significant high sensitive troponin rise. RESULTS: The patient's profuse
      diarrhoea was accompanied by raised inflammatory markers, electrocardiogram
      changes and evidence of cardiomyopathy on transthoracic echocardiogram. Various
      aetiological viral serologies which were tested for came back negative. However,
      stool culture was positive for the bacteria, Campylobacter jejuni. He was
      successfully treated with antibiotics and made an uneventful recovery.
      CONCLUSIONS: Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis has a worldwide prevalence.
      Therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial when this organism is
      implicated in myocarditis.

PMID- 28634542
TI  - Angioedema: Perioperative management.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the perioperative management of a patient with acquired
      angioedema (AAE). METHODS: A 66-year-old Caucasian male presented from an outside
      hospital with a history of acquired angioedema and gastrointestinal stromal tumor
      related intractable urticaria and mastocytosis. He was admitted for urgent
      laparoscopic partial gastrectomy, secondary to gastric outlet obstruction
      symptomatology. Previous combined attacks were characterized by a widespread
      rash, abdominal pain and respiratory distress resulting in hospitalization.
      Following preoperative consultation with the patient's allergist and a hospital
      pharmacist, he was treated preoperatively with fresh frozen plasma and his home
      prednisone dose. C1-inhibitor (Berinert(r)) was on standby along with
      epinephrine, given that the underlying etiology (C1- inhibitor deficiency vs
      histaminergic) was not known. RESULTS: There were no intraoperative
      complications, and the patient was discharged home 3 days after the procedure.
      CONCLUSIONS: Optimization of perioperative outcomes in patients, especially
      during urgent or emergent surgery, with a history of angioedema requires the
      development of a patient-specific perioperative plan, including prophylaxis,
      rescue therapies and opioid-sparing strategies.

PMID- 28634543
TI  - Cannabis and cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis: The role of gender.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is
      associated with gender differences and the use of smoked/ingested cannabis.
      OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to explore a possible gender-cannabis
      interaction associated with cognitive dysfunction in PwMS. METHODS: A
      retrospective analysis was undertaken of cognitive data collected from 140 PwMS.
      A general linear model was conducted to determine gender and cannabis effects on
      processing speed (SDMT), verbal (CVLT-II) and visual (BVMT-R) memory, and
      executive functions (D-KEFS), while controlling for age and years of education.
      RESULTS: Cannabis was smoked at least once a month by 33 (23.6%) participants.
      Cannabis users were more impaired on the SDMT (p = 0.044). Men, who comprised
      30.7% of the entire sample and 42.2% of cannabis users, were more impaired on the
      CVLT-II (total learning, p = 0.001; delayed recall, p = 0.004). A cannabis-gender
      interaction was found with the CVLT-II delayed recall (p = 0.049) and BVMT-R
      total learning (p = 0.014), where male cannabis users performed more poorly than
      female. CONCLUSION: Males with MS may be particularly vulnerable to the cognitive
      side effects of smoked cannabis use.

PMID- 28634544
TI  - Efficacy of Subconjunctival Bevacizumab Injections before and after Surgical
      Excision in Preventing Pterygium Recurrence.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of subconjunctival bevacizumab injections,
      before and after surgical excision with bare sclera technique, in preventing
      postoperative pterygium recurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 83 eyes of 83 patients
      affected with primary pterygia underwent surgical excision. 42 eyes received two
      subconjunctival bevacizumab injections, at the dosage of 2.5 mg/0.1 ml, one week
      prior surgery and one week after intervention. Recurrence rate was evaluated
      among the two groups. Moreover, modifications of pterygium size and grade one
      week after the first injection were evaluated. RESULTS: At 6 months after
      surgery, the recurrence rate was 7.14% in the bevacizumab group and 24.39% in the
      control group. Significant changes of pterygium size and grade were reported
      after the first injection. No important complications related to bevacizumab
      subconjunctival injections were registered. CONCLUSIONS: The application of
      subconjunctival bevacizumab injections, at the dosage of 2.5 mg/0.1 ml, before
      and after surgical pterygium excision, may be useful in preventing lesion
      recurrence after bare scleral procedures. Furthermore, bevacizumab
      subconjunctival administration is well tolerated and may represent a safer
      alternative if compared with other surgical techniques and adjunctive drugs. This
      trial is retrospectively registered with ISRCTN Registry on 18 April 2017, TRN:
      ISRCTN11424742.

PMID- 28634545
TI  - Herbal and Alternative Medicine Use in Tanzanian Adults Admitted with
      Hypertension-Related Diseases: A Mixed-Methods Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypertension is increasingly common in sub-Saharan Africa where
      traditional medicine use is also common. We conducted a hospital-based, mixed
      methods study to determine prevalence, pattern, and correlates of herbal and
      alternative medicine use in Tanzanian adults hospitalized with hypertension.
      METHODS: A standardized questionnaire was administered. In-depth interviews were
      performed on a subset of participants. Factors associated with herbal medicine
      use were determined by logistic regression. The association between traditional
      medicine uses and allopathic medication adherence was determined using ordinal
      logistic regression. Qualitative data were analyzed according to grounded theory.
      RESULTS: Of 213 adults enrolled, 52 (24.4%) reported using herbs during the
      previous month and 47 (22.1%) reported concurrent use of herbs and allopathic
      medicines. Lower educational level, nonprofessional employment, and lack of
      health insurance were significantly associated with herbal medicine use.
      Alternative medicines use was not associated with lower medication adherence.
      Qualitative interviews identified several important themes including reasons for
      herbal medicine use. CONCLUSION: The use of traditional medicines is very common
      among patients with hypertension. Adults from low socioeconomic status, those
      with misunderstandings about hypertension, and those without health insurance
      were more likely to take herbs. Open, nonjudgmental communication between
      healthcare workers and patients regarding use of traditional medicines must be
      encouraged in Africa.

PMID- 28634546
TI  - Low Hemoglobin among Pregnant Women in Midwives Practice of Primary Health Care,
      Jatinangor, Indonesia: Iron Deficiency Anemia or beta-Thalassemia Trait?
AB  - Low hemoglobin (Hb) or anemia is common among pregnant women in developing
      countries which may cause adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal deaths. Our
      study aimed to assess Hb level measured by midwives in primary health care
      facility at rural area of Jatinangor, Indonesia, and to explore whether the
      anemia was due to iron deficiency (IDA) or beta-thalassemia trait (beta-TT).
      Pregnant women (n = 105) had finger prick test for Hb level during a regular
      antenatal care examination from October to November 2016. Hb level by finger
      prick test was compared with venous blood, measured by complete blood count
      (CBC). Indices including MCV and MCH and indices of Shine & Lal, Mentzer,
      Srivastava, Engels & Frase, Ehsani, and Sirdah were analyzed to differentiate
      anemia due to IDA and anemia due to suspect beta-TT. HbA2 was measured to confirm
      beta-TT. Anemic pregnant women were found in 86.7% by finger prick test compared
      to 21.9% (n = 23) by CBC. The prevalence of beta-TT in our study was 5.7%. Hb
      measurement among pregnant women in low resource area is highly important;
      however, finger prick test in this study showed a high frequency of anemia which
      may lead to iron oversupplementation. A standard CBC is encouraged; MCV and MCH
      would help midwives to identify beta-TT.

PMID- 28634547
TI  - Kinesiophobia, Pain, Muscle Functions, and Functional Performances among Older
      Persons with Low Back Pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aims (1) to determine the association between
      kinesiophobia and pain, muscle functions, and functional performances and (2) to
      determine whether kinesiophobia predicts pain, muscle functions, and functional
      performance among older persons with low back pain (LBP). METHODS: This is a
      correlational study, involving 63 institutionalized older persons (age = 70.98 +/
      7.90 years) diagnosed with LBP. Anthropometric characteristics (BMI) and
      functional performances (lower limb function, balance and mobility, and hand grip
      strength) were measured. Muscle strength (abdominal and back muscle strength) was
      assessed using the Baseline(r) Mechanical Push/Pull Dynamometer, while muscle
      control (transverse abdominus and multifidus) was measured by using the Pressure
      Biofeedback Unit. The pain intensity and the level of kinesiophobia were measured
      using Numerical Rating Scale and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, respectively. Data
      were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients and multivariate linear
      regressions. RESULTS: No significant correlations were found between
      kinesiophobia and pain and muscle functions (all p > 0.05). Kinesiophobia was
      significantly correlated with mobility and balance (p = 0.038, r = 0.263).
      Regressions analysis showed that kinesiophobia was a significant predictor of
      mobility and balance (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: We can conclude that kinesiophobia
      predicted mobility and balance in older persons with LBP. Kinesiophobia should be
      continuously assessed in clinical settings to recognize the obstacles that may
      affect patient's compliance towards a rehabilitation program in older persons
      with LBP.

PMID- 28634548
TI  - Decline in Memory, Visuospatial Ability, and Crystalized Cognitive Abilities in
      Older Adults: Normative Aging or Terminal Decline?
AB  - The aim of this study is to explore the pattern of change in multiple measures of
      cognitive abilities in a sample of oldest-old adults, comparing two different
      time metrics (chronological age and time to death) and therefore examining both
      underlying conceptual assumptions (age-related change and terminal decline).
      Moreover, the association with individual characteristics as sex, education, and
      dementia diagnosis was also examined. Measures of cognitive status (Mini-Mental
      State Examination and the Swedish Clock Test) and tests of crystallized
      (knowledge and synonyms), memory (verbal memory, nonverbal long-term memory,
      recognition and correspondence, and short-term memory), and visuospatial ability
      were included. The sample consisted of 671 older Swedish adult participants of
      the OCTO Twin Study. Linear mixed models with random coefficients were used to
      analyse change patterns and BIC indexes were used to compare models. Results
      showed that the time to death model was the best option in analyses of change in
      all the cognitive measures considered (except for the Information Test). A
      significant cognitive decline over time was found for all variables. Individuals
      diagnosed with dementia had lower scores at the study entrance and a faster
      decline. More educated individuals performed better in all the measures of
      cognition at study entry than those with poorer education, but no differences
      were found in the rate of change. Differences were found in age, sex, or time to
      death at baseline across the different measures. These results support the
      terminal decline hypothesis when compared to models assuming that cognitive
      changes are driven by normative aging processes.

PMID- 28634549
TI  - A Qualitative Study of Quality of Life Concerns following a Melanoma Diagnosis.
AB  - The goal of this study was to identify a relevant and inclusive list of quality
      of life issues among long-term survivors of melanoma. Individuals diagnosed with
      stage I-III cutaneous melanoma and had survived 1-5 years, ages 18-65 years at
      diagnosis, were recruited. Five focus groups were conducted with 33 participants
      in total. Discussions centered on participants' experiences at diagnosis, as well
      as ongoing physical, emotional, and social concerns, and behavioral changes since
      diagnosis. The majority of participants reported shock, fear, and feeling
      overwhelmed at the time of diagnosis. Some reported lingering physical concerns,
      including pain, numbness, and lymphedema, while a few reported no lasting issues.
      Emotional concerns were common, with most reporting anxiety. Several also noted
      feeling lonely and isolated. Social concerns included alteration of activities to
      avoid sun exposure, issues with family communication, and frustration with the
      lack of appreciation of the seriousness of melanoma by others. Finally, while
      many participants reported changes to their sun exposure and UV-protection
      behaviors, some reported little to no change. The shared experiences among
      participants in this study confirm the unique nature of melanoma and the need for
      interventions designed to improve the health and quality of life of melanoma
      survivors.

PMID- 28634550
TI  - Sortilin-Related Receptor Expression in Human Neural Stem Cells Derived from
      Alzheimer's Disease Patients Carrying the APOE Epsilon 4 Allele.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly;
      important risk factors are old age and inheritance of the apolipoprotein E4
      (APOE4) allele. Changes in amyloid precursor protein (APP) binding, trafficking,
      and sorting may be important AD causative factors. Secretase-mediated APP
      cleavage produces neurotoxic amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptides, which form lethal
      deposits in the brain. In vivo and in vitro studies have implicated sortilin
      related receptor (SORL1) as an important factor in APP trafficking and
      processing. Recent in vitro evidence has associated the APOE4 allele and
      alterations in the SORL1 pathway with AD development and progression. Here, we
      analyzed SORL1 expression in neural stem cells (NSCs) from AD patients carrying
      null, one, or two copies of the APOE4 allele. We show reduced SORL1 expression
      only in NSCs of a patient carrying two copies of APOE4 allele with increased
      Abeta/SORL1 localization along the degenerated neurites. Interestingly, SORL1
      binding to APP was largely compromised; this could be almost completely reversed
      by gamma-secretase (but not beta-secretase) inhibitor treatment. These findings
      may yield new insights into the complex interplay of SORL1 and AD pathology and
      point to NSCs as a valuable tool to address unsolved AD-related questions in
      vitro.

PMID- 28634551
TI  - Mechanisms and Consequences of Dopamine Depletion-Induced Attenuation of the
      Spinophilin/Neurofilament Medium Interaction.
AB  - Signaling changes that occur in the striatum following the loss of dopamine
      neurons in the Parkinson disease (PD) are poorly understood. While increases in
      the activity of kinases and decreases in the activity of phosphatases have been
      observed, the specific consequences of these changes are less well understood.
      Phosphatases, such as protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), are highly promiscuous and
      obtain substrate selectivity via targeting proteins. Spinophilin is the major PP1
      targeting protein enriched in the postsynaptic density of striatal dendritic
      spines. Spinophilin association with PP1 is increased concurrent with decreases
      in PP1 activity in an animal model of PD. Using proteomic-based approaches, we
      observed dopamine depletion-induced decreases in spinophilin binding to multiple
      protein classes in the striatum. Specifically, there was a decrease in the
      association of spinophilin with neurofilament medium (NF-M) in dopamine-depleted
      striatum. Using a heterologous cell line, we determined that spinophilin binding
      to NF-M required overexpression of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A and
      was decreased by cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5. Functionally, we demonstrate
      that spinophilin can decrease NF-M phosphorylation. Our data determine mechanisms
      that regulate, and putative consequences of, pathological changes in the
      association of spinophilin with NF-M that are observed in animal models of PD.

PMID- 28634553
TI  - Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with Infective Endocarditis Presented with Unusual
      Intracardiac Mass.
AB  - Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a systemic disease that is presented with
      different symptoms and signs. Cardiac manifestation is rare in ALL, but it is
      very important and needs appropriate management. It usually presents as leukemic
      myocardial infiltration and in the presence of cardiac mass comprehensive
      evaluation for other etiologies is mandatory. We reported on a 6-year-old boy in
      remission phase of ALL and large cardiac mass in the right atrium with obscure
      early symptoms and signs, in whom infective endocarditis (IE) was diagnosed and
      appropriate medical treatment was performed. Because the mass was sustained,
      surgical resection was considered for the patient.

PMID- 28634554
TI  - False Positive Transit Time Flowmetry Graft Failure in Multivessel Coronary Spasm
      following Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.
AB  - Intraoperative Transit Time Flowmetry is currently recommended to assess graft
      patency during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), especially in presence of
      haemodynamic instability or inability to wean the patient from cardiopulmonary
      bypass, new regional wall motion abnormalities, or significant ventricular
      arrhythmias. The VeriQTM system is one of the currently available systems, which
      detects imperfections that may be corrected by graft revision. In this case
      report, multivessel coronary spasm (CS) post-CABG interferes with these
      intraoperative parameters misleading initially into false results. Cardiac
      surgeons should bear in mind the limit of VeriQ in distinguishing between graft
      failure and CS. Angiography may be considered in patients with decreased graft
      flow despite revision of anastomosis and vasodilatory treatment for the
      definitive diagnosis.

PMID- 28634552
TI  - Inherited Paediatric Motor Neuron Disorders: Beyond Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
AB  - Paediatric motor neuron diseases encompass a group of neurodegenerative diseases
      characterised by the onset of muscle weakness and atrophy before the age of 18
      years, attributable to motor neuron loss across various neuronal networks in the
      brain and spinal cord. While the genetic underpinnings are diverse, advances in
      next generation sequencing have transformed diagnostic paradigms. This has
      reinforced the clinical phenotyping and molecular genetic expertise required to
      navigate the complexities of such diagnoses. In turn, improved genetic technology
      and subsequent gene identification have enabled further insights into the
      mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration and how these diseases form part of a
      neurodegenerative disorder spectrum. Common pathophysiologies include
      abnormalities in axonal architecture and function, RNA processing, and protein
      quality control. This review incorporates an overview of the clinical
      manifestations, genetics, and pathophysiology of inherited paediatric motor
      neuron disorders beyond classic SMN1-related spinal muscular atrophy and
      describes recent advances in next generation sequencing and its clinical
      application. Specific disease-modifying treatment is becoming a clinical reality
      in some disorders of the motor neuron highlighting the importance of a timely and
      specific diagnosis.

PMID- 28634555
TI  - A Rare Case of Pneumopericardium in the Setting of Tuberculous Constrictive
      Pericarditis.
AB  - A 28-year-old Filipino male was admitted due to high-grade fevers and dyspnea on
      a background of chronic cough and weight loss. Due to clinical and
      echocardiographic signs of cardiac tamponade, emergency pericardiocentesis was
      performed on his first hospital day. Five days after, chest radiographs showed
      new pockets of radiolucency within the cardiac shadow, indicative of
      pneumopericardium. On repeat echo, air microbubbles admixed with loculated
      effusion were visualized in the anterior pericardial space. Constrictive
      physiology was also supported by a thickened pericardium, septal bounce,
      exaggerated respiratory variation in AV valve inflow, and IVC plethora. A chest
      CT scan confirmed the presence of an air-fluid level within the pericardial sac.
      The patient was started on a quadruple antituberculosis regimen and IV
      piperacillin-tazobactam to cover for superimposed acute bacterial pericarditis.
      Pericardiectomy was performed as definitive management, with stripped pericardium
      measuring 5-7 mm thick and caseous material extracted from the pericardial sac.
      Histopathology was consistent with tuberculosis. This report highlights
      pneumopericardium as a rare complication of pericardiocentesis. We focused on the
      utility of echocardiography for diagnosing and monitoring this condition on a
      background of tuberculous constrictive pericarditis, ultimately convincing us
      that pericardiectomy was necessary, instead of the usual conservative measures
      for pneumopericardium.

PMID- 28634556
TI  - Central Venous Line Insertion Revealing Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous
      Return: Diagnosis and Management.
AB  - Central venous line malposition is a well-known complication of line insertion.
      Rarely, it can be mal-positioned in an anomalous pulmonary vein. We present an
      unusual case of a 56-year-old woman that was found to have partial anomalous
      pulmonary venous return on central venous line insertion. In this report, we
      describe a systematic approach to diagnosis and management of this unusual
      situation.

PMID- 28634557
TI  - Dental Management of a Child with Incidentally Detected Hemophilia: Report of a
      Clinical Case.
AB  - Children with hemophilia (A or B) are at risk for bleeding episodes, which rank
      from mild mucosal/soft tissues bleeding to life-threatening hemorrhages. This
      report describes the dental/medical management provided to an 8.10-year-old
      patient suffering from uncontrolled bleeding after a surgical procedure to expose
      both permanent upper central incisors, in which hemophilia was a pure incidental
      finding. Additionally, diverse precautions to be considered during the dental
      clinical treatment of hemophilic children are discussed.

PMID- 28634559
TI  - Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma with Marked Lymphatic Involvement: A Report of Two
      Autopsy Cases.
AB  - We herein report two cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma with marked
      lymphangiosis. The patients included a 68-year-old man and a 67-year-old man who
      both had a history of exposure to asbestos. Computed tomography (CT) on admission
      showed pleural effusion with pleural thickening. In both cases, a
      histopathological examination of the pleura confirmed the diagnosis of
      epithelioid malignant mesothelioma. They received chemotherapy, but the treatment
      was only palliative. The chest CT assessments during admission revealed marked
      pleural effusion and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. CT also showed a consolidative
      mass with bronchovascular bundle and septal thickening in the lungs suggesting
      pulmonary parenchymal involvement and the lymphangitic spread of the tumor. These
      CT findings mimicked lung cancer with pleuritis and lymphangitic carcinomatosis.
      Autopsy was performed in both cases. Macroscopically, the tumor cells infiltrated
      the lung with the marked lymphatic spread of the tumor. Microscopy also revealed
      that the tumor had invaded the pulmonary parenchyma with the marked lymphatic
      spread of the tumor. Although this growth pattern is unusual, malignant pleural
      mesothelioma should be considered as the differential diagnosis, especially in
      patients with pleural lesions.

PMID- 28634558
TI  - Plesiomonas shigelloides: An Unusual Cause of Septic Abortion.
AB  - Plesiomonas shigelloides, the only oxidase-positive Enterobacteriaceae, is an
      inhabitant of freshwater and estuary ecosystems. We report the first possible
      case of Plesiomonas shigelloides-induced septic abortion. This 24-year-old female
      was successfully treated by dilatation and curettage as well as antimicrobial
      therapy.

PMID- 28634560
TI  - Atypical Lipomatous Tumor/Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma Developed in a Patient
      with Progressive Muscular Dystrophy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma (ALT/WDLS)
      is an intermediate or locally aggressive form of adipocytic soft tissue sarcoma.
      Muscular dystrophy (MD) is characterized by progressive muscle atrophy and its
      replacement by adipose and fibrous tissue. Recently, some authors have reported
      that MD genes are related to neoplastic formation, but there have been no
      detailed clinical reports of ALT associated with MD. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year
      old woman with a diagnosis of limb-girdle MD visited our department for
      recurrence of a huge tumor in her left thigh. She had undergone resection of a
      lipoma at the same site more than 20 years earlier. Imaging studies revealed a
      lipomatous tumor in her left thigh. We performed marginal resection including the
      adjacent muscles. Histological diagnosis was atypical lipomatous tumor. The
      postoperative course was uneventful, with no recurrence at 36 months of follow
      up. CONCLUSION: We encountered a huge atypical tumor in a patient with MD. This
      is the first detailed report to describe an association between ALT and MD. We
      hypothesize that degenerative changes occurring in adipose tissue during muscle
      atrophy can cause lipomatous neoplasms and moreover that the mutation of MD
      related genes may lead to the proliferation of tumor cells or to malignancy.

PMID- 28634561
TI  - Custom-Made Alumina Ceramic Total Talar Prosthesis for Idiopathic Aseptic
      Necrosis of the Talus: Report of Two Cases.
AB  - Two women aged 65 years and 78 years presented to our center with idiopathic
      necrosis of the talus. In both cases, imaging examinations showed collapse and
      sclerotic changes of the talar body caused by the necrosis. Both women underwent
      resection and placement of a third-generation custom-made alumina ceramic total
      talar prosthesis. Immobilization of the ankle in a short-leg cast for 3 weeks was
      followed by early rehabilitation. One year and 6 months after surgery, both women
      were able to walk without pain. Their Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot
      ankle-hindfoot scale scores improved from 22 and 29/100 points to 90 and 95/100
      points, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the successful treatments of
      these two rare cases of idiopathic necrosis of the talus are among only a few
      reported cases of using a third-generation alumina ceramic prosthesis.

PMID- 28634562
TI  - A Simple Bone Cyst in Cervical Vertebrae of an Adolescent Patient.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Spinal simple bone cysts, also known as solitary cysts, are
      extremely unusual benign primary bone tumors with few cases reported in the
      literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Incidental Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
      finding of a C2 Simple bone cyst in a 13-year-old female patient is reported.
      Complementary studies suggested the benign nature of the lesion. Patient
      underwent cervical curettage followed by tumor excision. A lateral submandibular
      approach to the upper cervical spine was used and careful bone resection was
      possible with a radiofrequency assisted burr and no instrumentation or fixation
      was required. The stability of the defect was ensured by filling it with bone
      allograft and by prescribing a postsurgical plastic cervical collar to maintain
      neck immobilization. Histological examination supported the diagnosis of simple
      bone cyst. At 6-12-month follow-up the patient presented no recurrence or
      symptomatology. CONCLUSIONS: Solitary bone cysts are infrequent entities in the
      cervical vertebrae and preservation of spine stability without instrumentation to
      avoid neurological complications is often challenging. In this case, the
      proximity of the cyst to the right vertebral artery and the risk of injury were
      high; however the surgical approach used was successful and no recurrence or
      instability was evidenced on postoperative MRI.

PMID- 28634563
TI  - Aspiration of Aluminum Beverage Can Tab: Case Report and Literature Review.
AB  - We describe the case of a 16-year-old male who aspirated a beverage can tab
      resulting in significant functional impairment. Since the introduction of
      beverage can opening tabs ("pop-tops" or "pull-tabs") nearly 50 years ago, five
      cases of their aspiration have been reported in the literature and this is the
      first case to report tracheal lodgment. We describe the clinical course for this
      patient including the inadequacy of radiographic evaluation and a significant
      delay in diagnosis. We highlight unique features of small aluminum foreign bodies
      that require consideration and mention a potential change in epidemiology
      associated with evolving product design. Our primary objective is increased
      awareness among otolaryngologists that radiography is unreliable for diagnosis or
      localization of small aluminum foreign bodies. The patient history must therefore
      be incorporated with other imaging modalities and/or endoscopic evaluation. Also,
      given the marked prevalence of aluminum beverage cans, we suspect that the
      inadvertent aspiration of can tabs is more common than indicated by the paucity
      of published reports.

PMID- 28634564
TI  - PAX8 Distinguishes Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Sarcoma.
AB  - PAX8 is important for embryogenesis of the thyroid, Mullerian system, and upper
      urinary/renal tract, and expression of PAX8 has been described in carcinomas from
      each of these sites. The sensitivity and specificity of the polyclonal PAX8
      antibody in a large cohort of epithelial tumors as well as lymphomas have been
      previously determined, the latter because polyclonal PAX8 is known to be
      immunoreactive in nonneoplastic B-cell lymphocytes which are often used as the
      positive internal control for immunohistochemistry. In this case report, PAX8 was
      a diagnostic clue for revising a previous diagnosis of unclassified high grade
      sarcoma to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. This case report demonstrates a pitfall
      for PAX8 immunoreactivity and acts as a reminder that lymphoma should be included
      in the differential diagnosis of a PAX8 positive, epithelial cell marker negative
      tumor of unknown primary origin.

PMID- 28634565
TI  - Home-Based Telepsychiatry in US Urban Area.
AB  - Telepsychiatry expands access to psychiatric care. However, telepsychiatry for
      elderly adults is only reimbursed in the US if the patient is assessed while in a
      clinical setting. This case study presents a homebound older woman previously
      hospitalized for schizophrenia who had not seen a psychiatrist in over 20 years.
      Care was provided with hybrid telepsychiatry (team-based practice with social
      worker traveling to the home with electronic tablet for connection with
      psychiatrist). The intervention resulted in detecting unrecognized depression and
      complex trauma. The treatment plan included adding an antidepressant and therapy
      plan, eliminating one psychiatric medication, and reducing dosage of pain
      medication. The outcomes were improved function and quality of life. The patient
      and caregiver were both highly satisfied with the services. This hybrid
      telepsychiatry is a reasonable option for homebound elderly patients living in
      urban areas and less expensive than nursing home admission.

PMID- 28634566
TI  - Adhesive-Enhanced Sternal Closure: Feasibility and Safety of Late Sternal
      Reentry.
AB  - This clinical case report describes sternal reentry performed years after
      adhesive-enhanced sternal closure using Kryptonite bone cement. This report
      provides novel data on the late effects of this innovation. We observed that
      sternal reentry is feasible and safe. The adhesive did not weaken from
      biodegradation over a period of several years. There was no evidence of adherence
      to adjacent soft tissues or other nonbony deep mediastinal structures. Surgeons
      who receive patients who require redoing cardiac surgery after adhesive-enhanced
      closure with Kryptonite can be reassured that sternal reentry is safe and
      feasible.

PMID- 28634567
TI  - AAA Rupture and Psoas Hematoma due to Type II Endoleak from Inferior Mesenteric
      Artery "Unusual" Collaterals.
AB  - Although endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) in the abdominal aorta has reduced
      the perioperative mortality when compared with open repair, the need for
      reintervention after complications such as endoleak may be presented in up to 20%
      of the cases. Type II endoleak from branch vessels is often benign but can
      potentially be associated with progressive abdominal aortic aneurysm growth and
      sac expansion. We present a rare case of a patient who presented with sac
      expansion and psoas hematoma due to Type II endoleak from "unusual" collaterals
      of IMA and was treated successfully with endoleak microembolization and
      percutaneous decompression of the hematoma.

PMID- 28634568
TI  - Sirtuin-2 Protects Neural Cells from Oxidative Stress and Is Elevated in
      Neurodegeneration.
AB  - Sirtuins are highly conserved lysine deacetylases involved in ageing, energy
      production, and lifespan extension. The mammalian SIRT2 has been implicated in
      Parkinson's disease (PD) where studies suggest SIRT2 promotes neurodegeneration.
      We therefore evaluated the effects of SIRT2 manipulation in toxin treated SH-SY5Y
      cells and determined the expression and activity of SIRT2 in postmortem brain
      tissue from patients with PD. SH-SY5Y viability in response to oxidative stress
      induced by diquat or rotenone was measured following SIRT2 overexpression or
      inhibition of deacetylase activity, along with alpha-synuclein aggregation. SIRT2
      in human tissues was evaluated using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and
      fluorometric activity assays. In SH-SY5Y cells, elevated SIRT2 protected cells
      from rotenone or diquat induced cell death and enzymatic inhibition of SIRT2
      enhanced cell death. SIRT2 protection was mediated, in part, through elevated
      SOD2 expression. SIRT2 reduced the formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates but
      showed minimal colocalisation with alpha-synuclein. In postmortem PD brain
      tissue, SIRT2 activity was elevated compared to controls but also elevated in
      other neurodegenerative disorders. Results from both in vitro work and brain
      tissue suggest that SIRT2 is necessary for protection against oxidative stress
      and higher SIRT2 activity in PD brain may be a compensatory mechanism to combat
      neuronal stress.

PMID- 28634569
TI  - Epidemiology and Management of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke: Review of Data
      from Four European Countries.
AB  - In Europe, 1-3% of the population suffers from atrial fibrillation (AF) and has
      increased stroke risk. By 2060 a doubling in number of cases and great burden in
      managing this medical condition are expected. This paper offers an overview of
      data on epidemiology and management of AF and stroke in four European countries
      as well as the interconnection between these dimensions. A search index was
      developed to access multiple scientific and "grey" literatures. Information was
      prioritised based on strength of evidence and date. Information on country
      reports was double-checked with national experts. The overall prevalence of AF is
      consistent across countries. France has the lowest stroke incidence and
      mortality, followed by Netherland and UK, while Romania has higher rates. GPs or
      medical specialists are responsible for AF treatment; exception are the special
      thrombosis services in the Netherlands. Prevention measurements are only present
      in UK through screening programs. Although international and national guidelines
      are available, undertreatment is present in all countries. Despite differences in
      healthcare systems and management of AF, epidemiology is comparable between three
      of the countries. Romania is an outlier, by being limited in data accessibility.
      This knowledge can contribute to improved AF care in Europe.

PMID- 28634571
TI  - Current Immunotherapeutic Strategies to Enhance Oncolytic Virotherapy.
AB  - Oncolytic viruses (OV) represent a promising strategy to augment the spectrum of
      cancer therapeutics. For efficacy, they rely on two general mechanisms: tumor
      specific infection/cell-killing, followed by subsequent activation of the host's
      adaptive immune response. Numerous OV genera have been utilized in clinical
      trials, ultimately culminating in the 2015 Food and Drug Administration approval
      of a genetically engineered herpes virus, Talminogene laherparepvec (T-VEC). It
      is generally accepted that OV as monotherapy have only modest clinical efficacy.
      However, due to their ability to elicit specific antitumor immune responses, they
      are prime candidates to be paired with other immune-modulating strategies in
      order to optimize therapeutic efficacy. Synergistic strategies to enhance the
      efficacy of OV include augmenting the host antitumor response through the
      insertion of therapeutic transgenes such as GM-CSF, utilization of the prime
      boost strategy, and combining OV with immune-modulatory drugs such as
      cyclophosphamide, sunitinib, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. This review
      provides an overview of these immune-based strategies to improve the clinical
      efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy.

PMID- 28634570
TI  - To Use or Not to Use Metformin in Cerebral Ischemia: A Review of the Application
      of Metformin in Stroke Rodents.
AB  - Ischemic strokes are major causes of death and disability. Searching for
      potential therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat stroke is necessary, given
      the increase in overall life expectancy. Epidemiological reports indicate that
      metformin is an oral antidiabetic medication that can reduce the incidence of
      ischemic events in patients with diabetes mellitus. Its mechanism of action has
      not been elucidated, but metformin pleiotropic effects involve actions in
      addition to glycemic control. AMPK activation has been described as one of the
      pharmacological mechanisms that explain the action of metformin and that lead to
      neuroprotective effects. Most experiments done in the cerebral ischemia model,
      via middle cerebral artery occlusion in rodents (MCAO), had positive results
      favoring metformin's neuroprotective role and involve several cellular pathways
      like oxidative stress, endothelial nitric oxide synthase activation, activation
      of angiogenesis and neurogenesis, autophagia, and apoptosis. We will review the
      pharmacological properties of metformin and its possible mechanisms that lead to
      neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia.

PMID- 28634572
TI  - A Helicobacter pylori Homolog of Eukaryotic Flotillin Is Involved in Cholesterol
      Accumulation, Epithelial Cell Responses and Host Colonization.
AB  - The human pathogen Helicobacter pylori acquires cholesterol from membrane raft
      domains in eukaryotic cells, commonly known as "lipid rafts." Incorporation of
      this cholesterol into the H. pylori cell membrane allows the bacterium to avoid
      clearance by the host immune system and to resist the effects of antibiotics and
      antimicrobial peptides. The presence of cholesterol in H. pylori bacteria
      suggested that this pathogen may have cholesterol-enriched domains within its
      membrane. Consistent with this suggestion, we identified a hypothetical H. pylori
      protein (HP0248) with homology to the flotillin proteins normally found in the
      cholesterol-enriched domains of eukaryotic cells. As shown for eukaryotic
      flotillin proteins, HP0248 was detected in detergent-resistant membrane fractions
      of H. pylori. Importantly, H. pylori HP0248 mutants contained lower levels of
      cholesterol than wild-type bacteria (P < 0.01). HP0248 mutant bacteria also
      exhibited defects in type IV secretion functions, as indicated by reduced IL-8
      responses and CagA translocation in epithelial cells (P < 0.05), and were less
      able to establish a chronic infection in mice than wild-type bacteria (P < 0.05).
      Thus, we have identified an H. pylori flotillin protein and shown its importance
      for bacterial virulence. Taken together, the data demonstrate important roles for
      H. pylori flotillin in host-pathogen interactions. We propose that H. pylori
      flotillin may be required for the organization of virulence proteins into
      membrane raft-like structures in this pathogen.

PMID- 28634573
TI  - Tick Bioactive Molecules as Novel Therapeutics: Beyond Vaccine Targets.

PMID- 28634574
TI  - Reducing Viability Bias in Analysis of Gut Microbiota in Preterm Infants at Risk
      of NEC and Sepsis.
AB  - Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and sepsis are serious diseases of preterm
      infants that can result in feeding intolerance, the need for bowel resection,
      impaired physiological and neurological development, and high mortality rates.
      Neonatal healthcare improvements have allowed greater survival rates in preterm
      infants leading to increased numbers at risk of developing NEC and sepsis. Gut
      bacteria play a role in protection from or propensity to these conditions and
      have therefore, been studied extensively using targeted 16S rRNA gene sequencing
      methods. However, exact epidemiology of these conditions remain unknown and the
      role of the gut microbiota in NEC remains enigmatic. Many studies have
      confounding variables such as differing clinical intervention strategies or major
      methodological issues such as the inability of 16S rRNA gene sequencing methods
      to determine viable from non-viable taxa. Identification of viable community
      members is important to identify links between the microbiota and disease in the
      highly unstable preterm infant gut. This is especially important as remnant DNA
      is robust and persists in the sampling environment following cell death.
      Chelation of such DNA prevents downstream amplification and inclusion in
      microbiota characterisation. This study validates use of propidium monoazide
      (PMA), a DNA chelating agent that is excluded by an undamaged bacterial membrane,
      to reduce bias associated with 16S rRNA gene analysis of clinical stool samples.
      We aim to improve identification of the viable microbiota in order to increase
      the accuracy of clinical inferences made regarding the impact of the preterm gut
      microbiota on health and disease. Gut microbiota analysis was completed on stools
      from matched twins (n = 16) that received probiotics. Samples were treated with
      PMA, prior to bacterial DNA extraction. Meta-analysis highlighted a significant
      reduction in bacterial diversity in 68.8% of PMA treated samples as well as
      significantly reduced overall rare taxa abundance. Importantly, overall
      abundances of genera associated with protection from and propensity to NEC and
      sepsis such as: Bifidobacterium; Clostridium, and Staphylococcus sp. were
      significantly different following PMA-treatment. These results suggest non-viable
      cell exclusion by PMA-treatment reduces bias in gut microbiota analysis from
      which clinical inferences regarding patient susceptibility to NEC and sepsis are
      made.

PMID- 28634575
TI  - Association between Plasmatic Ceramides Profile and AST/ALT Ratio: C14:0 Ceramide
      as Predictor of Hepatic Steatosis in Adolescents Independently of Obesity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between plasma ceramides and hepatic
      steatosis (HS) in adolescents, independently of obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Ninety-four adolescents from two previous studies conducted and published by our
      crew were included. Study subjects were stratified in three groups: normal weight
      (n = 18), obesity (n = 34), and obesity + HS (n = 42). The presence of HS was
      defined when ALT/AST ratio was <1. Ceramides subspecies (C14:0, C16:0, C18:0,
      C24:0, and C24:1) were determined by LC/MS. RESULTS: All ceramides correlated
      directly with ALT levels and inversely with ALT/AST ratio; the strongest
      correlation was observed among C14:0 ceramide (r = 0.41 and r = -0.54, resp.; P <
      0.001). Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between cholesterol
      and all ceramides except for C24:1 ceramide. Interestingly ceramides C14:0,
      C18:0, and C24:1 correlated directly with both fasting insulin and HOMA-IR index.
      For assessing HS, a cut-off point of 10.3 nmol/L for C14:0 ceramide reported a
      sensitivity of 92.7% and a specificity of 73.5% when normal weight and obesity
      groups (n = 52) were compared against obesity + HS group (n = 42). Positive and
      negative predictive values were 77.5% and 90.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      Plasma ceramides are closely associated with hepatic steatosis in adolescents.
      C14:0 ceramide could be a novel biomarker of HS independently of obesity.

PMID- 28634577
TI  - Commentary: Impact of Fecal Calprotectin Measurement on Decision-Making in
      Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

PMID- 28634576
TI  - Disability in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Correlations with Quality
      of Life and Patient's Characteristics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases may cause significant disability.
      However, little is known regarding the life domains where patients encounter most
      limitations. OBJECTIVES: To assess patients' overall disability and determine the
      life domains where most restrictions were applied. Secondarily, we sought for
      possible relationships among disability, quality of life (HRQoL), and population
      characteristics. METHOD: The study lasted for two years (2013-2015) and included
      200 patients [52%  ulcerative  colitis  (UC)] from a referral centre. Disability
      was evaluated using the 36-item version of WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire. The
      influence of population characteristics on overall disability was assessed with
      linear regression. RESULTS: Crohn's disease (CD) patients showed greater overall
      disability compared to UC (19.22 versus 15.01, p = 0.001), with higher scores in
      the domains of relationships, life activities, and participation. Disability was
      negatively associated with HRQoL (p < 0.001). Long activity, extensive disease,
      rural residence, and employment independently influenced the overall disability
      in both groups. Additionally, significant influence was recorded for lower
      education in the UC and for operation and celibacy in the CD group. CONCLUSIONS:
      CD patients were facing more limitations compared to those with UC, especially in
      the domains of relationships, activities, and participation. Other than clinical
      factors, sociodemographic characteristics were also associated with increased
      disability.

PMID- 28634578
TI  - Neonatal Venous Thromboembolism.
AB  - Neonates are the pediatric population at highest risk for development of venous
      thromboembolism (VTE), and the incidence of VTE in the neonatal population is
      increasing. This is especially true in the critically ill population. Several
      large studies indicate that the incidence of neonatal VTE is up almost threefold
      in the last two decades. Central lines, fluid fluctuations, sepsis, liver
      dysfunction, and inflammation contribute to the risk profile for VTE development
      in ill neonates. In addition, the neonatal hemostatic system is different from
      that of older children and adults. Platelet function, pro- and anticoagulant
      proteins concentrations, and fibrinolytic pathway protein concentrations are
      developmentally regulated and generate a hemostatic homeostasis that is unique to
      the neonatal time period. The clinical picture of a critically ill neonate
      combined with the physiologically distinct neonatal hemostatic system easily
      fulfills the criteria for Virchow's triad with venous stasis, hypercoagulability,
      and endothelial injury and puts the neonatal patient at risk for VTE development.
      The presentation of a VTE in a neonate is similar to that of older children or
      adults and is dependent upon location of the VTE. Ultrasound is the most common
      diagnostic tool employed in identifying neonatal VTE, but relatively small
      vessels of the neonate as well as frequent low pulse pressure can make ultrasound
      less reliable. The diagnosis of a thrombophilic disorder in the neonatal
      population is unlikely to change management or outcome, and the role of
      thrombophilia testing in this population requires further study. Treatment of
      neonatal VTE is aimed at reducing VTE-associated morbidity and mortality.
      Recommendations for treating, though, cannot be extrapolated from guidelines for
      older children or adults. Neonates are at risk for bleeding complications,
      particularly younger neonates with more fragile intracranial vessels.
      Developmental alterations in the coagulation proteins as well as unique
      pharmacokinetics must also be taken into consideration when recommending VTE
      treatment. In this review, epidemiology of neonatal VTE, pathophysiology of
      neonatal VTE with particular attention to the developmental hemostatic system,
      diagnostic evaluations of neonatal VTE, and treatment guidelines for neonatal VTE
      will be reviewed.

PMID- 28634579
TI  - Precision in Setting Cancer Prevention Priorities: Synthesis of Data, Literature,
      and Expert Opinion.
AB  - Cancer will continue to be a leading cause of ill health and death unless we can
      capitalize on the potential for 30-40% of these cancers to be prevented. In this
      light, cancer prevention represents an enormous opportunity for public health,
      potentially saving much of the pain, anguish, and cost associated with treating
      cancer. However, there is a challenge for governments, and the wider community,
      in prioritizing cancer prevention activities, especially given increasing
      financial constraints. This paper describes a method for identifying cancer
      prevention priorities. This method synthesizes detailed cancer statistics, expert
      opinion, and the published literature for the priority setting process. The
      process contains four steps: assessing the impact of cancer types; identifying
      cancers with the greatest impact; considering opportunities for prevention; and
      combining information on impact and preventability. The strength of our approach
      is that it is straightforward, transparent and reproducible for other settings.
      Applying this method in Western Australia produced a priority list of seven adult
      cancers which were identified as having not only the biggest impact on the
      community but also the best opportunities for prevention. Work conducted in an
      additional project phase went on to present data on these priority cancers to a
      public consultation and develop an agenda for action in cancer prevention.

PMID- 28634580
TI  - Tobacco Use during Pregnancy and Its Associated Factors in a Mountain District of
      Eastern Nepal: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tobacco using among women is more prevalent in Nepal as compared to
      other South-East Asian countries. The effect of its use is seen not only on the
      pregnant women, but also health of the growing fetus is compromised. Currently,
      little is known about the tobacco use among women especially during pregnancy in
      Nepal. This study explored the tobacco use prevalence and its associated factors
      during pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in
      Sankhuwasabha, a mountain district of eastern Nepal. Representative sample of 436
      women of reproductive age group with infant were selected by stratified simple
      random sampling. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews of selected
      participants. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 16.0. Binary logistic
      regression was used to analyze the relationship among variables. RESULTS: The
      study revealed that the prevalence of tobacco use during pregnancy was 17.2%.
      Only one fifth of the research participants were asked to quit tobacco by health
      workers during last pregnancy. Multivariable analyses revealed that illiteracy
      (AOR: 2.31, CI: 1.18-4.52), more than two parity (AOR: 2.45, CI: 1.19-5.07),
      alcohol use during last pregnancy (AOR: 3.99, CI: 1.65-9.68), and having tobacco
      user within family (AOR: 2.05, CI: 1.11-3.78) are more likely to use tobacco
      during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Tobacco use during pregnancy was widely prevalent.
      Tobacco-focused interventions are required for antenatal women to promote
      cessation among user and prevent initiation with focus on overcoming problems
      like illiteracy, high parity, alcohol use, and having other tobacco user family
      members in family.

PMID- 28634581
TI  - Commentary: Surveillance of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever in Pakistan.

PMID- 28634582
TI  - Cancer Stem Cells in Moderately Differentiated Lip Squamous Cell Carcinoma
      Express Components of the Renin-Angiotensin System.
AB  - AIM: We investigated the expression of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) by
      cancer stem cell (CSC) subpopulations we have identified in moderately
      differentiated lip squamous cell carcinoma (MDLSCC). METHOD: Ten MDLSCC samples
      underwent 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and immunofluorescent immunohistochemical
      (IHC) staining for (pro)renin receptor (PRR), angiotensin-converting enzyme
      (ACE), angiotensin II receptor 1 (ATIIR1), and receptor 2 (ATIIR2). NanoString
      analysis and Western blotting (WB) were performed on six MDLSCC samples for gene
      and protein expression, respectively. RESULTS: IHC staining showed expression of
      PRR, ATIIR1, and ATIIR2 on cells within the tumor nests (TNs) and the stroma. ACE
      was localized to the microvessels within the stroma. WB detected PRR, ACE, and
      ATIIR2. NanoString analysis confirmed gene expression of PRR, ACE, and ATIIR1.
      CONCLUSION: Components of the RAS: PRR, ATIIR1, and ATIIR2 are expressed on two
      CSC subpopulations in MDLSCC, one within the TNs and the other within the stroma.
      The endothelium of the microvessels within the stroma expresses ACE.

PMID- 28634584
TI  - Effect of Chitosan Edible Coating on the Biochemical and Physical Characteristics
      of Carp Fillet (Cyprinus carpio) Stored at -18 degrees C.
AB  - The effect of an edible coating (EC) with 1.5% chitosan as an additive, on common
      carp (Cyprinus carpio) fillet, was determined evaluating the biochemical,
      physicochemical, textural, microbiological, and nutritional characteristics
      periodically during its storage in the freezer (-18 degrees C), observing a
      decrease in the rate of biochemical reactions related to degradation (p < 0.05),
      hydroperoxides content (HPC) (0.8324 nM hydroperoxides/mg of protein versus
      0.5540 nM/mg with regard to the EC sample), as well as protein carbonyl content
      (PCC) (0.5860 nM versus 0.4743 nM of reactive carbonyl groups/mg of protein of
      noncoated material), keeping properties for a longer period of time, and a lower
      protein solubility (7.8 mg of supernatant protein/mg of total protein versus 6.8
      mg/mg) and less loss of moisture (8% less, with regard to EC); for the
      nutritional characteristics of the fillet, lysine is the limiting aminoacid in
      the sample without EC, while leucine is the limiting aminoacid for the EC sample.
      According to microbial growth, the count was 2.2 * 105 CFU/g of sample in
      mesophiles versus 4.7 * 104 in the EC sample. The results indicate that the use
      of EC added with chitosan maintains the quality of the product regarding lipid
      and protein oxidation until fourth month of storage, maintaining moisture content
      without variation for at least 3 months, and inhibits microbial growth up to 2
      logarithmic units, during five months of frozen storage.

PMID- 28634583
TI  - Circular RNAs: Biogenesis, Function and Role in Human Diseases.
AB  - Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are currently classed as non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that,
      unlike linear RNAs, form covalently closed continuous loops and act as gene
      regulators in mammals. They were originally thought to represent errors in
      splicing and considered to be of low abundance, however, there is now an
      increased appreciation of their important function in gene regulation. circRNAs
      are differentially generated by backsplicing of exons or from lariat introns.
      Unlike linear RNA, the 3' and 5' ends normally present in an RNA molecule have
      been joined together by covalent bonds leading to circularization. Interestingly,
      they have been found to be abundant, evolutionally conserved and relatively
      stable in the cytoplasm. These features confer numerous potential functions to
      circRNAs, such as acting as miRNA sponges, or binding to RNA-associated proteins
      to form RNA-protein complexes that regulate gene transcription. It has been
      proposed that circRNA regulate gene expression at the transcriptional or post
      transcriptional level by interacting with miRNAs and that circRNAs may have a
      role in regulating miRNA function in cancer initiation and progression. circRNAs
      appear to be more often downregulated in tumor tissue compared to normal tissue
      and this may be due to (i) errors in the back-splice machinery in malignant
      tissues, (ii) degradation of circRNAs by deregulated miRNAs in tumor tissue, or
      (iii) increasing cell proliferation leading to a reduction of circRNAs. circRNAs
      have been identified in exosomes and more recently, chromosomal translocations in
      cancer have been shown to generate aberrant fusion-circRNAs associated with
      resistance to drug treatments. In addition, though originally thought to be non
      coding, there is now increasing evidence to suggest that select circRNAs can be
      translated into functional proteins. Although much remains to be elucidated about
      circRNA biology and mechanisms of gene regulation, these ncRNAs are quickly
      emerging as potential disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer.

PMID- 28634585
TI  - High Plasma Glucagon Levels Correlate with Waist-to-Hip Ratio, Suprailiac
      Skinfold Thickness, and Deep Subcutaneous Abdominal and Intraperitoneal Adipose
      Tissue Depots in Nonobese Asian Indian Males with Type 2 Diabetes in North India.
AB  - We aimed to correlate plasma glucagon levels with anthropometric measures and
      abdominal adipose tissue depots. Nonobese males (n = 81; BMI < 25 kg/m2) with
      T2DM of less than one-year duration and nonobese males without diabetes (n = 30)
      were evaluated for the following: anthropometry (BMI, waist circumference, W-HR,
      and truncal skinfolds), whole-body DEXA (for body fat and fat-free mass), and MRI
      scan (for volumes of subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SCAT) including
      superficial and deep, intra-abdominal visceral adipose tissue (including
      intraperitoneal adipose tissue (IPAT), retroperitoneal adipose tissue, liver span
      and fatty liver, and pancreatic volume)). Plasma glucose and glucagon, serum
      insulin, hepatic transaminases, and lipid profile were measured. Significantly
      higher levels of fasting and postprandial glucagon (p < 0.001) and fasting and
      postprandial insulin (p < 0.001) were seen in patients with T2DM. The mean values
      of fasting and postprandial plasma glucagon levels were higher in T2DM patients
      with NAFLD (n = 37) as compared to T2DM patients without NAFLD (n = 44). Four
      independent predictors were derived for fasting glucagon levels in patients with
      T2DM, namely, W-HR, suprailiac skinfold thickness, IPAT, and deep SCAT (p < 0.05;
      r2 = 0.84). These observations in Asian Indians may have significance for
      diabetes therapies which impact glucagon levels.

PMID- 28634586
TI  - The Referral System between Primary and Secondary Health Care in Saudi Arabia for
      Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Saudi Arabia, the mortality of diabetes is currently reported at
      6%. A well-administered referral system is crucial in aiding the management of
      this disease. METHOD: A single reviewer employed a systematic approach to
      searching the literature databases with regard to the question: what are the
      attributes of referral systems in Saudi Arabia for patients with type 2 diabetes
      (T2D)? The results were analysed in order to provide recommendations to improve
      the Saudi health system. RESULTS: Twelve primary studies were identified from a
      systematic search. Overall, the 12 studies did not clearly mention any of the
      factors of a good referral system. The referral problems identified by this study
      included patients' unnecessary requests for referral, unstructured referral
      letters, and unclear dissemination guidelines for referral. CONCLUSIONS: This
      research attempted to identify the efficiency of the referral processes that were
      implemented for patients with T2D. The majority of the included studies were
      completely silent on the main referral factors for patients. If this review is
      representative of the referral system in Saudi Arabia, then, in the context of
      T2D, current referrals are unsafe. Further research on the quality of the
      referral system, taking into account at least some of the WHO referral
      guidelines, is required.

PMID- 28634587
TI  - Exercise Metabolism in Nonobese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Following the Acute
      Restoration of Normoglycaemia.
AB  - This study investigated how acute restoration of normoglycaemia affected energy
      metabolism during exercise in nonobese patients with type 2 diabetes. Six
      subjects (mean +/- SEM) aged 56.2 +/- 2.7 years, with a BMI of 24.5 +/- 1.5 kg/m2
      and a VO2 peak of 28.7 ml/kg/min, attended the lab on two randomised occasions
      for a four-hour resting infusion of insulin or saline, followed by 30 minutes
      cycling at 50% VO2 peak. During the 4 h resting infusion, there was a greater (P
      < 0.0001) reduction in blood glucose in insulin treatment (INS) (from 11.2 +/-
      0.6 to 5.6 +/- 0.1 mmol/l) than in saline treatment/control (CON) (from 11.5 +/-
      0.7 to 8.5 +/- 0.6 mmol/l). This was associated with a lower (P < 0.05) resting
      metabolic rate in INS (3.87 +/- 0.17) than in CON (4.39 +/- 0.30 kJ/min). During
      subsequent exercise, blood glucose increased significantly in INS from 5.6 +/-
      0.1 at 0 min to 6.3 +/- 0.3 mmol/l at 30 min (P < 0.01), which was accompanied by
      a lower blood lactate response (P < 0.05). Oxygen uptake, rates of substrate
      utilization, heart rate, and ratings of perceived exertion were not different
      between trials. Insulin-induced normoglycaemia increased blood glucose during
      subsequent exercise without altering overall substrate utilization.

PMID- 28634588
TI  - Antitumor Effect of KML-B-Treated Dendritic Cells via Induction of Lymphocyte
      Activation.
AB  - Lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins with various biological activities,
      such as antitumor and immunomodulatory effects. Although lectins have various
      biological activities, they are still limited by cytotoxicity in normal cells. To
      overcome this problem, we used the noncytotoxic part of Korean mistletoe lectin B
      chain (KML-B) to induce maturation of dendritic cells (DCs). A previous study
      reported that KML-B induces DC maturation by triggering TLR-4, including
      expression of costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, and CD86), MHC II, and
      secretion of cytokines in DCs. Additionally, matured DCs by KML-B induced T
      helper (Th) cell activation and differentiation toward Th1 cells. However, the
      interaction of KML-B-treated DCs with CD8+ T cells is still poorly understood. In
      this study, we confirmed the ability of matured DCs by KML-B to stimulate
      cytotoxic T cells using OT-1 mouse-derived CD8+ T cells. KML-B induced MHC I
      expression in DCs, stimulation of CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation, and
      IFN-gamma secretion. Moreover, tumor sizes were reduced by KML-B treatment during
      vaccination of OVA257-264-pulsed DCs. Here, we confirmed induction of CD8+ T cell
      activation and the antitumor effect of KML-B treatment in DCs.

PMID- 28634590
TI  - The Immune Epitope Database: How Data Are Entered and Retrieved.
AB  - Easy access to a vast collection of experimental data on immune epitopes can
      greatly facilitate the development of therapeutics and vaccines. The Immune
      Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB) was developed to provide such a
      resource as a free service to the biomedical research community. The IEDB
      contains epitope and assay information related to infectious diseases, autoimmune
      diseases, allergic diseases, and transplant/alloantigens for humans, nonhuman
      primates, mice, and any other species studied. It contains T cell, B cell, MHC
      binding, and MHC ligand elution experiments. Its data are curated primarily from
      the published literature and also include direct submissions from researchers
      involved in epitope discovery. This article describes the process of capturing
      data from these sources and how the information is organized in the IEDB data.
      Different approaches for querying the data are then presented, using the home
      page search interface and the various specialized search interfaces. Specific
      examples covering diverse applications of interest are given to highlight the
      power and functionality of the IEDB.

PMID- 28634589
TI  - HLA Class Ia and Ib Polyreactive Anti-HLA-E IgG2a Monoclonal Antibodies (TFL-006
      and TFL-007) Suppress Anti-HLA IgG Production by CD19+ B Cells and Proliferation
      of CD4+ T Cells While Upregulating Tregs.
AB  - The anti-HLA-E IgG2a mAbs, TFL-006 and TFL-007, reacted with all HLA-I antigens,
      similar to the therapeutic preparations of IVIg. Indeed, IVIg lost its HLA
      reactivity, when its HLA-E reactivity was adsorbed out. US-FDA approved IVIg to
      reduce antibodies in autoimmune diseases. But the mechanism underlying IVIg
      mediated antibody reduction could not be ascertained due to the presence of other
      polyclonal antibodies. In spite of it, the cost prohibitive high or low IVIg is
      administered to patients waiting for donor organ and for allograft recipients for
      lowering antiallograft antibodies. A mAb that could mimic IVIg in lowering Abs,
      with defined mechanism of action, would be highly beneficial for patients.
      Demonstrably, the anti-HLA-E mAbs mimicked several functions of IVIg relevant to
      suppressing the antiallograft Abs. The mAbs suppressed activated T cells and anti
      HLA antibody production by activated B cells, which were dose-wise superior to
      IVIg. The anti-HLA-E mAb expanded CD4+, CD25+, and Foxp3+ Tregs, which are known
      to suppress T and B cells involved in antibody production. These defined
      functions of the anti-HLA-E IgG2a mAbs at a level superior to IVIg encourage
      developing their humanized version to lower antibodies in allograft recipients,
      to promote graft survival, and to control autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 28634592
TI  - Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis With Prolonged Glucosuria Associated With the
      Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Canagliflozin.
AB  - Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors improve glycemic control by a
      reversible inhibition of the sodium-glucose cotransporters in the renal proximal
      tubules resulting in increased urinary glucose. This unique mechanism,
      independent of insulin secretion and beta cell function, has made this class of
      medication desirable in patients with type 2 diabetes. However in May 2015, the
      US Food and Drug Administration issued a safety warning pertaining to the
      development of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) with the use of SGLT2 inhibitors. DKA
      associated with SGLT2 inhibitors frequently develops in the absence of
      hyperglycemia, which makes the diagnosis more challenging. Due to the reversible
      inhibition of SGLT2 by this class of medication, a quick recovery of glucosuria
      after cessation of medication is expected. In this article, we present a case of
      a 50-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes who developed euglycemic DKA after
      initiating therapy with canagliflozin. This case of DKA associated with SGLT2
      inhibitor use was unique due to her hypoglycemic presentation and persistent
      glucosuria. SGLT2 inhibitors such as canagliflozin may predispose patients not
      only to diabetic ketoacidosis but also to prolonged glucosuria.

PMID- 28634591
TI  - Examination of the Microbial Spectrum in the Etiology of Erythema Nodosum: A
      Retrospective Descriptive Study.
AB  - Even though infections are the most common cause of erythema nodosum (EN), only
      certain microorganisms take the great interest such as streptococci in knowledge.
      Our aim was to examine the frequency and type of infections in EN, to determine
      the characteristics of patients with an infectious etiology, and to discuss the
      role of these microbes in EN pathology in the context of their interactions with
      humans. Charts of 81 patients with EN who were seen between 2003 and 2017 were
      retrospectively reviewed. Identified etiological factors were classified into
      three groups: infectious, noninfectious, and idiopathic. While there were no
      significant demographic and clinical differences between the infectious and
      idiopathic groups, systemic symptoms (p = 0.034) and the number of EN lesions (p
      = 0.016) were significantly lower; the mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate was
      significantly higher (p = 0.049), but the mean aspartate aminotransferase value
      was significantly lower in the infectious group compared to the noninfectious
      group (p = 0.019). Besides streptococci, many other microbes, including the ones
      living on and inside us, were identified in the etiology of EN. There is a need
      for large-scale prospective studies involving control groups for a better
      understanding of the microbial immunopathology of EN.

PMID- 28634593
TI  - Carcinoid Heart Disease: Starting From Heart Failure.
AB  - Carcinoid syndrome is the constellation of symptoms mediated by humoral factors
      produced by some carcinoid tumors. It consists primarily of vasomotor symptoms,
      gastrointestinal hypermotility, hypotension, and bronchospasm, due to the
      production and release of vasoactive substances. Carcinoid heart disease occurs
      in more than 50% of patients with carcinoid syndrome; in some cases, it
      represents the initial manifestation of the disease. We report the case of a 75
      year-old woman with a metastatic neuroendocrine tumor admitted to the emergency
      room for fatigue and heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography showed severe
      tricuspid and pulmonic regurgitation suggesting carcinoid heart disease. A
      hypervascular retroperitoneal mass was found on abdominal computed tomography,
      which seemed to arise from the mesenteric artery, anteriorly to the abdominal
      aorta. Unfortunately, our patient was neither a candidate for mass resection nor
      for cardiac surgery due to advanced metastatic disease and poor clinical
      condition. Additionally, we performed a systematic literature review of carcinoid
      heart disease focusing on typical echocardiographic findings.

PMID- 28634594
TI  - Pancreatic Cancer Heralded by Worsening Glycemic Control: A Report of Two Cases.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the third leading cause of cancer-related
      death in the United States. Since it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage,
      its prognosis remains poor. The initial presentation varies according to the
      tumor location. The most common presenting signs are weight loss, jaundice, and
      pain. Several epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies over the past 2
      decades have shown that long-standing diabetes is a modest risk factor for
      pancreatic cancer. However, new-onset diabetes has also been observed to be an
      early manifestation of pancreatic cancer. We report 2 cases where worsening
      glycemic control led to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28634596
TI  - Study on Drive System of Hybrid Tree Harvester.
AB  - Hybrid tree harvester with a 60 kW diesel engine combined with a battery pile
      could be a "green" forest harvesting and transportation system. With the new
      design, the diesel engine maintains a constant engine speed, keeping fuel
      consumption low while charging the batteries that drive the forwarder. As an
      additional energy saving method, the electric motors work as generators to charge
      the battery pile when the vehicle moves downhill. The vehicle is equipped with
      six large wheels providing high clearance over uneven terrain while reducing
      ground pressure. Each wheel is driven via a hub gear by its own alternating
      current motor, and each of the three wheel pairs can be steered independently.
      The combination of the diesel engine and six electric motors provides plenty of
      power for heavy lifting and pulling. The main component parameters of the drive
      system are calculated and optimized with a set of dynamics and simulated with AVL
      Cruise software. The results provide practical insights for the fuel tree
      harvester and are helpful to reduce the structure and size of the tree harvester.
      Advantage Environment provides information about existing and future products
      designed to reduce environmental impacts.

PMID- 28634595
TI  - Role of Repeat Muscle Compartment Pressure Measurements in Chronic Exertional
      Compartment Syndrome of the Lower Leg.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The diagnostic gold standard for diagnosing chronic exertional
      compartment syndrome (CECS) is a dynamic intracompartmental pressure (ICP)
      measurement of the muscle. The potential role of a repeat ICP (re-ICP)
      measurement in patients with persistent lower leg symptoms after surgical
      decompression or with ongoing symptoms after an earlier normal ICP is unknown.
      PURPOSE: To study whether re-ICP measurements in patients with persistent CECS
      like symptoms of the lower leg may contribute to the diagnosis of CECS after both
      surgical decompression and a previously normal ICP measurement. STUDY DESIGN:
      Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Charts of patients who underwent re
      ICP measurement of lower leg compartments (anterior [ant], deep posterior [dp],
      and/or lateral [lat] compartments) between 2001 and 2013 were retrospectively
      studied. CECS was diagnosed on the basis of generally accepted cutoff pressures
      for newly onset CECS (Pedowitz criteria: ICP at rest >=15 mmHg, >=30 mmHg after 1
      minute, or >=20 mmHg 5 minutes after a provocative test). Factors predicting
      recurrent CECS after surgery or after a previously normal ICP measurement were
      analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1714 ICP measurements were taken in 1513 patients
      with suspected CECS over a 13-year observation period. In all, 201 (12%) tests
      were re-ICP measurements for persistent lower leg symptoms. Based on the proposed
      ICP cutoff values, CECS recurrence was diagnosed in 16 of 62 previously operated
      compartments (recurrence rate, 26%; 53 patients [64% female]; median age, 24
      years; age range, 15-78 years). Recurrence rates were not different among the 3
      lower leg CECS compartments (ant-CECS, 17%; dp-CECS, 33%; lat-CECS, 30%; chi2 =
      1.928, P = .381). Sex (chi2 = 0.058, P = .810), age (U = 378, z = 1.840, P =
      .066), bilaterality (chi2 = 0.019, P = .889), and prefasciotomy ICP did not
      predict recurrence. Re-ICP measurements evaluating 20 compartments with
      previously normal ICP measurements (15 patients [53% female]; mean age, 31 +/- 10
      years) detected CECS in 3 compartments (15%, all ant-CECS). CONCLUSION: Previous
      fasciotomy for lower leg CECS or previously normal muscle pressure (ICP) do not
      rule out CECS as a cause of persisting lower leg symptoms. Repeat ICP measurement
      may have a potential role in the evaluation of patients with persistent lower leg
      complaints. However, other reasons for lower leg exertional pain must always be
      considered prior to secondary surgery.

PMID- 28634597
TI  - Molecular Characterization of Salmonella from Human and Animal Origins in Uganda.
AB  - Sporadic Salmonella outbreaks with varying clinical presentations have been on
      the rise in various parts of Uganda. The sources of outbreaks and factors
      underlying the different clinical manifestation are curtailed by paucity of
      information on Salmonella genotypes and the associated virulence genes. This
      study reports molecular diversity of Salmonella enterica and their genetic
      virulence profiles among human and animal isolates. Characterization was done
      using Kauffman-White classification scheme and virulence genes analysis using
      multiplex PCR. Overall, 52% of the isolates belonged to serogroup D, 16% to
      serogroup E, 15% to poly F, H-S, and 12% to serogroup B. Serogroups A, C1, and C2
      each consisted of only one isolate representing 5%. Virulence genes located on
      SPI-1 [spaN and sipB] and on SPI-2 [spiA] in addition to pagC and msgA were
      equally distributed in isolates obtained from all sources. Plasmid encoded
      virulence gene spvB was found in <5% of isolates from both human epidemic and
      animal origins whereas it occurred in 80% of clinical isolates. This study
      reveals that serogroup D is the predominant Salmonella serogroup in circulation
      and it is widely shared among animals and humans and calls for joint and
      coordinated surveillance for one health implementation in Uganda.

PMID- 28634598
TI  - Previously unrecognized behavioral phenotype in Gaucher disease type 3.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive description of abnormal behaviors in
      patients with Gaucher disease type 3 (GD3) and relate these behaviors to
      demographic, neurodevelopmental, and neurologic characteristics. METHODS: Thirty
      four Egyptian patients with GD3 (mean age of 7.9 years) were enrolled in the
      study. They were selected based on parent report and/or physician observation of
      one or more abnormal behaviors documented in 2 settings and by 2 different
      individuals and/or by video recording. Behaviors were grouped into 4 categories:
      Crying/Withdrawal, Impatience/Overactivity, Anger/Aggression, and Repetitive
      Acts. Baseline and follow-up 6-12 monthly neurologic evaluations included IQ
      assessment and an EEG. All patients were receiving enzyme replacement therapy (30
      60 IU/kg every 2 weeks) and were followed for periods of 3-10 years. RESULTS:
      Supranuclear palsy of horizontal gaze, and of both horizontal and vertical gaze,
      bulbar symptoms, seizures, convergent strabismus, abnormal gait, and neck
      retroflexion were present in 97.1%, 50%, 55.9%, 29.4%, 29.4%, 20.6%, and 4.4% of
      patients, respectively. The most abnormal behavioral features were excessive
      anger (88.2%) and aggression (64.7%), and both were significantly higher in
      males. Anger/Aggression scores were highly correlated with IQ but not with either
      EEG/Seizure status or neurologic signs. CONCLUSIONS: We describe behavioral
      problems with a unique pattern of excessive anger and aggression in patients with
      GD3. Defining these components using quantitative behavioral scoring methods
      holds promise to provide a marker of neurologic disease progression and severity.

PMID- 28634599
TI  - Editorial: Clinical dentistry is coming of age.

PMID- 28634600
TI  - Oral mucous membrane pemphigoid associated with hypothyroidism: A retrospective
      study and a case report.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between
      mucous membrane pemphigoid and a state of hypothyroidism. The study included
      analysis of the dental charts of 40 subjects with clinically and histologically
      confirmed diagnosis of mucous membrane pemphigoid and 35 age- and gender-matched
      subjects, from the same clinic, with no diagnosis of vesiculo-ulcerative lesions.
      RESULTS: Thirteen subjects from the pemphigoid group (32%) had a hypothyroid
      condition, compared to four subjects (11%) from the control group (P = .030).
      Within the mucous membrane pemphigoid subjects who had a history of
      hypothyroidism, 83% were females. Although cases of hypothyroidism and autoimmune
      blistering oral disorders such as lichen planus were described in the past, this
      is the first report of an association between mucous membrane pemphigoid and
      hypothyroidism. A case report describes a patient who presented with desquamative
      gingivitis and vesicular lesions, and was diagnosed with mucous membrane
      pemphigoid and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. CONCLUSION: The general dental provider
      should be familiar with mucous membrane pemphigoid and the potential association
      with hypothyroidism. Early diagnosis of hypothyroidism is significant because
      replacement may prevent a significant morbidity associated with this condition.
      Therefore, the general dental provider should be aware of oral conditions
      presented as desquamative gingivitis and their potential association with
      hypothyroidism.

PMID- 28634601
TI  - An annealing-free aqueous-processed anatase TiO2 compact layer for efficient
      planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells.
AB  - A facile aqueous-based fabrication scheme is developed for producing annealing
      free anatase TiO2 (AF-TiO2) films that exhibit efficient electron transport
      properties in planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells (PSCs). AF-TiO2 films
      are fabricated by spin coating on a substrate a colloidal solution of anatase
      TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) prepared via a low temperature hydrolytic sol-gel
      method. The resultant AF-TiO2 films show low electrical resistance, high
      transmittance in the visible and near-infrared regions and facilitation of high
      quality perovskite film formation, which can be attributed to their homogeneous
      surface morphology and nanocrystallinity. The AF-TiO2 based PSCs achieve a power
      conversion efficiency (PCE) of 18.29 +/- 0.18%, showing significant improvement
      compared to the control PSCs (PCE = 11.33 +/- 0.32%) based on TiO2 films made by
      high-temperature annealing of amorphous TiO2 (HTA-TiO2).

PMID- 28634602
TI  - Recent advances in the computational chemistry of soft porous crystals.
AB  - Here we highlight recent progress in the field of computational chemistry of
      nanoporous materials, focusing on methods and studies that address the
      extraordinary dynamic nature of these systems: the high flexibility of their
      frameworks, the large-scale structural changes upon external physical or chemical
      stimulation, and the presence of defects and disorder. The wide variety of
      behavior demonstrated in soft porous crystals, including the topical class of
      metal-organic frameworks, opens new challenges for computational chemistry
      methods at all scales.

PMID- 28634603
TI  - High-resolution and multi-range particle separation by microscopic vibration in
      an optofluidic chip.
AB  - An optofluidic chip is demonstrated in experiments for high-resolution and multi
      range particle separation through the optically-induced microscopic vibration
      effect, where nanoparticles are trapped in loosely overdamped optical potential
      wells created with combined optical and fluidic constraints. It is the first
      demonstration of separating single nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 60
      to 100 nm with a resolution of 10 nm. Nanoparticles vibrate with an amplitude of
      3-7 MUm in the loosely overdamped potential wells in the microchannel. The
      proposed optofluidic device is capable of high-resolution particle separation at
      both nanoscale and microscale without reconfiguring the device. The separation of
      bacteria from other larger cells is accomplished using the same chip and
      operation conditions. The unique trapping mechanism and the superb performance in
      high-resolution and multi-range particle separation of the proposed optofluidic
      chip promise great potential for a diverse range of biomedical applications.

PMID- 28634604
TI  - Semithiobambus[6]uril is a transmembrane anion transporter.
AB  - Semithiobambus[6]uril is shown to be an efficient transmembrane anion
      transporter. Although all bambusuril analogs (having either O, S or N atoms in
      their portals) are excellent anion binders, only the sulfur analog is also an
      effective anion transporter capable of polarizing lipid membranes through
      selective anion uniport. This notable divergence reflects significant differences
      in the lipophilic character of the bambusuril analogs.

PMID- 28634605
TI  - Functionalised cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks.
AB  - CD-MOF, an extended framework incorporating the C8 symmetric cyclic
      oligosaccharide, gamma-cyclodextrin (gamma-CD), is based on the coordination of
      alkali metal cations to alternating alpha-1,4-linked d-glucopyranosyl units on
      the primary and secondary faces of the gamma-CD tori. Here, we report the
      synthesis and characterisation of an amino-functionalised CD-MOF that is
      isostructural with pristine CD-MOF and adsorbs CO2 permanently.

PMID- 28634606
TI  - A new AIE multi-block polyurethane copolymer material for subcellular
      microfilament imaging in living cells.
AB  - A multi-block fluorescent amphiphilic polyurethane copolymer (TPE-PU), self
      assembling into hairy, water-soluble micelles, is used as a subcellular
      microfilament probe in living cells.

PMID- 28634607
TI  - A high throughput microfluidic platform for size-selective enrichment of cell
      populations in tissue and blood samples.
AB  - Numerous applications in biology and medicine require the efficient and reliable
      separation of cells for disease diagnosis, genetic analysis, drug screening, and
      therapeutics. In this work, we demonstrate a novel technology that integrates a
      passive and an active device to separate, enrich and release cells on-demand from
      a complex blood sample, or cancer cells derived from a tissue biopsy. We exploit
      the high throughput (>1 mL min-1), size-based sorting capability of the passive
      spiral inertial microfluidic (iMF) device to focus particles/cells towards an
      active lateral cavity acoustic transducer (LCAT) device for size-selective
      enrichment. We demonstrate that this platform is capable of efficiently (>90%)
      removing smaller cells, such as RBCs in a blood sample or smaller cancer cells in
      a heterogeneous cell line, and providing 44 000* enrichment from the remaining
      sample within 5 min of device operation. Finally, we use this platform for two
      applications: selective enrichment of the side-population of DU-145 cells from
      tissue biopsy and isolation of larger monocytes from blood. Our platform
      integrates the high throughput (processing rate) capacity of spiral iMF with the
      high selectivity of LCAT, thereby offering a unique route for highly-selective,
      label-free particle/cell sorting, with potential application in lab-on-chip
      platforms for liquid biopsy and diagnostics applications.

PMID- 28634608
TI  - Hexagonal boron nitride supported mesoSiO2-confined Ni catalysts for dry
      reforming of methane.
AB  - Based on the superior chemical and thermal stability of hexagonal boron nitride
      (h-BN), we design and synthesize h-BN supported mesoSiO2-confined Ni catalysts
      with a stable architecture. The as-prepared catalyst exhibits excellent coke- and
      sintering-resistance performance in the dry reforming of methane, and especially,
      there is almost no loss of activity even after a 100 h stability test due to the
      synergistic effects of the h-BN interface and Ni nanoparticles.

PMID- 28634610
TI  - Efficiently mapping structure-property relationships of gas adsorption in porous
      materials: application to Xe adsorption.
AB  - Designing better porous materials for gas storage or separations applications
      frequently leverages known structure-property relationships. Reliable structure
      property relationships, however, only reveal themselves when adsorption data on
      many porous materials are aggregated and compared. Gathering enough data
      experimentally is prohibitively time consuming, and even approaches based on
      large-scale computer simulations face challenges. Brute force computational
      screening approaches that do not efficiently sample the space of porous materials
      may be ineffective when the number of possible materials is too large. Here we
      describe a general and efficient computational method for mapping structure
      property spaces of porous materials that can be useful for adsorption related
      applications. We describe an algorithm that generates random porous
      "pseudomaterials", for which we calculate structural characteristics (e.g.,
      surface area, pore size and void fraction) and also gas adsorption properties via
      molecular simulations. Here we chose to focus on void fraction and Xe adsorption
      at 1 bar, 5 bar, and 10 bar. The algorithm then identifies pseudomaterials with
      rare combinations of void fraction and Xe adsorption and mutates them to generate
      new pseudomaterials, thereby selectively adding data only to those parts of the
      structure-property map that are the least explored. Use of this method can help
      guide the design of new porous materials for gas storage and separations
      applications in the future.

PMID- 28634609
TI  - SNAr catalysis enhanced by an aromatic donor-acceptor interaction; facile access
      to chlorinated polyfluoroarenes.
AB  - Selective catalytic SNAr reaction of polyfluoroaryl C-F bonds with chloride is
      shown. Stoichiometric TMSCl makes the reaction exergonic and allows catalysis,
      which involves ground state elevation of chloride, aromatic donor-acceptor
      interactions, and stabilization of the Meisenheimer complex. Traditional cross
      coupling of the products is now possible and demonstrates the utility.

PMID- 28634611
TI  - Micro- and nano-patterned conductive graphene-PEG hybrid scaffolds for cardiac
      tissue engineering.
AB  - A lack of electrical conductivity and structural organization in currently
      available biomaterial scaffolds limits their utility for generating
      physiologically representative models of functional cardiac tissue. Here we
      report on the development of scalable, graphene-functionalized topographies with
      anisotropic electrical conductivity for engineering the structural and functional
      phenotypes of macroscopic cardiac tissue constructs. Guided by anisotropic
      electroconductive and topographic cues, the tissue constructs displayed
      structural property enhancement in myofibrils and sarcomeres, and exhibited
      significant increases in the expression of cell-cell coupling and calcium
      handling proteins, as well as in action potential duration and peak calcium
      release.

PMID- 28634612
TI  - Pd(0)-Catalyzed intramolecular arylative dearomatization of beta-naphthols.
AB  - An efficient Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular arylative dearomatization of beta
      naphthols is described. Using Q-Phos as a ligand, the arylative dearomatization
      reaction proceeded smoothly affording excellent yields and chemoselectivity even
      when the catalyst loading was reduced to 0.1 mol%. This method offers an
      efficient access to a series of structurally diverse spirocarbocycles.
      Preliminary investigation indicates that an enantioselective reaction is feasible
      in the presence of a chiral phosphoramidite ligand.

PMID- 28634613
TI  - Breathing-induced new phase transition in an MIL-53(Al)-NH2 metal-organic
      framework under high methane pressures.
AB  - The high pressure methane sorption tests on a flexible metal-organic framework
      [MIL-53(Al)-NH2] reveal a new phase transition to a large pore (lp) phase above
      45 bar. The mixed-ligand strategy and pressure cycling tests are suggested to
      reduce the pressure requirement of such a phase transition for applications in
      natural gas storage.

PMID- 28634614
TI  - Detection of the circulating tumor DNAs in angioimmunoblastic T- cell lymphoma.
AB  - Recent genetic studies identified that the disease-specific G17V RHOA mutation,
      together with mutations in TET2, DNMT3A, and IDH2, is a hallmark of
      angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphomas (AITL). The diagnostic value of these
      mutations is now being investigated. Circulating tumor DNAs (ctDNAs) may offer a
      non-invasive testing for diagnosis and disease monitoring of cancers. To
      investigate whether these mutations are useful markers for ctDNAs in AITL and its
      related lymphomas, we performed targeted sequencing for TET2, RHOA, DNMT3A, and
      IDH2 in paired tumors and cell-free DNAs from 14 patients at diagnosis. Eighty
      three percent of mutations detected in tumors were also observed in cell-free
      DNAs. During the disease course, mutations were detectable in cell-free DNAs in a
      refractory case, while they disappeared in a chemosensitive case. These data
      suggest that the disease-specific gene mutations serve as sensitive indicators
      for ctDNAs and may also be applicable for non-invasive monitoring of minimal
      residual diseases in AITL.

PMID- 28634615
TI  - ABO genotype-phenotype discrepancy due to chimerism resolved by clonal
      separation.

PMID- 28634617
TI  - Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Over the last several years, liver transplantation has evolved to become a widely
      used treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The criteria used were
      developed in order to have acceptable outcomes for transplant with survival
      similar to other indications for transplant. These criteria are discussed in
      detail along with alternate options, including surgical resection and downstaging
      of HCC in cirrhotics. Technical considerations of liver transplantation must be
      considered, and living donor liver transplant is a possibility for treatment.

PMID- 28634616
TI  - Lineage switch from B acute lymphoblastic leukemia to acute monocytic leukemia
      with persistent t(4;11)(q21;q23) and cytogenetic evolution under CD19-targeted
      therapy.

PMID- 28634618
TI  - CT and MRI findings in focal eosinophilic infiltration of the liver.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the findings of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) of focal eosinophilic infiltration (FEI) of the liver.
      METHODS: A retrospective study including 29 patients with confirmed FEI of the
      liver was performed. We evaluated the lesions' number, distribution, size, shape,
      margin, attenuation or signal intensity characteristics, the enhancement pattern,
      and some special features. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the
      correlation between the number of lesions and the eosinophil counts in peripheral
      blood. RESULTS: In all, 108 lesions were detected in 29 cases, including two
      cases with single lesion and the remaining 27 cases with multiple lesions. The
      mean size of all lesions was 34 mm (range, from 3 to 61 mm). 95 (88%) lesions
      were located in subcapsular parenchyma or surrounding the portal vein. Most (66%)
      subcapsular lesions were wedge shaped and all lesions surrounding portal vein
      were round shaped. However, the hepatic parenchymal lesions were irregular or
      round shaped. All lesions showed ill-defined margins. On pre-contrast CT images,
      the lesions showed slightly low attenuation or iso-attenuating. On T1-weighted
      and T2-weighted images, the lesions were slightly iso-/hypointense and
      hyperintense, respectively. A total of 23 (79.3%) cases were gradually enhanced.
      Branches of portal vein went through the lesions in all cases; 12 had 'stripe
      sign' and 16 had 'halo ring sign.' Spearman analysis indicated a significant
      correlation between the number of lesions and the increased eosinophils in
      peripheral blood (r = 0.627, p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: Special CT and MRI
      features and increased eosinophils may strongly suggest the diagnosis of FEI of
      the liver.

PMID- 28634619
TI  - Implementation of LI-RADS into a radiological practice.
AB  - Since its introduction in 2011, Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS)
      has become an increasingly utilized method for radiologists to categorize lesions
      for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients at risk (American College of
      Radiology, www.acr.org/quality-safety/resources/lirads 2016). This overview
      article presents insight into methods of incorporating LI-RADS into an existing
      clinical practice, highlighting concrete ways to establish this system as a
      mainstay in any radiologist's evidence-based armamentarium. We will focus on the
      importance of standardization to improve the value of our reporting. We will also
      discuss specific opportunities to favor adoption of LI-RADS including building a
      community of users composed of radiologists and referring physicians, forming a
      strategic vision, enlisting a team leader, overcoming barriers to adoption,
      communicating successes, integrating the system into the departmental culture,
      and learning from mistakes. The 2017 version of LI-RADS is the most recent update
      and is based on the most current medical imaging evidence. The details of these
      updates are described in other articles in this journal's edition. Efforts should
      be made to increase adherence and to enhance standardized use of LI-RADS
      internationally. Ultimately, the objective of LI-RADS is to prioritize patient
      care and optimize medical outcomes.

PMID- 28634620
TI  - New data on Neodiplostomum americanum Chandler and Rausch, 1947 (Digenea:
      Diplostomidae), in the Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Gmelin, 1788 and the
      Eastern Screech Owl Megascops asio Linnaeus, 1758 in Mississippi, USA.
AB  - Neodiplostomum americanum Chandler and Rausch, 1947 has been reported from six
      species of owls in North America. At present, there are no molecular data for
      this species and gene sequence data from Neodiplostomum Railliet, 1919 are
      limited. A freshly deceased specimen of the Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
      Gmelin, 1788 and a freshly deceased specimen of the Eastern Screech Owl Megascops
      asio Linnaeus, 1758 were collected in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi in 2014 and
      2016, respectively. Neodiplostomum americanum were recovered from both hosts.
      Herein, updated morphological descriptions are supplemented with gene sequence
      data from conserved (18S, ITS1-5.8S, ITS2, and 28S rRNA) and fast-evolving
      (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mtDNA) regions. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis
      of the genus based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene sequence data supports
      the placement of N. americanum within a discrete phylogroup of the family
      Diplostomidae. The life history of N. americanum is unknown and currently limited
      to the description of the adult stage in avian hosts. The molecular data
      generated in this study offer insight into the phylogenetic placement of N.
      americanum within the Diplostomatidae and will aid in identifying different life
      stages in putative intermediate hosts.

PMID- 28634621
TI  - Role of MRI in predicting meniscal tear reparability.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the role of MRI in predicting meniscal tear reparability
      according to tear type and location in relation to vascular zones. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: In this retrospective study, two readers evaluated 79 pre-surgical MRIs
      of meniscal tears arthroscopically treated with meniscectomy or meniscal repair.
      Tears were classified according to type into vertical, horizontal, radial,
      complex, flaps and bucket handle and were considered reparable if the distance
      measured from the tear to the menisco-capsular junction was less than or equal to
      5 mm. Predictions were compared with the surgical procedure performed in
      arthroscopy. We assessed the diagnostic performance of MRI, agreement between MRI
      and arthroscopy, and interrater agreement. Then, we conducted an ROC analysis on
      the distances measured by the first reader and built a multivariate logistic
      regression model. RESULTS: MRI had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and
      accuracy, respectively, of 85%, 79%, 86%, 76% and 83% in predicting meniscal tear
      reparability. Correct predictions for the specific tear pattern were 76% for
      vertical, 84% for horizontal, 88% for radial, 86% for complex, 84% for flaps and
      86% for bucket handle. Agreement between the two readers' predictions and
      arthroscopy was good (k = 0.65 and 0.61, respectively). Inter-rater agreement was
      almost excellent (k = 0.79). The ROC analysis revealed sensitivity and
      specificity of 73% and 83% with a cutoff value of <4 mm (p < 0.001). Anterior
      cruciate ligament injury and medial meniscal tear increased the likelihood of
      meniscal tear reparability. CONCLUSIONS: MRI can be a reliable and accurate tool
      to predict the reparability of meniscal tears, with higher prediction rates for
      bucket-handle tears.

PMID- 28634622
TI  - Burned-out seminoma revealed by solitary rib bone metastasis.
AB  - Burned-out tumor is a rare phenomenon in which a testicular tumor regresses in
      the primary lesion and progresses in a metastatic lesion. We report the case of a
      30-year-old male with burned-out seminoma revealed by open biopsy of solitary
      10th rib bone metastasis. He underwent inguinal orchiectomy, which revealed
      hyalinization, indicating a spontaneously regressed testicular tumor.
      Chemotherapy for seminoma was administered in three cycles of bleomycin +
      etoposide + cisplatin therapy. The chemotherapy was effective, and wide resection
      of the rib was subsequently performed. No postoperative chemotherapy was
      performed, and there has been no evidence of recurrence for 3 years
      postoperatively.

PMID- 28634623
TI  - Knot integrity using different suture types and different knot-tying techniques
      for reconstructive pelvic floor procedures.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Surgeons use a variety of sutures and knot-tying
      methods during pelvic reconstructive procedures. We hypothesized that knot
      strength integrity will be similar with regards to type of knot, type of suture,
      and the knot-tying process. METHODS: Using six different suture materials, flat
      square knots and slip knots were tied robotically and by hand by two surgeons.
      Knot integrity was evaluated using an Instron 5544 machine. We measured force and
      elongation at suture failure or knot slippage (whichever came first) as well as
      force at 3-mm displacement. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-two knots were tie;
      one unraveled before the analysis, and 431 were tested. Three hundred and ninety
      two knots reached or surpassed tensile strength of 30 N, the force at which
      tissue itself will fail. Knots tied with polyglyconate suture achieved the
      greatest tensile strength and those with OO-polydioxanone had the lowest. Hand
      tied knots, regardless of technique and suture material, had greater tensile
      strength but greater elongation than robotically tied knots. Slip knots and flat
      square knots have similar integrity regardless of the tying technique.
      CONCLUSION: Hand-tied knots had greater tensile strength than robotic knots, but
      the strength to break all knots required supraphysiological conditions. The
      decision to use a specific type of suture based on strength is not supported by
      our results, suggesting that surgeons may choose sutures based on other
      characteristics and personal comfort.

PMID- 28634624
TI  - Population-averaged macaque brain atlas with high-resolution ex vivo DTI
      integrated into in vivo space.
AB  - Animal models of the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), the most widely used
      nonhuman primate, have been irreplaceable in neurobiological studies. However, a
      population-averaged macaque brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) atlas, including
      comprehensive gray and white matter labeling as well as bony and facial landmarks
      guiding invasive experimental procedures, is not available. The macaque white
      matter tract pathways and microstructures have been rarely recorded. Here, we
      established a population-averaged macaque brain atlas with high-resolution ex
      vivo DTI integrated into in vivo space incorporating bony and facial landmarks,
      and delineated microstructures and three-dimensional pathways of major white
      matter tracts in vivo MRI/DTI and ex vivo (postmortem) DTI of ten rhesus macaque
      brains were acquired. Single-subject macaque brain DTI template was obtained by
      transforming the postmortem high-resolution DTI data into in vivo space. Ex vivo
      DTI of ten macaque brains was then averaged in the in vivo single-subject
      template space to generate population-averaged macaque brain DTI atlas. The white
      matter tracts were traced with DTI-based tractography. One hundred and eighteen
      neural structures including all cortical gyri, white matter tracts and
      subcortical nuclei, were labeled manually on population-averaged DTI-derived
      maps. The in vivo microstructural metrics of fractional anisotropy, axial, radial
      and mean diffusivity of the traced white matter tracts were measured. Population
      averaged digital atlas integrated into in vivo space can be used to label the
      experimental macaque brain automatically. Bony and facial landmarks will be
      available for guiding invasive procedures. The DTI metric measurements offer
      unique insights into heterogeneous microstructural profiles of different white
      matter tracts.

PMID- 28634625
TI  - Serum antioxidant capacity, biochemical profile and body composition of breast
      cancer survivors in a randomized Mediterranean dietary intervention study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Increasing evidence suggests that Mediterranean Diet (MD) is correlated
      with reduced risk of breast cancer (BC) and cancer mortality, since it modifies
      patients' serum antioxidant capacity, body composition and biochemical
      parameters. The aim of the study was to investigate whether a dietary
      intervention based on MD has a beneficial effect on these factors. METHODS: In
      this intervention study, seventy female BC survivors were randomly assigned to
      (1) the intervention group (personalized dietary intervention based on MD) and
      (2) the control group (received the updated American Cancer Society Guidelines on
      Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention and ad libitum diet). Both
      groups were assessed twice [beginning, end of study (after 6 months)] regarding
      their anthropometric and biochemical parameters, serum vitamin C, vitamin A, a
      tocopherol and CoQ10 levels, dietary intake and adherence to MD. An additional
      intermediate analysis was conducted on participants' body composition and
      biochemical profile. RESULTS: Concerning the intervention group, body weight,
      body fat mass, waist circumference, body mass index as well as HDL-cholesterol
      were significantly decreased (P < 0.2%). An increase was observed in the vitamin
      C levels in blood (P < 0.2%). In the control group, body weight, body fat mass
      and serum total cholesterol rose (P < 0.2%). At the end of the study the two
      groups were significantly different considering blood glucose, vitamin C,
      polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A and a-tocopherol levels. CONCLUSIONS: This
      randomized dietary intervention based on MD managed to ameliorate serum
      antioxidant capacity, body composition, adherence to MD and glycemic profile of
      postmenopausal BC survivors.

PMID- 28634626
TI  - Hepatic shear wave elastography in children under free-breathing and breath-hold
      conditions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare hepatic 2D shear wave elastography (2D SWE) in children
      between free-breathing and breath-hold conditions, in terms of measurement
      agreement and time expenditure. METHODS: A cohort of 57 children (12.7+/-4.3
      years) who underwent standardized 2D SWE between May and October 2015 were
      retrospectively evaluated. Liver elastograms were obtained under free-breathing
      and breath-hold conditions and time expenditure was measured. Median stiffness,
      interquartile range (IQR), and IQR/median ratio were calculated based on 12, six,
      and three elastograms. Results were compared using Pearson correlation
      coefficient, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Bland-Altman analysis, and
      Student's t. RESULTS: Median liver stiffness under free-breathing and breath-hold
      conditions correlated strongly (7.22+/-4.5kPa vs. 7.21+/-4.11kPa; r=0.97,
      P<0.001). Time to acquire 12 elastograms with free-breathing was lower than that
      with breath-holding (79.3+/-32.5sec vs. 143.7+/-51.8sec, P<0.001). Results for
      median liver stiffness based of 12, six, and three elastograms demonstrated very
      high agreement for free-breathing (ICC 0.993) and for breath-hold conditions (ICC
      0.994). CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic 2D SWE performed with free-breathing yields results
      similar to the breath-hold condition. With a substantially lower time
      requirement, which can be further reduced by lowering the number of elastograms,
      the free-breathing technique may be suitable for infants and less cooperative
      children not capable of breath-holding. KEY POINTS: * Hepatic 2D SWE performed
      with free-breathing yields results similar to breath-hold condition. * Benefit of
      the free-breathing approach is the substantially lower time requirement. *
      Lowering the number of elastograms can further reduce time expenditure. * Free
      breathing 2D SWE is suitable in children with suspected liver disease.

PMID- 28634627
TI  - Influence of multiple stapler firings used for rectal division on colorectal
      anastomotic leak rate.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage following colorectal resection remains one of the
      most significant complications with relevant morbidity and mortality. There is
      evidence that a higher number of stapler firings for rectal division can affect
      the leak rate in double stapling anastomosis. However, there are no data
      concerning compression anastomosis. We present our institutional experience
      addressing this issue. DESIGN: This is a retrospective review of a prospective
      institutional database of patients undergoing colonic and rectal resection for
      benign and malignant indications between January 2008 and December 2014 at the
      surgical department of the St. John of God Hospital, Vienna. Inclusion criteria
      were rectal division with linear stapling devices and construction of anastomosis
      to the rectal stump using a circular stapler or compression device. RESULTS:
      Three hundred eighty two (196 female; 51.3%) patients were included. Mean age was
      65.8 years (range: 18-95) Indications for the operation included diverticular
      disease (44.8%), colorectal carcinoma (51.6%), inflammatory bowel disease (1.8%),
      and adenoma (1.8%). A laparoscopic approach was employed in 334 cases (87.4%); in
      170 patients (44.9%), a compression anastomosis was created. One, two, and three
      or more stapler cartridges were used for rectal division in 58.4, 33.5, and 8.1%,
      respectively. Male gender, neoadjuvant therapy, rectal cancer as an underlying
      disease, laparoscopic surgical approach, and duration of operation longer than
      200 min are leading causes for the usage of more than one stapler cartridge.
      Overall leak rate was 4.7% (18/382). The only factor associated with the
      occurrence of leakage was the use of three or more stapler cartridges for the
      closure of the rectal stump (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Our data support that
      multiple stapler firings for rectal division following colorectal resection has a
      major impact on anastomotic leak rate. Especially in laparoscopic surgery efforts
      should be made to minimize the number of stapler cartridges used.

PMID- 28634629
TI  - Medical malpractice claims in laparoscopic gynecologic surgery: a Dutch overview
      of 20 years.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The success of newly introduced surgical techniques is generally
      primarily assessed by surgical outcome measures. However, data on medical
      liability should concomitantly be used to evaluate provided care as they give a
      unique insight into substandard care from patient's point of view. The aim of
      this study was to analyze the number and type of medical claims after
      laparoscopic gynecologic procedures since the introduction of advanced
      laparoscopy two decades ago. Secondly, our objective was to identify trends
      and/or risk factors associated with these claims. METHODS: To identify the
      claims, we searched the databases of the two largest medical liability mutual
      insurance companies in The Netherlands (MediRisk and Centramed), covering
      together 96% of the Dutch hospitals. All claims related to laparoscopic
      gynecologic surgery and filed between 1993 and 2015 were included. RESULTS: A
      total of 133 claims met our inclusion criteria, of which 54 were accepted claims
      (41%) and 79 rejected (59%). The number of claims remained relatively constant
      over time. The majority of claims were filed for visceral and/or vascular
      injuries (82%), specifically to the bowel (40%) and ureters (20%). More than one
      third of the injuries were entry related (38%) and 77% of the claims were filed
      after non-advanced procedures. A delay in diagnosing injuries was the primary
      reason for financial compensation (33%). The median sum paid to patients was
      ?12,000 (500-848,689). In 90 claims, an attorney was defending the patient (83%
      for the accepted claims; 57% for the rejected claims). CONCLUSION: The number of
      claims remained relatively constant during the study period. Most claims were
      provoked by bowel and ureter injuries. Delay in recognizing injuries was the most
      encountered reason for granting financial compensation. Entering the abdominal
      cavity during laparoscopy continues to be a potential dangerous step. As a
      result, gynecologists are recommended to thoroughly counsel patients undergoing
      any laparoscopic procedure, even regarding the risk of entry-related injuries.

PMID- 28634628
TI  - Standardizing hysteroscopy teaching: development of a curriculum using the Delphi
      method.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hysteroscopy is performed often and in many indications but is
      challenging to learn. Hands-on training in live patients faces ethical, legal,
      and economic obstacles. Virtual reality simulation may hold promise as a
      hysteroscopy training tool. No validated curriculum specific in hysteroscopy
      exists. The aim of this study was to develop a hysteroscopy curriculum, using the
      Delphi method to identify skill requirements. METHODS: Based on a literature
      review using the key words "curriculum," "simulation," and "hysteroscopy," we
      identified five technical and non-technical areas in which skills were required.
      Twenty hysteroscopy experts from different French hospital departments
      participated in Delphi rounds to select items in these five areas. The rounds
      were to be continued until 80-100% agreement was obtained for at least 60% of
      items. A curriculum was built based on the selected items and was evaluated in
      residents. RESULTS: From November 2014 to April 2015, 18 of 20 invited experts
      participated in three Delphi rounds. Of the 51 items selected during the first
      round, only 25 (49%) had 80-100% agreement during the second round, and a third
      round was therefore conducted. During this last round, 80-100% agreement was
      achieved for 31 (61%) items, which were used to create the curriculum. All 14
      residents tested felt that a simulator training session was acceptable and helped
      them to improve their skills. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a simulation-based
      hysteroscopy curriculum focusing on skill requirements identified by a Delphi
      procedure. Its development allows standardization of training programs offered to
      residents.

PMID- 28634630
TI  - Development and validation of a tool for non-technical skills evaluation in
      robotic surgery-the ICARS system.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-technical skills (NTS) are being increasingly recognised as vital
      for safe surgical practice. Numerous NTS rating systems have been developed to
      support effective training and assessment. Yet despite the additional challenges
      posed by robotic surgery, no NTS rating systems have been developed for this
      unique surgical environment. This study reports the development and validation of
      the first NTS behavioural rating system for robotic surgery. METHODS: A
      comprehensive index of all relevant NTS behaviours in robotic surgery was
      developed through observation of robotic theatre and interviews with robotic
      surgeons. Using a Delphi methodology, a panel of 16 expert surgeons was consulted
      to identify behaviours important to NTS assessment. These behaviours were
      organised into an appropriate assessment template. Experts were consulted on the
      feasibility, applicability and educational impact of ICARS. An observational
      trial was used to validate ICARS. 73 novice, intermediate and expert robotic
      surgeons completed a urethrovesical anastomosis within a simulated operating
      room. NTS were tested using four scripted scenarios of increasing difficulty.
      Performances were video recorded. Robotic and NTS experts assessed the videos
      post hoc using ICARS and the standard behavioural rating system, NOn-Technical
      Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS). RESULTS: 28 key non-technical behaviours were
      identified by the expert panel. The finalised behavioural rating system was
      organised into four principle domains and seven categories. Expert opinion
      strongly supported its implementation. ICARS was found to be equivalent to NOTSS
      on Bland-Altman analysis and accurately differentiated between novice,
      intermediate and expert participants, p = 0.01. Moderate agreement was found
      between raters, Krippendorff's alpha = 0.4. The internal structure of ICARS was
      shown to be consistent and reliable (median Cronbach alpha = 0.92, range 0.85
      0.94). CONCLUSION: ICARS is the first NTS behavioural rating system developed for
      robotic surgery. Initial validation has shown it to be an effective and reliable
      tool. Implementation of ICARS will supported structured training and assessment
      of NTS within the robotic surgical curriculum.

PMID- 28634631
TI  - SAGES University MASTERS Program: a structured curriculum for deliberate,
      lifelong learning.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Postgraduate training has been haphazard to date. Surgeons have
      relied on attendance to annual meetings and multiple choice study guides to
      demonstrate maintenance of certification and continuing medical education.
      METHODS: SAGES held a retreat to develop the concept and scope of the Masters
      Program. Surveys were sent to SAGES members to guide curriculum development and
      selection of anchoring operations. RESULTS: SAGES has developed an educational
      curriculum across eight domains (Acute Care, Biliary, Bariatric, Colorectal,
      Hernia, Foregut, Flex Endoscopy, and Robotic Surgery) incorporating SAGES
      educational materials and guidelines, social media, coaching and mentoring.
      CONCLUSIONS: Deliberate, lifelong learning should be a better way to teach and
      learn.

PMID- 28634633
TI  - Erratum to: Nd:YAG laser irradiation associated with fluoridated gels containing
      photo absorbers in the prevention of enamel erosion.

PMID- 28634632
TI  - Can a virtual reality surgical simulation training provide a self-driven and
      mentor-free skills learning? Investigation of the practical influence of the
      performance metrics from the virtual reality robotic surgery simulator on the
      skill learning and associated cognitive workloads.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While it is often claimed that virtual reality (VR) training system
      can offer self-directed and mentor-free skill learning using the system's
      performance metrics (PM), no studies have yet provided evidence-based
      confirmation. This experimental study investigated what extent to which trainees
      achieved their self-learning with a current VR simulator and whether additional
      mentoring improved skill learning, skill transfer and cognitive workloads in
      robotic surgery simulation training. METHODS: Thirty-two surgical trainees were
      randomly assigned to either the Control-Group (CG) or Experiment-Group (EG).
      While the CG participants reviewed the PM at their discretion, the EG
      participants had explanations about PM and instructions on how to improve scores.
      Each subject completed a 5-week training using four simulation tasks. Pre- and
      post-training data were collected using both a simulator and robot. Peri-training
      data were collected after each session. Skill learning, time spent on PM (TPM),
      and cognitive workloads were compared between groups. RESULTS: After the
      simulation training, CG showed substantially lower simulation task scores (82.9
      +/- 6.0) compared with EG (93.2 +/- 4.8). Both groups demonstrated improved
      physical model tasks performance with the actual robot, but the EG had a greater
      improvement in two tasks. The EG exhibited lower global mental workload/distress,
      higher engagement, and a better understanding regarding using PM to improve
      performance. The EG's TPM was initially long but substantially shortened as the
      group became familiar with PM. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the
      current VR simulator offered limited self-skill learning and additional mentoring
      still played an important role in improving the robotic surgery simulation
      training.

PMID- 28634634
TI  - Pain and fracture-related limitations persist 6 months after a fragility
      fracture.
AB  - Our objective was to examine the experience of pain after a fracture beyond the
      conventional healing duration of 6 months. We conducted a phenomenological study
      in participants who were deemed high risk for future fracture and recruited
      through an urban fracture clinic in Toronto, Canada. In-depth interviews were
      conducted with questions addressing the experience of pain, the status of
      recovery from the fracture, ways in which the fracture affected one's daily
      activities, and interactions with health care providers. Two researchers coded
      the transcripts within the phenomenological perspective to develop a structure of
      the pain experience, promoting rigour through the use of multiple analysts,
      searching for negative cases, and supporting claims with direct quotations from
      participants. We interviewed 21 participants who had sustained fractures of the
      wrist (n = 4), hip (n = 6), vertebrae (n = 2), and multiple or other locations (n
      = 9). All patients were ambulatory, had a range of socioeconomic status, and
      lived in the community. Eleven of the 21 participants reported persistent pain at
      the site of the fracture. Of the 10 participants who reported no pain, four
      indicated they had ongoing difficulties with range of motion and specific
      activities and two others described persistent pain from a previous fracture or
      reliance on a scooter for mobility. Our study demonstrated that over two-thirds
      of older adults reported fracture-related pain and/or limitations at, or beyond,
      6 months post-fracture. We suggest that health care providers ask questions about
      post-fracture pain and/or limitations when assessing fracture status beyond 6
      months.

PMID- 28634635
TI  - Erratum to: Long-term success of dental implant-supported dentures in
      postirradiated patients treated for neoplasms of the maxillofacial skeleton: a
      retrospective study.

PMID- 28634636
TI  - Farmers' Willingness to Adopt Conservation Agriculture: New Evidence from
      Lebanon.
AB  - With increasing food insecurity and climate change, conservation agriculture has
      emerged as a sustainable alternative to intensive conventional agriculture as a
      source of food supply. Yet the adoption rate of conservation agriculture is still
      low. Our paper analyses the factors affecting farmers' willingness to adopt
      conservation agriculture in Lebanon. The findings show that household
      characteristics-years of farming and farm size affect conservation agriculture
      adoption. However, household characteristics alone were insufficient to explain
      conservation agriculture adoption. We found that farming experience, information
      sources, frequency of irrigation, and severity of weed infestation in the past,
      participation in specific trainings, and farmers' perception about the long-term
      impact of conservation agriculture, were key determinants of conservation
      agriculture adoption. Our paper encourages policymakers to invest in conservation
      agriculture to overcome food insecurity and environmental changes affecting food
      systems in the Middle East. The paper also informs agribusiness firms to view
      conservation agriculture as a viable alternative to strengthen their business
      relationship with farmers in arid and semi-arid regions.

PMID- 28634637
TI  - Managing neurogenic orthostatic hypotension with droxidopa in a patient with
      Parkinson disease, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension.

PMID- 28634638
TI  - Co-existence of Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation Bacteria and Denitrifying Anaerobic
      Methane Oxidation Bacteria in Sewage Sludge: Community Diversity and Seasonal
      Dynamics.
AB  - Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) and denitrifying anaerobic methane
      oxidation (DAMO) have been recently discovered as relevant processes in the
      carbon and nitrogen cycles of wastewater treatment plants. In this study, the
      seasonal dynamics of ANAMMOX and DAMO bacterial community structures and their
      abundance in sewage sludge collected from wastewater treatment plants were
      analysed. Results indicated that ANAMMOX and DAMO bacteria co-existed in sewage
      sludge in different seasons and their abundance was positively correlated (P <
      0.05). The high abundance of ANAMMOX and DAMO bacteria in autumn and winter
      indicated that these seasons were the preferred time to favour the growth of
      ANAMMOX and DAMO bacteria. The community structure of ANNAMOX and DAMO bacteria
      could also shift with seasonal changes. The "Candidatus Brocadia" genus of
      ANAMMOX bacteria was mainly recovered in spring and summer, and an unknown
      cluster was primarily detected in autumn and winter. Similar patterns of seasonal
      variation in the community structure of DAMO bacteria were also observed. Group B
      was the dominant in spring and summer, whereas in autumn and winter, group A and
      group B presented almost the same proportion. The redundancy analysis revealed
      that pH and nitrate were the most significant factors affecting community
      structures of these two groups (P < 0.01). This study reported the diversity of
      ANAMMOX and DAMO in wastewater treatment plants that may be the basis for new
      nitrogen removal technologies.

PMID- 28634639
TI  - The Curious Case of Achromobacter eurydice, a Gram-Variable Pleomorphic Bacterium
      Associated with European Foulbrood Disease in Honeybees.
AB  - Honeybees are prone to parasite and pathogen infestations/infections due to their
      social colony life. Bacterial pathogens in particular lead to destructive
      infections of the brood. European foulbrood is caused by the bacterium
      Melissococcus plutonius in combination with several other Gram-positive bacteria
      (Achromobacter eurydice, Bacillus pumilus, Brevibacillus laterosporus,
      Enterococcus faecalis, Paenibacillus alvei, Paenibacillus dendritiformis)
      involved as secondary invaders following the initial infection. More than a
      century ago, A. eurydice was discovered to be associated with European foulbrood
      and morphologically and biochemically characterized. However, since the 1950s
      1960s, only a few studies are known covering the biological relevance of this
      bacterium. Here, we review the biology, ecology, morphology, and biochemistry and
      discuss the still unclear systematic classification of A. eurydice.

PMID- 28634640
TI  - The Microbiome of Eucalyptus Roots under Different Management Conditions and Its
      Potential for Biological Nitrogen Fixation.
AB  - Eucalyptus plantations offer a cost-effective and renewable source of raw
      material. There is substantial interest in improving forestry production,
      especially through sustainable strategies such as the use of plant growth
      promoting bacteria. However, little is known about Eucalyptus microbiology. In
      this study, the endophytic bacterial community was assessed in Eucalyptus
      urograndis roots using culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques with
      plants grown under different conditions. Three phyla accounted for approximately
      95% of the community, with Actinobacteria corresponding to approximately 59%.
      This contrasts with previous studies in which Actinobacteria accounted for only 5
      to 10%. Our data also revealed a high diversity of bacteria, with 359 different
      genera but a high level of dominance. Six genera, Mycobacterium, Bradyrhizobium,
      Streptomyces, Bacillus, Actinospica, and Burkholderia, accounted for more than
      50% of the classified sequences. We observed a significant influence of the
      treatments on some genera, causing changes in the bacterial community structure.
      The obtained data also suggest that Eucalyptus may benefit from biological
      nitrogen fixation, with many abundant genera being closely related to nitrogen
      fixing bacteria. Using N-depleted media, we also cultured 95 bacterial isolates,
      of which 24 tested positive for the nifH gene and were able to maintain growth
      without any N source in the medium.

PMID- 28634641
TI  - A novel technique for ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization under
      short-axis out-of-plane approach: "stepwise flashing with triangulation".
AB  - In ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization, there is no standard
      technique either for the needle tip visualization or for the adequate needle
      angle and entry to the skin with short-axis view under out-of-plane technique. In
      the present study, we propose a novel technique named "stepwise flashing with
      triangulation", and the efficacy of this technique is assessed. Before and after
      a didactic session in which the technique was explained, 12 novice residents were
      asked to position the needle tip on or into the imitation vessels and to avoid
      deeper penetration by using an agar tissue phantom with ultrasound guidance.
      "Stepwise flashing" technique was for stepwise visualization of the needle tip,
      and "triangulation" technique was for adequate needle angle and entry to the
      skin. After the session, the success rate was increased and a deeper penetration
      rate was decreased. This technique will help us to facilitate vascular access and
      to avoid complications in clinical settings.

PMID- 28634642
TI  - Determinants of change in polypharmacy status in Switzerland: the population
      based CoLaus study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the prevalence, the change, and the
      determinants of change in polypharmacy in a population-based sample. METHODS:
      Baseline (2003-2006) and follow-up (2009-2012) data are from 4679 participants
      aged between 35 and 75 years (53.5% women, mean age 52.6 +/- 10.6 years) from the
      population of Lausanne, Switzerland. Polypharmacy was defined by the regular use
      of >=5 drugs. Four categories of change were defined: never (no polypharmacy at
      baseline and follow-up), initiating (no polypharmacy at baseline but at follow
      up), maintaining, or quitting. RESULTS: Polypharmacy increased from 7.7% at
      baseline to 15.3% at follow-up. Cardiovascular drugs were the most prescribed
      medicines at baseline and follow-up. Gender, age, obesity, smoking, previously
      diagnosed hypertension, or diabetes or dyslipidemia were significantly and
      independently associated with initiating and maintaining polypharmacy.
      CONCLUSION: In a population-based sample, prevalence of polypharmacy doubled over
      a 5.6-year period. The main determinants of initiating polypharmacy were age,
      overweight and obesity, smoking status, and previously diagnosed cardiovascular
      risk factors.

PMID- 28634643
TI  - Acute high-caffeine exposure increases autophagic flux and reduces protein
      synthesis in C2C12 skeletal myotubes.
AB  - Caffeine is a highly catabolic dietary stimulant. High caffeine concentrations (1
      10 mM) have previously been shown to inhibit protein synthesis and increase
      protein degradation in various mammalian cell lines. The purpose of this study
      was to examine the effect of short-term caffeine exposure on cell signaling
      pathways that regulate protein metabolism in mammalian skeletal muscle cells.
      Fully differentiated C2C12 skeletal myotubes either received vehicle (DMSO) or 5
      mM caffeine for 6 h. Our analysis revealed that caffeine promoted a 40% increase
      in autolysosome formation and a 25% increase in autophagic flux. In contrast,
      caffeine treatment did not significantly increase the expression of the skeletal
      muscle specific ubiquitin ligases MAFbx and MuRF1 or 20S proteasome activity.
      Caffeine treatment significantly reduced mTORC1 signaling, total protein
      synthesis and myotube diameter in a CaMKKbeta/AMPK-dependent manner. Further,
      caffeine promoted a CaMKII-dependent increase in myostatin mRNA expression that
      did not significantly contribute to the caffeine-dependent reduction in protein
      synthesis. Our results indicate that short-term caffeine exposure significantly
      reduced skeletal myotube diameter by increasing autophagic flux and promoting a
      CaMKKbeta/AMPK-dependent reduction in protein synthesis.

PMID- 28634645
TI  - Comparative Evaluation of Preliminary Screening Methods for Colorectal Cancer in
      a Mass Program.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been widely used in
      preliminary screening for colorectal cancer (CRC). The high-risk factor
      questionnaire (HRFQ) and quantitative risk-assessment method (QRAM) are
      recommended for estimating the risk of CRC qualitatively and quantitatively in
      China. AIM: We aimed to prospectively compare the diagnostic values of CRC
      preliminary screening methods to identify which method is preferable as a
      screening strategy. METHODS: Individuals aged 40-74 years old were enrolled in a
      mass CRC screening program from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2014, in Jiashan
      County, Zhejiang Province, China. FIT of two stool specimens at 1-week intervals
      was performed by laboratory personnel and face-to-face interviews were conducted
      by trained investigators. Screening data in the program were linked to a CRC
      surveillance and registry system, and CRC cases reported in the system were
      regarded as true patients. RESULTS: A total of 96,043 subjects were included. The
      sensitivity and specificity of FIT for detecting CRC cases were 75.49% (95% CI
      69.84-80.39) and 90.36% (95% CI 90.17-90.54), respectively. QRAM was more
      sensitive (p < 0.001) and less specific (p < 0.001) than HRFQ. The sensitivity
      and specificity of FIT along with HRFQ were 86.56% (95% CI 81.81-90.22) and
      81.37% (95% CI 81.12-81.62), and those of FIT along with QRAM were 88.93% (95% CI
      84.47-92.23) and 73.95% (95% CI 73.67-74.23). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest
      that CRC preliminary screening with FIT and QRAM in parallel has high sensitivity
      and satisfactory specificity, and is a useful strategy in mass screening
      programs.

PMID- 28634644
TI  - Minimal Clinically Important Differences (MCID) in Assessing Outcomes of Post
      Traumatic Stress Disorder.
AB  - This study sought to determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID)
      for two frequently used measures of symptom severity in Post-Traumatic Stress
      Disorder: the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the PTSD Symptom
      Checklist (PCL). Data from a randomized clinical trial of antipsychotic
      medication in military-related treatment-resistant PTSD (N= 267) included
      assessments 4 times over 26 weeks. Methods for estimating the MCID were based on
      both the anchor-based approach, using the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI)
      severity and improvement scales, rated by both clinicians and patients; and the
      distribution-based approach (based on standardized z-scores). Severity and change
      scores on the CAPS and PCL were converted to z-scores and compared across CGI
      levels using analysis of variance. The average difference in CAPS z-scores
      between each of three CGI levels between "moderate" to "severe" and from "no
      change" to "much improved" was 0.758 for clinician CGI ratings and 0.525 for
      patient CGI ratings and were similar for the PCL (0.483 and 0.471) with all
      differences significant at p<.0001). Clinically meaningful CAPS and PCL severity
      and change z-scores range between 0.5-0.8 standard deviations. The MCID estimates
      suggested here provide an empirical basis for determining whether statistically
      significant changes in CAPS and PCL scores are clinically meaningful.

PMID- 28634646
TI  - The Role of Robotics in the Invasive Management of Bladder Cancer.
AB  - Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has been adopted widely in many centres,
      owed largely to the success of robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP).
      It aims to replicate the oncological outcomes of open radical cystectomy (ORC),
      while providing a shorter recovery period. Despite this, previous RCTs have
      failed to show a benefit for RARC over ORC. These trials have compared
      extracorporeal RARC (eRARC) with ORC, which requires a further incision to
      mobilise the bowel for urinary reconstruction with an open technique. For
      intracorporeal RARC (iRARC), this urinary reconstruction is performed robotically
      without further incisions. There are theoretical benefits to this approach such
      as reduced recovery time for the bowel and reduced ileus rates, but no level 1
      evidence currently exists to support this. While there has been an improvement in
      patient outcomes since the adoption of RARC, various other factors, such as
      enhanced recovery programmes and surgical learning curve, have made it difficult
      to attribute this solely to the robotic approach as many centres performing ORC
      have also shown similar improvements. In this review, we will discuss
      implementation of RARC as well as perioperative measures that have helped improve
      outcomes, offer a comparison of outcomes between ORC and RARC and highlight
      upcoming RCTs that may offer new evidence for or against a paradigm shift in the
      future of bladder cancer surgery.

PMID- 28634648
TI  - Fasciola hepatica-a "Diver" in the Biliary Tree.
AB  - Fasciola hepatica is an endemic trematode that affects millions of people
      worldwide. The human being can be an accidental host through consumption of
      contaminated food or water. The authors present a case of hepatic fascioliasis in
      a 69-year-old Portuguese woman who recently traveled from Egypt, Brazil, and
      India.

PMID- 28634649
TI  - Assessment of cabozantinib treatment on QT interval in a phase 3 study in
      medullary thyroid cancer: evaluation of indirect QT effects mediated through
      treatment-induced changes in serum electrolytes.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study evaluated factors impacting QTc interval in a phase 3 trial
      of cabozantinib in progressive, metastatic, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).
      METHODS: Electrocardiogram (12-lead ECG) measurements were obtained at screening,
      and at pre-dose, and 2, 4, and 6 h post-dose on Days 1 and 29 in a phase 3 study
      in patients with MTC treated with cabozantinib (140 mg/day). Central tendency
      analyses were conducted on baseline-corrected QTc values. Linear and nonlinear
      mixed-effects models were used to evaluate potential factors affecting the QTc
      interval, including serum electrolytes, patient demographics, and cabozantinib
      concentration. RESULTS: Central tendency analysis showed that oral cabozantinib
      (140 mg/day) produced a 10-15 ms increase in delta-delta Fridericia corrected QT
      (??QTcF) and delta-delta study-specific corrected QT (??QTcS) on Day 29, but not
      on Day 1. Further analysis showed that QTcS provided a slightly more accurate QT
      correction than QTcF. Mixed-effects models evaluating serum electrolytes, age,
      sex, and cabozantinib concentration showed that decreased serum calcium and
      potassium could explain the majority of cabozantinib treatment-associated QTcS
      prolongation observed in this study. CONCLUSIONS: Cabozantinib treatment prolongs
      the ??QTcF interval by 10-15 ms. There was the absence of a strong relationship
      between cabozantinib concentration and QTcS prolongation. Cabozantinib treatment
      effects on serum calcium and potassium best explain the QTcS prolongation
      observed in this study.

PMID- 28634647
TI  - Erratum to: Training guidelines for endovascular stroke intervention: an
      international multi-society consensus document.

PMID- 28634651
TI  - Focus issue European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery on "Volume
      Resuscitation and Coagulation" : Focus on volume resuscitation and coagulation to
      improve outcomes in acute trauma haemorrhage.

PMID- 28634650
TI  - A randomized phase II study of gemcitabine plus Z-360, a CCK2 receptor-selective
      antagonist, in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer as compared with
      gemcitabine plus placebo.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated the efficacy and safety of 60, 120, or 240 mg of Z
      360, which is a highly potent cholecystokinin2-receptor-selective antagonist,
      combined with gemcitabine in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. METHODS:
      Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to one of four treatment
      groups. Patients received 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine for each cycle and Z-360 tablets
      of 60 mg (GZ 60 mg group), 120, 240 mg or placebo tablets (Gem group) orally
      twice daily. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The median
      OS was 1.3 months longer in the GZ 60 mg group compared with the Gem group (8.5
      vs. 7.2 months) and the risk of death was reduced by 19% compared with the Gem
      group, although there were no statistically significant differences. The study
      treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: In this Phase II study, no
      statistically significant differences between the GZ groups and Gem group were
      detected in any analysis. However, Z-360 in dose of 60 mg tends to improve OS in
      patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer with low toxic effect. Further
      exploratory trials with other agents such as gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel
      might be beneficial.

PMID- 28634652
TI  - A multi-source approach to determine SMA incidence and research ready population.
AB  - In spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), degeneration of motor neurons causes
      progressive muscular weakness, which is caused by homozygous deletion of the SMN1
      gene. Available epidemiological data on SMA are scarce, often outdated, and
      limited to relatively small regions or populations. Combining data from different
      sources including genetic laboratories and patient registries may provide better
      insight of the disease epidemiology. To investigate the incidence of genetically
      confirmed SMA, and the number of patients who are able and approachable to
      participate in new clinical trials and observational research, we used both
      genetic laboratories, the TREAT-NMD Global SMA Patient Registry and the Care and
      Trial Sites Registry (CTSR). In Europe, 4653 patients were genetically diagnosed
      by the genetic laboratories in the 5-year period 2011 to 2015, with 992 diagnosed
      in 2015 alone. The data provide an estimated incidence of SMA in Europe of 1 in
      3900-16,000 live births. Patient numbers in the national patient registries and
      CTSR were considerably lower. By far, most patients registered in the national
      patient registries and the CTSR live in Europe and are reported to have SMA type
      II. Considerable differences between countries in patient participation in the
      registries were observed. Our findings indicate that not all patients with SMA
      are accessed by specialist healthcare services and these patients may not have
      access to research opportunities and optimal care.

PMID- 28634653
TI  - Assessing the Combined Toxicity of BMAA and Its Isomers 2,4-DAB and AEG In Vitro
      Using Human Neuroblastoma Cells.
AB  - The non-protein amino acid (NPAA) beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is produced
      by a diverse range of cyanobacteria, diatoms and dinoflagellates, and is present
      in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems globally. Exposure to BMAA has been
      implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic
      lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
      BMAA is often found in nature along with its structural isomers 2,4
      diaminobutyric acid (2,4-DAB) and aminoethylglycine (AEG); however, the toxicity
      of these NPAAs in combination has not been examined. We have previously
      demonstrated that BMAA induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and increases
      caspase and cathepsin activity in human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y), effects
      consistent with proteotoxic stress due to disturbances in protein synthesis,
      folding or turnover. The current study investigates whether 2,4-DAB and AEG share
      a similar mechanism of toxicity to BMAA, and if simultaneous exposure of cells to
      BMAA and its isomers results in increased toxicity in vitro. We show that a 48-h
      treatment with both 500 MUM BMAA and 2,4-DAB decreases cell viability in vitro
      whereas AEG was not cytotoxic under the same conditions. Treatment of SH-SY5Y
      cells with 2,4-DAB did not increase expression of ER stress markers. Combined
      treatment of cells with BMAA and 2,4-DAB resulted in increased caspase activity
      and increased apoptosis above that of BMAA or 2,4-DAB on their own. These results
      suggest that 2,4-DAB does not share the same mechanism of toxicity as BMAA but
      the presence of 2,4-DAB increases the toxicity of BMAA to human cells in vitro.

PMID- 28634654
TI  - Improvement in latent variable indirect response modeling of multiple categorical
      clinical endpoints: application to modeling of guselkumab treatment effects in
      psoriatic patients.
AB  - Exposure-response modeling plays an important role in optimizing dose and dosing
      regimens during clinical drug development. The modeling of multiple endpoints is
      made possible in part by recent progress in latent variable indirect response
      (IDR) modeling for ordered categorical endpoints. This manuscript aims to
      investigate the level of improvement achievable by jointly modeling two such
      endpoints in the latent variable IDR modeling framework through the sharing of
      model parameters. This is illustrated with an application to the exposure
      response of guselkumab, a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody in clinical development
      that blocks IL-23. A Phase 2b study was conducted in 238 patients with psoriasis
      for which disease severity was assessed using Psoriasis Area and Severity Index
      (PASI) and Physician's Global Assessment (PGA) scores. A latent variable Type I
      IDR model was developed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of guselkumab dosing
      on 75, 90 and 100% improvement of PASI scores from baseline and PGA scores, with
      placebo effect empirically modeled. The results showed that the joint model is
      able to describe the observed data better with fewer parameters compared with the
      common approach of separately modeling the endpoints.

PMID- 28634655
TI  - Effect of Adherence on Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Relationships of Oral
      Targeted Anticancer Drugs.
AB  - The emergence of oral targeted anticancer agents transformed several cancers into
      chronic conditions with a need for long-term oral treatment. Although cancer is a
      life-threatening condition, oncology medication adherence-the extent to which a
      patient follows the drug regimen that is intended by the prescriber-can be
      suboptimal in the long term, as in any other chronic disease. Poor adherence can
      impact negatively on clinical outcomes, notably because most of these drugs are
      given as a standard non-individualized dosage despite marked inter-individual
      variabilities that can lead to toxic or inefficacious drug concentrations. This
      has been especially studied with the prototypal drug imatinib. In the context of
      therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), increasingly advocated for oral anticancer
      treatment optimization, unreported suboptimal adherence affecting drug intake
      history may lead to significant bias in the concentration interpretation and
      inappropriate dosage adjustments. In the same way, suboptimal adherence may also
      bias the results of pharmacokinetic modeling studies, which will affect in turn
      Bayesian TDM interpretation that relies on such population models. Detailed
      knowledge of the influence of adherence on plasma concentrations in
      pharmacokinetic studies or in routine TDM programs is however presently missing
      in the oncology field. Studies on this topic are therefore eagerly awaited to
      better pilot the treatment of cancer with the new targeted agents and to find
      their optimal dosage regimen. Hence, the development and assessment of effective
      medication adherence programs are warranted for these treatments.

PMID- 28634656
TI  - Patient-reported (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) versus physician-reported (CTCAE)
      quantification of oxaliplatin- and paclitaxel/carboplatin-induced peripheral
      neuropathy in NCCTG/Alliance clinical trials.
AB  - PURPOSE: Clinical practice guidelines on chemotherapy-induced peripheral
      neuropathy (CIPN) use the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events
      (CTCAE), while recent clinical trials employ a potentially superior measure, the
      European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life
      Questionnaire-CIPN twenty-item scale (QLQ-CIPN20), a patient-reported outcome
      (PRO). Practitioners and researchers lack guidance, regarding how QLQ-CIPN20
      results relate to the traditional CTCAE during the serial assessment of patients
      undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: Two large CIPN clinical trial datasets (538
      patients) pairing QLQ-CIPN20 and CTCAE outcomes were analyzed using a
      multivariable linear mixed model with QLQ-CIPN20 score as the outcome variable,
      CTCAE grade as the main effect, and patient as random effect (accounting for
      internal correlation of serial measures). RESULTS: The association between QLQ
      CIPN20 scores and CTCAE grades was strong (p < 0.0001), whereby patients with
      higher CTCAE grade had worse QLQ-CIPN20 scores. Some variation of QLQ-CIPN20
      scores was observed based on drug, treatment, and cycle. While there was a marked
      difference in the mean QLQ-CIPN20 scores between CTCAE grades, the ranges of QLQ
      CIPN20 scores within each CTCAE grade were large, leading to large overlap in
      CIPN20 scores across CTCAE grades. CONCLUSIONS: A strong positive association of
      QLQ-CIPN20 scores and CTCAE grade provides evidence of convergent validity as
      well as practical guidance, as to how to quantitatively interpret QLQ-CIPN20
      scores at the study level in terms of the traditional CTCAE. The present results
      also highlight an important clinical caveat, specifically, that conversion of a
      specific QLQ-CIPN20 score to a specific CTCAE score may not be reliable at the
      level of an individual patient.

PMID- 28634657
TI  - Longitudinal perceptions of the side effects of chemotherapy in patients with
      gynecological cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the incidence and difference of side effects
      among six courses of chemotherapy (C/T) in gynecological cancer patients.
      METHODS: The study period was from Sep. 2010 to Dec. 2011 at the Kaohsiung
      Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan. The treating protocols, courses, and drugs
      of C/T in patient were considered according to the different malignant cancers
      and clinical conditions. The patient data of age, marriage status, education,
      religion, and experiences of C/T were collected. The patients' or their families'
      reported side effects of C/T were recorded daily from the beginning of C/T to the
      10th day after C/T in each cycle and every course of C/T. RESULTS: Total 89
      patients enrolled into the study received total 450 courses of C/T. The mean age
      was 54.52 +/- 11.02. Ovarian cancer was the most common malignant disease
      (64.0%). The most often combination of drugs used was Taxol and carboplatin
      (40.9%). Patients complained peripheral numbness of limbs, with the highest
      incidence of 58.6%. The side effects with incidence about 50% were decreased
      fatigue (55.0%) and hair loss (49.9%). Other side effects with different levels
      of incidence were also noticed, such as lack of appetite, changes in taste, and
      muscle ache. The incidences of peripheral limb numbness and hair loss were
      increased with following courses of C/T. The high incidence of fatigue did not
      show variation between different courses of C/T. CONCLUSION: This study revealed
      the incidence of side effects and occurrence timing during C/T in patients with
      gynecological cancer. These data provide substantial information to patients and
      their families to understand the potential side effects of C/T courses, which
      might increase their compliance in receiving adjuvant C/T. Relieving the side
      effects in C/T would be important to improve their quality of daily life and
      treatment willingness.

PMID- 28634658
TI  - The UTCI and the ISB.
AB  - Thermal effects of the environment are the most prominent environmental
      influences on the human body. Keeping the body core temperature in a narrow
      optimum range is the dominating physiological process. Thus, assessing thermal
      environments has been a major field in biometeorology for many decades, which is
      also reflected in the number of respective articles and their citations. In the
      early days of thermal assessments, simple indices only considering a few
      environmental parameters were used. The next step has been the development of
      heat budget models describing all relevant heat/energy fluxes to and from the
      human body. One of the first was PET, which has been presented in the most cited
      IJBM publication ever (1999). All of these models created by individual
      scientists have some shortcomings and confinements in their application. In order
      to overcome such restrictions and to bring the state of the art scientists of
      thermal modelling together a working group to define a "universal" thermal
      climate index (UTCI) has been founded, backed and driven by an own commission of
      the International Society of Biometeorology. This working group has developed a
      comprehensive open source tool to calculate UTCI for the assessment of outdoor
      thermal environments for biometeorological applications (see the IJBM special
      issue 56 (2012) on UTCI).

PMID- 28634659
TI  - Effects of single moor baths on physiological stress response and psychological
      state: a pilot study.
AB  - Moor mud applications in the form of packs and baths are widely used
      therapeutically as part of balneotherapy. They are commonly given as therapy for
      musculoskeletal disorders, with their thermo-physical effects being furthest
      studied. Moor baths are one of the key therapeutic elements in our recently
      developed and evaluated 3-week prevention program for subjects with high stress
      level and increased risk of developing a burnout syndrome. An embedded pilot
      study add-on to this core project was carried out to assess the relaxing effect
      of a single moor bath. During the prevention program, 78 participants received a
      total of seven moor applications, each consisting of a moor bath (42  degrees C,
      20 min, given between 02:30 and 05:20 p.m.) followed by resting period (20 min).
      Before and after the first moor application in week 1, and the penultimate moor
      application in week 3, salivary cortisol was collected, blood pressure and heart
      rate were measured, and mood state (Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire)
      was assessed. A Friedman test of differences among repeated measures was
      conducted. Post hoc analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
      A significant decrease in salivary cortisol concentration was seen between pre-
      and post-moor bath in week 1 (Z = -3.355, p = 0.0008). A non-significant decrease
      was seen between pre- and post-moor bath in week 3. Mood state improved
      significantly after both moor baths. This pilot study has provided initial
      evidence on the stress-relieving effects of single moor baths, which can be a
      sensible and recommendable therapeutic element of multimodal stress-reducing
      prevention programs. The full potential of moor baths still needs to be
      validated. A randomized controlled trial should be conducted comparing this
      balneo-therapeutic approach against other types of stress reduction
      interventions.

PMID- 28634660
TI  - Should I Convince My Partner to Go on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)? The Role
      of Personal and Relationship Factors on PrEP-Related Social Control among Gay and
      Bisexual Men.
AB  - An estimated 35-68% of new HIV infections among gay, bisexual, and other men who
      have sex with men (GBM) are transmitted through main partnerships. Pre-exposure
      prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in reducing HIV seroconversion, yet PrEP
      uptake has been modest. PrEP-naive GBM with HIV-negative, PrEP-naive main
      partners enrolled in One Thousand Strong (n = 409), a U.S. national cohort of
      GBM, were asked about (1) the importance of partner PrEP use and (2) their
      willingness to convince their partner to initiate PrEP. On average, participants
      thought partner PrEP was only modestly important and were only moderately willing
      to try to convince their partner to initiate PrEP. Personal PrEP uptake
      willingness and intentions were the strongest indicators of partner PrEP
      outcomes. Being in a monogamish relationship arrangement (as compared to a
      monogamous arrangement) and the experience of intimate partner violence
      victimization were associated with increased willingness to persuade a partner to
      initiate PrEP.

PMID- 28634663
TI  - Transthoracic echography assessment of the superior vena cava flow: a pilot
      study.

PMID- 28634662
TI  - HIV Stigma and Substance Use Among HIV-Positive Russians with Risky Drinking.
AB  - The link between HIV stigma with substance use is understudied. We characterized
      individuals with high HIV stigma and examined whether HIV stigma contributes to
      substance use among HIV-positive Russians reporting risky alcohol use. We
      analyzed data from HERMITAGE, a randomized controlled trial of 700 people living
      with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with past 6-month risky sex and risky alcohol use in St.
      Petersburg, Russia (2007-2011). Participants who were female and reported
      depressive symptoms and lower social support were more likely to endorse high HIV
      stigma (all p's < 0.001). In adjusted models, high HIV stigma was not
      significantly associated with the primary outcome unhealthy substance use and was
      not consistently associated with secondary substance use outcomes. Interventions
      to enhance social and mental health support for PLWHA, particularly women, may
      reduce stigma, though such reductions may not correspond to substantial decreases
      in substance use among this population.

PMID- 28634661
TI  - Depression and ART Initiation Among HIV Serodiscordant Couples in Kenya and
      Uganda.
AB  - Depression is a known barrier for antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, but
      less is understood about its effects on ART initiation. We followed 1013 HIV
      infected individuals participating in the Partners Demonstration Project, an open
      label study of integrated pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and ART delivery for
      HIV serodiscordant couples in Kenya and Uganda. Associations between depression,
      measured annually with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-Depression (HSCL-D), and
      ART initiation were assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression. At
      enrollment, 162 participants (16.0%) reported symptoms consistent with probable
      depression, defined by a HSCL-D mean score >1.75, and this proportion decreased
      during study follow-up (6.7 and 3.6% at 12- and 24-months, respectively; p value
      < 0.001). Greater depressive symptom severity was associated with a greater
      likelihood of ART initiation overall (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.32, 95% CI
      1.01-1.73) and among participants with CD4 count <= 350 cells/ul (aHR 1.30, 95%
      CI 1.01-1.67). Depression decreased 6 months after ART initiation (adjusted odds
      ratio [aOR] 0.34, 95% CI 0.23-0.51). Among East African HIV-infected persons in
      HIV serodiscordant couples, depression was not a barrier to ART initiation. ART
      initiation was associated with improved depressive symptoms in this setting.

PMID- 28634664
TI  - High variability of treatments for paediatric status asthmaticus: a retrospective
      study in PICUs.

PMID- 28634665
TI  - Usefulness of Mapping Biopsy in the Treatment of Penoscrotal Extramammary Paget's
      Disease.

PMID- 28634666
TI  - CT Density in the Pancreas is a Promising Imaging Predictor for Pancreatic Ductal
      Adenocarcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fatty pancreas (FP) was recently recognized as a risk factor for
      pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It is unclear whether computed
      tomography (CT) can be used to make a FP diagnosis. This study investigated
      whether CT could provide a predictive value for PDAC by diagnosing FP. METHODS:
      The study included 183 consecutive patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy
      from February 2007 to January 2017, including 75 cases of PDAC and 108 cases of
      other pancreatic disease. Pancreatic CT density (pancreatic index; PI) at the
      initial diagnosis was calculated by dividing the CT number in the pancreas by the
      number in the spleen. To assess whether CT could be used to detect FP, 43 cases
      were evaluated pathologically for FP. We investigated the correlation between FP
      and PI, and determined the optimal PI cutoff value for detecting FP using
      receiver operating characteristics analysis. We then investigated whether the PI
      value could be used as a predictor for PDAC. RESULTS: Fourteen cases (32.6%) were
      pathologically diagnosed with FP. PI was significantly lower in the FP group
      versus the non-FP group (0.51 vs. 0.83; p = 0.0049). ROC analysis indicated that
      the PI had good diagnostic accuracy for FP diagnosis (cutoff value 0.70;
      sensitivity 0.79, specificity 0.79). Low PI (<=0.70) was identified in the
      multivariate analysis as an independent risk factor for PDAC (odds ratio 2.31; p
      = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: PI was strongly associated with pathological FP, which was
      independently associated with PDAC. PI shows promise as an imaging predictor for
      PDAC.

PMID- 28634667
TI  - Elevated Interleukin-13 Receptor Alpha 1 Expression in Tumor Cells Is Associated
      with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Invasive Breast Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL)-13 is an immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory
      cytokine that is produced by numerous immune cells, and plasma membrane receptor
      for IL-13 (IL-13R) is known to be expressed in various human malignancies and in
      immune cells. METHODS: The authors evaluated the expression of IL-13R alpha 1 (IL
      13Ralpha1, an IL-13R subtype) by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays of
      1213 invasive breast cancer (IBC) samples to determine the prognostic value of IL
      13Ralpha1 expression. RESULTS: High IL-13Ralpha1 expression was observed in 619
      (51%) cases and was found to be associated with an older (>=50 years) age (p =
      0.022), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.015), ductal and micropapillary histologic
      subtypes (p < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.012), HER2 positivity (p <
      0.001), and a high (>20%) Ki-67 index (p = 0.039). No significant correlation was
      found between IL-13Ralpha1 expression and clinicopathological variables,
      including tumor size, histological grade, hormone receptor expressions, and tumor
      infiltrating lymphocyte levels. Patients with high IL-13Ralpha1 expression showed
      poorer overall survival (p = 0.044) and disease-free survival (DFS, p = 0.001)
      than those with low/negative expression. Subgroup analysis revealed an
      association between IL-13Ralpha1 expression and survival for HER2-negative, but
      not for HER2-positive tumors. Multivariate analysis showed high IL-13Ralpha1
      expression was an independent negative prognostic factor of DFS (p = 0.019).
      CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest the IL-13 and IL-13Ralpha1
      interaction promotes cancer cell growth and metastasis, and IL-13Ralpha1
      expression is a potential prognostic marker in IBC.

PMID- 28634668
TI  - Black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) feeding behavior in a
      degraded forest fragment: clues to a stressed population.
AB  - Rapid global deforestation has forced many of the world's primates to live in
      fragmented habitats, making the understanding of their behavioral responses to
      degraded and fragmented habitats a key challenge for their future protection and
      management. The black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) is an
      endangered species endemic to southwest China. The forest habitat ranges from
      near-continuous to fragmented. In this study, we investigated the activity budget
      and diet of a R. bieti population that live in an isolated and degraded habitat
      patch at Mt. Lasha in Yunnan Province, near the current southern limit of the
      species. We used our data along with data from six other sites in more-continuous
      habitats across its range to model factors that predict stress, including feeding
      effort and time feeding on lichens against potential predictive parameters.
      Models showed feeding effort across all sites increased with increasing altitude
      and latitude, and with decreasing food species diversity. There was also a strong
      positive relationship between feeding effort and time feeding lichens. The Mt.
      Lasha R. bieti population exploited a total of 36 food species, spending 80.2% of
      feeding time feeding on lichens, Bryoria spp. and Usnea longissima. These figures
      are more comparable to those living in the north than those living in the mid-
      and southern part of the species' range. Given the models for feeding effort and
      time feeding on lichens, the unexpectedly high time spend feeding on lichens and
      feeding effort relative to latitude and elevation are suggestive of a stressed
      population at Mt. Lasha.

PMID- 28634669
TI  - Yttrium-90 (Y-90) Resin Microsphere Therapy for Patients with Unresectable
      Hepatocellular Carcinoma: a Single-Center Experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIM: Selective intraarterial radionuclide therapy (SIRT) with yttrium
      90 (Y-90) resin microspheres presently has successful results in primary or
      metastatic inoperable liver tumors. This procedure, which is also known as
      radioembolisation, delivers high doses of radiation selectively to hepatic tumors
      while minimum healthy liver exposure. The aim of this study was to present our
      clinical experience of radiomicrosphere therapy for the treatment of patients
      with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We performed 40 Y-90
      microsphere therapies in 28 patients (5 females, 23 males; mean age +/- SD 48 +/-
      8) with HCC during the period from April 2008 through December 2016. Pretreatment
      Tc-99m microaggregated albumin (MAA) scintigraphy was performed to all patients
      in order to detect eligibility for SIRT. All patients had pre- and post
      biochemical tests (hemogram and serologic tests) and imaging methods (CT or MRI
      or PET/CT) at regular intervals to detect any possible complication and determine
      response rates. RESULTS: The mean shunting to the lungs on MAA scan was 6.5% and
      the mean +/- SD administered dose of Y-90 was 1.55 +/- 0.32 GBq in all patients.
      The estimated doses to the target tumors, normal liver parenchyma and lungs were
      105.7 +/- 55.3, 25.5 +/- 8.2 and 5.8 +/- 1.7 Gy, respectively. No significant
      complication was observed during or early after (first week) the treatment
      procedure and it was well tolerated by all the patients. Only one patient
      developed a treatment-related gastroduodenal ulcer 3 weeks after the treatment.
      In control imaging tests (MRI or FDG PET/CT) performed 2.5 months after the
      treatment, we observed complete response in 2 (7%) patients, partial response in
      10 (36%) patients, stable disease in 5 (18%) patients and progressive disease in
      11 (39%) patients. CONCLUSION: According to our clinical experience, we can
      conclude that Y-90 microsphere therapy is a safe and effective treatment option
      for the patients with unresectable HCC without any serious side effects.

PMID- 28634670
TI  - Surveillance of the Patients with High Risk of Hepatocellular Cancer.

PMID- 28634671
TI  - Venous Thromboembolism Is an Independent Predictor of Mortality Among Patients
      with Gastric Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an independent predictor of death
      among patients with cancer. Patients with gastric cancer (GC) are at higher risk
      for VTE when compared to other solid tumors, and if one considers its prevalence,
      GC may be responsible for one of the highest incidences of cancer-associated
      thrombosis. The impact of VTE on mortality is not well defined among patients
      with GC. AIM: The aim of this study is to measure the impact of VTE as
      independent predictor of GC mortality. METHODS: Chart review of patients with GC
      treated in the Department of Oncology at John Stroger Hospital between the years
      of 2010 and 2015. VTE events were objectively confirmed with imaging in all
      cases. Active GC was defined as biopsy-proven metastatic disease or on active
      chemotherapy. Along with cancer-specific data, we abstracted risk assessments
      tools, non-GC-specific, validated for VTE and mortality prediction cancer,
      including the Khorana score (KRS), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and
      neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Continuous variables are expressed by the
      median as appropriate according to normality. Categorical variables are expressed
      as percentages. SPSS version 22 was used and chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, Kaplan
      Meier curve, and Cox proportional hazard with forward modeling were applied.
      RESULTS: We included 112 patients in the analysis. The patients were
      predominantly men (66%), 58-year-old, with adenocarcinoma (84%) and advanced
      disease (59%). The median follow-up was 21.3 months (IQR 8.9-42.4). Cumulative
      incidence of VTE at 1 year was 9%. The median time from diagnosis to VTE
      occurrence was 59 days (IQR 36 to 258). Patients with VTE had worse OS when
      compared to the non-VTE group (medians 11.87 vs 29.97 months, p = 0.02). Patients
      stratified as high risk by the PLR had worse OS (medians 22.6 vs 42.77 months, p
      = 0.02). There was no statistical difference in OS among patients stratified as
      high risk by the KRS (medians 23.7 vs 42.5, p = 0.16) and NLR (medians 24.1 vs
      42.7 months, p = 0.21). In multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of
      mortality were VTE (hazard ratio (HR), 2.9; 95% CI, 1.4 to 6.6; p < 0.01),
      adenocarcinoma (HR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.1 to 9.0; p = 0.03), advanced disease (HR,
      2.8; 95% CI, 1.4 to 5.8; p < 0.01), and PLR (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.8; p <
      0.01). CONCLUSION: VTE is associated with worse survival among patients with GC
      along with adenocarcinoma, advanced disease, and PLR. Moreover, these findings
      were independent of other cancer- and treatment-specific variables. Although
      potentially predictive in other cancer types, NLR and KRS were not associated
      with worse survival in this cohort.

PMID- 28634672
TI  - HCC Locoregional Therapies: Yttrium-90 (Y-90) Selective Internal Radiation
      Therapy (SIRT).

PMID- 28634673
TI  - B-mode and Doppler ultrasound of chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats.
AB  - Ultrasound is the imaging test of choice for renal evaluation, because it
      provides information about the position, size, shape, internal architecture and
      hemodynamics of the kidneys without harming the patient. In chronic kidney
      disease, the main findings observed in B-mode ultrasound images are increased
      cortical echogenicity, loss of corticomedullary differentiation, reduced renal
      volume and irregular renal contour, and when these changes are associated, they
      are indicative of end-stage renal disease. However, the cause of kidney disease
      cannot be determined by ultrasonography, but must be confirmed by means of
      biopsy, although the presence of ultrasonographic changes indicative of the end
      stage of the disease may contraindicate this procedure. The Doppler ultrasound
      test complements the ultrasonic B-mode examination and enables the assessment of
      renal perfusion based on a calculation of the hemodynamic indices, which are
      increased in cases of chronic kidney lesions, with higher values in the most
      severe cases. Thus, ultrasound examinations are not only useful in diagnostics
      but also play an important role in defining the prognosis of patients with
      chronic kidney disease.

PMID- 28634674
TI  - Prognostic impact of nutritional status assessed by the Controlling Nutritional
      Status score in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing
      percutaneous coronary intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, malnutrition has been shown to be related to worse clinical
      outcomes in patients with heart failure. However, the association between
      nutritional status and clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease
      (CAD) remains unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of malnutrition
      assessed by the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT; range 0-12, higher =
      worse, consisting of serum albumin, cholesterol and lymphocytes) score in
      patients with CAD. METHODS: The CONUT score was measured on admission in a total
      of 1987 patients with stable CAD who underwent elective percutaneous coronary
      intervention (PCI) between 2000 and 2011. Patients were divided into two groups
      according to their CONUT score (0-1 vs. >=2). The incidence of major adverse
      cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death and non-fatal myocardial
      infarction, was evaluated. RESULTS: The median CONUT score was 1 (interquartile
      range 0-2). During the median follow-up of 7.4 years, 342 MACE occurred (17.2%).
      Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that patients with high CONUT scores had higher
      rates of MACE (log-rank p < 0.0001). High CONUT scores showed a significant
      increase in the incidence of MACE compared with low CONUT scores, even after
      adjusting for confounding factors (hazard ratio: 1.64, 95% confidence interval
      1.30-2.07, p < 0.0001). Adding CONUT scores to a baseline model with established
      risk factors improved the C-index (p = 0.02), net reclassification improvement (p
      = 0.004) and integrated discrimination improvement (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS:
      Nutritional status assessed by the CONUT score was significantly associated with
      long-term clinical outcomes in patients with CAD. Pre-PCI assessment of the CONUT
      score may provide useful prognostic information.

PMID- 28634675
TI  - Wild capuchin monkeys anticipate the amount of ripe fruit in natural trees.
AB  - Tropical forests have a high diversity of tree species which have very low
      densities and vary across time in their seasons of peak fruiting and maturation
      rates. As evidence of the ability of primates to track or anticipate changes in
      fruit production at individual trees, researchers have used the increased speed
      of primate groups toward more rewarding food patches. We analyzed the speed of
      approach to natural trees of wild capuchin monkeys under the effect of scramble
      competition, after excluding any plausible visual, olfactory and auditory cues.
      We conducted all-day group follows of three habituated capuchin groups at Iguazu
      National Park, Argentina, collecting data on ranging behavior and patterns of
      visits to fruit trees in relation with their location and fruit availability.
      Travel speed varied according to the expected reward at a feeding tree,
      increasing as rewards increased from low values, but decreasing again at very
      high values. Also, travel speed varied with time of day, decreasing from the time
      of first activity as the monkeys became less hungry, and increasing again toward
      late afternoon. Measures of unripe fruit cover did not explain variation in
      travel speed at any distance from a focal tree. Our data imply that, after
      excluding sensory cues, capuchins appear to anticipate time-varying ripe fruit
      quantity of natural resources, suggesting that they use memory of tree location
      and anticipation of fruit maturation. We also confirm that speed is a good
      measure about expectations of resources, as has been shown in previous studies.

PMID- 28634677
TI  - P5 medicine and justice: the future is now.

PMID- 28634676
TI  - Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the EORTC chemotherapy-induced
      peripheral neuropathy questionnaire (QLQ-CIPN20).
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the scale structure and psychometrics of the EORTC
      chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy module (QLQ-CIPN20). METHODS: Using
      confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), we tested two hypothesized scale structure
      models of the QLQ-CIPN20 in 473 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 281
      patients with heterogeneous cancer diagnoses, and 500 patients with colorectal
      cancer. We also modeled the two hypothesized models as bi-factor models. These
      included a general factor, in addition to the specific domain factors. Additional
      models were investigated with exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Known groups
      validity was evaluated where justified. RESULTS: CFA could not confirm the two
      hypothesized models (Model 1: CFI < 0.926; TLI < 0.914; RMSEA > 0.077 and Model
      2: CFI < 0.906; TLI < 0.887; RMSEA > 0.105) in any of the three samples.
      Including a general factor to these two hypothesized models to produce a bi
      factor model also did not yield satisfactory results. Using EFA, we identified
      four different factor structures in the three samples that were unstable due to
      cross loadings of the items. When scoring the QLQ-CIPN20 as a simple, additive
      checklist evidence was found for known groups validity in the first two samples
      based on Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC-AE), and in the third sample based on
      exposure to CIPN-inducing chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Neither CFA nor EFA yielded
      support for a stable subscale structure for the QLQ-CIPN20. Scoring the
      questionnaire as a simple additive checklist results in acceptable validity.

PMID- 28634678
TI  - The iliac crest in forensic age estimation: evaluation of three methods in pelvis
      X-rays.
AB  - Age assessment in children and young adults is a relevant forensic issue. It is
      requested not only in evaluating criminal responsibility in youths without proper
      identification documents, often in relation to age thresholds, but also for
      release of a residency permit, and asylum seekers of minors. The analysis of the
      Risser sign and the iliac crest ossification process has been proposed as a
      useful tool for forensic age estimation. We evaluated the applicability of three
      different age estimation methods on a sample of 497 pelvic radiographs of Italian
      individuals between 10 and 25 years of age. Each method showed high reliability
      for both reproducibility and repeatability. The staging technique inspired by
      Kreitner and Kellinghaus methods (KK-MS) is easier than the Risser method in
      applicability, as it is not affected by the variations of ossification. We
      observed that all subjects who attained stage 3c of KK-MS and 5 of Risser Fr were
      >14 years, suggesting the benefits of these methods for that age threshold. The
      applicability of the area measurement method, inspired by Cameriere's approach,
      ranged between 12 and 20 years, but the statistical analysis showed only a
      moderate correlation with age. In order to evaluate the possible use of this
      approach it is therefore necessary to clarify and exclude external factors
      influencing the parameter. In conclusion, the iliac crest ossification is of
      interest in age estimation for forensic purposes. The evaluation of the pelvis X
      ray, in addition to the other common dental and skeletal methods, could become a
      useful supplementary tool in age estimation for the 14 year threshold in order to
      fulfill forensic-level requirements.

PMID- 28634679
TI  - Establishment of two forensic medicine OSCE stations on the subject of external
      post-mortem examination.
AB  - An improvement in quality of medical external post-mortem examinations among
      others can be achieved by more intensive training of medical students. Modern
      learning and teaching methods such as e-learning modules and SkillsLab stations
      should be used for this. The introduction of corresponding methods of assessment
      such as the OSCE procedure is necessary to test the success of learning. In Halle
      (Germany), two OSCE stations on the subject of external post-mortem examinations
      were introduced in 2016. The 'practical external post-mortem examination' station
      test skills and abilities students have learned during practical external post
      mortem examination in small group classes on a simulation doll. At the 'death
      certificate' station, an original death certificate must be filled in, testing
      the knowledge, skills and abilities learned in the SkillsLab station and during e
      learning. A total of 148 students took part in the test. At both stations, at
      least two thirds of the students (69.5 and 81.7%) were able to show good or very
      good test results. In addition to the strengths, a detailed evaluation of the
      test results showed that there were still deficits in terms of the corresponding
      courses (e.g. inspection of the neck region in the small group classes), which
      will have to be remedied in the future. When analysing the test concept and the
      test implementation, objectivity was nearly perfect. There was a satisfactory
      internal consistency and stability over 8 months. Ultimately, in addition to
      several strengths (such as good understanding and transparency of the checklists)
      the evaluation of the examiners also showed further potential areas for
      improvement (e.g. harmonisation of the degree of difficulty for the individual
      rotations) when designing the OSCE stations. Overall, it was possible to
      determine that the OSCE testing format is a suitable tool to test external post
      mortem examination skills and that conclusions about improvements in teaching can
      also be drawn from this.

PMID- 28634680
TI  - Stability of upper face sexual dimorphism in central European populations (Czech
      Republic) during the modern age.
AB  - One of the most fundamental issues in forensic anthropology is the determination
      of sex and population affinity based on various skeletal elements. Therefore, we
      compared the sexual dimorphism of the upper facial skeleton from a recent Czech
      population (twenty-first century) with that of a population from Early Modern Age
      Bohemia (sixteenth to eighteenth centuries). Methods of geometric morphometrics
      were applied. According to the results, sexual dimorphism in terms of size,
      shape, and form was statistically significant in both populations. The best
      results of sex estimation originated from analyses of form. Thus, both size and
      shape differences should be taken into account for determination of the sex. The
      accuracy of prediction achieved 91.1% for individuals in the recent population
      and 87.5% for individuals from the early modern population. Only minor
      differences were found between sexual dimorphism in the studied populations. We
      conclude that sexual dimorphism of the upper facial skeleton is stable during the
      relatively short time period.

PMID- 28634682
TI  - Searching for the "sweet spot": the foot rotation and parallel engagement of
      ankle ligaments in maximizing injury tolerance.
AB  - Ligament sprains, defined as tearing of bands of fibrous tissues within
      ligaments, account for a majority of injuries to the foot and ankle complex in
      field-based sports. External rotation of the foot is considered the primary
      injury mechanism of syndesmotic ankle sprains with concomitant flexion and
      inversion/eversion associated with particular patterns of ligament trauma.
      However, the influence of the magnitude and direction of loading vectors to the
      ankle on the in situ stress state of the ligaments has not been quantified in the
      literature. The objective of the present study was to search for the maximum
      injury tolerance of a human foot with an acceptable subfailure distribution of
      individual ligaments. We used a previously developed and comprehensively
      validated foot and ankle model to reproduce a range of combined foot rotation
      experienced during high-risk sports activities. Biomechanical computational
      investigation was performed on initial foot rotation from [Formula: see text] of
      plantar flexion to [Formula: see text] of dorsiflexion, and from [Formula: see
      text] of inversion to [Formula: see text] of eversion prior to external rotation.
      Change in initial foot rotation shifted injury initiation among different
      ligaments and resulted in a wide range of injury tolerances at the structural
      level (e.g., 36-125 Nm of rotational moment). The observed trend was in agreement
      with a parallel experimental study that initial plantar flexion decreased the
      incidence of syndesmotic injury compared to a neutral foot. A mechanism of
      distributing even loads across ligaments subjected to combined foot rotations was
      identified. This mechanism is potential to obtain the maximum load-bearing
      capability of a foot and ankle while minimizing the injury severity of ligaments.
      Such improved understanding of ligament injuries in athletes is necessary to
      facilitate injury management by clinicians and countermeasure development by
      biomechanists.

PMID- 28634681
TI  - Microtubule affinity-regulating kinases are potential druggable targets for
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects
      normal functions of the brain. Currently, AD is one of the leading causes of
      death in developed countries and the only one of the top ten diseases without a
      means to prevent, cure, or significantly slow down its progression. Therefore,
      newer therapeutic concepts are urgently needed to improve survival and the
      quality of life of AD patients. Microtubule affinity-regulating kinases (MARKs)
      regulate tau-microtubule binding and play a crucial role in neurons. However,
      their role in hyperphosphorylation of tau makes them potential druggable target
      for AD therapy. Despite the relevance of MARKs in AD pathogenesis, only a few
      small molecules are known to have anti-MARK activity and not much has been done
      to progress these compounds into therapeutic candidates. But given the diverse
      role of MARKs, the specificity of novel inhibitors is imperative for their
      successful translation from bench to bedside. In this regard, a recent co-crystal
      structure of MARK4 in association with a pyrazolopyrimidine-based inhibitor
      offers a potential scaffold for the development of more specific MARK inhibitors.
      In this manuscript, we review the biological role of MARKs in health and disease,
      and draw attention to the largely unexplored area of MARK inhibitors for AD.

PMID- 28634683
TI  - Players of 'hypoxia orchestra' - what is the role of FMISO?

PMID- 28634684
TI  - Heterogeneity index evaluated by slope of linear regression on 18F-FDG PET/CT as
      a prognostic marker for predicting tumor recurrence in pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed
      tomography (CT) has been investigated as a method to predict pancreatic cancer
      recurrence after pancreatic surgery. We evaluated the recently introduced
      heterogeneity indices of 18F-FDG PET/CT used for predicting pancreatic cancer
      recurrence after surgery and compared them with current clinicopathologic and 18F
      FDG PET/CT parameters. METHODS: A total of 93 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
      patients (M:F = 60:33, mean age = 64.2 +/- 9.1 years) who underwent preoperative
      18F-FDG PET/CT following pancreatic surgery were retrospectively enrolled. The
      standardized uptake values (SUVs) and tumor-to-background ratios (TBR) were
      measured on each 18F-FDG PET/CT, as metabolic parameters. Metabolic tumor volume
      (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were examined as volumetric parameters.
      The coefficient of variance (heterogeneity index-1; SUVmean divided by the
      standard deviation) and linear regression slopes (heterogeneity index-2) of the
      MTV, according to SUV thresholds of 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0, were evaluated as
      heterogeneity indices. Predictive values of clinicopathologic and 18F-FDG PET/CT
      parameters and heterogeneity indices were compared in terms of pancreatic cancer
      recurrence. RESULTS: Seventy patients (75.3%) showed recurrence after pancreatic
      cancer surgery (mean recurrence = 9.4 +/- 8.4 months). Comparing the recurrence
      and no recurrence patients, all of the 18F-FDG PET/CT parameters and
      heterogeneity indices demonstrated significant differences. In univariate Cox
      regression analyses, MTV (P = 0.013), TLG (P = 0.007), and heterogeneity index-2
      (P = 0.027) were significant. Among the clinicopathologic parameters, CA19-9 (P =
      0.025) and venous invasion (P = 0.002) were selected as significant parameters.
      In multivariate Cox-regression analyses, MTV (P = 0.005), TLG (P = 0.004), and
      heterogeneity index-2 (P = 0.016) with venous invasion (P < 0.001, 0.001, and
      0.001, respectively) demonstrated significant results. CONCLUSIONS: The
      heterogeneity index obtained using the linear regression slope, could be an
      effective predictor of pancreatic cancer recurrence after pancreatic cancer
      surgery, in addition to 18F-FDG PET/CT volumetric parameters and
      clinicopathologic parameters.

PMID- 28634685
TI  - Poor predictive value of positive interim FDG-PET/CT in primary mediastinal large
      B-cell lymphoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Though commonly used to assess response to therapy, the prognostic value
      of interim FDG-PET/CT in Primary Mediastinal Large B-cell Lymphoma (PMBCL) is
      unclear. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on 36 consecutive patients
      treated at our institution for a PMBCL between 2006 and 2014. All patients with a
      positive interim FDG-PET/CT had undergone histological restaging consisting
      either in a surgical debulking of the residual lesion (15 patients) or a CT
      guided core needle biopsy (two patients). All FDG-PET/CT were secondarily
      reviewed according to the more recent Deauville criteria. RESULTS: Interim FDG
      PET/CT was considered positive in 17/36 patients using visual evaluation. Among
      these patients, 14 had a Deauville score of 4. Histological restaging was
      negative in all but one case, showing inflammation and/or fibrosis. After a
      median follow-up of 48.5 months, a total of five patients have relapsed, two
      patients in the positive FDG-PET/CT group, and three patients in the negative FDG
      PET/CT group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that a positive
      interim FDG-PET/CT does not reflect persistence of active disease in the vast
      majority of PMBCL cases. The relapse rate appears similar regardless of interim
      FDG-PET/CT results and interpretation criteria. This suggests that interim FDG
      PET/CT has a poor positive predictive value, thus kt should be used with caution
      in PMBCL.

PMID- 28634686
TI  - Respiratory Uptake and Depuration Kinetics of Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in
      a Marine Sandworm Species.
AB  - We determined the respiratory uptake and depuration kinetics of
      perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in Perinereis wilsoni, a polychaete sandworm used
      as a model species to investigate the fate of chemical pollutants in coastal
      environments. The sandworms were kept in gravel-packed containers, and the water
      levels were varied cyclically to mimic the tides. We used seawater kept at 17.1
      degrees C. A 7-day exposure period was followed by a 9-day depuration period. The
      dissolved PFOS concentration averaged 28 ng/L during the exposure period.
      Sandworm samples were collected regularly for analysis of PFOS concentrations,
      and a first-order-kinetics model was applied to the concentrations. The
      respiratory absorption efficiency of PFOS was estimated to be 11% that of oxygen,
      which is higher than the corresponding estimates reported for several fish
      species. The estimated depuration half-life of 15 days was comparable to
      previously reported estimates for fish and oligochaete species. The
      bioconcentration factor was 470.

PMID- 28634687
TI  - Noninvasive serum models to predict significant liver related events in chronic
      hepatitis C.
AB  - AIM: We aim to compare 20 noninvasive fibrosis scores (NIFS), derived from
      routine blood tests, for predicting significant liver-related adverse events
      (SLRE) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) after anti-viral treatment
      (AVT) with the goal to identify independent predictors for these outcomes.
      METHODS: From 1605 patients who received AVT (pegylated interferon and ribavirin)
      from January 2002 to June 2014, 20 NIFS were calculated from routine blood tests
      prior to AVT. Areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC)
      were calculated for each of these NIFS for predicting non-response to AVT and
      development of SLRE on follow-up. RESULTS: Mean age was 41.9 +/- 9.7 years, and
      patients were predominantly genotype 4 (65%). After AVT, there were 1089 (67.8%)
      responders, 482 (30%) non-responders and 34 (2.1%) relapsers. After median follow
      up of 6580.5 patient-years, 60 (3.8%) had SLRE, 52 (3.2%) had decompensation, and
      11 (0.7%) had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The predictive accuracy of NIFS and
      liver biopsy (LB) for non-response to AVT was low. FIB-4, FibroQ and King score
      showed high accuracy for predicting adverse events. For predicting
      decompensation, HCC and SLRE, FibroQ (0.881), King score (0.905) and FibroQ
      (0.877) had the highest AUROC, respectively. On multivariate analysis,
      independent predictors for treatment non-response (age, ALT, GGT, platelet
      count), HCC (albumin, GGT) and SLRE (albumin, GGT, platelet count) were
      identified. CONCLUSIONS: Some simple pretreatment blood parameters and NIFS
      showed high accuracy for predicting development of SLRE post treatment.
      Application of these simple scores can improve assessment of long-term liver
      prognosis for CHC.

PMID- 28634688
TI  - Acute variceal bleeding: risk stratification and management (including TIPS).
AB  - Acute variceal bleeding should be suspected in all patients with cirrhosis
      presenting with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Vasoactive drugs and
      prophylactic antibiotics must be started as soon as possible, even before
      performing the diagnostic endoscopy. Once the patient is hemodynamically stable,
      upper gastrointestinal endoscopy should be performed in order to confirm the
      diagnosis and provide endoscopic therapy (preferably banding ligation). After
      this initial approach, the most appropriate therapy to prevent both early and
      late rebleeding must be instituted following a risk stratification strategy. The
      present chapter will focus on the initial management of patients with acute
      variceal bleeding, including general management and hemostatic therapies, as well
      as the available treatments in case of failure to control bleeding or development
      of rebleeding.

PMID- 28634689
TI  - Survival, Intestinal Mucosa Adhesion, and Immunomodulatory Potential of
      Lactobacillus plantarum Strains.
AB  - Survival during transit through the gastrointestinal track, intestinal mucosa
      adhesion, and a potential immunomodulatory effect of Lactobacillus plantarum
      strains 2035 and ACA-DC 2640 were investigated in a rat model. According to
      microbiological and multiplex PCR analysis, both strains were detected in feces
      24 h after either single-dose or daily administration for 7 days. Intestinal
      mucosa adhesion of L. plantarum 2035 was noted in the large intestine at 24 h
      after single-dose administration, while it was not detected at 48 h. Daily
      dosing, prolonged detection of the strain up to 48 h post-administration, and
      expanded adhesion to the small intestine. Adhesion of L. plantarum ACA-DC 2640 to
      the intestinal mucosa after single-dose administration was prolonged and more
      extended compared to L. plantarum 2035. Daily dosing increased both the levels
      and the rate of positive cultures of the strains compared to those of the single
      dose scheme. In addition, both strains increased total IgG while decreased IgM
      and IgA serum levels. In conclusion, L. plantarum 2035 and L. plantarum ACA-DC
      2640 survived transit through the gastrointestinal track, exhibited transient
      distinct adhesion to the intestinal mucosa and modulated the systemic immune
      response.

PMID- 28634690
TI  - Long-term retromuscular and intraperitoneal mesh size changes within a randomized
      controlled trial on incisional hernia repair, including a review of the
      literature.
AB  - : Purpose Ingrowth of fibroblasts in a polypropylene mesh may cause contraction
      and a later recurrence. We assessed mesh contraction in intraabdominal and
      retromuscular implantation after incisional hernia repair. METHODS: A cohort of
      patients within an RCT on laparoscopic (LHR) versus open hernia repair (OHR) had
      their mesh borders marked with metal clips. X-ray was performed on postoperative
      day 1 and after 1 year. Total length, width, and dislocation were measured. A
      tacker fixated large-pore polypropylene mesh was used in LHR, and a retromuscular
      small-pore heavy-weight mesh was sutured to the midline in OHR. Patient's pain
      was assessed before surgery and after 1 year. RESULTS: For analysis 37/47
      patients remained: 20 LHR and 17 OHR. Hernia defect area was median 41 cm2 in LHR
      and 25 cm2 in OHR (p < 0.140). Implanted mesh size was 300 cm2 for LHR and 240
      cm2 for OHR (p < 0.341). After 1 year the mesh area decreased by 4.4% and 0.5% in
      LHR and OHR, respectively (p < 0.063). Longitudinal distance decreased by 2.8% in
      LHR and by 2.6% in OHR (p < 0.269). Transverse distance decreased by 1.6% in LHR
      but increased by 3.1% in OHR (p < 0.005). Dislocation was seen in four LHR and
      one OHR. Two recurrent and one port-site hernia were diagnosed after LHR.
      Measurements between observers were identical in 58% and consensus was made in
      the remainder. Pain was not correlated to mesh area change. CONCLUSIONS: Mesh
      contraction after 1 year is not a clinical issue for an intraperitoneal large
      pore mesh or a retromuscular small-pore mesh. It is not correlated to
      postoperative pain.

PMID- 28634692
TI  - CRISPR-Cas orthologues and variants: optimizing the repertoire, specificity and
      delivery of genome engineering tools.
AB  - Robust and cost-effective genome editing in a diverse array of cells and model
      organisms is now possible thanks to the discovery of the RNA-guided endonucleases
      of the CRISPR-Cas system. The commonly used Cas9 of Streptococcus pyogenes shows
      high levels of activity but, depending on the application, has been associated
      with some shortcomings. Firstly, the enzyme has been shown to cause mutagenesis
      at genomic sequences resembling the target sequence. Secondly, the stringent
      requirement for a specific motif adjacent to the selected target site can limit
      the target range of this enzyme. Lastly, the physical size of Cas9 challenges the
      efficient delivery of genomic engineering tools based on this enzyme as viral
      particles for potential therapeutic applications. Related and parallel strategies
      have been employed to address these issues. Taking advantage of the wealth of
      structural information that is becoming available for CRISPR-Cas effector
      proteins, Cas9 has been redesigned by mutagenizing key residues contributing to
      activity and target recognition. The protein has also been shortened and
      redesigned into component subunits in an attempt to facilitate its efficient
      delivery. Furthermore, the CRISPR-Cas toolbox has been expanded by exploring the
      properties of Cas9 orthologues and other related effector proteins from diverse
      bacterial species, some of which exhibit different target site specificities and
      reduced molecular size. It is hoped that the improvements in accuracy, target
      range and efficiency of delivery will facilitate the therapeutic application of
      these site-specific nucleases.

PMID- 28634691
TI  - Modulation of rotavirus severe gastroenteritis by the combination of probiotics
      and prebiotics.
AB  - Annual mortality rates due to infectious diarrhea are about 2.2 million; children
      are the most vulnerable age group to severe gastroenteritis, representing group A
      rotaviruses as the main cause of disease. One of the main factors of rotavirus
      pathogenesis is the NSP4 protein, which has been characterized as a viral toxin
      involved in triggering several cellular responses leading to diarrhea.
      Furthermore, the rotavirus protein NSP1 has been associated with interferon
      production inhibition by inducing the degradation of interferon regulatory
      factors IRF3, IRF5, and IRF7. On the other hand, probiotics such as
      Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species in combination with prebiotics such as
      inulin, HMO, scGOS, lcFOS have been associated with improved generalized
      antiviral response and anti-rotavirus effect by the reduction of rotavirus
      infectivity and viral shedding, decreased expression of NSP4 and increased levels
      of specific anti-rotavirus IgAs. Moreover, these probiotics and prebiotics have
      been related to shorter duration and severity of rotavirus diarrhea, to the
      prevention of infection and reduced incidence of reinfections. In this review we
      will discuss in detail about the rotavirus pathogenesis and immunity, and how
      probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species in combination with
      prebiotics have been associated with the prevention or modulation of rotavirus
      severe gastroenteritis.

PMID- 28634693
TI  - rhEPO Enhances Cellular Anti-oxidant Capacity to Protect Long-Term Cultured Aging
      Primary Nerve Cells.
AB  - Erythropoietin (EPO) may protect the nervous system of animals against aging
      damage, making it a potential anti-aging drug for the nervous system. However,
      experimental evidence from natural aging nerve cell models is lacking, and the
      efficacy of EPO and underlying mechanism of this effect warrant further study.
      Thus, the present study used long-term cultured primary nerve cells to
      successfully mimic the natural aging process of nerve cells. Starting on the 11th
      day of culture, cells were treated with different concentrations of recombinant
      human erythropoietin (rhEPO). Using double immunofluorescence labeling, we found
      that rhEPO significantly improved the morphology of long-term cultured primary
      nerve cells and increased the total number of long-term cultured primary cells.
      However, rhEPO did not improve the ratio of nerve cells. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol
      2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure nerve cell
      activity and showed that rhEPO significantly improved the activity of long-term
      cultured primary nerve cells. Moreover, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate
      (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) double immunofluorescence labeling flow cytometry
      revealed that rhEPO reduced the apoptotic rate of long-term cultured primary
      nerve cells. Senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-beta-gal)
      immunohistochemistry staining showed that rhEPO significantly reduced the aging
      rate of long-term cultured primary nerve cells. Immunochemistry revealed that
      rhEPO enhanced intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione
      (GSH) abundance and reduced the intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) level. In
      addition, this effect depended on the dose, was maximized at a dose of 100 U/ml
      and was more pronounced than that of vitamin E. In summary, this study finds that
      rhEPO protects long-term cultured primary nerve cells from aging in a dose
      dependent manner. The mechanism of this effect may be associated with the
      enhancement of the intracellular anti-oxidant capacity. These findings provide a
      theoretical basis to further the anti-aging mechanism of EPO in the nervous
      system, and they provide experimental evidence at the cellular level for the
      clinical application of EPO to protect the nervous system from aging.

PMID- 28634694
TI  - Clinical background including anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial
      fibrillation in a community-based survey: the Saitama AF Registry.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmias, and
      carries an increased risk of cardiogenic embolism. Oral anticoagulants (OACs)
      including warfarin and/or non-vitamin K antagonists can prevent the majority of
      these events. The Saitama AF Registry was a community-based survey of patients
      with AF in Saitama City, which represents an urban community in Japan. A total of
      75 institutions participated in the registry and attempted to enroll consecutive
      patients with AF from September 2014 to August 2015. The aim of the present study
      was to examine the clinical characteristics of patients with AF using data of the
      Saitama AF Registry. In addition, we investigated the difference in clinical
      characteristics of the patients between small-sized hospitals and large-sized
      hospitals. A total of 3591 patients were enrolled; 57.7% of all patients were
      enrolled from small-sized hospitals, whereas 42.3% were from large-sized
      hospitals. The patients from small-sized hospitals had higher CHADS2 score than
      those from large-sized hospitals. Approximately, 80% of all patients were treated
      with OACs, and the prescription rate was higher in patients with CHADS2 score >=
      2 from both small-sized hospitals and large-sized hospitals. In conclusion, the
      present study demonstrated an appropriate use of OACs for high-risk patients with
      CHADS2 score >=2 in Saitama City regardless of hospital size.

PMID- 28634696
TI  - Prominent midfoot involvement in children with enthesitis-related arthritis
      category of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
AB  - Foot involvement is common in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) but is often
      unrecognized and difficult to treat. This study was done to assess clinical and
      radiological involvement of the feet and its impact on function in Indian
      children with enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA). We enrolled consecutive
      children with ERA with disease duration of less than 5 years. All patients
      underwent clinical examination of the feet and filled the juvenile arthritis foot
      index (JAFI) questionnaire. Ultrasound (US) of foot joints and entheses and
      extremity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of one foot were done. Fifty-five
      patients (53 boys), with median 14 years and disease duration 1.9 years, were
      included. Thirty-seven of 46 were HLA-B27-positive. Mean juvenile
      spondyloarthritis disease activity (JSpADA) index and juvenile idiopathic
      arthritis disease activity scrore-10 (JADAS10) scores were 4 and 14.25. Forty-six
      had history of foot pain, 36 had foot involvement on examination (15 ankle, 8
      subtalar, 24 midfoot, 10 forefoot, and 21 tendoachilles), and 7 had plantar
      fascia involvement. On US (N = 55), 16 had ankle involvement and 8 had subtalar
      involvement, and 19 patients had midfoot arthritis, 24 had tendoachilles
      enthesitis, and 11 had plantar fasciitis. On MRI (N = 50), 27 had midfoot
      involvement. Thirty-three had bone edema. Fourteen had midfoot enthesitis and 17
      had tenosynovitis. Clinical and US had 82% concordance at the midfoot and 90% at
      the ankle. MRI had 74% concordance with examination and 72% with US at the
      midfoot. The median JAFI scores were as follows: total JAFI = 4 (0-11),
      impairment = 1, activity limitation = 2, and participation restriction = 1. JAFI
      total and individual domains correlated with JADAS10, JSpADAS, and childhood
      health assessment questionnaire (CHAQ) but not duration of foot disease. JAFI was
      higher in children with midfoot arthritis on US. Foot joints and entheses are
      involved in a substantial proportion of patients with ERA patients and the
      midfoot is commonly involved. Foot disease produces significant functional
      limitation.

PMID- 28634695
TI  - Assessment of early diastolic intraventricular pressure gradient in the left
      ventricle among patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.
AB  - Assessment of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is vital in patients with
      repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF). The early diastolic intraventricular
      pressure gradient (IVPG) in the LV plays an important role in diastolic function.
      IVPG is calculated as the intraventricular pressure difference divided by the LV
      length, which allows to account for differences in LV size and therefore
      calculate IVPG in children. We aimed to investigate the mechanisms of LV
      diastolic dysfunction by measuring mid-to-apical IVPG as an indicator of the
      active suction force sucking blood from the left atrium into the LV. We included
      38 rTOF patients and 101 healthy controls. The study population was stratified
      based on age group into children (4-9 years), adolescents (10-15 years), and
      adults (16-40 years). IVPGs were calculated based on mitral inflow measurements
      obtained using color M-mode Doppler echocardiography. Although total IVPGs did
      not differ between rTOF patients and controls, mid-to-apical IVPGs in adolescents
      and adults were smaller among rTOF patients than among controls (0.15 +/- 0.05
      vs. 0.21 +/- 0.06 mmHg/cm, p < 0.05; 0.09 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.17 +/- 0.05 mmHg/cm, p <
      0.001; respectively). Additionally, only mid-to-apical IVPG correlated linearly
      with peak circumferential strain (rho = 0.217, p = 0.011), longitudinal strain
      (rho = -0.231, p = 0.006), torsion (rho = -0.200, p = 0.018), and untwisting rate
      in early diastole (rho = -0.233, p = 0.006). In rTOF, the mechanisms underlying
      diastolic dysfunction involve reduced active suction force, which correlates with
      reduced LV deformation in all directions.

PMID- 28634697
TI  - In psoriatic arthritis Dkk-1 and PTH are lower than in rheumatoid arthritis and
      healthy controls.
AB  - Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is characterized by bone erosive damage often
      associated with exuberant bone formation especially in enthesial sites. Dkk-1 and
      sclerostin are the main inhibitors of the WNT/beta-catenin signaling pathway and
      play a key role in the regulation of both bone formation and resorption. We
      performed this study in order to compare the serum levels of the WNT-pathway
      regulators along with bone turnover markers (BTM) and parathyroid hormone (PTH)
      between three different groups: one group of female patients affected by PsA, one
      group of female patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and healthy
      female controls (HC). This is a cross-sectional study including 33 patients with
      PsA classified with the CASPAR criteria, 35 HC, and 28 patients with RA
      classified with the ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria. Intact N-propeptide of type I
      collagen (PINP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), Dickkopf
      related-protein 1 (Dkk-1), sclerostin, PTH, and 25OH-vitamin D serum levels were
      dosed. The PsA group showed significantly lower Dkk-1 levels when compared to the
      HC and RA groups. Dkk-1 in the RA group was significantly higher than HC. A
      similar trend was documented for PTH. In the PsA group, CTX-I was found to be
      lower than in both the RA and HC groups. This study demonstrated for the first
      time that Dkk-1 levels in PsA are lower than HC, in contrast with RA, in which
      they are increased. These results might contribute to explain the different bone
      involvement of the two different diseases.

PMID- 28634698
TI  - Association between characteristics of pain and stiffness and the functional
      status of patients with incident polymyalgia rheumatica from primary care.
AB  - This paper aims to examine the relationship between different characteristics of
      pain and stiffness and the functional status of patients with newly diagnosed
      polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Baseline analysis of an inception cohort study was
      conducted. Patients aged >=18 years, with a new diagnosis of PMR were recruited
      from 382 English general practices. Participants were mailed a baseline
      questionnaire, including separate pain and stiffness manikins and numerical
      rating scales (NRS), a question on their ability to raise their arms above their
      head and the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ) to examine
      participants' functional status. Linear regression analysis, reported as
      regression co-efficients (95% confidence intervals (95% CI)), was used to assess
      the association of pain and stiffness with function, initially unadjusted and
      then adjusted for age, gender, deprivation status, smoking status, BMI, anxiety
      and depression. Six hundred fifty two patients responded to the baseline survey
      (88.5%). The majority (88.2%) reported no, or mild impairment in their functional
      status. Adjusted linear regression analysis demonstrated that high (NRS >=8) pain
      (0.20 (95% CI 0.10-0.28)) or stiffness (0.18 (0.09-0.26)) ratings, an increasing
      number of sites of pain (0.18 (0.06-0.29)) or stiffness (0.19 (0.08-0.31)) and
      shoulder pain (0.18 (0.05-0.31)), stiffness (0.10 (0.01-0.20)) and difficulty
      raising arms above one's head (0.19 (0.10-0.28)) were all associated with
      increased functional impairment. The majority of newly diagnosed PMR patients
      reported no or minimal functional difficulty. However, those who experience
      severe or widespread pain or stiffness often have significant functional
      limitation in performing their daily activities and may be a subset worthy of
      additional focus in primary care.

PMID- 28634700
TI  - Management of Tuberous Breast Deformities: Review of Long-term Outcomes and
      Patient Satisfaction with BREAST-Q.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The treatment of a tuberous breast deformity has changed over the
      years, with a large variety of procedures described. However, maintaining a long
      lasting breast contour is an ongoing challenge. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the long-term results of tuberous breast corrections, focusing on the
      incidence of secondary procedures and patient satisfaction. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Forty-six patients who underwent correction of a tuberous breast
      deformity from 2000 through 2013 were considered. Age, degree of deformity,
      asymmetry, BMI, pregnancy, first surgical technique used, complications and
      further surgical procedures were evaluated. Statistical analysis was conducted to
      identify predicting factors for multiple procedures. Patient satisfaction was
      evaluated with BREAST-Q. RESULTS: Eighty-eight breasts were treated: 57 breasts
      underwent implant-based corrections, whereas 31 breasts underwent autologous
      procedures. A multi-step procedure was initially planned in 7 breasts only, and
      41 breasts underwent secondary procedures: 33 out of 53 breasts (62.3%) were re
      operated in the implant-based group, whereas 8 out of 28 breasts (28.6%) were re
      operated in the autologous group. Statistical analysis showed a correlation
      between the number of procedures and young age (P = 0.0253) and between the
      number of procedures and the primary surgical technique (P = 0.0132). The BREAST
      Q evaluation suggested that patient satisfaction was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: The
      question of time is one of the main issues in breast surgery. The management of
      tuberous breast deformities requires a customized strategy considering all
      parameters to improve the longevity of the result in the long term. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to
      each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings,
      please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors
      www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28634699
TI  - Cost-effective analysis of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid
      arthritis.
AB  - The main objective of the study was to perform the pharmacoeconomic analysis of
      synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis
      patients. A prospective, observational study was conducted in 98 rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) patients meeting 2010 Rheumatoid Arthritis Classification
      Criteria. Treatment-naive RA patients were initiated on synthetic disease
      modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD/s) and followed up for 3 months. Average
      cost-effectiveness analysis was done by taking Health Assessment Questionnaire
      Disability Index (HAQ-DI) score as a measure of effectiveness. Out of the 98 RA
      patients, 15.30% were males and 84.69% females. 80.61% RA patients are
      seropositive. Majority of the study population patients (55%) were on combination
      of three synthetic DMARDs and almost a quarter (24.48%) were on combination of
      two synthetic DMARDs. The mean value of DAS 28 at baseline was 6.07 +/- 1.33 and
      after 3 months treatment, the mean was 3.84 +/- 1.11. The mean disability index
      measured by HAQ-DI was significantly reduced from 1.43 +/- 0.71 to 0.81 +/- 0.61,
      p < 0.001, after 3 months treatment. The direct medical cost of treatment of RA
      per month is 997.05 rupees. The average cost-effectiveness ratio of combination
      of synthetic DMARDs was 1533.92 rupees. Treatment of RA with synthetic DMARDs
      controls disease activity and improves disability with reasonable cost of
      treatment. The majority of the direct medical cost is attributable to cost of
      medicine and laboratory investigation. Use of quality generic drugs and an early
      diagnosis would minimize the economic burden on the patient.

PMID- 28634701
TI  - The 50 Most Cited Articles in Facial Plastic Surgery.
AB  - Bibliometric analysis is a common method to determine the most influential
      articles in medical specialties, as it is an objective measure of peer
      recognition of scientific work. This study is the first bibliometric analysis of
      the literature in facial plastic surgery, to determine the most cited papers in
      the field. Bibliometric analysis was performed using the Science Citation Index
      from the Institute for Scientific Information, accessed through the Web of
      ScienceTM. Filter terms relevant to the field of facial plastic surgery were used
      to identify the 50 most cited journal articles between 1900 and 2016. The median
      number of citations was 150 (range 116-1091). The articles spanned a wide range
      of topics in the field, with the most common topics being free flap
      reconstruction (n = 10), nasal surgery (n = 9), and rhytidectomy (n = 6). The
      majority of these articles (n = 29) presented findings supported by level IV or V
      evidence. This analysis provides an overview of the most cited articles in facial
      plastic surgery, many of which introduced some of the most fundamental principles
      and techniques in the field. These landmark articles represent important
      educational points that should be reviewed by all clinicians and trainees in this
      field. Level of Evidence III This journal requires that authors assign a level of
      evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine
      ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to
      Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28634702
TI  - Rectus Abdominis Fat Transfer (RAFT) in Lipoabdominoplasty: A New Technique to
      Achieve Fitness Body Contour in Patients that Require Tummy Tuck.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe a new technique to achieve a fit-look in
      lipoabdominoplasty patients through liposculpture and rectus abdominis fat
      transfer (RAFT). METHODS: Patients with a body mass index under 26 and of both
      genders scheduled for abdominoplasty or body lift were selected for this
      procedure. Fat was transferred directly to the rectus abdominis muscle after flap
      elevation during lipoabdominoplasty. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients were
      operated on with this technique. No complications attributable to the fat
      grafting were noticed. All patients had a high satisfaction level with the
      procedure. Demonstrative cases are shown. DISCUSSION: The RAFT technique is a
      useful and effective technique to improve results in standard lipoabdominoplasty.
      Its main limitation is the adequate selection of the patient. The RAFT technique
      can be incorporated easily to common day practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This
      journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a
      full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the
      Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28634703
TI  - Isoperistaltic versus antiperistaltic side-to-side anastomosis after right
      laparoscopic hemicolectomy for cancer (ISOVANTI) trial: study protocol for a
      randomised clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is believed that loosing ileocecal valve is well tolerated in
      patients who do not have short bowel syndrome or Crohn disease. From the
      hypothesis of colonic peristalsis and transit is regulated by that ileocecal
      valvular mechanism, we try to find out if the creation of a new pseudo-valvular
      mechanism as antiperistaltic anastomosis could be considered after right
      hemicolectomy can cause any short- or long-term changes in gastrointestinal
      habits. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study at primary endpoint is to compare early
      (occurring within 30 days of surgery) and late (occurring during the follow-up)
      postoperative complications between both groups The purpose of the study at
      secondary endpoint is to compare intraoperative and postoperative events between
      experimental and control groups in terms of operating time, first oral tolerance
      day, first flatus and faeces, length of hospital stay and orocecal transit;
      comparing rates of gastrointestinal life quality and comparing mortality rates
      between both groups. METHODS: The ISOVANTI trial is a randomized controlled
      single-centre trial comparing isoperistaltic versus antiperistaltic side-to-side
      anastomosis after right laparoscopic hemicolectomy. It is designed as a parallel
      group superiority trial. CONCLUSIONS: It is unknown if a pseudo-valvular
      mechanism as antiperistaltic anastomosis can be considered has short- or long
      term consequences in gastrointestinal habit. Considering the impact that
      ileocolic anastomosis configuration could have on the restitution of bowel
      transit after right hemicolectomy, we think it is indicated and necessary a
      randomized trial comparing iso- and antiperistaltic modalities. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: NCT02309931.

PMID- 28634704
TI  - Teprotumumab: a new avenue for the management of moderate-to-severe and active
      Graves' orbitopathy?

PMID- 28634705
TI  - How does pregnancy affect the patients with pituitary adenomas: a study on 113
      pregnancies from Turkey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Data regarding pregnancies in relation to pituitary tumors are
      limited. The effects of pregnancy on pituitary adenomas and the effects of
      adenoma itself (hormonal activity, mass effects and pituitary insufficiency)
      and/or treatment on the ongoing gestation and developing fetus were evaluated.
      METHODS: The study was a retrospective study. A questionnaire involving questions
      regarding medical history before index gestation, history of related pregnancy,
      result of index gestation and postpartum follow-up of the patients was filled by
      the investigator in one of the eight Referral Endocrinology Centers from Turkey.
      RESULTS: One hundred and thirteen (83 prolactinoma, 21 acromegaly, 8 NFPA and 1
      plurihormonal pituitary adenoma) pregnancies of 87 (60 prolactinoma, 19
      acromegaly, 7 NFPA and 1 plurihormonal pituitary adenoma) patients were reviewed.
      The clinically important pregnancy-related tumor growth of pituitary adenomas was
      found to be low in previously treated adenomas. Prolactinomas were more likely to
      increase in size during pregnancy especially if effective prior treatment was
      lacking. The risk of hypopituitarism is also minimal due to pituitary adenomas
      during pregnancy. The results of pregnancies did not differ in patients who were
      on medical treatment or not for prolactinomas and acromegaly during gestation.
      Neural tube defect and microcephaly associated with maternal cabergoline use;
      Down syndrome and corpus callosum agenesis associated with maternal bromocriptine
      use; unilateral congenital cataract, craniosynostosis and microcephaly associated
      with maternal acromegaly were detected for the first time. CONCLUSION: Medical
      treatment can be safely done stopped in patients with prolactinoma and acromegaly
      when pregnancy is confirmed and reinstituted when necessary. Prospective studies
      may help to determine the effects of medical treatment during gestation on the
      mother and fetus.

PMID- 28634706
TI  - Parenting a Child with ASD: Comparison of Parenting Style Between ASD, Anxiety,
      and Typical Development.
AB  - Parenting children with ASD has a complex history. Given parents' increasingly
      pivotal role in children's treatment, it is critical to consider parental style
      and behaviours. This study (1) compares parenting style of parents of children
      with ASD, parents of children with anxiety disorders, and parents of typically
      developing (TD) children and (2) investigates contributors to parenting style
      within and between groups. Parents of children with anxiety had a distinct
      parenting style compared to ASD and TD parents. Unique relationships between
      child symptoms and parenting behaviours emerged across the three groups.
      Understanding factors that impact parenting between and within clinical groups
      can guide the development of interventions better tailored to support the needs
      of parents, particularly parents of children with ASD.

PMID- 28634707
TI  - Parent Support of Preschool Peer Relationships in Younger Siblings of Children
      with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - Preschool-aged siblings of children with ASD are at high-risk (HR) for ASD and
      related challenges, but little is known about their emerging peer competence and
      friendships. Parents are the main providers of peer-relationship opportunities
      during preschool. Understanding parental challenges supporting early peer
      relationships is needed for optimal peer competence and friendships in children
      with ASD. We describe differences in peer relationships among three groups of
      preschool-aged children (15 HR-ASD, 53 HR-NonASD, 40 low-risk, LR), and examine
      parent support activities at home and arranging community-based peer activities.
      Children with ASD demonstrated precursors to poor peer competence and friendship
      outcomes. Parents in the HR group showed resilience in many areas, but providing
      peer opportunities for preschool-age children with ASD demanded significant
      adaptations.

PMID- 28634709
TI  - Incidental durotomy in decompression for lumbar spinal stenosis: incidence, risk
      factors and effect on outcomes in the Spine Tango registry.
AB  - PURPOSE: The three aims of this Spine Tango registry study of patients undergoing
      decompression for spinal stenosis were to: report the rate of dural tear (DT)
      stratified by treatment centre; find factors associated with an increased
      likelihood of incurring a DT; and compare treatment outcomes in relation to DT
      (none vs. repaired vs. unrepaired DT). METHODS: Multivariate logistic regression
      was used to assess the association between DT and patient and treatment
      characteristics. Patient-rated and surgical outcomes were compared in patients
      with no DT, repaired DT, and unrepaired DT, while adjusting for case-mix.
      RESULTS: DT occurred in 328/3254 (10.1%) of included patients. The rate for all
      29 contributing hospitals was within 95% confidence intervals of the average. The
      likelihood of DT increased by 2% per year of age, 1.78 times with previous spine
      surgery, 1.67 for a minimally/less invasive surgery, 1.58 times with laminectomy,
      and 1.40, and 2.12 times for BMI 31-35, and >35 in comparison with BMI 26-30,
      respectively. The majority of DTs (272/328; 82.9%) were repaired. Repairing the
      DT was associated with a longer duration of surgery (p < 0.001). More patients
      with repaired than with unrepaired DTs were satisfied with treatment, but the
      difference was not statistically significant. There was no association between DT
      and patient-reported outcomes. CONCLUSION: The unadjusted rate of incidental DT
      during decompression for LSS was homogeneous across the participating centres and
      was associated with age, BMI, previous surgery at the same spinal level,
      minimally/less invasive surgery, and laminectomy. Non-repair of DTs had no
      negative association with treatment outcome; however, the unrepaired DTs may have
      been those that were smaller in size.

PMID- 28634708
TI  - Speaker-Versus Listener-Oriented Disfluency: A Re-examination of Arguments and
      Assumptions from Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - We re-evaluate conclusions about disfluency production in high-functioning forms
      of autism spectrum disorder (HFA). Previous studies examined individuals with HFA
      to address a theoretical question regarding speaker- and listener-oriented
      disfluencies. Individuals with HFA tend to be self-centric and have poor
      pragmatic language skills, and should be less likely to produce listener-oriented
      disfluency. However, previous studies did not account for individual differences
      variables that affect disfluency. We show that both matched and unmatched
      controls produce fewer repairs than individuals with HFA. For silent pauses,
      there was no difference between matched controls and HFA, but both groups
      produced more than unmatched controls. These results identify limitations in
      prior research and shed light on the relationship between autism spectrum
      disorders and disfluent speech.

PMID- 28634710
TI  - Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic assessment of electronic cigarettes,
      combustible cigarettes, and nicotine gum: implications for abuse liability.
AB  - RATIONALE: Electronic cigarettes (ECs) are becoming popular alternatives for
      smokers, but there has been limited study of their abuse liability. OBJECTIVES:
      The objective of this study was to evaluate the abuse liability of three Vuse
      Solo ECs, ranging from 14 to 36 mg in nicotine content, relative to high- and low
      abuse liability comparator products (usual brand combustible cigarettes and
      nicotine gum, respectively) in a group of 45 EC-naive smokers. METHODS: Enrolled
      subjects' ratings of subjective effects and nicotine uptake over 6 h were used to
      measure abuse liability and pharmacokinetics following in-clinic use of each EC.
      RESULTS: Use of Vuse Solo resulted in subjective measures and nicotine uptake
      that were between those of combustible cigarettes and nicotine gum, although
      generally closer to nicotine gum. Compared to combustible cigarettes, use of Vuse
      Solo resulted in significantly lower scores in measures of product liking,
      positive effects, and intent to use again. These pharmacodynamic findings were
      consistent with the pharmacokinetic data, showing that cigarettes produced
      substantially faster and higher levels of nicotine uptake as compared to Vuse
      Solo and nicotine gum. Vuse Solo resulted in more rapid initial uptake of
      nicotine compared to nicotine gum, but peak concentration and long-term extent of
      uptake were not different or were lower with Vuse. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively,
      these findings suggest that Vuse Solo likely has an abuse liability that is
      somewhat greater than nicotine gum but lower than cigarettes. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02269514.

PMID- 28634711
TI  - alpha-Pyrone Derivatives from a Streptomyces Strain Resensitize Tamoxifen
      Resistance in Breast Cancer Cells.
AB  - Tamoxifen resistance (TamR) is the underlying cause of treatment failure in many
      breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen. In order to look for noncytotoxic
      natural products with the ability to reverse TamR, an extract from strain
      Streptomyces sp. KIB-H0495 was detected to be active. Subsequent large scale
      fermentation and isolation led to the isolation of four alpha-pyrone derivatives
      including two new compounds, violapyrones J (2) and K (3), and two known
      analogues, violapyrones B (1) and I (4). Further bioactivity assays indicated
      that only 1 and 3 exerted potent resensitization effects on MCF-7/TamR cells at a
      concentration of 1 MUM. Owing to the simple structures of 1 and 3, these two
      compounds might have potential for further investigation as novel tamoxifen
      resensitization agent in breast cancer chemotherapy.

PMID- 28634712
TI  - Site-directed mutagenesis under the direction of in silico protein docking
      modeling reveals the active site residues of 3-ketosteroid-Delta1-dehydrogenase
      from Mycobacterium neoaurum.
AB  - 3-Ketosteroid-Delta1-dehydrogenases (KsdD) from Mycobacterium neoaurum could
      transform androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD) to androst-1,4-diene-3,17-dione. This
      reaction has a significant effect on the product of pharmaceutical steroid. The
      crystal structure and active site residues information of KsdD from Mycobacterium
      is not yet available, which result in the engineering of KsdD is tedious. In this
      study, by the way of protein modeling and site-directed mutagenesis, we find
      that, Y122, Y125, S138, E140 and Y541 from the FAD-binding domain and Y365 from
      the catalytic domain play a key role in this transformation. Compared with the
      wild type, the decline in AD conversion for mutants illustrated that Y125, Y365,
      and Y541 were essential to the function of KsdD. Y122, S138 and E140 contributed
      to the catalysis of KsdD. The following analysis revealed the catalysis mechanism
      of these mutations in KsdD of Mycobacterium. These information presented here
      facilitate the manipulation of the catalytic properties of the enzyme to improve
      its application in the pharmaceutical steroid industry.

PMID- 28634713
TI  - Characterization and in vitro antibacterial activity of saponin-conjugated silver
      nanoparticles against bacteria that cause burn wound infection.
AB  - Saponins are glycosides, which destabilize the membrane by altering the membrane
      permeability. Thus, the present study was aimed to fabricate the silver
      nanoparticles (AgNPs) using fenugreek derived saponin (SN) against multi-drug
      resistant bacteria. This study has optimized the concentration of SN (240 mg/mL)
      for the synthesis of an effective AgNPs against the test organism Escherichia
      coli. The SN reduced AgNPs produced a reddish-brown colour and displayed UV
      absorption at 416 nm. The bio-reducing efficiency of SN (62.76%) was calculated
      from the HPLC quantitation of free SN in the colloidal solution of AgNPs. The
      FESEM-EDAX analysis of SN-AgNPs revealed a spherical shape and showed signals for
      elemental silver along with carbon and oxygen. The spherical morphology of SN
      AgNPs was also confirmed from its TEM and AFM micrographs and their sizes were
      found in between 2-15 nm. The hydrodynamic size, zeta potential and crystalline
      nature of SN-AgNPs were studied by DLS and XRD analyses and were found to be 9-30
      nm, -18 mV and fcc crystallinity respectively. The FT-IR analysis of SN-AgNPs
      revealed that the functional groups such as C-O, C=C, C=O and O-H of SN are
      involved in the reduction and stability of AgNPs. The SN-AgNPs have depicted a
      notable in vitro structural stability and showed a remarkable antibacterial
      activity against the bacterial species, related to severe burn wound infections.
      In conclusion, the findings of our study clearly demonstrate that the SN-AgNPs
      conjugate would be a novel effective antibacterial agent for the
      prevention/eradication of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections in severe
      burn wounds.

PMID- 28634714
TI  - Microbial community shift in a suspended stuffing biological reactor with pre
      attached aerobic denitrifier.
AB  - Bioaugmentation is substantially determined by pre-attached communities in
      biological stuffing systems. However, the inevitable changes of microbial
      community shift occurred between pre-attached microorganisms on stuffing material
      and other existing communities in wastewater. Targeting at nitrogen removal in
      aerobic denitrification reactors, biological augmentation was built by
      polyurethane supporting material and aerobic denitrification bacteria of
      Pseudomonas stutzeri strains were primarily colonized. The total nitrogen removal
      reached a high efficiency of 77 +/- 6%, resulting from a relative high nitrate
      removal (90%) and a low nitrite production of 24 mg l-1. The nitrate removal was
      kept 10% higher using preattached strains than that using wastewater communities.
      During the bioaugmentation process, abundant bacteria related to nitrogen removal
      were evolutively enriched to compete with preattached Pseudomonas stutzeri. The
      most abundant bacteria growing up in the biofilm belonged to various Classes of
      Proteobacteria Phylum. A noticeable nitrite production with a relative low TN
      removal efficiency occurred when Brucella sp. and Brevundimonas sp. were
      simultaneously enriched in place of Pseudomonas, because Brevundimonas also
      accumulated nitrite during denitrification under an aerobic condition. The
      results indicated that pre-attached denitrifiers in comprehensive communities on
      stuffing material can be established for the efficient nitrogen and COD removal
      in aerobic denitrification reactors.

PMID- 28634715
TI  - Regulatory element-based prediction identifies new susceptibility regulatory
      variants for osteoporosis.
AB  - Despite genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified many
      susceptibility genes for osteoporosis, it still leaves a large part of missing
      heritability to be discovered. Integrating regulatory information and GWASs could
      offer new insights into the biological link between the susceptibility SNPs and
      osteoporosis. We generated five machine learning classifiers with osteoporosis
      associated variants and regulatory features data. We gained the optimal
      classifier and predicted genome-wide SNPs to discover susceptibility regulatory
      variants. We further utilized Genetic Factors for Osteoporosis Consortium (GEFOS)
      and three in-house GWASs samples to validate the associations for predicted
      positive SNPs. The random forest classifier performed best among all machine
      learning methods with the F1 score of 0.8871. Using the optimized model, we
      predicted 37,584 candidate SNPs for osteoporosis. According to the meta-analysis
      results, a list of regulatory variants was significantly associated with
      osteoporosis after multiple testing corrections and contributed to the expression
      of known osteoporosis-associated protein-coding genes. In summary, combining
      GWASs and regulatory elements through machine learning could provide additional
      information for understanding the mechanism of osteoporosis. The regulatory
      variants we predicted will provide novel targets for etiology research and
      treatment of osteoporosis.

PMID- 28634717
TI  - Morphological diversification among island populations of intertidal mites
      (Acari, Oribatida, Fortuyniidae) from the Galapagos archipelago.
AB  - The intertidal oribatid mite species Alismobates galapagoensis and Litoribates
      caelestis occur on the archipelago of Galapagos. To test for morphological
      variation between populations of different islands, a comprehensive morphometric
      study was performed. Four A. galapagoensis populations from the islands
      Bartolome, Isabela, Santa Cruz and San Cristobal, as well as two L. caelestis
      populations from Bartolome and Santa Cruz were investigated. The L. caelestis
      populations did not show any significant differences whereas the A. galapagoensis
      populations exhibited clear divergences indicating speciation. Differences in
      overall size of A. galapagoensis apparently followed a gradient from East to
      West, with specimens from San Cristobal being the largest and individuals from
      Bartolome and Isabela being the smallest. Apart from size, significant shape
      differences were found in the epimeral region and females showed stronger
      variation among islands than males. The degree of morphological divergence seems
      to correlate with geographic distance, i.e. populations from islands located
      closer to each other showed fewer differences than populations from distant
      islands. Based on this correlation we suggest that transport between islands has
      happened mainly by drifting on ocean currents.

PMID- 28634716
TI  - From prenatal anxiety to parenting stress: a longitudinal study.
AB  - The objective of this study was to explore how maternal mood during pregnancy,
      i.e., general anxiety, pregnancy-specific anxiety, and depression predicted
      parenting stress 3 months after giving birth, thereby shaping the child's early
      postnatal environmental circumstances. To this end, data were used from 1073
      women participating in the Dutch longitudinal cohort Generations2, which studies
      first-time pregnant mothers during pregnancy and across the transition to
      parenthood. Women filled out the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Pregnancy
      Related Anxiety Questionnaire-revised (PRAQ-R), and Beck Depression Index (BDI)
      three times during pregnancy: at 12, 22, and 32 weeks gestational age. Three
      months postpartum, a parenting stress questionnaire was filled out yielding seven
      different parenting constructs. Latent scores were computed for each of the
      repeatedly measured maternal mood variables with Mplus and parenting stress
      constructs were simultaneously regressed on these latent scores. Results showed
      that trait anxiety and pregnancy-specific anxiety were uniquely related to almost
      all parenting stress constructs, taking depression into account. Early prevention
      and intervention to reduce maternal anxiety in pregnancy could hold the key for a
      more advantageous trajectory of early postnatal parenting.

PMID- 28634718
TI  - Mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata) in young and mature coniferous forests
      after surface wildfire.
AB  - Density, diversity and assemblage structure of Mesostigmata (cohorts Gamasina and
      Uropodina) were investigated in Scots pine forests differing in forest age
      (young: 9-40 years and mature: 83-101 years) in which wildfire occurred. This
      animal group belongs to the dominant acarine predators playing a crucial role in
      soil food webs and being important as biological control agents. In total, six
      forests (three within young and three within mature stands) were inspected in
      Puszcza Knyszynska Forest Complex in May 2015. At each forest area, sampling was
      done from burned and adjacent control sites with steel cylinders for heat
      extraction of soil fauna. Data were analyzed statistically with nested ANOVA. We
      found a significant effect on mite density of both fire and forest age, with more
      mites in mature forests and control plots. In total, 36 mite taxa were
      identified. Mite diversity differed significantly between forest ages but not
      between burned versus control. Our study indicated that all studied forests are
      characterized by unique mite species and that the mite communities are dominated
      by different mite species depending on age forest and surface wildfire
      occurrence. Finally, canonical correspondence analysis ranked the mite
      assemblages from control mature, through burned young and burned mature, away
      from the control young.

PMID- 28634720
TI  - The financial impact and drivers of hospital charges in contralateral
      prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction: a Nationwide Inpatient Sample
      hospital analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) have increased over
      the last decade; it is important for surgeons and hospital systems to understand
      the economic drivers of increased costs in these patients. This study aims to
      identify factors affecting charges in those undergoing CPM and reconstruction.
      METHODS: Analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National
      Inpatient Sample was undertaken (2009-2012), identifying women aged >=18 with
      unilateral breast cancer undergoing unilateral mastectomy with CPM and immediate
      breast reconstruction (IBR) (CPM group), in addition to unilateral mastectomy and
      IBR alone (UM group). Generalized linear modeling with gamma regression and a log
      link function provided mean marginal hospital charge (MMHC) estimates associated
      with the presence or absence of patient, hospital and operative characteristics,
      postoperative complications, and length of stay (LOS). RESULTS: Overall, 70,695
      women underwent mastectomy and reconstruction for unilateral breast cancer;
      36,691 (51.9%) in the CPM group, incurring additional MMHCs of $20,775 compared
      to those in the UM group (p < 0.001). In the CPM group, MMHCs were reduced in
      those aged >60 years (p < 0.001), while African American or Hispanic origin
      increased MMHCs (p < 0.001). Diabetes, depression, and obesity increased MMHCs (p
      < 0.001). MMHCs increased with larger (p < 0.001) hospitals, Western location (p
      < 0.001), greater household income (p < 0.001), complications (p < 0.001), and
      increasing LOS (p < 0.001). MMHCs decreased in urban teaching hospitals and
      Midwest or Southern regions (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There are many patient and
      hospital factors affecting charges; this study provides surgeons and hospital
      systems with transparent, quantitative charge data in patients undergoing
      contralateral prophylactic mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction.

PMID- 28634719
TI  - A sugarcane pathogenesis-related protein, ScPR10, plays a positive role in
      defense responses under Sporisorium scitamineum, SrMV, SA, and MeJA stresses.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: A pathogenesis-related gene, ScPR10 , was isolated from sugarcane
      and its bio-function was characterized, demonstrating that ScPR10 was involved in
      plant defense responses to Sporisorium scitamineum , SrMV, SA, and MeJA stresses.
      Plant fungal and viral diseases are the major concerns in sugarcane industry.
      Many anti-fungal and antivirus components, including pathogenesis-related (PR)
      proteins, have been identified. The pathogenesis-related protein 10 (PR10) is the
      dominant group in PR families, involved in the plant defense mechanism. In this
      study, ScPR10 (GenBank Acc. No. KT887884), a 701-bp-length PR10 gene with a 483
      bp-length open reading frame, was isolated from sugarcane. Its transient
      expression in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana indicated that the function
      role of ScPR10 is likely in the nucleus, and it increased the level of H2O2
      accumulation in leaf cells. Moreover, ScPR10 could also enhance the resistance of
      N. benthamiana leaves to infection by Pseudomonas solanacearum and Fusarium
      solani var. coeruleum. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that ScPR10
      was not constitutively expressed in sugarcane tissues due to its high expression
      in the buds and scant presence in root tips. In addition, the transcript of
      ScPR10 could be induced by a pathogenic fungus (Sporisorium scitamineum) and a
      virus (Sorghum mosaic virus, SrMV) in the resistant sugarcane cultivars, while it
      was down-regulated in the susceptible ones. After exposure to salicylic acid (SA)
      and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), ScPR10 peaked at 6 and 12 h, respectively. These
      results suggest that ScPR10 can play a positive role in sugarcane defense
      responses to S. scitamineum, SrMV, SA, and MeJA stresses.

PMID- 28634721
TI  - The mystery of the old acid man.

PMID- 28634722
TI  - Three Novel Bile Alcohols of Mature Male Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Act as
      Chemical Cues for Conspecifics.
AB  - Sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, rely heavily on chemical cues that mediate their
      life history events, such as migration and reproduction. Here, we describe
      petromyzone A-C (1-3), three novel bile alcohols that are highly oxidized and
      sulfated, isolated from water conditioned with spermiated male sea lamprey.
      Structures of these compounds were unequivocally established by spectroscopic
      analyses and by comparison with spectra of known compounds. Electro-olfactogram
      recordings showed that 1 at 10-11 M was stimulatory to the adult sea lamprey
      olfactory epithelium, while 2 and 3 were stimulatory at 10-13 M. Behavioral
      assays indicated that 1 is attractive, 2 is not attractive or repulsive, and 3 is
      repulsive to ovulated female sea lamprey. The results suggest that 1 and 2 may be
      putative pheromones that mediate chemical communication in sea lamprey. The
      identification of these three components enhances our understanding of the
      structures and functions of sex pheromone components in this species and may
      provide useful behavioral manipulation tools for the integrated management of sea
      lamprey, a destructive invader in the Laurentian Great Lakes.

PMID- 28634724
TI  - DARMA: Software for dual axis rating and media annotation.
AB  - Continuous measurement systems provide a means of measuring dynamic behavioral
      and experiential processes as they play out over time. DARMA is a modernized
      continuous measurement system that synchronizes media playback and the continuous
      recording of two-dimensional measurements. These measurements can be
      observational or self-reported and are provided in real-time through the
      manipulation of a computer joystick. DARMA also provides tools for reviewing and
      comparing collected measurements and for customizing various settings. DARMA is a
      domain-independent software tool that was designed to aid researchers who are
      interested in gaining a deeper understanding of behavior and experience. It is
      especially well-suited to the study of affective and interpersonal processes,
      such as the perception and expression of emotional states and the communication
      of social signals. DARMA is open-source using the GNU General Public License
      (GPL) and is available for free download from http://darma.jmgirard.com .

PMID- 28634723
TI  - Combinational use of hepatitis B viral antigens predicts responses to
      nucleos(t)ide analogue/peg-interferon sequential therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This prospective cohort study searched for factors associated with a
      response to nucleos(t)ide analogue/peg-interferon (NUC/peg-IFN) sequential
      therapy. METHODS: A total of 95 patients with chronic hepatitis B being treated
      with NUCs were enrolled. Immediately following NUC cessation, peg-IFN was
      administered at 180 ug/dose weekly for 48 weeks. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients
      (27%) were judged to be responders at 48 weeks after the completion of peg-IFN.
      Analysis of baseline factors revealed that hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
      <3.1 log IU/ml and HB core-related antigen (HBcrAg) <3.9 log U/ml were
      significant indicators of a treatment response. The levels of the markers
      decreased in both responders and non-responders during peg-IFN therapy but
      continued falling in responders only after halting peg-IFN. Lower HBsAg (<2.0 log
      IU/ml) and HBcrAg (<3.8 log U/ml) levels at the time of response judgment were
      also significantly associated with a favorable response. While lower HBcrAg at
      baseline was the sole predictor of decreased HBcrAg levels at judgment, lower
      HBsAg, lower HBcrAg, and the use of adefovir dipivoxil at baseline predicted
      decreased HBsAg levels at the study endpoint. The use of adefovir dipivoxil was
      also associated with higher serum IFN-lambda3, which might have contributed to
      the reduction in patient HBsAg levels. CONCLUSIONS: The combinational use of
      HBsAg and HBcrAg levels at baseline and their changes throughout sequential
      therapy may be useful for predicting a response to NUC/peg-IFN sequential
      therapy.

PMID- 28634725
TI  - Analyzing individual growth with clustered longitudinal data: A comparison
      between model-based and design-based multilevel approaches.
AB  - To prevent biased estimates of intraindividual growth and interindividual
      variability when working with clustered longitudinal data (e.g., repeated
      measures nested within students; students nested within schools), individual
      dependency should be considered. A Monte Carlo study was conducted to examine to
      what extent two model-based approaches (multilevel latent growth curve model -
      MLGCM, and maximum model - MM) and one design-based approach (design-based latent
      growth curve model - D-LGCM) could produce unbiased and efficient parameter
      estimates of intraindividual growth and interindividual variability given
      clustered longitudinal data. The solutions of a single-level latent growth curve
      model (SLGCM) were also provided to demonstrate the consequences of ignoring
      individual dependency. Design factors considered in the present simulation study
      were as follows: number of clusters (NC = 10, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 500) and
      cluster size (CS = 5, 10, and 20). According to our results, when intraindividual
      growth is of interest, researchers are free to implement MLGCM, MM, or D-LGCM.
      With regard to interindividual variability, MLGCM and MM were capable of
      producing accurate parameter estimates and SEs. However, when D-LGCM and SLGCM
      were applied, parameter estimates of interindividual variability were not
      comprised exclusively of the variability in individual (e.g., students) growth
      but instead were the combined variability of individual and cluster (e.g.,
      school) growth, which cannot be interpreted. The take-home message is that D-LGCM
      does not qualify as an alternative approach to analyzing clustered longitudinal
      data if interindividual variability is of interest.

PMID- 28634727
TI  - Safety and efficacy of chemosaturation in patients with primary and secondary
      liver tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chemosaturation with percutaneous hepatic perfusion (CS-PHP; hepatic
      CHEMOSAT(r) delivery system; Delcath Systems Inc, USA) is a novel medical device,
      which delivers high doses of melphalan directly to the liver in patients with
      primary and secondary liver tumors while limiting systemic toxicity through
      hemofiltration of the hepatic venous blood. The aim of this study was to analyze
      the safety and efficacy of the second-generation CS-PHP after 54 treatments at
      Hannover Medical School, Germany. METHODS: Overall response rates (ORR) were
      assessed according to response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST1.1).
      Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and hepatic PFS (hPFS)
      were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier estimation. RESULTS: 29 patients were
      treated with CS-PHP as last-line therapy up to five sessions. 19 patients had
      unresectable hepatic metastases from solid tumors [ocular melanoma (OM) n = 11;
      colorectal carcinoma n = 2; pancreatic adenocarcinoma n = 2; periampular
      carcinoma n = 2; breast and endometrial cancer each n = 1] and 10 patients were
      diagnosed with hepatocellular or cholangiocarcinoma (HCC/CCA). ORR was 19.2%.
      Patients with OM had the highest ORR (33.3%). Similar to patients with OM,
      patients with hepatobiliary tumors had durable disease stabilization (40%).
      Median OS, PFS, and hPFS were 261, 117, and 135 days, respectively. Tumor volume
      negatively correlated with OS. Complications and toxicities included
      thrombocytopenia, cardiovascular events, ulcerous bleeding, and edema.
      CONCLUSION: Second-generation CS-PHP seems to be effective and tolerable. Patient
      selection based on tumor volume and entity is of importance. Particularly,
      patients with OM and hepatobiliary tumors represent promising candidates for CS
      PHP.

PMID- 28634728
TI  - Aroma oil therapy in palliative care: a pilot study with physiological parameters
      in conscious as well as unconscious patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this pilot study is to analyze the reactions of healthy
      test persons and conscious as well as unconscious palliative patients to aroma
      stimuli. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a randomized controlled study, healthy
      probands, conscious and unconscious palliative patients were exposed to two
      essential oils (lemon, lavender). Water was used as the control stimulus.
      Physiological parameters (breathing rate and heart rate, oxygen saturation,
      systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure) were measured. RESULTS: 10 test
      persons (control group), 15 conscious patients and 5 unconscious palliative
      patients were exposed to the stimuli. Healthy test persons reacted to lemon oil
      with a significant increase in respiration rate, heart rate and diastolic blood
      pressure, whereas to lavender oil with a significant decrease in respiration rate
      was measured. There were no significant reactions concerning the other
      parameters. Conscious and unconscious patients reacted with a significant
      increase in all measured parameters to lemon oil and with a significant decrease
      in all parameters except for oxygen saturation to lavender oil. No significant
      differences in the reactions were measured between the conscious and unconscious
      patients and no significant reactions to control stimuli were detected. All
      physiological reactions were very short and only detectable during stimulus
      presentation. CONCLUSION: Significant physiological reactions were measured after
      simulation with aroma oils in all three groups in this study. Healthy probands
      showed different reactions than palliative patients irrespective to their
      conscious state.

PMID- 28634729
TI  - Analysis of gender-based differences among surgeons in Japan: results of a survey
      conducted by the Japan Surgical Society. Part 1: Working style.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the working styles of men and women working as surgeons in
      Japan. METHODS: In July, 2014, the Japan Surgical Society invited all their
      members (n = 29,861), through an internet campaign, to participate in a
      nationwide survey of surgeons. The items investigated in this descriptive study
      included demographic information and working styles, based on a questionnaire.
      RESULTS: In total, 6211 surgeons participated (response rate 20.8%, 5586 men and
      625 women). The largest age stratum was 40-49 years for men and 30-39 years for
      women. Overall, respondents identified their labor contract, including salary and
      work hours, as the highest priority for improvement. Women with children were
      more likely to be part-time employees, work fewer hours, and take fewer house
      calls/on-calls than their male counterparts. Moreover, women of all ages earned a
      lower annual income than men, irrespective of whether they had children.
      Perception scores for discrimination related to work and promotion were
      significantly higher among women than men (p < 0.01 and p = 0.011, respectively).
      CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference in working style was observed between men
      and women working as surgeons in Japan.

PMID- 28634726
TI  - Connexin Channels at the Glio-Vascular Interface: Gatekeepers of the Brain.
AB  - Neuronal survival, electrical signaling and synaptic activity require a well
      balanced micro-environment in the central nervous system. This is achieved by the
      blood-brain barrier (BBB), an endothelial barrier situated in the brain
      capillaries, that controls near-to-all passage in and out of the brain. The
      endothelial barrier function is highly dependent on signaling interactions with
      surrounding glial, neuronal and vascular cells, together forming the neuro-glio
      vascular unit. Within this functional unit, connexin (Cx) channels are of utmost
      importance for intercellular communication between the different cellular
      compartments. Connexins are best known as the building blocks of gap junction
      (GJ) channels that enable direct cell-cell transfer of metabolic, biochemical and
      electric signals. In addition, beyond their role in direct intercellular
      communication, Cxs also form unapposed, non-junctional hemichannels in the plasma
      membrane that allow the passage of several paracrine messengers, complementing
      direct GJ communication. Within the NGVU, Cxs are expressed in vascular
      endothelial cells, including those that form the BBB, and are eminent in
      astrocytes, especially at their endfoot processes that wrap around cerebral
      vessels. However, despite the density of Cx channels at this so-called
      gliovascular interface, it remains unclear as to how Cx-based signaling between
      astrocytes and BBB endothelial cells may converge control over BBB permeability
      in health and disease. In this review we describe available evidence that
      supports a role for astroglial as well as endothelial Cxs in the regulation of
      BBB permeability during development as well as in disease states.

PMID- 28634730
TI  - Phase III trial comparing UFT + PSK to UFT + LV in stage IIB, III colorectal
      cancer (MCSGO-CCTG).
AB  - PURPOSE: Oral adjuvant uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin (UFT/LV) is not
      inferior to standard weekly fluorouracil and folinate for stage II/III colon
      cancer. However, protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK) has been evaluated as
      postoperative adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer. This report is the first of
      MCSGO-CCTG, which compared UFT/LV to UFT/PSK as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage
      IIB or III colorectal cancer in patients who had undergone Japanese D2/D3 lymph
      node dissection. METHODS: The primary endpoint was the 3-year disease-free
      survival (DFS). A randomized non-inferiority study compared UFT/LV to UFT/PSK.
      The overall survival, adverse events, compliance, and quality of life were also
      investigated as the secondary endpoints. RESULTS: Between March 2006 and December
      2010, 357 patients were randomized to UFT/PSK (n = 178) or UFT/LV (n = 179)
      (median age 65 years, colon/rectum 67.4/32.6%, stage IIB/IIIA/IIIB/IIIC
      11.1/15.7/55.0/18.2%). The 3-year DFS rate was 82.3% in those receiving UFT/LV
      and 72.1% in those receiving UFT/PSK. The non-inferiority of UFT/PSK adjuvant
      therapy to UFT/LV therapy was not verified (-9.06%, 90% confidence interval 
      17.06 to -1.06%). The 3-year overall survival rate was 95.4% in those receiving
      UFT/LV and 90.7% in those receiving UFT/PSK. CONCLUSIONS: As adjuvant
      chemotherapy for stage IIB and III colorectal cancer patients, UFT/PSK adjuvant
      therapy was not non-inferior to UFT/LV therapy with respect to the DFS.

PMID- 28634731
TI  - Frey's procedure for chronic pancreatitis improves the nutritional status of
      these patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of surgical intervention for chronic pancreatitis (CP) is to
      relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. However, the precise effect of
      surgery on the nutritional status of CP patients, which is often impaired by
      exocrine and endocrine pancreatic dysfunction, has not been elucidated. We
      conducted this study to evaluate whether Frey's procedure improves the
      nutritional status of CP patients. METHODS: The nutritional status of 35 patients
      who underwent Frey's procedure for CP at our institute between April 2005 and
      December 2014, was assessed by the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) scoring
      before and 1 year after the surgery, and compared with that of seven CP patients
      who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy. The occurrence of postoperative hepatic
      steatosis was also monitored. RESULTS: The nutritional status improved after
      Frey's procedure, but not after pancreatoduodenectomy. The median postoperative
      CONUT score after Frey's procedure was significantly lower than the preoperative
      score (1.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 4.0 +/- 2.5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Frey's procedure is
      superior to pancreatoduodenectomy for improving the nutritional status of CP
      patients.

PMID- 28634733
TI  - Dynamic Properties of Human Tympanic Membrane After Exposure to Blast Waves.
AB  - Blast overpressure causes dynamic damage to middle ear components, and tympanic
      membrane (TM) rupture is the most frequent middle ear injury. However, it is
      unclear how the blast waves change mechanical properties of the TM and affect
      sound transmission through the ear. This paper reports the current study on
      dynamic properties of the TM after exposure to blast waves by using acoustic
      loading and laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV). The TM specimens were prepared from
      human temporal bones following exposures to blast overpressure. Vibration of the
      TM specimen induced by acoustic loading was measured by LDV over a frequency
      range of 200-8000 Hz. An inverse-problem solving method with finite element
      modeling was used to determine the complex modulus of the TM specimen. The post
      blast storage modulus ranged from 23.1 to 26.9 MPa, and loss modulus ranged from
      0.09 to 3.78 MPa as frequency increased from 200 to 8000 Hz. Compared to the
      complex modulus of normal TM reported in the literature, the post-blast storage
      and loss modulus decreased significantly across the frequency range. The scanning
      electron microscopy (SEM) images of the post-blast TM samples showed
      microstructural changes of the tissue, which explained the alteration of
      mechanical properties of the TM samples.

PMID- 28634741
TI  - Erratum to: Zidovudine: An Update of its Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic
      Properties, and Therapeutic Efficacy.

PMID- 28634732
TI  - Engineering poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) micro- and nano-carriers for
      Controlled Delivery of 17beta-Estradiol.
AB  - With menopause, circulating levels of 17beta-estradiol (E2) markedly decrease. E2
      based hormone therapy is prescribed to alleviate symptoms associated with
      menopause. E2 is also recognized for its beneficial effects in the central
      nervous system (CNS), such as enhanced cognitive function following abrupt
      hormonal loss associated with ovariectomy. For women with an intact uterus, an
      opposing progestogen component is required to decrease the risk of developing
      endometrial hyperplasia. While adding an opposing progestogen attenuates these
      detrimental effects on the uterus, it can attenuate the beneficial effects of E2
      in the CNS. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) micro- and nano- carriers (MNCs)
      have been heavily investigated for their ability to enhance the therapeutic
      activity of hydrophobic agents following exogenous administration, including E2.
      Multiple PLGA MNC formulation parameters, such as composition, molecular weight,
      and type of solvent used, can be altered to systematically manipulate the
      pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of encapsulated agents. Thus, there
      is an opportunity to enhance the therapeutic activity of E2 in the CNS through
      controlled delivery from PLGA MNCs. The aim of this review is to consider the
      fate of exogenously administered E2 and discuss how PLGA MNCs and route of
      administration can be used as strategies for controlled E2 delivery.

PMID- 28634734
TI  - Exploring the digital technology preferences of teenagers and young adults (TYA)
      with cancer and survivors: a cross-sectional service evaluation questionnaire.
AB  - PURPOSE: Digital technology has the potential to support teenagers and young
      adults (TYAs) with cancer from the onset of their disease into survivorship. We
      aimed to establish (1) the current pattern of use of TYA digital technologies
      within our service-user population, and (2) their preferences regarding digital
      information and support within the service. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was
      administered as a paper and online self-completed questionnaire to TYAs aged 13
      24 accessing outpatient, inpatient, and day care cancer services at a regional
      specialist centre over a 4-week period. RESULTS: One hundred two TYAs completed
      the survey (55.7% male; 39.8% female; 83.3% paper; 16.7% online; mean age 18.5
      years [SD = 3.51]). Of the TYAs, 41.6% rated the importance of digital
      communication as "essential" to their lives. Half (51.0%) kept in contact with
      other patients they had met during treatment, and 12.0% contacted patients they
      had not met in person. Respondents wanted to receive clinical information online
      (66.3%) and use online chat rooms (54.3%). Future online services desired
      included virtual online groups (54.3%), online counselling or psychological
      support (43.5%), and receiving (66.3%) and sharing (48.9%) clinical information
      online. CONCLUSIONS: Young people with cancer are digital natives. A significant
      subgroup expressed a desire for digital resources from oncology services, though
      existing resources are also highly valued. Digital resources have potential to
      improve patient experience and engagement. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS:
      There is considerable scope to develop digital resources with which TYAs can
      receive information and connect with both professionals and fellow patients,
      following diagnosis, through treatment and survivorship.

PMID- 28634742
TI  - Outcomes of coronoid-first repair in terrible triad injuries of the elbow.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical outcomes of terrible triad injuries (TTIs) of the elbow are
      historically poor. To date, it is still debatable whether the coronoid needs to
      be fixed and if so, how and in which sequence. METHODOLOGY: Between 2010 and
      2013, 13 patients were treated surgically for acute TTIs of the elbow at a
      Tertiary Level 1 Trauma Centre by a single surgeon, using a standardized
      protocol, which included coronoid-brachialis complex fixation via pull-through
      trans-osseous sutures, radial head fixation or prosthetic replacement and a
      repair of the lateral ulnar collateral ligament. Repair of the medial collateral
      ligament (MCL) was done if valgus-stress test demonstrated persistent
      instability. Patients were then followed-up with clinical and radiological
      evaluation by the senior author until fracture union and elbow range of motion
      reached a plateau. Outcomes measured were range of motion, DASH scores and MEPS,
      as well as surgical complications. RESULTS: Intraoperative stability was achieved
      in all 13 cases, MCL repair was required in 3 cases and application of external
      fixation was not required in any case. Patients were followed-up for an average
      length of 27.7 months and the minimum follow-up period was 12 months. The average
      age of patients was 46.4 years (range 35-79 years old) at the time of trauma.
      This included eight Regan-Morrey Type I and five Regan-Morrey Type II coronoid
      fractures, with ten Mason Type I/II and three Mason Type III radial head
      fractures. The average arc of ulno-humeral motion was 105.0 degrees  (range 80
      degrees -135 degrees ). The average flexion contracture was 15.0 degrees  (range
      0 degrees -40 degrees ). The average supination-pronation arc was 114.9 degrees 
      (range 0 degrees -180 degrees ). The average MEPS was 85 of 100 (range 45-100)
      and the average DASH score was 21.2 of 100 (range 1.7-61.2). A single case of
      radio-ulnar synostosis, heterotropic ossification and two cases of recurrent
      elbow instability were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The coronoid-first surgical approach,
      using a suture-lasso fixation method, has technical benefits for us and showed
      good clinical success in our series. This is important with postero-medial
      rotatory instability being common in our series of TTIs. We emphasize not to miss
      a TTI in an apparently isolated low Mason class radial head fracture.

PMID- 28634743
TI  - Comminuted olecranon fractures: biomechanical testing of locked versus
      minifragment non-locked plate fixation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Open reduction and internal fixation has long been accepted as
      optimal treatment for displaced olecranon fractures based on poor results seen
      with conservative management. With the presence of comminution, tension-band
      wiring constructs are contraindicated due to tendency to compress through
      fragments, thereby shortening the articular segment. Therefore, plate fixation is
      typically employed. Our hypothesis was that in a comminuted fracture model, 2.7
      mm reconstruction plating without locking screws will perform equally to 3.5 mm
      locked plating in terms of fracture displacement and rotation (shear). MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: A three-part comminuted olecranon fracture pattern was created in
      nine matched pairs of cadaveric specimen using an oscillating saw in
      standardized, reproducible fashion. Each matched pair was then randomized to
      receive either 2.7 mm reconstruction plating or 3.5 mm proximal ulna locked
      plating. Random allocation software was used to assign the 2.7 mm plate construct
      to either the right or left side of each pair with the contralateral receiving
      the 3.5 mm plate construct. Specimens were cyclically loaded simulating passive
      range of motion exercises commonly performed during rehabilitation. Displacement
      and rotation in relation to the long axis of the ulna were measured through
      motion capture. Fragment gapping and rotation was quantified following 100 cycles
      at 10 N and again following 100 cycles at 500 N. RESULTS: No significant
      differences were detected between the 2.7 and 3.5 mm plates in fracture rotation
      or gapping following loads at 10 N (0.5 degrees  and 0.7 degrees ; 0.6 and 1.2
      mm; respectively; p > 0.05) or 500 N (2.3 degrees  and 1.6 degrees ; 3.8 and 3.1
      mm; respectively; p > 0.05) loading. Fragment rotation and gapping were
      positively correlated within each plate construct (R 2 > 0.445; p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: 2.7 mm plating is an alternative to 3.5 mm locked plating with
      decreased plate prominence without significantly sacrificing displacement and
      rotational control. This is beneficial in fracture patterns where the traditional
      dorsal plating does not offer optimal screw trajectory.

PMID- 28634744
TI  - Gain-of-function SNPs in NLRP3 and IL1B genes confer protection against obesity
      and T2D: undiscovered role of inflammasome genetics in metabolic homeostasis?

PMID- 28634746
TI  - Screening and identification of a specific peptide binding to cervical cancer
      cells from a phage-displayed peptide library.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To screen and identify the probe markers specifically binding to
      human cervical cancer, a phage-displayed 12-mer peptide library was used for
      biopanning of SiHa cells. RESULTS: After four rounds of whole-cell subtraction
      biopanning, the phage recovery was 21-fold higher (from 3.9 * 10-5 to 8.3 * 10-4)
      than that of the first round, and specific phage clones were significantly
      enriched. 57 randomly selected phage clones were tested by ELISA, and 36 phage
      clones were identified as positive clones. After sequencing of positive clones,
      six different peptide sequences were obtained and CSP3 showed best affinity and
      specificity to SiHa cells via immunofluorescence assay. CONCLUSIONS: Peptide,
      CSP3, bound to SiHa cells specifically and sensitively. It may be a potential
      candidate for molecular imaging detection and targeting therapy of cervical
      cancer.

PMID- 28634745
TI  - Prolactin function and putative expression in the brain.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Prolactin is a peptide hormone mainly synthetized and secreted by
      the anterior pituitary gland, but also by extrapituitary tissues, such as mammary
      gland, decidua, prostate, skin, and possibly the brain. Similarly, prolactin
      receptor is expressed in the pituitary gland, many peripheral tissues, and in
      contrast to prolactin, its receptor has been consistently detected in several
      brain regions, such as cerebral cortex, olfactory bulb, hypothalamus,
      hippocampus, amygdala, among others. Classically, prolactin function has been
      related to the stimulation of lactogenesis and galactopoiesis, however, it is
      well known that prolactin induces a wide range of functions in different brain
      areas. PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to summarize recent reports on
      prolactin and prolactin receptor synthesis and localization, as well as
      recapitulate both the classic functions attributed to this hormone in the brain
      and the recently described functions such as neurogenesis, neurodevelopment,
      sleep, learning and memory, and neuroprotection. CONCLUSION: The distribution and
      putative expression of prolactin and its receptors in several neuronal tissues
      suggests that this hormone has pleiotropic functions in the brain.

PMID- 28634747
TI  - Evaluation of vaccination strategies for SIR epidemics on random networks
      incorporating household structure.
AB  - This paper is concerned with the analysis of vaccination strategies in a
      stochastic susceptible [Formula: see text] infected [Formula: see text] removed
      model for the spread of an epidemic amongst a population of individuals with a
      random network of social contacts that is also partitioned into households. Under
      various vaccine action models, we consider both household-based vaccination
      schemes, in which the way in which individuals are chosen for vaccination depends
      on the size of the households in which they reside, and acquaintance vaccination,
      which targets individuals of high degree in the social network. For both types of
      vaccination scheme, assuming a large population with few initial infectives, we
      derive a threshold parameter which determines whether or not a large outbreak can
      occur and also the probability of a large outbreak and the fraction of the
      population infected by a large outbreak. The performance of these schemes is
      studied numerically, focusing on the influence of the household size distribution
      and the degree distribution of the social network. We find that acquaintance
      vaccination can significantly outperform the best household-based scheme if the
      degree distribution of the social network is heavy-tailed. For household-based
      schemes, when the vaccine coverage is insufficient to prevent a major outbreak
      and the vaccine is imperfect, we find situations in which both the probability
      and size of a major outbreak under the scheme which minimises the threshold
      parameter are larger than in the scheme which maximises the threshold parameter.

PMID- 28634748
TI  - Exposure-response relationship of ramucirumab in East Asian patients from
      RAINBOW: a randomized clinical trial in second-line treatment of gastric cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ramucirumab is a recombinant human IgG1 neutralizing monoclonal
      antibody specific for vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. Second-line
      ramucirumab, in conjunction with paclitaxel (ramucirumab 8 mg/kg or placebo in
      combination with 80 mg/m2 paclitaxel), has been shown to be effective and safe in
      patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma
      in RAINBOW, a global phase III randomized clinical trial. We conducted an
      exploratory exposure-response analysis of efficacy and safety of ramucirumab in
      East Asian patients from the RAINBOW trial. METHODS: Using sparse pharmacokinetic
      samples collected in the RAINBOW trial, a population pharmacokinetic analysis was
      conducted to predict ramucirumab minimum trough concentration at steady state (C
      min,ss) using a nonlinear mixed-effect modeling approach. Kaplan-Meier and Cox
      proportional hazards analyses were conducted to evaluate ramucirumab exposure (C
      min,ss) and efficacy relationship by overall survival and progression-free
      survival. Exposure-safety relationships were assessed descriptively. RESULTS: Two
      hundred and twenty-two East Asian patients were included in this exposure
      response analysis. Higher ramucirumab C min,ss was associated with longer overall
      survival (p = 0.0115) and progression-free survival (p = 0.0179) in this patient
      cohort. Patients with higher ramucirumab C min,ss (>=56.87 ng/ml median) had
      higher incidences of grade >=3 leukopenia and neutropenia, but not febrile
      neutropenia or hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory analysis suggests a
      positive relationship between efficacy and ramucirumab exposure with manageable
      toxicities in East Asian patients from RAINBOW, consistent with the overall
      exposure-response analysis from this trial. A regimen with a higher dosage of
      ramucirumab warrants further consideration for East Asian patients with
      gastric/GEJ cancer.

PMID- 28634749
TI  - The King laryngeal tube: a mimic of esophageal intubation in the emergency
      department.
AB  - The King Airway is a temporary airway device used primarily in the pre-hospital
      setting and typically exchanged for an endotracheal tube upon arrival to the
      emergency department. Since this usually occurs before imaging, many radiologists
      are unfamiliar with the King Airway. This lack of familiarity can have important
      consequences for the patient and treating team. The purpose of this article is to
      raise awareness of the King Airway among radiologists, emphasize appropriate
      positioning, and review the imaging complications of incorrect positioning.

PMID- 28634750
TI  - T135I substitution in the nonstructural protein 2C enhances foot-and-mouth
      disease virus replication.
AB  - The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) nonstructural protein 3A plays an
      important role in viral replication, virulence, and host range. It has been shown
      that deletions of 10 or 19-20 amino acids in the C-terminal half of 3A attenuate
      serotype O and C FMDVs, which replicate poorly in bovine cells but normally in
      porcine-derived cells, and the C-terminal half of 3A is not essential for
      serotype Asia1 FMDV replication in BHK-21 cells. In this study, we constructed a
      3A deletion FMDV mutant based on a serotype O FMDV, the wild-type virus
      O/YS/CHA/05, with a 60-amino acid deletion in the 3A protein sequence, between
      residues 84 and 143. The rescued virus O/YS/CHA/05-Delta3A exhibited slower
      growth kinetics and formed smaller plaques compared to O/YS/CHA/05 in both BHK-21
      and IBRS-2 cells, indicating that the 60-amino acid deletion in the 3A protein
      impaired FMDV replication. After 14 passages in BHK-21 cells, the replication
      capacity of the passaged virus O/YS/CHA/05-Delta3A-P14 returned to a level
      similar to the wild-type virus, suggesting that amino acid substitutions
      responsible for the enhanced replication capacity occurred in the genome of
      O/YS/CHA/05-Delta3A-P14. By sequence analysis, two amino acid substitutions,
      P153L in VP1 and T135I in 2C, were found in the O/YS/CHA/05-Delta3A-P14 genome
      compared to the O/YS/CHA/05-Delta3A genome. Subsequently, the amino acid
      substitutions VP1 P153L and 2C T135I were separately introduced into O/YS/CHA/05
      Delta3A to rescue mutant viruses for examining their growth kinetics. Results
      showed that the 2C T135I instead of the VP1 P153L enhanced the virus replication
      capacity. The 2C T135I substitution also improved the replication of the wild
      type virus, indicating that the effect of 2C T135I substitution on FMDV
      replication is not associated with the 3A deletion. Furthermore, our results
      showed that the T135I substitution in the nonstructural protein 2C enhanced
      O/YS/CHA/05 replication through promoting viral RNA synthesis.

PMID- 28634751
TI  - Herpesviral vectors and their application in oncolytic therapy, vaccination, and
      gene transfer.
AB  - Herpesviruses are enveloped DNA viruses that infect vertebrate cells. Their high
      potential cloning capacity and the lifelong persistence of their genomes in
      various host cells make them attractive platforms for vector-based therapy. In
      this review, we would like to highlight recent advances of three major areas of
      herpesvirus vector development and application: (i) oncolytic therapy, (ii)
      recombinant vaccines, and (iii) large capacity gene transfer vehicles.

PMID- 28634752
TI  - Comparison of three treatment strategies for cesarean scar pregnancy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the optimal treatment for cesarean scar pregnancy. METHOD: In
      total, 86 women diagnosed with a cesarean scar pregnancy were divided into three
      groups according to treatment. The human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) decline
      percentage, intraoperative blood loss and success rate were analyzed in Group A
      [combination of uterine arterial embolization (UAE), local methotrexate (MTX)
      injection and dilation & curettage (D&C)], Group B (combination of UAE and local
      MTX injection) and Group C (D&C). Then, the best treatment was carefully
      analyzed, and recommendations were provided. RESULTS: The success rate was
      highest in Group A (97.5%) compared with Group B (76%) and Group C (63.15%). The
      reduction in hCG was greatest in Group A (86.62%, 44.0-99.97%) compared with
      group B (67.83%, 18.0-98.03%) and Group C (68.21%, 27.0-93.24%). The
      intraoperative blood loss was lowest in Group A (44.881, 5-200 ml) compared with
      Group C (224.737, 10-1000 ml). Additionally, we found that the best time to
      perform D&C in group A depended on the hCG reduction percentage, and a 35%
      reduction after UAE and local MTX injection could be used as the indicator to
      perform D&C. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of UAE, local MTX injection and D&C for
      CSP patients is the optimal treatment strategy. A 35% reduction in hCG after UAE
      and local MTX injection can be recommended as the indicator to perform D&C.

PMID- 28634753
TI  - Fetal cephaloceles: prenatal diagnosis and course of pregnancy in 65 consecutive
      cases.
AB  - PURPOSE: To scrutinize the characteristics of all cases with antenatally
      established diagnosis of cephalocele in two tertiary referral centers. METHODS:
      We retrospectively reviewed 65 cases diagnosed with cephaloceles and tabulated
      sonographic findings and autopsy recordings as well as medical charts of all
      survivors in terms of clinical outcome. RESULTS: The case notes of 65 fetuses
      were available for final analysis. Gestational age (GA) at diagnosis ranged from
      10.4 to 38.1 weeks. Of our cohort, 53/65 cases (80%) had occipital protrusions,
      10 (15%) were found to have frontal lesions, and another two had parietal
      cephaloceles. A total of 52 pregnancies were terminated or resulted in
      intrauterine fetal demise (78%). In 18 cases (11%), the cephalocele was part of
      underlying syndromic disorders (e.g., Meckel-Gruber syndrome). Thirteen
      pregnancies were continued until term, out of which all affected individuals were
      live-born. Neurosurgical intervention was prompted within the first 7 months
      postnatally. CONCLUSIONS: In general, the outcome of fetuses with cephaloceles is
      rather poor as four out of five pregnancies were terminated. Postnatal outcome of
      all survivors in our cohort was rather determined by localization of the cele and
      more important by the presence and severity of concomitant malformations than the
      extent of the lesion.

PMID- 28634754
TI  - Value of endometrial thickness assessed by transvaginal ultrasound for the
      prediction of endometrial cancer in patients with postmenopausal bleeding.
AB  - PURPOSE: Histological confirmation of endometrial cancer by dilatation/curettage
      (D/C) in women with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) can be challenging due to
      anesthesiological and/or surgical risks. Thus, less invasive methods for
      diagnostics are required to identify patients with minimal risk for endometrial
      cancer (EC) to avoid unnecessary surgical intervention. The objective of this
      single-center cohort study was to assess the diagnostic validity of transvaginal
      ultrasound (TVUS) measurements of endometrial thickness (ET) in patients with PMB
      for the detection of EC. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data from patients
      presenting between January 2005 and August 2014 at the Department of Obstetrics
      and Gynecology, University Hospital Ulm, Germany, with PMB and subsequent D/C was
      performed. Complete data with TVUS documentation of ET and histological results
      of tissue samples were available from 254 patients. In addition, data on age,
      body mass index (BMI), ASA-score, diabetes, hypertension, and hematological
      laboratory values (for a smaller subsample) were recorded. To identify
      independent risk factors, a multivariate logistic regression with endometrial
      cancer as binary response variable (yes/no) was performed. Diagnostic efficacy
      data for different ET cutoff points (<=1 to <=26 mm) were obtained by a receiver
      operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The multivariate logistic
      regression revealed a significant independent predictive value for age and ET.
      However, none of the analyzed ET cutoff points showed optimal diagnostic
      validity, as all cutoff points with sensitivity rates above 90% (<=1 to <=5 mm)
      had false positive rates of 70% and higher. CONCLUSIONS: There is no ET cutoff
      point that provides good diagnostic accuracy and/or reliably excludes the
      presence of endometrial cancer in patients with PMB. Thus, our data analysis
      supports the actual German approach of histological evaluation of any PMB to
      confirm or exclude EC.

PMID- 28634755
TI  - Rhabdomyosarcoma of the lower female genital tract: an analysis of 144 cases.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to elucidate the clinico-pathological
      characteristics of female patients with lower genital tract rhabdomyosarcoma
      (RMS) stratified by age group and investigate their prognosis, using a multi
      institutional database. METHODS: The National Cancer Institute's Surveillance,
      Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was accessed (1973-2013) and a
      cohort of females diagnosed with RMS of the lower genital tract (vulva, vagina,
      cervix) was drawn. Five-year overall survival (OS) rate was estimated following
      generation of Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with the log-rank test. RESULTS: A
      total of 144 eligible cases were identified; 51.4 and 48.6% originated from the
      vagina/vulva and the cervix, respectively. Median patient age was 16 years and
      distant metastases were rare (ten cases). The majority of tumors were of
      embryonal histology (75.7%). Non-embryonal RMS was more prevalent in the older
      patient groups. Tumors originating from the cervix were more common among
      adolescents and premenopausal women. Rate of LN involvement was 52.9 and 20% for
      vulvovaginal and cervical tumors (p = 0.02). Five-year OS rate was 68.4%; factors
      associated with better OS were younger age, absence of distant metastasis,
      embryonal histology, negative LNs, and performance of surgery. For prepubertal
      girls and adolescents, radical surgery did not confer a survival benefit compared
      to local tumor excision. CONCLUSION: RMS of the lower genital tract primarily
      affects prepubertal girls and adolescents, who have excellent survival rates;
      however, outcomes for adults remain poor.

PMID- 28634756
TI  - A high throughput targeted and non-targeted method for the analysis of
      microcystins and anatoxin-A using on-line solid phase extraction coupled to
      liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight high resolution mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - Microcystins are cyclic heptapeptide hepatotoxins produced by cyanobacteria in
      freshwater. Sample preparation for the analysis of these cyanotoxins in water
      from algal blooms can take up to several days due to the matrix complexity and
      the low detection limits required to comply with current legislation. Moreover,
      there is a large number of unknown microcystins that could potentially exist in
      the environment resulting from different amino acid substitutions into the
      microcystin skeletal structure. To tackle these problems, the present study
      involved the development of a high throughput method based on on-line solid phase
      extraction coupled to liquid chromatography that could provide quantitative
      results for 12 microcystin variants (LR, YR, RR, HtyR, HilR, WR, LW, LA, LF, LY,
      Dha7-LR, and Dha7-RR) and anatoxin-A in less than 3 h with detection limits
      between 0.004 and 0.01 MUg L-1 and expanded uncertainty between 4 and 14%. Data
      dependent acquisition was employed for the non-targeted analysis of these
      cyanotoxins. Filtering the data based on structure diagnostic fragments, two
      unknown microcystin variants not previously reported in the literature were
      detected. The structures Leu1-microcystin-Met(O)R and Leu1-microcystin-LY were
      fully characterized by accurate mass measurement, collision-induced dissociation,
      and fragmentation prediction software.

PMID- 28634757
TI  - A UHPLC-MS/MS method for profiling multifunctional steroids in human hair.
AB  - It is important to profile steroids in many physiological and pathological
      processes. Recently, hair has been used for the long-term measurement of
      endogenous steroid hormones. Analyzing hair has advantages of being noninvasive
      and time sequential compared with other bio-specimens. Liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques have been widely used over the past decades;
      however, it is challenging to profile estrogens in hair by LC-MS, and more
      comprehensive steroid profiling is required. In this paper, an ultra high
      performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method
      was developed to simultaneously profile 28 multifunctional steroids, including
      corticosteroids (n = 6), estrogens (n = 13), androgens (n = 5) and progestogens
      (n = 4), in human scalp hair in a single run. To optimize the sample preparation
      procedure, we evaluated extraction time, post-incubation purification and hair
      fragment length; 30 mg hair samples were washed with hexane, cut into 5 mm pieces
      and incubated in methanol for 18 h at 25  degrees C. Methanol extraction
      derivatized using Girard P and dansyl chloride reagent was analyzed within 25 min
      using an automated injection program combined with a diverter valve switch and
      step analysis (AIDSA). The method was well validated in terms of linearity, limit
      of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, matrix
      effect and recovery, and was successfully applied to a steroid profile from male
      and female hairs. Significant differences were observed between genders. In
      addition, steroids showed a declining trend from the proximal to more distal hair
      segments; thus, care should be taken when obtaining hair samples for analysis to
      account for this difference in steroid levels along the length of hair. Graphical
      Abstract The workflow of the estabished UHPLC-MS/MS method.

PMID- 28634758
TI  - A general double library SELEX strategy for aptamer selection using unmodified
      nonimmobilized targets.
AB  - Aptamer discovery for unmodified nonimmobilized targets has been constantly
      presenting itself as a significant challenge to the research community. We
      demonstrate here a novel double library (DL) SELEX strategy and its usefulness
      and generality toward discovering both ssDNA- and RNA-based aptamers with
      nanomolar binding affinities toward unmodified targets of both small (e.g.,
      doxycycline) and large (e.g., VEGF165) sizes. The same selection strategy further
      allows for concurrent selection of an aptamer pair, recognizing discrete epitopes
      on the same protein, from the same selection cycles for the sandwich aptamer pair
      based biosensor development (e.g., one aptamer for the recognition and the other
      for the signal transduction). These results establish the DL-SELEX method
      developed here as a valuable and highly accessible selection strategy for aptamer
      discovery, especially when chemical modifications of target molecules are not
      preferred or simply impossible.

PMID- 28634759
TI  - Current applications of high-resolution mass spectrometry for the analysis of new
      psychoactive substances: a critical review.
AB  - The proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in recent years has
      resulted in the development of numerous analytical methods for the detection and
      identification of known and unknown NPS derivatives. High-resolution mass
      spectrometry (HRMS) has been identified as the method of choice for broad
      screening of NPS in a wide range of analytical contexts because of its ability to
      measure accurate masses using data-independent acquisition (DIA) techniques.
      Additionally, it has shown promise for non-targeted screening strategies that
      have been developed in order to detect and identify novel analogues without the
      need for certified reference materials (CRMs) or comprehensive mass spectral
      libraries. This paper reviews the applications of HRMS for the analysis of NPS in
      forensic drug chemistry and analytical toxicology. It provides an overview of the
      sample preparation procedures in addition to data acquisition, instrumental
      analysis, and data processing techniques. Furthermore, it gives an overview of
      the current state of non-targeted screening strategies with discussion on future
      directions and perspectives of this technique. Graphical Abstract Missing the
      bullseye - a graphical respresentation of non-targeted screening. Image courtesy
      of Christian Alonzo.

PMID- 28634761
TI  - Unveiling the compositional variety of cardiolipins in Rhodobacter sphaeroides by
      liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization and multistage collision
      induced dissociation mass spectrometry.
AB  - Cardiolipins (CL) contained in the lipid extracts of the photosynthetic bacterium
      Rhodobacter sphaeroides (strain R26) were systematically characterized by
      reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass
      spectrometry, performed in single (MS), tandem (MS/MS) and sequential (MS3) modes
      using a linear ion trap mass spectrometer. The total number of carbon atoms and
      C=C bonds of each CL and, subsequently, those related to each of the constituting
      phosphatidic acid (PA) units, along with the location of the latter on the
      central glycerol backbone, were inferred from MS and MS/MS data, respectively.
      Moreover, the composition and location of both acyl chains on the glycerol
      backbone of each PA unit was obtained by MS3 measurements, an approach used for
      the first time for the structural elucidation of CL in R. sphaeroides. As a
      result, an unprecedented profile of CL in this bacterium was obtained, with 27
      main species characterized, many of which are represented by compositional or
      regiochemical isomers. Interestingly, such a variability is generated from a
      limited number of different acyl chains, either saturated (i.e. 12:0, 16:0, 17:0,
      18:0, 19:0) or mono-unsaturated (16:1, 18:1). The absence of polyunsaturated
      chains, more susceptible to oxidation damage, appeared to be indirectly related
      to the lack of carotenoids potentially acting as antioxidant agents, a specific
      feature of R. sphaeroides R26. The occurrence of odd-numbered acyl chains was
      ascribed to the need to guarantee membrane fluidity, through a less compact
      packing of CL, thus compensating for the lack of CL bearing polyunsaturated side
      chains. Graphical abstract Representation of MS signals due to carboxylate anions
      that would be detected, as separate couples, in the fragmentation spectra of the
      anions resulting from the two phosphatidic acid units included in a cardiolipin
      molecule bearing four different acyl chains.

PMID- 28634762
TI  - Rapid preconcentration of viable bacteria using magnetic ionic liquids for PCR
      amplification and culture-based diagnostics.
AB  - In this study, a series of magnetic ionic liquids (MILs) were investigated for
      the extraction and preconcentration of bacteria from aqueous samples. By
      dispersing small volumes (e.g., 15 MUL) of MIL within an aqueous cell suspension,
      bacteria were rapidly extracted and isolated using a magnetic field. Of the seven
      hydrophobic MILs examined, the trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium Ni(II)
      hexafluoroacetylacetonate ([P66614+][Ni(hfacac)3-]) MIL exhibited the greatest
      enrichment of viable Escherichia coli K12 when coupled with microbiological
      culture as the detection method. The MIL-based strategy was applied for the
      preconcentration of E. coli from aqueous samples to obtain enrichment factors (E
      F) as high as 44.6 in less than 10 min. The MIL extraction approach was also
      interfaced with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification where the positive
      detection of E. coli was achieved with the [P66614+][Co(hfacac)3-],
      [P66614+][Ni(hfacac)3-], [P66614+][Dy(hfacac)4-], and [P66614+][Nd(hfacac)4-]
      MILs. While direct sampling of an aqueous cell suspension at a concentration of
      1.68 * 104 colony-forming units (CFUs) mL-1 yielded no amplicon when subjected to
      PCR, extraction of the sample with the [P66614+][Ni(hfacac)3-] MIL under
      optimized conditions provided sufficient enrichment of E. coli for amplicon
      detection. Importantly, the enrichment of bacteria using the Ni(II)-, Co(II)-,
      and Dy(III)-based MILs was compatible with real-time quantitative PCR
      amplification to dramatically improve sample throughput and lower detection
      limits to 1.0 * 102 CFUs mL-1. The MIL-based method is much faster than existing
      enrichment approaches that typically require 24-h cultivation times prior to
      detection and could potentially be applied for the preconcentration of a variety
      of Gram-negative bacteria from aqueous samples. Graphical abstract Magnetic ionic
      liquid solvents rapidly preconcentrate viable E. coli cells for unambiguous
      pathogen detection using microbiological culture and qPCR.

PMID- 28634763
TI  - Results of an interlaboratory method performance study for the size determination
      and quantification of silver nanoparticles in chicken meat by single-particle
      inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS).
AB  - Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS) promises
      fast and selective determination of nanoparticle size and number concentrations.
      While several studies on practical applications have been published, data on
      formal, especially interlaboratory validation of sp-ICP-MS, is sparse. An
      international interlaboratory study was organized to determine repeatability and
      reproducibility of the determination of the median particle size and particle
      number concentration of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) in chicken meat. Ten
      laboratories from the European Union, the USA, and Canada determined particle
      size and particle number concentration of two chicken meat homogenates spiked
      with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized AgNPs. For the determination of the
      median particle diameter, repeatability standard deviations of 2 and 5% were
      determined, and reproducibility standard deviations were 15 and 25%,
      respectively. The equivalent median diameter itself was approximately 60% larger
      than the diameter of the particles in the spiking solution. Determination of the
      particle number concentration was significantly less precise, with repeatability
      standard deviations of 7 and 18% and reproducibility standard deviations of 70
      and 90%.

PMID- 28634764
TI  - Are Wrongful Life Actions Threatening the Value of Human Life?
AB  - Most courts around the world have been refusing wrongful life actions. The main
      argument invoked is that the supposed compensable injury cannot be classified as
      such, since life is always a blessing no matter how hard and painful it is.In
      opposition to mainstream scholars and the dominant case law, this article
      sustains that life must be distinguished from living conditions, the former being
      the real injury at stake, since some living conditions are so intolerable that in
      themselves they justify a compensation within wrongful life actions.

PMID- 28634765
TI  - A 450-Year-Old Turkish Poem on Medical Ethics.
AB  - The Ottoman physician-poet Nidai of Ankara (1509 to post-1567) studied medicine
      in Crimea and served as a court physician in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan
      Selim II. Nidai marked the classical period of Ottoman medicine particularly with
      his acclaimed works and translations in Turkish, among which Manafi al-Nas
      (Benefits of People, 1566) became widely known. The final chapter of Manafi al
      Nas also is known independently under the name Vasiyyetname (Last Will), which is
      a remarkable guide on medical ethics. This didactic, sixty-eight-line poem
      includes Nidai's moral advice to physicians that they should be well mannered,
      trustworthy, and competent in their arts and should treat their patients with
      modesty, honesty, and compassion. Even after 450 years of existence, Vasiyyetname
      retains its ethical and artistic relevance and still serves as a vehicle for the
      transmission of humanistic ideals far beyond the time and place it was written.

PMID- 28634766
TI  - Political Minimalism and Social Debates: The Case of Human-Enhancement
      Technologies.
AB  - A faulty understanding of the relationship between morality and politics
      encumbers many contemporary debates on human enhancement. As a result, some
      ethical reflections on enhancement undervalue its social dimensions, while some
      social approaches to the topic lack normative import. In this essay, I use my own
      conception of the relationship between ethics and politics, which I call
      "political minimalism," in order to support and strengthen the existing social
      perspectives on human-enhancement technologies.

PMID- 28634767
TI  - Including People with Dementia in Research: An Analysis of Australian Ethical and
      Legal Rules and Recommendations for Reform.
AB  - Research is crucial to advancing knowledge about dementia, yet the burden of the
      disease currently outpaces research activity. Research often excludes people with
      dementia and other cognitive impairments because researchers and ethics
      committees are concerned about issues related to capacity, consent, and
      substitute decision-making. In Australia, participation in research by people
      with cognitive impairment is governed by a national ethics statement and a
      patchwork of state and territorial laws that have widely varying rules. We
      contend that this legislative variation precludes a consistent approach to
      research governance and participation and hinders research that seeks to include
      people with impaired capacity. In this paper, we present key ethical principles,
      provide a comprehensive review of applicable legal rules in Australian states and
      territories, and highlight significant differences and ambiguities. Our analysis
      includes recommendations for reform to improve clarity and consistency in the law
      and reduce barriers that may exclude persons with dementia from participating in
      ethically approved research. Our recommendations seek to advance the national
      decision-making principles recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission,
      which emphasize the rights of all adults to make their own decisions and for
      those with impaired capacity to have access to appropriate supports to help them
      make decisions that affect their lives.

PMID- 28634768
TI  - Futile Treatment-A Review.
AB  - The main goal of intensive care medicine is helping patients survive acute
      threats to their lives, while preserving and restoring life quality. Because of
      medical advancements, it is now possible to sustain life to an extent that would
      previously have been difficult to imagine. However, the goals of medicine are not
      to preserve organ function or physiological activity but to treat and improve the
      health of a person as a whole. When dealing with medical futilities, physicians
      and other members of the care team should be aware of some ethical principles.
      Knowing these principles could make decision-making easier, especially in cases
      where legal guidelines are insufficient or lacking. Understanding of these
      principles can relieve the pressure that healthcare professionals feel when they
      have to deal with medical futility. Efforts should be made to promote an ethics
      of care, which means caring for patients even after further invasive treatment
      has been deemed to be futile. Treatments that improve patients' comfort and
      minimize suffering of both patients and their families are equally as important
      as those aimed at saving patients' lives.

PMID- 28634769
TI  - Decision-Making Capacity and Unusual Beliefs: Two Contentious Cases :
      Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law John McPhee (Law) Student
      Essay Prize 2016.
AB  - Decision-making capacity is a vital concept in law, ethics, and clinical
      practice. Two legal cases where capacity literally had life and death
      significance are NHS Trust v Ms T [2004] and Kings College Hospital v C [2015].
      These cases share another feature: unusual beliefs. This essay will critically
      assess the concept of capacity, particularly in relation to the unusual beliefs
      in these cases. Firstly, the interface between capacity and unusual beliefs will
      be examined. This will show that the "using and weighing of information" is the
      pivotal element in assessment. Next, this essay will explore the relationship
      between capacity assessment and a decision's "rationality." Then, in light of
      these findings, the essay will appraise the judgments in NHS v T and Kings v C,
      and consider these judgments' implications. More broadly, this essay asks: Does
      capacity assessment examine only the decision-making process (as the law states),
      or is it also influenced by a decision's rationality? If influenced by
      rationality, capacity assessment has the potential to become "a search and
      disable policy aimed at those who are differently orientated in the human life
      world" (Gillett 2012, 233). In contentious cases like these, this potential
      deserves attention.

PMID- 28634770
TI  - Medical Negligence Determinations, the "Right to Try," and Expanded Access to
      Innovative Treatments.
AB  - This article considers the issue of expanded access to innovative treatments in
      the context of recent legislative initiatives in the United Kingdom and the
      United States. In the United Kingdom, the supporters of legislative change argued
      that the common law principles governing medical negligence are a barrier to
      innovation. In an attempt to remove this perceived impediment, two bills proposed
      that innovating doctors sued for negligence should be able to rely in their
      defence on the fact that their decision to innovate was "responsible." A decision
      to innovate would be regarded as responsible if it followed a specified process.
      Although these changes to the law of medical negligence were not passed, this
      article argues that the idea of a process-based approach was sound. In the United
      States, a number of states have passed "Right to Try" laws that permit doctors to
      prescribe and companies to provide investigational products without the need for
      FDA approval. These laws do not purport to and nor are they able to alter the
      obligations of individuals and companies under federal law. They are consequently
      unlikely to achieve their stated aim of expanding access to investigational
      products. This article argues that they nevertheless have a cogent rationale in
      so far as they highlight the need for rights-based reform to federal regulations
      governing access.

PMID- 28634771
TI  - Off-pump versus on-pump coronary surgery in patients with chronic kidney disease:
      a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have worse adverse
      cardiovascular outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However,
      the adverse cardiovascular outcomes between off-pump coronary artery bypass
      grafting (OPCAB) versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (ONCAB) in these
      patients have been a subject of debate. METHODS: We undertook a comprehensive
      literature search of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database to
      identify all relevant studies comparing techniques between OPCAB and ONCAB in CKD
      patients. We pooled the odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) from individual
      studies and conducted heterogeneity, quality assessment, and publication bias
      analyses. RESULTS: This meta-analysis includes 17 studies with 201,889 patients.
      In CKD patients, OPCAB was associated with significantly lower early mortality as
      compared to ONCAB (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82-0.93; p < 0.0001). OPCAB was associated
      with decreased risk of atrial fibrillation (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.34-0.97; p = 0.04),
      cerebrovascular accident (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.22-0.95; p = 0.04), blood transfusion
      (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.08-0.49; p = 0.0005), pneumonia, prolonged ventilation, and
      shorter hospital stays. No difference was found regarding long-term survival (HR
      1.08; 95% CI 0.86-1.36; p = 0.51) or myocardial infarction (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.30
      1.38; p = 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ONCAB, OPCAB is associated with
      superior postoperative morbidity and the early mortality in CKD patients. Long
      term survival is comparable between the two surgical revascularizations.

PMID- 28634772
TI  - The effect of desensitization therapy in kidney transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Desensitization therapy may enable the patient to get allograft in
      sensitized recipient or solve the organ shortage in ABO-incompatible relationship
      in kidney transplantation (KT). However, the graft outcome and morbidity remains
      unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 845 KT patients from January 2010
      to February 2016 at Seoul National University Hospital. The patients were divided
      into three groups as follows: HLA-incompatible (HLAi) group, ABO-incompatible
      (ABOi) group, and control group. The HLAi group comprised patients who received
      desensitization therapy due to the presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs)
      or high panel reactive antibodies (PRAs). The ABOi group is defined as those
      undergoing preoperative desensitization therapy for anti-ABO antibodies. RESULTS:
      Of the total of 845 recipients, 48 (5.6%) were HLAi KTs and 71 (13.9%) were ABOi
      KTs, respectively. Pre-emptive KT is done more frequently in ABOi group,
      therefore, they had shorter dialysis duration than the others. HLAi recipients
      had a higher proportion of women than the ABOi group and a higher proportion of
      re-transplantation. During the 38.4 (0.4-76.9) months of follow-up, there were
      more acute antibody-mediated rejections (AAMRs) in the HLAi (6.7%) and ABOi
      (8.5%) groups than in the control group (1.9%) (P = 0.001). However, there was no
      difference in graft survival, patient survival, and annual allograft among three
      groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the higher incidence of AAMRs, HLAi and ABOi KTs
      showed a favorable graft and patient outcome after desensitization therapy.

PMID- 28634773
TI  - Development and validation of a Fall Risk Assessment Index for dialysis patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dialysis patients often have low physical performance due to uremic
      sarcopenia, protein energy wasting (PEW), and incidence intradialytic hypotension
      (IDH), which are indicated as risk factors for falling. The objective of this
      study was to develop a symptom-encompassing evaluation form to predict falls with
      high sensitivity for dialysis patients. METHODS: A total of 251 patients who had
      been receiving maintenance hemodialysis therapy three times a week were enrolled
      in the study. Demographics, malnutrition and inflammatory status, dialytic
      therapeutic management situation, physical function and performance, and
      inquiries about falling were recorded. The Cox proportional hazards analysis
      evaluated the impact of falls. Calculated hazard ratios were converted to
      weighted scores, using approximate multiples of 0.5 and an evaluation form was
      created, which we called the Dialysis Fall Risk Index (DFRI). Kaplan-Meier
      survival analyses with the log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazard analysis
      were performed to evaluate the validity of the DFRI. RESULTS: The DFRI consisted
      of seven items and a total of 12 points. The predictive validity of DFRI included
      hazard ratios for quartile 3 and 4 of 2.65 and 3.84, respectively, compared with
      quartile 1 as a reference point. The cut-off point of the DFRI showed the highest
      sensitivity and specificity among other screening indices. DISCUSSION: The
      present study included the development of a new evaluation form that encompasses
      symptoms of end-stage kidney disease to predict falls in dialysis patients.

PMID- 28634774
TI  - Learning from Synthetic Models of Extracellular Matrix; Differential Binding of
      Wild Type and Amyloidogenic Human Apolipoprotein A-I to Hydrogels Formed from
      Molecules Having Charges Similar to Those Found in Natural GAGs.
AB  - Among other components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), glycoproteins and
      glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) have been strongly associated to the retention or
      misfolding of different proteins inducing the formation of deposits in amyloid
      diseases. The composition of these molecules is highly diverse and a key issue
      seems to be the equilibrium between physiological and pathological events. In
      order to have a model in which the composition of the matrix could be finely
      controlled, we designed and synthesized crosslinked hydrophilic polymers, the so
      called hydrogels varying the amounts of negative charges and hydroxyl groups that
      are prevalent in GAGs. We checked and compared by fluorescence techniques the
      binding of human apolipoprotein A-I and a natural mutant involved in amyloidosis
      to the hydrogel scaffolds. Our results indicate that both proteins are highly
      retained as long as the negative charge increases, and in addition it was shown
      that the mutant is more retained than the Wt, indicating that the retention of
      specific proteins in the ECM could be part of the pathogenicity. These results
      show the importance of the use of these polymers as a model to get deep insight
      into the studies of proteins within macromolecules.

PMID- 28634775
TI  - Hydrophilic Acylated Surface Protein A (HASPA) of Leishmania donovani:
      Expression, Purification and Biophysico-Chemical Characterization.
AB  - Hydrophilic acylated surface proteins (HASPs) are acidic surface proteins which
      get localized on the surface of Leishmania parasite during infective stages
      through a "non-classical" pathway. In this study, we report the heterologous
      expression and purification of Leishmania donovani HASPA (r-LdHASPA) in E. coli
      system and its partial characterization. The structural aspects of the purified
      protein were analyzed using CD spectroscopy and modeling studies which indicate
      that r-LdHASPA consists of random coils. Studies in mouse macrophage RAW264.7
      cell lines indicate that r-LdHASPA enhances reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      production. Co-immunoprecipitation (IP) studies indicate that r-LdHASPA interacts
      with certain macrophage proteins which however could not be identified
      unambiguously. The present study provides key insights into the structural and
      functional aspects of an important Leishmania protein, HASPA, which we believe
      could be useful for further research on vaccine/drug development.

PMID- 28634776
TI  - Evidence Supporting the Internal Validity of the Proposed ND-PAE Disorder.
AB  - The internal validity of the proposed Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with
      Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE) was evaluated in children diagnosed with
      either Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS who were 3-10 years of age and
      had enrolled in a math intervention study. Symptoms were coded as present or
      absent using assessments conducted in the study, including standardized measures
      of neurocognitive and behavioral functioning, parent interview, and direct
      observations of the child. The number of endorsed ND-PAE symptoms was not related
      to environmental factors but was moderately related to the child's age. ND-PAE
      symptoms were highly consistent and this did not vary by age. Evidence suggested
      the ND-PAE adaptive symptoms may be too restrictive and only one symptom from
      this domain may be sufficient. Impulsiveness was not related to an endorsement of
      the ND-PAE disorder but research is needed with other clinical groups to
      establish the discriminative validity of this symptom.

PMID- 28634777
TI  - Healthy and Unhealthy Food Prices across Neighborhoods and Their Association with
      Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Proportion Black/Hispanic.
AB  - This paper evaluates variation in food prices within and between neighborhoods to
      improve our understanding of access to healthy foods in urbanized areas and
      potential economic incentives and barriers to consuming a higher-quality diet.
      Prices of a selection of healthier foods (dairy, fruit juice, and frozen
      vegetables) and unhealthy foods (soda, sweets, and salty snacks) were obtained
      from 1953 supermarkets across the USA during 2009-2012 and were linked to census
      block group socio-demographics. Analyses evaluated associations between
      neighborhood SES and proportion Black/Hispanic and the prices of healthier and
      unhealthy foods, and the relative price of healthier foods compared with
      unhealthy foods (healthy-to-unhealthy price ratio). Linear hierarchical
      regression models were used to explore geospatial variation and adjust for
      confounders. Overall, the price of healthier foods was nearly twice as high as
      the price of unhealthy foods ($0.590 vs $0.298 per serving; healthy-to-unhealthy
      price ratio of 1.99). This trend was consistent across all neighborhood
      characteristics. After adjusting for covariates, no association was found between
      food prices (healthy, unhealthy, or the healthy-to-unhealthy ratio) and
      neighborhood SES. Similarly, there was no association between the proportion
      Black/Hispanic and healthier food price, a very small positive association with
      unhealthy price, and a modest negative association with the healthy-to-unhealthy
      ratio. No major differences were seen in food prices across levels of
      neighborhood SES and proportion Black/Hispanic; however, the price of healthier
      food was twice as expensive as unhealthy food per serving on average.

PMID- 28634778
TI  - How are socio-demographic and psycho-social factors associated with the
      prevalence and chronicity of severe pain in 14 different body sites? A cross
      sectional population-based survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe pain and chronic pain have a high impact on individuals and
      society. Body location of pain is important with regard to perception,
      articulation, and underlying biological, mental or social causes of pain.
      METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed in the general Austrian
      population with 15,474 personally interviewed subjects aged 15 years and older.
      RESULTS: The 1-year period prevalence of severe pain in any body site was 38.6%
      and of chronic pain 24.9%. In all, 8.1% had pain in at least three body sites.
      Subjects aged 65 years and older (52.2%), those with low education (43.4%),
      unemployed subjects (50.4%), retired subjects (52.4%), those with
      anxiety/depression (67.7%), and subjects with lack of social support (49.6%) were
      sub-populations with high pain prevalence. In multivariate analyses,
      depression/anxiety was associated with prevalence and chronicity of severe pain
      in all body sites (range of ORs 1.89-5.01), while such associations were found
      for lack of social support (range of ORs 1.33-1.65), female sex (range of ORs
      1.38-2.34), higher age (range of ORs 1.09-1.18 for 5 year intervals), as well as
      low educational (range of ORs 1.47-2.06 primary vs. tertiary education) and
      unemployment status (range of ORs 1.50-2.62) in most body sites. Being born in
      non-EU or EFTA states was associated with pain in many body sites (range of ORs
      1.38-2.10). CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial factors are associated with pain presence
      in similar ways irrespective of location. Regarding socio-demographic factors,
      differences towards the magnitude and the direction in the association with pain
      frequency and chronicity in different body sites emerged.

PMID- 28634780
TI  - Echocardiographic Inferior Vena Cava Measurement As An Alternative to Central
      Venous Pressure Measurement in Neonates.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the correlation between echocardiographic inferior vena
      cava (IVC) measurements and central venous pressure (CVP) in neonates. Also, to
      evaluate the correlation between IVC measurements and gestational age (GA) and
      body weight (BW). METHODS: This cross sectional analytical study was conducted
      from June 2014 through June 2016 in a level III NICU. All neonates requiring
      intensive hemodynamic monitoring and having umbilical venous catheter (UVC) in
      place for clinical indications were enrolled in the study. IVC measurements were
      recorded by echocardiography (ECHO) and CVP was measured concomitantly in
      neonates having appropriate sized UVC in place. IVC measurements were evaluated
      and compared for any correlation with the CVP, GA and BW. RESULTS: Fifty neonates
      with median gestation of 37 wk [Q1 = 29.2, Q3 = 37.8, interquartile range (IQR) =
      8.6 wk] and median birth weight of 2420 g (Q1 = 923.5, Q3 = 2850, IQR = 1926.5 g)
      were included in the study. A strong negative linear correlation was observed
      between IVC collapsibility index (IVC-CI) and CVP (r = -0.968, r2 = -0.937, p
      0.000). No correlation was observed between IVC-CI and GA or BW. IVC minimum and
      IVC maximum diameters did not correlate with CVP but correlated well with GA and
      BW. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic IVC-CI measurement has a good correlation with
      CVP measurement in neonates. The clinical use will depend on the ability of IVC
      CI to predict surrogate markers of tissue perfusion in shock.

PMID- 28634783
TI  - The treatment for the first branchial cleft anomalies in children.
AB  - The objective of this study is to make a clinical analysis for first branchial
      cleft anomalies (FBCAs), especially introduce the relationship between the Type
      I/II FBCA with the facial nerve and to demonstrate the importance of using
      intraoperative microscope and facial nerve monitoring. This is a retrospective
      review of patients with FBCAs treated in Beijing Children's Hospital, from Jan
      2013 to Dec 2015. Clinical data of patients, including sex, age, chief complains,
      history of surgery, incision and drainage, the relationship with the facial
      nerve, pre and post-operative facial paralysis, recurrent rate and complications
      were recorded. FBCAs were divided into two subtypes according to Work's
      Classification. All patients had an MRI examination for diagnosis and to locate
      the lesions before surgery. Both microscope and facial nerve monitors were
      routinely used for detecting and protecting the facial nerve. The study cohort
      included 42 patients with ages ranging from 10 months to 14 years. The chief
      complaint was recurrent swelling or abscess near the ear or angle of mandibular.
      76.2% of them (32/42) had incision and drainage histories. Two of them had
      suffered from facial palsy during the infectious period. Seven patients had
      undergone surgeries once or twice in other hospitals. Four patients with Type II
      FBCAs developed temporary facial palsy. We had follow-ups for each patient from 3
      months to 3 years. 4 (9.5%) patients with Type I FBCA had got postoperative
      external auditory canal (EAC) stenosis. There were no cases of recurrence. Type
      II FBCAs has closer relationship with facial nerve than Type I FBCAs. The facial
      nerve of Type II FBCAs may lie more superficially and ascending to the fistula.
      Intraoperative microscope and facial nerve monitoring were necessary for
      protecting the facial nerve and decreasing the recurrent rate.

PMID- 28634784
TI  - Attentional weights in vision as products of spatial and nonspatial components.
AB  - The relationship between visual attentional selection of items in particular
      spatial locations and selection by nonspatial criteria was investigated in a
      partial report experiment with report of letters (as many as possible) from brief
      postmasked exposures of circular arrays of letters and digits. The data were
      fitted by mathematical models based on Bundesen's (Psychological Review, 97, 523
      547, 1990) theory of visual attention (TVA). Both attentional weights of targets
      (letters) and attentional weights of distractors (digits) showed strong
      variations across the eight possible target locations, but for each of the ten
      participants, the ratio of the weight of a distractor at a given location to the
      weight of a target at the same location was approximately constant. The results
      were accommodated by revising the weight equation of TVA such that the
      attentional weight of an object equals a product of a spatial weight component
      (weight due to being at a particular location) and a nonspatial weight component
      (weight due to having particular features other than locations), the two
      components scaling the effects of each other multiplicatively.

PMID- 28634781
TI  - Infectious Disease Surveillance in the Woylie (Bettongia penicillata).
AB  - Wild populations of the critically endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata)
      recently declined by 90% in southwest Western Australia. Increased predation is
      the leading hypothesis for decline, but disease may be playing a role increasing
      susceptibility to predation. To explore this possibility, we surveyed woylie
      populations in the wild, in captivity and in a predator-free sanctuary for
      exposure to, and infection with, four known pathogens of macropods:
      herpesviruses, Wallal and Warrego orbiviruses, and Toxoplasma gondii. Our study
      found two of 68 individuals positive for neutralizing antibodies against known
      macropodid alphaherpesviruses. Three of 45 individuals were PCR positive for a
      herpesvirus that was shown to be a novel gammaherpesvirus or a new strain/variant
      of Potoroid Herpesvirus 1. Further sequence information is required to
      definitively determine its correct classification. There was no evidence of
      antibodies to orbivirus Wallal and Warrego serogroups, and all serological
      samples tested for T. gondii were negative. This is the first report of PCR and
      serological detection of herpesviruses in the woylie. Positive individuals did
      not demonstrate clinical signs of herpesviral diseases; therefore, the clinical
      significance of herpesviruses to wild woylie populations remains unclear. Further
      monitoring for herpesvirus infections will be important to inform disease risk
      analysis for this virus and determine temporal trends in herpesvirus activity
      that may relate to population health and conservation outcomes.

PMID- 28634785
TI  - [Imaging and preoperative planning for osteotomies around the knee].
AB  - Physiologic alignment of the human lower leg is well defined. The etiology for
      malalignment comprises constitutional, degenerative and posttraumatic conditions.
      Osteotomies around the knee can correct the malalignment, provided that the
      origin of deviation is in proximity of the knee center. Crucial factors for the
      evaluation of axis deviation are the weight-bearing line, the mechanical axes of
      femur and tibia, the joint line angles and the center of the hip, knee and upper
      ankle joint. Careful preoperative planning is mandatory for reproducible clinical
      results. For the treatment of varus osteoarthritis of the knee, a slight
      overcorrection to the 62% width of the lateral tibial plateau is frequently
      advocated. In valgus knees, a correction of the postoperative weight-bearing line
      to physiologic conditions (44% of the lateral tibial width) is regarded to be
      sufficient. Recently, individualized planning of the correction angle is
      advocated to better address the underlying pathology of each patient.

PMID- 28634786
TI  - Inhibition of NF-kappaB activity by aminoguanidine alleviates neuroinflammation
      induced by hyperglycemia.
AB  - Neuroinflammation is a key feature of cerebral complication which is associated
      with diabetes mellitus (DM). Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is implicated
      in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation. However, how iNOS facilitates the
      development of inflammation in brain is still unidentified. The aim of the
      present study was to investigate the association of iNOS and neuroinflammation in
      diabetic mice, and elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying aminoguanidine
      (AG), the selective inhibitor of iNOS, protected neurons against inflammation in
      diabetic mice. In present experiment, diabetic mice model were established by a
      single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). AG was administered to
      diabetic mice for ten weeks after this disease induction. Then we measured iNOS
      activity in the serum and brain, detected the glial fibrillary acidic protein
      (GFAP) and ionised calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 (Iba-1) expressions in the
      brain. Moreover, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) in cytoplasm and nucleus were
      tested by IP and WB. Results revealed that high expression of iNOS in serum and
      brain could be reversed by AG treatment. Furthermore, AG could also inhibit GFAP
      and Iba-1 expressions, and NF-kappaB nuclear translocation by inhibiting it from
      binding to iNOS in cytoplasm. Our findings indicated that iNOS can combine with
      NF-kappaB in cytoplasm and promote its nuclear transfer in diabetic mice.
      Furthermore, AG decreased neuroinflammation through inhibiting iNOS activity and
      reducing NF-kappaB nuclear translocation by promoting its dissociation with iNOS
      in cytoplasm.

PMID- 28634788
TI  - Consistent reconstruction of 4D fetal heart ultrasound images to cope with fetal
      motion.
AB  - PURPOSE: 4D ultrasound imaging of the fetal heart relies on reconstructions from
      B-mode images. In the presence of fetal motion, current approaches suffer from
      artifacts, which are unrecoverable for single sweeps. METHODS: We propose to use
      many sweeps and exploit the resulting redundancy to automatically recover from
      motion by reconstructing a 4D image which is consistent in phase, space, and
      time. An interactive visualization framework to view animated ultrasound slices
      from 4D reconstructions on arbitrary planes was developed using a magnetically
      tracked mock probe. RESULTS: We first quantified the performance of 10 4D
      reconstruction formulations on simulated data. Reconstructions of 14 in vivo
      sequences by a baseline, the current state-of-the-art, and the proposed approach
      were then visually ranked with respect to temporal quality on orthogonal views.
      Rankings from 5 observers showed that the proposed 4D reconstruction approach
      significantly improves temporal image quality in comparison with the baseline.
      The 4D reconstructions of the baseline and the proposed methods were then
      inspected interactively for accessibility to clinically important views and rated
      for their clinical usefulness by an ultrasound specialist in obstetrics and
      gynecology. The reconstructions by the proposed method were rated as 'very
      useful' in 71% and were statistically significantly more useful than the baseline
      reconstructions. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-sweep fetal heart ultrasound acquisitions in
      combination with consistent 4D image reconstruction improves quality as well as
      clinical usefulness of the resulting 4D images in the presence of fetal motion.

PMID- 28634787
TI  - Insulin resistance in ischemic stroke.
AB  - Insulin resistance often refers to a pathological condition in which cells fail
      to respond to the normal actions of insulin. Increasing literature has noted a
      critical role of insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.
      Insulin resistance plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke
      via enhancing advanced changes of atherosclerosis. A variety of literature
      indicates that insulin resistance enhances platelet adhesion, activation and
      aggregation which are conducive to the occurrence of ischemic stroke. Insulin
      resistance also induces hemodynamic disturbances and contributes to the onset of
      ischemic stroke. In addition, insulin resistance may augment the role of the
      modifiable risk factors in ischemic stroke and induce the occurrence of ischemic
      stroke. Preclinical and clinical studies have supported that improving insulin
      resistance may be an effective measure to prevent or delay ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28634789
TI  - Detection and grading of prostate cancer using temporal enhanced ultrasound:
      combining deep neural networks and tissue mimicking simulations.
AB  - PURPOSE  : Temporal Enhanced Ultrasound (TeUS) has been proposed as a new
      paradigm for tissue characterization based on a sequence of ultrasound radio
      frequency (RF) data. We previously used TeUS to successfully address the problem
      of prostate cancer detection in the fusion biopsies. METHODS  : In this paper, we
      use TeUS to address the problem of grading prostate cancer in a clinical study of
      197 biopsy cores from 132 patients. Our method involves capturing high-level
      latent features of TeUS with a deep learning approach followed by distribution
      learning to cluster aggressive cancer in a biopsy core. In this hypothesis
      generating study, we utilize deep learning based feature visualization as a means
      to obtain insight into the physical phenomenon governing the interaction of
      temporal ultrasound with tissue. RESULTS  : Based on the evidence derived from
      our feature visualization, and the structure of tissue from digital pathology, we
      build a simulation framework for studying the physical phenomenon underlying TeUS
      based tissue characterization. CONCLUSION  : Results from simulation and feature
      visualization corroborated with the hypothesis that micro-vibrations of tissue
      microstructure, captured by low-frequency spectral features of TeUS, can be used
      for detection of prostate cancer.

PMID- 28634790
TI  - Cellulose Acetate Butyrate: Ammonio Methacrylate Copolymer Blends as a Novel
      Coating in Osmotic Tablets.
AB  - The objective of this work was the preparation of osmotic tablets using polymer
      blends of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) or ethylcellulose with ammonio
      methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit(r) RL). The advantage of these coatings in
      comparison to the traditionally used cellulose acetate is their solubility in
      safer organic solvents like ethanol. Polymer films were characterized with
      respect to their water uptake, dry mass loss, and mechanical properties. The
      effect of the polymer blend ratio on drug release and on the rupture force of the
      coating was investigated. In addition, the effect of drug solubility and content,
      pH and agitation rate of the release medium, and coating level and plasticizer
      content on the release were studied. With increased Eudragit(r) RL content in the
      coating blends, higher medium uptake of the film was observed, resulting in
      shorter lag times and faster drug release from the osmotic tablets. Replacing
      ethylcellulose with cellulose acetate butyrate as a coating material led to
      shorter lag times and faster drug release due to increased film permeability. In
      addition, CAB-based films had a higher strength and flexibility. The drug release
      was osmotically controlled and decreased with increasing coating level. It
      increased with increased drug solubility, plasticizer content, change of buffer
      species (acetate > phosphate), and decreased coating level. Agitation rate and
      drug content had no effect on the drug release. A 20% w/w coating level was
      sufficient for the tablet to tolerate forces of more than five times of the
      gastric destructive force reported in literature.

PMID- 28634791
TI  - Erratum to: Toxic potential of the emerging contaminant nicotine to the aquatic
      ecosystem.

PMID- 28634792
TI  - Impairments of cadmium on vitellogenin accumulation in the hepatopancreas of
      freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense.
AB  - During ovary maturation of crabs, vitellogenin (Vg), a precursor molecule of
      vitellin (Vn) needed for embryogenesis, can be produced in large quantities in
      the hepatopancreas and then transported to the ovary by the hemolymph. In the
      present study, effects of Cd on Vg accumulation in the hepatopancreas and Vg
      transportation of the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense were investigated. We
      also studied the impacts of Cd on the mRNA expression of genes involved in energy
      metabolism, protein metabolism, and metallothionein (MT) and glutathione (GSH)
      synthesis. After Cd treatment, the Vg concentration and the Vg mRNA expression in
      the hepatopancreas were downregulated. Pearson's correlation coefficient showed
      that the Vg level in the hepatopancreas correlated positively with those of the
      ovary and hemolymph (correlation coefficients 0.844 and 0.749, respectively),
      suggesting that the Vg transport from the hepatopancreas to the ovary can be
      impaired by Cd. The levels of carbohydrate and protein in the hepatopancreas of
      Cd-exposed crabs were decreased, and an inhibited protein metabolism was also
      observed. Energy production related isocitrate dehydrogenase and cytochrome C
      oxidase mRNA expressions, and MT and GSH synthesis increased after 10 days of Cd
      treatment and decreased after 20 days. Cd also caused a time-dependent
      upregulation of malondialdehyde. Our findings showed that Cd decreased Vg
      accumulation in the hepatopancreas due to partially excessive energy consumption
      and an activated defense system in the hepatopancreas, suggesting a possible
      regulatory mechanism in S. henanense which is the competitive advantage of energy
      reserves in metabolic Cd stress responses over the high-energy flux during
      vitellogenesis to ensure a continuous supply of metabolic energy. Moreover, the
      damage of Vg accumulation in the hepatopancreas caused by Cd could lead to an
      insufficient accumulation of Vn in the ovary and cause a retardation of oocyte
      development.

PMID- 28634793
TI  - Arsenic sorption by red mud-modified biochar produced from rice straw.
AB  - Red mud-modified biochar (RM-BC) has been produced to be utilized as a novel
      adsorbent to remove As because it can effectively combine the beneficial features
      of red mud (rich metal oxide composition and porous structure) and biochar (large
      surface area and porous structure properties). SEM-EDS and XRD analyses
      demonstrated that red mud had loaded successfully on the surface of biochar. With
      the increasing of pH in solution, arsenate (As(V)) adsorption on RM-BC decreased
      while arsenite (As(III)) increased. Arsenate adsorption kinetics process on RM-BC
      fitted the pseudo-second-order model, while that of As(III) favored the Elovich
      model. All sorption isotherms produced superior fits with the Langmuir model. RM
      BC exhibited improved As removal capabilities, with a maximum adsorption capacity
      (Qmax) for As(V) of 5923 MUg g-1, approximately ten times greater than that of
      the untreated BC (552.0 MUg g-1). Furthermore, it has been indicated that the
      adsorption of As(V) on RM-BC may be strongly associated with iron oxides
      (hematite and magnetite) and aluminum oxides (gibbsite) by X-ray absorption near
      edge spectroscopy (XANES), which was possibly because of surface complexation and
      electrostatic interactions. RM-BC may be used as a valuable adsorbent for
      removing As in the environment due to the waste materials being relatively
      abundant.

PMID- 28634794
TI  - Evaluation in situ of genotoxicity and stress in South American common toad
      Rhinella arenarum in environments related to fluorite mine.
AB  - Little attention has been paid to the impact of wastewater generated by mining
      activities on fluoride. In this study, we evaluated the hematology responses of
      common South American toad Rhinella arenarum inhabiting natural and artificial
      environments associated with a fluorite mine from central Argentina. We analyzed
      three sampling stations associated with the fluorite mine: (I) Los Cerros Negros
      stream (CN), which runs on granitic rock with a high fluorite content; (II) Los
      Vallecitos stream (LV), which runs on metamorphic rock with low fluorite content;
      and (III) artificial decantation ponds (DP) containing sediments produced by
      fluorite flotation process. We calculated frequencies of micronuclei, erythrocyte
      nuclear abnormalities, mitosis, and immature erythrocytes. In addition, we
      performed a differential leukocyte count and determined neutrophils/lymphocyte
      ratio as a stress response estimator. We found high micronucleus (MN) and
      erythrocyte nuclear abnormality (ENA) frequencies in DP and CN but low
      frequencies in LV. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was different among sites,
      with a significant increase in individuals from DP. Values registered in DP could
      be caused by exposure to mixture of compounds registered in dams that hold
      wastewater, while high values registered in CN stream might be due to natural
      concentrations of fluoride. Our results suggest that blood is an effective and
      non-destructive sensitive indicator for monitoring genotoxic agents in freshwater
      ecosystems.

PMID- 28634795
TI  - High toxicity of camphene and gamma-elemene from Wedelia prostrata essential oil
      against larvae of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
AB  - The development of eco-friendly biopesticides in the fight against agricultural
      pests is an important challenge nowadays. The essential oil of Wedelia prostrata
      Hemsl. is known for its multipurpose biological activities in Chinese folk
      medicine. However, limited efforts attempted to understand the potential
      insecticidal activity of its main individual constituents and related mechanism
      of action. In this research, we investigated the insecticidal activity of W.
      prostrata against the crop pest Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera:
      Noctuidae). Toxicity on 4th instar larvae was assessed after 24 h of exposure.
      The LC50 and LC90 of the W. prostrata essential oil were 167.46 and 322.12
      MUg/ml, respectively. GC-MS analyses were carried out to shed light on the oil
      chemical composition. Main constituents were the monoterpene camphene (9.6%) and
      the sesquiterpenes gamma-elemene (7.6%), alpha-humulene (6.9%), and (E,E)-alpha
      farnesene (7.3%). The pure constituents were evaluated for their insecticidal
      activity on S. litura 4th instar larvae. The most toxic molecule was camphene
      (LC50 = 6.28 MUg/ml), followed by gamma-elemene, (LC50 = 10.64 MUg/ml), alpha
      humulene (LC50 = 12.89 MUg/ml), and (E,E)-alpha-farnesene (LC50 = 16.77 MUg/ml).
      Overall, our experiments highlighted the promising potential of camphene and
      gamma-elemene from W. prostrata essential oil against larvae of S. litura,
      allowing us to propose these two compounds for the development of newer
      pesticides in the fight against crop pests. Further studies aimed at evaluating
      the potential synergy between these two molecules, as well as their stability in
      field conditions are ongoing.

PMID- 28634796
TI  - Effects of perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate on acute
      toxicity, superoxide dismutase, and cellulase activity in the earthworm Eisenia
      fetida.
AB  - Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are the two
      best-known perfluorinated chemicals and have received much attention due to their
      ubiquity in the environment. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of
      PFOS and PFOA on acute toxicity, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and cellulase
      activities in Eisenia fetida. The results of acute toxicity testing using a
      filter paper contact test and a natural field soil test showed that PFOA and PFOS
      exhibited acute toxicity in earthworms, and the toxic effect of PFOS was greater
      than that of PFOA. The results also showed that avoidance behavior is a more
      sensitive and easy operation biomarker than acute toxicity and will give us
      information for early diagnosis of soil pollution, well before the lethal effect
      becomes apparent. Subchronic exposure to PFOA or PFOS resulted in changes in SOD
      and cellulase activities in E. fetida, and SOD activity was more sensitive than
      cellulase activity during early exposure. Based on these findings, we suggest
      that avoidance behavior and SOD activity in earthworms are suitable biomarkers
      for evaluating the toxicity of PFOA- and PFOS-contaminated soils. These results
      indicate that exposure to PFOA and PFOS has a potential impact on soil animals
      and their environment.

PMID- 28634797
TI  - Distribution, transfer, and health risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
      (PAHs) in soil-wheat systems of Henan Province, a typical agriculture province of
      China.
AB  - In order to investigate the distribution, transfer, and human health risks of
      polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil-wheat systems, soil samples
      from 20 farmlands and corresponding wheat tissues were collected from selected
      regions of Henan Province in June 2013 and were analyzed to estimate the
      concentration of PAHs. The total concentrations of 15 PAHs (?15 PAHs) in soils
      from Henan Province varied from 6.91 to 72.4 ng/g. Moreover, two-ring to three
      ring PAHs (1.59-29.1 ng/g) were the major species in soils, occupying 56.2% of
      total PAHs. Principal component analysis (PCA)-multiple linear regression (MLR)
      revealed that fossil fuel burning dominated the input of PAHs in agricultural
      soils of Henan Province. The range of ?15 PAHs concentrations in wheat tissues
      was 13.9-50.9 ng/g, which decreased along the root-straw-grain. Positive
      correlation among PAHs of soil and wheat tissues showed that PAHs in wheat mainly
      came from soil and then migrated along root-straw-grain. Moreover, PAHs were
      accumulated highest in root and lowest in grain. Two-ring to three-ring PAHs were
      easier to transfer from soil to wheat than five-ring to six-ring PAHs.
      Consumption of wheat grain created potential risk of cancer in Henan Province.

PMID- 28634799
TI  - Assessment of heat-inactivated marine Aspergillus flavus as a novel biosorbent
      for removal of Cd(II), Hg(II), and Pb(II) from water.
AB  - A novel marine fungus was isolated and classified as Aspergillus flavus strain
      EGY11. The heat-inactivated form of isolated Aspergillus flavus was investigated
      and evaluated as a new eco-friendly and highly efficient biosorbent for removal
      of toxic heavy metals such as Cd(II), Hg(II), and Pb(II) from aqueous solutions.
      The SEM morphological studies of biosorbent-loaded metal ions confirmed their
      direct binding on the surface of heat-inactivated Aspergillus flavus. The metal
      biosorption capacity values were determined and optimized by the batch technique
      in the presence of various experimental controlling factors such as pH, contact
      time, biosorbent dosage, initial metal ion concentration, and coexisting species.
      The maximum metal capacity values of Cd(II), Hg(II), and Pb(II) were cauterized
      as 1550 (pH 7.0), 950 (pH 7.0), and 1000 MUmol g-1 (pH 6.0), respectively. The
      equilibrium time for removal of metal ions was identified as 40 min. The maximum
      sorption capacity values (1200.0-4000.0 MUmol g-1) were established by 5.0 mg as
      the optimum mass of biosorbent. The collected biosorption data obtained from the
      equilibrium studies using the initial metal ion concentration were described by
      the Langmuir, Freundlich, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Dubinin-Radushkevich
      isotherm (D-R) isotherm models. The potential implementation of heat-inactivated
      Aspergillus flavus biosorbent for heavy metal removal from different water
      samples was successfully accomplished using multistage microcolumn technique. The
      results refer to excellent percentage recovery values in the ranges 92.7-99.0,
      91.3-95.6, and 95.3-98.2% for the biosorptive removal of Cd(II), Hg(II), and
      Pb(II), respectively, from the examined environmental samples.

PMID- 28634798
TI  - Value of biochars from Miscanthus x giganteus cultivated on contaminated soils to
      decrease the availability of metals in multicontaminated aqueous solutions.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the sorption efficiency of eight
      biochars, made from Miscanthus x giganteus cultivated on contaminated
      agricultural soil, in aqueous solutions contaminated with metals alone or mixed
      with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These biochars were produced in different
      pyrolysis conditions (temperature, 400/600  degrees C; heating rate, 5/10 
      degrees C min-1; duration, 45/90 min) and compared with an uncontaminated
      commercialized biochar made of wood. The physicochemical characterization of the
      Miscanthus biochars confirmed the impact of the pyrolysis on the biochar
      parameters with substantial differences between the biochars in terms of pH,
      cation exchange capacity, and specific surface area. The sorption experiment
      showed higher sorption efficiency of Cd, Pb, and Zn for the Miscanthus biochars
      produced at 600  degrees C compared with the biochars produced at 400  degrees C
      when the aqueous solutions were mono- or multicontaminated. Furthermore, the
      desorption study showed that the sorption process was largely irreversible.
      Therefore, the high sorption capacity of Miscanthus biochars and the low sorption
      reversibility confirmed that these biochars are a suitable sorbent for metals.

PMID- 28634801
TI  - Ameliorating soil acidity and physical properties of two contrasting texture
      Ultisols with wastewater sludge biochar.
AB  - The production of biochar is a safe and beneficial disposal way for wastewater
      sludge. The biochar produced from wastewater sludge can be used as soil
      amendments for improving soil properties and for increasing crop yield. This work
      investigated the influences of wastewater sludge biochar (WSB) on the pH,
      exchangeable acidity, and physical properties of strongly acidic Ultisols with
      contrasting texture (clayey soil and sandy loam). Two soils were mixed with WSB
      at the rate of 0, 10, 20, and 40 g biochar kg-1 soil and incubated for 240 days
      at 75% field water capacity. Incubation experimental results indicated that WSB
      significantly increased soil pH and exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+ contents, and
      decreased soil exchangeable H+ and Al3+, compared with the control. The
      application of WSB enhanced the formation of 5-2-mm macroaggregate, and decreased
      the content of <0.25-mm microaggregate. WSB application significantly increased
      aggregate stability of soils, determined by mean weight diameter (MWD) of
      aggregate. WSB increased the field water capacity and available water content
      (AWC) of sandy loam while WSB was not found to increase significantly water
      holding capacity and AWC of clayey soil. WSB significantly reduced plastic index
      and tensile strength (TS) of clayey soil and did not alter the TS of sandy loam.
      Overall results suggest that WSB is a suitable amendment for strongly acidic
      Ultisols with poor physical properties. However, the soil texture affected
      greatly the improvement effect of WSB on poor physical properties in soils.

PMID- 28634800
TI  - Impact of chemical leaching on permeability and cadmium removal from fine-grained
      soils.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of chemical leaching on
      permeability and Cd removal from fine-grained polluted soils. Column leaching
      experiments were conducted using two types of soils (i.e., artificially Cd
      polluted loam and historically polluted silty loam). Chemical agents of CaCl2,
      FeCl3, citric acid, EDTA, rhamnolipid, and deionized water were used to leach Cd
      from the soils. Results showed that organic agents reduced permeability of both
      soils, and FeCl3 reduced permeability of loam soil, compared with inorganic
      agents and deionized water. Entrapment and deposition of colloids generated from
      the organic agents and FeCl3 treatments reduced the soil permeability. The peak
      Cd effluence from the artificially polluted loam columns was retarded. For the
      artificially polluted soils treated with EDTA and the historically polluted soils
      with FeCl3, Cd precipitates were observed at the bottom after chemical leaching.
      When Cd was associated with large colloid particles, the reduction of soil
      permeability caused Cd accumulation in deeper soil. In addition, the slow process
      of disintegration of soil clay during chemical leaching might result in the
      retardation of peak Cd effluence. These results suggest the need for caution when
      using chemical-leaching agents for Cd removal in fine-grained soils.

PMID- 28634802
TI  - Alkaline-treated sawdust as an effective material for cationic dye removal from
      textile effluents under dynamic conditions: breakthrough curve prediction and
      mechanism exploration.
AB  - This paper deals with the methylene blue molecule (MB) removal from synthetic and
      real textile wastewaters by alkali-treated orange tree sawdust (ATOS) under
      different dynamic conditions. Experimental results showed that MB removal
      efficiencies by ATOS increased when increasing initial dye concentrations and bed
      depths but decreased with the increase of the applied flow rates with a maximum
      adsorption capacity of about 110 mg g-1. Moreover, various empirical models were
      applied to predict the experimental breakthrough curves (BTCs) and to determine
      the characteristic adsorption parameters. The applied models successfully fitted
      data in the following order: Thomas ([Formula: see text] = 0.969), dose response
      ([Formula: see text] = 0.949), and Clark ([Formula: see text] = 0.874). ATOS was
      also found to efficiently remove dyes and other mineral pollutants such as
      chlorides, nitrates, and phosphates from real wastewaters. MB removal by ATOS
      involved not only cationic exchange but also complexation with acidic and basic
      functional groups. Moreover, important MB desorption yields from ATOS (more than
      93%) were obtained when using saline solutions. All these results confirmed that
      NaOH-treated orange tree sawdust can be considered as a promising material for
      the removal of cationic dyes from industrial wastewaters.

PMID- 28634803
TI  - A method for reducing environmental pollution by using essential oils in rodent
      pest management program.
AB  - Strong-smelling plant extracts, such as essential oils, have a variety of feeding
      effects on mammals. Considering current concerns over long-term health issues and
      environmental effects of chemicals, plant-based products with repellent or
      antifungal activities may represent good solutions for improvement of rodent pest
      control programs. The present study was therefore focused on examining the
      effects of bergamot, lavender, and thyme essential oils as additional bait
      components on daily intakes of cereal-based baits by wild house mice. Lavender
      essential oil, containing linalool and linalyl acetate as main components, and
      thyme essential oil with a prevailing thymol component had no effects on house
      mice diet. Bergamot essential oil, whose main components were linalool, limonene,
      and linalyl acetate, showed a repellent effect on house mouse diet.

PMID- 28634804
TI  - Biocontrol of the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici using cyclic lipopeptides
      from Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - Innovation toward ecofriendly plant protection products compatible with
      sustainable agriculture and healthy food is today strongly encouraged. Here, we
      assessed the biocontrol activity of three cyclic lipopeptides from Bacillus
      subtilis (mycosubtilin, M; surfactin, S; fengycin, F) and two mixtures (M + S and
      M + S + F) on wheat against Zymoseptoria tritici, the main pathogen on this crop.
      Foliar application of these biomolecules at a 100-mg L-1 concentration on the
      wheat cultivars Dinosor and Alixan, 2 days before fungal inoculation, provided
      significant reductions of disease severity. The best protection levels were
      recorded with the M-containing formulations (up to 82% disease reduction with M +
      S on Dinosor), while S and F treatments resulted in lower but significant disease
      reductions. In vitro and in planta investigations revealed that M-based
      formulations inhibit fungal growth, with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations
      of 1.4 mg L-1 for both M and M + S and 4.5 mg L-1 for M + S + F, thus revealing
      that the observed efficacy of these products may rely mainly on antifungal
      property. By contrast, S and F had no direct activity on the pathogen, hence
      suggesting that these lipopeptides act on wheat against Z. tritici as resistance
      inducers rather than as biofungicides. This study highlighted the efficacy of
      several lipopeptides from B. subtilis to biocontrol Z. tritici through likely
      distinct and biomolecule-dependent modes of action.

PMID- 28634806
TI  - Household water insecurity and its cultural dimensions: preliminary results from
      Newtok, Alaska.
AB  - Using a relational approach, I examine several cultural dimensions involved in
      household water access and use in Newtok, Alaska. I describe the patterns that
      emerge around domestic water access and use, as well as the subjective lived
      experiences of water insecurity including risk perceptions, and the daily work
      and hydro-social relationships involved in accessing water from various sources.
      I found that Newtok residents haul water in limited amounts from a multitude of
      sources, both treated and untreated, throughout the year. Household water access
      is tied to hydro-social relationships predicated on sharing and reciprocity,
      particularly when the primary treated water access point is unavailable. Older
      boys and young men are primarily responsible for hauling water, and this role
      appears to be important to male Yupik identity. Many interviewees described
      preferring to drink untreated water, a practice that appears related to cultural
      constructions of natural water sources as pure and self-purifying, as well as
      concerns about the safety of treated water. Concerns related to the health
      consequences of low water access appear to differ by gender and age, with women
      and elders expressing greater concern than men. These preliminary results point
      to the importance of understanding the cultural dimensions involved in household
      water access and use. I argue that institutional responses to water insecurity
      need to incorporate such cultural dimensions into solutions aimed at increasing
      household access to and use of water.

PMID- 28634805
TI  - Comparative prevalence of Escherichia coli carrying virulence genes and class 1
      and 2 integrons in sub-tropical and cool temperate freshwater.
AB  - Aquatic environments are now recognized secondary habitat of potentially
      pathogenic Escherichia coli. In this study, PCR-based analyses were used to
      determine the phylogenetic composition and frequency of occurrence of eight
      clinically significant virulence genes (VGs) in E. coli isolates from sub
      tropical Brisbane and cool temperate Tasmania freshwater in Australia. In
      Brisbane, non-commensal E. coli isolates belonging to the B2 and D phylogenetic
      group were dominant (72%). A significantly higher number (P < 0.05) of E. coli
      carrying VGs were detected in the sub-tropical freshwaters compared to the cool
      temperate water. Furthermore, diarrheagenic pathotype (EHEC) was also observed in
      the sub-tropical freshwater. The genes east1 and eaeA were significantly more
      common (P < 0.00001) than other VGs. The eaeA gene which codes for intimin
      protein along with toxin genes east1, stx 1 , stx 2 , and LT1 were mostly
      detected in phylogenetic groups B2 and D. The ANOVA results also suggested a
      statistically significant difference (P < 0.016) between the VGs carried by
      phylogenetic groups B2 and D. Class 1 integrase (intl1) and class 2 integrase
      (intl2) genes were detected in 38 (24.83%) and 23 (15.03%) of E. coli isolates,
      respectively. The Gretna site (Tasmania) with known fecal input from bovine and
      ovine sources had the highest number of E. coli carrying intl1 (29%) and intl2
      (13%) genes. In addition, class 2 integron was more commonly detected in the
      phylogenetic group B2. The results of this study highlight the need to better
      understand sources and reasons for the high prevalence of E. coli carrying
      clinically significant VGs in a sub-tropical environment and its public health
      implications.

PMID- 28634807
TI  - Differential diagnosis between benign and malignant soft tissue tumors utilizing
      ultrasound parameters.
AB  - PURPOSE: Preoperative discrimination between benign and malignant soft tissue
      tumors is critical for the prevention of excess application of magnetic resonance
      imaging and biopsy as well as unplanned resection. Although ultrasound, including
      power Doppler imaging, is an easy, noninvasive, and cost-effective modality for
      screening soft tissue tumors, few studies have investigated reliable
      discrimination between benign and malignant soft tissue tumors. METHODS: To
      establish a modality for discrimination between benign and malignant soft tissue
      tumors using ultrasound, we extracted the significant risk factors for malignancy
      based on ultrasound information from 40 malignant and 56 benign pathologically
      diagnosed soft tissue tumors and established a scoring system based on these risk
      factors. RESULTS: The maximum size, tumor margin, and vascularity evaluated using
      ultrasound were extracted as significant risk factors. Using the odds ratio from
      a multivariate regression model, a scoring system was established. Receiver
      operating characteristic analyses revealed a high area under the curve value
      (0.85), confirming the accuracy of the scoring system. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is
      a useful modality for establishing the differential diagnosis between benign and
      malignant soft tissue tumors.

PMID- 28634808
TI  - Mapping of genetic locus for leaf trichome in Brassica oleracea.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: The genetic locus for leaf trichome was identified via marker-based
      mapping and SNP microarray assay, and a functional marker was developed to
      facilitate the breeding for hairiness in Brassica oleracea. Plant trichomes are
      involved in various functions particularly in protecting plants against some
      biotic and abiotic damages. In the present study, an F2 segregating population
      was developed from the cross between a glabrous cultivated B. oleracea (CC, 2n =
      18) and a hairy wild relative, B. incana (CC, 2n = 18). A 1:3 segregation pattern
      between glabrous and hairy plants was detected among 1063 F2 genotypes, and the
      locus for hairiness was mapped in a 4.3-cM genetic region using 267 SSR markers
      among 149 F2 genotypes, corresponding to a 17.6-Mb genomic region on chromosome
      C01. To narrow the genetic region for hairiness, the Brassica 60 K SNP Bead Chip
      Arrays were applied to genotype 64 glabrous and 30 hairy F2 plants, resulting in
      a 1.04-Mb single peak region located in the 17.6-Mb interval. A candidate gene,
      BoTRY, was identified by qRT-PCR which revealed significant higher expression in
      glabrous F2 genotypes as compared with that in hairy plants. A cleaved amplified
      polymorphic site marker was successfully developed to distinguish the sequence
      variations of BoTRY between hairy and glabrous plants. Our study will be helpful
      for molecular breeding for hairiness in B. oleracea.

PMID- 28634809
TI  - Genetic and transcriptomic analyses of lignin- and lodging-related traits in
      Brassica napus.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: Candidate genes associated with lignin and lodging traits were
      identified by combining phenotypic, genotypic, and gene expression data in B.
      napus. Brassica napus is one of the world's most important oilseed crops, but its
      yield can be dramatically reduced by lodging, bending, and falling of its
      vertical stems. Lignin has been shown to contribute to stem mechanical strength.
      In this study, we found that the syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) monolignol ratio
      exhibits a significant negative correlation with disease and lodging resistance.
      A total of 92 and 50 SNP and SSR loci, respectively, were found to be
      significantly associated with five traits, breaking force, breaking strength,
      lodging coefficient, acid detergent lignin content, and the S/G monolignol ratio
      using GWAS. To identify novel genes involved in lignin biosynthesis,
      transcriptome sequencing of high- (H) and low (L)-ADL content accessions was
      performed. The up-regulated genes were mainly involved in glycoside catabolic
      processes (especially glucosinolate catabolism) and cell wall biogenesis, while
      down-regulated genes were involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis, indicating that
      crosstalk exists between glucosinolate metabolic processes and lignin
      biosynthesis. Integrating this differential expression with the GWAS analysis, we
      identified four candidate genes regulating lignin, including glycosyl hydrolase
      (BnaA01g00480D), CYT1 (BnaA04g22820D), and two encoding transcription factors,
      SHINE1 (ERF family) and DAR6 (LIM family). This study provides insight into the
      genetic control of lodging and lignin in B. napus.

PMID- 28634811
TI  - [Methodological limitations in the use of human donor eyes exemplified by age
      related alterations in cell density of the retinal pigment epithelium].

PMID- 28634810
TI  - microRNA Regulation of Skeletal Development.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Osteogenesis is a complex process involving the specification
      of multiple progenitor cells and their maturation and differentiation into matrix
      secreting osteoblasts. Osteogenesis occurs not only during embryogenesis but also
      during growth, after an injury, and in normal homeostatic maintenance. While much
      is known about osteogenesis-associated regulatory genes, the role of microRNAs
      (miRNAs), which are epigenetic regulators of protein expression, is just
      beginning to be explored. While miRNAs do not abrogate all protein expression,
      their purpose is to finely tune it, allowing for a timely and temporary protein
      down-regulation. RECENT FINDINGS: The last decade has unveiled a multitude of
      miRNAs that regulate key proteins within the osteogenic lineage, thus qualifying
      them as "ostemiRs." These miRNAs may endogenously target an activator or
      inhibitor of differentiation, and depending on the target, may either lead to the
      prolongation of a progenitor maintenance state or to early differentiation.
      Interestingly, cellular identity seems intimately coupled to the expression of
      miRNAs, which participate in the suppression of previous and subsequent
      differentiation steps. In such cases where key osteogenic proteins were
      identified as direct targets of miRNAs in non-bone cell types, or through
      bioinformatic prediction, future research illuminating the activity of these
      miRNAs during osteogenesis will be extremely valuable. Many bone-related diseases
      involve the dysregulation of transcription factors or other proteins found within
      osteoblasts and their progenitors, and the dysregulation of miRNAs, which target
      such factors, may play a pivotal role in disease etiology, or even as a possible
      therapy.

PMID- 28634812
TI  - Semi-industrial Scale Production of a New Yeast with Probiotic Traits,
      Cryptococcus sp. YMHS, Isolated from the Red Sea.
AB  - A new yeast strain with promising probiotic traits was isolated from the Red Sea
      water samples. The isolate (YMHS) was subjected to genetic characterization and
      identified as Cryptococcus sp. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the rRNA gene
      internal transcribed spacer regions showed 95% sequence similarity between the
      isolate and Cryptococcus albidus. Cryptococcus sp. YMHS exhibited desirable
      characteristics of probiotic microorganisms; it has tolerance to low pH in
      simulated gastric juice, resistance to bile salts, hydrophobic characteristics,
      broad antimicrobial activity, and in vitro ability to degrade cholesterol. The
      isolate grew well in a semi-defined medium composed of yeast extract, glucose,
      KH2PO4, (NH4)2SO4, and MgSO4, yielding cell mass of 2.32 and 5.82 g/l in shake
      flask and in bioreactor cultures, respectively. Fed-batch cultivation, with
      controlled pH, increased the biomass gradually in culture, reaching 28.5 g/l
      after 32 h cultivation. Beside the feasible use as a probiotic, the new strain
      also could be beneficial in the development of functional foods or novel food
      preservatives. To our knowledge, this is the first report of yeast with probiotic
      properties isolated from the Red Sea.

PMID- 28634813
TI  - Long-Term Excessive Selenium Supplementation Induces Hypertension in Rats.
AB  - Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element involved in several biological
      pathways, naturally found in rocks, soils, and food. Even though the daily
      requirement of Se is achieved through a balanced diet, the use of Se supplements
      has been frequent. Due to the risk of toxic effects of having Se in excess,
      supplementation is still under debate. The aim was to evaluate the effects of
      long-term Se supplementation upon systolic blood pressure (SBP) and redox status
      of rats exposed to sodium selenite. Male Wistar rats were exposed to 2 and 6 mg/L
      of sodium selenite in drinking water for 85 days. SBP and body weight were
      evaluated weekly; oxidative stress biomarkers were measured in blood or plasma;
      and Se levels were assessed in blood, plasma, kidney, and liver. Se
      supplementation (2 and 6 mg/L) induced significant increase in the SBP in rats
      from the 42nd day until the end of the study. This increase on SBP was not
      associated with significant changes in oxidative stress biomarkers. A significant
      increase in Se levels was found in whole blood, kidney, and liver from both
      groups of rats receiving Se supplementation when compared to control. Although
      the exact mechanisms underlying this augment in SBP are not clear, they are
      potentially related to other Se biological routes besides the synthesis of
      selenoproteins, such as GSH-Px. Due to the negative effects upon blood pressure,
      precautionary measures are advised, since the selling of supplements does not
      require a medical prescription.

PMID- 28634814
TI  - Assessment of Waterborne Amine-Coated Silver Nanoparticle (Ag-NP)-Induced
      Toxicity in Labeo rohita by Histological and Hematological Profiles.
AB  - Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) have wide applications in the medical field;
      however, the toxicological effects are still poorly studied. The study was aimed
      to determine the effects of 15.78 nm spherical and amine-coated Ag-NPs on
      hematology and histology of gills and liver tissues in 28 days treated Labeo
      rohita (L. rohita). It was found that Ag-NPs induced alterations in the
      hematological parameters in a dose dependent manner. The Ag-NPs also induced
      histological alterations in a dose-dependent manner. In gill tissues, it induced
      fusion of secondary lamellae, separation of gill epithelium, fusion and necrosis
      of lamellar cells, hyperplasia, deformed cartilaginous skeleton, separation and
      lifting of epithelium, and curling of lamellae in a dose dependent manner. In the
      liver, Ag-NPs produced abnormalities in hepatic tissues by reducing the size of
      hepatocytes and nuclei, and stimulated the production of necrotic and apoptotic
      bodies. It was concluded that Ag-NPs are toxic to aquatic organisms and induce
      hematotoxicity and histopathological conditions in exposed fish.

PMID- 28634815
TI  - Autoimmune diabetes induced by PD-1 inhibitor-retrospective analysis and
      pathogenesis: a case report and literature review.
AB  - Anti-PD-1 antibody treatment is approved in advanced melanoma and provides median
      overall survival over 24 months. The main treatment-related side effects are
      immune-related adverse events, which include rash, pruritus, vitiligo,
      thyroiditis, diarrhoea, hepatitis and pneumonitis. We report a case of autoimmune
      diabetes related to nivolumab treatment. A 73-year-old man was treated in second
      line with nivolumab at 3 mg/kg every two weeks for metastatic melanoma. At 6
      weeks of treatment, he displayed diabetic ketoacidosis. Nivolumab was withheld
      3.5 weeks and insulin therapy was initiated, enabling a normalization of
      glycaemia and the disappearance of symptoms. Laboratory investigations
      demonstrated the presence of islet cell autoantibodies, while C-peptide was
      undetectable. Retrospective explorations on serum banked at week 0 and 3 months
      before the start of nivolumab, already showed the presence of autoantibodies, but
      normal insulin, C-peptide secretion and glycaemia. Partial response was obtained
      at month 3, and nivolumab was then resumed at the same dose. The clinical context
      and biological investigations before, at and after nivolumab initiation suggest
      the autoimmune origin of this diabetes, most likely induced by anti-PD-1 antibody
      in a predisposed patient. The role of PD-1/PD-L1 binding is well known in the
      pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Therefore, this rare side effect can be expected
      in a context of anti-PD-1 treatment. Glycaemia should be monitored during PD-1/PD
      L1 blockade. The presence of autoantibodies before treatment could identify
      individuals at risk of developing diabetes, but systematic titration may not be
      relevant considering the rarity of this side effect.

PMID- 28634817
TI  - Identification of the acclimation genes in transcriptomic responses to heat
      stress of White Pekin duck.
AB  - White Pekin duck is an important meat resource in the livestock industries.
      However, the temperature increase due to global warming has become a serious
      environmental factor in duck production, because of hyperthermia. Therefore,
      identifying the gene regulations and understanding the molecular mechanism for
      adaptation to the warmer environment will provide insightful information on the
      acclimation system of ducks. This study examined transcriptomic responses to heat
      stress treatments (3 and 6 h at 35  degrees C) and control (C, 25  degrees C)
      using RNA-sequencing analysis of genes from the breast muscle tissue. Based on
      three distinct differentially expressed gene (DEG) sets (3H/C, 6H/C, and 6H/3H),
      the expression patterns of significant DEGs (absolute log2 > 1.0 and false
      discovery rate < 0.05) were clustered into three responsive gene groups divided
      into upregulated and downregulated genes. Next, we analyzed the clusters that
      showed relatively higher expression levels in 3H/C and lower levels in 6H/C with
      much lower or opposite levels in 6H/3H; we referred to these clusters as the
      adaptable responsive gene group. These genes were significantly enriched in the
      ErbB signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and type II
      diabetes mellitus in the KEGG pathways (P < 0.01). From the functional enrichment
      analysis and significantly regulated genes observed in the enriched pathways, we
      think that the adaptable responsive genes are responsible for the acclimation
      mechanism of ducks and suggest that the regulation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase
      genes including PIK3R6, PIK3R5, and PIK3C2B has an important relationship with
      the mechanisms of adaptation to heat stress in ducks.

PMID- 28634818
TI  - SG2NA is a regulator of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis as its depletion
      leads to ER stress.
AB  - SG2NA belongs to a three-member striatin subfamily of WD40 repeat superfamily of
      proteins. It has multiple protein-protein interaction domains involved in
      assembling supramolecular signaling complexes. Earlier, we had demonstrated that
      there are at least five variants of SG2NA generated by alternative splicing,
      intron retention, and RNA editing. Such versatile and dynamic mode of regulation
      implicates it in tissue development. In order to shed light on its role in cell
      physiology, total proteome analysis was performed in NIH3T3 cells depleted of 78
      kDa SG2NA, the only isoform expressing therein. A number of ER stress markers
      were among those modulated after knockdown of SG2NA. In cells treated with the ER
      stressors thapsigargin and tunicamycin, expression of SG2NA was increased at both
      mRNA and protein levels. The increased level of SG2NA was primarily in the
      mitochondria and the microsomes. A mouse injected with thapsigargin also had an
      increase in SG2NA in the liver but not in the brain. Cell cycle analysis
      suggested that while loss of SG2NA reduces the level of cyclin D1 and retains a
      population of cells in the G1 phase, concurrent ER stress facilitates their exit
      from G1 and traverse through subsequent phases with concomitant cell death. Thus,
      SG2NA is a component of intrinsic regulatory pathways that maintains ER
      homeostasis.

PMID- 28634816
TI  - Critical biological parameters modulate affinity as a determinant of function in
      T-cell receptor gene-modified T-cells.
AB  - T-cell receptor (TCR)-pMHC affinity has been generally accepted to be the most
      important factor dictating antigen recognition in gene-modified T-cells. As such,
      there is great interest in optimizing TCR-based immunotherapies by enhancing TCR
      affinity to augment the therapeutic benefit of TCR gene-modified T-cells in
      cancer patients. However, recent clinical trials using affinity-enhanced TCRs in
      adoptive cell transfer (ACT) have observed unintended and serious adverse events,
      including death, attributed to unpredicted off-tumor or off-target cross
      reactivity. It is critical to re-evaluate the importance of other biophysical,
      structural, or cellular factors that drive the reactivity of TCR gene-modified T
      cells. Using a model for altered antigen recognition, we determined how TCR-pMHC
      affinity influenced the reactivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) TCR gene-modified T
      cells against a panel of naturally occurring HCV peptides and HCV-expressing
      tumor targets. The impact of other factors, such as TCR-pMHC stabilization and
      signaling contributions by the CD8 co-receptor, as well as antigen and TCR
      density were also evaluated. We found that changes in TCR-pMHC affinity did not
      always predict or dictate IFNgamma release or degranulation by TCR gene-modified
      T-cells, suggesting that less emphasis might need to be placed on TCR-pMHC
      affinity as a means of predicting or augmenting the therapeutic potential of TCR
      gene-modified T-cells used in ACT. A more complete understanding of antigen
      recognition by gene-modified T-cells and a more rational approach to improve the
      design and implementation of novel TCR-based immunotherapies is necessary to
      enhance efficacy and maximize safety in patients.

PMID- 28634819
TI  - Establishment of a tagged variant of Lgr4 receptor suitable for functional and
      expression studies in the mouse.
AB  - Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 4 (LGR4) is produced in
      a broad spectrum of mouse embryonic and adult tissues and its deficiency results
      in embryonal or perinatal lethality. The LGR4 function was mainly related to its
      potentiation of canonical Wnt signaling; however, several recent studies
      associate LGR4 with additional signaling pathways. To obtain a suitable tool for
      studying the signaling properties of Lgr4, we generated a tagged variant of the
      Lgr4 receptor using gene targeting in the mouse oocyte. The modified Lgr4 allele
      expresses the Lgr4 protein fused with a triple hemagglutinin (3HA) tag located at
      the extracellular part of the protein. The allele is fully functional, enabling
      tracking of Lgr4 expression in the mouse tissues. We also show that via surface
      labeling, the 3HA tag allows direct isolation and analysis of living Lgr4
      positive cells obtained from the small intestinal crypts. Finally, the HA tag
      specific antibody can be employed to characterize the biochemical features of
      Lgr4 and to identify possible biding partners of the protein in cells derived
      from various mouse tissues.

PMID- 28634820
TI  - The first lady president of the ISPN: Prof. Dr. Graciela Zuccaro and her journey
      through pediatric neurosurgery.
AB  - The International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ISPN) was founded in 1972
      in Chicago, IL, USA. It has been 45 years since the creation of the ISPN, but it
      is not until now that the pediatric neurosurgery community has been led by a
      female neurosurgeon.

PMID- 28634821
TI  - Cavernous malformations of central nervous system in pediatric patients: our
      single-centered experience in 50 patients and review of literature.
AB  - PURPOSE: Cavernous malformations (CMs) are rare developmental cerebrovascular
      malformations of the central nervous system with a childhood prevalence of 0.3 to
      0.53%. Our purpose was to assess the clinical features and microsurgical outcome
      in pediatric central nervous system (CNS) CMs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We
      retrospectively enrolled all the CM patients admitted to our institute from 1
      January 2001 to 31 December 2014. Data was analyzed for their clinical features
      and surgical outcome. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients with CMs (30
      supratentorial, 14 infratentorial, and 6 spinal) with a mean age of 14 years (3
      18 years, SD +/-4.64) were enrolled into the study. Most of these patients (78%)
      were male. Size varied from 1.2 to 6 cm. Three patients had multiple CMs.
      Symptoms of CMs were site specific. Seizure was the most common symptom (63.3%)
      of CMs at supratentorial location followed by headache (46%) and neurodeficiency
      (26%), while all brainstem and spinal CMs presented with neurodeficiencies.
      History of clinically significant acute hemorrhage was present in 19.2% of
      supratentorial (ST) superficial CMs, 50% of ST deep CMs, 25% of cerebellar CMs,
      44.4% of brainstem CMs, and 50% of spinal CMs. Forty-five CMs in 44 patients were
      surgically excised. Their follow-up ranged from 6 to 162 months (mean 47.2
      months, SD +/-53). All supratentorial CM patients showed improvement in their
      symptoms. Patients with preoperative seizure showed good seizure control with
      Engel scale I in 16 (94.1%) and Engel scale II in 1 (5.9%). In infratentorial
      (IT) and spinal CM patients, 92.3 and 66.7% had improvement in their
      neurodeficiencies, respectively. There was no mortality in our series.
      CONCLUSION: Microsurgical excision of CNS CM results in excellent neurological
      outcome in pediatric patients. Early intervention is necessary in spinal CMs for
      better outcome.

PMID- 28634822
TI  - The Ratio of Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) to Arachidonic Acid may be a Residual
      Risk Marker in Stable Coronary Artery Disease Patients Receiving Treatment with
      Statin Following EPA Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated the relationship between the eicosapentaenoic acid
      (EPA)/arachidonic acid (AA) ratio and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
      (non-HDL-C) level, a major residual risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), in
      statin-treated CAD patients following EPA therapy. METHODS: We conducted a 6
      month, prospective, randomized clinical trial to investigate the effect of the
      additional administration of EPA on the EPA/AA ratio and the serum non-HDL-C
      level in stable CAD patients receiving statin treatment. We assigned CAD patients
      already receiving statin therapy to an EPA group (1800 mg/day; n = 50) or a
      control group (n = 50). RESULTS: A significant reduction in the serum non-HDL-C
      level was observed in the EPA group, compared with the control group (-9.7 vs. 
      1.2%, p = 0.01). A multiple-regression analysis with adjustments for coronary
      risk factors revealed that achieved EPA/AA ratio was more reliable as an
      independent and significant predictor of a reduction in the non-HDL-C level at a
      6-month follow-up examination (beta = -0.324, p = 0.033) than the absolute change
      in the EPA/AA ratio. Interestingly, significant negative correlations were found
      between the baseline levels and the absolute change values of both non-HDL-C and
      triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, both markers of residual risk of CAD, indicating
      that patients with a higher baseline residual risk achieved a greater reduction.
      CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that the achieved EPA/AA ratio, but not
      the absolute change in EPA/AA ratio, following EPA therapy might be a useful
      marker for the risk stratification of CAD among statin-treated patients with a
      high non-HDL-C level. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN ( http://www.umin.ac.jp/
      ) Study ID: UMIN000010452.

PMID- 28634823
TI  - A nationwide study of the incidence rate of herb-induced liver injury in Korea.
AB  - Discrepant incidence has been reported regarding the incidence of herb-induced
      liver injury (HILI). To address the growing worldwide concern of HILI, we
      evaluated the risk of HILI in a nationwide prospective study. Between April 2013
      and January 2016, 1001 inpatients (360 males and 641 females) from 10 tertiary
      hospitals throughout South Korea were treated with herbal drugs and had their
      liver enzymes periodically measured. A total of six patients met the criteria for
      HILI with RUCAM scores ranging from 4 to 7. All these participants were women and
      developed the hepatocellular type of HILI. One HILI participant met the criteria
      for Hy's law; however, none of six cases presented clinical symptoms related to
      liver injury. This is the first nationwide prospective study that estimated the
      extent of the incidence of HILI [total: 0.60%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12
      1.08; women: 0.95%, 95% CI 0.19-1.68] and described its features in hospitalized
      participants.

PMID- 28634824
TI  - Association of Parkinsonism or Parkinson Disease with Polypharmacy in the Year
      Preceding Diagnosis: A Nested Case-Control Study in South Korea.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Published studies on the association between polypharmacy and
      parkinsonism or Parkinson disease are very limited. OBJECTIVE: The objective of
      this study was to investigate whether polypharmacy is associated with
      parkinsonism or Parkinson disease in elderly patients. METHODS: From a South
      Korean national health insurance sample cohort database for 2002-2013, we matched
      parkinsonism cases (defined by diagnosis codes for parkinsonism/Parkinson
      disease) and Parkinson disease cases (patients who had records for both Parkinson
      disease diagnosis and anti-Parkinson disease drug prescriptions) with controls.
      Logistic regression analysis evaluated the associations of parkinsonism/Parkinson
      disease with polypharmacy (i.e., five or more prescribed daily drugs) during the
      year preceding parkinsonism/Parkinson disease diagnosis, medications potentially
      associated with parkinsonism, and comorbidity status (using the Charlson
      Comorbidity Index score and hospitalization records). RESULTS: The study
      population included 6209 cases and 24,836 controls for parkinsonism and 1331
      cases and 5324 controls for Parkinson disease. In univariate logistic regression,
      odds ratios for parkinsonism/Parkinson disease increased significantly with
      increased polypharmacy, medications potentially associated with parkinsonism,
      Charlson Comorbidity Index score, or prior hospitalizations. In multiple logistic
      regression, odds ratios for parkinsonism/Parkinson disease (adjusted for
      medications potentially associated with parkinsonism and comorbidities) also
      increased with increased polypharmacy. Odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for
      Parkinson disease were higher than those for parkinsonism with stronger
      statistical significance: 1.41 (1.28-1.55) and 2.17 (1.84-2.57) for parkinsonism
      and 2.87 (2.30-3.58) and 4.75 (3.39-6.66) for Parkinson disease for between five
      and ten prescribed daily drugs and ten or more drugs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      Polypharmacy in the year preceding diagnosis may be associated with an increased
      risk for parkinsonism/Parkinson disease. Medications potentially associated with
      parkinsonism were assumed to increase the risk for parkinsonism/Parkinson
      disease, but more studies are required to confirm this relationship.

PMID- 28634825
TI  - A rapid and cost-effective approach for the development of polymorphic
      microsatellites in non-model species using paired-end RAD sequencing.
AB  - As one of the most informative and versatile DNA-based markers, microsatellites
      have been widely used in population and conservation genetic studies. However,
      the development of microsatellites has traditionally been laborious, time
      consuming, and expensive. In the present study, a rapid and cost-effective "RAD
      seq-Assembly-Microsatellite" approach was developed to identify abundant
      microsatellite markers in non-model species using the roughskin sculpin
      Trachidermus fasciatus as a representative. Overlapping paired-end Illumina reads
      generated by restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) were clustered
      based on the similarity of reads containing the restriction enzyme recognition
      site and then assembled into contigs, which were used for microsatellite
      discovery and primer design. A total of 121,750 RAD contigs were generated with a
      mean length of 522 bp, and 19,782 contigs contained microsatellite motifs. A
      total of 156,150 primer pairs were successfully designed based on 16,497 contigs
      containing priming sites. Experimental validation of 52 randomly selected
      microsatellite loci demonstrated that 45 (86.54%) loci were successfully
      amplified and polymorphic in two geographically isolated populations of T.
      fasciatus. Compared with traditional approaches based on DNA cloning and other
      approaches based on next-generation sequencing, our newly developed approach
      could yield thousands of microsatellite loci with much higher successful
      amplification rate and lower costs, especially for non-model species with shallow
      background of genomic information. The "RAD-seq-Assembly-Microsatellite" approach
      holds great promise for microsatellite development in future ecological and
      evolutionary studies of non-model species.

PMID- 28634827
TI  - Highly functionalized cyclic beta-amino acid moieties as promising scaffolds in
      peptide research and drug design.
AB  - Peptide-based drug research has received high attention in the field of medicinal
      chemistry over the past decade. For drug design, to improve proteolytic
      stability, it is desirable to include unnatural building blocks, such as
      conformationally restricted beta-amino acid moieties, into the peptide sequence.
      Accordingly, the synthesis and incorporation of such conformationally rigid
      systems into novel type of peptides has gained large interest. Our research group
      has designed highly efficient methods for the construction of potential
      antimicrobial peptides. Moreover, a number of synthetic approaches have been
      developed for the synthesis of various pharmacologically interesting cyclic beta
      amino acid derivatives as monomers with multiple stereogenic centers.

PMID- 28634826
TI  - TAI vacuolar invertase orthologs: the interspecific variability in tomato plants
      (Solanum section Lycopersicon).
AB  - Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying carbohydrate metabolism can
      promote the development of biotechnological advances in fruit plants. The flesh
      tomato fruit represents an ideal system for examining the role of sucrose
      cleavage enzymes in fruit development, and wild tomato species differing in
      storage sugars serve as an excellent research material for this purpose. Plant
      vacuolar invertase is a key enzyme of sucrose metabolism in the sink organs. In
      the present study, we identified complete gene sequences encoding the TAI
      vacuolar invertase in 11 wild and one cultivated tomato accessions of the Solanum
      section Lycopersicon. The average level of interspecific polymorphism in TAI
      genes was 8.58%; however, in the green-fruited tomatoes, the TAI genes contained
      100 times more SNPs than those in the red-fruited accessions. The TAI proteins
      demonstrated 8% variability, whereas the red-fruited species had none. A TAI
      based phylogenetic tree revealed two main clusters containing self-compatible and
      self-incompatible species, which concurs with the previous crossability-based
      division and demonstrates that the TAI genes reflect the evolutionary
      relationships between the red- and green-fruited tomatoes. Furthermore, we
      detected differential expression patterns of the TAI genes in the fruits of wild
      and cultivated tomatoes, which corresponded to sugar composition. The
      polymorphism analysis of the TAI acid invertases of Solanum section Lycopersicon
      species will contribute to the understanding of the genetic potential of TAI
      genes to impact tomato breeding through genetic engineering of the carbohydrate
      composition in the fruit.

PMID- 28634828
TI  - Donation and back-donation analyzed through a charge transfer model based on
      density functional theory.
AB  - The net charge transfer process that occurs between two species, A and B,
      interacting with each other, may be decomposed into two processes: one in which A
      receives charge from B, which can be identified as the electrophilic channel for
      A or the nucleophilic channel for B, and a second in which A donates charge to B,
      which can be identified as the nucleophilic channel for A or the electrophilic
      channel for B. By determining the amount of charge associated with both processes
      through the minimization of the interaction energy associated with each case, the
      expressions for the amount of charge involved in each case can be expressed in
      terms of the directional chemical potentials and the hardnesses of the
      interacting species. The correlation between the charges obtained for the
      interaction between phosphine ligands of the type PRR'R'' and Ni, and the A1
      carbonyl stretching frequency provides support for their interpretation as
      measures of the electrophilicity and nucleophilicity of a chemical species, and,
      at the same time, allows one to describe the donation and back-donation processes
      in terms of the density functional theory of chemical reactivity.

PMID- 28634829
TI  - Potential inhibitory effect of indolizine derivatives on the two enzymes:
      nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase and beta lactamase, a molecular dynamics
      study.
AB  - Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl-transferases (NAMPT) are enzymes that play a role in
      targeting cancer metabolism, while beta lactamases are involved in bacterial
      resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Many protein inhibitors exhibit such
      property which is often correlated with their cellular potency. In order to
      understand such a phenomenon, the present article conducts an analysis of the
      dynamic behavior of complexes formed by the inhibitors, that is indolizine
      derivatives, with the studied enzymes. Both docking and molecular dynamics led to
      identification of their interactions and showed the mechanism of inhibition of
      the two studied enzymes. The differences in the behavior of ligand at the active
      sites of beta lactamases and nicotinamide phosphoribosyl-transferases are
      indicated by structural and enthalpy values.

PMID- 28634830
TI  - The microRNA effector RNA-induced silencing complex in hidradenitis suppurativa:
      a significant dysregulation within active inflammatory lesions.
AB  - Recently, we could show that the expression levels of the key regulators of the
      microRNA (miRNA) maturation and transport were dysregulated in inflamed
      hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) tissue (Heyam et al. in Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA
      6:271-289, 2015). The RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is the central element
      of the miRNA pathway and regulates miRNA formation and function. We investigated
      the expression of the RISC components, namely transactivation-responsive RNA
      binding protein-1 (TRBP1), TRBP2, protein activator (PACT) of the interferon
      induced protein kinase R, Argonaute RISC Catalytic Component-1 (AGO1) and
      Component-2 (AGO2), metadherin, and staphylococcal nuclease and Tudor domain
      containing-1 (SND1) in inflamed HS tissue compared to healthy and psoriatic
      controls by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Expression
      levels of all investigated components were significantly lower in lesional HS
      skin (n = 18) compared to healthy controls (n = 10). TRBP1, PACT, AGO1, AGO2, and
      SND1 expression levels were significantly down-regulated in lesional HS skin
      compared to healthy-appearing perilesional skin (n = 7). TRBP2 and SND1
      expression levels were significantly lower in healthy-appearing perilesional skin
      compared to healthy controls. In lesional HS skin, expression levels of PACT,
      AGO1, and AGO2 were significantly lower compared to psoriatic skin (n = 10). In
      summary, our data showed that all investigated components of RISC are
      dysregulated in the skin of HS patients, providing support for the hypothesis
      that miRNAs may have a pathological role in the inflammatory pathogenesis of HS.

PMID- 28634831
TI  - Malaria 2017: Update on the Clinical Literature and Management.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Malaria is a prevalent disease in travelers to and residents
      of malaria-endemic regions. Health care workers in both endemic and non-endemic
      settings should be familiar with the latest evidence for the diagnosis,
      management and prevention of malaria. This article will discuss the recent
      malaria epidemiologic and medical literature to review the progress, challenges,
      and optimal management of malaria. RECENT FINDINGS: There has been a marked
      decrease in malaria-related global morbidity and mortality secondary to malaria
      control programs over the last few decades. This exciting progress is tempered by
      continued levels of high transmission in some regions, the emergence of
      artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Southeast Asia, and the
      lack of a highly protective malaria vaccine. In the United States (US), the
      number of travelers returning with malaria infection has increased over the past
      few decades. Thus, US health care workers need to maintain expertise in the
      diagnosis and treatment of this infection. The best practices for treatment and
      prevention of malaria need to be continually updated based on emerging data.
      Here, we present an update on the recent literature on malaria epidemiology, drug
      resistance, severe disease, and prevention strategies.

PMID- 28634832
TI  - The fragility of randomized controlled trials in intracranial hemorrhage.
AB  - Fragility of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) has been evaluated using a novel
      metric called fragility index (FI), which measures how many events the
      statistical significance of a dichotomous outcome depends on. This study aimed to
      evaluate the fragility of RCTs in intracranial hemorrhage. Literature search
      (PubMed/Embase) identified all RCTs of intracranial hemorrhage since 2006. The
      overall distribution of FI was evaluated. Subgroup and spearman correlation
      analyses were made to explore potential factors that may affect FI value. All the
      included RCTs were divided into two groups (positive and negative trials)
      according to the statistical significance of selected outcomes. Finally, 47
      positive and 51 negative trials were included. Both the median FI ([2; IQR, 1-4]
      vs. [6; IQR, 4-9], p < 0.001) and the proportion of trials with FI <=1 (2 vs. 18,
      p < 0.001) in positive trials were smaller than negative trials. In subgroup
      comparison within positive trials, sample size ([165; IQR, 87-200] vs. [83; IQR,
      60-120], p = 0.015) and number of events ([35; IQR, 20-72] vs. [24; IQR, 11-32],
      p = 0.015) were higher in subgroup with FI >1 than the subgroup with FI <=1. Weak
      positive correlations were found between FI and sample size and number of events.
      In the field of intracranial hemorrhage, trials reporting significant conclusions
      often depend on a small number of events. Compared to sample size, this
      phenomenon is more likely to be affected by statistical approach and trial
      methodology.

PMID- 28634834
TI  - Acute demyelinating neuropathy associated with rituximab treatment in a patient
      with relapsing nephrotic syndrome.

PMID- 28634833
TI  - A case of renal dysfunction caused by pelvic organ prolapse.
AB  - Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent of pelvic organs through the vagina,
      and sometimes causes hydronephrosis. Although the association between POP and
      hydronephrosis has long been recognized, severe hydronephrosis and renal
      dysfunction are rarely seen. We report a case of 66-year-old woman who had a
      vaginal delivery presented with externalized uterine and bladder prolapse during
      the previous 2 years. She had a 3-day history of hypophagia and vomiting, and
      laboratory analysis resulted in serum creatinine of 5.75 mg/dL and blood urea of
      78.1 mg/dL. The patient was treated urgently with vaginal pessary to return the
      uterine and bladder into the pelvis. After 2 weeks, her serum creatinine dropped
      to 3.66 mg/dL, but chronic renal failure persisted. Hydronephrosis caused by POP
      may lead to renal dysfunction and can advance to irreversible renal damage if
      left untreated. Important is early evaluation of renal function and images of the
      kidney and ureter.

PMID- 28634835
TI  - Impact of mechanical stimulation on the chondrogenic processes in human bone
      marrow aspirates modified to overexpress sox9 via rAAV vectors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evaluation of gene-based approaches to target human bone marrow
      aspirates in conditions of mechanical stimulation that aim at reproducing the
      natural joint environment may allow to develop improved treatments for articular
      cartilage injuries. In the present study, we investigated the potential of rAAV
      mediated sox9 gene transfer to enhance the chondrogenic differentiation processes
      in human bone marrow aspirates under established hydrodynamic conditions compared
      with the more commonly employed static culture conditions. METHODS: Fresh human
      bone marrow aspirates were transduced with rAAV-FLAG-hsox9 (40 MUl) and
      maintained for up to 28 days in chondrogenic medium under mechanically-induced
      conditions in dynamic flow rotating bioreactors that permit tissue growth and
      matrix deposition relative to static culture conditions. The samples were then
      processed to examine the potential effects of sox9 overexpression on the cellular
      activities (matrix synthesis, proliferation) and on the chondrogenic
      differentiation potency compared with control treatments (absence of rAAV vector;
      reporter rAAV-lacZ, rAAV-RFP, and rAAV-luc gene transfer). RESULTS: Prolonged,
      significant sox9 overexpression via rAAV was achieved in the aspirates for at
      least 28 days when applying the rAAV-FLAG-hsox9 construct, leading to higher,
      prolonged levels of matrix biosynthesis and to enhanced chondrogenic activities
      relative to control treatments especially when maintaining the samples under
      mechanical stimulation. Administration of sox9 however did not impact the indices
      of proliferation in the aspirates. Remarkably, sox9 gene transfer also durably
      delayed hypertrophic and osteogenic differentiation in the samples regardless of
      the conditions of culture applied versus control treatments. CONCLUSIONS: The
      current observations show the value of genetically modifying human bone marrow
      aspirates upon mechanical stimulation by rAAV sox9 as a promising strategy for
      future treatments to improve cartilage repair by implantation in lesions where
      the tissue is submitted to natural mechanical forces.

PMID- 28634836
TI  - Test-retest reproducibility of [11C]-L-deprenyl-D2 binding to MAO-B in the human
      brain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: [11C]-L-deprenyl-D2 is a positron emission tomography (PET)
      radioligand for measurement of the monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) activity in vivo
      brain. The estimation of the test-retest reproducibility is important for
      accurate interpretation of PET studies. RESULTS: We performed two [11C]-L
      deprenyl-D2 scans for six healthy subjects and evaluated the test-retest
      variability of this radioligand. MAO-B binding was quantified by two tissue
      compartment model (2TCM) with three rate constants (K 1, k 2, k 3) using
      metabolite-corrected plasma radioactivity. The lambdak 3 defined as (K 1/k 2) * k
      3 was also calculated. The correlation between MAO-B binding and age, and the
      effect of partial volume effect correction (PVEc) for the reproducibility were
      also estimated. %difference of k 3 was 2.6% (medial frontal cortex) to 10.3%
      (hippocampus), and that of lambdak 3 was 5.0% (thalamus) to 9.2% (cerebellum).
      Mean %difference of all regions were 5.3 and 7.0% in k 3 and lambdak 3,
      respectively. All regions showed below 10% variabilities except the hippocampus
      in k 3 (10.3%). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of k 3 was 0.78
      (hippocampus) to 0.98 (medial frontal cortex), and that of lambdak 3 was 0.78
      (hippocampus) to 0.95 (thalamus). Mean ICC were 0.94 and 0.89 in k 3 and lambdak
      3, respectively. The highest positive correlation with age was observed in the
      hippocampus, as r = 0.75 in k 3 and 0.76 in lambdak 3. After PVEc, mean
      %difference were 5.6 and 7.2% in k 3 and lambdak 3, respectively. Mean ICC were
      0.92 and 0.90 for k 3 and lambdak 3, respectively. These values were almost the
      same as those before PVEc. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that k 3 and
      lambdak 3 of [11C]-L-deprenyl-D2 are reliable parameters for test-retest
      reproducibility with healthy subjects both before and after PVEc. The studies
      with patients of larger sample size are required for further clinical
      applications.

PMID- 28634837
TI  - Heterocyclic Quinodimethanes.
AB  - This chapter describes a series of heterocyclic quinodimethanes mainly containing
      O, N, S and Si atoms in their frameworks with either closed- or open-shell
      electronic structures in the ground state. Their syntheses, structural
      characterizations and chemical and physical properties are comprehensively
      reviewed. Some of them are used as materials for dyes/pigments and semiconductors
      for organic electronics. Some of them show an open-shell singlet diradical
      character with unusual properties. The purpose of this chapter is to provide
      fundamental understanding on the structure-property relationships of quinoidal pi
      conjugated compounds and give some insight into the rational design of such
      molecules with desirable properties.

PMID- 28634838
TI  - Superselective Transarterial Chemoembolization as an Alternative to Surgery in
      Symptomatic/Enlarging Liver Hemangiomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transarterial embolization of liver hemangiomas has not been
      considered to be consistently effective. METHODS: The charts of 25 patients who
      underwent superselective transarterial chemoembolization with the bleomycin
      lipiodol emulsion were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients
      had abdominal pain; asymptomatic/vaguely symptomatic enlargement was the
      treatment indication in three patients. A single session was conducted in 17
      patients, two sessions in 7 and three sessions in one. After the first session,
      lesion volume decreased by median (range) 51% (10-92%) from median (range) 634
      (226-8435) to 372(28-4710) cm3 (p < 0.01), after a median period of 4 months
      (range 2-8). A second session was performed in eight patients (median (range)
      initial volume 1276 (441-8435) cm3) with persistent complaints and/or large
      lesions receiving feeders from both right and left hepatic arteries (staged
      treatment). Median (range) lesion size decreased further from 806 (245-4710) to
      464 (159-2150) cm3 (p < 0.01). Three patients experienced a postembolization
      syndrome that persisted after the first week. Seventeen of the 22 symptomatic
      patients (77%) reported resolution or marked amelioration of complaints. Regrowth
      after initial regression was not observed during median (range) 14 (8-39) months
      of follow-up (n:18). CONCLUSION: Transarterial chemoembolization with the
      bleomycin-lipiodol emulsion is a potential alternative to surgery for
      symptomatic/enlarging liver hemangiomas. Volume reduction is universal, and
      symptom control is satisfactory. Centrally located and very large (>1000 cm3)
      lesions may require two sessions.

PMID- 28634839
TI  - Outcomes of Kidney Donors over 60 Years Old: A Single-Center Cohort Study.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate outcomes and post-donation kidney function of older living
      kidney donors (LKD). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospective database
      including all consecutive LKD undergoing laparoscopic nephrectomy in a single
      center (09/1998-12/2013). LKD aged >=60 years were compared to younger LKD. Renal
      function assessed by creatinine levels and estimated glomerular filtration rates
      (eGFR). Surgical complications classified according to the Clavien-Dindo
      classification. Bivariate and multivariate analyses using linear mixed effect
      models were performed to determine factors (age, gender, hypertension status,
      BMI, choice of better functioning kidney for donation) that might impinge on
      renal function after donation. RESULTS: 213 LKD were identified: 49 older (median
      age: 66 years, range: 60-79) and 164 younger (median age: 46, range: 25-59). Mean
      operative time (149 vs. 152 min, p = 0.69), conversion to laparotomy (n = 1 vs.
      3, p = 0.92), grade III-IV complications (n = 4 vs. 2, p = 0.36) were similar.
      Older had more grade I-II complications (n = 18 vs. 4, p < 0.001). Despite
      similar pre-donation eGFR (80 vs. 84 ml/min/1.73 m2), older donors presented
      significantly lower eGFR during inpatient period (46 vs. 51 ml/min/1.73 m2, p =
      0.0003), at 1 month (51 vs. 58 ml/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.002) and at 1 year (54 vs.
      62 ml/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis adjusted to gender,
      hypertension status, BMI and choice of better functioning kidney for donation
      showed that at 1 year, age >=60 affected renal function by a coefficient of 0.91
      (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite renal function improvement after discharge, LKD
      >= 60 years presented lower eGFR than younger at one year and had more grade I-II
      surgical complications.

PMID- 28634840
TI  - Self-Inflicted Abdominal Stab Wounds Have a Higher Rate of Non-therapeutic
      Laparotomy/Laparoscopy and a Lower Risk of Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The profile and management of self-inflicted abdominal stab wounds
      (SI-ASW) patients is still obscure. METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank (2012)
      was queried for adults with abdominal stab wounds (n = 9544). Patients with SI
      ASW (n = 1724) and non-SI-ASW (n = 7820) were compared. Predictors for non
      therapeutic laparotomy/laparoscopy (non-TL) in SI-ASW patients were identified.
      RESULTS: SI-ASW patients were older, had more females and behavioral disorders,
      similar physiology, but a lower Injury Severity Score. They had more laparotomies
      overall (54 versus 48%, p < 0.0001) and more non-TL (42 versus 32%, p < 0.0001),
      but less injuries (43 versus 53%, p < 0.0001), although peritoneal violation rate
      was similar. Complications and mortality were similar. In the SI-ASW cohort, non
      TL patients were more likely to be female and younger, and to have Glasgow Coma
      Scale (GCS) >=13 and a higher systolic blood pressure. History of psychiatric,
      drug and alcohol disorders was associated with SI-ASW, but did not independently
      predict the need for treatment in adjusted models. CONCLUSION: Patients with SI
      ASW underwent more non-TL than patients with non-SI-ASW. Female gender, younger
      age, and a higher GCS and systolic blood pressure predicted non-TL in this group.

PMID- 28634841
TI  - Patient-Related Risk Factors for Postoperative Infection After Cholecystectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The impact of patient-related risk factors on the incidence of
      postoperative infection after cholecystectomy is relatively unknown. AIM: The aim
      of this study was to explore potential patient-related risk factors for surgical
      site infection (SSI) and septicaemia following cholecystectomy. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: All cholecystectomies registered in the Swedish national population
      based register for Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde
      Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks) 2006-2014 were identified. The study cohort
      was cross-matched with the Swedish National Patient Register in order to obtain
      data on patient history and postoperative infections. Simple and multiple
      logistic regression analyses were performed in order to assess the impact of
      various comorbidities on the risk for SSI and septicaemia. RESULTS: A total of
      94,557 procedures were registered. A SSI was seen following 5300 procedures
      (5.6%), and septicaemia following 661 procedures (0.7%). There was a
      significantly increased risk for SSI in patients with connective tissue disease
      (odds ratio [OR] 1.404, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.208-1.633), complicated
      diabetes (OR 1.435, CI 1.205-1.708), uncomplicated diabetes (OR 1.391, CI 1.264
      1.530), chronic kidney disease (OR 1.788, CI 1.458-2.192), cirrhosis (OR 1.764,
      CI 1.268-2.454) and obesity (OR 1.630, CI 1.475-1.802). There was a significantly
      higher risk for septicaemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (OR 3.065, CI
      2.120-4.430) or cirrhosis (OR 5.016, CI 3.019-8.336). CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION:
      Certain comorbidities have an impact on the risk for postoperative infection
      after cholecystectomy, especially SSI. This should be taken into account when
      planning the procedure and when deciding on prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

PMID- 28634843
TI  - Primary Recurrence in the Lung is Related to Favorable Prognosis in Patients with
      Pancreatic Cancer and Postoperative Recurrence.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The pattern of recurrence affects the clinical outcome in tumor
      patients. However, the clinical significance of lung metastasis as the primary
      recurrence site after resection in patients with pancreatic cancer remains
      unclear. This study aimed to clarify the clinical significance of the primary
      recurrence site in patients with pancreatic cancer, in terms of prognosis and
      clinicopathological features. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included
      220 patients with postoperative recurrence after pancreatectomy for pancreatic
      cancer and classified by primary site of recurrence. We focused on patients with
      lung metastasis as the primary recurrence and investigated its correlation with
      prognosis and clinicopathological factors. RESULTS: Twenty-four (11%) patients
      had lung metastasis as the primary recurrence. This recurrence pattern had the
      best prognosis among all recurrence patterns, including liver metastasis and
      local recurrence. Patients with lung metastasis as the primary recurrence had
      favorable overall survival and survival from the date of recurrence compared with
      patients with other primary recurrence sites in both univariate (P = 0.0008 and P
      = 0.0005) and multivariate analyses (P = 0.0051 and P = 0.0068). In terms of
      clinicopathological features of resected pancreatic tumors, lung metastasis as
      the primary recurrence was associated with lower tumor stage and histologic
      grade, and less vascular invasion and residual tumor volume than liver
      metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic cancer patients with lung metastasis as the
      primary recurrence after pancreatectomy have a better prognosis than those with
      other recurrence patterns.

PMID- 28634842
TI  - Evaluation of Open and Minimally Invasive Adrenalectomy: A Systematic Review and
      Network Meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adrenalectomy can be performed via open and various minimally
      invasive approaches. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the
      current evidence on surgical techniques of adrenalectomy. METHODS: Systematic
      literature searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) were
      conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical
      trials (CCTs) comparing at least two surgical procedures for adrenalectomy.
      Statistical analyses were performed, and meta-analyses were conducted.
      Furthermore, an indirect comparison of RCTs and a network meta-analysis of CCTs
      were carried out for each outcome. RESULTS: Twenty-six trials (1710 patients)
      were included. Postoperative complication rates did not show differences for open
      and minimally invasive techniques. Operation time was significantly shorter for
      open adrenalectomy than for the robotic approach (p < 0.001). No differences were
      found between laparoscopic and robotic approaches. Network meta-analysis showed
      open adrenalectomy to be the fastest technique. Blood loss was significantly
      reduced in the robotic arm compared with open and laparoscopic adrenalectomy (p =
      0.01). Length of hospital stay (LOS) was significantly lower after conventional
      laparoscopy than open adrenalectomy in CCTs (p < 0.001). Furthermore, both
      retroperitoneoscopic (p < 0.001) and robotic access (p < 0.001) led to another
      significant reduction of LOS compared with conventional laparoscopy. This
      difference was not consistent in RCTs. Network meta-analysis revealed the lowest
      LOS after retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive
      adrenalectomy is safe and should be preferred over open adrenalectomy due to
      shorter LOS, lower blood loss, and equivalent complication rates. The
      retroperitoneoscopic access features the shortest LOS and operating time. Further
      high-quality RCTs are warranted, especially to compare the posterior
      retroperitoneoscopic and the transperitoneal robotic approach.

PMID- 28634844
TI  - Thrombospondin-1 Production Regulates the Inflammatory Cytokine Secretion in THP
      1 Cells Through NF-kappaB Signaling Pathway.
AB  - Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is upregulated in several inflammatory diseases. Recent
      data have shown that macrophages from TSP-1-deficient mice have a reduced
      inflammatory phenotype, suggesting that TSP-1 plays a part in macrophage
      activation. DNA microarray approach revealed that Porphyromonas gingivalis
      lipopolysaccharide (P. gingivalis LPS) may induce the enhanced TSP-1 expression
      in human monocytes, suggesting a role of TSP-1-mediated pathogenesis in
      periodontitis. Until recently, the function of TSP-1 has been a matter of debate.
      In this study, we explored the role of TSP-1 in inflammatory cytokine secretions
      and its putative mechanism in pathogenesis of periodontitis. We demonstrated that
      TSP-1 expression was significantly upregulated in gingival tissues with
      periodontitis and in P. gingivalis LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. Deficiency of TSP
      1 by transfecting siRNAs decreased IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha secretions in
      THP-1 cells, whereas overexpression of TSP-1 resulted in an upregulation of IL-6,
      IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha productions. Additional experiments showed that
      Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) inhibited IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha
      expression induced by overexpression of TSP-1, accompanying with downregulation
      of phosphorylated p65 and IkappaBalpha protein levels in response to P.
      gingivalis LPS. These results indicated that TSP-1 played a significant role in
      P. gingivalis LPS-initiated inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1beta, and TNF
      alpha) secretions of THP-1 cells, and the NF-kappaB signaling is involved in its
      induction of expression. Thus, TSP-1 effectively elevated P. gingivalis LPS
      induced inflammation mediated by the NF-kappaB pathway and may be critical for
      pathology of periodontitis.

PMID- 28634845
TI  - Histomorphometric and immunohistochemical evaluation of collagen containing
      xenogeneic bone blocks used for lateral bone augmentation in staged implant
      placement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The osteoconductive properties of collagen containing xenogeneic bone
      blocks (CCXBB) remain unclear. The aim of this prospective single-arm clinical
      study was to assess the histological outcomes of CCXBB blocks used as bone
      replacement grafts for lateral bone augmentation procedures. METHODS: In 15
      patients with severe horizontal alveolar ridge resorption, lateral augmentation
      procedures were performed using CCXBB as bone replacement grafts. Twenty-six
      weeks postoperatively, a re-entry procedure was performed to evaluate the bone
      width for adequate implant placement and two histological specimens were
      retrieved from each patient, one being processed for ground sectioning and the
      other for decalcified paraffin-included sections. In non-decalcified sections,
      the relative proportions occupied by bone, biomaterials, and connective tissue
      present in the biopsies were identified. In de-calcified sections, structures and
      cells positive for osteopontin (OPN), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase
      activity (TRAP), osteocalcin (OSC), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed.
      RESULTS: Soft tissue dehiscence occurred during the follow-up in 5 out of 15
      patients (33.3%). The mean crest width at baseline was 2.78 mm (SD 0.57) and the
      mean crest width at re-entry was 6.90 mm (SD 1.22), with a mean ridge width
      increase of 4.12 mm (SD 1.32). Twenty-six bone biopsies were obtained from 13
      patients. Histomorphometric analysis showed a mean of 26.90% (SD 12.21) of
      mineralized vital bone (MVB), 21.37% (SD 7.36) of residual CCXBB, 47.13% (SD
      19.15) of non-mineralized tissue, and 0.92% of DBBM. The immunohistochemical
      analysis revealed a large number of OPN-positive cells 8.12% (SD 4.73), a lower
      proportion of TRAP positive multinuclear cells 5.09% (SD 4.91), OSC-positive
      cells 4.09% (SD 4.34), and a limited amount of ALP positive cells 1.63% (SD 2).
      CONCLUSIONS: CCXBB achieved significant horizontal crestal width allowing for
      staged implant placement in most of the patients. In light of the histological
      outcomes and implant failures, special attention must be placed to prevent soft
      tissue dehiscence when CCXBB is used in severe atrophic alveolar crests.

PMID- 28634846
TI  - Lipid accumulation and metabolic analysis based on transcriptome sequencing of
      filamentous oleaginous microalgae Tribonema minus at different growth phases.
AB  - Filamentous oleaginous microalgae specie Tribonema minus is a promising feedstock
      for biodiesel production. However, the metabolic mechanism of lipid production in
      this filamentous microalgal specie remains unclear. Here, we compared the lipid
      accumulation of T. minus at different growth phases, and described the de novo
      transcriptome sequencing and assembly and identified important pathways and genes
      involved in TAG production. Total lipid increased by 2.5-fold and its TAG level
      in total lipid reached 81.1% at stationary phase. Using the genes involved in the
      lipid metabolism, the TAG biosynthesis pathways were generated. Moreover, results
      also demonstrated that, in addition to the observed overexpression of the fatty
      acid synthesis pathway, TAG production at stationary growth phase was bolstered
      by repression of the beta-oxidation pathway, up-regulation of genes that funnels
      acetyl-CoA to lipid biosynthesis, especially gene encoding for
      phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) which funnels DAG to TAG
      biosynthesis.

PMID- 28634847
TI  - Carbon nanotubes embedded in embryoid bodies direct cardiac differentiation.
AB  - We embedded carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in mouse embryoid bodies (EBs) for modulating
      mechanical and electrical cues of the stem cell niche. The CNTs increased the
      mechanical integrity and electrical conductivity of the EBs. Measured currents
      for the unmodified EBs (hereafter, EBs) and the EBs-0.25 mg/mL CNTs were 0.79 and
      26.3 mA, respectively, at voltage of 5 V. The EBs had a Young's modulus of 20.9
      +/- 6.5 kPa, whereas the Young's modulus of the EB-0.1 mg/mL CNTs was 35.2 +/-
      5.6 kPa. The EB-CNTs also showed lower proliferation and greater differentiation
      rates compared with the EBs as determined by the expression of pluripotency genes
      and the analysis of EB sizes. Interestingly, the cardiac differentiation of the
      EB-CNTs was significantly greater than that of the EBs, as confirmed by high
      throughput gene analysis at day 5 of culture. Applying electrical stimulation to
      the EB-CNTs specifically enhanced the cardiac differentiation and beating
      activity of the EBs.

PMID- 28634848
TI  - Erratum to: Towards novel Cry toxins with enhanced toxicity/broader: a new
      chimeric Cry4Ba / Cry1Ac toxin.

PMID- 28634849
TI  - Characterization of new recombinant 3-ketosteroid-Delta1-dehydrogenases for the
      biotransformation of steroids.
AB  - 3-Ketosteroid-Delta1-dehydrogenases (KstDs [EC 1.3.99.4]) catalyze the Delta1
      dehydrogenation of steroids and are a class of important enzymes for steroid
      biotransformations. In this study, we cloned 12 putative KstD-encoding (kstd)
      genes from both fungal and Gram-positive microorganisms and attempted to
      overproduce the recombinant proteins in E. coli BL21(DE3). Five successful
      recombinant enzymes catalyzed the Delta1-desaturation of a variety of steroidal
      compounds such as 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD), 9alpha-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17
      dione (9-OH-AD), hydrocortisone, cortisone, and cortexolone. However, the
      substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency of the enzymes differ depending on
      their sources. The purified KstD from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 (MsKstD1)
      displayed high catalytic efficiency toward hydrocortisone, progesterone, and 9-OH
      AD, where it had the highest affinity (K m 36.9 +/- 4.6 MUM) toward 9-OH-AD. On
      the other hand, the KstD from Rhodococcus erythropolis WY 1406 (ReKstD) exhibited
      high catalytic efficiency toward androst-4,9(11)-diene-3,17-dione (Diene), 21
      acetoxy-pregna-4,9(11),16-triene-3,20-dione (Triene), and cortexolone, where in
      all three cases the K m values (12.3 to 17.8 MUM) were 2.5-4-fold lower than that
      toward hydrocortisone (46.3 MUM). For both enzymes, AD was a good substrate
      although ReKstD had a 3-fold higher affinity than MsKstD1. Reaction conditions
      were optimized for the biotransformation of AD or hydrocortisone in terms of pH,
      temperature, and effects of hydrogen peroxide, solvent, and electron acceptor.
      For the biotransformation of hydrocortisone with 20 g/L wet resting E. coli cells
      harboring MsKstD1 enzyme, the yield of prednisolone was about 90% within 3 h at
      the substrate concentration of 6 g/L, demonstrating the application potential of
      the newly cloned KstDs.

PMID- 28634850
TI  - Novel vitamin B12-producing Enterococcus spp. and preliminary in vitro evaluation
      of probiotic potentials.
AB  - Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient required for crucial metabolic processes in
      humans. Vitamin B12-producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been attracting
      increased attentions currently because of the generally recognized as safe (GRAS)
      status. Most of recent studies focused on Lactobacillus, and little is known
      about B12-producing Enterococcus. In the present study, five Enterococcus strains
      isolated from infant feces were identified as vitamin B12 producers. Among them,
      Enterococcus faecium LZ86 had the highest B12 production (499.8 +/- 83.7 MUg/L),
      and the B12 compound from LZ86 was identified as the biological active
      adenosylcobalamin, using reversed phase high-performance liquid (RP-HPLC)
      chromatogram. We examined basic probiotic and safety properties of E. faecium
      LZ86 and found that it was able to survive harsh environmental conditions (hot
      temperature, cold temperature, ethanol and osmotic stresses), tolerate gastric
      acid (pH 2.0, 3 h) and bile salts (0.3%), and adhere to Caco-2 cells. We also
      showed that E. faecium LZ86 is devoid of transferable antibiotic resistance and
      potential virulence factors. Together, here we report a B12-producing E. faecium
      strain LZ86 firstly, which has desirable probiotic properties and may serve as a
      good candidate for vitamin B12 fortification in food industry.

PMID- 28634851
TI  - Multi-step biocatalytic depolymerization of lignin.
AB  - Lignin is a biomass-derived aromatic polymer that has been identified as a
      potential renewable source of aromatic chemicals and other valuable compounds.
      The valorization of lignin, however, represents a great challenge due to its high
      inherent functionalization, what compromises the identification of chemical
      routes for its selective depolymerization. In this work, an in vitro biocatalytic
      depolymerization process is presented, that was applied to lignin samples
      obtained from beech wood through OrganoCat pretreatment, resulting in a mixture
      of lignin-derived aromatic monomers. The reported biocracking route comprises
      first a laccase-mediator system to specifically oxidize the Calpha hydroxyl group
      in the beta-O-4 structure of lignin. Subsequently, selective beta-O-4 ether
      cleavage of the oxidized beta-O-4 linkages is achieved with beta-etherases and a
      glutathione lyase. The combined enzymatic approach yielded an oily fraction of
      low-molecular-mass aromatic compounds, comprising coniferylaldehyde and other
      guaiacyl and syringyl units, as well as some larger (soluble) fractions. Upon
      further optimization, the reported biocatalytic route may open a valuable
      approach for lignin processing and valorization under mild reaction conditions.

PMID- 28634852
TI  - Incidence of prolonged QTc and severe hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes: the
      EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study.
AB  - AIMS: To assess the independent role of severe hypoglycemia on 7-year cumulative
      incidence of prolonged QTc in a large cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes.
      METHODS: People with type 1 diabetes recruited by the EURODIAB Prospective
      Complications Study who had normal QTc were examined at baseline and after 7
      years with standardized methods (n = 1415; mean age +/- SD 32.1 +/- 9.6 years;
      diabetes duration 14.2 +/- 8.8 years). Hypoglycemic episodes were assessed by a
      questionnaire. QTc was calculated according to Bazett's formula. In logistic
      regression analysis, we examined the role of severe hypoglycemia (none, 1-2, or 3
      and more episodes/year) on the cumulative incidence of prolonged QTc,
      independently of age, sex, HbA1c, blood pressure, BMI, physical activity, distal
      symmetrical and autonomic neuropathy. RESULTS: In total, 264/1415 (17%) patients
      had incident prolonged QTc. Compared to those with persistently normal QTc, a
      greater proportion of incident cases had 3 and more hypoglycemic episodes at
      baseline (16.3 vs 11.2%, p = 0.03) and after 7 years (15.2 vs 9.6%, p = 0.01). In
      logistic regression analysis, 3 or more episodes of severe hypoglycemia at
      baseline did not increase cumulative incidence of prolonged QTc (OR 1.34, 95% CI
      0.88-2.03). By contrast, severe hypoglycemia at the follow-up examination was
      associated with higher incidence of QTc prolongation (OR 1.68, 1.09-2.58), which
      reverted to not significant after adjustment for diabetic neuropathy.
      CONCLUSIONS: Severe hypoglycemia was not associated with incidence QTc
      prolongation in type 1 diabetic patients from the EURODIAB PCS.

PMID- 28634853
TI  - Chloroplast aggregation during the cold-positioning response in the liverwort
      Marchantia polymorpha.
AB  - Under low-light conditions, chloroplasts localize along periclinal cell walls at
      temperatures near 20  degrees C, but they localize along anticlinal cell walls
      near 5  degrees C. This phenomenon is known as the cold-positioning response. We
      previously showed that chloroplasts move as aggregates rather than individually
      during the cold-positioning response in the fern Adiantum capillus-veneris. This
      observation suggested that chloroplasts physically interact with each other
      during the cold-positioning response. However, the physiological processes
      underlying chloroplast aggregation are unclear. In this report, we characterized
      chloroplast aggregation during the cold-positioning response in the liverwort
      Marchantia polymorpha. Confocal laser microscopy observations of transgenic
      liverwort plants expressing a fluorescent fusion protein that localizes to the
      chloroplast outer envelope membrane (OEP7-Citrine) showed that neighboring
      chloroplast membranes did not fuse during the cold-positioning response.
      Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that a distance of at least 10
      nm was maintained between neighboring chloroplasts during aggregation. These
      results indicate that aggregated chloroplasts do not fuse, but maintain a
      distance of at least 10 nm from each other during the cold-positioning response.

PMID- 28634854
TI  - MicroRNAs associated with inflammation in shoulder tendinopathy and glenohumeral
      arthritis.
AB  - Inflammation is associated with glenohumeral arthritis and rotator cuff tendon
      tears. Epigenetically, miRNAs tightly regulate various genes involved in the
      inflammatory response. Alterations in the expression profile of miRNAs and the
      elucidation of their target genes with respect to the pathophysiology could
      improve the understanding of their regulatory role and therapeutic potential.
      Here, we screened key miRNAs that mediate inflammation and linked with JAK2/STAT3
      pathway with respect to the coincidence of glenohumeral arthritis in patients
      suffering from rotator cuff injury (RCI). Human resected long head of the biceps
      tendons were examined for miRNA profile from two groups of patients: Group 1
      included the patients with glenohumeral arthritis and massive rotator cuff tears
      and the Group 2 patients did not have arthritis or rotator cuff tears. The miRNA
      profiling revealed that 235 miRNAs were highly altered (fold change less than -3
      and greater than +2 were considered). Data from the NetworkAnalyst program
      revealed the involvement and interaction between 3,430 different genes associated
      with inflammation out of which 284 genes were associated with JAK2/STAT3 pathway
      and interconnect 120 different pathways of inflammation. Around 1,500 miRNAs were
      found to play regulatory role associated with these genes of inflammatory
      responses and 77 miRNAs were found to regulate more than 10 genes. Among them, 25
      genes with less than tenfold change were taken to consideration which altogether
      constitute for the regulation of 102 genes. Targeting these miRNAs and the
      underlying regulatory mechanisms may advance our knowledge to develop promising
      therapies in the management of shoulder tendon pathology.

PMID- 28634855
TI  - Alpha linolenic acid decreases apoptosis and oxidized phospholipids in
      cardiomyocytes during ischemia/reperfusion.
AB  - The omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid (ALA) found in plant-derived foods
      induces significant cardiovascular benefits when ingested. ALA may be
      cardioprotective during ischemia; however, the mechanism(s) responsible for this
      effect is unknown. Isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes were exposed to medium
      containing ALA for 24 h and then exposed to non-ischemic (control), simulated
      ischemia (ISCH), or simulated ischemia/reperfusion (IR) conditions. Cardiomyocyte
      phospholipids were extracted and analyzed by an HPLC/electrospray ionization
      tandem mass spectrometry system. Pre-treatment of cells with ALA resulted in a
      significant incorporation of ALA within cardiomyocyte phosphatidylcholine. Cell
      death, DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity increased during ischemia and
      ischemia/reperfusion. Two pro-apoptotic oxidized phosphatidylcholine (OxPC)
      species, 1-palmitoyl-2-(5'-oxo-valeroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POVPC), and
      1-palmitoyl-2-glutaroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PGPC) were significantly
      increased during both ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion. Pre-treatment of the
      cells with ALA resulted in a significant reduction in cell death during ischemia
      and ischemia/reperfusion challenge. Apoptosis was also inhibited during ischemia
      and ischemia/reperfusion as shown by reduced DNA fragmentation and decreased
      caspase activation. ALA pre-treatment significantly decreased the production of
      POVPC and PGPC during ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion. ALA pre-treatment also
      significantly increased in resting Ca2+ during ischemia or ischemia/reperfusion
      but did not improve Ca2+ transients. ALA protects the cardiomyocyte from
      apoptotic cell death during simulated ISCH and IR by inhibiting the production of
      specific pro-apoptotic OxPC species. OxPCs represent a viable interventional
      target to protect the heart during ischemic challenge.

PMID- 28634857
TI  - Computational Modelling of Cancer Development and Growth: Modelling at Multiple
      Scales and Multiscale Modelling.
AB  - In this paper, we present two mathematical models related to different aspects
      and scales of cancer growth. The first model is a stochastic spatiotemporal model
      of both a synthetic gene regulatory network (the example of a three-gene
      repressilator is given) and an actual gene regulatory network, the NF-[Formula:
      see text]B pathway. The second model is a force-based individual-based model of
      the development of a solid avascular tumour with specific application to tumour
      cords, i.e. a mass of cancer cells growing around a central blood vessel. In each
      case, we compare our computational simulation results with experimental data. In
      the final discussion section, we outline how to take the work forward through the
      development of a multiscale model focussed at the cell level. This would
      incorporate key intracellular signalling pathways associated with cancer within
      each cell (e.g. p53-Mdm2, NF-[Formula: see text]B) and through the use of high
      performance computing be capable of simulating up to [Formula: see text] cells,
      i.e. the tissue scale. In this way, mathematical models at multiple scales would
      be combined to formulate a multiscale computational model.

PMID- 28634856
TI  - Estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphism and vascular complications in girls
      with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The effect of estrogens is mediated by activation of estrogen receptors (ERs).
      Because ER-alpha gene polymorphisms may exert different effects in childhood, we
      analyzed the associations between the IVS1 -397T>C (PvuII) polymorphism and
      systemic inflammatory state, proangiogenic factors, frequency of monocyte
      subsets, lipid profile, blood pressure, and vascular complications in girls with
      type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1). We examined 180 young girls with DM1 and 120
      healthy age-matched controls. The analysis concerned PvuII polymorphism of the ER
      alpha gene as well as the levels of serum inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF
      alpha), proangiogenic factors (VEGF, angiogenin), 17beta-estradiol, values of
      monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16- and CD14+CD16+), lipid profile, and blood pressure.
      In our study, girls with CC genotype had lower level of inflammatory and
      angiogenic factors and lower frequencies of CD14+CD16+ monocytes in comparison to
      CT or TT carriers. Simultaneously, the CC carriers had a greater population of
      CD14++CD16- monocytes, increased blood pressure, and serum levels of: estrogen,
      total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than
      girls bearing CT or TT genotype. Our study suggests a pleiotropic effect of PvuII
      polymorphic CC variant on diabetic vasculopathies. Although the CC genotype
      carriers demonstrate less inflammatory and angiogenic activity, they seem to
      display less favorable cardiometabolic features. Based on our study, we cannot
      distinguish PvuII ER-alpha genotype that could be useful in identification of DM1
      girls that are more prone to develop of late vascular complications, before the
      occurrence of first clinical symptoms.

PMID- 28634858
TI  - Distal pain and carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis among cashiers: a longitudinal
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate in a longitudinal study the yearly incidence of carpal
      tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a cohort of women working as cashiers. METHOD: A total
      of 198 cashiers, belonging to a cohort investigated in 2011-2012 for arm pain,
      were screened for re-assessment in 2015 (at least 40 months from the first
      examination), and 156 women had complete demographic, personal and working data
      allowing to be included in this study. On the basis of self- and clinician
      administered questionnaires investigating the presence of CTS, all symptomatic
      patients underwent clinical and neurophysiological [nerve conduction studies
      (NCS) of median and ulnar nerves] assessments. RESULTS: NCS confirmed the
      presence of CTS in 17 out of 149 workers; however, seven of them already received
      the diagnosis of CTS at the previous assessment in 2011-2012, leading to an
      overall incidence of new cases equal to 7.0%. Cumulative working time at the
      cashier of the women with CTS in the period 2012-2015 was highly variable (1744
      4479 h) without an evident association with the severity of CTS. No differences
      in general demographic data were found in the women with vs. without CTS.
      Comorbidities potentially associated with increased risk of CTS were present in
      21 women in the entire cohort (14.0% of the population, 40.0% in the subgroup of
      women with newly assessed CTS). Overweight/obesity and hypothyroidism were the
      most frequent comorbidities. CONCLUSION: The results of this prospective study
      showed that the annualized incidence of CTS in our population of cashier was
      2.0%; 40% of the new CTS cases had comorbidities.

PMID- 28634859
TI  - Erratum to: Erythropoietin Rescues Memory Impairment in a Rat Model of Chronic
      Cerebral Hypoperfusion via the EPO-R/JAK2/STAT5/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3beta Pathway.

PMID- 28634861
TI  - Retraction Note to: The Critical Role of SRPK1 in EMT of Human Glioblastoma in
      the Spinal Cord.

PMID- 28634860
TI  - Molecular Chaperone Hsp70 and Its Constitutively Active Form Hsc70 Play an
      Indispensable Role During Eye Development of Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - In the present study, we demonstrate that molecular chaperone Hsp70 and Hsc70 is
      essential for normal organization and development of ommatidial cells in
      Drosophila melanogaster eye. An exogenously expressed dominant negative mutant of
      Hsp70 (K71E) and Hsc70.4 (K71S and D206S) in an eye-specific manner resulted in
      eye degeneration that includes loss of eye pigment, disorganized ommatidia,
      abnormality in bristle cell arrangement and reduction in the eye size. The
      developmental organization of ommatidial cells (cone, photoreceptor, pigment, and
      bristle cell complex) was disturbed in Hsp70 and Hsc70 mutants. Acridine orange
      (AO) and caspase 3 staining showed an increased cell death in Hsp70 and Hsc70
      mutant eyes. Genetic interaction study of Hsp70 and Hsc70 mutants with candidate
      genes of JNK signaling pathway and immunocytochemistry study using phospho-JNK
      antibody suggested that mutation in Hsp70 and Hsc70 results in ectopic activation
      of JNK signaling in fly eye. Further, anti-PH3 staining in Hsp70 and Hsc70 mutant
      eyes revealed a reduced number of mitotic cells in second mitotic wave (SMW) of
      developing eye and anti-Rh1 staining showed reduced Rh1 expression, accumulation
      of Rh1 in the cytoplasm, and rhabdomere degeneration. Thus, on the basis of
      results, it was concluded that molecular chaperone Hsp70 and Hsc70 play an
      indispensable role during Drosophila eye development.

PMID- 28634862
TI  - Effect of GAPT extract on expression of tau protein and its phosphorylation
      related enzymes in hippocampal neurons of APPV717I transgenic mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of GAPT, an extract mixture from Radix
      Ginseng, Rhizoma Acor tatarinowii, Radix Polygalae and Radix Curcuma (containing
      ingredient of turmeric), etc. on expression of tau protein and its
      phosphorylation related enzyme in hippocampal neurons of APPV717I transgenic
      mice. METHODS: Sixty three-month-old APPV717I transgenic mice were randomly
      divided into model group, donepezil group [0.92 mg/(kg*d)], the low, medium and
      high dosage of GAPT groups [0.075, 0.15, 0.30 g/(kg*d), 12 in each group], and 12
      three-month-old C57BL/6J mice were set as a normal control group, treatments were
      administered orally once a day respectively, and both the normal group and model
      group were given 0.5% sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution.
      Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot analysis were used to detect the
      expression of total tau protein (Tau-5), cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and
      protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in hippocampal neurons of experimental mice after 8
      month drug administration (11 months old). RESULTS: In the model group, the
      expression of Tau-5 and CDK5 were increased, whereas the expression of PP2A was
      decreased in hippocampal neurons, which were signifificantly different compared
      with that in the normal group (all P<0.01). IHC test indicated the number and
      area of either Tau-5 or CDK5 positive cells were decreased with a dose-depended
      way in GAPT groups, and an increase of PP2A. Compared with the model group, the
      changes were signifificant in GAPT groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Similar results
      were shown by Western blot. CONCLUSION: GAPT could attenuate abnormal
      hyperphosphorylation of tau protein in hippocampal neurons of APPV717I transgenic
      mice via inhibiting the expression of CDK5 and activating the expression of PP2A.

PMID- 28634864
TI  - Diagnostic Indicators for Blood Stasis Syndrome Patients with Gynaecological
      Diseases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the important diagnostic indicators for blood stasis
      syndrome (BSS) in patients of childbearing age with gynaecological diseases.
      METHODS: A partial least squared-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were applied to
      BSS symptoms data of patients with gynaecological diseases, and the diagnostic
      indicators used by doctors of Korean medicine (DKMs) among BSS patients with
      gynaecological diseases were also investigated. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients
      of childbearing age with gynaecological diseases and 40 healthy controls were
      enrolled. Among the 103 patients, 63 (61.7%) and 40 (38.8%) were diagnosed with
      BSS and non-BSS, respectively, and BSS patients exhibited a more severe extent of
      disease. A score plot of PLS-DA showed clearly different patterns among the 3
      groups. Based on the variable importance on projection of PLS-DA model, menstrual
      pains, dark lumps in the menstrual blood, ileocoecal tenderness and resistance,
      sharp pains, and sublingual varicosities were selected as the top five most
      important indicators. Moreover, more than 75% of DKMs chose dark lumps in
      menstrual blood, menstrual pain, and dark menstrual blood as the diagnostic
      indicators of BSS in patients with gynaecological diseases, and more than 49% of
      them also considered sharp pains, dark red tongue, sublingual varicosities, and
      tendency to bruise easily as diagnostic indicators of BSS. CONCLUSION: DKMs
      focused on menstrual symptoms and certain gynaecological symptoms to diagnose BSS
      patients of childbearing age with female diseases.

PMID- 28634863
TI  - High-Tech Acupuncture for Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases-A Sino-Austrian
      Cooperation Research Protocol on Heart Rate Variability.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acupuncture can not only be used for well-known diseases, but also
      for so-called modern lifestyle-related diseases. Using innovative methods like
      e.g. new analyses of heart rate variability (HRV), it is also possible to
      investigate diseases like burnout syndrome, ie., qi deficiency in Chinese
      medicine (CM). OBJECTIVE: The main object of this research protocol is to perform
      research on the relationship of burnout syndrome and heart rate (HR) and HRV.
      METHODS: A total of 175 patients with burnout syndrome (qi deficiency syndrome)
      in five groups and 35 healthy volunteers will be investigated. Based on random
      numbers generated by computer and concealed in opaque envelops, the patients will
      be assigned to four acupuncture groups using Zusanli (ST 36) acupuncture
      stimulation, Guanyuan (CV4) acupuncture stimulation, both points, and both points
      with Streitberger device respectively, and a moxibustion group using both points
      mentioned above, with 35 cases in each group. Altogether four different
      experiments are planned. Experiment 1 includes 70 subjects and is a comparison
      between a burnout group and a control group (healthy volunteers). The evaluation
      parameters are different scores and indices of HR and HRV. Experiment 2 includes
      140 subjects and compares the efficacy of different acupuncture points. In
      experiment 3 (105 subjects), acupuncture and moxibustion should be compared to
      healthy volunteers. Experiment 4 (70 subjects) investigates the long-term
      therapeutic effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on the scores of qi deficiency
      and HR/HRV in qi deficiency patients. In both the acupuncture and moxibustion
      groups, a total of 10 treatments will be performed. CONCLUSIONS: The joint
      research aims at the scientific evaluation of CM, mainly in the field of HRV.
      This parameter could be a very good indicator of the state of health and can be
      inflfluenced by different acupuncture methods, as shown in the past.

PMID- 28634865
TI  - Dynamics of tobacco DNA topoisomerases II in cell cycle regulation: to manage
      topological constrains during replication, transcription and mitotic chromosome
      condensation and segregation.
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: The topoisomerase II expression varies as a function of cell
      proliferation. Maximal topoisomerase II expression was tightly coupled to S phase
      and G2/M phase via both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation.
      Investigation in meiosis using pollen mother cells also revealed that it is not
      the major component of meiotic chromosomes, it seems to diffuse out once meiotic
      chromosomal condensation is completed. Synchronized tobacco BY-2 cell cultures
      were used to study the role of topoisomerase II in various stages of the cell
      cycle. Topoisomerase II transcript accumulation was observed during the S- and
      G2/M- phase of cell cycle. This biphasic expression pattern indicates the active
      requirement of topoisomerase II during these stages of the cell cycle. Through
      immuno-localization of topoisomerase II was observed diffusely throughout the
      nucleoplasm in interphase nuclei, whereas, the nucleolus region exhibited a more
      prominent immuno-positive staining that correlated with rRNA transcription, as
      shown by propidium iodide staining and BrUTP incorporation. The immuno-staining
      analysis also showed that topoisomerase II is the major component of mitotic
      chromosomes and remain attached to the chromosomes during cell division. The
      inhibition of topoisomerase II activity using specific inhibitors revealed quite
      dramatic effect on condensation of chromatin and chromosome individualization
      from prophase to metaphase transition. Partially condensed chromosomes were not
      arranged on metaphase plate and chromosomal perturbations were observed when
      advance to anaphase, suggesting the importance of topoisomerase II activity for
      proper chromosome condensation and segregation during mitosis. Contrary,
      topoisomerase II is not the major component of meiotic chromosomes, even though
      mitosis and meiosis share many processes, including the DNA replication,
      chromosome condensation and precisely regulated partitioning of chromosomes into
      daughter cells. Even if topoisomerase II is required for individualization and
      condensation of meiotic chromosomes, it seems to diffuse out once meiotic
      chromosomal condensation is completed.

PMID- 28634866
TI  - Differential chromosomal organization between Saguinus midas and Saguinus bicolor
      with accumulation of differences the repetitive sequence DNA.
AB  - Saguinus is the largest and most complex genus of the subfamily Callitrichinae,
      with 23 species distributed from the south of Central America to the north of
      South America with Saguinus midas having the largest geographical distribution
      while Saguinus bicolor has a very restricted one, affected by the population
      expansion in the state of Amazonas. Considering the phylogenetic proximity of the
      two species along with evidence on the existence of hybrids between them, as well
      as cytogenetic studies on Saguinus describing a conserved karyotypic
      macrostructure, we carried out a physical mapping of DNA repeated sequences in
      the mitotic chromosome of both species, since these sequences are less
      susceptible to evolutionary pressure and possibly perform an important function
      in speciation. Both species presented 2n = 46 chromosomes; in S. midas,
      chromosome Y is the smallest. Multiple ribosomal sites occur in both species, but
      chromosome pairs three and four may be regarded as markers that differ the
      species when subjected to G banding and distribution of retroelement LINE 1,
      suggesting that it may be cytogenetic marker in which it can contribute to
      identification of first generation hybrids in contact zone. Saguinus bicolor also
      presented differences in the LINE 1 distribution pattern for sexual chromosome X
      in individuals from different urban fragments, probably due to geographical
      isolation. In this context, cytogenetic analyses reveal a differential genomic
      organization pattern between species S. midas and S. bicolor, in addition to
      indicating that individuals from different urban fragments have been accumulating
      differences because of the isolation between them.

PMID- 28634867
TI  - A risk assessment study of water quality, biota, and legacy sediment prior to
      small dam removal in a tributary to the Delaware River.
AB  - The proposed removal of three run-of-river dams (all <=5-m height) in eastern
      Pennsylvania along lower Bushkill Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River, has
      provided a valuable opportunity for multidisciplinary research involving the
      collection of more than 5 years of pre-removal monitoring data, analysis of heavy
      metals in legacy sediment cores, and associated toxicity assays to determine the
      singular and interactive effects of lead, copper, and cadmium on survival and
      behavior of a common macroinvertebrate found in Bushkill Creek. Monitoring data
      were collected from sites approximately 35 m upstream and downstream of dams and
      reference sites located approximately 5 km upstream of all dams. Results indicate
      that oxygen levels, macroinvertebrate diversity, and proportion of sensitive taxa
      were significantly lower upstream and downstream of dams in comparison with
      upstream reference reaches. The strong correlation between water quality and
      macroinvertebrates in this system implies that removal of the lower three dams
      would lead to improvements in water quality, biotic integrity, and resilience in
      lower Bushkill Creek. Sediment analyses and toxicity assays suggest that dam
      removal and sediment mobilization may route contaminated sediments downstream at
      concentrations that may harm more sensitive biota. However, macroinvertebrate
      mortality and behavior were not significantly different from clean water controls
      for the large majority of toxicity assays. All together, these results suggest
      that dams 1-3 are good candidates for successful stream restoration but that the
      removals would best be planned in a way that mitigates potential impacts of
      contaminated legacy sediment.

PMID- 28634868
TI  - Occurrence, removal and health risk assessment of phthalate esters in the process
      streams of two different wastewater treatment plants in Lagos and Ogun States,
      Nigeria.
AB  - Phthalate esters (PEs) are one of the environmentally active organic pollutants
      capable of causing endocrine disruption. The levels of PE congeners were
      determined in the influent and effluent from Covenant Oxidation Pond (COP) and
      Ikeja Wastewater Treatment Plant (IWWTP). Standard methods were adopted for
      determining the physical and chemical parameters of the water samples. The water
      samples for PE congener's determination were collected, acidified and stored at 4
      degrees C prior to liquid-liquid extraction and analysis by gas chromatograph.
      The possible health risk associated with the usage of effluent-polluted river
      water was also investigated. The pH and temperature ranges were within the
      Federal Ministry of Environment (FME) 2001 guideline limits while the dissolved
      oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were above the
      limits. The IWWTP performed better at removing PEs at 54% compared to 43.3% on
      average at COP. The health risk of individual PE congener showed no non-cancer
      effects (HQ) as the values varied from 5.01E-05 (DAP) to 1.52E-02 (DEHP) for
      adults and 1.17E-04 (DAP) to 3.76E-03 (DBP) for children at COP, while at IWWTP,
      it ranged from 8.06E-05 (DIBP) to 1.09E-02 (DEHP) for adults and 5.68E-04 (MMP)
      to 2.54E-02 (DEHP) for children. Notwithstanding, the usage of effluent-polluted
      river water by local communities downstream may result in carcinogenic effects
      due to the cumulative effects of the PE congeners as the values obtained for
      adults and children for the ingestion and dermal routes for the two waste process
      streams ranged from 4.67E-06 (IWWTP) to 6.22E-05 (IWWTP) and 2.18E-05 (IWWTP) to
      7.18E-05 (COP), respectively.

PMID- 28634869
TI  - Discharge permit market and farm management nexus: an approach for eutrophication
      control in small basins with low-income farmers.
AB  - The economic concerns of low-income farmers are barriers to nutrient abatement
      policies for eutrophication control in surface waters. This study brings up a
      perspective that focuses on integrating multiple-pollutant discharge permit
      markets with farm management practices. This aims to identify a more economically
      motivated waste load allocation (WLA) for non-point sources (NPS). For this
      purpose, we chose the small basin of Zrebar Lake in western Iran and used the
      soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) for modeling. The export coefficients
      (ECs), effectiveness of best management practices (BMPs), and crop yields were
      calculated by using this software. These variables show that low-income farmers
      can hardly afford to invest in BMPs in a typical WLA. Conversely, a discharge
      permit market presents a more cost-effective solution. This method saves 64% in
      total abatement costs and motivates farmers by offering economic benefits. A
      market analysis revealed that nitrogen permits mostly cover the trades with the
      optimal price ranging from $6 to $30 per kilogram. However, phosphorous permits
      are limited for trading, and their price exceeds $60 per kilogram. This approach
      also emphasizes the establishment of a regional institution for market
      monitoring, dynamic pricing, fair fund reallocation, giving information to
      participants, and ensuring their income. By these sets of strategies, a WLA on
      the brink of failure can turn into a cost-effective and sustainable policy for
      eutrophication control in small basins.

PMID- 28634870
TI  - Assessing different sources of uncertainty in hydrological projections of high
      and low flows: case study for Omerli Basin, Istanbul, Turkey.
AB  - This study investigates the assessment of uncertainty contribution in projected
      changes of high and low flows from parameterization of a hydrological model and
      inputs of ensemble regional climate models (RCM). An ensemble of climate
      projections including 15 global circulation model (GCM)/RCM combinations and two
      bias corrections (change factor (CF) and bias correction in mean (BC)) was used
      to generate streamflow series for a reference and future period using the
      Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV) model with the 25 best-fit
      parameter sets based on four objective functions. The occurrence time of high
      flows is also assessed through seasonality index calculation. Results indicated
      that the inputs of hydrological model from ensemble climate models accounts for
      greater contribution to the uncertainty related to projected changes in high
      flows comparing to the contribution from hydrological model parameterization.
      However, the uncertainty contribution is opposite for low flows, particularly for
      CF method. Both CF and BC increases the total mean variance of high and low
      flows. The variability in the occurrence time of high flows through RCMs is
      greater than the variability resulted from hydrological model parameters with and
      without statistical downscaling. The CF provides more accurate timing than BC and
      it shows the most pronounced changes in flood seasonality.

PMID- 28634871
TI  - Rabies virus co-localizes with early (Rab5) and late (Rab7) endosomal proteins in
      neuronal and SH-SY5Y cells.
AB  - Rabies virus (RABV) is a highly neurotropic virus that follows clathrin-mediated
      endocytosis and pH-dependent pathway for trafficking and invasion into
      endothelial cells. Early (Rab5, EEA1) and late (Rab7, LAMP1) endosomal proteins
      play critical roles in endosomal sorting, maturity and targeting various
      molecular cargoes, but their precise functions in the early stage of RABV
      neuronal infection remain elusive. In this study, the relationship between
      enigmatic entry of RABV with these endosomal proteins into neuronal and SH-SY5Y
      cells was investigated. Immunofluorescence, TCID50 titers, electron microscopy
      and western blotting were carried out to determine the molecular interaction of
      the nucleoprotein (N) of RABV with early or late endosomal proteins in these cell
      lines. The expression of N was also determined by down-regulating Rab5 and Rab7
      in both cell lines through RNA interference. The results were indicative that N
      proficiently colocalized with Rab5/EEA1 and Rab7/LAMP1 in both cell lines at 24
      and 48 h post-infection, while N titers significantly decreased in early
      infection of RABV. Down-regulation of Rab5 and Rab7 did not inhibit N expression,
      but it prevented productive infection via blocking the normal trafficking of RABV
      in a low pH environment. Ultrathin sections of cells studied by electron
      microscope also verified the close association of RABV with Rab5 and Rab7 in
      neurons. From the data it was concluded that primary entry of RABV strongly
      correlates with the kinetics of Rab-proteins present on early and late vesicles,
      which provides helpful clues to explain the early events of RABV in nerve cells.

PMID- 28634872
TI  - Predictive Markers of Response to Everolimus and Sunitinib in Neuroendocrine
      Tumors.
AB  - Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent a large and heterogeneous group of
      malignancies with various biological and clinical characteristics, depending on
      the site of origin and the grade of tumor proliferation. In NETs, as in other
      cancer types, molecularly targeted therapies have radically changed the
      therapeutic landscape. Recently two targeted agents, the mammalian target of
      rapamycin inhibitor everolimus and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib, have
      both demonstrated significantly prolonged progression free survival in patients
      with advanced pancreatic NETs. Despite these important therapeutic developments,
      there are still significant limitations to the use of these agents due to the
      lack of accurate biomarkers for predicting tumor response and efficacy of
      therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of the current clinical data for
      the evaluation of predictive factors of response to/efficacy of everolimus and
      sunitinib in advanced pancreatic NETs. Surrogate indicators discussed include
      circulating and tissue markers, as well as non-invasive imaging techniques.

PMID- 28634873
TI  - Evaluating Two Evidence-Based Intervention Strategies to Promote CRC Screening
      Among Latino Adults in a Primary Care Setting.
AB  - Regular use of colorectal cancer screening can reduce incidence and mortality,
      but participation rates remain low among low-income, Spanish-speaking Latino
      adults. We conducted two distinct pilot studies testing the implementation of
      evidence-based interventions to promote fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening
      among Latinos aged 50-75 years who were not up-to-date with CRC screening (n =
      200) at a large Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in San Diego, CA. One
      pilot focused on an opportunistic clinic visit "in-reach" intervention including
      a 30-min session with a patient navigator, review of an educational "flip-chart,"
      and a take-home FIT kit with instructions. The second pilot was a system-level
      "outreach" intervention consisting of mailed materials (i.e., FIT kit, culturally
      and linguistically tailored instructions, and a pre-paid return envelope). Both
      received follow-up calls to promote screening completion and referrals for
      additional screening and treatment if needed. The primary outcome was FIT kit
      completion and return within 3 months assessed through electronic medical
      records. The in-reach pilot consisted of mostly insured (85%), women (82%), and
      Spanish-speaking (88%) patients. The outreach pilot consisted of mostly of
      Spanish-speaking (73%) women (64%), half of which were insured (50%). At a 3
      month follow-up, screening completion was 76% for in-reach and 19% for outreach.
      These data demonstrate that evidence-based strategies to promote CRC screening
      can be implemented successfully within FQHCs, but implementation (particularly of
      mailed outreach) may require setting and population-specific optimization.
      Patient, provider, and healthcare system related implementation approaches and
      lessons learned from this study may be implemented in other primary care
      settings.

PMID- 28634874
TI  - The Childcare Center: an Untapped Opportunity to Engage and Educate Families in
      Healthy Behaviors.
AB  - Obesity rates in preschool children are high and disproportionately affect low
      income children of color in the USA. Since 80% of preschool children spend ~40
      h/week in out-of-the home childcare, childcare centers are promising sites for
      obesity prevention interventions. Mixed methods were used to develop, implement,
      and assess the feasibility of an obesity prevention program for children 2-5
      years. The intervention which consisted of brief (1-3 min), interactive,
      educational modules was developed by content experts and parents (n = 20) and
      targeted four areas (milk, sugar sweetened beverages, screen time, and physical
      activity). The modules were delivered by community health workers in the
      childcare center during pick-up and drop-off times, in small groups and home
      visits upon request. Focus groups with childcare center staff (n = 28) assessed
      satisfaction and interest in incorporating the intervention into care. Between
      February 2013 and March 2014, 354 caregivers (~73%) at six centers participated
      in one or more educational sessions. Of children, 37.4% in 2013 and 35.9% in 2014
      were overweight or obese. Children entering preschool in 2014 were more likely to
      be overweight/obese than children who had been in the center since 2013 (36.2 vs
      23.2%, p < 0.05). Childcare staff endorsed the intervention and received training
      to continue the program. Brief, interactive health-related behavior-change
      interventions engaged large numbers of low-income caregivers at childcare centers
      and resonated with center staff. Childcare center staff represent an
      underutilized resource to combat the childhood obesity epidemic.

PMID- 28634875
TI  - Mental Health Care Disparities Now and in the Future.
AB  - In 2014, the USA spent $3 trillion dollars in health care the most per capita in
      the world. However, the USA lacks universal health coverage, and lags behind
      other highly developed and wealthy countries in life expectancy (even some "non
      wealthy" countries have better outcomes). The USA also has deficits in other
      health outcome measures. Health care costs in the USA continue to rise annually
      and many patients receive only mediocre care. In addition, clear disparities
      exist across different communities, socioeconomic groups, and race and ethnicity
      groups. As a result, individuals with mental illness are at an increased risk of
      being homeless, committing suicide, and having problems maintaining a job. This
      paper will address mental health disparities and review the efforts some states
      are taking to improve the lifesaving services offered to citizens with mental
      illness, in order for them to recover and reach their full potentials.

PMID- 28634877
TI  - Socioeconomic Status, Financial Strain, and Leukocyte Telomere Length in a Sample
      of African American Midlife Men.
AB  - BACKGROUND: African American men in the USA experience poorer aging-related
      health outcomes compared to their White counterparts, partially due to
      socioeconomic disparities along racial lines. Greater exposure to socioeconomic
      strains among African American men may adversely impact health and aging at the
      cellular level, as indexed by shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL). This study
      examined associations between socioeconomic factors and LTL among African
      American men in midlife, a life course stage when heterogeneity in both health
      and socioeconomic status are particularly pronounced. METHODS: Using multinomial
      logistic regression, we examined associations between multiple measures of SES
      and tertiles of LTL in a sample of 92 African American men between 30 to 50 years
      of age. RESULTS: Reports of greater financial strain were associated with higher
      odds of short versus medium LTL (odds ratio (OR)=2.21, p = 0.03). Higher income
      was associated with lower odds of short versus medium telomeres (OR=0.97, p =
      0.04). Exploratory analyses revealed a significant interaction between
      educational attainment and employment status (chi 2 = 4.07, p = 0.04), with
      greater education associated with lower odds of short versus long telomeres only
      among those not employed (OR=0.10, p = 0.040). CONCLUSION: Cellular aging
      associated with multiple dimensions of socioeconomic adversity may contribute to
      poor aging-related health outcomes among African American men. Subjective
      appraisal of financial difficulty may impact LTL independently of objective
      dimensions of SES. Self-appraised success in fulfilling traditionally masculine
      gender roles, including being an economic provider, may be a particularly salient
      aspect of identity for African American men and have implications for cellular
      aging in this population.

PMID- 28634876
TI  - Life Expectancy Gain Due to Employment Status Depends on Race, Gender, Education,
      and Their Intersections.
AB  - PURPOSE: Despite the well-established health effects of socioeconomic status
      (SES), SES resources such as employment may differently influence health outcomes
      across sub-populations. This study used a national sample of US adults to test if
      the effect of baseline employment (in 1986) on all-cause mortality over a 25-year
      period depends on race, gender, education level, and their intersections.
      METHODS: Data came from the Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) study, which followed
      2025 Whites and 1156 Blacks for 25 years from 1986 to 2011. The focal predictor
      of interest was baseline employment (1986), operationalized as a dichotomous
      variable. The main outcome of interest was time to all-cause mortality from 1986
      to 2011. Covariates included baseline age, health behaviors (smoking, drinking,
      and exercise), physical health (obesity, chronic disease, function, and self
      rated health), and mental health (depressive symptoms). A series of Cox
      proportional hazard models were used to test the association between employment
      and mortality risk in the pooled sample and based on race, gender, education, and
      their intersections. RESULTS: Baseline employment in 1986 was associated with a
      lower risk of mortality over a 25-year period, net of covariates. In the pooled
      sample, baseline employment interacted with race (HR = .69, 95% CI = .49-.96),
      gender (HR = .73, 95% CI = .53-1.01), and education (HR = .64, 95% CI = .46-.88)
      on mortality, suggesting diminished protective effects for Blacks, women, and
      individuals with lower education, compared to Whites, men, and those with higher
      education. In stratified models, the association was significant for Whites (HR =
      .71, 95%CI = .59-.90), men (HR = .60, 95%CI = .43-.83), and individuals with high
      education (HR = .66, 95%CI = .50-.86) but not for Blacks (HR = .77, 95%CI = .56
      1.01), women (HR = .88, 95%CI = .69-1.12), and those with low education (HR =
      .92, 95%CI = .67-1.26). The largest effects of employment on life expectancy were
      seen for highly educated men (HR = .50, 95%CI = .32-.78), White men (HR = .55,
      95%CI = .38-.79), and highly educated Whites (HR = .63, 95%CI = .46-.84). The
      effects were non-significant for Black men (HR = 1.10, 95%CI = .68-1.78), Whites
      with low education (HR = 1.01, 95%CI = .67-1.51), and women with low education
      (HR = 1.06, 95%CI = .71-1.57). CONCLUSION: In the USA, the health gain associated
      with employment is conditional on one's race, gender, and education level, along
      with their intersections. Blacks, women, and individuals with lower education
      gain less from employment than do Whites, men, and highly educated people. More
      research is needed to understand how the intersections of race, gender, and
      education alter health gains associated with socioeconomic resources.

PMID- 28634879
TI  - When Notes Fall from a Page.

PMID- 28634878
TI  - Can music-based movement therapy improve motor dysfunction in patients with
      Parkinson's disease? Systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - This study aimed to quantify whether there is association between music-based
      movement therapy and motor dysfunction in patients with Parkinson's disease, and,
      if so, whether music-based movement therapy can be used as first-line non
      pharmacological treatment. To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of
      clinical trials that examined the effect of music-based movement therapy on
      patient-relevant and disease-specific outcomes. Comprehensive literature was
      searched of PubMed, EMbase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to November
      2016. Randomized controlled trial of patients with Parkinson's disease was
      searched to identify trials comparing music-based movement therapy with no music
      care. A total of 8 studies (11 analyses, 241 subjects) were included; all of them
      had acceptable quality by PEDro scale score. Studies based on any type of
      Parkinson's disease patients were combined and subgroup analyzed. Compared with
      the control group, the SMD of Berg Balance Scale score was 0.85(0.46 to 1.25), 
      0.60 (-0.98 to -0.22) in Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 summary index, -0.90s
      (-1.56 to -0.23) in Time Up and Go text, and -0.43 (-1.11 to 0.25) in Unified
      Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Subscale 3 as instrument methods for motor
      function. Secondary outcomes included cognitive function and quality of life.
      There was positive evidence to support the use of music-based movement therapy on
      treatment of motor function; there was neutral evidence to support the use of
      music for the treatment of cognitive function quality of life.

PMID- 28634880
TI  - Erratum to: An RCT Investigating Patient-Driven Versus Physician-Driven Titration
      of BIAsp 30 in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Uncontrolled Using NPH Insulin.

PMID- 28634881
TI  - Drowning and near drowning - definitions and terminology.

PMID- 28634883
TI  - A Minimal Continuous-Time Markov Pharmacometric Model.
AB  - In this work, an alternative model to discrete-time Markov model (DTMM) or
      standard continuous-time Markov model (CTMM) for analyzing ordered categorical
      data with Markov properties is presented: the minimal CTMM (mCTMM). Through a
      CTMM reparameterization and under the assumption that the transition rate between
      two consecutive states is independent on the state, the Markov property is
      expressed through a single parameter, the mean equilibration time, and the steady
      state probabilities are described by a proportional odds (PO) model. The mCTMM
      performance was evaluated and compared to the PO model (ignoring Markov features)
      and to published Markov models using three real data examples: the four-state
      fatigue and hand-foot syndrome data in cancer patients initially described by
      DTMM and the 11-state Likert pain score data in diabetic patients previously
      analyzed with a count model including Markovian transition probability inflation.
      The mCTMM better described the data than the PO model, and adequately predicted
      the average number of transitions per patient and the maximum achieved scores in
      all examples. As expected, mCTMM could not describe the data as well as more
      flexible DTMM but required fewer estimated parameters. The mCTMM better fitted
      Likert data than the count model. The mCTMM enables to explore the effect of
      potential predictive factors such as drug exposure and covariates, on ordered
      categorical data, while accounting for Markov features, in cases where DTMM
      and/or standard CTMM is not applicable or conveniently implemented, e.g., non
      uniform time intervals between observations or large number of categories.

PMID- 28634882
TI  - Gingipain of Porphyromonas gingivalis manipulates M1 macrophage polarization
      through C5a pathway.
AB  - Gingipains secreted by Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis, Pg) play an
      important role in maintaining macrophage infiltrating. And, this study is to
      evaluate effects of gingipain on M1 macrophage polarization after exposure to
      Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis, Pg) and if these effects are through
      complement component 5a (C5a) pathway. Mouse RAW264.7 macrophages were exposed to
      gingipain extracts, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharides (Ec-LPS), Pg-LPS with or
      without the C5aR antagonist: PMX-53 for 24 h. Then, gene expressions and protein
      of IL-12, IL-23, iNOS, IL-10, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 were determined by
      qRT-PCR and ELISA assays. Surface markers CD86 for M1 and CD206 for M2 were also
      evaluated by flow cytometry. The results show that gingipain extracts alone
      increased expressions of IL-12, IL-23, iNOS, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6, but
      not IL-10. Gingipain extracts plus Ec-LPS decreased expressions of IL-12, IL-23,
      iNOS, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 in which Ec-LPS induced increase. For
      gingipain extracts plus Pg-LPS-treated RAW264.7, macrophages, gingipain extracts
      enhanced expressions of IL-12 and IL-23 in which Pg-LPS induced increase, but not
      iNOS and IL-10 while gingipain extracts decreased expressions of TNF-alpha, IL
      1beta, and IL-6 in which Pg-LPS induced increase. Interestingly, PMX-53 increased
      expressions of IL-12, IL-23, and iNOS when RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with
      gingipain extracts plus Ec-LPS or Pg-LPS and PMX-53, while PMX-53 decreased
      expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6. Changes of CD86-positive
      macrophages were consistent with cytokine changes. Our data indicate that
      gingipain is a critical regulator, more like a promoter to manipulate M1
      macrophage polarization in order to benefit P. gingivalis infection through the
      C5a pathway.

PMID- 28634884
TI  - A Nanosensor Based on Carbon Dots for Recovered Fluorescence Detection
      Clenbuterol in Pork Samples.
AB  - Clenbuterol (CLB), a member of beta-agonist family, has now been a serious threat
      to human health due to its illegal usage in the animal feed. In this paper, we
      designed a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) system consisting of
      carbon dots (C-dots) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for recovered fluorescence
      detecting of CLB. In the presence of CLB, CLB molecules can interact with AuNPs
      via Au-N bonds, preventing the interaction of C-dots and AuNPs, which induced the
      recover of the fluorescent intensity. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of
      detection for CLB was 3 nM, with a wide concentration linear range of 8-200 nM
      (S/N = 3). Meanwhile, the proposed method was successfully applied to detect CLB
      in pork samples, illustrating it could be used as a reliable, rapid, and cost
      effective method for the determination of CLB residues in pork samples.

PMID- 28634885
TI  - Colorimetric Determination of Pb2+ in Perfect Aqueous Solution Using Carminic
      Acid as a Selective Chemosensor.
AB  - The commercially available natural organic dye, carminic acid (CA), an
      anthraquinone derivative bearing hydroxyl and carboxyl groups as recognition
      sites was found to be a colorimetric probe for Pb2+ in perfect aqueous solution
      under neutral conditions with specific selectivity and high sensitivity. Upon
      addition of Pb2+, the absorption maximum of CA showed a large red shift, and the
      resulted color change from red to purple could be easily identified even by the
      naked eye. The chemical stoichiometric ratio between CA and Pb2+ was determined
      to be 1:2 through Job plot, Pb2+ titration, and kinetic experiments. Moreover,
      other environmental relevant metal ions induced no or minimal spectral and color
      changes. The reversibility of Pb2+ to CA with EDTA even through several cycles
      was established for practical applications. The results indicated that CA can be
      a good candidate for simple, convenient and reversible colorimetric detection of
      Pb2+ in aqueous solution even though it was hard to be applied to determine Pb2+
      on the water testing by US EPA.

PMID- 28634886
TI  - Subcortical brain atrophy in Gulf War Illness.
AB  - Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a multisystem disorder that has affected a substantial
      number of veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The brain is prominently
      affected, as manifested by the presence of neurological, cognitive and mood
      symptoms. Although brain dysfunction in GWI has been well documented
      (EBioMedicine 12:127-32, 2016), abnormalities in brain structure have been
      debated. Here we report a substantial (~10%) subcortical brain atrophy in GWI
      comprising mainly the brainstem, cerebellum and thalamus, and, to a lesser
      extent, basal ganglia, amygdala and diencephalon. The highest atrophy was
      observed in the brainstem, followed by left cerebellum and right thalamus, then
      by right cerebellum and left thalamus. These findings indicate graded atrophy of
      regions anatomically connected through the brainstem via the crossed superior
      cerebellar peduncle (left cerebellum -> right thalamus, right cerebellum -> left
      thalamus). This distribution of atrophy, together with the observed systematic
      reduction in volume of other subcortical areas (basal ganglia, amygdala and
      diencephalon), resemble the distribution of atrophy seen in toxic encephalopathy
      (Am J Neuroradiol 13:747-760, 1992) caused by a variety of substances, including
      organic solvents. Given the potential exposure of Gulf War veterans to "a wide
      range of biological and chemical agents including sand, smoke from oil-well
      fires, paints, solvents, insecticides, petroleum fuels and their combustion
      products, organophosphate nerve agents, pyridostigmine bromide, ..." (Institute
      of Medicine National Research Council. Gulf War and Health: Volume 1. Depleted
      uranium, pyridostigmine bromide, sarin, and vaccines. National Academies Press,
      Washington DC, 2000), it is reasonable to suppose that such exposures, alone or
      in combination, could underlie the subcortical atrophy observed.

PMID- 28634887
TI  - Aberrant connections between climbing fibres and Purkinje cells induce
      alterations in the timing of an instrumental response in the rat.
AB  - Cerebellar participation in timing and sensory-motor sequences has been supported
      by several experimental and clinical studies. A relevant role of the cerebellum
      in timing of conditioned responses in the range of milliseconds has been
      demonstrated, but less is known regarding the role of the cerebellum in supra
      second timing of operant responses. A dissociated role of the cerebellum and
      striatum in timing in the millisecond and second range had been reported,
      respectively. The climbing fibre-Purkinje cell synapse is crucial in timing
      models; thus, the aberrant connection between these cellular elements is a
      suitable model for evaluating the contribution of the cerebellum in timing in the
      supra-second range. The aberrant connection between climbing fibres and Purkinje
      cells was induced by administration of the antagonist of NMDA receptors MK-801 to
      Sprague-Dawley rats at postnatal days 7-14. The timing of an operant response
      with two fixed intervals (5 and 8 s) and egocentric sequential learning was
      evaluated in 60-day-old adult rats. The aberrant connections caused a reduced
      accuracy in the timing of the instrumental response that was more evident in the
      8-s interval and a reduced number of successive correct responses (responses
      emitted in the correct second without any other response between them) in the 8-s
      interval. In addition, an inability to incorporate new information in a sequence
      previously learned in egocentric-based sequence learning was apparent in rats
      with aberrant CF-PC synapses. These results support a relevant role for the
      cerebellum in the fine-tuning of the timing of operant responses in the supra
      second range.

PMID- 28634888
TI  - Saccades evoked in response to electrical stimulation of the posterior bank of
      the arcuate sulcus.
AB  - To test the hypothesis that the premotor cortex in and behind the caudal bank of
      the arcuate sulcus can generate saccades, we stimulated electrically the
      periarcuate region of alert rhesus monkeys. We were able to produce saccades from
      sites of the premotor cortex that were contiguous with the frontal eye fields and
      extended up to 2 mm behind the smooth pursuit area. However, premotor sites often
      elicited saccades with ipsiversive characteristic vectors, lower peak velocities,
      and flatter velocity profiles when compared to saccades evoked from the frontal
      eye field.

PMID- 28634889
TI  - The efficacy of airflow and seat vibration on reducing visually induced motion
      sickness.
AB  - Visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) is a well-known sensation in virtual
      environments and simulators, typically characterized by a variety of symptoms
      such as pallor, sweating, dizziness, fatigue, and/or nausea. Numerous methods to
      reduce VIMS have been previously introduced; however, a reliable countermeasure
      is still missing. In the present study, the effect of airflow and seat vibration
      to alleviate VIMS was investigated. Eighty-two participants were randomly
      assigned to one of four groups (airflow, vibration, combined airflow and
      vibration, and control) and then exposed to a 15 min long video of a bicycle ride
      shot from first-person view. VIMS was measured using the Fast Motion Sickness
      Scale (FMS) and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ). Results showed that
      the exposure of airflow significantly reduced VIMS, whereas the presence of seat
      vibration, in contrast, did not have an impact on VIMS. Additionally, we found
      that females reported higher FMS scores than males, however, this sex difference
      was not found in the SSQ scores. Our findings demonstrate that airflow can be an
      effective and easy-to-apply technique to reduce VIMS in virtual environments and
      simulators, while vibration applied to the seat is not a successful method.

PMID- 28634890
TI  - CCL11 (Eotaxin-1) Levels Predict Long-Term Functional Outcomes in Patients
      Following Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - Circulating levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine C-C motif chemokine 11
      (CCL11, also known as eotaxin-1) are increased in several animal models of
      neuroinflammation, including traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer's disease.
      Increased levels of CCL11 have also been linked to decreased neurogenesis in
      mice. We hypothesized that circulating CCL11 levels would increase following
      ischemic stroke in mice and humans, and that higher CCL11 levels would correlate
      with poor long-term recovery in patients. As predicted, circulating levels of
      CCL11 in both young and aged mice increased significantly 24 h after experimental
      stroke. However, ischemic stroke patients showed decreased CCL11 levels compared
      to controls 24 h after stroke. Interestingly, lower post-stroke CCL11 levels were
      predictive of increased stroke severity and independently predictive of poorer
      functional outcomes in patients 12 months after ischemic stroke. These results
      illustrate important differences in the peripheral inflammatory response to
      ischemic stroke between mice and human patients. In addition, it suggests CCL11
      as a candidate biomarker for the prediction of acute and long-term functional
      outcomes in ischemic stroke patients.

PMID- 28634891
TI  - A scoping review of the public health impact of vitamin D-fortified dairy
      products for fracture prevention.
AB  - PURPOSE: Dairy products are rich in nutrients that positively influence bone
      health and hence fracture risk, and have therefore been recommended and used for
      fracture prevention. To help decision makers to efficiently allocate scare
      resources, it is further important to assess the public health and economic
      impact of any health intervention. In recent years, several studies have been
      conducted to estimate the public health and/or economic impact of dairy products
      but no overview is currently available. This article aims therefore to summarize
      evidence and review articles that estimated the public health and/or economic
      impact of vitamin D-fortified dairy products for fracture prevention. METHODS: A
      literature review was conducted using PubMed to identify original studies that
      assessed the public health and/or economic impact of dairy products (or of
      calcium/vitamin D supplementation) for fracture prevention up to January 15,
      2017. RESULTS: Seven articles were identified. Different strategies were used by
      the authors to model the economic/public health impact of dairy products. The
      four studies assessing the public health impact of dairy products revealed a
      substantial benefit in terms of fracture prevented, life years, disability
      adjusted life years and/or quality-adjusted life years gained. Studies assessing
      the cost-effectiveness revealed that the use of dairy products is generally cost
      effective in the general population aged above 70 years, and from the age of 60
      years in populations at high risk of fractures. CONCLUSION: This systematic
      review suggests that the use of dairy products could substantially reduce the
      burden of osteoporotic fractures and seem to be an economically beneficial
      strategy.

PMID- 28634892
TI  - Lung Clearance Index (LCI) is Stable in Most Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)
      Patients Managed in a Specialist Centre: a Pilot Study.
AB  - Primary ciliary dyskinesia is a condition in which abnormal cilia structure or
      function leads to reduced mucociliary clearance and obstructive lung disease.
      Twenty-nine patients had lung clearance index (LCI) measured in 2009 and we
      attempted to perform a 5-year follow-up. Only 12 patients could be re-recruited,
      but in this small group LCI was stable over the 5 years, which confirms previous
      data showing that spirometry is also stable in these patients over the medium
      term. The two patients with the highest LCI in 2009 had since died, despite one
      having relatively preserved spirometry at the time. These data may be used to
      inform sample size calculations of future studies.

PMID- 28634894
TI  - Pearls: Never Write a Research Grant Alone.

PMID- 28634893
TI  - Geriatric Assessment and Functional Decline in Older Patients with Lung Cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Older patients with lung cancer are a heterogeneous population making
      treatment decisions complex. This study aims to evaluate the value of geriatric
      assessment (GA) as well as the evolution of functional status (FS) in older
      patients with lung cancer, and to identify predictors associated with functional
      decline and overall survival (OS). METHODS: At baseline, GA was performed in
      patients >=70 years with newly diagnosed lung cancer. FS measured by activities
      of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) was
      reassessed at follow-up to define functional decline and OS was collected.
      Predictors for functional decline and OS were determined. RESULTS: Two hundred
      and forty-five patients were included in this study. At baseline, GA deficiencies
      were present in all domains and ADL and IADL were impaired in 51 and 63% of
      patients, respectively. At follow-up, functional decline in ADL was observed in
      23% and in IADL in 45% of patients. In multivariable analysis, radiotherapy was
      predictive for ADL decline. No other predictors for ADL or IADL decline were
      identified. Stage and baseline performance status were predictive for OS.
      CONCLUSIONS: Older patients with lung cancer present with multiple deficiencies
      covering all geriatric domains. During treatment, functional decline is observed
      in almost half of the patients. None of the specific domains of the GA were
      predictive for functional decline or survival, probably because of the high
      impact of the aggressiveness of this tumor type leading to a poor prognosis.

PMID- 28634895
TI  - CORR Insights(r): Teaching the Basics: Development and Validation of a Distal
      Radius Reduction and Casting Model.

PMID- 28634896
TI  - Cochrane in CORR (r): Industry Sponsorship and Research Outcome.

PMID- 28634897
TI  - The Effect of Surgical Technique and Spacer Texture on Bone Regeneration: A
      Caprine Study Using the Masquelet Technique.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Masquelet-induced-membrane technique is a commonly used method
      for treating segmental bone defects. However, there are no established clinical
      standards for management of the induced membrane before grafting.
      QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Two clinically based theories were tested in a chronic
      caprine tibial defect model: (1) a textured spacer that increases the induced
      membrane surface area will increase bone regeneration; and (2) surgical scraping
      to remove a thin tissue layer of the inner induced-membrane surface will enhance
      bone formation. METHODS: Thirty-two skeletally mature female goats were assigned
      to four groups: smooth spacer with or without membrane scraping and textured
      spacer with or without membrane scraping. During an initial surgical procedure
      (unilateral, left tibia), a defect was created excising bone (5 cm), periosteum
      (9 cm), and muscle (10 g). Segments initially were stabilized with an
      intramedullary rod and an antibiotic-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate spacer
      with a smooth or textured surface. Four weeks later, the spacer was removed and
      the induced-membrane was either scraped or left intact before bone grafting. Bone
      formation was assessed using micro-CT (total bone volume in 2.5-cm central defect
      region) as the primary outcome; radiographs and histologic analysis as secondary
      outcomes, with the reviewer blinded to the treatment groups of the samples being
      assessed 12 weeks after grafting. All statistical tests were performed using a
      linear mixed effects model approach. RESULTS: Micro-CT analysis showed greater
      bone formation in defects with scraped induced membrane (mean, 3034.5 mm3;
      median, 1928.0 mm3; quartile [Q]1-Q3, 273.3-2921.1 mm3) compared with defects
      with intact induced membrane (mean, 1709.5 mm3; median, 473.8 mm3; Q1-Q3, 132.2
      1272.3 mm3; p = 0.034). There was no difference in bone formation between
      textured spacers (mean, 2405.5 mm3; median, 772.7 mm3; Q1-Q3, 195.9-2743.8 mm3)
      and smooth spacers (mean, 2473.2 mm3; median, 1143.6 mm3; Q1-Q3, 230.2-451.1 mm3;
      p = 0.917). CONCLUSIONS: Scraping the induced-membrane surface to remove the
      innermost layer of the induced-membrane increased bone regeneration. A textured
      spacer that increased the induced-membrane surface area had no effect on bone
      regeneration. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Scraping the induced membrane during the second
      stage of the Masquelet technique may be a rapid and simple means of improving
      healing of segmental bone defects, which needs to be confirmed clinically.

PMID- 28634898
TI  - Role of Obesity in Asthma: Mechanisms and Management Strategies.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Obesity is a commonly reported comorbidity in asthma,
      particularly in severe asthma. Obese asthmatics are highly symptomatic with a
      poor quality of life, despite using high-dose inhaled corticosteroids. While the
      clinical manifestations have been documented, the aetiologies of obese-asthma
      remain unclear. RECENT FINDINGS: Several potential mechanisms have been proposed,
      including poor diet quality, physical inactivity and consequent accrual of excess
      adipose tissue. Each of these factors independently activates inflammatory
      pathways, potentially exerting effects in the airways. Because the origins of
      obesity are multifactorial, it is now believed there are multiple obese-asthma
      phenotypes, with varied aetiologies and clinical consequences. In this review, we
      will describe the clinical implications of obesity in people with asthma, our
      current understanding of the mechanisms driving this association and describe
      recently proposed obese-asthma phenotypes. We will then discuss how asthma
      management is complicated by obesity, and provide graded recommendations for the
      management of obesity in this population.

PMID- 28634899
TI  - Primary Prevention of Food Allergy.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This article summarises recent developments on the prevention
      of food allergy in terms of the 5 D's of the development of food allergy: dry
      skin, diet, dogs, dribble, and vitamin D. RECENT FINDINGS: While several advances
      have improved our understanding of the development of food allergy, few
      preventive strategies have been implemented beyond changes in infant feeding
      guidelines. These now state that the introduction of allergenic solids such as
      peanuts should occur in the first year of life. Results from randomised
      controlled trials on other allergenic solids, vitamin D supplementation, BCG
      immunisation at birth and eczema prevention are eagerly anticipated in order to
      inform further preventative strategies.

PMID- 28634900
TI  - Review of Physical Urticarias and Testing Methods.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to update the information available on the
      prevalence, clinical picture, diagnostic methods, and treatment of urticarias
      induced by external physical stimuli. RECENT FINDINGS: Physical urticarias are
      present in up to 5% of the general population, and in 10 to 50% of patients with
      chronic urticaria. Recent investigations have provided evidence that the presence
      of physical urticaria alone or when comorbid with chronic spontaneous urticaria
      is associated with a worse prognosis and duration. Most frequent subtypes of
      physical urticaria are dermographism and delayed pressure urticaria. The
      diagnosis is established through specific provocation tests and the management
      encompasses avoidance measures, pharmacologic therapy with nonsedating
      antihistamines, and alternative medications in refractory cases.

PMID- 28634901
TI  - Changes in plasma miR-9, miR-16, miR-205 and miR-486 levels after non-small cell
      lung cancer resection.
AB  - PURPOSE: The majority of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients presents
      with an advanced-stage disease and, consequently, exhibits a poor overall
      survival rate. We aimed to assess changes in plasma miR-9, miR-16, miR-205 and
      miR-486 levels and their potential as biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring
      of NSCLC patients. METHODS: Plasma was collected from 50 healthy donors and from
      NSCLC patients before surgery (n = 61), 1 month after surgery (n = 37) and 1 year
      after surgery (n = 14). microRNA levels were quantified using qRT-PCR. RESULTS:
      We found in NSCLC patients before treatment, both with squamous cell carcinoma
      (SQCC) and adenocarcinoma (ADC), significantly higher plasma miR-16 and miR-486
      levels than in healthy individuals. Pre-treatment miR-205 concentrations were
      found to be significantly higher in SQCC than in ADC patients, and only SQCC
      patients presented significantly higher circulating miR-205 levels than healthy
      donors. SQCC plasma miR-9 levels were not different from normal control levels,
      but in ADC they were found to be significantly decreased. A combination of plasma
      miR-16, miR-205 and miR-486 measurements was found to discriminate NSCLC patients
      from healthy persons, with a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 80%.
      Following tumor resection, we found that the miR-9 and miR-205 levels
      significantly decreased, even below the normal level, whereas the increased miR
      486 level persisted up to one year after surgery, and the miR-16 level decreased
      to normal. After tumor resection, none of the miR levels tested was found to
      relate to recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that miR-9, miR-16, miR-205
      and miR-486 may serve as NSCLC biomarkers. The observed cancer-related pre- and
      post-operative changes in their plasma levels may not only reflect the presence
      of a primary cancer, but also of a systemic response to cancer.

PMID- 28634903
TI  - Capsule Commentary on Borrero et al., Unintended Pregnancy and Contraceptive Use
      among Women Veterans: The ECUUN Study.

PMID- 28634904
TI  - Capsule Commentary on Balaban et al., Impact of a Patient Navigator Program on
      Hospital-Based and Outpatient Utilization Over 180 Days in a Safety-Net Health
      System.

PMID- 28634905
TI  - Capsule Commentary on Rigotti et al., Interactive Voice Response Calls to Promote
      Smoking Cessation after Hospital Discharge: Pooled Analysis of Two Randomized
      Clinical Trials.

PMID- 28634902
TI  - Therapeutic Potential of Baicalein in Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's
      Disease.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are the two most common, progressive
      central neurodegenerative diseases affecting the population over the age of 60
      years. Apart from treatments that temporarily improve symptoms, there is no
      medicine currently available to inhibit or reverse the progression of Alzheimer's
      disease and Parkinson's disease. In traditional Chinese medicine, the root of
      Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is a classic compatible component in the decoction
      of herbal medicine used for treating central nervous system diseases. Modern
      pharmacokinetic studies have confirmed that baicalein (5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone)
      is a major bioactive flavone constituent root of S. baicalensis Georgi. Studies
      showed that baicalein possesses a range of key pharmacological properties, such
      as reducing oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory properties, inhibiting
      aggregation of disease-specific amyloid proteins, inhibiting excitotoxicity,
      stimulating neurogenesis and differentiation action, and anti-apoptosis effects.
      Based on these properties, baicalein shows therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's
      disease and Parkinson's disease. In this review, we summarize the pharmacological
      protective actions of baicalein that make it suitable for the treatment of
      Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, and discuss the potential mechanisms
      underlying the effects.

PMID- 28634906
TI  - Delivery of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Medically Ill Patients in
      Primary Care: A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the practical effectiveness and
      implementation potential of brief psychotherapies that integrate mental and
      physical health. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an integrated brief cognitive
      behavioral therapy (bCBT), delivered by mental health providers in primary care,
      would improve depression, anxiety and quality of life for medically ill veterans.
      DESIGN: Pragmatic patient-randomized trial comparing bCBT to enhanced usual care
      (EUC). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 302 participants with heart failure and/or
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with elevated symptoms of depression
      and/or anxiety were enrolled from two Veterans Health Administration primary care
      clinics. INTERVENTION: bCBT was delivered to 180 participants by staff mental
      health providers (n = 19). bCBT addressed physical and emotional health using a
      modular, skill-based approach. bCBT was delivered in person or by telephone over
      4 months. Participants randomized to EUC (n = 122) received a mental health
      assessment documented in their medical record. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcomes
      included depression (Patient Health Questionnaire) and anxiety (Beck Anxiety
      Inventory). Secondary outcomes included health-related quality of life.
      Assessments occurred at baseline, posttreatment (4 months), and 8- and 12-month
      follow-up. KEY RESULTS: Participants received, on average, 3.9 bCBT sessions with
      63.3% completing treatment (4+ sessions). bCBT improved symptoms of depression (p
      = 0.004; effect size, d = 0.33) and anxiety (p < 0.001; d = 0.37) relative to EUC
      at posttreatment, with effects maintained at 8 and 12 months. Health-related
      quality of life improved posttreatment for bCBT participants with COPD but not
      for heart failure. Health-related quality of life outcomes were not maintained at
      12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated bCBT is acceptable to participants and
      providers, appears feasible for delivery in primary care settings and is
      effective for medically ill veterans with depression and anxiety. Improvements
      for both depression and anxiety were modest but persistent, and the impact on
      physical health outcomes was limited to shorter-term effects and COPD
      participants. Clinical trials.Gov identifier: NCT01149772.

PMID- 28634907
TI  - Incidence and Predictors of Repeat Bone Mineral Densitometry: A Longitudinal
      Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Existing guidelines for repeat screening and treatment monitoring
      intervals regarding the use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans are
      conflicting or lacking. The Choosing Wisely campaign recommends against repeating
      DXA scans within 2 years of initial screening. It is unclear how frequently
      physicians order repeat scans and what clinical factors contribute to their use.
      OBJECTIVE: To estimate cumulative incidence and predictors of repeat DXA for
      screening or treatment monitoring in a regional health system. DESIGN:
      Retrospective longitudinal cohort study PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5992 women aged
      40-84 years who received initial DXA screening from 2006 to 2011 within a
      regional health system in Sacramento, CA. MAIN MEASURES: Two- and five-year
      cumulative incidence and hazard rations (HR) of repeat DXA by initial screening
      result (classified into three groups: low or high risk of progression to
      osteoporosis, or osteoporosis) and whether women were prescribed osteoporosis
      drugs after initial DXA. KEY RESULTS: Among women not treated after initial DXA,
      2-year cumulative incidence for low-risk, high-risk, and osteoporotic women was
      8.0%, 13.8%, and 19.6%, respectively, increasing to 42.9%, 60.4%, and 57.4% by 5
      years after initial screening. For treated women, median time to repeat DXA was
      over 3 years for all groups. Relative to women with low-risk initial DXA, high
      risk initial DXA significantly predicted repeat screening for untreated women
      [adjusted HR 1.67 (95% CI 1.40-2.00)] but not within the treated group [HR 1.09
      (95% CI 0.91-1.30)]. CONCLUSIONS: Repeat DXA screening was common in women both
      at low and high risk of progression to osteoporosis, with a substantial
      proportion of women receiving repeat scans within 2 years of initial screening.
      Conversely, only 60% of those at high-risk of progression to osteoporosis were re
      screened within 5 years. Interventions are needed to help clinicians make higher
      value decisions regarding repeat use of DXA scans.

PMID- 28634908
TI  - An Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA)-Based Framework to Prepare Fourth-Year
      Medical Students for Internal Medicine Careers.
AB  - The purpose of the fourth year of medical school remains controversial. Competing
      demands during this transitional phase cause confusion for students and
      educators. In 2014, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) released
      13 Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency (CEPAERs). A
      committee comprising members of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine and
      the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine applied these
      principles to preparing students for internal medicine residencies. The authors
      propose a curricular framework based on five CEPAERs that were felt to be most
      relevant to residency preparation, informed by prior stakeholder surveys. The
      critical areas outlined include entering orders, forming and answering clinical
      questions, conducting patient care handovers, collaborating interprofessionally,
      and recognizing patients requiring urgent care and initiating that care. For each
      CEPAER, the authors offer suggestions about instruction and assessment of
      competency. The fourth year of medical school can be rewarding for students,
      while adequately preparing them to begin residency, by addressing important
      elements defined in the core entrustable activities. Thus prepared, new residents
      can function safely and competently in supervised postgraduate settings.

PMID- 28634909
TI  - Categorical Risk Perception Drives Variability in Antibiotic Prescribing in the
      Emergency Department: A Mixed Methods Observational Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adherence to evidence-based antibiotic therapy guidelines for
      treatment of upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) varies widely among
      clinicians. Understanding this variability is key for reducing inappropriate
      prescribing. OBJECTIVE: To measure how emergency department (ED) clinicians'
      perceptions of antibiotic prescribing risks affect their decision-making. DESIGN:
      Clinician survey based on fuzzy-trace theory, a theory of medical decision
      making, combined with retrospective data on prescribing outcomes for
      URI/pneumonia visits in two EDs. The survey predicts the categorical meanings, or
      gists, that individuals derive from given information. PARTICIPANTS: ED
      physicians, residents, and physician assistants (PAs) who completed surveys and
      treated patients with URI/pneumonia diagnoses between August 2014 and December
      2015. MAIN MEASURES: Gists derived from survey responses and their association
      with rates of antibiotic prescribing per visit. KEY RESULTS: Of 4474
      URI/pneumonia visits, 2874 (64.2%) had an antibiotic prescription. However,
      prescribing rates varied from 7% to 91% for the 69 clinicians surveyed (65.2%
      response rate). Clinicians who framed therapy-prescribing decisions as a
      categorical choice between continued illness and possibly beneficial treatment
      ("why not take a risk?" gist, which assumes antibiotic therapy is essentially
      harmless) had higher rates of prescribing (OR 1.28 [95% CI, 1.06-1.54]). Greater
      agreement with the "antibiotics may be harmful" gist was associated with lower
      prescribing rates (OR 0.81 [95% CI, 0.67-0.98]). CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      indicate that clinicians who perceive prescribing as a categorical choice between
      patients remaining ill or possibly improving from therapy are more likely to
      prescribe antibiotics. However, this strategy assumes that antibiotics are
      essentially harmless. Clinicians who framed decision-making as a choice between
      potential harms from therapy and continued patient illness (e.g., increased
      appreciation of potential harms) had lower prescribing rates. These results
      suggest that interventions to reduce inappropriate prescribing should emphasize
      the non-negligible possibility of serious side effects.

PMID- 28634922
TI  - Erratum to: Maclobemide.

PMID- 28634910
TI  - The Complex Biology of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and Its Role in the
      Pituitary Gland.
AB  - The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor
      best known for its ability to mediate the effects of environmental toxins such as
      2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin), polycyclic aromatic
      hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) through the
      initiation of transcription of a number of metabolically active enzymes.
      Therefore, the AHR has been studied mostly in the context of xenobiotic
      signaling. However, several studies have shown that the AHR is constitutively
      active and plays an important role in general cell physiology, independently of
      its activity as a xenobiotic receptor and in the absence of exogenous ligands.
      Within the pituitary, activation of the AHR by environmental toxins has been
      implicated in disruption of gonadal development and fertility. Studies carried
      out predominantly in mouse models have revealed the detrimental influence of
      several environmental toxins on specific cell lineages of the pituitary tissue
      mediated by activation of AHR and its downstream effectors. Activation of AHR
      during fetal development adversely affected pituitary development while adult
      models exposed to AHR ligands demonstrated varying degrees of pituitary
      dysfunction. Such dysfunction may arise as a result of direct effects on
      pituitary cells or indirect effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
      This review offers in-depth analysis of all aspects of AHR biology, with a
      particular focus on its role and activity within the adenohypophysis and
      specifically in pituitary tumorigenesis. A novel mechanism by which the AHR may
      play a direct role in pituitary cell proliferation and tumor formation is
      postulated. This review therefore attempts to cover all aspects of the AHR's role
      in the pituitary tissue, from fetal development to adult physiology and the
      pathophysiology underlying endocrine disruption and pituitary tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28634911
TI  - Novel insights into a reputably irreversible process: combined mRNA and miRNA
      profiling of tissue from vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis after radical
      prostatectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: Until recently, tissue fibrosis-ultimately leading to permanent scaring
      has been considered an irreversible process. However, recent findings indicate
      that it may be reversible after all. Vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis (VUAS)
      as fibrous narrowing is a frequent complication after radical prostatectomy with
      high recurrence rates and requires invasive treatment. The pathophysiology is
      poorly understood. Therefore, a combined mRNA and miRNA transcription profiling
      in tissue from VUAS was performed using nCounter technology. METHODS: To assess
      tissue morphology and fiber composition, histochemical staining was performed.
      RNA expression of healthy and fibrotic tissue of twelve patients was analyzed
      using the human miRNA panel v3 and mRNA PanCancer pathway panel on the nCounter
      gene1 system and qRT-PCR. Differential expression data analysis was performed
      using the nSolver software implementing the R-based advanced pathway analysis
      tool. miRWalk2.0 was used for miRNA target prediction. RESULTS: More linearized
      tissue architecture, increased collagens, and decreased elastic fibers were
      observed in VUAS samples. 23 miRNAs and 118 protein coding genes were
      differentially expressed (p < 0.01) in fibrotic tissue. miRNA target prediction
      and overlap analysis indicated an interaction of the strongest deregulated miRNAs
      with 29 deregulated mRNAs. Pathway analysis revealed alterations in DNA repair,
      cell cycle regulation, and TGF-beta signaling. qRT-PCR confirmed differential
      expression of top deregulated miRNAs and mRNAs. CONCLUSIONS: In VUAS tissue,
      severe alterations on mRNA and miRNA level are found. These consistent changes
      give insights into the pathogenesis of VUAS after radical prostatectomy and point
      to future options for transcriptomics-based risk stratification and targeted
      therapies.

PMID- 28634924
TI  - Chondroblastoma in adult age.
AB  - PURPOSE: Chondroblastoma (CB) is a rare benign tumor that occurs most commonly in
      the second decade of life. No studies on CB in adulthood have been reported. Our
      purposes were to report a single-institution experience on CB in adults and to
      discuss the clinical and imaging findings, type of treatment, oncologic and
      functional outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients diagnosed and treated for
      CB from 1981 to 2014 were reviewed. The main inclusion criterion was patients
      above their 30 years of age at diagnosis. Clinical presentation, imaging,
      surgical treatment, complications and functional outcome were evaluated. Local
      recurrences were recorded. RESULTS: There were 15 males (65%) and 8 females (35%)
      with a mean age of 40 years (range 30-59 years). Tumor involved the small bones
      (talus, calcaneus, acromion, cuneiform, metatarsals) in 15 patients (65%) and the
      long bones in eight patients (35%). Treatment consisted of curettage only (6
      cases), curettage plus phenol (13 cases), curettage plus radiotherapy (one
      patient with vertebral tumor), resection (two patients with CB of the acromion)
      and chopart amputation (one patient with a metatarsal tumor). At a mean follow-up
      of 8.4 years (range 3-30 years), twenty patients (87%) remained continuously
      disease-free, whereas three had local recurrences. None of the patients received
      chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that the occurrence and outcome of
      adult patients with CB are similar with those affecting younger patients. The
      main difference consists of the involved bones; flat bones and short tubular
      bones of the foot, especially the talus and calcaneus, are most commonly involved
      as opposed to long tubular bones. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level IV
      1 (case series).

PMID- 28634923
TI  - Osteoblastoma of the elbow: analysis of 13 patients and literature review.
AB  - PURPOSE: To analyze the clinical and radiographic characteristics, treatment, and
      outcome of patients with elbow osteoblastoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present 13
      patients (7 males and 6 females; mean age, 28 years) diagnosed and treated for an
      elbow osteoblastoma from 1975 to 2012. Mean follow-up was 29 months (range 12-60
      months). Clinical presentation, imaging, surgical treatment, complications, range
      of elbow motion, and functional outcome were evaluated. The MSTS, DASH, and
      OXFORD scores were used. RESULTS: Main symptom was pain (all patients)
      accompanied by stiffness (8 patients) and swelling or tumefaction (7 patients),
      with a median duration of symptoms of 32 months (range 6-96 months). Distal
      humerus was affected in 10 patients, proximal ulna in 2 patients, and proximal
      radius in one patient. All patients underwent surgical therapy that consisted of
      curettage of the lesion (7 patients), curettage and bone allografting (3
      patients), wide resection (2 patients; total distal humerus and resection of the
      radial head), and radiofrequency thermal ablation (1 patient). One patient
      experienced a recurrence after surgical treatment. The mean MSTS score after
      treatment was 87% (range 50-100%), which corresponds to excellent results.
      CONCLUSIONS: Intralesional surgery is successful in tumor control in most
      patients with osteoblastoma of the elbow. Thermal ablation may be successful for
      smaller lesions. Most of the patients had a good-to-excellent functional outcome
      even if they had tumor-related elbow stiffness at diagnosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Therapeutic study, Level IV-1.

PMID- 28634925
TI  - Technical efficiency of selected hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia.
AB  - This study examines the relative technical efficiency of 12 hospitals in Eastern
      Ethiopia. Using six-year-round panel data for the period between 2007/08 and
      2012/13, this study examines the technical efficiency, total factor productivity,
      and determinants of the technical inefficiency of hospitals. Data envelopment
      analysis (DEA) and DEA- based Malmquist productivity index used to estimate
      relative technical efficiency, scale efficiency, and total factor productivity
      index of hospitals. Tobit model used to examine the determinants of the technical
      inefficiency of hospitals. The DEA Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) estimate
      indicated that 6 (50%), 5 (42%), 3 (25%), 3 (25%), 4 (33%), and 3 (25%) of the
      hospitals were technically inefficient while 9 (75%), 9 (75%), 7 (58%), 7 (58%),
      7 (58%) and 8 (67%) of hospitals were scale inefficient between 2007/08 and
      2012/13, respectively. On average, Malmquist Total Factor Productivity (MTFP) of
      the hospitals decreased by 3.6% over the panel period. The Tobit model shows that
      teaching hospital is less efficiency than other hospitals. The Tobit regression
      model further shows that medical doctor to total staff ratio, the proportion of
      outpatient visit to inpatient days, and the proportion of inpatients treated per
      medical doctor were negatively related with technical inefficiency of hospitals.
      Hence, policy interventions that help utilize excess capacity of hospitals,
      increase doctor to other staff ratio, and standardize number of inpatients
      treated per doctor would contribute to the improvement of the technical
      efficiency of hospitals.

PMID- 28634926
TI  - Aging effect on the instrumented Timed-Up-and-Go test variables in nursing home
      women aged 80-93 years.
AB  - Although the total "Timed-Up-and Go" test (TUG) performance time can characterize
      an age-related decline of general mobility, this result alone doesn't give any
      detailed information about the test subtasks. The primary objective of the study
      was to identify in nursing home women a variable extracted from instrumented TUG
      (iTUG) that is the best predictor of age. The secondary objective was to assess
      whether this variable is associated with the results of the isometric knee
      extension peak torque (IKEPT); lower limb strength measured by the 30-s chair
      stand test (30sCST), and walking capacity measured by the 6-min walk test (6MWT).
      Twenty-six women (mean +/- SD: age-85.8 +/- 3.6 years; body weight-59.4 +/- 12.3
      kg; body height-151.0 +/- 7.3 cm; BMI-26.0 +/- 4.9 kg/m2) performed iTUG (while
      wearing a body-fixed inertial sensor) and functional tests. Total iTUG
      performance time significantly correlated with age (r = 0.484; p < 0.05), 30sCST
      (r = -0.593; p < 0.01), and 6MWT (r = -0.747; p < 0.001) but not with absolute
      nor relative IKEPT (p > 0.05). Additionally, the subjects' age correlated with
      30sCST (r = -0.422; p < 0.05), 6MWT (r = -0.482; p < 0.05), IKEPT (r = -0.392; p
      < 0.05) and IKEPT/FFM (r = -0.407; p < 0.05). Five out of 16 analyzed iTUG
      variables were significantly related to age, and multiple regression analysis
      showed the best correlation with the sit-to-stand vertical acceleration range
      (STSVAR) (r2 = 0.430; SEE = 3.041; beta = -0.544 +/- 0.245; B = -1.204 +/- 0.543;
      p < 0.05). Moreover, STSVAR was significantly associated with %Fat (r = 0.415; p
      < 0.05), 30sCST (r = 0.519; p < 0.01), 6MWT (r = 0.585; p < 0.01) but not with
      absolute nor relative IKEPT (p > 0.05). The obtained results suggest that in the
      oldest old group of nursing home women an age-related decline in TUG performance
      is mainly associated with a reduction of "explosive" strength of lower limb
      muscles.

PMID- 28634927
TI  - Nine pairs of megastigmane enantiomers from the leaves of Eucommia ulmoides
      Oliver.
AB  - Nine pairs of megastigmane enantiomers (1a/1b-9a/9b), comprising two new
      compounds (6S,9R)-blumenol C (7b), (6S,9S)-blumenol C (8b), two pairs of
      enantiomers (+)-(6R)-eucomegastigmane A (1a), (-)-(6S)-eucomegastigmane A (1b),
      (+)-(3S,4S)-eucomegastigmane B (5a), (-)-(3R,4R)-eucomegastigmane B (5b) isolated
      by chiral resolution firstly, and twelve known compounds, were isolated from the
      leaves of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver. Their structures were elucidated based on
      extensive spectroscopic analysis. Absolute configurations of the megastigmane
      enantiomers were assigned by comparing experimental ECD and OR with calculated
      ECD and OR. Docking-based virtual screening of all compounds showed that
      megastigmane enantiomers have weak intermolecular interactions with the binding
      site residues of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and angiotensin II type 1
      receptor (AT1R).

PMID- 28634928
TI  - Comparison of formulas and methods for high myopia patients requiring intraocular
      lens powers less than six diopters.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the best method to minimize postoperative hyperopia and
      achieve mild myopia in patients requiring low-powered (<6.00 D) MN60MA
      intraocular lenses (IOLs). METHODS: This retrospective non-comparative case
      series consists of 32 eyes (20 patients). Postoperative spherical equivalent (SE)
      refractions were compared using four methods: standard formulas with varying
      target refractions (Haigis -1.00 D, Hoffer Q -1.75 D, Holladay 1 -1.50 D and
      SRK/T -1.00 and -1.25 D), axial length adjustment methods for standard formulas
      targeted for both plano and -0.50 D, Barrett Universal II formula and the Haigis
      formula using separate constants for plus and minus IOLs (Haigis +/-). SE (mean,
      standard deviation, median, range), median absolute error (MedAE), prediction
      errors, percentage SE less than 0.25 D and greater than -1.00 D, percentage SE
      within +/-0.50 and +/-1.00 D of the targeted refraction were calculated. RESULTS:
      All methods and formulas gave acceptable mean SE refractions ranging from -0.04
      to -0.68 D. The Barrett Universal II, Haigis +/-, standard Haigis formula
      targeted for -1.00 D and the Holladay 1 formula targeted for -1.50 D met stricter
      criteria of final SE between 0.25 and -1.00 D in 94-100% of eyes and MedAE
      between 0.37 and 0.51 D. Other methods had more myopic or hyperopic outliers.
      CONCLUSIONS: For these eyes with high myopia, the Barrett Universal II, Haigis +/
      , standard Haigis targeted for -1.00 D and the standard Holladay 1 targeted for 
      1.50 D formulas produce the best results exceeding established benchmark criteria
      and minimizing hyperopic surprises.

PMID- 28634929
TI  - Factors associated with multiple recurrences of nonspecific orbital inflammation
      aka orbital pseudotumor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess clinical characteristics of patients at risk for recurrent
      nonspecific orbital inflammation (NSOI). METHODS: This was a retrospective
      comparison study with a 24-month follow-up, in a clinic-based population in rural
      India. The medical records at two eye care centers were searched from March 2001
      2014. A total of 153 patients with recurrent NSOI, 107 of whom had a single
      recurrence (Group 1) and 46 of whom had multiple recurrences (Group 2). Clinical
      and demographic data were compared between both groups. Comparisons of mean
      values were done with multiple 2-tailed independent T tests, and differences in
      proportions were compared using Chi-squared tests. A multivariate logistic
      regression model was used to determine which factors were predictive of patients
      having multiple recurrences. RESULTS: Several factors were independently related
      to multiple recurrences (P < 0.05 for all): age <=16 years (2.5 OR, 95% CI 1.3
      3.6), bilateral disease (3.2 OR 95% CI 1.4-5.1), presence of optic disc edema or
      T-sign on B-scan ultrasonography (3.9 OR 95% CI 1.8-6.2), sclerosing variant (8.5
      OR 95% CI 5.4-11.3), corticosteroid taper <4 weeks long (2.8 OR 95% CI 1.1-4.2),
      autoimmune disease among 1st degree relatives (2.2 OR 95% CI 1.2-3.3). In
      patients with recurrent disease, the interval between the initial episode and the
      first recurrence was predictive of further recurrences: <=3 months (3.2 OR, 95%
      CI 2.0-4.5) and >=12 months (0.21 OR, 95% CI 0.01-0.39). CONCLUSION: Younger
      patients and those with bilateral disease are more apt to have recurrences of
      NSOI. Other factors that increase the risk of multiple recurrences include a T
      sign, optic disc edema, poor initial response to steroids, a sclerosing variant,
      a recurrence within 3 months, and those who underwent a rapid steroid taper.

PMID- 28634931
TI  - 3D Cell Culture: An Introduction.
AB  - 3D cell culture is an invaluable tool in developmental, cell, and cancer biology.
      By mimicking crucial features of in vivo environment, including cell-cell and
      cell-extracellular matrix interactions, 3D cell culture enables proper structural
      architecture and differentiated function of normal tissues or tumors in vitro.
      Thereby 3D cell culture realistically models in vivo tissue conditions and
      processes, and provides in vivo like responses. Since its early days in the
      1970s, 3D cell culture has revealed important insights into mechanisms of tissue
      homeostasis and cancer, and accelerated translational research in cancer biology
      and tissue engineering.

PMID- 28634930
TI  - What are the priorities for improving cataract surgical outcomes in Africa?
      Results of a Delphi exercise.
AB  - PURPOSE: The quality of cataract surgery delivered in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is
      a significant constraint to achieving the elimination of avoidable blindness. No
      published reports from routine SSA cataract services attain the WHO benchmarks
      for visual outcomes; poor outcomes (<6/60) often comprise 20% in published case
      series. This Delphi exercise aimed to identify and prioritise potential
      interventions for improving the quality of cataract surgery in SSA to guide
      research and eye health programme development. METHODS: An initial email open
      question survey created a ranked list of priorities for improving quality of
      surgical services. A second-round face-to-face discussion facilitated at a Vision
      2020 Research Mentorship Workshop in Tanzania created a refined list for repeated
      ranking. RESULTS: Seventeen factors were agreed that might form target
      interventions to promote quality of cataract services. Improved training of
      surgeons was the top-ranked item, followed by utilisation of biometry, surgical
      equipment availability, effective monitoring of outcomes of cataract surgery by
      the surgeon, and well-trained support staff for the cataract pathway (including
      nurses seeing post-operative cases). CONCLUSION: Improving the quality of
      cataract surgery in SSA is a clinical, programmatic and public health priority.
      In the absence of other evidence, the collective expert opinion of those involved
      in ophthalmic services regarding the ranking of factors to promote quality
      improvement, refined through this Delphi exercise, provides us with candidate
      intervention areas to be evaluated.

PMID- 28634932
TI  - Preparation of Decellularized Biological Scaffolds for 3D Cell Culture.
AB  - The biggest challenge of designing and implementing an in vitro study is
      developing a microenvironment that most closely represents the interactions
      observed in vivo. Decellularization of tissues and organs has been shown to be an
      effective method for the removal of potentially immunogenic constituents while
      preserving essential growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM ) proteins
      necessary for proper cell function. Enzymatic digestion of decellularized tissues
      allows these tissue-specific components to be reconstituted into bioactive
      hydrogels through a physical crosslinking of collagen. In the following protocol,
      we describe unique decellularization methods for both dermis and urinary bladder
      matrix (UBM) derived from porcine tissues. We then provide details for hydrogel
      formation and subsequent three-dimensional (3D) culture of two cell types: NIH
      3T3 fibroblasts and C2C12 myoblasts .

PMID- 28634933
TI  - 3D Cell Culture in Interpenetrating Networks of Alginate and rBM Matrix.
AB  - Altered tissue mechanical properties have been implicated in many key
      physiological and pathological processes. Hydrogel-based materials systems, made
      with native extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, nonnative biopolymers, or
      synthetic polymers are often used to study these processes in vitro in 3D cell
      culture experiments. However, each of these materials systems present major
      limitations when used in mechanobiological studies. While native ECM-based
      hydrogels may enable good recapitulation of physiological behavior, the mechanics
      of these hydrogels are often manipulated by increasing or decreasing the protein
      concentration. This manipulation changes cell adhesion ligand density, thereby
      altering cell signaling. Alternatively, synthetic polymer-based hydrogels and
      nonnative biopolymer-based hydrogels can be mechanically tuned and engineered to
      present cell adhesion peptide motifs, but still may not fully promote
      physiologically relevant behavior. Here, we combine the advantages of native ECM
      proteins and nonnative biopolymers in interpenetrating network (IPN) hydrogels
      consisting of rBM matrix, which contains ligands native to epithelial basement
      membrane, and alginate, an inert biopolymer derived from seaweed. The following
      protocol details the generation of IPNs for mechanical testing or for 3D cell
      culture. This biomaterial system offers the ability to tune the stiffness of the
      3D microenvironment without altering cell adhesion ligand concentration or pore
      size.

PMID- 28634934
TI  - Hydrogel-Based In Vitro Models of Tumor Angiogenesis.
AB  - In situ forming hydrogels prepared from multi-armed poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG),
      glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and various peptides enable the development of advanced
      three dimensional (3D) culture models. Herein, we report methods for the PEG-GAG
      gel-based 3D co-cultivation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells,
      mesenchymal stromal cells, and different cancer cell lines. The resulting
      constructs allow for the exploration of interactions between solid tumors with 3D
      vascular networks in vitro to study the mechanistic aspects of cancer development
      and to perform drug testing.

PMID- 28634935
TI  - Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Defined Three-Dimensional
      Hydrogels.
AB  - Since the groundbreaking discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) many
      research groups have attempted to improve the efficiency of the classical cell
      reprogramming process. Surprisingly, the contribution of the three-dimensional
      (3D) microenvironment to iPSC generation has been largely overlooked. Here we
      describe a protocol for the generation of iPSCs in defined poly(ethylene glycol)
      (PEG)-based hydrogels that, besides allowing higher reprogramming efficiency, are
      also a powerful tool to study the influence of biophysical parameters on iPSC
      generation.

PMID- 28634936
TI  - Calcium Phosphate Foams: Potential Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Modeling in Three
      Dimensions.
AB  - The present method describes the procedure to fabricate calcium phosphate foams
      with suitable open porosity, pore size, and composition to perform three
      dimensional (3D) cell cultures with the objective to simulate the bone tissue
      microenvironment in vitro. Foams with two compositions but equivalent porosity
      can be fabricated. On the one hand, hydroxyapatite foams obtained by hydrolysis
      at 37  degrees C, with microstructure that mimics the small crystal size of the
      mineral component of bones, and on the other hand, beta tricalcium phosphate
      foams with polygonal grains obtained by sintering at 1100  degrees C. In the
      first part of the chapter the calcium phosphate foams are briefly described.
      Afterwards, the foaming process is described in detail, including alternatives to
      overcome processing problems than can arise. Finally, insights are provided on
      how to perform 3D cell cultures using the calcium phosphate foams as substrates.

PMID- 28634937
TI  - Establishment of 3D Intestinal Organoid Cultures from Intestinal Stem Cells.
AB  - The intestinal epithelium is the most rapidly renewed tissue in adult mammals,
      and its renewal is strictly controlled by intestinal stem cells. Extensive
      studies using genetic models of intestinal epithelium have revealed the
      mechanisms underlying the self-renewal of intestinal stem cells. Exploiting this
      knowledge, we developed a novel 3D culture system that enables the outgrowth of
      intestinal Lgr5+ stem cells derived from mouse and human tissues into ever
      expanding crypt-villus mini-guts, known as intestinal epithelial organoids. These
      organoids are maintained by the self-renewal of stem cells and give rise to all
      differentiated cell types of the intestinal epithelium. Once established,
      organoids can be cryopreserved and thawed when needed. This culture system has
      been widely used for studying stem cell behavior and gene function and for
      disease modeling.

PMID- 28634938
TI  - 3D Coculture of Mammary Organoids with Fibrospheres: A Model for Studying
      Epithelial-Stromal Interactions During Mammary Branching Morphogenesis.
AB  - Mammary gland is composed of branched epithelial structure embedded within a
      complex stroma formed by several stromal cell types, including fibroblasts, and
      extracellular matrix (ECM). Development of mammary gland is tightly regulated by
      bidirectional epithelial-stromal interactions that include paracrine signaling,
      ECM remodeling and mechanosensing. Importantly, these interactions play crucial
      role in mammary gland homeostasis and when deregulated they contribute to
      tumorigenesis. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying epithelial
      stromal interactions is critical for elucidating regulation of normal mammary
      gland development and homeostasis and revealing novel strategies for breast
      cancer therapy. To this end, several three-dimensional (3D) cell culture models
      have been developed to study these interactions in vitro. In this chapter, a
      novel 3D organoid-fibrosphere coculture model of mammary gland is described with
      the capacity for studying not only the qualitative and quantitative aspects of
      interactions between mammary fibroblasts and epithelial organoids but also their
      radius and directionality.

PMID- 28634939
TI  - An Organotypic 3D Assay for Primary Human Mammary Epithelial Cells that
      Recapitulates Branching Morphogenesis.
AB  - We have developed a three-dimensional organotypic culture system for primary
      human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) in which the cells are cultured in free
      floating collagen type I gels. In this assay, luminal cells predominantly form
      multicellular spheres, while basal/myoepithelial cells form complex branched
      structures resembling terminal ductal lobular units (TDLUs), the functional units
      of the human mammary gland in situ. The TDLU-like organoids can be cultured for
      at least 3 weeks and can then be passaged multiple times. Subsequently, collagen
      gels can be stained with carmine or by immunofluorescence to allow for the
      analysis of morphology, protein expression and polarization, and to facilitate
      quantification of structures. In addition, structures can be isolated for gene
      expression analysis. In summary, this technique is suitable for studying
      branching morphogenesis, regeneration, and differentiation of HMECs as well as
      their dependence on the physical environment.

PMID- 28634940
TI  - 3D Primary Culture Model to Study Human Mammary Development.
AB  - We present a protocol for expanding human mammary tissues from primary patient
      derived cells in three-dimensional (3D) cultures. The primary epithelial cells
      are seeded into 3D hydrogels with defined components, which include both proteins
      and carbohydrates present in mammary tissue. Over a span of 10-14 days, the
      seeded cells form mammary tissues with complex ductal-lobular topologies and
      include luminal and basal cells in the correct orientation, together with cells
      that stain positively for stem cell markers. In addition to recapitulating key
      architectural features of human mammary tissue, the expanded tissues also respond
      to lactogenic hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin. We
      anticipate that these cultures will prove useful for studies of mammary
      development and breast cancer.

PMID- 28634941
TI  - Lungosphere Assay: 3D Culture of Lung Epithelial Stem/Progenitor Cells.
AB  - Lung epithelium contains distinctive subpopulations of lung stem/progenitor cells
      (LSPCs) that are essential for lung epithelial maintenance and repair in vivo.
      Hence, LSPCs are in the center of interest of lung biology due to their promising
      therapeutic applications. To reach this goal, proper characterization of LSPCs,
      understanding of their proliferation and differentiation potentials and
      elucidation of mechanisms that control them are necessary. Therefore, development
      of reliable in vitro clonogenic assays has been needed. We established
      lungosphere assay, an in vitro sphere-forming 3D culture assay that enables to
      evaluate stem/progenitor cell activity, self-renewal and differentiation capacity
      of LSPCs and to conveniently test the effect of various treatments on LSPCs. Here
      we provide a detailed description of procedures for isolation of adult mouse lung
      epithelial cells, their culture in non-adherent conditions to form LSPC-derived
      spheroids (lungospheres) and for embedding of lungospheres into 3D extracellular
      matrix to model processes of lung tissue maintenance in a physiologically
      relevant microenvironment.

PMID- 28634942
TI  - 3D Hanging Drop Culture to Establish Prostate Cancer Organoids.
AB  - Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture enables the growth of cells in a
      multidimensional and multicellular manner compared to conventional cell culture
      techniques. Especially in prostate cancer research there is a big need for more
      tissue-recapitulating models to get a better understanding of the mechanisms
      driving prostate cancer as well as to screen for more efficient drugs that can be
      used for treatment. In this chapter we describe a 3D hanging drop system that can
      be used to culture prostate cancer organoids as tumor epithelial monocultures and
      as epithelial-stromal cocultures.

PMID- 28634943
TI  - 3D-Dynamic Culture Models of Multiple Myeloma.
AB  - 3D-dynamic culture models represent an invaluable tool for a better comprehension
      of tumor biology and drug response, as they accurately re-create/preserve the
      complex multicellular organization and the dynamic interactions of the parental
      microenvironment, which can affect tumor fate and drug sensitivity. Hence,
      development of models that recapitulate tumor within its embedding
      microenvironment is an imperative need. This is particularly true for multiple
      myeloma (MM), which survives almost exclusively in the bone marrow (BM). To meet
      this need, we have previously exploited and validated an innovative 3D-dynamic
      culture technology, based on the use of the Rotary Cell Culture System (RCCS TM)
      bioreactor . Here, we describe, step by step, the procedures we have employed to
      establish two human MM ex vivo models, i.e., the culture of human BM-derived
      isolated cells and of MM tissues from patients.

PMID- 28634944
TI  - Preparation of a Three-Dimensional Full Thickness Skin Equivalent.
AB  - In vitro test systems are a promising alternative to animal models. Due to the
      use of human cells in a three-dimensional arrangement that allows cell-cell or
      cell-matrix interactions these models may be more predictive for the human
      situation compared to animal models or two-dimensional cell culture systems.
      Especially for dermatological research, skin models such as epidermal or full
      thickness skin equivalents (FTSE) are used for different applications. Although
      epidermal models provide highly standardized conditions for risk assessment, FTSE
      facilitate a cellular crosstalk between the dermal and epidermal layer and thus
      can be used as more complex models for the investigation of processes such as
      wound healing, skin development, or infectious diseases. In this chapter, we
      describe the generation and culture of an FTSE, based on a collagen type I matrix
      and provide troubleshooting tips for commonly encountered technical problems.

PMID- 28634945
TI  - Analysis of Breast Cancer Cell Invasion Using an Organotypic Culture System.
AB  - Metastasis is the main cause of cancer patient mortality. Local tumor invasion is
      a key step in metastatic dissemination whereby cancer cells dislodge from primary
      tumors, migrate through the peritumoral stroma and reach the circulation. This is
      a highly dynamic process occurring in three dimensions that involves interactions
      between tumor, stromal cells, and the extracellular matrix. Here we describe the
      organotypic culture system and its utility to study breast cancer cell invasion
      induced by cancer-associated fibroblasts. This is a three-dimensional model that
      reproduces the biochemical and physiological properties of real tissue and allows
      for investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms involving tumor and its
      microenvironment, and their contribution to cancer cell invasion . This system
      provides a robust, accurate, and reproducible method for measuring cancer cell
      invasion and represents a valuable tool to improve the mechanistic understanding
      of the initial steps in metastasis .

PMID- 28634946
TI  - 3D Coculture Model of the Brain Parenchyma-Metastasis Interface of Brain
      Metastasis.
AB  - Central nervous system (CNS ) metastasis is not only an increasing but still a
      very unsatisfying clinical problem, with very few treatment options nowadays and
      an unmet clinical need. Additionally, the patients suffer from severe
      neurological symptoms. Furthermore the preclinical studies are limited and thus
      innovative methods are needed to study the mechanism of CNS metastasis during the
      final steps. Especially nowadays, the most critical step during metastasis seems
      to be the contention of the microenvironment of host organs with the cancer cells
      coming from other organs. More and more data indicate that this contention often
      leads to apoptosis of the pre-metastatic cells and prevents successful
      metastasis. However, this important step is barely understood. To further improve
      our knowledge about this important step of metastasis we developed a new
      experimental tool where we coculture an organotypic brain slice with a 3D tumor
      cell plug embedded in Matrigel for 3-4 days.This model especially mimics the
      interactions of cancer cells and glial cells at the interface of the brain
      parenchyma and the metastatic tissue. Therefore this coculture method with an
      organotypic brain slice and a tumor cell plug allows us to visualize and/or
      manipulate the interactions at this very important zone. Furthermore, it also
      allows us to use brain tissue from genetically engineered mice and/or genetically
      modified tumor cells to investigate genes of interest in the microenvironment or
      in cancer cells. Moreover this method avoids the use of a large number of animals
      and is especially useful in identifying the invasiveness of different tumor cell
      lines into the brain parenchyma as well as in studying the effect of specific
      treatments against brain metastasis progression during the final and most
      critical steps of metastasis.

PMID- 28634947
TI  - 3D Neural Culture in Dual Hydrogel Systems.
AB  - 3D in vitro culture systems may yield physiological outcomes that more closely
      approximate in vivo behavior. A number of fabrication techniques and hydrogel
      scaffold materials are available to researchers, but often their implementation
      is complex and seemingly prohibitive. Herein, we describe a simplistic and
      adaptable dual hydrogel photolithography method utilized to engineer advanced in
      vitro systems for studies of neuronal development and characterization.

PMID- 28634948
TI  - 3D Cell Culture in Micropatterned Hydrogels Prepared by Photomask, Microneedle,
      or Soft Lithography Techniques.
AB  - Despite the advantages of three-dimensional (3D) hydrogels for cell culture over
      traditional 2D plates, their clinical application is limited by inability to
      recapitulate the micro-architecture of complex tissues. Micropatterning can be
      employed to modify the homogenous micro-architecture of hydrogels. Three
      techniques for cell encapsulation in 3D micropatterned gels are described. The
      photomask and micromold techniques are used for cell encapsulation in relatively
      shallow patterns like disks or short rectangles but due to the presence of PDMS
      mold, the resolution of micromold technique is potentially higher than the
      photomask. The microneedle technique is often used for cell encapsulation in
      relatively deep microchannels within any geometry.

PMID- 28634949
TI  - 3D Stem Cell Niche Engineering via Two-Photon Laser Polymerization.
AB  - A strategy to modulate the behavior of stem cells in culture is to mimic
      structural aspects of the native cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction. An
      important example of such artificial microenvironments for stem cell culture is
      the so-called "synthetic niche." Synthetic niches can be defined as polymeric
      culture systems mimicking at least one aspect of the interactions between stem
      cells and the extracellular surroundings, including biochemical factors (e.g.,
      the delivery of soluble factors) and/or biophysical factors (e.g., the
      microarchitecture of the ECM). Most of the currently available approaches for
      scaffold fabrication, based on self-assembly methods, do not allow for a
      submicrometer control of the geometrical structure of the substrate, which might
      play a crucial role in stem cell fate determination. A novel technology that
      overcomes these limitations is laser two-photon polymerization (2PP). Femtosecond
      laser 2PP is a mask-less direct laser writing technique that allows manufacturing
      three dimensional arbitrary microarchitectures using photosensitive materials.
      Here, we report on the development of an innovative culture substrate, called the
      "nichoid," microfabricated in a hybrid organic-inorganic photoresist called
      SZ2080, to study mesenchymal stem cell mechanobiology.

PMID- 28634950
TI  - Microfluidic-Based Generation of 3D Collagen Spheres to Investigate Multicellular
      Spheroid Invasion.
AB  - During tumor progression, cancer cells acquire the ability to escape the primary
      tumor and invade adjacent tissues. They migrate through the stroma to reach blood
      or lymphatics vessels that will allow them to disseminate throughout the body and
      form metastasis at distant organs. To assay invasion capacity of cells in vitro,
      multicellular spheroids of cancer cells, mimicking primary tumor, are commonly
      embedded in collagen I extracellular matrix, which mimics the stroma. However,
      due to their higher density, spheroids tend to sink at the bottom of the collagen
      droplets, resulting in the spreading of the cells on two dimensions. We developed
      an innovative method based on droplet microfluidics to embed and control the
      position of multicellular spheroids inside spherical droplets of collagen. In
      this method cancer cells are exposed to a uniform three-dimensional (3D) collagen
      environment resulting in 3D cell invasion.

PMID- 28634951
TI  - High-Throughput Cancer Cell Sphere Formation for 3D Cell Culture.
AB  - Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture is critical in studying cancer pathology and
      drug response. Though 3D cancer sphere culture can be performed in low-adherent
      dishes or well plates, the unregulated cell aggregation may skew the results. On
      contrary, microfluidic 3D culture can allow precise control of cell
      microenvironments, and provide higher throughput by orders of magnitude. In this
      chapter, we will look into engineering innovations in a microfluidic platform for
      high-throughput cancer cell sphere formation and review the implementation
      methods in detail.

PMID- 28634952
TI  - High-Throughput 3D Tumor Culture in a Recyclable Microfluidic Platform.
AB  - Three-dimensional (3D) tumor culture miniaturized platforms are of importance to
      biomimetic model construction and pathophysiological studies. Controllable and
      high-throughput production of 3D tumors is desirable to make cell-based
      manipulation dynamic and efficient at micro-scale. Moreover, the 3D culture
      platform being reusable is convenient to research scholars. In this chapter, we
      describe a dynamically controlled 3D tumor manipulation and culture method using
      pneumatic microstructure-based microfluidics, which has potential applications in
      the fields of tissue engineering, tumor biology, and clinical medicine in a high
      throughput way.

PMID- 28634953
TI  - High-Throughput Microfluidic Platform for 3D Cultures of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
AB  - The design of innovative tools for generating physiologically relevant three
      dimensional (3D) in vitro models has been recently recognized as a fundamental
      step to study cell responses and long-term tissue functionalities thanks to its
      ability to recapitulate the complexity and the dimensional scale of the cellular
      microenvironment, while directly integrating high-throughput and automatic
      screening capabilities.This chapter addresses the development of a
      poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic platform to (1) generate and culture 3D
      cellular microaggregates under continuous flow perfusion while (2) conditioning
      them with different combinations/concentrations of soluble factors (i.e., growth
      factors, morphogens or drug molecules), in a high-throughput fashion. The
      proposed microfluidic system thus represents a promising tool for establishing
      innovative high-throughput models for drug screening, investigation of tissues
      morphogenesis, and optimization of tissue engineering protocols.

PMID- 28634954
TI  - 3D Anastomosed Microvascular Network Model with Living Capillary Networks and
      Endothelial Cell-Lined Microfluidic Channels.
AB  - This protocol describes detailed practical procedures for generating 3D intact
      and perfusable microvascular network that connects to microfluidic channels
      without appreciable leakage. This advanced 3D microvascular network model
      incorporates different stages of vascular development including vasculogenesis,
      endothelial cell (EC) lining, sprouting angiogenesis, and anastomosis in
      sequential order. The capillary network is first induced via vasculogenesis in a
      middle tissue chamber and then EC linings along the microfluidic channel on
      either side serve as artery and vein. The anastomosis is then induced by
      sprouting angiogenesis to facilitate tight interconnection between the
      artery/vein and the capillary network. This versatile device design and its
      robust construction methodology establish a physiological microcirculation
      transport model of interconnected perfused vessels from artery to vascularized
      tissue to vein.

PMID- 28634955
TI  - Human Lung Small Airway-on-a-Chip Protocol.
AB  - Organs-on-chips are microfluidic cell culture devices created using microchip
      manufacturing techniques that contain hollow microchannels lined by living cells,
      which recreate specialized tissue-tissue interfaces, physical microenvironments,
      and vascular perfusion necessary to recapitulate organ-level physiology in vitro.
      Here we describe a protocol for fabrication, culture, and operation of a human
      lung "small airway-on-a-chip," which contains a differentiated, mucociliary
      bronchiolar epithelium exposed to air and an underlying microvascular endothelium
      that experiences fluid flow. First, microengineering is used to fabricate a
      multilayered microfluidic device that contains two parallel elastomeric
      microchannels separated by a thin rigid porous membrane; this requires less than
      1 day to complete. Next, primary human airway bronchiolar epithelial cells
      isolated from healthy normal donors or patients with respiratory disease are
      cultured on the porous membrane within one microchannel while lung microvascular
      endothelial cells are cultured on the opposite side of the same membrane in the
      second channel to create a mucociliated epithelium-endothelium interface; this
      process take about 4-6 weeks to complete. Finally, culture medium containing
      neutrophils isolated from fresh whole human blood are flowed through the
      microvascular channel of the device to enable real-time analysis of capture and
      recruitment of circulating leukocytes by endothelium under physiological shear;
      this step requires less than 1 day to complete. The small airway-on-a-chip
      represents a new microfluidic tool to model complex and dynamic inflammatory
      responses of healthy and diseased lungs in vitro.

PMID- 28634956
TI  - Microfluidic Bioprinting of Heterogeneous 3D Tissue Constructs.
AB  - 3D bioprinting is an emerging field that can be described as a robotic additive
      biofabrication technology that has the potential to build tissues or organs. In
      general, bioprinting uses a computer-controlled printing device to accurately
      deposit cells and biomaterials into precise architectures with the goal of
      creating on demand organized multicellular tissue structures and eventually intra
      organ vascular networks. The latter, in turn, will promote the host integration
      of the engineered tissue/organ in situ once implanted. Existing biofabrication
      techniques still lay behind this goal. Here, we describe a novel microfluidic
      printing head-integrated within a custom 3D bioprinter-that allows for the
      deposition of multimaterial and/or multicellular within a single scaffold by
      extruding simultaneously different bioinks or by rapidly switching between one
      bioink and another. The designed bioprinting method effectively moves toward the
      direction of creating viable tissues and organs for implantation in clinic and
      research in lab environments.

PMID- 28634957
TI  - Bioprinting of 3D Tissue Models Using Decellularized Extracellular Matrix Bioink.
AB  - Bioprinting provides an exciting opportunity to print and pattern all the
      components that make up a tissue-cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) material-in
      three dimensions (3D) to generate tissue analogues. A large number of materials
      have been used for making bioinks; however, majority of them cannot represent the
      complexity of natural ECM and thus are unable to reconstitute the intrinsic
      cellular morphologies and functions. We present here a method for making of
      bioink from decellularized extracellular matrices (dECMs) and a protocol for
      bioprinting of cell-laden constructs with this novel bioink. The dECM bioink is
      capable of providing an optimized microenvironment that is conducive to the
      growth of 3D structured tissue. We have prepared bioinks from different tissues,
      including adipose, cartilage and heart tissues and achieved high cell viability
      and functionality of the bioprinted tissue structures using our novel bioink.

PMID- 28634958
TI  - Bioprinting Cartilage Tissue from Mesenchymal Stem Cells and PEG Hydrogel.
AB  - Bioprinting based on thermal inkjet printing is one of the most attractive
      enabling technologies for tissue engineering and regeneration. During the
      printing process, cells, scaffolds , and growth factors are rapidly deposited to
      the desired two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) locations. Ideally,
      the bioprinted tissues are able to mimic the native anatomic structures in order
      to restore the biological functions. In this study, a bioprinting platform for 3D
      cartilage tissue engineering was developed using a commercially available thermal
      inkjet printer with simultaneous photopolymerization . The engineered cartilage
      demonstrated native zonal organization, ideal extracellular matrix (ECM )
      composition, and proper mechanical properties. Compared to the conventional
      tissue fabrication approach, which requires extended UV exposure, the viability
      of the printed cells with simultaneous photopolymerization was significantly
      higher. Printed neocartilage demonstrated excellent glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and
      collagen type II production, which was consistent with gene expression profile.
      Therefore, this platform is ideal for anatomic tissue engineering with accurate
      cell distribution and arrangement.

PMID- 28634959
TI  - Real-Time Cell Cycle Imaging in a 3D Cell Culture Model of Melanoma.
AB  - Aberrant cell cycle progression is a hallmark of solid tumors; therefore, cell
      cycle analysis is an invaluable technique to study cancer cell biology. However,
      cell cycle progression has been most commonly assessed by methods that are
      limited to temporal snapshots or that lack spatial information. Here, we describe
      a technique that allows spatiotemporal real-time tracking of cell cycle
      progression of individual cells in a multicellular context. The power of this
      system lies in the use of 3D melanoma spheroids generated from melanoma cells
      engineered with the fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator
      (FUCCI). This technique allows us to gain further and more detailed insight into
      several relevant aspects of solid cancer cell biology, such as tumor growth,
      proliferation, invasion, and drug sensitivity.

PMID- 28634960
TI  - Revealing 3D Ultrastructure and Morphology of Stem Cell Spheroids by Electron
      Microscopy.
AB  - Cell culture methods have been developed in efforts to produce biologically
      relevant systems for developmental and disease modeling, and appropriate
      analytical tools are essential. Knowledge of ultrastructural characteristics
      represents the basis to reveal in situ the cellular morphology, cell-cell
      interactions, organelle distribution, niches in which cells reside, and many
      more. The traditional method for 3D visualization of ultrastructural components,
      serial sectioning using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), is very labor
      intensive due to contentious TEM slice preparation and subsequent image
      processing of the whole collection. In this chapter, we present serial block-face
      scanning electron microscopy, together with complex methodology for spheroid
      formation, contrasting of cellular compartments, image processing, and 3D
      visualization. The described technique is effective for detailed morphological
      analysis of stem cell spheroids, organoids, as well as organotypic cell cultures.

PMID- 28634961
TI  - Quantitative Phenotypic Image Analysis of Three-Dimensional Organotypic Cultures.
AB  - Glandular epithelial cells differentiate into three-dimensional (3D)
      multicellular or acinar structures, particularly when embedded in laminin-rich
      extracellular matrix (ECM). The spectrum of different multicellular morphologies
      formed in 3D is a reliable indicator for the differentiation potential of normal,
      non-transformed cells compared to different stages of malignant progression.
      Motile cancer cells may actively invade the matrix, utilizing epithelial,
      mesenchymal, or mixed modes of motility. Dynamic phenotypic changes involved in
      3D tumor cell invasion are also very sensitive to small-molecule inhibitors that,
      e.g., target the actin cytoskeleton. Our strategy is to recapitulate the
      formation and the histology of complex solid cancer tissues in vitro, based on
      cell culture technologies that promote the intrinsic differentiation potential of
      normal and transformed epithelial cells, and also including stromal fibroblasts
      and other key components of the tumor microenvironment. We have developed a
      streamlined stand-alone software solution that supports the detailed quantitative
      phenotypic analysis of organotypic 3D cultures. This approach utilizes the power
      of automated image analysis as a phenotypic readout in cell-based assays. AMIDA
      (Automated Morphometric Image Data Analysis) allows quantitative measurements of
      a large number of multicellular structures, which can form a multitude of
      different organoid shapes, sizes, and textures according to their capacity to
      engage in epithelial differentiation programs or not. At the far end of this
      spectrum of tumor-relevant differentiation properties, there are highly invasive
      tumor cells or multicellular structures that may rapidly invade the surrounding
      ECM, but fail to form higher-order epithelial tissue structures. Furthermore,
      this system allows us to monitor dynamic changes that can result from the
      extraordinary plasticity of tumor cells, e.g., epithelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition in live cell settings. Furthermore, AMIDA supports an automated
      workflow, and can be combined with quality control and statistical tools for data
      interpretation and visualization. Our approach supports the growing needs for
      user-friendly, straightforward solutions that facilitate cell-based organotypic
      3D assays in basic research, drug discovery, and target validation.

PMID- 28634962
TI  - Automatic auditory disambiguation of visual awareness.
AB  - Multisensory integration can play a critical role in producing unified and
      reliable perceptual experience. When sensory information in one modality is
      degraded or ambiguous, information from other senses can crossmodally resolve
      perceptual ambiguities. Prior research suggests that auditory information can
      disambiguate the contents of visual awareness by facilitating perception of
      intermodally consistent stimuli. However, it is unclear whether these effects are
      truly due to crossmodal facilitation or are mediated by voluntary selective
      attention to audiovisually congruent stimuli. Here, we demonstrate that sounds
      can bias competition in binocular rivalry toward audiovisually congruent
      percepts, even when participants have no recognition of the congruency. When
      speech sounds were presented in synchrony with speech-like deformations of
      rivalling ellipses, ellipses with crossmodally congruent deformations were
      perceptually dominant over those with incongruent deformations. This effect was
      observed in participants who could not identify the crossmodal congruency in an
      open-ended interview (Experiment 1) or detect it in a simple 2AFC task
      (Experiment 2), suggesting that the effect was not due to voluntary selective
      attention or response bias. These results suggest that sound can automatically
      disambiguate the contents of visual awareness by facilitating perception of
      audiovisually congruent stimuli.

PMID- 28634963
TI  - Leucopenia associated with metamizole: a case-control study.
AB  - AIMS OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to identify possible risk factors
      for the development of leucopenia associated with metamizole use. METHODS: A
      retrospective case-control study was performed. Cases of metamizole-associated
      leucopenia managed at a single centre (2005-2013) were characterised and compared
      with matched controls who took metamizole without developing complications.
      RESULTS: Fifty-seven cases and 139 controls were identified. Of the cases, 32
      were postoperative and these were compared to age-, sex- and ward-matched
      postoperative controls (n = 64). The remaining cases (n = 25) were compared to
      sex-matched, non-postoperative controls (n = 75). The number of patients with a
      positive allergy history was higher among postoperative cases than controls (p =
      0.004) as was the number with previous leucopenic episodes (p = 0.03). The
      prevalence of diagnosed hepatitis C infection was 9% among all cases compared
      with 1% among all controls (p = 0.005). The use of concomitant cytostatic agents
      (even at immunosuppressive doses) was significantly higher among non
      postoperative cases than controls (p = 0.011). There was no association between
      renal function and the development of leucopenia. CONCLUSIONS: A history of
      allergies, previous leucopenic episodes, hepatitis C infection and concomitant
      cytostatic agents are possible risk factors for leucopenia associated with
      metamizole use.

PMID- 28634965
TI  - The treatment of iron deficiency without anaemia (in otherwise healthy persons).
AB  - Iron deficiency is the most widespread and frequent nutritional disorder in the
      world. It affects a high proportion of children and women in developing countries
      and is also significantly prevalent in the industrialised world, with a clear
      predominance in adolescents and menstruating females. Iron is essential for
      optimal cognitive function and physical performance, not only as a binding site
      of oxygen but also as a critical constituent of many enzymes. Therefore iron
      deficiency at all its levels - nonanaemic iron deficiency, iron deficiency with
      microcytosis or hypochromia and iron deficiency anaemia - should be treated. In
      the presence of normal stores, however, preventative iron administration is
      inefficient, has side effects and seems to be harmful. In symptomatic patients
      with fatigue or in a population at risk for iron deficiency (adolescence, heavy
      or prolonged menstruation, high performance sport, vegetarian or vegan diet,
      eating disorder, underweight), a baseline set of blood tests including
      haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean cellular volume, mean cellular
      haemoglobin, percentage of hypochromic erythrocytes and serum ferritin levels are
      important to monitor iron deficiency. To avoid false negative results (high
      ferritin levels in spite of iron deficiency), an acute phase reaction should be
      excluded by history and measurement of C-reactive protein. An algorithm leads
      through this diagnostic process and the decision making for a possible treatment.
      For healthy males and females aged >15 years, a ferritin cut-off of 30 ug/l is
      appropriate. For children from 6-12 years and younger adolescents from 12-15
      years, cut-offs of 15 and 20 ug/l, respectively, are recommended. As a first step
      in treatment, counselling and oral iron therapy are usually combined. Integrating
      haem and free iron regularly into the diet, looking for enhancers and avoiding
      inhibitors of iron uptake is beneficial. In order to prevent reduced compliance,
      mainly as a result of gastrointestinal side effects of oral treatment, the use of
      preparations with reasonable but not excessive elemental iron content (28-50 mg)
      seems appropriate. Only in exceptional cases will an intravenous injection be
      necessary (e.g., concomitant disease needing urgent treatment, repeated failure
      of first-step therapy).To measure the success of treatment, the basic blood tests
      should be repeated after 8 to 10 weeks. Patients with repeatedly low ferritin
      will benefit from intermittent oral substitution to preserve iron stores and from
      long term follow-up, with the basic blood tests repeated every 6 or 12 months to
      monitor iron stores. Long-term daily oral or intravenous iron supplementation in
      the presence of normal or even high ferritin values is, however, not recommended
      and is potentially harmful.

PMID- 28634966
TI  - Prevalence of tobacco smoking in Switzerland: do reported numbers underestimate
      reality?
AB  - QUESTION UNDER STUDY: Surveys on tobacco consumption represent an important
      decision aid for public health policy related to smoking. Although Switzerland's
      tobacco control policies and regulations are among the weakest, its reported
      smoking prevalence is among the lowest in Europe. However, there appears to be a
      discrepancy between reported prevalence and aggregate data on national cigarette
      consumption. Our purpose was to closely look at this discrepancy and study its
      significance. METHODS: Calculation of national aggregate tobacco consumption by
      Switzerland's resident population for the years 2012 to 2015 and comparison with
      reported consumption derived from survey results on smoking prevalence and
      intensity. Comparison with similar data for France for year 2014. Evaluation of
      several hypotheses to explain the discrepancy between survey results and national
      aggregate consumption data. RESULTS: There was a large discrepancy of about 45%
      between reported smoking consumption implied by survey results and estimated
      actual consumption derived from aggregate data on sales. Whereas survey results
      suggest smoking prevalence in Switzerland to be around 25% and rather stable
      during the period 2012 to 2015, true prevalence could be greater than 31%.
      CONCLUSION: The results of surveys aiming to estimate smoking prevalence and
      intensity in Switzerland may substantially suffer from underreporting,
      misreporting and sampling bias. Survey methodology needs to be examined to see
      whether such reporting discrepancy can be reduced.

PMID- 28634967
TI  - Sleep-disordered breathing: clinical features, pathophysiology and diagnosis.
AB  - In recent decades, the association between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and
      cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases (including hypertension, coronary heart
      disease and stroke) has been the focus of interest of both clinicians and
      researchers. A growing concern is the increasing prevalence of SDB in the general
      population, which can be partly explained by the rise in obesity prevalence and
      population aging, as well as by the development of enhanced diagnostic tools and
      approaches. Because of evidence of adverse long-term effects of SDB on
      cardiovascular morbidity and overall mortality, systematic screening for SDB
      should be considered for populations at risk. The evidence of a long-term benefit
      of treatment for SDB, however, is still controversial and the best management
      approaches are still unclear. This article summarises available epidemiological
      data and focuses on the main pathophysiological mechanisms linking SDB to cardio-
      and cerebrovascular disorders. We will also give a critical overview of the
      current diagnostic procedures. The available treatment approaches and their
      prognostic effects on cardio- and cerebrovascular health will be discussed in a
      second paper.

PMID- 28634968
TI  - Adapting the "Chester step test" to predict peak oxygen uptake in children.
AB  - AIM OF THE STUDY: Maximal exercise testing may be difficult to perform in
      clinical practice, especially in obese children who have low cardiorespiratory
      fitness and exercise tolerance. We aimed to elaborate a model predicting peak
      oxygen consumption (VO2) in lean and obese children with use of the submaximal
      Chester step test. METHODS: We performed a maximal step test, which consisted of
      2-minute stages with increasing intensity to exhaustion, in 169 lean and obese
      children (age range: 7-16 years). VO2 was measured with indirect calorimetry. A
      statistical Tobit model was used to predict VO2 from age, gender, body mass index
      (BMI) z-score and intensity levels. Estimated VO2peak was then determined from
      the heart rate-VO2 linear relationship extrapolated to maximal heart rate (220
      minus age, in beats.min-1). RESULTS: VO2 (ml/kg/min) can be predicted using the
      following equation: VO2 = 22.82 - [0.68*BMI z-score] - [0.46*age (years)] -
      [0.93*gender (male = 0; female = 1)] + [4.07*intensity level (stage 1, 2, 3
      etc.)] - [0.24*BMI z-score *intensity level] - [0.34*gender*intensity level]. VO2
      was lower in participants with high BMI z-scores and in female subjects.
      CONCLUSION: The Chester step test can assess cardiorespiratory fitness in lean
      and obese children in clinical settings. Our adapted equation allows the Chester
      step test to be used to estimate peak aerobic capacity in children.

PMID- 28634969
TI  - Diagnosis and assessment of renal fibrosis: the state of the art.
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined as an alteration of kidney function
      and/or structure lasting for more than 3 months and is a major public health
      issue. Histologically, the severity of CKD correlates with the magnitude of
      kidney cortical interstitial fibrosis. Estimation of kidney fibrosis is crucial
      to assess prognosis and guide therapy in both native and allograft kidneys.
      Biopsy is currently the gold standard for assessing fibrosis with histological
      techniques. Although this procedure has become safer over recent years,
      complications and limitations remain. Given these restrictions, new, noninvasive
      techniques are necessary for the evaluation and follow-up of CKD patients.
      Radiological methods such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging are
      emerging for assessment kidney fibrosis. These two techniques have advantages but
      also limitations. In addition to radiological assessment of fibrosis, urinary and
      plasma biomarkers are being developed and tested as predictive tools for
      histological lesions in the kidney. This article reviews the current evidence for
      these novel techniques in the evaluation of kidney interstitial fibrosis.

PMID- 28634970
TI  - Severe injection site reactions after subcutaneous administration of Sayana(c).
AB  - PURPOSE: Sayana(r) was introduced as the first depot medroxyprogesterone acetate
      containing contraceptive that is administered via subcutaneous injection. Within
      10 months, the Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre (RPVC) Zurich received several
      anonymous reports of serious local reactions after Sayana(r) administration. In
      this retrospective study, individual case safety reports (ICSRs) on local adverse
      drug reactions (ADRs) related to Sayana(r) were analysed from the WHO
      pharmacovigilance database. METHODS: International, national and regional ICSRs
      during Sayana(r) administration up to 1 January 2016 were examined. Data on ADRs
      were retrieved from the WHO Global Database VigiBaseTM. Demographic data, drug
      administration information, duration of Sayana(r) treatment, latency time of the
      ADR, and its course, severity and outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: Worldwide, 398
      ICSRs after Sayana(r) use were registered in the database. We identified 20
      reported terms that were potentially used to describe a persistent lipodystrophy.
      When only cases containing one or more of these 20 reported terms were selected,
      323 (81.2%) international ICSRs remained for analysis. Of those, 91.6% (n = 296)
      were categorised as serious. The majority of the reactions (n = 193, 54.4%) did
      not recover. In the 67 Swiss ICSRs, 77 ADRs were reported using 10 different
      terms including severe or persistent local reactions like lipodystrophy, atrophy
      or fat necrosis. Thirty-two patients (47.7%) did not recover. All 11 regional
      cases reported to the RPVC Zurich were categorised as serious ADRs. For the
      majority of the patients (n = 7, 63.6%) the interval between the application of
      Sayana(r) and development of the lipodystrophy was between 2 and 4 months. Most
      of the reactions were irreversible (n = 9, 81.8%). One patient underwent plastic
      surgery for artificial infill of the dent. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent local
      injection site reactions such as lipodystrophy, fat tissue necrosis or atrophy
      occur frequently after subcutaneous Sayana(r) use. These adverse drug reactions
      were recently integrated in the Swiss product information. Physicians and
      patients should be informed and advised about these potentially irreversible
      effects.

PMID- 28634971
TI  - Impact of growing cohorts of adults with con-genital heart disease on clinical
      workload: a 20-year experience at a tertiary care centre.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Population based studies show a steady increase in adult patients
      with congenital heart defects. The aim of this study was to assess the evolution
      of such a patient cohort and its burden on clinical care at a dedicated tertiary
      care centre. METHODS: All patients with congenital heart disease followed up by a
      dedicated multidisciplinary team at our institution were identified (n = 1725).
      Disease characteristics, the increase in patient numbers and interventions and
      the increase in selected complications were analysed and compared between the
      first (1996-2005) and second (2006-2015) decades of the study period. RESULTS:
      Between the two decades of the study period, the number of patients in follow-up
      increased by 109%, the number of patients who died or underwent transplantation
      more than doubled and the number of outpatient visits increased by 195%. One
      fourth of all patients underwent at least one surgical procedure and 14% had at
      least one percutaneous intervention. The increase in surgical procedures between
      the two decades was 27% and the increase in percutaneous interventions 159%.
      Between the two decades the number of patients requiring direct current
      cardioversion increased from 32 to 95 (+197%), the number of patients requiring
      admission for infective endocarditis increased from 7 to 29 (+314%) and the
      number of women followed up during pregnancy increased from 18 to 115 (+539%).
      CONCLUSION: As a result of the increasing number and complexity of adult
      survivors with congenital heart disease more resources will be needed to cope
      with the demands of this novel cohort of complex patients in adult cardiology.

PMID- 28634972
TI  - Predictors of re-exacerbation after an index exacerbation of chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease in the REDUCE randomised clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD)
      compromise physical activity and quality of life and contribute significantly to
      health care costs. Systemic glucocorticoids benefit clinical outcome in AECOPD,
      and the REDUCE trial demonstrated noninferiority of a 5-day treatment course with
      prednisone compared with 14 days therapy regarding clinical outcome over 6 months
      of follow-up. Unexpectedly, we found an inverse correlation between circulating
      cortisol levels and exacerbation risk during a 6-month follow-up period.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether additional predictors of COPD re-exacerbation can
      be identified after the index exacerbation in the REDUCE cohort. METHODS: Of 314
      patients with AECOPD randomised to 5 or 14 days of prednisone treatment, 311 were
      included in the analysis. Parameters tested as predictors of re-exacerbation were
      sex, age, smoking status, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), dyspnoea
      as assessed with the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale, home oxygen
      therapy, pretreatment with systemic glucocorticoids, pretreatment with
      antibiotics, duration of hospitalisation, blood pressure, oxygen saturation,
      admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and relevant infections in follow-up.
      The risks for re-exacerbation were estimated by means of logistic regression and
      Cox proportional hazard models and expressed as odds ratios and hazard ratios,
      respectively. RESULTS: After multivariate adjustment, significant predictors at
      hospital discharge for COPD re-exacerbation during follow-up were: duration of
      hospital stay >8 days (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03
      2.28); FEV1 <30% predicted (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.06-2.91); hypertension (HR 2.39,
      95% CI 1.04-5.48) and MRC dyspnoea scale (HR 1.61, 95% CI 1.30-2.01, per unit
      increment). Present cigarette smoking (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38-0.92) was negatively
      associated with re-exacerbation. CONCLUSION: In addition to biochemical
      suppression of the adrenal glands, other standard clinical parameters predict re
      exacerbation in patients admitted to the emergency department with AECOPD.
      (REDUCE trial registration: ISRCTN29646069).

PMID- 28634973
TI  - The role of a surveillance programme for intro-ducing peripherally inserted
      central catheters: a 2-year observational study in an academic hospital.
AB  - AIMS OF THE STUDY: In our hospital, a previous attempt to introduce peripherally
      inserted central catheters (PICC) was aborted after a nonsystematic approach,
      seemingly accompanied by high rates of complications. The goal of this new
      interdisciplinary project was to introduce PICCs in an academic hospital, with an
      embedded interdisciplinary surveillance programme for both infectious and
      noninfectious outcomes. METHODS: We prospectively collected data for this
      surveillance study from all patients who underwent PICC insertion from 1 January
      2014 and had the catheter removed by 31 December 2015 in our 950-bed academic
      hospital (Bern University Hospital, Switzerland). Infectious complications were
      defined according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / National
      Healthcare Safety Network criteria. PICCs were restricted to cancer and
      infectious disease patients, and were followed up irrespective of the management
      setting (inpatient, outpatient or intermittently hospitalised after insertion).
      An interdisciplinary team reviewed the outcomes on a routine basis and discussed
      changes to the process to improve outcomes, if necessary. RESULTS: One hundred
      and thirty-five PICCs were inserted in 124 patients, the majority of whom were
      patients from the medical oncology department (n = 107, 86.3%). Indications for
      PICC insertion included: chemotherapy (n = 97, 71.9%), antibiotic therapy (n =
      24, 17.8%), total parenteral nutrition (n = 8, 5.9%), blood product transfusion
      (n = 4, 3.0%) and palliative care (n = 2, 1.5%). During a total of 10 402
      catheter-days (median dwell time 62 days), there were five central line
      associated bloodstream infections, including one mucosal barrier injury
      laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection and two exit-site infections, yielding
      incidence rates of 0.48 and 0.19 infections per 1000 catheter-days, respectively.
      Incidence rates were 0.67 per 1000 catheter-days (n = 7) for radiologically
      documented deep venous thrombosis, 0.96 (n = 10) for tip dislocation and 0.67 (n
      = 7) for catheter occlusion. The overall rate of complications was 4.5 per 1000
      catheter-days. Seventeen catheters (12.6%) were removed because of any
      complication. CONCLUSION: We successfully introduced PICCs in an academic
      hospital by implementing a systematic surveillance programme for complications.
      Both infectious and noninfectious complications were rare. Infection prevention
      specialists should be actively involved during the introduction of new
      intravascular devices in order to provide quality indicators and assure patient
      safety.

PMID- 28634974
TI  - Markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in schoolchildren with obesity and
      metabolic syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although increased carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), soluble
      adhesion molecules and proinflammatory biomarkers are strongly implicated in the
      development of atherosclerotic lesions, the role of obesity and metabolic
      syndrome (MetS) in atherogenicity and inflammation among schoolchildren is not
      well investigated. AIM: To determine the levels of cIMT, endothelial dysfunction
      and inflammatory biomarkers in a group of schoolchildren with obesity and MetS.
      METHODS: Eighty-seven schoolchildren (age 10-15 years) were categorised into
      three groups: normal bodyweight group, obese group and severely obese with MetS
      group (17 boys and 12 girls in each group). Levels of cIMT were measured with
      high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. Serum proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6
      (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL
      1beta), and soluble adhesion molecules E-selectin, vascular cell adhesion
      molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) were measured.
      RESULTS: Mean cIMT levels were significantly higher (p ?0.05) among severely
      obese schoolchildren with MetS (0.49 +/- 0.02 mm) compared with both the obese
      (0.43 +/- 0.03 mm) and the normal bodyweight counterparts (0.36 +/- 0.03 mm).
      Serum levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, E-selectin, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were
      significantly higher (p ?0.05) in severely obese with MetS and obese children
      compared with the normal bodyweight group. However, no significant differences (p
      >0.05) were found between the severely obese schoolchildren with MetS and the
      obese without MetS. CONCLUSIONS: Severely obese schoolchildren having MetS
      exhibited higher cIMT levels than obese and normal bodyweight counterparts.
      Biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction were higher in obese
      schoolchildren, but biomarkers were not increased any further by the degree of
      obesity nor the MetS cluster.

PMID- 28634975
TI  - Promoting bioethics in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

PMID- 28634976
TI  - Satisfaction levels with family physician services: a pilot national health
      programme in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
AB  - Family physicians in the Islamic Republic of Iran have been providing health and
      medical services to residents from rural areas since 2005, and from 2011 these
      services have been delivered to urban residents in Fars and Mazandaran provinces.
      This study was conducted in 2014 to measure the rate of user satisfaction with
      services provided by family physicians to the rural and urban population of the
      second most populated county in Fars province (Marvdasht county, population > 330
      000). In urban and rural areas, 1650 houses (825 in rural and 825 in urban areas)
      were selected, of which 1561 houses were inhabited (2908 individuals in urban and
      3062 individuals in rural areas) and an interview-administered doorstep
      questionnaire was completed. Overall satisfaction rate was 59.2%: 54.5% for urban
      areas and 63.2% for rural areas. This study suggests that satisfaction is higher
      among rural residents and that better quality services from family physicians are
      needed in both rural and urban communities.

PMID- 28634977
TI  - Effect of Ramadan fasting on glucose level, lipid profile, HbA1c and uric acid
      among medical students in Karachi, Pakistan.
AB  - To assess the effect of Ramadan fasting on blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipid
      profile, uric acid, HbA1c, body mass index, body adiposity index and visceral
      adiposity index among fasting medical students, 35 students were recorded before,
      during and after Ramadan (August) 2011, for their blood pressure, anthropometric
      measurements, questionnaire response and blood sample. A blood sample was taken
      at each visit for glucose, lipid profile and HbA1c. Total physical activity,
      weight-to-height ratio, body adiposity index and visceral adiposity index were
      calculated for insulin sensitivity. Changes in anthropometric measurements were
      not statistically significant. However, physical activities increased
      significantly after Ramadan. Changes in blood pressure, fasting blood sugar,
      total cholesterol, HbA1c, uric acid and triglyceride were not statistically
      significant. Mean high density lipoprotein decreased significantly in Ramadan,
      while low density lipoprotein increased significantly.

PMID- 28634978
TI  - Correlation between hepatitis C viral load and hepatitis C Core antigenaemia
      among Egyptians.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is widespread in Egypt. This study compared HCV
      RNA with HCVcAg for the detection and quantification of viraemia among a sample
      of Egyptians. Sera from 80 suspected HCVpositive individuals were tested
      simultaneously for HCV-RNA load using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      and HCVcAg level using ELISA. Of the 80 samples, 25% were HCV-RNA-negative.
      HCVcAg was detected in all samples: range 0.4-2462 ng/mL, mean 460 (SD 506)
      ng/mL. The sensitivity and specificity of HCVcAg were 96.7% and 90.9%,
      respectively. There was a significant correlation between serum HCV-RNA and
      HCVcAg levels (r = 0.4, P < 0.0001). HCV-RNA remains the gold standard for
      diagnosis of active HCV infection but HCVcAg can be used where PCR is not
      available.

PMID- 28634979
TI  - Interpretation of symptoms as a cause of delays in patients with acute myocardial
      infarction, Istanbul, Turkey.
AB  - This cross-sectional study aimed to assess interpretation of symptoms as a cause
      of delays in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It was conducted at
      a university hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The sample included 93 patients: 73
      male, mean age 57.89 (12.13) years. Prehospital delay time ranged from 15 minutes
      to 10 days, with a median of 2 hours (interquartile range: 9.50). Patients waited
      for pain to go away (48.4%) and tried to calm down (39.8%). Most patients
      attributed AMI-related symptoms to a reason other than heart disease. In a
      multivariate logistic regression analysis, the type of AMI was classified based
      on electrocardiography findings (odds ratio 5.18, 95% confidence interval: 1.69
      15.91, P=0.004) and was independently associated with a long prehospital delay
      time, indicating that patients with ST segment elevation MI would seek early
      medical care. Misinterpretation of symptoms and misconceptions about emergency
      treatment during AMI cause delays in admission and may affect treatment.

PMID- 28634980
TI  - Association of rotating night shift with lipid profile among nurses in an
      Egyptian tertiary university hospital.
AB  - The main objective was to identify whether night shift nurses are more prone to
      dyslipidaemia than day shift nurses. One hundred and fifty female nurses aged 20
      49 years were recruited from Ain Shams University Hospitals, Egypt, from January
      to March 2016: 64 day shift and 86 night shift. Diet type was assessed by
      interview questionnaire and job satisfaction was assessed using the job
      satisfaction survey. Triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high
      density lipoprotein (HDL) were measured in all nurses. The predictors of high TG
      level were ages 30-39 and >= 40 years and night shift. The only predictor of high
      LDL level (> 130 mg/dl) was age >= 40 years. An unhealthy diet and night shift
      were predictors of risky HDL levels. Seventy nurses were unsatisfied with their
      jobs, and 137 ate a semi-healthy diet. The findings emphasize that night shift
      nurses are at risk of abnormal lipid profile, therefore an occupational programme
      to help nurses cope with their employment conditions is necessary.

PMID- 28634981
TI  - Improving influenza vaccination rates of healthcare workers: a multipronged
      approach in Qatar.
AB  - We assessed whether an influenza vaccination (IV) campaign was effective at
      increasing vaccination rate in healthcare workers (HCWs) in 2 hospitals in Doha,
      Qatar that had no mandatory IV policy. The campaign comprised promotional,
      educational and vaccine delivery interventions; a dedicated IV team; telephone
      hotline; free IV with improved access, leadership involvement; incentives; group
      educational sessions; and reporting/tracking activities. During the 2014/15
      influenza season, IV rates according to hospital and HCW category were calculated
      and compared with the 2 seasons before the intervention. The combined mean rate
      for IV for both hospitals increased for 2014/15 (64.3%) compared with 2013/14
      (37.2%) and 2012/13 (28.4%). There was increased IV uptake among doctors and
      nurses at each hospital, and the IV rate for the 2 hospitals (59.1 and 69.5%)
      were higher than in 2013/14 (21.1% and 53.2%) and 2012/13 (17.2% and 39.6%). The
      findings highlight the importance of improving IV rates among HCWs in hospitals
      with no mandatory vaccination policies through multicomponent interventions.

PMID- 28634982
TI  - Zika in Singapore: implications for Saudi Arabia.

PMID- 28634983
TI  - La resistance a la sectorisation : exemple du gouvernorat de Nabeul en Tunisie.
AB  - Sectorisation was introduced in Tunisia in 1999. The objective of this study was
      to examine the difficulties and resistance to the sectorisation of psychiatric
      care in the state of Nabeul. A transversal study was conducted over a period of 5
      months from 1 November 2014 to 31 March 2015 on 96 patients resident in the state
      of Nabeul and treated at Razi hospital. Patients were aged between 18 and 69
      years old ( sex ratio equal to one), 55.2% were single and 46% had a low
      socioeconomic level (n=44). Chronic psychotic disorder was diagnosed in 64.3% ,
      depression in 12.3%, bipolar disorder in 18.8% and mental retardation in 3% of
      cases. Most of them refused to continue psychiatric treatment in the second or
      the first line of care. Resistance to sectorisation was associated with a low
      socioeconomic level (P = 0.039), availability of a companion (P = 0.04), celibacy
      (P = 0.04), gender (P = 0.05) and negatively correlated to psychotic disorder
      diagnosis. It was concluded that the environment plays an important role in the
      choice of the place of care. Subjects treated for mental illness were found to
      have greater trust in the structures that treated the acute episode of their
      illness, and paradoxically felt less stigmatized in Razi hospital.

PMID- 28634984
TI  - Reply To: Higher Intelligence and Later Maternal Age: Which Way Does the Causal
      Direction Go?

PMID- 28634985
TI  - A performance comparison between the two language versions of the Affective Go/No
      Go test: A randomised crossover study.
AB  - The purpose of this randomised crossover study is to validate the Korean version
      of the Affective Go/No-go (AGN) test. The Korean words for the AGN test were
      selected after careful evaluation of emotional valences, word length and
      frequency. Fifteen Korean advanced learners of English were administered both
      Korean and English versions, yielding 30 data points. The performance of both
      language versions was compared for each of the AGN test parameters (response
      latency, commission error and omission error) using two-way analysis of variance
      (ANOVA). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were estimated to evaluate
      associations between the two versions. The ICCs were high for response latencies
      of all valences and commission errors of positive and neutral words, but not for
      that of negative words and omission errors of all valences. A similar pattern of
      test results, as revealed by the high ICCs and non-significant interaction
      effects between language and word valence, suggests that the psychometric
      properties of the AGN test may be comparable over different language versions.

PMID- 28634986
TI  - Proteomic analysis of red blood cells from donors exhibiting high hemolysis
      demonstrates a reduction in membrane-associated proteins involved in the
      oxidative response.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The development of hemolysis during ex vivo hypothermic storage is
      multifaceted. Standardization of collection and production processes is used to
      minimize variability in biologics manufacturing and to maximize product quality.
      However, the influence of various donor characteristics on product quality is
      often difficult to evaluate and to control. Using a proteomic approach, we aimed
      to decipher relevant donor characteristics that may predict red blood cell (RBC)
      quality during storage. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Ten healthy volunteer donors
      exhibiting repeated high hemolysis at outdate (>0.8%; RBCHH ) and 10 age- and sex
      matched control donors (RBCCtrl ) were studied. Common quality variables were
      measured on Days 5, 14, 21, 28, and 42 of storage. Protein profiles of hemoglobin
      depleted membrane fractions from RBCHH and RBCCtrl donors were analyzed using a
      quantitative proteomics approach based on iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and
      absolute quantitation). RESULTS: Time-dependent lesion development was apparent
      in both donor populations. RBCHH exhibited reduced 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate levels
      (p < 0.001) and morphologic score (p < 0.001), but displayed elevated hemolysis
      level (p < 0.001), RBC-derived microvesicle formation (p < 0.001), and mean
      corpuscular fragility (p < 0.001) compared to RBCCtrl , indicating notable
      differences at the membrane between the two donor populations. Proteomic findings
      revealed a significant reduction in the level of proteins involved in oxidative
      response pathways at early time points in RBCHH compared to that of RBCCtrl .
      CONCLUSION: The recruitment of these candidate proteins might be part of a
      response mechanism altered in RBCHH donors and therefore may be useful as a donor
      screening tool.

PMID- 28634987
TI  - Dietary TiO2 particles modulate expression of hormone-related genes in Bombyx
      mori.
AB  - Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically beneficial insect. Its growth and
      development are regulated by endogenous hormones. In the present study, we found
      that feeding titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NP) caused a significant
      increase of body size. TiO2 NP stimulated the transcription of several genes,
      including the insulin-related hormone bombyxin, PI3K/Akt/TOR (where PI3K is
      phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and TOR is target of rapamycin), and the adenosine
      5'-monophosphateactivated protein kinase (AMPK)/target of rapamycin (TOR)
      pathways. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis documented 26
      developmental hormone signaling related genes that were differentially expressed
      following dietary TiO2 NP treatment. qPCR analysis confirmed the upregulation of
      insulin/ecdysteroid signaling genes, such as bombyxin B-1, bombyxin B-4, bombyxin
      B-7, MAPK, P70S6K, PI3k, eIF4E, E75, ecdysteroid receptor (EcR), and insulin
      related peptide binding protein precursor 2 (IBP2). We infer from the upregulated
      expression of bombyxins and the signaling network that they act in bombyxin
      stimulated ecdysteroidogenesis.

PMID- 28634989
TI  - Growth of Au Nanoparticles on 2D Metalloporphyrinic Metal-Organic Framework
      Nanosheets Used as Biomimetic Catalysts for Cascade Reactions.
AB  - Inspired by the multiple functions of natural multienzyme systems, a new kind of
      hybrid nanosheet is designed and synthesized, i.e., ultrasmall Au nanoparticles
      (NPs) grown on 2D metalloporphyrinic metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets.
      Since 2D metalloporphyrinic MOF nanosheets can act as the peroxidase mimics and
      Au NPs can serve as artificial glucose oxidase, the hybrid nanosheets are used to
      mimic the natural enzymes and catalyze the cascade reactions. Furthermore, the
      synthesized hybrid nanosheets are used to detect biomolecules, such as glucose.
      This study paves a new avenue to design nanomaterial-based biomimetic catalysts
      with multiple complex functions.

PMID- 28634988
TI  - Panax notoginseng Preparations for Unstable Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review
      and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - This paper assessed the evidence of Panax notoginseng preparations in patients
      suffering from UAP using meta-analysis and systematic review methods. Methods
      were according to the Cochrane Handbook and analysed using Revman 5.3. A search
      of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, Chinese national knowledge
      infrastructure (CNKI), Vip information database, Wanfang data and Chinese
      Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed) was conducted to identify randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) of P. notoginseng preparations on UAP regardless of
      blinding, sex and language. The outcomes include all-cause mortality, cardiac
      mortality, cardiovascular events, UAP symptoms, improvement of electrocardiogram
      and adverse events. Eighteen RCTs including 1828 patients were identified. The
      level of reporting is generally poor. Among 18 studies, 16 studies were
      prescribed P. notoginseng injections, and two studies were oral P. notoginseng
      preparations. Reduction of cardiovascular events (RR:0.35;95% CI:0.13 to 0.94),
      alleviation of angina pectoris symptoms (RR:1.23;95% CI 1.18 to 1.29),
      improvement of ECG (RR:1.22;95% CI 1.15 to 1.28) and reduced frequency of angina
      pectoris (MD:-1.48; 95% CI -2.49 to -0.48) were observed. Cardiac mortality and
      duration of angina pectoris were not statistically significant. Panax notoginseng
      is beneficial to UAP patients; the results of these reviews may have important
      implications to clinical work. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28634990
TI  - Clinical assessment to determine the risk of bowel cancer using Symptoms, Age,
      Mass and Iron deficiency anaemia (SAMI).
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify characteristics with
      independent predictive value for bowel cancer for use in the clinical assessment
      of patients attending colorectal outpatient clinics. METHODS: This was a 22-year
      (1986-2007) retrospective cohort analysis of data collected prospectively from
      patients who attended colorectal surgical outpatient clinics in Portsmouth. The
      data set was split randomly into two groups of patients to generate and validate
      a predictive model. Multivariable logistic regression was used to create and
      validate a system to predict outcome. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)
      curves and Hosmer-Lemeshow test were used to evaluate the model's predictive
      capability. The likelihood of bowel cancer was expressed as the odds ratio (OR).
      RESULTS: Data from 29 005 patients were analysed. Discrimination of the model for
      bowel cancer was high in the development (C-statistic 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.85
      to 0.88) and validation (C-statistic 0.86, 0.84 to 0.87) groups. The most
      important co-variables in the final model were: age (OR 3.17-27.10), rectal (OR
      31.48) or abdominal (OR 1.83-8.45) mass, iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) (OR 4.42
      8.38), rectal bleeding and change in bowel habit in combination (OR 5.37), change
      in bowel habit without rectal bleeding, with or without abdominal pain (OR 2.12
      2.52), and rectal bleeding with no perianal symptoms and without change in bowel
      habit (OR 2.91). Some 91.5 per cent of bowel cancers presented with these
      characteristics, 40.4 per cent with a mass and/or IDA. In patients with at least
      one of these characteristics the overall risk of having cancer was 10.0 (range
      6.5-50.4) per cent, compared with 1.1 (0.3-2.3) per cent in patients without
      them. CONCLUSION: A clinical assessment that systematically identifies or
      excludes four symptom-age combinations, a mass and IDA (SAMI) stratifies patients
      as having a low and higher risk of having bowel cancer. This could improve
      patient selection for referral and investigation.

PMID- 28634991
TI  - Experiences and psychological distress of spouses of prostate cancer patients at
      time of diagnosis and primary treatment.
AB  - We studied experiences and psychological distress of partners of prostate cancer
      patients at the time of diagnosis and primary treatment and investigated
      associates of their psychological wellbeing and the emotional social support they
      give to and receive from the patient. Using a quantitative questionnaire we
      studied the spouses' experiences (psychological response and sources of
      information and emotional support at diagnosis; impacts of prostate cancer on
      partnership and sex life; impact of side effects of treatment) and the emotional
      support given and received, and measured their psychological symptom distress.
      Many spouses reported distressing experiences and all psychological symptoms. Two
      thirds perceived no impact of the cancer on the partnership while 29% no change
      in sex life. Distress was associated with a shock, fear of the man's death and
      impact of side effects, whereas emotional support from a doctor predicted less
      distress. More support given to the patient was associated with information and
      emotional support received from a doctor and the patient's sexual dysfunction and
      pain, and less with experiences of depression, no impact on the partnership and
      the patient's irritableness. The spouses' distress was relieved by emotional
      support from a doctor, which along with received information also enhanced their
      capability to support the patient.

PMID- 28634992
TI  - The real thing: preschoolers prefer actual activities to pretend ones.
AB  - Pretend play is a quintessential activity of early childhood, and adults supply
      children with many toys to encourage it. Do young children actually prefer to
      pretend, or do they do it because they are unable to engage in some activities
      for real? Here we examined, for nine different activities, American middle-class
      preschoolers' preferences for pretend and real activities. The 100 children we
      tested (M = 58.5 months, range 36 to 82 months) overwhelmingly preferred real
      activities to pretend ones, and this preference increased from age 3 to age 4,
      then remained steady through age 6. Children provided cogent justifications for
      their preferences. The results are discussed with reference to other domains in
      which children show reality preferences and with respect to the content of
      preschool curricula.

PMID- 28634993
TI  - Eu3+ -doped polystyrene and polyvinylidene fluoride nanofibers made by
      electrospinning for photoluminescent fabric designing.
AB  - Eu3+ -doped polystyrene and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF/Eu3+ and PS/Eu3+ )
      nanofibers were made using electrospinning. These fibers were characterized by
      scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT
      IR), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) and photoluminescence (PL). Spectral
      analysis of PVDF/Eu3+ and PS/Eu3+ nanofibers was based on their emission spectra.
      A bright red emission was noticed from Eu3+ that was assigned to the
      hypersensitive 5 D0  -> 7 F2 transition. The enhanced intensity ratios of 5 D0  
      > 7 F2 to 5 D0  -> 7 F1 transitions in the nanofibers indicated a more polarized
      chemical environment for the Eu3+ ions and greater hypersensitivity for the 5 D0 
      -> 7 F2 transition, which showed the potential for application in various polymer
      optoelectronic devices. The Eu3+ -doped polymer (PVDF/Eu3+ and PS/Eu3+ )
      nanofibers are suitable for the photoluminescent white light fabric design of
      smart textiles. This paper focuses on the potential application of smart fabrics
      to address challenges in human life.

PMID- 28634994
TI  - Concentration- and flux-based dose-responses of isoprene emission from poplar
      leaves and plants exposed to an ozone concentration gradient.
AB  - Concentration- and flux-based O3 dose-responses of isoprene emission from single
      leaves and whole plants were developed. Two poplar clones differing in O3
      sensitivity were exposed to five O3 levels in open-top chambers for 97 d:
      charcoal-filtered ambient air (CF), non-filtered ambient air (NF) and NF plus 20
      ppb (NF + 20), 40 ppb (NF + 40) and 60 ppb (NF + 60). At both leaf and plant
      level, isoprene emission was significantly decreased by NF + 40 and NF + 60 for
      both clones. Although intra-specific variability was found when the emissions
      were up-scaled to the whole plant, both leaf- and plant-level emissions decreased
      linearly with increasing concentration-based (AOT40, cumulative exposure to
      hourly O3 concentrations >40 ppb) and flux-based indices (PODY , cumulative
      stomatal uptake of O3  > Y nmol O3 m-2 PLA s-1 ). AOT40- and POD7 -based dose
      responses performed equally well. The two clones responded differently to AOT40
      and similarly to PODY (with a slightly higher R2 for POD7 ) when the emission was
      expressed as change relative to clean air. We thus recommend POD7 as a large
      scale risk assessment metric to estimate isoprene emission responses to O3 in
      poplar.

PMID- 28634995
TI  - The Longitudinal Association Between Early Childhood Obesity and Fathers'
      Involvement in Caregiving and Decision-Making.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fathers have increased their involvement in child caregiving; however,
      their changing role in childhood obesity is understudied. This study assessed the
      longitudinal association between changes in obesity among children aged 2 to 4
      years and changes in fathers' involvement with raising children. METHODS:
      Longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort were
      used to conduct child fixed-effects linear and logistic regression analyses to
      assess the association between changes in childhood obesity-related outcomes
      (sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, screen time, BMI z score,
      overweight/obesity, obesity) and fathers' involvement with raising children
      (caregiving and influencing child-related decisions). Fixed-effects models
      control for all time-invariant characteristics. Analyses were controlled for time
      varying confounders, including child age, maternal and paternal employment, and
      family poverty status. RESULTS: Children whose fathers increased their frequency
      of taking children outside and involvement with physical childcare experienced a
      decrease in their odds of obesity from age 2 to age 4. Obesity-related outcomes
      were not associated with fathers' decision-making influence. CONCLUSIONS:
      Increases in fathers' involvement with some aspects of caregiving may be
      associated with lower odds of childhood obesity. Encouraging fathers to increase
      their involvement with raising children and including fathers in childhood
      obesity prevention efforts may help reduce obesity risk among young children.

PMID- 28634996
TI  - Molecular regulation and pharmacological targeting of the beta-catenin
      destruction complex.
AB  - : The beta-catenin destruction complex is a dynamic cytosolic multiprotein
      assembly that provides a key node in Wnt signalling regulation. The core
      components of the destruction complex comprise the scaffold proteins axin and
      adenomatous polyposis coli and the Ser/Thr kinases casein kinase 1 and glycogen
      synthase kinase 3. In unstimulated cells, the destruction complex efficiently
      drives degradation of the transcriptional coactivator beta-catenin, thereby
      preventing the activation of the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. Mutational
      inactivation of the destruction complex is a major pathway in the pathogenesis of
      cancer. Here, we review recent insights in the regulation of the beta-catenin
      destruction complex, including newly identified interaction interfaces,
      regulatory elements and post-translationally controlled mechanisms. In addition,
      we discuss how mutations in core destruction complex components deregulate Wnt
      signalling via distinct mechanisms and how these findings open up potential
      therapeutic approaches to restore destruction complex activity in cancer cells.
      LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on WNT Signalling:
      Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities. To view the other articles in this
      section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.24/issuetoc.

PMID- 28634999
TI  - Plasticity in gas-exchange physiology of mature Scots pine and European larch
      drive short- and long-term adjustments to changes in water availability.
AB  - Adjustment mechanisms of trees to changes in soil-water availability over long
      periods are poorly understood, but crucial to improve estimates of forest
      development in a changing climate. We compared mature trees of Scots pine (Pinus
      sylvestris) and European larch (Larix decidua) growing along water-permeable
      channels (irrigated) and under natural conditions (control) at three sites in
      inner-Alpine dry valleys. At two sites, the irrigation had been stopped in the
      1980s. We combined measurements of basal area increment (BAI), tree height and
      gas-exchange physiology (Delta13 C) for the period 1970-2009. At one site, the
      Delta13 C of irrigated pine trees was higher than that of the control in all
      years, while at the other sites, it differed in pine and larch only in years with
      dry climatic conditions. During the first decade after the sudden change in water
      availability, the BAI and Delta13 C of originally irrigated pine and larch trees
      decreased instantly, but subsequently reached higher levels than those of the
      control by 2009 (15 years afterwards). We found a high plasticity in the gas
      exchange physiology of pine and larch and site-specific responses to changes in
      water availability. Our study highlights the ability of trees to adjust to new
      conditions, thus showing high resilience.

PMID- 28635001
TI  - Electro- and Liquid Phase-Separations (ITP 2016).

PMID- 28634997
TI  - Working toward precision medicine: Predicting phenotypes from exomes in the
      Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) challenges.
AB  - Precision medicine aims to predict a patient's disease risk and best therapeutic
      options by using that individual's genetic sequencing data. The Critical
      Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) is a community experiment consisting
      of genotype-phenotype prediction challenges; participants build models, undergo
      assessment, and share key findings. For CAGI 4, three challenges involved using
      exome-sequencing data: Crohn's disease, bipolar disorder, and warfarin dosing.
      Previous CAGI challenges included prior versions of the Crohn's disease
      challenge. Here, we discuss the range of techniques used for phenotype prediction
      as well as the methods used for assessing predictive models. Additionally, we
      outline some of the difficulties associated with making predictions and
      evaluating them. The lessons learned from the exome challenges can be applied to
      both research and clinical efforts to improve phenotype prediction from genotype.
      In addition, these challenges serve as a vehicle for sharing clinical and
      research exome data in a secure manner with scientists who have a broad range of
      expertise, contributing to a collaborative effort to advance our understanding of
      genotype-phenotype relationships.

PMID- 28634998
TI  - Dietary glycaemic index and glycaemic load and upper gastrointestinal disorders:
      results from the SEPAHAN study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effects of carbohydrate, particularly any
      association between dietary glycaemic index or glycaemic load and uninvestigated
      heartburn or uninvestigated chronic dyspepsia in the community. The present study
      aimed to determine associations between dietary glycaemic index or glycaemic load
      and uninvestigated heartburn or uninvestigated chronic dyspepsia. METHODS: This
      cross-sectional study was conducted in 2987 adults. Dietary glycaemic index and
      glycaemic load were estimated using a validated food-frequency questionnaire.
      Uninvestigated heartburn and uninvestigated chronic dyspepsia were determined
      using a modified and validated version of the Rome III questionnaire. RESULTS:
      After controlling for various confounders, high glycaemic load was associated
      with an increased risk of uninvestigated heartburn [odds ration (OR) = 1.75; 95%
      confidence interval CI = 1.03, 2.97; P = 0.04] and uninvestigated chronic
      dyspepsia (OR = 2.14; 95% CI: 1.04, 4.37; P = 0.04) in men but not in women. In
      normal-weight individuals, high glycaemic index was related to an increased risk
      of uninvestigated heartburn (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.07, 2.15; P = 0.02) and high
      glycaemic load to an increased risk of uninvestigated chronic dyspepsia (OR=1.78;
      95% CI: 1.05, 3.01; P = 0.03). No significant associations were observed in
      subjects with excess body weight. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that there are
      body mass index- and sex-specific associations between dietary carbohydrate
      quality with uninvestigated heartburn and uninvestigated chronic dyspepsia.

PMID- 28635002
TI  - Impact of changing global political landscape on women's health priorities.

PMID- 28635003
TI  - Anchoring on Self and Others During Social Inferences.
AB  - When making inferences about similar others, people anchor and adjust away from
      themselves (Tamir & Mitchell, 2013). However, research on relational self theory
      (Andersen & Chen, 2002) suggests the possibility of using knowledge about others
      as an anchor when they are more similar to a target. We investigated whether
      social inferences are made on the basis of significant other knowledge through an
      anchoring and adjustment process, and whether anchoring on a significant other is
      more effortful than anchoring on the self. Participants answered questions about
      their likes and habits, as well as the likes and habits of a significant other, a
      target similar to their significant other, and a yoked control. We found that
      prediction differences between the significant other and similar target led to
      longer response times, and we found the opposite effect for self and target
      differences, suggesting anchoring and adjustment from the significant other
      rather than the self. These effects were moderated by the source-relative
      salience of the dimension being evaluated. The evidence was mixed with respect to
      the question of whether anchoring on a significant other is more effortful than
      anchoring on the self.

PMID- 28635005
TI  - The World Health Organization's Ninth Director-General: The Leadership of Tedros
      Adhanom.

PMID- 28635004
TI  - Observation period for changes in proteinuria and risk prediction of end-stage
      renal disease in general population.
AB  - AIM: Proteinuria is known to be an independent risk factor of end-stage renal
      disease (ESRD). But the associations between changes in dipstick proteinuria and
      the risk of ESRD in the general population and its appropriate observation period
      to predict incident ESRD are unknown. METHODS: We assessed the changes in
      dipstick proteinuria in 69 021 participants aged >=20 years who participated in
      health check-ups from 1993 and more than once until 1996 in Okinawa, Japan.
      Development of ESRD until 2011 was identified using dialysis registry. Cox
      proportional hazards model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were
      used. RESULTS: At baseline, proteinuria (+/-) and >=(1+) were observed in 2.4%
      and 1.2% of total subjects. 1.5% of subjects had decreased and 9.4% of subjects
      had increased their proteinuria level after 2 years. After adjustment for
      confounding factors, hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of ESRD for subjects
      with proteinuria change <= - 1, +1, +2, +3, and +4 level during 2 years compared
      to subjects with no change were 0.89 (0.43-1.87), 3.18 (2.21-4.60), 8.01 (5.55
      11.55), 11.17 (6.59-19.95), and 16.59 (5.95-46.25), respectively. Heterogeneity
      existed between changes in proteinuria level during 1 or 3 years and the risk of
      ESRD among baseline proteinuria. Area under the ROC curve (95%CI) to predict ESRD
      by increase in proteinuria level during 1, 2, and 3 years were 0.650 (0.623
      0.679), 0.779 (0.751-0.808), and 0.778 (0.748-0.808), respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      The changes in dipstick proteinuria were an independent predictor of ESRD in the
      general population. Changes in proteinuria over 2 years may be appropriate for
      the risk prediction of ESRD.

PMID- 28635006
TI  - The care burden and coping levels of chronic psychiatric patients' caregivers.
AB  - PURPOSE: This descriptive study was conducted in order to determine care burden
      of caregivers of chronic psychiatric patients and their levels of coping with
      stress. METHODS: The study was conducted with 134 caregivers of chronic
      psychiatric patients. The following data collection tools were used: the personal
      information form, the ZBI and SCI. The study participants were selected from the
      population by using an improbable random sampling method. RESULTS: The average
      age of the caregivers was 49.95+/-13.68 and the majority were married and primary
      school graduates. CONCLUSION: This study determined that caregivers experienced a
      high level of burden. However, while the deal with their difficulties of
      providing effective care was found to have more coping methods they use.

PMID- 28635007
TI  - The intricate anatomy of the periodontal ligament and its development: Lessons
      for periodontal regeneration.
AB  - The periodontal ligament (PDL) connects the tooth root and alveolar bone. It is
      an aligned fibrous network that is interposed between, and anchored to, both
      mineralized surfaces. Periodontal disease is common and reduces the ability of
      the PDL to act as a shock absorber, a barrier for pathogens and a sensor of
      mastication. Although disease progression can be stopped, current therapies do
      not primarily focus on tissue regeneration. Functional regeneration of PDL may be
      achieved using innovative techniques, such as tissue engineering. However, the
      complex fibrillar architecture of the PDL, essential to withstand high forces,
      makes PDL tissue engineering very challenging. This challenge may be met by
      studying PDL anatomy and development. Understanding PDL anatomy, development and
      maintenance provides clues regarding the specific events that need to be mimicked
      for the formation of this intricate tissue. Owing to the specific composition of
      the PDL, which develops by self-organization, a different approach than the
      typical combination of biomaterials, growth factors and regenerative cells is
      necessary for functional PDL engineering. Most specifically, the architecture of
      the new PDL to be formed does not need to be dictated by textured biomaterials
      but can emerge from the local mechanical loading conditions. Elastic hydrogels
      are optimal to fill the space properly between tooth and bone, may house cells
      and growth factors to enhance regeneration and allow self-optimization by the
      alignment to local stresses. We suggest that cells and materials should be placed
      in a proper mechanical environment to initiate a process of self-organization
      resulting in a functional architecture of the PDL.

PMID- 28635008
TI  - Assisted Reproductive Technology and Birth Defects: Effects of Subfertility and
      Multiple Births.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has been associated with birth
      defects, but the contributions of multiple births and underlying subfertility
      remain unclear. We evaluated the effects of subfertility and mediation by
      multiple births on associations between ART and nonchromosomal birth defects.
      METHODS: We identified a retrospective cohort of Massachusetts live births and
      stillbirths from 2004 to 2010 among ART-exposed, ART-unexposed subfertile, and
      fertile mothers using linked information from fertility clinics, vital records,
      hospital discharges, and birth defects surveillance. Log-binomial regression was
      used to estimate prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Mediation
      analyses were performed to deconstruct the ART-birth defects association into the
      direct effect of ART, the indirect effect of multiple births, and the effect of
      ART-multiples interaction. RESULTS: Of 17,829 ART-exposed births, 355 had a birth
      defect, compared with 162 of 9431 births to subfertile mothers and 6183 of
      445,080 births to fertile mothers. The adjusted prevalence ratio was 1.5 (95% CI,
      1.3-1.6) for ART and 1.3 (95% CI, 1.1-1.5) in subfertile compared with fertile
      deliveries. We observed elevated rates of several birth defects with ART,
      including tetralogy of Fallot and hypospadias. Subfertility and multiple births
      affect these associations, with multiple births explaining 36% of the relative
      effect of ART on nonchromosomal birth defects. CONCLUSION: Although the risk of
      birth defects with ART is small, a substantial portion of the relative effect is
      mediated through multiple births, with subfertility contributing an important
      role. Future research is needed to determine the impact of newer techniques, such
      as single embryo transfer, on these risks. Birth Defects Research 109:1144-1153,
      2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28635009
TI  - Female GADD34 mice develop age-related inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - AIM: To analyze the impact of sex on GADD34 function, we studied the aging of
      female GADD34-deficient mice and compared them with male GADD34-deficient mice.
      METHODS: We used GADD34-deficient mice on a C57BL/6 background. These mice were
      fed a normal diet throughout their life. Alternatively, they were fed a high-fat
      diet at 3 months-of-age. Liver tissues taken from mice were analyzed by
      hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical methods. Fresh liver cells
      were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: We found that female GADD34-deficient
      mice did not develop obesity or fatty livers. However, female GADD34-deficient
      mice had infiltrations of myeloid cells in the liver, followed by liver atrophy.
      Many female GADD34-deficient mice developed hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas
      female wild-type (WT) mice did not show hepatocellular carcinoma during aging.
      Female GADD34-deficient mice and female WT mice developed the same percentages of
      lymphoma. Although a high-fat diet induced a higher level of steatosis in young
      male GADD34-deficient mice compared with WT mice, a high-fat diet induced the
      same level of steatosis in young female GADD34-deficient mice compared with WT
      mice. However, GADD34-deficient female young mice had a higher level of
      infiltration of myeloid cells and myofibroblasts than WT mice. CONCLUSIONS: In
      contrast to male GADD34-deficient mice, female GADD34-deficient mice did not show
      obesity as they aged. However, similar to the males, they developed inflammation
      followed by hepatocellular carcinoma. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2593-2601.

PMID- 28635010
TI  - A case of presumed autoimmune subepidermal blistering dermatosis treated with
      oclacitinib.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autoimmune subepidermal blistering dermatoses (ASBD) are a group of
      severe autoimmune dermatoses rarely described in dogs. Their treatment usually
      necessitates the long term use of medications potentially associated with adverse
      effects. In humans, Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors have been demonstrated to be of
      value in some cases of autoimmune skin disease. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To
      evaluate oral oclacitinib, a JAK-1 predominant inhibitor, in one case of ASBD in
      a dog. CASE REPORT: A 5-year-old German shepherd cross-bred dog was presented
      with an acute onset of ulcerative and blistering skin lesions on the face, oral
      cavity, lateral trunk and limbs. Associated systemic signs were not seen. A
      clinical diagnosis of ASBD was supported by the finding of subepidermal clefts
      and visualization of the epidermal basement membrane zone at the bottom of the
      clefts on histopathological examination. Treatment was initiated with
      prednisolone at 1.2 mg/kg twice daily. Because of severe adverse effects and
      relapse, when the prednisolone dose was reduced, oclacitinib therapy was
      administered at 0.5 mg/kg twice a day. A complete resolution of clinical signs
      was noted after one month and no relapse was observed after twelve months of
      treatment. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: The use of oclacitinib
      may be useful for the treatment of some autoimmune skin diseases in dogs. Further
      controlled studies are needed to confirm our findings.

PMID- 28635011
TI  - Radiotherapy-assisted tumor selective metronomic oral chemotherapy.
AB  - Chemotherapy have commonly been used in maximum tolerated dose to completely
      eradicate the cancer. However, such treatments often failed due to the complex
      and dynamic nature of cancer. Therefore, it has been suggested that cancer should
      be treated as a chronic disease, controlling its growth by providing continuous
      therapeutic pressure for long-term. Such an approach, however, requires a therapy
      that is non-toxic and orally available with sufficient potency. Herein, we
      propose a radiotherapy-assisted orally available metronomic apoptosis-targeted
      chemotherapy, which delivers doxorubicin continuously to the irradiated tumor
      with high selectivity while causing minimal toxicities to the normal tissues.
      DEVD-S-DOX/DCK complex is the anticancer prodrug for our strategy that could
      selectively release doxorubicin in the irradiated tumor tissue with sufficient
      oral bioavailability. The prodrug was completely inactive by itself, but
      displayed potent anticancer activity when coupled with radiotherapy.
      Consequently, the daily oral administration of DEVD-S-DOX/DCK in combination with
      the low-dose radiotherapy effectively suppressed the growth of tumor in vivo with
      no significant systemic toxicities despite that the accumulated dose of
      doxorubicin exceeded 150 mg/kg. Therefore, the our novel therapy using DEVD-S
      DOX/DCK complex is considered as an outstanding treatment option for treating
      cancer for long-term attributed to its oral availability and low-toxicity profile
      as well as the potent anticancer effect.

PMID- 28635012
TI  - Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome accompanied by disseminated cutaneous
      fungal infection.
AB  - Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome is a rare genodermatosis. It is
      mostly associated with mutations of the connexin 26 gene, resulting in keratitis,
      erythrokeratoderma and neurosensory deafness. In addition to the clinical triad,
      the KID syndrome patients are at high risk for infectious complications, while
      the mechanisms are poorly understood. In the present article, we described an
      Asian case of KID syndrome accompanied by fungal infection. The present study was
      designed to define the mutation type, and further to explore the interaction
      between the innate immunity response and the infectious complication of KID
      syndrome. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood for mutation analysis.
      Isolation and identification of the species were carried out to confirm the
      infectious microorganism. Three biopsy specimens from different parts of the body
      (right thigh, abdomen and forehead, respectively) were carried out for
      histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. Furthermore, quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out to study the expression of Toll
      like receptor 2 (TLR2) on the epidermis of the right thigh. We identified a
      mutation (p.G12R) in the GJB2 gene in this patient with Trichophyton rubrum
      infection. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed a lower expression of TLR2 and
      no significant difference in TLR4. Meanwhile, PCR showed a relatively slight
      increase of TLR2 RNA expression. These results indicated that GJB2 mutation
      (p.G12R) in this case of KID syndrome, which was susceptible to T. rubrum
      infection, might be attributed to a limited native immune response.

PMID- 28635013
TI  - Demographic characteristics and pregnancy outcomes in adolescents - Experience
      from an Australian perinatal centre.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adolescent pregnancy is defined as pregnancy in girls aged 10-19
      years and can be associated with increased risks. AIM: To investigate obstetric
      and perinatal outcomes in a cohort of adolescent girls from a major Australian
      tertiary centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a nine-year retrospective cohort
      study of women who birthed at the Mater Mother's Hospital (MMH) in Brisbane,
      Australia between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2015. The adolescent cohort was
      aged <19 years and the control group was aged 20-24 years. RESULTS: Over the
      study period the total study cohort comprised 8904 women. Of these, the
      adolescent cohort consisted of 1625 girls (18.2%) and the control group consisted
      of 7279 women (81.8%). Adolescents were more likely to be nulliparous, single, of
      Indigenous ethnicity or to have refugee status. They had higher rates of smoking,
      asthma, diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease. They were more likely to have an
      uncomplicated spontaneous vaginal delivery but were less likely to have an intact
      perineum and had higher rates of pre-term delivery and low birth weight babies.
      There were no differences in rates of postpartum haemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS:
      Teenage pregnancy results in poorer obstetric and perinatal outcomes. A focus on
      optimising maternal health care and providing culturally appropriate antenatal
      and intrapartum care is imperative to improving outcomes.

PMID- 28635014
TI  - Haemolysis during sodium dimercaptosulphonate therapy for Wilson's disease in
      G6PD-deficient patients: First report of two cases.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Wilson's disease (WD) is an inherited disorder in
      which defective biliary excretion of copper leads to its accumulation. Sodium
      dimercaptosulphonate (DMPS) is used as the primary therapy in China. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: We report two cases, with WD and G6PD deficiency, who developed
      haemolysis on treatment with DMPS, without any other known risk. After withdrawal
      of DMPS and administration of dexamethasone and packed red blood cells, the
      patients recovered. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Clinicians should keep in mind
      haemolysis as a potentially life-threatening side effect of DMPS in patients with
      G6PD.

PMID- 28635015
TI  - A retrospective analysis of the comparative effectiveness of smoking cessation
      medication among individuals with mental illness in community-based mental health
      and addictions treatment settings.
AB  - : WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Persons with different mental illnesses smoke
      for reasons based on their particular diagnosis. As compared to those without,
      persons with mental illnesses are less able to quit smoking when using smoking
      cessation medications. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper
      shows that there may be differences in the ability to quit smoking between
      persons with different mental illness diagnoses. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR
      PRACTICE?: Clinicians should be aware that persons with anxiety disorders may
      find it more difficult to quit smoking as compared to those with other mental
      illnesses. Clinicians should be aware that of all medications, varenicline seems
      to help those with mood disorders to quit the best. Clinicians should be aware
      that persons with psychotic disorders likely need longer treatment durations for
      smoking cessation as compared to persons with other mental illnesses. ABSTRACT:
      Introduction Individuals with mental illnesses (MI) have diagnosis-specific
      reasons for smoking and achieve low smoking cessation when using cessation
      medications. Aim To assess differences in smoking cessation outcomes by MI
      diagnosis and cessation medications in outpatient mental health and addictions
      treatment settings in Vancouver, Canada. Method This is a retrospective analysis
      of tobacco treatment outcomes from 539 participants. The programme consists of
      cessation pharmacotherapy with 8 to 12 weeks of behavioural counselling and 12
      weeks of support group. Smoking cessation was verified by expired carbon monoxide
      levels. Generalized estimating equations models assessed differences in cessation
      by type of medication in both total and stratified samples. Results There were no
      significant differences in cessation by pharmacotherapy in the total sample.
      Individuals with a mood disorder were two times more likely to achieve cessation
      as compared to those with an anxiety disorder. Among individuals with mood
      disorders, receiving varenicline alone resulted in three times the likelihood of
      cessation as compared to receiving single NRT. Discussion The differences in
      outcomes by MI diagnosis suggest the need for more diagnosis-specific approaches
      to optimize cessation. Implications for Practice Compared with other diagnoses,
      persons with anxiety disorders may have a greater challenge quitting and those
      with a psychotic disorder may require longer treatment durations.

PMID- 28635016
TI  - Enucleation of solid pseudopapillary tumor with a preoperative nasopancreatic
      drainage stent in a child.
AB  - Solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) is a rare pancreatic tumor with low-grade
      malignancy in children. A complete surgical resection can achieve a favorable
      prognosis. Although several reports have indicated that enucleation is considered
      a safe and effective treatment, the most significant complication is injury to
      the main pancreatic duct. The usefulness and safety of tumor enucleation after
      preoperative placement of an endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage stent (NPDS) has
      recently been reported. We present the case of SPT in a 10-year-old girl. To
      avoid and detect injury to the main pancreatic duct during operation, an NPDS was
      endoscopically placed before laparotomy. The patient underwent a complete
      enucleation of the tumor with the guidance of an NPDS. Our case is the first
      report of a successful enucleation of an SPT with a preoperative placement of an
      NPDS. This procedure may lead to safe enucleation of a pancreatic tumor with low
      malignancy, such as SPT, in children.

PMID- 28635017
TI  - Clinical features and outcomes in patients with thrombotic microangiopathy not
      associated with severe ADAMTS13 deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1
      motifs, member 13 (ADAMTS13) activity assay has become important in
      distinguishing autoimmune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura from other forms of
      thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Although the significance of severe deficiency
      in ADAMTS13 (activity levels 10% or less) has been well defined, little data are
      available on the clinical importance of mild to moderate deficiency (activity
      levels 11%-70%) among patients with TMA. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a
      retrospective study using the Harvard TMA Research Collaborative Registry. Among
      254 patients who met the inclusion criteria for TMA, 186 patients with ADAMTS13
      activity levels greater than 10% were divided into moderate-deficiency (11%-40%),
      mild-deficiency (41%-70%), and no-deficiency (greater than 70%). RESULTS:
      Compared with mild or no deficiency, moderate ADAMTS13 deficiency correlated with
      older age; higher bilirubin and international normalized ratio; and increased
      frequency of sepsis, shock, or multiorgan failure. Platelet counts, lactate
      dehydrogenase levels, and the presence of renal or neurologic dysfunction did not
      vary across the three patient cohorts. While moderate ADAMTS13 deficiency was
      associated with increased 90-day mortality in univariate analysis, this
      association was no longer significant in multivariate analysis. Variables that
      independetly predicted 90-day mortality in this cohort of patients included
      Charlson comorbidity index, alanine aminotransferase level, platelet count,
      creatinine, and the presence of sepsis, shock, or multiorgan failure. CONCLUSION:
      Moderately deficient ADAMTS13 activity identifies a cohort of patients with TMA
      who are at increased risk for 90-day mortality. The ADAMTS13 activity level in
      this group is not an independent predictor of poor outcomes but instead appears
      to be a marker of disease acuity.

PMID- 28635018
TI  - Efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients with psoriasis who have an
      inadequate response to ustekinumab: results of the randomized, double-blind,
      phase III NAVIGATE trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Guselkumab, an anti-interleukin-23 monoclonal antibody, has
      demonstrated significant efficacy in phase III psoriasis trials. OBJECTIVES: To
      evaluate the efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients with moderate-to
      severe plaque psoriasis who had an inadequate response to ustekinumab. METHODS:
      In this phase III, randomized, double-blind study, 871 patients received open
      label ustekinumab (45 mg or 90 mg) at weeks 0 and 4. At week 16, 268 patients
      with an inadequate response to ustekinumab [Investigator's Global Assessment
      (IGA) >= 2] were randomized (double-blind) to guselkumab 100 mg or to continue
      ustekinumab; 585 of 871 patients (67%) with IGA 0/1 at week 16 continued open
      label ustekinumab. The primary end point was the number of visits at which
      randomized patients achieved IGA 0/1 and at least a two-grade improvement (from
      week 16) from week 28 to week 40. Improvement >= 90% or 100% in Psoriasis Area
      and Severity Index (PASI 90/100) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of 0/1
      were also assessed. RESULTS: The mean number of visits at which patients achieved
      IGA 0/1 and at least a two-grade improvemen (week 28-40) was significantly
      greater in the guselkumab group vs. the randomized ustekinumab group (1.5 vs.
      0.7; P < 0.001); greater proportions of patients in the guselkumab group achieved
      IGA 0/1 and at least a two-grade improvement at week 28 (31.1% vs. 14.3%; P =
      0.001) and week 52 (36.3% vs. 17.3%; P < 0.001). Greater proportions of patients
      treated with guselkumab achieved PASI 90, PASI 100 and DLQI 0/1 at week 52. After
      week 16, 64.4% of patients in the guselkumab group and 55.6% in the ustekinumab
      group had at least one adverse event (AE); infections were the most frequent AE
      type. Overall, 6.7% (n = 9) of patients in the guselkumab group had at least one
      serious AE compared with 4.5% (n = 6) for the ustekinumab group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Patients treated with ustekinumab who did not achieve an IGA of 0/1 by week 16
      derived significant benefit from switching to guselkumab.

PMID- 28635019
TI  - Highly Stretchable, Shape Memory Organohydrogels Using Phase-Transition
      Microinclusions.
AB  - Shape memory effect in polymer materials has attracted considerable attention due
      to its promising applications in a variety of fields. However, shape memory
      polymers prepared by conventional strategy suffer from a common problem, in which
      high strain capacity and excellent shape memory behavior cannot be simultaneously
      achieved. This study reports a general and synergistic strategy to fabricate high
      strain and tough shape memory organohydrogels that feature binary cooperative
      phase. The phase- transition micro-organogels and elastic hydrogel framework act
      synergistically to provide excellent thermomechanical performance and shape
      memory effect. During shape memory process, the organohydrogels exhibit high
      strain capacity, featuring fully recoverable stretching deformation by up to
      2600% and compression by up to 85% beneath a load ~20 times the organohydrogel's
      weight. Furthermore, owing to the micro-organogel and hydrogel heterostructures,
      the interfacial tension derived from heterophases dominates the shape recovery of
      the organohydrogel material. Simple processing and smart surface patterning of
      the shape memory behavior and multiple shape memory effects can also be realized.
      Meanwhile, these organohydrogels are also nonswellable in water and oil, which is
      important for multimedia applications.

PMID- 28635020
TI  - Fentanyl novel derivative-related deaths.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fentanyl (FEN) is a potent, synthetic narcotic used as an anaesthetic
      and a pain reliever, but also illegally manufactured. For diversion purpose, it
      is being steadily modified to produce new analogous compounds and derivatives
      (FENS), categorised as novel psychoactive substances. While potential FEN abuse
      is already known, even in the absence of a clear lethal dosage, there is still a
      shortage of data on its derivatives. METHODS: A literature review of FENS-related
      deaths was performed, to better understand potential damage and future
      perspectives of FEN congeners. RESULTS: Epidemiological data, pathological
      findings, administration routes, average concentrations and lethal doses,
      toxicological issues, trends in misuses, comparison among FENS, and possible
      explanation for FENS abuse are reviewed and discussed in depth. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study provides a medical-legal and toxicological assessment of this phenomenon in
      order to understand the role of illegal fentanyl and its congeners in deaths from
      FENS overdose.

PMID- 28635021
TI  - The object of my aggression: Sexual objectification increases physical aggression
      toward women.
AB  - Objectification involves reducing someone to a sexual object, rather than seeing
      them as a full person. Despite numerous theoretical claims that people are more
      aggressive toward the objectified, and empirical evidence that objectification is
      linked to high willingness to aggress, rape proclivity, and aggressive attitudes,
      no research has examined a causal link between objectification and physical
      aggression, particularly in the context of provocation. In two experiments, we
      examined this predicted link. In Experiment 1, using a 2 (objectification:
      no/yes) * 2 (provocation: no/yes) factorial between-subjects design, we
      investigated the effects of objectification, induced via body focus during a face
      to-face interaction, and provocation on physical aggression toward a female
      confederate. Our results revealed a significant main effect of provocation, a
      marginal main effect of objectification, and a significant interaction between
      these variables. In the absence of a provocation, focusing on a woman's body
      increased aggression toward her. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 using a
      video of a target woman instead of a face-to-face interaction. Again, our results
      showed a significant two-way interaction between objectification and provocation,
      wherein objectification increased aggression in the absence of provocation.
      Overall, this research indicates that objectification can lead to heightened
      physical aggression toward objectified women.

PMID- 28635022
TI  - Food culture of faith communities and potential impact on childhood obesity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the food culture within faith communities (FC) in order to
      examine the consumption of away-from-home foods, and to provide an evidence base
      for the future development of healthy away-from-home meal initiatives though FCs.
      DESIGN AND SAMPLE: A qualitative descriptive design informed by an ethnographic
      method of free listing was utilized. A purposive sample of 34 FC leaders from
      seven distinct FCs participated in this study. RESULTS: The top five salience
      scores for five research questions are considered in detail. Of note, food is
      provided at multiple FC events including at worship time and Bible or group
      study, but also as part of school, youth programming, and special events. The
      purposes of serving food were reported to be not only for modes of entertainment
      and fellowship but also for promoting attendance and providing basic nutrition
      needs. CONCLUSIONS: Professionals practicing in public health, faith community
      nursing, or in community health nursing are apt to engage in focused dialogues
      regarding the multidimensional health problem of childhood obesity. This research
      study directs nurses to consider food culture as a dimension of importance,
      especially within FCs. Appreciating FC food culture is important because many
      families engage in the settings for years, decades, and possibly a life span.

PMID- 28635023
TI  - Risk stratification of patients with left atrial appendage thrombus prior to
      catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: An approach towards an individualized
      use of transesophageal echocardiography.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The need for transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) before catheter
      ablation of atrial fibrillation (CA-AF) is still being questioned. The aim of
      this study is to analyze patients' (patients) risk factors of left atrial
      appendage thrombus (LAAT) prior to CA-AF in daily clinical practice, according to
      oral anticoagulation (OAC) strategies recommended by current guidelines. METHODS
      AND RESULTS: All patients scheduled for CA-AF from 01/2015 to 12/2016 in our
      center were included and either treated with NOACs (novel-OAC; paused 24-hours
      preablation) or continuous vitamin K antagonists (INR 2.0-3.0). All patients
      received a preprocedural TEE at the day of ablation. Two groups were defined: (1)
      patients without LAAT, (2) patients with LAAT. The incidence of LAAT was 0.78%
      (13 of 1,658 patients). No LAAT was detected in patients with a CHA2 DS2 -VASc
      score of <=1 (n = 640 patients) irrespective of the underlying AF type.
      Independent predictors for LAAT are: higher CHA2 DS2 -VASc scores (odds ratio
      [OR] 1.54, 95%-confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-2.23, P = 0.0019), a history of
      nonparoxysmal AF (OR 7.96, 95%-CI: 1.52-146.64, P = 0.049), hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy (HCM; OR 9.63, 95% CI: 1.36-43.05, P = 0.007), and a left
      ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 30% (OR 8.32, 95% CI: 1.18-36.29, P =
      0.011). The type of OAC was not predictive (P = 0.70). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence
      of LAAT in patients scheduled for CA-AF is low. Therefore, periprocedural OAC
      strategies recommended by current guidelines seem feasible. Preprocedural TEE may
      be dispensed in patients with a CHA2 DS2 -VASc score <=1. However, a CHA2 DS2 
      VASc score >=2, reduced LVEF, HCM, or history of nonparoxysmal AF are
      independently associated with an increased risk for LAAT.

PMID- 28635024
TI  - A small molecule activator of Nav 1.1 channels increases fast-spiking interneuron
      excitability and GABAergic transmission in vitro and has anti-convulsive effects
      in vivo.
AB  - Nav 1.1 (SCN1A) channels primarily located in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic
      fast-spiking interneurons are pivotal for action potential generation and
      propagation in these neurons. Inappropriate function of fast-spiking
      interneurons, leading to disinhibition of pyramidal cells and network
      desynchronization, correlates with decreased cognitive capability. Further,
      reduced functionality of Nav 1.1 channels is linked to various diseases in the
      central nervous system. There is, at present, however no subtype selective
      pharmacological activators of Nav 1.1 channels available for studying
      pharmacological modulation of interneuron function. In the current study, we
      identified a small molecule Nav 1.1 activator, 3-amino-5-(4
      methoxyphenyl)thiophene-2-carboxamide, named AA43279, and provided an in vitro to
      in vivo characterization of the compound. In HEK-293 cells expressing human Nav
      1.1 channels, AA43279 increased the Nav 1.1-mediated current in a concentration
      dependent manner mainly by impairing the fast inactivation kinetics of the
      channels. In rat hippocampal brain slices, AA43279 increased the firing activity
      of parvalbumin-expressing, fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons and increased the
      spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents (sIPSCs) recorded from pyramidal
      neurons. When tested in vivo, AA43279 had anti-convulsive properties in the
      maximal electroshock seizure threshold test. AA43279 was tested for off-target
      effects on 72 different proteins, including Nav 1.2, Nav 1.4, Nav 1.5, Nav 1.6
      and Nav 1.7 and exhibited reasonable selectivity. Taken together, AA43279 might
      constitute a valuable tool compound for revealing biological functions of Nav 1.1
      channels.

PMID- 28635025
TI  - Arabidopsis WRKY2 and WRKY34 transcription factors interact with VQ20 protein to
      modulate pollen development and function.
AB  - Plant male gametogenesis is tightly regulated, and involves complex and precise
      regulations of transcriptional reprogramming. WRKY transcription factors have
      been demonstrated to play critical roles in plant development and stress
      responses. Several members of this family physically interact with VQ motif
      containing proteins (VQ proteins) to mediate a plethora of programs in
      Arabidopsis; however, the involvement of WRKY-VQ complexes in plant male
      gametogenesis remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that WRKY2 and
      WKRY34 interact with VQ20 both in vitro and in vivo. Further experiments
      displayed that the conserved VQ motif of VQ20 is responsible for their physical
      interactions. The VQ20 protein localizes in the nucleus and specifically
      expresses in pollens. Phenotypic analysis showed that WRKY2, WRKY34 and VQ20 are
      crucial for pollen development and function. Mutations of WRKY2, WRKY34 and VQ20
      simultaneously resulted in male sterility, with defects in pollen development,
      germination and tube growth. Further investigation revealed that VQ20 affects the
      transcriptional functions of its interacting WRKY partners. Complementation
      evidence supported that the VQ motif of VQ20 is essential for pollen development,
      as a mutant form of VQ20 in which LVQK residues in the VQ motif were replaced by
      EDLE did not rescue the phenotype of the w2-1 w34-1 vq20-1 triple-mutant plants.
      Further expression analysis indicated that WRKY2, WRKY34 and VQ20 co-modulate
      multiple genes involved in pollen development, germination and tube growth. Taken
      together, our study provides evidence that VQ20 acts as a key partner of WRKY2
      and WKRY34 in plant male gametogenesis.

PMID- 28635026
TI  - Efficacy and safety of ixekizumab treatment in Japanese patients with moderate-to
      severe plaque psoriasis: Subgroup analysis of a placebo-controlled, phase 3 study
      (UNCOVER-1).
AB  - The present study describes a subgroup analysis of 33 Japanese patients
      participating in UNCOVER-1, an international, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study
      of ixekizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Patients were
      randomized to a placebo (n = 13) or ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 (IXEQ4W, n = 12) or
      2 (IXEQ2W, n = 8) weeks, from week 0-12. At week 12, ixekizumab-treated patients
      with a static Physician Global Assessment score 0 or 1 (sPGA [0,1]; n = 16) were
      re-randomized to a placebo (n = 6), ixekizumab 80 mg every 12 (IXEQ12W, n = 5) or
      4 (IXEQ4W, n = 5) weeks, from week 12-60. At week 12, more ixekizumab-treated
      versus placebo-treated patients achieved sPGA (0,1) (>=66.7% vs 0%), >=75%
      improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (>=75% vs 0%), and sPGA (0) or
      100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (both >=33.3% vs 0%), with
      improved symptoms and quality of life. At week 60, 100% (IXEQ4W), 40.0% (IXEQ12W)
      and 16.7% (placebo) had maintained sPGA (0,1). From week 0-12, treatment-emergent
      adverse events were 76.9% (placebo), 75.0% (IXEQ4W) and 87.5% (IXEQ2W), and from
      week 12-60 were 66.7% (placebo) and 100% (IXEQ12W, IXEQ4W). Ixekizumab-treated
      patients had no severe treatment-emergent adverse events, and one serious TEAE
      (IXEQ4W); infection was the most frequent treatment-emergent adverse event. In
      conclusion, ixekizumab for 60 weeks was effective and safe for Japanese patients
      with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, in line with the overall findings from UNCOVER
      1.

PMID- 28635027
TI  - Towards the use of bioresorbable fibers in time-domain diffuse optics.
AB  - In the last years bioresorbable materials are gaining increasing interest for
      building implantable optical components for medical devices. In this work we show
      the fabrication of bioresorbable optical fibers designed for diffuse optics
      applications, featuring large core diameter (up to 200 MUm) and numerical
      aperture (0.17) to maximize the collection efficiency of diffused light. We
      demonstrate the suitability of bioresorbable fibers for time-domain diffuse
      optical spectroscopy firstly checking the intrinsic performances of the setup by
      acquiring the instrument response function. We then validate on phantoms the use
      of bioresorbable fibers by applying the MEDPHOT protocol to assess the
      performance of the system in measuring optical properties (namely, absorption and
      scattering coefficients) of homogeneous media. Further, we show an ex-vivo
      validation on a chicken breast by measuring the absorption and scattering spectra
      in the 500-1100 nm range using interstitially inserted bioresorbable fibers. This
      work represents a step toward a new way to look inside the body using optical
      fibers that can be implanted in patients. These fibers could be useful either for
      diagnostic (e. g. for monitoring the evolution after surgical interventions) or
      treatment (e. g. photodynamic therapy) purposes. Picture: Microscopy image of the
      100 MUm core bioresorbable fiber.

PMID- 28635028
TI  - Gases for establishing pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopic abdominal surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This is an update of the review published in 2013.Laparoscopic
      surgery is now widely performed to treat various abdominal diseases. Currently,
      carbon dioxide is the most frequently used gas for insufflation of the abdominal
      cavity (pneumoperitoneum). Although carbon dioxide meets most of the requirements
      for pneumoperitoneum, the absorption of carbon dioxide may be associated with
      adverse events. People with high anaesthetic risk are more likely to experience
      cardiopulmonary complications and adverse events, for example hypercapnia and
      acidosis, which has to be avoided by hyperventilation. Therefore, other gases
      have been introduced as alternatives to carbon dioxide for establishing
      pneumoperitoneum. OBJECTIVES: To assess the safety, benefits, and harms of
      different gases (i.e. carbon dioxide, helium, argon, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and
      room air) used for establishing pneumoperitoneum in participants undergoing
      laparoscopic general abdominal or gynaecological pelvic surgery. SEARCH METHODS:
      We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (the
      Cochrane Library, 2016, Issue 9), Ovid MEDLINE (1950 to September 2016), Ovid
      Embase (1974 to September 2016), Science Citation Index Expanded (1970 to
      September 2016), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) (1978 to September
      2016), ClinicalTrials.gov (September 2016), and World Health Organization
      International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (September 2016). SELECTION
      CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different
      gases for establishing pneumoperitoneum in participants (irrespective of age,
      sex, or race) undergoing laparoscopic abdominal or gynaecological pelvic surgery
      under general anaesthesia. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors
      identified the trials for inclusion, collected the data, and assessed the risk of
      bias independently. We performed the meta-analyses using Review Manager 5. We
      calculated risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes (or Peto odds ratio for very
      rare outcomes), and mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD)
      for continuous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We used GRADE to rate
      the quality of evidence, MAIN RESULTS: We included nine RCTs, randomising 519
      participants, comparing different gases for establishing pneumoperitoneum:
      nitrous oxide (three trials), helium (five trials), or room air (one trial) was
      compared to carbon dioxide. Three trials randomised participants to nitrous oxide
      pneumoperitoneum (100 participants) or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (96
      participants). None of the trials was at low risk of bias. There was insufficient
      evidence to determine the effects of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide on
      cardiopulmonary complications (RR 2.00, 95% CI 0.38 to 10.43; two studies; 140
      participants; very low quality of evidence), or surgical morbidity (RR 1.01, 95%
      CI 0.18 to 5.71; two studies; 143 participants; very low quality of evidence).
      There were no serious adverse events related to either nitrous oxide or carbon
      dioxide pneumoperitoneum (three studies; 196 participants; very low quality of
      evidence). We could not combine data from two trials (140 participants) which
      individually showed lower pain scores (a difference of about one visual analogue
      score on a scale of 1 to 10 with lower numbers indicating less pain) with nitrous
      oxide pneumoperitoneum at various time points on the first postoperative day, and
      this was rated asvery low quality .Four trials randomised participants to helium
      pneumoperitoneum (69 participants) or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (75
      participants) and one trial involving 33 participants did not state the number of
      participants in each group. None of the trials was at low risk of bias. There was
      insufficient evidence to determine the effects of helium or carbon dioxide on
      cardiopulmonary complications (RR 1.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 6.12; three studies; 128
      participants; very low quality of evidence) or pain scores (visual analogue score
      on a scale of 1 to 10 with lower numbers indicating less pain; MD 0.49 cm, 95% CI
      -0.28 to 1.26; two studies; 108 participants; very low quality of evidence).
      There were three serious adverse events (subcutaneous emphysema) related to
      helium pneumoperitoneum (three studies; 128 participants; very low quality of
      evidence).One trial randomised participants to room air pneumoperitoneum (70
      participants) or carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (76 participants). The trial was
      at unclear risk of bias. There were no cardiopulmonary complications or serious
      adverse events observed related to either room air or carbon dioxide
      pneumoperitoneum (both outcomes very low quality of evidence). The evidence of
      lower hospital costs and reduced pain during the first postoperative day with
      room air pneumoperitoneum compared with carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum (a
      difference of about one visual analogue score on a scale of 1 to 10 with lower
      numbers indicating less pain, was rated as very low quality of evidence. AUTHORS'
      CONCLUSIONS: The quality of the current evidence is very low. The effects of
      nitrous oxide and helium pneumoperitoneum compared with carbon dioxide
      pneumoperitoneum are uncertain. Evidence from one trial of small sample size
      suggests that room air pneumoperitoneum may decrease hospital costs in people
      undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery. The safety of nitrous oxide, helium,
      and room air pneumoperitoneum has yet to be established.Further trials on this
      topic are needed, and should compare various gases (i.e. nitrous oxide, helium,
      argon, nitrogen, and room air) with carbon dioxide under standard pressure
      pneumoperitoneum with cold gas insufflation for people with high anaesthetic
      risk. Future trials should include outcomes such as complications, serious
      adverse events, quality of life, and pain.

PMID- 28635029
TI  - Coping With Racism: Moderators of the Discrimination-Adjustment Link Among
      Mexican-Origin Adolescents.
AB  - What strategies help ethnic minority adolescents to cope with racism? The present
      study addressed this question by testing the role of ethnic identity, social
      support, and anger expression and suppression as moderators of the discrimination
      adjustment link among 269 Mexican-origin adolescents (Mage  = 14.1 years), 12-17
      years old from the Midwestern U.S. Results from multilevel moderation analyses
      indicated that ethnic identity, social support, and anger suppression,
      respectively, significantly attenuated the relations between discrimination and
      adjustment problems, whereas outward anger expression exacerbated these
      relations. Moderation effects differed according to the level of analysis. By
      identifying effective coping strategies in the discrimination-adjustment link at
      specific levels of analysis, the present findings can guide future intervention
      efforts for Latino youth.

PMID- 28635030
TI  - Plasticity of thermoregulatory behavior in leopard geckos (Eublepharis
      macularius, Blyth 1954).
AB  - Studies on thermoregulation in nocturnal lizards have shown that their thermal
      regimes are similar to those of diurnal lizards, even though they hide during the
      daytime and are active mostly at night, when heat sources are very scarce. As a
      result, nocturnal lizards display an active thermoregulatory behavior consisting
      of seeking warm shelters to hide during the daytime, using accumulated heat for
      the nocturnal activity. Based on this information, we hypothesize that when
      leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius, Blyth 1954) are presented with the choice
      of safety in cool shelters or vulnerability in heated open areas, suitable
      temperature will prevail in importance, i.e. they will trade the advantages
      provided by the shelter for an exposed, but physiologically necessary heat
      source. Data on the time juvenile E. macularius spent in shelters, and in open
      areas along a thermal gradient and under a 12/12 hr photoperiod, from eight
      individuals confirmed our hypothesis. We found that, not only did they select
      heat sources over shelters, but, along with the light/dark cycle, temperature may
      also represent a cue for activity. Additionally we found that substrate moisture
      plays an important role in shelter preference.

PMID- 28635031
TI  - Finding the disorder in binge eating disorder.

PMID- 28635032
TI  - Amino-Functionalized ZIF-7 Nanocrystals: Improved Intrinsic Separation Ability
      and Interfacial Compatibility in Mixed-Matrix Membranes for CO2 /CH4 Separation.
AB  - Highly permeable and selective, as well as plasticization-resistant membranes are
      desired as promising alternatives for cost- and energy-effective CO2 separation.
      Here, robust mixed-matrix membranes based on an amino-functionalized zeolitic
      imidazolate framework ZIF-7 (ZIF-7-NH2 ) and crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide)
      rubbery polymer are successfully fabricated with filler loadings up to 36 wt%.
      The ZIF-7-NH2 materials synthesized from in situ substitution of 2
      aminobenzimidazole into the ZIF-7 structure exhibit enlarged aperture size
      compared with monoligand ZIF-7. The intrinsic separation ability for CO2 /CH4 on
      ZIF-7-NH2 is remarkably enhanced as a result of improved CO2 uptake capacity and
      diffusion selectivity. The incorporation of ZIF-7-NH2 fillers simultaneously
      makes the neat polymer more permeable and more selective, surpassing the state-of
      the-art 2008 Robeson upper bound. The chelating effect between metal (zinc) nodes
      of fillers and ester groups of a polymer provides good bonding, enhancing the
      mechanical strength and plasticization resistance of the neat polymer membrane.
      The developed novel ZIF-7 structure with amino-function and the resulting
      nanocomposite membranes are very attractive for applications like natural-gas
      sweetening or biogas purification.

PMID- 28635033
TI  - Effects of Copaiba Oil Topical Administration on Oral Wound Healing.
AB  - The effects of topical copaiba oil extract and topical corticosteroid were
      assessed on oral wound healing in an in vivo model using 96 male Wistar rats.
      Traumatic ulcers were caused in the dorsum of the tongue using a 3-mm punch tool.
      The animals were divided into: Control; Corticosteroid; Placebo and Copaiba oil
      Group. The animals received two daily applications of the products. The control
      group received only daily handling. Six rats in each group were euthanized at
      days 3, 5, 10 and 14. The animals were monitored daily to determine wound status.
      The weigh was assessed at day 0 and euthanasia day. The percentage of repair was
      calculated, and histopathological aspects were analyzed. The Kruskal-Wallis test
      was used to compare the results between groups and times of evaluation. Closing
      time was assessed through the log-rank test. The corticosteroid group lost more
      weight at days 10 and 14 than the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the healing
      time of corticosteroid group was longer than the control group (p = 0.007). No
      differences were observed between the copaiba oil group and the control group. We
      concluded that topical copaiba oil, in spite of being safe, did not accelerate
      the process of oral wound healing. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635034
TI  - Modular transmit/receive arrays using very-high permittivity dielectric resonator
      antennas.
AB  - PURPOSE: Dielectric resonator antenna (DRAs) are compact structures that exhibit
      low coupling between adjacent elements and therefore can be used as MRI transmit
      arrays. In this study, we use very high permittivity materials to construct
      modular flexible transceive arrays of a variable numbers of elements for
      operation at 7T. METHODS: DRAs were constructed using rectangular blocks of
      ceramic (lead zirconate titanate, epsilonr  = 1070) with the transverse electric
      (TE)01 mode tuned to 298 MHz. Finite-difference time-domain simulations were used
      to determine the B1 and specific absorption rate distributions. B1+ maps were
      acquired in a phantom to validate the simulations. Performance was compared to an
      equally sized surface coil. In vivo images were acquired of the wrist (four
      elements), ankle (seven elements), and calf muscle (16 elements). RESULTS:
      Coupling between DRAs spaced 5 mm apart on a phantom was -18.2 dB compared to 
      9.1 dB for equivalently spaced surface coils. DRAs showed a higher B1+ intensity
      close to the antenna but a lower penetration depth compared to the surface coil.
      CONCLUSION: DRAs show very low coupling compared to equally sized surface coils
      and can be used in transceive arrays without requiring decoupling networks. The
      penetration depth of the current DRA geometry means they are ideally suited to
      imaging of extremities. Magn Reson Med 79:1781-1788, 2018. (c) 2017 The Authors
      Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of
      International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access
      article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial
      License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided
      the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

PMID- 28635035
TI  - Effect of Selective CF3 Substitution on the Physical and Chemical Properties of
      Gold Corroles.
AB  - Gold corroles are not readily accessible and they display no interesting physical
      or chemical properties. A facile methodology has now been developed for obtaining
      selectively CF3 -substituted gold(III) corroles and the introduction of these
      groups has been found to have an immense effect on the structures of the
      complexes, their photophysical and redox properties, and on their ability to
      participate in catalytic processes.

PMID- 28635036
TI  - Time-driven activity-based costing to estimate cost of care at multidisciplinary
      aerodigestive centers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Providing high-value healthcare to patients is
      increasingly becoming an objective for providers including those at
      multidisciplinary aerodigestive centers. Measuring value has two components: 1)
      identify relevant health outcomes and 2) determine relevant treatment costs. Via
      their inherent structure, multidisciplinary care units consolidate care for
      complex patients. However, their potential impact on decreasing healthcare costs
      is less clear. The goal of this study was to estimate the potential cost savings
      of treating patients with laryngeal clefts at multidisciplinary aerodigestive
      centers. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: Time-driven activity
      based costing was used to estimate the cost of care for patients with laryngeal
      cleft seen between 2008 and 2013 at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
      Pediatric Aerodigestive Center. Retrospective chart review was performed to
      identify clinic utilization by patients as well as patient diet outcomes after
      treatment. Patients were stratified into neurologically complex and
      neurologically noncomplex groups. RESULTS: The cost of care for patients
      requiring surgical intervention was five and three times as expensive of the cost
      of care for patients not requiring surgery for neurologically noncomplex and
      complex patients, respectively. Following treatment, 50% and 55% of complex and
      noncomplex patients returned to normal diet, whereas 83% and 87% of patients
      experienced improved diets, respectively. Additionally, multidisciplinary team
      based care for children with laryngeal clefts potentially achieves 20% to 40%
      cost savings. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate how time-driven activity
      based costing can be used to estimate and compare patient costs in
      multidisciplinary aerodigestive centers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2c. Laryngoscope,
      127:2152-2158, 2017.

PMID- 28635037
TI  - Novel role and regulation of HDAC4 in cocaine-related behaviors.
AB  - Epigenetic mechanisms have been proposed to contribute to persistent aspects of
      addiction-related behaviors. One family of epigenetic molecules that may regulate
      maladaptive behavioral changes produced by cocaine use are the histone
      deacetylases (HDACs)-key regulators of chromatin and gene expression. In
      particular, the class IIa HDACs (HDAC4, HDAC5, HDAC7 and HDAC9) respond to
      changes in neuronal activity by modulating their distribution between the nucleus
      and cytoplasm-a process controlled in large part by changes in phosphorylation of
      conserved residues. Cocaine triggers a transient nuclear accumulation of HDAC5
      that functions to limit the development of cocaine reward behavior. However, the
      role and regulation of the close family member, HDAC4, in cocaine behaviors
      remain largely unknown. In this study, we report that cocaine and cAMP signaling
      in striatum produced differential phosphorylation and subcellular localization of
      HDAC4 and HDAC5. Unlike HDAC5, cocaine exposure induced a modest
      hyperphosphorylation and nuclear export of HDAC4. Genetic deletion of HDAC4 in
      the nucleus accumbens reduced acute cocaine-produced locomotion, maximum
      locomotor sensitization and cocaine reward-related behavior. Interestingly,
      overexpression of an HDAC4 cytoplasm-concentrated mutant (S266E) increased
      cocaine reward behavior in the cocaine conditioned place preference assay,
      suggesting that cocaine-induced nuclear export of HDAC4 might function to
      facilitate the development of cocaine reward behaviors through a role in the cell
      cytoplasm. Together, our findings suggest that, despite high sequence homology,
      HDAC4 and HDAC5 are oppositely regulated by cocaine-induced signaling in vivo and
      have distinct roles in regulating cocaine behaviors.

PMID- 28635038
TI  - Trifluoromethyl- and Fluoroalkylselenolations of Alkynyl Copper(I) Compounds.
AB  - The successful perfluoroalkylselenolation of alkynyl copper(I) compounds is
      described herein. The reaction occurs under oxidant free conditions at room
      temperature. This convenient one-pot procedure is based on the in situ generation
      of trifluoromethylselenyl chlorides. The developed system shows high functional
      group tolerance and also promotes the employment of fluoroalkyl derivatives.

PMID- 28635039
TI  - Rational Design of Na(Li1/3 Mn2/3 )O2 Operated by Anionic Redox Reactions for
      Advanced Sodium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - In an effort to develop high-energy-density cathodes for sodium-ion batteries
      (SIBs), low-cost, high capacity Na(Li1/3 Mn2/3 )O2 is discovered, which utilizes
      the labile O 2p-electron for charge compensation during the intercalation
      process, inspired by Li2 MnO3 redox reactions. Na(Li1/3 Mn2/3 )O2 is
      systematically designed by first-principles calculations considering the Li/Na
      mixing enthalpy based on the site preference of Na in the Li sites of Li2 MnO3 .
      Using the anionic redox reaction (O2- /O- ), this Mn-oxide is predicted to show
      high redox potentials (~4.2 V vs Na/Na+ ) with high charge capacity (190 mAh g-1
      ). Predicted cathode performance is validated by experimental synthesis,
      characterization, and cyclic performance studies. Through a fundamental
      understanding of the redox reaction mechanism in Li2 MnO3 , Na(Li1/3 Mn2/3 )O2 is
      designed as an example of a new class of promising cathode materials, Na(Li1/3
      M2/3 )O2 (M: transition metals featuring stabilized M4+ ), for further advances
      in SIBs.

PMID- 28635040
TI  - Verbal communication of families with cancer patients at end of life: A
      questionnaire survey with bereaved family members.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify the verbal communication of feelings between families and
      patients in Japanese palliative care units from the perspective of bereaved
      family members by examining (1) proportions of families' and patients'
      verbalization of six feelings (gratitude, love, seeking forgiveness, giving
      forgiveness, wishes after death, and continuing bonds), (2) recognition of
      receiving these feelings through verbalization from the family's perspective, and
      (3) the specific attitudes of family members that influence their verbalizations.
      METHODS: In 2010, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 968 bereaved
      families of cancer patients in palliative care units across Japan. RESULTS: Five
      hundred thirty-seven responses were analyzed. (1) "Gratitude" was verbalized most
      often (families: 47%; patients: 61%), and "expressing forgiveness" least often
      (families: 16%; patients: 11%). (2) Even if the words were not used, 81.2% to
      88.2% of families answered that they had received the patient's feelings, and
      71.8% to 85.4% of families felt the patient had received their feelings. (3)
      Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that the strongest attitudes
      determining verbalizing were "not wanting to say farewell without conveying
      feelings," "a daily basis of expressing," and "heart-to-heart communication"
      (ishin-denshin). CONCLUSIONS: For both families and patients, verbalizing
      feelings was difficult. Our results showed that families' and patients'
      verbalizing and receiving of feelings must be aligned to understand their
      communication at the end of life in Japan. Future research is needed to verify
      how attitude helps promote or inhibit verbalization.

PMID- 28635041
TI  - Neuro-Protective Effects of Resveratrol on Carbon Monoxide-Induced Toxicity in
      Male Rats.
AB  - Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning causes neurotoxicity through induction of
      necrosis, apoptosis, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Resveratrol (RES)
      is a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin that exhibits neuroprotective effects in
      ischemia/reperfusion due to its anti-apoptotic, anti-necrotic and strong anti
      oxidant properties as well as its ability to activate pro-survival pathways. In
      this study, rats were exposed to CO 3000 ppm for 1 h. Immediately after poisoning
      and on the next four consecutive days, RES (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) was administered
      intraperitoneally. On the fifth day, animals' brains were excised, and necrosis,
      lipid peroxidation level and the level of Akt, BAX and BCL2 expression were
      evaluated. The results showed that RES 10 mg/kg significantly reduced lipid
      peroxidation, but RES 1 and 5 mg/kg had no significant effect on this parameter.
      Furthermore, RES 5 and 10 mg/kg significantly increased Akt expression level,
      while BAX/BCL2 ratio was reduced by RES 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg. Moreover, RES reduced
      necrotic foci in the brain, but the best results were seen following treatment
      with RES 10 mg/kg. In summary, RES showed neuroprotective effect in CO-poisoned
      rats as it decreased necrosis and BAX/BCL2 ratio and increased Akt expression
      levels. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635042
TI  - Palpation for pressure ulcers: examining the bony prominence and physical
      properties of the wound.

PMID- 28635043
TI  - Live imaging of X chromosome inactivation and reactivation dynamics.
AB  - The epigenetic phenomenon called X chromosome inactivation plays critical roles
      in female development in eutherian mammals, and has attracted attention in the
      fields of developmental biology and regenerative biology in efforts to understand
      the pluripotency of stem cells. X chromosome inactivation is routinely studied
      after cell fixation, but live imaging is increasingly being required to improve
      our understanding of the dynamics and kinetics of X chromosome inactivation and
      reactivation processes. Here, we describe our live imaging method to monitor the
      epigenetic status of X chromosomes using a gene knock-in mouse strain named
      "Momiji" and give an overview of the application of this strain as a resource for
      biological and stem cell research.

PMID- 28635044
TI  - Experience and psychological impact of anal cancer screening in gay, bisexual and
      other men who have sex with men: a qualitative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus-related anal cancer rates are increasing and are
      particularly high in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM/MSM),
      especially HIV-positive individuals. Although screening programs for high-risk
      populations have been advocated, concerns about possible adverse psychological
      consequences exist. This study aimed to investigate GBM/MSM's experience,
      understanding and emotional response to screening techniques for anal cancer to
      determine how best to minimise psychological distress in future programs.
      METHODS: In-depth qualitative face-to-face interviews were conducted with 21
      GBM/MSM participating in the "Study of the Prevention of Anal Cancer" in Sydney,
      Australia, between June 2013 and June 2014. Nonrandom, purposive sampling was
      used to ensure heterogeneity with respect to HIV status and screening test
      results. Framework analysis method was used to organise the data and identify
      emerging themes. RESULTS: Knowledge about anal cancer, human papillomavirus and
      the link between them was limited. Abnormal screening results affected
      participants' sense of well-being and were associated with anxiety and concern
      about developing anal cancer. HIV-negative men receiving abnormal results showed
      higher levels of distress compared to their HIV-positive counterparts.
      Consultations with general practitioners about abnormal results had an important
      role in increasing participants' understanding and in moderating their anxiety.
      CONCLUSION: Anal cancer screening should be accompanied by health education
      around anal cancer, its aetiology and the meaning of associated test results.
      Simple and effective communication strategies should be encouraged. Collaboration
      with general practitioners could assist the process of education and reporting
      test results.

PMID- 28635045
TI  - Management of alopecia areata: Updates and algorithmic approach.
AB  - Alopecia areata is a chronic, recurrent and non-scarring alopecia. The prognoses
      of patients are very diverse. The larger the area of hair loss, the poorer the
      treatment response and greater the probability of chronic disease progression.
      Numerous treatments have been introduced, but curative treatments have yet to be
      established. The long-term efficacy of the current treatments is minimal, and the
      therapeutic response varies widely. Recent clinical trials have attempted to
      apply therapeutic metrics, such as the Severity of Alopecia Tool, and many have
      been designed as randomized controlled studies, enabling a more precise
      evaluation of existing treatments. There have been updates in practice, efficacy
      or indications of therapeutics that have been previously used. Moreover, the use
      of novel treatments such as biologics has recently been introduced. Commonly, the
      most important factor in determining the treatment modality for alopecia areata
      has been the extent of hair loss. However, if the disease activity is high and
      likely to progress, combination therapy with adjuvant modalities will be more
      desirable. This review will discuss the therapeutic effects of existing and newly
      introduced treatments based on their quantity, quality of evidence and expected
      complications. In addition, an algorithmic approach to management of alopecia
      areata is proposed according to clinical subtype, severity, onset and activity of
      the disease.

PMID- 28635046
TI  - Three-year outcomes and reconnection patterns after initial contact force guided
      pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Contact force (CF) sensing is a novel technology used
      for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared the single
      procedure success of CF-guided pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with that of non-CF
      guided PVI during a 3-year (1,095 days) follow up period and analyzed the pattern
      of pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection. METHODS: A cohort of 167 subjects (68 CF vs.
      99 non-CF) with paroxysmal AF were included in the study. Atrial arrhythmia (AA)
      recurrence was defined as documented AF, atrial flutter, or atrial tachycardia
      lasting >30 seconds and occurring after 90 days. RESULTS: Subjects in the CF
      group showed a statistically nonsignificant improvement in AA free survival
      compared to those in the non-CF group (66.2% vs. 51.5%; P value: 0.06). A greater
      propensity for reconnection was noted around the right-sided PVs compared to left
      sided PVs related in both catheter ablation groups. For example, in the CF group
      36% of right-sided segments reconnected compared to 16% of left-sided segments (P
      value <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A greater propensity for reconnection was noted around
      the right sided PV segments in both the CF and non-CF groups. The explanation for
      this finding was related to greater catheter instability around the right sided
      veins. Further research is needed to explore the utility of a "real-time"
      composite indicator that includes RF energy, CF and catheter stability in
      predicting transmural lesion formation during catheter ablation.

PMID- 28635047
TI  - Feeding Asian pangolins: An assessment of current diets fed in institutions
      worldwide.
AB  - Pangolins are ant specialists which are under intense threat from the illegal
      wildlife trade. Nutrition has notoriously been their downfall in captivity and is
      still an issue in regards to rescue and rehabilitation. We analyzed the nutrient
      content of diets used by institutions that are successfully keeping Asian
      pangolins and to assess the variety of the ingredients and nutrients, compared
      these with the nutritional requirements of potential nutritional model species.
      We performed intake studies at five institutions and also had data from three
      other institutions. We also analyzed five different wild food items to use as a
      proxy of wild diet. We observed two categories of captive diets: those mostly or
      completely composed of insects and those high in commercial feeds or animal meat.
      Nutrient values were broad and there was no clear rule. The non-protein energy to
      protein energy ratio of the diets were much higher than the wild food items, more
      so for those which receive less insects. The average contribution of
      carbohydrate, fat and protein energy were also further away from the wild samples
      the less insects they contained. The previously suggested nutritional model for
      pangolins is the domestic dog which is supported by our relatively large nutrient
      ranges of apparently successful diets, however due to their highly carnivorous
      nature; the upper most nutrient intake data are not consistent with this and
      favor the feline nutrient recommendations. We are unable to render a conclusion
      of what model is more appropriate based on our data collected.

PMID- 28635048
TI  - Prophylactic chorioretinectomy for eye injuries with high proliferative
      vitreoretinopathy risk.
AB  - With its incidence exceeding 60%, proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) remains
      the most important pathology responsible for loss of vision, even the eyeball,
      after certain types of severe trauma. In this article, we present results
      obtained using our novel surgical technique, prophylactic chorioretinectomy
      (PCR), to prevent the development of PVR. Data on severely injured eyes at high
      risk for PVR [rupture, posterior laceration, deep-impact intraocular foreign body
      (IOFB) trauma, perforating injury] were collected prospectively. All eyes
      underwent vitrectomy (PPV) by PCR within 100 hr of the trauma. Eyes were excluded
      if they presented with endophthalmitis or if the reconstructive surgery was
      performed outside this time frame. Forty eyes of 40 consecutive patients were
      analyzed; full follow-up information was obtained for all of them. The injury was
      rupture in 27%, penetrating in 15%, (deep-impact) IOFB in 35%, and perforating in
      23%. PPV-PCR was performed during primary (wound closure) surgery in 59% of
      cases. All eyes had at least minimal vitreous hemorrhage, and none had a true
      posterior vitreous detachment. At the time of PPV, 30% of the eyes had a retinal
      detachment. Sixteen percent developed PVR, but none from the site of the PCR
      procedure. In 20%, silicone oil remained in the eye at the last follow-up. The
      visual acuity improved in 93% of eyes and worsened in none; the improvement was
      mostly due to surgical clearing of the media opacity. In this subgroup of eyes
      with severe open-globe trauma, over 60% are expected to develop PVR. PPV/PCR
      performed within 100 hr reduced the PVR risk significantly, so currently it
      remains the best option for the surgeon. Clin. Anat. 31:28-38, 2018. (c) 2017
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28635049
TI  - A neural network model for development of reaching and pointing based on the
      interaction of forward and inverse transformations.
AB  - Pointing is one of the communicative actions that infants acquire during their
      first year of life. Based on a hypothesis that early pointing is triggered by
      emergent reaching behavior toward objects placed at out-of-reach distances, we
      proposed a neural network model that acquires reaching without explicit
      representation of 'targets'. The proposed model controls a two-joint arm in a
      horizontal plane, and it learns a loop of internal forward and inverse
      transformations; the former predicts the visual feedback of hand position and the
      latter generates motor commands from the visual input through random generation
      of the motor commands. In the proposed model, the motor output and visual input
      were represented by broadly tuned neural units. Even though explicit 'targets'
      were not presented during learning, the simulation successfully generated
      reaching toward visually presented objects at within-reach and out-of-reach
      distances.

PMID- 28635052
TI  - Bis-Tridentate Ir(III) Metal Phosphors for Efficient Deep-Blue Organic Light
      Emitting Diodes.
AB  - Emissive Ir(III) metal complexes possessing two tridentate chelates (bis
      tridentate) are known to be more robust compared to those with three bidentate
      chelates (tris-bidentate). Here, the deep-blue-emitting, bis-tridentate Ir(III)
      metal phosphors bearing both the dicarbene pincer ancillary such as 2,6
      diimidazolylidene benzene and the 6-pyrazolyl-2-phenoxylpyridine chromophoric
      chelate are synthesized. A deep-blue organic light-emitting diode from one
      phosphor exhibits Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE(x,y) )
      coordinates of (0.15, 0.17) with maximum external quantum efficiency (max. EQE)
      of 20.7% and EQE = 14.6% at the practical brightness of 100 cd m-2 .

PMID- 28635050
TI  - Prediction of sustained fetal toxicity induced by ketoprofen based on PK/PD
      analysis using human placental perfusion and rat toxicity data.
AB  - AIM: We encountered a case of fetal toxicity due to ductus arteriosus (DA)
      constriction in a 36-week pregnant woman who had applied multiple ketoprofen
      patches. The aim of the present study was to present the case and develop a model
      to predict quantitatively the fetal toxicity risk of transdermal administration
      of ketoprofen. METHODS: Human placenta perfusion studies were conducted to
      estimate transplacental pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. Using a developed model
      and these parameters, human fetal plasma concentration profiles of ketoprofen
      administered to mothers were simulated. Using pregnant rats, DA constriction and
      fetal plasma drug concentration after ketoprofen administration were measured,
      fitted to an Emax model, and extrapolated to humans. RESULTS: Transplacental
      transfer value at the steady state of ketoprofen was 4.82%, which was
      approximately half that of antipyrine (passive marker). The model and PK
      parameters predicted almost equivalent mother and fetus drug concentrations at
      steady state after transdermal ketoprofen administration in humans. Maximum DA
      constriction and maximum plasma concentration of ketoprofen after administration
      to rat dams were observed at different times: 4 h and 1 h, respectively. The
      model accurately described the delay in DA constriction with respect to the fetal
      ketoprofen concentration profile. The model with effect compartment and the
      obtained parameters predicted that use of multiple ketoprofen patches could
      potentially cause severe DA constriction in the human fetus, and that fetal
      toxicity might persist after ketoprofen discontinuation by the mother, as
      observed in our case. CONCLUSION: The present approach successfully described the
      sustained fetal toxicity after discontinuing the transdermal administration of
      ketoprofen.

PMID- 28635051
TI  - Substitution determination of Fmoc-substituted resins at different wavelengths.
AB  - In solid-phase peptide synthesis, the nominal batch size is calculated using the
      starting resin substitution and the mass of the starting resin. The starting
      resin substitution constitutes the basis for the calculation of a whole set of
      important process parameters, such as the number of amino acid derivative
      equivalents. For Fmoc-substituted resins, substitution determination is often
      performed by suspending the Fmoc-protected starting resin in 20% (v/v) piperidine
      in DMF to generate the dibenzofulvene-piperidine adduct that is quantified by
      ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The spectrometric measurement is performed at
      the maximum absorption wavelength of the dibenzofulvene-piperidine adduct, that
      is, at 301.0 nm. The recorded absorption value, the resin weight and the volume
      are entered into an equation derived from Lambert-Beer's law, together with the
      substance-specific molar absorption coefficient at 301.0 nm, in order to
      calculate the nominal substitution. To our knowledge, molar absorption
      coefficients between 7100 l mol-1  cm-1 and 8100 l mol-1  cm-1 have been reported
      for the dibenzofulvene-piperidine adduct at 301.0 nm. Depending on the applied
      value, the nominal batch size may differ up to 14%. In this publication, a
      determination of the molar absorption coefficients at 301.0 and 289.8 nm is
      reported. Furthermore, proof is given that by measuring the absorption at 289.8
      nm the impact of wavelength accuracy is reduced. (c) 2017 The Authors Journal of
      Peptide Science published by European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28635053
TI  - Protective Effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) Aqueous Extract and Lycopene on
      Testosterone Propionate-Induced Prostatic Hyperplasia in Mice.
AB  - The inhibitory effect of maca extractant, lycopene, and their combination was
      evaluated in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) mice induced by testosterone
      propionate. Mice were divided into a saline group, solvent control group and
      testosterone propionate-induced BPH mice [BPH model group, solvent BPH model
      group, benzyl glucosinolate group (1.44 mg/kg), maca group (60 mg/kg), lycopene
      treated (15, 5, and 2.5 mg/kg), maca (30 mg/kg) combine lycopene treated (7.5,
      2.5, and 1.25 mg/kg), and finasteride treated]. Benzyl glucosinolate was used in
      order to evaluate its pharmacological activity on BPH to find out whether it is
      the major active component of maca aqueous extract. Finasteride was used as
      positive control. The compounds were administered once for 30 successive days.
      Compared with solvent BPH model group, BPH mice fed with maca (30 mg/kg) and
      lycopene (7.5 mg/kg) combination exhibited significant reductions in the
      prostatic index, prostatic acid phospatase, estradiol, testosterone, and
      dihydrotestosterone levels in serum. They also had similar histological compared
      with those aspects observed in the mice in the solvent control group. The results
      indicated that combination of maca and lycopene synergistically inhibits BPH in
      mice. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635054
TI  - Spectroscopic Observation of the Triplet Diradical State of a Cyclobutadiene.
AB  - Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)cyclobuta-1,3-diene (1) was subjected to a temperature
      dependent EPR study to allow the first spectroscopic observation of a triplet
      diradical state of a cyclobutadiene (2). From the temperature dependent EPR
      absorption area we derive a singlet->triplet (1->2) energy gap, EST , of 13.9
      kcal mol-1 , in agreement with calculated values. The zero-field splitting
      parameters D=0.171 cm-1 , E=0 cm-1 are accurately reproduced by DFT calculations.
      The triplet diradical 2 is thermally accessible at moderate temperatures. It is
      not an intermediate in the thermal cycloreversion of cyclobutadiene to two
      acetylene molecules.

PMID- 28635055
TI  - Melanoma complicating treatment with natalizumab for multiple sclerosis: A report
      from the Southern Network on Adverse Reactions (SONAR).
AB  - A 43-year-old female with multiple sclerosis developed urethral melanoma. The
      only potential risk factor was treatment with natalizumab, a humanized monoclonal
      antibody against alpha4 integrins. To investigate the risk-exposure relationship,
      we reviewed this case, all other published cases, and cases of natalizumab
      associated melanoma reported to regulatory agencies. Data sources included the
      Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) (2004
      2014), a FDA Advisory Committee Meeting Report, and peer-reviewed publications.
      In the United States, the manufacturer maintains an FDA-mandated Tysabri Safety
      Surveillance Program (part of the Tysabri Outcomes Unified Commitment to Health
      (TOUCH)) of natalizumab-treated patients. We statistically compared reporting
      completeness for natalizumab-associated melanoma cases in FAERs for which
      information was obtained entirely from the TOUCH program versus cases where FAERS
      information was supplemented by TOUCH program information. FAERS included 137
      natalizumab-associated melanoma reports in patients with multiple sclerosis.
      Median age at melanoma diagnosis was 45 years (range: 21-74 years). Changes in
      preexisting nevi occurred in 16%, history of cutaneous nevi occurred in 22%,
      diagnosis within 2 years of beginning natalizumab occurred in 34%, and 74% had
      primary surgical treatment. Among seven natalizumab-treated MS patients who
      developed biopsy-confirmed melanoma on treatment and reported in the literature,
      median age at diagnosis was 41 years (range: 38-48 years); and the melanoma
      diagnosis occurred following a median of 12 natalizumab doses (range: 1-77
      doses). A history of mole or nevi was noted in four patients and a history of
      prior melanoma was noted in one patient. Completeness scores for reports were
      significantly lower for FAERS cases reported from the TOUCH program versus FAERS
      cases supplemented by TOUCH information (median score of 2 vs. 4 items out of 8
      possible items, P < 0.0007). Clinicians should monitor existing nevi and maintain
      suspicion for melanoma developing in natalizumab-treated patients. The TOUCH
      Safety Surveillance Program, currently focused on progressive multifocal
      leukoencephalopathy, should be expanded to include information on other serious
      complications including malignancies, particularly if they are immunologic in
      nature.

PMID- 28635056
TI  - High-resolution deep functional imaging of the whole mouse brain by photoacoustic
      computed tomography in vivo.
AB  - Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) is a non-invasive imaging technique
      offering high contrast, high resolution, and deep penetration in biological
      tissues. We report a PACT system equipped with a high frequency linear transducer
      array for mapping the microvascular network of a whole mouse brain with the skull
      intact and studying its hemodynamic activities. The linear array was scanned in
      the coronal plane to collect data from different angles, and full-view images
      were synthesized from the limited-view images in which vessels were only
      partially revealed. We investigated spontaneous neural activities in the deep
      brain by monitoring the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood vessels and
      observed strong interhemispherical correlations between several chosen functional
      regions, both in the cortical layer and in the deep regions. We also studied
      neural activities during an epileptic seizure and observed the epileptic wave
      spreading around the injection site and the wave propagating in the opposite
      hemisphere.

PMID- 28635057
TI  - Pill testing or drug checking in Australia: Acceptability of service design
      features.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: This study aimed to determine design features of a drug
      checking service that would be feasible, attractive and likely to be used by
      Australian festival and nightlife attendees. DESIGN AND METHODS: Web survey of
      851 Australians reporting use of psychostimulants and/or hallucinogens and
      attendance at licensed venues past midnight and/or festivals in the past year
      (70% male; median age 23 years). RESULTS: A drug-checking service located at
      festivals or clubs would be used by 94%; a fixed-site service external to such
      events by 85%. Most (80%) were willing to wait an hour for their result. Almost
      all (94%) would not use a service if there was a possibility of arrest, and a
      majority (64%) would not use a service that did not provide individual feedback
      of results. Drug-checking results were only slightly more attractive if they
      provided comprehensive quantitative results compared with qualitative results of
      key ingredients. Most (93%) were willing to pay up to $5, and 68% up to $10, per
      test. One-third (33%) reported willingness to donate a whole dose for testing:
      they were more likely to be male, younger, less experienced, use drugs more
      frequently and attend venues/festivals less frequently. DISCUSSION AND
      CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, festival- or club-based drug-checking services with
      low wait times and low cost appear broadly attractive under conditions of legal
      amnesty and individualised feedback. Quantitative analysis of ecstasy pills
      requiring surrender of a whole pill may appeal to a minority in Australia where
      pills are more expensive than elsewhere. [Barratt MJ, Bruno R, Ezard N, Ritter A.
      Pill testing or drug checking in Australia: Acceptability of service design
      features. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].

PMID- 28635058
TI  - Preparation and evaluation of regioselectively substituted amylose derivatives
      for chiral separations.
AB  - Six novel regioselectively substituted amylose derivatives with a benzoate at 2
      position and two different phenylcarbamates at 3- and 6-positions were
      synthesized and their structures were characterized by 1 H nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Their enantioseparation abilities were then
      examined as chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for high-performance liquid
      chromatography (HPLC) after they were coated on 3-aminopropyl silica gels.
      Investigations indicated that the substituents at the 3- and 6-positions played
      an important role in chiral recognition of these amylose 2-benzoate serial
      derivatives. The derivatives demonstrated characteristic enantioseparation and
      some racemates were better resolved on these derivatives than on Chiralpak AD,
      which is one of the most efficient CSPs, utilizing coated amylose tris(3,5
      dimethylphenylcarbamate) as the chiral selector. Among the derivatives prepared,
      amylose 2-benzoate-3-(phenylcarbamate/4-methylphenylcarbamate)-6-(3,5
      dimethylphenylcarbamate) exhibited chiral recognition abilities comparable to
      that of Chiralpak AD and may be useful CSPs in the future. The effect of mobile
      phase on chiral recognition was also studied. In general, with the decreased
      concentration of 2-propanol, better resolutions were obtained with longer
      retention times. Moreover, when ethanol was used instead of 2-propanol, poorer
      resolutions were often achieved. However, in some cases, improved
      enantioselectivity was achieved with ethanol rather than 2-propanol as the mobile
      phase modifier.

PMID- 28635059
TI  - Contribution to the reduction-induced fluorescence enhancement of natural organic
      matter: Aromatic ketones outweigh quinones.
AB  - This work involves the comparison of the fluorescence excitation - emission
      matrices of different low-molecular-weight carbonyl compounds and natural organic
      matter (NOM). The aim is to determine if quinone or aromatic ketone groups are
      more responsible for the reduction-induced fluorescence enhancement of NOM. After
      reduction, the aromatic ketones showed a significantly greater fluorescence
      change than the quinones, proving that the former play a more important role.
      Further analysis of the fluorescence of the NOM samples after re-oxidization by
      oxygen with a Cu2+ catalyst, provided additional reliable evidence in support of
      the dominant role of aromatic ketones in the fluorescence change. This work
      demonstrates that aromatic ketone moieties should be given more attention when
      considering the physicochemical properties of NOM and related environmental
      processes.

PMID- 28635060
TI  - Stress and coping in Japanese mothers whose infants required congenital heart
      disease surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With the growing number of severe congenital heart disease (CHD)
      surgeries, some hospitals in Japan are experiencing difficulty meeting the demand
      for CHD surgery. As a result, CHD surgery preparation is difficult for mothers of
      these infants. AIMS: To examine the stress and coping of mothers whose infants
      needed CHD surgery and to identify the factors that influenced maternal coping.
      METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 mothers whose infants
      had undergone CHD surgery. Qualitative analyses of transcribed interviews were
      performed. RESULTS: The coping of mothers for surgery began when mothers received
      news of their infant's CHD diagnosis. Maternal stress appraisal and coping
      changed as surgery approached. In particular, maternal coping was influenced by
      diagnosis event, symptoms of their child, anticipated number of surgeries,
      presence of chromosomal abnormality, and infant age. CONCLUSION: The stressors
      and coping challenges of mothers whose infants needed CHD surgery changed as the
      surgery date approached, and these were influenced by 5 factors.

PMID- 28635061
TI  - Editorial: Writing for the Reader.

PMID- 28635062
TI  - Mobile phone text messaging to improve knowledge and practice of diabetic foot
      care in a developing country: Feasibility and outcomes.
AB  - PURPOSE: To test the feasibility and effectiveness of using mobile phone text
      messaging to reinforce learning and the practice of diabetic foot care in a
      developing country. METHODS: Ongoing learning reinforcement (2-3 times weekly) by
      text messaging followed an informal class on diabetic foot care in a community
      clinic setting. Subjects with cell phone access and no history of diabetic foot
      wounds or current wounds were recruited for participation (N = 225). Foot
      examinations and pretesting by survey occurred just before patients departed the
      clinic; the posttest survey and a final foot examination occurred 12 weeks later.
      The survey included basic demographic items along with items to measure knowledge
      and current foot care practices. One sample t tests (raw scores) and Wilcoxon
      signed-rank tests compared knowledge and practice before and after intervention.
      RESULTS: Initially, a majority of the sample (76%) reported poor levels of foot
      care. After 12 weeks <1% reported poor foot care practices. Statistical testing
      showed significant gains in knowledge (by score and level) and nearly unanimous
      compliance with daily foot examination. CONCLUSION: Mobile phone text messaging
      is an economical, feasible, and effective method for educators to improve
      diabetic self-care, even in a developing country.

PMID- 28635063
TI  - Association between physical and depressive symptoms during the first 6 months
      postpartum.
AB  - AIM: To examine the relationship between physical symptoms and depressive
      symptoms among new mothers during the first 6 months postpartum. METHODS:
      Prospective cohort study design was used in this study. Participants were
      recruited in 13 Japanese hospitals between 2012 and 2013. A total of 2709 women
      (response rate of those invited 71.9%) provided longitudinal data using self
      report questionnaires at 5 time points: during the hospital stay and at 1, 2, 4,
      and 6 months postpartum. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Japanese
      version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Also, 37 physical symptoms
      were measured using a yes-or-no checklist. To examine the association between
      physical symptoms and depressive symptoms, logistic regression analysis was used.
      RESULTS: There was a significant positive association between physical symptoms
      and depressive symptoms during the first 6 months postpartum. Fifteen physical
      symptoms were associated with significantly increased odds of depression at 1, 2,
      4, and 6 months post-partum. These symptoms included: loss of appetite,
      tiredness/languor, and palpitation/shortness of breath. CONCLUSION: Multiple
      physical symptoms after childbirth were associated with depressive
      symptomatology. Health professionals should assess for postpartum depression when
      puerperal women report multiple physical symptoms as independent complaints.

PMID- 28635064
TI  - Postpartum maternal function and parenting stress: Comparison by feeding methods.
AB  - AIM: This cross-sectional and longitudinal study explored primiparous mothers'
      functioning and parenting stress on the basis of infant-feeding method over the
      first 6 months postpartum. METHODS: Participants were Japanese primiparae who
      delivered live singleton infants (N = 1120). Questionnaires, completed at 1, 2,
      4, and 6 months postpartum, included demographics, feeding method, frequency of
      feedings, time required from infant's feeding to falling asleep, mother's sleep
      time, Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale, and the original Japanese version of
      Parenting Stress Short-Form Scale. Chi-square tests and Welch F tests for one-way
      analysis of variance were conducted. RESULTS: Exclusively breastfeeding mothers
      fed their infants more frequently, but required less time from infant's feeding
      to falling asleep than either mixed or formula-feeding mothers. Mixed feeding
      mothers required more time for infant feeding and reported more severe fatigue
      and greater parenting stress than breastfeeding mothers at 1 and 2 months
      postpartum. Exclusively formula-feeding mothers required more time to get their
      infant back to sleep and reported greater parenting stress than the other groups
      at 6 months postpartum. Nearly 25% of mothers continued breastfeeding exclusively
      through the first 6 months postpartum. Mothers often changed feeding methods,
      with many exclusively breastfeeding by 6 months. CONCLUSION: Feeding methods may
      affect maternal functioning and parenting stress across the postpartum period.

PMID- 28635065
TI  - Evaluating cultural competence among Japanese clinical nurses: Analyses of a
      translated scale.
AB  - This paper describes the factor analysis testing and construct validation of the
      Japanese version of the Caffrey Cultural Competence Health Services (J-CCCHS).
      The inventory, composed of 28 items, was translated using language and subject
      matter experts. Psychometric testing (exploratory factor, alpha reliability, and
      confirmatory factor analyses) was undertaken with nurses (N = 7494, 92% female,
      mean age 32.6 years) from 19 hospitals across Japan. Principal components
      extraction with varimax rotation yielded a 5-factor solution (62.31% variance
      explained) that was labeled: knowledge, comfort-proximal, comfort-distal,
      awareness, and awareness of national policy. Cronbach alpha for the subscales
      ranged from 0.756 to 0.892. In confirmatory factor analysis using the robust
      maximum likelihood estimator, the chi-square test was as follows: chi2 (340) =
      14604.44, P < .001. After correlated errors were introduced, there was evidence
      of improved model fit (chi2 (335) = 8681.61, P < .05) but the other indices
      showed improvement (RMSEA = .058 [90% CI, 0.057-0.059], TLI = .891, CFI = .903,
      and SRMR = .059). The discriminating power of the J-CCCHS was indicated by
      statistically mean differences in J-CCCHS subscale scores between predefined
      groups. Taking into consideration that this is the first foray into construct
      validation for this instrument, and that fit was improved when a subsequent data
      driven model was tested, and it has the ability to distinguish between known
      groups that are expected to differ in cultural competence, the instrument can be
      of value to clinicians and educators alike.

PMID- 28635066
TI  - Consensus development of quality indicators for end-of-life care for elders in
      Japan.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Quality indicators for end-of-life care have been published;
      however, none have been developed specifically for nursing in the cultural and
      traditional context of Japan. This study aimed to develop and build a consensus
      of quality indicators for end-of-life care for elders in Japan from the
      perspective of nursing science. METHODS: To develop the quality indicators, we
      used a literature review, expert panel process, and the Delphi technique among
      clinical nurse specialists in geriatrics. RESULTS: Quality indicators were
      identified in 7 major areas: advance directives and surrogate continuity, ethical
      daily care, care preferences and decisions about life-sustaining treatment,
      assessment and management of pain and other symptoms, daily care for the dying,
      family care, and institutional systems for end-of-life care. CONCLUSIONS: These
      quality indicators represent the first attempt to develop a best practices
      approach toward improving the quality of elderly end-of-life care in nursing.

PMID- 28635067
TI  - Maternal coping with the prospect of liver transplant among their school-age
      children.
AB  - The purpose of the current study was to describe the following: maternal coping
      with the prospect of becoming the living-donor liver transplant for their child;
      the daily lives of school-age children surviving biliary atresia with their
      native liver; and to explore the relationship between these individuals.
      Semistructured interviews were conducted with 6 school-age children surviving
      biliary atresia with their native liver and their mothers. The interviews were
      conducted from June to August 2014, and a qualitative content analysis was used.
      Results showed that mothers realized a possible need for transplantation in the
      future, which contributes to emotional and practical uncertainties. The mothers
      coexisted with this uncertainty and preferred to use a buffering strategy. In
      contrast, the children did not consider their illness and future and did not
      adhere to a therapeutic regimen. It is suggested that living with uncertainty
      about the health and survival of their children is advantageous for mothers.
      However, problems related to the psychosocial aspect and child's adherence may
      occur in the future. In addition, problem-solving coping strategies for mothers
      and the independence of chronically ill children with liver disease should be
      promoted.

PMID- 28635068
TI  - Selective Growth of Metal-Free Metallic and Semiconducting Single-Wall Carbon
      Nanotubes.
AB  - A major obstacle for the use of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in
      electronic devices is their mixture of different types of electrical conductivity
      that strongly depends on their helical structure. The existence of metal
      impurities as a residue of a metallic growth catalyst may also lower the
      performance of SWCNT-based devices. Here, it is shown that by using silicon oxide
      (SiOx ) nanoparticles as a catalyst, metal-free semiconducting and metallic
      SWCNTs can be selectively synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition of
      ethanol. It is found that control over the nanoparticle size and the content of
      oxygen in the SiOx catalyst plays a key role in the selective growth of SWCNTs.
      Furthermore, by using the as-grown semiconducting and metallic SWCNTs as the
      channel material and source/drain electrodes, respectively, all-SWCNT thin-film
      transistors are fabricated to demonstrate the remarkable potential of these
      SWCNTs for electronic devices.

PMID- 28635069
TI  - Exciton coupling between enones: Quassinoids revisited.
AB  - The electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of two previously reported
      quassinoids containing a pair of enone chromophores are revisited to gain insight
      into the consistency and applicability of the exciton chirality method. Our study
      is based on time-dependent Density Functional Theory calculations, transition and
      orbital analysis, and numerical exciton coupling calculations. In quassin (1) the
      enone/enone exciton coupling is quasi-degenerate, yielding strong rotational
      strengths that account for the observed ECD spectrum in the enone pi-pi* region.
      In perforalactone C (2) the nondegenerate coupling produces weak rotational
      strengths, and the ECD spectrum is dominated by other mechanisms of optical
      activity. We remark the necessity of a careful application of the nondegenerate
      exciton coupling method in similar cases.

PMID- 28635070
TI  - Adjuvant Treatment with Qilin Pill for Men with Oligoasthenospermia: A Meta
      Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - Qilin pill has been used in the management of oligoasthenospermia. This meta
      analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of Qilin pill as an adjunctive therapy on
      semen parameters in oligoasthenospermic men. A comprehensive literature search
      was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, CNKI, and VIP
      databases until June 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated
      Qilin pill as an adjunctive therapy in oligoasthenospermic were included.
      Dichotomous data and continuous data were calculated as the risk ratio (RR) and
      mean difference (MD) with their 95% confidence interval (CI), respectively. Eight
      RCTs involving 778 patients were identified. Adjunctive treatment with Qilin pill
      significantly improved the semen volume (MD 0.50 mL; 95% CI 0.42-0.59), sperm
      concentration (MD 5.01 * 106 /mL; 95% CI 3.28-6.75), sperm motility (MD 7.54%;
      95% CI 5.64-9.45), grade A sperm (MD 9.75%; 95% CI 4.05-15.45), serum
      testosterone level (MD 1.66 nM; 95% CI 0.40-2.92), and pregnancy rate (RR 1.46;
      95% CI 1.08-1.99) during follow-up. However, differences in the serum follicle
      stimulating and luteinizing hormone levels were not significant. Adjunctive
      treatment with Qilin pill significantly improves the sperm quality in patients
      with oligoasthenospermia. However, further trials are necessary to investigate
      the efficacy of Qilin pill on oligoasthenospermia-induced male infertility.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635071
TI  - Total laryngectomy: A new lateral cervical approach.

PMID- 28635073
TI  - Oncologists', nurses', and social workers' strategies and barriers to identifying
      suicide risk in cancer patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify oncologists', nurses', and social workers' strategies and
      barriers in identifying suicide risk in cancer patients. METHODS: Sixty-one
      oncology healthcare professionals (HCPs) at 2 cancer centers were interviewed. We
      used the grounded theory method (GT) of data collection and analysis. Analysis
      involved line-by-line coding, and was inductive, with codes and categories
      emerging from participants' narratives. RESULTS: The majority of oncologists and
      nurses reported that they had encountered at least 1 patient who had committed
      suicide during their careers (56% and 55%, respectively) and/or had suicidal
      ideation (65% and 75%, respectively). Social workers reported having fewer
      suicides in their practices (22%), but similar rates of suicidal ideation among
      patients (66%). Strategies to identifying suicide risk included paying attention
      to patients' verbal indicators, explicit actions, and mental health distress. In
      addition HCPs reported that mental health disorders and other patient
      characteristics increased their likelihood to assess suicidality among patients.
      Reported barriers to identification included patient factors such as patients
      giving no warning, patients concealing suicidality, and patients failing to come
      in. HCP barriers to identification included lack of training and awareness,
      difficulty in differentiating suicidality from mental health distress, lack of
      time with patients, fear of asking about suicidality, and lack of coping
      resources to deal with suicidal patients. CONCLUSIONS: HCPs reports of their lack
      of training and awareness on identifying suicide risk is alarming given the
      higher risk of suicide among cancer patients. Training programs should
      incorporate the successful strategies used by HCPs and overcome barriers to
      identifying suicide risk.

PMID- 28635072
TI  - PlGF enhances TLR-dependent inflammatory responses in human mononuclear
      phagocytes.
AB  - PROBLEM: Levels of placental growth factor (PlGF) peak during third trimester of
      pregnancy, a time when women are at increased risk of virus-induced morbidity. We
      hypothesized PlGF might contribute to an exaggerated inflammatory response to
      Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation. METHOD OF STUDY: Primary human adult and
      cord blood CD14+ cells were cultured in the presence of TLR ligands and/or PlGF.
      RESULTS: PlGF significantly enhanced the magnitude and duration of TNF messenger
      RNA and protein production by TLR-7/8-activated monocytes, and increased
      subsequent production of TNF-independent inflammatory cytokines. This PlGF/TLR
      effect involved multiple inflammatory cytokines/chemokines and was seen with the
      majority of TLR agonists. PlGF enhanced phosphorylation of IkappaB kinase (IKK)
      in monocytes stimulated with the TLR-7/8 agonist R848, and IKK inhibition
      completely suppressed the PlGF effect. CONCLUSION: PlGF enhances TLR-signaling
      upstream of IKK and contributes to an exaggerated pathologic pro-inflammatory
      state in response to activation of maternal and fetal mononuclear phagocytes by
      specific TLR agonists.

PMID- 28635075
TI  - Salts Influence Cathechins and Flavonoids Encapsulation in Liposomes: A Molecular
      Dynamics Investigation.
AB  - Cathechins and flavonoids are responsible of numerous health benefits. Two of the
      most representatives' compounds for their antioxidant and therapeutic effects are
      Epigallocatechin 3-Gallate (EGCG), from green tea extracts, and morelloflavone
      (MF), from Garcinia dulcis. Here we explore, by atomistic Molecular Dynamics
      simulations, how EGCG and MF interact with lipid bilayers and we show the salts'
      influence on their encapsulation degree in neutral liposomes. As a result, we
      found out that EGCGs naturally bind to the hydrophilic regions of phospholipids,
      positioning themselves mostly at the interface between water and lipid phases.
      The presence of a salt clearly influences the EGCG molecules' absorption and the
      total effect depends strongly on the salt nature and concentration. Beside, for
      MF, we observed a high stability of the intermolecular MFs aggregates in water
      that strongly penalizes the flavonoid's interaction with the lipid polar heads.
      However, salts can influence MF's liposomal penetration, even if they are not
      able to promote completely its absorption inside the bilayer. For both compounds,
      the increase of penetration is more marked in presence of magnesium chloride,
      whilst calcium chloride showed the opposite effect.

PMID- 28635074
TI  - Do sleep disturbances mediate the association between work-family conflict and
      depressive symptoms among nurses? A cross-sectional study.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT: Nurses are at a high risk for work-family conflict
      due to long and irregular work hours and multiple physical and psychosocial
      stressors in their work environment. Nurses report higher rates of depressive
      symptoms than the general public, leading to a high rate of burnout, absenteeism,
      and turnover. Work-family conflict is associated with negative consequences in
      nurses including physical illnesses and mental disorders. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS TO
      EXISTING KNOWLEDGE: Past research on this topic has not examined the mechanisms
      for the effect of work family conflict on depression. Studies rarely examine the
      influence of health behaviors such as sleep in explaining this association. Our
      study identified significant association of sleep disturbances with both work
      family conflict and depressive symptoms in nurses. Our main contribution is
      reporting the important role of sleep disturbances in translating the effect of
      work-family conflict on depressive symptoms among nurses. WHAT ARE THE
      IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurses need to receive training in best practices for
      maintaining their own sleep and mental health. Organizations should include sleep
      health education and training in workplace health programs. Evidence-based
      interventions to promote healthy sleep practices such as cognitive behavioral
      therapy and complementary and integrative approaches should be evaluated for
      their effectiveness in addressing the impact of work-family conflict on the
      mental health of nurses. Healthcare organizations should incorporate mental
      health services as part of their Employee Assistance Program for nurses and
      include psychological and sleep disorders screening, counseling, and follow-up.
      ABSTRACT: Introduction Depression has been identified as the leading cause of
      disability worldwide. Nurses report higher rates of depression than the general
      public. Work-family conflict is challenging for nurses and may lead to depression
      and poor health. However, the mechanisms for the effect of work-family conflict
      on depression have not been well understood. Aim The objective is to use a cross
      sectional design to examine the role of sleep disturbances in the association
      between work-family conflict and depressive symptoms in nurses. Methods
      Questionnaires, measuring working conditions, work-family conflict, sleep
      disturbances and depressive symptoms were collected from 397 nurses at a not-for
      profit community hospital in the north-eastern United States. Results We observed
      a significant association between work-family conflict and depressive symptoms
      (beta = 2.22, p < .001) among nurses. Sleep disturbances partially mediated this
      association by 40.54%. Discussion Sleep disturbances play an important role in
      translating work-family conflict into depressive symptoms. Implications Evidence
      based interventions to promote healthy sleep practices should be evaluated for
      their effectiveness in addressing the impact of work-family conflict on mental
      health. Organizations should include sleep education and training as a component
      of workplace health promotion and employee assistance programmes to mitigate the
      effect of work-family conflict and promote overall health in nurses.

PMID- 28635076
TI  - Supernumeraries in Nicolaides-Baraitser Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nicolaides-Baraitser Syndrome(NCBRS) is an extremely rare condition
      which has been reported in only a few cases. NCBRS is a distinct clinical
      condition with typical clinical features of pre- and post-natal global
      developmental delay, impaired speech, and seizures. Microcephaly, sparse hair,
      anteverted alae nasi, undefined philtrum, prominence of distal phalanges and
      interphalangeal joints, and short metacarpals are also typical of NCBRS. CASE
      REPORT: There are no reported cases in the literature of patients with NCBRS
      presenting with multiple dental impactions, and to the authors' knowledge, this
      is the 28th fully documented case of NCBRS and only 75 cases identified as
      potentially having NCBRS. The clinical features, diagnosis, and course of
      management are also described. CONCLUSION: Although NCBRS is very rare, it is
      important to assess dental development in view of the possibility of multiple
      supernumerary teeth which can have detrimental effects on the occlusion.

PMID- 28635077
TI  - Self-Disgust within Eating Disordered Groups: Associations with Anxiety, Disgust
      Sensitivity and Sensory Processing.
AB  - This study aimed to assess the relationship between self-disgust and sensory
      processing within eating psychopathology. Five hundred and ninety-one women with
      a self-reported diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or who had no
      previous history of an eating disorder completed a battery of online
      questionnaires measuring disgust, emotion and sensory variables. Those with an
      eating disorder reported significantly higher rates of self-disgust than those
      with no history of disordered eating. In groups of women with self-reported
      bulimia, self-disgust was associated with sensation avoidance and sensation
      seeking. Within the group with anorexia nervosa, self-disgust was associated with
      low registration and sensation seeking. This report is the first to examine the
      expression of the emotion self-disgust within eating psychopathology and examine
      associations of this factor with sensory processing. The emotion self-disgust
      needs to be further examined to understand its possible role in the onset and
      maintenance of disordered eating. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and
      Eating Disorders Association.

PMID- 28635079
TI  - Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated Photocatalysis of BiOCl: Reactivity, Selectivity, and
      Perspectives.
AB  - Semiconductor photocatalysis is a trustworthy approach to harvest clean solar
      light for energy conversions, while state-of-the-art catalytic efficiencies are
      unsatisfactory because of the finite light response and/or recombination of
      robust charge carriers. Along with the development of modern material
      characterization techniques and electronic-structure computations, oxygen
      vacancies (OVs) on the surface of real photocatalysts, even in infinitesimal
      concentration, are found to play a more decisive role in determining the
      kinetics, energetics, and mechanisms of photocatalytic reactions. This Review
      endeavors to clarify the inherent functionality of OVs in photocatalysis at the
      surface molecular level using 2D BiOCl as the platform. Structure sensitivity of
      OVs on reactivity and selectivity of photocatalytic reactions is intensely
      discussed via confining OVs onto prototypical BiOCl surfaces of different
      structures. The critical understanding of OVs chemistry can help consolidate and
      advance the fundamental theories of photocatalysis, and also offer new
      perspectives and guidelines for the rational design of catalysts with
      satisfactory performance.

PMID- 28635078
TI  - Prevalence of Orofacial Clefts among Live Births in China: A Systematic Review
      and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are common human birth defects in China.
      However, studies on the prevalence of OFCs present inconsistent results. The
      overall prevalence and geographic distribution of OFCs are poorly described in
      China. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the
      prevalence of OFCs. METHODS: The systematic review and meta-analysis were
      conducted on the basis of an established protocol (PROSPERO 2015:
      CRD42015030198). We systematically searched for articles in four electronic
      databases, including Embase, PubMed, Wanfang Database, and China National
      Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to identify relevant studies about prevalence of
      OFCs in China. Meta-analysis, including subgroup analysis, was conducted to
      estimate the pooled prevalence. RESULTS: A total of 41 studies published between
      1986 and 2015 were included in our analysis. The sample size ranged from 2,586 to
      4,611,808 live births. The random-effects model of meta-analysis showed that the
      overall prevalence of OFCs in China was 1.4 per 1000 live births (95% confidence
      interval [CI], 1.1-1.7). In subgroup analysis based on geographic regions, we
      found that OFC prevalence in Southwest (2.3 per 1000 live births, 95% CI, 1.1
      4.7) was higher than that in other regions of China. There were no significant
      time trends of OFCs during the study period (p-value = 0.47). CONCLUSION: The
      overall prevalence of OFCs in China was 1.4 per 1000 live births. No significant
      secular trend of prevalence has been found in this analysis. Further studies need
      to be conducted to explore the etiology of OFC to better control the risk of this
      common birth defect. Birth Defects Research 109:1011-1019, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28635080
TI  - Neuroadaptations of presynaptic and postsynaptic GABAB receptor function in the
      paraventricular nucleus in response to chronic unpredictable stress.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic stress impairs GABAA (GABA type A) receptor
      mediated inhibition in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). It is not
      clear whether GABAB receptor function is also altered. We hypothesize that
      chronic stress alters GABAB receptor function in PVN corticotrophin-releasing
      hormone (CRH) neurons to control hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity.
      EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were made of PVN-CRH
      neurons expressing eGFP driven by CRH promoter in brain slices from unstressed
      rats and rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). KEY RESULTS:
      CUMS elevated the basal circulating corticosterone levels and increased the basal
      firing activity of PVN-CRH neurons. Microinjection of GABAB receptor agonist
      baclofen into the PVN suppressed the increased corticosterone levels in CUMS rats
      compared with unstressed rats. CUMS blunted the baclofen-induced inhibition on
      PVN-CRH neurons and outward currents in these neurons. Furthermore, CUMS reduced
      expression of GABAB1 (GABAB R1) protein in the PVN. Blocking NMDA receptors with
      AP5 restored the reduced baclofen-induced currents in CUMS rats but had no effect
      on GABAB1 expression. Furthermore, CUMS treatment augmented the baclofen-induced
      decrease in the frequency of glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents
      (EPSCs) and GABAergic inhibitor postsynaptic currents in PVN-CRH neurons. The
      GABAB receptor antagonist CGP55845 increased the firing activity of PVN-CRH
      neurons only in CUMS-treated rats and not in unstressed rats. CONCLUSIONS AND
      IMPLICATIONS: These findings suggest that chronic stress impairs postsynaptic
      GABAB receptor function but augments presynaptic GABAB receptor function in
      controlling glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic inputs in PVN-CRH neurons.

PMID- 28635081
TI  - Understanding and improving photo-control of ion channels in nociceptors with
      azobenzene photo-switches.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The photo-isomerizable local anaesthetic, quaternary
      ammonium-azobenzene-quaternary ammonium (QAQ), provides rapid, optical control
      over pain signalling without involving genetic modification. In darkness or in
      green light, trans-QAQ blocks voltage-gated K+ and Na+ channels and silences
      action potentials in pain-sensing neurons. Upon photo-isomerization to cis with
      near UV light, QAQ blockade is rapidly relieved, restoring neuronal activity.
      However, the molecular mechanism of cis and trans QAQ blockade is not known.
      Moreover, the absorption spectrum of QAQ requires UV light for photo-control,
      precluding use deep inside neural tissue. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH:
      Electrophysiology and molecular modelling were used to characterize the binding
      of cis and trans QAQ to voltage-gated K+ channels and to develop quaternary
      ammonium-ethylamine-azobenzene-quaternary ammonium (QENAQ), a red-shifted QAQ
      derivative controlled with visible light. KEY RESULTS: trans QAQ was sixfold more
      potent than cis QAQ, in blocking current through Shaker K+ channels. Both isomers
      were use-dependent, open channel blockers, binding from the cytoplasmic side, but
      only trans QAQ block was slightly voltage dependent. QENAQ also blocked native K+
      and Na+ channels preferentially in the trans state. QENAQ was photo-isomerized to
      cis with blue light and spontaneously reverted to trans within seconds in
      darkness, enabling rapid photo-control of action potentials in sensory neurons.
      CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Light-switchable local anaesthetics provide a means
      to non-invasively photo-control pain signalling with high selectivity and fast
      kinetics. Understanding the mode of action of QAQ and related compounds will help
      to design of drugs with improved photo-pharmacological properties. LINKED
      ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Recent Advances in
      Targeting Ion Channels to Treat Chronic Pain. To view the other articles in this
      section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.12/issuetoc.

PMID- 28635082
TI  - Targeting risk factors for type 2 diabetes in American Indian youth: the Tribal
      Turning Point pilot study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: American Indian (AI) youth are at high risk for type 2 diabetes.
      OBJECTIVES: To partner with Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Navajo Nation to
      develop a culturally sensitive behavioural intervention for youth (Tribal Turning
      Point; TTP) and assess feasibility in an 8-month randomized pilot study. METHODS:
      We enrolled 62 overweight/obese AI children (7-10 years) who participated with
      >=1 parent/primary caregiver. Intervention participants (n = 29) attended 12
      group classes and five individual sessions. Control participants (n = 33)
      attended three health and safety group sessions. We analysed group differences
      for changes in anthropometrics (BMI, BMI z-score, waist circumference),
      cardiometabolic (insulin, glucose, blood pressure) and behavioural (physical
      activity and dietary self-efficacy) outcomes. RESULTS: Study retention was 97%,
      and intervention group attendance averaged 84%. We observed significant treatment
      effects (p = 0.02) for BMI and BMI z-score: BMI increased in control (+1.0 kg m-2
      , p < 0.001) but not intervention participants (+0.3 kg m-2 , p = 0.13); BMI z
      score decreased in intervention (-0.17, p = 0.004) but not control participants
      (0.01, p = 0.82). There were no treatment effects for cardiometabolic or
      behavioural outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that a behavioural
      intervention is feasible to deliver and improved obesity measures in AI youth.
      Future work should evaluate TTP for effectiveness, sustainability and long-term
      impact in expanded tribal settings.

PMID- 28635083
TI  - Clinically distinct trajectories of fatigue and their longitudinal relationship
      with the disturbance of personal goals following a cancer diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Most studies on fatigue in patients with cancer aggregate its
      prevalence and severity on a group level, ignoring the possibility that subgroups
      of patients may differ widely in their development of fatigue. This study aimed
      to identify subgroups of patients with clinically distinct trajectories of
      fatigue from diagnosis to 18 months post-diagnosis. As fatigue might trigger goal
      disturbance, the study also identified trajectories of concrete and abstract goal
      disturbance and longitudinally examined their co-occurrence with fatigue. DESIGN:
      Prospective design with quantitative and qualitative method of data collection.
      METHODS: Patients with colorectal cancer (n = 183) reported on their levels of
      fatigue and goal disturbance shortly after diagnosis (T1 ) and at 7 months (T2 )
      and 18 months (T3 ) post-diagnosis. Growth mixture model analyses were performed
      to identify trajectories of fatigue and goal disturbance. Guidelines for the
      clinical relevance of fatigue were applied. RESULTS: Four clinically distinct
      trajectories of fatigue were identified as follows: (1) persistent severe fatigue
      (25.4%), (2) moderate fatigue (56.1%), (3) no fatigue (13.8%), and (4) rapidly
      improving fatigue (4.7%). The majority of patients with cancer reported high
      disturbance of their concrete goals, while high disturbance of abstract goals was
      less evident. Fatigue and concrete goal disturbance co-occurred longitudinally.
      CONCLUSIONS: The fatigue and goal disturbance experienced from diagnosis to 18
      months post-diagnosis differ considerably for subgroups of patients with cancer.
      Fatigue and concrete goal disturbance are persistent burdens in the majority of
      patients. Investigating symptom burden beyond average trends can guide clinicians
      to identify patients most in need for treatment. Targeting goal disturbance might
      benefit the psychological well-being in patients suffering from persistent
      symptoms. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject?
      Fatigue is a common and distressing symptom at all stages of the cancer
      experience. Earlier studies suggest that many patients recover from fatigue after
      treatment completion. Patients with cancer experience disturbance in their
      personal goals, which is related to poor psychological well-being. What does this
      study add? Developments of fatigue and goal disturbance differ between subgroups
      of patients with cancer but co-occur within these subgroups. About 30% of the
      patients experience severe fatigue after diagnosis, of which only few patients
      recover within 18 months post-diagnosis. Targeting goal disturbance might benefit
      patients with severe and ongoing symptoms.

PMID- 28635085
TI  - Venous thromboembolism management in Northeast Melbourne: how does it compare to
      international guidelines and data?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a major cause of morbidity and
      mortality with significant heterogeneity in its management, both within our local
      practice and in international guidelines. AIMS: To provide a holistic evaluation
      of 'real-world' Australian experience in the warfarin era, including how we
      compare to international guidelines. METHODS: Retrospective evaluation of VTE
      from July 2011 to December 2012 at two major hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.
      These results were compared to recommendations in the international guidelines.
      RESULTS: A total of 752 episodes involving 742 patients was identified. Contrary
      to international guidelines, an unwarranted heritable thrombophilia screen was
      performed in 22.0% of patients, amounting to a cost of AU$29 000. The duration of
      anticoagulation was longer compared to international recommendations, although
      the overall recurrence (3.2/100 person-years) and clinically significant bleeding
      rates (2.4/100 person-years) were comparable to 'real-world' data. Unprovoked VTE
      (hazard ratio 2.06; P = 0.01) was a risk factor for recurrence, and there was no
      difference in recurrence between major VTE (proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
      and/or pulmonary embolism) and isolated distal DVT (3.02 vs 3.94/100 person
      years; P = 0.25). Fourteen patients were subsequently diagnosed with malignancy,
      and patients with recurrent VTE had increased risk of prospective cancer
      diagnosis (relative risk 6.68; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: While our 'real-world'
      VTE experience during the warfarin era largely correlates with international
      guidelines, there remains heterogeneity in the management strategies, including
      excessive thrombophilia screening and longer duration of anticoagulation. This
      audit highlights the need for national VTE guidelines, as well as prospective
      auditing of VTE management, in the direct oral anticoagulant era for future
      comparison.

PMID- 28635084
TI  - Primary tumor sites in relation to ultraviolet radiation exposure and skin
      visibility correlate with survival in cutaneous melanoma.
AB  - The prognostic value of detailed anatomic site and ultraviolet radiation (UVR)
      exposure patterns has not been fully determined in cutaneous melanoma. Thus, we
      reviewed medical records for detailed site in a population-based retrospective
      Swedish patient cohort diagnosed with primary invasive melanoma 1976-2003 (n =
      5,973). We followed the patients from date of diagnosis until death, emigration
      or December 31st 2013, and evaluated melanoma-specific survival by subsite in a
      multivariable regression model adjusting for established prognostic factors. We
      found that melanoma on chronic UVR exposure sites (face, dorsum of hands;
      adjusted HR 0.6; CI 0.4-0.7) and moderately intermittent UVR sites (lateral arms,
      lower legs, dorsum of feet; HR 0.7; CI 0.6-0.8) were associated with a favorable
      prognosis compared with highly intermittent sites (chest, back, neck, shoulders
      and thighs). Further, melanoma on poorly visible skin sites upon self-examination
      (scalp, retroauricular area, back, posterior upper arms and thighs, buttocks,
      pubic area; HR 1.3; CI 1.1-1.5) had a worse prognosis than those on easily
      visible sites (face, chest, abdomen, anterior upper arms and thighs, lower arms
      and legs, dorsum of hands and feet, palms). In conclusion, highly intermittent
      UVR exposure sites and poor skin visibility presumably correlate with reduced
      melanoma survival, independent of established tumor characteristics. A limitation
      of the study was the lack of information on actual individual UVR exposure.

PMID- 28635088
TI  - Arts and cultural activity: A vital part of the health and care system.
AB  - This article discusses how the arts and cultural activities are a vital part of a
      health and care system and have potential to fulfil the theme of active ageing.
      The changing nature of care provision in response to demographic change, fiscal
      pressure and increasingly consumerist attitudes on the part of care users, is
      considered. Selected examples of how participation in arts and cultural
      activities increases not only well-being but also health outcomes are then
      outlined. The article highlights the potential of 'cultural commissioning' and
      within that 'arts on prescription' - public funding of arts-related activities
      for people with care needs - and advocates investment in arts and cultural
      activities to better meet the demands of health, social care and aged care.
      Concluding remarks are made, and a way forward is suggested.

PMID- 28635086
TI  - Attitudes towards intergenerational equity: Preliminary Australian evidence.

PMID- 28635089
TI  - Comparison of fall-related traumatic brain injury in residential aged care and
      community-dwelling older people: A population-based study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare trends, causes, and outcomes of fall-related traumatic
      brain injury (TBI) between community-dwelling (CD) individuals and residential
      aged care facility (RACF) residents. METHODS: Hospitalisation and RACF
      administrative data for 6635 individuals aged >=65 years admitted to all NSW
      hospitals for fall-related TBI from 2008-2009 to 2012-2013 were linked. RESULTS:
      Of the 6944 hospitalisations, 20.8% were for RACF residents. Age-standardised
      hospitalisation rates were almost fourfold higher for RACF residents than CD
      individuals (standardised rate ratio 3.7; 95% CI 3.4-4.1); but increased at a
      similar annual rate of 9.2% (95% CI 0.3-19.0) and 7.2% (95% CI 5.6-8.9),
      respectively. Compared to CD individuals: a higher proportion of falls in RACF
      residents were furniture-related (21.4% vs 9.9%); resulted in haemorrhage (82.5%
      vs 73.7%); and death (23.1% vs 14.9%). Overall, 7.7% of hospitalisations for CD
      individuals resulted in new permanent RACF placement. CONCLUSION: Residential
      aged care facility residents have higher hospitalisation rates and poorer health
      outcomes than their CD counterparts.

PMID- 28635091
TI  - Perceptions of health-care professionals' treatment of older people.

PMID- 28635092
TI  - Well-being of older Aboriginal Australians: The importance of 'keeping spirit
      strong'.

PMID- 28635093
TI  - Role of art centres for Aboriginal Australians living with dementia in remote
      communities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the role art centres in remote communities play for
      Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians living with dementia. METHODS:
      A comprehensive literature search was undertaken, with no restrictions on
      articles regarding year of publication. RESULTS: Art programmes have been found
      to be of benefit to both people living with dementia and their carers,
      particularly when programmes are administered in environments that are culturally
      revered. Findings indicate remote art centres play a key role in maintaining
      traditions, culture and practices unique to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
      Islanders, but there is a gap in knowledge regarding how they cater for the needs
      of people with dementia. CONCLUSION: Addressing this gap will be helpful in
      remote areas where prevalence of dementia is up to five times that of non
      Aboriginal people, and there are limited health and support services. Further
      research is required to explore strengths and gaps of current practices.

PMID- 28635094
TI  - Is there anything to worry about?

PMID- 28635095
TI  - Age discrimination in the workplace: The more things change ....

PMID- 28635096
TI  - What happens to your submission at Australasian Journal on Ageing?

PMID- 28635098
TI  - Venous loops: a benign feature of diabetic retinopathy or cause for concern?

PMID- 28635099
TI  - Effects of electronic device overuse by university students in relation to
      clinical status and anatomical variations of the median nerve and transverse
      carpal ligament.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This study investigates the results of a questionnaire, provocative
      tests, and ultrasonographic measurements of carpal tunnel morphological
      parameters in intensive and nonintensive electronic device users. METHODS: Forty
      eight university students (equal numbers of intensive and nonintensive users, >=5
      h/day and <5 h/day of electronic device usage, respectively) were randomly
      selected after questionnaire responses were received and evaluated clinically and
      by ultrasonography. All participants were right-handed. RESULTS: Intensive users
      had significantly more positive results in Phalen's and Durkan's tests and
      reported more wrist/hand pain compared with nonintensive users (P < 0.05).
      Intensive users also had significantly larger median nerve cross-sectional areas,
      flattening ratios, and perimeters as well as greater bowing of the transverse
      carpal ligament compared with nonintensive users (P < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Overuse
      of electronic devices may adversely affect the median nerve within the carpal
      tunnel and the transverse carpal ligament, resulting in numbness, tingling, and
      pain in the hand. Caution may be warranted when using handheld electronic
      devices. Muscle Nerve 56: 873-880, 2017.

PMID- 28635100
TI  - A new system for classifying accessory canal morphology.
AB  - Thorough knowledge of anatomical complexities of the root canal system has a
      direct impact on the effectiveness of canal preparation and filling, and is an
      essential prerequisite for successful root canal treatment. A wide range of
      complex variations in root canal anatomy exists, including root canal
      configuration type, developmental anomalies and minor canal morphology such as
      accessory canals and apical deltas. Accessory canals and apical deltas have been
      associated with pulp disease, primary canal infection, canal reinfection and post
      treatment disease. The current definitions of accessory canal anatomy are not
      standardized and potentially confusing. Given their role in endodontic disease
      and their impact on treatment outcomes, there is a need to have a simple
      classification of their anatomy to provide an accurate description of their
      position and path from the canal to the external surface of the root. The purpose
      of this article is to introduce a new system for classifying accessory canal
      morphology for use in research, clinical practice and training.

PMID- 28635101
TI  - A simply synthesized biphenyl substituted piperidin-4-one for the fluorescence
      chemosensing of Cd2.
AB  - Ion-induced change in fluorescence is a straight-forward method for detection of
      toxic metal ions showing immediate response. Cadmium ions are toxic to the
      environment. We report in this paper a piperidine-4-one-based fluorescent
      chemosensor of Cd2+ ions, designed and synthesized by a simple method. The
      compound is characterized using infra-red (IR) and 1 H-NMR spectral techniques.
      The chemosensor showed Cd2+ ion selectivity and sensitivity in aqueous solution.
      The stoichiometry and the binding constants were determined using fluorescence
      spectroscopy. Piperidine-4-one shows a 1:1 stoichiometric binding to Cd2+ . The
      limit of detection of Cd2+ was reported.

PMID- 28635102
TI  - Ratiometric analysis of optical coherence tomography-measured in vivo retinal
      layer thicknesses for the detection of early diabetic retinopathy.
AB  - Influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) on parafoveal
      retinal thicknesses and their ratios was evaluated. Six retinal layer boundaries
      were segmented from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images using
      open-source software. Five study groups: (1) healthy control (HC) subjects, and
      subjects with (2) controlled DM, (3) uncontrolled DM, (4) controlled DR and (5)
      uncontrolled DR, were identified. The one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA)
      between adjacent study groups (i. e. 1 with 2, 2 with 3, etc) indicated
      differences in retinal thicknesses and ratios. Overall retinal thickness,
      ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness, inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness, and
      their combination (GCL+ IPL), appeared to be significantly less in the
      uncontrolled DM group when compared to controlled DM and controlled DR groups.
      Although the combination of nerve fiber layer (NFL) and GCL, and IPL thicknesses
      were not different, their ratio, (NFL+GCL)/IPL, was found to be significantly
      higher in the controlled DM group compared to the HC group. Comparisons of the
      controlled DR group with the controlled DM group, and with the uncontrolled DR
      group, do not show any differences in the layer thicknesses, though several
      significant ratios were obtained. Ratiometric analysis may provide more sensitive
      parameters for detecting changes in DR. Picture: A representative segmented OCT
      image of the human retina is shown.

PMID- 28635104
TI  - Response to letter to the editor: Persistent neuropsychiatric impairment in HCV
      patients-or educational mismatch?

PMID- 28635103
TI  - Uncovering the dispersion history, adaptive evolution and selection of wheat in
      China.
AB  - Wheat was introduced to China approximately 4500 years ago, where it adapted over
      a span of time to various environments in agro-ecological growing zones. We
      investigated 717 Chinese and 14 Iranian/Turkish geographically diverse, locally
      adapted wheat landraces with 27 933 DArTseq (for 717 landraces) and 312 831
      Wheat660K (for a subset of 285 landraces) markers. This study highlights the
      adaptive evolutionary history of wheat cultivation in China. Environmental
      stresses and independent selection efforts have resulted in considerable genome
      wide divergence at the population level in Chinese wheat landraces. In total, 148
      regions of the wheat genome show signs of selection in at least one geographic
      area. Our data show adaptive events across geographic areas, from the xeric
      northwest to the mesic south, along and among homoeologous chromosomes, with
      fewer variations in the D genome than in the A and B genomes. Multiple variations
      in interdependent functional genes such as regulatory and metabolic genes
      controlling germination and flowering time were characterized, showing clear
      allelic frequency changes corresponding to the dispersion of wheat in China.
      Population structure and selection data reveal that Chinese wheat spread from the
      northwestern Caspian Sea region to South China, adapting during its agricultural
      trajectory to increasingly mesic and warm climatic areas.

PMID- 28635105
TI  - Do we need vasoconstrictors up to 5 days after successful hemostasis by ligation
      of bleeding varices?

PMID- 28635106
TI  - Long noncoding RNA and its contribution to autism spectrum disorders.
AB  - Recent studies have indicated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important
      roles in multiple processes, such as epigenetic regulation, gene expression
      regulation, development, nutrition-related and other diseases, toxic response,
      and response to drugs. Although the functional roles and mechanisms of several
      lncRNAs have been discovered, a better understanding of the vast majority of
      lncRNAs remains elusive. To understand the functional roles and mechanisms of
      lncRNAs is critical because these transcripts represent the majority of the
      transcriptional output of the mammalian genome. Recent studies have also
      suggested that lncRNAs are more abundant in the human brain and are involved in
      neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum
      disorders (ASDs). In this study, we review several known functions of lncRNAs and
      the potential contribution of lncRNAs to ASDs and to other genetic syndromes that
      have a similar clinical presentation to ASDs, such as fragile X syndrome and Rett
      syndrome.

PMID- 28635107
TI  - New Space-Time Metaphors Foster New Nonlinguistic Representations.
AB  - What is the role of language in constructing knowledge? In this article, we ask
      whether learning new relational language can create new ways of thinking. In
      Experiment 1, we taught English speakers to talk about time using new vertical
      linguistic metaphors, saying things like "breakfast is above dinner" or
      "breakfast is below dinner" (depending on condition). In Experiment 2, rather
      than teaching people new metaphors, we relied on the left-right representations
      of time that our American college student participants have already internalized
      through a lifetime of visuospatial experience reading and writing text from left
      to right. In both experiments, we asked whether the representations (whether
      newly acquired from metaphor or acquired over many years of visuospatial
      experience) are susceptible to verbal interference. We found that (a) learning
      new metaphors created new space-time associations that could be detected in a
      nonlinguistic implicit association task; (b) these newly learned representations
      were not susceptible to verbal interference; and (c) with respect to both verbal
      and visual interference, representations newly learned from linguistic metaphor
      behaved just like those on the left-right axis that our participants had acquired
      through years of visuospatial experience. Taken together, these results suggest
      that learning new relational language can be a powerful tool in constructing new
      representations and expanding our cognitive repertoire.

PMID- 28635108
TI  - Oropharyngeal dysphagia in older adults: The well-known tale.

PMID- 28635109
TI  - Dietary diversity decreases the risk of cognitive decline among elderly Japanese.

PMID- 28635110
TI  - Applied botulinum neurotoxin injection in a patient with dementia to reduce
      hypersalivation.

PMID- 28635111
TI  - Factor XI deficiency as a result of a novel Tyr347Stop nonsense mutation in an
      elderly Japanese woman.

PMID- 28635112
TI  - Effectiveness and safety of inpatient respite care for caregivers of disabled
      patients in an acute care hospital.

PMID- 28635113
TI  - Dietary diversity and the risk reduction of mild cognitive impairment/dementia in
      older adults.

PMID- 28635114
TI  - Longitudinal changes in peripheral oxidative markers in patients with Alzheimer's
      disease, with or without cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28635115
TI  - Emphysematous cystitis in an elderly diabetic patient.

PMID- 28635116
TI  - Maternal Smoking, Alcohol, and Caffeine Exposures and Risk of Hypospadias.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We examined the association of hypospadias risk with maternal smoking
      and consumption of alcohol and caffeine. METHODS: We analyzed data from mothers
      of 2437 moderate/severe cases and 5472 nonmalformed controls born from 1997 to
      2011 who participated in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS).
      Exposures were assessed by maternal telephone interviews. Logistic regression was
      used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs)
      adjusted for mother's age, parity, race-ethnicity, education, vitamin/mineral
      supplement intake, obesity, and study center. RESULTS: Active smoking during the
      first month of pregnancy was associated with reduced risk, with smaller ORs for
      increasing quantity smoked; the OR for smoking >1/2 pack/day was 0.7 (95% CI, 0.5
      0.9). Among nonsmokers, the OR for any secondhand smoke exposure was 0.8 (95% CI,
      0.7-0.9). ORs for alcohol and caffeine consumption were near one and CIs included
      1.0. In an analysis of joint exposures to smoking and alcohol and caffeine
      consumption, the only OR for which the 95% CI excluded 1.0 was for women who
      smoked, drank, and had low caffeine consumption (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.8).
      CONCLUSION: Maternal exposure to cigarette smoke was associated with reduced
      risk, and women who smoked, drank, and had low caffeine intake were at lowest
      risk. We do not interpret these results to suggest that these exposures have
      overall benefit to a pregnant woman or developing fetus. They may, however, offer
      clues to help us understand mechanisms that lead to hypospadias. Birth Defects
      Research 109:1127-1133, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28635117
TI  - Relationship Between Fish Consumption and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid
      Arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether more frequent fish consumption is associated with
      lower rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity scores among participants in an
      RA cohort. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data
      from participants in the Evaluation of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease and
      Predictors of Events in Rheumatoid Arthritis cohort study. Frequency of fish
      consumption was assessed by a baseline food frequency questionnaire assessing
      usual diet in the past year. Multivariable, total energy-adjusted linear
      regression models provided effect estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95%
      CIs) for frequency of fish consumption (i.e., never to <1 time/month, 1
      time/month to <1 time/week, 1 time/week, and >=2 times/week) on baseline Disease
      Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) using the C-reactive protein (CRP) level. We
      also estimated the difference in DAS28-CRP associated with increasing fish
      consumption by 1 serving per week. RESULTS: Among 176 participants, the median
      DAS28-CRP score was 3.5 (interquartile range 2.9-4.3). In an adjusted linear
      regression model, subjects consuming fish >=2 times/week had a significantly
      lower DAS28-CRP compared with subjects who ate fish never to <1 time/month
      (difference -0.49 [95% CI -0.97, -0.02]). For each additional serving of fish per
      week, DAS28-CRP was significantly reduced by 0.18 (95% CI -0.35, -0.004).
      CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that higher intake of fish may be associated
      with lower disease activity in RA patients.

PMID- 28635118
TI  - Incidental papillary fibroelastoma of the tricuspid valve.

PMID- 28635119
TI  - The detection and prevention of unintentional consumption of DOx and 25x-NBOMe at
      Portugal's Boom Festival.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This paper describes the misrepresentation of LSD at Portugal's Boom
      Festival 2014 and the prevention of unintentional consumption of DOx and 25x
      NBOMe among LSD consumers attending a drug-checking service. METHODS: Two hundred
      forty-five drug samples expected to contain LSD were submitted to the drug
      checking service for chemical analysis. One hundred ten post-test questionnaires
      were successfully matched with test results. RESULTS: About 67.3% of the alleged
      LSD samples tested contained only LSD; 0.8% contained LSD combined with
      adulterants; 24.1% did not contain LSD but did contain another psychoactive
      substance, including 11.4% that were 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine derivatives and
      9.8% that were N-benzyl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine derivatives; and no
      psychoactive substance was detected in 7.8%. The majority of service users who
      received unexpected test results regarding their alleged LSD (74.2%) reported
      that they did not intend to consume the drug. Following dissemination of alerts
      on day 2, a larger than expected proportion of all tests conducted were for LSD,
      when comparing the 2014 festival to 2012, where no such alert was disseminated.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although these results support the provision of integrated drug
      checking services in party settings, evidence of their utility and effectiveness
      would be improved through future research incorporating more robust measures of
      outcomes following provision of drug-checking results.

PMID- 28635120
TI  - Diffractive corneal inlay for presbyopia.
AB  - A conceptually new type of corneal inlays for a customized treatment of
      presbyopia is presented. The diffractive inlay consists on a small aperture disc
      having an array of micro-holes distributed inside the open zones of a Fresnel
      zone plate. In this way, the central hole of the disc lets pass the zero order
      diffraction and produces an extension of the depth of far focus of the eye, while
      the diffracted light through the holes in the periphery produce the near focus.
      Additionally, the micro-holes in the inlay surface fulfill the essential
      requirement of allowing the flow of nutrients through it to the cells of the
      corneal stroma. Theoretical and optical-bench experimental results for the
      polychromatic axial Point Spread Function (PSF) were obtained, showing an
      improved performance compared to the small aperture corneal inlay currently in
      the market (Kamra). Images of a test object, obtained at several vergences in the
      surroundings of the far and near foci, are also shown. Picture: Simulation of the
      appearance of the Diffractive corneal inlay on a real eye.

PMID- 28635121
TI  - Exposure to Sodium Valproate during Pregnancy: Facial Features and Signs of
      Autism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Valproic acid (VPA) is the most teratogenic anticonvulsant drug in
      clinical use today. Children exposed prenatally to VPA have previously been shown
      to have dysmorphic craniofacial features, identified subjectively but not by
      anthropometric methods. Exposure to VPA has also been associated with an
      increased frequency of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An increased cephalic
      index (the ratio of the cranial lateral width to the cranial anterior-posterior
      length) has been observed in children with ASD. METHODS: Forty-seven children
      exposed to VPA during the first trimester of pregnancy were evaluated for
      dysmorphic facial features, identified subjectively and by measurements. Each VPA
      exposed child was evaluated for ASD using the Social Communication Questionnaire,
      Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule.
      The same physical examination was carried out on an unexposed comparison group of
      126 children. The unexposed children also had testing for cognitive performance
      by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. RESULTS: Several dysmorphic
      craniofacial features, including telecanthus, wide philtrum, and increased length
      of the upper lip were identified subjectively. Anthropometric measurements
      confirmed the increased intercanthal distance and documented additional findings,
      including an increased cephalic index and decreased head circumference/height
      index. There were no differences between the craniofacial features of VPA-exposed
      children with and without ASD. CONCLUSION: An increased frequency of dysmorphic
      craniofacial features was identified in children exposed to VPA during the first
      trimester of pregnancy. The most consistent finding was a larger cephalic index,
      which indicates a disproportion of increased width of the skull relative to the
      shortened anterior-posterior length. Birth Defects Research 109:1134-1143, 2017.
      (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28635122
TI  - Sketching the Invisible to Predict the Visible: From Drawing to Modeling in
      Chemistry.
AB  - Sketching as a scientific practice goes beyond the simple act of inscribing
      diagrams onto paper. Scientists produce a wide range of representations through
      sketching, as it is tightly coupled to model-based reasoning. Chemists in
      particular make extensive use of sketches to reason about chemical phenomena and
      to communicate their ideas. However, the chemical sciences have a unique problem
      in that chemists deal with the unseen world of the atomic-molecular level. Using
      sketches, chemists strive to develop causal mechanisms that emerge from the
      structure and behavior of molecular-level entities, to explain observations of
      the macroscopic visible world. Interpreting these representations and
      constructing sketches of molecular-level processes is a crucial component of
      student learning in the modern chemistry classroom. Sketches also serve as an
      important component of assessment in the chemistry classroom as student sketches
      give insight into developing mental models, which allows instructors to observe
      how students are thinking about a process. In this paper we discuss how sketching
      can be used to promote such model-based reasoning in chemistry and discuss two
      case studies of curricular projects, CLUE and The Connected Chemistry Curriculum,
      that have demonstrated a benefit of this approach. We show how sketching
      activities can be centrally integrated into classroom norms to promote model
      based reasoning both with and without component visualizations. Importantly, each
      of these projects deploys sketching in support of other types of inquiry
      activities, such as making predictions or depicting models to support a claim;
      sketching is not an isolated activity but is used as a tool to support model
      based reasoning in the discipline.

PMID- 28635123
TI  - Measuring fitness heritability: Life history traits versus morphological traits
      in humans.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Traditional interpretation of Fisher's Fundamental Theorem of Natural
      Selection is that life history traits (LHT), which are closely related with
      fitness, show lower heritabilities, whereas morphological traits (MT) are less
      related with fitness and they are expected to show higher heritabilities. In
      humans, although few studies have examined the heritability of LHT and MT, none
      of them have analyzed the same sample for comparative purposes. Here we assessed,
      for the first time, the heritability, additive genetic variance (VA ), residual
      variance (VR ) and coefficient of genetic additive variation (CVA ) values of LHT
      and MT in a singular collection of identified skulls with associated demographic
      records from Hallstatt (Austria). MATERIALS AND METHODS: LHT, such as lifespan,
      number of offspring, age at birth of first and last child, reproductive span, and
      lifetime reproductive success, were estimated from 18,134 individuals from the
      Hallstatt Catholic parish records, which represent seven generations and
      correspond to a time span of 400 years. MT were assessed through 17 craniofacial
      indices and 7 angles obtained from 355 adult crania from the same population.
      Heritability, VA , VR , and CVA values of LHT and MT were calculated using
      restricted maximum likelihood methods. RESULTS: LHT heritabilities ranged from
      2.3 to 34% for the whole sample, with men showing higher heritabilities (4-45%)
      than women (0-23.7%). Overall, MT presented higher heritability values than most
      of LHT, ranging from 0 to 40.5% in craniofacial indices, and from 13.8 to 32.4%
      in craniofacial angles. LHT showed considerable additive genetic variance values,
      similar to MT, but also high environmental variance values, and most of them
      presenting a higher evolutionary potential than MT. DISCUSSION: Our results
      demonstrate that, with the exception of lifespan, LHT show lower heritability
      values, than MT. The lower heritability of LHT is explained by a higher influence
      of environmental and cultural factors.

PMID- 28635125
TI  - State transitions: a major mortality risk for seasonal species.
AB  - Ageing results from the accumulation of multifactorial damage over time. However,
      the temporal distribution of this damage remains unknown. In seasonal species,
      transitions between seasons are critical periods of massive physiological
      remodelling. We hypothesised that these recurrent peaks of physiological
      remodelling are costly in terms of survival. We tested whether captive small
      primates exposed to an experimentally increased frequency of seasonal transitions
      die sooner than individuals living under natural seasonality. The results show
      that experiencing one additional season per year increases the mortality hazard
      by a factor of 3 to 4, whereas the expected number of seasons lived is only
      slightly impacted by the seasonal rhythm. These results demonstrate that
      physiological transitions between periods of high and low metabolic activity
      represent a major mortality risk for seasonal organisms, which has been ignored
      until now.

PMID- 28635126
TI  - Reinterpreting maximum entropy in ecology: a null hypothesis constrained by
      ecological mechanism.
AB  - Simplified mechanistic models in ecology have been criticised for the fact that a
      good fit to data does not imply the mechanism is true: pattern does not equal
      process. In parallel, the maximum entropy principle (MaxEnt) has been applied in
      ecology to make predictions constrained by just a handful of state variables,
      like total abundance or species richness. But an outstanding question remains:
      what principle tells us which state variables to constrain? Here we attempt to
      solve both problems simultaneously, by translating a given set of mechanisms into
      the state variables to be used in MaxEnt, and then using this MaxEnt theory as a
      null model against which to compare mechanistic predictions. In particular, we
      identify the sufficient statistics needed to parametrise a given mechanistic
      model from data and use them as MaxEnt constraints. Our approach isolates exactly
      what mechanism is telling us over and above the state variables alone.

PMID- 28635124
TI  - Regular aerobic exercise reduces endothelin-1-mediated vasoconstrictor tone in
      overweight and obese adults.
AB  - NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Does aerobic exercise
      training reduce endothelin-1 (ET-1)-mediated vasoconstrictor tone in
      overweight/obese adults? And, if so, does lower ET-1 vasoconstriction underlie
      the exercise-related enhancement in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in
      overweight/obese adults? What is the main finding and its importance? Regular
      aerobic exercise reduces ET-1-mediated vasoconstrictor tone in previously
      sedentary overweight/obese adults, independent of weight loss. Decreased ET-1
      vasoconstriction is an important mechanism underlying the aerobic exercise
      induced improvement in endothelium-dependent vasodilator function in
      overweight/obese adults. Endothelin-1 (ET-1)-mediated vasoconstrictor tone is
      elevated in overweight and obese adults, contributing to vasomotor dysfunction
      and increased cardiovascular disease risk. Although the effects of habitual
      aerobic exercise on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in overweight/obese
      adults have been studied, little is known regarding ET-1-mediated
      vasoconstriction. Accordingly, the aims of the present study were to determine
      the following: (i) whether regular aerobic exercise training reduces ET-1
      mediated vasoconstrictor tone in overweight and obese adults; and, if so, (ii)
      whether the reduction in ET-1-mediated vasoconstriction contributes to exercise
      induced improvement in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in this population.
      Forearm blood flow (FBF) in response to intra-arterial infusion of selective ETA
      receptor blockade (BQ-123, 100 nmol min-1 for 60 min), acetylcholine [4.0, 8.0
      and 16.0 MUg (100 ml tissue)-1  min-1 ] in the absence and presence of ETA
      receptor blockade and sodium nitroprusside [1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 MUg (100 ml tissue)
      1  min-1 ] were determined before and after a 3 month aerobic exercise training
      intervention in 25 (16 men and nine women) overweight/obese (body mass index 30.1
      +/- 0.5 kg m-2 ) adults. The vasodilator response to BQ-123 was significantly
      lower (~25%) and the FBF responses to acetylcholine were ~35% higher after
      exercise training. Before the exercise intervention, the co-infusion of
      acetylcholine plus BQ-123 resulted in a greater vasodilator response than
      acetylcholine alone; however, after the exercise intervention the FBF response to
      acetylcholine was not significantly increased by ETA receptor blockade. These
      results demonstrate that regular aerobic exercise reduces ET-1-mediated
      vasoconstrictor tone in previously sedentary overweight and obese adults.
      Moreover, decreased ET-1-mediated vasoconstriction is an important mechanism
      underlying the aerobic exercise-induced improvement in endothelium-dependent
      vasodilator function in overweight/obese adults.

PMID- 28635127
TI  - Cardiovascular risk score is linked to subcutaneous adipocyte size and lipid
      metabolism.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Although white adipose tissue mass and distribution correlates with
      cardiovascular disease, the fat cell-specific perturbations underlying this
      association are not known. We determined the relationship between adipocyte size
      and lipid metabolism with cardiovascular risk. DESIGN/SUBJECTS: Adipocyte size as
      well as spontaneous (basal) and hormone-stimulated effects on adipocyte lipid
      metabolism (lipolysis and lipogenesis) were investigated in abdominal
      subcutaneous adipose tissue of 304 men and 775 women. Subjects were classified
      into five categories according to Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) metabolic
      syndrome criteria. RESULTS: Adipocyte size increased with increasing ATPIII score
      (P < 0.0001). For lipolysis, there was a gradual increase in basal and
      catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis and a decrease in insulin-mediated inhibition
      of stimulated lipolysis with ATPIII (P < 0.0001). In contrast, the lipolytic
      action of atrial natriuretic peptide was similar between ATPIII classes. Basal
      and insulin-stimulated lipogenesis decreased with increasing score (P < 0.0001).
      Circulating free fatty acid levels were 50% higher in the top risk category (4-5)
      compared with the lowest score (P < 0.0001). Fat cell size correlated positively
      with increasing ATPIII score and lipolysis but negatively with lipogenesis. All
      these differences were independent of age, sex and body weight status (P < 0.0001
      to 0.02 after correction). When all functional measures were put together,
      maximum insulin-stimulated lipogenesis, insulin-antilipolytic sensitivity and
      basal lipolysis together explained about 20% in the variation of ATPIII in score.
      CONCLUSIONS: Independently of sex, age and body weight status, a high
      cardiovascular risk score associates with increased circulating free fatty acid
      levels and hormone-specific alterations of lipolysis/lipogenesis in enlarged
      subcutaneous fat cells.

PMID- 28635129
TI  - microRNAs involved in auxin signalling modulate male sterility under high
      temperature stress in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).
AB  - Male sterility caused by long-term high-temperature (HT) stress occurs widely in
      crops. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenous non-coding small RNAs, play an
      important role in the plant response to various abiotic stresses. To dissect the
      working principle of miRNAs in male sterility under HT stress in cotton, a total
      of 112 known miRNAs, 270 novel miRNAs and 347 target genes were identified from
      anthers of HT-insensitive (84021) and HT-sensitive (H05) cotton cultivars under
      normal-temperature and HT conditions through small RNA and degradome sequencing.
      Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and 5'-RNA ligase
      mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends experiments were used to validate the
      sequencing data. The results show that miR156 was suppressed by HT stress in both
      84021 and H05; miR160 was suppressed in 84021 but induced in H05.
      Correspondingly, SPLs (target genes of miR156) were induced both in 84021 and
      H05; ARF10 and ARF17 (target genes of miR160) were induced in 84021 but
      suppressed in H05. Overexpressing miR160 increased cotton sensitivity to HT
      stress seen as anther indehiscence, associated with the suppression of ARF10 and
      ARF17 expression, thereby activating the auxin response that leads to anther
      indehiscence. Supporting this role for auxin, exogenous Indole-3-acetic acid
      (IAA) leads to a stronger male sterility phenotype both in 84021 and H05 under HT
      stress. Cotton plants overexpressing miR157 suppressed the auxin signal, and also
      showed enhanced sensitivity to HT stress, with microspore abortion and anther
      indehiscence. Thus, we propose that the auxin signal, mediated by miRNAs, is
      essential for cotton anther fertility under HT stress.

PMID- 28635128
TI  - Development of a classification model for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
      using confocal Raman micro-spectroscopy.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disorder in
      developed countries [1]. A subset of individuals with NAFLD progress to non
      alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an advanced form of NAFLD which predisposes
      individuals to cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. The current
      gold standard for NASH diagnosis and staging is based on histological evaluation,
      which is largely semi-quantitative and subjective. To address the need for an
      automated and objective approach to NASH detection, we combined Raman micro
      spectroscopy and machine learning techniques to develop a classification model
      based on a well-established NASH mouse model, using spectrum pre-processing,
      biochemical component analysis (BCA) and logistic regression. By employing a
      selected pool of biochemical components, we identified biochemical changes
      specific to NASH and show that the classification model is capable of accurately
      detecting NASH (AUC=0.85-0.87) in mice. The unique biochemical fingerprint
      generated in this study may serve as a useful criterion to be leveraged for
      further validation in clinical samples.

PMID- 28635130
TI  - Prothrombin complex concentrate for emergent reversal of warfarin: an
      international survey of hospital protocols.
AB  - For emergent warfarin reversal, four-factor prothrombin complex concentrates
      (4FPCCs) are recommended by many international guidelines. We surveyed
      international clinical sites including members of the Biomedical Excellence for
      Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative. Most sites have emergent warfarin
      reversal protocols (53% use PCC, 25% use PCC+ plasma and 2% use plasma alone);
      however, variation between adjusted dosing and fixed dosing was observed.

PMID- 28635131
TI  - Characterization of pharyngeal peristaltic pressure variability during volitional
      swallowing in healthy individuals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent technological advances incorporated in high resolution
      manometry have justifiably heightened interest in manometric evaluation of the
      pharynx. Despite this interest, from both physiologic and clinical perspective
      there remain a number of unanswered questions regarding the magnitude of
      variability of pharyngeal pressure phenomena. Therefore, the aim of the present
      study was to characterize in healthy individuals the inter-subject and recording
      site specific variability of pharyngeal peristaltic pressure phenomena. METHODS:
      We studied 32 healthy subjects (age: 21-83 years,20 under 35 years) during dry,5
      and 10 mL water swallows *3. Pharyngeal peristaltic pressures were recorded using
      a high resolution (HR) manometric system and a catheter assembly with 36
      circumferential sensors spaced at 1 cm intervals positioned trans-nasally to
      traverse the pharynx, UES and proximal esophagus. KEY RESULTS: Both site-specific
      pressure data and the Pharyngeal contractile integral (PhCI) showed wide
      dispersion ranging between values under 50 mm Hg to over 300 mm Hg and 100-600 mm
      Hg/cm/s,respectively. There was also wide range of dispersion of data for both
      the standard deviations and the coefficient of variation for all sites (P=.001).
      The coefficient of variation for PhCI ranged between 0.02 and 0.25 representing
      data dispersion of 2-25 percent of the mean among subjects (P=.001). Position,
      age and volume of swallowed fluid did not influence the magnitude of variability.
      CONCLUSIONS: Deglutitive Pharyngeal peristalsis generates pressures with
      significant degree of site-related and inter-subject variability. This
      variability is not influenced by age, position and volume of swallowed fluid.

PMID- 28635132
TI  - The fabrication of iron oxide nanoparticle-nanofiber composites by
      electrospinning and their applications in tissue engineering.
AB  - This paper reviews the use of iron oxide nanoparticle-nanofiber composites in
      tissue engineering with a focus on the electrospinning technique. Electrospinning
      is an established method of scaffold fabrication offering a number of key
      advantages which include its facile nature, with electrospun materials offering a
      high surface area to volume ratio, potential for the release of drugs and
      antimicrobials, controllable fiber diameters and high porosity and permeability.
      A number of different techniques for the preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles
      including their functionalization are discussed along with their applications in
      the biomedical field. The review then focusses on the fabrication of nanoparticle
      nanofiber composite scaffolds formed using electrospinning. The advantages and
      disadvantages of current fabrication techniques are discussed including the
      fabrication of nanofibers using pre-synthesized nanoparticles and post-treatment
      synthesized nanoparticles. We demonstrate that emerging in-situ synthesis
      techniques show promise by offering a reduced number of steps and simpler
      procedures for the production of magnetic scaffolds. These scaffolds have a
      number of applications in tissue engineering, allowing for improved bone and
      tissue repair.

PMID- 28635134
TI  - Locomotor sensitization is expressed by ghrelin and D1 dopamine receptor agonist
      in the nucleus accumbens core in amphetamine pre-exposed rat.
AB  - Ghrelin modulates mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways in the brain in addition to
      its role in feeding. We investigated what roles ghrelin in the nucleus accumbens
      (NAcc) core may play in mediating locomotor activating effects of amphetamine
      (AMPH). First, when rats were administered with AMPH (1 mg/kg, i.p.) following a
      bilateral microinjection of ghrelin (0.1 or 0.5 MUg/side) into the NAcc core,
      their locomotor activity was significantly enhanced, while these effects were
      blocked by co-microinjection of ghrelin receptor antagonist (0.5 MUg/side) into
      this site. Second, we pre-exposed rats to saline or amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.)
      every 2 to 3 days for a total of four times. After 2 weeks of drug-free
      withdrawal period, we examined the effect of saline, ghrelin (0.5 MUg/side), D1
      dopamine receptor agonist, SKF81297 (0.5 MUg/side) or ghrelin (0.5 MUg/side) +
      SKF81297 (0.5 MUg/side) directly microinjected into the NAcc core on locomotor
      activity. When we measured rats' locomotor activity for 1 hour immediately
      following microinjections, only ghrelin + SKF81297 produces sensitized locomotor
      activity, while all others have no effects. These results suggest that ghrelin
      may have a distinct role in the NAcc core to provoke the sensitized locomotor
      activity induced by psychomotor stimulants, and further, it may produce these
      effects by interaction with D1 dopamine receptors.

PMID- 28635133
TI  - Critical role of glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 in maintaining invasive and
      mesenchymal-like properties of melanoma cells.
AB  - Cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. This
      aggressiveness appears to be due to the cancer cells' ability to reversibly
      switch between phenotypes with non-invasive and invasive potential, and
      microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is known to play a central
      role in this process. The transcription factor glioma-associated oncogene homolog
      1 (GLI1) is a component of the canonical and noncanonical sonic hedgehog
      pathways. Although GLI1 has been suggested to be involved in melanoma
      progression, its precise role and the mechanism underlying invasion remain
      unclear. Here we investigated whether and how GLI1 is involved in the invasive
      ability of melanoma cells. Gli1 knockdown (KD) melanoma cell lines, established
      by using Gli1-targeting lentiviral short hairpin RNA, exhibited a markedly
      reduced invasion ability, but their MITF expression and activity were the same as
      controls. Gli1 KD melanoma cells also led to less lung metastasis in mice
      compared with control melanoma cells. Furthermore, the Gli1 KD melanoma cells
      underwent a mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transition, accompanied by
      downregulation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-inducing
      transcription factors (EMT-TF) Snail1, Zeb1 and Twist1, but not Snail2 or Zeb2.
      Collectively, these results indicate that GLI1 is important for maintaining the
      invasive and mesenchymal-like properties of melanoma cells independent of MITF,
      most likely by modulating a subset of EMT-TF. Our findings provide new insight
      into how heterogeneity and plasticity are achieved and regulated in melanoma.

PMID- 28635135
TI  - The gene expression landscape of pine seedling tissues.
AB  - Conifers dominate vast regions of the Northern hemisphere. They are the main
      source of raw materials for timber industry as well as a wide range of
      biomaterials. Despite their inherent difficulties as experimental models for
      classical plant biology research, the technological advances in genomics research
      are enabling fundamental studies on these plants. The use of laser capture
      microdissection followed by transcriptomic analysis is a powerful tool for
      unravelling the molecular and functional organization of conifer tissues and
      specialized cells. In the present work, 14 different tissues from 1-month-old
      maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) seedlings have been isolated and their
      transcriptomes analysed. The results increased the sequence information and
      number of full-length transcripts from a previous reference transcriptome and
      added 39 841 new transcripts. In total, 2376 transcripts were ubiquitously
      expressed in all of the examined tissues. These transcripts could be considered
      the core 'housekeeping genes' in pine. The genes have been clustered in function
      to their expression profiles. This analysis reduced the number of profiles to 38,
      most of these defined by their expression in a unique tissue that is much higher
      than in the other tissues. The expression and localization data are accessible at
      ConGenIE.org (http://v22.popgenie.org/microdisection/). This study presents an
      overview of the gene expression distribution in different pine tissues,
      specifically highlighting the relationships between tissue gene expression and
      function. This transcriptome atlas is a valuable resource for functional genomics
      research in conifers.

PMID- 28635136
TI  - Knockdown of TOR causing ovarian diapause in a genetically stable brachypterous
      strain of Nilaparvata lugens.
AB  - Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stal) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is
      one of the most damaging pests of rice crops. BPH is a migratory insect with a
      delayed ovarian development in migrants classified as reproductive diapause. The
      molecular mechanism of reproductive diapause remains unclear, although we suspect
      it might be regulated by one or more nutrient signaling pathways. The target of
      rapamycin (TOR) pathway regulates cell growth in response to nutritional
      information, which raised a hypothesis that TOR mediates BPH reproductive
      diapause. We used a pure brachypterous strain (BS) and a predominantly
      macropterous strain (MS) to investigate the roles of NlTOR in BPH reproductive
      diapause. We found that NlTOR is expressed from the nymphal to adult stages, with
      a higher expression level of NlTOR in BS adults at 1, 2, and 4 days posteclosion
      than in MS at the same time points. Injection of dsNlTOR into BS nymphs resulted
      in the termination of BPH female ovary development and the retardation of nymph
      development. We infer that TOR signaling functions in BPH reproductive diapause
      by regulating the expression of NlFoxA and NlVitellogenin.

PMID- 28635137
TI  - Effect of body position, eyelid manipulation, and manual jugular compression on
      intraocular pressure in clinically normal cats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of body position, eyelid manipulation, and
      manual jugular compression on intraocular pressure (IOP) in clinically normal
      cats. ANIMAL STUDIED: TWENTY-ONE ADULT CLIENT-OWNED DOMESTIC SHORTHAIR CATS:
      PROCEDURES: The IOP was measured by means of rebound tonometer. A baseline IOP
      was measured in all cats in ventral recumbency with normal head position
      (horizontal to the ground) with no pressure on the neck or eyelids. To measure
      the IOP in dorsal recumbency, each cat was held in the dorsal recumbency position
      for 5 min. Four different manipulations were used, including maximal dorsoventral
      extension of the eyelids, lateral eyelid extension, manual compression of the
      ipsilateral jugular vein, and manual compression of both jugular veins. IOP after
      all the manipulations was measured in ventral recumbency. RESULTS: Overall the
      mean +/- SD IOP values of all eyes in ventral recumbency, dorsal recumbency,
      maximal dorsoventral extension of the eyelids, lateral eyelid extension,
      compression of the right jugular vein, compression of the left jugular vein, and
      compression of the both jugular veins were 16.1 +/- 2.9 mmHg, 17.1 +/- 5.0 mmHg,
      21.7 +/- 5.8 mmHg, 22.4 +/- 5.6 mmHg, 15.0 +/- 3.7 mmHg, 14.9 +/- 3.7 mmHg, and
      16.1 +/- 4.6 mmHg, respectively. IOP was increased significantly in maximal
      dorsoventral extension of the eyelids (P = 0.001) and lateral eyelid extension (P
      = 0.001) compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study may be
      beneficial for clinicians to be aware of the effects of body position, traction,
      and compression of the eyelids and neck on IOP during ophthalmic examination in
      cats.

PMID- 28635138
TI  - Snake spectacle vessel permeability to sodium fluorescein.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Assess vascular permeability of the snake spectacle to sodium
      fluorescein during resting and shedding phases of the ecdysis cycle. ANIMAL
      STUDIED: Ball python (Python regius). PROCEDURES: The snake was anesthetized, and
      spectral domain optic coherence tomography was performed prior to angiographic
      procedures. An electronically controlled digital single-lens reflex camera with a
      dual-head flash equipped with filters suitable for fluorescein angiography was
      used to make images. Sodium fluorescein (10%) solution was administered by
      intracardiac injection. Angiographic images were made as fluorescein traversed
      the vasculature of the iris and spectacle. Individually acquired photographic
      frames were assessed and sequenced into pseudovideo image streams for further
      evaluation CONCLUSIONS: Fluorescein angiograms of the snake spectacle were
      readily obtained. Vascular permeability varied with the phase of ecdysis. Copious
      leakage of fluorescein occurred during the shedding phase. This angiographic
      method may provide diverse opportunities to investigate vascular aspects of snake
      spectacle ecdysis, dysecdysis, and the integument in general.

PMID- 28635139
TI  - Improving precision of ability estimation: Getting more from response times.
AB  - By considering information about response time (RT) in addition to response
      accuracy (RA), joint models for RA and RT such as the hierarchical model (van der
      Linden, 2007) can improve the precision with which ability is estimated over
      models that only consider RA. The hierarchical model, however, assumes that only
      the person's speed is informative of ability. This assumption of conditional
      independence between RT and ability given speed may be violated in practice, and
      ignores collateral information about ability that may be present in the residual
      RTs. We propose a posterior predictive check for evaluating the assumption of
      conditional independence between RT and ability given speed. Furthermore, we
      propose an extension of the hierarchical model that contains cross-loadings
      between ability and RT, which enables one to take additional collateral
      information about ability into account beyond what is possible in the standard
      hierarchical model. A Bayesian estimation procedure is proposed for the model.
      Using simulation studies, the performance of the model is evaluated in terms of
      parameter recovery, and the possible gain in precision over the standard
      hierarchical model and an RA-only model is considered. The model is applied to
      data from a high-stakes educational test.

PMID- 28635140
TI  - Noradrenergic signaling in the VTA modulates cocaine craving.
AB  - Exposure to drug-associated cues evokes drug-seeking behavior and is regarded as
      a major cause of relapse. Conditional stimulus upregulates noradrenaline (NA)
      system activity, but the drug-seeking behavior depends particularly on phasic
      dopamine signaling downstream from the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The VTA
      dopamine-ergic activity is regulated via the signaling of alpha1 -adrenergic and
      alpha2 -adrenergic receptors (alpha1 -ARs and alpha2 -ARs); thus, the impact of
      the conditional stimulus on drug-seeking behavior might involve NAergic signaling
      in the VTA. To date, the role of VTA ARs in regulating cocaine seeking was not
      studied. We found that cocaine seeking under extinction conditions in male
      Sprague-Dawley rats was attenuated by intra-VTA prazosin or terazosin-two
      selective alpha1 -AR antagonists. In contrast, cocaine seeking was facilitated by
      intra-VTA administration of the selective alpha1 -AR agonist phenylephrine as
      well as alpha2 -AR antagonist RX 821002, whereas the selective beta-AR antagonist
      propranolol had no effects. In addition, blockade of alpha1 -AR in the VTA
      prevented alpha2 -AR antagonist-induced enhancement of cocaine seeking.
      Importantly, the potential non-specific effects of the VTA AR blockade on cocaine
      seeking could be excluded, because none of the AR antagonists influenced sucrose
      seeking under extinction conditions or locomotor activity in the open field test.
      These results demonstrate that NAergic signaling potently and selectively
      regulates cocaine seeking during early cocaine withdrawal via VTA alpha1 -AR and
      alpha2 -AR but not beta-AR. Our findings provide new insight into the NAergic
      mechanisms that underlie cocaine craving.

PMID- 28635141
TI  - High sensitivity non-invasive detection of calcifications deep inside biological
      tissue using Transmission Raman Spectroscopy.
AB  - The aim of this research was to develop a novel approach to probe non-invasively
      the composition of inorganic chemicals buried deep in large volume biological
      samples. The method is based on advanced Transmission Raman Spectroscopy (TRS)
      permitting chemical specific detection within a large sampling volume. The
      approach could be beneficial to chemical identification of the breast
      calcifications detected during mammographic X-ray procedures. The chemical
      composition of a breast calcification reflects the pathology of the surrounding
      tissue, malignant or benign and potentially the grade of malignancy. However,
      this information is not available from mammography, leading to excisional biopsy
      and histopathological assessment for a definitive diagnosis. Here we present, for
      the first time, a design of a new high performance deep Raman instrument and
      demonstrate its capability to detect type II calcifications (calcium
      hydroxyapatite) at clinically relevant concentrations and depths of around 40 mm
      in phantom tissue. This is around double the penetration depth achieved with our
      previous instrument design and around two orders of magnitude higher than that
      possible when using conventional Raman spectroscopy.

PMID- 28635143
TI  - Controlling the Photonic Properties of Cholesteric Cellulose Nanocrystal Films
      with Magnets.
AB  - The self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals is a powerful method for the
      fabrication of biosourced photonic films with a chiral optical response. While
      various techniques have been exploited to tune the optical properties of such
      systems, the presence of external fields has yet to be reported to significantly
      modify their optical properties. In this work, by using small commercial magnets
      (~ 0.5-1.2 T) the orientation of the cholesteric domains is enabled to tune in
      suspension as they assemble into films. A detailed analysis of these films shows
      an unprecedented control of their angular response. This simple and yet powerful
      technique unlocks new possibilities in designing the visual appearance of such
      iridescent films, ranging from metallic to pixelated or matt textures, paving the
      way for the development of truly sustainable photonic pigments in coatings,
      cosmetics, and security labeling.

PMID- 28635142
TI  - Protective Effects Induced by Microwave-Assisted Aqueous Harpagophytum Extract on
      Rat Cortex Synaptosomes Challenged with Amyloid beta-Peptide.
AB  - Harpagophytum procumbens is a plant species that displays anti-inflammatory
      properties in multiple tissues. The iridoid glycosides arpagoside, harpagide, and
      procumbide appear to be the most therapeutically important constituents. In
      addition, harpagoside treatment exerted neuroprotective effects both in vitro and
      in vivo. Considering these findings, the aim of the present work is to explore
      the possible protective role of the previously described microwave-assisted
      aqueous extract of H. procumbens on rat hypothalamic (Hypo-E22) cells, and in rat
      cortex challenged with amyloid beta-peptide (1-40). In this context, we assayed
      the protective effects induced by H. procumbens by measuring the levels of
      malondialdehyde, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), brain-derived neurotrophic factor,
      and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, 3-HK. Finally, we evaluated the effects of H.
      procumbens treatment on cortex levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.
      H. procumbens extract was well tolerated by Hypo-E22 cells and upregulated brain
      derived neurotrophic factor gene expression but down-regulated tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha gene expression. In addition, the extract reduced amyloid beta
      peptide stimulation of malondialdehyde and 3-HK and blunted the decrease of
      dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, in the cortex. In this context, our work
      supports further studies for the evaluation and confirmation of Harpagophytum in
      the management of the clinical symptoms related to Alzheimer's disease. Copyright
      (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635144
TI  - Not all cultural values are created equal: Cultural change in China reexamined
      through Google books.
AB  - Given its major transformations in recent decades, China has figured prominently
      in research on cultural change. Previous research converges in showing a general
      trend towards individualism in contemporary China while noting that rising
      individualism tends to coexist with enduring collectivism. To further understand
      this, we tested whether perceived traditional importance of cultural values would
      modulate the trajectory of cultural change reflected in word usage frequencies in
      published books. We re-analysed Google's Chinese corpus since 1980 based on a
      broad sample of words associated with individualism-collectivism. We replicated
      the pattern of rising individualism and declining collectivism among words of
      modest and low perceived traditional importance. Most important, however,
      collectivistic words of high perceived traditional importance increased in usage
      frequencies with time, thus departing from the general trend towards
      individualism. Overall, our research underscores the role of core culture in
      cultural maintenance during times of rapid cultural change.

PMID- 28635145
TI  - Chemical Vapor Deposition of Bernal-Stacked Graphene on a Cu Surface by Breaking
      the Carbon Solubility Symmetry in Cu Foils.
AB  - The synthesis of Bernal-stacked multilayer graphene over large areas is
      intensively investigated due to the value of this material's tunable electronic
      structure, which makes it promising for use in a wide range of optoelectronic
      applications. Multilayer graphene is typically formed via chemical vapor
      deposition onto a metal catalyst, such as Ni, a Cu-Ni alloy, or a Cu pocket.
      These methods, however, require sophisticated control over the process
      parameters, which limits the process reproducibility and reliability. Here, a new
      synthetic method for the facile growth of large-area Bernal-stacked multilayer
      graphene with precise layer control is proposed. A thin Ni film is deposited onto
      the back side of a Cu foil to induce controlled diffusion of carbon atoms through
      bulk Cu from the back to the front. The resulting multilayer graphene exhibits a
      97% uniformity and a sheet resistance of 50 Omega sq-1 with a 90% transmittance
      after doping. The growth mechanism is elucidated and a generalized kinetic model
      is developed to describe Bernal-stacked multilayer graphene growth by the carbon
      atoms diffused through bulk Cu.

PMID- 28635146
TI  - The effect of CT scanners in the trauma room - an observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A CT scanner incorporated in the trauma resuscitation bay may benefit
      trauma patients by fastening work-up times; however, evidence in the area is
      still sparse. We assessed if time from admission to first CT scan was lower after
      incorporation of a CT scanner in the resuscitation bay. METHODS: We included
      trauma patients admitted in two 1-year periods, before and after a major
      rebuilding of the trauma room. Beforehand, one CT scanner was located in an
      adjacent room. After the rebuilding, two mobile CT scanners were placed in the
      resuscitation bays, where a moving gantry was combined with a trauma
      resuscitation table. Subgroup analyses were performed on severely injured and
      patients with traumatic brain injury. RESULTS: We included 784 patients before
      and 742 patients after the reconstruction. Case-mix differed between study
      periods as there was a higher proportion of severe injuries, traumatic brain
      injury and penetrating trauma in the after period. We found a minor increase in
      time to CT in the after period (20 vs. 21 min, P = 0.008). In a multivariate
      regression analysis adjusted for differences in case-mix and with time to CT as
      outcome, period was an insignificant explanatory variable [beta (before vs.
      after): 0.96 min 95% CI: 0.9-1.02, P = 0.3]. In both subgroups, we found no
      significant difference in time to CT. CONCLUSION: We found no reduction in time
      to CT scan, when comparing a period with mobile CT scanners incorporated in the
      resuscitation bay to an earlier period with a CT scanner next to the trauma room.

PMID- 28635147
TI  - Life-threatening aortic dissection with cardiac tamponade during catheter
      ablation for ventricular tachycardia originating from left coronary cusp.

PMID- 28635148
TI  - How common are cranial sesamoids among squamates?
AB  - Sesamoids are elements that originate as intratendinous structures due to genetic
      and epigenetic factors. These elements have been reported frequently in
      vertebrates, although cranial sesamoids have been recorded almost exclusively in
      non-tetrapod Osteichthyes. The only tetrapod cranial sesamoids reported until now
      have been the transiliens cartilage (of crocodiles and turtles), and another one
      located in the quadrate-mandibular joint of birds. Here, we examined seven
      squamate species using histological sections, dissections of preserved specimens,
      dry skeletons, cleared and stained specimens, computed tomographies (CT), and
      report the presence of other cranial sesamoids. One is attached to the cephalic
      condyle of the quadrate, embedded in the bodenaponeurosis and jaw adductor
      muscles of Ophiodes intermedius (Anguidae). The other sesamoid is found at the
      base of the basicranium of several squamates, capping the sphenoccipital
      tubercle, on the lateral side of the basioccipital-basisphenoid suture. This bone
      has previously been reported as "element X." We reinterpret it as a basicranial
      sesamoid, as it is associated with tendons of the cranio-cervical muscles. This
      bone seems to have the function of resisting tension-compression forces generated
      by the muscle during flexion the head. This element was previously known in
      several squamates, and we confirmed its presence in three additional squamate
      families: Gymnophthalmidae, Gekkonidae, and Pygopodidae. The evidence suggests
      that cranial sesamoids are a widespread character in squamates, and it is
      possible that this feature has been present since the origin of the group.

PMID- 28635149
TI  - Underuse of risk assessment and overuse of computed tomography pulmonary
      angiography in patients with suspected pulmonary thromboembolism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests the potential overuse of computed tomography
      pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in patients with suspected pulmonary thromboembolism
      (PTE) in the absence of consistent use of pre-test clinical prediction rules and
      D-dimer assays. AIM: To evaluate use and diagnostic utility of clinical
      prediction rules and D-dimer assay in patients with suspected PTE and quantify
      potentially avoidable overuse of CTPA in low risk patients. METHODS: A total of
      344 consecutive patients undergoing CTPA at a tertiary hospital was studied with
      regards to the use of D-dimer assays and clinical prediction rules for PTE. For
      each patient, a modified Wells score (mWS), revised Geneva score and PISA model
      were calculated retrospectively; performance characteristics for each rule for
      PTE were determined with reference to results of CTPA. Results for the mWS and D
      dimer assays (when performed) were used to estimate the overuse of CTPA according
      to risk category. RESULTS: Use of a clinical prediction rule was documented in
      only 5.0% of cases. Of 269 low-risk patients who had a calculated mWS <=4, only
      64 (23.8%) had a D-dimer assay performed, with 30 (11.1%) having a PTE on CTPA.
      Among 75 patients with an mWS >4, 23 (30.7%) had a PTE on CTPA (P < 0.001).
      Compared to other prediction rules, an mWS>4 had the highest positive predictive
      value (31.0%) for PTE; all rules demonstrated similar negative predictive values
      for low-risk scores (87-89%). After adjusting for an 11% false negative rate for
      PTE in patients with low-risk mWS, overuse of CTPA was reported in up to 190
      (55.2%) patients. CONCLUSION: More than 50% of patients with suspected PTE may be
      subject to unwarranted use of CTPA in the absence of pre-test clinical prediction
      rules coupled with D-dimer assays.

PMID- 28635150
TI  - A pilot study of "post-seclusion and/or restraint review" intervention with
      patients and staff in a mental health setting.
AB  - PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate a "post-seclusion and/or restraint review"
      (PSRR) intervention implemented in an acute psychiatric care unit. DESIGN AND
      METHODS: Twelve staff members and three patients were enrolled in a participatory
      case study. To evaluate PSRR intervention, qualitative analysis was carried out.
      Seclusion and restraint use 6 months before and after the PSRR implementation was
      compared. FINDINGS: Nurses reported that they were able to explore the patient's
      feelings during the PSRR intervention with patients, which led to restoration of
      the therapeutic relationship. PSRR with the treatment team was perceived as a
      learning opportunity, which allowed to improve the therapeutic intervention. Both
      the use of seclusion and the time spent in seclusion were significantly reduced 6
      months after the implementation of PSRR intervention. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Our
      results suggest the efficacy of PSRR in overcoming the discomfort perceived by
      both staff and patient and, in the meantime, in reducing the need for coercive
      procedures. Systematic PSRR could permit to improve the quality of care and the
      safety of aggressiveness management.

PMID- 28635151
TI  - Propagation of Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian vortex beams through mouse brain
      tissue.
AB  - Light transmission of Gaussian (G) and Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) vortex beams in
      mouse brain tissue is investigated. Transmittance is measured with different
      orbital angular momentums (OAM) at various tissue thicknesses. In both ballistic
      and diffusive regions, transmittances of G and LG beams show no significant
      difference. The transition point from ballistic to diffusive region for the mouse
      brain tissue is determined at about 480 MUm. The observed transmittances of the G
      and LG beams show independence on OAM modes, which may be attributed to poorly
      understood interference effects from brain tissue.

PMID- 28635152
TI  - A DNA Structure Containing AgI -Mediated G:G and C:C Base Pairs.
AB  - Metal-mediated base pairs have been extensively utilized in many research fields,
      including genetic-code extension, novel therapeutics development, and nanodevice
      design. Compared to other cations, AgI is more flexible in pairing with natural
      base pairs. Herein, we present a DNA structure containing two C-AgI -C pairs and
      the first reported G-AgI -G pair in a short 8mer DNA strand. This structure not
      only provides detailed insight into these AgI -mediated base-pairing patterns in
      DNA, but also represents the first nonhelical DNA structure driven by heavy-metal
      ions, thus further contributing to the structural diversity of DNA. This unique
      complex structure is highly sequence-dependent, thus implying functional
      potentials as a new DNA aptamer that can bind and recognize silver ions. These
      results not only advance our understanding of the interactions between AgI and
      nucleobases, but also provide a unique structural component for the rational
      design of new DNA nanodevices.

PMID- 28635153
TI  - Topical Silymarin Administration for Prevention of Capecitabine-Induced Hand-Foot
      Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.
AB  - Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a frequent dose-limiting adverse reaction of
      capecitabine in patient with gastrointestinal cancers. Silymarin is a
      polyphenolic flavonoid extracted from the Silybum marianum that exhibits strong
      antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities. In this study, we evaluated
      silymarin efficacy in prevention of capecitabine-induced HFS in patients with
      gastrointestinal cancers, as the first human study. During this pilot,
      randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the effect of
      silymarin gel 1%, which is applied on the palms and soles twice daily starting at
      the first day of chemotherapy for 9 weeks, on HFS occurrence was assessed. Forty
      patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria assigned to the silymarin or placebo
      group. World Health Organization HFS grading scale scores were recorded at
      baseline and every 3 weeks during these 9 weeks. The median WHO HFS scores were
      significantly lower in silymarin group at the end of the 9th week (p < 0.05). The
      scores increased significantly in both placebo and silymarin groups during
      chemotherapy, but there was a delay for HFS development and progression in
      silymarin group. Prophylactic administration of silymarin topical formulation
      could significantly reduce the severity of capecitabine-induced HFS and delays
      its occurrence in patients with gastrointestinal cancer after 9 weeks of
      application. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635154
TI  - Chiral Responsive Liquid Quantum Dots.
AB  - How to convert the weak chiral-interaction into the macroscopic properties of
      materials remains a huge challenge. Here, this study develops highly fluorescent,
      selectively chiral-responsive liquid quantum dots (liquid QDs) based on the
      hydrophobic interaction between the chiral chains and the oleic acid-stabilized
      QDs, which have been designated as (S)-1810-QDs. The fluorescence spectrum and
      liquidity of thermal control demonstrate the fluorescence properties and the
      fluidic behavior of (S)-1810-QDs in the solvent-free state. Especially, (S)-1810
      QDs exhibit a highly chiral-selective response toward (1R, 2S)-2-amino-1,2
      diphenyl ethanol. It is anticipated that this study will facilitate the
      construction of smart chiral fluidic sensors. More importantly, (S)-1810-QDs can
      become an attractive material for chiral separation.

PMID- 28635155
TI  - Representation and Computation in Cognitive Models.
AB  - One of the central issues in cognitive science is the nature of human
      representations. We argue that symbolic representations are essential for
      capturing human cognitive capabilities. We start by examining some common
      misconceptions found in discussions of representations and models. Next we
      examine evidence that symbolic representations are essential for capturing human
      cognitive capabilities, drawing on the analogy literature. Then we examine
      fundamental limitations of feature vectors and other distributed representations
      that, despite their recent successes on various practical problems, suggest that
      they are insufficient to capture many aspects of human cognition. After that, we
      describe the implications for cognitive architecture of our view that analogy is
      central, and we speculate on roles for hybrid approaches. We close with an
      analogy that might help bridge the gap.

PMID- 28635156
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum and underlying diseases in Japanese patients: A regional
      long-term study.
AB  - Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown cause that
      presents as an inflammatory and ulcerative disorder of the skin. PG is often
      associated with an underlying systemic disease. However, the frequencies of the
      underlying diseases are unclear in Japanese patients. In this retrospective,
      observational study, all patients diagnosed with PG who visited dermatology
      departments of nine regional hospitals in and around Ibaraki Prefecture were
      collected from 1982 to 2011 or 2014. The diagnoses of PG were based on the
      characteristic clinical and histological appearances and ruling out of infection.
      Sixty-two PG patients, including 29 males and 33 females, were identified. The
      ages of onset were 16-89 years, and the mean age was 50.2 years. Fifty (80%) of
      the 62 patients presented with an ulcerative PG, and the lower leg was the most
      common site (74%). Forty-six (74%) PG patients had underlying diseases. The most
      frequent was ulcerative colitis (32%), followed by myelodysplastic syndrome
      (11%), rheumatoid arthritis (6%) and aortitis syndrome (5%). For treatment, 54
      cases (87%) received systemic corticosteroids and 10 received additional
      treatment with cyclosporin. There was no significant correlation between
      underlying diseases and response to the initial treatment. Multivariate analysis
      revealed that the number of affected sites negatively correlated with successful
      initial treatment. Fifteen (24%) of the 62 cases relapsed. In conclusion,
      ulcerative colitis and hematological disorders were frequently associated with PG
      while approximately a quarter of the cases were idiopathic.

PMID- 28635157
TI  - Longitudinal study on the use of dried blood spots for home monitoring in
      children after kidney transplantation.
AB  - The use of DBSs for home monitoring has been limited due to unsatisfactory blood
      sampling and analytical difficulties. The aim of this longitudinal feasibility
      trial was to assess the utility of DBS to monitor TAC and Cr at home in
      transplant recipients. A total of 30 participants (2-21 years, mean+/-SD, 13.6+/
      5.4 year) were enrolled over 12 months. Eighteen were males. Monthly DBS samples
      were obtained at home and mailed to the central laboratory for analysis of TAC
      and Cr. Nineteen patients completed the study, and 216 cards were received in the
      laboratory from a total of 279 cards expected, with 416/519 (80%) blood spots
      being suitable for analysis. We found a high correlation between blood TAC and Cr
      levels by DBS and the clinical laboratory, R2 =.81 and .95, respectively. Fifteen
      parents and 15 youth completed measures of satisfaction with and preference for
      DBS testing. All but one parent/caregiver and youth reported satisfaction and
      preference for this method of testing over laboratory blood draws. We conclude
      that home DBS monitoring is a feasible method to monitor TAC and Cr in pediatric
      transplant recipients.

PMID- 28635159
TI  - Nutrition in Renal Supportive Care: Patient-driven and flexible.
AB  - Renal Supportive Care is an alternative treatment pathway in advanced chronic
      kidney disease that is being increasingly adopted, particularly in the elderly.
      Renal Supportive Care uses principles of palliative care and has been developed
      to enhance the care for dialysis patients with a high symptom burden and those
      being managed on a non-dialysis pathway. Nutrition management is often an under
      recognized component of care and can play an important role in improving
      patients' quality of life to reduce symptom burden, support physical function and
      independence and provide appropriate counselling to patients and their families
      to ensure the goals of Renal Supportive Care are met. Nutrition interventions
      need to target patient and treatment goals, with frequent monitoring to ensure
      patient needs are being met. This review outlines available literature on this
      topic and suggests some practical ways in which nutrition can be enhanced for
      these patients.

PMID- 28635161
TI  - The contribution of unrecorded alcohol to health harm.

PMID- 28635162
TI  - Chlamydia trachomatis Is Responsible for Lipid Vacuolation in the Amniotic
      Epithelium of Fetal Gastroschisis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vacuolated amniotic epithelium with lipid droplets in gastroschisis
      placentas is an unusual finding. Mass spectrometry of lipid droplets identified
      triglycerides, ester-linked to an unusual pattern of fatty acids. We hypothesize
      that these findings result from a Chlamydia trachomatis infection during the
      periconceptional period. The rising incidence of chlamydia infections has
      paralleled the increasing prevalence of gastroschisis among women less than 25
      years of age. Histologically, young women are at greatest risk for a chlamydia
      infection due to their immature columnar epithelium, the preferential site for
      attachment of Chlamydia trachomatis infectious particle (elementary body).
      METHODS: Chlamydia trachomatis survive in an inclusion, relying on its host to
      acquire essential nutrients, amino acids, and nucleotides for survival and
      replication. If essential nutrients are not available, the bacteria cannot
      replicate and may be trafficked to the lysosome for degradation or remain
      quiescent, within the inclusion, subverting innate immunologic clearance.
      RESULTS: Chlamydiae synthesize several lipids (phosphatidylethanolamine,
      phosphatidylserine, and phosphoatidylglycerol); however, their lipid content
      reveal eukaryotic lipids (sphingomyelin, cholesterol, phosphatidylcholine, and
      phosphatidylinositol), evidence that chlamydiae "hijack" host lipids for
      expansion and replication. CONCLUSION: The abnormal amniotic epithelial findings
      are supported by experimental evidence of the trafficking of host lipids into the
      chlamydiae inclusion. If not lethal, what harm will elementary bodies inflict to
      the developing embryo? Do these women have a greater pro-inflammatory response to
      an environmental exposure, whether cigarette smoking, change in partner, or a
      pathogen? Testing the hypothesis that Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for
      amniotic epithelium vacuoles will be a critical first step. Birth Defects
      Research 109:1003-1010, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28635158
TI  - Prepregnancy overweight and obesity are associated with impaired child
      neurodevelopment.
AB  - The authors examined the relationship of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and
      gestational weight gain (GWG) with child neurodevelopment. Mother-child dyads
      were a subgroup (n = 2,084) of the Child Health and Development Studies from the
      Oakland, California, area enrolled during pregnancy from 1959 to 1966 and
      followed at child age 9 years. Linear regression was used to examine associations
      between prepregnancy BMI, GWG, and standardized Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
      and Raven Progressive Matrices scores and to evaluate effect modification of GWG
      by prepregnancy BMI. Before pregnancy, 77% of women were normal weight, 8% were
      underweight, 11% were overweight, and 3% were obese. Associations between GWG and
      child outcomes did not vary by prepregnancy BMI, suggesting no evidence for
      interaction. In multivariable models, compared to normal prepregnancy BMI,
      prepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower Peabody scores (b:
      -1.29; 95% CI [-2.6, -0.04] and b: -2.7; 95% CI [-5.0, -0.32], respectively). GWG
      was not associated with child Peabody score [b: -0.03 (95% CI: -0.13, 0.07)].
      Maternal BMI and GWG were not associated with child Raven score (all P >0.05).
      Maternal prepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower scores
      for verbal recognition in mid-childhood. These results contribute to evidence
      linking maternal BMI with child neurodevelopment. Future research should examine
      the role of higher prepregnancy BMI values and the pattern of pregnancy weight
      gain in child cognitive outcomes.

PMID- 28635164
TI  - Assessing the toxicological significance of new psychoactive substances in
      fatalities.
AB  - The number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) has increased significantly,
      especially within the last 5 years. The EMCDDA conducts risks assessments of such
      substances, especially in relation to serious adverse events. Examination of the
      individual health risks of a substance is a fundamental requirement of the
      process. Based on a number of considerations, the Toxicological Significance
      Score has been developed to support the risk assessment of NPS by allowing the
      role of a substance in deaths to be better assessed and classified.

PMID- 28635163
TI  - Early pregnancy body mass index modifies the association of pre-pregnancy dietary
      patterns with serum polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations throughout
      pregnancy in Brazilian women.
AB  - Dietary patterns (DPs) have been described as an important factor that may
      influence polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations and body mass index
      (BMI) during pregnancy. We aim to evaluate the association between pre-pregnancy
      DPs and serum PUFA percentages throughout pregnancy considering early pregnancy
      BMI as a possible effect modifier. A prospective cohort of 154 pregnant women was
      followed (5th-13th, 20th-26th, and 30th-36th gestational weeks). Serum PUFA
      concentrations (total n-3 and total n-6, eicosapentaenoic + docosahexaenoic
      acids) were measured in each trimester and expressed as percentages. The n-6/n-3
      ratio was calculated. Longitudinal linear mixed-effects models including
      interaction terms between DPs and early pregnancy BMI were employed. Serum PUFA
      percentages declined, whereas the n-6/n-3 ratio, monounsaturated, and saturated
      percentages increased throughout pregnancy for all BMI categories. Three pre
      pregnancy DPs were identified by principal component analysis (common Brazilian,
      healthy, and processed). Overweight women with higher adherence to the common
      Brazilian and to the healthy DPs presented reduced n-3 PUFA percentage and
      increased n-6 percentages and n-6/n-3 ratio compared to under or normal weight
      women. Obese women with higher adherence to the processed DP presented a more
      pronounced decrease of total n-3 percentage compared to under or normal weight
      women. Early pregnancy BMI modified the effect of pre-pregnancy DPs on PUFA
      profile throughout gestation. Higher adherence to the healthy pattern was
      associated with increased n-3 percentage, except for overweight women. Only for
      processed DP was the behaviour of PUFA the same for all BMI categories, showing a
      worse evolution profile, that is, increased n-6 and reduced n-3 fractions.

PMID- 28635165
TI  - Therapeutic targeting of the mitochondrial reactive oxygen species engine
      prevents portal hypertension and hepatic fibrogenesis.

PMID- 28635166
TI  - HBV reactivation after HCV eradication: Deja Vu.

PMID- 28635167
TI  - Response to Lipopolysaccharide binding protein predicts decompensated cirrhosis
      mortality? It is too early.

PMID- 28635168
TI  - Malignant potential of hepatocellular adenoma.

PMID- 28635169
TI  - Potential drug-drug interactions in older adults: A population-based study.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the potential drug-drug interactions (PDDI) between drugs used
      by older adults, any associated factors and recommended clinical management.
      METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based study was carried out through a home
      survey of 934 older adults (from December 2009 to April 2010). A questionnaire
      was applied, and the participants were asked to show all the drugs used and their
      respective prescriptions, thus providing data to identify polypharmacy, self
      medication and PDDI. PDDI, their consequences, severity and clinical management
      were identified using Micromedex. RESULTS: Overall, 2846 drugs and 665 PDDI were
      identified, 71.0% of which were moderate and 22.4% serious. The prevalence of
      PDDI was 36.9%. Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index were involved in 17.0% of
      the PDDI. The variables female sex (PR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.02-1.20), age >=80 years
      (PR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.03-1.28), no polypharmacy (PR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.67-0.78) and
      no hospitalization in the past year (PR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.82-0.97) remained
      associated with the presence of three or more PDDI in the final multivariate
      analysis model. CONCLUSIONS: Most PDDI were related to routinely used drugs
      (enalapril, hydrochlorothiazide, calcium, captopril, levothyroxine and
      simvastatin), and more than one-third of the older adults were exposed to PDDI
      with the possible risk of serious health consequences. Drugs with a narrow
      therapeutic index were involved in several PDDI, with increased risk of toxicity.
      The clinical management procedures most recommended are dose adjustment and
      dosing changes, control of the drugs' serum levels, and monitoring of the
      clinical conditions. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2336-2346.

PMID- 28635170
TI  - Alginate oligosaccharides modify hyphal infiltration of Candida albicans in an in
      vitro model of invasive human candidosis.
AB  - AIMS: A novel alginate oligomer (OligoG CF-5/20) has been shown to potentiate
      antifungal therapy against a range of fungal pathogens. The current study
      assessed the effect of this oligomer on in vitro virulence factor expression and
      epithelial invasion by Candida species. METHODS AND RESULTS: Plate substrate
      assays and epithelial models were used to assess Candida albicans (CCUG 39343 and
      ATCC 90028) invasion, in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy and
      histochemistry. Expression of candidal virulence factors was determined
      biochemically and by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Changes in surface charge of C.
      albicans following OligoG treatment were analysed using electrophoretic light
      scattering. OligoG induced marked alterations in hyphal formation in the
      substrate assays and reduced invasion in the epithelial model (P < 0.001).
      Significant dose-dependent inhibition of phospholipase activity in C. albicans
      was evident following OligoG treatment (P < 0.05). While OligoG binding failed to
      affect alterations in surface charge (P > 0.05), qPCR demonstrated a reduction in
      phospholipase B (PLB2) and SAPs (SAP4 and SAP6) expression. CONCLUSION: OligoG CF
      5/20 reduced in vitro virulence factor expression and invasion by C. albicans.
      SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results, and the previously described
      potentiation of antifungal activity, define a potential therapeutic opportunity
      in the treatment of invasive candidal infections.

PMID- 28635171
TI  - Replacing PAPS: In vitro phase II sulfation of steroids with the liver S9
      fraction employing ATP and sodium sulfate.
AB  - In vitro technologies provide the capacity to study drug metabolism where in vivo
      studies are precluded due to ethical or financial constraints. The metabolites
      generated by in vitro studies can assist anti-doping laboratories to develop
      protocols for the detection of novel substances that would otherwise evade
      routine screening efforts. In addition, professional bodies such as the
      Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC) currently permit the use of in
      vitro-derived reference materials for confirmation purposes providing additional
      impetus for the development of cost effective in vitro metabolism platforms. In
      this work, alternative conditions for in vitro phase II sulfation using human,
      equine or canine liver S9 fraction were developed, with adenosine triphosphate
      (ATP) and sodium sulfate in place of the expensive and unstable co-factor 3'
      phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS), and employed for the generation of six
      representative steroidal sulfates. Using these conditions, the equine in vitro
      phase II metabolism of the synthetic or so-called designer steroid furazadrol
      ([1',2']isoxazolo[4',5':2,3]-5alpha-androstan-17beta-ol) was investigated, with
      ATP and Na2 SO4 providing comparable metabolism to reactions using PAPS. The
      major in vitro metabolites of furazadrol matched those observed in a previously
      reported equine in vivo study. Finally, the equine in vitro phase II metabolism
      of the synthetic steroid superdrol (methasterone, 17beta-hydroxy-2alpha,17alpha
      dimethyl-5alpha-androstan-3-one) was performed as a prediction of the in vivo
      metabolic profile.

PMID- 28635172
TI  - Doxorubicin kinetics and effects on lung cancer cell lines using in vitro Raman
      micro-spectroscopy: binding signatures, drug resistance and DNA repair.
AB  - Raman micro-spectroscopy is a non-invasive analytical tool, whose potential in
      cellular analysis and monitoring drug mechanisms of action has already been
      demonstrated, and which can potentially be used in pre-clinical and clinical
      applications for the prediction of chemotherapeutic efficacy. To further
      investigate such potential clinical application, it is important to demonstrate
      its capability to differentiate drug mechanisms of action and cellular
      resistances. Using the example of Doxorubicin (DOX), in this study, it was used
      to probe the cellular uptake, signatures of chemical binding and subsequent
      cellular responses, of the chemotherapeutic drug in two lung cancer cell lines,
      A549 and Calu-1. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to elucidate the
      spectroscopic signatures associated with DOX uptake and subcellular interaction.
      Biomarkers related to DNA damage and repair, and mechanisms leading to apoptosis
      were also measured and correlated to Raman spectral profiles. Results confirm the
      potential of Raman spectroscopic profiling to elucidate both drug kinetics and
      pharmacodynamics and differentiate cellular drug resistance associated with
      different subcellular accumulation rates and subsequent cellular response to DNA
      damage, pointing towards a better understanding of drug resistance for
      personalised targeted treatment.

PMID- 28635173
TI  - Laparoscopic surgery for sigmoid colon cancer after multiple operations including
      urinary diversion with Indiana pouch: A case report.
AB  - A 73-year-old man with lower abdominal pain was diagnosed at our hospital with
      sigmoid colon cancer. He had previously undergone radical cystectomy with Indiana
      pouch construction and gastrectomy to treat bladder cancer and gastric cancer,
      respectively. We performed a laparoscopic Hartmann's operation with Japanese D3
      lymph node dissection. We observed severe adhesion in the abdominal cavity;
      adhesions between the urostomy and sigmoid colon were particularly severe. The
      tumor had invaded to the distal rectum, which had adhered to the pubic bone and
      the previously reconstructed urinary pouch. By performing careful and persistent
      laparoscopic dissection, we completed the operation without damaging the urostomy
      and with no remnant tumor tissue (R0). The postoperative course was uneventful,
      and the patient was doing well with no evidence of cancer recurrence 1 year after
      surgery.

PMID- 28635175
TI  - Abstractband anlasslich der 25. Jahrestagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft
      Dermatologische Histologie (ADH), 23. bis 25. Juni 2017 in Stuttgart-Bad
      Cannstatt.

PMID- 28635174
TI  - Flash Light Millisecond Self-Assembly of High chi Block Copolymers for Wafer
      Scale Sub-10 nm Nanopatterning.
AB  - One of the fundamental challenges encountered in successful incorporation of
      directed self-assembly in sub-10 nm scale practical nanolithography is the
      process compatibility of block copolymers with a high Flory-Huggins interaction
      parameter (chi). Herein, reliable, fab-compatible, and ultrafast directed self
      assembly of high-chi block copolymers is achieved with intense flash light. The
      instantaneous heating/quenching process over an extremely high temperature (over
      600  degrees C) by flash light irradiation enables large grain growth of sub-10
      nm scale self-assembled nanopatterns without thermal degradation or dewetting in
      a millisecond time scale. A rapid self-assembly mechanism for a highly ordered
      morphology is identified based on the kinetics and thermodynamics of the block
      copolymers with strong segregation. Furthermore, this novel self-assembly
      mechanism is combined with graphoepitaxy to demonstrate the feasibility of
      ultrafast directed self-assembly of sub-10 nm nanopatterns over a large area. A
      chemically modified graphene film is used as a flexible and conformal light
      absorbing layer. Subsequently, transparent and mechanically flexible
      nanolithography with a millisecond photothermal process is achieved leading the
      way for roll-to-roll processability.

PMID- 28635176
TI  - Genetic loss of the muscarinic M3 receptor markedly alters bile formation and
      cholestatic liver injury in mice.
AB  - AIM: Hepatic innervation represents a potentially underestimated regulator of
      liver function and regeneration. The muscarinic 3 receptor (M3 -R) is the primary
      cholangiocyte receptor for the afferent parasympathetic innervation of bile
      ducts. We aimed to determine the specific role of the M3 -R in bile formation and
      models for cholestatic liver disease in mice. METHODS: We compared bile flow and
      composition in M3 -R knock-out mice (M3 -R-/- ) and wild type littermates (WT).
      Furthermore, we compared liver inury of M3 -R-/- and WT mice after 3,5
      diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) feeding, a well-characterized
      preclinical model of cholestatic liver disease. To analyze the possible role of
      the M3 -R as a therapeutic target, we treated 4-week-old Mdr2-/- mice, a
      preclinical model for sclerosing cholangitis, with the M3 -R agonist bethanechol
      for 4 weeks. RESULTS: M3 -R-/- mice showed significantly reduced bile flow
      compared to WT mice, most likely due to decreased biliary HCO3- secretion.
      However, even aged M3 -R-/- mice did not spontaneously develop liver injury or
      cholestasis. Challenging M3 -R-/- and WT littermates with DDC feeding showed
      substantially aggravated liver injury in M3 -R-/- mice. After 4 weeks bethanechol
      treatment, Mdr2-/- mice showed less liver injury compared to controls.
      CONCLUSION: Our experimental findings suggest that M3 -R-signalling significantly
      influences bile formation. Loss of the M3 -R increases susceptibility to
      cholestatic injury in DDC-fed mice. Since treatment of Mdr2-/- mice with a M3 -R
      agonist decreases liver injury, M3-R signaling may represent a therapeutic target
      in specific cholangiopathies.

PMID- 28635177
TI  - Engineering human bone grafts with new macroporous calcium phosphate cement
      scaffolds.
AB  - Bone engineering opens the possibility to grow large amounts of tissue products
      by combining patient-specific cells with compliant biomaterials. Decellularized
      tissue matrices represent suitable biomaterials, but availability, long
      processing time, excessive cost, and concerns on pathogen transmission have led
      to the development of biomimetic synthetic alternatives. We recently fabricated
      calcium phosphate cement (CPC) scaffolds with variable macroporosity using a
      facile synthesis method with minimal manufacturing steps and demonstrated long
      term biocompatibility in vitro. However, there is no knowledge on the potential
      use of these scaffolds for bone engineering and whether the porosity of the
      scaffolds affects osteogenic differentiation and tissue formation in vitro. In
      this study, we explored the bone engineering potential of CPC scaffolds with two
      different macroporosities using human mesenchymal progenitors derived from
      induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-MP) or isolated from bone marrow (BMSC).
      Biomimetic decellularized bone scaffolds were used as reference material in all
      experiments. The results demonstrate that, irrespective of their macroporosity,
      the CPC scaffolds tested in this study support attachment, viability, and growth
      of iPSC-MP and BMSC cells similarly to decellularized bone. Importantly, the
      tested materials sustained differentiation of the cells as evidenced by increased
      expression of osteogenic markers and formation of a mineralized tissue. In
      conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the CPC scaffolds fabricated
      using our method are suitable to engineer bone grafts from different cell sources
      and could lead to the development of safe and more affordable tissue grafts for
      reconstructive dentistry and orthopaedics and in vitro models for basic and
      applied research.

PMID- 28635178
TI  - Assessing inhibitory control in early-stage Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease
      using the Hayling Sentence Completion Test.
AB  - The ability to inhibit irrelevant information is essential for coping with the
      demands of everyday life. Inhibitory deficits are present in all stages of
      dementia and commonly observed in people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD).
      Inhibition is frequently tested with the Stroop test, but this may lack
      ecological validity. This study investigates inhibitory control in people with
      Alzheimer's disease dementia (PwD) and PwPD using the Hayling Sentence Completion
      Test (HSCT), which aspires to be a more ecologically valid task. A total of 117
      people completed the HSCT, a test where participants have to complete a sentence
      with an unrelated word. The sample comprised 30 PwD, 33 PwPD, and 54 healthy
      older controls. We compared response times and the number and type of errors
      across the three groups. Completion time in Part B (Inhibition) did not
      distinguish between PwD, PwPD, and controls when controlling for the initiation
      speed, but a higher proportion of Category A errors (producing a word that fits
      the sentence when instructed otherwise) was a unique characteristic of inferior
      performance in PwD and PwPD. While not part of the standard test scoring
      protocol, controlling for the initiation speed and distinguishing between speed
      and accuracy in test performance appear to be essential for accurate evaluation
      of the inhibitory control in HSCT in older people. The findings suggest that the
      HSCT may be sensitive to verbal suppression deficits and may provide insight into
      inhibitory control in PwD and PwPD.

PMID- 28635179
TI  - Changing Trends in Opioid Use Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in the
      United States.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Opioid prescribing recently has come under intense scrutiny. However,
      longitudinal patterns of prescription opioid receipt in a population-based cohort
      of patients with chronic pain, such as those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), have
      not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to examine both trends
      over time and variability in individual physician prescribing of short-term and
      long-term use of opioids. METHODS: We identified a cohort of RA patients based on
      2006-2014 Medicare data and evaluated longitudinal time trends in "regular" use
      of opioids. A separate analysis conducted in 2014 assessed rheumatologist
      specific variability in regular use of opioid prescriptions in patients with RA.
      RESULTS: We identified 97,859 RA patients meeting the eligibility criteria. The
      mean age of the patients was 67 years, 80% were female, 82% were white, and 12%
      were African American. The most commonly used opioids were those that combined
      acetaminophen with hydrocodone or propoxyphene. Regular opioid prescribing
      increased slowly but peaked in 2010 before propoxyphene was withdrawn from the
      market. Following the withdrawal of propoxyphene, receipt of hydrocodone and
      tramadol increased commensurately, and overall opioid use declined only slightly.
      Factors associated with regular use of opioids included younger age, female sex,
      African American race, back pain, fibromyalgia, anxiety, and depression.
      Variability between US rheumatologists (n = 4,024) in prescribing the regular use
      of opioids for their RA patients was high; in the average rheumatologist's
      practice, 40% of RA patients used prescription opioids regularly. In almost half
      of the patients, at least some opioid prescriptions were written by a
      rheumatologist, and 14% received opioids that were co-prescribed concurrently by
      more than 1 physician. CONCLUSION: In the US, opioid use in older patients with
      RA peaked in 2010 and is now declining slightly. Withdrawal of propoxyphene from
      the US market in 2010 had minimal effect on overall opioid use, because use of
      propoxyphene was replaced by increased use of other opioids.

PMID- 28635180
TI  - Renal vascularization indexes and fetal hemodynamics in fetuses with growth
      restriction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the correlation between the renal vascularization index
      (VI), the flow index (FI) and the vascularization and flow index (VFI) and
      placental and fetal hemodynamics in fetuses with growth restriction. METHOD:
      Bidimensional ultrasound and three-dimensional power Doppler with the VOCAL
      technique were used to determine the renal vascular indexes and fetal and
      placental hemodynamics in fetuses below the 10th percentile for fetal weight.
      Partial correlation analysis (controlled for renal depth and gestational age) was
      performed. The fetuses were divided into four groups according to their
      hemodynamic picture, and renal indexes were compared between the groups. RESULTS:
      Eighty-one fetuses were evaluated. VI, FI and VFI showed negative correlation
      with the ductus venosus pulsatility index. VI and VFI showed positive
      correlations with the amniotic fluid index. The group of fetuses with the worst
      hemodynamic picture (abnormal umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery and ductus
      venosus pulsatility indexes) showed significantly lower VI and VFI than the group
      with no changes in these pulsatility indexes. CONCLUSIONS: Renal vascularization
      indexes were inversely correlated with ductus venosus pulsatility indexes and
      were diminished in fetuses showing hemodynamic compromise. These changes might be
      related to postnatal renal impairment. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28635181
TI  - Buprenorphine requires concomitant activation of NOP and MOP receptors to reduce
      cocaine consumption.
AB  - Buprenorphine's clinical use is approved for the treatment of heroin addiction;
      however, evidence supporting its efficacy in cocaine abuse also exists. While for
      heroin it has been demonstrated that the effect of buprenorphine is mediated by
      its ability to activate MU-opioid peptide receptor (MOP) receptors, the mechanism
      through which it attenuates cocaine intake remains elusive. We explored this
      mechanism using operant models where rodents were trained to chronically self
      administer cocaine for 2 hours daily. Buprenorphine (0.3, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg)
      given intraperitoneally 90 minutes before access to cocaine significantly and
      dose dependently reduced its intake. Pre-treatment with naltrexone or with the
      selective nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) antagonist SB-612111 did not
      prevent buprenorphine-induced reduction of cocaine intake. However, when
      naltrexone and SB-612111 were combined, the effect of buprenorphine on cocaine
      was completely prevented. To confirm that co-activation of MOP and NOP receptors
      is the underlying mechanism through which buprenorphine reduces cocaine intake,
      three compounds, namely, AT-034, AT-201 and AT-202, with a range of affinity and
      intrinsic activity profiles for MOP and NOP receptors, but weak ability for kappa
      opioid peptide receptor (KOP) transmission, were tested. Consistent with our
      hypothesis based on buprenorphine's effects, results demonstrated that AT-034 and
      AT-201, which co-activate MOP and NOP receptors, reduced cocaine self
      administration like buprenorphine. AT-202, which selectively stimulates NOP
      receptors, was not effective. Together, these data demonstrate that for
      buprenorphine, co-activation of MOP and NOP receptors is essential to reduce
      cocaine consumption. These results open new vistas on the treatment of cocaine
      addiction by developing compounds with mixed MOP/NOP agonist properties.

PMID- 28635182
TI  - The effect of flaxseed supplementation on body weight and body composition: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 randomized placebo-controlled trials.
AB  - Flaxseed consumption may be inversely associated with obesity; however, findings
      of available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are conflicting. The present
      study aimed to systematically review and analyse RCTs assessing the effects of
      flaxseed consumption on body weight and body composition. PubMed, Medline via
      Ovid, SCOPUS, EMBASE and ISI Web of Sciences databases were searched up to
      November 2016. Mean changes in body composition indices including body weight,
      body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were extracted. Effect sizes were
      expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
      Heterogeneity between studies was assessed with the I2 test. Publication bias and
      subgroup analyses were also performed. The quality of articles was assessed via
      the Jadad scale. A total of 45 RCTs were included. Meta-analyses suggested a
      significant reduction in body weight (WMD: -0.99 kg, 95% CI: -1.67, -0.31, p =
      0.004), BMI (WMD: -0.30 kg m-2 , 95% CI: -0.53, -0.08, p = 0.008) and waist
      circumference (WMD: -0.80 cm, 95% CI: -1.40, -0.20, p = 0.008) following flaxseed
      supplementation. Subgroup analyses showed that using whole flaxseed in doses >=30
      g d-1 , longer-term interventions (>=12 weeks) and studies including participants
      with higher BMI (>= 27 kg m-2 ) had positive effects on body composition. Whole
      flaxseed is a good choice for weight management particularly for weight reduction
      in overweight and obese participants.

PMID- 28635183
TI  - Cetuximab-conjugated nanodiamonds drug delivery system for enhanced targeting
      therapy and 3D Raman imaging.
AB  - In this study, a multicomponent nanodiamonds (NDs)-based targeting drug delivery
      system, cetuximab-NDs-cisplatin bioconjugate, combining both specific targeting
      and enhanced therapeutic efficacy capabilities, is developed and characterized.
      The specific targeting ability of cetuximab-NDs-cisplatin system on human liver
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells is evaluated through epidermal growth
      factor receptor (EGFR) blocking experiments, since EGFR is over-expressed on
      HepG2 cell membrane. Besides, cytotoxic evaluation confirms that cetuximab-NDs
      cisplatin system could significantly inhibit the growth of HepG2 cells, and the
      therapeutic activity of this system is proven to be better than that of both
      nonspecific NDs-cisplatin conjugate and specific EGF-NDs-cisplatin conjugate.
      Furthermore, a 3-dimensional (3D) Raman imaging technique is utilized to
      visualize the targeting efficacy and enhanced internalization of cetuximab-NDs
      cisplatin system in HepG2 cells, using the NDs existing in the bioconjugate as
      Raman probes, based on the characteristic Raman signal of NDs at 1332 cm-1 .
      These advantageous properties of cetuximab-NDs-cisplatin system propose a
      prospective imaging and treatment tool for further diagnostic and therapeutic
      purposes.

PMID- 28635184
TI  - Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Isothiosemicarbazones with
      Antimycobacterial Activity.
AB  - A series of benzaldehyde and salicylaldehyde-S-benzylisothiosemicarbazones was
      synthesized and tested against 12 different strains of mycobacteria, Gram
      positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and the significant selectivity toward
      mycobacteria was proved. Twenty-eight derivatives were evaluated for the
      inhibition of isocitrate lyase, which is a key enzyme of the glyoxylate cycle
      necessary for latent tuberculosis infection, and their iron-chelating properties
      were investigated. Two derivatives, 5-bromosalicylaldehyde-S-(4-fluorobenzyl)
      isothiosemicarbazone and salicylaldehyde-S-(4-bromobenzyl)-isothiosemicarbazone,
      influenced the isocitrate lyase activity and caused a better inhibition at 10
      MUmol/L than 3-nitropropionic acid, a standard inhibitor. The compounds were also
      found to act as exogenous chelators of iron, which is an obligate cofactor for
      many mycobacterial enzymes. Due to their low cytotoxicity, together with the
      activity against isocitrate lyase and the ability to sequester iron ions, the
      compounds belong to potential antibiotics with the main effect on mycobacteria.

PMID- 28635185
TI  - Antipulverization Electrode Based on Low-Carbon Triple-Shelled Superstructures
      for Lithium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - The realization of antipulverization electrode structures, especially using low
      carbon-content anode materials, is crucial for developing high-energy and long
      life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs); however, this technology remains challenging.
      This study shows that SnO2 triple-shelled hollow superstructures (TSHSs) with a
      low carbon content (4.83%) constructed by layer-by-layer assembly of various
      nanostructure units can withstand a huge volume expansion of ~231.8% and deliver
      a high reversible capacity of 1099 mAh g-1 even after 1450 cycles. These values
      represent the best comprehensive performance in SnO2 -based anodes to date.
      Mechanics simulations and in situ transmission electron microscopy suggest that
      the TSHSs enable a self-synergistic structure-preservation behavior upon
      lithiation/delithiation, protecting the superstructures from collapse and
      guaranteeing the electrode structural integrity during long-term cycling.
      Specifically, the outer shells during lithiation processes are fully lithiated,
      preventing the overlithiation and the collapse of the inner shells; in turn, in
      delithiation processes, the underlithiated inner shells work as robust cores to
      support the huge volume contraction of the outer shells; meanwhile, the middle
      shells with abundant pores offer sufficient space to accommodate the volume
      change from the outer shell during both lithiation and delithiation. This study
      opens a new avenue in the development of high-performance LIBs for practical
      energy applications.

PMID- 28635186
TI  - Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation with box isolation of fibrotic areas:
      Lessons on fibrosis distribution and extent, clinical characteristics, and their
      impact on long-term outcome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The BIFA concept (box isolation of fibrotic areas) supplementing
      pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) was implemented in atrial fibrillation (AF)
      patients with fibrotic atrial cardiomyopathy (FACM) to improve catheter ablation
      outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety-two patients with FACM underwent PVI +
      BIFA. We investigated patient characteristics (58 persistent/34 paroxysmal, 68 +/
      8 years, LA 44 +/- 7 mm, CHA2 DS2 -VASc 2.6 +/- 1.3, FACM I: 15.2%, II: 53.3%,
      III: 26.1%, IV: 5.4%), periprocedural data concerning fibrosis
      extent/distribution, and their impact on outcome. Based on severe fibrosis areas
      (SFAs) of 13.5 +/- 13.9 cm2 detected by voltage mapping, 1.4 +/- 0.5 boxes (n = 1
      3, 2.2-35.3 cm2 ) were applied in the left atrium. With higher grade FACM, SFAs
      increased and maximum voltage decreased (I/IV: 6.29/3.18 mV). Anterior (ant.)
      SFAs were found to be more common and larger than posterior (post.) SFAs (58.3%
      vs. 42.6%, ant. 8.0 +/- 8.0 vs. post. 4.7 +/- 6.8 cm2 ). In 40 of 92 (43%)
      patients, both atrial walls were affected with rare cases of solely post.
      fibrosis (6 of 92, 6.6%). Women (39 of 92, 42%) showed FACM III+IV more often
      than men (P = 0.022) and can still present paroxysmal while persistent males are
      more likely to have FACM I-II. Single and multiple procedure (1.2/patient)
      success was 69% and 83% after 16 +/- 8 months with an unfavorable impact of large
      SFA size, both-sided fibrosis and reduced maximum voltage, independently of
      patient characteristics and AF type. CONCLUSION: FACM patients are a challenging
      AF subgroup for catheter ablation. Women seem to show FACM III+IV more often than
      men. The distribution of left atrial fibrosis is variable but more pronounced
      anteriorly. Atrial disease is characterized by SFA size but also maximum voltage
      reduction, both with implications on ablation outcome. Using BIFA, success rates
      of patients without fibrosis can be approached but are limited in FACM III+IV.

PMID- 28635187
TI  - The Viologen Cation Radical Pimer: A Case of Dispersion-Driven Bonding.
AB  - The pi bonds between organic radicals have generated excitement as an orthogonal
      interaction for designing self-assembling architectures in water. A systematic
      investigation of the effect of the viologen cation radical structure on the
      strength and nature of the pimer bond is provided. A striking and unexpected
      feature of this pi bond is that the bond strength is unchanged by substitution
      with electron-donating groups or withdrawing groups or with increased
      conjugation. Furthermore, the interaction is undiminished by sterically bulky N
      alkyl groups. Theoretical modeling indicates that strong dispersion forces
      dominate the interaction between the radicals, rationalizing the insensitivity of
      the bonding interaction to substituents: The stacking of polarizable pi radicals
      leads to attractive dispersion forces in excess of typical dispersion
      interactions of small molecules and helps overcome the Coulombic repulsion of
      bringing two cationic species into contact.

PMID- 28635189
TI  - A new deal for the Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease.
AB  - The Editors: Antonio Spanevello, Bruno Balbi, Francesco Fattirolli, Furio
      Colivicchi.This issue marks a change in the Editorial Board of Monaldi Archives
      for Chest Disease. We would like to take this opportunity to impart some news on
      the current status of the journal. Our submissions are increasing, citations to
      our papers are rising, and recognition of the journal is broadening. Overall,
      2016 has been a good year for the journal. Several changes are being made and
      several more are coming soon. Yet, focussing on the results achieved only is not
      our main goal, hence we now direct our efforts toward reaching an even greater
      impact.

PMID- 28635190
TI  - Characteristics of structured physical training currently provided in cardiac
      patients: insights from the Exercise Training in Cardiac Rehabilitation (ETCR)
      Italian survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND:   Uncertainty exists about current delivery levels of exercise
      training (ET) during Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programmes. AIM OF THE STUDY: To
      evaluate ET modalities in the real world of CR facilities in Italy. METHODS: This
      was an observational survey of aggregate data, collected from CR facilities on a
      voluntary basis. Snapshots of a single working day at a local site were made, in
      terms of characteristics of patients and ET programmes delivered. RESULTS.
      Overall, 612 patients from 26 CR units were included, with an in-patient vs. out
      patient ratio of 3:1. Coronary artery disease (57.6%), heart failure (20.3%), and
      valve disease/surgery (22.1%) were the most represented target groups. The
      prevalence of endurance continuous training, interval training, and
      resistance/strength training was 66.7%, 11.1%, and 9.0%; other non-aerobic
      endurance and non-resistance training modalities such as respiratory muscle
      training and calisthenics were reported in 39.9% and 42.9% of cases respectively.
      Workloads for endurance exercise training were determined by cardiopulmonary
      test, conventional 12-leads ECG exercise testing, 6min-walking test, theoretical
      determination of heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion in 9%, 8%, 27%, 9%,
      and 40% of cases respectively. The average duration of the programmes (on an
      intention to treat basis) was 25 sessions of 42+/-11  minutes, with a frequency
      of >4 sessions/week in 67% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite advances in CR
      interventions, there is a significant need for improvement of functional
      evaluation and exercise training prescription, and consideration of a wider range
      of training modalities in Italy. .

PMID- 28635188
TI  - The financial and quality-of-life cost to patients living with a chronic wound in
      the community.
AB  - Chronic wounds are associated with financial and personal costs. The system level
      expense associated with chronic wounds has been established, however, the out-of
      pocket cost incurred by individuals who self-fund has not been the focus of
      extensive investigation. Recently, there has been renewed interest in evaluating
      quality of life, in line with the shift to patient enablement and self-care in
      chronic disease management. The objectives of this research were to describe the
      out-of-pocket wound treatment costs and the quality of life of people who have
      chronic wounds. A questionnaire incorporating the Cardiff Wound Impact Schedule
      and purpose-designed instruments was completed by a non-probability, convenience
      sample of 113 people in Australia and Wales. Data was analysed using descriptive
      statistics. The sample was on average 63.6 years of age and had wounds that were
      on an average 109 weeks duration. Participants had spent on average AU$2475 on
      wound dressing products since the wound started, and AU$121.82 in the most recent
      28 days which represented 10% of their disposable income. Health-related quality
      of life was sub-optimal, 6/10 (ave) according to the Cardiff Wound Impact
      Schedule. Younger participants reported significantly poorer quality of life on
      all CWIS sub-scales when compared to older participants. This study found that
      chronic wounds present a significant financial cost to individuals who must self
      fund their wound dressings and other wound treatment related expenses.
      Participants who had access to wound product subsidisation also experienced
      personal financial costs. People who have chronic wounds experience sub-optimal
      quality of life therefore this condition is also costly to the individual's well
      being. The quality of life of younger people has not received adequate attention
      and requires further consideration given the many years that younger people may
      have to live with this debilitating and often recurrent condition. Continued
      action is required to reduce the financial and personal costs experienced by
      people who have chronic wounds. It is imperative that healthcare funding is
      directed to people who have chronic wounds, in particular to alleviate the out-of
      pocket costs experienced by self-funders. Continued attention to the quality of
      life of people who have chronic wounds is required to minimise the negative
      effects of this condition and enhance well-being.

PMID- 28635191
TI  - Impact of a nutrition/educational program in a group of type 2 diabetes patients,
      already involved in a wider "Group Care" plan and not achieving complete target:
      an observational study.
AB  - Type 2 diabetes is one of the most frequent chronic degenerative diseases in the
      world (5.4% in Italy); it has many chronic consequences with a significant impact
      either on expectation or quality of life. About 80-90% of type 2 diabetes
      patients is either overweight or obese, condition that can cause many more
      negative consequences than in individuals in the same conditions but with normal
      weight. The aim of the research is to assess if diabetic people who cannot reach
      the goals of glycemic control, good eating habits and weight loss can eventually
      obtain, with an individualized care plan, long lasting improvements. This study
      involved a little group of diabetic patients who did not achieve an optimal
      therapeutic target. These patients have been individually followed by a dietician
      for six months through a program of dietetic counseling and regular controls and
      at the end we compare the results of another group of diabetic people, involved
      in the Group Care Plan (but without the support of the dietitian). The nutrition
      educational program determined a significant weight loss (- 4.62 kg vs + 3.46 kg;
      p<0.05), a reduction of waist circumference (-5.34 cm vs + 4.15 cm; p<0.05), an
      improvement of glycemic control (Hb1Ac: - 0.67 % vs + 0.57%; p<0.05), lipidic
      profile (total cholesterol: - 1 mg/dl vs + 12.85 mg/dl; p<0.05) and perceived
      quality of life (Test Att 19: 0 subjects vs 6 subjects). An individualized
      nutrition educational program in patients with type 2 diabetes not achieving a
      therapeutic target can optimize global care of the disease.

PMID- 28635192
TI  - Incidence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is not associated with
      microclimatic variations. Results of a seven-year survey in a temperate climate
      area.
AB  - Some diseases, such as renal colic and atrial fibrillation, display an
      association with microclimatic variations. In particular, despite a correlation
      has been reported between incidence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) and
      meteorological variations, the evidence remains poor and conflictual. The aim of
      this study was to assess the influence of day-by-day meteorological variations on
      the number of visits for PSP in the Emergency Department (ED). All PSP cases were
      retrieved from the hospital database from January 2008 to December 2014. For all
      the observational days, meteorological data about the Parma Province were
      obtained from the Environment and Climate Regional Agency.  The correlation
      between ED visits for PSP and variation of air temperature (T degrees ),
      atmospheric pressure (hPa) and humidity (%) was then tested. The chronological
      data of all the visits for PSP were correlated with climate data by univariate
      linear regressions analysis. A total number of 608.215 ED visits were recorded
      during the observational period, with an average of 238 patients per day.
      Overall, 257 PSP cases were observed (mean age 37+/-21 years), 79% males and 21%
      females. No significant correlation between average daily visits for SP and daily
      change of average temperature, humidity, or atmospheric pressure was observed
      throughout the observational period (p>0.05 for all). The results of the study
      show that the incidence of PSP is not significantly associated with changes of
      microclimatic variables.

PMID- 28635193
TI  - Comparing the effect of cardiac biomarkers on the outcome of normotensive
      patients with acute pulmonary embolism.
AB  - Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a cardiovascular challenge with potentially
      fatal consequences. This study was designed to observe the association of novel
      cardiac biomarkers with outcome in this setting. In this prospective study, from
      86 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PE, 59 patients met the inclusion
      criteria (22 men, 37 women; mean age, 63.36+/-15.04 y).The plasma concentrations
      of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), growth differentiation
      factor-15 (GDF-15), heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), tenascin-C,
      and D-dimer were measured at the time of confirmed diagnosis. The endpoints of
      the study were defined as the short-term adverse outcome and long-term all-cause
      mortality. Totally, 11.8% (7/59) of the patients had the short-term adverse
      outcome. The mean value of logNT-proBNP was 6.40+/-1.66 pg/ml. Among all the
      examined biomarkers, only the mean value of logNT-proBNP was significantly higher
      in the patients with the short-term adverse outcome (7.88+/-0.67 vs. 6.22+/- 1.66
      pg/ml; OR, 2.359; 95% CI, 1.037 to 5.367; P=0.041). After adjustment, a threefold
      increase in the short-term adverse outcome was identified (OR, 3.239; 95% CI,
      0.877 to 11.967; P=0.078).Overall, 18.64% (11/59) of the patients had expired by
      the long-term follow-up. Moreover, adjustment revealed an evidence regarding
      association between increased logNT-proBNP levels and long-term mortality (HR,
      2.163; 95%CI, 0.910 to 5.142; P=0.081). Our study could find evidences on
      association between increased level of NT-proBNP and short-term adverse outcome
      and/or long-term mortality in PE. This biomarker may be capable of improving
      prediction of outcome and clinical care in non-high-risk PE.

PMID- 28635195
TI  - A study to estimate prevalence and risk factors of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
      Syndrome in a semi-urban Indian population.
AB  - Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) has been recognised as a major cause of
      morbidity and mortality in developing countries like India. There is still a
      paucity of Indian studies regarding the prevalence of OSAS. The current single
      centre prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken to know prevalence
      estimates for key symptoms and features that can indicate the presence of OSAS in
      an Indian population. A survey was conducted on subjects with age groups >= 25
      years at King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India from
      August 2009 to July 2011. Data was recorded during the interview on the basis of
      Berlin Questionnaire (BQ). Risk factors for OSAS were also evaluated. Risk group
      categorization for OSAS was done with the help of a questionnaire and overnight
      polysomnography was performed in each group to measure apnea and hypopnea index
      (AHI). Out of 1816 subjects, 1512 (response rate 83.3%) finally participated in
      the survey with mean age 42.6+/-11.2 years, males 67.9% and females 32.1%. Of
      them 6.2% were found to be at high-risk OSAS; 12.2% were obese (Body Mass Index
      >=30 kg/m2) and 33.5% of the obese population were at high-risk OSAS. Among high
      risk patients with OSAS, 62.4% had hypertension. Statistically significant and
      independent risk factors found for OSAS were obesity, large neck size, alcoholism
      and use of sedatives/tranquillizers. High-risk category predicted an AHI >=5 with
      a sensitivity of 86.3% (95% CI 73.1-93.8), specificity of 93.1% (95% CI 89.1
      95.7), positive and negative predictive values of 70.9% (95% CI 57.9-81.4) and
      97.2% (95% CI 94.1-98.8) respectively. It can be concluded that BQ questionnaire
      can still be used as a pre-assessment tool for predicting persons at risk for
      OSAS in clinical practice. Further studies on estimation of prevalence of OSAS by
      applying BQ are warranted in near future from other regions of India.

PMID- 28635194
TI  - Volitional rehabilitative assessments in patients admitted in a post-intensive
      care step down unit. A feasibility study.
AB  - A high variability in functional tests and activities used during the pulmonary
      rehabilitation has been observed in post-intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and
      the best battery of tests to adopt has not been described yet. We tested in
      patients admitted in a post-ICU Step Down Unit the ability to perform the more
      frequent functional volitional tests. The relations of each single volitional
      test with general disability and dyspnea at discharge were also evaluated. Ten
      volitional tests including: bedside spirometry test (ST: FEV1%, FVC%), maximal
      inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), Peak Expiratory
      Flow during Cough (PCEF), Quadriceps Muscle Strength (QMS), latissimus Dorsi and
      teres Major Strength (DMS), Brachial biceps Muscle Strength (BMS), effort
      tolerance measured by sit-to-stand test, Takahashi test and 6-Min Walking Test
      (6MWT), were evaluated in post-ICU patients at entry and discharge from in
      hospital rehabilitation. General disability was assessed by Barthel Index, while
      dyspnea by Borg scale. At admission, >70% of subjects performed muscle strength
      test, while <25% performed respiratory and effort tolerance tests. At discharge,
      feasibility of spirometry, respiratory muscle strength and effort tolerance tests
      improved (all, p<0.001); 6MWT was the least feasible. At discharge,
      cardiorespiratory patients were more capable to perform tests compared to
      neurological ones. All outcome measures, with exception of FEV1%, and FVC%, were
      significantly related to the disability score. Peripheral muscle exercises showed
      the highest feasibility, spirometry and leg effort tolerance the lowest. Motor
      disability was explained mainly by the peripheral muscle strength. The study of
      non-volitional outcome measures and tests linked to a protocol-driven
      intervention should be performed in this specific population.

PMID- 28635196
TI  - Direct oral anticoagulants in patients undergoing cardioversion: insight from
      randomized clinical trials.
AB  - Anticoagulation, reducing the risk of thromboembolic events in patients
      undergoing cardioversion, is a cornerstone of peri-cardioversion management in
      patients with atrial fibrillation. We aimed to analyse published data on the
      efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients undergoing
      cardioversion. We performed a systematic review of randomized prospective
      clinical trials (RCTs) comparing DOACs with warfarin and reporting data on post
      cardioversion outcomes of interest. Outcomes of interest were stroke, systemic
      thromboembolic events and major bleeding. We reviewed a total of six RCTs
      including 3900 cardioversions performed using a DOAC for thromboembolic
      prophylaxis. These studies reported a low incidence overall of adverse outcomes
      associated with the use of DOACs (around 1% in all studies, except the ROCKET
      post-hoc study which included ablation procedures). The incidence rate of adverse
      events during DOAC treatment was found to be very similar to that observed with
      warfarin anticoagulation. In RCTs DOAC treatment in patients undergoing
      cardioversion appears to be effective and safe. However, because evidence in this
      clinical setting is still weak, observational reports could be useful in
      providing further data about peri-procedural outcomes.

PMID- 28635197
TI  - Depression, anxiety and chronic pain in patients with chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease: the influence of breath.
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problems,
      causing significant mortality and morbidity in the world. It is a complex and
      progressive disease, characterized by chronic inflammation and dysfunction of the
      respiratory airways. The article reviews the available information on the
      potential role of the diaphragm in this disease. The purpose is to identify a
      potential correlation between symptoms such as depression, anxiety and chronic
      pain, frequently observed in COPD, with the activity of the diaphragm. The
      morphology and metabolism of the diaphragm are usually modified in the presence
      of COPD: a correlation between this symptoms and a pathological adaptation of
      breathing can be hypothesized. The management of these conditions should always
      be multidisciplinary, in order to have a global vision of the patient.

PMID- 28635198
TI  - Two foreign bodies embedded in the intraventricular septum: A case report.
AB  - A 23-year old male was presented at the outpatient clinic of our department
      reporting that he had been subjected to insertion of foreign bodies in his chest.
      Physical examination was unremarkable. Imaging studies revealed the presence of
      two bodies in the subcutaneous tissue of the anterior chest wall and two needle
      shaped intramyocardial bodies that were impacted in the intraventricular septum.
      Due to late appearance, the position, and because of the absence of symptoms, it
      was decided that the patient should be managed conservatively. Today, five years
      after the incident, the patient remains asymptomatic and he is followed-up
      regularly.

PMID- 28635199
TI  - A case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome associated with floppy eyelid
      syndrome: positive effect of CPAP therapy.
AB  - The obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) may be associated with several eyes
      disorders, among which the most common is the floppy eyelid syndrome (FES). We
      intended to highlight the association between OSAS and FES and evaluate the
      effect of FES treatment with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). A 50
      year patient with a 10-year history of snoring, sleep fragmentation and daytime
      sleepiness associated with several comorbidities has been studied. For six
      months, several ocular symptoms were present, particularly on waking up in the
      morning. An overnight respiratory polygraphy was performed at baseline and after
      CPAP titration. The treatment with CPAP corrects apnea/hypopnea events and
      rapidly improves patient's daytime sleepiness and eyes FES-related symptoms. This
      improvement is already evident after a very short period of treatment.

PMID- 28635200
TI  - Unusual symptomatic late onset presentation of aberrant right subclavian artery:
      report of two cases and short literature review.
AB  - Aberrant subclavian arteries are congenital vascular anomalies that usually do
      not cause any symptoms. When symptomatic they are considered as a rare cause of
      dysphagia. This presentation is known as dysphagia lusoria. They are diagnosed by
      barium swallow or contrast-enhanced computed tomography, although it may be an
      incidental finding. Management varies from life modifications and drug therapy to
      surgical intervention. We report two cases of the unusual form of late onset
      symptomatic presentation because of the presence of aberrant right subclavian
      artery. Main symptom was chest pain without dysphagia. Due to age and medical
      comorbidities both patients where managed conservatively.

PMID- 28635201
TI  - Hamman-Rich syndrome: a forgotten entity.
AB  - The following report outlines the case of a 76-year-old gentleman who presented
      to the hospital with acute interstitial pneumonitis, a rare and rapidly
      progressive type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. The patient initially
      presented with a three-week history of progressive shortness of breath and cough
      which was diagnosed as community acquired pneumonia. Treatment with oral
      antibiotics was unsuccessful resulting in re-presentation the following week with
      type one respiratory failure. Investigations revealed widespread inflammatory
      changes consistent with an acute inflammatory process. Intravenous steroids,
      antibiotics and antiviral medications were initiated before an urgent transfer to
      the intensive care unit was required for intubation. An open lung biopsy, in
      conjunction with the clinical picture, confirmed the diagnosis of acute
      interstitial pneumonitis. The significance of this report is to highlight the
      rapid and destructive clinical course of a rare type of pneumonitis, which
      initially presented as a routine and innocuous diagnosis in our patient.

PMID- 28635202
TI  - Palliative treatment of life-threatening hemoptysis with silicone stent insertion
      in advanced lung cancer.
AB  - Massive hemoptysis is a stressful and life-threatening event that can occur in
      lung cancer patients. The management of this event is usually challenging, and
      can involve surgery, embolization, and bronchoscopy. Unfortunately, while surgery
      can offer a definitive solution to hemoptysis, lung cancer patients are often
      excluded from this approach. On the other hand, bronchial arterial embolization
      rarely results in long-term control of bleeding. Endoscopy allows a skilled
      physician to perform mechanical tamponade or laser photocoagulation of bleeding
      lesions and preserve the main airways. While endoscopic stent placement is
      usually performed in order to treat stenosis, it has been occasionally employed
      to isolate and mechanically block the bleeding sites within the bronchial tree.
      We present the cases of two patients suffering from lung cancer-related life
      threatening hemoptysis; both patients were successfully treated by positioning a
      silicone stent during emergency bronchoscopy. Subsequently, we present a concise
      review of the available literature.

PMID- 28635203
TI  - Post-pneumonectomy and post-lobectomy syndromes: case series and review of the
      literature.
AB  - The post-pneumonectomy syndrome is a rare complication consisting of rotation and
      herniation of the mediastinal structures, the remaining lung and the respective
      bronchi, into the contralateral hemithorax. This situation may produce
      symptomatic airway obstruction and varies in its presentation and severity. We
      describe one case of right and one of left pneumonectomy syndrome as well as one
      case of post-lobectomy syndrome. We review the literature on the pathophysiology,
      the clinical, radiological and bronchoscopic characteristics of this rare entity
      and discuss all available therapeutic alternatives.

PMID- 28635204
TI  - Esophago-pulmonary fistula manifesting as recurrent pneumonias and migrating
      mediastinal calcifications.
AB  - A 43-year old man presented with recurrent pneumonias, episodes of hemoptysis and
      an enlarging right lower lobe mass. A clear diagnosis was not previously
      established in spite of multiple radiological evaluations and biopsies.
      Meticulous review of his CT imaging showed that he had subcarinal calcification
      on his prior CT scans, which had decreased in size and now multiple new small
      areas of calcifications were seen in the right lower lobe lesion. An esophago
      pulmonary fistula due to migration of mediastinal calcifications was suspected
      which was identified on careful review of the CT chest and confirmed by
      esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Patient had surgical repair with complete recovery.

PMID- 28635205
TI  - Recurrence of right lower lobe pneumonia 3 years after the first episode in an
      otherwise healthy 13-year-old girl.
AB  - Recurrent pneumonia is one of the most frequent reasons for referral to
      paediatric chest physicians. The diagnostic work-up is dependent on whether
      infection repeatedly occurs in the same lung lobe, or affects multiple lobes
      and/or different areas in different episodes. A 13-year-old girl was admitted
      with a second episode of right lower lobe pneumonia. The chest x-ray demonstrated
      an inhomogeneous opacity, without a clearly recognizable segmental distribution.
      A contrast-enhanced CT scan, was therefore performed that showed a polycyclic
      consolidation with blood supply from a systemic artery, originated from the
      thoracic aorta. A diagnosis of superinfection of an intralobar sequestration was
      made. The patient was treated with systemic antibiotics and, four weeks later, a
      segmental resection of the lesion was performed. The histological evaluation of
      the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis.

PMID- 28635206
TI  - Integrated care of chronic degenerative non-communicable diseases and
      rehabilitation: the odd couple?
AB  - Chronic degenerative non-communicable diseases affecting different organs and
      systems are considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the emergent
      epidemic in the third millennium...

PMID- 28635207
TI  - Integrating the care of the complex COPD patient.
AB  - Proceedings of the European Seminars in Respiratory Medicine course, Long-Term
      Integrated Care of COPD Patients held in Stresa, Italy, on 16-17 June, 2016.

PMID- 28635208
TI  - Association of clinical characteristics of patients presenting with influenza
      like illness or severe acute respiratory illness with development of acute
      respiratory distress syndrome.
AB  - Clinical judgement and suspicion of influenza based on signs and symptoms of
      influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness are critical for
      better patient outcome. Whether clinical characteristics of patients are
      associated with the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and PCR
      positivity of samples was the aim of this study. We included all patients (n=37)
      presenting with influenza like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory illness
      (SARI) to a tertiary care hospital in northwest Pakistan during December 2015
      until the end of January 2016. Each patient was assessed for signs and symptoms,
      clinical features, treatment, complications and outcome of ILI and SARI. Throat
      or nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from 36 patient and analyzed for the
      presence of Influenza virus by quantitative PCR. Patients presenting with ILI or
      SARI were febrile (p<0.001, one sample t-test), significantly tachypneic
      (p<0.001) and had critically lower oxygen saturation (p<0.001). Nasal congestion
      at presentation (p=0.006, chi-square test for association) and infiltrates on
      chest radiographs (p=0.025) were significantly associated with acute respiratory
      distress syndrome. Likelihood of the occurrence of ARDS was significantly
      increased with decrease in oxygen saturation (Odds ratio; 0.75, 95% CI; 0.46,
      1.21, p=0.048) and marginally significantly increased in lower age (Odds ratio;
      0.82, 95% CI; 0.58, 1.15, p=0.055) and higher white cell count (Odds ratio;
      1.001, 95% CI; 0.99, 1.002, p=0.054). The presence of Influenza type A/H1N1pdm09
      strains was confirmed in 7/11 patients. However no significant difference was
      observed in the clinical features and complications of PCR positive and negative
      patients. Clinical signs and symptoms of influenza-like illness or severe acute
      respiratory illness significantly predict the development of complications
      irrespective of the positivity or negativity of laboratory qPCR reports.

PMID- 28635209
TI  - [Advantage of otorhinolaryngologist in managing advanced differentiated thyroid
      carcinoma].

PMID- 28635210
TI  - [The strategy and significance of individualized stratified therapy for
      differentiated thyroid carcinoma].

PMID- 28635211
TI  - [Problems and countermeasures in the treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma].

PMID- 28635212
TI  - [Clinical features of postoperative cervical lymph nodes recurrence in papillary
      thyroid carcinoma].
AB  - Objective: To analyse the postoperative metastasis or recurrence of cervical
      lymph nodes in individual neck levels for papillary thyroid carcinoma and to
      evaluate the outcomes and complications of re-surgery. Methods: A retrospective
      cohort study of 259 patients who underwent lymph node dissection for PTC relapse
      from January 2010 to June 2011. Lymph node metastases in each of neck levels were
      detected, postoperative complications were evaluated, and the patients were
      followed up with examining thyroglobulin levels to assess the therapeutic
      effect.Continuous variables were compared with t test.Categorical variables were
      compared with Fisher's exact test. Results: Lymph node metastasis was found in
      259 cases and lymph node metastasis rates in levels II, III, IV, V and VI were
      43.2%, 50.2%, 45.6%, 8.1% and 59.1% respectively. In 44 cases received the neck
      dissection of level II, the metastasis rates in the levels IIa and IIb were
      respectively (52.3% vs 18.2%, P=0.887). Recurrence in unilateral lateral neck was
      more common than that in bilateral lateral neck (73.1% vs 20.6%, P<0.001). The
      lymph nodes in lateral neck were more likely to metastasize than those in central
      region (80.7% vs 59.1%, P<0.001). There were 47 cases (18.1%) had postoperative
      complications, including 10 cases with permanent hypocalcemia. Conclusions: The
      scope of re-operation for neck metastasis or recurrence in papillary thyroid
      carcinoma should include the dissection of levels II-IV and VI. The incidence of
      postoperative complications for re-surgery is high, and re-surgery should be
      performed by experienced surgeon.

PMID- 28635213
TI  - [Risk factors for central neck lymph node metastases of papillary thyroid
      carcinoma].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the impact factors for central neck lymph node
      metastases(CLNM) of papillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC). Methods: A total of 498
      patients with PTC who underwent total or hemi-thyroidectomy plus central neck
      lymph node dissection between January 2014 and July 2016 were included.
      Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify
      clinicopathological characteristics, thyroid function parameters and US findings
      that associated with CLNM of PTC. A nomogram was developed to predict the
      probability of CLNM. The receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) was used to
      estimate the efficiency of the nomogram. Results: Among 498 patients, 284
      patients were affected by CNLM. The sensitivity and specificity of US in
      predicting PTC metastasis in the central neck were 31.3% and 88.3%, respectively.
      Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that gender, age, number and size of
      suspicious malignant nodules in thyroid, and suspicious lymph node metastasis
      detected by ultrasonography were independently correlated with CLNM. The ROC
      showed that the AUC was 0.748, with sensitivity of 80.8%, and specificity of
      59.8%. Conclusions: Gender, age, number and size of suspicious malignant nodules
      in thyroid, suspicious lymph node metastasis were predictive factors for CLNM in
      patients with PTC. The nomogram developed based on related factors with CLNM is
      more sensitive than sonographic central neck lymph node features in predicting
      the probability of CLNM.

PMID- 28635214
TI  - [Clinicopathological characteristics of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma and risk
      factors for central lymph node metastasis].
AB  - Objective: To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of papillary
      thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and risk factors for central lymph node
      metastasis(CLNM) in PTMC. Methods: The data of 900 patients with PTMC initially
      treated in our hospital from January 2004 to December 2015 were retrospectively
      analyzed. Chi-square test and Logistic regression analysis were performed to
      determine the risk factors for CLNM. Results: CLNM affected 162 (22.9%) of 707
      patients treated with central lymph node dissection. Age, maximum tumor size,
      multifocality, bilaterality, and extracapsular spread (ECS) were significantly
      correlated with CLNM (all P<0.01). Age<45 years, maximum tumor size>5 mm,
      multifocality, bilaterality, and extracapsular spread were independently
      correlated with CLNM. Conclusion: A prophylactic central lymph node dissection
      should be considered in PTMC patients with age<45 years, maximum tumor size>5 mm,
      multifocality, bilaterality, and extracapsular spread.

PMID- 28635215
TI  - [Retrospective comparison of screening criteria for active surveillance for
      papillary thyroid microcarcinoma].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the rationality of management of active surveillance
      for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and the main indications for active
      surveillance for PTMC. Methods: In this study, two criteria were used to evaluate
      patients with PTMC: low-risk PTMC conditions defined by Kuma hospital and Chinese
      Association of Thyroid Oncology (CATO) consensus on PTMC management of active
      surveillance. The patients had received surgical treatment. Clinicopathological
      characteristics and prognosis of the patients in different groups were compared.
      Results: A total of 778 patients were enrolled in the study, 565 (72.6%) of them
      met Kuma screening criteria and only 112 (14.4%) met CATO screening criteria.
      Kuma low-risk subgroup had lower incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis than
      Kuma high-risk PTMC subgroup(30.6% vs 47.9%, P<0.05). There were significant
      differences in multifocal lesions(6.3% vs 16.4%), extrathyroidal extension (1.8%
      vs 7.5%) and cervical lymph node metastasis(19.6% vs 38.0%) between low-risk and
      high-risk CATO PTMC subgroups. Patients in the CATO low-risk PTMC subgroup had
      lower recurrence and longer disease-free survival (DFS) than those in the CATO
      high-risk PTMC subgroup. But there was no significant difference in recurrence or
      DFS between Kuma low-risk and high-risk Kuma PTMC subgroups.The Chi-square test
      of Fisher's exact probabilities test was used to compare clinicopathological
      characteristics of patients between different groups.Rates of disease-free
      survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Conclusion: CATO
      screening criteria is relatively strict and may be more suitable for Chinese
      patients with active surveillance for PTMC.

PMID- 28635216
TI  - [RET/PTC rearrangement affects multifocal formation of papillary thyroid
      carcinoma].
AB  - Objective:RET/PTC gene rearrangement can lead to aberrant activation of tyrosine
      kinase receptors, which is a common mutation in papillary thyroid carcinoma
      (PTC). This study focuses on the association of RET/PTC rearrangements with PTC
      clinical factors. Methods: From January 2011 to December 2013, a total of 114
      patients with PTC were enrolled in this study. Clinicopathological parameters,
      lifestyle, and thyroid hormone levels were collected. RET/PTC rearrangements were
      detected by TaqMan PCR and verified by Sanger sequencing.Data were analyzed with
      SPSS software, including chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U
      test, Student's t-test, and Logistic regression. Results:RET/PTC rearrangements
      were not found in all paracancerous normal thyroid tissues, and were detected in
      23.68% (27/114) of PTC. Further analysis revealed no correlation between RET/PTC
      rearrangement and thyroid function, clinicopathologic parameters, and lifestyle
      in the total PTC group or in the subgroup of patients with concomitant diseases
      (including Hashimoto's thyroiditis and nodular goiter). But in the subgroup of
      PTC without concomitant disease, RET/PTC rearrangement was associated with tumor
      multifocal (P=0.018), and RET/PTC-positive PTC patients had an increased risk of
      tumor multifocal (OR=5.57, 95% CI 1.39-22.33). It was also found that RET/PTC
      rearrangement was associated with an abnormal increase in TSH level of one month
      after surgery (P= 0.037). Conclusion: Nodular goiter and Hashimoto 's thyroiditis
      may be a confounding factor in PTC. RET/PTC rearrangement may play an important
      role in the occurrence of thyroid carcinoma multifocal after exclusion of this
      confounding factor.

PMID- 28635217
TI  - [The exploration on optimization of two alternatives between roll test and Dix
      Hallpike test in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo].
AB  - Objective: To analyze the objective characteristics of roll test and Dix-Hallpike
      test in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV)patients, discussing the
      premier solution of positional test. Methods: A total of 230 patients with BPPV,
      whereas 170 posterior semicircular canal canalithiasis (PSC-Can) BPPV and 60
      horizontal semicircular canal canalithiasis (HSC-Can) BPPV were involved
      respectively. The induced nystagmus in roll test and Dix-Hallpike test was
      recorded by video nystagmuo graph (VNG), and the direction, intensity and time
      characteristics of nystagmus were compared in various BPPV.SPSS19.0 software was
      used for statistical analysis. Results: Vertically upward nystagmus was induced
      by hanging in 170 PSC-Can Dix-Hallpike test, and the nystagmus reversed and
      turned weaker when the subjects came to sit. The intensity of nystagmus at
      turning to lesion side by hanging and sitting were (30.3+/-14.1) degrees /s and
      (12.6+/-7.5) degrees /s respectively, the difference was statistically
      significant (t=20.153, P<0.05). However, no nystagmus was induced in PSC-Can roll
      test. Horizontal nystagmus in the same direction with turning was induced in 60
      HSC-Can roll test. The intensity of nystagmus at turning to lesion side and
      normal side was (42.0+/-18.0) degrees /s and (20.3+/-8.7) degrees /s
      respectively, the difference was statistically significant (t=12.731, P<0.05).
      Furthermore, horizontal nystagmus in the same direction with turning was induced
      in 57 HSC-Can Dix-Hallpike. The coherence was 95% with the results of roll test.
      Conclusions: Dix-Hallpike test can not only be used to diagnose PSC-Can, but also
      induce nystagmus in HSC-Can effectively. Whereas the roll test only show
      significance in diagnosing HSC-Can. To avoid uncomfortable stimulation to
      patients as much as possible, we suggest to use Dix-Hallpike test at first, and
      to judge whether using roll test based on the result of the horizontal nystagmus.

PMID- 28635218
TI  - [Nasal irrigation for the treatment of vasomotor rhinitis: a pilot study].
AB  - Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of simple 3.0% saline nasal
      irrigation and combined treatment of 3.0% saline nasal irrigation and budesonide
      nasal spray for vasomotor rhinitis (VMR), and explore the long-term effect for
      VMR. Through examination of levels of substance P (SP) and mucin (MUC)5B in nasal
      lavage fluid, the mechanisms of nasal irrigation treatment for VMR was discussed.
      Methods: One hundred and one patients from Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head
      and Neck Surgery, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University with VMR were randomly
      divided into 4 groups. The number of patients was 24 in control group, 25 in
      budesonide nasal spray treatment group (budesonide group), 25 in nasal irrigation
      treatment group (nasal irrigation group) and 27 in budesonide nasal spray + nasal
      irrigation group (combined treatment group). Control patients were left
      untreated. Budesonide group was under budesonide nasal spray treatment, nasal
      irrigation group was treated using 3.0% saline with a temperature of 40C and
      combined treatment group was given both treatments. The duration of the
      intervention period was 3 months (90 days). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to
      evaluate nasal symptoms, and the health-related quality of life was assessed
      using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey version 2.0 (SF-12v2). Enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to assess the contents of SP and MUC5B in
      nasal lavage fluid before and after 3-month treatments in budesonide and nasal
      irrigation group in the study. MUC5B in nasal lavage fluid after the SP challenge
      and anticholinergic drug intervention in control group were also evaluated with
      ELISA. Results: Nighty out of 101 patients completed the study. In the budesonide
      and combined treatment group after relevant interventions, the total VAS score of
      nasal symptoms decreased (5.91+/-0.21 vs 3.82+/-0.15, 6.18+/-0.17 vs 3.92+/-0.15,
      t value was 8.193, 10.060, respectively, all P<0.05) and SF-12v2 score increased
      (146.00+/-1.23 vs 152.30+/-0.97, 146.00+/-1.08 vs 155.40+/-0.90, t value was
      3.982, 6.697, respectively, all P<0.05), with both scores showed no significant
      differences in the nasal irrigation group (5.96+/-0.17 vs 5.72+/-0.15, 146.10+/
      1.17 vs 147.00+/-0.94, t value was 1.038, 0.607, respectively, all P>0.05) after
      the first month. In the budesonide and combined treatment group after relevant
      interventions, the total VAS score of nasal symptoms decreased (5.91+/-0.21 vs
      5.05+/-0.15, 6.18+/-0.17 vs 5.10+/-0.12, t value was 3.374, 5.351, respectively,
      all P<0.05) and SF-12v2 score increased (146.00+/-1.23 vs 150.90+/-0.76, 146.00+/
      1.08 vs 153.60+/-0.94, t value was 3.373, 5.343, respectively, all P<0.05), with
      both scores showed no significant differences in the nasal irrigation group
      (5.96+/-0.17 vs 5.78+/-0.17, 146.10+/-1.17 vs 148.10+/-0.80, t value was 0.716,
      1.438, respectively, all P>0.05) after the second month. By the end of the third
      month, in nasal irrigation and combined treatment group, the VAS score was
      diminished (5.96+/-0.17 vs 4.80+/-0.12, 6.18+/-0.17 vs 4.44+/-0.13, t value was
      5.485, 8.264, respectively, all P<0.05) and SF-12v2 score was elevated (146.10+/
      1.17 vs 150.80+/-0.96, 146.00+/-1.08 vs 152.90+/-0.85, t value was 3.163, 5.008,
      respectively, all P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in
      budesonide group (5.91+/-0.21 vs 5.68+/-0.18, 146.00+/-1.23 vs 148.40+/-0.85, t
      value was 0.819, 1.587, respectively, all P>0.05). Additionally, SP in nasal
      lavage fluid decreased and MUC5B showed no statistical changes in budesonide
      group after three months, however, SP showed no any changes and MUC5B reduced
      significantly in nasal lavage fluid in nasal irrigation group. Furthermore, the
      anticholinergic drug could not decrease the concentration of MUC5B after the SP
      challenge in nasal cavity in control group. Conclusions: The therapeutic effect
      of simple nasal irrigation with 3.0% saline or combined treatment of 3.0% saline
      nasal irrigation and nasal corticosteroids is superior to simple nasal
      corticosteroids. Nasal corticosteroids plays a role in the inhibition of sensory
      nerve endings in nasal mucosa, but neurotransmitter plays a limited role in the
      pathogenesis of VMR.

PMID- 28635219
TI  - [Olfactory function in children with adenoid hypertrophy who underwent
      adenotonsillectomy during pre- and post-operative period].
AB  - Objective: To assess the olfactory function in children with adenoid hypertrophy
      and investigate the changes of both olfactory function and appetite in children
      with adenoid hypertrophy before and after adenoidectomy. Methods: Forty-four
      children with adenoid hypertrophy admitted for adenoidectomy, aged 7-12 years,
      mean age (10.0+/-2.0) years were tested by Sniffin' Sticks test and visual analog
      scale(VAS) of the children's appetite preoperatively between March and August
      2015.In a appointment 6 months after operation, all of them returned and were
      tested again. The control group consisted of 40 healthy children, aged 7-12
      years, mean age (11.2+/-0.8) years.SPSS 13.0 software was used for statistical
      analysis Results: The olfactory function of the study group TDI scores (32.4+/
      3.5) preoperatively were significantly lower in comparison with the results of
      the control group TDI scores (37.3+/-2.8)(t=7.057, P<0.001). Significant
      improvement of olfaction TDI scores (36.8+/-1.9) was observed in the follow-up
      appointment(t=13.573, P<0.001). The VAS of the children's appetite during post
      adenoidectomy was higher compared to pre-adenoidectomy(t=16.765, P<0.001). There
      was a strong correlation between the increase in appetite of children and the
      change of TDI score (r=0.59, P<0.01). Conclusions: Children with adenoid
      hypertrophy have a reduced ability of both olfactory function and appetite.
      Surgery had a greater impact on olfaction and appetite.

PMID- 28635221
TI  - [Treatment of intractable aspiration after partial laryngectomy by cuffed
      tracheostomy tube with inner cannula].
AB  - Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of cuffed tracheostomy tube with inner
      cannula for the treatment of intractable aspiration after partial laryngectomy.
      Methods: From May 2010 to June 2015, 15 patients with intractable aspiration
      after partial laryngectomy of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma were
      enrolled. Cuffed tracheostomy tube with inner cannula was used in the 15 patients
      for treatment of intractable aspiration. The patients and their family were
      trained to manage the cuffed tracheostomy tube with inner cannula and to eat
      since the 14th day after surgery. Cuff was initially inflated with 10 ml air and
      then deflated of 0.5 ml air every 2-3 days. Until the inflation of cuff was no
      longer required, the cuffed tracheostomy tube was replaced by metal tracheostomy
      tube. The patients' swallowing function and aspiration were evaluated 6 months
      after treatment. Results: The 15 cases with intractable aspiration were treated
      with cuffed tracheostomy tube with inner cannula and after 2-3 months, 14 of them
      replaced the cuffed tracheostomy tubes with inner cannula by metal tracheostomy
      tubes and recovered oral eating, and tracheostomy tubes were no longer required
      for 12 of 14 patients in following 3-6 months, showing a total decannulation rate
      of 80% in the patients with refractory aspiration. Conclusion: It was safe and
      effective to treat aspiration after laryngeal and hypopharyngeal surgery with
      cuffed tracheostomy tube with inner cannula.

PMID- 28635220
TI  - [The bisphenol A-enhanced activity of thyroid carcinoma cell line B-CPAP is
      inhibited by Icarrin].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the effect of icariin (ICA) on the bisphenol A (BPA)
      enhanced proliferation function of thyroid carcinoma cell B-CPAP and underlying
      mechanism. Methods: The proliferation of Gastric B-CPAP cell line was evaluated
      by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Apoptosis and ROS expression in B-CPAP cells were
      detected by flow cytometry. The expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and
      malondialdehyde (MDA) in B-CPAP cells were measured by individual assay kits. The
      expressions of Bcl-2 and gamma-HA2X were detected by Western blot. SPSS 18.0
      software was used to analyze the data. Results: B-CPAP cell activity was promoted
      by treatment with 3*10(-7)mol/L BPA for 48 h, with significant difference in
      absorbance between BPA and control groups (1.089+/-0.053 vs 0.935+/-0.010,
      P<0.05). The cell activities of BPA+ ICA(25), BPA+ ICA(50), BPA+ ICA(100) and
      BPA+ ICA(200) groups was 0.780+/-0.036, 1.007+/-0.050, 0.958+/-0.033 and 0.625+/
      0.064, respectively (all P<0.01). The proliferation of B-CPAP cells treated with
      BPA for 72 hours showed a similar trend to 48 hours. There was no significant
      difference between all treatment groups in 24 hours. The apoptosis rate was
      (19.272+/-0.186)% in BPA-treated cells, and was (22.412+/-0.238)% in control
      cells (P<0.05). The apoptosis rates of BPA+ ICA(50) and BPA+ ICA(200) groups were
      (23.688+/-0.412)% and (30.270+/-0.696)%, respectively (P<0.01). The intracellular
      accumulation of ROS in BPA, BPA+ ICA(50), and BPA+ ICA(200) groups were 806+/-21,
      1 772+/-37, 2 041+/-16, respectively (P<0.01). The expressions of anti-apoptotic
      protein Bcl-2 in control, BPA, BPA+ ICA(50), BPA+ ICA(200) groups were 7 120+/
      151, 9 801+/-286, 5 902+/-171 and 4 203+/-216, respectively (P<0.01). Conclusion:
      BPA can promote the proliferation of thyroid carcinoma B-CPAP cells and decrease
      the apoptosis of cells, and this effect can be inhibited by ICA. The possible
      mechanism is to induce high expression of intracellular ROS and inhibit the
      expression of antioxidase system, leading to cell oxidative damage, thereby
      inducing apoptosis.

PMID- 28635222
TI  - [Clinical analysis of glossopharyngeal neuralgia associated with abnormal styloid
      process: report of 8 cases].

PMID- 28635223
TI  - [Recurrent nasal adenoid cystic carcinoma with local invasion: report of two
      cases].

PMID- 28635224
TI  - [One case report for branchial cleft carcinoma].

PMID- 28635225
TI  - [Modification factors associated with maternally inherited non-syndromic hearing
      loss].
AB  - Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA have been certified to be one of the most
      important causes of maternally inherited sensorineural hearing loss. Among these,
      mitochondrial 12S rRNA1555A>G, 1494C>T and other mutations are associated with
      both nonsyndromic and drug induced hearing loss caused by aminoglycosides.
      Individuals carrying 1555A>G or 1494C>T mutation have a variety of clinical
      manifestations, which implies that the 1555A>G or 1494C>T mutation is a chief
      factor underlying the development of deafness but insufficient to produce the
      clinical phenotype. Therefore other modifier factors, such as aminoglycosides,
      mitochondrial haplotypes, secondary mutation or nuclear modifier genes, may play
      an important role in the phenotypic expression of the deafness-associated
      mitochondrial 12S rRNA1555A>G or 1494C>T mutation. In this review, the modifier
      factors for the phenotypic expression of deafness-associated mitochondrial 12S
      rRNA1555A>G or 1494C>T mutations were summarized and proposed the pathogenesis of
      maternally inherited deafness.

PMID- 28635226
TI  - [Principles and strategies in surgical management of differentiated thyroid
      cancer invading upper areodigestive tracts].

PMID- 28635227
TI  - [Mechanism and clinical efficacy of third-generation epidermal growth factor
      receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor in non-small cell lung cancer].
AB  - Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are the
      standard treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR
      activating mutations. However, most of patients will develop resistance to TKIs
      treatment due to the emergence of the T790M mutation. The third-generation EGFR
      TKI is highly selective and efficient for activating mutants (EGFR sensitive
      mutations) and resistance mutant (T790M+ ). This review summarizes the mechanism
      and clinical efficacy of the third-generation EGFR-TKI in NSCLC patients.

PMID- 28635228
TI  - [Mechanism of long non-coding RNA-metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma
      transcript 1 induced invasion and metastasis of esophageal cancer cell EC-109].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of long non-coding RNA
      metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1, (LncRNA-MALAT1) on
      invasion and metastasis of esophageal cancer cell EC-109. Methods: EC-109 cells
      were transfected with lentiviral vector carrying short hairpin RNA of MALAT1(
      shRNA-MALAT1) or a nonspecific shRNA control (shRNA-control). The expressions of
      MALAT1, microRNA-200a, ZEB1 and ZEB2 were detected by qRT-PCR. The effect of
      shRNA-MALAT1 on invasion of EC-109 cells was determined by transwell assay. The
      expressions of components of epithelial-msenchymal transition pathway in EC-109
      cells were determined by immunofluorescence array and western blotting. The
      expression relationship between MALAT1 and miR-200a in EC-109 cells was detected
      by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: The result of qRT-PCR showed that the
      expressions levels of MALAT1, ZEB1 and ZEB2 in shRNA-MALAT1 group were 0.43+/
      0.06, 0.64+/-0.04 and 0.51+/-0.04, respectively, significantly lower than 0.97+/
      0.08, 1.06+/-0.07 and 0.98+/-0.05 in shRNA-control group and 1 in control group,
      respectively(all P<0.05). Transwell assay showed that the number of invaded cells
      in shRNA MALAT1 group was (96.81+/-10.43) per low-power field, markedly lower
      than that of (278.44+/-13.28) per low-power field in shRNA-control group
      (P<0.01). Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting showed that MALAT1
      downregulation significantly reduced the expressions of proteins related to EMT
      signal pathway in EC-109 cells.Dual luciferase reporter assay showed that
      compared to negative control, the activities of luciferase reporter in EC-109
      cells co-transfected with pmirGLO-MALAT1-wt and miR-200a were significantly down
      regulated. While co-transfected pmirGLO-MALAT1-mut with miR-200a mimics had no
      effect on the luciferase reporter activities of MALAT1. Conclusion: LncRNA MALAT1
      functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate the expressions of ZEB1 and
      ZEB2 by sponging miR-200a and promotes invasion and migration of esophageal
      cancer cells through inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

PMID- 28635229
TI  - [Macrophage colony stimulating factor enhances non-small cell lung cancer
      invasion and metastasis by promoting macrophage M2 polarization].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the key cytokine which polarizes M2 macrophages and
      promotes invasion and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods:
      After co-culture with A549 cells in vitro, the proportion of CD14(+) CD163(+) M2
      macrophages in monocytes and macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) levels
      in culture supernatant were detected by flow cytometry, ELISA assay and real-time
      qPCR, respectively. The effects of CD14(+) CD163(+) M2 macrophages on invasion of
      A549 cells and angiogenesis of HUVEC cells were measured by transwell assay and
      tubule formation assay, respectively. The clinical and prognostic significance of
      M-CSF expression in NSCLC was further analyzed. Results: The percentage of
      CD14(+) CD163(+) M2 macrophages in monocytes and the concentration of M-CSF in
      the supernatant followed by co-culture was (12.03+/-0.46)% and (299.80+/
      73.76)pg/ml, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in control
      group [(2.80+/-1.04)% and (43.07+/-11.22)pg/ml, respectively, P< 0.05]. Human
      recombinant M-CSF promoted M2 polarization of macrophages in vitro. M2
      macrophages enhanced the invasion of A549 cells (66 cells/field vs. 26
      cells/field) and the angiogenesis of HUVEC cells (22 tubes/field vs. 8
      tubes/field). The mRNA expression of M-CSF in stage I-II patients (16.23+/-4.83)
      was significantly lower than that in stage III-IV (53.84+/-16.08; P<0.05). M-CSF
      levels were associated with poorer overall survival and disease-free survival in
      NSCLC patients (P<0.05). Conclusions: Tumor-derived M-CSF can induce CD14(+)
      CD163(+) M2 polarization of macrophages, which can further promote the metastasis
      and angiogenesis of NSCLC. M-CSF could be used as a potential therapeutic target
      of NSCLC.

PMID- 28635230
TI  - [The expression of programmed death receptor 1 in non-small cell lung cancer and
      its clinicopathological features and prognosis showed a connection with epidermal
      growth factor receptor gene mutations].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the relationships between the expression of programmed
      death 1 (PD-1) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations in
      non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study also attempted to investigate the
      clinicopathological features and prognosis in NSCLC patients. Methods: The
      expression of PD-1 protein in 88 cases of NSCLC tumor tissues and adjacent
      tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The mutations of EGFR in NSCLC were
      detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Amplification Refractory Mutation
      System(PCR-ARMS) method. The expression of PD-1 and patients' clinical
      characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. Results: PD-1 was positive in
      63.6%(56/88) NSCLC tumor tissues, which was significantly higher than that in
      adjacent normal tissues (21.6%, 19/88) (P<0.05). EGFR gene mutations were found
      in 43 cases (48.9%), in which 30 cases (69.8%)were PD-1 positive expression. 45
      cases had the wild types of EGFR gene, in which 26 cases (57.8%) were PD-1
      positive. There were 24 cases of 19Del EGFR mutations, including 20 cases (83.3%)
      of PD-1 positive expression. 19 patients had 21L858 EGFR mutations, including 10
      cases (52.6%) of PD-1 positive expression. The expression of PD-1 in NSCLC was
      related to patients' smoking status, lymph node metastasis and EGFR gene
      mutations (P<0.05). The median progression-free survival time of patients with PD
      1 positive and negative expression was 7.03 and 18.66 months, respectively
      (P=0.007). In patients with wild-type EGFR gene, the median progression-free
      survival time of PD-1 positive and negative expression was 25.21 and 38.24
      months, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.024). The
      median progression-free survival time in 43 cases of EGFR mutant patients with PD
      1 positive and negative expression was 21.23 and 31.44 months. The difference was
      not statistically significant (P=0.128). Conclusions: PD-1 expresses in both EGFR
      mutant and wild-type NSCLC, and its expression levelis different with various
      EGFR mutations. The expression of PD-1 in NSCLC is related to the prognosis of
      patients, and the prognosis of patients with positive PD-1 expression was poor.

PMID- 28635231
TI  - [Comparison of paired box genes 8 and 2 expression in epithelium tissues and the
      related tumors].
AB  - Objective: To explore the expressional differences between paired box genes
      2(Pax2) and 8 (Pax8) protein in different kinds of epitheliums and tumors, and to
      investigate the clinicopathologic significance. Methods: Expression levels of
      Pax2 and Pax8 protein were detected in 75 cases of different human epithelium
      tissues and 255 cases of different tumors on tissue microarray by
      immunohistochemistry. Results: Pax2 and Pax8 selectively expressed in different
      tissues. The positive rates of Pax8 protein expressed in the normal epithelium of
      the thyroid, urinary system and female reproductive system were 100% (2/2), 60.0%
      (3/5) and 76.9% (10/13), respectively. The positive rates of Pax2 expressed in
      the epithelium tissues of urinary system and the female reproductive system were
      40.0% (2/5) and 38.5% (5/13) respectively. However, the expression of Pax2
      protein was not detected in the normal thyroid epithelium. The positive rate of
      Pax8 protein expressing in the epithelium of reproductive system was
      significantly higher than that of Pax2 protein (P<0.05). The tumors derived from
      different tissues also expressed different levels of protein Pax2 and Pax8. The
      positive rates of Pax8 in renal cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma and endometrial
      adenocarcinoma were 65.2% (15/23), 66.7% (10/15) and 80.0% (4/5), respectively.
      The positive rates of Pax2 in renal cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma and
      endometrial adenocarcinoma were 34.8% (8/23), 13.3% (2/15) and 20.0% (1/5),
      respectively. The positive rates of Pax8 protein expressed in renal cell
      carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma and endometrial adenocarcinoma were significantly
      higher than those of Pax2 protein (P<0.05). The positive rates of Pax8 in ovarian
      serous carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma were 92.9%
      (26/28), 81.8% (9/11) and 82.4% (14/17), respectively. The positive rates of Pax2
      in ovarian serous carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma were
      28.6% (8/28), 9.1% (1/11) and 17.6% (3/17), respectively. The positive rates of
      Pax8 protein expressed in ovarian serous carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma and
      clear cell carcinomawere significantly higher than those of Pax2 protein
      (P<0.05). Conclusions: Pax2 and Pax8 are specifically expressed in female
      reproductive system and uritany system. However, the positive expression of Pax8
      is superior to that of Pax2. The combined expression of Pax8 and Pax2 can be used
      in the differential diagnosis of epithelial tumors derived from different
      origins.

PMID- 28635232
TI  - [Analysis of the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in 674 cases
      of breast intraductal papillary tumor].
AB  - Objective: Breast intraductal papillary tumors are clinically common diseases
      derived from the ducts. The aim of this study is to investigate the
      clinicopathological characteristics of intraductal papillary tumors and risk
      factors for carcinogenesis. Methods: The clinicopathological data of 674 patients
      with breast intraductal papillary tumors, who underwent surgery in the National
      Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from January
      2010 to July 2015, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median follow-up
      time was 46 months. The 674 cases were classified into 547 intraductal papilloma,
      88 cases of intraductal papillary carcinoma, 32 cases of intracystic papillary
      carcinoma, and 7 cases of solid papillary carcinoma of breast. After a median
      follow-up time of 46 months, 13 out of 547 (2.4%) intraductal papillomas had
      local recurrence in the original dissected quadrat, another 10 cases developed
      breast cancer in the original dissected quadrat. The 3-year recurrence-free
      survival rates in intraductal papilloma and intraductal papilloma accompanied
      with atypical ductal hyperplasia were 97.7% and 93.5%, respectively, the
      recurrence-free survival curves showed a significant difference (P=0.011).
      Multivariate analysis indicated that atypical ductal hyperplasia was a major
      prognostic factor affecting the recurrence-free survival of intraductal papilloma
      (RR=0.183, 95%CI=0.054 to 0.777, P=0.020). Four cases (3.1%) of intraductal
      papillary carcinoma had local recurrence. The logistic analysis showed that
      patient aged >45 years, clinical manifestations of a breast lump, maximum tumor
      diameter greater than 2 cm are possible clinical manifestation of malignant
      breast intraductal papillary tumors (RR=1.735, 95%CI=1.007-2.990, P=0.047;
      RR=2.849, 95%CI=1.207-6.711, P=0.017; RR=3.792, 95%CI=2.162-6.653, P<0.001).
      Conclusions: Intraductal papillary tumors have a certain recurrence rate. Age,
      clinical features and tumor size may be predictive factors of intraductal
      papillary carcinoma.

PMID- 28635233
TI  - [Clinical characteristics and prognosis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes and
      prognostic factors in patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer. Methods: Clinical
      data of 56 patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital
      from January 2006 to June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed and followed up.
      Results: Of the 56 patients, there were 24 male and 32 female. The median age was
      65 years old. At diagnosis, 10 patients have different degrees of breathing
      difficulty; 8 patients have varying degrees of dysphagia, and 12 patients have
      hoarseness. Distant metastases were found in 23 patients at presentation. Patient
      staging was performed in accordance with the tumor-node-metastasis system as
      follows: stage IVA (n=19), stage IVB (n=14) and stage IVC (n=23). The median
      survival time of 56 patients was 4.5 months.The overall 1-year survival rate was
      5.4%. Univariate analysis showed that radiotherapy and multimodality therapy were
      prognostic factors for 1-year overall survival (both of P<0.05). The overall 1
      year survival rate of the patients who received precision radiotherapy was 16.7%,
      which was higher than who received the other radiation therapy (4.0%, P=0.040).
      Furthermore, the overall 1-year survival rate of the patients who received
      surgery combined with radiotherapy was 12.5%, which was higher than who received
      the other treatments(4.2%, P=0.040). Multivariate analysis indicated that
      radiotherapy was independently associated with improved survival (P=0.020).
      Conclusions: Patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer should receive multimodality
      therapies combining surgery with radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is independently
      associated with improved overall survival. Notably, the precision radiotherapy
      that based on image guidance has a significantly beneficial impact on the
      prognosis of patients.

PMID- 28635234
TI  - [Clinicopathological features and prognosis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath
      tumor: a retrospective study of 140 cases].
AB  - Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis of
      malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). Methods: We retrospectively
      reviewed the clinical data of MPNST patients who were treated at Cancer Institute
      & Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science from January 1999 to January 2016.
      A total of 140 patients with 66 male and 74 female with MPNST were enrolled in
      the study. The median age was 40 at the time of diagnosis. Survival analysis were
      estimated by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test. Multivariate analysis were
      estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: The median
      follow-up time was 43.0 months. The 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates
      were 56.4% and 48.6%, respectively. The 3-year local recurrence (LR) rate and
      distant metastasis (DM) rates were 42.9% and 49.3%, respectively. Univariate
      analysis showed that the tumor location, AJCC stage, S-100, radiotherapy and
      margin status affected 5-year OS rate (all P<0.05). The tumor location, AJCC
      stage, S-100, Ki-67 staining, margin status, radiotherapy and chemotherapy
      affected 3-year LR rate (all P<0.05). The tumor location, AJCC stage, S-100, Ki
      67 staining and margin status affected 3-year DM rate (all P<0.05). Multivariate
      analysis showed that the tumor location, AJCC stage, S-100 were independent
      factors for 5-year OS rate (all P<0.05). The tumor location, Ki-67 staining and
      chemotherapy were independent factors for LR (all P<0.05) while the AJCC stage,
      margin status and Ki-67 staining were independent factors for DM (all P<0.05).
      Conclusions: MPSNT is an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. Multiple factors
      were identified in this study. Patients with the tumor located at head and neck,
      advanced AJCC stage and negative S-100 usually have a low 5-year overall survival
      rate. Patients with the tumor located at head and neck, Ki-67 staining >= 20% and
      without chemotherapy had a higher tendency of local recurrence. Poor prognosis
      factors for DM were advanced AJCC stage, positive margin and Ki-67 staining >=
      20%.

PMID- 28635235
TI  - [The role of postmastectomy radiotherapy in clinical T1-3N1M0 breast cancer
      patients with pathological negative lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy
      and mastectomy].
AB  - Objective: To analyze the outcomes of clinical T1-3N1M0 breast cancer patients
      with pathological negative axillary lymph nodes (ypN0) after neoadjuvant
      chemotherapy (NAC) and mastectomy, and investigate the role of postmastectomy
      radiotherapy (PMRT). Methods: A total of 185 patients with clinical T1-3N1M0
      breast cancer treated between 1999 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. All
      patients were treated with NAC and mastectomy, and achieved ypN0. Of them, 89
      patients received additional PMRT and 96 patients did not. 101 patients had
      clinical stage II disease. 84 patients had clinical stage III disease. The rates
      of locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant metastasis (DM), disease-free survival
      (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method,
      and differences were compared using the log-rank test. Univariate analysis was
      used to interpret the impact of clinical features and treatment on patients'
      outcome. Results: The 5-year rates of LRR, DM, DFS, and OS for all patients were
      4.5%, 10.4%, 86.6%, and 97.1%, respectively. For patients with and without PMRT,
      the 5-year LRR rates were 1.1% and 7.5% (P=0.071), the 5-year DM rates were 5.1%
      and 15.0% (P=0.023), the 5-year DFS rates were 95.0% and 79.0% (P=0.008), and the
      5-year OS rates were 100.0% and 94.5% (P=0.089) respectively. In univariate
      analysis, lymph-vascular space invasion (LVSI) was poor prognostic factor of LRR
      (P=0.001), < 40 years old and lack of PMRT was a poor prognostic factor for DM
      (P<0.05), lack of PMRT was a poor prognostic factor for DFS (P=0.008), primary
      lesion residual and mild-moderate pathological response to NAC were poor
      prognostic factors for OS (P<0.05). In the subgroup of Stage III disease, for
      patients with and without PMRT, the 5-year LRR rates were 1.9% and 14.4%
      (P=0.041), the 5-year DFS rates were 91.9% and 67.4% (P=0.022), respectively. In
      the subgroup of Stage II disease, for patients with and without PMRT, the 5-year
      DM rates were 0 and 11.5% (P=0.044), the 5-year DFS rates were 100.0% and 84.9%
      (P=0.023), respectively. Conclusions: The LRR rate of clinical T1-3N1M0 breast
      cancer patients who achieved ypN0 after NAC and mastectomy was low. PMRT
      decreased the DM rate and increased DFS rate in all patients, and significantly
      decreased the LRR rate in Stage III disease. PMRT should be considered for
      patients with Stage III disease, and further research is warranted to investigate
      the benefit of PMRT for Stage II disease.

PMID- 28635236
TI  - [Efficacy and safety of Xiaoaiping combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of
      advanced esophageal cancer].
AB  - Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xiaoaiping combined with
      chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer. Methods: This is a
      multi-center, randomized, open label and parallel controlled study. A total of
      124 advanced esophageal cancer patients with Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS)
      score >=60 and expected survival time>=3 months were enrolled. We adopted design
      and divided the patients into study and control group. The patients in study
      group received Xiaoaiping combined with S-1 and cisplatin. The control group
      received S-1 and cisplatin. Each group included 62 patients and 21 days as a
      treatment cycle. The efficacy and adverse events in patients of the two groups
      were observed and compared. Results: 57 patients in the study group and 55 in the
      control group were included in efficacy assessment. The response rate was 54.4%
      and 34.5% in the study group and control group, respectively(P<0.05). Disease
      control rates were 86.0% and 69.1%, respectively(P<0.05). The median progression
      free survival (PFS) was 7.97 in the study group and 6.43 months in the control
      group(P<0.05). The median overall survival(OS) was 12.93 in the study group and
      10.93 months in the control group(P<0.05). The most common adverse events in the
      two groups were nausea and vomiting, thrombocytopenia, anemia, neutropenia, liver
      damage, pigmentation, oral mucositis, renal impairment and diarrhea. The
      incidences of nausea, vomiting, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia and
      diarrhea in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control
      group(P<0.05). Conclusion: Xiaoaiping combined with S-1 and cisplatin
      significantly increased response rate, and prolongedpatients' survival in
      patients with advanced esophageal cancer.

PMID- 28635237
TI  - [Comparison of the short-term and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery and
      open surgery for early-stage cervical cancer].
AB  - Objective: To evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes after laparoscopic
      surgery compared with traditional laparotomy in cases of stage IA2-IIA2 cervical
      cancer. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on the clinical data of 1 863
      patients diagnosed as FIGO stages IA2-IIA2 cervical cancer in 6 third-grade class
      A hospitals in Guangxi province between January 2007 and May 2014. One thousand
      and seventy-one received laparoscopy, and 792 received laparotomy. T-test, U-test
      and chi(2) test were used to compare the short-term and long-term outcomes. The
      short-term outcomes included surgical related outcomes and operative
      complications, and the long-term outcomes included quality of life (pelvic floor
      functions and sexual functions), survival and recurrence. Pelvic floor function
      and sexual function were assessed with the International Consultation on
      Incontinence Quesonnaire Female Lower Urinary tract(ICIQ-FLUTS) and the Female
      Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI), respectively. Survival rates were estimated by
      Kaplan-Meier analysis. The survival curves were compared with Log-rank test. Cox
      regression analysis was used to evaluaterisk factors for prognosis. Results:
      (1)The short-term outcomes : There were significant difference in operative
      time([(257+/-69) vs(238+/-56)min], estimated blood loss[(358+/-314) vs(707+/
      431)ml], anus exhausting time[(2.5+/-0.9) vs (2.9+/-0.8)d], preserved days of
      catheter[(15+/-7) vs(18+/-9)d], and post-operative length of stay[(19+/-16) vs
      (30+/-21)d] between the laparoscopic surgery group and the opensurgery
      group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in lymph nodes yielded[(21+/
      9) vs (21+/-11)], left parametrial width[(2.5+/-0.8) vs (2.7+/-0.7)cm], right
      parametrial width [(2.6+/-0.3) vs (2.7+/-0.2)cm], vaginal cuff length[(2.4+/-0.7)
      vs (2.2+/-0.7)cm] between the laparoscopic surgery group and the opensurgery
      group(P>0.05). The intra-operative complications occurred in 8.1%(87/1 071)in the
      laparoscopic surgery group and in 10.7%(85/792)in the open surgery group(P>0.05).
      However, the complications of vascular injury in the laparoscopic surgery
      group[2.6%(28/1 071)]was lower than that in the open surgery group[7.7%(61/792),
      P<0.001]. The laparoscopic surgery exhibited lower post- operative complication
      rate [33.8%(362/1 071)vs 40.2%(318/792), P<0.05] and poorer wound healing rate
      [0.7%(7/1 071)vs 4.0%(32/792), P<0.05]. (2)The long-term outcomes(Hierarchical
      analysis): The overall incontinence in ICIQ-FLUTS questionnaire in nerve-sparing
      laparoscopic group [28.4%(67/236)] was lower than that in the open surgery group
      [35.9%(71/198), P=0.004] . However, There was no significant difference in degree
      of incontinence between the two groups(P>0.05). The overall sexual dysfunction in
      FSFI questionnaire after 12 months of postoperative in the nerve-sparing
      laparoscopic group [47.0%(111/236)]was lower than that in the open surgery group
      [58.6%(116/198), P=0.001], and the six different dimension scores in the
      laparoscopic surgery group were higher than that in the open surgery group
      (P<0.05). The recurrence rate was 3.5%(35/1 007)in the laparoscopicsurgery group
      and 4.7%(35/740)in the open surgery group(P>0.05). The 5-year OS was 94.0% for
      the laparoscopic surgery group and 90.2% for the open surgery group(P>0.05), and
      the 5-year DFS was 93.9% for the laparoscopic surgery group and 89.1% for the
      open surgery group(P>0.05). (3) Prognostic fators: In univariate analysis, tumor
      dimension, clinical stage, deep stromal invasion, LVSI, and retroperitoneal lymph
      node metastasis signficantly affected 5-year OS and 5-year DFS(P<0.05); In
      multivariate analyses, LVSI, deep stromal invasion and LN metastasis were
      independent prognostic factors(P<0.05). Conclusions: Laparoscopy can
      reduceestimated blood loss, accelerate postoperative recovery and improve the
      quality of life after surgery compared to laparotomy, and it ensures the same
      oncological results as open surgery. Laparoscopic approach is a safe and
      effective treatment for early-stage cervical cancer.

PMID- 28635239
TI  - [An analysis of incidence trends and characteristics of soft tissue sarcoma in
      Beijing, 1999-2013].
AB  - Objective: To analyze the incidence trends and to describe the characteristics of
      soft tissue sarcoma (STS) among residents in Beijing from 1999 to 2013. Methods:
      Medical information of the cases diagnosed as STS(ICD10: C47&C49) from 1999 to
      2013 in Beijing was extracted from the population-based database of Beijing
      Cancer Registry.Crude incidence rate, age-standardized incidence rates to Chinese
      population (ASRC)and the world population(ASRW) were calculated. The
      characteristics of the STS cases in different gender and age groups from urban
      and rural areas were respectively analyzed.The incidence trends and annual
      percentage changes (APC) during last 15 years were analyzed by using JoinPoint
      3.4.3 software. Results: A total of 2 048 cases were diagnosed as STS during the
      study period and the incidence rate of STS was 1.15 per 100 000 person-years. The
      ASRC was 0.74 per 100 000 person-years and ASRW was 0.86 per 100 000 person
      years, respectively. Except for the impact of changes in the age composition, the
      APC of ASRW from 1999 to 2013 was 3.95%. For males, the incidence rate was
      increased from 0.65 per 100 000 in 1999 to 1.51 per 100 000 in 2013, and the APC
      was 4.27% (P<0.05); For females, the incidence rate was increased from 0.61 per
      100 000 in 1999 to 0.91 per 100 000 in 2013, and the APC was 3.38% (P<0.05). In
      urban area, the incidence rate increased from 1.14 per 100 000 in 2000 to 1.35
      per 100 000 in 2013, and the APC was 2.70% (P=0.05); In rural area, the incidence
      rate increased from 0.57 per 100 000 in 2000 to 0.98 per 100 000 in 2013, and the
      APC was 4.66% (P=0.04). 85.89%cases were pathologically diagnosed.Among them,
      undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was the most common subtype, which
      accounting for 19.22%, followed by liposarcoma (19.04%), malignantnerve sheath
      tumor (10.18%), fibrosarcoma (10.06%)and sarcoma without definite type(7.22%).
      Conclusions: The incidence rate of STS is still increasing, especially in the
      rural area of Beijing. The most common subtypes of STS in different age-groups
      were different. Further study is needed to explore the high risks of STS in the
      population with specific characteristics.

PMID- 28635238
TI  - [Comparison of vacuum bag fixation and Orfit rack with thermoplastic membrane
      fixation for image-guided cervical cancer radiotherapy].
AB  - Objective: To compare the difference of displacement between the vacuum bag
      fixation and the Orfit rack with thermoplastic membrane fixation of the cervical
      cancer patients, and to explore the individual fixation of the patients. Methods:
      We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 66 patients diagnosed as
      cervical cancer in Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital of Fujian Province from December
      2014 to April 2016. Among them, 33 patients were fixed with vacuum bag, 33
      patients were fixed with the Orfit rack with thermoplastic membrane. The cone
      beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were acquired daily for the first three
      times of the radiotherapy, followed by once every other day for a total of 15
      times. The CBCT scan images were matched with the CT scan images, and the
      matching results were recorded and analyzed. Results: The absolute value of the
      displacement in the left and right directions of the vacuum bag group was (0.28+/
      0.30) cm, significantly lower than (0.38+/-0.46) cm in the Orfit rack with
      thermoplastic membrane group(P<0.001). The absolute value of the displacement in
      the anteroposterior direction of the vacuum bag group was (0.28+/-0.32) cm, with
      no significant difference of (0.27+/-0.23) cm in the Orfit rack with
      thermoplastic membrane group (P=0.580). The absolute value of the displacement in
      the up and down directions was (0.33+/-0.60) cm, with no statistically
      significant difference of (0.27+/-0.48) cm in the Orfit rack with thermoplastic
      membrane group (P=0.150). During the three times of CBCT scans, the differences
      of displacement in the left and right directions of the vacuum bag group were
      negligible, while apparently varied in the anteroposterior and up and down
      directions, however, the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05).
      The change of the displacement in the three-dimensional direction in the Orfit
      rack with thermoplastic membrane group was marginal, and all of the differences
      were not significant(all P>0.05). Conclusions: Both the vacuum bag fixation and
      the Orfit rack with thermoplastic membrane fixation are suitable for the cone
      beam CT image-guided radiotherapy of cervical cancer patients. However, the
      displacement in the left and right directions of the vacuum bag fixation is
      smaller than the Orfit rack with thermoplastic membrane fixation. During the
      period of treatment, the mean value of the difference of displacement in the
      anterior and posterior directions of the Orfit rack with thermoplastic membrane
      fixation is mild, which can be used individually by the patients with a flexible
      body and good tolerance.

PMID- 28635240
TI  - [Two cases of lung cancer with bone metastasis of hand].

PMID- 28635242
TI  - [Towards a neuropsychological approach to autism]
AB  - Neuropsychology attributes mental activity to brain functioning. An inventory of
      the every-day life of the autist confirms a breakdown in behavior adapted to the
      world around him. Deficiency in the contribution of the right hemisphere,
      compromising social life, is accompanied by a mental life that is detached from
      reality, favorizing preconceived ideas that are inscribed in the logic governing
      the left hemispheric function. Inside each hemisphere homologous areas of the
      cerebral cortex, receiving and sharing the same information, react to messages
      according to their own mode. The left hemisphere applies itself to elementary
      information, treated sequentially, while the right hemisphere continuously brings
      up to date temporal and spatial synthesis coming from the sensorale 
      contribution. Attachment to an object or attentiveness to the world: this
      alternative mode is the key to understanding. The disorder responsible for autism
      occurs in the perinatal period. It compromizes the maturation of right hemisphere
      functions where interaction with the surrounding environment should take
      precedence over attention to objects. Besides its interest in the orientation of
      research, the neuropsychological approach of Pervasive Development Disorder has
      the merit of demystifying the drama associated with autism. A better
      understanding of the nature of this disorder would be of great assistance in
      circumventing it.

PMID- 28635241
TI  - [Alpha-fetoprotein-producing pancreatic cancer: a case report].

PMID- 28635244
TI  - [Malaria is still a leading cause of fever and death among children and pregnant
      women in Africa in 2015].
AB  - The prevalence and morbidity of P. vivax, P. ovale (curisi et wallikeri) and P.
      malariae remain underestimated. However important progress has been made.
      According to the WHO World Malaria report between 2000 and 2015 the malaria
      incidence has decreased by 42% while the incidence of malaria deaths has
      decreased by 66%. This is the result of the important progress made in scaling up
      the main interventions such the rapid diagnosis test, Artemisinin-based
      combination therapies, long lasting insecticide treated nets, indoor residual
      house spraying, intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp-SP),
      Seasonal Malaria Chemoprophylaxis with combined antimalarial (SMClAQ-SP). In the
      Sahel region with a highly seasonal transmission, the use of SMC resulted in a
      reduction of malaria morbidity for 80% and a reduce mortality for 58%. Malaria
      elimination efforts are going on in many countries in Swaziland, South Africa,
      Namibia, Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania), Bioko Island (Equatorial
      Guinea), Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, and maybe Senegal. For the time being
      only countries in Northern Africa and few in East Africa (Mauritius) have reached
      the elimination of local transmission. Despite the progress made near 500,000
      malaria deaths occur annually in the African Region with 10-15% leading to
      disabling sequels and low school performance in children. Reaching the target of
      80% for preventive and treatment interventions remain a challenge in many
      countries in Africa. It's important to keep in mind that the Abuja targets and
      MGDs were not reached by most African countries. In addition, among 12 million
      children eligible for SMC only 35% were covered despite the availability of
      resources in 2014. A huge global stock out of ACT. AQ-SP is possible. The
      development of an effective vaccine  has been disappointing with a limited
      effectiveness of the RTS,S. The emerging resistance to Artemisinin derivate in
      South-East Asia and its possible expansion to Africa is of big concern. Anopheles
      gambiae resistance to pyrethroid make to situation even more complex. The
      situation can worsen because of factor such as climate change and socio-political
      crisis. Therefore the malaria situation in Africa is still of big concern despite
      the progress highlighted. Innovative a robust approach is needed with strong
      government commitment and partners support to lead battle. A new hope is emerging
      with the development of candidate vaccine from whole sporozoite, the other
      candidates vaccines blocking the transmission in phase 1b and the new SMC Plus
      strategy (AQ-SP+Azithromycine). Conclusion: lessons learnt from the malaria
      eradication era in the 50s must be factored in while developing the malaria
      elimination strategy for Africa by 2030.

PMID- 28635245
TI  - Focus on lung cancer screening program at Campus Bio-Medico of Rome: update on
      over 3250 patients.

PMID- 28635246
TI  - Patient-specific cardiac electrophysiology.

PMID- 28635247
TI  - Spontaneous coronary dissection of left anterior descending artery complicated by
      retrograde extension of dissection and involvement of left main artery:
      successful management with percutaneous coronary intervention.

PMID- 28635248
TI  - Safety, feasibility, tips and tricks of permanent pacemaker implantation in
      patients with isolated persistent left superior vena cava.

PMID- 28635249
TI  - Perfluorocarbon/Gold Loading for Noninvasive in Vivo Assessment of Bone Fillers
      Using 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography.
AB  - Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is used in bone repair because of its
      biocompatibility. However, high similarity between CPC and the natural osseous
      phase results in poor image contrast in most of the available in vivo imaging
      techniques such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
      For accurate identification and localization during and after implantation in
      vivo, a composition with enhanced image contrast is needed. In this study, we
      labeled CPC with perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether-loaded (PFCE) poly(latic-co-glycolic
      acid) nanoparticles (hydrodynamic radius 100 nm) and gold nanoparticles (diameter
      40 nm), as 19F MRI and CT contrast agents, respectively. The resulting
      CPC/PFCE/gold composite is implanted in a rat model for in vivo longitudinal
      imaging. Our findings show that the incorporation of the two types of different
      nanoparticles did result in adequate handling properties of the cement.
      Qualitative and quantitative long-term assessment of CPC/PFCE/gold degradation
      was achieved in vivo and correlated to the new bone formation. Finally, no
      adverse biological effects on the bone tissue are observed via histology. In
      conclusion, an easy and efficient strategy for following CPC implantation and
      degradation in vivo is developed. As all materials used are biocompatible, this
      CPC/PFCE/gold composite is clinically applicable.

PMID- 28635250
TI  - Highly Stimuli-Responsive Au Nanorods/Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)
      Composite Hydrogel for Smart Switch.
AB  - To achieve both fast response and structural integrity during the repeating
      volume changes are the most significant challenges for thermoresponsive
      hydrogels. In this work, AuNRs/PNIPAM composite hydrogel with fast
      thermal/optical response and structural integrity is facilely prepared by
      electrospinning and following a curing treatment. By combining the photothermal
      property of AuNRs and thermal-responsive effect of PNIPAM, the composite hydrogel
      shows fast thermal/photoresponse, high heating rate, and high structural
      integrity with fierce size change. When laser irradiation begins, the temperature
      of the film increases from room temperature to 34.5  degrees C in 1 s and will
      further increase even to 60  degrees C in 5 s. Both the porous structure of the
      hydrogel and the assemble effect of AuNRs within the PNIPAM fibers facilitate the
      fast responsibility. Furthermore, to take advantage of this fibrous hydrogel
      adequately, one novel kind of thermal/photocontrolled switch based on the
      composite hydrogel is prepared, which exhibits fast responsivity and high
      stability even under acidic or basic conditions.

PMID- 28635251
TI  - Molecular Adsorbates Switch on Heterogeneous Catalysis: Induction of Reactivity
      by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.
AB  - We report the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-induced activation of an otherwise
      unreactive Pd/Al2O3 catalyst. Surface analysis techniques demonstrate the NHC
      being coordinated to the palladium particles and affecting their electronic
      properties. Ab initio calculations provide further insight into the electronic
      effect of the coordination with the NHC injecting electron density into the metal
      nanocluster thus lowering the barrier for bromobenzene activation. By this NHC
      modification, the catalyst could be successfully applied in the Buchwald-Hartwig
      amination of aryl chlorides, bromides, and iodides. Various heterogeneity tests
      could additionally show that the reaction proceeds via a heterogeneous active
      species.

PMID- 28635252
TI  - Proton-Fueled, Reversible DNA Hybridization Chain Assembly for pH Sensing and
      Imaging.
AB  - Design of DNA self-assembly with reversible responsiveness to external stimuli is
      of great interest for diverse applications. We for the first time develop a pH
      responsive, fully reversible hybridization chain reaction (HCR) assembly that
      allows sensitive sensing and imaging of pH in living cells. Our design relies on
      the triplex forming sequences that form DNA triplex with toehold regions under
      acidic conditions and then induce a cascade of strand displacement and DNA
      assembly. The HCR assembly has shown dynamic responses in physiological pH ranges
      with excellent reversibility and demonstrated the potential for in vitro
      detection and live-cell imaging of pH. Moreover, this method affords HCR
      assemblies with highly localized fluorescence responses, offering advantages of
      improving sensitivity and better selectivity. The proton-fueled, reversible HCR
      assembly may provide a useful approach for pH-related cell biology study and
      disease diagnostics.

PMID- 28635253
TI  - Discovery and Characterization of Histidine Oxidation Initiated Cross-links in an
      IgG1 Monoclonal Antibody.
AB  - Novel cross-links between an oxidized histidine and intact histidine, lysine, or
      cysteine residues were discovered and characterized from high-molecular weight
      (HMW) fractions of an IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The mAb HMW fractions were
      collected using preparative size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) and extensively
      characterized to understand the mechanism of formation of the nonreducible and
      covalently linked portion of the HMWs. The HMW fractions were IdeS digested,
      reduced, and analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with mass
      spectrometry (SEC-MS). The nonreducible cross-links were found to be enriched in
      the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of the heavy chain, with a net mass
      increase of 14 Da. Detailed peptide mapping revealed as many as seven covalent
      cross-links in the HMW fractions, where oxidized histidines react with intact
      histidine, lysine, and free cysteine to form cross-links. It is the first time
      that histidine-cysteine (His-Cys) and histidine-lysine (His-Lys) in addition to
      histidine-histidine (His-His) cross-links were discovered in monoclonal antibody
      HMW species. The histidine oxidation hot spots were identified, which include
      conserved histidine residues His292 and His440 in the Fc region and His231 in the
      hinge region of the IgG1 mAb heavy chain. Their cross-linking partners include
      His231, His292, His440, and Cys233 in the hinge region and Lys297 in the Fc
      region. A cross-linking mechanism has been proposed that involves nucleophilic
      addition by histidine, cysteine, or lysine residues to the carbonyl-containing
      histidine oxidation intermediates to form the cross-links.

PMID- 28635254
TI  - Sudoku-like Lab-on-Paper Cyto-Device with Dual Enhancement of
      Electrochemiluminescence Intermediates Strategy.
AB  - This paper describes the design and construction of a sudoku-like lab-on-paper
      platform, in which dual enhancement of reaction intermediates strategy was
      incorporated for multiplexed competitive electrochemiluminescence (ECL) cyto
      assay. Benefiting from the sudoku-like structure, integrated multifunctions were
      obtained on such an elaborately devised platform, including specific reagents
      storage, multiple samples immobilization, residual automatic washing, and signal
      collection. By utilizing semicarbazide (SE) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as
      dual enhancers, more ECL intermediates could be obtained in the graphene quantum
      dots (GQDs) and peroxydisulfate system, resulting in the production of more
      excited-state GQDs to emit light. Moreover, the double-stranded DNA nanowire with
      multiple branched arms (MBdsDNA) was chosen as an efficient nanocarrier to load
      more GQDs and AgNPs. Via immobilizing AgNPs on the end of the plentiful branched
      arms, Ag-MBdsDNA were obtained and trapped on the sensing interface through the
      valid competitive interactions between target cells and Ag-MBdsDNA. Afterward,
      abundant GQDs were attached to the three-dimensional (3D) DNA skeleton of the
      captured Ag-MBdsDNA via pi-pi stacking. Due to their good self-catalytic activity
      of labeled AgNPs, more silver was deposited on the Ag-MBdsDNA@GQDs, giving rise
      to further amplification of expected signal. With four types of cancer cells as
      models, MCF-7, CCRF-CEM, HeLa, and K562 cells were assayed in the ranges of 1.0 *
      102-1.0 * 107, 1.5 * 102-2.0 * 107, 2.0 * 102-5.0 * 106, and 1.2 * 102-2.0 * 106
      cells mL-1 with the detection limits of 38, 53, 67, and 42 cells mL-1,
      respectively. Notably, this strategy supplies a simple and versatile platform for
      sensitive determination of multiple targeted cells, which would play a crucial
      role in point-of-care diagnostic fields.

PMID- 28635255
TI  - Characterization and Immunomodulatory Activity of a Novel Peptide, ECFSTA, from
      Wheat Germ Globulin.
AB  - A novel peptide was extracted from wheat germ globulin and purified using ion
      exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, and semi-preparative
      reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The sequence of
      the peptide was found to be Glu-Cys-Phe-Ser-Thr-Ala (ECFSTA). Its
      immunomodulatory effects were evaluated, and the results showed that ECFSTA could
      enhance phagocytosis of RAW 264.7 cells and significantly increase their
      secretion of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha
      (TNF-alpha), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). ECFSTA activated macrophages
      mainly through the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of toll-like receptor 2
      (TLR2) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and the production of ROS simultaneously
      stimulated macrophages to produce TNF-alpha. Thus, ECFSTA could be used as an
      immunomodulator and might be a promising component of functional foods.

PMID- 28635256
TI  - In Situ Gelation-Induced Death of Cancer Cells Based on Proteinosomes.
AB  - Hydrogels are an excellent type of material that can be utilized as a platform
      for cell culture. However, when a bulky hydrogel forms on the inside of cancer
      cells, the result would be different. In this study, we demonstrate a method for
      in situ gelation inside cancer cells that can efficiently induce cell death.
      Glutathione-responsive proteinosomes with good biocompatibility were prepared as
      carriers for sodium alginate to be endocytosed by cancer cells, where the
      chelation between sodium alginate and free calcium ions in the culture medium
      occurs during the diffusion process. The uptake of the hydrogel-loaded
      proteinosomes into the cancer cells, and then the triggered release of hydrogel
      with concomitant aggregation, was well-confirmed by monitoring the change of the
      Young's modulus of the cells based on AFM force measurements. Accordingly, when a
      large amount of hydrogel formed in cells, the cell viability would be inhibited
      by ~90% by MTT assay at a concentration of 5.0 MUM of hydrogel-loaded
      proteinosomes after 48 h incubation, which clearly proves the feasibility of the
      demonstrated method for killing cancer cells. Although more details regarding the
      mechanism of cell death should be conducted in the near future, such a
      demonstrated method of in situ gelation inside cells provides another choice for
      killing cancer cells.

PMID- 28635258
TI  - Mucin-Inspired Lubrication on Hydrophobic Surfaces.
AB  - In the human body, high-molecular-weight glycoproteins called mucins play a key
      role in protecting epithelial surfaces against pathogenic attack, controlling the
      passage of molecules toward the tissue and enabling boundary lubrication with
      very low friction coefficients. However, neither the molecular mechanisms nor the
      chemical motifs of those biomacromolecules involved in these fundamental
      processes are fully understood. Thus, identifying the key features that render
      biomacromolecules such as mucins outstanding boundary lubricants could set the
      stage for creating versatile artificial superlubricants. We here demonstrate the
      importance of the hydrophobic terminal peptide domains of porcine gastric mucin
      (MUC5AC) and human salivary mucin (MUC5B) in the processes of adsorbing to and
      lubricating a hydrophobic PDMS surface. Tryptic digestion of those mucins results
      in removal of those terminal domains, which is accompanied by a loss of lubricity
      as well as surface adsorption. We show that this loss can in part be compensated
      by attaching hydrophobic phenyl groups to the glycosylated central part of the
      mucin macromolecule. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the simple
      biopolysaccharide dextran can be functionalized with hydrophobic groups which
      confers efficient surface adsorption and good lubricity on PDMS to the
      polysaccharide.

PMID- 28635257
TI  - Circular Bivalent Aptamers Enable in Vivo Stability and Recognition.
AB  - Aptamers are powerful candidates for molecular imaging and targeted therapy of
      cancer based on such appealing features as high binding affinity, high
      specificity, site-specific modification and rapid tumor penetration. However,
      aptamers are susceptible to plasma exonucleases in vivo. This seriously affects
      their in vivo applications. To overcome this key limitation, we herein report the
      design and development of circular bivalent aptamers. Systematic studies reveal
      that cyclization of aptamers can improve thermal stability, nuclease resistance
      and binding affinity. In vivo fluorescence imaging further validates the
      efficient accumulation and retention of circular bivalent aptamers in tumors
      compared to "mono-aptamers". Therefore, this study provides a simple and
      efficient strategy to boost in vivo aptamer applications in cancer diagnosis and
      therapy.

PMID- 28635259
TI  - Delivery System Targeting Hemagglutinin of Influenza Virus A to Facilitate
      Antisense-Based Anti-H1N1 Therapy.
AB  - Antisense oligonucleotides (ODNs) are therapeutic molecules that hybridize to
      complementary target mRNA sequences. To further overcome the poor cellular uptake
      of ODNs, we proposed a novel strategy to deliver ODNs by conjugating the anti
      influenza A virus (IAV) ODN with a peptide showing high affinity to the
      hemagglutinin (HA) on the surface of IAV particles or the IAV-infected host
      cells. The HA-specific binding peptides were selected by phage display, and the
      individual binding clones are characterized by DNA sequencing, and the selected
      phage was further assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The final
      selected HA-binding peptide, SHGRITFAYFAN, was conjugated to an anti-IAV ODN. The
      delivery efficiency and the anti-IAV effects of the conjugated molecule were
      evaluated in a cell-culture and a mouse-infection model. The conjugated molecule
      was successfully delivered into IAV-infected host cells more efficiently than the
      anti-IAV ODN in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the conjugated molecule protected
      80% of the mice from lethal challenge and inhibited the plaque count by 75%
      compared to the unconjugated molecule (60% and 40%). These findings demonstrate
      that the delivery of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to infected tissues by a
      virus-binding peptide-mediated system is a potential therapeutic strategy against
      IAV.

PMID- 28635261
TI  - Novel Protein-Based Solid-Biosensor for Determining Pro-oxidant Activity of
      Phenolic Compounds.
AB  - To develop a protein-based biosensor measuring the pro-oxidant activities of
      phenolic compounds, egg white proteins were precipitated with calcium chloride to
      obtain an insoluble calcium proteinate complex. This biosensor was used for the
      determination of Cu(II)-induced pro-oxidant activity of antioxidants such as
      gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid and myricetin,
      and ascorbic acid. This assay involved the reduction of Cu(II) ions to Cu(I) by
      antioxidant compounds (simultaneously giving rise to reactive oxygen species) and
      binding of the formed Cu(I) to the solid biosensor. The protein-bound Cu(I), an
      indicator of pro-oxidant activity of antioxidants on proteins, was
      colorimetrically determined at 450 nm with neocuproine (Nc). The method was
      applied to synthetic mixtures and herbal (sage, green tea, mint, and marjoram)
      infusions, and its findings were compared to those of a modified carbonyl
      detection assay. This low-cost biosensor can be prepared in large quantities and
      used for a long time.

PMID- 28635262
TI  - Enormous Hydrogen Bond Strength Enhancement through pi-Conjugation Gain:
      Implications for Enzyme Catalysis.
AB  - Surprisingly large resonance-assistance effects may explain how some enzymes form
      extremely short, strong hydrogen bonds to stabilize reactive oxyanion
      intermediates and facilitate catalysis. Computational models for several enzymic
      residue-substrate interactions reveal that when a pi-conjugated, hydrogen bond
      donor (XH) forms a hydrogen bond to a charged substrate (Y-), XH can become
      significantly more pi-electron delocalized, and this "extra" stabilization may
      boost the [XH...Y-] hydrogen bond strength by >=15 kcal/mol. This reciprocal
      relationship departs from the widespread pKa concept (i.e., the idea that short,
      strong hydrogen bonds form when the interacting moieties have matching pKa
      values), which has been the rationale for enzymic acid-base reactions. The
      findings presented here provide new insight into how short, strong hydrogen bonds
      could form in enzymes.

PMID- 28635260
TI  - Development, Validation, and Interlaboratory Evaluation of a Quantitative
      Multiplexing Method To Assess Levels of Ten Endogenous Allergens in Soybean Seed
      and Its Application to Field Trials Spanning Three Growing Seasons.
AB  - As part of the regulatory approval process in Europe, comparison of endogenous
      soybean allergen levels between genetically engineered (GE) and non-GE plants has
      been requested. A quantitative multiplex analytical method using tandem mass
      spectrometry was developed and validated to measure 10 potential soybean
      allergens from soybean seed. The analytical method was implemented at six
      laboratories to demonstrate the robustness of the method and further applied to
      three soybean field studies across multiple growing seasons (including 21 non-GE
      soybean varieties) to assess the natural variation of allergen levels. The
      results show environmental factors contribute more than genetic factors to the
      large variation in allergen abundance (2- to 50-fold between environmental
      replicates) as well as a large contribution of Gly m 5 and Gly m 6 to the total
      allergen profile, calling into question the scientific rational for measurement
      of endogenous allergen levels between GE and non-GE varieties in the safety
      assessment.

PMID- 28635263
TI  - Crystalline Nanochannels with Pendant Azobenzene Groups: Steric or Polar Effects
      on Gas Adsorption and Diffusion?
AB  - An azobenzene-containing, zirconium-based metal-organic framework (AzoMOF), upon
      irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light at 365 +/- 10 nm, underwent trans-to-cis
      isomerization of its azobenzene pendants to furnish the cis-isomer content of 21%
      (AzoMOF21%) in 30 min at the photostationary state and underwent backward
      isomerization into AzoMOF1% upon either irradiation with visible light (420-480
      nm) or heating. When the cis-isomer content increased, the diffusion rate and
      amount of CO2 adsorbed into the nanochannels of AzoMOF decreased considerably.
      When erythrosine B, a polarity-probing guest, was used, it showed a red shift
      upon exposure of AzoMOF20%?EB to visible light, indicating that the interior
      environment of AzoMOF turns less polar as the trans-isomer content becomes
      higher. In sharp contrast, the adsorption profiles of AzoMOF15% and AzoMOF1% for
      Ar having an analogous kinetic diameter to CO2 but no quadrupole moment and a
      smaller polarizability were virtually identical to one another. Therefore, it is
      likely that CO2 experiences a dominant effect of a polar effect rather than a
      steric effect in the crystalline nanochannels.

PMID- 28635264
TI  - Cadmium Accumulation Risk in Vegetables and Rice in Southern China: Insights from
      Solid-Solution Partitioning and Plant Uptake Factor.
AB  - Solid-solution partitioning coefficient (Kd) and plant uptake factor (PUF)
      largely determine the solubility and mobility of soil Cd to food crops. A four
      year regional investigation was conducted in contaminated vegetable and paddy
      fields of southern China to quantify the variability in Kd and PUF. The
      distributions of Kd and PUF characterizing transfers of Cd from soil to vegetable
      and rice are probabilistic in nature. Dynamics in soil pH and soil Zn greatly
      affected the variations of Kd. In addition to soil pH, soil organic matter had a
      major influence on PUF variations in vegetables. Heavy leaching of soil Mn caused
      a higher Cd accumulation in rice grain. Dietary ingestion of 85.5% of the locally
      produced vegetable and rice would have adverse health risks, with rice
      consumption contributing 97.2% of the risk. A probabilistic risk analysis based
      on derived transfer function reveals the amorphous Mn oxide content exerts a
      major influence on Cd accumulation in rice in pH conditions below 5.5. Risk
      estimation and field experiments show that to limit the Cd concentration in rice
      grains, soil management strategies should include improving the pH and soil Mn
      concentration to around 6.0 and 345 mg kg-1, respectively. Our work illustrates
      that re-establishing a balance in trace elements in soils' labile pool provides
      an effective risk-based approach for safer crop practices.

PMID- 28635265
TI  - Metabolic Oligosaccharide Engineering with Alkyne Sialic Acids Confers
      Neuraminidase Resistance and Inhibits Influenza Reproduction.
AB  - Metabolic incorporation of azide- or alkyne-modified sialic acids into the
      cellular glycosylation pathway enables the study of sialoglycan expression,
      localization, and trafficking via bioorthogonal chemistry. Herein, we report that
      such modifications of the sialic acid sugar can have a profound influence on
      their hydrolysis by neuraminidases (sialidase). Azidoacetyl (Az)-modified sialic
      acids were prone to neuraminidase cleavage, whereas propargyloxycarbonyl (Poc)
      modified sialic acids were largely resistant to cleavage. Because the influenza
      virus infection cycle depends on the hydrolysis of host-cell-surface sialic
      acids, influenza cell-to-cell transmission was strongly reduced in Poc sialic
      acid glycoengineered host cells. The use of Poc sialic acids may disturb
      biological processes involving neuraminidase cleavage but also provides
      perspective for use in applications in which sialic acid hydrolysis is not
      desired, such as antibody modification, viral infection, etc.

PMID- 28635266
TI  - Boosting the Thermoelectric Performance of (Na,K)-Codoped Polycrystalline SnSe by
      Synergistic Tailoring of the Band Structure and Atomic-Scale Defect Phonon
      Scattering.
AB  - We report the high thermoelectric performance of p-type polycrystalline SnSe
      obtained by the synergistic tailoring of band structures and atomic-scale defect
      phonon scattering through (Na,K)-codoping. The energy offsets of multiple valence
      bands in SnSe are decreased after Na doping and further reduced by (Na,K)
      codoping, resulting in an enhancement in the Seebeck coefficient and an increase
      in the power factor to 492 MUW m-1 K-2. The lattice thermal conductivity of
      polycrystalline SnSe is decreased by the introduction of effective phonon
      scattering centers, such as point defects and antiphase boundaries. The lattice
      thermal conductivity of the material is reduced to values as low as 0.29 W m-1 K
      1 at 773 K, whereas ZT is increased from 0.3 for 1% Na-doped SnSe to 1.2 for 1%
      (Na,K)-codoped SnSe.

PMID- 28635267
TI  - Cytochrome c Provides an Electron-Funneling Antenna for Efficient Photocurrent
      Generation in a Reaction Center Biophotocathode.
AB  - The high quantum efficiency of photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) makes them
      attractive for bioelectronic and biophotovoltaic applications. However, much of
      the native RC efficiency is lost in communication between surface-bound RCs and
      electrode materials. The state-of-the-art biophotoelectrodes utilizing cytochrome
      c (cyt c) as a biological wiring agent have at best approached 32% retained RC
      quantum efficiency. However, bottlenecks in cyt c-mediated electron transfer have
      not yet been fully elucidated. In this work, protein film voltammetry in
      conjunction with photoelectrochemistry is used to show that cyt c acts as an
      electron-funneling antennae that shuttle electrons from a functionalized rough
      silver electrode to surface-immobilized RCs. The arrangement of the two proteins
      on the electrode surface is characterized, revealing that RCs attached directly
      to the electrode via hydrophobic interactions and that a film of six cyt c per RC
      electrostatically bound to the electrode. We show that the additional electrical
      connectivity within a film of cyt c improves the high turnover demands of surface
      bound RCs. This results in larger photocurrent onset potentials, positively
      shifted half-wave reduction potentials, and higher photocurrent densities
      reaching 100 MUA cm-2. These findings are fundamental for the optimization of
      bioelectronics that utilize the ubiquitous cyt c redox proteins as biological
      wires to exploit electrode-bound enzymes.

PMID- 28635268
TI  - Isotope-Controlled Selectivity by Quantum Tunneling: Hydrogen Migration versus
      Ring Expansion in Cyclopropylmethylcarbenes.
AB  - Using the tunneling-controlled reactivity of cyclopropylmethylcarbene, we
      demonstrate the viability of isotope-controlled selectivity (ICS), a novel
      control element of chemical reactivity where a molecular system with two
      conceivable products of tunneling exclusively produces one or the other,
      depending only on isotopic composition. Our multidimensional small-curvature
      tunneling (SCT) computations indicate that, under cryogenic conditions, 1
      methoxycyclopropylmethylcarbene shows rapid H-migration to 1-methoxy-1
      vinylcyclopropane, whereas deuterium-substituted 1-methoxycyclopropyl-d3
      methylcarbene undergoes ring expansion to 1-d3-methylcyclobutene. This predicted
      change in reactivity constitutes the first example of a kinetic isotope effect
      that discriminates between the formation of two products.

PMID- 28635269
TI  - Reduction Potentials of [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Accessory Iron-Sulfur Clusters Provide
      Insights into the Energetics of Proton Reduction Catalysis.
AB  - An [FeFe]-hydrogenase from Clostridium pasteurianum, CpI, is a model system for
      biological H2 activation. In addition to the catalytic H-cluster, CpI contains
      four accessory iron-sulfur [FeS] clusters in a branched series that transfer
      electrons to and from the active site. In this work, potentiometric titrations
      have been employed in combination with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
      spectroscopy at defined electrochemical potentials to gain insights into the role
      of the accessory clusters in catalysis. EPR spectra collected over a range of
      potentials were deconvoluted into individual components attributable to the
      accessory [FeS] clusters and the active site H-cluster, and reduction potentials
      for each cluster were determined. The data suggest a large degree of magnetic
      coupling between the clusters. The distal [4Fe-4S] cluster is shown to have a
      lower reduction potential (~ < -450 mV) than the other clusters, and molecular
      docking experiments indicate that the physiological electron donor, ferredoxin
      (Fd), most favorably interacts with this cluster. The low reduction potential of
      the distal [4Fe-4S] cluster thermodynamically restricts the Fdox/Fdred ratio at
      which CpI can operate, consistent with the role of CpI in recycling Fdred that
      accumulates during fermentation. Subsequent electron transfer through the
      additional accessory [FeS] clusters to the H-cluster is thermodynamically
      favorable.

PMID- 28635270
TI  - Understanding the Effects of Genotype, Growing Year, and Breeding on Tunisian
      Durum Wheat Allergenicity. 2. The Celiac Disease Case.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare immunogenic and toxic gluten peptides
      related to celiac disease (CD). 100 accessions of genotypes selected during the
      20th century in Tunisia were in vitro digested and then analyzed by UPLC/ESI-MS
      technique using an isotopically labeled internal standard. The first MANOVA
      confirmed a high variability in the content of immunogenic and toxic peptides
      reflecting high genetic diversity in the germplasm released during the past
      century in Tunisia, consistently with PCA and clustering analysis results. Our
      finding showed also important variability in CD epitopes due to growing season's
      climate scenarios. Moreover, the second MANOVA revealed significant differences
      between abandoned and modern cultivars' CD-related peptide amounts. Although we
      could not conclude that there was an augment of allergens in newly selected durum
      wheat lines compared to abandoned ones, we demonstrated that modern genotype
      peptides were less sensitive to climate variation, which is a useful indicator
      for wheat breeders.

PMID- 28635272
TI  - Efficient Flame-Retardant and Smoke-Suppression Properties of Mg-Al-Layered
      Double-Hydroxide Nanostructures on Wood Substrate.
AB  - Improving the flame retardancy of wood is an imperative yet highly challenging
      step in the application of wood in densely populated spaces. In this study, Mg-Al
      layered double-hydroxide (LDH) coating was successfully fabricated on a wood
      substrate to confer flame-retardant and smoke-suppression properties. The
      chemical compositions and bonding states characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray
      spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the coating
      constituents of Mg-Al LDH. The coating evenly covered the sample wood surfaces
      and provided both mechanical enhancement and flame-retardancy effects. The
      limiting oxygen index of the Mg-Al LDH-coated wood increased to 39.1% from 18.9%
      in the untreated wood. CONE calorimetry testing revealed a 58% reduction in total
      smoke production and a 41% reduction in maximum smoke production ratio in the Mg
      Al LDH-coated wood compared to the untreated wood; the peak heat release rate and
      total heat release were also reduced by 49% and 40%, respectively. The Mg-Al LDH
      coating is essentially hydrophilic, but simple surface modification by
      fluoroalkyl silane could make it superhydrophobic, with a water contact angle of
      152 degrees  and a sliding angle of 8.6 degrees . The results of this study
      altogether suggest that Mg-Al LDH coating is a feasible and highly effective
      approach to nanoconstructing wood materials with favorable flame-retardant and
      smoke-suppression properties.

PMID- 28635271
TI  - Emerging Chemistry Strategies for Engineering Native Chromatin.
AB  - Chromosomes present one of most challenging of all substrates for biochemical
      study. This is because genomic DNA is physically associated with an astonishing
      collection of nuclear factors, which serve to not only store the nucleic acid in
      a stable form, but also grant access to the information it encodes when needed.
      Understanding this complex molecular choreography is central to the field of
      epigenetics. One of the great challenges in this area is to move beyond
      correlative type information, which is now in abundant supply, to the point where
      we can truly connect the dots at the molecular level. Establishing such causal
      relationships requires precise manipulation of the covalent structure of
      chromatin. Tools for this purpose are currently in short supply, creating an
      opportunity that, as we will argue in this Perspective, is well suited to the
      sensibilities of the chemist.

PMID- 28635273
TI  - A Direct Bandgap Copper-Antimony Halide Perovskite.
AB  - Since the establishment of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), there has been an
      intense search for alternative materials to replace lead and improve their
      stability toward moisture and light. As single-metal perovskite structures have
      yielded unsatisfactory performances, an alternative is the use of double
      perovskites that incorporate a combination of metals. To this day, only a handful
      of these compounds have been synthesized, but most of them have indirect bandgaps
      and/or do not have bandgaps energies well-suited for photovoltaic applications.
      Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a unique mixed metal ?111?
      oriented layered perovskite, Cs4CuSb2Cl12 (1), that incorporates Cu2+ and Sb3+
      into layers that are three octahedra thick (n = 3). In addition to being made of
      abundant and nontoxic elements, we show that this material behaves as a
      semiconductor with a direct bandgap of 1.0 eV and its conductivity is 1 order of
      magnitude greater than that of MAPbI3 (MA = methylammonium). Furthermore, 1 has
      high photo- and thermal-stability and is tolerant to humidity. We conclude that 1
      is a promising material for photovoltaic applications and represents a new type
      of layered perovskite structure that incorporates metals in 2+ and 3+ oxidation
      states, thus significantly widening the possible combinations of metals to
      replace lead in PSCs.

PMID- 28635275
TI  - Infrared Determination of the Protonation State of a Key Histidine Residue in the
      Photosynthetic Water Oxidizing Center.
AB  - Photosynthetic water oxidation is performed at the Mn4CaO5 cluster in photosystem
      II (PSII). The protonation structures of amino acid residues and water molecules
      around the Mn4CaO5 cluster are crucial in water oxidation reactions. In this
      study, we determined the protonation state of a key His residue in water
      oxidation, D1-H337, that is directly hydrogen-bonded with the oxygen atom of the
      Mn4CaO5 cluster, using polarized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform
      infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Flash-induced polarized ATR-FTIR difference
      spectra upon the S1 -> S2 transition of oriented PSII membranes showed broad
      negative and positive features at about 2600 and 2900 cm-1, respectively, with
      large dichroic ratios, accompanied by several minor peaks attributable to the
      Fermi resonance of a His NH vibration. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics
      (QM/MM) calculations well reproduced the characteristics of these features as the
      NtauH stretching vibrations of D1-H337 in its protonated cation form. The
      spectral features were reversed in the S3 -> S0 transition, indicating that this
      His remains protonated during the S-state cycle. The redox potential (Em) of the
      Mn4CaO5 cluster in the S1 -> S2 transition, which was estimated from the QM/MM
      calculations, was found to be comparable to that of water oxidation when D1-H337
      is protonated cation. It was thus concluded that the positive charge on the
      protonated D1-H337 plays an important role in retaining a high Em value of the
      Mn4CaO5 cluster throughout the reaction cycle to enable water oxidation.

PMID- 28635274
TI  - Oxidation-State-Dependent Binding Properties of the Active Site in a Mo
      Containing Formate Dehydrogenase.
AB  - Molybdenum-containing formate dehydrogenase H from Escherichia coli (EcFDH-H) is
      a powerful model system for studies of the reversible reduction of CO2 to
      formate. However, the mechanism of FDH catalysis is currently under debate, and
      whether the primary Mo coordination sphere remains saturated or one of the
      ligands dissociates to allow direct substrate binding during turnover is
      disputed. Herein, we describe how oxidation-state-dependent changes at the active
      site alter its inhibitor binding properties. Using protein film electrochemistry,
      we show that formate oxidation by EcFDH-H is inhibited strongly and competitively
      by N3-, OCN-, SCN-, NO2-, and NO3-, whereas CO2 reduction is inhibited only
      weakly and not competitively. During catalysis, the Mo center cycles between the
      formal Mo(VI)?S and Mo(IV)-SH states, and by modeling chronoamperometry data
      recorded at different potentials and substrate and inhibitor concentrations, we
      demonstrate that both formate oxidation and CO2 reduction are inhibited by
      selective inhibitor binding to the Mo(VI)?S state. The strong dependence of
      inhibitor-binding affinity on both Mo oxidation state and inhibitor electron
      donor strength indicates that inhibitors (and substrates) bind directly to the Mo
      center. We propose that inhibitors bind to the Mo following dissociation of a
      selenocysteine ligand to create a vacant coordination site for catalysis and
      close by considering the implications of our data for the mechanisms of formate
      oxidation and CO2 reduction.

PMID- 28635276
TI  - Dynamic Viscoelastic Functions of Liquid-Crystalline Chitin Nanofibril
      Dispersions.
AB  - The dynamic viscoelastic functions of aqueous chitin nanofibril (ChNF)
      dispersions are defined by their liquid-crystalline fibril arrangement. Four ChNF
      dispersions with different structures were prepared from squid-pen beta-chitin,
      by sonication in aqueous acetic acid at pH 3 for 4-40 min. Squid-pen beta-chitin
      was disintegrated into randomly oriented bundles of ChNFs during the initial
      stage of sonication and then became more finely dispersed with further sonication
      up to 8 min. The additional sonication resulted in the individualization of the
      approximately 3 nm-wide ChNFs. The individual ChNFs self-organized into a nematic
      liquid crystalline phase. All ChNF dispersions showed power-law concentration c
      dependences of their storage moduli G' at a certain angular frequency omega
      (Gomega' = Acalpha). The front factor A was positively correlated with the degree
      of disintegration. The exponent alpha increased from 2.7 to 3.8-3.9, as the ChNF
      dispersion self-organized from the randomly dispersed structure into the nematic
      ordered fibril arrangement. This demonstrated an enhancement in the solid
      concentration dependence.

PMID- 28635278
TI  - Reflections on 2016 and Projecting Forward.

PMID- 28635281
TI  - Reactions of Criegee Intermediates with Alcohols at Air-Aqueous Interfaces.
AB  - The fate of Criegee intermediates (CIs) from the gas-phase ozonolysis of
      unsaturated organic compounds in the troposphere is largely controlled by their
      reactions with water vapor. We recently found that against all expectations
      carboxylic acids compete at millimolar concentrations with water for CIs at the
      air-liquid interface of aqueous organic media. This outcome is consistent with
      both the low water concentration in the outermost interfacial layers and the
      enrichment of the competing acids therein. Here we show, via online electrospray
      mass spectrometric detection, that CIs generated in situ in the fast ozonolysis
      of sesquiterpenes (C15H24) on the surface of water:acetonitrile microjets react
      with n >= 4 linear alcohols CnH2n+1OH to produce high molecular weight C15+n
      ethers in one step. The OH group of 1-octanol proved to be ~25 times less
      reactive than that of n-octanoic toward CIs at the same bulk molar concentration,
      revealing that the reactivity of hydroxylic species depends on both acidities and
      interfacial affinities. CI interfacial reactions with surface-active hydroxylic
      species, by bypassing water, represent shortcuts to molecular complexity in
      atmospheric aerosols.

PMID- 28635280
TI  - Antiadhesive Activity and Metabolomics Analysis of Rat Urine after Cranberry
      (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) Administration.
AB  - Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) is used to treat noncomplicated urinary
      tract infections (UTIs). A-type procyanidins (PAC-A) are considered the active
      constituents able to inhibit bacterial adhesion to the urinary epithelium.
      However, the role of PAC-A in UTIs is debated, because of their poor
      bioavailability, extensive metabolism, limited knowledge about urinary excretion,
      and contradictory clinical trials. The effects of 35-day cranberry
      supplementation (11 mg/kg PAC-A, 4 mg/kg PAC-B) were studied in healthy rats
      using a ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS)-based
      metabolomics approach. Microbial PAC metabolites, such as valeric acid and
      valerolactone derivatives, were related to cranberry consumption. An increased
      urinary excretion of glucuronidated metabolites was also observed. In a further
      experiment, urine samples were collected at 2, 4, 8, and 24 h after cranberry
      intake and their antiadhesive properties were tested against uropathogenic
      Escherichia coli. The 8 h samples showed the highest activity. Changes in urinary
      composition were studied by ultra performance liquid chromatography-time-of
      flight (UPLC-QTOF), observing the presence of PAC metabolites. The PAC-A2 levels
      were measured in all collected samples, and the highest amounts, on the order of
      ng/mL, were found in the samples collected after 4 h. Results indicate that the
      antiadhesive activity against uropathogenic bacteria observed after cranberry
      consumption is ascribable to PAC-A metabolites rather than to a direct PAC-A
      effect, as the measured PAC-A levels in urine was lower than those reported as
      active in the literature.

PMID- 28635282
TI  - Fining of Red Wine Monitored by Multiple Light Scattering.
AB  - This work describes a new approach based on multiple light scattering to study
      red wine clarification processes. The whole spectral signal (1933 backscattering
      points along the length of each sample vial) were fitted by a multivariate
      kinetic model that was built with a three-step mechanism, implying (1) adsorption
      of wine colloids to fining agents, (2) aggregation into larger particles, and (3)
      sedimentation. Each step is characterized by a reaction rate constant. According
      to the first reaction, the results showed that gelatin was the most efficient
      fining agent, concerning the main objective, which was the clarification of the
      wine, and consequently the increase in its limpidity. Such a trend was also
      discussed in relation to the results achieved by nephelometry, total phenols,
      zeta-potential, color, sensory, and electronic nose analyses. Also, higher
      concentrations of the fining agent (from 5 to 30 g/100 L) or higher temperatures
      (from 10 to 20  degrees C) sped up the process. Finally, the advantage of using
      the whole spectral signal vs classical univariate approaches was demonstrated by
      comparing the uncertainty associated with the rate constants of the proposed
      kinetic model. Overall, multiple light scattering technique showed a great
      potential for studying fining processes compared to classical univariate
      approaches.

PMID- 28635283
TI  - Piezoresistive Effect in the [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)](BF4) Spin Crossover Complex.
AB  - We report on the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the electrical conductivity
      and dielectric permittivity of the [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)](BF4) (Htrz = 1H-1,2,4,
      triazole) spin crossover complex. Variable-temperature and -pressure broad-band
      impedance spectrometry revealed a piezoresistive effect of more than 1 order of
      magnitude for pressures as low as 500 bar, associated with a large pressure
      induced hysteresis of 1700 bar. The origin of the piezoresistive effect has been
      attributed to the pressure-induced spin state switching in the complex, and the
      associated P,T phase diagram was determined.

PMID- 28635284
TI  - Competing Stereocomplexation and Homocrystallization of Poly(l-lactic
      acid)/Poly(d-lactic acid) Racemic Mixture: Effects of Miscible Blending with
      Other Polymers.
AB  - Promoting the stereocomplexation ability of high-molecular-weight poly(l-lactic
      acid) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactic acid) (PDLA) is an efficient way to improve the
      thermal resistance of the resulting materials. Herein, we studied the competing
      crystallization kinetics, polymorphic crystalline structure, and lamellae
      structure of the PLLA/PDLA component in its miscible blends with poly(vinyl
      acetate) (PVAc) and proposed a method to improve the stereocomplexation ability
      of PLLA and PDLA through miscible blending with the other polymer.
      Crystallization of the PLLA/PDLA component is suppressed after the addition of
      PVAc, due to the dilution effect. The stereocomplexation ability of PLLA and PDLA
      is enhanced by blending with PVAc; this becomes more obvious at a high PVAc
      content (>=50 wt %) but less significant with the further increase of PLLA, PDLA
      molecular weights. Almost exclusive formation of SCs is achieved for PLLA and
      PDLA after blending with a large proportion of PVAc (e.g., 75 wt %).
      Incorporation of PVAc also facilitates the HC-to-SC structural reorganization
      upon heating. The increased chain mobility, decreased equilibrium melting point,
      and enhanced intermolecular interactions may account for the preferential
      stereocomplexation in PLLA/PDLA/PVAc blends.

PMID- 28635285
TI  - Triazole/Triazine-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica As a Hybrid Material Support
      for Palladium Nanocatalyst.
AB  - Noble and precious metal catalysts are sought for their remarkable efficiency in
      catalyzing numerous reactions in heterogeneous phase. However, they are costly
      and require the development of high-surface-area supports that favor their strong
      immobilization, dispersion, and stability. Toward this end, mesoporous silica
      based materials can be regarded as unique supports for nanometric-sized noble
      metal catalysts provided they are functionalized with appropriate ligands. In
      this work, mesoporous silica SBA-15 was prepared and modified with 3
      azidopropyltriethoxysilane and then clicked with alkyne derivatives of 1,3,5
      triazine complex ligand. The resulting hybrid material contains triazole and
      triazine moieties covalently bound to the mesoporous silica network. The
      triazole/triazine minidendron was immobilized through a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition
      click reaction, which was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
      and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The heterocyclic ligand-functionalized SBA
      15 material served as a hybrid reactive platform for in situ deposition of
      palladium nanoparticles whose size is 3.154 +/- 0.49 nm as assessed by X-ray
      diffraction and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic
      performance of the final palladium-decorated hybrid triazole/triazine
      functionalized SBA-15 support was evaluated in the model reduction of 4
      nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by catalytic hydrogenation and stoichiometric
      reduction. Excellent catalytic performances were achieved, with reduction rate
      constant (Kapp) of 16.8 * 10-3 s-1 for this model reaction. Moreover, the hybrid
      catalyst can be produced in high yield and recycled.

PMID- 28635287
TI  - Configurational Disorder of Water Hydrogen-Bond Network at the Protein Dynamical
      Transition.
AB  - We introduce a novel strategy to quantify the disorder of extended water-water
      hydrogen-bond (HB) networks sampled in particle-based computer simulations. The
      method relies on the conformational clustering of the HB connectivity states. We
      successfully applied it to unveil the fine relationship among the protein
      dynamical transition in hydrated powder, which marks the activation of protein
      flexibility at Td ~ 240 K, and the sudden increase in the configurational
      disorder of the water HB network enveloping the proteins. Our finding links, in
      the spirit of the Adam-Gibbs relationship, the diffusivity of protein atoms, as
      quantified by the hydrogen mean-square displacements, and the thermodynamic
      solvent configurational entropy.

PMID- 28635288
TI  - Color Control of Pr3+ Luminescence by Electron-Hole Recombination Energy Transfer
      in CaTiO3 and CaZrO3.
AB  - Controlling luminescence in phosphors able to produce several emissions from
      different stable excited states determines their use in optical devices. We
      investigate the color control mechanism that quenches the greenish-blue emission
      in favor of the red one in the archetype phosphor CaTiO3:Pr3+. State-of-the-art
      ab initio calculations indicate that direct host-to-dopant energy transfer
      (released by electron-hole recombination following the interband excitation and
      structural reorganization) selectively populates the 1D2 red luminescent state of
      Pr3+ and bypasses the 3P0 greenish-blue emitter. Local defects can modulate the
      electron-hole recombination energy and therefore increase the red emission
      efficiency, as experimentally observed. The selection of red emission does not
      happen in CaZrO3:Pr3+ because the electron-hole recombination energy is much
      higher. The calculations could not support the widely accepted color control
      mechanism based on metal-to-metal charge transfer states. The conclusion sets new
      points of view for the color control of lanthanide activated inorganic phosphors.

PMID- 28635286
TI  - Utilization of an Active Site Mutant Receptor for the Identification of Potent
      and Selective Atypical 5-HT2C Receptor Agonists.
AB  - Agonism of the 5-HT2C receptor represents one of the most well-studied and
      clinically proven mechanisms for pharmacological weight reduction. Selectivity
      over the closely related 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B receptors is critical as their
      activation has been shown to lead to undesirable side effects and major safety
      concerns. In this communication, we report the development of a new screening
      paradigm that utilizes an active site mutant D134A (D3.32) 5-HT2C receptor to
      identify atypical agonist structures. We additionally report the discovery and
      optimization of a novel class of nonbasic heterocyclic amide agonists of 5-HT2C.
      SAR investigations around the screening hits provided a diverse set of potent
      agonists at 5-HT2C with high selectivity over the related 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B
      receptor subtypes. Further optimization through replacement of the amide with a
      variety of five- and six-membered heterocycles led to the identification of 6-(1
      ethyl-3-(quinolin-8-yl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)pyridazin-3-amine (69). Oral
      administration of 69 to rats reduced food intake in an ad libitum feeding model,
      which could be completely reversed by a selective 5-HT2C antagonist.

PMID- 28635290
TI  - Bare and Effective Charge of Mesoporous Silica Particles.
AB  - We develop and combine a novel numerical model, within the Poisson-Boltzmann
      framework, with classical experimental titration techniques for mesoporous silica
      particles to study the charging behavior as both pH and the amount of monovalent
      salt are varied. One key finding is that these particles can be considered to
      have an effectively or apparent electroneutral inner core with an effectively
      charged rim. As a consequence, the total apparent charge of the particle is
      several orders of magnitude smaller than that of the bare silica charge, which
      accounts only for the charged silanol groups of the mesoporous silica particles
      and which has its major contribution from the interior. Hence, the interior
      dictates the mesoporous silicas' bare charge while the rim its effective charge.
      We furthermore report density, charge, and accumulated charge profiles across the
      particle's interface.

PMID- 28635289
TI  - Exploring the Drug Resistance of HCV Protease.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) currently affects several million people across the
      globe. One of the major classes of drugs against HCV inhibits the NS3/4A protease
      of the polyprotein chain. Efficacy of these drugs is severely limited due to the
      high mutation rate that results in several genetically related quasispecies. The
      molecular mechanism of drug resistance is frequently deduced from structural
      studies and binding free energies. However, prediction of new mutations requires
      the evaluation of both binding free energy of the drug as well as the parameters
      (kcat and KM) for the natural substrate. The vitality values offer a good
      approach to investigate and predict mutations that render resistance to the
      inhibitor. A successful mutation should only affect the binding of the drug and
      not the catalytic activity and binding of the natural substrate. In this article,
      we have calculated the vitality values for four known drug inhibitors that are
      either currently in use or in clinical trials, evaluating binding free energies
      by the relevant PDLD/S-LRA method and activation barriers by the EVB method. The
      molecular details pertaining to resistance are also discussed. We show that our
      calculations are able to reproduce the catalytic effects and binding free
      energies in a good agreement with the corresponding observed values. Importantly,
      previous computational approaches have not been able to achieve this task. The
      trend for the vitality values is in accordance with experimental findings.
      Finally, we calculate the vitality values for mutations that have either not been
      studied experimentally or reported for some inhibitors.

PMID- 28635291
TI  - Fractal Model for Wettability of Rough Surfaces.
AB  - This paper presents a fractal model to describe wettability on multiscale
      randomly rough surfaces. Hydrophobic or superhydrophobic surfaces, produced by
      processes such as electrodeposition and etching, lead to the creation of random
      roughness at multiple length scales on the surface. This paper considers the
      description of such surfaces with a fractal asperity model based on the
      Weierstrass-Mandelbrot (W-M) function, where the fractal parameters are uniquely
      determined from a power spectrum of the surface. By use of this description, a
      model is presented to evaluate the apparent contact angle in the different
      wetting regimes. The model is predictive in that it does not use any empirical or
      correlatory fitting of parameters to experimental data. Experimental validation
      of the model predictions is presented on various hydrophobic and superhydrophobic
      surfaces generated on several materials under different processing conditions.
      The contact angle is found be strongly dependent on the range of asperity length
      scale and weakly dependent on the fractal dimension for a surface with stable
      Cassie state. Based on the fractal description, desired surface roughness
      characteristics for generating superhydrophobicity on a particular substrate are
      also derived.

PMID- 28635292
TI  - Assembly, Morphology, Diffusivity, and Indentation of Hydrogel-Supported Lipid
      Bilayers.
AB  - Recognizing the limitations of solid-supported lipid bilayers to reproduce the
      behavior of cell membranes, including bendability, transmembrane protein
      inclusion, and virus entry, this study describes a novel biomimetic system for
      cell membranes with the potential to overcome these and other limitations. The
      developed strategy utilizes a hydrogel with tunable mechanical behavior that
      resembles those of living cells as the soft support for the phospholipid bilayer,
      while a polyelectrolyte multilayer film serves as an intermediate layer to
      facilitate the self-assembly of the lipid bilayer on the soft cushion. Quartz
      crystal microbalance studies show that, upon coming into contact with the
      polyelectrolyte film, vesicles fuse and rupture to yield a robust lipid bilayer.
      Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching confirms the formation of a membrane,
      while atomic force microscopy shows a low adhesion between the indenting probe
      and the bilayer. More importantly, in comparison to the solid-supported lipid
      bilayer, the response of this biomimetic system to nanoindentation demonstrates
      its increased mechanical stability and bendability when assembled on a soft
      cushion. Hence, the developed hydrogel-supported lipid bilayers can mimic
      biomechanical properties of cell membranes, which will enable scientists to study
      and to understand biophysicochemical interactions between cell membranes and
      extracellular entities.

PMID- 28635293
TI  - Probing the Importance of Charge Flux in Force Field Modeling.
AB  - We analyze the conformational dependence of atomic charges and molecular dipole
      moments for a selection of ~900 conformations of peptide models of the 20 neutral
      amino acids. Based on a set of reference density functional theory calculations,
      we partition the changes into effects due to changes in bond distances, bond
      angles, and torsional angles and into geometry and charge flux contributions.
      This allows an assessment of the limitations of fixed charge force fields and
      indications for how to design improved force fields. The torsional degrees of
      freedom are the main contribution to conformational changes of atomic charges and
      molecular dipole moments, but indirect effects due to change in bond distances
      and angles account for ~25% of the variation. Charge flux effects dominate for
      changes in bond distances and are also the main component of the variation in
      bond angles, while they are ~25% compared to the geometry variations for
      torsional degrees of freedom. The geometry and charge flux contributions to some
      extent produce compensating effects.

PMID- 28635295
TI  - Coarse-Grained Models of Aqueous and Pure Liquid Alkanes.
AB  - A model for linear alkanes is presented in which interaction sites are only on
      the carbon atoms, and the range of the potential is reduced using the Stillinger
      Weber potential. The model is optimized for aqueous and liquid alkane properties
      and can match thermodynamic and structural properties, including solvation free
      energies, liquid densities, and liquid/vapor and liquid/water surface tensions
      for alkanes over a range of lengths. The results for long alkanes indicate that
      such models can be useful as accurate, yet efficient, coarse-grained potentials
      for macromolecules in water and other environments.

PMID- 28635294
TI  - Tunable Anisotropic Photon Emission from Self-Organized CsPbBr3 Perovskite
      Nanocrystals.
AB  - We report controllable anisotropic light emission of photons originating from
      vertically aligned transition dipole moments in spun-cast films of CsPbBr3
      nanocubes. By depositing films of nanocrystals on precoated substrates we can
      control the packing density and resultant radiation pattern of the emitted
      photons. We develop a technical framework to calculate the average orientation of
      light emitters, i.e., the angle between the transition dipole moment vector (TDM)
      and the substrate. This model is applicable to any emissive material with a known
      refractive index. Theoretical modeling indicates that oriented emission
      originates from an anisotropic alignment of the valence band and conduction band
      edge states on the ionic crystal lattice and demonstrates a general path to model
      the experimentally less accessible internal electric field of a nanosystem from
      the photoluminescent anisotropy. The uniquely accessible surface of the
      perovskite nanoparticles allows for perturbation of the normally isotropic
      emissive transition. The reported sensitive and tunable TDM orientation and
      control of emitted light will allow for applications of perovskite nanocrystals
      in a wide range of photonic technologies inaccessible to traditional light
      emitters.

PMID- 28635297
TI  - Medical Students Leading Quality Improvement: A Lean Six Sigma Approach to Pain
      Management.

PMID- 28635298
TI  - Letter to the Editor: Response to "Quantifying Medical Student Education and
      Exposure to Otolaryngology".

PMID- 28635296
TI  - Benzoxaborole Antimalarial Agents. Part 5. Lead Optimization of Novel Amide
      Pyrazinyloxy Benzoxaboroles and Identification of a Preclinical Candidate.
AB  - Carboxamide pyrazinyloxy benzoxaboroles were investigated with the goal to
      identify a molecule with satisfactory antimalarial activity, physicochemical
      properties, pharmacokinetic profile, in vivo efficacy, and safety profile. This
      optimization effort discovered 46, which met our target candidate profile.
      Compound 46 had excellent activity against cultured Plasmodium falciparum, and in
      vivo against P. falciparum and P. berghei in infected mice. It exhibited good PK
      properties in mice, rats, and dogs. It was highly active against the other 11 P.
      falciparum strains, which are mostly resistant to chloroquine and pyrimethamine.
      The rapid parasite in vitro reduction and in vivo parasite clearance profile of
      46 were similar to those of artemisinin and chloroquine, two rapid-acting
      antimalarials. It was nongenotoxic in an Ames assay, an in vitro micronucleus
      assay, and an in vivo rat micronucleus assay when dosed orally up to 2000 mg/kg.
      The combined properties of this novel benzoxaborole support its progression to
      preclinical development.

PMID- 28635299
TI  - Prevalence and Geographic Variations of Polypharmacy Among West Virginia Medicaid
      Beneficiaries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: West Virginia (WV) residents are at high risk for polypharmacy given
      its considerable chronic disease burdens. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence,
      correlates, outcomes, and geographic variations of polypharmacy among WV Medicaid
      beneficiaries. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 2009-2010 WV
      Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) claims data for adults aged 18-64 (N=37,570). We
      defined polypharmacy as simultaneous use of drugs from five or more different
      drug classes on a daily basis for at least 60 consecutive days in one year.
      Multilevel logistic regression was used to explore the individual- and county
      level factors associated with polypharmacy. Its relationship with healthcare
      utilization was assessed using negative binomial regression and logistic
      regression. The univariate local indicators of spatial association method was
      applied to explore spatial patterns of polypharmacy in WV. RESULTS: The
      prevalence of polypharmacy among WV Medicaid beneficiaries was 44.6%. High-high
      clusters of polypharmacy were identified in southern WV, indicating counties with
      above-average prevalence surrounded by counties with above-average prevalence.
      Polypharmacy was associated with being older, female, eligible for Medicaid due
      to cash assistance or medical eligibility, having any chronic conditions or more
      chronic conditions, and living in a county with lower levels of education.
      Polypharmacy was associated with more hospitalizations, emergency department
      visits, and outpatient visits, as well as higher non-drug medical expenditures.
      CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy was prevalent among WV Medicaid beneficiaries and was
      associated with substantial healthcare utilization and expenditures. The
      clustering of high prevalence of polypharmacy in southern WV may suggest targeted
      strategies to reduce polypharmacy burden in these areas.

PMID- 28635301
TI  - Stem Cell-Mediated Paracrine Signaling Alters Fibroplasia in Human Vocal Fold
      Fibroblasts in Vitro.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Interactions between mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and native vocal
      fold fibroblasts (VFFs) have not been described in spite of promising preliminary
      data regarding the effects of MSCs on vocal fold repair in vivo. The current
      study employed a conditioned media (CM) model to investigate the paracrine
      effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on VFFs. METHODS:
      Human VFFs were treated with transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1; 10
      ng/mL), CM from human BMSCs following 48 hours of TGF-beta1 stimulation, or
      CM+TGF-beta1. Proliferation, immunocytochemistry for alpha smooth muscle actin
      (alphaSMA), migration, and collagen gel contraction were quantified as well as
      transcription of components of the TGF-beta signaling pathway. RESULTS:
      Transforming growth factor-beta1 accelerated proliferation and induced alphaSMA
      in VFFs; these effects were suppressed with CM ( P = .009, P < .001,
      respectively). The CM+TGF-beta1 condition increased cell migration ( P = .02) and
      decreased gel contraction; CM+TGF-beta1 also inhibited TGF-beta signaling via
      significant upregulation of NR4A1 as well as downregulation of S MAD3 and TGF
      beta1 relative to TGF-beta1 stimulation in the absence of CM ( P = .002, P <
      .001, and P = .005, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Conditioned media affected many
      profibrotic cell activities in TGF-beta1-stimulated VFFs, likely related to
      altered TGF-beta signaling. These data provide preliminary insight regarding the
      antifibrotic effects of MSCs and further support their progression to clinical
      utility.

PMID- 28635302
TI  - High Resting Heart Rate and High BMI Predicted Severe Coronary Atherosclerosis
      Burden in Patients With Stable Angina Pectoris by SYNTAX Score.
AB  - We investigated the independent and combined association of resting heart rate
      (RHR expressed as beats/min, bpm) and body mass index (BMI) with SYNTAX score
      (SS) in patients with stable angina. We divided 312 patients into 4 groups
      according to RHR quartiles: Q1 (<65 bpm), Q2 (65-69 bpm), Q3 (70-79 bpm), and Q4
      (>=80 bpm). The SS (12.0 +/- 9.0, 16.0 +/- 15.5, 18.0 +/- 16.5, and 20.0 +/-
      27.5; P < .001) was significantly higher for those in Q4 than for those in Q1,
      Q2, and Q3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that each 10-bpm
      increment in RHR was significantly associated with SS (odds ratio [OR] 1.62, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 1.27-2.06). Patients with high RHR and high BMI had
      significantly greater odds ratio (OR) of high SS (4.03, 95% CI 2.00-8.14),
      compared to participants with low RHR and low BMI. Both RHR and BMI were
      independent predictors of coronary atherosclerosis as assessed by SS. RHR in
      combination with BMI and multivariate logistic regression analysis emphasized the
      importance of the correlation between RHR and SS in patients with stable angina
      pectoris.

PMID- 28635303
TI  - Increased Pulse Wave Velocity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with increased cardiovascular
      risk. This study aims to derive a more precise estimation on pulse wave velocity
      (PWV) level in patients with SLE and related factors. A literature search was
      performed using PubMed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library databases, studies
      published up to February 28, 2017, in English. Pooled standardized mean
      difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated by fixed-effect
      or random-effect model analysis. Heterogeneity test was performed by the Q
      statistic and quantified using I2; publication bias was evaluated using a funnel
      plot and Egger's linear regression test. Of 156 studies found, 27 met eligibility
      criteria, and 14 studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. Meta
      analysis revealed that the SLE group had significantly higher PWV levels than the
      control group; SMD = 0.56 and 95% CI (0.30-0.82). Subgroup analyses showed that
      body mass index (BMI), sample size, and disease duration were associated with PWV
      in patients with SLE. Overall, our study suggests that patients with SLE have a
      higher PWV level, and it is associated with BMI, sample size, and disease
      duration.

PMID- 28635304
TI  - The Relationship Between the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and In-Stent Restenosis
      in Patients With Femoropopliteal Chronic Total Occlusions.
AB  - We investigated the relationship between the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)
      and in-stent restenosis (ISR) in patients with femoropopliteal chronic total
      occlusions (CTOs). The study enrolled 180 patients who had undergone successful
      stenting treatment for femoropopliteal CTO. Patients with ISR were subsequently
      classified into 2 groups: early-ISR (within 1 year) and late-ISR (after 1 year).
      The clinical characteristics, angiographic data, and follow-up data were
      recorded. The baseline NLR was significantly higher in the early-ISR group than
      that in the non-ISR group [3.96(2.14) and 3.33(2.73), p = .04]. Receiver
      operating characteristic curve analysis suggested an optimum early ISR NLR cutoff
      point of 3.62, which showed a sensitivity and specificity of 73.4% and 80.4%,
      respectively (area under the curve: 0.707, 95% confidence interval: 0.603-0.792,
      P < .001). A subgroup analysis was performed based on the NLR value (<3.62 vs
      >=3.62). In the NLR >=3.62 subgroup, the incidence of early ISR was higher than
      that of late ISR ( P < .01). In the multivariate analysis, NLR >=3.62 was
      independently and positively associated with a higher risk of early ISR. In
      conclusion, NLR is independently associated with early ISR after stent
      implantation in patients with femoropopliteal CTO.

PMID- 28635305
TI  - Factors modifying performance of a novel citizen text message alert system in
      improving survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
AB  - AIMS: Recently we found that the text message alert system increases survival of
      sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The aim of the present study is to explore
      the contribution of the system to survival specifically in resuscitation settings
      with prolonged delay of start of resuscitation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were
      used from consecutive patients resuscitated for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
      during a two-year period in the Dutch province Limburg. Survival of 291 cases
      with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest where one or more volunteers attended
      (Scenario 2) was compared with survival of 131 cases with out-of-hospital cardiac
      arrest where no volunteers attended and only standard care was given (Scenario
      1). Multivariable logistic regression models including terms for interaction
      between scenario and the covariate coding for resuscitation setting were used to
      test for effect modification. The highest impact on survival of the alert system
      was observed in cases of (a) witnessed arrests (odds ratio=2.25; 95% confidence
      interval: 1.27-4.00; p=0.005); (b) arrests that occurred in the home (odds
      ratio=2.28; 95% confidence interval: 1.21-4.28; p=0.011); (c) arrival of the
      ambulance with a delay of 7-10 min (odds ratio=2.63; 95% confidence interval:
      1.09-6.35; p=0.032); and (d) arrests at evening/night (odds ratio=3.07; 95%
      confidence interval: 1.34-7.03; p=0.008). Due to the low sample size, p-values
      from tests for interaction were non-significant. CONCLUSION: The contribution of
      the alert system to survival is most substantial in cases of witnessed arrest, in
      the home situation, at slightly delayed arrival of the first ambulance and during
      the evening/night.

PMID- 28635306
TI  - Self-injurious behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder enrolled in
      the Study to Explore Early Development.
AB  - We assessed potential factors associated with "current" or "ever" self-injurious
      behaviors, reported in the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, among children
      with autism spectrum disorder (n = 692) from the Study to Explore Early
      Development. Data on factors examined were obtained from questionnaires,
      standardized clinical instruments, and birth certificates. We employed a log
      binomial regression to assess these associations. Although most associations were
      quite similar for currently and ever exhibiting self-injurious behaviors, a few
      differences were noted. We documented previously unreported associations of
      current self-injurious behaviors with maternal age and cesarean delivery, and
      ever self-injurious behaviors with maternal age, child sex, gestational age, and
      maternal race. We also confirmed previously reported associations with adaptive
      skills, somatic conditions (sleep, gastrointestinal, and sensory abnormalities),
      and other behavioral problems. These findings are informative for clinical
      practice and future research.

PMID- 28635300
TI  - Pyridine Dinucleotides from Molecules to Man.
AB  - SIGNIFICANCE: Pyridine dinucleotides, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and
      nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), were discovered more than 100
      years ago as necessary cofactors for fermentation in yeast extracts. Since that
      time, these molecules have been recognized as fundamental players in a variety of
      cellular processes, including energy metabolism, redox homeostasis, cellular
      signaling, and gene transcription, among many others. Given their critical role
      as mediators of cellular responses to metabolic perturbations, it is unsurprising
      that dysregulation of NAD and NADP metabolism has been associated with the
      pathobiology of many chronic human diseases. Recent Advances: A biochemistry
      renaissance in biomedical research, with its increasing focus on the metabolic
      pathobiology of human disease, has reignited interest in pyridine dinucleotides,
      which has led to new insights into the cell biology of NAD(P) metabolism,
      including its cellular pharmacokinetics, biosynthesis, subcellular localization,
      and regulation. This review highlights these advances to illustrate the
      importance of NAD(P) metabolism in the molecular pathogenesis of disease.
      CRITICAL ISSUES: Perturbations of NAD(H) and NADP(H) are a prominent feature of
      human disease; however, fundamental questions regarding the regulation of the
      absolute levels of these cofactors and the key determinants of their redox ratios
      remain. Moreover, an integrated topological model of NAD(P) biology that combines
      the metabolic and other roles remains elusive. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: As the complex
      regulatory network of NAD(P) metabolism becomes illuminated, sophisticated new
      approaches to manipulating these pathways in specific organs, cells, or
      organelles will be developed to target the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of
      disease, opening doors for the next generation of redox-based, metabolism
      targeted therapies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 180-212.

PMID- 28635308
TI  - Combined HQSAR, topomer CoMFA, homology modeling and docking studies on triazole
      derivatives as SGLT2 inhibitors.
AB  - AIM: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) is a promising target for diabetes
      therapy. We aimed to develop computational approaches to identify structural
      features for more potential SGLT2 inhibitors. MATERIALS & METHODS: In this work,
      46 triazole derivatives as SGLT2 inhibitors were studied using a combination of
      several approaches, including hologram quantitative structure-activity
      relationships (HQSAR), topomer comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA),
      homology modeling, and molecular docking. HQSAR and topomer CoMFA were used to
      construct models. Molecular docking was conducted to investigate the interaction
      of triazole derivatives and homology modeling of SGLT2, as well as to validate
      the results of the HQSAR and topomer CoMFA models. RESULTS: The most effective
      HQSAR and topomer CoMFA models exhibited noncross-validated correlation
      coefficients of 0.928 and 0.891 for the training set, respectively. External
      predictions were made successfully on a test set and then compared with
      previously reported models. The graphical results of HQSAR and topomer CoMFA were
      proven to be consistent with the binding mode of the inhibitors and SGLT2 from
      molecular docking. CONCLUSION: The models and docking provided important insights
      into the design of potent inhibitors for SGLT2.

PMID- 28635307
TI  - Synthesis, evaluation and modeling of some triazolothienopyrimidinones as anti
      inflammatory and antimicrobial agents.
AB  - AIM: New triazolotetrahydrobenzothienopyrimidinone derivatives were synthesized.
      EXPERIMENTAL: Their structures were confirmed, and their anti-inflammatory,
      antimicrobial activities and ulcerogenic potentials were evaluated. RESULTS:
      Compounds 7a, 10a and 11a showed minimal ulcerogenic effect and high selectivity
      toward human recombinant COX-2 over COX-1 enzyme with IC50 values of 1.39, 1.22
      and 0.56 MUM, respectively. Their docking outcome correlated with their
      biological activity and confirmed the high selectivity binding toward COX-2.
      Compound 12b displayed antimicrobial activity comparable to that of ampicillin
      against Escherichia coli while compounds 6 and 11c were similar to ampicillin
      against Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, compounds 7a, 9a, 10b and 11c showed
      dual anti-inflammatory/antimicrobial activities. CONCLUSION: This work represents
      a promising matrix for developing new potential anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial
      and dual antimicrobial/anti-inflammatory candidates. [Formula: see text].

PMID- 28635309
TI  - Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with negatively variable impacts on domains of
      female sexual function: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - To systematically review the literature to identify the impact of rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) on specific female sexual function domains. A meta-analysis was
      performed and the related literature were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane
      Library, CNKI, CBM and Web of Science databases, and in reference lists of
      articles and systematic reviews. Score of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI)
      was used as the outcome measurement, and mean differences (MD) with 95%
      confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Five studies were included, including
      346 women with RA and 237 healthy female controls. Each domain of the FSFI score:
      lubrication (MD, -2.48; 95% CI, -3.69, -1.28), orgasm-1.71 (-2.09, -1.33), sexual
      desire-1.27 (-1.59, -0.95), satisfaction-1.67 (-2.18, -1.16), arousal-1.83 (
      2.85, -0.82), pain-1.57 (-2.43, -0.70) and the total score -8.84 (-11.88, -5.79)
      were lower in RA women than healthy controls. Furthermore, lubrication dimension
      was most severely affected especially. This meta-analysis showed that female RA
      patients scored lower in each dimension of FSFI, mostly in the lubrication
      domain. It demonstrated that targeted interventions should be done to improve
      their sexual function. Future well-designed researches with larger sample sizes
      are necessary to evaluate the potential risk factors which determine female
      sexual dysfunction.

PMID- 28635310
TI  - How can tricyclic sophoridinic derivatives be used as autophagy inhibitors for
      cancer treatments?

PMID- 28635311
TI  - Type D personality, but not Type A behavior pattern, is associated with coronary
      plaque vulnerability.
AB  - Personality traits are associated with major adverse coronary events (MACE) in
      patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the link between
      personality traits and intravascular morphology in CAD patients is poorly
      understood. This study investigated the relationship between personality traits,
      specifically Type A behavior pattern and Type D personality, and plaque
      vulnerability. After adjustment for demographic and clinical factors,
      multivariable regression analysis showed no association between Type A and
      optical coherence tomography indices. However, Type D personality was
      independently associated with lipid plaque, thin cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), and
      fibrous cap thickness. More specifically, negative affectivity of Type D was
      related to lipid plaque, TCFA and fibrous cap thickness, and social inhibition
      was associated with plaque rupture. Our results show that Type D personality was
      associated with plaque vulnerability, independent of clinical factors.
      Measurement of negative affectivity and social inhibition will increase our
      understanding of the progressive phase of the plaque vulnerability, which can
      contribute to the early identification of high risk patients and reduce the
      incidence of MACE.

PMID- 28635312
TI  - Predictors of adherence to aerobic exercise in rectal cancer patients during and
      after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.
AB  - This pilot study explored predictors of adherence to exercise during and after
      neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) in rectal cancer patients. Eighteen rectal
      cancer patients were prescribed three supervised aerobic exercise sessions/week
      during NACRT followed by >=150 min/week of unsupervised aerobic exercise after
      NACRT. Although not statistically significant, adherence to supervised exercise
      during NACRT was meaningfully better for patients who were women (d = .82; P =
      .12), younger (d = -.62; P = .30), married (d = .62; P = .42), with better mental
      health (r = .32; P = .21), fewer diarrhea symptoms (r = .48; P = .052), and
      higher anticipated enjoyment (r = .31; P = .23), support (r = .32; P = .22), and
      motivation (r = .31; P = .23). After NACRT, adherence was significantly better
      for patients who reported worse mental health (r = -.56; P = .046) and
      meaningfully better for patients who were women (d = .54; P = .38), better
      educated (d = .77; P = .22), had no comorbidities (d = -.63; P = .17), and
      exercised at baseline (d = 1.05; P = .12). Demographics, tumor side effects, and
      motivational variables may predict adherence to exercise during and after NACRT.

PMID- 28635313
TI  - Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Breathlessness Beliefs
      Questionnaire.
AB  - The aim of this article is to evaluate the reliability and validity of the
      Chinese version of the Breathlessness Beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) for use among
      patients with respiratory diseases in China. The BBQ is an instrument for
      assessing specific dyspnoea-related fears and may have predictive value for
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease outcomes beyond general anxiety measures.
      This instrument has not previously been translated into Chinese or tested in
      mainland China. This was a cross-sectional validation study with a 1-week test of
      reproducibility. A total of 252 Chinese patients with respiratory diseases
      recruited from pulmonary outpatient and inpatient departments completed the BBQ.
      Demographic characteristics, pulmonary function and degree of dyspnoea were also
      measured. Cronbach's alpha was 0.82 for the total BBQ score; 0.72 for the somatic
      focus subscale and 0.73 for the activity avoidance subscale. Test-retest
      reliability was satisfactory, with intraclass correlation coefficient scores for
      the BBQ overall and for each subscale ranging from 0.96 to 0.98 ( p < 0.001).
      After exploratory factor analyses, the Chinese version of the BBQ was found to be
      similar to the original Dutch version. The Chinese version of the BBQ is a
      reliable tool to assess dyspnoea-related fear in patients with respiratory
      diseases in mainland China.

PMID- 28635315
TI  - Age stereotypes, flexible goal adjustment, and well-being among Chinese older
      adults.
AB  - Previous studies have examined the independent roles of positive age stereotypes
      (PAS) and negative age stereotypes (NAS) in successful aging. This study aimed to
      examine the joint effect of PAS and NAS on the well-being of Chinese older
      adults, and to further examine whether this effect was moderated by flexible goal
      adjustment (FGA). Using a cross-sectional design, 279 Chinese older adults (age
      range 60-97 years) completed measures related to age stereotypes, FGA, and well
      being. The results showed that PAS interacted with NAS to predict well-being. In
      addition, the joint effect of PAS and NAS was moderated by FGA. Specially, for
      older adults with low FGA, NAS weakened the positive association between PAS and
      well-being; whereas, for older adults with high FGA, NAS could not influence the
      association between PAS and well-being. Tailored interventions to modify aging
      perceptions and to enhance coping flexibility competence might be helpful for
      promoting the well-being of older adults.

PMID- 28635314
TI  - Fluorescent-labeled bioconjugates of the opioid peptides biphalin and DPDPE
      incorporating fluorescein-maleimide linkers.
AB  - AIM: The conjugation of fluorescent labels to opioid peptides is an extremely
      challenging task, which needs to be overcome to create new classes of probes for
      biological assays. MATERIALS & METHODS: Three opioid peptide analogs of biphalin
      and [D-Pen2,5]-Enkephalin (DPDPE) containing a fluorescein-maleimide motif were
      synthesized. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: The biphalin analog 17 binds to opioid
      receptors with KiMU = 530 +/- 90 nM and Kidelta = 69.8 +/- 16.4 nM. We then
      tested the ability of the compounds to stimulate G-protein-coupling, 17 activated
      MU-receptor expressing cells (EC50 = 16.7 +/- 6.7 nM, EMax = 76 +/- 4%) as well
      as delta-receptor expressing cells (EC50 = 42 +/- 10 nM, EMax = 34 +/- 8%).
      However, 17 was not able to fluorescently label receptor in live or fixed cells.
      CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the biphalin scaffold could be employed to
      develop fluorescent ligands with the appropriate fluorescent motif, and suggest a
      means for further probe development.

PMID- 28635316
TI  - Complications Following Collagenase Treatment for Dupuytren Contracture.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) injection and manipulation
      is a relatively new method for treating Dupuytren contracture that is growing in
      popularity. Although side effects such as swelling and ecchymosis are common,
      they are typically mild and self-limited. Major complications are rare but have
      included flexor tendon rupture and complex regional pain syndrome. METHODS: This
      study describes a case report of 2 patients seen at our institution. RESULTS:
      Here, we report 2 patients seen at our institution each with different, yet
      serious complications after CCH injection and manipulation. One patient had
      extensive skin loss and chose amputation over reconstruction. The other patient
      had loss of perfusion and required finger amputation. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is
      unclear how directly the administration of CCH is connected to the observed
      complications, physicians should recognize the potential for serious rare
      complications in any treatment of Dupuytren contracture.

PMID- 28635317
TI  - Beyond the wall: can D-amino acids and small molecule inhibitors eliminate
      infections?

PMID- 28635318
TI  - What structural modifications can be used for BRD4 inhibitors for their use in
      leukemia therapy?

PMID- 28635319
TI  - A Case of Topical Ruxolitinib Treatment Failure in Alopecia Areata.
AB  - Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune-mediated, nonscarring form of hair loss.
      Despite its prevalence, current management options are limited, especially when
      the disease has progressed to alopecia totalis (AT) or alopecia universalis (AU).
      Recent evidence that janus kinase (JAK) signaling contributes to AA pathogenesis
      prompted the investigation of JAK inhibitors such as tofacitinib and ruxolitinib
      as possible oral treatments. However, the potential for significant adverse
      effects with systemic JAK inhibition makes local administration a more attractive
      option. Yet, a paucity of data exists on topical JAK inhibition in AA. A success
      of topical ruxolitinib (0.6% cream) use in a young patient with AU has been
      reported to date. Here we report the treatment of a 66-year-old with AA with the
      same formulation of topical ruxolitinib, where it failed to induce hair growth.
      Our report demonstrates the importance of examining the factors contributing to
      variation in treatment response in a clinical trial of topical JAK inhibitors in
      AA. It is likely that both intrinsic factors specific to individual patients and
      extrinsic factors relating to treatment regimen are involved. Furthermore,
      characterisation of the specific JAKs overexpressed in AA may better target
      medication. Finally, this report highlights the need to compare the outcomes of
      topical vs oral ruxolitinib administration in patients with severe AA, AT, and AU
      and may support the possibility that extensive disease is more adequately treated
      with oral administration of ruxolitinib.

PMID- 28635322
TI  - The Art of Health Promotion.

PMID- 28635323
TI  - Preserving Employee Privacy in Wellness.
AB  - The proposed "Preserving Employee Wellness Programs Act" states that the
      collection of information about the manifested disease or disorder of a family
      member shall not be considered an unlawful acquisition of genetic information.
      The bill recognizes employee privacy protections that are already in place and
      includes specific language relating to nondiscrimination based on illness. Why
      did legislation expressly intending to "preserve wellness programs" generate such
      antipathy about wellness among journalists? This article argues that those who
      are committed to preserving employee wellness must be equally committed to
      preserving employee privacy. Related to this, we should better parse between
      discussions and rules about commonplace health screenings versus much less common
      genetic testing.

PMID- 28635325
TI  - Effect of salt loading on baroreflex sensitivity in reduced renal mass
      hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High dietary salt, as well as renal mass reduction, is known to
      decrease baroreflex sensitivity in rats. However, the effect of high salt intake
      on baroreflex sensitivity is unknown in reduced renal mass (RRM) hypertension;
      therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salt loading
      on arterial baroreflex sensitivity and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in RRM
      hypertension. METHODS: Both RRM and sham-operated control (SO) rats were loaded
      with 0.25 or 0.5% NaCl for five weeks. Plasma Na+, K+, and creatinine levels were
      measured, and baroreflex sensitivity was evaluated before and after beta1
      blockade. In addition, cardiac vagal tone and intrinsic heart rate (IHR) were
      measured. RESULTS: RRM decreased full baroreflex sensitivity of the tachycardic
      response under 0.5% NaCl loading and the parasympathetic bradycardic response
      under 0% NaCl loading. The NaCl loading did not affect the severity of RRM
      hypertension. Cardiac vagal tone and IHR decreased in RRM rats versus SO controls
      under all NaCl loading conditions. RRM decreased plasma K+ under 0% NaCl loading
      and increased plasma Na+ under 0.5% NaCl loading. High (0.5%) NaCl loading
      decreased IHR and increased plasma creatinine and left ventricular weight in RRM
      rats. CONCLUSIONS: RRM in combination with 0.5% NaCl loading led to a decrease in
      the sensitivity of full baroreflex and of the parasympathetic component of
      baroreflex. Changes in plasma Na+ and K+ levels, due to NaCl loading, may have
      contributed to the decrease in baroreflex sensitivities and IHR but had no effect
      upon MAP in RRM rats.

PMID- 28635324
TI  - Gliptins Suppress Inflammatory Macrophage Activation to Mitigate Inflammation,
      Fibrosis, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular Dysfunction in Models of Nonalcoholic
      Steatohepatitis and Liver Fibrosis.
AB  - AIMS: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by steatosis,
      panlobular inflammation, liver fibrosis, and increased cardiovascular mortality.
      Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (gliptins) are indirect glucagon-like peptide 1
      agonists with antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activity, used for the treatment
      of type 2 diabetes. Their potential and underlying mechanisms to treat metabolic
      liver inflammation and fibrosis as well as the associated vascular dysfunction
      remain to be explored. RESULTS: In the methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet
      and Mdr2-/- models of NASH and liver fibrosis, treatment with sitagliptin and
      linagliptin significantly decreased parameters of steatosis and inflammation,
      which was accompanied by suppression of hepatic transcript levels reflecting
      metabolic inflammation and fibrosis, including SREBP-1c, FAS, TNFalpha, iNOS,
      alpha-SMA, Col1alpha1, and MMP-12. Moreover, gliptins reduced the number of liver
      infiltrating CD11b+Ly6Chi proinflammatory monocytes/macrophages and liver
      resident F4/80+ macrophages, with an increase of Ym1+ alternative macrophages and
      (anti-inflammatory) macrophage markers Arg1 and IL-10. This was paralleled by
      decreased hepatic and aortic reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and NOX-2
      mRNA expression, a normalization of endothelial dysfunction, cardiac NADPH
      oxidase activity, mitochondrial ROS formation, and whole blood oxidative burst in
      the MCD model. Innovation and Conclusions: Gliptins via suppression of
      inflammation decrease steatosis, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and vascular
      dysfunction in murine models of NASH and liver fibrosis, with mild direct
      antifibrotic properties. They reduce the numbers of liver and vascular
      inflammatory monocytes/macrophages and induce their alternative polarization,
      with beneficial effect on NASH-associated hepatic and cardiovascular
      complications. Therefore, gliptins qualify as drugs for treatment of NASH and
      associated liver fibrosis and cardiovascular complications. Antioxid. Redox
      Signal. 28, 87-109.

PMID- 28635326
TI  - Encapsulins: molecular biology of the shell.
AB  - Compartmentalization is both a fundamental principle of cellular organization and
      an emerging theme in prokaryotic biology. Work in the past few decades has shown
      that protein-based organelles called microcompartments enhance the function of
      encapsulated cargo proteins. More recently, the repertoire of known prokaryotic
      organelles has expanded beyond microcompartments to include a new class of
      smaller proteinaceous compartments, termed nanocompartments (also known as
      encapsulins). Nanocompartments are icosahedral capsids that are smaller and less
      complex than microcompartments. Encapsulins are formed by a single species of
      shell protein that self-assembles and typically encapsulates only one type of
      cargo protein. Significant progress has been made in understanding the structure
      of nanocompartment shells and the loading of cargo to the interior. Recent
      analysis has also demonstrated the prevalence of encapsulin genes throughout
      prokaryotic genomes and documented a large diversity of cargo proteins with a
      variety of novel functions, suggesting that nanocompartments play an important
      role in many microbes. Here we review the current understanding of encapsulin
      structure and function and highlight exciting open questions of physiological
      significance.

PMID- 28635327
TI  - Within-visit blood pressure variability and cardiovascular risk factors in
      hypertensive patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease.
AB  - : As there may be an association between within-visit blood pressure (BP)
      variability and cardiovascular disease (CVD), we investigated the clinical
      significance of this BP variability in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD)
      patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to the median of coefficient of
      variation (CV) of three systolic BP (SBP) readings within a single visit, we
      divided hypertensive patients with stage G1-4 CKD already treated with
      antihypertensive therapy into the high SBP-CV group and the low SBP-CV group.
      Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were also performed to
      explore the contributing factors to within-visit BP variability. RESULTS: In the
      high SBP-CV group, the clinic BP, total cholesterol level, dyslipidemia, and past
      history of CVD were significantly greater, while alpha1-blockers and renin
      angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors usage were significantly reduced compared
      with the lower SBP-CV group. Within-visit BP variability was significantly and
      positively correlated with total cholesterol (R = 0.392, P < 0.001) and low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (R = 0.284, P = 0.013). Total cholesterol (beta =
      0.269, P = 0.024), alpha1-blockers usage (beta = -0.260, P = 0.015), and RAS
      inhibitors usage (beta = -0.266, P = 0.017) were shown to independently
      contribute to the within-visit BP variability after adjustment for age, sex,
      presence of diabetes, CVD history, statins usage, and clinic SBP. CONCLUSIONS: We
      show that within-visit BP variability may be a clinically relevant factor of CVD
      risk, and lipid lowering and/or anti-hypertensive therapies using RAS inhibitors
      and alpha1-blockers may be associated with the improved within-visit BP
      variability observed in non-dialysis CKD patients.

PMID- 28635328
TI  - Dietary implications for patients receiving long-term oral anticoagulation
      therapy for treatment and prevention of thromboembolic disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of oral anticoagulation therapy with warfarin (a
      vitamin K antagonist) in the treatment of thromboembolic disease, including
      stroke prophylaxis in patients with atrial fibrillation is well recognised.
      However, warfarin has a narrow therapeutic window and an unpredictable
      anticoagulation response, which make it difficult to achieve and maintain optimal
      anticoagulation. Various dietary factors, including sudden changes in eating
      patterns, can significantly alter anticoagulation control, thereby potentially
      exposing patients to the risk of bleeding or thromboembolic complications.
      Dietary vitamin K intake is a particularly important factor, given the mechanism
      of action of warfarin. Areas covered: In this article, we cover the sources of
      vitamin K and their potential effect of dietary vitamin K on anticoagulation
      response to warfarin. We also discuss the results of studies on the effect of
      vitamin K supplementation on anticoagulation stability. Expert commentary: A
      stable dietary vitamin K, promoted by daily oral vitamin K supplementation, can
      improve anticoagulation stability in patients on warfarin therapy. There is
      experimental evidence in animals that dietary vitamin K affects anticoagulation
      response to the direct thrombin inhibitor, ximelagatran. Whether dietary vitamin
      K affects anticoagulation response to the currently licensed direct oral
      anticoagulants (DOACs) in man remains to be investigated.

PMID- 28635329
TI  - Lead induces Siberian tiger fibroblast apoptosis by interfering with
      intracellular homeostasis.
AB  - Lead (Pb2+) is a poisonous heavy metal that causes many pathophysiological
      effects in living systems. Its toxicological effects are well known as it causes
      apoptosis of several cell types and tissues. This study aimed to determine the
      criteria required for early diagnosis of Pb2+ poisoning in the Siberian tiger
      using a tiger population in China, to identify a safety Pb2+ concentration
      threshold, and to provide suggestions for preventing Pb2+ poisoning in Siberian
      tigers. We investigated the apoptotic effects of Pb2+ (0, 32, 64, and 125 MUM)
      for 12-48 h on Siberian tiger fibroblasts in vitro. Typical apoptotic effects
      were observed after Pb2+ exposure. Pb2+ strongly blocked DNA synthesis in the
      G0/G1 phase and induced cell apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner.
      Intracellular free calcium (Ca2+) levels, reactive oxygen species levels, and
      efflux of extracellular Ca2+ were increased. The mitochondrial membrane potential
      was lowered. Caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities were increased when fibroblasts
      were treated with 32, 64, and 125 MUM Pb2+. The gene expression levels of Bax,
      caspase-3, -8, Fas, and p53 were increased, while that of Bcl-2 was decreased.
      Calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial function were disturbed. Ca2+ efflux,
      oxidative damage, activation of caspases, and regulation of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase
      3, -8, Fas, and p53 gene expression played an important role in the apoptotic
      effects. The disorder of intracellular homeostasis was the trigger for apoptosis
      in Siberian tiger fibroblasts.

PMID- 28635330
TI  - Multiple functions of insulin-degrading enzyme: a metabolic crosslight?
AB  - Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is a ubiquitous zinc peptidase of the inverzincin
      family, which has been initially discovered as the enzyme responsible for insulin
      catabolism; therefore, its involvement in the onset of diabetes has been largely
      investigated. However, further studies on IDE unraveled its ability to degrade
      several other polypeptides, such as beta-amyloid, amylin, and glucagon,
      envisaging the possible implication of IDE dys-regulation in the "aggregopathies"
      and, in particular, in neurodegenerative diseases. Over the last decade, a novel
      scenario on IDE biology has emerged, pointing out a multi-functional role of this
      enzyme in several basic cellular processes. In particular, latest advances
      indicate that IDE behaves as a heat shock protein and modulates the ubiquitin
      proteasome system, suggesting a major implication in proteins turnover and cell
      homeostasis. In addition, recent observations have highlighted that the
      regulation of glucose metabolism by IDE is not merely based on its largely
      proposed role in the degradation of insulin in vivo. There is increasing evidence
      that improper IDE function, regulation, or trafficking might contribute to the
      etiology of metabolic diseases. In addition, the enzymatic activity of IDE is
      affected by metals levels, thus suggesting a role also in the metal homeostasis
      (metallostasis), which is thought to be tightly linked to the malfunction of the
      "quality control" machinery of the cell. Focusing on the physiological role of
      IDE, we will address a comprehensive vision of the very complex scenario in which
      IDE takes part, outlining its crucial role in interconnecting several relevant
      cellular processes.

PMID- 28635331
TI  - Network meta-analysis of liraglutide versus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors for
      the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Japanese patients.
AB  - AIMS: To determine the comparative efficacy and safety of liraglutide and
      dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors as antidiabetics for Japanese patients
      with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (T2DM). METHODS AND MATERIALS: We searched for
      randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating outcomes among Japanese adults
      with uncontrolled T2DM and including liraglutide or DPP-4 inhibitors up to August
      2016. We extracted data on trial and patient characteristics, and the following
      outcomes: HbA1c, weight, patients meeting HbA1c <7%, patients experiencing
      hypoglycemic events, microalbuminuria, estimated glomerular filtration rate
      (eGFR) and creatinine. We synthesized data using network meta-analyses (NMA)
      using a Bayesian framework. Continuous outcomes were modeled using normal
      likelihoods and an identity link, while dichotomous outcomes were modeled using a
      binomial likelihood and a logit link. RESULTS: The systematic literature review
      yielded 39 publications pertaining to 38 trials. A total of 27 trials (5032
      patients) reported change in HbA1c at 12 weeks and at 24 weeks 9 trials (2091
      patients). All treatments showed statistically significant reductions in HbA1c
      relative to placebo at 12 and 24 weeks. Liraglutide 0.9 mg was statistically
      superior to all DPP-4 interventions (vildagliptin, sitagliptin, linagliptin,
      alogliptin, teneligliptin, trelagliptin and omarigliptin) at 12 weeks and 24
      weeks among those reporting. Treatments were not statistically differentiable
      with respect to weight change and risk of hypoglycemia. Finally, no comparisons
      of eGFR and microalbuminuria were conducted, as this data was reported in too few
      trials to conduct analyses. LIMITATIONS: Some important outcomes were limited by
      poor reporting (eGFR and microalbuminuria) or low event rates (hypoglycemia). The
      follow-up time was relatively short. Clinically, the 24 week time point is more
      important as it demonstrates more sustained results. CONCLUSIONS: Our research
      suggests that liraglutide 0.9 mg offers a more efficacious treatment option for
      T2DM than the DPP-4 inhibitors among adult Japanese patients and that it is a
      viable option for this population.

PMID- 28635333
TI  - Molecular biomarkers to guide precision medicine in localized prostate cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Major advances through tumor profiling technologies, that include
      next-generation sequencing, epigenetic, proteomic and transcriptomic methods,
      have been made in primary prostate cancer, providing novel biomarkers that may
      guide precision medicine in the near future. Areas covered: The authors provided
      an overview of novel molecular biomarkers in tissue, blood and urine that may be
      used as clinical tools to assess prognosis, improve selection criteria for active
      surveillance programs, and detect disease relapse early in localized prostate
      cancer. Expert commentary: Active surveillance (AS) in localized prostate cancer
      is an accepted strategy in patients with very low-risk prostate cancer. Many more
      patients may benefit from watchful waiting, and include patients of higher
      clinical stage and grade, however selection criteria have to be optimized and
      early recognition of transformation from localized to lethal disease has to be
      improved by addition of molecular biomarkers. The role of non-invasive biomarkers
      is challenging the need for repeat biopsies, commonly performed at 1 and 4 years
      in men under AS programs.

PMID- 28635332
TI  - 50% Ethanol extract of Orthosiphon stamineus modulates genotoxicity and
      clastogenicity induced by mitomycin C.
AB  - Herbal products contain a variety of compounds which may be useful in protecting
      against cellular damage caused by mutagens. Orthosiphon stamineus (O.s) also
      known as Cat whiskers. The herb has been shown anti-oxidative properties and can
      modulate key cellular proteins that have cytoprotective effect. The study aimed
      to evaluate the effects of different doses (250, 500 and 1000 mg kg-1) of 50%
      ethanol extract of O.s (Et. O.s) on micro-nucleated polychromatic erythrocytes
      (MNPCE), Polychromatic to normachromatic erythrocytes ratio (PCE/NCE), Mitotic
      index (MI), and Chromosomal aberration (CA) in Bab/c mice. Moreover, these
      parameters were used to evaluate the anti-genotoxic and clastogenic potencies of
      (Et. O.s) against mitomycin c (MMC) that interact with biological molecules and
      induce genotoxic and clastogenic disorders in non-tumor cells. MMC (4 mg kg-1)
      was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) to the mice before and after treatment with
      three different doses of (Et. O.s). The results indicated that the extract at
      different doses did not show significant (p >= 0.05) differences in (MNPCE),
      (PCE/NCE) ratios, and (CA) values. The higher doses sowed high (MI) values
      compared with untreated control group. MMC showed significant increase (p <=
      0.001) in (MNPCE), (CA) and reduce (PCE/NCE) and (MI) values compared with
      untreated control group. Treatment with (Et. O.s) at different doses before and
      after MMC injection showed to modulate MNPCE, PCE/NCE ratios, CA and MI values in
      mice bone marrow cells suggesting genoprotective potential of this plant extract.

PMID- 28635334
TI  - Timing of food intake during simulated night shift impacts glucose metabolism: A
      controlled study.
AB  - Eating during the night may increase the risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes in
      shift workers. This study examined the impact of either eating or not eating a
      meal at night on glucose metabolism. Participants underwent four nights of
      simulated night work (SW1-4, 16:00-10:00 h, <50 lux) with a daytime sleep
      opportunity each day (10:00-16:00 h, <3 lux). Healthy males were assigned to an
      eating at night (NE; n = 4, meals; 07:00, 19:00 and 01:30 h) or not eating at
      night (NEN; n = 7, meals; 07:00 h, 09:30, 16:10 and 19:00 h) condition. Meal
      tolerance tests were conducted post breakfast on pre-night shift (PRE), SW4 and
      following return to day shift (RTDS), and glucose and insulin area under the
      curve (AUC) were calculated. Mixed-effects ANOVAs were used with fixed effects of
      condition and day, and their interactions, and a random effect of subject
      identifier on the intercept. Fasting glucose and insulin were not altered by day
      or condition. There were significant effects of day and condition * day (both p <
      0.001) for glucose AUC, with increased glucose AUC observed solely in the NE
      condition from PRE to SW4 (p = 0.05) and PRE to RTDS (p < 0.001). There was also
      a significant effect of day (p = 0.007) but not condition * day (p = 0.825) for
      insulin AUC, with increased insulin from PRE to RTDS in both eating at night (p =
      0.040) and not eating at night (p = 0.006) conditions. Results in this small,
      healthy sample suggest that not eating at night may limit the metabolic
      consequences of simulated night work. Further study is needed to explore whether
      matching food intake to the biological clock could reduce the burden of type 2
      diabetes in shift workers.

PMID- 28635335
TI  - A novel synergetic targeting strategy for glioma therapy employing borneol
      combination with angiopep-2-modified, DOX-loaded PAMAM dendrimer.
AB  - Glioma is the most common primary malignant brain tumour and the effect of
      chemotherapy is hampered by low permeability across the blood-brain-barrier
      (BBB). Borneol is a time-honoured 'Guide' drug in traditional Chinese medicine
      and has been proved to be capable of promoting free drugs into the brain
      efficiently, but there are still risks that free drugs, especially anti-glioma
      drugs, may be disassembled and metabolised before penetrating the BBB and caused
      the whole brain distribution. The purpose of this paper was to investigate
      whether borneol intervention could facilitate the BBB penetration and assist
      glioma treatment by combining with doxorubicin (DOX) loaded PAMAM dendrimers drug
      delivery system modified with Angiopep-2 (a ligand of the low-density lipoprotein
      receptor-related protein, which overexpress both in the BBB and gliomas). The
      results demonstrated that Angiopep-2 modification could actually enhance the
      affinity between the dendrimers and the targeting cells and finally increase the
      cell uptake and boost the anti-tumour ability. Borneol physical combination could
      further enhance the anti-tumour efficiency of this targeting drug delivery system
      (TDDS) after penetrating BBB. Compared with free DOX solution, this TDDS
      illustrated obviously sustained and pH-dependent drug release. This suggested
      that this synergetic strategy provided a promising way for glioma therapy.

PMID- 28635336
TI  - New advances in focal therapy for early stage prostate cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Prostate focal therapy offers men the opportunity to achieve
      oncological control while preserving sexual and urinary function. The
      prerequisites for successful focal therapy are to accurately identify, localize
      and completely ablate the clinically significant cancer(s) within the prostate.
      We aim to evaluate the evidence for current and upcoming technologies that could
      shape the future of prostate cancer focal therapy in the next five years. Areas
      covered: Current literature on advances in patient selection using imaging,
      biopsy and biomarkers, ablation techniques and adjuvant treatments for focal
      therapy are summarized. A literature search of major databases was performed
      using the search terms 'focal therapy', 'focal ablation', 'partial ablation',
      'targeted ablation', 'image guided therapy' and 'prostate cancer'. Expert
      commentary: Advanced radiological tools such as multiparametric magnetic
      resonance imaging (mpMRI), multiparametric ultrasound (mpUS), prostate-specific
      membrane-antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) represent a revolution
      in the ability to understand cancer function and biology. Advances in ablative
      technologies now provide a menu of modalities that can be rationalized based on
      lesion location, size and perhaps in the near future, pre-determined resistance
      to therapy. However, these need to be carefully studied to establish their safety
      and efficacy parameters. Adjuvant strategies to enhance focal ablation are under
      development.

PMID- 28635337
TI  - Population-Based Genetic Study of beta-Thalassemia Mutations in Mardan Division,
      Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan.
AB  - beta-Thalassemia (beta-thal) is the most prevalent hereditary blood disorder in
      Pakistan with a carrier rate of 5.0-8.0%. The homozygous affected children
      require frequent blood transfusions for their survival. This autosomal recessive
      disease can only be prevented through awareness programs, carrier screening,
      mutation detection, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis (PND). The present
      study aimed to determine the prevalence of various mutations causing beta-thal
      and also to detect carriers of these mutations in families living in the Mardan
      Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province, Pakistan. The study was conducted at
      the Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan.
      Blood samples of beta-thalassemic families were collected from various
      transfusion centers in Mardan Division. Using the amplification refractory
      mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) technique, all samples were
      analyzed for the six most common mutations causing beta-thal in this area. Six
      different mutant primers for the detection of different mutations were used. The
      most common mutations detected in thalassemic patients were frameshift codons
      (FSC) 8/9 (+G) (HBB: c.27_28insG), codons 41/42 (-TTCT) (HBB: c.126_129delCTTT),
      and IVS-I-5 (G>C) (HBB: c.92+5G>C). The predominant mutation for carrying the
      mutant genes for beta-thal were FSC 8/9, IVS-I-5, codons 41/42, IVS-I-1. It was
      also found that 66.7% of marriages were consanguineous. The FSC 8/9 mutation was
      found to be the most common beta-thal mutation with a frequency of 44.4%. This
      research project provides a strong incentive for the establishment of large scale
      mutation detection and PND services in the Mardan Division.

PMID- 28635338
TI  - Risk of stroke/systemic embolism, major bleeding and associated costs in non
      valvular atrial fibrillation patients who initiated apixaban, dabigatran or
      rivaroxaban compared with warfarin in the United States Medicare population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk and cost of stroke/systemic embolism (SE) and
      major bleeding between each direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) and warfarin among
      non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. METHODS: Patients (>=65 years)
      initiating warfarin or DOACs (apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran) were
      selected from the Medicare database from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014.
      Patients initiating each DOAC were matched 1:1 to warfarin patients using
      propensity score matching to balance demographics and clinical characteristics.
      Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risks of stroke/SE and
      major bleeding of each DOAC vs. warfarin. Two-part models were used to compare
      the stroke/SE- and major-bleeding-related medical costs between matched cohorts.
      RESULTS: Of the 186,132 eligible patients, 20,803 apixaban-warfarin pairs, 52,476
      rivaroxaban-warfarin pairs, and 16,731 dabigatran-warfarin pairs were matched.
      Apixaban (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31, 0.53) and
      rivaroxaban (HR = 0.72; 95% CI 0.63, 0.83) were significantly associated with
      lower risk of stroke/SE compared to warfarin. Apixaban (HR = 0.51; 95% CI 0.44,
      0.58) and dabigatran (HR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.69, 0.91) were significantly associated
      with lower risk of major bleeding; rivaroxaban (HR = 1.17; 95% CI 1.10, 1.26) was
      significantly associated with higher risk of major bleeding compared to warfarin.
      Compared to warfarin, apixaban ($63 vs. $131) and rivaroxaban ($93 vs. $139) had
      significantly lower stroke/SE-related medical costs; apixaban ($292 vs. $529) and
      dabigatran ($369 vs. $450) had significantly lower major bleeding-related medical
      costs. CONCLUSIONS: Among the DOACs in the study, only apixaban is associated
      with a significantly lower risk of stroke/SE and major bleeding and lower related
      medical costs compared to warfarin.

PMID- 28635339
TI  - Methods for estimating costs in patients with hyperlipidemia experiencing their
      first cardiovascular event in the United Kingdom.
AB  - AIMS: Methods for integrating external costs into clinical databases are not well
      characterized. The purpose of this research was to describe and implement methods
      for estimating the cost of hospitalizations, prescriptions, and general
      practitioner and specialist visits used to manage hyperlipidemia patients
      experiencing cardiovascular (CV) events in the United Kingdom (UK). METHODS: This
      study was a retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research
      Datalink and Hospital Episode Statistics data. Costs were incorporated based on
      reference costs from the National Health Service, and labor costs from the
      Personal Social Services Research Unit. The study population included patients
      seen by general practitioners in the UK from 2006-2012. Patients >=18 years were
      selected at the time of their first CV-related hospitalization defined as
      myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, heart failure, transient ischemic attack,
      unstable angina, or revascularization. To be included, patients must have
      received >=2 lipid-lowering therapies. Outcome measures included healthcare
      utilization and direct medical costs for hospitalizations, medications, general
      practitioner visits, and specialist visits during the 6-month acute period,
      starting with the CV hospitalization, and during the subsequent 30-month long
      term period. RESULTS: There were 24,093 patients with a CV hospitalization
      included in the cohort. This study identified and costed 69,240 hospitalizations,
      673,069 GP visits, 32,942 specialist visits, and 2,572,792 prescriptions,
      representing 855 unique drug and dose combinations. The mean acute period and
      mean annualized long-term period costs (2014L) were L4,060 and L1,433 for
      hospitalizations, L377 and L518 for GP visits, L59 and L103 for specialist
      visits, and L98 and L209 for medications. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital costs represent
      the largest portion of acute and long-term costs in this population. Detailed
      costing using utilization data is feasible and representative of UK clinical
      practice, but is labor intensive. The availability of a standardized coding
      system in the UK drug costing data would greatly facilitate drug costing.

PMID- 28635341
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28635340
TI  - From seed to cooked pasta: influence of traditional and non-conventional
      transformation processes on total antioxidant capacity and phenolic acid content.
AB  - The aim of this work was to compare the traditional with a non-conventional (i.e.
      kernel micronisation) durum wheat milling process by monitoring the content of
      bound, conjugated and free phenolic acids (PAs) and the level of the total
      antioxidant capacity (TAC) occurring in the durum wheat pasta production chain,
      from seed to cooked pasta. The traditional transformation processes negatively
      influenced TAC and PA content (40% and 89% decrease from seed to cooked pasta,
      respectively), mainly during the milling process (25% and 84% decrease of TAC and
      PA, respectively), which has been related to the removal of external layers of
      kernels. Conversely, the micronisation applied on durum wheat kernels allowed to
      obtain whole-wheat pasta that preserved the seed endowment of antioxidant
      compounds even in cooked pasta. These results indicate the micronisation as a
      valuable approach to produce pasta with improved nutritional value and potential
      health-promoting effects compared to the traditional pasta.

PMID- 28635342
TI  - Healthcare costs in psoriasis and psoriasis sub-groups over time following
      psoriasis diagnosis.
AB  - AIMS: To quantify healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis overall and in
      psoriasis patient sub-groups, by level of disease severity, presence or absence
      of psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics. METHODS: Administrative data from
      Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Research Database were used to select adult
      patients with psoriasis from January 2009 to January 2014. The first psoriasis
      diagnosis was set as the index date. Patients were required to have >=6 months of
      continuous enrollment with medical and pharmacy benefits pre-index and >=12
      months post-index. Patients were followed from index until the earliest of loss
      to follow-up or study end. All-cause healthcare costs and outpatient pharmacy
      costs were calculated for the overall psoriasis cohort and for the six different
      psoriasis patient sub-groups: (a) patients with moderate-to-severe disease and
      mild disease, (b) patients with psoriatic arthritis and those without, and (c)
      patients on biologics and those who are not. Costs are presented per-patient-per
      year (PPPY) and by years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of follow-up, expressed in 2014 US
      dollars. RESULTS: A total of 108,790 psoriasis patients were selected, with a
      mean age of 46.0 years (52.7% females). Average follow-up was 962 days. All-cause
      healthcare costs were $12,523 PPPY. Outpatient pharmacy costs accounted for 38.6%
      of total costs. All-cause healthcare costs were highest for patients on biologics
      ($29,832), then for patients with psoriatic arthritis ($23,427) and those with
      moderate-to-severe disease ($21,481). Overall, all-cause healthcare costs and
      outpatient pharmacy costs presented an upward trend over a 5-year period.
      CONCLUSIONS: Psoriasis is associated with significant economic burden, which
      increases over time as the disease progresses. Patients with moderate-to-severe
      psoriasis, those with psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics contributes to
      higher healthcare costs. Psoriasis-related pharmacy expenditure is the largest
      driver of healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis.

PMID- 28635343
TI  - Primary psychopathy and alcohol pathology in college students: The role of
      protective behavioral strategies.
AB  - OVERVIEW: Though not an official diagnosis, psychopathy has become an important
      area of research due to the litany of deleterious outcomes associated with this
      aspect of temperament. Psychopathy is composed of primary and secondary traits.
      Research consistently links psychopathy to alcohol pathology, though often only
      via secondary traits which are comprised of intractable aspects of behavior
      (e.g., poor impulse control). In contrast, primary psychopathy is comprised of
      behaviors that can be learned and thus may be more malleable (i.e., low harm
      reduction behaviors). OBJECTIVES: The current study examines associations between
      primary psychopathic traits and alcohol involvement as a function of Protective
      Behavioral Strategies (PBS) utilization in a sample of college students. METHOD:
      Participants (n = 936 college student drinkers; 66.56% female) completed a series
      of questionnaires assessing primary psychopathy, alcohol involvement, and PBS
      use. RESULTS: There was a significant positive association between primary
      psychopathy and alcohol consumption and pathology. This association was partially
      mediated via diminished PBS use. PBS use also moderated the relationship between
      alcohol consumption and pathology. The indirect effects from psychopathy to
      alcohol outcomes were attenuated at high (+1SD) PBS and potentiated at low (-1SD)
      PBS. CONCLUSION: The current findings suggest that some of the alcohol pathology
      associated with psychopathy is a function of lower harm reduction strategies
      among individuals with more psychopathic traits. These findings suggest that
      interventions targeting PBS use may be one way to reduce alcohol problems among
      those with higher levels of primary psychopathy.

PMID- 28635344
TI  - Trajectories of remission and mortality over 13 years after intake to substance
      use treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationships between long-term patterns of
      substance use and mortality risk among substance use disorder (SUD) patients.
      OBJECTIVE: To determine distinct patterns of remission and relapse of SUD over
      time and examine their relationship with mortality. METHODS: The study site was
      Kaiser Permanente of Northern California. Data for 997 adults who entered
      substance use treatment between 1994 and 1996 and 4,241 non-SUD patients with
      similar demographic distributions (35% women in both groups) were analyzed.
      Latent class growth analysis identified distinct remission trajectory groups over
      13 years among SUD patients, and survival analyses were conducted to examine the
      risk of death between remission trajectory groups, and SUD and non-SUD patients
      within each remission trajectory group. RESULTS: Three distinct remission
      trajectory groups were identified among SUD patients: 1) early relapse-low
      remission probabilities; 2) declining remission-decreasing remission
      probabilities; and 3) stable remission-stable remission probabilities across all
      time points. Among the SUD patients, the early relapse group had a higher risk of
      death than those stably remitted; stable and declining remission groups did not
      differ. Comparisons within each remission trajectory group showed that SUD
      patients in the early relapse and stable remission groups had higher risks of
      death compared with non-SUD patients; there were no differences within the
      declining group. CONCLUSIONS: SUD patients in the stable remission group had
      lower survival rates compared with non-SUD patients. These findings underline the
      importance of continuously addressing healthcare needs of individuals with SUD,
      even in the presence of long-term remission.

PMID- 28635345
TI  - Avatar-assisted therapy: a proof-of-concept pilot study of a novel technology
      based intervention to treat substance use disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Avatar-assisted therapy (AAT) is a novel and emerging technology that
      uses the Internet to enable clinicians and clients in substance abuse treatment
      to participate in group counseling sessions from separate and remote locations in
      real time through the use of avatars and virtual environments. OBJECTIVES: The
      current study is a pilot proof-of-concept feasibility study involving individuals
      in outpatient substance abuse treatment. This report addresses two questions: (1)
      are individuals who present for substance abuse treatment interested in receiving
      AAT and (2) what factors are associated with better treatment success. METHODS:
      Individuals who presented at the treatment clinic who met study eligibility
      criteria, and provided their written informed consent to participate, were
      included in the current study (N = 59; 78% male). RESULTS: Twenty-eight (47.5%)
      participants completed 16 weeks of treatment and attended more sessions compared
      to non-completers (M = 14.3 vs. 7.5 p < .05). Those individuals who completed
      treatment were less likely to have a positive urine drug screen at baseline (21.5
      vs. 78.6%; p < .05). Furthermore, those individuals who successfully completed
      treatment were less likely to have positive urine drug screens during treatment
      compared to those who did not complete (29.7% vs. 70.3%, p < .05). There were no
      arrests during treatment for completers and non-completers. CONCLUSION: Poor
      retention in substance use disorder treatment has long been a major problem for
      public health. AAT is a feasible approach that has the potential to expand
      treatment to individuals who might have difficulty accessing treatment. Moreover,
      AAT may be appealing to clients who are concerned about anonymity and
      confidentiality.

PMID- 28635346
TI  - Effect of drug-related cues on response inhibition through abstinence: A pilot
      study in male heroin abstainers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic heroin use can cause a deficit of inhibitory function,
      leading to a loss of control over drug use. Exposure to drug-related cues is
      considered as one of the contributing factors. However, it is unclear whether
      there are dynamic changes on the effect of drug-related cues on response
      inhibition following prolonged abstinence. OBJECTIVE: The present study
      investigated the effect of drug-related cues on response inhibition in heroin
      abstainers at different abstinent phases. METHODS: 26 shorter-term (2-6 months)
      and 26 longer-term (19-24 months) male heroin abstainers performed on a modified
      two-choice Oddball task, which included two conditions: in the cued condition,
      neutral pictures served as the background of standard stimuli (yellow frame) and
      heroin-related pictures served as the background of deviant stimuli (blue frame),
      reversed in the controlled conditions. RESULTS: Compared to longer-term
      abstainers, mean reaction time (RT) for drug deviants in shorter-term abstainers
      was significantly longer. Shorter-term abstainers also showed markedly slower
      response to neutral deviants relative to drug deviants, but this tendency was not
      observed in longer-term abstainers. Nevertheless, both groups had similar RT for
      standard stimuli regardless of their paired background pictures. CONCLUSION:
      Effect of drug-related cues on response inhibition remains at the early stage of
      abstinence; however, this effect may be reduced following a longer period of drug
      abstinence. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing and improving the
      ability of inhibiting drug-related cue reactivity during treatment.

PMID- 28635347
TI  - Ketamine and international regulations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ketamine is an anesthetic commonly used in low-income countries and
      has recently been shown to be effective for treatment-resistant depression.
      However, the illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and nonmedical use of ketamine
      are increasing globally, and its illicit use poses major public health challenges
      in many countries. OBJECTIVES: To review the nonmedical use of ketamine in
      selected countries and its regulatory control. METHODS: We conducted a review of
      literature identified from searches of the China National Knowledge
      Infrastructure (CNKI) (1979-2016) and PubMed databases, supplemented by
      additional references identified by the authors. Special attention was given to
      the regulation of ketamine. RESULTS: Illicit manufacturing, trafficking, and use
      of ketamine appear to have begun on a large scale in several Asian nations, and
      it has subsequently spread to other regions. Regulations governing availability
      of ketamine vary across countries, but there is a clear trend toward tighter
      regulations. CONCLUSIONS: As nonmedical use of ketamine and its harmful
      consequences have worsened globally, stricter controls are necessary. Appropriate
      regulation of ketamine is important for international efforts to control
      ketamine's cross-border trafficking and its nonmedical use.

PMID- 28635348
TI  - Hope, coping skills, and the prefrontal cortex in alcohol use disorder recovery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorders adversely affect individual and societal
      health. These disorders are a chronic brain disease, and protective factors
      against relapse should be studied. Prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction is evident
      in alcohol use disorders, and research that explores recovery of the PFC in
      alcohol use disorders is needed, specifically in regard to how psychological and
      behavioral factors can augment medicalized treatments and protect against
      relapse. For example, hope or a belief that recovery is possible is an important
      cognitive construct-thought to precede behavioral action-that has been associated
      with relapse. OBJECTIVES: In this study, associations between healthy coping
      skills and hope (psychological/behavioral factors) and PFC regional activation in
      response to alcohol cue exposure were examined. It was also examined whether such
      associations were unique to alcohol cues. METHODS: Forty-two participants, 32
      males and nine females in recovery from an alcohol use disorder (AUD), were
      administered a subjective hope and coping in recovery measure. They also viewed
      alcohol, positive, negative, and neutral cues during functional near-infrared
      spectroscopy (fNIR) PFC assessment. RESULTS: Levels of healthy coping skills
      positively correlated with activation in the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex
      (DMPFC) in response to alcohol cues. This finding was unique to alcohol cues.
      CONCLUSION: The association between coping skills and activation of the right
      DMPFC in response to alcohol cues may reflect greater action restraint and top
      down PFC control processing that may protect against relapse.

PMID- 28635350
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28635349
TI  - The association between alcohol use trajectories from adolescence to adulthood
      and cannabis use disorder in adulthood: a 22-year longitudinal study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Due to the increasing prevalence of cannabis use disorder (CUD), the
      impact of cannabis use on public health may be significant. OBJECTIVE: The
      present study seeks the possible precursors (e.g., alcohol use) of CUD in order
      to minimize the potential negative consequences of CUD such as impaired
      coordination and performance. METHOD: The Harlem Longitudinal Development Study
      included 674 participants (53% African Americans, 47% Puerto Ricans), with 60%
      females (n=405) from a six wave survey. We used a growth mixture model to obtain
      the trajectories of alcohol use from the mean ages of 14 to 36. To examine the
      associations between alcohol use trajectories and CUD, we used logistic
      regression analyses with the indicator of CUD as the dependent variable and the
      indicator of membership in each trajectory group as the independent variables.
      RESULTS: A three alcohol use trajectory group model was selected. Male gender,
      higher frequency of cannabis use in adolescence, and a lower educational level
      were associated with an increased likelihood of having CUD. Membership in the
      increasing alcohol use group (OR=27.44, p < .01; AOR=15.54, p < .01) and the
      moderate alcohol use group (OR=10.40, p < .05; AOR=8.63, p < .05) were associated
      with an increased likelihood of having CUD compared with the membership in the no
      or low alcohol use group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study support the
      hypothesis that addressing alcohol use at an early age could impact later CUD.

PMID- 28635351
TI  - Assessing the quality of bereavement care after perinatal death: development and
      piloting of a questionnaire to assess parents' experiences.
AB  - Understanding parents' experience of care is essential to develop high-quality
      perinatal bereavement services. This study aimed at developing a questionnaire to
      identify parents' needs and record their experience of care. The patient
      experience questionnaire was developed by professionals and parents, and piloted
      in a tertiary maternity unit. Responses were received from 58 parents.
      Sensitivity and kindness of staff and time spent with their baby were ranked as
      'very important' by 95% of parents. Care in these areas largely met their needs
      (90%), although 5% of respondents stated that partners could have been more
      involved. Between 8% and 15% of respondents did not feel that language used at
      the diagnosis of fetal death was sensitive, clear and unambiguous. Parents did
      not always receive written information about their care (5%) or post-mortem
      (13%). Analysis of bereaved parents' responses identified areas for improvement
      including greater involvement of partners and a need for timely information.
      Impact statement What is already known on this subject?: Good quality bereavement
      care after perinatal death reduces the negative emotional, psychological and
      social effects for parents. Description of parents' experiences is a potential
      means to improve the quality of perinatal bereavement care. What do the results
      of this study add?: Parents' needs and experiences of care after perinatal death
      were recorded using a patient-experience questionnaire designed by a multi
      professional team and parents. Staff behaviour, particularly sensitivity and
      kindness was highly valued by parents. Giving both verbal and written information
      could be improved. Training is needed for professionals, particularly those who
      come into contact with bereaved parents less frequently. What are the
      implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research?:
      Description of parents' priorities and views can be used to identify areas for
      improvement in perinatal bereavement care. Parents' views should be regularly
      sought and used to develop local services in an iterative process.

PMID- 28635352
TI  - A randomized controlled trial comparing two types of retractors at caesarean
      delivery.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine if the use of a self-retaining,
      symmetrical retractor (OB/Mobius(r)) during caesarean delivery is associated with
      differences in post-operative pain experience. Consenting women undergoing
      caesarean delivery were randomly assigned to OB/Mobius(r) versus conventional
      retraction instruments. Women were blinded to retractor type and filled out
      surgical pain surveys each post-operative day. Additional outcome variables were
      collected through a provider survey and chart review. Of the 154 randomised
      women, 144 completed the study. There was no difference in the symmetry, quality
      or intensity of postoperative pain based on the method of retraction. The
      OB/Mobius(r) retractor did not confer an improvement in the quality or intensity
      of post-caesarean discomfort in the first three days following delivery. Nor did
      the groups differ in operative times, blood loss or pain medication usage.
      However, the retractor may offer improved visualisation and retraction in obese
      women. Impact statement Use of a plastic sheath self-retaining retractor has been
      minimally studied in caesarean deliveries. Recently it was found that the use of
      such a retractor reduced wound infection, but another study in obese women did
      not show improved rates of infection (Hinkson et al. 2016 ; Scolari Childress et
      al. 2016 ). The study of sheath self-retaining retractors to decrease post
      operative pain has not been reported previously. This study offers an
      investigation into a generalisable population of parturients who undergo
      caesarean delivery and if the primary use of a self-retaining retractor versus
      sole use of traditional hand-held retractors decreased post-operative pain while
      in the hospital. Although this study did not show an improvement in post
      operative pain, provider experience reports demonstrated some improvement in
      visualisation, particularly in the obese population with the use of this novel
      retractor, thus making it an option for providers who do caesarean deliveries
      without an assistant and find hand-held retractors inadequate.

PMID- 28635353
TI  - A Systematic Review of Supported Accommodation Programs for People Released From
      Custody.
AB  - One of the challenges that people recently released from custody face is securing
      housing. Many individuals rely on supported accommodation programs for housing in
      the immediate post-release period. However, the value of supported accommodation
      programs in producing positive criminal justice and health outcomes for people
      released from custody has not been widely examined. This article reviews the
      current literature on supported accommodation programs and the elements of these
      services that contribute to positive outcomes for individuals released from
      custody. We focused on programs that provided temporary, transitional group
      residences for adults recently released from a correctional setting. The
      systematic review identified only nine publications that met the inclusion
      criteria. Studies were frequently at high risk of bias and few consistent
      findings emerged about either effectiveness of accommodation programs or program
      characteristics associated with participant outcomes. Methodologically rigorous
      research is needed to determine the effectiveness of post-release supported
      accommodation programs.

PMID- 28635354
TI  - The effects of food on opioid-induced nausea and vomiting and pharmacological
      parameters: a systematic review.
AB  - Opioids remain the standard of care for treating moderate to severe pain
      resulting from surgery or injury in cases of acute pain, and are recommended for
      patients who have not responded to nonopioid analgesics. Effective management of
      pain has an impact on clinical course and often depends on achieving an
      acceptable balance between opioid efficacy, safety, and tolerability. Common
      opioid-related adverse events such as nausea and vomiting are associated with an
      overall lower achievement of effective pain management and patient satisfaction.
      However, in practice, clinicians employ various strategies to maximize efficacy,
      minimize these adverse effects, and ensure the careful, judicious, and evidence
      based use of opioids for patients who require them. Typical strategies for
      management and minimization of these types of adverse events include dose
      reduction, dose titration, opioid rotation, prescription for an antiemetic, and
      recommending the patient take opioids with food. Overall, the most
      straightforward approach that clinicians tend to employ that does not require
      additional visits or adjustment of prescriptions, is to recommend patients take
      opioids with food. However, given the current climate with opioids, it is
      critical and imperative that decisions for use of opioids be grounded in a solid
      and thorough evidence-base. In fact, several opioids are recommended to be taken
      explicitly with or without food because of interactions with abuse-deterrent
      technologies that can cause increased adverse events or inadequate analgesia.
      Therefore, we sought to review, synthesize, and summarize the literature for
      randomized, controlled trials and other studies to support the hypothesis that
      taking opioids with food reduces opioid-related events such as nausea and
      vomiting. Based on the current evidence we surveyed, the recommendation to take
      opioids with food does not appear to consistently and unequivocally reduce nausea
      and vomiting and, in many cases, increases the frequency of these adverse events
      in the studies we examined.

PMID- 28635355
TI  - Aberrant Wnt signaling: a special focus in CNS diseases.
AB  - Wnt signals regulate cell proliferation, migration and differentiation during
      development, as well as synaptic transmission and plasticity in the adult brain.
      Abnormal Wnt signaling is central to a number of brain pathologies. We review
      here, the significance of this pathway focused in the contribution of the most
      frequent alterations in receptors, secretable modulators and downstream targets
      in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Glioblastoma (GBM). beta-catenin and GSK3 levels
      are pivotal in the neurodegeneration associated to AD contributing to memory
      deficits, tau phosphorylation, increased beta-amyloid production and modulation
      of Apolipoprotein E in the brain. In consequence, beta-catenin and GSK3 are
      targets for potential treatments in AD. Also, Wnt pathway components and secreted
      molecules interfering with this signaling contribute to the progression of
      tumoral cells. Wnt pathway activation is a bad prognosis in brain cancer;
      however, mutations in WNT or Frizzled (FZD) genes do not account for the cases of
      GBM. Instead, recent studies indicate that epigenetic modifications contribute to
      the development of GBMs opening novel strategies to study GBM progression.

PMID- 28635356
TI  - Simultaneous ABO-incompatible living-donor liver transplantation and splenectomy
      without plasma exchange in China: Two case reports.
AB  - ABO-incompatible (ABO-i) living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is performed
      if an ABO-compatible graft cannot be obtained. However, a perfect desensitization
      protocol has not been established worldwide, especially for simultaneous ABO-i
      LDLT and splenectomy. We herein report two cases of ABO-i LDLT. To the best of
      our knowledge, this is the first case report of ABO-i LDLT in an adult patient in
      China. Splenectomy and T-cell-targeted immunosuppression (basiliximab) was used
      to overcome the blood group barrier in these recipients. The patients had good
      graft function without signs of antibody-mediated rejection throughout the 12
      month follow-up. Thus, ABO-i LDLT with splenectomy is undoubtedly life-saving
      when an ABO-compatible graft cannot be obtained for patients in critical
      condition.

PMID- 28635357
TI  - Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum and expression of transforming growth factor
      beta.
AB  - Objective To explore the relationship between cellular apoptosis and hypertrophy
      of the ligamentum flavum in the lumbar region. Methods Thirty patients with
      lumbar spinal stenosis were evaluated. Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum was
      present in 15 patients and absent in 15. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and
      transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) immunohistochemical testing were
      applied to compare these two groups. Results Derangement of fibrous alignment,
      fibrocartilage changes, and infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed in
      the patients with hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum, while fibrous alignment
      was normal and few inflammatory cells were observed in patients without
      hypertrophy. Immunohistochemical studies showed positive expression of TGF-beta
      in patients with hypertrophy, while expression was negative in patients without
      hypertrophy. The integrated optical density was 2.6556708 in the hypertrophy
      group and 23104671 in the normal controls. Conclusions Expression of TGF-beta was
      closely related to hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum. Appropriate application
      of the TGF-beta expression level can be used to predict progression of
      hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum.

PMID- 28635358
TI  - Disability and the impact of need for periodontal care on quality of life: A
      cross-sectional study.
AB  - Objective The need for periodontal care may negatively impact daily life. We
      compared the need for periodontal care and its impact on daily life between
      disabled and healthy adults in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Methods In
      this cross-sectional study of 819 adults, a questionnaire was used to assess
      personal background factors; the impact of periodontitis on pain, avoiding foods,
      embarrassment, sleeplessness, work absence, and discontinuing daily activities;
      and risk factors (smoking, diabetes, toothbrushing, insurance, professional tooth
      cleaning, and dental visits). The outcome was clinically assessed need for
      periodontal care impacting daily life. The relationship between the outcome and
      risk factors adjusted for personal background and disability was assessed using
      ordinal regression. Results Healthy and disabled persons had a high need for
      periodontal care (66.8%). Current smokers had a higher likelihood and health
      insured persons had a lower likelihood of need for periodontal care impacting
      daily life regardless of whether disability was considered. Conclusions Most
      adults needed periodontal care, and disabled persons experienced a greater impact
      on life. Current smokers and uninsured persons were more likely to need
      periodontal care impacting daily life. Our findings are important for the
      prevention of periodontitis through tobacco cessation and extending insurance
      coverage.

PMID- 28635359
TI  - Thoracic paravertebral block versus intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for
      pain treatment in patients with multiple rib fractures.
AB  - Objectives To assess the effect of thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) on pain
      management and preservation of pulmonary function compared with intravenous,
      patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA) in patients with multiple rib fractures
      (MRFs). Methods Ninety patients with unilateral MRFs were included in this
      prospective study and randomly assigned to the TPVB or IVPCA group. The visual
      analogue scale (VAS) pain score, blood gas analysis, and bedside spirometry were
      measured and recorded at different time points after analgesia. Results TPVB and
      IVPCA provided good pain relief. VAS scores were significantly lower in the TPVB
      group than in the IVPCA group at rest and during coughing ( P < 0.05). Patients
      in the TPVB group had a higher PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 and lower P(A-a)O2 compared
      with the IVPCA group ( P < 0.05). Moreover, patients in the TPVB group showed
      higher FVC, FEV1/FVC, and PEFR, and fewer complications than did the IVPCA group
      ( P < 0.05). Conclusion TPVB is superior to IVPCA in pain relief and preservation
      of pulmonary function in patients with MRFs.

PMID- 28635360
TI  - The association between apolipoprotein A1-C3-A5 gene cluster promoter
      polymorphisms and risk of ischemic stroke in the northern Chinese Han population.
AB  - Objective Given its effects on lipid metabolism, the apolipoprotein A1-C3-A5 (
      APOA1-C3-A5) gene cluster is thought to play an important role in ischemic stroke
      pathogenesis. Here, we evaluated whether the APOA1-C3-A5 cluster is associated
      with ischemic stroke in the northern Chinese Han population. Methods This case
      control study analyzed 812 patients with ischemic stroke and 844 healthy controls
      with regard to four APOA1-C3-A5 cluster promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms
      (SNPs), rs670, rs2854116, rs2854117, and rs662799, using the SNaPshot Multiplex
      sequencing assay. Potential associations among ischemic stroke, genotyping, and
      allele frequencies were assessed. Results APOA1 rs670 CT/TT genotypes, APOA5
      rs662799 AG/GG genotypes, and the APOC3 rs2854116 CC genotype were associated
      with an increased risk of ischemic stroke according to multivariate logistic
      analysis after adjusting for confounding factors. A significantly increased risk
      for ischemic stroke was also identified among high-risk haplotypes (C-C-T-A and T
      T-C-A) for rs670-rs2854116-rs2854117-rs662799. Conclusion This study showed that
      rs670, rs2854116, and rs662799 SNPs of the APOA1-C3-A5 cluster are associated
      with ischemic stroke in the northern Chinese Han population.

PMID- 28635361
TI  - Role of licochalcone A in VEGF-induced proliferation of human airway smooth
      muscle cells: implications for asthma.
AB  - Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by reversible airway
      obstruction with persistent airway inflammation and airway remodeling, which is
      associated with increased airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass. Licochalcone A is the
      predominant characteristic chalcone in licorice root. We found that licochalcone
      A inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced ASM cell
      proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest. Additionally, VEGF-induced ASM cell
      proliferation was suppressed via inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated
      kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activity, but not that of Akt. Furthermore, licochalcone A
      treatment inhibited VEGF-induced activation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and ERK
      and blocked the downregulation of caveolin-1 in a concentration-dependent manner.
      Collectively, our findings suggested that licochalcone A inhibited VEGF-induced
      ASM cell proliferation by suppressing VEGFR2 and ERK1/2 activation and
      downregulating caveolin-1. Further studies of these mechanisms are needed to
      facilitate the development of treatments for smooth muscle hyperplasia-associated
      diseases of the airway, such as asthma.

PMID- 28635362
TI  - Costs and effectiveness of fingolimod versus alemtuzumab in the treatment of
      highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the UK: re-treatment,
      discount, and disutility.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated
      with disease modifying therapies (DMTs) who continue to experience disease
      activity may be considered for escalation therapies such as fingolimod, or may be
      considered for alemtuzumab. Previous economic modeling used Markov models;
      applying one alternative technique, discrete event simulation (DES) modeling,
      allows re-treatment and long-term adverse events (AEs) to be included in the
      analysis. METHODS: A DES was adapted to model relapse-triggered re-treatment with
      alemtuzumab and the effect of including ongoing quality-adjusted life year (QALY)
      decrements for AEs that extend beyond previous 1-year Markov cycles. As the price
      to the NHS of fingolimod in the UK is unknown, due to a confidential patient
      access scheme (PAS), a variety of possible discounts were tested. The interaction
      of re-treatment assumptions for alemtuzumab with the possible discounts for
      fingolimod was tested to determine which DMT resulted in lower lifetime costs.
      The lifetime QALY results were derived from modeled treatment effect and short-
      and long-term AEs. RESULTS: Most permutations of fingolimod PAS discount and
      alemtuzumab re-treatment rate resulted in fingolimod being less costly than
      alemtuzumab. As the percentage of patients who are re-treated with alemtuzumab
      due to experiencing a relapse approaches 100% of those who relapse whilst on
      treatment, the discount required for fingolimod to be less costly drops below 5%.
      Consideration of treatment effect alone found alemtuzumab generated 0.2 more
      QALYs/patient; the inclusion of AEs up to a duration of 1 year reduced this
      advantage to only 0.14 QALYs/patient. Modeling AEs with a lifetime QALY decrement
      found that both DMTs generated very similar QALYs with the difference only 0.04
      QALYs/patient. CONCLUSIONS: When the model captured alemtuzumab re-treatment and
      long-term AE decrements, it was found that fingolimod is cost-effective compared
      to alemtuzumab, assuming application of only a modest level of confidential PAS
      discount.

PMID- 28635363
TI  - Early mortality risk in incident Chinese hemodialysis patients: a retrospective
      cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early mortality risk of maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients
      varies by country and ethnicity. Here, early mortality in incident Chinese HD
      patients were studied. METHODS: Data from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013 were
      pulled from Beijing dialysis registry system. All included patients were followed
      to the end of 2013. This time period of dialysis was divided into six intervals
      (<=120, 121-365 days; 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, >=5 years). Patients' demographics, primary
      cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), date of first HD, date of death, cause
      for death, date and cause of censoring were extracted from the registry database.
      All-cause mortality (per 100 patient-years) was calculated for each period
      stratified by sex, age and cause of ESRD. Monthly mortality rates were also
      calculated. RESULTS: A total of 11,955 patients were included, 6738 were males
      and 5217 were females. The mean age at dialysis initiation was 57.7 +/- 16.1
      years. The median follow-up time was 19.8 months. There were total 2555 deaths.
      The overall mortality rate was 8.2 per 100 patient-years. Mortality rates were
      18.7, 7.5, 6.9, 6.9, 6.5 and 6.2 in each period. The first 2 months mortality
      rates were 41.9 and 16.6 per 100 patient-years. Higher mortality was observed in
      patients who were older, female, diabetic and hypertensive. CONCLUSIONS: The most
      critical period was the first 2 months of dialysis initiation. Patients who were
      older, female, diabetic and hypertensive had higher risk of early mortality. Our
      analysis highlighted that the transitional period from sever CKD stages to
      dialysis initiation, when optimal supportive care should be adopted, was crucial
      for patients' survival.

PMID- 28635364
TI  - The impact of motivational interviewing on behavior stages of nulliparous
      pregnant women preparing for childbirth: a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) on the
      stages of behavior change among nulliparous pregnant women who were preparing for
      childbirth. METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 234 pregnant women were
      studied in two intervention groups (MI and lecture), and one control group at
      three stages. In weeks 16-19 of pregnancy, two counseling sessions were held for
      the MI group, and one lecturing session was held for the lecture group. In weeks
      21 and 37 of pregnancy, the three groups were reevaluated. RESULTS: At baseline,
      more than 70% of women were at pre-contemplation and contemplation stages. In
      week 21 of pregnancy, in MI 71% were at preparation stage, whereas in the lecture
      and control groups, 51.9% and 49.4% were at the contemplation stage,
      respectively. In week 37 of pregnancy, in MI, lecture and control groups, 90%,
      59.7% and 27.3% were at the action stage, respectively (p < .001). The result of
      generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis using a Poisson model indicated
      that the incident rate for lecture group was 1.7 (95% CI: 1.2-2.5) times the
      incident rate for the MI group. Also, the incident rate for control group was 3.4
      (95% CI: 2.2-5.0) times the incident rate for the MI group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Motivational interviewing was effective in guiding nulliparous mothers toward
      positive behavior stages.

PMID- 28635366
TI  - Redox biology of Leishmania and macrophage targeted nanoparticles for therapy.
AB  - Intramacrophage parasite 'Leishmania' has developed various mechanisms for
      proficient uptake into macrophages and phagosome regulation to avoid macrophage's
      oxidative burst induced by peroxide, hydroxyl radical, hypochlorous acid and
      peroxynitrite production. One major barrier for impairing the accession of old
      fashioned anti-Leishmanial drugs is intrinsic incapability to pass through cell
      membranes and limiting their abilities to ultimately destroy intracellular
      pathogens. Receptor-mediated targeted drug delivery to the macrophages by using
      nanoparticles emerges as promising strategy to improve therapeutic efficacy of
      old-fashioned drug. Receptor-mediated targeted nanoparticles can migrate across
      the cell membrane barriers and release enclosed drug cargo at sites of infection.
      This review is focusing on Leishmania-macrophage signaling alterations, its
      association with drug resistance and role of nanoparticles for receptor mediated
      macrophage targeting.

PMID- 28635367
TI  - In vivo and in vitro depolymerizations of intracellular medium-chain-length poly
      3-hydroxyalkanoates produced by Pseudomonas putida Bet001.
AB  - In vivo and in vitro depolymerizations of intracellular medium-chain-length poly
      3-hydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHA) in Pseudomonas putida Bet001 grown on lauric acid
      was studied. Both processes were studied under optimum conditions for mcl-PHA
      depolymerization viz. 0.2 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 9, ionic strength (I) = 0.2 M at
      30 degrees C. For in vitro depolymerization studies, cell-free system was
      obtained from lysing bacterial cells suspension by ultrasonication at optimum
      conditions (frequency 37 kHz, 30% of power output, <25 degrees C for 120 min).
      The comparison between in vivo and in vitro depolymerizations of intracellular
      mcl-PHA was made. In vitro depolymerization showed lower depolymerization rate
      but higher yield compared to in vivo depolymerization. The monomer liberation
      rate reflected the mol% distribution of the initial polymer subunit composition,
      and the resulting direct individual products of depolymerization were identical
      for both in vivo and in vitro processes. It points to exo-type reaction for both
      processes, and potential biological route to chiral molecules.

PMID- 28635365
TI  - Nucleosomal organization and DNA base composition patterns.
AB  - Nucleosomes are the basic units of chromatin. They compact the genome inside the
      nucleus and regulate the access of proteins to DNA. In the yeast genome, most
      nucleosomes occupy well-defined positions, which are maintained under many
      different physiological situations and genetic backgrounds. Although several
      short sequence elements have been described that favor or reduce the affinity
      between histones and DNA, the extent to which the DNA sequence affects nucleosome
      positioning in the genomic context remains unclear. Recent analyses indicate that
      the base composition pattern of mononucleosomal DNA differs among species, and
      that the same sequence elements have a different impact on nucleosome positioning
      in different genomes despite the high level of phylogenetic conservation of
      histones. These studies have also shown that the DNA sequence contributes to
      nucleosome positioning to the point that it is possible to design synthetic DNA
      molecules capable of generating regular and species-specific nucleosomal patterns
      in vivo.

PMID- 28635368
TI  - Efficacy and safety of autologous cell therapies for knee cartilage defects
      (autologous stem cells, chondrocytes or the two): randomized controlled trial
      design.
AB  - AIM: The main aim of this trial is to test the safety and efficacy of autologous
      stromal/stem cells, chondrocytes or the two combined in the treatment of knee
      cartilage defects. PATIENTS & METHODS: Patients with symptomatic
      chondral/osteochondral defects will be randomized to cell therapy treatment with
      one of three cell populations (1:1:1). The primary efficacy outcome is a
      functional knee score (Lysholm) at 15 months post-treatment and the primary
      safety outcome is the incidence of adverse events. Secondary objectives are to
      analyze repair tissues, quality of life and cost-utility assessments. Exploratory
      objectives are to identify predictors for success/potency and dose-response
      relationships. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: This trial has been carefully designed so
      that valuable scientific and clinical information can be gathered throughout and
      in the final analysis.

PMID- 28635369
TI  - Comparison of Knotless Barbed Suture Versus Monofilament Suture in the Oral
      Cavity of Cats.
AB  - The present study compares a knotless, barbed, absorbable suture material against
      a conventional monofilament absorbable suture material in oral mucosal wound
      closure. The parameters measured include time of closure and differences in
      healing at 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively. A prospective study comparing a
      knotless, barbed suture system with conventional absorbable sutures was
      undertaken in 19 cats. Nineteen cats had full mouth extractions performed.
      Following the extraction procedures, the incisions in the arcades (maxillary and
      mandibular) were apposed with the barbed, knotless suture system in a continuous
      pattern on one side and with a conventional smooth suture in an interrupted
      pattern on the other. Suturing times for each arcade were recorded. The material
      used to close the first side of each cat varied. Healing, dehiscence, and other
      complications were assessed at 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively. The average closure
      time (+/- standard deviation) per quadrant with conventional monofilament suture
      was 8.7 (+/-1.3) minutes, while barbed suture required an average of 5.1 (+/-1.1)
      minutes per quadrant to complete the suture. This difference (95% confidence
      interval) of 3.6 (+/-3.2-4.1) minutes per quadrant was statistically significant
      ( P < .001). Dehiscence and ranula-like swelling formation were noted as uncommon
      postoperative complications, but the differences were not significant between the
      groups. Barbed, knotless sutures resulted in faster closure times than
      conventional, simple interrupted, monofilament sutures with similar healing and
      complication rates. To the author's knowledge, there is no current literature
      comparing conventional absorbable monofilament sutures to a knotless, barbed,
      absorbable suture system for closure of oral mucosal incisions in cats.

PMID- 28635370
TI  - Evaluation of the comprehensive palatability of Japanese sake paired with dishes
      by multiple regression analysis based on subdomains.
AB  - Many factors contribute to palatability. In order to evaluate the palatability of
      Japanese alcohol sake paired with certain dishes by integrating multiple factors,
      here we applied an evaluation method previously reported for palatability of
      cheese by multiple regression analysis based on 3 subdomain factors (rewarding,
      cultural, and informational). We asked 94 Japanese participants/subjects to
      evaluate the palatability of sake (1st evaluation/E1 for the first cup, 2nd/E2
      and 3rd/E3 for the palatability with aftertaste/afterglow of certain dishes) and
      to respond to a questionnaire related to 3 subdomains. In E1, 3 factors were
      extracted by a factor analysis, and the subsequent multiple regression analyses
      indicated that the palatability of sake was interpreted by mainly the rewarding.
      Further, the results of attribution-dissections in E1 indicated that 2 factors
      (rewarding and informational) contributed to the palatability. Finally, our
      results indicated that the palatability of sake was influenced by the dish eaten
      just before drinking.

PMID- 28635371
TI  - Deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in unprocessed cereals and soybean from different
      cultivation regions in Croatia.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON)
      and zearalenone (ZEN) in unprocessed cereals and soybean sampled in 2014 and 2015
      from different fields located in Croatian regions. A total of 306 samples were
      analysed for DON and 415 samples for ZEN concentrations using quantitative ELISA
      methods. In 2014, DON and ZEN were determined in all samples in the mean
      concentrations of 1,461 +/- 2,265 ug/kg and 656 +/- 853 ug/kg, respectively,
      while in 2015 these means were 2,687 +/- 2,731 ug/kg and 1,140 +/- 1,630 ug/kg,
      respectively. The cultivation year significantly (p < 0.05) influenced mycotoxin
      concentrations, whereas the influence of cultivation region was seen with ZEN for
      all cereals except soybean, and not seen with DON at all. A higher contamination
      determined during 2015 could be explained by high to extreme humidity evidenced
      in the period of cereals' growth and harvesting.

PMID- 28635372
TI  - Peptide-functionalized nanoparticles for the selective induction of apoptosis in
      target cells.
AB  - AIM: The study developed a prohibitin (PHB) targeted nanotherapy for selective
      induction of apoptosis in target cells. METHODS: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were
      bifunctionalized with adipose homing and proapoptotic peptides. The efficacy and
      mode of cell death induced by the AuNPs were investigated in vitro on three
      cancer cell lines. RESULTS: The antiproliferative activity of PHB-targeted
      bifunctionalized AuNPs was more pronounced on cells that express the PHB
      receptor, and demonstrated receptor-mediated targeting and selectivity. The
      bifunctionalized AuNPs induced cell death by apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The PHB
      targeted nanotherapy under study could potentially be used for treatment of
      diseases that are characterized by overexpression of PHB. As such, further
      investigations will be conducted in vivo.

PMID- 28635373
TI  - Relative risk of hemorrhage during pregnancy in patients with brain arteriovenous
      malformations.
AB  - Background It is unclear whether the risk of bleeding from brain arteriovenous
      malformations is higher during pregnancy, delivery, or puerperium. We compared
      occurrence of brain arteriovenous malformation hemorrhage in women during this
      period with occurrence of hemorrhage outside this period during their fertile
      years. Methods We included all women with ruptured brain arteriovenous
      malformations (16-41 years) from a retrospective database of patients with brain
      arteriovenous malformations in four Dutch university hospitals (n = 95) and from
      the population-based Scottish Audit of Intracranial Vascular Malformations (n =
      44). We estimated the relative rate of brain arteriovenous malformation rupture
      (before any treatment) during exposed time (pregnancy, delivery, puerperium)
      versus non-exposed time during fertile years, using the case-crossover design as
      primary analysis, and the self-controlled case-series design as secondary
      analysis. Results In 17 of 95 Dutch women and in 3 of 44 Scottish women,
      hemorrhages occurred while pregnant; none occurred during delivery or puerperium.
      In Dutch women, the relative rate of brain arteriovenous malformation rupture
      during pregnancy, delivery, or puerperium was 6.8 (95% confidence interval 3.6
      13) according to the case-crossover method and 7.1 (95% confidence interval 3.4
      13) using the self-controlled case-series method. In Scottish women, the relative
      rate was 1.3 (95% confidence interval 0.39-4.1) using the case-crossover method
      and 1.7 (95% confidence interval 0.0-4.4) according to the self-controlled case
      series method. Because of limited overlap of confidence intervals, we refrained
      from pooling the cohorts. Conclusions Case-crossover and self-controlled case
      series analyses reveal an increase in relative rate of brain arteriovenous
      malformation rupture during pregnancy in the Dutch cohort but not in the Scottish
      cohort. Since point estimates varied between both cohorts and numbers are
      relatively small, the clinical implications of our findings are uncertain.

PMID- 28635374
TI  - Sepsis favors high-on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity.
AB  - High-on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) is associated with ischemic events in
      patients on antiplatelet therapy with a history of cardiovascular disease. On the
      other hand, recent data have associated sepsis with adverse cardiovascular events
      in patients admitted with bacteremia or respiratory infection. We aimed to assess
      P2Y12-mediated platelet reactivity (PR) during sepsis and recovery in patients
      under clopidogrel. This was a prospective observational study. Incoming patients
      presenting with signs/symptoms of sepsis already on a maintenance dose of
      clopidogrel of 75 mg qd for cardiovascular events were included in this study.
      Patients were assessed for their PR on presentation and following septic
      syndrome, using the VerifyNow point-of-care P2Y12 assay. Patients were excluded
      in the presence of evidence of noncompliance to antiplatelet regimen or in need
      of discontinuation during this study. Twenty-two septic patients on clopidogrel
      were included in this study (Supplemental Figure S1). Clopidogrel was
      administered for previous stroke, coronary, and peripheral artery disease in
      27.3, 40.9, and 31.8% of patients, respectively. The main site of infection was
      respiratory tract followed by urinary tract, while the same amounts of gram
      negative and -positive pathogens were isolated. HPR was noted in 77% and 29% of
      patients during sepsis and recovery, respectively, presenting a significant
      decrease in P2Y12 reaction units values during follow-up [240.7 +/- 58.3 versus
      179.5 +/- 58.4, 95% CI (-102.7, -39.76), p = 0.0002]. Five patients died of
      infection, while no adverse cardiovascular events were noted in our study. Our
      study shows that sepsis may favor HPR, which is reversed when recovery occurs.
      This finding may underlie the adverse cardiovascular events in patients admitted
      with sepsis, possibly requiring alteration of antiplatelet regimen during the
      inflammation period.

PMID- 28635375
TI  - Therapeutic effect of increased openness: Investigating mechanism of action in
      MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.
AB  - A growing body of research suggests that traumatic events lead to persisting
      personality change characterized by increased neuroticism. Relevantly, enduring
      improvements in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms have been found in
      response to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy.
      There is evidence that lasting changes in the personality feature of "openness"
      occur in response to hallucinogens, and that this may potentially act as a
      therapeutic mechanism of change. The present study investigated whether
      heightened Openness and decreased Neuroticism served as a mechanism of change
      within a randomized trial of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for chronic, treatment
      resistant PTSD. The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) Global Scores and
      NEO PI-R Personality Inventory (NEO) Openness and Neuroticism Scales served as
      outcome measures. Results indicated that changes in Openness but not Neuroticism
      played a moderating role in the relationship between reduced PTSD symptoms and
      MDMA treatment. Following MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, increased Openness and
      decreased Neuroticism when comparing baseline personality traits with long-term
      follow-up traits also were found. These preliminary findings suggest that the
      effect of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy extends beyond specific PTSD symptomatology
      and fundamentally alters personality structure, resulting in long-term persisting
      personality change. Results are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms of
      psychotherapeutic change.

PMID- 28635376
TI  - Advances in understanding the role of disease-associated proteins in spinal
      muscular atrophy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder
      characterized by alpha motor neuron loss in the spinal cord due to reduced
      survival motor neuron (SMN) protein level. While the genetic basis of SMA is well
      described, the specific molecular pathway underlying SMA is still not fully
      understood. Areas covered: This review discusses the recent advancements in
      understanding the molecular pathways in SMA using different omics approaches and
      genetic modifiers identified in both vertebrate and invertebrate systems. The
      findings that are summarized in this article were deduced from original articles
      and reviews with a particular focus on the latest advancements in the field.
      Expert commentary: The identification of genetic modifiers such as PLS3 and NCALD
      in humans or of SMA modulators such as Elavl4 (HuD), Copa, Uba1, Mapk10 (Jnk3),
      Nrxn2 and Tmem41b (Stasimon) in various SMA animal models improved our knowledge
      of impaired cellular pathways in SMA. Inspiration from modifier genes and their
      functions in motor neuron and neuromuscular junctions may open a new avenue for
      future SMA combinatorial therapies.

PMID- 28635377
TI  - How are we applying nanogel composites in biomedicine?

PMID- 28635379
TI  - Corrigendum.
AB  - : Gilliam, T. B. (2016). RESPONSE: Workplace Health & Safety, 64(11), 521.
      (Original doi: 10.1177/2165079916676829) This response incorrectly referred in
      the text to the lead author of the letter to the editor "Concerns With Medical
      and Pharmacy Costs for New Hire Nurses" as Churchill. This author's surname
      should have been listed as Burchill.

PMID- 28635378
TI  - People With Autism Spectrum Conditions Make More Consistent Decisions.
AB  - People with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) show reduced sensitivity to
      contextual stimuli in many perceptual and cognitive tasks. We investigated
      whether this also applies to decision making by examining adult participants'
      choices between pairs of consumer products that were presented with a third, less
      desirable "decoy" option. Participants' preferences between the items in a given
      pair frequently switched when the third item in the set was changed, but this
      tendency was reduced among individuals with ASC, which indicated that their
      choices were more consistent and conventionally rational than those of control
      participants. A comparison of people who were drawn from the general population
      and who varied in their levels of autistic traits revealed a weaker version of
      the same effect. The reduced context sensitivity was not due to differences in
      noisy responding, and although the ASC group took longer to make their decisions,
      this did not account for the enhanced consistency of their choices. The results
      extend the characterization of autistic cognition as relatively context
      insensitive to a new domain, and have practical implications for socioeconomic
      behavior.

PMID- 28635380
TI  - Inorganic nanoparticles as potential regulators of immune response in dendritic
      cells.
AB  - AIM: The spontaneous adsorption of proteins on nanoparticles (NPs) in biological
      media is exploited to prepare complexes of NPs and proteins from cancer cells'
      lysates for application in cancer immunotherapy. MATERIALS & METHODS: Gold (Au)
      and silica NPs were synthesized, incubated with cancer cells' lysates and
      characterized. Dendritic cells (DCs) were challenged with protein-coated NPs,
      their maturation, viability and morphology were evaluated and lymphocytes T
      proliferation was determined. RESULTS: Silica and Au NPs bound different pools of
      biomolecules from lysates, and are therefore promising selective carriers for
      antigens. When incubated with immature DCs, NPs were efficiently endocytosed
      without cytotoxicity. Finally, protein-coated AuNPs promoted DC maturation and DC
      mediated lymphocyte proliferation, at variance with lysate alone and protein
      coated silica NPs, that did not promote DCs maturation. CONCLUSION: These results
      demonstrate that the spontaneous formation of protein coronas on NPs represents a
      possible approach to fast, easy, cost-effective DCs stimulation.

PMID- 28635381
TI  - Provoked Eagle syndrome after dental procedure: A review of the literature.
AB  - Eagle syndrome is an uncommon condition caused by an elongated ossified styloid
      process. The majority of individuals with an elongated ossified styloid process
      are asymptomatic. Therefore, this condition is diagnosed based on clinical
      presentation, with radiologic imaging serving to confirm the diagnosis. The
      styloid process is considered elongated if measuring greater than 3 cm, but there
      is little correlation between length of the styloid process and severity of
      symptoms. This syndrome was originally described in post-tonsillectomy patients,
      but has since been seen in other clinical settings. We present a case of Eagle
      syndrome that became symptomatic after a dental procedure (wisdom teeth removal).
      A literature review performed with focus on various etiologies of Eagle syndrome
      diagnosis found a previously published case of Eagle syndrome presenting as pain
      of dental origin;1 however, no case reports of symptoms arising in a patient post
      dental procedure were found in our search.

PMID- 28635383
TI  - Rendering LGBTQ+ Visible in Nursing: Embodying the Philosophy of Caring Science.
AB  - Although health care institutions continue to address the importance of diversity
      initiatives, the standard(s) for treatment remain historically and
      institutionally grounded in a sociocultural privileging of heterosexuality. As a
      result, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities in
      health care remain largely invisible. This marked invisibility serves as a call
      to action, a renaissance of thinking within redefined boundaries and limitations.
      We must therefore refocus our habits of attention on the wholeness of persons and
      the diversity of their storied experiences as embodied through contemporary
      society. By rethinking current understandings of LGBTQ+ identities through
      innovative representation(s) of the media, music industry, and pop culture within
      a caring science philosophy, nurses have a transformative opportunity to render
      LGBTQ+ visible and in turn render a transformative opportunity for themselves.

PMID- 28635382
TI  - White cell and platelet content affects the release of bioactive factors in
      different blood-derived scaffolds.
AB  - Platelet-derived factors are biomaterials that might accelerate healing process
      in oral, maxillofacial, and several other applications. Release of specific
      factors by platelet concentrates is critical to achieving a successful outcome.
      Here, we have shown that platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) clots were beneficial sources
      of leukocytes, which may directly affect the release of chemokines and growth
      factors. When compared with the standard leukocyte-PRF (L-PRF), the experimental
      low-force modified procedure [defined as advanced-PRF (A-PRF)] entrapped the same
      content of viable leukocytes, released a similar amount of inflammatory
      cytokines, but secreted 3-, 1.6-, 3-, and 1.2-fold higher levels of Eotaxin,
      CCL5, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and vascular endothelial growth
      factor (VEGF), respectively. A leukocyte-free scaffold, such as plasma rich in
      growth factors (PRGF), released only platelet-specific factors and, in
      particular, the F3 fraction, the richest in growth factors, secreted higher
      amount of CCL5 and PDGF compared to F1 and F2 fractions. In conclusion, different
      procedures and leukocyte content affect cytokine, chemokines, and growth factor
      release from platelet derivatives, which may be helpful in different clinical
      settings.

PMID- 28635384
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PMID- 28635385
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PMID- 28635386
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PMID- 28635387
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PMID- 28635388
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PMID- 28635389
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PMID- 28635390
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PMID- 28635391
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PMID- 28635392
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PMID- 28635393
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PMID- 28635394
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PMID- 28635395
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PMID- 28635396
TI  - MicroRNA-34a inhibits tumor invasion and metastasis in osteosarcoma partly by
      effecting C-IAP2 and Bcl-2.
AB  - Osteosarcoma is a common primary malignant bone tumor that occurs mainly in
      children and adolescents. Recent evidence has demonstrated that miR-34a is
      involved in the invasion and metastasis of osteosarcoma. This study aims to
      explore the effect of biological behavior of miR-34a on osteosarcoma. First, we
      collect osteosarcoma and adjacent specimens, and the relative expression of miR
      34a and C-IAP2 messenger RNA was quantitated by real-time polymerase chain
      reaction. Furthermore, miR-34a stimulant is synthesized and transfected onto
      osteosarcoma MG-63 cells. The effect of overexpression of miR-34a on osteosarcoma
      was detected by colony-forming assay, Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate
      Apoptosis Detection Kit I, Transwell assay, and animal experiment in vivo.
      Finally, the relative levels of C-IAP2 and Bcl-2 protein were checked by western
      blot, and the activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was tested by spectrophotometry
      assay. In conclusion, miR-34a was downregulated in osteosarcoma cells. And the
      expression of C-IAP2 and Bcl-2 protein was drastically inhibited, and the
      activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were significantly increased after
      transfecting miR-34a onto osteosarcoma MG-63 cells. And the overexpression of miR
      34a can inhibit cell invasion and metastasis, promote cell apoptosis, and arrest
      cells in G0/G1 period. And the animal experiment in vivo demonstrated that the
      overexpression of miR-34a could significantly inhibit the growth of osteosarcoma
      in animal skin. Taken together, we indicated that miR-34a can inhibit tumor
      invasion and metastasis in osteosarcoma, and its mechanism may be partly related
      to downregulating the expression of C-IAP2 and Bcl-2 protein directly or
      indirectly.

PMID- 28635397
TI  - Induction of apoptosis and autophagy by calcifying nanoparticles in human bladder
      cancer cells.
AB  - Calcifying nanoparticles have been linked to various types of human disease, but
      how they contribute to disease processes is unclear. Here, we examined whether
      and how calcifying nanoparticles isolated from patients with kidney stones are
      cytotoxic to human bladder cancer cells. Calcifying nanoparticles were isolated
      from midstream urine of patients with renal calcium oxalate stones and examined
      by electron microscopy. Human bladder cancer cells (EJ cells) were cultured in
      the presence of calcifying nanoparticles or nanohydroxyapatites for 12 and 72 h
      and examined for toxicity using the Cell Counting Kit-8, for autophagy using
      transmission electron microscopy and confocal microscopy, and for apoptosis using
      fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and flow cytometry.
      Changes in protein expression were analyzed by Western blotting. The results
      showed that the size and shape of the isolated calcifying nanoparticles were as
      expected. Calcifying nanoparticles were cytotoxic to EJ cells, more so than
      nanohydroxyapatites, and this was due, at least in part, to the production of
      intracellular reactive oxygen species. Transmission electron microscopy showed
      that calcifying nanoparticles were packaged into vesicles and autolysosomes.
      Calcifying nanoparticles induced greater autophagy and apoptosis than
      nanohydroxyapatites. Our findings demonstrate that calcifying nanoparticles can
      trigger bladder cancer cell injury by boosting reactive oxygen species production
      and stimulating autophagy and apoptosis.

PMID- 28635398
TI  - GPX2 overexpression indicates poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular
      carcinoma.
AB  - Glutathione peroxidase 2 has important role of tumor progression in lots of
      carcinomas, yet little is known about the prognosis of glutathione peroxidase 2
      in hepatocellular carcinoma. Glutathione peroxidase 2 expression was assessed by
      immunohistochemistry in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. The association between
      glutathione peroxidase 2 expression with clinicopathological/prognostic value was
      examined. Glutathione peroxidase 2 overexpression was correlated with alpha
      fetoprotein level, larger tumor, BCLC stage, and tumor recurrence. Kaplan-Meier
      analysis showed that glutathione peroxidase 2 was an independent predictor for
      overall survival and time to recurrence. glutathione peroxidase 2 overexpression
      was correlated with poor prognosis in patient subgroups stratified by tumor size,
      differentiation, tumor-node-metastasis, and BCLC stage. Moreover, stratified
      analysis showed that tumor-node-metastasis stage-I patients with high glutathione
      peroxidase 2 expression had poor prognosis than those with low glutathione
      peroxidase 2 expression. Additionally, combination of glutathione peroxidase 2
      and serum alpha-fetoprotein was correlated with prognosis in hepatocellular
      carcinoma. In conclusion, glutathione peroxidase 2 overexpression contributes to
      poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients and helps to identify the
      high-risk hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28635399
TI  - Overexpression of long non-coding RNA MEG3 suppresses breast cancer cell
      proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis through AKT pathway.
AB  - Long non-coding RNA MEG3 has been identified as a tumor suppressor which plays
      important roles in tumorigenesis; however, its potential role in breast cancer
      has not been fully examined. Here, we showed that MEG3 was downregulated in
      breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of MEG3 inhibited breast
      cancer cell proliferation and invasion, suggesting that MEG3 played an important
      role in breast cancer progression and metastasis. Moreover, MEG3 upregulation
      caused marked inhibition of angiogenesis-related factor expression. Conditioned
      medium derived from MEG3 overexpressed breast cancer cells significantly
      decreased the capillary tube formation of endothelial cells. Furthermore,
      elevated expression of MEG3 in breast cancer inhibits in vivo tumorigenesis and
      angiogenesis in a nude mouse xenograft model. Mechanistically, overexpression of
      MEG3 results in downregulation of AKT signaling, which is pivotal for breast
      cancer cell growth, invasion, and tumor angiogenesis. Collectively, these results
      suggest that MEG3 might suppress the tumor growth and angiogenesis via AKT
      signaling pathway and MEG3 may serve as a potential novel diagnostic and
      therapeutic target of breast cancer.

PMID- 28635400
TI  - The long noncoding RNA FOXCUT promotes proliferation and migration by targeting
      FOXC1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs play an important role in various biological processes,
      including tumorigenesis. FOXC1 (Forkhead box C1) is a member of the Forkhead box
      family of transcription factors and plays a crucial role in nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma. In this study, a novel long noncoding RNA (FOXCUT) located upstream of
      FOXC1 was investigated in 42 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Our analysis
      revealed that the expression levels of FOXCUT and FOXC1 in nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma tissues were significantly higher than those observed in chronic
      nasopharyngitis tissues and that FOXCUT expression was positively correlated with
      FOXC1 expression. Additionally, knockdown of FOXCUT significantly inhibited
      proliferation and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and resulted
      in downregulated expression of the matrix metalloproteinase 7 and matrix
      metalloproteinase 9, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor A and beta
      catenin. Our findings suggested that FOXCUT expression contributed to the
      development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by targeting FOXC1 and
      that FOXCUT might be useful as a potential nasopharyngeal carcinoma biomarker and
      therapeutic target.

PMID- 28635401
TI  - Inhibition of long non-coding RNA ROR reverses resistance to Tamoxifen by
      inducing autophagy in breast cancer.
AB  - This study explored the mechanism underlying long non-coding RNA ROR regulating
      autophagy on Tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer. Cancer tissues and adjacent
      normal tissues were collected from 74 breast cancer patients. Human breast cancer
      BT474 cells were assigned into blank, phosphate buffered saline, Tamoxifen,
      negative control + Tamoxifen, siROR + Tamoxifen, 3-methyladenine + Tamoxifen, and
      siROR + 3-methyladenine + TA groups. The expression of long non-coding RNA ROR
      and expressions of multi-drug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein and
      glutathione S-transferase-pi messenger RNA were detected using quantitative real
      time polymerase chain reaction. The expressions of light chain 3, Beclin 1, multi
      drug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein, and glutathione S-transferase-pi
      protein were determined using western blotting. Cell proliferation, invasion, and
      migration abilities were measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, Transwell assay, and scratch test,
      respectively. The long non-coding RNA ROR expression was higher in the breast
      cancer tissues than that in the adjacent normal tissues. Compared with the blank
      group, light chain 3 and Beclin 1 expressions were increased in the siROR +
      Tamoxifen group but decreased in the 3-methyladenine + Tamoxifen group; these
      data indicated that downregulated long non-coding RNA ROR promoted autophagy. In
      comparison with the blank group, multi-drug resistance-associated P-glycoprotein
      and glutathione S-transferase-pi messenger RNA and protein expressions were
      reduced in the siROR + Tamoxifen group but elevated in the 3-methyladenine +
      Tamoxifen group, suggesting that downregulated long non-coding RNA ROR suppressed
      the drug resistance to Tamoxifen and the inhibition of autophagy reversed the
      effect of long non-coding RNA ROR on drug resistance. Compared with the
      Tamoxifen, negative control, and siROR + 3-methyladenine + Tamoxifen groups, the
      cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in the siROR + Tamoxifen group were
      much decreased; these results implied that downregulated long non-coding RNA ROR
      suppressed BT474 cell proliferation, invasion, and migration and reversed the
      effect of Tamoxifen on the BT474 cells. These results indicate that inhibition of
      long non-coding RNA ROR reverses resistance to Tamoxifen by inducing autophagy in
      breast cancer.

PMID- 28635402
TI  - Analysing the vocal behaviour of teachers during classroom teaching using a
      portable voice accumulator.
AB  - PURPOSE: Teachers are at a considerable risk of developing vocal health problems
      due to intensive voice use during teaching. This study investigated factors
      related to the teacher's voice during a teaching situation. METHODS: Overall, 113
      teachers were recorded during a typical class lesson, lasting on average 48 min.
      A portable voice dosimeter (VoxLog System) was used to measure the sound pressure
      level (SPL) of the noise in the classroom, the teacher's voice SPL, the
      fundamental frequency (fo) and the phonation time. General conditions of each
      lesson such as number of pupils, lesson subject and the educational level of the
      class were also collected. For the analysis, vocal loading doses and correlations
      between teacher's voice and noise SPL were calculated. RESULTS: Voice and noise
      SPL values varied across the lesson subjects, with highest levels measured in
      sports lessons. The mean noise SPL changed throughout a lesson with highest
      values at the beginning and at the end of the lessons. The correlation analysis
      of voice and noise SPL identified two groups of teachers with different vocal SPL
      behaviours. For some teachers, the voice SPL varied with the noise SPL. For
      others, voice SPL was constantly high. A regression model on the teacher's voice
      SPL yielded a strong correlation with fo, the classroom noise SPL, and the
      individual vocal SPL behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Classroom noise SPL and individual
      vocal SPL behaviour were significantly associated with teachers' voice SPL during
      teaching. Addressing these factors could be important steps in reducing the vocal
      load in teachers.

PMID- 28635403
TI  - Psychomotor skills assessment by motion analysis in minimally invasive surgery on
      an animal organ.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A high level of psychomotor skills is required to perform minimally
      invasive surgery (MIS) safely. To be able to measure these skills is important in
      the assessment of surgeons, as it enables constructive feedback during training.
      The aim of this study was to test the validity of an objective and automatic
      assessment method using motion analysis during a laparoscopic procedure on an
      animal organ. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experienced surgeons in laparoscopy (experts)
      and medical students (novices) performed a cholecystectomy on a porcine liver box
      model. The motions of the surgical tools were acquired and analyzed by 11
      different motion-related metrics, i.e., a total of 19 metrics as eight of them
      were measured separately for each hand. We identified for which of the metrics
      the experts outperformed the novices. RESULTS: In total, two experts and 28
      novices were included. The experts achieved significantly better results for 13
      of the 19 instrument motion metrics. CONCLUSIONS: Expert performance is
      characterized by a low time to complete the cholecystectomy, high bimanual
      dexterity (instrument coordination), a limited amount of movement and low
      measurement of motion smoothness of the dissection instrument, and relatively
      high usage of the grasper to optimize tissue positioning for dissection.

PMID- 28635404
TI  - Safety and efficacy of HepaSphere 50-100 MUm in the treatment of hepatocellular
      carcinoma.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effects of HepaSphere 50-100 MUm (Merit Medical) as a
      doxorubicin carrier and embolization agent for the treatment of hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective analysis of 18 patients
      recruited from a national cancer center was conducted. This analysis evaluated
      the efficacy and safety of HepaSphere, as expressed by the treatment response
      rate (measured by the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors,
      mRECIST) and by the prevalence of treatment-related adverse events, respectively.
      RESULTS: The cohort was predominantly male, with a mean age of 69 years. The
      objective response rate (complete + partial response) was 53.3%. The variable
      most likely to be associated with objective response was Barcelona Clinic Liver
      Cancer (BCLC) staging. The most prevalent adverse events were nausea, vomiting
      and abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: HepaSphere chemoembolization yielded a
      substantial objective response rate with an acceptable toxicity profile and
      should be considered an option for HCC treatment.

PMID- 28635406
TI  - Concept design of robotic modules for needlescopic surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many minimally invasive surgical procedures and assisting robotic
      systems have been developed to further minimize the number and size of incisions
      in the body surface. This paper presents a new idea combining the advantages of
      modular robotic surgery, single incision laparoscopic surgery and needlescopic
      surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the proposed concept, modules carrying
      therapeutic or diagnostic tools are inserted in the abdominal cavity from the
      navel as in single incision laparoscopic surgery and assembled to 3-mm needle
      shafts penetrating the abdominal wall. RESULTS: A three degree-of-freedom robotic
      module measuring 16 mm in diameter and 51 mm in length was designed and
      prototyped. The performance of the three connected robotic modules was evaluated.
      CONCLUSION: A new idea of modular robotic surgery was proposed, and demonstrated
      by prototyping a 3-DOF robotic module. The performance of the connected robotic
      modules was evaluated, and the challenges and future work were summarized.

PMID- 28635405
TI  - Effects of microwave ablation on T-cell subsets and cytokines of patients with
      hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of microwave ablation on T-lymphocyte
      subsets and cytokines in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Peripheral blood was collected from 45 patients with hepatocellular
      carcinoma treated by microwave ablation before treatment, one week and one month
      after treatment. T cells (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells), CD4+ CD25+ Tregs, and CD16+
      CD56+ NK cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Levels of cytokines (IL-2, IFN
      gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-12, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were determined by a
      Luminex 200 analyzer. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, CD3+ cells, CD4+
      cells and IL-12 increased significantly at one month after the microwave ablation
      treatment, while IL-4, IL-10 decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Microwave
      ablation could relieve the suppression of immune function caused by tumors,
      promote the deviation of Th2/Th1, and improve immune dysfunction in patients with
      hepatocellular carcinoma.

PMID- 28635407
TI  - Ovarian reserve after fibroid embolization in premenopausal women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of uterine artery embolization (UAE) for
      fibroids on ovarian pool of premenopausal women. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case
      control study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One-hundred and twenty premenopausal women,
      aged between 40 and 50 years, who underwent UAE for symptomatic uterine fibroids
      and the same number of women, aged between 40 and 50 years, with symptomatic
      uterine fibroids, who were not offered treatment were recruited for this study.
      Hormonal status and ovarian reserve were evaluated by means of anti-Mullerian
      hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) pre-procedural, three
      months, six months and 12 months after UAE. RESULTS: No statistically significant
      decrease was noted in AMH values 12 months post procedure and no statistical
      significant alterations in AMH values between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Even
      though the study results may not be able to confirm the preservation of ovarian
      reserve and normal menstruation after UAE in premenopausal women, it should be
      considered as a friendly to normal menstruation treatment option of symptomatic
      fibroids.

PMID- 28635408
TI  - Assisted reproductive technologies and the Iranian community attitude towards
      infertility.
AB  - Since the late 1990s, assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) have been
      legitimized in Iran through an official religious endorsement. Iran, under the
      dominant authority of the Shia sect, is now the most enthusiastic adopter of ARTs
      in the Muslim world, permitting all forms of treatments, including third party
      donation. This study examined the public perception of assisted conception and
      its influence on the adoption of these methods in Iran. The study was
      questionnaire-based and conducted in 2012 in Shiraz, the most populated city in
      the south of Iran. It included 405 Iranian residents selected through the cluster
      sampling method. The results indicated that respondents did not support all types
      of assisted reproduction. Amongst modern infertility treatment methods, IVF
      (using husband's sperm and wife's egg) was the most widely accepted. Gestational
      surrogacy and the use of donated gametes were less accepted. Demographic
      variables including gender, marital status, age, education and employment status
      were linked to significant differences in public opinion. It was concluded that
      members of the public require better information about gamete donation and
      surrogacy, as this could shape infertile couples' decision-making.

PMID- 28635409
TI  - Confronting infertility in Iranian clients: a grounded theory.
AB  - The present study examined how infertile Iranian clients confront infertility.
      Research on infertility has confirmed the significance of a socio-cultural
      context in the formation of responses to infertility. This study used the
      grounded theory approach to explore the experiences of infertile individuals
      presenting at the Royan Institute in Iran from October 2013 to September 2014.
      Clients with infertility of at least two years in duration were recruited using
      purposive sampling followed by theoretical sampling. A total of 41 interviews
      were conducted with 36 people. Data were collected through in-depth unstructured
      interviews and field notes. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA 2007. A
      sense of 'insecurity about personal and family identity' shaped in the context of
      'facing the cultural-economic dilemmas' was identified as the main concern of
      infertile clients. The clients dealt with this concern through a series of
      strategies that included gradual acceptance of infertility, seeking information
      and consultation, pursuing treatment, focusing on saving the marriage, self
      control and resilience and fighting inner turmoil. All these approaches suggest
      'protecting personal and family identity' as the core concept. The findings
      highlight the need for the health care system to treat infertility as a broad
      concept than mere individual and biological dysfunction.

PMID- 28635410
TI  - Pelvic floor dysfunction and polycystic ovary syndrome.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of pelvic floor
      dysfunction (PFD) symptoms in patients with and without polycystic ovary syndrome
      (PCOS) and among different PCOS phenotypes. This was a case-control study. All
      participants were assessed using ultrasonography to determine the presence or
      absence of polycystic ovaries (PCO) and allocated to the case or control group
      (having healthy females whose husbands were diagnosed with male infertility). The
      case group was then further subdivided into the three phenotypes according to the
      presence or absence of menstrual dysfunction (M), hyperandrogenism (HA) and PCO
      on ultrasonography. Pelvic floor dysfunction was assessed by the Pelvic Floor
      Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20). Briefly, the reported pelvic organ prolapse
      (POP) symptoms were higher in PCOS group (p = 0.05). The mean PFD score in the HA
      + M + PCO group was higher compared to other phenotypes although the difference
      did not reach significant level (p > 0.05). However, there was a significant
      positive correlation between luteinising hormone (LH) level and the POP symptom
      portion of the PFDI-20 (p < 0.05). The reported POP symptoms were higher in PCOS
      group especially in HA + M + PCO phenotype. The findings suggest that higher
      levels of LH might correlate to symptoms of POP.

PMID- 28635411
TI  - Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human RAD21L gene may be a genetic risk
      factor for Japanese patients with azoospermia caused by meiotic arrest and
      Sertoli cell-only syndrome.
AB  - Genetic mechanisms are implicated in some cases of male infertility. Recently, it
      was demonstrated that male mice lacking the gene for RAD21L exhibited azoospermia
      caused by meiotic arrest. Mouse RAD21L is a functionally relevant meiotic alpha
      kleisin that is essential for male fertility. Therefore, we hypothesized that
      RAD21L mutations or polymorphisms may be associated with male infertility,
      especially azoospermia secondary to meiotic arrest. To determine if RAD21L
      defects are associated with azoospermia in groups of patients with meiotic
      arrest, we performed direct sequencing of the RAD21L coding regions in 38
      Japanese patients with meiotic arrest and in 200 normal controls. Three coding
      single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP1-SNP3) were detected in the meiotic arrest
      patient group. Sertoli cell-only syndrome is considered a common cause of non
      obstructive azoospermia. For comparison, the RAD21L coding regions in which SNP1
      SNP3 were detected were sequenced in 140 patients with Sertoli cell-only
      syndrome. Statistical analyses were used to compare the two groups of patients
      with the control group. Genotype and allele frequencies of SNP2 and SNP3 were
      notably higher in the two patient groups compared with the control group
      (Bonferroni adjusted p value <0.016). These results suggest a critical role for
      RAD21L in human spermatogenesis.

PMID- 28635412
TI  - Gamete donors' reasons for, and expectations and experiences of, registration
      with a voluntary donor linking register.
AB  - This paper reports on a study of the views and experiences of 21 sperm donors and
      five egg donors registered with UK DonorLink (UKDL), a voluntary DNA-based
      contact register established to facilitate contact between adults who wish to
      identify and locate others to whom they are genetically related following donor
      conception. Specifically, the paper examines donors' reasons for searching for,
      or making information about themselves available to donor-conceived offspring.
      Their expectations of registration with UKDL, experiences of being registered and
      finally, the experiences of those who had contacted donor-conceived offspring and
      other genetic relatives are investigated. While most respondents reported largely
      positive experiences of registration, the study found significant issues relating
      to concerns about donation, DNA testing, possible linking with offspring and
      expectations of any relationship that might be established with offspring that
      have implications for support, mediation and counselling. Research that puts the
      experiences, perceptions and interests of gamete donors as the central focus of
      study is a relatively recent phenomenon. This study contributes to this debate
      and highlights directions for future research in this area.

PMID- 28635413
TI  - The high responder: a review of pathophysiology and outcomes during IVF
      treatment.
AB  - This review attempts to summarize the known literature on high responders to
      ovarian stimulation during assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Response to
      gonadotrophins is subject to significant interindividual and intercycle
      variation, thus carrying a risk of high response or poor response to ovarian
      stimulation regimens. The main risk for high responders is the development of
      ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) which is associated with significant
      morbidity. Hence, the definition of high responders in the literature has
      primarily focussed on risk factors for OHSS. Strategies to reduce OHSS including
      tailoring of the ovarian stimulation regimens and adjusting gonadotrophin doses
      according to patient characteristics and findings during the cycle of
      stimulation. In addition, modifying the type of ovulation trigger used and
      adjuvant therapies, such as metformin, intravenous colloids and vascular
      endothelial growth factor blockers, have also been studied as options to reduce
      OHSS. Apart from the risk of OHSS, high response also appears to have an adverse
      impact on the oocyte and endometrium, though there is a paucity of data regarding
      the extent and mechanisms behind this impact.

PMID- 28635414
TI  - Core-shell PLA-PVA porous microparticles as carriers for bacteriocin nisin.
AB  - This work is focused on preparation of novel porous type of core-shell-structured
      microparticles based on polylactide (shell) and poly(vinyl alcohol) cross-linked
      with glutaric acid (GA) (core) prepared by water-in-oil-in-water solvent
      evaporation technique. The microparticle systems were used as delivery systems
      for immobilisation of model antibacterial agent - nisin. The effect of cross
      linking and the initial amount of nisin on their morphology was investigated
      using scanning electron microscopy, BET analysis, zeta potential measurement and
      Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy. Encapsulation efficiency and release
      profile of nisin from the microparticles were studied by high performance liquid
      chromatography. Antibacterial activity of the prepared systems was tested by
      dilution and spread plate technique. Results showed the microparticles in the
      size range of 9-16 MUm in diameter with spherical multi-hollow core-shell
      structure. The presence of cross-linking agent GA influences the release profile
      of the peptide and has synergistic effect on Listeria monocytogenes growth
      reduction.

PMID- 28635416
TI  - Arsenic and fluoride co-contamination in shallow aquifers from agricultural
      suburbs and an industrial area of Punjab, Pakistan: Spatial trends, sources and
      human health implications.
AB  - Release of arsenic (As) and fluoride (F-) species into groundwater is a serious
      health concern around the world. The present study was the first systematic
      baseline study conducted in Rahim Yar Khan district, Punjab, focusing on As and F
      contamination in groundwater. A total of 51 representative groundwater samples
      comprising of 44 samples from agricultural suburbs and 7 from an industrial base
      were analysed. Statistical parameters, principal component analysis-multiple
      linear regression (PCA-MLR) and health risk assessment model were used to
      investigate the hydro geochemistry, spatial patterns, interrelation, source
      contribution and associated health risks of high As and F- in groundwater of the
      study area. Results showed high risk of F- exposure to people of the study area,
      with all samples exceeding the WHO standard of 1.5 mg/L, and for As, 32.5% of the
      studied groundwater samples exceeded the WHO standard (10 ug/L). The maximum As
      (107.23 ug/L) and F- (26.4 mg/L) levels were observed in samples close to the
      agricultural and smelting areas, implicating the frequent use of fertilizers and
      influence of industrial effluents in the study area. The PCA-MLR receptor model
      quantitatively illustrates that the majority of As and F- comes from natural
      sources, while, among anthropogenic sources, industrial and agricultural
      activities contributed the most. Health risk assessment revealed a high risk of
      As and F- contamination to the exposed population; therefore, detailed control
      strategies and policies are required in order to mitigate the health risks.

PMID- 28635417
TI  - Suicide Attempts Among Individuals With Specific Learning Disorders: An
      Underrecognized Issue.
AB  - Several studies have linked specific learning disorders (SLDs) with suicidal
      ideation, but less is known about the disorders' association with suicide
      attempts. This gap in the literature is addressed via the 2012 nationally
      representative Canadian Community Health Survey ( n = 21,744). The prevalence of
      lifetime suicide attempts among those with an SLD was much higher than those
      without (11.1% vs. 2.7%, p < .001). In comparison with their peers without SLDs,
      adults with SLDs had 46% higher odds of having ever attempted suicide, even after
      adjusting for most known risk factors (e.g., childhood adversities, history of
      mental illness and substance abuse, sociodemographics; odds ratio = 1.46, 95% CI
      [1.05, 2.04]). The largest attenuation in the association between SLD and
      suicidal attempts was accounted for by adverse childhood experiences. Among those
      with SLDs ( n = 745), a history of witnessing chronic parental domestic violence
      and ever having had a major depressive disorder were associated with
      substantially higher odds of suicide attempts.

PMID- 28635415
TI  - Known and unknown cerebral arteriovenous malformations in pregnancies:
      haemorrhage risk and influence on obstetric management.
AB  - Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the haemorrhage risk of
      known and unknown cerebral arteriovenous malformations and their obstetric
      management. Methods A retrospective review was performed and analysed 67
      consecutive cases of arteriovenous malformation with pregnancy history. Results
      Sixty-seven cases of arteriovenous malformation with pregnancy histories were
      identified. In 14 cases (20.9%) of arteriovenous malformation diagnosed before
      pregnancy, 11 cases were treated (10 embolisation and one surgery), there was no
      haemorrhage in 14 pregnancies, 14 healthy babies were delivered by caesarean
      section in 12 pregnancies (85.7%) and vaginal delivery in two pregnancies
      (14.3%). In 53 cases (89.1%) of arteriovenous malformation diagnosed during/after
      pregnancy, there was one (1.6%) case of subarachnoid haemorrhage at 38 weeks'
      gestation in 64 pregnancies, 64 healthy babies were delivered by caesarean
      section in 11 pregnancies (17.2%) and vaginal delivery in 53 pregnancies (82.8%).
      This resulted in 1.6% (95% confidence interval 0-4.6%) haemorrhage rate per
      pregnancy in unknown arteriovenous malformations. Known arteriovenous
      malformation gravida was prone to caesarean section; however, vaginal delivery
      did not increase the haemorrhage risk in unknown arteriovenous malformation
      gravidas (1.8% vs. 0%, P = 1.000). Conclusion Prior treatment for ruptured
      arteriovenous malformation could prevent its haemorrhage during pregnancy and the
      haemorrhage risk of unruptured arteriovenous malformation in pregnancies is low.
      Although known arteriovenous malformation gravida is prone to caesarean section,
      vaginal delivery seems not to increase the haemorrhage risk in unknown
      arteriovenous malformation gravidas.

PMID- 28635418
TI  - Infantile Spasms and Injuries of Prematurity: Short-Term Treatment-Based Response
      and Long-Term Outcomes.
AB  - The association of infantile spasms and periventricular leukomalacia and/or
      intraventricular hemorrhage is well documented. Data regarding early treatment
      based and long-term outcomes are limited. A retrospective chart review identified
      children with infantile spasms born prematurely (<37 weeks) with diagnoses of
      periventricular leukomalacia and/or intraventricular hemorrhage. Thirteen
      children were included. Median gestational age was 30 weeks and age of onset of
      infantile spasms was 8 months. Nine children had intraventricular hemorrhage, 10
      had periventricular leukomalacia, and 6 children had both. Twelve of 13 children
      had resolution of spasms. In responders, the successful medication was
      adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in 7, topiramate in 3, and vigabatrin in 2.
      Follow-up after a median of 7.1 years found that all patients had developmental
      delay but only 1 had refractory epilepsy. Standard therapies (ACTH and
      vigabatrin) appeared to be more effective than other treatments. Developmental
      delay is common in children with periventricular leukomalacia / intraventricular
      hemorrhage and infantile spasms, but refractory epilepsy might be less frequent.

PMID- 28635419
TI  - Multimodal imaging Gd-nanoparticles functionalized with Pittsburgh compound B or
      a nanobody for amyloid plaques targeting.
AB  - AIM: Gadolinium-based nanoparticles were functionalized with either the
      Pittsburgh compound B or a nanobody (B10AP) in order to create multimodal tools
      for an early diagnosis of amyloidoses. MATERIALS & METHODS: The ability of the
      functionalized nanoparticles to target amyloid fibrils made of beta-amyloid
      peptide, amylin or Val30Met-mutated transthyretin formed in vitro or from
      pathological tissues was investigated by a range of spectroscopic and biophysics
      techniques including fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: Nanoparticles
      functionalized by both probes efficiently interacted with the three types of
      amyloid fibrils, with KD values in 10 micromolar and 10 nanomolar range for,
      respectively, Pittsburgh compound B and B10AP nanoparticles. Moreover, they
      allowed the detection of amyloid deposits on pathological tissues. CONCLUSION:
      Such functionalized nanoparticles could represent promising flexible and
      multimodal imaging tools for the early diagnostic of amyloid diseases, in other
      words, Alzheimer's disease, Type 2 diabetes mellitus and the familial amyloidotic
      polyneuropathy.

PMID- 28635420
TI  - The Most Common Comorbidities in Dandy-Walker Syndrome Patients: A Systematic
      Review of Case Reports.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Dandy-Walker syndrome (DWS) is a rare neurologic multi-entity
      malformation. This review aimed at reporting its main nonneurologic
      comorbidities. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, search in Medline was
      conducted (2000-2014, keyword: dandy-walker). Age, sex, country, DWS type,
      consanguinity or siblings with DWS, and recorded coexistent conditions (by ICD10
      category) were extracted for 187 patients (46.5% male, 43% from Asia) from 168
      case reports. RESULTS: Diagnosis was most often set in <1 year old (40.6%) or >12
      years old (27.8%). One-third of cases had a chromosomal abnormality or syndrome
      (n = 8 PHACE), 27% had a cardiovascular condition (n = 7 Patent Ductus
      Arteriosus), 24% had a disease of eye and ear (n = 9 cataract); most common
      malignancy was nephroblastoma (n = 8, all Asian). Almost one-fifth had a mental
      illness diagnosis; only 6.4% had mild or severe intellectual disability.
      CONCLUSION: The spread of comorbidities calls for early diagnosis and
      multidisciplinary research and practice, especially as many cases remain
      clinically asymptomatic for years.

PMID- 28635421
TI  - Seeing the diagnosis on karyotype-SOX2 and eye development.

PMID- 28635422
TI  - Metallothionein polymorphisms in a Northern Spanish population with neovascular
      and dry forms of age-related macular degeneration.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To elucidate the potential role of single nucleotide polymorphisms
      (SNPs) in the metallothionein (MT) genes in Northern Spanish patients with age
      related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: A total of 130 unrelated Northern
      Spanish natives diagnosed with AMD (46 dry, 35 neovascular, and 49 mixed) and 96
      healthy controls, matched by age and ethnicity, were enrolled in a case-control
      study. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood and genotyped for 14 SNPs located
      at 5 MT genes (MT1A: rs11076161, rs 11640851, rs8052394, and rs7196890; MT1B:
      rs8052334, rs964372, and rs7191779; MT1M: rs2270836 and rs9936741; MT2A:
      rs28366003, rs1610216, rs10636, and rs1580833; MT3: rs45570941) using TaqMan
      probes. The association study was performed using the HaploView 4.0 software.
      RESULTS: The allelic and genotypic frequencies analysis revealed that rs28366003
      at MT2A gene is significantly associated with dry AMD. The frequency of genotype
      AG was significantly higher in dry AMD than in control cases (p = 2.65 * 10-4; AG
      vs. AA) conferring more than ninefold increased risk to dry AMD (OR = 9.39, 95%
      CI: 2.11-41.72), whereas the genotype AA confers disease protection (OR = 0.82,
      95% CI: 0.71-0.95). No statistically significant differences were observed
      between AMD subjects and controls in the rest of the 14 SNPs analyzed.
      CONCLUSIONS: The present study is the first to investigate the potential
      association of SNPs at MT genes with susceptibility to AMD. We found a
      significant association of SNP rs28366003 at MT2A gene with susceptibility to the
      dry form of AMD in a Northern Spanish population.

PMID- 28635423
TI  - Inner retinal dystrophy in a patient with biallelic sequence variants in BRAT1.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mutations in the BRCA1-associated protein required for the ataxia
      telangiectasia mutated (ATM) activation-1 (BRAT1) gene cause lethal neonatal
      rigidity and multifocal seizure syndrome characterized by rigidity and
      intractable seizures and a milder phenotype with intellectual disability,
      seizures, nonprogressive cerebellar ataxia or dyspraxia, and cerebellar atrophy.
      To date, nystagmus, cortical visual impairment, impairment of central vision,
      optic nerve hypoplasia, and optic atrophy have been described in this condition.
      This article describes the retinal findings in a patient with biallelic
      deleterious sequence variants in BRAT1. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case report of a
      child with biallelic sequence variants in the BRAT1 gene. RESULTS: This patient
      had developmental delay, microcephaly, nystagmus, and esotropia, and full-field
      electroretinography (ERG) revealed an inner retinal dystrophy. She was found on
      exome sequencing to have compound heterozygous sequence variants in the BRAT1
      gene: one maternally inherited frameshift variant (c.294dupA, predicting
      p.Leu99Thrfs*92), which has previously been reported, and one paternally
      inherited novel missense variant (c.803G>A, p.Arg268His), which is likely to
      affect protein function. CONCLUSIONS: Biallelic sequence variants in BRAT1 have
      been reported to cause a variety of ocular and systemic manifestations, but to
      our knowledge, this is the first report of inner retinal dysfunction manifest as
      selective loss of full-field ERG scotopic and photopic b-wave amplitudes.

PMID- 28635426
TI  - Shared learning in an interconnected world: the role of international health
      partnerships.

PMID- 28635424
TI  - Genome-wide linkage and haplotype sharing analysis implicates the MCDR3 locus as
      a candidate region for a developmental macular disorder in association with digit
      abnormalities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Developmental macular disorders are a heterogeneous group of rare
      retinal conditions that can cause significant visual impairment from childhood.
      Among these disorders, autosomal dominant North Carolina macular dystrophy (NCMD)
      has been mapped to 6q16 (MCDR1) with recent support for a non-coding disease
      mechanism of PRDM13. A second locus on 5p15-5p13 (MCDR3) has been implicated in a
      similar phenotype, but the disease-causing mechanism still remains unknown.
      METHODS: Two families affected by a dominant developmental macular disorder that
      closely resembles NCMD in association with digit abnormalities were included in
      the study. Family members with available DNA were genotyped using the Affymetrix
      GeneChip Human Mapping 250K Sty array. A parametric multipoint linkage analysis
      assuming a fully penetrant dominant model was performed using MERLIN. Haplotype
      sharing analysis was carried out using the non-parametric Homozygosity Haplotype
      method. Whole-exome sequencing was conducted on selected affected individuals.
      RESULTS: Linkage analysis excluded MCDR1 from the candidate regions (LOD < -2).
      There was suggestive linkage (LOD = 2.7) at two loci, including 9p24.1 and
      5p15.32 that overlapped with MCDR3. The haplotype sharing analysis in one of the
      families revealed a 5 cM shared IBD segment at 5p15.32 (p value = 0.004). Whole
      exome sequencing did not provide conclusive evidence for disease-causing alleles.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not exclude that this phenotype may be allelic
      with NCMD MCDR3 at 5p15 and leave the possibility of a non-coding disease
      mechanism, in keeping with recent findings on 6q16. Further studies, including
      whole-genome sequencing, may help elucidate the underlying genetic cause of this
      phenotype and shed light on macular development and function.

PMID- 28635425
TI  - Multimodal imaging in CABP4-related retinopathy.
AB  - PURPOSE: Multimodal imaging has not been documented for CABP4-related
      retinopathy. In this study, we describe optical coherence tomography (OCT) and
      fundus autofluorescence findings for five genetically confirmed cases. METHODS:
      Retrospective case series. RESULTS: Four patients with the previously described
      homozygous Saudi CABP4 founder mutation c.81_82insA (p.Pro28ThrfsX44) and one
      patient with the homozygous mutation c.1A>G (p.Met1?) in CABP4 were examined. The
      ages ranged between 9 and 16 years at last follow-up, and the duration of follow
      up ranged from 2 to 12 years. Foveal thickness was reduced ranging between 175
      and 212 micrometers. Wide field imaging including fundus autofluorescence was
      unremarkable. All patients presented with a negative electroretinogram, with a
      variable amount of cone and rod dysfunction. Over follow-up, there was no
      electroretinographic indication of any progressive retinal dysfunction.
      CONCLUSIONS: Foveal thinning is a feature of CABP4 retinopathy. Normal
      autofluorescence is consistent with inner retinal dysfunction and suggests the
      condition could be amenable to gene therapy. Retinal dysfunction was stable
      throughout follow-up.

PMID- 28635431
TI  - Independent mental health advocacy: the right to be heard - context, values and
      good practice.

PMID- 28635427
TI  - The divergence of minimum unit pricing policy across the UK: opportunities for
      public health policy development.

PMID- 28635432
TI  - Psychological resilience in people experiencing schizophrenia and suicidal
      thoughts and behaviours.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Negative stressors can aggravate the impact of schizophrenia.
      However, some people find ways of combating such stressors. There is a dearth of
      research examining factors which enable individuals with schizophrenia to show
      psychological resilience. AIMS: The goal of this study was to investigate
      resilience to negative stressors in people with disorders on the schizophrenia
      spectrum using a qualitative methodology. METHODS: Data were collected from 23
      participants who had experienced schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts and
      behaviours. Semi-structured interviews followed a topic guide. Participants were
      asked (i) what resilience meant to them, (ii) which stressors they had
      experienced over 12 months and (iii) how they had counteracted those stressors.
      Thematic analysis was conducted to identify re-occurring themes across
      interviews. RESULTS: A continuum of psychological mechanisms described
      participants' views about the meaning of resilience which ranged from passive
      acceptance to resistance (e.g. withstanding pressure), and then to active
      strategies to counter stressors (e.g. confronting). These themes were also
      evident in narratives expressing personal resilience strategies but,
      additionally, included emotional coping techniques. External factors were
      highlighted that supported resilience including social support, reciprocity and
      religious coping. CONCLUSIONS: People with schizophrenia develop ways of being
      resilient to negative events which should inform therapeutic interventions.

PMID- 28635434
TI  - Mental health professionals and media professionals: a survey of attitudes
      towards one another.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The general public regard mass media as their main source of
      information about mental illness. Psychiatrists are reluctant to engage with the
      media. There is little understanding of why this is the case. AIMS: The paper
      looks to explore attitudes of mental health clinicians and the media towards one
      another. METHOD: Media and mental health clinicians in the southwest of England
      completed self-report surveys. RESULTS: Of 119 questionnaires returned 85 were
      mental health clinicians and 34 media professionals. Both groups agreed that
      stigma is a major issue and clinicians have a key role influencing media
      portrayal of mental illness. The media view their reporting to be more balanced
      than clinicians and lack awareness of clinician mistrust towards them. Those
      clinicians with media training (13%) felt significantly more comfortable talking
      to media and significantly less mistrustful of them. Clinicians who had
      experience of working with media felt more comfortable doing media work. Only 15%
      of media professionals had received mental health awareness training.
      CONCLUSIONS: Media training and experience are associated with an increased
      willingness of mental health professionals to engage with the media. Reciprocal
      awareness training between media and mental health professionals may be a simple
      intervention worth pursuing.

PMID- 28635435
TI  - GPs' views and perspectives on patient non-adherence to treatment in primary care
      prior to suicide.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals who do not adhere to their treatment regimens may be at
      greater risk of suicide but these issues are relatively unexplored in primary
      care services. AIM: To explore GPs' views and perspectives on the reasons why
      patients who were in contact with mental health services in the year prior to
      suicide was non-adherent to treatment prior to their death. METHOD: In total, 198
      semi-structured face-to-face interviews with GPs of people who had died by
      suicide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a thematic
      approach. RESULTS: The following themes were conceptualized from GP interviews:
      (i) "Lack of insight or denial?" relates to what GPs perceived as their patients
      lack of insight into their psychiatric illness; (ii) "Lack of treatment choices"
      discusses GPs' understanding of patient treatment choices; (iii) "Services for
      comorbidity and dual diagnosis" refers to treatment availability for suicidal
      patients with two or more mental health diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: For suicide
      prevention, it is crucial for health professionals to assess patients and manage
      the possible causes of non-adherence. Policies for increasing treatment
      adherence, improving services for dual diagnosis, or providing alternative
      treatments to meet individual patient needs may help to achieve the best health
      outcomes and could potentially prevent suicide.

PMID- 28635436
TI  - Changes in the nature and intensity of stress following employment among people
      with severe mental illness receiving individual placement and support services:
      an exploratory qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most people with severe mental illness (SMI) want to work. Individual
      placement and support (IPS) programs have proven effective in helping them obtain
      and keep competitive jobs. Yet, practitioners often fear that competitive jobs
      might be too stressful. AIMS: To explore how the nature and intensity of stress
      experienced by IPS clients changed after the transition from looking for work to
      being employed. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews explored the experiences of
      16 clients of an IPS program who had recently been competitively employed.
      Grounded theory was used to structure the analysis. RESULTS: Most participants
      reported that their stress level decreased once they found work. Stress following
      work was associated with fear of failure, pressure to perform and uncertainty.
      The support that people perceived in their return-to-work project, and where they
      were on their recovery journey, modulated their perception of stress. Many cited
      IPS as a source of support. CONCLUSIONS: Competitive work changed the nature of
      stress and was mostly associated with a decrease in stress level. Adjunctive
      interventions aiming to buffer self-stigma or help participants use more adaptive
      coping mechanisms may merit investigation.

PMID- 28635437
TI  - Assessment of diagnostic information and quality of working alliance with clients
      diagnosed with personality disorders during the mental health intake.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A primary purpose of diagnostic systems is to improve care, yet,
      little is known about how providers use it routine clinical care. AIMS: We
      investigated specific DSM-IV personality disorders (PDs) diagnostic information
      therapists collected during intake visits and the association between a therapist
      PD diagnosis and clients' and therapists' reports of the quality of working
      alliance during the intake. METHOD: A total of 122 intakes (n = 34, 27.9% were
      diagnosed with PD) in four community mental health clinics in Israel were
      audiotaped. Immediately following the intake, clients and therapists completed
      the working alliance inventory (WAI). Independent clinicians coded the intakes
      using an information checklist. RESULTS: Despite the relatively high prevalence
      of PD in regular psychiatric care, very limited PD diagnostic information was
      directly assessed during the intake. Therapists evaluated the quality of the
      working alliance when they saw a client they diagnosed with PD as significantly
      lower than the rating of a client without a PD, while the clients' ratings did
      not differ as a result of their diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Therapists do not collect
      sufficient explicit diagnostic information to base their PD diagnostic decisions.
      Yet, the presence of PD diagnosis affects their rapport with their clients as
      early as the intake.

PMID- 28635438
TI  - Resilience mediated the association between acculturation and psychological
      growth in college students from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The number of Hong Kong citizens living in mainland China is
      increasing. The process of acculturation may create opportunities for
      psychological growth. AIMS: This study aimed at examining whether resilience
      mediated the effects of acculturation on psychological growth in college students
      from Hong Kong to Guangzhou. METHOD: In this cross-sectional survey, 164 college
      students in Guangzhou who were Hong Kong permanent residents (female: 46%, age:
      21.09 +/- 1.50) joined the study. RESULTS: The integration group reported more
      psychological growth than the assimilation, separation, and marginalization
      groups. Resilience partially mediated the effect of integration on psychological
      growth and fully mediated the effect of marginalization on psychological growth.
      CONCLUSIONS: Resilience represents one of the mechanisms to explain beneficial
      effects of integration on psychological growth in college students from Hong Kong
      to Guangzhou. Theoretical considerations to rethink the acculturation model,
      implications for developing intervention programs, and recommendations for future
      research are discussed.

PMID- 28635439
TI  - Social and occupational factors associated with psychological wellbeing among
      occupational groups affected by disaster: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of disasters has been well-documented; less
      attention has been paid to factors affecting the wellbeing of those exposed to
      disasters as occupational groups. AIMS: To conduct a systematic literature review
      identifying social and occupational factors affecting the wellbeing of disaster
      exposed employees; to use these factors to identify recommendations for potential
      interventions. METHOD: Four electronic literature databases were searched;
      reference lists of relevant papers were hand-searched. RESULTS: A total of 18 005
      papers were found, 571 full texts were read and 36 included in the review. The
      psychological impact of disasters on employees was associated with pre-disaster
      factors (experience/training; income; life events/health; job satisfaction), peri
      disaster factors (exposure; peri-traumatic experiences; perceptions of safety;
      injury), social factors (organisational support; social support generally) and
      post-disaster factors (impact on life). CONCLUSIONS: It is important to build a
      resilient workforce outside of a crisis. Pre-disaster training in recognising
      signs of distress, understanding vulnerability factors such as those described
      above, which may put certain employees at greater risk of distress and how to
      support colleagues may be useful. Further research into the effectiveness of post
      disaster interventions is needed.

PMID- 28635440
TI  - Adding an accredited exercise physiologist role to a new model of care at a
      secure extended care mental health service: a qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accredited exercise physiologists (AEPs) are emerging as essential
      members of allied health in the management of non-communicable chronic diseases.
      People diagnosed with severe mental illness (SMI) are at greater risk of
      cardiovascular diseases. Secure extended care units (SECUs) provide treatment,
      supervision and support for people with SMI whose needs cannot be met adequately
      in the community. However, the role of AEPs in SECUs has not been described. AIM:
      Describe the processes and outcomes of adding an AEP to a new model of care at a
      SECU. METHODS: An exploratory study with emphasis on qualitative data. Interviews
      with a purposive sample of SECU staff. RESULTS: Participants articulated concern
      about poor physical health of which two themes emerged (1) the development of the
      AEP role; a calculated gamble and (2) the practical application of the role.
      CONCLUSIONS: An AEP was identified as the role to best implement the
      organisations vision to improve physical health of people with SMI.
      Implementation and practical application of the role relied on an informed
      calculated gamble. Yet, once embedded in the service, the AEP role was able to
      capacity build among clinical staff, develop a treatment pathway, and implement
      consumer specific physical health interventions.

PMID- 28635444
TI  - Older people less likely to receive talking therapy for mental health.
AB  - Too few older people are being referred for talking therapies for common mental
      health conditions, a study has found.

PMID- 28635443
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28635441
TI  - The extension of a set of needs-led mental health clusters to accommodate people
      accessing UK intellectual disability health services.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A development of a needs-led mental health classification system
      based on the Health of the National Outcome Scales (HoNOS) has previously been
      developed. AIMS: To extend the needs-based mental health (MH) clusters to
      accommodate the additional needs of people accessing UK intellectual disabilities
      health services. METHOD: Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on
      assessment data from 18 National Health Service (NHS) provider organisations. The
      statistical results were clinically shaped through multi-disciplinary workshops.
      The resulting clusters were combined with six independently rated measures for a
      second data collection exercise. Based on these data, refinements were made
      before performing internal and external validity checks. RESULTS: Eight
      additional clusters for people with health needs associated with their
      intellectual disabilities were produced. Three described primarily physical
      health (PH) needs, four described needs arising from behaviours which challenged
      (with/without autism) whilst one described people with generally low needs.
      Together, these covered 83.4% of cases with only a 10% overlap. The clusters were
      replicable and had clinical utility and validity. CONCLUSIONS: It was possible to
      extend the needs-led mental health classification system to capture the
      additional needs of people accessing UK intellectual disability services.

PMID- 28635445
TI  - 'My diabetes nurse has always gone beyond the call of duty'.
AB  - Three years ago I nearly died from complications related to diabetes, but
      specialist nurse Kathy Taylor, pictured, and her excellent team helped to save my
      life.

PMID- 28635446
TI  - Child deaths from diarrhoea down but stay highest in poorest nations.
AB  - The number of child deaths caused by diarrhoea globally has fallen by a third in
      ten years, research shows.

PMID- 28635447
TI  - 'Your core nursing skills are vital'.
AB  - After taking up a nursing career in his thirties, Major Rob Instrell qualified in
      Southampton in 2002. He worked mainly in emergency care, and is now lead
      practitioner in critical care outreach at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS
      Foundation Trust. In his military career, he has served as a troop commander and
      as the unit adjutant for 335 Medical Evacuation, and has been the regiment's
      clinical lead for the past four years.

PMID- 28635448
TI  - Let's talk about your weight....
AB  - A significant proportion of nurses in the UK are overweight or obese and the
      problem is, in every sense, a growing one.

PMID- 28635449
TI  - Nursing care after death in Northern Ireland.
AB  - Essential facts According to the Registrar General Annual Report, there were
      15,548 deaths in Northern Ireland in 2015. Almost two thirds of these were of
      people aged 75 or over, and almost half occurred in NHS hospitals, with a further
      20% in other hospitals or nursing homes. There are significant differences
      between what happens after death in Northern Ireland and in other UK countries.
      For example, in Northern Ireland it is common practice to hold a wake, where
      family and friends come together to view the deceased person in their home. There
      is also an expectation that funerals can be arranged within three or four days of
      death.

PMID- 28635450
TI  - You don't have to know the answers to write poetry.
AB  - It's a great pleasure to be able to spend the next six months as the RCN's first
      ever writer in residence. My role is part of an exciting new project at the RCN
      Library and Archive called Service Scrapbooks: Nursing, Storytelling and the
      First World War, which is funded by a L60,600 grant from the Heritage Lottery
      Fund.

PMID- 28635451
TI  - Delivering person-centred care in police custody.
AB  - The custody nurse role was introduced in 2003 following changes to legislation,
      which allowed nurses and paramedics to care for people in police custody. Before
      this, the work was done solely by doctors.

PMID- 28635452
TI  - Reflective practice.
AB  - What was the nature of the CPD activity, practice-related feedback and/or event
      and/or experience in your practice? The article focused on reflection, which is
      an essential tool for nurses that can be used in their personal and professional
      development, while reinforcing continuous learning.

PMID- 28635455
TI  - Chemicals in cigarette smoke shown to damage foetal liver cells.
AB  - Chemicals in cigarette smoke constitute a risk to the foetus if the mother smokes
      during pregnancy, and can damage foetal liver cells, a study has shown.

PMID- 28635456
TI  - Nurses tell of horrific scenes as they helped those injured in London tower block
      fire.
AB  - Two nurses have told of their struggle to care for patients following a huge
      tower block fire in London.

PMID- 28635457
TI  - The perils of making snap judgements.
AB  - Trust is one of the foundations of nursing. Whether it is with colleagues or the
      people you nurse, your ability to form trusting relationships can affect
      significantly the quality of care someone receives.

PMID- 28635458
TI  - Mature fall-out will be costly.
AB  - I was disappointed to read that about 6,000 fewer mature students have applied to
      start nursing courses this autumn (analysis, June 7).

PMID- 28635459
TI  - Pay must be overhauled, says re-elected nurse MP.
AB  - Nurses should be able to expect the same pay for doing the same job wherever they
      work, a re-elected nurse MP has said.

PMID- 28635460
TI  - Changing the agenda.
AB  - Conservative MP Maria Caulfield raises concerns about nurses' pay but claims it's
      not about total money in the system but 'what's being done with it'.

PMID- 28635461
TI  - Cut fossil fuel links and curb burden on the NHS.
AB  - At a time when the NHS is struggling to meet demand, it is easy to regard the
      health impact of climate change as less urgent than the immediate needs of
      patients. However, action now to limit the effects of climate change would also
      reduce demands on the health service and help us to meet the healthcare needs of
      future generations.

PMID- 28635463
TI  - An overview of the evidence-based practice process for novice researchers.
AB  - This article explores how nurses can use evidence-based practice to critique and
      evaluate the rationale and evidence for specific nursing procedures or practices.
      Through the development of a focused research question and search strategy,
      nurses can select and critique relevant research articles to answer the research
      question, which can support the provision of optimal practice and high-quality
      care. This article demonstrates the process of evidence-based practice, with the
      aim of increasing novice researchers' confidence in applying this process in
      practice. The article evaluates the rationale for the use of an early-warning
      score system in the identification of patients at risk of deterioration, in
      particular the identification of sepsis and septic shock in the emergency
      setting. In this article, one research article will be selected and critiqued;
      however, in practice several appropriate articles should be reviewed to draw firm
      conclusions. Some of the barriers to the implementation of evidence-based
      practice and the dissemination of research will be discussed.

PMID- 28635464
TI  - Cancer survival rates higher when travelling further to a GP.
AB  - Patients in rural areas and those in urban areas who have to travel further to
      see a GP have better cancer survival rates, research has found.

PMID- 28635465
TI  - One in three patients with hypertension shun medication.
AB  - One in three patients with high blood pressure are failing to take the medication
      they are given to control it, research suggests.

PMID- 28635466
TI  - A profession to be proud of.
AB  - We have to admire the responses of individuals and organisations to the Grenfell
      Tower fire and the recent terrorist attacks, where major incident plans were
      activated. Our colleagues, nurses and the wider healthcare teams showed heroism,
      expertise, compassion and commitment.

PMID- 28635467
TI  - Health secretary to meet with RCN over nurse pay.
AB  - Health secretary Jeremy Hunt will meet with the RCN to talk about nurses' pay,
      health leaders at the NHS Confederation conference heard last week.

PMID- 28635469
TI  - Brexit alliance will be 'voice of healthcare'.
AB  - An alliance has been set up to put healthcare at the heart of Brexit
      negotiations.

PMID- 28635468
TI  - A smile to help in the tough times.
AB  - At the start of my second year of training I was working on a cardiac ward where
      I helped to care for a young teenager who was awaiting surgery.

PMID- 28635471
TI  - Off camera.
AB  - Wearing body cameras at work is a terrible idea, especially in settings where
      establishing a trusting therapeutic relationship is vital (readers' panel, 14
      June).

PMID- 28635473
TI  - England risks losing its place as leading role model in education.
AB  - The International Council of Nurses (ICN) held its biennial meeting in Barcelona
      in May. I was invited as an official observer of the Council of Nurse
      Representatives, and learned first-hand how the ICN operates.

PMID- 28635474
TI  - Approaching the issue.
AB  - Pre-registration students are not registered with the Nursing and Midwifery
      Council (NMC), so you cannot report them to the regulator. The NMC issues
      guidance on professional conduct for nursing and midwifery students, but it
      cannot take any action until the person is on, or applies to join, the register.

PMID- 28635476
TI  - Newly qualified nurses could prescribe early in their careers, suggests NMC.
AB  - Newly qualified nurses may be able to undertake training to prescribe under
      proposals set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

PMID- 28635477
TI  - Crystal Oldman among nurses named in Queen's birthday honours list.
AB  - Queen's Nursing Institute chief executive Crystal Oldman has been made a CBE for
      services to the charity and community nursing. She joins other nurses recognised
      in the 2017 Queen's birthday honours.

PMID- 28635478
TI  - Let's celebrate the feel-good factor.
AB  - I am ignored. Disregarded. A non-person. Part of the furniture. But I don't mind.
      In fact, it gives me a warm glow.

PMID- 28635479
TI  - Help with housing costs.
AB  - Nurses working in the London area have benefited from a London 'weighting' for as
      long as many can remember. It can be the difference between being able to live
      and work in the capital and being forced to move elsewhere by the high cost of
      housing.

PMID- 28635480
TI  - Leadership styles in nursing.
AB  - Nurses are often asked to think about leadership, particularly in times of rapid
      change in healthcare, and where questions have been raised about whether leaders
      and managers have adequate insight into the requirements of care. This article
      discusses several leadership styles relevant to contemporary healthcare and
      nursing practice. Nurses who are aware of leadership styles may find this
      knowledge useful in maintaining a cohesive working environment. Leadership
      knowledge and skills can be improved through training, where, rather than having
      to undertake formal leadership roles without adequate preparation, nurses are
      able to learn, nurture, model and develop effective leadership behaviours,
      ultimately improving nursing staff retention and enhancing the delivery of safe
      and effective care.

PMID- 28635481
TI  - Readers' panel - Should mentors be replaced by supervisors and assessors?
AB  - Our experts consider a hot topic of the day.

PMID- 28635482
TI  - Diagnosis and management of myasthenia gravis.
AB  - Myasthenia gravis is a rare long-term neurological condition that is
      characterised by fluctuating skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue, as well as
      respiratory difficulties. It is both an acquired autoimmune disease and a chronic
      neuromuscular disorder. Because of its rarity, myasthenia gravis is relatively
      unknown and may be unfamiliar to many nurses. While there are various types of
      myasthenia, this article focuses on myasthenia gravis, exploring its symptoms,
      diagnosis and treatment, and examining the nurse's role in managing the
      condition. The symptoms of myasthenic crisis and cholinergic crisis are also
      explained, and the experience of patients with myasthenia gravis in hospital and
      community settings is illustrated using case studies.

PMID- 28635483
TI  - Student life - Imposter syndrome.
AB  - I will never forget the first time I stepped onto a ward as a nursing student in
      my freshly ironed new uniform. Everything was going well. This was it, I was
      living my dream. And then an older woman called out for a nurse, looked at me,
      and I froze. I wasn't a 'real' nurse, so what on earth was I to do?

PMID- 28635484
TI  - Political losses.
AB  - I am gutted Labour didn't win the election, as they promised to reintroduce the
      bursary. I put my nursing degree on hold for 16 months due to my daughter's
      illness. The new term begins in September, but I have lost my bursary and
      maintenance grant entitlement. I can no longer afford to do the course.

PMID- 28635485
TI  - Letter.
AB  - Why is it 'interesting' that three of the nurse MPs are Conservative (Election
      wins boost nurse numbers in the Commons, news, 14 June)?

PMID- 28635487
TI  - HUG.
AB  - Created by a woman who found little support after losing a baby, this app aims to
      help anyone following the loss of a baby at any gestation.

PMID- 28635486
TI  - Letter.
AB  - I was disappointed to see that Jeremy Hunt had been reappointed as health
      secretary.

PMID- 28635489
TI  - Trusts 'at risk' after Brexit are already losing EU nurses.
AB  - More than half of NHS trusts in England identified as being most vulnerable to
      workforce problems post-Brexit have already seen falls in EU nurse numbers.

PMID- 28635488
TI  - Falling EU nurse figures spark fresh concerns over Brexit.
AB  - Concern about the effect of Brexit on the UK nursing workforce could intensify,
      with new figures showing fewer EU nurses in post at certain NHS trusts and fewer
      registering to work in the UK.

PMID- 28635490
TI  - Beloved Old Age and What to Do About It: Margery Allingham's The Relay Handed on
      to Julia Jones Jones Julia Beloved Old Age and What to Do About It: Margery
      Allingham's The Relay Handed on to Julia Jones 192pp L10.99 Golden Duck
      9781899262298 1899262296 [Formula: see text].
AB  - This book offers the perspectives of two people caring for older family members:
      novelist Margery Allingham in the 1950s and her biographer Julia Jones, whose
      mother is in her nineties and currently living in supported housing.

PMID- 28635491
TI  - Community Care and Inclusion for People with an Intellectual Disability Jackson
      Robin & Lyons Maria (Eds) Community Care and Inclusion for People with an
      Intellectual Disability 256pp L25.00 Floris Books 9781782503330 1782503331
      [Formula: see text].
AB  - This book includes reflective and philosophical accounts that explore the widest
      context of community care. It is a collection of personal views and experiences
      from several authors. Many examples focus on the provision of the Camphill
      Village model across the world, and these provide a philosophical continuity
      throughout the book.

PMID- 28635492
TI  - Grenfell Tower tragedy echoes the public safety issues of Mid Staffs.
AB  - The Grenfell Tower fire and associated loss of life has shocked the nation, and
      prompted a public inquiry that will make recommendations on how to prevent a
      repeat. Let's hope it will prove more effective in this respect than similar
      inquiries covering scandals in healthcare.

PMID- 28635495
TI  - Analysis of audiometric notch as a noise-induced hearing loss phenotype in US
      youth: data from the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2010.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Bilateral audiometric notch (BN) at 4000-6000 Hz was identified as a
      noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) phenotype for genetic association analysis in
      college-aged musicians. This study analysed BN in a sample of US youth. DESIGN:
      Prevalence of the BN within the study sample was determined and logistic
      regression analyses were performed to identify audiologic and other demographic
      factors associated with BN. Computer-simulated "flat" audiograms were used to
      estimate potential influence of false-positive rates in estimating the prevalence
      of the BN. STUDY SAMPLE: 2348 participants (12-19 years) following the inclusion
      criteria were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
      data (2005-2010). RESULTS: The prevalence of BN was 16.6%. Almost 55.6% of the
      participants showed notch in at least one ear. Noise exposure, gender, ethnicity
      and age showed significant relationship with the BN. Computer simulation revealed
      that 5.5% of simulated participants with "flat" audiograms showed BN. CONCLUSION:
      Association of noise exposure with BN suggests that it is a useful NIHL phenotype
      for genetic association analyses. However, further research is necessary to
      reduce false-positive rates in notch identification.

PMID- 28635494
TI  - Urea cycle disorder misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis: a case report and review
      of the literature.
AB  - Urea cycle disorders are a group of inborn errors of metabolism caused by
      dysfunction of any of the six enzymes or two transport proteins involved in urea
      biosynthesis. In this paper, we report a patient who presented with neurological
      dysfunction and coma in the immediate postpartum period. She was misdiagnosed for
      many years as a case of multiple sclerosis. The importance of reporting this case
      is to illustrate that the wrong diagnosis of patients as being affected with
      multiple sclerosis for many years due to magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities
      rather than the classic relapsing-remitting nature of the disease may lead to
      catastrophic consequences. The patient was treated with intravenous steroids
      several times, which is contraindicated in patients with urea cycle disorders as
      it may precipitate acute hyperammonemic attacks. In addition, the management of
      urea cycle disorder could have started earlier and avoided multiple admissions to
      the intensive care unit. We believe that the presence of symmetric hyperintense
      insular cortical changes are seen in multiple hyperammonemic processes, and in
      the context of the clinical presentation and high ammonia levels can be
      suggestive of a urea cycle disorder. For any patient presenting with atypical
      clinical features, images should be reviewed and discussed in detail with an
      experienced neuroradiologist. In addition, the ammonia levels should be checked
      if a urea cycle disorder is suspected.

PMID- 28635493
TI  - The structure of lamin filaments in somatic cells as revealed by cryo-electron
      tomography.
AB  - Metazoan nuclei are equipped with nuclear lamina - a thin layer of intermediate
      filaments (IFs) mostly built of nuclear lamins facing the inner nuclear membrane
      (INM). The nuclear lamina serves as an interaction hub for INM-proteins, soluble
      nuclear factors and DNA. It confers structural and mechanical stability to the
      nucleus, transduces mechanical forces and biochemical signals across the nuclear
      envelope (NE) and regulates the organization of chromatin. By using cryo-electron
      tomography (cryo-ET), we recently provided an unprecedented view into the 3D
      organization of lamin filaments within the lamina meshwork in mammalian somatic
      cells. Through implementation of averaging procedures, we resolved the rod and
      globular Ig-fold domains of lamin filaments. The density maps suggested that they
      assemble into 3.5 nm thick filaments. Our analysis revealed interesting
      structural differences between nucleoplasmic and cytoplasmic intermediate
      filaments, raising the question of which molecular cues define their assembly
      modes inside the cell.

PMID- 28635496
TI  - Internet-based peer support for Meniere's disease: a summary of web-based data
      collection, impact evaluation, and user evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a summary of web-based data collection, impact
      evaluation, and user evaluations of an Internet-based peer support program for
      Meniere's disease (MD). DESIGN: The program is written in html-form. The data are
      stored in a MySQL database and uses machine learning in the diagnosis of MD. The
      program works interactively with the user and assesses the participant's disorder
      profile in various dimensions (i.e., symptoms, impact, personal traits, and
      positive attitude). The inference engine uses a database to compare the impact
      with 50 referents, and provides regular feedback to the user. Data were analysed
      using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. STUDY SAMPLE: The impact
      evaluation was based on 740 cases and the user evaluation on a sample of 75 cases
      of MD respectively. RESULTS: The web-based system was useful in data collection
      and impact evaluation of people with MD. Among those with a recent onset of MD,
      78% rated the program as useful or very useful, whereas those with chronic MD
      rated the program 55%. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that a web-based data collection
      and impact evaluation for peer support can be helpful while formulating the
      rehabilitation goals of building the self-confidence needed for coping and
      increasing social participation.

PMID- 28635497
TI  - Desynchronisation of auditory steady-state responses related to changes in
      interaural phase differences: an objective measure of binaural hearing.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Binaural processing can be measured objectively as a desynchronisation
      of phase-locked neural activity to changes in interaural phase differences
      (IPDs). This was reported in a magnetoencephalography study for 40 Hz amplitude
      modulated tones. The goal of this study was to measure this desynchronisation
      using electroencephalography and explore the outcomes for different modulation
      frequencies. DESIGN: Auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs) were recorded to
      pure tones, amplitude modulated at 20, 40 or 80 Hz. IPDs switched between 0 and
      180 degrees  at fixed time intervals. STUDY SAMPLE: Sixteen young listeners with
      bilateral normal hearing thresholds (<=25 dB HL at 125-8000 Hz) participated in
      this study. RESULTS: Significant ASSR phase desynchronisations to IPD changes
      were detected in 14 out of 16 participants for 40 Hz and in 8, respectively 9,
      out of 13 participants for 20 and 80 Hz modulators. Desynchronisation and
      restoration of ASSR phase took place significantly faster for 80 Hz than for 40
      and 20 Hz. CONCLUSIONS: ASSR desynchronisation to IPD changes was successfully
      recorded using electroencephalography. It was feasible for 20, 40 and 80 Hz
      modulators and could be an objective tool to assess processing of changes in
      binaural information.

PMID- 28635498
TI  - Effect of age-related hearing loss on the click-rate-induced facilitation of
      acoustic reflex thresholds.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This investigation was designed to evaluate the effect of age-related
      hearing loss on the click-rate-induced improvement in the acoustic reflex
      thresholds. DESIGN: Case-control study. STUDY SAMPLE: Data from five different
      adults ear-groups (15 ears each) were included in the study: 1. Younger with
      normal hearing. 2. Older with normal hearing. 3. Older with mild high-frequency
      loss. 4. Older with moderate high-frequency loss. 5. Older with low- and high
      frequency loss. Ipsilateral acoustic reflex thresholds were obtained from the
      left and/or right ear/s by presenting clicks at the repetition rates of 50, 100,
      150, 200 and 300 clicks/s. The rate-induced facilitation (RIF) was calculated by
      subtracting the lowest acoustic reflex threshold from the highest reflex
      threshold obtained across the various click-rates. RESULTS: The click-RIF is
      significantly reduced in older individuals compared to younger adults. There is
      no significant difference in RIF across the four older adult groups suggesting
      that an age-related, mild to moderate hearing loss has no significant effect on
      the click RIF of the acoustic reflex thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: Click-RIF may allow
      us to document the effect of ageing on temporal processing within the auditory
      brainstem area, in a time-efficient and objective manner using commercially
      available equipment.

PMID- 28635499
TI  - Hearing aid fine-tuning based on Dutch descriptions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to derive an independent fitting assistant
      based on expert consensus. Two questions were asked: (1) what (Dutch) terms do
      hearing impaired listeners use nowadays to describe their specific hearing aid
      fitting problems? (2) What is the expert consensus on how to resolve these
      complaints by adjusting hearing aid parameters? DESIGN: Hearing aid dispensers
      provided descriptors that impaired listeners use to describe their reactions to
      specific hearing aid fitting problems. Hearing aid fitting experts were asked
      "How would you adjust the hearing aid if its user reports that the aid
      sounds...?" with the blank filled with each of the 40 most frequently mentioned
      descriptors. STUDY SAMPLE: 112 hearing aid dispensers and 15 hearing aid experts.
      The expert solution with the highest weight value was considered the best
      solution for that descriptor. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to
      identify a factor structure in fitting problems. RESULTS: Nine fitting problems
      could be identified resulting in an expert-based, hearing aid manufacturer
      independent, fine-tuning fitting assistant for clinical use. CONCLUSIONS: The
      construction of an expert-based, hearing aid manufacturer independent, fine
      tuning fitting assistant to be used as an additional tool in the iterative
      fitting process is feasible.

PMID- 28635502
TI  - Hearing aid technology: model-based concepts and assessment.

PMID- 28635500
TI  - A systematic review of stimulus parameters for eliciting distortion product
      otoacoustic emissions from adult humans.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to review the scientific literature to
      determine if a set of stimulus parameters can be described to elicit distortion
      product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) of higher absolute level and/or greater
      reliability in healthy adult humans and higher sensitivity and specificity in
      adults with cochlear lesions. DESIGN: Systematic review. STUDY SAMPLE: Searches
      of four electronic databases yielded 47 studies that had used different
      parameters to elicit DPOAEs from within or between-groups of adult humans.
      RESULTS: The wide range of stimulus parameters used in the reviewed studies saw a
      wide range of reported values for DPOAE level, reliability, and sensitivity and
      specificity to cochlear lesions. CONCLUSION: The most commonly used stimulus
      parameters for eliciting DPOAEs from adult humans have included frequency ratios
      for the two primary tones (f2/f1) of between 1.04 and 1.4 and levels (L1/L2) of
      65/55 dB SPL. The most commonly used parameters for eliciting DPOAEs of higher
      level in healthy adults appear to be linked to f2/f1 values between 1.20 and 1.22
      and L1/L2 levels of 75/75 dB SPL. The stimulus parameters for eliciting DPOAEs of
      greater reliability in healthy adults and higher sensitivity and specificity in
      adults with cochlear lesions have yet to be clearly determined.

PMID- 28635503
TI  - Practical guidelines to minimise language and cognitive confounds in the
      diagnosis of CAPD: a brief tutorial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide audiologists with strategies to minimise confounding
      cognitive and language processing variables and accurately diagnose central
      auditory processing disorder (CAPD). DESIGN: Tutorial. STUDY SAMPLE: None.
      RESULTS: Strategies are reviewed to minimise confounding cognitive and language
      processing variables and accurately diagnose CAPD. CONCLUSIONS: Differential
      diagnosis is exceedingly important and can be quite challenging. Distinguishing
      between two or more conditions presenting with similar symptoms or attributes
      requires multidisciplinary, comprehensive assessment. To ensure appropriate
      interventions, the audiologist is a member of the multidisciplinary team
      responsible for determining whether there is an auditory component to other
      presenting deficits or whether one condition is responsible for the symptoms seen
      in another. Choice of tests should be guided both by the symptoms of the affected
      individual, as established in an in-depth interview and case history, the
      individual's age and primary language, and by the specific deficits reported to
      be associated with specific clinical presentations. Knowing which tests are
      available, their strengths and limitations, the processes assessed, task and
      response requirements, and the areas of the central auditory nervous system
      (CANS) to which each test is most sensitive provides the audiologist with
      critical information to assist in the differential diagnostic process.

PMID- 28635504
TI  - Applying Rasch model analysis in the development of the cantonese tone
      identification test (CANTIT).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Applying Rasch analysis to evaluate the internal structure of a
      lexical tone perception test known as the Cantonese Tone Identification Test
      (CANTIT). DESIGN: A 75-item pool (CANTIT-75) with pictures and sound tracks was
      developed. Respondents were required to make a four-alternative forced choice on
      each item. A short version of 30 items (CANTIT-30) was developed based on fit
      statistics, difficulty estimates, and content evaluation. Internal structure was
      evaluated by fit statistics and Rasch Factor Analysis (RFA). STUDY SAMPLE: 200
      children with normal hearing and 141 children with hearing impairment were
      recruited. RESULTS: For CANTIT-75, all infit and 97% of outfit values were < 2.0.
      RFA revealed 40.1% of total variance was explained by the Rasch measure. The
      first residual component explained 2.5% of total variance in an eigenvalue of
      3.1. For CANTIT-30, all infit and outfit values were < 2.0. The Rasch measure
      explained 38.8% of total variance, the first residual component explained 3.9% of
      total variance in an eigenvalue of 1.9. CONCLUSIONS: The Rasch model provides
      excellent guidance for the development of short forms. Both CANTIT-75 and CANTIT
      30 possess satisfactory internal structure as a construct validity evidence in
      measuring the lexical tone identification ability of the Cantonese speakers.

PMID- 28635505
TI  - Social inequalities in pure-tone hearing assessed using occupational
      stratification schemes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyse the performance of two
      occupational stratification approaches and the impact of social position on adult
      hearing. DESIGN: The prevalence of hearing impairment, pure-tone averages (PTA)
      and prevalence ratios (PR) for relative hearing loss, which focuses on the
      position of one's PTA in the age- and gender-specific distribution, were compared
      in groups defined by ISCO Skill Level and the International Socio-Economic Index
      (ISEI). STUDY SAMPLE: About 1571 subjects aged 30-89, including 677 highly
      screened adults, from the cross-sectional study HORSTAT. RESULTS: ISCO Skill
      Level and ISEI yielded qualitatively the same results. The prevalence difference
      between the socially least and most advantaged group ranges between 10 and 16%,
      varying with the scheme applied. Low- and high-frequency PTA and PR for relative
      hearing loss confirm the gradient. Screening reduced, but did not negate the
      social differences. The prevalence difference dropped to 6-7% in the otologically
      normal subsample. CONCLUSIONS: Social groups defined by hierarchical,
      occupational measures differ in their pure-tone hearing, even if the main risk
      factors are controlled for. This underlines the need for population-based
      sampling, the relevance of reporting the study group's social composition and the
      importance of advancing the discussion on appropriate social measures in hearing
      research.

PMID- 28635506
TI  - An individualised acoustically transparent earpiece for hearing devices.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: An important and often still unresolved problem of hearing devices
      such as assistive listening devices and hearing aids is limited user acceptance -
      a primary reason is poor conservation quality of the acoustic environment.
      Approaching a possible solution to this problem, an earpiece prototype is
      presented and evaluated. The prototype is individually and automatically
      calibrated in situ to provide acoustical transparency, i.e., achieving an audio
      perception alike to the open ear. DESIGN: A comprehensive evaluation was
      performed, comprising technical measurements on an advanced dummy head and
      listening tests, in which listeners directly compared sound perception through
      the prototype and a simulated open ear canal reference. STUDY SAMPLE: Ten normal
      hearing subjects, including five expert listeners, participated in the listening
      test. RESULTS: The technical evaluation verified good achievement of acoustical
      transparency. The psychoacoustic results showed that a reliable distinction
      between the two conditions presented was not possible for relevant communication
      sounds. CONCLUSION: The prototype can be described as an initial realisation of
      an acoustically transparent hearing system, i.e. a device that does not disturb
      the perception of external sounds. In further developments, the device can be
      considered as the basis for systems integrating high sound quality, hearing
      support and other desired modifications.

PMID- 28635507
TI  - Cochlear implant effectiveness in postlingual single-sided deaf individuals:
      what's the point?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: By extending the indication criteria for cochlear implants (CI), the
      population of CI candidates increased in age, as well as range and type of
      hearing loss. This qualitative study identified factors that contributed to seek
      CI treatment in single-sided deaf individuals and gained insights how single
      sided deafness (SSD) and hearing with a CI affect their lives. DESIGN: An open
      ended questionnaire and a standardised inventory (IOI-HA) were used. Qualitative
      data reflecting the reasons to seek CI treatment and the individual experiences
      after CI switch-on were collected. STUDY SAMPLE: A total of 19 postlingually
      deafened single-sided deaf CI users. RESULTS: Participants use their CI daily and
      stated that their life satisfaction increased since CI activation. The analysis
      of the qualitative data revealed four core categories: sound localisation,
      tinnitus and noise sensitivity, fear to lose the second ear and quality of life.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results show how strongly and diversely quality of hearing and
      quality of life is affected by acquired SSD and improved after CI activation. Our
      data suggest that the fear of hearing loss (HL) on the normal hearing (NH) ear is
      an important but so far neglected reason to seek treatment with a CI in
      individuals with postlingual SSD.

PMID- 28635510
TI  - The Effects on Obesity Related Peptides of Laparoscopic Gastric Band Applications
      in Morbidly Obese Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between weight
      loss and resistin, apelin, chemerin, and visfatin after laparoscopic adjustable
      gastric banding (LAGB). METHODS: The study group consisted of 19 patients who
      were operated on for morbid obesity (BMI: 48.7 +/- 6.6 kg/m2), and 22 healthy,
      normal-weight (BMI: 22.9 +/- 2.5 kg/m2) subjects formed the control group. We
      obtained blood samples from the study subjects at three different times: before
      undergoing surgery and at one month and 6 months after surgery. Blood was
      obtained once from the control group. RESULTS: Significant weight loss was
      achieved at one and 6 months after surgery. Plasma levels of apelin, resistin,
      chemerin, and visfatin were higher in morbidly obese patients compared with the
      control group. Obesity-related peptides decreased one month and 6 months after
      surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated plasma resistin, apelin, chemerin, and visfatin
      levels in morbidly obese patients are gradually reduced after weight loss.
      According to these findings, LAGB surgery is found to be an important and
      efficient means for morbidly obese patients both to lose weight and to develop a
      better metabolic risk profile in a short time period.

PMID- 28635509
TI  - Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Dopaminergic Neurons from Adult Common
      Marmoset Fibroblasts.
AB  - The common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus; Cj) is an advantageous nonhuman
      primate species for modeling age-related disorders, including Parkinson's
      disease, due to their shorter life span compared to macaques. Cj-derived induced
      pluripotent stem cells (Cj-iPSCs) from somatic cells are needed for in vitro
      disease modeling and testing regenerative medicine approaches. Here we report the
      development of a novel Cj-iPSC line derived from adult marmoset fibroblasts. The
      Cj-iPSCs showed potent pluripotency properties, including the development of
      mesodermal lineages in tumors after injection to immunocompromised mice, as well
      as ectoderm and endoderm lineages after in vitro differentiation regimens,
      demonstrating differentiated derivatives of all three embryonic layers. In
      addition, expression of key pluripotency genes (ZFP42, PODXL, DNMT3B, C-MYC,
      LIN28, KLF4, NANOG, SOX2, and OCT4) was observed. We then tested the neural
      differentiation capacity and gene expression profiles of Cj-iPSCs and a marmoset
      embryonic stem cell line (Cj-ESC) after dual-SMAD inhibition. Exposure to
      CHIR99021 and sonic hedgehog (SHH) for 12 and 16 days, respectively, patterned
      the cells toward a ventralized midbrain dopaminergic phenotype, confirmed by
      expression of FOXA2, OTX2, EN-1, and tyrosine hydroxylase. These results
      demonstrate that common marmoset stem cells will be able to serve as a platform
      for investigating regenerative medicine approaches targeting the dopaminergic
      system.

PMID- 28635511
TI  - The Immunohistochemical Expression MTA 1 Protein and its Prognostic Value in
      Pancreatic Cancer.
AB  - : Purpose/aim: To examine with immunohistochemical assay MTA1 protein expression
      levels in pancreatic cancer tissues defining its prognostic value. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: The specimens derived from 51 patients who underwent surgery. The levels
      of MTA1 protein were compared with the age of the patients, their survival, and
      prognosis. Also, we studied clinical and histopathological factors such as the
      degree of tumor differentiation and its stage in correlation with MTA1 protein
      levels. In parallel, there was correlation between the expression of the
      MUTauAlpha1 protein and the aforementioned factors regarding survival rate.
      Furthermore, we independently correlated the patient's survival in relation to
      whether they had undergone adjuvant chemotherapy or not. RESULTS: It has been
      found to be low, moderate, or high expression of MTA1 levels in 48 out of 51
      cancer tissues. Specifically, 49.0% of patients had low expression, 33.3%
      moderate, and 11.8% high expression of MTA1. Regarding the expression of MTA1
      protein in correlation with various clinical and histopathological factors, a
      statistically significant correlation was observed with the degree of
      differentiation (p = 0.0068) and with the stage of the disease (p = 0.0173), but
      not with survival (p = 0.0740) or the age of them (p = 0.1547). Finally, it was
      found that overexpression of the MTA1protein is a prognostic factor for shorter
      survival in patients with pancreatic cancer (average 4.67 +/- 0.95 months).
      CONCLUSIONS: MTA 1 protein may constitute an important prognostic marker in
      pancreatic cancer and could improve prognosis and treatment.

PMID- 28635512
TI  - Effect of Simvastatin on Lipid Accumulation and the Expression of CXCL16 and
      Nephrin in Podocyte Induced by Oxidized LDL.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of simvastatin on lipid accumulation and the
      expression of CXCL16 and Nephrin in murine podocytes induced by oxidized LDL
      (OxLDL) in order to explore the mechanism of protection. METHODS: Murine
      podocytes (MPC5) were incubated with OxLDL (80 MUg/ml) at different
      concentrations of simvastatin (0, 1.0, and 2.0 MUg/ml) for 48 hours. Oil red O
      staining was used for the assessment of lipid accumulation in podocytes, and
      colorimetric cholesterol detection kit was used for the quantitative measurement.
      CXCL16 and Nephrin expression were detected by using Western blot. RESULTS: OxLDL
      treated MPC5 cells exhibited significantly higher intracellular lipid
      accumulations compared with the untreated group. Colorimetric detection found
      that total cholesterol was 90.3 +/- 30.1 MUg/ml in untreated cells and 226.5 +/-
      21.6 MUg/ml in OxLDL-treated cells. The difference was statistically significant
      (p < .01). While cells were treated with both OxLDL and simvastatin, we observed
      little lipid accumulation. Total cholesterol in OxLDL + simvastatin cells were
      151.8 +/- 6.8 MUg/ml and 135.5 +/- 26.9 MUg/ml under 1.0 MUg/ml or 2.0 MUg/ml of
      simvastatin treatment, respectively. Both were statistically significantly lower
      than that of the OxLDL treated cells (p < .05). Western blot analysis showed that
      CXCL16 expression was significantly increased (p < .05) in OxLDL-treated cells
      compared with the untreated cells, and was significantly inhibited by application
      of simvastatin (p < .05). The analysis of nephrin expression showed that there
      were no changes in group simvastatin compared with that of control group (p >
      .05). Nephrin expression was significantly reduced by treatment with OxLDL (p <
      .01), and was significantly increased by application of simvastatin (p < .05).
      CONCLUSION: Simvastatin treatment could significantly decrease lipid accumulation
      in murine podocytes and this protective effect was realized through inhibition of
      the expression of CXCL16 and increase in the expression of nephrin.

PMID- 28635513
TI  - Evaluation of Platelet Indices and Red Cell Distribution Width as New Biomarkers
      for the Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Debate around the value of laboratory tests in establishing the
      diagnosis of acute appendicitis (AA) still continues. This prospective study
      aimed to investigate the changes in mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet
      distribution width (PDW), and red cell distribution width (RDW) with the
      diagnosis of acute appendicitis. METHOD: 200 patients who underwent emergency
      appendectomy were included. According to postoperative histology, patients were
      divided into three groups: acute non-complicated, acute complicated appendicitis
      (positive appendicectomy groups), and negative appendectomy group. White blood
      cell (WBC), neutrophil, lymphocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR),
      platelets (PLT) count, MPV, PDW, RDW, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were compared
      among the groups. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five (62.5%) patients had non
      complicated acute appendicitis, 20 (10%) had complicated acute appendicitis,
      while 55 (27.5%) had normal appendix. WBC (p <.001), neutrophil (p <.001), NLR (p
      <.001), PDW (p =.003), and CRP (p =.001) were higher, while lymphocyte (p <.001)
      and PLT counts (p =.020) were lower in positive appendectomy compared with
      negative appendectomy patients. MPV levels were insignificantly different across
      the groups. RDW level was significantly higher in complicated compared with non
      complicated acute appendicitis (p =.006); however, no significant difference was
      found between positive and negative appendectomy groups. Using receiver operating
      characteristic analysis, sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy
      respectively were 44.83, 100.0, and 72.415% for WBC count, 72.41, 81.82, and
      77.115% for neutrophil count, 48.28, 90.91, and 69.595% for PDW, 89.66, 63.64,
      and 76.65% for CRP. CONCLUSIONS: Increased PDW combined with elevated WBC and
      neutrophil counts maybe used as diagnostic tests in the cases of acute
      appendicitis, while MPV and RDW levels were not useful diagnostic markers.

PMID- 28635514
TI  - Effects of Thyroid Hormone Therapy on Cut-Surface Healing of the Remnant Stomach
      with Short-Term Weight Loss Alterations after Sleeve Gastrectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The hypothalamic-pituitary-tyhroid axis is directly affected by
      drastic changes in energy stores. The aim of the present study was to determine
      the effects of triiodothyronine (T3) treatment on cut-surface healing of remnant
      stomach with weight loss alterations after sleeve gastrectomy (SG). METHODS:
      Thirty male Wistar Albino rats were divided into three groups: sham (n = 6),
      control (n = 12), and experimental (n = 12). Control and experimental group rats
      underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Experimental group rats received a single dose of
      T3 (400 mg/100 g) on the first postoperative day whereas control group rats
      received 0.9% NaCl. All rats were sacrificed on the seventh postoperative day.
      RESULTS: In the group of rats receiving T3, levels of FT3 were significantly
      higher and that of FT4 were significantly lower compared with both the control
      and sham group rats (p <.05). No significant difference was found between control
      and T3 group rats in terms of weight loss (p >.05). Microscopic examination of
      the cut surface of remnant stomach in the control group rats revealed
      significantly more severe tissue necrosis, edema, and disruption of mucosal
      epithelium than in the T3 group rats (p <.05). On the other hand, bridging of the
      submucosal and muscular layers, tissue granulation, fibroblast accumulation,
      neoangiogenesis, and collagen deposition in the T3 group rats were significantly
      higher than in the control group rats (p <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Sleeve gastrectomy
      did not significantly alter thyroid hormone levels in short term. T3 hormone
      therapy seems to deliver constructive therapeutic effects for wound healing while
      causing no adverse effect on weight reduction.

PMID- 28635515
TI  - An Effective Treatment for Heart Failure Caused by Valvular Heart Diseases:
      Thoracic Sympathetic Block.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The pilot study is designed to investigate the effect of continuous
      thoracic sympathetic block (TSB) on cardiac function, reconstruction, and
      hemodynamic parameters in patients with heart failure resulting from valvular
      heart disease. METHOD: The cardiac function parameters, including left ventricle
      ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricle end-diastole diameter (LVEDD),
      fractional shortening (FS), and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic
      peptide (NT-proBNP), were measured in 19 patients before and after TSB treatment.
      The patients were also classified on the basis of NYHA classification system.
      RESULTS: 4 weeks of TSB administration improved cardiac function in 18 of 19
      patients (94.74%). The patients' LVEF, LVEDD, and NT-proBNP were all improved
      significantly after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The favorable clinical outcome of TSB
      administration suggests an alternative treatment for the patients with heart
      failure caused by valvular dysfunctions.

PMID- 28635516
TI  - Concentration of UHCL1 in the Serum of Children with Acute Appendicitis, Before
      and After Surgery, and Its Correlation with CRP and Prealbumin.
AB  - : Ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation plays a crucial role in various cellular
      processes, including signal transduction, cell differentiation, and stress
      response. Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase 1 (UCHL1) is a unique deubiquitinating
      enzyme that has both hydrolase and ligase activities. The aim of this study was
      the determination of UCHL1 concentration in serum of children with appendicitis,
      before and after the surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 42 children with acute
      appendicitis, who were managed at the Pediatric Surgery Department, between 2013
      and 2014, were randomly included into the study (age 9 months up to 14 years,
      mean age 2.5 + 1 years). There were 15 girls and 27 boys. 18 healthy, age-matched
      subjects, admitted for planned surgeries served as controls. Exclusion criteria
      were: severe preexisting infections, immunological or cardiovascular diseases
      that required long-term medication, and complicated cases of appendicitis with
      perforation of appendix and/or peritonitis. RESULTS: The UCHL1 concentrations in
      the blood plasma of patients with acute appendicitis, were highest before the
      surgery, and were above the range of concentrations measured in controls, the
      difference was statistically significant. The UCHL1 concentration measured 24 and
      72 h after the operation, slowly decreased over time, and still did not reach the
      normal range, when compared with the concentration measured in controls (p <
      0.05). CONCLUSIONS: UCHL1 concentration may reflect the metabolic response to
      acute state inflammation, and the process of gradual ebbing of the inflammation.
      The method of operation-classic open appendectomy, or laparoscopic appendectomy,
      does not influence the general trend in UCHL1 concentration in children with
      appendicitis. There is strong negative correlation between prealbumin and UCHL1
      concentrations.

PMID- 28635517
TI  - A Primer for Oncoimmunology (Immunooncology).
AB  - Oncoimmunology (or immunooncology) is a burgeoning specialty of precision
      ("personalized") medicine designed to heighten the antitumor response of the
      immune system against molecules expressed excessively or only by tumor cells.
      This focus is necessary, as cancers are polyclonal tissues comprised of
      antigenically heterogeneous cells, the exact composition of which is shaped by
      the balance between antitumor immunity and tumor-promoting inflammation. Key
      targets include enhancing immune system (especially T cell) reactivity,
      inhibiting immune checkpoints, and promoting tumor cytolysis. Therapeutic
      modalities to address these targets include administering antibodies, cytokines,
      or small molecules that directly stimulate the immune system, attack tumor
      associated antigens, or interfere with tumor-stroma interactions; adoptive
      transfer of autologous T cells following ex vivo selection/expansion/activation
      (typically after lymphoid-depleting regimens and in conjunction with
      immunostimulatory therapy); and vaccination (against tumor antigens). Pathology
      involvement in oncoimmunology product development is critical to assess
      expression of target molecules in tumor cells, stromal cells, and tumor
      infiltrating leukocytes.

PMID- 28635518
TI  - Complete resolution of mycosis fungoides tumors with imiquimod 5% cream: a case
      series.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the clinical efficacy of topical 5% imiquimod for
      mycosis fungoides (MF) tumors. BACKGROUND: Treatment of tumor-stage MF represents
      a therapeutic challenge because of a limited number of effective topical
      therapies. Single tumors can be treated with localized radiation but may recur.
      Systemic therapies are also an option but are associated with serious adverse
      effects. Imiquimod is a topical agent whose efficacy has been documented in
      treating MF patches and plaques as well as one case of tumor-stage disease.
      METHODS: We present two stage IIB MF patients, including one with large cell
      transformation, whose tumors were treated with imiquimod 5% cream after failing
      prior therapies. RESULTS: The MF tumors in both patients demonstrated a complete
      response to imiquimod 5% cream without recurrence over 8 years and 2 years of
      follow-up, respectively. One patient experienced application site irritation and
      flu-like symptoms as adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Our case series is only the
      second report in the literature demonstrating complete resolution of MF tumors
      with topical imiquimod. An additional therapeutic option for tumor-stage MF,
      imiquimod may represent an effective alternative to localized radiation for
      isolated MF tumors and warrants further investigation in the treatment of various
      stages of MF.

PMID- 28635519
TI  - The Elicitor Protein AsES Induces a Systemic Acquired Resistance Response
      Accompanied by Systemic Microbursts and Micro-Hypersensitive Responses in
      Fragaria ananassa.
AB  - The elicitor AsES (Acremonium strictum elicitor subtilisin) is a 34-kDa
      subtilisin-like protein secreted by the opportunistic fungus Acremonium strictum.
      AsES activates innate immunity and confers resistance against anthracnose and
      gray mold diseases in strawberry plants (Fragaria * ananassa Duch.) and the last
      disease also in Arabidopsis. In the present work, we show that, upon AsES
      recognition, a cascade of defense responses is activated, including: calcium
      influx, biphasic oxidative burst (O2?- and H2O2), hypersensitive cell-death
      response (HR), accumulation of autofluorescent compounds, cell-wall reinforcement
      with callose and lignin deposition, salicylic acid accumulation, and expression
      of defense-related genes, such as FaPR1, FaPG1, FaMYB30, FaRBOH-D, FaRBOH-F,
      FaCHI23, and FaFLS. All these responses occurred following a spatial and temporal
      program, first induced in infiltrated leaflets (local acquired resistance),
      spreading out to untreated lateral leaflets, and later, to distal leaves
      (systemic acquired resistance). After AsES treatment, macro-HR and macro
      oxidative bursts were localized in infiltrated leaflets, while micro-HRs and
      microbursts occurred later in untreated leaves, being confined to a single cell
      or a cluster of a few epidermal cells that differentiated from the surrounding
      ones. The differentiated cells initiated a time-dependent series of physiological
      and anatomical changes, evolving to idioblasts accumulating H2O2 and
      autofluorescent compounds that blast, delivering its content into surrounding
      cells. This kind of systemic cell-death process in plants is described for the
      first time in response to a single elicitor. All data presented in this study
      suggest that AsES has the potential to activate a wide spectrum of biochemical
      and molecular defense responses in F. ananassa that may explain the induced
      protection toward pathogens of opposite lifestyle, like hemibiotrophic and
      necrotrophic fungi.

PMID- 28635520
TI  - Information for Clinicians: Approach to the patient with progressive radioactive
      iodine refractory thyroid cancer- When to use systemic therapy.
AB  - N/A.

PMID- 28635521
TI  - Assessment of an Innovative Voluntary Substance Abuse Treatment Program Designed
      to Replace Compulsory Drug Detention Centers in Malaysia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As part of an ongoing initiative by the Malaysian government to
      implement alternative approaches to involuntary detention of people who use
      drugs, the National Anti-Drug Agency has created new voluntary drug treatment
      programs known as Cure and Care (C&C) Centers that provide free access to
      addiction treatment services, including methadone maintenance therapy, integrated
      with social and health services. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated early treatment
      outcomes and client satisfaction among patients accessing C&C treatment and
      ancillary services at Malaysia's second C&C Center located in Kota Bharu,
      Kelantan. METHODS: In June-July 2012, a cross-sectional convenience survey of 96
      C&C inpatients and outpatients who entered treatment >30 days previously was
      conducted to assess drug use, criminal justice experience, medical co
      morbidities, motivation for seeking treatment, and attitudes towards the C&C.
      Drug use was compared for the 30-day-period before C&C entry and the 30-day
      period before the interview. RESULTS: Self-reported drug use levels decreased
      significantly among both inpatient and outpatient clients after enrolling in C&C
      treatment. Higher levels of past drug use, lower levels of social support, and
      more severe mental health issues were reported by participants who were
      previously imprisoned. Self-reported satisfaction with C&C treatment services was
      high. Conclusions/Importance: Preliminary evidence of reduced drug use and high
      levels of client satisfaction among C&C clients provide support for Malaysia's
      ongoing transition from compulsory drug detention centers (CDDCs) to these
      voluntary drug treatment centers. If C&C centers are successful, Malaysia plans
      to gradually transition away from CDDCs entirely.

PMID- 28635522
TI  - Dietary Intake Among Opioid- and Alcohol-Using Pregnant Women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Substance abuse in nonpregnant adults has been associated with
      increased intake in calories and decreased intake of nutrient-dense foods;
      however, studies examining dietary intake in opioid-using and alcohol-using
      pregnant women are lacking. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to
      evaluate dietary intake in opioid-using pregnant women with or without concurrent
      light-to-moderate alcohol use as compared to abstaining controls. METHODS: This
      prospective birth cohort included 102 pregnant women classified into four study
      groups: controls (n = 27), medication-assisted treatment (MAT; n = 26), alcohol
      (ALC; n = 22), and concurrent use of both substances (MAT + ALC; n = 27).
      Percentage differences in macro- and micronutrient intake were estimated from the
      food frequency questionnaire and compared among the study groups. Proportions of
      participants with intakes below the estimated average requirements (EAR) based on
      diet and diet with supplements were estimated. RESULTS: Three exposed groups had
      lower prevalence of multivitamin use in periconceptional period (11.5-31.8%) than
      controls (44.4%). Unadjusted mean energy intake was significantly higher in the
      MAT + ALC group compared to controls, while micronutrient intake per 1000 kcal
      was the highest in the control group for almost all of the micronutrients
      analyzed. After adjustment for energy intake and sociodemographic
      characteristics, MAT group had lower estimated dietary intake of iron (-15.0%, p
      = 0.04) and folate (-16.8%, p = 0.04) compared to controls. A high proportion of
      participants in all study groups had dietary intake below the EAR for vitamin E,
      iron, and folate. CONCLUSION: Results highlight the need for targeted dietary
      interventions for opioid-using pregnant women.

PMID- 28635523
TI  - Long-Term Paired Associative Stimulation Enhances Motor Output of the Tetraplegic
      Hand.
AB  - A large proportion of spinal cord injuries (SCI) are incomplete. Even in
      clinically complete injuries, silent non-functional connections can be present.
      Therapeutic approaches that can strengthen transmission in weak neural
      connections to improve motor performance are needed. Our aim was to determine
      whether long-term delivery of paired associative stimulation (PAS, a combination
      of transcranial magnetic stimulation [TMS] with peripheral nerve stimulation
      [PNS]) can enhance motor output in the hands of patients with chronic traumatic
      tetraplegia, and to compare this technique with long-term PNS. Five patients (4
      males; age 38-68, mean 48) with no contraindications to TMS received 4 weeks (16
      sessions) of stimulation. PAS was given to one hand and PNS combined with sham
      TMS to the other hand. Patients were blinded to the treatment. Hands were
      selected randomly. The patients were evaluated by a physiotherapist blinded to
      the treatment. The follow-up period was 1 month. Patients were evaluated with
      Daniels and Worthingham's Muscle Testing (0-5 scale) before the first stimulation
      session, after the last stimulation session, and 1 month after the last
      stimulation session. One month after the last stimulation session, the
      improvement in the PAS-treated hand was 1.02 +/- 0.17 points (p < 0.0001, n = 100
      muscles from 5 patients). The improvement was significantly higher in PAS-treated
      than in PNS-treated hands (176 +/- 29%, p = 0.046, n = 5 patients). Long-term PAS
      might be an effective tool for improving motor performance in incomplete chronic
      SCI patients. Further studies on PAS in larger patient cohorts, with longer
      stimulation duration and at earlier stages after the injury, are warranted.

PMID- 28635524
TI  - Serology and protein electrophoresis for evidence of exposure to 12 mink
      pathogens in free-ranging American mink (Neovison vison) in Argentina.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Basic pathologic characteristics for farmed minks were previously
      reported worldwide. However, its status in the wild has not been studied in
      detail. OBJECTIVE: Serology and electrophoresis were carried out for evidence of
      exposure to 12 mink pathogens on two different locations. ANIMALS AND METHODS:
      Serology was done in 87 wild minks by reference techniques against Toxoplasma
      gondii, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Neospora caninum, Brucella abortus,
      Mycobacterium bovis, Leptospira interrogans, canine distemper virus (CDV), canine
      adenovirus (CAV), canine parvovirus (CPV), rabies virus (RV), Influenza A virus
      (FLUAV) and Aleutian disease virus (ADV). Hypergammaglobulinemia, the ADV main
      clinical feature, was determined by conventional electrophoresis. RESULTS:
      Seventy-one percent of the 87 sera had antibodies against one or more pathogens.
      ADV accounted for the highest seroprevalence (29%), followed by T. gondii (26%),
      L. interrogans (14%), M. bovis (12%), B. abortus (9%), N. caninum (3%), CPV (3%)
      and CDV (2%). Seroprevalence was influenced by location but not sex or age.
      Additionally, 16% of the seropositive samples for ADV had gammaglobulin levels
      >40.0 g/L. Antibody titers for CDV and CPV were low and difficult to interpret as
      almost all these cases had borderline concentrations. CONCLUSION: A cautious
      interpretation of the results is urged as the epidemiological role of the wild
      mink is largely unexplored for most of these agents. Nevertheless, the
      information may be clinically relevant..

PMID- 28635525
TI  - The role of prenatal, obstetric, and post-partum factors in the parenting stress
      of mothers and fathers of 9-month old infants.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this paper was to examine the role of perinatal,
      obstetric and post partum factors on maternal and paternal stress. It will
      present the first examination of the role of prenatal, obstetric, post-partum,
      and demographic variables in parenting stress for mothers and fathers at 9
      months. METHODS: Data from 6821 parental dyads of 9-month-old infants were
      extracted from the Growing Up in Ireland National Longitudinal Study of Children.
      Participants completed the Parental Stress Scale, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale,
      the Quality of Attachment Sub-scale from the Maternal and Paternal Postnatal
      Attachment Scales, and a single item health status question from the Short Form
      12 Health Survey. Information on prenatal care, pregnancy complications,
      obstetric outcomes, infant health, and participant demographics were also
      collected. Separate hierarchical linear regressions were conducted for mothers
      and fathers Results: Mothers reported higher levels of parenting stress than
      fathers (p < 0.001). Maternal parenting stress was predicted by attachment, own
      health status, average sleep, occupation, household income, and having a very
      rapid labor. Paternal parenting stress was predicted by attachment and own health
      status. DISCUSSION: A range of perinatal factors was associated with an increased
      risk of higher parenting stress at 9 months post-partum and the roles of these
      factors differ between mothers and fathers. These findings are important for
      predicting and reducing risk of parenting stress in both genders.

PMID- 28635526
TI  - A randomized lifestyle intervention preventing gestational diabetes: effects on
      self-rated health from pregnancy to postpartum.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose was to examine the effects of a randomized lifestyle
      intervention on self-rated health from pregnancy to postpartum in participants at
      high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We included 266 women with
      a history of gestational diabetes and/or prepregnancy BMI >=30 kg/m2. The
      intervention group (n = 144) received individualized counseling on diet, physical
      activity, and weight management from trained nurses at six timepoints between the
      first trimester of pregnancy and 12 months postpartum, and met three times with a
      dietitian. The control group (n = 122) received standard antenatal care. We
      assessed self-rated health at the six timepoints by means of a single question
      with five response options ranging from good (1) to poor (5). Baseline-adjusted
      mean changes in self-rated health level were assessed with a mixed model for
      repeated measure methods. RESULTS: The mean (SD) for self-rated health at
      baseline was 1.8 (0.8) in the intervention group and 2.1 (0.9) in the control
      group (p = 0.006). Self-rated health varied over time (time effect p < 0.001) and
      was the poorest in the third trimester. The sample indicated that self-rated
      health improved in the intervention group and deteriorated in the control group
      from the first trimester to 12 months postpartum, but the difference between the
      groups did not reach statistical significance (group effect p = 0.064).
      DISCUSSION: The self-rated health level varied over time from the first trimester
      of pregnancy to 12 months postpartum in women at risk for gestational diabetes.
      Improving self-rated health among high-risk pregnant women through lifestyle
      intervention calls for further research.

PMID- 28635527
TI  - Whose fault is it? Blame predicting psychological adjustment and couple
      satisfaction in couples seeking fertility treatment.
AB  - Infertility bears psychological and relational consequences for couples who face
      this problem. Few studies have examined the role of self- and partner blaming to
      explain psychological and relationship adjustment in couple presenting with a
      fertility problem. This study used a dyadic approach to explore the links between
      blaming oneself and one's partner and both partners' symptoms of depression and
      anxiety, and couple satisfaction in 279 couples enrolled in fertility treatments.
      Partners were questioned about the extent to which they blamed themselves and
      their partner for the fertility problem. They also completed the Dyadic
      Adjustment Scale and the Index of Psychological Symptoms. Path analyses based on
      the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model showed that self-blame predicted anxiety
      and depression symptoms in both men and women. Men's self-blame also predicted
      their own lower relationship satisfaction, whereas women's self-blame predicted
      more depression and anxiety in their partner. Partner blame in women predicted
      their own and their partner lower relationship satisfaction. Women's tendency to
      blame their partner also predicted their own depression symptoms. Clinical
      implications of these findings are discussed.

PMID- 28635528
TI  - Clinical, social and ethical issues associated with non-invasive prenatal testing
      for aneuploidy.
AB  - Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), based on analysis of cell-free foetal DNA,
      is rapidly becoming a preferred method to screen for chromosomal aneuploidy with
      the technology now available in over 90 countries. This review provides an up-to
      date discussion of the key clinical, social and ethical implications associated
      with this revolutionary technology. Stakeholders are positive about a test that
      is highly accurate, safe, can be perfomed early in pregnancy, identifies affected
      pregnancies that might otherwise have been missed and reduces the need for
      invasive testing. Nevertheless, professional societies currently recommend it as
      an advanced screening test due to the low false positive rate (FPR). Despite the
      practical and psychological benefits, a number of concerns have been raised which
      warrant attention. These include the potential for routinisation of testing and
      subsequent impact on informed decision-making, an "easy" blood test inadvertently
      contributing to women feeling pressured to take the test, fears NIPT will lead to
      less tolerance and support for those living with Down syndrome and the heightened
      expectation of having "perfect babies". These issues can be addressed to some
      extent through clinician education, patient information and establishing national
      and international consensus in the development of comprehensive and regularly
      updated guidelines. As the number of conditions we are able to test for non
      invasively expands it will be increasingly important to ensure pre-test
      counselling can be delivered effectively supported by knowledgeable healthcare
      professionals.

PMID- 28635529
TI  - Major obstetric hemorrhage: a follow-up survey on quality of life of women and
      their partners.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A description is given of the quality of life (QOL) of women who
      were treated with peripartum embolization or hysterectomy for major obstetric
      hemorrhage (MOH). METHODS: Questionnaires assessing QOL, combined with
      questionnaires and drawings assessing illness perceptions, were used to compare
      women with MOH to reference groups provided by the questionnaires. RESULTS: Women
      who experienced MOH have similar scores on QOL questionnaires compared to
      reference groups. Women treated with arterial embolization scored better than
      women treated with hysterectomy. Partners of women with MOH scored better on QOL
      questionnaires than reference groups. Drawings reflect the major emotional impact
      of MOH. DISCUSSION: MOH does not seem to have a negative effect on QOL 6-8 years
      after the event, although drawings and verbalizations indicate major emotional
      impact. More extensive follow-up is advised for early recognition of the need for
      psychological help. Women after embolization seem to have better QOL compared to
      women after hysterectomy.

PMID- 28635530
TI  - The effect of voluntary termination of pregnancy on female sexual and emotional
      well-being in different age groups.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the impact of voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTOP)
      on the psycho-sexological well-being of females before/six months after the
      abortion. METHODS: A sample of 194 women was recruited from three obstetrics and
      gynaecological divisions. The women were evaluated for the variables "sexual
      functioning" with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), "depression" with the
      Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and "anxiety state" with the Self-Rating
      Anxiety Scale (SAS) at time 0 (the beginning of the abortion procedure) and time
      1 (six months after the abortion). Since 24 women refused to fill out the
      questionnaires, the final sample was composed of 170 women. RESULTS: The women
      showed a slight although significant improvement in the mean FSFI score from time
      0 (16.7 +/- 12.9) to time 1 (20.9 +/- 13.8) (p < 0.001) which paralleled with a
      slight decrease in the incidence of clinically significant sexual dysfunction
      [49% (84/170) (time 0) versus 34.1% (58/170) (time 1)], (McNemar's test; p =
      0.0241). The sub-group of younger women (18-25) showed a lesser increase in FSFI
      score from time 0 to time 1. In addition, both depression (p = 0.048) and anxiety
      (p < 0.001) significantly decreased over time. However, the female sexuality
      remained impaired since more than two thirds (69.5%) of women were sexually
      dysfunctional six months after VTOP. DISCUSSION: Voluntary TOP may influence the
      sexuality of younger females differently from how it influences that of older
      women. Hence, the sexuality of younger female should be regularly supervised in
      follow-up examinations.

PMID- 28635531
TI  - Drug exposure in early pregnancy might be related to the effects of increased
      maternal progesterone in implantation period.
AB  - AIM: This short communication aims to evaluate the relation in between drug
      exposure time and early pregnancy regarding gestational weeks. METHODS: The study
      covers the referrals made to the Department of Pharmacology for a teratogenic
      consultation in a 3-year period. From the recordings of pregnant women, the last
      menstrual period and the starting date of medication were used to determine the
      time of prescription with regard to gestational weeks. RESULTS: In all of the
      three years, potentially teratogenic medication was prescribed more frequently in
      the 3rd, 4th and 5th gestational weeks (in between 15-35 days of pregnancy).
      Approximately 75% of the pregnant women in the study were prescribed with drugs,
      most frequently with analgesics, antibiotics, gastrointestinal drugs and
      antidepressants, in these gestational weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The timing of
      prescriptions in early pregnancy frequently coincides with the increased levels
      of maternal progesterone in implantation period. Progesterone may lead to
      negative mood symptoms of an increased pain perception, anxiety, irritability and
      aggression in some of the pregnant women and therefore causes an increased stress
      condition which in turn may result in pain, infection and inflammation in the
      individual. Taking the frequently used medications into consideration, the reason
      for prescriptions in this period might be related to the symptoms originating
      from the effects of progesterone. Future studies are needed to better demonstrate
      this association of drug exposure and effects of maternal progesterone in early
      pregnancy.

PMID- 28635532
TI  - Assessing physical symptoms during the postpartum period: reliability and
      validity of the primary health questionnaire somatic symptom subscale (PHQ-15).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This study aimed at establishing the reliability and validity of
      the primary health questionnaire (PHQ-15) somatic symptom severity subscale for
      postpartum women. METHODS: Women (N = 495) completed the PHQ-15 approximately 6
      weeks postpartum during the baseline phase of a randomized controlled trial
      evaluating a writing intervention for postnatal health in England. Reliability
      was assessed using internal consistency statistics and convergent validity by
      comparing differences in self-reported physical health, health-related quality of
      life (QoL) and primary care usage by PHQ-15 symptom severity category. RESULTS:
      Cronbach's alpha for the PHQ-15 was 0.73 and item-total statistics met
      recommended guidelines. Validity analyzes showed 6% of women reported severe
      symptoms, 17% medium, 50% low and 27% minimal symptoms. Women with severe
      symptoms reported poorer overall physical health, poorer physical health-related
      QoL and greater use of primary care. Women with severe symptoms also rated their
      baby's health as worse and used primary care more for their baby. DISCUSSION:
      This study suggests the PHQ-15 has the potential to be a useful and valid measure
      of physical symptoms in postpartum women in high-income countries.

PMID- 28635533
TI  - The burden of endometriosis symptoms on health-related quality of life in women
      in the United States: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To examine the symptomatic burden of endometriosis on health
      related quality of life (HRQL) in women in the United States (US). METHODS: A
      cross sectional web-based survey study was conducted among women using survey
      panels. The survey included study-specific questions and standardized HRQL
      questionnaires. Participants reviewed a list of endometriosis symptoms and
      selected all symptoms they had ever or were currently experiencing. For current
      symptoms, participants rated the severity and bothersomeness of each symptom.
      Participants completed the endometriosis health profile (EHP-30) core
      questionnaire. Descriptive analyzes were performed and multivariate regressions
      were run with each EHP subscale as a dependent variable to examine the impact of
      symptoms while controlling for age and comorbid conditions. RESULTS: Mean age of
      the 1269 women was 34.3 +/- 0.3; 78% were white. At least 75% reported having
      ever experienced: pelvic pain/cramping during their menstrual period,
      anxiety/stress, lower back pain or fatigue/weariness/anemia. EHP-30 scores ranged
      from 33.6 (95% CI: 31.4, 35.8) (social support) to 37.8 (95% CI: 35.5, 40.1)
      (control and powerlessness), indicating moderate HRQL impact. For all but one
      domain and one symptom, EHP-30 scores were significantly higher (worse) for women
      who had individual endometriosis-related symptoms than for those who did not. EHP
      30 scores consistently deteriorated with each increase in the number of symptoms
      experienced and by increasing perceived disease severity. Pelvic pain/cramping
      during menstrual period, irregular periods and general abdominal pain were
      significantly associated with the EHP-30 domain scores in the regression models.
      CONCLUSION: Experiencing endometriosis symptoms is associated with lower HRQL.
      Importantly, as symptom severity and number of symptoms increase, HRQL further
      deteriorates.

PMID- 28635534
TI  - Exploring premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in the work context: a
      qualitative study.
AB  - This study aims to explore women's experience of premenstrual dysphoric disorder
      (PMDD) in the workplace, and identify if organizations can do anything to help.
      Analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews, using an inductive thematic analysis
      approach, revealed the most common symptoms women experience at work include
      difficulty in concentrating, self-doubt, paranoia, fatigue, tearfulness, a
      heightened sensitivity to the environment and people, outbursts, and finding
      social interaction particularly difficult during this premenstrual "episode"
      phase. It is these symptoms that contribute to observed presenteeism and
      absenteeism in the work context. After symptoms disappear (with onset of
      menstruation), women reported feelings of guilt and engage in over-compensatory
      behaviors such as working longer hours and taking work home during the remainder
      of the menstrual cycle (i.e. post-episode phase). Women alternate between these
      phases every month, which over time, accumulate and have additional consequences.
      Women are leaving the workforce through voluntary and/or involuntary turnover,
      sometimes giving up on careers entirely. The interviews also highlighted that
      organizations need greater awareness and support mechanisms in place for helping
      female employees with this condition. These findings could be of interest and
      have relevance to researchers, employers, policymakers, and health professionals.

PMID- 28635535
TI  - Effect of the previous reproductive outcomes in subfertile women after in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) and/or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments on
      perinatal anxious and depressive symptomatology.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The present study aims to investigate the effects of previous
      reproductive outcomes on the levels of depression, anxiety and perceived social
      support in subfertile women who conceived after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and
      intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment. METHODS: A prospective cohort
      study was developed. Data were collected on subfertile patients who conceived
      after IVF/ICSI treatment. All demographic and clinical data were recorded. The
      Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y and the
      Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support at 22 and 32 weeks of
      gestation and 15 days after delivery were completed. Data were analyzed comparing
      patients who conceived at their first IVF/ICSI cycle, after one unsuccessful ARTs
      cycle, and after multiple unsuccessful IVF/ICSI cycles. RESULTS: A significant
      increase in state anxiety and depression scores from 22 gestational weeks of
      gestation to 15 days after delivery was observed in patients who received
      multiple unsuccessful IVF/ICSI cycles compared with other groups. No significant
      difference in perceived social support was detected among groups. The differences
      in depression and anxiety scores remained consistent after controlling for
      perceived social support. DISCUSSION: A history of unsuccessful IVF/ICSI
      treatments seems to leave women more vulnerable in facing the duties of the new
      parental role. Such possibility underlies the importance of the availability of a
      psychological support for these women, even after a successful medical treatment
      for infertility.

PMID- 28635536
TI  - Women's experiences with vaginal examinations during labor in the Netherlands.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Vaginal digital examination (VE) is a routine medical procedure
      during labor to assess the start and progression of labor. This study explores
      women's experiences with VE's during labor in the Netherlands. METHODS: An
      exploratory anonymous online survey was distributed among Dutch women who
      underwent a trial of labor and gave birth to a living term child in the previous
      six months. Unadjusted odds ratios are calculated to establish associations
      between women's characteristics and reporting a negative experience with VE's.
      RESULTS: Of the 159 women who met the inclusion criteria, 56 women (35.2%)
      reported a negative experience with the VE. These women reported more pain,
      embarrassment, not being able to relax, not feeling respected and not feeling the
      possibility to stop the examination. The odds of reporting negative experiences
      increased by giving birth in hospital, an instrumental delivery, more
      examinations, more different caretakers performing the examination and caregivers
      not introducing themselves before the examination. About 41.7% of the women
      reported being examined more often than advised in national and international
      guidelines (every two to four hours). DISCUSSION: Although our study is limited,
      it shows that experiences with the VE during labor can be negative and should be
      considered carefully. We promote research of and teaching the use of additional
      noninvasive methods to assess progression of labor in daily clinical practice. We
      conclude that the number of VE's during labor should be restricted as much as
      possible. VE's should only be performed in the interest of the woman in labor,
      after her informed consent and preferably performed by as few different
      caregivers as possible.

PMID- 28635537
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis tests and women's risk perception: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate women's decision to undergo non-invasive and/or
      invasive tests for prenatal diagnosis depending on the procedure-related risk and
      the risk of carrying a foetus with Down syndrome (DS). Both risks are rated in
      terms of numerical relevance and acceptability. METHOD: A sample of 448
      consecutive women with low-risk pregnancies were interviewed to collect social
      and clinical variables and to determine their perceptions of the risks of
      invasive procedure-related miscarriage and carrying a foetus with DS. The risks
      were scored numerically in terms of their relevance and acceptability using a 10
      point rating scale. RESULTS: The factors related to the use of non-invasive tests
      were age >=35 years, not being treated at a public service, rating the risk of
      carrying a foetus with DS as having high numerical relevance and low
      acceptability, and rating the risk of miscarriage as having high acceptability.
      These relationships were still present when the use of invasive tests was
      considered, except in terms of the numerical relevance of the risk of carrying a
      foetus with DS. CONCLUSION: Perceived acceptability affects the interpretation of
      a given risk more than the numerical relevance of the risk.

PMID- 28635538
TI  - Clomipramine trial for treatment-resistant persistent genital arousal disorder: a
      case series.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Treatment of persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD), as a
      chronic and disabling condition, implicates substantial compelling complexities.
      METHODS: In this case series, seven women diagnosed with PGAD who were referred
      to the Sexual Dysfunction Unit of Psychotherapy Outpatient Clinic of Bakirkoy
      Research and Training Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery,
      Istanbul, Turkey between 2006 and 2009 were included. All patients were
      previously resistant to other antidepressants, antipsychotics and antiepileptics.
      The additional details of PGAD onset, frequency, type and duration of arousal,
      previous pharmacological interventions, and maximum and maintenance doses of
      clomipramine were recorded. RESULTS: All patients achieved a substantial
      symptomatic improvement with clomipramine within the follow-up period of 2-9
      years. DISCUSSION: Based on our study results, we recommend clomipramine in
      combination with psychotherapy as the treatment of choice in PGAD and to be used
      before any invasive procedure such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or surgery.

PMID- 28635539
TI  - An Old Challenge with New Promises: A Systematic Review on Comprehensive
      Geriatric Assessment in Long-Term Care Facilities.
AB  - Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidimensional and
      multidisciplinary diagnostic process focused on determining the clinical profile,
      pathological risk, residual skills, short- and long-term prognosis, and
      personalized therapeutic and care plan of the functionally compromised and frail
      older subjects. Previous evidence suggested that the effectiveness of CGA
      programs may be influenced by settings where the CGA is performed [i.e.,
      hospital, posthospital discharge/long-term care facilities (LTCFs), or
      community/home] as well as the specific clinical conditions of older frail
      individuals. In this scenario, CGA and quality of care in LTCFs have been a
      challenge for decades. In the present article, we systematically reviewed
      evidence from the last three decades of clinical research devoted to systematic
      implementation of CGA programs in LTCFs, that is, nursing homes, care homes,
      residential homes, and rehabilitation facilities. In the United States, all LTC
      residents must undergo a CGA on a regular basis on admission to a facility,
      prompting the development of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Minimum
      Data Set, a specific CGA-based assessment tool in this population. In the LTCF
      setting, the present reviewed evidence suggested that most complex older subjects
      may benefit from a CGA in terms of improved quality of care and reduced
      hospitalization events and that CGA must be standardized across healthcare
      settings to promote greater health system integration and coordination. In the
      LTCF setting, particularly in nursing homes, other new and promising CGA programs
      have also been proposed to develop rapid screening CGA-based tools to enhance in
      the future the ability of primary care physicians to recognize and treat
      geriatric syndromes in this setting. However, at present, the interRAI suite of
      instruments represented an integrated health information system that has the
      potential to provide person-centered information transcending healthcare
      settings.

PMID- 28635540
TI  - Reduced serum VGF levels were reversed by antidepressant treatment in depressed
      patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: VGF, a non-acronymic neuropeptide, is important in the pathogenesis
      of major depressive disorder (MDD) and in the functioning and efficacy of some
      antidepressant drugs. In this study we assessed whether serum VGF levels change
      in MDD patients and if antidepressant treatments can restore these changes.
      METHODS: We measured serum VGF concentrations using sandwich ELISA in drug-free
      MDD patients before treatment began (n = 26) and at 8 weeks after antidepressant
      treatment (n = 26) with escitalopram and duloxetine, two common antidepressants.
      The severity of depression was assessed with the 17-item Hamilton Depression
      Rating Scale (HDRS). RESULTS: VGF serum levels were significantly lower in MDD
      patients compared to controls (P = .002), even after controlling for the effects
      of age and education (P = .037), and they were reversed by 8 weeks of drug
      treatment (P < .0001). Both escitalopram and duloxetine restored the decreased
      serum VGF levels (P < .05). We observed no correlation between VGF levels and
      HDRS scores in pre-treatment MDD patients (P = .879). CONCLUSIONS: The results
      suggest that VGF may be implicated in the pathophysiology of MDD and in the
      mechanisms underlying the action of antidepressants, and serum VGF may be
      regarded as a trait parameter for MDD.

PMID- 28635541
TI  - Association between abnormal brain functional connectivity in children and
      psychopathology: A study based on graph theory and machine learning.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: One of the major challenges facing psychiatry is how to incorporate
      biological measures in the classification of mental health disorders. Many of
      these disorders affect brain development and its connectivity. In this study, we
      propose a novel method for assessing brain networks based on the combination of a
      graph theory measure (eigenvector centrality) and a one-class support vector
      machine (OC-SVM). METHODS: We applied this approach to resting-state fMRI data
      from 622 children and adolescents. Eigenvector centrality (EVC) of nodes from
      positive- and negative-task networks were extracted from each subject and used as
      input to an OC-SVM to label individual brain networks as typical or atypical. We
      hypothesised that classification of these subjects regarding the pattern of brain
      connectivity would predict the level of psychopathology. RESULTS: Subjects with
      atypical brain network organisation had higher levels of psychopathology (p <
      0.001). There was a greater EVC in the typical group at the bilateral posterior
      cingulate and bilateral posterior temporal cortices; and significant decreases in
      EVC at left temporal pole. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of graph theory methods
      and an OC-SVM is a promising method to characterise neurodevelopment, and may be
      useful to understand the deviations leading to mental disorders.

PMID- 28635542
TI  - Gene expression study of mitochondrial complex I in schizophrenia and paranoid
      personality disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aetiology and molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia (SCZ) and
      paranoid personality disorder (PPD) are not yet clarified. The present study
      aimed to assess the role of mitochondrial complex I and cell bioenergetic
      pathways in the aetiology and characteristics of SCZ and PPD. METHODS: mRNA
      levels of all genomic and mitochondrial genes which encode mitochondrial complex
      I subunits (44 genes) were assessed in blood in 634 SCZ, 340 PPD patients and 528
      non-psychiatric subjects using quantitative real-time PCR, and associated
      comprehensive psychiatric, neurological and biochemical assessments. RESULTS:
      Significant expression changes of 18 genes in SCZ patients and 11 genes in PPD
      patients were detected in mitochondrial complex I. Most of these genes were novel
      candidate genes for SCZ and PPD. Several correlations between mRNA levels and
      severity of symptoms, drug response, deficits in attention, working memory,
      executive functions and brain activities were found. CONCLUSIONS: Deregulations
      of both core and supernumerary subunits of complex I are involved in the
      aetiology of SCZ and PPD. These deregulations have effects on brain activity as
      well as disorder characteristics.

PMID- 28635544
TI  - Heparin: new life for an old drug.
AB  - Heparin is one of the oldest drugs, which nevertheless remains in widespread
      clinical use as an inhibitor of blood coagulation. The history of its
      identification a century ago unfolded amid one of the most fascinating scientific
      controversies turning around the distribution of credit for its discovery. The
      composition, purification and structure-function relationship of this naturally
      occurring glycosaminoglycan regarding its classical role as anticoagulant will be
      dealt with before proceeding to discuss its therapeutic potential in, among
      other, inflammatory and infectious disease, cancer treatment, cystic fibrosis and
      Alzheimer's disease. The first bibliographic reference hit using the words
      'nanomedicine' and 'heparin' is as recent as 2008. Since then, nanomedical
      applications of heparin have experienced an exponential growth that will be
      discussed in detail, with particular emphasis on its antimalarial activity. Some
      of the most intriguing potential applications of heparin nanomedicines will be
      exposed, such as those contemplating the delivery of drugs to the mosquito stages
      of malaria parasites.

PMID- 28635545
TI  - Current asthma, respiratory symptoms and airway infections among students in
      relation to the school and home environment in Japan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study associations between the school and home environment and
      current asthma, respiratory symptoms and airway infections among Japanese
      students. METHODS: Japanese students (12-15 y) (N = 1048) in four schools
      responded to a questionnaire on respiratory health, allergy and the home
      environment. Temperature, relative air humidity (RH) and student density
      (students/m2 floor area) was measured in the classrooms: dust was collected from
      floors and in classroom air and analysed for cat (Fel d 1) and dog (Can f 1)
      allergens. Health associations were analysed by multi-level logistic regression.
      RESULTS: Doctor's diagnosed asthma was common (13.4%), 8.8% reported cat allergy
      and 6.1% dog allergy. The median level in floor dust was 41 ng/g (IQR 23-92) for
      Fel d 1 and 101 ng/g (IQR 54-101) for Can f 1. The median level in air was 18.6
      ng/ m2/ day (IQR5.9-25.1) for Fel d 1 and 18.6 ng/ m2/ day (IQR 6.0-13.3) for Can
      f 1. High RH, high student density and airborne cat allergen was associated with
      airway infections. In the home environment, recent indoor painting, new floor
      materials, odour, having cats as pets, window pane condensation in winter, and
      dampness in floor construction were associated with respiratory illness.
      CONCLUSION: High relative air humidity, high student density and airborne cat
      allergens at school may increase the risk of airway infections. Having cats as
      pets, chemical emissions from paint and new floor materials, odour and dampness
      can constitute domestic risk factors for respiratory symptoms while having dogs
      as pets could be protective.

PMID- 28635543
TI  - Anxiety modulates the relation between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
      severity and working memory-related brain activity.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
      often have heightened levels of anxiety, which has been associated with worse
      performance on working memory tasks. Knowledge of the neural pathways underlying
      the combined presence of ADHD and anxiety may aid in a better understanding of
      their co-occurrence. Therefore, we investigated how anxiety modulates the effect
      of ADHD severity on neural activity during a visuospatial working memory (VSWM)
      task. METHODS: Neuroimaging data were available for 371 adolescents and young
      adults participating in the multicentre cohort study NeuroIMAGE (average age 17.1
      years). We analysed the effects of ADHD severity, anxiety severity and their
      interaction on-task accuracy, and on neural activity associated with working
      memory (VSWM trials minus baseline), and memory load (high memory load trials
      minus low load trials). RESULTS: Anxiety significantly modulated the relation
      between ADHD severity and neural activity in the cerebellum for the working
      memory contrast, and bilaterally in the striatum and thalamus for the memory load
      contrast. CONCLUSIONS: We found that ADHD with co-occurring anxiety is associated
      with lowered neural activity during a VSWM task in regions important for
      information gating. This fits well with previous theorising on ADHD with co
      occurring anxiety, and illustrates the neurobiological heterogeneity of ADHD.

PMID- 28635546
TI  - Physical activity and asthma: A longitudinal and multi-country study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of physical activity on asthma in middle
      aged adults, in one longitudinal analysis, and one multi-centre cross-sectional
      analysis. METHODS: The Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) is a
      population-based postal questionnaire cohort study. Physical activity, height and
      weight were self-reported in Bergen, Norway, at RHINE II (1999-2001) and all
      centres at RHINE III (2010-2012). A longitudinal analysis of Bergen data
      investigated the association of baseline physical activity with follow-up asthma,
      incident asthma and symptoms, using logistic and zero-inflated Poisson regression
      (n = 1782). A cross-sectional analysis of all RHINE III centres investigated the
      association of physical activity with concurrent asthma and symptoms (n = 13,542)
      using mixed-effects models. Body mass index (BMI) was categorised (<20, 20-24.99,
      25-29.99, 30+ kg/m2) and physical activity grouped by amount and frequency of
      lighter (no sweating/heavy breathing) and vigorous (sweating/heavy breathing)
      activity. RESULTS: In the Bergen longitudinal analysis, undertaking light
      activity 3+ times/week at baseline was associated with less follow-up asthma
      (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22, 0.89), whilst an effect
      from undertaking vigorous activity 3+ times/week was not detected (OR 1.22, 95%
      CI 0.44, 2.76). The associations were attenuated with BMI adjustment. In the all
      centre cross-sectional analysis an interaction was found, with the association
      between physical activity and asthma varying across BMI categories. CONCLUSION:
      These findings suggest potential longer-term benefit from lighter physical
      activity, whilst improvement in asthma outcomes from increasing activity
      intensity was not evident. Additionally, it appears the benefit from physical
      activity may differ according to BMI.

PMID- 28635547
TI  - "Healthcare seems to vary a lot": A focus group study among parents of children
      with severe allergy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Living with an allergic disease has consequences for both affected
      children and their families. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain deeper
      knowledge of what life is like for families of children with severe allergic
      disease, in order to improve care and thereby reduce the consequences of living
      with a chronic disease. METHODS: Four focus group interviews were performed with
      Swedish parents of children, aged 6-11 and 12-16 years, with severe allergic
      disease (from one or more allergic conditions, such as food allergy/eczema/hay
      fever/asthma). The participants were attending a family support weekend.
      Interviews were analyzed with a qualitative method. RESULTS: Based on parental
      experiences, the following themes were presented in the analysis: limitations,
      control, injustices, and fear and anxiety. It was evident that the families lived
      isolated lives and experienced different kinds of limitations. Parents felt a
      need to have control of their child's everyday life and described a feeling of
      constantly being on guard. They also suggested that understanding of the child's
      allergies was lacking in preschool/school and that healthcare did not provide
      adequate support. They felt that the same care should be offered to children and
      families, no matter where they lived. CONCLUSIONS: Based on parental experiences,
      having a child with severe allergic disease implies a need to constantly be on
      guard. In order to improve the care of children with severe allergy and their
      families, a more person- and family-centered approach is needed.

PMID- 28635548
TI  - Th-17 regulatory cytokines IL-21, IL-23, and IL-6 enhance neutrophil production
      of IL-17 cytokines during asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In a subset of severe asthma patients, chronic airway inflammation is
      associated with infiltration of neutrophils, Th-17 cells and elevated expression
      of Th-17-derived cytokines (e.g., interleukin [IL]-17, IL-21, IL-22). Peripheral
      neutrophils from allergic asthmatics are known to express higher IL-17 cytokine
      levels than those from healthy subjects, but the regulatory mechanisms involved
      are not well understood. We hypothesize that Th-17 regulatory cytokines could
      modulate IL-17 expression in neutrophils. METHODS: Peripheral blood neutrophils
      isolated from asthmatics were stimulated with IL-21, IL-23, and IL-6 cytokines
      and their ability to produce IL-17A and IL-17F was determined relative to healthy
      controls. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)
      phosphorylation levels were measured in stimulated neutrophil using flow
      cytometry. The requirement for STAT3 phosphorylation was determined by blocking
      its activation using a specific chemical inhibitor. RESULTS: Stimulating
      asthmatic neutrophils with IL-21, 23, and 6 enhanced the production of IL-17A and
      IL-17F at significantly higher levels comparatively to healthy controls.
      Stimulating neutrophils with IL-21, IL-23, and IL-6 cytokines enhanced STAT3
      phosphorylation, in all cases. Interestingly, inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation
      using a specific chemical inhibitor dramatically blocked the ability of
      neutrophils to produce IL-17, demonstrating that STAT3 activation is the major
      factor mediating IL-17 gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that
      neutrophil infiltration in lungs of severe asthmatics may represent an important
      source of pro-inflammatory IL-17A and -F cytokines, a production enhanced by Th
      17 regulatory cytokines, and thus providing a feedback mechanism that sustains
      inflammation. Our results suggest that STAT3 pathway could be a potential target
      for regulating neutrophilic inflammation during severe asthma.

PMID- 28635549
TI  - A missed primary care appointment correlates with a subsequent emergency
      department visit among children with asthma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Since the Affordable Care Act's implementation, emergency department
      (ED) visits have increased. Poor asthma control increases the risk of acute
      exacerbations and preventable ED visits. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
      Services support the reduction of preventable ED visits to reduce healthcare
      spending. Implementation of interventions to avoid preventable ED visits has
      become a priority for many healthcare systems yet little data exist examining
      children's missed asthma management primary care (PC) appointments and subsequent
      ED visits. METHODS: Longitudinal, retrospective review at a children's hospital
      was conducted for children with diagnosed asthma (ICD-9 493.xx), ages 2-18 years,
      scheduled for a PC visit between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2012 (N = 3895).
      Records were cross-referenced with all asthma-related ED visits from January 1,
      2010 to December 31, 2012. Logistic regression with maximum likelihood estimation
      was conducted. RESULTS: None of the children who completed a PC appointment
      experienced an ED visit in the subsequent 6 months whereas 2.7% of those with
      missed PC appointments had an ED visit (chi2 = 64.28, p <.0001). Males were
      significantly more likely to have an ED visit following a missed PC appointment
      than females (chi2 = 34.37, p <.0001). There was a statistically significant
      interaction of sex * age. Younger children (<12 years) made more visits than
      older children. CONCLUSIONS: The importance of adherence to PC appointments for
      children with asthma as one mechanism for preventing ED visits was demonstrated.
      Interventions targeting missed visits could decrease asthma-related morbidity,
      preventable ED visits, and healthcare costs.

PMID- 28635550
TI  - Peptide grafted and self-assembled poly(gamma-glutamic acid)-phenylalanine
      nanoparticles targeting camptothecin to glioma.
AB  - AIM: To synthesize cRGDfK peptide conjugated poly(gamma-glutamic acid)
      phenylalanine nanoparticles to improve the therapeutic efficacy of camptothecin
      (CPT) against glioblastoma multiforme. METHODS: Peptide-conjugated, drug-loaded
      nanoparticles (cRGDfK-conjugated camptothecin-loaded PGA-PA nanoparticles [RCPN])
      were prepared and physico-chemically characterized using different techniques.
      Nanoparticles were evaluated for in vitro anticancer activity, cellular uptake,
      induction of apoptosis and wound healing cell migration against U87MG human
      glioblastoma cells. RESULTS: RCPN, with a particle size of <100 nm and 65% CPT
      encapsulation efficiency, exhibited a dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity to
      glioblastoma cells. Compared with native CPT or unconjugated nanoparticles, RCPN
      induced apoptosis, increased reactive oxygen species generation and inhibited
      U87MG cell migration. CONCLUSION: cRGDfK-mediated and amphiphilic copolymer-based
      nanomedicines represent a new approach for improved delivery of anticancer drugs
      to and treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

PMID- 28635551
TI  - New strategies in melanoma therapy: can nanoparticles overcome chemoresistance?

PMID- 28635552
TI  - Temporal variations of fine and coarse particulate matter sources in Jeddah,
      Saudi Arabia.
AB  - : This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the seasonal variations
      and weekday/weekend differences in fine (aerodynamic diameter <2.5 MUm; PM2.5)
      and coarse (aerodynamic diameter 2.5-10 MUm; PM2.5-10) particulate matter mass
      concentrations, elemental constituents, and potential source origins in Jeddah,
      Saudi Arabia. Air quality samples were collected over 1 yr, from June 2011 to May
      2012 at a frequency of three times per week, and analyzed. The average mass
      concentrations of PM2.5 (21.9 MUg/m3) and PM10 (107.8 MUg/m3) during the sampling
      period exceeded the recommended annual average levels by the World Health
      Organization (WHO) for PM2.5 (10 MUg/m3) and PM10 (20 MUg/m3), respectively.
      Similar to other Middle Eastern locales, PM2.5-10 is the prevailing mass
      component of atmospheric particulate matter at Jeddah, accounting for
      approximately 80% of the PM10 mass. Considerations of enrichment factors,
      absolute principal component analysis (APCA), concentration roses, and backward
      trajectories identified the following source categories for both PM2.5 and PM2.5
      10: (1) soil/road dust, (2) incineration, and (3) traffic; and for PM2.5 only,
      (4) residual oil burning. Soil/road dust accounted for a major portion of both
      the PM2.5 (27%) and PM2.5-10 (77%) mass, and the largest source contributor for
      PM2.5 was from residual oil burning (63%). Temporal variations of PM2.5-10 and
      PM2.5 were observed, with the elevated concentration levels observed for mass
      during the spring (due to increased dust storm frequency) and on weekdays (due to
      increased traffic). The predominant role of windblown soil and road dust in both
      the PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 masses in this city may have implications regarding the
      toxicity of these particles versus those in the Western world where most PM
      health assessments have been made in the past. These results support the need for
      region-specific epidemiological investigations to be conducted and considered in
      future PM standard setting. IMPLICATIONS: Temporal variations of fine and coarse
      PM mass, elemental constituents, and sources were examined in Jeddah, Saudi
      Arabia, for the first time. The main source of PM2.5-10 is natural windblown soil
      and road dust, whereas the predominant source of PM2.5 is residual oil burning,
      generated from the port and oil refinery located west of the air sampler,
      suggesting that targeted emission controls could significantly improve the air
      quality in the city. The compositional differences point to a need for health
      effect studies to be conducted in this region, so as to directly assess the
      applicability of the existing guidelines to the Middle East air pollution.

PMID- 28635553
TI  - Bridging generation gaps in medical education: a "light bulb moment" at the
      Association for Medical Education in Europe annual conference in Barcelona.
AB  - Generation gaps have been described before and so have ways to deal with them.
      But they were mainly focused on the teachers. We would like to bridge these
      generation gaps, not only by creating awareness but also by learning from each
      other. This leads to better equipped doctors across all generations and promotes
      lifelong learning instantaneously.

PMID- 28635554
TI  - Summary of the Bill Morgan Memorial Symposium - part 1: biology, epidemiology and
      radiation protection.

PMID- 28635555
TI  - Personality disorders: patient characteristics and level of outpatient treatment
      service.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In this naturalistic study, patients with personality disorders (N =
      388) treated at Stolpegaard Psychotherapy Center, Mental Health Services, Capital
      Region of Denmark were allocated to two different kinds of treatment: a
      standardized treatment package with a preset number of treatment hours (basic
      hospital service) and 2: a specialized treatment program for the most severely
      affected patients without a predetermined restricted number of treatment hours
      and significantly more individual psychotherapy (regional specialized hospital
      services). AIMS: To investigate patient characteristics associated with
      clinicians' allocation of patients to the two different personality disorder
      services. METHODS: Patient characteristics across eight domains were collected in
      order to study whether there were systematic differences between patients
      allocated to the two different treatments. Patient characteristics included
      measures of symptom severity, personality pathology, trauma and socio-demographic
      characteristics. Significance testing and binary regression analysis were applied
      to identify important predictors. RESULTS: Patient characteristics on fifteen
      variables differed significantly, all in the expected direction, with patients in
      regional specialized hospital services showing more pathology and psychosocial
      problems. In the regression model, only age and two variables capturing
      psychosocial functioning remained significant predictors of allocation.
      DISCUSSION: The finding that younger age was the most significant predictor of
      longer treatment replicates an earlier finding of allocation to treatment for
      personality disorder. Overall, this study therefore lends further support to the
      importance of demographic and social contextual factors in clinicians' allocation
      of patients to different treatment services for personality disorder.

PMID- 28635556
TI  - Executive control in schizophrenia: a preliminary study on the moderating role of
      COMT Val158Met for comorbid alcohol and substance use disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A functional polymorphism in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)
      gene (Val158Met) appears to influence cognition in people with alcohol/substance
      use disorders (AUD/SUD) and in those with psychosis. METHODS: To explore the
      potential moderating effect of these factors, a cross-sectional study was
      conducted, randomly recruiting subjects with DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia.
      AUD/SUD was rigorously assessed, as well as COMT Val158Met polymorphism.
      Executive control functioning was measured using the Intra-Extra Dimensional Set
      Shift (IED). The effect of a possible interaction between comorbid AUD/SUD and
      COMT Val158Met polymorphism on IED scores was explored. RESULTS: Subjects with
      schizophrenia, comorbid AUD/SUD, and MetMet carriers for SNP rs4680 of the COMT
      gene showed worse performance on IED completed stages scores, as compared with
      individuals with ValVal genotype. However, among subjects without AUD/SUD, those
      with the MetMet variant performed better than people carrying ValVal genotype.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to date examining the impact of COMT on
      cognition in a highly representative sample of people with schizophrenia and
      comorbid AUD/SUD. Differential moderating effects of COMT Val/Met genotype
      variations may similarly influence executive functions in people with
      schizophrenia and comorbid AUD/SUD.

PMID- 28635558
TI  - Identifying Criminogenic Needs Using the Personality Assessment Inventory With
      Males Who Have Sexually Offended.
AB  - The present study investigated the relationships between the scales of the
      Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) and variables relevant to recidivism risk
      and criminogenic need to inform clinicians' use of the PAI for purposes of
      treatment planning and risk management. PAI profiles, risk measure and domain
      scores, and recidivism data were collected for 158 males who have been convicted
      of sexually offending. Data were analyzed to investigate whether select clinical
      scales of the PAI correlated with conceptually relevant domains of risk and/or
      recidivism. Our findings demonstrated that the antisocial scales were
      consistently associated with risk constructs and recidivism, while very few
      clinical and personality scales showed relationships with risk constructs. The
      PAI seems to include select scales that represent risk-related needs, but also,
      other scales that may be more related to responsivity issues, and therefore may
      have utility to address two of the risk, need, and responsivity principles.

PMID- 28635557
TI  - Cellular immune responses of older adults to four influenza vaccines: Results of
      a randomized, controlled comparison.
AB  - Cellular immunity is important for protection against the serious complications
      of influenza in older adults. As it is unclear if newer influenza vaccines elicit
      greater cellular responses than standard vaccines, we compared responses to 2
      standard and 2 newer licensed trivalent inactivated vaccines (TIVs) in a
      randomized trial in older adults. Non-frail adults >= 65 y old were randomly
      assigned to receive standard subunit, MF59-adjuvanted subunit, standard split
      virus or intradermal split-virus TIV. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)
      harvested pre- and 3-weeks post-vaccination were stimulated with live A/H3N2
      virus. PBMC supernatants were tested for interleukin 10 (IL-10) and interferon
      gamma (IFN-gamma), and lysates for granzyme B (GrB). Flow cytometry identified
      CD4+ and CD8+ T- cells expressing intracellular IL-2, IL-10, IFN-gamma, GrB, or
      perforin. Differences following immunization were assessed for paired subject
      samples and among vaccines. 120 seniors participated, 29-31 per group, which were
      well matched demographically. Virus-stimulated PBMCs were GrB-rich before and
      after vaccination, with minimal increases evident. Immunization did not increase
      secretion of IFN-gamma or IL-10. However, cytolytic effector T-cells
      (CD8+GrB+perforin+) increased significantly in percentage post-vaccination in all
      groups, to similar mean values across groups. CD4+GrB+perforin+ T-cells also
      increased significantly after each vaccine, to similar mean values among
      vaccines. Vaccination did not increase the low baseline percentages of CD4+ or
      CD8+ T-cells expressing IFN-gamma, IL-2 or IL-10 . In conclusion, participants
      had pre-existing cellular immunity to H3N2 virus. All 4 vaccines boosted cellular
      responses to a similar but limited extent, particularly cytolytic effector CD8+ T
      cells associated with clinical protection against influenza.

PMID- 28635559
TI  - Purification of antibody against Ara h 2 by a homemade immunoaffinity
      chromatography column.
AB  - Antibodies are used extensively in numerous applications both in vivo and in
      vitro. To purify anti-Ara h 2 polyclonal antibody, a homemade immunoaffinity
      chromatography (IAC) column method was established. The properties of homemade
      column were compared with those of the mAb affinity protein G (MPG) agarose high
      flow, a commercially available column successfully used in capturing polyclonal
      antibodies. During antibody purification from rabbits' antiserum against Ara h 2,
      the column capacity, recovery, and purification factor were characterized for IAC
      and MPG. The homemade IAC could separate the corresponding antibody with higher
      specificity and lower cost but with lower recovery and column capacity than those
      of MPG. Thus, the homemade IAC is a specific, inexpensive, and suitable method
      that can be used for various laboratory purifications.

PMID- 28635561
TI  - Patient handling in the healthcare sector.

PMID- 28635560
TI  - Sorafenib in Japanese Patients with Locally Advanced or Metastatic Medullary
      Thyroid Carcinoma and Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Therapeutic options for treating advanced or metastatic medullary
      thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) are still limited
      in Japan, even though vandetanib for MTC and lenvatinib for MTC and ATC have been
      approved. Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor approved for the treatment
      of patients with radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer
      (DTC). An uncontrolled, open-label, multicenter, single-arm, Phase 2 clinical
      study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of sorafenib in Japanese
      patients with MTC and ATC. METHODS: Japanese patients with histologically
      confirmed ATC and locally advanced or metastatic MTC were enrolled from April to
      September 2014. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the safety of sorafenib.
      Treatment efficacy variables including progression-free survival (PFS), overall
      survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and
      maximum reduction in tumor size were evaluated as secondary endpoints. Patients
      received sorafenib 400 mg orally twice daily on a continuous basis and then
      continued treatment until the occurrence of disease progression, unacceptable
      toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were
      screened, and 18 (8 with MTC and 10 with ATC) were enrolled. The most common drug
      related adverse events were palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (72%), alopecia
      (56%), hypertension (56%), and diarrhea (44%). In the ATC patients, median PFS
      was 2.8 months [confidence interval 0.7-5.6], and median OS was 5.0 months
      [confidence interval 0.7-5.7]; ORR and DCR were 0% and 40%, respectively. In the
      MTC population, neither median PFS nor OS had been reached at the time of this
      analysis; ORR was 25% and DCR was 75%. CONCLUSIONS: The toxicities reported in
      this study were consistent with the known safety profile of sorafenib. Sorafenib
      seems to be effective in the treatment of advanced MTC but not ATC, and could be
      a new treatment option for locally advanced or metastatic MTC and radioactive
      iodine-refractory DTC.

PMID- 28635564
TI  - Arthroscopic fixation of acute acromioclavicular joint disruption with
      TightRopeTM: Outcome and complications after minimum 2 (2-5) years follow-up.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the midterm results of arthroscopic reconstruction of acute
      acromioclavicular (AC) joint disruption using TightRopeTM system. METHODS AND
      MATERIAL: We retrospectively assess the results of 24 patients of acute AC joint
      dislocation who were operated using TightRope system. Constant and University of
      California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scores and coracoclavicular distance were
      calculated pre- and postoperatively. Data was entered into MS excel and analyzed
      using the SPSS version 17. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 39.45 months. Constant
      and UCLA scores were significantly increased postoperatively. Six patients had
      partial loss of reduction within 3-6 months and two patients had a failure of
      construct. Constant score was significantly lower in these patients. CONCLUSION:
      TightRope reconstruction of the AC joint is a reproducible and safe alternative
      to many other techniques of AC joint reconstruction. Early subluxation remains a
      concern and may reflect the need for technique modification.

PMID- 28635562
TI  - Nanoformulated natural therapeutics for management of streptozotocin-induced
      diabetes: potential use of curcumin nanoformulation.
AB  - AIM: The goal of this study was to improve curcumin (CUR) aqueous solubility and
      bioavailability via nanoformulation, and then study its activity and mechanism of
      action as an antidiabetic agent. METHODS: CUR-loaded pluronic nanomicelles
      (CURnp) were prepared and characterized. Biochemical assessments were performed
      as well as histological, confocal and RTPCR studies on pancreatic target tissues.
      RESULTS: CURnp with a diameter of 333 +/- 6 nm and zeta potential of -26.1 mv
      were obtained. Antidiabetic action of CURnp was attributed to significant
      upregulation of Pdx-1 and NKx6.1 gene expression and achievement of optimum redox
      balance, which led to alleviation of streptozotocin-induced beta-cell damage via
      a significant upregulation in insulin gene expression proved by RTPCR studies and
      by the presence of 40% insulin positive cells through confocal microscope studies
      on pancreatic tissue.

PMID- 28635566
TI  - Stone size is a predictor for residual stone and multiple procedures of
      endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of treatment
      results after endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS). MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 75 patients with renal stones
      who underwent ECIRS and a preoperative non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT)
      examination. The stone-free rate (SFR), number of primary procedures and
      perioperative complications were investigated, and the predictors contributing to
      these three outcomes were analyzed. Stone-free status was determined within 3
      months postoperatively using NCCT. The number of primary procedures (defined as
      ECIRS and/or conventional transurethral lithotripsy) and perioperative
      complications were reviewed using the medical records. RESULTS: The final SFR
      after further treatment was 69.3% (52/75 cases). About 70% of all cases underwent
      only one primary procedure, and the average number of primary procedures was
      1.41. From multivariate analysis, increasing stone size (p < 0.001), increasing
      Charlson Comorbidity Index (p = 0.043) and unfavorable nephrostomy tract (p =
      0.046) were independent significant predictors of residual stones, and increasing
      stone size was the only independent significant predictor of two or more primary
      procedures (p = 0.017). Overall, 24 out of 75 patients (32%) experienced one or
      more perioperative complications. Based on multivariate analysis, female gender
      (p = 0.014) and increasing Hounsfield units (p = 0.006) were significantly
      associated with perioperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing stone size
      was an independent predictor for residual stone and multiple procedures of ECIRS.
      In contrast, increasing number of involved calyces was not predictive, which may
      be responsible for the combined antegrade and retrograde access. Female gender
      and increasing Hounsfield units of the stone were significantly associated with
      perioperative complications of ECIRS, and ECIRS for these patients requires
      careful attention.

PMID- 28635565
TI  - Prostate cancer stem cells: from theory to practice.
AB  - None of the generally accepted theories on prostate cancer development can fully
      explain many distinguishing features of the disease, such as intratumoral
      heterogeneity, metastatic growth, drug resistance and tumor relapse. Prostate
      stem cells are a heterogeneous and small subpopulation of self-renewing cells
      which can actively proliferate in response to changes in the androgen level and
      give rise to all the cell lineages that build the prostate epithelium. According
      to the cancer stem cell hypothesis, prostate cancer could be a stem cell disease.
      Prostate cancer stem cells, which represent only a minimal percentage of the
      tumor mass, are characterized by a markedly increased clonogenicity and
      therapeutic resistance. These tumor-initiating cells reside in dynamic niches
      distributed within the prostate but at a higher concentration in proximal regions
      of the prostatic ducts. Several markers have been used to identify prostate
      cancer stem cells. Nevertheless, a definitive profile has not yet been
      established owing to specificity issues. As cancer stem cells play determining
      roles in the birth and burst of prostate malignancy, strategies that selectively
      target them have gained huge clinical attention. Unraveling the mechanisms
      underlying the physiological functions of cancer stem cells and gaining
      fundamental insights into their putative involvement in the pathogenesis of
      prostate tumors provide novel opportunities for the development of efficient and
      sophisticated therapeutic strategies in the future.

PMID- 28635567
TI  - Management of neobladder complications: endoscopy comes first.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the functional outcome after
      endoscopic management of neobladder complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Out of
      197 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and orthotopic ileal neobladder
      reconstruction between 2007 and 2013, 30 patients with delayed postoperative
      complications were enrolled in this study. Complications were in the form of:
      eight patients with outflow obstruction, 12 with ureteroenteric stricture, nine
      with neobladder calculi and one with an isolated recurrent papillary tumor inside
      the neobladder. Patients were followed up regularly to assess the outcomes of
      endoscopic treatment. RESULTS: The mean maximum flow rate and postvoiding
      residual urine after endoscopic treatment of outflow obstruction were 18.2 +/-
      3.9 ml/s and 28.7 +/- 11 ml, respectively. Ten patients with ureteroenteric
      stricture showed resolution of hydronephrosis after antegrade dilatation and JJ
      stent fixation, with two patients requiring open surgery owing to impassable
      strictures. Complete clearance of neobladder calculi occurred after endoscopic
      neocystolithotripsy, with two patients requiring two sessions owing to large
      calculi. Transurethral resection of the neobladder for isolated tumor recurrence
      was performed in one patient over two sessions, followed by adjuvant
      chemoirradiation. CONCLUSIONS: Endourological management of orthotopic neobladder
      problems is the safest choice. It avoids the difficulties and complications of
      open surgery and has durable results.

PMID- 28635568
TI  - Additional value of magnetic resonance-targeted biopsies to standard transrectal
      ultrasound-guided biopsies for detection of clinically significant prostate
      cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the additional value of magnetic
      resonance imaging-targeted biopsy (MRI-TB) to standard transrectal ultrasound
      guided biopsy (SB) for detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa).
      An additional aim was to compare the biopsy results to MRI evaluation using a
      Likert scale. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed localized PCa
      (n = 53) by clinical routine SB were prospectively included. The majority of the
      patients were scheduled for curative therapy before enrollment. The patients
      underwent multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) at 3 T using an endorectal coil followed by
      two MRI-TBs, using ultrasound with cognitive fusion. All included patients
      underwent MRI-TB, even those who had low to very low suspicion of significant PCa
      on mpMRI. The detection rate of significant cancer on SB versus SB + MRI-TB was
      compared in the 53 included patients and with whole-mounted histopathology as
      reference in 34 cases. Comparison of the biopsy results to MRI evaluation and
      interreader agreement calculation of five-point Likert score evaluation were
      performed. RESULTS: In total, 32 significant (Gleason >=7) PCa were detected by
      SB, while SB + MRI-TB detected an additional five significant PCa. MRI-TB alone
      detected 20 and missed 17 significant PCa. Ten of the significant PCa cases
      missed by MRI-TB had a Likert score of 3 or lower. Interreader agreement using
      the Likert scale was high, with a kappa value of 0.77 (95% confidence interval
      0.63-0.92, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Detection of significant PCa increased by
      adding MRI-TB to SB. This may not be of enough clinical value to justify the use
      of targeted biopsies in this patient group.

PMID- 28635569
TI  - Stratification model based on early postprostatectomy prostate-specific antigen
      kinetics may help to reduce the risk of overtreatment in candidates for adjuvant
      radiotherapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to construct a stratification model based on
      early postoperative kinetics of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to select the
      most suitable high-risk patients for early intervention after radical
      prostatectomy (RP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study evaluated 205 men who had
      undergone RP without any adjuvant treatment. All of the patients had positive
      surgical margins, extracapsular extension and/or seminal vesicle invasion. The
      patients underwent multiple ultrasensitive PSA measurements on days 14, 30, 60
      and 90 after RP, and subsequently at 3 month intervals. The ability of particular
      PSA measurements to predict biochemical recurrence (BCR) was assessed using the
      area under the curve (AUC). A sequential mathematical decision procedure was
      constructed to create a stratification model. RESULTS: During the median follow
      up of 45.9 months, 106 patients (51%) experienced BCR. Prediction of BCR in terms
      of the AUC for PSA measurements on days 14, 30, 60 and 90 after the surgery was
      0.61, 0.70, 0.80 and 0.82, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, only PSA
      after RP remained as a predictor of progression-free survival (p < 0.001). The
      stratification model based on calculated cut-off values for PSA on day 30 (0.068
      ng/ml) and PSA on day 60 (0.015 ng/ml) reduced the potential overtreatment rate
      by 37%. CONCLUSIONS: The results imply that ultrasensitive PSA values obtained
      very early after RP correlate with the presence of recurrent disease in high-risk
      patients. Incorporating these readily available variables into risk
      stratification models may help to individualize the administration of adjuvant
      radiotherapy and thus to minimize overtreatment.

PMID- 28635570
TI  - Quality dementia care: Prerequisites and relational ethics among multicultural
      healthcare providers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many nursing homes appear as multicultural workplaces where the
      majority of healthcare providers have an ethnic minority background. This
      environment creates challenges linked to communication, interaction and cultural
      differences. Furthermore, the healthcare providers have varied experiences and
      understanding of what quality care of patients with dementia involves. PURPOSE:
      The aim of this study is to illuminate multi-ethnic healthcare providers' lived
      experiences of their own working relationship, and its importance to quality care
      for people with dementia. RESEARCH DESIGN: The study is part of a greater
      participatory action research project: 'Hospice values in the care for persons
      with dementia'. The data material consists of extensive notes from seminars,
      project meetings and dialogue-based teaching. The text material was subjected to
      phenomenological-hermeneutical interpretation. Participants and research context:
      Participants in the project were healthcare providers working in a nursing home
      unit. The participants came from 15 different countries, had different formal
      qualifications, varied backgrounds and ethnic origins. Ethical considerations:
      The study is approved by the Norwegian Regional Ethics Committee and the
      Norwegian Social Science Data Services. FINDINGS: The results show that good
      working relationships, characterized by understanding each other's vulnerability
      and willingness to learn from each other through shared experiences, are
      prerequisites for quality care. The healthcare providers further described
      ethical challenges as uncertainty and different understandings. DISCUSSION: The
      results are discussed in the light of Logstrup's relational philosophy of ethics
      and the concepts of vulnerability, ethic responsibility, trust and openness of
      speech. CONCLUSION: The prerequisite for quality care for persons with dementia
      in a multicultural working environment is to create arenas for open discussions
      between the healthcare providers. Leadership is of great importance.

PMID- 28635571
TI  - Comparison of the Seventh and Eighth Editions of the American Joint Committee on
      Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control Tumor-Node-Metastasis Staging
      System for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and prognostic validity for disease-specific
      survival (DSS) of the eighth edition American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for
      International Cancer Control tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system (TNM-8)
      compared to the seventh edition (TNM-7) in patients with differentiated thyroid
      carcinoma (DTC). METHODS: The seventh and eighth editions of the TNM staging
      system were applied to 1613 DTC patients who underwent thyroid surgery between
      1996 and 2003. The proportion of variation explained and Harrell's c-index were
      evaluated to compare the predictive capability of DSS. RESULTS: The mean age of
      the patients was 44.7 years, and the median follow-up period was 11.2 years. When
      TNM-8 was applied, 63% of T3 and 3% of N1b DTCs were downgraded to T1/T2 and N1a,
      respectively. About 38% of patients were downstaged according to TNM-8. The 10
      year DSS rates in TNM-7 stages I, II, III, and IV were 99.7%, 98.2%, 98.8%, and
      83.2%, respectively. Those in TNM-8 stages I, II, III, and IV were 99.6%, 95.4%,
      72.3%, and 48.6%, respectively. The proportion of variation explained values of
      TNM-7 and TNM-8 were 6.0% and 7.0%, respectively. The Harrell's c-index of TNM-7
      was 0.86 and that of TNM-8 was 0.88. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of
      patients were reclassified to lower stages with the application of TNM-8 compared
      to TNM-7. Applying TNM-8 could improve the accuracy of the staging system for
      predicting DSS in patients with DTC.

PMID- 28635573
TI  - [Colonic ischaemia - a condition with an atypical clinical presentation; timely
      recognition and treatment improve prognosis].
AB  - The incidence of colonic ischaemia has risen in recent decades because of the
      ageing population. Patients with colonic ischaemia present with mild abdominal
      pain, rectal blood loss and/or diarrhoea. However, no pathognomonic signs have
      been described. Signs of peritonitis are often absent and serum lactate may be
      normal. This makes prompt recognition and diagnosis difficult, while early
      treatment with close monitoring is important to optimise prognosis. Computed
      tomography may have suggestive findings and exclude other causes of abdominal
      pain, but endoscopy remains the gold standard for confirming the diagnosis.
      Colonic ischaemia is mostly located in the left colon and has a relatively good
      prognosis. However, the presence of right-sided ischaemic colitis should alert
      physicians, because these patients have a worse prognosis, increased need for
      surgery and they also experience higher mortality rates.

PMID- 28635574
TI  - [It is all about the form - adrenaline in anaphylaxis: intravenous or
      intramuscular administration?]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Medication errors are a frequent problem in the accident and
      emergency (A&E) department. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 17-year-old boy was referred to
      our A&E department with an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts. Because of various
      shortcomings in the care process in A&E, adrenaline was administered
      intravenously instead of intramuscularly, resulting in a broad complex
      tachycardia. We analysed these shortcomings using the 'Prevention and recovery
      information system for monitoring and analysis' (PRISMA) method. CONCLUSION:
      Medication errors are usually a result of shortcomings in non-technical skills,
      such as communication and situational awareness. Training these skills by
      applying the concept 'Crew resource management' may reduce medication errors and
      improve patient safety.

PMID- 28635575
TI  - [High-risk obstetrics in tertiary centres: anaesthetist, hybrid operating suite
      and obstetric critical care unit].
AB  - The frequency of pregnancy-related morbidity has increased over recent decades,
      as has the number of patients with complex congenital cardiac anomalies reaching
      fertile age, resulting in an increasing number of high-risk pregnancies. In order
      to optimalise maternal and foetal outcome in these patients, not only is the
      availability of optimal in-hospital facilities (e.g. obstetric critical care
      unit, hybrid operating suite) important, but also a multidisciplinary approach
      which is mandatory for successful maternal and foetal outcome. The role of a
      dedicated obstetric anaesthetist in this multidisciplinary team is essential. In
      contrast with other Western countries, in the Netherlands this has so far been
      underestimated. Obstetric anaesthetists should also be part of multidisciplinary
      obstetric care in high-risk patients during pregnancy, thus optimalising
      conditions for successful delivery and maternal and foetal outcome.

PMID- 28635576
TI  - [A man with an anomaly in his ear].
AB  - A 65-year-old man presented with an anomaly in his left ear. He had no
      complaints, but was ashamed of the lesion. On physical examination a pigmented,
      pedunculated, polypoid tumour of approximately 2 x 2.5 cm was seen, which filled
      the whole cavum conchae. After excision, histopathological examination showed a
      verruca seborrhoica.

PMID- 28635577
TI  - [An intraoral swelling located in the buccal mucosa].
AB  - A 69-year-old woman presented with a bony hard swelling inside her left cheek.
      After clinical and radiographic examination, the diagnosis sialolithiasis of the
      main duct of the parotid gland was made. Surgical removal relieved her
      complaints.

PMID- 28635578
TI  - [Healthcare professionals back in the driving seat].
AB  - This commentary discusses the increasingly observed managerilisation of
      healthcare. Managerilisation frequently results in a framework of rules,
      regulations and accompanying time-consuming forms and procedures to guide
      decision-making. Although likely developed with the best of intentions in mind,
      this framework may be of limited value and tends to leave healthcare
      professionals feeling frustrated and distrusted. In addition, overzealous
      bureaucracy and rigid adherence to protocols may be disadvantageous to patient
      care and outcomes. Instead, we advocate a renewed focus on common sense and in
      particular on a renewed trust in healthcare professionals. Their professional
      judgement is based on many years of education and bedside experience. Hospital
      management should once again seek to embrace their expertise, while healthcare
      professionals should actively seek to regain the reins when it comes to
      delivering healthcare.

PMID- 28635579
TI  - [Fish oil in pregnancy: can it prevent asthma in children?]
AB  - Taking fish oil supplements in the third trimester of pregnancy was associated
      with significantly less wheezing or asthma in the child at the age of 3-5 years,
      according to a randomized clinical trial by Bisgaard et al., NEJM 2017. However,
      the results of this study should be interpreted with caution. The primary end
      points were modified at a late stage in the study, and two primary end points,
      eczema in the first 3 years of life and allergic sensitization at 18 months of
      age, were demoted to secondary end points, and showed no significant effect of
      treatment. Furthermore, the age range for the published primary end point,
      persistent wheeze, differed from that in the protocol. Additional concerns
      include the emphasis on outcomes by omega-3 fatty acid levels in the blood, a
      post hoc subgroup analysis not included in the protocol. In our opinion, this
      study does not justify advising routine fish oil supplements in pregnancy.

PMID- 28635580
TI  - Hide and "sick": Self-concealment, shame and distress in the setting of psycho
      oncology.
AB  - : ABSTRACTObjective:Both trait and contextual self-concealment, as well as shame-
      and guilt-proneness, have previously been found to be associated with
      psychological distress. However, findings regarding the associations between
      these variables among patients with cancer and among the spouses of patients with
      cancer are limited. The aim of the current study was therefore to investigate the
      relationship between shame-proneness and psychological distress (anxiety and
      depression) by examining the mediating role of both trait and contextual self
      concealment among patients with cancer and among the spouses of patients with
      cancer. METHOD: The current study was part of a large-scale cross-sectional study
      on self-concealment among patients with cancer and spouses of patients with
      cancer. It was based on two independent subsamples: patients with cancer and
      spouses of patients with cancer, who were not dyads. A total of 80 patients with
      cancer and 80 spouses of (other) patients with cancer completed questionnaires
      assessing shame- and guilt-proneness, trait and contextual self-concealment,
      anxiety, and depression. RESULTS: Results indicate that spouses reported both
      greater shame-proneness and anxiety than did patients (main effect of role).
      Female participants reported greater shame-proneness, higher levels of contextual
      self-concealment, and greater depression and anxiety than did male participants
      (main effect of gender). No group differences (role/gender) were found for guilt
      proneness and trait self-concealment. Trait and contextual self-concealment
      partially mediated the relationship between shame-proneness and distress,
      pointing out the need to further examine additional mediators. SIGNIFICANCE OF
      RESULTS: Findings suggest that contextual self-concealment and shame-proneness
      are important variables to consider when assessing distress in the setting of
      psycho-oncology. Study results may have significant clinical implications
      regarding the need to identify patients and spouses who are more prone to shame
      and self-concealment behavior in order to better tailor interventions for them.

PMID- 28635581
TI  - First report on the successful hybridization of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus
      (Sauvage, 1878) and Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822).
AB  - Breeding and larval performance of novel hybrids from reciprocal crosses of Asian
      catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) and African catfish Clarias
      gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) were investigated in this study. Spawning was by
      hormonal injection of brood fish, artificial fertilization, and incubation in
      triplicate aquarium tanks (0.5 * 0.5 * 0.5 m3) with continuous aeration.
      Reciprocal crosses (?C. gariepinus * ?P. hypophthalmus and ?P. hypophthalmus *
      ?C. gariepinus) had lower hatchability (<=50%) than their pure siblings (>=75%).
      Fish from all crosses survived until the juvenile stage but survival at 35 days
      post hatching (dph) was higher for pure C. gariepinus sib. ?C. gariepinus * ?P.
      hypophthalmus was observed to be less resistant to degradation of water quality
      than the other crosses, however it had higher body weight compared with the other
      crosses that showed similar performance. Morphological comparison of surviving
      juvenile at 35 dph, showed that all ?P. hypophthalmus * ?C. gariepinus and 13% of
      the ?C. gariepinus * ?P. hypophthalmus exhibited the very same morphology as that
      of their maternal parent species, while the other portion of the ?C. gariepinus *
      ?P. hypophthalmus cross exhibited morphological traits that were intermediate
      between those of both parent species. This study been the first successful
      attempt to hybridize both species and therefore, laid the groundwork for further
      studies on the aquaculture potentials of the novel hybrids.

PMID- 28635582
TI  - Protective effects of ethanol extracts of Artemisia asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. on
      ageing-induced deterioration in mouse oocyte quality.
AB  - Following ovulation, oocytes undergo a time-dependent deterioration in quality
      referred to as post-ovulatory ageing. Although various factors influence the post
      ovulatory ageing of oocytes, oxidative stress is a key factor involved in
      deterioration of oocyte quality. Artemisia asiatica Nakai ex Pamp. has been
      widely used in East Asia as a food ingredient and traditional medicine for the
      treatment of inflammation, cancer, and microbial infections. Recent studies have
      shown that A. asiatica exhibits antioxidative effects. In this study, we
      investigated whether A. asiatica has the potential to attenuate deterioration in
      oocyte quality during post-ovulatory ageing. Freshly ovulated mouse oocytes were
      cultured with 0, 50, 100 or 200 MUg/ml ethanol extracts of A. asiatica Nakai ex
      Pamp. After culture for up to 24 h, various ageing-induced oocyte abnormalities,
      including morphological changes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation,
      apoptosis, chromosome and spindle defects, and mitochondrial aggregation were
      determined. Treatment of oocytes with A. asiatica extracts reduced ageing-induced
      morphological changes. Moreover, A. asiatica extracts decreased ROS generation
      and the onset of apoptosis by preventing elevation of the Bax/Bcl-2 expression
      ratio during post-ovulatory ageing. Furthermore, A. asiatica extracts attenuated
      the ageing-induced abnormalities including spindle defects, chromosome
      misalignment and mitochondrial aggregation. Our results demonstrate that A.
      asiatica can relieve deterioration in oocyte quality and delay the onset of
      apoptosis during post-ovulatory ageing.

PMID- 28635583
TI  - Cigarette smoke is associated with altered expression of antioxidant enzymes in
      granulosa cells from women undergoing in vitro fertilization.
AB  - This study was undertaken to evaluate whether cigarette smoke is associated with
      changes in the expression of antioxidant enzymes in granulosa cells of women
      undergoing IVF treatments. For this aim, the expression of three antioxidant
      enzymes (SOD1, SOD2 and catalase) in non-smokers (n = 20) and smokers (n = 20)
      was analyzed. There was a statistically significant overexpression of SOD2 and
      catalase mRNA levels in smokers in comparison with non-smokers. Cigarette smoking
      was associated with a lower fertilization rate, implantation rate and pregnancy
      rate in comparison with non-smokers. There was no effect on retrieved oocytes
      number, metaphase II oocytes number, quality of embryos transferred and live
      birth rate. These findings suggest that cigarette smoke initiates oxidative
      stress in granulosa cells.

PMID- 28635584
TI  - The Patient Dignity Inventory: Just another evaluation tool? Experiences with
      advanced cancer patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) evaluates sources of distress
      related to the feeling of loss of dignity and was designed for patients at the
      end of life. The aim of the present work was to generate a better understanding
      of the experiences of healthcare staff when using the PDI. METHOD: An exploratory
      qualitative study is presented about the experience of 4 professionals who
      applied the PDI to 124 advanced-cancer patients. Our study consisted of an
      analysis of their experiences, taken from information generated in a focus group.
      A thematic analysis was performed on the information generated at that meeting by
      two researchers working independently. RESULTS: The initial experiences with the
      PDI on the part of the professionals led them to systematically administer the
      questionnaire as part of an interview instead of having patients fill it out
      themselves in written form. What started out as an evaluation very often led to a
      profound conversation on the meaning of life, dignity, and other sensitive, key
      issues related to the process of the illness. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The PDI
      has intrinsic therapeutic value and is useful in clinical practice, and it is
      also a way of examining issues related to dignity and the meaning of life within
      the context of advanced-stage illness. There is a need for studies that examine
      patient experiences through a PDI-based interview.

PMID- 28635585
TI  - The meaning and experience of bereavement support: A qualitative interview study
      of bereaved family caregivers.
AB  - : ABSTRACTObjective:Experiences of bereavement can be stressful and are
      frequently complicated by emotional, familial, and financial issues. Some-though
      not all-caregivers may benefit from bereavement support. While considered
      standard within palliative care services in Australia, bereavement support is not
      widely utilized by family caregivers. There is little research focused on the
      forms of bereavement support desired or required by family caregivers, how such
      care is viewed, and/or how bereavement support is experienced. This study
      examined the experiences of bereaved family caregivers and their impressions of
      and interactions with bereavement support. METHOD: This paper reports on one
      aspect of a broader study designed to explore a range of experiences of patients
      and caregivers to and through palliative care. Focusing on experiences of
      bereavement, it draws on qualitative semistructured interviews with 15 family
      caregivers of palliative care patients within a specialist palliative care unit
      of an Australian metropolitan hospital. The interviews for this stage of the
      study were initiated 3-9 months after an initial interview with a family
      caregiver, during which time the palliative patient had died, and they covered
      family caregivers' experiences of bereavement and bereavement support. Interviews
      were digitally audiotaped and transcribed in full. A thematic analysis was
      conducted utilizing the framework approach wherein interview transcripts were
      reviewed, key themes identified, and explanations developed. RESULTS: The
      research identified four prevalent themes: (1) sociocultural constructions of
      bereavement support as for the incapable or socially isolated; (2) perceptions of
      bereavement support services as narrow in scope; (3) the "personal" character of
      bereavement and subsequent incompatibility with formalized support, and (4)
      issues around the timing and style of approaches to being offered support.
      SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Systematic pre-bereavement planning and careful
      communication about the services offered by palliative care bereavement support
      centers may improve receipt of support among bereaved family caregivers in need.

PMID- 28635587
TI  - ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Ophioviridae.
AB  - The Ophioviridae is a family of filamentous plant viruses, with single-stranded
      negative, and possibly ambisense, RNA genomes of 11.3-12.5 kb divided into 3-4
      segments, each encapsidated separately. Virions are naked filamentous
      nucleocapsids, forming kinked circles of at least two different contour lengths.
      The sole genus, Ophiovirus, includes seven species. Four ophioviruses are soil
      transmitted and their natural hosts include trees, shrubs, vegetables and bulbous
      or corm-forming ornamentals, both monocots and dicots. This is a summary of the
      International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the taxonomy of
      the Ophioviridae, which is available at
      http://www.ictv.global/report/ophioviridae.

PMID- 28635586
TI  - GC-1: A Thyromimetic With Multiple Therapeutic Applications in Liver Disease.
AB  - Thyroid hormones (THs), namely, 3,5,3'-triiodo-l-thyronine (T3) and 3,5,3',5'
      tetraiodo-l-thyronine (thyroxine or T4), influence a variety of physiological
      processes that have important implications in fetal development, metabolism, cell
      growth, and proliferation. While THs elicit several beneficial effects on lipid
      metabolism and improve myocardial contractility, these therapeutically desirable
      effects are associated to a thyrotoxic state that severely limits the possible
      use of THs as therapeutic agents. Therefore, several efforts have been made to
      develop T3 analogs that could retain the beneficial actions (triglyceride,
      cholesterol, obesity, and body mass lowering) without the adverse TH-dependent
      side effects. This goal was achieved by the synthesis of TRbeta-selective
      agonists. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the effects of
      one of the best characterized TH analogs, the TRbeta1-selective thyromimetic, GC
      1. In particular, we review some of the effects of GC-1 on different liver
      disorders, with reference to its possible clinical application. A brief comment
      on the possible therapeutic use of GC-1 in extrahepatic disorders is also
      included.

PMID- 28635588
TI  - Genome sequence variation in the constricta strain dramatically alters the
      protein interaction and localization map of Potato yellow dwarf virus.
AB  - The genome sequence of the constricta strain of Potato yellow dwarf virus (CYDV)
      was determined to be 12 792 nt long and organized into seven ORFs with the gene
      order 3'-N-X-P-Y-M-G-L-5', which encodes the nucleocapsid, phospho, movement,
      matrix, glyco, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase proteins, respectively, except
      for X, which is of unknown function. Cloned ORFs for each gene, except L, were
      used to construct a protein interaction and localization map (PILM) for this
      virus, which shares greater than 80 % amino acid similarity in all ORFs except X
      and P with the sanguinolenta strain of this species (SYDV). Protein localization
      patterns and interactions unique to each viral strain were identified, resulting
      in strain-specific PILMs. Localization of CYDV and SYDV proteins in virus
      infected cells mapped subcellular loci likely to be sites of replication,
      morphogenesis and movement.

PMID- 28635589
TI  - Regulation of Escherichia coli Pathogenesis by Alternative Sigma Factor N.
AB  - sigmaN (also sigma54) is an alternative sigma factor subunit of the RNA
      polymerase complex that regulates the expression of genes from many different
      ontological groups. It is broadly conserved in the Eubacteria with major roles in
      nitrogen metabolism, membrane biogenesis, and motility. sigmaN is encoded as the
      first gene of a five-gene operon including rpoN (sigmaN), ptsN, hpf, rapZ, and
      npr that has been genetically retained among species of Escherichia, Shigella,
      and Salmonella. In an increasing number of bacteria, sigmaN has been implicated
      in the control of genes essential to pathogenic behavior, including those
      involved in adherence, secretion, immune subversion, biofilm formation, toxin
      production, and resistance to both antimicrobials and biological stressors. For
      most pathogens how this is achieved is unknown. In enterohemorrhagic Escherichia
      coli (EHEC) O157, Salmonella enterica, and Borrelia burgdorferi, regulation of
      virulence by sigmaN requires another alternative sigma factor, sigmaS, yet the
      model by which sigmaN-sigmaS virulence regulation is predicted to occur is varied
      in each of these pathogens. In this review, the importance of sigmaN to bacterial
      pathogenesis is introduced, and common features of sigmaN-dependent virulence
      regulation discussed. Emphasis is placed on the molecular mechanisms underlying
      sigmaN virulence regulation in E. coli O157. This includes a review of the
      structure and function of regulatory pathways connecting sigmaN to virulence
      expression, predicted input signals for pathway stimulation, and the role for
      cognate sigmaN activators in initiation of gene systems determining pathogenic
      behavior.

PMID- 28635590
TI  - Imbalance between innate antiviral and pro-inflammatory immune responses may
      contribute to different outcomes involving low- and highly pathogenic avian
      influenza H5N3 infections in chickens.
AB  - In order to gain further insight into the early virus-host interactions
      associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infections in chickens,
      genome-wide expression profiling of chicken lung and brain was carried out at 24
      and 72 h post-inoculation (h p.i.). For this purpose two recombinant H5N3 viruses
      were utilized, each possessing a polybasic HA0 cleavage site but differing in
      pathogenicity. The original rH5N3 P0 virus, which has a low-pathogenic phenotype,
      was passaged six times through chickens to give rise to the derivative rH5N3 P6
      virus, which is highly pathogenic (Diederich S, Berhane Y, Embury-Hyatt C,
      Hisanaga T, Handel K et al.J Virol 2015;89:10724-10734). The gene-expression
      profiles in lung were similar for both viruses, although they varied in
      magnitude. While both viruses produced systemic infections, differences in
      clinical disease progression and viral tissue loads, particularly in brain, where
      loads of rH5N3 P6 were three orders of magnitude higher than rH5N3 P0 at 72
      .p.i., were observed. Although genes associated with gene ontology (GO)
      categories INFalpha and INFbeta biosynthesis, regulation of innate immune
      response, response to exogenous dsRNA, defence response to virus, positive
      regulation of NF-kappaB import into the nucleus and positive regulation of immune
      response were up-regulated in rH5N3 P0 and rH5N3 P6 brains, fold changes were
      higher for rH5N3 P6. The additional up-regulation of genes associated with
      cytokine production, inflammasome and leukocyte activation, and cell-cell
      adhesion detected in rH5N3 P6 versus rH5N3 P0 brains, suggested that the balance
      between antiviral and pro-inflammatory innate immune responses leading to acute
      CNS inflammation might explain the observed differences in pathogenicity.

PMID- 28635591
TI  - CamOptimus: a tool for exploiting complex adaptive evolution to optimize
      experiments and processes in biotechnology.
AB  - Multiple interacting factors affect the performance of engineered biological
      systems in synthetic biology projects. The complexity of these biological systems
      means that experimental design should often be treated as a multiparametric
      optimization problem. However, the available methodologies are either
      impractical, due to a combinatorial explosion in the number of experiments to be
      performed, or are inaccessible to most experimentalists due to the lack of
      publicly available, user-friendly software. Although evolutionary algorithms may
      be employed as alternative approaches to optimize experimental design, the lack
      of simple-to-use software again restricts their use to specialist practitioners.
      In addition, the lack of subsidiary approaches to further investigate critical
      factors and their interactions prevents the full analysis and exploitation of the
      biotechnological system. We have addressed these problems and, here, provide a
      simple-to-use and freely available graphical user interface to empower a broad
      range of experimental biologists to employ complex evolutionary algorithms to
      optimize their experimental designs. Our approach exploits a Genetic Algorithm to
      discover the subspace containing the optimal combination of parameters, and
      Symbolic Regression to construct a model to evaluate the sensitivity of the
      experiment to each parameter under investigation. We demonstrate the utility of
      this method using an example in which the culture conditions for the microbial
      production of a bioactive human protein are optimized. CamOptimus is available
      through: (https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.10257).

PMID- 28635592
TI  - Type-specific L1 virus-like particle-mediated protection of horses from
      experimental bovine papillomavirus 1-induced pseudo-sarcoid formation is long
      lasting.
AB  - Equine sarcoids are common therapy-resistant skin tumours induced by bovine
      papillomavirus type 1 or 2 (BPV1, BPV2) infection. We have previously shown that
      prophylactic vaccination with BPV1 L1 virus-like particles (VLPs) efficiently
      protects horses from experimental BPV1-induced pseudo-sarcoid development. Here,
      we assessed BPV1 L1 VLP vaccine-mediated long-term protection from experimental
      tumour formation in seven horses 5 years after immunization with three different
      doses of BPV1 L1 VLPs, and three unvaccinated control animals. Horses were
      challenged by intradermal inoculation with infectious BPV1 virions at 10 sites on
      the neck (106 virions per injection). In vaccinated horses, BPV1 challenge did
      not result in any apparent lesions irrespective of vaccine dosage and BPV1
      neutralizing antibody titres that had dropped considerably over time and below
      the detection limit in one individual. Control horses developed pseudo-sarcoids
      at all inoculation sites. We conclude that immunization of horses with BPV1 L1
      VLPs induces long-lasting protection against experimental BPV1 virion-induced
      disease.

PMID- 28635593
TI  - The protein Slr1143 is an active diguanylate cyclase in Synechocystis sp. PCC
      6803 and interacts with the photoreceptor Cph2.
AB  - Cyclic-di-GMP is an ubiquitous second messenger in bacteria. Several c-di-GMP
      receptor proteins have been identified to date, and downstream signalling
      pathways are often mediated through protein-protein interactions. The
      photoreceptor Cph2 from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 comprises
      three domains related to c-di-GMP metabolism: two GGDEF and one EAL domain. It
      has been shown that the C-terminal GGDEF domain acts as blue-light triggered c-di
      GMP producer thereby inhibiting motility of the cells in blue light. The specific
      function of the other two c-di-GMP related domains remained unclear. In this
      study, we test knockout mutants of potential interaction partners of Cph2 for
      altered phototactic behaviour. Whereas wild-type cells are non-motile under high
      intensity red light of 640 nm, the mutant Deltaslr1143 displays positive
      phototaxis. This phenotype can be complemented by overexpression of full-length
      Slr1143, which also results in an increased cellular c-di-GMP concentration.
      However, the non-motile phenotype of wild-type cells under high-intensity red
      light appears not to be due to an elevated cellular c-di-GMP content. Using co
      precipitation and yeast two-hybrid assays, we demonstrate that the GGDEF domain
      of Slr1143 interacts with the EAL and the GGDEF domains of Cph2. However, under
      the test conditions, the interaction of the two proteins is not light-dependent.
      We conclude that Slr1143 is a new Cph2-interacting regulatory factor which
      modulates motility under red light and accordingly we propose Cip1 (Cph2
      interacting protein 1) as a new designation for this gene product.

PMID- 28635595
TI  - What is a Global Britain?

PMID- 28635594
TI  - Translation repression via modulation of the cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein
      in the inflammatory response.
AB  - Gene expression is precisely regulated during the inflammatory response to
      control infection and limit the detrimental effects of inflammation. Here, we
      profiled global mRNA translation dynamics in the mouse primary macrophage
      mediated inflammatory response and identified hundreds of differentially
      translated mRNAs. These mRNAs' 3'UTRs have enriched binding motifs for several
      RNA-binding proteins, which implies extensive translational regulatory networks.
      We characterized one such protein, Zfp36, as a translation repressor. Using
      primary macrophages from a Zfp36-V5 epitope tagged knock-in mouse generated by
      CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, we found that the endogenous Zfp36 directly
      interacts with the cytoplasmic poly(A)-binding protein. Importantly, this
      interaction is required for the translational repression of Zfp36's target mRNAs
      in resolving inflammation. Altogether, these results uncovered critical roles of
      translational regulations in controlling appropriate gene expression during the
      inflammatory response and revealed a new biologically relevant molecular
      mechanism of translational repression via modulating the cytoplasmic poly(A)
      binding protein.

PMID- 28635596
TI  - Breast cancer targeted therapy: successes and challenges.

PMID- 28635597
TI  - Kenya's nurses strike takes its toll on health-care system.

PMID- 28635598
TI  - Sickle cell disease: tipping the balance of genomic research to catalyse
      discoveries in Africa.

PMID- 28635600
TI  - Offline: The Donald Trump Promise.

PMID- 28635599
TI  - A global research agenda on migration, mobility, and health.

PMID- 28635601
TI  - Access to abortion in the USA-the legal battle.

PMID- 28635602
TI  - Preparedness for natural disasters in Colombia.

PMID- 28635603
TI  - Exposure to lead in petrol and increased incidence of dementia.

PMID- 28635604
TI  - Exposure to lead in petrol and increased incidence of dementia.

PMID- 28635605
TI  - Exposure to lead in petrol and increased incidence of dementia - Authors' reply.

PMID- 28635606
TI  - Stroke in ICD-11: the end of a long exile.

PMID- 28635607
TI  - CONACYT's freeze on postgraduate fellowships in Mexico.

PMID- 28635608
TI  - The protective role of folic acid against testicular dysfunction in lead
      intoxicated rat model.
AB  - There is an increasing concern over male reproductive toxicity caused by lead
      exposure. Folic acid (FA) is supposed to be a promising therapeutic strategy
      against lead toxicity. Therefore, the aim of this experimental study was to shed
      light on the potential protective role of FA on lead-induced testicular
      dysfunction in rats and its possible underlying mechanistic pathways. Rats (n =
      24) were divided into four groups: Control, FA, Lead, and FA+Lead group. After 4
      weeks, lead intoxication resulted in a marked reduction in the relative
      testicular weight and the serum level of testosterone, an impairment in the
      characters of semen analysis, and an increased content of lead, malondialdehyde
      and both interleukin-6 and -10 and a decreased antioxidant enzyme levels in the
      testicular tissue homogenate. Furthermore, marked degenerative histological
      changes and an increased expression of NF-kappaB were also noticed in the
      testicular tissue of Lead group. Supplementation of FA in association with lead
      considerably alleviated these adverse outcome responses most probably owing to
      its cytoprotective ability as emerged from combating the oxidative stress and
      inflammatory reactions. We concluded that FA could act as a highly effective
      fighting approach against lead-associated testicular toxicity.

PMID- 28635609
TI  - Gastroprotective effect of ghrelin against indomethacin-induced gastric injury in
      rats: possible role of heme oxygenase-1 pathway.
AB  - Ghrelin has been shown to ameliorate gastric injury by several mechanisms in
      experimental animal models. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of
      pretreatment with ghrelin on indomethacin-induced gastric injury in rats and the
      role of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) pathway as a novel mechanism underlying the
      gastroprotective effect of ghrelin. In all groups studied, ulcer score (U.S),
      ulcer index (U.I) and preventive index (P.I) were evaluated and the gastric
      inflammatory biomarkers including levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as well
      as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), HO-1 and bilirubin as an indicator of heme oxygenase activity
      were measured. Indomethacin induced significant elevation in U.S and U.I as well
      as the inflammatory and the oxidative markers and reduced the PGE2 in addition to
      HO-1 level and activity. Pretreatment with ghrelin reversed these results. In
      order to elucidate the possible role of HO-1 in mediating the protective effects
      of ghrelin, tin protoporphyrin (SnPP) HO-1 blocker was administrated; it
      significantly attenuated the gastroprotective effect of ghrelin. In conclusion HO
      1 activity significantly contributes toward ghrelin-mediated gastroprotection.

PMID- 28635610
TI  - Chemical components, antioxidant potential and hepatoprotective effects of
      Artemisia campestris essential oil against deltamethrin-induced genotoxicity and
      oxidative damage in rats.
AB  - In the present study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of Artemisia
      campestris essential oil (ACEO) and the possible protective effects against
      deltamethrin induced hepatic toxic effects. The ACEO showed radical scavenging
      activity with IC50 = 47.66 +/- 2.51 ug/ml, ferric reducing antioxidant power
      (FRAP) potential (EC50 = 5.36 +/- 0.77 ug/ml), superoxide scavenging activity
      (IC50 = 0.175 +/- 0.007 ug/ml) and OH scavenging activity (IC50 = 0.034 +/- 0.007
      ug/ml). The obtained results of phenolic profile demonstrated that phenolic
      compounds are the major contributor to the antioxidant activity of ACEO. GC-MS
      analysis revealed the presence of 61 components in which monoterpene hydrocarbons
      constitute the major fraction (38.85%). In in vivo study, deltamethrin exposure
      caused an increase of serum AST, ALT and ALP activities, hepatic malondialdehyde
      (MDA) (measured as TBARS) and conjugated dienes markers of lipid peroxidation
      (LPO), while antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT and GPx) decreased
      significantly. Furthermore, it induces DNA damage as indicated by DNA
      fragmentation accompanied with severe histological changes in the liver tissues.
      The treatment with vitamin E or ACEO significantly improved the hepatic toxicity
      induced by deltamethrin. It can be concluded that vitamin E and ACEO are able to
      improve the hepatic oxidative damage induced by deltamethrin. Therefore, ACEO is
      an important product in reducing the toxic effects of deltamethrin.

PMID- 28635611
TI  - Modulatory effects of naringin on hepatic key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism
      in high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.
AB  - We evaluated the modulatory effects of naringin on altered hepatic key enzymes of
      carbohydrate metabolism in high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin-induced diabetic
      rats. Oral treatment of naringin at a doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight to
      diabetic rats for 30 days resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of
      plasma glucose, blood glycosylated hemoglobin and increase in the levels of
      plasma insulin and blood hemoglobin. The altered activities of the hepatic key
      enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism such as hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase,
      fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glycogen
      synthase, glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen content of diabetic rats were
      significantly reverted to near normal levels by the treatment of naringin in a
      dose-dependent manner. Naringin at a dose of 80 mg/kg body weight showed the
      highest significant effect than the other two doses (20 and 40 mg/kg). Further,
      immunohistochemical observation of pancreas revealed that naringin-treated
      diabetic rats showed the increased number of insulin immunoreactive beta-cells,
      which confirmed the biochemical findings. These findings revealed that naringin
      has potential antihyperglycemic activity in high-fat diet/low-dose streptozotocin
      induced diabetic rats.

PMID- 28635612
TI  - Consequences of lipopolysaccharide and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid
      administration on aortic function of spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - The aim of the work was to study the delayed effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
      administration on endothelial function of the aorta of rats with genetic
      hypertension. Further, the possibility to ameliorate LPS-induced changes by n-3
      polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) was tested. Rats received a bolus of 1
      mg/kg LPS i.p.; n-3 PUFA were administered in the dose of 30 mg/kg daily for 10
      days p.o.. Ten days after receiving of LPS, the body weight gain of rats was
      statistically lower compared to control rats (p < 0.05). n-3 PUFA administration
      to LPS rats had no effect on this parameter. The TBARS and NAGA concentrations in
      plasma were significantly increased in the LPS group (p < 0.05) and n-3 PUFA
      administration returned them to control values. In functional studies,
      phenylephrine (PE, 1 umol/l) evoked contraction of aortas which was not
      statistically different among experimental groups. However, endothelium-dependent
      relaxation was depressed in the LPS group (p < 0.05) and n-3 PUFA slightly
      recovered it to control values. In conclusion, oxidative stress seems to be
      responsible for aortic endothelial dysfunction detected 10 days after
      administration of LPS to rats. n-3 PUFA slightly improved the function of the
      endothelium injured by LPS, probably thanks to their antioxidant properties.
      Prolonged administration of higher doses of n-3 PUFA should defend the vascular
      endothelium against detrimental effect of bacterial inflammation.

PMID- 28635613
TI  - Association of the S267F variant on NTCP gene and treatment response to pegylated
      interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis B: a multicentre study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) is a cell
      receptor for HBV. The S267F variant on the NTCP gene is inversely associated with
      the chronicity of HBV infection, progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular
      carcinoma in East Asian populations. The aim of this study was to determine
      whether the S267F variant was associated with response to pegylated interferon
      (PEG-IFN) in patients with chronic HBV infection. METHODS: A total of 257
      patients with chronic HBV, treated with PEG-IFN for 48 weeks, were identified
      from 13 tertiary hospitals included in the hepatitis B database of the Thai
      Association for the Study of the Liver (THASL). RESULTS: Of these, 202 patients
      were infected with HBV genotype C (84.9%); 146 patients were hepatitis B e
      antigen (HBeAg)-positive (56.8%). Genotypic frequencies of the S267F polymorphism
      were 85.2%, 14.8% and 0% for the GG, GA and AA genotypes, respectively. S267F GA
      was associated with sustained alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization (OR =
      3.25, 95% CI 1.23, 8.61; P=0.02) in HBeAg-positive patients. Patients with S267F
      variant tended to have more virological response, sustained response with
      hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss at 24 weeks following PEG-IFN treatment.
      There was no association between the S267F variant and improved patient outcomes
      in HBeAg-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: The S267F variant on the NTCP gene is
      independently associated with sustained normalization of ALT following treatment
      with PEG-IFN in patients with HBV infection who are HBeAg-positive. The findings
      of this study provide additional support for the clinical significance of the
      S267F variant of NTCP beyond HBV entry.

PMID- 28635614
TI  - Advanced treatment planning using direct 4D optimisation for pencil-beam scanned
      particle therapy.
AB  - We report on development of a new four-dimensional (4D) optimisation approach for
      scanned proton beams, which incorporates both irregular motion patterns and the
      delivery dynamics of the treatment machine into the plan optimiser. Furthermore,
      we assess the effectiveness of this technique to reduce dose to critical
      structures in proximity to moving targets, while maintaining effective target
      dose homogeneity and coverage. The proposed approach has been tested using both a
      simulated phantom and a clinical liver cancer case, and allows for realistic 4D
      calculations and optimisation using irregular breathing patterns extracted from
      e.g. 4DCT-MRI (4D computed tomography-magnetic resonance imaging). 4D dose
      distributions resulting from our 4D optimisation can achieve almost the same
      quality as static plans, independent of the studied geometry/anatomy or selected
      motion (regular and irregular). Additionally, current implementation of the 4D
      optimisation approach requires less than 3 min to find the solution for a single
      field planned on 4DCT of a liver cancer patient. Although 4D optimisation allows
      for realistic calculations using irregular breathing patterns, it is very
      sensitive to variations from the planned motion. Based on a sensitivity analysis,
      target dose homogeneity comparable to static plans (D5-D95  <5%) has been found
      only for differences in amplitude of up to 1 mm, for changes in respiratory phase
      <200 ms and for changes in the breathing period of  <20 ms in comparison to the
      motions used during optimisation. As such, methods to robustly deliver 4D
      optimised plans employing 4D intensity-modulated delivery are discussed.

PMID- 28635616
TI  - Fermi-to-Bose crossover in a trapped quasi-2D gas of fermionic atoms.
AB  - The physics of many-body systems where particles are restricted to move in two
      spatial dimensions is challenging and even controversial: on one hand, neither
      long-range order nor Bose condensation may appear in infinite uniform 2D systems
      at finite temperature, on the other hand this does not prohibit superfluidity or
      superconductivity. Moreover, 2D superconductors, such as cuprates, are among the
      systems with the highest critical temperatures. Ultracold atoms are a platform
      for studying 2D physics. Unique from other physical systems, quantum statistics
      may be completely changed in an ultracold gas: an atomic Fermi gas may be
      smoothly crossed over into a gas of Bose molecules (or dimers) by tuning
      interatomic interactions. We review recent experiments where such crossover has
      been demonstrated, as well as critical phenomena in the Fermi-to-Bose crossover.
      We also present simple theoretical models describing the gas at different points
      of the crossover and compare the data to these and more advanced models.

PMID- 28635615
TI  - Topography on a subcellular scale modulates cellular adhesions and actin stress
      fiber dynamics in tumor associated fibroblasts.
AB  - Cells can sense and adapt to mechanical properties of their environment. The
      local geometry of the extracellular matrix, such as its topography, has been
      shown to modulate cell morphology, migration, and proliferation. Here we
      investigate the effect of micro/nanotopography on the morphology and cytoskeletal
      dynamics of human pancreatic tumor-associated fibroblast cells (TAFs). We use
      arrays of parallel nanoridges with variable spacings on a subcellular scale to
      investigate the response of TAFs to the topography of their environment. We find
      that cell shape and stress fiber organization both align along the direction of
      the nanoridges. Our analysis reveals a strong bimodal relationship between the
      degree of alignment and the spacing of the nanoridges. Furthermore, focal
      adhesions align along ridges and form preferentially on top of the ridges.
      Tracking actin stress fiber movement reveals enhanced dynamics of stress fibers
      on topographically patterned surfaces. We find that components of the actin
      cytoskeleton move preferentially along the ridges with a significantly higher
      velocity along the ridges than on a flat surface. Our results suggest that a
      complex interplay between the actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions coordinates
      the cellular response to micro/nanotopography.

PMID- 28635617
TI  - The dosimetric impact of gadolinium-based contrast media in GBM brain patient
      plans for a MRI-Linac.
AB  - Dosimetric effects of gadolinium based contrast media (Gadovist) were evaluated
      for the Elekta MRI linear accelerator using the research version of the Monaco
      treatment planning system (TPS). In order to represent a gadolinium uptake, the
      contrast was manually assigned to a phantom as well as to the gross tumour volume
      (GTV) of 6 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. A preliminary estimate of the
      dose enhancement, due to gadolinium, was performed using the phantom irradiated
      with a single beam. A more complicated assessment was performed for the GBM
      patients using a 7 field IMRT technique. The material table in Monaco was
      modified in order to identify the presence of a non-biological material. The dose
      distribution was modelled using GPUMCD (MC algorithm in Monaco) for an unmodified
      (or default) material table (DMT) as well as for a modified (or custom) material
      table (CMT) for both the phantom and patients. Various concentrations ranging
      between 8 and 157 mg ml-1 were used to represent the gadolinium uptake in the
      patient's GTV. It was assumed that the gadolinium concentration remained the same
      for the entire course of radiation treatment. Results showed that at the tissue
      Gadovist interface, inside the phantom, dose scored using the DMT was 7% lower
      compared to that using the CMT for 157 mg ml-1 concentration of gadolinium.
      Dosimetric differences in the case of the patient study were measured using the
      DVH parameters. D 50% was higher by 6% when the DMT was used compared to the CMT
      for dose modelling for a gadolinium concentration of 157 mg ml-1. This difference
      decreased gradually with decreasing concentration of gadolinium. It was concluded
      that dosimetric differences can be quantified in Monaco if the tumour-gadolinium
      concentration is more than 23 mg ml-1. If the gadolinium concentration is lower
      than 23 mg ml-1, then a correction for the presence of gadolinium may not be
      necessary in the TPS.

PMID- 28635618
TI  - Nickel cobaltite nanosheets strongly anchored on boron and nitrogen co-doped
      graphene for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors.
AB  - Strongly coupled boron and nitrogen co-doped graphene (BN-G) hybrids with nickel
      cobaltite (NiCo2O4) nanosheets (NCO/BN-G) were fabricated by a facile soft
      chemical method for asymmetric supercapacitors with high-performance. The strong
      interaction between BN-G and NiCo2O4 nanosheets are explored by various
      techniques. The effect of heteroatom doping on electrochemical properties of the
      hybrids is systematically investigated. The strong synergistic effect between
      NiCo2O4 and BN-G leads to a specific capacitance of 106.5 mA h g-1 at the current
      density of 0.5 A g-1 and capacitance retention of 96.8% after 10 000 cycles at 5
      A g-1, much better than those of the pure NiCo2O4 and its hybrid with N-doped
      graphene. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor device, assembled with NCO/BN-G
      and activated carbon (NCO/BN-G//AC), exhibits a maximum energy density of 45.6 Wh
      kg-1 and an excellent cycling stability. The improved electrochemical performance
      of the NCO/BN-G hybrid is attributed to the good conductivity of BN-G and the
      synergistic effect between NiCo2O4 nanosheets and BN-G combined together through
      a plane-to-plane contact mode.

PMID- 28635619
TI  - On the importance of accurate quantification of individual volatile metabolites
      in exhaled breath.
AB  - It is argued that shortcomings of certain approaches to breath analysis research
      based on superficial interpretation of non-quantitative data are inadvertently
      inhibiting the progression of non-invasive breath analysis into clinical
      practice. The objective of this perspective is to suggest more clinically
      profitable approaches to breath research. Thus, following a discourse on the
      challenges and expectations in breath research, a brief indication is given of
      the analytical techniques currently used for the analysis of very humid exhaled
      breath. The seminal work that has been carried out using GC-MS revealed that
      exhaled breath comprises large numbers of trace volatile organic compounds, VOCs.
      Unfortunately, analysis of these valuable GC-MS data is mostly performed using
      chemometrics to distinguish the VOC content of breath samples collected from
      patients and healthy controls, and reliable quantification of the VOCs is rarely
      deemed necessary. This limited approach ignores the requirements of clinically
      acceptable biomarkers and misses the opportunity to identify relationships
      between the concentrations of individual VOCs and certain related physiological
      or metabolic parameters. Therefore, a plea is made for more effort to be directed
      towards the positive identification and accurate quantification of individual
      VOCs in exhaled breath, which are more physiologically meaningful as best
      exemplified by the quantification of breath nitric oxide, NO. Support for the
      value of individual VOC quantification is illustrated by the SIFT-MS studies of
      breath hydrogen cyanide, HCN, a biomarker of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection,
      breath acetic acid as an indicator of airways acidification in cystic fibrosis
      patients, and n-pentane as a breath biomarker of inflammation in idiopathic bowel
      disease patients. These single VOCs could be used as non-invasive monitors of the
      efficacy of therapeutic intervention. The increase of breath methanol following
      the ingestion of a known amount of the sweetener aspartame impressively shows
      that accurate breath analysis is a reliable indicator of blood concentrations.
      However, using individual VOCs for specific disease diagnosis does have its
      problems and it is, perhaps, more appropriate to see their concentrations as
      proxy markers of general underlying physiological change. We dedicate this
      perspective to Lars Gustafsson for his seminal work on breath research and
      especially for his pioneering work on nitric oxide measurements in exhaled breath
      in asthma, which best shows the utility and value of the quantification of
      individual breath biomarkers on which this perspective focuses.

PMID- 28635620
TI  - Anomalous dielectric response of short hydrogen bonds under pressure: the case of
      (Mn,Fe)2+AlPO4(OH)2H2O.
AB  - An anomalous increase in the real part of dielectric response is observed in
      Mn0.5Fe0.5AlPO4(OH)2H2O while cooling to ~70 K. This is addressed to field
      induced proton dynamics in a short hydrogen bond of 2.480(3) A. The absence of
      discontinuities in heat capacity curves above the Neel temperature (T N  ~  7 K)
      excludes a paraelectric to antiferroelectric phase transition. Upon the
      application of mild hydrostatic pressures below 1.6 GPa, the maximum in the
      dielectric response is shifted from 70 K to lower temperatures near 2 K. This
      explains a narrow correlation between proton transfer and the compression of the
      short hydrogen bond length.

PMID- 28635621
TI  - The charge and spin transport properties in hexagonal silicene nanorings.
AB  - Based on the tight-binding model, charge and spin transport properties of
      hexagonal silicene rings are investigated within the nonequilibrium Green's
      function technique. The effects of external electric, magnetic and exchange
      fields are taken into account. The calculated results reveal that the hexagonal
      silicene nanorings act as a controllable spin filter. The near-perfect spin
      polarization can be achieved by adjusting the electric, magnetic and exchange
      fields. The calculated results offer new possibilities for silicene ring based
      spin nanodevices.

PMID- 28635622
TI  - The Arabidopsis GPR1 Gene Negatively Affects Pollen Germination, Pollen Tube
      Growth, and Gametophyte Senescence.
AB  - Genes essential for gametophyte development and fertilization have been
      identified and studied in detail; however, genes that fine-tune these processes
      are largely unknown. Here, we characterized an unknown Arabidopsis gene, GTP
      BINDING PROTEIN RELATED1 (GPR1). GPR1 is specifically expressed in ovule, pollen,
      and pollen tube. Enhanced green fluorescent protein-tagged GPR1 localizes to both
      nucleus and cytoplasm, and it also presents in punctate and ring-like structures.
      gpr1 mutants exhibit no defect in gametogenesis and seed setting, except that
      their pollen grains are pale in color. Scanning electron microscopy analyses
      revealed a normal patterned but thinner exine on gpr1 pollen surface. This may
      explain why gpr1 pollen grains are pale. We next examined whether GPR1 mutation
      affects post gametogenesis processes including pollen germination, pollen tube
      growth, and ovule senescence. We found that gpr1 pollen grains germinated
      earlier, and their pollen tubes elongated faster. Emasculation assay revealed
      that unfertilized gpr1 pistil expressed the senescence marker PBFN1:GUS (GUS: a
      reporter gene that encodes beta-glucuronidase) one-day earlier than the wild type
      pistil. Consistently, ovules and pollen grains of gpr1 mutants showed lower
      viability than those of the wild type at 4 to 5 days post anthesis. Together,
      these data suggest that GPR1 functions as a negative regulator of pollen
      germination, pollen tube growth, and gametophyte senescence to fine-tune the
      fertilization process.

PMID- 28635623
TI  - Compressed-Sensing Reconstruction Based on Block Sparse Bayesian Learning in
      Bearing-Condition Monitoring.
AB  - Remote monitoring of bearing conditions, using wireless sensor network (WSN), is
      a developing trend in the industrial field. In complicated industrial
      environments, WSN face three main constraints: low energy, less memory, and low
      operational capability. Conventional data-compression methods, which concentrate
      on data compression only, cannot overcome these limitations. Aiming at these
      problems, this paper proposed a compressed data acquisition and reconstruction
      scheme based on Compressed Sensing (CS) which is a novel signal-processing
      technique and applied it for bearing conditions monitoring via WSN. The
      compressed data acquisition is realized by projection transformation and can
      greatly reduce the data volume, which needs the nodes to process and transmit.
      The reconstruction of original signals is achieved in the host computer by
      complicated algorithms. The bearing vibration signals not only exhibit the
      sparsity property, but also have specific structures. This paper introduced the
      block sparse Bayesian learning (BSBL) algorithm which works by utilizing the
      block property and inherent structures of signals to reconstruct CS sparsity
      coefficients of transform domains and further recover the original signals. By
      using the BSBL, CS reconstruction can be improved remarkably. Experiments and
      analyses showed that BSBL method has good performance and is suitable for
      practical bearing-condition monitoring.

PMID- 28635624
TI  - Effects of Type 1 Diabetes Risk Alleles on Immune Cell Gene Expression.
AB  - Genetic studies have identified 61 variants associated with the risk of
      developing Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). The functions of most of the non-HLA (Human
      Leukocyte Antigen) genetic variants remain unknown. We found that only 16 of
      these risk variants could potentially be linked to a protein-coding change.
      Therefore, we investigated whether these variants affected susceptibility by
      regulating changes in gene expression. To do so, we examined whole transcriptome
      profiles of 600 samples from the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC).
      These comprised four different immune cell types (Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
      transformed B cells, either basal or after stimulation; and cluster of
      differentiation (CD)4+ and CD8+ T cells). Many of the T1D-associated risk
      variants regulated expression of either neighboring (cis-) or distant (trans-)
      genes. In brief, 24 of the non-HLA T1D variants affected the expression of 31
      nearby genes (cis) while 25 affected 38 distant genes (trans). The effects were
      highly significant (False Discovery Rate p < 0.001). In addition, we searched in
      public databases for expression effects of T1D single nucleotide polymorphisms
      (SNPs) in other immune cell types such as CD14+ monocytes, lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS) stimulated monocytes, and CD19+ B cells. In this paper, we review the
      (expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) associated with each of the 60 T1D
      variants and provide a summary of the genes impacted by T1D risk alleles in
      various immune cells. We then review the methodological steps involved in
      analyzing the function of genome wide association studies (GWAS)-identified
      variants, with emphasis on those affecting gene expression. We also discuss
      recent advancements in the methodologies and their advantages. We conclude by
      suggesting future study designs that will aid in the study of T1D risk variants.

PMID- 28635625
TI  - Soil Moisture Content Estimation Based on Sentinel-1 and Auxiliary Earth
      Observation Products. A Hydrological Approach.
AB  - A methodology for elaborating multi-temporal Sentinel-1 and Landsat 8 satellite
      images for estimating topsoil Soil Moisture Content (SMC) to support hydrological
      simulation studies is proposed. After pre-processing the remote sensing data,
      backscattering coefficient, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI),
      thermal infrared temperature and incidence angle parameters are assessed for
      their potential to infer ground measurements of SMC, collected at the top 5 cm. A
      non-linear approach using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) is tested. The
      methodology is applied in Western Crete, Greece, where a SMC gauge network was
      deployed during 2015. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated
      using leave-one-out cross validation and sensitivity analysis. ANNs prove to be
      the most efficient in SMC estimation yielding R2 values between 0.7 and 0.9. The
      proposed methodology is used to support a hydrological simulation with the HEC
      HMS model, applied at the Keramianos basin which is ungauged for SMC. Results and
      model sensitivity highlight the contribution of combining Sentinel-1 SAR and
      Landsat 8 images for improving SMC estimates and supporting hydrological studies.

PMID- 28635627
TI  - Molecular Quantum Similarity, Chemical Reactivity and Database Screening of 3D
      Pharmacophores of the Protein Kinases A, B and G from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
AB  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains one of the world's most devastating pathogens.
      For this reason, we developed a study involving 3D pharmacophore searching,
      selectivity analysis and database screening for a series of anti-tuberculosis
      compounds, associated with the protein kinases A, B, and G. This theoretical
      study is expected to shed some light onto some molecular aspects that could
      contribute to the knowledge of the molecular mechanics behind interactions of
      these compounds, with anti-tuberculosis activity. Using the Molecular Quantum
      Similarity field and reactivity descriptors supported in the Density Functional
      Theory, it was possible to measure the quantification of the steric and
      electrostatic effects through the Overlap and Coulomb quantitative convergence
      (alpha and beta) scales. In addition, an analysis of reactivity indices using
      global and local descriptors was developed, identifying the binding sites and
      selectivity on these anti-tuberculosis compounds in the active sites. Finally,
      the reported pharmacophores to PKn A, B and G, were used to carry out database
      screening, using a database with anti-tuberculosis drugs from the Kelly Chibale
      research group (http://www.kellychibaleresearch.uct.ac.za/), to find the
      compounds with affinity for the specific protein targets associated with PKn A, B
      and G. In this regard, this hybrid methodology (Molecular Mechanic/Quantum
      Chemistry) shows new insights into drug design that may be useful in the
      tuberculosis treatment today.

PMID- 28635626
TI  - Adiponectin, a Therapeutic Target for Obesity, Diabetes, and Endothelial
      Dysfunction.
AB  - Adiponectin is the most abundant peptide secreted by adipocytes, whose reduction
      plays a central role in obesity-related diseases, including insulin
      resistance/type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In addition to adipocytes,
      other cell types, such as skeletal and cardiac myocytes and endothelial cells,
      can also produce this adipocytokine. Adiponectin effects are mediated by
      adiponectin receptors, which occur as two isoforms (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2).
      Adiponectin has direct actions in liver, skeletal muscle, and the
      vasculature.Adiponectin exists in the circulation as varying molecular weight
      forms, produced by multimerization. Several endoplasmic reticulum ER-associated
      proteins, including ER oxidoreductase 1-alpha (Ero1-alpha), ER resident protein
      44 (ERp44), disulfide-bond A oxidoreductase-like protein (DsbA-L), and glucose
      regulated protein 94 (GPR94), have recently been found to be involved in the
      assembly and secretion of higher-order adiponectin complexes. Recent data
      indicate that the high-molecular weight (HMW) complexes have the predominant
      action in metabolic tissues. Studies have shown that adiponectin administration
      in humans and rodents has insulin-sensitizing, anti-atherogenic, and anti
      inflammatory effects, and, in certain settings, also decreases body weight.
      Therefore, adiponectin replacement therapy in humans may suggest potential
      versatile therapeutic targets in the treatment of obesity, insulin
      resistance/type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis. The current knowledge on
      regulation and function of adiponectin in obesity, insulin resistance, and
      cardiovascular disease is summarized in this review.

PMID- 28635629
TI  - Light Emitting Marker for Robust Vision-Based On-The-Spot Bacterial Growth
      Detection.
AB  - Simple methods using the striped pattern paper marker and FFT (fast Fourier
      transformation) have been proposed as alternatives to measuring the optical
      density for determining the level of bacterial growth. The marker-based method
      can be easily automated, but due to image-processing-base of the method, the
      presence of light or the color of the culture broth can disturb the detection
      process. This paper proposes a modified version of marker-FFT-based growth
      detection that uses a light emitting diode (LED) array as a marker. Since the
      marker itself can emit the light, the measurements can be performed even when
      there is no light source or the bacteria are cultured in a large volume of darkly
      colored broth. In addition, an LED marker can function as a region of interest
      (ROI) indicator in the image. We expect that the proposed LED-based marker system
      will allow more robust growth detection compared to conventional methods.

PMID- 28635628
TI  - Identification and Validation of Reference Genes for Seashore Paspalum Response
      to Abiotic Stresses.
AB  - Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) is among the most salt- and cadmium
      tolerant warm-season perennial grass species widely used as turf or forage. The
      objective of this study was to select stable reference genes for quantitative
      real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of seashore paspalum in
      response to four abiotic stresses. The stability of 12 potential reference genes
      was evaluated by four programs (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder).
      U2AF combined with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) showed stable
      expression in Cd-treated leaves and cold-treated roots. U2AF and FBOX were the
      most stable reference genes in Cd-treated roots and cold-treated leaves. In
      Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)- or salt-treated roots, the reference gene U2AF paired
      with either ACT or CYP were stable. SAND and CACS exhibited the most stability in
      salt-treated leaves, and combining UPL, PP2A, and EF1a was most suitable for PEG
      treated leaves. The stability of U2AF and instability of UPL and TUB was
      validated by analyzing the expression levels of four target genes (MT2a, VP1,
      PIP1, and Cor413), and were shown to be capable of detecting subtle changes in
      expression levels of the target genes in seashore paspalum. This study
      demonstrated that FBOX, U2AF, and PP2A could be used in future molecular studies
      that aim to understand the mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in seashore
      paspalum.

PMID- 28635630
TI  - Development of a High-Density SNP-Based Linkage Map and Detection of QTL for beta
      Glucans, Protein Content, Grain Yield per Spike and Heading Time in Durum Wheat.
AB  - High-density genetic linkage maps of crop species are particularly useful in
      detecting qualitative and quantitative trait loci for important agronomic traits
      and in improving the power of classical approaches to identify candidate genes.
      The aim of this study was to develop a high-density genetic linkage map in a
      durum wheat recombinant inbred lines population (RIL) derived from two elite
      wheat cultivars and to identify, characterize and correlate Quantitative Trait
      Loci (QTL) for beta-glucan, protein content, grain yield per spike and heading
      time. A dense map constructed by genotyping the RIL population with the wheat 90K
      iSelect array included 5444 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers
      distributed in 36 linkage groups. Data for beta-glucan and protein content, grain
      yield per spike and heading time were obtained from replicated trials conducted
      at two locations in southern Italy. A total of 19 QTL were detected in different
      chromosome regions. In particular, three QTL for beta-glucan content were
      detected on chromosomes 2A and 2B (two loci); eight QTL controlling grain protein
      content were detected on chromosomes 1B, 2B, 3B (two loci), 4A, 5A, 7A and 7B;
      seven QTL for grain yield per spike were identified on chromosomes 1A, 2B, 3A
      (two loci), 3B (two loci) and 6B; and one marker-trait association was detected
      on chromosome 2A for heading time. The last was co-located with a beta-glucan
      QTL, and the two QTL appeared to be negatively correlated. A genome scan for
      genomic regions controlling the traits and SNP annotated sequences identified
      five putative candidate genes involved in different biosynthesis pathways (beta
      glucosidase, GLU1a; APETALA2, TaAP2; gigantea3, TaGI3; 14-3-3 protein, Ta14A; and
      photoperiod sensitivity, Ppd-A1). This study provides additional information on
      QTL for important agronomic traits that could be useful for marker-assisted
      breeding to obtain new genotypes with commercial and nutritional relevance.

PMID- 28635631
TI  - Ag Nanoparticles Drop-Casting Modification of Screen-Printed Electrodes for the
      Simultaneous Voltammetric Determination of Cu(II) and Pb(II).
AB  - A new silver nanoparticle modified screen-printed electrode was developed and
      applied to the simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Cu(II). Two different
      types of silver nanoparticles with different shapes and sizes, Ag nanoseeds and
      Ag nanoprisms, were microscopically characterized and three different carbon
      substrates, graphite, graphene and carbon nanofibers, were tested. The best
      analytical performance was achieved for the combination of Ag nanoseeds with a
      carbon nanofiber modified screen-printed electrode. The resulting sensor allowed
      the simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Cu(II) at trace levels and its
      applicability to natural samples was successfully tested with a groundwater
      certified reference material, presenting high reproducibility and trueness.

PMID- 28635632
TI  - Glucose and Lipid Dysmetabolism in a Rat Model of Prediabetes Induced by a High
      Sucrose Diet.
AB  - Glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity are key features of type 2 diabetes mellitus, but
      their molecular nature during the early stages of the disease remains to be
      elucidated. We aimed to characterize glucose and lipid metabolism in insulin
      target organs (liver, skeletal muscle, and white adipose tissue) in a rat model
      treated with a high-sucrose (HSu) diet. Two groups of 16-week-old male Wistar
      rats underwent a 9-week protocol: HSu diet (n = 10)-received 35% of sucrose in
      drinking water; Control (n = 12)-received vehicle (water). Body weight, food, and
      beverage consumption were monitored and glucose, insulin, and lipid profiles were
      measured. Serum and liver triglyceride concentrations, as well as the expression
      of genes and proteins involved in lipid biosynthesis were assessed. The insulin
      stimulated glucose uptake and isoproterenol-stimulated lipolysis were also
      measured in freshly isolated adipocytes. Even in the absence of obesity, this rat
      model already presented the main features of prediabetes, with fasting
      normoglycemia but reduced glucose tolerance, postprandial hyperglycemia,
      compensatory hyperinsulinemia, as well as decreased insulin sensitivity
      (resistance) and hypertriglyceridemia. In addition, impaired hepatic function,
      including altered gluconeogenic and lipogenic pathways, as well as increased
      expression of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase 1 and fatty acid synthase in the
      liver, were observed, suggesting that liver glucose and lipid dysmetabolism may
      play a major role at this stage of the disease.

PMID- 28635633
TI  - New Insights in Thyroid Cancer and p53 Family Proteins.
AB  - Thyroid cancers are common endocrine malignancies that comprise tumors with
      different clinical and histological features. Indeed, papillary and follicular
      thyroid cancers are slow-growing, well-differentiated tumors, whereas anaplastic
      thyroid cancers are undifferentiated neoplasias that behave much more
      aggressively. Well-differentiated thyroid carcinomas are efficiently cured by
      surgery and radioiodine, unlike undifferentiated tumors that fail to uptake
      radioactive iodine and are usually resistant to chemotherapy. Therefore, novel
      and more effective therapies for these aggressive neoplasias are urgently needed.
      Whereas most genetic events underlying the pathogenesis of well-differentiated
      thyroid cancers have been identified, the molecular mechanisms that generate
      undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas are still unclear. To date, one of the best
      characterized genetic alterations leading to the development of poorly
      differentiated thyroid tumors is the loss of the p53 tumor suppressor gene. In
      addition, the existence of a complex network among p53 family members (p63 and
      p73) and their interactions with other factors that promote thyroid cancer
      progression has been well documented. In this review, we provide an update on the
      current knowledge of the role of p53 family proteins in thyroid cancer and their
      possible use as a therapeutic target for the treatment of the most aggressive
      variants of this disease.

PMID- 28635635
TI  - Identifying Bird Remains Using Ancient DNA Barcoding.
AB  - Bird remains that are difficult to identify taxonomically using morphological
      methods, are common in the palaeontological record. Other types of challenging
      avian material include artefacts and food items from endangered taxa, as well as
      remains from aircraft strikes. We here present a DNA-based method that enables
      taxonomic identification of bird remains, even from material where the DNA is
      heavily degraded. The method is based on the amplification and sequencing of two
      short variable parts of the 16S region in the mitochondrial genome. To
      demonstrate the applicability of this approach, we evaluated the method on a set
      of Holocene and Late Pleistocene postcranial bird bones from several
      palaeontological and archaeological sites in Europe with good success.

PMID- 28635636
TI  - Cell Selection Technique for Millimeter-Wave Cellular Systems with Hybrid
      Beamforming.
AB  - In this paper, a cell selection technique for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) cellular
      systems with hybrid beamforming is proposed. To select a serving cell, taking
      into account hybrid beamforming structures in a mm-wave cellular system, the
      angles of arrival and departure for all candidate cells need to be estimated in
      the initialization stage, requiring a long processing time. To enable
      simultaneous multi-beam transmissions in a multi-cell environment, a cell and
      beam synchronization signal (CBSS) is proposed to carry beam IDs in conjunction
      with cell IDs. A serving cell maximizing the channel capacity of the hybrid
      beamformer is selected with the estimated channel information and the optimum
      precoder. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated by a computer
      simulation with a spatial channel model in a simple model of a mm-wave cellular
      system. It is shown by simulation that the proposed technique with the CBSS can
      significantly reduce the processing time for channel estimation and cell
      selection, and can achieve additional gains in channel capacity, or in bit error
      rate, compared to that obtained by conventional techniques.

PMID- 28635634
TI  - Despite Inflammation, Supplemented Essential Amino Acids May Improve Circulating
      Levels of Albumin and Haemoglobin in Patients after Hip Fractures.
AB  - Essential amino acids (EAAs) are nutritional substrates that promote body protein
      synthesis; thus we hypothesised that their supplementation may improve
      circulating albumin (Alb) and haemoglobin (Hb) in rehabilitative elderly patients
      following hip fractures (HF). Out of the 145 HF patients originally enrolled in
      our study, 112 completed the protocol. These subjects were divided into two
      randomised groups, each containing 56 patients. For a period of two months, one
      group (age 81.4 +/- 8.1 years; male/female 27/29) received a placebo, and the
      other (age 83.1 +/- 7.5 years; male/female 25/31) received 4 + 4 g/day oral EAAs.
      At admission, the prevalence of both hypoAlb (<3.5 g/dL) and hypoHb (<13 g/dL
      male, <12 g/dL female) was similar in the placebo group (64.3% hypoAlb, 66%
      hypoHb) and the treated group of patients (73.2% hypoAlb, 67.8% hypoHb). At
      discharge, however, the prevalence of hypoAlb had reduced more in EAAs than in
      placebo subjects (31.7% in EAAs vs. 77.8% in placebo; p < 0.001). There was a
      34.2% reduction of anaemia in hypoHb in EAA subjects and 18.9% in placebo
      subjects, but the difference was not statistically significant. Oral
      supplementation of EAAs improves hypoAlb and, to a lesser extent, Hb in elderly
      rehabilitative subjects with hip fractures. Anaemia was reduced in more than one
      third of patients, which, despite not being statistically significant, may be
      clinically relevant.

PMID- 28635637
TI  - A Short-Term Biological Indicator for Long-Term Kidney Damage after Radionuclide
      Therapy in Mice.
AB  - Folate receptor (FR)-targeted radionuclide therapy using folate radioconjugates
      is of interest due to the expression of the FR in a variety of tumor types. The
      high renal accumulation of radiofolates presents, however, a risk of
      radionephropathy. A potential option to address this challenge would be to use
      radioprotectants, such as amifostine. Methods for early detection of kidney
      damage that-in this case-cannot be predicted based on dose estimations, would
      facilitate the development of novel therapies. The aim of this study was,
      therefore, to assess potentially changing levels of plasma and urine biomarkers
      and to determine DNA damage at an early stage after radiofolate application. The
      identification of an early indicator for renal damage in mice would be useful
      since histological changes become apparent only several months after treatment.
      Mice were injected with different quantities of 177Lu-folate (10 MBq, 20 MBq and
      30 MBq), resulting in mean absorbed kidney doses of ~23 Gy, ~46 Gy and ~69 Gy,
      respectively, followed by euthanasia two weeks (>85% of the mean renal radiation
      dose absorbed) or three months later. Whereas all investigated biomarkers
      remained unchanged, the number of gamma-H2AX-positive nuclei in the renal cortex
      showed an evident dose-dependent increase as compared to control values two weeks
      after treatment. Comparison with the extent of kidney injury determined by
      histological changes five to eight months after administration of the same 177Lu
      folate activities suggested that the quantitative assessment of double-strand
      breaks can be used as a biological indicator for long-term radiation effects in
      the kidneys. This method may, thus, enable faster assessment of
      radiopharmaceuticals and protective measures by preventing logistically
      challenging long-term investigations to detect kidney damage.

PMID- 28635638
TI  - Antibiotic Concentrations Decrease during Wastewater Treatment but Persist at Low
      Levels in Reclaimed Water.
AB  - Reclaimed water has emerged as a potential irrigation solution to freshwater
      shortages. However, limited data exist on the persistence of antibiotics in
      reclaimed water used for irrigation. Therefore, we examined the fate of nine
      commonly-used antibiotics (ampicillin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, linezolid,
      oxacillin, oxolinic acid, penicillin G, pipemidic acid, and tetracycline) in
      differentially treated wastewater and reclaimed water from two U.S. regions. We
      collected 72 samples from two Mid-Atlantic and two Midwest treatment plants, as
      well as one Mid-Atlantic spray irrigation site. Antibiotic concentrations were
      measured using liquid-chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry. Data were
      analyzed using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests and Kruskal Wallis tests. Overall,
      antibiotic concentrations in effluent samples were lower than that of influent
      samples. Mid-Atlantic plants had similar influent but lower effluent antibiotic
      concentrations compared to Midwest plants. Azithromycin was detected at the
      highest concentrations (of all antibiotics) in influent and effluent samples from
      both regions. For most antibiotics, transport from the treatment plant to the
      irrigation site resulted in no changes in antibiotic concentrations, and UV
      treatment at the irrigation site had no effect on antibiotic concentrations in
      reclaimed water. Our findings show that low-level antibiotic concentrations
      persist in reclaimed water used for irrigation; however, the public health
      implications are unclear at this time.

PMID- 28635640
TI  - Analysis of Maneuvering Targets with Complex Motions by Two-Dimensional Product
      Modified Lv's Distribution for Quadratic Frequency Modulation Signals.
AB  - For targets with complex motion, such as ships fluctuating with oceanic waves and
      high maneuvering airplanes, azimuth echo signals can be modeled as multicomponent
      quadratic frequency modulation (QFM) signals after migration compensation and
      phase adjustment. For the QFM signal model, the chirp rate (CR) and the quadratic
      chirp rate (QCR) are two important physical quantities, which need to be
      estimated. For multicomponent QFM signals, the cross terms create a challenge for
      detection, which needs to be addressed. In this paper, by employing a novel multi
      scale parametric symmetric self-correlation function (PSSF) and modified scaled
      Fourier transform (mSFT), an effective parameter estimation algorithm is proposed
      referred to as the Two-Dimensional product modified Lv's distribution (2D-PMLVD)
      for QFM signals. The 2D-PMLVD is simple and can be easily implemented by using
      fast Fourier transform (FFT) and complex multiplication. These measures are
      analyzed in the paper, including the principle, the cross term, anti-noise
      performance, and computational complexity. Compared to the other three
      representative methods, the 2D-PMLVD can achieve better anti-noise performance.
      The 2D-PMLVD, which is free of searching and has no identifiability problems, is
      more suitable for multicomponent situations. Through several simulations and
      analyses, the effectiveness of the proposed estimation algorithm is verified.

PMID- 28635639
TI  - Immune Checkpoints as a Target for Colorectal Cancer Treatment.
AB  - Anti-tumor immunity is a new line of research for the treatment of patients with
      solid tumors. In this field, negative regulators of the immune system called
      immune checkpoints play a key role in limiting antitumor immunologic responses.
      For this reason, immune checkpoint-inhibiting agents, such as those directed
      against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 receptor
      (PD1) and its ligand PD-L1, have been developed as antitumor drugs, producing
      interesting results in preclinical and clinical studies. We present an updated
      review of the biological background and clinical development of immune checkpoint
      inhibitors in colorectal cancer (CRC). Early trial results on PD1 and PD-L1
      blockade appear promising, especially in CRC patients with microsatellite
      instability (MSI). Clinical trials are ongoing to confirm these preliminary
      results, evaluate combination strategies and identify biomarkers to predict which
      patients are most likely to benefit from, or show resistance to, the effects of
      checkpoint inhibition.

PMID- 28635641
TI  - The Fate of Pollutants in Porous Asphalt Pavements, Laboratory Experiments to
      Investigate Their Potential to Impact Environmental Health.
AB  - Pervious Paving Systems (PPS) are part of a sustainable approach to drainage in
      which excess surface water is encouraged to infiltrate through their structure,
      during which potentially toxic elements, such as metals and hydrocarbons are
      treated by biodegradation and physical entrapment and storage. However, it is not
      known where in the PPS structure these contaminants accumulate, which has
      implications for environmental health, particularly during maintenance, as well
      as consequences for the recycling of material from the PPS at the end-of-life. A
      1 m3 porous asphalt (PA) PPS test rig was monitored for 38 months after monthly
      additions of road sediment (RS) (367.5 g in total) and unused oil (430 mL in
      total), characteristic of urban loadings, were applied. Using a rainfall
      simulator, a typical UK rainfall rate of 15 mm/h was used to investigate its
      efficiency in dealing with contamination. Water quality of the effluent
      discharged from the rig was found to be suitable for discharge to most
      environments. On completion of the monitoring, a core was taken down through its
      surface, and samples of sediment and aggregate were taken. Analysis showed that
      most of the sediment remained in the surface course, with metal levels lower than
      the original RS, but higher than clean, unused aggregate or PA. However, even
      extrapolating these concentrations to 20 years' worth of in-service use (the
      projected life of PPS) did not suggest their accumulation would present an
      environmental pollution risk when carrying out maintenance of the pavement and
      also indicates that the material could be recycled at end-of-life.

PMID- 28635642
TI  - Lack of Association between Serum Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D Levels
      with Different Types of Glaucoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - Although vitamins play a major role in health, and their deficiency may be linked
      to symptoms of optic-nerve dysfunction, the association between serum vitamin
      levels and glaucoma in humans remains controversial. In this study, articles in
      the PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were searched up to 25March
      2017. Nine studies on primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), four studies on normal
      tension glaucoma (NTG), and six studies on exfoliative glaucoma (EXG) were
      retrieved. The combined results showed no differences in the levels of serum
      vitamin B6 between POAG (p = 0.406) and EXG (p = 0.139) patients and controls.
      The weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were
      2.792 ng/mL (-3.793 to 9.377) and 1.342 ng/mL (-3.120 to 0.436), respectively.
      There was no difference between POAG (p = 0.952), NTG (p = 0.757), or EXG (p =
      0.064) patients and controls in terms of serum vitamin B12. The WMDs with 95% CIs
      were 0.933 pg/mL (-31.116 to 29.249), 6.652 pg/mL (-35.473 to 48.777), and 49.946
      pg/mL (-102.892 to 3.001), respectively. The serum vitamin D levels exhibited no
      differences (p = 0.064) between POAG patients and controls; the WMD with 95% CI
      was 2.488 ng/mL (-5.120 to 0.145). In conclusion, there was no association found
      between serum vitamin B6, vitamin B12, or vitamin D levels and the different
      types of glaucoma.

PMID- 28635643
TI  - A Multi-Wavelength Opto-Electronic Patch Sensor to Effectively Detect
      Physiological Changes against Human Skin Types.
AB  - Different skin pigments among various ethnic group people have an impact on
      spectrometric illumination on skin surface. To effectively capture
      photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals, a multi-wavelength opto-electronic patch
      sensor (OEPS) together with a schematic architecture of electronics were
      developed to overcome the drawback of present PPG sensor. To perform a better in
      vivo physiological measurement against skin pigments, optimal illuminations in
      OEPS, whose wavelength is compatible with a specific skin type, were optimized to
      capture a reliable physiological sign of heart rate (HR). A protocol was designed
      to investigate an impact of five skin types in compliance with Von Luschan's
      chromatic scale. Thirty-three healthy male subjects between the ages of 18 and 41
      were involved in the protocol implemented by means of the OEPS system. The
      results show that there is no significant difference (p: 0.09, F = 3.0) in five
      group tests with the skin types across various activities throughout a series of
      consistent measurements. The outcome of the present study demonstrates that the
      OEPS, with its multi-wavelength illumination characteristics, could open a path
      in multiple applications of different ethnic groups with cost-effective health
      monitoring.

PMID- 28635644
TI  - PD-1/PD-L1 Blockade Therapy for Tumors with Downregulated MHC Class I Expression.
AB  - The therapy of different advanced-stage malignancies with monoclonal antibodies
      blocking programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) signaling
      has had an impressive long-lasting effect in a portion of patients, but in most
      cases, this therapy was not successful, or a secondary resistance developed. To
      enhance its efficacy in treated patients, predictive biomarkers are searched for
      and various combination treatments are intensively investigated. As the
      downregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules is one
      of the most frequent mechanisms of tumor escape from the host's immunity, it
      should be considered in PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibition. The potential for the
      use of a PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in the treatment of tumors with aberrant MHC class I
      expression is discussed, and some strategies of combination therapy are
      suggested.

PMID- 28635645
TI  - Cembrene Diterpenoids with Ether Linkages from Sarcophyton ehrenbergi: An Anti
      Proliferation and Molecular-Docking Assessment.
AB  - Three new cembrene diterpenoids, sarcoehrenbergilid A-C (1-3), along with four
      known diterpenoids, sarcophine (4), (+)-7alpha,8beta-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine
      (5), sinulolide A (6), and sinulolide B (7), and one steroid, sardisterol (8),
      were isolated and characterized from a solvent extract of the Red Sea soft coral
      Sarcophyton ehrenbergi. Chemical structures were elucidated by NMR and MS
      analyses with absolute stereochemistry determined by X-ray analysis. Since these
      isolated cembrene diterpenes contained 10 or more carbons in a large flexible
      ring, conformer stabilities were examined based on density functional theory
      calculations. Anti-proliferative activities for 1-8 were evaluated against three
      human tumor cell lines of different origins including the: lung (A549), colon
      (Caco-2), and liver (HepG2). Sardisterol (8) was the most potent of the
      metabolites isolated with an IC50 of 27.3 uM against the A549 cell line. Since an
      elevated human-cancer occurrence is associated with an aberrant receptor function
      for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), molecular docking studies were
      used to examine preferential metabolite interactions/binding and probe the mode
      of-action for metabolite-anti tumor activity.

PMID- 28635646
TI  - Synthesis and Bioactivity Characterization of Scutellarein Sulfonated Derivative.
AB  - Scutellarin (1) has been widely used to treat acute cerebral infarction in
      clinic, but poor aqueous solubility decreases its bioavailability. Interestingly,
      scutellarin (1) could be metabolized into scutellarein (2) in vivo. In this
      study, a sulfonic group was introduced at position C-8 of scutellarein (2) to
      enhance the aqueous solubility of the obtained derivative (3). DPPH (1,1-diphenyl
      2-picrylhydrazyl)-radical scavenging ability and antithrombic activity were also
      conducted to determine its bioactivity. The result showed that scutellarein
      derivate (3) could be a better agent for ischemic cerebrovascular disease
      treatment.

PMID- 28635647
TI  - Virulence Genes of S. aureus from Dairy Cow Mastitis and Contagiousness Risk.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a major agent of dairy cow intramammary
      infections: the different prevalences of mastitis reported might be related to a
      combination of S. aureus virulence factors beyond host factors. The present study
      considered 169 isolates from different Italian dairy herds that were classified
      into four groups based on the prevalence of S. aureus infection at the first
      testing: low prevalence (LP), medium-low (MLP), medium-high (MHP) and high (HP).
      We aimed to correlate the presence of virulence genes with the prevalence of
      intramammary infections in order to develop new strategies for the control of S.
      aureus mastitis. Microarray data were statistically evaluated using binary
      logistic regression and correspondence analysis to screen the risk factors and
      the relationship between prevalence group and gene. The analysis showed: (1) 24
      genes at significant risk of being detected in all the herds with infection
      prevalence >5%, including genes belonging to microbial surface components
      recognizing adhesive matrix molecules (MSCRAMMs), immune evasion and serine
      proteases; and (2) a significant correlation coefficient between the genes
      interacting with the host immune response and HP isolates against LP ones. These
      results support the hypothesis that virulence factors, in addition to cow
      management, could be related to strain contagiousness, offering new insights into
      vaccine development.

PMID- 28635649
TI  - The Sea Urchin Arbacia lixula: A Novel Natural Source of Astaxanthin.
AB  - Several echinoderms, including sea urchins, are valuable sources of bioactive
      compounds but their nutraceutical potential is largely unexplored. In fact, the
      gonads of some sea urchin species contain antioxidants including carotenoids and
      polyhydroxylated naphthoquinones (PHNQ's), such as echinochrome A. Astaxanthin is
      known to have particular bioactivity for the prevention of neurodegenerative
      diseases. This carotenoid is produced by microalgae, while several marine
      invertebrates can bioaccumulate or synthetize it from metabolic precursors. We
      determined the carotenoid content and analyzed the bioactivity potential of non
      harvested Atlantic-Mediterranean sea urchin Arbacia lixula. The comparison of
      methanol crude extracts obtained from eggs of farmed and wild specimens revealed
      a higher bioactivity in farmed individuals fed with a customized fodder. HPLC
      analysis revealed a high concentration of astaxanthin (27.0 MUg/mg), which was
      the only pigment observed. This study highlights the potential of farmed A.
      lixula as a new source of the active stereoisomer of astaxanthin.

PMID- 28635648
TI  - Deoxyelephantopin and Isodeoxyelephantopin as Potential Anticancer Agents with
      Effects on Multiple Signaling Pathways.
AB  - Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death worldwide. The development of drugs to
      target only one specific signaling pathway has limited therapeutic success.
      Developing chemotherapeutics to target multiple signaling pathways has emerged as
      a new prototype for cancer treatment. Deoxyelephantopin (DET) and
      isodeoxyelephantopin (IDET) are sesquiterpene lactone components of "Elephantopus
      scaber and Elephantopus carolinianus", traditional Chinese medicinal herbs that
      have long been used as folk medicines to treat liver diseases, diabetes,
      diuresis, bronchitis, fever, diarrhea, dysentery, cancer, and inflammation.
      Recently, the anticancer activity of DET and IDET has been widely investigated.
      Here, our aim is to review the current status of DET and IDET, and discuss their
      anticancer activity with specific emphasis on molecular targets and mechanisms
      used by these compounds to trigger apoptosis pathways which may help to further
      design and conduct research to develop them as lead therapeutic drugs for cancer
      treatments. The literature has shown that DET and IDET induce apoptosis through
      multiple signaling pathways which are deregulated in cancer cells and suggested
      that by targeting multiple pathways simultaneously, these compounds could
      selectively kill cancer cells. This review suggests that DET and IDET hold
      promising anticancer activity but additional studies and clinical trials are
      needed to validate and understand their therapeutic effect to develop them into
      potent therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.

PMID- 28635650
TI  - The Application of Heptamethine Cyanine Dye DZ-1 and Indocyanine Green for
      Imaging and Targeting in Xenograft Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - Near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging has strong potential for widespread use
      in noninvasive tumor imaging. Indocyanine green (ICG) is the only Food and Drug
      Administration (FDA) -approved NIRF dye for clinical diagnosis; however, it is
      unstable and poorly targets tumors. DZ-1 is a novel heptamethine cyanine NIRF
      dye, suitable for imaging and tumor targeting. Here, we compared the fluorescence
      intensity and metabolism of DZ-1 and ICG. Additionally, we assayed their
      specificities and abilities to target tumor cells, using cultured hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, a nude mouse subcutaneous xenograft model of liver
      cancer, and a rabbit orthotopic transplantation model. We found that DZ-1
      accumulates in tumor tissue and specifically recognizes HCC in subcutaneous and
      orthotopic models. The NIRF intensity of DZ-1 was one order of magnitude stronger
      than that of ICG, and DZ-1 showed excellent intraoperative tumor targeting in the
      rabbit model. Importantly, ICG accumulated at tumor sites, as well as in the
      liver and kidney. Furthermore, DZ-1 analog-gemcitabine conjugate (NIRG) exhibited
      similar tumor-specific targeting and imaging properties, including inhibition of
      tumor growth, in HCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mice. DZ-1 and NIRG
      demonstrated superior tumor-targeting specificity, compared to ICG. We show that
      DZ-1 is an effective molecular probe for specific imaging, targeting, and therapy
      in HCC.

PMID- 28635651
TI  - Effects of Tetrodotoxin in Mouse Models of Visceral Pain.
AB  - Visceral pain is very common and represents a major unmet clinical need for which
      current pharmacological treatments are often insufficient. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is
      a potent neurotoxin that exerts analgesic actions in both humans and rodents
      under different somatic pain conditions, but its effect has been unexplored in
      visceral pain. Therefore, we tested the effects of systemic TTX in viscero
      specific mouse models of chemical stimulation of the colon (intracolonic
      instillation of capsaicin and mustard oil) and intraperitoneal cyclophosphamide
      induced cystitis. The subcutaneous administration of TTX dose-dependently
      inhibited the number of pain-related behaviors in all evaluated pain models and
      reversed the referred mechanical hyperalgesia (examined by stimulation of the
      abdomen with von Frey filaments) induced by capsaicin and cyclophosphamide, but
      not that induced by mustard oil. Morphine inhibited both pain responses and the
      referred mechanical hyperalgesia in all tests. Conditional nociceptor-specific
      Nav1.7 knockout mice treated with TTX showed the same responses as littermate
      controls after the administration of the algogens. No motor incoordination after
      the administration of TTX was observed. These results suggest that blockade of
      TTX-sensitive sodium channels, but not Nav1.7 subtype alone, by systemic
      administration of TTX might be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment
      of visceral pain.

PMID- 28635652
TI  - Fucaceae: A Source of Bioactive Phlorotannins.
AB  - Fucaceae is the most dominant algae family along the intertidal areas of the
      Northern Hemisphere shorelines, being part of human customs for centuries with
      applications as a food source either for humans or animals, in agriculture and as
      remedies in folk medicine. These macroalgae are endowed with several
      phytochemicals of great industrial interest from which phlorotannins, a class of
      marine-exclusive polyphenols, have gathered much attention during the last few
      years due to their numerous possible therapeutic properties. These compounds are
      very abundant in brown seaweeds such as Fucaceae and have been demonstrated to
      possess numerous health-promoting properties, including antioxidant effects
      through scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or enhancement of
      intracellular antioxidant defenses, antidiabetic properties through their
      acarbose-like activity, stimulation of adipocytes glucose uptake and protection
      of beta-pancreatic cells against high-glucose oxidative stress; anti-inflammatory
      effects through inhibition of several pro-inflammatory mediators; antitumor
      properties by activation of apoptosis on cancerous cells and metastasis
      inhibition, among others. These multiple health properties render phlorotannins
      great potential for application in numerous therapeutical approaches. This review
      addresses the major contribution of phlototannins for the biological effects that
      have been described for seaweeds from Fucaceae. In addition, the bioavailability
      of this group of phenolic compounds is discussed.

PMID- 28635653
TI  - Virtual Screening against Phosphoglycerate Kinase 1 in Quest of Novel Apoptosis
      Inhibitors.
AB  - Inhibition of apoptosis is a potential therapy to treat human diseases such as
      neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease), stroke, and sepsis. Due
      to the lack of druggable targets, it remains a major challenge to discover
      apoptosis inhibitors. The recent repositioning of a marketed drug (i.e.,
      terazosin) as an anti-apoptotic agent uncovered a novel target (i.e., human
      phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (hPgk1)). In this study, we developed a virtual
      screening (VS) pipeline based on the X-ray structure of Pgk1/terazosin complex
      and applied it to a screening campaign for potential anti-apoptotic agents. The
      hierarchical filters in the pipeline (i.e., similarity search, a pharmacophore
      model, a shape-based model, and molecular docking) rendered 13 potential hits
      from Specs chemical library. By using PC12 cells (exposed to rotenone) as a cell
      model for bioassay, we first identified that AK-918/42829299, AN-465/41520984,
      and AT-051/43421517 were able to protect PC12 cells from rotenone-induced cell
      death. Molecular docking suggested these hit compounds were likely to bind to
      hPgk1 in a similar mode to terazosin. In summary, we not only present a versatile
      VS pipeline for potential apoptosis inhibitors discovery, but also provide three
      novel-scaffold hit compounds that are worthy of further development and
      biological study.

PMID- 28635654
TI  - The Identification of a SIRT6 Activator from Brown Algae Fucus distichus.
AB  - Brown seaweeds contain many bioactive compounds, including polyphenols,
      polysaccharides, fucosterol, and fucoxantin. These compounds have several
      biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-tumor,
      anti-hypertensive, and anti-diabetic activity, although in most cases their
      mechanisms of action are not understood. In this study, extracts generated from
      five brown algae (Fucus dichitus, Fucus vesiculosus (Linnaeus), Cytoseira
      tamariscofolia, Cytoseira nodacaulis, Alaria esculenta) were tested for their
      ability to activate SIRT6 resulting in H3K9 deacetylation. Three of the five
      macroalgal extracts caused a significant increase of H3K9 deacetylation, and the
      effect was most pronounced for F. dichitus. The compound responsible for this in
      vitro activity was identified by mass spectrometry as fucoidan.

PMID- 28635655
TI  - From Farm to Pharma: An Overview of Industrial Heparin Manufacturing Methods.
AB  - The purification of heparin from offal is an old industrial process for which
      commercial recipes date back to 1922. Although chemical, chemoenzymatic, and
      biotechnological alternatives for this production method have been published in
      the academic literature, animal-tissue is still the sole source for commercial
      heparin production in industry. Heparin purification methods are closely guarded
      industrial secrets which are not available to the general (scientific) public.
      However by reviewing the academic and patent literature, we aim to provide a
      comprehensive overview of the general methods used in industry for the extraction
      of heparin from animal tissue.

PMID- 28635656
TI  - Screening and Identification of the Metabolites in Rat Plasma and Urine after
      Oral Administration of Areca catechu L. Nut Extract by Ultra-High-Pressure Liquid
      Chromatography Coupled with Linear Ion Trap-Orbitrap Tandem Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Areca catechu L. nut, a well-known toxic traditional herbal medicine, has been
      widely used to treat various diseases in China and many other Asian countries for
      centuries. However, to date the in vivo absorption and metabolism of its multiple
      bioactive or toxic components still remain unclear. In this study, liquid
      chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the
      major components and their metabolites in rat plasma and urine after oral
      administration of Areca catechu L. nut extract (ACNE). A total of 12 compounds,
      including 6 alkaloids, 3 tannins and 3 amino acids, were confirmed or tentatively
      identified from ACNE. In vivo, 40 constituents, including 8 prototypes and 32
      metabolites were identified in rat plasma and urine samples. In summary, this
      study showed an insight into the metabolism of ACNE in vivo, which may provide
      helpful chemical information for better understanding of the toxicological and
      pharmacological profiles of ACNE.

PMID- 28635658
TI  - Asperentin B, a New Inhibitor of the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B.
AB  - In the frame of studies on secondary metabolites produced by fungi from deep-sea
      environments we have investigated inhibitors of enzymes playing key roles in
      signaling cascades of biochemical pathways relevant for the treatment of
      diseases. Here we report on a new inhibitor of the human protein tyrosine
      phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a target in the signaling pathway of insulin. A new
      asperentin analog is produced by an Aspergillussydowii strain isolated from the
      sediment of the deep Mediterranean Sea. Asperentin B (1) contains an additional
      phenolic hydroxy function at C-6 and exhibits an IC50 value against PTP1B of 2
      MUM in vitro, which is six times stronger than the positive control, suramin.
      Interestingly, asperentin (2) did not show any inhibition of this enzymatic
      activity. Asperentin B (1) is discussed as possible therapeutic agents for type 2
      diabetes and sleeping sickness.

PMID- 28635660
TI  - Diverse Regulation of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Expression by 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin
      D and ATRA in Murine and Human Blood Cells at Early Stages of Their
      Differentiation.
AB  - Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is present in multiple blood cells, and the hormonal
      form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) is essential for the proper
      functioning of the immune system. The role of retinoic acid receptor alpha
      (RARalpha) in hematopoiesis is very important, as the fusion of RARalpha gene
      with PML gene initiates acute promyelocytic leukemia where differentiation of the
      myeloid lineage is blocked, followed by an uncontrolled proliferation of leukemic
      blasts. RARalpha takes part in regulation of VDR transcription, and unliganded
      RARalpha acts as a transcriptional repressor to VDR gene in acute myeloid
      leukemia (AML) cells. This is why we decided to examine the effects of the
      combination of 1,25D and all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on VDR gene expression in
      normal human and murine blood cells at various steps of their development. We
      tested the expression of VDR and regulation of this gene in response to 1,25D or
      ATRA, as well as transcriptional activities of nuclear receptors VDR and RARs in
      human and murine blood cells. We discovered that regulation of VDR expression in
      humans is different from in mice. In human blood cells at early stages of their
      differentiation ATRA, but not 1,25D, upregulates the expression of VDR. In
      contrast, in murine blood cells 1,25D, but not ATRA, upregulates the expression
      of VDR. VDR and RAR receptors are present and transcriptionally active in blood
      cells of both species, especially at early steps of blood development.

PMID- 28635661
TI  - Hypoxic Preconditioning Promotes the Bioactivities of Mesenchymal Stem Cells via
      the HIF-1alpha-GRP78-Akt Axis.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are ideal materials for stem cell-based therapy. As
      MSCs reside in hypoxic microenvironments (low oxygen tension of 1% to 7%),
      several studies have focused on the beneficial effects of hypoxic preconditioning
      on MSC survival; however, the mechanisms underlying such effects remain unclear.
      This study aimed to uncover the potential mechanism involving 78-kDa glucose
      regulated protein (GRP78) to explain the enhanced MSC bioactivity and survival in
      hindlimb ischemia. Under hypoxia (2% O2), the expression of GRP78 was
      significantly increased via hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha. Hypoxia
      induced GRP78 promoted the proliferation and migration potential of MSCs through
      the HIF-1alpha-GRP78-Akt signal axis. In a murine hind-limb ischemia model,
      hypoxic preconditioning enhanced the survival and proliferation of transplanted
      MSCs through suppression of the cell death signal pathway and augmentation of
      angiogenic cytokine secretion. These effects were regulated by GRP78. Our
      findings indicate that hypoxic preconditioning promotes survival, proliferation,
      and angiogenic cytokine secretion of MSCs via the HIF-1alpha-GRP78-Akt signal
      pathway, suggesting that hypoxia-preconditioned MSCs might provide a therapeutic
      strategy for MSC-based therapies and that GRP78 represents a potential target for
      the development of functional MSCs.

PMID- 28635657
TI  - Selection of Nucleic Acid Aptamers Targeting Tumor Cell-Surface Protein
      Biomarkers.
AB  - Aptamers are nucleic acids referred to as chemical antibodies as they bind to
      their specific targets with high affinity and selectivity. They are selected via
      an iterative process known as 'selective evolution of ligands by exponential
      enrichment' (SELEX). Aptamers have been developed against numerous cancer targets
      and among them, many tumor cell-membrane protein biomarkers. The identification
      of aptamers targeting cell-surface proteins has mainly been performed by two
      different strategies: protein- and cell-based SELEX, when the targets used for
      selection were proteins and cells, respectively. This review aims to update the
      literature on aptamers targeting tumor cell surface protein biomarkers,
      highlighting potentials, pitfalls of protein- and cell-based selection processes
      and applications of such selected molecules. Aptamers as promising agents for
      diagnosis and therapeutic approaches in oncology are documented, as well as
      aptamers in clinical development.

PMID- 28635659
TI  - dIvergEnt: How IgE Axis Contributes to the Continuum of Allergic Asthma and Anti
      IgE Therapies.
AB  - Asthma is an airway disease characterised by chronic inflammation with
      intermittent or permanent symptoms including wheezing, shortness of breath, chest
      tightness, and cough, which vary in terms of their occurrence, frequency, and
      intensity. The most common associated feature in the airways of patients with
      asthma is airway inflammation. In recent decades, efforts have been made to
      characterise the heterogeneous clinical nature of asthma. The interest in
      improving the definitions of asthma phenotypes and endotypes is growing, although
      these classifications do not always correlate with prognosis nor are always
      appropriate therapeutic approaches. Attempts have been made to identify the most
      relevant molecular and cellular biomarkers underlying the
      immunopathophysiological mechanisms of the disease. For almost 50 years,
      immunoglobulin E (IgE) has been identified as a central factor in allergic
      asthma, due to its allergen-specific nature. Many of the mechanisms of the
      inflammatory cascade underlying allergic asthma have already been elucidated, and
      IgE has been shown to play a fundamental role in the triggering, development, and
      chronicity of the inflammatory responses within the disease. Blocking IgE with
      monoclonal antibodies such as omalizumab have demonstrated their efficacy,
      effectiveness, and safety in treating allergic asthma. A better understanding of
      the multiple contributions of IgE to the inflammatory continuum of asthma could
      contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the disease.

PMID- 28635662
TI  - Development of a Dunaliella tertiolecta Strain with Increased Zeaxanthin Content
      Using Random Mutagenesis.
AB  - Zeaxanthin is a xanthophyll pigment that is regarded as one of the best
      carotenoids for the prevention and treatment of degenerative diseases. In the
      worldwide natural products market, consumers prefer pigments that have been
      produced from biological sources. In this study, a Dunaliella tertiolecta strain
      that has 10-15% higher cellular zeaxanthin content than the parent strain (zea1),
      was obtained by random mutagenesis using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) as a
      mutagen. This mutant, mp3, was grown under various salinities and light
      intensities to optimize culture conditions for zeaxanthin production. The highest
      cellular zeaxanthin content was observed at 1.5 M NaCl and 65-85 MUmol photons.m
      2.s-1, and the highest daily zeaxanthin productivity was observed at 0.6 M NaCl
      and 140-160 MUmol photons.m-2.s-1. The maximal yield of zeaxanthin from mp3 in
      fed-batch culture was 8 mg.L-1, which was obtained at 0.6 M NaCl and 140-160
      MUmol photons.m-2.s-1. These results suggest that random mutagenesis with EMS is
      useful for generating D. tertiolecta strains with increased zeaxanthin content,
      and also suggest optimal culture conditions for the enhancement of biomass and
      zeaxanthin production by the zeaxanthin accumulating mutant strains.

PMID- 28635663
TI  - Assessing Genetic Diversity and Population Differentiation of Colored Calla Lily
      (Zantedeschia Hybrid) for an Efficient Breeding Program.
AB  - Plastome-genome incompatibility (PGI) is prevalent in several plants including
      the Zantedeschia species, a worldwide commercial flower crop native to South
      Africa. Generally, hybrids suffering from PGI appear less vigorous and more
      susceptible than normal plants. Previous reports revealed that the PGI level in
      interspecific hybrids is correlated with the relatedness of the parental species
      in the genus Zantedeschia. To provide a basis for utilizing and improving
      resources in breeding programs, a total of 117 accessions of colored calla lily
      (Zantedeschia hybrid), collected from New Zealand, the Netherlands and the United
      States, were genotyped using 31 transferable expressed sequence tags-simple
      sequence repeats (EST-SSR) markers from the white calla lily (Zantedeschia
      aethiopica). A moderately high level of genetic diversity was observed, with 111
      alleles in total, an observed/expected heterozygosity (Ho/He) of 0.453/0.478, and
      polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.26. Genetic distance and STRUCTURE
      based analysis further clustered all accessions into four subgroups (G-Ia, G-Ib,
      G-IIa and G-IIb), which mostly consisted of Zantedeschia pentlandii, Zantedeschia
      elliotiana, Zantedeschia albomaculata and Zantedeschia rehmannii, respectively.
      Significant genetic differentiation was observed between all inferred subgroup
      pairs, with the Fst ranging from 0.142 to 0.281. Finally, the accessions assigned
      into G-IIb (Z. rehmannii) were recommended as top priority parents in efficient
      Zantedeschia breeding program designs.

PMID- 28635664
TI  - Adolescent Exposure to the Synthetic Cannabinoid WIN 55212-2 Modifies Cocaine
      Withdrawal Symptoms in Adult Mice.
AB  - Chronic cannabinoid consumption is an increasingly common behavior among
      teenagers and has been shown to cause long-lasting neurobehavioral alterations.
      Besides, it has been demonstrated that cocaine addiction in adulthood is highly
      correlated with cannabis abuse during adolescence. Cocaine consumption and
      subsequent abstinence from it can cause psychiatric symptoms, such as psychosis,
      cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depression. The aim of the present research
      was to study the consequences of adolescent exposure to cannabis on the
      psychiatric-like effects promoted by cocaine withdrawal in adult mice. We pre
      treated juvenile mice with the cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist WIN 55212-2 (WIN)
      and then subjected them to a chronic cocaine treatment during adulthood.
      Following these treatments, animals were tested under cocaine withdrawal in the
      following paradigms: pre-pulse inhibition, object recognition, elevated plus
      maze, and tail suspension. The long-term psychotic-like actions induced by WIN
      were not modified after cocaine cessation. Moreover, the memory impairments
      induced by cocaine withdrawal were not altered by previous adolescent WIN intake.
      However, WIN pre-treatment prevented the anxiogenic effects observed after
      cocaine abstinence, and led to greater depressive-like symptoms following cocaine
      removal in adulthood. This study is the first to show the long-lasting behavioral
      consequences of juvenile exposure to WIN on cocaine withdrawal in adult mice.

PMID- 28635665
TI  - Towards a Uniform Metrological Assessment of Grating-Based Optical Fiber Sensors:
      From Refractometers to Biosensors.
AB  - A metrological assessment of grating-based optical fiber sensors is proposed with
      the aim of providing an objective evaluation of the performance of this sensor
      category. Attention was focused on the most common parameters, used to describe
      the performance of both optical refractometers and biosensors, which encompassed
      sensitivity, with a distinction between volume or bulk sensitivity and surface
      sensitivity, resolution, response time, limit of detection, specificity (or
      selectivity), reusability (or regenerability) and some other parameters of
      generic interest, such as measurement uncertainty, accuracy, precision,
      stability, drift, repeatability and reproducibility. Clearly, the concepts
      discussed here can also be applied to any resonance-based sensor, thus providing
      the basis for an easier and direct performance comparison of a great number of
      sensors published in the literature up to now. In addition, common mistakes
      present in the literature made for the evaluation of sensor performance are
      highlighted, and lastly a uniform performance assessment is discussed and
      provided. Finally, some design strategies will be proposed to develop a grating
      based optical fiber sensing scheme with improved performance.

PMID- 28635666
TI  - Host Adaptation of Soybean Dwarf Virus Following Serial Passages on Pea (Pisum
      sativum) and Soybean (Glycine max).
AB  - Soybean Dwarf Virus (SbDV) is an important plant pathogen, causing economic
      losses in soybean. In North America, indigenous strains of SbDV mainly infect
      clover, with occasional outbreaks in soybean. To evaluate the risk of a US clover
      strain of SbDV adapting to other plant hosts, the clover isolate SbDV-MD6 was
      serially transmitted to pea and soybean by aphid vectors. Sequence analysis of
      SbDV-MD6 from pea and soybean passages identified 11 non-synonymous mutations in
      soybean, and six mutations in pea. Increasing virus titers with each sequential
      transmission indicated that SbDV-MD6 was able to adapt to the plant host.
      However, aphid transmission efficiency on soybean decreased until the virus was
      no longer transmissible. Our results clearly demonstrated that the clover strain
      of SbDV-MD6 is able to adapt to soybean crops. However, mutations that improve
      replication and/or movement may have trade-off effects resulting in decreased
      vector transmission.

PMID- 28635667
TI  - A Review of Flaviviruses that Have No Known Arthropod Vector.
AB  - Most viruses in the genus Flavivirus are horizontally transmitted between
      hematophagous arthropods and vertebrate hosts, but some are maintained in
      arthropod- or vertebrate-restricted transmission cycles. Flaviviruses maintained
      by vertebrate-only transmission are commonly referred to as no known vector (NKV)
      flaviviruses. Fourteen species and two subtypes of NKV flaviviruses are
      recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), and
      Tamana bat virus potentially belongs to this group. NKV flaviviruses have been
      isolated in nature almost exclusively from bats and rodents; exceptions are the
      two isolates of Dakar bat virus recovered from febrile humans and the recent
      isolations of Sokoluk virus from field-collected ticks, which raises questions as
      to whether it should remain classified as an NKV flavivirus. There is evidence to
      suggest that two other NKV flaviviruses, Entebbe bat virus and Yokose virus, may
      also infect arthropods in nature. The best characterized bat- and rodent
      associated NKV flaviviruses are Rio Bravo and Modoc viruses, respectively, but
      both have received limited research attention compared to many of their arthropod
      infecting counterparts. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of NKV
      flaviviruses, placing a particular emphasis on their classification, host range,
      geographic distribution, replication kinetics, pathogenesis, transmissibility and
      molecular biology.

PMID- 28635668
TI  - The Role of cccDNA in HBV Maintenance.
AB  - Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a major health burden
      worldwide; it can cause various degrees of liver damage and is strongly
      associated with the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
      The molecular mechanisms determining HBV persistence are not fully understood,
      but these appear to be multifactorial and the unique replication strategy
      employed by HBV enables its maintenance in infected hepatocytes. Both the
      stability of the HBV genome, which forms a stable minichromosome, the covalently
      closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in the hepatocyte nucleus, and the inability of the
      immune system to resolve chronic HBV infection are believed to be key mechanisms
      of HBV chronicity. Since a true cure of HBV requires clearance of intranuclear
      cccDNA from infected hepatocytes, understanding the mechanisms involved in cccDNA
      biogenesis, regulation and stability is mandatory to achieve HBV eradication.
      This review will summarize the state of knowledge on these mechanisms including
      the impact of current treatments on the cccDNA stability and activity. We will
      focus on events challenging cccDNA persistence in dividing hepatocytes.

PMID- 28635669
TI  - Modulation of Human beta-Defensin-1 Production by Viruses.
AB  - While initially identified as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide,
      constitutively expressed in epithelia, human beta-defensin (hBD)-1 is now
      recognized to have a more complex pattern of expression of its gene, DEFB1, as
      well as activities that extend beyond direct antimicrobial. These observations
      suggest a complex role for hBD-1 in the host defense against viral infections, as
      evidenced by its expression in cells involved in viral defense, and its gene
      regulation in response to viral challenge. This regulation is observed both in
      vitro and in vivo in humans, as well as with the murine homolog, mBD-1. While
      numerous reviews have summarized the existing literature on beta-defensin gene
      expression and activity, here we provide a focused review of relevant studies on
      the virus-mediated regulation of hBD-1 and how this regulation can provide a
      crucial aspect of the innate immune defense against viral infection.

PMID- 28635670
TI  - Single-Lead Fetal ECG Extraction Based on a Parallel Marginalized Particle
      Filter.
AB  - This paper presents a novel method for extracting the fetal ECG (FECG) from a
      single-lead abdominal signal. A dynamical model for a modified abdominal signal
      is proposed, in which both the maternal ECG (MECG) and the FECG are modeled, and
      then a parallel marginalized particle filter (par-MPF) is used for tracking the
      abdominal signal. Finally, the FECG and MECG are simultaneously separated.
      Several experiments are conducted using both simulated and clinical signals. The
      results indicate that the method proposed in this paper effectively extracts the
      FECG and outperforms other Bayesian filtering algorithms.

PMID- 28635672
TI  - Towards the Internet of Smart Trains: A Review on Industrial IoT-Connected
      Railways.
AB  - Nowadays, the railway industry is in a position where it is able to exploit the
      opportunities created by the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and enabling
      communication technologies under the paradigm of Internet of Trains. This review
      details the evolution of communication technologies since the deployment of GSM
      R, describing the main alternatives and how railway requirements, specifications
      and recommendations have evolved over time. The advantages of the latest
      generation of broadband communication systems (e.g., LTE, 5G, IEEE 802.11ad) and
      the emergence of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) for the railway environment are
      also explained together with the strategic roadmap to ensure a smooth migration
      from GSM-R. Furthermore, this survey focuses on providing a holistic approach,
      identifying scenarios and architectures where railways could leverage better
      commercial IIoT capabilities. After reviewing the main industrial developments,
      short and medium-term IIoT-enabled services for smart railways are evaluated.
      Then, it is analyzed the latest research on predictive maintenance, smart
      infrastructure, advanced monitoring of assets, video surveillance systems,
      railway operations, Passenger and Freight Information Systems (PIS/FIS), train
      control systems, safety assurance, signaling systems, cyber security and energy
      efficiency. Overall, it can be stated that the aim of this article is to provide
      a detailed examination of the state-of-the-art of different technologies and
      services that will revolutionize the railway industry and will allow for
      confronting today challenges.

PMID- 28635671
TI  - Rab33B Controls Hepatitis B Virus Assembly by Regulating Core Membrane
      Association and Nucleocapsid Processing.
AB  - Many viruses take advantage of cellular trafficking machineries to assemble and
      release new infectious particles. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we demonstrate
      that the Golgi/autophagosome-associated Rab33B is required for hepatitis B virus
      (HBV) propagation in hepatoma cell lines. While Rab33B is dispensable for the
      secretion of HBV subviral envelope particles, its knockdown reduced the virus
      yield to 20% and inhibited nucleocapsid (NC) formation and/or NC trafficking. The
      overexpression of a GDP-restricted Rab33B mutant phenocopied the effect of
      deficit Rab33B, indicating that Rab33B-specific effector proteins may be
      involved. Moreover, we found that HBV replication enhanced Rab33B expression. By
      analyzing HBV infection cycle steps, we identified a hitherto unknown membrane
      targeting module in the highly basic C-terminal domain of the NC-forming core
      protein. Rab33B inactivation reduced core membrane association, suggesting that
      membrane platforms participate in HBV assembly reactions. Biochemical and
      immunofluorescence analyses provided further hints that the viral core, rather
      than the envelope, is the main target for Rab33B intervention. Rab33B-deficiency
      reduced core protein levels without affecting viral transcription and hampered
      core/NC sorting to envelope-positive, intracellular compartments. Together, these
      results indicate that Rab33B is an important player in intracellular HBV
      trafficking events, guiding core transport to NC assembly sites and/or NC
      transport to budding sites.

PMID- 28635673
TI  - Toxicity of Naphthalene and Benzene on Tribollium castaneum Herbst.
AB  - Naphthalene and benzene are widely-used volatile organic compounds. The aim of
      this research was to examine the toxicological effects of naphthalene and benzene
      against Tribolium castaneum as an animal model. Adult insects were exposed to
      these aromatic compounds to assess mortality after 4-48 h of exposure. The lethal
      concentration 50 (LC50) for naphthalene, naphthalin, and benzene were 63.6 uL/L,
      20.0 uL/L, and 115.9 uL/L in air, respectively. Real-time polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) analysis revealed expression changes in genes related to oxidative
      stress and metabolism [Glutathione S-Transferase (Gst), and Cytochrome P450 6BQ8
      (Cyp6bq8)]; reproduction and metamorphosis [Hormone receptor in 39-like protein
      (Hr39), Ecdysone receptor: (Ecr), and Chitin synthase 2 (Chs2)]; and
      neurotransmission [Histamine-gated chloride channel 2 (Hiscl2)] in insects
      exposed for 4 h to 70.2 uL/L naphthalene. Adults exposed to benzene (80 uL/L; 4
      h) overexpressed genes related to neurotransmission [GABA-gated anion channel
      (Rdl), Hiscl2, and GABA-gated ion channel (Grd)]; reproduction and metamorphosis
      [Ultraspiracle nuclear receptor (USP), Ecr; and Hr39]; and development (Chs2).
      The data presented here provides evidence that naphthalene and benzene inhalation
      are able to induce alterations on reproduction, development, metamorphosis,
      oxidative stress, metabolism, neurotransmission, and death of the insect.

PMID- 28635674
TI  - Exploring Wound-Healing Genomic Machinery with a Network-Based Approach.
AB  - The molecular mechanisms underlying tissue regeneration and wound healing are
      still poorly understood despite their importance. In this paper we develop a
      bioinformatics approach, combining biology and network theory to drive
      experiments for better understanding the genetic underpinnings of wound healing
      mechanisms and for selecting potential drug targets. We start by selecting
      literature-relevant genes in murine wound healing, and inferring from them a
      Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network. Then, we analyze the network to rank
      wound healing-related genes according to their topological properties. Lastly, we
      perform a procedure for in-silico simulation of a treatment action in a
      biological pathway. The findings obtained by applying the developed pipeline,
      including gene expression analysis, confirms how a network-based bioinformatics
      method is able to prioritize candidate genes for in vitro analysis, thus speeding
      up the understanding of molecular mechanisms and supporting the discovery of
      potential drug targets.

PMID- 28635676
TI  - Comment on: "Melanisation of Aspergillus terreus-Is Butyrolactone I Involved in
      the Regulation of Both DOPA and DHN Types of Pigments in Submerged Culture?
      Microorganisms 2017, 5, 22".
AB  - A recent article by Palonen et al. describes the effect of butyrolactone I on the
      expression of a secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene cluster from Aspergillus
      terreus that shows similarities to fusarubin biosynthesis gene clusters from
      Fusarium species. The authors claim that two different types of pigments are
      formed in Aspergillus terreus conidia, whereby one pigment is termed a DOPA-type
      melanin and the second a DHN-type melanin. Unfortunately, the terminology of the
      classification of melanin-types requires revision as Asp-melanin present in A.
      terreus conidia is clearly distinct from DOPA-melanins. In addition, some
      hypotheses in this manuscript are based on questionable data published
      previously, resulting in incorrect conclusions. Finally, as biochemical data are
      lacking and metabolite production is only deduced from bioinformatics and
      transcriptomic data, the production of a second pigment type in A. terreus
      conidia appears highly speculative.

PMID- 28635675
TI  - Co-Infection with Marek's Disease Virus and Reticuloendotheliosis Virus Increases
      Illness Severity and Reduces Marek's Disease Vaccine Efficacy.
AB  - Marek's disease virus (MDV) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) cause Marek's
      disease (MD) and reticuloendotheliosis (RE), respectively. Co-infection with MDV
      and REV is common in chickens, causing serious losses to the poultry industry.
      However, experimental studies of such co-infection are lacking. In this study,
      Chinese field strains of MDV (ZW/15) and REV (JLR1501) were used as challenge
      viruses to evaluate the pathogenicity of co-infection and the influence of MD
      vaccination in chickens. Compared to the MDV-challenged group, the mortality and
      tumor rates increased significantly by 20.0% (76.7 to 96.7%) and 26.7% (53.3 to
      80.0%), in the co-challenged group, respectively. The protective index of the MD
      vaccines CVI988 and 814 decreased by 33.3 (80.0 to 47.7) and 13.3 (90.0 to 76.7),
      respectively. These results indicated that MDV and REV co-infection significantly
      increased disease severity and reduced the vaccine efficacy. The MDV genome load
      showed no difference in the feather pulps and spleen, and pathogenicity-related
      MDV gene expression (meq, pp38, vIL-8, and ICP4) in the spleen significantly
      increased at some time points in the co-challenged group. Clearly, synergistic
      pathogenicity occurred between MDV and REV, and the protective efficacy of
      existing MD vaccines was attenuated by co-infection with Chinese field MDV and
      REV strains.

PMID- 28635677
TI  - T-Cell Manipulation Strategies to Prevent Graft-Versus-Host Disease in
      Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation.
AB  - Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from an human
      leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical donor can be curative for eligible patients
      with non-malignant and malignant haematological disorders. HSCT from alternative
      donor sources, such as HLA-mismatched haploidentical donors, is increasingly
      considered as a viable therapeutic option for patients lacking HLA-matched
      donors. Initial attempts at haploidentical HSCT were associated with vigorous
      bidirectional alloreactivity, leading to unacceptably high rates of graft
      rejection and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). More recently, new approaches for
      mitigating harmful T-cell alloreactivity that mediates GVHD, while preserving the
      function of tumour-reactive natural killer (NK) cells and gammadelta T cells,
      have led to markedly improved clinical outcomes, and are successfully being
      implemented in the clinic. This article will provide an update on in vitro
      strategies and in vivo approaches aimed at preventing GVHD by selectively
      manipulating key components of the adaptive immune response, such as T-cell
      receptor (TCR)-alphabeta T cells and CD45RA-expressing naive T cells.

PMID- 28635678
TI  - Evaluation of Classifier Performance for Multiclass Phenotype Discrimination in
      Untargeted Metabolomics.
AB  - Statistical classification is a critical component of utilizing metabolomics data
      for examining the molecular determinants of phenotypes. Despite this, a
      comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the accuracy of classification
      techniques for phenotype discrimination given metabolomics data has not been
      conducted. We conducted such an evaluation using both simulated and real
      metabolomics datasets, comparing Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS
      DA), Sparse PLS-DA, Random Forests, Support Vector Machines (SVM), Artificial
      Neural Network, k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN), and Naive Bayes classification
      techniques for discrimination. We evaluated the techniques on simulated data
      generated to mimic global untargeted metabolomics data by incorporating realistic
      block-wise correlation and partial correlation structures for mimicking the
      correlations and metabolite clustering generated by biological processes. Over
      the simulation studies, covariance structures, means, and effect sizes were
      stochastically varied to provide consistent estimates of classifier performance
      over a wide range of possible scenarios. The effects of the presence of non
      normal error distributions, the introduction of biological and technical
      outliers, unbalanced phenotype allocation, missing values due to abundances below
      a limit of detection, and the effect of prior-significance filtering (dimension
      reduction) were evaluated via simulation. In each simulation, classifier
      parameters, such as the number of hidden nodes in a Neural Network, were
      optimized by cross-validation to minimize the probability of detecting spurious
      results due to poorly tuned classifiers. Classifier performance was then
      evaluated using real metabolomics datasets of varying sample medium, sample size,
      and experimental design. We report that in the most realistic simulation studies
      that incorporated non-normal error distributions, unbalanced phenotype
      allocation, outliers, missing values, and dimension reduction, classifier
      performance (least to greatest error) was ranked as follows: SVM, Random Forest,
      Naive Bayes, sPLS-DA, Neural Networks, PLS-DA and k-NN classifiers. When non
      normal error distributions were introduced, the performance of PLS-DA and k-NN
      classifiers deteriorated further relative to the remaining techniques. Over the
      real datasets, a trend of better performance of SVM and Random Forest classifier
      performance was observed.

PMID- 28635679
TI  - The Role of Angiogenesis in Cancer Treatment.
AB  - A number of anti-angiogenesis drugs have been FDA-approved and are being used in
      cancer treatment, and a number of other agents are in different stages of
      clinical development or in preclinical evaluation. However, pharmacologic anti
      angiogenesis strategies that arrest tumor progression might not be enough to
      eradicate tumors. Decreased anti-angiogenesis activity in single mechanism-based
      anti-angiogenic strategies is due to the redundancy, multiplicity, and
      development of compensatory mechanism by which blood vessels are remodeled.
      Improving anti-angiogenesis drug efficacy will require identification of broad
      spectrum anti-angiogenesis targets. These strategies may have novel features,
      such as increased porosity, and are the result of complex interactions among
      endothelial cells, extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors, pericyte, and
      smooth muscle cells. Thus, combinations of anti-angiogenic drugs and other
      anticancer strategies such as chemotherapy appear essential for optimal outcome
      in cancer patients. This review will focus on the role of anti-angiogenesis
      strategies in cancer treatment.

PMID- 28635681
TI  - Antimicrobial Activity of Nitric Oxide-Releasing Ti-6Al-4V Metal Oxide.
AB  - Titanium and titanium alloy materials are commonly used in joint replacements,
      due to the high strength of the materials. Pathogenic microorganisms can easily
      adhere to the surface of the metal implant, leading to an increased potential for
      implant failure. The surface of a titanium-aluminum-vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) metal
      oxide implant material was functionalized to deliver an small antibacterial
      molecule, nitric oxide. S-nitroso-penicillamine, a S-nitrosothiol nitric oxide
      donor, was covalently immobilized on the metal oxide surface using self-assembled
      monolayers. Infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the attachment of the S
      nitrosothiol donor to the Ti-Al-4V surface. Attachment of S-nitroso-penicillamine
      resulted in a nitric oxide (NO) release of 89.6 +/- 4.8 nmol/cm2 under
      physiological conditions. This low concentration of nitric oxide reduced
      Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis growth by 41.5 +/- 1.2% and 25.3
      +/- 0.6%, respectively. Combining the S-nitrosothiol releasing Ti-6Al-4V with
      tetracycline, a commonly-prescribed antibiotic, increased the effectiveness of
      the antibiotic by 35.4 +/- 1.3%, which allows for lower doses of antibiotics to
      be used. A synergistic effect of ampicillin with S-nitroso-penicillamine-modified
      Ti-6Al-4V against S. epidermidis was not observed. The functionalized Ti-6Al-4V
      surface was not cytotoxic to mouse fibroblasts.

PMID- 28635683
TI  - Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm with Pulmonary Involvement and
      Atypical Skin Lesion.
AB  - BACKGROUND Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare
      hematodermic malignancy neoplasm with highly aggressive course and poor
      prognosis. This disease typically presents with cutaneous involvement as the
      first manifestation, with subsequent or simultaneous spread to bone marrow and
      peripheral blood.  CASE REPORT Here, we report the case of a 51-year-old woman
      who presented a violaceus skin lesion on the lateral region of the right thigh,
      weight loss, fever, and lymphadenopathies. Computed tomography (CT) displayed
      thoracic and abdominal lymph node and alveolar bleeding. Flow cytometry from
      circulating blastic cells was compatible with BPDCN (CD4+, CD56+ and CD123+). She
      underwent 5 cycles of hyper-CVAD alternating with high-dose methotrexate and
      cytarabine, but the patient died due to alveolar bleeding and sepsis. CONCLUSIONS
      We report a rare case of BPDCN characterized by an aggressive course, presence of
      atypical skin lesion, a finding suggestive of pulmonary infiltration, and
      nonresponse to induction chemotherapy, leading to late diagnosis and therapeutic
      management. Because of the late recognition of the skin lesion, neoplastic cells
      infiltrated the dermis and spread as the disease progressed rapidly to a fatal
      course.

PMID- 28635682
TI  - Relationship Between Human mutL Homolog 1 (hMLH1) Hypermethylation and Colorectal
      Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND Hypermethylation of CpG islands in gene promoter regions is an
      important mechanism of gene inactivation in cancers. Promoter hypermethylation of
      human mutL homolog 1 (hMLH1) has been implicated in a subset of colorectal
      cancers that show microsatellite instability (MSI), while the connection of the
      epigenetic inactivation of hMLH1 in colorectal cancers remains unknown. The aim
      of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the promoter
      hypermethylation of hMLH1 and colorectal cancers by performing a meta-analysis.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS Eligible studies were identified through searching PubMed,
      Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. R Software
      including meta packages was used to calculate the pooled and odds ratios (ORs)
      with corresponding confidence intervals (CIs). Funnel plots were also performed
      to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS This meta-analysis obtained 45 articles,
      including 4096 colorectal cancer patients, and identified a significant
      association between hMLH1 hypermethylation and colorectal cancer risk using the
      fixed-effects model (OR=8.3820; 95% CI, 6.9202~10.1527; z=21.7431; P<0.0001) and
      random effects model pooled (OR=10.0963; 95% CI, 6.1919~16.4626; z=9.2688;
      P<0.0001). The significant relationship was found in subgroup analyses.
      CONCLUSIONS The results of this meta-analysis show a significant association
      between hMLH1 hypermethylation and colorectal cancer risk.

PMID- 28635684
TI  - [Spatial analysis of syphilis and gonorrhea infections in a Public Health Service
      in Madrid].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Sexually transmitted diseases are a significant public health problem.
      Within the Madrid Autonomous Region, the districts with the highest syphilis and
      gonorrhea incidences are part of the same Public Health Service (Servicio de
      Salud Publica del Area 7, SSPA 7). The objective of this study was to identify,
      by spatial analysis, clusters of syphilis and gonorrhea infections in this SSPA
      in Madrid. METHODS: All confirmed syphilis and gonorrhea cases registered in SSPA
      7 in Madrid were selected. Moran's I was calculated in order to identify the
      existence of spatial autocorrelation and a cluster analysis was performed.
      Clusters and cumulative incidences (CI) per health zone were mapped. RESULTS: The
      district with most cases was Centro (CI: 67.5 and 160.7 per 100.000 inhabitants
      for syphilis and gonorrhea, respectively) with the highest CI (120.0 and 322.6
      per 100.000 inhabitants) in the Justicia health zone.91.6% of all syphilis cases
      and 89.6% of gonorrhea cases were among men who have sex with men (MSM). Moran's
      I was 0.54 and 0.55 (p=0.001) for syphilis and gonorrhea, respectively. For
      syphilis, a cluster was identified including the six health zones of the Centro
      district, with a relative risk (RR)of 6.66 (p=0.001). For gonorrhea, a cluster
      was found including the Centro district, three health zones of the Chamberi
      district and one of Latina (RR 5.05; p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Centro was the
      district with most cases of syphilis and gonorrhea and the most affected
      population were MSM. For both infections, clusters were found with an important
      overlap. By identifying the most vulnerable health zones and populations, these
      results can help to design public health measures for preventing sexually
      transmitted diseases.

PMID- 28635680
TI  - Saturated Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease: Replacements for Saturated Fat
      to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk.
AB  - Dietary recommendations to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have
      focused on reducing intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) for more than 50 years.
      While the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise substituting both
      monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids for SFA, evidence supports other
      nutrient substitutions that will also reduce CVD risk. For example, replacing SFA
      with whole grains, but not refined carbohydrates, reduces CVD risk. Replacing SFA
      with protein, especially plant protein, may also reduce CVD risk. While dairy fat
      (milk, cheese) is associated with a slightly lower CVD risk compared to meat,
      dairy fat results in a significantly greater CVD risk relative to unsaturated
      fatty acids. As research continues, we will refine our understanding of dietary
      patterns associated with lower CVD risk.

PMID- 28635685
TI  - [Perineal wounds management after abdominoperineal extirpation of the rectum
      (experience of local negative pressure application)].

PMID- 28635686
TI  - [Diagnosis and treatment of dirofilariasis of soft tissue of the lower
      extremities].

PMID- 28635687
TI  - [The titanium-containing mesh as a perspective group of implants for abdominal
      wall repair].

PMID- 28635688
TI  - [Establishment of the neurorehabilitation research center].

PMID- 28635689
TI  - [Etude for surgical press history in Russia. On the 120th anniversary of the
      journal 'Surgery. N.I. Pirogov Journal' (1897-1945). Part 1].

PMID- 28635690
TI  - [Pulmonary hemorrhage in blunt chest trauma].

PMID- 28635691
TI  - [Review of the guidelines for doctors "Diagnosis and Treatment of Zenker's
      diverticulum', St. Petersburg, 2016].

PMID- 28635692
TI  - [Some aspects of nosocomial infections dissemination in intensive care units of
      different profile].

PMID- 28635693
TI  - [Chiasm and optic nerve glioma manifested as hemorrhage (two clinical cases and a
      literature review)].
AB  - The article presents two rare clinical cases of low-grade (WHO grade I-II) glioma
      of the anterior visual pathway structures, the chiasm and optic nerves, in
      adults. The feature of these cases was the benign nature of a chiasm and optic
      nerve glioma in adults as well as its presentation in the form of hemorrhage to
      the tumor and parenchymal and subarachnoid space, which to some extent
      complicated making the correct diagnosis. Removal of an intracerebral hematoma
      and open tumor biopsy were performed in one case, and removal of a hematoma and
      partial tumor resection followed by radiotherapy were performed in the other
      case.

PMID- 28635694
TI  - [Improvement of visual functions after successful microsurgical exclusion of a
      giant aneurysm of the right internal carotid artery using revascularization
      techniques].
AB  - We describe a clinical case of successful treatment of a female patient with a
      giant paraclinoid aneurysm of the right ICA. The aneurysm had a pseudotumoral
      course and manifested as pronounced progressive visual impairments. The patient
      underwent microsurgery including trapping/clipping of the right ICA aneurysm
      after creation of an EICMA and a high-flow anastomosis between the ECA and the M2
      segment of the MCA. The surgery enabled decompression of the optic nerves,
      avoiding their injury. Postoperatively, the patient underwent transcutaneous
      electrical stimulation of the optic nerves. The case feature was that the patient
      developed gradual restoration of the blind eye vision.

PMID- 28635696
TI  - [Combined surgical treatment of cavernous internal carotid artery
      pseudoaneurysm].
AB  - We describe a clinical case of surgical treatment of a cavernous internal carotid
      artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysm that developed due to damage to the artery during
      transsphenoidal resection of pituitary adenoma. Clinically, the aneurysm
      presented with episodes of profuse epistaxis that required tight nasal packing.
      Given the presence of an open circle of Willis, the patient underwent staged
      surgery that included the creation of a high-flow extra-intracranial anastomosis,
      subsequent endovascular ICA occlusion at the pseudoaneurysm level using balloon
      assisted coiling, and endoscopic debridement of the nasal cavity. The combined
      surgical treatment of this rare complication successfully excluded the
      pseudoaneurysm from the bloodstream, which led to complete regression of nasal
      bleeding.

PMID- 28635695
TI  - [Giant partially thrombosed aneurysm of the vertebral artery: a case report and
      literature review].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Giant partially thrombosed aneurysms of the vertebral artery are
      recalcitrant to treatment by microsurgical trapping and thrombectomy. Application
      of endovascular interventions is limited due to substantial brainstem compression
      and cranial nerve neuropathy. Combined endovascular exclusion and microsurgical
      excision provides an approach to treatment of these lesions. CLINICAL CASE: A 48
      year-old female patient presented with progressive complaints of ataxia, diplopia
      in left lateral gaze, and dysphagia. Imaging studies (CT, MRI, angiography)
      revealed a giant partially thrombosed aneurysm of the right vertebral artery and
      pronounced brainstem compression. TREATMENT: The initial phase of treatment
      involved endovascular occlusion of the vertebral artery and aneurysm trapping
      that did not lead to changes in the postoperative patient's neurological status.
      MRI demonstrated complete aneurysm thrombosis and a weak TOF signal in the
      vertebral artery near the proximal aneurysm neck region. Because of persistent
      brainstem compression, the patient underwent right suboccipital craniectomy and
      hemilaminectomy of the CI arch for aneurysm excision one week after endovascular
      occlusion. After isolating the aneurysmal sac, the vertebral artery was
      transected, and two small branches extending from the aneurysm neck to the
      brainstem were also coagulated and transected, followed by aneurysm excision.
      Numerous vasa vasorum in the wall of the proximal vertebral artery and aneurysm
      neck were coagulated to stop bleeding. After surgery, the patient developed
      neurological symptoms (right leg ataxia and dysphagia worsening) due to lateral
      medullary infarction (confirmed by MRI) that presumably resulted from coagulation
      of two small perforating branches coming from the aneurysm neck to the brainstem.
      Recovery of the patient's neurological functions was observed during conservative
      treatment. The patient was discharged with mild right leg ataxia and preoperative
      left-sided abducens paresis. CONCLUSION: Medulla oblongata compression associated
      with a giant thrombosed aneurysm of the vertebral artery can be eliminated by
      endovascular trapping followed by surgical excision of the aneurysm. Preserving
      the vasa vasorum feeding the brainstem is crucial for prevention of ischemic
      complications.

PMID- 28635697
TI  - [Clinical guidelines for treatment of unruptured asymptomatic brain aneurysms].

PMID- 28635698
TI  - [Unruptured cerebral aneurysms].
AB  - The problem of high disability and mortality due to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
      from cerebral aneurysms has led to the fact that surgical treatment of unruptured
      aneurysms has been considered in Western Europe, Japan, and the United States as
      a method for prevention of subarachnoid hemorrhage for many years. The
      introduction of the so-called surgical SAH prophylaxis in Russia is a challenge
      that requires defining the principles of patient selection and choosing a
      treatment technique for unruptured cerebral aneurysms. The article highlights the
      modern approaches to treatment of asymptomatic unruptured cerebral aneurysms
      based on the concepts of aneurysm epidemiology and natural progression.

PMID- 28635699
TI  - [Decompressive craniotomy in patients with intracranial aneurysmal hemorrhage].
AB  - Decompressive craniotomy (DCT) has been used for treatment of patients with acute
      aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) for more than 20 years. But so far, the
      attitude to this surgery is controversial, and the indications and
      contraindications for it are not clearly defined. The article reviews the
      domestic and foreign literature devoted to the issues of validity and efficacy of
      DCT in treatment of cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension in patients with
      aneurysmal SAH.

PMID- 28635700
TI  - [The promising directions for the further development of halotherapy in pediatric
      medicine].
AB  - This article is focused on the modern possibilities for the application of
      halotherapy with a view to prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of the
      children with special reference to the main bio-physical properties of the
      principal active factors of halotherapy including dry finely-dispersed sodium
      chloride aerosols and specific features of the mechanism of their therapeutic
      action. The extensive studies have been underway in the recent years for the
      purpose of development of the new effective methods for the reconstitution of the
      aerodispersive environment. Halotherapy can be provided either on an individual
      (haloinhalation) or a group (exposition in the halochambers and halorooms basis.
      Halotherapy has been shown to produce well apparent anti-inflammatory, draining,
      mucolytic, immunomodulatory, and sanogenetic action. The high effectiveness of
      halotherapy for the prophylactic application in the frequently ill children is
      emphasized together with the possibility of its extensive use for the treatment
      of acute respiratory diseases and combined medical rehabilitation of the children
      presenting with chronic ENT disorders, respiratory and skin diseases. The optimal
      technologies for the clinical application of various types of halotherapy are
      discussed.

PMID- 28635701
TI  - [Diagnosis and treatment of acquired tracheomalacia in patients with cicatrical
      tracheal stenosis].

PMID- 28635702
TI  - [Laparoscopic adhesiolysis and prevention of abdominal adhesions by using
      mechanical barriers].
AB  - Adhesions commonly result from abdominal and pelvic surgical procedures and may
      result in intestinal obstruction, infertility, chronic pain, or complicate
      subsequent operations. Laparoscopy produces less peritoneal trauma than does
      conventional laparotomy and may result in decreased adhesion formation. We
      present a review of the available data on laparoscopy and adhesion formation, as
      well as laparoscopic adhesiolysis. We also review current adjuvant techniques
      that may be used by practicing laparoscopists to prevent adhesion formation.

PMID- 28635703
TI  - [External duodenal fistula].

PMID- 28635704
TI  - [Review of the monograph of N.A. Kuznetsov 'Surgical risk: decision-making'. M.:
      Litterra; 2015.]

PMID- 28635705
TI  - [The influence of the climatic and weather conditions on the mechanisms
      underlying the formation of enhanced meteosensitivity (a literature review)].
AB  - The present review concerns the problem of the influence of the climatic
      conditions on the human body, the creation of the medical weather forecast
      service, the development of non-pharmacological methods for the correction of
      meteopathic disorders, and the reduction of the risk of the complications
      provoked by the unfavourable weather conditions. The literature data are used to
      analyse the influence of climatic and weather factors on the formation of
      enhanced meteosensitivity and the development of exacerbations of chronic non
      communicable diseases under the influence of weather conditions. It is concluded
      that marked changes of the weather may lead to an increased frequency of
      exacerbations of the chronic non-communicable diseases. The influence of weather
      and climate on human health is becoming an increasingly important factor under
      the current conditions bearing in mind the modern tendency toward variations of
      the global climatic conditions and their specific regional manifestations. The
      authors emphasize the necessity of the identification and evaluation of the
      predictors of the development of high meteosensitivity for the prognostication of
      the risks of the meteopathic reactions and the complications associated with the
      changes in weather conditions as well as the importance of the improvement of the
      existing and the development of new methods for the non-pharmacological
      prevention and correction of enhanced meteosensitivity with the application of
      the natural and preformed physical factors.

PMID- 28635706
TI  - [The physical methods for the prevention and management of weather-dependent
      pathological reactions (a literature review)].
AB  - The review presents data on the non-pharmacological methods and technologies for
      the prevention and management of meteopathic reactions (MPR) applied in Russia
      for the treatment of the patients suffering from obstructive and cardiovascular
      diseases. It is assumed, based on the concept of heliogeophysical imprinting,
      that the major factors responsible for the development of MPR are the
      disturbances of electromagnetic homeostasis. The acupuncture points and channels
      are regarded as a system designed for the maintenance of electromagnetic balance
      in the human body. In this context, it is proposed to encourage the application
      of the methods of electro-diagnostics and reflexology for the prevention and
      correction of meteopathic reactions.

PMID- 28635707
TI  - [The medical rehabilitation of the children presenting with atopic dermatitis (a
      literature review)].
AB  - Atopic dermatitis takes the predominant position in the structure of skin
      pathologies in the children of various age. Both the scientifically based
      forecasts and the data of numerous investigations give evidence not only of the
      significant increase in the number of patients presenting with this condition but
      also of the growing severity of this disease. Taken together, these facts account
      for the serious medico-social importance of the problems arising in connection
      with this pathology. The introduction of the eliminative actions, a
      hypoallergenic diet, local and systemic pharmacotherapeutic modalities do not
      always allow to prevent or arrest the inflammatory process and achieve the long
      standing remission. The high frequency of undesirable reactions to the
      pharmacological products turns the attention of many clinicians to the
      application of the non-pharmacological factors and methods for the treatment of
      atopic dermatitis in the children. The main objectives of physical therapy in the
      case of atopic dermatitis include the normalization of the state of the central
      and vegetative nervous system, the achievement of hyposensitization, sedative,
      anti-toxic, and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the application of the
      dissolving, trophic, and antipruritogenic agents, strengthening of the general
      health status of the children.

PMID- 28635708
TI  - [The early diagnosis of neurodegenerative changes in multiple sclerosis and
      clinically isolated syndrome based on optical coherence tomography of the
      retina].
AB  - AIM: To study signs of neurodegeneration in the retina in multiple sclerosis.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in 265 (524
      eyes) patients. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We identified a reliable thinning of RNFL
      of both eyes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). A
      comparative analysis by sectors revealed a specific decrease in RNFL in temporal
      segments and papillomacular beam. Mean values of RNFL in patients with clinically
      isolated syndrome did not differ from those in controls. Thickening of RNFL of
      low segments (NI i TI) and decrease in the thickness of the upper temporal
      segment (TS) were found. The results have demonstrated that neurodegenerative
      signs in the retina may be early appearances of MS. Optical coherence tomography
      allows to perform objective and rapid screening of retinal neurodegenerative
      changes.

PMID- 28635709
TI  - [Regional metabolic changes of supraventricular tissue in patients with relapsing
      remitting and secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate and compare the intensity of changes in a regional meta-analysis
      in relapsing-remitting and secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (RRS and
      SPMS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of longitudinal studies of multiple
      sclerosis (MS) using positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging are presented. RESULTS: In MS,
      metabolic changes precede the structural ones. The markers of neuronal and axonal
      dysfunction (a decrease in NAA/Cr ratios in the white and grey matters, without
      the structural changes) are recorded in the early stages. The metabolic changes
      in the grey matter were recorded mostly in the middle frontal gyrus and posterior
      cingulate cortex. With the increase of duration and severity of MS, the metabolic
      changes spread to the other regions of supraventricular areas. The distribution
      of degeneration zones is related to MS course. CONCLUSION: There is substantial
      evidence on the irreversible damage of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex in
      SPMS that confirms the vulnerability of the frontal cingulate gyrus in MS.

PMID- 28635710
TI  - [A retrospective analysis of the effect of pregnancy on the course of multiple
      sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: For a long time it was believed that pregnancy worsens the clinical course
      of multiple sclerosis. In several European countries, there have been several
      studies that have demonstrated remission of autoimmune aggression during
      pregnancy. We studied the effect of pregnancy on the course of multiple sclerosi.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of disease course of 279 patients
      was performed for the first time in three major Russian centers (Moscow,
      Novosibirsk, Tyumen). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was a remission of autoimmune
      aggression during pregnancy. The use of DMT before pregnancy was a predictor of a
      more favorable course of the disease after delivery. An earlier beginning of DMT
      after delivery led to a significant risk reduction of relapses.

PMID- 28635711
TI  - [A study of the relation between the sCD40-sCD40L system and the course of
      multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To determine the relationship between the level of soluble CD40 and CD40L
      (sCD40, sCD40L) and key characteristics of the course of multiple sclerosis.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study covered 80 patients
      with multiple sclerosis diagnosed according to 2005 McDonald criteria. Enzyme
      immunoassay method was applied to measure the concentration of sCD40 and sCD40L
      in venous blood serum. RESULTS: No significant changes in sCDL or sSD levels were
      found during acute MS periods in comparison to remission periods. The positive
      correlation between the frequency of exacerbations and the level of sCDL was
      shown. CONCLUSION: No evidence for the association between indexes of activity of
      the sCD40-sCD40L system in blood and both exacerbation of MS, severity and rate
      of neurological impairment in this disease was demonstrated.

PMID- 28635712
TI  - [A prospective, open, non-randomized study on the safety and efficacy of
      natalizumab (tisabri) in the Russian population of patients with relapsing
      remitting multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate safety and efficacy of natalizumab (tisabri) in the RUSTYS study
      of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) during one year.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective, open, non-randomized clinical study
      included 100 RRMS patients treated with natalizumab in dose 300 mg intravenously
      every 4 weeks during 48 weeks. The safety was assessed by the percentage of
      patients with infusion reactions as well as by the distribution of undesirable
      effects (UE). Before treatment and after 48 weeks, antibodies to JC virus (JCV)
      were determined. The efficacy was evaluated by the frequency of relapses,
      progression of disability, MRI results and quality of life indices. RESULTS:
      After treatment, 87% of the patients had no relapses, disease progression
      assessed by EDSS was not observed in 96% . To 48th week, 71% of patients had no
      MRI changes in T2 lesions and 79.6% - in T1 hypointense lesions. Quality of life
      has been improved. At least one UE, including the development of tuberculosis in
      one patient, was noted. Infections (upper respiratory tract infection,
      nasopharyngitis, flu) were recorded in 25% of the patients. Three out of 28
      (10.7%) of the patients with negative results of JCV analysis at baseline had the
      seroconversion with the change of the negative status to the 48th week. No cases
      of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy related to natalizumab were found.
      CONCLUSION: The results are in line with those of earlier studies in patients
      with RRMS with high disease activity.

PMID- 28635713
TI  - [Intravenous immunoglobulins: perspectives in multiple sclerosis (a literature
      review with own results)].
AB  - In this review, we have analyzed a role of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) in
      multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy. Main mechanisms of IVIGs are elucidated and the
      results of the most prominent investigations of IVIGs in MS are reported. Based
      on these data, we discuss a role of IVIGs as second line therapy in MS. We also
      present results of our own open observational study of IVIG therapy of 41
      patients with relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive with relapses MS, in
      which a clear decrease of relapse rate (by 2-3 times) and disability (in average
      by 0.38-0.48 EDSS points) were revealed. We found some differences between
      complex IVIGs and pure IgG IVIGs clinical efficacy with some prevalence of
      complex IVIGs that were discussed. High IVIGs safety and tolerability (only
      slight transitory side effects in up to 14% of patients) were found.

PMID- 28635714
TI  - [Supplement. Criteria of non-efficacy of treatment and withdrawal of first line
      DMD and switching to second-line drugs].

PMID- 28635715
TI  - [The International Baikal seminar 'Innovations in neurology and neurosurgery'
      2015'].

PMID- 28635716
TI  - [The First World War and the development of Russian psychiatry].

PMID- 28635717
TI  - [Neuroimaging of functional abnormalities in apathy].
AB  - Apathy is a common comorbid condition in neurologic and somatic disorders
      (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, frontotemporal
      dementia, senile dementia, HIV) and a symptom of many psychiatric disorders.
      Neurophysiologic research in this area aims to examine the specific features to
      differentiate the apathy from main disorder. This paper reviews neuroimaging
      studies of functional abnormalities in apathy.

PMID- 28635718
TI  - [Assessment of need in nutritional support in patients with the consequences of
      central nervous system injuries].
AB  - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI) are most common causes
      of death and disability in young patients. Metabolic changes occur immediately
      after the acute injury of the central nervous system. However hypermetabolic
      response in SCI is less pronounced compared to that in TBI that could be
      explained by the weakness of denervated muscles and hypodynamia. Following SCI,
      the level of resting energy expenditure is lower comparison to that calculated
      using the Harris-Benedict formula. Indirect calorimetry corresponded to class II
      (B) medical evidence, is recommended as a method for assessment of energy
      expenditure in the acute stage of TBI and SCI as well as in their consequences.
      Nutritional support is favorable and safe and therefore, it should be used as
      soon as possible. Many studies provide evidence that nutritional support leads to
      the replenishment of energy expenditure, reduce catabolic processes and nitrogen
      loss thus minimizing the risk of complications that in future decrease the extent
      of disability and increase quality-of-life of patients with the consequences of
      central nervous system injuries.

PMID- 28635719
TI  - [Neurodevelopmental disorders in children with epilepsy].
AB  - Neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, autistic
      spectrum disorders, speech disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
      (ADHD), learning disabilities, are more prevalent in children with epilepsy
      compared with the general population. Marked developmental delay and regression
      of acquired skills are characteristic of epileptic encephalopathies. Conditions,
      in which neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with the marked epileptiform
      EEG activity, while clinical epileptic seizures are absent, represent a serious
      problem. The authors consider the features of epilepsy with electrical status
      epilepticus during slow-wave sleep, pseudo-Lennox syndrome, Landau-Kleffner
      syndrome, children autistic epileptiform regression, autosomal-dominant rolandic
      epilepsy with verbal dispraxy and a combination of epilepsy and subclinical
      epileptiform EEG activity with developmental dysphasia and ADHD. In addition to
      the optimization of basic treatment with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), nootropic
      drugs which do not increase epileptiform activity (hopantenic acid), are
      recommended.

PMID- 28635720
TI  - [Poststroke depression - a common medical and social problem].
AB  - Poststroke depression (PD) is considered as a common medical and social problem.
      Depression is estimated to occur in 30-35% of the patients during the first year
      after stroke. Despite the high level of comorbidity, PD is frequently
      undetectedand and untreated. Psychological impairment from stroke has a negative
      effect on functional outcome, rehabilitation and quality of live. On the basis of
      literature review present prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis,diagnosis of PD and
      summarize current recommendations for therapeutic intervention. A rational
      approach to the treatment and prevention of PD is proposed.

PMID- 28635721
TI  - [A.A. Skoromets, D.G. German, M.V. Iretskaya, L.L. Brandman 'Tunnel
      compressive/ischemic mono- and multineuropathies' 3rd Ed. Revised. M.: GEOTAR
      Media; 2015;376.]

PMID- 28635722
TI  - [Epidemiology of neuroendocrine neoplasms].

PMID- 28635723
TI  - [XII Congress of Russian Surgeons].

PMID- 28635724
TI  - [Etudes of surgical press history in Russia. On the 120th anniversary of
      "Surgery" journal (1946-2015). Part 2].

PMID- 28635725
TI  - [Solitary fibrous tumor of pleura and lung: case reports and literature review].

PMID- 28635726
TI  - [The role and place of talc in malignant pleuritis management (literature
      review)].

PMID- 28635727
TI  - [Chronic cerebrovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome: approaches to
      pathogenic therapy of cognitive dysfunction].
AB  - Cognitive decline comprises one of the most important symptoms of chronic
      cerebral hypoperfusion. It leads not only to social disability of the patients
      with a subsequent decline in life quality but also to a decrease in adequate
      control of the course of both vascular pathology and comorbid states.
      Pathogenetic therapy and prevention of cerebrovascular disease progression, along
      with general medical measures, should include the drugs normalizing different
      symptoms of metabolic syndrome (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus etc) as
      well as complex drugs with multiple actions (hemangioma correction,
      antithrombotic, antioxidant and vasoactive) actions.

PMID- 28635728
TI  - [Cognitive dysfunction after coronary artery bypass grafting].
AB  - Despite the advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques for coronary artery
      bypass grafting (CABG), the incidence of neurological complications, including
      postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), remains high. CABG is performed more
      often in elderly patients with severe comorbidities. However, comprehensive
      prevention measures and POCD rehabilitation have not yet been developed. Physical
      training is an effective and safe method for correcting endothelial dysfunction,
      severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome, lipid peroxidation, i.e.
      mechanisms contributing to the development and severity of POCD.

PMID- 28635729
TI  - [Correction of pathological conditions associated with insulin-resistant
      hyperglycaemia].
AB  - High level of glucose in the blood in hypoxic-ischemic states is one of the main
      factors that complicates the degree of brain damage. An increased level of
      reactive oxygen species and impaired functioning of the endogenous antioxidant
      system are the consequences of the hyperglycemic-ischemic condition. Medical
      treatment is necessary to compensate for the development of cerebrovascular
      disorders in ischemia comorbid to diabetes mellitus. The use of antioxidants (2
      ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine succinate) is the most therapeutically
      effective.

PMID- 28635730
TI  - [The relationship between schizophrenia and epilepsy: the history and current
      state of the problem].
AB  - The review deals with the background and current state of the relationship
      between schizophrenia and epilepsy. The author presents results of recent
      epidemiological, neuropsychological, neurophysiological and genetic studies,
      indicating that these diseases may be different clinical variants of a common
      etiologic process (neurodevelopmental brain abnormalities), while epilepsy with
      chronic psychotic symptoms can be considered as an experimental model of
      schizophrenia pathogenesis.

PMID- 28635732
TI  - [Review of "Histology and embryology of human oral cavity organs" by V.L. Bykov].

PMID- 28635731
TI  - [Gerpes viruses and multiple sclerosis].
AB  - AIM: To study the efficacy of L-lysine aescinat in the treatment of vascular and
      microvascular disorders in patients with cerebral venous dystonia. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: Sixty-eight patients, 25 male and 43 female, aged from 25 to 56 years,
      with disturbances of venous cerebral blood circulation and venous outflow
      difficulties were examined. The examination included the assessment of cerebral
      hemodynamics using the algorithm of complex ultrasound examinations and
      functional status of the microcirculation by the laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) at
      baseline and 10 days after treatment with L-lysine aescinat. RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSION: L-lysine aescinat improves intracranial venous outflow, significantly
      improves the functioning of microcirculation, while not affecting the normal type
      of microcirculation or changing it in the direction of improvement of hemodynamic
      parameters, has a modulating effect on the autonomic response, and can be
      recommended in the complex treatment of young and middle aged patients with
      disturbances of cerebral venous blood circulation with the predominance of
      vagotonia as well as hypersympathicotonia.

PMID- 28635734
TI  - [Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba keratitis].
AB  - The Acanthamoeba keratitis is a relatively rare, but dangerous disease of the
      cornea. Its development is thought to be associated with contact lens wearing as
      well as corneal microwounds contaminated with soil or water. The disease has no
      evident distinctive clinical features and is, therefore, difficult to be
      distinguished from herpetic or fungal keratitis. Nevertheless, Acanthamoeba
      infection can be suspected judging from anamnestic data (i.e. contact lens use
      and corneal injury with subsequent contamination of the wound), inadequately
      strong pain syndrome, ring-shaped infiltration of the cornea and ineffectiveness
      of conventional therapy. Also helpful may be such measures as isolating the
      bacteria using the method of biocultures, morphological examination of corneal
      biopsy material (using light and luminescent microscopy), genetic testing, and in
      vivo confocal microscopy of the cornea. Other promising methods are also listed
      in this article. A widely accepted diagnostic technique is yet, however, missing.

PMID- 28635733
TI  - [Optical coherence tomography angiography in glaucoma diagnosis].
AB  - According to literature data, vascular dysfunction may well contribute to the
      development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy, which makes it reasonable to search
      for new imaging techniques capable of early diagnosis and monitoring of glaucoma
      through assessment of retinal, optic nerve head (ONH), and choroidal perfusion.
      Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), a recently introduced method
      based on the split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation angiography (SSADA)
      algorithm, enables evaluation of both retinal and choroidal blood flow in
      peripapillary and macular areas. The first studies involving OCTA have revealed a
      decrease in retinal blood flow in glaucoma. It has also been shown that visual
      field indices correlate better with the peripapillary flow index than with
      morphometric parameters of the optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary retina.
      OCT angiography has great potential for ONH blood flow assessment during
      physiological tests, which is an important step towards understanding
      pathogenesis of glaucoma.

PMID- 28635735
TI  - [Treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis].
AB  - In recent years, Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) has became a clinically significant
      problem because of the broad use of contact lenses that are the major risk factor
      of the disease. The treatment presents considerable difficulties due to
      similarity of clinical manifestations of AK to other keratites (bacterial,
      herpetic, and fungal). This often leads to late diagnosis and formation of drug
      resistant cysts. There is currently no specific drug universally suitable for
      monotherapy of AK. Instead, 2 agents (usually chlorhexidine and poligexametilen
      biguanide) are used that, if combined, are effective against both trophozoites
      and cysts. If necessary (severe keratitis, insufficient treatment effect),
      diamidines (propamidine and its analogs), antifungals (fluconazole, itrakonazol),
      certain antibiotics (Neomycinum), and iodine-containing medications (povidone
      iodine) can be prescribed. The use of corticosteroids is considered unjustified
      because of the risk of rapid progression (due to disturbance of local immunity
      and also provocation of excystation of the amoebas). The penetrative keratoplasty
      may be required, especially if a descemetocele or corneal perforation occurs,
      however, its results are generally worse than those in other keratites because of
      a higher risk of complications (iridocyclitis, secondary glaucoma, AK recurrence
      in the graft). In some cases, good results are achieved with minimally invasive
      surgeries, such as mechanical epithelial debridement, conjunctivoplasty and
      cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation, excimer laser phototherapeutic
      keratectomy, and cross-linking. In the future, gene therapy and specific
      chemotherapy of AK may well be developed.

PMID- 28635736
TI  - [Hypothesis of immune privilege of the cornea and pathophysiology of graft
      rejection].
AB  - Transplantation of donated cornea is a radical and pathogenetically oriented
      measure of rehabilitation for patients with corneal blindness. Unlike other
      transplantation surgeries, keratoplasty is usually done without tissue typing and
      systemic immunosuppression. Even so, in the absence of risk factors, grafts can
      remain clear in as many as 90% of cases. The phenomenon is explained by immune
      privilege of the cornea. The hypothesis of immune privilege comprises several
      interrelated mechanisms that ensure long-lasting transparency of the graft. These
      include transfer limits of immunogenic stimuli to peripheral lymphoid tissues,
      deviation of the immune response, and neutralization of immune effector elements
      within the host-graft interface by immunosuppressive ocular environment. A change
      in any of the said components leads to loss of the immune-privilege status of the
      cornea, thus, significantly increasing the risk of graft rejection. We know
      several stages of the response activation cascade in graft rejection that can be
      influenced therapeutically, namely, antigen absorption, processing, and
      presentation as well as T-cell expansion and cellular inflow to the eye. The
      first two stages take place in the eye itself and are susceptible to instillation
      drugs and gene therapy. New highly selective medications aimed at specific
      signals from the immune cells and their pathways may be able to help restore the
      immune privilege of the cornea and improve the results of optical and
      reconstructive surgeries in high-risk patients.

PMID- 28635737
TI  - [Modern treatments for purulent corneal ulcers].
AB  - This review covers the most widely used modern treatment methods, minimally
      invasive and surgical, for therapy-resistant purulent corneal ulcers.

PMID- 28635738
TI  - [Embryological aspects of clinical presentations of congenital lens and vitreous
      anomalies].
AB  - This report gives a general overview of embryological features of the human eye.
      Key literature sources published during the last century on evaluation of
      congenital changes in the vitreous body and identification of signs of its
      'underdevelopment' in certain types of congenital cataracts have been studied.
      The said changes were analyzed in terms of general pathology of the human body as
      well as local morphological manifestations. According to the authors, such an
      approach justifies the need for comparison of clinical manifestations of
      congenital lens and vitreous changes with possible embryonic defects.

PMID- 28635739
TI  - [Mental health disorders in the first years of life: disorders mostly related
      with psychogenic factors].
AB  - In the literature review the authors present current data on the clinical
      features, prevalence and general approaches to treatment and prevention of mental
      disorders related with environmental factors in early childhood. A quite new
      class of the disorders, which are specific for early childhood: attachment
      disorders, clinical specifics of posttraumatic stress disorder, clinical
      manifestations of sleep disorders and feeding disorders is considered. It is
      emphasized that disturbed parent-child relations can be one of the predictors of
      early mental disorders in children. The modern models of psychotherapy for
      children of early age are presented.

PMID- 28635740
TI  - [Functional disorders: pathogenesis and systematic of clinical presentation].
AB  - Functional disorders hold a prominent place in the clinical practice of
      physicians of different specialties. The difficulties in the diagnosis of
      functional disorders need expensive examinations, and standard treatment is, as a
      rule, is not effective. Currently, the pathogenesis of these disorders is
      considered in the frames of the biopsychosocial model. In this literature review,
      the authors present modern concepts of terminology, classification, main features
      and general trends of the course of functional disorders. Special attention is
      drawn to comorbidity, a role of psychogenic factors and cerebral mechanisms of
      the pathogenesis including cognitive aspects.

PMID- 28635741
TI  - [A place of first-line drugs in treatment of multiple sclerosis].
AB  - A rapidly changing set of drugs for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to
      the necessity of searching for predictors of their efficacy. Understanding of
      pathogenetic processes in MS and mechanisms of action of different drugs play an
      important role in the search for markers of potential responders. The author
      analyses the presently accumulated information on the original drug copaxone
      (glatiramer acetate) including current concepts on the mechanism of action, long
      term safety and efficacy. Data on the frequency and significance of adverse
      effects during treatment with glatiramer acetate as well as on the influence of
      the drug on pregnancy, postpartum course of MS and development of the infant who
      received glatiramer acetate prenatally compared to other disease-modifying drugs
      are presented.

PMID- 28635742
TI  - [A review of drugs for treatment of Alzheimer's disease in clinical trials: main
      trends].
AB  - Development of drugs for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including
      Alzheimer's disease (AD), is thought to be a complicated problem of current
      medical chemistry. According to current concepts, AD is proteinopathy due to
      impairments in the metabolism of amyloid precursor protein and tau-protein that
      results in the pathological protein aggregation in the brain. The author
      describes about 130 compound used in clinical trials of AD in 2015 and presents
      major characteristics of their action. It has allowed to find the following
      trends in a search for drugs for AD: 1. Development of disease modifying drugs,
      2. Drugs, which act on several molecular targets simultaneously, 3. Search for
      new possibilities of using known drugs (drug reposition).

PMID- 28635743
TI  - [Clinical efficacy of neuropeptides in cerebrovascular pathology].
AB  - Great value in the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS) is given for
      neuroprotection. When ischemic neuroprotection aims to increase the period of
      'therapeutic window' and stop the cascade of pathological reactions. The
      neuroprotection is defined as the continuous adaptation of the neuron to new
      functional conditions, as the key to reducing damage to brain tissue caused by
      ischemia, it acts at the level of the molecular cascade leading to the
      dysfunction and death of neurons. Special attention is paid to the study of the
      properties of low molecular weight neuropeptides that penetrate through the
      hematoencephalitic barrier and exert a multiple effect on the Central nervous
      system (CNS) even in small concentrations. One of neuropeptide of cytoprotectors,
      is Cortexin, containing a complex of low molecular weight peptides (with mass
      from 1 to 10 kDa), which is optimally balanced and close to the metabolism of
      brain neurons (organotropic) that exert tissue-specific, regulatory and
      restorative effect on the cerebral cortex. The article presents data on the
      effectiveness purpose of Cortexin in patients with IS. It is shown that the
      optimal scheme for the purpose of Cortexin includes: intramuscular administration
      of Cortexin in the dose of 20 mg (10 mg morning + 10 mg evening) for 10 days,
      with a repeat the same course within 10 days after the first, since the first 6 h
      after the onset of stroke symptoms. The observation period is more than 2 months.

PMID- 28635744
TI  - [Biological basis of suicidal behavior].
AB  - Based on current clinical and classification concepts of suicidality, the
      biological parameters characteristic of suicidal behavior, completed and
      uncompleted suicides reported in the last few decades are discussed. The results
      obtained in the studies of neurotransmitter and other brain systems, immune
      system, lipid and other types of metabolism as well as data of neuroimaging brain
      studies and post-mortem investigation of brain structures are presented.

PMID- 28635745
TI  - [Genetic aspects of binge eating disorder Part 2. Molecular genetics and
      pharmacogenetic approaches].
AB  - Genetic risk of binge eating disorder (VED) is a consequence of joint
      participation of many genes, the contribution of each one is small, but the total
      (additive) effect is significant and greatly influences the age at onset,
      clinical dynamics and the level of treatment resistance. It is assumed that the
      carriers of different polymorphic variants of genes and their combinations have
      different levels of genetic risk. No Genom Wide Association studies of VED has
      been performed and the analysis of the results of candidate genes studies gives
      reason to believe that pathogenetically substantiated panel of genes, including
      serotonin system, BDNF and, especially dopamine and endogenous opioid system,
      would be most useful, taking into account the mechanism of action of drugs for
      the VED treatment. Genetic studies with this panel if using evidence-based
      design, detailed and quantitative analysis of the family history of binge eating
      can give good results for: 1) assessment of the genetic risk of VED for primary
      prevention programs; 2) identification of the specific clinical forms of
      development and course of VED with significant genetic influence; 3)
      identification of the specific genetic variants that increase the effectiveness
      of personalized pharmacotherapy of VED within pharmacogenetic approach.

PMID- 28635746
TI  - [Discirculatory encephalopathy and small vessel disease].
AB  - The report examines the practicability of the term 'discirculatory
      encephalopathy' used in the Russian Federation to designate the chronic cerebral
      ischemia of different origin. The authors discuss the state of small vessel
      disease which manifests itself through slowly progressive cerebral changes. On
      the basis of their own research results and literature review the authors
      conclude that a standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba EGb761 (tanakan) can be
      effectively used in patients with small vessel disease.

PMID- 28635747
TI  - [Diploptic treatment of concomitant strabismus].
AB  - This is a literature review on the use of diploptic treatment in concomitant
      strabismus.

PMID- 28635748
TI  - [Treating severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca].
AB  - Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is a widespread disease with a complex multifactorial
      pathogenesis. Current understanding of its pathogenesis and existing treatments
      are summarized in this literature review.

PMID- 28635749
TI  - [Purulent corneal ulcers: clinical presentation, diagnosis, and conservative
      treatment].
AB  - This is a detailed review of purulent corneal ulcer signs and symptoms, problems
      in diagnosis, and conservative treatment options.

PMID- 28635750
TI  - [M.R. Bogomil'sky, I.V. Rakhmanova, E.I. Zelikovich, M.M. Polunin, A.G. Matrsokin
      'The atlas of clinical roentgenoanatomy of the temporal bone in breast-fed
      newborns and young children'. M: Ritm 2014].

PMID- 28635751
TI  - [Effects of body positioning in patients with non-traumatic intracranial
      hemorrhages].
AB  - The article presents an analysis of different methods of positioning patients
      with acute cerebral pathology. Changing of 'head-of-the bed' position is a
      routine and simple method of correction of intracranial hypertension. For the
      majority of patients with cerebral damage, regardless of the etiological factor,
      15-30 degrees  'head - of - the bed' position is preferable. However, in some
      cases head-of-bed manipulation can lead to the irreversible ischemic damage due
      to the reduction in systemic and perfusion pressure and cerebral blood flow.
      Thus, the selection of the optimal body position in different types of acute
      cerebral pathology remains a debated issue.

PMID- 28635752
TI  - [Results and promises of genetics of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia:
      molecular-genetic approaches].
AB  - This review highlights the basic paradigms and directions of molecular genetic
      studies of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Along with the traditional
      approach based on functional candidate genes, it covers genome-wide association
      studies (GWAS) for cognition in general population and schizophrenic patients,
      attempts to integrate GWAS results in polygenic profiles that can be used in
      personalized care of schizophrenic patients, and a search for biological pathways
      implicated in the development of cognitive impairments with bioinformatics
      methods. However, despite significant advances in understanding the genetic basis
      of the disease and a rapidly growing amount of data on genes associated with
      cognitive functions, most of the variability of cognitive impairments in patients
      remains unexplained. The data on the functional complexity of the genome
      accumulated in the fields of molecular biology and genetics underscore the
      importance of studying epigenetic mechanisms of cognitive deficits in
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 28635753
TI  - [Predictors and modifiers of impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - Impulse control disorders (ICDs), including compulsive gambling, buying, sexual
      behavior, and eating, are a serious and increasingly recognized psychiatric
      complication in Parkinson's disease (PD). ICDs have been most closely related to
      the use of dopamine agonists (DAs), perhaps more so at higher doses. Possible
      predictor's for ICDs include male sex, younger age and younger age at PD onset,
      use of dopaminergic agents. Modifiers of ICDs are pharmacological (medication)
      and non-pharmacological (surgical, behavioral) treatments.

PMID- 28635754
TI  - [Cerebral plasticity and connectopathies: mechanisms of comorbidity of
      neurological diseases and depression].
AB  - In this theoretical study, the concept of connectome and connectopathy was used
      for the analysis of the data related to molecular mechanisms of the pathogenesis
      and comorbidities of neurological and psychiatric diseases (in particular,
      depression), as well as approaches to their pharmacotherapy. A scheme of main
      network levels underlying connectome is provided, including subcellular and
      molecular levels. Neuronal networks forming connectome are based on several
      'lower' network levels, the state and interactions of these levels stipulating
      the state and functioning of the connectome as well as its dynamic changes.
      Similarly, network levels are demonstrated for connectopathies. Common network
      mechanisms of connectopathies, particularly depressive disorders and
      neurodegenerative diseases, are not only underlying the comorbidity, but also
      suggest common potential pharmacotherapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28635755
TI  - [Characteristics of structural and functional organization of the brain].
AB  - Current conceptions on the fundamental mechanisms underlying brain functioning in
      normal conditions and pathological states are considered. The author emphasizes
      that a great progress in the field has been achieved after the implementation of
      neuroimaging methods in clinical practice. During the last time, attention is
      drawn to the connections between separate neurons as well as between different
      brain regions. Functional specialization and functional integration of different
      brain regions are key concepts of the higher brain function organization. The
      significance of the resting state of the brain, which is in fact the active
      process, is analyzed. The state of cerebral functions determines internal
      processes in the neuronal tissue. Different aspects of energy metabolism
      determining the normal functioning of cerebral structures are considered. The
      expediency of using the drugs influencing the energy metabolism, one of which is
      2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine succinate (mexidol), is highlighted.

PMID- 28635756
TI  - [Specifics of the use of NSAIDs in senior age].
AB  - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a strong analgesic and anti
      inflammatory effects and are widely used in clinical practice. Patients with
      chronic disorders of the joints, in particular the spine, are main consumers of
      NSAIDs. However, risk factors for side-effects should be taken into consideration
      in the treatment with NSAIDs, especially in patients of old age. The careful
      control of treatment taking into account the risk of developing gastrointestinal
      and cardiovascular events is needed.

PMID- 28635757
TI  - [A role of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota in the pathogenesis of
      Parkinson's disease].
AB  - Microbiota is a community of microorganisms, viruses, protozoa, colonizing the
      gut. There are tight phylogenetic relationships between the gut microbiota and
      the human body, the disturbance of which may lead to the CNS dysfunction as well
      as to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This review focuses on
      general and specific aspects of the influence of gut microbiota on the
      pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Current theories and models of the
      relationship between microbiota and brain structures in PD are presented with a
      specific focus on neurochemical and immunological aspects of the problem.

PMID- 28635759
TI  - [Second All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference on Current Approaches to
      the Morphological Diagnosis of Human Neoplasms].

PMID- 28635761
TI  - [Interview with A.A. Skoromets].

PMID- 28635760
TI  - [The current problems related to Meniere's disease].
AB  - Over 150 years have elapsed since Prosper Meniere's described for the first time
      the clinical symptoms of the disease that is called by his name at the present
      time. Nevertheless, the etiology of this pathological condition remains unknown.
      It has been believed during many decades that the cause of Meniere's disease Is
      the presence of an excess fluid (hydrops) in the endolymphatic space of the inner
      ear leading to the rupture of membranes responsible for hearing impairment and
      vestibular disorders. The recent histopathological studies have demonstrated that
      endolymphatic hydrops (RH) is not necessarily associated with the clinical
      manifestations of Meniere's disease. During the last decades, certain authors
      have undertaken attempts to elaborate new theories of etiology, pathogenesis, and
      mechanisms underlying the development of dizziness associated with Meniere's
      disease. These are the theory of genetic predisposition to this condition, the
      viral and autoimmune theories, and the theory of disturbance of the longitudinal
      endolymph flow. However, none of these theories was adequately substantiated. The
      ongoing experimental and morphological studies appear to give evidence that the
      aquaporin water channels may play a role in the formation of hydrops. Moreover,
      the mechanisms underlying episodes of dizziness remain to be elucidated. In the
      light of recent progress in normal physiology and pathological physiology of the
      ear, the theory of ruptures proposed by H. Schuknecht tends to be considered
      increasingly less attractive and appears to be replaced by new hypotheses
      providing an alternative explanation for the mechanism behind the development of
      Meniere's disease giving priority to the role of contamination of perilymph with
      calcium ions.

PMID- 28635762
TI  - [The philosophy of rapid rehabilitation in thoracoabdominal surgery].

PMID- 28635763
TI  - [What surgeon is necessary today?]

PMID- 28635764
TI  - [Thrombosis of the cerebral veins in gynecological practice].
AB  - The review presents literature data on the risk factors of cerebral venous
      thrombosis (CVT), a rare life threatening disorder. Currently, the diagnosis of
      CVT is made more often due to the possibility of using neuroimaging methods of
      cerebral structures. Pregnancy, postpartum period, use of oral contraceptives are
      risk factors of CVT. A role of thrombophilia, in particular Factor V Leiden
      mutations and the prothrombin G20210A polymorphism, in the CVT pathogenesis is
      confirmed. The development of CVT is an example of the interaction between
      persistent risk factors increasing the likelihood of thrombotic complications and
      acquired risk factors. A focal neurological deficit during pregnancy, delivery
      and postpartum period is the best indicator of CVT diagnosis. Possibilities of
      the use of anticoagulants in treatment and prevention of CVT are analyzed.

PMID- 28635765
TI  - [Interview with prof. L.B. Novikova].

PMID- 28635766
TI  - [Contemporary paradigm of rational stroke treatment].
AB  - Stroke was and remains one of the world's leading medical and social problems.
      Nowadays we are watching permanent sometimes cardinal changes in view about
      etiology, pathogenetic mechanisms and therapy of patients with stroke. In this
      work there have been elucidated contemporary theoretical and practical aspects of
      stroke treatment and prophylaxis based on the results of multicenter clinical
      trials and experience of leading foreign and native specialists. Much attention
      is devoted to the pharmacotherapy of patients with stroke. It is showed that
      application of neuroprotective drugs is of great importance, among which
      antihypoxants with pleiotropic action play a crucial role (mexidol).

PMID- 28635767
TI  - [Experience of Regional Vascular Centre in assisting patients with severe
      cerebrovascular accidents in Novosibirsk].
AB  - The analysis of the work of the neurological department of the Novosibirsk
      regional vascular center of City Clinical Hospital #1 for the period from 2013 to
      2015 was done. We analyzed the annual reports of the regional vascular center,
      dynamics of cerebrovascular disease patterns, lethality, about the provision of
      medical care to patients with stroke, the use of high-tech methods of diagnosis
      and treatment. Ascertain the progress achieved and the perspectives of further
      improving the quality of care to patients with stroke due to wider use of methods
      of rehabilitation in the acute stage of stroke.

PMID- 28635768
TI  - [Methods for alveolar bone density assessment and its value for long-term
      prosthetic functioning].

PMID- 28635769
TI  - [Modern wound dressings in oral surgery].
AB  - In this review the modern wound dressings used in surgical dentistry and
      maxillofacial surgery are studied. We describe the tupes of wound dressings and
      their properties. The results of clinical use in various surgical procedures in
      the oral cavity are presented.

PMID- 28635770
TI  - [The resolution of the expert body for the section on demyelinating diseases of
      the Russian Society of Neurologists and Russian Executive Committee of multiple
      sclerosis researchers (Kazan, 19 november 2015) on the 'Current principles and
      optimization of treatment of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
      with glatiramer acetate'].

PMID- 28635771
TI  - [A.N. Boiko, M.E. Guseva, S.A. Sivertseva 'Non-medical treatment and life style
      in multiple sclerosis'].

PMID- 28635772
TI  - [Navigation systems in neurosurgery].
AB  - When preparing the review, we analyzed publications available at the Medline
      database; a total of 1,083 publications related to the review's subject were
      analyzed. After more careful analysis, we selected 117 publications devoted to
      the development of neuronavigation in craniocerebral surgery, historical
      prerequisites of neuronavigation emergence, current trends, and future
      perspectives of the technique.

PMID- 28635774
TI  - [Yu.A. Molin 'The human body as the main incriminating evidence'. Sankt
      Petersburg: Severnaya Zvezda, 2014].

PMID- 28635773
TI  - [Prevention and treatment of postoperative epidural scar adhesions].
AB  - Postoperative epidural scar adhesions remain one of the most frequent late
      complications of microdiscectomy, which deteriorates the overall outcome in
      treatment of herniated lumbosacral discs. Despite a large number of conservative
      and surgical treatment options for epidural scar adhesions, the treatment outcome
      not always satisfies the patient and doctor. The review's aim was to systematize
      the available data on this complication and to facilitate the choice of
      appropriate tactics for its treatment.

PMID- 28635775
TI  - [Interview with prof. N.A. Shamalov].

PMID- 28635776
TI  - [No-touch pancreatectomy and radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy: a
      systematic review].
AB  - AIM: To summarize the data of 'no-touch isolation technique' (NIT) for
      pancreatoduodenectomy and radical antegrade modular pancreato-splenectomy (RAMPS)
      for pancreatic malignancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We looked through Pubmed and
      Cochrane databases for scientific papers published from January 2000 until
      September 2014. RESULTS: Eight studies were included. There were 7 retrospective
      cohort studies and one randomized controlled trial (RCT). Mean operation time and
      blood loss were 267 min (198-386 min) and 132 ml (331-744 ml) respectively. Mean
      morbidity rate was 35% (17-58%). There was no 30-day mortality. Mean incidence of
      R0-resection varied from 50% to 97% with average value 84%. Median survival was
      reported in 3 studies (17, 18 and 26 months). Five-year actuarial overall
      survival was reported in 4 studies (31, 36, 40 and 53%). CONCLUSION: Positive
      results of NIT and RAMPS might justify further evaluation of the method in
      pancreatic cancer. Prospective randomized controlled trials needs to be done to
      demonstrate the oncological value of this novel surgical technique.

PMID- 28635777
TI  - [The role of Oppel's shool in the national military surgery].

PMID- 28635778
TI  - [Characteristics of dizziness in elderly].
AB  - Clinical features of the main diseases that may cause dizziness in elderly and
      approaches to its treatment are reviewed. The treatment plan and increase of its
      effectiveness as well as prevention of the complications and improvement of
      quality of life of patients should be based on these features.

PMID- 28635779
TI  - [Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: clinical and diagnostic aspects].
AB  - In this article, authors analyzed a modern approach to the diagnosis of
      Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) based on the clinical signs, cerebrospinal fluid
      markers, electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging. It was
      demonstrated for the first time that patients with late-onset CJD differed from
      younger CJD patients with respect to MRI profiles and initial clinical
      presentation. To date, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, particularly protein
      14-3-3 testing, presents an important approach to the identification of disease
      cases. A spectrum of differential diagnosis of rapid progressive dementia varied
      from neurodegenerative dementias to dementia due to acute neurological
      conditions. Real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) allows the
      amplification of miniscule amounts of scrapie prion protein. Recent studies
      applied the RT-QuIC methodology to CSF for the diagnosis of human prion diseases.

PMID- 28635780
TI  - [Characteristics of the clinical picture and treatment of moderate or severe
      Alzheimer's disease].
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent cause of dementia and one of the
      most frequent disease in elderly patients. Pathomorphological data have
      demonstrated that AD is a sole cause in 40% of patients with dementia and in
      about 15-20% of cases with vascular comorbidity. We consider the evolution of
      cognitive and mental disorders in moderate and severe stages of AD and describe
      new approaches to treatment of late AD stages using high doses of cholinesterase
      inhibitors (in particular, a new form of rivastigmine transdermal system (15 cm2)
      releasing 13,3 mg of active substance per day), and combinations of
      cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine with non-pharmacological correction of
      behavioral disorders the clinical assessment of treatment efficacy. Attention is
      drawn to the formation of the adequate level of expectations in caregivers.

PMID- 28635781
TI  - [Classification and diagnosis of apraxia].
AB  - Apraxia is one of the most frequent clinical presentations of vascular,
      traumatic, infectious, tumor and neurodegenerative diseases of the brain. However
      neurologists have difficulties with diagnosis. The author presents a review of
      current classifications of apraxia and methods of its clinical diagnosis.

PMID- 28635782
TI  - [Validation of the Russian version of the modified Addenbrooke's cognitive
      examination for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the validity of the Russian version of the modified
      Addenbrooke's cognitive examination (ACE-m) for Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: ACE-m and MMSE, as a comparison scale, were
      administered to 78 patients including 49 patients with AD and 29 healthy people.
      RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: ACE-m demonstrated the high validity in the diagnosis of
      dementia in AD. Cronbach's alpha was 0.89. ACE-m is a brief and simple in use
      test that measures a wide spectrum of cognitive functions, gives a general
      impression about cognitive deficit and diagnoses dementia in AD with the greater
      validity compared to MMSE. This scale is useful not only in diagnosis of AD but
      also in differentiation with other causes of dementia.

PMID- 28635783
TI  - [Melatonin in correction of REM-sleep behavior disorders in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - : Objective - to estimate efficacy and safety of melatonin in REM-sleep behavior
      disorders (RBD) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      We examined 60 patients with RBD and I-III stages of PD. Neuropsychological
      examination was performed before and after treatment. RBD was confirmed by
      polysomnography in 30 patients. RESULTS: After the treatment with melatonin in
      dose of 3-6 mg for 4 weeks, 84% of patients reported reduction of RBD symptoms,
      daytime sleepiness, anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION: Melatonin can be used for
      RBD treatment in PD patients.

PMID- 28635784
TI  - [Methods for evaluating of olfactory function in patients with Parkinson's
      disease].
AB  - Olfactory disorder takes a special place among non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's
      disease (PD) as one of earliest signs of the disease. Based on literature data,
      authors suggest that simple and structured tests for detection of olfactory
      disorders should be part of diagnostic algorithm for early detection of PD) and
      occupy a special place in differential diagnosis of diseases of the
      extrapyramidal system. Literature on the methods of study of olfactory function
      recommended as an additional instrument for PD diagnosis is presented.

PMID- 28635785
TI  - [Event-related potentials in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - Cognitive deterioration is not an initial symptom of Parkinson's disease but
      occurs over the course of the disease with the incidence of dementia. The P300
      component of event-related potentials appears to be sensitive to cognitive
      impairment, and has been used to examine cognitive functions in Parkinson's
      disease. Although many studies have shown that P300 latency and amplitude are
      correlated with cognitive functions, there is a sufficient amount of
      controversial results. The authors have reviewed the results and suggested that
      the method should be used only in the combination with clinical and
      neuropsychological examinations. Further studies are needed.

PMID- 28635786
TI  - [Gait disorders in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - Gait and posture disorders are frequent signs of Parkinson's disease. Authors
      reviewed clinical and pathophysiological results reported for these disorders as
      well as the methods of investigation and treatment approaches including
      rehabilitation measures.

PMID- 28635787
TI  - [Is hyperlipidemia a risk factor of Parkinson's disease?]
AB  - AIM: To assess the relationship of the lipid spectrum, smoking, coffee drinking
      and brachiocephalic artery intima-media thickness with clinical characteristics
      of Parkinson's disease (PD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Authors examined 46 patients
      with PD, I-IV stages according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale, and 30 people without
      extrapyramidal pathology or cardiovascular diseases (controls). RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSION: Patients with PD had lower levels of triglycerides and lower intima
      media complex thickness compared to the controls. There was a trend towards the
      lower levels of total blood cholesterol, the differences were most marked in the
      late stage of PD. It can be suggested that the factors studied do not play a
      significant role in the development of degenerative process in PD. The marked
      differences may be related to a possible influence of antiparkinsonian treatment
      on the indicators of lipid metabolism.

PMID- 28635788
TI  - [Pramipexole in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - Pramipexole is non-ergoline dopamine receptor agonist. There is accumulating
      evidence for the efficacy of pramipexole in treatment of Parkinson's disease
      (PD). Authors have summarized the results concerning the optimal start treatment,
      the using of pramipexole in early and advanced PD stages, effects of pramipexole
      on tremor, cognitive impairment, affective functions and safety pramipexole.

PMID- 28635789
TI  - [Pharmacotherapy accompanied by deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus
      in patients with Parkinson's disease].
AB  - AIM: To analyze pharmacotherapy accompanied by deep brain stimulation of the
      subthalamic nucleus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 54 patients, who
      underwent bilateral STN DBS from 2003 to 2012. The severity of motor
      disturbances, activities of daily living and complications of dopaminergic
      therapy were estimated in accordance with II, III and IV parts of the Unified
      Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) before operation and one, three and four
      years after it. L-dopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) was assessed along with an
      analysis of the pharmacotherapy in whole. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: By the end of
      the 1st year, the severity of motor disturbances in OFF-period decreased by 52.3%
      and remained stable for 3 years (51.8%), a slight increase of severity of motor
      disturbances was observed later, however it didn't reach the pre-operative level.
      The severity of motor fluctuations and drug-induced dyskinesia fell by 64.9%,
      70.7% and 42.7% by the end of the first, third and fourth year of observation.
      The maximal decrease in LEDD was reached by the end of the 1st year and accounted
      for 57.7%; by the end of the third and fourth years it was 52.4% and 38.2%,
      respectively. During the 1st year, 16.7% of patients didn't take levodopa. The
      dose of pure levodopa decreased by the end of the 1st year by 64.6%, and by 56.7%
      and 43.7% by the end of the 3rd and 4th years, respectively. Monotherapy by an
      agonist of dopamine receptors (ADR) was received by 12.9% of patients, thus the
      share of ADR as part of the combined therapy increased in the postoperative
      period from 24.1% to 35.2%.

PMID- 28635790
TI  - [Meeting on the problem of diagnostic and treatment of Alzheimer's disease in
      Russian Federation].

PMID- 28635792
TI  - [Tonsillitis and tonsillogenic conditions].
AB  - The objective of the present study was to analyze and summarize the literature
      publications concerning tonsillitis and related (tonsillogenic) pathological
      conditions. The retrospective analysis of these materials made it possible to
      collect and summarize information about the influence of palatine tonsillar
      pathology (chronic tonsillitis) on the function of various organs and their
      systems. It has been shown that pathogenesis of a great variety of disease is
      underlain by pathology of palatine tonsils. Also, the possibility to stabilize
      the pathological processes in certain organs and systems by the conservative
      and/or surgical treatment of chronic tonsillitis has been demonstrated. It is
      concluded that the patients presenting with chronic tonsillitis make up a group
      of risk of development of many serious somatic diseases and require enhanced
      attention not only of otorhinolaryngologists but also specialists representing
      other medical disciplines. The multidisciplinary approach to the management of
      such patients is the sole way to reduce the frequency ofgeneral complications in
      the patients with chronic tonsillitis.

PMID- 28635793
TI  - [The higher education at the post-Soviet territories: the long echo of the
      Bologna process].
AB  - The objective of the present work was to analyze the possibilities envisaged by
      the Bologna system for the improvement of the quality of higher medical education
      at the post-Soviet territories. Any academic innovations including, in the first
      place, the accession to the Bologna process should be assessed in terms of their
      influence on the quality of education. This article describes the main factors
      responsible for the impaired quality of specialist training and the unjustified
      growth in the number of students in the combination with the loss of motivation
      to study. The arguments are provided in support of the opinion that the
      principles of the Bologna Declaration work fairly well only In the framework of
      the western educational model, but even there their widespread implementation not
      infrequently gives rise to contradictory and conflicting attitudes. At the same
      time, the two-level training systems deserve attention, firstly as a mechanism
      facilitating transition of a student to another speciality after he (she)
      completes the first-level course and, secondly as a means to shorten the total
      length of training. It is demonstrated that the competency-based model regarded
      as an exclusively European innovation has actually been borrowed from the Soviet
      higher education system. The devastating consequences of the total transition to
      the modular education are discussed.

PMID- 28635794
TI  - [Neurological and psychiatric disorders in Behcet's disease].
AB  - The data of the literature on epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis
      and treatment of Behcet's disease are presented. Particular attention is paid to
      international recommendations (2014) on the classification, diagnostic criteria
      and treatment of neurological symptoms of Behcet disease.

PMID- 28635795
TI  - [Current approaches to optimize treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease].
AB  - Currently, substitution therapy is the main focus in the treatment of Alzheimer's
      disease (AD). It is aimed at overcoming neurotransmitter deficits in a variety of
      neuronal systems affected in AD. To overcome the cholinergic insufficiency,
      acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (rivastigmine, donepezil and galantamine) are
      primarily used. The efficacy and safety of these drugs in AD have been
      convincingly shown in numerous clinical trials in different countries. Memantine
      is the main drug in glutamatergic strategies in the treatment of AD, which has a
      neuroprotective effect and relieves symptoms at the level of the remaining
      glutamatergic synapses. Some other formulations (cerebrolysin, nicergoline etc)
      can be also applied as vasoactive and neuroprotective agents.

PMID- 28635796
TI  - [The assessment of the efficacy of citicoline in the early and recovery stages of
      stroke].
AB  - The review presents data on the evaluation of the efficacy of citicoline in
      ischemic stroke. It presents research findings about the effect of citicoline to
      reduce infarct volume in animal models of cerebral ischemia. Long-term treatment
      of CDP-choline initiated 24 hours after stroke contributes to the increased
      plasticity of neurons in intact brain areas (functionally associated with the
      damaged areas) and accelerated functional recovery. The oral administration of
      citicoline within the first 24 hours after the onset of symptoms in moderate and
      severe stroke increases the probability of complete recovery in 3 months. A
      neuroprotective effect of citicoline in acute and early restorative stages of
      stroke accompanied by cognitive impairment was shown. According to the results of
      clinical trials of the dosage regimen, citicoline administered in the dose of
      1000 mg/day for 8 weeks accelerates the regression of hemiplegia; the intravenous
      injection in the dose of 750 mg/day for 10 days, starting with the first 48 hours
      of stroke onset symptoms, promotes the recovery of motor and cognitive functions;
      the intravenous injection in the dose of 1 g within 14 days improves the recovery
      of consciousness, general condition and functional status.

PMID- 28635797
TI  - [Treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo].
AB  - Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common peripheral
      vestibular disorder. BPPV is easily diagnosed by positioning tests and
      effectively treated by repositioning maneuvers. The authors focus on the
      treatment of BPPV, when different canals are affected, including canalo- and
      cupulolithiasias. Complications of BPPV and surgery of cases, resistant to
      conservative treatment, are also discussed.

PMID- 28635798
TI  - [Differential diagnosis between mechanical and inflammatory lower back pain,
      therapy options].
AB  - The article presents the differential diagnosis between mechanical and
      inflammatory lower back pain based on clinical and paraclinical evidence. The
      results of comparative studies of amtolmetinum guacilum (AMG) and celecoxib, as
      well the CORONA study of its efficacy and cardiovascular safety in ankylosing
      spondylitis, are also discussed.

PMID- 28635800
TI  - [Carbohydrate metabolism in patients with acromegaly and Itsenko-Cushing
      disease].
AB  - The relevance of investigating carbohydrate metabolism (CM) in patients with
      acromegaly and Itsenko-Cushing disease is attributable to frequent glucose
      metabolic disturbances, on the one hand, and to difficulties in choosing sugar
      lowering therapy in these categories of patients, on the other. The efficiency of
      hyperglycemia treatment in these patients may be reduced due to problems in
      achieving remission/cure of the underlying disease and to specific therapy
      favoring hyperglycemia. The top-priority tasks are to search for ways of reducing
      the frequency of CM abnormalities in patients with neuroendocrine diseases and to
      elaborate sugar-lowering therapy regimens. There is a growing interest in studies
      of the role of the incretin system in the pathogenesis of secondary
      hyperglycemias associated with neuroendocrine diseases. Nevertheless, few works
      have been published on this subject matter because of its novelty. There is a
      need for a further closer study of the specific features of incretin system
      function and the pharmacodynamics of incretin mimetics that are potential
      candidates as first-line drugs to treat secondary hyperglycemias. This paper
      attempts to summarize the available data obtained from studies into CM in
      neuroendocrine diseases.

PMID- 28635799
TI  - [Algorithms of mono- and polytherapy in clinical epileptology. Part 1. General
      principles of drug choice].
AB  - The large number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the physician's disposal
      provides not only a broad therapeutic potential in the treatment of epilepsy
      (EP), but creates difficulties in the adequate choice of AED. The sufficient
      experience in the management of patients with epilepsy has been gained so far in
      the world, based on which the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE),
      updated classification, adopted the basic definition of efficiency, remission,
      resistance, evidence of research on the effectiveness of AED therapy, and
      introduced the concept of "resolved" epilepsy. In this article, a group of
      Russian experts suggest recommendations on the main steps in the choice of
      therapy in epilepsy. Possible drug interactions between different AEDs and other
      drugs as well as main characteristics of mono- and polytherapy of epilepsy are
      described. Some features of the use of AEDs in the elderly, characteristics of
      the "female" epilepsy related to the reproductive function and basic requirements
      for the therapy of epilepsy in children are presented.

PMID- 28635801
TI  - [The concurrence of diabetes mellitus and gallstone disease].
AB  - The article presents an update on the concurrence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and
      gallstone disease (GSD), on the mechanisms for the development of GSD in patients
      with type 2 DM (T2DM), on the risk factors of DM in GSD. The role of diabetic
      autonomic neuropathy of the gallbladder in the development of cholelithiasis is
      assessed in patients with T2DM. The impact of impaired secretion of neurohormones
      in the gastrointestinal tract in the development of DM in GSD is analyzed.

PMID- 28635802
TI  - [Asthma and metabolic syndrome: Clinical and pathogenetic relationships].
AB  - Asthma and metabolic syndrome (MS) are common and social diseases. External and
      internal factors influencing the development and manifestations of asthma are
      identified; among which there is obesity that is a major risk factor for MS.
      Accordingly, the concurrence of asthma and MS and to study their clinical and
      pathogenetic relationships are a topical problem. There is a tendency to identify
      a particular asthma phenotype that is characterized by later-onset disease in the
      presence of obesity; the low prevalence of atopy, low serum level of IgE, and a
      poorly-controlled course with a trend of standard therapy resistance. It is
      necessary to understand the essence of asthma cause-effect relationships in the
      presence of obesity for defining management tactics for this group of patients.

PMID- 28635803
TI  - [Hereditary pheochromocytoma-associated syndromes. Part 2].
AB  - Pheochromocytoma (PCC)/paraganglioma is a catecholamine-secreting tumor of the
      paraganglion. The hereditary variants of PCC have been previously considered to
      occur in 10% of cases. The latest researches have clearly demonstrated that the
      hereditary cause of chromaffin tumors is revealed in a much larger number of
      patients. There have been the most investigated NF, RET, VHL, SDHD, SDHC, and
      SDHB gene mutations. New EGLN1/PHD2, KIF1V, SDH5/SDHAF2, IDH1, TMEM127, SDHA,
      MAX, and HIF2A gene mutations have been recently discovered. This review
      describes the most common PCC-associated syndromes in detail and considers the
      specific features of new mutations.

PMID- 28635804
TI  - [Some issues of the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease].
AB  - The clinical inefficacy of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is very frequently
      encountered in nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) in particular.
      Postprandial acid pocket, weak-acid or alkaline reflux, etc. are one of the
      causes of resistance to antisecretory drugs. Alginates serve as a good
      alternative to PPIs in treating NERD and gastroesophageal reflux in children and
      pregnant women. The alginate test may help diagnose NERD.

PMID- 28635805
TI  - [The North School of neurologists].

PMID- 28635806
TI  - [Main directions of research activity].

PMID- 28635807
TI  - [The history of surgical treatment of epilepsy in the Russian Federation].

PMID- 28635808
TI  - [Interview with N.N. Spirin].

PMID- 28635809
TI  - [Current tendencies in surgery for inguinal hernias: world experience].

PMID- 28635810
TI  - [Platelet rich plasma in bones defects regeneration].

PMID- 28635811
TI  - [E.I. Gusev, A.N. Konovalova, V.I. Skvortsova 'Neurology and neurosurgery'.
      Textbook, 4th Ed].

PMID- 28635812
TI  - [Prognostic value of biomarkers in chronic heart failure with preserved left
      ventricular ejection fraction].
AB  - The paper reviews major biomarkers for determining the prognosis in patients with
      chronic heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. It also considers cystatin
      C, one of the novel and probably the most practically important biomarkers.

PMID- 28635813
TI  - [The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure].
AB  - The review considers the main points of the concept of progressive chronic heart
      failure (CHF). The neurohumoral model of CHF pathogenesis could create novel
      approaches to treating these patients. However, recent studies have shown that
      the ways of activating the neurohumoral systems in CHF are much more complex. The
      increased local synthesis of hormones causes the activation of proinflammatory
      cytokines and proto-oncogenes, which have a number of negative effects. Multiple
      studies have formulated the immunoinflammatory concept of CHF pathogenesis,
      according to which the increased concentration of interleukin-6 is a marker of
      poor prognosis in CHF, and the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha directly
      correlates with the severity of its clinical manifestations and the activity of
      the neurohumoral background in decompensation. The review gives a classification
      of cytokines and describes the reasons for their elevated plasma concentration,
      their possible role in the occurrence and progression of CHF, and their
      prognostic significance. The pathogenesis of CHF, which includes cytokine
      aggression, requires further studies of the effect of the inflammatory component
      on the course of heart failure.

PMID- 28635814
TI  - [The biological activity of high-density lipoprotein fractions and their role in
      the development of cardiovascular diseases].
AB  - Increasing the human plasma concentration of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) may
      be part of strategy for control of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). HDL particles
      vary in their structure, metabolism, and biological activity. The review
      describes major HDL fractions (subpopulations) and discusses new findings on the
      antiatherogenic properties of HDL particles. The whole spectrum of HDL fractions,
      small, dense, protein-rich lipoproteins, has atheroprotective properties that are
      determined by the presence of specialized groups of proteins and lipids; however,
      this activity may be decreased in atherogenic lesion. Comprehensive structural
      and compositional analysis of HDL may provide key information to identify the
      fractions that have characteristic biological properties and lose their
      functionality in CVD. These fractions may be also biomarkers for the risk of CVD
      and hence represent pharmacological targets.

PMID- 28635815
TI  - [Assessment of arterial wall stiffness by 24-hour blood pressure monitoring].
AB  - Arterial wall stiffness is an early marker of cardiovascular diseases. The gold
      standard for assessment of the stiffness of large vessels is presently pulse wave
      velocity (PWV). Work is in progress on the study of the reference values of PWV
      in people of different genders and ages. 24-hour blood pressure (BP) monitoring
      is not only a procedure that can estimate diurnal BP variability, but also
      monitor the indicators of vascular wall stiffness in a number of cases over a 24
      hour period. The given review highlights the pathophysiology of arterial
      stiffness, methods for its assessment, and the aspects of use in therapeutic
      practice.

PMID- 28635816
TI  - [Occupational factors and a risk of cardiovascular diseases].
AB  - The paper gives Russian and foreign authors' data on a relationship between
      occupational factors and cardiovascular diseases. It considers the impact of
      psychosocial stress on the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and
      cardiovascular events in representatives of different professional groups.

PMID- 28635818
TI  - [Gut microbiota and obesity: Pathogenetic relationships and ways to normalize the
      intestinal microflora].
AB  - The review demonstrates mechanisms in the relationship of obesity to gut
      microbiota, as well as possible therapeutic measures to normalize the intestinal
      microflora. There is evidence that the latter makes a great contribution to the
      pathogenesis of obesity and related diseases. Investigations have shown the role
      of the nature of consumed foods (fatty foods) in reducing the amount of
      bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, as well as the effects of bacterial
      lipopolysaccharides and metabolites from the intestinal microflora
      (trimethylamine-N-oxide, bile acids, etc.). The use of prebiotics, probiotics and
      ursodeoxycholic acid preparations and fecal transplantation are promising in
      correcting the microflora and in providing their positive effect on metabolic
      disturbances. Certain probiotic strains are effective in treating dyslipidemia,
      diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Gut microbiota is impaired in
      obesity and contributes to the development of cardiovascular diseases. The
      control of the gut microbiota and the use of drugs altering the composition of
      the microflora may become a novel approach to reducing the risk of cardiovascular
      diseases.

PMID- 28635817
TI  - [Dizziness and anxiety disorders in the elderly].
AB  - Perhaps each dizzy patient feels anxiety. Varying emotional disorders are
      particularly common in elderly patients with dizziness. The causes of the
      frequent concurrence of dizziness and mental disorders (anxiety and depression)
      are diverse. Amongst these there are two chief conditions: 1) vestibular vertigo
      may cause anxiety to a greater extent than many other symptoms; 2) anxiety and
      depression are themselves frequently manifested by the sensations resembling
      vestibular ones that patients are inclined to call dizziness. On the contrary,
      anxiety may appear in some cases as the sensations resembling dizziness. Besides
      the latter, the patient may present a lot of complaints, which serves as a
      manifestation of psychoautonomic syndrome (the basis for which is anxiety and
      depression). At the same time, the term 'phobic postural instability' is proposed
      to describe psychogenic disorders, in which dizziness becomes virtually the only
      chief complaint. The treatment of dizziness and anxiety disorders in the elderly
      encompasses a few areas: vestibular rehabilitation, drug therapy, and
      psychotherapy. The paper describes the possibilities of using anvifen as a
      pathogenetically sound treatment in patients with anxiety disorders, as anvifen
      is a GABA-ergic medication.

PMID- 28635819
TI  - [Comment on the article by Onishchenko A.L. et al. 'Reasons for intraocular
      pressure to resist hypotensive therapy in glaucoma patients'].

PMID- 28635820
TI  - [Not just substitution of concepts].

PMID- 28635821
TI  - [Further studies are required].

PMID- 28635822
TI  - [Terms and epithets. Flight of thought or scholasticism].

PMID- 28635823
TI  - [En face' optical coherence tomography guided focal navigated laser
      photocoagulation].
AB  - : Aim - to prove the feasibility of focal navigated laser photocoagulation (LP)
      for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) that relies only on the data provided
      by optical coherence tomography (OCT) without considering fluorescein angiography
      (FA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two patients with CSC were treated with focal
      navigated LP (NAVILAS laser system) basing on macular OCT findings (RTVue 100).
      Before the procedure, FA was not performed. RESULTS: In both cases the leaking
      point was recognized by a solitary focal detachment of the pigment epithelium in
      'en face' OCT scans. OCT images were then imported into the laser photocoagulator
      unit and superimposed on the basic image of the fundus, thus, enabling accurate
      focal LP. In both cases the serous retinal detachment resolved completely within
      9-14 days. CONCLUSION: In some CSC patients, 'en face' OCT data allow focal
      navigated laser photocoagulation without prior fluorescein angiography.

PMID- 28635824
TI  - [Blepharoptosis: diagnostic tests].
AB  - The article discusses diagnostic algorithms for blepharoptosis in patients with
      Horner's syndrome, myasthenia, chronic progressive ophthalmoplegia, myotonic
      dystrophy, and acute neurovascular events. Basic methods for evaluating the upper
      eyelid position and ptosis severity as well as special pharmacologic stress tests
      to reveal the true etiology of the condition and make the best treatment choice
      are described.

PMID- 28635825
TI  - [Diagnostic approach to choroidal metastases].
AB  - : Intraocular metastases account for 64-67% of all metastatic ocular tumors, of
      them 88-90.7% are found in the choroid. By the time the metastasis is diagnosed,
      30-44% of patients usually have their primary lesion identified. In oncology
      patients with multiple and/or bilateral choroidal involvement, the diagnosis can
      be easily determined at ophthalmoscopy, while in those whose anamnesis is
      unburdened, this task is quite challenging. Aim - to define diagnostic criteria
      of choroidal metastases that would consider data provided by state-of-the-art
      instrumental assessment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study enrolled 5 patients (3
      women and 2 men) with choroidal metastases of different origin. The mean patient
      age at the time of ocular involvement was 47.8 years (38-60 years). Oncological
      anamnesis was burdened in only 2 cases. RESULTS: Due to the small number of cases
      and diverse clinical presentation, we considered appropriate to describe each
      case separately. CONCLUSION: The absence of a known pre-existing lesion is
      typical of the younger age group. By analyzing optical coherence tomography data,
      we are able to list the most common signs of all choroidal metastases: hummocky
      profile of the choroid and a high neuroepithelium detachment accompanied by edema
      and photoreceptor damage. Fluorescein angiography diagnostic criteria are the
      following: spotted hyperfluorescence that begins in the arterial phase and
      gradually increases in intensity, while choroidal fluorescence is blocked during
      the whole examination; almost confluent hyperfluorescence with brighter pin
      points along the margin of the lesion seen in the later phases. Evaluation of
      autofluorescence is auxiliary, but can provide an idea of the disease duration.

PMID- 28635826
TI  - [Primary granulocytic sarcoma of lacrimal gland].
AB  - The article presents clinical description and instrumental findings (ultrasound
      examination and multi-slice computed tomography of the orbits) of a rare lacrimal
      gland tumor, which precedes or concurs with acute myeloblastic leukemia. Due to
      the low incidence of myeloid (granulocytic) sarcoma, it is not possible to
      develop a proper algorithm for its diagnosis and treatment. Few descriptions that
      are available in the literature neither give an idea of the variety of
      manifestations and the order of organ involvement, nor allow any vital prognosis.
      Verification of the diagnosis can only be based on immunohistochemical findings
      of the primary tumor and bone marrow biopsy material. The authors emphasize the
      importance of combination treatment (radiation therapy of the orbits and
      chemotherapy) in the prevention of leukemia.

PMID- 28635827
TI  - [Idiopathic epiretinal membranes: visual function impairment, morphological and
      functional features of retinal involvement].
AB  - By affecting different retinal layers, an idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM)
      produces changes in macular architectonics and functioning. Morphological and
      functional assessment of these patients using modern visualization methods and
      electroretinography contributes to a better understanding of pathogenetic
      mechanisms of iERM.

PMID- 28635828
TI  - [Modern methods of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery].
AB  - Over the years, glaucoma surgery has improved from iridectomy by A. Graefe and
      traumatizing procedures performed without magnification tools or microsurgical
      instrument to high-technology interventions that are not only microscopic, but
      also pathogenetically oriented. Various modifications of trabeculectomy,
      initially introduced by J. Cairns back in 1968, had been the gold standard for
      several decades and were notable for pronounced and stable hypotensive effects.
      However, there was also a strong association with such complications as choroidal
      detachment and hyphema, thus, boosting the development of so called
      nonfistulizing surgeries. Of the latter, the most widely used are non-penetrating
      procedures, including deep sclerectomy and viscocanalostomy. Although very safe,
      they appear unable to produce a truly long-lasting hypotensive effect. Moreover,
      just as fistulizing trabeculectomy, non-penetrating procedures damage the limbus
      and adjacent conjunctiva reducing the possibility of a second intervention. This
      fact together with other drawbacks mentioned above, on the one hand, and
      technical progress, on the other, were essential prerequisites for the appearance
      of a new type of surgery - minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). Parameters
      that should be met for a procedure to be considered minimally invasive are
      debated. The main requirement has, however, been established: ab interno approach
      through a corneal incision. As surgical tools are enhanced and new techniques
      arise, options for glaucoma treatment widen greatly, ensuring our future move to
      higher level standards in the field. This review contains all recent data on
      minimally invasive techniques currently in use in glaucoma surgery or those under
      investigation. The authors have also analyzed effectiveness reports and present
      their conclusions regarding the current state of MIGS worldwide.

PMID- 28635830
TI  - [Causes of maternal deaths and reserves for their reduction at the present stage.
      A manual for physicians (2nd enlarged edition) edited by A.P. Milovanov, I.O.
      Bushtyreva].

PMID- 28635829
TI  - [Ocular tuberculosis].
AB  - Ocular tuberculosis (OTB) is a specific infectious (bacterial) disease dealt with
      by ophthalmologists and phthisiatricians. This is a serious illness with chronic,
      persistent course and extremely doubtful prognosis. Chemotherapy, even if
      effective, can still be followed by a decrease in visual acuity. Clinical
      recovery is often unstable. Ocular tuberculosis is largely associated with
      permanent disability and, as a result, a decline in quality of life of these
      patients. Statistical reporting does not always reflect the true prevalence of
      the disease as it sometimes develops in patients with pre-existing specific
      pulmonary involvement. This article discusses all pathogenetic mechanisms of OTB
      that have been described so far. Attention is paid to modern diagnostic methods,
      including spectral optical coherence tomography. Positive results of endonasal
      electrophoresis for the treatment of OTB are described.

PMID- 28635831
TI  - [The 2015-2016 epidemic season in Russia and the world: Circulation of influenza
      viruses, trends in incidence, clinical aspects, and treatment algorithm].
AB  - In the 2015-2016 epidemic season, there were dominant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09
      strains (over 90%) among the circulating influenza viruses in most countries of
      the Northern Hemisphere and in Russia. A study of the antigenic properties of
      influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 strains revealed no differences in those of vaccine virus.
      Sequencing showed that there were amino acid substitutions in hemagglutinin
      (receptor binding and Sa sites) and in the genes encoding internal proteins (PA,
      NP, M1, and NS1). The rise in the incidence in the Russian Federation, which was
      etiologically associated with influenza viruses, was registered in January
      February 2016 with its maximum being observed at 4-5 weeks of 2016. Within the
      framework of the epidemiological surveillance of circulating influenza viruses in
      the Russian Federation, which was conducted by the WHO European Office, the D.I.
      Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Honorary Academician N.F. Gamaleya Federal
      Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, Ministry of Health of Russia,
      and the Research Institute of Influenza, Ministry of Health of Russia, monitored
      at the Infectious Diseases Hospital One (IDH-1), Moscow Healthcare Department.
      Among 1491 examinees, influenza was verified in 104 (21.3%) adults, 208 (42.5%)
      pregnant women, and 177 (36.2%) children. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was more often
      diagnosed in the age group of 15-40 years (63.7%); the proportion of influenza
      patients aged over 50 years increased (22.1%). Most adult patients had moderate
      influenza; pneumonia complicated the disease in 27.4%. Influenza in the pregnant
      women was complicated by pneumonia in 4.8% of cases. Influenza was more
      frequently diagnosed in infants and preschool children aged 0 to 3 years (42.9%),
      4 to 6 years (41.2%), and older (15.9%), namely: 7-9 years (10%) and 10-12 years
      (5.9%). Influenza in the children was complicated by acute tonsillitis (19.4%)
      and varying degrees of laryngeal stenosis (12.4%). Bronchial obstructive syndrome
      developed in 2.5%, the rate of pneumonia was 6.2%. Antiviral therapy (AVT) in the
      early stages of the disease reduces the risk of its severity, the frequency of
      secondary complications, and the duration and degree of clinical symptoms of
      influenza. AVT with oseltamivir, zanamivir, imidazolyl ethanamide pentandioic
      acid (ingavirin), and interferon-a2b (viferon) has been performed in the patients
      hospitalized at Moscow IDH-1 in the 2015-2016 epidemic season.

PMID- 28635832
TI  - [Use of succinate-containing agents in the treatment of infectious diseases].
AB  - The review gives data that reveal the role of succinic acid in providing cells
      with energy and oxygen under hypoxic conditions. It presents the results of
      clinical and experimental studies to evaluate the efficacy of succinate
      containing drugs in the combination therapy of infectious diseases. The spectrum
      of biological effects of these drugs, which is provided by the synergy of their
      active ingredients, is considered.

PMID- 28635833
TI  - [Infective endocarditis in the elderly: The current view of the problem].
AB  - The review gives the current views of the etiology and risk factors of infective
      endocarditis (IE) in the elderly. It reports the specific clinical picture of the
      disease at this age, including clinically apparent syndromes, comorbidity, and
      various clinical signs and peculiarities of IE. Particular emphasis is placed on
      the diagnosis of an endocardial infectious lesion, which is based on the use of
      the modified Duke criteria. The methods of IE diagnosis, particularly
      microbiological examination, imaging techniques, among which echocardiography in
      different modes plays a particular role, are listed. The treatment of the disease
      is based on the latest recommendations for antibiotic therapy with and without
      regard to a specific etiological factor. The issues of surgical intervention, as
      well as approaches to preventing IE in elderly people are discussed.

PMID- 28635834
TI  - [Chronic HCV infection: An internist's opinion (Part 2)].
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in not only chronic hepatitis and
      subsequent complications as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but
      also in a significant number of other diseases, the so-called extrahepatic
      manifestations of chronic HCV infection. In addition to lymphoproliferative and
      autoimmune disorders discussed in Part 1 of this review, many other diseases
      turned to be associated with chronic HCV infection. Part 2 of this review is
      dedicated to the analysis of the relationship of chronic HCV-infection to the
      development of some endocrine diseases, such as thyroiditis and diabetes
      mellitus, and cardiovascular disorders. It also provides the characteristics of
      the currently available antiviral agents and considers whether they may be used
      in patents with extrahepatic manifestations of chronic HCV infection.

PMID- 28635835
TI  - [Diagnostic possibilities of methods for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in
      chronic viral hepatitis].
AB  - The paper reviews the diagnostic possibilities of different methods for the
      evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic viral hepatitis from the point of view of
      their clinical application. Histological examination retains its value as the
      gold standard method in evaluating the liver. Transient elastography is a rather
      effective tool for identifying severe liver fibrosis.

PMID- 28635837
TI  - [Nutritional status in patients with cystic fibrosis: Possibilities of
      correction].
AB  - The major risk factor for death in cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive lung
      injury; however, low nutritional status (NS) remains an important and
      underestimated problem in the management of these patients. The NS of a patient
      with CF is impaired by many factors, such as chronic malabsorption, pancreatic
      failure, chronic inflammation, and recurrent pulmonary infection - they all lead
      to higher energy demand in the presence of lower intake of nutrients. The NS of
      those with CF plays an important role in maintaining lung function. The patients
      with higher NS have longer life expectancies. According to the Russian National
      Registry, both pediatric and adult patients with CF have shorter life
      expectancies. The article discusses various nutritional support regimens and
      their impact on lung function parameters.

PMID- 28635836
TI  - [Possibilities of using cepeginterferon alpha-2b in double (cepeginterferon alfa
      2b and ribavirin) and triple (simeprevir, cepeginterferon alpha-2b, and
      ribavirin) antiviral therapy regimens for chronic hepatitis C. A review of
      clinical trials and experience of everyday clinical practice].
AB  - Since the incidence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) increases steadily, the priority
      of national health care is to provide antiviral therapy (AVT) for the maximum
      number of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The regimens including
      pegylated interferons (PEG-IFN) are still in demand in the Russian Federation. A
      number of clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety
      of cepeginterferon alpha-2b (cePEG-IFN alpha-2b), an original PEG-IFN-alpha
      developed in the Russian Federation. Their results have shown that cePEG-IFN
      alpha-2b in the two-component AVT regimen has at least no less clinical efficacy
      than PEG-IFN alpha-2b and PEG-INF alpha-2a in HCV monoinfected and HCV/HIV co
      infected patients. The pooled analysis of data has indicated that the use of
      cePEG-IFN alpha-b in combination with ribavirin allows an average of 80% of the
      patients with HCV genotypes 2 and 3 and 62% of those with HCV genotype 1 to
      achieve a sustained virological response (SVR). In clinical practice when the two
      component AVT regimen (cePEG-IFN alpha-b and ribavirin) was used in patients with
      early-stage CHC and mild fibrosis, SVR was recorded in 90.7% of the patients with
      HCV genotype 2/3 and in 75% of those with HCV genotype 1. The experience in using
      cePEG-IFN alpha-2b as a component of the three-component AVT regimen (simeprevir,
      cePEG IFN alfa-2b, and ribavirin) has been published. The observational program
      manly covered young patients with mild or moderate fibrosis. SVR was observed in
      94% of the patients. Another paper describes the experience with the triple AVT
      therapy (simeprevir, cePEG-IFN alfa-2b, and ribavirin) in 22 patients, the
      majority of whom had advanced fibrosis. SVR was recorded in 71.4% of those who
      had completed treatment. Thus, an individual approach and assessment of
      predictive response factors to two- or three-component AVT regimens including
      cePEG-IFN alpha 2b can achieve successful treatment outcomes in most patients
      with CHC, which is, in some cases, more economically sound than interferon-free
      regimens used as first-line therapy.

PMID- 28635838
TI  - [The impact of tuberculosis and chemotherapy on female reproductive health].
AB  - The paper outlines a concise review of Russian and foreign literature on the
      specific features of the course of respiratory tuberculosis in reproductive-aged
      women. It shows the impact of active tuberculosis and massive chemotherapy on the
      reproductive system, analyzes clinical symptoms, immediate and long-term
      consequences, and prognosis of future reproductive function. The timely diagnosis
      and optimal correction of reproductive disorders in women with respiratory
      tuberculosis can improve their quality of life, fertile capacities, and birth of
      a successive healthy offspring.

PMID- 28635839
TI  - [Surgical treatment of patients with oral leukoplakia].
AB  - The aim of the study was to elaborate lingual nerve sparing procedure of
      submandibular gland duct stones extraction. The study involved 43 patients with
      syalolithiasis treated in Oral Surgery Unit of Central Research Institute of
      Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery in 2013-2015. It was shown that to prevent
      lingual nerve and artery injury submandibular salivary gland duct should be
      dissected to the level of obstruction thus allowing adequate visualization of
      anatomical correlations especially when removing stones from the distal part of
      the duct.

PMID- 28635840
TI  - [Review of Journal of Dental Materials publications on world trends in dental
      ceramic materials studies].

PMID- 28635841
TI  - [State and perspectives of studies on osteoplastic materials].
AB  - Article highlights the state and the main directions of researches on
      osteoplastic materials used for filling of bone defects, types of these
      materials, effects and mechanisms of their interaction with the recipient
      tissues, defines objectives and prospects for further researches on the issue.

PMID- 28635842
TI  - [Methods of restoring the integrity the lower jaw in children with post-resection
      defects'].
AB  - The review deals with modern concepts on surgical treatment of post-resection
      defects of the mandible in children. The analysis of domestic and foreign
      literature. Describes the various classification of tumor lesions in children and
      post-resection defects of the mandible. Highlighted the advantages and
      disadvantages, and the prospects for recovery of integrity of the mandible in
      children.

PMID- 28635843
TI  - [Hygienic aspects of dental caries and its prevention].
AB  - This review summarizes fluoride content in surface water sources of various
      Russian regions and its relationship with the prevalence of caries in the
      population. Low Fluoride content in almost all water sources of Russia highlights
      the importance of individual prevention of dental caries above all by the use of
      fluorinated toothpaste. From the standpoint of evidence-based medicine the tooth
      brushing with fluorinated paste twice daily has the highest level of efficiency
      of caries reduction.

PMID- 28635844
TI  - [Thyrotropin-producing adenomas and thyrotropic hyperplasia (clinical case
      reports and the review of the literature)].
AB  - An increased blood level of the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is usually
      associated with primary hypothyroidism (PHT) but can also be observed in such
      rare cases as TSH-secreting pituitary tumor. The article describes four clinical
      cases of elevated TSH blood levels: 1) TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma with
      hyperthyroidism; 2) TSH-secreting adenoma with hypothyroidism; 3) hormonally
      inactive pituitary adenoma combined with primary hypothyroidism; 4) reversible
      thyrotropic hyperplasia. These clinical situations substantiate the importance of
      considering different diagnoses in a patient with a pituitary gland tumor
      associated with an increased TSH blood level.

PMID- 28635845
TI  - [Neurosurgery in a patient on dual antiplatelet therapy. Case report and the
      review of the literature].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A neurosurgical intervention in a patient on dual antiplatelet
      therapy is a serious challenge for both the neurosurgeon and anesthesiologist..
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: The article describes a clinical case of a successful
      urgent neurosurgical intervention (ventriculoperitoneostomy for obstructive
      hydrocephalus caused by a large meningioma of the posterior surface of the
      petrous pyramid) in a patient on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) due to a
      recently placed coronary stent.. CONCLUSION: Given a high risk of coronary stent
      thrombosis, the surgery was performed in the presence of ongoing DAT. There were
      no intracranial hemorrhagic complications, but subcutaneous hemorrhagic
      complications developed. The article discusses the features of managing similar
      patients whose number is growing.

PMID- 28635846
TI  - [Evolution of surgical approaches to the anterior and middle cranial fossa: from
      extended craniotomy to the supraorbital keyhole approach].
AB  - At early history of neurosurgery, the use of extended craniotomy was dictated by
      poor illumination, inadequate visualization, and the lack of accurate diagnosis.
      The technological progress development and the emergence of highly informative
      neuroimaging, microscopy, and neuroendoscopy minimized neurosurgical approaches
      and, accordingly, approach-associated complications. At present, the fundamental
      philosophy of minimally invasive surgery is of particular topicality because this
      surgery contributes to rapid recovery of patients and reduces the period of
      hospital treatment. The aim of the article is to provide a brief historical
      overview of the evolution of surgical approaches to the skull base, ranging from
      extended craniotomy to minimally invasive interventions.

PMID- 28635847
TI  - [Epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical symptoms, and classification of malignant
      primary skull base tumors].
AB  - A review of literature presents up-to-date information on the prevalence,
      incidence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and classification of malignant
      primary skull base tumors (MPSBTs). In the structure of total cancer incidence,
      malignant head and neck tumors account for 5% of all annual cancer deaths in the
      USA and are among the 5 most common groups of tumors in males worldwide. These
      tumors develop most often in the sixth decade of life, occurring 2 times more
      often in males than in females. In Russia, the MPSBT incidence (as of 2012) was
      0.62% out of all newly diagnosed malignant tumors. The incidence rate amounts to
      0.66 per 100 000 population and is significantly higher than the global rate
      (0.44 per 100 000). About half of all malignant skull base tumors have the
      epithelial nature and affect the anterior parts of the skull base. The most
      frequent histological types of malignant skull base tumors are squamous cell
      carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma. Treatment of skull
      base tumors is an interdisciplinary problem and the area of interest of
      otolaryngologists, dentists, ophthalmologists, neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons,
      radiologists, and chemotherapists. Physical and endoscopic examinations,
      endoscopic transnasal biopsy, CT, MRI, PET/CT, and ultrasound are typically used
      for verification of the diagnosis, tumor staging, and selection of the treatment
      approach. The review describes the criteria for TNM staging of malignant tumors
      of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses in accordance with the 7th version of
      the TNM recommendations of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). The TNM
      based staging depends on the location (maxillary sinus, nasal cavity, or ethmoid
      labyrinth) and histological structure of the tumor, which, in turn, determines
      the tactics of comprehensive treatment and a prognosis group.

PMID- 28635848
TI  - [Stress adaptive effects after traumatic brain injury].
AB  - Neuroendocrine dysfunction, in particular impaired synthesis of anterior
      pituitary hormones, is a common complication of traumatic brain injury.
      Deficiency of tropic pituitary hormones entails a hypofunction of the related
      peripheral endocrine glands and can be accompanied by persistent endocrine and
      metabolic disorders. In particular, the hypophyseal mechanisms are the key ones
      in implementation of most stress effects. Adequate implementation of these
      mechanisms largely determines a favorable outcome in the acute stage of disease.
      Traumatic brain injury (as well as any significant injury) initiates a stress
      response that can not develop in full in the case of pituitary gland failure. It
      is logical to suppose that the course of the acute phase of stress in the
      presence of hypopituitarism is different to a certain extent from the typical
      course, which inevitably affects certain adaptation elements. In this review, we
      analyzed the adaptive effects of stress after traumatic brain injury.

PMID- 28635849
TI  - [Radio-visualization of non-specific postmortem changes in the cardiovascular
      system].
AB  - This paper presents a review of the literature concerning radio-visualization of
      non-specific postmortem changes in the cardiovascular system during computed
      tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The peculiar radiological
      characteristics of postmortem blood clots and cadaveric hypostases in the
      internal organs are described. It is emphasized that postmortem CT and MRI can
      not replace the pathological anatomical studies and forensic medical autopsy.
      Roentgenologists engaged in the postmortem examination of the bodies must have
      relevant knowledge of pathological anatomy and forensic medicine (namely, they
      must be aware of the non-specific postmortem changes) to be able to adequately
      interpret the tomograms obtained and correctly establish the diagnosis. It is
      recommended that the postmortem CT and MRI images should be used as an additional
      material for the traditional autopsy, e.g. as a preliminary 'guide' preceding the
      postmortem examination.

PMID- 28635850
TI  - [The All-Russian scientific and practical conference 'Organization of the
      forensic medical service of Russia in the current period: problems, approaches to
      their solution, and results'. Voronezh, 20-22 April, 2016].

PMID- 28635851
TI  - [Modern views on myopic maculopathy].
AB  - Most of world's scientists consider the fast-growing incidence of myopia a
      problem of great social importance due to associated increase in complicated
      myopia that leads to disability among the working-age population. This is a
      review on complicated myopia and myopic maculopathy that covers the history of
      research in this field, principles of classification, and etiological factors. It
      also deals with choroidal neovascularization (CNV), which often follows, and its
      treatment options, including anti-VEGF therapy. Possible complications of the
      latter are described as well. Literature search was done using PubMed, eLIBRARY,
      and Scopus text databases. A total of 61 sources, both Russian and foreign, were
      analyzed. Current clinical knowledge of different types of myopic maculopathy is
      still insufficient and the gaps are likely to be filled using modern methods of
      detailed in vivo examination of both sclera and choroidea. Anti-VEGF therapy has
      proved most effective in treating myopic maculopathy-associated
      neovascularization, however, a systematic approach to patient selection and
      management is yet needed.

PMID- 28635852
TI  - [Molecular mechanisms and pathogenetic treatment of mitochondrial optic
      neuropathies].
AB  - The article presents a review of literature on inherited optic neuropathies
      (ION), namely, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and autosomal dominant optic
      neuropathy. Their molecular genetic characteristics and pathogenetic mechanisms
      such as mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiency, oxidative stress,
      mitochondrial dynamics, and biogenesis are covered. Prospects of ION treatment
      are described.

PMID- 28635853
TI  - [41st Border Extension Session of the Central Research Institute of
      Gastroenterology].

PMID- 28635854
TI  - [The canonical Wnt/beta-catenin pathway: From the history of its discovery to
      clinical application].
AB  - The Wnt/beta signaling pathway (Wnt-SP) is a phylogenetically ancient mechanism
      that regulates development and maintains tissue homeostasis through the control
      of cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. The accurate
      regulation of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway (Wnt-SP) is
      critical for embryogenesis and postnatal development; and impaired signal
      transduction at one of its stages leads to various diseases, including organ
      malformations, cancers, metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. The literature
      review discusses the biological role of the canonical Wnt-SP in the development
      of the skeleton and in the remodeling of bone tissue. The Wnt signal transmission
      changes observed during genetic mutations cause various human skeletal diseases.
      Understanding the functional mechanism involved in the development of bone
      abnormality could open new horizons in the treatment of osteoporosis, by
      affecting the Wnt-SP. The design of antibodies to sclerostin, a Wnt-SP inhibitor,
      is most promising now. The paper summarizes the studies that have investigated
      the canonical Wnt-SP and designed drugs to treat osteoporosis.

PMID- 28635855
TI  - [Diabetes mellitus and the central nervous system].
AB  - The review considers the current views on the central nervous system (CNS) in
      diabetes mellitus (DM). It discusses an attitude towards the term 'diabetic
      encephalopathy'. The data of investigations of cognitive functions in types 1 and
      2 DM and the brain structural imaging results obtained using up-to-date
      technologies are considered. The results of studies of the factors that induce
      cerebral changes in DM and their associated cognitive impairments are given.
      There is evidence that hyperglycemia has a more considerable impact on the above
      processes than hypoglycemia; other possible factors, apart from blood glucose
      control, are set out. The current views on the function of insulin in the CNS and
      the relationship of central insulin resistance to Alzheimer's disease are
      outlined. There are current data on intranasal insulin application that is still
      exploratory, but, as might be judged from the findings, may by a promising method
      for the treatment and prevention of cognitive decline in both patients with DM
      and those without this condition.

PMID- 28635856
TI  - [MiRNAs in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases associated with type 2
      diabetes mellitus and obesity].
AB  - Worldwide, the number of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity,
      and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) continues to increase steadily. Despite long
      term studies of obesity and concomitant diseases, the molecular genetic bases for
      the development of these pathological conditions have remained the subject of
      numerous investigations so far. Recent investigations point to the involvement of
      miRNAs as dynamic modifiers of the pathogenesis of various pathological
      conditions, including obesity, T2DM, and CVD. MicroRNAs are involved in various
      biological processes underlying the development of CVDs, including endothelial
      dysfunction, cell adhesion, and atherosclerotic plaque formation and rupture.
      Some of them are considered as potential sensitive diagnostic markers of coronary
      heart disease and acute myocardial infarction. Approximately 1,000 microRNAs are
      found in the human body. It has been determined that miRNAs regulate 30% of all
      human genes. Among them there are about 50 circulating miRNAs presumably
      associated with cardiovascular diseases. This review provides recent data on the
      participation of some miRNAs in various pathological and physiological states
      associated with CVD in DM and obesity. An extended and exact understanding of the
      function of miRNAs in the gene regulatory networks associated with cardiovascular
      risk in obesity will be able to reveal new mechanisms for the progression of
      disease, to predict its development, and to elaborate innovative therapeutic
      strategies.

PMID- 28635857
TI  - [Obesity in metabolic syndrome, as well as kidney dysfunction].
AB  - The presence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in a patient allows him to be assigned to
      a group at high risk for atherosclerosis, cardiovascular events, coronary heart
      disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, MS negatively affects not
      only the heart and vessels, but also kidney function, which leads to chronic
      kidney disease (CKD). MS is pathogenetically associated with CKD and is an
      independent prognostic factor of the development of the latter, namely, the
      involvement of the kidney frequently determines prognosis and quality of life in
      these patients. The paper gives a modern view on the concept of MS and CKD and
      considers its main diagnostic criteria, etiology, and pathogenesis. The study of
      the relationships between MS and CKD may suggest that the high prevalence of
      kidney dysfunction in the general population is largely determined by metabolic
      nephropathies, including obesity-related nephropathy. The identification of risk
      factors and poor prognostic markers in this category of patients seems to be
      extremely important for the early diagnosis of the disease and their timely
      elimination is one of the main approaches to the comprehensive prevention of CKD
      in these patients.

PMID- 28635858
TI  - [Nutrition in obesity: Target criteria and monitoring of weight loss].
AB  - The review paper gives in details the current clinical guidelines for evaluation
      of the impact of nutrition on the correction of increased body mass index (BMI)
      and obesity, an overview of the efficacy of specific commercial diets, target
      criteria for weight loss, and monitoring the status of a patient who participates
      in a weight loss program. The current clinical guidelines suggest that today
      there is no optimal diet in terms of its impact on the correction of overweight
      and further maintenance of the weight loss achieved. There is a need for both the
      improvement of the professional capacity of healthcare workers in advising
      patients about nutrition and the population's awareness about the principles of a
      healthy diet. The complex nature of the problem requires that a medical community
      should interact closely with politicians to make a legislative decision on a
      number of issues relating to healthy eating.

PMID- 28635859
TI  - [Chronic hepatitis C virus infection: An internist's opinion (Part 1)].
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection results in not only chronic hepatitis and
      subsequent complications as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, but
      also in a significant number of other diseases, the so-called extrahepatic
      manifestations of chronic HCV infection. This is because of viral hepatotropicity
      and lymphotropicity. The most striking example of the course of chronic HCV
      infection, in which the infectious and inflammatory processes are concurrent with
      autoimmune disorders and carcinogenesis, is mixed cryoglobulinemia and B-cell non
      Hodgkin's lymphoma. The pathogenesis of these diseases is based on the clonal
      expansion of B cells, which occurs under their prolonged stimulation with the
      virus or viral proteins. Part 1 of this review is devoted to the analysis of a
      correlation of chronic HCV infection with lymphoproliferative and autoimmune
      disorders, as well as its association with kidney injury.

PMID- 28635860
TI  - [Antithrombotic treatment as primary and secondary prevention of stroke].
AB  - The use of antithrombotic drugs (ATD) is necessary in the treatment and
      prevention of thrombosis. The correction of risk factors of ischemic stroke (IS)
      and transitory ischemic attacks (TIA) is important as well. The drugs inhibiting
      the activation and aggregation of thrombocytes allow to decrease the number of
      myocardial infarctions by 35%, stroke by 25% and mortality from cardiovascular
      causes by 15%. Currently, the clinical efficacy of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA),
      thienopyridines (ticlopidine, clopidogrel), dipyridamole or the combination of
      dipyridamole and ASA as well as glycoprotein antagonists IIb-IIIa for intravenous
      introduction have been confirmed. A review of experimental and clinical studies
      confirming the efficacy of dipyridamole in the treatment of acute stage of stroke
      and primary and secondary prevention of II is presented.

PMID- 28635861
TI  - [Intrathecal administration of drugs].
AB  - The article summarizes the introduction of drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid.
      Indications and contraindications for the administration of pharmaceuticals in
      the cerebrospinal fluid spaces are presented. Main groups of pharmacological
      agents used for endolumbar introduction and conditions under which they are used,
      as well as advantages and disadvantages of this treatment are considered. The
      authors describe a method of administration of antibiotics for bacterial and
      fungal infections of the central nervous system. The need to assess the
      intracranial pressure prior to cisternal puncture and exclude blocking of
      cerebrospinal fluid pathways is emphasized. Information about intrathecal
      administration of anticancer and cytostatic drugs in primary and metastatic brain
      lesions as well as data on the significant positive effect of oxygen-ozone
      mixture in the treatment of victims of traumatic brain injury in its acute period
      are presented. Of interest are the results of the study, which showed a
      statistically significant reduction in the severity of neurological deficit after
      the introduction of cerebrolysin in the lumbar space in the first days after the
      onset of cerebral infarction. Possible complications of the described method of
      drug delivery, measures taken against them and methods of preventionare
      described.

PMID- 28635862
TI  - [Neurological disorders in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg
      Strauss syndrome)].
AB  - Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis - EGPA (Churg-Strauss syndrome) is
      a rare autoimmune disorder. The pathogenesis of the disease includes production
      of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies directed against myeloperoxidase with
      the development of small-vessel necrotizing vasculitis and eosinophilic
      infiltration of organs. The involvement of peripheral and central nervous system
      is observed in more than 3/4 of cases. The authors describe three patients with
      EGPA. In a 53-year-old male patient, EGPA manifested with multiple neuropathies,
      which regressed after treatment with corticosteroids and cytostatics. In a 34
      year-old woman, cerebral sinus thrombosis and cerebral infarction developed in
      the non-active period of long-term EGPA. The patient was treated with
      anticoagulants. A 77-year-old woman with a newly diagnosed EGPA, confirmed by
      bone marrow examination for eosinophilia, developed ischemic stroke and
      polyneuropathy. The causes and mechanisms of development as well as dynamics and
      outcomes of neurological disorders, differential diagnosis, treatment and
      prognosis of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis are discussed.

PMID- 28635863
TI  - [Modern approaches to treatment of psychosis in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - Psychotic disorders in Parkinson's disease (PDPD) are common and significantly
      influence the quality of life and disability level. The pathogenesis of PDPD is
      complex and not yet fully understood. Taking into consideration the features of
      the Parkinson's disease (usually older patients with a risk of cognitive
      decline), and the pharmacodynamics of the antiparkinsonian and traditional
      antipsychotic drugs, the management of PDPD is a challenging issue of clinical
      neurology and psychiatry. In this systematic review, scientific publications for
      the period 2014-2016 were analyzed within two bibliographic databases:
      MEDLINE/PubMed and eLIBRARY.RU. Additionally, the guidelines of the International
      Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society, American Academy of Neurology and
      European Academy of Neurology were included in the analysis. Clozapine is
      recommended to use in the treatment of PDPD, quetiapine is possible to use,
      pimavanserin will probably become a remedy of choice. Nonpharmacological
      approaches have positive effects on the general condition of the patients with
      PDPD, however the efficacy of such approaches to treat psychosis is unclear.

PMID- 28635864
TI  - [Pharmacotherapy and dementia].
AB  - The review considers treatment aspects of dementia in Alzheimer's disease (DAD),
      vascular dementia (VD) and some other forms of dementia. Pathogenetic
      pharmacotherapy of DAD aims to maintain the activity of cholinergic neurons with
      anticholinesterase drugs including donepezil, which is used most often. The main
      objective of VD treatment is prevention of new cerebral infarctions using
      cardiotropic medications, antiaggregants, anticoagulants, hypotensive drugs and
      statins. In Russia, patients with DAD and VD receive polymodal drugs as well.
      These drugs have been included in the list of antidementia medications due to
      their wide use in treatment of discirculatory encephalopathy and chronic brain
      ischemia.

PMID- 28635866
TI  - [Hippocampal sclerosis: pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and
      treatment].
AB  - Hippocampal sclerosis, also known as Ammon horn sclerosis or mesial temporal
      sclerosis, is usually associated with intractable epilepsy and characterized by
      specific patterns of neuronal loss and gliosis in the medial temporal lobe
      structures. Hippocampal sclerosis manifests clinically as epilepsy, often
      intractable epilepsy; in most cases, this condition is surgically treatable. As
      the most common histological diagnosis in adult patients subjected to epilepsy
      surgery, hippocampal sclerosis is characterized by complex pathogenesis and
      requires a multidisciplinary approach to its diagnosis and treatment. This
      article reviews the pathologic features, natural history, pathogenesis, and
      electroclinical and MRI signs of hippocampal sclerosis.

PMID- 28635865
TI  - [Modern treatments for degenerative disc diseases of the lumbosacral spine. A
      literature review].
AB  - Many researchers consider degenerative diseases of the spine as a pandemic of the
      XXIst century. Herniated intervertebral discs of the lumbosacral spine occur in
      61% of patients with degenerative spine diseases. Of these, 15% of patients have
      herniated discs at the LII-LIII level, 10% of patients at the LIII-LIV level, and
      40% of patients at the LIV-LV and LV-SI levels. A high cost of conservative
      treatment of degenerative spine disease symptoms and its low efficacy in reducing
      the intensity and duration of pain necessitate the development of new methods of
      surgical treatment. In this paper, we analyze the literature data on minimally
      invasive spine surgery and demonstrate the main advantages of percutaneous
      endoscopic surgical techniques.

PMID- 28635867
TI  - [The investigations into the amino acid composition of the tooth for the purpose
      of forensic medical personality identification].
AB  - The increasingly greater requirements for the new approaches to the forensic
      medical personality identification necessitate the extensive search for and the
      development of the precise methods enabling the experts to determine the general
      personality signs in the cases of mass mortality and the large number of victims
      with the conspicuous post-mortem changes in their appearance including those
      associated with putrefaction and strong fragmentation of the bodies. This article
      presents the analytical review demonstrating that determination of the victims'
      age in the combination with the analysis of the amino acid composition of dental
      tissues provides a promising tool for the investigations not only in the fields
      of archeology and anthropology but also for the purpose of personality
      identification in forensic medicine.

PMID- 28635868
TI  - [The modern possibilities for the application of photogrammetry in forensic
      medical traumatology].
AB  - The authors discuss the modern possibilities and prospects for the application of
      photogrammetry (FM) in forensic medical traumatology based on the results of the
      analysis of the many-year experience reported in the foreign periodicals with
      special reference to road traffic injuries, gunshot wounds, and animals' bites.
      The examples of objective difficulties and promising prospects for the further
      application of the FM techniques in the practical work of forensic medical
      experts and medical criminalists are considered with reference to the use of
      various FM-based methods and equipment including 3D laser scanners, chambers,
      stereoscopic mounting attachments, etc. Special attention is given to the
      contribution of the current scientific and technical progress to the solution of
      the practical problems facing forensic medical experts with reference to the
      unique opportunities provided by the modern computed technologies enabling the
      specialists to considerably improve the quality of expert examination.

PMID- 28635869
TI  - [The topical problems of expert mistakes and evaluation of the quality of
      forensic medical expertises based on the analysis of the reports published in the
      journal 'Sudebno-meditsinskaya ekspertiza' (Forensic Medical Expertise) during
      the period from 1958 till 2015].
AB  - The objective of the present study was the thematic analysis of the reports
      published in the journal 'Sudebno-meditsinskaya ekspertiza' (Forensic Medical
      Expertise) during the period from 1958 till 2015 that contain the authors'
      characteristics of the mistakes made in connection with the performance of
      various forms of forensic medical expertise with special reference to their
      quality and time schedules. A total of 268 issues of the journal were looked
      through from which 25 articles were selected dealing with the analysis of expert
      mistakes. The present work continues the series of publications having the
      objectives to elucidate logical errors encountered in expert conclusions, text
      books, guidelines, and other methodological materials concerning forensic medical
      expertise for the purpose of their further in-depth investigation.

PMID- 28635870
TI  - [The problems of pediatric pathological anatomy and new pathology orders].

PMID- 28635871
TI  - [The modern possibilities for the treatment of the patients presenting with
      benign and tumour-like diseases of the larynx].
AB  - Rehabilitation of the patients presenting with benign and tumour-like diseases of
      the larynx (BLT) is currently a serious challenge for modern otorhinolaryngology
      in view of the high prevalence of this pathology. Dysphonia is a leading clinical
      symptom of the diseases that considerably deteriorates the quality of life of the
      patients. Certain benign conditions of the larynx exhibit a tendency toward
      malignization. The treatment of the patients presenting with benign and tumour
      like diseases of the larynx requires a combined approach including the surgical,
      therapeutic, and phonopedic modalities for the rehabilitation of the vocal
      function. This article presents a review of the literature on the modern high
      energy techniques for the treatment of the patients presenting with benign and
      tumour-like diseases of the larynx, The advantages and disadvantages of each
      method are discussed.

PMID- 28635872
TI  - [The current views of the problem of the plastic correction of the laryngo
      tracheal defects in the patients presenting with combined laryngeal stenoses].
AB  - The present review of the literature is designed to analyze the currently
      available methods for the plastic correction of the laryngo-tracheal defects in
      the patients presenting with combined laryngeal stenoses at the concluding stage
      of their medical rehabilitation. We looked through 56 literature sources
      including 28 publications of the foreign authors. The different approaches to the
      plastic correction of the laryngo-tracheal defects have been critically
      considered with special reference to their advantages and disadvantages. The
      importance of the problem under consideration arises from the necessity of the
      search for the new methods of plastic correction of the laryngo-tracheal defects.

PMID- 28635873
TI  - [A role of P-glycoprotein in neurology].
AB  - On the basis of the analysis of literature data, the authors show a role of P
      glycoprotein in the pathogenesis, pharmacotherapy and a prophylaxis of neurologic
      diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, stroke).

PMID- 28635874
TI  - [Subclavian steal syndrome].
AB  - Literature data on the etiology, clinical picture, diagnostic variants and
      treatment of subclavian steal syndrome are reviewed. Different clinical variants
      and neurological symptoms of the syndrome are described. Multispiral computed
      tomography, along with ultrasound examination, is important in the diagnosis of
      the syndrome and its causes. The use of other methods is necessary for more
      accurate diagnosis and prevention of perioperative complications. The character
      of damage of subclavian arteries and brachiocephalic stem should be taken into
      account in the choice of an optimal method of surgical treatment.

PMID- 28635875
TI  - [Disturbances of gait and postural stability in chronic cerebral ischemia].
AB  - Disturbances of gait and postural stability are characteristic of the chronic
      progressive vascular lesion of the brain observed in moderate to severe stages of
      cerebrovascular disease. Disconnections between the prefrontal cortex, basal
      ganglia and cerebellum due to the damage of the white matter (vascular
      leukoencephalopathy) underlie disturbances of gait and postural stability
      (shorter stride length, wider gait). There are difficulties in starting with
      possible stoppings during the walking, waiting in front of small barriers as well
      as difficulties in concentration (e.g., talk during walking worsen the gait). In
      contrast to Parkinson's disease, associated movements of hands are observed. The
      severity of gait disturbances is usually correlated with the severity of vascular
      cognitive impairment unified by the common underlying substrate - the dysfunction
      of the frontal brain lobes. Approaches to treatment of patients with vascular
      movement disorders are discussed.

PMID- 28635876
TI  - [Salivation after stroke].
AB  - Salivation after stroke (sialorrhea, hypersalivation, ptyalism) can be caused by
      the overproduction or a lack of utilization of saliva. Patients after stroke
      often have sialorrhea as a result of dysphagia. Neurogenic dysphagia in acute
      period after stroke occurs in 25-65% of patients. The mortality rate among people
      with post-stroke dysphagia and tube feeding ranges from 20 to 24%. Patients who
      suffering from profuse salivation have difficulties with articulation and
      swallowing, bad breath, irritation and maceration of perioral area, contamination
      of clothing and bed linen. Profuse salivation increases caregiver burden as well.
      Psychologically, profuse salivation leads to lower self-esteem and social
      isolation. Pulmonary aspiration is the most serious complication of sialorrhea.
      Injections of botulinum toxins in the large salivary glands and the m.
      cricopharyngeus are the most effective method of treatment.

PMID- 28635877
TI  - [A neuropathic component of lumboischialgia: mechanisms of development and
      treatment approaches].
AB  - Low back pain (LBP) is accompanied by the development of pain syndrome that
      spreads into the leg in 25-57% of patients. This is an important factor
      predicting the risk of transition of pain from acute to chronic and is an
      indirect indicator of disease severity. It is often impossible to specify the
      primary mechanism facilitated pain irradiation in lumboischialgia because many
      structures can cause analogous symptoms. Mechanisms of development of LBP are
      represented by nociceptive, neuropathic and psychogenic components. Currently,
      the term 'neuropathic back pain' remains rather ambiguous. Existing data suggest
      that the term 'neuropathic LBP is not confined to classic radiculopathy and is
      realized through several pathophysiological mechanisms. Lumboischialgia is a
      clinical appearance of these mechanisms. The authors present main mechanisms of
      the development of lumboischialgia, discuss clinical markers of neuropathic
      component of LBP, approaches to its diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28635878
TI  - [Helicobacter pylori infection and extragastroduodenal diseases].
AB  - At present, the clinical significance of Helicobacter pylori infection has been
      validly determined within the development of a diversity of gastroduodenal
      diseases, including chronic gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer, MALT lymphoma, and
      gastric adenocarcinoma. The Expert Council's Maastricht IV consensus (2010)
      determining international standards for the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori
      infection is that there is evidence that the latter may be associated with the
      development of a number of extragastroduodenal diseases (EGDDs) presented by iron
      deficiency anemia of unspecified etiology, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura,
      and vitamin B12 deficiency. In these diseases, it is recommended that infection
      with H. pylori be diagnosed and, if the test is positive, this microorganism be
      eradicated. A large number of investigations have been recently conducted to
      examine the association of H. pylori infection with other EGDDs. This paper
      reviews theoretical and epidemiological data on the association of H. pylori with
      diseases of the cardiovascular (atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction) and
      central nervous (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease) systems, pancreas
      (autoimmune pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer), oncological (colonic adenomas,
      colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma), dermatological (chronic spontaneous
      urticaria), and other EGDDs. The review highlights the potential protective role
      of H. pylori in diseases with the atopic element of genesis and a complicated
      course of gastroesophageal reflux disease (Barrett's esophagus, esophageal
      adenocarcinoma).

PMID- 28635879
TI  - [Cachexia syndrome: The present state of the problem and importance in clinical
      practice].
AB  - Available updates have changed our idea about cachexia as a terminal condition,
      which could consider it as a combined metabolic syndrome that gives rise to the
      worse course of the underlying disease, the lower efficiency of specific therapy,
      and higher death rates. Chronic inflammatory factors are recognized to be the
      main mechanisms for the development of cachexia syndrome (CS). In addition,
      diagnostic criteria for this pathological condition are well defined. These
      criteria are rather simple for use in clinical practice and they should be
      assessed by physicians at all stages of a follow-up of patients with severe
      chronic diseases, since cachexia may develop long before the appearance of the so
      called extreme emaciation. The earlier the physician will anticipate the onset of
      CS, the more successful attempts to correct the latter and accordingly the better
      prognosis of the underlying disease will be. Available updates on the
      possibilities of correcting cachexia - anorexia are considered although there are
      no established standards for the management and treatment of patients with CS
      now. The elaboration of a step-by-step algorithm for following up the patients
      and a search for medications with proven clinical efficacy are relevant.

PMID- 28635880
TI  - [The development of functional gastrointestinal diseases: Genetic aspects].
AB  - Motility disorders of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract encompass a very
      wide range of structurally different diseases. Functional dyspepsia and irritable
      bowel syndrome (IBS) are the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders in
      clinical practice. In spite of the considerable prevalence of these functional
      diseases, the knowledge of their development mechanisms is very scarce. Recent
      investigations of the impact of the motor and sensory components of the
      pathogenesis of these diseases have demonstrated that the development of IBS is
      associated with serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) impairment and that the
      patients with IBS show the inadequate response to nonselective cannabinoid
      receptor agonists, which is caused by cannabinoid receptor gene (CNR1)
      polymorphism. Most investigations (mainly trials with small sample sizes) dealing
      with the identification of pharmacogenetic features have indicated that there is
      a preponderance of patients with intermediary metabolism among those with
      functional gastrointestinal diseases. However, larger investigations are
      necessary for a more exact understanding of this aspect.

PMID- 28635881
TI  - [Type 2 diabetes mellitus: Clinical aspects of genetics, nutrigenetics, and
      pharmacogenetics].
AB  - The review gives modern knowledge of the genetics, pharmacogenetics and
      nutrigenetics of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The knowledge of genetic determinants
      can refine our understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and introduce
      pharmacogenetic and nutrigenetic approaches to its effective therapy and
      prevention.

PMID- 28635883
TI  - [A meeting on Parkinson,s disease in the Media Sphera Publishing House with the
      participation of prof. E.A. Katunina and prof. I.V. Litvinenko].

PMID- 28635882
TI  - [Change in the organ of vision in somatic diseases].
AB  - The functional or morphological changes associated with systemic diseases make up
      the bulk of eye pathology. Accordingly, systemic drug therapy for these diseases
      can affect the eye. Changes of the organ of vision and appropriate
      ophthalmological advice can assist an internist to diagnose and adequately treat
      the patient. The article considers possible changes in the organ of vision in the
      presence of somatic diseases, as well as alterations resulting from drug therapy
      for these diseases.

PMID- 28635884
TI  - [Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: The current state of the problem].
AB  - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a severe lung disease, with death
      occurring within 2-5 years after its onset. IPF affects people in the second half
      of life. Its causes are unknown. Before 1999, IPF was out from the group of
      idiopathic interstitial lung diseases as a separate nosological entity.
      Practitioners very often (80%) make diagnostic errors in IPF and prescribe
      antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, which worsen the course of this disease.
      The distinctive feature of the pathogenesis of IPF is the absence of
      inflammation, which is clinically manifested by the inefficacy of
      glucocorticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory drugs. Pharmacological agents
      for the treatment of IPF have been designed since 2000. One of them has been
      registered and permitted for use in the Russian Federation. This paper is a
      review of an update on the problem of IPF, which should facilitate the
      appropriate orientation of physicians in diagnosing and treating this severe
      disease.

PMID- 28635885
TI  - [Enoxaparin is a low-molecular-weight heparin with a complex chemical structure
      and various non-anticoagulant properties].
AB  - The paper discusses the non-anticoagulant properties of unfractionated heparin
      and enoxaparin and their relation to their chemical structures. It is emphasized
      that enoxaparin has multiple, often interrelated, non-anticoagulant effects that
      can complement its antithrombotic activity and enhance the efficiency of therapy
      in patients receiving the drug for various indications. The realization of these
      effects requires the complex structure with the standard distribution of
      molecular weight (Mw) (average Mw, about 4500 Da, as well as Mw of less than 2000
      Da (<20%), 2000 to 8000 Da (>68%), and more than 8000 Da (<18%), and with the
      standard content of 1.6-anhidro rings (15-25%), which is determined by the source
      of raw materials and by the production technology of the original drug and cannot
      be fully reproduced when designing its bioanalogues.

PMID- 28635886
TI  - [Depression, anxiety, stress, and mortality].
AB  - The analytical paper summarizes the main results of recent investigations of the
      relationships of depression, anxiety, and stress with overall and cardiovascular
      mortality. It shows that depression and stress are associated with an increased
      risk of death mainly from cardiovascular diseases, and depression treatment and
      stress control can increase life expectancy.

PMID- 28635887
TI  - [Hereditary afibrinogenemia: A literature review and clinical observations].
AB  - Afibrinogenemia is a rare congenital coagulopathy that leads to life-threatening
      bleeding. In afibrinogenemia, plasma fibrinogen levels are less than 0.1 g/L. The
      clinical manifestations of the disease can be both bleeding and thromboses of
      different localizations, which is determined by the multifunctional role of
      fibrinogen in hemostasis. The described cases demonstrate different clinical
      phenotypes of the disease. In both cases the diagnosis was confirmed by genetic
      examinations that revealed homozygous mutations in the fibrinogen A genes. The
      nature of the mutations assumes consanguineous marriages, as confirmed by the
      results of a genealogical analysis. Fibrinogen preparations are promising in
      treating afibrinogenemia in Russia.

PMID- 28635888
TI  - [Adiponectin in health and disease].
AB  - Over the past 20 years after the discovery of adiponectin, much knowledge about
      its effect in health and disease has been gained. Adiponectin has antidiabetic,
      antiatherogenic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, metabolic, vasoprotective,
      and antiapoptotic properties. However, an understanding stems from the given
      literature review that much remains to be explored. Adiponectin has not yet
      commonly used in clinical practice, but cardiologists, endocrinologists,
      pediatricians, oncologists, and physicians of many specialties are interested in
      its preventive and therapeutic applications.

PMID- 28635889
TI  - [Small bowel injuries due to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and
      antiplatelet therapy. Approaches to prevention and treatment].
AB  - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced small bowel injuries (NSAID
      enteropathies) become clinically important. Videocapsule endoscopy shows that the
      small bowel is involved in NSAID-related gastrointestinal tract (GIT) injury in
      almost two-thirds of all cases. Due to a large number of patients who receive
      NSAIDs, combined antiplatelet therapy, or long use anticoagulants, GIT injury
      prevention becomes an actual problem. Treatment for NSAID enteropathy is
      different from that for NSAID gastropathy. In NSAID enteropathy, it is advisable
      to use drugs that are able to increase the production of prostaglandins and
      mucus, to restore intestinal epithelial permeability, and to exert anti
      inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Rebamipide that produces many pleiotropic
      effects and also has cytoprotective properties may become the drug of choice for
      treating patients with NSAID enteropathy. In addition, rebamipide has no effects
      on various cytochrome P-450 enzyme systems, by reducing the risk of drug
      interactions.

PMID- 28635891
TI  - [Meloxicam in Russia: 20 years together].
AB  - Meloxicam is one of the most commonly used representatives of the group of
      nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed in our country. It has been used
      in Russian clinical practice for 20 years and established itself as an effective
      and rather safe analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications. During this period
      almost 48 million packages of brand-name meloxicam have been sold; millions of
      people in our country have been successfully treated with this drug. During this
      period, there have been at least 29 Russian clinical trials of brand-name
      meloxicam, which covered 3,736 patients. In all the trials, meloxicam has
      demonstrated a good therapeutic potential (a substantial improvement in more than
      75% of patients) and a low incidence of side effects, which averaged 6.4% (30.5%
      in the control groups). The good tolerability of brand-name meloxicam (Movalis)
      is confirmed by a total of 120 spontaneous reports of the adverse events due to
      this drug, which were sent to the Federal Service for Health Supervision in
      December 2008 to July 2015 (over the last 7 years). This number seems negligible
      (nearly 30 million packages) if the amount of meloxicam sold over the period is
      taken into account. Extensive experience in clinical practice with this drug and
      a wide series of national clinical trials support the good reputation of brand
      name meloxicam among Russian physicians and patients. This review briefly gives
      the data of Russian and main foreign clinical trials of the therapeutic effect
      and safety of meloxicam.

PMID- 28635890
TI  - [Use of probiotics and probiotic-based immunomodulators as adjuvant therapy for
      Helicobacter pylori eradication].
AB  - At present, Helicobacter pylori (Nr) infection is the most common chronic
      bacterial infection in humans, the pathogen of which colonizes approximately 50%
      of the world's population. Hp eradication is required to control complications of
      Hp-related diseases (gastric and duodenal ulcers). Nevertheless, a number of
      investigations have demonstrated widespread antibacterial therapy inefficiency
      due to Hp antibiotic resistance and patient non-compliance with treatment
      regimens. Due to the growing need to elaborate alternative eradication regimens,
      some researchers have drawn their attention to probiotics and immunomodulators
      derived from Lactobacillus in particular for eradication therapy in Np-positive
      patients to enhance the effect of antibacterial drugs. The review analyzes the
      results of 10 meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials with a similar design,
      which were published in 2007 to 2015, and other clinical trials assessing the
      role of probiotics and probiotic-based immunomodulators as an adjuvant therapy
      for Hp eradication. The results of the analysis have established that
      Lactobacillus strain-containing probiotics, both monocomponent probiotics and
      those as part of multicomponent ones, when used as an adjunct to anti-Hp therapy,
      significantly increase the level of Np eradication by 8.1-20.0% (p<0.05; Level of
      Evidence, 1A; Recommendation Grade A). The use of N-acetylglucosaminyl-N
      acetylmuramyl dipeptide (Licopid, a Lactobacillus bulgaricus-based
      immunomodulator) 0.001 and 0.01 g/day as an adjuvant to first-line triple anti-Hp
      therapy was shown to increase the level of Hp eradication by 7.1-8.9%. The intake
      of licopid 0.001 and 0.01 g/day during 7-day triple anti-Hp therapy results in
      the absence of recurrent Hp infection, as compared with 7- and 14-day treatment
      protocols without licopid, and leads to a significantly low incidence of Hp
      reinfection within 2-5 years after successful bacterial eradication, as compared
      with the 7-day protocol without adjuvant therapy with glucosaminylmuramyl
      dipeptide (p<0.05).

PMID- 28635892
TI  - [Central regulation of pain in patients with joint disease and approaches to
      therapy].
AB  - The paper reviews investigations studies that have demonstrated that chronic pain
      syndrome is mixed in rheumatic diseases. The nervous system is involved in its
      pathogenesis with different frequency and different mechanisms. Under the
      influence of afferent pain impulses from damaged joints, there are changes in the
      excitability of spinal cord neurons, which is called central sensitization (CS).
      A number of patients have enhanced CS and clinical manifestations as neuropathic
      sensitive phenomena. The mixed model of the development of chronic pain in joint
      diseases and its presence along with nociceptive (inflammatory) and neuropathic
      pain components may explain the discrepancy between joint inflammatory and
      structural changes and pain intensity, the presence of distant pain and sensitive
      disorders in the areas outside the joint, and sometimes the efficiency of anti
      inflammatory therapy. The presence of the neuropathic pain component serves as a
      rationale for combined therapy by adding centrally acting drugs, such as
      anticonvulsants.

PMID- 28635893
TI  - [Nosocomial obstetric infections: Yesterday, today, tomorrow].
AB  - Antibiotic resistance of microorganisms is one of the most acute problems of
      modern obstetrics. The paper analyzes current antibiotic resistance. It considers
      the mechanisms of its formation and ways to overcome the resistance.

PMID- 28635894
TI  - [Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Kazan State Medical Academy].

PMID- 28635895
TI  - [The paranasal sinuses as the nitric oxide depot].
AB  - This paper was designed to report the currently available data on physiology of
      the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses together with the results of national and
      international investigations on the computer modeling of the air flow in these
      structures. Also discussed are the gas composition in the paranasal sinuses and
      the potential factors responsible for the changes in the concentration of nitric
      oxide with the chemical formula of NO in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.

PMID- 28635896
TI  - [The response of the upper respiratory tract to the impact of atmospheric
      pollution].
AB  - The present literature review characterizes the environmental conditions in the
      Russian Federation in general and the Republic of Tatarstan in particular with
      special reference to the influence of atmospheric pollution on the development
      and the clinical picture of the diseases of the respiratory organs including
      pathology of the upper respiratory tract in the populations of the industrial
      centres and other environmentally unfriendly areas. The views of the domestic and
      foreign authors concerning the role of the environmental factors in the clinical
      picture of the upper respiratory tract disorders are described in detail. The
      authors emphasize the necessity of the further investigationsinto this problem
      and the development of the methods for the prevention of diseases of the upper
      respiratory react.

PMID- 28635897
TI  - [The functional disturbances in the vegetative nervous system associated with
      nasal and paranasal sinuses pathology].
AB  - The authors undertook the analysis of the literature data on the functional state
      of the vegetative nervous system (VNS) in the patients presenting with
      otorhinolaryngological pathology. These data suggest the participation of VNS in
      the origin and development of many ENT diseases. Moreover, they demonstrate the
      absence of commonly accepted approaches to the study of VNS and the assessment of
      clinical manifestations of vegetative dysfunction syndrome. The necessity of the
      further investigationsinto this problem is emphasized taking into consideration
      various types of vegetative constitution in the patients suffering from diseases
      of the upper respiratory tract.

PMID- 28635898
TI  - [The modern transplants for the restoration of bone defects in rhinology].
AB  - The author presents the results of the analysis of the data from the domestic and
      foreign literature concerning the potential of the osteoplastic methods for the
      restoration of bone defects in the nasal septum. All types of the osteoplastic
      materials finding the application in rhinologyare described.

PMID- 28635899
TI  - [The role of the perinatal transmission and persistence of human papilloma virus
      in the development of juvenile respiratory papillomatosis].
AB  - This review paper presents the results of the recent studies designed to
      elucidate the etiopathogenetic role ofhuman papilloma virus infection in the
      development of respiratory papillomatosis in the children. Special attention is
      given to the possible pathways and mechanisms of the mother-to-child transmission
      of papilloma virus, its frequency and risk factors during pregnancy and in the
      postnatal period. The results of investigations into the frequency of papilloma
      virus infection in the children are presented along withrisk factors contributing
      to its persistence and the development ofjuvenile respiratory papillomatosis. The
      possible approaches to the management of this condition are proposed.

PMID- 28635900
TI  - [Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. The recent trend in the studies of the
      pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of this disease].
AB  - A review of the current problems of nasal polyposis has been presented. The
      results of an analysis mainly of foreign literature have been given, which is
      reflected in EPOS 2012.

PMID- 28635901
TI  - [Alimskiy A.V. Modern advances in new imaging techniques prompting diagnostics
      and treatment of oral pathology (by prof. A.P. Arzhantsev)].

PMID- 28635902
TI  - [Risk factors, clinical presentations, prevention, and treatment of corneal graft
      rejection].
AB  - Corneal transplantation is the most common and successful type of
      allotransplantation surgery. Post-transplant immune response in keratoplasty is
      less pronounced than that in other transplantation procedures, which is accounted
      for by anatomical features of the cornea and, also, its low antigenic potential
      and active immunosuppression. However, the immune privilege of the cornea can be
      violated by neovascularization, inflammation, or trauma. Patients who require
      keratoplasty to restore their sight and whose immune privilege is disturbed, fall
      into a high-risk group and are likely to demonstrate tissue incompatibility and
      non-transparent engraftment. Two approaches exist as to how graft rejection can
      be prevented. One of them involves induction of donor-specific tolerance, the
      other - non-specific suppression of the recipient's immune response. To avoid
      tissue incompatibility, measures can be taken to restore the immune privilege of
      the cornea as well as to induce antigen-specific tolerance, which is considered a
      promising, thought yet experimental, area of modern transplantology. In clinical
      practice, one pays most attention to improvement of non-specific immune
      suppression methods based on interfering in the metabolism of immunocompetent
      cells. Thus, timely prescriptions and proper immunosuppressive tactics with
      account to possible risk factors determine the outcome in high-risk patients
      undergoing corneal transplantation surgery.

PMID- 28635903
TI  - [Structural and functional characteristics of vitrectomized eyes].
AB  - The article describes the potential effects of vitrectomy on clinical refraction,
      refraction of the cornea and its biomechanical parameters, the state of the lens,
      intraocular pressure, and biometric parameters of the anterior eye segment.

PMID- 28635904
TI  - [Myocardial fibrosis: Current aspects of the problem].
AB  - Fibrosis is one of the main components in the progression of most cardiovascular
      diseases, including coronary heart disease, by causing structural changes in the
      myocardium and vascular wall. The quantitative and qualitative characteristics of
      fibrosis of the myocardium are responsible for decreasing its elastic properties,
      developing diastolic dysfunction, impairing myocardial contractility, developing
      systolic dysfunction and cardiac arrhythmias, and worsening coronary blood flow
      in patients with heart failure of different etiologies. The important aspect of
      studying fibrosis is not only its interpretation as a model of the typical
      pathological process, but also its consideration as a systemic lesion of various
      organs and tissues. At the same time, the identification of myocardial fibrosis
      biomarkers that are available for their determination in circulating blood is of
      particular interest. Since there was evidence for the role of fibrosis in
      developing dysfunction of various organs and ensuring the systematicity of most
      diseases, especially at their development stages, the process of fibrosis came to
      be regarded as a promising therapeutic target. It is relevant to further
      investigate myocardial fibrosis, which is aimed at increasing the efficiency of
      its diagnosis and predicting its course and pathogenetically sound therapy.

PMID- 28635905
TI  - [Algorithm for the management of patients with stable coronary artery disease and
      high-grade ventricular arrhythmias].
AB  - The paper gives an original algorithm for the management of patients with stable
      coronary artery disease, preserved/moderately reduced left ventricular systolic
      function, and high-grade ventricular arrhythmias from the first registration of
      the latter to the choice of treatment policy. Great attention is paid to the
      assessment of a private clinical case, by determining the nature of arrhythmias,
      and to the involvement of autonomic regulation in the genesis of ventricular
      arrhythmias. The importance of topical diagnosis of ventricular arrhythmias and
      identification of psychological disorders is emphasized. Diagnostic problems are
      solved in a step-by-step fashion using up-to-date techniques. The key point of
      the algorithm proposed is to prevent sudden cardiac death.

PMID- 28635906
TI  - [Obstructive sleep apnea at high altitude].
AB  - Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an important and socially relevant problem of
      modern medicine, which is referred to as a most common pathological condition.
      The problem of OSA is especially urgent for inhabitants of high mountainous
      regions, as a combination of climatic, social, and cultural factors can
      significantly affect the course of the disease in both indigenous highlanders and
      people temporarily residing at high altitude. The paper reviews the current
      literature covering the problem of OSA at high altitude. It gives the data of
      Russian and foreign literature on the pathogenesis and clinical presentation of
      OSA. The author also analyzes an update on the impact of high altitude on the
      course of OSA in indigenous highlanders and people temporarily living at high
      altitude. She emphasizes the role of hypobaric hypocapnia as the most important
      factor for the development of central sleep apnea in the presence of conditions
      that are obstructive and aggravating the course of the disease.

PMID- 28635907
TI  - [The problem of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in asthmatic patients].
AB  - Asthma and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are one of the most common
      chronic respiratory diseases. These have common risk factors that include
      obesity, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and impaired nasal breathing
      (allergic rhinitis, sinusitis). At the same time, experimental evidence
      demonstrates common pathophysiological mechanisms of these diseases, such as
      involvement in the process of the respiratory tract, a systemic inflammatory
      response, and implementation of neuromechanical reflexes. Thus, there is an
      obvious synergism between these conditions, which affects symptoms, response to
      therapy, and prognosis. The available data allow discussion on whether there is a
      need to identify and treat OSAS in asthmatic patients. By keeping in mind the
      high incidence of OSAS in patients with severe asthma, it may be suggested that
      treatment for OSAS can reduce the number of exacerbations, improve the quality of
      life, and decline the number of obstinate asthma cases. It is very important for
      general practitioners to assess risk factors, such as body weight, nasal
      stuffiness, and GERD, and to utilize screening tools for more efficient use of
      healthcare resources. Considering the known positive effects of CPAP therapy in
      short-term studies, future investigations should focus on the impact of CPAP
      therapy on asthma symptoms in the long-term, as well as on the effects of asthma
      drugs on the course of OSAS.

PMID- 28635908
TI  - [Idiopatic pulmonary fibrosis: A new paradigm].
AB  - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ((IPF) is the most common disease from a group of
      interstitial lung diseases, which occurs mainly in middle-aged and elderly
      people. Over the past decade, there have been considerable changes in approaches
      to diagnosing and treating IPF. The paper presents an update on the epidemiology
      of IPF, the results of new studies of its pathogenesis, and main approaches to
      diagnosing the disease. In addition, there is new evidence on therapy for IPF.

PMID- 28635909
TI  - [Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease concurrent with metabolic syndrome:
      Pathophysiological and clinical features].
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) still remains a serious public
      health problem, which is a common cause of disability and death in the able
      bodied population. Furthermore, the number of patients with metabolic syndrome
      (MS) is steadily increasing worldwide. Recently, there is also an increase in the
      number of patients with COPD concurrent with MS, which is a mutually confounding
      risk factor for concomitant cardiovascular disease and adversely affects
      prognosis in these patients. Systemic subclinical inflammation is a common link
      between COPD and the components of MS. Systemic inflammation in patients with
      comorbidity is complemented by an inflammatory process in the abdominal visceral
      adipose tissue that serves as a source of proinflammatory adipokines (leptin,
      resistin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Patients with COPD in the presence of
      MS components have in general higher ventilation needs, more obvious clinical
      manifestations of bronchopulmonary diseases, and more frequent COPD exacerbations
      and frequently require higher doses of inhaled glucocorticosteroids. As compared
      with normal-weight patients with COPD, obese patients with this condition have
      more limited physical activity and much more exercise intolerance. There are
      currently no practical recommendations for the management of patients with
      comorbidity; patients with COPD concurrent with MS need an individual therapeutic
      approach. It is important to elaborate a package of preventive measures to
      improve quality of life in patients, to reduce the incidence of systemic
      complications, and to achieve symptomatic improvements. Thus, to develop and
      implement practical guidelines for physicians and patients are an urgent issue.

PMID- 28635910
TI  - [Involvement of the hepatobiliary system and pancreas in obesity].
AB  - The article provides an overview of current views on the involvement of the
      liver, gallbladder, and pancreas in patients with overweight and obesity. It
      considers the general issues of the pathogenesis of these conditions, their
      clinical features and diagnostic methods.

PMID- 28635911
TI  - [The modern possibilities for the application of photogrammetry in the forensic
      medical practice and scientific researches].
AB  - The authors consider the modern possibilities for the application of
      photogrammetry in the domestic forensic medical practice and scientific
      researches as exemplified by the use of 3D-laser scanning and the single-chamber
      photogrammetric technique for the visualization of various objects including the
      places of road traffic accidents and other events. Special emphasis is laid on
      the objective difficulties likely to be encountered in this work and the
      prospects for the further application of photogrammetric methods in the work of
      experts in various fields of human activities. The important role of scientific
      and technical progress in the solution of practical expert problems is
      illustrated based on the utilization of the unique up-to-date computed
      technologies capable of improving the quality of expert support of investigative
      activities.

PMID- 28635912
TI  - [The age-dependent changes of sella turcica, frontal and sphenoid sinuses].
AB  - This article is designed to report the results of analysis of the literature
      publications concerning age-specific changes in the configuration of the sella
      turcica, frontal and sphenoid sinuses during the life span of a human being. It
      is shown that the subjects above the age of 20-25 years undergo age-dependent
      variations of the morphometric characteristics of the sella turcica, frontal and
      sphenoid sinuses. It suggests the necessity of the further development of the
      research methods with a view to increasing the number of techniques used in
      forensic medicine designed to enhance the accuracy of estimation of the human
      biological age.

PMID- 28635914
TI  - [All-Russian scientific-practical conference with international participation
      'Child and adolescent psychiatry: current issues of diagnosis, therapy,
      prevention and rehabilitation' (St. Petersburg, 19-21 November 2014)].

PMID- 28635913
TI  - [Lipid metabolism in patients with hematologic cancers].
AB  - It is considered that hypercholesterolemia is life-threatening and low
      cholesterol levels are a positive factor. However, taking into consideration the
      fact that cholesterol plays a key role in cell proliferation, it should be
      remembered that its low blood level may be linked to high cholesterol demands
      from neoplastic cells. The literature review analyzes the results of recent
      investigations of lipid metabolism in patients with hematologic cancers and their
      other types. All given investigations show a significant reduction in the serum
      levels of total cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins in patients with
      hematological disease at its onset. The data for other indicators of the lipid
      transport system are ambiguous. Such changes have been elucidated to be
      associated with the accumulation of cholesterol in the leukemia cells due to
      enhanced synthesis de novo, a more active absorption from circulation and blocked
      release of its surplus. If the disease runs a favorable course, lipid metabolic
      parameters become normalized and, in case of remission, correspond to those seen
      in healthy individuals. They continue to decline in patients with disease
      progression. This allows the consideration of cholesterol, its fractions, and
      apolipoproteins as biochemical prognostic markers in hematological cancer
      patients and as indicators for assessment of treatment results. In addition,
      there is evidence for the effect of chemotherapeutic agents on lipid metabolism.
      Recent attempts to elaborate new treatment strategies, by using the current
      knowledge on the role of lipid metabolism in cancers, are considered.

PMID- 28635915
TI  - [Preparation of training base in Izhevsk in 1941 for evacuation of Moscow State
      Dental Institute].
AB  - The paper describes the history of preparation for the evacuation of Moscow State
      Dental Institute in 1941. Training base assumed in Izhevsk was not required
      because of the retreat of German troops.

PMID- 28635916
TI  - [Tunnel technique in oral surgery].
AB  - The article is aimed to analyze the advantages of the tunnel operative approach
      in dental surgery. It is shown that the application of the tunnel technique can
      enhance tissue regeneration and revascularization, achieve better aesthetic and
      functional results, offer higher treatment quality.

PMID- 28635917
TI  - [Cone beam CT in diagnostics of facial trauma].
AB  - The article provides a review of domestic and international scientific literature
      to reveal the possibilities of cone-beam computed tomography in facial trauma
      diagnostics. The ratio of maxillofacial trauma continues to grow progressively.
      The current situation increases the need for high-quality, fast and extremely
      informative radiology diagnosis for such conditions. At the moment the
      possibilities of multislice computed tomography are well examined in the facial
      trauma diagnosis. But the potential of cone-beam computed tomography aren't fully
      known yet by radiologists and maxillofacial surgeons. This review presents an
      analysis of the method's technical features, its advantages, disadvantages and
      special application aspects in facial trauma.

PMID- 28635918
TI  - [Risk factors for vertical root fractures after endodontic treatment].
AB  - The review sought to describe the main risk factors for vertical root fracture
      predisposition in teeth after root canal treatment: altered mechanical
      characteristics of dentine due to loss of moisture and use of aggressive
      irrigation agents, insufficient amount of remaining dentine tissue after
      mechanical preparation of root canals, damage to the remaining tooth structure
      due to the effects of posts of different materials. According to the reviewed
      studies it is difficult to reveal the main factor predisposing to vertical root
      fractures. It is likely that in each case there is an interaction of several
      factors.

PMID- 28635919
TI  - [Video capsule endoscopy is one more step towards improving the diagnosis of
      small intestinal diseases].
AB  - AIM: To estimate the value of video capsule endoscopy (VCE) in the diagnosis of
      small intestine (SI) diseases.. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 134 patients,
      including 72 (53.7%) women and 62 (46.3%) men whose mean age was 41.48+/-9.33
      years. Group 1 included 73 patients who were examined using an algorithm for the
      diagnosis of SI diseases, 61 patients underwent VCE by the referrals handed in
      other healthcare facilities. RESULTS: In the patients of Group 1, pathological SI
      changes were revealed by VCE by almost 4 times more frequently than in those of
      Group 2. VCE provides a possibility of establishing the sources of bleeding,
      Crohn's disease, and other inflammatory diseases, which are inaccessible to other
      diagnostic methods. SI arteriovenous malformations, polyps, and diverticula,
      parasitic infections, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-associated
      enteropathy may be causes of obscure SI bleeding and anemia. In celiac disease,
      VCE may estimate the extent of SI mucosal atrophy and reveal its disintegration
      as erosions and ulcers, which are inherent in its refractory form. CONCLUSION:
      VCE is a highly informative method for examining the SI, but, in view of the
      specific features of its performance and the high cost of hardware, VCE is
      recommended to be performed in accordance with the proposed diagnostic algorithm.

PMID- 28635920
TI  - [Myocardial injury associated with chronic hepatitis C: Clinical types and
      pathogenetic components].
AB  - Heart injury is one of the extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C
      (CHC). The paper gives Russian and foreign authors' data on a relationship
      between CHC and myocardial injury. It discusses different pathogenetic components
      (the direct effect of the virus, immunological components), through which
      hepatitis C virus can induce myocarditis and cardiomyopathies in patients with
      CHC.

PMID- 28635921
TI  - [Promising markers for the risk and prognosis of gestational diabetes mellitus].
AB  - The review provides information on the molecular genetic mechanisms for the
      development gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). It gives data on the genetic
      identity of GDM and type 2 diabetes mellitus and considers a role of some
      adipokines and incretin hormones in the development of GDM. There is evidence for
      the role of magnesium and vitamin D deficiencies in the pathogenesis of
      gestational carbohydrate metabolic disturbances.

PMID- 28635922
TI  - [Molecular genetics of maturity-onset diabetes of the young].
AB  - To verify the type of diabetes mellitus (DM) remains an extremely important
      problem in endocrinology, as along with types 1 and 2 DM there are rarer
      hereditary types of DM, including maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY).
      The latter is a genetic type of DM, which is characterized by an autosomal
      dominant inheritance. Eleven types of MODY (MODY 1 to MODY13) are identified;
      each is associated with mutations in the certain gene: HNF4A, GCK, HNF1A, PDX1,
      HNF1B, NEUROD1, KLF11, CEL, PAX4, INS, BLK, KCNJ11 and ABCC8. A molecular genetic
      testing for suspected MODY is conducted to verify the diagnosis and to define a
      subtype of MODY, patient management tactics, to predict the outcome of the
      disease and its complications in relation to the found subtype of MODY. It is
      also important to seek mutation causing MODY in terms of the early detection of
      MODY in the first-degree relatives of a proband, appropriate therapy of the
      disease, and prevention of its complications.

PMID- 28635923
TI  - [Hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma: The problems of diagnosis and treatment].
AB  - In the past decade, a notable advance has been made in the understanding of the
      pathogenesis of NK/T-cell lymphomas; however, their diagnosis remains difficult
      because of their rarity and clinical and morphological variabilities. The paper
      generalizes the ten-year experience of the Hematology Research Center, Ministry
      of Health of Russia, in diagnosing and treating hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma
      (HSTL), considers the problems of differential diagnosis with other hematological
      diseases occurring with similar clinical and laboratory symptoms, and lays down
      current approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. A
      clinician's view of the problem of diagnosis and treatment of this disease is
      given. HSTL is shown to be a heterogeneous group of diseases differing in a T
      cell receptor chain gene rearrangement, the clinical course of the disease, and
      overall survival (OS). According to our data, 3-year OS was 12%; the median
      survival was 26 months. Two-year OS for gammadelta and alphabeta HSTL was equal
      to 25 and 70%, respectively. The difference in OS for the variants of HSTL failed
      to reach statistical significance (because the sample might be insufficient).

PMID- 28635924
TI  - [Pregravid preparation of diabetic women].
AB  - Pregnancy in women with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an
      increased risk for complications in both the mother and her fetus. The impact of
      these complications on modifiable risk factors may substantially improve
      pregnancy outcomes and reduce malformation rates in children. This is a goal of
      pregravid preparation (PGP) in this category of patients. The review gives the
      main points of PGP in patients with types 1 and DM and shows the results of main
      studies providing evidence for PGP in DM. In particular, by the moment of
      conception, DM patients should achieve a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) goal of
      <6% no later than 4 weeks before conception and during the first trimester of
      pregnancy, take folic acid in a high dose (at least 4000 ug, or 4 mg, daily),
      quit tobacco smoking and alcohol use, receive potentially teratogenic drugs, and,
      if need be, lose weight (the target body mass index of <27 kg/m2).

PMID- 28635925
TI  - [Postoperative analgesia: realities and prospects].

PMID- 28635926
TI  - [Subcutaneous port systems with intraperitoneal catheter 'BBraun' in combined
      treatment of advanced stomach cancer].

PMID- 28635927
TI  - [Mechanisms of corneal neovascularization and modern options for its
      suppression].
AB  - Quite a number of pathological factors exist that can disturb the balance between
      anti-angiogenic and proangiogenic mechanisms, thus causing vascularization of the
      cornea. The neovessels are immature, ill-formed, and show increased permeability,
      which is dangerous of corneal edema, lipid deposition, and opacification.
      Moreover, as known, corneal neovascularization (CNV; preexisting or
      postoperative) may contribute to immune response against the transplant.
      Suppression of neovascularization is able to decrease the risk of corneal
      transplant rejection. In order to identify the principal strategy for struggling
      against CNV, we should first get a better understanding of its etiology,
      pathogenesis, and role in transplant immunity as well as mechanisms of action of
      available treatment methods.

PMID- 28635928
TI  - [Changes in hemostasis-related parameters of blood and lacrimal fluid in patients
      with retinal vein occlusion].
AB  - High prevalence of retinal vein occlusion in young people as well as treatment
      complexity and inadequate control of hemostatic parameters of blood and lacrimal
      fluid determine the significance of relevant research in patients with retinal
      vascular pathology. The data thus obtained may be useful for disease prognosis,
      severity evaluation and therapy control. This review is aimed to study hemostasis
      related parameters of blood and lacrimal fluid in such patients.

PMID- 28635929
TI  - [Retinal vascular occlusion and polymorphisms in genes coding for components of
      vitamin K cycle].
AB  - In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the role of
      polymorphisms in genes that code for the components of vitamin K cycle in the
      development of retinal vascular occlusion. Vitamin K serves as a cofactor for a
      number of blood coagulation factors, namely, factor II, VII, IX, and X, and also
      for anticoagulation proteins C and S. According to the literature, 1639G4A
      polymorphism of the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 gene (VKORC1)
      is likely to be a new risk factor of retinal vascular occlusion.

PMID- 28635931
TI  - [M. Thali, R. Dirnhofer, P. Vock. The Virtopsy Approach. 3D optical and
      radiological scanning and reconstruction in forensic medicine (CRC Press, Boca
      Raton, Fl: CRC Press. London NW. 2009)].

PMID- 28635930
TI  - [Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF): role in pathological processes].
AB  - Russian and foreign literature sources on vascular endothelial growth factors
      (VEGF) from different parts of the human body, their prevalence and involvement
      in pathological processes were analyzed. A conclusion has been drawn that further
      research on different types of VEGF is needed.

PMID- 28635932
TI  - [Electroporation: characteristics and therapeutic application of the method (a
      review)].
AB  - The article briefly summarizes the currently available information on
      electroporation and electroporation-based therapy. We consider the definition and
      the biophysical basis of the method as well as the possible mechanisms underlying
      the formation of pores under the influence of the application of a pulsed
      electric field. The characteristics of the devices for electroporation are
      described and the most typical examples of the use of electroporation and
      electrochemotherapy in experimental and clinical oncology, dermatology,
      cosmetology, and other fields of medicine are provided.

PMID- 28635933
TI  - [A role of carotid endarterectomy in prevention of cerebral ischemic damage].
AB  - Authors present a literature review on the prevalence, clinical presentations,
      diagnosis and outcome of surgical treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis of the
      internal carotid artery.

PMID- 28635934
TI  - [An interview with prof. L.I. Volkova].

PMID- 28635935
TI  - [Mental health disorders in the first years of life: autism spectrum disorders,
      constitutional and residual-organic abnormalities].
AB  - In the first part of a literature review, new approaches to multidisciplinary
      diagnoses of mental health disorders in early childhood are considered. The
      opportunities for standardization of clinical, psychological and social
      indicators on the basis of international Diagnostic classification of mental
      health and developmental disorders of infancy and early childhood (DC:0-3R) are
      emphasized. The main assessment of diagnostic techniques of this psycho
      pathological class in the first years of life are considered. An analysis of
      current data on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and data about different variants
      of ASD course are presented. The analysis of current publications in the field of
      early constitutional and residual-organic abnormalities showed the congruence
      between them and 'regulation disorders of sensory processing', described in DC:0
      3R.

PMID- 28635936
TI  - [Pathogenetic approaches to treatment of cognitive disorders in patients with
      diabetes mellitus].
AB  - The article presents the currents concepts on the mechanisms of brain lesions and
      development of cognitive impairment in diabetes mellitus (DM) including DM type
      2. Metabolic and vascular mechanisms, oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, glutamate
      excitotoxicity, insulin insufficiency and brain insulin resistance, general
      vascular and microcirculatory disturbances, death of cortical neurons, decrease
      in the newly synthesized acetylcholine, activation of lipid peroxidation are
      considered. A review of the main domestic and international drugs used in
      clinical practice for treatment of cognitive impairment in patients with DM is
      presented.

PMID- 28635937
TI  - [A role of the MAO-B inhibitor rasagiline in treatment of Parkinson's disease].
AB  - The current medications for Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment have predominantly
      symptomatic action. They reduce the severity of main motor symptoms and delay the
      disability and fatal outcome but do not able to prevent the late stages
      characterized by multiple motor and non-motor disorders. A search for new drugs,
      which are able to slow disease progression at the early stage and promote
      effective treatment of symptoms at the late stage, is extremely urgent.
      Rasagiline (azilect), a new generation MAO-B inhibitor, helps to solve the
      problems at different stages of PD.

PMID- 28635938
TI  - [Methods of assessment of movement functions in the upper limb].
AB  - An analysis of the results of domestic and foreign studies as well as the own
      data on the movement impairment in the paretic arm due to the stroke is
      presented. Advantages and shortcomings of commonly used scales for the assessment
      of upper limb functioning and possibilities of their using in different stages of
      stroke are analyzed.

PMID- 28635939
TI  - [Childhood maltreatment and its impact on the mental health].
AB  - This review covers the literature of the last 25 years on the impact of childhood
      maltreatment on the mental health throughout the individual's life. Child abuse
      increases the risk of many mental disorders including depression, suicidal
      ideation and suicidal behavior, anxiety-related disorders, psychoses as well as
      alcohol and other drug abuse. The impact of child trauma on the mental health is
      largely due to structural and functional changes in the hippocampus, amygdala and
      prefrontal cortex. Early preventive interventions play a great role in the
      prevention of mental disorders associated with childhood adversities.

PMID- 28635940
TI  - [Genetics factors in pathogenesis and clinical genetics of binge eating
      disorder].
AB  - Genetic studies have shown that binge eating disorder (VED) aggregates in
      families, heritability was estimated as about 60% and additive genetic influences
      on BED up to 50%. Using a genetic approach has proved useful for verifying the
      diagnostic categories of BED using DSM-IV criteria and supporting the validity of
      considering this pathology as a separate nosological category. The results
      confirmed the genetic and pathogenic originality of BED as a separate
      psychopathological phenomenon, but not a subtype of obesity. It seems fruitful to
      considerate BED as a disease with hereditary predisposition with significant
      genetic influence and a complex psychopathological syndrome, including not only
      eating disorders, but also depressive and addictive component. A possible
      mechanism of pathogenesis of BED may be the interaction of the neuroendocrine and
      neurotransmitters systems including the active involvement of the reward system
      in response to a variety of chronic stress influences with the important
      modulatory role of specific personality traits. The high level of genetic
      influence on the certain clinical manifestations of BED confirms the ability to
      identify the subphenotypes of BED on genetic basis involving clinical criteria.
      It can not only contribute to further genetic studies, taking into account more
      homogeneous samples, but also help in finding differentiated therapeutic
      approaches.

PMID- 28635941
TI  - [Algorithms of mono- and polytherapy in clinical epileptology].
AB  - The large number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) at the physician's disposal
      provides not only a broad therapeutic potential in the treatment of epilepsy
      (EP), but creates difficulties in the adequate choice of AED. The sufficient
      experience in the management of patients with epilepsy has been gained so far in
      the world, based on which the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE),
      updated classification, adopted the basic definition of efficiency, remission,
      resistance, evidence of research on the effectiveness of AED therapy, and
      introduced the concept of "resolved" epilepsy. In this article, a group of
      Russian experts suggest recommendations on the main steps in the choice of
      therapy in epilepsy. Possible drug interactions between different AEDs and other
      drugs as well as main characteristics of mono- and polytherapy of epilepsy are
      described. Some features of the use of AEDs in the elderly, characteristics of
      the "female" epilepsy related to the reproductive function and basic requirements
      for the therapy of epilepsy in children are presented.

PMID- 28635942
TI  - [Morphological diagnosis of viral damage to a kidney transplant].
AB  - Due to the development of organ transplantation and its accompanying
      immunosuppression, recent years have been marked by the higher incidence of
      opportunistic viral infections that are of considerable importance among
      posttransplantation complications. A variety of viral infections, the possibility
      of their concomitant or subtle course, and the ability to cause life-threatening
      complications in recipients make relevant the description of existing diagnostic
      methods. The article summarizes the data available in the literature on the
      etiology, clinical symptoms, and morphological manifestations of viral
      infections, such as polyomaviruses, adenoviruses, herpesviruses, including HSV-1,
      HSV-2, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus. It describes the principles
      of differential diagnosis of kidney transplant damage caused by these viruses and
      that with acute cellular and humoral rejection, which plays an important role due
      to opposite approaches to treating these diseases.

PMID- 28635943
TI  - [Fabry's disease: Neurological disorders].
AB  - The paper considers the pathogenesis and clinical features of Fabry's disease. It
      is stressed that along with cardiovascular system damage and kidney injury, there
      are peripheral and central nervous system lesions in this disease. In Fabry's
      disease, great attention is paid to cerebrovascular diseases that frequently give
      rise to disability. Peripheral neuropathy is mainly due to involvement of minor
      fibers and autonomic disorders. Signs that allow this disease to be diagnosed are
      given.

PMID- 28635944
TI  - [Role of microRNA in oncogenesis of pituitary tumors and their practical
      significance].
AB  - Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs that regulate
      posttranscriptional gene expression. These molecules are regulators of cell
      proliferation, metabolism, apoptosis, and differentiation. MiRNAs are not
      degraded by RNAases and their concentrations can be measured in different body
      fluids, including serum. The expression of miRNAs varies in intact tissues and
      tumors, including pituitary adenomas. Pituitary tumors are encountered in 22.5%
      of the population and, in a number of cases, may be asymptomatic, but in case of
      invasion or/and hormone overproduction, their clinical presentation is severe
      with multiple symptoms leading to disability and even death. The mechanisms for
      the development and progression of pituitary tumors and the markers for remission
      and recurrence have not been adequately investigated. This literature review
      discusses the biological significance of miRNAs in pituitary tumors and the
      potential value of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers.

PMID- 28635945
TI  - [Neuroprotective and nephroprotective effects of remote postconditioning:
      Prospects for clinical use].
AB  - The results of experimental and clinical studies strongly suggest that remote
      ischemic preconditioning (RIP) has no neuroprotective effect during cardiac
      surgery performed under extracorporeal circulation. Remote preconditioning (RP)
      has no neuroprotective effect in hemorrhagic stroke. A randomized multicenter
      study is needed to evaluate the efficiency RIP in patients with ischemic stroke.
      RP reduces the severity of ischemia/reperfusion kidney injury during
      transplantation. RIP has been established to prevent contrast-induced
      nephropathy. There is a need for a multicenter trial to evaluate the efficiency
      of RIP in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Analysis of the
      presented data indicates that RIP fails to prevent cardiorenal syndrome in
      infants and children during cardiac surgery. The data available in the literature
      on the capacity of RIP to provide nephroprotective effect in patients after
      coronary artery bypass surgery are discordant and indicative of the advisability
      of a multicenter study.

PMID- 28635946
TI  - A clinical nutritionist's experience and expectations.

PMID- 28635947
TI  - In situ dynamic observations of perovskite crystallisation and microstructure
      evolution intermediated from [PbI6]4- cage nanoparticles.
AB  - Hybrid lead halide perovskites have emerged as high-performance photovoltaic
      materials with their extraordinary optoelectronic properties. In particular, the
      remarkable device efficiency is strongly influenced by the perovskite
      crystallinity and the film morphology. Here, we investigate the perovskites
      crystallisation kinetics and growth mechanism in real time from liquid precursor
      continually to the final uniform film. We utilize some advanced in situ
      characterisation techniques including synchrotron-based grazing incident X-ray
      diffraction to observe crystal structure and chemical transition of perovskites.
      The nano-assemble model from perovskite intermediated [PbI6]4- cage nanoparticles
      to bulk polycrystals is proposed to understand perovskites formation at a
      molecular- or nano-level. A crystallisation-depletion mechanism is developed to
      elucidate the periodic crystallisation and the kinetically trapped morphology at
      a mesoscopic level. Based on these in situ dynamics studies, the whole process of
      the perovskites formation and transformation from the molecular to the
      microstructure over relevant temperature and time scales is successfully
      demonstrated.

PMID- 28635948
TI  - Munc13-1 and Munc18-1 together prevent NSF-dependent de-priming of synaptic
      vesicles.
AB  - Synaptic transmission requires a stable pool of release-ready (primed) vesicles.
      Here we show that two molecules involved in SNARE-complex assembly, Munc13-1 and
      Munc18-1, together stabilize release-ready vesicles by preventing de-priming.
      Replacing neuronal Munc18-1 by a non-neuronal isoform Munc18-2 (Munc18-1/2SWAP)
      supports activity-dependent priming, but primed vesicles fall back into a non
      releasable state (de-prime) within seconds. Munc13-1 deficiency produces a
      similar defect. Inhibitors of N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF), N
      ethylmaleimide (NEM) or interfering peptides, prevent de-priming in munc18
      1/2SWAP or munc13-1 null synapses, but not in CAPS-1/2 null, another priming
      deficient mutant. NEM rescues synaptic transmission in munc13-1 null and munc18
      1/2SWAP synapses, in acute munc13-1 null slices and even partially in munc13-1/2
      double null synapses. Together these data indicate that Munc13-1 and Munc18-1,
      but not CAPS-1/2, stabilize primed synaptic vesicles by preventing NSF-dependent
      de-priming.

PMID- 28635949
TI  - Non-coding variants contribute to the clinical heterogeneity of TTR amyloidosis.
AB  - Coding mutations in TTR gene cause a rare hereditary form of systemic
      amyloidosis, which has a complex genotype-phenotype correlation. We investigated
      the role of non-coding variants in regulating TTR gene expression and
      consequently amyloidosis symptoms. We evaluated the genotype-phenotype
      correlation considering the clinical information of 129 Italian patients with TTR
      amyloidosis. Then, we conducted a re-sequencing of TTR gene to investigate how
      non-coding variants affect TTR expression and, consequently, phenotypic
      presentation in carriers of amyloidogenic mutations. Polygenic scores for
      genetically determined TTR expression were constructed using data from our re
      sequencing analysis and the GTEx (Genotype-Tissue Expression) project. We
      confirmed a strong phenotypic heterogeneity across coding mutations causing TTR
      amyloidosis. Considering the effects of non-coding variants on TTR expression, we
      identified three patient clusters with specific expression patterns associated
      with certain phenotypic presentations, including late onset, autonomic
      neurological involvement, and gastrointestinal symptoms. This study provides
      novel data regarding the role of non-coding variation and the gene expression
      profiles in patients affected by TTR amyloidosis, also putting forth an approach
      that could be used to investigate the mechanisms at the basis of the genotype
      phenotype correlation of the disease.

PMID- 28635950
TI  - Genetically predicted high body mass index is associated with increased gastric
      cancer risk.
AB  - Epidemiological studies have linked body mass index (BMI) with risk of
      gastrointestinal cancers. However, for gastric cancer, the relationship is more
      controversial. In particular, it is unclear whether the observed association is
      due to confounding or bias inherent in conventional observational studies. To
      investigate whether BMI is causally associated with gastric cancer risk, we
      applied Mendelian randomization using individual-level data from 2631 gastric
      cancer cases and 4373 cancer-free controls. We derived a weighted genetic risk
      score (wGRS) using 37 BMI-associated genetic variants as an instrumental
      variable. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95%
      confidence intervals (CI) for associations between genetically predicted BMI and
      gastric cancer risk. We observed that higher genetically determined BMI was
      associated with increased gastric cancer risk (per standard deviation (SD)
      increase in the wGRS: OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.13, P=4.94 * 10-3). Compared with
      individuals in the bottom tertile of the BMI wGRS, those in the top tertile had
      1.14-fold (95% CI: 1.01-1.29) increased risk of developing gastric cancer.
      Sensitivity analyses using alternative causal inference measures demonstrated
      consistent association. Our study indicated that genetically high BMI was
      associated with increased gastric cancer risk, suggesting that high BMI may have
      a causal role in the etiology of gastric cancer.

PMID- 28635951
TI  - New insights into the imprinted MEG8-DMR in 14q32 and clinical and molecular
      description of novel patients with Temple syndrome.
AB  - The chromosomal region 14q32 contains several imprinted genes, which are
      expressed either from the paternal (DLK1 and RTL1) or the maternal (MEG3, RTL1as
      and MEG8) allele only. Imprinted expression of these genes is regulated by two
      differentially methylated regions (DMRs), the germline DLK1/MEG3 intergenic (IG)
      DMR (MEG3/DLK1:IG-DMR) and the somatic MEG3-DMR (MEG3:TSS-DMR), which are
      methylated on the paternal and unmethylated on the maternal allele. Disruption of
      imprinting in the 14q32 region results in two clinically distinct imprinting
      disorders, Temple syndrome (TS14) and Kagami-Ogata syndrome (KOS14). Another DMR
      with a yet unknown function is located in intron 2 of MEG8 (MEG8-DMR, MEG8:Int2
      DMR). In contrast to the IG-DMR and the MEG3-DMR, this somatic DMR is methylated
      on the maternal chromosome and unmethylated on the paternal chromosome. We have
      performed extensive methylation analyses by deep bisulfite sequencing of the IG
      DMR, MEG3-DMR and MEG8-DMR in different prenatal tissues including amniotic fluid
      cells and chorionic villi. In addition, we have studied the methylation pattern
      of the MEG8-DMR in different postnatal tissues. We show that the MEG8-DMR is
      hypermethylated in each of 13 non-deletion TS14 patients (seven newly identified
      and six previously published patients), irrespective of the underlying molecular
      cause, and is always hypomethylated in the four patients with KOS14, who have
      different deletions not encompassing the MEG8-DMR itself. The size and the extent
      of the deletions and the resulting methylation pattern suggest that transcription
      starting from the MEG3 promoter may be necessary to establish the methylation
      imprint at the MEG8-DMR.

PMID- 28635952
TI  - Yunis-Varon syndrome caused by biallelic VAC14 mutations.
AB  - Yunis-Varon syndrome (YVS) is an autosomal recessive disorder comprising skeletal
      anomalies, dysmorphism, global developmental delay and intracytoplasmic
      vacuolation in brain and other tissues. All hitherto-reported pathogenic variants
      affect FIG4, a lipid phosphatase involved in phosphatidylinositol (3,5)
      bisphosphate [PtdIns(3,5)P2] metabolism. FIG4 interacts with PIKfyve, a lipid
      kinase, via the adapter protein VAC14; all subunits of the resulting complex are
      essential for PtdIns(3,5)P2 synthesis in the endolysosomal membrane compartment.
      Here, we present the case of a female neonate with clinical features of YVS and
      normal FIG4 sequencing; exome sequencing identified biallelic rare coding
      variants in VAC14. Cultured patient fibroblasts exhibited a YVS-like vacuolation
      phenotype ameliorated in a dose-dependent fashion by ML-SA1, a pharmacological
      activator of the lysosomal PtdIns(3,5)P2 effector TRPML1. The patient developed a
      diffuse leukoencephalopathy with loss of the normal N-acetylaspartate
      spectrographic peak and presence of a large abnormal peak consistent with
      myoinositol. We report that VAC14 is a second gene for Yunis-Varon syndrome.

PMID- 28635953
TI  - Rare RNF213 variants in the C-terminal region encompassing the RING-finger domain
      are associated with moyamoya angiopathy in Caucasians.
AB  - Moyamoya angiopathy (MMA) is a cerebral angiopathy affecting the terminal part of
      internal carotid arteries. Its prevalence is 10 times higher in Japan and Korea
      than in Europe. In East Asian countries, moyamoya is strongly associated to the
      R4810K variant in the RNF213 gene that encodes for a protein containing a RING
      finger and two AAA+ domains. This variant has never been detected in Caucasian
      MMA patients, but several rare RNF213 variants have been reported in Caucasian
      cases. Using a collapsing test based on exome data from 68 European MMA probands
      and 573 ethnically matched controls, we showed a significant association between
      rare missense RNF213 variants and MMA in European patients (odds ratio (OR)=2.24,
      95% confidence interval (CI)=(1.19-4.11), P=0.01). Variants specific to cases had
      higher pathogenicity predictive scores (median of 24.2 in cases versus 9.4 in
      controls, P=0.029) and preferentially clustered in a C-terminal hotspot
      encompassing the RING-finger domain of RNF213 (P<10-3). This association was even
      stronger when restricting the analysis to childhood-onset and familial cases
      (OR=4.54, 95% CI=(1.80-11.34), P=1.1 * 10-3). All clinically affected relatives
      who were genotyped were carriers. However, the need for additional factors to
      develop MMA is strongly suggested by the fact that only 25% of mutation carrier
      relatives were clinically affected.

PMID- 28635954
TI  - Phenotypic extremes of BICD2-opathies: from lethal, congenital muscular atrophy
      with arthrogryposis to asymptomatic with subclinical features.
AB  - Heterozygous variants in BICD cargo adapter 2 (BICD2) cause autosomal dominant
      spinal muscular atrophy, lower extremity-predominant 2 (SMALED2). The disease is
      usually characterized by a benign or slowly progressive, congenital or early
      onset muscle weakness and atrophy that mainly affects the lower extremities,
      although some affected individuals show involvement of the arms and the shoulder
      girdle. Here we report unusual extremes of BICD2-related diseases: A severe form
      of congenital muscular atrophy with arthrogryposis multiplex, respiratory
      insufficiency and lethality within four months. This was caused by three BICD2
      variants, (c.581A>G, p.(Gln194Arg)), (c.1626C>G, p.(Cys542Trp)) and (c.2080C>T,
      p.(Arg694Cys)), two of which were proven to be de novo. Affected individuals
      showed reduced fetal movement, weak muscle tone and sparse or no spontaneous
      activity after birth. Despite assisted ventilation, the condition led to early
      death. At the other extreme, we identified an asymptomatic woman with a known
      BICD2 variant (c.2108C>T, p.(Thr703Met)). Radiological examination showed fatty
      degeneration of selected thigh and calf muscles without clinical consequences.
      Instead, her son carrying the same variant is affected by a mild childhood onset
      disease with myopathic and neurogenic features. Mechanisms leading to variable
      expressivity and onset of BICD2-related disease may include alterations in
      molecular interactions of BICD2 and suggest the presence of genetic modifiers
      that may act in a protective fashion to ameliorate or abrogate disease. Our data
      define an additional severe disease type caused by BICD2 and emphasize a possibly
      variable etiology of BICD2-opathies with regard to primary muscle and neuronal
      involvement.

PMID- 28635955
TI  - Corrigendum: Double-flow focused liquid injector for efficient serial femtosecond
      crystallography.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep44628.

PMID- 28635956
TI  - Self-assembled three dimensional network designs for soft electronics.
AB  - Low modulus, compliant systems of sensors, circuits and radios designed to
      intimately interface with the soft tissues of the human body are of growing
      interest, due to their emerging applications in continuous, clinical-quality
      health monitors and advanced, bioelectronic therapeutics. Although recent
      research establishes various materials and mechanics concepts for such
      technologies, all existing approaches involve simple, two-dimensional (2D)
      layouts in the constituent micro-components and interconnects. Here we introduce
      concepts in three-dimensional (3D) architectures that bypass important
      engineering constraints and performance limitations set by traditional, 2D
      designs. Specifically, open-mesh, 3D interconnect networks of helical microcoils
      formed by deterministic compressive buckling establish the basis for systems that
      can offer exceptional low modulus, elastic mechanics, in compact geometries, with
      active components and sophisticated levels of functionality. Coupled mechanical
      and electrical design approaches enable layout optimization, assembly processes
      and encapsulation schemes to yield 3D configurations that satisfy requirements in
      demanding, complex systems, such as wireless, skin-compatible electronic sensors.

PMID- 28635958
TI  - Origin of fast ion diffusion in super-ionic conductors.
AB  - Super-ionic conductor materials have great potential to enable novel technologies
      in energy storage and conversion. However, it is not yet understood why only a
      few materials can deliver exceptionally higher ionic conductivity than typical
      solids or how one can design fast ion conductors following simple principles.
      Using ab initio modelling, here we show that fast diffusion in super-ionic
      conductors does not occur through isolated ion hopping as is typical in solids,
      but instead proceeds through concerted migrations of multiple ions with low
      energy barriers. Furthermore, we elucidate that the low energy barriers of the
      concerted ionic diffusion are a result of unique mobile ion configurations and
      strong mobile ion interactions in super-ionic conductors. Our results provide a
      general framework and universal strategy to design solid materials with fast
      ionic diffusion.

PMID- 28635957
TI  - ITK signalling via the Ras/IRF4 pathway regulates the development and function of
      Tr1 cells.
AB  - Type 1 regulatory T (Tr1) cells differentiate in response to signals engaging the
      T cell receptor (TCR), express high levels of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL
      10, but not Foxp3, and can suppress inflammation and promote immune tolerance.
      Here we show that ITK, an important modulator of TCR signalling, is required for
      the TCR-induced development of Tr1 cells in various organs, and in the mucosal
      system during parasitic and viral infections. ITK kinase activity is required for
      mouse and human Tr1 cell differentiation. Tr1 cell development and suppressive
      function of Itk deficient cells can be restored by the expression of the
      transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4). Downstream of ITK,
      Ras activity is responsible for Tr1 cell induction, as expression of
      constitutively active HRas rescues IRF4 expression and Tr1 cell differentiation
      in Itk-/- cells. We conclude that TCR/ITK signalling through the Ras/IRF4 pathway
      is required for functional development of Tr1 cells.

PMID- 28635959
TI  - Optogenetic activation of Plexin-B1 reveals contact repulsion between osteoclasts
      and osteoblasts.
AB  - During bone remodelling, osteoclasts induce chemotaxis of osteoblasts and yet
      maintain spatial segregation. We show that osteoclasts express the repulsive
      guidance factor Semaphorin 4D and induce contact inhibition of locomotion (CIL)
      in osteoblasts through its receptor Plexin-B1. To examine causality and elucidate
      how localized Plexin-B1 stimulation may spatiotemporally coordinate its
      downstream targets in guiding cell migration, we develop an optogenetic tool for
      Plexin-B1 designated optoPlexin. Precise optoPlexin activation at the leading
      edge of migrating osteoblasts readily induces local retraction and, unexpectedly,
      distal protrusions to steer cells away. These morphological changes are
      accompanied by reorganization of Myosin II, PIP3, adhesion and active Cdc42. We
      attribute the resultant repolarization to RhoA/ROCK-mediated redistribution of
      beta-Pix, which activates Cdc42 and promotes protrusion. Thus, our data
      demonstrate a causal role of Plexin-B1 for CIL in osteoblasts and reveals a
      previously unknown effect of Semaphorin signalling on spatial distribution of an
      activator of cell migration.

PMID- 28635960
TI  - Somatic mutations in clonally expanded cytotoxic T lymphocytes in patients with
      newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Somatic mutations contribute to tumorigenesis. Although these mutations occur in
      all proliferating cells, their accumulation under non-malignant conditions, such
      as in autoimmune disorders, has not been investigated. Here, we show that
      patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis have expanded CD8+ T-cell
      clones; in 20% (5/25) of patients CD8+ T cells, but not CD4+ T cells, harbour
      somatic mutations. In healthy controls (n=20), only one mutation is identified in
      the CD8+ T-cell pool. Mutations exist exclusively in the expanded CD8+ effector
      memory subset, persist during follow-up, and are predicted to change protein
      functions. Some of the mutated genes (SLAMF6, IRF1) have previously been
      associated with autoimmunity. RNA sequencing of mutation-harbouring cells shows
      signatures corresponding to cell proliferation. Our data provide evidence of
      accumulation of somatic mutations in expanded CD8+ T cells, which may have
      pathogenic significance for RA and other autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 28635962
TI  - Growth of organic crystals via attachment and transformation of nanoscopic
      precursors.
AB  - A key requirement for the understanding of crystal growth is to detect how new
      layers form and grow at the nanoscale. Multistage crystallization pathways
      involving liquid-like, amorphous or metastable crystalline precursors have been
      predicted by theoretical work and have been observed experimentally.
      Nevertheless, there is no clear evidence that any of these precursors can also be
      relevant for the growth of crystals of organic compounds. Herein, we present a
      new growth mode for crystals of DL-glutamic acid monohydrate that proceeds
      through the attachment of preformed nanoscopic species from solution, their
      subsequent decrease in height at the surface and final transformation into
      crystalline 2D nuclei that eventually build new molecular layers by further
      monomer incorporation. This alternative mechanism provides a direct proof for the
      existence of multistage pathways in the crystallization of molecular compounds
      and the relevance of precursor units larger than the monomeric constituents in
      the actual stage of growth.

PMID- 28635961
TI  - Hypoxia-induced mobilization of NHE6 to the plasma membrane triggers endosome
      hyperacidification and chemoresistance.
AB  - The pH-dependent partitioning of chemotherapeutic drugs is a fundamental yet
      understudied drug distribution mechanism that may underlie the low success rates
      of current approaches to counter multidrug resistance (MDR). This mechanism is
      influenced by the hypoxic tumour microenvironment and results in selective
      trapping of weakly basic drugs into acidified compartments such as the
      extracellular environment. Here we report that hypoxia not only leads to
      acidification of the tumour microenvironment but also induces endosome
      hyperacidification. The acidity of the vesicular lumen, together with the
      alkaline pH of the cytoplasm, gives rise to a strong intracellular pH gradient
      that drives intravesicular drug trapping and chemoresistance. Endosome
      hyperacidification is due to the relocalization of the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 6
      (NHE6) from endosomes to the plasma membrane, an event that involves binding of
      NHE6 to the activated protein kinase C-receptor for activated C kinase 1 complex.
      These findings reveal a novel mechanism of hypoxia-induced MDR that involves the
      aberrant intracellular distribution of NHE6.

PMID- 28635963
TI  - Single-molecule analysis of steroid receptor and cofactor action in living cells.
AB  - Population-based assays have been employed extensively to investigate the
      interactions of transcription factors (TFs) with chromatin and are often
      interpreted in terms of static and sequential binding. However, fluorescence
      microscopy techniques reveal a more dynamic binding behaviour of TFs in live
      cells. Here we analyse the strengths and limitations of in vivo single-molecule
      tracking and performed a comprehensive analysis on the intranuclear dwell times
      of four steroid receptors and a number of known cofactors. While the absolute
      residence times estimates can depend on imaging acquisition parameters due to
      sampling bias, our results indicate that only a small proportion of factors are
      specifically bound to chromatin at any given time. Interestingly, the
      glucocorticoid receptor and its cofactors affect each other's dwell times in an
      asymmetric manner. Overall, our data indicate transient rather than stable TF
      cofactors chromatin interactions at response elements at the single-molecule
      level.

PMID- 28635964
TI  - Elastically driven intermittent microscopic dynamics in soft solids.
AB  - Soft solids with tunable mechanical response are at the core of new material
      technologies, but a crucial limit for applications is their progressive aging
      over time, which dramatically affects their functionalities. The generally
      accepted paradigm is that such aging is gradual and its origin is in slower than
      exponential microscopic dynamics, akin to the ones in supercooled liquids or
      glasses. Nevertheless, time- and space-resolved measurements have provided
      contrasting evidence: dynamics faster than exponential, intermittency and abrupt
      structural changes. Here we use 3D computer simulations of a microscopic model to
      reveal that the timescales governing stress relaxation, respectively, through
      thermal fluctuations and elastic recovery are key for the aging dynamics. When
      thermal fluctuations are too weak, stress heterogeneities frozen-in upon
      solidification can still partially relax through elastically driven fluctuations.
      Such fluctuations are intermittent, because of strong correlations that persist
      over the timescale of experiments or simulations, leading to faster than
      exponential dynamics.

PMID- 28635965
TI  - Identification, genealogical structure and population genetics of S-alleles in
      Malus sieversii, the wild ancestor of domesticated apple.
AB  - The self-incompatibility (SI) gene that is specifically expressed in pistils
      encodes the SI-associated ribonuclease (S-RNase), functioning as the female
      specificity determinant of a gametophytic SI system. Despite extensive surveys in
      Malus domestica, the S-alleles have not been fully investigated for Malus
      sieversii, the primary wild ancestor of the domesticated apple. Here we screened
      the M. sieversii S-alleles via PCR amplification and sequencing, and identified
      14 distinct alleles in this species. By contrast, nearly 40 are present in its
      close wild relative, Malus sylvestris. We further sequenced 8 nuclear genes to
      provide a neutral reference, and investigated the evolution of S-alleles via
      genealogical and population genetic analyses. Both shared ancestral polymorphism
      and an excess of non-synonymous substitution were detected in the S-RNases of the
      tribe Maleae in Rosaceae, indicating the action of long-term balancing selection.
      Approximate Bayesian Computations based on the reference neutral loci revealed a
      severe bottleneck in four of the six studied M. sieversii populations, suggesting
      that the low number of S-alleles found in this species is mainly the result of
      diversity loss due to a drastic population contraction. Such a bottleneck may
      lead to ambiguous footprints of ongoing balancing selection detected at the S
      locus. This study not only elucidates the constituents and number of S-alleles in
      M. sieversii but also illustrates the potential utility of S-allele number shifts
      in demographic inference for self-incompatible plant species.

PMID- 28635966
TI  - Testing models of refugial isolation, colonization and population connectivity in
      two species of montane salamanders.
AB  - Pleistocene glaciations have profoundly affected patterns of genetic diversity
      within many species. Temperate alpine organisms likely experienced dramatic range
      shifts, given that much of their habitat was glaciated during this time. While
      the effects of glaciations are relatively well understood, the spatial locations
      of refugia and processes that gave rise to current patterns of diversity are less
      well known. We use a microsatellite data set to test hypotheses of population
      connectivity and refugial isolation in the web-toed salamanders (Hydromantes) of
      the Sierra Nevada. We reject models of refugia with subsequent expansion into
      either the high southern Sierra or low-elevation Owens Valley, in favor of a
      simple isolation model with no migration between current populations. We find no
      evidence of migration at even moderate spatial scales using a variety of analyses
      in the southern Sierra, and limited migration in the northern Sierra. These
      results suggest that divergence in isolation following fragmentation is the
      dominant process structuring genetic variation in these salamander species. In
      the context of anthropogenic climate change and habitat degradation, these
      results imply that salamanders and other low-vagility alpine organisms are at
      risk of decline as they are unlikely to migrate across large distances.

PMID- 28635967
TI  - Social behaviour involving drug resistance: the role of initial density, initial
      frequency and population structure in shaping the effect of antibiotic resistance
      as a public good.
AB  - Bacteria sometimes cooperate with co-inhabiting cells. Pathogenic bacteria, for
      example, often produce and excrete virulence factors, eventually benefitting both
      producer and non-producer cells. The role of social interactions involving
      antibiotic resistance, however, has been more elusive. Enzymes that inactivate
      beta-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin or penicillin (beta-lactamases) are
      good candidates as public goods. Nonetheless, it has been claimed that bacteria
      harbouring plasmids of natural origin coding for beta-lactamase almost do not
      protect sensitive bacteria. This does not fit with the fact that ampicillin
      sensitive bacteria can be isolated from subjects undergoing ampicillin treatment.
      We hypothesised that there are two non-exclusive explanations for the discrepancy
      between previous works: (1) the range of values of demographic conditions (such
      as initial strain frequency, initial total cell density or habitat structure) has
      not been broad enough to include most scenarios, or (2) there are interactions
      between some of these factors. We performed experiments with Escherichia coli
      bacterial cells to measure the degree of protection of sensitive cells when co
      cultured with cells harbouring RP4, R16a or the R1 plasmids, all of natural
      origin and coding for beta-lactamases, and in presence of ampicillin. In these co
      cultures, performed in structured and non-structured environments, both the
      initial total cell density and the initial frequency of sensitive cells spanned
      four orders of magnitude. We found protection of sensitive cells in 63% of tested
      conditions. All factors (plasmid, structure, frequency and density) significantly
      affect levels of protection. Moreover, all factors interact, with interactions
      revealing large or very large effect sizes.

PMID- 28635969
TI  - Erratum: Collective modes in multi-Weyl semimetals.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/srep34023.

PMID- 28635968
TI  - Sex-biased dispersal creates spatial genetic structure in a parthenogenetic ant
      with a dependent-lineage reproductive system.
AB  - Reproduction and dispersal are key aspects of species life history that influence
      spatial genetic structure in populations. Several ant species in the genus
      Cataglyphis have evolved a unique breeding system in which new reproductives
      (that is, queens and males) are produced asexually by parthenogenesis; in
      contrast, non-reproductives (that is, workers) are produced via sexual
      reproduction by mates from distinct genetic lineages. We investigated how these
      two coexisting reproductive methods affect population-level spatial genetic
      structure using the ant Cataglyphis mauritanica as a model. We obtained genotypes
      for queens and their male mates from 338 colonies, and we found that the two
      lineages present in the study population occurred with equal frequency.
      Furthermore, analysis of spatial genetic structure revealed strong sex-biased
      dispersal. Because queens were produced by parthenogenesis and because they
      dispersed over short distances, there was an extreme level of spatial
      structuring: a mosaic of patches composed of clonal queens was formed. Males, on
      the other hand, dispersed over several hundred metres and, thus, across patches,
      ensuring successful interlineage mating.

PMID- 28635970
TI  - Expansion of the Tibetan Plateau during the Neogene.
AB  - The appearance of detritus shed from mountain ranges along the northern margin of
      the Tibetan Plateau heralds the Cenozoic development of high topography. Current
      estimates of the age of the basal conglomerate in the Qaidam basin place this
      event in Paleocene-Eocene. Here we present new magnetostratigraphy and mammalian
      biostratigraphy that refine the onset of basin fill to ~25.5 Myr and reveal that
      sediment accumulated continuously until ~4.8 Myr. Sediment provenance implies a
      sustained source in the East Kunlun Shan throughout this time period. However,
      the appearance of detritus from the Qilian Shan at ~12 Myr suggests emergence of
      topography north of the Qaidam occurred during the late Miocene. Our results
      imply that deformation and mountain building significantly post-date Indo-Asian
      collision and challenge the suggestion that the extent of the plateau has
      remained constant through time. Rather, our results require expansion of high
      topography during the past 25 Myr.

PMID- 28635971
TI  - Exercise Among Women With Ovarian Cancer: A Feasibility and Pre-/Post-Test
      Exploratory Pilot Study.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To establish the feasibility and acceptability of completing
      a higher dose of the planned physical activity volume among women with ovarian
      cancer, including those undergoing active treatment. ?. DESIGN: A pre-/post-test
      exercise intervention. All participants were asked to complete 225 minutes per
      week of physical activity for 26 weeks. Multiple supports were provided,
      including exercise DVDs, self-reported logs, and an objective physical activity
      tracker (Fitbit(r)).?. SETTING: Home-based exercise intervention with in-person
      training and telephone follow-ups.?. SAMPLE: 10 women with ovarian cancer who
      were treated within Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.?. METHODS: Home
      based, in-person exercise counseling was provided by an exercise trainer weekly
      for the first six weeks and then monthly for a total of 26 weeks. Weekly follow
      up telephone calls were used to assess exercise adherence and barriers to
      completing exercise, review symptom changes, and provide behavioral support. ?.
      MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Feasibility and acceptability.?. FINDINGS: Eight
      participants completed the study and achieved at least 80% of the prescribed
      exercise dose. Five participants were undergoing chemotherapy simultaneously.
      Participants experienced no adverse events during the 26-week intervention.
      Compared to baseline, average steps increased by 1,593 per day and moderate
      intensity physical activity increased by 15 minutes per day. ?. CONCLUSIONS: A
      225-minutes-per-week exercise program is feasible and acceptable in a population
      of patients with ovarian cancer. Participants significantly improved their
      physical activity during the 26-week intervention.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING:
      The findings suggest that nursing professionals could recommend that women with
      ovarian cancer exercise 225 minutes per week regardless of cancer and/or
      treatment trajectory. For those experiencing aches and pains, behavioral supports
      and suggestions of a lower exercise dose are needed to maintain physical
      activity.

PMID- 28635972
TI  - Experiences and Concerns of Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual Survivors of Colorectal
      Cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To identify the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, or
      bisexual (LGB) survivors of colorectal cancer (CRC) and to expand the current
      understanding of LGB survivorship by obtaining in-depth knowledge of survivorship
      among individuals with a cancer other than breast or prostate. ?. RESEARCH
      APPROACH: Qualitative, semistructured individual interviews via telephone.?.
      SETTING: Participants were recruited using social media, flyers, word of mouth,
      and contact with LGB and cancer organizations during a four-month period.?.
      PARTICIPANTS: Eight LGB individuals with a diagnosis of stage III CRC from 2009
      2014. ?. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH: All interviews were audio recorded and then
      transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis performed by more than one analyst was
      used for the interview transcripts. ?. FINDINGS: Participants described
      experiences with social support and isolation, cancer care from an LGB
      perspective, and substantial economic impacts of their cancer diagnosis. In
      addition, they reported struggles with health insurance coverage, employment, and
      housing during and after their treatment for CRC. ?. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to
      issues regarding sexual identity disclosure and social support, economic impacts
      of CRC exist; these are likely critical to healthy survivorship in LGB men and
      women. ?. INTERPRETATION: Attention should be paid to the economic impact of CRC
      on LGB individuals, along with issues of social support and sexual identity
      disclosure. Oncology nurses could play an important role in determining the
      economic and social needs of patients with CRC, accepting the often
      nontraditional support networks of LGB individuals, and facilitating disclosure
      of an LGB identity.

PMID- 28635974
TI  - Conceptual Issues Surrounding Quality of Life in Oncology Nursing.
AB  - Quality of life (QOL) is a critical, prevalent, and enduring concept in oncology
      nursing research and practice. QOL is a paramount issue in the consideration of
      treatment, goal planning, and decision making for individuals with cancer, their
      families, and their care providers. Journals, well-developed valid and reliable
      instruments, and multiple conceptual models and frameworks are devoted to QOL.
      This column will review two broad conceptual aspects to consider in relation to
      QOL. First, conceptual considerations will be discussed for the definition and
      measurement of QOL. Second, conceptual issues related to QOL as an outcome will
      be discussed.

PMID- 28635973
TI  - Deconstructing Decisions to Initiate, Maintain, or Discontinue Adjuvant Endocrine
      Therapy in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Mixed-Methods Study.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) has been shown to improve
      survival in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer survivors, but as many as
      half do not complete recommended treatment. Management of medication-related side
      effects and engagement with providers are two potentially modifiable factors, but
      their associations with adherence are not well understood. The aims were to build
      on survey results to qualitatively explore survivors' experiences with prescribed
      AET to (a) describe appraisal and management of AET side effects and (b)
      deconstruct decisions to initiate, discontinue, or maintain AET.?. RESEARCH
      APPROACH: The authors used a mixed-methods explanatory sequence research design
      with a qualitative emphasis.?. SETTING: Survivors were recruited from a clinical
      cancer registry maintained at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical
      Center, which includes the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center
      (National Cancer Institute-designated), in Dallas.?. PARTICIPANTS: 452 survivors
      completed a survey, and 30 took part in telephone interviews.?. METHODOLOGIC
      APPROACH: Qualitative methods were used in which the authors recorded and
      transcribed interviews for analysis and used open coding to reduce data into
      themes.?. FINDINGS: Among adherent survivors, the themes of tolerance of side
      effects and perseverance were strong. Nonadherent survivors expressed more
      difficulty managing side effects and perceived fewer benefits when side effects
      were bothersome. The most common side effects mentioned by all survivors were
      menopausal symptoms and joint pain; less common side effects were cognitive
      decline and cardiac distress. Some sought advice from their oncology team.
      Nonadherent survivors appeared initially motivated to maintain AET but identified
      a tolerance limit for side effects after which a provider's recommendation was
      less influential in their decision to maintain or discontinue AET.?.
      INTERPRETATION: This study elucidated adherence as a complex continuum of
      behaviors, appraisals, and decision points. These insights may be particularly
      useful in counseling survivors taking AET and promoting timely delivery of
      clinical interventions to enhance adherence.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses
      should be involved in the planning and implementation of clinical interventions
      to manage side effects and other barriers to AET adherence.

PMID- 28635975
TI  - Our Responsibility to Our Research Participants.
AB  - As the readers of this journal know all too well, conducting a study takes a lot
      of time, energy, commitment, and, most of all, work. I do not have to list the
      myriad steps that need to be taken, often with delays in between, to take a study
      from good idea to analysis. There are often sweat and tears, if not blood, and,
      at the end of the process, there may be exhaustion. Then the piles of paper and
      data-rich files languish on a desk or computer, never to see the light of day.
      Or, perhaps, a manuscript is written and submitted and then rejected or needs
      extensive revision. And it languishes again. Many of us have been in this
      position and remember what that rejection felt like and how hard it was to revise
      and submit again, or not.?.

PMID- 28635976
TI  - Supporting Change in Oncology Nursing Practice in Kuwait.
AB  - As countries around the world struggle to provide oncology care and treatment to
      their populations, nurses, as the largest healthcare workforce, are faced with
      the challenge of obtaining, maintaining, and developing specialized oncology
      nursing knowledge and expertise. Strategies that can be deployed at a local level
      to support nurses with integrating new knowledge into practice are important in
      meeting and overcoming this challenge. This article describes a theory-based
      model for implementing oncology nursing best practices in the Middle Eastern
      country of Kuwait. ?.

PMID- 28635977
TI  - Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tools: A Systematic Review.
AB  - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a
      dose-limiting chemotherapy toxicity, which has a long-lasting effect and
      decreases quality of life. Although several tools have been developed to detect
      CIPN, the study quality, psychometric properties, and practicality of CIPN
      assessment tools have not been systematically reviewed.?. LITERATURE SEARCH:
      Electronic searches using keywords were conducted in Medline, PubMed, CINAHL(r),
      and Cochrane Library for articles published from 1980-2015. Eligible studies were
      included if they involved patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy, provided
      CIPN assessment tools with psychometric properties, and were published in
      English.?. DATA EVALUATION: Data were extracted, and study quality was assessed.
      CIPN tools were evaluated in terms of psychometric properties and practicality.?.
      SYNTHESIS: A total of 19 studies describing 20 tools were reviewed. The quality
      of studies varied from strong to weak. The validity ranged from low to high, and
      the reliability with internal consistency ranged from 0.56-0.96. Poor inter-rater
      agreement was found. Not all of the tools were deemed practical.?. CONCLUSIONS:
      Considering the psychometric properties and practicality, two tools (Functional
      Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity [FACT/GOG
      Ntx] and Total Neuropathy Score [TNS]) are recommended for assessing CIPN.?.
      IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Routine assessment of CIPN and choosing appropriate
      assessment tools are imperative. The FACT/GOG-Ntx and TNS are recommended for
      clinical use.

PMID- 28635978
TI  - Vaginal Testosterone for Management of Aromatase Inhibitor-Related Sexual
      Dysfunction: An Integrative Review.
AB  - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Women taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs) as part of the
      management of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer experience more symptoms of
      sexual dysfunction, including vaginal atrophy, as opposed to postmenopausal women
      and women treated with tamoxifen (Nolvadex(r)). Vaginal testosterone could be an
      alternative to estrogen, which is contraindicated in this population.?.
      LITERATURE SEARCH: A systematic review was completed by searching PubMed and
      Scopus databases.?. DATA EVALUATION: 64 search results were reduced to a final
      sample of 3 articles after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria.?.
      SYNTHESIS: Published results suggest that vaginally applied testosterone doses of
      150 mcg and 300 mcg improve symptoms of sexual dysfunction in women taking AIs.
      Minimal side effects are observed, and estradiol levels are not affected by
      vaginally applied testosterone. Additional research is needed to evaluate vaginal
      testosterone in women taking AIs.?. CONCLUSIONS: Vaginal testosterone shows
      preliminary promise as an option to manage sexual side effects of AI therapy in
      postmenopausal cancer survivors; however, available data are too limited to draw
      practice-changing conclusions.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Large-scale
      randomized, controlled trials need to be completed to evaluate the efficacy and
      safety of vaginal testosterone in women taking AIs.

PMID- 28635979
TI  - Response to "Patient-Inspired Research: A Better Way to Go?"
AB  - I would like to thank Anne Katz for her thoughtful editorial on the importance of
      patient opinion in defining research questions. Nurse researchers choose to study
      specific topics for a variety of reasons. These reasons often relate to research
      funding priorities. It costs a lot of money to do research; topics may be chosen
      not because they are necessarily the passion of the researcher, but because that
      is where the funding dictates.?.

PMID- 28635980
TI  - Improving Self-Efficacy and Self-Care in Adult Patients With a Urinary Diversion:
      A Pilot Study.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a
      multimodality educational intervention for improving self-efficacy (SE) and self
      care in patients with a new urinary diversion (UD).?. DESIGN: Two-arm randomized,
      controlled trial.?. SETTING: Academic medical center in New York.?. SAMPLE: 8
      adults diagnosed with bladder cancer requiring UD.?. METHODS: A multimodality
      educational intervention consisting of video, Microsoft PowerPoint(r) slides, and
      medical illustrations was developed. SE was assessed pre- and postintervention
      related to care of the UD. Education scale scores provided evidence for
      intervention acceptability and assessment of UD self-care skills.?. MAIN RESEARCH
      VARIABLES: Feasibility, acceptability, results of SE, and self-care scales.?.
      FINDINGS: Enrollment and retention was 100%. All participants took part in every
      aspect of the study. No issues were apparent with administration of the study;
      however, a lack of self-care independence was noted between the study arms. The
      control group was younger in age than the intervention group.?. CONCLUSIONS: A
      supplemental multimethod educational intervention is acceptable in this
      population and feasible to integrate into hospital care or into an appropriately
      powered study.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: A need exists for ongoing
      postdischarge support and education in this population. Additional studies are
      needed to determine the best approach for this.

PMID- 28635981
TI  - Patient-Perceived Access to Care When Actively Seeking Treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine predictors of perceived access to care and
      reported barriers to care of patients with cancer actively seeking treatment.?.
      DESIGN: Retrospective secondary data analysis.?. SETTING: U.S. Medical
      Expenditure Panel Survey, a national survey with questions about healthcare
      coverage and access.?. SAMPLE: 1,170 adults with cancer actively seeking
      treatment.?. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data. Bivariate tests for
      significant association between individual characteristics and low perceived
      access to care were conducted using a chi-square test. ?. MAIN RESEARCH
      VARIABLES: The dependent variable was perceived access to care. The independent
      variables included sex, age, race, poverty status, education level, marital
      status, cancer site, comorbidities, and insurance status.?. FINDINGS: Those with
      Medicaid insurance or no health insurance had significantly lower perceived
      access to care compared to those with Medicare. Institutional barriers to
      treatment, such as financial or insurance, were the most common reported
      barriers.?. CONCLUSIONS: Most adults with cancer reported adequate access to
      medical care and medications, but a small yet vulnerable population expressed
      difficulties in accessing treatment.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: To effectively
      advocate for vulnerable populations with Medicaid or no insurance, nurses may
      require specialized knowledge beyond the scope of general oncology nursing.

PMID- 28635982
TI  - Research Ethics in Big Data.
AB  - The ethical conduct of research includes, in part, patient agreement to
      participate in studies and the protection of health information. In the evolving
      world of data science and the accessibility of large quantities of web-based data
      created by millions of individuals, novel methodologic approaches to answering
      research questions are emerging. This article explores research ethics in the
      context of big data.

PMID- 28635983
TI  - Risk Factors for Re-Excision Following Breast-Conserving Surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To identify previously unstudied factors predicting re
      excision following breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and to assess the feasibility
      of obtaining data about breast density for predictive modeling.?. DESIGN:
      Retrospective secondary data analysis.?. SETTING: Data were obtained from the
      cancer registry and electronic health records (EHRs) at Texas Health Harris
      Methodist Hospital, a large, urban, private, nonprofit hospital in North Texas.?.
      SAMPLE: 244 patients choosing BCS from 2011-2012.?. METHODS: Data were subjected
      to univariate analyses (chi-square) followed by logistic regression.?. MAIN
      RESEARCH VARIABLES: The primary dependent variable was re-excision following BCS.
      Predictors of interest included lifestyle factors, time from diagnosis to
      surgery, surgical approach, patient age, and breast density, and controlled for
      covariates, such as assay results.?. FINDINGS: Three factors predicted re
      excision with 87% accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Women younger than 60 years whose
      surgery included placement of a wire for localization of tissue to be removed and
      who underwent surgery soon after diagnosis are the least likely to require
      reoperation after BCS. Data integrity is critical to the success of research
      using EHRs and registry information.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses may
      improve patient outcomes by helping women considering BCS solve problems that may
      delay surgery. Nurses can contribute to the success of nursing research by
      thoroughly and accurately recording patient information in EHRs.

PMID- 28635984
TI  - Anxiety and Depression Associated With Burden in Caregivers of Patients With
      Brain Metastases.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe and examine the relationship between caregiver
      burden and the affective disorders anxiety and depression in caregivers of
      patients with brain metastases.?. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive,
      correlational.?. SETTING: Moores Cancer Center at the University of California,
      San Diego. ?. SAMPLE: 56 family caregivers of patients with brain metastases from
      solid tumors at other primary sites.?. METHODS: Self-administered survey.?. MAIN
      RESEARCH VARIABLES: Caregiver burden, anxiety, and depression.?. FINDINGS: With
      the exception of caregiver esteem, no statistically significant relationships
      were noted between impact on schedule, a dimension of caregiver burden, and
      screening positive for affective disorders.?. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this
      study support previous reports indicating that the odds of having anxiety and
      depressive symptoms are greater in family caregivers who report higher levels of
      caregiver burden.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The identification and management
      of caregiver burden are important considerations for a comprehensive cancer care
      program. Addressing the needs of the cancer caregiver, who is at heightened risk
      for various psychological, physical, financial, and social problems, is
      increasingly vital.

PMID- 28635985
TI  - Experiences of Women With Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia Treated With High
      Dose Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Transplantation: A Qualitative Study.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences of women with gestational
      trophoblastic neoplasia during and after treatment to understand their
      perspectives, priorities, and concerns.?. RESEARCH APPROACH: A descriptive,
      exploratory study using in-depth semistructured interviews.?. SETTING: All
      interviews were conducted in a quiet, designated room at Weston Park Hospital in
      Sheffield, South Yorkshire.?. PARTICIPANTS: Women with gestational trophoblastic
      neoplasia who had received stem cell transplantation from 2003 to 2013. Ten
      patients were eligible, and eight agreed to participate.?. METHODOLOGIC APPROACH:
      Interviews were carried out over the phone and were recorded and transcribed
      verbatim. Framework analysis was carried out to generate in-depth descriptions of
      participants' experiences.?. FINDINGS: Participants described significant
      physical, psychological, and social effects during and following treatment.
      Recovery was slow, and treatment had long-term effects on sexuality and body
      image. The impact of the women's diagnosis and treatment on their children was a
      primary concern.?. INTERPRETATION: The study provided insight into the
      multidimensional impact of stem cell transplantation, which can continue after
      treatment. The need for family-centered services for patients with dependent
      children was identified.?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses need to develop
      services that effectively communicate the challenges of stem cell transplantation
      to patients and provide family-centered care and late effects and rehabilitation
      services.

PMID- 28635986
TI  - Optimism, Symptom Distress, Illness Appraisal, and Coping in Patients With
      Advanced-Stage Cancer Diagnoses Undergoing Chemotherapy Treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationships between optimism, self-efficacy,
      symptom distress, treatment complexity, illness appraisal, coping, and mood
      disturbance in patients with advanced-stage cancer.?. DESIGN: Cross-sectional
      study.?. SETTING: Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven in Connecticut, an
      outpatient comprehensive cancer center.?. SAMPLE: A convenience sample of 121
      adult patients with stages III-IV cancer undergoing active chemotherapy.?.
      METHODS: Participants completed common self-report questionnaires to measure
      variables. Treatment hours and visits were calculated from data retrieved from
      medical record review. Mediation and path analysis were conducted to identify
      direct and indirect pathways from the significant antecedent variables to mood
      disturbance.?. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Dispositional optimism, self-efficacy,
      social support, treatment complexity, symptom distress, illness appraisal,
      coping, and mood disturbance.?. FINDINGS: Greater optimism and self-efficacy were
      associated with less negative illness appraisal, less avoidant coping, and
      decreased mood disturbance. Conversely, greater symptom distress was associated
      with greater negative illness appraisal, greater avoidant coping, and greater
      mood disturbance. In the final model, optimism and symptom distress had direct
      and indirect effects on mood disturbance. Indirect effects were partially
      mediated by illness appraisal.?. CONCLUSIONS: Mood disturbance resulted from an
      interaction of disease stressors, personal resources, and cognitive appraisal of
      illness. Avoidant coping was associated with greater disturbed mood, but neither
      avoidant nor active coping had a significant effect on mood in the multivariate
      model. ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Illness appraisal, coping style, and symptom
      distress are important targets for intervention. Optimism is a beneficial trait
      and should be included, along with coping style, in comprehensive nursing
      assessments of patients with cancer.

PMID- 28635987
TI  - Integrative Review of Facility Interventions to Manage Compassion Fatigue in
      Oncology Nurses.
AB  - PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Oncology nurses are regularly exposed to high-stress
      situations that may lead to compassion fatigue, and many institutions have
      implemented interventions to reduce burnout in nurses, but knowledge on the
      feasiblity, effectiveness, and nurses' experience of interventions is lacking.?.
      LITERATURE SEARCH: Electronic search of literature published from 1992-2015 was
      performed to evaluate in-facility interventions to manage compassion fatigue in
      oncology nurses. Databases used included CINAHL(r), PubMed, Web of Science,
      Google Scholar, and PsycINFO(r). ?. DATA EVALUATION: The goal was to evaluate the
      effectiveness, feasibility, and nurses' experience of interventions to manage
      compassion fatigue. The study designs, methods, and limitations were
      independently screened by the authors. ?. SYNTHESIS: Of 164 studies, 31 met
      eligibility criteria. ?. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the studies were conducted
      in Western countries, which suggests the need for additional research in other
      settings to determine effective interventions that address compassion fatigue and
      stress cross-culturally. Quantitative and qualitative studies failed to gain high
      scores in terms of quality. Limited conclusions can be drawn from small studies
      that report on outcomes with many confounding variables, such as turnover rate or
      general health of nurses, from a single institution. ?. IMPLICATIONS FOR
      RESEARCH: Lack of empirical precision in evaluating the effectiveness,
      feasibility, and nurses' experiences of interventions indicates a need for
      future, more rigorously designed experimental studies. Because of the global
      increase in the number of patients being diagnosed and living with cancer,
      oncology nurses should be able to recognize and manage compassion fatigue.

PMID- 28635988
TI  - Salivary epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma: clinical, morphological and
      molecular features.
AB  - Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is a rare biphasic tumor accounting for
      less than 2% of all salivary gland malignancies. It presents as a slowly growing,
      asymptomatic small size mass, with ulceration of overlying mucosa in some cases.
      Microscopically, it is characterized by glands lined by the simultaneous presence
      of two different cell components, inner epithelial cells and outer myoepithelial
      cells. Immunohistochemical staining of myoepithelial cells is variably positive
      for vimentin, Smooth Muscle Actin (SMA), Muscle Specific Actin (MSA), S100,
      Smooth Muscle Myosin Heavy Chain I(SM-MHC), calponin and p63. Several molecular
      alterations, mainly point mutations, have been described. Mutations of HRAS,
      AKT1, CTNNB1 and PIK3CA were highlighted in variable percentage of EMC samples.
      EMC is considered a low-grade malignant tumor with a 5-year survival rate of 94%
      that may commonly recur locally after resection in 30-50% of cases. At the
      moment, adequate resection with negative margins is the minimum recommended and
      necessary treatment.

PMID- 28635989
TI  - Sinonasal tumor pathology: what's new?
AB  - The sinonasal tract is an anatomical region affected by a wide variety of tumors
      with different clinical behavior, histologic and molecular features. Substantial
      advances have been made in the field of sinonasal tumor pathology in recent
      years, including improvement in the diagnosis, treatment and genetic
      characterization. In this article, a review of the histological features of new
      distinctive pathologic entities as well as newly described molecular alterations
      of these rare tumors is presented.

PMID- 28635990
TI  - Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the head and neck and olfactory neuroblastoma.
      Diagnosis and classification.
AB  - Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) of the head and neck are a rare group of
      heterogeneous epithelial neoplastic proliferations arising in virtually all of
      the different organs of this region, particularly in the nasal cavity, the
      paranasal sinuses, the nasopharynx, the larynx, the salivary glands, and the
      middle ear. They encompass a wide spectrum of entities ranging from very indolent
      neuroendocrine tumors to highly aggressive neuroendocrine carcinomas. They may
      represent a challenge for radiologists, oncologists, and pathologists and a
      correct diagnosis is crucial for the management of patients. The nomenclature and
      classification of cervicocephalic NENs is currently under debate and for this
      reason a different diagnostic terminology has been used over the years, creating
      confusions among clinicians and pathologists. Olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare
      neuroectodermal neoplasm arising in the nasal cavity showing some challenging
      diagnostic aspects. In this review we give an update of the more relevant
      criteria for diagnosing head and neck NENs and olfactory neuroblastomas focusing
      on the critical use of morphological parameters and immunohistochemical staining.

PMID- 28635991
TI  - The papillomas of the sinonasal tract. A comprehensive review.
AB  - Papillomas are uncommon tumors of the sinonasal tract histologically derived from
      the Schneiderian membrane. Three distinctive variants are described, the
      exophytic, the inverting and the oncocytic types. On physical examination, their
      appearance varies from exophytic-fungiform seen in the exophytic variant, to
      polypoid-papillary in both the inverting and oncocytic variant. The presence of
      an asymptomatic mass or epistaxis and unilateral nasal obstruction are the
      typical presenting symptoms. Clinically they tend to recur and, although benign,
      they may erode the bone laminas by pressure, especially the inverting type,
      causing proptosis and other co-morbidities. Malignant transformation is seen both
      synchronously, on a pre-existing papilloma, and metachronously after several
      recurrences of papilloma. Schneiderian papillomas are at a date a topic of
      controversy regarding their etiology, pathogenesis and biological behavior.
      Furthermore, histologic criteria to assess dysplasia and malignant transformation
      are ill-defined. The present study aims to comparatively review the histologic
      types of papillomas, their etiology, the currently available criteria for
      malignant transformation, their treatment and prognosis.

PMID- 28635992
TI  - Odontogenic tumors: a retrospective clinicopathological study from two Italian
      centers.
AB  - Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to perform an epidemiological
      analysis of all odontogenic tumors treated in the University Hospitals "Ospedali
      Riuniti" in Ancona and "Policlinico" in Bari, from 1990 to 2015. Materials and
      methods: A retrospective survey of 277 patients treated for odontogenic tumors
      from 1990 to 2015 was performed. Data were retrieved from the archives of the
      above quoted Sections of Pathology. The lesions were classified according to 2005
      WHO histological classification, and the following variables were analyzed: age,
      sex, histopathological diagnosis, site distribution, tumor size, and relapses.
      Peripheral odontogenic tumors were analyzed considering these lesions separately
      from their central counterparts. Results: In a total of 344 surgical specimens,
      there were 277 primary tumors and 67 recurrences. As regards primary lesions,
      there were 185 odontogenic keratocysts (keratocystic odontogenic tumors) (66.8%),
      49 ameloblastomas (17.7%), and 40 other benign odontogenic tumors (14.4%). As to
      malignant tumors, only 3 ameloblastic carcinomas were found (1.1%). The mean age
      was 46.7 years, with a M:F ratio of 1.8:1. The mandible was the most common site
      of localization, with 211 cases (76.2%). Also, 21 cases of peripheral odontogenic
      tumors were found, ameloblastomas being the most common (8 cases, 38.1%).
      Conclusions: There is a wide variety of cysts, some of which are subject to
      variations according to sex, localization, and age. Odontogenic tumors are rare
      neoplasms and appear to show variations according to sex, localization, and age,
      and may be useful to the clinicians who need to make clinical judgments before
      biopsy about the most probable diagnosis.

PMID- 28635993
TI  - Head and neck vascular anomalies. A multidisciplinary approach and diagnostic
      criteria.
AB  - Vascular anomalies represent a heterogeneous group of pathologies of the
      circulatory system that can affect any type of hematic and /or lymphatic vessel
      of different diameter or anatomic site. The extreme variability of tissue types
      and districts involved by these lesions determines a wide heterogeneity of
      clinical manifestations, resulting in involvement of different medical expertise.
      In this context, a commonly agreed terminology is crucial for the appropriate
      evaluation and multidisciplinary management of patients. The ISSVA Classification
      that has its roots in the previous Classification of Mulliken and Glowacky
      distinguishes vascular anomalies in two main groups: vascular tumors and vascular
      malformations. In head and neck, where vascular anomalies are the most common
      benign lesions of infancy and childhood, correct diagnosis with the use of
      unequivocal terminology is more crucial for treatment considering the relevance
      of structures that can be involved. The aim of this work has been to clarify
      information and knowledges currently available in the field of vascular
      anomalies. Referring to ISSVA Classification, clinico- histopathological aspects
      of each entity have been elucidated.

PMID- 28635994
TI  - Oral field cancerization: history and future perspectives.
AB  - Notwithstanding extended surgical approaches or adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the
      development of multiple neoplastic lesions arising in the oral cavity after
      treatment still represents a critical clinical challenge in the management of
      patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Such clinical behavior of oral
      squamous cell carcinoma is nowadays better known as "field" cancerization effect
      as suggested by Slaughter, the author that for the first time tried to describe
      it in a scientific paper. Field cancerization is now widely accepted not only in
      head and neck oncology but also in other anatomical districts as well as in
      different types of epithelial neoplasia. A brief history of the theory of field
      cancerization is here proposed and future perspectives deriving from new
      molecular techniques are discussed.

PMID- 28635995
TI  - Open access publication in the fields of human fertility, infertility and early
      pregnancy.
AB  - The study of human fertility has expanded dramatically since the birth of IVF and
      with it, the body of literature. That said, the availability of open access
      publication in the field remains somewhat limited. Fertility Research and
      Practice offers a new open access, peer-reviewed venue for quality clinical,
      basic science and translational studies and scholarly reviews in human fertility,
      infertility and early pregnancy. The journal specifically encourages works from
      international contributors and from investigators in less-resourced environments
      and has gathered an editorial board with a breadth of geographic representation
      to support this mission.

PMID- 28635996
TI  - Reply to Engelthaler and Meyer, "Furthering the Continental Drift Speciation
      Hypothesis in the Pathogenic Cryptococcus Species Complexes".

PMID- 28635997
TI  - A spin column-free approach to sodium hydroxide-based glycan permethylation.
AB  - Glycan permethylation was introduced as a tool to facilitate the study of glycans
      in 1903. Since that time, permethylation procedures have been continually
      modified to improve permethylation efficiency and qualitative applicability.
      Typically, however, either laborious preparation steps or cumbersome and
      uneconomical spin columns have been needed to obtain decent permethylation yields
      on small glycan samples. Here we describe a spin column-free (SCF) glycan
      permethylation procedure that is applicable to both O- and N-linked glycans and
      can be employed upstream to intact glycan analysis by MALDI-MS, ESI-MS, or glycan
      linkage analysis by GC-MS. The SCF procedure involves neutralization of NaOH
      beads by acidified phosphate buffer, which eliminates the risk of glycan
      oxidative degradation and avoids the use of spin columns. Optimization of the new
      permethylation procedure provided high permethylation efficiency for both hexose
      (>98%) and HexNAc (>99%) residues-yields which were comparable to (or better
      than) those of some widely-used spin column-based procedures. A light vs. heavy
      labelling approach was employed to compare intact glycan yields from a popular
      spin-column based approach to the SCF approach. Recovery of intact N-glycans was
      significantly better with the SCF procedure (p < 0.05), but overall yield of O
      glycans was similar or slightly diminished (p < 0.05 for tetrasaccharides or
      smaller). When the SCF procedure was employed upstream to hydrolysis, reduction
      and acetylation for glycan linkage analysis of pooled glycans from unfractionated
      blood plasma, analytical reproducibility was on par with that from previous spin
      column-based "glycan node" analysis results. When applied to blood plasma samples
      from stage III-IV breast cancer patients (n = 20) and age-matched controls (n =
      20), the SCF procedure facilitated identification of three glycan nodes with
      significantly different distributions between the cases and controls (ROC c
      statistics > 0.75; p < 0.01). In summary, the SCF permethylation procedure
      expedites and economizes both intact glycan analysis and linkage analysis of
      glycans from whole biospecimens.

PMID- 28635998
TI  - Heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 by metal oxides: defect engineering 
      perfecting imperfection.
AB  - Metal oxides with their myriad compositions, structures and bonding exhibit an
      incredibly diverse range of properties. It is however the defects in metal oxides
      that endow them with a variety of functions and it is the ability to chemically
      tailor the type, population and distribution of defects on the surface and in the
      bulk of metal oxides that delivers utility in different applications. In this
      Tutorial Review, we discuss how metal oxides with designed defects can be
      synthesized and engineered, to enable heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of
      gaseous carbon dioxide to chemicals and fuels. If this approach to utilization
      and valorization of carbon dioxide could be developed at industrially significant
      rates, efficiencies and scales and made economically competitive with fossil
      based chemicals and fuels, then carbon dioxide refineries envisioned in the
      future would be able to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,
      ameliorate climate changes, provide energy security and enable protection of the
      environment. This would bring the vision of a sustainable future closer to
      reality.

PMID- 28635999
TI  - Carbon dots promoted vanadium flow batteries for all-climate energy storage.
AB  - We report a one-pot solvothermal method to prepare a carbon dots decorated
      graphite felt (CDs/GF) electrode. The resulting CDs/GF shows excellent
      wettability and greatly enhanced activity towards vanadium redox couples. VFB
      with the CDs/GF electrode exhibits outstanding rate performance, superior cycling
      stability, and broad temperature adaptability from -20 to 60  degrees C.

PMID- 28636001
TI  - WatAA: Atlas of Protein Hydration. Exploring synergies between data mining and ab
      initio calculations.
AB  - Water molecules represent an integral part of proteins and a key determinant of
      protein structure, dynamics and function. WatAA is a newly developed, web-based
      atlas of amino-acid hydration in proteins. The atlas provides information about
      the ordered first hydration shell of the most populated amino-acid conformers in
      proteins. The data presented in the atlas are drawn from two sources:
      experimental data and ab initio quantum-mechanics calculations. The experimental
      part is based on a data-mining study of a large set of high-resolution protein
      crystal structures. The crystal-derived data include 3D maps of water
      distribution around amino-acids and probability of occurrence of each of the
      identified hydration sites. The quantum mechanics calculations validate and
      extend this primary description by optimizing the water position for each
      hydration site, by providing hydrogen atom positions and by quantifying the
      interaction energy that stabilizes the water molecule at the particular hydration
      site position. The calculations show that the majority of experimentally derived
      hydration sites are positioned near local energy minima for water, and the
      calculated interaction energies help to assess the preference of water for the
      individual hydration sites. We propose that the atlas can be used to validate
      water placement in electron density maps in crystallographic refinement, to
      locate water molecules mediating protein-ligand interactions in drug design, and
      to prepare and evaluate molecular dynamics simulations. WatAA: Atlas of Protein
      Hydration is freely available without login at .

PMID- 28636002
TI  - Electronic structure and time-dependent description of rotational predissociation
      of LiH.
AB  - The adiabatic potential energy curves of the 1Sigma+ and 1Pi states of the LiH
      molecule were calculated. They correlate asymptotically to atomic states, such as
      2s + 1s, 2p + 1s, 3s + 1s, 3p + 1s, 3d + 1s, 4s + 1s, 4p + 1s and 4d + 1s. A very
      good agreement was found between our calculated spectroscopic parameters and the
      experimental ones. The dynamics of the rotational predissociation process of the
      11Pi state were studied by solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. The
      classical experiment of Velasco [Can. J. Phys., 1957, 35, 1204] on dissociation
      in the 11Pi state is explained for the first time in detail.

PMID- 28636005
TI  - Mass, mobility and MSn measurements of single ions using charge detection mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - Charge detection mass spectrometry is used to measure the mass, charge, MSn and
      mobility of an individual ion produced by electrospray ionization of a 8 MDa
      polyethylene glycol sample. The charge detection mass spectrometer is an
      electrostatic ion trap that uses cone electrodes and a single tube detector and
      can detect ions for up to the full trapping time of 4.0 s. The time-domain signal
      induced on the detector tube by a single multiply charged ion can be complex
      owing to sequential fragmentation of the original precursor ion as well as
      increasing oscillation frequencies of the single ion owing to collisions with
      background gas that reduce the kinetic energy of the ion inside the trap.
      Simulations show that the ratio of the time for the ion to turn around inside the
      cone region of the trap to the time for the ion to travel through the detector
      tube is constant with m/z and increases with the ion energy per charge. By
      measuring this ratio, the kinetic energy of an ion can be obtained with good
      precision (~1%) and this method to measure ion kinetic energies eliminates the
      necessity of ion energy selection prior to trapping for high precision mass
      measurement of large molecules in complex mixtures. This method also makes it
      possible to measure the masses of each sequential fragment ion formed from the
      original precursor ion. MS7 of a single multiply charged PEG molecule is
      demonstrated, and from these ion energy measurements and effects of collisions on
      the ion motion inside the trap, information about the ion mobility of the
      precursor ion and its fragments is obtained.

PMID- 28636003
TI  - In vitro modulation of gut microbiota by whey protein to preserve intestinal
      health.
AB  - The effect of several types of whey milk - cow, sheep, goat and a mixture of them
      (60 : 20 : 20, respectively) - was assessed in the human gut microbiota. The
      prebiotic potential of these substrates was evaluated through in vitro
      gastrointestinal digestion following faecal batch culture fermentations
      (mimicking colonic fermentation) for 48 hours, using faeces from normal-weight
      (NW) and obese (OB) donors. Throughout the fermentation process, pH, gas
      production, short chain and branched fatty acids (SCFA-BCFA) were measured, as
      well as the changes of microbiota using qPCR. The pH decreased in all whey
      samples during the fermentation process. Gas production was higher in all whey
      samples than in controls, especially at 12 hours (p < 0.05). The diversity of
      SCFA and BCFA production was significantly different between the donors, in
      particular cow and mixed whey. Whey milk had a strong prebiotic effect on the gut
      microbiota of NW and OB donors, showing a significant increase of Bifidobacterium
      (p < 0.05) with cow, sheep and mixed whey and increase in the Lactobacillus
      group, particularly in OB donors. Bacteria associated with obesity did not show
      an increase in any of the groups of donors. Therefore, supplementing a diet with
      these types of whey can selectively stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria,
      enhancing SCFA production, which could improve intestinal disorders. In addition,
      it may be an interesting approach to the prevention of overweight and obesity and
      related diseases. Whey milk has a potent prebiotic effect. It can selectively
      stimulate desirable bacteria and SCFA profile, in both OB and NW donors,
      contributing to improved intestinal health and reducing obesity.

PMID- 28636006
TI  - Copper ion interaction with the RNase catalytic site fragment of the angiogenin
      protein: an experimental and theoretical investigation.
AB  - The angiogenin protein (Ang) is a member of the vertebrate-specific secreted
      ribonucleases and one of the most potent angiogenic factors known. Ang is a
      normal constituent of human plasma and its concentration increases under some
      physiological and pathological conditions to promote neovascularization. Ang was
      originally identified as an angiogenic tumour factor, but its biological activity
      has been found to extend from inducing angiogenesis to promoting cell survival in
      different neurodegenerative diseases. Ang exhibits weak ribonucleolytic activity,
      which is critical for its biological functions. The RNase catalytic sites are two
      histidine residues, His-13 and His-114, and the lysine Lys-40. Copper is also an
      essential cofactor in angiogenesis and influences angiogenin's biological
      properties. The main Cu(ii) anchoring site of Ang is His-114, where metal binding
      inhibits RNase activity of the protein. To reveal the Cu(ii) coordination
      environment in the C-terminal domain of the Ang protein, we report on the
      characterization, by means of potentiometric, voltammetric, and spectroscopic
      (CD, UV-Vis and EPR) methods and DFT calculations, of Cu(ii) complexes formed
      with a peptide fragment including the Ang sequence 112-117 (PVHLDQ).
      Potentiometric titrations indicated that [CuLH-2] is the predominant species at
      physiological pH. EPR, voltammetric data and DFT calculations are consistent with
      a CuN3O2 coordination mode in which a distorted square pyramidal arrangement of
      the peptide was observed with the equatorial positions occupied by the nitrogen
      atoms of the deprotonated amides of the Asp and Leu residues, the delta-N atom of
      histidine and the oxygen atom of the aspartic carboxylic group. Moreover, two
      analogous peptides encompassing the PVHLNQ and LVHLDQ sequences were also
      characterized by using thermodynamic, spectroscopic and DFT studies to reveal the
      role they play in Cu(ii) complex formation by the carboxylate side chain of the
      Asp and Pro residues, a known breaking-point in metal coordination.

PMID- 28636007
TI  - Analysis of association of gene variants with obesity traits in New Zealand
      European children at 6 years of age.
AB  - Childhood obesity is a public health problem, which is associated with a long
      term increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. Several
      gene variants have previously been identified that have provided novel insights
      into biological factors that contribute to the development of obesity. As obesity
      tracks through childhood into adulthood, identification of the genetic factors
      for obesity in early life is important. The objective of this study was to
      identify putative associations between genetic variants and obesity traits in
      children at 6 years of age. We recruited 1208 children of mothers from the New
      Zealand centre of the international Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE)
      study. Eighty common genetic variants associated with obesity traits were
      evaluated by the Sequenom assay. Body mass index standardised scores (BMI z
      scores) and percentage body fat (PBF; measured by bio-impedance assay (BIA)) were
      used as anthropometric measures of obesity. A positive correlation was found
      between BMI z-scores and PBF (p < 0.001, r = 0.756). Two subsets of gene variants
      were associated with BMI z-scores (HOXB5-rs9299, SH2B1-rs7498665, NPC1-rs1805081
      and MSRA-rs545854) and PBF (TMEM18-rs6548238, NPY-rs17149106, ETV-rs7647305, NPY
      rs16139, TIMELESS-rs4630333, FTO-rs9939609, UCP2-rs659366, MAP2K5-rs2241423 and
      FAIM2-rs7138803) in the genotype models. However, there was an absence of
      overlapping association between any of the gene variants with BMI z-scores and
      PBF. A further five variants were associated with BMI z-scores (TMEM18-rs6548238,
      FTO-rs9939609 and MC4R-rs17782313) and PBF (SH2B1-rs7498665 and FTO-rs1421085)
      once separated by genetic models (additive, recessive and dominant) of
      inheritance. This study has identified significant associations between numerous
      gene variants selected on the basis of prior association with obesity and obesity
      traits in New Zealand European children.

PMID- 28636008
TI  - Highly efficient electroluminescent PtII ppy-type complexes with monodentate
      ligands.
AB  - Functional PtII ppy-type complexes (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine anion) with pyridine
      and chloride monodentate ligands are prepared, which show high
      electroluminescence efficiencies.

PMID- 28636010
TI  - Engineering multi-functional bacterial outer membrane vesicles as modular
      nanodevices for biosensing and bioimaging.
AB  - Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are proteoliposomes derived from the outer
      membrane and periplasmic space of many Gram-negative bacteria including E. coli
      as part of their natural growth cycle. Inspired by the natural ability of E. coli
      to sort proteins to both the exterior and interior of OMVs, we reported here a
      one-pot synthesis approach to engineer multi-functionalized OMV-based sensors for
      both antigen binding and signal generation. SlyB, a native lipoprotein, was used
      a fusion partner to package nanoluciferase (Nluc) within OMVs, while a previously
      developed INP-Scaf3 surface scaffold was fused to the Z-domain for antibody
      recruiting. The multi-functionalized OMVs were used for thrombin detection with a
      detection limit of 0.5 nM, comparable to other detection methods. Using the
      cohesin domains inserted between the Z-domain and INP, these engineered OMVs were
      further functionalized with a dockerin-tagged GFP for cancer cell imaging.

PMID- 28636013
TI  - New insights into the solubility of graphene oxide in water and alcohols.
AB  - One of the main advantages of graphene oxide (GO) over its non-oxidized
      counterpart is its ability to form stable solutions in water and some organic
      solvents. At the same time, the nature of GO solutions is not completely
      understood; the existing data are scarce and controversial. Here, we demonstrate
      that the solubility of GO, and the stability of the as-formed solutions depend
      not just on the solute and solvent cohesion parameters, as commonly believed, but
      mostly on the chemical interactions at the GO/solvent interface. By the DFT and
      QTAIM calculations, we demonstrate that the solubility of GO is afforded by
      strong hydrogen bonding established between GO functional groups and solvent
      molecules. The main functional groups taking part in hydrogen bonding are
      tertiary alcohols; epoxides play only a minor role. The magnitude of the bond
      energy values is significantly higher than that for typical hydrogen bonding. The
      hydrogen bond energy between GO functional groups and solvent molecules decreases
      in the sequence: water > methanol > ethanol. We support our theoretical results
      by several experimental observations including solution calorimetry. The enthalpy
      of GO dissolution in water, methanol and ethanol is -0.1815 +/- 0.0010, -0.1550
      +/- 0.0012 and -0.1040 +/- 0.0010 kJ g-1, respectively, in full accordance with
      the calculated trend. Our findings provide an explanation for the well-known, but
      poorly understood solvent exchange phenomenon.

PMID- 28636012
TI  - Does H4SO5 exist?
AB  - The possible existence of H4SO5 in aqueous sulfuric acid is analyzed in detail.
      For bare H4SO5, the computed free energy barrier for the exergonic transformation
      of H4SO5 into the H2SO4H2O complex is only 3.8 kcal mol-1. The presence of water
      or sulfuric acid catalyzes the dehydration to such an extent that it becomes
      almost a barrierless process. In the gas phase, dehydration of H4SO5 is an
      autocatalytic reaction as the water molecule produced by the decomposition of one
      H4SO5 molecule induces further dissociation. Thus, in solution, the surrounding
      water molecules make the para-sulfuric acid a very vulnerable species to exist.
      The simulated Raman spectra also corroborate the absence of H4SO5 in solution.

PMID- 28636017
TI  - Effect of cisplatin on the transport activity of PII-type ATPases.
AB  - Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichlorido-Pt(ii)) is extensively used as a
      chemotherapeutic agent against various types of tumors. However, cisplatin
      administration causes serious side effects, including nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity
      and neurotoxicity. It has been shown that cisplatin can interact with P-type
      ATPases, e.g., Cu+-ATPases (ATP7A and ATP7B) and Na+,K+-ATPase. Cisplatin-induced
      inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase has been related to the nephrotoxic effect of the
      drug. To investigate the inhibitory effects of cisplatin on the pumping activity
      of PII-type ATPases, electrical measurements were performed on sarcoplasmic
      reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) and Na+,K+-ATPase embedded in vesicles/membrane
      fragments adsorbed on a solid-supported membrane. We found that cisplatin
      inhibits SERCA and Na+,K+-ATPase only when administered without a physiological
      reducing agent (GSH); in contrast, inhibition was also observed in the case of
      Cu+-ATPases in the presence of 1 mM GSH. Our results indicate that cisplatin is a
      much stronger inhibitor of SERCA (with an IC50 value of 1.3 MUM) than of Na+,K+
      ATPase (with an IC50 value of 11.1 MUM); moreover, cisplatin inhibition of Na+,K+
      ATPase is reversible, whereas it is irreversible in the case of SERCA. In the
      absence of a physiological substrate, while Cu+-ATPases are able to translocate
      cisplatin, SERCA and Na+,K+-ATPase do not perform ATP-dependent cisplatin
      displacement.

PMID- 28636018
TI  - Fluorescence lifetime microscopy reveals the biologically-related photophysical
      heterogeneity of oxyblepharismin in light-adapted (blue) Blepharisma japonicum
      cells.
AB  - The step-up photophobic response of the heterotrich ciliate Blepharisma japonicum
      is mediated by a hypericinic pigment, blepharismin, which is not present in any
      of the known six families of photoreceptors, namely rhodopsins, phytochromes,
      xanthopsins, cryptochromes, phototropins, and BLUF proteins. Upon irradiation,
      native cells become light-adapted (blue) by converting blepharismin into the
      photochemically stable oxyblepharismin (OxyBP). So far, OxyBP has been
      investigated mainly from a photophysical point of view in vitro, either alone or
      complexed with proteins. In this work, we exploit the vivid fluorescence of OxyBP
      to characterize its lifetime emission in blue B. Japonicum cells, on account of
      the recognized role of the fluorescence lifetime to provide physicochemical
      insights into the fluorophore environment at the nanoscale. In a biological
      context, OxyBP modifies its emission lifetime as compared to isotropic media. The
      phasor approach to fluorescence lifetime microscopy in confocal mode highlights
      that fluorescence originates from two excited states, whose relative balance
      changes throughout the cell body. Additionally, Cilia and kinetids, i.e., the
      organelles involved in photomovement, display lifetime asymmetry between the
      anterior and posterior part of the cell. From these data, some hypotheses on the
      phototransduction mechanism are proposed.

PMID- 28636019
TI  - Wavelength-selective and high-contrast multicolour fluorescence photoswitching in
      a mixture of photochromic nanoparticles.
AB  - Herein, we report on wavelength-selective and high-contrast multicolour
      fluorescence photoswitching between white-, orange-, cyan-, and dark-colours in a
      mixture of two distinguishable emission-coloured photochromic nanoparticles
      composed of different pairs of a photoswitching unit and a fluorescence unit.

PMID- 28636028
TI  - Supramolecular functional assemblies: dynamic membrane transporters and peptide
      nanotubular composites.
AB  - The fabrication of functional molecular devices constitutes one of the most
      important current challenges for chemical sciences. The complex processes
      accomplished by living systems continuously demand the assistance of non-covalent
      interactions between molecular building blocks. Additionally, these building
      blocks (proteins, membranes, nucleotides) are also constituted by self-assembled
      structures. Therefore, supramolecular chemistry is the discipline required to
      understand the properties of the minimal self-assembled building blocks of living
      systems and to develop new functional smart materials. In the first part of this
      feature article, we highlight selected examples of the preparation of
      supramolecular membrane transporters with special emphasis on the application of
      dynamic covalent bonds. In the second section of the paper we review recent
      breakthroughs in the preparation of peptide nanotube hybrids with functional
      applications. The development of these devices constitutes an exciting process
      from where we can learn how to understand and manipulate supramolecular
      functional assemblies.

PMID- 28636030
TI  - Base-promoted, deborylative secondary alkylation of N-heteroaromatic N-oxides
      with internal gem-bis[(pinacolato)boryl]alkanes: a facile derivatization of 2,2'
      bipyridyl analogues.
AB  - A base-promoted, secondary alkylation of N-heteroaromatic N-oxides using internal
      gem-bis[(pinacolato)boryl]alkanes as alkylation reagents is reported. The
      reaction exhibits a broad scope, providing deoxygenated secondary alkylated N
      heteroaromatic compounds with high efficiency. The usefulness of the developed
      protocol is evidenced by the sequential direct alkylation of 2,2'-bipyridine-N
      oxide.

PMID- 28636029
TI  - Cross-impact of surface and interaction anisotropy in the self-assembly of
      organic adsorption monolayers: a Monte Carlo and transfer-matrix study.
AB  - Using a simple lattice gas model we study the features of self-assembly in
      adsorption layers where both "molecule-surface" and "molecule-molecule"
      interactions are anisotropic. Based on the example of adsorption layers of mono
      functional organic molecules on the heterogeneous surface with strip-like
      topography, we have revealed plenty of possible self-assembled structures in this
      simple system, such as discrete, linear, zigzag, chess board-like, two
      dimensional porous and close-packed patterns. However, the phase behavior of the
      adsorption layer is much richer, if the interactions between functional and non
      functional parts of adjacent adsorbed molecules have comparable strength and
      opposite signs. It is demonstrated that filling of the strips composed of
      relatively "strong" adsorption sites with the increase of chemical potential can
      be non-monotonic. This effect is associated with surface anisotropy and results
      from the changing of the driving force of the self-assembly process -
      interactions between the adsorbed molecule and the surface dominate at low
      surface coverages, but intermolecular forces prevail at higher ones.
      Additionally, when the width of the strip composed of "strong" adsorption sites
      is two or more times greater than that of the adsorbed molecule, a local assembly
      of the ordered phases on the "strong" adsorption sites is observed. Our results
      suggest strategies for controlling the self-assembly in experiments involving
      mono-functional organic molecules on a strip-like heterogeneous surface.

PMID- 28636031
TI  - Attaining resistive switching characteristics and selector properties by varying
      forming polarities in a single HfO2-based RRAM device with a vanadium electrode.
AB  - This study proposes a method for a HfO2-based device to exhibit both resistive
      switching (RS) characteristics as resistive random access memory (RRAM) and
      selector characteristics by introducing vanadium (V) as the top electrode. This
      simple V/HfO2/TiN structure can demonstrate these two different properties
      depending on forming polarities. The RS mechanism is activated by a positive
      forming bias. In contrast, the selector property is induced by a negative forming
      bias. The material analyses firstly confirm the existence of V in the top
      electrode. Then the electrical measurements for the same V/HfO2/TiN structures
      but with different forming polarities were carried out to further investigate
      their DC sweeping characteristics to act as either a selector or RRAM device.
      Furthermore, reliability tests for both selector and RRAM devices were also
      conducted to confirm their switching stabilities. Finally, current fitting
      methods and temperature influence experiments were performed to investigate the
      carrier transport mechanisms. Finally, physical models were proposed to
      illustrate the selector property and RS mechanism for selector and RRAM devices,
      respectively. This simple device structure with its easy operating method
      accomplishes a significant advancement of devices combining both selector
      properties and RRAM for remarkable real applications in the near future.

PMID- 28636032
TI  - Reline aqueous solutions behaving as liquid mixtures of H-bonded co-solvents:
      microphase segregation and formation of co-continuous structures as indicated by
      Brillouin and 1H NMR spectroscopies.
AB  - Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) offer a suitable alternative to conventional
      solvents in terms of both performance and cost-effectiveness. Some DESs also
      offer certain green features, the greenness of which is notoriously enhanced when
      combined with water. Aqueous DES dilutions are therefore attracting great
      attention as a novel green medium for biotechnological processes, with the
      aqueous dilutions of reline - a DES composed of urea and choline chloride - being
      one of the most studied systems. Despite their macroscopic homogeneous
      appearance, both 1H NMR spectroscopic studies and molecular dynamics simulations
      have revealed the occurrence of certain dynamic heterogeneity at a microscopic
      molecular level. Ultrasonic measurements were also used with the aim of getting
      further insights but nonconclusive results were obtained. Herein, we have studied
      aqueous reline dilutions by Brillouin spectroscopy given its proved suitability
      for detecting local structure rearrangements in liquid mixtures of H-bonded co
      solvents. Brillouin spectroscopy revealed the formation of a co-continuous
      structure resulting from local structure rearrangements and micro-segregation
      into aqueous and DES phases. Interestingly, there is agreement between 1H NMR and
      Brillouin spectroscopy when pointing to the DES content where microphase
      segregation and formation of co-continuous structures occurred.

PMID- 28636034
TI  - Upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 mediates the anti-inflammatory activity of
      casein glycomacropeptide (GMP) hydrolysates in LPS-stimulated macrophages.
AB  - Recently, we have shown that casein glycomacropeptide hydrolysates (GHP) exhibit
      both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities in vitro. However, whether
      heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is involved in the cytoprotective effect of GHP against
      the inflammatory status remains unclear. Therefore, we hypothesized that HO-1 is
      a potential target of GHP, which mediates its anti-inflammatory effect. Here, GHP
      inhibited the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and NADPH
      oxidase 2 (NOX2) expression and enhanced reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in LPS
      stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. GHP also suppressed the expression of tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), interleukin-6
      (IL-6) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) stimulated by
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS). However, zinc(ii)-protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX), a
      selective inhibitor of HO-1, restored the GHP-mediated suppression of ROS
      production and NOX2, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and iNOS expression. GHP treatment
      inhibited the LPS-induced nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB)
      translocation, which was markedly reversed by ZnPPIX. Furthermore, GHP induced
      the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), Akt
      and p38. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt, ERK1/2, and p38 abrogated GHP-induced
      nuclear localization of NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and the expression of HO-1.
      In summary, GHP inhibits the LPS-induced inflammatory status through upregulating
      HO-1 expression via PI3K/Akt, ERK1/2 and p38 signaling pathways in RAW264.7
      macrophages.

PMID- 28636035
TI  - Development of air-stable hydrogen evolution catalysts.
AB  - Obtaining abundant pure hydrogen by reduction of water has an important
      implication in the development of clean and renewable energy. Hence research
      focused on the development of non-noble metal based facile and energy efficient
      catalysts for proton reduction is on the rise. However, for practical
      utilization, it is necessary that these complexes function unabated in the
      presence of atmospheric oxygen and other common contaminants in abundant water
      sources. There has been very little activity towards the development of oxygen
      tolerant hydrogen producing catalysts. This article aims to draw attention to
      this issue of oxygen sensitivity in the HER and highlights the development of a
      few air-stable HER catalysts (enzymatic as well as artificial) elaborating the
      challenges involved and the techniques discovered to overcome this significant
      deterrent to large-scale hydrogen production by electrolysis from abundant water
      sources.

PMID- 28636039
TI  - A convenient method for multicolour labelling of proteins with BODIPY
      fluorophores via tyrosine residues.
AB  - Fluorescence is an essential imaging modality for labelling and visualising cells
      and sub-cellular structures. Multicolour labelling is especially challenging due
      to differences in physicochemical and photophysical behaviour of structurally
      unrelated fluorophores in the heterogeneous environments found in sub-cellular
      compartments. Herein, we report the conjugation of three azide-bearing BODIPYs
      with similar core structures but widely different emission wavelengths (green,
      red and NIR) to tyrosine residues of a model globular protein (BSA) via a common
      linking methodology. The resulting BODIPY-BSA conjugates have demonstrated multi
      wavelength fluorescence emission for biological applications. Fluorescence
      imaging was performed in HeLa cells through live cell confocal microscopy
      imaging, with good intracellular location visualisation observed.

PMID- 28636040
TI  - Tamoxifen-like metallocifens target the thioredoxin system determining
      mitochondrial impairment leading to apoptosis in Jurkat cells.
AB  - Tamoxifen-like metallocifens (TLMs) of the group-8 metals (Fe, Ru, and Os) show
      strong anti-proliferative activity on cancer cell lines resistant to apoptosis,
      owing to their unique redox properties. In contrast, the thioredoxin system,
      which is involved in cellular redox balance, is often overexpressed in cancer
      cells, especially in tumour types resistant to standard chemotherapies.
      Therefore, we investigated the effect of these three TLMs on the thioredoxin
      system and evaluated the input of the metallocene unit in comparison with
      structurally related organic tamoxifens. In vitro, all three TLMs became strong
      inhibitors of the cytosolic (TrxR1) and mitochondrial (TrxR2) isoforms of
      thioredoxin reductase after enzymatic oxidation with HRP/H2O2 while none of the
      organic analogues was effective. In Jurkat cells, TLMs inhibited mainly TrxR2,
      resulting in the accumulation of oxidized thioredoxin 2 and cell redox imbalance.
      Overproduction of ROS resulted in a strong decrease in the mitochondrial membrane
      potential, translocation of cytochrome c to the cytosol and activation of caspase
      3, thus leading to apoptosis. None of these events occurred with organic
      tamoxifens. The mitochondrial fraction of cells exposed to TLMs contained a high
      amount of the corresponding metal, as quantified by ICP-OES. The lipophilic and
      cationic character associated with the singular redox properties of the TLMs
      could explain why they alter the mitochondrial function. These results provide
      new insights into the mechanism of action of tamoxifen-like metallocifens,
      underlying their prodrug behaviour and the pivotal role played by the
      metallocenic entity in their cytotoxic activity associated with the induction of
      apoptosis.

PMID- 28636041
TI  - Fluorescence properties of aurone derivatives: an experimental and theoretical
      study with some preliminary biological applications.
AB  - In this paper, we explored the fluorescence properties of eight aurone
      derivatives bearing methoxy groups and bromine atoms as substituents in the
      benzene rings. All derivatives showed strong solvatochromic absorption and
      emission properties in solvents of different polarities. Some of them showed high
      fluorescence quantum yields, which make them potential compounds for sensing
      applications. The position of the methoxy groups in the benzofuranone moiety and
      the presence of bromine atoms in the benzene ring had a strong influence on the
      fluorescence behaviour of the aurones. DFT calculations allowed us to explain the
      emission properties of aurones and their solvatochromism, which was related to an
      excited state with strong charge-transfer character. Aurone 4 has the most
      promising characteristics showing a large difference in the quantum yields and
      large Stokes shifts depending on the solvent polarities. These results prompted
      us to explore some preliminary biological applications for aurone 4 such as the
      sensing of hydrophobic pockets of a protein and its thermotropic behaviour in
      liposomes.

PMID- 28636046
TI  - Lead(ii) soaps: crystal structures, polymorphism, and solid and liquid
      mesophases.
AB  - The long-chain members of the lead(ii) alkanoate series or soaps, from octanoate
      to octadecanoate, have been thoroughly characterized by means of XRD, PDF
      analysis, DSC, FTIR, ssNMR and other techniques, in all their phases and
      mesophases. The crystal structures at room temperature of all of the members of
      the series are now solved, showing the existence of two polymorphic forms in the
      room temperature crystal phase, different to short and long-chain members. Only
      nonanoate and decanoate present both forms, and this polymorphism is proven to be
      monotropic. At higher temperature, these compounds present a solid mesophase,
      defined as rotator, a liquid crystal phase and a liquid phase, all of which have
      a similar local arrangement. Since some lead(ii) soaps appear as degradation
      compounds in oil paintings, the solved crystal structures of lead(ii) soaps can
      now be used as fingerprints for their detection using X-ray diffraction. Pair
      distribution function analysis on these compounds is very similar in the same
      phases and mesophases for the different members, showing the same short range
      order. This observation suggests that this technique could also be used in the
      detection of these compounds in disordered phases or in the initial stages of
      formation in paintings.

PMID- 28636047
TI  - Decoding the regulatory mechanism of glucose and insulin induced
      phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate dynamics in beta-cells.
AB  - In MIN6 pancreatic beta-cells, glucose and insulin act in a synergistic manner to
      regulate the dynamics of Phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3).
      However, the precise regulatory mechanism behind such an experimentally observed
      synergy is poorly understood. In this article, we propose a phenomenological
      mathematical model for studying the glucose and insulin driven PIP3 activation
      dynamics under various stimulatory conditions to unfold the mechanism responsible
      for the observed synergy. The modeling study reveals that the experimentally
      observed oscillation in PIP3 dynamics with disparate time scales for different
      external glucose doses is mainly orchestrated by the complex dynamic regulation
      of cytosolic Ca2+ in beta-cells. The model accounts for the dose-dependent
      activation of PIP3 as a function of externally added insulin, and further shows
      that even in the absence of Ca2+ signaling, externally added glucose can still
      maintain a basal level of endogenous insulin secretion via the fatty acid
      metabolism pathway. Importantly, the model analysis suggests that the glucose
      mediated ROS (reactive oxygen species) activation often contributes considerably
      to the synergistic activation of PIP3 by glucose and insulin in a context
      dependent manner. Under the physiological conditions that keep beta-cells in an
      insulin responsive state, the effect of glucose induced ROS signaling plays a
      moderate role in PIP3 activation. As beta-cells approach an insulin resistant
      state, the glucose induced ROS signaling significantly affects the PIP3 dynamics.
      Our findings provide a plausible mechanistic insight into the experimentally
      observed synergy, and can lead to novel therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28636048
TI  - Supramolecular surface functionalization via catechols for the improvement of
      cell-material interactions.
AB  - Optimization of cell-material interactions is crucial for the success of
      synthetic biomaterials in guiding tissue regeneration. To do so, catechol
      chemistry is often used to introduce adhesiveness into biomaterials. Here, a
      supramolecular approach based on ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) modified polymers is
      combined with catechol chemistry in order to achieve improved cellular adhesion
      onto supramolecular biomaterials. UPy-modified hydrophobic polymers with non-cell
      adhesive properties are developed that can be bioactivated via a modular approach
      using UPy-modified catechols. It is shown that successful formulation of the UPy
      catechol additive with the UPy-polymer results in surfaces that induce
      cardiomyocyte progenitor cell adhesion, cell spreading, and preservation of
      cardiac specific extracellular matrix production. Hence, by functionalizing
      supramolecular surfaces with catechol functionalities, an adhesive supramolecular
      biomaterial is developed that allows for the possibility to contribute to
      biomaterial-based regeneration.

PMID- 28636049
TI  - Neutral mixed-metal coordination polymers based on a ditopic acetylacetonate,
      Mg(ii) and Ag(i): syntheses, characterization and solvent-dependent topologies.
AB  - The complex [Mg(acacCN)2(H2O)2] (acacCN = 3-cyanoacetylacetonate) has been
      synthesized in good yield and fully characterized. It represents a versatile
      labile precursor for an anionic tris(ligand) complex which is crosslinked with
      Ag(i) to five different neutral bimetallic networks; all of them are solvates.
      Four of these extended structures share the same framework stoichiometry
      Ag[Mg(acacCN)3] and only differ in their solvent content. The co-crystallized
      solvent molecules decide the topological outcome of the crosslinking: the four
      compounds can be classified into two isomorphous 3D networks and two non
      isomorphous but related 2D layer structures. The individual structures suggest
      preferred inclusion of dichloromethane, followed by acetone; direct competition
      experiments confirm these considerations. An additional coordination polymer
      shows the framework stoichiometry Ag2[Mg(acacCN)2(MeOH)2][Mg(acacCN)3]2; this
      binodal 3D network is associated with the unprecedented vertex symbol
      (109.1011.1013)(103.107.107.107.108.1010).

PMID- 28636050
TI  - Photoelectrochemical ion concentration polarization: membraneless ion filtration
      based on light-driven electrochemical reactions.
AB  - In this article we report a microelectrochemical system that is able to partially
      desalinate water. The underlying principles are similar to previous reports in
      which a local electric field resists passage of ions. However, in the present
      case, no membrane is required and, most interestingly, much of the power for
      desalination originates from light rather than electricity. This could greatly
      increase the power efficiency for desalination. The device is based on a TiO2
      photoanode coupled to a Pt cathode. Illumination of the photoanode drives
      faradaic reactions at the cathode that lead to an ion depletion zone. The
      resulting local electric field limits transport of charged species. In situ
      conductivity and fluorescence measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the
      device.

PMID- 28636053
TI  - Evidence of bad recycling practices: BFRs in children's toys and food-contact
      articles.
AB  - Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been used intentionally in a wide range
      of plastics, but are now found in an even wider range of such materials
      (including children's toys and food contact articles) as a result of recycling
      practices that mix BFR-containing waste plastics with "virgin" materials. In this
      study Br was quantified in toy and food contact samples on the assumption that
      its concentration can be used as a metric for BFR contamination. Subsequently,
      compound specific determination of BFRs was performed to evaluate the validity of
      the aforementioned assumption, crucial to render rapid, inexpensive, in situ Br
      determination in non-laboratory environments (such as waste handling facilities)
      a viable option for sorting wastes according to their BFR content. We report semi
      quantitative compound specific BFR concentrations to give an overview of the
      distribution of individual BFRs in the analyzed samples. Finally, we evaluated
      the correlations between waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) related
      substances (Ca, Sb and rare earth elements (REEs)) and Br as a proxy for
      identifying poor sorting practices in different waste streams. 26 samples of
      toys, food-contact articles and WEEE were analyzed with a suite of different
      techniques in order to obtain comprehensive information about their elemental and
      molecular composition. The information obtained from principal component analysis
      about WEEE-related compounds provides new insights into the influence of sorting
      practices on the extent of products' contamination and bringing out polymer
      related trends in the pollutants' signature. 61% of all samples were Br positive:
      of these samples, 45% had decaBDE concentrations exceeding the concentration
      limits for PBDEs and their main constituent polymer was - according to the REE
      signature of such samples - Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), uses of which
      include copying equipment, laptops and computers. The ability to better track
      chemicals of concern and their trends in products is the main requirement for
      high-level management and control of material cycles to become non-toxic in the
      future as proposed in the EU's 7th Environmental Action Plan.

PMID- 28636054
TI  - Guidelines for surgical approaches for minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis in
      cats.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) is one of the most
      recent fixation techniques that embody the concept of biological osteosynthesis.
      Several studies evaluating MIPO in dogs have been published in the recent years.
      However, there are few clinical reports of MIPO in cats and no description of the
      surgical approaches. The purpose of our study was to describe the safe corridors
      for plate insertion in cats using the MIPO technique. METHODS: The surgical
      approaches for the humerus, radius-ulna, femur and tibia were developed after
      reviewing the described techniques and surgical approaches for MIPO in dogs,
      while considering any relevant anatomical difference between dogs and cats.
      Following the MIPO approaches, the limbs were anatomically dissected and the
      relationship between proximal and distal positions of the implants and
      neurovascular structures was noted. RESULTS: The surgical approaches developed
      for the humerus and radius-ulna differed from what had been reported previously,
      because relevant anatomical differences were found between dogs and cats.
      Anatomical landmarks for safe plate application were described for all the major
      long bones in cats. No damage to vital structures following plate insertion was
      detected in the dissection. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In this cadaveric study, we
      evaluated the safety of the surgical approaches for MIPO in cats. By respecting
      the anatomical landmarks described in this report, damage to the neurovascular
      structures can be avoided performing the MIPO technique in cats.

PMID- 28636052
TI  - Chemically induced degradation of CDK9 by a proteolysis targeting chimera
      (PROTAC).
AB  - Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9), a member of the cyclin-dependent protein kinase
      (CDK) family, is involved in transcriptional elongation of several target genes.
      CDK9 is ubiquitously expressed and has been shown to contribute to a variety of
      malignancies such as pancreatic, prostate and breast cancers. Here we report the
      development of a heterobifunctional small molecule proteolysis targeting chimera
      (PROTAC) capable of cereblon (CRBN) mediated proteasomal degradation of CDK9. In
      HCT116 cells, it selectively degrades CDK9 while sparing other CDK family
      members. This is the first example of a PROTAC that selectively degrades CDK9.

PMID- 28636055
TI  - Effect of headless compression screw on construct stability for centre of
      rotation and angulation-based levelling osteotomy. Biomechanical testing in
      flexion and torsion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the biomechanical properties of bone and implant constructs
      when used for the centre of rotation and angulation (CORA) based levelling
      osteotomy, with and without implantation of a trans-osteotomy headless
      compression screw tested under three-point flexural and torsional forces; thereby
      determining the contribution of a trans-osteotomy headless compression screw with
      regards to stability of the construct. METHODS: Experimental biomechanical study
      utilizing 12 pairs of cadaveric canine tibias. Using the CORA based levelling
      osteotomy (CBLO) procedure, the osteotomy was stabilized with either a standard
      non-locking CBLO bone plate augmented with a headless compression screw (HCS) or
      a CBLO bone plate alone. Tibial constructs were mechanically tested in three
      point craniocaudal flexural testing or in torsion. RESULTS: In three-point
      flexural testing, the difference between the two constructs was not significant.
      In torsion, the difference in the angle of failure between constructs with a HCS
      (48.46 degrees ) and constructs without a HCS (81.65 degrees ) was significant (p
      = 0.036). Maximum torque achieved by constructs with a HCS (21.7 Nm) was greater
      than those without (18.7 Nm) (p = 0.056). Stiffness differences between both
      groups in torsion and bending were not significant. Use of a HCS did increase the
      stability of the CBLO construct in torsional testing, but not in flexural
      testing.

PMID- 28636056
TI  - Comparison of complications following tibial tuberosity advancement and tibial
      plateau levelling osteotomy in very large and giant dogs 50 kg or more in body
      weight.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To analyse and compare major complications in dogs >=50 kg undergoing
      tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) or tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO)
      for treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease. METHODS: Medical records and
      radiographs of client-owned dogs (>=50 kg) treated for cranial cruciate ligament
      disease with either TTA or TPLO between January 2011 and November 2015 were
      reviewed. Ninety-one TTA cases and 54 TPLO cases met the study inclusion
      criteria. All complications within one year of surgery were recorded. Major
      complications were those requiring surgical revision or intervening medical
      therapy to resolve. Logistic regression analysis evaluated for associations with
      major complication occurrence. Major complications were statistically compared
      between TTA and TPLO treatment groups. RESULTS: Incidence of major complications
      following TTA and TPLO surgery were 19.8% and 27.8%, respectively. Surgical site
      infection (SSI) was the single most common major complication following both TTA
      (15.4%) and TPLO (25.9%) surgery. There were no significant differences between
      TTA and TPLO treatment regarding the rate of SSI, surgical revision, or overall
      occurrence of major complications. Postoperative antibiotic therapy significantly
      reduced the risk of a major complication in all dogs >=50 kg (p = 0.015; OR:
      0.201: 95%CI: 0.055-0.737). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Major complications occurred
      frequently following TTA and TPLO treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease
      in dogs >=50 kg. The increased chance for SSI should be considered and
      postoperative antibiotic therapy is recommended.

PMID- 28636057
TI  - Symmetrical brachydactyly in a dog.
AB  - Congenital malformations of the canine manus and pes are infrequently reported in
      the veterinary literature. This includes brachydactyly which is a general term
      used to indicate the shortening of digits due to abnormal development of the
      phalanges, metacarpals, or metatarsals. This case report describes isolated
      brachydactyly in a one-year-old male Maremma Sheepdog affecting all of the
      phalanges, metacarpals, and metatarsals of digits two through five. This
      condition was confirmed by determining the length of each phalanx, metacarpal,
      and metatarsal of the affected dog as well as an unaffected littermate. The
      affected dog's metacarpal, metatarsal, and phalanx lengths ranged from 50% to 77%
      of that of the unaffected sibling. Other abnormalities found on physical
      examination as well as on radiographic imaging are discussed.

PMID- 28636058
TI  - Percutaneous tibial physeal fracture repair in small animals: technique and 17
      cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively describe cases treated via percutaneous tibial
      physeal fracture repair (PTPFR), using intra-operative fluoroscopy (IFL) or
      digital radiography (DR). To describe a technique ("spiking"), used to treat
      tibial tuberosity avulsion fractures. METHODS: Clinical data of 14 dogs and three
      cats were included. The "spiking" technique was described. RESULTS: Intra
      operative fluoroscopy (n = 11) and DR (n = 6) were successfully used in 11 tibial
      tuberosity avulsion fractures, one combined proximal physeal and tibial
      tuberosity avulsion fracture, and five distal tibial/fibular physeal fractures.
      Surgery times ranged from eight to 54 minutes. The "spiking" technique was
      successfully applied in six tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture cases. Return to
      function was at a mean (+/- standard deviation) of 1.9 (+/- 1.6) weeks. Long-term
      (>12 months; n = 17) follow-up was available at a mean of 40.6 (+/- 13.4) months.
      Major complications consisted of skin irritation from a pin (distal tibia /
      fibula physeal fracture case; 8 weeks post-PTPFR), and a bilateral grade II
      medial patella luxation (tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture case; 1.5 years post
      PTPFR). One case developed a mild tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture re
      avulsion. All conditions in these three cases were not of clinical concern at
      follow-up and final outcome was graded as good in these and excellent in the
      other 14 cases. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Percutaneous tibial physeal fracture
      repair can be considered as a technique to treat tibial physeal fractures. The
      "spiking" technique was successfully applied in six dogs. A larger, prospective
      case series is indicated to provide additional clinical information.

PMID- 28636059
TI  - Clinical outcome and complications of thoracic and pelvic limb stump and socket
      prostheses.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the use, quality of life, compliance, complications, and
      outcome of animals fitted with stump socket prostheses. METHODS: Medical records
      of dogs fitted with a stump socket prosthesis were reviewed. Functional outcome,
      quality of life and complications were retrospectively assessed from an owner
      questionnaire. RESULTS: Thirteen stump socket prostheses (12 dogs) were fitted
      for a variety of reasons including trauma, congenital abnormalities, and
      neoplasia. Eight dogs had a good outcome overall and four a poor outcome. Quality
      of life (QOL) remained good or excellent in 10/12 dogs. Nine complications were
      seen in 7/12 dogs, most were manageable; surgical wound complications (n = 2) and
      pressures sores (n = 4) were the most frequently encountered. One dog suffered
      multiple complications. Thoracic and pelvic limb stump socket prostheses had a
      similar complication rate, however all animals with a poor outcome had a thoracic
      limb stump socket prosthesis; two were small breed dogs (under 10 kg) and two had
      bilateral thoracic limb abnormalities. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Stump socket
      prostheses are feasible and versatile in animals. In correctly selected cases,
      good to excellent outcomes are possible. However, complications are frequent but
      often manageable. Further investigations are required into the risk factors for
      poor outcomes and prospective studies are required to assess changes in
      biomechanics, function, and QOL before and after fitting of a stump socket
      prosthesis. Until further evidence is available, careful consideration should be
      given before fitting bilateral thoracic limb stump socket prostheses or thoracic
      limb stump socket prostheses to small breed dogs.

PMID- 28636060
TI  - Developing Mobile Clinical Decision Support for Nursing Home Staff Assessment of
      Urinary Tract Infection using Goal-Directed Design.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Unique characteristics of nursing homes (NHs) contribute to high
      rates of inappropriate antibiotic use for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), a
      benign condition. A mobile clinical decision support system (CDSS) may support NH
      staff in differentiating urinary tract infections (UTI) from ASB and reducing
      antibiotic days. OBJECTIVES: We used Goal-Directed Design to: 1) Characterize
      information needs for UTI identification and management in NHs; 2) Develop UTI
      Decide, a mobile CDSS prototype informed by personas and scenarios of use
      constructed from Aim 1 findings; 3) Evaluate the UTI Decide prototype with NH
      staff. METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with providers and nurses in NHs in
      Denver, Colorado (n= 24). Qualitative descriptive analysis was applied to focus
      group transcripts to identify information needs and themes related to mobile
      clinical decision support for UTI identification and management. Personas
      representing typical end users were developed; typical clinical context scenarios
      were constructed using information needs as goals. Usability testing was
      performed using cognitive walk-throughs and a think-aloud protocol. RESULTS: Four
      information needs were identified including guidance regarding resident
      assessment; communication with providers; care planning; and urine culture
      interpretation. Design of a web-based application incorporating a published
      decision support algorithm for evidence-based UTI diagnoses proceeded with a
      focus on nursing information needs during resident assessment and communication
      with providers. Certified nursing assistant (CNA) and registered nurse (RN)
      personas were constructed in 4 context scenarios with associated key path
      scenarios. After field testing, a high fidelity prototype of UTI Decide was
      completed and evaluated by potential end users. Design recommendations and
      content recommendations were elicited. CONCLUSIONS: Goal-Directed Design informed
      the development of a mobile CDSS supporting participant-identified information
      needs for UTI assessment and communication in NHs. Future work will include
      iterative deployment and evaluation of UTI Decide in NHs to decrease
      inappropriate use of antibiotics for suspected UTI.

PMID- 28636061
TI  - Impact of femoral varus on complications and outcome associated with corrective
      surgery for medial patellar luxation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of femoral varus with postoperative
      complications and outcome following standard corrective surgery for medial
      patellar luxation (MPL) without distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) in dogs. METHODS:
      In a retrospective study spanning a 12 year period, 87 stifles with MPL that were
      treated by standard surgical techniques were included. Inclination angle (ICA),
      femoral varus angle (FVA), anatomical lateral distal femoral angle (aLDFA), and
      mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA) were measured. Postoperative
      complications were noted and outcome evaluated. Associations between potential
      risk factors and both complication rate and outcome were assessed. RESULTS:
      Postoperative complications occurred in 19 stifles, five of which were major.
      There was no evidence of an association between FVA (p = 0.41) or aLDFA (p =
      0.38) and any complication. There was also no evidence of an association between
      FVA (p = 0.31) or aLDFA (p = 0.38) and any major complication. Dogs with a larger
      aLDFA had increased odds of a poorer outcome (p = 0.01) as did dogs that suffered
      a major complication (p = 0.0001). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Based on radiographic
      measurements, there is no evidence of an association between FVA and the
      incidence of postoperative complications following standard MPL correction.
      Traditional surgical techniques appear to be appropriate for most cases of MPL
      and further work is required to better define selection criteria for including
      DFO in the treatment of these cases.

PMID- 28636062
TI  - A structural numerical model for the optimization of double pelvic osteotomy in
      the early treatment of canine hip dysplasia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Double pelvic osteotomy (DPO) planning is usually performed by hip
      palpation, and on radiographic images which give a poor representation of the
      complex three-dimensional manoeuvre required during surgery. Furthermore, bone
      strains which play a crucial role cannot be foreseen. OBJECTIVE: To support
      surgeons and designers with biomechanical guidelines through a virtual model that
      would provide bone stress and strain, required moments, and three-dimensional
      measurements. METHODS: A multibody numerical model for kinematic analyses has
      been coupled to a finite element model for stress/strain analysis on deformable
      bodies. The model was parametrized by the fixation plate angle, the iliac
      osteotomy angle, and the plate offset in ventro-dorsal direction. Model outputs
      were: acetabular ventro-version (VV) and lateralization (L), Norberg (NA) and
      dorsal acetabular rim (DAR) angles, the percentage of acetabular coverage (PC),
      the peak bone stress, and moments required to deform the pelvis. RESULTS: Over
      150 combinations of cited parameters and their respective outcome were analysed.
      Curves reporting NA and PC versus VV were traced for the given patient. The
      optimal VV range in relation to NA and PC limits was established. The 25 degrees 
      DPO plate results were the most similar to 20 degrees  TPO. The output L grew for
      positive iliac osteotomy inclinations. The 15 degrees  DPO plate was critical in
      relation to DAR, while very large VV could lead to bone failure. CLINICAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Structural models can be a support to the study and optimization of
      DPO as they allow for foreseeing geometrical and structural outcomes of surgical
      choices.

PMID- 28636064
TI  - Side-scattered finger-photoplethysmography: experimental investigations toward
      practical noninvasive measurement of blood glucose.
AB  - The aim of this study was to discover a simple/convenient geometrical arrangement
      of radiation sources and detector to acquire finger-photoplethysmograms (PPGs)
      with wavelength regions of blood glucose (BGL) absorption, toward practical
      noninvasive BGL measurement. First, we compared PPGs with three wavelengths: 808
      nm (without water absorption), 1160 nm (with weak water absorption), and 1600 nm
      (with nearly peak BGL absorption and strong water absorption), while the source
      detector spacing was successively increased circumferentially around a fingertip.
      In 10 healthy subjects, we observed clear cardiac-related pulsatile components of
      PPG signals at 808 and 1160 nm in any incident positions with more than 15 dB of
      signal-to-noise ratio ( S / N ), but reliable PPG detections at 1600 nm with more
      than 10 dB of S / N was only possible when the source-detector distance was less
      than 3 mm around the fingertip circumference. Second, with this arrangement, an
      experiment was performed using six wavelengths to cover glucose absorption bands
      (from 1550 to 1749 nm), obtaining pulsatile PPG signals with more or less 15 dB
      of S / N . Through the present experiments, this orthogonal arrangement of the
      source and detector to detect forward- and side-scattered radiation through the
      tissue is appropriate for PPG measurements with wavelength regions where there is
      potential for BGL measurement.

PMID- 28636063
TI  - Solving Interoperability in Translational Health. Perspectives of Students from
      the International Partnership in Health Informatics Education (IPHIE) 2016 Master
      Class.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the summer of 2016 an international group of biomedical and health
      informatics faculty and graduate students gathered for the 16th meeting of the
      International Partnership in Health Informatics Education (IPHIE) masterclass at
      the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City, Utah. This international
      biomedical and health informatics workshop was created to share knowledge and
      explore issues in biomedical health informatics (BHI). OBJECTIVE: The goal of
      this paper is to summarize the discussions of biomedical and health informatics
      graduate students who were asked to define interoperability, and make critical
      observations to gather insight on how to improve biomedical education. METHODS:
      Students were assigned to one of four groups and asked to define interoperability
      and explore potential solutions to current problems of interoperability in health
      care. RESULTS: We summarize here the student reports on the importance and
      possible solutions to the "interoperability problem" in biomedical informatics.
      Reports are provided from each of the four groups of highly qualified graduate
      students from leading BHI programs in the US, Europe and Asia. CONCLUSION:
      International workshops such as IPHIE provide a unique opportunity for graduate
      student learning and knowledge sharing. BHI faculty are encouraged to incorporate
      into their curriculum opportunities to exercise and strengthen student critical
      thinking to prepare our students for solving health informatics problems in the
      future.

PMID- 28636066
TI  - Assessment of the "cross-bridge"-induced interaction of red blood cells by
      optical trapping combined with microfluidics.
AB  - Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation is an intrinsic property of the blood that has a
      direct effect on the blood viscosity and circulation. Nevertheless, the mechanism
      behind the RBC aggregation has not been confirmed and is still under
      investigation with two major hypotheses, known as "depletion layer" and "cross
      bridging." We aim to ultimately understand the mechanism of the RBC aggregation
      and clarify both models. To measure the cell interaction in vitro in different
      suspensions (including plasma, isotonic solution of fibrinogen, isotonic solution
      of fibrinogen with albumin, and phosphate buffer saline) while moving the
      aggregate from one solution to another, an approach combining optical trapping
      and microfluidics has been applied. The study reveals evidence that RBC
      aggregation in plasma is at least partly due to the cross-bridging mechanism. The
      cell interaction strength measured in the final solution was found to be
      significantly changed depending on the initial solution where the aggregate was
      formed.

PMID- 28636065
TI  - Automatic motion correction for in vivo human skin optical coherence tomography
      angiography through combined rigid and nonrigid registration.
AB  - When using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), the development of
      artifacts due to involuntary movements can severely compromise the visualization
      and subsequent quantitation of tissue microvasculatures. To correct such an
      occurrence, we propose a motion compensation method to eliminate artifacts from
      human skin OCTA by means of step-by-step rigid affine registration, rigid
      subpixel registration, and nonrigid B-spline registration. To accommodate this
      remedial process, OCTA is conducted using two matching all-depth volume scans.
      Affine transformation is first performed on the large vessels of the deep
      reticular dermis, and then the resulting affine parameters are applied to all
      depth vasculatures with a further subpixel registration to refine the alignment
      between superficial smaller vessels. Finally, the coregistration of both volumes
      is carried out to result in the final artifact-free composite image via an
      algorithm based upon cubic B-spline free-form deformation. We demonstrate that
      the proposed method can provide a considerable improvement to the final en face
      OCTA images with substantial artifact removal. In addition, the correlation
      coefficients and peak signal-to-noise ratios of the corrected images are
      evaluated and compared with those of the original images, further validating the
      effectiveness of the proposed method. We expect that the proposed method can be
      useful in improving qualitative and quantitative assessment of the OCTA images of
      scanned tissue beds.

PMID- 28636067
TI  - Dynamic time warping-based averaging framework for functional near-infrared
      spectroscopy brain imaging studies.
AB  - We investigate the problem related to the averaging procedure in functional near
      infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging studies. Typically, to reduce noise
      and to empower the signal strength associated with task-induced activities,
      recorded signals (e.g., in response to repeated stimuli or from a group of
      individuals) are averaged through a point-by-point conventional averaging
      technique. However, due to the existence of variable latencies in recorded
      activities, the use of the conventional averaging technique can lead to
      inaccuracies and loss of information in the averaged signal, which may result in
      inaccurate conclusions about the functionality of the brain. To improve the
      averaging accuracy in the presence of variable latencies, we present an averaging
      framework that employs dynamic time warping (DTW) to account for the temporal
      variation in the alignment of fNIRS signals to be averaged. As a proof of
      concept, we focus on the problem of localizing task-induced active brain regions.
      The framework is extensively tested on experimental data (obtained from both
      block design and event-related design experiments) as well as on simulated data.
      In all cases, it is shown that the DTW-based averaging technique outperforms the
      conventional-based averaging technique in estimating the location of task-induced
      active regions in the brain, suggesting that such advanced averaging methods
      should be employed in fNIRS brain imaging studies.

PMID- 28636068
TI  - Parent-Child association in physical activity and sedentary behaviour.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parents influence the physical activity and sedentary behaviour of
      their children. This analysis examines associations between parental role
      modeling and support and children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour.
      DATA AND METHODS: The sample consists of 1,328 biological parent-child pairs from
      the first three cycles of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007 through
      2013). Data on physical activity and sedentary behaviour were collected using a
      questionnaire and by accelerometer. Pearson correlation and linear regression
      analyses were completed to examine associations between parents' and children's
      measured physical activity and sedentary time and reported screen-based
      activities. Analyses were adjusted for variables indicating parental support and
      household lifestyle characteristics. RESULTS: Accelerometer-measured physical
      activity and sedentary time were correlated in all parent-child pairs. Parents'
      measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was associated with
      children's MVPA (beta = 0.28, p < 0.001). For every 20-minute increase in a
      parent's MVPA, the child's MVPA increased by 5 to 10 minutes. Parents' measured
      sedentary time was associated with that of their daughters on weekends, and with
      that of their sons during the after-school period. Parents' reported screen time
      was associated with that of their daughters. INTERPRETATION: This study confirms
      parents' influence on their children's physical activity. Parental role modeling
      and support have independent effects on a child's level of physical activity.

PMID- 28636069
TI  - Parent-Child association in body weight status.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adults
      has risen in Canada. Studies suggest that parent obesity is a risk factor for
      overweight and obesity in children. This analysis examines associations between
      biological parent and child body mass index (BMI) in a nationally representative
      sample of Canadian children. DATA AND METHODS: The analysis is based on data
      collected for 1,563 children aged 6 to 10 in the first three cycles of the
      Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007 to 2013). BMI was calculated using measured
      height and weight. Pearson correlation, logistic, and linear regression analyses
      examined associations between biological parent and child BMI and obesity status,
      controlling for other risk factors. RESULTS: Biological parent and child BMI were
      correlated. When risk factors were taken into account, a child's average BMI
      increased as their parent's BMI increased. Parent BMI explained 2% of the
      variance in boys' BMI and 12% of the variance in girls' BMI. Boys and girls with
      a biological parent who was obese were at increased risk of being overweight or
      obese. Girls were also at increased risk of being overweight or obese if a
      biological parent was overweight. INTERPRETATION: Children's body weight status
      is associated with that of at least one of their biological parents. Having an
      obese parent increases the risk of overweight or obesity among children in
      Canada.

PMID- 28636070
TI  - Development of a population-based microsimulation model of body mass index.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity has necessitated
      the development of body mass index (BMI) projection models such as the POpulation
      HEalth Model (POHEM). This study describes the POHEM-BMI model, a microsimulation
      tool that can be used to support evidence-based health policy making for obesity
      reduction. DATA AND METHODS: The National Population Health Survey, the Canadian
      Community Health Survey (CCHS), and the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)
      were used to develop and validate a predictive model of BMI for adults and
      childhood BMI history. Models were incorporated into POHEM and used to transition
      BMI over time in a fully dynamic simulated Canadian population. RESULTS: POHEM
      BMI projections of self-reported and measured adult BMI and childhood BMI history
      agree well with CCHS and CHMS validation estimates. Among men and women, average
      BMI is projected to increase by more than one BMI unit between 2001 and 2030.
      Projections of self-reported BMI show that 59% of the adult population will be
      overweight or obese by 2030; projections of measured BMI show that the percentage
      will be 66%. INTERPRETATION: Using empirically developed BMI prediction models
      for adults and childhood BMI history integrated into the POHEM framework,
      validated projections of BMI for the Canadian population can be produced.
      Projections of BMI trends could have important applications in tracking the
      prevalence of related diseases, and in planning and comparing intervention
      strategies.

PMID- 28636071
TI  - The role of homocysteine in seminal vesicles remodeling in rat.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels have been associated with
      several tissue injuries including heart and liver fibrosis. In these diseases,
      hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) plays a major role in modulating the alteration of
      the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of
      metalloproteinases (TIMPs), leading to the pathological accumulation of
      extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Since the effect of Hhcy on ECM of seminal
      vesicle was not studied, the aim of our research was to check if Hcy can induce a
      remodeling within seminal vesicles ECM. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was
      conducted in 22 adult male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into two groups: a
      control group, which received standard diet and tap water; the treated group
      received the same diet and water supplemented with solution of L-methionine (200
      mg/kg b.w./day) for 6 months. Plasma homocysteine concentration was measured.
      Histological changes were observed with light microscope. The presence of
      collagen I and III and metalloproteinases (2, 3, 7 and 9) in the seminal vesicles
      was examined using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS: Plasma Hcy
      levels increased significantly after methionine treatment and interfered
      significantly with body weight in treated rats. The content of fibrillar
      collagens (I and III) in the wall of seminal vesicles was elevated in
      hyperhomocysteinemic rats. Moreover, we found that hyperhomocysteinemia increased
      the expression of MMP-2, -3, -7 and -9 in seminal vesicles of experimental rats.
      CONCLUSIONS: Increased plasma concentration of Hcy accompanied by the
      accumulation of collagen and upregulation of MMPs in rat seminal vesicles might
      contribute to the remodeling of seminal vesicles.

PMID- 28636072
TI  - Using Chief Complaint in Addition to Diagnosis Codes to Identify Falls in the
      Emergency Department.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare incidence of falls in an emergency department (ED) cohort
      using a traditional International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD
      9) code-based scheme and an expanded definition that included chief complaint
      information and to examine the clinical characteristics of visits "missed" in the
      ICD-9-based scheme. DESIGN: Retrospective electronic record review. SETTING:
      Academic medical center ED. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 65 and older seen in
      the ED between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2015. MEASUREMENTS: Two fall
      definitions were applied (individually and together) to the cohort: an ICD-9
      based definition and a chief complaint definition. Admission rates and 30-day
      mortality (per encounter) were measured for each definition. RESULTS: Twenty
      three thousand eight hundred eighty older adult visits occurred during the study
      period. Using the most-inclusive definition (ICD-9 code or chief complaint
      indicating a fall), 4,363 visits (18%) were fall related. Of these visits, 3,506
      (80%) met the ICD-9 definition for a fall-related visit, and 2,664 (61%) met the
      chief complaint definition. Of visits meeting the chief complaint definition, 857
      (19.6%) were missed when applying the ICD-9 definition alone. Encounters missed
      using the ICD-9 definition were less likely to lead to an admission (42.9%, 95%
      confidence interval (CI) = 39.7-46.3%) than those identified (54.4%, 95% CI =
      52.7-56.0%). CONCLUSION: Identifying individuals in the ED who have fallen based
      on diagnosis codes underestimates the true burden of falls. Individuals missed
      according to the code-based definition were less likely to have been admitted
      than those who were captured. These findings call attention to the value of using
      chief complaint information to identify individuals who have fallen in the ED-for
      research, clinical care, or policy reasons.

PMID- 28636073
TI  - Chanarin-Dorfman syndrome.

PMID- 28636074
TI  - Optimizing outcomes in pancreas transplantation: Impact of organ preservation
      time.
AB  - Recent changes to pancreas graft allocation policy have increased the number of
      organs available for regional and distant sharing, which results in a
      corresponding increase in preservation time. We sought to systematically assess
      the impact of cold ischemia time (CIT) on outcomes post-transplant. A
      retrospective review of 1253 pancreas transplants performed at a single
      transplant center was performed to correlate CIT to transplant outcomes. The rate
      of technical failure (TF) increased with 20+ hours of CIT, with a 2.7-fold to 6.2
      fold increased rate of TF for pancreas after kidney (PAK), simultaneous pancreas
      and kidney (SPK), and pancreas transplants overall. Long-term graft survival was
      best with <12 hours of CIT; graft failure increased 1.2-fold to 1.4-fold with 12
      24 hours of CIT and 2.2-fold with 24+ hours. CIT had less influence on the
      pancreas transplant alone category than either SPK or PAK and had markedly more
      influence on grafts from older (age >25 years) and overweight (body mass index
      >25) donors. In the final analysis, grafts with <12 hours of CIT performed the
      best overall, and strategies that reduce CIT (such as early allocation, pre
      recovery cross-matching, and chartered flights for organs) should be considered
      whenever possible.

PMID- 28636076
TI  - Prevalence and impact of obesity in people with haemophilia: Review of literature
      and expert discussion around implementing weight management guidelines.
AB  - Obesity affects more than 35% of Americans, increasing the risk of more than 200
      comorbid conditions, impaired quality of life and premature mortality. This
      review aimed to summarize literature published over the past 15 years regarding
      the prevalence and impact of obesity in people with haemophilia (PWH) and to
      discuss implementing general guidelines for weight management in the context of
      the haemophilia comprehensive care team. Although few studies have assessed the
      effects of obesity on haemophilia-specific outcomes, existing evidence indicates
      an important impact of weight status on lower extremity joint range of motion and
      functional disability, with potentially important effects on overall quality of
      life. Data regarding bleeding tendency in PWH with coexisting obesity are largely
      inconclusive; however, some individuals may experience reduced joint bleeds
      following moderate weight loss. Additionally, conventional weight-based dosing of
      factor replacement therapy leads to increased treatment costs for PWH with
      obesity or overweight, suggesting pharmacoeconomic benefits of weight loss.
      Evidence-based recommendations for weight loss include behavioural strategies to
      reduce caloric intake and increase physical activity, pharmacotherapy and
      surgical therapy in appropriate patients. Unique considerations in PWH include
      bleed-related risks with physical activity; thus, healthcare professionals should
      advise patients on types and intensities of, and approaches to, physical
      activity, how to adjust treatment to accommodate exercise and how to manage
      potential activity-related bleeding. Increasing awareness of these issues may
      improve identification of PWH with coexisting obesity and referral to appropriate
      specialists, with potentially wide-ranging benefits in overall health and well
      being.

PMID- 28636075
TI  - Molecular cloning, mRNA expression and biological activity of the pheromone
      biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) from the European corn borer,
      Ostrinia nubilalis.
AB  - Pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) is a member of the
      pyrokinin (FXPRLamide) insect neuropeptides. Here, we report the cloning of the
      gene Ostnu-PBAN from the E and Z pheromone strains of the European corn borer
      (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a major pest of maize. The
      Ostnu-PBAN genomic sequence is > 5 kb in length and consists of six exons. The
      deduced amino acid sequence revealed a 200-residue precursor protein including a
      signal peptide, a 24-amino acid (aa) diapause hormone, a 37-aa PBAN and three
      other FXPRLamide neuropeptides. Our in vivo assays suggest that the 37-aa
      synthetic Ostnu-PBAN is hormonally active in the pheromone gland. It restores sex
      pheromone production to normal levels in mated females and decapitated virgins of
      both E and Z cultures. The results of a real-time PCR analysis indicated that
      Ostnu-PBAN mRNA levels reached a plateau in the brain-suboesophageal ganglion
      complexes 1 day after eclosion, and mating did not affect the mRNA expression.
      Three size classes of Ostnu-PBAN mRNA (1.9, 2.0 and 2.1 kb) were obtained,
      differing only in the length of the 3' untranslated region. However, there was no
      correlation between sequence divergence and the pheromone composition, voltinism
      or geographical origin (Hungary, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey) of ECB moths.

PMID- 28636077
TI  - Arabidopsis shaker pollen inward K+ channel SPIK functions in SnRK1 complex
      regulated pollen hydration on the stigma.
AB  - Pollen hydration is a critical step that determines pollen germination on the
      stigma. KINbetagamma is a plant-specific subunit of the SNF1-related protein
      kinase 1 complex (SnRK1 complex). In pollen of the Arabidopsis kinbetagamma
      mutant, the levels of reactive oxygen species were decreased which lead to
      compromised hydration of the mutant pollen on the stigma. In this study, we
      analyzed gene expression in kinbetagamma mutant pollen by RNA-seq and found the
      expression of inward shaker K+ channel SPIK was down-regulated in the
      kinbetagamma pollen. Furthermore, we showed that the pollen hydration of the
      Arabidopsis spik mutant was defective on the wild-type stigma, although the
      mutant pollen demonstrated normal hydration in vitro. Additionally, the defective
      hydration of spik mutant pollen could not be rescued by the wild-type pollen on
      the stigma, indicating that the spik mutation deprived the capability of pollen
      absorption on the stigma. Our results suggest that the Arabidopsis SnRK1 complex
      regulates SPIK expression, which functions in determining pollen hydration on the
      stigma.

PMID- 28636078
TI  - Microbial lipopeptide production and purification bioprocesses, current progress
      and future challenges.
AB  - Lipopeoptides are amphiphilic compounds combining interesting physicochemical
      properties and biological activities. Due to their high foaming capacity in
      aerated bioreactor, the development of scalable bioprocesses for their production
      is a major bottleneck. In addition, the genes involved in the biosynthesis of
      these lipopeptides are mainly regulated by the quorum sensing, a global
      regulatory mechanism depending on cell density and known to be activated in
      biofilms. Several approaches have thus been considered in literature taking into
      account two criteria, on one side, to favor, control or avoid foam formation and
      on the other side, to use planktonic or immobilized (biofilm) cells. These
      different bioprocesses are discussed in the present review along with the
      purification strategies proposed for extracting and concentrating these
      biosurfactants.

PMID- 28636079
TI  - Amelanotic melanoma in a child, the importance of suspecting the disease.

PMID- 28636080
TI  - Case of successful treatment of subcutaneous granuloma annulare with local
      hyperthermia.

PMID- 28636081
TI  - Cell size and wall dimensions drive distinct variability of earlywood and
      latewood density in Northern Hemisphere conifers.
AB  - Interannual variability of wood density - an important plant functional trait and
      environmental proxy - in conifers is poorly understood. We therefore explored the
      anatomical basis of density. We hypothesized that earlywood density is determined
      by tracheid size and latewood density by wall dimensions, reflecting their
      different functional tasks. To determine general patterns of variability, density
      parameters from 27 species and 349 sites across the Northern Hemisphere were
      correlated to tree-ring width parameters and local climate. We performed the same
      analyses with density and width derived from anatomical data comprising two
      species and eight sites. The contributions of tracheid size and wall dimensions
      to density were disentangled with sensitivity analyses. Notably, correlations
      between density and width shifted from negative to positive moving from earlywood
      to latewood. Temperature responses of density varied intraseasonally in strength
      and sign. The sensitivity analyses revealed tracheid size as the main determinant
      of earlywood density, while wall dimensions become more influential for latewood
      density. Our novel approach of integrating detailed anatomical data with large
      scale tree-ring data allowed us to contribute to an improved understanding of
      interannual variations of conifer growth and to illustrate how conifers balance
      investments in the competing xylem functions of hydraulics and mechanical
      support.

PMID- 28636083
TI  - Editorial Comment to Predictive value of different prostate-specific antigen
      based markers in men with baseline total prostate-specific antigen <2.0 ng/mL.

PMID- 28636082
TI  - Salvianolic acid B protects against acute lung injury by decreasing TRPM6 and
      TRPM7 expressions in a rat model of sepsis.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of salvianolic acid B (SA
      B) on acute lung injury (ALI) through decreasing the expressions of channel
      kinase's TRPM6 and TRPM7. Wistar Septic rat models were established by
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which were separated into the control,
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS), SA-B, SA-B + si-TRPM6, SA-B + si-TRPM7, si-TRPM6, and
      si-TRPM7 groups. Arterial blood gas, protein content, total white blood cell
      (WBC) count and the percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN%) were
      measured. Levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
      (BALF) were monitored. Lung coefficient, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide
      dismutase (SOD) activity were conducted by MPO and SOD kit. The mRNA expressions
      of TRPM6 and TRPM7 were detected by qRT-PCR. Compared with the control group, the
      PaO2 and PaO2 /FiO2 values exhibited decreases in other group, while the PaCO2
      value, protein content, total WBC, PMN%, TNF-alpha, IL-6 levels and lung
      coefficient values all increased. MPO activity in lung tissue increased, while
      SOD activity decreased. TRPM6 and TRPM7 expressions increased significantly.
      Compared with the LPS group, the SA-B, SA-B + si-TRPM6, SA-B + si-TRPM7, si
      TRPM6, and si-TRPM7 groups had increased PaO2 and the PaO2 /FiO2 , while
      decreased PaCO2, protein content, total WBC, PMN%, TNF-alpha, IL-6 levels, and
      lung coefficient. MPO activity in lung tissue decreased while SOD activity
      increased. Decreased mRNA expressions of TRPM6 and TRPM7 in the SA-B, SA-B + si
      TRPM6, and SA-B + si-TRPM6 groups were observed. Through decreasing the
      expressions of the channel kinase TRPM6 and TRPM7, SA-B protects against ALI in
      septic rats.

PMID- 28636084
TI  - Co-morbidities and bleeding in elderly patients with haemophilia-A survey of the
      German, Austrian and Swiss Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Research (GTH).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nowadays patients with haemophilia survive longer due to improvements
      in haemophilia care. It has been hypothesized that the bleeding type and
      frequency may vary with age and are influenced by co-morbidities and co
      medication in elderly patients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate a large group of
      patients older than 60 years of age with haemophilia concerning haemophilia
      treatment, bleeding pattern changes, co-morbidities, co-medication, bleeding
      sites and patient mortality. METHODS: A retrospective multi-centre data
      collection study was initiated on behalf of the German, Austrian and Swiss
      Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis Research (GTH). Parameters of interest were
      investigated over the 5 years prior to study entry. RESULTS: A total of 185
      haemophilia patients (mean age, 69.0+/-7.0 years, 29% with severe haemophilia)
      were included in the study. Regular prophylaxis was performed in 30% of the
      patients with severe haemophilia. In total, the annual bleeding rate was 2.49 and
      in patients with severe haemophilia 5.61, mostly caused by joint bleeds.
      Hypertension was the most common co-morbidity, but it occurred significantly less
      frequently than in an age-matched general population older than 70 years; 12% of
      the patients suffered from ischaemic heart disease, and 13% of the patients
      received anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy. Within the observation period,
      17% of the patients with severe haemophilia developed a higher frequency of
      bleeding symptoms, which was significantly associated with the use of
      antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The most common co-morbidity of
      the patient population was hypertension, a considerable part had ischemic heart
      disease and antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs.

PMID- 28636085
TI  - Herbivore performance and plant defense after sequential attacks by inducing and
      suppressing herbivores.
AB  - It is well known that herbivore-induced plant defenses alter host plant quality
      and can affect the behavior and performance of later arriving herbivores. Effects
      of sequential attacks by herbivores that either suppress or induce plant defenses
      are less well studied. We sequentially infested leaves of tomato plants with a
      strain of the phytophagous spider mite Tetranychus urticae that induces plant
      defenses and the closely related Tetranychus evansi, which suppresses plant
      defenses. Plant quality was quantified through oviposition of both spider mite
      species and by measuring proteinase inhibitor activity using plant material that
      had been sequentially attacked by both herbivore species. Spider-mite oviposition
      data show that T. evansi could suppress an earlier induction of plant defenses by
      T. urticae, and T. urticae could induce defenses in plants previously attacked by
      T. evansi in 1 day. Longer attacks by the second species did not result in
      further changes in oviposition. Proteinase inhibitor activity levels showed that
      T. evansi suppressed the high activity levels induced by T. urticae to
      constitutive levels in 1 day, and further suppressed activity to levels similar
      to those in plants attacked by T. evansi alone. Attacks by T. urticae induced
      proteinase inhibitor activity in plants previously attacked by T. evansi,
      eventually to similar levels as induced by T. urticae alone. Hence, plant quality
      and plant defenses were significantly affected by sequential attacks and the
      order of attack does not affect subsequent performance, but does affect
      proteinase inhibitor activity levels. Based on our results, we discuss the
      evolution of suppression of plant defenses.

PMID- 28636086
TI  - Selective and Tunable Near-Infrared and Visible Light Transmittance of MoO3-x
      Nanocomposites with Different Crystallinity.
AB  - In this Communication, we report MoO3-x nanocomposites in which the near-infrared
      and visible light transmittance can be selectively modulated through the
      crystallinity. The MoO3-x nanocomposites were fabricated by a hydrothermal
      method, and their optical properties were characterized by UV-Vis spectrometer.
      The obtained results proved the possibility to tune the nanocomposite's optical
      properties in the UV/Visible spectral region: crystalline MoO3 mainly regulates
      the near-infrared range (800-2600 nm), and amorphous MoO3-x mainly changes the
      visible range from 350 nm to 800 nm and MoO3-x , with semi-crystalline structures
      mainly modulating around 800-1000 nm. These kinds of optical modulations could be
      attributed to small polar absorption, free electron absorption and plasmon
      absorption according to different crystallinity. Our work may create new
      possibilities for future applications such as photochromism, photocatalysis, and
      electrochromism.

PMID- 28636087
TI  - Extended inferior antrostomy for maxillary sinus surgery.

PMID- 28636088
TI  - Multicompartment Drug Release System for Dynamic Modulation of Tissue Responses.
AB  - Pharmacological modulation of responses to injury is complicated by the need to
      deliver multiple drugs with spatiotemporal resolution. Here, a novel controlled
      delivery system containing three separate compartments with each releasing its
      contents over different timescales is fabricated. Core-shell electrospun fibers
      create two of the compartments in the system, while electrosprayed spheres create
      the third. Utility is demonstrated by targeting the foreign body response to
      implants because it is a dynamic process resulting in implant failure. Sequential
      delivery of a drug targeting nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and an
      antifibrotic is characterized in in vitro experiments. Specifically, macrophage
      fusion and p65 nuclear translocation in the presence of releasate or with
      macrophages cultured on the surfaces of the constructs are evaluated. In
      addition, releasate from pirfenidone scaffolds is shown to reduce transforming
      growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-induced pSMAD3 nuclear localization in fibroblasts.
      In vivo, drug eluting constructs successfully mitigate macrophage fusion at one
      week and fibrotic encapsulation in a dose-dependent manner at four weeks,
      demonstrating effective release of both drugs over different timescales. Future
      studies can employ this system to improve and prolong implant lifetimes, or load
      it with other drugs to modulate other dynamic processes.

PMID- 28636089
TI  - Geographic substructure in craniometric estimates of admixture for contemporary
      American populations.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study investigates heterogeneity in craniometrically-derived
      estimates of admixture in order to reveal population substructure in a sample of
      Black, White, Hispanic, and Native American individuals from the FDB. It reports
      evidence of spatial trends in population-specific patterns of admixture and
      contextualizes its results in terms of demographic diversity in the United
      States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The FDB was sampled to capture the population
      variation within forensic casework, skeletal collections, and the U.S. population
      at-large. Individuals were selected for the availability of population
      identifier, sex, and geographic information. Variation in inferred admixture
      proportions was evaluated, per population and by sex, for evidence of geographic
      substructure. Comparative data was sourced from the U.S. Census. RESULTS: This
      analysis identifies significant associations between the estimated Black, Native
      American and White component memberships and place of birth and recovery. The
      sampled populations differ significantly in admixture proportions, in a
      systematic way. Admixture patterns vary in accordance with the densities and
      relative proportions of the U.S. census populations. DISCUSSION: There is
      considerable variation in admixture estimates, not just between, but notably
      within, all four of the populations. This substructure can be explained by
      differences in geography, including regions, divisions, and states. This
      article's findings agree with census trends and speak broadly to admixture
      dynamics and ancestral diversity among contemporary Americans. They are also
      specifically relevant to those cases in the FDB. The presence of subpopulations
      has implications for cranial research, forensic identification, and studies of
      biological variation in the United States.

PMID- 28636090
TI  - Chronic inflammatory acantholytic dermatosis: a previously under-recognized or
      emerging variant of Grover disease.

PMID- 28636091
TI  - Biodegradable stents in the treatment of benign biliary strictures: Does one size
      fit all?

PMID- 28636092
TI  - Impact of diagnosis of von Willebrand disease on patient outcomes: Analysis of
      medical insurance claims data.
AB  - The inherited bleeding disorder von Willebrand disease (VWD) is challenging to
      diagnose owing to disease heterogeneity, lack of a definitive laboratory test and
      variations in diagnostic criteria. We evaluated the impact of diagnosis and
      diagnostic delay on patient outcomes. The PharMetrics Plus Database was
      interrogated for medical claims for VWD (ICD-9 286.4) and bleeding events between
      1 January 2006 and 30 June 2015. Longitudinal analysis was performed of patients
      newly diagnosed with VWD (>=9 months' continuous enrolment before first VWD
      claim) through 24 months following diagnosis. In total, 32 028 diagnosed,
      including 18 182 newly diagnosed, patients were identified. Most patients (72%)
      were female. Prediagnosis, bleeding symptoms were most commonly managed by a
      hospitalist/emergency room physician. Misrecognition of VWD was common, with 25%
      of patients visiting the same specialist type at least twice for an episodic
      bleed before diagnosis. Thirty-seven percentage of patients had no diagnostic
      laboratory test within 24 months of their initial diagnostic claim. Bleed claims
      reduced following diagnosis: 41% and 26% of female and male patients,
      respectively, had claims in the year prediagnosis, falling to 21% and 9% of
      patients at 1-2 years postdiagnosis. The proportion of patients with multiple
      bleed claims also decreased, from 17% to 6% (females) and 7% to 3% (males).
      Serially misrecognized patients continued to have more bleeding episodes than
      other patients, although bleed frequency was lower than before diagnosis. There
      is a need for improved patient management from bleeding presentation onward to
      reduce the time to VWD diagnosis and to enhance patient outcomes.

PMID- 28636093
TI  - Introspection Plays an Early Role in Children's Explicit Theory of Mind
      Development.
AB  - This study assessed children's (N = 236) ability to introspect the mental states
      of seeing and knowing relative to their ability to attribute each state to
      others. Children could introspect seeing 10 months before they could introspect
      knowing. Two- and 3-year-olds correctly reported their own seeing states, whereas
      3- and 4-year-olds correctly reported their own knowing states. For each mental
      state, there was a 7-month difference before children could correctly attribute
      that state to another. These findings indicate that knowing is more difficult to
      introspect than seeing and that the ability to introspect each mental state
      emerges prior to the ability to correctly attribute them to others. Theoretical
      implications for self-other differences in theory-of-mind development are
      considered.

PMID- 28636094
TI  - Characterisation of clonal Philadelphia-negative cytogenetic abnormalities in a
      large cohort of chronic myeloid leukaemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clonal Philadelphia (Ph)-negative cytogenetic abnormalities (CPCA)
      have been reported in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) patients treated with
      either interferon or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). However, the incidences and
      types of these cytogenetic abnormalities after treatment vary due to the limited
      populations enroled. METHODS: We analysed the frequency and types of CPCA in a
      cohort of 607 CML patients in the chronic phase after TKI treatment. We also
      followed up these CPCA with a median of 31.8 months (range from 11 to 63 months)
      from diagnosis and investigated their effects on disease progression. RESULTS: We
      found 18 out of 607 CML patients had cytogenetic abnormality in the Ph-negative
      cells with an incidence of 3%. In total, six types of chromosomal abnormalities
      have been identified in these 18 patients with the majority of them aneuploidy
      abnormalities, especially the trisomy 8. Four of 18 patients (22.2%) were noted
      to have several abnormalities in the Ph-negative cells. Furthermore, follow-up
      studies of these CPCA showed that they could be either persistent or transient
      (15 vs 3 patients), and may not affect disease progression since none of them
      developed transformed myelodysplasia or transformed acute myeloid leukaemia.
      CONCLUSION: Three percent of CML patients in the chronic phase were observed to
      have CPCA during TKI treatment. Our results suggest that the detection of CPCA in
      CML may not predict disease progression.

PMID- 28636095
TI  - Suppression or knockout of SaF/SaM overcomes the Sa-mediated hybrid male
      sterility in rice.
AB  - Hybrids between the indica and japonica subspecies of rice (Oryza sativa) are
      usually sterile, which hinders utilization of heterosis in the inter-subspecific
      hybrid breeding. The complex locus Sa comprises two adjacently located genes, SaF
      and SaM, which interact to cause abortion of pollen grains carrying the japonica
      allele in japonica-indica hybrids. Here we showed that silencing of SaF or SaM by
      RNA interference restored male fertility in indica-japonica hybrids with
      heterozygous Sa. We further used clustered regularly interspaced short
      palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing to knockout the SaF and
      SaM alleles, respectively, of an indica rice line to create hybrid-compatible
      lines. The resultant artificial neutral alleles did not affect pollen viability
      and other agricultural traits, but did break down the reproductive barrier in the
      hybrids. We found that some rice lines have natural neutral allele Sa-n, which
      was compatible with the typical japonica or indica Sa alleles in hybrids. Our
      results demonstrate that SaF and SaM are required for hybrid male sterility, but
      are not essential for pollen development. This study provides effective
      approaches for the generation of hybrid-compatible lines by knocking out the Sa
      locus or using the natural Sa-n allele to overcome hybrid male sterility in rice
      breeding. (c) 2017 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28636096
TI  - Continuous recording of oblique-view dermoscopy images enables observation of the
      convergence of the fibrillar into the parallel furrow pattern and to
      differentiate melanocytic naevi from acral melanoma.

PMID- 28636097
TI  - Digest: Finding new homes: Multilevel selection on birth timing and growth in
      North American red squirrels<sup/>.

PMID- 28636100
TI  - Plantar wart-like Candida granuloma in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome.

PMID- 28636099
TI  - Spectators or participants: How can SETAC become more engaged in international
      climate change research programs?
AB  - Environmental toxicologists and chemists have been crucial to evaluating the
      chemical fate and toxicological effects of environmental contaminants, including
      chlorinated pesticides, before and after Rachel Carson's publication of Silent
      Spring in 1962. Like chlorinated pesticides previously, global climate change is
      widely considered to be one of the most important environmental challenges of our
      time. Over the past 30 yr, climate scientists and modelers have shown that
      greenhouse gases such as CO2 and CH4 cause radiative forcing (climate forcing)
      and lead to increased global temperatures. Despite significant climate change
      research efforts worldwide, the climate science community has overlooked
      potential problems associated with chemical contaminants, in particular how
      climate change could magnify the ecological consequences of their use and
      disposal. It is conceivable that the impacts of legacy or new chemical
      contaminants on wildlife and humans may be exacerbated when climate changes,
      especially if global temperatures rise as predicted. This lack of attention to
      chemical contaminants represents an opportunity for environmental toxicologists
      and chemists to become part of the global research program, and our objective is
      to highlight the importance of and ways for that to occur. Environ Toxicol Chem
      2017;36:1971-1977. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28636098
TI  - Repeated procedures at the generator pocket are a determinant of implantable
      cardioverter-defibrillator infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rates of cardiac-device infections have increased in recent years,
      but the current incidence and risk factors for infection in patients with
      implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are not well known. HYPOTHESIS:
      The increasing number of ICD infections is related to accumulated pocket
      manipulations over time. METHODS: This single-center, prospective study included
      patients that underwent ICD implantation from 2008 to 2015. The endpoint was time
      to infection. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent risk
      factors related to infection. RESULTS: The study included a total of 570
      patients, of whom 419 (73.5%) underwent a first implantation. Mean age was 59 +/-
      14 years, and 80% were male. During a median follow-up of 36 months
      (interquartile range, 18-61 months; 1887 patient-years), infection was identified
      in 26 patients (4.56%), an incidence of 14.9 * 1000 patient-years. Median time to
      infection was 9.7 months (interquartile range, 1.35-23.4 months), and 38.5% were
      late infections (beyond 12 months of follow-up). In patients with replacement
      implants, the incidence was 3-fold higher than in first implantations (27.7 vs
      9.1 * 1000 patient-years; P = 0.002). Cox regression identified 2 independent
      predictors of ICD infection: cumulative number of interventions at the generator
      pocket (hazard ratio: 1.92, 95% confidence interval: 1.42-2.6, P < 0.001) and
      pocket hematoma (hazard ratio: 7.0, 95% confidence interval: 2.7-17.9, P <
      0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of infection in ICD patients is greater than
      previously reported, largely due to late infections. Each new cumulative
      intervention at the same generator pocket nearly doubles the risk of infection.

PMID- 28636101
TI  - Knockdown of lncRNA MEG3 inhibits viability, migration, and invasion and promotes
      apoptosis by sponging miR-127 in osteosarcoma cell.
AB  - Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common bone malignancies and occurs almost
      exclusively in children and adolescents. This study aimed to explore the role of
      lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) in OS cells growth and metastasis, and
      to uncover the possible underlying mechanism. In this study, the expressions of
      MEG3 in five OS cell lines (MG63, OS-732, SaOS, G292, and 143B) and in a human
      osteoblast cell line hFOB1.19 were measured by qRT-PCR analysis. The expressions
      of MEG3, miR-127, and ZEB1 in OS-732 cells were overexpressed or suppressed by
      transfection. Cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were then
      assessed. The results showed that MEG3 was highly expressed in OS cell lines when
      compared to hFOB1.19 cell. MEG3 silence significantly suppressed OS-732 cells
      growth and metastasis, as evidenced by the decreases in cell viability,
      migration, invasion, and increase in apoptotic cell rate. MEG3 acted as an
      endogenous sponge by binding to miR-127. More interestingly, MEG3 silence could
      not suppress OS-732 cells growth and metastasis when miR-127 was knocked down.
      ZEB1 was a target gene of miR-127, and miR-127 overexpression-induced impairments
      in cell growth and metastasis were attenuated when ZEB1 was overexpressed.
      Moreover,miR-127 suppression activated JNK and Wnt signaling pathways, while
      these activations were recovered by ZEB1 silence. To conclude, our findings
      suggest that lncRNA MEG3 promoted OS cells growth and metastasis in vitro through
      sponging miR-127. This study provides the evidence that MEG3 may be a potential
      therapeutic target for OS.

PMID- 28636102
TI  - Does the portal of entry determine our view? Interfaces between dyadic and three
      way assessment of a clinical family transitioning to parenthood.
AB  - The purpose of this interface was to explore the influences of dyadic and three
      way observation on clinical assessment of young families. Three independent
      clinicians observed a clinically referred family using semistructured play
      paradigms, each with only a limited view of the family. One had only the data on
      dyadic interactions, the second only had data on the family triad, and the third
      observed both the dyads and the triad. Interactions were scored using
      standardized measures as well as the clinical impressions of the three
      practitioners. The various ports of entry yielded similar impressions in some
      instances, but each port also provided a richness of information not available
      from the other portal. Clinical implications are discussed, including not only
      the benefits of each port for assessment but also the implications for therapy in
      this case example.

PMID- 28636103
TI  - Interfaces between intersubjectivity and attachment: Three perspectives on a
      mother-infant inpatient case.
AB  - Despite much new literature on clinical early intervention, background
      theoretical issues have received less critical attention. In this study, we look
      at a single mother-infant case from different perspectives. To give the
      discussion a viable focus, we draw upon two types of specific material: an Adult
      Attachment Interview (M. Main & R. Goldwyn, 1985-1998) and a video of mother
      infant interaction. We elaborate some alternative conceptualizations of this
      material, noting similarities, contrasts, and differences in emphasis in these
      frameworks. A brief series of practical implications for clinical treatment is
      summarized in conclusion.

PMID- 28636104
TI  - Attachment disorders in family and social context.
AB  - Serious disturbances of attachment in young children have been increasingly
      studied in the past decade as they arise in atypical rearing environments. The
      purpose of this review is to provide an update on recent findings and to consider
      their implications. Research on children raised in institutions, children adopted
      out of institutions, and young children who have experienced neglect in families
      is considered. Reactive attachment disorder may be identified reliably in a
      minority of children being raised in severely neglectful environments. The
      emotionally withdrawn/inhibited pattern and the indiscriminately
      social/disinhibited pattern arise in similar conditions of risk, but respond
      differently to intervention and appear to have different correlates. Much has
      been learned about the emotionally withdrawn/inhibited pattern of reactive
      attachment disorder and the indiscriminately social/disinhibited pattern. Much
      less is known about so-called secure base distortions or relational disorders of
      attachment.

PMID- 28636105
TI  - The clinical relevance of infancy: A progress report.
AB  - In the past few decades, findings from infant observations have played a key role
      in the following selected areas: (a) The emphasis now is on interpersonal and
      intersubjective processes rather than on intrapsychic processes. This is a
      paradigm shift towards a two-person psychology. (b) The elaboration of the
      attachment domain has reoriented our views of development and treatment. (c) The
      success of extended home-visiting programs as a preventive measure for parents
      and infants at risk has brought an agonizing reappraisal of what makes prevention
      (and therapy) work. (d) By default, the baby's world is nonverbal. This has led
      to a productive reexploration of unconsciousness, especially the domain of
      implicit knowledge. For the future, the following are some of the areas of great
      promise: (a) Attachment, love and "holding" must be disentangled. (b) We must
      study how and when the mirror neuron system gets micro- and macroregulated. One
      is not always open to empathic reception. (c) The articulation between the
      nonverbal (implicit) with the verbal (explicit) needs far more study. (d) The
      nonspecific factors of psychotherapy seem to be the most important in bringing
      about change and prevention. We need a greater systematic study of the
      nonspecific. (e) The triad and quartet, and so on need further exploration. (f)
      There are many more, but the beauty of research is that you can't know where it
      will go next.

PMID- 28636106
TI  - Infant's triangular communication in "two for one" versus "two against one"
      family triangles: Case illustrations.
AB  - Infants use their social competence very early to communicate not only in dyads
      but also in triads, in particular in the triangle they form with their mother and
      father. The development of this triangular communication is largely shaped by the
      ways the parents support or undermine each other in relation to their child.
      Whereas triangular communication is facilitated in "two for one" alliances, it is
      recruited in the service of regulating the parents' conflicts in "two against
      one" coalitions. These processes are manifest in toddlerhood and may be traced
      back to the coparenting alliance in formation during pregnancy.

PMID- 28636107
TI  - The infant's relational worlds: Family, community, and culture.

PMID- 28636108
TI  - Understanding the influences and impact of patient-clinician communication in
      cancer care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patient-clinician communication is thought to be central to care
      outcomes, but when and how communication affects patient outcomes is not well
      understood. OBJECTIVE: We propose a conceptual model and classification framework
      upon which the empirical evidence base for the impact of patient-clinician
      communication can be summarized and further built. DESIGN: We use the proposed
      model and framework to summarize findings from two recent systematic reviews, one
      evaluating the use of shared decision making (SDM) on cancer care outcomes and
      the other evaluating the role of physician recommendation in cancer screening
      use. KEY RESULTS: Using this approach, we identified clusters of studies with
      positive findings, including those relying on the measurement of SDM from the
      patients' perspective and affective-cognitive outcomes, particularly in the
      context of surgical treatment decision making. We also identify important gaps in
      the literature, including the role of SDM in post-surgical treatment and end-of
      life care decisions, and those specifying particular physician communication
      strategies when recommending cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: Transparent linkages
      between key conceptual domains and the influence of methodological approaches on
      observed patient outcomes are needed to advance our understanding of how and when
      patient-clinician communication influences patient outcomes. The proposed
      conceptual model and classification framework can be used to facilitate the
      translation of empirical evidence into practice and to identify critical gaps in
      knowledge regarding how and when patient-clinician communication impacts care
      outcomes in the context of cancer and health care more broadly.

PMID- 28636109
TI  - Xq26.1-26.3 duplication including MOSPD1 and GPC3 identified in boy with short
      stature and double outlet right ventricle.
AB  - Xq25q26 duplication syndrome has been reported in individuals with clinical
      features such as short stature, intellectual disability, syndromic facial
      appearance, small hands and feet, and genital abnormalities. The symptoms are
      related to critical chromosome regions including Xq26.1-26.3. In this particular
      syndrome, no patient with congenital heart disease was previously reported. Here,
      we report a 6-year-old boy with typical symptoms of Xq25q26 duplication syndrome
      and double outlet right ventricle (DORV) with pulmonary atresia (PA). He had the
      common duplicated region of Xq25q26 duplication syndrome extending to the distal
      region including the MOSPD1 locus. MOSPD1 regulates transforming growth factor
      beta (TGFbeta) 2,3 and may be responsible for cardiac development including DORV.
      In the patient's lymphocytes, mRNA expression of TGFbeta2 was lower than control,
      and might cause DORV as it does in TGFbeta2-deficient mice. Therefore, MOSPD1 is
      a possible candidate gene for DORV, probably in combination with GPC3. Further
      studies of the combined functions of MOSPD1 and GPC3 are needed, and
      identification of additional patients with MOSPD1 and GPC3 duplication should be
      pursued.

PMID- 28636110
TI  - Cumulative toxicity of neonicotinoid insecticide mixtures to Chironomus dilutus
      under acute exposure scenarios.
AB  - Extensive agricultural use of neonicotinoid insecticide products has resulted in
      the presence of neonicotinoid mixtures in surface waters worldwide. Although many
      aquatic insect species are known to be sensitive to neonicotinoids, the impact of
      neonicotinoid mixtures is poorly understood. In the present study, the cumulative
      toxicities of binary and ternary mixtures of select neonicotinoids (imidacloprid,
      clothianidin, and thiamethoxam) were characterized under acute (96-h) exposure
      scenarios using the larval midge Chironomus dilutus as a representative aquatic
      insect species. Using the MIXTOX approach, predictive parametric models were
      fitted and statistically compared with observed toxicity in subsequent mixture
      tests. Single-compound toxicity tests yielded median lethal concentration (LC50)
      values of 4.63, 5.93, and 55.34 MUg/L for imidacloprid, clothianidin, and
      thiamethoxam, respectively. Because of the similar modes of action of
      neonicotinoids, concentration-additive cumulative mixture toxicity was the
      predicted model. However, we found that imidacloprid-clothianidin mixtures
      demonstrated response-additive dose-level-dependent synergism, clothianidin
      thiamethoxam mixtures demonstrated concentration-additive synergism, and
      imidacloprid-thiamethoxam mixtures demonstrated response-additive dose-ratio
      dependent synergism, with toxicity shifting from antagonism to synergism as the
      relative concentration of thiamethoxam increased. Imidacloprid-clothianidin
      thiamethoxam ternary mixtures demonstrated response-additive synergism. These
      results indicate that, under acute exposure scenarios, the toxicity of
      neonicotinoid mixtures to C. dilutus cannot be predicted using the common
      assumption of additive joint activity. Indeed, the overarching trend of
      synergistic deviation emphasizes the need for further research into the
      ecotoxicological effects of neonicotinoid insecticide mixtures in field settings,
      the development of better toxicity models for neonicotinoid mixture exposures,
      and the consideration of mixture effects when setting water quality guidelines
      for this class of pesticides. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3091-3101. (c) 2017
      SETAC.

PMID- 28636111
TI  - Microalbuminuria is associated with increased choroidal thickness in type 1
      diabetes mellitus patients without diabetic retinopathy.

PMID- 28636113
TI  - Linking ReI and PtII Chromophores with Aminopyridines: A Simple Route to Achieve
      a Complicated Photophysical Behavior.
AB  - The bifunctional aminopyridine ligands H2 N-(CH2 )n -4-C5 H4 N (n=0, L1; 1, L2;
      2, L3) have been utilized for the preparation of the rhenium complexes
      [Re(phen)(CO)3 (L1-L3)]+ (1-3; phen=phenanthroline). Complexes 2 and 3 with NH2 
      coordinated L2 and L3, respectively, were coupled with cycloplatinated motifs
      {Pt(ppy)Cl} and {Pt(dpyb)}+ (ppy=2-phenylpyridine, dpyb=dipyridylbenzene) to give
      the bimetallic species [Re(phen)(CO)3 (MU-L2/L3)Pt(ppy)Cl]+ (4, 6) and
      [Re(phen)(CO)3 (MU-L2/L3)Pt(dpyb)]2+ (5, 7). In solution, complexes 4 and 6 show
      3 MLCT {Re}-based emission at 298 K, which changes to the 3 IL(ppy) state at 77
      K. The photophysical properties of compounds 5 and 7 display a pronounced
      concentration dependence, presumably due to the formation of bimolecular
      aggregates. Analysis of the spectroscopic data, combined with TD-DFT simulations,
      suggest that unconventional heteroleptic {Re(phen)}???{Pt(dpyb)} pi-pi stacking
      operates as the driving force for ground-state association. The latter, together
      with intra- and intermolecular energy-transfer processes, determines the
      appearance of multiple emission bands and results in nonlinear relaxation
      kinetics of the excited states.

PMID- 28636112
TI  - Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles obtained from charcoal via green methods and
      their application for sensing Fe3+ in an aqueous medium.
AB  - Two green methods (microwave and hydrothermal) were employed for the preparation
      of water dispersible fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) from activated
      charcoal. Microwave and hydrothermally synthesized carbon nanoparticles, (MW
      CNPs) and (HT-CNPs), respectively were characterized by microscopic and
      spectroscopic techniques. A detailed study of their fluorescence characteristics
      was made. MW-CNPs and HT-CNPs were tested for metal ion selectivity in aqueous
      medium. MW-CNPs showed selectivity for Fe3+ among the tested metal ions and
      important studies such as for interference, linear range and limit of detection
      were carried out. The application of MW-CNPs for detection of Fe3+ in water was
      demonstrated.

PMID- 28636114
TI  - SET/I2PP2A overexpression induces phenotypic, molecular, and metabolic
      alterations in an oral keratinocyte cell line.
AB  - The multifunctional SET/I2PP2A protein is known to be overexpressed in head and
      neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, SET has been reported to have apparently
      conflicting roles in promoting cancer cell survival under oxidative stress
      conditions and preventing invasion and metastasis, complicating efforts to
      understand the contribution of SET to carcinogenesis. In the present study, we
      overexpressed SETin a spontaneously immortalized oral keratinocyte cell line (NOK
      SI SET) and demonstrated that SET upregulation alone was sufficient to transform
      cells. In comparison with NOK-SI cells, NOK-SI SET cells demonstrated increased
      levels of phosphorylated Akt, c-Myc and inactive/phosphorylated Rb, together with
      decreased total Rb protein levels. In addition, NOK-SI SET cells presented the
      following: (a) a spindle-cell shape morphology compared with the polygonal
      morphology of NOK-SI cells; (b) loss of mesenchymal stem cell markers CD44 and
      CD73, and epithelial cell markers CD71 and integrin alpha6/beta4; (c) the ability
      to form xenograft tumors in nude mice; and (d) increased mitochondrial
      respiration accompanied by decreased ROSlevels. Overall, our results show that
      SEToverexpression promotes morphological and oncogenic cell transformation of an
      oral keratinocyte cell.

PMID- 28636115
TI  - SiRNA-Mediated Down-Regulation of CLIC4 Gene Inhibits Cell Proliferation and
      Accelerates Cell Apoptosis of Mouse Liver Cancer Hca-F and Hca-P Cells.
AB  - This study explored the effects involved in silencing CLIC4 on apoptosis and
      proliferation of mouse liver cancer Hca-F and Hca-P cells. A CLIC4-target small
      interfering RNA (siRNA) was designed to compound into two individual
      complementary oligonucleotide chains. A process of annealing and connection to a
      pSilencer vector was followed by transfection with Hca-F and Hca-P cells.
      Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting techniques
      were used to determine CLIC4 mRNA and protein expressions. CCK8 assay and flow
      cytometry were employed for analysis of the survival and apoptosis rate as well
      as the cell cycle in an octreotide-induced apoptosis model. Expressions of
      caspase 3, caspase 9, and cleaved PARP were measured using Western blotting. The
      CLIC4 mRNA and protein expressions in Hca-F and Hca-P cells transfected by
      pSilencer-CLIC4 siRNA plasmid in the blank group displayed remarkably decreased
      levels of expression, when compared with both the control and negative control
      (NC) groups. Decreased survival rates and cleaved PARP expression, increased cell
      apoptosis rate,expressions of caspase 3 and caspase 9 in Hca-F and Hca-P cells
      were detected in groups that had been cultured in a medium containing octreotide.
      The pSilencer-CLIC4 siRNA-2 group when compared with the control and NC groups
      exhibited decreased survival rates, cleaved PARP expression, increased cell
      apoptosis rates, and increased expressions of caspase 3 and caspase 9 of Hca-F
      and Hca-P cells. The results demonstrated that siRNA-induced down-regulation of
      CLIC4 could proliferation, while in turn promoting apoptosis of mouse liver
      cancer Hca-F and Hca-P cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 659-668, 2018. (c) 2017
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28636117
TI  - Infant irritability: The impact of fetal alcohol exposure, maternal depressive
      symptoms, and low emotional support from the husband.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fetal alcohol
      exposure, maternal depressive symptoms, and low emotional support from the
      husband on infant irritability in the first one and a half years of life. Four
      models describing the interplay of these factors were assessed: A direct effect
      model, an interaction or threshold model, a mediational model and a transactional
      model. METHOD: A sample of initially 458 women was assessed in a prospective 3
      wave study across the first 17 months after childbirth. Fetal alcohol exposure
      was questioned retrospectively six weeks after birth. Infant irritability was
      reported by the mothers and fathers. RESULTS: Support for the direct effect model
      and the interaction model could be found: Fetal alcohol exposure and low
      emotional support from the husband were associated with increased infant
      irritability at 5 months. The impact of fetal alcohol exposure was moderated by
      postnatal depressive symptoms. More irritability was reported if both risk
      factors, prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal depressive symptoms, were
      present. Infant irritability and maternal depressive symptoms were associated
      cross-sectionally. At the age of 17 months only a main effect of prenatal alcohol
      exposure on irritability could be found. CONCLUSION: Direct effects of fetal
      alcohol exposure, maternal depressive symptoms, and low emotional support from
      the husband on infant irritability as well as an interaction between fetal
      alcohol exposure and maternal depressive symptoms were revealed. The interaction
      can be understood in terms of a diathesis-stress model. However, no longitudinal
      associations between maternal depressive symptoms and infant irritability could
      be found.

PMID- 28636116
TI  - Curriculum content and assessment of pre-clinical dental skills: A survey of
      undergraduate dental education in Europe.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Since 1981, the qualifications for various healthcare professionals
      across the European Union have enjoyed mutual recognition in accordance with the
      EU Directive 81/1057/EEC. Whilst the directive includes dental practitioners, it
      is recognised that significant variation exists in curriculum structure, content
      and scope of practice across institutions. This article aimed to explore pan
      European practice in relation to curriculum content, teaching and learning
      strategies and assessment of pre-clinical dental skills. METHOD: A request to
      complete an online questionnaire, in English, was sent electronically to skills
      leads at all Association of Dental Education in Europe member schools. The
      questionnaire collected information in relation to institution and country,
      regulatory requirements to demonstrate safety, details of specific pre-clinical
      skills courses, learning materials and teaching staff. RESULTS: Forty-eight
      institutions, from 25 European countries responded. Seven countries (n=7, 28%)
      reported no requirement to demonstrate student operative safety prior to patient
      treatment. Several core and operative clinical skills are common to the majority
      of institutions. The most commonly taught core skills related directly to the
      clinical environment such as cross-infection control and hand washing. The least
      common were skills that indirectly related to patient care, such as communication
      skills and working as a team. CONCLUSION: There are clear differences within
      European pre-clinical dental education, and greater efforts are needed to
      demonstrate that all European students are fit to practice before they start
      treating patients. Learning outcomes, teaching activities and assessment
      activities of pre-clinical skills should be shared collaboratively to further
      standardise curricula.

PMID- 28636118
TI  - Mental health in infants with esophageal atresia.
AB  - Chronic somatic illness in infancy may challenge the development of mental health
      and impinge the infant's capability to form close interpersonal relationships.
      Esophageal atresia (EA) is a congenital anomaly requiring neonatal surgery,
      medical aftertreatment, and extended hospitalization. The aim of the study was to
      assess mental health and to find prognostic factors for mental health among
      infants with EA. Thirty-nine infants treated consecutively during 2000 to 2003
      and their mothers were included. Infant mental health was assessed by Diagnostic
      Classification: 0-3 (Zero to Three, 1994). Medical and environmental data were
      collected from medical records and semistructured interview with the mothers.
      Child development was assessed with the Bayley scales, second edition (N. Bayley,
      1993). Maternal psychological distress, anxiety, and child temperament were
      assessed by self-report questionnaires: the General Health Questionnaire, 30-item
      version (D. Goldberg & P. Williams, 1988); the State Trait Anxiety Inventory
      (C.D. Spielberger, R. Gorsuch, & R. Lushene, 1970); and the Infant Behaviour
      Questionnaire (M.K. Rothbart, 1981). Thirty-one percent of the infants with EA
      showed mental health disorders by 1 year of age. Prognostic factors predicting
      mental health were posttraumatic symptoms reported by mother, more than one
      operation, mechanical ventilation beyond 1 day, and moderate/severe chronic
      family strain. Relational trauma, vulnerable attachment, and impaired self
      development are highlighted as possible pathways for psychopathology. Children
      with EA are vulnerable to mental health disorders, and this study may help
      clinicians to identify children at risk.

PMID- 28636119
TI  - Termination as a therapeutic intervention when treating children who have
      experienced multiple losses.
AB  - Children who have endured traumatizing events often have a history of prior
      disruptions and losses which also have been experienced as traumatic. Termination
      of therapy with these children, therefore, provides a unique opportunity for the
      clinician to provide the traumatized child and his or her caregiver with a new
      experience of loss; one that is controlled, predictable, and paced. Through this
      experience, the child and caregiver can develop a new model for loss, one that
      permits for losses that are a natural part of healthy growth and change. This
      article outlines one approach to utilizing termination as an integral component
      of the therapeutic process with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and their
      caregivers. Using a psychodynamic model and working dyadically with the child and
      the caregiver, termination is approached as a primary intervention, pivotal to
      the successful treatment of this vulnerable population.

PMID- 28636120
TI  - Promoting infant well-being in the context of maternal depression by supporting
      the father.
AB  - Maternal depression is recognized as posing a significant risk to the healthy
      development of infants. Guided by attachment theory, interventions have focused
      on the distressed mother's relationship with her infant. While interventions
      which include fathers are reported in the literature, the processes involved in
      the fathers' support of a distressed mother and in his interactions with his
      infant in the context of maternal depression remain unexplored. In the case study
      described here, home-visiting support was directed to the father in a couple in
      which the mother had been treated for depression after the birth. The observed
      effects of the intervention on father-infant interaction and the "knock-on"
      effects on the mothers' parenting suggest that targeting support to fathers in
      distressed families should be considered. Points for a service protocol are
      provided to incorporate fathers into the identification and treatment of maternal
      distress.

PMID- 28636121
TI  - Young children's responses to September 11th: The New York City experience.
AB  - Although the knowledge base regarding very young children's responses to trauma
      has been expanding, descriptions of their responses to terrorism remain sparse.
      Yet, their vulnerability makes this an important group to study. Recent events in
      the United States (9/11, Hurricane Katrina) make this question highly relevant.
      This study aims to provide extensive descriptions of how children 5 years or
      younger on September 11th who were living in close proximity to Ground Zero
      responded that day and in the following months. Sixty-seven New York City parents
      (with 104 children) participated in focus groups between November 2001 and May
      2002. Focus groups also provided a foundation for an in-depth study examining
      young children's adaptation following 9/11 and changes in parenting behaviors
      after the disaster. Findings on children's behavioral and emotional reactions on
      9/11 and in the 8 months after as well as their need to return to normalcy are
      reported. Consistent with current understanding of trauma symptoms in young
      children, parents reported behaviors including chronic sleep disruptions, fearful
      reactions, development of new fears, and increased clinginess and separation
      anxiety following the disaster. On the actual day, children's responses were
      described as ranging from calm and cooperative to difficult and panicky.
      Implications for working with parents and young children affected by terrorism or
      community-level trauma and directions for future research are discussed.

PMID- 28636122
TI  - Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Down Syndrome: A Case Series.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Many dermatologic and systemic diseases have been reported
      in association with hidradenitis suppurativa, but its association with Down
      syndrome is rarely mentioned in the literature. The objective of the current
      study was to assess the frequency of hidradenitis suppurativa in patients with
      Down syndrome who visited our clinic over 4 years. METHODS: We recorded the
      presenting complaints and dermatologic problems of patients with Down syndrome
      who visited our clinic from January 2011 to December 2014. Medical photographs
      were taken. Patients with hidradenitis suppurativa were assessed according to
      severity and treated with topical and systemic medications. RESULTS: Twenty-nine
      new patients with Down syndrome visited our clinic during this period. Eleven had
      hidradenitis suppurativa. Disease severity included Hurley stages I and II.
      CONCLUSION: The presence of hidradenitis suppurativa in 38% of patients with Down
      syndrome is far higher than would be expected by chance alone.

PMID- 28636123
TI  - SEM imaging of the stimulatory response of RAW264.7 cells against Porphyromonas
      gingivalis using a simple technique employing new conductive materials.
AB  - In the medical biology, it is essential to understand not only biological
      morphology but also the interaction between biological materials and agents. To
      study these, electron microscopy (EM) is often utilized. However, sample
      preparation techniques for EM require a high level of skill and a considerable
      time. Here, we conducted EM using a simple technique employing a conductive
      liquid, BEL-1, and compared the results with another simple technique employing
      an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4 ]).
      BEL-1 was used for sample pretreatment, and the morphologies of the mouse RAW
      264.7 cell line, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and the RAW 264.7 cell line were
      stimulated via co-incubation with P. gingivalis and observed using field emission
      scanning EM (FE-SEM). In the present study, the inflammation-induced system of P.
      gingivalis was successfully established. FE-SEM results revealed the fine
      morphology of the RAW 264.7 cell line and P. gingivalis and confirmed a
      morphological change in the RAW 264.7 cell line caused by P. gingivalis
      stimulation. Using the developed sample preparation technique employing BEL-1,
      high-contrast and high-resolution observations of deformable biological materials
      were conducted without any difficulty or the necessity for complicated technique.
      This morphological information and the developed techniques can contribute to
      reveal the interaction between biological materials and agents and thereby
      accelerate drug formulation and disease treatment. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals,
      Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1280-1285, 2018.

PMID- 28636124
TI  - The IPS-scale: A new soft tissue assessment scale for percutaneous and
      transcutaneous implants for bone conduction devices.

PMID- 28636125
TI  - Forensic application of stable isotope delta values: Proposed minimum
      requirements for method validation.

PMID- 28636126
TI  - Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation: Case report and literature
      review.
AB  - Bilateral diffuse uveal melanocytic proliferation (BDUMP) is a rare
      paraneoplastic intraocular disease that causes progressive visual loss in
      patients driven by an IgG factor associated with an underlying malignancy.
      Characteristic ocular findings include exudative retinal detachment, rapid
      cataract formation and uveal melanocytic tumours. The awareness and documentation
      of BDUMP has increased during the past decade, and the increasing amount of data
      collected demonstrates the effect of treatment with plasmapheresis and the value
      of diagnostic tools in BDUMP such as genetic and immunologic investigations. The
      literature of BDUMP has not been reviewed since 2003, and there is a growing need
      for an updated review on diagnosis and management of BDUMP. We review the
      literature and report a case of BDUMP with a white ciliary body tumour, iris
      rubeosis, increased iris pigmentation and cataract.

PMID- 28636127
TI  - Nonmediated, Label-Free Based Detection of Cardiovascular Biomarker in a
      Biological Sample.
AB  - Direct electrochemical (EC) monitoring in a cell culture medium without electron
      transporter as called mediator is attractive topic in vitro organoid based on
      chip with frequently and long-time monitoring since it can avoid to its
      disadvantage as stability, toxicity. Here, direct monitoring with nonmediator is
      demonstrated based on impedance spectroscopy under the culture medium in order to
      overcome the limitation of mediator. The applicability of EC monitoring is shown
      by detecting alpha-1-anti trypsin (A1AT) which is known as biomarkers for cardiac
      damage and is widely chosen in organoid cardiac cell-based chip. The validity of
      presented EC monitoring is proved by observing signal processing and transduction
      in medium, mediator, medium-mediator complex. After the observation of electron
      behavior, A1AT as target analyte is immobilized on the electrode and detected
      using antibody-antigen interaction. As a result, the result indicates limit of
      detection is 10 ng mL-1 and linearity for the 10-1000 ng mL-1 range, with a
      sensitivity of 3980 nF (log [g mL])-1 retaining specificity. This EC monitoring
      is based on label-free and reagentless detection, will pave the way to use for
      continuous and simple monitoring of in vitro organoid platform.

PMID- 28636128
TI  - Phosphonium Salts as Pseudohalides: Regioselective Nickel-Catalyzed Cross
      Coupling of Complex Pyridines and Diazines.
AB  - Heterobiaryls are important pharmacophores that are challenging to prepare by
      traditional cross-coupling methods. An alternative approach is presented where
      pyridines and diazines are converted into heteroaryl phosphonium salts and
      coupled with aryl boronic acids. Nickel catalysts are unique for selective
      heteroaryl transfer, and the reaction has a broad substrate scope that includes
      complex pharmaceuticals. Phosphonium ions also display orthogonal reactivity in
      cross-couplings compared to halides, enabling chemoselective palladium- and
      nickel-catalyzed coupling sequences.

PMID- 28636129
TI  - The 52nd International Conference on Medicinal Chemistry (RICT 2016) of the
      French Medicinal Chemistry Society (SCT) Held in Caen (Normandy).
AB  - Outstanding Medchem in France: Guest editors Janos Sapi, Luc Van Hjfte, and
      Patrick Dallemagne look back at the 52nd International Conference on Medicinal
      Chemistry (RICT 2016) held in Caen, France. They discuss the history of the
      French Medicinal Chemistry Society (Societe de Chimie Therapeutique, SCT) and
      provide highlights of last year's events, including some key presentations now
      collected in this Special Issue.

PMID- 28636130
TI  - Microstructural changes in the fovea following autologous internal limiting
      membrane transplantation surgery for large macular holes.

PMID- 28636131
TI  - State, trait, and dental anxiety in caregivers of individuals with disabilities.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare state anxiety, trait anxiety, and
      dental anxiety in caregivers of patients with special needs and caregivers of
      pediatric patients without special needs at dental clinics. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected
      using a semistructured questionnaire. All respondents were older than 18 years of
      age. Individuals with cognitive impairment and those taking anxiolytics,
      antidepressants, or sleep-inducing medication were excluded from the study. The
      sample consisted of 55 caregivers of patients with special needs and 55
      caregivers of pediatric dental patients. A questionnaire was administered to
      determine the sociodemographic profile of the patients based on the 2015
      Brazilian Economic Classification Criteria. Anxiety regarding dental treatment
      was measured using the dental anxiety scale. The state-trait anxiety inventory
      was used to identify state and trait anxiety levels. RESULTS: Caregivers of
      individuals with disabilities had a similar level of anxiety as caregivers of
      pediatric dental patients. Most caregivers of individuals with disabilities were
      mothers with an older age and a greater frequency of trait anxiety, especially
      when these mothers had health problems. State anxiety was associated with a lower
      education level. CONCLUSIONS: Higher dental anxiety levels were found among
      caregivers with a higher level of trait anxiety, independently of the type of
      patient to which care was given.

PMID- 28636133
TI  - Association of chronic hypertension with birth of small-for-gestational-age
      neonate.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of chronic hypertension (CH), with and without
      superimposed pre-eclampsia (PE), on the incidence of a small-for-gestational-age
      (SGA) neonate and to explore the possible mechanism for such association.
      METHODS: Data for this study were derived from prospective screening for adverse
      pregnancy outcomes in women with singleton pregnancy attending their first
      routine hospital visit at 11-13 weeks' gestation, which included recording of
      maternal characteristics and medical history and measurement of mean arterial
      pressure (MAP). Birth-weight Z-score, adjusted for gestational age and maternal
      and pregnancy characteristics, and incidence of SGA were compared between those
      with and those without CH in the total population and in the subgroups of
      pregnancies with and without PE. Regression analysis was used to examine the
      relationship between MAP and birth-weight Z-score and incidence of SGA and PE in
      those with and those without CH. RESULTS: The study population constituted 74 226
      pregnancies, including 1052 (1.4%) with CH and 73 174 without CH. PE developed in
      233 (22.1%) cases of the group with CH and in 1662 (2.3%) of those without CH. In
      the group that developed PE, there was no significant difference for either
      median birth-weight Z-score or incidence of SGA between those with CH and those
      without CH. In the group without PE, the incidence of SGA was twice as high in
      those with CH than in those without. There was a significant association between
      log10 MAP multiples of the median and incidence of SGA and PE, which was more
      marked in those with CH than in those without. CONCLUSION: CH is associated with
      an increased risk of SGA and PE and this is related to MAP at 11-13 weeks'
      gestation. Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28636134
TI  - Cerebrovascular diseases in hemophiliacs: A real, but underestimated risk.

PMID- 28636132
TI  - TRPC1- and TRPC3-dependent Ca2+ signaling in mouse cortical astrocytes affects
      injury-evoked astrogliosis in vivo.
AB  - Following brain injury astrocytes change into a reactive state, proliferate and
      grow into the site of lesion, a process called astrogliosis, initiated and
      regulated by changes in cytoplasmic Ca2+ . Transient receptor potential canonical
      (TRPC) channels may contribute to Ca2+ influx but their presence and possible
      function in astrocytes is not known. By RT-PCR and RNA sequencing we identified
      transcripts of Trpc1, Trpc2, Trpc3, and Trpc4 in FACS-sorted glutamate aspartate
      transporter (GLAST)-positive cultured mouse cortical astrocytes and subcloned
      full-length Trpc1 and Trpc3 cDNAs from these cells. Ca2+ entry in cortical
      astrocytes depended on TRPC3 and was increased in the absence of Trpc1. After co
      expression of Trpc1 and Trpc3 in HEK-293 cells both proteins co-immunoprecipitate
      and form functional heteromeric channels, with TRPC1 reducing TRPC3 activity. In
      vitro, lack of Trpc3 reduced astrocyte proliferation and migration whereas the
      TRPC3 gain-of-function moonwalker mutation and Trpc1 deficiency increased
      astrocyte migration. In vivo, astrogliosis and cortex edema following stab wound
      injury were reduced in Trpc3-/- but increased in Trpc1-/- mice. In summary, our
      results show a decisive contribution of TRPC3 to astrocyte Ca2+ signaling, which
      is even augmented in the absence of Trpc1, in particular following brain injury.
      Targeted therapies to reduce TRPC3 channel activity in astrocytes might therefore
      be beneficial in traumatic brain injury.

PMID- 28636135
TI  - Job satisfaction mediates subjective social status and turnover intention among
      Chinese nurses.
AB  - Nurse turnover is one of the reasons for the global nurse shortage. Although
      previous studies have examined the determinants of turnover intention in detail,
      there is limited knowledge on the effect of subjective social status on nurse
      turnover intention. Therefore, in this study, we examined this relationship,
      including job satisfaction as a mediator, among Chinese nurses. This cross
      sectional study employed questionnaires to assess subjective social status, job
      satisfaction, and turnover intention in 581 nurses who were randomly recruited
      from 10 hospitals in Jinan, China. The results partially supported our model.
      Although subjective social status exerted no significant direct effect on
      turnover intention, it exerted a significant indirect effect through job
      satisfaction. These results provide a new insight into why nurses leave their
      jobs, and possible new solutions to the nurse turnover problem. Efforts should be
      made to improve nurses' subjective social status.

PMID- 28636136
TI  - Capillary zone electrophorsis for the analysis of naturally occurring 2
      hydroxycitric acids and their lactones.
AB  - A simple capillary zone electrophoresis method with direct ultraviolet detection
      has been developed for the analysis of naturally occurring diastereomeric 2
      hydroxycitric acid lactones. Using 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer of pH 7, a
      baseline resolution Rs > 3.0 was observed for all organic acids selected for the
      present study. This method was employed for the quantitative determination of
      title acids present in the plant sources namely Garcinia cambogia fruit rinds and
      Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx. Conversion of 2-hydroxycitric acids to their lactones
      on heating the above plant sources is deliberated. The Hydrolysis of
      hydroxycitric acid lactones in aqueous solution is reported for the first time.

PMID- 28636138
TI  - Dermoscopy for improving the diagnosis of pretibial pruritic papular dermatitis.

PMID- 28636137
TI  - The experience of waiting for a kidney transplant: A qualitative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Australia over 1100 people are living on dialysis while waiting
      for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor. Worldwide there are an estimated
      170,000 people who wait an average of three years before an organ becomes
      available. OBJECTIVE: To provide an understanding of the lived experience of
      people waiting on dialysis for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor.
      APPROACH: A qualitative descriptive research design was used. Participants were
      recruited from a large metropolitan hospital. Two focus groups were conducted
      with six participants ranging in age from 29-63 years, with dialysis experience
      of 10-72 months. Data saturation was achieved and thematic analysis was used to
      interpret the data providing a descriptive account of the experience of waiting
      for a kidney transplant. FINDINGS: Waiting for a kidney transplant takes place in
      the context of living on dialysis. Four main themes were identified: living on
      dialysis is physically and mentally demanding; living with uncertainty; altered
      relationship dynamics; and feelings towards the deceased donor. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study provides a descriptive summary of what it is like to live on dialysis while
      waiting for a kidney transplant from a deceased donor from the perspective of the
      person waiting. People are burdened by; uncertainty; the experience of the
      dialysis therapy; and the thought of the human cost of transplantation. These
      findings suggest that this cohort may benefit from strategies to relieve
      uncertainty such as effective communication from the treating team and peer
      support from the dialysis community.

PMID- 28636139
TI  - Review of HPLC and LC-MS/MS assays for the determination of various nonsteroidal
      anti-androgens used in the treatment of prostate cancer.
AB  - Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer
      deaths in men. One of the commonly used approaches to treat metastatic prostate
      cancer was via first-generation nonsteroidal anti-androgens (NSAAs), namely
      flutamide, nilutamide, bicalutamide and topilutamide. Most prostate cancer
      patients who are initially responsive develop the most aggressive form of disease
      called castration-resistant prostate cancer. Second-generation NSAA receptor
      antagonists (enzalutamide, apalutamide and darolutamide) are emerging as
      additional new options to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer. The
      objective of this work was to review the literature on the bioanalytical methods
      for the quantification of first- and second-generation NSAA inhibitors in
      clinical (human plasma) and preclinical (mouse plasma, rat plasma, urine and
      tissue homogenates etc.) studies along with relevant case studies for some chosen
      drugs. Based on the review, it was concluded that the published methodologies
      using either HPLC or LC-MS/MS are well suited for the quantification of NSAA
      inhibitors in various biological fluids to delineate pharmacokinetic data.

PMID- 28636140
TI  - Case of recalcitrant nail psoriasis unresponsive to adalimumab but successfully
      treated with infliximab.

PMID- 28636141
TI  - Binocular facilitation of cone-specific visual evoked potentials in colour
      deficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neural compensatory mechanisms have been proposed, which preserve the
      binocular visual field in glaucoma, as well as cognition in Alzheimer's disease
      and motor function in Parkinson's disease. It is conceivable that comparable
      mechanisms operate to preserve function in congenital and/or dystrophic disease.
      In hereditary colour vision deficiency (CVD), we observed significant
      facilitation in the amplitude of the binocular cone-specific visual evoked
      potential (VEP) compared to the monocular amplitude for the cone type
      corresponding to the CVD. We propose that this finding may reflect preservation
      of function in hereditary colour vision deficiency. METHODS: Binocular and
      monocular L, M and S cone-specific VEPs were recorded from 12 colour vision
      deficient subjects and 17 with normal colour vision, confirmed to be CVD or
      normal on a battery of colour vision tests. Binocular VEP amplitudes were
      compared to monocular amplitudes within subjects and between subject groups.
      RESULTS: Subjects with CVDs showed binocular facilitation of VEP amplitude
      (enhancement more than 2.0 times; mean: 2.8 times, p = 0.0003) for the cone type
      corresponding to their CVD. Mean facilitation of 2.8 times exceeded binocular
      enhancement for other cone types within CVDs (2.8 times versus 1.2 times) and
      compared to colour vision normals (2.8 times versus 1.2 times). CONCLUSIONS:
      Hereditary CVDs show binocular facilitation of cone VEP signals for the cone type
      corresponding to their CVD. As CVD is typically assessed with foveal stimuli, our
      findings using wider-field binocular stimulation suggest that enhanced colour
      perception may occur in CVD across a more extensive area of visual field. These
      results may relate to binocular visual field enhancement in glaucoma and improved
      colour vision in CVD at supra-threshold levels of stimulation.

PMID- 28636142
TI  - Clinical development of immunotherapy for prostate cancer.
AB  - Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and the second leading cause of
      cancer-related death in Western countries. Prostate cancer-related death occurs
      in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Although
      several new drugs for castration-resistant prostate cancer have been approved,
      each of these has prolonged survival by just a few months. Consequently, new
      therapies are sorely needed. Recently, it has been recognized that immunotherapy
      is an effective treatment for prostate cancer patients. Several strategies, such
      as cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors, have been investigated in
      clinical studies for prostate cancer patients. In the present review, the results
      of the most recent clinical studies investigating immunotherapy in prostate
      cancer patients are reported, and the future clinical development of
      immunotherapy for prostate cancer is discussed.

PMID- 28636144
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28636143
TI  - Tetratricopeptide repeat protein Pyg7 is essential for photosystem I assembly by
      interacting with PsaC in Arabidopsis.
AB  - Although progress has been made in determining the structure and understanding
      the function of photosystem I (PSI), the PSI assembly process remains poorly
      understood. PsaC is an essential subunit of PSI and participates in the transfer
      of electrons to ferredoxin. However, how PsaC is assembled during accumulation of
      the PSI complex is unknown. In the present study, we showed that Pyg7 localized
      to the stromal thylakoid and associated with the PSI complex. We also showed that
      Pyg7 interacted with PsaC. Furthermore, we found that the PSI assembly process
      was blocked following formation of the PsaAB heterodimer in the pyg7 mutant. In
      addition, the analyses of PSI stability in Pyg7RNAi plants showed that Pyg7 is
      involved in maintaining the assembled PSI complex under excess-light conditions.
      Moreover, we demonstrated that decreased Pyg7 content resulted in decreased
      efficiency of PSI assembly in Pyg7RNAi plants. These findings suggest that the
      role of Pyg7 in PSI biogenesis has evolved as an essential assembly factor by
      interacting with PsaC in Arabidopsis, in addition to being a stability factor for
      PSI as seen in Synechocystis.

PMID- 28636145
TI  - European Academy of Neurology - Resident and Research Fellow Section: innovations
      and future direction in 2017.

PMID- 28636146
TI  - Recent climatic drying leads to age-independent growth reductions of white spruce
      stands in western Canada.
AB  - Since 2001, climatic conditions have been notably drier than normal across large
      areas of the western Canadian interior, leading to widespread impacts on the
      forests of this region. This poses a major concern for the future, given climate
      change projections for continued warming and drying. We conducted tree-ring
      analysis in 75 pure stands of white spruce (Picea glauca) across Alberta and west
      central Saskatchewan to examine the effects of recent climatic drying on the
      growth of this important boreal tree species. Allometric equations were used to
      calculate annual growth in aboveground tree biomass (GBM ) from ring width
      measurements. Results showed an increasing trend in GBM from the 1960s to the
      1990s, followed by a sharp decline during the severe drought of 2001-2002. Of the
      75 stands, only 18 recovered sufficiently to cause an increase in mean GBM from
      the predrought decade of 1991-2000 to the subsequent decade of 2001-2010. The
      remaining 57 stands exhibited a decline in mean GBM between these decades.
      Climatic drying was a major cause of the growth decline, as shown by the
      significant stand-level relationship between percentage change in decadal mean
      GBM and the change in decadal mean values of a climate moisture index from 1991
      2000 to 2001-2010. Subsequent analyses of boreal stands sampled across Alberta
      during 2015 revealed that white spruce growth had declined even further as
      drought conditions intensified during 2014-2015. Overall, there was a 38%
      decrease in mean GBM between 1997 and 2015, but surprisingly, the percentage
      decrease was not significantly different for young, productive stands compared
      with older, less productive stands. Thus, stand ageing cannot explain the
      observed decline in white spruce growth during the past quarter century,
      suggesting that these forests are at risk if the trend towards more frequent,
      severe drought continues in the region.

PMID- 28636147
TI  - Digest: Floral ambush in the sun: Evolution of flower-dwelling and UV-white
      reflectance in crab spiders.

PMID- 28636148
TI  - Magnetostructural Characterization of Oxalamide Dihalo-Bridged Copper Dimers:
      Intra- and Interdimer Interactions Studied by Single-Crystal Electron Spin
      Resonance Spectroscopy.
AB  - Detailed single-crystal electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis of oxalamide
      complexes with halogen-bridged copper dimers, supported by X-ray, magnetic
      susceptibility, and powder ESR studies, is reported. Four complexes with two
      different ligands are synthesized: [CuLA (MU-X)]2 and [CuLV (MU-X)]2 , for which
      LA =N-(l-alanine methyl ester)-N'-[(2-pyridine-2-yl)methyl]oxalamide and LV =N-(l
      valine methyl ester)-N'-[(2-pyridine-2-yl)methyl]oxalamide, for which X=Cl or Br.
      X-ray analysis shows that the geometry at each copper(II) ion is square
      pyramidal, whereas two pyramids share one base-to-apex edge with parallel basal
      planes. The complexes are linked by hydrogen bonds into infinite chains and are
      further linked into a 3D network. Susceptibility measurements show that the
      copper centers in the dimers are weakly antiferromagnetically coupled (|J|~1-2 cm
      1 ). From powder ESR spectroscopy, the g values and dx2-y2 orbital as the ground
      state of the unpaired electron are determined. The complexes show unusual
      anisotropic splitting and merging of the ESR lines if their single crystals
      rotate in a magnetic field. The observation of this partially resolved intradimer
      dipolar splitting enables estimation of the weak interdimer exchange interaction
      parameter |J'|~0.001 cm-1 .

PMID- 28636150
TI  - Multiple milia associated with use of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor dovitinib.

PMID- 28636149
TI  - Photocatalytic interaction of aminophylline-riboflavin leads to ROS-mediated DNA
      damage and cell death: A novel phototherapeutic mechanism for cancer.
AB  - The accompanied tissue devastation and systemic toxicity of chemotherapy has
      shifted the quest for having an effective and palliative cancer therapy towards
      photodynamic therapy (PDT). Riboflavin (Rf), an essential micronutrient is
      emerging as a potent tool of PDT, due to its excellent photosensitizing
      properties. It can be used as an efficient adjuvant for various anticancer drugs.
      The hemolytic and proteolytic effect of photoilluminated aminophylline (Am), a
      xanthine derivative, and Rf is well documented in literature. In this study,
      using human peripheral lymphocytes we have demonstrated the strong pro-oxidant
      effects of photocatalytic interaction between Am and Rf. The photo degradation
      kinetics of Am in the presence of Rf was monitored using UV spectroscopy,
      fluorescence spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The
      resultant pro-oxidant action of Am was monitored through various assays like
      lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      generation. Furthermore, the cytotoxic potential of this system was studied using
      comet and MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)
      assay. Treated lymphocytes were visualized using fluorescence and scanning
      electron microscopy to further validate apoptosis. ROS scavengers ameliorated the
      oxidative damage caused by this system suggesting pivotal role of ROS in causing
      apoptotic cell death. As cancer cells exhibit increased absorption of Rf as well
      as are very sensitive in any further ROS level increment, this putative pathway
      can serve as an effective anodyne phototherapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.
      (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(8):611-622, 2017.

PMID- 28636151
TI  - Method of teaching undergraduate students to perform root canal treatment: It's
      influence on the quality of root fillings.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess whether the method of teaching
      endodontology influenced the quality of root fillings made by undergraduate
      students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The method of teaching endodontology at our
      institution was revised. Changes concerned: the programme (ie method of clinical
      training and summative assessment), and the supervision whilst performing root
      canal treatment on patients. An intermediate cohort (N=91) comprised partly
      students attending the former programme (involving patients) and partly students
      attending the revised programme (without patients). After succeeding in the
      summative assessment, the quality of the first root filling made by the student
      in a patient under supervision of either a general dental practitioner or an
      endodontist was evaluated according to pre-determined criteria. Data were
      analysed using Cohen's Kappa, Chi-square, Fisher's exact, Mann-Whitney and
      Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Sixty-two per cent (47 of 76) of root fillings
      made by students who attended the revised programme were of good quality, in
      comparison with 47% (seven of 15) of those made by students who attended the
      former programme (P=.274). Less complex treatments had better quality root
      fillings if students were supervised by endodontists (88% (14 of 16) good
      quality) than supervised by general dental practitioners (59% (22 of 37) good
      quality) (P=.045). Complex treatments did not differ in quality of root fillings
      for the supervision types (P=.825). CONCLUSION: The quality of root fillings made
      by students who attended the revised programme seems at least as high as that of
      those who attended the former programme. Higher quality root fillings might be
      obtained under supervision of endodontists than under supervision of general
      dental practitioners.

PMID- 28636152
TI  - Dynamics and origin of cytokinins involved in plant manipulation by a leaf-mining
      insect.
AB  - Several herbivorous insects and plant-associated microorganisms control the
      phytohormonal balance, thus enabling them to successfully exploit the plant by
      inhibiting plant defenses and withdrawing plant resources for their own benefit.
      The leaf-mining moth Phyllonorycter blancardella modifies the cytokinin (CK)
      profile of mined leaf-tissues, and the insect symbiotic bacteria Wolbachia is
      involved in the plant manipulation to the benefit of the insect host. To gain a
      deeper understanding into the possible origin and dynamics of CKs, we conducted
      an extensive characterization of CKs in larvae and in infected apple leaves. Our
      results show the enhanced CK levels in mines, both on green and yellow leaves,
      allowing insects to control their nutritional supply under fluctuating
      environmental conditions. The spatial distribution of CKs within the mined leaves
      shows that hormone manipulation is strictly limited to the mine suggesting the
      absence of CK translocation from distant leaf areas toward the insect feeding
      site. Mass spectrometry analyses reveal that major CK types accumulating in mines
      and larvae are similar to what is observed for most gall-inducers, suggesting
      that strategies underlying the plant manipulation may be shared between
      herbivorous insects with distinct life histories. Results further show that CKs
      are detected in the highest levels in larvae, reinforcing our hypothesis that CKs
      accumulating in the mines originate from the insect itself. Presence of bacteria
      specific methylthio-CKs is consistent with previous results suggesting that
      insect bacterial symbionts contribute to the observed phenotype. Our study
      provides key findings toward the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying
      this intricate plant-insect-microbe interaction.

PMID- 28636153
TI  - Special Section: From Genes to Bedside and Back.

PMID- 28636154
TI  - Multiple-opposing rotation flaps for the scalp defect including hair whorl.

PMID- 28636155
TI  - The use of Transnasal Humidified Rapid-Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange in 17
      cases of subglottic stenosis.

PMID- 28636156
TI  - Pathways from infant exposure to marital conflict to parent-toddler role
      reversal.
AB  - We know that exposure to marital conflict places infants at risk, but we know
      less about processes. One process may be role reversal, when a distressed parent
      looks to the child to meet unmet needs for comfort, intimacy, or companionship. A
      parent in marital conflict may be particularly prone to role reversal, which in
      turn adversely affects child development. The current study examined pathways
      from infants' exposure to marital conflict at 12 months to role reversal at 24
      months. We sampled low-middle socioeconomic status (SES) families with their
      first child (N = 128). Independent observers assessed marital conflict (in a
      problem-solving task) and role reversal (in a story-telling task). We found that
      each parent's conflict behavior predicted the other parent's role reversal. In a
      direct pathway, mother's conflict behavior towards father led directly to
      father's role reversal with the child. In an indirect pathway, father's conflict
      behavior towards mother led to his withdrawal from her, which in turn led to
      mother's role reversal with the child. Clinical implications are discussed within
      a developmental psychopathology framework in terms of preventive interventions to
      offset the deleterious effect of marital conflict and role reversal on child
      development.

PMID- 28636157
TI  - Meeting the emotional needs of infants and toddlers in foster care: The
      collaborative mental health care experience.
AB  - This paper describes a partnership between an infant mental health consultation
      program and child welfare authorities, with a special focus on the use of a
      consultation model to support infants and toddlers in foster care. The authors
      describe a model of practice that incorporates the transactional model with a
      developmental perspective to help foster parents understand and address the
      emotional needs of these children. The clinical implications section reviews
      strategies for addressing attachment and relationship disturbances, promoting
      self-regulation, and enhancing social competence in infants and young foster
      children.

PMID- 28636158
TI  - Reflection in thought and action: Maternal parenting reflectivity predicts mind
      minded comments and interactive behavior.
AB  - Recent research has identified mothers' mental reflective functioning and verbal
      mind-minded comments as important predictors of subsequent infant attachment
      security. In the present study, we examine associations between mothers' (N = 95)
      parenting reflectivity expressed in an interview and observed parenting behavior,
      including verbal mind-minded comments and interactive behavior during interaction
      with their 7-month-old infants. Parenting reflectivity was coded from the Working
      Model of the Child Interview. Maternal behavior was assessed via observations of
      mother-infant interaction during free play and structured teaching tasks. Both
      maternal appropriate mind-minded comments as well as other indicators of maternal
      interactive behavior were coded. Parenting reflectivity was positively correlated
      with mind-minded comments and behavioral sensitivity. Hierarchical multiple
      regression analyses indicated that parenting reflectivity contributed to maternal
      behavior beyond the contributions of mothers' educational status and depression
      symptoms. Discussion emphasizes the importance of individual differences in
      parental capacity to accurately perceive and mentalize their infants' experience,
      and the consequences of these differences for caregiving behavior.

PMID- 28636159
TI  - The Chances for Children Teen Parent-Infant Project: Results of a pilot
      intervention for teen mothers and their infants in inner city high schools.
AB  - Adolescent motherhood poses serious challenges to mothers, to infants, and
      ultimately to society, particularly if the teen mother is part of a minority
      population living in an urban environment. This study examines the effects of a
      treatment intervention targeting low-income, high-risk teen mothers and their
      infants in the context of public high schools where daycare is available onsite.
      Our findings confirm the initial hypothesis that mothers who received
      intervention would improve their interactions with their infants in the areas of
      responsiveness, affective availability, and directiveness. In addition, infants
      in the treatment group were found to increase their interest in mother, respond
      more positively to physical contact, and improve their general emotional tone,
      which the comparison infants did not. Importantly, these findings remain even
      within the subset of mothers who scored above the clinical cutoff for depression
      on the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D; L. Radloff,
      1977), confirming that it is possible to improve mother-infant interaction
      without altering the mother's underlying depression. The implications of these
      findings are significant both because it is more difficult and requires more time
      to alter maternal depression than maternal behavior and because maternal
      depression has been found to have such devastating effects on infants.

PMID- 28636160
TI  - Species-specific metabolism of naphthalene and phenanthrene in 3 species of
      marine teleosts exposed to Deepwater Horizon crude oil.
AB  - The 2 most abundant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) measured in Deepwater
      Horizon crude oil, naphthalene and phenanthrene, and their associated homologs
      have both been shown to be acutely toxic in fish. Although fish have a relatively
      high metabolic capacity for PAHs, hydroxylated PAH (OH-PAH) derivatives formed
      during the initial metabolic response can negatively impact the health of fish.
      Species-specific metabolism of naphthalene and phenanthrene was evaluated in 3
      marine teleosts, red drum (Scianops ocellatus), Florida pompano (Trachinotus
      carolinus), and southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma). Fish were exposed
      to Deepwater Horizon crude oil by intraperitoneal injections at time 0 and 48 h,
      with bile sampling events at 24 and 72 h post injection. The data suggested
      metabolic induction in Florida pompano and red drum, whereas southern flounder
      may have demonstrated metabolic fatigue. By 24 h post injection, overall profiles
      of red drum and southern flounder were dominated by hydroxylated phenanthrene
      metabolites; conversely, the Florida pompano profiles were dominated by
      monohydroxylated naphthalenes. In addition, Florida pompano had faster overall
      relative biotransformation rates, suggesting their potential decreased
      susceptibility to adverse effects. Red drum and southern flounder had much lower
      relative biotransformation rates, indicating their probable susceptibility to
      adverse outcomes after naphthalene and phenanthrene exposures. To our knowledge,
      the present study is the first to investigate monohydroxylated PAHs in fish
      exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3168-3176. (c)
      2017 (c) 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

PMID- 28636162
TI  - Cobalt-Catalyzed ortho-C-H Functionalization/Alkyne Annulation of Benzylamine
      Derivatives: Access to Dihydroisoquinolines.
AB  - A practical picolinamide-directed C-H functionalization/alkyne annulation of
      benzylamine derivatives enabling access to the previously elusive 1,4
      dihydroisoquinoline skeleton was developed using molecular O2 as the sole oxidant
      and Co(OAc)2 as precatalyst. The method is compatible with both internal and
      terminal alkynes and shows high versatility and functional-group tolerance.
      Furthermore, full preservation of enantiopurity is observed when using non
      racemic alpha-substituted benzylamine derivatives. Kinetic analysis of the
      reagents and catalyst, labeling experiments, and the isolation and identification
      of catalytically competent Co-complexes revealed important insights about the
      mechanism.

PMID- 28636163
TI  - The PU-PROM: A patient-reported outcome measure for peptic ulcer disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) conceived to enable
      description of treatment-related effects, from the patient perspective, bring the
      potential to improve in clinical research, and to provide patients with accurate
      information. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a patient-centred
      peptic ulcer patient-reported outcome measure (PU-PROM) and evaluate its
      reliability, validity, differential item functioning (DIF) and feasibility.
      METHOD: To develop a conceptual framework and item pool for the PU-PROM, we
      performed a literature review and consulted other measures created in China and
      other countries. Beyond that, we interviewed 10 patients with peptic ulcers, and
      consulted six key experts to ensure that all germane parameters were included. In
      the first item selection phase, classical test theory and item response theory
      were used to select and adjust items to shape the preliminary measure completed
      by 130 patients and 50 controls. In the next phase, the measure was evaluated
      used the same methods with 492 patients and 124 controls. Finally, we used the
      same population in the second item reselection to assess the reliability,
      validity, DIF and feasibility of the final measure. RESULTS: The final peptic
      ulcer PRO measure comprised four domains (physiology, psychology, society and
      treatment), with 11 subdomains, and 54 items. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of
      each subdomain for the measure was >0.800. Confirmatory factory analysis
      indicated that the construct validity fulfilled expectations. Model fit indices,
      such as RMR, RMSEA, NFI, NNFI, CFI and IFI, showed acceptable fit. The measure
      showed a good response rate. CONCLUSIONS: The peptic ulcer PRO measure had good
      reliability, validity, DIF and feasibility, and can be used as a clinical
      research evaluation instrument with patients with peptic ulcers to assess their
      condition focus on treatment. This measure may also be applied in other health
      areas, especially in clinical trials of new drugs, and may be helpful in clinical
      decision making.

PMID- 28636164
TI  - A Nanostructured Microfluidic Immunoassay Platform for Highly Sensitive
      Infectious Pathogen Detection.
AB  - Rapid and simultaneous detection of multiple potential pathogens by portable
      devices can facilitate early diagnosis of infectious diseases, and allow for
      rapid and effective implementation of disease prevention and treatment measures.
      The development of a ZnO nanorod integrated microdevice as a multiplex
      immunofluorescence platform for highly sensitive and selective detection of avian
      influenza virus (AIV) is described. The 3D morphology and unique optical property
      of the ZnO nanorods boost the detection limit of the H5N2 AIV to as low as 3.6 *
      103 EID50 mL-1 (EID50 : 50% embryo infectious dose), which is ~22 times more
      sensitive than conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The entire virus
      capture and detection process could be completed within 1.5 h with excellent
      selectivity. Moreover, this microfluidic biosensor is capable of detecting
      multiple viruses simultaneously by spatial encoding of capture antibodies. One
      prominent feature of the device is that the captured H5N2 AIV can be released by
      simply dissolving ZnO nanorods under slightly acidic environment for subsequent
      off-chip analyses. As a whole, this platform provides a powerful tool for rapid
      detection of multiple pathogens, which may extent to the other fields for low
      cost and convenient biomarker detection.

PMID- 28636165
TI  - A feasibility and safety study of intracoronary hemodilution during primary
      coronary angioplasty in order to reduce reperfusion injury in myocardial
      infarction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We designed a pilot study to evaluate safety and feasibility of an
      inexpensive and simple approach to intracoronary hemodilution during primary
      angioplasty (PPCI) to reduce reperfusion injury. INTRODUCTION: Early
      revascularization in acute myocardial infarction decreases infarct size and
      improves outcomes. However, abrupt restoration of coronary flow results in
      myocardial reperfusion injury and increased final infarct size. Dilution of
      coronary blood during revascularization may help reduce this damage. If proved
      effective, such an approach would need to be simple and suitable for widespread
      adoption. METHODS: Ten patients presenting with STEMI underwent intracoronary
      dilution with room temperature Hartmann's solution delivered through the guiding
      catheter during primary angioplasty (PPCI). Infusion of perfusate began prior to
      crossing the occluded artery with the guidewire, continuing until 10 min after
      completion of the balloon and stenting procedure. Infusion was briefly
      interrupted for contrast injection and pressure monitoring. The outcome measures
      were safety, including intracoronary temperature reduction and volume of
      intracoronary perfusate infused, and technical feasibility. RESULTS: There were
      no significant symptomatic, hemodynamic, ECG ST/T segment or rhythm changes
      observed during perfusate administration. The median (interquartile range) volume
      of perfusate administered was 550 mL (350-725 mL) and the median intracoronary
      temperature reduction observed was 3.4 degrees Celsius. Myocardial salvage was
      0.54 (0.43-0.65). CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter intracoronary hemodilution with room
      temperature perfusate during PPCI is feasible and appears safe. Such a strategy
      is simple and inexpensive, with potential to be widely applied. Further
      mechanistic and subsequent outcome powered studies are required to evaluate
      whether this strategy can reduce reperfusion injury in STEMI.

PMID- 28636166
TI  - Could intradialytic nutrition improve refractory anaemia in patients undergoing
      haemodialysis?
AB  - BACKGROUND: This prospective randomised study was designed to evaluate the
      efficacy of intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) therapy in malnourished
      patients with refractory anaemia. METHODS: Forty patients who were malnourished
      with a BMI not greater than 23 (17-23) kg/m2 , undergoing regular HD were
      included. Of those, 20 patients received 500-1000 ml of IDPN at a rate of 250-300
      ml/h at each HD session three days per week for six consecutive months. The other
      20 patients did not receive IDPN infusion. The malnutrition inflammation score
      (MIS) and haematological parameters were recorded at baseline and after three and
      six months. RESULTS: Mean haemoglobin levels, BMI and serum albumin were
      significantly increased while MIS was significantly decreased after the 3rd and
      6th months of IDPN. CONCLUSION: IDPN has a good role in improving refractory
      anaemia by significantly increasing haemoglobin levels, body weight, and serum
      albumin levels. The intervention also significantly decreases the MIS of
      patients.

PMID- 28636167
TI  - Berberine ameliorates collagen-induced arthritis in rats by suppressing Th17 cell
      responses via inducing cortistatin in the gut.
AB  - Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, has been reported to ameliorate various
      autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis by oral administration.
      However, its mechanism remains mysterious due to an extremely low
      bioavailability. The fact that berberine readily accumulates in the gut, the
      largest endocrine organ in the body, attracted us to explore its anti-arthritic
      mechanism in view of the induction of intestinal immunosuppressive neuropeptides.
      In this study, berberine (200 mg.kg-1 , i.g.) was shown to ameliorate collagen
      induced arthritis in rats, which was manifested by the reduction of clinical
      signs and joint destruction, as well as marked down-regulation of Th17 cell
      frequency and interleukin-17 level in blood. In contrast, an intravenous
      injection of berberine failed to affect arthritis in rats, implying that its anti
      arthritic effect was gut-dependent. Further studies revealed that oral berberine
      selectively elevated the levels of cortistatin, of five gut-derived neuropeptides
      tested, in the intestines and sera of arthrititic rats. Antagonists of
      ghrelin/growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1 (a subtype of cortistatin
      receptor) almost completely abolished the ameliorative effect of berberine on
      arthritis and Th17 cell responses in rats. In vitro, berberine showed a moderate
      ability to promote the expression of cortistatin in nerve cells, which was
      strengthened when the nerve cells were cocultured with enteroendocrine cells to
      induce an autocrine/paracrine environment. In summary, oral berberine exerted
      anti-arthritic effect through inhibiting the Th17 cell response, which was
      closely associated with the induction of cortistatin generation from gut through
      augmenting autocrine/paracrine action between enteric nerve cells and endocrine
      cells.

PMID- 28636168
TI  - Improved hemodialysis with hemocompatible polyethersulfone hollow fiber
      membranes: In vitro performance.
AB  - We show that addition of nanozeolite (NZ) and vitamin E D-alpha-Tocopherol
      polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS or T) considerably improves the performance
      of polyethersulfone (PES or P) hollow fiber membrane (HFM) for hemodialysis.
      Nanocomposite HFMs were manufactured using PES as a polymer, TPGS as an additive
      and NZ as a filler to give a composite membrane called PT-NZ. HFMs were spun by
      dry-wet spinning principle based on liquid-liquid phase separation. TPGS and NZ
      were successfully incorporated in HFMs, as confirmed by EDX elemental mapping.
      The resultant PT-NZ HFMs had improved hemocompatibility: lower percent hemolysis
      (0.28% in batch mode and 0.32% in continuous mode), lower platelet adhesion,
      higher coagulation time and lower protein adsorption (16.34 ug/cm2 ), compared
      with P, PT, and commercial (F60S) HFMs. The ultrafiltration coefficient of PT-NZ
      HFM-based module (274.59 mL/m2 /h/mmHg) was ~1.5-times higher than that of F60S
      membranes (151.67 mL/m2 /h/mmHg), and the solute rejection of both the membranes
      was comparable. The toxin clearance performance of lab-scale PT-NZ HFM-based
      hemodialyzer with uremic toxin spiked goat blood was remarkably higher (five
      times) than that of F60S. Hence, the synthesized PT-NZ HFMs are a potentially
      attractive membrane material for hemodialysis application, particularly due to
      decreased treatment time and minimal side reactions. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals,
      Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1286-1298, 2018.

PMID- 28636169
TI  - A novel double nucleotide variant in the ferritin-L iron-responsive element in a
      Finnish patient with hereditary hyperferritinaemia-cataract syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE: To present a novel Finnish double nucleotide variant in the iron
      responsive element (IRE) of the ferritin L-chain gene (FTL) leading to
      hyperferritinaemia-cataract syndrome (HHCS). METHODS: Genomic DNA extracted from
      peripheral blood leucocytes and synthetized with three different primers flanking
      the IRE in the FTL 5'-untranslated region of the FTL was used in polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR). Thereafter, Sanger sequencing was performed on the 487-bp and 602
      bp PCR amplification products with specific primers to reveal FTL IRE mutations.
      RESULTS: A 58-year-old female patient with elevated serum ferritin level (1339
      MUg/l) was diagnosed with HHCS after extensive workup. Genetic testing identified
      a novel double point mutation g.48965355G>C (chr19, hg19) and g.48965356G>T
      (chr19, hg19) in the lower stem region of the IRE canonical structure of the FTL.
      CONCLUSION: After excluding other causes, elevated serum ferritin level in a
      person with early onset cataract is indicative for HHCS, a genetic disorder
      caused by mutation in the IRE of the FTL.

PMID- 28636170
TI  - Apathy in a sunburnt country: Understanding the skin cancer and sun protection
      knowledge and practises of Australian doctors.

PMID- 28636171
TI  - Pulsed food resources, but not forest cover, determine lifetime reproductive
      success in a forest-dwelling rodent.
AB  - The relative contributions of habitat and food availability on fitness may
      provide evidence for key habitat features needed to safeguard population
      persistence. However, defining habitat quality for a species can be a complex
      task, especially if knowledge on the relationship between individual performance
      and habitat quality is lacking. Here, we determined the relative importance of
      the availability of suitable forest habitat, body mass and food from masting tree
      species on female lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of Siberian flying
      squirrels (Pteromys volans). We calculated LRS of 500 female flying squirrels
      based on a 22-year-long longitudinal dataset of two populations from western
      Finland. We assessed with generalised additive models the potential effects of
      availability of suitable habitat and cumulative lifetime availability of food
      from masting tree species on female LRS, longevity and fecundity. On a reduced
      dataset, we evaluated the importance of female winter body mass and conducted a
      piecewise path analysis to determine how variables were connected. According to
      generalised additive models female longevity, fecundity and LRS were mainly
      determined by variation in cumulative lifetime availability of food from masting
      alder and birch. Instead, habitat and body mass had a smaller role. The path
      analysis indicated that lifetime food availability had a direct effect on
      longevity and fecundity, and these had an equal effect on LRS at both study
      sites. Our results on LRS show that the occurrence of tree masting events during
      a female flying squirrel's lifetime has a profoundly larger effect on LRS than
      the cover of suitable forest habitat. Furthermore, this study emphasises the
      importance of both fecundity and longevity, and the indirect effects of food
      availability via those components, as determinants of lifetime fitness in female
      flying squirrels.

PMID- 28636172
TI  - A Phos-tag-based micropipette-tip method for rapid and selective enrichment of
      phosphopeptides.
AB  - Phosphorylated peptides are attractive targets in the study of the
      phosphoproteome. Here, we introduce a simple and convenient micropipette-tip
      method for the separation of phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated peptides by
      using a phosphate-binding zinc(II) complex of 1,3-bis(pyridin-2
      ylmethylamino)propan-2-olate (Phos-tag). A 200-MUL micropipette tip containing 10
      MUL of swollen agarose beads functionalized with Phos-tag moieties was prepared.
      All steps in the phosphate-affinity separation (binding, washing, and elution)
      were conducted by using aqueous buffers at neutral pH values. The entire
      separation protocol required less than 30 min per sample. By means of three
      independent separation experiments, followed by mass spectrometric (MS) analyses,
      we identified 1,649 non-redundant phosphopeptides from the lysates of human
      embryonic kidney cells (the peptides sample derived from 25 MUg proteins per an
      MS analysis). The average ratio of identified phosphopeptides to total peptides
      in the respective experiments was >90%, showing a high selectivity. Furthermore,
      the high correlation between the triplicate analyses was confirmed by scatter
      plots based on the normalized abundance of each peptide, as calculated by a label
      free peptide relative quantification analysis in Progenesis QI. This micropipette
      tip method would be thus used preferentially as an alternative to existing tools
      for the reliable enrichment of phosphopeptides.

PMID- 28636173
TI  - Patient-reported outcome measures in amblyopia and strabismus: a systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been developed
      and/or used to measure the impact of amblyopia and strabismus on quality of life
      (QoL). Identifying the one with superior quality is important for evaluating the
      effectiveness of novel therapy for amblyopia and for directing improved clinical
      decision-making in adults considering strabismic surgery. Therefore, the aim of
      this review is to identify all PROMs previously developed/used to study the
      impact of amblyopia and/or strabismus on QoL and to appraise the quality and
      comprehensiveness of content of the disease-specific instruments. METHODS: A
      systematic search was carried out in the electronic databases of PubMed,
      Cochrane, Web of Science and PsycINFO. The quality of content and measurement
      properties of all the disease-specific instruments were assessed using
      established quality standards. Further, the content of the instruments were
      examined for comprehensiveness by categorising each item across the eight
      ophthalmic QoL domains (activity limitation, concerns, emotional well-being,
      social well-being, economic, convenience, symptoms and mobility). RESULTS:
      Seventy-one PROMs were identified, out of which 32 were amblyopia- and/or
      strabismus-specific. Out of all the disease-specific instruments, just four have
      been subjected to modern psychometric tests and only the adult strabismus
      questionnaire (AS-20) demonstrated good measurement properties. Most of the
      amblyopia-specific instruments measured the impact of the treatment of amblyopia
      on children, while most of the strabismus-specific instruments measured concerns
      related to appearance and treatment outcome in adults. All instruments have gaps
      in their content and failed to address QoL comprehensively. CONCLUSION: All the
      existing amblyopia- and/or strabismus-specific instruments fall short of desired
      quality and/or comprehensiveness of content. The review identifies the need for
      developing an instrument with superior quality and discusses potential directions
      of future research.

PMID- 28636174
TI  - Shared minds: Effects of a mother's imitation of her child on the mother-child
      interaction.
AB  - Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have impaired social interaction
      right from early development. Previous studies (Dawson & Adams, 1984; Tiegerman &
      Primavera, 1981, 1984) have suggested that imitating children with ASD is
      effective in facilitating their social behaviors. The present case report,
      through a 6-month intervention, investigated how a home-based intervention of
      helping a mother imitate her 21-month-old child with ASD impacted the child's
      development of social communication outside the experimental settings. Our
      results show that the mother's imitation of her child might be associated with
      the development of nonverbal joint attention skills. Positive changes in the
      mother's emotion towards her child and the mother-child interaction also were
      noted and represent other important effects of parental involvement in
      therapeutic interventions for children with ASD.

PMID- 28636175
TI  - Competencies for infant mental health therapists: A survey of expert opinion.
AB  - We report on data provided by a nationwide panel of 23 infant mental health (IMH)
      experts who provided numerical ratings of the relative importance of 143
      competencies desirable for licensed mental health therapists working with
      infants/children birth to 5 years of age and their families/caregivers. The
      competencies were developed based on prior state and national efforts and our own
      experience in training IMH therapists. The competencies were grouped conceptually
      into seven areas: (a) Normal infant and toddler development; (b) Atypical
      development (perturbations in development); (c) Emotional/behavioral disorders in
      infants and young children; (d) Assessment; (e) Intervention; (f) Community
      resources and referrals; and (g) Organization, communication, and collaboration.
      We calculated means, SDs, 95% confidence intervals to rank order each competency.
      We conducted reliability analyses and tested for mean differences in ratings for
      the seven areas. Interrater and intraclass correlations were modest, likely the
      result of restriction of range in the ratings. The seven areas showed high levels
      of internal consistency and, with few exceptions, did not significantly differ in
      the means of their ratings. The utility of the competencies are discussed as a
      framework for training and professional development for IMH clinicians.

PMID- 28636176
TI  - Caregivers' disrupted representations of the unborn child predict later infant
      caregiver disorganized attachment and disrupted interactions.

PMID- 28636177
TI  - Developmental history of care and control, depression and anger: Correlates of
      maternal sensitivity in toddlerhood.
AB  - This study examined maternal sensitivity in response to toddler distress in
      relation to mothers' childhood care and control experiences with parents,
      maternal depression, and maternal anger. Fifty-two mothers and infants
      participated. Mothers reported childhood care and control experiences prenatally.
      At 21/2 years, mothers reported depressive symptoms and anger on questionnaires,
      and reported maternal behavior in a daily diary for 1 week, yielding ratings of
      maternal sensitivity to fear and anger. Results were as follows: (a) Mothers'
      acceptance during childhood correlated negatively with both maternal depression
      and maternal anger, and positively with maternal sensitivity to fear at 21/2
      years; (b) maternal anger mediated the association between childhood care and
      maternal sensitivity to fear at 21/2 years; and (c) the interaction of maternal
      and paternal control during childhood predicted maternal sensitivity to anger at
      21/2 years, controlling for maternal education. When maternal control was low,
      paternal control was positively associated with maternal sensitivity to anger
      whereas when maternal control was high, paternal control was negatively
      associated with maternal sensitivity to anger. Results are discussed in relation
      to prior studies, with particular emphasis on attachment theory. Implications for
      preventive intervention efforts are considered.

PMID- 28636178
TI  - The intergenerational effects of trauma from terror: A real possibility.
AB  - The goals of this article are to discuss the potential risk of children whose
      parents were traumatized by terror, to present literature on parenting in the
      context of terror, and to consider factors that may mediate the transmission of
      trauma-effects from parents to children. Mediators considered are parents'
      traumatic distress, disturbed parent-child interactions, trauma-related
      disturbances in parents' thinking, and effects of stress on children's neural
      functioning. Also discussed are genetic and environmental factors that may
      moderate the transmission of intergenerational effects and promote children's
      risk and resilience. Points raised during the discussion are illustrated with
      segments from interviews of women who were pregnant or gave birth some time after
      direct exposure to a terror attack. The authors conclude that empirical studies
      are needed to learn more about the intergenerational transmission of trauma
      effects and processes that underlie it. The authors join others in the call to
      improve evaluation, treatment, and support of trauma victims and their children
      to stymie the transmission of problems from one generation to the next.

PMID- 28636179
TI  - Discontinuation and non-publication of neurodegenerative disease trials: a cross
      sectional analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Trial discontinuation and non-publication represent major
      sources of research waste in clinical medicine. No previous studies have
      investigated non-dissemination bias in clinical trials of neurodegenerative
      diseases. METHODS: ClinicalTrials.gov was searched for all randomized,
      interventional, phase II-IV trials that were registered between 1 January 2000
      and 31 December 2009 and included adults with Alzheimer's disease, motor neurone
      disease, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease. Publications from these
      trials were identified by extensive online searching and contact with authors,
      and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify
      characteristics associated with trial discontinuation and non-publication.
      RESULTS: In all, 362 eligible trials were identified, of which 12% (42/362) were
      discontinued. 28% (91/320) of completed trials remained unpublished after 5
      years. Trial discontinuation was independently associated with number of patients
      (P = 0.015; more likely in trials with <=100 patients; odds ratio 2.65, 95%
      confidence interval 1.21-5.78) and phase of trial (P = 0.009; more likely in
      phase IV than phase III trials; odds ratio 3.90, 95% confidence interval 1.41
      10.83). Trial non-publication was independently associated with blinding status
      (P = 0.005; more likely in single-blind than double-blind trials; odds ratio
      5.63, 95% confidence interval 1.70-18.71), number of centres (P = 0.010; more
      likely in single-centre than multi-centre trials; odds ratio 2.49, 95% confidence
      interval 1.25-4.99), phase of trial (P = 0.041; more likely in phase II than
      phase IV trials; odds ratio 2.88, 95% confidence interval 1.04-7.93) and sponsor
      category (P = 0.001; more likely in industry-sponsored than university-sponsored
      trials; odds ratio 5.05, 95% confidence interval 1.87-13.63). CONCLUSIONS: There
      is evidence of non-dissemination bias in randomized trials of interventions for
      neurodegenerative diseases. Associations with trial discontinuation and non
      publication were similar to findings in other diseases. These biases may distort
      the therapeutic information available to inform clinical practice.

PMID- 28636180
TI  - Characterization of Herpes Simplex Virus Infections Seen in the Pediatric
      Dermatology Office.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Atypical and severe clinical manifestations of primary and
      recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections may present to a pediatric
      dermatologist for evaluation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the
      clinical features of the population diagnosed with HSV referred to a pediatric
      dermatology office. METHODS: This retrospective case series examined patients
      diagnosed with HSV in a pediatric dermatology practice at an academic medical
      center from 2005 to 2015. Characteristics of the population were collected and
      analyzed. RESULTS: In this study of 48 children diagnosed with HSV, 33% presented
      at age 2 years or younger, with approximately half having exhibited initial
      symptoms before 2 years of age; 39.6% of the population had six or more outbreaks
      per year. The outbreaks were equally divided between unifocal and multifocal
      presentations, with 60% of children without any labial or mucosal involvement.
      Suppressive treatment was initiated in 33% of patients; the average age at
      initiation was 6 years. CONCLUSION: Our data characterize a subset of
      immunocompetent young children who present to pediatric dermatologists with
      frequent HSV outbreaks that are often multifocal and involve cutaneous sites,
      with or without mucosal involvement.

PMID- 28636181
TI  - Identification of Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction.
AB  - Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a common disease with serious consequences
      in mortality and cost. Here we aim to screen the differentially expressed genes
      (DEGs) as biomarkers for early diagnosis of AMI. The microarray data of AMI was
      downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), including two independent types of
      research GSE66360 and GSE62646. The DEGs between control and processed samples
      were screened out by using limma package. Meanwhile, we performed functional
      analysis of GO terms and/or KEGG pathways to observe the enriched pathways of the
      DEGs. Finally, regression analysis of raw data was performed by using packet
      affyPLM in R language. Dataset GSE62646 contained 53 DEGs (FC log2>1 and P value
      <0.05) between first-day samples from 28 STEMI patients and control samples from
      14 patients without myocardial infarction history. There were 12 up-regulated and
      41 down-regulated genes, 35 DEGs annotated. In GSE66360, a total of 3034 DEGs
      between 32 AMI patients and 38 healthy persons were obtained, including 1861 up
      regulated and 1173 down-regulated DEGs. The comparison of the DEGs in two
      datasets revealed four common up-regulated genes (EGR1, STAB1, SOCS3, TMEM176A).
      In enrichment analysis, STAB1, SOCS3, EGR1 involved in metabolic regulation and
      signaling pathways related to coronary artery disease with a characteristic
      change (P < 0.05). The DEGs, especially the four up-regulated common genes, could
      serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis of AMI. Additionally, the relative
      biological pathways these DEGs enriched in might provide a good reference to
      explore the molecular expression mechanism of AMI. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 650
      658, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28636182
TI  - Effects of green tea on lipid metabolism in overweight or obese people: A meta
      analysis of randomized controlled trials.
AB  - SCOPE: The effects of green tea on lipid metabolism were inconsistent. The
      objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of green tea on lipid
      metabolism in overweight or obese people. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched
      randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing green tea with a control on lipid
      metabolism on PUBMED and WEB OF SCIENCE (January 1990 to September 2016),
      COCHRANE and EMBASE (updated to October 2016), and the Chinese databases CNKI,
      WanFang and CBMD. Twenty-one articles studying 1704 overweight or obese subjects
      were selected for this meta-analysis. The pooled results demonstrated that green
      tea significantly decreased plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels in overweight or obese people. The weighted
      mean difference was -3.38 mg/dl for TC (95% CI: -6.42,  -0.33 mg/dL) and -5.29
      mg/dL for LDL (95% CI: -7.92, -2.6 6 mg/dL), respectively. Green tea intake,
      however, showed no effect on plasma triglyceride (TG) and high-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL) levels in overweight or obese people with a
      relatively high heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis shows that drinking
      green tea can lower plasma TC and LDL levels significantly. Nevertheless, green
      tea's effect on plasma TG and HDL must be further evaluated by additional high
      quality and large-scale RCTs.

PMID- 28636183
TI  - Ordination with any dissimilarity measure: a weighted Euclidean solution.
AB  - The classical approach to ordination is to use variants of the Euclidean distance
      to measure differences between samples (e.g., sites in a community study) based
      on their observation vectors (e.g., abundance counts for a set of species).
      Examples include Euclidean distance on standardized or log-transformed data, on
      which principal component analysis and redundancy analysis are based; chi-square
      distance, on which (canonical) correspondence analysis is based; and Hellinger
      distance, using square roots of relative values in each multivariate vector.
      Advantages of the Euclidean approach include the neat decomposition of variance
      and the ordination's optimal biplot display. To extend this approach to any non
      Euclidean or nonmetric dissimilarity, a simple solution is proposed, consisting
      of the estimation of a weighted Euclidean distance that optimally approximates
      the dissimilarities. This preliminary step preserves the good properties of the
      classical approach while giving two additional benefits as by-products. Firstly,
      the estimated species weights, quantifying each species' contribution to the
      dissimilarities, can be interpreted, and weights equal or close to zero can
      assist in variable selection. Secondly, the dimensionality remains that of the
      number of species, not the dimensionality inherent in the dissimilarities, which
      depends on the number of samples and can be considerably higher.

PMID- 28636184
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of bococizumab, a monoclonal antibody to
      PCSK9, after single subcutaneous injection at three sites [NCT 02043301].
AB  - AIM: To characterize the single-dose pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics
      (PD) of bococizumab, a monoclonal antibody inhibiting proprotein convertase
      subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), administered subcutaneously (s.c.) to the
      abdomen, thigh, or upper arm (NCT02043301). METHODS: Seventy-five adults with low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) >=130 mg/dL and not on background lipid
      lowering therapy were randomized (1:1:1) to a single 150-mg s.c. dose of
      bococizumab administered to the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Blood samples for
      bococizumab and lipids were collected for 12 weeks postdose. RESULTS: Plasma
      bococizumab concentration-time profiles and PK parameters were generally similar
      across injection sites. Mean maximum observed concentration (Cmax ) ranged from
      8.14 to 11.9 MUg/mL, and area under the concentration-time curve (AUCinf ) ranged
      from 160.3 to 198.9 ug?day/mL. The median time to Cmax (Tmax ) ranged from 4.25
      to 6.93 days. Similar LDL-C concentration-time profiles were observed across
      injection sites, with mean (% coefficient of variation) maximum reductions in LDL
      C of -57.5% (15.8), -57.0% (25.9), and -55.0% (24.1) for the abdomen, thigh, and
      upper arm, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) were mostly mild and generally
      similar across injection sites. Commonly reported AEs were upper respiratory
      tract infection (9.3%), headache (6.7%), and injection site reaction (6.7%). One
      serious AE was reported (ischemic colitis), which was not considered related to
      study drug. CONCLUSIONS: Similar PK profiles and robust LDL-C reductions were
      observed following a single 150-mg s.c. injection of bococizumab administered to
      the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm in untreated subjects with LDL-C >=130 mg/dL.
      Bococizumab was generally well tolerated following a single 150-mg s.c.
      administration in this subject population.

PMID- 28636185
TI  - Decarboxylative Alkynylation.
AB  - The development of a new decarboxylative cross-coupling method that affords
      terminal and substituted alkynes from various carboxylic acids is described using
      both nickel- and iron-based catalysts. The use of N-hydroxytetrachlorophthalimide
      (TCNHPI) esters is crucial to the success of the transformation, and the reaction
      is amenable to in situ carboxylic acid activation. Additionally, an inexpensive,
      commercially available alkyne source is employed in this formal homologation
      process that serves as a surrogate for other well-established alkyne syntheses.
      The reaction is operationally simple and broad in scope while providing succinct
      and scalable avenues to previously reported synthetic intermediates.

PMID- 28636187
TI  - Dual-labeled chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay for simultaneous measurement of
      total prostate specific antigen (TPSA) and free prostate specific antigen (FPSA).
AB  - The specificity for early diagnostic of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is low
      because the current technology mostly allows the detection of only one biomarker
      at one time. In this work, a dual-labeled chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay
      (CLEIA) for simultaneous measurement of total PSA (TPSA) and free PSA (FPSA) was
      proposed. Anti-PSA McAb (Mab1) was immobilized on a microplate as the solid
      phase, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled anti-TPSA monoclonal antibody (McAb2)
      and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-labeled anti-FPSA McAb3 were used as detection
      antibodies. Two chemiluminescence reactions of HRP with luminol and ALP with 4
      methoxy-4-(3-phosphate-phenyl)-spiro-(1,2-dioxetane-3,2'-adamantane) (AMPPD) were
      used as the signal detecting system. Based on a sandwich model, the amount of
      FPSA and TPSA could be determined simultaneously. The effects of several physico
      chemical parameters were studied and optimized. Cross-reactivities of six common
      tumor markers in serum were studied. The proposed method presented the
      sensitivity of 0.03 ng ml-1 and 0.05 ng ml-1 for FPSA and TPSA respectively, with
      low cross-reactivities. Compared with the results from commercial
      chemiluminescent kits there was good correlation, indicating that this
      established method could be used to simultaneously to measure the concentrations
      of FPSA and TPSA in one serum sample and also could greatly facilitate the early
      diagnosis for PCa in clinical practice.

PMID- 28636186
TI  - Views of general practice staff about the use of a patient-oriented treatment
      decision aid in shared decision making for patients with type 2 diabetes: A mixed
      methods study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Decision aids can be used to support shared decision making (SDM). A
      patient-oriented treatment decision aid (DA) was developed for type 2 diabetes
      but its use by general practice staff appeared to be limited. OBJECTIVES: To
      explore views of practice staff towards SDM and the DA. DESIGN: A mixed-methods
      study within the Dutch PORTDA-diab trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Included were
      17 practices with staff members who were responsible for routine diabetes care
      and had worked with the DA, and 209 of their patients. METHODS: Interviews were
      conducted focusing on applicability, usefulness and feasibility of the DA.
      Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to content
      analysis for identifying and classifying views. Patient-reported data about the
      use of the DA were collected. Associations between specific views and use of the
      DA were tested using Pearson point-biserial correlation. RESULTS: The majority of
      practice staff expressed positive views towards SDM, which was associated with
      making more use of the DA. Most of the staff expressed that the DA stimulated a
      two-way conversation. By using the DA, several became aware of their
      paternalistic approach. Some staff experienced a conflict with the content of the
      DA, which was associated with making less use of the DA. CONCLUSIONS: The DA was
      considered useful by practice staff to support SDM. A positive view towards SDM
      was a facilitator, whereas experiencing a conflict with the content of the DA was
      a barrier for making use of the DA.

PMID- 28636188
TI  - Selective laser trabeculoplasty as replacement therapy in medically controlled
      glaucoma patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: We examined selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) as a replacement
      therapy for medically controlled open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertensive
      patients. METHODS: A prospective randomized interventional clinical trial on 143
      glaucoma patients. Patients were randomized to either receiving SLT or to the
      control group that continued on pressure lowering medication. Data were recorded
      1 hr, 1 week, 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after SLT. Primary outcome was number of
      medications at 12 and 18 months while maintaining a predetermined target
      intraocular pressure (IOP). RESULTS: Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT)
      reduced number of medications from a mean of 1.5 at baseline, to 0.35 after 12
      months and 0.29 after 18 months. Meanwhile, SLT achieved more than 20% IOP
      lowering in 95% of eyes and more than 30% IOP lowering in 86% of eyes after 18
      months. Seventy-seven per cent of our eyes no longer needed any medication after
      SLT at 18 months. CONCLUSION: Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) enabled a
      reduction in number of medications while maintaining good IOP control. Selective
      laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) was able to completely replace medical therapy in 77%
      of eyes after 18 months. Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) as replacement
      therapy may reduce local and systemic side-effects and prevent adherence issues.

PMID- 28636189
TI  - Discovery of alkyl bis(oxy)dibenzimidamide derivatives as novel protein arginine
      methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) inhibitors.
AB  - Protein arginine methylation, a post-translational modification critical for a
      variety of biological processes, is catalyzed by protein arginine N
      methyltransferases (PRMTs). In particular, PRMT1 is responsible for over 85% of
      the arginine methylation in mammalian cells. Dysregulation of PRMT1 is involved
      in diverse pathological diseases including cancers. However, most current PRMT1
      inhibitors are lack of specificity, efficacy, and bioavailability. Herein, a
      series of alkyl bis(oxy)dibenzimidamide derivatives were identified as selective
      PRMT1 inhibitors. Among them, the most potent compound corresponds to hexamidine
      (IC50  = 5.9 +/- 1.7 MUm), which is an antimicrobial agent. The binding between
      hexamidine and PRMT1 was further validated by thermal shift assays and nuclear
      magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Molecular docking and NMR assays indicated
      that hexamidine occupied the substrate binding pocket. Furthermore, hexamidine
      effectively blocked cell proliferation in cancer cell lines related to PRMT1
      overexpression. Taken together, this study has provided a druggable scaffold
      targeting PRMT1 as well as a new way to repurpose old drugs which is a
      complementary tool for the discovery of new lead compounds.

PMID- 28636191
TI  - "Fast Track" Development and Approval Process for Heart Failure Therapeutics.
AB  - Heart failure (HF) is a global epidemic, with a high mortality and morbidity
      burden. In such diseases, earlier access to lifesaving therapeutic regimens is
      imperative, and could be accomplished by improving the drug development and
      approval process, without jeopardizing patient safety. The US Food and Drug
      Administration (FDA) has already established mechanisms facilitating the latter,
      but further guidance to enhance and expedite the process holds promise to further
      improve patient outcomes.

PMID- 28636190
TI  - UCH-L1 promotes invasion of breast cancer cells through activating Akt signaling
      pathway.
AB  - As a de-ubiquitin enzyme, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH)-L1 has been shown
      to be overexpressed in several human cancers. However, the function of UCH-L1 in
      invasion of breast cancers is still unclear. Here we report that the expression
      of UCH-L1 is significantly higher in cancer cells with higher invasive ability.
      While ectopic UCH-L1 expression failed to alter cell proliferation in MCF-7
      cells, it caused a significant upregulation of cellular invasion. Furthermore,
      siRNA mediated knockdown of UCH-L1 led to suppression of invasion in UCH-L1
      overexpressing MCF-7 cells. In order to identify molecular mechanisms underlying
      these observations, a novel in vitro proximity-dependent biotin identification
      method was developed by fusing UCH-L1 protein with a bacterial biotin ligase
      (Escherichia coli BirA R118G, BioID). Streptavidin magnetic beads pulldown assay
      revealed that UCH-L1 can interact with Akt in MCF-7 cells. Pulldown assay with
      His tagged recombinant UCH-L1 protein and cell lysate from MCF-7 cells further
      demonstrated that UCH-L1 preferentially binds to Akt2 for Akt activation.
      Finally, we demonstrated that overexpression of UCH-L1 led to activation of Akt
      as evidenced by upregulation of phosphorylated Akt. Thus, these findings
      demonstrated that UCH-L1 promotes invasion of breast cancer cells and might serve
      as a potential therapeutic target for treatment of human patients with breast
      cancers.

PMID- 28636192
TI  - Intestinal barrier integrity and inflammatory bowel disease: Stem cell-based
      approaches to regenerate the barrier.
AB  - Disruption of normal barrier function is a fundamental factor in the pathogenesis
      of inflammatory bowel disease, which includes increased epithelial cell death,
      modified mucus configuration, altered expression and distribution of tight
      junction proteins, along with a decreased expression of antimicrobial peptides.
      Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with life-long morbidity for affected
      patients, and both the incidence and prevalence is increasing globally, resulting
      in substantial economic strain for society. Mucosal healing and re-establishment
      of barrier integrity are associated with clinical remission, as well as with an
      improved patient outcome. Hence, these factors are vital treatment goals, which
      conventionally are achieved by a range of medical treatments, although none are
      effective in all patients, resulting in several patients still requiring surgery
      at some point. Therefore, novel treatment strategies to accomplish mucosal
      healing and to re-establish normal barrier integrity in inflammatory bowel
      disease are warranted, and luminal stem cell-based approaches might have an
      intriguing potential. Transplantation of in vitro expanded intestinal epithelial
      stem cells derived either directly from mucosal biopsies or from directed
      differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells may constitute complementary
      treatment options for patients with mucosal damage, as intestinal epithelial stem
      cells are multipotent and may give rise to all epithelial cell types of the
      intestine. This review provides the reader with a comprehensive state-of-the-art
      overview of the intestinal barrier's role in healthy and diseased states,
      discussing the clinical application of stem cell-based approaches to accomplish
      mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease.

PMID- 28636193
TI  - The role of maternal responsiveness in predicting infant affect during the still
      face paradigm with infants born very low birth weight.
AB  - There is limited empirical literature addressing infants' response to a
      standardized stressor with infants born very low birth weight (VLBW). The purpose
      of this study was to assess the relative strength of maternal responsiveness in
      predicting infant affect in response to the Still Face (SF) paradigm in a cross
      sectional cohort of ethnically diverse infants born VLBW and their mothers (N =
      50; infants 6-8 months old). Infant affect and maternal responsiveness were coded
      in 1-s intervals while dyads participated in the SF. In addition, perinatal
      medical status, developmental status, and infant temperament were assessed.
      Findings revealed that positive infant affect during and after the SF stressor
      were strongly associated with baseline infant positive affect and maternal
      responsiveness at the reunion episode, respectively. In contrast, when predicting
      negative infant affect during and after the SF stressor, prior infant negative
      affect was strongly and uniquely significant. Infant positive affect, negative
      affect, and maternal responsiveness were not significantly associated with
      gender, infant perinatal medical history, developmental status, or temperament.
      Future research is warranted to determine how these findings relate to infants'
      stress reactions in naturalistic settings and if relationship-focused
      interventions may reverse infant negative emotionality, enhance positive
      emotionality, and thereby improve self-regulation and longer term social and
      cognitive developmental outcomes in medically at-risk infants.

PMID- 28636194
TI  - Evaluation of the psychometrics properties of the alarm distress baby scale among
      122 Brazilian children.
AB  - The Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB) aims at assessing infant withdrawal
      behavior. A previous validation study revealed acceptable reliability and
      validity indices. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of
      the scale in a larger sample from a culturally different population.
      Pediatricians evaluated the behavior of 122 infants, 2 and 19 months old, using
      the ADBB during routine physical consultation. Four investigators (two
      pediatricians and two nurses not specialized in pediatric care) examined video
      recordings of the evaluations. Results showed good interrater reliability
      coefficients among pediatricians and poor correlation when all professionals were
      grouped together. Test-retest reliability revealed good intraexaminer agreement
      (r = 0.91). The pediatricians' evaluation using the ADBB was compared with a
      psychiatric examination to investigate the scale's criterion validity. The cutoff
      point of 5 provided the best clinical validity (sensitivity of 79%, specificity
      of 81%). Results from construct validity showed that the scale had three
      dimensions. Comparison of the factor solution with other construct validity
      studies of the same instrument revealed similarities and differences. Results
      suggest that the ADBB may be a useful screening instrument to detect signs of
      psychiatric alterations related to withdrawal behavior in primary care services,
      and it is likely to provide consistent information.

PMID- 28636195
TI  - Effectiveness of the home-start parenting support program: Behavioral outcomes
      for parents and children.
AB  - This study examined effectiveness of Home-Start, a program designed to support
      parents with young children. The aims were (a) to examine whether Home-Start
      improved maternal well-being and (b) to examine whether Home-Start led to changes
      in the behavior of mothers or children. Self-reported and observational data were
      collected in two waves, using data from 54 mothers and their children between 1.5
      and 3.5 years of age who participated in this intervention program for 6 months.
      These data were compared to 51 comparison families who reported need for
      parenting support. The results showed a significant improvement in perceived
      parenting competence, but no effects on maternal depressive moods. Mixed results
      were found for parenting behavior: Parental consistency and observed sensitivity
      improved significantly in the Home-Start group whereas no effects were found on
      the other parenting variables. Child behavioral problems seemed to diminish at
      the second measurement in both groups, and therefore these changes cannot be
      attributed to Home-Start.

PMID- 28636196
TI  - Play and emotional availability in young children with Down syndrome.
AB  - This study investigates mother-child interaction and its associations with play
      in children with Down syndrome (DS). There is consensus that mother-child
      interaction during play represents an important determinant of typical children's
      play development. Concerning children with DS, few studies have investigated
      mother-child interaction in terms of the overall emotional quality of dyadic
      interaction and its effect on child play. A sample of 28 children with DS (M age
      = 3 years) took part in this study. In particular, we studied whether the
      presence of the mother in an interactional context affects the exploratory and
      symbolic play of children with DS and the interrelation between children's level
      of play and dyadic emotional availability. Children showed significantly more
      exploratory play during collaborative play with mothers than during solitary
      play. However, the maternal effect on child symbolic play was higher in children
      of highly sensitive mothers relative to children whose mothers showed lower
      sensitivity, the former displaying more symbolic play than the latter in
      collaborative play. Results offer some evidence that dyadic emotional
      availability and child play level are associated in children with DS, consistent
      with the hypothesis that dyadic interactions based on a healthy level of
      emotional involvement may lead to enhanced cognitive functioning.

PMID- 28636197
TI  - Consistency in infant sleeping arrangements and mother-infant interaction.
AB  - This study examined the association between infant sleeping arrangements (i.e.,
      habitual co-sleeping, inconsistent co-sleeping, and non-co-sleeping) and quality
      of mother-infant interaction during play in a sample of mothers, each with a
      typically developing infant (N=70). Mother-infant dyads who experienced
      consistency in infant sleeping arrangements in a typical week at 6 months (i.e.,
      habitual co-sleeping or non-co-sleeping) were characterized by more positive
      maternal and infant behavior and dyadic quality of interaction at 9 months
      compared with dyads who experienced inconsistency in sleeping arrangements.
      Additionally, a greater amount of co-sleeping per week was associated with an
      increased duration of breastfeeding, mothers working fewer hours, less infant
      temperamental intensity, and less maternal depression. This study underscores the
      advantages of empirically based studies that consider consistency in infant sleep
      experience as a factor that is associated with more positive mother-child
      interaction.

PMID- 28636199
TI  - Widespread occurrence and potential for biodegradation of bioactive contaminants
      in Congaree National Park, USA.
AB  - Organic contaminants with designed molecular bioactivity, such as pesticides and
      pharmaceuticals, originate from human and agricultural sources, occur frequently
      in surface waters, and threaten the structure and function of aquatic and
      terrestrial ecosystems. Congaree National Park in South Carolina (USA) is a
      vulnerable park unit due to its location downstream of multiple urban and
      agricultural contaminant sources and its hydrologic setting, being composed
      almost entirely of floodplain and aquatic environments. Seventy-two water and
      sediment samples were collected from 16 sites in Congaree National Park during
      2013 to 2015, and analyzed for 199 and 81 targeted organic contaminants,
      respectively. More than half of these water and sediment analytes were not
      detected or potentially had natural sources. Pharmaceutical contaminants were
      detected (49 total) frequently in water throughout Congaree National Park, with
      higher detection frequencies and concentrations at Congaree and Wateree River
      sites, downstream from major urban areas. Forty-seven organic wastewater
      indicator chemicals were detected in water, and 36 were detected in sediment, of
      which approximately half are distinctly anthropogenic. Endogenous sterols and
      hormones, which may originate from humans or wildlife, were detected in water and
      sediment samples throughout Congaree National Park, but synthetic hormones were
      detected only once, suggesting a comparatively low risk of adverse impacts.
      Assessment of the biodegradation potentials of 8 14 C-radiolabeled model
      contaminants indicated poor potentials for some contaminants, particularly under
      anaerobic sediments conditions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3045-3056. Published
      2017 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government
      work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

PMID- 28636198
TI  - Actin filament reorganisation controlled by the SCAR/WAVE complex mediates
      stomatal response to darkness.
AB  - Stomata respond to darkness by closing to prevent excessive water loss during the
      night. Although the reorganisation of actin filaments during stomatal closure is
      documented, the underlying mechanisms responsible for dark-induced cytoskeletal
      arrangement remain largely unknown. We used genetic, physiological and cell
      biological approaches to show that reorganisation of the actin cytoskeleton is
      required for dark-induced stomatal closure. The opal5 mutant does not close in
      response to darkness but exhibits wild-type (WT) behaviour when exposed to
      abscisic acid (ABA) or CaCl2 . The mutation was mapped to At5g18410, encoding the
      PIR/SRA1/KLK subunit of the ArabidopsisSCAR/WAVE complex. Stomata of an
      independent allele of the PIR gene (Atpir-1) showed reduced sensitivity to
      darkness and F1 progenies of the cross between opal5 and Atpir-1 displayed
      distorted leaf trichomes, suggesting that the two mutants are allelic. Darkness
      induced changes in the extent of actin filament bundling in WT. These were
      abolished in opal5. Disruption of filamentous actin using latrunculin B or
      cytochalasin D restored wild-type stomatal sensitivity to darkness in opal5. Our
      findings suggest that the stomatal response to darkness is mediated by
      reorganisation of guard cell actin filaments, a process that is finely tuned by
      the conserved SCAR/WAVE-Arp2/3 actin regulatory module.

PMID- 28636201
TI  - An exploration of the relationship between use of safety-seeking behaviours and
      psychosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - Safety-seeking behaviours are responses employed to protect against perceived
      threat. In relation to anxiety disorders, safety-seeking behaviours have been
      implicated in both the formation and maintenance of distress. Several studies
      have highlighted similar findings in relation to psychosis; however, this
      literature has not yet been synthesized. This review is, therefore, being
      conducted in order to synthesize the literature on safety seeking in people with
      psychosis to increase the understanding of this relationship. A systematic search
      identified and included 43 studies comprising 2,592 participants, published
      between 1995 and 2015. The results indicated that people experiencing psychosis
      commonly respond to their experiences with behavioural and cognitive strategies
      intended to manage their difficulties. In relation to safety seeking, avoidance,
      and resistance, there was a pattern that these responses are associated with
      increased distress and appraisals of threat. The results relating to engagement
      response styles showed the opposite pattern. These results provide support for
      cognitive models of safety seeking and psychosis with many of the meta-analyses
      reported here showing a clear pattern of association between behavioural
      responses and distress. However, the results reported within individual studies
      are mixed. This appears to be particularly true with the response style of
      distraction, with our analyses unable to clarify this relationship. It is
      possible that the mixed results could reflect the complexities in defining safety
      seeking and distinguishing it from coping in this population. The clinical
      implications of this are discussed.

PMID- 28636200
TI  - Functional Impairment: An Unmeasured Marker of Medicare Costs for Postacute Care
      of Older Adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of preadmission functional impairment on
      Medicare costs of postacute care up to 365 days after hospital discharge. DESIGN:
      Longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Health and Retirement Study (HRS).
      PARTICIPANTS: Nationally representative sample of 16,673 Medicare
      hospitalizations of 8,559 community-dwelling older adults from 2000 to 2012.
      MEASUREMENTS: The main outcome was total Medicare costs in the year after
      hospital discharge, assessed according to Medicare claims data. The main
      predictor was functional impairment (level of difficulty or dependence in
      activities of daily living (ADLs)), determined from HRS interview preceding
      hospitalization. Multivariable linear regression was performed, adjusted for age,
      race, sex, income, net worth, and comorbidities, with clustering at the
      individual level to characterize the association between functional impairment
      and costs of postacute care. RESULTS: Unadjusted mean Medicare costs for 1 year
      after discharge increased with severity of impairment in a dose-response fashion
      (P < .001 for trend); 68% had no functional impairment ($25,931), 17% had
      difficulty with one ADL ($32,501), 7% had dependency in one ADL ($39,928), and 8%
      had dependency in two or more ADLs ($45,895). The most severely impaired
      participants cost 77% more than those with no impairment; adjusted analyses
      showed attenuated effect size (33% more) but no change in trend. Considering
      costs attributable to comorbidities, only three conditions were more expensive
      than severe functional impairment (lymphoma, metastatic cancer, paralysis).
      CONCLUSION: Functional impairment is associated with greater Medicare costs for
      postacute care and may be an unmeasured but important marker of long-term costs
      that cuts across conditions.

PMID- 28636202
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone in 30 patients: Difference in
      presentation and treatment in de novo disease vs radiation associated disease.

PMID- 28636203
TI  - Directional Matrix Nanotopography with Varied Sizes for Engineering Wound
      Healing.
AB  - Topographic features play a crucial role in the regulation of physiologically
      relevant cell and tissue functions. Here, an analysis of feature-size-dependent
      cell-nanoarchitecture interactions is reported using an array of scaffolds in the
      form of uniformly spaced ridge/groove structures for engineering wound healing.
      The ridge and groove widths of nanopatterns are varied from 300 to 800 nm and the
      nanotopography features are classified into three size ranges: dense (300-400
      nm), intermediate (500-600 nm), and sparse (700-800 nm). On these matrices,
      fibroblasts demonstrate a biphasic trend of cell body and nucleus elongation
      showing the maximum at intermediate feature density, whereas maximum migration
      speed is observed at the dense case with monotonic decrease upon increasing
      feature size. The directional organization of cell-synthesized fibronectin fibers
      can be regulated differently via the nanotopographical features. In an in vitro
      wound healing model, the covering rate of cell-free regions is maximized on the
      dense nanotopography and decreased with increasing feature size, showing direct
      correlation with the trend of migration speed. It is demonstrated that the
      properties of repaired tissue matrices in the process of wound healing may be
      controlled via the feature-size-dependent cell-nanoarchitecture interactions,
      which can be an important consideration for designing tissue engineering
      scaffolds.

PMID- 28636204
TI  - Aerobic exercise training for adults with fibromyalgia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exercise training is commonly recommended for individuals with
      fibromyalgia. This review is one of a series of reviews about exercise training
      for people with fibromyalgia that will replace the "Exercise for treating
      fibromyalgia syndrome" review first published in 2002. OBJECTIVES: * To evaluate
      the benefits and harms of aerobic exercise training for adults with fibromyalgia*
      To assess the following specific comparisons ? Aerobic versus control conditions
      (eg, treatment as usual, wait list control, physical activity as usual) ? Aerobic
      versus aerobic interventions (eg, running vs brisk walking) ? Aerobic versus non
      exercise interventions (eg, medications, education) We did not assess specific
      comparisons involving aerobic exercise versus other exercise interventions (eg,
      resistance exercise, aquatic exercise, flexibility exercise, mixed exercise).
      Other systematic reviews have examined or will examine these comparisons (Bidonde
      2014; Busch 2013). SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE,
      Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL),
      the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Thesis and Dissertation Abstracts,
      the Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), the World Health
      Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP), and the
      ClinicalTrials.gov registry up to June 2016, unrestricted by language, and we
      reviewed the reference lists of retrieved trials to identify potentially relevant
      trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in
      adults with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia that compared aerobic training
      interventions (dynamic physical activity that increases breathing and heart rate
      to submaximal levels for a prolonged period) versus no exercise or another
      intervention. Major outcomes were health-related quality of life (HRQL), pain
      intensity, stiffness, fatigue, physical function, withdrawals, and adverse
      events. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected
      trials for inclusion, extracted data, performed a risk of bias assessment, and
      assessed the quality of the body of evidence for major outcomes using the GRADE
      approach. We used a 15% threshold for calculation of clinically relevant
      differences between groups. MAIN RESULTS: We included 13 RCTs (839 people).
      Studies were at risk of selection, performance, and detection bias (owing to lack
      of blinding for self-reported outcomes) and had low risk of attrition and
      reporting bias. We prioritized the findings when aerobic exercise was compared
      with no exercise control and present them fully here.Eight trials (with 456
      participants) provided low-quality evidence for pain intensity, fatigue,
      stiffness, and physical function; and moderate-quality evidence for withdrawals
      and HRQL at completion of the intervention (6 to 24 weeks). With the exception of
      withdrawals and adverse events, major outcome measures were self-reported and
      were expressed on a 0 to 100 scale (lower values are best, negative mean
      differences (MDs)/standardized mean differences (SMDs) indicate improvement).
      Effects for aerobic exercise versus control were as follows: HRQL: mean 56.08;
      five studies; N = 372; MD -7.89, 95% CI -13.23 to -2.55; absolute improvement of
      8% (3% to 13%) and relative improvement of 15% (5% to 24%); pain intensity: mean
      65.31; six studies; N = 351; MD -11.06, 95% CI -18.34 to -3.77; absolute
      improvement of 11% (95% CI 4% to 18%) and relative improvement of 18% (7% to
      30%); stiffness: mean 69; one study; N = 143; MD -7.96, 95% CI -14.95 to -0.97;
      absolute difference in improvement of 8% (1% to 15%) and relative change in
      improvement of 11.4% (21.4% to 1.4%); physical function: mean 38.32; three
      studies; N = 246; MD -10.16, 95% CI -15.39 to -4.94; absolute change in
      improvement of 10% (15% to 5%) and relative change in improvement of 21.9% (33%
      to 11%); and fatigue: mean 68; three studies; N = 286; MD -6.48, 95% CI -14.33 to
      1.38; absolute change in improvement of 6% (12% improvement to 0.3% worse) and
      relative change in improvement of 8% (16% improvement to 0.4% worse). Pooled
      analysis resulted in a risk ratio (RR) of moderate quality for withdrawals (17
      per 100 and 20 per 100 in control and intervention groups, respectively; eight
      studies; N = 456; RR 1.25, 95%CI 0.89 to 1.77; absolute change of 5% more
      withdrawals with exercise (3% fewer to 12% more).Three trials provided low
      quality evidence on long-term effects (24 to 208 weeks post intervention) and
      reported that benefits for pain and function persisted but did not for HRQL or
      fatigue. Withdrawals were similar, and investigators did not assess stiffness and
      adverse events.We are uncertain about the effects of one aerobic intervention
      versus another, as the evidence was of low to very low quality and was derived
      from single trials only, precluding meta-analyses. Similarly, we are uncertain of
      the effects of aerobic exercise over active controls (ie, education, three
      studies; stress management training, one study; medication, one study) owing to
      evidence of low to very low quality provided by single trials. Most studies did
      not measure adverse events; thus we are uncertain about the risk of adverse
      events associated with aerobic exercise. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: When compared with
      control, moderate-quality evidence indicates that aerobic exercise probably
      improves HRQL and all-cause withdrawal, and low-quality evidence suggests that
      aerobic exercise may slightly decrease pain intensity, may slightly improve
      physical function, and may lead to little difference in fatigue and stiffness.
      Three of the reported outcomes reached clinical significance (HRQL, physical
      function, and pain). Long-term effects of aerobic exercise may include little or
      no difference in pain, physical function, and all-cause withdrawal, and we are
      uncertain about long-term effects on remaining outcomes. We downgraded the
      evidence owing to the small number of included trials and participants across
      trials, and because of issues related to unclear and high risks of bias
      (performance, selection, and detection biases). Aerobic exercise appears to be
      well tolerated (similar withdrawal rates across groups), although evidence on
      adverse events is scarce, so we are uncertain about its safety.

PMID- 28636205
TI  - Progressive SCAR14 with unclear speech, developmental delay, tremor, and
      behavioral problems caused by a homozygous deletion of the SPTBN2 pleckstrin
      homology domain.
AB  - We report on nine members of a consanguineous Pakistani family with primary
      presentation of intellectual disability, developmental delay, limb and gait
      ataxia, behavioral and speech problems, and tremor. By linkage mapping and exome
      sequencing we identified novel homozygous splicing variant c.6375-1G>C in SPTBN2.
      To date, only two other SPTBN2 mutations with recessive pattern of inheritance
      causing SCAR14 (spinocerebellar ataxia, autosomal recessive 14) that manifest
      with developmental ataxia and cognitive impairment, or cerebellar ataxia, mental
      retardation, and pyramidal signs have been reported. The mutation we identified
      is predicted to lead to the deletion of just the pleckstrin homology domain;
      thus, the earlier onset and more progressive nature of the disease in the
      presented family, as compared to earlier reports, were unexpected. No other
      mutation that could possibly explain the features that were unusual for SCAR14
      arched palate, limb hypotonia, climacophobia, and behavioral problems-was
      identified. The disease was more severe in males than females. Our findings
      expand the recessive SPTBN2 mutation phenotype. We also review SPTBN2 mutation
      phenotypes. The gene encodes beta-III spectrin, which forms tetramers with alpha
      II spectrin. The manifestations of this third recessive mutation suggest that for
      recessive mutations either no mutant protein is synthesized because the
      transcript is subject to nonsense-mediated decay or the mutant protein does not
      bind membrane proteins and, thus, does not exert a negative effect in
      heterozygotes, whereas the dominant mutations causing SCA5 form defective
      tetramers that compete with the native tetramers in binding membrane proteins,
      but are unable to anchor them.

PMID- 28636206
TI  - Retinal vascular injuries and intravitreal human embryonic stem cell-derived
      haemangioblasts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether intravitreally applied haemangioblasts (HB)
      derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are helpful for the repair of
      vascular damage caused in animals by an oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR), by an
      induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) or by an induced retinal ischaemia with
      subsequent reperfusion. METHODS: Human embryonic stem cell-derived HBs were
      transplanted intravitreally into C57BL/6J mice (OIR model), into male Wistar rats
      with an induced DR and into male Wistar rats undergoing induced retinal ischaemia
      with subsequent reperfusion. Control groups of animals received an intravitreal
      injection of endothelial cells (ECs) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). We
      examined the vasculature integrity in the mice with OIR, the blood-retina barrier
      in the rats with induced DR, and retinal thickness and retinal ganglion cell
      density in retina flat mounts of the rats with the retinal ischaemic-reperfusion
      retinopathy. RESULTS: In the OIR model, the study group versus control groups
      showed a significantly (p < 0.001) smaller retinal avascular area [5.1 +/- 2.7%;n
      = 18 animals versus 12.2 +/- 2.8% (PBS group; n = 10 animals) and versus 11.8 +/-
      3.7% (EC group; n = 8 animals)] and less retinal neovascularization [6.3 +/-
      2.5%;n = 18 versus 15.2 +/- 6.3% (n = 10; PBS group) and versus 15.8 +/- 3.3% (n
      = 8; EC group)]. On retinal flat mounts, hESC-HBs were integrated into damaged
      retinal vessels and stained positive for PECAM (CD31) as EC marker. In the DR
      model, the study group versus the EC control group showed a significantly (p =
      0.001) better blood-retina barrier function as measured at 2 days after the
      intravitreal injections [study group: 20.2 +/- 12.8 MUl/(g * hr); n = 6; versus
      EC control group: 52.9 +/- 9.9 MUl/(g * hr; n = 6)]. In the retinal ischaemia
      reperfusion model, the groups did not differ significantly in retinal thickness
      and retinal ganglion cell density at 2, 5 and 7 days after baseline. CONCLUSION:
      By integrating into damaged retinal vessels and differentiating into ECs,
      intravitreally administered hESC-HBs may have partially repaired a retinal
      vascular injury caused by OIR model and DR.

PMID- 28636207
TI  - Specificity of, and influence of hemolysis, lipemia, and icterus on serum lipase
      activity as measured by the v-LIP-P slide.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Measurement of pancreatic lipase in serum is being used for the
      diagnosis of pancreatitis. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to measure
      serum lipase activity by the v-LIP-P slide and serum canine pancreatic lipase
      immunoreactivity (cPLI) concentration by Spec cPL in dogs with exocrine
      pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and in serum samples that were hemolyzed, lipemic,
      or icteric. METHODS: Serum samples from 50 dogs with EPI, 8 samples spiked with
      canine hemoglobin, Intralipid, or ditaurobilirubin, and 8 samples from dogs with
      severe hypertriglyceridemia were evaluated using v-LIP-P and Spec cPL assays.
      RESULTS: Serum lipase activity (v-LIP-P) was in the lower 20% of the RI in 58% of
      EPI dogs, while serum cPLI (as measured by Spec cPL) was in the lower 20% of the
      RI in 98% of EPI dogs. The mean (+/-SD) observed-to-expected ratios for serum
      samples spiked with canine hemoglobin, Intralipid, or ditaurobilirubin were 63.0
      +/- 25.1%, 489.2 +/- 469.7%, and 80.2 +/- 11.6% for the v-LIP-P slide,
      respectively, and 99.3 +/- 6.8%, 96.9 +/- 9.4%, and 98.7 +/- 11.0% for Spec cPL,
      respectively. However, naturally occurring hypertriglyceridemia did not appear to
      have a significant effect on serum lipase activity as measured by the v-LIP-P
      slide. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that Spec cPL is specific for pancreatic
      lipase, while the v-LIP-P slide is not. In addition, hemolysis and lipemia had no
      effect on Spec cPL, while severe icterus resulted in a slight decrease in Spec
      cPL. Hemolysis and icterus had a significant effect on the v-LIP-P slide. The
      effect of lipemia on the v-LIP-P slide cannot be conclusively established based
      on this study.

PMID- 28636209
TI  - A case of acquired reactive perforating collagenosis.

PMID- 28636208
TI  - A phase I trial of PRN1008, a novel reversible covalent inhibitor of Bruton's
      tyrosine kinase, in healthy volunteers.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics
      of PRN1008, a novel Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, in healthy
      volunteers, and thus determine the dose range for future clinical studies.
      METHODS: This was a two-part randomized, placebo controlled study in healthy
      volunteers using a liquid formulation. Part I was a single ascending dose design
      with dose levels of 50-1200 mg (n = 6 active, two placebos per cohort); Part II
      was a multiple ascending dose design, with dose regimens ranging from 300 to 900
      mg daily, either four times or twice daily for 10 days. Plasma pharmacokinetics,
      adverse events, vital signs, electrocardiograms and laboratory parameters were
      assessed. BTK occupancy in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was evaluated as a
      marker of target engagement. RESULTS: PRN1008 was rapidly absorbed following oral
      administration, and was safe and well tolerated in all dose regimens evaluated in
      both single and multiple doses. PRN1008 demonstrated a large volume of
      distribution, and a half-life of approximately 3-4 h. BTK occupancy of >90% was
      observed within 4 h after dosing in both single and multiple dose regimens, and
      was closely linked to maximum plasma concentration. BTK occupancy decay was slow
      (-1.6% h-1 ), and occupancy was sustained despite drug concentrations being
      undetectable. No severe or serious adverse events occurred, and the most common
      adverse events were gastrointestinal in nature. CONCLUSIONS: PRN1008 was safe and
      well-tolerated following oral administration, and achieved high, sustained levels
      of BTK occupancy in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

PMID- 28636210
TI  - Graphical displays.

PMID- 28636212
TI  - Digest: Ecological opportunity, competition, and diversity dependence in
      macroevolution.

PMID- 28636211
TI  - Resolution of donor non-alcoholic fatty liver disease following liver
      transplantation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Transplant surgeons conventionally select against livers displaying
      high degrees (>30%) of macrosteatosis (MaS), out of concern for primary non
      function or severe graft dysfunction. As such, there is relatively limited
      experience with such livers, and the natural history remains incompletely
      characterized. We present our experience of transplanted livers with high degrees
      of MaS and microsteatosis (MiS), with a focus on the histopathologic and clinical
      outcomes. METHODS: Twenty-nine cases were identified with liver biopsies
      available from both the donor and the corresponding liver transplant recipient.
      Donor liver biopsies displayed either MaS or MiS >=15%, while all recipients
      received postoperative liver biopsies for cause. RESULTS: The mean donor MaS and
      MiS were 15.6% (range 0%-60%) and 41.3% (7.5%-97.5%), respectively. MaS decreased
      significantly from donor (M=15.6%) to recipient postoperative biopsies (M=0.86%),
      P<.001. Similarly, MiS decreased significantly from donor biopsies (M=41.3%) to
      recipient postoperative biopsies (M=1.8%), P<.001. At a median of 68 days
      postoperatively (range 4-384), full resolution of MaS and MiS was observed in 27
      of 29 recipients. CONCLUSIONS: High degrees of MaS and MiS in donor livers
      resolve in recipients following liver transplantation. Further insight into the
      mechanisms responsible for treating fatty liver diseases could translate into
      therapeutic targets.

PMID- 28636213
TI  - Distribution and hypoxia-regulation of haemocyanin in springtails (Collembola).
AB  - Haemocyanin is the copper-containing respiratory protein present in many
      arthropods. In the hexapods, respiratory proteins had long been considered
      unnecessary as sufficient O2 was thought to be obtained via the trachea.
      Nevertheless, many ametabolous and hemimetabolous hexapod species actually
      possess haemocyanin. Here we investigated the occurrence of haemocyanin in
      Collembola (springtails). Haemocyanin was found in 22 collembolan species of the
      suborders Symphypleona, Tomoceroidea and Entomobryomorpha, demonstrating its
      widespread occurrence. No haemocyanin was identified in 16 species of these taxa,
      and it appears to be absent in Poduromorpha. The presence of haemocyanin does not
      correlate with either the phylogenetic history or lifestyle of the investigated
      species. We further investigated the function of haemocyanin in Folsomia candida
      (Entomobryomorpha) by applying different hypoxia regimes. Whereas short-term (1
      h) and mild (10% O2 ) hypoxia led to a decrease in haemocyanin mRNA, strong
      hypoxia (24 h, 1.5% O2 ) resulted in a ~4300-fold increase in haemocyanin
      expression. Hypoxia induction of haemocyanin could not be demonstrated in
      evolutionarily more advanced Hexapoda, where it is restricted to the embryo. The
      results indicate (1) an important role of haemocyanin in the oxygen supply of F.
      candida, which may be adaptive in the potentially hypoxic environment in the
      soil, and (2) a change in haemocyanin function in hexapod evolution.

PMID- 28636214
TI  - National home infusion teaching guidelines will improve quality of care and
      patient outcomes in haemophilia treatment centres across the USA.

PMID- 28636215
TI  - Case of generalized pustular psoriasis presenting with both pleural effusion and
      pericardial effusion collection.

PMID- 28636216
TI  - Imaging of haemophilic arthropathy: Awareness of pitfalls and need for
      standardization.

PMID- 28636217
TI  - Research on potential biomarker correlates for suicidal behavior: A review.
AB  - Suicide is a world health priority. Studies over the last few decades have
      revealed the complexity underlying the neurobiological mechanisms of suicide.
      Researchers have found dysregulations in the serotonergic system, the stress
      system, neural plasticity, lipid metabolism, and cell signaling pathways in
      relation to suicidal behaviors. These findings have provided more insight into
      the final path leading to suicide, at which medical intervention should be
      applied to prevent the action. However, because these molecular mechanisms have
      been implicated in both depression and suicide, the specificity of the mechanisms
      has been obscured. In this review, we summarize the main findings of studies on
      molecular mechanisms of suicidal behavior from the last 2 decades, with
      particular emphasis on the potential, independent role of each mechanism that is
      not contingent upon an underlying psychopathology, such as depression. The act of
      suicide is multifactorial; no single molecular mechanism is sufficient to fully
      account for the act. Knowledge of the reciprocal interactions among these
      molecular mechanisms and studying them in the context of brain circuitry by using
      neuroimaging techniques will provide a better understanding of the neurobiology
      of suicide.

PMID- 28636218
TI  - Maternal depression and anxiety effects on the human fetus: Preliminary findings
      and clinical implications.
AB  - Newborns of depressed and anxious mothers show biobehavioral abnormalities
      suggesting that maternal psychological distress has negative effects on the
      fetus. Two studies examined the fetuses of depressed and nondepressed mothers:
      (a) a cross-sectional investigation of fetal activity during the second and third
      trimesters and (b) an examination of behavioral and heart rate response to
      vibratory stimulation in late-gestation fetuses. Fetuses of depressed mothers
      were more active during the fifth, sixth, and seventh gestational months.
      Assessment of late-term fetuses consisted of a baseline, trials of vibratory
      stimulation directed towards measuring habituation, and a poststimulation period.
      During baseline, the fetuses of depressed mothers exhibited a lower heart rate.
      During stimulation trials, they showed less total movement and appeared to
      habituate more often. Approximately 35% of the variance in fetal behavior was
      accounted for by the mothers' depression and anxiety symptoms. Maternal
      depression may be linked to greater fetal activity during the second and third
      trimesters and decreased behavioral responsivity during late gestation. The
      response of late-term fetuses of depressed mothers to vibratory stimulation may
      reflect "receptor adaptation/effector fatigue" and not true habitation. Future
      studies should examine the value of clinical interventions provided to the
      pregnant mother.

PMID- 28636219
TI  - A mother-infant therapy group model for postpartum depression.
AB  - This pilot study examined the feasibility and efficacy of a manualized, 12-week
      mother-infant therapy group (M-ITG) model for women with moderate to severe
      depressive symptoms during the postpartum period. Study participants were
      referred to the psychiatric clinic of a university medical center for assessment
      and treatment for postpartum depression. Results of pre- and post comparisons
      utilizing self-report and observational measures showed that women in the M-ITG
      groups (n = 18) reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms and experienced
      their infants as more reinforcing following 12 weeks of treatment than did the
      depressed women in the waitlist control group (WLCG) (n = 14). Mothers in the M
      ITG group also were rated as exhibiting significantly more positive affective
      involvement and communication in interactions with their infants following
      treatment than did mothers in the WLCG. The M-ITG model is described, and the
      implications of utilizing a mother-infant treatment approach for postpartum
      depression that focuses on the relationships as well as the mother's depressive
      symptoms is discussed. The importance of further examining the efficacy of the M
      ITG model for women with postpartum depression and their families in a large
      scale, randomized clinical trial is underscored.

PMID- 28636221
TI  - Treatment of postpartum depression in mothers: Secondary benefits to the infants.
AB  - This study examined the quality of mother-infant interaction and levels of
      perceived stress and parenting efficacy in association with mothers' levels of
      depression among mothers with significant depressive symptoms during the
      postpartum period, who were followed prospectively during treatment, and their
      infants less than 6 months old. Mothers with postpartum depression (n = 19) were
      treated with medication, and the mothers were observed with their infants prior
      to treatment and 3 and 6 months later. A comparison group of nondepressed mothers
      (n = 25) was included to control for the normal developmental changes associated
      with the postpartum period. The depressed women experienced a significant
      reduction in depressive symptoms and did not differ significantly from well
      mothers 6 months after beginning treatment. Despite initial levels of parenting
      quality and depression, mothers' reduced levels of depression, after 12 weeks of
      treatment, were associated with improvements in the quality of their interactions
      with their infants and with improvements in their infants' quality of play. For
      both perceived stress and parenting efficacy beliefs, both depressed and well
      mothers showed a significant improvement from the initial to the 12-week visit,
      and there were no significant differences between depressed and well mothers'
      perceived stress or efficacy beliefs at the 12-week visit. Depression at the 12
      week visit did not predict perceived stress or efficacy beliefs beyond the
      variance accounted for by initial levels of those variables and depression. The
      impact of reducing levels of maternal depression symptoms supports theoretical
      models of the role of parenting in the association between maternal depression
      and child functioning. Further, these findings support the benefits to infants of
      reducing depression in mothers.

PMID- 28636220
TI  - Six-week postpartum maternal depressive symptoms and 4-month mother-infant self-
      and interactive contingency.
AB  - Associations of 6-week maternal depressive symptoms [Center for Epidemiological
      Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)] with 4-month mother-infant self- and
      interactive contingency patterns during face-to-face play were investigated in
      132 dyads. Self- and interactive contingency (auto- and lagged cross-correlation,
      respectively) were assessed by multilevel time-series analysis. Infant and mother
      gaze, facial and vocal affect, touch, and spatial orientation behaviors were
      coded second-by-second from split-screen videotape, and a multimodal measure of
      facial-visual "engagement" was constructed, generating nine modality pairings.
      With higher CES-D, the self-contingency of both partners was lowered in most
      modalities. With higher CES-D, interactive contingency values were both
      heightened (in some modalities) and lowered (in others), varying by partner.
      These results are consistent with an optimal midrange model. With higher CES-D,
      interactive contingency showed the following patterns: (a) Mothers and their
      infants had a reciprocal orientational sensitivity; (b) mothers and infants
      manifested a reciprocal intermodal discordance in attention versus affect
      coordination, lowering gaze coordination, but heightening affective coordination;
      (c) infants heightened, but mothers lowered, touch coordination with partner
      touch-an "infant approach-mother withdraw" touch pattern. Nonlinear analyses
      indicated that altered self- and interactive contingency were similar at both the
      low ("denial") as well as the high ("endorsement") poles of depressive symptoms,
      in half the findings. These complex, multimodal findings define different aspects
      of communication disturbance, with relevance for therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 28636223
TI  - Mother-infant psychotherapy: Examining the therapeutic process of change.

PMID- 28636222
TI  - Recent progress in immunotherapy for urological cancer.
AB  - Cancer immunotherapy for urological tumors had made progress for several decades,
      but recent advances in immunotherapy, as therapeutic vaccines or immune
      checkpoint inhibitors, have drastically changed the present treatment strategy.
      Recently, nivolumab and atezolizumab have been approved by the Food and Drug
      Administration for treatment of urological cancers. Additional immune checkpoint
      inhibitors and vaccines are being tested in clinical trials. Despite advances in
      these therapeutic modalities, benefits are limited to a subset of patients. New
      agents and novel combinations will also continue to create new immunotherapy
      strategies. Further development of biomarkers for predicting response is required
      to achieve optimal efficacy with these therapeutic interventions.

PMID- 28636224
TI  - Early emotional development in infants and toddlers: Perspectives of Early Head
      Start staff and parents.
AB  - As part of a curriculum-development project, focus groups were implemented with
      Early Head Start staff and with parents of infants and toddlers enrolled in Early
      Head Start. Focus groups were designed to identify staff and parent beliefs about
      early emotional development. Three major themes were identified that crossed the
      staff and parent focus groups: (a) Infants' and toddlers' abilities to have
      emotions and to be aware of others' emotions; (b) roles of parents as advocates,
      teachers, and disciplinarians; and (c) parental reflectivity about their own
      experiences as influences on their parenting. The findings suggest that parents
      participating in Early Head Start have some knowledge about basic emotions and
      the developmental nature of emotions, but may easily misinterpret emotional
      displays only as attempts at manipulation rather than as valid expressions of
      feelings; expectations for gender-appropriate emotional expressiveness begin
      early; more empowered parents may view themselves as role models and teachers for
      their children; and more reflective parents are better prepared to engage in the
      sensitive interactions needed to guide young children's growing awareness of
      their own and others' emotions. Implications for parenting education and program
      planning utilizing an infant mental health perspective are discussed.

PMID- 28636225
TI  - Video interaction guidance inviting transcendence of postpartum depressed
      mothers' self-centered state and holding behavior.
AB  - By sometimes evoking self-absorbed and avoidance behaviors in new mothers,
      postnatal depression affects the quality of mother-infant interaction, which in
      turn may invoke distress and avoidance in the infant and cause even more lasting
      impairment in the child's development. Three depressed mothers, A, B, and C, are
      reported upon after having been offered counseling in accordance with the Marte
      Meo approach through jointly watching with the therapist video replays of
      themselves interacting with their newborns. Clinical vignettes are offered which
      indicate how empathic and positive support of a sensitive therapist can be
      helpful in inviting the mother's recognition of her importance to her infant and
      facilitating mutually gratifying interaction between mother and child. Protocol
      analyses of select sessions of video-related therapy reveal that two of the
      mothers sometimes complete the therapist's unfinished statements in an other
      centered manner, thereby transcending their initial self-centered state. This is
      most dramatic in the case of Mother A, who starts out in the first session almost
      incapable of speech, merely nodding or shaking her head. In addition to other
      indications of improved mother-infant interaction, comparison of pre- and
      postguidance windows regarding the three mothers' holding behaviors reveals a
      shift from an avoidance or anxious stance to closer and more secure holding.

PMID- 28636226
TI  - Satellite babies in transnational families: A study of parents' decision to
      separate from their infants.
AB  - This study examines a practice which is characteristic of an era of intensifying
      globalization: As part of a transnational lifestyle, an increasing number of
      immigrants to North America send infants thousands of miles back to their country
      of origin to be raised by members of their extended families-a culturally
      sanctioned tradition. After several years of separation, the children return to
      the biological parents to attend school in the adopted country, a custom which,
      according to Western mental health models, could have significant sequelae for
      attachment relationships and other facets of development. This practice is
      particularly prevalent among immigrants from the People's Republic of China, but
      a modified version of it can be found in other groups as well. The work described
      here is the first phase of a longitudinal project that explores the advantages
      and potential repercussions, for both infants and parents, of a transnational
      lifestyle. The current study reviews the decision-making process of a group of
      Chinese Canadian immigrant parents who are considering a separation from their
      infants. Preliminary findings show that the expected concerns about disrupting
      attachment relationships are embedded in more salient considerations of economic
      need and cultural perspective. These exploratory data exemplify an emergent field
      of culture-focused research and practice in infant mental health, and support the
      call for innovative models to situate infant developmental pathways in global and
      transcultural contexts.

PMID- 28636227
TI  - Triadic nonverbal communication in mother-infant consultations: Two contrasted
      cases.
AB  - The aim of the present case study was to present and discuss the analysis of
      triadic nonverbal communication between mother, infant, and therapist in two
      early consultations as an indicator of the therapeutic alliance. The analysis
      explored nonverbal triadic interactions (body positions and facial orientations
      of the mother, infant, and therapist, and expressive behaviors of the infant) and
      triadic affective sharing (via a microanalytic interview of the therapist). The
      quality of the therapeutic alliance and clinical outcome for each case are
      described. The description of the two cases illustrates the importance of the
      progressive development of nonverbal "engagement" by the three people (triadic
      alliance) and of moments with triadic emotional sharing. The contribution of the
      therapist appears to be crucial, in particular via his or her body and affective
      engagement with the infant. The triadic alliance appears to be both an indicator
      of the therapeutic alliance and an element that can foster it.

PMID- 28636228
TI  - Learning to sleep through the night: Solution or strain for mothers and young
      children?
AB  - Is the process of helping infants and young children learn to sleep through the
      night a solution to family sleep problems or does it exacerbate matters for
      mother and child? Retrospective and current accounts from a nonclinical,
      convenience sample of 102 mothers of preschool-aged children provided information
      on sleep issues from early infancy through preschool age. Child, mother, and
      parenting characteristics, along with family sleep arrangements, were
      differentially related to the age at which children learned to sleep through the
      night and to the extent of difficulty that characterized this experience. Mothers
      who indicated more difficulty as their children learned to sleep through the
      night also reported more depressive symptoms and more strain in the mother-child
      relationship. Later age at sleeping through the night was more common among early
      bedsharers, but timing of sleeping through the night was not associated with
      preschool children's reported independence in several nonsleep domains. Sleep
      arrangements and the importance placed on sleeping through the night were the
      strongest contributors to variance explained in whether children learned to sleep
      through the night during infancy or toddlerhood. When advising parents about
      sleep interventions, practitioners should seek to understand whether families'
      parenting values fit their nighttime sleep practices.

PMID- 28636230
TI  - Quantification of fatty acids in erythrocytes and plasma by fast gas
      chromatography.
AB  - As a result of the heterogeneous nature of lipid classes in complex biological
      matrices such as plasma and erythrocytes, it is imperative to have a robust and
      validated methodology for fatty acid quantification. The effective method
      presented here combines available methodology of fast gas chromatography and an
      improvement of the sample preparation methodology before injection into the gas
      chromatograph. This methodology ensures complete transesterification and
      quantification of total and individual fatty acids (and not only in relative
      amounts) by addition of internal standards. We considered sample preparation key,
      and we established the use of lysis buffer and ethanol for erythrocytes and
      plasma sample preparation, respectively. Fatty acid profile was determined by
      acid methylation and fast gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization
      detector. The triacylglycerol 13:0, phosphatidylcholine 23:0, and methyl esters
      21:0 were used as internal standards. Within the linearity of the calibration,
      the ratio of the peak area of each fatty acid over the peak area of the internal
      standard was constant (coefficient of variation <= 2.5). Satisfactory
      repeatability <15% and intermediate reproducibility < 15% were observed. Finally,
      this validated method was applied to a pre-clinical trial that investigated the
      impact of dietary fats on accretion of specific fatty acids in plasma and
      erythrocytes.

PMID- 28636229
TI  - Recovery from reproductive and morphological abnormalities in medaka (Oryzias
      latipes) following a 14-day exposure to diclofenac.
AB  - Mating pairs of medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed to diclofenac at measured
      concentrations of 0 (control), 7.1, 37, and 78 MUg/L for 14 d under static
      renewal conditions. Effects on reproductive success, as well as morphological
      abnormalities, of the fish were assessed. During the exposure period, both
      fecundity and fertility were significantly decreased in the 37- and 78-MUg/L
      treatment groups, and swollen abdomens in females were observed in all exposure
      groups. Notably, a defect of the lower jaw was also observed in 4 male fish: 2 at
      37 MUg/L and 2 at 78 MUg/L of diclofenac. Subsequently, we investigated whether
      the reproductive and morphological abnormalities induced by diclofenac would be
      permanent or reversible once the medaka were returned to clean water. The
      reproductive ability of paired medaka was gradually restored to fish that were
      cultured in clean water for 14 d. After this period in clean water, we also
      observed a noticeable decrease in swollen abdomens in females; however,
      mandibular defects in the males remained, even after the 14-d recovery period.
      Radiographic and histochemical examinations revealed that diclofenac might affect
      bone remodeling in the lower jaw of male medaka because of a disruption in
      osteoclast function. These results suggest that reproductive impairments in pairs
      of medaka exposed to diclofenac may be reversible but that skeletal deformities
      (i.e., mandibular defect) in males may be persistent. Environ Toxicol Chem
      2017;36:3277-3283. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28636231
TI  - Orchestration at the beginning: mitosis in sea urchin embryo.

PMID- 28636233
TI  - Green Synthesis of A2 SiF6 (A=Li-Cs) Nanoparticles using Ionic Liquids as
      Solvents and as Fluorine Sources: A Simple Approach without HF.
AB  - In this Communication, nanoparticles of the fluoridosilicates A2 SiF6 (A=Li, Na,
      K, Rb, Cs), which are extremely promising host lattices for future LEDs, are
      presented for the first time. The preparation method we introduce here is a very
      simple and energy and time saving one, moreover the usage of toxic HF or
      elemental fluorine is avoided. In detail, the ionic liquid [Bmim]PF6 was used
      both as solvent and fluoride source in an ionothermally assisted microwave
      synthesis. The small size of the so-obtained nanoparticles is of huge relevance
      for their applications as thin films or for the coverage of surfaces, for example
      in next-generation white LEDs upon doping with Mn4+ .

PMID- 28636232
TI  - A genetic stochastic process model for genome-wide joint analysis of biomarker
      dynamics and disease susceptibility with longitudinal data.
AB  - Unraveling the underlying biological mechanisms or pathways behind the effects of
      genetic variations on complex diseases remains one of the major challenges in the
      post-GWAS (where GWAS is genome-wide association study) era. To further explore
      the relationship between genetic variations, biomarkers, and diseases for
      elucidating underlying pathological mechanism, a huge effort has been placed on
      examining pleiotropic and gene-environmental interaction effects. We propose a
      novel genetic stochastic process model (GSPM) that can be applied to GWAS and
      jointly investigate the genetic effects on longitudinally measured biomarkers and
      risks of diseases. This model is characterized by more profound biological
      interpretation and takes into account the dynamics of biomarkers during follow-up
      when investigating the hazards of a disease. We illustrate the rationale and
      evaluate the performance of the proposed model through two GWAS. One is to detect
      single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) having interaction effects on type 2
      diabetes (T2D) with body mass index (BMI) and the other is to detect SNPs
      affecting the optimal BMI level for protecting from T2D. We identified multiple
      SNPs that showed interaction effects with BMI on T2D, including a novel SNP
      rs11757677 in the CDKAL1 gene (P = 5.77 * 10-7 ). We also found a SNP rs1551133
      located on 2q14.2 that reversed the effect of BMI on T2D (P = 6.70 * 10-7 ). In
      conclusion, the proposed GSPM provides a promising and useful tool in GWAS of
      longitudinal data for interrogating pleiotropic and interaction effects to gain
      more insights into the relationship between genes, quantitative biomarkers, and
      risks of complex diseases.

PMID- 28636234
TI  - Association of recent gay-related stressful events and emotional distress with
      suicidal behaviors over 12 months in Chinese men who have sex with men.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The study was designed to assess the association of gay-related
      stressful events (GRSEs) and emotional distress with suicidal behaviors over a 12
      month period in Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS: A total of 807
      MSM were recruited using a respondent-driven sampling method from 4 cities in
      northeastern China. The GRSEs were measured using the Gay-related Stressful Life
      Events Scale, depression using the Self-rating Depression Scale, and anxiety
      using the Self-rating Anxiety Scale. RESULTS: A total of 26.0% of study
      participants experienced GRSEs during the 3 months, and their average Self-rating
      Depression Scale and Self-rating Anxiety Scale scores were significantly lower
      than the national norms. Over a 12-month period, the prevalence of suicidal
      ideation, plan, and attempt was 9.7%, 4.0%, and 3.0%, respectively, each of which
      is at least 3 to 4 times greater than that of male adults in the general
      population of China. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that GRSEs
      significantly increased the risk of suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.3, 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 1.4-3.7) and plan (OR = 2.8, 95% CI, 1.3-6.0).
      Depressive symptoms significantly increased the risk of suicidal ideation (OR =
      3.5, 95% CI, 2.1-5.8), plan (OR = 4.4, 95% CI, 2.0-9.6), and attempt (OR = 5.6,
      95% CI, 21.94.8). Anxiety symptoms (OR = 3.4, 95% CI, 1.4-8.4) and cohabitation
      with a same sex partner (OR = 3.0, 95% CI, 1.2-7.9) significantly increased the
      risk of suicide attempt. DISCUSSION: More efforts to reduce GRSE are worth
      investigating as a strategy to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors in Chinese
      MSM.

PMID- 28636235
TI  - Stem cell-based tooth and periodontal regeneration.
AB  - Currently regeneration of tooth and periodontal damage still remains great
      challenge. Stem cell-based tissue engineering raised novel therapeutic strategies
      for tooth and periodontal repair. Stem cells for tooth and periodontal
      regeneration include dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), periodontal ligament stem
      cells (PDLSCs), stem cells from the dental apical papilla (SCAPs), and stem cells
      from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs), dental follicle stem cells
      (DFSCs), dental epithelial stem cells (DESCs), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
      (BMMSCs), adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and
      induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To date, substantial advances have been
      made in stem cell-based tooth and periodontal regeneration, including dentin
      pulp, whole tooth, bioroot and periodontal regeneration. Translational
      investigations have been performed such as dental stem cell banking and clinical
      trials. In this review, we present strategies for stem cell-based tissue
      engineering for tooth and periodontal repair, and the translational studies.

PMID- 28636236
TI  - Assessment of silibinin as a potential antifungal agent and investigation of its
      mechanism of action.
AB  - Silibinin, which is derived from Silybum marianum (milk thistle), has used as a
      traditional remedy for liver or biliary disorders and known to have superior
      antioxidant activity. In addition, silibinin was recently reported to have
      antifungal effect related to fungal apoptosis against Candida albicans and the
      interest in the therapeutic effect is increasing. In this study, we found another
      mode of antifungal action of silibinin and its antibiofilm activity on C.
      albicans. To investigate influence on fungal plasma membrane, propidium iodide
      and bis-(1, 3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethineoxonol [DiBAC4 (3)] assay were
      primarily carried out. After 5-h incubation with silibinin (50, 100, 150, or 200
      ug/mL), the propidium iodide fluorescent percentages increased by 11.90%, 28.50%,
      34.10%, and 44.52%, respectively, and the DiBAC4 (3) fluorescent percentages
      increased by 13.18%, 34.64%, 46.99%, and 57.15%, respectively. As a result, we
      thought that silibinin concentrations of more than 100 ug/mL have a membrane
      damaging effect. Subsequently, to estimate the degree of membrane damage, we used
      Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled dextrans (FDs) of various sizes and the
      results indicated that silibinin allowed penetration of molecules smaller than
      approximately FD20 (3.3 nm). In addition, silibinin inhibited the dimorphic
      transition of C. albicans and resulted in the inhibition of biofilm development
      at an early stage. In conclusion, we found membrane-damaging effect of silibinin
      and its antibiofilm effect in C. albicans. (c) 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(8):631-637,
      2017.

PMID- 28636237
TI  - Microperforate hymen presenting with incomplete abortion: A case report.
AB  - A 20-year-old patient with 3 months of amenorrhea presented in the labor room
      with bleeding per vaginum and having experienced lower abdominal pain for 2 h.
      She had a history of difficult intercourse and prolonged menstrual flow.
      Inspection revealed a bleeding point over an obstructing membrane at the level of
      the vaginal introitus. Subsequent vaginal examination confirmed the diagnosis of
      microperforate hymen. Her urine pregnancy test was positive and an ultrasound
      examination revealed the presence of retained products of conception in the
      endometrial cavity. Hymenectomy was carried out to evacuate the retained products
      of conception and the margins of the hymen were sutured to prevent restenosis.
      The outcome was uneventful. This case study suggests that even though
      subocclusive hymenal anomalies, such as microperforate hymen, can interfere with
      normal vaginal intercourse, it does not lead to infertility and can permit
      pregnancy. Hence, awareness about this rare entity may lead to early detection
      and improvement in the patient's quality of life.

PMID- 28636238
TI  - Segmental, Domain-Selective Perdeuteration and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering for
      Structural Analysis of Multi-Domain Proteins.
AB  - Multi-domain proteins play critical roles in fine-tuning essential processes in
      cellular signaling and gene regulation. Typically, multiple globular domains that
      are connected by flexible linkers undergo dynamic rearrangements upon binding to
      protein, DNA or RNA ligands. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) represent an important
      class of multi-domain proteins, which regulate gene expression by recognizing
      linear or structured RNA sequence motifs. Here, we employ segmental
      perdeuteration of the three RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains in the RBP TIA-1
      using Sortase A mediated protein ligation. We show that domain-selective
      perdeuteration combined with contrast-matched small-angle neutron scattering
      (SANS), SAXS and computational modeling provides valuable information to
      precisely define relative domain arrangements. The approach is generally
      applicable to study conformational arrangements of individual domains in multi
      domain proteins and changes induced by ligand binding.

PMID- 28636239
TI  - Forensic issues in infant mental health: Challenging systems, clinical risk,
      future collaborations.
AB  - Much clinical work in infant mental health includes working with families of
      young children involved in the complex arenas of the legal and child protection
      systems. These systems have their own distinctive languages, cultures, and
      values, but they share a concern with clinicians about the best interest of the
      child. This special issue explores selected topics in this area, calling
      attention to research, policy, and clinical issues in forensic infant mental
      health. The purpose of the issue is to stimulate additional thinking and
      additional scholarly attention to these vital issues that have such importance
      for families around the world.

PMID- 28636240
TI  - Predictors of permanent loss of custody for mothers of infants and toddlers in
      foster care.
AB  - The maltreating mothers of abused and neglected infants and toddlers were
      evaluated as part of an intensive intervention program. The purpose of this study
      was to examine cumulative risk versus specific risk factors that led to permanent
      loss of custody by mothers, predicated upon decisions by the Juvenile Court with
      regard to permanency planning. The following risk factors were analyzed as
      potential predictors of placement outcomes: maternal education, maternal history
      of abuse as a child, history of psychiatric difficulties, substance-abuse
      history, conviction history (excluding child-abuse charges), depressive
      symptomatology, degree of partner violence experienced, and cumulative number of
      risks the mother experienced. Results indicated that mothers who lost custody had
      significantly more risk factors than those who were reunified with their
      children. Cumulative risk was a stronger predictor than specific risk factors.
      Implications for intervention are discussed.

PMID- 28636241
TI  - A judicial-mental health partnership to heal young children in juvenile court.
AB  - In this article, we describe the background and issues to be addressed related to
      dependent children in juvenile court. In an important effort to systematically
      examine developmental functioning and treatment needs in maltreated and violence
      exposed young children, the Prevention and Evaluation of Early Neglect and Trauma
      (PREVENT) initiative of the Dependency Court Intervention Program for Family
      Violence, a national demonstration project in the Miami-Dade Juvenile Court,
      developed a program to evaluate all infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are
      adjudicated dependent by the court. The goal of the intervention is to raise
      awareness of the needs of infants and toddlers in juvenile court and to work
      toward healing the child. The PREVENT program involved the evolution of a
      judicial-mental health partnership designed to assist the court in making more
      informed decisions about the best interest of the child by adding scientific
      knowledge about development, prevention, intervention, evaluation, and treatment.
      The outcome of the partnership and multidisciplinary approach is illustrated
      through presenting a case vignette of a mother and baby showing the challenges
      and strengths of intervention. Finally, we consider overall outcomes of the
      intervention and directions for the future.

PMID- 28636242
TI  - Infant mental health, child maltreatment, and the law: A jurisprudent therapy
      analysis.
AB  - Scholarly and clinical discussions of the legal issues facing infant mental
      health professionals typically focus on the seemingly intractable differences in
      philosophies, goals, and approaches inherent in the law and the mental health
      professions. We argue that forensically informed approaches to practice with very
      young children can potentially enhance many mental health and child welfare
      outcomes. This article describes the relatively new conceptual frameworks known
      as "therapeutic jurisprudence" and "jurisprudent therapy." Using these conceptual
      frameworks, we analyze representative problems that are typical in infant mental
      health practice with maltreated children through case examples drawn from their
      evaluations of children and families in the child protection and legal systems.
      Demonstrations of how such dilemmas can be approached with enhanced analytic
      decision-making and practice approaches are presented. We argue that applying
      such jurisprudent therapy approaches opens up fresh perspectives for evidence
      based practices that facilitate creative, rigorous, and intellectually
      stimulating clinical work.

PMID- 28636243
TI  - The infant protection system in France: How does it work?
AB  - The French system for protection of infants and toddlers relies on the
      collaboration of several different partners for preventing, screening, assessing,
      intervening in, and treating cases of infant abuse and neglect. This article
      first provides a brief historic overview and some data about the protection of
      infants in France, with data focused on the Parisian area. We then describe the
      tasks and interconnections of these different agencies and administrations, and
      offer some reflections on the actual functioning of the system. Finally, some
      suggestions for changes are provided. Discussion should begin on a theoretical
      level regarding whether we should continue with institutionalization of infants
      for long periods of time, as is still the case in Paris. Discussion also should
      take place regarding which is the higher priority when infants and children are
      in situations of danger, abuse, and/or neglect of infants: (a) the hope of
      reestablishing parental rights or (b) the need of the infant for a secure and
      stable attachment relationship. The process of evaluating parental caregiving
      skills would benefit from more clinical observation as well as structured methods
      of assessment.

PMID- 28636244
TI  - Filicide: Historical review and prevention of child death by parent.
AB  - Filicide has occurred throughout the world since before recorded history.
      Although rates have declined in developed nations, it remains a leading cause of
      child death with approximately equal numbers of children killed by fathers and
      mothers. A large percentage of filicides is associated with mental illness,
      particularly postpartum depression and psychosis. The remainder results from
      child abuse and neglect. Men convicted of filicide are usually incarcerated
      whereas female perpetrators are more likely to receive treatment-oriented
      sentences. Individuals working with families and children should be trained to
      recognize risk factors and intervene to protect endangered children.

PMID- 28636245
TI  - Weight gain in the first week of life predicts overweight at 2 years: A
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - In formula-fed infants, rapid weight gain during the first week of life is
      associated with later obesity. To examine the association between weight gain
      during the first week and overweight at age 2 among infants with various feeding
      practices and the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding in early infancy
      and overweight, we enrolled a prospective cohort of healthy mother-infant dyads
      and followed them for 2 years. We enrolled 450 mother/infant pairs and obtained
      information on 306 infants at year 2. Weight change during the first week of life
      and detailed feeding information were collected during the first month of life.
      Anthropometric measures were collected at 2 years. Overweight was defined as body
      mass index (BMI) >=85th percentile for age. At 2 years, 81% had normal weights
      and 19% were overweight. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI; infant birth weight;
      maternal education; and Women, Infants, and Children status were associated with
      the risk of overweight at age 2. Children who gained more than 100 g during the
      first week were 2.3 times as likely after adjustment (p = .02) to be overweight
      at age 2 compared to infants who lost weight. There was no association between
      feeding type and BMI, but feeding type was significantly associated with change
      in weight at week 1 and anthropometric measurements at age 2. Infant weight gain
      in the first week of life is related to overweight at age 2, and exclusively
      breastfed infants are least likely to gain >=100 g.

PMID- 28636246
TI  - A Stretchable Electrochemical Sensor for Inducing and Monitoring Cell
      Mechanotransduction in Real Time.
AB  - Existing methods offer little direct and real-time information about stretch
      triggered biochemical responses during cell mechanotransduction. A novel
      stretchable electrochemical sensor is reported that takes advantage of a
      hierarchical percolation network of carbon nanotubes and gold nanotubes (CNT
      AuNT). This hybrid nanostructure provides the sensor with excellent time
      reproducible mechanical and electrochemical performances while granting very good
      cellular compatibility, making it perfectly apt to induce and monitor
      simultaneously transient biochemical signals. This is validated by monitoring
      stretch-induced transient release of small signaling molecules by both
      endothelial and epithelial cells cultured on this sensor and submitted to
      stretching strains of different intensities. This work demonstrates that the
      hybrid CNT-AuNT platform offers a versatile and highly sensitive way to
      characterize and quantify short-time mechanotransduction responses.

PMID- 28636247
TI  - Predicting developmental deficiencies at the age of four based on data from the
      first seven months of life.
AB  - The study examines very young children with the aim of identifying precursors of
      developmental problems during the first 7 months of age. Information from
      screening and observations in the birth clinic, in the first level of health
      care, and from parents was collected on five different occasions. The information
      that was included concerning the child and family was defined as either optimal
      or nonoptimal. At the age of 4 years, a clinical group was identified (11.1% of
      the total population). Logistic regression analyses were performed to detect risk
      factors. Twenty-one precursors were used to create a screening questionnaire that
      provided useful information (sensitivity = 56.1%, specificity = 98.8%) for
      predicting developmental problems of the children. The contribution of
      sociodemographic data was significant; medical information was less significant.
      The highest prediction rate surprisingly was found in the moderate clinical
      subgroup (62.1%), compared to the group with more severe problems that had a
      slightly lower rate (46.7%). The conclusion of the study is that it is possible
      to detect infants in need of early intervention using a continuous process of
      observation and screening.

PMID- 28636248
TI  - Attachment in foster children associated with caregivers' sensitivity and
      behavioral problems.
AB  - This study focused on attachment of foster children by examining factors
      associated with attachment relationships of children raised from birth by the
      same parents. The sample included 61 children between 26 to 88 months of age and
      their foster caregivers. Attachment security and caregiver sensitivity were coded
      on the basis of, respectively, a home-observation (Attachment Q-Set) and a
      laboratory procedure (Three boxes). Other measures included caregiver reports of
      child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems and symptoms of
      attachment disorder, including inhibited and disinhibited attachment as well as
      secure base distortions. For a subsample of children, teacher ratings of behavior
      problems also were available. Foster parent sensitivity was positively associated
      with attachment security, but only if symptoms of disordered attachment were
      partialled out. Symptoms of inhibited and disinhibited attachment as well as
      secure base distortions were positively related to parent reports of
      externalizing and internalizing behavior problems whereas attachment security was
      negatively related to teacher reports of externalizing behavior problems.
      Attachment theoretical tenets appeared valid with foster parent-child
      relationships, except for children with symptoms of attachment disorder.

PMID- 28636249
TI  - Posttraumatic stress symptoms following childbirth and mothers' perceptions of
      their infants.
AB  - Postpartum psychological distress can adversely affect the early mother-infant
      relationship; however, this has not been investigated in relation to
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. This article explores
      whether PTSD symptoms relating to labor and delivery are associated with mothers'
      early perceptions of their infant. Using labor and childbirth as the stressor
      criterion, 211 women were assessed at 6 weeks' postpartum for symptoms of
      intrusions, avoidance, and hyperarousal. Their perceptions of their infants, of
      mother-to-infant attachment, and infant behavioral characteristics also were
      evaluated. In sum, 3.8% of the women fulfilled full diagnostic criteria, and a
      further 21.3% reported clinically significant symptoms on at least one dimension
      of PTSD. Those meeting full or partial criteria perceived their attachment
      relationships to be significantly less optimal and reported more negative
      maternal representations in terms of their infants being less warm and more
      invasive. They also rated them as being temperamentally more difficult, prone to
      distress, and less easy to soothe. However, when the effects of depression were
      partialled, only the effect for perceived warmth remained. Posttraumatic stress
      symptoms relating to labor and delivery may adversely influence maternal
      perceptions of infants, with potentially adverse implications for the developing
      mother-infant relationship. The overlap with depressive symptoms requires further
      exploration.

PMID- 28636250
TI  - Parents' attachment styles, mental representations, and institutionalization of
      children in Bulgaria.
AB  - We first summarize the history, extent, and characteristics of
      institutionalization of non-orphan children in Bulgaria. Then we describe a study
      of certain psychological characteristics of mothers who use institutionalization
      compared with mothers similar in ethnicity and close-to-poverty circumstances,
      those using state daycare programs, and those using weekly care programs for
      their children. Institutionalizing mothers had been institutionalized themselves
      far more often than had the other mothers. On two attachment measures, as
      expected, institutionalizing mothers were less secure and more insecure than
      daycare mothers, with weekly care mothers intermediate. On a parental
      representation task, results were somewhat more equivocal. Results suggest that
      psychological characteristics, especially attachment style, are important in
      decisions to use institutionalization as a means of child care.

PMID- 28636251
TI  - Influences of maternal postpartum depression on fathers and on father-infant
      interaction.
AB  - Maternal postpartum depression (PPD) has been shown to negatively influence
      mother-infant interaction; however, little research has explored how fathers and
      father-infant interaction are affected when a mother is depressed. This study
      examined the influence of maternal PPD on fathers and identified maternal and
      paternal factors associated with father-infant interaction in families with
      depressed as compared with nondepressed mothers. A convenience sample of 128
      mother-father-infant triads, approximately half of which included women with
      significant symptoms of PPD at screening, were recruited from a screening sample
      of 790 postpartum women. Mothers and fathers completed measures of depression,
      marital satisfaction, and parenting stress at 2 to 3 months' postpartum and were
      each videotaped interacting with their infants. Results indicate that maternal
      PPD is associated with increased paternal depression and higher paternal
      parenting stress. Partners of depressed women demonstrated less optimal
      interaction with their infants, indicating that fathers do not compensate for the
      negative effects of maternal depression on the child. Although mother-infant
      interaction did not influence father-infant interaction, how the mother felt
      about her relationship with the infant did, even more so than maternal
      depression. The links between maternal PPD, fathers, and father-infant
      interaction indicate a need for further understanding of the reciprocal
      influences between mothers, fathers, and infants.

PMID- 28636252
TI  - Influence of analyzed lubricant volumes on the amount and characteristics of
      generated wear particles from three different types of polyethylene liner
      materials.
AB  - The articulating components of artificial joints consist mainly of metals,
      ceramics, or polymers. Resulting abrasive wear particles can promote osteolysis
      and aseptic loosening of the endo-prosthetic implants. Ultra-high-molecular
      weight-polyethylene is the material used most for bearing couples in total hip
      replacement. In the present study, three types of polyethylene (PE) liners
      varying in material composition, i.e., (1) conventional PE (C-PE), (2)
      sequentially cross-linked PE (SX-PE), (3) cross-linked PE blended with vitamin E
      (EX-PE) articulating with two types of femoral heads were used. After ultrasound
      treatment of each simulator lubricant, different concentrations (0.1/0.25/0.5/1.0
      mL) were taken and dissolved in hydrochloric acid (37%) in a similar manner. The
      aim was to analyze the characteristics of wear particles generated in a hip
      simulator, with respect to different volumes of the lubricant. Within the scope
      of particle analysis, distinct alterations for particle characteristics were
      determined in the lubricant volumes and types of PE material used. A significant
      decrease in particle number for SX-PE liners, compared to the C-PE inserts and
      even more for EX-PE inserts, was detected at each lubricant volume. Particle
      morphologies varied depending on PE material. Alterations in particle size and
      other morphologic parameters between the four tested volumes, could be proven for
      each PE type. In general, particle sizes and parameters (e.g., length and width)
      increased with increasing serum volumes. In conclusion, the chosen volume of the
      simulator lubricant used for particle analysis has a crucial influence on
      detected particle number, size distribution, and morphologic parameters. (c) 2017
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1299
      1306, 2018.

PMID- 28636254
TI  - Histological and reference system for the analysis of mouse intervertebral disc.
AB  - A new scoring system based on histo-morphology of mouse intervertebral disc (IVD)
      was established to assess changes in different mouse models of IVD degeneration
      and repair. IVDs from mouse strains of different ages, transgenic mice, or models
      of artificially induced IVD degeneration were assessed. Morphological features
      consistently observed in normal, and early/later stages of degeneration were
      categorized into a scoring system focused on nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus
      fibrosus (AF) changes. "Normal NP" exhibited a highly cellularized cell mass that
      decreased with natural ageing and in disc degeneration. "Normal AF" consisted of
      distinct concentric lamellar structures, which was disrupted in severe
      degeneration. NP/AF clefts indicated more severe changes. Consistent scores were
      obtained between experienced and new users. Altogether, our scoring system
      effectively differentiated IVD changes in various strains of wild-type and
      genetically modified mice and in induced models of IVD degeneration, and is
      applicable from the post-natal stage to the aged mouse. This scoring tool and
      reference resource addresses a pressing need in the field for studying IVD
      changes and cross-study comparisons in mice, and facilitates a means to normalize
      mouse IVD assessment between different laboratories. (c) 2017 Orthopaedic
      Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:233-243,
      2018.

PMID- 28636253
TI  - Estimation of vanadium water quality benchmarks for the protection of aquatic
      life with relevance to the Athabasca Oil Sands region using species sensitivity
      distributions.
AB  - Elevated vanadium (V) concentrations in oil sands coke, which is produced and
      stored on site of some major Athabasca Oil Sands companies, could pose a risk to
      aquatic ecosystems in northern Alberta, Canada, depending on its future storage
      and utilization. In the present study, V toxicity was determined in reconstituted
      Athabasca River water to various freshwater organisms, including 2 midge species
      (Chironomus dilutus and Chironomus riparius; 4-d and 30-d to 40-d exposures) and
      2 freshwater fish species (Oncorhynchus mykiss and Pimephales promelas; 4-d and
      28-d exposures) to facilitate estimation of water quality benchmarks. The acute
      toxicity of V was 52.0 and 63.2 mg/L for C. dilutus and C. riparius,
      respectively, and 4.0 and 14.8 mg V/L for P. promelas and O. mykiss,
      respectively. Vanadium exposure significantly impaired adult emergence of C.
      dilutus and C. riparius at concentrations >=16.7 (31.6% reduction) and 8.3 (18.0%
      reduction) mg/L, respectively. Chronic toxicity in fish presented as lethality,
      with chronic 28-d LC50s of 0.5 and 4.3 mg/L for P. promelas and O. mykiss,
      respectively. These data were combined with data from the peer-reviewed
      literature, and separate acute and chronic species sensitivity distributions
      (SSDs) were constructed. The acute and chronic hazardous concentrations
      endangering only 5% of species (HC5) were estimated as 0.64 and 0.05 mg V/L,
      respectively. These new data for V toxicity to aquatic organisms ensure that
      there are now adequate data available for regulatory agencies to develop
      appropriate water quality guidelines for use in the Athabasca Oil Sands region
      and elsewhere. Until then, the HC5 values presented in the present study could
      serve as interim benchmarks for the protection of aquatic life from exposure to
      hazardous levels of V in local aquatic environments. Environ Toxicol Chem
      2017;36:3034-3044. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28636255
TI  - Recombinant human serum albumin for corneal preservation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the performance of a completely synthetic organ culture (OC)
      preservation system containing recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) for
      preservation of human donor corneas. METHODS: Twenty-four paired donor corneas
      were randomly collected, and one cornea from each donor was preserved in
      synthetic (experimental) and serum-based media (control). The tissues were
      assessed at day 0; after 6 days of preservation at room temperature (RT) in
      Cornea Trans(r) and Cornea Prep II(r) ; after 28 days at 31 degrees C in Cornea
      Syn(r) [with rHSA] and Cornea Max(r) [with foetal calf serum (FCS)] and; 4-day
      post deswelling in Cornea Trans(r) and Cornea Jet(r) . Thickness was determined
      with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and transparency with a validated, custom
      device. Morphology, endothelial cell density (ECD) and mortality were observed
      after treating the tissues with Trypan blue and sucrose. Glucose uptake by the
      cells was analysed. Data were compared using non-parametric paired Wilcoxon tests
      with p < 0.05 deemed significant. Histology using periodic acid-schiff (PAS),
      expressions of p63, CK12, alphaSMA and ZO-1 were analysed, and cell apoptosis
      postpreservation was studied. RESULTS: Corneas stored in synthetic media showed a
      higher and statistically significant value as compared to serum-based media in
      terms of viable endothelial cell density (VECD), mortality, morphology and
      glucose uptake postpreservation. Histology showed presence of all the layers, all
      the markers were expressed, and no apoptosis was observed in either media.
      CONCLUSION: The new synthetic preservation system containing rHSA (and other
      confidential constituents) showed better preservation effects than traditional
      media containing serum.

PMID- 28636256
TI  - Optical coherence tomography angiography in choroidal haemangioma: small case
      series.

PMID- 28636257
TI  - Covalent attachment and Pro-Pro endopeptidase (PPEP-1)-mediated release of
      Clostridium difficile cell surface proteins involved in adhesion.
AB  - In the past decade, Clostridium difficile has emerged as an important gut
      pathogen. This anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium is the main cause of infectious
      nosocomial diarrhea. Whereas much is known about the mechanism through which the
      C. difficile toxins cause diarrhea, relatively little is known about the dynamics
      of adhesion and motility, which is mediated by cell surface proteins. This review
      will discuss the recent advances in our understanding of the sortase-mediated
      covalent attachment of cell surface (adhesion) proteins to the peptidoglycan
      layer of C. difficile and their release through the action of a highly specific
      secreted metalloprotease (Pro-Pro endopeptidase 1, PPEP-1). Specific emphasis
      will be on a model in which PPEP-1 and its substrates control the switch from a
      sessile to motile phenotype in C. difficile, and how this is regulated by the
      cyclic dinucleotide c-di-GMP (3'-5' cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate).

PMID- 28636258
TI  - Plant products for practising procedural dermatology.

PMID- 28636259
TI  - Variants in KAT6A and pituitary anomalies.

PMID- 28636260
TI  - Lichenoid keratosis is frequently misdiagnosed as basal cell carcinoma.
AB  - Lichenoid keratosis (LK), also known as benign lichenoid keratosis or lichen
      planus-like keratosis, is a solitary, pink to red-brown scaly plaque representing
      a host immunological response to a variety of precursor lesions. LK is often
      misdiagnosed as a dermatological malignancy owing to its clinical resemblance to
      basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or Bowen disease. We performed a retrospective
      analysis of the pathology records of a series of LK lesions with reference to the
      demographic features and accuracy of clinical diagnosis. The pathology records
      from 2008 to 2009 of 263 consecutive patients with a histological diagnosis of LK
      from a specialized skin laboratory were retrieved. Data relating to clinical
      diagnosis, age, sex, anatomical location, time of year of presentation and any
      coexistent pathological lesions adjacent to the LK were recorded. Mean age at
      presentation was 64 years (range 34-96), and 58% of patients were female. The
      most common anatomical site was the chest/anterior torso, followed by the back
      and legs. The most common coexisting lesion was solar keratosis at 14%, followed
      by seborrhoeic keratosis (SK) at 7.8%. The correct clinical diagnosis of LK was
      made in 29.5% of cases. The most common clinical diagnosis was BCC (47%), while
      SK was the preferred diagnosis in 18%. A clinical diagnosis was not given in 5.5%
      of cases. In conclusion, it appears that LK is frequently misdiagnosed, with
      misdiagnosis occurring in > 70% of cases in this study.

PMID- 28636261
TI  - Characteristics of corneal biomechanical responses detected by a non-contact
      scheimpflug-based tonometer in eyes with glaucoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the corneal biomechanical properties in eyes with glaucoma
      using a non-contact Scheimpflug-based tonometer. METHODS: Corneal biomechanical
      responses were examined using a non-contact Scheimpflug-based tonometer. The
      tonometer parameters of the normal control group (n = 75) were compared with
      those of the glaucoma group (n = 136), including an analysis of glaucoma
      subgroups categorized by visual field loss. RESULTS: After adjusting for
      potential confounding factors, including the intraocular pressure (IOP), central
      corneal thickness (CCT), age and axial length, the deformation amplitude was
      smaller in the glaucoma group (1.09 +/- 0.02 mm) than in the normal control group
      (1.12 +/- 0.02 mm; p value = 0.031). The deformation amplitude and the deflection
      amplitude of the severe glaucoma group (1.12 +/- 0.02 mm and 0.92 +/- 0.01 mm)
      were significantly greater than that of the early glaucoma group (1.07 +/- 0.01 
      mm and 0.88 +/- 0.11 mm, p = 0.006 and p = 0.031), whereas that of the moderate
      glaucoma group (1.09 +/- 0.02 mm and 0.90 +/- 0.02 mm) was greater than that of
      the early glaucoma group, but this difference was not statistically significant.
      The deformation amplitude showed a negative correlation with the CCT in the
      normal control group (r = -0.235), with a weaker negative relationship observed
      in the early glaucoma group (r = -0.099). However, in the moderate and severe
      glaucoma groups, the deformation amplitude showed a positive relationship with
      the CCT, showing an inverse relationship. The duration and number of
      antiglaucomatous eyedrops used had negative correlations with the CCT in eyes
      with moderate and severe glaucoma. CONCLUSION: Overall, the glaucoma group showed
      significantly less deformable corneas than did the normal controls, even after
      adjusting for the IOP, CCT, age and axial length. However, there were also
      differences according to the severity of glaucoma, where the corneal deformation
      amplitude was greater in the severe glaucoma group compared to the early glaucoma
      group. The combined effects of stiffening due to glaucoma and increased
      viscoelastic properties caused by the chronic use of antiglaucomatous eyedrops
      may have resulted in the present findings.

PMID- 28636262
TI  - Increased renal concentrating ability after long-term oral desmopressin
      lyophilisate treatment contributes to continued success for monosymptomatic
      nocturnal enuresis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate renal concentrating ability after long-term fast
      melting oral desmopressin lyophilisate treatment in children with monosymptomatic
      nocturnal enuresis. METHODS: The present retrospective study involved 58 children
      (43 boys, 15 girls; aged 6-12 years) with nocturnal enuresis receiving oral
      desmopressin lyophilisate. After treatment for 4 weeks with a complete response,
      patients were placed on a reduced dose of 120 MUg on alternate days. Moring urine
      osmolality was measured using urine samples obtained after medication and non
      medication dry nights. Patients who experienced >=1 wet nights/month during
      alternate-day oral desmopressin lyophilisate treatment or within 6 months after
      its cessation were assigned to the relapse group, whereas those who experienced
      <1 wet night/month were assigned to the continued success group. RESULTS: The
      continued success and relapse groups included 41 and 17 patients, respectively.
      The mean duration of treatment was 18.5 and 18.3 months in the continued success
      group and relapse group, respectively. There was no significant difference in
      morning urine osmolality after medication nights between the continued success
      and relapse groups; however, morning urine osmolality after non-medication nights
      was significantly higher in the continued success group than in the relapse group
      (P < 0.0001). Similarly, nocturnal urine volume was significantly higher in the
      relapse group than in the continued success group (P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: These
      results suggest that patients receiving long-term oral desmopressin lyophilisate
      treatment develop increased nocturnal renal concentrating ability, which results
      in sustained dryness even after treatment cessation.

PMID- 28636263
TI  - Acute bilateral myopia caused by lamotrigine-induced uveal effusions.

PMID- 28636265
TI  - Full Selectivity Control in Cobalt(III)-Catalyzed C-H Alkylations by Switching of
      the C-H Activation Mechanism.
AB  - Selectivity control in hydroarylation-based C-H alkylation has been dominated by
      steric interactions. A conceptually distinct strategy that exploits the
      programmed switch in the C-H activation mechanism by means of cobalt catalysis is
      presented, which sets the stage for convenient C-H alkylations with unactivated
      alkenes. Detailed mechanistic studies provide compelling evidence for a
      programmable switch in the C-H activation mechanism from a linear-selective
      ligand-to-ligand hydrogen transfer to a branched-selective base-assisted internal
      electrophilic-type substitution.

PMID- 28636264
TI  - Desmopressin in haemophilia: The need for a standardised clinical response and
      individualised test regimen.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Due to interindividual variation in desmopressin response, non
      severe haemophilia A patients require desmopressin testing prior to therapeutic
      treatment. However, adequate response or frequency of blood sampling is not
      standardised in international guidelines. Consequently, various definitions and
      blood sampling protocols are currently applied. Interestingly, sustainability of
      desmopressin response is not incorporated into these definitions. AIM: To study
      desmopressin response rates in a cohort of non-severe haemophilia A patients
      using currently accepted desmopressin response definitions. This, in order to
      formulate a standardised, uniform response which includes information on
      sustainability and to design a standardised blood sampling protocol. METHODS:
      Currently used desmopressin responses in non-severe haemophilia A patients were
      derived from a literature search. Actual desmopressin response rates were
      individualised in 105 non-severe HA patients from the Erasmus University Medical
      Centre and classified according to current varying definitions. RESULTS: Five
      response definitions were evaluated, three of which included only factor VIII
      (FVIII):C cut-off levels and two also incorporated FVIII:C-fold increase over
      baseline. FVIII: C-fold increase showed no association with desmopressin response
      sustainability. FVIII: C 1 hour after infusion (<0.30, >=0.30-0.49, >=0.50-0.79
      and >=0.80 IU/mL) was, however, indicative of desmopressin response after 6
      hours. CONCLUSION: We suggest standardised desmopressin response based on
      clinically relevant FVIII:C levels, e.g. 0.30 and 0.50 IU/mL. In addition,
      patients with <0.30 IU/mL FVIII:C after 1 hour (non-responder) or >=0.80 IU/mL
      (sustained responder) do not require subsequent blood sampling. However, patients
      with >=0.30-0.79 IU/mL FVIII:C after 1 hour should undergo blood sampling after 6
      hours to additionally determine response sustainability.

PMID- 28636266
TI  - MaRAP2-4, a waterlogging-responsive ERF from Mentha, regulates bidirectional
      sugar transporter AtSWEET10 to modulate stress response in Arabidopsis.
AB  - As waterlogging and successive events severely influence growth and development
      of economically important plants, we attempted to characterize the role of a
      waterlogging-responsive group I (A-6) ethylene response factor (MaRAP2-4) from
      Mentha arvensis. Waterlogging, ethylene and methyl jasmonate rapidly induced the
      expression of MaRAP2-4. MaRAP2-4 interacted with multiple cis-elements like
      dehydration response elements (DRE1/2), anoxia/jasmonic acid response element
      (JARE) and GCC box showing its involvement in multiple responses. MaRAP2-4
      localizes in the nucleus and acts as a transcriptional activator. Truncation and
      internal deletion identified a 20 amino acids potential transactivation domain
      (PLPSSVDAKLEAICQSLAIN) in MaRAP2-4. MaRAP2-4 transgenic Arabidopsis showed
      enhanced waterlogging and subsequent oxidative stress tolerance. Microarray
      analysis revealed that within up-regulated genes 483, 212 and 132 promoters carry
      either single or multiple copies of DRE, JARE and GCC cis-element/s,
      respectively. Within these promoters, a large section belongs to carbohydrate
      metabolism/transport, including many SWEET transporters. Further analysis showed
      MaRAP2-4 specifically targets two positions in AtSWEEET10 promoter carrying DRE
      and/or GCC box that might regulate carbohydrate availability and waterlogging
      tolerance. These results demonstrate that MaRAP2-4 is a positive regulator of
      waterlogging tolerance, and as energy-consuming processes such as carbohydrate
      biosynthesis are reduced under waterlogging-induced hypoxia, sugar transport
      through SWEETs may be the primary option to make sugar available to the required
      tissue.

PMID- 28636267
TI  - Strontium-releasing fluorapatite glass-ceramics: Crystallization behavior,
      microstructure, and solubility.
AB  - The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of strontium partial
      replacement for calcium on the crystallization behavior, microstructure and
      solubility of fluorapatite glass-ceramics. Four glass compositions were prepared
      with increasing amounts of strontium partially replacing calcium. The
      crystallization behavior was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry and X
      ray diffraction (XRD). The microstructure was investigated by scanning electron
      microscopy. The chemical solubility was quantified according to ISO standard
      10993-14. The amount of strontium released in solution after incubation in TRIS
      HCl or citric acid buffer was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. XRD
      analyses revealed that partially substituted strontium-fluorapatite and strontium
      akermanite crystallized after strontium additions. The lattice cell volume of
      both phases increased linearly with the amount of strontium in the composition.
      Strontium additions led to a reduction in crystal size and an increase in crystal
      number density. The chemical solubility and amount of strontium released in
      solution increased linearly with the amount of strontium present in the
      composition in both TRIS-HCl and citric acid buffers. Total amounts of strontium
      released reached a maximum of 547 +/- 80 ppm in TRIS-HCl and 1252 +/- 290 ppm in
      citric acid buffer for the glass composition with the highest amount of
      strontium. For all strontium-containing compositions, the amount released in TRIS
      HCl continued to increase between 70 and 120 h, indicating sustained release
      rather than burst release. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomater Res Part
      B: 106B: 1421-1430, 2018.

PMID- 28636268
TI  - High throughput sequencing reveals Drosophila suzukii responses to insecticides.
AB  - Global climate change and acquired resistance to insecticides are threats to
      world food security. Drosophila suzukii, a devastating invasive pest in many
      parts of the world, causes substantial economic losses to fruit production
      industries, forcing farmers to apply broad-spectrum insecticides frequently. This
      could lead to the development of insecticide resistance. We determined the Lethal
      Concentration 50 (median lethal concentration, LC50 ) values of zeta
      cypermethrin, spinosad, and malathion insecticides against D. suzukii colonies
      established from Clarke and Pierce county Georgia, United States. The LC50 values
      were 3 fold higher in the Pierce county population for all insecticide
      treatments. We then used RNA sequencing to analyze the responses of Pierce and
      Clarke population flies surviving a LC50 treatment of the 3 insecticides. We
      identified a high number of differentially expressed genes that are likely
      involved in detoxification and reduced cuticular penetration, especially in the
      Pierce population, with extensive overlap in differentially expressed genes
      between the 3 insecticide treatments. Finally, we predicted fewer nonsynonymous
      single nucleotide variants having deleterious effects on protein function among
      detoxification, insecticide target, and cuticular protein encoding genes in
      Pierce flies. Thus a combination of increased gene expression and fewer
      deleterious single nucleotide variants highlights molecular mechanisms underlying
      the higher LC50 values for Pierce population flies.

PMID- 28636269
TI  - Commentary on R&D Trends Away from General Medicine/Cardiovascular Drugs: Can the
      FDA Help Reverse the Trend?
AB  - In the latter part of the 20th century, drug development in cardiovascular
      diseases (CVDs) was a paragon of "modern" therapeutics, bringing about a
      substantial number of effective, well-tolerated agents targeting some of the most
      prevalent diseases of the Western world. These drugs were often examples of
      rational drug development targeting specific pathophysiologic pathways previously
      elucidated through basic research (e.g., targeting of the renin-angiotensin
      system or the cholesterol synthesis pathway). The widespread adoption of these
      ground-breaking medications in practice and into medical guidelines undoubtedly
      played a role in the fall of morbidity and mortality from CVD in the United
      States in recent decades. For instance, the combined, age-adjusted rates of death
      due to heart disease and CVD fell in the United States from an aggregate of 329.6
      per 100,000 in 1999 to 203.5 in 2014. Although lifestyle trends (e.g., decreased
      smoking prevalence) contributed to this decline, the impact of safe and effective
      medications for common CVD conditions cannot be dismissed. Yet, despite the drop
      in CVD morbidity and mortality, CVDs remain a leading cause of morbidity and
      mortality in the United States and, therefore, a large area of unmet medical
      need.

PMID- 28636270
TI  - C-Reactive protein and progression of vision loss in retinitis pigmentosa.
AB  - PURPOSE: Chronic inflammation is involved in retinitis pigmentosa (RP). We
      demonstrated previously that intraocular inflammatory levels, as measured by slit
      lamp ophthalmoscopy or laser flare photometry, are inversely correlated with
      central visual function in patients with RP. Here, we investigated the
      relationship between serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and
      visual parameters in RP. METHODS: We studied 58 consecutive typical patients with
      RP <40 years old and 29 age- and gender-matched controls. High-sensitivity C
      reactive protein (hs-CRP) was detected by immunoturbidimetry. The relationships
      between hs-CRP and visual parameters including best-corrected visual acuity
      (BCVA), mean deviation (MD) of static perimetry tests (Humphrey Field Analyzer,
      the central 10-2 programme) and VA changes over the prior 5 years and MD changes
      over the prior 3 years were analysed in the patients with RP. RESULTS: The serum
      hs-CRP levels of the patients with RP were significantly higher than those of the
      controls (0.06 +/- 0.08 versus 0.03 +/- 0.04 mg/dl, p = 0.0119). In the patients
      with RP, there was no correlation of hs-CRP with cross-sectionally assessed VA or
      MD, but the baseline hs-CRP was significantly correlated with the MD
      deterioration (r = -0.4073, p = 0.0314). CONCLUSION: The average serum hs-CRP was
      significantly increased in the patients with RP, and higher hs-CRP was associated
      with faster deterioration of central visual function. These results suggest that
      the systemic inflammatory profile is altered and may be associated with disease
      progression in RP.

PMID- 28636271
TI  - Dietary patterns are associated with the prevalence of alexithymia.
AB  - Recent evidence supports the association between healthy dietary patterns and a
      reduced risk of depression. The objective was: (1) to examine the associations
      between dietary patterns and alexithymic features; and (2) investigate whether
      these possible associations are explained by depressive symptoms in a cross
      sectional study among the Finnish general population aged 25-65 years. The study
      population was a part of the population-based Kuopio Depression Study (KUDEP)
      conducted in central-eastern Finland (n = 1747). Dietary data were collected
      using a food frequency questionnaire and dietary patterns from 22 predefined food
      groups, which were extracted by factor analysis. Alexithymia was assessed using
      the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and depression using the 21-item
      Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-21). Altogether, 173 of the study subjects (9.9%)
      were alexithymic. Three dietary patterns were identified: "prudent," "Western"
      and "traditional." Lower scores for a healthy prudent dietary pattern and higher
      scores for an unhealthy Western dietary pattern were associated with an increased
      likelihood of belonging to the alexithymic group among subjects with elevated
      depressive symptoms. Among subjects without depressive symptoms, alexithymia was
      associated with lower scores in the prudent dietary pattern, but also with higher
      scores in the traditional dietary pattern. General population subjects with
      alexithymic features may have unhealthier dietary patterns than non-alexithymic
      subjects.

PMID- 28636272
TI  - Development of biotic ligand model-based freshwater aquatic life criteria for
      lead following us environmental protection agency guidelines.
AB  - The US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) current ambient water quality
      criteria (AWQC) for lead (Pb) in freshwater were developed in 1984. The criteria
      are adjusted for hardness, but more recent studies have demonstrated that other
      parameters, especially dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and pH, have a much
      stronger influence on Pb bioavailability. These recent studies have been used to
      support development of a biotic ligand model (BLM) for Pb in freshwater, such
      that acute and chronic Pb toxicity can be predicted over a wide range of water
      chemistry conditions. Following USEPA guidelines for AWQC development and using a
      methodology consistent with that used by the USEPA in developing its recommended
      BLM-based criteria for copper in 2007, we propose acute and chronic BLM-based
      AWQC for Pb in freshwater. In addition to the application of the BLM approach
      that can better account for site-specific Pb bioavailability, the toxicity data
      sets presented are much more robust than in 1984, and there are now sufficient
      chronic Pb toxicity data available that use of an acute-to-chronic ratio is no
      longer necessary. Over a range of North American surface waters with
      representative water chemistry conditions, proposed acute BLM-based Pb criteria
      ranged from approximately 20 to 1000 MUg/L and chronic BLM-based Pb criteria
      ranged from approximately 0.3 to 40 MUg/L. The lowest criteria were for water
      with low DOC (1.2 mg/L), pH (6.7), and hardness (4.3 mg/L as CaCO3), whereas the
      highest criteria were for water with high DOC (9.8 mg/L), pH (8.2), and hardness
      (288 mg/L as CaCO3 ). Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2965-2973. (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28636273
TI  - Long-term belowground effects of grassland management: the key role of liming.
AB  - The functioning of human-managed grassland ecosystems strongly depends on how
      common management practices will affect grassland "belowground compartment"
      including soil biogeochemistry and plant roots. Key questions remain about how
      animal grazing, liming (e.g., the addition of CaCO3 to soils), and nutrient
      fertilization might affect, in the long-term, soil nutrient cycling and multiple
      root traits. Here we focus on a mesotrophic grassland located in Berkshire, UK,
      where contrasting levels of rabbit grazing, liming, and different inorganic
      fertilizers have been applied since 1991. We ask how (1) soil nitrogen (N)
      availability and cycling, (2) total root mass, (3) root mass decomposition, and
      (4) arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) root colonization might respond to 22
      years of very different management. We found that liming strongly affected total
      root mass, root decomposition, root AMF colonization as well as soil N
      availability and cycling and that these effects were mainly driven by liming
      induced increases in soil pH. Increases in soil pH were associated with
      significant (1) decreases in root mass, (2) increases in root mass
      decomposability and in the mineralization of N in decomposing root detritus, and
      (3) increases in AMF infection. Soil pH was also significantly related to greater
      N availability (i.e., soil NO3 levels) and to lower delta15 N natural abundance,
      which suggests more efficient N uptake by plants in limed soils as we found in
      our study. The application of multiple nutrients (N, P, K, Mg) also reduced total
      root mass, while N-only fertilization was associated with greater AMF infection.
      Surprisingly the long-term impact of grazing was generally weak and not
      significant on most plant and soil parameters. Despite soil pH affecting most
      belowground variables, changes in soil pH were not associated with any change in
      soil C and N stocks. Because liming can improve nutrient cycling (and benefits
      soil pH and grass yields) without negatively affecting soil C sequestration, we
      suggest that regular liming applications may provide management solutions for
      increasing the long-term sustainability of permanent grassland.

PMID- 28636274
TI  - Marfan syndrome with a homozygous FBN1 splicing mutation.

PMID- 28636275
TI  - Efficacy of aflibercept for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Caucasians.

PMID- 28636276
TI  - Covariate selection with group lasso and doubly robust estimation of causal
      effects.
AB  - The efficiency of doubly robust estimators of the average causal effect (ACE) of
      a treatment can be improved by including in the treatment and outcome models only
      those covariates which are related to both treatment and outcome (i.e.,
      confounders) or related only to the outcome. However, it is often challenging to
      identify such covariates among the large number that may be measured in a given
      study. In this article, we propose GLiDeR (Group Lasso and Doubly Robust
      Estimation), a novel variable selection technique for identifying confounders and
      predictors of outcome using an adaptive group lasso approach that simultaneously
      performs coefficient selection, regularization, and estimation across the
      treatment and outcome models. The selected variables and corresponding
      coefficient estimates are used in a standard doubly robust ACE estimator. We
      provide asymptotic results showing that, for a broad class of data generating
      mechanisms, GLiDeR yields a consistent estimator of the ACE when either the
      outcome or treatment model is correctly specified. A comprehensive simulation
      study shows that GLiDeR is more efficient than doubly robust methods using
      standard variable selection techniques and has substantial computational
      advantages over a recently proposed doubly robust Bayesian model averaging
      method. We illustrate our method by estimating the causal treatment effect of
      bilateral versus single-lung transplant on forced expiratory volume in one year
      after transplant using an observational registry.

PMID- 28636277
TI  - ESRRB plays a crucial role in the promotion of porcine cell reprograming.
AB  - The estrogen-related receptor b (ESRRB) is an orphan nuclear receptor and targets
      many genes involved in self-renewal and pluripotency. In mouse ES cells,
      overexpression of ESRRB can maintain LIF-independent self-renewal in the absence
      of Nanog. However, the fundamental features of porcine ESRRB remain elusive. In
      this study, we revealed the expression profiles of ESRRB in both porcine
      pluripotent stem cells and early stage embryos and dissected the functional
      domains of ESRRB protein to prove that ESRRB is a key transcription factor that
      enhanced porcine pluripotent gene activation. Addition of ESRRB into the cocktail
      of core pluripotent factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM + E) could
      significantly enhance the reprograming efficiency and the formation of alkaline
      phosphatase positive colonies. Conversely, knockdown of ESRRB in piPSCs
      significantly reduced the expression level of pluripotent genes, minimized the
      alkaline phosphatase activity, and initiated the porcine induced pluripotent stem
      cell differentiation. Therefore, porcine ESRRB is a crucial transcription factor
      to improve the self-renewal of piPSCs.

PMID- 28636278
TI  - RNA Activation: A Diamond in the Rough for Genome Engineers.
AB  - The ability to develop efficient and versatile technologies for manipulating gene
      expression is a fundamental issue both in biotechnology and therapeutics. The
      endogenous RNA interference (RNAi) pathway which mediates gene silencing was
      discovered at the end of the 20th century and it is nowadays considered as an
      essential strategy for knockdown of specific genes and for studying gene
      function. Remarkably, during the past decade, a RNA-induced mechanism of gene
      activation has also been reported. Likewise RNAi, the RNA activation (RNAa)
      process is also mediated by sequence-specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)
      molecules, and interesting resemblances between both RNA-based transcriptional
      mechanisms have been described. Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) and related
      molecules have been used for targeting of genes in species that are as different
      as nematodes and humans, and similar dsRNA-induced activation phenomena have also
      been observed in plants. The aim of this letter is to highlight recent molecular
      insights into yet unexplored RNAa mechanism and its potential for manipulating
      transcriptional activity. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 247-249, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28636279
TI  - Effects of in ovo injection of chrysin, quercetin and ascorbic acid on
      hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic oxidative status and early post-hatch
      performance of broiler chicks.
AB  - An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of in ovo injection of
      chrysin, quercetin and ascorbic acid on hatchability, somatic attributes, hepatic
      antioxidant status and early post-hatch growth performance of broiler chicks.
      Four hundred and eighty embryonated broiler breeder eggs containing live 18-day
      old embryos were divided into six groups of 80 eggs each. One group remained
      intact and served as a control group (i), whereas the other five groups were
      injected with the prepared injection solutions as follows: (ii) 0.05 ml distilled
      water; (iii) 0.05 ml distilled water containing 6 mg ascorbic acid; (iv) 0.05 ml
      dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); (v) 0.05 ml DMSO containing 4.5 mg quercetin; and (vi)
      0.05 ml DMSO containing 4.5 mg chrysin. The hatchability rate, hatching weight,
      residual yolk sac weight, yolk sac-free body weight, liver weight, hepatic
      glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase activities, as well as
      malondialdehyde concentrations, were not affected by the injected solutions.
      There were no differences between chicks hatched from the control and in ovo
      injected eggs in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio from 0 to 11
      days of age. However, the specific contrast performed between the in ovo injected
      groups and intact eggs revealed that in ovo injection significantly increased
      hatchability rate (p = .0493). This finding also implies that our injection
      procedure was harmless. In conclusion, the intra-egg injection of chrysin,
      quercetin or ascorbic acid at the injection rates used in this study did not have
      a significant effect on hatchability, somatic characteristics, early growth
      performance and hepatic antioxidant status of broiler chicks. However, the
      overall hatchability was higher in the in ovo injected eggs as compared to non
      injected ones. These findings also confirmed the harmlessness of the procedure
      developed for in ovo injection in this study.

PMID- 28636280
TI  - Getting on the same page: Communication, patient involvement and shared
      understanding of "decisions" in oncology.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients and clinicians do not often agree on whether a decision has
      been made about cancer care. This could be explained by factors related to
      communication quality and/or the type of decision being made. METHODS: We used a
      self-developed coding scheme to code a random sample of 128 encounters in which
      patients and clinicians either agreed (n=64) or disagreed (n=64) that a cancer
      care decision was made and tested for associations between concordance and key
      communication behaviours. We also identified and characterized cancer care
      decisions by topic and level of patient involvement and looked for trends.
      RESULTS: We identified 378 cancer care decisions across 128 encounters. Explicit
      decisions were most commonly made about topics wherein decision control could be
      easily delegated to a clear and present expert (eg either the patient or the
      clinician). Related to this, level of patient involvement varied significantly by
      decision topic. Explicit decisions were rarely made in an observable way about
      social, non-clinical or self-management related topics, although patients and
      clinicians both reported having made a cancer care decision in encounters where
      no decisions were observed. We found no association between communication
      behaviours and concordance in our sample. CONCLUSIONS: What counts as a
      "decision" in cancer care may be constructed within disparate social roles that
      leave many agendas unaddressed and decisions unmade. Changing the content of
      conversations to encourage explicit decisions about self-management and life
      context-related topics may have greater value in enabling shared understanding
      than promoting communication behaviours among already high-performing
      communicators.

PMID- 28636281
TI  - Aryl- and heteroaryl-substituted phenylalanines as AMPA receptor ligands.
AB  - A series of racemic unnatural amino acids was rationally designed on the basis of
      recently published X-ray structures of the GluA2 LBD with bound phenylalanine
      based antagonists. Twelve new diaryl- or aryl/heteroaryl-substituted
      phenylalanine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated in vitro in radioligand
      binding assays at native rat ionotropic glutamate receptors. The most interesting
      compound in this series, (RS)-2-amino-3-(3'-hydroxy-5-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-[1,1'
      biphenyl]-3-yl)propanoic acid 7e, showed the binding affinity of 4.6 MUm for
      native AMPA receptors and over fourfold lower affinity for kainic acid receptors.
      Furthermore, 7e was evaluated at recombinant homomeric rat GluA2 and GluA3
      receptors. Recently reported X-ray structures 5CBR and 5CBS, representing two
      distinct antagonist binding modes, were used as templates for molecular docking
      of the synthesized series. Binding data supported with molecular modeling
      confirmed that aryl/heteroaryl-substituted phenylalanine analogues effectively
      bind to AMPA receptors with low micromolar affinity and high selectivity over
      native NMDA and kainate receptors. These properties make 7e a promising lead for
      the further development of new AMPA receptor ligands.

PMID- 28636282
TI  - The predictive value of different infant attachment measures for socioemotional
      development at age 5 years.
AB  - The predictive value of different infant attachment measures was examined in a
      community-based sample of 111 healthy children (59 boys, 52 girls). Two
      procedures to assess infant attachment, the Attachment Q-Set (applied on a
      relatively short observation period) and a shortened version of the Strange
      Situation Procedure (SSSP), were applied to the children at age 15 months and
      related to a comprehensive set of indicators of the children's socioemotional
      development at age 5 years. Three attachment measures were used as predictors:
      AQS security, SSSP security, and SSSP attachment disorganization. AQS security
      and SSSP security jointly predicted the security of the children's attachment
      representation at age 5. Apart from that, SSSP attachment disorganization was a
      better predictor of the children's later socioemotional development than were the
      other two early attachment measures. First, attachment disorganization was the
      only attachment measure to predict the children's later ego-resiliency, school
      adjustment, and dissociation. Second, as for the socioemotional measures at age 5
      that also were related to AQS or SSSP security (i.e., peer social competence and
      externalizing problems), the attachment security measures did not explain any
      extra variance beyond what was explained by attachment disorganization.

PMID- 28636283
TI  - Attachment in substance-exposed toddlers: The role of caregiving and exposure.
AB  - Prenatal substance exposure is linked to adverse outcomes in children. Some
      adverse outcomes may result from insecure attachment and low-quality caregiving
      rather than from substance exposure. Little is known about the caregiving of
      polysubstance-using mothers. To address this, low-income mothers (n = 41) with
      their substance-exposed 12-month-olds were compared with a nonexposed group case
      matched for other risk factors. Maternal sensitivity and involvement were
      analyzed from 2 hr of videotaped interaction. Attachment was assessed using the
      Attachment Q-Set. Attachment security and quality of caregiving were quite low
      for both groups, with no significant differences. In addition, regression
      analyses revealed that quality of caregiving predicted attachment, but amount of
      alcohol and cocaine exposure did not. These results suggest that among toddlers
      with social risk, substance exposure may not predict insecure attachment.
      Previous research linking attachment to exposure may be better explained by low
      quality caregiving. Implications are that substance-exposed children, and
      nonexposed children with comparable social risk, are likely to need intervention
      to enhance maternal sensitivity and involvement to improve psychiatric outcomes.

PMID- 28636284
TI  - Young infants' triangular communication with their parents in the context of
      maternal postpartum psychosis: Four case studies.
AB  - With increasing data on the dynamics of normative couples as they transition to
      parenthood and become a triad, the need for greater understanding of the impact
      of parental psychopathology on this transition has become clear. The goal of the
      current article is to begin exploring this area that has received little
      attention to date, by describing case examples from a study of clinical families
      as they transitioned to parenthood. Four representative cases were selected from
      a pool of 13 mother-father-baby triads, for whom the mother had been hospitalized
      conjointly with her infant due to a psychotic episode during the postpartum
      period. The families were observed as part of a clinical consultation that
      included a semistructured play paradigm known as the Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP;
      E. Fivaz-Depeursinge, & A. Corboz-Warnery, 1999). Interactions were scored using
      standardized measures as well as clinical impressions. All families from the
      clinical sample were noted to struggle and frequently failed to achieve the goals
      of play. The impact on the infants in terms of their developing sense of self as
      well as their defensive strategies in this context are discussed, with clinical
      implications explored.

PMID- 28636285
TI  - Caregiving behavior and interactions of prenatally depressed mothers
      (antidepressant-treated and non-antidepressant-treated) during newborn acute
      pain.
AB  - This exploratory study aimed to examine time-based measures of the behaviors and
      interactions of prenatally depressed serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRI)
      medicated mothers to their infant's pain (n = 10) by comparing them with similar
      measures obtained from prenatally depressed nonmedicated mothers and their
      infants (n = 10), and nondepressed mothers and their infants (n = 10). During the
      second trimester of their pregnancy, the 30 study mothers were assessed for
      depression and anxiety, with no further measures of maternal mood taken. Maternal
      and infant interactions were continuously videorecorded while the infant
      underwent a scheduled heel lance for routine blood screening that occurred when
      study infants were between the ages of 24 and 60 hr. Maternal behavior and infant
      cry, for all 30 cases, were coded second-by-second for the full duration of each
      infant's heel lance using a reliable coding system and analyzed using odds ratio
      and regression analyses. Infants exposed to prenatal SRIs and depressed maternal
      mood were more likely to have lower Apgar scores and to exhibit weak and absent
      cry. Even when duration of the heel lance was controlled for, women with
      depression during the second trimester were more likely to exhibit depressed
      behavior at 2 days' postpartum despite sustained SRI antidepressant treatment.
      Both groups of prenatally depressed mothers were more likely to exhibit
      diminished response to their infants' pain cue although nonmedicated mothers'
      expressions of depressed behavior were more similar to healthy controls.
      Comprehensive understanding is essential to optimize the clinical care of mothers
      and their infants in this complex setting. This study contributes preliminary new
      findings that warrant prospective and longitudinal studies to clarify further the
      impacts of prenatal SRI and maternal mental mood (e.g., chronic depression and
      anxiety) effects on the mother-infant interaction and infant pain and stress
      reactivity.

PMID- 28636286
TI  - Maternal correlates of 2-year-old American Indian children's social-emotional
      development in a Northern Plains tribe.
AB  - The developmental experiences of very young American Indian children today are
      not well documented in the current literature. The present study sought to
      explore the social-emotional development of American Indian toddlers living on a
      Northern Plains reservation, as a function of maternal variables. Mothers
      completed self-report questionnaires about their experiences and their children's
      development. Observer ratings of children's development also were conducted.
      Maternal stress, substance use/abuse, perceptions of stress in the mother-child
      relationship, social support, and American Indian cultural identity were
      significantly related to children's social-emotional development. This study is
      the first to explore these relationships in a Northern Plains American Indian
      sample of young children and their mothers. Results suggest possible points of
      intervention for improving the developmental outcomes of very young American
      Indian children.

PMID- 28636287
TI  - The spectrum of aseptic central nervous system infections in southern Germany -
      demographic, clinical and laboratory findings.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Aseptic infections of the central nervous system (CNS)
      are frequently observed in Germany. However, no study has systematically
      addressed the spectrum of aseptic CNS infections in Germany. METHODS: Data on 191
      adult patients diagnosed from January 2007 to December 2014 with aseptic
      meningitis or encephalitis/meningoencephalitis at our hospital were collected by
      chart review and analyzed for demographic, clinical and laboratory findings.
      Patients were stratified according to the causative virus and findings were
      compared between groups. RESULTS: In our cohort, meningitis was caused in 36% by
      enterovirus (EV), 15% by herpes simplex virus (HSV), 12% by varicella zoster
      virus (VZV) and 5% by tick borne encephalitis (TBE).
      Encephalitis/meningoencephalitis was caused in 13% by HSV, 13% by VZV, and three
      out of 11 tested patients were positive for TBE. The highest incidence of EV
      infections was between 25 and 35 years and of HSV infections between 30 and 60
      years. VZV infections had a bimodal distribution peaking below 30 and above 70
      years. VZV and EV infections were more frequently observed during summer, whereas
      HSV infections showed no seasonal preference. Inflammatory changes in
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were highest in HSV and lowest in EV infections.
      CONCLUSIONS: Polymerase chain reaction tests for HSV, VZV and EV in CSF and TBE
      serology determined the causative virus in over 60% of tested patients. The age
      of affected patients, seasonal distribution, disease course and inflammatory
      changes in CSF differ between groups of patients affected by the most common
      viral infections.

PMID- 28636288
TI  - Total Synthesis of Ovafolinins A and B: Unique Polycyclic Benzoxepin Lignans
      through a Cascade Cyclization.
AB  - Ovafolinins A and B, isolated from Lyonia ovalifolia var. elliptica, are lignans
      that contain a unique bridged structure containing a penta- and tetracyclic
      benzoxepin and an aryl tetralin. We report the first total synthesis of these
      natural products in which an acyl-Claisen rearrangement was initially utilized to
      construct the lignan backbone with correct relative stereochemistry. Judicious
      use of a bulky protecting group placed reactive moieties in the correct
      orientation, thereby resulting in a cascade reaction to form the bridged
      benzoxepin/aryl tetralin from a linear precursor in a single step. Modification
      of this route allowed the enantioselective synthesis of (+)-ovafolinins A and B,
      which confirmed the absolute stereochemistry, and comparison of optical rotation
      suggests that these compounds are found as scalemic mixtures in nature.

PMID- 28636289
TI  - Loss of idealism or realistic optimism? A cross-sectional analysis of dental
      hygiene students' and registered dental hygienists' professional identity
      perceptions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The dental hygiene profession in the U.S. is in the process of
      establishing a direct access model of care and contributing to the creation of
      the profession of a dental therapist. The objectives were to analyse the
      professional role perceptions of dental hygiene students and registered dental
      hygienists in these times of change. Specifically, it was explored whether dental
      hygiene students' current professional identities differ (i) from their expected
      future identities, and (ii) from dental hygienists' current and (iii) past
      identities. METHODS: Survey data were collected from 215 dental hygiene students
      concerning their present and future role perceptions, and from 352 registered
      dental hygienists concerning their present and past professional identity
      perceptions. RESULTS: Students' future professional identity perceptions were
      even more positive than their very positive current perceptions of their
      professional role components. Students' current perceptions of professional
      pride, professional ambition, work ethic and patient relations were more positive
      than dental hygienists' current perceptions of these professional role
      components. A comparison of students' current perceptions with dental hygienists'
      current and retrospective descriptions showed that students were more positive
      than dental hygienists in each case. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that dental hygienists
      had less positive role perceptions than dental hygiene students might lead to the
      conclusion that a loss of idealism occurs over the course of a professional
      lifespan. However, dental hygienists actually improved their role perceptions
      over time and students' future descriptions were more positive than their current
      descriptions, supporting the interpretation that realistic optimism dominates
      professional role perceptions in these times of change.

PMID- 28636291
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636290
TI  - Sulforaphane protection against the development of doxorubicin-induced chronic
      heart failure is associated with Nrf2 Upregulation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline antitumor drug. However, its
      clinical use is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity and even progresses to
      chronic heart failure (CHF). OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate whether
      the Nrf2 activator, sulforaphane (SFN), can prevent DOX-induced CHF. METHODS:
      Male Sprague-Dawley rats which received treatment for 6 weeks were divided into
      four groups (n=30 per group): control, SFN, DOX and DOX plus SFN group. RESULTS:
      Results revealed that DOX induced progressive cardiac damage as indicated by
      increased cardiac injury markers, cardiac inflammation, fibrosis and oxidative
      stress. SFN significantly prevented DOX-induced progressive cardiac dysfunction
      between 2-6 weeks and prevented DOX-induced cardiac function deterioration.
      Furthermore, it significantly decreased ejection fraction and increased the
      expression of brain natriuretic peptide. SFN also almost completely prevented DOX
      induced cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis. SFN upregulated NF
      E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression and transcription activity, which was
      reflected by the increased mRNA expression of Nrf2 and its downstream genes.
      Furthermore, in cultured H9c2 cardiomyocytes, the protective effect of SFN
      against DOX-induced fibrotic and inflammatory responses was abolished by Nrf2
      silencing. CONCLUSION: We arrived at the conclusion that DOX-induced CHF can be
      prevented by SFN through the upregulation of Nrf2 expression and transcriptional
      function.

PMID- 28636292
TI  - [Head and neck cancer : promising results of immunotherapy].
AB  - Immunotherapy, especially checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD1 and anti-PDL1
      antibodies, has changed the standard of care and the prognosis of melanoma, but
      also more recently of lung cancer, renal cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma. Results of
      preliminary studies in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) as well as
      in less frequent tumors of the region, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma and high
      grade salivary gland carcinoma, are also promising. Indeed, in a recent phase 3
      study, the PD1 inhibitor nivolumab has recently demonstrated a significant
      improvement in overall survival for platin-resistant recurrent and/or metastatic
      HNSCC.

PMID- 28636293
TI  - [Treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma : Novel agents and role of local
      therapy].
AB  - The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in Switzerland and
      its treatment is a challenge. The purpose of this article is to summarize the
      different therapeutic approaches in the metastatic stage, as well as the
      perspectives of targeted treatments and immunotherapy. Until recently, the only
      recognized therapeutic standard for these patients with metastatic CHC was
      sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. If the patient was to progress under
      sorafenib, no other recognized therapeutic option was available as second line.
      We present in this article the recent data on regorafenib, also an inhibitor of
      tyrosine kinases, the first systemic therapy showing an increase in survival for
      patients progressing under sorafenib. Then we will discuss promising data and
      progress made in treatments checkpoints inhibitors and therapies combining local
      and systematic approaches.

PMID- 28636294
TI  - [Selective therapeutic de-escalation in early stage breast cancer].
AB  - The survival of patients with breast cancer has improved considerably thanks to
      adjuvant radiotherapy and systemic treatments. Due to the potential adverse
      events associated with these treatments, a de-escalation effort was undertaken
      concerning surgery and more recently the adjuvant treatments. Conservative breast
      surgery and the avoidance of axillary dissection were possible for the majority
      of the patients without detrimental effect on survival. New radiotherapy
      techniques and the consideration of cancer biology allowed to better protect the
      peripheral organs and even to avoid treatment in certain low-risk patients. The
      refinement of prognostic and predictive criteria helped reducing the use of
      chemotherapy and adapting the duration of endocrine therapy to the risk.

PMID- 28636295
TI  - [Screening of ovarian cancer : not for tomorrow].
AB  - As the worldwide incidence of cancer continuously rises, one of the measures to
      reduce mortality is early diagnosis while the disease is still curable.
      Colonoscopy screening and PAP-smears are worthwhile examples illustrating the
      impact of early diagnosis on mortality. Ovarian cancer is the first cause of
      mortality by gynecological cancers in Switzerland (incidence of 600 new cases /
      year), mostly diagnosed at advanced stages with a poor prognosis. Could
      surveillance measures improve survival ? Three large-scale randomized control
      trials failed to show mortality reduction from ovarian cancer with the methods
      currently available. A better comprehension of pathogenesis can allow the
      development of new strategies of screening.

PMID- 28636296
TI  - [Follow-up of the long-term cancer survivor].
AB  - Improvements in diagnosis and treatments explain the notable increase in patients
      chronically affected or recovering from cancer. This is a fragile population, who
      is physically, psychologically and socially affected by the consequences of the
      disease and the associated treatments. In addition to detecting a possible
      relapse, oncologists and primary care physicians have to deal with a variety of
      issues like psychological distress, sexual dysfunction, cardiotoxicity, cognitive
      impairment, fatigue and, in some cases, a second primary cancer. This is a real
      challenge for modern medical oncology, with an important financial impact. A long
      term structured follow-up could improve the management of patients with a history
      of cancer and favour their physical recovery and psychosocial integration.

PMID- 28636297
TI  - [Supportive care in oncology: a real change for patients?]
AB  - With the increased incidence of cancers due to an aging population, and a
      prolonged survival thanks to advances in cancer treatments, new therapeutic
      challenges have arisen. The management of symptoms, the tolerance of increasingly
      effective oncologic treatments and, finally, quality of life are central concerns
      of patients and their loved ones. Supportive care in oncology has helped meet
      these challenges, offering a holistic approach, encompassing somatic, psychiatric
      and social aid. Inaugurated in 2005, the oncologic supportive care unit of the
      Geneva University Hospitals allows many cancer patients access to a team of
      multidisciplinary care-givers to help meet their needs.

PMID- 28636298
TI  - [Renal toxicities in oncology therapies].
AB  - Development of oncological treatments has progressively and significantly reduced
      both mortality and morbidity. Chemotherapy and more recently immunotherapy may
      have short- and long-term side effects among which, renal involvement is one of
      the most frequent complications, which may alter therapeutic options and quality
      of life. High cumulative doses of chemotherapy, concomitant administration of
      nephrotoxic treatment and pre-existing nephropathy are to be carefully
      considered. This article intends to review some practical considerations
      concerning therapies from a nephrological point of view.

PMID- 28636299
TI  - [Sprain of the thumb metacarpal-phalangeal with lesion of the ulnar collateral
      ligament].
AB  - The sprain of the thumb metacarpal-phalangeal joint must be treated in an adapted
      way in order to avoid chronic laxity. The comparative and bilateral clinical exam
      is the main element that will allow to detect laxity. In the case of non laxity,
      a conservative treatment with a splint makes sense. In the case of laxity with
      Stener effect, a surgical procedure is recommended in order to reintegrate the
      collateral ligament. In the case of laxity without Stener effect, the choice of
      treatment is contentious. A US or MRI would be useful if the Stener effect could
      be underlying. For whichever treatment opted, rehabilitation is to be started as
      soon as at week 4, in order to reduce risks of stiffness. The return to any sport
      or training will depend on the sprain stage and on the possibility to wear a
      rigid splint or not.

PMID- 28636300
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636301
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636302
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636303
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636304
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636305
TI  - ?

PMID- 28636308
TI  - Redox-Sensitive Nanoscale Coordination Polymers for Drug Delivery and Cancer
      Theranostics.
AB  - Nanoscale coordination polymers (NCPs), with inherent biodegradability, chemical
      diversities, and porous structures, are a promising class of nanomaterials in the
      nanomedicine field. Herein, a unique type of redox-sensitive NCPs is constructed
      with manganese ions (Mn2+) and dithiodiglycolic acid as the disulfide (SS)
      containing organic bridging ligand. The obtained Mn-SS NCPs with a mesoporous
      structure could be efficiently loaded with doxorubicin (DOX), a
      chemotherapeutics. The yielded Mn-SS/DOX nanoparticles are coated with a layer of
      polydopamine (PDA) and then modified by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). In such a Mn
      SS/DOX@PDA-PEG NCP structure, the disulfide linkage (SS) within dithiodiglycolic
      acid can be cleaved in the presence of glutathione (GSH), leading to efficient
      redox-responsive dissociation of NCPs and the subsequent drug release. Meanwhile,
      Mn2+ in Mn-SS/DOX@PDA-PEG NCPs would offer a strong T1 contrast in magnetic
      resonance (MR) imaging, Upon intravenous injection, these Mn-SS/DOX@PDA-PEG NCPs
      show efficient tumor homing, as revealed by MR imaging, and offer an obviously
      improved in vivo therapeutic outcome compared to that achieved with free DOX.

PMID- 28636310
TI  - Sensing Mechanisms in the Redox-Regulated, [2Fe-2S] Cluster-Containing, Bacterial
      Transcriptional Factor SoxR.
AB  - Bacteria possess molecular biosensors that enable responses to a variety of
      stressful conditions, including oxidative stress, toxic compounds, and
      interactions with other organisms, through elaborately coordinated regulation of
      gene expression. In Escherichia coli and related bacteria, the transcription
      factor SoxR functions as a sensor of oxidative stress and nitric oxide (NO). SoxR
      protein contains a [2Fe-2S] cluster essential for its transcription-enhancing
      activity, which is regulated by redox changes in the [2Fe-2S] cluster. We have
      explored the mechanistic and structural basis of SoxR proteins function and
      determined how the chemistry at the [2Fe-2S] cluster causes the subsequent
      regulatory response. In this Account, I describe our recent achievements in three
      different areas using physicochemical techniques, primarily pulse radiolysis.
      First, redox-dependent conformational changes in SoxR-bound DNA were studied by
      site-specifically replacing selected bases with the fluorescent probes 2
      aminopurine and pyrrolocytosine. X-ray analyses of the DNA-SoxR complex in the
      oxidized state revealed that the DNA structure is distorted in the center
      regions, resulting in local untwisting of base pairs. However, the inactive,
      reduced state had remained uncharacterized. We found that reduction of the [2Fe
      2S] cluster in the SoxR-DNA complex weakens the fluorescence intensity within a
      region confined to the central base pairs in the promoter region. Second, the
      reactions of NO with [2Fe-2S] clusters of E. coli SoxR were analyzed using pulse
      radiolysis. The transcriptional activation of SoxR in E. coli occurs through
      direct modification of [2Fe-2S] by NO to form a dinitrosyl iron complex (DNIC).
      The reaction of NO with [2Fe-2S] cluster of SoxR proceeded nearly quantitatively
      with concomitant reductive elimination of two equivalents S0 atoms. Intermediate
      nitrosylation products, however, were too unstable to observe. We found that the
      conversion proceeds through at least two steps, with the faster phase being the
      first reaction of the NO molecule with the [2Fe-2S] cluster. The slower reaction
      with the second equivalent NO molecule, however, was important for the formation
      of DNIC. Third, to elucidate the differences between the distinct responses of
      SoxR proteins from two different species, we studied the interaction of E. coli
      and Pseudomonas aeruginosa SoxR with superoxide anion using a mutagenic approach.
      Despite the homology between E. coli SoxR and P. aeruginosa SoxR, the function of
      P. aeruginosa SoxR differs from that of E. coli. The substitution of E. coli SoxR
      lysine residues, located close to [2Fe-2S] clusters, into P. aeruginosa SoxR
      dramatically affected the reaction with superoxide anion.

PMID- 28636309
TI  - Quantitative Chemical Proteomic Profiling of the in Vivo Targets of Reactive Drug
      Metabolites.
AB  - Idiosyncratic liver toxicity represents an important problem in drug research and
      pharmacotherapy. Reactive drug metabolites that modify proteins are thought to be
      a principal factor in drug-induced liver injury. Here, we describe a quantitative
      chemical proteomic method to identify the targets of reactive drug metabolites in
      vivo. Treating mice with clickable analogues of four representative hepatotoxic
      drugs, we demonstrate extensive covalent binding that is confined primarily to
      the liver. Each drug exhibited a distinct target profile that, in certain cases,
      showed strong enrichment for specific metabolic pathways (e.g., lipid/sterol
      pathways for troglitazone). Site-specific proteomics revealed that acetaminophen
      reacts with high stoichiometry with several conserved, functional
      (seleno)cysteine residues throughout the liver proteome. Our findings thus
      provide an advanced experimental framework to characterize the proteomic
      reactivity of drug metabolites in vivo, revealing target profiles that may help
      to explain mechanisms and identify risk factors for drug-induced liver injury.

PMID- 28636311
TI  - Insights into Integrated Lead Generation and Target Identification in Malaria and
      Tuberculosis Drug Discovery.
AB  - New, safe and effective drugs are urgently needed to treat and control malaria
      and tuberculosis, which affect millions of people annually. However, financial
      return on investment in the poor settings where these diseases are mostly
      prevalent is very minimal to support market-driven drug discovery and
      development. Moreover, the imminent loss of therapeutic lifespan of existing
      therapies due to evolution and spread of drug resistance further compounds the
      urgency to identify novel effective drugs. However, the advent of new public
      private partnerships focused on tropical diseases and the recent release of large
      data sets by pharmaceutical companies on antimalarial and antituberculosis
      compounds derived from phenotypic whole cell high throughput screening have
      spurred renewed interest and opened new frontiers in malaria and tuberculosis
      drug discovery. This Account recaps the existing challenges facing antimalarial
      and antituberculosis drug discovery, including limitations associated with
      experimental animal models as well as biological complexities intrinsic to the
      causative pathogens. We enlist various highlights from a body of work within our
      research group aimed at identifying and characterizing new chemical leads, and
      navigating these challenges to contribute toward the global drug discovery and
      development pipeline in malaria and tuberculosis. We describe a catalogue of in
      house efforts toward deriving safe and efficacious preclinical drug development
      candidates via cell-based medicinal chemistry optimization of phenotypic whole
      cell medium and high throughput screening hits sourced from various small
      molecule chemical libraries. We also provide an appraisal of target-based
      screening, as invoked in our laboratory for mechanistic evaluation of the hits
      generated, with particular focus on the enzymes within the de novo pyrimidine
      biosynthetic and hemoglobin degradation pathways, the latter constituting a heme
      detoxification process and an associated cysteine protease-mediated hydrolysis of
      hemoglobin. We further expound on the recombinant enzyme assays, heme
      fractionation experiments, and genomic and chemoproteomic methods that we
      employed to identify Plasmodium falciparum falcipain 2 (PfFP2), hemozoin
      formation, phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PfPI4K) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis
      cytochrome bc1 complex as the targets of the antimalarial chalcones, pyrido[1,2
      a]benzimidazoles, aminopyridines, and antimycobacterial pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyridine
      1,3(2H)-diones, respectively. In conclusion, we argue for the expansion of
      chemical space through exploitation of privileged natural product scaffolds and
      diversity-oriented synthesis, as well as the broadening of druggable spaces by
      exploiting available protein crystal structures, -omics data, and bioinformatics
      infrastructure to explore hitherto untargeted spaces like lipid metabolism and
      protein kinases in P. falciparum. Finally, we audit the merits of both target
      based and whole-cell phenotypic screening in steering antimalarial and
      antituberculosis chemical matter toward populating drug discovery pipelines with
      new lead molecules.

PMID- 28636312
TI  - Combining Protein and miRNA Quantification for Bladder Cancer Analysis.
AB  - We combine the telomerase extension reaction and microRNA (miRNA)-induced rolling
      circle amplification, followed by graphene oxide (GO) and nicking enzyme-assisted
      signal amplification as a method to analyze telomerase and miRNA-21 in urine
      samples with the following merits. First, it is a binary assay and can
      simultaneously output double signals that correspond to the quantities of
      telomerase and miRNA, respectively. Second, telomerase activity is enhanced by
      using a DNA molecular beacon probe to inhibit the formation of G-quadruplex.
      Third, background noise is decreased significantly via introduction of GO.
      Fourth, performance tests on about 258 urine samples demonstrate that this binary
      assay can distinguish between urine from bladder cancer patients, those with
      cystitis, and normal individuals. Finally, this strategy also shows great
      potential in distinguishing between muscle-invasive bladder cancers and non
      muscle-invasive bladder cancers. The proposed strategy will greatly contribute to
      clinical decision-making and individualized treatments.

PMID- 28636314
TI  - Giant Thermal Rectification from Single-Carbon Nanotube-Graphene Junction.
AB  - We describe the influence of the geometry parameters on the thermal rectification
      of single-carbon nanotube-graphene junction. The two-dimensional (2D)
      distribution of the thermal rectification with respect to the tube length and the
      side length of the graphene nanosheet are calculated and visualized. The maximum
      thermal rectification ratios of the designed single-carbon nanotube-graphene
      junction can reach 1244.1% and 1681.6% at average temperatures of 300 and 200 K,
      respectively. These values are much higher than those reported for single
      material nanostructure-based thermal rectifiers. The thermal rectification ratios
      of the nanotube-graphene junction are fairly sensitive to geometry size and are
      almost entirely dominated by the degree of overlap of the power spectra under
      negative thermal bias. These findings could offer useful guidelines for the
      design and performance improvement of thermal diodes.

PMID- 28636315
TI  - Fabrication of Hierarchical Macroporous Biocompatible Scaffolds by Combining
      Pickering High Internal Phase Emulsion Templates with Three-Dimensional Printing.
AB  - Biocompatible and biodegradable porous scaffolds with adjustable pore structure
      have aroused increasing interest in bone tissue engineering. Here, we report a
      facile method to fabricate hierarchical macroporous biocompatible (HmPB)
      scaffolds by combining Pickering high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templates
      with three-dimensional (3D) printing. HmPB scaffolds composed of a polymer matrix
      of poly(l-lactic acid), PLLA, and poly(epsilon-caprolactone), PCL, are readily
      fabricated by solvent evaporation of 3D printed Pickering HIPEs which are
      stabilized by hydrophobically modified silica nanoparticles (h-SiO2). The pore
      structure of HmPB scaffolds is easily tailored to be similar to natural
      extracellular matrix (ECM) by varying the fabrication conditions of the Pickering
      emulsion or adjusting the printing parameters. In addition, in vivo drug release
      studies which employ enrofloxacin (ENR) as a model drug indicate the potential of
      HmPB scaffolds as a drug carrier. Furthermore, in vivo cell culture assays prove
      that HmPB scaffolds that possess good biocompatibility as mouse bone mesenchymal
      stem cells (mBMSCs) can adhere and proliferate well on them. All the results
      suggest that HmPB scaffolds hold great potential in bone tissue engineering
      applications.

PMID- 28636316
TI  - Novel Melamine/o-Phthalaldehyde Covalent Organic Frameworks Nanosheets:
      Enhancement Flame Retardant and Mechanical Performances of Thermoplastic
      Polyurethanes.
AB  - Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) nanosheets prepared from condensation reaction
      between melamine and o-phthalaldehyde are first prepared through ball milling and
      then incorporated into thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) by solution mixing.
      Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)
      spectrometer are applied to characterize COFs nanosheets. It is observed
      apparently from TEM image that COFs nanosheets are obtained. Successful
      preparation of COFs nanosheets is proved further by vanishment of typical
      diffraction peak of COFs at around 23.5 degrees  in COFs nanosheets XRD pattern,
      appearance of quadrant and semicircle stretching of the s-triazine ring at 1568
      and 1469 cm-1 in FTIR spectra and N?C bond at 389.5 eV in N1s high-resolution XPS
      spectra of COFs nanosheets. The thermal property, combustion behavior and
      mechanical performance of TPU naoncomposites are also investigated. Incorporation
      of COFs nanosheets into TPU contributes to char forming of TPU under nitrogen
      atmosphere and 14.3% decrease of peak heat release rate of TPU. Besides, the
      elongation at break, Young's modulus, and fracture strength of TPU nanocomposites
      increase sharply compared with that of neat one.

PMID- 28636313
TI  - Iodine(III) Reagents in Radical Chemistry.
AB  - The chemistry of hypervalent iodine(III) compounds has gained great interest over
      the past 30 years. Hypervalent iodine(III) compounds show valuable ionic
      reactivity due to their high electrophilicity but also express radical reactivity
      as single electron oxidants for carbon and heteroatom radical generation. Looking
      at ionic chemistry, these iodine(III) reagents can act as electrophiles to
      efficiently construct C-CF3, X-CF3 (X = heteroatom), C-Rf (Rf = perfluoroalkyl),
      X-Rf, C-N3, C-CN, S-CN, and C-X bonds. In some cases, a Lewis or a Bronsted acid
      is necessary to increase their electrophilicity. In these transformations, the
      iodine(III) compounds react as formal "CF3+", "Rf+", "N3+", "Ar+", "CN+", and
      "X+" equivalents. On the other hand, one electron reduction of the I(III)
      reagents opens the door to the radical world, which is the topic of this Account
      that focuses on radical reactivity of hypervalent iodine(III) compounds such as
      the Togni reagent, Zhdankin reagent, diaryliodonium salts, aryliodonium ylides,
      aryl(cyano)iodonium triflates, and aryl(perfluoroalkyl)iodonium triflates.
      Radical generation starting with I(III) reagents can also occur via thermal or
      light mediated homolysis of the weak hypervalent bond in such reagents. This
      reactivity can be used for alkane C-H functionalization. We will address
      important pioneering work in the area but will mainly focus on studies that have
      been conducted by our group over the last 5 years. We entered the field by
      investigating transition metal free single electron reduction of Togni type
      reagents using the readily available sodium 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl
      salt (TEMPONa) as an organic one electron reductant for clean generation of the
      trifluoromethyl radical and perfluoroalkyl radicals. That valuable approach was
      later successfully also applied to the generation of azidyl and aryl radicals
      starting with the corresponding benziodoxole (Zhdankin reagent) and iodonium
      salts. In the presence of alkenes as radical acceptors, vicinal trifluoromethyl-,
      azido-, and arylaminoxylation products result via a sequence comprising radical
      addition to the alkene and subsequent TEMPO trapping. Electron-rich arenes also
      react with I(III) reagents via single electron transfer (SET) to give arene
      radical cations, which can then engage in arylation reactions. We also recognized
      that the isonitrile functionality in aryl isonitriles is a highly efficient
      perfluoroalkyl radical acceptor, and reaction of Rf-benziodoxoles (Togni type
      reagents) in the presence of a radical initiator provides various
      perfluoroalkylated N-heterocycles (indoles, phenanthridines, quinolines, etc.).
      We further found that aryliodonium ylides, previously used as carbene precursors
      in metal-mediated cyclopropanation reactions, react via SET reduction with
      TEMPONa to the corresponding aryl radicals. As a drawback of all these
      transformations, we realized that only one ligand of the iodine(III) reagent gets
      transferred to the substrate. To further increase atom-economy of such
      conversions, we identified cyano or perfluoroalkyl iodonium triflate salts as
      valuable reagents for stereoselective vicinal alkyne difunctionalization, where
      two ligands from the I(III) reagent are sequentially transferred to an alkyne
      acceptor. Finally, we will discuss alkynyl-benziodoxoles as radical acceptors for
      alkynylation reactions. Similar reactivity was found for the Zhdankin reagent
      that has been successfully applied to azidation of C-radicals, and also cyanation
      is possible with a cyano I(III) reagent. To summarize, this Account focuses on
      the design, development, mechanistic understanding, and synthetic application of
      hypervalent iodine(III) reagents in radical chemistry.

PMID- 28636317
TI  - Downsizing Proto-oncogene cFos to Short Helix-Constrained Peptides That Bind Jun.
AB  - The oncogenic transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) is a DNA-binding
      protein that assembles through dimerization of Fos and Jun protein subunits,
      their leucine-rich helical sequences entwining into a coiled-coil structure. This
      study reports on downsizing the proto-oncogene cFos protein (380 residues) to
      shorter peptides (37-25 residues) modified with helix-inducing constraints to
      enhance binding to Jun. A crystal structure is reported for a 37-residue Fos
      derived peptide (FosW) bound to Jun. This guided iterative downsizing of FosW to
      shorter peptide sequences that were constrained into stable water-soluble alpha
      helices by connecting amino acid side chains to form cyclic pentapeptide
      components. Structural integrity in the presence and absence of Jun was assessed
      by circular dichroism spectroscopy, while the thermodynamics of binding to cFos
      was measured by isothermal titration calorimetry. A 25-residue constrained
      peptide, one-third shorter yet 25% more helical than the structurally
      characterized 37-residue Fos-derived peptide, retained 80% of the binding free
      energy as a result of preorganization in a Jun-binding helix conformation, with
      the entropy gain (TDeltaS = +3.2 kcal/mol) compensating for the enthalpy loss.
      Attaching a cell-penetrating peptide (TAT48-57) and a nuclear localization signal
      (SV40) promoted cell uptake, localization to the nucleus, and inhibition of the
      proliferation of two breast cancer cell lines.

PMID- 28636318
TI  - Inverse Photonic Glasses by Packing Bidisperse Hollow Microspheres with Uniform
      Cores.
AB  - A major fabrication challenge is producing disordered photonic materials with an
      angle-independent structural red color. Theoretical work has shown that such a
      color can be produced by fabricating inverse photonic glasses with monodisperse,
      nontouching voids in a silica matrix. Here, we demonstrate a route toward such
      materials and show that they have an angle-independent red color. We first
      synthesize monodisperse hollow silica particles with precisely controlled shell
      thickness and then make glassy colloidal structures by mixing two types of hollow
      particles with the same core size and different shell thicknesses. We then
      infiltrate the interstices with index-matched polymers, producing disordered
      porous materials with uniform, nontouching air voids. This procedure allows us to
      control the light-scattering form factor and structure factor of these porous
      materials independently, which is not possible to do in photonic glasses
      consisting of packed solid particles. The structure factor can be controlled by
      the shell thickness, which sets the distance between pores, whereas the pore size
      determines the peak wave vector of the form factor, which can be set below the
      visible range to keep the main structural color pure. By using a binary mixture
      of 246 and 268 nm hollow silica particles with 180 nm cores in an index-matched
      polymer matrix, we achieve angle-independent red color that can be tuned by
      controlling the shell thickness. Importantly, the width of the reflection peak
      can be kept constant, even for larger interparticle distances.

PMID- 28636319
TI  - Green Catanionic Gemini Surfactant-Lichenysin Mixture: Improved Surface,
      Antimicrobial, and Physiological Properties.
AB  - Catanionic surfactant mixtures form a wide variety of organized assemblies and
      aggregates with improved physicochemical and biological properties. The green
      catanionic mixture NalphaNomega-Bis(Nalphacaproylarginine) alpha,omega
      propyldiamide (C3(CA)2):Lichenysin (molar ratio 8:2) showed antimicrobial
      synergies against Yersinia enterocolitica, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli
      O157:H7, and Candida albicans. Flow cytometry and viability studies indicated
      that this catanionic mixture increases the probability of Y. enterocolitica
      (38.2%) and B. subtilis (17.1%) cells entering a viable but nonculturable state.
      Zeta potential showed that one of the cationic charges of C3(CA)2 is neutralized
      by Lichenysin. An isotherm study demonstrated the formation of a stable aggregate
      between the two surfactants. The catanionic aggregate was able to interact with
      bacterial phospholipids. The lowest hemolysis (22.1 MUM) was obtained with the
      catanionic mixture, although an irritant potential (0.70) was characterized.
      According to the therapeutic index, the C3(CA)2:Lichenysin mixture was the
      formulation least toxic to eukaryotic cells. Partial neutralization of C3(CA)2 by
      Lichenysin modified the mode of action that enhances the transition of bacterial
      cells into a viable but nonculturable state (VBNC) and improved the cell
      selectivity.

PMID- 28636320
TI  - DNA Loading and Release Using Custom-Tailored Poly(l-lysine) Surfaces.
AB  - This Article describes the generation and study of surfaces modified with custom
      crafted poly(l-lysine) (PLL) coatings for use in the loading and delivery of
      single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The experimental strategy utilizes bidentate dithiol
      adsorbates to generate stably bound azide-terminated self-assembled monolayers
      (SAMs) on gold possessing an oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) spacer. Consequent to
      the molecular assembly on gold, the azide termini are covalently attached to a
      maleimide linker moiety via a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne "click" reaction.
      Functionalization with maleimide provides a platform for the subsequent
      attachment of cysteine-terminated poly(l-lysine) (PLL), thus forming a suitable
      surface for the loading of ssDNA via electrostatic interactions. In efforts to
      maximize DNA loading, we generate SAMs containing mixtures of short and long PLL
      segments and explore the DNA-loading capability of the various PLL SAMs. We then
      use thermal increases to trigger the release of the ssDNA from the surface. By
      examining the loading and release of ssDNA using these new two-dimensional
      systems, we gain preliminary insight into the potential efficacy of this approach
      when using three-dimensional gold nanostructure systems in future gene-delivery
      and biosensing applications.

PMID- 28636321
TI  - Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Lysogenic Bacteriophage and Metal-Resistance
      Genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.
AB  - The intensive use of metal-based nanoparticles results in their continuous
      release into the environment, leading to potential risks for human health and
      microbial ecosystems. Although previous studies have indicated that nanoparticles
      may be toxic to microorganisms, there is a scarcity of data available to assess
      the underlying molecular mechanisms of inhibitory and biocidal effects of
      nanoparticles on microorganisms. This study used physiological experiments,
      microscopy, live/dead staining, and the genome-wide RNA sequencing to investigate
      the multiple responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the exposure of copper oxide
      nanoparticles (CuO NPs). The results for the first time show that CuO NPs induce
      lysogenic bacteriophage, which might render defective within a bacterial host.
      The presence of CuO NPs causes nitrite accumulation and great increases in N2O
      emissions. Respiration is likely inhibited as denitrification activity is
      depleted in terms of decreased transcript levels of most denitrification genes.
      Meanwhile, CuO NPs exposure significantly up-regulated gene expression for those
      coding for copper resistance, resistance-nodulation-division, P-type ATPase
      efflux, and cation diffusion facilitator transporters. Our findings offer
      insights into the interaction between environmental bacteria and CuO NPs at the
      transcriptional level and, thus, improve our understanding of potential risks of
      nanoparticles on microbial ecosystems and public health.

PMID- 28636322
TI  - Spirally Structured Conductive Composites for Highly Stretchable, Robust
      Conductors and Sensors.
AB  - Flexible and stretchable electronics are highly desirable for next generation
      devices. However, stretchability and conductivity are fundamentally difficult to
      combine for conventional conductive composites, which restricts their widespread
      applications especially as stretchable electronics. Here, we innovatively develop
      a new class of highly stretchable and robust conductive composites via a simple
      and scalable structural approach. Briefly, carbon nanotubes are spray-coated onto
      a self-adhesive rubber film, followed by rolling up the film completely to create
      a spirally layered structure within the composites. This unique spirally layered
      structure breaks the typical trade-off between stretchability and conductivity of
      traditional conductive composites and, more importantly, restrains the generation
      and propagation of mechanical microcracks in the conductive layer under strain.
      Benefiting from such structure-induced advantages, the spirally layered
      composites exhibit high stretchability and flexibility, good conductive
      stability, and excellent robustness, enabling the composites to serve as highly
      stretchable conductors (up to 300% strain), versatile sensors for monitoring both
      subtle and large human activities, and functional threads for wearable
      electronics. This novel and efficient methodology provides a new design
      philosophy for manufacturing not only stretchable conductors and sensors but also
      other stretchable electronics, such as transistors, generators, artificial
      muscles, etc.

PMID- 28636323
TI  - Ultrafast Dynamic Pressure Sensors Based on Graphene Hybrid Structure.
AB  - Mechanical flexible electronic skin has been focused on sensing various physical
      parameters, such as pressure and temperature. The studies of material design and
      array-accessible devices are the building blocks of strain sensors for subtle
      pressure sensing. Here, we report a new and facile preparation of a graphene
      hybrid structure with an ultrafast dynamic pressure response. Graphene oxide
      nanosheets are used as a surfactant to prevent graphene restacking in aqueous
      solution. This graphene hybrid structure exhibits a frequency-independent
      pressure resistive sensing property. Exceeding natural skin, such pressure
      sensors, can provide transient responses from static up to 10 000 Hz dynamic
      frequencies. Integrated by the controlling system, the array-accessible sensors
      can manipulate a robot arm and self-rectify the temperature of a heating blanket.
      This may pave a path toward the future application of graphene-based wearable
      electronics.

PMID- 28636324
TI  - Oxide Film Efficiently Suppresses Dendrite Growth in Aluminum-Ion Battery.
AB  - Aluminum metal foil is the optimal choice as an anode material for aluminum-ion
      batteries for its key advantages such as high theoretical capacity, safety, and
      low cost. However, the metallic nature of aluminum foil is very likely to induce
      severe dendrite growth with further electrode disintegration and cell failure,
      which is inconsistent with previous reports. Here, we discover that it is
      aluminum oxide film that efficiently restricts the growth of crystalline Al
      dendrite and thus improves the cycling stability of Al anode. The key role of
      surficial aluminum oxide film in protecting Al metal anode lies in decreasing the
      nucleation sites, controlling the metallic dendrite growth, and preventing the
      electrode disintegration. The defect sites in aluminum oxide film provide
      channels for electrolyte infiltration and further stripping/depositing.
      Attributed to such a protective aluminum oxide film, the Al-graphene full cells
      can attain up to 45 000 stable cycles.

PMID- 28636326
TI  - Experimental Study of the Detection Limit in Dual-Gate Biosensors Using Ultrathin
      Silicon Transistors.
AB  - Dual-gate field-effect biosensors (bioFETs) with asymmetric gate capacitances
      were shown to surpass the Nernst limit of 59 mV/pH. However, previous studies
      have conflicting findings on the effect of the capacitive amplification scheme on
      the sensor detection limit, which is inversely proportional to the signal-to
      noise ratio (SNR). Here, we present a systematic experimental investigation of
      the SNR using ultrathin silicon transistors. Our sensors operate at low voltage
      and feature asymmetric front and back oxide capacitances with asymmetry factors
      of 1.4 and 2.3. We demonstrate that in the dual-gate configuration, the response
      of our bioFETs to the pH change increases proportional to the asymmetry factor
      and indeed exceeds the Nernst limit. Further, our results reveal that the noise
      amplitude also increases in proportion to the asymmetry factor. We establish that
      the commensurate increase of the noise amplitude originates from the intrinsic
      low-frequency characteristic of the sensor noise, dominated by number
      fluctuation. These findings suggest that this capacitive signal amplification
      scheme does not improve the intrinsic detection limit of the dual-gate
      biosensors.

PMID- 28636325
TI  - Challenges and Hallmarks of Establishing Alkylacetylphosphonates as Probes of
      Bacterial 1-Deoxy-d-xylulose 5-Phosphate Synthase.
AB  - 1-Deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate (DXP) synthase catalyzes the thiamin diphosphate
      (ThDP)-dependent formation of DXP from pyruvate and d-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate.
      DXP is at a metabolic branch point in bacteria, feeding into the methylerythritol
      phosphate pathway to indispensable isoprenoids and acting as a precursor for
      biosynthesis of essential cofactors in central metabolism, pyridoxal phosphate
      and ThDP, the latter of which is also required for DXP synthase catalysis. DXP
      synthase follows a unique random sequential mechanism and possesses an unusually
      large active site. These features have guided the design of sterically demanding
      alkylacetylphosphonates (alkylAPs) toward the development of selective DXP
      synthase inhibitors. alkylAPs studied here display selective, low MUM inhibitory
      activity against DXP synthase. They are weak inhibitors of bacterial growth in
      standard nutrient rich conditions. However, bacteria are significantly sensitized
      to most alkylAPs in defined minimal growth medium, with minimal inhibitory
      concentrations (MICs) ranging from low MUM to low mM and influenced by alkyl
      chain length. The longest analog (C8) displays the weakest antimicrobial activity
      and is a substrate for efflux via AcrAB-TolC. The dependence of inhibitor potency
      on growth environment emphasizes the need for antimicrobial screening conditions
      that are relevant to the in vivo microbial microenvironment during infection. DXP
      synthase expression and thiamin supplementation studies offer support for DXP
      synthase as an intracellular target for some alkylAPs and reveal both the
      challenges and intriguing aspects of these approaches to study target engagement.

PMID- 28636328
TI  - Structural Dynamics of Native-Like Ions in the Gas Phase: Results from Tandem Ion
      Mobility of Cytochrome c.
AB  - Ion mobility (IM) is a gas-phase separation technique that is used to determine
      the collision cross sections of native-like ions of proteins and protein
      complexes, which are in turn used as restraints for modeling the structures of
      those analytes in solution. Here, we evaluate the stability of native-like ions
      using tandem IM experiments implemented using structures for lossless ion
      manipulations (SLIM). In this implementation of tandem IM, ions undergo a first
      dimension of IM up to a switch that is used to selectively transmit ions of a
      desired mobility. Selected ions are accumulated in a trap and then released after
      a delay to initiate the second dimension of IM. For delays ranging from 16 to 33
      231 ms, the collision cross sections of native-like, 7+ cytochrome c ions
      increase monotonically from 15.1 to 17.1 nm2. The largest products formed in
      these experiments at near-ambient temperature are still far smaller than those
      formed in energy-dependent experiments (~21 nm2). However, the collision cross
      section increases by ~2% between delay times of 16 and 211 ms, which may have
      implications for other IM experiments on these time scales. Finally, two
      subpopulations from the full population were each mobility selected and analyzed
      as a function of delay time, showing that the three populations can be
      differentiated for at least 1 s. Together, these results suggest that elements of
      native-like structure can have long lifetimes at near-ambient temperature in the
      gas phase but that gas-phase dynamics should be considered when interpreting
      results from IM.

PMID- 28636327
TI  - MALDI MS Guided Liquid Microjunction Extraction for Capillary Electrophoresis
      Electrospray Ionization MS Analysis of Single Pancreatic Islet Cells.
AB  - The ability to characterize chemical heterogeneity in biological structures is
      essential to understanding cellular-level function in both healthy and diseased
      states, but these variations remain difficult to assess using a single analytical
      technique. While mass spectrometry (MS) provides sufficient sensitivity to
      measure many analytes from volume-limited samples, each type of mass
      spectrometric analysis uncovers only a portion of the complete chemical profile
      of a single cell. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) MS and
      capillary electrophoresis electrospray ionization (CE-ESI)-MS are complementary
      analytical platforms frequently utilized for single-cell analysis. Optically
      guided MALDI MS provides a high-throughput assessment of lipid and peptide
      content for large populations of cells, but is typically nonquantitative and
      fails to detect many low-mass metabolites because of MALDI matrix interferences.
      CE-ESI-MS allows quantitative measurements of cellular metabolites and increased
      analyte coverage, but has lower throughput because the electrophoretic separation
      is relatively slow. In this work, the figures of merit for each technique are
      combined via an off-line method that interfaces the two MS systems with a custom
      liquid microjunction surface sampling probe. The probe is mounted on an xyz
      translational stage, providing 90.6 +/- 0.6% analyte removal efficiency with a
      spatial targeting accuracy of 42.8 +/- 2.3 MUm. The analyte extraction footprint
      is an elliptical area with a major diameter of 422 +/- 21 MUm and minor diameter
      of 335 +/- 27 MUm. To validate the approach, single rat pancreatic islet cells
      were rapidly analyzed with optically guided MALDI MS to classify each cell into
      established cell types by their peptide content. After MALDI MS analysis, a
      majority of the analyte remains for follow-up measurements to extend the overall
      chemical coverage. Optically guided MALDI MS was used to identify individual
      pancreatic islet alpha and beta cells, which were then targeted for liquid
      microjunction extraction. Extracts from single alpha and beta cells were analyzed
      with CE-ESI-MS to obtain qualitative information on metabolites, including amino
      acids. Matching the molecular masses and relative migration times of the
      extracted analytes and related standards allowed identification of several amino
      acids. Interestingly, dopamine was consistently detected in both cell types. The
      results demonstrate the successful interface of optical microscopy-guided MALDI
      MS and CE-ESI-MS for sequential chemical profiling of individual, mammalian
      cells.

PMID- 28636329
TI  - Metallic Element Chelated Tag Labeling (MeCTL) for Quantitation of N-Glycans in
      MALDI-MS.
AB  - N-glycosylation plays an important role in chief biological and pathological
      processes. Quantifying the N-glycan is important since glycan alterations are
      related to many diseases. In this study, we developed a novel N-glycan
      quantitation approach using metallic element chelated tag labeling (MeCTL)
      through reductive amination. The MeCTL strategy is of high labeling efficiency
      and accurate in quantitation with high reproducibility (CV < 17.03%) and good
      linearity (R2 > 0.99) within 2 orders of magnitude of dynamic range.
      Additionally, it provides significant cross-ring fragmentation to distinguish N
      glycan isomers. Furthermore, multiplex quantitation by chelation with several
      different rare earth elements can be achieved. At last, this strategy has been
      successfully used for evaluation of N-glycan changes in human serum associated
      with CRC, indicating its potential in clinical applications including disease N
      glycome profiling and relative quantitation.

PMID- 28636330
TI  - Water in Ionic Liquid Lubricants: Friend and Foe.
AB  - To a greater or lesser extent, most room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) absorb
      water from humid air. Penetration of water into the lubricating nanoscale film
      may affect its equilibrium structure and dynamic properties and thus influence
      the ability of RTILs as lubricants to reduce friction between solid surfaces.
      Here we investigate the impact of hydration on lubrication using nonequilibrium
      molecular dynamics simulations. Water adsorption changes both the ionic liquid
      molecules' orientation and the slip conditions at the solid-liquid interfaces,
      resulting in a reduced resistance against squeezing-out of the lubricant by an
      external load. For the same normal load, the film becomes thinner when water is
      present. We show that even small amounts of water can screen the electrostatic
      interactions between the ions, making RTILs more "fluid" and compressible and
      hence less resistant to external stress. The impact that screening has on
      friction involves several aspects that are systematically analyzed in this paper.

PMID- 28636331
TI  - Doping of Graphene Nanoribbons via Functional Group Edge Modification.
AB  - We report the on-surface synthesis of 7-armchair graphene nanoribbons (7-AGNRs)
      substituted with nitrile (CN) functional groups. The CN groups are attached to
      the GNR backbone by modifying the 7-AGNR precursor. Whereas many of these groups
      survive the on-surface synthesis, the reaction process causes the cleavage of
      some CN from the ribbon backbone and the on-surface cycloisomerization of few
      nitriles onto pyridine rings. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy and density
      functional theory reveal that CN groups behave as very efficient n-dopants,
      significantly downshifting the bands of the ribbon and introducing deep impurity
      levels associated with the nitrogen electron lone pairs.

PMID- 28636332
TI  - New Insights into the Wavelength Dependence of MALDI Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - The interplay between the wavelength of the laser and the absorption profile of
      the matrix constitutes a crucial factor in matrix-assisted laser desorption
      ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Numerous studies have shown that
      typically best analytical results are obtained if the laser wavelength matches
      the UV absorption band of the matrix in the solid state well. However, many
      powerful matrices exhibit peak absorptions which differ notably from the standard
      MALDI laser wavelengths of 337, 349, and 355 nm, respectively. Here we used two
      wavelength-tunable lasers to investigate the MALDI wavelength dependence with a
      selected set of such matrices. We studied 3-hydroxypicolinic acid (3-HPA), 2,4,6
      trihydroxyacetophenon (THAP), dithranol (1,8-dihydroxy-10H-anthracen-9-on), 2-(4'
      hydroxybenzeneazo)benzoic acid (HABA), and 6-aza-2-thiothymine (ATT). For analyte
      systems we investigated DNA oligomers (3-HPA), phospholipids (dithranol, THAP,
      HABA), and non-covalent peptide-peptide and protein-peptide complexes (ATT). We
      recorded analyte ion and total ion counts as a function of wavelength and laser
      fluence between 213 and 600 nm. Although the so-generated comprehensive heat maps
      generally corroborated the previously made findings, several fine features became
      notable. For example, despite a still high optical absorption exhibited by some
      of the matrices in the visible wavelength range, ion yields generally dropped
      strongly, indicating a change in ionization mechanism. Moreover, the non-covalent
      complexes were optimally detected at wavelengths corresponding to a relatively
      low optical absorptivity of the ATT matrix, presumably because of ejection of a
      particular cold MALDI plume. Our comprehensive data shed useful light into the
      MALDI mechanisms and could assist in further methodological advancement of the
      technique.

PMID- 28636333
TI  - Glycosaminoglycan Analysis by Cryogenic Messenger-Tagging IR Spectroscopy
      Combined with IMS-MS.
AB  - We combine ion mobility spectrometry with cryogenic, messenger-tagging, infrared
      spectroscopy and mass spectrometry to identify different isomeric disaccharides
      of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan sulfate (HS), which are representatives
      of two major subclasses of glycosaminoglycans. Our analysis shows that while CS
      and HS disaccharide isomers have similar drift times, they can be uniquely
      distinguished by their vibrational spectrum between ~3200 and 3700 cm-1 due to
      their different OH hydrogen-bonding patterns. We suggest that this combination of
      techniques is well suited to identify and characterize glycan isomers directly,
      which presents tremendous challenges for existing methods.

PMID- 28636334
TI  - Interpreting the Collision Cross Sections of Native-like Protein Ions: Insights
      from Cation-to-Anion Proton-Transfer Reactions.
AB  - The effects of charge state on structures of native-like cations of serum
      albumin, streptavidin, avidin, and alcohol dehydrogenase were probed using cation
      to-anion proton-transfer reactions (CAPTR), ion mobility, mass spectrometry, and
      complementary energy-dependent experiments. The CAPTR products all have collision
      cross-section (Omega) values that are within 5.5% of the original precursor
      cations. The first CAPTR event for each precursor yields products that have
      smaller Omega values and frequently exhibit the greatest magnitude of change in
      Omega resulting from a single CAPTR event. To investigate how the structures of
      the precursors affect the structures of the products, ions were activated as a
      function of energy prior to CAPTR. In each case, the Omega values of the
      activated precursors increase with increasing energy, but the Omega values of the
      CAPTR products are smaller than the activated precursors. To investigate the
      stabilities of the CAPTR products, the products were activated immediately prior
      to ion mobility. These results show that additional structures with smaller or
      larger Omega values can be populated and that the structures and stabilities of
      these ions depend most strongly on the identity of the protein and the charge
      state of the product, rather than the charge state of the precursor or the number
      of CAPTR events. Together, these results indicate that the excess charges
      initially present on native-like ions have a modest, but sometimes statistically
      significant, effect on their Omega values. Therefore, potential contributions
      from charge state should be considered when using experimental Omega values to
      elucidate structures in solution.

PMID- 28636336
TI  - A Mg-CP with in Situ Encapsulated Photochromic Guest as Sensitive Fluorescence
      Sensor for Fe3+/Cr3+ Ions and Nitro-Explosives.
AB  - Here we report a fluorescent magnesium coordination polymer (Mg-CP), namely, [CH3
      dpb]2[Mg3(1,4-NDC)4(MU-H2O)2(CH3OH)(H2O)].1.5H2O (1, 1,4-H2NDC = 1,4-naphthalene
      dicarboxylic acid, dpb = 1,4-bis(pyrid-4-yl)benzene). Compound 1 possesses a
      three-dimensional (3D) host-guest structure constructed by the 1,4-NDC linkers
      bridging the linear trinuclear secondary building units of [Mg3(COO)8(MU-H2O)2].
      The dpb molecules were in situ reacted with CH3OH resulting in photochromic
      cations of [CH3-dpb]+ that acted as guests located in the channels parallel to
      the b-axis. Photoluminescence (PL) studies indicated that 1 showed a strong green
      emission demonstrating sensitive fluorescence sensing of Fe3+/Cr3+ metal ions and
      nitro-explosive compounds. Compound 1 represents the first PL Mg-CP as a
      fluorescent probe for detecting metal ions. Moreover, because of the in situ
      encapsulation of photochromic [CH3-dpb]+ guests, 1 exhibited reversible
      photochromic behavior.

PMID- 28636335
TI  - A2B-Miktoarm Glycopolymer Fibers and Their Interactions with Tenocytes.
AB  - Electrospun biodegradable membranes have attracted great attention for a range of
      tissue engineering applications. Among them, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) is
      one of the most widely used polymers, owing to its well-controlled
      biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, PCL also has a number of
      limitations, such as its hydrophobic nature and the lack of functional groups on
      its side chain, limiting its ability to interact with cells. Herein, we have
      designed and prepared a series of well-defined A2B-miktoarm copolymers with PCL
      and glycopolymer segments to address these limitations. Moreover, copolymers were
      electrospun to make membranes, which were studied in vitro to investigate cell
      affinity, toxicity, activity, and adhesion with these materials. The results
      indicate that incorporating glucose moieties into miktoarm polymers has improved
      the biocompatibility of the PCL while increasing the cellular interaction with
      the membrane material.

PMID- 28636337
TI  - Thermal Annealing to Modulate the Shape Memory Behavior of a Biobased and
      Biocompatible Triblock Copolymer Scaffold in the Human Body Temperature Range.
AB  - A biodegradable and biocompatible electrospun scaffold with shape memory behavior
      in the physiological temperature range is here presented. It was obtained
      starting from a specifically designed, biobased PLLA-based triblock copolymer,
      where the central block is poly(propylene azelate-co-propylene sebacate)
      (P(PAz60PSeb40)) random copolymer. Shape memory properties are determined by the
      contemporary presence of the low melting crystals of the P(PAz60PSeb40) block,
      acting as switching segment, and of the high melting crystal phase of PLLA
      blocks, acting as physical network. It is demonstrated that a straightforward
      annealing process applied to the crystal phase of the switching element gives the
      possibility to tune the shape recovery temperature from about 25 to 50  degrees
      C, without the need of varying the copolymer's chemical structure. The thermal
      annealing approach here presented can be thus considered a powerful strategy for
      "ad hoc" programming the same material for applications requiring different
      recovery temperatures. Fibroblast culture experiments demonstrated scaffold
      biocompatibility.

PMID- 28636338
TI  - Contributions of Local Farming to Urban Sustainability in the Northeast United
      States.
AB  - Food consumption is an important contributor to a city's environmental impacts
      (carbon emissions, land occupation, water use, etc.) Urban farming (UF) has been
      advocated as a means to increase urban sustainability by reducing food-related
      transport and tapping into local resources. Taking Boston as an illustrative
      Northeast U.S. city, we developed a novel method to estimate sub-urban, food
      borne carbon and land footprints using multiregion-input-output modeling and
      nutritional surveys. Computer simulations utilizing primary data explored UF's
      ability to reduce these footprints using select farming technologies, building on
      previous city-scale UF assessments which have hitherto been dependent on proxy
      data for UF. We found that UF generated meagre food-related carbon footprint
      reductions (1.1-2.9% of baseline 2211 kg CO2 equivalents/capita/annum) and land
      occupation increases (<1% of baseline 9000 m2 land occupation/capita/annum) under
      optimal production scenarios, informing future evidence-based urban design and
      policy crafting in the region. Notwithstanding UF's marginal environmental gains,
      UF could help Boston meet national nutritional guidelines for vegetable intake,
      generate an estimated $160 million U.S. in revenue to growers and act as a
      pedagogical and community building tool, though these benefits would hinge on
      large-scale UF proliferation, likely undergirded by environmental remediation of
      marginal lands in the city.

PMID- 28636339
TI  - Binding Differences of Two Homochiral [Ru(bpy)2dppz]2+ Complexes with
      poly(U).poly(A)*poly(U) Triplex RNA.
AB  - The first investigation of chiral ruthenium(II) complexes Delta- and Lambda
      [Ru(bpy)2dppz]2+ and triplex RNA poly(U).poly(A)*poly(U) was carried out, which
      showed that Delta enantiomer displayed significant ability in stabilizing model
      triplex RNA.

PMID- 28636340
TI  - Three-Dimensional Modeling of Quasicrystal Structures from X-ray Diffraction: An
      Icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe Alloy.
AB  - Quasicrystals (QCs) are well-ordered but aperiodic crystals with classically
      forbidden symmetries (such as 5-fold). High-dimensional (HD) crystallography is a
      standard method to locate atom positions explicitly. However, in practice, it is
      still challenging because of its complexity. Here, we report a new simple
      approach to three-dimensional (3D) atomic modeling derived from X-ray diffraction
      data, and apply it to the icosahedral QC Al0.63Cu0.25Fe0.12. Electron density
      maps were calculated directly from 3D diffraction data indexed with noninteger
      (fractional) numbers as measured, with proper phases; each of 25 = 32 possible
      phase assignments for the five strongest reflections was used for Fourier
      synthesis. This resulted in an initial phasing model based on chemically sensible
      electron density maps. The following procedure was exactly the same as that used
      to determine ordinary crystal structures, except that fractional indices were
      assigned to the reciprocal vectors relative to the three orthogonal 2-fold axes
      in icosahedral (Ih) symmetry to which the observed diffraction data conformed.
      Finally, ~30 000 atoms were located within a sphere of a ~48 A radius. Structural
      motifs or basic repeating units with a hierarchical nature can be found. Isolated
      icosahedral clusters are surrounded by a concentric dodecahedron, beyond which
      there is a concentric truncated icosahedron. These are strikingly similar to
      those obtained via HD crystallography, but show very clear real-space
      relationships between the clusters.

PMID- 28636342
TI  - Charge Transfer Properties of Triarylamine Integrated Dimolybdenum Dyads.
AB  - Three quadruply bonded dimolybdenum complexes equipped with a triarylamine
      pendant, [(DAniF)3Mo2(MU-O2CC6H4N(C6H4CH3)2] (DAniF = N,N'-di(p
      anisyl)formamidinate; [OO-ph-N]), [(DAniF)3Mo2(MU-OSCC6H4N(C6H4CH3)2] ([OS-ph
      N]), and [(DAniF)3Mo2(MU-S2CC6H4N(C6H4CH3)2] ([SS-ph-N]), have been synthesized
      and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In electrochemical
      measurements, the redox couple for the organic amine group becomes irreversible,
      reflecting the substantially strong electronic interaction between the dimetal
      center and organic redox site. The potential difference for the two successive
      redox events, ca. DeltaE1/2(E1/2(2)(N/N*+) - E1/2(1)(Mo2IV/V)), falls in the
      range of 0.5-0.8 V as estimated from the differential pulse voltammograms. For
      the monocation radicals [OO-ph-N]+, [OS-ph-N]+, and [SS-ph-N]+, obtained by
      chemical oxidation of the neutral precursor, a broad ligand (amine) to metal
      (Mo2) charge transfer (LMCT) absorption band is observed in the near-IR region.
      Interestingly, analogous to the intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands for
      mixed-valence complexes, the LMCT absorption bands, which are solvent dependent,
      decrease in energy and bandwidth as the electronic coupling between the two redox
      sites increases in an order of increasing S content in the chelating group. The
      electronic coupling matrix elements (Hab) are determined by optical analyses from
      the generalized Mulliken-Hush (GMH) theory, falling in the range of 400-800 cm-1
      in CH2Cl2. These results indicate that in these radical cations the charge is
      localized. Time-dependent DFT calculations show that the frontier molecular
      orbitals for these asymmetrical donor-acceptor systems have unbalanced
      distribution of electron density, and the LMCT bands arise from an electronic
      transition from the pendant ligand-based to metal-based molecular orbitals,
      corresponding to donor (N)-acceptor (Mo2) charge transfer.

PMID- 28636341
TI  - Biochemical Characterization of WbkC, an N-Formyltransferase from Brucella
      melitensis.
AB  - It has become increasingly apparent within the last several years that unusual N
      formylated sugars are often found on the O-antigens of such Gram negative
      pathogenic organisms as Francisella tularensis, Campylobacter jejuni, and
      Providencia alcalifaciens, among others. Indeed, in some species of Brucella, for
      example, the O-antigen contains 1,2-linked 4-formamido-4,6-dideoxy-alpha-d
      mannosyl groups. These sugars, often referred to as N-formylperosamine, are
      synthesized in pathways initiating with GDP-mannose. One of the enzymes required
      for the production of N-formylperosamine, namely, WbkC, was first identified in
      2000 and was suggested to function as an N-formyltransferase. Its biochemical
      activity was never experimentally verified, however. Here we describe a combined
      structural and functional investigation of WbkC from Brucella melitensis. Four
      high resolution X-ray structures of WbkC were determined in various complexes to
      address its active site architecture. Unexpectedly, the quaternary structure of
      WbkC was shown to be different from that previously observed for other sugar N
      formyltransferases. Additionally, the structures revealed a second binding site
      for a GDP molecule distinct from that required for GDP-perosamine positioning. In
      keeping with this additional binding site, kinetic data with the wild type enzyme
      revealed complex patterns. Removal of GDP binding by mutating Phe 142 to an
      alanine residue resulted in an enzyme variant displaying normal Michaelis-Menten
      kinetics. These data suggest that this nucleotide binding pocket plays a role in
      enzyme regulation. Finally, by using an alternative substrate, we demonstrate
      that WbkC can be utilized to produce a trideoxysugar not found in nature.

PMID- 28636343
TI  - A Six-Coordinate Dysprosium Single-Ion Magnet with Trigonal-Prismatic Geometry.
AB  - A mononuclar six-coordinate dysprosium complex was synthesized and structurally
      and magnetically characterized. X-ray structural analyses show trigonal-prismatic
      coordination geometry of the DyIII center. Slow relaxation of magnetization in
      the absence of a direct-current field and magnetic hysteresis up to 3.0 K could
      be observed, indicating its single-ion-magnet behavior. Arrhenius fitting and ab
      initio calculations suggest that the magnetic relaxation process may not occur
      through the Orbach process at high temperatures under the experimental
      conditions.

PMID- 28636345
TI  - Levels of Organochlorine Pesticides Are Associated with Amyloid Aggregation in
      Apex Avian Brains.
AB  - Organochlorine (OC) pesticides pose a significant environmental risk to wildlife
      and humans and have been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study
      aims to spectroscopically analyze brains from free-flying birds and link the
      results to OC exposure and consequent amyloid aggregation. As long-lived apex
      predators, predatory birds represent a sentinel species similar to humans.
      Therefore, the results have implications for both species and may also add to our
      understanding of the role OC pesticides play in the development of AD. Brains of
      wild Sparrowhawks were analyzed using ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy and Congo
      red staining; results were correlated with OC pesticide concentrations in livers.
      Effects of OC exposure were sex- and age-dependent and associated alterations
      were seen in lipids and protein secondary structure. A shift from alpha-helix to
      beta-sheet conformation of proteins indicated that concentrations of OC
      pesticides >7.18 MUg/g may lead to cerebral amyloid aggregation.

PMID- 28636344
TI  - Ruthenium Complexes are pH-Activated Metallo Prodrugs (pHAMPs) with Light
      Triggered Selective Toxicity Toward Cancer Cells.
AB  - Metallo prodrugs that take advantage of the inherent acidity surrounding cancer
      cells have yet to be developed. We report a new class of pH-activated metallo
      prodrugs (pHAMPs) that are activated by light- and pH-triggered ligand
      dissociation. These ruthenium complexes take advantage of a key characteristic of
      cancer cells and hypoxic solid tumors (acidity) that can be exploited to lessen
      the side effects of chemotherapy. Five ruthenium complexes of the type
      [(N,N)2Ru(PL)]2+ were synthesized, fully characterized, and tested for
      cytotoxicity in cell culture (1A: N,N = 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) and PL, the
      photolabile ligand, = 6,6'-dihydroxybipyridine (6,6'-dhbp); 2A: N,N = 1,10
      phenanthroline (phen) and PL = 6,6'-dhbp; 3A: N,N = 2,3-dihydro-[1,4]dioxino[2,3
      f][1,10]phenanthroline (dop) and PL = 6,6'-dhbp; 4A: N,N = bipy and PL = 4,4'
      dimethyl-6,6'-dihydroxybipyridine (dmdhbp); 5A: N,N = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen)
      and PL = 4,4'-dihydroxybipyridine (4,4'-dhbp). The thermodynamic acidity of these
      complexes was measured in terms of two pKa values for conversion from the acidic
      form (XA) to the basic form (XB) by removal of two protons. Single-crystal X-ray
      diffraction data is discussed for 2A, 2B, 3A, 4B, and 5A. All complexes except 5A
      showed measurable photodissociation with blue light (lambda = 450 nm). For
      complexes 1A-4A and their deprotonated analogues (1B-4B), the protonated form (at
      pH 5) consistently gave faster rates of photodissociation and larger quantum
      yields for the photoproduct, [(N,N)2Ru(H2O)2]2+. This shows that low pH can lead
      to greater rates of photodissociation. Cytotoxicity studies with 1A-5A showed
      that complex 3A is the most cytotoxic complex of this series with IC50 values as
      low as 4 MUM (with blue light) versus two breast cancer cell lines. Complex 3A is
      also selectively cytotoxic, with sevenfold higher toxicity toward cancerous
      versus normal breast cells. Phototoxicity indices with 3A were as high as 120,
      which shows that dark toxicity is avoided. The key difference between complex 3A
      and the other complexes tested appears to be higher uptake of the complex as
      measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and a more hydrophobic
      complex as compared to 1A, which may enhance uptake. These complexes demonstrate
      proof of concept for dual activation by both low pH and blue light, thus
      establishing that a pHAMP approach can be used for selective targeting of cancer
      cells.

PMID- 28636346
TI  - Halogenated Flame Retardants in Predator and Prey Fish From the Laurentian Great
      Lakes: Age-Dependent Accumulation and Trophic Transfer.
AB  - The identification, persistence, accumulation and trophic transfer of 25
      polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, 23 non-PBDE halogenated flame
      retardants (NPHFRs), 4 polybrominated-diphenoxybenzenes (PB-DiPhOBzs) and 6
      methoxylated (MeO-) PB-DiPhOBzs were investigated in predator and prey fish
      collected in 2010 from sites in the North American Great Lakes of Ontario (n =
      26) and Erie (n = 39). Regardless of locations or species, 20 PBDEs and 12 NPHFRs
      were quantifiable in at least one of the 65 analyzed samples, and polybrominated
      1,4-diphenoxybenzenes (PB-DiPhOBzs) and MeO-PB-DiPhOBzs were not detectable in
      any of analyzed samples. Among the FRs, the greatest concentrations were the
      ?PBDE, ranging from 1.06 (Rainbow Smelt, Lake Erie) to 162 (Lake Trout, Lake
      Ontario) ng/g wet weight (ww), which was followed by mean HBCDD concentrations
      ranging ND to 17.3 (Lake Trout, Lake Ontario) ng/g ww. The remaining FRs were
      generally not detectable or at sub-ppb levels. In most of cases, FR
      concentrations in samples from Lake Ontario were greater than those from Lake
      Erie. Strong and significant positive linear relationships occurred between log
      normalized FR concentrations (ww or lipid weight (lw)) and ages of the top
      predator Lake Trout (n = 16, from Lake Ontario), and the estimated FR doubling
      ages (T2) were 2.9-6.4 years. For Walleye from Lake Erie, significantly positive
      linear relationships were also observed for some FRs, but the linear
      relationships generally became negative after FR concentrations were normalized
      with lipid weight. This study provides novel information on FR accumulation in
      aquatic organisms, and for the first time, significant positive linear
      relationships are reported between log-normalized FR concentrations (lw or ww)
      and ages of Lake Trout from the Great Lakes.

PMID- 28636347
TI  - Structure and Dynamics of Alginate Gels Cross-Linked by Polyvalent Ions Probed
      via Solid State NMR Spectroscopy.
AB  - Alginate gels are an outstanding biomaterial widely applicable in tissue
      engineering, medicine, and pharmacy for cell transplantation, wound healing and
      efficient bioactive agent delivery, respectively. This contribution provides new
      and comprehensive insight into the atomic-resolution structure and dynamics of
      polyvalent ion-cross-linked alginate gels in microbead formulations. By applying
      various advanced solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy techniques, we verified the
      homogeneous distribution of the cross-linking ions in the alginate gels and the
      high degree of ion exchange. We also established that the two-component character
      of the alginate gels arises from the concentration fluctuations of residual water
      molecules that are preferentially localized along polymer chains containing
      abundant mannuronic acid (M) residues. These hydrated M-rich blocks tend to self
      aggregate into subnanometer domains. The resulting coexistence of two types of
      alginate chains differing in segmental dynamics was revealed by 1H-13C dipolar
      profile analysis, which indicated that the average fluctuation angles of the
      stiff and mobile alginate segments were about 5-9 degrees  or 30 degrees ,
      respectively. Next, the 13C CP/MAS NMR spectra indicated that the alginate
      polymer microstructure was strongly dependent on the type of cross-linking ion.
      The polymer chain regularity was determined to systematically decrease as the
      cross-linking ion radius decreased. Consistent with the 1H-1H correlation
      spectra, regular structures were found for the gels cross-linked by relatively
      large alkaline earth cations (Ba2+, Sr2+, or Ca2+), whereas the alginate chains
      cross-linked by bivalent transition metal ions (Zn2+) and trivalent metal cations
      (Al3+) exhibited significant irregularities. Notably, however, the observed
      disordering of the alginate chains was exclusively attributed to the M residues,
      whereas the structurally well-defined gels all contained guluronic acid (G)
      residues. Therefore, a key role of the units in M-rich blocks as mediators
      promoting the self-assembly of alginate chains was experimentally confirmed.
      Finally, combining 2D 27Al 3Q/MAS NMR spectroscopy with density functional theory
      (DFT) calculations provided previously unreported insight into the structure of
      the Al3+ cross-linking centers. Notably, even with a low residual amount of
      water, these cross-linking units adopt exclusively 6-fold octahedral coordination
      and exhibit significant motion, which considerably reduces quadrupolar coupling
      constants. Thus, the experimental strategy presented in this study provides a new
      perspective on cross-linked alginate structure and dynamics for which high
      quality diffraction data at the atomic resolution level are inherently
      unavailable.

PMID- 28636349
TI  - Water Dynamics from the Surface to the Interior of a Supramolecular
      Nanostructure.
AB  - Water within and surrounding the structure of a biological system adopts context
      specific dynamics that mediate virtually all of the events involved in the inner
      workings of a cell. These events range from protein folding and molecular
      recognition to the formation of hierarchical structures. Water dynamics are
      mediated by the chemistry and geometry of interfaces where water and biomolecules
      meet. Here we investigate experimentally and computationally the translational
      dynamics of vicinal water molecules within the volume of a supramolecular peptide
      nanofiber measuring 6.7 nm in diameter. Using Overhauser dynamic nuclear
      polarization relaxometry, we show that drastic differences exist in water motion
      within a distance of about one nanometer from the surface, with rapid diffusion
      in the hydrophobic interior and immobilized water on the nanofiber surface. These
      results demonstrate that water associated with materials designed at the
      nanoscale is not simply a solvent, but rather an integral part of their structure
      and potential functions.

PMID- 28636350
TI  - Integrating a Semitransparent, Fullerene-Free Organic Solar Cell in Tandem with a
      BiVO4 Photoanode for Unassisted Solar Water Splitting.
AB  - We report an unassisted solar water splitting system powered by a
      diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-containing semitransparent organic solar cell. Two
      major merits of this fullerene-free solar cell enable its integration with a
      BiVO4 photoanode. First is the high open circuit voltage and high fill factor
      displayed by this single junction solar cell, which yields sufficient power to
      effect water splitting when serially connected to an appropriate
      electrode/catalyst. Second, the wavelength-resolved photoaction spectrum of the
      DPP-based solar cell has minimal overlap with that of the BiVO4 photoanode, thus
      ensuring that light collection across these two components can be optimized. The
      latter feature enables a new water splitting device configuration wherein the
      solar cell is placed first in the path of incident light, before the BiVO4
      photoanode, although BiVO4 has a wider bandgap. This configuration is accessed by
      replacing the reflective top electrode of the standard DPP-based solar cell with
      a thin metal film and an antireflection layer, thus rendering the solar cell
      semitransparent. In this configuration, incident light does not travel through
      the aqueous electrolyte to reach the solar cell or photoanode, and therefore,
      photon losses due to the scattering of water are reduced. Moreover, this new
      configuration allows the BiVO4 photoanode to be back-illuminated, i.e., through
      the BiVO4/back contact interface, which leads to higher photocurrents compared to
      front illumination. The combination of a semitransparent single-junction solar
      cell and a BiVO4 photoanode coated with oxygen evolution catalysts in a new
      device configuration yielded an unassisted solar water splitting system with a
      solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 2.2% in water.

PMID- 28636348
TI  - Development of an Aryloxazole Class of Hepatitis C Virus Inhibitors Targeting the
      Entry Stage of the Viral Replication Cycle.
AB  - Reliance on hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicon systems and protein-based screening
      assays has led to treatments that target HCV viral replication proteins. The
      model does not encompass other viral replication cycle steps such as entry,
      processing, assembly and secretion, or viral host factors. We previously applied
      a phenotypic high-throughput screening platform based on an infectious HCV system
      and discovered an aryloxazole-based anti-HCV hit. Structure-activity relationship
      studies revealed several compounds exhibiting EC50 values below 100 nM. Lead
      compounds showed inhibition of the HCV pseudoparticle entry, suggesting a
      different mode of action from existing HCV drugs. Hit 7a and lead 7ii both showed
      synergistic effects in combination with existing HCV drugs. In vivo
      pharmacokinetics studies of 7ii showed high liver distribution and long half-life
      without obvious hepatotoxicity. The lead compounds are promising as preclinical
      candidates for the treatment of HCV infection and as molecular probes to study
      HCV pathogenesis.

PMID- 28636351
TI  - Heats of Formation of Medium-Sized Organic Compounds from Contemporary Electronic
      Structure Methods.
AB  - Computational electronic structure calculations are routinely undertaken to
      predict thermodynamic properties of various species. However, the application of
      highly accurate wave function theory methods, such as the "gold standard" coupled
      cluster approach including single, double, and partly triple excitations in
      perturbative fashion, CCSD(T), to large molecules is limited due to high
      computational cost. In this work, the promising domain based local pair natural
      orbital coupled cluster approach, DLPNO-CCSD(T), has been tested to reproduce 113
      accurate formation enthalpies of medium-sized molecules (few dozens heavy atoms)
      important for bio- and combustion chemistry via the reaction based Feller
      Peterson-Dixon approach. For comparison, eight density functional theory (B3LYP,
      B3LYP-D3, PBE0, PBE0-D3, M06, M06-2X, omegaB97X-D3, and omegaB97M-V) and MP2
      based (B2PLYP-D3, PWPB95-D3, B2T-PLYP, B2T-PLYP-D, B2GP-PLYP, DSD-PBEP86-D3, SCS
      MP2, and OO-SCS-MP2) methods have been tested. The worst performance has been
      obtained for the standard hybrid DFT functionals, PBE0 (mean unsigned error
      (MUE)/mean signed error (MSE) = 9.1/6.0 kcal/mol) and B3LYP (MUE/MSE = 13.5/-13.3
      kcal/mol). The influence of an empirical dispersion correction term on these
      functionals' performance is not homogeneous: B3LYP performance is improved (B3LYP
      D3 (MUE/MSE = 6.0/0.8 kcal/mol)); meanwhile PBE0 performance is worse (PBE0-D3
      (MUE/MSE = 14.1/13.6 kcal/mol)). The Minnesota functionals, M06 (MUE/MSE = 3.8/
      2.0 kcal/mol) and M06-2X (MUE/MSE = 3.5/3.0 kcal/mol), and recently developed
      omegaB97X-D3 (MUE/MSE = 3.2/0.2 kcal/mol) and omegaB97M-V (MUE/MSE = 2.2/1.3
      kcal/mol) methods provided significantly better formation enthalpies. Enthalpies
      of similar quality can also be obtained from some double hybrid methods (B2PLYP
      D3 (MUE/MSE = 4.7/2.0 kcal/mol), PWPB95-D3 (MUE/MSE = 4.3/3.2 kcal/mol), B2T-PLYP
      (MUE/MSE = 4.1/-3.0 kcal/mol), and B2T-PLYP-D (MUE/MSE = 3.3/1.7 kcal/mol)). The
      two spin component scaled (SCS) MP2 methods resulted in even smaller errors (SCS
      MP2 (MUE/MSE = 1.9/1.2 kcal/mol) and OO-SCS-MP2 (MUE/MSE = 1.6/0.1 kcal/mol)).
      The best performance was found for the frozen core (FC) DLPNO-CCSD(T) method with
      a MUE/MSE of 1.6/-1.2 kcal/mol. The performance of the DLPNO-CCSD(T) method can
      be further improved by running the post-SCF calculations on the B3LYP orbitals:
      the MUE/MSE for the DLPNO-CCSD(T,B3LYP) approximation is 1.2/-0.4 kcal/mol. We
      recommend the DLPNO-CCSD(T,B3LYP) method for black box applications in
      thermodynamics of medium-sized organic molecules when the canonical CCSD(T)
      calculations with basis sets of reasonable quality are prohibitively expensive.

PMID- 28636352
TI  - Prevention of Marine Biofouling Using the Natural Allelopathic Compound Batatasin
      III and Synthetic Analogues.
AB  - The current study reports the first comprehensive evaluation of a class of
      allelopathic terrestrial natural products as antifoulants in a marine setting. To
      investigate the antifouling potential of the natural dihydrostilbene scaffold, a
      library of 22 synthetic dihydrostilbenes with varying substitution patterns, many
      of which occur naturally in terrestrial plants, were prepared and assessed for
      their antifouling capacity. The compounds were evaluated in an extensive screen
      against 16 fouling marine organisms. The dihydrostilbene scaffold was shown to
      possess powerful general antifouling effects against both marine microfoulers and
      macrofoulers with inhibitory activities at low concentrations. The species of
      microalgae examined displayed a particular sensitivity toward the evaluated
      compounds at low ng/mL concentrations. It was shown that several of the natural
      and synthetic compounds exerted their repelling activities via nontoxic and
      reversible mechanisms. The activities of the most active compounds such as 3,5
      dimethoxybibenzyl (5), 3,4-dimethoxybibenzyl (9), and 3-hydroxy-3',4,5'
      trimethoxybibenzyl (20) were comparable to the commercial antifouling booster
      biocide Sea-nine, which was employed as a positive control. The investigation of
      terrestrial allelopathic natural products to counter marine fouling represents a
      novel strategy for the design of "green" antifouling technologies, and these
      compounds offer a potential alternative to traditional biocidal antifoulants.

PMID- 28636353
TI  - Synthesis of 8-Substituted Analogues of Cyclic ADP-4-Thioribose and Their
      Unexpected Identification as Ca2+-Mobilizing Full Agonists.
AB  - A series of 8-substituted analogues of cyclic ADP-4-thioribose (cADPtR, 3), which
      is a stable equivalent of Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger cyclic ADP-ribose
      (cADPR, 1), were designed as potential pharmacological tools for studies on cADPR
      modulated Ca2+ signaling pathways. These 8-amino analogue (8-NH2-cADPtR, 4), 8
      azido analogue (8-N3-cADPtR, 5), and 8-chloro analogue (8-Cl-cADPtR, 6) were
      efficiently synthesized, where the stereoselective N1-beta-thioribosyladenine
      ring closure reaction via an alpha/beta-equilibrium of the 1-aminothioribose
      derivative and construction of the characteristic 18-membered pyrophosphate ring
      by Ag+-promoted activation of a phenyl phosphorothioate type substrate were the
      two key steps. Although 8-NH2-cADPR (2) is a well-known potent antagonist against
      cADPR-inducing Ca2+-release, the 4-thioribose congener 8-NH2-cADPtR turned out
      unexpectedly to be a full agonist in sea urchin egg homogenate evaluation system.
      This important finding suggested that the ring-oxygen in the N1-ribose of cADPR
      analogues is essential for the antagonistic activity in the Ca2+-signaling
      pathway, which can contribute to clarify the structure-agonist/antagonist
      activity relationship.

PMID- 28636354
TI  - Rational Design of Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathodes Based on Experimentally
      Determined Maximum Active Material Thickness.
AB  - Rational design of conductive carbon hosts for high energy density lithium-sulfur
      batteries requires an understanding of the fundamental limitations to insulating
      active material loading. In this work, we investigate the electrochemistry of
      lithium sulfide films ranging in thickness from 30 to 3500 nm. We show that films
      thicker than approximately 40 nm cannot be charged at local charge densities
      above 1 MUA cm-2, and by implication, the maximum useful pore diameter is near 60
      nm in a practical cathode. "Activation" overpotentials for Li2S are identified in
      thicker films, resulting from polysulfide generation, but are shown not to
      improve the fundamental areal charge limitations. We develop a model for filling
      of conductive pores with active material to rationally design composites based on
      local charge density. For low-electrolyte applications, the importance of
      matching micropore volume to sulfide loading and cycling rate is emphasized.

PMID- 28636355
TI  - Semisynthetic Flavone-Derived Antimicrobials with Therapeutic Potential against
      Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
AB  - A new series of semisynthetic flavone-based small molecules mimicking
      antimicrobial peptides has been designed from natural icaritin to combat drug
      resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections. Compound 6 containing two arginine
      residues exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive
      bacteria, including MRSA, and very low toxicity to mammalian cells, resulting in
      a high selectivity of more than 511, comparable to that of several membrane
      active antibiotics in clinical trials. Our data show for the first time that
      icaritin derivatives effectively kill bacteria. Meanwhile, this is the first
      study deploying a biomimicking strategy to design potent flavone-based membrane
      targeting antimicrobials. 6 showed rapid bactericidal activity by disrupting the
      bacterial membrane and can circumvent the development of bacterial resistance.
      Importantly, 6 was highly efficacious in a mouse model of corneal infection
      caused by MRSA and Staphylococcus aureus.

PMID- 28636356
TI  - Biomimetic Architectured Graphene Aerogel with Exceptional Strength and
      Resilience.
AB  - Materials combining lightweight, robust mechanical performances, and
      multifunctionality are highly desirable for engineering applications. Graphene
      aerogels have emerged as attractive candidates. Despite recent progresses, the
      bottleneck remains how to simultaneously achieve both strength and resilience.
      While multiscale architecture designs may offer a possible route, the difficulty
      lies in the lack of design guidelines and how to experimentally achieve the
      necessary structure control over multiple length scales. The latter is even more
      challenging when manufacturing scalability is taken into account. The Thalia
      dealbata stem is a naturally porous material that is lightweight, strong, and
      resilient, owing to its architecture with three-dimensional (3D) interconnected
      lamellar layers. Inspired by such, we assemble graphene oxide (GO) sheets into a
      similar architecture using a bidirectional freezing technique. Subsequent freeze
      drying and thermal reduction results in graphene aerogels with highly tunable 3D
      architectures, consequently an unusual combination of strength and resilience.
      With their additional electrical conductivity, these graphene aerogels are
      potentially useful for mechanically switchable electronics. Beyond such, our
      study establishes bidirectional freezing as a general method to achieve
      multiscale architectural control in a scalable manner that can be extended to
      many other material systems.

PMID- 28636357
TI  - Correction to alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Taxane Diterpenoids from
      the Stem Bark of Taxus wallichiana.

PMID- 28636358
TI  - Transferable Atom-Centered Potentials for the Correction of Basis Set
      Incompleteness Errors in Density-Functional Theory.
AB  - Recent progress in the accurate calculation of noncovalent interactions has
      enabled density-functional theory (DFT) to model systems relevant in biological
      and supramolecular chemistry. The application of DFT methods using atom-centered
      Gaussian basis sets to large systems is limited by the number of basis functions
      required to accurately model thermochemistry and, in particular, weak
      intermolecular interactions. Basis set incompleteness error (BSIE) arising from
      the use of incomplete basis sets leads to erroneous intermolecular energies, bond
      dissociation energies, and structures. In this article, we develop a correction
      for BSIE in DFT calculations using basis set incompleteness potentials (BSIP).
      BSIPs are atom-based one-electron potentials (ACPs) with the same functional form
      as effective core potentials (ECP) that are designed to correct the effects of
      BSIE in properties that are linear mappings of the energy. We present a
      systematic way of developing general, error-correcting ACPs and apply this
      technique to generate BSIPs for eight common elements in organic and biological
      systems (H, C, N, O, F, P, S, and Cl). Two BSIPs were optimized for use with the
      scaled MINI (MINIs) and MINIs(d) basis sets and were designed to correct for the
      impacts of BSIE on noncovalent binding energies and intra/intermolecular
      geometries. BSIPs developed for use with 6-31G*, pc-1, and 6-31+G** basis sets
      also correct for the effects of BSIE on bond dissociation energies, which enables
      the study of chemical reactions in very large systems. BSIPs can be used with any
      density functional in any electronic structure program that implements ECPs. Our
      BSIPs add very little to the computational cost provided an efficient ECP
      implementation is used. Our results support the use of BLYP-D3/MINIs-BSIP as a
      computationally inexpensive and more accurate alternative to other approaches
      (e.g., B3LYP/6-31G* and BP86/6-31G*) in protein and supramolecular structural
      studies.

PMID- 28636359
TI  - Relativistic Approximations to Paramagnetic NMR Chemical Shift and Shielding
      Anisotropy in Transition Metal Systems.
AB  - We apply approximate relativistic methods to calculate the magnetic property
      tensors, i.e., the g-tensor, zero-field splitting (ZFS) tensor (D), and hyperfine
      coupling (HFC) tensors, for the purpose of constructing paramagnetic nuclear
      magnetic resonance (pNMR) shielding tensors. The chemical shift and shielding
      anisotropy are calculated by applying a modern implementation of the classic
      Kurland-McGarvey theory ( J. Magn. Reson. 1970 , 2 , 286 ), which formulates the
      shielding tensor in terms of the g- and HFC tensors obtained for the ground
      multiplet, in the case of higher than doublet multiplicity defined by the ZFS
      interaction. The g- and ZFS tensors are calculated by ab initio complete active
      space self-consistent field and N-electron valence-state perturbation theory
      methods with spin-orbit (SO) effects treated via quasidegenerate perturbation
      theory. Results obtained with the scalar relativistic (SR) Douglas-Kroll-Hess
      Hamiltonian used for the g- and ZFS tensor calculations are compared with
      nonrelativistically based computations. The HFC tensors computed using the fully
      relativistic four-component matrix Dirac-Kohn-Sham approach are contrasted
      against perturbationally SO-corrected nonrelativistic results in the density
      functional theory framework. These approximations are applied on paramagnetic
      metallocenes (MCp2) (M = Ni, Cr, V, Mn, Co, Rh, Ir), a Co(II) pyrazolylborate
      complex, and a Cr(III) complex. SR effects are found to be small for g and D in
      these systems. The HFCs are found to be more influenced by relativistic effects
      for the 3d systems. However, for some of the 3d complexes, nonrelativistic
      calculations give a reasonable agreement with the experimental chemical shift and
      shielding anisotropy. The influence of scalar relativity is strong for the 5d
      IrCp2 system. This mixed ab initio/DFT technique, with a fully relativistic
      method used for the critical HFC tensor, should be useful for the treatment of
      both electron correlation and relativistic effects at a reasonable computational
      cost to compute the pNMR shielding tensors in transition metal systems.

PMID- 28636360
TI  - Proneurogenic Effects of Trazodone in Murine and Human Neural Progenitor Cells.
AB  - Several antidepressants increase adult hippocampal neurogenesis (ahNG) in
      rodents, primates, and, potentially, humans. This effect may at least partially
      account for their therapeutic activity. The availability of antidepressants whose
      mechanism of action involves different neurotransmitter receptors represents an
      opportunity for increasing our knowledge on their distinctive peculiarities and
      for dissecting the contribution of receptor subtypes in ahNG modulation. The aim
      of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the effects of the antidepressant
      trazodone (TZD) on ahNG by using primary cultures of murine adult hippocampal
      neural progenitor cells (ahNPCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)
      derived NPCs. We demonstrated that TZD enhances neuronal differentiation of
      murine as well as human NPCs. TZD is a multimodal antidepressant, which binds
      with high affinity to 5-HT2a, alpha1, and 5-HT1a and with lower affinity to 5
      HT2c, alpha2 and 5-HTT. We demonstrated that TZD proneurogenic effects were
      mediated by 5-HT2a antagonism both in murine and in human NPCs and by 5-HT2c
      antagonism in murine cells. Moreover NF-kappaB p50 nuclear translocation appeared
      to be required for TZD-mediated proneurogenic effects. Interestingly, TZD had no
      proneurogenic effects in 5-HT depleted ahNPCs. The TDZ bell-shaped dose-response
      curve suggested additional effects. However, in our model 5-HT1a and
      alpha1/alpha2 receptors had no role in neurogenesis. Overall, our data also
      demonstrated that serotoninergic neurotransmission may exert both positive and
      negative effects on neuronal differentiation of ahNPCs in vitro.

PMID- 28636362
TI  - Corey-Chaykovsky Reactions of Nitro Styrenes Enable cis-Configured
      Trifluoromethyl Cyclopropanes.
AB  - Trifluoromethyl-substituted cyclopropanes are an attractive family of building
      blocks for the construction of pharmaceutical and agrochemical agents. This work
      demonstrated the utilization of fluorinated sulfur ylides as versatile reagents
      for Corey-Chaykovsky cyclopropanation reactions of nitro styrenes. This protocol
      favored the synthesis of cis-configured trifluoromethyl cyclopropanes for a broad
      range of substrates with excellent yields and good diastereoselectivities.

PMID- 28636361
TI  - Machine-Learning-Assisted Approach for Discovering Novel Inhibitors Targeting
      Bromodomain-Containing Protein 4.
AB  - Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is implicated in the pathogenesis of a
      number of different cancers, inflammatory diseases and heart failure. Much effort
      has been dedicated toward discovering novel scaffold BRD4 inhibitors (BRD4is)
      with different selectivity profiles and potential antiresistance properties.
      Structure-based drug design (SBDD) and virtual screening (VS) are the most
      frequently used approaches. Here, we demonstrate a novel, structure-based VS
      approach that uses machine-learning algorithms trained on the priori structure
      and activity knowledge to predict the likelihood that a compound is a BRD4i based
      on its binding pattern with BRD4. In addition to positive experimental data, such
      as X-ray structures of BRD4-ligand complexes and BRD4 inhibitory potencies,
      negative data such as false positives (FPs) identified from our earlier ligand
      screening results were incorporated into our knowledge base. We used the
      resulting data to train a machine-learning model named BRD4LGR to predict the
      BRD4i-likeness of a compound. BRD4LGR achieved a 20-30% higher AUC-ROC than that
      of Glide using the same test set. When conducting in vitro experiments against a
      library of previously untested, commercially available organic compounds, the
      second round of VS using BRD4LGR generated 15 new BRD4is. Moreover, inverting the
      machine-learning model provided easy access to structure-activity relationship
      (SAR) interpretation for hit-to-lead optimization.

PMID- 28636364
TI  - Charge-Shift Corrected Electronegativities and the Effect of Bond Polarity and
      Substituents on Covalent-Ionic Resonance Energy.
AB  - Bond dissociation energies and resonance energies for HnA-BHm molecules (A, B =
      H, C, N, O, F, Cl, Li, and Na) have been determined in order to re-evaluate the
      concept of electronegativity in the context of modern valence bond theory.
      Following Pauling's original scheme and using the rigorous definition of the
      covalent-ionic resonance energy provided by the breathing orbital valence bond
      method, we have derived a charge-shift corrected electronegativity scale for H,
      C, N, O, F, Cl, Li, and Na. Atomic charge shift character is defined using a
      similar approach resulting in values of 0.42, 1.06, 1.43, 1.62, 1.64, 1.44, 0.46,
      and 0.34 for H, C, N, O, F, Cl, Li, and Na, respectively. The charge-shift
      corrected electronegativity values presented herein follow the same general
      trends as Pauling's original values with the exception of Li having a smaller
      value than Na (1.57 and 1.91 for Li and Na respectively). The resonance energy is
      then broken down into components derived from the atomic charge shift character
      and polarization effects. It is then shown that most of the resonance energy in
      the charge-shift bonds H-F, H3C-F, and Li-CH3 and borderline charge-shift H-OH is
      associated with polarity rather than the intrinsic atomic charge-shift character
      of the bonding species. This suggests a rebranding of these bonds as "polar
      charge-shift" rather than simply "charge-shift". Lastly, using a similar
      breakdown method, it is shown that the small effect the substituents -CH3, -NH2, 
      OH, and -F have on the resonance energy (<10%) is mostly due to changes in the
      charge-shift character of the bonding atom.

PMID- 28636365
TI  - Sustainable Elastomers from Renewable Biomass.
AB  - Sustainable elastomers have undergone explosive growth in recent years, partly
      due to the resurgence of biobased materials prepared from renewable natural
      resources. However, mounting challenges still prevail: How can the chemical
      compositions and macromolecular architectures of sustainable polymers be
      controlled and broadened? How can their processability and recyclability be
      enabled? How can they compete with petroleum-based counterparts in both cost and
      performance? Molecular-biomass-derived polymers, such as polymyrcene,
      polymenthide, and poly(epsilon-decalactone), have been employed for constructing
      thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). Plant oils are widely used for fabricating
      thermoset elastomers. We use abundant biomass, such as plant oils, cellulose,
      rosin acids, and lignin, to develop elastomers covering a wide range of structure
      property relationships in the hope of delivering better performance. In this
      Account, recent progress in preparing monomers and TPEs from biomass is first
      reviewed. ABA triblock copolymer TPEs were obtained with a soft middle block
      containing a soybean-oil-based monomer and hard outer blocks containing styrene.
      In addition, a combination of biobased monomers from rosin acids and soybean oil
      was formulated to prepare triblock copolymer TPEs. Together with the above
      mentioned approaches based on block copolymers, multigraft copolymers with a soft
      backbone and rigid side chains are recognized as the first-generation and second
      generation TPEs, respectively. It has been recently demonstrated that multigraft
      copolymers with a rigid backbone and elastic side chains can also be used as a
      novel architecture of TPEs. Natural polymers, such as cellulose and lignin, are
      utilized as a stiff, macromolecular backbone. Cellulose/lignin graft copolymers
      with side chains containing a copolymer of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate
      exhibited excellent elastic properties. Cellulose graft copolymers with biomass
      derived polymers as side chains were further explored to enhance the overall
      sustainability. Isoprene polymers were grafted from a cellulosic backbone to
      afford Cell-g-polyisoprene copolymers. Via cross-linking of these graft
      copolymers, human-skin-mimic elastomers and high resilient elastomers with a well
      defined network structure were achieved. The mechanical properties of these
      resilient elastomers could be finely controlled by tuning the cellulose content.
      As isoprene can be produced by engineering of microorganisms, these elastomers
      could be a renewable alternative to petroleum products. In summary, triblock
      copolymer and graft copolymer TPEs with biomass components, skin-mimic
      elastomers, high resilient biobased elastomers, and engineering of macromolecular
      architectures for elastomers are discussed. These approaches and design provide
      us knowledge on the potential to make sustainable elastomers for various
      applications to compete with petroleum-based counterparts.

PMID- 28636363
TI  - Distinct Protein Hydration Water Species Defined by Spatially Resolved Spectra of
      Intermolecular Vibrations.
AB  - In this molecular dynamics simulation study, we analyze intermolecular vibrations
      in the hydration shell of a solvated enyzme, the membrane type 1-matrix
      metalloproteinase, with high spatial resolution. Our approach allows us to
      characterize vibrational signatures of the local hydrogen bond network, the
      translational mobility of water molecules, as well as the molecular entropy, in
      specific local environments. Our study demonstrates the heterogeneity of water
      properties within the hydration shell of a complex biomolecule. We define a
      classification scheme based on the vibrational density of states that allows us
      to distinguish separate classes of hydration water species and facilitates the
      description of hydration water properties at distinct hydration sites. The
      results demonstrate that no single characteristic of the protein surface is
      sufficient to determine the properties of nearby water. The protein surface
      geometry, quantified here by the number of protein atoms in the vicinity of a
      hydration water molecule, as well as the chemical nature of a solvated protein
      functional group, influences dynamic and thermodynamic properties of solvating
      water molecules.

PMID- 28636366
TI  - Oxygenation via C-H/C-C Bond Activation with Molecular Oxygen.
AB  - The selective oxidation of organic molecules is a fundamentally important
      component of modern synthetic chemistry. In the past decades, direct oxidative C
      H and C-C bond functionalization has proved to be one of the most efficient and
      straightforward methods to synthesize complex products from simple and readily
      available starting materials. Among these oxidative processes, the use of
      molecular oxygen as a green and sustainable oxidant has attracted considerable
      attention because of its highly atom-economical, abundant, and environmentally
      friendly characteristics. The development of new protocols using molecular oxygen
      as an ideal oxidant is highly desirable in oxidation chemistry. More importantly,
      the oxygenation reaction of simple molecules using molecular oxygen as the oxygen
      source offers one of the most ideal processes for the construction of O
      containing compounds. Aerobic oxidation and oxygenation by enzymes, such as
      monooxygenase, tyrosinase, and dopamine beta-monooxygenase, have been observed in
      some biological C-H bond hydroxylation processes. Encouraged by these biological
      transformations, transition-metal- or organocatalyst-catalyzed oxygenation
      through dioxygen activation has attracted academic and industrial prospects. In
      this Account, we describe some advances from our group in oxygenation via C-H/C-C
      bond activation with molecular oxygen as the oxidant and oxygen source for the
      synthesis of O-containing compounds. Under an atmosphere of O2 (1 atm) or air (1
      atm), we have successfully incorporated one or two O atoms from O2 into simple
      and readily available substrates through C-H, C-C, C?C, and C=C bond cleavage by
      transition-metal catalysis, organocatalysis, and photocatalysis. Moreover, we
      have devised cyclization reactions with molecular oxygen to construct O
      heterocycles. Most of these transformations can tolerate a broad range of
      functional groups. Furthermore, on the basis of isotope labeling experiments,
      electron paramagnetic resonance spectral analysis, and other mechanistic studies,
      we have demonstrated that a single electron transfer process via a carbon
      radical, peroxide radical, or hydroxyl radical is involved in these aerobic
      oxidation and oxygenation reactions. These protocols provide new approaches for
      the green synthesis of various alpha-keto amides, alpha-keto esters, esters,
      ketones, aldehydes, formamides, 2-oxoacetamidines, 2-(1H)-pyridones, phenols,
      tertiary alpha-hydroxy carbonyls, p-quinols, beta-azido alcohols, benzyl
      alcohols, tryptophols, and oxazoles, which have potential applications in the
      preparation of natural products, bioactive compounds, and functional materials.
      In most cases, inexpensive and low-toxicity Cu, Fe, Mn, or NHPI was found to be
      an efficient catalyst for the transformation. The high efficiency, low cost, high
      oxygen atom economy, broad substrate scope, and practical operation make the
      developed oxygenation system very attractive and practical. Moreover, the design
      of new types of molecular-oxygen- or air-based oxidation and oxygenation
      reactions can be anticipated.

PMID- 28636367
TI  - Cobalt-Catalyzed Regioselective Ortho C(sp2)-H Bond Nitration of Aromatics
      through Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Assistance.
AB  - A cobalt-catalyzed proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mediated
      regioselective ortho-specific nitration of aromatic C(sp2)-H bonds using
      chelation-assisted removable vicinal diamine directing groups was developed. The
      reaction proceeded under mild conditions in the presence of Co(OAc)2.4H2O as the
      catalyst with AgNO2 utilized as the nitro source as well as terminal oxidant in
      the presence of O2 as an external oxidant. No external base or additives were
      required for this process. Controlled experiments and mechanistic investigations
      with DFT calculations revealed that the reaction proceeds through a PCET promoted
      nitro functional group transfer pathway. Moreover, the produced compounds are
      valuable and pharmaceutically quite relevant.

PMID- 28636368
TI  - Probing the Mechanism of LAL-32, a Gold Nanoparticle-Based Antibiotic Discovered
      through Small Molecule Variable Ligand Display.
AB  - The unrelenting rise of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria has necessitated the
      search for novel antibiotic solutions. Herein we describe further mechanistic
      studies on a 2.0-nm-diameter gold nanoparticle-based antibiotic (designated LAL
      32). This antibiotic exhibits bactericidal activity against the Gram-negative
      bacterium Escherichia coli at 1.0 MUM, a concentration significantly lower than
      several clinically available antibiotics (such as ampicillin and gentamicin), and
      acute treatment with LAL-32 does not give rise to spontaneous resistant mutants.
      LAL-32 treatment inhibits cellular division, daughter cell separation, and twin
      arginine translocation (Tat) pathway dependent shuttling of proteins to the
      periplasm. Furthermore, we have found that the cedA gene imparts increased
      resistance to LAL-32, and shown that an E. coli cedA transposon mutant exhibits
      increased susceptibility to LAL-32. Taken together, these studies further
      implicate cell division pathways as the target for this nanoparticle-based
      antibiotic and demonstrate that there may be inherently higher barriers for
      resistance evolution against nanoscale antibiotics in comparison to their small
      molecule counterparts.

PMID- 28636369
TI  - Dynamics of Charged Species in Ionic-Neutral Block Copolymer and Surfactant
      Complexes.
AB  - Structure-property relationships of ionic block copolymer (BCP) surfactant
      complexes are critical toward the progress of favorable engineering design of
      efficient charge-transport materials. In this article, molecular dynamics
      simulations are used to understand the dynamics of charged-neutral BCP and
      surfactant complexes. The dynamics are examined for two different systems:
      charged-neutral double-hydrophilic and hydrophobic-hydrophilic block copolymers
      with oppositely charged surfactant moieties. The dynamics of the surfactant head,
      tails, and charges are studied for five different BCP volume fractions. We
      observe that the dynamics of the different species solely depend on the balance
      between electrostatic and entropic interactions between the charged species and
      the neutral monomers. The favorable hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions and the
      unfavorable hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions determine the mobilities of the
      monomers. The dynamical properties of the charge species influence complex
      formation. Structural relaxations exhibit length-scale dependent behavior, with
      slower relaxation at the radius of gyration length-scale and faster relaxation at
      the segmental length-scale, consistent with previous results. The dynamical
      analysis correlates ion-exchange kinetics to the self-assembly behavior of the
      complexes.

PMID- 28636370
TI  - Access to Fused Tricyclic gamma-Butyrolactones, A Natural Product-like Scaffold.
AB  - Serendipitous findings of an acid mediated skeletal rearrangement of bicyclo-beta
      ketoester having cyclopropyl ring to access fused tricyclic gamma-butyrolactones
      has been described. This novel transformation has been optimized to 30 mol% p
      toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA) in toluene using Dean-Stark apparatus, where the
      aldol condensation, cyclopropyl ring opening followed by cyclization took place
      in a single-pot operation. The resulting tricyclic compounds are interesting
      chemotype with natural product resemblance and may find useful applications in
      the future.

PMID- 28636372
TI  - Surface Desorption Dielectric-Barrier Discharge Ionization Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - A variant of dielectric-barrier discharge named surface desorption dielectric
      barrier discharge ionization (SDDBDI) mass spectrometry was developed for high
      efficiency ion transmission and high spatial resolution imaging. In SDDBDI, a
      tungsten nanotip and the inlet of the mass spectrometer are used as electrodes,
      and a piece of coverslip is used as a sample plate as well as an insulating
      dielectric barrier, which simplifies the configuration of instrument and thus the
      operation. Different from volume dielectric-barrier discharge (VDBD), the
      microdischarges are generated on the surface at SDDBDI, and therefore the plasma
      density is extremely high. Analyte ions are guided directly into the MS inlet
      without any deflection. This configuration significantly improves the ion
      transmission efficiency and thus the sensitivity. The dependence of sensitivity
      and spatial resolution of the SDDBDI on the operation parameters were
      systematically investigated. The application of SDDBDI was successfully
      demonstrated by analysis of multiple species including amino acids,
      pharmaceuticals, putative cancer biomarkers, and mixtures of both fatty acids and
      hormones. Limits of detection (S/N = 3) were determined to be 0.84 and 0.18 pmol,
      respectively, for the analysis of l-alanine and metronidazole. A spatial
      resolution of 22 MUm was obtained for the analysis of an imprinted
      cyclophosphamide pattern, and imaging of a "T" character was successfully
      demonstrated under ambient conditions. These results indicate that SDDBDI has
      high-efficiency ion transmission, high sensitivity, and high spatial resolution,
      which render it a potential tool for mass spectrometry imaging.

PMID- 28636374
TI  - Correction to "Rate Coefficients of the HCl + OH -> Cl + H2O Reaction from Ring
      Polymer Molecular Dynamics".

PMID- 28636373
TI  - Total Synthesis of the Marine Polyketide (-)-Gracilioether F.
AB  - First asymmetric synthesis of the marine natural product (-)-gracilioether F is
      described from a d-mannitol derived known compound. The key step involves
      intramolecular 1,4-conjugate addition of a hydroxymethyl radical generated from
      Ti (III) mediated ring opening of a terminal epoxy ring tethered to a butenolide
      to produce stereoselectively a five-membered ring fused bicyclic lactone, the
      core structure present in gracilioether F.

PMID- 28636371
TI  - Iron Oxidation and Core Formation in Recombinant Heteropolymeric Human Ferritins.
AB  - In animals, the iron storage and detoxification protein, ferritin, is composed of
      two functionally and genetically distinct subunit types, H (heavy) and L (light),
      which co-assemble in various ratios with tissue specific distributions to form
      shell-like protein structures of 24 subunits within which a mineralized iron core
      is stored. The H-subunit possesses a ferroxidase center (FC) that catalyzes
      Fe(II) oxidation, whereas the L-subunit does not. To assess the role of the L
      subunit in iron oxidation and core formation, two human recombinant
      heteropolymeric ferritins, designated H-rich and L-rich with ratios of ~20H:4L
      and ~22L:2H, respectively, were employed and compared to the human homopolymeric
      H-subunit ferritin (HuHF). These heteropolymeric ferritins have a composition
      similar to the composition of those found in hearts and brains (i.e., H-rich) and
      in livers and spleens (i.e., L-rich). As for HuHF, iron oxidation in H-rich
      ferritin was found to proceed with a 2:1 Fe(II):O2 stoichiometry at an iron level
      of 2 Fe(II) atoms/H-subunit with the generation of H2O2. The H2O2 reacted with
      additional Fe(II) in a 2:1 Fe(II):H2O2 ratio, thus avoiding the production of
      hydroxyl radical. A MU-1,2-peroxo-diFe(III) intermediate was observed at the FC
      of H-rich ferritin as for HuHF. Importantly, the H-rich protein regenerated full
      ferroxidase activity more rapidly than HuHF did and additionally formed larger
      iron cores, indicating dual roles for the L-subunit in facilitating iron turnover
      at the FC and in mineralization of the core. The L-rich ferritin, while also
      facilitating iron oxidation at the FC, additionally promoted oxidation at the
      mineral surface once the iron binding capacity of the FC was exceeded.

PMID- 28636375
TI  - One-Pot Synthesis of Functionalized Carbazoles via a CAN-Catalyzed Multicomponent
      Process Comprising a C-H Activation Step.
AB  - The microwave-promoted three-component reaction between o-nitrochalcones, primary
      amines and beta-dicarbonyl compounds in the presence of Ce(IV) ammonium nitrate
      constitutes the first example of a multicomponent carbazole synthesis. This
      reaction furnishes highly substituted and functionalized carbazole derivatives
      via a double annulation process that generates two C-C and two C-N bonds, with
      water as the only side product. Mechanistically, this transformation has some
      unusual features that include an intramolecular coupled hydrogenation
      dehydrogenation process, the functionalization of a C-H group by direct attack
      onto a nitrogen function and a CAN-catalyzed reduction via hydride transfer from
      ethanol. The mechanisms of these reactions were studied with the aid of
      computational techniques.

PMID- 28636376
TI  - On the Mechanism of the Iodide-Triiodide Exchange Reaction in a Solid-State Ionic
      Liquid.
AB  - Efficient charge transport has been observed in iodide-based room-temperature
      ionic liquids when doped with iodine. To investigate preferred pathways for the
      iodide (I-)-to-triiodide (I3-) exchange reaction and to clarify the origin of
      this high ionic conductivity, we have conducted electronic structure calculations
      in the crystal state of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide ([BMIM][I]). Energy
      barriers for the different stages of the iodine-swapping process, including the
      reorientation of the I-...I3- moiety, were determined from minimum energy paths
      as a function of a reaction coordinate. Hirshfeld charges and structural
      parameters, such as bond lengths and angles, were monitored during the reaction.
      Several bond-exchange events were observed with energy barriers ranging from 0.17
      to 0.48 eV and coinciding with the formation of a twisted I-...I3- complex.
      Striking similarities were observed in the mechanics and energetics of this
      charge-transfer process in relation to solid-state superionic conductors.

PMID- 28636377
TI  - Enthalpies of Formation of Hydrazine and Its Derivatives.
AB  - Enthalpies of formation, DeltafH298 degrees , in both the gas and condensed
      phase, and enthalpies of sublimation or vaporization have been estimated for
      hydrazine, NH2NH2, and its 36 various derivatives using quantum chemical
      calculations. The composite G4 method has been used along with isodesmic reaction
      schemes to derive a set of self-consistent high-accuracy gas-phase enthalpies of
      formation. To estimate the enthalpies of sublimation and vaporization with
      reasonable accuracy (5-20 kJ/mol), the method of molecular electrostatic
      potential (MEP) has been used. The value of DeltafH298 degrees (NH2NH2,g) = 97.0
      +/- 3.0 kJ/mol was determined from 75 isogyric reactions involving about 50
      reference species; for most of these species, the accurate DeltafH298 degrees (g)
      values are available in Active Thermochemical Tables (ATcT). The calculated value
      is in excellent agreement with the reported results of the most accurate models
      based on coupled cluster theory (97.3 kJ/mol, the average of six calculations).
      Thus, the difference between the values predicted by high-level theoretical
      calculations and the experimental value of DeltafH298 degrees (NH2NH2,g) = 95.55
      +/- 0.19 kJ/mol recommended in the ATcT and other comprehensive reference sources
      is sufficiently large and requires further investigation. Different hydrazine
      derivatives have been also considered in this work. For some of them, both the
      enthalpy of formation in the condensed phase and the enthalpy of sublimation or
      vaporization are available; for other compounds, experimental data for only one
      of these properties exist. Evidence of accuracy of experimental data for the
      first group of compounds was provided by the agreement with theoretical
      DeltafH298 degrees (g) value. The unknown property for the second group of
      compounds was predicted using the MEP model. This paper presents a systematic
      comparison of experimentally determined enthalpies of formation and enthalpies of
      sublimation or vaporization with the results of calculations. Because of
      relatively large uncertainty in the estimated enthalpies of sublimation, it was
      not always possible to evaluate the accuracy of the experimental values; however,
      this model allowed us to detect large errors in the experimental data, as in the
      case of 5,5'-hydrazinebistetrazole. The enthalpies of formation and enthalpies of
      sublimation or vaporization have been predicted for the first time for ten
      hydrazine derivatives with no experimental data. A recommended set of self
      consistent experimental and calculated gas-phase enthalpies of formation of
      hydrazine derivatives can be used as reference DeltafH298 degrees (g) values to
      predict the enthalpies of formation of various hydrazines by means of isodesmic
      reactions.

PMID- 28636378
TI  - What Is the Structure of the Antitubercular Natural Product Eucapsitrione?
AB  - 1,5,7-Trihydroxy-6H-indeno[1,2-b]anthracene-6,11,13-trione (1), proposed to be
      the antitubercular natural product eucapsitrione, has been synthesized in 43%
      overall yield and six steps, including a key Suzuki-Miyaura biaryl coupling and a
      directed remote metalation (DReM)-initiated cyclization. The physical and
      spectroscopic properties of 1 do not match the data reported for the natural
      product. At this time there is insufficient information available to enable a
      structure reassignment. During the optimization of the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling,
      an unprecedented biaryl coupling ortho to the borono group was observed. The
      scope of this unusual reaction has been investigated.

PMID- 28636379
TI  - A One-Pot Assembly of Fully Substituted Alkyl 5-Aminothiophene-2-carboxylates
      from Allenes, Isothiocyanates, and Alkyl 2-Bromoacetates.
AB  - A novel simple approach to highly functionalized multisubstituted thiophenes such
      as alkyl 4-alkoxy-5-amino-3-methylthiophene-2-carboxylates through the one-pot
      sequential reaction of alpha-lithiated alkoxyallenes with isothiocyanates and
      alkyl 2-bromoacetates has been discovered. The process proceeds quickly (30-45
      min) via in situ formation and intramolecular cyclization of alkyl 2-[(2
      alkoxybuta-2,3-dienimidoyl)sulfanyl]acetates (1-aza-1,3,4-trienes).

PMID- 28636380
TI  - Free-Radical-Promoted Copper-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Alkylation of alpha,beta
      Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids with ICH2CF3 and Its Analogues.
AB  - A novel and efficient free-radical-promoted copper-catalyzed decarboxylative
      alkylation of alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids with ICH2CF3 and its
      analogues has been developed. This methodology provides a convenient access to
      the synthesis of allylic trifluoromethyl and beta-CF3 ketone containing compounds
      as well as other biologically useful fluorinated molecules and materials.

PMID- 28636381
TI  - Density Functional Study of Trimetallic AuxPdyPtz (x + y + z = 7) Clusters and
      Their Interactions with the O2 Molecule.
AB  - Density functional theory calculations were performed to investigate the
      structural and energetic properties of trimetallic AuxPdyPtz clusters with x + y
      + z = 7. The possible stable geometrical configurations with their electronic
      states are determined. We analyze the chemical order, binding energies, vertical
      ionization potential, electron affinity, and HOMO-LUMO gaps as a function of the
      whole concentration range. The affinity of AuxPdyPtz clusters toward one O2
      molecule is also evaluated in terms of the changes in geometry, adsorption
      energy, and charge transfer.

PMID- 28636382
TI  - Development of Efficient Chemistry to Generate Site-Specific Disulfide-Linked
      Protein- and Peptide-Payload Conjugates: Application to THIOMAB Antibody-Drug
      Conjugates.
AB  - Conjugation of small molecule payloads to cysteine residues on proteins via a
      disulfide bond represents an attractive strategy to generate redox-sensitive
      bioconjugates, which have value as potential diagnostic reagents or therapeutics.
      Advancement of such "direct-disulfide" bioconjugates to the clinic necessitates
      chemical methods to form disulfide connections efficiently, without byproducts.
      The disulfide connection must also be resistant to premature cleavage by thiols
      prior to arrival at the targeted tissue. We show here that commonly employed
      methods to generate direct disulfide-linked bioconjugates are inadequate for
      addressing these challenges. We describe our efforts to optimize direct-disulfide
      conjugation chemistry, focusing on the generation of conjugates between cytotoxic
      payloads and cysteine-engineered antibodies (i.e., THIOMAB antibody-drug
      conjugates, or TDCs). This work culminates in the development of novel, high
      yielding conjugation chemistry for creating direct payload disulfide connections
      to any of several Cys mutation sites in THIOMAB antibodies or to Cys sites in
      other biomolecules (e.g., human serum albumin and cell-penetrating peptides). We
      conclude by demonstrating that hindered direct disulfide TDCs with two methyl
      groups adjacent to the disulfide, which have heretofore not been described for
      any bioconjugate, are more stable and more efficacious in mouse tumor xenograft
      studies than less hindered analogs.

PMID- 28636384
TI  - Role of Crystal Structure and Chalcogenide Redox Properties on the Oxidative
      Assembly of Cadmium Chalcogenide Nanocrystals.
AB  - Oxidative assembly of metal chalcogenide nanocrystals (NCs) enables the formation
      of 2-D (dense) and 3-D porous structures without the presence of intervening
      ligands between particles that can moderate transport properties. This route has
      been demonstrated to be successful for a range of single-component structures
      including CdQ, PbQ, and ZnQ (Q = S, Se, Te). En route to the controllable
      assembly of multicomponent nanostructures, the roles of Q redox properties (2Q2- 
      > Q22- + 2e) responsible for particle cross-linking and the native structure
      (cubic zinc blende vs hexagonal wurtzite) in the kinetics of assembly in single
      component CdQ NCs are evaluated using time-resolved dynamic light scattering (TR
      DLS). For wurtzite CdQ, the rates follow the ease of oxidation, with telluride as
      the fastest, followed by selenide and sulfide. However, when comparing CdS
      wurtzite (w) and zinc blende (zb), the cubic NCs exhibit surprisingly slow
      kinetics. NMR studies reveal the zb structure to have lower ligand coverage (by a
      factor of 4) relative to that of w, and the formation of free disulfide (the
      product of ligand oxidation) is slow. This is attributed to differences in the
      surface energies of w and zb facets, with w having polar (0001) facets of high
      energy compared to the neutral facets of the zb structure. The zb-CdS NCs
      prepared by low-temperature synthesis methods are likely to suffer from surface
      defects that may moderate reactivity. EPR studies suggest that zb-CdS has
      paramagnetic sulfur vacancies not present in w-CdS. These data suggest that
      structure plays an unexpectedly large role in the kinetics of CdQ NC oxidative
      assembly, providing a useful lever to moderate activities in multicomponent
      assemblies.

PMID- 28636385
TI  - Sequential Catalysis of Phosphine Oxide for Stereoselective Synthesis of
      Stereopentads.
AB  - An efficient method for accessing enantiomerically pure stereopentads via a
      catalytic asymmetric sequential aldol reaction has been developed for the first
      time. The enantioselective sequential aldol reaction produces a wide range of
      chiral stereopentad precursors in good yields with excellent
      enantioselectivities. The key to success is the use of the sequential catalytic
      system involving a chiral phosphine oxide catalyst and trichlorosilyl triflate.

PMID- 28636383
TI  - Gene Expression Profiling in Human Lung Cells Exposed to Isoprene-Derived
      Secondary Organic Aerosol.
AB  - Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) derived from the photochemical oxidation of
      isoprene contributes a substantial mass fraction to atmospheric fine particulate
      matter (PM2.5). The formation of isoprene SOA is influenced largely by
      anthropogenic emissions through multiphase chemistry of its multigenerational
      oxidation products. Considering the abundance of isoprene SOA in the troposphere,
      understanding mechanisms of adverse health effects through inhalation exposure is
      critical to mitigating its potential impact on public health. In this study, we
      assessed the effects of isoprene SOA on gene expression in human airway
      epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) through an air-liquid interface exposure. Gene
      expression profiling of 84 oxidative stress and 249 inflammation-associated human
      genes was performed. Our results show that the expression levels of 29 genes were
      significantly altered upon isoprene SOA exposure under noncytotoxic conditions (p
      < 0.05), with the majority (22/29) of genes passing a false discovery rate
      threshold of 0.3. The most significantly affected genes belong to the nuclear
      factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) transcription factor network. The Nrf2
      function is confirmed through a reporter cell line. Together with detailed
      characterization of SOA constituents, this study reveals the impact of isoprene
      SOA exposure on lung responses and highlights the importance of further
      understanding its potential health outcomes.

PMID- 28636386
TI  - MsViz: A Graphical Software Tool for In-Depth Manual Validation and Quantitation
      of Post-translational Modifications.
AB  - Mass spectrometry (MS) has become the tool of choice for the large scale
      identification and quantitation of proteins and their post-translational
      modifications (PTMs). This development has been enabled by powerful software
      packages for the automated analysis of MS data. While data on PTMs of thousands
      of proteins can nowadays be readily obtained, fully deciphering the complexity
      and combinatorics of modification patterns even on a single protein often remains
      challenging. Moreover, functional investigation of PTMs on a protein of interest
      requires validation of the localization and the accurate quantitation of its
      changes across several conditions, tasks that often still require human
      evaluation. Software tools for large scale analyses are highly efficient but are
      rarely conceived for interactive, in-depth exploration of data on individual
      proteins. We here describe MsViz, a web-based and interactive software tool that
      supports manual validation of PTMs and their relative quantitation in small- and
      medium-size experiments. The tool displays sequence coverage information, peptide
      spectrum matches, tandem MS spectra and extracted ion chromatograms through a
      single, highly intuitive interface. We found that MsViz greatly facilitates
      manual data inspection to validate PTM location and quantitate modified species
      across multiple samples.

PMID- 28636387
TI  - Novel Kiteplatin Pyrophosphate Derivatives with Improved Efficacy.
AB  - Two new Pt(II) derivatives of kiteplatin ([PtCl2(cis-1,4-DACH)]) with
      pyrophosphate as carrier ligand, one mononuclear (1) and one dinuclear (2), were
      synthesized with the aim of potentiating the efficacy of kiteplatin. Complex 1
      resulted to be remarkably stable at physiological pH, but it undergoes a fast
      hydrolysis reaction at acidic pH releasing free pyrophosphate and (aquated)
      kiteplatin. The dinuclear compound 2 resulted to be less stable than 1 at both
      neutral and acidic pH forming 1 and (aquated) kiteplatin as first step. Both
      compounds (1 and 2) do not react as such with 5'-GMP, whereas their hydrolysis
      products readily form adducts with the nucleotide. The in vitro cytotoxicity
      assays against a panel of six human cancer cell lines showed that complex 2
      affects cancer cell viability even at nanomolar concentrations. The cytotoxic
      activity of 2 is greater (up to 2 orders of magnitude) than that of cisplatin,
      oxaliplatin, and kiteplatin, whereas the mononuclear complex 1 has shown a
      cytotoxic activity comparable to that of oxaliplatin and kiteplatin, but higher
      than cisplatin. The latter result is not surprising, since the presence of two
      negative charges reduces the uptake of 1 into the tumor cells as compared to the
      neutral compound 2. The remarkable activity of 2 against the pancreatic cell line
      BxPC3 (average IC50 = 0.07 MUM) deserves further investigation.

PMID- 28636388
TI  - Correlation between Photoluminescence and Carrier Transport and a Simple In Situ
      Passivation Method for High-Bandgap Hybrid Perovskites.
AB  - High-bandgap mixed-halide hybrid perovskites have higher open-circuit voltage
      deficits and lower carrier diffusion lengths than their lower-bandgap
      counterparts. We have developed a ligand-assisted crystallization (LAC) technique
      that introduces additives in situ during the solvent wash and developed a new
      method to dynamically measure the absolute intensity steady-state
      photoluminescence and the mean carrier diffusion length simultaneously. The
      measurements reveal four distinct regimes of material changes and show that
      photoluminescence brightening often coincides with losses in carrier transport,
      such as in degradation or phase segregation. Further, the measurements enabled
      optimization of LAC on the 1.75 eV bandgap FA0.83Cs0.17Pb(I0.66Br0.34)3,
      resulting in an enhancement of the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of over
      an order of magnitude, an increase of 80 meV in the quasi-Fermi level splitting
      (to 1.29 eV), an increase in diffusion length by a factor of 3.5 (to over 1 MUm),
      and enhanced open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current from photovoltaics
      fabricated from the LAC-treated films.

PMID- 28636390
TI  - Application of a Heterogeneous Chiral Titanium Catalyst Derived from Silica
      Supported 3-Aryl H8-BINOL to Enantioselective Alkylation and Arylation of
      Aldehydes.
AB  - A 3-aryl H8-BINOL was grafted on the surface of silica gel using a hydrosilane
      derivative as a precursor, and the resulting silica-supported ligand (6 mol %)
      was employed in the enantioselective alkylation and arylation of aldehydes in the
      presence of Ti(OiPr)4. The reactions using Et2Zn, Et3B, and aryl Grignard
      reagents all afforded the corresponding adducts in high enantioselectivities and
      yields. The silica-immobilized titanium catalyst could be reused up to 14 times
      without appreciable deterioration of the activity.

PMID- 28636389
TI  - Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Multistaged Nanoplatform for Systemic RNAi and
      Cancer Therapy.
AB  - While RNA interference (RNAi) therapy has demonstrated significant potential for
      cancer treatment, the effective and safe systemic delivery of RNAi agents such as
      small interfering RNA (siRNA) into tumor cells in vivo remains challenging. We
      herein reported a unique multistaged siRNA delivery nanoparticle (NP) platform,
      which is comprised of (i) a polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface shell, (ii) a sharp
      tumor microenvironment (TME) pH-responsive polymer that forms the NP core, and
      (iii) charge-mediated complexes of siRNA and tumor cell-targeting- and
      penetrating-peptide-amphiphile (TCPA) that are encapsulated in the NP core. When
      the rationally designed, long circulating polymeric NPs accumulate in tumor
      tissues after intravenous administration, the targeted siRNA-TCPA complexes can
      be rapidly released via TME pH-mediated NP disassembly for subsequent specific
      targeting of tumor cells and cytosolic transport, thus achieving efficient gene
      silencing. In vivo results further demonstrate that the multistaged NP delivery
      of siRNA against bromodomain 4 (BRD4), a recently discovered target protein that
      regulates the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa), can
      significantly inhibit PCa tumor growth.

PMID- 28636392
TI  - Hybrid CPU/GPU Integral Engine for Strong-Scaling Ab Initio Methods.
AB  - We present a parallel integral algorithm for two-electron contributions occurring
      in Hartree-Fock and hybrid density functional theory that allows for a strong
      scaling parallelization on inhomogeneous compute clusters. With a particular
      focus on graphic processing units, we show that our approach allows an efficient
      use of CPUs and graphics processing units (GPUs) simultaneously, although the
      different architectures demand conflictive strategies in order to ensure
      efficient program execution. Furthermore, we present a general strategy to use
      large basis sets like quadruple-zeta split valence on GPUs and investigate the
      balance between CPUs and GPUs depending on l-quantum numbers of the corresponding
      basis functions. Finally, we present first illustrative calculations using a
      hybrid CPU/GPU environment and demonstrate the strong-scaling performance of our
      parallelization strategy also for pure CPU-based calculations.

PMID- 28636391
TI  - Copper-Catalyzed Direct Nitration on Aryl C-H Bonds by Concomitant Azidation
      Oxidation with TMS Azide and TBHP under Aerobic Conditions.
AB  - An unprecedented copper-catalyzed in situ azidation-oxidation for the nitration
      of anilides and sulfonamides has been developed by direct CAr-H
      functionalization. This novel and efficient nitration protocol is achieved
      employing TMSN3 and TBHP without the exclusion of air or moisture. The synthetic
      applications of the 2-nitroanilides have been explored.

PMID- 28636393
TI  - Lithium Ion Coupled Electron-Transfer Rates in Superconcentrated Electrolytes:
      Exploring the Bottlenecks for Fast Charge-Transfer Rates with LiMn2O4 Cathode
      Materials.
AB  - The charge-transfer kinetics of lithium ion intercalation into LixMn2O4 cathode
      materials was examined in dilute and concentrated aqueous and carbonate LiTFSI
      solutions using electrochemical methods. Distinctive trends in ion intercalation
      rates were observed between water-based and ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate
      solutions. The influence of the solution concentration on the rate of lithium ion
      transfer in aqueous media can be tentatively attributed to the process associated
      with Mn dissolution, whereas in carbonate solutions the rate is influenced by the
      formation of a concentration-dependent solid electrolyte interface (SEI). Some
      indications of SEI layer formation at electrode surfaces in carbonate solutions
      after cycling are detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The general
      consequences related to the application of superconcentrated electrolytes for use
      in advanced energy storage cathodes are outlined and discussed.

PMID- 28636394
TI  - Synthesis of RNA 5'-Azides from 2'-O-Pivaloyloxymethyl-Protected RNAs and Their
      Reactivity in Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition Reactions.
AB  - Commercially available 2'-O-pivaloyloxymethyl (PivOM) phosphoramidites were
      employed in an SPS protocol for RNA 5' azides. The utility of the N3-RNAs in
      CuAAC and SPAAC was demonstrated by RNA 5' labeling, chemical ligation including
      fragment joining and cyclization, and bioconjugation. As a result, several new
      RNA conjugates that may be valuable tools for studies on biological events such
      as innate immune response (cyclic dinucleotides), post-transcriptional gene
      regulation (circular RNAs), or mRNA turnover (m7G capped RNAs) were obtained.

PMID- 28636395
TI  - Synthesis of the Marine Myxobacterial Antibiotic Enhygrolide A.
AB  - The first synthesis of enhygrolide A, a scarce gamma-alkylidenebutenolide
      antibiotic of the obligate marine myxobacterium Enhygromyxa salina, was achieved
      in five steps and 54% overall yield from tetronic acid. Key steps include (i)
      organocatalytic reductive alkylation, (ii) iron-catalyzed sp2-sp3 cross-coupling,
      and (iii) vinylogous aldol condensation. Aside from its brevity and reliance on
      environmentally sustainable processes, the synthesis demonstrates the
      serviceability of butenolide pivalates in cross-coupling reactions.

PMID- 28636396
TI  - Copper-Catalyzed Asymmetric Protoboration of beta-Amidoacrylonitriles and beta
      Amidoacrylate Esters: An Efficient Approach to Functionalized Chiral alpha-Amino
      Boronate Esters.
AB  - A copper-catalyzed asymmetric protoboration of both Z-beta-amidoacrylonitriles
      and ethyl E-beta-amidoacrylates using bis(pinacolato)diboron has been developed
      for the first time. The process tolerates a vast array of substrates, delivering
      a series of stable functionalized chiral alpha-amino boronate esters in good
      yields and enantioselectivities under mild reaction conditions. The current
      method is also applicable for gram-scale synthesis without erosion of
      enantioselectivity. This work provides an attractive and complementary approach
      to synthesizing enantioriched chiral alpha-amino boronate esters.

PMID- 28636398
TI  - Ultrafast Carrier Trapping in Thick-Shell Colloidal Quantum Dots.
AB  - It has previously been found that Auger processes can lead to femtosecond carrier
      trapping in quantum dots, limiting their performance in optoelectronic
      applications that rely on radiative recombination. Using atomistic simulations,
      we investigate whether a shell can protect carriers from Auger-assisted trapping.
      For these studies we investigate CdSe/CdS core-shell quantum dots having total
      diameters reaching up to 10 nm. We find trapping lifetimes as fast as 1 ps for 2
      nm shells, and we report that shells as thick as 6 nm are required to suppress
      trapping fully. The most efficient recombination mechanism is found to proceed
      through shallow empty traps, suggesting it can be suppressed by filling the traps
      through doping or external electrochemical potential. Our findings suggest that
      to achieve efficient light emission, surface traps have to be completely
      eliminated, even in thick-shell quantum dots.

PMID- 28636397
TI  - Comparison of the Structural Response to Pressure of Ionic Liquids with Ether and
      Alkyl Functionalities.
AB  - The response of ionic liquids to external perturbations including elevated
      pressure is a topic of current interest for applications such as tribology. Ionic
      liquids come in many classes, including those that are amphiphilic and some that
      are mostly polar having either cationic or anionic tails that are functionalized.
      The current study compares the effect of elevated pressure on two ionic liquids
      with different types of cationic tail. 1-Decyl-3-methylimidazolium
      bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (C10mim+/NTf2-) is amphiphilic whereas
      isoelectronic ether-functionalized 1-(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethyl)-3
      methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (C7O3mim+/NTf2-) has cationic
      tails that are more polar and conformationally different. We find that the
      response to elevated pressure for these two systems is quite unsimilar.
      Intramolecular conformational changes as well as changes in the structure of
      liquid nanodomains appear to be significantly more prominent in the case of
      C10mim+/NTf2-. Whereas both the density of C10mim+/NTf2- and C7O3mim+/NTf2-
      change at elevated pressure, the change is more dramatic for C10mim+/NTf2-. The
      very different response for each of these two types of ionic liquids can be
      clearly gleaned from distribution functions in real space and the partial
      subcomponents of the X-ray structure function, S(q), in reciprocal space. Liquid
      structure in the case of C7O3mim+/NTf2-, and the intramolecular conformational
      structure of C7O3mim+ in particular, appear to be more resilient to pressure
      changes than those in the isoelectronic amphiphilic analogue.

PMID- 28636399
TI  - Helium Accepts Back-Donation In Highly Polar Complexes: New Insights into the
      Weak Chemical Bond.
AB  - We studied the puzzling stability and short distances predicted by theory for
      helium adducts with some highly polar molecules, such as BeO or AuF. On the basis
      of high-level quantum-chemical calculations, we carried out a detailed analysis
      of the charge displacement occurring upon adduct formation. For the first time we
      have unambiguously ascertained that helium is able not only to donate electron
      density, but also, unexpectedly, to accept electron density in the formation of
      weakly bound adducts with highly polar substrates. The presence of a large dipole
      moment induces a large electric field at He, which lowers its 2p orbital energy
      and enables receipt of pi electron density. These findings offer unprecedented
      important clues toward the design and synthesis of stable helium compounds.

PMID- 28636400
TI  - Click Biotinylation of PLGA Template for Biotin Receptor Oriented Delivery of
      Doxorubicin Hydrochloride in 4T1 Cell-Induced Breast Cancer.
AB  - PLGA was functionalized with PEG and biotin using click chemistry to generate a
      biotin receptor targeted copolymer (biotinylated-PEG-PLGA) which in turn was used
      to fabricate ultrafine nanoparticles (BPNP) of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX)
      for effective delivery in 4T1 cell induced breast cancer. However, adequate
      entrapment of a hydrophilic bioactive like DOX in a hydrophobic polymer system
      made of PLGA is not usually possible. We therefore modified a conventional W/O/W
      emulsion method by utilizing NH4Cl in the external phase to constrain DOX in
      dissolved polymer phase by suppressing DOX's inherent aqueous solubility as per
      common ion effect. This resulted in over 8-fold enhancement in entrapment
      efficiency of DOX inside BPNP, which otherwise is highly susceptible to leakage
      due to its relatively high aqueous solubility. TEM and DLS established BPNP to be
      sized below 100 nm, storage stability studies showed that BPNP were stable for
      one month at 4  degrees C, and in vitro release suggested significant control in
      drug release. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to propound
      anticancer and antiproliferative activity of BPNP. Plasma and tissue distribution
      study supplemented by pertinent in vivo fluorescence imaging mapped the exact
      fate of DOX contained inside BPNP once it was administered intravenously. A
      comparative safety profile via acute toxicity studies in mice was also generated
      to out rightly establish usefulness of BPNP. Results suggest that BPNP
      substantially enhance anticancer activity of DOX while simultaneously mitigating
      its toxic potential due to altered spatial and temporal presentation of drug and
      consequently deserve further allometric iteration.

PMID- 28636401
TI  - One-Step Solvothermal Synthesis of Petalous Carbon-Coated Cu+-Doped CdS
      Nanocomposites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.
AB  - Metal ion doping and nanocoating a CdS photocatalyst have been proven to be
      effective strategies to inhibit photocorrosion and improve photocatalytic
      performance. In this study, carbon-coated Cu+-doped CdS nanocomposites (C-Cu-CdS)
      with a stable petalous structure and highly uniform size distribution were
      successfully synthesized via a facile one-step solvothermal method. Both Cu+
      doping and carbon coating to the CdS photocatalyst are realized in this one-step
      strategy. Benefiting from the unique core-shell structure and metal ion doping,
      the as-prepared C-Cu-CdS catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced photostability
      and visible-light-driven photocatalytic efficiency. For an optimal Cu+ doping
      percentage of 1.0%, an average hydrogen production rate of 2796 MUmol h-1 g-1 and
      an apparent quantum efficiency of 16.0% at a wavelength of 420 nm was observed,
      the latter of which is nearly 9.3 times higher than that of the carbon-coated CdS
      product without Cu+ doping. The origin of the improved photocatalytic activity is
      systematically investigated by examining the effects of Cu+ doping.

PMID- 28636402
TI  - A Chiral Pentenolide-Based Unified Strategy toward Dihydrocorynantheal,
      Dihydrocorynantheol, Protoemetine, Protoemetinol, and Yohimbane.
AB  - An organocatalytic cross-aldol reaction of formaldehyde (formalin) with alkyl
      aldehydes, followed by the Z-selective Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction and
      immediate lactonization, afforded gamma-alkylated pentenolides in good overall
      yields and excellent enantioselectivities. Based on this scalable sequence, five
      quinolizidine alkaloids were synthesized in a unified and concise manner. The
      development of an in situ activation of a tertiary amide to improve the
      efficiency of the Bischler-Napieraiski (B-N) reaction was also noteworthy due to
      the generality to sensitive substrates for a variety of target molecules.

PMID- 28636404
TI  - Examining the Association Between Health Literacy and Medication Adherence Among
      Older Adults.
AB  - Health literacy plays a vital role in patients' understanding of their prescribed
      medication instructions. To inform strategies to assist providers in
      communicating in a manner that is easily understood by patients, it would be
      beneficial to determine the relationship between health literacy and the day-to
      day aspects of medication adherence. This study identified: 1) differences of
      health literacy levels in medication adherence; 2) the association between health
      literacy and medication adherence; and 3) and factors associated with medication
      adherence score. A convenience sample of older predominantly African-American
      patients (N = 389), over the age of 60, completed a cross-sectional survey. Chi
      square analysis assessed health literacy differences in five aspects of
      medication adherence. Ordinary linear regression analysis determined factors
      associated with medication adherence score. Patients with limited health literacy
      were more likely to forget to take their medications and more likely to take less
      medication than instructed than patients with adequate health literacy (chi2(5) =
      15.91, p = .007, chi2(5) = 10.31, p = .036, respectively). REALM score was also
      significantly associated with medication adherence score (beta= .016, p < .001,
      beta = .009, p = .033), respectively). Findings suggest that providers seeking to
      improve medication adherence in older adults, particularly African-American
      patients, should focus communication on assessing health literacy levels prior to
      discussing medication instructions.

PMID- 28636403
TI  - Applying Precision Medicine to Trial Design Using Physiology. Extracorporeal CO2
      Removal for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
AB  - In clinical trials of therapies for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS),
      the average treatment effect in the study population may be attenuated because
      individual patient responses vary widely. This inflates sample size requirements
      and increases the cost and difficulty of conducting successful clinical trials.
      One solution is to enrich the study population with patients most likely to
      benefit, based on predicted patient response to treatment (predictive
      enrichment). In this perspective, we apply the precision medicine paradigm to the
      emerging use of extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) for ultraprotective
      ventilation in ARDS. ECCO2R enables reductions in tidal volume and driving
      pressure, key determinants of ventilator-induced lung injury. Using basic
      physiological concepts, we demonstrate that dead space and static compliance
      determine the effect of ECCO2R on driving pressure and mechanical power. This
      framework might enable prediction of individual treatment responses to ECCO2R.
      Enriching clinical trials by selectively enrolling patients with a significant
      predicted treatment response can increase treatment effect size and statistical
      power more efficiently than conventional enrichment strategies that restrict
      enrollment according to the baseline risk of death. To support this claim, we
      simulated the predicted effect of ECCO2R on driving pressure and mortality in a
      preexisting cohort of patients with ARDS. Our computations suggest that
      restricting enrollment to patients in whom ECCO2R allows driving pressure to be
      decreased by 5 cm H2O or more can reduce sample size requirement by more than 50%
      without increasing the total number of patients to be screened. We discuss
      potential implications for trial design based on this framework.

PMID- 28636405
TI  - Conventional Polysomnography Is Not Necessary for the Management of Most Patients
      with Suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Noninferiority, Randomized Controlled
      Trial.
AB  - RATIONALE: Home respiratory polygraphy may be a simpler alternative to in
      laboratory polysomnography for the management of more symptomatic patients with
      obstructive sleep apnea, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated across a
      broad clinical spectrum. OBJECTIVES: To compare the long-term effectiveness (6
      mo) of home respiratory polygraphy and polysomnography management protocols in
      patients with intermediate-to-high sleep apnea suspicion (most patients requiring
      a sleep study). METHODS: A multicentric, noninferiority, randomized controlled
      trial with two open parallel arms and a cost-effectiveness analysis was performed
      in 12 tertiary hospitals in Spain. Sequentially screened patients with sleep
      apnea suspicion were randomized to respiratory polygraphy or polysomnography
      protocols. Moreover, both arms received standardized therapeutic decision-making,
      continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment or a healthy habit
      assessment, auto-CPAP titration (for CPAP indication), health-related quality-of
      life questionnaires, 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, and polysomnography at
      the end of follow-up. The main outcome was the Epworth Sleepiness Scale
      measurement. The noninferiority criterion was -2 points on the Epworth scale.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In total, 430 patients were randomized. The
      respiratory polygraphy protocol was noninferior to the polysomnography protocol
      based on the Epworth scale. Quality of life, blood pressure, and polysomnography
      were similar between protocols. Respiratory polygraphy was the most cost
      effective protocol, with a lower per-patient cost of 416.7?. CONCLUSIONS: Home
      respiratory polygraphy management is similarly effective to polysomnography, with
      a substantially lower cost. Therefore, polysomnography is not necessary for most
      patients with suspected sleep apnea. This finding could change established
      clinical practice, with a clear economic benefit. Clinical trial registered with
      www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01752556).

PMID- 28636406
TI  - Protective Effect of Intravitreal Administration of Exosomes Derived from
      Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Retinal Ischemia.
AB  - PURPOSE: Exosomes derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured
      under hypoxic conditions contain proteins and growth factors that promote
      angiogenesis. This study investigated the effect of intravitreal administration
      of these exosomes on retinal ischemia using a murine model. METHODS: Oxygen
      induced retinopathy (OIR) was induced by exposing one-week-old male C57BL/6J mice
      to 5 days of 75% hyperoxic conditioning, and returning to room air. After
      hyperoxic conditioning, the right eye of each mouse was injected intravitreally
      with 1 ul saline or exosomes derived from hMSCs and compared to control mice of
      the same age raised in room air without OIR injected intravitreally with saline.
      Two weeks post-injection, fluorescein angiography (FA) and phase-variance optical
      coherence tomography angiography (pvOCTA) were used to assess retinal perfusion.
      Retinal thickness was determined by OCT. The extent of retinal neovascularization
      was quantitated histologically by counting vascular nuclei on the retinal
      surface. RESULTS: Among eyes with OIR, intravitreal exosome treatment partially
      preserved retinal vascular flow in vivo and reduced associated retinal thinning;
      retinal thickness on OCT was 111.1 +/- 7.4um with saline versus 132.1 +/- 11.6um
      with exosome, p < 0.001. Retinal neovascularization among OIR eyes was reduced
      with exosome treatment when compared to saline-treated eyes (7.75 +/- 3.68 versus
      2.68 +/- 1.35 neovascular nuclei per section, p < 0.0001). No immunogenicity or
      ocular/systemic adverse effect was associated with intravitreal exosome
      treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal administration of exosomes derived from
      hMSCs was well tolerated without immunosuppression and decreased the severity of
      retinal ischemia in this murine model. This appealing novel non-cellular
      therapeutic approach warrants further exploration.

PMID- 28636407
TI  - Pulmonary Endpoints in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. A Workshop Summary.
AB  - Development of novel therapeutics for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
      (DMD) has led to clinical trials that include pulmonary endpoints that allow
      assessment of respiratory muscle status, especially in nonambulatory subjects.
      Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) convened a workshop in Bethesda,
      Maryland, on April 14 and 15, 2016, to summarize published respiratory data in
      DMD and give guidance to clinical researchers assessing the effect of
      interventions on pulmonary outcomes in DMD.

PMID- 28636408
TI  - Pattern Visual Evoked Potential, Pattern Electroretinogram, and Retinal Nerve
      Fiber Layer Thickness in Patients with Migraine during and after Aura.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study pattern visual evoked potential (PVEP), pattern
      electroretinogram (PERG), and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in
      patients with migraine during and after aura. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included
      60 eyes of 60 patients with migraine (Group 1) and 30 healthy volunteers (30
      eyes) as controls (Group 2). Group 1 was studied twice, during a visual aura (1
      a) and in between attacks (1-b). All participants underwent full ophthalmological
      examination, PVEP, PERG, and optical coherence tomographyOCT imaging of the RNFL
      thickness for each patient. RESULTS: RNFL thickness was found to be thinner in
      patients during the aura compared to controls. It increased significantly post
      aura but remained lower than the controls. Prolonged P100 latency and decreased
      amplitude were found in patients during aura compared to controls with
      significant change in between attacks to values comparable to the controls. We
      found prolonged N95 latency and decreased amplitude in patients during aura
      compared to controls with significant change post-aura to values comparable to
      the controls. There was positive correlation between average RNFL thicknesses and
      VA and spherical equivalent; but it showed negative correlation with duration of
      migraine, attack duration, and aura duration. Multiple regression analysis showed
      that the most important determinants of average RNFL thickness in patients of
      migraine were attack and aura duration (beta = -0.21 and -0.26 and p = 0.03 and
      0.04, respectively). CONCLUSION: Migraine attacks impose both functional and
      structural retinal changes. The functional changes are fully reversible after the
      aura but not the structural ones. So, vigorous prevention of migraine attacks
      would be protective for retina.

PMID- 28636409
TI  - Subjective well-being of visually impaired older adults living in the community.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Vision impairment is one of the most common disabilities among older
      adults, and it has a substantial impact on well-being. The present study
      constructs an integrative model to identify which variables derived from four
      dimensions of life (physical/functional, social, psychological and environmental)
      combined with sociodemographic variables explain the overall subjective well
      being (SWB) visually impaired older adults living in the community. METHOD: A
      total of 121 severe visually impaired persons, aged 60 and over (M = 77.4, range
      60-95), participated in the study. Personal, face-to-face interviews were
      conducted with participants at social centers or at their homes. Research tools
      consisted of valid and reliable questionnaires. RESULTS: Five variables explained
      the older adults' variability in SWB: self-rated health, sense of meaning in
      life, functional independence in activity of daily living (ADL), sense of control
      of one's environment (Mastery) and the participant's age. The explained variance
      percentage was found to be high (61%). In contrast to expectations, social
      environmental variables proved to be only of secondary significance in explaining
      SWB variability. DISCUSSION: Variables derived from the psychological dimension
      appear more significant than the social-environmental variables in explaining SWB
      among visually impaired older adults. These variables should be considered when
      developing intervention programs intended to increase SWB within this unique
      population group.

PMID- 28636410
TI  - Targeting cancer cell mitochondria as a therapeutic approach: recent updates.
AB  - Mitochondria play a key role in ATP generation, redox homeostasis and regulation
      of apoptosis. Due to the essential role of mitochondria in metabolism and cell
      survival, targeting mitochondria in cancer cells is considered as an attractive
      therapeutic strategy. However, metabolic flexibility in cancer cells may enable
      the upregulation of compensatory pathways, such as glycolysis to support cancer
      cell survival when mitochondrial metabolism is inhibited. Thus, compounds capable
      of both targeting mitochondria and inhibiting glycolysis may be particularly
      useful to overcome such drug-resistant mechanism. This review provides an update
      on recent development in the field of targeting mitochondria and novel compounds
      that impact mitochondria, glycolysis or both. Key challenges in this research
      area and potential solutions are also discussed.

PMID- 28636411
TI  - Asthma and influenza vaccination in elderly hospitalized patients: Matched case
      control study in Spain.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Influenza infection is an exacerbating factor for asthma, and its
      prevention is critical in managing asthmatic patients. We investigated the effect
      of influenza vaccination on asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients hospitalized
      with laboratory-confirmed influenza in Spain. METHODS: We made a matched case
      control study to assess the frequency of hospitalization for influenza in people
      aged >=65 years. Hospitalized patients with unplanned hospital admissions were
      recruited from 20 hospitals representing seven Spanish regions. Cases were
      defined as those hospitalized due to a laboratory-confirmed influenza infection
      and controls were matched by age, sex, and hospital. Data were obtained from
      clinical records, and patients stratified by clinical asthma history. Vaccination
      status and asthma due to influenza infection were analyzed according to
      sociodemographic variables and medical risk conditions. Multivariable analysis
      was made using conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: 582 hospitalized
      patients with influenza (15.8% asthmatic) and 1,570 hospitalized patients without
      influenza (7.9% asthmatic) were included. In the multivariable conditional
      logistic regression using unvaccinated and non-asthmatic patients as the
      reference group, vaccination significantly prevented influenza in non-asthmatic
      patients (aOR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.88) and also showed a trend for a possibly
      protective effect in asthmatic patients (aOR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.34, 1.81).
      CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that influenza vaccination could be a protective
      factor for asthmatic patients, although the results are inconclusive and further
      research is required. Practically, given the better clinical evolution of
      vaccinated asthma cases, and the lack of better evidence, the emphasis on
      vaccination of this group should continue.

PMID- 28636412
TI  - Comparative chemical and biological studies of leaves and pollens of Phoenix
      canariensis hort. ex Chabaud.
AB  - AIM: Phoenix canariensis hort. ex Chabaud is one of the most important palm
      plants. In spite of that, it has not been extensively investigated from a
      phytochemical or a biological perspective. MATERIALS & METHODS: Air-dried
      powdered leaves and pollen grains of the plant were extracted using 70% ethanol.
      The residues were fractionated with different solvents of increasing polarity.
      Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-hyperglycemic activities
      were determined using adult male albino rats of wistar strain. RESULTS:
      Phytochemical investigation of Phoenix canariensis (Arecaceae) leaves and pollens
      led to the isolation of five compounds; isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-glucoside and
      isorhamnetin 7-O-rutinoside from the leaves in addition to isorhamnetin-3-O
      rutinoside and rutin together with beta sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glucoside from
      pollens. The 70% ethanolic extracts of both organs were found to possess the
      highest antioxidant activity followed by their ethyl acetate fractions. Seventy
      percent ethanolic leaf extract and its ethyl acetate fraction showed the most
      potent hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperglycemic activities as
      compared with reference drugs. Isorhamnetin-7-O-rutinoside and beta-sitosterol-3
      O-beta-D-glucoside were isolated from the genus and from Phoenix canariensis for
      the first time. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that Phoenix canariensis is an
      efficient natural source of safe antioxidants, anti-hyperglycemic, anti
      inflammatory and hepatoprotective agents.

PMID- 28636413
TI  - Tea consumption is associated with cognitive impairment in older Chinese adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between tea consumption and cognitive
      impairment (CoI). METHODS: 4579 adults (>=60 years) from the Weitang Geratric
      Diseases Study were assessed for characteristics of tea consumption and cognitive
      function by administering questionnaires and the Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT),
      respectively. We divided the subjects into normal cognitive function group (AMT
      score >=8) and CoI group (AMT score <=7).   The association between tea
      consumption and risk of CoI was determined by logistic regression models.
      RESULTS: The least-squared means of the AMT scores for the subjects who seldom
      consumed tea were less favorable than those who habitually consumed tea. An
      inverse association was found between tea consumption (of any type) and
      prevalence of CoI (odds ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval = 0.57-0.98, P =
      0.032). Interestingly, the protective correlation of tea was more obvious in
      never smokers (odds ratio = 0.63), but vanished in current/former smokers (odds
      ratio = 1.10). In never smokers, frequency of tea consumption was significantly
      associated with CoI (P for trend = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Habitual tea consumption
      is suggested to be associated with a decreased risk of CoI among elders in
      Suzhou, and a higher frequency of tea consumption was associated with a lower
      prevalence of CoI among never smokers.

PMID- 28636414
TI  - Non-dipping status and selected adipokines concentration in children with primary
      arterial hypertension.
AB  - : High blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents is associated with
      increased risk of persistent hypertension (HT) in adulthood and, consequently,
      cardiovascular disease and target organ damage. AIM: The values of selected
      anthropometric parameters and laboratory test results including leptin and apelin
      concentration were evaluated with regard to averaged values of office BP
      measurements and 24-hour ABPM. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 55
      children: 23-with primary HT and coexisting overweight or obese (HT-OB), 16-with
      primary HT and normal weight (HT-NW), and 16 healthy children (C). RESULTS: The
      concentration of leptin and apelin in HT-OB children was significantly higher
      than in the C and HT-NW group. A similar finding for leptin level was
      demonstrated in comparison of HT-NW with C group. In children with HT-OB, the
      lack of decline in nocturnal DBP was associated with significantly higher BMI and
      the Cole's Index value. Children with HT-OB and lack of decline in nocturnal SBP
      showed lower leptin and insulin concentrations, and lower values of HOMA-IR as
      compared with dipping children. Positive correlation in the whole study group was
      found between adipokines levels and BP measurements. In conclusion, children with
      primary HT show higher concentration of adipokines compared with their healthy
      peers. The data on relationship of serum adipokines levels with anthropometric
      and BP parameters in children may be helpful to clarify the sequence of
      disturbances in the cardiovascular system in adults, which requires further
      examination.

PMID- 28636416
TI  - AKT modulates the autophagy-lysosome pathway via TFEB.

PMID- 28636415
TI  - Comprehensive Modeling of Corneal Alkali Injury in the Rat Eye.
AB  - PURPOSE: To characterize the molecular, clinical, and histopathological profiles
      in the rat cornea after alkali injury over a 21-day period. METHODS: Alkali
      injury was induced in one eye of male Lewis rats. Corneal opacity and corneal
      neovascularization were assessed daily. Real-time qRT-PCR analysis and
      immunohistochemical staining were conducted to examine inflammation,
      neovascularization, and fibrosis. RESULTS: We found that within 2 hours of
      chemical exposure, corneal opacification rapidly developed with an acute increase
      in various cytokine expressions, while several cytokines demonstrated a secondary
      peak by day 7. Early neutrophil infiltration peaked at day 1 post-injury while
      macrophage infiltration peaked at day 7. Throughout the time course of the study,
      corneal opacity persisted and neovascularization, lymphangiogenesis, and fibrosis
      progressed. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the molecular, clinical, and
      histopathological changes throughout the progression of alkali injury in the rat
      cornea. These profiles will assist in the development of new strategies and
      therapies for ocular alkali injury.

PMID- 28636417
TI  - A novel antimicrobial approach based on the inhibition of zinc uptake in
      Salmonella enterica.
AB  - In this review we discuss evidences suggesting that bacterial zinc homeostasis
      represents a promising target for new antimicrobial strategies. The ability of
      the gut pathogen Salmonella enterica sv Typhimurium to withstand the host
      responses aimed at controlling growth of the pathogen critically depends on the
      zinc importer ZnuABC. Strains lacking a functional ZnuABC or its soluble
      component ZnuA display a dramatic loss of pathogenicity, due to a reduced ability
      to express virulence factors; withstand the inflammatory response; and compete
      with other gut microbes. Based on this data, ZnuA was chosen as a candidate for
      the rational design of novel antibiotics. Through a combination of structural and
      functional investigations, we have provided a proof of concept of the potential
      of this approach.

PMID- 28636419
TI  - Poison or Prevention? Understanding the Linkages between Vaccine-Negative
      Individuals' Knowledge Deficiency, Motivations, and Active Communication
      Behaviors.
AB  - The last few decades have seen growing concerns among parents regarding the
      safety of childhood vaccines, arguably leading to the rise of the anti-vaccine
      movement. This study is an effort to understand situational and cross-situational
      factors that influence individuals' negative attitudes toward vaccines, referred
      to as vaccine negativity. In doing so, this study elucidated how situational and
      cross-situational factors influence vaccine negativity. Specifically, this study
      tested how knowledge deficiency, or acceptance of scientifically inaccurate data
      about vaccines, and institutional trust influenced negative attitudes toward
      vaccines. Using the situational theory of problem solving as the theoretical
      framework, this study also identified and tested a knowledge-attitude-motivation
      behavior framework of vaccine negative individuals' cognitions and behaviors
      about the issue.

PMID- 28636418
TI  - DXS as a target for structure-based drug design.
AB  - In this review, we analyze the enzyme DXS, the first and rate-limiting protein in
      the methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway. This pathway was discovered in 1996 and
      is one of two known metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of the universal
      building blocks for isoprenoids. It promises to offer new targets for the
      development of anti-infectives against the human pathogens, malaria or
      tuberculosis. We mapped the sequence conservation of 1-deoxy-xylulose-5-phosphate
      synthase on the protein structure and analyzed it in comparison with previously
      identified druggable pockets. We provide a recent overview of known inhibitors of
      the enzyme. Taken together, this sets the stage for future structure-based drug
      design.

PMID- 28636420
TI  - TIRR and 53BP1- partners in arms.

PMID- 28636421
TI  - Analysis of Origins of Admission for Solid Tumor Oncology Inpatients: Disease
      Severity and Outcomes.
AB  - PURPOSE: Hospital transfers may affect clinical outcomes. Evaluation of admission
      by source of transfer, time of admission, and provider type may identify
      opportunities to improve inpatient outcomes. METHODS: We reviewed charts of
      patients admitted to the solid tumor oncology service between July and December
      2014 from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) Main Campus emergency department
      (ED), CCF Regional EDs, outside hospital (OSH) ED, OSH inpatient services, and
      CCF outpatient clinics. Data collected included time of admission, mortality and
      severity risk scores, and provider type. Risk factors were assessed for clinical
      outcomes, including activations of the Adult Medical Emergency Team, intensive
      care unit transfers, in-hospital mortality, and length of stay (LOS). RESULTS:
      Five hundred admissions were included. OSH inpatient transfers had significantly
      higher disease severity compared with all other origins of admission. OSH
      inpatient transfers demonstrated significantly longer LOS compared with all other
      origins of admission, and higher mortality rates compared with the outpatient
      direct admits and CCF Main Campus ED admits. After adjusting for disease severity
      and risk of mortality, OSH ED patients remained at higher risk for Adult Medical
      Emergency Team activation, OSH inpatient transfers had the longest LOS, and CCF
      Main Campus ED patients had the lowest risk of mortality. Time of admission and
      provider type were not associated with any of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: Oncology
      inpatients transferred from an outside health care facility are at higher risk
      for adverse outcomes. The magnitude of difference is lessened, but still
      significant, after adjustment for disease severity and risk of mortality.

PMID- 28636422
TI  - Usurping bacterial virulence factors as self-delivery vehicles for therapeutic
      use.

PMID- 28636423
TI  - Fundamental motor skills: A systematic review of terminology.
AB  - The three aims of this systematic review are to describe: (1) use of the term
      fundamental motor/movement skills (FMS) in published articles; (2) the quality of
      definitions; and (3) relative use of process- and product- oriented assessments
      to measure FMS. The inclusion criteria included: (a) peer-reviewed article, (b)
      printed in English, (c) published between January 2000 and 31 December 2015, (d)
      presence of either the term "fundamental motor or movement skill" in the title
      and/or abstract, and (e) FMS were a measured outcome. There has been an increase
      in the number of publications on FMS in recent years, with the majority of
      studies conducted in Australia (n = 41, 33%). Approximately 24% of studies (n =
      30) did not provide any explicit definition of FMS. A majority of studies
      reported the use of process-oriented measures (n = 98, 79%) compared to product
      oriented measures (n = 23, 19%), and few studies used both (n = 6, 5%). We
      recommend that researchers provide: (1) an operational definition of FMS that
      states FMS are the "building blocks" (or similar terminology) of more advanced,
      complex movements; (2) specific categories of skills that compose FMS; and (3) at
      least one specific example of a FMS.

PMID- 28636424
TI  - Fluid shear stress regulates HepG2 cell migration though time-dependent integrin
      signaling cascade.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a subtype of malignant liver cancer with poor
      prognosis and limited treatment options. It is noteworthy that mechanical forces
      in tumor microenvironment play a pivotal role in mediating the behaviors and
      functions of tumor cells. As an instrumental type of mechanical forces in vivo,
      fluid shear stress (FSS) has been reported having potent physiologic and
      pathologic effects on cancer progression. However, the time-dependent
      mechanochemical transduction in HCC induced by FSS remains unclear. In this
      study, hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells were exposed to 1.4 dyn/cm2 FSS for
      transient duration (15s and 30s), short duration (5 min, 15 min and 30 min) and
      long duration (1h, 2h and 4h), respectively. The expression and translocation of
      Integrins induced FAK-Rho GTPases signaling events were examined. Our results
      showed that FSS endowed HepG2 cells with higher migration ability via
      reorganizing cellular F-actin and disrupting intercellular tight junctions. We
      further demonstrated that FSS regulated the expression and translocation of
      Integrins and their downstream signaling cascade in time-dependent patterns. The
      FSS downregulated focal adhesion components (Paxillin, Vinculin and Talin) while
      upregulated the expression of Rho GTPases (Cdc42, Rac1 and RhoA) in long
      durations. These results indicated that FSS enhanced tumor cell migration through
      Integrins-FAK-Rho GTPases signaling pathway in time-dependent manners. Our in
      vitro findings shed new light on the role of FSS acting in physiologic and
      pathological processes during tumor progression, which has emerged as a promising
      clinical strategy for liver carcinoma.

PMID- 28636426
TI  - Comparison of knowledge, perception and attitudes of concussion in previously
      concussed versus non-concussed youth soccer players.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine if history of concussion is correlated with a difference
      in knowledge, attitude, and perception of concussive injuries in youth soccer
      players. METHODS: A convenience sample of youth soccer athletes aged 14 to 18
      years completed a survey assessing prior history of concussive injury, knowledge
      of concussive injury, self-reporting attitudes, and perception of the injury. The
      survey consists of 16 knowledge questions (eleven on a scale of 1-2, and five on
      a scale of 1-4) and 12 attitude questions (seven on a scale of 1-4, and five on a
      scale of 1-5). The primary outcomes are the total scores calculated by summing
      the standardized raw scores for all knowledge questions and attitude questions,
      respectively. Linear regression was used to estimate the mean difference in the
      primary outcomes between previously concussed and non-concussed athletes
      (calculated as previously concussed - non-concussed). RESULTS: Surveys were
      obtained from 90 athletes, with 32 (36%) previously sustaining at least one
      concussion. Thirty-one out of these 32 concussions were diagnosed by a medical
      provider. On average, the mean total raw scores of all knowledge questions are
      34.6 (82.2% of 42 possible points) and 33.7 (80.2% of 42 total points) for
      previously concussed and non-concussed athletes, respectively, and the mean total
      raw scores of all attitude questions are 38.7 (72.9% of 53 possible points) and
      39.6 (74.7% of 53 possible points), respectively. Mean differences estimated from
      univariate linear regression in the standardized total scores of knowledge
      questions and attitude questions are 1.56(95% confidence interval: -1.52-4.65)
      and -1.23 (%95 confidence interval: -4.64-2.19), respectively. Adjusting for age
      and years of playing soccer gave similar results. CONCLUSION: Although we did not
      find significant differences between previously concussed and non-concussed
      athletes in either the knowledge or the attitude questions as measured by their
      total scores, this study showed a high level of awareness of concussion in youth
      soccer players, while still highlighting a need for education. Limited
      distinctions were made among subgroups of players, suggesting directions of
      future research in investigating the role that outside factors may have on
      knowledge and perception of concussion.

PMID- 28636425
TI  - American Thoracic Society/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Asthma
      Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Overlap Workshop Report.
AB  - Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are highly prevalent
      chronic obstructive lung diseases with an associated high burden of disease.
      Asthma, which is often allergic in origin, frequently begins in infancy or
      childhood with variable airflow obstruction and intermittent wheezing, cough, and
      dyspnea. Patients with COPD, in contrast, are usually current or former smokers
      who present after the age of 40 years with symptoms (often persistent) including
      dyspnea and a productive cough. On the basis of age and smoking history, it is
      often easy to distinguish between asthma and COPD. However, some patients have
      features compatible with both diseases. Because clinical studies typically
      exclude these patients, their underlying disease mechanisms and appropriate
      treatment remain largely uncertain. To explore the status of and opportunities
      for research in this area, the NHLBI, in partnership with the American Thoracic
      Society, convened a workshop of investigators in San Francisco, California on May
      14, 2016. At the workshop, current understanding of asthma-COPD overlap was
      discussed among clinicians, pathologists, radiologists, epidemiologists, and
      investigators with expertise in asthma and COPD. They considered knowledge gaps
      in our understanding of asthma-COPD overlap and identified strategies and
      research priorities that will advance its understanding. This report summarizes
      those discussions.

PMID- 28636427
TI  - Liver-directed therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer is a significant global health issue with over 1
      million cases diagnosed annually throughout the world. 15% of patients diagnosed
      with colorectal cancer will have liver metastases and 60% will develop liver
      metastases if they have metastatic disease. Oligometastatic colorectal cancer
      confined to the liver represents an intermediate state in the evolution of
      metastatic capacity that opens the opportunity for local interventions. Areas
      covered: The literature supports long-term survival if patients undergo liver
      resection of colorectal metastases. This article reviews the liver-directed
      therapeutic strategies available for the management of metastatic liver disease
      including hepatic arterial infusion therapy, radiofrequency ablation, radiation
      therapy and transarterial chemoembolization. Expert commentary: Great advances
      have been made with the use of liver directed therapies. In the USA using hepatic
      arterial infusions with FUDR and Decadron along with systemic therapy, 5 year
      survivals after liver resection have improved. In Europe with the use of HAI of
      Oxaliplatin, more patients have been able to get to resection and have obtained
      higher survival rates, even in second line therapy. New advances in ablative
      therapy have improved results to get all disease treated at resection for the
      treatment of reccurrence.

PMID- 28636429
TI  - Autograft Versus Allograft for Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: An
      Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have demonstrated a higher risk of graft failure
      after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with allograft, but limited data
      are available comparing outcomes of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
      (PCLR) with autograft versus allograft. PURPOSE: To compare the clinical outcomes
      of autograft versus allograft for primary PCLR. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review.
      METHODS: A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed, the Cochrane
      Library, and EMBASE to locate studies (level of evidence I-III) comparing
      clinical outcomes of autograft versus allograft in patients undergoing primary
      PCLR with the conventional transtibial technique. Search terms used were
      "posterior cruciate ligament," "autograft," and "allograft." Patients were
      evaluated based on graft failure rate, examination of knee laxity, and patient
      reported outcome scores (Lysholm, Tegner, subjective International Knee
      Documentation Committee [IKDC], and objective IKDC scores). RESULTS: Five studies
      (2 level II, 3 level III) were identified that met inclusion criteria, including
      a total of 132 patients undergoing PCLR with autograft (semitendinosus-gracilis
      or bone-patellar tendon-bone) and 110 patients with allograft (tibialis anterior,
      Achilles tendon, or bone-patellar tendon-bone). No patients experienced graft
      failure. Average anteroposterior (AP) knee laxity was significantly higher in
      allograft patients (3.8 mm) compared with autograft patients (3.1 mm) ( P < .01).
      Subjective IKDC, Lysholm, and Tegner scores improved for both groups across
      studies, without a significant difference in improvement between groups except in
      one study, in which Lysholm scores improved to a significantly greater extent in
      the autograft group ( P < .01). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing primary PCLR with
      either autograft or allograft can be expected to experience improvement in
      clinical outcomes. Autograft patients experienced less AP knee laxity
      postoperatively, although the clinical significance of this is unclear and
      subjective outcomes improved substantially and to a similar degree in both
      groups.

PMID- 28636428
TI  - FK506-binding proteins 12 and 12.6 (FKBPs) as regulators of cardiac Ryanodine
      Receptors: Insights from new functional and structural knowledge.
AB  - Ryanodine Receptors (RyRs) are intracellular Ca2+ channels that mediate Ca2+ flux
      from the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum in many cell types. The interaction of RyRs
      with FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) has been proposed as an important regulatory
      mechanism, where the loss of this interaction leads to channel dysfunction. In
      the heart, phosphorylation of RyR has been suggested to disrupt the RyR-FKBP
      interaction promoting altered Ca2+ signaling, heart failure and arrhythmias.
      However, the functional result of FKBP interaction with RyR and how this
      interaction is regulated remains highly controversial. Recently, high resolution
      structures of RyR have provided novel aspects to the ongoing debate. This review
      will discuss the most recent functional data in light of these new structures.

PMID- 28636430
TI  - When Is Embryonic Arrest Broken in Turtle Eggs?
AB  - Turtle embryos enter a state of arrested development in the oviduct, allowing the
      mother greater flexibility in her reproductive schedule. Development recommences
      once eggs transition from the hypoxic oviduct to the normoxic nest. Significant
      mortality can occur if turtle eggs are moved between 12 h and 20 d after
      oviposition, and this is linked to the recommencement of embryonic development.
      To better understand the timing of developmental arrest and to determine how
      movement-induced mortality might be avoided, we determined the latency (i.e.,
      time elapsed since oviposition) to recommencement of development following
      oviposition by exposing the eggs of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) to hypoxia
      (oxygen tension <8 mmHg) for 3 d, commencing 30 min to 48 h after oviposition.
      Embryonic development-including development of the characteristic opaque white
      spot on the eggshell-was halted by hypoxic incubation. When the delay before
      hypoxic incubation was 12 h or less, hatching success did not differ from a
      control group. If the hypoxic treatment began after 16 h or more in normoxia,
      then all embryos died. Thus, by returning eggs to a hypoxic environment before
      they have broken from arrest (i.e., within 12 h of oviposition), it is possible
      to extend embryonic arrest for at least 3 d, with no apparent detriment to
      hatching success. Therefore, hypoxic incubation may provide a new approach for
      avoidance of movement-induced mortality when conservation or research efforts
      require the relocation of eggs. Our findings also suggest that movement-induced
      mortality may have constrained the evolution of viviparity in turtles.

PMID- 28636431
TI  - Enhanced production of raw starch degrading enzyme using agro-industrial waste
      mixtures by thermotolerant Rhizopus microsporus for raw cassava chip
      saccharification in ethanol production.
AB  - In the present study, solid-state fermentation for the production of raw starch
      degrading enzyme was investigated by thermotolerant Rhizopus microsporus TISTR
      3531 using a combination of agro-industrial wastes as substrates. The obtained
      crude enzyme was applied for hydrolysis of raw cassava starch and chips at low
      temperature and subjected to nonsterile ethanol production using raw cassava
      chips. The agro-industrial waste ratio was optimized using a simplex axial
      mixture design. The results showed that the substrate mixture consisting of rice
      bran:corncob:cassava bagasse at 8 g:10 g:2 g yielded the highest enzyme
      production of 201.6 U/g dry solid. The optimized condition for solid-state
      fermentation was found as 65% initial moisture content, 35 degrees C, initial pH
      of 6.0, and 5 * 106 spores/mL inoculum, which gave the highest enzyme activity of
      389.5 U/g dry solid. The enzyme showed high efficiency on saccharification of raw
      cassava starch and chips with synergistic activities of commercial alpha-amylase
      at 50 degrees C, which promotes low-temperature bioethanol production. A high
      ethanol concentration of 102.2 g/L with 78% fermentation efficiency was achieved
      from modified simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using cofermentation
      of the enzymatic hydrolysate of 300 g raw cassava chips/L with cane molasses.

PMID- 28636432
TI  - Young Men, Masculinities, and Suicide.
AB  - Young men constitute one of the highest risk groups for suicide in most
      countries. This gives reason to explore how meanings attached to masculinity can
      be evoked and handled when a young man takes his life. In-depth interviews with 5
      to 8 informants for each of 10 suicides, as well as suicide notes, were analyzed
      using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The suicides appeared as
      signature acts of compensatory masculinity with the following themes: When hope
      is gone, no one must know; weakness was never allowed; and suicide conducted in a
      way to present oneself as heroic. The handling of masculinity in triggering
      suicidal plans and in carrying out suicide is intrinsically connected to
      avoidance of help-seeking behavior.

PMID- 28636433
TI  - Immunogenicity of AGS-004 Dendritic Cell Therapy in Patients Treated During Acute
      HIV Infection.
AB  - AGS-004 consists of matured autologous dendritic cells co-electroporated with in
      vitro transcribed RNA encoding autologous HIV antigens. In an open-label, single
      arm sub-study of AGS-004-003, AGS-004 was administered monthly to suppressed
      participants who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) during acute HIV infection.
      HIV-1 specific T cell responses were measured by multicolor flow cytometry after
      3-4 doses. The frequency of resting CD4+ T-cell infection (RCI) was measured by
      quantitative viral outgrowth assay. Participants demonstrating increased immune
      response postvaccination were eligible for analytic treatment interruption (ATI).
      AGS-004 induced a positive immune response defined as >=2-fold increase from
      baseline in the number of multifunctional HIV-1 specific CD28+/CD45RA- CD8+
      effector/memory cytoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) in all six participants. All
      participants underwent ATI with rebound viremia at a median of 29 days. Immune
      correlates between time to viral rebound and the induction of effector CTLs were
      determined. Baseline RCI was low in most participants (0.043-0.767 IUPM). One
      participant had a >2-fold decrease (0.179-0.067 infectious units per million
      [IUPM]) in RCI at week 10. One participant with the lowest RCI had the longest
      ATI. AGS-004 dendritic cell administration increased multifunctional HIV-specific
      CD28+/CD45RA- CD8+ memory T cell responses in all participants, but did not
      permit sustained ART interruption. However, greater expansion of CD28-/CCR7
      /CD45RA- CD8+ effector T cell responses correlated with a longer time to viral
      rebound. AGS-004 may be a useful tool to augment immune responses in the setting
      of latency reversal and eradication strategies.

PMID- 28636434
TI  - Selective Breeding and Short-Term Access to a Running Wheel Alter Stride
      Characteristics in House Mice.
AB  - Postural and kinematic aspects of running may have evolved to support high runner
      (HR) mice to run approximately threefold farther than control mice. Mice from
      four replicate HR lines selectively bred for high levels of voluntary wheel
      running show many differences in locomotor behavior and morphology as compared
      with four nonselected control (C) lines. We hypothesized that HR mice would show
      stride alterations that have coadapted with locomotor behavior, morphology, and
      physiology. More specifically, we predicted that HR mice would have stride
      characteristics that differed from those of C mice in ways that parallel some of
      the adaptations seen in highly cursorial animals. For example, we predicted that
      limbs of HR mice would swing closer to the parasagittal plane, resulting in a two
      dimensional measurement of narrowed stance width. We also expected that some
      differences between HR and C mice might be amplified by 6 d of wheel access, as
      is used to select breeders each generation. We used the DigiGait Imaging System
      (Mouse Specifics) to capture high-speed videos in ventral view as mice ran on a
      motorized treadmill across a range of speeds and then to automatically calculate
      several aspects of strides. Young adults of both sexes were tested both before
      and after 6 d of wheel access. Stride length, stride frequency, stance width,
      stance time, brake time, propel time, swing time, duty factor, and paw contact
      area were analyzed using a nested analysis of covariance, with body mass as a
      covariate. As expected, body mass and treadmill speed affected nearly every
      analyzed metric. Six days of wheel access also affected nearly every measure,
      indicating pervasive training effects, in both HR and C mice. As predicted,
      stance width was significantly narrower in HR than C mice. Paw contact area and
      duty factor were significantly greater in minimuscle individuals (subset of HR
      mice with 50%-reduced hind limb muscle mass) than in normal-muscled HR or C mice.
      We conclude that stride characteristics of house mice are adaptable in response
      to both selective breeding and changes in daily locomotor behavior (activity
      levels) that occur during as few as 6 d. These results have important
      implications for understanding the evolution and coadaptation of locomotor
      behavior and performance.

PMID- 28636435
TI  - Effects of a contrast training programme on jumping, sprinting and agility
      performance of prepubertal basketball players.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 10 week contrast
      training (CT) programme (isometric + plyometric) on jumping, sprinting abilities
      and agility performance in prepubertal basketball players. Fifty-eight children
      from a basketball academy (age: 8.72 +/- 0.97 years; body mass index: 17.22 +/-
      2.48 kg/m2) successfully completed the study. Participants were randomly assigned
      to experimental groups (EG, n = 30) and control groups (CG, n = 28). The CT
      programme was included in the experimental group's training sessions - twice a
      week - as part of their usual weekly training regime. This programme included 3
      exercises: 1 isometric and 2 plyometric. Jumping, sprinting and agility
      performance were assessed before and after the training programme. Significant
      differences were found in posttest between EG and CG in sprint and T-test: EG
      showed better results than CG. Furthermore, there were significant differences in
      posttest-pretest between EG and CG in squat jump, countermovement jump, drop
      jump, sprint and T-test with the EG showing better results than CG. The CT
      programme led to increases in vertical jump, sprint and agility levels, so that
      the authors suggest that prepubertal children exhibit high muscular strength
      trainability.

PMID- 28636436
TI  - Signal-on fluorescent sensor based on N-CQDs for the detection of glutathione in
      human serum and pharmaceutic preparation.
AB  - Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) with citric acid and ethylenediamine
      as raw materials were synthesized by an efficient one-step strategy. The N-CQDs
      showed a special property that the fluorescence was quenched by Fe3+. The
      quenched fluorescence of N-CQDs could be recovered by glutathione (GSH).
      Therefore, a "signal-on" fluorescent sensor was developed to detect GSH. The
      fluorescent sensor could favorably avoid the interference of ascorbic acid,
      dopamine, glucose, oxidized glutathione, and other amino acids in the detecting
      process of GSH. The proposed sensor showed a great feature that GSH can be
      accurately detected in the range from 0.001 to 0.1 mol/L and can be applied to
      detect GSH in the human serum. Therefore, the proposed method has a promising
      application for monitoring the blood drug concentration of GSH in clinical
      studies.

PMID- 28636437
TI  - Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-Mediated Silencing of Nicotiana benthamiana ARGONAUTES
      (NbAGOs) Reveals New Antiviral Candidates and Dominant Effects of TRV-NbAGO1.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of different
      ARGONAUTE proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana (NbAGOs) to the defense against
      silencing sensitive GFP-expressing viral constructs based on Tomato bushy stunt
      virus (TBSV) (Tombusvirus), Sunn-hemp mosaic virus (Tobamovirus), and Foxtail
      mosaic virus (Potexvirus). Upon Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated down
      regulation of NbAGO1, 4, 5, or 6, no effects were noted on susceptibility to any
      virus construct, whereas knockdown of NbAGO2 specifically prevented silencing of
      P19-defective TBSV (TGdP19). Down-regulation of a new gene referred to as NbAGO5L
      showed some reduced silencing for TGdP19 but not for the other two virus
      constructs, whereas silencing of NbAGO7 gave rise to a subtle increase in
      susceptibility to all three viruses. Co-infiltrating different TRV-NbAGO
      constructs simultaneously did not enhance virus susceptibility. However, an
      unexpected finding was that whenever the TRV-NbAGO1 construct was present, this
      compromised silencing of genes targeted by co-infiltrated constructs, as shown
      upon co-infiltration of TRV-NbAGO1 with either TRV-NbAGO2 or TRV-Sul (targeting
      Magnesium chelatase I). Only after a prolonged period (approximately 2 months)
      did TRV-Sul-mediated systemic bleaching occur in these co-infected plants,
      suggesting that TRV-NbAGO1 hinders the silencing ability of other TRV-NbAGO
      constructs. In conclusion, this study revealed new antiviral NbAGOs and dominant
      effects of silencing NbAGO1.

PMID- 28636438
TI  - Oxidative stress mediated by nitrogen at elevated pressure inhibits non-small
      cell lung cancer growth.
AB  - : Purpose/Aim: High pressures of gases such as nitrogen enhance production of
      singlet oxygen. Therefore, we hypothesized that growth of non-small cell lung
      cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells and a human-derived NSCLC explant could be inhibited by
      an oxidative stress mechanism using high-pressure nitrogen. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Growth of human NSCLC explants and A549 cells in Matrigel were assessed
      after implantation into nude mice who were exposed to elevated pressures.
      RESULTS: Subcutaneous implant growth of NSCLC in nude mice was inhibited by a
      daily 78-minute protocol using nitrogen/oxygen breathing mixture such that at the
      maximum pressure of 2.78 atmospheres over ambient, mice breathed oxygen at normal
      atmospheric pressure. In vivo growth inhibition of A549 cells by high-pressure
      nitrogen could be abrogated in subcutaneous Matrigel implants when supplemented
      with 10-mM N-acetylcysteine as an antioxidant. Ex vivo A549 cell exposures
      exhibited elevated singlet oxygen production, and reactive oxygen species were
      produced for up to 4 hours after short-term high-pressure nitrogen exposure.
      CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrates that elevated normoxic nitrogen
      pressure can exacerbate oxidative stress in NSCLC to inhibit growth.

PMID- 28636439
TI  - Functional enrichment of mannanase-treated spent brewer yeast.
AB  - In this study, the effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens-produced beta-mannanase
      on the nutrient diffusion (release) and antioxidant activity of spent brewer
      yeast (SBY) was investigated. Three pretreatments were performed: (1) autolysis
      at 50 degrees C for 24 h; (2) autolysis at 50 degrees C for 24 h, with the
      addition of beta-mannanase during the autolysis; (3) autolysis at 50 degrees C
      for 24 h, and the beta-mannanase was added for another 12 h treatment. The
      pretreatments with the addition of beta-mannanase caused significant cell wall
      degradation, markedly increased the yield of SBY extracts. More importantly, this
      study found that polysaccharides were degraded to be oligosaccharides with a
      considerable reduction in molecular weights. Meanwhile, pretreatment with the
      enzyme also exhibited a higher antioxidant activity in SBY extract compared to
      autolysis itself. The current study indicated that pretreatment (3) had a better
      effect than pretreatment (2) in terms of improving in antioxidant activity in SBY
      extract. These improved characteristics of SBY extracts isolated through
      enzymatic treatment appear to show promising features for their prospective use
      as natural functional agents.

PMID- 28636440
TI  - Effects of Time to Start Training After Acute Patellar Tendon Enthesis Injuries
      on Healing of the Injury in a Rabbit Model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A patellar tendon injury is a common injury in sports. The optimal
      time to start training after an acute, proximal patellar enthesis injury is still
      unclear. HYPOTHESIS: The time to start training after an acute, proximal patellar
      enthesis injury significantly affects healing of the patellar tendon 4 weeks
      after the injury. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: The left
      hindlimbs of 35 mature female rabbits were randomly assigned to 5 injury groups
      including a 4-week natural healing group (NH4W) and 4 training groups that
      started low-intensity training at 24 hours (POST24), 48 hours (POST48), 72 hours
      (POST72), and 96 hours (POST96) after an acute patellar tendon injury, with 7
      limbs in each group. The right hindlimbs of the NH4W group were used as a control
      group (CON). An acute, proximal patellar enthesis injury was created in all
      injury groups. The training groups underwent low-intensity quadriceps training
      for 2 hours per day and 3 days per week for 4 weeks. Histological and
      radiographic data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The cell densities of the
      training groups were significantly lower than those of the NH4W and CON groups (
      P = .01). The fibrocartilage zone was significantly thicker in the POST24,
      POST48, and POST72 groups compared with the CON and NH4W groups and was the
      thickest in the POST24 group ( P = .01). The bone surface to bone volume ratio
      was significantly higher in all the injury groups compared with the CON group and
      in the POST24 group compared with the other groups ( P = .01). Trabecular
      thickness was significantly lower in all the injury groups compared with the CON
      group and in the POST24 group compared with the other groups ( P = .01).
      CONCLUSION: Resting without training in the first 96 hours after an acute
      patellar tendon enthesis injury resulted in the best recovery of cell density in
      the tendon enthesis 4 weeks after the injury. Starting training 96 hours after
      the injury resulted in the best recovery of fibrocartilage zone thickness.
      Starting training 48 to 96 hours after the injury resulted in the best healing of
      the bone component of the attachment site 4 weeks after the injury. The optimal
      time to start training may be longer than 96 hours after an acute patellar tendon
      enthesis injury for the best overall healing of the tendon enthesis 4 weeks after
      the injury. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A rest of a minimal 72 hours may be needed for
      the best healing of a patellar tendon enthesis after an acute injury. Future
      studies are needed to determine the optimal time to start training after an acute
      patellar tendon injury.

PMID- 28636441
TI  - Introduction.

PMID- 28636442
TI  - The National Ebola Training and Education Center: Preparing the United States for
      Ebola and Other Special Pathogens.
AB  - The National Ebola Training and Education Center (NETEC) was established in 2015
      in response to the 2014-2016 Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa. The US
      Department of Health and Human Services office of the Assistant Secretary for
      Preparedness and Response and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      sought to increase the competency of healthcare and public health workers, as
      well as the capability of healthcare facilities in the United States, to deliver
      safe, efficient, and effective care to patients infected with Ebola and other
      special pathogens nationwide. NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, Emory University,
      and the University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine were awarded this
      cooperative agreement, based in part on their experience in safely and
      successfully evaluating and treating patients with Ebola virus disease in the
      United States. In 2016, NETEC received a supplemental award to expand on 3
      initial primary tasks: (1) develop metrics and conduct peer review assessments;
      (2) develop and provide educational materials, resources, and tools, including
      exercise design templates; (3) provide expert training and technical assistance;
      and, to add a fourth task, create a special pathogens clinical research network.

PMID- 28636443
TI  - Personal Protective Equipment Supply Chain: Lessons Learned from Recent Public
      Health Emergency Responses.
AB  - Personal protective equipment (PPE) that protects healthcare workers from
      infection is a critical component of infection control strategies in healthcare
      settings. During a public health emergency response, protecting healthcare
      workers from infectious disease is essential, given that they provide clinical
      care to those who fall ill, have a high risk of exposure, and need to be assured
      of occupational safety. Like most goods in the United States, the PPE market
      supply is based on demand. The US PPE supply chain has minimal ability to rapidly
      surge production, resulting in challenges to meeting large unexpected increases
      in demand that might occur during a public health emergency. Additionally, a
      significant proportion of the supply chain is produced off-shore and might not be
      available to the US market during an emergency because of export restrictions or
      nationalization of manufacturing facilities. Efforts to increase supplies during
      previous public health emergencies have been challenging. During the 2009 H1N1
      influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic, the commercial supply chain
      of pharmaceutical and healthcare products quickly became critical response
      components. This article reviews lessons learned from these responses from a PPE
      supply chain and systems perspective and examines ways to improve PPE readiness
      for future responses.

PMID- 28636444
TI  - A Highly Infectious Disease Care Network in the US Healthcare System.
AB  - During the 2014-15 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the United States responded by
      stratifying hospitals into 1 of 3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      (CDC)-designated categories-based on the hospital's ability to identify, isolate,
      assess, and provide care to patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus
      disease (EVD)-in an attempt to position the US healthcare system to safely
      isolate and care for potential patients. Now, with the Ebola epidemic quelled, it
      is crucial that we act on the lessons learned from the EVD response to broaden
      our national perspective on infectious disease mitigation and management, build
      on our newly enhanced healthcare capabilities to respond to infectious disease
      threats, develop a more cost-effective and sustainable model of infectious
      disease prevention, and continue to foster training so that the nation is not in
      a vulnerable position once more. We propose the formal creation of a US Highly
      Infectious Disease Care Network (HIDCN) modeled after 2 previous highly
      infectious disease consensus efforts in the United States and the European Union.
      A US Highly Infectious Disease Care Network can provide a common platform for the
      exchange of training, protocols, research, knowledge, and capability sharing
      among high-level isolation units. Furthermore, we envision the network will
      cultivate relationships among facilities and serve as a means of establishing
      national standards for infectious disease response, which will strengthen
      domestic preparedness and the nation's ability to respond to the next highly
      infectious disease threat.

PMID- 28636445
TI  - Developing a CASPER Survey to Assess the Prevalence of Risk Factors for Neglected
      Tropical Diseases in Texas.
AB  - While more than a billion people live at risk of neglected tropical diseases in
      areas of Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America, the degree to which such
      diseases burden countries like the United States is currently unclear. Even
      though many neglected tropical diseases such as dengue, leishmaniasis, and Chagas
      disease are not endemic to the United States, the possibility of their emergence
      is noteworthy, especially in states like Texas, which has high levels of poverty,
      a large immigrant population, and a climate amenable to the vectors for these
      diseases and is geographically proximate to endemic areas. Despite the health
      threat that emerging neglected tropical diseases may pose, little is known about
      the prevalence of risk factors for them in the United States. Texas House Bill
      2055, enacted on September 1, 2015, mandated the establishment of a surveillance
      program for neglected tropical diseases in Texas. After reviewing the potential
      risk factors for transmission in Texas, we developed a 41-question survey that
      could be implemented using the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency
      Response (CASPER) method. In concert with public health surveillance and vector
      population monitoring, data from CASPERs could be used to quickly and cost
      effectively assess the prevalence of risk factors for 10 neglected tropical
      diseases in Texas or elsewhere in the United States. The data generated by future
      CASPERs conducted using this survey could be immediately actionable, guiding
      public health priority setting and decision making.

PMID- 28636446
TI  - United States Notifications of Travelers from Ebola-Affected Countries.
AB  - The International Health Regulations (IHR), an international law under the
      auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), mandates that countries notify
      other countries of "travelers under public health observation." Between November
      10, 2014, and July 12, 2015, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      (CDC) made 2,374 notifications to the National IHR Focal Points in 114 foreign
      countries of travelers who were monitored by US health departments because they
      had been to an Ebola-affected country in West Africa. Given that countries have
      preidentified focal points as points of contacts for sharing of public health
      information, notifications could be made by CDC to a trusted public health
      recipient in another country within 24 hours of receipt of the traveler's
      information from a US health department. The majority of US health departments
      used this process, offered by CDC, to notify other countries of travelers
      intending to leave the United States while being monitored in their jurisdiction.

PMID- 28636447
TI  - Emerging Viral Infections in Pakistan: Issues, Concerns, and Future Prospects.
AB  - Emerging infectious diseases pose a serious threat to public health security;
      this is especially true in the underdeveloped world because of limited resources
      to combat them. These emerging pathogens are characterized by a novel mode of
      pathogenesis and, in some cases, a broad host range. Over the past few decades,
      Pakistan has suffered a great deal from infectious diseases such as dengue,
      Crimean-Congo fever, hepatitis, measles, and polio. Changing climate conditions,
      environmental degradation, global warming, loss of biodiversity, and other
      ecological determinants have a direct effect on these diseases and result in the
      emergence and reemergence of infectious entities. The causes of such disease
      outbreaks are complex and often not well understood. Dealing with an outbreak
      requires an integrated and coordinated approach, with decision making by various
      state departments. Stringent biosecurity and biosafety protocols can help to
      reduce the chances of infection dissemination. In order to mitigate the risks
      associated with emerging pathogens, there is a greater need to understand the
      interactions of pathogen-host-environment, to monitor molecular evolution and
      genomic surveillance, and to facilitate the gearing up of scientists across the
      globe to control these emerging diseases. This article reviews recent outbreaks
      in Pakistan and challenges for the development of an agile healthcare setup in
      the country.

PMID- 28636448
TI  - Ebola Virus Training: A Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis.
AB  - In response to the 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak, the Worker Training Program
      embarked on an assessment of existing training for those at risk for exposure to
      the virus. Searches of the recent peer-reviewed literature were conducted for
      descriptions of relevant training. Federal guidance issued during 2015 was also
      reviewed. Four stakeholder meetings were conducted with representatives from
      health care, academia, private industry, and public health to discuss issues
      associated with ongoing training. Our results revealed few articles about
      training that provided sufficient detail to serve as models. Training programs
      struggled to adjust to frequently updated federal guidance. Stakeholders
      commented that most healthcare training focused solely on infection control, and
      there was an absence of employee health-related training for non-healthcare
      providers. Challenges to ongoing training included funding and organizational
      complacency. Best practices were noted where management and employees planned
      training cooperatively and where infection control, employee health, and hospital
      emergency managers worked together on the development of protective guidance. We
      conclude that sustainable training for infectious disease outbreaks requires
      annual funding, full support from organizational management, input from all
      stakeholders, and integration of infection control, emergency management, and
      employee health when implementing guidance and training.

PMID- 28636449
TI  - Zika Virus in Ontario: Evaluating a Rapid Risk Assessment Tool for Emerging
      Infectious Disease Threats.
AB  - To determine the Ontario-specific risk of local and travel-related Zika virus
      transmission in the context of a public health emergency of international
      concern, Public Health Ontario (PHO) completed a rapid risk assessment (RRA) on
      January 29, 2016, using a newly developed RRA guidance tool. The RRA concluded
      that risk of local mosquito-borne transmission was low, with a high risk of
      imported cases through travel. The RRA was updated 3 times based on predetermined
      triggers. An independent evaluation assessed both the application of the RRA
      guidance tool (process evaluation) and the usefulness of the RRA (outcome
      evaluation). We conducted face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 7
      individuals who participated in the creation or review of the Zika virus RRA and
      4 end-users at PHO and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. An inductive
      thematic analysis of responses was undertaken, whereby themes were directly
      informed by the data. The process evaluation determined that most steps outlined
      in the RRA guidance tool were adhered to, including forming a cross-functional
      writing team, clarifying the scope and describing context, completing the RRA
      summary report, and updating the RRA based on predefined triggers. The outcome
      evaluation found that end-users judged the Zika virus RRA as evidence-informed,
      useful, consistent, and timely. The evaluation established that the locally
      tailored guidance tool, adapted from national and international approaches to
      RRAs, facilitated a systematic, evidence-informed, and timely formal RRA process
      at PHO for the Zika virus RRA, which met the needs of end-users. Based on the
      evaluation, PHO will modify future RRAs by incorporating some flexibility into
      the literature review process to support timeliness of the RRA, explicitly
      describing the limitations of studies used to inform the RRA, and refining risk
      algorithms to better suit emerging infectious disease threats. It is anticipated
      that these refinements will improve upon the timely assessment of novel or
      reemerging infectious diseases.

PMID- 28636450
TI  - Impact of mycotoxins on the intestine: are mucus and microbiota new targets?
AB  - There is an increasing awareness of the deleterious effects attributed to
      mycotoxins during their fate within the gut, particularly for deoxynivalenol
      (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisin B1 (FB1), aflatoxin B1
      (AFB1), and patulin (PAT). Evidence indicates that disruption of the epithelial
      barrier is well established. However, intestinal barrier function on its luminal
      side involves two other partners, mucus and microbiota, which have rarely been
      considered in the context of mycotoxin exposure. The current review aimed at
      providing a summary of DON, ZEN, OTA, FB1, AFB1, and PAT effects on intestinal
      barrier function, with special focus on mucus and microbiota. DON, ZEN, OTA, FB1,
      AFB1, and PAT are known to markedly affect epithelial cell integrity and
      functions. Regarding mucus, DON is the most documentated mycotoxin. In vivo,
      toxicological impact of DON generally has only been assessed through goblet cell
      number. Evaluation of the mycotoxins/mucus interplay considering other indicators
      such as composition, thickness, and penetrability of mucus, mucin O-glycosylation
      thus warrants further attention. With respect to microbiota, few short-term
      studies to date have been reported indicating deleterious effects. However, long
      term exposure to mycotoxins may also produce significant changes in microbiota
      composition and metabolic activity, which requires further experimentation. In
      conclusion, mucus and microbiota are key targets for dietary mycotoxins although
      assessment of induced effects is preliminary. A significant research effort is
      now underway to determine the adverse consequences of mycotoxins on mucus and
      microbiota considered as individual but also as tightly connected gut players.

PMID- 28636451
TI  - Assessing hydrogen peroxide vapor exposure from hospital sterilizers.
AB  - This study examines the hydrogen peroxide concentrations measured near four
      models of hydrogen peroxide sterilizers, from two manufacturers, monitored in
      seven hospitals across the U.S. and Canada over several years. The results showed
      that the majority of sterilizers do not emit hazardous levels of hydrogen
      peroxide and none of them exceeded the OSHA PEL of 1 ppm (8-hr time-weighted
      average (TWA)), however several of the sterilizers exceeded 3 ppm, the short-term
      exposure limit in two states: Washington and Hawaii. One hospital found brief
      concentrations of 25-40 ppm hydrogen peroxide from 4 hydrogen peroxide
      sterilizers each time they opened the sterilizer at the end of its cycle.
      Although not exceeding the OSHA PEL, these exposures are of concern since this
      concentration is roughly half the NIOSH IDLH of 75 ppm, and operators in a busy
      hospital environment may receive these exposures multiple times a day.

PMID- 28636452
TI  - Epidemiology of NIV for Acute Respiratory Failure in COPD Patients: Results from
      the International Surveys vs. the "Real World".
AB  - Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been recommended as the  first-line
      ventilation modality for acute respiratory failure (ARF) due to acute
      exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) based on strong
      evidence. However, everyday clinical practice may differ from findings of
      multiple randomized controlled trials. Physicians and respiratory therapists
      involved in NIV management have been queried about its utilization and
      effectiveness. In addition to these estimates, cohort studies and analysis of
      large inpatient dataset of patients with AECOPD and ARF managed with NIV have
      been extensively published over the last two decades. This review summarizes the
      perception of medical staff vs. the "real life" data about NIV use for ARF in
      AECOPD patients.

PMID- 28636453
TI  - Testing the efficacy of existing force-endurance models to account for the
      prevalence of obesity in the workforce.
AB  - This study evaluates whether the existing force-endurance relationship models are
      predictive of endurance time for overweight and obese individuals, and if not,
      provide revised models that can be applied for ergonomics practice. Data was
      collected from 141 participants (49 normal weight, 50 overweight, 42 obese) who
      each performed isometric endurance tasks of hand grip, shoulder flexion, and
      trunk extension at four levels of relative workload. Subject-specific fatigue
      rates and a general model of the force-endurance relationship were determined and
      compared to two fatigue models from the literature. There was a lack of fit
      between previous models and the current data for the grip (ICC = 0.8), with a
      shift toward lower endurance times for the new data. Application of the revised
      models can facilitate improved workplace design and job evaluation to accommodate
      the capacities of the current workforce.

PMID- 28636454
TI  - Anticancer potential of sanguinarine for various human malignancies.
AB  - Sanguinarine (Sang) - a benzophenanthridine alkaloid extracted from Sanguinaria
      canadensis - exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, proapoptotic and growth
      inhibitory activities on tumor cells of various cancer types as established by in
      vivo and in vitro studies. Although the underlying mechanism of Sang antitumor
      activity is yet to be fully elucidated, Sang has displayed multiple biological
      effects, which remain to suggest its possible use in plant-derived treatments of
      human malignancies. This review covers the anticancer abilities of Sang including
      inhibition of aberrantly activated signal transduction pathways, induction of
      cell death and inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. It also highlights Sang
      mediated inhibition of angiogenesis, inducing the expression of tumor
      suppressors, sensitization of cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutics to
      enhance their cytotoxic effects, while addressing the present need for further
      pharmacokinetic-based studies.

PMID- 28636455
TI  - The Role of the Healthcare Chaplain: A Literature Review.
AB  - Healthcare chaplains operate in many healthcare sites internationally and yet
      their contribution is not always clearly understood by medical and healthcare
      staff. This review aims to explore the chaplains' role in healthcare, with a view
      to informing best practice in future healthcare chaplaincy. Overall the extent of
      the provision and staffing of chaplaincy service internationally is unclear. From
      this review, several key spiritual and pastoral roles in healthcare emerge
      including a potential contribution to ethical decision making at the end of life.
      Healthcare chaplains are key personnel, already employed in many healthcare
      organizations, who are in a pivotal position to contribute to future developments
      of faith-based care, faith-sensitive pastoral, and spiritual care provision. They
      also have a new and evolving role in ethical support of patient, families and
      healthcare teams.

PMID- 28636456
TI  - Healthcare System in Indonesia.
AB  - The cultural diversity, its archipelago, and the major religion being Muslim have
      all influenced the development of the healthcare in Indonesia. The authors'
      objective is to describe the evolution of the healthcare system in Indonesia.
      Community-based health service, called puskesmas, is the key of the healthcare
      service in the country. The World Health Organization estimated that 64% of all
      deaths in Indonesia are caused by noncommunicable diseases, which might relate to
      the mostly unorganized prehospital care system. The healthcare system in
      Indonesia continues to improve its care delivery and outcomes by an escalation in
      the number of health services.

PMID- 28636457
TI  - NOTCH signaling in lung diseases.
AB  - NOTCH is a fundamental signaling system that regulates normal embryonic
      development and tissue homeostasis in adult life. NOTCH receptor is a single-pass
      transmembrane protein normally triggered via direct cell-to-cell contact, in
      which NOTCH ligands bind the extracellular domain of the receptor, inducing gamma
      secretase cleavage and release of intracellular domain. The intracellular domain
      binds to the transcriptional effector RBPJkappa to activate transcription of
      target genes that regulate cell differentiation, patterning, and morphogenesis
      during embryonic development and adult life. Specifically, NOTCH plays an
      essential role in the development and homeostasis of the lung. Aberrations in
      NOTCH signaling or components of the signaling system have been linked to various
      pulmonary pathological conditions. We herein provide a brief overview of
      collective in vitro and in vivo studies of NOTCH signaling to illustrate its
      regulatory functions in lung diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and lung cancer. We also
      discuss the mechanisms underlying the regulatory role of NOTCH in these
      pathological conditions and the potential of NOTCH-targeted therapies for the
      treatment of these diseases.

PMID- 28636458
TI  - Contamination of firefighter personal protective equipment and skin and the
      effectiveness of decontamination procedures.
AB  - Firefighters' skin may be exposed to chemicals via permeation/penetration of
      combustion byproducts through or around personal protective equipment (PPE) or
      from the cross-transfer of contaminants on PPE to the skin. Additionally,
      volatile contaminants can evaporate from PPE following a response and be inhaled
      by firefighters. Using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile
      organic compounds (VOCs) as respective markers for non-volatile and volatile
      substances, we investigated the contamination of firefighters' turnout gear and
      skin following controlled residential fire responses. Participants were grouped
      into three crews of twelve firefighters. Each crew was deployed to a fire
      scenario (one per day, four total) and then paired up to complete six fireground
      job assignments. Wipe sampling of the exterior of the turnout gear was conducted
      pre- and post-fire. Wipe samples were also collected from a subset of the gear
      after field decontamination. VOCs off-gassing from gear were also measured pre
      fire, post-fire, and post-decon. Wipe sampling of the firefighters' hands and
      neck was conducted pre- and post-fire. Additional wipes were collected after
      cleaning neck skin. PAH levels on turnout gear increased after each response and
      were greatest for gear worn by firefighters assigned to fire attack and to search
      and rescue activities. Field decontamination using dish soap, water, and
      scrubbing was able to reduce PAH contamination on turnout jackets by a median of
      85%. Off-gassing VOC levels increased post-fire and then decreased 17-36 min
      later regardless of whether field decontamination was performed. Median post-fire
      PAH levels on the neck were near or below the limit of detection (< 24 micrograms
      per square meter [ug/m2]) for all positions. For firefighters assigned to attack,
      search, and outside ventilation, the 75th percentile values on the neck were 152,
      71.7, and 39.3 ug/m2, respectively. Firefighters assigned to attack and search
      had higher post-fire median hand contamination (135 and 226 ug/m2, respectively)
      than other positions (< 10.5 ug/m2). Cleansing wipes were able to reduce PAH
      contamination on neck skin by a median of 54%.

PMID- 28636460
TI  - Evaluation of Bovine High-Density SNP Genotyping Array in Indigenous Dairy Cattle
      Breeds.
AB  - In total 52 samples of Sahiwal ( 19 ), Tharparkar ( 17 ), and Gir ( 16 ) were
      genotyped by using BovineHD SNP chip to analyze minor allele frequency (MAF),
      genetic diversity, and linkage disequilibrium among these cattle. The common SNPs
      of BovineHD and 54K SNP Chips were also extracted and evaluated for their
      performance. Only 40%-50% SNPs of these arrays was found informative for genetic
      analysis in these cattle breeds. The overall mean of MAF for SNPs of BovineHD
      SNPChip was 0.248 +/- 0.006, 0.241 +/- 0.007, and 0.242 +/- 0.009 in Sahiwal,
      Tharparkar and Gir, respectively, while that for 54K SNPs was on lower side. The
      average Reynold's genetic distance between breeds ranged from 0.042 to 0.055
      based on BovineHD Beadchip, and from 0.052 to 0.084 based on 54K SNP Chip. The
      estimates of genetic diversity based on HD and 54K chips were almost same and,
      hence, low density chip seems to be good enough to decipher genetic diversity of
      these cattle breeds. The linkage disequilibrium started decaying (r2 < 0.2) at
      140 kb inter-marker distance and, hence, a 20K low density customized SNP array
      from HD chip could be designed for genomic selection in these cattle else the 54K
      Bead Chip as such will be useful.

PMID- 28636459
TI  - Inhibition of Fusarium solani Infection in Murine Keratocytes by Lactobacillus
      salivarius ssp. salivarius JCM1231 Culture Filtrate In Vitro.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the inhibitory activity of Lactobacillus salivarius ssp.
      salivarius JCM1231 (L. salivarius JCM1231) culture filtrate against Fusarium
      solani (F. solani) and its effects on murine keratocytes (MKs) infected with F.
      solani. METHODS: L. salivarius JCM1231 was cultured in an anaerobic incubator for
      24 h, and the L. salivarius culture filtrate (LSCF) was prepared .The antifungal
      activity of L. salivarius JCM1231 against F. solani was determined with a plate
      overlay assay, agar diffusion assay, and conidial germination inhibition test.
      The effects of temperature, pH, and proteolytic enzymes on the antifungal
      activity of LSCF were detected with microtiter plate-well assay and conidial
      germination inhibition assay. Furthermore, the effects of LSCF on MKs infected
      with F. solani were detected. Cell activity and apoptosis were measured using
      methylthiazoletetrazolium assays and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The
      levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)
      cytokines were measured using real-time polymerase chain reactions and enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and mycotoxin production was detected with
      high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS:
      Conidial germination and mycelia growth of F. solani were significantly inhibited
      by LSCF. The antifungal substances produced by L. salivarius JCM1231 were heat
      unstable, proteinaceous, and sensitive to proteolytic enzymes and were active
      within a narrow acidic pH range between 2.0 and 4.0. In the presence of 15 ug/ml
      of LSCF, cell activity was significantly increased, and cell apoptosis, the level
      of IL-6 and TNF-alpha expressions, and mycotoxin (zearalenone and fumonisin B1)
      productions were decreased significantly in MKs infected with F. solani.
      CONCLUSION: L. salivarius JCM1231 culture filtrate can effectively inhibit F.
      solani growth and protect MKs against F. solani infection.

PMID- 28636461
TI  - GeNICE: A Novel Framework for Gene Network Inference by Clustering, Exhaustive
      Search, and Multivariate Analysis.
AB  - Gene network (GN) inference from temporal gene expression data is a crucial and
      challenging problem in systems biology. Expression data sets usually consist of
      dozens of temporal samples, while networks consist of thousands of genes, thus
      rendering many inference methods unfeasible in practice. To improve the
      scalability of GN inference methods, we propose a novel framework called GeNICE,
      based on probabilistic GNs; the main novelty is the introduction of a clustering
      procedure to group genes with related expression profiles and to provide an
      approximate solution with reduced computational complexity. We use the defined
      clusters to perform an exhaustive search to retrieve the best predictor gene
      subsets for each target gene, according to multivariate criterion functions.
      GeNICE greatly reduces the search space because predictor candidates are
      restricted to one gene per cluster. Finally, a multivariate analysis is performed
      for each defined predictor subset to retrieve minimal subsets and to simplify the
      network. In our experiments with in silico generated data sets, GeNICE achieved
      substantial computational time reduction when compared to solutions without the
      clustering step, while preserving the gene expression prediction accuracy even
      when the number of clusters is small (about 50) relative to the number of genes
      (order of thousands). For a Plasmodium falciparum microarray data set, the
      prediction accuracy achieved by GeNICE was roughly 97%, while the respective
      topologies involving glycolytic and apicoplast seed genes had a very large
      intramodularity, very small interconnection between modules, and some module hub
      genes, reflecting small-world and scale-free topological properties, as expected.

PMID- 28636462
TI  - Are Commercial Complementary Food Distributions to Refugees and Migrants in
      Europe Conforming to International Policies and Guidelines on Infant and Young
      Child Feeding in Emergencies?
AB  - In 2015, more than one million migrants and refugees arrived in Europe.
      Commercial complementary foods, processed foods marketed for infants and young
      children 6-23 months of age, were distributed by various humanitarian actors
      along migrant routes and in European refugee camps. Unsolicited donations and
      distributions of commercial complementary food products were problematic and
      divergent from international policies on infant and young child feeding during
      humanitarian emergencies. Interim guidance regarding commercial complementary
      foods was published during the peak of the emergency but implemented differently
      by various humanitarian actors. Clearer and more technical specifications on
      commercial complementary foods are needed in order to objectively determine their
      suitability for operational contexts in Europe and emergency nutrition assistance
      in the future.

PMID- 28636463
TI  - Optimization of an anti-HER2 nanobody expression using the Taguchi method.
AB  - Despite being widely used in immunotherapy of cancer, whole antibodies are
      limited by several disadvantages. This has led to the advent of novel
      biomolecules such as nanobodies. Taguchi method is a statistical experimental
      design to study the effect of multiple variables in biological processes. In an
      effort to overexpress a recombinant anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor
      type 2 (HER2) nanobody, we performed a detailed study to find optimal condition
      of temperature, induction, culture media, vector, and host strain, using Taguchi
      methodology. A total of 16 various experiments were designed. Total protein of
      the formulated cultures were assessed by Bradford test and sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by size exclusion high performance
      liquid chromatography to quantify the relative concentration of the nanobody in
      different expression settings. Western blotting was performed to confirm the
      expression of the anti-HER2 nanobody. When, individually, optimum parameters
      determined by Taguchi were applied, including SHuffle strain cultured in LB
      medium, induced with 0.4 mM isopropyl-beta-D-thio-galactoside for 18 h at 24
      degrees C, production yield further increased by about 9% (25.4 mg/L), compared
      to the highest expression setting. Flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay result indicated improved protein binding in optimized conditions. Overall,
      our findings provide a basis for further investigations on economical production
      of recombinant nanobodies to improve production yield and activity.

PMID- 28636464
TI  - Understanding the pluses of pulses.

PMID- 28636466
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28636465
TI  - Evaluation of the Xpert Norovirus assay for the rapid detection of norovirus
      genogroups I and II in faecal specimens within a routine laboratory setting.

PMID- 28636467
TI  - Normal epithelial cells trigger EphA2-dependent RasV12 cell repulsion at the
      single cell level.
AB  - Epithelial cells expressing oncogenic Ras (RasV12) are detected by normal
      neighbors and are often extruded from tissues. We recently demonstrated that
      differential EphA2 signaling drives the segregation of mutant cells from normal
      monolayers via cell repulsion and increased RasV12 cell contractility. EphA2
      signaling on RasV12 cells is triggered by ephrin-A ligands presented by normal
      cells. Here, we show that normal epithelial cells trigger the repulsion and
      enhanced contractility of Ras-transformed epithelial cells at the single cell
      level. We also reveal that ephrin-A ligands expressed on RasV12 cells are not
      required to drive RasV12 cell segregation following interaction with normal
      cells. Thus, normal-RasV12 cell-cell interaction triggers EphA2 forward signaling
      in RasV12 cells to drive repulsion and segregation of the transformed cells.

PMID- 28636468
TI  - Do Ligamentum Teres Tears Portend Inferior Outcomes in Patients With Borderline
      Dysplasia Undergoing Hip Arthroscopic Surgery? A Match-Controlled Study With a
      Minimum 2-Year Follow-up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic surgery in borderline dysplastic hips remains
      controversial, but the role of the ligamentum teres (LT) has not been studied in
      this setting. HYPOTHESIS: Borderline dysplastic patients with LT tears have worse
      short-term outcomes than those without LT tears. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study;
      Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected on patients who
      underwent arthroscopic surgery between February 2008 and April 2014. The
      inclusion criteria were borderline dysplasia (lateral center-edge angle [LCEA],
      18 degrees -25 degrees ) and labral tears; arthroscopic treatments including
      labral preservation and capsular plication; and preoperative patient-reported
      outcome scores including the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-Arthritic Hip
      Score (NAHS), Hip Outcome Score-Sport-Specific Subscale, and visual analog scale
      for pain. Patients were excluded for preoperative Tonnis osteoarthritis grade >0,
      workers' compensation claims, previous ipsilateral hip surgery and conditions, or
      frank dysplasia (LCEA <18 degrees ). Patients with LT tears were pair-matched to
      patients without tears for sex, age at surgery +/-10 years, body mass index (<30
      kg/m2 vs >=30 kg/m2), labral treatment type, and microfracture. RESULTS: Of 68
      eligible patients, 63 (93%) had a minimum 2-year follow-up, and 30 (48%) had LT
      tears. Twenty patients in each group were pair-matched. The mean follow-up time
      was 54.3 months (range, 24.2-83.8 months) for the LT tear group and 38.6 months
      (range, 24.6-70.6 months) for the control group ( P = .002). Ninety percent were
      female. There were no significant differences regarding demographics or intra
      operative procedures. The LT tear group trended toward lower postoperative mHHS (
      P = .09) and NAHS ( P = .09) values. Mean satisfaction was 8.1 for the LT tear
      group and 7.9 for the control group. Preoperative and follow-up scores were not
      significantly different between the groups. The LT tear group had 5 revisions,
      with 1 revision in the control group. Three patients (15%) in the LT tear group
      underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA); no patients in the control group required
      THA. CONCLUSION: In borderline dysplastic patients undergoing hip arthroscopic
      surgery with labral treatment and capsular plication, LT tears may indicate
      advanced instability and portend slightly inferior outcomes when compared with a
      match-controlled group. Borderline dysplastic patients with LT tears may have
      increased propensities toward revision arthroscopic surgery and conversion to
      THA. LT tears in these patients may warrant consideration for additional
      procedures including periacetabular osteotomy and LT reconstruction.

PMID- 28636469
TI  - Ten new species of Macalpinomyces on Eriachne in northern Australia.
AB  - Macalpinomyces was established in 1977, with the type species M. eriachnes
      described from a specimen collected in northern Australia on the grass Eriachne
      sp. in 1855. Subsequently, M. eriachnes has been reported on more than 21 species
      of Eriachne in northern Australia. In this study, a polyphasic approach was
      employed to determine whether M. eriachnes masked cryptic diversity. On the basis
      of morphology, multilocus phylogeny, and coalescent methods of generalized mixed
      Yule-coalescent (GMYC) and Poisson tree processes (PTP) models, 26 specimens of
      Macalpinomyces on 13 species of Eriachne held in Australian herbaria were
      studied. Consequently, 10 new species of Macalpinomyces that satisfied the
      phylogenetic species recognition criteria are described.

PMID- 28636470
TI  - Reply to 'Highly selective A3 adenosine receptor agonists relieve chronic
      neuropathic pain'.

PMID- 28636471
TI  - Laparoscopic colectomy in a district hospital: the single surgeon can be safe.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several outcome measures have been identified for colorectal surgery
      and published in the literature. This study sought to compare outcomes of high
      volume laparoscopic colectomy by a single surgeon in a district hospital with
      outcomes from tertiary referral centres. METHODS: This was a retrospective review
      of elective laparoscopic colectomy by a single laparoscopic general surgeon in a
      district hospital over a 51-month period using a prospectively maintained
      database. The key outcome measures studied were length of hospital stay,
      conversion to open, anastomotic leak, wound infection, re-admission and 30-day
      mortality. RESULTS: 187 elective laparoscopic colectomies were performed at the
      Kent and Canterbury Hospital between July 2008 and October 2012. The median
      patient age was 69 years (range 22-90 years). Median length of hospital stay was
      4 days (range 1-48 days). Anastomotic leak occurred in 4 (2.1%) patients. Seven
      (3.7%) patients underwent conversion to open surgery. Re-admission occurred in 4
      (2.1%) patients for small bowel obstruction (1), wound infection (1), anastomotic
      leak (1) and colo-vaginal fistula (1). There was one post-operative death from
      severe chest infection (0.5%). These results are similar to those published by
      tertiary referral centres. CONCLUSIONS: This study of outcomes at a district
      hospital shows that the outcome reported from laparoscopic colorectal surgery in
      tertiary referral centres is reproducible at the district hospital level by a
      single surgeon with a high operative volume.

PMID- 28636472
TI  - Benign tumors of the parotid gland: a retrospective study of 339 patients.
AB  - AIM: Among 339 patients operated for benign tumor of the parotid gland: the
      recurrences and the postoperative complications rates were compared WITH those
      published in literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: About 339 patients operated: 274
      primarily and 65 for recurrence or residual tumor. VARIABLES: sex, age, surgical
      techniques, pre- or postoperative radiotherapy, histology, size and localization
      of the tumors, disease free intervals, recurrences and postoperative
      complications. RESULTS: 177 men and 162 women. Median age: 55 years and mean
      follow-up: 10.4 years. About 39 patients had adjuvant radiotherapy (11.5%). After
      primary surgery, four patients experienced recurrences (1.5%). After salvage
      surgery, eight patients recurred (12.3%). The recurrence rate was the highest
      among pleomorphic adenomas. Facial paralysis was more frequent after salvage
      surgery. DISCUSSION: Recurrence rate 10 years later was lower after primary than
      after salvage surgery (p = 0.01). There was no relation between adjuvant
      radiotherapy and recurrence rate probably because the low rate of recurrences.
      CONCLUSION: Recurrence rate after primary surgery is lower after superficial or
      total parotidectomy than after other surgical techniques. Pleomorphic adenomas
      have the highest rate of recurrences. Age and sex have no significant influence
      over the rate of recurrences. The most frequent postoperative complications are
      facial paralysis and Frey's syndrome.

PMID- 28636473
TI  - The preventive effect of ambroxol hydrochloride chitosan on postoperative
      intraperitoneal adhesion formation in a rat model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ambroxol hydrochloride
      chitosan reduced the degree of peritoneal adhesion. METHODS: A total of 120
      Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were experimented, group A: the damaged peritoneal was
      covered with ambroxol hydrochloride chitosan, group B: chitosan membrane only,
      group C: nothing. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting,
      and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to observe the expression of TNF-alpha
      and NF-kappaB p65. RESULTS: TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB p65 in group A significantly
      decreased in comparison with the controls. IHC showed TNF-alpha and NF-kappaB p65
      were significantly down-regulated in group A. Adhesion grade in the treatment
      group was significantly lower than in controls. CONCLUSION: Ambroxol
      hydrochloride chitosan reduced the degree of peritoneal adhesion.

PMID- 28636474
TI  - Lumbar artery perforators: an anatomical study based on computed tomographic
      angiography imaging.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The free lumbar artery perforator flap has recently been introduced
      as a potentially valuable option for autologous breast reconstruction in a subset
      of patients. Up to date, few anatomical studies, exploring the lumbar region as a
      donor site for perforator- based flaps, have been conducted. METHODS: An
      anatomical study of the position of the dominant lumbar artery perforator was
      performed, using the preoperative computed tomographic angiography images of 24
      autologous breast reconstruction patients. In total, 61 dominant perforators were
      determined, 28 on the left and 33 on the right side. A radiologist defined the
      position of the perforator as coordinates in an xy-grid. RESULTS: Dominant
      perforators were shown to originate from the lumbar arteries at the level of
      lumbar vertebrae three or four. Remarkably, approximately 85% of these lumbar
      artery perforators enter the skin at 7-10 cm lateral from the midline (mean left
      8.6 cm, right 8.2 cm). CONCLUSION: This study concludes a rather constant
      position of the dominant perforator. Therefore, preoperative-computed tomographic
      angiography is not always essential to find this perforator and Doppler
      ultrasound could be considered as an alternative, thereby carefully assessing all
      advantages and disadvantages inherent to either of these imaging methods.

PMID- 28636475
TI  - Surgical aortic valve replacement for stenosis of TAVI device.
AB  - We here report the case of a stenosis of the CoreValve(r) system due to reduced
      mobility of prosthesis cusps for which a surgical replacement of the aortic valve
      was proposed. The exact mechanism leading to this impaired mobility of the
      leaflets is yet to be determined. We also underline the fact a transcatheter
      aortic valve implantation (TAVI) device can be replaced by a surgical replacement
      without excessive operative risks despite the patient being initially considered
      as high-risk.

PMID- 28636476
TI  - An intradural, subpial lipoma.
AB  - Introduction - patients: Intradural lipomas are rare congenital tumors. A case of
      intradural lipoma in the absence of any congenital spinal anomalies is reported.
      Patient presented with spinal cord compression syndrome. Methods - results -
      conclusions: Treatment of this disorder is still controversial.

PMID- 28636477
TI  - Three-axial evaluation of whole-body vibration in agricultural telehandlers: The
      effects of an active cab-suspension system.
AB  - Agricultural and earth-moving machinery operators are particularly exposed to
      whole-body vibration (WBV), which has severe effects on health and affects
      comfort and performance. Few studies have investigated vibrational safety and
      comfort issues in telescopic handlers. These vehicles are widespread in many off
      road applications-such as construction, agriculture, and mining-used to handle
      loads and to lift persons and equipment. This study investigated the effects of
      an active hydro-pneumatic cab-suspension system fitted to a telehandler on a
      driver's vibration exposure along the x-, y-, and z-axes, through both objective
      and subjective assessments. Sixteen healthy professional telehandler drivers took
      part in the study. Objective measurements were acquired at the operator's seat,
      and subjective ratings were taken while participants drove the telehandler with
      either a deactivated or activated suspension system at 12 kph on an ISO 5008
      smooth track. The results showed that the activation of the cab-suspension system
      reduced the root-mean-square acceleration along the x- and z-axes (p =.038 and p
      =.000, respectively). Moreover, the frequency analysis showed a reduction in the
      acceleration along the z-axis in the range of 2-25 Hz (p <.05 for all
      comparisons); in particular, the acceleration was reduced by 50% in the higher
      frequency range (4-20 Hz). A reduction in the vibration intensity was perceived
      by the participants along the y- and z-axes (p =.009 and p =.003, respectively).
      Implications for the future development of suspension systems are discussed.

PMID- 28636478
TI  - Pathway and rate-limiting step of glyphosate degradation by Aspergillus oryzae A
      F02.
AB  - Aspergillus oryzae A-F02, a glyphosate-degrading fungus, was isolated from an
      aeration tank in a pesticide factory. The pathway and rate-limiting step of
      glyphosate (GP) degradation were investigated through metabolite analysis. GP,
      aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and methylamine were detected in the
      fermentation liquid of A. oryzae A-F02, whereas sarcosine and glycine were not.
      The pathway of GP degradation in A. oryzae A-F02 was revealed: GP was first
      degraded into AMPA, which was then degraded into methylamine. Finally,
      methylamine was further degraded into other products. Investigating the effects
      of the exogenous addition of substrates and metabolites showed that the
      degradation of GP to AMPA is the rate-limiting step of GP degradation by A.
      oryzae A-F02. In addition, the accumulation of AMPA and methylamine did not cause
      feedback inhibition in GP degradation. Results showed that degrading GP to AMPA
      was a crucial step in the degradation of GP, which determines the degradation
      rate of GP by A. oryzae A-F02.

PMID- 28636479
TI  - Decrements in knee extensor and flexor strength are associated with performance
      fatigue during simulated basketball game-play in adolescent, male players.
AB  - This study quantified lower-limb strength decrements and assessed the
      relationships between strength decrements and performance fatigue during
      simulated basketball. Ten adolescent, male basketball players completed a circuit
      based, basketball simulation. Sprint and jump performance were assessed during
      each circuit, with knee flexion and extension peak concentric torques measured at
      baseline, half-time, and full-time. Decrement scores were calculated for all
      measures. Mean knee flexor strength decrement was significantly (P < 0.05)
      related to sprint fatigue in the first half (R = 0.65), with dominant knee flexor
      strength (R = 0.67) and dominant flexor:extensor strength ratio (R = 0.77)
      decrement significantly (P < 0.05) associated with sprint decrement across the
      entire game. Mean knee extensor strength (R = 0.71), dominant knee flexor
      strength (R = 0.80), non-dominant knee flexor strength (R = 0.75), mean knee
      flexor strength (R = 0.81), non-dominant flexor:extensor strength ratio (R =
      0.71), and mean flexor:extensor strength ratio (R = 0.70) decrement measures
      significantly (P < 0.05) influenced jump fatigue during the entire game. Lower
      limb strength decrements may exert an important influence on performance fatigue
      during basketball activity in adolescent, male players. Consequently, training
      plans should aim to mitigate lower-limb fatigue to optimise sprint and jump
      performance during game-play.

PMID- 28636480
TI  - The Emerging Role of Pimavanserin in the Management of Parkinson's Disease
      Psychosis.
AB  - : A panel of experts drawn from neurology, psychiatry, geropsychiatry,
      geriatrics, and pharmacy representatives of 3 health plans convened in New York
      City on July 30, 2016, with the objective of sharing opinions, ideas, and
      information regarding the optimal management of Parkinson's disease psychosis
      (PDP). Three key points emerged from the discussion: (1) Because of the nature of
      Parkinson's disease and PDP, finding appropriate treatment can prove challenging;
      (2) emerging therapies may present an opportunity for effective disease
      management; and (3) moving forward, provider and patient education regarding PDP
      and available treatment options is essential for well-managed symptoms and better
      quality of life. The panel reviewed current practices and formulated
      recommendations on moving forward in the treatment of PDP. DISCLOSURES: This
      project and manuscript was funded by ACADIA Pharmaceuticals and developed by
      Magellan Rx Management. Lopes and Farnum are employees of Magellan Rx Management.
      Kremens has received consulting/speaker fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals, UCB,
      Sunovion, Impax, Lundbeck, ACADIA, USWorldMeds, Merz, Acorda, Kyowa, Neurocrine,
      and GE Healthcare. Pagan reports consulting/speaker fees from Teva Nanoscience,
      AbbVie, Impax, ACADIA, Medtronic, USWorldMeds, Merz, and Cynapsus and research
      and educational grants from USWorldMeds, Teva, and Medtronic. Patel has received
      consultant/speaker fees from ACADIA, Allergen, and Avanir. Alva reports research
      support from Accera, Allergan, Axovant, Eisai, Neurotrope, Genentech, Intra
      Cellular, Janssen, Lundbeck, Neurim, Novartis, Otsuka, Roche, Suven, and Trans
      Tech and consultant/speaker fees from ACADIA, Alkermes, Allergan, Avanir,
      Janssen, Lundbeck, Merck, Nestle, Otsuka, Sunovion, Takeda, and Vanda. The other
      authors report no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.

PMID- 28636481
TI  - Turmoil in the Individual Insurance Market - Where It Came From and How to Fix
      It.

PMID- 28636482
TI  - Impact of freeway weaving segment design on light-duty vehicle exhaust emissions.
AB  - : In the United States, 26% of greenhouse gas emissions is emitted from the
      transportation sector; these emisssions meanwhile are accompanied by enormous
      toxic emissions to humans, such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx),
      and hydrocarbon (HC), approximately 2.5% and 2.44% of a total exhaust emissions
      for a petrol and a diesel engine, respectively. These exhaust emissions are
      typically subject to vehicles' intermittent operations, such as hard acceleration
      and hard braking. In practice, drivers are inclined to operate intermittently
      while driving through a weaving segment, due to complex vehicle maneuvering for
      weaving. As a result, the exhaust emissions within a weaving segment ought to
      vary from those on a basic segment. However, existing emission models usually
      rely on vehicle operation information, and compute a generalized emission result,
      regardless of road configuration. This research proposes to explore the impacts
      of weaving segment configuration on vehicle emissions, identify important
      predictors for emission estimations, and develop a nonlinear normalized emission
      factor (NEF) model for weaving segments. An on-board emission test was conducted
      on 12 subjects on State Highway 288 in Houston, Texas. Vehicles' activity
      information, road conditions, and real-time exhaust emissions were collected by
      on-board diagnosis (OBD), a smartphone-based roughness app, and a portable
      emission measurement system (PEMS), respectively. Five feature selection
      algorithms were used to identify the important predictors for the response of NEF
      and the modeling algorithm. The predictive power of four algorithm-based emission
      models was tested by 10-fold cross-validation. Results showed that emissions are
      also susceptible to the type and length of a weaving segment. Bagged decision
      tree algorithm was chosen to develop a 50-grown-tree NEF model, which provided a
      validation error of 0.0051. The estimated NEFs are highly correlated with the
      observed NEFs in the training data set as well as in the validation data set,
      with the R values of 0.91 and 0.90, respectively. IMPLICATIONS: Existing emission
      models usually rely on vehicle operation information to compute a generalized
      emission result, regardless of road configuration. In practice, while driving
      through a weaving segment, drivers are inclined to perform erratic maneuvers,
      such as hard braking and hard acceleration due to the complex weaving maneuver
      required. As a result, the exhaust emissions within a weaving segment vary from
      those on a basic segment. This research proposes to involve road configuration,
      in terms of the type and length of a weaving segment, in constructing an emission
      nonlinear model, which significantly improves emission estimations at a
      microscopic level.

PMID- 28636483
TI  - Lumping kinetics of ABE fermentation wastewater treatment by oleaginous yeast
      Trichosporon cutaneum.
AB  - Lumping kinetics models were built for the biological treatment of acetone
      butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation wastewater by oleaginous yeast Trichosporon
      cutaneum with different fermentation temperatures. Compared with high temperature
      (33 degrees C, 306 K) and low temperature (23 degrees C, 296 K), medium
      temperature (28 degrees C, 301 K) was beneficial for the cell growth and chemical
      oxygen demand (COD) degradation during the early stage of fermentation but the
      final yeast biomass and COD removal were influenced little. By lumping method,
      the materials in the bioconversion network were divided into five lumps (COD,
      lipid, polysaccharide, other intracellular products, other extracellular
      products), and the nine rate constants (k1-k9) for the models can well explain
      the bioconversion laws. The Gibbs free energy (G) for this bioconversion was
      positive, showing that it cannot happen spontaneous, but the existence of yeast
      can after the chemical equilibrium and make the bioconversion to be possible.
      Overall, the possibility of using lumping kinetics for elucidating the laws of
      materials conversion in the biological treatment of ABE fermentation wastewater
      by T. cutaneum has been initially proved and this method has great potential for
      further application.

PMID- 28636484
TI  - Bezlotoxumab: anti-toxin B monoclonal antibody to prevent recurrence of
      Clostridium difficile infection.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common nosocomial
      infection in the U.S. 25% of CDI patients go on to develop recurrent CDI (rCDI)
      following current standard of care (SOC) therapy, leading to morbidity, mortality
      and economic loss. The first passive immunotherapy drug targeting C.difficile
      toxin B (bezlotoxumab) has been approved recently by the FDA and EMA for
      prevention of rCDI. Areas covered: A body of key studies was selected and
      reviewed by the authors. The unmet needs in CDI care were ascertained with
      emphasis in rCDI, including the epidemiology, pathophysiology and current
      management. The current knowledge about the immune response to C. difficile
      toxins and how this knowledge led to the development and the clinical use of
      bezlotoxumab is described. Current and potential future competitors to the drug
      were examined. Expert commentary: A single 10 mg/kg intravenous infusion of
      bezlotoxumab has been shown to decrease rCDI by ~40% (absolute reduction ~10%) in
      patients being treated for primary CDI or rCDI with SOC antibiotics. Targeting
      C.difficile toxins by passive immunotherapy is a novel mechanism for prevention
      of C.difficile infection. Bezlotoxumab will be a valuable adjunctive therapy to
      reduce the burden of CDI.

PMID- 28636485
TI  - Mineralocorticoids modulate the expression of the beta-3 subunit of the Na+, K+
      ATPase in the renal collecting duct.
AB  - Renal sodium reabsorption depends on the activity of the Na+,K+-ATPase alpha/beta
      heterodimer. Four alpha (alpha1-4) and 3 beta (beta1-3) subunit isoforms have
      been described. It is accepted that renal tubule cells express alpha1/beta1
      dimers. Aldosterone stimulates Na+,K+-ATPase activity and may modulate
      alpha1/beta1 expression. However, some studies suggest the presence of beta3 in
      the kidney. We hypothesized that the beta3 isoform of the Na+,K+-ATPase is
      expressed in tubular cells of the distal nephron, and modulated by
      mineralocorticoids. We found that beta3 is highly expressed in collecting duct of
      rodents, and that mineralocorticoids decreased the expression of beta3. Thus, we
      describe a novel molecular mechanism of sodium pump modulation that may
      contribute to the effects of mineralocorticoids on sodium reabsorption.

PMID- 28636486
TI  - Spirituality, Religion, and Suicidality Among Veterans: A Qualitative Study.
AB  - This qualitative study explores the relationship between veterans'
      spirituality/religion and suicide ideation and attempts. Qualitative semi
      structured interviews were conducted with 30 veterans who either endorsed chronic
      suicidal ideation or had made suicide attempt(s). Interviews explored the bi
      directional relationship between spirituality/religion (e.g., beliefs, practices,
      and experiences), and suicide ideation and behaviors. Interviews were analyzed
      using thematic analysis. Veterans' responses indicate that spirituality/religion
      can discourage or permit suicidal ideation, help in coping with ideation, and
      facilitate meaning making and coping in the presence of self-perceived suffering.
      Veterans who survived a suicide attempt explored the impact of their
      spirituality/religion on their recovery. Findings highlight a complex and diverse
      relationship between spirituality/religion and suicidality. These findings may
      inform further research on treatment strategies that assess the function of
      spirituality/religion, and incorporate protective aspects of
      spirituality/religion into mental health treatment.

PMID- 28636487
TI  - Internalized Homonegativity, Confucianism, and Self-Esteem at the Emergence of an
      LGBTQ Identity in Modern Vietnam.
AB  - We examine the relationships between internalized homonegativity, Confucianism,
      and self-esteem among LGBTQ adults who grew up during the Open Door Policy, or
      Doi Moi, in Vietnam. Participants were identified via activist networks and
      social media groups. They completed online survey focused on internalized
      homo/transphobia, self-esteem, and Confucian values. The study revealed that more
      exposure to Confucian values in early life is related to higher levels of
      internalized homonegativity. Male-born participants also had a higher level of
      internalized homonegativity than female-born participants. In general, lower
      levels of self-esteem were also related to higher levels of internalized
      homonegativity. We discuss the implications of these findings in light of
      conflicting values between Confucianism and the economic and social
      transformation that has occurred under Doi Moi.

PMID- 28636488
TI  - Workers' exposure to bioaerosols from three different types of composting
      facilities.
AB  - Composting is a natural dynamic biological process used to valorise putrescible
      organic matter. The composting process can involve vigorous movements of waste
      material piles, which release high concentrations of bioaerosols into the
      surrounding environment. There is a lack of knowledge concerning the dispersal of
      airborne microorganisms emitted by composting plants (CP) as well as the
      potential occupational exposure of composting workers. The aim of this study was
      to investigate the workers exposure to bioaerosols during working activities in
      three different types of composting facilities (domestic, manure, carcass) using
      two different quantification methods (cultivation and qPCR) for bacteria and
      moulds concentrations. As expected, even if there are differences between all CP
      frameworks, independently of the type of the raw compost used, the production of
      bioaerosols increases significantly during handling activities. Important
      concentrations of mesophilic moulds and mesophilic bacteria were noted in the
      working areas with a respective maximal concentration of 2.3 * 105 CFU/m3 and 1.6
      * 105 CFU/m3. A. fumigatus and thermophilic Actinomycetes were also detected in
      all working areas for the 3 CP. This study emphases the risks for workers to
      being in contact with aerosolized pathogens such as Mycobacterium and Legionella
      and more specifically, L. pneumophila. The presence of high concentration of
      these bacteria in CP suggests a potential occupational health risk. This study
      may lead to recommendations for the creation of limits for occupational exposure.
      There is a need for identifying the standards exposure limits to bioaerosols in
      CP and efficient recommendation for a better protection of workers' health.

PMID- 28636489
TI  - Evaluation of countermeasures for red light running by traffic simulator-based
      surrogate safety measures.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The conflicts among motorists entering a signalized intersection with
      the red light indication have become a national safety issue. Because of its
      sensitivity, efforts have been made to investigate the possible causes and
      effectiveness of countermeasures using comparison sites and/or before-and-after
      studies. Nevertheless, these approaches are ineffective when comparison sites
      cannot be found, or crash data sets are not readily available or not reliable for
      statistical analysis. Considering the random nature of red light running (RLR)
      crashes, an inventive approach regardless of data availability is necessary to
      evaluate the effectiveness of each countermeasure face to face. METHOD: The aims
      of this research are to (1) review erstwhile literature related to red light
      running and traffic safety models; (2) propose a practical methodology for
      evaluation of RLR countermeasures with a microscopic traffic simulation model and
      surrogate safety assessment model (SSAM); (3) apply the proposed methodology to
      actual signalized intersection in Virginia, with the most prevalent scenarios
      increasing the yellow signal interval duration, installing an advance warning
      sign, and an RLR camera; and (4) analyze the relative effectiveness by RLR
      frequency and the number of conflicts (rear-end and crossing). RESULTS: All
      scenarios show a reduction in RLR frequency (-7.8, -45.5, and -52.4%,
      respectively), but only increasing the yellow signal interval duration results in
      a reduced total number of conflicts (-11.3%; a surrogate safety measure of
      possible RLR-related crashes). An RLR camera makes the greatest reduction (
      60.9%) in crossing conflicts (a surrogate safety measure of possible angle
      crashes), whereas increasing the yellow signal interval duration results in only
      a 12.8% reduction of rear-end conflicts (a surrogate safety measure of possible
      rear-end crash). CONCLUSIONS: Although increasing the yellow signal interval
      duration is advantageous because this reduces the total conflicts (a possibility
      of total RLR-related crashes), each countermeasure shows different effects by RLR
      related conflict types that can be referred to when making a decision. Given that
      each intersection has different RLR crash issues, evaluated countermeasures are
      directly applicable to enhance the cost and time effectiveness, according to the
      situation of the target intersection. In addition, the proposed methodology is
      replicable at any site that has a dearth of crash data and/or comparison sites in
      order to test any other countermeasures (both engineering and enforcement
      countermeasures) for RLR crashes.

PMID- 28636490
TI  - Creating Inclusive Physical Activity Spaces: The Case of Body-Positive Yoga.
AB  - PURPOSE: Within the modern cultural climate, those in larger bodies face high
      levels of weight stigma, particularly in sport and physical activity spaces,
      which serves as a strong barrier to their participation. However, given the
      strong link between physical activity and general health and well-being for
      participants, it is important to explore strategies that encourage participation
      of these individuals. Thus, the current research examined strategies that
      physical activity instructors use to develop inclusive exercise spaces for all
      body sizes. METHOD: This study employed a series of semistructured qualitative
      interviews (n = 9) with instructors of body-inclusive yoga classes to explore the
      ways in which they encourage participation for those in larger bodies. RESULTS:
      Emergent themes from the current study suggested support for 6 factors for
      creating body-inclusive physical activity spaces: authentic leadership, a culture
      of inclusion, a focus on health, inclusive language, leader social activism, and
      a sense of community. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that leaders must
      intentionally cultivate inclusion in their spaces to encourage those in
      nonconforming bodies to participate. These findings have important health and
      management implications for the sport and physical activity context and provide a
      basic outline of practical strategies that practitioners can use to foster
      inclusion in their spaces.

PMID- 28636495
TI  - Annual Index, Volume 24.

PMID- 28636491
TI  - Atherosclerosis Induced by a High-Cholesterol and High-Fat Diet in the Inbred
      Strain of the Wuzhishan Miniature Pig.
AB  - Coronary artery disease has a significant genetic predisposition, which mainly
      results from atherosclerosis. Miniature pig is an excellent model to investigate
      atherosclerosis. This study investigated whether the occurrence and development
      of atherosclerosis in the Wuzhishan miniature pigs (WZSPs) that were closely bred
      12 generations had better consistency. The WZSPs (n = 9) were fed a high
      cholesterol and high-fat diet (HCFD). After continuous feeding, 3 WZSPs each were
      sacrificed at 6, 8, and 12 months, respectively, and the general clinical
      manifestations and serological indexes were detected. The pathological changes of
      the major arteries and main organs were recorded. The results showed WZSPs were
      quite susceptible to the HCFD. At 6 months, plaque lesions appeared in the
      abdominal aorta and iliac artery, while at 8 months, they appeared in the
      coronary artery. At 12 months, atherosclerotic lesions could be found in all
      major arteries, while lipid core, cholesterol precipitation, and calcium
      deposition appeared in the most serious sites. The progression of arterial
      lesions and distribution of the lesions were highly consistent in the pigs.
      However, apparent variations in serum markers were observed. In conclusion,
      inbred WZSP is a good model to investigate atherosclerosis and has good
      predictability for the occurrence and development of the disease.

PMID- 28636496
TI  - The genus Pulveroboletus (Boletaceae, Boletales) in China.
AB  - Species of Pulveroboletus (Boletaceae, Boletales) in China are investigated on
      the basis of morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from
      nuc rDNA region encompassing the internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2, along with
      the 5.8S rDNA (ITS) and nuc 28S rDNA D1-D2 domains (28S) and sequences from the
      translation elongation factor 1-alpha gene (TEF1). Nine species are recognized in
      the country, three of them are described as new: P. flaviscabrosus, P.
      rubroscabrosus, and P. subrufus, five of them are previous described taxa: P.
      brunneopunctatus, P. brunneoscabrosus, P. macrosporus, P. reticulopileus, and P.
      sinensis, the remaining one is tentatively named P. cf. ridleyi, which will be
      further studied in the future. A key to the Chinese taxa of the genus is
      provided. Unexpectedly, the current study did not identify disjunct populations
      of Pulveroboletus species in East Asia and North/Central America.

PMID- 28636497
TI  - Size-segregated particulate matter and its association with respiratory
      deposition doses among outdoor exercisers in Dhanbad City, India.
AB  - : Regular exercise improves physiological processes and yields positive health
      outcomes. However, it is relatively less known that particulate matter (PM)
      exposure during outdoor exercises may increase several respiratory health
      problems depending on PM levels. In this study, the respiratory deposition doses
      (RDDs) in head airway (HD), tracheobronchial (TB), and alveolar (AL) regions of
      various PM size fractions (<10, <2.5, and <1 MUm; PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) were
      estimated in healthy male and female exercisers in urban outdoors and within
      house premises. The highest RDDs were found for PM during morning hours in winter
      compared with remaining periods. RDDs in AL region for males and females,
      respectively, were 34.7 * 10-2 and 28.8 * 10-2 ug min-1 for PM10, 65.7 * 10-2 and
      56.9 * 10-2 ug min-1 for PM2.5, and 76.5 * 10-2 and 66.3 * 10-2 ug min-1 for PM1.
      The RDD values in AL region were significantly higher in PM1 (27%) compared with
      PM2.5 (13%) and PM10 (2%) during exercise in all periods. This result showed that
      the morning peak hours in winter are more harmful to urban outdoor exercisers
      compared with other periods. This study also showed that the AL region would have
      been the main affected zone through fine particle (PM1) to all the exercisers.
      IMPLICATIONS: Size-segregated particle concentrations in urban outdoors and
      within house premises were measured. The highest respiratory deposition doses
      (RDDs) were found for PM during morning hours in winter compared with remaining
      periods. During light exercise, the RDD values in alveolar (AL) region for PM10,
      PM2.5, and PM1 for male exercisers were significantly higher, 20.4%, 15.5%, and
      15.4%, respectively, compared with female exercisers during morning peak hours in
      winter.

PMID- 28636498
TI  - A Novel Clinical-Simulated Suture Education for Basic Surgical Skill: Suture on
      the Biological Tissue Fixed on Standardized Patient Evaluated with Objective
      Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) Tools.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical-simulated training has shown benefit in the education of
      medical students. However, the role of clinical simulation for surgical basic
      skill training such as suturing techniques remains unclear. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Forty-two medical students were asked to perform specific suturing tasks
      at three stations with the different settings within four minutes (Station 1:
      Synthetic suture pad fixed on the bench, Station 2: Synthetic suture pad fixed on
      the standardized patient, Station 3: Pig skin fixed on the standardized patient);
      the OSATS (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill) tool was used to
      evaluate the performance of students. A questionnaire was distributed to the
      students following the examination. RESULTS: Mean performance score of Station 3
      was significant lower than that of Station 1 and 2 in the general performance
      including tissue handling, time, and motion. The suturing techniques of students
      at Station 2 and 3 were not as accurate as that at Station 1. Inappropriate
      tension was applied to the knot at Station 2 compared with Station 1 and 3. On
      the questionnaire, 93% of students considered clinical-simulated training of
      basic surgical skills was necessary and may increase their confidence in future
      clinical work as surgeons; 98% of students thought the assessment was more
      objective when OSATS tool was used for evaluation. CONCLUSION: Clinical
      simulation examination assessed with OSATS might throw a novel light on the
      education of basic surgical skills and may be worthy of wider adoption in the
      surgical education of medical students.

PMID- 28636499
TI  - Monoclonal Antibody Against Toxocara cati Second-Stage Larvae.

PMID- 28636500
TI  - The Association of rs1047763 and rs1008898 of C1GALT1 with IgA Nephropathy Risk:
      A Global Meta-Analysis.
AB  - IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a globally common primary glomerulonephritis
      characterized by an elevated level of serum IgA and immune complex deposition in
      the mesangial area. In the serum of patients with IgAN, the hinge region of IgA1
      immunoglobulin contains aberrantly glycosylated O-glycans deficient in galactose,
      which is normally added to the core 1 O-glycan structure by core 1 synthase,
      glycoprotein-N-acetylgalactosamine 3-beta-galactosyltransferase 1 (C1GALT1), the
      key enzyme in the process of glycosylation. It is unknown if single-nucleotide
      polymorphisms rs1047763 and rs1008898 of C1GALT1 increase the risk of IgAN. We
      enrolled 5 subjects in this meta-analysis, including a total of 1693 IgAN
      patients and 1864 control subjects. We performed meta-analysis on associations
      between rs1047763, rs1008898, and IgAN using the allele model, dominant model,
      recessive model, and additive model. We found that there was no relationship
      between rs1047763 and rs1008898 in C1GALT1 and susceptibility to IgAN.

PMID- 28636501
TI  - Monoclonal Antibodies Against Canine Distemper Virus.

PMID- 28636502
TI  - Monoclonal Antibody TX94, Human DNAX Accessory Molecule-1 (CD226).

PMID- 28636503
TI  - Effects of Instructional Physical Activity Courses on Overall Physical Activity
      and Mood in University Students.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this research was to assess the association between
      university-based instructional physical activity (PA) courses and changes in
      overall PA levels and negative mood and their interrelations. The study also
      sought to determine the amount of change in PA required to significantly improve
      mood in course enrollees. METHOD: Participants were university students initially
      completing PA below the level recommended for health who were either presently
      enrolled in an elective instructional PA course (treatment group, n = 52, 69%
      female) or not presently enrolled in such a course (comparison group, n = 32, 69%
      female). Validated surveys assessed volumes of PA completed per week and overall
      negative mood from baseline to course end. Mediation analyses assessed group
      effects on mood through PA changes and reciprocal relations between PA and mood
      changes. RESULTS: There was a significantly greater increase in PA and
      significantly more reduction in negative mood in the treatment group. Change in
      PA completely mediated the relationship between group and change in negative
      mood, and change in mood completely mediated the relationship between group and
      PA. These findings indicated a reciprocal, mutually reinforcing relationship
      between changes in PA and mood. An increase in PA of at least 2 days/week was
      associated with a significant reduction in negative mood, with no greater effect
      for more increase. CONCLUSIONS: Results provided an improved understanding of the
      effects of university-based instructional PA courses and how they might be
      leveraged to improve students' mental health and possibly contribute to their
      academic success.

PMID- 28636504
TI  - Prognostic value of the new high sensitive cardiac troponin T assay (hs-cTnT)
      after coronary artery bypass grafting.
AB  - Background The aim of the study was to assess the value of post-operative cardiac
      troponin T-levels, measured with a new highly sensitive assay (hs-cTnT), as a
      suitable parameter to predict patients' outcome after cardiac surgery. With the
      introduction of the new hs-cTnT assay the correlation between measured levels and
      the post-operative patient's outcome remains to be evaluated. Methods Patients
      undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 213) were included. Perioperative
      measurements of hs-cTnT and CK-MB were correlated to parameters of clinical
      outcome and further explored. Patients with an uneventful course were compared
      with those with post-operative complications, including need of repeat
      revascularization (RR) or death (RR/death), cardiogenic shock (CS) or death
      (CS/death) and a combination of all (RR/CS/death). Results Significant results
      were observed in patients after isolated CABG, where CS/death and RR/CS/death
      patients had higher post-operative hs-cTnT levels (P < 0.01). Moreover,
      multivariate analysis of the CABG-group revealed that acute renal failure (OR
      =14.7, 95% CI =2.7-79.1, P < 0.001), early post-operative hs-cTnT levels higher
      than the upper quintile (> 1,476.8 pg/ml) (OR =8.1, 95% CI =3.0-22.2, P < 0.001)
      and unstable angina pectoris (OR =2.4, 95% CI =1.1-5.7, P < 0.05) were the most
      powerful independent predictors of post-operative complications. Upon
      discriminant analysis the application of hs-cTnT almost doubled the sensitivity
      of the outcome prediction. Conclusions The new hs-cTnT assay is a useful
      diagnostic tool that may significantly enhance the prediction of adverse events
      after CABG. In our study a hs-cTnT-value >1,476.8 pg/ml proved to be a reliable
      marker for ongoing post-operative complications.

PMID- 28636505
TI  - The effect of aerobic interval training and continuous training on exercise
      capacity and its determinants.
AB  - Objective We aimed to investigate (1) the effects of aerobic interval training
      (AIT) and aerobic continuous training (ACT) on (sub)maximal exercise measures and
      its determinants including endothelial function, muscle strength and cardiac
      autonomic function, and (2) the relationship between exercise capacity and these
      determinants. Methods Two-hundred coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (58.4 +/
      9.1 years) were randomized to AIT or ACT for 12 weeks. All patients performed a
      cardiopulmonary exercise test and endothelial function measurements before and
      after the intervention; a subpopulation underwent muscle strength and heart rate
      variability (HRV) assessments. Results The VO2, heart rate and workload at peak
      and at first and second ventilatory threshold increased (P-time <0.001); the
      oxygen uptake efficiency slope (P-time <0.001) and half time of peak VO2 (P-time
      <0.001) improved. Endothelial function and heart rate recovery (HRR) at 1 and 2
      min improved (P-time <0.001), while measures of muscle strength and HRV did not
      change. Both interventions were equally effective. Significant correlations were
      found between baseline peak VO2 and (1) quadriceps strength (r = 0.44; P <
      0.001); (2) HRR at 2 min (r = 0.46; P < 0.001). Changes in peak VO2 correlated
      significantly with changes in (1) FMD (rho = 0.17; P < 0.05); (2) quadriceps
      strength (r = 0.23; P < 0.05); (3) HRR at 2 min (rho = 0.18; P < 0.05) and Total
      power of HRV (rho = 0.41; P < 0.05). Conclusions This multicentre trial shows
      equal improvements in maximal and submaximal exercise capacity, endothelial
      function and HRR after AIT and ACT, while these training methods seem to be
      insufficient to improve muscle strength and HRV. Changes in peak VO2 were linked
      to changes in all underlying parameters.

PMID- 28636506
TI  - Incidence and predictors of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass
      surgery: detection by event loop recorder monitoring from a contemporary
      multicentre cohort.
AB  - Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent complication after cardiac
      surgery. We explored the incidence and predictors of post-operative AF at 30-day
      follow-up in an unselected multi-centre cohort of patients undergoing elective
      coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in contemporary practice. Methods and
      results We enrolled 740 consecutive patients scheduled for elective CABG with or
      without valve surgery. Cardiac rhythm was continuously monitored for 15 days
      after surgery by an ambulatory event loop recorder. Clinical follow-up for the
      occurrence of arrhythmias was performed for the next 15 days by office visits.
      The primary end point was the incidence of AF at 30-day follow-up. Mean age was
      56.5 +/- 8.9 years; 69.5% were males; 80% had diabetes. All patients completed 30
      day follow-up. At the end of 30 days, AF occurred in 77 patients (10.4%). Most
      episodes (47 out of 77 episodes, 61%) of AF occurred during post-operative day 2.
      Episodes of AF were very rare after the first 5 post-operative days (3 out of 77
      episodes, 3.9%). Multivariable regression analysis identified the following
      independent predictors of AF at 30-day follow-up: the lack of beta blocker use
      (hazard ratio 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.21-0.64, P < 0.001), and the
      preoperative left atrial volume index (hazard Ratio 2.21, 95% confidence interval
      1.79-2.74, P < 0.001). Conclusions In patients undergoing elective CABG, the
      incidence of post-operative AF at 30-day follow-up is rather low; the lack of
      beta blocker use in the perioperative period, and the preoperative left atrial
      volume index independently predicted the occurrence of AF at 30 days.

PMID- 28636507
TI  - Aorto-right ventricular outflow tract fistula after Bentall repair.

PMID- 28636508
TI  - How to perform stress/exercise echocardiography in -hypertrophic cardiomyopathy?

PMID- 28636509
TI  - Evaluation of endothelial dysfunction with flow-mediated dilatation after
      transradial coronary angiography.
AB  - Objective Transradial coronary angiography (TRCA) may lead to endothelial
      dysfunction. Therefore, this study investigated the TRCA-related endothelial
      dysfunction and its relation to operator experience, the number of punctures and
      procedure duration. Methods and results A total of 57 patients (42 males and 17
      females) who underwent TRCA were included in this single-centre study. Nine
      months after the procedure, all patients underwent radial artery B-mode
      ultrasound imaging, and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and nitroglycerin-mediated
      dilatation (NMD) techniques were employed. The non-intervened right radial artery
      was accepted as control. The percentage change in diameter after FMD was
      significantly greater in the right radial artery compared to the left radial
      artery (right 13.6% vs left 10.1%, P = 0.041). The percentage change in diameter
      after NMD was similar in both right and left radial arteries (right 23.8% vs left
      23.4%, P = 0.932). According to the puncture numbers, the percentage change was
      significantly lower in the intervened artery among patients with more than one
      puncture (13.3% vs 7.8%, P = 0.005). According to the operator experience, the
      percentage change in the intervened artery was significantly higher in patients
      in whom the procedure was performed by experienced operators (13.7% vs 7.6%, P =
      0.002). The procedure duration also showed a negative correlation with the
      percentage change in the intervened artery (r = -0.349, P = 0.008). Conclusions
      TRCA may lead to endothelial dysfunction represented by FMD. Moreover, higher
      puncture numbers for sheath insertion, longer procedure durations and less
      experience in radial interventions may have adverse effects on the endothelial
      function.

PMID- 28636510
TI  - The balance of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for -reducing residual risks
      in patients with coronary artery disease.
AB  - Residual risk, which cannot be prevented by statins alone, must be controlled for
      inhibiting the onset of coronary events. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
      (PUFAs) play an important role in controlling residual risk. The Japan
      eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Lipid Intervention Study demonstrated the inhibitory
      effect of high-purity EPA preparations on the residual risk of cardiovascular
      events. Omega-3 PUFAs inhibit coronary artery disease (CAD) through various
      actions, including triglyceride-lowering action. Besides lipid metabolism,
      platelet aggregation inhibition, anti-inflammatory effects, improved vascular
      endothelium function, and anti-hypertensive action contribute to arteriosclerosis
      inhibition. Conversely, several recent studies did not demonstrate the efficacy
      of omega-3 PUFAs for CAD prevention. PUFAs levels may need to exceed a threshold
      for anti-arteriosclerotic action. The efficacy of EPA might depend on the
      baseline value of the EPA/arachidonic acid (AA) ratio prior to EPA
      administration. This baseline EPA/AA ratio value varies according to country and
      region as well as changes of dietary habits. More global research in this field
      is needed to identify an optimal omega-3 PUFAs administration strategy.

PMID- 28636511
TI  - Feasibility of low-dose coronary computed tomographic angiography used in atrial
      fibrillation patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) in atrial fibrillation
      (AF) patients using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) requires a
      large exposure dosage or repeated examinations. This study evaluates the
      feasibility of using low-dose CCTA in the double prospectively ECG-triggered high
      pitch spiral acquisition mode (Double Flash Spiral mode). METHODS: Twenty-eight
      AF patients with suspected CAD were recruited. Double Flash Spiral mode (tube
      voltage 100 kVp) and iterative reconstruction was used for CCTA examination. Two
      radiologists cross-evaluated the CCTA image quality. The effective radiation dose
      was measured for each patient. RESULTS: Twenty-eight AF patients (10 female, 18
      male, mean age 68.8 +/- 13.9 y, body mass index 24.3 +/- 2.3 kg/cm2) were
      recruited and 337 artery segments were evaluated. In total, 98.5% (332/337) of
      the coronary artery segments and 96.4% (27/28) of the AF patients were rated as
      diagnostically evaluable. Of these 27 diagnosable patients, 17 patients (63%)
      were diagnosed with multi-vessel stenosis. Besides, 5 of 28 patients (17.9%) have
      left atrial appendage thrombus. The quality of the integrated image was
      significantly better than either of the individual first or the second scans,
      based on segments (P < 0.001) and patients (P < 0.05). The mean effective
      radiation dose was 1.5 mSv +/-0.4 mSv. CONCLUSIONS: Using the Double Flash Spiral
      mode at low radiation dose (mean 1.5 mSv), 98.5% of the coronary segments and
      96.4% of the scans were of sufficient diagnostic quality.

PMID- 28636512
TI  - Isolated mitral valve P3 prolapse with severe regurgitation - transoesophageal
      2D/3D echo-guidance in transapical -artificial neochordae implantation in
      challenging patient.

PMID- 28636513
TI  - Large left circumflex artery aneurysm and left ventricular-coronary sinus
      fistula.

PMID- 28636514
TI  - Duration of dual anti-platelet therapy - State of the art after the DAPT and
      PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trials.
AB  - Dual anti-platelet therapy is prescribed in the setting of coronary heart disease
      for the prevention of stent thrombosis and acute thrombotic events. The optimal
      duration of dual anti-platelet therapy is still under debate as numerous trials
      have shown non-inferiority of a strategy of early cessation of one of the agents
      as compared to the standard practice whereas two larger trials have demonstrated
      benefit of prolonging dual anti-platelet therapy.

PMID- 28636515
TI  - A brief period of intensive cardiac rehabilitation improves global longitudinal
      strain and diastolic function after a first uncomplicated myocardial infarction.
AB  - Objectives In patients with abnormal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)
      after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cardiac rehabilitation with physical
      training prevents cardiac remodelling. To define the role of rehabilitation in
      the recovery of ventricular function in less severe cases, we studied its effects
      on more refined indexes of left ventricular function in uncomplicated, low-risk
      patients. Methods and results Fifty-five patients underwent percutaneous coronary
      revascularization after uncomplicated first AMI. Thirty-four started cardiac
      rehabilitation with counselling and physical training; 21 patients did not train,
      followed a counselling program and were taken as controls. Echocardiography was
      performed at baseline, after rehabilitation or counselling program and at six
      months follow-up. We measured: global strain (GS%) with speckle tracking
      analysis, E/e' by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), left ventricular elastance (KLV)
      from the deceleration time (DT), LVEF, systolic and diastolic volumes, wall
      motion score index (WMSI). At baseline, groups had similar GS%, KLV, LVEF, DT,
      E/e', systolic and diastolic volumes, WMSI. Rehabilitation increased peak VO2 by
      18% (P < 0.05) and improved GS%, KLV, LVEF, E/e' and WMSI (P < 0.02) that were
      unchanged in controls. The improvement persisted at six months. Conclusions After
      a first uncomplicated AMI, abnormalities of left systolic and diastolic
      ventricular function may be present persisting over time despite a normal LVEF,
      which are fully reverted by cardiac rehabilitation.

PMID- 28636516
TI  - A rare primary cardiac benign tumour: diagnosis by non-invasive cardiac imaging.

PMID- 28636517
TI  - Imaging in the field of cardiac resynchronization therapy: a real additive value?

PMID- 28636518
TI  - A patient with relapsing myocardial ischaemia.

PMID- 28636519
TI  - How we eat may be as important as what we eat: eating behaviour and heart rate
      variability.
AB  - Objective Diet exerts a crucial role on cardiovascular health. Evidence is mainly
      based on the content and the amount of dietary intakes. Some recent reports
      demonstrated that eating behaviour may also be of significant importance in
      cardiovascular health. In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of
      eating behaviour on heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy subjects. Methods and
      results In total, 521 healthy subjects with 24-hour Holter ECG recordings filled
      out a special questionnaire about their eating behaviour and lifestyles. From
      these patients, 425 subjects were healthy and had recordings suitable for
      analysis. Five types of eating behaviour were assessed in the questionnaire: (1)
      adherence to the Mediterranean diet (using the MedDietScore), (2) skipping
      breakfast, (3) late night eating, (4) having snacks, and (5) rapid eating.
      Physical exercise level and active working status of the subjects were also
      assessed. The root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) was used for
      assessment of HRV. RMSSD values were lower in subjects skipping breakfast
      compared to subjects having breakfast regularly (26.32 vs 31.52 P = 0.02). Other
      behavioural patterns did not have any effect on the HRV parameters. Ageing, male
      sex, sedentary lifestyle and no active working were also found to be associated
      with reduced HRV in univariate analysis. In multivariate regression analysis, age
      and skipping breakfast were the only parameters significantly associated with a
      lower RMSSD (beta: -0.222, P: 0.008 and beta: -0.191, P: 0.020, respectively)
      Conclusions The findings of this study showed that skipping breakfast may be a
      cause of cardiac autonomic dysfunction.

PMID- 28636520
TI  - Radial Artery Occlusion - Incidence, Predictors and Long-term outcome after
      TRAnsradial Catheterization: clinico-Doppler ultrasound-based study (RAIL-TRAC
      study).
AB  - Background and aim The purpose of this study was to assess incidence, predictors
      and outcome of radial artery occlusion (RAO) after transradial catheterization
      (TRC) based on clinical and Doppler ultrasound study. Methods A total of 1,945
      consecutive patients undergoing transradial catheterization for diagnostic
      evaluation or intervention were included. Radial artery examination was based on
      palpation and colour Doppler study on the day before, 1 day (D1), 1 month (D30)
      and 6 months (D180) following the procedure. RAO was defined as absence of pulse
      on palpation and forward flow on Doppler study. Predictors of RAO were found by
      logistic regression analysis. Results Baseline demographic and procedural data
      were recorded. The mean radial arterial diameter was 2.56 +/- 0.29 mm. On D1,
      radial artery Doppler examination revealed RAO in 339 patients (17.4%) but pulse
      was still palpable in 115 (34%) of them. At D30, these were 221 (11.4%) and 114
      (52%), respectively, as no new RAO were noted. Interestingly, 118 (34.8%)
      patients had spontaneous recanalization of their radial artery as shown by catch
      up in patency rate. At D180, these were 99 (5.1%) and 68 (69%), respectively,
      meaning further new catch-up implying further recanalization. Patients with
      persistent RAO remained asymptomatic. On multivariate analysis, female sex,
      diabetes, lower BMI, radial artery diameter <=2.2 mm and radial artery-to-sheath
      ratio (AS ratio) < 1 were predictors of RAO. Conclusion TRC for coronary
      angiography, ad hoc and staged angioplasty can be performed with similar efficacy
      and safety though RAO occurs more frequently in patients with prior radial artery
      cannulation and with larger sheath size. Persistent RAO remains asymptomatic.

PMID- 28636521
TI  - A proposed role for sepsis in the pathogenesis of myocardial calcification.

PMID- 28636522
TI  - A "giant" cause of acute myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28636523
TI  - Emergency percutaneous embolization of iatrogenic right coronary artery-pleural
      space communication.

PMID- 28636524
TI  - His-bundle pacing using dual-chamber cardioverter-defibrillator in patients with
      chronic atrial fibrillation: different pacing and sensing features.

PMID- 28636525
TI  - Prognostic significance of improvement in right ventricular systolic function
      during cardiac resynchronization therapy.
AB  - Objectives There is conflicting evidence concerning the role of right ventricular
      (RV) systolic dysfunction in the long-term clinical outcome after cardiac
      resynchronization therapy (CRT). Therefore we aimed to assess evolution of RV
      systolic function during CRT, covariates associated with its improvement, and its
      impact on outcome. Methods and results All CRT device implantations (Jan 2009-Dec
      2011) in our institution were reviewed. Records of 69 patients (25% female, mean
      age 62.8 +/- 9.2 years, mean left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction 27 +/- 8%)
      were analyzed. Baseline RV fractional area change (FAC) < 35% was present in 37
      patients (54%). At one year, 24 of them (65%) improved in RV FAC. LV remodeling
      and mitral regurgitation were significantly associated with the likelihood of RV
      FAC improvement (OR 4.80, 95% CI 1.13-20.46, P = 0.034 and OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12
      0.89, P = 0.029, respectively). The composite endpoint of death or heart
      transplantation occurred in 23 patients (33%) over a mean follow-up of 2.8 +/-
      1.4 years. RV FAC at one year (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.94, P < .001) was,
      independently of NYHA class and LV remodeling, associated with clinical outcome.
      Conclusions RV systolic function might improve during CRT. This seems mainly due
      to changed left-sided hemodynamics and LV remodeling. Good RV systolic function
      is independently related with better outcome.

PMID- 28636526
TI  - Does Health Coaching Grow Capacity in Cancer Survivors? A Systematic Review.
AB  - Interventions that grow patient capacity to do the work of health care and life
      are needed to support the health of cancer survivors. Health coaching may grow
      capacity. This systematic review of health coaching interventions explored
      coaching's ability to grow capacity of cancer survivors. The authors included
      randomized trials or quasi-experimental studies comparing coaching to alternative
      interventions, and adhered to PRISMA reporting guidelines. Data were analyzed
      using the Theory of Patient Capacity (BREWS: Capacity is affected by factors that
      influence ability to reframe Biography ["B"], mobilize or recruit Resources
      ["R"], interact with the Environment of care ["E"], accomplish Work ["W"]), and
      function Socially ["S"]). The authors reviewed 2210 references and selected 12
      studies (6 randomized trials and 6 pre-post). These studies included 1038 cancer
      survivors, mean age 57.2 years, with various type of cancers: breast, colorectal,
      prostate, and lung. Health coaching was associated with improved quality of life,
      mood, and physical activity but not self-efficacy. Classified by potential to
      support growth in patient capacity, 67% of included studies reported
      statistically significant outcomes that support "B" (quality of life, acceptance,
      spirituality), 75% "R" (decreased fatigue, pain), 67% "W" (increased physical
      activity), and 33% "S" (social deprivation index). None addressed changing the
      patient's environment of care. In cancer survivors, health coaching improved
      quality of life and supported patient capacity by several mechanisms, suggesting
      an important role for "Capacity Coaching." Future interventions that improve self
      efficacy and patients' environments of care are needed. Capacity Coaching may
      improve health and quality of life of cancer survivors.

PMID- 28636527
TI  - Evaluating performance over time: Is improving better than being consistently
      good?
AB  - In many decision contexts, people evaluate others based on intertemporal
      performance records and commonly face a choice between two distinct profiles:
      performance that is consistently high versus performance that improves over time
      to that high level. We proposed that these two profiles could be appealing for
      different reasons, and thus evaluators' preferences will differ across decision
      contexts. In three studies, participants were presented with candidates (e.g.,
      students, employees) displaying the two profiles, and evaluated each candidate in
      terms of performance, future expectations, and deservingness. The consistent
      candidate was rated higher on performance, but lower on future expectations, than
      the improved candidate. Consequently, in achievement-based decisions (e.g.,
      selecting a student for a scholarship), the consistent candidate was viewed as
      most deserving, whereas in potential-based decisions (e.g., selecting an employee
      for promotion), the improved candidate was preferred. These effects were mediated
      by the relative weight that evaluators placed on performance and future
      expectations.

PMID- 28636528
TI  - Three dimensional reconstruction of energy stores for jumping in planthoppers and
      froghoppers from confocal laser scanning microscopy.
AB  - Jumping in planthopper and froghopper insects is propelled by a catapult-like
      mechanism requiring mechanical storage of energy and its quick release to
      accelerate the hind legs rapidly. To understand the functional biomechanics
      involved in these challenging movements, the internal skeleton, tendons and
      muscles involved were reconstructed in 3-D from confocal scans in unprecedented
      detail. Energy to power jumping was generated by slow contractions of hind leg
      depressor muscles and then stored by bending specialised elements of the thoracic
      skeleton that are composites of the rubbery protein resilin sandwiched between
      layers of harder cuticle with air-filled tunnels reducing mass. The images showed
      that the lever arm of the power-producing muscle changed in magnitude during
      jumping, but at all joint angles would cause depression, suggesting a mechanism
      by which the stored energy is released. This methodological approach illuminates
      how miniaturized components interact and function in complex and rapid movements
      of small animals.

PMID- 28636550
TI  - MIF: functions in brain and glioblastoma.

PMID- 28636551
TI  - Neuroblastoma stem cells and CFC1.

PMID- 28636529
TI  - Bladder Cancer and Water Disinfection By-product Exposures through Multiple
      Routes: A Population-Based Case-Control Study (New England, USA).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ingestion of disinfection byproducts has been associated with bladder
      cancer in multiple studies. Although associations with other routes of exposure
      have been suggested, epidemiologic evidence is limited. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated
      the relationship between bladder cancer and total, chlorinated, and brominated
      trihalomethanes (THMs) through various exposure routes. METHODS: In a population
      based case-control study in New England (n=(1,213) cases; n=(1,418) controls), we
      estimated lifetime exposure to THMs from ingestion, showering/bathing, and hours
      of swimming pool use. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence
      intervals (CIs) using unconditional logistic regression adjusted for confounders.
      RESULTS: Adjusted ORs for bladder cancer comparing participants with exposure
      above the 95th percentile with those in the lowest quartile of exposure (based on
      the distribution in controls) were statistically significant for average daily
      intake mg/d of total THMs [OR=1.53 (95% CI: 1.01, 2.32), p-trend=0.16] and
      brominated THMs [OR=1.98 (95% CI: 1.19, 3.29), p-trend=0.03]. For cumulative
      intake mg, the OR at the 95th percentile of total THMs was 1.45 (95% CI: 0.95,
      2.2), p-trend=0.13; the ORs at the 95th percentile for chlorinated and brominated
      THMs were 1.77 (95% CI: 1.05, 2,.99), p-trend=0.07 and 1.78 (95% CI: 1.05, 3.00),
      p-trend=0.02, respectively. The OR in the highest category of showering/bathing
      for brominated THMs was 1.43 (95% CI: 0.80, 2.42), p-trend=0.10. We found no
      evidence of an association for bladder cancer and hours of swimming pool use.
      CONCLUSIONS: We observed a modest association between ingestion of water with
      higher THMs (>95th percentile vs.<25th percentile) and bladder cancer. Brominated
      THMs have been a particular concern based on toxicologic evidence, and our
      suggestive findings for multiple metrics require further study in a population
      with higher levels of these exposures. Data from this population do not support
      an association between swimming pool use and bladder cancer.
      https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP89.

PMID- 28636563
TI  - Activity modifies adult brain maturity.

PMID- 28636564
TI  - Radiation dosimetry in magnetic fields with Farmer-type ionization chambers:
      determination of magnetic field correction factors for different magnetic field
      strengths and field orientations.
AB  - The aim of this work was to determine magnetic field correction factors that are
      needed for dosimetry in hybrid devices for MR-guided radiotherapy for Farmer-type
      ionization chambers for different magnetic field strengths and field
      orientations. The response of six custom-built Farmer-type chambers irradiated at
      a 6 MV linac was measured in a water tank positioned in a magnet with magnetic
      field strengths between 0.0 T and 1.1 T. Chamber axis, beam and magnetic field
      were perpendicular to each other and both magnetic field directions were
      investigated. EGSnrc Monte Carlo simulations were compared to the measurements
      and simulations with different field orientations were performed. For all
      geometries, magnetic field correction factors, [Formula: see text], and
      perturbation factors were calculated. A maximum increase of 8.8% in chamber
      response was measured for the magnetic field perpendicular to chamber and beam
      axis. The measured chamber response could be reproduced by adjusting the dead
      volume layer near the chamber stem in the Monte Carlo simulations. For the
      magnetic field parallel to the chamber axis or parallel to the beam, the
      simulated response increased by 1.1% at maximum for field strengths up to 1.1 T.
      A complex dependence of the response was found on chamber radius, magnetic field
      strength and orientation of beam, chamber axis and magnetic field direction.
      Especially for magnetic fields perpendicular to beam and chamber axis, the exact
      sensitive volume has to be considered in the simulations. To minimize magnetic
      field correction factors and the influence of dead volumes on the response of
      Farmer chambers, a measurement set-up with the magnetic field parallel to the
      chamber axis or parallel to the beam is recommended for dosimetry.

PMID- 28636565
TI  - Porous-carbon-nanotube decorated carbon nanofibers with effective microwave
      absorption properties.
AB  - Carbon nanofibers decorated with porous carbon nanotubes were prepared by
      electrospinning and annealing methods. The microwave reflection loss of the
      products was investigated in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz. The bandwidth with
      a reflection loss less than -10 dB covers a wide frequency, ranging from 7.0 to
      14.1 GHz with thickness of 3.0-5.5 mm, and the minimum reflection loss is -44.5
      dB at 10.7 GHz with thickness of 2.0 mm. The large reflection loss and wide
      reflection band reveal that the products could be a promising candidate for
      microwave absorption.

PMID- 28636566
TI  - Detection of muscle gap by L-BIA in muscle injuries: clinical prognosis.
AB  - : Sport-related muscle injury classifications are based basically on imaging
      criteria such as ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) without
      consensus because of a lack of clinical prognostics for return-to-play (RTP),
      which is conditioned upon the severity of the injury, and this in turn with the
      muscle gap (muscular fibers retraction). Recently, Futbol Club Barcelona's
      medical department proposed a new muscle injury classification in which muscle
      gap plays an important role, with the drawback that it is not always possible to
      identify by MRI. Localized bioimpedance measurement (L-BIA) has emerged as a non
      invasive technique for supporting US and MRI to quantify the disrupted soft
      tissue structure in injured muscles. OBJECTIVE: To correlate the severity of the
      injury according to the gap with the RTP, through the percent of change in
      resistance (R), reactance (Xc) and phase-angle (PA) by L-BIA measurements in 22
      muscle injuries. MAIN RESULTS: After grouping the data according to the muscle
      gap (by MRI exam), there were significant differences in R between grade 1 and
      grade 2f (myotendinous or myofascial muscle injury with feather-like appearance),
      as well as between grade 2f and grade 2g (myotendinous or myofascial muscle
      injury with feather and gap). The Xc and PA values decrease significantly between
      each grade (i.e. 1 versus 2f, 1 versus 2g and 2f versus 2g). In addition, the
      severity of the muscle gap adversely affected the RTP with significant
      differences observed between 1 and 2g as well as between 2f and 2g. SIGNIFICANCE:
      These results show that L-BIA could aid MRI and US in identifying the severity of
      an injured muscle according to muscle gap and therefore to accurately predict the
      RTP.

PMID- 28636567
TI  - Invariant wide bandgaps in honeycomb monolayer and single-walled nanotubes of IIB
      VI semiconductors.
AB  - The search for low-dimensional materials with unique electronic properties is
      important for the development of electronic devices in the nanoscale. Through
      systematic first-principles calculations, we found that the band gaps of the two
      dimensional honeycomb monolayers (HMs) and one-dimensional single-walled
      nanotubes (SWNTs) of IIB-VI semiconductors (ZnO, CdO, ZnS and CdS) are nearly
      chirality-independent and weakly diameter-dependent. Based on analysis of the
      electronic structures, it was found that the conduction band minimum is
      contributed to by the spherically symmetric s orbitals of cations and the valence
      band maximum is dominated by the in-plane [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see
      text] hybridizations. These electronic states are robust against radius
      curvature, resulting in the invariant feature of the band gaps for the structures
      changing from HM to SWNTs. The band gaps of these materials range from 2.3 to 4.7
      eV, which is of potential application in electronic devices and optoelectronic
      devices. Our studies show that searching for and designing specific electronic
      structures can facilitate the process of exploring novel nanomaterials for future
      applications.

PMID- 28636568
TI  - Causes of mortality in schizophrenia: An updated review of European studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The excess mortality in schizophrenia is still a phenomenon
      insufficiently studied on the cross-national level. It is important to analyse
      current studies on morality in schizophrenia since significant changes have
      recently taken place in psychiatric health care systems and guidelines of
      pharmacological treatment have been developed in European countries. SUBJECTS AND
      METHODS: This article reviews studies addressing mortality in schizophrenia in
      Europe that were published in English in the Pubmed database in 2009-2014. It
      aimed at determining countries where studies were conducted, methodologies and
      tools used, and current main mortality rates, as well as direction of causality
      in this group of patients. RESULTS: The recently published studies were conducted
      only in few European countries. The majority of data was obtained from general
      medical records and death records. The studies indicate that schizophrenia
      patients are characterized by higher mortality rate than the general population,
      with natural causes (cardiovascular diseases and cancers) and suicides
      predominating. The increasing mortality gap with significantly shorter life
      expectancy of patients with schizophrenia in comparison with the general
      population is considerable. CONCLUSIONS: Death records are a crucial tool in
      studies on mortality in schizophrenia patients; however they are insufficiently
      employed. Recent European reports do not show positive tendencies, indicating
      that standardized mortality rates in schizophrenia remain on the same level or
      even increase, particularly for deaths resulting from natural causes. Due to
      various methodologies used in studies, their direct comparison is difficult. This
      limitation warrants further discussion on methods used in future studies on
      schizophrenia mortality in Europe.

PMID- 28636569
TI  - Diabetic ketoacidosis associated with antipsychotic drugs: case reports and a
      review of literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are associated with metabolic
      disturbances. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a rare, but potentially fatal sign
      of acute glucose metabolism dysregulation linked to the use of SGAs. The aims of
      this article are to present patients with a history of psychotic disorders and of
      severe metabolic diabetic ketoacidosis, possibly associated with the use of
      antipsychotics, and to review the current literature on the topic of
      antipsychotic-induced DKA. METHOD: PubMed/Medline and EBSCO databases were
      searched using the keywords: diabetic ketoacidosis, antipsychotics, atypical
      antipsychotics, second generation antipsychotics, clozapine, olanzapine,
      risperidone, quetiapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, paliperidone, amisulpride and
      haloperidol. Case reports, case series and reviews of case series were included
      in the review. RESULTS: The majority of patients who developed DKA following
      treatment with antipsychotics were treated with olanzapine and clozapine in
      monotherapy or in combination with other antipsychotics. DKA mostly occurred in
      the first six months of antipsychotic treatment. Other risk factors included
      insulin resistance prior to antipsychotic treatment, male gender and middle age.
      CONCLUSION: Clinicians should consider the risk of DKA when starting treatment
      with SGAs. Preventive measures for patients with psychotic disorders using
      antipsychotics should include regular assessment of risk factors and screening
      for diabetes before and after administering antipsychotics, especially in the
      first months of treatment. Whenever possible, polypharmacy should be avoided.

PMID- 28636570
TI  - Use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Central-Eastern European Countries: an
      Overview.
AB  - Though a number of reports on the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been
      published from the Central-Eastern European region over the past two decades, a
      systematic review of this literature has not been published. Thus the aim of this
      paper was to review recent trends in ECT practice in Central-Eastern Europe.
      Systematic literature search was undertaken using the Medline, PSYCHINFO and
      EMBASE databases covering the period between January 2000 and December 2013.
      Relevant publications were found from the following countries: Bulgaria, Croatia,
      Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia,
      Slovakia, Ukraine, but none from Albania and Moldova. ECT practice in the region
      shows a heterogeneous picture in terms of utilization rate, main indications, and
      the technical parameters of application. On one end of the spectrum is Slovakia
      where the majority of psychiatric facilities offer ECT, on the other end is
      Slovenia, where ECT is banned. In about half of the countries schizophrenia is
      the main indication for ECT. In Ukraine, unmodified ECT is still in use. Clinical
      training is generally lacking in the region and only 3 countries have a national
      ECT protocol. Possible ways of improving ECT practice in the region are briefly
      discussed.

PMID- 28636571
TI  - Schizophrenia and Bipolar Affective Disorder: a Dimensional Approach.
AB  - AIM: Schizophrenia (SCH) and bipolar affective disorder (BAD) are currently
      classified separately according to the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
      of Mental Disorders) and ICD (International Statistical Classification of
      Diseases and Related Health Problems) standardized diagnostic guidelines.
      However, the validity of this categorical approach is controversial because
      psychotic symptoms may be observed in both diagnoses. The purpose of this study
      was to compare the clinical and social characteristics in a sample group
      consisting of patients diagnosed with SCH or BAD to help demonstrate the basic
      difficulty in the current classification of SCH and BAD as two etiologically
      distinct diseases. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study sample group consisted of 102
      patients diagnosed with SCH and 92 patients diagnosed with BAD. All of the
      participants were evaluated by Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and
      Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition with regard to beginning
      symptoms of the disease, the symptoms and signs of active disease period within
      total disease duration, continuining residual symptoms in intermediate period.
      The patients were administered the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, the
      Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Social
      Functioning Scale. RESULTS: The SCH and BAD groups in this study were
      statistically similar in terms of sex, length of education, age at disease onset,
      attempted suicide, quality of life and social functioning. CONCLUSION: Our study
      findings indicated that the course of disease in patients with BAD-1, in which
      psychotic features predominate and which exhibits a recurring course, shares
      various characteristics with SCH. It can be concluded that further
      phenomenological and neurobiological evaluations are required for intermediate
      cases with similiar clinical characteristics with schizophrenia and bipolar
      disorders.

PMID- 28636572
TI  - Mood Symptoms in Stabilized Patients with Schizophrenia: A Bipolar Type with
      Predominant Psychotic Features?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) are traditionally
      distinguished on the basis of progressive deterioration and long-term outcome,
      but a more dimensional approach is warranted. There are limited data on the
      occurrence of manic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. The aim of the
      current study was to search for patterns in the clinical symptomatology, which
      may suggest the presence of one or several mood disorders under the label of
      schizophrenia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Hundred-seventy-five patients diagnosed with
      schizophrenia according to DSM-5 were included in the study. The psychometric
      assessment included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Young Mania Rating
      Scale, The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Calgary Depression
      Scale. The statistical analysis included MANOVA, Pearson Correlation coefficient
      and principal components analysis. RESULTS: Significant subthreshold manic
      symptoms were present in 25.14% of patients. Mood symptoms correlated with
      positive symptoms. The PCA revealed a complex structure with 15 factors (one
      positive, negative, somatic, anxiety, neurocognitive, disorganization and manic,
      five depressive and three psychomotor/excitement/hostility/violence). CONCLUSION:
      Psychotic mood disorders are often phenotypically indistinguishable from
      schizophrenia, so it is likely that psychotic affective patients have been
      misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. The current study suggests that there seem to be
      patients with mania misdiagnosed as 'schizophrenics' because of the presence of
      psychotic features, a condition better described as 'schizophreniform bipolar
      disorder'.

PMID- 28636573
TI  - Prescribing patterns for inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in a
      psychiatric hospital in Slovenia: Results of 16-month prospective, non
      interventional clinical research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Slovenia, there has been no evidence about the prescribing
      patterns for inpatients with psychotic disorders. The research aims to analyze
      drug utilization patterns for inpatients with psychotic disorder that are coded
      as F20-F29 according to International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10th
      revision (schizophrenia spectrum disorders). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Prospective
      research was conducted at the Psychiatric Hospital Idrija. The medical records of
      the inpatients admitted over a 12-month period were collected from the beginning
      to the end of their hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 311 inpatients with 446
      hospitalizations were included, producing a total of 3954 medication
      prescriptions. Medications prescribed pro re nata (the use of as needed) were
      also taken into account. Antipsychotics (N=1149, 43% of prescriptions) were the
      most often prescribed medications, followed by anxiolytics, antiparkinsonians,
      antidepressants, mood stabilizers and cardiovascular drugs. A total of 256 (82%)
      inpatients received at least one pro re nata medication. It was observed that the
      studied population was treated with one antipsychotic on 27 percent of
      prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS: Inpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were
      exposed to a large number of different drugs. They were not received only
      psychotropic drugs but also other medications. With the knowledge about
      medications the implementation of clinical pharmacy services to the psychiatrists
      would significantly improve medication of inpatients with psychotic disorders and
      polypharmacotherapy.

PMID- 28636574
TI  - Early intervention programme for patients with psychotic disorders in "Sveti
      Ivan" Psychiatric hospital (RIPEPP) - sociodemographic and baseline
      characteristics of the participants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psychiatric hospital "Sveti Ivan" in Zagreb, Croatia, offers an
      outpatient Early intervention programme for patients with psychotic disorders
      (RIPEPP), consisting of psychoeducational workshops and group psychodynamic
      psychotherapy. The aim of this study was to describe sociodemographic and
      baseline characteristics of the participants, in order to provide better
      understanding of this population, and to assist with the development of more
      effective therapeutic approaches. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Since 2008, a total of
      245 patients with first episodes of psychosis and their family members
      participated in the programme. They filled out several questionnaires within the
      framework of the programme evaluation, but for the purposes of this study, only
      data collected on sociodemographic questionnaire and the Health of the Nation
      Outcome Scales (HoNOS) are presented. RESULTS: Majority of the participants were
      male (66%), at the average age of 28 (SD=6.6), living with their parents (73.5%).
      Most of them finished secondary school (45.7%) but almost a quarter of the sample
      (23.7%) is currently studying at university. The average duration of untreated
      period was 101.60 days, with a median of 30 days. According to results of HONOS
      questionnaire, upon entry into the programme, the patients most often listed
      cognitive functioning (attention, concentration, memory) and professional issues
      (performance of work tasks and activities tied to work) as the most problematic
      areas. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study provide more detailed description
      of the beneficiaries of the RIPEPP programme, which can contribute to forming
      future programmes for the prevention of psychotic disorders.

PMID- 28636575
TI  - The temperament and character traits in patients with major depressive disorder
      and bipolar affective disorder with and without suicide attempt.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suicide and mood disorders (especially major depressive disorder
      (MDD) and bipolar affective disorder (BD)) represent a significant global health
      burden. Major depressive disorder and bipolar affective disorder have been
      associated with increased risk for suicide. Some specific suicide risk factors
      might be found in underlying individual personality traits. Specific personality
      features may predispose an individual to mood disorders (MDD or BD) hence
      increased suicide risk. The specificity of this research is in the assessment of
      personality features during the acute phase of illness immediately after suicide
      attempt which resulted in psychiatric inpatient treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
      The study included 119 unrelated Caucasian participants with MDD-severe
      depressive episode without psychotic symptoms (MDD) and BD-severe depressive
      episode without psychotic symptoms (BD-sDE). Both groups of patients with MDD and
      BD-sDE were divided into the suicide attempters and non-suicidal group. The
      diagnoses of the severe depressive episode without psychotic symptoms in major
      depressive disorder (MDD; F32.2) and bipolar disorder (BD-sDE; F31.4) were made
      according to ICD-10 (WHO 1992) diagnostic criteria. Methods of suicide attempts
      were also assessed according to ICD-10 and a self-report questionnaire, the
      Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was applied. RESULTS: The participants
      who exhibited suicide attempt had significantly higher scores on harm-avoidance
      (HA) (p<0.001), significantly lower score on persistence (PS) (p=0.037) and lower
      score, however not statistically significant, on novelty-seeking (NS) (p=0.319)
      regarding temperament dimensions. In character dimensions, the patients with
      suicidal attempt had significantly lower scores on self-directedness (SD)
      (p<0.001) and significantly lower scores on cooperativeness (CO) (p=0.001).
      CONCLUSION: Patients who had suicide attempt may have some significantly
      different personality traits than non-suicidal patients with mood disorders. The
      combination of high harm-avoidance (HA) and low self-directedness (SD) may be
      specific for depressive episode while the combination of high HA, novelty-seeking
      (NS), and self-transcendence (ST) with low SD may be related to suicide attempts
      during the depressive episode in bipolar disorder. The novelty-seeking (NS), self
      transcendence (ST) and self-directedness (SD) may be specific for suicidal group
      of bipolar patients.

PMID- 28636576
TI  - Vitamin D Levels and Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphism in Major Depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate vitamin D levels and rs2228570
      (FokI) polymorphism of vitamin D in patients with established diagnosis of major
      depressive disorder in order to investigate the impact of vitamin D levels and
      genetic polymorphisms on etiology and/or severity of the disease. SUBJECTS AND
      METHODS: The study included 86 patients who were diagnosed with major depressive
      disorder in Hospital of Balikesir University Faculty of Medicine, Department of
      Psychiatry, and 89 healthy volunteers with similar age, sex, education level and
      BMI. Psychiatric diagnosis was established by using Structured Clinical Interview
      for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). For clinical evaluation, sociodemographic
      data form, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale were used.
      Blood samples were drawn after 12 hours of fasting from the patients volunteered
      and the control group who were given their informed consent for participation in
      the study. Vitamin D levels were determined by using the method of ECLIA
      (Electrochemiluminescent immunoassay). Genotype analysis was performed using the
      method of Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR
      RFLP). RESULTS: In our study, median vitamin D levels (min-max) of the patient
      and control groups were 10.3 ng/mL (3.0-42.1) and 11.4 ng/mL (3.0-38.8),
      respectively. Statistically significant differences as for vitamin D levels
      between groups were not detected (p=0.729). Similiarly no statistically
      significant difference between groups in genotype distribution was observed
      (p=0.396). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our findings do not support the
      relationship between depression, vitamin D levels and Fok 1 polymorphism of
      vitamin D receptor. To test these hypotheses in the light of literature we need
      further studies to be performed with large number of patients.

PMID- 28636577
TI  - Comorbidity and Suicidality in Patients Diagnosed with Panic Disorder/Agoraphobia
      and Major Depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Comorbidity of anxiety and depression (both current and lifetime) is
      associated with greater chronicity and an increased risk of suicidality. We
      wished to ascertain which symptom clusters had the strongest association with
      suicidality. Our aims were (1) to examine the presence of current comorbidity and
      suicidality in patients diagnosed with panic disorder/agoraphobia (PD/A) and
      major depression (MD), and their relationship with duration of psychiatric
      treatment and frequency of hospital admission; and (2) to examine which
      coexisting symptoms were most strongly predictive of suicidality in sub-groups
      and the overall group. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study sample comprised 100
      patients with PD/A and MD. The following assessment instruments were applied: the
      Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression
      Inventory-II, the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, the Obsessive-Compulsive
      Inventory-Revised, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale and the Whiteley Index of
      Hypochondriasis. RESULTS: High rates of current comorbidity were seen in both
      groups. Patients with MD had significantly higher suicidality scores, but were
      also older, with a longer duration of psychiatric treatment and more frequent
      hospitalizations. In the overall group, psychiatric comorbidity was correlated
      with duration of psychiatric treatment and frequency of hospitalizations (with
      the exception of hypochondriasis which was not correlated with frequency of
      hospitalization). In both sub-groups and the overall group, suicidality was
      correlated with scores for all examined comorbidity (with the exception of
      hypochondriasis in the PD/A group): however, after multiple regression only
      obsessive-compulsive symptomatology predicted suicidality in all sub-groups and
      the overall group, as well as depression in the overall group. Depression
      supposed as dependent variable and obsessive-compulsive symptomatology as a
      mediator explained around 37% of the variance in suicidal ideation. CONCLUSION:
      Patients with PD/A or MD show high rates of current comorbidity. The effect of
      depression on suicidality was significant, but a non-trivial impact was also
      mediated by obsessive-compulsive symptomatology.

PMID- 28636578
TI  - Human neuropsin gene in depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neuropsin (NP, kallikrein 8, KLK8) - a kallikrein gene-related (KLK)
      endoprotease - plays a key role in neuroplasticity processes, since intracellular
      signal cascades and regulation of gene expression are engaged in long-term
      synaptic plasticity. The main aim of this paper is to compare expression of the
      human neuropsin gene on the mRNA level in a group of patients diagnosed with
      depression and in a group of healthy subjects who have never been treated
      psychiatrically. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 291 people, aged 18-67, were qualified to
      participate in the experiment: major recurrent depression group (MRD) and the
      control group (CG). Designations were carried out for the human NP gene (hNP).
      RESULTS: For hNP gene expression at the mRNA level was higher in patients with
      depression than in the CG (p<0.005). A Spearman's rank correlation analysis did
      not reveal any statistically significant relationship between the intensity of
      the disease measured using the HDRS scale and expression on the mRNA level for
      the hNP gene. Expression for the hNP gene in the entire group analysed increased
      with age of the examined individuals (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Expression of the hNP
      gene on the mRNA level, evaluated based on peripheral blood, is significantly
      higher in the patients with MRD than in the healthy subjects.

PMID- 28636579
TI  - Regeneration orientation is better than resistance orientation in behaviour
      activation. Results from an intervention study with psychosomatic patients.
AB  - The meaning of positive activities in mental health is widely known and found its
      entrance in therapeutically and empirical work. It also found it's entrance to
      current therapeutic developments. Different strategies for assessment and
      promotion of activity level exist. Patients were acquired from a department of
      psychosomatic medicine in a German rehabilitation center and randomly allocated
      to two treatment groups ("regeneration" vs "resistance" group). Data from 62
      patients in the regeneration group and 65 patients in the resistance group was
      compared with 43 patients who received a "treatment as usual". All group
      comparisons were statistically significant, with different results depending on
      the type of activities. Regarding behavior activation, there tend to be an
      advantage for the regeneration group. Nothing is said about the transfer after
      discharge and long term effects.

PMID- 28636580
TI  - Mediator Effects of Positive Emotions on Social Support and Depression among
      Adolescents Suffering from Mobile Phone Addiction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental disorder that is widely seen among
      adolescents suffering from mobile phone addiction. While it is well known that
      both positive emtions in adolescents wiotions and social support can have a
      positive impact by helping individuals to maintain a positive attitude, the
      correlation between positive emotions, social support, and depression among these
      adolescents remains to be investigated. This study examined the mediator effects
      of positive emotions on the relationship between social support and depression
      among adolescents suffering from mobile phone addiction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
      For this study, conducted in 2016, we selected 1,346 adolescent students from
      three middle schools (ranging from Junior Grade One to Senior Grade Three) in
      Hunan Province of China, to participate in the survey. Participants were selected
      using the stratified cluster random sampling method, and all participants
      remained anonymous throughout the study. Each participant completed the Self-made
      General Situation Questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale, the Positive
      and Negative Affect Schedule, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression
      Scale, and the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale. RESULTS: There was
      significant positive correlation between positive emotions and social support.
      Both positive emotions and social support demonstrated significant negative
      correlation with depression. Positive emotions had partial mediator effects on
      the relationship between social support and depression (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
      Both social support and positive emotions can lower levels of depression among
      adolescents suffering from mobile phone addiction. Social support contributes to
      positive emoth mobile phone addiction, thereby reducing their levels of
      depression. These findings suggest that more support and care should be given to
      this particular adolescent population.

PMID- 28636582
TI  - Bilateral DMPFC-rTMS Leads to Sustained Remission in Geriatric Treatment
      Resistant Depression: A Case Report.

PMID- 28636581
TI  - The PsyLOG mobile application: development of a tool for the assessment and
      monitoring of side effects of psychotropic medication.
AB  - Mobile health interventions are regarded as affordable and accessible tools that
      can enhance standard psychiatric care. As part of the mHealth Psycho-Educational
      Intervention Versus Antipsychotic-Induced Side Effects (mPIVAS) project
      (www.psylog.eu), we developed the mobile application "PsyLOG" based on mobile
      "smartphone" technology to monitor antipsychotic-induced side effects. The aim of
      this paper is to describe the rationale and development of the PsyLOG and its
      clinical use. The PsyLOG application runs on smartphones with Android operating
      system. The application is currently available in seven languages (Croatian,
      Czech, English, French, German, Japanese and Serbian). It consists of several
      categories: "My Drug Effects", "My Life Styles", "My Charts", "My Medication",
      "My Strategies", "My Supporters", "Settings" and "About". The main category "My
      Drug Effects" includes a list of 30 side effects with the possibility to add
      three additional side effects. Side effects are each accompanied by an
      appropriate description and the possibility to rate its severity on a visual
      analogue scale from 0-100%. The PsyLOG application is intended to enhance the
      link between patients and mental health professionals, serving as a tool that
      more objectively monitors side-effects over certain periods of time. To the best
      of our knowledge, no such applications have so far been developed for patients
      taking antipsychotic medication or for their therapists.

PMID- 28636583
TI  - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Comorbid Sexual Dysfunctions.

PMID- 28636584
TI  - Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in Huntington's disease accompanying
      neuroborreliosis.

PMID- 28636586
TI  - Eardrum regeneration: membrane repair.

PMID- 28636585
TI  - Microbiome: A Potential Component in the Origin of Mental Disorders.
AB  - It is not surprising to find microbiome abnormalities present in psychiatric
      disorders such as depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, etc. Evolutionary
      pressure may provide an existential advantage to the host eukaryotic cells in
      that it survives in an extracellular environment containing non-self cells (e.g.,
      bacteria). This phenomenon is both positive and negative, as with other
      intercellular processes. In this specific case, the phenomenal amount of
      information gained from combined bacterial genome could enhance communication
      between self and non-self cells. This can be coupled to both pathological
      processes and healthy ones. In this review, we chose to examine potential
      associated disorders that may be coupled to the microbiome, from the perspective
      of their bidirectional communication with eukaryotic cells in the gut. Cognition,
      being the newest neural networking functionality to evolve, consumes a good
      amount of organismic energy, 30% of which arises from the gut flora. Furthermore,
      the mammalian gut is highly innervated and has a highly developed immune
      component, reflecting brain complexity. The brain-gut axis uses similar molecular
      messengers as the brain, which affects bacterial processes as well. Thus, any
      modification of normal bacterial processes may manifest itself in altered
      behavior/cognition, originating from the gut. The origin of some disorders
      associated with this bidirectional communication may be harnessed to restore
      normal functioning.

PMID- 28636587
TI  - Marching to a new beat.

PMID- 28636588
TI  - Immunology: The patterns of T-cell target recognition.

PMID- 28636589
TI  - Identifying specificity groups in the T cell receptor repertoire.
AB  - T cell receptor (TCR) sequences are very diverse, with many more possible
      sequence combinations than T cells in any one individual. Here we define the
      minimal requirements for TCR antigen specificity, through an analysis of TCR
      sequences using a panel of peptide and major histocompatibility complex (pMHC)
      tetramer-sorted cells and structural data. From this analysis we developed an
      algorithm that we term GLIPH (grouping of lymphocyte interactions by paratope
      hotspots) to cluster TCRs with a high probability of sharing specificity owing to
      both conserved motifs and global similarity of complementarity-determining region
      3 (CDR3) sequences. We show that GLIPH can reliably group TCRs of common
      specificity from different donors, and that conserved CDR3 motifs help to define
      the TCR clusters that are often contact points with the antigenic peptides. As an
      independent validation, we analysed 5,711 TCRbeta chain sequences from reactive
      CD4 T cells from 22 individuals with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
      We found 141 TCR specificity groups, including 16 distinct groups containing TCRs
      from multiple individuals. These TCR groups typically shared HLA alleles,
      allowing prediction of the likely HLA restriction, and a large number of M.
      tuberculosis T cell epitopes enabled us to identify pMHC ligands for all five of
      the groups tested. Mutagenesis and de novo TCR design confirmed that the GLIPH
      identified motifs were critical and sufficient for shared-antigen recognition.
      Thus the GLIPH algorithm can analyse large numbers of TCR sequences and define
      TCR specificity groups shared by TCRs and individuals, which should greatly
      accelerate the analysis of T cell responses and expedite the identification of
      specific ligands.

PMID- 28636590
TI  - Host and viral traits predict zoonotic spillover from mammals.
AB  - The majority of human emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, with viruses
      that originate in wild mammals of particular concern (for example, HIV, Ebola and
      SARS). Understanding patterns of viral diversity in wildlife and determinants of
      successful cross-species transmission, or spillover, are therefore key goals for
      pandemic surveillance programs. However, few analytical tools exist to identify
      which host species are likely to harbour the next human virus, or which viruses
      can cross species boundaries. Here we conduct a comprehensive analysis of
      mammalian host-virus relationships and show that both the total number of viruses
      that infect a given species and the proportion likely to be zoonotic are
      predictable. After controlling for research effort, the proportion of zoonotic
      viruses per species is predicted by phylogenetic relatedness to humans, host
      taxonomy and human population within a species range-which may reflect human
      wildlife contact. We demonstrate that bats harbour a significantly higher
      proportion of zoonotic viruses than all other mammalian orders. We also identify
      the taxa and geographic regions with the largest estimated number of 'missing
      viruses' and 'missing zoonoses' and therefore of highest value for future
      surveillance. We then show that phylogenetic host breadth and other viral traits
      are significant predictors of zoonotic potential, providing a novel framework to
      assess if a newly discovered mammalian virus could infect people.

PMID- 28636591
TI  - Infectious diseases: Predictions of virus spillover across species.

PMID- 28636592
TI  - Quantifiable predictive features define epitope-specific T cell receptor
      repertoires.
AB  - T cells are defined by a heterodimeric surface receptor, the T cell receptor
      (TCR), that mediates recognition of pathogen-associated epitopes through
      interactions with peptide and major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs). TCRs
      are generated by genomic rearrangement of the germline TCR locus, a process
      termed V(D)J recombination, that has the potential to generate marked diversity
      of TCRs (estimated to range from 1015 (ref. 1) to as high as 1061 (ref. 2)
      possible receptors). Despite this potential diversity, TCRs from T cells that
      recognize the same pMHC epitope often share conserved sequence features,
      suggesting that it may be possible to predictively model epitope specificity.
      Here we report the in-depth characterization of ten epitope-specific TCR
      repertoires of CD8+ T cells from mice and humans, representing over 4,600 in
      frame single-cell-derived TCRalphabeta sequence pairs from 110 subjects. We
      developed analytical tools to characterize these epitope-specific repertoires: a
      distance measure on the space of TCRs that permits clustering and visualization,
      a robust repertoire diversity metric that accommodates the low number of paired
      public receptors observed when compared to single-chain analyses, and a distance
      based classifier that can assign previously unobserved TCRs to characterized
      repertoires with robust sensitivity and specificity. Our analyses demonstrate
      that each epitope-specific repertoire contains a clustered group of receptors
      that share core sequence similarities, together with a dispersed set of diverse
      'outlier' sequences. By identifying shared motifs in core sequences, we were able
      to highlight key conserved residues driving essential elements of TCR
      recognition. These analyses provide insights into the generalizable, underlying
      features of epitope-specific repertoires and adaptive immune recognition.

PMID- 28636594
TI  - Surface tension prevails over solute effect in organic-influenced cloud droplet
      activation.
AB  - The spontaneous growth of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) into cloud droplets
      under supersaturated water vapour conditions is described by classic Kohler
      theory. This spontaneous activation of CCN depends on the interplay between the
      Raoult effect, whereby activation potential increases with decreasing water
      activity or increasing solute concentration, and the Kelvin effect, whereby
      activation potential decreases with decreasing droplet size or increases with
      decreasing surface tension, which is sensitive to surfactants. Surface tension
      lowering caused by organic surfactants, which diminishes the Kelvin effect, is
      expected to be negated by a concomitant reduction in the Raoult effect, driven by
      the displacement of surfactant molecules from the droplet bulk to the droplet
      vapour interface. Here we present observational and theoretical evidence
      illustrating that, in ambient air, surface tension lowering can prevail over the
      reduction in the Raoult effect, leading to substantial increases in cloud droplet
      concentrations. We suggest that consideration of liquid-liquid phase separation,
      leading to complete or partial engulfing of a hygroscopic particle core by a
      hydrophobic organic-rich phase, can explain the lack of concomitant reduction of
      the Raoult effect, while maintaining substantial lowering of surface tension,
      even for partial surface coverage. Apart from the importance of particle size and
      composition in droplet activation, we show by observation and modelling that
      incorporation of phase-separation effects into activation thermodynamics can lead
      to a CCN number concentration that is up to ten times what is predicted by
      climate models, changing the properties of clouds. An adequate representation of
      the CCN activation process is essential to the prediction of clouds in climate
      models, and given the effect of clouds on the Earth's energy balance, improved
      prediction of aerosol-cloud-climate interactions is likely to result in improved
      assessments of future climate change.

PMID- 28636593
TI  - T cells from patients with Parkinson's disease recognize alpha-synuclein
      peptides.
AB  - Genetic studies have shown the association of Parkinson's disease with alleles of
      the major histocompatibility complex. Here we show that a defined set of peptides
      that are derived from alpha-synuclein, a protein aggregated in Parkinson's
      disease, act as antigenic epitopes displayed by these alleles and drive helper
      and cytotoxic T cell responses in patients with Parkinson's disease. These
      responses may explain the association of Parkinson's disease with specific major
      histocompatibility complex alleles.

PMID- 28636595
TI  - Nlrp9b inflammasome restricts rotavirus infection in intestinal epithelial cells.
AB  - Rotavirus, a leading cause of severe gastroenteritis and diarrhoea in young
      children, accounts for around 215,000 deaths annually worldwide. Rotavirus
      specifically infects the intestinal epithelial cells in the host small intestine
      and has evolved strategies to antagonize interferon and NF-kappaB signalling,
      raising the question as to whether other host factors participate in antiviral
      responses in intestinal mucosa. The mechanism by which enteric viruses are sensed
      and restricted in vivo, especially by NOD-like receptor (NLR) inflammasomes, is
      largely unknown. Here we uncover and mechanistically characterize the NLR Nlrp9b
      that is specifically expressed in intestinal epithelial cells and restricts
      rotavirus infection. Our data show that, via RNA helicase Dhx9, Nlrp9b recognizes
      short double-stranded RNA stretches and forms inflammasome complexes with the
      adaptor proteins Asc and caspase-1 to promote the maturation of interleukin (Il)
      18 and gasdermin D (Gsdmd)-induced pyroptosis. Conditional depletion of Nlrp9b or
      other inflammasome components in the intestine in vivo resulted in enhanced
      susceptibility of mice to rotavirus replication. Our study highlights an
      important innate immune signalling pathway that functions in intestinal
      epithelial cells and may present useful targets in the modulation of host
      defences against viral pathogens.

PMID- 28636596
TI  - Selective sp3 C-H alkylation via polarity-match-based cross-coupling.
AB  - The functionalization of carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds is one of the most
      attractive strategies for molecular construction in organic chemistry. The
      hydrogen atom is considered to be an ideal coupling handle, owing to its relative
      abundance in organic molecules and its availability for functionalization at
      almost any stage in a synthetic sequence. Although many C-H functionalization
      reactions involve C(sp3)-C(sp2) coupling, there is a growing demand for C-H
      alkylation reactions, wherein sp3 C-H bonds are replaced with sp3 C-alkyl groups.
      Here we describe a polarity-match-based selective sp3 C-H alkylation via the
      combination of photoredox, nickel and hydrogen-atom transfer catalysis. This
      methodology simultaneously uses three catalytic cycles to achieve hydridic C-H
      bond abstraction (enabled by polarity matching), alkyl halide oxidative addition,
      and reductive elimination to enable alkyl-alkyl fragment coupling. The sp3 C-H
      alkylation is highly selective for the alpha-C-H of amines, ethers and sulphides,
      which are commonly found in pharmaceutically relevant architectures. This cross
      coupling protocol should enable broad synthetic applications in de novo synthesis
      and late-stage functionalization chemistry.

PMID- 28636598
TI  - Astrophysics: Stellar siblings grow closer with age.

PMID- 28636597
TI  - Phase separation drives heterochromatin domain formation.
AB  - Constitutive heterochromatin is an important component of eukaryotic genomes that
      has essential roles in nuclear architecture, DNA repair and genome stability, and
      silencing of transposon and gene expression. Heterochromatin is highly enriched
      for repetitive sequences, and is defined epigenetically by methylation of histone
      H3 at lysine 9 and recruitment of its binding partner heterochromatin protein 1
      (HP1). A prevalent view of heterochromatic silencing is that these and associated
      factors lead to chromatin compaction, resulting in steric exclusion of regulatory
      proteins such as RNA polymerase from the underlying DNA. However, compaction
      alone does not account for the formation of distinct, multi-chromosomal, membrane
      less heterochromatin domains within the nucleus, fast diffusion of proteins
      inside the domain, and other dynamic features of heterochromatin. Here we present
      data that support an alternative hypothesis: that the formation of
      heterochromatin domains is mediated by phase separation, a phenomenon that gives
      rise to diverse non-membrane-bound nuclear, cytoplasmic and extracellular
      compartments. We show that Drosophila HP1a protein undergoes liquid-liquid
      demixing in vitro, and nucleates into foci that display liquid properties during
      the first stages of heterochromatin domain formation in early Drosophila embryos.
      Furthermore, in both Drosophila and mammalian cells, heterochromatin domains
      exhibit dynamics that are characteristic of liquid phase-separation, including
      sensitivity to the disruption of weak hydrophobic interactions, and reduced
      diffusion, increased coordinated movement and inert probe exclusion at the domain
      boundary. We conclude that heterochromatic domains form via phase separation, and
      mature into a structure that includes liquid and stable compartments. We propose
      that emergent biophysical properties associated with phase-separated systems are
      critical to understanding the unusual behaviours of heterochromatin, and how
      chromatin domains in general regulate essential nuclear functions.

PMID- 28636599
TI  - Addendum: Immune clearance of highly pathogenic SIV infection.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nature12519.

PMID- 28636600
TI  - Hidden morphological diversity among early tetrapods.
AB  - Phylogenetic analysis of early tetrapod evolution has resulted in a consensus
      across diverse data sets in which the tetrapod stem group is a relatively
      homogenous collection of medium- to large-sized animals showing a progressive
      loss of 'fish' characters as they become increasingly terrestrial, whereas the
      crown group demonstrates marked morphological diversity and disparity. The oldest
      fossil attributed to the tetrapod crown group is the highly specialized aistopod
      Lethiscus stocki, which shows a small size, extreme axial elongation, loss of
      limbs, spool-shaped vertebral centra, and a skull with reduced centres of
      ossification, in common with an otherwise disparate group of small animals known
      as lepospondyls. Here we use micro-computed tomography of the only known specimen
      of Lethiscus to provide new information that strongly challenges this consensus.
      Digital dissection reveals extremely primitive cranial morphology, including a
      spiracular notch, a large remnant of the notochord within the braincase, an open
      ventral cranial fissure, an anteriorly restricted parasphenoid element, and
      Meckelian ossifications. The braincase is elongate and lies atop a dorsally
      projecting septum of the parasphenoid bone, similar to stem tetrapods such as
      embolomeres. This morphology is consistent in a second aistopod, Coloraderpeton,
      although the details differ. Phylogenetic analysis, including critical new
      braincase data, places aistopods deep on the tetrapod stem, whereas another major
      lepospondyl lineage is displaced into the amniotes. These results show that stem
      group tetrapods were much more diverse in their body plans than previously
      thought. Our study requires a change in commonly used calibration dates for
      molecular analyses, and emphasizes the importance of character sampling for early
      tetrapod evolutionary relationships.

PMID- 28636602
TI  - Immunology: Gut sensor halts viral attack.

PMID- 28636601
TI  - Crystal structure of the potassium-importing KdpFABC membrane complex.
AB  - Cellular potassium import systems play a fundamental role in osmoregulation, pH
      homeostasis and membrane potential in all domains of life. In bacteria, the kdp
      operon encodes a four-subunit potassium pump that maintains intracellular
      homeostasis, cell shape and turgor under conditions in which potassium is
      limiting. This membrane complex, called KdpFABC, has one channel-like subunit
      (KdpA) belonging to the superfamily of potassium transporters and another pump
      like subunit (KdpB) belonging to the superfamily of P-type ATPases. Although
      there is considerable structural and functional information about members of both
      superfamilies, the mechanism by which uphill potassium transport through KdpA is
      coupled with ATP hydrolysis by KdpB remains poorly understood. Here we report the
      2.9 A X-ray structure of the complete Escherichia coli KdpFABC complex with a
      potassium ion within the selectivity filter of KdpA and a water molecule at a
      canonical cation site in the transmembrane domain of KdpB. The structure also
      reveals two structural elements that appear to mediate the coupling between these
      two subunits. Specifically, a protein-embedded tunnel runs between these
      potassium and water sites and a helix controlling the cytoplasmic gate of KdpA is
      linked to the phosphorylation domain of KdpB. On the basis of these observations,
      we propose a mechanism that repurposes protein channel architecture for active
      transport across biomembranes.

PMID- 28636603
TI  - Trans-kingdom mimicry underlies ribosome customization by a poxvirus kinase.
AB  - Ribosomes have the capacity to selectively control translation through changes in
      their composition that enable recognition of specific RNA elements. However,
      beyond differential subunit expression during development, evidence for regulated
      ribosome specification within individual cells has remained elusive. Here we
      report that a poxvirus kinase phosphorylates serine/threonine residues in the
      human small ribosomal subunit protein, receptor for activated C kinase (RACK1),
      that are not phosphorylated in uninfected cells or cells infected by other
      viruses. These modified residues cluster in an extended loop in RACK1,
      phosphorylation of which selects for translation of viral or reporter mRNAs with
      5' untranslated regions that contain adenosine repeats, so-called polyA-leaders.
      Structural and phylogenetic analyses revealed that although RACK1 is highly
      conserved, this loop is variable and contains negatively charged amino acids in
      plants, in which these leaders act as translational enhancers. Phosphomimetics
      and inter-species chimaeras have shown that negative charge in the RACK1 loop
      dictates ribosome selectivity towards viral RNAs. By converting human RACK1 to a
      charged, plant-like state, poxviruses remodel host ribosomes so that adenosine
      repeats erroneously generated by slippage of the viral RNA polymerase confer a
      translational advantage. Our findings provide insight into ribosome customization
      through trans-kingdom mimicry and the mechanics of species-specific leader
      activity that underlie poxvirus polyA-leaders.

PMID- 28636604
TI  - Liquid droplet formation by HP1alpha suggests a role for phase separation in
      heterochromatin.
AB  - Gene silencing by heterochromatin is proposed to occur in part as a result of the
      ability of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) proteins to spread across large
      regions of the genome, compact the underlying chromatin and recruit diverse
      ligands. Here we identify a new property of the human HP1alpha protein: the
      ability to form phase-separated droplets. While unmodified HP1alpha is soluble,
      either phosphorylation of its N-terminal extension or DNA binding promotes the
      formation of phase-separated droplets. Phosphorylation-driven phase separation
      can be promoted or reversed by specific HP1alpha ligands. Known components of
      heterochromatin such as nucleosomes and DNA preferentially partition into the
      HP1alpha droplets, but molecules such as the transcription factor TFIIB show no
      preference. Using a single-molecule DNA curtain assay, we find that both
      unmodified and phosphorylated HP1alpha induce rapid compaction of DNA strands
      into puncta, although with different characteristics. We show by direct protein
      delivery into mammalian cells that an HP1alpha mutant incapable of phase
      separation in vitro forms smaller and fewer nuclear puncta than phosphorylated
      HP1alpha. These findings suggest that heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing may
      occur in part through sequestration of compacted chromatin in phase-separated HP1
      droplets, which are dissolved or formed by specific ligands on the basis of
      nuclear context.

PMID- 28636605
TI  - Catalytic allylic oxidation of internal alkenes to a multifunctional chiral
      building block.
AB  - The stereoselective oxidation of hydrocarbons is one of the most notable advances
      in synthetic chemistry over the past fifty years. Inspired by nature,
      enantioselective dihydroxylations, epoxidations and other oxidations of
      unsaturated hydrocarbons have been developed. More recently, the catalytic
      enantioselective allylic carbon-hydrogen oxidation of alkenes has streamlined the
      production of pharmaceuticals, natural products, fine chemicals and other
      functional materials. Allylic functionalization provides a direct path to chiral
      building blocks with a newly formed stereocentre from petrochemical feedstocks
      while preserving the olefin functionality as a handle for further chemical
      elaboration. Various metal-based catalysts have been discovered for the
      enantioselective allylic carbon-hydrogen oxidation of simple alkenes with cyclic
      or terminal double bonds. However, a general and selective allylic oxidation
      using the more common internal alkenes remains elusive. Here we report the
      enantioselective, regioselective and E/Z-selective allylic oxidation of
      unactivated internal alkenes via a catalytic hetero-ene reaction with a chalcogen
      based oxidant. Our method enables non-symmetric internal alkenes to be
      selectively converted into allylic functionalized products with high
      stereoselectivity and regioselectivity. Stereospecific transformations of the
      resulting multifunctional chiral building blocks highlight the potential for
      rapidly converting internal alkenes into a broad range of enantioenriched
      structures that can be used in the synthesis of complex target molecules.

PMID- 28636606
TI  - Molecular biology: A liquid reservoir for silent chromatin.

PMID- 28636607
TI  - Three-dimensional cell shapes and arrangements in human sweat glands as revealed
      by whole-mount immunostaining.
AB  - Because sweat secretion is facilitated by mechanical contraction of sweat gland
      structures, understanding their structure-function relationship could lead to
      more effective treatments for patients with sweat gland disorders such as heat
      stroke. Conventional histological studies have shown that sweat glands are three
      dimensionally coiled tubular structures consisting of ducts and secretory
      portions, although their detailed structural anatomy remains unclear. To better
      understand the details of the three-dimensional (3D) coiled structures of sweat
      glands, a whole-mount staining method was employed to visualize 3D coiled gland
      structures with sweat gland markers for ductal luminal, ductal basal, secretory
      luminal, and myoepithelial cells. Imaging the 3D coiled gland structures
      demonstrated that the ducts and secretory portions were comprised of distinct
      tubular structures. Ductal tubules were occasionally bent, while secretory
      tubules were frequently bent and formed a self-entangled coiled structure. Whole
      mount staining of complex coiled gland structures also revealed the detailed 3D
      cellular arrangements in the individual sweat gland compartments. Ducts were
      composed of regularly arranged cuboidal shaped cells, while secretory portions
      were surrounded by myoepithelial cells longitudinally elongated along entangled
      secretory tubules. Whole-mount staining was also used to visualize the spatial
      arrangement of blood vessels and nerve fibers, both of which facilitate sweat
      secretion. The blood vessels ran longitudinally parallel to the sweat gland
      tubules, while nerve fibers wrapped around secretory tubules, but not ductal
      tubules. Taken together, whole-mount staining of sweat glands revealed the 3D
      cell shapes and arrangements of complex coiled gland structures and provides
      insights into the mechanical contraction of coiled gland structures during sweat
      secretion.

PMID- 28636608
TI  - The construct of sexual openness for females in steady intimate relationships.
AB  - The analysis of open-minded attitudes towards sexuality in general requires a
      construct based on attitudinal dimensions. Although several existing studies
      involve sexual attitudes, they differ substantially and standardized conceptual
      work is missing. Thus, the authors introduce the latent variable sexual openness
      to develop a construct based on self-oriented attitudes towards different sexual
      topics. Available survey data of female German students in a steady relationship
      allowed providing a first empirical test for the applicability of this construct.
      Five subdimensions are acknowledged central for sexual openness: sexual
      practices, masturbation, bisexuality, permissiveness, and pornography
      consumption. Confirmatory factor analysis and correlations confirmed the idea of
      an underlying mechanism with an impact on all five variables. Though further
      validation of the construct of sexual openness is required, the findings strongly
      support the notion of an overarching latent attitude variable, which influences
      the individual relation to everything sexual. The results were compared to other
      studies and potential approaches for future analyses were proposed.

PMID- 28636609
TI  - Genomic and phenotypic characterisation of fluoroquinolone resistance mechanisms
      in Enterobacteriaceae in Durban, South Africa.
AB  - Resistance to fluoroquinolones (FQ) is being increasingly reported and found to
      be mediated by efflux pumps, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes (PMQR)
      and mutations in gyrA, gyrB, parC and parE. However, studies reporting on FQ
      resistance mechanisms (FQRM), particularly in Africa, are focused mostly on
      Salmonella. This study used a whole-genome-based approach to describe FQRM in
      forty-eight clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates comprising of Klebsiella
      pneumoniae (n = 21), Serratia marcescens (n = 12), Enterobacter spp. (n = 10),
      Citrobacter freundii (n = 3), Escherichia coli (n = 1), and Klebsiella
      michiganensis (n = 1) with reduced susceptibility to FQ in Enterobacteriaceae.
      All the isolates exhibited exceptionally high-level resistance (MIC of 4-512mg/L)
      to all three FQs, which could not be reversed by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl
      hydrazine (CCCP), verapamil (VRP) or reserpine (RSP). PMQR genes such as oqxAB (n
      = 43), aac(6')-Ib-cr (n = 28), and qnr(S1, B1, B2, B9, B49, B66) (n = 23) were
      identified without transposons or integrons in their immediate environments.
      Multiple and diverse mutations were found in gyrA (including S83I/Y and
      T/I83I/T), gyrB, parC and parE, which were clonally specific. There were vertical
      and horizontal transmission of high-level FQ resistance in Enterobacteriaceae in
      hospitals in Durban, South Africa, which are mediated by efflux, PMQR genes, and
      gyrA, gyrB, parC and parE mutations.

PMID- 28636610
TI  - Chronotypes in the US - Influence of age and sex.
AB  - An individual's chronotype reflects how the circadian system embeds itself into
      the 24-h day with rhythms in physiology, cognition and behavior occurring
      accordingly earlier or later. In view of an increasing number of people working
      at unusual times and linked health and safety risks, the wide range in human
      chronotypes may provide opportunities to allow people to work (and sleep) at
      times that are in synch with their circadian physiology. We aimed at estimating
      the distribution of chronotypes in the US population by age and sex. Twelve years
      (2003-2014) of pooled diary data from the American Time Use Survey were used to
      calculate chronotype based on mid-point of sleep on weekends (MSFWe, n = 53,689).
      We observed a near-normal distribution overall and within each age group. The
      distribution's mean value is systematically different with age, shifting later
      during adolescence, showing a peak in 'lateness' at ~19 years, and shifting
      earlier thereafter. Men are typically later chronotypes than women before 40, but
      earlier types after 40. The greatest differences are observed between 15 and 25
      for both sexes, equaling more than 50% of the total chronotype difference across
      all age groups. The variability in chronotype decreases with age, but is
      generally higher in males than females. This is the first study to estimate the
      distribution and prevalence of individual chronotypes in the US population based
      on a large-scale, nationally representative sample. Our finding that adolescents
      are on average the latest chronotypes supports delaying school start times to
      benefit their sleep and circadian alignment. The generally wide range in
      chronotypes may provide opportunities for tailored work schedules by matching
      external and internal time, potentially decreasing long- and short-term health
      and safety risks.

PMID- 28636611
TI  - Unmanned aircraft systems as a new source of disturbance for wildlife: A
      systematic review.
AB  - The use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS; also known as "drones") for
      professional and personal-leisure use is increasing enormously. UAS operate at
      low altitudes (<500 m) and in any terrain, thus they are susceptible to interact
      with local fauna, generating a new type of anthropogenic disturbance that has not
      been systematically evaluated. To address this gap, we performed a review of the
      existent literature about animals' responses to UAS flights and conducted a
      pooled analysis of the data to determine the probability and intensity of the
      disturbance, and to identify the factors influencing animals' reactions towards
      the small aircraft. We found that wildlife reactions depended on both the UAS
      attributes (flight pattern, engine type and size of aircraft) and the
      characteristics of animals themselves (type of animal, life-history stage and
      level of aggregation). Target-oriented flight patterns, larger UAS sizes, and
      fuel-powered (noisier) engines evoked the strongest reactions in wildlife.
      Animals during the non-breeding period and in large groups were more likely to
      show behavioral reactions to UAS, and birds are more prone to react than other
      taxa. We discuss the implications of these results in the context of wildlife
      disturbance and suggest guidelines for conservationists, users and manufacturers
      to minimize the impact of UAS. In addition, we propose that the legal framework
      needs to be adapted so that appropriate actions can be undertaken when wildlife
      is negatively affected by these emergent practices.

PMID- 28636612
TI  - Laminin 211 inhibits protein kinase A in Schwann cells to modulate neuregulin 1
      type III-driven myelination.
AB  - Myelin is required for proper nervous system function. Schwann cells in
      developing nerves depend on extrinsic signals from the axon and from the
      extracellular matrix to first sort and ensheathe a single axon and then myelinate
      it. Neuregulin 1 type III (Nrg1III) and laminin alpha2beta1gamma1 (Lm211) are the
      key axonal and matrix signals, respectively, but how their signaling is
      integrated and if each molecule controls both axonal sorting and myelination is
      unclear. Here, we use a series of epistasis experiments to show that Lm211
      modulates neuregulin signaling to ensure the correct timing and amount of
      myelination. Lm211 can inhibit Nrg1III by limiting protein kinase A (PKA)
      activation, which is required to initiate myelination. We provide evidence that
      excessive PKA activation amplifies promyelinating signals downstream of
      neuregulin, including direct activation of the neuregulin receptor ErbB2 and its
      effector Grb2-Associated Binder-1 (Gab1), thereby elevating the expression of the
      key transcription factors Oct6 and early growth response protein 2 (Egr2). The
      inhibitory effect of Lm211 is seen only in fibers of small caliber. These data
      may explain why hereditary neuropathies associated with decreased laminin
      function are characterized by focally thick and redundant myelin.

PMID- 28636614
TI  - Smartphone dependence classification using tensor factorization.
AB  - Excessive smartphone use causes personal and social problems. To address this
      issue, we sought to derive usage patterns that were directly correlated with
      smartphone dependence based on usage data. This study attempted to classify
      smartphone dependence using a data-driven prediction algorithm. We developed a
      mobile application to collect smartphone usage data. A total of 41,683 logs of 48
      smartphone users were collected from March 8, 2015, to January 8, 2016. The
      participants were classified into the control group (SUC) or the addiction group
      (SUD) using the Korean Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale for Adults (S-Scale)
      and a face-to-face offline interview by a psychiatrist and a clinical
      psychologist (SUC = 23 and SUD = 25). We derived usage patterns using tensor
      factorization and found the following six optimal usage patterns: 1) social
      networking services (SNS) during daytime, 2) web surfing, 3) SNS at night, 4)
      mobile shopping, 5) entertainment, and 6) gaming at night. The membership vectors
      of the six patterns obtained a significantly better prediction performance than
      the raw data. For all patterns, the usage times of the SUD were much longer than
      those of the SUC. From our findings, we concluded that usage patterns and
      membership vectors were effective tools to assess and predict smartphone
      dependence and could provide an intervention guideline to predict and treat
      smartphone dependence based on usage data.

PMID- 28636613
TI  - In vivo immune signatures of healthy human pregnancy: Inherently inflammatory or
      anti-inflammatory?
AB  - Changes in maternal innate immunity during healthy human pregnancy are not well
      understood. Whether basal immune status in vivo is largely unaffected by
      pregnancy, is constitutively biased towards an inflammatory phenotype
      (transiently enhancing host defense) or exhibits anti-inflammatory bias (reducing
      potential responsiveness to the fetus) is unclear. Here, in a longitudinal study
      of healthy women who gave birth to healthy infants following uncomplicated
      pregnancies within the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD)
      cohort, we test the hypothesis that a progressively altered bias in resting
      innate immune status develops. Women were examined during pregnancy and again,
      one and/or three years postpartum. Most pro-inflammatory cytokine expression,
      including CCL2, CXCL10, IL-18 and TNFalpha, was reduced in vivo during pregnancy
      (20-57%, p<0.0001). Anti-inflammatory biomarkers (sTNF-RI, sTNF-RII, and IL-1Ra)
      were elevated by ~50-100% (p<0.0001). Systemic IL-10 levels were unaltered during
      vs. post-pregnancy. Kinetic studies demonstrate that while decreased pro
      inflammatory biomarker expression (CCL2, CXCL10, IL-18, and TNFalpha) was
      constant, anti-inflammatory expression increased progressively with increasing
      gestational age (p<0.0001). We conclude that healthy resting maternal immune
      status is characterized by an increasingly pronounced bias towards a systemic
      anti-inflammatory innate phenotype during the last two trimesters of pregnancy.
      This is resolved by one year postpartum in the absence of repeat pregnancy. The
      findings provide enhanced understanding of immunological changes that occur in
      vivo during healthy human pregnancy.

PMID- 28636615
TI  - Family living sets the stage for cooperative breeding and ecological resilience
      in birds.
AB  - Cooperative breeding is an extreme form of cooperation that evolved in a range of
      lineages, including arthropods, fish, birds, and mammals. Although cooperative
      breeding in birds is widespread and well-studied, the conditions that favored its
      evolution are still unclear. Based on phylogenetic comparative analyses on 3,005
      bird species, we demonstrate here that family living acted as an essential
      stepping stone in the evolution of cooperative breeding in the vast majority of
      species. First, families formed by prolonging parent-offspring associations
      beyond nutritional independency, and second, retained offspring began helping at
      the nest. These findings suggest that assessment of the conditions that favor the
      evolution of cooperative breeding can be confounded if this process is not
      considered to include 2 steps. Specifically, phylogenetic linear mixed models
      show that the formation of families was associated with more productive and
      seasonal environments, where prolonged parent-offspring associations are likely
      to be less costly. However, our data show that the subsequent evolution of
      cooperative breeding was instead linked to environments with variable
      productivity, where helpers at the nest can buffer reproductive failure in harsh
      years. The proposed 2-step framework helps resolve current disagreements about
      the role of environmental forces in the evolution of cooperative breeding and
      better explains the geographic distribution of this trait. Many geographic
      hotspots of cooperative breeding have experienced a historical decline in
      productivity, suggesting that a higher proportion of family-living species could
      have been able to avoid extinction under harshening conditions through the
      evolution of cooperative breeding. These findings underscore the importance of
      considering the potentially different factors that drive different steps in the
      evolution of complex adaptations.

PMID- 28636616
TI  - Temnothorax rugatulus ant colonies consistently vary in nest structure across
      time and context.
AB  - A host of animals build architectural constructions. Such constructions
      frequently vary with environmental and individual/colony conditions, and their
      architecture directly influences behavior and fitness. The nests of ant colonies
      drive and enable many of their collective behaviors, and as such are part of
      their 'extended phenotype'. Since ant colonies have been recently shown to differ
      in behavior and life history strategy, we ask whether colonies differ in another
      trait: the architecture of the constructions they create. We allowed Temnothorax
      rugatulus rock ants, who create nests by building walls within narrow rock gaps,
      to repeatedly build nest walls in a fixed crevice but under two environmental
      conditions. We find that colonies consistently differ in their architecture
      across environments and over nest building events. Colony identity explained 12
      40% of the variation in nest architecture, while colony properties and
      environmental conditions explained 5-20%, as indicated by the condition and
      marginal R2 values. When their nest boxes were covered, which produced higher
      humidity and lower airflow, colonies built thicker, longer, and heavier walls.
      Colonies also built more robust walls when they had more brood, suggesting a
      protective function of wall thickness. This is, to our knowledge, the first study
      to explicitly investigate the repeatability of nestbuilding behavior in a
      controlled environment. Our results suggest that colonies may face tradeoffs,
      perhaps between factors such as active vs. passive nest defense, and that
      selection may act on individual construction rules as a mechanisms to mediate
      colony-level behavior.

PMID- 28636617
TI  - BackUp: Development and evaluation of a smart-phone application for coping with
      suicidal crises.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suicide is a major public health issue and has large impact on the
      lives of many people. Innovative technologies such as smartphones could create
      new possibilities for suicide prevention, such as helping to overcome the
      barriers and stigma on help seeking in case of suicidal ideation. Due to their
      omnipresence, smartphone apps can offer suicide prevention tools very fast, they
      are easily-accessible, low-threshold and can help overcome some of the help
      seeking barriers suicidal people experience. This article describes the
      development, testing and implementation of a mobile application for coping with
      suicidal crisis: BackUp. METHODS: Based on the analysis of literature and
      existing suicide prevention apps several tools were identified as relevant to
      include in a suicide prevention app. The selected tools (a safety planning tool,
      a hope box, a coping cards module, and a module to reach out) are evidence based
      in a face to face context, and could be easily transferred into a mobile app. The
      testing of existing apps and the literature also revealed important guidelines
      for the technical development of the application. RESULTS: BackUp was developed
      and tested by an expert panel (n = 9) and a panel of end users (n = 21). Both
      groups rated BackUp as valuable for suicide prevention. Suicidal ideation of the
      end user group was measured using the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation before and
      after testing BackUp, and showed a small but non-significant decrease. The
      majority of the testers used BackUp several times. All tools were evaluated as
      rather or very useable in times of suicidal crisis. CONCLUSION: BackUp was
      positively evaluated and indicates that self-help tools can have a positive
      impact on suicidal ideation. Apps in particular create opportunities in
      approaching people that are not reached by traditional interventions; on the
      other hand they can contribute to suicide prevention in addition to regular care.
      However, more research is needed on the impact and effect of suicide prevention
      apps.

PMID- 28636618
TI  - De novo transcriptome of the mayfly Cloeon viridulum and transcriptional
      signatures of Prometabola.
AB  - Mayflies (Ephemeroptera) display many primitive characters and a unique type of
      metamorphosis (Prometabola). However, information on the genomes and
      transcriptomes of this insect group is limited. The RNA sequencing study
      presented here generated the first de novo transcriptome assembly of Cloeon
      viridulum (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae), and compared gene expression signatures
      among the young larva (YL), mature larva (ML), subimago (SI), and imago (IM)
      stages of this mayfly. The transcriptome, based on 88 Gb of sequence data,
      comprised a set of 81,185 high quality transcripts. The number of differentially
      expressed genes (DEGs) in YL vs. ML, ML vs. SI, and SI vs. IM, was 4,825, 1,584,
      and 1,278, respectively, according to the reads per kilobase of transcript per
      million mapped reads analysis, assuming a false discovery rate <0.05 and a fold
      change >2. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that these DEGs were enriched in the
      "chitin metabolic process", "germ cell development", "steroid hormone
      biosynthesis", and "cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis" pathways. Finally, the
      expression pattern of a selected group of candidate signature genes for
      Prometabola, including vestigial, methoprene-tolerant, wingless, and broad
      complex were confirmed by quantitative real time-PCR analysis. The Q-PCR analysis
      of larval, subimaginal, and imaginal stages of C. viridulum suggests that the
      development of mayflies more closely resembles hemimetamorphosis than
      holometamorphosis.

PMID- 28636619
TI  - What do computer scientists tweet? Analyzing the link-sharing practice on
      Twitter.
AB  - Twitter communication has permeated every sphere of society. To highlight and
      share small pieces of information with possibly vast audiences or small circles
      of the interested has some value in almost any aspect of social life. But what is
      the value exactly for a scientific field? We perform a comprehensive study of
      computer scientists using Twitter and their tweeting behavior concerning the
      sharing of web links. Discerning the domains, hosts and individual web pages
      being tweeted and the differences between computer scientists and a Twitter
      sample enables us to look in depth at the Twitter-based information sharing
      practices of a scientific community. Additionally, we aim at providing a deeper
      understanding of the role and impact of altmetrics in computer science and give a
      glance at the publications mentioned on Twitter that are most relevant for the
      computer science community. Our results show a link sharing culture that
      concentrates more heavily on public and professional quality information than the
      Twitter sample does. The results also show a broad variety in linked sources and
      especially in linked publications with some publications clearly related to
      community-specific interests of computer scientists, while others with a strong
      relation to attention mechanisms in social media. This refers to the observation
      that Twitter is a hybrid form of social media between an information service and
      a social network service. Overall the computer scientists' style of usage seems
      to be more on the information-oriented side and to some degree also on
      professional usage. Therefore, altmetrics are of considerable use in analyzing
      computer science.

PMID- 28636620
TI  - Risk of ischemic stroke after atrial fibrillation diagnosis: A national sample
      cohort.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke and
      associated with a 5-fold higher risk of stroke. In this retrospective cohort
      study, the incidence of and risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with AF
      were identified. All patients (>=30 years old) without previous stroke who were
      diagnosed with AF in 2007-2013 were selected from the National Health Insurance
      Service-National Sample Cohort. To identify factors that influenced ischemic
      stroke risk, Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted. During a
      mean follow-up duration of 3.2 years, 1022 (9.6%) patients were diagnosed with
      ischemic stroke. The overall incidence rate of ischemic stroke was 30.8/1000
      person-years. Of all the ischemic stroke that occurred during the follow-up
      period, 61.0% occurred within 1-year after AF diagnosis. Of the patients with
      CHA2DS2-VASc score of >=2, only 13.6% were receiving warfarin therapy within 30
      days after AF diagnosis. Relative to no antithrombotic therapy, warfarin
      treatment for >90 days before the index event (ischemic stroke in stroke patients
      and death/study end in non-stroke patients) associated with decreased ischemic
      stroke risk (Hazard Ratio = 0.41, 95%confidence intervals = 0.32-0.53). Heart
      failure, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus associated with greater ischemic
      stroke risk. AF patients in Korea had a higher ischemic stroke incidence rate
      than patients in other countries and ischemic stroke commonly occurred at early
      phase after AF diagnosis. Long-term (>90 days) continuous warfarin treatment may
      be beneficial for AF patients. However, warfarin treatment rates were very low.
      To prevent stroke, programs that actively detect AF and provide anticoagulation
      therapy are needed.

PMID- 28636621
TI  - Validation study of the safety attitudes questionnaire (SAQ) in public hospitals
      of Heilongjiang province, China.
AB  - PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to validate the reliability and validity
      of the safety attitudes questionnaire (SAQ) in Heilongjiang province, northern
      China. METHODS: The SAQ was distributed to 27 public hospitals in five cities
      across Heilongjiang province. The Cronbach's alpha, item-dimension and dimension
      dimension correlations were calculated. Descriptive analyses and confirmatory
      factor analysis were also performed. RESULTS: The recovery rate of the
      questionnaire was 84.45%. The validity and reliability measures of the SAQ were
      acceptable. The goodness-of-fit index from the confirmatory factor analysis
      showed a reasonable model fit (CFI = 0.93, GFI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.05). The
      Cronbach's alpha value for the scale was 0.91 and ranged from 0.66 to 0.91 for
      each of the scales. The SAQ showed good internal consistency reliability.
      CONCLUSION: The SAQ had satisfactory psychometric properties and could be a
      useful tool to measure safety attitudes in public hospitals in Heilongjiang
      province in China.

PMID- 28636622
TI  - Inhibition of hepatitis B viral entry by nucleic acid polymers in HepaRG cells
      and primary human hepatocytes.
AB  - Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health concern worldwide
      with 240 million individuals chronically infected and at risk of developing
      cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current treatments rarely cure chronic
      hepatitis B infection, highlighting the need for new anti-HBV drugs. Nucleic acid
      polymers (NAPs) are phosphorothioated oligonucleotides that have demonstrated a
      great potential to inhibit infection with several viruses. In chronically
      infected human patients, NAPs administration lead to a decline of blood HBsAg and
      HBV DNA and to HBsAg seroconversion, the expected signs of functional cure. NAPs
      have also been shown to prevent infection of duck hepatocytes with the
      Avihepadnavirus duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) and to exert an antiviral activity
      against established DHBV infection in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we
      investigated the specific anti-HBV antiviral activity of NAPs in the HepaRG human
      hepatoma cell line and primary cultures of human hepatocytes. NAPs with different
      chemical features (phosphorothioation, 2'O-methyl ribose, 5-methylcytidine) were
      assessed for antiviral activity when provided at the time of HBV inoculation or
      post-inoculation. NAPs dose-dependently inhibited HBV entry in a
      phosphorothioation-dependent, sequence-independent and size-dependent manner.
      This inhibition of HBV entry by NAPs was impaired by 2'O-methyl ribose
      modification. NAP treatment after viral inoculation did not elicit any antiviral
      activity.

PMID- 28636623
TI  - The basolateral vesicle sorting machinery and basolateral proteins are recruited
      to the site of enteropathogenic E. coli microcolony growth at the apical
      membrane.
AB  - Foodborne Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) infections of the small
      intestine cause diarrhea especially in children and are a major cause of
      childhood death in developing countries. EPEC infects the apical membrane of the
      epithelium of the small intestine by attaching, effacing the microvilli under the
      bacteria and then forming microcolonies on the cell surface. We first asked the
      question where on epithelial cells EPEC attaches and grows. Using models of
      polarized epithelial monolayers, we evaluated the sites of initial EPEC
      attachment to the apical membrane and found that EPEC preferentially attached
      over the cell-cell junctions and formed microcolonies preferentially where three
      cells come together at tricellular tight junctions. The ability of EPEC to adhere
      increased when host cell polarity was compromised yielding EPEC access to
      basolateral proteins. EPEC pedestals contain basolateral cytoskeletal proteins.
      Thus, we asked if attached EPEC causes reorganization the protein composition of
      the host cell plasma membrane at sites of microcolony formation. We found that
      EPEC microcolony growth at the apical membrane resulted in a local accumulation
      of basolateral plasma membrane proteins surrounding the microcolony. Basolateral
      marker protein aquaporin-3 localized to forming EPEC microcolonies. Components of
      the basolateral vesicle targeting machinery were re-routed. The Exocyst (Exo70)
      was recruited to individual EPEC as was the basolateral vesicle SNARE VAMP-3.
      Moreover, several Rab variants were also recruited to the infection site, and
      their dominant-negative equivalents were not. To quantitatively study the
      recruitment of basolateral proteins, we created a pulse of the temperature
      sensitive basolateral VSVG, VSVG3-SP-GFP, from the trans-Golgi Network. We found
      that after release from the TGN, significantly more VSVG3-SP-GFP accumulated at
      the site of microcolony growth than on equivalent membrane regions of uninfected
      cells. This suggests that trafficking of vesicles destined for the basolateral
      membrane are redirected to the apical site of microcolony growth. Thus, in
      addition to disrupting host cell fence function, local host cell plasma membrane
      protein composition is changed by altered protein trafficking and recruitment of
      basolateral proteins to the apical microcolony. This may aid EPEC attachment and
      subsequent microcolony growth.

PMID- 28636624
TI  - Metabolically-healthy obesity is associated with higher prevalence of colorectal
      adenoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk of colorectal adenoma (CRA), an important precursor of
      colorectal cancer, is largely unknown among obese individuals without obesity
      related metabolic abnormalities, a condition described as metabolically-healthy
      obese (MHO). The aim of this study was to examine the association among metabolic
      status, the different categories of body mass index (BMI), and CRA in a large
      cohort of adults. METHODS: We analyzed the association among metabolic status,
      BMI categories and CRA in asymptomatic adults who underwent a first-time
      colonoscopy as part of the comprehensive health check-up program at the Health
      Promotion Center of Samsung Medical Center, from January 2005 to December 2012.
      Being metabolically healthy was defined as lacking any metabolic syndrome
      components and having a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance <2.5.
      RESULTS: The prevalence of "any," "multiple," and "high-risk" CRA was 25.6%,
      8.3%, and 4.4% among 9,182 metabolically-healthy participants, and 35.9%, 12.5%,
      and 7.0% among 17,407 metabolically-unhealthy participants, respectively.
      Increased BMI showed a significant dose-dependent relationship with the
      prevalence of "any," "multiple," and "high-risk" CRA, in both metabolically
      healthy and unhealthy participants. In multivariable-adjusted models that
      accounted for potential confounders including age, sex, smoking, alcohol, first
      degree family history of colorectal cancer, and aspirin use, the odds ratio (OR)
      for any CRA comparing MHO with metabolically-healthy normal-weight (MHNW)
      participants was 1.25 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-1.43). Further
      adjustment for metabolic components associated with obesity did not significantly
      change the association. Similarly, the ORs for multiple CRAs and high risk CRA
      were higher in MHO participants than MHNW participants [ORs (95% CI), 1.63 (1.31
      2.04) and 1.53 (1.14-2.04), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: The MHO phenotype was
      closely associated with higher prevalence of CRA, including high-risk adenoma.
      This finding supports the conclusion that MHO increases the risk of colorectal
      cancer.

PMID- 28636625
TI  - Comparison study of exhaust plume impingement effects of small mono- and
      bipropellant thrusters using parallelized DSMC method.
AB  - A space propulsion system is important for the normal mission operations of a
      spacecraft by adjusting its attitude and maneuver. Generally, a mono- and a
      bipropellant thruster have been mainly used for low thrust liquid rocket engines.
      But as the plume gas expelled from these small thrusters diffuses freely in a
      vacuum space along all directions, unwanted effects due to the plume collision
      onto the spacecraft surfaces can dramatically cause a deterioration of the
      function and performance of a spacecraft. Thus, aim of the present study is to
      investigate and compare the major differences of the plume gas impingement
      effects quantitatively between the small mono- and bipropellant thrusters using
      the computational fluid dynamics (CFD). For an efficiency of the numerical
      calculations, the whole calculation domain is divided into two different flow
      regimes depending on the flow characteristics, and then Navier-Stokes equations
      and parallelized Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method are adopted for each
      flow regime. From the present analysis, thermal and mass influences of the plume
      gas impingements on the spacecraft were analyzed for the mono- and the
      bipropellant thrusters. As a result, it is concluded that a careful understanding
      on the plume impingement effects depending on the chemical characteristics of
      different propellants are necessary for the efficient design of the spacecraft.

PMID- 28636626
TI  - Digestible lysine requirements of male broilers from 1 to 42 days of age
      reassessed.
AB  - Three experiments were conducted separately to estimate the digestible Lys (dig.
      Lys) requirements of Cobb * Cobb 500 male broilers using different statistical
      models. For each experiment, 1,200 chicks were housed in 48 floor pens in a
      completely randomized design with 6 treatments and 8 replicates. Broilers were
      fed diets with increasing dig. Lys levels from 1 to 12 d (Exp. 1), from 12 to 28
      d (Exp. 2), and 28 to 42 d (Exp. 3). Increasing dig. Lys levels were equally
      spaced from 0.97 to 1.37% in Exp. 1, 0.77 to 1.17% in Exp. 2, and 0.68 to 1.07%
      in Exp. 3. The lowest dig. Lys diets were not supplemented with L-Lysine and all
      other essential AA met or exceeded recommendations. In Exp. 3, six birds per pen
      were randomly selected from each replication to evaluate carcass and breast
      yields. Digestible Lys requirements were estimated by quadratic polynomial (QP),
      linear broken-line (LBL), quadratic broken-line (QBL), and exponential asymptotic
      (EA) models. Overall, dig. Lys requirements varied among response variables and
      statistical models. Increasing dietary dig. Lys had a positive effect on BW,
      carcass and breast yields. Levels of dig. Lys that optimized performance using
      QP, LBL, QBL, and EA models were 1.207, 1.036, 1.113, and 1.204% for BWG and
      1.190, 1.027, 1.100, and 1.172% for FCR in Exp. 1; 1.019, 0.853, 0.944; 1.025%
      for BWG and 1.050, 0.879, 1.032, and 1.167% for FCR in Exp. 2; and 0.960, 0.835,
      0.933, and 1.077% for BWG, 0.981, 0.857, 0.963, and 1.146% for FCR in Exp. 3. The
      QP, LBL, QBL, and EA also estimated dig. Lys requirements as 0.941, 0.846, 0.925,
      and 1.070% for breast meat yield in Exp. 3. In conclusion, Lys requirements vary
      greatly according to the statistical analysis utilized; therefore, the origin of
      requirement estimation must be taken into account in order to allow adequate
      comparisons between references.

PMID- 28636627
TI  - Plasma cell neoplasia after kidney transplantation: French cohort series and
      review of the literature.
AB  - Although post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the second most
      common type of cancer in kidney transplantation (KT), plasma cell neoplasia (PCN)
      occurs only rarely after KT, and little is known about its characteristics and
      evolution. We included twenty-two cases of post-transplant PCN occurring between
      1991 and 2013. These included 12 symptomatic multiple myeloma, eight indolent
      myeloma and two plasmacytomas. The median age at diagnosis was 56.5 years and the
      median onset after transplantation was 66.7 months (2-252). Four of the eight
      indolent myelomas evolved into symptomatic myeloma after a median time of 33
      months (6-72). PCN-related kidney graft dysfunction was observed in nine
      patients, including six cast nephropathies, two light chain deposition disease
      and one amyloidosis. Serum creatinine was higher at the time of PCN diagnosis
      than before, increasing from 135.7 (+/-71.6) to 195.9 (+/-123.7) MUmol/l (p =
      0.008). Following transplantation, the annual rate of bacterial infections was
      significantly higher after the diagnosis of PCN, increasing from 0.16 (+/-0.37)
      to 1.09 (+/-1.30) (p = 0.0005). No difference was found regarding viral
      infections before and after PCN. Acute rejection risk was decreased after the
      diagnosis of PCN (36% before versus 0% after, p = 0.004), suggesting a decreased
      allogeneic response. Thirteen patients (59%) died, including twelve directly
      related to the hematologic disease. Median graft and patient survival was 31.7
      and 49.4 months, respectively. PCN after KT occurs in younger patients compared
      to the general population, shares the same clinical characteristics, but is
      associated with frequent bacterial infections and relapses of the hematologic
      disease that severely impact the survival of grafts and patients.

PMID- 28636628
TI  - Effects of Spirulina on the functions and redox status of auditory system in
      senescence-accelerated prone-8 mice.
AB  - To our knowledge, the effects of Spirulina platensis water extract (SP) on
      hearing function have not yet been reported. This study investigated the effects
      of SP on the function and redox status of the auditory system. Auditory brainstem
      responses and redox status were compared between two groups of 3-month-old
      senescence-accelerated prone-8 (SAMP8) mice: the control group was fed a normal
      diet, and the experimental group was fed a normal diet with oral supplementation
      of SP for 6 weeks. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had
      significantly lower hearing thresholds according to auditory brainstem responses
      measured using click sounds and 8-kHz tone burst sound stimulation at the end of
      this study. The experimental group had a shorter I-III interval of auditory
      brainstem responses with 16-kHz tone burst stimulation than the control group
      that was of borderline significance. Additionally, the experimental group had
      significantly higher mRNA expression of the superoxide dismutase and catalase
      genes in the cochlea and brainstem and significantly higher mRNA expression of
      the glutathione peroxidase gene in the cochlea. Further, the experimental group
      had significantly lower malondialdehyde levels in the cochlea and brainstem than
      the control group. However, tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA expression was not
      significantly different between the control and experimental groups. SP could
      decrease hearing degeneration in senescence-accelerated prone-8 mice possibly by
      increasing superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase gene
      expression and decreasing damage from oxidative stress in the cochlea and
      brainstem.

PMID- 28636629
TI  - Minimal oscillating subnetwork in the Huang-Ferrell model of the MAPK cascade.
AB  - Prompted by the recent growing evidence of oscillatory behavior involving MAPK
      cascades we present a systematic approach of analyzing models and elucidating the
      nature of biochemical oscillations based on reaction network theory. In
      particular, we formulate a minimal biochemically consistent mass action
      subnetwork of the Huang-Ferrell model of the MAPK signalling that provides an
      oscillatory response when a parameter controlling the activation of the top-tier
      kinase is varied. Such dynamics are either intertwined with or separated from the
      earlier found bistable/hysteretic behavior in this model. Using the theory of
      stability of stoichiometric networks, we reduce the original MAPK model, convert
      kinetic to convex parameters and examine those properties of the minimal
      subnetwork that underlie the oscillatory dynamics. We also use the methods of
      classification of chemical oscillatory networks to explain the rhythmic behavior
      in physicochemical terms, i.e., we identify of the role of individual biochemical
      species in positive and negative feedback loops and describe their coordinated
      action leading to oscillations. Our approach provides an insight into dynamics
      without the necessity of knowing rate coefficients and thus is useful prior the
      statistical evaluation of parameters.

PMID- 28636630
TI  - Accessibility and socio-economic development of human settlements.
AB  - Access to facilities, services and socio-economic opportunities plays a critical
      role in the growth and decline of cities and human settlements. Previous attempts
      to explain changes in socio-economic indicators by differences in accessibility
      have not been convincing as countries with highly developed transport
      infrastructure have only seen marginal benefits of infrastructure improvements.
      Australia offers an ideal case for investigating the effects of accessibility on
      development since it is seen as home to some of the most liveable cities in the
      world while, at the same time, it also has some of the most isolated settlements.
      We investigate herein the connectivity and accessibility of all 1814 human
      settlements (population centers exceeding 200 persons) in Australia, and how they
      relate to the socio-economic characteristics of, and opportunities in, each
      population center. Assuming population as a proxy indicator of available
      opportunities, we present a simple ranking metric for a settlement using the
      number of population and the distance required to access all other settlements
      (and the corresponding opportunities therein). We find a strikingly unequal
      distribution of access to opportunities in Australia, with a marked prominence of
      opportunities in capital cities in four of the eight states. The two largest
      cities of Sydney and Melbourne have a dominant position across all socio-economic
      indicators, compared to all the other cities. In general, we observe across all
      the settlements that a decrease in access to opportunities is associated with
      relatively greater socio-economic disadvantage including increased median age and
      unemployment rate and decreased median household income. Our methodology can be
      used to better understand the potential benefits of improved accessibility based
      on infrastructure development, especially for remote areas and for cities and
      towns with many socio-economically disadvantaged population.

PMID- 28636631
TI  - Incidence and mortality due to snakebite in the Americas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Better knowledge of the epidemiological characteristics of snakebites
      could help to take measures to improve their management. The incidence and
      mortality of snakebites in the Americas are most often estimated from medical and
      scientific literature, which generally lack precision and representativeness.
      METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Authors used the notifications of snakebites
      treated in health centers collected by the Ministries of Health of the American
      countries to estimate their incidence and mortality. Data were obtained from
      official reports available on-line at government sites, including those of the
      Ministry of Health in each country and was sustained by recent literature
      obtained from PubMed. The average annual incidence is about 57,500 snake bites
      (6.2 per 100,000 population) and mortality is close to 370 deaths (0.04 per
      100,000 population), that is, between one third and half of the previous
      estimates. The incidence of snakebites is influenced by the abundance of snakes,
      which is related to (i) climate and altitude, (ii) specific preferences of the
      snake for environments suitable for their development, and (iii) human population
      density. Recent literature allowed to notice that the severity of the bites
      depends mainly on (i) the snake responsible for the bite (species and size) and
      (ii) accessibility of health care, including availability of antivenoms.
      CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCES: The main limitation of this study could be the
      reliability and accuracy of the notifications by national health services.
      However, the data seemed consistent considering the similarity of the incidences
      on each side of national boundaries while the sources are distinct. However,
      snakebite incidence could be underestimated due to the use of traditional
      medicine by the patients who escaped the reporting of cases. However, gathered
      data corresponded to the actual use of the health facilities, and therefore to
      the actual demand for antivenoms, which should make it possible to improve their
      management.

PMID- 28636632
TI  - Parasitoid wasp usurps its host to guard its pupa against hyperparasitoids and
      induces rapid behavioral changes in the parasitized host.
AB  - Some parasites have an ability to fabricate the behavior of their host and impel
      the host to guard parasites' offspring, which is popularly called as bodyguard
      manipulation. Psalis pennatula larva parasitized by a braconid parasitoid wasp
      Microplitis pennatula exhibits some behavioral changes including the guarding of
      the parasitoid pupa from its natural enemies. We hypothesized that these
      behavioral change exhibited by the parasitized host larva are induced by the
      parasitoid and can be considered as an example of bodyguard manipulation. Even
      though hyperparasitoids are the more specialized natural enemy of parasitoids
      than predators, very few studies tested the success of guarding parasitoid pupa
      against hyperparasitoids. This study analyzed the success of guarding behavior of
      the parasitized host against hyperparasitoids. The onsets of parasite-induced
      phenotypic alterations (PIPAs) in the parasitized host were inspected to analyze
      whether these behavioral changes in the host larva manifests gradually or
      abruptly. The study concludes that parasitized host larva defends the parasitoid
      pupa from hyperparasitoids and the PIPAs in the parasitized host develops
      abruptly only after the egression of parasitoid prepupa.

PMID- 28636633
TI  - Playing with fire - What is influencing horse owners' decisions to not vaccinate
      their horses against deadly Hendra virus infection?
AB  - Hendra virus is a zoonotic paramyxovirus, which causes severe respiratory and
      neurological disease in horses and humans. Since 2012, the Hendra virus sub-unit
      G vaccine has been available for horse vaccination in Australia. Uptake of the
      vaccine has been limited and spill-over events of Hendra virus infection in
      horses continue to occur. We conducted an online, questionnaire-based cross
      sectional study of 376 horse owners belonging to a variety of different
      equestrian clubs in Queensland, Australia, to identify risk factors for non
      vaccination against Hendra virus. A total of 43.1% (N = 162) of horse owners
      indicated that they currently did not vaccinate against Hendra virus infection,
      while 56.9% (N = 214) currently vaccinated against Hendra virus infection. A
      total of 52 risk factors were evaluated relating to equestrian activities, horse
      management, perceived risk and severity of horse and human infection with Hendra
      virus, side effects of Hendra vaccination, other vaccinations conducted by horse
      owners and horse owners' attitudes towards veterinarians. The final multivariable
      logistics regression model identified the following risk factors associated with
      increased odds of non-vaccination against Hendra virus: 1) perceived low risk
      (compared to high) of Hendra virus infection to horses (considering the horse
      owners' location and management practices) or horse owners were unsure about the
      risk of infection, 2) perceived moderate severity (compared to very severe or
      severe) of Hendra virus infection in humans, 3) horse owners non-vaccination of
      their pets, 4) horse owners non-vaccination against strangles disease in horses,
      5) handling of more than three horses per week (compared to one horse only) and
      6) perceived attitude that veterinarians had a high motivation of making money
      from Hendra virus vaccination (compared to veterinarians having a low motivation
      of making money from Hendra virus vaccination). Horse owners were more likely to
      vaccinate against Hendra virus if horses were used for dressage, show jumping or
      eventing. The study also identified horse owners' concerns about side-effects and
      about the lack of evidence on vaccine efficacy.

PMID- 28636634
TI  - Cardiomyopathy development protection after myocardial infarction in rats:
      Successful competition for major dihydropyridines' common metabolite against
      captopril.
AB  - During the last 25 years angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors spectacularly
      conquered the field of cardiovascular diseases therapy. Nevertheless, lack of new
      studies concerning side effects associated with their chronic administration
      seems to be rather confusing. In our previous research, we proved that the main
      furnidipines' metabolite (M-2) possess multiple cardioprotective actions.
      Currently, we compared effects of post-infarction long-term oral treatment with M
      2 and captopril on hemodynamic parameters and "ischemic cardiomyopathy"
      development in rats. Myocardial infarction was evoked by permanent left anterior
      descending coronary artery occlusion for 35 days. Surviving rats were treated
      with captopril (2 * 25 mg/kg) or M-2 (4 mg/kg) from 6th- 35th day. At 35th day
      rats' hearts were tested on working heart setup, where following parameters were
      measured: heart rate, preload pressure, aortic systolic and diastolic pressures,
      aortic maximum rise and fall, aortic and coronary flow, myocardial oxygen
      consumption and oximetry in perfusate. Subsequently, heart tissue specimens were
      assessed during morphological estimation. Captopril caused significant heart rate
      increase and markedly diminished preload pressure in comparison to M-2. Both
      drugs evoked essential aortic pressure increase. Aortic flow was significantly
      decreased after M-2, whereas captopril increased this parameter in comparison to
      M-2. Both agents caused marked coronary flow increase. Morphologic examination in
      captopril revealed cardiomyopathic process in 70% of hearts, whereas in M-2 this
      value reached 30%. Neovascularization of post-infarcted myocardium was visible
      only after M-2 therapy. Concluding, M-2 presented itself as more attractive agent
      in long-term post-infarction treatment by preventing cardiomyopathy development,
      angiogenesis stimulation and preserving cardiac performance.

PMID- 28636635
TI  - MicroRNA-144-3p inhibits autophagy activation and enhances Bacillus Calmette
      Guerin infection by targeting ATG4a in RAW264.7 macrophage cells.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding nucleotides that play major roles in the
      response of host immune cells. Autophagy plays a key role in activating the
      antimicrobial host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis).
      Whether miRNAs specifically influence the activation of macrophage autophagy
      during M. tuberculosis infection is largely unknown. In the present study, we
      demonstrate that Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) infection of
      macrophages leads to increased expression of miR-144-3p, which targets autophagy
      related gene 4a (ATG4a), to inhibit autophagy activation and antimicrobial
      responses to BCG. Overexpression of miR-144-3p significantly decreased both mRNA
      and protein levels of ATG4a, inhibited the formation of autophagosomes in
      RAW264.7 cells and increased intracellular survival of BCG. However, transfection
      with miR-144-3p inhibitor led to an increase in ATG4a levels, accelerated the
      autophagic response in macrophages, and decreased BCG survival in macrophages.
      The experimental results of this study reveal a novel role of miR-144-3p in
      inhibiting autophagy activation by targeting ATG4a and enhancing BCG infection,
      and provide potential targets for developing improved treatment.

PMID- 28636636
TI  - SensiScreen(r)KRAS exon 2-sensitive simplex and multiplex real-time PCR-based
      assays for detection of KRAS exon 2 mutations.
AB  - Activating mutations in codon 12 and codon 13 of the KRAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma
      viral oncogene homolog) gene are implicated in the development of several human
      cancer types and influence their clinical evaluation, treatment and prognosis.
      Numerous different methods for KRAS genotyping are currently available displaying
      a wide range of sensitivities, time to answer and requirements for laboratory
      equipment and user skills. Here we present SensiScreen(r) KRAS exon 2 simplex and
      multiplex CE IVD assays, that use a novel real-time PCR-based method for KRAS
      mutation detection based on PentaBase's proprietary DNA analogue technology and
      designed to work on standard real-time PCR instruments. By means of the included
      BaseBlockerTM technology, we show that SensiScreen(r) specifically amplifies the
      mutated alleles of interest with no or highly subdued amplification of the wild
      type allele. Furthermore, serial dilutions of mutant DNA in a wild type
      background demonstrate that all SensiScreen(r) assays display a limit of
      detection that falls within the range of 0.25-1%. Finally, in three different
      colorectal cancer patient populations, SensiScreen(r) assays confirmed the KRAS
      genotype previously determined by commonly used methods for KRAS mutation
      testing, and notably, in two of the populations, SensiScreen(r) identified
      additional mutant positive cases not detected by common methods.

PMID- 28636637
TI  - Plasma kisspeptin levels are associated with insulin secretion in nondiabetic
      individuals.
AB  - To evaluate if plasma kisspeptin concentrations are associated with insulin
      secretion, as suggested by recent in vitro studies, independently of confounders.
      261 nondiabetic subjects were stratified into tertiles according to kisspeptin
      values. Insulin secretion was assessed using indexes derived from oral glucose
      tolerance test (OGTT). After adjusting for age, gender, and BMI, subjects in the
      highest (tertile 3) kisspeptin group exhibited significantly lower values of
      insulinogenic index, corrected insulin response (CIR30), and Stumvoll indexes for
      first-phase and second-phase insulin release as compared with low (tertile 1) or
      intermediate (tertile 2) kisspeptin groups. Univariate correlations between
      kisspeptin concentration and metabolic variables showed that kisspeptin
      concentration was significantly and positively correlated with age, blood
      pressure, and 2-h post-load glucose, and inversely correlated with BMI, and waist
      circumference. There was an inverse relationship between kisspeptin levels and
      OGTT-derived indexes of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. A multivariable
      regression analysis in a model including all the variables significantly
      correlated with kisspeptin concentration showed thar age (beta = -0.338,
      P<0.0001), BMI (beta = 0.272, P<0.0001), 2-h post-load glucose (beta = -0.229,
      P<0.0001), and kisspeptin (beta = -0.105, P = 0.03) remained associated with
      insulinogenic index. These factors explained 34.6% of the variance of the
      insulinogenic index. In conclusion, kisspeptin concentrations are associated with
      insulin secretion independently of important determinants of glucose homeostasis
      such as gender, age, adiposity, 2-h post-load glucose, and insulin sensitivity.

PMID- 28636638
TI  - Outcomes from a large 10 year hepatitis C treatment programme in people who
      inject drugs: No effect of recent or former injecting drug use on treatment
      adherence or therapeutic response.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: People who inject drugs (PWID) are historically viewed as
      having "difficult to treat" hepatitis C disease, with perceived inferior
      treatment adherence and outcomes, and concerns regarding reinfection risk. We
      evaluated for differences in treatment adherence and response to Peginterferon
      alfa-2a/Ribavirin (Peg-IFNalpha/RBV) in a large urban cohort with and without a
      history of remote or recent injection drug use. METHODS: Patient data was
      retrospectively reviewed for 1000 consecutive patients-608 former (no injecting
      drug use for 6 months of therapy), 85 recent (injecting drug use within 6 months)
      PWID, and 307 non-drug users who were treated for chronic hepatitis C with Peg
      IFNalpha/RBV. The groups were compared for baseline characteristics, treatment
      adherence, and outcome. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in treatment
      non-adherence between the groups (8.4% in PWID vs 6.8% in non-PWIDs; RR = 1.23,
      CI 0.76-1.99). The overall SVR rate in PWID (64.2%) was not different from non
      PWIDs (60.9%) [RR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.95-1.17]. There was no significant difference
      in SVR rates between the groups controlling for genotype (48.4% vs 48.4% for
      genotype 1; 74.9 vs 73.3% for genotype 3). Former and recent PWID had similar
      adherence rates. CONCLUSIONS: PWID have comparable treatment adherence and SVR
      rates when compared to non-drug users treated with Peg-IFNalpha/RBV. These data
      support a public health strategy of HCV treatment and eradication in PWID in the
      DAA era.

PMID- 28636639
TI  - Predictive value of serum transthyretin for outcome in acute ischemic stroke.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The impact of choroid plexus with its blood-cerebrospinal fluid
      barrier in the ischemic stroke pathology is poorly explored. Transthyretin (TTR)
      is a protein synthesized in liver and just in choroid plexus. OBJECTIVES: The
      current study was designed to assess the prognostic value of serum TTR for
      functional outcome (at the time of hospital discharge) and long-term (one-year)
      overall mortality in ischemic stroke patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted
      a prospective observational study. Patients (n = 81) with acute (< 24 hours of
      symptoms onset) ischemic stroke consecutively admitted to Stroke Unit were
      included. An unfavorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS)
      score >= 3. The relationships between serum TTR levels and clinical outcome were
      analyzed using multivariate analysis. One-year mortality was analyzed by Kaplan
      Meier survival curves stratified by mean value of TTR. RESULTS: Compared with
      patients with mRS <3, patients with an unfavorable outcome at hospital discharge
      had significantly lower TTR levels on admission (P < 0.0001). In non-survivals
      serum TTR levels were significantly lower compared with patients who survive one
      year of observation (P = 0.009). Using multivariate analysis, transthyretin
      emerged as an independent predictor for unfavorable outcome at the day of
      hospital discharge (adjusted odds ratio = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.9-0.99, P <0.05). A one
      year mortality of patients with the lower TTR levels was significantly higher
      than in patients with TTR levels above mean value (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Serum
      level of TTR at admission was a predictor of functional outcome after ischemic
      stroke and was also associated with one-year mortality in stroke survivals.

PMID- 28636640
TI  - Targeted nanodiamonds for identification of subcellular protein assemblies in
      mammalian cells.
AB  - Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to successfully determine the
      structures of proteins. However, such studies are typically done ex situ after
      extraction of the protein from the cellular environment. Here we describe an
      application for nanodiamonds as targeted intensity contrast labels in biological
      TEM, using the nuclear pore complex (NPC) as a model macroassembly. We
      demonstrate that delivery of antibody-conjugated nanodiamonds to live mammalian
      cells using maltotriose-conjugated polypropylenimine dendrimers results in
      efficient localization of nanodiamonds to the intended cellular target. We
      further identify signatures of nanodiamonds under TEM that allow for unambiguous
      identification of individual nanodiamonds from a resin-embedded, OsO4-stained
      environment. This is the first demonstration of nanodiamonds as labels for
      nanoscale TEM-based identification of subcellular protein assemblies. These
      results, combined with the unique fluorescence properties and biocompatibility of
      nanodiamonds, represent an important step toward the use of nanodiamonds as
      markers for correlated optical/electron bioimaging.

PMID- 28636641
TI  - Development of a range of fluorescent reagentless biosensors for ATP, based on
      malonyl-coenzyme A synthetase.
AB  - The range of ATP concentrations that can be measured with a fluorescent
      reagentless biosensor for ATP has been increased by modulating its affinity for
      this analyte. The ATP biosensor is an adduct of two tetramethylrhodamines with
      MatB from Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Mutations were introduced into the binding
      site to modify ATP binding affinity, while aiming to maintain the concomitant
      fluorescence signal. Using this signal, the effect of mutations in different
      parts of the binding site was measured. This mutational analysis revealed three
      variants in particular, each with a single mutation in the phosphate-binding
      loop, which had potentially beneficial changes in ATP binding properties but
      preserving a fluorescence change of ~3-fold on ATP binding. Two variants (T167A
      and T303A) weakened the binding, changing the dissociation constant from the
      parent's 6 MUM to 123 MUM and 42 MUM, respectively. Kinetic measurements showed
      that the effect of these mutations on affinity was by an increase in dissociation
      rate constants. These variants widen the range of ATP concentration that can be
      measured readily by this biosensor to >100 MUM. In contrast, a third variant,
      S170A, decreased the dissociation constant of ATP to 3.8 MUM and has a
      fluorescence change of 4.2 on binding ATP. This variant has increased selectivity
      for ATP over ADP of >200-fold. This had advantages over the parent by increasing
      sensitivity as well as increasing selectivity during ATP measurements in which
      ADP is present.

PMID- 28636642
TI  - In vivo evaluation of inter-operator reproducibility of digital dental and
      conventional impression techniques.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the inter-operator
      reproducibility of three-dimensional (3D) images of teeth captured by a digital
      impression technique to a conventional impression technique in vivo. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Twelve participants with complete natural dentition were included in
      this study. A digital impression of the mandibular molars of these participants
      was made by two operators with different levels of clinical experience, 3 or 16
      years, using an intra-oral scanner (Lava COS, 3M ESPE). A silicone impression
      also was made by the same operators using the double mix impression technique
      (Imprint3, 3M ESPE). Stereolithography (STL) data were directly exported from the
      Lava COS system, while STL data of a plaster model made from silicone impression
      were captured by a three-dimensional (3D) laboratory scanner (D810, 3shape). The
      STL datasets recorded by two different operators were compared using 3D
      evaluation software and superimposed using the best-fit-algorithm method (least
      squares method, PolyWorks, InnovMetric Software) for each impression technique.
      Inter-operator reproducibility as evaluated by average discrepancies of
      corresponding 3D data was compared between the two techniques (Wilcoxon signed
      rank test). RESULTS: The visual inspection of superimposed datasets revealed that
      discrepancies between repeated digital impression were smaller than observed with
      silicone impression. Confirmation was forthcoming from statistical analysis
      revealing significantly smaller average inter-operator reproducibility using a
      digital impression technique (0.014+/- 0.02 mm) than when using a conventional
      impression technique (0.023 +/- 0.01 mm). CONCLUSION: The results of this in vivo
      study suggest that inter-operator reproducibility with a digital impression
      technique may be better than that of a conventional impression technique and is
      independent of the clinical experience of the operator.

PMID- 28636643
TI  - Neuromuscular electrical stimulation prevents skeletal muscle dysfunction in
      adjuvant-induced arthritis rat.
AB  - Skeletal muscle weakness is a prominent feature in patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA). In this study, we investigated whether neuromuscular electrical
      stimulation (NMES) training protects against skeletal muscle dysfunction in rats
      with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). AIA was produced by intraarticular
      injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the knees of Wistar rats. For NMES
      training, dorsiflexor muscles were stimulated via a surface electrode (0.5 ms
      pulse, 50 Hz, 2 s on/4 s off). NMES training was performed every other day for
      three weeks and consisted of three sets produced at three min intervals. In each
      set, the electrical current was set to achieve 60% of the initial maximum
      isometric torque and the current was progressively increased to maintain this
      torque; stimulation was stopped when the 60% torque could no longer be
      maintained. After the intervention period, extensor digitorum longus (EDL)
      muscles were excised and used for physiological and biochemical analyses. There
      was a reduction in specific force production (i.e. force per cross-sectional
      area) in AIA EDL muscles, which was accompanied by aggregation of the
      myofibrillar proteins actin and desmin. Moreover, the protein expressions of the
      pro-oxidative enzymes NADPH oxidase, neuronal nitric oxide synthase, p62, and the
      ratio of the autophagosome marker LC3bII/LC3bI were increased in AIA EDL muscles.
      NMES training prevented all these AIA-induced alterations. The present data
      suggest that NMES training prevents AIA-induced skeletal muscle weakness
      presumably by counteracting the formation of actin and desmin aggregates. Thus,
      NMES training can be an effective treatment for muscle dysfunction in patients
      with RA.

PMID- 28636644
TI  - Longitudinal changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior and body mass index
      in adolescence: Migrations towards different weight cluster.
AB  - This study examined longitudinal changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior
      and body mass index in adolescents, specifically their migrations towards a
      different weight cluster. A cohort of 755 adolescents participated in a three
      year study. A clustering Self-Organized Maps Analysis was performed to visualize
      changes in subjects' characteristics between the first and second assessment, and
      how adolescents were grouped. Also a classification tree was used to identify the
      behavioral characteristics of the groups that changed their weight cluster.
      Results indicated that boys were more active and less sedentary than girls. Boys
      were especially keen to technological-based activities while girls preferred
      social-based activities. A moderate competing effect between sedentary behaviors
      and physical activities was observed, especially in girls. Overweight and obesity
      were negatively associated with physical activity, although a small group of
      overweight/obese adolescents showed a positive relationship with vigorous
      physical activity. Cluster migrations indicated that 22.66% of adolescents
      changed their weight cluster to a lower category and none of them moved in the
      opposite direction. The behavioral characteristics of these adolescents did not
      support the hypothesis that the change to a lower weight cluster was a
      consequence of an increase in time devoted to physical activity or a decrease in
      time spent on sedentary behavior. Physical activity and sedentary behavior does
      not exert a substantial effect on overweight and obesity. Therefore, there are
      other ways of changing to a lower-weight status in adolescents apart from those
      in which physical activity and sedentary behavior are involved.

PMID- 28636646
TI  - Variation in hunting behaviour in neighbouring chimpanzee communities in the
      Budongo forest, Uganda.
AB  - Hunting and sharing of meat is seen across all chimpanzee sites, with variation
      in prey preferences, hunting techniques, frequencies, and success rates. Here, we
      compared hunting and meat-eating behaviour in two adjacent chimpanzee communities
      (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Budongo Forest, Uganda: the Waibira and Sonso
      communities. We observed consistent between-group differences in prey-species
      preferences and in post-hunting behaviour. Sonso chimpanzees show a strong prey
      preference for Guereza colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza occidentalis; 74.9%
      hunts), and hunt regularly (1-2 times a month) but with large year-to-year and
      month-to-month variation. Waibira chimpanzee prey preferences are distributed
      across primate and duiker species, and resemble those described in an early study
      of Sonso hunting. Waibira chimpanzees (which include ex-Sonso immigrants) have
      been observed to feed on red duiker (Cephalophus natalensis; 25%, 9/36 hunts), a
      species Sonso has never been recorded to feed on (18 years data, 27 years
      observations), despite no apparent differences in prey distribution; and show
      less rank-related harassment of meat possessors. We discuss the two most likely
      and probably interrelated explanations for the observed intergroup variation in
      chimpanzee hunting behaviour, that is, long-term disruption of complex group
      level behaviour due to human presence and possible socially transmitted
      differences in prey preferences.

PMID- 28636645
TI  - Genetic susceptibility in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy: Systematic review of
      genetic association studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several genetic association investigations have been performed over
      the last three decades to identify variants underlying Juvenile Myoclonic
      Epilepsy (JME). Here, we evaluate the accumulating findings and provide an
      updated perspective of these studies. METHODOLOGY: A systematic literature search
      was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Lilacs, epiGAD, Google Scholar
      and Sigle up to February 12, 2016. The quality of the included studies was
      assessed by a score and classified as low and high quality. Beyond outcome
      measures, information was extracted on the setting for each study,
      characteristics of population samples and polymorphisms. RESULTS: Fifty studies
      met eligibility criteria and were used for data extraction. With a single
      exception, all studies used a candidate gene approach, providing data on 229
      polymorphisms in or near 55 different genes. Of variants investigating in
      independent data sets, only rs2029461 SNP in GRM4, rs3743123 in CX36 and
      rs3918149 in BRD2 showed a significant association with JME in at least two
      different background populations. The lack of consistent associations might be
      due to variations in experimental design and/or limitations of the approach.
      CONCLUSIONS: Thus, despite intense research evidence established, specific
      genetic variants in JME susceptibility remain inconclusive. We discussed several
      issues that may compromise the quality of the results, including methodological
      bias, endophenotype and potential involvement of epigenetic factors. PROSPERO
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016036063.

PMID- 28636647
TI  - Hemodynamic and metabolic characteristics associated with development of a right
      ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient during upright exercise.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We recently reported a novel observation that many patients with
      equal resting supine right ventricular(RV) and pulmonary artery(PA) systolic
      pressures develop an RV outflow tract(RVOT) pressure gradient during upright
      exercise. The current work details the characteristics of patients who develop
      such an RVOT gradient. METHODS: We studied 294 patients (59.7+/-15.5 years-old,
      49% male) referred for clinical invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing, who
      did not have a resting RVOT pressure gradient defined by the simultaneously
      measured peak-to-peak difference between RV and PA systolic pressures. RESULTS:
      The magnitude of RVOT gradient did not correspond to clinical or hemodynamic
      findings suggestive of right heart failure; rather, higher gradients were
      associated with favorable exercise findings. The presence of a high peak RVOT
      gradient (90th percentile, >=33mmHg) was associated with male sex (70 vs. 46%, p
      = 0.01), younger age (43.6+/-17.7 vs. 61.8+/-13.9 years, p<0.001), lower peak
      right atrial pressure (5 [3-7] vs. 8 [4-12]mmHg, p<0.001), higher peak heart rate
      (159+/-19 vs. 124+/-26 beats per minute, p<0.001), and higher peak cardiac index
      (8.3+/-2.3 vs. 5.7+/-1.9 L/min/m2, p<0.001). These associations persisted when
      treating peak RVOT as a continuous variable and after age and sex adjustment. At
      peak exercise, patients with a high exercise RVOT gradient had both higher RV
      systolic pressure (78+/-11 vs. 66+/-17 mmHg, p<0.001) and lower PA systolic
      pressure (34+/-8 vs. 50+/-19 mmHg, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Development of a
      systolic RV-PA pressure gradient during upright exercise is not associated with
      an adverse hemodynamic exercise response and may represent a normal physiologic
      finding in aerobically fit young people.

PMID- 28636648
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of pazopanib versus sunitinib for metastatic renal cell
      carcinoma in the United Kingdom.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sunitinib and pazopanib are the only two targeted therapies for the
      first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma
      (mRCC) recommended by the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care
      Excellence. Pazopanib demonstrated non-inferior efficacy and a differentiated
      safety profile versus sunitinib in the phase III COMPARZ trial. The current
      analysis provides a direct comparison of the cost-effectiveness of pazopanib
      versus sunitinib from the perspective of the United Kingdom's National Health
      Service based on data from COMPARZ and other sources. METHODS: A partitioned
      survival analysis model with three health states (alive with no progression,
      alive with progression, or dead) was used to estimate the incremental cost per
      quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained for pazopanib versus sunitinib over five
      years (duration of follow-up for final survival analysis in COMPARZ). The
      proportion of patients in each health state over time was based on Kaplan-Meier
      distributions for progression-free and overall survival from COMPARZ. Utility
      values were based on EQ-5D data from the pivotal study of pazopanib versus
      placebo. Costs were based on medical resource utilisation data from COMPARZ and
      unit costs from secondary sources. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity
      analyses were conducted to assess uncertainty of model results. RESULTS: In the
      base case, pazopanib was estimated to provide more QALYs (0.0565, 95% credible
      interval [CrI]: -0.0920 to 0.2126) at a lower cost (-L1,061, 95% CrI: -L4,328 to
      L2,067) versus sunitinib. The probability that pazopanib yields more QALYs than
      sunitinib was estimated to be 76%. For a threshold value of L30,000 per QALY
      gained, the probability that pazopanib is cost-effective versus sunitinib was
      estimated to be 95%. Pazopanib was dominant in most scenarios examined in
      deterministic sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Pazopanib is likely to be a cost
      effective treatment option compared with sunitinib as first-line treatment of
      mRCC in the United Kingdom.

PMID- 28636649
TI  - Factors associated with successful transition among children with disabilities in
      eight European countries.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This research paper aims to assess factors reported by parents
      associated with the successful transition of children with complex additional
      support requirements that have undergone a transition between school environments
      from 8 European Union member states. METHODS: Quantitative data were collected
      from 306 parents within education systems from 8 EU member states (Bulgaria,
      Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain and the UK). The data
      were derived from an online questionnaire and consisted of 41 questions.
      Information was collected on: parental involvement in their child's transition,
      child involvement in transition, child autonomy, school ethos, professionals'
      involvement in transition and integrated working, such as, joint assessment,
      cooperation and coordination between agencies. Survey questions that were
      designed on a Likert-scale were included in the Principal Components Analysis
      (PCA), additional survey questions, along with the results from the PCA, were
      used to build a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Four principal components
      were identified accounting for 48.86% of the variability in the data. Principal
      component 1 (PC1), 'child inclusive ethos,' contains 16.17% of the variation.
      Principal component 2 (PC2), which represents child autonomy and involvement, is
      responsible for 8.52% of the total variation. Principal component 3 (PC3)
      contains questions relating to parental involvement and contributed to 12.26% of
      the overall variation. Principal component 4 (PC4), which involves transition
      planning and coordination, contributed to 11.91% of the overall variation.
      Finally, the principal components were included in a logistic regression to
      evaluate the relationship between inclusion and a successful transition, as well
      as whether other factors that may have influenced transition. All four principal
      components were significantly associated with a successful transition, with PC1
      being having the most effect (OR: 4.04, CI: 2.43-7.18, p<0.0001). DISCUSSION: To
      support a child with complex additional support requirements through transition
      from special school to mainstream, governments and professionals need to ensure
      children with additional support requirements and their parents are at the centre
      of all decisions that affect them. It is important that professionals recognise
      the educational, psychological, social and cultural contexts of a child with
      additional support requirements and their families which will provide a holistic
      approach and remove barriers for learning.

PMID- 28636650
TI  - The formation of lipid droplets favors intracellular Mycobacterium leprae
      survival in SW-10, non-myelinating Schwann cells.
AB  - Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that is caused by the obligate
      intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae (M.leprae), which is the leading
      cause of all non-traumatic peripheral neuropathies worldwide. Although both
      myelinating and non-myelinating Schwann cells are infected by M.leprae in
      patients with lepromatous leprosy, M.leprae preferentially invades the non
      myelinating Schwann cells. However, the effect of M.leprae infection on non
      myelinating Schwann cells has not been elucidated. Lipid droplets (LDs) are found
      in M.leprae-infected Schwann cells in the nerve biopsies of lepromatous leprosy
      patients. M.leprae-induced LD formation favors intracellular M.leprae survival in
      primary Schwann cells and in a myelinating Schwann cell line referred to as ST88
      14. In the current study, we initially characterized SW-10 cells and investigated
      the effects of LDs on M.leprae-infected SW-10 cells, which are non-myelinating
      Schwann cells. SW-10 cells express S100, a marker for cells from the neural
      crest, and NGFR p75, a marker for immature or non-myelinating Schwann cells. SW
      10 cells, however, do not express myelin basic protein (MBP), a marker for
      myelinating Schwann cells, and myelin protein zero (MPZ), a marker for precursor,
      immature, or myelinating Schwann cells, all of which suggests that SW-10 cells
      are non-myelinating Schwann cells. In addition, SW-10 cells have phagocytic
      activity and can be infected with M. leprae. Infection with M. leprae induces the
      formation of LDs. Furthermore, inhibiting the formation of M. leprae-induced LD
      enhances the maturation of phagosomes containing live M.leprae and decreases the
      ATP content in the M. leprae found in SW-10 cells. These facts suggest that LD
      formation by M. leprae favors intracellular M. leprae survival in SW-10 cells,
      which leads to the logical conclusion that M.leprae-infected SW-10 cells can be a
      new model for investigating the interaction of M.leprae with non-myelinating
      Schwann cells.

PMID- 28636651
TI  - Yield of yearly routine physical examination in HIV-1 infected patients is
      limited: A retrospective cohort study in the Netherlands.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Routine physical examinations might be of value in HIV-infected
      patients, but the yield is unknown. We determined the diagnoses that would have
      been missed without performing annual routine physical examinations in HIV
      infected patients with stable disease. METHODS: Data were collected from the
      medical records of 299 HIV-1-infected patients with CD4 count >350 cells/mm3 if
      not using combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), or CD4 count >100 cells/mm3
      and undetectable viral load if using cART. We defined the diagnoses that would
      have been missed without performing routine physical examinations on annual check
      ups in 2010. Exclusion criteria were hepatitis B/C co-infection, start/ switch of
      cART < 24 weeks, pregnancy, and transgenderism. RESULTS: 215 patients (72%) had
      positive findings: lipodystrophy (30%), lymphadenopathy (16%) and hypertension
      (8.4%) were the most common. Two-thirds of all findings were not new or were
      based on complaints indicating a physical examination even if not routinely
      scheduled. For 24 patients (8.0%) the routine physical examination led to the
      finding of a new diagnosis: six-all men who have sex with men (MSM)-had a
      concurrent sexually transmitted infection, eight had hypertension, and ten others
      had a large variety of diagnoses. A total atrioventricular block with bradycardia
      was the most clinically relevant finding. CONCLUSIONS: Annual physical
      examinations of HIV-infected patients with stable disease brought few new
      diagnoses that would have been missed without performing a routine examination.
      Our results suggest that standard assessments could be restricted to six-monthly
      measuring blood pressure in all patients and annually performing anogenital and
      digital rectal examination on MSM.

PMID- 28636652
TI  - Integrative analysis of genomic alterations in triple-negative breast cancer in
      association with homologous recombination deficiency.
AB  - Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells do not express estrogen receptors,
      progesterone receptors, or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Currently,
      apart from poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors, there are few effective
      therapeutic options for this type of cancer. Here, we present comprehensive
      characterization of the genetic alterations in TNBC performed by high coverage
      whole genome sequencing together with transcriptome and whole exome sequencing.
      Silencing of the BRCA1 gene impaired the homologous recombination pathway in a
      subset of TNBCs, which exhibited similar phenotypes to tumors with BRCA1
      mutations; they harbored many structural variations (SVs) with relative
      enrichment for tandem duplication. Clonal analysis suggested that TP53 mutations
      and methylation of CpG dinucleotides in the BRCA1 promoter were early events of
      carcinogenesis. SVs were associated with driver oncogenic events such as
      amplification of MYC, NOTCH2, or NOTCH3 and affected tumor suppressor genes
      including RB1, PTEN, and KMT2C. Furthermore, we identified putative TGFA enhancer
      regions. Recurrent SVs that affected the TGFA enhancer region led to enhanced
      expression of the TGFA oncogene that encodes one of the high affinity ligands for
      epidermal growth factor receptor. We also identified a variety of oncogenes that
      could transform 3T3 mouse fibroblasts, suggesting that individual TNBC tumors may
      undergo a unique driver event that can be targetable. Thus, we revealed several
      features of TNBC with clinically important implications.

PMID- 28636653
TI  - The Ebola virus VP35 protein binds viral immunostimulatory and host RNAs
      identified through deep sequencing.
AB  - Ebola virus and Marburg virus are members of the Filovirdae family and causative
      agents of hemorrhagic fever with high fatality rates in humans. Filovirus
      virulence is partially attributed to the VP35 protein, a well-characterized
      inhibitor of the RIG-I-like receptor pathway that triggers the antiviral
      interferon (IFN) response. Prior work demonstrates the ability of VP35 to block
      potent RIG-I activators, such as Sendai virus (SeV), and this IFN-antagonist
      activity is directly correlated with its ability to bind RNA. Several structural
      studies demonstrate that VP35 binds short synthetic dsRNAs; yet, there are no
      data that identify viral immunostimulatory RNAs (isRNA) or host RNAs bound to
      VP35 in cells. Utilizing a SeV infection model, we demonstrate that both viral
      isRNA and host RNAs are bound to Ebola and Marburg VP35s in cells. By deep
      sequencing the purified VP35-bound RNA, we identified the SeV copy-back defective
      interfering (DI) RNA, previously identified as a robust RIG-I activator, as the
      isRNA bound by multiple filovirus VP35 proteins, including the VP35 protein from
      the West African outbreak strain (Makona EBOV). Moreover, RNAs isolated from a
      VP35 RNA-binding mutant were not immunostimulatory and did not include the SeV DI
      RNA. Strikingly, an analysis of host RNAs bound by wild-type, but not mutant,
      VP35 revealed that select host RNAs are preferentially bound by VP35 in cell
      culture. Taken together, these data support a model in which VP35 sequesters
      isRNA in virus-infected cells to avert RIG-I like receptor (RLR) activation.

PMID- 28636654
TI  - Characterization of human FCRL4-positive B cells.
AB  - FCRL4 is an immunoregulatory receptor that belongs to the Fc receptor-like (FCRL)
      family. In healthy individuals, FCRL4 is specifically expressed by memory B cells
      (MBCs) localized in sub-epithelial regions of lymphoid tissues. Expansion of
      FCRL4+ B cells has been observed in blood and other tissues in various infectious
      and autoimmune disorders. Currently, the mechanisms involved in pathological
      FCRL4+ B cell generation are actively studied, but they remain elusive. As in
      vivo FCRL4+ cells are difficult to access and to isolate, here we developed a
      culture system to generate in vitro FCRL4+ B cells from purified MBCs upon
      stimulation with soluble CD40 ligand and/or CpG DNA to mimic T-cell dependent
      and/or T-cell independent activation, respectively. After 4 days of stimulation,
      FCRL4+ B cells represented 17% of all generated cells. Transcriptomic and
      phenotypic analyses of in vitro generated FCRL4+ cells demonstrated that they
      were closely related to FCRL4+ tonsillar MBCs. They strongly expressed inhibitory
      receptor genes, as observed in exhausted FCRL4+ MBCs from blood samples of HIV
      infected individuals with high viremia. In agreement, cell cycle genes were
      significantly downregulated and the number of cell divisions was two-fold lower
      in in vitro generated FCRL4+ than FCRL4- cells. Finally, due to their reduced
      proliferation and differentiation potential, FCRL4+ cells were less prone to
      differentiate into plasma cells, differently from FCRL4- cells. Our in vitro
      model could be of major interest for studying the biology of normal and
      pathological FCRL4+ cells.

PMID- 28636655
TI  - Changes in inflammatory biomarkers in HCV-infected patients undergoing direct
      acting antiviral-containing regimens with or without interferon.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Increased levels of chemokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)
      inducible protein-10 (CXCL10), soluble CD163 (sCD163) and soluble CD14 (sCD14)
      have been reported in HCV infection. The aim of this study was to compare, sCD163
      and sCD14 levels in HCV-infected patients undergoing direct acting antiviral
      (DAA)-containing regimens with or without interferon (IFN). METHODS: sCD163,
      sCD14 and CXCL10 were longitudinally measured by ELISA in 159 plasma samples from
      25 HCV-infected patients undergoing IFN-based treatment plus telaprevir or
      boceprevir and 28 HCV infected subjects treated with DAA IFN-free regimens.
      Twenty-five healthy donors (HD) were included as controls. RESULTS: At baseline
      CXCL10, sCD163 and sCD14 levels were higher in HCV-infected patients than in HD.
      CXCL10 and sCD163 levels were significantly decreased in responder (R) patients
      who achieved sustained virological response (SVR), with both IFN-based and IFN
      free regimens, while they were persistently elevated in non-responders (NR)
      patients who stopped IFN-based treatments because of failure or adverse events.
      Conversely, sCD14 levels were apparently unchanged during therapy, but at the end
      of treatment the levels reached normal ranges. Comparing the two regimens, the
      extent of CXCL10 reduction was more pronounced in patients undergoing DAA IFN
      free therapies, whereas sCD163 and sCD14 reduction was similar in the two groups.
      Interestingly, only in IFN-based regimens baseline sCD163 levels were
      significantly higher in NR than in R patients, while in the IFN-free treatment
      group also patients with high sCD163 plasma levels obtained SVR. At the end of
      therapy, even if the biomarkers were largely decreased, their levels remained
      significantly higher compared to HD. Only in the early fibrosis stages, sCD163
      values tended to normalize. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that IFN-free
      regimens including newer DAA induce an early and marked decrease in circulating
      inflammatory biomarkers. However, the full normalization of biomarkers was not
      obtained, especially in patients with advanced fibrosis, thus underlying the need
      for a treatment in the early stages of HCV infection.

PMID- 28636659
TI  - Retraction: A High-Throughput Screening-Compatible Strategy for the
      Identification of Inositol Pyrophosphate Kinase Inhibitors.

PMID- 28636656
TI  - Selective propagation of mouse-passaged scrapie prions with long incubation
      period from a mixed prion population using GT1-7 cells.
AB  - In our previous study, we demonstrated the propagation of mouse-passaged scrapie
      isolates with long incubation periods (L-type) derived from natural Japanese
      sheep scrapie cases in murine hypothalamic GT1-7 cells, along with disease
      associated prion protein (PrPSc) accumulation. We here analyzed the
      susceptibility of GT1-7 cells to scrapie prions by exposure to infected mouse
      brains at different passages, following interspecies transmission. Wild-type mice
      challenged with a natural sheep scrapie case (Kanagawa) exhibited heterogeneity
      of transmitted scrapie prions in early passages, and this mixed population
      converged upon one with a short incubation period (S-type) following subsequent
      passages. However, when GT1-7 cells were challenged with these heterologous
      samples, L-type prions became dominant. This study demonstrated that the
      susceptibility of GT1-7 cells to L-type prions was at least 105 times higher than
      that to S-type prions and that L-type prion-specific biological characteristics
      remained unchanged after serial passages in GT1-7 cells. This suggests that a GT1
      7 cell culture model would be more useful for the economical and stable
      amplification of L-type prions at the laboratory level. Furthermore, this cell
      culture model might be used to selectively propagate L-type scrapie prions from a
      mixed prion population.

PMID- 28636657
TI  - Novel siRNA formulation to effectively knockdown mutant p53 in osteosarcoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The tumor suppressor p53 plays a crucial role in the development of
      osteosarcoma. The primary objective of this study is to develop and optimize
      lipid based nanoparticle formulations that can carry siRNA and effectively
      silence mutant p53 in 318-1, a murine osteosarcoma cell line. METHODS: The
      nanoparticles were composed of a mixture of two lipids (cholesterol and DOTAP)
      and either PLGA or PLGA-PEG and prepared by using an EmulsiFlex-B3 high pressure
      homogenizer. A series of studies that include using different nanoparticles,
      different amount of siRNAs, cell numbers, incubation time, transfection media
      volume, and storage temperature was performed to optimize the gene silencing
      efficiency. KEY FINDINGS: Replacement of lipids by PLGA or PLGA-PEG decreased the
      particle size and overall cytotoxicity. Among all lipid-polymer nanoformulations,
      nanoparticles with 10% PLGA showed highest mutant p53 knockdown efficiency while
      maintaining higher cell viability when a nanoparticle to siRNA ratio equal to
      6.8:0.66 and 75 nM siRNA was used. With long term storage the mutant p53
      knockdown efficiency decreased to a greater extent. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      warrants a future evaluation of this formulation for gene silencing efficiency of
      mutant p53 in tissue culture and animal models for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

PMID- 28636658
TI  - Efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided implantation of fiducial markers in the
      liver for stereotactic body radiation therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for the treatment of a
      malignancy in the liver requires the perilesional implantation of fiducial
      markers for lesion detection. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the
      efficacy and safety of ultrasound (US) -guided marker implantation for SBRT.
      METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 299, US-guided, intrahepatic fiducial
      markers implanted in 101 patients between November 2013 and September 2014. SBRT
      planning CT images were analyzed to determine the technical success of the
      implantation, the mean distance between the tumor margin and the marker, with the
      ideal location of fiducials defined as the distance between a marker and a tumor
      less than 3 cm and the distance between markers greater than 2 cm according to
      the tumor conspicuity seen on gray-scale US and the artifact obscuring tumor
      margins. We also evaluated procedure-related major and minor complications.
      RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in 291 (97.3%) fiducial marker
      implantations. The mean distance between the tumor and the marker was 3.1 cm
      (S.D., 2.1 cm; range, 0-9.5 cm). Of 101 patients, 72 lesions (71.3%, 2.2 +/- 1.0
      cm; range, 0-3.0 cm) had fiducial markers located in an ideal location. The ideal
      location of fiducials was more common in visible lesions than in poorly
      conspicuous lesions (90.2% vs. 52.0%, P < 0.001). Seventeen markers (5.8%)
      developed beam-hardening artifacts obscuring the tumor margins. There were no
      major complications, although 12 patients (11.9%) developed minor complications.
      CONCLUSIONS: US-guided implantation of fiducial markers in the liver is an
      effective and safe procedure with only rare complications.

PMID- 28636660
TI  - Cellular sensitivity to UV-irradiation is mediated by RNA polymerase I
      transcription.
AB  - The nucleolus has long been considered to be a pure ribosome factory. However,
      over the last two decades it became clear that the nucleolus is involved in
      numerous other functions besides ribosome biogenesis. Our experiments indicate
      that the activity of RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription monitors the
      integrity of the DNA and influences the response to nucleolar stress as well as
      the rate of survival. Cells with a repressed ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription
      activity showed an increased and prolonged p53 stabilisation after UVC
      irradiation. Furthermore, p53 stabilisation after inhibition and especially after
      UVC-irradiation might be due to abrogation of the HDM2-p53 degradation pathway by
      ribosomal proteins (RPs). Apoptosis mediated by highly activated p53 is a typical
      hallmark of Cockayne syndrome cells and transcriptional abnormalities and the
      following activation of the RP-HDM2-p53 pathway would be a possible explanation.

PMID- 28636661
TI  - Robust nonparametric quantification of clustering density of molecules in single
      molecule localization microscopy.
AB  - We report a robust nonparametric descriptor, J'(r), for quantifying the density
      of clustering molecules in single-molecule localization microscopy. J'(r), based
      on nearest neighbor distribution functions, does not require any parameter as an
      input for analyzing point patterns. We show that J'(r) displays a valley shape in
      the presence of clusters of molecules, and the characteristics of the valley
      reliably report the clustering features in the data. Most importantly, the
      position of the J'(r) valley ([Formula: see text]) depends exclusively on the
      density of clustering molecules (rhoc). Therefore, it is ideal for direct
      estimation of the clustering density of molecules in single-molecule localization
      microscopy. As an example, this descriptor was applied to estimate the clustering
      density of ptsG mRNA in E. coli bacteria.

PMID- 28636662
TI  - Differential regulation of polarized synaptic vesicle trafficking and synapse
      stability in neural circuit rewiring in Caenorhabditis elegans.
AB  - Neural circuits are dynamic, with activity-dependent changes in synapse density
      and connectivity peaking during different phases of animal development. In C.
      elegans, young larvae form mature motor circuits through a dramatic switch in
      GABAergic neuron connectivity, by concomitant elimination of existing synapses
      and formation of new synapses that are maintained throughout adulthood. We have
      previously shown that an increase in microtubule dynamics during motor circuit
      rewiring facilitates new synapse formation. Here, we further investigate cellular
      control of circuit rewiring through the analysis of mutants obtained in a forward
      genetic screen. Using live imaging, we characterize novel mutations that alter
      cargo binding in the dynein motor complex and enhance anterograde synaptic
      vesicle movement during remodeling, providing in vivo evidence for the tug-of-war
      between kinesin and dynein in fast axonal transport. We also find that a casein
      kinase homolog, TTBK-3, inhibits stabilization of nascent synapses in their new
      locations, a previously unexplored facet of structural plasticity of synapses.
      Our study delineates temporally distinct signaling pathways that are required for
      effective neural circuit refinement.

PMID- 28636663
TI  - An endophytic Basidiomycete, Grammothele lineata, isolated from Corchorus
      olitorius, produces paclitaxel that shows cytotoxicity.
AB  - Grammothele lineata, an endophyte isolated in our laboratory from jute (Corchorus
      olitorius acc. 2015) was found to be a substantial paclitaxel producer. Taxol and
      its related compounds, produced by this endophyte were extracted by growing the
      fungus in simple nutrient media (potato dextrose broth, PDB). Taxol was
      identified and characterized by different analytical techniques (TLC, HPLC, FTIR,
      LC-ESI-MS/MS) following its extraction by ethyl acetate. In PDB media, this
      fungus was found to produce 382.2 MUgL-1 of taxol which is about 7.6 x103 fold
      higher than the first reported endophytic fungi, Taxomyces andreanae. The
      extracted taxol exhibited cytotoxic activity in an in vitro culture of HeLa
      cancer cell line. The fungal extract also exhibited antifungal and antibacterial
      activities against different pathogenic strains. This is the first report of a
      jute endophytic fungus harboring the capacity to produce taxol and also the first
      reported taxol producing species that belongs to the Basidiomycota phylum, so far
      unknown to be a taxol producer. These findings suggest that the fungal endophyte,
      Grammothele lineata can be an excellent source of taxol and can also serve as a
      potential species for chemical and genetic engineering to enhance further the
      production of taxol.

PMID- 28636664
TI  - Looking at paintings in the Vincent Van Gogh Museum: Eye movement patterns of
      children and adults.
AB  - In the present study, we examined the eye movement behaviour of children and
      adults looking at five Van Gogh paintings in the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. The
      goal of the study was to determine the role of top-down and bottom-up attentional
      processes in the first stages of participants' aesthetic experience. Bottom-up
      processes were quantified by determining a salience map for each painting. Top
      down processing was manipulated by first allowing participants to view the
      paintings freely, then providing background information about each painting, and
      then allowing them to view the paintings a second time. The salience analysis
      showed differences between the eye movement behaviour of children and adults, and
      differences between the two phases. In the children, the first five fixations
      during the free viewing phase were strongly related to visually salient features
      of the paintings-indicating a strong role for bottom-up factors. In the second
      phase, after children had received background information, top-down factors
      played a more prominent role. By contrast, adults' observed patterns were similar
      in both phases, indicating that bottom-up processes did not play a major role
      when they viewed the paintings. In the second phase, children and adults both
      spent more time looking at regions that were mentioned in the background
      information. This effect was greater for adults than for children, confirming the
      notion that adults, when viewing paintings, rely much more on top-down processing
      than children.

PMID- 28636665
TI  - Monitoring obesity prevalence in the United States through bookmarking activities
      in online food portals.
AB  - Studying the impact of food consumption on people's health is a serious matter
      for its implications on public policy, but it has traditionally been a slow
      process since it requires information gathered through expensive collection
      processes such as surveys, census and systematic reviews of research articles. We
      argue that this process could be supported and hastened using data collected via
      online social networks. In this work we investigate the relationships between the
      online traces left behind by users of a large US online food community and the
      prevalence of obesity in 47 states and 311 counties in the US. Using data
      associated with the recipes bookmarked over an 9-year period by 144,839 users of
      the Allrecipes.com food website residing throughout the US, several hierarchical
      regression models are created to (i) shed light on these relations and (ii)
      establish their magnitude. The results of our analysis provide strong evidence
      that bookmarking activities on recipes in online food communities can provide a
      signal allowing food and health related issues, such as obesity to be better
      understood and monitored. We discover that higher fat and sugar content in
      bookmarked recipes is associated with higher rates of obesity. The dataset is
      complicated, but strong temporal and geographical trends are identifiable. We
      show the importance of accounting for these trends in the modeling process.

PMID- 28636666
TI  - Molecular and microbiological report of a hospital outbreak of NDM-1-carrying
      Enterobacteriaceae in Mexico.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To characterize the microbiological, molecular and epidemiological
      data of an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in a
      tertiary-care hospital in Mexico. METHODS: From September 2014 to July 2015, all
      CRE clinical isolates recovered during an outbreak in the Hospital Civil "Fray
      Antonio Alcalde" in Jalisco, Mexico were screened for antimicrobial
      susceptibility, carbapenemase production, carbapenemase-encoding genes, and
      plasmid profiles. Horizontal transfer of imipenem resistance; and clonal
      diversity by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence
      typing (MLST); as well as biofilm production and the presence of 14 virulence
      genes were analyzed in selected isolates. RESULTS: Fifty-two carbapenem-resistant
      isolates corresponding to 5 species were detected, i.e., Klebsiella pneumoniae (n
      = 46), Enterobacter cloacae (n = 3), Escherichia coli (n = 1), Providencia
      rettgeri (n = 1) and Citrobacter freundii (n = 1) with carbapenemase encoding
      genes blaNDM-1 (n = 48), blaVIM (n = 3), blaIMP (n = 1) and blaKPC (n = 1)
      detected in these isolates. The blaNDM-1 gene was detected in plasmids from 130-
      to 170-kb in K. pneumoniae (n = 46); E. cloacae (n = 3), E. coli (n = 1) and P.
      rettgeri (n = 1). The transfer of plasmids harboring the blaNDM-1 gene was
      obtained in eight transconjugants. One plasmid restriction pattern was detected,
      with the blaNDM-1 identified in different restriction fragments. Predominant
      clone A of K. pneumoniae isolates archived 28/46 (60%) isolates and belongs to
      ST392. Besides, ST307, ST309, ST846, ST2399, and ST2400 were detected for K.
      pneumoniae; as well as E. cloacae ST182 and E. coli ST10. The fimA and uge genes
      were more likely to be identified in K. pneumoniae carbapenem-susceptible
      isolates (p = <0.001) and biofilm production was more liable to be observed in
      carbapenem-resistant isolates (p = <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Four Enterobacteriaceae
      species harboring the blaNDM-1 gene were detected in a nosocomial outbreak in
      Mexico; horizontal transfer and strain transmission were demonstrated for the
      blaNDM-1 gene. Given the variation in the size of the plasmid harboring blaNDM-1,
      complex rearrangements must also be occurring.

PMID- 28636667
TI  - Voice over: Audio-visual congruency and content recall in the gallery setting.
AB  - Experimental research has shown that pairs of stimuli which are congruent and
      assumed to 'go together' are recalled more effectively than an item presented in
      isolation. Will this multisensory memory benefit occur when stimuli are richer
      and longer, in an ecological setting? In the present study, we focused on an
      everyday situation of audio-visual learning and manipulated the relationship
      between audio guide tracks and viewed portraits in the galleries of the Tate
      Britain. By varying the gender and narrative style of the voice-over, we examined
      how the perceived congruency and assumed unity of the audio guide track with
      painted portraits affected subsequent recall. We show that tracks perceived as
      best matching the viewed portraits led to greater recall of both sensory and
      linguistic content. We provide the first evidence that manipulating crossmodal
      congruence and unity assumptions can effectively impact memory in a multisensory
      ecological setting, even in the absence of precise temporal alignment between
      sensory cues.

PMID- 28636668
TI  - Microbiota in anorexia nervosa: The triangle between bacterial species,
      metabolites and psychological tests.
AB  - Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disease with devastating physical
      consequences, with a pathophysiological mechanism still to be elucidated.
      Metagenomic studies on anorexia nervosa have revealed profound gut microbiome
      perturbations as a possible environmental factor involved in the disease. In this
      study we performed a comprehensive analysis integrating data on gut microbiota
      with clinical, anthropometric and psychological traits to gain new insight in the
      pathophysiology of AN. Fifteen AN women were compared with fifteen age-, sex- and
      ethnicity-matched healthy controls. AN diet was characterized by a significant
      lower energy intake, but macronutrient analysis highlighted a restriction only in
      fats and carbohydrates consumption. Next generation sequencing showed that AN
      intestinal microbiota was significantly affected at every taxonomic level,
      showing a significant increase of Enterobacteriaceae, and of the archeon
      Methanobrevibacter smithii compared with healthy controls. On the contrary, the
      genera Roseburia, Ruminococcus and Clostridium, were depleted, in line with the
      observed reduction in AN of total short chain fatty acids, butyrate, and
      propionate. Butyrate concentrations inversely correlated with anxiety levels,
      whereas propionate directly correlated with insulin levels and with the relative
      abundance of Roseburia inulinivorans, a known propionate producer. BMI
      represented the best predictive value for gut dysbiosis and metabolic
      alterations, showing a negative correlation with Bacteroides uniformis
      (microbiota), with alanine aminotransferase (liver function), and with
      psychopathological scores (obsession-compulsion, anxiety, and depression), and a
      positive correlation with white blood cells count. In conclusion, our findings
      corroborate the hypothesis that the gut dysbiosis could take part in the AN
      neurobiology, in particular in sustaining the persistence of alterations that
      eventually result in relapses after renourishment and psychological therapy, but
      causality still needs to be proven.

PMID- 28636669
TI  - Exploring factors associated with ART adherence and retention in care under
      Option B+ strategy in Malawi: A qualitative study.
AB  - Although several studies have documented challenges related to inadequate
      adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and high loss to follow-up (LTFU) among
      Option B+ women, there is limited understanding of why these challenges occur and
      how to address them. This qualitative study examines women's experiences with ART
      adherence and retention in care. Between July and October 2015, in-depth
      interviews were conducted with 39 pregnant and lactating women who initiated ART
      at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Study participants included 14 in care
      and 25 out of care women, according to facility records. Data were analyzed using
      an inductive, open-coding approach to thematic analysis. Ten of the respondents
      (7 out of care, 3 in-care) had stopped and re-started treatment before the
      interview date. One of the most important factors influencing adherence and
      retention was the strength of women's support systems. In contrast to women in
      care, most out-of-care women lacked emotional and financial support from male
      partners, received minimal counseling from providers at initiation, lacked
      designated guardians to assist with medication refills or clinic appointments,
      and were highly mobile. Mobility led to difficulties in accessing treatment in
      new settings. The most common reasons women re-started treatment following
      interruptions were due to providers' counseling and encouragement and the
      mother's desire to be healthy. Improved counseling at initiation, active follow
      up counseling, women's economic empowerment interventions, promotion of peer
      counseling schemes and meaningful engagement of male partners can help in
      addressing the identified barriers and promoting sustained retention of Option B+
      women.

PMID- 28636670
TI  - Identification of novel small molecules that inhibit STAT3-dependent
      transcription and function.
AB  - Activation of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) has been
      linked to several processes that are critical for oncogenic transformation,
      cancer progression, cancer cell proliferation, survival, drug resistance and
      metastasis. Inhibition of STAT3 signaling has shown a striking ability to inhibit
      cancer cell growth and therefore, STAT3 has become a promising target for anti
      cancer drug development. The aim of this study was to identify novel inhibitors
      of STAT-dependent gene transcription. A cellular reporter-based system for
      monitoring STAT3 transcriptional activity was developed which was suitable for
      high-throughput screening (Z' = 0,8). This system was used to screen a library of
      28,000 compounds (the ENAMINE Drug-Like Diversity Set). Following counter
      screenings and toxicity studies, we identified four hit compounds that were
      subjected to detailed biological characterization. Of the four hits, KI16 stood
      out as the most promising compound, inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation and
      transcriptional activity in response to IL6 stimulation. In silico docking
      studies showed that KI16 had favorable interactions with the STAT3 SH2 domain,
      however, no inhibitory activity could be observed in the STAT3 fluorescence
      polarization assay. KI16 inhibited cell viability preferentially in STAT3
      dependent cell lines. Taken together, using a targeted, cell-based approach,
      novel inhibitors of STAT-driven transcriptional activity were discovered which
      are interesting leads to pursue further for the development of anti-cancer
      therapeutic agents.

PMID- 28636671
TI  - Different residues in the SARS-CoV spike protein determine cleavage and
      activation by the host cell protease TMPRSS2.
AB  - The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)
      mediates viral entry into target cells. Cleavage and activation of SARS S by a
      host cell protease is essential for infectious viral entry and the responsible
      enzymes are potential targets for antiviral intervention. The type II
      transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2 cleaves and activates SARS S in cell
      culture and potentially also in the infected host. Here, we investigated which
      determinants in SARS S control cleavage and activation by TMPRSS2. We found that
      SARS S residue R667, a previously identified trypsin cleavage site, is also
      required for S protein cleavage by TMPRSS2. The cleavage fragments produced by
      trypsin and TMPRSS2 differed in their decoration with N-glycans, suggesting that
      these proteases cleave different SARS S glycoforms. Although R667 was required
      for SARS S cleavage by TMPRSS2, this residue was dispensable for TMPRSS2-mediated
      S protein activation. Conversely, residue R797, previously reported to be
      required for SARS S activation by trypsin, was dispensable for S protein cleavage
      but required for S protein activation by TMPRSS2. Collectively, these results
      show that different residues in SARS S control cleavage and activation by
      TMPRSS2, suggesting that these processes are more complex than initially
      appreciated.

PMID- 28636672
TI  - Metabolomic profile and nucleoside composition of Cordyceps nidus sp. nov.
      (Cordycipitaceae): A new source of active compounds.
AB  - Cordyceps sensu lato is a genus of arthropod-pathogenic fungi, which have been
      used traditionally as medicinal in Asia. Within the genus, Ophiocordyceps
      sinensis is the most coveted and expensive species in China. Nevertheless,
      harvesting wild specimens has become a challenge given that natural populations
      of the fungus are decreasing and because large-scale culture of it has not yet
      been achieved. The worldwide demand for products derived from cultivable fungal
      species with medicinal properties has increased recently. In this study, we
      propose a new species, Cordyceps nidus, which parasitizes underground nests of
      trapdoor spiders. This species is phylogenetically related to Cordyceps
      militaris, Cordyceps pruinosa, and a sibling species of Cordyceps caloceroides.
      It is found in tropical rainforests from Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador.
      We also investigated the medicinal potential of this fungus based on its
      biochemical properties when grown on four different culture media. The metabolic
      profile particularly that of nucleosides, in polar and non-polar extracts was
      determined by UPLC, and then correlated to their antimicrobial activity and total
      phenolic content. The metabolome showed a high and significant dependency on the
      substrate used for fungal growth. The mass intensities of nucleosides and
      derivative compounds were higher in natural culture media in comparison to
      artificial culture media. Among these compounds, cordycepin was the predominant,
      showing the potential use of this species as an alternative to O. sinensis.
      Furthermore, methanol fractions showed antimicrobial activity against gram
      positive bacteria, and less than 3.00 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g of
      dried extract were obtained when assessing its total phenolic content by modified
      Folin-Ciocalteu method. The presence of polyphenols opens the possibility of
      further exploring the antioxidant capacity and the conditions that may enhance
      this characteristic. The metabolic composition and biochemical activity indicate
      potential use of C. nidus in pharmaceutical applications.

PMID- 28636674
TI  - Behavior change communication activities improve infant and young child nutrition
      knowledge and practice of neighboring non-participants in a cluster-randomized
      trial in rural Bangladesh.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact on infant and young child nutrition knowledge
      and practice of mothers who were neighbors of mothers participating in a
      nutrition Behavior Change Communication (BCC) intervention in rural Bangladesh.
      METHODS: We analyzed data from 300 mothers whose neighbor participated in a
      nutrition BCC intervention and 600 mothers whose neighbor participated in an
      intervention that did not include BCC. We constructed measures capturing mothers'
      knowledge of infant and young child nutrition (IYCN) and measures of food
      consumption by children 6-24m. The effect on these outcomes of exposure to a
      neighbor receiving a nutrition BCC intervention was estimated using ordinary
      least squares and probit regressions. The study was registered with
      ClinicalTrials.gov (Study ID: NCT02237144). RESULTS: Having a neighboring mother
      participate in a nutrition BCC intervention increased non-participant mothers'
      IYCN knowledge by 0.17 SD (translating to 0.3 more correct answers). They were
      14.1 percentage points more likely to feed their 6-24m children legumes and nuts;
      11.6 percentage points more likely to feed these children vitamin A rich fruits
      and vegetables; and 10.0 percentage points more likely to feed these children
      eggs. Children of non-participant mothers who had a neighboring mother
      participate in a nutrition BCC intervention were 13.8 percentage points more
      likely to meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for minimum diet
      diversity, 11.9 percentage points more likely to meet WHO guidelines for minimum
      acceptable diet, and 10.3 percentage points more likely to meet WHO guidelines
      for minimum meal frequency for children who continue to be breastfed after age
      6m. Children aged 0-6m of non-participant mothers who are neighbors of mothers
      receiving BCC were 7.1 percentage points less likely to have ever consumed water
      based liquids. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of nutrition BCC that do not account for
      information spillovers to non-participants may underestimate its benefits in
      terms of IYCN knowledge and practice.

PMID- 28636673
TI  - Evaluation of molecular diagnostic approaches for the detection of BRAF p.V600E
      mutations in papillary thyroid cancer: Clinical implications.
AB  - Differentiated papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the most common cancer of the
      endocrine system. PTC has a very good prognosis and a high 5 year survival rate;
      however, some patients are unresponsive to treatment, and their diagnosis
      eventually results in death. Recent efforts have focused on searching for
      prognostic and predictive factors that may enable treatment personalization and
      monitoring across the course of the disease. The presence of the BRAF mutation is
      considered to contribute to the risk of poor clinical course, according to
      American Thyroid Association (ATA) recommendations. The method used for
      genotyping can impact the predicted mutation frequency; however, ATA
      recommendations do not address this issue. We evaluated the molecular diagnostic
      (BRAF p.V600E mutation) results of 410 patients treated for PTC. We thoroughly
      analyzed the impact of three different BRAF mutation detection methods, Sanger
      Sequencing (Seq), allele-specific amplification PCR (ASA-PCR), and quantitative
      PCR (qPCR), on the frequency of mutation detection in 399 patients. Using Seq, we
      detected the BRAF mutation in 37% of patients; however, we were able to detect
      BRAF mutations in 57% and 60% of patients using the more sensitive ASA-PCR and
      qPCR technologies, respectively. Differences between methods were particularly
      marked in the thyroid papillary microcarcinoma group; BRAF p.V600E mutations were
      found in 37% of patients using Seq and 63% and 66% of patients using ASA-PCR and
      qPCR, respectively. We also evaluated how these different diagnostic methods were
      impacted by DNA quality. Applying methods with different sensitivities to the
      detection of BRAF p.V600E mutations may result in different results for the same
      patient; such data can influence stratification of patients into different risk
      groups, leading to alteration of treatment and follow-up schemes.

PMID- 28636675
TI  - Probabilistic population aging.
AB  - We merge two methodologies, prospective measures of population aging and
      probabilistic population forecasts. We compare the speed of change and
      variability in forecasts of the old age dependency ratio and the prospective old
      age dependency ratio as well as the same comparison for the median age and the
      prospective median age. While conventional measures of population aging are
      computed on the basis of the number of years people have already lived,
      prospective measures are computed also taking account of the expected number of
      years they have left to live. Those remaining life expectancies change over time
      and differ from place to place. We compare the probabilistic distributions of the
      conventional and prospective measures using examples from China, Germany, Iran,
      and the United States. The changes over time and the variability of the
      prospective indicators are smaller than those that are observed in the
      conventional ones. A wide variety of new results emerge from the combination of
      methodologies. For example, for Germany, Iran, and the United States the
      likelihood that the prospective median age of the population in 2098 will be
      lower than it is today is close to 100 percent.

PMID- 28636676
TI  - Mitochondrion to endoplasmic reticulum apposition length in zebrafish embryo
      spinal progenitors is unchanged in response to perturbations associated with
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Mutations in the human genes PRESENILIN1 (PSEN1), PRESENILIN2 (PSEN2) and AMYLOID
      BETA A4 PRECURSOR PROTEIN (APP) have been identified in familial Alzheimer's
      disease (AD). The length of mitochondrion-endoplasmic reticulum (M-ER)
      appositions is increased in Psen1-/-/Psen2-/- double knockout murine embryonic
      fibroblasts and in fibroblasts from AD-affected individuals. Development of an
      easily accessible, genetically manipulable, in vivo system for studying M-ER
      appositions would be valuable so we attempted to manipulate M-ER apposition
      length in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. We injected fertilized zebrafish eggs
      with antisense morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) that inhibit expression of
      zebrafish familial AD gene orthologues psen1 and psen2. Furthermore, we treated
      zebrafish embryos with DAPT (a highly specific gamma-secretase inhibitor) or with
      sodium azide (to mimic partially hypoxic conditions). We then analyzed M-ER
      apposition in an identified, presumably proliferative neural cell type using
      electron microscopy. Our analysis showed no significant differences in M-ER
      apposition lengths at 48 hours post fertilization (hpf) between psen1 & psen2 MO
      co-injected embryos, embryos treated with DAPT, or sodium azide, and control
      embryos. Instead, the distribution of M-ER apposition lengths into different
      length classes was close to identical. However, this indicates that it is
      feasible to reproducibly measure M-ER size distributions in zebrafish embryos.
      While our observations differ from those of murine and human studies, this may be
      due to differences in cellular differentiation and metabolic state, cell age, or
      species-specific responses. In particular, by focusing on a presumably
      proliferative embryonic cell type, we may have selected a cell heavily already
      reliant on anaerobic glycolysis and less responsive to factors affecting M-ER
      apposition. Future examination of more differentiated, more secretory cell types
      may reveal measurable responses of M-ER apposition to environmental and genetic
      manipulation.

PMID- 28636677
TI  - Contextual imitation of intransitive body actions in a Beluga whale
      (Delphinapterus leucas): A "do as other does" study.
AB  - Cetaceans are remarkable for exhibiting group-specific behavioral traditions or
      cultures in several behavioral domains (e.g., calls, behavioral tactics), and the
      question of whether they can be acquired socially, for example through imitative
      processes, remains open. Here we used a "Do as other does" paradigm to
      experimentally study the ability of a beluga to imitate familiar intransitive
      (body-oriented) actions demonstrated by a conspecific. The participant was first
      trained to copy three familiar behaviors on command (training phase) and then was
      tested for her ability to generalize the learned "Do as the other does" command
      to a different set of three familiar behaviors (testing phase). We found that the
      beluga (1) was capable of learning the copy command signal "Do what-the-other
      does"; (2) exhibited high matching accuracy for trained behaviors (mean = 84% of
      correct performance) after making the first successful copy on command; (3)
      copied successfully the new set of three familiar generalization behaviors that
      were untrained to the copy command (range of first copy = 12 to 35 trials); and
      (4) deployed a high level of matching accuracy (mean = 83%) after making the
      first copy of an untrained behavior on command. This is the first evidence of
      contextual imitation of intransitive (body-oriented) movements in the beluga and
      adds to the reported findings on production imitation of sounds in this species
      and production imitation of sounds and motor actions in several cetaceans,
      especially dolphins and killer whales. Collectively these findings highlight the
      notion that cetaceans have a natural propensity at skillfully and proficiently
      matching the sounds and body movements demonstrated by conspecifics, a fitness
      enhancing propensity in the context of cooperative hunting and anti-predatory
      defense tactics, and of alliance formation strategies that have been documented
      in these species' natural habitats. Future work should determine if the beluga
      can also imitate novel motor actions.

PMID- 28636679
TI  - Towards the analysis of attosecond dynamics in complex systems.
AB  - We study from a theoretical perspective the ionization of molecules and clusters
      induced by irradiation of a combined two-color laser field consisting of a train
      of attosecond XUV pulses in the presence of an IR field. We use time-dependent
      density-functional theory (TDDFT) in real time and real space as a theoretical
      tool. The calculated results are compared to experimental data when available. We
      also compare TDDFT with results obtained using a time-dependent Schrodinger
      equation (TDSE), which is well suited to simple systems while TDDFT allows
      dealing with more complex molecules and clusters. As a key observable, we study
      ionization versus delay time of the XUV pulses with respect to the IR background
      pulse. Experiments in simple atoms (He and Ar) show a regular modulation of this
      signal with half the IR period. This feature is recovered by TDDFT as well as by
      the TDSE (although total ionization differs by an order of magnitude). As more
      complex systems, we consider a C3 chain molecule and Na clusters. Here we
      encounter a different picture as the ionization signal develops a more involved
      pattern with several peaks per half IR period and as the TDSE produces a
      different pattern to TDDFT. Both effects could be related to the appearance of
      strong resonance modes in these more complex systems.

PMID- 28636680
TI  - Unifying the microscopic picture of His-containing turns: from gas phase model
      peptides to crystallized proteins.
AB  - The presence in crystallized proteins of a local anchoring between the side chain
      of a His residue, located in the central position of a gamma- or beta-turn, and
      its local main chain environment, was assessed by the comparison of protein
      structures with relevant isolated model peptides. Gas phase laser spectroscopy,
      combined with relevant quantum chemistry methods, was used to characterize the
      gamma- and beta-turn structures in these model peptides. A conformer-selective NH
      stretch infrared study provided evidence for the formation in vacuo of two types
      of short-range H-bonded motifs, labelled epsilon-6delta and delta-delta7/piH,
      bridging the His side chain (in its gauche+ rotamer) to the neighbouring NH(i)
      and CO(i) sites of the backbone; each side chain-backbone motif was found to be
      specific of the tautomer (epsilon or delta) adopted by the His side chain in its
      neutral form. A close comparison between beta- and gamma-turns, selected from the
      Protein Data Bank, and the gas phase models demonstrated that a significant
      proportion of the gauche+ His rotamer distribution of proteins was well described
      by the corresponding gas phase H-bonded structures. This is consistent with the
      persistence of local 6delta and delta7/piH intramolecular interactions in
      proteins, emphasizing the relevance of gas phase data to secondary structures
      that are poorly accessible to solvents, e.g., in the case of a specific compact
      topology (Xxx-His beta-turns). Deviations from the gas phase structures were also
      observed, mainly in His-Xxx beta-turns, and assigned to solvent accessible turn
      structures. They were well accounted for by theoretical models of microhydrated
      turns, in which a few solvent molecules take over the gas phase motifs,
      constituting a water-mediated local anchoring of the His side chain to the
      backbone. Finally, the present gas phase benchmark models also pinpointed
      weaknesses in the protein structure determination by X-ray diffraction analysis;
      in particular, besides the lack of tautomer information, inaccuracies in the
      description of imidazole ring flip rotamerism were identified.

PMID- 28636681
TI  - Thermally induced conformational changes and protein-protein interactions of
      bovine serum albumin in aqueous solution under different pH and ionic strengths
      as revealed by SAXS measurements.
AB  - Thermal-induced conformational changes and protein-protein interactions of bovine
      serum albumin (BSA) in aqueous solution are assessed by small angle X-ray
      scattering (SAXS) at two pH values (7.4 and 9.0) and two ionic strengths (0.1 and
      0.5). We demonstrate that Guinier analysis in two ranges of the modulus of the
      scattering vector allows protein melting and aggregation to be monitored
      simultaneously, thus providing insights into the mechanism of thermal-induced BSA
      aggregation. Results of the analysis suggest that at room temperature monomeric
      and dimeric BSA fractions are present in solution. For low concentrations (<10 mg
      mL-1) the monomeric to dimeric fraction ratio is close to 6, the same value we
      obtained independently in size-exclusion chromatography experiments. For elevated
      concentrations (20 mg mL-1 and 40 mg mL-1) a decrease in the dimer fraction
      occurs. Following heating, dimer formation is observed prior to protein melting,
      while no higher order aggregates are observed in the 20-60  degrees C temperature
      range. In the vicinity of the BSA melting point, higher order aggregates appear
      and protein molecules exhibit an aggregation burst. Higher ionic strength makes
      the described effects more pronounced - dimer formation increases at lower
      temperatures, presumably due to partial screening of electrostatic interactions
      between protein molecules. Moreover, the melting temperature shifts to higher
      values upon increasing the protein concentration and pH, indicating that
      repulsive interactions stabilize the protein structure. The suggested model was
      verified by the assessment of parameters of protein-protein interaction
      potentials based on DLVO theory using the global fitting procedure.

PMID- 28636678
TI  - Measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) used in adult
      patients with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can provide valuable
      information which may assist with the care of patients with chronic kidney
      disease (CKD). However, given the large number of measures available, it is
      unclear which PROMs are suitable for use in research or clinical practice. To
      address this we comprehensively evaluated studies that assessed the measurement
      properties of PROMs in adults with CKD. METHODS: Four databases were searched;
      reference list and citation searching of included studies was also conducted. The
      COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments
      (COSMIN) checklist was used to appraise the methodological quality of the
      included studies and to inform a best evidence synthesis for each PROM. RESULTS:
      The search strategy retrieved 3,702 titles/abstracts. After 288 duplicates were
      removed, 3,414 abstracts were screened and 71 full-text articles were retrieved
      for further review. Of these, 24 full-text articles were excluded as they did not
      meet the eligibility criteria. Following reference list and citation searching,
      19 articles were retrieved bringing the total number of papers included in the
      final analysis to 66. There was strong evidence supporting internal consistency
      and moderate evidence supporting construct validity for the Kidney Disease
      Quality of Life-36 (KDQOL-36) in pre-dialysis patients. In the dialysis
      population, the KDQOL-Short Form (KDQOL-SF) had strong evidence for internal
      consistency and structural validity and moderate evidence for test-retest
      reliability and construct validity while the KDQOL-36 had moderate evidence of
      internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct validity. The End
      Stage Renal Disease-Symptom Checklist Transplantation Module (ESRD-SCLTM)
      demonstrated strong evidence for internal consistency and moderate evidence for
      test-retest reliability, structural and construct validity in renal transplant
      recipients. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest considering the KDQOL-36 for use in pre
      dialysis patients; the KDQOL-SF or KDQOL-36 for dialysis patients and the ESRD
      SCLTM for use in transplant recipients. However, further research is required to
      evaluate the measurement error, structural validity, responsiveness and patient
      acceptability of PROMs used in CKD.

PMID- 28636682
TI  - Excited state characterization of carbonyl containing carotenoids: a comparison
      between single and multireference descriptions.
AB  - Carotenoids can play multiple roles in biological photoreceptors thanks to their
      rich photophysics. In the present work, we have investigated six of the most
      common carbonyl containing carotenoids: echinenone, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin,
      fucoxanthin, capsanthin and capsorubin. Their excitation properties are
      investigated by means of a hybrid density functional theory (DFT) and
      multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) approach to elucidate the role of
      the carbonyl group: the bright transition is of pipi* character, as expected, but
      the presence of a C[double bond, length as m-dash]O moiety reduces the energy of
      npi* transitions which may become closer to the pipi* transition, in particular
      as the conjugation chain decreases. This can be related to the presence of a low
      lying charge transfer state typical of short carbonyl-containing carotenoids. The
      DFT/MRCI results are finally used to benchmark single-reference time-dependent
      DFT-based methods: among the investigated functionals, the meta-GGA (and in
      particular M11L and MN12L) functionals show to perform the best for all six
      investigated systems.

PMID- 28636683
TI  - The maximum predicted content of cation vacancies in inorganic and organic
      inorganic perovskites: the role of the tolerance factor.
AB  - The maximum content of cation vacancies in perovskites determines the maximum
      adjustment to the physical properties. By using the classical criterion of the
      tolerance factor, we put forward a new method to obtain the maximum content of
      cation vacancies in perovskites. The effective ionic radius was calculated using
      the weighted average method, and the limit of tolerance factors was used to
      determine the maximum value of the cation vacancies. The calculated results of
      the La1-xMnO3 and La0.75Sr0.25Mn1-yO3 materials coincide with experimental
      results. For application, [(A1)1-x(A2)x]1-z1(B1B2)X3 or [(A1)1-x(A2)x](B1B2)1
      z2X3 (X = O, F, Cl, Br, I) inorganic and hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite
      materials with vacancies at the A or B sites were predicted successfully, which
      provides a new method to improve the physical properties of perovskite materials.

PMID- 28636684
TI  - Balanced work function as a driver for facile hydrogen evolution reaction -
      comprehension and experimental assessment of interfacial catalytic descriptor.
AB  - A major step in the development of (electro)catalysis would be the possibility to
      estimate accurately the energetics of adsorption processes related to reaction
      intermediates. Computational chemistry (e.g. using DFT) developed significantly
      in that direction and allowed the fast prediction of (electro)catalytic activity
      trends and improved the general understanding of adsorption at electrochemical
      interfaces. However, building a reliable and comprehensive picture of
      electrocatalytic reactions undoubtedly requires experimental assessment of
      adsorption energies. In this way, the results obtained by computational chemistry
      can be complemented or challenged, which often is a necessary pathway to further
      advance the understanding of electrochemical interfaces. In this work an
      interfacial descriptor of the electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution
      reaction, analogue to the adsorption energy of the Had intermediate, is
      identified experimentally using in situ probing of the surface potentials of the
      metals, under conditions of continuous control of the humidity and the gas
      exposure. The derived activity trends give clear indication that the
      electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction is a consequence of an
      interplay between metal-hydrogen and metal-water interactions. In other words it
      is shown that the M-H bond formation strongly depends on the nature of the metal
      water interaction. In fact, it seems that water dipoles at the metal/electrolyte
      interface play a critical role for electron and proton transfer in the double
      layer.

PMID- 28636685
TI  - Interfacial memristors in Al-LaNiO3 heterostructures.
AB  - Memristive devices are promising circuit elements that enable novel computational
      approaches which go beyond the von-Neumann paradigms. Here by tuning the
      chemistry at the Al-LaNiO3 (LNO) interface, a metal-metal junction, we engineer
      good switching behavior with good electroresistance (ON-OFF resistance ratios of
      100), and repeatable multiple resistance states. The active material responsible
      for such a behavior is a self-formed sandwich of an AlxOy layer at the interface
      obtained by grabbing oxygen by Al from LNO. Using aberration corrected electron
      microscopy and transport measurements, it is confirmed that the memristive
      hysteresis occurs due to the electric field driven O2- (or ) cycling between LNO
      (reservoir) and the interlayer, which drives the redox reactions forming and
      dissolving Al nanoclusters in the AlxOy matrix. This work provides clear insights
      into and details on precise oxygen control at such interfaces and can be useful
      for newer opportunities in oxitronics.

PMID- 28636686
TI  - Erythema With Nonscarring, Tense Blister Formation Without Circulating Anti-BP180
      Antibodies.

PMID- 28636688
TI  - Reviews and Meta-analyses of Psychotherapy Efficacy for Borderline Personality
      Disorder.

PMID- 28636687
TI  - Types of Shade Vary in Protection Just Like Sunscreens.

PMID- 28636690
TI  - Opioid Use in Trauma: Combating the "Opidemic" Through Thoughtful Prescribing
      Practices.

PMID- 28636689
TI  - Antibiotic Resistance in Acne Treatment.
AB  - Clinical Question: What is the evidence for antibiotic resistance in acne, and
      how does resistance affect treatment? Bottom Line: Use of topical and systemic
      antibiotics for acne is associated with formation of resistance in
      Propionibacterium acnes and other bacteria, with clinical consequences.
      Guidelines recommend resistance reduction strategies including avoidance of
      antibiotic monotherapy, combination treatment with topical modalities, and
      limiting the duration of oral antibiotic use.

PMID- 28636691
TI  - Starch-Based "Super Food" May Protect Against Variety of Diseases.

PMID- 28636693
TI  - Setting National Policy Agendas in Light of the Denmark Results for Well-being.

PMID- 28636692
TI  - Rethinking the Current American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM Staging System for
      Medullary Thyroid Cancer.
AB  - Importance: Controversy exists around the American Joint Committee on Cancer
      (AJCC) TNM staging system for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Because of the
      rarity of the disease and limited available data, the staging system for MTC has
      been largely extrapolated from staging for differentiated thyroid cancer.
      Objectives: To evaluate how well the current (seventh and eighth editions) AJCC
      TNM staging system correlates with survival for patients with MTC and to suggest
      a possible revision. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based
      retrospective cohort analysis used the National Cancer Database to select
      patients aged 18 years or older diagnosed with MTC in the United States between
      1998 and 2012. Patient demographic and tumor characteristics were assessed, and
      pathologic tumor stages were provided as T, N, and M categories. Recursive
      partitioning with bootstrapping was used to divide patients by TNM stages into
      groups with similar survival. The newly identified groupings were validated in a
      Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cohort. Data analysis was
      conducted between July 17, 2016, and November 11, 2016. Main Outcomes and
      Measures: Overall survival and disease-specific survival. Results: Of the 3315
      patients with MTC included in the analysis, 1941 (58.6%) were women. The median
      (interquartile range) age was 54 (42-65) years, and 2839 (85.6%) self-reported
      their race/ethnicity as white. The current AJCC TNM staging system classified 941
      of these patients (28.4%) as stage I, 907 (27.4%) as stage II, 424 (12.9%) as
      stage III, and 1043 (31.5%) as stage IV. Recursive partitioning analysis yielded
      4 TNM groups: stage I (T1N0-1aM0, T2N0M0), stage II (T1N1bM0, T2N1a-bM0, and
      T3N0M0), stage III (T3N1a-bM0, T4N0-1bM0), and stage IV (T1-4N0-1bM1). Based on
      these proposed TNM groupings, 1797 of the 3315 patients (54.2%) were classified
      as stage I, 684 (20.6%) as stage II, 669 (20.2%) as stage III, and 165 (5.0%) as
      stage IV. Under the proposed TNM groupings, survival differences across TNM
      groups were more distinct than under the current AJCC TNM staging system. With
      stage I as the reference, the hazard ratios of the proposed TNM groupings and the
      current AJCC TNM staging system were 2.19 (95% CI, 1.37-3.12) vs 1.45 (95% CI,
      1.09-1.92) for stage II, 4.20 (95% CI, 2.75-5.75) vs 2.17 (95% CI, 1.59-2.89) for
      stage III, and 10.97 (95% CI, 5.52-18.57) vs 5.33 (95% CI, 4.13-6.86) for stage
      IV. In a SEER cohort, the proposed TNM groupings were better at discriminating
      survival than was the current AJCC TNM staging system. Conclusions and Relevance:
      The current AJCC TNM staging system for MTC appears to be less than optimal in
      distinguishing risk of mortality among stage groups, upstaging a significant
      number of patients to stage IV. The current AJCC TNM staging system could be
      improved with the new TNM groupings proposed here for more accurate risk
      stratification and potential treatment selection.

PMID- 28636695
TI  - Translating Patient-Reported Outcomes From Surgical Research to Clinical Care.

PMID- 28636694
TI  - Placebo Response and Practice Effects in Schizophrenia Cognition Trials.
AB  - Importance: Patients' previous experience with performance-based cognitive tests
      in clinical trials for cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia can
      create practice-related improvements. Placebo-controlled trials for cognitive
      impairment associated with schizophrenia are at risk for these practice effects,
      which can be difficult to distinguish from placebo effects. Objectives: To
      conduct a systematic evaluation of the magnitude of practice effects on the
      Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia
      Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) in cognitive impairment associated with
      schizophrenia and to examine which demographic, clinical, and cognitive
      characteristics were associated with improvement in placebo conditions. Design,
      Setting, and Participants: A blinded review was conducted of data from 813
      patients with schizophrenia who were treated with placebo in 12 randomized
      placebo-controlled clinical trials conducted mostly in outpatient clinics in
      North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America from February 22, 2007, to March
      1, 2014. A total of 779 patients provided data for the primary outcome measure at
      baseline and at least 1 follow-up. Seven trials had prebaseline assessments
      wherein the patients knew that they were not receiving treatment, allowing a
      comparison of practice and placebo effects in the same patients. Interventions:
      Placebo compared with various experimental drug treatments. Main Outcomes and
      Measures: Composite score on the MCCB. Results: Of the 813 patients in the study
      (260 women and 553 men; mean [SD] age, 41.2 [11.5] years), the mean MCCB
      composite score at baseline was 22.8 points below the normative mean, and the
      mean (SEM) total change in the MCCB during receipt of placebo was 1.8 (0.2) T
      score points (95% CI, 1.40-2.18), equivalent to a change of 0.18 SD. Practice
      effects in the 7 studies in which there was a prebaseline assessment were
      essentially identical to the postbaseline placebo changes. Baseline factors
      associated with greater improvements in the MCCB during receipt of placebo
      included more depression/anxiety (F1,438 = 5.41; P = .02), more motivation
      (F1,272 = 4.63; P = .03), and less improvement from screening to baseline (F1,421
      = 59.32; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Placebo effects were minimal and
      associated with the number of postbaseline assessments and several patient
      characteristics. Given that the patients performed 2.28 SDs below normative
      standards on average at baseline, a mean placebo-associated improvement of less
      than 0.2 SD provides evidence that ceiling effects do not occur in these trials.
      These minimal changes in the MCCB could not be responsible for effective active
      treatments failing to separate from placebo.

PMID- 28636696
TI  - Incentive Spirometry After Bariatric Surgery-Reply.

PMID- 28636698
TI  - Corrections to Numbering, Abstract, and Methods.

PMID- 28636697
TI  - Role of Positive Parenting in the Association Between Neighborhood Social
      Disadvantage and Brain Development Across Adolescence.
AB  - Importance: The negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on lifelong
      functioning are pronounced, with some evidence suggesting that these effects are
      mediated by changes in brain development. To our knowledge, no research has
      investigated whether parenting might buffer these negative effects. Objective: To
      establish whether positive parenting behaviors moderate the effects of
      socioeconomic disadvantage on brain development and adaptive functioning in
      adolescents. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this longitudinal study of
      adolescents from schools in Melbourne, Australia, data were collected at 3
      assessments between 2004 and 2012. Data were analyzed between August 2016 and
      April 2017. Exposures: Both family (parental income-to-needs, occupation, and
      education level) and neighborhood measures of socioeconomic disadvantage were
      assessed. Positive maternal parenting behaviors were observed during interactions
      in early adolescence. Main Outcomes and Measures: Structural magnetic resonance
      imaging scans at 3 times (early, middle, and late adolescence) from ages 11 to 20
      years. Global and academic functioning was assessed during late adolescence. We
      used linear mixed models to examine the effect of family and neighborhood
      socioeconomic disadvantage as well as the moderating effect of positive parenting
      on adolescent brain development. We used mediation models to examine whether
      brain developmental trajectories predicted functional outcomes during late
      adolescence. Results: Of the included 166 adolescents, 86 (51.8%) were male. We
      found that neighborhood, but not family, socioeconomic disadvantage was
      associated with altered brain development from early (mean [SD] age, 12.79
      [0.425] years) to late (mean [SD] age, 19.08 [0.460] years) adolescence,
      predominantly in the temporal lobes (temporal cortex: random field theory
      corrected; left amygdala: B, -0.237; P < .001; right amygdala: B, -0.209; P =
      .008). Additionally, positive parenting moderated the effects of neighborhood
      disadvantage on the development of dorsal frontal and lateral orbitofrontal
      cortices as well as the effects of family disadvantage on the development of the
      amygdala (occupation: B, 0.382; P = .004; income-to-needs: B, 27.741; P = .004),
      with some male-specific findings. The pattern of dorsal frontal cortical
      development in males from disadvantaged neighborhoods exposed to low maternal
      positivity predicted increased rates of school noncompletion (indirect effect, 
      0.018; SE, 0.01; 95% CI, -0.053 to -0.001). Conclusions and Relevance: Our
      findings highlight the importance of neighborhood disadvantage in influencing
      brain developmental trajectories. Further, to our knowledge, we present the first
      evidence that positive maternal parenting might ameliorate the negative effects
      of socioeconomic disadvantage on frontal lobe development (with implications for
      functioning) during adolescence. Results have relevance for designing
      interventions for children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

PMID- 28636699
TI  - Dynamic measurements of flowing cells labeled by gold nanoparticles using full
      field photothermal interferometric imaging.
AB  - We present highly dynamic photothermal interferometric phase microscopy for
      quantitative, selective contrast imaging of live cells during flow. Gold
      nanoparticles can be biofunctionalized to bind to specific cells, and stimulated
      for local temperature increase due to plasmon resonance, causing a rapid change
      of the optical phase. These phase changes can be recorded by interferometric
      phase microscopy and analyzed to form an image of the binding sites of the
      nanoparticles in the cells, gaining molecular specificity. Since the nanoparticle
      excitation frequency might overlap with the sample dynamics frequencies,
      photothermal phase imaging was performed on stationary or slowly dynamic samples.
      Furthermore, the computational analysis of the photothermal signals is time
      consuming. This makes photothermal imaging unsuitable for applications requiring
      dynamic imaging or real-time analysis, such as analyzing and sorting cells during
      fast flow. To overcome these drawbacks, we utilized an external interferometric
      module and developed new algorithms, based on discrete Fourier transform
      variants, enabling fast analysis of photothermal signals in highly dynamic live
      cells. Due to the self-interference module, the cells are imaged with and without
      excitation in video-rate, effectively increasing signal-to-noise ratio. Our
      approach holds potential for using photothermal cell imaging and depletion in
      flow cytometry.

PMID- 28636700
TI  - Appropriateness, Health Care Reform, and the Surgeon: Perspectives From the
      Surgical Outcomes Club.

PMID- 28636701
TI  - The Metabolodiuretic Promise of Sodium-Dependent Glucose Cotransporter 2
      Inhibition: The Search for the Sweet Spot in Heart Failure.

PMID- 28636702
TI  - Analysis of Survival After Initiation of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy in
      a Surgical Intensive Care Unit.
AB  - Importance: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) benefits patients with
      renal failure who are too hemodynamically unstable for intermittent hemodialysis.
      The duration of therapy beyond which continued use is futile, particularly in a
      population of patients admitted to and primarily cared for by a surgical service
      (hereinafter referred to as surgical patients), is unclear. Objective: To analyze
      proportions of and independent risk factors for survival to discharge after
      initiation of CRRT among patients in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU).
      Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included all
      patients undergoing CRRT from July 1, 2012, through January 31, 2016, in an SICU
      of an urban tertiary medical center. The population included patients treated
      before or after general surgery and patients admitted to a surgical service
      during inpatient evaluation and care before liver transplant. The pretransplant
      population was censored from further survival analysis on receipt of a
      transplant. Exposures: Continuous renal replacement therapy. Main Outcomes and
      Measures: Hospital mortality among patients in an SICU after initiation of CRRT.
      Results: Of 108 patients (64 men [59.3%] and 44 women [40.7%]; mean [SD] age,
      62.0 [12.7] years) admitted to the SICU, 53 were in the general surgical group
      and 55 in the pretransplant group. Thirteen of the 22 patients in the
      pretransplant group who required 7 or more days of CRRT died (in-hospital
      mortality, 59.1%); among the 12 patients in the general surgery group who
      required 7 or more days of CRRT, 12 died (in-hospital mortality, 100%). In the
      general surgical group, each day of CRRT was associated with an increased
      adjusted odds ratio of death of 1.39 (95% CI, 1.01-1.90; P = .04). Conclusions
      and Relevance: Continuous renal replacement therapy is valuable for surgical
      patients with an acute and correctable indication; however, survival decreases
      significantly with increasing duration of CRRT. Duration of CRRT does not
      correlate with survival among patients awaiting liver transplant.

PMID- 28636703
TI  - Transforming the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to the Delivery of
      Precision Medicine to Improve the Value of Surgical Care: Summary of the John R.
      Clarke Keynote Address for the Surgical Outcomes Club 2016 Annual Meeting.

PMID- 28636704
TI  - Trends in Nationwide Herpes Zoster Emergency Department Utilization From 2006 to
      2013.
AB  - Importance: The effect of vaccination on emergency department (ED) utilization
      for herpes zoster (HZ) has not been examined to date. Objective: To determine
      trends in US ED utilization and costs associated with HZ. Design, Setting, and
      Participants: The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample data set was examined
      for temporal trends in the number of visits and costs for treatment of HZ in EDs
      in the United States from January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2013. Cases of HZ
      were identified using validated International Classification of Diseases, Ninth
      Revision-Clinical Modification diagnosis codes. Patients were stratified by age:
      less than 20 years (varicella vaccine recommended), 20 to 59 years (no vaccine
      recommended), and 60 years or older (HZ vaccine recommended). Population-based
      rates were estimated using sampling weights. Main Outcomes and Measures:
      Population-based incidence rates of HZ-related ED visits, charge for ED services,
      and total charges. Results: A total of 1 350 957 ED visits for HZ were identified
      between 2006 and 2013, representing 0.13% of all US ED visits. Of these patients,
      563 200 (51.7%) were male; mean (SE) age was 54.0 (0.1) years. Between 2006 and
      2013, the percentage of HZ-related ED visits increased from 0.13% to 0.14%
      (8.3%). This growth was driven by patients aged 20 to 59 years (increase of 22.8%
      [from 0.12% to 0.14% of ED visits]) while the proportion of ED HZ visits
      decreased for patients aged less than 20 years and 60 years or older, from 0.03%
      to 0.02% (-39.6%) and from 0.28% to 0.25% (-10.9%), respectively. For all age
      groups, there was an increase from 2006 to 2013 in overall adjusted total (from
      $92.83 to $202.47 million) and mean charges (from $763 to $1262) for HZ-related
      ED visits. Conclusions and Relevance: The number of ED visits and total cost
      associated with HZ increased between 2006 and 2013. Greater use was driven by an
      increased number of visits by patients aged 20 to 59 years, but populations
      recommended for vaccination (<20 and >=60 years) demonstrated decreased ED
      utilization. Per-visit and total costs increased across all age groups.
      Vaccination may be associated with a reduction of ED utilization. Further
      research is required to confirm these results and examine the drivers of
      increased ED costs.

PMID- 28636706
TI  - Rectus Femoris Tear Presenting as an Unusual Cause of a Subcutaneous Mass.

PMID- 28636705
TI  - Inflammation in the Neurocircuitry of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
AB  - Importance: For a small percentage of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) cases
      exhibiting additional neuropsychiatric symptoms, it was proposed that
      neuroinflammation occurs in the basal ganglia as an autoimmune response to
      infections. However, it is possible that elevated neuroinflammation, inducible by
      a diverse range of mechanisms, is important throughout the cortico-striato
      thalamo-cortical circuit of OCD. Identifying brain inflammation is possible with
      the recent advance in positron emission tomography (PET) radioligands that bind
      to the translocator protein (TSPO). Translocator protein density increases when
      microglia are activated during neuroinflammation and the TSPO distribution volume
      (VT) is an index of TSPO density. Objective: To determine whether TSPO VT is
      elevated in the dorsal caudate, orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, ventral striatum,
      dorsal putamen, and anterior cingulate cortex in OCD. Design, Setting, and
      Participants: This case-control study was conducted at a tertiary care
      psychiatric hospital from May 1, 2010, to November 30, 2016. Participants with
      OCD (n = 20) and age-matched healthy control individuals (n = 20) underwent a
      fluorine F 18-labeled N-(2-(2-fluoroethoxy)benzyl)-N-(4-phenoxypyridin-3
      yl)acetamide PET scan. It is a high-quality second-generation TSPO-binding PET
      radiotracer. All participants were drug and medication free, nonsmoking, and
      otherwise healthy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The TSPO VT was measured in the
      dorsal caudate, orbitofrontal cortex, thalamus, ventral striatum, dorsal putamen,
      and anterior cingulate cortex. Compulsions were assessed with the Yale-Brown
      Obsessive Compulsive Scale. Results: In the OCD and healthy groups, the mean (SD)
      ages were 27.4 (7.1) years and 27.6 (6.6) years, respectively, and 11 (55%) and 8
      (40%) were women, respectively. In OCD, TSPO VT was significantly elevated in
      these brain regions (mean, 32%; range, 31%-36% except anterior cingulate cortex,
      24%; analysis of variance, effect of diagnosis: P < .001 to P = .004). Slightly
      lower elevations in TSPO VT (22%-29%) were present in other gray matter regions.
      The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale measure of distress associated with
      preventing compulsive behaviors significantly correlated with TSPO VT in the
      orbitofrontal cortex (uncorrected Pearson correlation r = 0.62; P = .005).
      Conclusions and Relevance: To our knowledge, this is the first study
      demonstrating inflammation within the neurocircuitry of OCD. The regional
      distribution of elevated TSPO VT argues that the autoimmune/neuroinflammatory
      theories of OCD should extend beyond the basal ganglia to include the cortico
      striato-thalamo-cortical circuit. Immunomodulatory therapies should be
      investigated in adult OCD, rather than solely childhood OCD, particularly in
      cases with prominent distress when preventing compulsions.

PMID- 28636708
TI  - Improvement of TNM Staging for Medullary Thyroid Cancer.

PMID- 28636709
TI  - New Editorial Board Members-July 2017.

PMID- 28636707
TI  - Incidence and Predictors of Opioid Prescription at Discharge After Traumatic
      Injury.
AB  - Importance: In the current health care environment with increased scrutiny and
      growing concern regarding opioid use and abuse, there has been a push toward
      greater regulation over prescriptions of opioids. Trauma patients represent a
      population that may be affected by this regulation, as the incidence of pain at
      hospital discharge is greater than 95%, and opioids are considered the first line
      of treatment for pain management. However, the use of opioid prescriptions in
      trauma patients at hospital discharge has not been explored. Objective: To study
      the incidence and predictors of opioid prescription in trauma patients at
      discharge in a large national cohort. Design, Setting, and Participants: Analysis
      of adult (18-64 years), opioid-naive trauma patients who were beneficiaries of
      Military Health Insurance (military personnel and their dependents) treated at
      both military health care facilities and civilian trauma centers and hospitals
      between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2013, was conducted. Patients with
      burns, foreign body injury, toxic effects, or late complications of trauma were
      excluded. Prior diagnosis of trauma within 1 year and in-hospital death were also
      grounds for exclusion. Injury mechanism and severity, comorbid conditions, mental
      health disorders, and demographic factors were considered covariates. The Drug
      Enforcement Administration's list of scheduled narcotics was used to query opioid
      use. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine
      the predictors of opioid prescription. Data analysis was performed from June 7 to
      August 21, 2016. Exposures: Injury mechanism and severity, comorbid conditions,
      mental health disorders, and demographic factors. Main Outcomes and Measures:
      Prescription of opioid analgesics at discharge. Results: Among the 33 762
      patients included in the study (26 997 [80.0%] men; mean [SD] age, 32.9 [13.3]
      years), 18 338 (54.3%) received an opioid prescription at discharge. In risk
      adjusted models, older age (45-64 vs 18-24 years: odds ratio [OR], 1.28; 95% CI,
      1.13-1.44), marriage (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.20-1.34), and higher Injury Severity
      Score (>=9 vs <9: OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.32-1.48) were associated with a higher
      likelihood of opioid prescription at discharge. Male sex (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69
      0.83) and anxiety (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.73-0.93) were associated with a decreased
      likelihood of opioid prescription at discharge. Conclusions and Relevance: The
      incidence of opioid prescription at discharge (54.3%) closely matches the
      incidence of moderate to severe pain in trauma patients, indicating appropriate
      prescribing practices. We advocate that injury severity and level of pain-not
      arbitrary regulations-should inform the decision to prescribe opioids.

PMID- 28636710
TI  - Off-label Use of High-Risk Cardiovascular Devices: Widening the Lens.

PMID- 28636713
TI  - Practice- vs Physician-Level Variation in Use of Active Surveillance for Men With
      Low-Risk Prostate Cancer: Implications for Collaborative Quality Improvement.

PMID- 28636714
TI  - Characteristics and Alternative Treatment Outcomes of Antimalarial-Refractory
      Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus.

PMID- 28636715
TI  - Internet-Based Self-Help Interventions for Depression in Routine Care-Reply.

PMID- 28636716
TI  - Wide Complex Tachycardia in an Elderly Woman.

PMID- 28636717
TI  - Internet-Based Self-help Interventions for Depression in Routine Care.

PMID- 28636721
TI  - Evaluating Evolving Technologies in a Time of Rapid Change: The Case of
      Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

PMID- 28636718
TI  - Trends and Outcomes of Off-label Use of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement:
      Insights From the NCDR STS/ACC TVT Registry.
AB  - Importance: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was approved by the US
      Food and Drug Administration for severe aortic stenosis in patients who cannot
      undergo surgery and for patients at high operative risk. Use of TAVR for off
      label indications has not been previously reported. Objective: To evaluate
      patterns and adverse outcomes of off-label use of TAVR in US clinical practice.
      Design, Setting and Participants: Patients receiving commercially funded TAVR in
      the United States are included in the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry. A
      total of 23 847 patients from 328 sites performing TAVR between November 9, 2011,
      and September 30, 2014, were assessed for this study. Off-label TAVR was defined
      as TAVR in patients with known bicuspid valve, moderate aortic stenosis, severe
      mitral regurgitation, severe aortic regurgitation, or subaortic stenosis. Data
      were linked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for 15 397 patients
      to evaluate 30-day and 1-year outcomes. Exposure: Off-label use of TAVR. Main
      Outcomes and Measures: Frequency of off-label TAVR use and the association with
      in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year adverse outcomes. Results: Among the 23 847
      patients in the study (11 876 women and 11 971 men; median age, 84 years
      [interquartile range, 78-88 years]), off-label TAVR was used in 2272 patients
      (9.5%). In-hospital mortality was higher among patients receiving off-label TAVR
      than those receiving on-label TAVR (6.3% vs 4.7%; P < .001), as was 30-day
      mortality (8.5% vs 6.1%; P < .001) and 1-year mortality (25.6% vs 22.1%; P =
      .001). Adjusted 30-day mortality was higher in the off-label group (hazard ratio,
      1.27; 95% CI, 1.04-1.55; P = .02), while adjusted 1-year mortality was similar in
      the 2 groups (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.98-1.25; P = .11). The median rate of
      off-label TAVR use per hospital was 6.8% (range, 0%-34.7%; interquartile range,
      3.4%-12.1%), with hospitals in the highest tertile of off-label use associated
      with increased 30-day adverse cardiovascular events compared with the lowest
      tertile. However, this difference was not observed in adjusted 30-day or 1-year
      outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: Approximately 1 in 10 patients in the United
      States have received TAVR for an off-label indication. After adjustment, 1-year
      mortality was similar in these patients to that in patients who received TAVR for
      an on-label indication. These results reinforce the need for additional research
      on the efficacy of off-label TAVR use.

PMID- 28636722
TI  - Incentive Spirometry After Bariatric Surgery: The Importance of Patient
      Compliance.

PMID- 28636723
TI  - Reviews and Meta-analyses of Psychotherapy Efficacy for Borderline Personality
      Disorder-Reply.

PMID- 28636724
TI  - Temporal relationships between job strain and low-back pain.
AB  - Objectives Psychosocial working conditions are suggested risk factors for low
      back pain, but it is unclear whether these associations are causal. The present
      study examined whether there are lagged and bidirectional associations between
      job strain and low-back pain and further controlled for unmeasured time-invariant
      confounding. Methods The study was based on four biennial waves of data from the
      Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH), including 3084 men
      and women. Cross-lagged analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM) were
      conducted on job strain, a combination of high job demands and low control, and
      any as well as low-back pain severity (how much any problems affected the
      respondents life). Analogous SEM (dynamic panel) models with fixed effects were
      also fitted to remove confounding from time-invariant factors (such as non
      observed individual and environmental factors, eg, genetics, childhood
      conditions, personality). Results The SEM models indicated bidirectional
      associations between job strain and any back pain over a 2-year time lag
      (beta=0.21 and 0.19, P<0.05), when adjusting for a range of covariates. Job
      strain was also associated with an increase in low-back pain severity and vice
      versa. However, the SEM models with fixed-effects showed no statistically
      significant lagged relationships between job strain and any or low-back pain
      severity (beta=-0.05 and beta=0.00, respectively). Conclusions This study
      suggests that associations between job strain and low-back pain with a lag of
      years may be due to residual confounding by time invariant characteristics.
      Further studies are, however, needed to elucidate short-term relationships.

PMID- 28636725
TI  - June is National Dysphagia Awareness Month.

PMID- 28636726
TI  - Endoscopic view of a dumbbell-shaped sphenoid fungal mass.

PMID- 28636727
TI  - Vocal fold hemorrhage into a physiologic sulcus.

PMID- 28636728
TI  - Synchronous lesions of the right accessory parotid gland and left main parotid
      gland.

PMID- 28636729
TI  - Massive auricular cutaneous horn.

PMID- 28636730
TI  - Aggressive differentiated thyroid cancer in the geriatric patient.

PMID- 28636731
TI  - Correlation among external auditory canal anomaly, temporal bone malformation,
      and hearing levels in patients with microtia.
AB  - We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the relationship between external
      auditory canal (EAC) anomaly, temporal bone abnormality, and hearing levels using
      objective scoring systems in Chinese patients with microtia. The study population
      consisted of 106 ears of 94 Chinese patients (67 male and 27 female) aged 5 to 45
      years (mean: 12.6) with microtia. The EAC abnormalities were classified into 4
      types according to Schuknecht's criteria: type A, type B, type C, and type D.
      Developmental anomalies of the temporal bone were evaluated by Jahrsdoerfer
      computed tomography (CT) scoring system using high-resolution CT scans of the
      temporal bone. Temporal bone malformation parameters were divided into 4
      subgroups: ossicular chain development, windows connected to the cochlea,
      aeration development of the middle ear, and facial nerve aberration. Hearing
      levels (air conduction and bone conduction) were examined. Outcomes parameters
      included correlation coefficients (r) and a number of other variables. The total
      points (10 points) and subtotal points related to ossicles (4 points), windows (2
      points), aeration (2 points), and facial nerve (1 point) correlated inversely
      with the EAC abnormalities. The hearing levels (air conduction, r = 0.396, p
      <0.01; bone conduction, r = 0.21, p = 0.03) correlated significantly with the EAC
      abnormalities of Schuknecht's classification. We conclude that the better
      developed the external auditory canal, the better developed the temporal bone and
      the better developed the external auditory canal, the better hearing level. The
      hearing level also can serve as an indicator to determine whether a patient will
      be suitable for reconstructive surgery.

PMID- 28636732
TI  - Positron-emission tomography enhancement after vocal fold injection
      medialization.
AB  - The potential for the misinterpretation of positron-emission tomography (PET)
      scans in the context of a possible malignancy has been confirmed in a case report
      showing increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake after unilateral vocal fold
      augmentation medialization. We sought to expand these findings by investigating
      FDG uptake in a larger cohort of patients via a retrospective chart review. We
      examined the records of 15 adults-8 men and 7 women-who had undergone vocal fold
      augmentation for unilateral vocal fold paralysis and at least one subsequent PET
      scan. The differences in PET standard uptake value (SUV) between the injected and
      noninjected vocal folds were assessed via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A
      Spearman rank correlation coefficient was then used to estimate the relationship
      between differences in PET uptake and the length of time between the injection
      and the follow-up PET scan. The mean SUV of the injected vocal folds was 3.70,
      and the mean in the noninjected folds was 2.97. The difference did not achieve
      statistical significance (p = 0.34). In addition, the rank correlation
      coefficient with regard to the association between the difference in PET uptake
      and the duration between injection and PET was -0.24, suggesting an inverse
      relationship. However, the correlation coefficient did not differ significantly
      from zero (p = 0.34). We conclude that PET uptake after vocal fold augmentation
      medialization is variable and that it can increase substantially. This
      information should be considered in the context of the diagnostic accuracy of
      malignancy on PET.

PMID- 28636733
TI  - Idiopathic pretracheal deep neck space infection with mediastinal extension: A
      series of 3 cases and review of the literature.
AB  - Idiopathic pretracheal deep neck space infection is an extremely rare condition
      with potentially devastating complications. We present a series of 3 cases of
      pretracheal deep neck space infection that arose in the absence of trauma or a
      congenital lesion and that exhibited mediastinal spread. To the best of our
      knowledge, these cases represent the first reported series of this rare condition
      to be published in the English-language literature. All cultures grew
      Streptococcus milleri, and all patients had a favorable outcome. A high index of
      suspicion for a deep neck space infection is warranted in view of the devastating
      complications of this condition. Computed tomography is the investigation of
      choice. Treatment with intravenous antibiotics and surgical drainage,
      particularly when mediastinitis is present, is recommended. This rare
      presentation warrants a thorough investigation to identify the source of
      infection.

PMID- 28636734
TI  - Is computed tomography perfusion a useful method for distinguishing between
      benign and malignant neck masses?
AB  - Evaluation of neck masses is frequent in ear, nose, and throat clinics.
      Successful outcomes associated with neck mass are directly related to rapid
      diagnosis and accurate treatment for each patient. Late diagnosis of a malignant
      mass increases the magnitude of morbidity and the rate of mortality of the
      disease. Although magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography (CT)
      examinations are important tools for evaluating head and neck pathologies, they
      do not allow functional evaluation. For this reason, CT perfusion (CTP) as a
      method of functional evaluation for distinguishing benign from malignant masses
      is gaining attention. The utility of CTP for distinguishing between benign and
      malignant mass lesions was investigated in 35 patients with masses in the neck
      (11 benign, 24 malignant). CTP was shown to be a useful method for identifying
      head and neck tumors and blood volume values to enable the differential diagnosis
      of benign and malignant head and neck tumors.

PMID- 28636735
TI  - Salivary epidermal growth factor concentrations in patients with Sjogren syndrome
      and laryngopharyngeal reflux.
AB  - Sjogren syndrome was chosen as a clinical model to study acinar salivary
      deficiencies in the development of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). The objective
      of this prospective cohort study was to compare salivary epidermal growth factor
      (EGF) concentrations of patients with Sjogren syndrome with and without LPR and
      gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with normal controls. LPR was diagnosed
      with positive scores on the Reflux Symptom Index and Reflux and Reflux Finding
      Score, corroborated by esophagogastroduodenoscopy and/or 24-hour pH-metry.
      Salivary EGF concentrations of both unstimulated and mechanically stimulated
      saliva were established using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the
      significance level was set at 95%. Twenty-one patients and 19 controls were
      studied. All patients had LPR and 60% also had GERD. The mean salivary EGF
      concentration of unstimulated and stimulated saliva in the control group was
      1,751.37 pg/ml and 544.76 pg/ml, respectively. Unstimulated and stimulated
      salivary EGF concentrations in the study group were 2,534.65 pg/ml and 920.69
      pg/ml, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. Body
      mass index, presence of erosive esophagitis, or severity of hyposalivation did
      not significantly influence salivary EGF concentrations. LPR and GERD are highly
      prevalent in patients with Sjogren syndrome. Unlike previous studies in which
      significant EGF deficiencies were found in patients with reflux laryngitis and
      GERD, patients with Sjogren syndrome seem to have reflux caused by a decrease in
      clearance capacity and not in specific salivary components.

PMID- 28636736
TI  - The protective effect of intratympanic dexamethasone on streptomycin ototoxicity
      in rats.
AB  - The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the protective role of
      intratympanically administered dexamethasone on the inner ears of rats that were
      exposed to streptomycin ototoxicity. Twenty-four adult Wistar albino rats were
      separated into 4 groups: Group 1 (only streptomycin), Group 2 (only intratympanic
      dexamethasone), Group 3 (streptomycin and intratympanic dexamethasone), and Group
      4 (streptomycin and intratympanic saline). All rats were evaluated with
      distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) tests before the start of
      treatment and on the day it ended. On the 45th day, after the final DPOAE tests,
      animals of all groups were sacrificed under general anesthesia. The differences
      between the amplitudes of DPOAE results were determined, and hearing results were
      statistically analyzed. Also, the cochleas of each rat were histopathologically
      evaluated under a light microscope with hematoxylin and eosin staining. In the
      intratympanic dexamethasone group it was observed that cochlear hair cells were
      mostly protected. No significant difference was seen between the DPOAE results
      before and after treatment (p >0.05). On the other hand, loss was observed in the
      hearing functions and hair cells of the rats that received streptomycin and
      streptomycin plus intratympanic saline (p <0.05). In the streptomycin plus
      intratympanic dexamethasone group, the cochlear hair cells were partially
      protected. A significant difference was observed when the DPOAE results (DP
      grams) of the streptomycin plus intratypmanic dexamethasone group were compared
      to those of the streptomycin plus intratympanic saline group (p <0.05). After the
      experimental study, ototoxic effects of the administration of streptomycin and
      intratympanic dexamethasone were observed on the rats' cochlear hair cells. We
      conclude that intratympanic dexamethasone has protective effects against this
      cochlear damage in rats.

PMID- 28636737
TI  - Is there an association between migraine and allergic rhinitis?
AB  - We conducted a prospective study to evaluate nasal signs and symptoms and to
      perform allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) testing to investigate the
      relationship between migraine and allergic rhinitis. Our study group consisted of
      40 patients diagnosed with migraine-22 men and 18 women, aged 21 to 38 years
      (mean: 25.7). We compared their findings with a control group of 40 healthy
      adults-15 men and 25 women, aged 19 to 36 years (mean: 25.1). Allergen-specific
      IgE measurements were obtained with six groups of allergens: fungi, grass
      pollens, tree pollens, wild herbs, house dust mite 1, and house dust mite 2. We
      found no significant difference between the migraine patients and the controls in
      the incidence of nasal signs and symptoms (i.e., discharge, congestion, itching,
      and sneezing) or inferior turbinate signs (i.e., color and edema). According to
      the IgE assays, 14 migraine patients (35.0%) were sensitized to one or more
      allergens, compared with 11 of the controls (27.5%); the difference was not
      statistically significant. Sensitization was highest for the grass pollens panel
      in both groups. Even though we did not find an association between migraine and
      allergic rhinitis, the recent literature supports a correlation between migraine
      and atopy. The two conditions share common neural pathways and common mediators,
      and they can be linked statistically in patients and their families. A
      pathophysiologic association between the two conditions seems more likely than an
      etiologic association. In this regard, future efforts could be focused on the
      determination of atopy in migraine patients and the therapeutic implications of
      this diagnosis.

PMID- 28636738
TI  - Impact of a pediatric anesthesiologist on operating room efficiency during
      pediatric tonsillectomies and adenotonsillectomies.
AB  - We conducted a retrospective case review to determine if the presence of an
      Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) fellowship-trained
      pediatric anesthesiologist improves efficiency during pediatric tonsillectomies
      and adenotonsillectomies in hospitals that do not have dedicated pediatric
      operating rooms and, if so, to determine which specific anesthesia practices
      might account for such a difference. We reviewed the charts of all patients aged
      12 years and younger who had undergone a tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy from
      Jan. 1, 2008, through Aug. 1, 2013, at San Francisco General Hospital. A total of
      75 cases met our eligibility criteria. We compiled information on patient
      demographics, surgical time, anesthesia time, and anesthesia practices. Our
      primary study outcome was the amount of anesthesia-controlled time (ACT), which
      is the sum of time spent in induction and emergence. Cases were grouped according
      to whether the operation was staffed by an ACGME fellowship-trained pediatric
      anesthesiologist or a general anesthesiologist. Data were analyzed for 1
      pediatric anesthesiologist and 23 general anesthesiologists. We found that ACT
      was significantly shorter during the cases staffed by the ACGME fellowship
      trained pediatric anesthesiologist, although there were no major differences in
      anesthesia practices between the types of anesthesiologist. We suggest that
      staffing pediatric tonsillectomy operations with a fellowship-trained pediatric
      anesthesiologist may be an effective strategy for increasing operating room
      efficiency.

PMID- 28636739
TI  - A comparison of tonsillar surface swabbing, fine-needle aspiration core sampling,
      and dissected tonsillar core biopsy culture in children with recurrent
      tonsillitis.
AB  - In recurrent tonsillitis, the pathogenic bacteria are harbored in the tonsil
      core, and therefore cultures of superficial swab samples are not particularly
      accurate in identifying specific types of core bacteria. On the other hand, the
      results of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cultures of core samples have been
      closely correlated with the findings of core cultures in excised tonsils, and
      both methods are far superior to surface swabbing. We conducted a prospective
      study to compare the accuracy of culture findings from tonsillar tissue obtained
      by surface swabbing, FNA sampling of the tonsil core in situ, and core sampling
      of the excised tonsil in children with recurrent tonsillitis. Our patient
      population was made up of 54 children-22 boys and 32 girls, aged 4 to 14 years
      (mean: 10.7)-who were undergoing elective tonsillectomy during a 1-year period.
      On the day of surgery, a surface swab, core FNA sample, and dissected core sample
      were obtained from each patient and sent for culture. Culture showed that the
      three methods were in agreement in 34 cases (63.0%). In 9 cases (16.7%) the
      surface swab culture grew different pathogens from those of the two core
      cultures, and in 3 other cases (5.6%) the surface swab culture was negative while
      the two core cultures were positive for the same pathogens. In all, the results
      of core FNA culture and dissected core culture were in agreement in 46 cases
      (85.2%); in only 4 cases (7.4%) did the core FNA culture fail to accurately
      identify the causative pathogens. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of
      core FNA sampling were 100 and 50% respectively, compared with 82.9 and 30.8% for
      the superficial tonsillar swab. We conclude that routine culture of surface swab
      specimens in patients with chronic or recurrent tonsillitis is neither reliable
      nor valid. We recommend that core FNA sampling be considered the diagnostic
      method of choice since it can be done on an outpatient basis, it would reliably
      allow for culture-directed antibiotic therapy, and it could obviate the need for
      elective tonsillectomy in many cases. However, its feasibility as an office
      procedure in children remains to be determined.

PMID- 28636740
TI  - Initial experience of a hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia center of
      excellence.
AB  - Our objectives in reviewing the initial experience of a hereditary hemorrhagic
      telangiectasia center of excellence (HHT COE) were to better understand the
      interventions being performed in the comprehensive care of these patients and to
      present the early data as a reference for other tertiary centers considering
      starting an HHT COE. We conducted a retrospective review of consecutive patients
      referred to our newly developed HHT COE for evaluation and treatment between May
      2010 and June 2013. Clinical presentation, otolaryngologic treatments, and other
      operative interventions were analyzed. One hundred forty-four of the 198 patients
      (73%) evaluated at the HHT COE had definite HHT based on the Curacao diagnostic
      criteria, with 20 additional patients possibly having HHT and undergoing further
      evaluation to confirm the diagnosis. Sixteen of the 31 patients (52%) referred to
      otolaryngology required intervention in the operating room for epistaxis. Seventy
      two of the 164 (44%) patients with definite or possible HHT required other
      interventions for internal organ arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), with
      interventional radiology embolization of pulmonary AVMs being the most common
      procedure. An HHT COE is important in providing comprehensive care for patients
      with this rare disease, which has significant clinical sequelae. Having an HHT
      COE allows for early screening and subspecialty referral within a system of
      specialists experienced in preventing the morbidity and mortality associated with
      severe epistaxis and internal organ AVMs.

PMID- 28636741
TI  - Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck area: Oncologic treatment and
      plastic-reconstructive options.
AB  - Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck area is a rare malignant tumor with
      acceptable short-term but mediocre long-term prognosis. Radical tumor excision
      with clear resection margins, and sometimes resection of the facial nerve due to
      perineural growth, remains the fundamental therapy. We present 3 distinct
      clinical cases and discuss the current therapeutic options with special focus on
      plastic-reconstructive techniques. For reconstruction, the full armament of local
      and free flaps, as well as prosthetics, may be necessary. Adjuvant radiotherapy
      increases local control in advanced stages or close resection margins. However,
      systemic treatment options are limited. Further multicenter clinical trials are
      necessary due to the rare occurrence of the tumor.

PMID- 28636742
TI  - Results of endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy in pediatric patients.
AB  - We conducted a prospective interventional study to evaluate the role of
      endoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy in children. Our study population was
      made up of 20 patients-18 boys and 2 girls, aged 2 to 12 years (mean: 5.3)-who
      presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of nasolacrimal duct blockage that
      was refractory to conventional medical treatment. In all cases, blockage was
      confirmed by nasolacrimal duct syringing that demonstrated regurgitation from the
      opposite punctum. The primary outcome measures for success were resolution of
      symptoms and duct patency on lacrimal irrigation. At 6 months, 17 patients (85%)
      experienced complete symptomatic relief, 1 (5%) had partial relief, and 2 (10%)
      reported no relief. Moreover, the nasolacrimal duct was patent in 17 patients,
      partially patent in 2, and blocked in 1. We conclude that endoscopic endonasal
      dacryocystorhinostomy is a safe and effective procedure in children with
      nasolacrimal duct blockage when medical therapy and probing have been
      unsuccessful.

PMID- 28636743
TI  - Infestation of mites in external auditory canal.

PMID- 28636744
TI  - Parathyroid carcinoma in a patient with three prior parathyroid adenomas.

PMID- 28636745
TI  - A practical framework for encouraging and supporting positive behaviour change in
      diabetes.
AB  - A wide range of diabetes-directed interventions - including novel medications,
      devices and comprehensive education programmes - have been shown to be effective
      in clinical trials. But in the real world of diabetes care their efficacy is
      often dependent upon on how well a clinician is able to support personal
      engagement and motivation of the person with diabetes to use these new tools and
      knowledge consistently, and as directed. Although many person-centred
      motivational and behavioural strategies have been developed, for example, action
      planning, motivational interviewing and empowerment-based communication, the
      sheer number and apparent lack of clear differences among them have led to
      considerable confusion. The primary goal of this review, therefore, is to provide
      a practical framework that organizes and structures these programmes to enhance
      their more systematic use in clinical care. Its purpose is to enhance clinician
      efforts to respectfully encourage and support engagement and motivation for
      behaviour change in people with diabetes. The three-step framework for organizing
      and describing the specific clinical processes involved is based on self
      determination theory and includes: clinician preparation for a different type of
      clinical encounter, clinician/person with diabetes relationship building, and
      clinician utilization of specific behavioural tools. We conclude with practical
      considerations for application of this framework to the real world of clinical
      care.

PMID- 28636747
TI  - Do different characteristics of two emasculators make a difference in equine
      castration?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Serra and Reimer emasculators are frequently used in equine
      orchiectomy. They differ in jaw profile and the mechanism by which they achieve
      haemostasis. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the haemostatic capacities of the
      Reimer and Serra emasculators in open and closed castration differ, to compare
      the haemostatic capacities of each emasculator in both open and closed
      castration, and to assess whether the tensile strength of the parietal tunic in
      closed castration differs according to whether a Reimer or Serra emasculator is
      used. STUDY DESIGN: Ex vivo randomised study. METHODS: Eighty equine cadaver
      testes were randomly assigned to two groups for, respectively, open and closed
      castration. Each group was divided into two subgroups for castration with a Serra
      or Reimer castrator, respectively. Testicular artery leaking pressure was
      measured by dye injection. In closed castration, the tensile strength of the
      parietal tunic was measured with a tensiometer. RESULTS: In open castration, the
      Reimer emasculator resisted significantly higher pressure (median: 706.1 mmHg;
      interquartile range [IQR]: 597.6-735.5 mmHg) than the Serra emasculator (median:
      349.4 mmHg; IQR: 261.1-468.9 mmHg) (P<0.001), whereas no difference was found in
      closed castration (Serra emasculator, median: 382.5 mmHg [IQR: 294.2-568.2 mmHg];
      Reimer emasculator, median: 419.2 mmHg [IQR: 294.2-616.0 mmHg]). The Reimer
      emasculator resisted significantly higher pressure in the open (median: 706.1
      mmHg; IQR: 597.6-735.5 mmHg) compared with the closed (median: 419.2 mmHg; IQR:
      294.2-616.0 mmHg) technique (P = 0.03). Parietal tunic tensile strength did not
      differ significantly by emasculator (mean +/- s.d.: Serra, 12.65 +/- 7.35;
      Reimer, 17.55 +/- 11.76). MAIN LIMITATIONS: Limitations are inherent to the ex
      vivo study design. Post-surgery implications were investigated only in the short
      term and no account was taken of tissue inflammation and oedema, which may
      influence the integrity of the tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest it may
      be preferable to use a Reimer emasculator in open castration. In this ex vivo
      model of closed castration, no differences between the emasculators were
      observed.

PMID- 28636746
TI  - Evaluation of the Parent-Report Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits in a
      Sample of Children Recruited from Intimate Partner Violence Services: A
      Multidimensional Rasch Analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our study applied multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) to
      compare structural models of the parent-report version of the Inventory of
      Callous and Unemotional Traits (ICU; English and North American Spanish
      translations). METHOD: A total of 291 maternal caregivers were recruited from
      community-based domestic violence services and reported on their children (77.9%
      ethnic minority; 47% female), who ranged in age from 7 to 12 years (mean = 9.07,
      standard deviation = 1.64). We compared 9 models that were based on prior
      psychometric evaluations of the ICU. RESULTS: MIRT analyses indicated that a
      revised 18-item version comprising 2 factors (callous-unemotional and empathic
      prosocial) was more suitable for our sample. Differential item functioning was
      found for several items across ethnic and language groups, but not for child
      gender or age. Evidence of construct validity was found. CONCLUSION: We recommend
      continued research and revisions to the ICU to better assess the presence of
      callous-unemotional traits in community samples of school-age children.

PMID- 28636748
TI  - E-cadherin mediates ultraviolet radiation- and calcium-induced melanin transfer
      in human skin cells.
AB  - Skin pigmentation is directed by epidermal melanin units, characterized by long
      lived and dendritic epidermal melanocytes (MC) that interact with viable
      keratinocytes (KC) to contribute melanin to the epidermis. Previously, we
      reported that MC:KC contact is required for melanosome transfer that can be
      enhanced by filopodi, and by UVR/UVA irradiation, which can upregulate melanosome
      transfer via Myosin X-mediated control of MC filopodia. Both MC and KC express
      Ca2+ -dependent E-cadherins. These homophilic adhesion contacts induce transient
      increases in intra-KC Ca2+ , while ultraviolet radiation (UVR) raises intra-MC
      Ca2+ via calcium-selective ORAI1 ion channels; both are associated with
      regulating melanogenesis. However, how Ca2+ triggers melanin transfer remains
      unclear. Here we evaluated the role of E-cadherin in UVR-mediated melanin
      transfer in human skin cells. MC and KC in human epidermis variably express
      filopodia-associated E-cadherin, Cdc42, VASP and beta-catenin, all of which were
      upregulated by UVR in human MC in vitro. Knockdown of E-cadherin revealed that
      this cadherin is essential for UVR-induced MC filopodia formation and melanin
      transfer. Moreover, Ca2+ induced a dose-dependent increase in filopodia formation
      and melanin transfer, as well as increased beta-catenin, Cdc42, Myosin X and E
      cadherin expression in these skin cells. Together, these data suggest that
      filopodial proteins and E-cadherin, which are upregulated by intracellular (UVR
      stimulated) and extracellular Ca2+ availability, are required for filopodia
      formation and melanin transfer. This may open new avenues to explore how Ca2+
      signalling influences human pigmentation.

PMID- 28636749
TI  - Annual direct medical costs associated with diabetes-related complications in the
      event year and in subsequent years in Hong Kong.
AB  - AIM: To develop models to estimate the direct medical costs associated with
      diabetes-related complications in the event year and in subsequent years.
      METHODS: The public direct medical costs associated with 13 diabetes-related
      complications were estimated among a cohort of 128 353 people with diabetes over
      5 years. Private direct medical costs were estimated from a cross-sectional
      survey among 1825 people with diabetes. We used panel data regression with fixed
      effects to investigate the impact of each complication on direct medical costs in
      the event year and subsequent years, adjusting for age and co-existing
      complications. RESULTS: The expected annual public direct medical cost for the
      baseline case was US$1,521 (95% CI 1,518 to 1,525) or a 65-year-old person with
      diabetes without complications. A new lower limb ulcer was associated with the
      biggest increase, with a multiplier of 9.38 (95% CI 8.49 to 10.37). New end-stage
      renal disease and stroke increased the annual medical cost by 5.23 (95% CI 4.70
      to 5.82) and 5.94 (95% CI 5.79 to 6.10) times, respectively. History of acute
      myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, end-stage renal disease
      and lower limb ulcer increased the cost by 2-3 times. The expected annual private
      direct medical cost of the baseline case was US$187 (95% CI 135 to 258) for a 65
      year-old man without complications. Heart disease, stroke, sight-threatening
      diabetic retinopathy and end-stage renal disease increased the private medical
      costs by 1.5 to 2.5 times. CONCLUSIONS: Wide variations in direct medical cost in
      event year and subsequent years across different major complications were
      observed. Input of these data would be essential for economic evaluations of
      diabetes management programmes.

PMID- 28636750
TI  - Comparison of serum vaspin levels and vaspin expression in adipose tissue and
      smooth muscle tissue in pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Vaspin is associated with metabolic parameters and insulin resistance.
      However, the expression of vaspin in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in pregnant
      women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not been fully explored, and
      the contribution of vaspin to the biological mechanisms underlying GDM remains
      unclear. This study aimed to compare circulating vaspin levels and its expression
      in different insulin target tissues including subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT),
      VAT and smooth muscle tissue (SMT) in pregnant women with and without GDM.
      DESIGN: A total of 37 women with GDM (GDM group) and 37 normal pregnant women
      (control group) were selected. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin
      (FINS) and serum vaspin levels were quantified at term, and homeostasis model of
      assessment2-insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) values were calculated. RT-qPCR and
      Western blotting were used to measure mRNA and protein levels of vaspin in VAT,
      SAT and SMT of 15 GDM women and normal pregnant women. RESULTS: In the GDM group,
      serum vaspin concentrations were significantly higher than in the control group.
      Serum vaspin levels were positively correlated with HOMA2-IR in the GDM group but
      not in the control group. In the GDM group, vaspin mRNA and protein expression
      levels in SAT and VAT were both significantly higher than in controls, but no
      difference was found in SMT. Moreover, relative mRNA but not protein expression
      levels of vaspin in SAT were highest among the three tissues in both groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Circulating vaspin levels and expression of vaspin in SAT and VAT
      were higher in GDM women than in normal pregnant women. However, the specific
      role of vaspin from SAT and VAT in the pathogenesis of GDM needs further study.

PMID- 28636752
TI  - Comparison of effect sizes between enriched and nonenriched trials of analgesics
      for chronic musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review.
AB  - AIMS: To investigate the use of an enriched study design on the estimates of
      treatment effect in analgesic trials for chronic musculoskeletal pain. METHODS:
      Database searches were conducted from 2004 to 2014. We included randomized
      placebo-controlled trials evaluating pain medications for chronic musculoskeletal
      pain. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. The estimates of
      treatment effect on pain and adverse events were compared between enriched and
      nonenriched designs. Metaregression was used to assess the association between
      the effect size estimate and the study design controlling for analgesic dose and
      methodological quality. RESULTS: We included 108 trials, of which 99 were
      included in the meta-analysis (n = 44 171). There were no overall differences in
      effect sizes between enriched and nonenriched designs for pain intensity. There
      was a significant difference for a reduction in any adverse events favouring
      enriched designs for opioids, but not for other analgesics or the outcome serious
      adverse events. There was an association between effect size and methodological
      quality, with failure to blind the outcome assessor and failure to use intention
      to-treat analysis being associated with larger effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: There
      is no evidence that the use of an enriched study design changes the treatment
      effect size estimate for pain. There is some evidence that clinical trials that
      employ enriched designs report a reduced risk of adverse events in trials for
      chronic musculoskeletal pain, but it is unclear whether enriched designs
      influence estimates of serious adverse events. Features of trial design and study
      quality were associated with treatment effect estimates.

PMID- 28636751
TI  - Using experimentation to understand the 10-year snowshoe hare cycle in the boreal
      forest of North America.
AB  - Population cycles have long fascinated ecologists from the time of Charles Elton
      in the 1920s. The discovery of large population fluctuations in undisturbed
      ecosystems challenged the idea that pristine nature was in a state of balance.
      The 10-year cycle of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus Erxleben) across the boreal
      forests of Canada and Alaska is a classic cycle, recognized by fur traders for
      more than 300 years. Since the 1930s, ecologists have investigated the mechanisms
      that might cause these cycles. Proposed causal mechanisms have varied from
      sunspots to food supplies, parasites, diseases, predation and social behaviour.
      Both the birth rate and the death rate change dramatically over the cycle. Social
      behaviour was eliminated as a possible cause because snowshoe hares are not
      territorial and do not commit infanticide. Since the 1960s, large-scale
      manipulative experiments have been used to discover the major limiting factors.
      Food supply and predation quickly became recognized as potential key factors
      causing the cycle. Experiments adding food and restricting predator access to
      field populations have been decisive in pinpointing predation as the key
      mechanism causing these fluctuations. The immediate cause of death of most
      snowshoe hares is predation by a variety of predators, including the Canada lynx
      (Lynx canadensis Kerr). The collapse in the reproductive rate is not due to food
      shortage as was originally thought, but is a result of chronic stress from
      predator chases. Five major issues remain unresolved. First, what is the nature
      of the predator-induced memory that results in the prolonged low phase of the
      cycle? Second, why do hare cycles form a travelling wave, starting in the centre
      of the boreal forest in Saskatchewan and travelling across western Canada and
      Alaska? Third, why does the amplitude of the cycle vary greatly from one cycle to
      the next in the same area? Fourth, do the same mechanisms of population
      limitation apply to snowshoe hares in eastern North American or in similar
      ecosystems across Siberia? Finally, what effect will climatic warming have on all
      the above issues? The answers to these questions remain for future generations of
      biologists to determine.

PMID- 28636753
TI  - Stable Bromiranium Ions with Weakly-Coordinating Counterions as Efficient
      Electrophilic Brominating Agents.
AB  - Electrophilic halogenating agents are an important class of reagents in chemical
      synthesis. Herein, we show that sterically demanding bromiranium ions with weakly
      coordinating counterions are highly reactive electrophilic brominating agents.
      Despite their high reactivity these reagents are stable, in one case even under
      ambient conditions and can be applied in electrophilic halogenations of alkenes
      as well as heteroatoms.

PMID- 28636755
TI  - Technical Note: Combination of multiple EPID imager layers improves image quality
      and tracking performance of low contrast-to-noise objects.
AB  - PURPOSE: We hypothesized that combining multiple amorphous silicon flat panel
      layers increases photon detection efficiency in an electronic portal imaging
      device (EPID), improving image quality and tracking accuracy of low-contrast
      targets during radiotherapy. METHODS: The prototype imager evaluated in this
      study contained four individually programmable layers each with a copper
      converter layer, Gd2 O2 S scintillator, and active-matrix flat panel imager
      (AMFPI). The imager was placed on a Varian TrueBeam linac and a Las Vegas phantom
      programmed with sinusoidal motion (peak-to-peak amplitude = 20 mm, period = 3.5
      s) was imaged at a frame rate of 10 Hz with one to four layers activated. Number
      of visible circles and CNR of least visible circle (depth = 0.5 mm, diameter = 7
      mm) was computed to assess the image quality of single and multiple layers. A
      previously validated tracking algorithm was employed for auto-tracking. Tracking
      error was defined as the difference between the programmed and tracked positions
      of the circle. Pearson correlation coefficient (R) of CNR and tracking errors was
      computed. RESULTS: Motion-induced blurring significantly reduced circle
      visibility. During four cycles of phantom motion, the number of visible circles
      varied from 11-23, 13-24, 15-25, and 16-26 for one-, two-, three-, and four-layer
      imagers, respectively. Compared with using only a single layer, combining two,
      three, and four layers increased the median CNR by factors of 1.19, 1.42, and
      1.71, respectively and reduced the average tracking error from 3.32 mm to 1.67 mm
      to 1.47 mm, and 0.74 mm, respectively. Significant correlations (P~10-9 ) were
      found between the tracking error and CNR. CONCLUSION: Combination of four
      conventional EPID layers significantly improves the EPID image quality and
      tracking accuracy for a poorly visible object which is moving with a frequency
      and amplitude similar to respiratory motion.

PMID- 28636754
TI  - Linagliptin and its effects on hyperglycaemia and albuminuria in patients with
      type 2 diabetes and renal dysfunction: the randomized MARLINA-T2D trial.
AB  - AIMS: The MARLINA-T2D study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01792518) was designed to
      investigate the glycaemic and renal effects of linagliptin added to standard-of
      care in individuals with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria. METHODS: A total of 360
      individuals with type 2 diabetes, HbA1c 6.5% to 10.0% (48-86 mmol/mol), estimated
      glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >=30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and urinary albumin-to
      creatinine ratio (UACR) 30-3000 mg/g despite single agent renin-angiotensin
      system blockade were randomized to double-blind linagliptin (n = 182) or placebo
      (n = 178) for 24 weeks. The primary and key secondary endpoints were change from
      baseline in HbA1c at week 24 and time-weighted average of percentage change from
      baseline in UACR over 24 weeks, respectively. RESULTS: Baseline mean HbA1c and
      geometric mean (gMean) UACR were 7.8% +/- 0.9% (62.2 +/- 9.6 mmol/mol) and 126
      mg/g, respectively; 73.7% and 20.3% of participants had microalbuminuria or
      macroalbuminuria, respectively. After 24 weeks, the placebo-adjusted mean change
      in HbA1c from baseline was -0.60% (-6.6 mmol/mol) (95% confidence interval [CI], 
      0.78 to -0.43 [-8.5 to -4.7 mmol/mol]; P < .0001). The placebo-adjusted gMean for
      time-weighted average of percentage change in UACR from baseline was -6.0% (95%
      CI, -15.0 to 3.0; P = .1954). The adverse-event profile, including renal safety
      and change in eGFR, was similar between the linagliptin and placebo groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: In individuals at early stages of diabetic kidney disease,
      linagliptin significantly improved glycaemic control but did not significantly
      lower albuminuria. There was no significant change in placebo-adjusted eGFR.
      Detection of clinically relevant renal effects of linagliptin may require longer
      treatment, as its main experimental effects in animal studies have been to reduce
      interstitial fibrosis rather than alter glomerular haemodynamics.

PMID- 28636756
TI  - Chemical Composition and Allelopathic, Antibacterial, Antifungal, and
      Antiacetylcholinesterase Activity of Fish-mint (Houttuynia cordataThunb.) from
      India.
AB  - Fish-mint (Houttuynia cordataThunb.), belonging to family Saururaceae, has long
      been used as food and traditional herbal medicine. The present study was framed
      to assess the changes occurring in the essential-oil composition of H. cordata
      during annual growth and to evaluate allelopathic, antibacterial, antifungal, and
      antiacetylcholinesterase activities. The essential-oil content ranged from 0.06 -
      0.14% and 0.08 - 0.16% in aerial parts and underground stem, respectively. The
      essential oils were analysed by GC-FID, GC/MS, and NMR (1 H and 13 C). Major
      constituents of aerial-parts oil was 2-undecanone (19.4 - 56.3%), myrcene (2.6 -
      44.3%), ethyl decanoate (0.0 - 10.6%), ethyl dodecanoate (1.1 - 8.6%), 2
      tridecanone (0.5 - 8.3%), and decanal (1.1 - 6.9%). However, major constituents
      of underground-stem oil were 2-undecanone (29.5 - 42.3%), myrcene (14.4 - 20.8%),
      sabinene (6.0 - 11.1%), 2-tridecanone (1.8 - 10.5%), beta-pinene (5.3 - 10.0%),
      and ethyl dodecanoate (0.8 - 7.3%). Cluster analysis revealed that essential-oil
      composition varied substantially due to the plant parts and season of collection.
      The oils exhibited significant allelopathic (inhibition: 77.8 - 88.8%; LD50 :
      2.45 - 3.05 MUl/plate), antibacterial (MIC: 0.52 - 2.08 MUl/ml; MBC:
      bacteriostatic) and antifungal (MIC: 2.08 - 33.33 MUl/ml; MFC: 4.16 - 33.33
      MUl/ml) activities. The results indicate that the essential oil from H. cordata
      has a significant potential to allow future exploration and exploitation as a
      natural antimicrobial and allelopathic agent.

PMID- 28636757
TI  - Babesiosis: An unusual cause of sepsis after kidney transplantation and review of
      the literature.
AB  - We report a unique case of babesiosis presenting as sepsis after kidney
      transplantation. A 70-year-old female kidney transplant recipient presented with
      fever, hemolytic anemia, and acute kidney injury, and met three of four systemic
      inflammatory response syndrome criteria. Serology was positive for Babesia
      microti, confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The patient was treated with
      atovaquone and azithromycin and made a full recovery. Reports of babesiosis after
      solid organ transplantation are rare, with only four prior cases reported in the
      literature. We report the first case of babesiosis, to our knowledge, presenting
      as sepsis that was successfully treated after solid organ transplantation.

PMID- 28636759
TI  - Rosacea and its association with enteral microbiota in Korean females.
AB  - Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis affecting the face and eyes. An
      association between systemic comorbidities and rosacea has been reported, but the
      link to enteral microbiota is uncertain. We aimed to investigate the link between
      rosacea and enteral microbiota. A cross-sectional study was performed in a sample
      of Korean women who participated in a health check-up programme at the Kangbuk
      Samsung Hospital Health Screening Center between 23 June 2014 and 5 September
      2014. The gut microbiome was evaluated by 16S rRNA gene and metagenome sequence
      analyses. A total of 12 rosacea patients and 251 controls were enrolled. We
      identified links between rosacea and several changes in gut microbiota: reduced
      abundance of Peptococcaceae family unknown genus, Methanobrevibacter (genus),
      Slackia (genus), Coprobacillus (genus), Citrobacter (genus), and Desulfovibrio
      (genus), and increased abundance of Acidaminococcus (genus), Megasphaera (genus),
      and Lactobacillales order unknown family unknown genus. A link between rosacea
      and enteral microbiota was observed in this metagenomic study. A large and
      elaborate study is needed to confirm these findings and to elucidate the
      mechanisms involved.

PMID- 28636758
TI  - Fetal overnutrition and offspring insulin resistance and beta-cell function: the
      Exploring Perinatal Outcomes among Children (EPOCH) study.
AB  - AIMS: To examine the associations of intrauterine exposure to maternal diabetes
      and obesity with offspring insulin resistance, beta-cell function and oral
      disposition index in a longitudinal observational study of ethnically diverse
      offspring. METHODS: A total of 445 offspring who were exposed (n=81) or not
      exposed (n=364) to maternal diabetes in utero completed two fasting blood
      measurements at mean (sd) ages of 10.5 (1.5) and 16.5 (1.2) years, respectively,
      and an oral glucose tolerance test at the second visit. We used linear mixed
      models and general linear univariate models to evaluate the associations of
      maternal diabetes and pre-pregnancy BMI with offspring outcomes. RESULTS:
      Maternal diabetes in utero predicted increased insulin resistance [18% higher
      updated homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR), P=0.01;
      19% lower Matsuda index, P=0.01 and 9% greater updated homeostatic model
      assessment of beta-cell function (HOMA2-beta), P=0.04]. Each 5-kg/m2 increase in
      pre-pregnancy BMI predicted increased insulin resistance (11% greater HOMA2-IR,
      P<0.001; 10% lower Matsuda index, P<0.001; 6% greater HOMA2-beta, P<0.001).
      Similar results were obtained in a combined model with both exposures. After
      adjustment for offspring BMI, only maternal diabetes was associated with higher
      HOMA2-IR (beta=1.12, P=0.03) and lower Matsuda index (beta=0.83, P=0.01). Neither
      exposure was associated with early insulin response or oral disposition index.
      CONCLUSIONS: Intrauterine exposure to diabetes or obesity is associated with
      greater offspring insulin resistance than non-exposure, supporting the hypothesis
      that fetal overnutrition results in metabolic abnormalities during childhood and
      adolescence.

PMID- 28636760
TI  - Successful management of refractory diabetic gastroparesis with long-term
      Aprepitant treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with gastroparesis who develop treatment-resistant
      (refractory) disease pose a difficult challenge, especially in the setting of end
      stage renal disease (ESRD) or post pancreas transplant. Aprepitant (a neurokinin
      receptor antagonist) is licensed for the short-term treatment of chemotherapy
      induced nausea. There is lack of information on its long-term efficacy and safety
      in people with diabetic gastroparesis. CASE REPORT: Case 1 was 73-year-old man
      with Type 2 diabetes of 25 years' duration and ESRD requiring dialysis. He was
      referred to our unit as his severe symptoms of gastroparesis had failed to
      respond to multiple medications and resulted in frequent hospital admissions.
      Aprepitant, which can be used in ESRD, resulted in significant improvement in his
      symptoms of nausea and vomiting within weeks, and he remained on this long term
      (18 months) with continued benefits and had no further gastroparesis-related
      hospital admissions. Case 2 was a 44-year-old man with Type 1 diabetes of 41
      years' duration with a history of severe hypoglycaemic events that required a
      pancreas transplant. Despite normoglycaemia, his symptoms of gastroparesis
      persisted and failed to respond to multiple medications and frequent botulinum
      toxin injections. He was commenced on aprepitant with significant improvement in
      symptoms and has remained on treatment for 12 months with sustained benefits.
      CONCLUSION: We describe two cases in which long-term aprepitant treatment proved
      effective in alleviating severe symptoms of gastroparesis that had failed to
      respond to conventional first-line medical treatments. Our cases highlight the
      need for novel treatments for managing refractory diabetic gastroparesis.

PMID- 28636761
TI  - Molecular Tools for Facilitative Carbohydrate Transporters (Gluts).
AB  - Facilitative carbohydrate transporters-Gluts-have received wide attention over
      decades due to their essential role in nutrient uptake and links with various
      metabolic disorders, including diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Endeavors directed
      towards understanding the mechanisms of Glut-mediated nutrient uptake have
      resulted in a multidisciplinary research field spanning protein chemistry,
      chemical biology, organic synthesis, crystallography, and biomolecular modeling.
      Gluts became attractive targets for cancer research and medicinal chemistry,
      leading to the development of new approaches to cancer diagnostics and providing
      avenues for cancer-targeting therapeutics. In this review, the current state of
      knowledge of the molecular interactions behind Glut-mediated sugar uptake, Glut
      targeting probes, therapeutics, and inhibitors are discussed.

PMID- 28636762
TI  - European diabetes research and its funding, 2002-2013.
AB  - AIM: This study examined the outputs of research papers in diabetes from 31
      European countries between 2002 and 2013, and their funding. METHODS: Diabetes
      research papers in the Web of Science were identified by means of a filter based
      on journals and title words. For 2009-2013 papers, the funders were coded to show
      their sector and nationality. RESULTS: Europe published 40 547 diabetes papers in
      the 12 years between 2002 and 2013. Denmark, Sweden and Finland published the
      most relative to their wealth, but the UK published the most absolutely despite
      an apparently low burden (as measured by disability-adjusted life years). The
      largest source of funding was government (30%), followed by the non-profit sector
      (18%) and industry (13%). The European Commission supported 2.7% of papers, but
      more in Latvia (33%) and Estonia (16%). Based on an estimated cost per paper of
      ?260 000, the annual research expenditure in Europe was approximately ?986
      million in 2013. CONCLUSIONS: The European diabetes burden in disability-adjusted
      life years increased by one third between 2002 and 2012, but its output of
      research papers has decreased from 44% to 36% of the world total. This decrease
      needs to be reviewed in the context of European non-communicable disease research
      policy.

PMID- 28636763
TI  - Sensitive volume effects on Monte Carlo calculated ion chamber response in
      magnetic fields.
AB  - PURPOSE: The development of magnetic resonance-guided radiation therapy (MRgRT)
      necessitates accurate Monte Carlo (MC) models of ion chambers for computing ion
      chamber corrections to compensate for the presence of the magnetic field. This
      study evaluates the sensitivity of the ion chamber dose response in a magnetic
      field on the collection volume used in the MC simulation. METHODS: The EGSnrc
      system's egs_chamber application is used with a recently developed and validated
      magnetic field transport code. The calculated dose to the sensitive volume of the
      chamber per unit incident photon fluence, normalized to that at 0 T, is evaluated
      as a function of magnetic field for the PTW 30013, PTW 31006, PTW 31010, Exradin
      A12S, and Exradin A1SL chambers. The sensitive region is varied by excluding the
      volume corresponding to either 0, 0.5, or 1 mm of distance away from the stem.
      The photon field, magnetic field, and ion chamber are all oriented perpendicular
      to each other as in the majority of published experimental works. RESULTS: The
      calculations for a Co-60 source demonstrate that variations from the 0 mm
      simulations are on the order of several percent with a maximum deviation,
      occurring at 0.5 T, of 1.75 +/- 0.03% and 3.39 +/- 0.06% for the 0.5 mm or 1 mm
      simulations, respectively, for a 0.057 cm3 A1SL chamber. Larger volume chambers
      showed smaller, but still non-negligible, variations. Simulations of the A1SL
      chamber with a 7 MV photon source, corresponding to the Elekta MR-linac machine,
      demonstrate that the effect is slightly reduced but still persists with a maximum
      deviation of 1.97 +/- 0.08% for the 1 mm reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Usually, the
      geometric sensitive volume of the ion chamber is used in MC calculation as a
      substitute for the potentially unknown, smaller, true collection volume (governed
      by the complex electric field distribution inside the chamber). The calculations
      in this study demonstrate that even a small variation in simulated volume can
      lead to fairly large variations in the MC calculated ion chamber response in a
      magnetic field. This is an important effect that must be addressed to ensure
      proper calibration of MRgRT machines using MC ion chamber correction factors.
      This effect may play a role, even where there is no magnetic field, in small
      field dosimetry when volume averaging effect are important.

PMID- 28636764
TI  - Socio-economic status and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among Chinese
      women.
AB  - AIMS: The relationship between socio-economic status and gestational diabetes
      mellitus has received little attention. The purpose of this study was to
      investigate the association between socio-economic status and risk of gestational
      diabetes. METHODS: Data were obtained from the ongoing Healthy Baby Cohort study
      in Hubei Province, China, in 2012-2014. Information on educational level and
      household income was collected using standard questionnaires during face-to-face
      interviews. Gestational diabetes was defined based on the International
      Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group's criteria. Logistic regression
      models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)
      for gestational diabetes in relation to socio-economic status. RESULTS: Among
      6886 participants, 1005 (14.6%) pregnant women were diagnosed with gestational
      diabetes. Higher educational level was inversely associated with risk of
      gestational diabetes (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58, 0.95 for high school and OR, 0.62;
      95% CI, 0.50, 0.76 for college or above). After adjustment for potential
      confounders, the ORs for gestational diabetes were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.59, 1.00) and
      0.65 (95% CI, 0.51, 0.83) for women with high school and college or above
      education, respectively, compared with women with less than high school
      education. No significant association between household income and gestational
      diabetes was observed after adjustment for potential confounders. Subgroup
      analysis showed that the reduced risk of gestational diabetes with higher
      educational level was more evident among women with a pre-pregnancy BMI < 24
      kg/m2 (P for interaction = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that
      educational level was a more robust predictor of gestational diabetes than
      household income among Chinese women.

PMID- 28636765
TI  - Kinetic parameters for the reaction of 1,2,4-trioxolanes and artemisinin with
      iron(II): New evidence for the source of antimalarial activity.
AB  - The Fenton-like reductive cleavage of antimalarial peroxides like artemisinin by
      iron(II) species is a chemical reaction whose mechanistic pathway has not been
      yet fully understood; it is, however, known that there is considerable production
      of radical species centered at both the oxygen and carbon, which are important to
      the therapeutical effects of those compounds. This article reports kinetic data
      for the reaction of artemisinin and two model 1,2,4-trioxolanes with iron(II)
      species and also a mechanistic interpretation of this reductive cleavage from
      transition state thermodynamics. The suggestion of the presence of an enhancing
      specific factor inside the plasmodium is made.

PMID- 28636766
TI  - Association of TNFSF13 polymorphisms with IgA nephropathy in a Chinese Han
      population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our previous genome-wide association study of IgA nephropathy (IgAN)
      in a Chinese Han population suggested that the TNFSF13 gene may be a novel
      susceptibility gene for IgAN. In the present study, we aimed to further evaluate
      the associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and expression level
      of the TNFSF13 gene with the risk and clinical parameters of IgAN. METHODS: Six
      candidate SNPs were selected for genotyping by Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX in 1000
      IgAN cases and 1000 controls. Unconditional logistic regression was used to
      calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) with
      adjustment for age and sex. Serum APRIL (encoded by the TNFSF13 gene) level was
      detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: We found that
      rs3803800 was significantly associated with the susceptibility of IgAN after
      Bonferroni correction [padditive  = 0.0009, OR (95% CI) = 1.25 (1.09-1.42);
      precessive  = 0.0006, OR (95% CI) = 1.54 (1.20-1.96)]; however, the association
      remained only in women after further sex-stratified analysis. Genotype-phenotype
      correlation analysis showed significant associations of rs3803800 with severe
      clinicopathological manifestations in IgAN patients after adjusting for age and
      sex, as well as the other two SNPs (rs4246413 and rs4968210) that were also
      associated with specific clinical phenotypes. Compared with healthy controls,
      serum APRIL levels were significantly higher in IgAN patients (p = 0.0001) and
      associated with severity of disease. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present
      study indicate that the genetic variations and gene expression level of TNFSF13
      are associated with the susceptibility and severity of IgAN in a Han Chinese
      population.

PMID- 28636768
TI  - Driving Aggression and Anxiety: Intersections, Assessment, and Interventions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Driving aggression and anxiety are significant contributors to risky
      driving and motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), which are leading causes of U.S.
      morbidity and mortality. Even though aggression and anxiety can be conceptualized
      as related features of the fight-or-flight response, literature on these topics
      has not been integrated. Driving aggression and anxiety are also transdiagnostic
      constructs that span multiple psychiatric disorders. Assessment and treatment of
      these complex problems must be understood to reduce the public health burden of
      MVCs. METHOD: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PsycInfo and
      Google Scholar. RESULTS: Definitions and prevalence of constructs including
      driving anger, aggressive driving, posttraumatic stress disorder, driving phobia,
      and transdiagnostic factors are delineated. Psychosocial correlates and
      assessment instruments are reviewed. Theoretical models that explicate
      personological, affective, cognitive, and behavioral components are explored.
      Differential and shared processes underlying driving aggression and anxiety are
      examined. Interventions are described, with a focus on promising cognitive
      behavioral methods. CONCLUSION: Driving aggression and anxiety likely share
      affective and cognitive characteristics such as emotional reactivity and
      distorted threat appraisals. Further research is needed to support theoretical
      models linking driving aggression and anxiety, and to validate assessment
      instruments that capture both constructs. Epidemiologic studies are needed to
      determine norms, prevalence, and clinical cutpoints. Integration of interventions
      for these interrelated problems could ultimately reduce risky driving and MVCs.

PMID- 28636767
TI  - Aberrant expression of kallikrein-related peptidase 7 is correlated with human
      melanoma aggressiveness by stimulating cell migration and invasion.
AB  - Members of the tissue kallikrein-related peptidase (KLK) family not only regulate
      several important physiological functions, but aberrant expression has also been
      associated with various malignancies. Clinically, KLKs have been suggested as
      promising biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in many types of cancer. As of
      yet, expression of KLKs and their role in skin cancers are, however, poorly
      addressed. Malignant melanoma is an aggressive disease associated with poor
      prognosis. Hence, diagnostic biomarkers to monitor melanoma progression are
      needed. Herein, we demonstrate that although mRNA of several KLKs are aberrantly
      expressed in melanoma cell lines, only the KLK7 protein is highly secreted in
      vitro. In line with these findings, ectopic expression of KLK7 in human melanomas
      and its absence in benign nevi were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in vivo.
      Interestingly, overexpression of KLK7 induced a significant reduction in melanoma
      cell proliferation and colony formation. Moreover, KLK7 overexpression triggered
      an increase in cell motility and invasion associated with decreased expression of
      E-cadherin and an upregulation of MCAM/CD146. Our results demonstrate, for the
      first time, that aberrant KLK7 expression leads to a switch from proliferative to
      invasive phenotype, suggesting a potential role of KLK7 in melanoma progression.
      Thus, we hypothesize that KLK7 may represent a potential biomarker for melanoma
      progression.

PMID- 28636769
TI  - Is cannabis treatment for anxiety, mood, and related disorders ready for prime
      time?
AB  - Anxiety and related disorders are the most common mental conditions affecting the
      North American population. Despite their established efficacy, first-line
      antidepressant treatments are associated with significant side effects, leading
      many afflicted individuals to seek alternative treatments. Cannabis is commonly
      viewed as a natural alternative for a variety of medical and mental health
      conditions. Currently, anxiety ranks among the top five medical symptoms for
      which North Americans report using medical marijuana. However, upon careful
      review of the extant treatment literature, the anxiolytic effects of cannabis in
      clinical populations are surprisingly not well-documented. The effects of
      cannabis on anxiety and mood symptoms have been examined in healthy populations
      and in several small studies of synthetic cannabinoid agents but there are
      currently no studies which have examined the effects of the cannabis plant on
      anxiety and related disorders. In light of the rapidly shifting landscape
      regarding the legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes, it
      is important to highlight the significant disconnect between the scientific
      literature, public opinion, and related policies. The aim of this article is to
      provide a comprehensive review of the current cannabis treatment literature, and
      to identify the potential for cannabis to be used as a therapeutic intervention
      for anxiety, mood, and related disorders. Searches of five electronic databases
      were conducted (PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar),
      with the most recent in February 2017. The effects of cannabis on healthy
      populations and clinical psychiatric samples will be discussed, focusing
      primarily on anxiety and mood disorders.

PMID- 28636771
TI  - Is transvaginal contained tissue extraction for everyone?

PMID- 28636770
TI  - A technology training protocol for meeting QSEN goals: Focusing on meaningful
      learning.
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss how we designed and
      developed a 12-step technology training protocol. The protocol is meant to
      improve meaningful learning in technology education so that nursing students are
      able to meet the informatics requirements of Quality and Safety Education in
      Nursing competencies. When designing and developing the training protocol, we
      used a simplified experiential learning model that addressed the core features of
      meaningful learning: to connect new knowledge with students' prior knowledge and
      real-world workflow. Before training, we identified students' prior knowledge and
      workflow tasks. During training, students learned by doing, reflected on their
      prior computer skills and workflow, designed individualized procedures for
      integration into their workflow, and practiced the self-designed procedures in
      real-world settings. The trainer was a facilitator who provided a meaningful
      learning environment, asked the right questions to guide reflective conversation,
      and offered scaffoldings at critical moments. This training protocol could
      significantly improve nurses' competencies in using technologies and increase
      their desire to adopt new technologies.

PMID- 28636772
TI  - RNA-dependent RNA polymerase: Addressing Zika outbreak by a phylogeny-based drug
      target study.
AB  - Since the first major outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) in 2007, ZIKV is spreading
      explosively through South and Central America, and recent reports in highly
      populated developing countries alarm the possibility of a more catastrophic
      outbreak. ZIKV infection in pregnant women leads to embryonic microcephaly and
      Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. At present, there is limited understanding of
      the infectious mechanism, and no approved therapy has been reported. Despite the
      withdrawal of public health emergency, the WHO still considers the ZIKV as a
      highly significant and long-term public health challenge that the situation has
      to be addressed rapidly. Non-structural protein 5 is essential for capping and
      replication of viral RNA and comprises a methyltransferase and RNA-dependent RNA
      polymerase (RdRp) domain. We used molecular modeling to obtain the structure of
      ZIKV RdRp, and by molecular docking and phylogeny analysis, we here demonstrate
      the potential sites for drug screening. Two metal binding sites and an NS3
      interacting region in ZIKV RdRp are demonstrated as potential drug screening
      sites. The docked structures reveal a remarkable degree of conservation at the
      substrate binding site and the potential drug screening sites. A phylogeny-based
      approach is provided for an emergency preparedness, where similar class of
      ligands could target phylogenetically related proteins.

PMID- 28636773
TI  - Comparison of different insulin pump makes under routine care conditions in
      adults with Type 1 diabetes.
AB  - AIMS: To compare long-term HbA1c changes associated with different insulin pumps
      during routine care in a large cohort of adults with Type 1 diabetes
      representative of other clinic populations. METHODS: Observational, retrospective
      study of 508 individuals starting pump therapy between 1999 and 2014 (mean age,
      40 years; 55% women; diabetes duration, 20 years; 94% Type 1 diabetes; median
      follow-up, 3.7 years). Mixed linear models compared covariate-adjusted HbA1c
      changes associated with different pump makes. RESULTS: The pumps compared were:
      50% Medtronic, 24% Omnipod, 14% Roche and 12% Animas. Overall HbA1c levels
      improved and improvements were maintained during a follow-up extending to 10
      years (HbA1c : pre-continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (pre-CSII) vs. 12
      months post CSII, 71 (61, 82) vs. 66 (56, 74) mmol/mol; 8.7 (7.7, 9.6) vs. 8.2
      (7.3, 8.9)%; P < 0.0001). The percentage of individuals with HbA1c >= 64 mmol/mol
      (8.0%) reduced from a pre-CSII level of 68% to 55%. After adjusting for baseline
      confounders, there were no between-pump differences in HbA1c lowering (P = 0.44),
      including a comparison of patch pumps with traditional catheter pumps (P = 0.63).
      There were no significant (P < 0.05) between-pump differences in HbA1c lowering
      in pre-specified subgroups stratified by pre-pump HbA1c , age or diabetes
      duration. HbA1c lowering was positively related to baseline HbA1c (P < 0.001) and
      diabetes duration (P = 0.017), and negatively related to the number of years of
      CSII use (P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Under routine care conditions, there were no
      covariate-adjusted differences in HbA1c lowering when comparing different pump
      makes, including a comparison of patch pumps vs. traditional catheter pumps.
      Therefore, the choice of CSII make should not be influenced by the desired degree
      of HbA1c lowering.

PMID- 28636774
TI  - Reducing the risk of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
      pancreatitis.
AB  - Pancreatitis is the most common and potentially devastating complication of
      endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), resulting in significant
      morbidity, occasional mortality, and increased health-care expenditure.
      Accordingly, the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) remains a major
      clinical and research priority. Strategies to reduce the incidence of PEP include
      thoughtful patient selection, appropriate risk-stratification, sound procedural
      technique, prophylactic pancreatic stent placement, and pharmacoprevention.
      Despite advances in all these areas, however, the incidence of PEP remains as
      high as 15% in high-risk cases. Thus, additional research towards the goal of
      eliminating PEP is necessary. Herein is an evidence-based review of strategies to
      prevent pancreatitis after ERCP, focusing on recent important developments in the
      field.

PMID- 28636775
TI  - Role of the tumour necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis
      (TWEAK)/fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) axis in autoimmune thyroid
      disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK), its receptor fibroblast
      growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) and its scavenger receptor CD163 (sCD163) have
      known associations with many autoimmune diseases. However, the role of the TWEAK
      axis in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of
      this study was to investigate the role of the TWEAK-Fn14 axis in the pathogenesis
      of AITD. METHODS: Serum levels of soluble TWEAK (sTWEAK) and sCD163 were measured
      in 38 patients with Graves' disease (GD), 40 patients with Hashimoto's
      thyroiditis (HT) and 40 healthy controls (HCs). Additionally, the mRNA expression
      of TWEAK and Fn14 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was explored, and
      the protein expression of TWEAK and Fn14 in thyroid glands surgically removed
      from 10 patients with GD, 10 patients with HT and 10 HCs was studied by
      immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The results showed that the serum levels
      of sTWEAK were significantly reduced in patients with HT and inversely correlated
      with antithyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) levels. Additionally, high levels of
      sCD163 and a high sCD163/sTWEAK ratio were positively associated with the TPOAb
      levels in patients with HT and the thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) levels in
      patients with GD. TWEAK mRNA expression and protein expression were upregulated
      in thyroid glands and PBMCs from patients with HT. CONCLUSION: Expression of the
      TWEAK-Fn14 axis was upregulated in patients with AITD and might play a role in
      the pathogenesis of AITD.

PMID- 28636776
TI  - Facile Synthesis and Chain-Length Dependence of the Optical and Structural
      Properties of Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Oligomers.
AB  - Here, we report the synthesis, optical properties, and solid-state packing of
      monodisperse oligomers of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) up to five repeating units.
      The optical properties of DPP oligomers in solution and the solid state were
      investigated by a combination of steady-state and transient spectroscopy.
      Transient absorption spectroscopy and time-correlated single photon counting
      (TCSPC) measurements show that the fluorescence lifetime decreases with an
      increase in the oligomer size from monomer to trimer, thereby reaching saturation
      for pentameric DPP oligomers. The solid-state packing and crystallinity were
      probed by using advanced techniques, which included grazing incidence small-angle
      X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to elucidate the structure
      property trend. Collectively, our chain-length dependent studies establish the
      fundamental correlation between the structure and property and provide a
      comprehensive understanding of the solid-state properties in DPP-DPP based
      conjugated systems.

PMID- 28636777
TI  - Biological effects related to geomagnetic activity and possible mechanisms.
AB  - This review presents contemporary data on the biological effects of geomagnetic
      activity. Correlations between geomagnetic indices and biological parameters and
      experimental studies that used simulated geomagnetic storms to detect possible
      responses of organisms to these events in nature are discussed. Possible
      mechanisms by which geomagnetic activity influences organisms are also
      considered. Special attention is paid to the idea that geomagnetic activity is
      perceived by organisms as a disruption of diurnal geomagnetic variation. This
      variation, in turn, is viewed by way of a secondary zeitgeber for biological
      circadian rhythms. Additionally, we discuss the utility of cryptochrome as a
      biological detector of geomagnetic storms. The possible involvement of melatonin
      and protein coding by the CG8198 gene in the biological effects of geomagnetic
      activity are discussed. Perspectives for studying mechanisms by which geomagnetic
      storms affect organisms are suggested. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:497-510, 2017. (c)
      2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28636778
TI  - Comment on: Dosimetric comparison of stopping-power calibration with dual-energy
      CT and single-energy CT in proton therapy treatment planning [Med. Phys. 43(6),
      2845-2854 (2016)].

PMID- 28636779
TI  - Comparative study shows differences in screen exposure, sleep patterns and sleep
      disturbances between Jewish and Muslim children in Israel.
AB  - AIM: This study determined the differences in screen exposure, sleep patterns and
      sleep disturbances, and the associations between these factors, among Jewish and
      Muslim children in Israel. METHODS: The participants were 1049 school children -
      499 Jewish and 550 Muslim - with a mean age of 9.2 +/- 0.7 years, who attended
      public schools in both urban and rural residential settings in 2014. They all
      completed the Sleep Self-Report questionnaire and the Screen Exposure
      Questionnaire. RESULTS: Muslim children reported increased screen time, despite
      having fewer televisions and computers in their bedroom than Jewish children.
      Muslim children also reported earlier bedtimes and longer sleep duration, but
      greater sleep disturbances. Having screens in bedrooms and non-school days were
      related to later bedtimes and later wake-up times for all children. Children who
      spent four or more hours watching television or using a computer on school days
      reported significantly more sleep disturbances than children with lower usage.
      CONCLUSION: Muslim children with a mean age of nine years reported longer screen
      exposure, earlier bedtimes and longer sleep duration, but more sleep
      disturbances, than Jewish children. Cultural sleep practices may contribute to
      the differences in sleep patterns and sleep disturbances of Jewish and Muslim
      children in Israel.

PMID- 28636780
TI  - Nanoelectrical and Nanoelectrochemical Imaging of Pt/p-Si and Pt/p+ -Si
      Electrodes.
AB  - The interfacial properties of electrolessly deposited Pt nanoparticles (Pt-NPs)
      on p-Si and p+ -Si electrodes were investigated on the nanometer scale using a
      combination of scanning probe methods. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed
      highly dispersed Pt-NPs with diameters of 20-150 nm on the Si surface. Conductive
      AFM measurements showed that only approximately half of the particles exhibited
      measurable contact currents, with a factor of 103 difference in current observed
      between particles at a given bias. Local current-voltage measurements revealed a
      rectifying junction with a resistance >=10 MOmega at the Pt-NP/p-Si interface,
      whereas the Pt-NP/p+ -Si samples formed an ohmic junction with a local resistance
      >=1 MOmega. The particles were strongly attached to the sample surface in air.
      However, in an electrolyte, the adhesion of the particles to the surface was
      substantially lower, and most of the particles had tip-contact currents that
      varied by a factor of approximately 10. Scanning electrochemical microscopy
      (SECM) showed smaller but more uniform electrochemical currents for the particles
      relative to the currents observed by conductive AFM. In accord with the
      conductive AFM measurements, the SECM measurements showed conductance through the
      substrate for only a minority of the particles. These results suggest that the
      electrochemical performance of the electrolessly deposited Pt nanoparticles on Si
      can be ascribed to: 1) The high resistance of the contact between the particles
      and the substrate, 2) the low (<50 %) fraction of particles that support high
      currents, and 3) the low adhesion of the particles to the surface when in contact
      with the electrolyte.

PMID- 28636781
TI  - Discovery of two bombinin peptides with antimicrobial and anticancer activities
      from the skin secretion of Oriental fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis.
AB  - Amphibian skin secretions are known to contain numerous peptides with a large
      array of biological activities. Bombinins are a group of amphibian-derived
      peptides with broad spectrum antimicrobial activities that have been only
      identified from the ancient toad species, Bombina. In this study, we described
      the identification and characterization of a novel bombinin precursor which
      encoded a bombinin-like peptide (BLP-7) and a novel bombinin H-type peptide
      (named as Bombinin H-BO) from the skin secretion of Oriental fire-bellied toad,
      Bombina orientalis. The primary structures of both mature peptides were
      determined by combinations of molecular cloning of peptide precursor-encoding
      cDNAs and mass spectrometry techniques. Secondary structure prediction revealed
      that both peptides had cationic amphipathic alpha-helical structural features.
      The synthetic replicate of BLP-7 displayed more potent antimicrobial activity
      than Bombinin H-BO against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and yeast.
      Also, in vitro antitumour assay showed that both peptides possessed obvious
      antiproliferative activity on three human hepatoma cells (Hep G2/SK-HEP-1/Huh7)
      at the non-toxic doses. These results indicate the peptide family of bombinins
      could be a potential source of drug candidates for anti-infection and anticancer
      therapy.

PMID- 28636783
TI  - Normal neonatal hearing screening did not preclude sensorineural hearing loss in
      two-year-old very preterm infants.
AB  - AIM: Very preterm infants are at risk of neonatal hearing loss. However, it is
      unknown whether infants with a normal neonatal hearing screening result risk
      sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) at a later age. METHODS: This cohort study was
      conducted at the Erasmus Medical University Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on
      77 very preterm infants born between October 2005 and September 2008. All infants
      underwent auditory brainstem response audiometry during neonatal hearing
      screening and at two years of corrected age. The frequency of SNHL in infants
      with a normal neonatal hearing screening was analysed and the risk factors
      associated with newly diagnosed SNHL in these infants were examined. RESULTS: We
      found that 3.9% (3/77) of the very preterm infants showed permanent hearing loss
      during their neonatal hearing screening. In addition, a relatively high
      prevalence of newly diagnosed SNHL (4.3%) was found in three of the 70 infants
      followed up at the age of two. The total prevalence rate of permanent hearing
      loss in the cohort was approximately 8%. CONCLUSION: A normal outcome of neonatal
      hearing screening did not guarantee normal hearing at two years of age in this
      very preterm cohort and paediatricians should be alert to the possibility of late
      onset SNHL.

PMID- 28636782
TI  - Changing trends in complications of chronic hepatitis C.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related complications have
      increased over the past decade. METHODS: We used join-point regression modelling
      to investigate trends in these complications from 2006 to 2015, and the impact of
      demographics on these trends. Using data from the Chronic Hepatitis Cohort Study
      (CHeCS), we identified points at which the trend significantly changed, and
      estimated the annual percent change (APC) in rates of cirrhosis, decompensated
      cirrhosis and all-cause mortality, adjusted by race, sex and age. RESULTS: Among
      11,167 adults with chronic HCV infection, prevalence of cirrhosis increased from
      20.8% to 27.6% from 2006 to 2015, with adjusted annual percentage change (aAPC)
      of 1.2 (p <. 01). Although incidence of all-cause mortality increased from 1.8%
      in 2006 to 2.9% in 2015, a join-point was identified at 2010, with aAPCs of 9.6
      before (2006 < 2010; p < .01) and -5.2 after (2010 <= 2015; p < .01), indicating
      a decrease in mortality from 2010 and onward. Likewise, overall prevalence of
      decompensated cirrhosis increased from 9.3% in 2006 to 10.4% in 2015, but this
      increase was confined to patients 60 or older (aAPC = 1.5; p = .023). Asian
      American and Black/African American patients demonstrated significantly higher
      rates of cirrhosis than White patients, while older patients and men demonstrated
      higher rates of cirrhosis and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Although cirrhosis and
      mortality among HCV-infected patients in the US have increased over the past
      decade, all-cause mortality has decreased in recent years.

PMID- 28636786
TI  - The complement system in kidney diseases.

PMID- 28636787
TI  - A co-drug conjugate of naringenin and lipoic acid mediates neuroprotection in a
      rat model of oxidative stress.
AB  - Using our in vitro and in vivo models of oxidative stress, the current study was
      designed to determine the neuroprotective potential of naringenin, alone or in
      combination with lipoic acid. In our mixed neuronal culture exposed to hypoxia
      and subsequent reoxygenation, naringenin was shown to provide significant
      neuroprotection against cell death at a concentration of 2.5 MUmol/L. Lipoic acid
      (LA) did not produce neuroprotection at any concentration tested (0.25-100
      MUmol/L). In contrast, when naringenin was covalently combined with LA, producing
      a novel compound named "VANL-100", significant neuroprotection was observed at a
      concentration as low as 2*10-2  MUmol/L (100-fold more potent). An ELISA for
      antioxidant capacity demonstrated that naringenin and VANL-100 likely resulted in
      neuroprotection by increasing the free radical scavenging capacity of the
      neuronal cells. Pretreatment of rats with the above compounds prior to middle
      cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion, showed similar results.
      Naringenin significantly reduced infarct volume at a dose of 10 mg/kg while VANL
      100 produced significant neuroprotection at a dose as low as 1*10-4  mg/kg (10
      000-fold more potent). This VANL-100-induced neuroprotection persisted even when
      administered 1 and 3 hours into the reperfusion time course. Taken together,
      these results suggest that our novel compound, VANL-100 is neuroprotective,
      likely via a mechanism that involves increasing the antioxidant capacity of
      neuronal cells. Our results also show that VANL-100 is 100-10 000-fold more
      potent than the parent compounds, which adds to the growing evidence in support
      of combination therapy targeting oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28636784
TI  - Audio-computer-assisted survey interview and patient navigation to increase
      chronic viral hepatitis diagnosis and linkage to care in urban health clinics.
AB  - Intravenous drug use and sexual practices account for 60% of hepatitis C (HCV)
      and B (HBV) infection. Disclosing these activities can be embarrassing and reduce
      risk reporting, blood testing and diagnosis. In diagnosed patients, linkage to
      care remains a challenge. Audio-computer-assisted survey interview (Audio-CASI)
      was used to guide HCV and HBV infection testing in urban clinics. Risk reporting,
      blood testing and serology results were compared to historical controls. A
      patient navigator (PN) followed up blood test results and provided patients with
      positive serology linkage to care (LTC). Of 1932 patients surveyed, 574 (30%)
      were at risk for chronic viral hepatitis. A total of 254 (44.3%) patients were
      tested, 34 (13.5%) had serology warranting treatment evaluation, and 64% required
      HBV vaccination. Of 16 patients with infection, seven HCV and three HBV patients
      started treatment following patient LTC. Of 146 HBV-naive patients, 70 completed
      vaccination. About 75% and 49% of HCV antibody and HBV surface antigen-positive
      patients were born between 1945 and 1965. Subsequently, automated HCV testing of
      patients born between 1945 and 1965 was built into our hospital electronic
      medical records. Average monthly HCV antibody testing increased from 245 (January
      June) to 1187 (July-October). Patient navigator directed LTC for HCV antibody
      positive patients was 61.6%. In conclusion, audio-CASI can identify patients at
      risk for HCV or HBV infection and those in need of HBV vaccination in urban
      medical clinics. Although blood testing once a patient is identified at risk for
      infection needs to increase, a PN is useful to provide LTC of newly diagnosed
      patients.

PMID- 28636785
TI  - Sperm competition suppresses gene drive among experimentally evolving populations
      of house mice.
AB  - Drive genes are genetic elements that manipulate the 50% ratio of Mendelian
      inheritance in their own favour, allowing them to rapidly propagate through
      populations. The action of drive genes is often hidden, making detection and
      identification inherently difficult. Yet drive genes can have profound
      evolutionary consequences for the populations that harbour them: most known
      drivers are detrimental to organismal gamete development, reproduction and
      survival. In this study, we identified the presence of a well-known drive gene
      called t haplotype post hoc in eight replicate selection lines of house mice that
      had been evolving under enforced monandry or polyandry for 20 generations.
      Previous work on these selection lines reported an increase in sperm competitive
      ability in males evolving under polyandry. Here, we show that this evolutionary
      response can be partly attributed to gene drive. We demonstrate that drive
      carrying males are substantially compromised in their sperm competitive ability.
      As a consequence, we found that t frequencies declined significantly in the
      polyandrous lines while remaining at stable, high levels in the monandrous lines.
      For the first time in a vertebrate, we thus provide direct experimental evidence
      that the mating system of a species can have important repercussions on the
      spread of drive genes over evolutionary relevant timescales. Moreover, our work
      highlights how the covert action of drive genes can have major, potentially
      unintended impact on our study systems.

PMID- 28636788
TI  - Role of positively charged residues on the polar and non-polar faces of
      amphipathic alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides on specificity and selectivity
      for Gram-negative pathogens.
AB  - We have designed de novo and synthesized eight 26-residue all D-conformation
      amphipathic alpha-helical cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), four with
      "specificity determinants" which provide specificity for prokaryotic cells over
      eukaryotic cells and four AMPs without specificity determinants. The eight AMPs
      contain six positively charged Lys residues on the polar face in four different
      arrangements to understand the role of these residues have on antimicrobial
      activity against 14 Acinetobacter baumannii strains, seven of which were
      resistant to polymyxin B and colistin; six diverse Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains
      and 17 Staphylococcus aureus strains, nine of which were methicillin-sensitive,
      and eight of which were methicillin-resistant. The four AMPs without specificity
      determinants are extremely hemolytic. In contrast, the four AMPs with specificity
      determinants had dramatic improvements in therapeutic indices showing the
      importance of specificity determinants in removing eukaryotic cell toxicity. The
      specificity determinants combined with the location of positively charged
      residues on the polar face provide Gram-negative pathogen selectivity between A.
      baumannii and S. aureus. Specificity determinants maintain excellent
      antimicrobial activity in the presence of human sera, whereas the AMPs without
      specificity determinants were inactive. This study clearly shows the potential of
      amphipathic alpha-helical AMPs with specificity determinants as therapeutics to
      replace existing antibiotics.

PMID- 28636789
TI  - Out of the dark: 350 million years of conservatism and evolution in diel activity
      patterns in vertebrates.
AB  - Many animals are active only during a particular time (e.g., day vs. night), a
      partitioning that may have important consequences for species coexistence. An
      open question is the extent to which this diel activity niche is evolutionarily
      conserved or labile. Here, we analyze diel activity data across a phylogeny of
      1914 tetrapod species. We find strong phylogenetic signal, showing that closely
      related species tend to share similar activity patterns. Ancestral
      reconstructions show that nocturnality was the most likely ancestral diel
      activity pattern for tetrapods and many major clades within it (e.g., amphibians,
      mammals). Remarkably, nocturnal activity appears to have been maintained
      continuously in some lineages for ~350 million years. Thus, we show that traits
      involved in local-scale resource partitioning can be conserved over strikingly
      deep evolutionary time scales. We also demonstrate a potentially important (but
      often overlooked) metric of niche conservatism. Finally, we show that diurnal
      lineages appear to have faster speciation and diversification rates than
      nocturnal lineages, which may explain why there are presently more diurnal
      tetrapod species even though diurnality appears to have evolved more recently.
      Overall, our results may have implications for studies of community ecology,
      species richness, and the evolution of diet and communication systems.

PMID- 28636790
TI  - Controlling Reaction Selectivity through the Surface Termination of Perovskite
      Catalysts.
AB  - Although perovskites have been widely used in catalysis, tuning of their surface
      termination to control reaction selectivity has not been well established. In
      this study, we employed multiple surface-sensitive techniques to characterize the
      surface termination (one aspect of surface reconstruction) of SrTiO3 (STO) after
      thermal pretreatment (Sr enrichment) and chemical etching (Ti enrichment). We
      show, by using the conversion of 2-propanol as a probe reaction, that the surface
      termination of STO can be controlled to greatly tune catalytic acid/base
      properties and consequently the reaction selectivity over a wide range, which is
      not possible with single-metal oxides, either SrO or TiO2 . Density functional
      theory (DFT) calculations explain well the selectivity tuning and reaction
      mechanism on STO with different surface termination. Similar catalytic tunability
      was also observed on BaZrO3 , thus highlighting the generality of the findings of
      this study.

PMID- 28636791
TI  - Isotretinoin and lymecycline treatments modify the skin microbiota in acne.
AB  - Oral retinoids and tetracyclines have a major role in acne treatment. Here, we
      report for the first time the effect of isotretinoin and lymecycline therapy on
      the skin microbiota in cheek, back and armpit swab samples of acne vulgaris
      patients using 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing.
      Propionibacterium acnes was the most common in sebaceous areas of healthy and
      untreated acne skin and more abundant in back than cheek samples. Five taxa,
      including a Streptococcus taxon, differed significantly between the cheek samples
      of healthy controls and acne patients, and acne severity was positively
      correlated with the abundance of Propionibacterium. Both treatments reduced
      clinical acne grades and the abundance of Propionibacterium, while the abundance
      of several other taxa was significantly higher in treated cheek samples compared
      with untreated ones. Less variation was observed in back samples and none in
      armpit samples. There were no differences in alpha diversity between control and
      acne patients in any of the sampled skin areas, but the diversity of the
      microbiota on the cheek and the back was significantly increased after acne
      treatments. This study provides insight into the skin microbiota in acne and how
      it is modulated by systemic acne treatment.

PMID- 28636792
TI  - MTF and DQE enhancement using an apodized-aperture x-ray detector design.
AB  - PURPOSE: Acquisition of high-quality x-ray images using low patient exposures
      requires detectors with high detective quantum efficiency (DQE). We describe a
      novel apodized-aperture pixel (AAP) design that increases high-frequency
      modulation transfer function (MTF) and DQE values. The AAP design makes a
      separation of physical sensor elements from image pixels by using very small
      sensor elements (e.g., 0.010-0.025 mm) to synthesize desired larger image pixels
      (e.g., 0.1-0.2 mm). METHODS: A cascaded systems model of signal and noise
      propagation is developed to describe the benefits of the AAP approach in terms of
      the MTF, Wiener noise power spectrum (NPS), and DQE. The theoretical model was
      validated experimentally using a CMOS/CsI detector with 0.05 mm sensor elements
      to synthesize 0.20 mm image pixels and a clinical Se detector with 0.07 mm sensor
      elements to synthesize 0.28 mm pixels. A Monte Carlo study and x-ray images of a
      star-pattern and rat leg are used to visually compare AAP images. RESULTS: When
      used with a high-resolution converter layer and sensor elements one quarter the
      size of image pixels, the MTF is increased by 53% and the DQE by a factor of 2.3*
      at the image sampling cut-off frequency. Both simulated and demonstration images
      show improved detectability of high-frequency content and removal of aliasing
      artifacts. Evidence of Gibbs ringing is sometimes seen near high-contrast edges.
      CONCLUSIONS: It is shown that the AAP approach preserves the MTF of the small
      sensor elements and attenuates frequencies above the image sampling cut-off
      frequency. This has the double benefit of improving the MTF while reducing both
      signal and noise aliasing, resulting in an increase of the DQE at high spatial
      frequencies. For optimal implementation, the converter layer must have very high
      spatial resolution and the detector must have low readout noise.

PMID- 28636793
TI  - Development and validation of the International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity
      Score System (IHS4), a novel dynamic scoring system to assess HS severity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A validated tool for the dynamic severity assessment of hidradenitis
      suppurativa/acne inversa (HS) is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a
      novel dynamic scoring system to assess the severity of HS. METHODS: A Delphi
      voting procedure was conducted among the members of the European Hidradenitis
      Suppurativa Foundation (EHSF) to achieve consensus towards an initial HS Severity
      Score System (HS4). Strengths and weaknesses of HS4 were examined by a
      multicentre prospective study. Multivariate logistic regression, discriminant
      analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves, as well as examination for
      correlation (Spearman's rho) and agreement (Cohen's kappa) with existing scores,
      were engaged to recognize the variables for a new International HS4 (IHS4) that
      was established by a second Delphi round. RESULTS: Consensus HS4 was based on
      number of skin lesions, number of skin areas involved and Dermatology Life
      Quality Index (DLQI), and was evaluated by a sample of 236 patients from 11
      centres. Subsequently, a multivariate regression model calculated adjusted odds
      ratios for several clinical signs. Nodules, abscesses and draining tunnels
      resulted as the scoring variables. Three candidate scores were presented to the
      second Delphi round. The resulting IHS4 score is arrived at by the number of
      nodules (multiplied by 1) plus the number of abscesses (multiplied by 2) plus the
      number of draining tunnels (multiplied by 4). A total score of 3 or less
      signifies mild, 4-10 signifies moderate and 11 or higher signifies severe
      disease. Cohen's kappa was fair (kappa = 0.32) compared with Hurley
      classification, and moderate (kappa = 0.49) compared with Expert Opinion.
      Correlation was good (rho > 0.6) with Hurley classification, Expert Opinion,
      Physician's Global Assessment and Modified Sartorius score, and moderate for DLQI
      (rho = 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: The novel IHS4 is a validated tool to dynamically
      assess HS severity and can be used both in real-life and the clinical trials
      setting.

PMID- 28636794
TI  - Differences and similarities between bronchopulmonary dysplasia and asthma in
      schoolchildren.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The long-term respiratory characteristics of ex-preterm children with
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are not established. The objective of this study
      was to describe hallmarks of BPD at school age in comparison to children with
      atopic asthma. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive comparative
      study in a hospital-based setting. Thirty schoolchildren diagnosed with BPD (10.4
      years/born at 26.6 weeks' gestation) and 30 age- and sex-matched children with
      asthma and sensitized to airborne allergens (IgE >0.35 kUA /L) were analyzed.
      Measurements included fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO, ppb), dynamic and
      static lung function, and bronchial provocation with methacholine (PD:20) and
      mannitol (PD:15), as well as an evaluation of respiratory symptoms using the
      asthma control test (C-ACT). RESULTS: Lung function measures (FEV1% 77 vs 84,
      FEV1/FVC% 85 vs 91, FEF50% 61 vs 80) and carbon monoxide diffusion capacity
      (DLCO%, 81 vs 88) were all reduced in children with BPD compared to asthma (P
      values <0.042). FENO values were also significantly lower in children with BPD
      (12 vs 23, P = 0.019). The proportion of positive methacholine tests (74% vs 93%,
      P = 0.14) was comparable between BPD and asthma. However, less responsiveness
      towards mannitol (19% vs 61%, P = 0.007) and fewer self-reported symptoms (C-ACT,
      median 26 vs 24, P = 0.003) were found in the BPD group. CONCLUSION: Respiratory
      hallmarks of BPD at school-age were reduced lung function, limited responsiveness
      towards indirectly acting mannitol but hyper-responsiveness towards direct acting
      methacholine and impairment in diffusion capacity. Children with BPD displayed
      less evidence of airway inflammation compared with atopic asthma.

PMID- 28636796
TI  - Spotlights on our sister journals: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 27/2017.

PMID- 28636795
TI  - Cancer-related disease factors and smoking cessation treatment: Analysis of an
      ongoing clinical trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Smoking cessation treatment should be an important aspect of cancer
      care. In this study, we evaluated whether cancer-related disease factors
      adversely influence smoking cessation treatment. METHODS: Smokers with cancer
      (within 5 years of diagnosis, any tumor site) were recruited for an ongoing trial
      of varenicline for smoking cessation. Disease factors, assessed at baseline,
      included tumor site, cancer treatment, time since diagnosis, and health-related
      quality of life. Medication adherence was defined by 132 of 165 pills taken and
      counseling adherence was defined by 4 of 4 behavioral counseling sessions
      attended. Abstinence was bioverified at Week 12. Using logistic regression
      analysis, we assessed the relationship between disease factors and 12-week
      medication adherence, counseling adherence, and abstinence. RESULTS: Of 144
      participants, 56% were medication adherent, 74% were counseling adherent, and 39%
      were abstinent. Health-related quality of life predicted medication adherence
      (OR: 1.08, 95% CI, 1.01-1.16, P = .019, d = 0.20) but not counseling adherence or
      12-week abstinence. Tumor site, cancer treatment, and time since diagnosis did
      not predict any smoking cessation treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer-related
      disease factors did not predict cancer survivors' engagement or success in
      smoking cessation treatment. Findings support National Comprehensive Cancer
      Network Clinical Practice guidelines that recommend smoking cessation treatment
      for all smokers with cancer, regardless of time since diagnosis.

PMID- 28636797
TI  - Synthesis and Structure of N,N-Dinitroamidoborane Complexes.
AB  - A general approach to the synthesis of borohydride complexes containing one or
      two dinitroamide fragments has been suggested. Based on a smooth substitution of
      halide in haloborane or dibromoborane complexes with N,N-dinitroamide salts, this
      method provides various N,N-dinitroamidoboranes complexes in good yields and in
      analytically pure form. By means of spectroscopic and computational methods, it
      was demonstrated that dinitroamidoborane complexes could form as both B,N- and
      B,O-isomers, which did not interconvert at ambient temperature.

PMID- 28636798
TI  - A cCPE-based xenon biosensor for magnetic resonance imaging of claudin-expressing
      cells.
AB  - The majority of malignant tumors originate from epithelial cells, and many of
      them are characterized by an overexpression of claudins (Cldns) and their
      mislocalization out of tight junctions. We utilized the C-terminal claudin
      binding domain of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (cCPE), with its high
      affinity to specific members of the claudin family, as the targeting unit for a
      claudin-sensitive cancer biosensor. To overcome the poor sensitivity of
      conventional relaxivity-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents,
      we utilized the superior sensitivity of xenon Hyper-CEST biosensors. We labeled
      cCPE for both xenon MRI and fluorescence detection. As one readout module, we
      employed a cryptophane (CrA) monoacid and, as the second, a fluorescein molecule.
      Both were conjugated separately to a biotin molecule via a polyethyleneglycol
      chemical spacer and later via avidin linked to GST-cCPE. Nontransfected HEK293
      cells and HEK293 cells stably expressing Cldn4-FLAG were incubated with the cCPE
      based biosensor. Fluorescence-based flow cytometry and xenon MRI demonstrated
      binding of the biosensor specifically to Cldn4-expressing cells. This study
      provides proof of concept for the use of cCPE as a carrier for diagnostic
      contrast agents, a novel approach for potential detection of Cldn3/-4
      overexpressing tumors for noninvasive early cancer detection.

PMID- 28636799
TI  - Transcriptional mechanisms coordinating tight junction assembly during epithelial
      differentiation.
AB  - Epithelial tissues form a selective barrier via direct cell-cell interactions to
      separate and establish concentration gradients between the different compartments
      of the body. Proper function and formation of this barrier rely on the
      establishment of distinct intercellular junction complexes. These complexes
      include tight junctions, adherens junctions, desmosomes, and gap junctions. The
      tight junction is by far the most diverse junctional complex in the epithelial
      barrier. Its composition varies greatly across different epithelial tissues to
      confer various barrier properties. Thus, epithelial cells rely on tightly
      regulated transcriptional mechanisms to ensure proper formation of the epithelial
      barrier and to achieve tight junction diversity. Here, we review different
      transcriptional mechanisms utilized during embryogenesis and disease development
      to promote tight junction assembly and maintenance of intercellular barrier
      integrity. We focus particularly on the Grainyhead-like transcription factors and
      ligand-activated nuclear hormone receptors, two central families of proteins in
      epithelialization.

PMID- 28636800
TI  - Molecular dissection of smooth septate junctions: understanding their roles in
      arthropod physiology.
AB  - Smooth septate junctions (sSJs) are cell-cell junctions that are thought to
      regulate the paracellular pathway of the intestine and renal system in
      arthropods. The detailed mechanism of action of sSJs is not well understood,
      because their molecular organization has remained elusive for a long time.
      Recently, two sSJ-specific membrane proteins, Ssk and Mesh, were identified by
      screening monoclonal antibodies raised against sSJ-containing membrane fractions
      isolated from the silkworm midgut. Furthermore, a genetic screen in Drosophila
      based on microscopic observation of sSJ formation identified Tsp2A as a novel sSJ
      specific membrane protein. Together with Tsp2A, Ssk and Mesh form a protein
      complex, and all three proteins are required for sSJ formation, as well as
      intestinal barrier function in Drosophila. Additional studies are likely to
      elucidate their roles in (1) the formation and reorganization of sSJs, (2)
      paracellular barrier functions and permselectivity, and (3) short-term and long
      term regulation of paracellular functions in arthropod epithelia.

PMID- 28636801
TI  - Water channels and barriers formed by claudins.
AB  - Physiological studies in leaky epithelia, like kidney proximal tubules and the
      small intestine, have documented water transport via both transcellular and
      paracellular pathways. The discovery of aquaporin water channels provided a
      molecular basis for transcellular water movement. In contrast, the contribution,
      or even existence, of a specific paracellular water pathway has been disputed for
      a long time, until the cation channel-forming tight junction protein claudin-2
      was shown to also permit the paracellular passage of water through its pore. In
      proximal kidney tubules, claudin-2-based water transport contributes 23-30% of
      the total water transport. Other paracellular ion channels (claudin-10a, -10b,
      and -17) proved to be impermeable to water, although their pore size would be
      sufficient for water molecules to pass. Studies of barrier-forming claudins, like
      claudin-1 and claudin-3, which tighten the paracellular pathway against ions and
      larger solutes, indicate that changes in the expression of these sealing claudins
      do not influence transepithelial water permeability. The present genetic,
      molecular, computational, and physiological studies are just now beginning to
      probe the mechanisms and regulation of paracellular permeation.

PMID- 28636802
TI  - 2016 impact factor for Acta Physiologica is 4.9.

PMID- 28636803
TI  - Atorvastatin attenuates testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in
      rats: role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma and cyclo
      oxygenase-2.
AB  - Diabetes and obesity have been reported to alter sex steroid hormone metabolism.
      In this study, an attempt was made to investigate the protective effect of
      atorvastatin (ATR) in combination with celecoxib (CEL) or pioglitazone (PIO) on
      testosterone-induced BPH in rats. Male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were randomly
      divided into nine groups (n = 8) and orally treated as follows for 28 consecutive
      days: group 1: vehicle control (10 mL/kg); group 2: vehicle testosterone (10
      mL/kg); groups 3 - 5: ATR (0.5, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg, respectively); group 6: CEL (20
      mg/kg); group 7: PIO (20 mg/kg); and groups 8-9: ATR 0.5 mg/kg, and 15 min later,
      animals were given CEL (20 mg/kg) or PIO (20 mg/kg), respectively. One hour post
      treatment, animals in groups 2-9 were given testosterone propionate (3 mg/kg,
      s.c.). Twenty-four hours after last treatment on day 28, blood was collected for
      serum testosterone and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) analysis. Prostate was
      harvested for biochemical and histological assays. Subcutaneous injection of
      testosterone increased serum levels of testosterone and PSA which was ameliorated
      by pretreatments of rat with ATR, celecoxib, or pioglitazone. Similarly,
      testosterone-induced increase in MDA and reduction in the activity of GSH,
      superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase were attenuated by ATR. Conversely,
      celecoxib or pioglitazone treatment failed to affect the activity of antioxidant
      enzymes. The histology of the prostate showed significant improvement in
      prostatic cells of ATR, celecoxib, or pioglitazone treated. Findings from the
      study showed that atorvastatin attenuated testosterone-induced BPH. Moreover,
      synergistic effect was observed when atorvastatin was combined with celecoxib.

PMID- 28636804
TI  - New insights into global biogeography, population structure and natural selection
      from the genome of the epipelagic copepod Oithona.
AB  - In the epipelagic ocean, the genus Oithona is considered as one of the most
      abundant and widespread copepods and plays an important role in the trophic food
      web. Despite its ecological importance, little is known about Oithona and
      cyclopoid copepods genomics. Therefore, we sequenced, assembled and annotated the
      genome of Oithona nana. The comparative genomic analysis integrating available
      copepod genomes highlighted the expansions of genes related to stress response,
      cell differentiation and development, including genes coding Lin12-Notch-repeat
      (LNR) domain proteins. The Oithona biogeography based on 28S sequences and
      metagenomic reads from the Tara Oceans expedition showed the presence of O. nana
      mostly in the Mediterranean Sea (MS) and confirmed the amphitropical distribution
      of Oithona similis. The population genomics analyses of O. nana in the Northern
      MS, integrating the Tara Oceans metagenomic data and the O. nana genome, led to
      the identification of genetic structure between populations from the MS basins.
      Furthermore, 20 loci were found to be under positive selection including four
      missense and eight synonymous variants, harbouring soft or hard selective sweep
      patterns. One of the missense variants was localized in the LNR domain of the
      coding region of a male-specific gene. The variation in the B-allele frequency
      with respect to the MS circulation pattern showed the presence of genomic clines
      between O. nana and another undefined Oithona species possibly imported through
      Atlantic waters. This study provides new approaches and results in zooplankton
      population genomics through the integration of metagenomic and oceanographic
      data.

PMID- 28636805
TI  - A hybrid phantom system for patient skin and organ dosimetry in fluoroscopically
      guided interventions.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate calibrations for improved
      estimates of skin dose and to develop software for computing absorbed organ doses
      for fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGIs) with the use of radiation dose
      structured reports (RDSR) and the UF/NCI family of hybrid computational phantoms.
      METHODS AND MATERIALS: Institutional review board approval was obtained for this
      retrospective study in which ten RDSRs were selected for their high cumulative
      reference air kerma values. Skin doses were computed using the University of
      Florida's rapid in-clinic peak skin dose algorithm (or UF-RIPSA). Kerma-area
      product (KAP) meter calibrations and attenuation of the tabletop with pad were
      incorporated into the UF-RIPSA. To compute absorbed organ doses the RDSRs were
      coupled with software to develop Monte Carlo input decks for each irradiation
      event. The effects of spectrum matching were explored by modeling (a) a
      polychromatic x-ray energy beam made to match measured first half-value layers of
      aluminum, (b) an unmatched spectrum, (c) and a mono-energetic beam equivalent to
      the effective x-ray energy. The authors also considered the practicality of
      computing organ doses for each irradiation event within a RDSR. RESULTS: The KAP
      meter is highly dependent on the quality of the x-ray spectra. Monte Carlo based
      attenuation coefficients for configurations in which the beam is transmitted
      through the tabletop with pad reduced the amount by which the software
      overestimated skin doses. For absorbed organ dose computations, the average
      ratios of computed organ doses for a non-fitted to fitted spectrum and effective
      energy to fitted spectrum were 0.45 and 0.03, respectively. Monte Carlo
      simulations on average took 38 min per patient. All in-field organ tallies
      converged with a relative error of less than 1% and out-of-field organs tallies
      within 10% relative error. CONCLUSIONS: This work details changes to the UF-RIPSA
      software that include an expanded library of computational phantoms, attenuation
      coefficients for tabletop with pad, and calibration curves for the KAP meter. For
      the computation of absorbed organ dose, it is possible to model each irradiation
      event separately on a patient-dependent model that best morphometrically matches
      the patient, thus providing a full report of internal organ doses for FGI
      patients.

PMID- 28636806
TI  - pH-dependent general base catalyzed activation rather than isocyanate liberation
      may explain the superior anticancer efficacy of laromustine compared to related
      1,2-bis(methylsulfonyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)hydrazine prodrugs.
AB  - Laromustine (also known as cloretazine, onrigin, VNP40101M, 101M) is a prodrug of
      90CE, a short-lived chloroethylating agent with anticancer activity. The short
      half-life of 90CE necessitates the use of latentiated prodrug forms for in vivo
      treatments. Alkylaminocarbonyl-based prodrugs such as laromustine exhibit
      significantly superior in vivo activity in several murine tumor models compared
      to analogs utilizing acyl, and alkoxycarbonyl latentiating groups. The
      alkylaminocarbonyl prodrugs possess two exclusive characteristics: (i) They are
      primarily unmasked by spontaneous base catalyzed elimination; and (ii) they
      liberate a reactive carbamoylating species. Previous speculations as to the
      therapeutic superiority of laromustine have focused upon the inhibition of
      enzymes by carbamoylation. We have investigated the therapeutic interactions of
      analogs with segregated chloroethylating and carbamoylating activities (singly
      and in combination) in the in vivo murine L1210 leukemia model. The combined
      treatment with chloroethylating and carbamoylating prodrugs failed to result in
      any synergism and produced a reduction in the therapeutic efficacy compared to
      the chloroethylating prodrug alone. Evidence supporting an alternative
      explanation for the superior tumor selectivity of laromustine is presented that
      is centered upon the high pH sensitivity of its base catalyzed activation, and
      the more alkaline intracellular pH values commonly found within tumor cells.

PMID- 28636807
TI  - Targeting protein for Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 knockdown enhances radiation
      sensitivity of human lung squamous carcinoma cell.
AB  - The targeting protein for Xenopus kinesin-like protein 2 (TPX2) has been
      demonstrated to be associated with the tumourigenesis of many cancers. In the
      present study, we investigated the role and preliminary mechanism of TPX2 in the
      resistance of lung squamous carcinoma to radiation therapy. The results showed
      that SK-MES-1R and NCI-H226R cells were more resistant to X-ray irradiation than
      the parental cells (SK-MES-1 and NCI-H226). Moreover, TPX2 was upregulated in the
      radioresistant cells compared with the parental cells. TPX2 knockdown
      significantly decreased TPX2 expression in SK-MES-1 cells, while TPX2
      overexpression increased TPX2 expression in NCI-H226 cells compared with the
      corresponding control cells. TPX2 knockdown enhanced the radiosensitivity of SK
      MES-1 and promoted cell apoptosis following exposure to irradiation, whereas TPX2
      overexpression decreased the radiosensitivity of NCI-H226 and inhibited cell
      apoptosis. In in vivo studies, the combination of TPX2 knockdown and irradiation
      significantly inhibited tumour growth, decreased tumour weight, downregulated
      TPX2 expression in tumour tissue and induced cell apoptosis in nude mice, while
      TPX2 overexpression exerted an opposite effect. Our results indicated that TPX2
      was correlated with cell radioresistance and it might be served as a therapeutic
      target to enhance cell radiosensitivity in the radiation therapy of lung squamous
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28636808
TI  - Diversity and abundance of human-pathogenic fungi associated with pigeon faeces
      in urban environments.
AB  - Pathogenic fungi are a growing health concern worldwide, particularly in large,
      densely populated cities. The dramatic upsurge of pigeon populations in cities
      has been implicated in the increased incidence of invasive fungal infections. In
      this study, we used a culture-independent, high-throughput sequencing approach to
      describe the diversity of clinically relevant fungi (CRF) associated with pigeon
      faeces and map the relative abundance of CRF across Seoul, Korea. In addition, we
      tested whether certain geographical, sociological and meteorological factors were
      significantly associated with the diversity and relative abundance of CRF.
      Finally, we compared the CRF diversity of fresh and old pigeon faeces to identify
      the source of the fungi and the role of pigeons in dispersal. Our results
      demonstrated that both the composition and relative abundance of CRF are unevenly
      distributed across Seoul. The green area ratio and the number of multiplex houses
      were positively correlated with species diversity, whereas wind speed and number
      of households were negatively correlated. The number of workers and green area
      ratio were positively correlated with the relative abundance of CRF, whereas wind
      speed was negatively correlated. Because many CRF were absent in fresh faeces, we
      inferred that most species cannot survive the gastrointestinal tract of pigeons
      and instead are likely transmitted through soil or air and use pigeon faeces as a
      substrate for proliferation.

PMID- 28636809
TI  - Visible-Light-Driven Aza-ortho-quinone Methide Generation for the Synthesis of
      Indoles in a Multicomponent Reaction.
AB  - A visible-light-driven radical-mediated strategy for the in situ generation of
      aza-ortho-quinone methides from 2-vinyl-substituted anilines and alkyl radical
      precursors is described. This process enables an efficient multicomponent
      reaction of 2-vinylanilines, halides, and sulfur ylides, and has a wide substrate
      scope and good functional group tolerance. Treatment of the cycloaddition
      products with a base leads to densely functionalized indoles in a single-flask
      operation.

PMID- 28636810
TI  - The Sox2: GFP+/- knock-in mouse model does not faithfully recapitulate Sox2
      expression in skin.
AB  - Hair follicle heterogeneity may be regulated by distinct dermal papillae (DP)
      that represent mesenchymal lineages, which can be defined by Sox2 expression.
      However, it was recently shown that GFP expression in the Sox2: GFP+/- mouse
      model occurs in the DPs of all hair follicle types, challenging the idea that
      hair follicle heterogeneity can be defined by DP heterogeneity. Here, we
      investigated whether the knock-in mouse model faithfully expresses GFP when
      compared to endogenous Sox2 expression. The results reveal that GFP expression is
      aberrant in both the infundibulum of hair follicles and in the DPs. Consequently,
      we provide an explanation for the aberrant expression of the knock-in gene based
      on the original cloning strategy for the mouse model in the context of a newly
      identified regulatory element associated within the coding region of Sox2.

PMID- 28636811
TI  - Performance evaluation of GPU parallelization, space-time adaptive algorithms,
      and their combination for simulating cardiac electrophysiology.
AB  - The use of computer models as a tool for the study and understanding of the
      complex phenomena of cardiac electrophysiology has attained increased importance
      nowadays. At the same time, the increased complexity of the biophysical processes
      translates into complex computational and mathematical models. To speed up
      cardiac simulations and to allow more precise and realistic uses, 2 different
      techniques have been traditionally exploited: parallel computing and
      sophisticated numerical methods. In this work, we combine a modern parallel
      computing technique based on multicore and graphics processing units (GPUs) and a
      sophisticated numerical method based on a new space-time adaptive algorithm. We
      evaluate each technique alone and in different combinations: multicore and GPU,
      multicore and GPU and space adaptivity, multicore and GPU and space adaptivity
      and time adaptivity. All the techniques and combinations were evaluated under
      different scenarios: 3D simulations on slabs, 3D simulations on a ventricular
      mouse mesh, ie, complex geometry, sinus-rhythm, and arrhythmic conditions. Our
      results suggest that multicore and GPU accelerate the simulations by an
      approximate factor of 33*, whereas the speedups attained by the space-time
      adaptive algorithms were approximately 48. Nevertheless, by combining all the
      techniques, we obtained speedups that ranged between 165 and 498. The tested
      methods were able to reduce the execution time of a simulation by more than 498*
      for a complex cellular model in a slab geometry and by 165* in a realistic heart
      geometry simulating spiral waves. The proposed methods will allow faster and more
      realistic simulations in a feasible time with no significant loss of accuracy.

PMID- 28636812
TI  - A Case of Fluoxetine-Induced Lower Extremity Ecchymosis.

PMID- 28636813
TI  - Clozapine-Induced Procalcitonin Elevation.

PMID- 28636814
TI  - Arsenic Compromises Both p97 and Proteasome Functions.
AB  - Exposure to arsenic is a worldwide problem that affects more than 200 million
      people. The underlying mechanisms of arsenic toxicity have been difficult to
      ascertain due to arsenic's pleotropic effects. A number of recent investigations
      have shown that arsenic can compromise protein quality control through the
      ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) or the endoplasmic reticulum associated protein
      degradation (ERAD) pathway. In this article, a link between arsenic and protein
      quality control is reported. Biochemical and cellular data demonstrate a
      misregulation of the ATPase cycle of the ATPase associated with various cellular
      activities (AAA+) chaperone, p97. Interestingly, the loss of p97 activity is due
      to the increased rate of ATP hydrolysis, which mimics a collection of pathogenic
      genetic p97 lesions. Cellular studies, using a well characterized reporter of
      both the proteasome and p97, show the proteasome to also be compromised. This
      loss of both p97 and proteasome functions can explain the catastrophic protein
      quality control issues observed in acute, high level arsenic exposures.

PMID- 28636815
TI  - Accurate Characterization of the Pore Volume in Microporous Crystalline
      Materials.
AB  - Pore volume is one of the main properties for the characterization of microporous
      crystals. It is experimentally measurable, and it can also be obtained from the
      refined unit cell by a number of computational techniques. In this work, we
      assess the accuracy and the discrepancies between the different computational
      methods which are commonly used for this purpose, i.e, geometric, helium, and
      probe center pore volumes, by studying a database of more than 5000 frameworks.
      We developed a new technique to fully characterize the internal void of a
      microporous material and to compute the probe-accessible and -occupiable pore
      volume. We show that, unlike the other definitions of pore volume, the occupiable
      pore volume can be directly related to the experimentally measured pore volumes
      from nitrogen isotherms.

PMID- 28636817
TI  - Framework for Optimizing Selection of Interspecies Correlation Estimation Models
      to Address Species Diversity and Toxicity Gaps in an Aquatic Database.
AB  - The Chemical Aquatic Fate and Effects (CAFE) database is a tool that facilitates
      assessments of accidental chemical releases into aquatic environments. CAFE
      contains aquatic toxicity data used in the development of species sensitivity
      distributions (SSDs) and the estimation of hazard concentrations (HCs). For many
      chemicals, gaps in species diversity and toxicity data limit the development of
      SSDs, which may be filled with Interspecies Correlation Estimation (ICE) models.
      Optimization of ICE model selection and integration ICE-predicted values into
      CAFE required a multistep process that involved the use of different types of
      data to assess their influence on SSDs and HC estimates. Results from multiple
      analyses showed that SSDs supplemented with ICE-predicted values generally
      produced HC5 estimates that were within a 3-fold difference of estimates from
      measured SSDs (58%-82% of comparisons), but that were often more conservative
      (63%-76% of comparisons) and had lower uncertainty (90% of comparisons). ICE SSDs
      did not substantially underpredict toxicity (<10% of comparisons) when compared
      to estimates from measured SSD. The incorporation of ICE-predicted values into
      CAFE allowed the development of >800 new SSDs, increased diversity in SSDs by an
      average of 34 species, and augmented data for priority chemicals involved in
      accidental chemical releases.

PMID- 28636816
TI  - Impacts of the Mitochondrial Genome on the Relationship of Long-Term Ambient Fine
      Particle Exposure with Blood DNA Methylation Age.
AB  - The mitochondrial genome has long been implicated in age-related disease, but no
      studies have examined its role in the relationship of long-term fine particle
      (PM2.5) exposure and DNA methylation age (DNAm-age)-a novel measure of biological
      age. In this analysis based on 940 observations between 2000 and 2011 from 552
      Normative Aging Study participants, we determined the roles of mitochondrial DNA
      haplogroup variation and mitochondrial genome abundance in the relationship of
      PM2.5 with DNAm-age. We used the GEOS-chem transport model to estimate address
      specific, one-year PM2.5 levels for each participant. DNAm-age and mitochondrial
      DNA markers were measured from participant blood samples. Nine haplogroups (H, I,
      J, K, T, U, V, W, and X) were present in the population. In fully adjusted linear
      mixed-effects models, the association of PM2.5 with DNAm-age (in years) was
      significantly diminished in carriers of haplogroup V (Pinteraction = 0.01; beta =
      0.18, 95%CI: -0.41, 0.78) compared to noncarriers (beta = 1.25, 95%CI: 0.58,
      1.93). Mediation analysis estimated that decreases in mitochondrial DNA copy
      number, a measure of mitochondrial genome abundance, mediated 12% of the
      association of PM2.5 with DNAm-age. Our data suggests that the mitochondrial
      genome plays a role in DNAm-age relationships particularly in the context of long
      term PM2.5 exposure.

PMID- 28636818
TI  - Critical Temperature of 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine
      Monolayers and Its Possible Biological Relevance.
AB  - Because transmembrane proteins (TMPs) can be obtained with sufficient purity for
      X-ray diffraction studies more frequently than decades ago, their mechanisms of
      action may now be elucidated. One of the pending issues is the actual interplay
      between transmembrane proteins and membrane lipids. There is strong evidence of
      the involvement of specific lipids with some membrane proteins, such as the
      potassium crystallographically sited activation channel (KcsA) of Streptomyces
      lividans and the secondary transporter of lactose LacY of Escherichia coli, the
      activities of which are associated with the presence of anionic phospholipids
      such as the phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and phosphatidyethanolamine (PE),
      respectively. Other proteins such as the large conductance mechanosensitive
      channel (MscL) of E. coli seem to depend on the adaptation of specific
      phospholipids to the irregular surface of the integral membrane protein. In this
      work we investigated the lateral compressibility of two homoacid
      phosphatidylethanolamines (one with both acyl chains unsaturated (DOPE), the
      other with the acyl chains saturated (DPPE)) and the heteroacid
      phosphatidyletanolamine (POPE) and their mixtures with POPG. The liquid expanded
      (LE) to liquid condensed (LC) transition was observed in POPE at a temperature
      below its critical temperature (Tc = 36  degrees C). Because Tc lies below the
      physiological temperature, the occurrence of this phase transition may have
      something to do with the functioning of LacY. This magnitude is discussed within
      the context of the experiments carried out at temperatures below the Tc of POPE
      at which the activity of Lac Y and other TMPs are frequently studied.

PMID- 28636819
TI  - Superelastic Pseudocapacitors from Freestanding MnO2-Decorated Graphene-Coated
      Carbon Nanotube Aerogels.
AB  - In recent years, the demand for emerging electronic devices has driven efforts to
      develop electrochemical capacitors with high power and energy densities that can
      preserve capacitance under and after recovery from mechanical deformation. We
      have developed superelastic pseudocapacitors using ~1.5 mm thick graphene-coated
      single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) aerogels decorated with manganese oxide
      (MnO2) as freestanding electrodes that retain high volumetric capacitance and
      electrochemical stability before, under, and after recovery from 50% compression.
      Graphene-coated SWCNT aerogels are superelastic and fatigue-resistant with high
      specific surface area and electrical conductivity. Electrodeposition of MnO2 onto
      these aerogels does not alter their superelasticity, with full shape recovery
      even after 10 000 compression-release cycles to 50% strain. Total (utilized)
      gravimetric capacitances of these aerogels before compression are similar to
      those under and after recovery from 50% compression over a wide range of scan
      rates with capacitances reaching 98 (468), 106 (522), and 128 F/g (626 F/g) at a
      scan rate of 2 mV/s, respectively. These gravimetric capacitances are preserved
      even after 10 000 compression-release cycles to 50% strain. Further, 50%
      compression of these aerogels increases the volumetric capacitance from 1.5 to
      3.3 F/cm3. Before compression, the lifetime performances of these aerogels remain
      largely stable, with capacitance degrading by only ~14% over the first 2000
      charge-discharge cycles and remains constant for further 8000 cycles. Under 50%
      compression, capacitance displays a similar trend over 10 000 charge-discharge
      cycles. After recovery from 10 000 compression-release cycles to 50% strain, the
      aerogels show slightly greater capacitance loss of ~28% over the first 2000
      charge-discharge cycles and an additional ~10% loss over the subsequent 8000
      charge-discharge cycles. Finally, substantially higher gravimetric capacitance is
      achieved through greater MnO2 deposition, facilitated by the large porosity of
      these aerogels, albeit at a loss of capacitance retention upon compression. These
      capacitors display the feasibility of coating graphene-coated SWCNT aerogels with
      various pseudocapacitive materials to create superelastic energy-storage devices.

PMID- 28636820
TI  - Experimental and Theoretical Study of Ionic Pair Dissociation in a Lithium Ion
      Linear Polyethylenimine-Polyacrylonitrile Blend for Solid Polymer Electrolytes.
AB  - Herein, we report the preparation and characterization of a novel polymeric blend
      between linear polyethylene imine (PEI) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN), with the
      purpose of facilitating the dissociation of lithium perchlorate salt (LiClO4) and
      thus to enhance Li ion transport. It is a joint theoretical and experimental
      procedure for evaluating and thus demonstrating the lithium salt dissociation.
      The procedure implies the correlation between the theoretical pair distribution
      function (PDF) and conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD) by means of a molecular
      dynamics (MD) approach. Additionally, we correlated the experimental and
      theoretical Raman and infrared spectroscopy for vibrational characterization of
      the lithium salt after dissociation in the polymeric blend. We also performed
      confocal Raman microscopy analysis to evidence the homogeneity on the
      distribution of all components and the LiClO4 dissociation in the polymer blend.
      The electrochemical impedance analysis confirmed that the Li-PAN-PEI blend
      presents a slightly better lithium conductivity of ~8 * 10-7 S cm-1. These
      results suggest that this polymer blend material is promising for the development
      of novel fluorine-free solid polymer lithium ion electrolytes, and the
      methodology is suitable for characterizing similar polymeric systems.

PMID- 28636821
TI  - Insight into Electronic and Structural Reorganizations for Defect-Induced VO2
      Metal-Insulator Transition.
AB  - An oxygen vacancy defect in monoclinic VO2 has been shown to modulate the metal
      insulator transition (MIT) at room temperature. However, as the electronic and
      structural reorganizations occur simultaneously, the origin of MIT is still
      unclear. Here we performed first-principles calculations to examine electronic
      variations separately from structural reorganizations during MIT. It was found
      that the oxygen defect induces electronic reorganization by creating polarized 3d
      orbitial electrons, while structure reorganization makes the conduction band edge
      states available for occupation. The conduction band states thus hold polarized
      charges that delocalize over space, bestowing metallic property on the originally
      insulated VO2. A linear relationship for the number of polarized electrons and
      the defect concentration is revealed, which would lead to cost-effective control
      of VO2 MIT behavior by defect engineering.

PMID- 28636822
TI  - Electrochemical Properties and Speciation in Mg(HMDS)2-Based Electrolytes for
      Magnesium Batteries as a Function of Ethereal Solvent Type and Temperature.
AB  - Magnesium batteries are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to
      the widespread abundance of magnesium and its high specific volumetric energy
      capacity. Ethereal solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF) are commonly used for
      magnesium-ion electrolytes due to their chemical compatibility with magnesium
      metal, but the volatile nature of THF is a concern for practical application.
      Herein, we investigate magnesium bis(hexamethyldisilazide) plus aluminum chloride
      (Mg(HMDS)2-AlCl3) electrolytes in THF, diglyme, and tetraglyme at varying
      temperature. We find that, despite the higher thermal stability of the glyme
      based electrolytes, THF-based electrolytes have better reversibility at room
      temperature. Deposition/stripping efficiency is found to be a strong function of
      temperature. Diglyme-based Mg(HMDS)2-AlCl3 electrolytes are found to not exchange
      as quickly as THF and tetraglyme, stabilizing AlCl2+ and facilitating undesired
      aluminum deposition. Raman spectroscopy, 27Al NMR, and mass spectrometry are used
      to identify solution speciation.

PMID- 28636823
TI  - How Bacteria Respond to Material Stiffness during Attachment: A Role of
      Escherichia coli Flagellar Motility.
AB  - Material stiffness has been shown to have potent effects on bacterial attachment
      and biofilm formation, but the mechanism is still unknown. In this study,
      response to material stiffness by Escherichia coli during attachment was
      investigated with biofilm assays and cell tracking using the Automated Contour
      base Tracking for in Vitro Environments (ACTIVE) computational algorithm. By
      comparing the movement of E. coli cells attached on poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)
      surfaces of different Young's moduli (0.1 and 2.6 MPa, prepared by controlling
      the degree of cross-linking) using ACTIVE, attached cells on stiff surfaces were
      found more motile during early stage biofilm formation than those on soft
      surfaces. To investigate if motility is important to bacterial response to
      material stiffness, we compared E. coli RP437 and its isogenic mutants of
      flagellar motor (motB) and synthesis of flagella (fliC) and type I fimbriae
      (fimA) for attachment on 0.1 and 2.6 MPa PDMS surfaces. The motB mutant exhibited
      defects in response to PDMS stiffness (based on cell counting and tracking with
      ACTIVE), which was recovered by complementing the motB gene. Unlike motB results,
      mutants of fliC and fimA did not show significant defects on both face-up and
      face-down surfaces. Collectively, these findings suggest that E. coli cells can
      actively respond to material stiffness during biofilm formation, and motB is
      involved in this response.

PMID- 28636824
TI  - Bicanonical ab Initio Molecular Dynamics for Open Systems.
AB  - Performing ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of open systems, where the
      chemical potential rather than the number of both nuclei and electrons is fixed,
      still is a challenge. Here, drawing on bicanonical sampling ideas introduced two
      decades ago by Swope and Andersen [ J. Chem. Phys. 1995 , 102 , 2851 - 2863 ] to
      calculate chemical potentials of liquids and solids, an ab initio simulation
      technique is devised, which introduces a fictitious dynamics of two superimposed
      but otherwise independent periodic systems including full electronic structure,
      such that either the chemical potential or the average fractional particle number
      of a specific chemical species can be kept constant. As proof of concept, we
      demonstrate that solvation free energies can be computed from these bicanonical
      ab initio simulations upon directly superimposing pure bulk water and the
      respective aqueous solution being the two limiting systems. The method is useful
      in many circumstances, for instance for studying heterogeneous catalytic
      processes taking place on surfaces where the chemical potential of reactants
      rather than their number is controlled and opens a pathway toward ab initio
      simulations at constant electrochemical potential.

PMID- 28636826
TI  - Degradation Mechanisms of Magnesium Metal Anodes in Electrolytes Based on
      (CF3SO2)2N- at High Current Densities.
AB  - The energy density of rechargeable batteries utilizing metals as anodes surpasses
      that of Li ion batteries, which employ carbon instead. Among possible metals,
      magnesium represents a potential alternative to the conventional choice, lithium,
      in terms of storage density, safety, stability, and cost. However, a major
      obstacle for metal-based batteries is the identification of electrolytes that
      show reversible deposition/dissolution of the metal anode and support reversible
      intercalation of ions into a cathode. Traditional Grignard-based Mg electrolytes
      are excellent with respect to the reversible deposition of Mg, but their limited
      anodic stability and compatibility with oxide cathodes hinder their applicability
      in Mg batteries with higher voltage. Non-Grignard electrolytes, which consist of
      ethereal solutions of magnesium(II) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide
      (Mg(TFSI)2), remain fairly stable near the potential of Mg deposition. The slight
      reactivity of these electrolytes toward Mg metal can be remedied by the addition
      of surface-protecting agents, such as MgCl2. Hence, ethereal solutions of
      Mg(TFSI)2 salt with MgCl2 as an additive have been suggested as a representative
      non-Grignard Mg electrolyte. In this work, the degradation mechanisms of a Mg
      metal anode in the TFSI-based electrolyte were studied using a current density of
      1 mA cm-2 and an areal capacity of ~0.4 mAh cm-2, which is close to those used in
      practical applications. The degradation mechanisms identified include the
      corrosion of Mg metal, which causes the loss of electronic pathways and
      mechanical integrity, the nonuniform deposition of Mg, and the decomposition of
      TFSI- anions. This study not only represents an assessment of the behavior of Mg
      metal anodes at practical current density and areal capacity but also details the
      outcomes of interfacial passivation, which was detected by simple cyclic
      voltammetry experiments. This study also points out the absolute absence of any
      passivation at the electrode-electrolyte interface for the premise of developing
      electrolytes compatible with a metal anode.

PMID- 28636827
TI  - Chromosome identification by new molecular markers and genomic in situ
      hybridization in the Triticum-Secale-Thinopyrum trigeneric hybrids.
AB  - It is very important to use chromosome-specific markers for identifying alien
      chromosomes in advanced generations of distant hybridization. The chromosome
      specific markers of rye and Thinopyrum elongatum, as well as genomic in situ
      hybridization, were used to identify the alien chromosomes in eight lines that
      were derived from the crossing between Triticum trititrigia (AABBEE) and
      triticale (AABBRR). The results showed that four lines contained all rye
      chromosomes but no Th. elongatum chromosomes. The line RE36-1 contained all of
      the rye chromosomes except for chromosome 2R. The lines RE33-2 and RE62-1
      contained all rye chromosomes and 1E and 5E translocated chromosome,
      respectively. The line RE24-4 contained 12 rye chromosomes plus a 7E chromosome
      or 12 rye chromosomes plus one R-E translocated chromosome. Chromosome
      identification in the above lines was consistent using chromosome-specific
      markers and genomic in situ hybridization. These chromosome-specific markers
      provide useful tools for detecting alien chromosomes in trigeneric hybrids, and
      these lines could be utilized as valuable germplasm in wheat improvement.

PMID- 28636825
TI  - A New Mixed All-Atom/Coarse-Grained Model: Application to Melittin Aggregation in
      Aqueous Solution.
AB  - We introduce a new mixed resolution, all-atom/coarse-grained approach (AACG), for
      modeling peptides in aqueous solution and apply it to characterizing the
      aggregation of melittin. All of the atoms in peptidic components are represented,
      while a single site is used for each water molecule. With the full flexibility of
      the peptide retained, our AACG method achieves speedups by a factor of 3-4 for
      CPU time reduction and another factor of roughly 7 for diffusion. An Ewald
      treatment permits the inclusion of long-range electrostatic interactions. These
      characteristics fit well with the requirements for studying peptide association
      and aggregation, where the system sizes and time scales require considerable
      computational resources with all-atom models. In particular, AACG is well suited
      for biologics since changes in peptide shape and long-range electrostatics may
      play an important role. The application of AACG to melittin, a 26-residue peptide
      with a well-known propensity to aggregate in solution, serves as an initial
      demonstration of this technology for studying peptide aggregation. We observed
      the formation of melittin aggregates during our simulations and characterized the
      time-evolution of aggregate size distribution, buried surface areas, and residue
      contacts. Key interactions including pi-cation and pi-stacking involving TRP19
      were also examined. Our AACG simulations demonstrated a clear salt effect and a
      moderate temperature effect on aggregation and support the molten globule model
      of melittin aggregates. As a showcase, this work illustrates the useful role for
      AACG in investigations of peptide aggregation and its potential to guide
      formulation and design of biologics.

PMID- 28636828
TI  - Pharmacokinetic drug evaluation of extended release lorcaserin for the treatment
      of obesity.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Lorcaserin is a serotonin 2C receptor antagonist that was FDA
      approved in 2012. Lorcaserin is recently available as an extended-release (ER)
      formulation for the treatment of obesity as an adjunct to lifestyle modification.
      Areas covered: The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of
      lorcaserin ER will be reviewed. Expert opinion: Lorcaserin ER 20mg daily provides
      drug exposure bioequivalent to lorcaserin immediate release (IR) 10mg twice
      daily. Lorcaserin IR is associated with 3.3 and 3.0% placebo-subtracted weight
      loss in patients without and with diabetes, respectively. A1C was reduced by 0.9%
      in patients with diabetes. Common side effects include headache, dry mouth,
      constipation, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. Lorcaserin provides potential
      advantages over other antiobesity medications in regards to tolerability and
      simplicity of medication initiation, but may not be as effective as other
      options. Lorcaserin ER offers improved ease of administration and anticipated
      adherence compared to the IR formulation. The place in therapy for lorcaserin ER
      and other antiobesity medications will be further clarified by results of pending
      clinical trials addressing cardiovascular outcomes as well as the role
      pharmacogenomics and comorbid disease states may play in choosing patient
      specific therapy.

PMID- 28636829
TI  - Analysis of Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy at a Single Veterans Affairs Medical
      Center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To date, there are no published studies focusing on the benefits of
      minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) versus open esophagectomy at a Veterans
      Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Our primary outcome was the incidence of
      esophageal malignancy in the veteran population and the postoperative morbidity
      following traditional and MIE for malignancy. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of
      the incidence of esophageal malignancy at a Veteran Integrated Service Network
      (VISN) 5 VAMC reported to the VAMC Esophageal Tumor Registry between 2003 and
      2016 and outcomes of the veterans who received esophagectomy for malignancy.
      Patients were followed for 5 years following diagnosis of esophageal malignancy.
      RESULTS: The Washington DC VAMC Tumor Registry recorded over 130 individuals with
      a new diagnosis of esophageal cancer between 2003 and 2016; 18 patients underwent
      an open transhiatal or Ivor Lewis esophagectomy and nine underwent an Ivor Lewis
      MIE. Surgical candidates had an average stage less than two (T1-3, N0-1, M0) and
      nonsurgical candidates had an average stage greater than three. Age, body mass
      index, smoking status, or renal function at time of surgery was similar between
      the two surgical groups. Patients who underwent an MIE had less blood loss (222
      cc versus 822 cc, P < .001), fewer transfusions (11% versus 56%, P = .027), and
      more nodes harvested (10.33 versus 2.72, P < .001) with no change in leak rate
      (11% versus 17%, P = .703) or postoperative mortality (0% versus 6%, P = .490)
      compared to traditional esophagectomy. CONCLUSIONS: This report supports the
      migration toward MIE for malignancy and reemphasizes that veterans present with
      advanced disease.

PMID- 28636831
TI  - Health Insurance Coverage and Health - What the Recent Evidence Tells Us.

PMID- 28636830
TI  - Attenuation of hepatic steatosis by purple sweet potato colour is associated with
      blocking Src/ERK/C/EBPbeta signalling in high-fat-diet-treated mice.
AB  - Our previous work showed that purple sweet potato colour (PSPC), a class of
      naturally occurring anthocyanins, effectively improved hepatic glucose metabolic
      dysfunction in high-fat-diet (HFD)-treated mice. This study investigated the
      effects of PSPC on HFD-induced hepatic steatosis and the signalling events
      associated with these effects. Mice were divided into 4 groups: control group,
      HFD group, HFD+PSPC group, and PSPC group. PSPC was administered daily for 20
      weeks at oral doses of 700 mg/(kg.day)-1). Our results showed that PSPC
      significantly improved obesity and related metabolic parameters, as well as liver
      injury in HFD-treated mice. Moreover, PSPC dramatically attenuated hepatic
      steatosis in HFD-treated mice. PSPC markedly prevented oxidative stress-mediated
      Src activation in HFD-treated mouse livers. Furthermore, PSPC feeding remarkably
      suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated
      kinase (MEK/ERK) signalling and consequent CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta
      (C/EBPbeta) activation and restored AMPK activation in HFD-treated mouse livers,
      which was confirmed by U0126 treatment. Ultimately, PSPC feeding dramatically
      reduced protein expression of FAS and CD36 and the activation of ACC, and
      increased the protein expression of CPT1A in the livers of HFD-treated mice,
      indicating decreased lipogenesis and fatty acid uptake and enhanced fatty acid
      oxidation. In conclusion, PSPC exhibited beneficial effects on hepatic steatosis,
      which were associated with blocking Src and C/EBPbeta activation.

PMID- 28636832
TI  - Nutrient Deficiencies Are Common Prior to Bariatric Surgery.
AB  - Obesity, defined as a body mass index >30 kg/m2, is a growing worldwide epidemic
      currently effecting 1 in 10 adults, with rates as high as 40% in the United
      States. The only proven long-term treatment of severe obesity on a population
      level is surgical modification of the gastrointestinal anatomy to induce weight
      loss, termed bariatric surgery. With adequate physician guidance and appropriate
      candidate criteria, bariatric surgery is an option for effective long-term
      treatment of obesity and its related comorbidities. Complications of bariatric
      surgery can be seen in patients who are not compliant to the recommended
      lifestyle and dietary changes required following bariatric surgery, including
      nausea, vomiting, dumping syndrome, acid reflux, and nutrition deficiencies.
      Despite caloric density, the diet of patients prior to bariatric surgery is often
      of poor nutrition quality and does not meet recommended dietary guidelines for
      micronutrient intake, making this an at-risk population for micronutrient
      malnutrition. Currently, improvements are needed in standardization of nutrition
      assessment as well as micronutrient cutoffs for deficiency and insufficiency. In
      the meantime, utilizing our current tools to conduct nutrition assessment at
      baseline and implement supplementation where necessary may improve the nutrition
      status of patients undergoing bariatric surgery, both before and after surgery,
      which may improve their surgical outcomes.

PMID- 28636833
TI  - CHIP-ping Away at Atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28636835
TI  - Use of Bacteriophages to Control Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Domestic Ruminants,
      Meat Products, and Fruits and Vegetables.
AB  - Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important foodborne pathogen that causes severe
      bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Ruminant
      manure is a primary source of E. coli O157:H7 contaminating the environment and
      food sources. Therefore, effective interventions targeted at reducing the
      prevalence of fecal excretion of E. coli O157:H7 by cattle and sheep and the
      elimination of E. coli O157:H7 contamination of meat products as well as fruits
      and vegetables are required. Bacteriophages offer the prospect of sustainable
      alternative approaches against bacterial pathogens with the flexibility of being
      applied therapeutically or for biological control purposes. This article reviews
      the use of phages administered orally or rectally to ruminants and by spraying or
      immersion of fruits and vegetables as an antimicrobial strategy for controlling
      E. coli O157:H7. The few reports available demonstrate the potential of phage
      therapy to reduce E. coli O157:H7 carriage in cattle and sheep, and preparation
      of commercial phage products was recently launched into commercial markets.
      However, a better ecological understanding of the phage E. coli O157:H7 will
      improve antimicrobial effectiveness of phages for elimination of E. coli O157:H7
      in vivo.

PMID- 28636834
TI  - Implementation of Medical Homes in Federally Qualified Health Centers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: From 2011 through 2014, the Federally Qualified Health Center
      Advanced Primary Care Practice Demonstration provided care management fees and
      technical assistance to a nationwide sample of 503 federally qualified health
      centers to help them achieve the highest (level 3) medical-home recognition by
      the National Committee for Quality Assurance, a designation that requires the
      implementation of processes to improve access, continuity, and coordination.
      METHODS: We examined the achievement of medical-home recognition and used
      Medicare claims and beneficiary surveys to measure utilization of services,
      quality of care, patients' experiences, and Medicare expenditures in
      demonstration sites versus comparison sites. Using difference-in-differences
      analyses, we compared changes in outcomes in the two groups of sites during a 3
      year period. RESULTS: Level 3 medical-home recognition was awarded to 70% of
      demonstration sites and to 11% of comparison sites. Although the number of visits
      to federally qualified health centers decreased in the two groups, smaller
      reductions among demonstration sites than among comparison sites led to a
      relative increase of 83 visits per 1000 beneficiaries per year at demonstration
      sites (P<0.001). Similar trends explained the higher performance of demonstration
      sites with respect to annual eye examinations and nephropathy tests (P<0.001 for
      both comparisons); there were no significant differences with respect to three
      other process measures. Demonstration sites had larger increases than comparison
      sites in emergency department visits (30.3 more per 1000 beneficiaries per year,
      P<0.001), inpatient admissions (5.7 more per 1000 beneficiaries per year,
      P=0.02), and Medicare Part B expenditures ($37 more per beneficiary per year,
      P=0.02). Demonstration-site participation was not associated with relative
      improvements in most measures of patients' experiences. CONCLUSIONS:
      Demonstration sites had higher rates of medical-home recognition and smaller
      decreases in the number of patients' visits to federally qualified health centers
      than did comparison sites, findings that may reflect better access to primary
      care relative to comparison sites. Demonstration sites had larger increases in
      emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, and Medicare Part B
      expenditures. (Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.).

PMID- 28636836
TI  - Antiviral treatment of hepatitis C in renal transplant patients - safety issues.

PMID- 28636838
TI  - Searching for Affective and Cognitive Restoration: Examining the Restorative
      Effects of Casual Video Game Play.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of a passive break, relaxation activity,
      and casual video game on affect, stress, engagement, and cognitive performance.
      BACKGROUND: Reducing stress and improving cognitive performance is critical
      across many domains. Previous studies investigated taking a break, relaxation
      techniques, or playing a game; however, these methods have not been compared
      within a single experiment. METHOD: Participants completed a baseline affective
      and cognitive assessment (ACA), which included the Positive and Negative Affect
      Schedule, shortened version of the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire, and
      backward digit-span. Next, participants completed a vigilance task, followed by
      another ACA. Participants were then assigned at random to complete a break or
      relaxation activity or play a casual video game, followed by a final ACA.
      RESULTS: Participants who played the casual video game exhibited greater
      engagement and affective restoration than the relaxation condition. The break
      condition slightly decreased affect and prevented cognitive restoration.
      CONCLUSION: Playing a casual video game even briefly can restore individuals'
      affective abilities, making it a suitable activity to restore mood in response to
      stress. However, future research is needed to find activities capable of
      cognitive restoration. APPLICATION: Many activities in life require sustained
      cognitive demand, which are stressful and decrease performance, especially for
      workers in performance-critical domains. Our research suggests some leisure
      activities are better than others for restoring fatigued affective processes.

PMID- 28636837
TI  - MicroRNA-101-2-5p targets the ApoB gene in the liver of chicken (Gallus Gallus).
AB  - Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a major protein component of plasma lipoproteins. It
      is involved in many important biological processes such as lipid transportation,
      enzyme activity regulation, and receptor recognition. Extensive studies have
      shown that the expression of ApoB is regulated at multiple levels. However, the
      regulation of ApoB expression by microRNAs (miRNAs) still remains unknown. In the
      present study, identified are miRNAs that are predicted to interact with ApoB in
      chicken. The predicted relationship between the identified miRNAs and ApoB was
      verified through dual luciferase reporter assay in chicken DF1 cells, and the
      effect of miRNAs on ApoB expression was analyzed in chicken embryo hepatocytes
      stimulated by 17beta-estradiol. The results show that miR-101-2-5p was predicted
      to interact with ApoB. Dual luciferase reporter assay together with the miR-101-2
      5p mimics study demostrate that ApoB is the target of miR-101-2-5p, which
      suppresses the expression of ApoB through binding with the 3'UTR of ApoB. Our
      experiments suggest that miR-101-2-5p might be involved in lipid metabolism
      through binding to the 3'UTR of ApoB in the liver of egg-laying chickens.

PMID- 28636839
TI  - Which Came First: The Hot Flash or the Mood?

PMID- 28636840
TI  - Influence of sex on performance fatigability of the plantar flexors following
      repeated maximal dynamic shortening contractions.
AB  - The purpose was to determine sex differences in fatigability during maximal,
      unconstrained velocity, shortening plantar flexions. The role of time-dependent
      measures (i.e., rate of torque development, rate of velocity development, and
      rate of neuromuscular activation) in such sex-related differences was also
      examined. By task termination, females exhibited smaller reductions in power and
      similar changes in rate of neuromuscular activation than males, indicating
      females were less fatigable than males.

PMID- 28636841
TI  - Commentary on Salvador et al.: Esophageal Penetration of the Magnetic Sphincter
      Augmentation Device: History Repeats Itself.

PMID- 28636842
TI  - DNA-binding mode transition of tau in the presence of Zinc ions.

PMID- 28636843
TI  - Hospital Inpatient Admissions With Dehydration and/or Malnutrition in Medicare
      Beneficiaries Receiving Enteral Nutrition: A Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Enteral nutrition (EN) supports many older and disabled Americans.
      This study describes the frequency and cost of acute care hospitalization with
      dehydration and/or malnutrition of Medicare beneficiaries receiving EN, focusing
      on those receiving home EN. METHODS: Medicare 5% Standard Analytic Files were
      used to determine Medicare spending for EN supplies and the proportion and cost
      of beneficiaries receiving EN, specifically home EN, admitted to the hospital
      with dehydration and/or malnutrition. RESULTS: In 2013, Medicare paid
      $370,549,760 to provide EN supplies for 125,440 beneficiaries, 55% of whom were
      also eligible for Medicaid. Acute care hospitalization with dehydration and/or
      malnutrition occurred in 43,180 beneficiaries receiving EN. The most common
      principal diagnoses were septicemia (21%), aspiration pneumonitis (9%), and
      pneumonia (5%). In beneficiaries receiving EN at home, >one-third (37%) were
      admitted with dehydration and/or malnutrition during a mean observation interval
      of 231 +/- 187 days. Admitted patients were usually hospitalized more than once
      with dehydration and/or malnutrition (1.73 +/- 1.30 admissions) costing $23,579
      +/- 24,966 per admitted patient, totaling >$129,685,622 during a mean observation
      interval of 276 +/- 187 days. Mortality in the year following enterostomy tube
      placement was significantly higher for admitted compared with nonadmitted
      patients (40% vs 33%; P = .05). CONCLUSION: Acute care hospitalizations with
      dehydration and/or malnutrition in Medicare beneficiaries receiving EN were
      common and expensive. Additional strategies to reduce these, with particular
      focus on vulnerable populations such as Medicaid-eligible patients, are needed.

PMID- 28636845
TI  - Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Not Immune from Imprecise Selection of Patients.

PMID- 28636844
TI  - Clonal Hematopoiesis and Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), which is
      defined as the presence of an expanded somatic blood-cell clone in persons
      without other hematologic abnormalities, is common among older persons and is
      associated with an increased risk of hematologic cancer. We previously found
      preliminary evidence for an association between CHIP and atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular disease, but the nature of this association was unclear. METHODS:
      We used whole-exome sequencing to detect the presence of CHIP in peripheral-blood
      cells and associated such presence with coronary heart disease using samples from
      four case-control studies that together enrolled 4726 participants with coronary
      heart disease and 3529 controls. To assess causality, we perturbed the function
      of Tet2, the second most commonly mutated gene linked to clonal hematopoiesis, in
      the hematopoietic cells of atherosclerosis-prone mice. RESULTS: In nested case
      control analyses from two prospective cohorts, carriers of CHIP had a risk of
      coronary heart disease that was 1.9 times as great as in noncarriers (95%
      confidence interval [CI], 1.4 to 2.7). In two retrospective case-control cohorts
      for the evaluation of early-onset myocardial infarction, participants with CHIP
      had a risk of myocardial infarction that was 4.0 times as great as in noncarriers
      (95% CI, 2.4 to 6.7). Mutations in DNMT3A, TET2, ASXL1, and JAK2 were each
      individually associated with coronary heart disease. CHIP carriers with these
      mutations also had increased coronary-artery calcification, a marker of coronary
      atherosclerosis burden. Hypercholesterolemia-prone mice that were engrafted with
      bone marrow obtained from homozygous or heterozygous Tet2 knockout mice had
      larger atherosclerotic lesions in the aortic root and aorta than did mice that
      had received control bone marrow. Analyses of macrophages from Tet2 knockout mice
      showed elevated expression of several chemokine and cytokine genes that
      contribute to atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CHIP in peripheral
      blood cells was associated with nearly a doubling in the risk of coronary heart
      disease in humans and with accelerated atherosclerosis in mice. (Funded by the
      National Institutes of Health and others.).

PMID- 28636846
TI  - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

PMID- 28636847
TI  - Variations in Databases Used to Assess Academic Output and Citation Impact.

PMID- 28636848
TI  - Extended Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism.

PMID- 28636849
TI  - Extended Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism.

PMID- 28636852
TI  - Maternal Immunization.

PMID- 28636853
TI  - Maternal Immunization.

PMID- 28636856
TI  - On Incarceration and Health - Reframing the Discussion.

PMID- 28636851
TI  - First-Line Nivolumab in Stage IV or Recurrent Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nivolumab has been associated with longer overall survival than
      docetaxel among patients with previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer
      (NSCLC). In an open-label phase 3 trial, we compared first-line nivolumab with
      chemotherapy in patients with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive NSCLC.
      METHODS: We randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, patients with untreated stage IV
      or recurrent NSCLC and a PD-L1 tumor-expression level of 1% or more to receive
      nivolumab (administered intravenously at a dose of 3 mg per kilogram of body
      weight once every 2 weeks) or platinum-based chemotherapy (administered once
      every 3 weeks for up to six cycles). Patients receiving chemotherapy could cross
      over to receive nivolumab at the time of disease progression. The primary end
      point was progression-free survival, as assessed by means of blinded independent
      central review, among patients with a PD-L1 expression level of 5% or more.
      RESULTS: Among the 423 patients with a PD-L1 expression level of 5% or more, the
      median progression-free survival was 4.2 months with nivolumab versus 5.9 months
      with chemotherapy (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 1.15; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 0.91 to 1.45; P=0.25), and the median overall survival
      was 14.4 months versus 13.2 months (hazard ratio for death, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.80 to
      1.30). A total of 128 of 212 patients (60%) in the chemotherapy group received
      nivolumab as subsequent therapy. Treatment-related adverse events of any grade
      occurred in 71% of the patients who received nivolumab and in 92% of those who
      received chemotherapy. Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred
      in 18% of the patients who received nivolumab and in 51% of those who received
      chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Nivolumab was not associated with significantly longer
      progression-free survival than chemotherapy among patients with previously
      untreated stage IV or recurrent NSCLC with a PD-L1 expression level of 5% or
      more. Overall survival was similar between groups. Nivolumab had a favorable
      safety profile, as compared with chemotherapy, with no new or unexpected safety
      signals. (Funded by Bristol-Myers Squibb and others; CheckMate 026
      ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02041533 .).

PMID- 28636857
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum Mortality in Africa between 1990 and 2015.

PMID- 28636855
TI  - Efficacy of Recombinant Influenza Vaccine in Adults 50 Years of Age or Older.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Improved influenza vaccines are needed to control seasonal epidemics.
      This trial compared the protective efficacy in older adults of a quadrivalent,
      recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV4) with a standard-dose, egg-grown,
      quadrivalent, inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV4) during the A/H3N2-predominant
      2014-2015 influenza season, when antigenic mismatch between circulating and
      vaccine influenza strains resulted in the reduced effectiveness of many licensed
      vaccines. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial of
      RIV4 (45 MUg of recombinant hemagglutinin [HA] per strain, 180 MUg of protein per
      dose) versus standard-dose IIV4 (15 MUg of HA per strain, 60 MUg of protein per
      dose) to compare the relative vaccine efficacy against reverse-transcriptase
      polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed, protocol-defined, influenza-like
      illness caused by any influenza strain starting 14 days or more after vaccination
      in adults who were 50 years of age or older. The diagnosis of influenza infection
      was confirmed by means of RT-PCR assay and culture of nasopharyngeal swabs
      obtained from participants with symptoms of an influenza-like illness. The
      primary end point was RT-PCR-confirmed, protocol defined, influenza-like illness
      between 14 days or more after vaccination and the end of the influenza season.
      RESULTS: A total of 9003 participants were enrolled and underwent randomization;
      8855 (98.4%) received a trial vaccine and underwent an efficacy follow-up (the
      modified intention-to-treat population), and 8604 (95.6%) completed the per
      protocol follow-up (the modified per-protocol population). Among RIV4 recipients,
      the RT-PCR-confirmed influenza attack rate was 2.2% (96 cases among 4303
      participants) in the modified per-protocol population and 2.2% (96 cases among
      4427 participants) in the modified intention-to-treat population. Among IIV4
      recipients, the attack rate was 3.2% (138 cases among 4301 participants) in the
      modified per-protocol population and 3.1% (138 cases among 4428 participants) in
      the modified intention-to-treat population. A total of 181 cases of influenza
      A/H3N2, 47 cases of influenza B, and 6 cases of nonsubtypeable influenza A were
      detected. The probability of influenza-like illness was 30% lower with RIV4 than
      with IIV4 (95% confidence interval, 10 to 47; P=0.006) and satisfied prespecified
      criteria for the primary noninferiority analysis and an exploratory superiority
      analysis of RIV4 over IIV4. The safety profiles of the vaccines were similar.
      CONCLUSIONS: RIV4 provided better protection than standard-dose IIV4 against
      confirmed influenza-like illness among older adults. (Funded by Protein Sciences;
      ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02285998 .).

PMID- 28636859
TI  - Case 19-2017 - A 53-Year-Old Woman with Leg Numbness and Weakness.

PMID- 28636858
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum Mortality in Africa between 1990 and 2015.

PMID- 28636860
TI  - Risks of MRI in Patients with a Pacemaker or Defibrillator.

PMID- 28636861
TI  - Timing of Metastasis in Breast Cancer.

PMID- 28636862
TI  - Perirenal Extramedullary Hematopoiesis.

PMID- 28636863
TI  - Coronary-Artery Vasospasm.

PMID- 28636865
TI  - Reducing the burden of sexually transmissible infections in Papua New Guinea
      requires strengthening of clinical services and engaging men.
AB  - In this edition of Sexual Health, Vallely et al. report the results of a cross
      sectional prevalence survey of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) among
      women attending their first antenatal visit in three provinces of Papua New
      Guinea (PNG). This Editorial examines potential reasons for these high prevalence
      estimates and discusses strategies for addressing high STIs rates in PNG.

PMID- 28636866
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae,
      Trichomonas vaginalis and other sexually transmissible infections among women
      attending antenatal clinics in three provinces in Papua New Guinea: a cross
      sectional survey.
AB  - : Background Papua New Guinea (PNG) is estimated to have among the highest
      prevalences of HIV and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) of any Asia
      Pacific country, and one of the highest burdens of maternal syphilis globally.
      The prevalence of curable STIs, such as Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria
      gonorrhoeae (NG) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), among pregnant women in PNG is
      relatively unknown. METHODS: A cross-sectional bio-behavioural survey to
      investigate the epidemiology of CT, NG, TV and other STIs among pregnant women in
      three provinces of PNG was undertaken. Women aged 18-35 years attending their
      first antenatal clinic visit were invited to participate. Participants completed
      a short interview and provided self-collected vaginal specimens for CT, NG and TV
      laboratory-based nucleic acid amplification tests and a venepuncture specimen for
      laboratory testing for syphilis and Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) serology.
      Routine antenatal assessment was conducted according to national guidelines,
      including HIV counselling and testing and point-of-care syphilis screening.
      RESULTS: A total of 765 women were enrolled. Overall, 43% (95% confidence
      interval (CI): 39.2-46.4) had one or more of CT, NG or TV infection. CT was the
      most prevalent STI (22.9%, 175/765; 95% CI: 19.9-25.9), followed by TV (22.4%,
      171/765; 95% CI: 19.4-25.4), and NG (14.2%, 109/765; 95% CI: 11.7-16.7). The
      prevalence of active syphilis was 2.2% (17/765; 95% CI: 1.2-3.3), HSV-2 was 28.0%
      (214/765; 95% CI: 24.8-31.2) and HIV, 0.8% (6/765; 95% CI: 0.2-1.4). Prevalences
      were highest among primigravid women, women aged <25 years, and among those in
      Central Province. CONCLUSION: High prevalences of curable genital STIs were
      observed among women attending routine antenatal clinic services in PNG. These
      infections have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and could be
      important contributors to poor maternal and neonatal health in this setting.

PMID- 28636867
TI  - Assortative sexual mixing patterns in male-female and male-male partnerships in
      Melbourne, Australia: implications for HIV and sexually transmissible infection
      transmission.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Assortative mixing patterns have become a new and important focus in
      HIV/sexually transmissible infection (STI) research in recent years. There are
      very limited data on sexual mixing patterns, particularly in an Australian
      population. METHODS: Male-female and male-male partnerships attending the
      Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) between 2011 and 2014 were included.
      Correlation of age between two individuals within a partnership was examined by
      using Spearman's rank correlation. The Newman's assortativity coefficient was
      used as an aggregate quantitative measurement of sexual mixing for number of
      partners and condom use. RESULTS: 1165 male-female and 610 male-male partnerships
      were included in the analysis. There was a strong positive correlation of age in
      both male-female (rho=0.709; P<0.001) and male-male partnerships (rho=0.553;
      P<0.001). The assortative mixing pattern for number of partners was similar in
      male-female (r=0.255; 95% CI: 0.221-0.289) and male-male partnerships (r=0.264;
      95% CI: 0.218-0.309). There was a stronger assortative mixing pattern for condom
      use in male-male (r=0.517, 95% CI: 0.465-0.569) compared with male-female
      (r=0.382; 95% CI: 0.353-0.412) partnerships. CONCLUSION: Male-female and male
      male partnerships have a high assortativity mixing pattern for age, number of
      partners and condom use. The sexual mixing pattern is not purely assortative, and
      hence it may lead to increased HIV and STI transmission in certain risk groups.

PMID- 28636868
TI  - Deadly Liver Mob: opening the door - improving sexual health pathways for
      Aboriginal people in Western Sydney.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Deadly Liver Mob project (DLM) is an incentive-based, peer-driven
      health promotion intervention for Aboriginal people, focusing on hepatitis C and
      offering education and screening for sexually transmissible infections (STI) and
      blood-borne viruses (BBV). This study aims to assess the DLM effect on attendance
      and STI/BBV screening, describe BBV risk factors and report infection rates among
      Aboriginal people attending Western Sydney Sexual Health Centre (WSSHC). METHODS:
      A retrospective review of Aboriginal clients during the first year of the DLM
      project was compared with Aboriginal clients who attended during the 5.3 years
      before implementation of the project. Data on attendance, screening rates,
      demographics, lifestyle information and STI/BBV results were extracted. RESULTS:
      There was a 10-fold increase in the number of Aboriginal people attending, via
      the DLM project (P<0.01). The DLM group were more likely to be male (47 vs
      28%),>=35 years (46 vs 27%), report injecting drug use (IDU) (43 vs 26%), a
      history of incarceration (48 vs 24%) or unsafe tattooing (36 vs 16%) and have
      comprehensive STI/BBV testing (85 vs 54%); (P<0.01 for all). There were 79
      positive results and 30 commenced hepatitis B vaccination in the DLM period,
      compared with 15 and 19, in the non-DLM period. CONCLUSIONS: The DLM project
      effectively increased sexual healthcare attendance and screening for Aboriginal
      people in Western Sydney. The DLM has fostered ongoing care and facilitated
      service engagement for individuals at high risk of contracting STIs and BBVs.

PMID- 28636869
TI  - Association between sexual mixing and genital warts in heterosexual men in
      Australia: the herd protection from the female human papillomavirus vaccination
      program.
AB  - Australian-born women aged <=32 years were eligible for the free female human
      papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program introduced in 2007. A total of 1165
      heterosexual couples attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between 2011
      and 2014 were included in this analysis. Findings showed the odds of having
      penile warts was 0.52-fold lower among men who had a female partner aged <=32
      years compared with men who had a female partners aged >32 years. This suggests
      men would have received herd protection from their female partners and hence they
      are at lower risk of acquiring genital warts.

PMID- 28636870
TI  - Adherence to, and acceptability of, Listerine(r) mouthwash as a potential
      preventive intervention for pharyngeal gonorrhoea among men who have sex with men
      in Australia: a longitudinal study.
AB  - We investigated whether men who have sex with men (MSM) would use mouthwash daily
      to prevent pharyngeal gonorrhoea. Ten MSM attending the Melbourne Sexual Health
      Centre were asked to use a Listerine(r) alcohol-containing mouthwash daily for 14
      days in August 2015. Mouthwash was used at least once daily for 133 of 140 person
      days (95% of days; 95% confidence interval 90-98%). All 10 men were willing to
      use mouthwash on a daily basis, and nine men were willing to use mouthwash after
      oral sex. This study showed that daily use of mouthwash is an acceptable
      intervention to prevent pharyngeal gonorrhoea in MSM.

PMID- 28636871
TI  - Pregnane glycosides from Cynanchum menarandrense.
AB  - Five new pregnane-type steroidal glycosides, named menarandrosides A-E (1-2, 5-7)
      were isolated from the aerial parts of Cynanchum menarandrense, together with
      three known compounds, carumbelloside I (3), carumbelloside II (4), and
      pregnenolone-3-O-gentiobioside (8). Their structures were determined on the basis
      of spectroscopic analyses including NMR and mass spectrometry, reporting C-21
      steroids glycosylated only by one or two glucose moieties. Compounds were then
      investigated for their potential to stimulate glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
      secretion in intestinal cells; although none of the pure compounds had any
      influence, the fraction enriched in pregnanes exhibited a significant activity,
      suggesting a possible synergistic effect. Furthermore, none of the purified
      compounds affected cell viability.

PMID- 28636872
TI  - Long-term postnatal steroid effect in very low birth weight infants.
AB  - We examined whether hydrocortisone exposure<=1week in very low birth weight
      infants (VLBWI) was associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes at corrected
      18months. Further, the clinical factors associated with worse long term outcome
      were also evaluated. Of a total of 191 VLBWI, the clinical data for these infants
      relating were retrospectively collected for analysis. Among the 191 VLBWI, 115
      (60.2%) infants were exposed to early postnatal hydrocortisone<=1week of life in
      our NICU of Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea between
      December 2012 and December 2014. The morbidities were significantly higher in the
      group with early hydrocortisone exposure group. At corrected age of 18months,
      109/183 (59.6%) infants in the early hydrocortisone exposure group had
      significantly lower scores in all three (cognitive, language and motor)
      composites of Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III. The
      multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that only periventricular
      leukomalacia (PVL) is consistently associated with poor long-term outcomes. Our
      results suggest that early hydrocortisone exposure<=1week in VLBWI may not
      increase the risk for poor long-term outcomes compared to those not exposed. Only
      PVL is considered as a risk factor for poor long-term neurodevelopmental
      outcomes.

PMID- 28636873
TI  - Mimicking natural phytohormones. 26-Hydroxycholestan-22-one derivatives as plant
      growth promoters.
AB  - 26-Hydroxycholestan-22-one derivatives with oxygenated functions in the rings A
      and/or B were successfully synthesized from diosgenin. After the modifications of
      rings A and B, the spiroketal side chain was selectively opened through a Lewis
      acid mediated acetolysis to afford the cholestane derivatives. These compounds
      incorporate pharmacophores, which mimic the activity of natural phytohormones and
      show high growth promoting activity in Mexican rice cultivars using the rice
      lamina inclination test.

PMID- 28636874
TI  - Next generation matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors - Novel strategies bring new
      prospects.
AB  - Enzymatic proteolysis of cell surface proteins and extracellular matrix (ECM) is
      critical for tissue homeostasis and cell signaling. These proteolytic activities
      are mediated predominantly by a family of proteases termed matrix
      metalloproteinases (MMPs). The growing evidence in recent years that ECM and non
      ECM bioactive molecules (e.g., growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, on top of
      matrikines and matricryptins) have versatile functions redefines our view on the
      roles matrix remodeling enzymes play in many physiological and pathological
      processes, and underscores the notion that ECM proteolytic reaction mechanisms
      represent master switches in the regulation of critical biological processes and
      govern cell behavior. Accordingly, MMPs are not only responsible for direct
      degradation of ECM molecules but are also key modulators of cardinal bioactive
      factors. Many attempts were made to manipulate ECM degradation by targeting MMPs
      using small peptidic and organic inhibitors. However, due to the high structural
      homology shared by these enzymes, the majority of the developed compounds are
      broad-spectrum inhibitors affecting the proteolytic activity of various MMPs and
      other zinc-related proteases. These inhibitors, in many cases, failed as
      therapeutic agents, mainly due to the bilateral role of MMPs in pathological
      conditions such as cancer, in which MMPs have both pro- and anti-tumorigenic
      effects. Despite the important role of MMPs in many human diseases, none of the
      broad-range synthetic MMP inhibitors that were designed have successfully passed
      clinical trials. It appears that, designing highly selective MMP inhibitors that
      are also effective in vivo, is not trivial. The challenges related to designing
      selective and effective metalloprotease inhibitors, are associated in part with
      the aforesaid high structural homology and the dynamic nature of their protein
      scaffolds. Great progress was achieved in the last decade in understanding the
      biochemistry and biology of MMPs activity. This knowledge, combined with lessons
      from the past has drawn new "boundaries" for the development of the next
      generation MMP inhibitors. These novel agents are currently designed to be highly
      specific, capable to discriminate between the homologous MMPs and ideally
      administered as a short-term topical treatment. In this review we discuss the
      latest progress in the fields of MMP inhibitors in terms of structure, function
      and their specific activity. The development of novel highly specific inhibitors
      targeting MMPs paves the path to study complex biological processes associated
      with ECM proteolysis in health and disease. This article is part of a Special
      Issue entitled: Matrix Metalloproteinases edited by Rafael Fridman.

PMID- 28636875
TI  - Effects of prenatal binge-like ethanol exposure and maternal stress on postnatal
      morphological development of hippocampal neurons in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs of abuse negatively
      affecting human health and it is known as a potent teratogen responsible for
      fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is characterized by cognitive deficits
      especially pronounced in juveniles but ameliorating in adults. Searching for the
      potential morphological correlates of these effects, in this study, we compared
      the course of developmental changes in the morphology of principal hippocampal
      neurons in fetal-alcohol (A group), intubated control (IC group), and intact
      control male rats (C group) over a protracted period of the first two postnatal
      months. METHODS: Ethanol was administered to the pregnant Wistar dams
      intragastrically, throughout gestation days (GD) 7-20, at a total dose of
      6g/kg/day resulting in the mean blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 246.6+/
      40.9mg/dl. Ten morphometric parameters of Golgi-stained hippocampal neurons
      (pyramidal and granule) from CA1, CA3, and DG areas were examined at critical
      postnatal days (PD): at birth (PD1), at the end of the brain growth spurt period
      (PD10), in juveniles (PD30), and in young adults (PD60). RESULTS: During
      postnatal development, the temporal pattern of morphometric changes was shown to
      be region-dependent with most significant alterations observed between PD1-30 in
      the CA region and between PD10-30 in the DG region. It was also parameter
      dependent with the soma size (except for CA3 pyramids), number of primary
      dendrites, dendrite diameter, dendritic tortuosity and the branch angle
      demonstrating little changes, while the total dendritic field area, dendritic
      length, number of dendritic bifurcations, and spine density being highly
      increased in all hippocampal regions during the first postnatal month. Moderate
      ethanol intoxication and the maternal intubation stress during gestation, showed
      similar, transient effects on the neuron development manifested as a smaller soma
      size in granule cells, reduced dendritic parameters and lower spine density in
      pyramidal neurons at PD1. Full recovery from these effects took place within the
      first 10 postnatal days. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed regional and temporal
      differences in the development of different morphometric features of principal
      hippocampal neurons in intact subjects over a protracted 2-months postnatal
      period. It also demonstrated an overlap in the effects of a moderate fetal
      ethanol intoxication and a mild maternal stress produced by the intragastric
      intubation, a commonly used method of ethanol administration to the pregnant
      dams. Fast recovery from the adverse effects on the soma size, dendritic
      arborization and spines density observed at birth indicates towards the fetal
      ethanol/stress induced developmental retardation.

PMID- 28636876
TI  - Tissue alignment enhances remodeling potential of tendon-derived cells - Lessons
      from a novel microtissue model of tendon scarring.
AB  - Tendinopathy is a widespread and unresolved clinical challenge, in which
      associated pain and hampered mobility present a major cause for work-related
      disability. Tendinopathy associates with a change from a healthy tissue with
      aligned extracellular matrix (ECM) and highly polarized cells that are connected
      head-to-tail, towards a diseased tissue with a disorganized ECM and randomly
      distributed cells, scar-like features that are commonly attributed to poor innate
      regenerative capacity of the tissue. A fundamental clinical dilemma with this
      scarring process is whether treatment strategies should focus on healing the
      affected (disorganized) tissue or strengthen the remaining healthy (anisotropic)
      tissue. The question was thus asked whether the intrinsic remodeling capacity of
      tendon-derived cells depends on the organization of the 3D extracellular matrix
      (isotropic vs anisotropic). Progress in this field is hampered by the lack of
      suitable in vitro tissue platforms. We aimed at filling this critical gap by
      creating and exploiting a next generation tissue platform that mimics aspects of
      the tendon scarring process; cellular response to a gradient in tissue
      organization from isotropic (scarred/non-aligned) to highly anisotropic
      (unscarred/aligned) was studied, as was a transient change from isotropic towards
      highly anisotropic. Strikingly, cells residing in an 'unscarred' anisotropic
      tissue indicated superior remodeling capacity (increased gene expression levels
      of collagen, matrix metalloproteinases MMPs, tissue inhibitors of MMPs), when
      compared to their 'scarred' isotropic counterparts. A numerical model then
      supported the hypothesis that cellular remodeling capacity may correlate to
      cellular alignment strength. This in turn may have improved cellular
      communication, and could thus relate to the more pronounced connexin43 gap
      junctions observed in anisotropic tissues. In conclusion, increased tissue
      anisotropy was observed to enhance the cellular potential for functional
      remodeling of the matrix. This may explain the poor regenerative capacity of
      tenocytes in chronic tendinopathy, where the pathological process has resulted in
      ECM disorganization. Additionally, it lends support to treatment strategies that
      focus on strengthening the remaining healthy tissue, rather than regenerating
      scarred tissue.

PMID- 28636877
TI  - Lectin CGL from the sea mussel Crenomytilus grayanus induces Burkitt's lymphoma
      cells death via interaction with surface glycan.
AB  - Marine organisms are rich sources of lectins. Lectins are able to bind
      specifically and reversibly to different types of carbohydrates or glycoproteins.
      The present study reports the evaluation of glycan binding profile and anti-tumor
      potential of lectin CGL from the sea mussel Crenomytilus grayanus. Glycan array
      assay revealed that CGL was able to bind both alpha and beta anomer of galactose,
      but interaction with the alphaGal-terminated glycans was stronger. Analysis of
      most common glycan motifs for CGL showed high affinity to Galalpha1-4Galbeta1
      4GlcNAc motif similar to globotriose structure (Gb3: Galalpha1-4Galbeta1-4Glc),
      the epitope of globotriaosylceramide. CGL recognized Gb3 on the surface of
      Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cells (high Gb3 expression), leading to dose-dependent
      cytotoxic effect, G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Lectin had no
      effect on erythroleukemia K562 cells (no Gb3 expression). The activity of CGL was
      specifically blocked by alpha-galactoside. Our findings suggest the use of CGL in
      cancer diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 28636878
TI  - Lycium barbarum polysaccharide alleviates nonylphenol exposure induced testicular
      injury in juvenile zebrafish.
AB  - Nonylphenol is an endocrine disrupting chemicals that can disrupt the organisms'
      reproductive system, and exists widely in rivers and lakes. Lycium barbarum
      polysaccharide (LBP) is the main active constituent (about 10%) in Lycium
      barbarum, which is used to protect reproductive health. In this study, we
      investigated whether LBP can alleviate nonylphenol exposure induced testicular
      injury in juvenile zebrafish. We detected histological alteration, anti-oxidant
      enzyme profile and P450 gene transcription to assess LBP effect on testicular
      development. The GSI reduced significantly due to nonylphenol exposure, while LBP
      can improve the GSI. The densities of sperms increased and non-celluar zone
      decreased after LBP treatment. Meanwhile, Cyp11b gene was up regulated to NP
      group, and cyp19a gene was down regulated to NP group. In sum, the LBP could
      repair the testicular injury in zebrafish. This findings provide a basis research
      to remit the estrogen effect of artificial endocrine disruptor.

PMID- 28636854
TI  - Cluster-Randomized, Crossover Trial of Head Positioning in Acute Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of supine positioning after acute stroke in improving
      cerebral blood flow and the countervailing risk of aspiration pneumonia have led
      to variation in head positioning in clinical practice. We wanted to determine
      whether outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke could be improved by
      positioning the patient to be lying flat (i.e., fully supine with the back
      horizontal and the face upwards) during treatment to increase cerebral perfusion.
      METHODS: In a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, crossover trial conducted in nine
      countries, we assigned 11,093 patients with acute stroke (85% of the strokes were
      ischemic) to receive care in either a lying-flat position or a sitting-up
      position with the head elevated to at least 30 degrees, according to the
      randomization assignment of the hospital to which they were admitted; the
      designated position was initiated soon after hospital admission and was
      maintained for 24 hours. The primary outcome was degree of disability at 90 days,
      as assessed with the use of the modified Rankin scale (scores range from 0 to 6,
      with higher scores indicating greater disability and a score of 6 indicating
      death). RESULTS: The median interval between the onset of stroke symptoms and the
      initiation of the assigned position was 14 hours (interquartile range, 5 to 35).
      Patients in the lying-flat group were less likely than patients in the sitting-up
      group to maintain the position for 24 hours (87% vs. 95%, P<0.001). In a
      proportional-odds model, there was no significant shift in the distribution of 90
      day disability outcomes on the global modified Rankin scale between patients in
      the lying-flat group and patients in the sitting-up group (unadjusted odds ratio
      for a difference in the distribution of scores on the modified Rankin scale in
      the lying-flat group, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.92 to 1.10; P=0.84).
      Mortality within 90 days was 7.3% among the patients in the lying-flat group and
      7.4% among the patients in the sitting-up group (P=0.83). There were no
      significant between-group differences in the rates of serious adverse events,
      including pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Disability outcomes after acute stroke did not
      differ significantly between patients assigned to a lying-flat position for 24
      hours and patients assigned to a sitting-up position with the head elevated to at
      least 30 degrees for 24 hours. (Funded by the National Health and Medical
      Research Council of Australia; HeadPoST ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02162017
      .).

PMID- 28636879
TI  - Delineating neuroinflammation, parasite CNS invasion, and blood-brain barrier
      dysfunction in an experimental murine model of human African trypanosomiasis.
AB  - Although Trypanosoma brucei spp. was first detected by Aldo Castellani in CSF
      samples taken from sleeping sickness patients over a century ago there is still a
      great deal of debate surrounding the timing, route and effects of transmigration
      of the parasite from the blood to the CNS. In this investigation, we have applied
      contrast-enhance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the effects of
      trypanosome infection on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the well-established
      GVR35 mouse model of sleeping sickness. In addition, we have measured the
      trypanosome load present in the brain using quantitative Taqman PCR and assessed
      the severity of the neuroinflammatory reaction at specific time points over the
      course of the infection. Contrast enhanced-MRI detected a significant degree of
      BBB impairment in mice at 14days following trypanosome infection, which increased
      in a step-wise fashion as the disease progressed. Parasite DNA was present in the
      brain tissue on day 7 after infection. This increased significantly in quantity
      by day 14 post-infection and continued to rise as the infection advanced. A
      progressive increase in neuroinflammation was detected following trypanosome
      infection, reaching a significant level of severity on day 14 post-infection and
      rising further at later time-points. In this model stage-2 disease presents at
      21days post-infection. The combination of the three methodologies indicates that
      changes in the CNS become apparent prior to the onset of established stage-2
      disease. This could in part account for the difficulties associated with defining
      specific criteria to distinguish stage-1 and stage-2 infections and highlights
      the need for improved staging diagnostics.

PMID- 28636880
TI  - Behavioral evidence of oxidative stress by hematophagy in the ocellar system of
      Rhodnius prolixus Stal, 1859 red-eyed mutants.
AB  - The photonegative response to light stimulation in Rhodnius prolixus (Reduviidae,
      Triatominae) is modulated by compound eyes and ocelli. Screening pigments in the
      visual system have been shown to protect the cellular structures from the
      oxidative stress damage produced by blood ingestion and light stimulation. Red
      eyed mutants of Rhodnius prolixus lack screening pigments in their compound eyes
      and ocelli and are exposed to more oxidative stress. Experiments with Rhodnius
      prolixus and Triatoma infestans red-eyed mutants reared from the first nymphal
      stage show damage in the retinas of the compound eyes and a decrease in
      photonegative responses due to light stimulation. Because ocelli are only present
      during the imaginal stages, we designed a group of experiments to assess the
      possible damage to the ocelli by oxidative stress mediated by blood ingestion in
      Rhodnius prolixus red-eyed mutants and wild-type insects. To test our hypothesis,
      we carried out behavioral experiments to evaluate the photonegative responses in
      adults exposed to different treatments, including coverage of either the compound
      eyes or ocelli, and different blood feeding regimens. Our results show that the
      ocelli in Rhodnius prolixus adults can modulate photonegative responses in red
      eyed mutants better than the compound eyes can. In addition, a decrease in
      photonegative responses was evident when the red-eyed mutants were fed blood
      continuously for four weeks. Our results confirm that ocelli in Rhodnius prolixus
      can be considered a parallel pathway that intersects with information from the
      compound eyes regarding light stimulation and that their screening pigments play
      important roles in preventing the damage caused by oxidative stress due to blood
      ingestion.

PMID- 28636881
TI  - Mitochondrial genome of Helice tientsinensis (Brachyura: Grapsoidea: Varunidae):
      Gene rearrangements and higher-level phylogeny of the Brachyura.
AB  - The mitochondrial genome (mt genome) provides important information for
      understanding molecular evolution and phylogeny. The further understand the
      molecular evolution and phylogeny of Helice tientsinensis, the complete mt genome
      was determined. It is 16,212bp long and includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs),
      22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes and a control region. The genome composition of H.
      tientsinensis was highly A+T biased 69.0% and showed negative AT skew (-0.017)
      and GC skew (-0.289). One PCG, all rRNAs and 12 of the tRNAs appeared to be
      rearranged with respect to the pancrustacean ground pattern gene order. Tandem
      duplication, followed by random deletion, is widely considered to explain
      translocation of mitochondrial genes. Consecutive recombinations events could
      explain inversions of genes. The phylogenetic analyses showed that H.
      tientsinensis has close relationships with Eriocheir japonica sinensis, E. j.
      hepuensis and E. j. japonica; this indicated that H. tientsinensis belongs in the
      Grapsoidea, part of the Varunidae family. This study provides evidence for a
      better understanding of gene rearrangements, as well as the evolutionary status
      of H. tientsinensis and related species.

PMID- 28636882
TI  - FOXN1 Italian founder mutation in Indian family: Implications in prenatal
      diagnosis.
AB  - The Forkhead box N1 (FOXN1) is a transcriptional factor regulating the
      development, differentiation and function of thymic epithelial cells; maintaining
      T-lineage progenitors in bone marrow; promoting terminal differentiation of
      epithelial cells of hair follicles. Mutation in FOXN1 was reported to cause a
      rare disorder characterized by rudimentary thymus gland, T-cell immunodeficiency,
      congenital alopecia and nail dystrophy within an Italian community. This is the
      first report of FOXN1 p.R255X mutation from India, outside this endogamous
      Italian community. Out of the two affected children, only one was alive during
      the genetic evaluation and had all the clinical manifestations such as alopecia
      totalis and nail dystrophy. The proband was homozygous for FOXN1 p.R255X Italian
      founder mutation. The carrier status of both the parents was established.
      Immunological study of the proband revealed total absence of T-cells confirming T
      cell immunodeficiency. Prenatal diagnosis during third pregnancy revealed absence
      of FOXN1 mutation. To conclude, this is the first report of FOXN1 mutation from
      India highlighting that diseases once confined to certain geographical areas are
      spreading across the globe probably due to human migrations.

PMID- 28636883
TI  - The effects of monocular training on binocular functions in anisometropic
      amblyopia.
AB  - Intensive monocular perceptual learning can improve visual acuity, contrast
      sensitivity, and vernier acuity in the amblyopic eye in adults with amblyopia. It
      is however not clear how much monocular training can enhance binocular visual
      functions. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate effects of monocular
      training on a variety of binocular functions. Nineteen anisometropic amblyopes
      (18.5+/-1.26yrs, mean+/-s.e.) were trained in a grating contrast detection task
      near each individual's cutoff spatial frequency for 6-10days (630 trials/day).
      Visual acuity, stereoacuity, monocular and binocular contrast sensitivity
      functions (CSF), binocular phase combination and binocular rivalry were tested
      before and after training. Although monocular training can improve visual acuity
      and contrast sensitivity and eye dominance of the amblyopic eye, the magnitudes
      of improvements did not correlate with each other; the impact of monocular
      training on binocular phase combination was not significant. The results strongly
      suggest that structured monocular and binocular training is needed to fully
      recover deficient visual functions in anisometropic amblyopia.

PMID- 28636884
TI  - Major achievements of evidence-based traditional Chinese medicine in treating
      major diseases.
AB  - A long history of use and extensive documentation of the clinical practices of
      traditional Chinese medicine resulted in a considerable number of classical
      preparations, which are still widely used. This heritage of our ancestors
      provides a unique resource for drug discovery. Already, a number of important
      drugs have been developed from traditional medicines, which in fact form the core
      of Western pharmacotherapy. Therefore, this article discusses the differences in
      drug development between traditional medicine and Western medicine. Moreover, the
      article uses the discovery of artemisinin as an example that illustrates the
      "bedside-bench-bedside" approach to drug discovery to explain that the middle way
      for drug development is to take advantage of the best features of these two
      distinct systems and compensate for certain weaknesses in each. This article also
      summarizes evidence-based traditional medicines and discusses quality control and
      quality assessment, the crucial steps in botanical drug development. Herbgenomics
      may provide effective tools to clarify the molecular mechanism of traditional
      medicines in the botanical drug development. The totality-of-the-evidence
      approach used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for botanical products
      provides the directions on how to perform quality control from the field
      throughout the entire production process.

PMID- 28636885
TI  - Differential changes in the pharmacokinetics of statins in collagen-induced
      arthritis rats.
AB  - The elevated systemic levels of cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can change
      the expression of metabolic enzymes and transporters. Given that statins are
      lipid-lowering agents frequently used in RA patients with concurrent
      cardiovascular diseases, the objective of the present study was to investigate
      the impacts of RA on the pharmacokinetics of statins of different disposition
      properties in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). The expression of
      metabolic enzymes and transporters in tissues of CIA rats were analyzed by RT
      qPCR. Statins were given to CIA rats and controls through different routes,
      respectively. Blood samples were collected and analyzed by UPLC/MS/MS. Isolated
      microsomes and hepatocytes were used to determine the metabolic and uptake
      clearance of statins. The results showed that, compared with controls, the mRNA
      levels of intestinal Cyp3a1 and hepatic Cyp2c6, Cyp2c7, Cyp3a1, Oatp1a1, Oatp1b2,
      Oatp1a4, and Mrp2 were markedly decreased in the CIA rats. The maximal metabolic
      activities of Cyp2c and Cyp3a were reduced in liver microsomes of CIA rats. When
      given orally or injected through hepatic portal vein, the systemic levels of
      fluvastatin, simvastatin, and atorvastatin, but not of rosuvastatin and
      pravastatin, were increased in CIA rats. The metabolic clearance of simvastatin
      and hepatic uptake clearance of fluvastatin and atorvastatin were decreased in
      CIA rats. These findings suggest that the changes in the expression of enzymes
      and/or transporters in CIA rats differentially affect the pharmacokinetics of
      statins.

PMID- 28636887
TI  - Temporal dynamics of the HPA axis linked to exploratory behavior in a wild
      European songbird (Parus major).
AB  - Variation in the reactivity of the endocrine stress axis is thought to underlie
      aspects of persistent individual differences in behavior (i.e. animal
      personality). Previous studies, however, have focused largely on estimating
      baseline or peak levels of glucocorticoids (CORT), often in captive animals. In
      contrast, the temporal dynamics of the HPA axis-how quickly it turns on and off,
      for example-may better indicate how an individual copes with stressors. Moreover,
      these HPA components might be correlated, thereby representing endocrine suites.
      Using wild-caught great tits (Parus major) we tested birds for exploratory
      behavior using a standardized novel environment assay that serves as a validated
      proxy for personality. We then re-captured a subset of these birds (n=85) and
      characterized four components of HPA physiology: baseline, endogenous stress
      response, a dexamethasone (DEX) challenge to estimate the strength of negative
      feedback, and an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge to estimate adrenal
      capacity. We predicted that these four HPA responses would be positively
      correlated and that less exploratory birds would have a more rapid onset of the
      stress response (a CORT elevation during the baseline bleed) and weaker negative
      feedback (higher CORT after DEX). We found support for the first two predictions
      but not the third. All four components were positively correlated with each other
      and less exploratory birds exhibited an elevation in CORT during the baseline
      bleed (<3min from capture). Less exploratory birds, however, did not exhibit
      weaker negative feedback following the DEX challenge, but did exhibit weaker
      adrenal capacity. Together, our findings provide partial support for the
      hypothesis that the temporal reactivity of the HPA axis is linked with consistent
      individual differences in behavior, with more cautious (slower exploring)
      individuals exhibiting a faster CORT response.

PMID- 28636886
TI  - SIRT1 enzymatically potentiates 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 signaling via vitamin D
      receptor deacetylation.
AB  - The hormonal metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D), binds to
      the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and promotes heterodimerization of VDR with a
      retinoid-X-receptor (RXR) to genomically regulate diverse cellular processes.
      Herein, it is revealed for the first time that VDR is post-translationally
      acetylated, and that VDR immunoprecipitated from human embryonic kidney (HEK293)
      cells displays a dramatic decrease in acetylated receptor in the presence of
      1,25D-ligand, sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) deacetylase, or the resveratrol activator of
      SIRT1. To elucidate the functional significance of VDR deacetylation, vitamin-d
      responsive-element (VDRE)-based transcriptional assays were performed to
      determine if deacetylase overexpression affects VDR/VDRE-driven transcription. In
      HEK293 kidney and TE85 bone cells, co-transfection of low amounts (1-5ng) of a
      SIRT1-expression vector elicits a reproducible and statistically significant
      enhancement (1.3- to 2.6-fold) in transcription mediated by VDREs from the CYP3A4
      and cyp24a1 genes, where the magnitude of response to 1,25D-ligand is 6- to 30
      fold. Inhibition of SIRT1 via EX-527, or utilization of a SIRT1 loss-of-function
      mutant (H363Y), resulted in abrogation of SIRT1-mediated VDR potentiation.
      Studies with a novel, non-acetylatable VDR mutant (K413R) showed that the mutant
      VDR possesses enhanced responsiveness to 1,25D, in conjunction with reduced, but
      still significant, sensitivity to exogenous SIRT1, indicating that acetylation of
      lysine 413 is relevant, but that other acetylated residues in VDR contribute to
      modulation of its activity. We conclude that the acetylation of VDR comprises a
      negative feedback loop that attenuates 1,25D-VDR signaling. This regulatory loop
      is reversed by SIRT1-catalyzed deacetylation of VDR to amplify VDR signaling and
      1,25D actions.

PMID- 28636889
TI  - Complications of hematopoietic stem transplantation: Fungal infections.
AB  - Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are
      at increased risk of invasive fungal infections, especially during the early
      neutropenic phase and severe graft-versus-host disease. Mold-active prophylaxis
      should be limited to the highest risk groups. Empiric antifungal therapy for HSCT
      with persistent febrile neutropenia is associated with unacceptable response
      rates, unnecessary antifungal therapy, increased risk of toxicity, and inflated
      costs. Empiric therapy should not be a substitute for detailed work up to
      identify the cause of fever in such patients. The improved diagnostic performance
      of serum biomarkers such as galactomannan and beta-D-glucan, as well as
      polymerase chain reaction assays has allowed the development of diagnostic-driven
      antifungal therapy strategies for high risk patients. Diagnostic-driven
      approaches have resulted in reduced unnecessary antifungal exposure, improved
      diagnosis of invasive fungal disease, and reduced costs without increased risk of
      mortality. The appropriateness of diagnostic-driven antifungal strategy for
      individual HSCT centers depends on the availability and turnaround times for
      diagnostics, multidisciplinary expertise, and the local epidemiology of invasive
      fungal infections. Echinocandins are the treatment of choice for invasive
      candidiasis in most HSCT recipients. Fluconazole may be used for the treatment of
      invasive candidiasis in hemodynamically stable patients with no prior azole
      exposure. The primary treatment of choice for invasive aspergillosis is
      voriconazole. Alternatives include isavuconazole and lipid formulations of
      amphotericin. Currently available evidence does not support routine primary
      combination antifungal therapy for invasive aspergillosis. However, combination
      salvage antifungal therapy may be considered in selected patients. Therapeutic
      drug monitoring is recommended for the majority of HSCT recipients on
      itraconazole, posaconazole, or voriconazole.

PMID- 28636888
TI  - Responsiveness of pituitary to galanin throughout the reproductive cycle of male
      European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax).
AB  - The neuropeptide galanin (Gal) is a putative factor regulating puberty onset and
      reproduction through its actions on the pituitary. The present study investigated
      the pituitary responsiveness to galanin and the patterns of galanin receptors
      (Galrs) expression throughout the reproductive cycle of two years old male
      European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), an important aquaculture species.
      Quantitative analysis of pituitary and hypothalamus transcript expression of four
      galr subtypes revealed differential regulation according to the testicular
      developmental stage, with an overall decrease in expression from the immature
      stage to the mid-recrudescence stage. Incubation of pituitary cells with
      mammalian 1-29Gal peptide induced significant changes in cAMP concentration, with
      sensitivities that varied according to the testicular development stages.
      Furthermore 1-29Gal was able to stimulate both follicle stimulating hormone (Fsh)
      and luteinizing hormone (Lh) release from pituitary cell suspensions. The
      magnitude of the effects and effective concentrations varied according to
      reproductive stage, with generalized induction of Fsh and Lh release in animals
      sampled in January (full spermiation). The differential expression of galrs in
      pituitary and hypothalamus across the reproductive season, together with the
      differential effects of Gal on gonadotropins release in vitro strongly suggests
      the involvement of the galaninergic system in the regulation the hypothalamus
      pituitary-gonad axis of male sea bass. This is to our knowledge the first clear
      evidence for the involvement of galanin in the regulation of reproduction in non
      mammalian vertebrates.

PMID- 28636890
TI  - Memory T cells: A helpful guard for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation without causing graft-versus-host disease.
AB  - Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic
      hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) and the major cause of nonrelapse
      morbidity and mortality of AHSCT. In AHSCT, donor T cells facilitate
      hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment, contribute to anti-infection immunity,
      and mediate graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) responses. However, activated
      alloreactive T cells also attack recipient cells in vital organs, leading to
      GVHD. Different T-cell subsets, including naive T (TN) cells, memory T (TM)
      cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells mediate different forms of GVHD and GVL; TN
      cells mediate severe GVHD, whereas TM cells do not cause GVHD, but preserve T
      cell function including GVL. In addition, metabolic reprogramming controls T-cell
      differentiation and activation in these disease states. This minireview focuses
      on the role and the related mechanisms of TM cells in AHSCT, and the potential
      manipulation of T cells in AHSCT.

PMID- 28636892
TI  - Topical bioavailability of diclofenac from locally-acting, dermatological
      formulations.
AB  - Assessment of the bioavailability of topically applied drugs designed to act
      within or beneath the skin is a challenging objective. A number of different, but
      potentially complementary, techniques are under evaluation. The objective of this
      work was to evaluate in vitro skin penetration and stratum corneum tape-stripping
      in vivo as tools with which to measure topical diclofenac bioavailability from
      three approved and commercialized products (two gels and one solution). Drug
      uptake into, and its subsequent clearance from, the stratum corneum of human
      volunteers was used to estimate the input rate of diclofenac into the viable skin
      layers. This flux was compared to that measured across excised porcine skin in
      conventional diffusion cells. Both techniques clearly demonstrated (a) the
      superiority in terms of drug delivery from the solution, and (b) that the two
      gels performed similarly. There was qualitative and, importantly, quantitative
      agreement between the in vitro and in vivo measurements of drug flux into and
      beyond the viable skin. Evidence is therefore presented to support an in vivo -
      in vitro correlation between methods to assess topical drug bioavailability. The
      potential value of the stratum corneum tape-stripping technique to quantify drug
      delivery into (epi)dermal and subcutaneous tissue beneath the barrier is
      demonstrated.

PMID- 28636893
TI  - Controlled release from aspirin based linear biodegradable poly(anhydride esters)
      for anti-inflammatory activity.
AB  - This work reports the synthesis of a novel, aspirin-loaded, linear poly
      (anhydride ester) and provides mechanistic insights into the release of aspirin
      from this polymer for anti-inflammatory activity. As compared to conventional
      drug delivery systems that rely on diffusion based release, incorporation of
      bioactives in the polymer backbone is challenging and high loading is difficult
      to achieve. In the present study, we exploit the pentafunctional sugar alcohol
      (xylitol) to provide sites for drug (aspirin) attachment at its non-terminal OH
      groups. The terminal OH groups are polymerized with a diacid anhydride. The
      hydrolysis of the anhydride and ester bonds under physiological conditions
      release aspirin from the matrix. The resulting poly(anhydride ester) has high
      drug loading (53%) and displays controlled release kinetics of aspirin. The
      polymer releases 8.5 % and 20%, of the loaded drug in one and four weeks,
      respectively and has a release rate constant of 0.0035h-0.61. The release rate is
      suitable for its use as an anti-inflammatory agent without being cytotoxic. The
      polymer exhibits good cytocompatibility and anti-inflammatory properties and may
      find applications as injectable or as an implantable bioactive material. The
      physical insights into the release mechanism can provide development of other
      drug loaded polymers.

PMID- 28636891
TI  - Comparison of cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone to bortezomib
      cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone as induction therapy for multiple myeloma patients
      in Brazil.
AB  - OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation (HSCT) remains the standard treatment for multiple myeloma (MM).
      Thalidomide or bortezomib may be combined with cyclophosphamide and
      dexamethasone, in what are known as the CTD and VCD protocols, respectively. The
      objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and response
      rates obtained with CTD and VCD, observing whether the inclusion of bortezomib to
      treat MM patients in Brazil increases therapeutic efficiency. METHODS: Forty
      three MM patients treated with induction protocols CTD and VCD between January
      2010 and March 2015 were included. The parameters analyzed were staging,
      frequency of comorbidities prior to treatment, response rates obtained at each
      induction cycle, progression-free survival, and overall survival of patients.
      RESULTS: Very good partial response and complete response obtained with the VCD
      protocol were superior, compared with the CTD treatment. The presence of
      comorbidities was similar in the two groups, except kidney failure, which
      prevailed in the VCD group. Also, 78.3% and 48.3% of patients treated with the
      VCD and CTD protocols underwent autologous HSCT, respectively. In patients given
      the VCD protocol, 45.5% had complete response before autologous HSCT. Among those
      given CTD, this number was only 7.1% (p=0.023). Disease progression after
      autologous HSCT did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: VCD afforded
      better responses than the CTD protocol, and improved patient condition before
      autologous HSCT. However, more studies are necessary including more patients and
      addressing various clinical conditions, besides the analysis of cost
      effectiveness of these treatments.

PMID- 28636894
TI  - Effects of HPMC substituent pattern on water up-take, polymer and drug release:
      An experimental and modelling study.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the hydration behavior of two matrix
      formulations containing the cellulose derivative hydroxypropyl methylcellulose
      (HPMC). The two HPMC batches investigated had different substitution pattern
      along the backbone; the first one is referred to as heterogeneous and the second
      as homogenous. The release of both the drug molecule theophylline and the polymer
      was determined. Additionally, the water concentrations at different positions in
      the swollen gel layers were determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. The
      experimental data was compared to predicted values obtained by the extension of a
      mechanistic Fickian based model. The hydration of tablets containing the more
      homogenous HPMC batch showed a gradual water concentration gradient in the gel
      layer and could be well predicted. The hydration process for the more
      heterogeneous batch showed a very abrupt step change in the water concentration
      in the gel layer and could not be well predicted. Based on the comparison between
      the experimental and predicted data this study suggests, for the first time, that
      formulations with HPMC of different heterogeneities form gels in different ways.
      The homogeneous HPMC batch exhibits a water sorption behavior ascribable to a
      Ficks law for the diffusion process whereas the more heterogeneous HPMC batches
      does not. This conclusion is important in the future development of simulation
      models and in the understanding of drug release mechanism from hydrophilic
      matrices.

PMID- 28636895
TI  - Neurocognitive characteristics of youth with noncomorbid and comorbid forms of
      conduct disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Studies investigating neurocognitive deficits in youth with conduct
      disorder (CD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often
      confounded by the high rates of comorbidity between the two. METHOD:
      Neurocognitive functioning was examined in three diagnostic groups (ADHD only, CD
      only, comorbid ADHD and CD) matched by age, sex, IQ, and medication status (n=28
      32 per group). RESULTS: No significant differences emerged between the diagnostic
      groups on measures of risk-taking or response inhibition. Children with CD
      performed better on a measure of spatial planning than those with comorbid ADHD
      and CD, and dimensional analyses in the full sample (n=265) revealed a small
      association between ADHD symptoms and poorer spatial planning. CONCLUSION: These
      results suggest that deficits in spatial planning may be more pronounced in
      individuals with ADHD, but that the neurocognitive functioning of youth with
      noncomorbid and comorbid CD and ADHD are largely similar.

PMID- 28636897
TI  - Inappropriate use of FIB-4 index for cirrhosis detection in hepatocellular
      carcinoma patients.

PMID- 28636896
TI  - Early maladaptive schemas of emotional deprivation, social isolation, shame and
      abandonment are related to a history of suicide attempts among patients with
      major depressive disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with psychiatric disorders have an exceptionally high risk
      of completed or attempted suicide. This holds particularly true for patients with
      major depressive disorders. The aim of the present study was to explore whether
      patients with major depressive disorders (MDD) and a history of suicide attempts
      differed in their early maladaptive schemas from patients with MDD but without
      such a history or from healthy controls. METHOD: Ninety participants took part in
      the study. Of these, 30 were patients with MDD who had made a recent suicide
      attempt; 30 were patients with MDD but no suicide attempts, and 30 were gender-
      and age-matched healthy controls. Participants completed questionnaires covering
      socio-demographic characteristics and the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ- RE2R)
      to assess early maladaptive schemas. Experts rated patients' MDD with the
      Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. RESULTS: Patients did not differ in
      experts' ratings of symptoms of depression. Compared to healthy controls,
      patients with MDD recorded higher scores on maladaptive schemas such as
      recognition seeking, negativity/pessimism, and insufficient self-control.
      Compared to patients without suicide attempts and healthy controls, those who had
      made a suicide attempt had higher scores on dimensions such as failure, mistrust,
      emotional inhibition, social isolation, and abandonment/instability. CONCLUSION:
      Compared to healthy controls, patients with MDD had more pronounced maladaptive
      schemas, but this was more marked in patients with a history of suicide attempts.
      The results suggest that suicide attempts and poorer psychological functioning
      are related.

PMID- 28636898
TI  - Reply to: "Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the absence of cirrhosis in patients
      with chronic hepatitis B virus infection".

PMID- 28636899
TI  - Reply to: "Inappropriate use of FIB-4 index for cirrhosis detection in
      hepatocellular carcinoma patients".

PMID- 28636900
TI  - Reply to: "How to predict global trends in HCC mortality if neglect more than
      half the world's cases?"

PMID- 28636902
TI  - "Riddle Me This": Substrate Channeling Solves the Paradigms of cAMP-Dependent
      Activation of PKA.

PMID- 28636901
TI  - The effect of CD34+ cell telomere length and hTERT expression on the outcome of
      autologous CD34+ cell transplantation in patients with chronic heart failure.
AB  - Age-related telomere attrition in stem/progenitor cells may diminish their
      functional capacity and thereby impair the outcome of cell-based therapies. The
      aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of CD34+ cell telomere
      length and hTERT expression on the clinical outcome of autologous CD34+ cell
      transplantation. We studied 43 patients with cardiomyopathy. Their peripheral
      blood CD34+ cells were mobilized with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor,
      enriched by immunoselection and delivered transendocardially. Relative telomere
      length and expression levels of hTERT were measured using a real-time PCR assay.
      Immunoselected CD34+ cells had longer telomere length compared to leukocytes in
      leukapheresis products (p=0.001). In multivariate analysis, CD34+ cell telomere
      length was not associated with the clinical outcome (b=3.306, p=0.540). While
      hTERT expression was undetectable in all leukapheresis products, 94.4% of the
      CD34+ enriched cell products expressed hTERT. Higher CD34+hTERT expression was
      associated with a better clinical outcome on univariate analysis (b=87.911,
      p=0.047). Our findings demonstrate that CD34+ cell telomere length may not
      influence the clinical outcome in cardiomyopathy patients treated with autologous
      CD34+ cell transplantation. Larger studies are needed to validate the impact of
      the CD34+hTERT expression on the clinical outcome of autologous CD34+ cell
      transplantation.

PMID- 28636903
TI  - Tracking Down Kinesin's Achilles Heel with Balls of Gold.

PMID- 28636904
TI  - Amoebae as Mechanosensitive Tanks.

PMID- 28636905
TI  - A Kepler Workflow Tool for Reproducible AMBER GPU Molecular Dynamics.
AB  - With the drive toward high throughput molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
      involving ever-greater numbers of simulation replicates run for longer,
      biologically relevant timescales (microseconds), the need for improved
      computational methods that facilitate fully automated MD workflows gains more
      importance. Here we report the development of an automated workflow tool to
      perform AMBER GPU MD simulations. Our workflow tool capitalizes on the
      capabilities of the Kepler platform to deliver a flexible, intuitive, and user
      friendly environment and the AMBER GPU code for a robust and high-performance
      simulation engine. Additionally, the workflow tool reduces user input time by
      automating repetitive processes and facilitates access to GPU clusters, whose
      high-performance processing power makes simulations of large numerical scale
      possible. The presented workflow tool facilitates the management and deployment
      of large sets of MD simulations on heterogeneous computing resources. The
      workflow tool also performs systematic analysis on the simulation outputs and
      enhances simulation reproducibility, execution scalability, and MD method
      development including benchmarking and validation.

PMID- 28636906
TI  - Flexible Fitting of Atomic Models into Cryo-EM Density Maps Guided by Helix
      Correspondences.
AB  - Although electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) has recently achieved resolutions of
      better than 3 A, at which point molecular modeling can be done directly from the
      density map, analysis and annotation of a cryo-EM density map still primarily
      rely on fitting atomic or homology models to the density map. In this article, we
      present, to our knowledge, a new method for flexible fitting of known or modeled
      protein structures into cryo-EM density maps. Unlike existing methods that are
      guided by local density gradients, our method is guided by correspondences
      between the alpha-helices in the density map and model, and does not require an
      initial rigid-body fitting step. Compared with current methods on both simulated
      and experimental density maps, our method not only achieves greater accuracy for
      proteins with large deformations but also runs as fast or faster than many of the
      other flexible fitting routines.

PMID- 28636907
TI  - EPR Spectroscopy Targets Structural Changes in the E. coli Membrane Fusion CusB
      upon Cu(I) Binding.
AB  - Bacterial cells have developed sophisticated systems to deal with the toxicity of
      metal ions. Escherichia coli CusCFBA is a complex efflux system, responsible for
      transferring Cu(I) and Ag(I) ions; this system, located in the periplasm,
      involves four proteins, CusA, CusB, CusC, and CusF. CusA, CusB, and CusC are
      connected to one another in an oligomerization ratio of 3:6:3 CusA/CusB/CusC to
      form the CusCBA periplasm membrane transporter. CusB is an adaptor protein that
      connects the two membrane proteins CusA (inner membrane) and CusC (outer
      membrane). CusF is a metallochaperone that transfers Cu(I) and Ag(I) to the
      CusCBA transporter from the periplasm. The crystal structures of CusB, CusC,
      CusF, and the CusBA complex have been resolved, shedding some light on the efflux
      mechanism underlying this intriguing system. However, since CusB is an adaptor
      protein, its role in operating this system is significant, and should be
      understood in detail. Here, we utilize EPR spectroscopy to target the
      conformational changes that take place in the full CusB protein upon binding
      Cu(I). We reveal that CusB is a dimer in solution, and that the orientation of
      one molecule with respect to the other molecule changes upon Cu(I) coordination,
      resulting in a more compact CusB structure. These structural and topological
      changes upon Cu(I) binding probably play the role of a switch for opening the
      channel and transferring metal ions from CusB to CusC and out of the cell.

PMID- 28636908
TI  - Schiff Base Proton Acceptor Assists Photoisomerization of Retinal Chromophores in
      Bacteriorhodopsin.
AB  - In this study, we investigated the ultrafast dynamics of bacteriorhodopsins (BRs)
      from Haloquadratum walsbyi (HwBR) and Haloarcula marismortui (HmBRI and HmBRII).
      First, the ultrafast dynamics were studied for three HwBR samples: wild-type,
      D93N mutation, and D104N mutation. The residues of the D93 and D104 mutants
      correspond to the control by the Schiff base proton acceptor and donor of the
      proton translocation subchannels. Measurements indicated that the negative charge
      from the Schiff base proton acceptor residue D93 interacts with the ultrafast and
      substantial change of the electrostatic potential associated with chromophore
      isomerization. By contrast, the Schiff base proton donor assists the
      restructuring of the chromophore cavity hydrogen-bond network during the
      thermalization of the vibrational hot state. Second, the ultrafast dynamics of
      the wild-types of HwBR, HmBRI, and HmBRII were compared. Measurements
      demonstrated that the hydrogen-bond network in the extracellular region in HwBR
      and HmBRII slows the photoisomerization of retinal chromophores, and the
      negatively charged helices on the cytoplasmic side of HwBR and HmBRII accelerate
      the thermalization of the vibrational hot state of retinal chromophores. The
      similarity of the correlation spectra of the wild-type HmBRI and D104N mutant of
      HwBR indicates that inactivation of the Schiff base proton donor induces a
      positive charge on the helices of the cytoplasmic side.

PMID- 28636909
TI  - Electric-Field-Induced Protein Translocation via a Conformational Transition in
      SecDF: An MD Study.
AB  - SecDF is an important component of the Sec protein translocation machinery
      embedded in the bacterial membrane, which is associated with many functions, such
      as stabilizing other Sec translocon components within the membrane, maintaining
      the transmembrane (TM) potential, and facilitating the ATP-independent stage of
      the translocation mechanism. Related studies suggest that SecDF undergoes
      functionally important conformational changes that involve mainly its P1-head
      domain and that these changes are coupled with the proton motive force (Deltap).
      However, there still is not a clear understanding of how SecDF functions, its
      exact role in the translocation machinery, and how its function is related to
      Deltap. Here, using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations combined with
      umbrella sampling, we study the P1-head conformational change and how it is
      coupled to the proton motive force. We report potentials of mean force along a
      root-mean-square-distance-based reaction coordinate obtained in the presence and
      absence of the TM electrical potential. Our results show that the interaction of
      the P1 domain dipole moment with the TM electrical field considerably lowers the
      free-energy barrier in the direction of F-form to I-form transition.

PMID- 28636910
TI  - Prp40 Homolog A Is a Novel Centrin Target.
AB  - Pre-mRNA processing protein 40 (Prp40) is a nuclear protein that has a role in
      pre-mRNA splicing. Prp40 possesses two leucine-rich nuclear export signals, but
      little is known about the function of Prp40 in the export process. Another
      protein that has a role in protein export is centrin, a member of the EF-hand
      superfamily of Ca2+-binding proteins. Prp40 was found to be a centrin target by
      yeast-two-hybrid screening using both Homo sapiens centrin 2 (Hscen2) and
      Chlamydomonas reinhardtii centrin (Crcen). We identified a centrin-binding site
      within H. sapiens Prp40 homolog A (HsPrp40A), which contains a hydrophobic triad
      W1L4L8 that is known to be important in the interaction with centrin. This
      centrin-binding site is highly conserved within the first nuclear export signal
      consensus sequence identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Prp40. Here, we examine
      the interaction of HsPrp40A peptide (HsPrp40Ap) with both Hscen2 and Crcen by
      isothermal titration calorimetry. We employed the thermodynamic parameterization
      to estimate the polar and apolar surface area of the interface. In addition, we
      have defined the molecular mechanism of thermally induced unfolding and
      dissociation of the Crcen-HsPrp40Ap complex using two-dimensional infrared
      correlation spectroscopy. These complementary techniques showed for the first
      time, to our knowledge, that HsPrp40Ap interacts with centrin in vitro,
      supporting a coupled functional role for these proteins in pre-mRNA splicing.

PMID- 28636911
TI  - Direct Conversion of an Enzyme from Native-like to Amyloid-like Aggregates within
      Inclusion Bodies.
AB  - The acylphosphatase from Sulfolobus solfataricus (Sso AcP) is a globular protein
      able to aggregate in vitro from a native-like conformational ensemble without the
      need for a transition across the major unfolding energy barrier. This process
      leads to the formation of assemblies in which the protein retains its native-like
      structure, which subsequently convert into amyloid-like aggregates. Here, we
      investigate the mechanism by which Sso AcP aggregates in vivo to form bacterial
      inclusion bodies after expression in E. coli. Shortly after the initiation of
      expression, Sso AcP is incorporated into inclusion bodies as a native-like
      protein, still exhibiting small but significant enzymatic activity. Additional
      experiments revealed that this overall process of aggregation is enhanced by the
      presence of the unfolded N-terminal region of the sequence and by destabilization
      of the globular segment of the protein. At later times, the Sso AcP molecules in
      the inclusion bodies lose their native-like properties and convert into beta
      sheet-rich amyloid-like structures, as indicated by their ability to bind
      thioflavin T and Congo red. These results show that the aggregation behavior of
      this protein is similar in vivo to that observed in vitro, and that, at least for
      a predominant part of the protein population, the transition from a native to an
      amyloid-like structure occurs within the aggregate state.

PMID- 28636912
TI  - Channeling of cAMP in PDE-PKA Complexes Promotes Signal Adaptation.
AB  - Spatiotemporal control of the cAMP signaling pathway is governed by both hormonal
      stimulation of cAMP generation by adenylyl cyclases (activation phase) and cAMP
      hydrolysis by phosphodiesterases (PDEs) (termination phase). The termination
      phase is initiated by PDEs actively targeting the protein kinase A (PKA) R
      subunit through formation of a PDE-PKAR-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)
      complex (the termination complex). Our results using PDE8 as a model PDE, reveal
      that PDEs mediate active hydrolysis of cAMP bound to its receptor RIalpha by
      enhancing the enzymatic activity. This accelerated cAMP turnover occurs via
      formation of a stable PDE8-RIalpha complex, where the protein-protein interface
      forms peripheral contacts and the central ligand cements this ternary
      interaction. The basis for enhanced catalysis is active translocation of cAMP
      from its binding site on RIalpha to the hydrolysis site on PDE8 through direct
      "channeling." Our results reveal cAMP channeling in the PDE8-RIalpha complex and
      a molecular description of how this channel facilitates processive hydrolysis of
      unbound cAMP. Thus, unbound cAMP maintains the PDE8-RIalpha complex while being
      hydrolyzed, revealing an undiscovered mode for amplification of PKA activity by
      cAMP-mediated sequestration of the R-subunit by PDEs. This novel regulatory mode
      explains the paradox of cAMP signal amplification by accelerated PDE-mediated
      cAMP turnover. This highlights how target effector proteins of small-molecule
      ligands can promote enzyme-mediated ligand hydrolysis by scaffolding effects.
      Enhanced activity of the PDE8-RIalpha complex facilitates robust desensitization,
      allowing the cell to respond to dynamic levels of cAMP rather than steady-state
      levels. The PDE8-RIalpha complex represents a new class of PDE-based complexes
      for specific drug discovery targeting the cAMP signaling pathway.

PMID- 28636913
TI  - Heterogeneous Tau-Tubulin Complexes Accelerate Microtubule Polymerization.
AB  - Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein with a central role in the pathology
      of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Tau normally functions to stabilize
      neuronal microtubules, although the mechanism underlying this function is not
      well understood. Of note is that the interaction between tau and soluble tubulin,
      which has implications both in understanding tau function as well as its role in
      disease, is underexplored. Here we investigate the relationship between
      heterogeneity in tau-tubulin complexes and tau function. Specifically, we created
      a series of truncated and scrambled tau constructs and characterized the size and
      heterogeneity of the tau-tubulin complexes formed under nonpolymerizing
      conditions. Function of the constructs was verified by tubulin polymerization
      assays. We find that, surprisingly, the pseudo-repeat region of tau, which flanks
      the core microtubule-binding domain of tau, contributes largely to the formation
      of large, heterogeneous tau tubulin complexes; additional independent tubulin
      binding sites exist in repeats two and three of the microtubule binding domain.
      Of particular interest is that we find positive correlation between the size and
      heterogeneity of the complexes and rate of tau-promoted microtubule
      polymerization. We propose that tau-tubulin can be described as a "fuzzy"
      complex, and our results demonstrate the importance of heterogeneous complex
      formation in tau function. This work provides fundamental insights into the
      functional mechanism of tau, and more broadly underscores the relevance of
      heterogeneous and dynamic complexes in the functions of intrinsically disordered
      proteins.

PMID- 28636914
TI  - Peptide-Protein Binding Investigated by Far-IR Spectroscopy and Molecular
      Dynamics Simulations.
AB  - Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and far-infrared (far-IR) spectroscopy were
      combined to study peptide binding by the second PDZ domain (PDZ1) of MAGI1, which
      has been identified as an important target for the Human Papilloma Virus. PDZ1
      recognizes and binds to the C-terminal end of the E6 protein from high-risk Human
      Papilloma Virus. The far-IR spectra of two forms of the protein, an unbound APO
      form and a HOLO form (where the PDZ1 is bound to an 11-residue peptide derived
      from the C terminus of HPV16 E6), were obtained. MD simulations were used to
      determine the most representative structure of each form and these were used to
      compute their respective IR spectra by normal mode analysis. Far-UV circular
      dichroism spectroscopy was used to confirm the secondary structure content and
      the stability through temperature-dependent studies. Both the experimental and
      calculated far-IR spectra showed a red shift of the low-frequency peaks upon
      peptide binding. The calculations show that this is coincident with an increased
      number of hydrogen bonds formed as the peptide augments the protein beta-sheet.
      We further identified the contribution of surface-bound water molecules to bands
      in the far-IR and, through the calculations, identified potential pathways for
      allosteric communication. Together, these results demonstrate the utility of
      combining far-IR experiments and MD studies to study peptide binding by proteins.

PMID- 28636915
TI  - Probing the Structural Dynamics of the NMDA Receptor Activation by Coarse-Grained
      Modeling.
AB  - N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are glutamate-gated excitatory channels
      that play essential roles in brain functions. High-resolution structures have
      been solved for an allosterically inhibited and agonist-bound form of a
      functional NMDA receptor; however, other key functional states (particularly the
      active open-channel state) were only resolved at moderate resolutions by cryo
      electron microscopy (cryo-EM). To decrypt the mechanism of the NMDA receptor
      activation, structural modeling is essential to provide presently missing
      information about structural dynamics. We performed systematic coarse-grained
      modeling using an elastic network model and related modeling/analysis tools
      (e.g., normal mode analysis, flexibility and hotspot analysis, cryo-EM flexible
      fitting, and transition pathway modeling) based on an active-state cryo-EM map.
      We observed extensive conformational changes that allosterically couple the
      extracellular regulatory and agonist-binding domains to the pore-forming trans
      membrane domain (TMD), and validated these, to our knowledge, new observations
      against known mutational and functional studies. Our results predict two key
      modes of collective motions featuring shearing/twisting of the extracellular
      domains relative to the TMD, reveal subunit-specific flexibility profiles, and
      identify functional hotspot residues at key domain-domain interfaces. Finally, by
      examining the conformational transition pathway between the allosterically
      inhibited form and the active form, we predict a discrete sequence of domain
      motions, which propagate from the extracellular domains to the TMD. In summary,
      our results offer rich structural and dynamic information, which is consistent
      with the literature on structure-function relationships in NMDA receptors, and
      will guide in-depth studies on the activation dynamics of this important
      neurotransmitter receptor.

PMID- 28636917
TI  - Kinesin Processivity Is Determined by a Kinetic Race from a Vulnerable One-Head
      Bound State.
AB  - Kinesin processivity, defined as the average number of steps that occur per
      interaction with a microtubule, is an important biophysical determinant of the
      motor's intracellular capabilities. Despite its fundamental importance to the
      diversity of tasks that kinesins carry out in cells, no existing quantitative
      model fully explains how structural differences between kinesins alter kinetic
      rates in the ATPase cycle to produce functional changes in processivity. Here we
      use high-resolution single-molecule microscopy to directly observe the stepping
      behavior of kinesin-1 and -2 family motors with different length neck-linker
      domains. We characterize a one-head-bound posthydrolysis vulnerable state where a
      kinetic race occurs between attachment of the tethered head to its next binding
      site and detachment of the bound head from the microtubule. We find that greater
      processivity is correlated with faster attachment of the tethered head from this
      vulnerable state. In compliment, we show that slowing detachment from this
      vulnerable state by strengthening motor-microtubule electrostatic interactions
      also increases processivity. Furthermore, we provide evidence that attachment of
      the tethered head is irreversible, suggesting a first passage model for exit from
      the vulnerable state. Overall, our results provide a kinetic framework for
      explaining kinesin processivity and for mapping structural differences to
      functional differences in diverse kinesin isoforms.

PMID- 28636919
TI  - Monitoring Quantitative Ultrasound Parameter Changes in a Cell Pellet Model of
      Cell Starvation.
AB  - Although it has previously been shown that the spectral analysis of ultrasound
      backscatter data is sensitive to the cellular changes caused by apoptosis, the
      sensitivity of spectral analysis to oncosis or ischemic cell death had not
      previously been studied. Whereas many anticancer treatments induce apoptosis,
      others induce cell starvation, or oncosis. HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells were
      formed into pellets and covered in phosphate-buffered saline at room temperature
      for 56 h. The pellets were imaged every 8 h with high-frequency (55 MHz)
      ultrasound and the raw radio-frequency data processed. The lack of nutrients
      available to the cells induced cell death due to oncosis. The attenuation slope,
      speed of sound, spectral slope, and midband fit were estimated at each of the
      eight time points to identify changes as the cells died due to starvation. The
      spectral slope decreased monotonically over the 56 h, whereas the attenuation
      slope showed an increase between 1 and 48 h, followed by a slight decrease
      between 48 and 56 h. The midband fit did not vary over time. The speed of sound
      increased from 1514 to 1532 m/s over the first 24 h, after which time it
      plateaued. These in vitro results indicate different trends in ultrasound
      parameter changes from those of in vitro apoptotic cells, suggesting that these
      different methods of cell death can be identified not only by morphological
      markers, but also by specific ultrasound signatures.

PMID- 28636916
TI  - Structural Behavior of the Peptaibol Harzianin HK VI in a DMPC Bilayer: Insights
      from MD Simulations.
AB  - Microsecond molecular dynamics simulations of harzianin HK VI (HZ) interacting
      with a dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer were performed at the condition of
      low peptide-to-lipid ratio. Two orientations of HZ molecule in the bilayer were
      found and characterized. In the orientation perpendicular to the bilayer surface,
      HZ induces a local thinning of the bilayer. When inserted into the bilayer
      parallel to its surface, HZ is located nearly completely within the hydrophobic
      region of the bilayer. A combination of solid-state NMR and circular dichroism
      experiments found the latter orientation to be dominant. An extended sampling
      simulation provided qualitative results and showed the same orientation to be a
      global minimum of free energy. The secondary structure of HZ was characterized,
      and it was found to be located in the 310-helical family. The specific challenges
      of computer simulation of nonpolar peptides are discussed briefly.

PMID- 28636920
TI  - Nanog Fluctuations in Embryonic Stem Cells Highlight the Problem of Measurement
      in Cell Biology.
AB  - A number of important pluripotency regulators, including the transcription factor
      Nanog, are observed to fluctuate stochastically in individual embryonic stem
      cells. By transiently priming cells for commitment to different lineages, these
      fluctuations are thought to be important to the maintenance of, and exit from,
      pluripotency. However, because temporal changes in intracellular protein
      abundances cannot be measured directly in live cells, fluctuations are typically
      assessed using genetically engineered reporter cell lines that produce a
      fluorescent signal as a proxy for protein expression. Here, using a combination
      of mathematical modeling and experiment, we show that there are unforeseen ways
      in which widely used reporter strategies can systematically disturb the dynamics
      they are intended to monitor, sometimes giving profoundly misleading results. In
      the case of Nanog, we show how genetic reporters can compromise the behavior of
      important pluripotency-sustaining positive feedback loops, and induce a
      bifurcation in the underlying dynamics that gives rise to heterogeneous Nanog
      expression patterns in reporter cell lines that are not representative of the
      wild-type. These findings help explain the range of published observations of
      Nanog variability and highlight the problem of measurement in live cells.

PMID- 28636918
TI  - Actin Filament Strain Promotes Severing and Cofilin Dissociation.
AB  - Computational and structural studies have been indispensable in investigating the
      molecular origins of actin filament mechanical properties and modulation by the
      regulatory severing protein cofilin. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of
      cofilactin filament structures determined by electron cryomicroscopy reveal how
      cofilin enhances the bending and twisting compliance of actin filaments.
      Continuum mechanics models suggest that buckled cofilactin filaments localize
      elastic energy at boundaries between bare and cofilin-decorated segments because
      of their nonuniform elasticity, thereby accelerating filament severing. Here, we
      develop mesoscopic length-scale (cofil)actin filament models and evaluate the
      effects of compressive and twisting loads on strain energy distribution at
      specific interprotein interfaces. The models reliably capture the filament
      bending and torsional rigidities and intersubunit torsional flexibility measured
      experimentally with purified protein components. Buckling is predicted to enhance
      cofilactin filament severing with minimal effects on cofilin occupancy, whereas
      filament twisting enhances cofilin dissociation without compromising filament
      integrity. Preferential severing at actin-cofilactin boundaries of buckled
      filaments is more prominent than predicted by continuum models because of the
      enhanced spatial resolution. The models developed here will be valuable for
      evaluating the effects of filament shape deformations on filament stability and
      interactions with regulatory proteins, and analysis of single filament
      manipulation assays.

PMID- 28636922
TI  - An Experimental Framework for Quantifying Bacterial Tolerance.
AB  - Antibiotic tolerance and persistence are often associated with treatment failure
      and relapse, yet are poorly characterized. In distinction from resistance, which
      is measured using the minimum inhibitory concentration metric, tolerance and
      persistence values are not currently evaluated in the clinical setting, and so
      are overlooked when a course of treatment is prescribed. In this article, we
      introduce a metric and an automated experimental framework for measuring
      tolerance and persistence. The tolerance metric is the minimum duration for
      killing 99% of the population, MDK99, which can be evaluated by a statistical
      analysis of measurements performed manually or using a robotic system. We
      demonstrate the technique on strains of Escherichia coli with various tolerance
      levels. We hope that this, to our knowledge, new approach will be used, along
      with the existing minimum inhibitory concentration, as a standard for the in
      vitro characterization of sensitivity to antimicrobials. Quantification of
      tolerance and persistence may provide vital information in healthcare, and aid
      research in the field.

PMID- 28636921
TI  - Characterizing Intracellular Ice Formation of Lymphoblasts Using Low-Temperature
      Raman Spectroscopy.
AB  - Raman microspectroscopy was used to quantify freezing response of cells to
      various cooling rates and solution compositions. The distribution pattern of
      cytochrome c in individual cells was used as a measure of cell viability in the
      frozen state and this metric agreed well with the population-averaged viability
      and trypan blue staining experiments. Raman imaging of cells demonstrated that
      intracellular ice formation (IIF) was common and did not necessarily result in
      cell death. The amount of intracellular ice as well as ice crystal size played a
      role in determining whether or not ice inside the cell was a lethal event.
      Intracellular ice crystals were colocated to the sections of cell membrane in
      close proximity to extracellular ice. Increasing the distance between
      extracellular ice and cell membrane decreased the incidence of IIF. Reducing the
      effective stiffness of the cell membrane by disrupting the actin cytoskeleton
      using cytochalasin D increased the amount of IIF. Strong intracellular osmotic
      gradients were observed when IIF was present. These observations support the
      hypothesis that interactions between the cell membrane and extracellular ice
      result in IIF. Raman spectromicroscopy provides a powerful tool for observing IIF
      and understanding its role in cell death during freezing, and enables the
      development, to our knowledge, of new and improved cell preservation protocols.

PMID- 28636924
TI  - Epithelial Folding Driven by Apical or Basal-Lateral Modulation: Geometric
      Features, Mechanical Inference, and Boundary Effects.
AB  - During embryonic development, epithelial sheets fold into complex structures
      required for tissue and organ functions. Although substantial efforts have been
      devoted to identifying molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial folding, far
      less is understood about how forces deform individual cells to sculpt the overall
      sheet morphology. Here we describe a simple and general theoretical model for the
      autonomous folding of monolayered epithelial sheets. We show that active
      modulation of intracellular mechanics along the basal-lateral as well as the
      apical surfaces is capable of inducing fold formation in the absence of buckling
      instability. Apical modulation sculpts epithelia into shallow and V-shaped folds,
      whereas basal-lateral modulation generates deep and U-shaped folds. These
      characteristic tissue shapes remain unchanged when subject to mechanical
      perturbations from the surroundings, illustrating that the autonomous folding is
      robust against environmental variabilities. At the cellular scale, how cells
      change shape depends on their initial aspect ratios and the modulation
      mechanisms. Such cell deformation characteristics are verified via experimental
      measurements for a canonical folding process driven by apical modulation,
      indicating that our theory could be used to infer the underlying folding
      mechanisms based on experimental data. The mechanical principles revealed in our
      model could potentially guide future studies on epithelial folding in diverse
      systems.

PMID- 28636923
TI  - Mechanosensitive Adhesion Explains Stepping Motility in Amoeboid Cells.
AB  - Cells employing amoeboid motility exhibit repetitive cycles of rapid expansion
      and contraction and apply coordinated traction forces to their environment.
      Although aspects of this process are well studied, it is unclear how the cell
      controls the coordination of cell length changes with adhesion to the surface.
      Here, we develop a simple model to mechanistically explain the emergence of
      periodic changes in length and spatiotemporal dynamics of traction forces
      measured in chemotaxing unicellular amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum. In contrast
      to the biochemical mechanisms that have been implicated in the coordination of
      some cellular processes, we show that many features of amoeboid locomotion emerge
      from a simple mechanochemical model. The mechanism for interaction with the
      environment in Dictyostelium is unknown and thus, we explore different cell
      environment interaction models to reveal that mechanosensitive adhesions are
      necessary to reproduce the spatiotemporal adhesion patterns. In this modeling
      framework, we find that the other motility modes, such as smooth gliding, arise
      naturally with variations in the physical properties of the surface. Thus, our
      work highlights the prominent role of biomechanics in determining the emergent
      features of amoeboid locomotion.

PMID- 28636925
TI  - Achievements and Challenges for Our Society's Journal.

PMID- 28636926
TI  - Enhanced human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cell adhesion on scaffolds
      promotes cell survival and bone formation.
AB  - : In order to induce an efficient bone formation with human bone marrow
      mesenchymal stromal cells (hBMSC) associated to a scaffold, it is crucial to
      determine the key points of the hBMSC action after in vivo transplantation as
      well as the appropriate features of a scaffold. To this aim we compared the hBMSC
      behavior when grafted onto two biomaterials allowing different bone potential in
      vivo. The cancellous devitalized Tutoplast(r)-processed bone (TPB) and the
      synthetic hydroxyapatite/beta-tricalcium-phosphate (HA/betaTCP) which give at
      6weeks 100% and 50% of bone formation respectively. We first showed that hBMSC
      adhesion is two times favored on TPB in vitro and in vivo compared to HA/betaTCP.
      Biomaterial structure analysis indicated that the better cell adhesion on TPB is
      associated to its higher and smooth open pore architecture as well as its content
      in collagen. Our 6week time course analysis, showed using qPCR that only adherent
      cells are able to survive in vivo giving thus an advantage in term of cell number
      on TPB during the first 4weeks after graft. We then showed that grafted hBMSC
      survival is crucial as cells participate directly to bone formation and play a
      paracrine action via the secretion of hIGF1 and hRANKL which are known to
      regulate the bone formation and resorption pathways respectively. Altogether our
      results point out the importance of developing a smooth and open pore scaffold to
      optimize hBMSC adhesion and ensure cell survival in vivo as it is a prerequisite
      to potentiate their direct and paracrine functions. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE:
      Around 10% of skeletal fractures do not heal correctly causing nonunion. An
      approach involving mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) associated with biomaterials
      emerges as an innovative strategy for bone repair. The diversity of scaffolds is
      a source of heterogeneity for bone formation efficiency. In order to better
      determine the characteristics of a powerful scaffold it is crucial to understand
      their relationship with cells after graft. Our results highlight that a
      biomaterial architecture similar to cancellous bone is important to promote MSC
      adhesion and ensure cell survival in vivo. Additionally, we demonstrated that the
      grafted MSC play a direct role coupled to a paracrine effect to enhance bone
      formation and that both of those roles are governed by the used scaffold.

PMID- 28636927
TI  - Noxious, but not innocuous, thermal stimuli evoke pERK expression in dorsal horn
      neurons after spared nerve injury in adult rats.
AB  - Noxious stimulation of sensory afferents evokes phosphorylated extracellular
      signal regulated kinase (pERK) expression in spinal cord neurons. This study
      investigated the expression of pERK in the dorsal horn neurons in response to
      innocuous and noxious cold stimuli in naive versus spared nerve injury (SNI)
      rats. Noxious cold or hot stimuli (0 or 45 degrees C) elicited pERK expression in
      laminae I-II whereas cooling stimuli from 32 degrees C to 25, 15 or 5 degrees C
      produced no or little pERK expression in dorsal horn neurons. Five days after
      SNI, a time when these animals showed heat hyperalgesia, cold and mechanical
      hypersensitivity, only noxious heat stimuli produced a significant increase in
      pERK expression compared to naive rats in spinal cord neurons. Thus, pERK cannot
      be used as an activity marker for neurons responding to cooling stimuli or cold
      allodynia; however, these results confirm the role of pERK as an activity marker
      for heat hyperalgesia.

PMID- 28636928
TI  - Neurovascular toxicity of N-methyl-d-aspartate is markedly enhanced in the
      developing mouse central nervous system.
AB  - Penumbral perfusion is critical to brain viability. Proximal arterial occlusion
      and deep brain stroke has variable effect on cortical dysfunction. Cortical
      microvessel collaterals may be recruited and at times sufficient for partial
      parenchymal perfusion. Postnatal neural and endothelial cells are markedly
      vulnerable to glutamate excitotoxicity. Early vascular cell stress may promote
      partial protective neural preconditioning though postnatally a developmental
      window of the cerebral microvasculature may be particularly vulnerable to injury.
      We tested the hypothesis that postnatal NMDA excitotoxic injury, when cerebral
      endothelial cells' central energy source is via glycolysis, is age specific.
      Neurovascular responses of cortical viability were directly identified with
      diffuse reflectance patterns of perfusion properties in a non-invasive manner,
      over time. Histological evaluation for neural and vascular cytoarchitectonic
      abnormalities were evaluated 4- 7days post injury. Optical diffuse reflectance
      recordings were obtained at the injection site prior to, immediately after and
      48h post injury. Extent of neurovascular injury at the infarct zone was greatest
      at PND 5 and cortical perfusion responses identified with recordings of pattern
      change. These data further suggest excitotoxic injury to both neural and vascular
      cells, in vivo, can enhance CNS injury in the young and neuroprotective
      strategies may benefit from vascular directed therapies.

PMID- 28636929
TI  - Intrinsic functional connectivity alteration of dorsal and rostral anterior
      cingulate cortex in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A resting fMRI study.
AB  - Cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit has been implicated in OCD
      pathophysiology by converging neuroimaging findings. The anterior cingulate
      cortex (ACC), as an important part within CSTC circuit, plays a critical role in
      OCD etiology. The ACC can be divided into dorsal and rostral parts anatomically,
      which are involved in cognitive process and emotional function, respectively.
      However, the diverse function of intrinsic signals from dorsal and rostral ACC
      regions remains unclear in OCD study. In this work, we applied resting-state
      functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) technology to investigate and
      differentiate the functional connectivity (FC) characteristics between dACC and
      rACC in unmedicated OCD patients. Also, the correlation between the altered FC
      and clinical symptom severity was analyzed. Decreased FC of rACC-DLPFC and
      increased FC between dACC and caudate were found. Moreover, the altered dACC
      caudate FC was positively correlated with total Y-BOCS and compulsion score in
      OCD patients. Our findings implied the crossed function of dorsal and rostral
      circuits in the pathophysiologic mechanism of OCD. The dorsal cingulate-striatum
      functional pathway served as a potential biomarker for OCD symptomatology and
      merits further investigations.

PMID- 28636930
TI  - A Tonoplast P3B-ATPase Mediates Fusion of Two Types of Vacuoles in Petal Cells.
AB  - It is known that plant cells can contain multiple distinct vacuoles; however, the
      abundance of multivacuolar cells and the mechanisms underlying vacuolar
      differentiation and communication among different types of vacuoles remain
      unknown. PH1 and PH5 are tonoplast P-ATPases that form a heteromeric pump that
      hyper-acidifies the central vacuole (CV) of epidermal cells in petunia petals.
      Here, we show that the sorting of this pump and other vacuolar proteins to the CV
      involves transit through small vacuoles: vacuolinos. Vacuolino formation is
      controlled by transcription factors regulating pigment synthesis and
      transcription of PH1 and PH5. Trafficking of proteins from vacuolinos to the
      central vacuole is impaired by misexpression of vacuolar SNAREs as well as
      mutants for the PH1 component of the PH1-PH5 pump. The finding that PH1-PH5 and
      these SNAREs interact strongly suggests that structural tonoplast proteins can
      act as tethering factors in the recognition of different vacuolar types.

PMID- 28636931
TI  - p53 Prohibits Propagation of Chromosome Segregation Errors that Produce
      Structural Aneuploidies.
AB  - The presence of an abnormal karyotype has been shown to be profoundly detrimental
      at the cellular and organismal levels but is an overt hallmark of cancer.
      Aneuploidy can lead to p53 activation and thereby prevents proliferation, but the
      exact trigger for p53 activation has remained controversial. Here, we have used a
      system to induce aneuploidy in untransformed human cells to explore how cells
      deal with different segregation errors. We show that p53 is activated only in a
      subset of the cells with altered chromosome content. Importantly, we find that at
      least a subset of whole-chromosome aneuploidies can be propagated in p53
      proficient cells, indicating that aneuploidy does not always lead to activation
      of p53. Finally, we demonstrate that propagation of structural aneuploidies (gain
      or loss of part of a chromosome) induced by segregation errors is limited to p53
      deficient cells.

PMID- 28636932
TI  - Ubiquitination-Linked Phosphorylation of the FANCI S/TQ Cluster Contributes to
      Activation of the Fanconi Anemia I/D2 Complex.
AB  - Repair of interstrand crosslinks by the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway requires both
      monoubiquitination and de-ubiquitination of the FANCI/FANCD2 (FANCI/D2) complex.
      In the standing model, the phosphorylation of six sites in the FANCI S/TQ cluster
      domain occurs upstream of, and promotes, FANCI/D2 monoubiquitination. We
      generated phospho-specific antibodies against three different S/TQ cluster sites
      (serines 556, 559, and 565) on human FANCI and found that, in contrast to the
      standing model, distinct FANCI sites were phosphorylated either predominantly
      upstream (ubiquitination independent; serine 556) or downstream (ubiquitination
      linked; serines 559 and 565) of FANCI/D2 monoubiquitination. Ubiquitination
      linked FANCI phosphorylation inhibited FANCD2 de-ubiquitination and bypassed the
      need to de-ubiquitinate FANCD2 to achieve effective interstrand crosslink repair.
      USP1 depletion suppressed ubiquitination-linked FANCI phosphorylation despite
      increasing FANCI/D2 monoubiquitination, providing an explanation of why FANCD2 de
      ubiquitination is important for function of the FA pathway. Our work results in a
      refined model of how FANCI phosphorylation activates the FANCI/D2 complex.

PMID- 28636933
TI  - Drosophila Neuropeptide F Signaling Independently Regulates Feeding and Sleep
      Wake Behavior.
AB  - Proper regulation of sleep-wake behavior and feeding is essential for organismal
      health and survival. While previous studies have isolated discrete neural loci
      and substrates important for either sleep or feeding, how the brain is organized
      to coordinate both processes with respect to one another remains poorly
      understood. Here, we provide evidence that the Drosophila Neuropeptide F (NPF)
      network forms a critical component of both adult sleep and feeding regulation.
      Activation of NPF signaling in the brain promotes wakefulness and adult feeding,
      likely through its cognate receptor NPFR. Flies carrying a loss-of-function NPF
      allele do not suppress sleep following prolonged starvation conditions,
      suggesting that NPF acts as a hunger signal to keep the animal awake. NPF
      expressing cells, specifically those expressing the circadian photoreceptor
      cryptochrome, are largely responsible for changes to sleep behavior caused by NPF
      neuron activation, but not feeding, demonstrating that different NPF neurons
      separately drive wakefulness and hunger.

PMID- 28636934
TI  - The TMAO-Producing Enzyme Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase 3 Regulates Obesity and
      the Beiging of White Adipose Tissue.
AB  - Emerging evidence suggests that microbes resident in the human intestine
      represent a key environmental factor contributing to obesity-associated
      disorders. Here, we demonstrate that the gut microbiota-initiated trimethylamine
      N-oxide (TMAO)-generating pathway is linked to obesity and energy metabolism. In
      multiple clinical cohorts, systemic levels of TMAO were observed to strongly
      associate with type 2 diabetes. In addition, circulating TMAO levels were
      associated with obesity traits in the different inbred strains represented in the
      Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel. Further, antisense oligonucleotide-mediated
      knockdown or genetic deletion of the TMAO-producing enzyme flavin-containing
      monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) conferred protection against obesity in mice.
      Complimentary mouse and human studies indicate a negative regulatory role for
      FMO3 in the beiging of white adipose tissue. Collectively, our studies reveal a
      link between the TMAO-producing enzyme FMO3 and obesity and the beiging of white
      adipose tissue.

PMID- 28636936
TI  - Strong TCRgammadelta Signaling Prohibits Thymic Development of IL-17A-Secreting
      gammadelta T Cells.
AB  - Despite a growing appreciation of gammadelta T cell contributions to numerous
      immune responses, the mechanisms that underpin their thymic development remain
      poorly understood. Here, using precursor/product relationships, we identify
      thymic stages in two distinct developmental pathways that generate gammadelta T
      cells pre-committed to subsequent secretion of either IL-17A or IFNgamma.
      Importantly, this framework for tracking gammadelta T cell development has
      permitted definitive assessment of TCRgammadelta signal strength in commitment to
      gammadelta T cell effector fate; increased TCRgammadelta signal strength
      profoundly prohibited the development of all IL-17A-secreting gammadelta T cells,
      regardless of Vgamma usage, but promoted the development of gammadelta
      progenitors along the IFNgamma pathway. This clarifies the recently debated role
      of TCRgammadelta signal strength in commitment to distinct gammadelta T cell
      effector fates and proposes an alternate methodology for the study of gammadelta
      T cell development.

PMID- 28636935
TI  - The Sensory Striatum Is Permanently Impaired by Transient Developmental
      Deprivation.
AB  - Corticostriatal circuits play a fundamental role in regulating many behaviors,
      and their dysfunction is associated with many neurological disorders. In
      contrast, sensory disorders, like hearing loss (HL), are commonly linked with
      processing deficits at or below the level of the auditory cortex (ACx). However,
      HL can be accompanied by non-sensory deficits, such as learning delays,
      suggesting the involvement of regions downstream of ACx. Here, we show that
      transient developmental HL differentially affected the ACx and its downstream
      target, the sensory striatum. Following HL, both juvenile ACx layer 5 and
      striatal neurons displayed an excitatory-inhibitory imbalance and lower firing
      rates. After hearing was restored, adult ACx neurons recovered balanced
      excitatory-inhibitory synaptic gain and control-like firing rates, but striatal
      neuron synapses and firing properties did not recover. Thus, a brief period of
      abnormal cortical activity may induce cellular impairments that persist into
      adulthood and contribute to neurological disorders that are striatal in origin.

PMID- 28636937
TI  - The Conserved RNA Binding Cyclophilin, Rct1, Regulates Small RNA Biogenesis and
      Splicing Independent of Heterochromatin Assembly.
AB  - RNAi factors and their catalytic activities are essential for heterochromatin
      assembly in S. pombe. This has led to the idea that siRNAs can promote H3K9
      methylation by recruiting the cryptic loci regulator complex (CLRC), also known
      as recombination in K complex (RIKC), to the nucleation site. The conserved RNA
      binding protein Rct1 (AtCyp59/SIG-7) interacts with splicing factors and RNA
      polymerase II. Here we show that Rct1 promotes processing of pericentromeric
      transcripts into siRNAs via the RNA recognition motif. Surprisingly, loss of
      siRNA in rct1 mutants has no effect on H3K9 di- or tri-methylation, resembling
      other splicing mutants, suggesting that post-transcriptional gene silencing per
      se is not required to maintain heterochromatin. Splicing of the Argonaute gene is
      also defective in rct1 mutants and contributes to loss of silencing but not to
      loss of siRNA. Our results suggest that Rct1 guides transcripts to the RNAi
      machinery by promoting splicing of elongating non-coding transcripts.

PMID- 28636938
TI  - The LDB1 Complex Co-opts CTCF for Erythroid Lineage-Specific Long-Range Enhancer
      Interactions.
AB  - Lineage-specific transcription factors are critical for long-range enhancer
      interactions, but direct or indirect contributions of architectural proteins such
      as CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) to enhancer function remain less clear. The LDB1
      complex mediates enhancer-gene interactions at the beta-globin locus through LDB1
      self-interaction. We find that an LDB1-bound enhancer upstream of carbonic
      anhydrase 2 (Car2) activates its expression by interacting directly with CTCF at
      the gene promoter. Both LDB1 and CTCF are required for enhancer-Car2 looping, and
      the domain of LDB1 contacted by CTCF is necessary to rescue Car2 transcription in
      LDB1-deficient cells. Genome-wide studies and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing indicate
      that LDB1-CTCF enhancer looping underlies activation of a substantial fraction of
      erythroid genes. Our results provide a mechanism by which long-range interactions
      of architectural protein CTCF can be tailored to achieve a tissue-restricted
      pattern of chromatin loops and gene expression.

PMID- 28636939
TI  - The Super-Enhancer-Derived alncRNA-EC7/Bloodlinc Potentiates Red Blood Cell
      Development in trans.
AB  - Enhancer-derived RNAs are thought to act locally by contributing to their parent
      enhancer function. Whether large domains of clustered enhancers (super-enhancers)
      also produce cis-acting RNAs, however, remains unclear. Unlike typical enhancers,
      super-enhancers form large spans of robustly transcribed chromatin, amassing
      capped and polyadenylated RNAs that are sufficiently abundant to sustain trans
      functions. Here, we show that one such RNA, alncRNA-EC7/Bloodlinc, is transcribed
      from a super-enhancer of the erythroid membrane transporter SLC4A1/BAND3 but
      diffuses beyond this site. Bloodlinc localizes to trans-chromosomal loci encoding
      critical regulators and effectors of terminal erythropoiesis and directly binds
      chromatin-organizing and transcription factors, including the chromatin
      attachment factor HNRNPU. Inhibiting Bloodlinc or Hnrnpu compromises the terminal
      erythropoiesis gene program, blocking red cell production, whereas expressing
      Bloodlinc ectopically stimulates this program and can promote erythroblast
      proliferation and enucleation in the absence of differentiation stimuli. Thus,
      Bloodlinc is a trans-acting super-enhancer RNA that potentiates red blood cell
      development.

PMID- 28636940
TI  - HECTD3 Mediates an HSP90-Dependent Degradation Pathway for Protein Kinase
      Clients.
AB  - Inhibition of the ATPase cycle of the HSP90 chaperone promotes ubiquitylation and
      proteasomal degradation of its client proteins, which include many oncogenic
      protein kinases. This provides the rationale for HSP90 inhibitors as cancer
      therapeutics. However, the mechanism by which HSP90 ATPase inhibition triggers
      ubiquitylation is not understood, and the E3 ubiquitin ligases involved are
      largely unknown. Using a siRNA screen, we have identified components of two
      independent degradation pathways for the HSP90 client kinase CRAF. The first
      requires CUL5, Elongin B, and Elongin C, while the second requires the E3 ligase
      HECTD3, which is also involved in the degradation of MASTL and LKB1. HECTD3
      associates with HSP90 and CRAF in cells via its N-terminal DOC domain, which is
      mutationally disrupted in tumor cells with activated MAP kinase signaling. Our
      data implicate HECTD3 as a tumor suppressor modulating the activity of this
      important oncogenic signaling pathway.

PMID- 28636941
TI  - Highly Aggressive Metastatic Melanoma Cells Unable to Maintain Telomere Length.
AB  - Unlimited replicative potential is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells. In
      melanoma, hTERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase) is frequently overexpressed
      because of activating mutations in its promoter, suggesting that telomerase is
      necessary for melanoma development. We observed, however, that a subset of
      melanoma metastases and derived cell lines had no telomere maintenance mechanism.
      Early passages of the latter displayed long telomeres that progressively
      shortened and fused before cell death. We propose that, during melanoma
      formation, oncogenic mutations occur in precursor melanocytes with long
      telomeres, providing cells with sufficient replicative potential, thereby
      bypassing the need to re-activate telomerase. Our data further support the
      emerging idea that long telomeres promote melanoma formation. These observations
      are important when considering anticancer therapies targeting telomerase.

PMID- 28636942
TI  - Extensive Proliferation of Human Cancer Cells with Ever-Shorter Telomeres.
AB  - Acquisition of replicative immortality is currently regarded as essential for
      malignant transformation. This is achieved by activating a telomere lengthening
      mechanism (TLM), either telomerase or alternative lengthening of telomeres, to
      counter normal telomere attrition. However, a substantial proportion of some
      cancer types, including glioblastomas, liposarcomas, retinoblastomas, and
      osteosarcomas, are reportedly TLM-negative. As serial samples of human tumors
      cannot usually be obtained to monitor telomere length changes, it has previously
      been impossible to determine whether tumors are truly TLM-deficient, there is a
      previously unrecognized TLM, or the assay results are false-negative. Here, we
      show that a subset of high-risk neuroblastomas (with ~50% 5-year mortality)
      lacked significant TLM activity. Cancer cells derived from these highly
      aggressive tumors initially had long telomeres and proliferated for >200
      population doublings with ever-shorter telomeres. This indicates that prevention
      of telomere shortening is not always required for oncogenesis, which has
      implications for inhibiting TLMs for cancer therapy.

PMID- 28636943
TI  - OPA1 Isoforms in the Hierarchical Organization of Mitochondrial Functions.
AB  - OPA1 is a GTPase that controls mitochondrial fusion, cristae integrity, and mtDNA
      maintenance. In humans, eight isoforms are expressed as combinations of long and
      short forms, but it is unclear whether OPA1 functions are associated with
      specific isoforms and/or domains. To address this, we expressed each of the eight
      isoforms or different constructs of isoform 1 in Opa1-/- MEFs. We observed that
      any isoform could restore cristae structure, mtDNA abundance, and energetic
      efficiency independently of mitochondrial network morphology. Long forms
      supported mitochondrial fusion; short forms were better able to restore energetic
      efficiency. The complete rescue of mitochondrial network morphology required a
      balance of long and short forms of at least two isoforms, as shown by
      combinatorial isoform silencing and co-expression experiments. Thus, multiple
      OPA1 isoforms are required for mitochondrial dynamics, while any single isoform
      can support all other functions. These findings will be useful in designing gene
      therapies for patients with OPA1 haploinsufficiency.

PMID- 28636944
TI  - Transduction of Repetitive Mechanical Stimuli by Piezo1 and Piezo2 Ion Channels.
AB  - Several cell types experience repetitive mechanical stimuli, including vein
      endothelial cells during pulsating blood flow, inner ear hair cells upon sound
      exposure, and skin cells and their innervating dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons
      when sweeping across a textured surface or touching a vibrating object. While
      mechanosensitive Piezo ion channels have been clearly implicated in sensing
      static touch, their roles in transducing repetitive stimulations are less clear.
      Here, we perform electrophysiological recordings of heterologously expressed
      mouse Piezo1 and Piezo2 responding to repetitive mechanical stimulations. We find
      that both channels function as pronounced frequency filters whose transduction
      efficiencies vary with stimulus frequency, waveform, and duration. We then use
      numerical simulations and human disease-related point mutations to demonstrate
      that channel inactivation is the molecular mechanism underlying frequency
      filtering and further show that frequency filtering is conserved in rapidly
      adapting mouse DRG neurons. Our results give insight into the potential
      contributions of Piezos in transducing repetitive mechanical stimuli.

PMID- 28636945
TI  - PKN1 Directs Polarized RAB21 Vesicle Trafficking via RPH3A and Is Important for
      Neutrophil Adhesion and Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.
AB  - Polarized vesicle transport plays an important role in cell polarization, but the
      mechanisms underlying this process and its role in innate immune responses are
      not well understood. Here, we describe a phosphorylation-regulated polarization
      mechanism that is important for neutrophil adhesion to endothelial cells during
      inflammatory responses. We show that the protein kinase PKN1 phosphorylates
      RPH3A, which enhances binding of RPH3A to guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-bound
      RAB21. These interactions are important for polarized localization of RAB21 and
      RPH3A in neutrophils, which leads to PIP5K1C90 polarization. Consistent with the
      roles of PIP5K1C90 polarization, the lack of PKN1 or RPH3A impairs neutrophil
      integrin activation, adhesion to endothelial cells, and infiltration in
      inflammatory models. Furthermore, myeloid-specific loss of PKN1 decreases tissue
      injury in a renal ischemia-reperfusion model. Thus, this study characterizes a
      mechanism for protein polarization in neutrophils and identifies a potential
      protein kinase target for therapeutic intervention in reperfusion-related tissue
      injury.

PMID- 28636946
TI  - Ptbp2 Controls an Alternative Splicing Network Required for Cell Communication
      during Spermatogenesis.
AB  - Alternative splicing has essential roles in development. Remarkably,
      spermatogenic cells express more alternatively spliced RNAs compared to most
      whole tissues; however, regulation of these RNAs remains unclear. Here, we
      characterize the alternative splicing landscape during spermatogenesis and reveal
      an essential function for the RNA-binding protein Ptbp2 in this highly regulated
      developmental program. We found that Ptbp2 controls a network of genes involved
      in cell adhesion, migration, and polarity, suggesting that splicing regulation by
      Ptbp2 is critical for germ cell communication with Sertoli cells (multifunctional
      somatic cells necessary for spermatogenesis). Indeed, Ptbp2 ablation in germ
      cells resulted in disorganization of the filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton
      in Sertoli cells, indicating that alternative splicing regulation is necessary
      for cellular crosstalk during germ cell development. Collectively, the data
      delineate an alternative splicing regulatory network essential for
      spermatogenesis, the splicing factor that controls it, and its biological
      importance in germ-Sertoli communication.

PMID- 28636947
TI  - Assembly, Secretory Pathway Trafficking, and Surface Delivery of Kainate
      Receptors Is Regulated by Neuronal Activity.
AB  - Ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) trafficking and function underpin
      excitatory synaptic transmission and plasticity and shape neuronal networks. It
      is well established that the transcription, translation, and
      endocytosis/recycling of iGluRs are all regulated by neuronal activity, but much
      less is known about the activity dependence of iGluR transport through the
      secretory pathway. Here, we use the kainate receptor subunit GluK2 as a model
      iGluR cargo to show that the assembly, early secretory pathway trafficking, and
      surface delivery of iGluRs are all controlled by neuronal activity. We show that
      the delivery of de novo kainate receptors is differentially regulated by
      modulation of GluK2 Q/R editing, PKC phosphorylation, and PDZ ligand
      interactions. These findings reveal that, in addition to short-term regulation of
      iGluRs by recycling/endocytosis and long-term modulation by altered
      transcription/translation, the trafficking of iGluRs through the secretory
      pathway is under tight activity-dependent control to determine the numbers and
      properties of surface-expressed iGluRs.

PMID- 28636948
TI  - PTENalpha Modulates CaMKII Signaling and Controls Contextual Fear Memory and
      Spatial Learning.
AB  - PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome 10) has multiple
      functions, and recent studies have shown that the PTEN family has isoforms. The
      roles of these PTEN family members in biologic activities warrant specific
      evaluation. Here, we show that PTENalpha maintains CaMKII in a state that is
      competent to induce long-term potentiation (LTP) with resultant regulation of
      contextual fear memory and spatial learning. PTENalpha binds to CaMKII with its
      distinctive N terminus and resets CaMKII to an activatable state by
      dephosphorylating it at sites T305/306. Loss of PTENalpha impedes the interaction
      of CaMKII and NR2B, leading to defects in hippocampal LTP, fear-conditioned
      memory, and spatial learning. Restoration of PTENalpha in the hippocampus of
      PTENalpha-deficient mice rescues learning deficits through regulation of CaMKII.
      CaMKII mutations in dementia patients inhibit CaMKII activity and result in
      disruption of PTENalpha-CaMKII-NR2B signaling. We propose that CaMKII is a target
      of PTENalpha phosphatase and that PTENalpha is an essential element in the
      molecular regulation of neural activity.

PMID- 28636949
TI  - Cloning, expression, and nutritional regulation of the glutamine synthetase gene
      in Ctenopharyngodon idellus.
AB  - Glutamine synthetase (GS) is considered a master enzyme that catalyzes ATP
      dependent biosynthesis of glutamine from glutamate. In the present study, the GS
      gene was cloned from the intestine of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). The
      full-length cDNA sequence of GS encodes a 371-amino-acid polypetide. Phylogenetic
      analysis of the C. idellus GS sequence reveals common carp (Cyprinus carpio) as
      its closest neighbor. GS mRNA was differentially expressed in different tissues,
      with high to low gradient expression the intestine, brain, muscle, heart, gill,
      liver, pituitary gland, and spleen. Additionally, GS exhibited a dynamic pattern
      of expression during embryonic development, reaching maximal and minimal levels
      in the organ and hatching stages, respectively, and constant low levels from 7 to
      28days post-hatching. We also assessed dietary protein levels and feed sources in
      diet-regulated fish, and the results suggested that low crude protein (CP) and
      fish meal stimulate GS gene expression. Furthermore, intestinal GS mRNA
      expression was significantly increased by 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8mM concentrations of
      glutamine dipeptide in vitro. This study provides valuable knowledge about the
      regulation of GS expression in teleosts.

PMID- 28636950
TI  - Structural evidence of quercetin multi-target bioactivity: A reverse virtual
      screening strategy.
AB  - The ubiquitous flavonoid quercetin is broadly recognized for showing diverse
      biological and health-promoting effects, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory
      and cytoprotective activities. The therapeutic potential of quercetin and similar
      compounds for preventing such diverse oxidative stress-related pathologies has
      been generally attributed to their direct antioxidant properties. Nevertheless,
      accumulated evidence indicates that quercetin is also able to interact with
      multiple cellular targets influencing the activity of diverse signaling pathways.
      Even though there are a number of well-established protein targets such as
      phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and xanthine oxidase, there remains a lack of a
      comprehensive knowledge of the potential mechanisms of action of quercetin and
      its target space. In the present work we adopted a reverse screening strategy
      based on ligand similarity (SHAFTS) and target structure (idTarget, LIBRA)
      resulting in a set of predicted protein target candidates. Furthermore, using
      this method we corroborated a broad array of previously experimentally tested
      candidates among the predicted targets, supporting the suitability of this
      screening approach. Notably, all of the predicted target candidates belonged to
      two main protein families, protein kinases and poly [ADP-ribose] polymerases.
      They also included key proteins involved at different points within the same
      signaling pathways or within interconnected signaling pathways, supporting a
      pleiotropic, multilevel and potentially synergistic mechanism of action of
      quercetin. In this context we highlight the value of quercetin's broad target
      profile for its therapeutic potential in diseases like inflammation,
      neurodegeneration and cancer.

PMID- 28636951
TI  - Structure of CC Chemokine Receptor 5 with a Potent Chemokine Antagonist Reveals
      Mechanisms of Chemokine Recognition and Molecular Mimicry by HIV.
AB  - CCR5 is the primary chemokine receptor utilized by HIV to infect leukocytes,
      whereas CCR5 ligands inhibit infection by blocking CCR5 engagement with HIV
      gp120. To guide the design of improved therapeutics, we solved the structure of
      CCR5 in complex with chemokine antagonist [5P7]CCL5. Several structural features
      appeared to contribute to the anti-HIV potency of [5P7]CCL5, including the
      distinct chemokine orientation relative to the receptor, the near-complete
      occupancy of the receptor binding pocket, the dense network of intermolecular
      hydrogen bonds, and the similarity of binding determinants with the FDA-approved
      HIV inhibitor Maraviroc. Molecular modeling indicated that HIV gp120 mimicked the
      chemokine interaction with CCR5, providing an explanation for the ability of CCR5
      to recognize diverse ligands and gp120 variants. Our findings reveal that
      structural plasticity facilitates receptor-chemokine specificity and enables
      exploitation by HIV, and provide insight into the design of small molecule and
      protein inhibitors for HIV and other CCR5-mediated diseases.

PMID- 28636952
TI  - Human Leukocyte Antigen F Presents Peptides and Regulates Immunity through
      Interactions with NK Cell Receptors.
AB  - Evidence is mounting that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule HLA
      F (human leukocyte antigen F) regulates the immune system in pregnancy,
      infection, and autoimmunity by signaling through NK cell receptors (NKRs). We
      present structural, biochemical, and evolutionary analyses demonstrating that HLA
      F presents peptides of unconventional length dictated by a newly arisen mutation
      (R62W) that has produced an open-ended groove accommodating particularly long
      peptides. Compared to empty HLA-F open conformers (OCs), HLA-F tetramers bound
      with human-derived peptides differentially stained leukocytes, suggesting peptide
      dependent engagement. Our in vitro studies confirm that NKRs differentiate
      between peptide-bound and peptide-free HLA-F. The complex structure of peptide
      loaded beta2m-HLA-F bound to the inhibitory LIR1 revealed similarities to high
      affinity recognition of the viral MHC-I mimic UL18 and a docking strategy that
      relies on contacts with HLA-F as well as beta2m, thus precluding binding to HLA-F
      OCs. These findings provide a biochemical framework to understand how HLA-F could
      regulate immunity via interactions with NKRs.

PMID- 28636953
TI  - Dicer Deficiency Differentially Impacts Microglia of the Developing and Adult
      Brain.
AB  - Microglia seed the embryonic neuro-epithelium, expand and actively sculpt
      neuronal circuits in the developing central nervous system, but eventually adopt
      relative quiescence and ramified morphology in the adult. Here, we probed the
      impact of post-transcriptional control by microRNAs (miRNAs) on microglial
      performance during development and adulthood by generating mice lacking
      microglial Dicer expression at these distinct stages. Conditional Dicer ablation
      in adult microglia revealed that miRNAs were required to limit microglial
      responses to challenge. After peripheral endotoxin exposure, Dicer-deficient
      microglia expressed more pro-inflammatory cytokines than wild-type microglia and
      thereby compromised hippocampal neuronal functions. In contrast, prenatal Dicer
      ablation resulted in spontaneous microglia activation and revealed a role for
      Dicer in DNA repair and preservation of genome integrity. Accordingly, Dicer
      deficiency rendered otherwise radio-resistant microglia sensitive to gamma
      irradiation. Collectively, the differential impact of the Dicer ablation on
      microglia of the developing and adult brain highlights the changes these cells
      undergo with time.

PMID- 28636955
TI  - Inflammatory Ly6Chigh Monocytes Protect against Candidiasis through IL-15-Driven
      NK Cell/Neutrophil Activation.
AB  - Neutrophils play a crucial role in defense against systemic candidiasis, a
      disease associated with a high mortality rate in patients receiving
      immunosuppressive therapy, although the early immune mechanisms that boost the
      candidacidal activity of neutrophils remain to be defined in depth. Here, we used
      a murine model of systemic candidiasis to explore the role of inflammatory
      Ly6Chigh monocytes in NK cell-mediated neutrophil activation during the innate
      immune response against C. albicans. We found that efficient anti-Candida
      immunity required a collaborative response between the spleen and kidney, which
      relied on type I interferon-dependent IL-15 production by spleen inflammatory
      Ly6Chigh monocytes to drive efficient activation and GM-CSF release by spleen NK
      cells; this in turn was necessary to boost the Candida killing potential of
      kidney neutrophils. Our findings unveil a role for IL-15 as a critical mediator
      in defense against systemic candidiasis and hold promise for the design of IL-15
      based antifungal immunotherapies.

PMID- 28636957
TI  - Glutathione Primes T Cell Metabolism for Inflammation.

PMID- 28636956
TI  - Elicitation of Robust Tier 2 Neutralizing Antibody Responses in Nonhuman Primates
      by HIV Envelope Trimer Immunization Using Optimized Approaches.
AB  - The development of stabilized recombinant HIV envelope trimers that mimic the
      virion surface molecule has increased enthusiasm for a neutralizing antibody
      (nAb)-based HIV vaccine. However, there is limited experience with recombinant
      trimers as immunogens in nonhuman primates, which are typically used as a model
      for humans. Here, we tested multiple immunogens and immunization strategies head
      to-head to determine their impact on the quantity, quality, and kinetics of
      autologous tier 2 nAb development. A bilateral, adjuvanted, subcutaneous
      immunization protocol induced reproducible tier 2 nAb responses after only two
      immunizations 8 weeks apart, and these were further enhanced by a third
      immunization with BG505 SOSIP trimer. We identified immunogens that minimized non
      neutralizing V3 responses and demonstrated that continuous immunogen delivery
      could enhance nAb responses. nAb responses were strongly associated with germinal
      center reactions, as assessed by lymph node fine needle aspiration. This study
      provides a framework for preclinical and clinical vaccine studies targeting nAb
      elicitation.

PMID- 28636954
TI  - Germinal Center Selection and Affinity Maturation Require Dynamic Regulation of
      mTORC1 Kinase.
AB  - During antibody affinity maturation, germinal center (GC) B cells cycle between
      affinity-driven selection in the light zone (LZ) and proliferation and somatic
      hypermutation in the dark zone (DZ). Although selection of GC B cells is
      triggered by antigen-dependent signals delivered in the LZ, DZ proliferation
      occurs in the absence of such signals. We show that positive selection triggered
      by T cell help activates the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1),
      which promotes the anabolic program that supports DZ proliferation. Blocking
      mTORC1 prior to growth prevented clonal expansion, whereas blockade after cells
      reached peak size had little to no effect. Conversely, constitutively active
      mTORC1 led to DZ enrichment but loss of competitiveness and impaired affinity
      maturation. Thus, mTORC1 activation is required for fueling B cells prior to DZ
      proliferation rather than for allowing cell-cycle progression itself and must be
      regulated dynamically during cyclic re-entry to ensure efficient affinity-based
      selection.

PMID- 28636958
TI  - Protective and Pathological Immunity during Central Nervous System Infections.
AB  - The concept of immune privilege of the central nervous system (CNS) has dominated
      the study of inflammatory processes in the brain. However, clinically relevant
      models have highlighted that innate pathways limit pathogen invasion of the CNS
      and adaptive immunity mediates control of many neural infections. As protective
      responses can result in bystander damage, there are regulatory mechanisms that
      balance protective and pathological inflammation, but these mechanisms might also
      allow microbial persistence. The focus of this review is to consider the host
      pathogen interactions that influence neurotropic infections and to highlight
      advances in our understanding of innate and adaptive mechanisms of resistance as
      key determinants of the outcome of CNS infection. Advances in these areas have
      broadened our comprehension of how the immune system functions in the brain and
      can readily overcome immune privilege.

PMID- 28636962
TI  - Reactive Astrocytes: Production, Function, and Therapeutic Potential.
AB  - Astrocytes constitute approximately 30% of the cells in the mammalian central
      nervous system (CNS). They are integral to brain and spinal-cord physiology and
      perform many functions important for normal neuronal development, synapse
      formation, and proper propagation of action potentials. We still know very
      little, however, about how these functions change in response to immune attack,
      chronic neurodegenerative disease, or acute trauma. In this review, we summarize
      recent studies that demonstrate that different initiating CNS injuries can elicit
      at least two types of "reactive" astrocytes with strikingly different properties,
      one type being helpful and the other harmful. We will also discuss new methods
      for purifying and investigating reactive-astrocyte functions and provide an
      overview of new markers for delineating these different states of reactive
      astrocytes. The discovery that astrocytes have different types of reactive states
      has important implications for the development of new therapies for CNS injury
      and diseases.

PMID- 28636960
TI  - Mechanisms and Therapeutic Relevance of Neuro-immune Communication.
AB  - Active research at the frontiers of immunology and neuroscience has identified
      multiple points of interaction and communication between the immune system and
      the nervous system. Immune cell activation stimulates neuronal circuits that
      regulate innate and adaptive immunity. Molecular mechanistic insights into the
      inflammatory reflex and other neuro-immune interactions have greatly advanced our
      understanding of immunity and identified new therapeutic possibilities in
      inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Recent successful clinical trials using
      bioelectronic devices that modulate the inflammatory reflex to significantly
      ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease provide a path for
      using electrons as a therapeutic modality for targeting molecular mechanisms of
      immunity. Here, we review mechanisms of peripheral sensory neuronal function in
      response to immune challenges, the neural regulation of immunity and
      inflammation, and the therapeutic implications of those mechanistic insights.

PMID- 28636959
TI  - The Enteric Network: Interactions between the Immune and Nervous Systems of the
      Gut.
AB  - Interactions between the nervous and immune systems enable the gut to respond to
      the variety of dietary products that it absorbs, the broad spectrum of pathogens
      that it encounters, and the diverse microbiome that it harbors. The enteric
      nervous system (ENS) senses and reacts to the dynamic ecosystem of the
      gastrointestinal (GI) tract by translating chemical cues from the environment
      into neuronal impulses that propagate throughout the gut and into other organs in
      the body, including the central nervous system (CNS). This review will describe
      the current understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the GI tract by
      focusing on the ENS and the mucosal immune system. We highlight emerging
      literature that the ENS is essential for important aspects of microbe-induced
      immune responses in the gut. Although most basic and applied research in
      neuroscience has focused on the brain, the proximity of the ENS to the immune
      system and its interface with the external environment suggest that novel
      paradigms for nervous system function await discovery.

PMID- 28636963
TI  - T-bet Runs INTERFERence.
AB  - In this issue of Immunity, Iwata et al. (2017) report that the transcription
      factor T-bet acts as a selective repressor of the type I interferon (IFN)
      transcriptional program in response to IFN-gamma signaling.

PMID- 28636964
TI  - RNA Interference in Mammals: The Virus Strikes Back.
AB  - The importance of RNA interference (RNAi) as a mammalian antiviral defense
      mechanism has been controversial. Qiu et al. (2017) now present data suggesting
      that the difficulty of detecting RNAi in virus-infected mammalian cells reflects
      the expression of highly effective viral suppressors of RNAi.

PMID- 28636961
TI  - Myeloid Cells in the Central Nervous System.
AB  - The central nervous system (CNS) and its meningeal coverings accommodate a
      diverse myeloid compartment that includes parenchymal microglia and perivascular
      macrophages, as well as choroid plexus and meningeal macrophages, dendritic
      cells, and granulocytes. These myeloid populations enjoy an intimate relationship
      with the CNS, where they play an essential role in both health and disease.
      Although the importance of these cells is clearly recognized, their exact
      function in the CNS continues to be explored. Here, we review the subsets of
      myeloid cells that inhabit the parenchyma, meninges, and choroid plexus and
      discuss their roles in CNS homeostasis. We also discuss the role of these cells
      in various neurological pathologies, such as autoimmunity, mechanical injury,
      neurodegeneration, and infection. We highlight the neuroprotective nature of
      certain myeloid cells by emphasizing their therapeutic potential for the
      treatment of neurological conditions.

PMID- 28636965
TI  - HLA-F: A New Kid Licensed for Peptide Presentation.
AB  - HLA-F, a non-classical MHC molecule, is not known to present peptides. Dulberger
      et al. (2017) show that HLA-F contains a distinct peptide-binding groove and can
      present a diverse array of peptides. LIR1, however, recognized HLA-F away from
      bound peptide, leaving open whether peptide-HLA-F-specific T and NK receptors
      exist.

PMID- 28636966
TI  - The TORC that Gets the GC Cycling.
AB  - The signaling pathways regulating positive selection in germinal centers (GCs)
      are incompletely understood. Ersching et al. (2017) identify a critical but
      temporal role for the action of the kinase mechanistic target of rapamycin
      complex (mTORC1), which promotes key changes in GC B cells and thereby
      facilitates affinity maturation.

PMID- 28636967
TI  - A Few Good Commensals: Gut Microbes Use IFN-gamma to Fight Salmonella.
AB  - Whereas strong evidence supports the notion that the microbiota promotes immune
      system maturation in multiple tissues, the identity of the specific microbes that
      elicit protective immunity to different infections is less clear. In a recent
      issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Thiemann et al. (2017) report the identification of
      specific gut bacteria that protect from Salmonella infection by priming host IFN
      gamma responses.

PMID- 28636968
TI  - T-Regulating Hair Follicle Stem Cells.
AB  - Regulatory T (Treg) cells are well known to modulate inflammatory responses. In a
      recent issue of Cell, Ali et al. (2017) reveal a function for Treg cells in stem
      cell maintenance by showing that skin-resident Foxp3+ Treg cells preferentially
      localize to the hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) niche to control HFSC-mediated
      hair regeneration.

PMID- 28636969
TI  - Human Virus-Derived Small RNAs Can Confer Antiviral Immunity in Mammals.
AB  - RNA interference (RNAi) functions as a potent antiviral immunity in plants and
      invertebrates; however, whether RNAi plays antiviral roles in mammals remains
      unclear. Here, using human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) as a model, we showed HEV71 3A
      protein as an authentic viral suppressor of RNAi during viral infection. When the
      3A-mediated RNAi suppression was impaired, the mutant HEV71 readily triggered the
      production of abundant HEV71-derived small RNAs with canonical siRNA properties
      in cells and mice. These virus-derived siRNAs were produced from viral dsRNA
      replicative intermediates in a Dicer-dependent manner and loaded into AGO, and
      they were fully active in degrading cognate viral RNAs. Recombinant HEV71
      deficient in 3A-mediated RNAi suppression was significantly restricted in human
      somatic cells and mice, whereas Dicer deficiency rescued HEV71 infection
      independently of type I interferon response. Thus, RNAi can function as an
      antiviral immunity, which is induced and suppressed by a human virus, in mammals.

PMID- 28636970
TI  - Performance of titanium salts compared to conventional FeCl3 for the removal of
      algal organic matter (AOM) in synthetic seawater: Coagulation performance,
      organic fraction removal and floc characteristics.
AB  - During algal bloom periods, operation of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO)
      pretreatment processes (e.g. ultrafiltration (UF)) has been hindered due to the
      high concentration of algal cells and algal organic matter (AOM). The present
      study evaluated for the first time the performance of titanium salts (i.e.
      titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) and polytitanium tetrachloride (PTC)) for the
      removal of AOM in seawater and results were compared with the conventional FeCl3
      coagulant. Previous studies already demonstrated that titanium salts not only
      provide a cost-effective alternative to conventional coagulants by producing a
      valuable by-product but also minimise the environmental impact of sludge
      production. Results from this study showed that both TiCl4 and PTC achieved
      better performance than FeCl3 in terms of turbidity, UV254 and dissolved organic
      carbon (DOC) removal at similar coagulant dose. Liquid chromatography - organic
      carbon detection (LC-OCD) was used to determine the removal of AOM compounds
      based on their molecular weight (MW). This investigation revealed that both humic
      substances and low MW organics were preferentially removed (i.e. up to 93%
      removal) while all three coagulants showed poorer performance for the removal of
      high MW biopolymers (i.e. less than 50% removal). The detailed characterization
      of flocs indicated that both titanium coagulants can grow faster, reach larger
      size and present a more compact structure, which is highly advantageous for the
      design of smaller and more compact mixing and sedimentation tanks. Both titanium
      coagulants also presented a higher ability to withstand shear force, which was
      related to the higher amount of DOC adsorbed with the aggregated flocs. Finally,
      TiCl4 had a better recovery after breakage suggesting that charge neutralization
      may be the dominant mechanism for this coagulant, while the lower recovery of
      both PTC and FeCl3 indicated that sweep flocculation is also a contributing
      mechanism for the coagulation of AOM.

PMID- 28636971
TI  - Simulated long-term effects of varying tree retention on wood production, dead
      wood and carbon stock changes.
AB  - Boreal forests are an important source of timber and pulp wood, but provide also
      other products and services. Utilizing a simulation program and field data from a
      tree retention experiment in a Scots pine forest in central Sweden, we simulated
      the consequences during the following 100 years of various levels of retention on
      production of merchantable wood, dead wood input (as a proxy for biodiversity),
      and carbon stock changes. At the stand level, wood production decreased with
      increased retention levels, while dead wood input and carbon stock increased. We
      also compared 12 scenarios representing a land sharing/land sparing gradient. In
      each scenario, a constant volume of wood was harvested with a specific level of
      retention in a 100-ha landscape. The area not needed to reach the defined volume
      was set-aside during a 100-year rotation period, leading to decreasing area of
      set-asides with increasing level of retention across the 12 scenarios. Dead wood
      input was positively affected by the level of tree retention whereas the average
      carbon stock decreased slightly with increasing level of tree retention. The
      scenarios will probably vary in how they favor species preferring different
      substrates. Therefore, we conclude that a larger variation of landscape-level
      conservation strategies, also including active creation of dead wood, may be an
      attractive complement to the existing management.

PMID- 28636972
TI  - Assessing landowners' attitudes toward wild hogs and support for control options.
AB  - Wild hogs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species with destructive habits,
      particularly rooting and wallowing, which can directly impact agricultural crops,
      pasture land, and water quality. Considering wild hogs are widely dispersed
      across the landscape, they are extremely difficult to control. Disagreements can
      arise among different stakeholders over whether and how their populations should
      be managed. The purpose of this article was to examine Tennessee, United States
      landowners' attitudes toward wild hogs, to compare acceptability of control
      methods, and to evaluate factors significantly influencing public support for
      regulations to control wild hogs. Logistic regression was employed to analyze
      data collected from a statewide survey of rural landowners in the fall of 2015.
      Landowners had overwhelmingly negative attitudes towards wild hogs, and were
      concerned about their impact on the natural environment and rural economy.
      Although landowners showed support for controlling wild hogs, levels of
      acceptability for management options varied. Respondents favored active
      management and supported education and incentive-based control programs to
      control wild hogs. Cognitive concepts such as social and personal norms and
      awareness of consequences, as well as demographic characteristics, significantly
      predicted landowners' support for state regulations to control wild hogs in
      Tennessee. Findings increase our understanding of the human dimensions of wild
      hog management and that of other similarly invasive animals, and may guide
      resource managers in designing effective and socially acceptable management
      strategies to control wild hog populations in Tennessee and elsewhere.

PMID- 28636973
TI  - Amide-to-triazole switch vs. in vivo NEP-inhibition approaches to promote
      radiopeptide targeting of GRPR-positive tumors.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Radiolabeled bombesin (BBN)-analogs have been proposed for
      diagnosis and therapy of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR)-expressing
      tumors, such as prostate, breast and lung cancer. Metabolic stability represents
      a crucial factor for the success of this approach by ensuring sufficient delivery
      of circulating radioligand to tumor sites. The amide-to-triazole switch on the
      backbone of DOTA-PEG4-[Nle14]BBN(7-14) (1) was reported to improve the in vitro
      stability of resulting 177Lu-radioligands. On the other hand, in-situ inhibition
      of neutral endopeptidase (NEP) by coinjection of phosphoramidon (PA) was shown to
      significantly improve the in vivo stability and tumor uptake of biodegradable
      radiopeptides. We herein compare the impact of the two methods on the
      bioavailability and localization of 177Lu-DOTA-PEG4-[Nle14]BBN(7-14) analogs in
      GRPR-positive tumors in mice. METHODS: The 1,4-disubstituted [1-3]-triazole was
      used to replace one (2: Gly11-His12; 3: Ala9-Val10) or two (4: Ala9-Val10 and
      Gly11-His12) peptide bonds in 1 (reference) and all compounds were labeled with
      177Lu. Each of [177Lu]1-[177Lu]4 was injected without (control) or with PA in
      healthy mice. Blood samples collected 5min post-injection (pi) were analyzed by
      HPLC. Biodistribution of [177Lu]1-[177Lu]4 was conducted in SCID mice bearing
      human prostate adenocarcinoma PC-3 xenografts at 4h pi. Groups of 4 animals were
      injected with radioligand, alone (controls), or with coinjection of PA, or of a
      mixture of PA and excess and [Tyr4]BBN to determine GRPR-specificity of uptake
      (Block). RESULTS: The in vivo stability of the radioligands was: [177Lu]1 (25%
      intact), [177Lu]2 (45% intact), [177Lu]3 (30% intact) and [177Lu]4 (40% intact).
      By PA-coinjection these values notably increased to 90%-93%. Moreover, treatment
      with PA induced an impressive and GRPR-specific uptake of all radioligands in the
      PC-3 xenografts at 4h pi: [177Lu]1: 4.7+/-0.4 to 24.8+/-4.9%ID/g; [177Lu]2: 8.3+/
      1.2 to 26.0+/-1.1%ID/g; [177Lu]3: 6.6+/-0.4 to 21.3+/-4.4%ID/g; and [177Lu]4:
      4.8+/-1.6 to 13.7+/-3.8%ID/g. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that amide-to
      triazole substitutions in 177Lu-DOTA-PEG4-[Nle14]BBN(7-14) induced minor effects
      on bioavailability and tumor uptake in mice models, whereas in-situ NEP
      inhibition(s) by PA impressively improved in vivo profiles.

PMID- 28636975
TI  - Prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and
      Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pig farms in Switzerland.
AB  - The presence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in pig farms
      has been widely reported, and the emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase
      producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) has been documented in several countries.
      However, data for Switzerland are very scarce. This study aimed to compare
      changes in the prevalence of MRSA in Swiss pig farms between 2008 and 2015 and
      make the first ever estimates of the presence of ESBL-E and carbapenemase
      producers in pigs and pig farm workers. Results showed that ESBL-E was present in
      both pigs and farm workers and that the proportion of farms with MRSA had
      increased fourfold in seven years (from 7% to 31%). Associations between
      antibiotic use and resistant bacteria carriage were shown.

PMID- 28636974
TI  - SEMA3A partially reverses VEGF effects through binding to neuropilin-1.
AB  - Cross-talk between hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and bone marrow stromal cells
      (BMSCs) is essential for HSCs regulation and leukemogenesis. Studying bone marrow
      of myelodysplasia patients, a pre-leukemic condition, we found mRNA
      overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) in CD34+ HSCs and
      semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A) in BMSCs. To better understand the role of VEGFA and
      SEMA3A in leukemogenesis, we recruited 30 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
      patients, 29 acute myeloid leukemia (6 secondary to MDS) patients and 12
      controls. We found higher VEGFA expression in de novo AML patients (without prior
      MDS) group (p=0.0073) and higher SEMA3A expression in all BMSCs patient's samples
      compared to control group. We then overexpressed VEGFA in an acute myelogenous
      leukemia cell line, KG1 cells, and in normal CD34+ cells. This overexpression
      increased KG1 (p=0.045) and CD34+ cell (p=0.042) viability and KG1 (p=0.042) and
      CD34+ cell (p=0.047) proliferation. Moreover, KG1 and CD34+ cells overexpressing
      VEGFA also had increased proliferation when co-cultured with human marrow stromal
      HS5 cells (p=0.045 and p=0.02, respectively). However, co-culture of these
      transformed cells with HS5 cells overexpressing SEMA3A reduced KG1 (p=0.004) and
      CD34+ (p=0.009) proliferation. Co-culture of KG1 transformed cells with HS27
      cells overexpressing SEMA3A reduced KG1 proliferation as well (p=0.01). To
      investigate whether the dominant SEMA3A effect over VEGFA could be due to
      competition for neuropilin1 receptor (NRP1), we performed immunoprecipitation
      with anti-NRP1 antibody of cell extracts of co-cultured KG1 and HS5 cells,
      induced or not by VEGFA and SEMA3A recombinant proteins. Results showed a
      preferential association of NRP1 with SEMA3A, suggesting that SEMA3A can
      partially reverse the effects caused by the VEGFA preventing its binding with the
      NRP1 receptor. Since both hematopoietic cells, leukemic and normal, showed
      similar behavior, we suppose that the attempt to reversion of VEGF effects by
      SEMA3A is a homeostatic phenomenon in the hematopoietic niche. Finally, we
      conclude that VEGFA overexpression confers AML cell advantages and SEMA3A may
      partially reverse this effect; thus, SEMA3A protein combined with VEGFA
      inhibitors could be beneficial for AML treatment.

PMID- 28636977
TI  - Long-term trend of O3 in a mega City (Shanghai), China: Characteristics, causes,
      and interactions with precursors.
AB  - In recent years, ozone (O3) is often the major pollutant during summertime in
      China. In order to better understand this problem, a long-term measurement of
      ozone (from 2006 to 2015) and its precursors (NOx and VOCs) as well as the
      photochemical parameter (UV radiation) in a mega city of China (Shanghai) is
      analyzed. The focus of this study is to investigate the trend of O3 and the
      causes of the O3 trend in large cities in China. In order to understand the
      relationship between the O3 precursors and O3 formation, two distinguished
      different sites of measurements are selected in the study, including an
      urbanization site (XJH-Xujiahui) and a remote site (DT-Dongtan). At the XJH site,
      there are high local emissions of ozone precursors (such as VOCs and NOx), which
      is suitable to study the effect of O3 precursors on O3 formation. In contrast, at
      the DT site, where there are low local emissions, the measured result can be used
      to analyze the background conditions nearby the city of Shanghai. The analysis
      shows that there were long-term trends of O3 and NOx concentrations at the urban
      site (XJH) from 2006 to 2015 (O3 increasing 67% and NOx decreasing 38%), while
      there were very small trends of O3 and NOx concentrations at the background site
      (DT). The analysis for causing the O3 trend suggests that (1) the large O3
      increase at the urban area (XJH) was not due to the regional transport of O3; (2)
      the measurement of solar radiation had not significant trend during the period,
      and was not the major cause for the long-term O3 trend; (3) the measurement of
      VOCs had small change during the same period, suggesting that the trend in NOx
      concentrations at the urban site (XJH) was a major factor for causing the long
      term change of O3 at the urban area of Shanghai. As a result, the O3 and NOx
      concentrations from 2006 to 2015 at the urban area of Shanghai were strongly anti
      correlated, suggesting that the extremely high NOx concentration in the urban
      area depressed the O3 concentrations. It is interesting to note that the anti
      correlation between O3 and NOx was in an un-linearly relationship. Under high O3
      concentration condition, the ratio of Delta[O3]/Delta[NOx] was as large as -1.5.
      In contrast, under low O3 concentrations, the ratio of Delta[O3]/Delta[NOx] was
      only -0.2. This result suggested that when O3 concentration was high, it was more
      sensitive to NOx concentration, while when O3 concentration was low, it was less
      sensitive to NOx concentration. This study provides useful insights for better
      understanding the causes of the long-term-trend of regional O3 pollution nearby
      Shanghai, and has important implication for air pollution control in large cities
      in China. Due to the fact that NOx and VOCs are not only precursors for O3, but
      also are important precursors for particular matter (PM). If reduction of NOx
      leads to decrease in PM, but increase in O3, the NOx emission control become a
      very complicated issue and need to carefully design a comprehensive control
      method.

PMID- 28636976
TI  - Improving soil nutrient availability increases carbon rhizodeposition under maize
      and soybean in Mollisols.
AB  - Rhizodeposited carbon (C) is an important source of soil organic C, and plays an
      important role in the C cycle in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. However,
      interactive effects of plant species and soil nutrient availability on C
      rhizodeposition remain unclear. This experiment examined the effect of soil
      nutrient availability on C rhizodeposition of C4 maize and C3 soybean with
      contrasting photosynthetic capacity. The soils (Mollisols) were collected from
      three treatments of no fertilizer (Control), inorganic fertilizer only (NPK), and
      NPK plus organic manure (NPKM) in a 24-year fertilization field trial. The plants
      were labelled with 13C at the vegetative and reproductive stages. The 13C
      abundance of shoots, roots and soil were quantified at 0, 7days after 13C
      labelling, and at maturity. Increasing soil nutrient availability enhanced the C
      rhizodeposition due to the greater C fixation in shoots and distribution to roots
      and soil. The higher amount of averaged below-ground C allocated to soil resulted
      in greater specific rhizodeposited C from soybean than maize. Additional organic
      amendment further enhanced them. As a result, higher soil nutrient availability
      increased total soil organic C under both maize and soybean systems though there
      was no significant difference between the two crop systems. All these suggested
      that higher soil nutrient availability favors C rhizodeposition. Mean 80, 260 and
      300kgfixedCha-1 were estimated to transfer into soil in the Control, NPK and NPKM
      treatments, respectively, during one growing season.

PMID- 28636978
TI  - Psychiatric comorbidity with hypothalamic hamartoma: Systematic review for
      predictive clinical features.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We conducted a systematic review of the English-language literature to
      identify clinical features associated with a higher risk of psychiatric symptoms
      (aggression and rage behaviors) in patients with hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) and
      epilepsy. METHODS: Two publicly-accessible databases (PubMed and Cochrane
      Library) were searched for Hypothalamic Hamartoma AND Epilepsy. We identified
      peer-reviewed original research publications (case reports or clinical series;
      N=19) in which clinical data was provided on an individual basis. Subjects were
      cohorted into those with (N=51) and without (N=68) behavioral aggression.
      Multiple clinical features were collated and subjected to univariate analysis to
      determine possible differences between these two cohorts. RESULTS: The presence
      of aggression significantly correlated with 1) male gender, 2) younger age at
      time of first seizure onset, 3) the presence of intellectual disability, and 4)
      the presence of multiple seizure types (versus gelastic seizures only). For those
      patients undergoing surgical treatment, aggression also correlated with younger
      age at the time of surgical intervention. CONCLUSION: Possible predictive
      clinical features for the presence of aggression and rage behaviors in patients
      with hypothalamic hamartoma and epilepsy are identified. These results may
      contribute to the complex treatment decisions that are unique to this population.

PMID- 28636989
TI  - SATB1 overexpression correlates with gastrointestinal neoplasms invasion and
      metastasis: a meta-analysis for Chinese population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal neoplasm (GIN) is the most common neoplasm in China.
      The global chromatin organizer SATB1 (special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1)
      is aberrantly expressed in multiple human neoplasms. We conducted this meta
      analysis to investigate whether the invasion and metastasis of GIN correlates
      with SATB1 levels in tumor tissues in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Eligible studies were identified through multiple search strategies in the
      databases PubMed, Embase, Medline, CNKI, and WANFANG, and the relevant
      clinicopathological data were extracted. Data were pooled using the Mantel
      Haenszel fixed-effects or DerSimonian-Laid random-effects model. RESULTS:
      Fourteen studies consisting of 1622 patients were included. There were 3, 3, and
      8 studies that evaluated esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers,
      respectively. The overall mean percentage of patients with elevated SATB1 levels
      was 47.84%. Among patients with GIN, SATB1 overexpression was associated with
      depth of invasion (T stage: RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.18-1.36, P = 0.000), regional lymph
      node metastasis (N stage: RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.22-1.87, P = 0.000), and distant
      metastasis (M stage: RR 2.54, 95% CI 1.46-4.41, P = 0.001). The tumor type most
      closely linked with invasion and metastasis in GIN was gastric cancer (RR for T
      stage: 1.64, RR for N stage: 1.68, RR for M stage: 3.15). CONCLUSIONS: Invasion
      and metastasis of GIN in Chinese patients correlates with SATB1 overexpression in
      tumor tissues, most profoundly in gastric cancer.

PMID- 28636991
TI  - Non-invasive detection of somatic mutations using next-generation sequencing in
      primary central nervous system lymphoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) have recurrent genomic
      alterations. The main objective of our study was to demonstrate that targeted
      sequencing of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) released by PCNSL at the time of
      diagnosis could identify somatic mutations by next-generation sequencing (NGS).
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: PlasmacfDNA and matched tumor DNA (tDNA) from 25 PCNSL
      patients were sequenced using an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (Life
      Technologies(r)). First, patient-specific targeted sequencing of identified
      somatic mutations in tDNA was performed. Then, a second sequencing targeting
      MYD88 c.T778C was performed and compared to plasma samples from 25 age-matched
      control patients suffering from other types of cancer. RESULTS: According to the
      patient-specific targeted sequencing, eight patients (32% [95% CI 15-54%]) had
      detectable somatic mutations in cfDNA. Considering MYD88 sequencing, six patients
      had the specific c.T778C alteration detected in plasma. Using a control group,
      the sensitivity was 24% [9-45%] and the specificity was 100%. Tumor volume or
      deep brain structure involvement did not influence the detection of somatic
      mutations in plasma. CONCLUSION: This pilot study provided evidence that somatic
      mutations can be detected by NGS in the cfDNA of a subset of patients suffering
      from PCNSL.

PMID- 28636992
TI  - Acetylsalicylic acid inhibits the growth of melanoma tumors via SOX2-dependent
      PAF-R-independent signaling pathway.
AB  - Acquired resistance to standard therapies remains a serious challenge, requiring
      novel therapeutic approaches that incorporate potential factors involved in tumor
      resistance. As cancers including melanoma express inflammatory cyclooxygenases
      generating prostaglandins implicated in tumor growth, we investigated mechanism
      of anti-inflammatory drug, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) which has been shown to
      inhibit various tumor types, however, its effects against highly aggressive
      melanoma model are unclear. Given our reports that an activation of platelet
      activating factor-receptor (PAF-R) augments the growth and impede efficacies of
      therapeutic agents in experimental melanoma, we also sought to determine if PAF-R
      mediates anti-melanoma activity of ASA. The current studies using stably PAF-R
      positive (B16-PAFR) and negative (B16-MSCV) murine melanoma cells and PAF-R
      expressing and deficient mice, demonstrate that ASA inhibits the in-vitro and in
      vivo growth of highly aggressive B16F10 melanoma via bypassing tumoral or stromal
      PAF-R signaling. Similar ASA-induced effects in-vitro were seen in human melanoma
      and nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells positive or negative in PAF-R.
      Mechanistically, the ASA-induced decrease in cell survival and increase in
      apoptosis were significantly blocked by prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2alpha)
      agonists. Importantly, PCR array and qRT-PCR analysis of B16-tumors revealed
      significant downregulation of sry-related high-mobility-box-2 (SOX2) oncogene by
      ASA treatment. Interestingly, modulation of SOX2 expression by PGF2alpha agonists
      and upregulation by fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) rescued melanoma cells
      from ASA-induced decreased survival and increased apoptosis. Moreover, PGF2alpha
      receptor antagonist, AL8810 mimics ASA-induced decreased melanoma cells survival
      which was significantly blocked by PGF2alpha and FGF-1. These findings indicate
      that ASA inhibits the growth of aggressive melanoma via SOX2-dependent-PAF-R
      indepedent pathway.

PMID- 28636993
TI  - Polymorphisms and expression pattern of circular RNA circ-ITCH contributes to the
      carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks the sixth most common cancer and the third
      cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Recent studies identified that circ
      ITCH Suppresses mutiple cancers proliferation via inhibiting the Wnt/beta-Catenin
      pathway. In current study, conducted a genetic association study together with
      epidemiological follow-up study to delineate the role of circ-ITCH in the
      development and progression of HCC. we found rs10485505 (adjusted OR =1.18; 95%
      CI=1.06-1.31; P value =3.1*10-3) and rs4911154 (adjusted OR =1.27; 95% CI=1.14
      1.43; P value =3.7*10-5) were significantly associated with increased HCC risk.
      The expression level of circ-ITCH was significantly lower in HCC tissues,
      compared with that in adjacent tissues (P value < 0.001). Cox regression analysis
      indicated that high expression of circ-ITCH was associated with favorable
      survival of HCC (HR=0.45; 95% CI=0.29-0.68; P value < 0.001). These results
      indicate that circ-ITCH may have an inhibitory effect on HCC, and could serve as
      susceptibility and prognostic biomarkers for HCC patients.

PMID- 28636998
TI  - Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling for predicting irinotecan exposure
      in human body.
AB  - Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the
      United States. Treatment of colorectal cancer remains a challenge to clinicians
      as well as drug developers. Irinotecan, a Camptothecin derivative, is
      successfully used for the treatment of this rapidly progressing malignancy and
      finds its place in the first line of therapeutic agents. Irinotecan is also
      effective in treating SCLC, malignant glioma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
      However, its adverse effects limit its clinical application. Mainly metabolized
      by hepatic route, and excreted through biliary tract, this dug has been found to
      possess high variation in patients in its pharmacokinetic (PK) profile.
      Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models using compartmental approach
      have attained their position to foresee the possible PK behavior of different
      drugs before their administration to patients and such models have been proposed
      for several anticancer agents. In this work, we used WB-PBPK technology to
      develop a model in a population of tumor patients who used IV irinotecan therapy.
      This model depicted the concentration of drug and its pharmacologically active
      metabolite in human body over a specific period of time. Knowledge about
      pharmacokinetic parameters is extracted from this profile and the model is
      evaluated by the observed results of clinical study presented in literature. The
      predicted behavior of the drug by this approach is in good agreement with the
      observed results and can aid in further exploration of PK of irinotecan in cancer
      patients, especially in those concomitantly suffer from other morbidity.

PMID- 28637001
TI  - A novel method to generate Salmonella Typhi Ty21a ghosts exploiting the lambda
      phage holin-endolysin system.
AB  - Human typhoid fever caused by Salmonella Typhi still poses a severe global
      disease burden in developing countries despite the availability of commercial
      vaccines. In this study, we constructed a non-living S. Typhi Ty21a vaccine
      candidate by employing a lambda (lambda) phage-derived holin-endolysin system to
      efficiently construct bacterial ghosts. The lysis plasmid pJHL464 harbors an R
      lysis cassette that is stringently regulated by dual promoters containing
      cI857/lambdaPR and ParaBAD/araC components. The plasmid was introduced into an
      asd gene-deleted S. Typhi Ty21a strain designated JOL1675. The in vitro
      expression of endolysin (~17.76 kDa) in the subsequent JOL1675 vaccine construct
      when grown under lysis inducible conditions was validated by immunoblotting. In
      scanning electron microscopy analysis, surface transmembrane tunnels and a
      collapsed body were visualized in the ghosts. Following 48 h of lysis, no viable
      JOL1675 cells remained, indicating that lysis of all cells was achieved.
      Subcutaneous immunizations of mice with the JOL1675 ghosts produced significantly
      increasing titers of serum IgG and vaginal wash secretory IgA antibodies against
      JOL1675 outer membrane proteins during the observational period. Further, serum
      collected at 6 weeks post-immunization of rabbits exhibited effective
      bactericidal activity against wild type S. Typhi in the presence of complement.
      These data showed that JOL1675 ghosts are highly immunogenic and elicit humoral
      and mucosal responses expected to correlate with protective immunity against S.
      typhi. Collectively, our findings support the conclusion that incorporating a
      lambda phage holin-endolysin-mediated lysis construct into S. Typhi is an
      efficient strategy for developing a novel and safe non-living typhoid vaccine
      candidate.

PMID- 28637006
TI  - The effect of CA125 on metastasis of ovarian cancer: old marker new function.
AB  - CA125 has been used extensively to screen for neoplasms, especially in ovarian
      cancer. The serum CA125 level can be used as a better prognosis evaluation and it
      may dynamic monitoring the disease progression. We explored the effect of CA125
      on ovarian cancer cell migration and its underlying mechanism. Transwell assays
      showed that exposure to 0.2 MUg/ml or 0.4 MUg/ml CA125 for 48 h increased
      migration of A2780 and OVCAR-3 ovarian cancer cells. This effect of CA125 was
      blocked addition of 200 ng/ml DKK-1, a Wnt pathway inhibitor. Conversely,
      addition of CA125 reversed the inhibitory effect of Wnt inhibition in A2780 cells
      pretreated with DKK-1. Examination of CA125 levels in serum from 97 ovarian
      cancer patients revealed no relationship between a patient's age or CA125 level
      currently used clinically for ovarian cancer diagnosis and metastasis. However,
      using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we identified a new cut-off
      value for the serum CA125 concentration (82.9 U/ml) that is predictive of
      metastasis. The area under the curve is 0.632. This new cut-off value has the
      potential to serve as a clinically useful indicator of metastasis in ovarian
      cancer patients.

PMID- 28637003
TI  - Structural recognition of tubulysin B derivatives by multidrug resistance efflux
      transporters in human cancer cells.
AB  - Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major hindrance to curative chemotherapy of
      various human malignancies. Hence, novel chemotherapeutics must be evaluated for
      their recognition by MDR efflux transporters. Herein we explored the cytotoxic
      activity of synthetic tubulysin B (Tub-B, EC1009) derivatives (Tub-B
      hydrazide/EC0347 and Tub-B bis-ether/EC1820), and their recognition by the MDR
      efflux transporters P-glycoprotein 1 (P-gp), multidrug resistance-associated
      protein 1 (MRP1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). Originally isolated
      from Myxobacteria, tubulysins exhibited potent cytotoxic activity via microtubule
      depolymerization, and evaded recognition by these MDR efflux pumps. We show that
      subtle modifications in the natural Tub-B structure enhance its cytotoxicity and
      drug efflux efficiency. Whereas increasing the lipophilicity of Tub-B drugs
      enhanced their diffusion into the cell and consequently decreased the IC50 values
      (>= 0.27 nM), increasing drug polarity enhanced their recognition by P-gp (>200
      fold resistance in P-gp-overexpressing cells). Furthermore, restricting drug
      exposure time to the clinically relevant 4 h pulse, markedly enhanced efflux by P
      gp, resulting in a 1000-fold increased resistance, which was further enhanced
      upon increased P-gp levels (i.e. an additional 3-fold increase in P-gp levels
      resulted in >6,000-fold resistance). The unique ability of EC1009 to evade
      recognition by MDR efflux pumps warrants drug development of tubulysin B
      derivatives as potent antitumor agents which overcome MDR in cancer.

PMID- 28637007
TI  - c-Fos-dependent miR-22 targets MDC1 and regulates DNA repair in terminally
      differentiated cells.
AB  - Terminally differentiated cells have a reduced capacity to repair double-stranded
      breaks (DSB) in DNA, however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear.
      Here, we show that miR-22 is upregulated during postmitotic differentiation of
      human breast MCF-7 cells, hematopoietic HL60 and K562 cells. Increased expression
      of miR-22 in differentiated cells was associated with decreased expression of
      MDC1, a protein that plays a key role in the response to DSBs. This
      downregulation of MDC1 was accompanied by reduced DSB repair, impaired
      recruitment of the protein to the site of DNA damage following IR. Conversely,
      inhibiting miR-22 enhanced MDC1 protein levels, recovered MDC1 foci, fully
      rescued DSB repair in terminally differentiated cells. Moreover, MDC1 levels, IR
      induced MDC1 foci, and the efficiency of DSB repair were fully rescued by siRNA
      mediated knockdown of c-Fos in differentiated cells. These findings indicate that
      the c-Fos/miR-22/MDC1 axis plays a relevant role in DNA repair in terminally
      differentiated cells, which may facilitate our understanding of molecular
      mechanism underlying the downregulating DNA repair in differentiated cells.

PMID- 28637022
TI  - CDKN2A methylation in esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis.
AB  - CDKN2A is a tumor suppressor gene and is frequently inactivated in human cancers
      by hypermethylation of its promoter. However, the role and diagnostic value of
      CDKN2A methylation in esophageal cancer (EC) remains controversial. Therefore, we
      performed a meta-analysis, including data from 42 articles (2656 ECs, 612
      precancerous lesions, and 2367 controls). A significant increase in the frequency
      of CDKN2A methylation was identified during EC carcinogenesis: cancer vs.
      controls, odds ratio (OR) = 12.60 (95 % CI, 8.90-17.85); cancer vs. precancerous
      lesions, OR = 2.89 (95% CI, 2.20-3.79); and precancerous lesions vs. controls, OR
      = 7.38, 95% (CI, 4.31-12.66). CDKN2A promoter methylation was associated with EC
      tumor grade (OR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.20-2.67) and clinical stage (OR = 2.56; 95% CI,
      1.33-4.92). Additionally, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the
      summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for diagnosis of EC based
      on CDKN2A methylation were 0.52 (95% CI, 0.44-0.59), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.93-0.98),
      and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79-0.86), respectively. AUCs for blood and tissue sample
      subgroups were 0.90 and 0.82, respectively. Our findings indicate that CDKN2A
      methylation has a vital role in EC tumorigenesis and could be a biomarker for
      early diagnosis of EC.

PMID- 28637010
TI  - Local application of bacteria improves safety of Salmonella -mediated tumor
      therapy and retains advantages of systemic infection.
AB  - Cancer is a devastating disease and a large socio-economic burden. Novel
      therapeutic solutions are on the rise, although a cure remains elusive.
      Application of microorganisms represents an ancient therapeutic strategy, lately
      revoked and refined via simultaneous attenuation and amelioration of pathogenic
      properties. Salmonella Typhimurium has prevailed in preclinical development. Yet,
      using virulent strains for systemic treatment might cause severe side effects. In
      the present study, we highlight a modified strain based on Salmonella Typhimurium
      UK-1 expressing hexa-acylated Lipid A. We corroborate improved anti-tumor
      properties of this strain and investigate to which extent an intra-tumoral (i.t.)
      route of infection could help improve safety and retain advantages of systemic
      intravenous (i.v.) application. Our results show that i.t. infection exhibits
      therapeutic efficacy against CT26 and F1.A11 tumors similar to a systemic route
      of inoculation. Moreover, i.t. application allows extensive dose titration
      without compromising tumor colonization. Adverse colonization of healthy organs
      was generally reduced via i.t. infection and accompanied by less body weight loss
      of the murine host. Despite local application, adjuvanticity remained, and a CT26
      specific CD8+ T cell response was effectively stimulated. Most interestingly,
      also secondary tumors could be targeted with this strategy, thereby extending the
      unique tumor targeting ability of Salmonella. The i.t. route of inoculation may
      reap the benefits of systemic infection and aid in safety assurance while
      directing potency of an oncolytic vector to where it is most needed, namely the
      primary tumor.

PMID- 28637028
TI  - Maximizing Outcome in Light Treatment: Patient Behavior as the Light Treatment
      Delivery System.
AB  - The effectiveness of light treatment depends on the treatment being properly
      received by the patient. Examination of the typical light treatment prescription
      shows that delivery of each component of the prescription consists of a behavior
      on the part of the patient. Light treatment delivery, and thus light treatment
      effectiveness, can be maximized by conceptualizing the treatment as a behavior
      change in the patient and by the application of well-established behavior change
      techniques.

PMID- 28637023
TI  - Cationic liquid crystalline nanoparticles for the delivery of synthetic RNAi
      based therapeutics.
AB  - RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics have been used to silence the
      expression of targeted pathological genes. Small interfering RNA (siRNAs) and
      microRNA (miRNAs) inhibitor have performed this function. However, short half
      life, poor cellular uptake, and nonspecific distribution of small RNAs call for
      the development of novel delivery systems to facilitate the use of RNAi. We
      developed a novel cationic liquid crystalline nanoparticle (CLCN) to efficiently
      deliver synthetic siRNAs and miRNAs. CLCNs were prepared by using high-speed
      homogenization and assembled with synthetic siRNA or miRNA molecules in nuclease
      free water to create CLCN/siRNA or miRNA complexes. The homogeneous and stable
      CLCNs and CLCN-siRNA complexes were about 100 nm in diameter, with positively
      charged surfaces. CLCNs are nontoxic and are taken up by human cells though
      endocytosis. Significant inhibition of gene expression was detected in
      transiently transfected lung cancer H1299 cells treated with CLCNs/anti-GFP
      complexes 24 hours after transfection. Biodistribution analysis showed that the
      CLCNs and CLCNs-RNAi complexes were successfully delivered to various organs and
      into the subcutaneous human lung cancer H1299 tumor xenografts in mice 24 hours
      after systemic administration. These results suggest that CLCNs are a unique and
      advanced delivery system capable of protecting RNAi from degradation and of
      efficiently delivering RNAi in vitro and in vivo.

PMID- 28637026
TI  - Clinic characteristics of psoriasis in China: a nationwide survey in over 12000
      patients.
AB  - Psoriasis is a worldwide chronic inflammatory disease, involving both skin and
      joints. In order to characterize psoriasis in Han Chinese population, we
      conducted this nationwide prospective and hospital based survey, in which 56
      hospitals with departments of dermatology participated, located in 33 cities
      across China. A total of 12,031 outpatients with psoriasis were registered during
      2009 to 2010, which the data was collected by standard questionnaires. The main
      data acquisition included demographics, family history, disease status and other
      comorbidities. Physical and dermatological examination, including body surface
      area (BSA) and psoriasis area severity index (PASI) were applied to evaluate the
      disease severity. Descriptive statistics, 2 tailed t-test and chi-square test
      were used appropriately for the statistical analysis. From the study, we found
      that the male and female ratio of the patients was 1.49:1. Mean age of onset was
      30.2 +/- 14.5 years for males and 27.1 +/- 15.6 years for females (P < 0.05).
      Scalp was the most common onset site (52.8%), The mean PASI was 18.70 +/- 10.01,
      indicating that most patients presenting at the hospitals had moderate-to-severe
      psoriasis and the majority was psoriasis vulgaris (96.5%). Among 12,031 patients,
      23.1% had a family history of psoriasis,16.1% had comorbidities, and 29.9% had
      nail changes. The most important aggravation factor was season change (60.2%),
      followed by psychological stress (34.5%), and there significant differences
      between genders on trigger factors. In conclusion, this study characterizing
      psoriasis in Han Chinese population, could be used as basic data for future
      study.

PMID- 28637029
TI  - Blue-Enriched Morning Light as a Countermeasure to Light at the Wrong Time:
      Effects on Cognition, Sleepiness, Sleep, and Circadian Phase.
AB  - Light during the day and darkness at night are crucial factors for proper
      entrainment of the human circadian system to the solar 24-h day. However, modern
      life and work styles have led to much more time spent indoors, often with lower
      daytime and higher evening/nighttime light intensity from electrical lighting
      than outdoors. Whether this has long-term consequences for human health is being
      currently investigated. We tested if bright blue-enriched morning light over
      several days could counteract the detrimental effects of inadequate daytime and
      evening lighting. In a seminaturalistic, within-between subject study design, 18
      young participants were exposed to different lighting conditions on 3 evenings
      (blue-enriched, bright orange, or dim light), after exposure to 2 lighting
      conditions (mixed blue-enriched light and control light, for 3 days each) in the
      mornings. Subjective sleepiness, reaction times, salivary melatonin
      concentrations, and nighttime sleep were assessed. Exposure to the blue-enriched
      morning lighting showed acute wake-promoting effects and faster reaction times
      than with control lighting. Some of these effects persisted until the evening,
      and performance improved over several days. The magnitude of circadian phase
      shifts induced by combinations of 3 different evening and 2 morning lighting
      conditions were significantly smaller with the blue-enriched morning light.
      During the night, participants had longer total sleep times after orange light
      exposure than after blue light exposure in the evening. Our results indicate that
      bright blue-enriched morning light stabilizes circadian phase, and it could be an
      effective counterstrategy for poor lighting during the day and also light
      exposure at the wrong time, such as in the late evening.

PMID- 28637031
TI  - Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Serum Nerve Growth Factor Levels in
      Women with Overactive Bladder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the association between overactive
      bladder (OAB), metabolic syndrome (MetS) and serum nerve growth factors (NGF).
      STUDY DESIGN: Serum samples from a group of 90 women that included patients with
      OAB (group 1), patients with both OAB and MetS (group 2) and healthy women
      without OAB and MetS (group 3). Each group included 30 patients. Serum levels of
      NGF were compared among the groups. RESULTS: When the groups were compared with
      respect to NGF levels, group 2 was found to have significantly higher NGF levels
      (p = 0.001). A NGF threshold of >380 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 81.7% and a
      specificity of 100% to discriminate between groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSION: Our
      findings support the theory that possible sympathetic overactivity,
      proinflammatory status, oxidative stress and other pathological conditions
      associated with MetS and potentially involved in the development of OAB lead to
      increased serum NGF levels. These findings may help to shed light on the
      complicated pathogenesis of OAB.

PMID- 28637030
TI  - Patency Capsule Tolerability in School-Aged Children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A patency capsule (PC) can help predict capsule endoscope (CE)
      retention; however, PC tolerability is unknown in children. We retrospectively
      evaluated PC tolerability in school-aged children. METHODS: Sixty-one patients
      (median age, 12.9 years; range 7.4-17.3 years) who underwent PC examination were
      analyzed for occurrence and determinants of ingestion difficulty and
      relationships between ingestion of the 2 capsules. We defined ingestion
      difficulty as taking 30 min or more, or failure, to ingest the PC. RESULTS:
      Thirty-nine patients (64%) successfully ingested the PC without ingestion
      difficulty. The other 22 had ingestion difficulty and were significantly younger
      (11.7 +/- 2.2 vs. 13.0 +/- 1.8 years; p = 0.04) and shorter (143.3 +/- 14.0 vs.
      154.6 +/- 12.5 cm; p = 0.003) than those without ingestion difficulty.
      Multivariate analysis showed that the most significant factor for predicting PC
      ingestion difficulty was height (cutoff value, 152 cm). Time to ingest the CE was
      significantly shorter than that for PC ingestion (8 +/- 32 vs. 20 +/- 58 min; p =
      0.01). All patients indicated that ingestion of the CE was easier because of its
      smooth surface compared with the PC. CONCLUSIONS: PC ingestion is not guaranteed
      in school-aged children. PC ingestion ability should be evaluated by considering
      the child's height and lack of experience ingesting capsules prior to PC
      examination.

PMID- 28637032
TI  - Investigation of an Immediate Effect of Bright Light on Oxygen Consumption, Heart
      Rate, Cortisol, and alpha-Amylase in Seasonal Affective Disorder Subjects and
      Healthy Controls.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Body (fat) mass has been shown to decrease following bright light
      treatment for overweight women, irrespective of their seasonal (light)
      dependence. It is not known if this is due to an (immediate) increase of
      metabolism. METHODS: Ten women with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and 10 non
      SAD women matched by age, body mass index, and menopausal status participated in
      a laboratory study in the morning, twice within 1-5 days. During one session,
      bright light (4,300 lx) was presented for 30 min, and during the other session,
      red light (250 lx "placebo") was used. After an initial 15 min of sitting quietly
      in an experimental chamber, 10-min measurements were done before, at the end, and
      15 min after light exposure; the subjects remained seated for 80 min in total.
      The measurements included 5-min oxyspirography (oxygen consumption, carbon
      dioxide emission, and heart rate), saliva sampling for the estimation of cortisol
      and alpha-amylase concentrations, and self-rating of mood, energy, and
      sleepiness. RESULTS: There was no light-specific effect on the measured
      variables, except that sleepiness was reduced more with bright light than with
      red light in the combined group. alpha-Amylase values were lower in the SAD
      patients than in the non-SAD controls. CONCLUSIONS: Morning artificial bright
      light, in comparison with dim red light, had no immediate effect on metabolism
      and resting sympathetic tone, though subjective sleepiness decreased more with
      bright light. SAD patients have low salivary alpha-amylase levels, indicating
      lower sympathetic tone.

PMID- 28637035
TI  - Is There a Relationship between Vegetarianism and Seasonal Affective Disorder? A
      Pilot Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Seasonal patterns of food intake are found in healthy
      individuals and particularly in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
      One nutritional choice is a vegetarian diet. METHODS: In a Finnish population
      study, FINRISK 2012, information about diet and SAD was collected. In a Dutch
      outpatient clinic, SAD patients were asked if they were vegetarian. RESULTS: The
      percentage of SAD patients among Finnish vegetarians was 4 times higher than in
      the normal population. The percentage of vegetarians among the SAD patients in a
      Dutch outpatient clinic was 3 times higher than in the normal population. In the
      Dutch population, the seasonal loss of energy, in particular, is related to
      vegetarianism. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a possible link between
      vegetarianism and SAD.

PMID- 28637033
TI  - Quantitative Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography of Early Enamel Erosion in
      vivo.
AB  - Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) shows potential for the in
      vivo quantitative evaluation of micro-structural enamel surface phenomena
      occurring during early erosive demineralization. This randomized controlled
      single-blind cross-over clinical study aimed to evaluate the use of SS-OCT for
      detecting optical changes in the enamel of 30 healthy volunteers subjected to
      orange juice rinsing (erosive challenge) in comparison to mineral water rinsing
      (control), according to wiped and non-wiped enamel surface states. Participants
      were randomly allocated to 60 min of orange juice rinsing (pH 3.8) followed by 60
      min of water rinsing (pH 6.7) and vice versa, with a 2-week wash-out period. In
      addition, the labial surfaces of the right or left maxillary incisors were wiped
      prior to SS-OCT imaging. An automated ImageJ algorithm was designed to analyse
      the back-scattered OCT signal intensity (D) after orange juice rinsing compared
      to after water rinsing. D was quantified as the OCT signal scattering from the 33
      um sub-surface enamel, normalised by the total OCT signal intensity entering the
      enamel. The back-scattered OCT signal intensity increased by 3.1% (95% CI 1.1
      5.1%) in the wiped incisors and by 3.5% (95% CI 1.5-5.5%) in the unwiped incisors
      (p < 0.0001). Wiping reduced the back-scattered OCT signal intensity by 1.7% (95%
      CI -3.2 to -0.3%; p = 0.02) in comparison to the unwiped enamel surfaces for both
      rinsing solutions (p = 0.2). SS-OCT detected OCT signal changes in the
      superficial sub-surface enamel of maxillary central incisor teeth of healthy
      volunteers after orange juice rinsing.

PMID- 28637034
TI  - Recovery of Food Intake after Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Based on a Large
      Scale Gastric Cancer Cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study was aimed at evaluating the food intake and nutritional
      status of patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer based on a large
      scale gastric cancer cohort. METHODS: An observational prospective cohort study
      for gastric cancer has been conducted since 2010. From the cohort data, we
      selected the data for patients who completed at least 2 days of 3-day diet
      diaries and who underwent subtotal gastrectomy (STG) or total gastrectomy (TG).
      As a control group, patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection were
      also included. The collected diet data were converted to macro- and
      micronutrients using computerized software, and the nutrient intakes were
      compared. RESULTS: Among 6,556 patients who participated in the cohort study from
      2011 to 2016, 1,289 patients who completed at least 2 days of 3-day diet diaries
      were included in this study. During the postoperative 3-month period, body weight
      was significantly decreased in the and TG groups. However, there was no
      difference in nutrient intake among the 3 groups except vitamin D and calcium
      intake. Similar results were observed during the postoperative 12 months period.
      CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative body weight loss and anemia might originate from
      altered absorptive function and metabolic change after gastrectomy rather than
      decreased nutrient intake.

PMID- 28637036
TI  - Differentiating Incident from Recurrent Stroke Using Administrative Data: The
      Impact of Varying Lengths of Look-Back Periods on the Risk of Misclassification.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Administrative data are widely used to monitor epidemiological
      trends in stroke and outcomes; yet there is scant empirical guidance on how to
      best differentiate incident from recurrent stroke. METHODS: We identified all
      hospital admissions in New South Wales, Australia, with a principal stroke
      diagnosis from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, linked to 12 years of previous
      admissions. We calculated the proportion of cases identified with a prior stroke
      to determine the number of years of look-back required to minimise
      misclassification of incident and recurrent strokes. RESULTS: Using the maximum
      available look-back period of 12 years, 1,171 out of 8,364 eligible stroke cases
      (14.0%) had a stroke history. A 1-year look-back period identified only 25.1% of
      these patients and 1 in 10 stroke cases were misclassified as incident. With a 10
      year clearance period, less than 1 in 100 stroke cases were misclassified as
      incident. The risk of misclassification was lower in patients younger than 65
      years and in those with haemorrhagic stroke. CONCLUSION: Hospital administrative
      data sets linked to prior admissions can be used to distinguish recurrent from
      incident stroke. The risk of misclassifying recurrent stroke cases as incident
      events is negligible with a look-back period of 10 years.

PMID- 28637037
TI  - Surgical Site Infection after Hepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - AIMS: To clarify the clinical impact, risk factors, and preventive methods for
      surgical site infection (SSI) after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC). METHODS: We included 879 consecutive patients who underwent hepatectomy
      for HCC between 2002 and 2011. Univariate and multivariate analyses were
      conducted to identify the risk factors for incisional and organ/space SSIs. ORs
      and 95% CIs are reported. RESULTS: The incidences of incisional and organ/space
      SSIs were 24 (2.7%) and 73 (8.3%), respectively. High body mass index, multiple
      resections, and organ/space SSI were associated with incisional SSIs, while
      repeat hepatectomy (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.27-3.60), ascites (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.55
      5.48), and bile leakage (OR 4.77, 95% CI 2.77-8.11) were independent risk factors
      for organ/space SSI. Among the cases with bile leakage, lower rates of
      organ/space SSIs tended to be observed in patients with cystic duct tubes than in
      patients without such tubes (13.2 vs. 26.5%, p = 0.157). Retrograde drain
      infections increased when drain placement was prolonged for more than 4
      postoperative days. CONCLUSION: Bile leakage was associated with the greatest
      risk of organ/space SSI after hepatectomy for HCC. Cystic duct tubes might be
      useful for preventing bile leakage and subsequent organ/space SSI after
      procedures that extensively expose Glissonean pedicles.

PMID- 28637038
TI  - Synergic Impact of Vascular Calcification and Low Autonomic Tone in Mortality of
      Hemodialysis Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both cardiovascular calcification and autonomic dysfunction are
      frequently encountered in hemodialysis patients. We aimed to investigate the
      relationship between cardiovascular calcification and heart rate variability
      (HRV) and their influence on long-term outcome. METHODS: Seventy-eight
      hemodialysis patients underwent echocardiogram and radiography of the pelvis and
      hands to identify valvular and vascular calcification. HRV was evaluated using a
      commercial machine. RESULTS: Based on the average, the patients were divided into
      higher and lower subgroups of high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF)
      respectively. Patients with higher LF were younger and were found to have a lower
      proportion of diabetes. Their hemoglobin, albumin, and bone morphogenic protein
      (BMP)-7 levels were significantly higher and both high-sensitive C-reactive
      protein (hs-CRP) and osteoprotegerin levels were lower (all p < 0.05). In
      patients of the higher HF group, the proportion of diabetes was lower but they
      were found to have higher levels of BMP-7 and lower levels of hs-CRP, interleukin
      6 (all p < 0.05). Significantly higher LF and HF were noted in patients without
      vascular calcification, but only hand artery (HA) calcification was negatively
      correlated with both LF and HF in multivariate analysis. Low LF and high hs-CRP
      were the independent predictors of mortality. Coexistence of low LF band and HA
      calcification was associated with the worse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal
      autonomic nervous function was closely related to inflammation and mortality in
      hemodialysis patients. Calcification of HA was associated with autonomic
      dysfunction and patients with lower autonomic tone and HA calcification had the
      highest mortality rate in this population.

PMID- 28637040
TI  - A Possible Role of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Virological Breakthrough during
      Simeprevir and PEG-IFN Treatment in HCV-4.

PMID- 28637039
TI  - Different Impacts of Preoperative Radiotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy on
      Oncological Outcomes in Patients with Stages II and III Lower Rectal Cancer: A
      Propensity Score Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: The neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer has
      been changed from radiotherapy (RT) to chemoradiotherapy (CRT). This study is
      aimed at evaluating the benefit of CRT in patients with stage II or III lower
      rectal cancer, with regard to the impact on recurrence. METHODS: A total of 474
      patients with clinical stage II or III lower rectal cancer who received either
      preoperative RT (n = 221) or CRT (n = 253) followed by total mesorectal excision
      were identified from our institutional database. Propensity score analysis was
      performed to mitigate selection biases. RESULTS: Among stage II patients, the CRT
      group showed a significantly lower 5-year local recurrence rate than the RT group
      (3.0 vs. 14.8%, p = 0.002). In contrast, among stage III patients, the CRT group
      showed a significantly lower 5-year distant recurrence rate than the RT group
      (27.8 vs. 42.6%, p = 0.04) and also a better 5-year recurrence-free survival
      (64.2 vs. 48.3%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Addition of concurrent chemotherapy to
      preoperative RT significantly enhanced the local control in stage II patients and
      decreased distant recurrence in stage III patients. The oncological benefit of
      CRT may differ between patients with stage II or III rectal cancer.

PMID- 28637042
TI  - Visions and the Progress of Science.

PMID- 28637041
TI  - The Effects of Fungicides on Human 3beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase 1 and
      Aromatase in Human Placental Cell Line JEG-3.
AB  - Placenta secretes a large amount of progesterone and estradiol, which are
      critical for maintaining pregnancy. In human placenta, 3beta-hydroxysteroid
      dehydrogenase 1 (HSD3B1) catalyzes pregnenolone to form progesterone, and
      aromatase (CYP19A1) catalyzes testosterone into estradiol. Fungicides display
      antifungal activities and are widely used to prevent fungal infections in
      agricultural plants. These chemicals include azoles, such as tebuconazole (TEB),
      triadimefon (TRI), and vinclozolin (VCZ) or organotins, such as tributyltin (TBT)
      and tetrabutyltin (TTBT). Fungicides may disrupt the activities of these 2
      enzymes. In the present study, we investigated the effects of these fungicides on
      steroid production in a human placental cell line JEG-3 and on HSD3B1 and CYP19A1
      activities. Of all fungicides tested at 100 umol/L, only TBT inhibited
      pregnenolone-mediated progesterone production in JEG-3 cells by over 50%. Except
      TTBT, all other 4 fungicides inhibited testosterone-mediated estradiol production
      by over 50%. TBT was a moderate HSD3B1 inhibitor with a half maximal inhibitory
      concentration (IC50) of 45.60 +/- 0.12 umol/L. When pregnenolone was used to
      determine the mode of inhibition, TBT was a competitive inhibitor of HSD3B1. The
      IC50 values of TEB, TRI, VCZ, and TBT for CYP19A1 were 56.84 +/- 0.13, 58.73 +/-
      0.14, 57.42 +/- 0.171, and 4.58 +/- 0.048 umol/L, respectively. TEB, TRI, and VCZ
      were noncompetitive inhibitors of CYP19A1, while TBT was a competitive inhibitor
      of this enzyme. Therefore, they are endocrine disruptors.

PMID- 28637043
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28637044
TI  - Depressed Patients Hospitalized in Southeast-Facing Rooms Are Discharged Earlier
      than Patients in Northwest-Facing Rooms.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Improvement in patients admitted to inpatient wards with
      severe depression is slow, and such patients are often discharged with residual
      symptoms which put them at risk for relapse. New treatments that can speed up
      recovery are highly desired. This naturalistic follow-up study in a specialized
      affective disorders unit investigated the impact of daylight on the length of
      hospital stay and improvement of depression. METHODS: For a period of 1 year, we
      collected data on sociodemographics, length of stay, vitamin D, and depression
      severity for patients in an inpatient affective disorders unit. The ward is
      located with one facade that faces southeast (SE); the opposite one faces
      northwest (NW) and receives far less light and no direct sunlight during winter.
      RESULTS: SE-facing rooms received far more daylight than NW-facing rooms. The
      length of stay was significantly lower in the SE rooms, i.e., 29.2 (+/-26.8)
      versus 58.8 (+/-42.0) days in the NW rooms (p = 0.01). There was a statistically
      nonsignificant greater reduction of 52.2% in depression severity for the patients
      staying in the SE rooms compared to 42.2% in the NW rooms, which may nevertheless
      be clinically relevant. CONCLUSION: Due to the study design, no causality for the
      observed difference in length of stay can be given, but the results support
      findings in previous studies of the importance of architectural orientation
      providing natural daylight as a factor for improvement.

PMID- 28637045
TI  - Effects of Injection of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Agonists into the Nucleus
      Accumbens on Naloxone-Induced Morphine Withdrawal.
AB  - AIMS: This study was to investigate the effects of local administration of gamma
      aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists into the nucleus accumbens (NAc) on naloxone
      induced morphine withdrawal symptoms. METHODS: Bilateral guide cannulas were
      stereotaxically implanted in the shell or core regions of the NAc of Sprague
      Dawley rats. After a recovery period, 3 morphine pellets, each consisting of 75
      mg morphine base, were placed subcutaneously on the first and third days of the
      study with the rats under mild ether anaesthesia. The GABA agonists, baclofen
      hydrochloride or muscimol hydrobromide, were injected into the NAc, and morphine
      withdrawal was induced by naloxone on the fifth day. RESULTS: Administration of
      baclofen to the shell or core regions of the NAc of Sprague-Dawley rats led to
      statistically significant decreases in both behavioural and locomotor activity
      parameters during the morphine withdrawal period, compared to the control group.
      However, there were no statistically significant changes in locomotor activity or
      withdrawal behavioural parameters, with the exception of wet dog shakes, between
      control and muscimol-treated groups. CONCLUSION: These findings show that
      GABAergic conduction in the NAc is effective on the morphine withdrawal symptoms,
      and that both the shell and core regions of the NAc are associated with this
      effect.

PMID- 28637047
TI  - Pleural Adhesion Assessment as a Predictor for Pneumothorax after Endobronchial
      Valve Treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pneumothorax after bronchoscopic lung volume reduction using one-way
      endobronchial valves (EBVs) in patients with advanced emphysema occurs in
      approximately 20% of patients. It is not well known which factors predict the
      development of pneumothorax. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether pleural adhesions on
      pretreatment high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans are associated with
      pneumothorax occurrence after EBV treatment. METHODS: HRCT scan analyses were
      performed on all patients who received EBV treatment in a randomized controlled
      trial. Three blinded readers scored adhesions by number and by measuring the
      longest axis of each pleural adhesion in the treated lung. The Pleural Adhesion
      Score (PAS) was calculated by adding 1 point for each small pleural lesion (<1
      mm), 5 points for each medium-sized lesion (1-5 mm), and 10 points for each large
      lesion (>5 mm). RESULTS: The HRCT scans of 64 treated patients were assessed, of
      whom 14 developed pneumothorax. Patients who developed pneumothorax had a higher
      median number of pleural adhesions, 2.7 (IQR 1.9-4) compared to 1.7 (1-2.7)
      adhesions in the group without pneumothorax (p < 0.01). The PAS in the group with
      pneumothorax was higher compared to that in the group without: 14.3 (12.4-24.1)
      versus 6.7 (3.7-11.2) (p < 0.01). A threshold PAS of >=12 was associated with a
      higher risk of pneumothorax (OR 13.0, 95% CI 3.1-54.9). A score <12 did not rule
      out the occurrence of pneumothorax. CONCLUSION: A higher number of pleural
      adhesions on HRCT with a subsequent higher PAS in the treated lung is associated
      with a higher occurrence of pneumothorax after EBV treatment.

PMID- 28637048
TI  - Use of Light Therapy by Office-Based Physicians.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Light therapy (LT) is a non-pharmacological biological treatment that
      has been used in psychiatry since the 1980s. Previous research has investigated
      the usage of LT in hospitals. The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of
      use of LT by office-based physicians. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent by mail
      to 400 randomly selected doctors in Austria. We made sure that the sample was
      equally representative of general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists, public
      health service doctors and private doctors, physicians in cities and in the
      country as well as male and female doctors. Non-responders were asked by phone
      and e-mail to answer the questionnaire. We achieved a response rate of 27.7%.
      RESULTS: LT was generally recommended by 67.3% of all physicians (91.6% of the
      psychiatrists but only 46.6% of the GPs). The recommended location of treatment
      was patients' homes in 90%. Physicians were asked whether they considered LT to
      be an appropriate treatment for various disorders. There were affirmative answers
      from: 94.2% for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), 93.3% for sub-syndromal SAD,
      60.6% for non-seasonal recurrent major depressive disorder, 35.6% for jet lag
      syndrome, 35.6% for chronobiological problems with shift work, 22.1% for
      insomnia, 13.5% for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and 10.6% for behavioural
      problems with Alzheimer's disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that LT is
      regularly recommended by office-based physicians, especially psychiatrists.
      However, there is potential for greater application of LT in indications other
      than depressive disorder. The results found here are comparable to previous
      findings in psychiatric hospitals.

PMID- 28637046
TI  - The Preoperative Composite Physiologic Index May Predict Mortality in Lung Cancer
      Patients with Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether the preoperative pulmonary function
      parameters and prognostic indices that are indicative of nutritional and
      immunological status are associated with prognosis in lung cancer patients with
      combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) who have undergone surgery.
      OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to identify prognostic determinants in these
      patients. METHODS: The medical records of all patients with lung cancer
      associated with CPFE who had undergone surgery at Shinshu University Hospital
      were retrospectively reviewed to obtain clinical data, including the results of
      preoperative pulmonary function tests and laboratory examinations, chest high
      resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and survival. RESULTS: Univariate Cox
      proportional hazards regression analysis showed that a high pathological stage of
      the lung cancer, a higher preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen level, and
      a higher preoperative composite physiologic index (CPI) were associated with a
      high risk of death. Multivariate analysis showed that a high pathological stage
      of the lung cancer (HR: 1.579; p = 0.0305) and a higher preoperative CPI (HR:
      1.034; p = 0.0174) were independently associated with a high risk of death. In
      contrast, the severity of fibrosis or emphysema on chest HRCT, the individual
      pulmonary function parameters, the prognostic nutritional index, the neutrophil
      to-lymphocyte ratio, and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were not associated
      with prognosis. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, the log-rank test showed
      significant differences in survival between the high-CPI and the low-CPI group (p
      = 0.0234). CONCLUSION: The preoperative CPI may predict mortality and provide
      more powerful prognostic information than individual pulmonary function
      parameters in lung cancer patients with CPFE who have undergone surgery.

PMID- 28637049
TI  - Protecting Oligodendrocytes by Targeting Non-Glutamate Receptors as a New
      Therapeutic Strategy for Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - Ischemic stroke has many devastating effects within the brain. At the cellular
      level, excitotoxicity has been a popular pharmacological target for therapeutics.
      To date, many clinical trials have been performed with drugs that target
      excitatory neurotransmitter receptors, such as NMDA receptor agonists. The
      results, however, have been lackluster. Most efforts to understand the impacts of
      excitotoxicity on the brain have focused primarily on neurons, and to a lesser
      degree, on gliocytes as cellular targets. Recent evidence suggests that
      oligodendrocytes (OLGs), the myelin-forming cells in the central nervous system,
      are damaged by ischemia in a manner completely different from that in neurons.
      Whereas ischemia primarily damages neurons through overactivation of ionotropic
      glutamate receptors, the ischemia damage in OLGs occurs through overactivation of
      H+-gated transient receptor potential channels. Given the differential mechanisms
      of ischemic injury between neurons and OLGs, strategies to target non-glutamate
      receptors to prevent OLG damage/demyelination deserve greater attention in drug
      development. Such strategies, combined with neuroprotective measures, could
      provide an excellent therapeutic avenue for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28637050
TI  - Ultrasonography for the Diagnosis of Pneumothorax after Transbronchial Lung
      Cryobiopsy in Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) can be indicated in diffuse
      parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) when a confident noninvasive diagnosis cannot
      be made. The 2 most relevant complications of TBLC are bleeding and pneumothorax
      (PTX). The accuracy of chest ultrasonography (US) for the detection of PTX is
      higher when compared to chest X-ray (CXR) with reference to computed tomography
      (CT) scan as a gold standard. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the accuracy of chest US in
      detecting PTX after TBLC in patients with DPLDs. METHODS: Patients underwent TBLC
      during rigid bronchoscopy in deep sedation. Cryobiopsy was performed with
      fluoroscopic guidance. Three hours later, patients underwent chest US and
      standard CXR. When there was no concordance between chest US and CXR, chest CT
      was required. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were enrolled into the study.
      Cryobiopsy was performed in the right lung in 36 (84%) patients. PTX was
      diagnosed in 10 (23%) patients by CXR. There was complete agreement between
      radiologists interpreting CXR (k = 1, 95% CI 1). Chest US was positive for PTX in
      11 (25%) patients. There was complete agreement between pulmonologists
      interpreting chest US (k = 1, 95% CI 1). The prevalence of PTX diagnosed by
      concordance of CXR and chest US was 23% (10/43, 95% CI 11.8-38.7). The
      sensitivity and specificity of chest US were 90% (95% CI 55.5-99.7) and 94% (95%
      CI 79.8-99.3), respectively. Moreover, the positive and negative predictive
      values were 82% (95% CI 48-98) and 97% (95% CI 84-100), respectively. CONCLUSION:
      Chest US is a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of
      PTX after TBLC.

PMID- 28637052
TI  - Subtle eye movement metrics reveal task-relevant representations prior to visual
      search.
AB  - Visual search is thought to be guided by an active visual working memory (VWM)
      representation of the task-relevant features, referred to as the search template.
      In three experiments using a probe technique, we investigated which eye movement
      metrics reveal which search template is activated prior to the search, and
      distinguish it from future relevant or no longer relevant VWM content.
      Participants memorized a target color for a subsequent search task, while being
      instructed to keep central fixation. Before the search display appeared, we
      briefly presented two task-irrelevant colored probe stimuli to the left and right
      from fixation, one of which could match the current target template. In all three
      experiments, participants made both more and larger eye movements towards the
      probe matching the target color. The bias was predominantly expressed in
      microsaccades, 100-250 ms after probe onset. Experiment 2 used a retro-cue
      technique to show that these metrics distinguish between relevant and dropped
      representations. Finally, Experiment 3 used a sequential task paradigm, and
      showed that the same metrics also distinguish between current and prospective
      search templates. Taken together, we show how subtle eye movements track task
      relevant representations for selective attention prior to visual search.

PMID- 28637051
TI  - Teaching Transnasal Endoscopy to Graduate Students Without a Hospital or
      Simulation Laboratory: Pool Noodles and Cadavers.
AB  - Purpose: This study reports on a training opportunity in endoscopy in which
      speech-language pathology graduate students use inanimate objects and cadavers.
      Best practices for transnasal endoscopy in vivo require a physician to be nearby,
      but many graduate programs do not have this access. Method: Endoscopy was offered
      as a graduate elective. Students (13 women) initially learned to manipulate the
      endoscope through the lumen of a swimming pool noodle that was embedded with
      trinkets. Endoscopic examination of inanimate objects became increasingly
      complex, followed by endoscopic examination of a cadaver. Results: Pre- and
      postexamination measures and qualitative data from the 13 students revealed that
      students increased in confidence and in interest in this aspect of the field. All
      students met practical competencies for handling the endoscope, passing the
      endoscope on a narrow tube, and visualizing objects. Some students had the
      opportunity to pass the endoscope on a peer and did so successfully. Conclusion:
      For programs with a cadaver lab available, this protocol offers an affordable
      option compared with purchasing a simulator. For those with neither a cadaver lab
      nor a simulation lab, passing the endoscope on inanimate objects alone is
      beneficial to student development and learning.

PMID- 28637053
TI  - A new analytical method for characterizing nonlinear visual processes with
      stimuli of arbitrary distribution: Theory and applications.
AB  - Characterization of the functional relationship between sensory inputs and
      neuronal or observers' perceptual responses is one of the fundamental goals of
      systems neuroscience and psychophysics. Conventional methods, such as reverse
      correlation and spike-triggered data analyses are limited in their ability to
      resolve complex and inherently nonlinear neuronal/perceptual processes because
      these methods require input stimuli to be Gaussian with a zero mean. Recent
      studies have shown that analyses based on a generalized linear model (GLM) do not
      require such specific input characteristics and have advantages over conventional
      methods. GLM, however, relies on iterative optimization algorithms and its
      calculation costs become very expensive when estimating the nonlinear parameters
      of a large-scale system using large volumes of data. In this paper, we introduce
      a new analytical method for identifying a nonlinear system without relying on
      iterative calculations and yet also not requiring any specific stimulus
      distribution. We demonstrate the results of numerical simulations, showing that
      our noniterative method is as accurate as GLM in estimating nonlinear parameters
      in many cases and outperforms conventional, spike-triggered data analyses. As an
      example of the application of our method to actual psychophysical data, we
      investigated how different spatiotemporal frequency channels interact in
      assessments of motion direction. The nonlinear interaction estimated by our
      method was consistent with findings from previous vision studies and supports the
      validity of our method for nonlinear system identification.

PMID- 28637055
TI  - A Pilot Study on Professional Documentation: Do We Write From a Strengths
      Perspective?
AB  - Purpose: There is growing evidence supporting the use of strengths-based
      practices when serving families. The purpose of this study was to examine the use
      of strengths-based approaches in the context of written professional
      documentation. We specifically explored whether or not interdisciplinary
      clinicians in one university-based medical center clinic write from a strengths
      perspective (e.g., writing focuses on abilities rather than on deficits) when
      documenting child behavior in autism diagnostic clinics. Method: We gathered
      narrative-based writing samples (a total of 299 phrases) from 20 patient reports.
      Using a coding system developed by the research team (intraclass correlation
      coefficient = .801 on final definitions and coding system), we analyzed the
      extent to which interdisciplinary clinicians included strengths-based language
      (e.g., language that emphasizes a person's strengths rather than limitations) in
      their written documentation. An independent researcher coded a random sample (20%
      of entire sample) of the data to document reliability of the coded data (97%
      interrater agreement). Results: Our findings indicated that clinicians in our
      study used deficit-based language significantly more than neutral and strengths
      based language in written documentation. Conclusion: This preliminary evidence
      suggests a need to reflect upon our own understanding of strengths-based
      practices and the way professionals write about children in clinical
      documentation.

PMID- 28637054
TI  - Modeling Alphabet Skills as Instructive Feedback Within a Phonological Awareness
      Intervention.
AB  - Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy of an instructive feedback strategy
      for modeling letter names and sounds during presentation of positive feedback
      within a small-group phonological awareness intervention for preschoolers.
      Method: Two experiments were conducted using multiple-baseline designs across
      children and behaviors. Letter name and sound identification and performance on a
      phonological awareness fluency measure served as the primary outcome variables.
      Six children completed Experiment 1. A progressive time delay was added to
      instructive feedback to elicit a response from the 9 children in the second
      experiment. Results: In the first experiment, 6 children demonstrated gains on
      phonological awareness but not alphabet knowledge. With the addition of
      progressive time delay in the second experiment, all 9 children demonstrated
      gains on letter name and sound identification as well as phonological awareness
      skills. Conclusions: Progressive time delay to prompt children's responses
      appears to bolster the effects of instructive feedback as an efficient strategy
      for modeling alphabet skills within a broader early literacy curriculum. Modeling
      alphabet skills did not detract from, and may have enhanced, phonological
      awareness instruction for preschoolers.

PMID- 28637056
TI  - [Urosepsis in Children].
AB  - Urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common infectious diseases in
      children. Urosepsis in childhood, though rare, is the most complicated possible
      variant. In newborns and infants, unspecific symptoms are a significant barrier
      to a fast and reliable diagnosis, which is crucial to successful treatment. In
      addition to urine and laboratory tests as well as non-invasive examinations
      (ultrasound), there may be an indication for invasive examinations of the kidneys
      (DMSA scans) in cases of a severe infection. Conservative therapy consists of
      targeted parenteral antibiotic treatment and paediatric sepsis management.
      Surgical desobstruction and urinary diversion are indicated if conservative
      therapy has failed. In addition to catheterised drainage of the upper and lower
      urinary tract, open surgery techniques are used in due consideration of the child
      and situation. Also, causal factors such as congenital malformations of the
      urinary system leading to impaired urinary drainage (vesicoureteral reflux,
      obstruction) have to be evaluated and treated.

PMID- 28637057
TI  - Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Hypercalcemia During Pregnancy.

PMID- 28637058
TI  - Evaluation of Cases of Abdominal Wall Endometriosis at Universidade Estadual de
      Campinas in a period of 10 Years.
AB  - Purpose To determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of
      abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE), as well as the rate and recurrence factors
      for the disease. Methods A retrospective study of 52 women with AWE was performed
      at Universidade Estadual de Campinas from 2004 to 2014. Of the 231 surgeries
      performed for the diagnosis of endometriosis, 52 women were found to have
      abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE). The frequencies, means and standard
      deviations of the clinical characteristics of these women were calculated, as
      well as the recurrence rate of AWE. To determine the risk factors for disease
      recurrence, Fisher's exact test was used. Results The mean age of the patients
      was 30.71 +/- 5.91 years. The main clinical manifestations were pain (98%) and
      sensation of a mass (36.5%). We observed that 94% of these women had undergone at
      least 1 cesarean section, and 73% had used medication for the postoperative
      control of endometriosis. The lesion was most commonly located in the cesarean
      section scar (65%). The recurrence rate of the disease was of 26.9%. All 14 women
      who had relapsed had surgical margins compromised in the previous surgery. There
      was no correlation between recurrent AWE and a previous cesarean section (p =
      0.18), previous laparotomy (p = 0.11), previous laparoscopy (p = 0.12) and
      postoperative hormone therapy (p = 0.51). Conclusion Women with previous cesarean
      sections with local pain or lumps should be investigated for AWE. The recurrence
      of AWE is high, especially when the first surgery is not appropriate and leaves
      compromised surgical margins.

PMID- 28637059
TI  - Erratum to: Persistent Urogenital Sinus: Diagnostic Imaging for Clinical
      Management. What Does the Radiologist Need to Know?

PMID- 28637060
TI  - Comparison of Azithromycin versus Erythromycin for Prolongation of Latency in
      Pregnancies Complicated by Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes.

PMID- 28637061
TI  - Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction of Trichorionic Triplet Gestations: What is the
      Benefit?

PMID- 28637062
TI  - Prospective Comparison of Enfamil and Similac Liquid Human Milk Fortifier on
      Clinical Outcomes in Premature Infants.

PMID- 28637063
TI  - Exploring diagnostic and therapeutic implications of endoscopic mucosal resection
      in EUS-staged T2 esophageal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Background and study aims Treatment strategies for clinical (c)T2N0M0 esophageal
      adenocarcinoma (EAC) are subject to debate owing to the relative inaccuracy of
      tumor staging by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), with profound implications in
      overstaged patients. We aimed to evaluate the final histological diagnosis of
      patients initially staged as having a cT2 tumor by EUS, and to assess the value
      of endoscopic reassessment by an interventional endoscopist, followed by an
      endoscopic resection when deemed feasible. Patients and methods Two distinct
      cohorts of patients with cT2 EAC as determined by EUS were included: a
      retrospective surgical cohort of patients treated by primary esophagectomy, and a
      prospective cohort of patients who underwent an endoscopic reassessment by an
      interventional endoscopist. The main outcome measure was the final pathological
      (p)T stage. Results We identified 134 patients with stage T2 EAC from the
      surgical cohort. In 72 patients treated by primary esophagectomy, 32/72 (44 %)
      were downstaged to a pT1 tumor. In 12/72 (17 %), the surgical resection specimen
      showed tumor characteristics that fulfilled the current criteria for a curative
      endoscopic resection. In 13 prospectively identified patients with cT2N0M0 EAC,
      an expert endoscopic reassessment was done. In 11/13 (85 %) the lesion appeared
      endoscopically resectable and a complete endoscopic resection was performed.
      Histology revealed a pT1 tumor in all 11 patients, with 5/13 (38 %) fulfilling
      current criteria for a curative endoscopic resection. Conclusions In this study,
      44 % of cT2 EACs were in fact pT1 tumors. Curative treatment by endoscopic
      resection was achieved in more than a third of these cases. To avoid an
      unnecessary esophagectomy, an endoscopic reassessment by an interventional
      endoscopist is recommended for all patients with cT2N0M0 EAC.

PMID- 28637064
TI  - Safety and efficacy of glycopyrrolate as a premedication for endoscopic
      submucosal dissection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
AB  - : Background and study aims Anticholinergic premedication has not been validated
      for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). In this randomized, double-blind,
      placebo-controlled trial, we investigated the efficacy and safety of
      glycopyrrolate as a premedication for ESD. Methods A total of 196 patients
      undergoing ESD at a single tertiary medical center between December 2014 and
      February 2016 were randomly allocated to receive one of the following two
      premedications: glycopyrrolate (0.004 mg/kg intramuscularly [IM]) or placebo (2.0
      mL normal saline solution IM). All patients received the premedication 30 minutes
      prior to ESD in a double-blind manner. The endoscopists reported the ease of
      performing the procedure and the incidence of secretion-induced hypoxemia, cough,
      and other procedure-related adverse events. Results Glycopyrrolate and placebo
      were received by 96 and 100 patients, respectively. ESD was successfully
      performed in all patients without any serious adverse events related to sedation
      or ESD. The median visual analog scale for procedure ease was higher in the
      glycopyrrolate group at 8 (interquartile range [IQR] 7 - 9) vs. 7 (IQR 6 - 8.25);
      P < 0.001. The proportions of patients with secretion-induced hypoxemia (4.4 %
      vs. 14.3 %; P = 0.03) and cough (16.7 % vs. 35.7 %; P = 0.005) were lower in the
      glycopyrrolate group.  Conclusions The use of glycopyrrolate as a premedication
      for ESD significantly improved the ease of performing the procedure and reduced
      the incidence of secretion-induced hypoxemia and cough during ESD. Glycopyrrolate
      may be a promising premedication to ensure safe and stable ESD procedures. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS): KCT0001540.

PMID- 28637067
TI  - Erratum to: Impact of Preoperative Computed Tomography Angiogram on Abdominal
      Flap Breast Reconstruction Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

PMID- 28637066
TI  - [Surgery for Pulmonary Metastases in Patients with Advanced Soft Tissue and
      Osteosarcomas].
AB  - Background Advanced soft tissue or osteosarcoma is often associated with lung
      metastases. Curative pulmonary metastasectomy is appropriate for patients with
      successfully resected primary cancer who show no evidence of extrapulmonary
      metastases, with proven functional operability and completely resectable
      metastases. Material and Methods Systematic literature research and qualitative
      analysis of studies on patients undergoing lung metastasectomy after resection of
      primary sarcoma published since 01.01.2010. We assessed operative findings,
      survival data and prognostic factors. Results Pulmonary metastasectomy results in
      a median postmetastasectomy survival of 8.76 to 69.9 months. Five year survival
      rates after metastasectomy vary between 21.7 and 56.8%. The patients' prognosis
      depends particularly on complete resection of all suspected metastases.
      Intrapulmonary recurrence could be treated by repeated resection, but this
      procedure requires careful decision for indication. Re-metastasectomy might
      result in a favourable outcome in selected cases. Conclusion Pulmonary
      metastasectomy should be considered as treatment of choice in selected patients
      with isolated lung metastases from osteosarcoma. Optimal indication might lead to
      an advantage in patients with metastasectomy of isolated lung metastases from
      soft tissue.

PMID- 28637068
TI  - Traumatic Suprascapular Nerve Injury at the Notch-A Reason for the Posterior
      Approach in Brachial Plexus Reconstruction.

PMID- 28637069
TI  - [Preference Changes Regarding Future Work Area and Intended Position Among German
      Residents after Four Years of Residency].
AB  - Introduction We investigated the preferences of medical residents in Germany with
      regard to future working place (hospital or private practice) and position
      (employment/self-employment in private practice; resp. specialist/senior or chief
      physician in the hospital). This is analysed in a gender comparative perspective,
      including the influence of parenthood. Methods Annual postal surveys among
      graduates of seven medical faculties in Germany from their last year ("Practical
      Year") until after four years of postgraduate training. The return rate at
      baseline was 48 % and the four surveys after reached rates from 85 % up. In all
      samples about two thirds were women, which corresponds to the actual gender
      differentiation in under- and postgraduate training. Descriptive statistics and
      regression analyses were performed. Results Compared to private practice the
      hospital is clearly preferred, although the attraction of hospital jobs decreased
      over the years. The decision for or against the hospital is connected to the
      discipline. Working in private practice is seen as possibility for part time
      work. Men prefer self-employment whereas women prefer to work under an employment
      contract. In the hospital, male doctors prefer to work in leading positions.
      Those positions are associated with full-time work. Leadership training
      especially takes place in university hospitals. Discussion Three trends are
      recognized: Reluctance against leading positions, growing interest for part time
      work and rising popularity of work as an employee in private practice. Those
      trends can be understood as a rejection of traditional professional role models.
      The realization of these preferences is easily feasible because of the current
      labour market situation. Therefore, emerging problems have to be faced in another
      way. A change of gender-typical role models was rarely detected.

PMID- 28637070
TI  - [Complementary Therapies for Cancer].

PMID- 28637065
TI  - Evaluation of an e-learning system for diagnosis of gastric lesions using
      magnifying narrow-band imaging: a multicenter randomized controlled study.
AB  - Background and study aim Magnifying narrow-band imaging (M-NBI) is useful for the
      accurate diagnosis of early gastric cancer (EGC). However, acquiring skill at M
      NBI diagnosis takes substantial effort. An Internet-based e-learning system to
      teach endoscopic diagnosis of EGC using M-NBI has been developed. This study
      evaluated its effectiveness. Participants and methods This study was designed as
      a multicenter randomized controlled trial. We recruited endoscopists as
      participants from all over Japan. After completing Test 1, which consisted of M
      NBI images of 40 gastric lesions, participants were randomly assigned to the e
      learning or non-e-learning groups. Only the e-learning group was allowed to
      access the e-learning system. After the e-learning period, both groups received
      Test 2. The analysis set was participants who scored < 80 % accuracy on Test 1.
      The primary end point was the difference in accuracy between Test 1 and Test 2
      for the two groups. Results A total of 395 participants from 77 institutions
      completed Test 1 (198 in the e-learning group and 197 in the non-e-learning
      group). After the e-learning period, all 395 completed Test 2. The analysis sets
      were e-learning group: n = 184; and non-e-learning group: n = 184. The mean Test
      1 score was 59.9 % for the e-learning group and 61.7 % for the non-e-learning
      group. The change in accuracy in Test 2 was significantly higher in the e
      learning group than in the non-e-learning group (7.4 points vs. 0.14 points,
      respectively; P < 0.001). Conclusion This study clearly demonstrated the efficacy
      of the e-learning system in improving practitioners' capabilities to diagnose EGC
      using M-NBI.Trial registered at University Hospital Medical Information Network
      Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000008569).

PMID- 28637071
TI  - [70-year-old Woman with Hypertension Difficult to Stabilize].

PMID- 28637072
TI  - [How to Classify and Evaluate Complementary and Alternative Medicines in
      Oncology].
AB  - There are a vast number of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in
      oncology. Also patients' needs for information on these methods are growing.
      Helping patients to classify and evaluate CAM methods is a challenge. The Cancer
      Information Service at the German Cancer Research Center has developed a benefit
      risk-assessment based on evidence-based medicine and individual patient traits:
      To rate a CAM's benefit, the scientific evidence and the patient's therapeutic
      goals have to be taken into account. To estimate its risks, both, the method
      itself and the patient's status of health must be considered.

PMID- 28637073
TI  - [Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oncology - What Makes Sense?]
AB  - The basis of any complementary therapy should be the recommendation of a healthy
      lifestyle (diet, nutrition, exercise, stress-reduction), and appropriate self
      help techniques (e. g. thermotherapy, herbal OTC-products) aimed at releasing the
      patients' most debilitating symptoms. For therapy-resistant or strong symptoms,
      more invasive interventions or medical treatments with an acceptable evidence
      base can be used (e. g. acupuncture for cancer pain, herbal prescriptions). The
      effects of any complementary intervention should be controlled for a period of
      six weeks after its administration. Patients should be advised not to use
      products or methods with possibly harmful side effects or negative interactions
      with conventional medications.

PMID- 28637074
TI  - [Nutrition in Cancer: Effective in Prevention and Treatment?]
AB  - Nutritional effects on cancer occurrence and on treatment outcome in cancer
      patients may depend on food preferences and on the quantity of foods supplied.
      However, it has been difficult to reliably show beneficial effects of specific
      dietary concepts on cancer incidence. On the other hand, obesity as a result of
      chronic overfeeding has been linked firmly to an increased risk of a number of
      cancers as well as on cancer recurrence after treatment. Metabolic consequences
      of obesity and other components of the metabolic syndrome may be responsible for
      inducing and/or promoting cancer growth and should be antagonized by regular
      moderate physical activity in healthy subjects and in cancer survivors. During
      cancer treatment and in patients with advanced disease, inadequate food intake
      and physical inactivity may lead to malnutrition, while recurrent and chronic
      systemic inflammatory reactions induce chronic catabolism with a preferential
      loss of muscle and cell mass, condition referred to as cachexia.

PMID- 28637075
TI  - [Vitamins and Minerals in Oncology].
AB  - The use of vitamins and minerals to prevent cancer as well as their supportive
      use in oncological patients is widespread and often occurs without the knowledge
      of the treating physician. Beyond general recommendations with regard to a
      balanced and healthy diet, no evidence exists supporting the use of vitamins and
      minerals in the prevention of cancer. Furthermore, the diet of oncological
      patients should contain vitamins and minerals of the same quantity as for healthy
      individuals. In particular, there is currently no rationale for a high-dosage
      administration of antioxidants.

PMID- 28637076
TI  - [Clinical Course of an Early Childhood-Onset Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis].
AB  - History A 26-year-old male patient presented with an eight-week history of
      unspecific symptoms such as weight loss and fever. Besides, he also suffered from
      haemoptysis, cough, and arthralgia. Since the age of twelve years, the patient
      has been treated for Wegner's granulomatosis. At the age of 20 years he received
      a kidney transplant which failed only four years later. Investigations The
      relapse we clinically suspected was confirmed by CT scan showing bilateral
      pulmonary manifestations. Moreover, we found highly positive antibodies against
      proteinase 3. Treatment and course After an induction therapy using
      Glucocorticoids and Rituximab, accompanied by plasmapheresis, the patient's
      clinical condition showed a marked improvement. We were able to discharge him
      continuing the treatment in an outpatient setting. Conclusion Childhood-onset GPA
      is a life-threatening disease and often characterized by recurring relapses as
      well as a significantly reduced quality of life for the patient.

PMID- 28637077
TI  - [Tracheostomy Home Care of Patients after Long Term Ventilation on the ICU - a
      Position Paper].

PMID- 28637078
TI  - [Update: Cardiovascular Sleep Medicine].
AB  - The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is high in patients with
      cardiovascular diseases. Typical symptoms like daytime sleepiness can be absent
      and those patients may report unspecific, therapy-resistant symptoms related to
      their underlying disease. Particularly sleep-related symptoms like nocturia,
      nocturnal dyspnea and pectangina can be present. Based on the results of recently
      published studies, the treatment of central sleep apnea in patients with
      symptomatic, systolic heart failure by adaptive servo-ventilation is no longer
      recommended. Although the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea did not prevent
      cardiovascular events, it improved snoring, daytime sleepiness and health-related
      quality of life. Furthermore, studies imply that treatment of SDB should be
      considered as an adjunct treatment modality in patients with hypertension and
      atrial fibrillation. Due to the high prevalence, screening for SDB can help to
      identify patients at high cardiovascular risk.

PMID- 28637079
TI  - ?

PMID- 28637080
TI  - The Prognostic Importance of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid CXCL9 During Minimal
      Acute Rejection on the Risk of Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction.
AB  - The clinical significance and treatment strategies for minimal acute rejection
      (grade A1), the most common form of acute rejection (AR), remain controversial.
      In this retrospective single-center cohort study of 441 lung transplant
      recipients, we formally evaluate the association between minimal AR and chronic
      lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) and test a novel hypothesis using
      bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) CXCL9 concentration during minimal AR as a biomarker
      of subsequent CLAD development. In univariable and multivariable models adjusted
      for all histopathologic injury patterns, minimal AR was not associated with CLAD
      development. However, minimal AR with elevated BAL CXCL9 concentrations markedly
      increased CLAD risk in a dose-response manner. Minimal AR with CXCL9
      concentrations greater than the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile had adjusted
      hazard ratios (HRs) for CLAD of 1.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8-1.6), 1.6
      (95% CI 1.1-2.3), and 2.2 (95% CI 1.4-3.4), respectively. Thus we demonstrate the
      utility of BAL CXCL9 measurement as a prognostic biomarker that allows
      discrimination of recipients at increased risk of CLAD development after minimal
      AR. BAL CXCL9 measurement during transbronchial biopsies may provide clinically
      useful prognostic data and guide treatment decisions for this common form of AR,
      as a possible strategy to minimize CLAD development.

PMID- 28637081
TI  - Molecular characterization of gluten hydrolysing Bacillus sp. and their efficacy
      and biotherapeutic potential as probiotics using Caco-2 cell line.
AB  - AIM: To isolate and characterize indigenous gluten hydrolysing bacteria from
      wheat sourdough and curd samples and further evaluation of their probiotic
      potentiality. METHODS AND RESULTS: Indigenous gluten hydrolysing isolates GS 33,
      GS 143, GS 181 and GS 188 were identified as Bacillus sp. by molecular-typing
      methods and studied extensively for their functional and probiotic attributes.
      All the tested isolates could survive at pH 2 and toxicity of 0.3% bile and also
      exhibited cell surface hydrophobicity and autoaggregation phenotype. The isolates
      were adhered strongly to Caco-2 cells and coaggregated with Escherichia coli MTCC
      433 and Listeria monocytogenes MTCC 1143 preventing pathogen invasion into Caco-2
      cells in vitro. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration of selected
      antibiotics for all the investigated gluten hydrolysing isolates was within the
      breakpoint values as recommended by the European Food Safety Authority.
      CONCLUSION: The indigenous high intensity gluten hydrolysing bacteria exhibited
      high resistance to gastric and pancreatic stress and possessed antibacterial,
      aggregation, adhesion and pathogen exclusion properties, and as a potential
      probiotics, either alone or in consortium would be useful in the development of
      gluten-free wheat foods. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Exploring new
      indigenous gluten hydrolysing bacteria from wheat sourdough and curd samples
      would be beneficial in developing gluten-free wheat foods using potential
      indigenous probiotics.

PMID- 28637082
TI  - Positive aspects of having had cancer: A mixed-methods analysis of responses from
      the American Cancer Society Study of Cancer Survivors-II (SCS-II).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study focused on understanding positive aspects of cancer among a
      large, national sample of survivors, 2, 5, and 10 years' postcancer diagnosis,
      who responded to the American Cancer Society Study of Cancer Survivors - II (SCS
      II) survey "Please tell us about any positive aspects of having cancer." METHODS:
      A sequential mixed methods approach examined (1) thematic categories of positive
      aspects from cancer survivors (n = 5149) and (2) variation in themes by
      sociodemographics, cancer type, stage of disease, and length of survivorship.
      RESULTS: Themes comprised 21 positive aspects within Thornton's typology of
      benefits that cancer survivors attribute to their illness: life perspectives,
      self, and relationships. New themes pertaining to gratitude and medical support
      during diagnosis and treatment, health-related changes, follow-up/surveillance,
      and helping others emerged that are not otherwise included in widely used
      existing benefit finding cancer scales. Gratitude and appreciation for life were
      the most frequently endorsed themes. Sociodemographics and stage of disease were
      associated with positive aspect themes. Themes were not associated with survivor
      cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: No differences in perceived positive aspects across
      survivor cohorts suggest that positive aspects of cancer may exist long after
      diagnosis for many survivors. However, variation across sociodemographics and
      clinical variables suggests cancer survivors differentially experience positive
      aspects from their cancer diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: This
      analysis provides new information about cancer survivors' perceptions of positive
      aspects from their cancer and factors associated with benefit finding and
      personal growth. This information can be useful in further refining quality-of
      life measures and interventions for cancer survivors.

PMID- 28637084
TI  - Integra dermal regeneration template for neck reconstruction in a previously
      irradiated patient.

PMID- 28637083
TI  - Changes in spiritual well-being and psychological outcomes in ovarian cancer
      survivors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Because of the poor prognosis of ovarian cancer and concomitant
      distress, understanding contributors to positive well-being is critical. This
      study examines spiritual growth as a domain of posttraumatic growth and its
      contribution to longitudinal emotional outcomes in ovarian cancer. METHODS:
      Ovarian cancer patients (N = 241) completed measures assessing spirituality
      (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being-12;
      subscales: faith, meaning, and peace), depression (Center for Epidemiologic
      Studies Depression Scale), cancer-specific anxiety (Impact of Event Scale), and
      total mood disturbance (TMD; Profile of Mood States) prior to surgery and 1-year
      postsurgery. Stressful life events in the year after diagnosis were measured at 1
      year postsurgery. Regressions examined the association between changes in
      spirituality and depression, anxiety, and TMD at 1-year postsurgery.
      Additionally, spiritual change was examined as a moderator of the effect of
      recent life events on mood. RESULTS: Increases in peace were related to lower
      depression (beta = -.40, P < .001), anxiety (beta = -.20, P = .004), and TMD
      (beta = -.41, P < .001) at 1 year. Changes in meaning and faith were unrelated to
      all outcomes. Additionally, changes in peace moderated the effect of stressful
      life events on depression (beta = -.14, P = .027), anxiety (beta = -.16, P =
      .05), and TMD (beta = -.17, P = .01), such that those with a high number of life
      events paired with a decrease in peace experienced the worst psychological
      outcomes at 1 year. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the quality of peace
      may be the most adaptive facet of spiritual growth in cancer patients.
      Furthermore, changes in peace appear to moderate the effect of life events on
      psychological well-being.

PMID- 28637085
TI  - Successful delivery derived from cryopreserved rare human spermatozoa with novel
      cryopiece.
AB  - Herein, we report the clinical outcomes following intracytoplasmic sperm
      injection (ICSI) with cryopiece cryopreserved rare human spermatozoa from severe
      male factor infertility patients. We established a novel cryopiece system on the
      basis of previous studies. In this study, 126 spermatozoa from four patients with
      non-obstructiveazoospermia (NOA) or severe oligozoospermia were stored in
      cryopiece and then thawed on the day of the oocyte retrieval, 88 (83%)
      spermatozoa were recovered with a 47.5% (38 of 80) motile rate. Routine ICSI were
      performed in enrolled 30 MII oocytes from their spouse with their own
      spermatozoa, respectively. Twenty-two (73%) fertilization and 19 (86%) zygote
      cleavage were observed. Finally, a total of 11 embryos were achieved and each
      female patient received a transplantation of two fresh embryos. Four healthy
      babies were born at term. In conclusion, our novel cryopiece can be applied in
      assisted reproduction through ICSI with an effective motile spermatozoa recovery
      rate, high fertilization rate, and successful pregnancy result.

PMID- 28637086
TI  - Climate drives plant-pollinator interactions even along small-scale climate
      gradients: the case of the Aegean.
AB  - Plant-pollinator network structure is the outcome of ecological and evolutionary
      processes, and although the importance of environmental factors is beyond doubt,
      our knowledge of how abiotic factors (e.g. climate) shape plant-pollinator
      networks remains limited. This knowledge gap is critical, as climate change poses
      a major threat to ecosystems, especially in the Mediterranean. This study focuses
      on one of the hottest parts of the Mediterranean Basin, the Aegean Archipelago,
      Greece, and examines how climate affects species richness and network properties
      (e.g. nestedness, modularity and specialisation) - either directly or indirectly
      through species richness. We sampled systematically 39 local plant-pollinator
      networks on eight islands along a north-south climate gradient in the Aegean. All
      plant-pollinator material used in the analyses was collected in 2012 and
      identified to species level. Aspects of climate used in the models were expressed
      as average conditions (mean temperature and annual precipitation) or as seasonal
      variability (isothermality and temperature seasonality). Structural properties of
      plant-pollinator networks were found to be strongly associated with species
      richness, which was in turn affected by climate, implying that pollination
      network structure is driven indirectly by climate. In addition, climate had a
      direct effect on network structure, especially on modularity and specialisation.
      Different aspects of climate affected network properties in different ways. We
      highlight that even in a relatively narrow latitudinal gradient, such as within
      the Aegean Sea region, climate constitutes a significant driver of plant
      pollinator interactions.

PMID- 28637088
TI  - Latitudinal variation in the competition-colonisation trade-off reveals rate
      mediated mechanisms of coexistence.
AB  - Theories of species coexistence often describe a trade-off between colonising and
      competitive abilities. In sessile marine invertebrates, this trade-off can
      manifest as trends in species distributions relative to the size of isolated
      patches of substrate. Based on their abilities to find available substrate and
      competitively exclude neighbours, good colonisers tend to dominate smaller
      patches, whereas better competitors tend to monopolise larger patches. In theory,
      species with equivalent colonising and competitive abilities should display
      similar distributions across patch sizes. We used patch size to observe this
      manifestation of the competition-colonisation trade-off over 20 degrees  of
      latitude. The trade-off was more readily observed at lower latitudes and was
      proportional to the 'ecological age' of communities (i.e. the degree of resource
      acquisition and likelihood of species interactions). Results suggest that
      ecological age may mediate the prominence of stochastic or deterministic
      coexistence mechanisms and will depend on the rate of ecological processes.

PMID- 28637087
TI  - Deleting pck improves growth and suppresses by-product formation during 1,3
      propanediol fermentation by Klebsiella pneumoniae.
AB  - AIMS: To investigate the role of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylation in cell
      metabolism in Klebsiella pneumoniae. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of deleting
      pck, which encodes PEP carboxykinase (PCK), and/or ppc, which encodes PEP
      carboxylase (PPC), on growth, enzyme activity and metabolite formation of Kl.
      pneumoniae were investigated. A self-regulatory mechanism of PEP carboxylation
      was found in ppc- or pck-deficient mutants, which resulted in almost no change in
      succinate formation. However, almost no growth was observed in a ppc- and pck
      deficient mutant. Interestingly, only deleting pck affected the energy metabolism
      and promoted aerobic cell growth. Under micro-aerobic conditions, although there
      was only a small (8.1%) increase of 1,3-propanediol production by such pck
      deficient mutant during a 2-l fed-batch process, the by-products 2,3-butanediol
      and acetate significantly decreased by 73.0% and 54.8%, respectively, compared
      with those in the parent strain. CONCLUSIONS: PEP carboxylation could be a
      critical anaplerotic reaction for converting C3 to C4 metabolites in the central
      metabolism of Kl. pneumoniae. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study is
      the first to identify the critical role of PEP carboxylation, as well as those of
      PPC and PCK, which are responsible for this reaction, in Kl. pneumoniae. In
      addition, the pck-deficient mutant was proven to be a valuable 1,3-propanediol
      producer.

PMID- 28637089
TI  - Sperm DNA damage measured by sperm chromatin structure assay in men with a
      history of undescended testes.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare sperm DNA damage between men with a history
      of congenital undescended testis (UDT) and men with a history of acquired UDT. A
      long-term follow-up study of men with previous UDT was performed. Fifty men with
      congenital UDT who had undergone orchiopexy at childhood age, 49 men with
      acquired UDT after a 'wait-and-see'-protocol (e.g. awaiting spontaneous descent
      until puberty and perform an orchiopexy in case of non-decent), and 22 healthy
      proven fertile men were included. The DNA fragmentation index (DFI) using sperm
      chromatin structure assay (SCSA) was used to express the level of sperm DNA
      damage. Decreased fertility potential was considered if DFI was above 30%. Sperm
      DNA damage was not statistically different between cases of congenital and
      acquired UDT. DFI was significantly more often >30% in the complete group of men
      with congenital UDT (9/50; 18%) and in the subgroup with bilateral congenital UDT
      (3/7; 43%) in comparison with the controls (none) (p-value 0.049 and 0.01,
      respectively). Age at orchiopexy in congenital UDT had no statistical effect on
      DNA damage. In men with acquired UDT, DFI did not statistically differ between
      those having undergone orchiopexy and those experiencing spontaneous descent.
      This study supports the hypothesis that UDT is a spectrum representing both
      congenital UDT and acquired UDT. Sperm DNA damage at adult age is not influenced
      by age at orchiopexy in congenital UDT cases and by orchiopexy or spontaneous
      descent in acquired UDT cases.

PMID- 28637090
TI  - Early warning systems and rapid response to the deteriorating patient in
      hospital: A realist evaluation.
AB  - AIM: To test the Rapid Response Systems programme theory against actual practice
      components of the Rapid Response Systems implemented to identify those contexts
      and mechanisms which have an impact on the successful achievement of desired
      outcomes in practice. BACKGROUND: Rapid Response Systems allow deteriorating
      patients to be recognized using Early Warning Systems, referred early via
      escalation protocols and managed at the bedside by competent staff. DESIGN:
      Realist evaluation. METHODS: The research design was an embedded multiple case
      study approach of four wards in two hospitals in Northern Ireland which followed
      the principles of Realist Evaluation. We used various mixed methods including
      individual and focus group interviews, observation of nursing practice between
      June-November 2010 and document analysis of Early Warning Systems audit data
      between May-October 2010 and hospital acute care training records over 4.5 years
      from 2003-2008. Data were analysed using NiVivo8 and SPPS. RESULTS: A cross-case
      analysis highlighted similar patterns of factors which enabled or constrained
      successful recognition, referral and response to deteriorating patients in
      practice. Key enabling factors were the use of clinical judgement by experienced
      nurses and the empowerment of nurses as a result of organizational change
      associated with implementation of Early Warning System protocols. Key
      constraining factors were low staffing and inappropriate skill mix levels, rigid
      implementation of protocols and culturally embedded suboptimal communication
      processes. CONCLUSION: Successful implementation of Rapid Response Systems was
      dependent on adopting organizational and cultural changes that facilitated staff
      empowerment, flexible implementation of protocols and ongoing experiential
      learning.

PMID- 28637091
TI  - Nurse managers: Determinants and behaviours in relation to patient and visitor
      aggression in general hospitals. A qualitative study.
AB  - AIM(S): To explore nurse managers' behaviours, attitudes, perceived social norms,
      and behavioural control in the prevention and management of patient and visitor
      aggression in general hospitals. BACKGROUND: Patient and visitor aggression in
      general hospitals is a global problem that incurs substantial human suffering and
      organizational cost. Managers are key persons for creating low-aggression
      environments, yet their role and behaviours in reducing patient and visitor
      aggression remains unexplored. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study
      underpinned by the Reasoned Action Approach. METHOD(S): Between October 2015
      January 2016, we conducted five focus groups and 13 individual interviews with
      nurse leaders in Switzerland. The semi-structured interviews and focus groups
      were recorded, transcribed, and analysed in a qualitative content analysis.
      FINDINGS: We identified three main themes: (i) Background factors: "Patient and
      visitor aggression is perceived through different lenses"; (ii) Determinants and
      intention: "Good intentions competing with harsh organizational reality"; (iii)
      Behaviours: "Preventing and managing aggressive behaviour and relentlessly
      striving to create low-aggression work environments". CONCLUSION(S): Addressing
      patient and visitor aggression is difficult for nurse managers due to a lack of
      effective communication, organizational feedback loops, protocols, and procedures
      that connect the situational and organizational management of aggressive
      incidents. Furthermore, tackling aggression at an organizational level is a major
      challenge for nurse managers due to scant financial resources and lack of
      interest. Treating patient and visitor aggression as a business case may increase
      organizational awareness and interest. Furthermore, clear communication of
      expectations, needs and resources could optimize support provision for staff.

PMID- 28637092
TI  - Evaluation of Strategies for Increasing Transplantation Should Be Based on a
      Current and Precise Assessment of the State of Organ Donation.

PMID- 28637093
TI  - Intra-Abdominal Cooling System Limits Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury During Robot
      Assisted Renal Transplantation.
AB  - Robot-assisted kidney transplantation is feasible; however, concerns have been
      raised about possible increases in warm ischemia times. We describe a novel intra
      abdominal cooling system to continuously cool the kidney during the procedure.
      Porcine kidneys were procured by standard open technique. Groups were as follows:
      Robotic renal transplantation with (n = 11) and without (n = 6) continuous intra
      abdominal cooling and conventional open technique with intermittent 4 degrees C
      saline cooling (n = 6). Renal cortex temperature, magnetic resonance imaging, and
      histology were analyzed. Robotic renal transplantation required a longer
      anastomosis time, either with or without the cooling system, compared to the open
      approach (70.4 +/- 17.7 min and 74.0 +/- 21.5 min vs. 48.7 +/- 11.2 min, p-values
      < 0.05). The temperature was lower in the robotic group with cooling system
      compared to the open approach group (6.5 +/- 3.1 degrees C vs. 22.5 +/- 6.5
      degrees C; p = 0.001) or compared to the robotic group without the cooling system
      (28.7 +/- 3.3 degrees C; p < 0.001). Magnetic resonance imaging parenchymal
      heterogeneities and histologic ischemia-reperfusion lesions were more severe in
      the robotic group without cooling than in the cooled (open and robotic) groups.
      Robot-assisted kidney transplantation prolongs the warm ischemia time of the
      donor kidney. We developed a novel intra-abdominal cooling system that suppresses
      the noncontrolled rewarming of donor kidneys during the transplant procedure and
      prevents ischemia-reperfusion injuries.

PMID- 28637094
TI  - Acclimation responses to high light by Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Malvaceae) leaves
      at different stages of development.
AB  - The re-composition of deforested environments requires the prior acclimation of
      seedlings to full sun in nurseries. Seedlings can overcome excess light either
      through the acclimation of pre-existing fully expanded leaves or through the
      development of new leaves that are acclimated to the new light environment. Here,
      we compared the acclimation capacity of mature (MatL, fully expanded at the time
      of transfer) and newly expanded (NewL, expanded after the light shift) leaves of
      Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Malvaceae) seedlings to high light. The seedlings were
      initially grown under shade and then transferred to full sunlight. MatL and NewL
      were used for chlorophyll fluorescence and gas exchange analyses, pigment
      extraction and morpho-anatomical measurements. After the transfer of seedlings to
      full sun, the MatL persisted and acclimated to some extent to the new light
      condition, since they underwent alterations in some morpho-physiological traits
      and maintained a functional electron transport chain and positive net
      photosynthesis rate. However, long-term exposure to high light led to chronic
      photoinhibition in MatL, which could be related to the limited plasticity of leaf
      morpho-anatomical attributes. However, the NewL showed a high capacity to use the
      absorbed energy in photochemistry and dissipate excess energy harmlessly,
      attributes that were favoured by the high structural plasticity exhibited by
      these leaves. Both the maintenance of mature, photosynthetically active leaves
      and the production of new leaves with a high capacity to cope with excess energy
      were important for acclimation of G. ulmifolia seedlings.

PMID- 28637095
TI  - Selective CD28 Blockade Results in Superior Inhibition of Donor-Specific T
      Follicular Helper Cell and Antibody Responses Relative to CTLA4-Ig.
AB  - Donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) are a barrier to improved long-term outcomes
      after kidney transplantation. Costimulation blockade with CTLA4-Ig has shown
      promise as a potential therapeutic strategy to control DSAs. T follicular helper
      (Tfh) cells, a subset of CD4+ T cells required for optimal antibody production,
      are reliant on the CD28 costimulatory pathway. We have previously shown that
      selective CD28 blockade leads to superior allograft survival through improved
      control of CD8+ T cells relative to CTLA4-Ig, but the impact of CD28-specific
      blockade on CD4+ Tfh cells is unknown. Thus, we identified and characterized
      donor-reactive Tfh cells in a murine skin transplant model and then used this
      model to evaluate the impact of selective CD28 blockade with an anti-CD28 domain
      antibody (dAb) on the donor-specific Tfh cell-mediated immune response. We
      observed that the anti-CD28 dAb led to superior inhibition of donor-reactive
      CXCR5+ PD-1high Tfh cells, CD95+ GL7+ germinal center B cells and DSA formation
      compared with CTLA4-Ig. Interestingly, donor-reactive Tfh cells differentially
      upregulated CTLA4 expression, suggesting an important role for CTLA4 in mediating
      the superior inhibition observed with the anti-CD28 dAb. Therefore, selective
      CD28 blockade as a novel approach to control Tfh cell responses and prevent DSA
      after kidney transplantation warrants further study.

PMID- 28637097
TI  - Coding proforma in TNFLO clinic from a UK centre, an audit of 85 procedures.

PMID- 28637096
TI  - Uncovering the decision-making work of transferring dying patients home from
      critical care units: An integrative review.
AB  - AIMS: To understand how decisions are made to transfer dying patients home from
      critical care units. BACKGROUND: Many people prefer a home death, but a high
      proportion die in critical care units. Transferring dying patients home is
      recognized to be complex but transfer decision-making itself remains unclear.
      DESIGN: Integrative review. DATA SOURCES: Seven bibliographic databases (origin
      2015), grey literature and reference lists were searched. REVIEW METHODS: An
      integrative review method was used to synthesize data from diverse sources.
      Papers were selected through title and abstract screening and full-text
      reviewing, using inclusion and exclusion criteria derived from review questions.
      Following quality appraisal, data were extracted and synthesized using
      normalization process theory as a framework. RESULTS: The number of patients
      transferred home ranged from 1-346, with most papers reporting on the transfer of
      one or two patients. Four themes regarding transfer decision-making work were
      generated: divergent views and practice, multiple stakeholders' involvement in
      decision-making, collective work and limited understanding of individuals'
      experiences. CONCLUSION: The practice of transferring patients home to die and
      its decision-making varies internationally and is usually influenced by the care
      system, culture or religion. It is less common to transfer patients home to die
      from critical care units in western societies. A better understanding of the
      decision-making work was obtained but mainly from the perspective of hospital
      based healthcare professionals. Further research is needed to develop decision
      making practice guidance to facilitate patients' wishes to die at home.

PMID- 28637098
TI  - Uncovering the contribution of epigenetics to plant phenotypic variation in
      Mediterranean ecosystems.
AB  - Epigenetic signals can affect plant phenotype and fitness and be stably inherited
      across multiple generations. Epigenetic regulation plays a key role in the
      mechanisms of plant response to the environment, without altering DNA sequence.
      As plants cannot adapt behaviourally or migrate instantly, such dynamic
      epigenetic responses may be particularly crucial for survival of plants within
      changing and challenging environments, such as the Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems
      (MTEs). These ecosystems suffer recurrent stressful events (warm and dry summers
      with associated fire regimes) that have selected for plants with similar
      phenotypic complex traits, resulting in similar vegetation growth forms. However,
      the potential role of epigenetics in plant adaptation to recurrent stressful
      environments such as the MTEs has generally been ignored. To understand the full
      spectrum of adaptive processes in such contexts, it is imperative to prompt study
      of the causes and consequences of epigenetic variation in natural populations.
      With this purpose, we review here current knowledge on epigenetic variation in
      natural populations and the genetic and epigenetic basis of some key traits for
      plants in the MTEs, namely those traits involved in adaptation to drought, fire
      and oligotrophic soils. We conclude there is still much to be learned about
      'plant epigenetics in the wild' and, thus, we propose future research steps in
      the study of natural epigenetic variation of key traits in the MTEs at different
      scales.

PMID- 28637099
TI  - Aggregation and phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein with proteinase K resistance
      in focal alpha-synucleinopathy predominantly localized to the cardiac sympathetic
      nervous system.

PMID- 28637100
TI  - Women's expectations and experiences of rupture of membranes and views of the
      potential use of reagent pads for detecting amniotic fluid.
AB  - AIMS: To explore first-time mothers' expectations and experiences regarding
      rupture of membranes at term and their views on the potential use of reagent pads
      that detect amniotic fluid. BACKGROUND: There is little information available on
      women's experiences of spontaneous rupture of membranes, or interest in using
      methods to confirm rupture of membranes (e.g. reagent pads). DESIGN: Descriptive
      qualitative study, using focus groups and telephone interviews with women during
      pregnancy and after the birth of their first baby. Thematic analysis was
      undertaken to analyse women's responses. METHODS: Ethics committee approval was
      obtained. Twenty-five women participated in the study of whom 13 contributed both
      during pregnancy and postpartum between October 2015-March 2016. FINDINGS: Three
      overarching themes were identified from the data from women's expectations and
      experiences: uncertainty in how, when and where membranes may rupture;
      information which was felt to be limited and confirmation of rupture of
      membranes. The potential use of reagent pads met with varied responses.
      CONCLUSION: Women were interested in having facts and figures regarding rupture
      of membranes, such as characteristics of liquor; volume and probability of
      membranes rupturing spontaneously at term. Use of a pad as a means of
      confirmation was viewed as helpful, although the potential for increasing anxiety
      was raised.

PMID- 28637101
TI  - [Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease].
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a wide spectrum of diseases
      that range from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and
      cirrhosis. In addition, the burden of NAFLD is rapidly growing. Previously, NAFLD
      was regarded as a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, which is a
      traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. However, there has been an
      increasing evidence that suggest NAFLD to be an independent risk factor of CVD.
      Therefore, currently, NAFLD should be reconsidered as not only a simple
      manifestation of metabolic syndrome, but also a systemic disease that contribute
      to CVD. There are some reasonable hypotheses about the relationship between NAFLD
      and CVD. Moreover, many studies have been performed to better understand this
      relationship. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms and pathogenesis of NAFLD
      that contribute to CVD have not yet been fully elucidated to date. This review
      focuses on the underlying mechanisms and relationship between NAFLD and CVD.

PMID- 28637102
TI  - [The Progression of Liver Fibrosis in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease].
AB  - Understanding the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and its
      fibrosis progression is still evolving. Nonetheless, current evidence suggests
      that mechanisms involved are very complex parallel processes with multiple
      metabolic factors. Lipotoxicity related with excess saturated free fatty acids,
      obesity, and insulin resistance acts as the central driver of cellular injury via
      oxidative stress. Hepatocyte apoptosis and/or senescence are also contribute to
      the activation of inflammasome via various intra- and inter-cellular signaling
      mechanisms that lead to fibrosis. Current evidence suggests that periportal
      components, including ductular reaction and expansion of the hepatic progenitor
      cell compartment, may be involved and that the T-helper 17 cell response may
      mediate disease progression. This review aims to provide a brief overview of the
      pathogenesis of NASH and fibrosis progression from inflammation to fibrosis.

PMID- 28637103
TI  - [The Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver
      Disease].
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be one of the important causes of
      cryptogenic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). NAFLD-related HCCs (NAFLD-HCCs) have
      the following clinical features: high body mass index, deranged lipid profiles,
      diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Among them, obesity,
      diabetes mellitus, and high Fe contents in the liver are risk factors of
      developing HCC in patients with NAFLD. Inflammatory cytokines, adipokines,
      insulin like growth factor-I, and lipotoxicity are intermingled and may cross
      react with each other to develop HCC. Because there is no guideline for early
      detection of HCC in patients with NAFLD, NAFLD-HCCs tend to be greater in size
      and in advanced stages when detected compared with hepatitis virus-related HCCs.
      Therefore, there is an urgent need of a surveillance program for the early
      detection of HCC. Treatment of NAFLD-HCCs is not different from other causes
      related HCCs. However, patients with NAFLD-HCCs have cardiovascular disease and
      other metabolic problems, which may complicate treatment.

PMID- 28637104
TI  - [Treatment Options in Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease].
AB  - The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has sharply increased
      over the past several decades in Korea. In most cases of NAFLD, metabolic stress
      and cellular apoptosis are often driven by metabolic abnormality, eventually
      leading to inflammation and fibrosis . Along with a dramatic surge in the obesity
      epidemic, 10-20% of NAFLD patients ultimately progress to non-alcoholic
      steatohepatitis (NASH), a precursor to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, as
      well as multi-organ systemic diseases. Currently, diet and exercise are chiefly
      recommended to achieve significant weight loss and improve metabolic dysfunction
      in patients with NAFLD. However, weight loss remains to be an elusive goal for
      both clinical practitioners and NAFLD patients. To date, although there has not
      been any proven pharmacotherapy against NAFLD, numerous promising pipelines with
      good target engagement are under development. Moreover, given the global landmark
      phase 3 trials using obeticholic acid (a farnesoid X receptor agonist, REGENERATE
      trial) and elafibranor (a dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor
      alpha/delta agonist, RESOLVE-IT trial), the era of specific target therapies
      focusing on molecular and metabolic pathogenesis of NASH and fibrosis is near at
      hand. In this paper, we briefly cover the current and future therapeutic options
      in patients with NAFLD across the entire spectrum of diseases.

PMID- 28637105
TI  - Cytomegalovirus Gastric Ulcer Complicated with Pyloric Obstruction in a Patient
      with Ulcerative Colitis.
AB  - In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cytomegalovirus (CMV)
      infections could aggravate the course of IBD but it is difficult to distinguish
      CMV infection from IBD exacerbation endoscopically. Usually, CMV tends to
      localize to the colon and other organic involvements were reported very rare in
      the IBD patients. Herein, we report a case that CMV gastric ulcer complicated
      with pyloric obstruction in a patient with ulcerative colitis during ganciclovir
      therapy, which was resolved by surgical gastrojejunostomy with review of
      literature.

PMID- 28637106
TI  - [A Case of Hemorrhage of an Esophageal Duplication Cyst Improved by Endoscopic
      Drainage].
AB  - Esophageal duplication cyst is a rare congenital gastrointestinal malformation.
      It is the second most common duplication cyst following small bowel duplication
      cyst in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients with an esophageal duplication cyst
      are generally asymptomatic; however, some patients may present the following
      symptoms: dysphagia, chest pain, stridor, unproductive cough, and epigastric
      discomfort by compression of the surrounding structures. Surgical removal is the
      treatment of choice in symptomatic cases and can be considered in asymptomatic
      cases if they are at risk for developing complications, such as ulceration or
      perforation. Herein, we report a case of hemorrhage of an esophageal duplication
      cyst, which was improved by endoscopic drainage.

PMID- 28637107
TI  - Malignant Melanoma of the Anus Found during Routine Colonoscopy in Ulcerative
      Colitis.
AB  - Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by recurrent or chronic
      inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which results in increased risk of
      developing cancer. Anorectal malignant melanoma is often misdiagnosed as either
      hemorrhoids or benign anorectal conditions in inflammatory bowel disease.
      Therefore, the overall prognosis and survival of IBD are poor. To date, the best
      treatment strategy remains controversial. Only early diagnosis and complete
      excision yield survival benefit. Here, we report a 64-year-old woman with
      ulcerative colitis, who was found to have anal malignant melanoma on routine
      colonoscopy. The lesion was confined to the mucosa with no distant metastasis.
      She underwent complete trans-anal excision. There was no recurrence at the four
      year follow-up. Physicians should be aware of increased risk of cancer
      development in IBD patients and remember the importance of meticulous inspection
      of the anal canal.

PMID- 28637108
TI  - [Henoch-Schonlein Purpura Presenting as Intussusception].
AB  - Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is systemic vasculitis disease with various
      clinical manifestations. Gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with HSP are
      usually common, with an incidence rate of 62-90%. Most of these gastrointestinal
      symptoms occur after typical skin purpura, which is a very important clinical
      evidence for making a diagnosis of HSP. It is difficult to diagnose HSP without
      skin rash. About 25% of patients may experience gastrointestinal symptoms as
      their first symptoms. Herein, we report a case of ileo-colic intussusception
      associated with HSP in a 5-years-old girl presented with diffuse abdominal
      distension. Our patient did present any symptoms of HSP, such as purpura,
      arthralgia or arthritis, before surgery.

PMID- 28637110
TI  - Guidelines for cauda equina syndrome. Red flags and white flags. Systematic
      review and implications for triage.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) are frequently referred
      late when neurological damage cannot be reversed. National Guidelines for
      emergency referral, imaging and treatment of CES contain symptoms and/or signs
      that are those of late often, irreversible CES. Referral at this stage may be too
      late for that patient. METHODS: Seven sources were reviewed. Advice re emergency
      referral/imaging/treatment were reviewed. Symptoms/signs were compared with a
      standard classification of CES. RESULTS: 37 recommendations: 12 (32%) were
      symptoms/signs of bilateral radiculopathy (treatment usually leads to favourable
      outcomes). Thirteen recommendations (35%) were described in an imprecise way
      (could be interpreted as early or late CES). Twelve sets of symptoms/signs (32%)
      were those of late, often irreversible CES where an unfavourable outcome would be
      expected. CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-two percent of the so-called "red flag" symptoms
      and signs of CES in seven sources were definitely those of late, irreversible
      CES. These could be seen as "white flags" [flags of defeat and surrender]. Thirty
      five percent of the recommendations if interpreted pessimistically (e.g. absent
      perineal sensation or urinary incontinence) would also be white flags;
      potentially therefore two-thirds of the so-called "red flag" symptoms/signs of
      CES could be those of late irreversible CES. Only 32% of the symptoms/signs were
      true "red flags" i.e. they warn of further, avoidable damage ahead. Guidelines
      should be redrawn to emphasise referral of patients who are at risk of developing
      CES or who have early CES. It is illogical for these guidelines to emphasise the
      clinical features of severe, often untreatable, CES. Demand for emergency MRI
      will increase; MRI is part of triage and should be performed at the DGH.

PMID- 28637111
TI  - Spinal epidural cavernous hemangioma: case report.
AB  - Pure epidural cavernous hemangiomas are quite rare. In this paper, a case of
      lumbar epidural cavernous hemangioma presenting as a lumbar radiculopathy is
      presented. The magnetic resonance imaging findings, differential diagnosis and
      therapy options of this rare case are discussed.

PMID- 28637109
TI  - Closing the dura: dural hitching versus surgicel and tisseel overlay graft in
      craniocervicaldecompression for Chiari 1 malformation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study compares dural hitching to surgicel and tisseel overlay
      graft following craniocervical decompression and C1 laminectomy with simple
      durotomy for Chiari I malformation. Outcome measures were syrinx decompression,
      headache resolution and complication rates. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of
      case notes was conducted. Patients who had undergone craniocervical decompression
      (CCD) were grouped by method of dural closure. Outcomes compared were rates of
      syrinx decompression, headache resolution, and post-operative complications.
      Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS v20. RESULTS: We identified 32
      adult patients for inclusion in this study. 53.1% (n = 17) had asyrinx, and 78.1%
      (n = 25) had a pre-operative headache. All were treated with suboccipital
      craniectomy, C1 laminectomy (with or without C2 laminectomy), and durotomy. The
      dura was either left open by dural hitching (n = 23) or closed with surgicel and
      tisseel overlay graft (n = 9). We found a statistically significant association
      between the method of dural closure and the rate of syrinx resolution. Resolution
      occurred in 91.7% (n = 11) of the hitching group, compared to 20.0% (n = 1) of
      the overlay graft group: Chi2(1) = 5.6, p = .018. There were no statistically
      significant differences between the two groups in the rates of headache
      resolution or other complications. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with symptomatic
      Chiari I malformation and associated syringomyelia, syrinx resolution is more
      likely if the dura is hitched open rather than closed bysurgicel and tisseel
      overlay graft after durotomy.

PMID- 28637112
TI  - Schistosoma haematobium, a rare aetiology of spinal cord compression.

PMID- 28637113
TI  - Case report of intraventricular schwannoma.
AB  - We describe the case of a 52 year old male presenting with subacute headache.
      Cranial imaging suggested haemorrhage into a parietal, partially
      intraventricular, space occupying lesion. The radiology was interpreted to be
      most consistent with a glioblastoma. The lesion was near totally resected. The
      histopathology was a WHO grade 1 schwannoma.

PMID- 28637114
TI  - Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a rare complication of an abdominal CSF
      pseudocyst.
AB  - Abdominal CSF pseudocysts are an uncommon complication of ventriculo-peritoneal
      shunting. We report the case of a 35 year old man with a myelomenigocele,
      associated Chiari 2 malformation, and VP shunt developing a Diffuse Large B-Cell
      Lymphoma within the lining of an abdominal CSF pseuodcyst. This diagnosis should
      be considered in those with recurrent pseudocysts, or those associated with a
      swinging pyrexia and high C-Reactive protein, in the absence of infection.

PMID- 28637116
TI  - Neurosurgeon or spinal surgeon - who should treat cauda equina syndrome?
AB  - Suspected cauda equina syndrome (CES) requires urgent evaluation, investigation
      and treatment. Timing of cauda equina decompression is crucial, and delays in its
      management, leading to significant irreversible disability can be devastating for
      patient and surgeon alike. The standard of care in CES therefore needs to be
      clear and unambiguous. Todd and Dickson have written an excellent paper
      summarising the condition, and have outlined what they feel is the standard of
      care. We would ask the authors to clarify an important point.

PMID- 28637115
TI  - Ruptured carotid-ophthalmic aneurysm treatment: a non-inferiority meta-analysis
      comparing endovascular coiling and surgical clipping.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Aneurysms of the carotid-ophthalmic segment are relatively rare,
      comprising only five percent of all intracranial aneurysms. There is no consensus
      regarding the optimal management for ruptured carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms,
      whether endovascular coiling or surgical clipping provide the most favourable
      patient outcome. The aim of this meta-analysis is to analyse these two treatment
      modalities for ruptured carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms with respect to independent
      clinical outcome. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed,
      Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials and Clinicaltrials.gov for
      treatment of ruptured carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms, comparing endovascular
      coiling and surgical clipping. Primary outcome in the study was independent
      clinical patient outcome at follow up (defined as Glasgow Outcome Scale four
      five). Secondary outcomes were poor clinical patient outcome, mortality and total
      angiographic occlusion. The meta-analysis was performed using the Mantel-Haenszel
      method for dichotomous outcome. RESULTS: Four studies met the inclusion criteria
      and were included in the meta-analysis. In total, 152 patients were included.
      Sixty-seven of these patients were treated with endovascular coiling and 85
      patients were treated with microsurgical clipping. The proportion of patients
      with an independent clinical outcome after coiling and clipping was comparable,
      OR 1.04 (95% CI: 0.40, 2.71). The proportion of patients with an independent
      outcome in the endovascular group was 76% and in the surgical group 71%.
      Mortality between the two treatment arms was equal. CONCLUSION: Clinical outcome
      after endovascular coiling and surgical clipping for ruptured carotid-ophthalmic
      aneurysms was comparable between surgical clipping and endovascular coiling.
      There was no proven difference in clinical outcome after endovascular coiling and
      surgical clipping for ruptured carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms but the evidence was
      based on few studies of moderate to low quality and we cannot rule out the
      possibility of a difference in clinical outcome between the two treatment
      modalities.

PMID- 28637117
TI  - Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea with meningitis secondary to
      ecchordosis physaliphora.
AB  - Transclival CSF fistulae are rare. We report a 40-year-old female who presented
      with meningitis after a short history of CSF rhinorrhoea. The defect resulted
      from the rare notochordal remnant, ecchordosis physaliphora (EP), and was
      successfully resected and repaired endoscopically.

PMID- 28637118
TI  - Asymptomatic Chiari Type I malformation: should patients be advised against
      participation in contact sports?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chiari type I malformation (CM-I) is characterised by caudal
      displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum, crowding the
      craniocervical junction. It is being increasingly diagnosed in asymptomatic
      patients due to the widespread availability of MRI, and there are case reports of
      these patients suffering sudden death or neurological injury following head or
      neck trauma, raising the issue of whether they should be prohibited from contact
      sport participation, given the likelihood of frequent trauma. General
      neurosurgical opinion is that patients who are symptomatic and those with an
      associated spinal cord syrinx should be offered foramen magnum decompression,
      however asymptomatic patients without syringomyelia are not offered this in the
      majority of cases. METHODS: The authors performed a full review of the published
      literature, including all case reports, case series, studies and literature
      reviews regarding CM-I and either contact sports or trauma, excluding patients
      that had undergone surgical intervention and those becoming symptomatic in
      circumstances other than head or neck trauma. RESULTS: 21 case reports of CM-I
      patients deteriorating following trauma were identified, including four cases of
      sudden death following head or neck injury. However, studies of large samples of
      CM-I patients are yet to capture an incident of sudden death or acute
      neurological deterioration, suggesting that the risk is very low. CM-I patients
      may have an increased risk of concussion and post-concussion syndrome compared to
      the background population however. CONCLUSION: Overall, the authors feel that
      there should be no restriction of sports participation for CM-I patients, but a
      discussion to make them and their families aware of the possible increased risks
      is important.

PMID- 28637119
TI  - Disco vertebral osteomyelitis causing intradural spinal abscess with cauda equina
      compression.
AB  - Intradural extramedullary spinal infections causing cauda equina compression are
      uncommon. We report an Escherichia coli bacteraemia causing lumbar discitis and
      an intracanalicular collection compressing the cauda equina: initially thought to
      be an epidural empyema, however microsurgery revealed an intradural location.
      Decompression, drainage, antibiotics, and neuropathy treatment are essential
      management.

PMID- 28637120
TI  - Is tutobone an efficient alternative to other implants used in anterior cervical
      discectomy and fusion surgeries?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The graft site morbidity following iliac crest harvesting is
      significant. To overcome this, different bone substitutes like coral dowels,
      solvent dissolved bovine/human bone substitutes, and carbon fiber/titanium cages
      have been used. This study was undertaken to assess the postoperative
      radiological fusion rates and symptom relief in patients who had Tutobone used as
      an interbody spacer compared to autologous bone graft (ABG), cages, surgibone and
      coral dowels. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study. Case notes
      and post-operative cervical spine radiographs done at two subsequent follow-ups
      were reviewed. Data were derived from all Anterior Cervical Discectomy and fusion
      (ACDF) surgeries performed at our centre over a 10-year period for degenerative
      cervical spine disease. We analysed 530 patients. Exclusion criteria included
      incomplete notes, complex cervical surgery (both anterior and posterior fixation
      and vertebrectomies). Patients were divided into 3 groups, patients treated with
      (1) Autologous bone graft, (2) Tutobone and (3) other implants which include
      cages, surgibone and coral dowels. RESULTS: An analysis of 530 patients who had
      ACDF with either ABG (n = 328) or tutobone (n = 95) or other implants (n = 90) is
      presented. A significantly greater number of patients in whom autologous bone was
      used had more than one level surgery. The median follow-up times were 3 months
      and 12 months. Rates of fusion and time to fusion with bone substitutes were
      inferior to ABG in our series, but there was not much to choose amongst them.
      CONCLUSION: The use of ABG in ACDF leads to fusion in a shorter duration and
      greater proportion of patients, when compared to substitutes. Other implants like
      Tutobone (cheaper alternative), cages, etc can also be used in ACDF procedures
      with good efficacy with the added advantage of preventing donor site morbidity.
      There was no association between fusion rates and symptom relief and between use
      of plating and fusion.

PMID- 28637121
TI  - Iatrogenic syringomyelia secondary to lumboperitoneal shunt altered by the raised
      intra-abdominal pressure of pregnancy.
AB  - We report a case of a 37 year old female with syringomyelia secondary to
      lumboperitoneal (LP) shunt. Syrinx regression occurred with raised intra
      abdominal pressure due to pregnancy and subsequently redeveloped after
      parturition. To our knowledge a case of pregnancy associated syringomyelia
      regression has not been previously reported.

PMID- 28637122
TI  - A new cinnamic acid glycoside from roots of Heracleum dissectum.
AB  - From the roots of Heracleum dissectum Lebb., one new cinnamic acid glycoside
      derivative named dissectumoside (1), together with eight known compounds
      including three phenolics, three phenolic glycosides and two phenylpropanoic
      glycoside were isolated using various chromatographic methods. Among them
      compound 2-9 was isolated from the plant for the first time. Their structures
      were elucidated and identified on the basis of their physicochemical properties
      and by extensive analyses of NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass
      spectrometry. The results of triglyceride accumulation screening in 3T3-L1 cells
      showed that compounds 1, 5 and 9 exhibited significantly accelerating activities
      of adipogenesis in adipocytes.

PMID- 28637123
TI  - Inhibition of Swarming motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Methanol extracts of
      Alpinia officinarum Hance. and Cinnamomum tamala T. Nees and Eberm.
AB  - Bacterial drug resistance is a challenge in clinical settings, especially in
      countries like India. Hence, discovery of novel alternative therapeutics has
      become a necessity in the fight against drug resistance. Compounds that inhibit
      bacterial virulence properties form new therapeutic alternatives. Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa is an opportunistic, nosocomial pathogen that infects immune
      compromised patients. Swarming motility is an important virulence property of
      Pseudomonas which aids it in reaching host cells under nutrient limiting
      conditions. Here, we report the screening of five plant extracts against swarming
      motility of P. aeruginosa and show that methanol extracts of Alpinia officinarum
      and Cinnamomum tamala inhibit swarming motility at 5 MUg mL-1 without inhibiting
      its growth. These extracts did not inhibit swimming and twitching motilities
      indicating a mode of action specific to swarming pathway. Preliminary experiments
      indicated that rhamnolipid production was not affected. This study reveals the
      potential of the two plants in anti-virulence drug discovery.

PMID- 28637124
TI  - Recovery and creative practices in people with severe mental illness: evaluating
      well-being and social inclusion.
AB  - PURPOSE: This mixed (quantitative-qualitative) study evaluates the impact of an
      artistic workshop on a group of people with severe mental illness (SMI). This
      study focuses on the impact of creative practices on well-being and social
      inclusion outcomes. METHOD: After participating in a creative workshop, 31 people
      diagnosed with a SMI completed pre/post-intervention measures, namely, the
      Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale and the Social Inclusion questionnaire.
      It was applied in two-way repeated measures analysis of variance. The statistic
      Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis were applied for non-parametric data to measure
      pre/post-test effects and workshop experience effects, respectively. In addition
      to quantitative measures, one observer participated in each workshop that ran in
      parallel in order to deepen and triangulate quantitative outcomes. RESULTS: The
      qualitative and quantitative results show that social inclusion improved in a
      significant way with an important size effect. Psychological wellbeing increased
      significantly with a low size effect. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with these
      results, creative practices with people diagnosed with SMI are recommended. In
      order to increase the impact of these interventions, it is recommended to utilize
      public space away from clinical environments and to include people without SMI in
      creative activities together with SMI patients. Implications for Rehabilitation:
      Creative practices can significantly improve social inclusions and well-being in
      people with severe mental illness. Participating in creative workshops helps to
      elaborate personal meanings and promote recovery. Creative practices in mental
      health services can challenge professional roles and institutional practices.
      Participation of people with and without severe mental illness engaged together
      in artistic activities can decrease public stigma.

PMID- 28637125
TI  - Bilateral movements increase sustained extensor force in the paretic arm.
AB  - PURPOSE: Muscle weakness in the extensors poststroke is a common motor
      impairment. Unfortunately, research is unclear on whether bilateral movements
      increase extensor force production in the paretic arm. This study investigated
      sustained force production while stroke individuals maximally extended their
      wrist and fingers on their paretic arm. Specifically, we determined isometric
      force production in three conditions: (a) unilateral paretic arm, (b) unilateral
      nonparetic arm, and (c) bilateral (both arms executing the same movement
      simultaneously). METHODS: Seventeen chronic stroke patients produced isometric
      sustained force by executing wrist and fingers extension in unilateral and
      bilateral contraction conditions. Mean force, force variability (coefficient of
      variation), and signal-to-noise ratio were calculated for each contraction
      condition. RESULTS: Analysis of two-way (Arm * Type of Condition: 2 * 2; Paretic
      or Nonparetic Arm * Unilateral or Bilateral Conditions) within-subjects ANOVAs
      revealed that the bilateral condition increased sustained force in the paretic
      arm, but reduced sustained force in the nonparetic arm. Further, although the
      paretic arm exhibited more force variability and less signal-to-noise ratio than
      the nonparetic arm during a unilateral condition, there were no differences when
      participants simultaneously executed isometric contractions with both arms.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our unique findings indicate that bilateral contractions transiently
      increased extensor force in the paretic arm. Implications for Rehabilitation
      Bilateral movements increased isometric wrsit extensor force in paretic arms and
      redcued force in nonparetic arms versus unilateral movements. Both paretic and
      nonparetic arms produced similar force variability and signal-to-noise ratio
      during bilateral movements. Increased sustained force in the paretic arm during
      the bilateral condition indicates that rehabilitation protocols based on
      bilateral movements may be beneficial for functional recovery.

PMID- 28637126
TI  - Ecological momentary assessment for rehabilitation of chronic illness and
      disability.
AB  - PURPOSE: The main objectives of this manuscript were to provide a theoretical
      perspective on naturalistic delivery in rehabilitation based upon a literature
      review and establish a rationale for using ecological momentary assessment (EMA)
      for naturalistic assessment for chronic illness and disability (CID) in
      rehabilitation. METHOD: Existing literature on EMA use across CID cohorts was
      gathered and analyzed to form a theoretical overview of implementation of this
      method in research. This review summarizes study results and provides a
      comprehensive literature table for greater analysis. RESULTS: EMA has been shown
      to optimize clinician time and reduce costs, reach greater numbers of people with
      disability-related needs, and reduce the need for retrospective recall through
      the collection of more objective data. Mixed method approaches were most commonly
      seen in the literature, and sampling schedules and the outcomes assessed varied
      widely. CONCLUSIONS: EMA is emerging as a novel modality of assessment in
      rehabilitation. Scientists and clinicians should consider incorporating this
      assessment approach as a rehabilitation tool that may more accurately assess the
      complex and dynamic nature of disability over the long-term through an objective
      and ecologically-valid data source. Implications for rehabilitation Ecological
      momentary assessment (EMA) has been underutilized in the rehabilitation field and
      should be considered by researchers and clinicians as a novel assessment method
      for capturing rich, ecologically-valid data. EMA methods provide a greater
      capability to assess complex or difficult to measure outcomes of interest when
      compared with more traditional approaches conducted during finite clinic hours
      due to data collection occurring, with or without any input from the user,
      through wearable technology, and without a needed clinician presence. EMA data
      can be integrated with other data sources (e.g., self-report or clinician
      observation) to assess a more comprehensive picture of outcomes of interest,
      including highlighting discordance and identifying the most efficient target
      areas for intervention.

PMID- 28637127
TI  - Clinical utility of the modified trunk impairment scale for stroke survivors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to determine the discriminant power of the
      modified Trunk Impairment Scale (mTIS) in stroke survivors versus healthy adults.
      DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS:
      Fifty-five subjects with stroke and 29 healthy adults. METHODS: Subjects were
      examined using the mTIS, Berg Balance Scale, and Timed Up and Go test for
      balance; 5-m Walk Test and Functional Ambulation Category for gait; Fugl-Meyer
      Assessment for motor function; Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke-Trunk Control
      and Trunk Control Test for trunk control; and Modified Barthel Index for
      activities of daily living performance. RESULTS: The mTIS results differed
      significantly between stroke survivors and healthy adults (p < 0.001). In
      addition, mTIS scores were significantly correlated with the Berg Balance Scale
      (r = 0.82), Timed Up and Go test (r = -0.70), 5-m Walk Test (r = 0.73),
      Functional Ambulation Category (r = 0.54), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (r = 0.37-0.80),
      Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke-Trunk Control and Trunk Control Test (r =
      0.55-0.63), and Modified Barthel Index score (r = 0.56) results (p < 0.05-0.01).
      The mTIS also showed 66% influence on the Berg Balance Scale, 49% on the Timed Up
      and Go test, 53% on the 5-m Walk Test, 28% on the Functional Ambulation Category,
      12% on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-upper extremity, 64% on the Fugl-Meyer
      Assessment-lower extremity, and 30% on the Modified Barthel Index. The cutoff
      value of the mTIS for the Modified Barthel Index classification was >10.5 points,
      while the area under the curve had a moderate accuracy of 73%. CONCLUSION: The
      mTIS can be used to examine the degree of trunk control or the level of trunk
      impairment, which is seen as a prerequisite for balance, gait, motor function,
      and activities of daily living performance in stroke survivors. Implications for
      Rehabilitation The modified Trunk Impairment Scale can be used as an assessment
      tool to classify the degree of trunk control or its level of impairment in stroke
      survivors. The modified Trunk Impairment Scale may have a favorable correlation
      with assessing physical functions such as balance, gait, motor function, and ADL
      in stroke survivors.

PMID- 28637128
TI  - Maximizing gait and balance: behaviors and decision-making processes of persons
      with multiple sclerosis and physical therapists.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe the behavioral decisions used by persons with multiple
      sclerosis (MS) and physical therapists to maximize gait and balance following
      outpatient physical therapy. METHODS: A multi-method case series with seven
      matched pairs (persons with MS-physical therapists). Quota sampling maximized
      variability among persons with MS (disease steps score range 3-6). Three of the
      four physical therapists were MS or neurology certified. Persons with MS
      completed a phone survey, follow-up interview, and standardized questionnaires.
      Physical therapists completed an interview. Data were collected 2-8 weeks
      following discharge. Content and constant comparison analyses were used for
      thematic development and triangulation. RESULTS: Core themes arose exemplifying
      the decision-making processes and actions of persons with MS (challenging self by
      pushing but respecting limits) and physical therapists (finding the right fit).
      One overarching theme, keeping their lived world large, or participation in
      valued life roles, emerged integrating both perspectives driving decision-making.
      CONCLUSIONS: Participants have a shared goal of maximizing gait and balance so
      persons with MS can participate in valued life roles. Understanding the
      differences in the behavioral decisions and optimizing skill sets in shared
      decision-making and self-management may enhance the therapeutic partnership and
      engagement in gait- and balance-enhancing behaviors. Implications for
      Rehabilitation Persons with MS and physical therapists have a shared goal of
      maximizing gait and balance so persons with MS can participate in valued
      activities and life roles, or more poetically, keep their lived world large.
      Knowledge that persons with MS aim to challenge themselves by pushing but
      respecting limits can provide physical therapists with greater insight in helping
      persons with MS resolve uncertainty, set meaningful goals, and build the routines
      and resilience needed for engagement in gait- and balance-enhancing behaviors.
      Enriching skill sets in shared decision-making, behavior change and self
      management may optimize the physical therapist toolbox.

PMID- 28637130
TI  - Community integration and life satisfaction among individuals with spinal cord
      injury living in the community after receiving institutional care in Bangladesh.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study reports level of community integration and life satisfaction
      among individuals who sustained traumatic spinal cord injuries, received
      institutional rehabilitation care services, and went back to live in the
      community in Bangladesh. It examines the impact of type of injury, demographic
      characteristics, socio-economic profile, and secondary health conditions on
      community integration and life satisfaction and explores the association between
      these two measures. METHOD: Individuals with spinal cord injury were telephone
      interviewed by the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed, Bangladesh
      from February to June of 2014. Data were collected from the subjects on type of
      injury, demographic and socio-economic profile, and secondary health conditions.
      The outcome measures were determined by using two validated tools - Community
      Integration Questionnaire and Life Satisfaction 9 Questionnaire. RESULTS: Total
      community integration and life satisfaction scores were 15.09 and 3.69,
      respectively. A significant positive relationship between community integration
      and life satisfaction was revealed. Type of injury, gender, and age were found to
      be significant predictors of both community integration and life satisfaction
      scores. Higher education was significantly related to community integration and
      life satisfaction scores. CONCLUSION: Participants scored low in total community
      integration and life satisfaction, suggesting there is a great need to develop
      interventions by governmental and non-governmental organizations to better
      integrate individuals with spinal cord injury in the community. Implications for
      Rehabilitation Government and non-government organizations should offer
      disability friendly public transportation facilities for individuals with spinal
      cord injury so that they can return to education, resume employment, and involve
      in social activities. Entrepreneurs and businesses should develop assistive
      devices featuring low technology, considering the rural structure and housing
      conditions in Bangladesh. Innovations being made in assistive technology should
      be supported by subsidies and grants. They should also plan to offer injury
      appropriate employment opportunities for individuals who suffer major injuries
      like spinal cord injury in Bangladesh. Housing facilities with accessible
      bathrooms, kitchens and stairs should be designed and offered for this population
      to improve their ability to self-care and decrease the dependence on caregivers
      for household tasks such as - cooking meals and taking care of children.

PMID- 28637129
TI  - Patient reported outcomes in GNE myopathy: incorporating a valid assessment of
      physical function in a rare disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the psychometric properties
      of three patient reported outcome (PRO) measures characterizing physical function
      in GNE myopathy: the Human Activity Profile, the Inclusion Body Myositis
      Functional Rating Scale, and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale.
      METHODS: This analysis used data from 35 GNE myopathy subjects participating in a
      natural history study. For construct validity, correlational and known-group
      analyses were between the PROs and physical assessments. Reliability of the PROs
      between baseline and 6 months was evaluated using the intra-class correlation
      coefficient model; internal consistency was tested with Cronbach's alpha.
      RESULTS: The hypothesized moderate positive correlations for construct validity
      were supported; the strongest correlation was between the human activity profile
      adjusted activity score and the adult myopathy assessment endurance subscale
      score (r = 0.81; p < 0.0001). The PROs were able to discriminate between known
      high and low functioning groups for the adult myopathy assessment tool. Internal
      consistency of the PROs was high (alpha > 0.8) and there was strong reliability
      (ICC >0.62). CONCLUSION: The PROs are valid and reliable measures of physical
      function in GNE myopathy and should be incorporated in investigations to better
      understand the impact of progressive muscle weakness on physical function in this
      rare disease population. Implications for Rehabilitation GNE myopathy is a rare
      muscle disease that results in slow progressive muscle atrophy and weakness,
      ultimately leading to wheelchair use and dependence on a caregiver. There is
      limited knowledge on the impact of this disease on the health-related quality of
      life, specifically physical function, of this rare disease population. Three
      patient reported outcomes have been shown to be valid and reliable in GNE
      myopathy subjects and should be incorporated in future investigations to better
      understand how progressive muscle weakness impacts physical functions in this
      rare disease population. The patient reported outcome scores of GNE myopathy
      patients indicate a high risk for falls and impaired physical functioning, so it
      is important clinicians assess and provide interventions for these subjects to
      maintain their functional capacity.

PMID- 28637132
TI  - International employee perspectives on disability management.
AB  - PURPOSE: To provide an international analysis of employees' views of the
      influence of disability management (DM) on the workplace. METHODOLOGY: An
      international research team with representation from Australia, Canada, China,
      and Switzerland collected survey data from employees in public and private
      companies in their respective regions. Due to lack of availability of current
      measures, a research team-created survey was used and a total of 1201 respondents
      were collected across the four countries. ANALYSIS: Multiple linear (enter)
      regression was also employed to predict DM's influence on job satisfaction,
      physical health, mental health, workplace morale and reduced sickness absence,
      from respondents' perceptions of whether their company provided disability
      prevention, stay-at-work, and return-to-work initiatives within their
      organization. One-way ANOVA comparisons were used to examine differences on
      demographic variables including company status (public versus private), union
      status (union versus nonunion), and gender. RESULTS: The perceived influence of
      DM programs was related to perceptions of job satisfaction; whereas,
      relationships with mental health, physical health, morale, and sickness absence
      were variable according to type of DM program and whether the response was
      related to self or others. Difference analyses (ANOVA) revealed significantly
      more positive perceptions for private and nonunion organizations; no gender
      effects were found. CONCLUSIONS: There is perceived value of DM from the
      perspective of employees, especially with respect to its value for coworkers.
      Implications for Rehabilitation Rehabilitation efforts should continue to focus
      attention on the value of disability management (DM). In particular, DM that is
      fully committed to the biopsychosocial model would be supported by this research.
      Employees reported the most value in the psychosocial variables addressed by DM,
      such that rehabilitation professionals could focus on these valued aspects to
      improve buy-in from employees. The interest in coworker value may provide another
      avenue for rehabilitation efforts to increase uptake, by highlighting the value
      of intervention efforts for employee coworkers. Rehabilitation professionals in
      union environments may need to be particularly cognizant of the need for
      encouraging psychosocial and coworker value potentially seen by employees in
      order to increase acceptance and participation for organizational DM efforts.

PMID- 28637131
TI  - Translation, cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Turkish
      version of the Penn Shoulder Score.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to translate the Penn Shoulder Score into
      Turkish and to establish its cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity in
      patients with shoulder dysfunctions. METHODS: The Penn Shoulder Score was
      translated and culturally adapted from English into Turkish. Subsequently, the
      Penn Shoulder Score, the Constant Score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Score,
      and the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index were completed by 97 patients with
      shoulder dysfunctions. To determine the test-retest reliability, 30 patients
      completed the Penn Shoulder Score again on day 3. Intraclass correlation
      coefficient and Cronbach alpha were calculated to assess reliability. The
      validity of the questionnaire was assessed in terms of convergent validity with
      Pearson Correlation Coefficient using the Constant Score, the American Shoulder
      and Elbow Score, and the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index. RESULTS: Internal
      consistency was good, with a Cronbach alpha of 0.81. The Intraclass correlation
      coefficient was 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.78, 0.90), demonstrating good
      test-retest reliability. Pearson correlation coefficients of the Penn Shoulder
      Score in relation with the Constant Score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Score,
      and the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index were 0.65, 0.78, and -0.77,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the Penn Shoulder Score is a
      reliable and valid measure for assessing patients with shoulder dysfunctions.
      Implications for Rehabilitation The Turkish version of the Penn shoulder score is
      valid and reliable outcome measure for assessing patients with shoulder
      dysfunctions. The Turkish version of the Penn shoulder score could be easily
      performed by patients and it is easy to score by clinicians. It is recommended to
      use in clinical settings and in research.

PMID- 28637133
TI  - Efficacy of the whole-body vibration for pain, fatigue and quality of life in
      women with fibromyalgia: a systematic review.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the quality of evidence on the use of whole-body vibration
      (WBV) in controlling pain, fatigue and quality of life in women with
      fibromyalgia. METHODS: The search involved MEDLINE/PubMed, LILACS, CINAHL,
      CENTRAL and PEDro, without temporal or language restriction. The terms
      "fibromyalgia" and "whole-body vibration" were used. Trials (randomized or quasi
      randomized) that compared a group of women with fibromyalgia who received WBV to
      a control group with no intervention were included. The quality of evidence was
      assessed using the GRADE system. The quantitative evaluation by meta-analysis was
      also used, whenever possible. RESULTS: Three studies were included. Regarding the
      outcome pain, it has not been possible to assess the magnitude of effect of
      treatment. The result of the outcome fatigue showed no difference between the
      groups after the proposed intervention (Mean Difference: 0.01; 95% CI: -0.11 to
      0.09). The meta-analysis for the outcome quality of life showed a small
      difference between groups, favoring the WBV group (Standard Mean Difference:
      0.4943; p = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.0045 to 0.9841). CONCLUSIONS: The results, based on
      very low quality of evidence, were inconclusive regarding pain, and showed no
      clinically important effects on the control of fatigue and improvement of quality
      of life. Implications for rehabilitation There is no evidence to support the use
      of whole-body vibration for pain treatment of women with fibromyalgia. The use of
      whole-body vibration in women with fibromyalgia showed no clinically important
      effects in the control of fatigue and improvement of quality of life.

PMID- 28637134
TI  - An exploratory qualitative study of the meaning and value of a running/walking
      program for women after a diagnosis of breast cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: To generate insights into the personal meaning and value of a
      running/walking program for women after a diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS:
      After completing a 12-week running/walking program with a 5-km training goal,
      eight women were interviewed and seven participated in a focus group. The
      interviews and focus group were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data
      were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Data portrayed the personal benefits and
      value of the clinic. Four themes were identified: (1) receiving practical
      information and addressing targeted concerns, (2) pushing personal limits, (3)
      enabling a committed mindset, and (4) seeing benefits and challenges of
      running/walking with a group. CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide initial understanding
      of how women experience a running/walking program after a diagnosis of breast
      cancer and what they find to be important about their experiences. The range of
      positive benefits experienced by women suggests a running/walking program can
      help fill a gap in care for women diagnosed with breast cancer, and thus be part
      of cancer rehabilitation. However, because some women felt isolated at times,
      future research should seek to examine how running/walking programs can be
      modified and tailored so that all women find it socially beneficial. Implications
      for Rehabilitation The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer can result in
      side effects and increase the risk of long-term disability. Physical activity can
      help women manage the side effects and lessen the risk of long-term disability.
      In a relatively small sample, this study shows that participation in a
      running/walking program can be an important part of breast cancer recovery.

PMID- 28637135
TI  - Cross-cultural validity of the ABILOCO questionnaire for individuals with stroke,
      based on Rasch analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cross-cultural validity of
      the Brazilian version of the ABILOCO questionnaire for stroke subjects. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Cross-cultural adaptation of the original English version of the
      ABILOCO to the Brazilian-Portuguese language followed standardized procedures.
      The adapted version was administered to 136 stroke subjects and its measurement
      properties were assessed using Rash analysis. Cross-cultural validity was based
      on cultural invariance analyses. RESULTS: Goodness-of-fit analysis revealed one
      misfitting item. The principal component analysis of the residuals showed that
      the first dimension explained 45% of the variance in locomotion ability; however,
      the eigenvalue was 1.92. The ABILOCO-Brazil divided the sample into two levels of
      ability and the items into about seven levels of difficulty. The item-person map
      showed some ceiling effect. Cultural invariance analyses revealed that although
      there were differences in the item calibrations between the ABILOCO-original and
      ABILOCO-Brazil, they did not impact the measures of locomotion ability.
      CONCLUSIONS: The ABILOCO-Brazil demonstrated satisfactory measurement properties
      to be used within both clinical and research contexts in Brazil, as well cross
      cultural validity to be used in international/multicentric studies. However, the
      presence of ceiling effect suggests that it may not be appropriate for the
      assessment of individuals with high levels of locomotion ability. Implications
      for rehabilitation Self-report measures of locomotion ability are clinically
      important, since they describe the abilities of the individuals within real life
      contexts. The ABILOCO questionnaire, specific for stroke survivors, demonstrated
      satisfactory measurement properties, but may not be most appropriate to assess
      individuals with high levels of locomotion ability The results of the cross
      cultural validity showed that the ABILOCO-Original and the ABILOCO-Brazil
      calibrations may be used interchangeable.

PMID- 28637136
TI  - Virtual environment navigation with look-around mode to explore new real spaces
      by people who are blind.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This paper examines the ability of people who are blind to construct
      a mental map and perform orientation tasks in real space by using Nintendo Wii
      technologies to explore virtual environments. The participant explores new spaces
      through haptic and auditory feedback triggered by pointing or walking in the
      virtual environments and later constructs a mental map, which can be used to
      navigate in real space. METHODS: The study included 10 participants who were
      congenitally or adventitiously blind, divided into experimental and control
      groups. The research was implemented by using virtual environments exploration
      and orientation tasks in real spaces, using both qualitative and quantitative
      methods in its methodology. RESULTS: The results show that the mode of
      exploration afforded to the experimental group is radically new in orientation
      and mobility training; as a result 60% of the experimental participants
      constructed mental maps that were based on map model, compared with only 30% of
      the control group participants. CONCLUSIONS: Using technology that enabled them
      to explore and to collect spatial information in a way that does not exist in
      real space influenced the ability of the experimental group to construct a mental
      map based on the map model. Implications for rehabilitation The virtual cane
      system for the first time enables people who are blind to explore and collect
      spatial information via the look-around mode in addition to the walk-around mode.
      People who are blind prefer to use look-around mode to explore new spaces, as
      opposed to the walking mode. Although the look-around mode requires users to
      establish a complex collecting and processing procedure for the spatial data,
      people who are blind using this mode are able to construct a mental map as a map
      model. For people who are blind (as for the sighted) construction of a mental map
      based on map model offers more flexibility in choosing a walking path in a real
      space, accounting for changes that occur in the space.

PMID- 28637137
TI  - Development and acceptability testing of decision trees for self-management of
      prosthetic socket fit in adults with lower limb amputation.
AB  - PURPOSE: The most common complaint lower limb prosthesis users report is
      inadequacy of a proper socket fit. Adjustments to the residual limb-socket
      interface can be made by the prosthesis user without consultation of a clinician
      in many scenarios through skilled self-management. Decision trees guide
      prosthesis wearers through the self-management process, empowering them to
      rectify fit issues, or referring them to a clinician when necessary. This study
      examines the development and acceptability testing of patient-centered decision
      trees for lower limb prosthesis users. METHODS: Decision trees underwent a four
      stage process: literature review and expert consultation, designing, two-rounds
      of expert panel review and revisions, and target audience testing. RESULTS:
      Fifteen lower limb prosthesis users (average age 61 years) reviewed the decision
      trees and completed an acceptability questionnaire. Participants reported
      agreement of 80% or above in five of the eight questions related to acceptability
      of the decision trees. Disagreement was related to the level of experience of the
      respondent. CONCLUSIONS: Decision trees were found to be easy to use, illustrate
      correct solutions to common issues, and have terminology consistent with that of
      a new prosthesis user. Some users with greater than 1.5 years of experience would
      not use the decision trees based on their own self-management skills.
      Implications for Rehabilitation Discomfort of the residual limb-prosthetic socket
      interface is the most common reason for clinician visits. Prosthesis users can
      use decision trees to guide them through the process of obtaining a proper socket
      fit independently. Newer users may benefit from using the decision trees more
      than experienced users.

PMID- 28637138
TI  - Psychometric properties of Persian version of the Caregiver Burden Scale in
      Iranian caregivers of patients with spinal cord injury.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of
      Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) in caregivers of patients with spinal cord injury.
      METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. After a forward-backward translation,
      the CBS was administered to 110 caregivers of patients with spinal cord injury
      (men = 60, women = 50). Factor structure was evaluated by confirmatory factor
      analysis. The Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the CBS were
      examined using Cronbach's alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient,
      respectively. Construct validity was assessed by examining the relationship among
      CBS and the World Health Organization Quality of Life, and the Beck Depression
      Inventory. RESULTS: The results of confirmatory factor analysis provided support
      for a five-factor model of CBS. All subscales of CBS revealed acceptable internal
      consistency (0.698-0.755), except for environment subscale (0.559). The CBS
      showed adequate test-retest reliability for its subscales (0.745-0.900). All
      subscales of CBS significantly correlated with both Beck Depression Inventory and
      World Health Organization Quality of Life, confirming construct validity.
      CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of the CBS is a valid and reliable measure for
      assessing burden of care in caregivers of patients with spinal cord injury.
      Implications for Rehabilitation Spinal cord injury leads to depression, high
      levels of stress and diminished quality of life due to the high physical,
      emotional, and social burdens in caregivers. Persian version of the Caregiver
      Burden Scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing burden in Iranian
      caregivers of patients with spinal cord injury.

PMID- 28637139
TI  - Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Persian version of
      COOP/WONCA charts in Persian-speaking Iranians with multiple sclerosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Translation, cross-culturally adaptation and validation of a Persian
      version of COOP/WONCA charts in Persian-speaking Iranians with multiple sclerosis
      (MS). METHOD: The Persian version of COOP/WONCA charts was developed after a
      standard forward translation, synthesis and backward translation. A total of 197
      subjects with MS participated in this study. They were asked to complete the
      COOP/WONCA charts and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). The COOP/WONCA charts
      were re-administered to 50 patients, 4 weeks after the first session. Expanded
      Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was also scored for each subject by the referring
      physician. Construct validity was assessed by testing linear relationship between
      corresponding domains of the COOP/WONCA charts, the SF-36 and the EDSS. Test
      retest reliability was examined using interclass correlation coefficient (ICC),
      standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) values.
      RESULTS: Related domains of COOP/WONCA charts and SF-36 demonstrated strong
      linear relationships with Spearman's coefficients ranging from -0.51 to -0.75 (p<
      0.05). Physical fitness and daily activity charts also demonstrated strong
      relationships with the EDSS by Spearman's coefficients of 0.65 and 0.50,
      respectively (p< 0.05). The ICC values for most of COOP/WONCA charts domains were
      acceptable (>0.70) except for feelings and quality-of-life domains that were 0.50
      and 0.51, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of the COOP/WONCA charts
      was shown to be psychometrically appropriate to evaluate the functional level and
      quality of life in Persian-speaking Iranians with MS. Implications for
      rehabilitation COOP/WONCA charts are now available in Persian and demonstrate
      good psychometric properties. COOP/WONCA charts demonstrate excellent reliability
      and construct validity in a Persian-speaking Iranian population with MS. Minimal
      detectable change in COOP/WONCA is now available in MS to guide within and
      between group analyses. Knowledge on a wide variety of physical, mental and
      emotional parameters as well as the status of patients' symptoms, daily
      activities and quality of life helps rehabilitation clinicians and service
      providers plan preventive and remedial interventions more effectively.

PMID- 28637140
TI  - Intimate partner violence in women with disabilities: perception of healthcare
      and attitudes of health professionals.
AB  - PURPOSE: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major social problem and public
      health issue, but we still have a relatively small amount of data about partner
      violence in women with disabilities. The main objective of this study was to
      understand the experiences of women with disabilities who are or have been abused
      by their partners and to explore the knowledge, views and training requirements
      of primary care professionals. METHOD: Qualitative study using semi-structured
      interviews with women with disabilities who had experienced IPV (n = 14), and
      focus groups with healthcare professionals (n = 16). RESULTS: Women with
      disabilities suffer specific forms of abuse. Because they depend on the people
      around them to take action, they are subordinate and this can prolong the abuse.
      The healthcare staff frequently mentioned that it is often difficult to notice
      that women with disabilities are being abused. Their lack of training about
      disabilities and gender-based violence makes them less sure of their ability to
      identify and deal with any possible cases of abuse. CONCLUSIONS: The difficulties
      described by the women interviewed are broadly speaking the same as those
      described by the healthcare professionals consulted. A number of suggestions for
      improvements are provided based on the results found. Implications for
      Rehabilitation The rehabilitation of abused disabled women implies that women
      perceive the health system as a resource to resolve their situation. Healthcare
      professionals should be trained on how to detect, treat and communicate with
      disabled women who experience partner violence. Is needed to establish a
      comprehensive system of coordination between services involved in caring for
      abused women and with disabilities.

PMID- 28637141
TI  - Misconceptions about traumatic brain injury among probation services.
AB  - PURPOSE: The prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among offender
      populations is significantly higher than among the general population. Despite
      this, no study has yet assessed the knowledge of members of the probation service
      surrounding TBI. METHOD: Knowledge was assessed among members of the Probation
      Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) using a cross-sectional online version of the
      Common Misconceptions about TBI (CM-TBI) questionnaire. Mean total misconception
      scores, along with scores on four subdomains (recovery, sequelae, insight, and
      hidden injury) were calculated. Analysis of variance was used to explore
      differences in misconceptions based on the collected demographic information.
      RESULTS: The overall mean percentage of misconceptions for the group was 22.37%.
      The subdomain with the highest rate of misconceptions (38.21%) was insight into
      injury which covered misconceptions around offenders' self-awareness of injuries.
      Those who knew someone with a brain injury scored significantly higher in the CM
      TBI total score, F(1,63) = 6.639, p = 0.012, the recovery subdomain, F(1,63) =
      10.080, p = 0.002, and the insight subdomain, F(1,63) = 5.834, p = 0.019.
      Additionally, significant training deficits around TBI were observed among the
      probation service. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first of its kind to examine
      the level of understanding around TBI within probation services. The findings
      reflect potential barriers to identification and rehabilitation of TBI for
      offenders coming into contact with the criminal justice system. A lack of
      identification coupled with misconceptions about TBI could lead to inaccurate
      court reporting with a subsequent impact on sentencing. Implications for
      Rehabilitation Despite being one of the first points of contact for offenders
      entering the criminal justice system, members of the probation service reported
      having no formal training on traumatic brain injury (TBI). The subdomain with the
      highest rate of misconceptions (insight into injury) revealed an over-reliance on
      survivors of brain injury to identify, understand, and communicate the extent and
      severity of their injuries. Probation service personnel require training on TBI
      to improve awareness of the potential outcomes of the condition, ensuring
      injuries are identified and referred to the appropriate care pathways.

PMID- 28637142
TI  - Feasibility of a cognitive strategy training intervention for people with
      Parkinson's disease.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of a novel client-centered cognitive
      strategy training intervention for people with Parkinson's disease (PD).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a case series of seven people with PD without
      dementia but with subjective cognitive decline. The intervention involved >=5
      treatment sessions at the participant's home. Participant acceptance and
      engagement were assessed by the Credibility/Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ),
      Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ), enjoyment and effort ratings, and
      homework completion. Logistical information was tracked, and the Canadian
      Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was an exploratory outcome measure. Data
      analysis was descriptive. RESULTS: CEQ scores were positive and increased over
      time. CSQ scores were high (M = 30.8, SD = 0.75), with all participants rating
      all items positively. Almost all (95%) effort and enjoyment ratings were >=3
      (Much), and homework completion rates averaged 84% (SD = 18). Intervention
      duration was 6-15 weeks (M = 9.2, SD = 2.8), with treatment sessions averaging
      1.7 h (SD = 0.5). Group and most individual COPM ratings improved >=2 points.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the feasibility of the intervention for
      people with PD. It was acceptable, engaging, and promising in terms of its effect
      on self-identified functional cognitive problems. Implications for Rehabilitation
      People with Parkinson's disease (PD) without dementia can experience cognitive
      decline that negatively impacts function and quality of life. Strategy-based
      interventions that explicitly train for transfer may mitigate the negative
      functional consequences of cognitive decline in this population. We developed a
      client-centered cognitive strategy training intervention for people with PD. This
      small case series supports its feasibility, indicating that it is acceptable and
      engaging for people with PD and promising in terms of its effect on self
      identified functional cognitive problems.

PMID- 28637143
TI  - Validity and reliability of an activity monitor to quantify arm movements and
      activity in adults following distal radius fracture.
AB  - PURPOSE: To examine the validity and reliability of an activity monitor to
      estimate upper limb activity. METHODS: Thirty-two adults after distal radial
      fracture were recruited. 15 adults performed five upper limb activities during
      two testing sessions, one week apart to investigate criterion validity against
      the criterion reference of three-dimensional motion analysis, convergent
      validity, and test-retest reliability. 17 adults in two therapy groups wore
      monitors for three consecutive days at baseline and six weeks post-intervention.
      Hypothesis testing (noninferiority) assessed comparison of group differences.
      RESULTS: There were large, significant positive correlations between monitor
      counts and motion analysis for affected/unaffected wrists during the grocery
      shelving [r = 0.82, r = 0.73, respectively] and floor sweeping activities [r =
      0.54, r = 0.59, respectively]. Large confidence intervals relative to means
      suggests the monitor could not accurately predict motion analysis distance or
      acceleration. Relative reliability was excellent in affected/unaffected wrists
      for crank ergometer [ICC(2,1) = 0.91, ICC(2,1) = 0.88, respectively], grocery
      shelving [ICC(2,1) = 0.83, ICC(2,1) = 0.89, respectively], and table dusting
      activities [ICC(2,1) = 0.77, ICC(2,1) = 0.83, respectively]. Correlations and
      reliability for typing were poor; hypothesis testing of group equivalence was not
      confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: There is preliminary evidence that an activity monitor is
      a valid and reliable tool to measure gross arm activity after distal radial
      fracture. Implications for Rehabilitation Distal radius fractures are one of the
      most common upper limb fractures that cause activity limitations and
      participation restrictions. After a distal radius fracture patients are often
      referred to therapy (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, hand therapy) for
      rehabilitation to return to pre-injury function and activity levels. Activity
      monitors may be a valid and reliable measurement tool that therapists can use
      with their patients to quantify gross arm activity to enable monitoring of injury
      recovery and rehabilitation adherence. Activity monitors may not be sufficiently
      reliable and valid to monitor fine movements of the wrist and hand after distal
      radius fracture.

PMID- 28637144
TI  - What information do patients need following a whiplash injury? The perspectives
      of patients and physiotherapists.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were to identify information that
      individuals with whiplash associated disorders (WAD) need to know in the early
      stages of recovery and to establish whether there is a difference between what
      physiotherapists and whiplash-injured patients perceive as important information.
      METHOD: Forty-one participants were recruited (20 whiplash-injured patients, 21
      physiotherapists). Participants were asked to provide five statements to one open
      ended question about what they believe is the most important information
      individuals with WAD need to know in the early stages of recovery. Participants
      provided 182 statements which were reviewed independently and organised into
      themes by two of the authors. RESULTS: Six key themes emerged from the
      statements. These included general information about whiplash injury, treatment
      and recovery, reassurance, provision of poor information and patients'
      interaction with general practitioners, maintaining daily activities, and
      compensation claims and litigation. Both patients and physiotherapists agreed on
      the type of general whiplash information that should be provided however, major
      differences were found with regard to information pertaining to compensation
      claims and litigation and maintaining daily activities. CONCLUSIONS: The findings
      of this study provide some insight into the type of information that WAD
      individuals require in the early stages of recovery. Implications for
      Rehabilitation The provision of reassurance can be an effective communication
      tool to decrease patients concerns about their injury and help strengthen the
      patient-health practitioner relationship. Although clinical guidelines for the
      management of whiplash injuries recommend that individuals must remain physically
      active post-injury, statements from the patient group indicate that this
      information is not always provided and clearly explained to patients. Keeping in
      line with the patient centred care approach of being responsive to patient needs
      and values, it is essential for health practitioners to be attentive to patients'
      preferences regarding the level of participation in treatment decisions.
      Processes need to be developed to deliver individuals with WAD accurate
      information regarding compensation claims so that these factors do not distract
      from focusing on recovery.

PMID- 28637145
TI  - Amount of balance necessary for the independence of transfer and stair-climbing
      in stroke inpatients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the amount of balance necessary
      for the independence of transfer and stair-climbing in stroke patients. METHOD:
      This study included 111 stroke inpatients. Simple and multiple regression
      analyses were conducted to establish the association between the FIM(r)
      instrument scores for transfer or stair-climbing and Berg Balance Scale.
      Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curves were used to elucidate the
      amount of balance necessary for the independence of transfer and stair-climbing.
      RESULT: Simple and multiple regression analyses showed that the FIM(r) instrument
      scores for transfer and stair-climbing were strongly associated with Berg Balance
      Scale. On comparison of the independent and supervision-dependent groups, Berg
      Balance Scale cut-off values for transfer and stair-climbing were 41/40 and 54/53
      points, respectively. On comparison of the independent-supervision and dependent
      groups, the cut-off values for transfer and stair-climbing were 30/29 and 41/40
      points, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The calculated cut-off values indicated the
      amount of balance necessary for the independence of transfer and stair-climbing,
      with and without supervision, in stroke patients. Berg Balance Scale has a good
      discriminatory ability and cut-off values are clinically useful to determine the
      appropriate independence levels of transfer and stair-climbing in hospital wards.
      Implications for rehabilitation The Berg Balance Scale's (BBS) strong association
      with transfer and stair-climbing independence and performance indicates that
      establishing cut-off values is vitally important for the established use of the
      BBS clinically. The cut-off values calculated herein accurately demonstrate the
      level of balance necessary for transfer and stair-climbing independence, with and
      without supervision, in stroke patients. These criteria should be employed
      clinically for determining the level of independence for transfer and stair
      climbing as well as for setting balance training goals aimed at improving
      transfer and stair-climbing.

PMID- 28637146
TI  - Instilling positive beliefs about disabilities: pilot testing a novel
      experiential learning activity for rehabilitation students.
AB  - PURPOSE: To develop and test a novel impairment simulation activity to teach
      beginning rehabilitation students how people adapt to physical impairments.
      METHODS: Masters of Occupational Therapy students (n = 14) and Doctor of Physical
      Therapy students (n = 18) completed the study during the first month of their
      program. Students were randomized to the experimental or control learning
      activity. Experimental students learned to perform simple tasks while simulating
      paraplegia and hemiplegia. Control students viewed videos of others completing
      tasks with these impairments. Before and after the learning activities, all
      students estimated average self-perceived health, life satisfaction, and
      depression ratings among people with paraplegia and hemiplegia. RESULTS:
      Experimental students increased their estimates of self-perceived health, and
      decreased their estimates of depression rates, among people with paraplegia and
      hemiplegia after the learning activity. The control activity had no effect on
      these estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Impairment simulation can be an effective way to
      teach rehabilitation students about the adaptations that people make to physical
      impairments. Positive impairment simulations should allow students to experience
      success in completing activities of daily living with impairments. Impairment
      simulation is complementary to other pedagogical methods, such as simulated
      clinical encounters using standardized patients. Implication of Rehabilitation It
      is important for rehabilitation students to learn how people live well with
      disabilities. Impairment simulations can improve students' assessments of quality
      of life with disabilities. To be beneficial, impairment simulations must include
      guided exposure to effective methods for completing daily tasks with
      disabilities.

PMID- 28637147
TI  - Musculoskeletal complaints in individuals with finger or partial hand amputations
      in the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs) in
      individuals with finger or partial hand amputations (FPHAs) with a control group
      and to explore the effect and predictors of MSCs in individuals with FPHAs.
      METHOD: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted. The primary
      outcome measures were: prevalence of MSCs, health status, pain-related
      disability, physical work demands, work productivity, and hand function. RESULTS:
      The response rate was 61%. A comparable proportion of individuals with FPHAs (n =
      99) and controls (n = 102) reported MSCs in the preceding 4 weeks (33% vs. 28%,
      respectively) or in the preceding year (37% vs. 33%, respectively). Individuals
      with FPHAs with MSCs experienced more pain than controls with MSCs. Regular
      occurrence of stump sensations and self-reported limited range of motion (ROM) of
      the wrist of the affected limb were predictors for MSCs in individuals with
      FPHAs. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MSCs was comparable in individuals with
      FPHAs and controls. However, clinicians should pay special attention to the risk
      of developing MSCs in patients with stump sensations and limited ROM of the wrist
      of the affected limb. Future research should focus on the role of wrist movements
      and compensatory movements in the development of MSCs in individuals with FPHAs.
      Implications for Rehabilitation The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints
      (MSCs) in individuals with finger or partial hand amputations (FPHAs) and control
      subjects was similar. Regular occurrence of stump sensations and limited range of
      motion of the wrist of the affected limb were predictors of developing MSCs in
      individuals with FPHAs. Clinicians should pay special attention to individuals
      with FPHAs with the presence of these predictors of developing MSCs. For a better
      understanding of the development of and treatment options for MSCs, future
      research focusing on the role of wrist function in the development of MSCs in
      individuals with FPHAs is necessary.

PMID- 28637148
TI  - Pure tone hearing profiles in children with otitis media with effusion.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common middle ear disease in
      children. The associated conductive hearing loss is a major concern for hearing
      health professionals. The aim of the present study was to describe the
      configuration of pure tone audiograms of children with OME and to design a
      statistical stratification algorithm to facilitate hearing loss profiling in
      children with OME. METHODS: School age children with OME were recruited. Bone and
      air conduction thresholds were obtained using standard procedures. Hierarchical
      cluster analysis was employed to determine audiometric profile groups. The
      Mandarin Hearing in Noise Test was used to measure sentence perception in
      children for cluster analysis validity assessment. RESULTS: Ninety-seven children
      (164 ears) aged between 72 months and 153 months were examined. Air conduction
      thresholds averaged for 500 Hz, 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz were in the range of 8.3-53.3
      dB HL with a mean of 26.8 dB HL. Bone conduction thresholds were found to be
      influenced by middle ear pathology with a maximal elevation at 2000 Hz of 25 dB
      HL. Four audiometric profiles were identified. Cluster 1 contained 54 ears
      (32.9%) with normal or near normal hearing, Clusters 2 contained 37 ears (22.6%)
      with mild hearing loss, Cluster 3 included 48 ears (29.3%) and Cluster 4 included
      25 ears (15.2%) with moderate hearing loss. Stability and validity of the four
      cluster profiling procedure was examined and established with satisfactory
      results. CONCLUSIONS: OME in children is associated with pure tone hearing
      thresholds ranging from normal to moderate hearing loss. The hierarchical
      clustering algorithm proved useful as a novel means of profiling hearing loss in
      children with OME and may assist in identifying affected children at greater risk
      of auditory disadvantage. Implications for rehabilitation A hierarchical cluster
      analysis method can be used to determine audiometric profiles in children with
      OME. This algorithm assists to identify children at greater risk of auditory
      disadvantage. Cluster groups with more elevated pure tone thresholds may be
      targeted for priority in clinical surveillance and medical/surgical intervention.

PMID- 28637150
TI  - Family matters: compensable injury and the effect on family.
AB  - PURPOSE: It is well acknowledged that involvement in injury compensation
      processes can have a substantial impact on the recovery of the injured person.
      However, little attention has been given to the social or family consequences of
      compensable injury. The aims of this study were to better understand both the
      impact of compensable injury on the family and the role that families play after
      an injury, throughout the compensation process, and during return to work.
      METHODS: Eighteen injured persons and nine family members recruited through three
      compensation authorities in Victoria (Australia) were interviewed. A thematic
      analysis was used to identify the role that family played after injury and how
      family members were affected during the recovery and compensation process.
      RESULTS: The results highlight the important role family members play following a
      compensable injury, in addition to factors that impact family members' daily
      living, health, and well-being. The study suggests that compensation processes
      can have an impact on family members, despite compensation systems not formally
      acknowledging the family in policy or procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Compensation
      authorities should formally consider the role of family in recovery from injury,
      not only as one means of addressing the overall burden of injury but as a conduit
      for improving health and function among injured people. Implications for
      Rehabilitation Family members play an important role after compensable injury
      that includes providing administrative, instrumental, and emotional support. The
      recovery and injury compensation process can also have a major impact on family
      members, particularly in the case of prolonged and complex injuries and illnesses
      Compensation authorities should formally consider the role of family in the
      recovery from injury, not only as one means of addressing the overall burden of
      injury but, as a conduit for improving health and function among injured people.

PMID- 28637151
TI  - Work-related experiences of head and neck cancer survivors: an exploratory and
      descriptive qualitative study.
AB  - PURPOSE: This exploratory and descriptive study contributes to the growing
      knowledge about the return-to-work (RTW) experience of head and neck cancer (HNC)
      survivors. Viewing RTW as a process, participants were asked to consider the work
      related experience with HNC at different phases: (1) at diagnosis/pre-treatment,
      (2) working during treatment (if the respondent did not take a work disability
      leave), and (3) post-treatment/RTW (if the respondent took a work disability
      leave). METHODS: Data were gathered in nine individual semi-structured in-depth
      interviews with patients receiving treatment at a quaternary cancer center's HNC
      clinic in Ontario, Canada. Using a constant comparative method of theme
      development, codes were identified in and derived from the data. Codes with
      similar characteristics were grouped, used to develop overarching themes, and
      were organized according to the RTW factors identified in the literature.
      RESULTS: Each phase has different barriers that are in turn addressed by
      different facilitators. As reflected in the literature, we found that RTW or the
      process of work continuation is complex. Many players and interactions contribute
      to the worker's experience. CONCLUSIONS: By recognizing that work-related
      experiences differ by phases, clinicians and employers can better support HNC
      survivors depending on the phase of the RTW process. Implications for
      Rehabilitation Our findings suggest that when rehabilitation specialists are
      working with survivors to develop interventions, the return-to-work phase and
      work context rather than diagnosis should be considered as a starting point. At
      every phase, supportive and empathetic managers are a key to successful work
      experiences for people who have been diagnosed and are being treated for head and
      neck cancer. Rehabilitation specialists should help survivors to seek supportive
      interactions with the environment that are essential to enable the ability to
      work.

PMID- 28637152
TI  - How physical therapists instruct patients with stroke: an observational study on
      attentional focus during gait rehabilitation after stroke.
AB  - PURPOSE: People without neurological impairments show superior motor learning
      when they focus on movement effects (external focus) rather than on movement
      execution itself (internal focus). Despite its potential for neurorehabilitation,
      it remains unclear to what extent external focus strategies are currently
      incorporated in rehabilitation post-stroke. Therefore, we observed how physical
      therapists use attentional focus when treating gait of rehabilitating patients
      with stroke. METHODS: Twenty physical therapist-patient couples from six
      rehabilitation centers participated. Per couple, one regular gait-training
      session was video-recorded. Therapists' statements were classified using a
      standardized scoring method to determine the relative proportion of internally
      and externally focused instructions/feedback. Also, we explored associations
      between therapists' use of external/internal focus strategies and patients' focus
      preference, length of stay, mobility, and cognition. RESULTS: Therapists'
      instructions were generally more external while feedback was more internal.
      Therapists used relatively more externally focused statements for patients with a
      longer length of stay (B = -0.239, p = 0.013) and for patients who had a stronger
      internal focus preference (B = -0.930, p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Physical
      therapists used more external focus instructions, but more internally focused
      feedback. Also, they seem to adapt their attentional focus use to patients' focus
      preference and rehabilitation phase. Future research may determine how these
      factors influence the effectiveness of different attentional foci for motor
      learning post-stroke. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Physical therapists use a
      balanced mix of internal focus and external focus instructions and feedback when
      treating gait of stroke patients. Therapists predominantly used an external focus
      for patients in later rehabilitation phases, and for patients with stronger
      internal focus preferences, possibly in an attempt to stimulate more automatic
      control of movement in these patients. Future research should further explore how
      a patients' focus preference and rehabilitation phase influence the effectiveness
      of different focus strategies. Awaiting further research, we recommend that
      therapists use both attentional focus strategies, and explore per patient which
      focus works best on a trial-and-error basis.

PMID- 28637149
TI  - Personal meaning in relation to daily functioning of a patient in physical
      therapy practice: narratives of a patient, a family member, and physical
      therapist.
AB  - PURPOSE: To get insight into personal meaning of a person involved in a physical
      therapy intervention. METHODS: Mrs. A, a 76-year-old woman is referred to a
      physical therapist (PT) for assessment of functioning and training before total
      hip arthroplasty (THA). The patient, her daughter, and PT were asked to write a
      story about their daily life. Stories were analyzed according to the narrative
      scheme based on a method to find meaning in daily life, which consists of four
      phases: 1. Motivation; 2. Competences; 3. Performance; and 4. EVALUATION: 
      RESULTS: Mrs. A was mainly motivated by her will to do enjoyable social
      activities and stay independent. Although she tried her best to undertake
      activities (performance) that made her proud (evaluation), her pain and physical
      limitations were anti-competences that motivated her to attend healthcare.
      Although the PT seemed to be aware of personal participation goals, her main
      motivation was to improve and evaluate functions and activities. The daughter was
      motivated by good relationships and did not see herself as informal caregiver.
      CONCLUSIONS: The narrative method was a valuable tool to clarify motivations,
      competences, and values in the process of creating personal meaning related to
      functioning. This knowledge could help caregivers in applying patient-centered
      goal-setting and treatment on a participation level. Implications for
      rehabilitation Personal meaning of people's functioning within their daily
      context can be clarified from daily life stories. This case report demonstrates
      that motivations and goals may differ between patient and therapist; the PT seems
      to focus on improving and evaluating functions and activities, while the patient
      seems to focus her motivations and personal meaning on participation. This
      approach may help in patient-centered goal-setting at the level of activities and
      participation.

PMID- 28637153
TI  - Dutch version of the Fear of Pain Questionnaire for adolescents with chronic
      pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fear of pain is important in the development and maintenance of
      chronic pain. The Fear of Pain Questionnaire-Child version has been developed to
      assess pain related fear in children and adolescents. OBJECTIVE: Translating the
      original questionnaire into Dutch, and investigating internal consistency and
      construct validity to enable use in the Dutch pain rehabilitation setting for
      treatment and research. METHODS: Cross-sectional validation study: After forward
      and back translation of the FOPQ-C, adolescents (11-22 years old) with chronic
      musculoskeletal pain completed an assessment containing the Dutch Fear of Pain
      Questionnaire, and questionnaires about demographics, pain catastrophizing,
      functional disability, and pain intensity. Internal consistency and construct
      validity were evaluated through exploratory factor analysis (principal axis
      factoring with oblique rotation) and hypotheses testing using pain
      catastrophizing, functional disability, and pain intensity as comparative
      constructs. RESULTS: Eighty-six adolescents completed the assessment. Exploratory
      factor analysis resulted in a two-factor structure, explaining 43% of the
      variance. Internal consistency was strong (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92 total scale,
      alpha = 0.88 factor 1, and alpha = .86 factor 2). Five out of 6 hypotheses were
      confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The Dutch version demonstrated good internal consistency
      and good construct validity in a population of adolescents with chronic
      musculoskeletal pain. Implications for rehabilitation The Fear of Pain
      Questionnaire-Child version was developed to measure fear of pain and avoidance
      in children and adolescents with chronic pain. Identification of fear of pain and
      activities that are being avoided are important during screening and assessment
      of the adolescent for chronic pain rehabilitation treatment. The presence of fear
      of pain and/or avoidance behavior is important information to shape and target
      multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment.

PMID- 28637154
TI  - Shoulder pain after stroke - experiences, consequences in daily life and effects
      of interventions: a qualitative study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe experiences of shoulder pain after stroke, how pain affects
      daily life and perceived effects of interventions. METHOD: A qualitative
      interview study including 13 community-dwelling persons (six women; median age 65
      years) with persistent shoulder pain after stroke. RESULTS: Three categories
      emerged from the content analysis. In "Multiple pain characteristics" an
      insidious pain onset was reported. The pain existed both day and night and could
      be located around the shoulder girdle but also have radiation to the arm and
      hand. An explanation of the pain was seldom given. In "Limitations caused by the
      pain" it was described how the pain negatively influenced personal care,
      household activities and leisure, but also could lead to emotional reactions. In
      "Multiple pain interventions with various effects" a variety of interventions
      were described. Self-management interventions with gentle movements were
      perceived most effective. A restraint attitude to pain medication due to side
      effects was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder pain after stroke can lead to a
      variety of pain characteristics. As the pain is complex and may affect many
      important areas in a person's life, multidisciplinary rehabilitation
      interventions are important. Implications for rehabilitation Shoulder pain after
      stroke can lead to a variety of pain characteristics with radiation to the arm
      and hand Shoulder pain often influence personal care, household activities and
      leisure negatively, which may lead to emotional reactions Self-management
      interventions with gentle movements are perceived most effective As the shoulder
      pain after stroke is complex, interventions by a multidisciplinary team may be
      needed.

PMID- 28637155
TI  - Reliability, validity, and norms of the 2-min walk test in children with and
      without neuromuscular disorders aged 6-12.
AB  - PURPOSE: The 2-min walk test may be more appropriate functional exercise test for
      young children. This study aimed to examine the 2-min walk test's reliability;
      validity; and minimal clinically important difference; and to establish norms for
      children aged 6-12. METHODS: Sixty-one healthy children were recruited to examine
      the 2-min walk test's reliability. Forty-six children with neuromuscular
      disorders (63% cerebral palsy) were recruited to test the validity. The normative
      study involved 716 healthy children without neuromuscular disorders (male = 51%,
      female = 49%). They walked at a self-selected speed for 2 min along a smooth,
      flat path 15 m in length. RESULTS: The mean distance covered in the 2-min walk
      test was 152.8 m (SD =27.5). No significant difference was found in the
      children's test-retest results (p > 0.05). The intra- and inter-rater reliability
      were high (all intra-class correlation coefficients >0.8). All children, except
      one with neuromuscular disorders, completed the 2-min walk test, of which the
      minimal clinically important difference at 95% confidence interval was 23.2 m for
      the entire group, 15.7 m for children walking with aids, and 16.6 m for those
      walking independently. CONCLUSIONS: The 2-min walk test is a feasible, reliable,
      and valid exercise test for children with and without neuromuscular disorders
      aged 6-12. The first normative references and minimal clinically important
      difference for children with neuromuscular disorders were established for
      children of this age group. Implications for rehabilitation The 2-min walk test
      is a feasible, safe, reliable, and valid time-based walk test for children aged 6
      12 years. Normative references have been established for healthy children aged 6
      12 years. Minimal clinically important difference at 95% confidence interval were
      calculated for children with neuromuscular disorders who walked without aids
      (i.e., independent and stand-by supervision) and those who walked with aids equal
      to 16.6 and 15.7 m, respectively. Distance covered by the healthy children in the
      2 min did not correlate with age, gender, height, and weight of the children.

PMID- 28637156
TI  - The sink or SWIM hypothesis; a roadmap from pathology to work instability.
AB  - PURPOSE: Selecting the most appropriate health-related work outcome to evaluate
      an intervention can be fraught with difficulty. To aid clinicians in navigating
      this problem we have developed a model, which illustrates how pathology can
      affect specific measureable quantities, such as work instability. METHODS: Using
      a modified-Delphi procedure, a panel of experts met initially to analyze the
      content of 95 health-related work outcome measures and organize the identified
      areas of measurement into a coherent model, complemented by a narrative review of
      the literature. This initial model underwent two rounds of stakeholder-based
      feedback, the results of which were incorporated in the final expert panel
      meeting to produce the States-traits Work Instability Model (SWIM). RESULTS: The
      States-traits Work Instability Model (SWIM) illustrates how changes to an
      individual's physical and psychological states and traits might affect their work
      related performance, well-being and self-efficacy. Moreover, each concept
      utilized in the model was specifically selected as it represents a measurable
      quantity, for which there are tools available. CONCLUSION: The SWIM is arguably
      the first holistic model of work that is based on both the clinical realities of
      vocational rehabilitation, sociological research, and is born from analyzing the
      basis of practical measurements. Implications for Rehabilitation Work Instability
      * Work instability has multiple causes many of which are amenable to
      intervention   * The model clarifies the measureable domains of vocational
      rehabilitation interventions, which is of particular benefit for services working
      with people with disability at work who are struggling to remain in work   * The
      model conceptualizes how the potential areas for intervention may be related
      based on evidence available in the literature.

PMID- 28637157
TI  - Maximal and submaximal aerobic tests for wheelchair-dependent persons with spinal
      cord injury: a systematic review to summarize and identify useful applications
      for clinical rehabilitation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To summarize the available maximal and submaximal aerobic exercise tests
      for wheelchair-dependent persons with a spinal cord injury (SCI) and to identify
      useful applications for clinical rehabilitation. METHOD: The databases of PubMed,
      CINAHL(r), EMBASE, and PsycINFO(r) were searched for English-language studies
      published prior to March 2015. Two independent raters identified and examined
      studies that reported on laboratory-based aerobic exercise tests in persons with
      an SCI, according to the PRISMA statement. RESULTS: The test protocols of maximal
      (n = 105) and submaximal (n = 28) exercise tests, covered by 95 included studies,
      were assessed. A large variety in patient characteristics, test objectives, test
      protocols, exercise modes, and outcome parameters was reported. Few studies
      reported on adherence to recommendations, adverse events, and peak outcome
      validation. CONCLUSIONS: An incremental test protocol with small, individualized,
      increments per stage seems preferable for testing maximal aerobic capacity, but
      additional validation of the available test modes is required to draw
      conclusions. Submaximal testing is relevant for assessing the performance at
      daily life intensities and for estimating VO2peak. Consensus regarding reporting
      test procedures and outcomes needs to be achieved to enhance comparability of
      rehabilitation results. Implications for Rehabilitation Regularly testing the
      cardiovascular capacity during SCI rehabilitation will enable us to monitor the
      impact of rehabilitation interventions on an individual level. The incremental
      arm ergometry test with small increments per stage is most relevant for the
      assessment of the peak cardiovascular capacity. For the assessment of daily life
      functioning, the submaximal wheelchair ergometer test is preferable. Hand cycling
      is a promising exercise mode for both testing and training. Systematically
      reporting on test termination, criteria for attaining valid peak outcomes and
      adverse events is necessary to enhance comparability of results.

PMID- 28637158
TI  - A reused method for molasses-processed wastewater: Effect on silage quality and
      anaerobic digestion performance of Pennisetum purpereum.
AB  - The silage quality and anaerobic digestion performance of Pennisetum purpereum
      with molasses-processed wastewater addition were assessed. The silage samples
      with molasses-processed wastewater addition obtained higher lactic acid
      concentration of 15.18-23.38mg/g FM, lower pH value of 3.96-4.45 and lower NH3-N
      content of 0.47-0.64mg/g FM. No obvious difference was observed in the dominant
      phyla and genus, but the relative abundance of Lactobacillus reached up to
      77.39%, increased by 84% compared to the silage samples without molasses
      processed wastewater addition. Combined the silage quality and bacterial
      community, the decreased in pH value of fresh material caused by molasses
      processed wastewater addition was the main reason for improving the silage
      quality. Meanwhile, the increased in COD concentration is beneficial for
      improving the specific methane yield and the maximum specific methane yield of
      259+/-5.75mL/g VS was obtained with adding 20g/kg molasses-alcoholic wastewater.
      Molasses-processed wastewater is an alternative additive for silage.

PMID- 28637159
TI  - Methane production and fertilizing value of organic waste: Organic matter
      characterization for a better prediction of valorization pathways.
AB  - Organic wastes are potential sources of both energy as well as crop production
      fertilizers. Correlations and models, involving organic matter characterization,
      have been previously described by several authors although there is still a lack
      in knowledge on the potential of simultaneous predictions of methane and organic
      fertilizer quality to optimize the wastes treatments. A methodology combining
      chemical accessibility and fluorescence spectroscopy was used to characterize 82
      different organic wastes. Characterization data were compared with the
      biochemical methane potential (BMP), and with the biodegradable organic carbon
      obtained by soil incubation (C_bio). High correlations values were observed (R2
      of 0.818 for BMP and 0.845 for C_bio). Model coefficients highlighted the
      differences and similarities between anaerobic and aerobic soil biodegradation,
      suggesting that anaerobic recalcitrant molecules could enhance soil fertility.
      This is a first step in the development of a tool for optimising both types of
      valorisation according to agrosystem needs and constraints.

PMID- 28637160
TI  - Energy-producing electro-flocculation for harvest of Dunaliella salina.
AB  - In this study, an efficient electro-flocculation process for Dunaliella salina
      with energy production by aluminum-air battery has been successfully applied. The
      formed aluminum hydroxide hydrates during discharging of battery were positively
      charged, which have a great potential for microalgae flocculation. The
      precipitation of aluminum hydroxide hydrates by algae also could improve the
      performance of aluminum-air battery. The harvesting efficiency could reach 97% in
      20mins with energy production of 0.11kWh/kg. This discharging electro
      flocculation (DEF) technology provides a new energy producing process to
      effectively harvest microalgae.

PMID- 28637161
TI  - Sequential batch thermophilic solid-state anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic
      biomass via recirculating digestate as inoculum - Part II: Microbial diversity
      and succession.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the effect of recirculation of digestate as
      inoculum on the microbial communities in thermophilic solid-state anaerobic
      digestion (SS-AD) of yard trimmings. The SS-AD consisted of 4 consecutive runs
      (30days/run), with digestate from the previous run being used as the inoculum of
      the subsequent run. Bacterial and archaeal communities (day 0, 4, 8, 12, 20, and
      30) were examined using Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The results
      revealed substantial microbial succession toward increased diversity until run 3.
      The proportions of Firmicutes that contained cellulolytic bacteria doubled, which
      might explain the concomitantly increased cellulose degradation and volatile
      fatty acids (VFAs). Clostridia and Thermotogae appeared to correlate with VFAs.
      The VFA accumulation likely induced dynamic shifts of methanogens, particularly
      to hydrogenotrophic Methanothermobacter, implying that non-acetoclastic oxidative
      pathway dominated during the steady-state thermophilic SS-AD. This study
      suggested that recirculating SS-AD digestate might be an effective way for
      inoculation.

PMID- 28637162
TI  - Response of antimicrobial nitrofurazone-degrading biocathode communities to
      different cathode potentials.
AB  - Bioelectrodegradation of various organic pollutants has been extensively studied.
      However, whether different cathode potentials could alter the antimicrobial
      degrading biocathode community structure and composition remain poorly
      understood. Here, the microbial community structure and composition of the
      nitrofurans nitrofurazone (NFZ) degrading biocathode in response to different
      cathode potentials (-0.45+/-0.01, -0.65+/-0.01 and -0.86+/-0.05V vs standard
      hydrogen electrode, with applied cell voltages of 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8V,
      respectively) were investigated. The bioelectrodegradation efficiency and degree
      of NFZ were highly related to different cathode potentials. The 0.2 and 0.5V
      performed biocathode communities were similar but significantly differed from
      those of the 0.8V and open circuit biofilms. The bacteria possessing functions of
      nitroaromatics reduction and electrons transfer (e.g. Klebsiella, Enterococcus,
      Citrobacter and Desulfovibrio) were selectively enriched in different biocathode
      communities. This study offers new insights into the ecological response of
      antimicrobial-degrading biocathode communities to different cathode potentials.

PMID- 28637163
TI  - The impacts of biomass properties on pyrolysis yields, economic and environmental
      performance of the pyrolysis-bioenergy-biochar platform to carbon negative
      energy.
AB  - This study evaluated the impact of biomass properties on the pyrolysis product
      yields, economic and environmental performance for the pyrolysis-biochar
      bioenergy platform. We developed and applied a fast pyrolysis, feedstock
      sensitive, regression-based chemical process model to 346 different feedstocks,
      which were grouped into five types: woody, stalk/cob/ear, grass/plant, organic
      residue/product and husk/shell/pit. The results show that biomass ash content of
      0.3-7.7wt% increases biochar yield from 0.13 to 0.16kg/kg of biomass, and
      decreases biofuel yields from 87.3 to 40.7 gallons per tonne. Higher O/C ratio
      (0.88-1.12) in biomass decreases biochar yield and increases biofuel yields
      within the same ash content level. Higher ash content of biomass increases
      minimum fuel selling price (MFSP), while higher O/C ratio of biomass decreases
      MFSP within the same ash content level. The impact of ash and O/C ratio of
      biomass on GHG emissions are not consistent for all feedstocks.

PMID- 28637165
TI  - Quantification of the methane concentration using anaerobic oxidation of methane
      coupled to extracellular electron transfer.
AB  - A biofilm anode acclimated with growth media containing acetate, then
      acetate+methane, and finally methane alone produced electrical current in a
      microbial electrochemical cell (MxC) fed with methane as the sole electron donor.
      Geobacter was the dominant genus for the bacterial domain (93%) in the biofilm
      anode, while methanogens (Methanocorpusculum labreanum and Methanosaeta concilii)
      accounted for 82% of the total archaeal clones in the biofilm. Fluorescence in
      situ hybridization (FISH) imaging clearly showed a biofilm of mixed bacteria and
      archaea, suggesting a syntrophic interaction between them for performing
      anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in the biofilm anode. Measured cumulative
      coulombs were linearly correlated to the methane-gas concentration in the range
      of 10-99.97% (R2>=0.99) when the measurement was sustained for at least 50min
      Thus, cumulative coulombs over 50min could be used to quantify the methane
      concentration in gas samples.

PMID- 28637164
TI  - Biological nutrient removal and molecular biological characteristics in an
      anaerobic-multistage anaerobic/oxic (A-MAO) process to treat municipal
      wastewater.
AB  - This study aimed to present an anaerobic-multistage anaerobic/oxic (A-MAO)
      process to treat municipal wastewater. The average COD, NH4+-N, TN, and TP
      removal efficiency were 91.81%, 96.26%, 83.73% and 94.49%, respectively.
      Temperature plunge and C/N decrease have a certain impact on the modified
      process. Characteristics of microbial community, function microorganism, and
      correlation of microbial community with environmental variables in five
      compartments were carried out by Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing. The
      differences of microbial community were observed and Blastocatella,
      Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas were the dominant genus. Nitrosomonas and
      Nitrospira occupied a dominant position in AOB and NOB, respectively.
      Rhodospirillaceae and Rhodocyclaceae owned a considerable proportion in
      phosphorus removal bacteria. DO and COD played significant roles on affecting the
      microbial components. The A-MAO process in this study demonstrated a high
      potential for nutrient removal from municipal wastewater.

PMID- 28637166
TI  - Comparison of the anaerobic digestion at the mesophilic and thermophilic
      temperature regime of organic wastes from the agribusiness.
AB  - An overall kinetic power law model has been successfully applied to study the
      anaerobic digestion of agricultural wastes. In this comparative kinetic study
      feed composition, organic load rate, residence time and process temperature have
      been systematically varied in an automated semi-continuous fermentation system to
      obtain the dependency of the rate of degradation as biogas production on the
      organic load rate and temperature. The results show that the overall reaction
      order depend only on the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) at values between 3.6 and
      3.7. The Arrhenius approach shows a shift in the rate determining step between
      the mesophilic and thermophilic temperature regimes. The activation energy at the
      temperature insensitive mesophilic regime is very small at 8.9 (kJ/mole), while
      the activation energy at the temperature sensitive thermophilic regime lies
      around 117 (kJ/mole).

PMID- 28637167
TI  - Effects of dissolved oxygen concentration on photosynthetic bacteria wastewater
      treatment: Pollutants removal, cell growth and pigments production.
AB  - Dissolved oxygen (DO) is an important parameter in photosynthetic bacteria (PSB)
      wastewater treatment. This study set different DO levels and detected the
      pollutants removal, PSB growth and pigments production. Results showed that DO
      significantly influenced the performances of PSB wastewater treatment process.
      The highest COD (93%) and NH3-N removal (83%) was achieved under DO of 4-8mg/L,
      but DO of 2-4mg/L was recommended considering the aeration cost. PSB biomass
      reached 1645mg/L under DO of 4-8mg/L with satisfying co-enzyme Q10 content. The
      biomass yield was relatively stable at all DO levels. For bacteriochlorophyll and
      carotenoids, DO>1mg/L could satisfy their production. On the other hand,
      DO<0.5mg/L led to the highest dehydrogenase activity. According to the different
      purposes, the optimal treatment time was different. The most pigments production
      occurred at 24h; biomass reached peak at 48h; and the optimal time for pollutants
      removal was 72h.

PMID- 28637168
TI  - Sulfur balance of sulfur dioxide-ethanol-water fractionation of sugarcane straw.
AB  - The sulfur balance of SO2-ethanol-water (AVAP(r)) fractionation of sugarcane (SC)
      straw was investigated. Hydrogen sulfite and sulfite anions are nearly absent in
      the liquors, despite cations present in straw, whose effect is thus limited to
      neutralization of lignosulfonic acids decreasing the acidity. Higher degree of
      sulfonation was observed for dissolved straw lignin compared to wood lignin (0.8
      0.9 vs. 0.25 S/C9). Sulfur dioxide amounts of 0.9-1.2, 4.1-4.3 and 44-49g per
      o.d.kg straw were bound to pulp, precipitated lignin and lignosulfonic acid,
      respectively, while the rest of SO2 was recovered by distillation from the spent
      fractionation suspensions.

PMID- 28637169
TI  - Novel molecules lncRNAs, tRFs and circRNAs deciphered from next-generation
      sequencing/RNA sequencing: computational databases and tools.
AB  - Powerful next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, more specifically RNA
      sequencing (RNA-seq), have been pivotal toward the detection and analysis and
      hypotheses generation of novel biomolecules, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), tRNA
      derived fragments (tRFs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Experimental validation of
      the occurrence of these biomolecules inside the cell has been reported. Their
      differential expression and functionally important role in several cancers types
      as well as other diseases such as Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases have
      garnered interest toward further studies in this research arena. In this review,
      starting from a brief relevant introduction to NGS and RNA-seq and the expression
      and role of lncRNAs, tRFs and circRNAs in cancer, we have comprehensively
      analyzed the current landscape of databases developed and computational software
      used for analyses and visualization for this emerging and highly interesting
      field of these novel biomolecules. Our review will help the end users and
      research investigators gain information on the existing databases and tools as
      well as an understanding of the specific features which these offer. This will be
      useful for the researchers in their proper usage thereby guiding them toward
      novel hypotheses generation and saving time and costs involved in extensive
      experimental processes in these three different novel functional RNAs.

PMID- 28637170
TI  - Neuroprotective effect of pressure-oriented flow regulation and pH-stat
      management in selective antegrade brain perfusion during total aortic arch
      repair.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of
      our selective antegrade brain perfusion (SABP) strategy, which is characterized
      by moderate hypothermic and low-pressure management under pH-stat using a
      completely closed cardiopulmonary bypass circuit with a single centrifugal pump.
      METHODS: Forty-nine consecutive patients (median age, 74) underwent total aortic
      arch replacement using a 4-branched graft. SABP was conducted with individual
      cannulation in all arch vessels. The SABP flow rate was monitored, and the flow
      rates of each arch vessel were also measured in patients with available data.
      RESULTS: One patient died of cerebral infarction, and 7 had transient
      neurological deficits without apparent findings on postoperative imaging studies
      and without residual sequels at hospital discharge. The operation,
      cardiopulmonary bypass, cardiac arrest, circulatory arrest and SABP times were
      327 min (interquartile range, 292-381), 211 (184-247), 107 (84.8-138.3), 54.0 (48
      68) and 137 (114-158), respectively. The total flow of the SABP was 18.1
      ml/kg/min (15.7-20.9). The flow rates of the brachiocephalic, the left carotid
      and the left subclavian arteries were 9.5 ml/kg/min (7.7-11.5), 4.2 (2.8-5.7) and
      4.5 (3.7-5.5), respectively. Only the flow rate of the brachiocephalic artery was
      significantly correlated with the total SABP flow rate (Spearman rank correlation
      coefficient, r = 0.58, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The moderate hypothermic, high
      flow, low-pressure SABP strategy with pH-stat management can be applied in adult
      aortic surgery; however, the feasibility and effectiveness of this concept need
      further evaluation in a prospective controlled study.

PMID- 28637171
TI  - Representation of Rapid Image Sequences in V4 Networks.
AB  - Natural viewing often consists of sequences of brief fixations to image patches
      of different structure. Whether and how briefly presented sequential stimuli are
      encoded in a temporal-position manner is poorly understood. Here, we performed
      multiple-electrode recordings in the visual cortex (area V4) of nonhuman primates
      (Macaca mulatta) viewing a sequence of 7 briefly flashed natural images, and
      measured correlations between the cue-triggered population response in the
      presence and absence of the stimulus. Surprisingly, we found significant
      correlations for images occurring at the beginning and the end of a sequence, but
      not for those in the middle. The correlation strength increased with stimulus
      exposure and favored the image position in the sequence rather than image
      identity. These results challenge the commonly held view that images are
      represented in visual cortex exclusively based on their informational content,
      and indicate that, in the absence of sensory information, neuronal populations
      exhibit reactivation of stimulus-evoked responses in a way that reflects temporal
      position within a stimulus sequence.

PMID- 28637172
TI  - Identification of four type II toxin-antitoxin systems in Actinobacillus
      pleuropneumoniae.
AB  - Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are small genetic elements that are widely prevalent
      in the genomes of bacteria and archaea. These modules have been identified in
      various bacteria and proposed to play an important role in bacterial physiology
      and virulence. However, their presence in the genomes of Actinobacillus species
      has received no attention. In this study, we describe the identification of four
      type II TA systems in Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, the causative agent of
      porcine pleuropneumonia. Reverse transcription PCR analysis revealed that the
      genes encoding the toxin and antitoxin are co-transcribed. Overexpression of each
      toxin inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, and the toxic effect could be
      counteracted by its cognate antitoxin. The pull-down experiments demonstrated
      that each toxin interacts with its cognate antitoxin in vivo. The promoter
      activity assays showed that each antitoxin could autoregulate either positively
      or negatively the TA operon transcription. In addition, the APJL_0660/0659 TA
      system is present in half of the detected serovars of A. pleuropneumoniae, while
      the others are present in all. Collectively, we identified four type II TA
      systems in A. pleuropneumoniae, and this study has laid the foundation for
      further functional study of these TA systems.

PMID- 28637173
TI  - Crystallographic analyses illustrate significant plasticity and efficient
      recoding of meganuclease target specificity.
AB  - The retargeting of protein-DNA specificity, outside of extremely modular DNA
      binding proteins such as TAL effectors, has generally proved to be quite
      challenging. Here, we describe structural analyses of five different extensively
      retargeted variants of a single homing endonuclease, that have been shown to
      function efficiently in ex vivo and in vivo applications. The redesigned proteins
      harbor mutations at up to 53 residues (18%) of their amino acid sequence,
      primarily distributed across the DNA binding surface, making them among the most
      significantly reengineered ligand-binding proteins to date. Specificity is
      derived from the combined contributions of DNA-contacting residues and of
      neighboring residues that influence local structural organization. Changes in
      specificity are facilitated by the ability of all those residues to readily
      exchange both form and function. The fidelity of recognition is not precisely
      correlated with the fraction or total number of residues in the protein-DNA
      interface that are actually involved in DNA contacts, including directional
      hydrogen bonds. The plasticity of the DNA-recognition surface of this protein,
      which allows substantial retargeting of recognition specificity without requiring
      significant alteration of the surrounding protein architecture, reflects the
      ability of the corresponding genetic elements to maintain mobility and
      persistence in the face of genetic drift within potential host target sites.

PMID- 28637174
TI  - Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Waterpipe Tobacco Smoke on Learning and Memory of
      Adult Offspring Rats.
AB  - Introduction: Waterpipe tobacco smoking has increased in prevalence worldwide,
      including among pregnant women. In this study, we investigated the effect of
      prenatal maternal waterpipe tobacco smoke (WTS) exposure during different stages
      of pregnancy on learning and memory of adult offspring rats. Methods: Pregnant
      rats received either fresh air or mainstream WTS (2 hours daily) during early,
      mid, late, or whole gestational period. Male offspring rats were followed through
      20 weeks. Outcomes included (1) spatial learning and memory using the radial arm
      water maze (RAWM), (2) levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the
      hippocampus, and (3) oxidative stress biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, catalase,
      glutathione peroxidase and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). Results:
      Relative to offspring whose mothers were exposed to fresh air, prenatal exposure
      to WTS at any stage of pregnancy resulted in short- and long-term memory
      impairment in adult offspring rats (p < .05). This impairment was associated with
      reduced levels of BDNF in hippocampus (p < .05). However, prenatal WTS did not
      affect the level of oxidative stress biomarkers in hippocampus. Prenatal WTS
      during late gestation increased the activity of catalase as compared to control.
      Conclusion: Prenatal maternal WTS exposure can impair the memory of adult male
      offspring. These results support development of interventions that target
      pregnant women who smoke waterpipe during pregnancy. Implications: We examined
      for the first time the effect of prenatal waterpipe tobacco smoke exposure on
      learning and memory of offspring. The results showed that in utero exposure to
      waterpipe tobacco smoke was associated with impaired memory and decreased brain
      derived neurotrophic factor in hippocampus of adult male offspring rats.

PMID- 28637175
TI  - Multiple Subpial Transections for Medically Refractory Epilepsy: A Disaggregated
      Review of Patient-Level Data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multiple subpial transections (MST) are a treatment for seizure foci
      in nonresectable eloquent areas. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review patient
      level data regarding MST. METHODS: Studies describing patient-level data for MST
      procedures were extracted from the Medline and PubMed databases, yielding a
      synthetic cohort of 212 patients from 34 studies. Data regarding seizure outcome,
      patient demographics, seizure type, surgery type, and complications were
      extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Seizure freedom was achieved in 55.2% of
      patients undergoing MST combined with resection, and 23.9% of patients undergoing
      MST alone. Significant predictors for seizure freedom were a temporal lobe focus
      (odds ratio 4.9; 95% confidence interval 1.71, 14.3) and resection of portions of
      the focus, when feasible (odds ratio 3.88; 95% confidence interval 2.02, 7.45).
      Complications were frequent, with transient mono- or hemiparesis affecting 19.8%
      of patients, transient dysphasia 12.3%, and permanent paresis or dysphasia in
      6.6% and 1.9% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: MST is an effective
      treatment for refractory epilepsy in eloquent cortex, with greater chances of
      seizure freedom when portions of the focus are resected in tandem with MST. The
      reported rates of seizure freedom with MST are higher than those of existing
      neuromodulatory therapies, such as vagus nerve stimulation, deep brain
      stimulation, and responsive neurostimulation, though these latter therapies are
      supported by randomized-controlled trials, while MST is not. The reported
      complication rate of MST is higher than that of resection and neuromodulatory
      therapies. MST remains a viable option for the treatment of eloquent foci,
      provided a careful risk-benefit analysis is conducted.

PMID- 28637177
TI  - Brucellosis: myriad ways of presentation.

PMID- 28637179
TI  - Is delayed surgical revascularization in acute myocardial infarction useful or
      dangerous? New insights into an old problem.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Haemodynamically stable patients admitted for coronary artery bypass
      grafting in acute myocardial infarction often undergo delayed surgery in order to
      avoid the risks of emergency surgery. However, initially stable patients
      undergoing delayed surgery may develop low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) during
      the waiting period, which might be a major drawback of this strategy. We aim to
      define risk factors and clinical consequences of LCOS during the waiting period.
      METHODS: A total of 530 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction
      (33% non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and 67% ST-segment-elevation
      myocardial infarction) underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between
      2008 and 2013. Outcomes after either immediate (<48 h after onset of symptoms) or
      delayed (>48 h after onset of symptoms) therapy were compared. Predictors of
      preoperative development of LCOS were identified using multivariate regression
      analysis. RESULTS: Of the 327 patients undergoing delayed therapy, 39 (12%)
      developed preoperative LCOS, resulting in increased mortality compared with
      patients who remained stable (21 vs 7.6%, P < 0.001). Immediate therapy resulted
      in similar mortality compared with delayed therapy (6.4 vs 7.6%; P = 0.68) and
      better 7-year survival (70 vs 55%; P < 0.001). Predictors of developing LCOS were
      reduced left ventricular function (odds ratio 4.4), renal impairment (odds ratio
      3.0), acute pulmonary infection (odds ratio 3.4) and the extent of troponin
      elevation at admission (odds ratio 1.01 per increase by 1 ug/l). CONCLUSIONS: In
      patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing delayed coronary artery
      bypass grafting, preoperative LCOS is a relevant and dangerous condition that can
      be avoided by operating immediately or by carefully selecting patients to be
      delayed according to the risk parameters identified preoperatively.

PMID- 28637178
TI  - The AT04A vaccine against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 reduces
      total cholesterol, vascular inflammation, and atherosclerosis in
      APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice.
AB  - Aims: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has emerged as a
      promising therapeutic target for the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia and
      atherosclerosis. PCSK9 binds to the low density lipoprotein receptor and enhances
      its degradation, which leads to the reduced clearance of low density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDLc) and a higher risk of atherosclerosis. In this study, the AT04A
      anti-PCSK9 vaccine was evaluated for its therapeutic potential in ameliorating or
      even preventing coronary heart disease in the atherogenic APOE*3Leiden.CETP mouse
      model. Methods and results: Control and AT04A vaccine-treated mice were fed
      western-type diet for 18 weeks. Antibody titres, plasma lipids, and inflammatory
      markers were monitored by ELISA, FPLC, and multiplexed immunoassay, respectively.
      The progression of atherosclerosis was evaluated by histological analysis of
      serial cross-sections from the aortic sinus. The AT04A vaccine induced high and
      persistent antibody levels against PCSK9, causing a significant reduction in
      plasma total cholesterol (-53%, P < 0.001) and LDLc compared with controls.
      Plasma inflammatory markers such as serum amyloid A (SAA), macrophage
      inflammatory protein-1beta (MIP-1beta/CCL4), macrophage-derived chemokine
      (MDC/CCL22), cytokine stem cell factor (SCF), and vascular endothelial growth
      factor A (VEGF-A) were significantly diminished in AT04A-treated mice. As a
      consequence, treatment with the AT04A vaccine resulted in a decrease in
      atherosclerotic lesion area (-64%, P = 0.004) and aortic inflammation as well as
      in more lesion-free aortic segments (+119%, P = 0.026), compared with control.
      Conclusions: AT04A vaccine induces an effective immune response against PCSK9 in
      APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice, leading to a significant reduction of plasma lipids,
      systemic and vascular inflammation, and atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta.

PMID- 28637176
TI  - Dissociation of Striatal Dopamine and Tyrosine Hydroxylase Expression from Aging
      Related Motor Decline: Evidence from Calorie Restriction Intervention.
AB  - The escalating increase in retirees living beyond their eighth decade brings
      increased prevalence of aging-related impairments, including locomotor impairment
      (Parkinsonism) that may affect ~50% of those reaching age 80, but has no
      confirmed neurobiological mechanism. Lifestyle strategies that attenuate motor
      decline, and its allied mechanisms, must be identified. Aging studies report
      little to moderate loss of striatal dopamine (DA) or tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in
      nigrostriatal terminals, in contrast to ~70%-80% loss associated with
      bradykinesia onset in Parkinson's disease. These studies evaluated the effect of
      ~6 months 30% calorie restriction (CR) on nigrostriatal DA regulation and aging
      related locomotor decline initiated at 12 months of age in Brown-Norway Fischer
      F1 hybrid rats. The aging-related decline in locomotor activity was prevented by
      CR. However, striatal DA or TH expression was decreased in the CR group, but
      increased in substantia nigra versus the ad libitum group or 12-month-old cohort.
      In a 4- to 6-month-old cohort, pharmacological TH inhibition reduced striatal DA
      ~30%, comparable with decreases reported in aged rats and the CR group, without
      affecting locomotor activity. The dissociation of moderate striatal DA reduction
      from locomotor activity seen in both studies suggests that aging-related
      decreases in striatal DA are dissociated from locomotor decline.

PMID- 28637180
TI  - Participatory design of probability-based decision support tools for in-hospital
      nurses.
AB  - Objective: To describe nurses' preferences for the design of a probability-based
      clinical decision support (PB-CDS) tool for in-hospital clinical deterioration.
      Methods: A convenience sample of bedside nurses, charge nurses, and rapid
      response nurses (n = 20) from adult and pediatric hospitals completed
      participatory design sessions with researchers in a simulation laboratory to
      elicit preferred design considerations for a PB-CDS tool. Following theme-based
      content analysis, we shared findings with user interface designers and created a
      low-fidelity prototype. Results: Three major themes and several considerations
      for design elements of a PB-CDS tool surfaced from end users. Themes focused on
      "painting a picture" of the patient condition over time, promoting empowerment,
      and aligning probability information with what a nurse already believes about the
      patient. The most notable design element consideration included visualizing a
      temporal trend of the predicted probability of the outcome along with user
      selected overlapping depictions of vital signs, laboratory values, and outcome
      related treatments and interventions. Participants expressed that the prototype
      adequately operationalized requests from the design sessions. Conclusions:
      Participatory design served as a valuable method in taking the first step toward
      developing PB-CDS tools for nurses. This information about preferred design
      elements of tools that support, rather than interrupt, nurses' cognitive
      workflows can benefit future studies in this field as well as nurses' practice.

PMID- 28637182
TI  - Effect of lifelong antibiotic treatment for aortic arch prosthesis infection.
AB  - A patient who underwent multiple aortic operations suffered persistent infection
      of the ascending aorta and arch prosthesis and was finally treated with lifelong
      antibiotics. An 8-year follow-up with positron emission computed tomography is
      reported.

PMID- 28637184
TI  - A Preliminary Naturalistic Study of Low-Dose Ketamine for Depression and Suicide
      Ideation in the Emergency Department.

PMID- 28637181
TI  - Crosstalk between histone modifications indicates that inhibition of arginine
      methyltransferase CARM1 activity reverses HIV latency.
AB  - In eukaryotic cells, the gene expression status is strictly controlled by
      epigenetic modifications on chromatin. The repressive status of chromatin largely
      contributes to HIV latency. Studies have shown that modification of histone H3K27
      acts as a key molecular switch for activation or suppression of many cellular
      genes. In this study, we found that K27-acetylated histone H3 specifically
      recruited Super Elongation Complex (SEC), the transcriptional elongation complex
      essential for HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR)-mediated and general cellular
      transcription. Interestingly, H3K27 acetylation further stimulates H3R26
      methylation, which subsequently abrogates the recruitment of SEC, forming a
      negative feedback regulatory loop. Importantly, by inhibiting methyltransferase
      activity of CARM1, the enzyme responsible for H3R26 methylation, HIV-1
      transcription is reactivated in several HIV latency cell models, including a
      primary resting CD4+ T cell model. When combined with other latency disrupting
      compounds such as JQ1 or vorinostat/SAHA, the CARM1 inhibitor achieved
      synergistic effects on HIV-1 activation. This study suggests that coordinated and
      dynamic modifications at histone H3K27 and H3R26 orchestrate HIV-1 LTR-mediated
      transcription, and potentially opens a new avenue to disrupt latent HIV-1
      infection by targeting specific epigenetic enzymes.

PMID- 28637183
TI  - NucliTrack: an integrated nuclei tracking application.
AB  - Summary: Live imaging studies give unparalleled insight into dynamic single cell
      behaviours and fate decisions. However, the challenge of reliably tracking single
      cells over long periods of time limits both the throughput and ease with which
      such studies can be performed. Here, we present NucliTrack, a cross platform
      solution for automatically segmenting, tracking and extracting features from
      fluorescently labelled nuclei. NucliTrack performs similarly to other state-of
      the-art cell tracking algorithms, but NucliTrack's interactive, graphical
      interface makes it significantly more user friendly. Availability and
      implementation: NucliTrack is available as a free, cross platform application and
      open source Python package. Installation details and documentation are at:
      http://nuclitrack.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ A video guide can be viewed online:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6e0D9F-qSU Source code is available through
      Github: https://github.com/samocooper/nuclitrack. A Matlab toolbox is also
      available at: https://uk.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/61479
      samocooper-nuclitrack-matlab. Contact: sam@socooper.com. Supplementary
      information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28637185
TI  - A novel method of open reduction and internal fixation of a displaced manubrial
      fracture using distal clavicle locking plates.
AB  - A 52-year-old man sustained a sternal fracture after a blunt traumatic chest
      injury. He was in severe pain in the intensive care unit, which resulted in
      difficulty breathing and increased analgesic requirement, and a decision was made
      to stabilize his manubrial fracture. Orthopaedic and thoracic surgeons jointly
      performed open reduction and internal fixation of the displaced manubrial
      fracture using 2 distal clavicle locking plates. This resulted in improvement in
      patient's pain and helped with his subsequent recovery and discharge from the
      hospital. This case report describes a new, safe and effective method of treating
      this uncommon injury.

PMID- 28637187
TI  - Identification of pulmonary vein reconnection gaps with high-density mapping in
      redo atrial fibrillation ablation procedures.
AB  - Aims: Maps obtained by means of electroanatomic high-density mapping (HDM)
      systems have shown their use in the identification of conduction gaps in
      experimental atrial linear lesion models. The objective of this study was to
      assess the use of HDM in the recognition of reconnection gaps in pulmonary veins
      (PV) in redo atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures. Methods and results:
      One hundred and eight patients were included in a non-randomized study that
      assessed the recognition of reconnection gaps in PV by means of HDM compared to a
      control group that received conventional non-fluoroscopic guidance with a
      circular multipolar catheter (CMC). Among the HDM group, adequate recognition of
      reconnection gaps was obtained in 60.99% of the reconnected PVs (86 of 141), a
      figure significantly higher than that achieved with analysis of CMC recorded
      signals (39.66%, 48 of 121; P = 0.001). The number of applications and total
      radiofrequency time were also significantly lower in the HDM group (12.46 +/- 6.1
      vs. 15.63 +/- 7.7 and 7.61 +/- 3 vs. 9.29 +/- 5; P = 0.02, and P = 0.03,
      respectively). At the 6-month follow-up, no statistically significant differences
      were found in recurrence of AF or any other atrial tachycardia between the HDM
      group (8 patients, 14.8%) and the control group in (16 patients, 29.6%; P =
      0.104). Conclusion: An analysis of the high-density activation maps allows
      greater precision in the identification of reconnection gaps in PV, which results
      in lower radiofrequency time for the new isolation.

PMID- 28637188
TI  - The influence of whole-corn feeding method during the finishing stage on the
      performance of overfed mule ducks.
AB  - The aim of this trial was to compare 2 feeding systems based on whole corn, a
      loose-mix and a free-choice feeding system, during the finishing stage on the
      performance of ducks. Five hundred sixteen day-old male mule ducks (Muscovy drake
      * Pekin duck) were divided into 3 groups that differed in the presentation of the
      diet they received between 58 and 88 d of age: a complete pelleted diet (Control
      (CON) group; AMEn 12.1 MJ/kg, CP 15.0%) containing 500 g of corn per kg; or whole
      corn (AMEn 13.9 MJ/kg, CP 7.3%) and protein-rich pellets (AMEn 10.3 MJ/kg, CP
      22.7%) in equal quantities mixed in the same feeders (loose-mix feeding [LMF]
      group) or in 2 separate feeders (free-choice feeding [FCF] group). From 89 to 99
      d, 72 birds/group were overfed with a mixture containing mainly corn and water
      and then slaughtered to determine the weight and commercial value of the fatty
      liver. Feed intake was measured daily. Body weight (BW) was measured at 58, 88,
      and 99 d of age. From 58 to 88 d, total feed intake of the FCF group was +7% and
      +9% (+558 g and +672 g) higher than in the groups CON and LMF, respectively (P =
      0.005). At 88 d, the BW was higher in the CON group than in the FCF group (4,959
      vs. 4,778 g, P < 0.001), the LMF group being intermediate (4,874 g). During the
      experimental stage, the feed conversion ratio was higher in the FCF group than in
      the 2 others (+32%, P = 0.024), but the energy intake was similar between the 3
      groups (92.6 MJ/duck, P = 0.353).After overfeeding (99 d), the BW (6,593 g),
      weight (642 g), and commercial grading of fatty liver were similar (P > 0.05) in
      the 3 groups. The present results suggest that loose-mix feeding during the
      finishing stage using whole corn is a solution for reducing feed cost.

PMID- 28637189
TI  - Assessment of Whole-Body Vibration Exposure in Mining Earth-moving Equipment and
      Other Vehicles Used in Surface Mining.
AB  - This study characterized whole-body vibration exposures in a set of vehicles that
      operate in open-pit mines and compared three different daily exposure parameters
      based on the ISO 2631-1:1997 and ISO 2631-5:2004 standards. Full-shift, 6 to 12
      hour, continuous whole-body vibration measurements were collected from 11
      representative types of vehicles in terms of hours of operation and number of
      vehicles used. For each type of vehicle, the exposure parameters (A(8), VDV(8),
      and Sed(8)) were calculated for each axis (x, y, and z), and in addition, shear
      or horizontal (?xy) and vector sum (?xyx) whole-body vibration exposure. Findings
      showed that: (i) substantially higher shear and vector sum whole-body vibration
      exposures indicated relatively high levels of exposure on the non-predominant
      axis; (ii) the predominant axis of exposure varied across the different type of
      vehicles; (iii) there were differences in whole-body vibration exposure
      parameters regarding the standards-based predictions of potentially adverse
      health outcomes (the impulsive exposure parameters VDV(8) and Sed(8) were higher
      and reduced acceptable vehicle operation times by one-half to two-thirds relative
      to A(8) exposures); and (iv) based on the predominant exposures and the time to
      reach daily vibration action limits, the operation of most mining vehicles would
      be limited to less than 8 hours a day. Differences in whole-body vibration
      exposure parameters impact the prediction of potentially adverse health outcomes
      and may introduce some uncertainty regarding how to best characterize a vehicle
      operator's actual exposure.

PMID- 28637186
TI  - CpG and methylation-dependent DNA binding and dynamics of the methylcytosine
      binding domain 2 protein at the single-molecule level.
AB  - The methylcytosine-binding domain 2 (MBD2) protein recruits the nucleosome
      remodeling and deacetylase complex (NuRD) to methylated DNA to modify chromatin
      and regulate transcription. Importantly, MBD2 functions within CpG islands that
      contain 100s to 1000s of potential binding sites. Since NuRD physically
      rearranges nucleosomes, the dynamic mobility of this complex is directly related
      to function. In these studies, we use NMR and single-molecule atomic force
      microscopy and fluorescence imaging to study DNA binding dynamics of MBD2. Single
      molecule fluorescence tracking on DNA tightropes containing regions with CpG-rich
      and CpG-free regions reveals that MBD2 carries out unbiased 1D diffusion on CpG
      rich DNA but subdiffusion on CpG-free DNA. In contrast, the protein stably and
      statically binds to methylated CpG (mCpG) regions. The intrinsically disordered
      region (IDR) on MBD2 both reduces exchange between mCpG sites along the DNA as
      well as the dissociation from DNA, acting like an anchor that restricts the
      dynamic mobility of the MBD domain. Unexpectedly, MBD2 binding to methylated CpGs
      induces DNA bending that is augmented by the IDR region of the protein. These
      results suggest that MBD2 targets NuRD to unmethylated or methylated CpG islands
      where its distinct dynamic binding modes help maintain open or closed chromatin,
      respectively.

PMID- 28637191
TI  - Value-added strategy models to provide quality services in senior health
      business.
AB  - Objective: The rapid population aging is now a global issue. The increase in the
      elderly population will impact the health care industry and health enterprises;
      various senior needs will promote the growth of the senior health industry. Most
      senior health studies are focused on the demand side and scarcely on supply. Our
      study selected quality enterprises focused on aging health and analyzed different
      strategies to provide excellent quality services to senior health enterprises.
      Design: We selected 33 quality senior health enterprises in Taiwan and
      investigated their excellent quality services strategies by face-to-face semi
      structured in-depth interviews with CEO and managers of each enterprise in 2013.
      Setting: A total of 33 senior health enterprises in Taiwan. Participants:
      Overall, 65 CEOs and managers of 33 enterprises were interviewed individually.
      Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Core values and vision,
      organization structure, quality services provided, strategies for quality
      services. Results: This study's results indicated four type of value-added
      strategy models adopted by senior enterprises to offer quality services: (i)
      residential care and co-residence model, (ii) home care and living in place
      model, (iii) community e-business experience model and (iv) virtual and physical
      portable device model. The common part in these four strategy models is that the
      services provided are elderly centered. These models offer virtual and physical
      integrations, and also offer total solutions for the elderly and their
      caregivers. Through investigation of successful strategy models for providing
      quality services to seniors, we identified opportunities to develop innovative
      service models and successful characteristics, also policy implications were
      summarized. Conclusions: The observations from this study will serve as a primary
      evidenced base for enterprises developing their senior market and, also for
      promoting the value co-creation possibility through dialogue between customers
      and those that deliver service.

PMID- 28637190
TI  - Evolution of the sperm methylome of primates is associated with retrotransposon
      insertions and genome instability.
AB  - Changes in gene expression resulting from epigenetic and/or genetic changes play
      an important role in the evolutionary divergence of phenotypes. To explore how
      epigenetic and genetic changes are linked during primate evolution, we have
      compared the genome-wide DNA methylation profiles (methylomes) of humans and
      chimpanzees, which have a 1.2% DNA sequence divergence, of sperm, the frontal
      cortices, B cells, and neutrophils. We revealed that species-specific
      differentially methylated regions (S-DMRs), ranging from several hundred base
      pairs (bp) to several kilo base pairs (kb), were frequently associated with
      sequence changes in transcription factor-binding sites and insertions of Alu and
      SVA retrotransposons. We then generated a reference macaque sperm methylome map
      and revealed, in sperm, that both human and chimpanzee S-DMRs arose more
      frequently owing to methylation loss rather than gain. Moreover, we observed that
      the sperm methylomes contained many more hypomethylated domains (HMDs), ranging
      from 20 to 500 kb, than did the somatic methylomes. Interestingly, the sperm HMDs
      changed rapidly during primate evolution; hundreds of sperm HMDs were specific to
      humans, whereas most somatic HMDs were highly conserved between humans and
      chimpanzees. Notably, these human-specific sperm HMDs frequently occurred in
      regions exhibiting copy number variations. Our findings indicate that primate
      evolution, particularly in the germline, is significantly impacted by reciprocal
      changes in the genome and epigenome.

PMID- 28637192
TI  - An Explorative Study Examining Augmentative and Alternative Communication
      Training in the Field of Music Therapy.
AB  - Background: Music therapists work with many people who require Augmentative and
      Alternative Communication (AAC). As communication goals are central to music
      therapy practice, many music therapists would benefit from training in AAC.
      Objective: The purpose of this survey study was to determine the state of AAC
      education for music therapists at the university level, how AAC is being used in
      music therapy sessions, and how practicing music therapists are trained in AAC.
      Methods: Music therapy faculty and credentialed music therapists in North America
      and Europe were invited to complete an online survey. Descriptive statistics were
      used to analyze survey data from each group of respondents. Results: With regard
      to training in AAC at the university level, results indicate that almost half of
      music therapy faculty (44.66%) provided some training. The primary reason given
      for not providing training was a lack of educator knowledge in this area. Results
      indicate that a majority (81.77%) of music therapy clinicians are familiar with
      AAC and slightly over half (55.08%) reported that they work with clients who use
      AAC. Sixty-two percent of music therapists reported using AAC to promote
      expressive language, and 49% to increase receptive language. Over 80% of
      clinicians stated they would benefit from additional AAC training. Conclusions:
      Although a majority of music therapists are familiar with ACC, results indicate
      that ACC competency could be enhanced through university-level instruction and
      continuing professional development courses.

PMID- 28637193
TI  - Effect of Intensive Personalized "5As+5Rs" Intervention on Smoking Cessation in
      Hospitalized Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Not Ready to Quit Immediately: A
      Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - Introduction: The acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who are not ready to
      quit smoking immediately have an extremely low rate of cessation. This study aims
      to investigate the efficacy of intensive personalized '5As+5Rs'intervention
      (IPANR intervention) on smoking cessation in this population. Methods: A parallel
      group randomized controlled trial was carried out, which compared IPANR
      intervention with routine 5Rs (control) at Fu Xing Hospital, Capital Medical
      University, Bei Jing, China. Three hundred and twenty hospitalized ACS smokers
      who were not ready to quit were randomly distributed to IPANR intervention group
      comprising three individual counseling during hospitalization and 15 intensive
      follow-up sessions (weekly during months 1, 2, 3, and monthly thereafter until
      month 6) or 5Rs group in a 1:1 fashion by 8 cardiologists who were blinded to the
      allocation sequence. Primary end point was carbon monoxide-confirmed continuous
      abstinence rate (CAR) through week 9 to week 12. Secondary outcome included
      abstinence rate at 24 weeks. Results: Overall, 97.5% (312/320) participants
      completed the trial. An intention-to-treat analysis showed statistically
      significant advantage of IPANR compared with control group at 4 weeks CAR (27.5%
      vs. 17.5%, RR = 1.571, 95% CI = 1.032-2.392, p = 0.032, number needed to treat
      (NNT) = 10), and abstinence rate at 24 weeks (23.8% vs.15.0%, RR 1.583, 95% CI =
      0.998-2.512, p = 0.048, NNT: 11.36). At 24 weeks, cigarettes smoked per day by
      the patients who failed to quit were significant lower in IPANR group than 5Rs
      group (13.21 +/- 8.23 vs. 17.45 +/- 10.71; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The IPANR
      initiated during hospitalization, is a feasible and effective approach for
      smoking cessation in ACS patients not ready to quit immediately. Implications:
      Smoking has a major impact on acute stages of ACS for recurrent ischemic events
      and long-term outcomes. However, there are few evidence-based treatments for
      smokers who are not ready to quit. This study described a cessation intervention
      initiated during hospitalization and included 15 intensive follow-up aimed at
      enabling ACS smokers who were not ready to quit immediately to deliver adequate
      motivational and behavior change counseling. Given its effectiveness demonstrated
      in this prospective study, this intervention in hospitalized ACS smokers might
      have the potential to substantially improve the cessation rate of ACS patients
      who are not ready to quit smoking immediately.

PMID- 28637194
TI  - High iron supply inhibits the synthesis of the genotoxin colibactin by pathogenic
      Escherichia coli through a non-canonical Fur/RyhB-mediated pathway.
AB  - The genotoxin colibactin is a secondary metabolite produced by a variety of
      pathogenic Enterobacteria, and is associated with colon cancer development and
      acute systemic infections. The colibactin biosynthesis requires the enzymatic
      activity of the phosphopantetheinyl transferase ClbA. We recently evidenced that
      two master regulators of bacterial iron homeostasis, i.e. the ferric uptake
      regulator (Fur) and the small regulatory non-coding RNA RyhB, were involved in
      the regulation of the clbA transcription and of the colibactin production. In
      this study, we investigated the impact of high iron supply on clbA transcription
      and colibactin production in wild type, DeltaryhB, Deltafur and DeltaryhB
      Deltafur strains. This revealed that high iron resulted in decreased synthesis of
      the genotoxin colibactin through both pathways dependent and independent of
      Fur/RyhB. This work highlights the complex regulatory mechanism that controls an
      important bacterial virulence and carcinogenesis factor by regulators of
      bacterial iron homeostasis.

PMID- 28637195
TI  - Social Disconnection in Schizophrenia and the General Community.
AB  - Social disability is a defining characteristic of schizophrenia and a substantial
      public health problem. It has several components that are difficult to
      disentangle. One component, social disconnection, occurs extensively in the
      general community among nonhelp-seeking individuals. Social disconnection is an
      objective, long-standing lack of social/family relationships and minimal
      participation in social activities. It is associated with negative health
      effects, including early mortality, and is distinct from subjective loneliness.
      These 2 topics, social disability in schizophrenia and social disconnection in
      the general community, have generated entirely distinct research literatures that
      differ in their respective knowledge gaps and emphases. Specifically, the
      consequences of social disability in schizophrenia are unknown but its
      determinants (ie, nonsocial cognition, social cognition, and social motivation)
      have been well-examined. Conversely, the health consequences of social
      disconnection in the general community are well-established, but the determinants
      are largely unknown. Social disconnection is a condition that presents
      substantial public health concerns, exists within and outside of current
      psychiatric diagnostic boundaries, and may be related to the schizophrenia
      spectrum. A comparison of these 2 literatures is mutually informative and it
      generates intriguing research questions that can be critically evaluated.

PMID- 28637196
TI  - Chronological Change of Right Ventricle by Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia in Mice.
AB  - Study Objective: No studies have investigated sequential changes in the heart on
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), along with observation of functional lung
      phenotypes and genetics, over the duration of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH).
      We investigated chronological changes in heart and lung phenotypes after CIH
      using a mouse model to provide new insights into the pathophysiology of sleep
      apnea-induced cardiovascular disease. Methods: C57BL/6J adult male mice were
      randomized to 4 or 8 weeks of CIH. Cardiac cine-MRI images were analyzed to
      assess functional parameters of right ventricle (RV). Histopathological features
      of myocytes and pulmonary vessels, as well as genes involved in the endothelin
      (ET) system, were investigated. Results: Function of the RV reduced significantly
      at 4 weeks and continuously decreased following another 4 weeks of CIH, although
      the rate of decrease was attenuated. Notably, persistence of reduced ejection
      fraction and end-systole RV wall thickness (WT) and increases in the ET system of
      the lungs and blood strongly implied the development of pulmonary hypertension
      after 8 weeks of CIH. Conclusions: RV dysfunction with reduced end-systole RV WT
      could be a late phenotype in long-standing CIH and possibly also in obstructive
      sleep apnea.

PMID- 28637197
TI  - Pontocerebellar hypoplasia with spinal muscular atrophy (PCH1): identification of
      SLC25A46 mutations in the original Dutch PCH1 family.

PMID- 28637198
TI  - Multi-target activity of Hemidesmus indicus decoction against innovative HIV-1
      drug targets and characterization of Lupeol mode of action.
AB  - Despite the availability of several anti-retrovirals, there is still an urgent
      need for developing novel therapeutic strategies and finding new drugs against
      underexplored HIV-1 targets. Among them, there are the HIV-1 reverse
      transcriptase (RT)-associated ribonuclease H (RNase H) function and the cellular
      alpha-glucosidase, involved in the control mechanisms of N-linked glycoproteins
      formation in the endoplasmic reticulum. It is known that many natural compounds,
      such as pentacyclic triterpenes, are a promising class of HIV-1 inhibitors.
      Hence, here we tested the pentacyclic triterpene Lupeol, showing that it inhibits
      the HIV-1 RT-associated RNase H function. We then performed combination studies
      of Lupeol and the active site RNase H inhibitor RDS1759, and blind docking
      calculations, demonstrating that Lupeol binds to an HIV-1 RT allosteric pocket.
      On the bases of these results and searching for potential multitarget active drug
      supplement, we also investigated the anti-HIV-1 activity of Hemidesmus indicus,
      an Ayurveda medicinal plant containing Lupeol. Results supported the potential of
      this plant as a valuable multitarget active drug source. In fact, by virtue of
      its numerous active metabolites, H. indicus was able to inhibit not only the RT
      associated RNase H function, but also the HIV-1 RT-associated RNA-dependent DNA
      polymerase activity and the cellular alpha-glucosidase.

PMID- 28637199
TI  - First ex vivo and preliminary sheep model results of the new TRIBIO aortic valve
      bioprosthesis in small aortic annuli.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Small aortic annuli are challenging in aortic valve replacement.
      Prosthesis-patient mismatch, accompanied by high transvalvular gradients and
      small orifice area, is an often faced problem impairing postoperative outcome.
      The new TRIBIO bioprosthesis aims to enable enhanced haemodynamics, being
      increasingly important with decreasing annular size. This study compares ex vivo
      hydrodynamics of TRIBIO with 2 established bioprostheses in small annuli at
      different stroke volumes, simulating 'rest' and 'exercise', and evaluates
      haemodynamics of TRIBIO in a sheep model. METHODS: Ex vivo: Porcine aortic roots
      were hardened with glutaraldehyde, approaching the stiffness of decalcified
      roots. Each bioprosthesis (TRIBIO, TrifectaTM, Perimount(r) Magna Ease), size 19
      mm, was implanted in each aortic root and inserted into a pulse duplicator,
      determining hydrodynamics and geometric orifice area at different stroke volumes
      (74, 90, 104 ml). Sheep model: Postoperative transvalvular gradients were
      assessed after implantation of 19 mm TRIBIO in aortic position. RESULTS: Ex vivo:
      Mean transvalvular gradients were lowest in TRIBIO (7.3, 8.7, 10.2 mmHg at 74,
      90, 104 ml) with significant difference to Perimount(r) Magna Ease. Geometric
      orifice area in TRIBIO was 2.7 cm2 and significantly larger compared to
      Perimount(r) Magna Ease and TrifectaTM. Opening of TRIBIO was uniform and
      apparently complete, whereas leaflet's outward movement was restricted
      particularly in Perimount(r) Magna Ease. Sheep model: TRIBIO presented with low
      transvalvular gradients (deltapmean 4.1 +/- 2 mmHg, deltapmax 7.8 +/- 4.6 mmHg),
      unimpaired leaflet motion and no central or paravalvular leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Ex
      vivo, the TRIBIO achieved superior hydrodynamics compared to latest generation
      bioprostheses. These excellent data are supported by very low transvalvular
      gradients in a preliminary sheep model.

PMID- 28637200
TI  - An Emerging Theoretical Model of Music Therapy Student Development.
AB  - Background: Music therapy students negotiate a complex relationship with music
      and its use in clinical work throughout their education and training. This
      distinct, pervasive, and evolving relationship suggests a developmental process
      unique to music therapy. Objective: The purpose of this grounded theory study was
      to create a theoretical model of music therapy students' developmental process,
      beginning with a study within one large Midwestern university. Methods:
      Participants (N = 15) were music therapy students who completed one 60-minute
      intensive interview, followed by a 20-minute member check meeting. Recorded
      interviews were transcribed, analyzed, and coded using open and axial coding.
      Results: The theoretical model that emerged was a six-step sequential
      developmental progression that included the following themes: (a) Personal
      Connection, (b) Turning Point, (c) Adjusting Relationship with Music, (d) Growth
      and Development, (e) Evolution, and (f) Empowerment. The first three steps are
      linear; development continues in a cyclical process among the last three steps.
      As the cycle continues, music therapy students continue to grow and develop their
      skills, leading to increased empowerment, and more specifically, increased self
      efficacy and competence. Conclusions: Further exploration of the model is needed
      to inform educators' and other key stakeholders' understanding of student needs
      and concerns as they progress through music therapy degree programs.

PMID- 28637201
TI  - Size is the Most Important Predictor of Aneurysm Rupture Among Multiple Cerebral
      Aneurysms: Post Hoc Subgroup Analysis of Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysm Study
      Japan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multiple cerebral aneurysms are encountered in approximately 15% to
      35% of patients harboring unruptured cerebral aneurysms. It would be of clinical
      value to determine which of them is most likely to rupture. OBJECTIVE: To
      characterize features of the ruptured aneurysm relative to other concomitant
      fellow aneurysms in patients with multiple cerebral aneurysms. METHODS: From a
      total of 5720 patients who were prospectively registered in the Unruptured
      Cerebral Aneurysm Study in Japan, a subgroup of patients with multiple cerebral
      aneurysms who developed subarachnoid hemorrhage was extracted for this post hoc
      analysis. Intrapatient comparisons of each aneurysm were carried out using
      aneurysm-specific factors such as size, location, and shape to identify
      predictors of rupture among the fellow aneurysms in a patient with multiple
      cerebral aneurysms. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients with 62 aneurysms were
      identified from the total cohort of 5720 patients. With the distinctiveness in
      size, which means the aneurysm was the single largest among the multiple
      aneurysms, the ruptured aneurysm in each case was discriminated from the other
      coexisting aneurysms with a sensitivity of 0.76 and specificity of 0.86.
      CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the largest aneurysm is likely to rupture
      among coexisting aneurysms in a patient with multiple cerebral aneurysms.

PMID- 28637202
TI  - Adherence to Antipsychotic Medication and Criminal Recidivism in a Canadian
      Provincial Offender Population.
AB  - Preliminary evidence suggests that adherence to antipsychotic medication reduces
      criminal recidivism among patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. However,
      existing studies operationalize antipsychotic adherence as a binary variable
      (usually using a threshold of >=80%), which does not reflect the prevalence of
      suboptimal adherence in real-world settings. The purpose of the current analysis
      was to investigate the association between successive ordinal levels of
      antipsychotic adherence and criminal recidivism in a well-defined sample of
      offenders diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 11462). Adherence was measured using
      the medication possession ratio (MPR) and analyzed as a time-dependent covariate
      in multivariable regression models. Data were drawn from linked, comprehensive
      diagnostic, pharmacy and justice system records, and individuals were followed
      for an average of 10 years. Adjusted rate ratios (ARR) and confidence intervals
      (CI) are reported. Overall mean MPR was 0.41. Increasing levels of antipsychotic
      adherence were not associated with progressively lower rates of offending.
      However, when compared to the reference group (MPR >= 80%) all lower adherence
      levels were significantly associated (P < .001) with increased risk of violent
      (ARR = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.46-1.71) and nonviolent (ARR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.33-1.50)
      offenses. Significance was replicated in separate sensitivity analyses.
      Previously published studies reporting reductions in crime may have been
      influenced by antipsychotic adherence >=80%. Binary operationalization of
      adherence is an inaccurate predictor of recidivism. Future research addressing
      functional outcomes of antipsychotic adherence should conceptualize adherence as
      an incremental independent variable.

PMID- 28637203
TI  - Morphological Diversity Strongly Constrains Synaptic Connectivity and Plasticity.
AB  - Synaptic connectivity between neurons is naturally constrained by the anatomical
      overlap of neuronal arbors, the space on the axon available for synapses, and by
      physiological mechanisms that form synapses at a subset of potential synapse
      locations. What is not known is how these constraints impact emergent
      connectivity in a circuit with diverse morphologies. We investigated the role of
      morphological diversity within and across neuronal types on emergent connectivity
      in a model of neocortical microcircuitry. We found that the average overlap
      between the dendritic and axonal arbors of different types of neurons determines
      neuron-type specific patterns of distance-dependent connectivity, severely
      constraining the space of possible connectomes. However, higher order
      connectivity motifs depend on the diverse branching patterns of individual arbors
      of neurons belonging to the same type. Morphological diversity across neuronal
      types, therefore, imposes a specific structure on first order connectivity, and
      morphological diversity within neuronal types imposes a higher order structure of
      connectivity. We estimate that the morphological constraints resulting from
      diversity within and across neuron types together lead to a 10-fold reduction of
      the entropy of possible connectivity configurations, revealing an upper bound on
      the space explored by structural plasticity.

PMID- 28637204
TI  - Cohort Profile: The Well-being in HospitAL Employees (WHALE) study.

PMID- 28637205
TI  - Evolution and comparative genomics of pAQU-like conjugative plasmids in Vibrio
      species.
AB  - Objectives: To investigate a set of MDR conjugative plasmids found in Vibrio
      species and characterize the underlying evolution process. Methods: pAQU-type
      plasmids from Vibrio species were sequenced using both Illumina and PacBio
      platforms. Bioinformatics tools were utilized to analyse the typical MDR regions
      and core genes in the plasmids. Results: The nine pAQU-type plasmids ranged from
      ~160 to 206 kb in size and were found to harbour as many as 111 core genes
      encoding conjugative, replication and maintenance functions. Eight plasmids were
      found to carry a typical MDR region, which contained various accessory and
      resistance genes, including ISCR1-blaPER-1-bearing complex class 1 integrons,
      ISCR2-floR, ISCR2-tet(D)-tetR-ISCR2, qnrVC6, a Tn10-like structure and others
      associated with mobile elements. Comparison between a plasmid without resistance
      genes and different MDR plasmids showed that integration of different mobile
      elements, such as IS26, ISCR1, ISCR2, IS10 and IS6100, into the plasmid backbone
      was the key mechanism by which foreign resistance genes were acquired during the
      evolution process. Conclusions: This study identified pAQU-type plasmids as
      emerging MDR conjugative plasmids among important pathogens from different
      origins in Asia. These findings suggest that aquatic bacteria constitute a major
      reservoir of resistance genes, which may be transmissible to other human
      pathogens during food production and processing.

PMID- 28637207
TI  - The Use of Semitranslucent Rubber Pledgets During Microsurgical Dissection of
      Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors: Technical Note.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Dissection of cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors that
      abut or adhere to the brainstem or cranial nerves can be a challenging surgical
      endeavor. We describe the use of semitranslucent latex rubber pledgets in the
      tumor-brain interface as a method to improve visualization and protection of
      vital tissue during microsurgical dissection of CPA masses. The rubber pledgets
      are fashioned by cutting circular discs out of the cuff portion of talc-free,
      partially opaque latex gloves. These pledgets provide a semitranslucent,
      nonadherent membrane that can be placed between vital neural tissues and a tumor
      capsule to minimize trauma during dissection. The semitranslucent latex enables
      visualization of the underlying anatomical structures while also providing a
      protective surface onto which a suction device can be rested to facilitate
      clearance of the surgical field. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 56-yr-old woman with
      left ear tinnitus presented with a 3-cm CPA meningioma. During microsurgical
      dissection, rubber pledgets were used to preserve the interface between the brain
      stem, cranial nerves, and tumor capsule. The use of the rubber pledgets appeared
      to secure the interface between to tumor and the brain while at the same time
      protecting the cranial nerves, brainstem, and cerebellum. CONCLUSION:
      Semitranslucent rubber pledgets may facilitate microsurgical dissection of CPA
      tumors.

PMID- 28637208
TI  - Unit conversions between LOINC codes.
AB  - Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) is the most widely used
      controlled vocabulary to identify laboratory tests. A given laboratory test can
      often be reported in more than 1 unit of measure (eg, grams or moles), and LOINC
      defines unique codes for each unit. Consequently, an identical laboratory test
      performed by 2 different clinical laboratories may have different LOINC codes.
      The absence of unit conversions between compatible LOINC codes impedes data
      aggregation and analysis of laboratory results. To develop such conversions, a
      computational process was developed to review the LOINC standard for potential
      conversions, and multiple expert reviewers oversaw and finalized the conversion
      list. In all, 285 bidirectional conversions were identified, including
      conversions for routine clinical tests such as sodium, magnesium, and human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Unit conversions were applied to the aggregation of
      laboratory test results to demonstrate their usefulness. Diverse informatics
      projects may benefit from the ability to interconvert compatible results.

PMID- 28637206
TI  - Improving Combination Osteoporosis Therapy in a Preclinical Model of Heightened
      Osteoanabolism.
AB  - Combining anticatabolic agents with parathyroid hormone (PTH) to enhance bone
      mass has yielded mixed results in osteoporosis patients. Toward the goal of
      enhancing the efficacy of these regimens, we tested their utility in combination
      with loss of the transcription factor Nmp4 because disabling this gene amplifies
      PTH-induced increases in trabecular bone in mice by boosting osteoblast secretory
      activity. We addressed whether combining a sustained anabolic response with an
      anticatabolic results in superior bone acquisition compared with PTH monotherapy.
      Additionally, we inquired whether Nmp4 interferes with anticatabolic efficacy.
      Wild-type and Nmp4-/- mice were ovariectomized at 12 weeks of age, followed by
      therapy regimens, administered from 16 to 24 weeks, and included individually or
      combined PTH, alendronate (ALN), zoledronate (ZOL), and raloxifene (RAL).
      Anabolic therapeutic efficacy generally corresponded with PTH + RAL = PTH + ZOL >
      PTH + ALN = PTH > vehicle control. Loss of Nmp4 enhanced femoral trabecular bone
      increases under PTH + RAL and PTH + ZOL. RAL and ZOL promoted bone restoration,
      but unexpectedly, loss of Nmp4 boosted RAL-induced increases in femoral
      trabecular bone. The combination of PTH, RAL, and loss of Nmp4 significantly
      increased bone marrow osteoprogenitor number, but did not affect adipogenesis or
      osteoclastogenesis. RAL, but not ZOL, increased osteoprogenitors in both
      genotypes. Nmp4 status did not influence bone serum marker responses to
      treatments, but Nmp4-/- mice as a group showed elevated levels of the bone
      formation marker osteocalcin. We conclude that the heightened osteoanabolism of
      the Nmp4-/- skeleton enhances the effectiveness of diverse osteoporosis
      treatments, in part by increasing hyperanabolic osteoprogenitors. Nmp4 provides a
      promising target pathway for identifying barriers to pharmacologically induced
      bone formation.

PMID- 28637209
TI  - Purification and characterization of two new cell-bound bioactive compounds
      produced by wild Lactococcus lactis strain.
AB  - Novel compounds and innovative methods are required considering that antibiotic
      resistance has reached a crisis point. In the study, two cell-bound antimicrobial
      compounds produced by Lactococcus lactis ID1.5 were isolated and partially
      characterized. Following purification by cationic exchange and a solid-phase C18
      column, antimicrobial activity was recovered after three runs of RPC using 60%
      (v/v) and 100% (v/v) of 2-propanol for elution, suggesting that more than one
      antimicrobial compound were produced by L. lactis ID1.5, which were in this study
      called compounds AI and AII. The mass spectrum of AI and AII showed major
      intensity ions at m/z 1070.05 and 955.9 Da, respectively. The compound AI showed
      a spectrum of antimicrobial activity mainly against L. lactis species, while the
      organisms most sensitive to compound AII were Bacillus subtilis, Listeria
      innocua, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antimicrobial
      activity of both compounds was suppressed by treatment with Tween 80.
      Nevertheless, both compounds showed high stability to heat and proteases
      treatments. The isolated compounds, AI and AII, showed distinct properties from
      other antimicrobial substances already reported as produced by L. lactis, and
      have a significant inhibitory effect against two clinically important respiratory
      pathogens.

PMID- 28637210
TI  - Improvement in CRPS After Deep Dry Needling Suggests a Role in Myofascial Pain.

PMID- 28637211
TI  - Optimization of Pheromone Traps for Coryphodema tristis (Lepidoptera: Cossidae).
AB  - The Coryphodema tristis (Drury) is an important pest of Eucalyptus nitens (Deane
      and Maiden) plantations in South Africa. The gregarious larvae of this pest cause
      damage by feeding on the tree sapwood, and adults emerge in spring each year. The
      aim of this study was to optimize pheromone traps for operational use in
      management programs. This was achieved by investigating different pheromone blend
      combinations and trap types for efficacy under field conditions. Our results
      confirm that the cross vane bucket funnel trap baited with a 95:2.5:2.5
      volumetric blend of Z9-14:OAc, Z9-14:OH, and 14Ac was superior to similarly
      baited standard bucket funnel and delta traps. We also estimated the release rate
      and ratios of the pheromone compounds loaded into an artificial permeation
      dispenser through solid-phase microextraction sampling. Results showed that the
      released blend of pheromone compounds mirrored the dispensed ratios relatively
      accurately and that release rates are affected by temperature.

PMID- 28637213
TI  - Vaccination to prevent atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

PMID- 28637212
TI  - Survival and Feeding Rates of Four Aphid Species (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on
      Various Sucrose Concentrations in Diets.
AB  - Different concentrations of sucrose were used to investigate how survival and
      feeding was affected in four species of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Seven
      sucrose concentrations were evaluated in feeding chambers fitted with parafilm
      membranes and infested with nymphs of Aphis glycines Matsumura, Diuraphis noxia
      Kurdjumov, Myzus persicae Sulzer, or Schizaphis graminum Rondani at 25  degrees C
      and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h. Survival on each diet was recorded 1, 3, 5,
      7, 9, and 11 d. Diet volumes (MUl) consumed and amounts of honeydew produced were
      then determined. Aphid survival differed significantly by concentration, time
      (d), and aphid species. Aphis glycines survival was highest (83.8%) on 30%
      sucrose although percent survival in the 70's occurred on concentrations ranging
      from 15-25%. Diuraphis noxia survival was highest on the 15 and 20% sucrose
      concentrations. Survival for Myzus persicae was optimal on 20% sucrose (92%) but
      did not differ that much (5%) on concentrations of 15-35%. Schizaphis graminum
      survival (93.0-93.6%) was highest on sucrose concentrations ranging from 20-30%
      sucrose. Myzus persicae and S. graminum, which feed on a wide-range of host
      plants, were overall more adapted to feeding on a wider range of sucrose
      concentrations than the more host-restricted aphid species, A. glycines. Diet
      consumption by A. glycines did not vary on the sucrose concentrations, but D.
      noxia and M. persicae exhibited increased consumption on diets that provided
      optimal survival. Results will aid in the design of short-term studies using
      sucrose-only diets to evaluate effects of bioactive materials on aphid survival
      for up to 11 d.

PMID- 28637214
TI  - Health and Social-Physical Environment Profiles Among Older Adults Living Alone:
      Associations With Depressive Symptoms.
AB  - Objectives: We examined differences in depressive symptoms among people 65 and
      older who live alone, exploring whether these differences are associated with
      both health and environmental contexts. Method: Data are from the 2006 wave of
      Health Retirement Study (N = 2,956, age range: 65-104). We used a two-step
      cluster analytical approach to identify subgroups of health-limitation profiles
      and environmental profiles. Logistic regression models determined associations
      between subgroups and depressive symptoms. Results: Cluster analysis identified
      four health-profile subgroups (sensory-cognitively impaired, physically impaired,
      multiply impaired, and healthy) and three different physical-social environmental
      profile subgroups (physically average/socially unsupported, physically
      unsupported/socially supported, and physically supported/socially above average).
      Compared to members of healthier groups, members of the multiply impaired group
      were the oldest and were more likely both to live in senior housing and to have
      depressive symptoms if they lived in a physically average/socially unsupported
      environment. Members of the sensory-cognitively impaired group were more likely
      to have depressive symptoms when they lived in a physically unsupported/socially
      supported environment. Discussion: Findings regarding the range of both health
      and social-physical environmental profiles as well as the associations between
      person-environment profiles combinations (fit) and depressive symptomatology have
      important policy and intervention implications.

PMID- 28637215
TI  - Managerial Ownership in Nursing Homes: Staffing, Quality, and Financial
      Performance.
AB  - Purpose of the Study: Ownership of nursing homes (NHs) has primarily focused
      broadly on differences between for-profit (FP), nonprofit (NFP), and government
      operated facilities. Yet, among FPs, the understanding of detailed ownership
      structures at individual NHs is rather limited. Particularly, NH administrators
      may hold significant equity interests in their facilities, leading to
      heterogeneous financial incentives and NH outcomes. Through the principal-agent
      theory, this article studies how managerial ownership of individual facilities
      affects NH outcomes. Design and Methods: We use a unique panel dataset of Ohio
      NHs (2005-2010) to empirically examine the relationship between managerial equity
      ownership and NH staffing, quality, and financial performance. We identify
      facility administrators as owner-managers if they have more than 5% of the equity
      stakes or are relatives of the owners. The statistical analysis is based on the
      pooled ordinary least squares and NH-fixed effect models. Results: We find that
      owner-managed NHs are associated with higher nursing staff levels compared to
      other FP NHs. Surprisingly, despite higher staffing levels, owner-managed NHs are
      not associated with better quality and we find no statistically significant
      difference in financial performance between owner-managed and nonowner-managed FP
      NHs. Our results do not support the principal-agent model and we offer
      alternative explanations for future research. Implications: Our findings provide
      empirical evidence that NH ownership structures are more nuanced than simply
      broadly categorizing facilities as FP or NFP, and our results do not fully align
      with the standard principal-agent model. The role of managerial ownership should
      be considered in future NH research and policy discussions.

PMID- 28637216
TI  - Qualitative Analysis and Detection of the Pyrolytic Products of JWH-018 and 11
      Additional Synthetic Cannabinoids in the Presence of Common Herbal Smoking
      Substrates.
AB  - Synthetic cannabinoids have become a ubiquitous challenge in forensic toxicology
      and seized drug analysis. Thermal degradation products have yet to be identified
      and evaluated for toxicity in comparison to parent and metabolic compounds. An
      investigation into these pyrolytic products, as the major route of ingestion is
      inhalation, may produce additional insight to understand the toxicity of
      synthetic cannabinoids. The pyrolysis of JWH-018 and 11 additional synthetic
      cannabinoids and six herbal plant substrates were conducted using an in-house
      constructed smoking simulator. After pyrolysis of herbal material alone, the
      plant substrate was spiked with the drug compounds to 2-5% w/w concentrations.
      Samples were collected, filtered, evaporated under nitrogen gas, reconstituted in
      methanol, and analyzed via gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. Pyrolysis of the
      plant material alone produced 10 consistently observed compounds between the six
      plant species. The pyrolysis of the synthetic cannabinoids produced a total of 52
      pyrolytic compounds, where 32 were unique to a particular parent compound and the
      remaining 20 were common products between multiple cannabinoids. The thermal
      degradation followed three major pathways that are outlined to assist in
      producing a predictive model for new synthetic cannabinoids that may arise in
      case samples. The observed pyrolytic products are also viable options for
      analysis in post mortem samples and the evaluation of toxicity.

PMID- 28637217
TI  - Experimental Support That Natural Selection Has Shaped the Latitudinal
      Distribution of Mitochondrial Haplotypes in Australian Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Cellular metabolism is regulated by enzyme complexes within the mitochondrion,
      the function of which are sensitive to the prevailing temperature. Such thermal
      sensitivity, coupled with the observation that population frequencies of
      mitochondrial haplotypes tend to associate with latitude, altitude, or climatic
      regions across species distributions, led to the hypothesis that thermal
      selection has played a role in shaping standing variation in the mitochondrial
      DNA (mtDNA) sequence. This hypothesis, however, remains controversial, and
      requires evidence that the distribution of haplotypes observed in nature
      corresponds with the capacity of these haplotypes to confer differences in
      thermal tolerance. Specifically, haplotypes predominating in tropical climates
      are predicted to encode increased tolerance to heat stress, but decreased
      tolerance to cold stress. We present direct evidence for these predictions, using
      mtDNA haplotypes sampled from the Australian distribution of Drosophila
      melanogaster. We show that the ability of flies to tolerate extreme thermal
      challenges is affected by sequence variation across mtDNA haplotypes, and that
      the thermal performance associated with each haplotype corresponds with its
      latitudinal prevalence. The haplotype that predominates at low (subtropical)
      latitudes confers greater resilience to heat stress, but lower resilience to cold
      stress, than haplotypes predominating at higher (temperate) latitudes. We explore
      molecular mechanisms that might underlie these responses, presenting evidence
      that the effects are in part regulated by SNPs that do not change the protein
      sequence. Our findings suggest that standing variation in the mitochondrial
      genome can be shaped by thermal selection, and could therefore contribute to
      evolutionary adaptation under climatic stress.

PMID- 28637219
TI  - Preventing occupational injury among police officers: does motivation matter?
AB  - Background: Injury prevention is an important issue for police officers, but the
      effectiveness of prevention initiatives is dependent on officers' motivation
      toward, and adherence to, recommended health and safety guidelines. Aims: To
      understand effects of police officers' motivation to prevent occupational injury
      on beliefs about safety and adherence to injury prevention behaviours. Methods:
      Full-time police officers completed a survey comprising validated psychometric
      scales to assess autonomous, controlled and amotivated forms of motivation
      (Treatment Self-Regulation Questionnaire), behavioural adherence (Self-reported
      Treatment Adherence Scale) and beliefs (Safety Attitude Questionnaire) with
      respect to injury prevention behaviours. Results: There were 207 participants;
      response rate was 87%. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated
      that autonomous motivation was positively related to behavioural adherence,
      commitment to safety and prioritizing injury prevention. Controlled motivation
      was a positive predictor of safety communication barriers. Amotivation was
      positively associated with fatalism regarding injury prevention, safety violation
      and worry. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with the tenets of self
      determination theory in that autonomous motivation was a positive predictor of
      adaptive safety beliefs and adherence to injury prevention behaviours.

PMID- 28637218
TI  - Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis enables identification of
      abiotic stress-responsive MYB transcription factors in cassava (Manihot
      esculenta).
AB  - The myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factor superfamily is the largest
      transcription factor family in plants, playing different roles during stress
      response. However, abiotic stress-responsive MYB transcription factors have not
      been systematically studied in cassava (Manihot esculenta), an important tropical
      tuber root crop. In this study, we used a genome-wide transcriptome analysis to
      predict 299 putative MeMYB genes in the cassava genome. Under drought and cold
      stresses, many MeMYB genes exhibited different expression patterns in cassava
      leaves, indicating that these genes might play a role in abiotic stress
      responses. We found that several stress-responsive MeMYB genes responded to
      abscisic acid (ABA) in cassava leaves. We characterize four MeMYBs, namely
      MeMYB1, MeMYB2, MeMYB4, and MeMYB9, as R2R3-MYB transcription factors.
      Furthermore, RNAi-driven repression of MeMYB2 resulted in drought and cold
      tolerance in transgenic cassava. Gene expression assays in wild-type and MeMYB2
      RNAi cassava plants revealed that MeMYB2 may affect other MeMYBs as well as
      MeWRKYs under drought and cold stress, suggesting crosstalk between MYB and WRKY
      family genes under stress conditions in cassava.

PMID- 28637220
TI  - Temporal changes in health within 5 years before and after disability pension-the
      HUNT Study.
AB  - Background: Health status has been reported to change before, during and after
      disability pension receipt. These associations might be subject to temporal
      changes according to changes in policy, incidence of disability pensions and
      other contextual factors. We compared the perceived health around time of
      disability retirement among persons receiving disability pension in the 1990 s
      and 2000 s in Norway. Methods: We linked data from two consecutive cross
      sectional population based Norwegian health surveys, HUNT2 (1995-97) and HUNT3
      (2006-08), to national registries, identifying those who received disability
      pension within 5 years before or after participation in the survey (HUNT2: n =
      5362, HUNT3: n = 4649). We used logistic regression to assess associations of
      time from receiving a disability pension with self-rated health, insomnia,
      depression and anxiety symptoms and subsequently estimated adjusted prevalence
      over time. Results: Prevalence of poor self-rated health peaked around time of
      receiving disability pension in both decades. For those aged 50+, prevalence the
      year before disability pension was slightly lower in 2006-08 (74%, 95% CI 70-79%)
      than in 1995-97 (83%, 95% CI 79-87%), whereas peak prevalence was similar between
      surveys for those younger than 50. Depression symptoms peaked more pronouncedly
      in 1995-97 than in 2006-08, whereas prevalence of anxiety symptoms was similar at
      time of receiving disability pension between surveys. Conclusions: We found no
      strong evidence of differences in health selection to disability pension in the
      2000 s compared to the 1990 s. However, we found indication of less depression
      symptoms around time of disability pension in the 2000 s compared to the 1990 s.

PMID- 28637222
TI  - Risk Factors for the Development of Delayed TSH Elevation in Neonatal Intensive
      Care Unit Newborns.
AB  - Context: Delayed thyrotropin (TSH) elevation (dTSH) is defined as elevated TSH at
      the second neonatal screening (after normal TSH levels at the initial screening)
      in premature, low-birth-weight, and ill newborns, mostly in the neonatal
      intensive care unit (NICU) setting. The pathogenesis of dTSH is elusive.
      Objective: To identify the risk factors for dTSH development among newborns in
      the NICU. Design, Setting, and Patients: A retrospective medical record review of
      neonates with dTSH was conducted in eight university-affiliated NICUs. Two
      controls were selected for each patient, matched for sex and birth weight. The
      risk factors for dTSH were identified by univariate analysis, followed by
      multivariate analysis. Main Outcome Measures: Maternal variables, types of NICU
      treatments and procedures, syndromes, and various medical conditions were
      compared between dTSH patients and their matched controls. Results: We enrolled
      100 dTSH patients and 200 matched controls and 46 variables were compared between
      the two groups. Twelve risk factors for dTSH were identified on univariate
      analysis: cesarean section, mechanical ventilation, patent ductus arteriosus
      (PDA), pneumothorax, and administration of cefotaxime, vancomycin, fluconazole,
      dopamine, ibuprofen, furosemide, insulin, and packed red blood cells. On
      multivariate analysis, four risk factors were identified: PDA and vancomycin,
      insulin, and furosemide administration. In 26 twin pairs, in which one twin had
      dTSH, all variables presented similarly in both twins. Conclusions: Although some
      variables had direct effects on pituitary-thyroid axis dysfunction, these
      variables, altogether, reflect the severity of the clinical conditions in the
      NICU, which is the common basis for dTSH.

PMID- 28637221
TI  - Digital direct detection of microRNAs using single molecule arrays.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in many biological pathways, and detecting miRNAs
      accurately is critical for diagnosing a variety of diseases including cancer.
      However, most current methods for miRNA detection require lengthy sample
      preparation and amplification steps that can bias the results. In addition, lack
      of specificity and reproducibility give rise to various challenges in detection
      of circulating miRNAs in biological samples. In this work, we applied the Single
      Molecule Array (Simoa) technique to develop an ultra-sensitive sandwich assay for
      direct detection of multiple miRNAs without pre-amplification. We successfully
      detected miRNAs at femtomolar concentrations (with limits of detection [LODs]
      ranging from 1 to 30 fM) and high specificity (distinguishing miRNAs with a
      single nucleotide mismatch). This method was effective against a range of diverse
      target sequences, suggesting a general approach for miRNA detection. To
      demonstrate the practical application of this technique, we detected miRNAs in a
      variety of sample types including human serum and total RNA. The high sensitivity
      and simple workflow of the Simoa method represent excellent advantages for miRNA
      based diagnostics of human diseases.

PMID- 28637223
TI  - Millions of Years Behind: Slow Adaptation of Ruminants to Grasslands.
AB  - The Late Cretaceous appearance of grasses, followed by the Cenozoic advancement
      of grasslands as dominant biomes, has contributed to the evolution of a range of
      specialized herbivores adapted to new diets, as well as to increasingly open and
      arid habitats. Many mammals including ruminants, the most diversified ungulate
      suborder, evolved high-crowned (hypsodont) teeth as an adaptation to tooth
      wearing diets and habitats. The impact of different causes of tooth wear is still
      a matter of debate, and the temporal pattern of hypsodonty evolution in relation
      to the evolution of grasslands remains unclear. We present an improved time
      calibrated molecular phylogeny of Cetartiodactyla, with phylogenetic
      reconstruction of ancestral ruminant diets and habitats, based on characteristics
      of extant taxa. Using this timeline, as well as the fossil record of grasslands,
      we conduct phylogenetic comparative analyses showing that hypsodonty in ruminants
      evolved as an adaptation to both diet and habitat. Our results demonstrate a
      slow, perhaps constrained, evolution of hypsodonty toward estimated optimal
      states, excluding the possibility of immediate adaptation. This augments recent
      findings that slow adaptation is not uncommon on million-year time scales.

PMID- 28637224
TI  - Impact of a Macleaya cordata-derived alkaloid extract on necrotic enteritis in
      broilers.
AB  - Necrotic enteritis (NE) causes significant economic losses in the broiler chicken
      industry, especially in birds raised without in-feed antibiotics. A standardized
      blend of plant-derived isoquinoline alkaloids (IQA) derived from Macleaya cordata
      has shown to have anti-inflammatory potency and promoted animal productivity.
      This study investigated the effects of IQA supplementation on broiler chickens
      under NE challenge. A 2 * 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was employed with
      factors: NE challenge (no or yes), and additives (no additive or IQA at 0.15
      g/kg) in starter, grower, and finisher diets. Birds were challenged with Eimeria
      spp. on d 9 and 108 to 109Clostridium perfringens on d 14. Each treatment had 7
      replicate floor pens with 17 birds each. NE challenge negatively affected growth
      performance, livability, and carcass traits. Regardless of challenge, IQA
      increased feed intake and gain on d 24 (P < 0.05) and 35 (P < 0.01) and improved
      FCR (P < 0.05), flock uniformity (P < 0.01) and breast meat yield (P < 0.001) on
      d 35. Supplementation of IQA also reduced lesions in the duodenum (P < 0.05),
      jejunum (P < 0.001), and ileum (P < 0.001). This study suggests that IQA may
      protect broilers from NE indicating its role as a promising antibiotic
      alternative.

PMID- 28637225
TI  - Characteristics of Escherichia coli isolated from broiler chickens with
      colibacillosis in commercial farms from a common hatchery.
AB  - To investigate the epidemiologic aspects of colibacillosis in broiler chickens,
      83 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from the pericarditis and perihepatitis
      lesions in broiler chickens from 4 commercial farms, 5 isolates recovered from 5
      samples of yolk sac contents that were pooled from 25 emaciated chicks, and 4
      fecal isolates obtained from a hatchery that supplied chicks to the 4 commercial
      farms mentioned above were genetically and bacteriologically characterized. Using
      pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a total of 92 isolates were classified
      into 33 pulsotypes. Identical pulsotypes were observed in isolates obtained from
      hatchery samples and the affected broiler chickens on multiple farms at various
      sampling times. Seventeen representative isolates with no common origin belonging
      to 6 pulsotypes and an additional 27 isolates with the other pulsotypes were used
      for further experiments. Isolates with identical pulsotypes exhibited common
      traits for virulence-associated genes, lipopolysaccharide core types, and
      phylogenetic groups. Nine of the isolates were serologically typed as O125 with
      various types of H antigens and 3 were typed as O25:H4. In the 27 isolates
      resistant to ceftiofur (CTF), which is a third generation cephalosporin, the
      blaCTX-M-2, blaCMY-2, blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-65 genes were found in 15, 8, 3, and
      1 isolate(s), respectively, and another isolate resistant to CTF had both the
      blaCTX-M-2 and the blaCMY-2 genes. In the 16 isolates with the blaCTX-M-2 gene,
      the chromosomal location of the gene was identified in 12 isolates. The plasmid
      mediated quinolone resistance genes, oqxAB and aac(6')-Ib-cr, were found in 2 and
      3 isolates, respectively. Conjugation experiments revealed that the blaCTX-M-2 (4
      isolates), blaCTX-M-14 (3 isolates), blaSHV-12 (1 isolate), and oqxAB (2
      isolates) genes were transferred. Our data suggest that E. coli strains with
      identical pulsotypes had been caused the incidences of colibacillosis and that
      the antimicrobial resistance genes on conjugative plasmids and those integrated
      into the chromosome may be spread among avian pathogenic E. coli strains in
      multiple farms.

PMID- 28637226
TI  - Epidemiologic Risk Factors for In Situ and Invasive Breast Cancers Among
      Postmenopausal Women in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health
      Study.
AB  - Comparing risk factor associations between invasive breast cancers and possible
      precursors may further our understanding of factors related to initiation versus
      progression. Accordingly, among 190,325 postmenopausal participants in the
      National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study (1995-2011), we compared
      the association between risk factors and incident ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS;
      n = 1,453) with that of risk factors and invasive ductal carcinomas (n = 7,525);
      in addition, we compared the association between risk factors and lobular
      carcinoma in situ (LCIS; n = 186) with that of risk factors and invasive lobular
      carcinomas (n = 1,191). Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated
      from multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. We used case-only
      multivariable logistic regression to test for heterogeneity in associations.
      Younger age at menopause was associated with a higher risk of DCIS but lower
      risks of LCIS and invasive ductal carcinomas (P for heterogeneity < 0.01). Prior
      breast biopsy was more strongly associated with the risk of LCIS than the risk of
      DCIS (P for heterogeneity = 0.04). Increased risks associated with use of
      menopausal hormone therapy were stronger for LCIS than DCIS (P for heterogeneity
      = 0.03) and invasive lobular carcinomas (P for heterogeneity < 0.01).
      Associations were similar for race, age at menarche, age at first birth, family
      history, alcohol consumption, and smoking status, which suggests that most risk
      factor associations are similar for in situ and invasive cancers and may
      influence early stages of tumorigenesis. The differential associations observed
      for various factors may provide important clues for understanding the etiology of
      certain breast cancers.

PMID- 28637227
TI  - Echocardiographic reference ranges for normal left ventricular 2D strain: results
      from the EACVI NORRE study.
AB  - Aims: To obtain the normal ranges for 2D echocardiographic (2DE) measurements of
      left ventricular (LV) strain from a large group of healthy volunteers accounting
      for age and gender. Methods and results: A total of 549 (mean age: 45.6 +/- 13.3
      years) healthy subjects were enrolled at 22 collaborating institutions of the
      Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study. 2DE data sets have
      been analysed with a vendor-independent software package allowing homogeneous
      measurements irrespective of the echocardiographic equipment used to acquire the
      data sets. The lowest expected values of LV strains and twist calculated as +/-
      1.96 standard deviations from the mean were -16.7% in men and -17.8% in women for
      longitudinal strain, -22.3% and -23.6% for circumferential strain, 20.6% and
      21.5% for radial strain, and 2.2 degrees and 1.9 degrees for twist, respectively.
      In multivariable analysis, longitudinal strain decreased with age whereas the
      opposite occurred with circumferential and radial strain. Male gender was
      associated with lower strain for longitudinal, circumferential, and radial
      strain. Inter-vendor differences were observed for circumferential and radial
      strain despite the use of vendor-independent software. Importantly, no
      intervendor differences were noted in longitudinal strain. Conclusion: The NORRE
      study provides contemporary, applicable 2D echocardiographic reference ranges for
      LV longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain. Our data highlight the
      importance of age- and gender-specific reference values for LV strain.

PMID- 28637228
TI  - Application of social network analysis in the assessment of organization
      infrastructure for service delivery: a three district case study from post
      conflict northern Uganda.
AB  - In post-conflict settings, service coverage indices are unlikely to be sustained
      if health systems are built on weak and unstable inter-organization networks-here
      referred to as infrastructure. The objective of this study was to assess the
      inter-organization infrastructure that supports the provision of selected health
      services in the reconstruction phase after conflict in northern Uganda. Applied
      social network analysis was used to establish the structure, size and function
      among organizations supporting the provision of (1) HIV treatment, (2) maternal
      delivery services and (3) workforce strengthening. Overall, 87 organizations were
      identified from 48 respondent organizations in the three post-conflict districts
      in northern Uganda. A two-stage snowball approach was used starting with service
      provider organizations in each district. Data included a list of organizations
      and their key attributes related to the provision of each service for the year
      2012-13. The findings show that inter-organization networks are mostly focused on
      HIV treatment and least for workforce strengthening. The networks for HIV
      treatment and maternal services were about 3-4 times denser relative to the
      network for workforce strengthening. The network for HIV treatment accounted for
      69-81% of the aggregated network in Gulu and Kitgum districts. In contrast, the
      network for workforce strengthening contributed the least (6% and 10%) in these
      two districts. Likewise, the networks supporting a young district (Amuru) was
      under invested with few organizations and sparse connections. Overall,
      organizations exhibited a broad range of functional roles in supporting HIV
      treatment compared to other services in the study. Basic information about the
      inter-organization setup (infrastructure)-can contribute to knowledge for
      building organization networks in more equitable ways. More connected
      organizations can be leveraged for faster communication and resource flow to
      boost the delivery of health services.

PMID- 28637229
TI  - Can passage in Galleria mellonella activate virulence factors of Paracoccidioides
      brasiliensis as in the murine model?
AB  - Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a fungal disease restricted to Latin countries,
      and its etiologic agents derive from the Paracoccidioides genus. Attenuation or
      loss of virulence in Paracoccidioides spp. following successive subculturing has
      been described. However, virulence can be recovered by passage in mammalian host.
      In this study, the recovery of adhesion of P. brasiliensis through passage in
      mice was compared to that in the insect Galleria mellonella. Analysis of in vitro
      fungal-host cell interaction, gene expression of adhesins, and analysis of the
      survival curves revealed that Galleria mellonella is useful for the reactivation
      of P. brasiliensis adhesion.

PMID- 28637230
TI  - Perceived Stress and Its Relationship With Chronic Medical Conditions and
      Multimorbidity Among 229,293 Community-Dwelling Adults in 44 Low- and Middle
      Income Countries.
AB  - In this study, we assessed the association of chronic medical conditions and
      multimorbidity with perceived stress among community-dwelling adults in 44 low-
      and middle-income countries. Data from the World Health Survey (2002-2004),
      including 229,293 adults, were analyzed. A perceived stress score (range, 0
      (lowest stress)-100 (highest stress)) was computed on the basis of 2 questions
      from the Perceived Stress Scale. Eleven chronic conditions were assessed.
      Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the
      associations. All chronic conditions were associated with significantly higher
      mean perceived stress scores, with the exception of edentulism. The associations
      were particularly strong for depression (beta = 14.71, 95% confidence interval
      (CI): 13.68, 15.74), visual impairment (beta = 10.66, 95% CI: 8.09, 13.23), and
      schizophrenia (beta = 9.98, 95% CI: 7.71, 12.24). Compared with no chronic
      conditions, the beta coefficients for perceived stress with the presence of 1, 2,
      3, and >=4 chronic conditions were 5.58 (95% CI: 4.94, 6.23), 9.58 (95% CI: 8.67,
      10.49), 14.15 (95% CI: 12.63, 15.67), and 20.17 (95% CI: 18.29, 22.05),
      respectively. The associations with perceived stress were significantly stronger
      among the poorest individuals for arthritis, asthma, diabetes, edentulism, and
      >=4 chronic conditions. Our data suggest that a range of chronic conditions and
      multimorbidity are associated with greatly increased perceived stress among
      people in low- and middle-income countries, and that the poorest persons may be a
      particularly vulnerable group.

PMID- 28637231
TI  - Aortic valve cord mimicking fibroelastoma.

PMID- 28637232
TI  - PhylOligo: a package to identify contaminant or untargeted organism sequences in
      genome assemblies.
AB  - Motivation: Genome sequencing projects sometimes uncover more organisms than
      expected, especially for complex and/or non-model organisms. It is therefore
      useful to develop software to identify mix of organisms from genome sequence
      assemblies. Results: Here we present PhylOligo, a new package including tools to
      explore, identify and extract organism-specific sequences in a genome assembly
      using the analysis of their DNA compositional characteristics. Availability and
      implementation: The tools are written in Python3 and R under the GPLv3 Licence
      and can be found at https://github.com/itsmeludo/Phyloligo/. Contact:
      ludovic.mallet@inra.fr. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are
      available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28637233
TI  - Identification of exosomal muscle-specific miRNAs in serum of myotonic dystrophy
      patients relating to muscle disease progress.
AB  - Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common form of adult-onset muscular
      dystrophy, which is characterised by progressive muscle wasting and the discovery
      of reliable blood-based biomarkers could be useful for the disease progress
      monitoring. There have been some reports showing that the presence of specific
      miRNAs in blood correlates with DM1. In one of these, our group identified four
      muscle-specific miRNAs, miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206, which correlated
      with the progression of muscle wasting observed in DM1 patients. The levels of
      the four muscle-specific miRNAs were elevated in the serum of DM1 patients
      compared to healthy participants and were also elevated in the serum of
      progressive muscle wasting DM1 patients compared to disease-stable DM1 patients.
      The aim of this work was to characterise the ontology of these four muscle
      specific miRNAs in the blood circulation of DM1 patients. Here we show that the
      four muscle-specific miRNAs are encapsulated within exosomes isolated from DM1
      patients. Our results show for the first time, the presence of miRNAs
      encapsulated within exosomes in blood circulation of DM1 patients. More
      interestingly, the levels of the four exosomal muscle-specific miRNAs are
      associated with the progression of muscle wasting in DM1 patients. We propose
      that exosomal muscle-specific miRNAs may be useful molecular biomarkers for
      monitoring the progress of muscle wasting in DM1 patients. There has been a
      growing interest regarding the clinical applications of exosomes and their role
      in prognosis and therapy of various diseases and the above results contribute
      towards this way.

PMID- 28637234
TI  - A baseline assessment by healthcare professionals of Dutch pharmacotherapeutic
      care for the elderly with polypharmacy.
AB  - Background: Polypharmacy is common in the elderly population and is associated
      with an increased risk of adverse drug events. To diminish this risk, the
      guideline 'Polypharmacy in the Elderly' has been developed in 2012. This study
      examines, to what extent Dutch pharmacotherapeutic practice amongst elderly with
      polypharmacy mirrors the best practice described in this guideline and which
      barriers threaten it. Methods: An observational study was conducted in 2013/14
      using a questionnaire distributed amongst Dutch healthcare professionals and
      elderly patients with polypharmacy. Healthcare professionals were asked about
      their current practice and the presence of five significant barriers, selected
      through a literature review and from expert opinion. These barriers are:
      inadequate transfer of patient records; insufficient documentation of prescribed
      drugs; a lack of collaboration between professionals; a failure to take a full
      control of the medication and insufficient involvement of the patient. The
      patients were asked about their experience with pharmacotherapeutic care.
      Results: No more than 26% of the healthcare professionals indicated that they use
      the guideline. The five barriers threatening the pharmacotherapeutic care were
      found to be present. Forty-three percent of the patients mentioned that their
      medication was assessed last year. Conclusion: The guideline is not used
      frequently by the healthcare professionals, but there is a will to improve the
      care by following this guideline. However, the presence of the five barriers
      hampers its implementation. Good management of those barriers is necessary in
      order to improve the collaboration between primary and secondary care and to
      enhance the documentation of prescribed drugs.

PMID- 28637235
TI  - Monotherapy with either dolutegravir or raltegravir fails to durably suppress HIV
      viraemia in humanized mice.
AB  - Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of HIV integrase inhibitor monotherapy
      between raltegravir and dolutegravir as an approach to simplify therapy. Methods:
      We evaluated and compared the efficacy of 20 week monotherapy with dolutegravir
      or raltegravir in humanized mice (HSC-NSG) infected with HIVBaL. Plasma HIV RNA
      was measured by quantitative RT-PCR (limit of detection of 150 copies/45 MUL of
      plasma) and drug levels by LC-MS/MS. Escape viruses were genotyped and analysed
      for replication capacity and drug susceptibility in tissue culture. Results: Drug
      untreated control mice maintained constant viraemia throughout the study. Virus
      isolates from these mice were susceptible to both raltegravir (EC50 of <8 nM) and
      dolutegravir (EC50 of <1 nM). Mice treated with raltegravir or dolutegravir had
      plasma drug levels comparable to those in humans. Monotherapy with raltegravir
      initially suppressed HIV viraemia, but failed to maintain suppression in 4/4
      mice. Viruses from raltegravir failing mice developed mutations G140G/S and
      Q148H/K, and were resistant to both raltegravir (EC50 values of >100 nM) and
      dolutegravir (EC50 values ranging from 8.8 to 13.3 nM). Monotherapy with
      dolutegravir suppressed viraemia in 5/5 of mice, but viraemia rebounded in one
      animal. The virus from this mouse had mutations E138K, G140S, Q148H, N155H and
      S230R, was highly resistant to both raltegravir (EC50 of >1000 nM) and
      dolutegravir (EC50 of 550 nM), and replicated to levels similar to those of
      control viruses in PBMCs. Conclusions: Monotherapy with either raltegravir or
      dolutegravir does not consistently maintain HIV suppression, suggesting that dual
      therapy may be required in simplification strategies.

PMID- 28637237
TI  - Long-Term Evolutionary Change in the Lumen of Intracranial Atherosclerotic
      Stenosis Following Angioplasty and Stenting.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Angioplasty and stenting is a recognized treatment option for
      patients with intracranial atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term
      evolutionary luminal changes of intracranial atherosclerosis after angioplasty
      and stenting. METHODS: This was a retrospective study with patient consent.
      Eighty-two patients presenting with acute and minor cerebral ischemia due to
      stenosis >=70%, who had received medical therapy with or without stenting
      (Wingspan), were invited. Luminal imaging was provided using 3-dimensional
      rotational angiography (3-DRA) at baseline and 12 mo, and cone-beam computed
      tomography angiography with intravenous contrast (CBCT) was provided at follow-up
      (median 82.4 mo [interquartile range 61.9-96.9 mo]). RESULTS: Thirty-six patients
      in the stenting group and 26 patients in the medical group were recruited and
      completed the study. There was no statistically significant difference in
      demographics between the 2 patient groups. The luminal gain at 12 or 80 mo as
      compared to baseline in the stenting group was significantly greater than that in
      the medical group (12 mo: median gain 30% vs 7.2%, P < .001; 80 mo: median gain
      42.9% vs 7.2%, P < .0001). Luminal loss or unchanged lumen was correlated with
      recurrent ischemic event. The differences in the stenosis degree assessment
      between CBCT and 3-DRA in the same 10 patients with or without stenting were 1.2
      +/- 0.6% or 0.2 +/- 0.06%, respectively. There was a correlation between
      recurrent ischemic events and luminal loss. CONCLUSION: Arterial lumen after
      angioplasty and stenting can probably be well maintained and delayed luminal gain
      does occur, long-term luminal loss is associated with recurrent ischemic events,
      CBCT might be useful as a less-invasive means for long-term assessment.

PMID- 28637236
TI  - The ribosome assembly gene network is controlled by the feedback regulation of
      transcription elongation.
AB  - Ribosome assembly requires the concerted expression of hundreds of genes, which
      are transcribed by all three nuclear RNA polymerases. Transcription elongation
      involves dynamic interactions between RNA polymerases and chromatin. We performed
      a synthetic lethal screening in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a conditional
      allele of SPT6, which encodes one of the factors that facilitates this process.
      Some of these synthetic mutants corresponded to factors that facilitate pre-rRNA
      processing and ribosome biogenesis. We found that the in vivo depletion of one of
      these factors, Arb1, activated transcription elongation in the set of genes
      involved directly in ribosome assembly. Under these depletion conditions, Spt6
      was physically targeted to the up-regulated genes, where it helped maintain their
      chromatin integrity and the synthesis of properly stable mRNAs. The mRNA profiles
      of a large set of ribosome biogenesis mutants confirmed the existence of a
      feedback regulatory network among ribosome assembly genes. The transcriptional
      response in this network depended on both the specific malfunction and the role
      of the regulated gene. In accordance with our screening, Spt6 positively
      contributed to the optimal operation of this global network. On the whole, this
      work uncovers a feedback control of ribosome biogenesis by fine-tuning
      transcription elongation in ribosome assembly factor-coding genes.

PMID- 28637238
TI  - Chlamydia trachomatis Seroprevalence and Ultrasound-Diagnosed Uterine Fibroids in
      a Large Population of Young African-American Women.
AB  - Reproductive tract infections have long been hypothesized to increase the risk of
      uterine fibroids. Few studies have been conducted, even for the common infection
      genital Chlamydia trachomatis (gCT), and only with self-reported gCT data. Our
      investigation used micro-immunofluorescence serology for gCT to characterize past
      exposure. We used cross-sectional enrollment data from a prospective fibroid
      study carried out in the Detroit, Michigan, area; ultrasound examinations
      systematically screened for fibroids. Participants were African-American women
      aged 23-34 years (recruited in 2010-2012). Age- and multivariable-adjusted
      logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios. A total of 1,587
      women (94% of participants) had unequivocal gCT serology results; 22% had
      fibroids. Those who were seropositive for gCT were less likely to have fibroids
      (age-adjusted odds ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval: 0.54, 0.87;
      multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 0.80, 95% confidence interval: 0.62, 1.03).
      Inverse associations were similar across categories of fibroid size, number, and
      total volume. Participant groups likely to have had multiple or severe infections
      (multiple serovar groups, more sex partners, clinically diagnosed chlamydia) all
      showed statistically significantly reduced odds of fibroids. A protective
      association of gCT with fibroids was unexpected but plausible. gCT infection
      might increase immune surveillance and eliminate early lesions. Further
      investigation on the relationship between fibroid development and reproductive
      tract infections is needed.

PMID- 28637239
TI  - Misleading takotsubo-like syndrome unravelled by intracoronary imaging.

PMID- 28637240
TI  - TFEB activation restores migration ability to Tsc1-deficient adult neural
      stem/progenitor cells.
AB  - Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder caused
      by mutations in either of two genes, TSC1 or TSC2, resulting in the constitutive
      activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). mTOR
      inhibitors are now considered the treatment of choice for TSC disease. A major
      pathological feature of TSC is the development of subependymal giant cell
      astrocytomas (SEGAs) in the brain. Nowadays, it is thought that SEGAs could be a
      consequence of aberrant aggregation and migration of neural stem/progenitor cells
      (NSPCs). Therefore, reactivation of cell migration of NSPCs might be the crucial
      step for the treatment of patients. In order to identify potential in vitro
      targets activating migration, we generated Tsc1-deficient NSPCs. These cells
      summarize most of the biochemical and morphological characteristics of TSC neural
      cells, such as the mTORC1 activation, the formation of abnormally enlarged
      astrocytes-like cells, the reduction of autophagy flux and the impairment of cell
      migration. Moreover, nuclear translocation, namely activation of the
      transcription factor EB (TFEB) was markedly impaired. Herein, we show that
      compounds such as everolimus, ionomycin and curcumin, which directly or
      indirectly stimulate TFEB nuclear translocation, restore Tsc1-deficient NSPC
      migration. Our data suggest that reduction of TFEB activation, caused by mTORC1
      hyperactivation, contributes to the migration deficit characterizing Tsc1
      deficient NSPCs. The present work highlights TFEB as a druggable protein target
      for SEGAs therapy, which can be additionally or alternatively exploited for the
      mTORC1-directed inhibitory approach.

PMID- 28637243
TI  - Nanopore sequencing data analysis: state of the art, applications and challenges.
AB  - The nanopore sequencing process is based on the transit of a DNA molecule through
      a nanoscopic pore, and since the 90s is considered as one of the most promising
      approaches to detect polymeric molecules. In 2014, Oxford Nanopore Technologies
      (ONT) launched a beta-testing program that supplied the scientific community with
      the first prototype of a nanopore sequencer: the MinION. Thanks to this program,
      several research groups had the opportunity to evaluate the performance of this
      novel instrument and develop novel computational approaches for analyzing this
      new generation of data. Despite the short period of time from the release of the
      MinION, a large number of algorithms and tools have been developed for base
      calling, data handling, read mapping, de novo assembly and variant discovery.
      Here, we face the main computational challenges related to the analysis of
      nanopore data, and we carry out a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the
      algorithmic solutions adopted by the bioinformatic community comparing
      performance and reporting limits and advantages of using this new generation of
      sequences for genomic analyses. Our analyses demonstrate that the use of nanopore
      data dramatically improves the de novo assembly of genomes and allows for the
      exploration of structural variants with an unprecedented accuracy and resolution.
      However, despite the impressive improvements reached by ONT in the past 2 years,
      the use of these data for small-variant calling is still challenging, and at
      present, it needs to be coupled with complementary short sequences for mitigating
      the intrinsic biases of nanopore sequencing technology.

PMID- 28637241
TI  - The chromatin remodeling complex Swi/Snf regulates splicing of meiotic
      transcripts in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Despite its relatively streamlined genome, there are important examples of
      regulated RNA splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, such as splicing of meiotic
      transcripts. Like other eukaryotes, S. cerevisiae undergoes a dramatic
      reprogramming of gene expression during meiosis, including regulated splicing of
      a number of crucial meiosis-specific RNAs. Splicing of a subset of these is
      dependent upon the splicing activator Mer1. Here we show a crucial role for the
      chromatin remodeler Swi/Snf in regulation of splicing of meiotic genes and find
      that the complex affects meiotic splicing in two ways. First, we show that
      Swi/Snf regulates nutrient-dependent downregulation of ribosomal protein encoding
      RNAs, leading to the redistribution of spliceosomes from this abundant class of
      intron-containing RNAs (the ribosomal protein genes) to Mer1-regulated
      transcripts. We also demonstrate that Mer1 expression is dependent on Snf2, its
      acetylation state and histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation at the MER1 locus. Hence,
      Snf2 exerts systems level control of meiotic gene expression through two
      temporally distinct mechanisms, demonstrating that it is a key regulator of
      meiotic splicing in S. cerevisiae. We also reveal an evolutionarily conserved
      mechanism whereby the cell redirects its energy from maintaining its
      translational capacity to the process of meiosis.

PMID- 28637242
TI  - Yes-associated protein and WW-containing transcription regulator 1 regulate the
      expression of sex-determining genes in Sertoli cells, but their inactivation does
      not cause sex reversal.
AB  - Yes-associated protein (YAP) and WW-containing transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1)
      are two functionally redundant transcriptional regulators that are downstream
      effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway, and that act as major regulators of
      cell growth and differentiation. To elucidate their role in Sertoli cells,
      primary Sertoli cell culture from Yapflox/flox; Wwtr1flox/flox animals were
      infected with a Cre recombinase-expressing adenovirus. Concomitant inactivation
      of Yap and Wwtr1 resulted in a decrease in the mRNA levels of the male sex
      differentiation genes Dhh, Dmrt1, Sox9, and Wt1, whereas those of genes involved
      in female differentiation (Wnt4, Rspo1, and Foxl2) were induced. SOX9, FOXL2, and
      WNT4 proteins were regulated in the same manner as their mRNAs in response to
      loss of YAP and WWTR1. To further characterize the role of YAP and WWTR1 in
      Sertoli cells, we generated a mouse model (Yapflox/flox; Wwtr1flox/flox;
      Amhcre/+) in which Yap and Wwtr1 were conditionally deleted in Sertoli cells. An
      increase in the number of apoptotic cells was observed in the seminiferous
      tubules of 4 dpp mutant mice, leading to a reduction in testis weights and a
      decrease in the number of Sertoli cells in adult animals. Gene expression
      analyses of testes from 4 dpp Yapflox/flox; Wwtr1flox/flox; Amhcre/+ mice showed
      that Sertoli cell differentiation is initially altered, as Dhh, Dmrt1, and Sox9
      mRNA levels were downregulated, whereas Wnt4 mRNA levels were increased. However,
      expression of these genes was not changed in older animals. Together, these
      results suggest a novel role of the Hippo signaling pathway in the mechanisms of
      sex differentiation.

PMID- 28637244
TI  - Elevated homocysteine increases the risk of left atrial/left atrial appendage
      thrombus in non-valvular atrial fibrillation with low CHA2DS2-VASc score.
AB  - Aims: To assess the association and the predictive value of plasma homocysteine
      (Hcy) levels with LA/LAA thrombus in non-valvular Atrial fibrillation (AF)
      patients with low CHA2DS2-VASc score. Methods and results: Eight hundred and
      eighty-eight consecutive patients in non-valvular AF with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0
      and 1 were enrolled. All patients routinely underwent transthoracic
      echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography. A total of thirty-two
      patients had LA/LAA thrombus. Compared with patients without LA/LAA thrombus,
      plasma Hcy levels were significantly higher in patients with LA/LAA thrombus
      (16.5 +/- 4.8 mmol/L vs. 13.4 +/- 4.1 mmol/L, P = 0.009). In multivariate
      analysis, Hcy was independently associated with LA/LAA thrombus (OR 1.048, 95% CI
      1.007-1.090, P = 0.022). Hcy demonstrated a significant predictive value with
      area under the curve of 0.722 (95% CI 0.662-0.781, P < 0.001). The optimal cut
      off point for Hcy predicting LA/LAA thrombus was 13.5 mmol/L (sensitivity 67%,
      specificity 65%). Patients with Hcy >=13.5 mmol/L had higher prevalence of LA/LAA
      thrombus compared with those with Hcy <13.5 mmol/L (6.1% vs. 2.1%, P < 0.001).
      Elevated Hcy significantly increased the risk of LA/LAA thrombus in patients with
      CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0 and 1 (OR 11.789, 95% CI 1.437-96.746, P = 0.022; OR
      2.256, 95% CI 1.007-5.155, P = 0.048, respectively). Conclusion: Elevated plasma
      Hcy increases the risk of LA/LAA thrombus in non-valvular AF patients with low
      CHA2DS2-VASc score, thus it should be taken into account in prediction of
      thromboembolism.

PMID- 28637245
TI  - Motor Output Variability Impairs Driving Ability in Older Adults: Reply to
      Stinchcombe, Dickerson, Weaver, and Bedard.

PMID- 28637247
TI  - Surgery for patients with 'lower grade' glioma: putting assumptions, beliefs and
      convictions into perspective.

PMID- 28637246
TI  - Effect of Psilocybin on Empathy and Moral Decision-Making.
AB  - Background: Impaired empathic abilities lead to severe negative social
      consequences and influence the development and treatment of several psychiatric
      disorders. Furthermore, empathy has been shown to play a crucial role in moral
      and prosocial behavior. Although the serotonin system has been implicated in
      modulating empathy and moral behavior, the relative contribution of the various
      serotonin receptor subtypes is still unknown. Methods: We investigated the acute
      effect of psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg p.o.) in healthy human subjects on different
      facets of empathy and hypothetical moral decision-making using the multifaceted
      empathy test (n=32) and the moral dilemma task (n=24). Results: Psilocybin
      significantly increased emotional, but not cognitive empathy compared with
      placebo, and the increase in implicit emotional empathy was significantly
      associated with psilocybin-induced changed meaning of percepts. In contrast,
      moral decision-making remained unaffected by psilocybin. Conclusions: These
      findings provide first evidence that psilocybin has distinct effects on social
      cognition by enhancing emotional empathy but not moral behavior. Furthermore,
      together with previous findings, psilocybin appears to promote emotional empathy
      presumably via activation of serotonin 2A/1A receptors, suggesting that targeting
      serotonin 2A/1A receptors has implications for potential treatment of
      dysfunctional social cognition.

PMID- 28637248
TI  - Expression and comparison of codon optimised Aspergillus tubingensis amylase
      variants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - The expression of codon optimised genes is a popular genetic engineering approach
      for the production of industrially relevant proteins. This study investigates and
      compares the expression of codon optimised and codon adapted amylase variants.
      The Aspergillus tubingensis raw starch hydrolysing alpha-amylase (amyA) and
      glucoamylase (glaA) encoding genes were redesigned using synonymous codons and
      expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y294. Codon optimisation to favour S.
      cerevisiae codon bias resulted in a decrease in extracellular enzyme activity of
      72% (30.28 nkat ml-1) and 68% (4.08 nkat ml-1) compared to the expression of the
      native amyA and glaA genes, respectively, after 96 h of growth. However, a lower
      cultivation temperature and co-expression with the PDI1 gene increased
      extracellular activity levels of the codon optimised alpha-amylase and
      glucoamylase, respectively. Despite the identical amino acid sequence of GlaA,
      GlaA_Opt and GlaA_CBI, differential scanning fluorimetry revealed changes in the
      glucoamylase proteins' melting temperatures (>3 degrees C). Shifts in the
      fluorescence curves suggest changes in glucoamylase tertiary structure. Results
      indicate that synonymous codon changes resulting from codon optimisation of amyA
      and glaA genes does not guarantee increased recombinant protein production and
      that there is crucial translational information present within the coding
      sequence that controls protein folding and secretion.

PMID- 28637249
TI  - Bypass Surgery for Complex Intracranial Aneurysms: 15 Years of Experience at a
      Single Institution and Review of Pertinent Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bypass surgery is a treatment option for complex intracranial
      aneurysms. OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of bypass surgery for the
      treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms and to review the literature on this
      topic. METHODS: Sixty-two patients were included in this retrospective study.
      Unruptured aneurysms were dominant (80.6%), and the internal carotid artery was
      the most common location of the aneurysm (56.4%), followed by the middle cerebral
      artery (21.0%). The mean maximal diameter of the aneurysms was 20.5 +/- 11.4 mm.
      The clinical and angiographic states were evaluated preoperatively, immediately
      after surgery (within 3 days) and at the last follow-up. The mean angiographic
      and clinical follow-up duration was 34.2 +/- 38.9 and 46.5 +/- 42.5 months,
      respectively. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients (98.3%) underwent extracranial
      intracranial bypass, and 1 underwent intracranial-intracranial bypass. At the
      last follow-up angiography, 58 aneurysms (93.5%) were completely obliterated and
      4 were incompletely obliterated, with a graft patency of 90.3%. Surgical
      mortality was 0 and permanent morbidity was 8.1%. A good clinical outcome
      (Karnofsky Performance Scale >= 70 and modified Rankin Scale score <= 2) was
      achieved in 91.9% of patients (n = 57). CONCLUSION: With a proper selection of
      bypass type, bypass-associated treatment can be a good alternative for patients
      with complex intracranial aneurysms when conventional microsurgical clipping or
      endovascular intervention is not feasible.

PMID- 28637251
TI  - Intracoronary autologous bone marrow cell transfer after acute myocardial
      infarction: abort and refocus.

PMID- 28637250
TI  - Use of SpyTag/SpyCatcher to construct bispecific antibodies that target two
      epitopes of a single antigen.
AB  - Bispecific antibody targeting of two different antigens is promising, but when
      fragment-based antibodies are used, homogeneous production is difficult. To
      overcome this difficulty, we developed a method using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher
      system in which a covalent bond is formed between the two polypeptides. Using
      this method, we constructed a bispecific antibody that simultaneously interacted
      with two different epitopes of roundabout homologue 1 (ROBO1), a membrane protein
      associated with cancer progression. A bispecific tetravalent antibody with an
      additional functional moiety was also constructed by using a dimeric biotin
      binding protein. An interaction analysis of ROBO1-expressing cells and the
      recombinant antigen demonstrated the improved binding ability of the bispecific
      antibodies through spontaneous binding of the two antibody fragments to their
      respective epitopes. In addition, multivalency delayed dissociation, which is
      advantageous in therapy and diagnosis.

PMID- 28637252
TI  - Wheat seed weight and quality differ temporally in sensitivity to warm or cool
      conditions during seed development and maturation.
AB  - Background and aims: Short periods of extreme temperature may affect wheat
      (Triticum aestivum) seed weight, but also quality. Temporal sensitivity to
      extreme temperature during seed development and maturation was investigated.
      Methods: Plants of 'Tybalt' grown at ambient temperature were moved to growth
      cabinets at 29/20 degrees C or 34/20 degrees C (2010), or 15/10 degrees C or
      34/20 degrees C (2011), for successive 7-d periods from 7 DAA (days after
      anthesis) onwards, and also 7-65 DAA in 2011. Seed samples were harvested
      serially and moisture content, weight, ability to germinate, subsequent longevity
      in air-dry storage and bread-making quality were determined. Key Results: High
      temperature (34/20 degrees C) reduced final seed weight, with greatest temporal
      sensitivity at 7-14 or 14-21 DAA. Several aspects of bread-making quality were
      also most sensitive to high temperature then, but whereas protein quality
      decreased protein and sulphur concentrations improved. Early exposure to high
      temperature provided earlier development of ability to germinate and tolerate
      desiccation, but had little effect on maximum germination capacity. All
      treatments at 15/10 degrees C resulted in ability to germinate declining between
      58 and 65 DAA. Early exposure to high temperature hastened improvement in seed
      storage longevity, but the subsequent decline in late maturation preceded that in
      the control. Long (7-65 DAA) exposure to 15/10 degrees C disrupted the
      development of seed longevity, with no improvement after seed filling ended.
      Longevity improved during maturation drying in other treatments. Early (7-14 DAA)
      exposure to high temperature reduced and low temperature increased subsequent
      longevity at harvest maturity, whereas late (35 or 42-49 DAA) exposure to high
      temperature increased and low temperature reduced it. Conclusions: Temporal
      sensitivity to extreme temperature was detected. It varied considerably amongst
      the contrasting seed variables investigated. Subsequent seed longevity at harvest
      maturity responded negatively to temperature early in development, but positively
      later in development and throughout maturation.

PMID- 28637253
TI  - Synthesis and Secretion of Isoflavones by Field-Grown Soybean.
AB  - Isoflavones play important roles in rhizosphere plant-microbe interactions.
      Daidzein and genistein secreted by soybean roots induce the symbiotic interaction
      with rhizobia and may modulate rhizosphere interactions with microbes. Yet
      despite their important roles, little is known about the biosynthesis, secretion
      and fate of isoflavones in field-grown soybeans. Here, we analyzed isoflavone
      contents and the expression of isoflavone biosynthesis genes in field-grown
      soybeans. In roots, isoflavone contents and composition did not change with crop
      growth, but the expression of UGT4, an isoflavone-specific 7-O
      glucosyltransferase, and of ICHG (isoflavone conjugates hydrolyzing beta
      glucosidase) was decreased during the reproductive stages. Isoflavone contents
      were higher in rhizosphere soil than in bulk soil during both vegetative and
      reproductive stages, and were comparable in the rhizosphere soil between these
      two stages. We analyzed the degradation dynamics of daidzein and its glucosides
      to develop a model for predicting rhizosphere isoflavone contents from the amount
      of isoflavones secreted in hydroponic culture. Conjugates of daidzein were
      degraded much faster than daidzein, with degradation rate constants of 8.51 d-1
      for malonyldaidzin and 11.6 d-1 for daidzin, vs. 9.15 * 10-2 d-1 for daidzein.
      The model suggested that secretion of isoflavones into the rhizosphere is higher
      during vegetative stages than during reproductive stages in field-grown soybean.

PMID- 28637254
TI  - Phylogeography of Lionfishes (Pterois) Indicate Taxonomic Over Splitting and
      Hybrid Origin of the Invasive Pterois volitans.
AB  - The lionfish is an iconic marine fish, and recently renowned for a disastrous
      introduction into the West Atlantic. Genetic surveys of the putative invaders
      (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) in their natural Indo-Pacific range can
      illuminate both topics. Previous research indicated that P. volitans and P. miles
      are sister species that hybridize in the invasive range, but hybridization in the
      native range is unknown. Here, we apply mtDNA COI and 2 nuclear introns (S7 RP1
      and Gpd2) from 229 lionfish including the 2 invaders and 2 closely-related taxa
      (44 P. miles, 91 P. volitans, 31 Pterois lunulata, and 63 Pterois russelii) from
      10 locations in their native ranges. Genetic data are supplemented with key
      morphological characters: dorsal, anal, and pectoral fin ray counts. We observed
      2 lineages (d = 4.07%, 0.89%, and 2.75% at COI, S7 RP1, and Gpd2, respectively)
      among the 4 putative species: an Indian Ocean lineage represented by P. miles,
      and a Pacific Ocean lineage represented by P. lunulata and P. russelii. All
      specimens of the invasive P. volitans appear to be hybrids between the Indian
      Ocean P. miles and a Pacific lineage encompassing P. lunulata/russelii, a
      conclusion supported by both genetics and morphology. The divergences between
      Indian and Pacific forms are within the range of species-level partitions in
      fishes, and we recommend retention of the names P. miles and P. russelii for
      Indian and Pacific forms. The hybrid origin of the Atlantic invasion invokes the
      possibility of heterosis as a contributing factor to invasion success.

PMID- 28637256
TI  - Telomeres, oxidative stress, and myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28637255
TI  - A biomechanical study of 4 different sternum closure techniques under different
      deformation modes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study experimentally compares the efficiency of the 4 most
      preferred sternal closure tehniques, in 3 different deformation modes of the
      chest. METHODS: Polyurethane sternum models fixed by conventional wiring, steel
      band, ZipFix band and figure-8 wiring are tested statically under lateral
      distraction, longitudinal shear and torsional deformation modes. As a result,
      load-deformation curves are obtained. The closure efficiency of the techniques is
      then compared with respect to allowable load (corresponding to 2 mm
      displacement), rigidity, rupture load and rupture displacement. A comparison in
      terms of cost and ease of application has also been presented. RESULTS: The
      highest allowable load and rigidity values in simple tension and longitudinal
      shear are obtained by the steel and ZipFix band techniques, respectively. In
      torsion mode, the highest allowable load is provided by the ZipFix band and the
      highest rigidty is attained by the steel band technique. The highest rupture
      loads under simple tension, longitudinal shear and torsion modes are observed in
      ZipFix, steel band and conventional wiring, respectively. Steel band closure
      provides the least rupture displacement in simple tension as well as torsion,
      whereas ZipFix bands give the smallest rupture displacements in longitudinal
      shear. However, in every loading mode there were no statistically significant
      differences in allowable load, rigidity and rupture load values between the
      closure methods, and only rupture displacement values were statistically
      different for each method. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that conventional
      wiring is the most advantageous closing method when compared to the others.

PMID- 28637257
TI  - Effects of a chromosome 9 quantitative trait locus for ascites on economically
      important traits in broilers.
AB  - A quantitative trait locus on chromosome 9 was previously shown to be associated
      with ascites in multiple experimental and commercial populations. A study to
      evaluate the association of the QTL, based on variable number tandem repeat
      genotypes, with economically important traits was carried out on a commercial
      male elite line. Results indicated the highest fat and the lowest fillet mean
      were associated with the most resistant ascites genotype. All other traits
      measured for this genotype showed no trend towards positive or negatively
      impacting production values. The results suggest that a balanced approach could
      be undertaken in commercial broiler breeding operations to reduce ascites
      susceptibility in broiler populations without compromising overall genetic
      progress for traits of economic importance.

PMID- 28637258
TI  - 'Dysfunctional' adipose tissue in cardiovascular disease: a reprogrammable target
      or an innocent bystander?

PMID- 28637259
TI  - Caddyshack therapeutics: overcoming glioblastoma adaptation.

PMID- 28637260
TI  - Associations of obesity and lifestyle with the risk and mortality of bloodstream
      infection in a general population: a 15-year follow-up of 64 027 individuals in
      the HUNT Study.
AB  - Background: Bloodstream infections (BSI) cause considerable morbidity and
      mortality, and primary prevention should be a priority. Lifestyle factors are of
      particular interest since they represent a modifiable target. Methods: We
      conducted a prospective cohort study among participants in the population-based
      Norwegian HUNT2 Survey, where 64 027 participants were followed from 1995-97
      through 2011 by linkage to prospectively recorded information on BSI at local and
      regional hospitals. The exposures were: baseline body mass index (BMI)
      measurements; and self-reported smoking habits, leisure time physical activity
      and alcohol intake. The outcomes were hazard ratios (HR) of BSI and BSI
      mortality. Results: During 810 453 person-years and median follow-up of 14.8
      years, 1844 (2.9%) participants experienced at least one BSI and 396 (0.62%) died
      from BSI. Compared with normal weight participants (BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2), the age
      and sex-adjusted risk of a first-time BSI was 31% [95% confidence interval (CI)
      14-51%] higher at BMI 30.0-34.9 kg/m2, 87% (95% CI 50-135%) higher at BMI 35.0
      39.9 kg/m2 and 210% (95% CI 117-341%) higher at BMI >= 40.0 kg/m2. The risk of
      BSI mortality was similarly increased. Compared with never-smokers, current
      smokers had 51% (95% CI 34-70%) and 75% (95% CI 34-129%) higher risks of BSI and
      BSI mortality, respectively. Physically inactive participants had 71% (95% CI 42
      107%) and 108% (95% CI 37-216%) higher risks of BSI and BSI mortality,
      respectively, compared with the most physically active. Conclusions: Obesity,
      smoking and physical inactivity carry increased risk of BSI and BSI mortality.

PMID- 28637262
TI  - Qualitative Exploration of a Smoking Cessation Trial for People Living With HIV
      in South Africa.
AB  - Introduction: In South Africa, people living with HIV have a high prevalence of
      smoking, which undermines the beneficial effects of antiretroviral therapy.
      However, little is known about barriers to smoking cessation and what
      interventions work for people living with HIV in this setting. Methods: A
      randomized trial comparing intensive anti-smoking counseling versus counseling
      and nicotine replacement therapy was recently concluded in Klerksdorp, South
      Africa. In a post-trial follow-up, 23 in-depth interviews with patients and one
      focus group discussion with counselors from the trial were conducted. A codebook
      was developed and codes were applied to the transcripts, which were analyzed
      using a thematic analysis. Results: Barriers at the economic,
      social/interpersonal, and individual levels induced stress, which hindered
      smoking cessation. Economic stressors included unemployment and poverty. Social
      or interpersonal stressors were lack of social support for quitting smoking and
      lack of social support due to having HIV. Individual stressors were traumatic
      life events. Alcohol was used to cope with stress and frequently co-occurred with
      smoking. Managing cravings was a barrier unrelated to stress. Participants
      proposed income and employment opportunities, group counseling, and more frequent
      counseling as solutions to address stressors at different levels. Nicotine
      replacement therapy was helpful to mitigate cravings. Conclusions: Future smoking
      cessation interventions need to target barriers at multiple levels. Increasing
      the supply and duration of nicotine replacement therapy may increase its
      effectiveness. Other behavioral approaches such as group counseling or peer
      counseling could hold promise in this setting but need to be tested for efficacy
      through randomized controlled trials. Implications: To our knowledge, this is the
      first qualitative study examining barriers to smoking cessation for people living
      with HIV in South Africa. Smoking is highly prevalent among people with HIV in
      South Africa and cessation interventions are urgently needed. A better
      understanding of barriers to smoking cessation that people with HIV face will
      lead to the development of contextually appropriate interventions. This study
      also provides feedback on interventions from a recently concluded smoking
      cessation randomized trial and will help guide the design of future smoking
      cessation trials.

PMID- 28637263
TI  - Nearly nondiffracting electron lattice beams generated by polygonal slits.
AB  - A method for generating electron lattice beams carrying vortices using
      nanofabricated polygonal slits in a transmission electron microscope is proposed.
      Experimental and simulation study of the intensity of the beams verified their
      Bessel beam-like nearly nondiffracting behavior. Phase analysis using a
      diffractive imaging method found arrays of quantized vortices, forming an
      electron beam lattice with cylindrical intensity distribution in the propagation
      direction. Such vortex lattice beams may be used in a variety of applications
      including nanofabrication, particle manipulation or a new electron imaging
      method.

PMID- 28637261
TI  - Further Simulations and Analyses Demonstrate Open Problems of Phylostratigraphy.
AB  - Phylostratigraphy, originally designed for gene age estimation by BLAST-based
      protein homology searches of sequenced genomes, has been widely used for studying
      patterns and inferring mechanisms of gene origination and evolution. We
      previously showed by computer simulation that phylostratigraphy underestimates
      gene age for a nonnegligible fraction of genes and that the underestimation is
      severer for genes with certain properties such as fast evolution and short
      protein sequences. Consequently, many previously reported age distributions of
      gene properties may have been methodological artifacts rather than biological
      realities. Domazet-Loso and colleagues recently argued that our simulations were
      flawed and that phylostratigraphic bias does not impact inferences about gene
      emergence and evolution. Here we discuss conceptual difficulties of
      phylostratigraphy, identify numerous problems in Domazet-Loso et al.'s argument,
      reconfirm phylostratigraphic error using simulations suggested by Domazet-Loso
      and colleagues, and demonstrate that a phylostratigraphic trend claimed to be
      robust to error disappears when genes likely to be error-resistant are analyzed.
      We conclude that extreme caution is needed in interpreting phylostratigraphic
      results because of the inherent biases of the method and that reanalysis using
      genes exhibiting no error in realistic simulations may help reduce spurious
      findings.

PMID- 28637264
TI  - Impact of admission serum potassium on mortality in patients with chronic kidney
      disease and cardiovascular disease.
AB  - Background: Little is known about the effect of admission potassium (K) on risk
      of in-hospital mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular
      disease (CVD) patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship
      between admission serum K and in-hospital mortality in all hospitalized patients
      stratified by CKD and/or CVD status. Design and Methods: All adult hospitalized
      patients who had admission serum K between years 2011 and 2013 were enrolled.
      Admission serum K was categorized into seven groups (<3.0, 3.0-3.5, 3.5-4.0, 4.0
      4.5, 4.5-5.0, 5.0-5.5 and >=5.5 mEq/L). The odds ratio (OR) of in-hospital
      mortality by admission serum K, using K 4.0-4.5 mEq/L as the reference group, was
      obtained by logistic regression analysis. Results: 73,983 patients were studied.
      The lowest incidence of in-hospital mortality was associated with serum K within
      4.0-4.5 mEq/L. A U-shaped curve emerged demonstrating higher in-hospital
      mortality associated with both serum K < 4.0 and >4.5 mEq/L. After adjusting for
      potential confounders, both serum K < 4.0 mEq/L and >5.0 mEq/L were associated
      with increased in-hospital mortality with ORs of 3.26 (95% CI 2.03-4.98), 2.40
      (95% CI 1.89-3.04), 1.38 (95%CI 1.15-1.66), 1.89 (95% CI 1.49-2.38) and 3.62
      (95%CI 2.73-4.76) when serum K were within <3.0, 3.0-3.5, 3.5-4.0, 5.0-5.5, and
      >=5.5 mEq/L, respectively. In CVD patients, the highest in-hospital mortality was
      associated with serum K < 3.0 mEq/L (OR 1.70, 95%CI 1.31-2.18). In CKD patients,
      the highest in-hospital mortality was associated with serum K >= 5.5 mEq/L (OR
      3.26, 95%CI 2.14-4.90). Conclusion: Admission serum K < 4.0 mEq/L and >5.0 mEq/L
      were associated with increased in-hospital mortality. The mortality risk among
      patients with various admission potassium levels was affected by CKD and/or CVD
      status.

PMID- 28637265
TI  - Importance of Carbapenemase Production Detection in Carbapenem-Resistant
      Enterobacteriaceae: Looking Beyond Epidemiological Purposes.

PMID- 28637266
TI  - Family Caregivers of Older Adults, 1999-2015: Trends in Characteristics,
      Circumstances, and Role-Related Appraisal.
AB  - Purpose of Study: To assess trends in family caregiving between 1999 and 2015.
      Design and Methods: We construct nationally representative profiles of community
      dwelling older adults receiving help with self-care or indoor mobility and their
      "primary" family or unpaid caregiver using the 1999 and 2004 National Long Term
      Care Survey, 2011 and 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study, and linked
      caregiver surveys. Trends are examined. Results: Older adults receiving help were
      incrementally younger, more racially diverse, and better educated in 2015.
      Primary caregivers overwhelmingly continued to be spouses and adult children.
      Arrangements were increasingly 4 years or longer in duration (shifting from 44.8%
      in 1999 to 60.5% by 2015). On average, primary caregivers provided about or in
      excess of 30 hr per week at all four time points. Spouses provided fewer hours of
      care, were twice as likely to work, and half as likely to report substantial
      emotional, physical, and financial difficulty due to caregiving in 2015 than
      1999. Adult children provided comparable hours of care to a more impaired
      population; a similar proportion reported substantial caregiving-related
      difficulty at each time. Use of respite care nearly doubled from 8.5% in 1999 to
      15.7% in 2015. Dementia caregivers were less likely to report substantial
      physical and financial difficulty and more likely to use respite care in 2015
      than 1999. Implications: Family caregivers' circumstances generally improved
      during the 16-year period. Results diverge from prevailing concerns regarding the
      state of family caregiving and demonstrate the importance of longitudinally
      monitoring trends in late-life family caregiving.

PMID- 28637267
TI  - Global travel patterns: an overview.

PMID- 28637268
TI  - Predicting structured metadata from unstructured metadata.
AB  - Enormous amounts of biomedical data have been and are being produced by
      investigators all over the world. However, one crucial and limiting factor in
      data reuse is accurate, structured and complete description of the data or data
      about the data-defined as metadata. We propose a framework to predict structured
      metadata terms from unstructured metadata for improving quality and quantity of
      metadata, using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray database. Our
      framework consists of classifiers trained using term frequency-inverse document
      frequency (TF-IDF) features and a second approach based on topics modeled using a
      Latent Dirichlet Allocation model (LDA) to reduce the dimensionality of the
      unstructured data. Our results on the GEO database show that structured metadata
      terms can be the most accurately predicted using the TF-IDF approach followed by
      LDA both outperforming the majority vote baseline. While some accuracy is lost by
      the dimensionality reduction of LDA, the difference is small for elements with
      few possible values, and there is a large improvement over the majority
      classifier baseline. Overall this is a promising approach for metadata prediction
      that is likely to be applicable to other datasets and has implications for
      researchers interested in biomedical metadata curation and metadata prediction.

PMID- 28637269
TI  - Announcing the Genome Atlas of Bamboo and Rattan (GABR) project: promoting
      research in evolution and in economically and ecologically beneficial plants.
AB  - Bamboo and rattan are widely grown for manufacturing, horticulture, and
      agroforestry. Bamboo and rattan production might help reduce poverty, boost
      economic growth, mitigate climate change, and protect the natural environment.
      Despite progress in research, sufficient molecular and genomic resources to study
      these species are lacking. We launched the Genome Atlas of Bamboo and Rattan
      (GABR) project, a comprehensive, coordinated international effort to accelerate
      understanding of bamboo and rattan genetics through genome analysis. GABR
      includes 2 core subprojects: Bamboo-T1K (Transcriptomes of 1000 Bamboos) and
      Rattan-G5 (Genomes of 5 Rattans), and several other subprojects. Here we describe
      the organization, directions, and status of GABR.

PMID- 28637270
TI  - In Planta Recapitulation of Isoprene Synthase Evolution from Ocimene Synthases.
AB  - Isoprene is the most abundant biogenic volatile hydrocarbon compound naturally
      emitted by plants and plays a major role in atmospheric chemistry. It has been
      proposed that isoprene synthases (IspS) may readily evolve from other terpene
      synthases, but this hypothesis has not been experimentally investigated. We
      isolated and functionally validated in Arabidopsis the first isoprene synthase
      gene, AdoIspS, from a monocotyledonous species (Arundo donax L., Poaceae).
      Phylogenetic reconstruction indicates that AdoIspS and dicots isoprene synthases
      most likely originated by parallel evolution from TPS-b monoterpene synthases.
      Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated invivo the functional and evolutionary
      relevance of the residues considered diagnostic for IspS function. One of these
      positions was identified by saturating mutagenesis as a major determinant of
      substrate specificity in AdoIspS able to cause invivo a dramatic change in total
      volatile emission from hemi- to monoterpenes and supporting evolution of isoprene
      synthases from ocimene synthases. The mechanism responsible for IspS
      neofunctionalization by active site size modulation by a single amino acid
      mutation demonstrated in this study might be general, as the very same amino
      acidic position is implicated in the parallel evolution of different short-chain
      terpene synthases from both angiosperms and gymnosperms. Based on these results,
      we present a model reconciling in a unified conceptual framework the apparently
      contrasting patterns previously observed for isoprene synthase evolution in
      plants. These results indicate that parallel evolution may be driven by
      relatively simple biophysical constraints, and illustrate the intimate molecular
      evolutionary links between the structural and functional bases of traits with
      global relevance.

PMID- 28637271
TI  - Logical Issues With the Pressure Natriuresis Theory of Chronic Hypertension.
AB  - The term "abnormal pressure natriuresis" refers to a subnormal effect of a given
      level of blood pressure (BP) on sodium excretion. It is widely believed that
      abnormal pressure natriuresis causes an initial increase in BP to be sustained.
      We refer to this view as the "pressure natriuresis theory of chronic
      hypertension." The proponents of the theory contend that all forms of chronic
      hypertension are sustained by abnormal pressure natriuresis, irrespective of how
      hypertension is initiated. This theory would appear to follow from "the three
      laws of long-term arterial pressure regulation" stated by Guyton and Coleman more
      than 3 decades ago. These "laws" articulate the concept that for a given level of
      salt intake, the relationship between arterial pressure and sodium excretion
      determines the chronic level of BP. Here, we review and examine the recent
      assertion by Beard that these "laws" of long-term BP control amount to nothing
      more than a series of tautologies. Our analysis supports Beard's assertion, and
      also indicates that contemporary investigators often use tautological reasoning
      in support of the pressure natriuresis theory of chronic hypertension. Although
      the theory itself is not a tautology, it does not appear to be testable because
      it holds that abnormal pressure natriuresis causes salt-induced hypertension to
      be sustained through abnormal increases in cardiac output that are too small to
      be detected.

PMID- 28637272
TI  - Illogical Critiques of the Pressure Natriuresis Theory of Chronic Hypertension.

PMID- 28637273
TI  - Gingival recession in mandibular incisors and symphysis morphology-a
      retrospective cohort study.
AB  - Objective: To evaluate if the morphology of the mandibular symphysis is
      associated with the development of gingival recession. Materials and methods: A
      cohort of 177 patients was followed longitudinally for up to 5 years post
      treatment. Based on the width of the symphysis, participants were divided into
      three groups: narrow (n = 57); average (n = 63), and wide symphysis (n = 57).
      Morphology of the symphysis and inclination of incisors were measured on lateral
      cephalometric radiographs before treatment (Ts), at the end of treatment (T0) and
      5 years after treatment (T5). Gingival recession and the change of clinical crown
      heights in mandibular incisors were measured on plaster models made at TS, T0,
      and T5. Results: From TS to T5 the change in inclination was comparable in the
      narrow, average, and wide groups. At T5, gingival labial recession was present in
      19.3 per cent of patients with narrow symphysis, 20.6 per cent with average
      symphysis, and 14 per cent of patients with wide symphysis. The difference was
      not significant. The mean change of clinical crown height was <1 mm (TS - T5).
      The regression model showed some evidence that incisor inclination at Ts might
      have been associated with the change of mean clinical crown height (-2.51, 95%
      CI: -4.6 to -0.4, P = 0.02). The logistic regression model demonstrated that H1
      (Height 1) might be associated with the development of gingival recession (OR =
      0.75, 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.96, P = 0.03). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this
      study, there is no evidence that the overall morphology of the mandibular
      symphysis is associated with gingival recession development.

PMID- 28637274
TI  - Association of Bariatric Surgery With Risk of Infectious Diseases: A Self
      Controlled Case Series Analysis.
AB  - Background: Although emerging data demonstrate that obesity is a risk factor for
      infectious diseases, no study has investigated the relationship of bariatric
      surgery with the risk of infectious diseases among obese adults. Methods: We
      conducted a self-controlled case series analysis using data from the State
      Emergency Department Database and State Inpatient Database of 3 US states
      (California, Florida, and Nebraska) from 2005 through 2011. We included obese
      adults who underwent bariatric surgery as an instrument of weight reduction.
      Primary outcomes were emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization for skin
      and soft-tissue infection (SSTI), respiratory infection, intra-abdominal
      infection, or urinary tract infection (UTI). Results: Among 56277 obese adults
      who underwent bariatric surgery, compared to presurgery months 13-24 as the
      reference period, the risk of ED visit or hospitalization in the 0- to 12-month
      postsurgery period decreased significantly for SSTI (aOR, 0.85 [95% confidence
      interval {CI}, .76-.95]) and respiratory infection (aOR, 0.82 [95% CI, .75-.90])
      and remained significantly low in the 13- to 24-month postsurgery period (aORs,
      0.77 [95% CI, .68-.86] and 0.75 [95% CI, .68-.82], respectively). By contrast,
      the risk increased significantly in the 0- to 12-month postsurgery period for
      intra-abdominal infection (aOR, 2.09 [95% CI, 1.78-2.46]) and UTI (aOR, 1.93 [95%
      CI, 1.74-2.15]) and remained high in the 13- to 24-month postsurgery period
      (aORs, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.09-1.54] and 1.31 [95% CI, 1.17-1.47], respectively).
      Conclusions: We found a divergent risk pattern in the risk of 4 common infectious
      diseases after bariatric surgery. The risk of SSTI and respiratory infection
      decreased after bariatric surgery whereas that of intra-abdominal infection and
      UTI increased.

PMID- 28637275
TI  - 16GT: a fast and sensitive variant caller using a 16-genotype probabilistic
      model.
AB  - 16GT is a variant caller for Illumina whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing
      data. It uses a new 16-genotype probabilistic model to unify single nucleotide
      polymorphism and insertion and deletion calling in a single variant calling
      algorithm. In benchmark comparisons with 5 other widely used variant callers on a
      modern 36-core server, 16GT demonstrated improved sensitivity in calling single
      nucleotide polymorphisms, and it provided comparable sensitivity and accuracy for
      calling insertions and deletions as compared to the GATK HaplotypeCaller. 16GT is
      available at https://github.com/aquaskyline/16GT.

PMID- 28637277
TI  - Measuring CO2 and HCO3- permeabilities of isolated chloroplasts using a MIMS-18O
      approach.
AB  - To support photosynthetic CO2 fixation by Rubisco, the chloroplast must be fed
      with inorganic carbon in the form of CO2 or bicarbonate. However, the mechanisms
      allowing the rapid passage of this gas and this charged molecule through the
      bounding membranes of the chloroplast envelope are not yet completely elucidated.
      We describe here a method allowing us to measure the permeability of these two
      molecules through the chloroplast envelope using a membrane inlet mass
      spectrometer and 18O-labelled inorganic carbon. We established that the internal
      stromal carbonic anhydrase activity is not limiting for this technique, and
      precisely measured the chloroplast surface area and permeability values for CO2
      and bicarbonate. This was performed on chloroplasts from several plant species,
      with values ranging from 2.3 * 10-4 m s-1 to 8 * 10-4 m s-1 permeability for CO2
      and 1 * 10-8 m s-1 for bicarbonate. We were able to apply our method to
      chloroplasts from an Arabidopsis aquaporin mutant, and this showed that CO2
      permeability was reduced 50% in the mutant compared with the wild-type reference.

PMID- 28637276
TI  - Repetitive element transcripts are elevated in the brain of C9orf72 ALS/FTLD
      patients.
AB  - Significant transcriptome alterations are detected in the brain of patients with
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), including carriers of the C9orf72 repeat
      expansion and C9orf72-negative sporadic cases. Recently, the expression of
      repetitive element transcripts has been associated with toxicity and, while
      increased repetitive element expression has been observed in several
      neurodegenerative diseases, little is known about their contribution to ALS. To
      assess whether aberrant expression of repetitive element sequences are observed
      in ALS, we analysed RNA sequencing data from C9orf72-positive and sporadic ALS
      cases, as well as healthy controls. Transcripts from multiple classes and
      subclasses of repetitive elements (LINEs, endogenous retroviruses, DNA
      transposons, simple repeats, etc.) were significantly increased in the frontal
      cortex of C9orf72 ALS patients. A large collection of patient samples,
      representing both C9orf72 positive and negative ALS, ALS/FTLD, and FTLD cases,
      was used to validate the levels of several repetitive element transcripts. These
      analyses confirmed that repetitive element expression was significantly increased
      in C9orf72-positive compared to C9orf72-negative or control cases. While previous
      studies suggest an important link between TDP-43 and repetitive element biology,
      our data indicate that TDP-43 pathology alone is insufficient to account for the
      observed changes in repetitive elements in ALS/FTLD. Instead, we found that
      repetitive element expression positively correlated with RNA polymerase II
      activity in postmortem brain, and pharmacologic modulation of RNA polymerase II
      activity altered repetitive element expression in vitro. We conclude that
      increased RNA polymerase II activity in ALS/FTLD may lead to increased repetitive
      element transcript expression, a novel pathological feature of ALS/FTLD.

PMID- 28637279
TI  - High-dimensional multivariate mediation with application to neuroimaging data.
AB  - Mediation analysis is an important tool in the behavioral sciences for
      investigating the role of intermediate variables that lie in the path between a
      treatment and an outcome variable. The influence of the intermediate variable on
      the outcome is often explored using a linear structural equation model (LSEM),
      with model coefficients interpreted as possible effects. While there has been
      significant research on the topic, little work has been done when the
      intermediate variable (mediator) is a high-dimensional vector. In this work, we
      introduce a novel method for identifying potential mediators in this setting
      called the directions of mediation (DMs). DMs linearly combine potential
      mediators into a smaller number of orthogonal components, with components ranked
      based on the proportion of the LSEM likelihood each accounts for. This method is
      well suited for cases when many potential mediators are measured. Examples of
      high-dimensional potential mediators are brain images composed of hundreds of
      thousands of voxels, genetic variation measured at millions of single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs), or vectors of thousands of variables in large-scale
      epidemiological studies. We demonstrate the method using a functional magnetic
      resonance imaging study of thermal pain where we are interested in determining
      which brain locations mediate the relationship between the application of a
      thermal stimulus and self-reported pain.

PMID- 28637280
TI  - Editorial: Networking and collaboration: a stronghold of the yeast research
      community.

PMID- 28637281
TI  - Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma-a new hope.

PMID- 28637278
TI  - Functional and structural analysis of AT-specific minor groove binders that
      disrupt DNA-protein interactions and cause disintegration of the Trypanosoma
      brucei kinetoplast.
AB  - Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of sleeping sickness (Human African
      Trypanosomiasis, HAT), contains a kinetoplast with the mitochondrial DNA (kDNA),
      comprising of >70% AT base pairs. This has prompted studies of drugs interacting
      with AT-rich DNA, such as the N-phenylbenzamide bis(2-aminoimidazoline)
      derivatives 1 [4-((4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)amino)-N-(4-((4,5-dihydro-1H
      imidazol-2-yl)amino)phenyl)benzamide dihydrochloride] and 2 [N-(3-chloro-4-((4,5
      dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)amino)phenyl)-4-((4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2
      yl)amino)benzamide] as potential drugs for HAT. Both compounds show in vitro
      effects against T. brucei and in vivo curative activity in a mouse model of HAT.
      The main objective was to identify their cellular target inside the parasite. We
      were able to demonstrate that the compounds have a clear effect on the S-phase of
      T. brucei cell cycle by inflicting specific damage on the kinetoplast. Surface
      plasmon resonance (SPR)-biosensor experiments show that the drug can displace HMG
      box-containing proteins essential for kDNA function from their kDNA binding
      sites. The crystal structure of the complex of the oligonucleotide d[AAATTT]2
      with compound 1 solved at 1.25 A (PDB-ID: 5LIT) shows that the drug covers the
      minor groove of DNA, displaces bound water and interacts with neighbouring DNA
      molecules as a cross-linking agent. We conclude that 1 and 2 are powerful
      trypanocides that act directly on the kinetoplast, a structure unique to the
      order Kinetoplastida.

PMID- 28637282
TI  - The effect of predisposing atheroembolic risk factors on renal functional
      recovery between laparoscopy and open technique in patients with T1-stage renal
      cell carcinoma who underwent partial nephrectomy: a retrospective comparison
      study.
AB  - Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effect of an increasing
      number of predisposing atheroembolic risk factors on the development of chronic
      kidney disease (CKD) after partial nephrectomy (PN) in patients with T1-stage
      renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods: The study included 147 patients with T1
      stage RCC with a normal contralateral kidney and without preoperative CKD, who
      underwent open (OPN, N = 83, 56.5%) or laparoscopic PN (LPN, N = 64, 43.5%)
      between 2003 and 2014. Postoperative CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular
      filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. The predictive factors for CKD between OPN
      and LPN were statistically assessed among various known clinicopathological
      factors associated with renal function in PN with a significance of two-sided P
      value <0.05. Results: During a median follow-up of 42 months, the recurrence rate
      was 0.7% (n = 1), and the rate of postoperative CKD was 11.6% (n = 17).
      Significant differences in CKD-free survival were observed among patients with
      atheroembolic risks 5-7, 3-4 and 1-2 (P = 0.027). Regarding the predictive
      factors for the postoperative development of CKD between OPN and LPN, a
      predisposing atheroembolic risk >=3 was significant among other
      clinicopathological factors in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 3.007, P =
      0.031). Conclusion: Patients with T1-staged RCC with >=3 predisposing
      atheroembolic risk factors have a significantly higher risk of developing CKD
      after PN. Patients who underwent LPN had a lesser incidence of CKD development
      than patients who underwent OPN with >=3 predisposing atheroembolic risk factors.

PMID- 28637284
TI  - Descriptive texture analyses of cooked patties made of chicken breast with the
      woody breast condition.
AB  - The woody breast (WB) condition negatively influences the texture characteristics
      and quality of intact broiler breast fillets (Pectoralis major). But the impact
      of WB on ground meat is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the
      effects of WB on the texture and cook loss of ground meat made of broiler breast
      fillets. Broiler breasts (deboned 3 h postmortem) were collected on 3 separate
      trial d from the commercial deboning line and classified into normal and severe
      WB fillet categories. Individual fillets were either ground and formed into
      patties or left intact prior to being stored for 7 d at -20 degrees C. Samples
      were then cooked directly from the frozen state to an endpoint temperature of 76 
      degrees C for cook loss, instrumental (patties: Allo-Kramer shear; fillets:
      Warner-Bratzler shear), and descriptive sensory analysis of texture. Cook loss
      was greater (P < 0.05) in intact WB fillets compared to that in intact normal
      fillets, but there was no difference (P > 0.05) between WB and normal patties.
      There was no difference (P > 0.05) in shear force between normal and WB samples
      regardless of meat type. Sensory analysis showed that average scores of
      springiness and hardness of intact WB fillets were greater than those of normal
      fillets (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in
      average scores for sensory attributes cohesiveness, hardness, juiciness, fibrous,
      and rate of breakdown between WB and normal patties. WB patties exhibited lower
      springiness and chewiness scores (P < 0.05) than normal patties. Data suggest
      that undesirable differences in sensory texture characteristics between cooked
      intact WB and normal breast meat can be minimized in a ground product.

PMID- 28637283
TI  - An Essential Physiological Role for MCT8 in Bone in Male Mice.
AB  - T3 is an important regulator of skeletal development and adult bone maintenance.
      Thyroid hormone action requires efficient transport of T4 and T3 into target
      cells. We hypothesized that monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 8, encoded by Mct8
      on the X-chromosome, is an essential thyroid hormone transporter in bone. To test
      this hypothesis, we determined the juvenile and adult skeletal phenotypes of male
      Mct8 knockout mice (Mct8KO) and Mct8D1D2KO compound mutants, which additionally
      lack the ability to convert the prohormone T4 to the active hormone T3. Prenatal
      skeletal development was normal in both Mct8KO and Mct8D1D2KO mice, whereas
      postnatal endochondral ossification and linear growth were delayed in both Mct8KO
      and Mct8D1D2KO mice. Furthermore, bone mass and mineralization were decreased in
      adult Mct8KO and Mct8D1D2KO mice, and compound mutants also had reduced bone
      strength. Delayed bone development and maturation in Mct8KO and Mct8D1D2KO mice
      is consistent with decreased thyroid hormone action in growth plate chondrocytes
      despite elevated serum T3 concentrations, whereas low bone mass and osteoporosis
      reflects increased thyroid hormone action in adult bone due to elevated systemic
      T3 levels. These studies identify an essential physiological requirement for MCT8
      in chondrocytes, and demonstrate a role for additional transporters in other
      skeletal cells during adult bone maintenance.

PMID- 28637285
TI  - A qualitative study of the impact of endometriosis on male partners.
AB  - STUDY QUESTION: What is the impact of endometriosis on male partners of women
      with the condition? SUMMARY ANSWER: Endometriosis significantly impacts men
      across several life domains and can negatively impact emotional well-being. WHAT
      IS KNOWN ALREADY: Endometriosis has been shown to negatively impact women's
      quality of life and may strain intimate relationships. Little is known about the
      impact on male partners. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: The ENDOPART study was a
      cross-sectional, qualitative study of 22 women with endometriosis and their male
      partners (n = 44) in the UK (2012-2013). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING,
      METHODS: Inclusion criteria: laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis; the
      presence of symptoms for at least a year; partners living together. Data were
      collected via face to face, semi structured interviews with partners interviewed
      separately. Data were analysed thematically, assisted by NVivo 10. MAIN RESULTS
      AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Men reported that endometriosis affected many life
      domains including sex and intimacy, planning for and having children, working
      lives and household income. It also required them to take on additional support
      tasks and roles. Endometriosis also had an impact on men's emotions, with
      responses including helplessness, frustration, worry and anger. The absence of
      professional or wider societal recognition of the impact on male partners, and a
      lack of support available to men, results in male partners having a marginalized
      status in endometriosis care. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: Self-selection of
      participants may have resulted in a sample representing those with more severe
      symptoms. Couples included are in effect 'survivors' in relationship terms,
      therefore, findings may underestimate the contribution of endometriosis to
      relationship breakdown. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The study extends
      knowledge about the impact of endometriosis on relationships, which thus far has
      been drawn largely from studies with women, by providing new insights about how
      this condition affects male partners. Healthcare practitioners need to take a
      more couple-centred, biopsychosocial approach toward the treatment of
      endometriosis, inclusive of partners and relationship issues. The findings
      demonstrate a need for information and support resources aimed at partners and
      couples. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was funded by the
      Economic and Social Research Council (reference ES/J003662/1). The authors have
      no conflicts of interest.

PMID- 28637288
TI  - Validation of a risk assessment instrument for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

PMID- 28637286
TI  - Structure-seq2: sensitive and accurate genome-wide profiling of RNA structure in
      vivo.
AB  - RNA serves many functions in biology such as splicing, temperature sensing, and
      innate immunity. These functions are often determined by the structure of RNA.
      There is thus a pressing need to understand RNA structure and how it changes
      during diverse biological processes both in vivo and genome-wide. Here, we
      present Structure-seq2, which provides nucleotide-resolution RNA structural
      information in vivo and genome-wide. This optimized version of our original
      Structure-seq method increases sensitivity by at least 4-fold and improves data
      quality by minimizing formation of a deleterious by-product, reducing ligation
      bias, and improving read coverage. We also present a variation of Structure-seq2
      in which a biotinylated nucleotide is incorporated during reverse transcription,
      which greatly facilitates the protocol by eliminating two PAGE purification
      steps. We benchmark Structure-seq2 on both mRNA and rRNA structure in rice (Oryza
      sativa). We demonstrate that Structure-seq2 can lead to new biological insights.
      Our Structure-seq2 datasets uncover hidden breaks in chloroplast rRNA and
      identify a previously unreported N1-methyladenosine (m1A) in a nuclear-encoded
      Oryza sativa rRNA. Overall, Structure-seq2 is a rapid, sensitive, and unbiased
      method to probe RNA in vivo and genome-wide that facilitates new insights into
      RNA biology.

PMID- 28637287
TI  - Pooled analysis of two randomized, double-blind trials comparing proposed
      biosimilar LA-EP2006 with reference pegfilgrastim in breast cancer.
AB  - Background: Following the functional and physicochemical characterization of a
      proposed biosimilar, comparative clinical studies help to confirm biosimilarity
      by demonstrating similar safety and efficacy to the reference product in a
      sensitive patient population. Patients and methods: LA-EP2006 is a proposed
      biosimilar that has been developed for pegfilgrastim, a long-acting form of
      granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for the prevention of neutropenia. The
      current analysis reports data pooled from two independent, multinational,
      prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind phase III studies of similar
      design comparing the safety and efficacy of reference pegfilgrastim with LA
      EP2006 in patients with breast cancer receiving myelotoxic (neo)adjuvant TAC
      (docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy and requiring
      granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Results: A total of 624 patients were
      randomized in the PROTECT-1 and PROTECT-2 studies (NCT01735175; NCT01516736) (LA
      EP2006: n = 314; reference: n = 310). Baseline characteristics of patients were
      well balanced across treatment groups. The primary end point, mean duration of
      severe neutropenia in the first chemotherapy cycle was similar in both the LA
      EP2006 and reference groups (1.05 +/- 1.055 days versus 1.01 +/- 0.958 days),
      with a treatment difference of - 0.04 days [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.19
      to 0.11] that met the equivalence criteria (the 95% CI were within the defined
      margin of +/-1 day). Secondary end points, such as the nadir of absolute
      neutrophil count and the incidence of febrile neutropenia, were also similar
      between LA-EP2006 and reference pegfilgrastim. The safety and tolerability
      profile of LA-EP2006 was similar to that observed with reference pegfilgrastim,
      and there were no reports of neutralizing antibodies. Conclusions: This pooled
      analysis confirms, as a part of totality of evidence approach, that the proposed
      biosimilar pegfilgrastim LA-EP2006 has a comparable efficacy and safety profile
      to reference pegfilgrastim in patients with breast cancer receiving TAC
      chemotherapy. Clinical trial numbers: NCT01735175 and NCT01516736.

PMID- 28637289
TI  - The Importance of Knowing When You Don't Remember: Neural Signaling of Retrieval
      Failure Predicts Memory Improvement Over Time.
AB  - Just as the ability to remember prior events is critical for guiding our decision
      making, so too is the ability to recognize the limitations of our memory. Indeed,
      we hypothesize that neural signaling of retrieval failure promotes more accurate
      memory judgments over time. To test this hypothesis, we collected longitudinal
      functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 8 to 9 years olds, 10 to 12 years
      olds, and adults, with two time points spaced approximately 1.4 years apart (198
      scan sessions in total). Participants performed an episodic memory retrieval task
      in which they could either select a response or report uncertainty about the
      target memory detail. Children who engaged anterior insula more strongly during
      inaccurate or uncertain responses exhibited greater longitudinal increases in
      anterior prefrontal cortex activation for decisions to report uncertainty; both
      of these neural variables predicted improvements in episodic memory. Together,
      the results suggest that the brain processes supporting effective cognitive
      control and decision-making continue to develop in middle childhood and play an
      important role for memory development.

PMID- 28637290
TI  - A Bright Side to the Work-Family Interface: Husbands' Support as a Resource in
      Double-and-Triple-Duty Caregiving Wives' Work Lives.
AB  - Purpose of the Study: This study examined how women who combine long-term care
      employment with unpaid, informal caregiving roles for children (double-duty-child
      caregivers), older adults (double-duty-elder caregivers), and both children and
      older adults (triple-duty caregivers) differed from their workplace-only
      caregiving counterparts on workplace factors related to job retention (i.e., job
      satisfaction and turnover intentions) and performance (i.e., perceived obligation
      to work while sick and emotional exhaustion). The moderating effects of perceived
      spouse support were also examined. Design and Methods: Regression analyses were
      conducted on survey data from 546 married, heterosexual women employed in U.S.
      based nursing homes. Results: Compared to workplace-only caregivers, double-duty
      elder and triple-duty caregivers reported more emotional exhaustion. Double-duty
      child caregivers reported lower turnover intentions and both double-and-triple
      duty caregivers felt less obligated to work while sick when perceiving greater
      support from husbands. Implications: Results indicate that double-and-triple-duty
      caregiving women's job retention and obligation to work while sick may depend on
      perceived spouse support, highlighting the important role husbands play in their
      wives' professional lives. Findings also lend support to the emerging literature
      on marriage-to-work positive spillover, and suggest that long-term care
      organizations should target marital relationships in family-friendly initiatives
      to retain and engage double-and-triple-duty caregiving employees.

PMID- 28637291
TI  - Pediatric to Adult Care Transition: Perspectives of Young Adults With Sickle Cell
      Disease.
AB  - Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore perspectives of transition and
      transition readiness of young adult patients (YAs) with sickle cell disease (SCD)
      who have transitioned to adult health care. Methods: In all, 19 YAs with SCD
      (ages 18-30 years) participated in one of three focus groups and completed a
      brief questionnaire about transition topics. Transcripts were coded and emergent
      themes were examined using the social-ecological model of adolescent and young
      adult readiness for transition (SMART). Results: Themes were consistent with most
      SMART components. Adult provider relationships and negative medical experiences
      emerged as salient factors. YAs ranked choosing an adult provider, seeking
      emergency care, understanding medications/medication adherence, knowing SCD
      complications, and being aware of the impact of health behaviors as the most
      important topics to include in transition programming. Conclusions: The unique
      perspectives of YAs can inform the development and evaluation of SCD transition
      programming by incorporating the identified themes.

PMID- 28637292
TI  - Ten-year real-life effectiveness of coronary artery bypass using radial artery or
      great saphenous vein grafts in a single centre Chinese hospital.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Long-term effectiveness of coronary artery bypass grafting using
      radial artery (RA) or great saphenous vein (SVG) grafts as a second conduit was
      compared. METHODS: Patients received simple elective off-pump coronary artery
      bypass involving both the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) and the left
      anterior descending artery between January 1999 and December 2005 at Ruijin
      Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, China. RA graft
      patients (n = 147 LITA + RA and n = 61 LITA + RA + SVG) were matched with SVG
      graft patients (n = 208 LITA + SVG). Mean follow-up was 86.5 months. RESULTS:
      Baseline characteristics were comparable before and after surgery. Intraoperative
      hospital mortality was not significantly different. In all, 378 (90.9%) patients
      completed postoperative follow-up (197 in the RA and 181 in SVG). Overall
      survival was significantly better in the RA group (Log-rank, P = 0.017) with 88%
      10-year survival in the RA group and 81% in the SVG group. All-cause mortality
      was significantly lower in the RA group (hazard ratio 0.42, 95% confidence
      interval 0.20-0.88, P = 0.020). Major adverse cardiovascular event-free survival
      was significantly better in the RA group than in the SVG group (Log-rank, P =
      0.019). No significant difference in the length of postoperative angina relief
      was found. CONCLUSIONS: Using the RA as the secondary graft for coronary artery
      bypass grafting improved long-term postoperative survival and reduced the
      incidence of postoperative major adverse cardiovascular events.

PMID- 28637294
TI  - Over-Time Impacts of Pictorial Health Warning Labels and their Differences across
      Smoker Subgroups: Results from Adult Smokers in Canada and Australia.
AB  - Introduction: This study examines patterns of change in different smoker
      subgroups' responses to new pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) over the
      initial, two year post-implementation period in Canada, where HWLs include
      package inserts with cessation messages, and Australia, where "plain" packaging
      (i.e., prohibition of brand imagery) was also implemented. Methods: Data were
      collected from online consumer panels in Canada (nsmokers = 3153; nobservations =
      5826) and Australia (nsmokers = 2699; nobservations = 5818) from September 2012
      to September 2014, with approximately 1000 adult smokers surveyed in each country
      every four months, using replenishment to maintain sample size. Data were
      analyzed using generalized estimating equation models where main effects and
      interactions among time, country, and socio-demographic factors on HWL responses
      (i.e., attention to HWLs; cognitive and behavioral responses to HWLs) were
      examined. Results: Over time, attention to HWLs declined but cognitive and
      forgoing responses to HWLs increased, in both Canada and Australia. In both
      countries, compared to smokers with low income and/or education, smokers with
      high income and/or education showed an increase over time in attention and
      cognitive responses to HWLs (p < .05). In Australia only, compared to older
      smokers, younger smokers showed less decline over time in attention and greater
      increase in cognitive and forgoing responses to HWLs (p < .001). Conclusions:
      Novel HWL policies in Canada and Australia appear effective in staving off "wear
      out" over the first 2 years after implementation, particularly amongst smokers
      who are from higher SES groups and, in Australia, who are younger. Implications:
      Previous research shows that the effects of health warning label (HWL) on smokers
      decline over time, but no studies to date have evaluated whether trends differ
      across socio-demographic groups. This study suggests that innovative policy
      configurations that combine prominent pictorial HWLs with inserts (Canada) and
      with "plain" packaging (Australia) may delay wear out over the first 2 years
      after implementation. While this study found evidence for wear out in attention
      to HWLs, other HWL responses (cognitive responses, forgoing cigarettes) actually
      increased over time, with greater increases amongst smokers with higher income
      and/or education.

PMID- 28637293
TI  - Conserved Nonexonic Elements: A Novel Class of Marker for Phylogenomics.
AB  - Noncoding markers have a particular appeal as tools for phylogenomic analysis
      because, at least in vertebrates, they appear less subject to strong variation in
      GC content among lineages. Thus far, ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and introns
      have been the most widely used noncoding markers. Here we analyze and study the
      evolutionary properties of a new type of noncoding marker, conserved nonexonic
      elements (CNEEs), which consists of noncoding elements that are estimated to
      evolve slower than the neutral rate across a set of species. Although they often
      include UCEs, CNEEs are distinct from UCEs because they are not ultraconserved,
      and, most importantly, the core region alone is analyzed, rather than both the
      core and its flanking regions. Using a data set of 16 birds plus an alligator
      outgroup, and ~3600-~3800 loci per marker type, we found that although CNEEs were
      less variable than bioinformatically derived UCEs or introns and in some cases
      exhibited a slower approach to branch resolution as determined by phylogenomic
      subsampling, the quality of CNEE alignments was superior to those of the other
      markers, with fewer gaps and missing species. Phylogenetic resolution using
      coalescent approaches was comparable among the three marker types, with most
      nodes being fully and congruently resolved. Comparison of phylogenetic results
      across the three marker types indicated that one branch, the sister group to the
      passerine + falcon clade, was resolved differently and with moderate (>70%)
      bootstrap support between CNEEs and UCEs or introns. Overall, CNEEs appear to be
      promising as phylogenomic markers, yielding phylogenetic resolution as high as
      for UCEs and introns but with fewer gaps, less ambiguity in alignments and with
      patterns of nucleotide substitution more consistent with the assumptions of
      commonly used methods of phylogenetic analysis.

PMID- 28637295
TI  - Inhibition of polyamine synthesis causes entry of the mouse blastocyst into
      embryonic diapause.
AB  - Embryonic diapause is a common reproductive strategy amongst mammals, requiring
      an intimate cross-talk between the endometrium and the blastocyst. To date, the
      precise molecular signals responsible are unknown in the mouse or any other
      mammal. Previous studies in the mink implicate polyamines as major regulators of
      the control of diapause. In the mouse, inhibiting the rate-limiting enzyme of
      polyamine synthesis, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC1) during early pregnancy
      largely prevents implantation, but the fate of the nonimplanted embryos is
      unknown. To determine whether polyamines control mouse embryonic diapause, we
      treated pregnant mice with an ODC1 inhibitor from d3.5 to d6.5 postcoitum. At
      d7.5, 72% of females had no signs of implantation whilst the remaining females
      exhibited disrupted placental formation and degenerate embryos. In the females
      with no implantation, we obtained viable blastocysts that had attenuated cell
      proliferation, indicating a state of diapause. When cultured in vitro, these
      exhibited trophoblast outgrowth, indicative of reactivation of embryogenesis. In
      contrast, direct culture of d3.5 blastocysts with an ODC1 inhibitor failed to
      cause entry into diapause. Examination of the polyamine pathway enzymes and a
      number of implantation factors indicated inhibition of ODC1 resulted in a uterine
      phenotype that resembled diapause, with some compensatory increases in crucial
      genes. Thus, we conclude that an absence or paucity of polyamines induces the
      uterine quiescence that causes entry of the blastocyst into embryonic diapause.

PMID- 28637296
TI  - omiXcore: a web server for prediction of protein interactions with large RNA.
AB  - Summary: Here we introduce omiXcore, a server for calculations of protein binding
      to large RNAs (> 500 nucleotides). Our webserver allows (i) use of both protein
      and RNA sequences without size restriction, (ii) pre-compiled library for
      exploration of human long intergenic RNAs interactions and (iii) prediction of
      binding sites. Results: omiXcore was trained and tested on enhanced UV Cross
      Linking and ImmunoPrecipitation data. The method discriminates interacting and
      non-interacting protein-RNA pairs and identifies RNA binding sites with Areas
      under the ROC curve > 0.80, which suggests that the tool is particularly useful
      to prioritize candidates for further experimental validation. Availability and
      implementation: omiXcore is freely accessed on the web at
      http://service.tartaglialab.com/grant_submission/omixcore. Contact:
      gian.tartaglia@crg.es. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are
      available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28637298
TI  - Presyncopal episodes after implantation of dual-chamber pacemaker programmed in
      SafeR pacing mode.

PMID- 28637299
TI  - Serological investigation of Mycoplasma synoviae infection in China from 2010 to
      2015.
AB  - Mycoplasma synoviae can cause worldwide respiratory diseases, synovitis, or
      subclinical symptoms in poultry. M. synoviae infection occurs throughout the yr
      and causes significant economic losses, including increased mortality,
      condemnations, medication, and live production cost. In the present study, the
      seroprevalence of M. synoviae among 44,395 non-vaccinated chickens from 21
      provinces in China from 2010 to 2015 was estimated using ELISA. The overall
      seroprevalence was 41.19%. Seropositive rates in different yr ranged between
      24.70 and 57.20%; the highest seropositive rate was observed in 2010, and the
      lowest was observed in 2013. The prevalence rates varied greatly in different
      provinces from 5.10 to 100%. Of the 463 commercial flocks tested, 375 (80.99%)
      were positive for M. synoviae by ELISA. The seasonal distribution ranged between
      26.83% (in October) and 53.98% (in July). An investigation of chickens according
      to age further showed that M. synoviae can infect chickens at any age. Our
      findings indicate that M. synoviae infection is very common in China and should
      prompt further research into its prevalence to develop effective control and
      prevention strategies.

PMID- 28637297
TI  - A Role for Progesterone-Regulated sFRP4 Expression in Uterine Leiomyomas.
AB  - Context: Despite progesterone's key role in uterine smooth muscle tumorigenesis,
      the mechanisms by which it promotes the growth of uterine leiomyomas remain
      poorly understood. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify gene products
      mediating the effects of progesterone in uterine leiomyomas. Design: Gene
      expression profiling was used to identify putative progesterone-regulated genes
      differentially expressed in uterine leiomyomas, which were then studied in vitro.
      Methods: Gene expression was comprehensively profiled with the Illumina WG
      BeadChip (version 2.6) and analyzed with a bioinformatic algorithm that
      integrates known protein-protein interactions. Genomic binding sites for
      progesterone receptor (PR) were interrogated by chromatin immunoprecipitation
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-qPCR). Small interfering RNA was
      used to study gene function in primary cell lines. Results: Our analyses
      identified secreted Frizzled-related protein 4 (sFRP4) as a key gene product
      functionally linked to PR activation whose expression was 2.6 times higher in
      leiomyomas than myometrium (n = 26, P < 0.01) and 2.5 times higher during the
      proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle (n = 26, P < 0.01). Direct binding
      between PR and sFRP4 promoter was observed by ChIP-qPCR. Robust overexpression of
      sFRP4 was also observed in primary cultures derived from leiomyoma. Progesterone
      preferentially inhibited sFRP4 expression and secretion in leiomyoma cultures in
      a dose-dependent manner sensitized by estradiol. Knockdown of sFRP4 inhibited
      proliferation and apoptosis in primary cultures of both myometrium and leiomyoma.
      Conclusions: Overexpression of sFRP4 is a robust, progesterone-regulated feature
      of leiomyomas that increases smooth muscle proliferation. More work is needed to
      elucidate how progesterone's ability to modulate sFRP4 expression contributes to
      uterine smooth muscle tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28637302
TI  - RE: "RISK PREDICTION FOR EPITHELIAL OVARIAN CANCER IN 11 UNITED STATES-BASED CASE
      CONTROL STUDIES: INCORPORATION OF EPIDEMIOLOGIC RISK FACTORS AND 17 CONFIRMED
      GENETIC LOCI".

PMID- 28637301
TI  - EDEN: evolutionary dynamics within environments.
AB  - Summary: Metagenomics revolutionized the field of microbial ecology, giving
      access to Gb-sized datasets of microbial communities under natural conditions.
      This enables fine-grained analyses of the functions of community members, studies
      of their association with phenotypes and environments, as well as of their
      microevolution and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. However,
      phylogenetic methods for studying adaptation and evolutionary dynamics are not
      able to cope with big data. EDEN is the first software for the rapid detection of
      protein families and regions under positive selection, as well as their
      associated biological processes, from meta- and pangenome data. It provides an
      interactive result visualization for detailed comparative analyses. Availability
      and implementation: EDEN is available as a Docker installation under the GPL 3.0
      license, allowing its use on common operating systems, at
      http://www.github.com/hzi-bifo/eden. Contact: alice.mchardy@helmholtz-hzi.de.
      Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics
      online.

PMID- 28637300
TI  - Commercial rodent diets differentially regulate autoimmune glomerulonephritis,
      epigenetics and microbiota in MRL/lpr mice.
AB  - The course and severity of lupus in spontaneous murine lupus models varies among
      laboratories, which may be due to variations in diet, housing and/or local
      environmental conditions. In this study, we investigated the influence of common
      rodent diets while keeping other factors constant. Female lupus-prone MRL/lpr
      (MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/J) mice were subjected to the same housing conditions and given
      one of the three diets: Teklad 7013 containing isoflavone-rich soy and alfalfa,
      Harlan 2018 isoflavone-rich soy-based diet or Research Diets Inc. D11112226 (RD)
      purified-ingredients diet containing casein and no phytoestrogens. While the
      total caloric intake was similar among all three treatment groups, mice fed on
      the 2018 diet developed higher levels of proteinuria and mice fed on either 7013
      or 2018 developed higher levels of glomerular immune complex deposition.
      Remarkably, mice fed the RD diet had markedly decreased proteinuria with
      diminished C3, total IgG, IgG1 and IgG3 immune complex deposition, along with
      reduced CD11b+ cellular infiltration into the glomeruli. The type of diet intake
      also influenced cytokine production, fecal microbiota (increased Lachnospiraceae
      in mice fed on 2018), altered microRNAs (miRNAs; higher levels of lupus
      associated miR-148a and miR-183 in mice fed on 7013 and/or 2018) and altered DNA
      methylation. This is the first study to comprehensively compare the cellular,
      molecular and epigenetic effects of these commercial diets in murine lupus.

PMID- 28637303
TI  - Management of Acute Unilateral Nondisplaced Subaxial Cervical Facet Fractures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few studies have focused on the management of patients with
      nondisplaced cervical facet fractures. OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of
      successful nonoperative management and risk factors for instability in patients
      with acute traumatic, unilateral, nondisplaced cervical facet fractures. METHODS:
      We reviewed patients with single or multilevel unilateral nondisplaced or
      minimally displaced subaxial cervical facet fractures between 2008 and 2014.
      Facet fractures were classified as type A1 fractures: superior facet fracture of
      caudal vertebra; type A2: inferior facet fracture of rostral vertebral; and type
      A3: floating lateral mass (fracture of pedicle and vertical laminar fracture).
      All patients were given a trial of nonoperative management with external
      immobilization using a hard cervical collar. Follow-up clinical data and cervical
      spine radiographs were analyzed to determine factors associated with instability.
      RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (34 males, mean age 40.2 +/- 2.4 yr) were reviewed.
      The mean follow-up duration was 2.7 +/- 0.4 mo. The distribution of fracture
      types was type A1 (n = 15), type A2 (n = 4), type A3 (n = 5), type A1 and A2
      fractures (n = 10), and type A1 and A3 fractures (n = 1). Nonoperative management
      was successful in 29 patients (82.9%), and 6 patients developed instability
      requiring surgery. All patients who failed nonoperative management had associated
      injuries suggesting a more severe mechanism of injury. No significant association
      was found between the type of facet fracture and outcome (Fisher's exact test, P
      = .18). CONCLUSION: In our series, more than 80% of the patients with unilateral,
      nondisplaced cervical facet fractures underwent successful nonoperative
      management in the short term.

PMID- 28637304
TI  - Effects of alternative electron acceptors on the activity and community structure
      of methane-producing and consuming microbes in the sediments of two shallow
      boreal lakes.
AB  - The role of anaerobic CH4 oxidation in controlling lake sediment CH4 emissions
      remains unclear. Therefore, we tested how relevant EAs (SO42-, NO3-, Fe3+, Mn4+,
      O2) affect CH4 production and oxidation in the sediments of two shallow boreal
      lakes. The changes induced to microbial communities by the addition of Fe3+ and
      Mn4+ were studied using next-generation sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA and
      methyl-coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) genes and mcrA transcripts. Putative anaerobic
      CH4-oxidizing archaea (ANME-2D) and bacteria (NC 10) were scarce (up to 3.4% and
      0.5% of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes, respectively), likely due to the
      low environmental stability associated with shallow depths. Consequently, the
      potential anaerobic CH4 oxidation (0-2.1 nmol g-1dry weight (DW)d-1) was not
      enhanced by the addition of EAs, nor important in consuming the produced CH4 (0.6
      82.5 nmol g-1DWd-1). Instead, the increased EA availability suppressed CH4
      production via the outcompetition of methanogens by anaerobically respiring
      bacteria and via the increased protection of organic matter from microbial
      degradation induced by Fe3+ and Mn4+. Future studies could particularly assess
      whether anaerobic CH4 oxidation has any ecological relevance in reducing CH4
      emissions from the numerous CH4-emitting shallow lakes in boreal and tundra
      landscapes.

PMID- 28637306
TI  - Introduction of a much needed physical function-focused medication review tool.

PMID- 28637305
TI  - Left atrial structure and function in cardiac amyloidosis.
AB  - Aims: Although cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is characterized by significant left
      atrial (LA) dilatation, the characteristics of LA function remain to be fully
      investigated. Methods and results: We assessed LA function by speckle-tracking
      echocardiography in 124 patients with CA and sinus rhythm: 68 with light chain
      (AL), 29 with mutant (ATTRm), 27 with wild-type (ATTRwt) transthyretin
      amyloidosis. Conventional and strain-derived parameters, including LA peak
      longitudinal strain (LS) and strain rate (peak LSR: reservoir function; early
      LSR: conduit function; late LSR: active function), were assessed compared between
      CA patients and 20 healthy controls of similar age and gender. All LA function
      phases, including LA longitudinal strain, peak LSR, early and late LSR were
      significantly impaired in CA compared to healthy controls after adjusting for LA
      size, LV ejection fraction and LV filling pressures (E/E') (all P < 0.05). Peak
      LA LS was moderately correlated with LV global LS (R = -0.60, P < 0.001); late
      LSR was correlated with A wave at the level of LV inflow (R = -0.69, P < 0.001).
      Among the different CA subtypes, peak LS and LA active emptying fraction were
      worse in ATTRwt than AL and ATTRm [P < 0.05 after adjustment for age, sex, body
      mass index, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, LA volume index, severity of
      mitral regurgitation, left ejection fraction, and left ventricular end-diastolic
      pressure (E/E')]. Conclusion: In CA, LA function was severely impaired and highly
      correlated with LV deformation. Differences in LA function between amyloid
      subtypes suggest that amyloid aetiology plays a role in the pathophysiology of
      cardiac dysfunction in CA.

PMID- 28637307
TI  - Sparing carbapenem usage.
AB  - Background: Carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative bacteria is increasing in many
      countries and use of carbapenems and antibiotics to which resistance is linked
      should be reduced to slow its emergence. There are no directly equivalent
      antibiotics and the alternatives are less well supported by clinical trials. The
      few new agents are expensive. Objectives: To provide guidance on strategies to
      reduce carbapenem usage. Methods: A literature review was performed as described
      in the BSAC/HIS/BIA/IPS Joint Working Party on Multiresistant Gram-negative
      Infection Report. Results: Older agents remain active against some of the
      pathogens, although expectations of broad-spectrum cover for empirical treatment
      have risen. Education, expert advice on treatment and antimicrobial stewardship
      can produce significant reductions in use. Conclusions: More agents may need to
      be introduced onto the antibiotic formulary of the hospital, despite the poor
      quality of scientific studies in some cases.

PMID- 28637308
TI  - Three-dimensional right-ventricular regional deformation and survival in
      pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - Aims: Survival in pulmonary hypertension (PH) relates to right ventricular (RV)
      function. However, the RV unique anatomy and structure limit 2D analysis and its
      regional 3D function has not been studied yet. The aim of this study was to
      assess the implications of global and regional 3D RV deformation on clinical
      condition and survival in adults with PH and healthy controls. Methods and
      results: We collected a prospective longitudinal cohort of 104 consecutive PH
      patients and 34 healthy controls between September 2014 and December 2015.
      Acquired 3D transthoracic RV echocardiographic sequences were analysed by semi
      automatic software (TomTec 4D RV-Function 2.0). Output meshes were post-processed
      to extract regional motion and deformation. Global and regional statistics
      provided deformation patterns for each subgroup of subjects. RV lateral and
      inferior regions showed the highest deformation. In PH patients, RV global and
      regional motion and deformation [both circumferential, longitudinal, and area
      strain (AS)] were affected in all segments (P < 0.001 against healthy controls).
      Deformation patterns gradually worsened with the clinical condition. Over 6.7
      [5.8-7.2] months follow-up, 16 (15.4%) patients died from cardio-pulmonary
      causes. Right atrial pressure, global RV AS, tricuspid annular plane systolic
      excursion, 3D RV ejection fraction, and end-diastolic volume were independent
      predictors of survival. Global RV AS  > -18% was the most powerful RV function
      parameter, identifying patients with a 48%-increased risk of death (AUC 0.83
      [0.74-0.90], P < 0.001). Conclusion: Right ventricular strain patterns gradually
      worsen in PH patients and provide independent prognostic information in this
      population.

PMID- 28637309
TI  - Anterior Cervical Pseudarthrosis Treated with Bilateral Posterior Cervical Cages.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pseudarthrosis after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
      causes persistent pain and related disability. Posterior revision surgery results
      in higher healing rates, but is more extensive compared to anterior surgery.
      OBJECTIVE: To evaluate minimally disruptive, tissue sparing posterior fusion via
      bilateral placement of posterior cages between the facet joints as an alternative
      treatment option. METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter, medical chart review was
      performed and included 25 patients with symptomatic pseudarthrosis after ACDF
      treated with posterior cervical cages, and in select cases, anterior revision.
      Visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm pain, Neck Disability Index (NDI), and
      perioperative metrics were collected. Fusion at 1 yr was determined via
      assessment of computed tomography (CT) scan and x-rays. RESULTS: Mean follow-up
      was 18 mo. VAS neck and arm scores at last follow-up improved significantly from
      7.9 +/- 1.5 to 3.8 +/- 2.3 and 7.24 +/- 2.2 to 3.12 +/- 2.5, respectively. NDI
      scores decreased from 65.1 +/- 20.3 to 29.1 +/- 17.9 at 18 mo. Fusion at 1 yr was
      confirmed by CT in all 17 patients with available scans and by x-ray in all 25
      patients. CONCLUSION: Revision of cervical pseudarthrosis after ACDF using a
      tissue sparing posterior approach to place cages bilaterally between the facet
      joints is an effective surgical strategy in select cases. Along with positive
      clinical and radiological outcomes, the procedure is associated with less blood
      loss, shorter operating times, and briefer hospital stays compared to revision
      with lateral mass fixation or interspinous wiring.

PMID- 28637311
TI  - Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt: The Empirical Case Against Trap Laws.
AB  - This commentary examines the US Supreme Court case Whole Woman's Health v
      Hellerstedt.1 This comment synthesizes the case, focusing primarily on its
      legislative and appellate history as well as the Supreme Court's analysis. The
      comment finds that while Whole Woman's Health represented a judicial victory for
      those who seek to safeguard and preserve abortion rights, it nevertheless further
      rooted the primacy of the Supreme Court's flawed framework in Planned Parenthood
      v Casey2, which rests on perpetuating the notion of abortion as a threat against
      women's physical and mental health.

PMID- 28637310
TI  - The metagenomic data life-cycle: standards and best practices.
AB  - Metagenomics data analyses from independent studies can only be compared if the
      analysis workflows are described in a harmonized way. In this overview, we have
      mapped the landscape of data standards available for the description of essential
      steps in metagenomics: (i) material sampling, (ii) material sequencing, (iii)
      data analysis, and (iv) data archiving and publishing. Taking examples from
      marine research, we summarize essential variables used to describe material
      sampling processes and sequencing procedures in a metagenomics experiment. These
      aspects of metagenomics dataset generation have been to some extent addressed by
      the scientific community, but greater awareness and adoption is still needed. We
      emphasize the lack of standards relating to reporting how metagenomics datasets
      are analysed and how the metagenomics data analysis outputs should be archived
      and published. We propose best practice as a foundation for a community standard
      to enable reproducibility and better sharing of metagenomics datasets, leading
      ultimately to greater metagenomics data reuse and repurposing.

PMID- 28637312
TI  - The Provision of Healthcare to Young and Dependent Children: The Principles,
      Concepts, and Utility of the Children Act 1989.
AB  - This article undertakes a thorough analysis of the case law concerned with the
      provision of healthcare to young and dependent children. It demonstrates how,
      despite the procedural changes introduced by the Children Act 1989 at an early
      stage in this body of case law, cases have continued to be brought to court by
      way of applications for the court to exercise its inherent jurisdiction or in
      wardship rather than using the orders introduced by the Act. In determining these
      cases, the court is focused upon its protective duty to the vulnerable but
      proceedings appear to be adversarial contests between the claims of adults to
      know what is best for the child in which the medical view normally prevails.
      Through consideration of the principles and concepts of the Children Act of
      parental responsibility, working together, the welfare principle and placing the
      child at the centre of care, this article demonstrates their utility, as yet to
      be fully realised, in relation to the responsibilities of parents, professionals,
      public authorities, and the courts concerned with the provision of healthcare to
      young and dependent children.

PMID- 28637314
TI  - DNA methylation signatures and coagulation factors in the peripheral blood
      leucocytes of epithelial ovarian cancer.
AB  - Solid tumors are increasingly recognized as a systemic disease that is manifested
      by changes in DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites in the blood. Whereas many
      studies have reported gene mutation events in the circulation, few studies have
      focused on epigenetic DNA methylation markers. To identify DNA methylation
      biomarkers in peripheral blood for ovarian cancer, we performed a two-stage
      epigenome-wide association study. In the discovery stage, we measured genome wide
      DNA methylation for 485 000 CpG sites in peripheral blood in 24 epithelial
      ovarian cancer (EOC) cases and 24 age-matched healthy controls. We selected 96
      significantly differentially methylated CpG sites for validation using Illumina's
      Custom VeraCode methylation assay in 206 EOC cases and 205 controls and 46 CpG
      sites validated in the independent replication samples. A set of 6 of these 46
      CpG sites was found by the receiver operating characteristic analysis to have a
      prediction accuracy of 77.3% for all EOC (95% confidence interval: 72.9-81.8%).
      Pathway analysis of the genes associated with the 46 CpG sites revealed an
      enrichment of immune system process genes, including LYST (cg16962115, FDR =
      1.24E-04), CADM1 (cg21933078, FDR = 1.22E-02) and NFATC1 (cg06784563, FDR = 1.46E
      02). Furthermore, DNA methylation status in peripheral blood was correlated with
      platelet parameters/coagulation factor levels. This study discovered a panel of
      epigenetic liquid biopsy markers closely associated with overall immunologic
      conditions and platelet parameters/coagulation systems of the patients for
      detection of all stages and subtypes of EOC.

PMID- 28637313
TI  - Trajectories of Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Differential Impact: A Population
      Based Cohort Study in Goa, India.
AB  - Aims: The aim of this study was to examine trajectories of Alcohol Use Disorders
      (AUD) over a 6 year period and compare the bio-psycho-social correlates between
      these trajectories. Methods: Community-based cohort of 1899 adult men were
      interviewed in 2006-2008 and 2012-2014. AUD were assessed using the Alcohol Use
      Disorder Identification Test, and potential correlates including psycho-social
      problems, morbidity and physiological parameters were measured at follow-up.
      Logistic regression was conducted to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the
      association of persistent and incident AUD, respectively, with the potential
      correlates. Analyses were weighted to account for sampling design, number of
      adults aged 18-49 years in the household and non-response. Results: Compared with
      men who had recovered from AUD, there was strong evidence (P < 0.001) that men
      with persistent AUD were more likely to have marital problems, tobacco use, and
      raised Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) and strong evidence (0.001 < P < 0.01)
      that they were more likely to have workplace problems, social problems, increased
      healthcare contact and raised Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV). Compared with men
      who did not have AUD at baseline and follow-up, there was strong evidence (P <
      0.001) that men with incident AUD were more likely to have workplace problems,
      social problems, marital problems, tobacco use, and raised GGT and strong
      evidence (0.001 < P < 0.01) that they were more likely to have hypertension,
      accident and injuries and Common Mental Disorders (CMD). Conclusion: This
      community-based longitudinal study of AUD, the first from a low and middle income
      country, clearly demonstrates significant health and social consequences of AUD
      in men and highlights the need for interventions for their treatment and
      prevention. Short Summary: Compared to persistent AUD, recovery from AUD has
      several benefits in health and social domains. Compared to developing new AUD,
      not having AUD has several benefits in health and social domains. Sustaining the
      state of not having AUD or recovery can lead to accumulation of health and social
      capital over time.

PMID- 28637316
TI  - Incorporating comparative genomics into the design-test-learn cycle of microbial
      strain engineering.
AB  - Engineering microbes with new properties is an important goal in industrial
      engineering, to establish biological factories for production of biofuels,
      commodity chemicals and pharmaceutics. But engineering microbes to produce new
      compounds with high yield remains a major challenge toward economically viable
      production. Incorporating several modern approaches, including synthetic and
      systems biology, metabolic modeling and regulatory rewiring, has proven to
      significantly advance industrial strain engineering. This review highlights how
      comparative genomics can also facilitate strain engineering, by identifying novel
      genes and pathways, regulatory mechanisms and genetic background effects for
      engineering. We discuss how incorporating comparative genomics into the design
      test-learn cycle of strain engineering can provide novel information that
      complements other engineering strategies.

PMID- 28637315
TI  - Attenuated Effects of Bile Acids on Glucose Metabolism and Insulin Sensitivity in
      a Male Mouse Model of Prenatal Undernutrition.
AB  - Prenatal undernutrition and low birth weight are associated with risk of type 2
      diabetes and obesity. Prenatal caloric restriction results in low birth weight,
      glucose intolerance, obesity, and reduced plasma bile acids (BAs) in offspring
      mice. Because BAs can regulate systemic metabolism and glucose homeostasis, we
      hypothesized that BA supplementation could prevent diet-induced obesity and
      glucose intolerance in this model of developmental programming. Pregnant dams
      were food restricted by 50% from gestational days 12.5 to 18.5. Offspring of both
      undernourished (UN) and control (C) dams given unrestricted diets were weaned to
      high-fat diets with or without supplementation with 0.25% w/w ursodeoxycholic
      acid (UDCA), yielding four experimental groups: C, UN, C + UDCA, and UN + UDCA.
      Glucose homeostasis, BA composition, liver and intestinal gene expression, and
      microbiota composition were analyzed in the four groups. Although UDCA
      supplementation ameliorated diet-induced obesity in C mice, there was no effect
      in UN mice. UDCA similarly lowered fasting insulin, and improved glucose
      tolerance, pyruvate tolerance, and liver steatosis in C, but not UN, animals. BA
      composition differed significantly, and liver and ileal expression of genes
      involved in BA metabolism (Cyp7b1, Shp) were differentially induced by UDCA in C
      vs UN animals. Bacterial taxa in fecal microbiota correlated with treatment
      groups and metabolic parameters. In conclusion, prenatal undernutrition alters
      responsiveness to the metabolic benefits of BA supplementation, with resistance
      to the weight-lowering and insulin-sensitizing effects of UDCA supplementation.
      Our findings suggest that BA metabolism may be a previously unrecognized
      contributor to developmentally programmed diabetes risk.

PMID- 28637317
TI  - Evidence of nuclei-encoded spliceosome mediating splicing of mitochondrial RNA.

PMID- 28637318
TI  - Experience-Dependent Regulation of Cajal-Retzius Cell Networks in the Developing
      and Adult Mouse Hippocampus.
AB  - In contrast to their near-disappearance in the adult neocortex, Cajal-Retzius
      cells have been suggested to persist longer in the hippocampus. A distinctive
      feature of the mature hippocampus, not maintained by other cortical areas, is its
      ability to sustain adult neurogenesis. Here, we have investigated whether
      environmental manipulations affecting hippocampal postnatal neurogenesis have a
      parallel impact on Cajal-Retzius cells. We used multiple mouse reporter lines to
      unequivocally identify Cajal-Retzius cells and quantify their densities during
      postnatal development. We found that exposure to an enriched environment
      increased the persistence of Cajal-Retzius cells in the hippocampus, but not in
      adjacent cortical regions. We did not observe a similar effect for parvalbumin
      expressing interneurons, which suggested the occurrence of a cell type-specific
      process. In addition, we did not detect obvious changes either in Cajal-Retzius
      cell electrophysiological or morphological features, when compared with what
      previously reported in animals not exposed to enriched conditions. However,
      optogenetically triggered synaptic output of Cajal-Retzius cells onto local
      interneurons was enhanced, consistent with our observation of higher Cajal
      Retzius cell densities. In conclusion, our data reveal a novel form of
      hippocampal, cell type-specific, experience-dependent network plasticity. We
      propose that this phenomenon may be involved in the regulation of enrichment
      dependent enhanced hippocampal postnatal neurogenesis.

PMID- 28637320
TI  - Biological functions based on protein interplays.

PMID- 28637322
TI  - Predicting Perceived Isolation Among Midlife and Older LGBT Adults: The Role of
      Welcoming Aging Service Providers.
AB  - Background and Objectives: Older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)
      adults are more likely to live alone and less likely to have children compared
      with their heterosexual counterparts. The lack of immediate family system can
      render older LGBT adults particularly vulnerable to social isolation and its
      consequences. The current study utilizes social exclusion theory, which asserts
      that not only material resources but also engagement with and inclusion into the
      society are necessary for marginalized people to be integrated into the
      mainstream. The study examines whether aging service providers (e.g., senior
      centers, adult day care, transportation, employment services) who are perceived
      by older LGBT adults as welcoming to LGBT people may reduce this population's
      perceived isolation. Research Design and Methods: Data were collected through a
      needs assessment survey designed for the aging LGBT community in North Carolina.
      Adults aged 45 and over who self-identified as LGBT were recruited at several
      formal and informal groups. The survey yielded 222 valid responses. The outcome
      variable was perceived isolation. Key independent variables included having
      experienced welcoming aging service providers and living alone. Results: After
      controlling for potential confounders and demographics, logistic regression
      results showed that having experienced welcoming aging service providers was a
      protective factor against perceived isolation and it also buffered the negative
      impact of living alone. Discussion and Implications: The findings provided
      preliminary evidence for a new direction of intervention research-targeting LGBT
      cultural competence training for medical and social service providers.

PMID- 28637319
TI  - Matrix metalloproteinases: their functional role in lung cancer.
AB  - Lung malignancy is the foremost cause of cancer-related deaths globally and is
      frequently related to long-term tobacco smoking. Recent studies reveal that the
      expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is extremely high in lung tumors
      compared with non-malignant lung tissue. MMPs are zinc-dependent proteases and
      are involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Several
      investigations have shown that MMPs manipulate the activity of non-ECM molecules,
      including cytokines, growth factors and receptors that control the tumor
      microenvironment. In this review, we have summarized and critically reviewed the
      published works on the role of MMPs in non-small-cell lung cancer. We have also
      explored the structure of MMPs, their various types and roles in lung cancer
      metastasis including invasion, migration and angiogenesis.

PMID- 28637321
TI  - Amino acid substrates impose polyamine, eIF5A, or hypusine requirement for
      peptide synthesis.
AB  - Whereas ribosomes efficiently catalyze peptide bond synthesis by most amino
      acids, the imino acid proline is a poor substrate for protein synthesis. Previous
      studies have shown that the translation factor eIF5A and its bacterial ortholog
      EF-P bind in the E site of the ribosome where they contact the peptidyl-tRNA in
      the P site and play a critical role in promoting the synthesis of polyproline
      peptides. Using misacylated Pro-tRNAPhe and Phe-tRNAPro, we show that the imino
      acid proline and not tRNAPro imposes the primary eIF5A requirement for
      polyproline synthesis. Though most proline analogs require eIF5A for efficient
      peptide synthesis, azetidine-2-caboxylic acid, a more flexible four-membered ring
      derivative of proline, shows relaxed eIF5A dependency, indicating that the
      structural rigidity of proline might contribute to the requirement for eIF5A.
      Finally, we examine the interplay between eIF5A and polyamines in promoting
      translation elongation. We show that eIF5A can obviate the polyamine requirement
      for general translation elongation, and that this activity is independent of the
      conserved hypusine modification on eIF5A. Thus, we propose that the body of eIF5A
      functionally substitutes for polyamines to promote general protein synthesis and
      that the hypusine modification on eIF5A is critically important for poor
      substrates like proline.

PMID- 28637323
TI  - Evolution of Transcription Activator-Like Effectors in Xanthomonas oryzae.
AB  - Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are secreted by plant-pathogenic
      Xanthomonas bacteria into plant cells where they act as transcriptional
      activators and, hence, are major drivers in reprogramming the plant for the
      benefit of the pathogen. TALEs possess a highly repetitive DNA-binding domain of
      typically 34 amino acid (AA) tandem repeats, where AA 12 and 13, termed repeat
      variable di-residue (RVD), determine target specificity. Different Xanthomonas
      strains possess different repertoires of TALEs. Here, we study the evolution of
      TALEs from the level of RVDs determining target specificity down to the level of
      DNA sequence with focus on rice-pathogenic Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo)
      and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) strains. We observe that codon pairs
      coding for individual RVDs are conserved to a similar degree as the flanking
      repeat sequence. We find strong indications that TALEs may evolve 1) by base
      substitutions in codon pairs coding for RVDs, 2) by recombination of N-terminal
      or C-terminal regions of existing TALEs, or 3) by deletion of individual TALE
      repeats, and we propose possible mechanisms. We find indications that the
      reassortment of TALE genes in clusters is mediated by an integron-like mechanism
      in Xoc. We finally study the effect of the presence/absence and evolutionary
      modifications of TALEs on transcriptional activation of putative target genes in
      rice, and find that even single RVD swaps may lead to considerable differences in
      activation. This correlation allowed a refined prediction of TALE targets, which
      is the crucial step to decipher their virulence activity.

PMID- 28637324
TI  - The effects of phytosterols on the sexual behavior and reproductive function in
      the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).
AB  - Phytosterols (PS) are plant origin sterols naturally found in many foods and
      added as food additives. Since 1950, PS have attracted considerable attention due
      to their ability to lower serum cholesterol and inhibit cardiovascular disease
      (CVD). However, recent studies have found that PS act as endocrine-disrupting
      chemicals in laboratory animals. Therefore, this study was aimed at finding the
      mechanism(s) for PS effects on the sexual behaviors and reproductive functions in
      male Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). At 15 d of age, 30 male
      Japanese quails were randomly assigned to 3 groups for the chronic in-vivo
      experiment. Animals were gavaged daily with single dose of PS suspension (PS
      dissolved in medium chain triglyceride [MCT]) into the crop sac from 15-100 d of
      age. Following maturation, a sexual behavior test, semen collection, and test of
      fertilization ability were performed. Blood was collected by cervical dislocation
      at 100 day of age for hormones analysis. To observe the direct effects of PS on
      the testis, interstitial cells of the normal testes were cultured for 24 h. Ovine
      LH (O-LH) was used for half of each group to stimulate interstitial cells for
      testosterone production. The results showed that chronic doses of PS reduced (P <
      0.01) mount and copulation behavior in male quails (primarily in the group
      receiving 800 mg/kg BW). Both acute in vitro and chronic in vivo experiments
      revealed a reduction in testosterone (P < 0.05) after PS treatments;
      concomitantly, Leydig cell numbers were also low (P < 0.05) at a dose of 800
      mg/kg BW. Real-time PCR results showed lower expression of 17beta-hydroxysteroid
      dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) at the same dose. The results suggested that feeding
      large amounts of PS reduced testosterone levels and sexual behavior by affecting
      Leydig cell proliferation, and cholesterol trafficking, 17beta-HSD expression in
      the testes of male Japanese quail.

PMID- 28637325
TI  - The Leading Edge of the Geographic Distribution of Ixodes scapularis (Acari:
      Ixodidae).

PMID- 28637326
TI  - Treatment of Pertussis-2017.

PMID- 28637328
TI  - Diesel Engine Exhaust: Basis for Occupational Exposure Limit Value.
AB  - Diesel engines are widely used in transport and power supply, making occupational
      exposure to diesel exhaust common. Both human and animal studies associate
      exposure to diesel exhaust with inflammatory lung effects, cardiovascular
      effects, and an increased risk of lung cancer. The International Agency for
      Research on Cancer has evaluated diesel exhaust as carcinogenic to humans. Yet
      national or regional limit values for controlling occupational exposure to diesel
      exhaust are rare. In recent decades, stricter emission regulations have led to
      diesel technologies evolving significantly, resulting in changes in exhaust
      emissions and composition. These changes are also expected to influence the
      health effects of diesel exhaust. This review provides an overview of the current
      knowledge on the health effects of diesel exhaust and the influence of new diesel
      technologies on the health risk. It discusses the relevant exposure indicators
      and perspectives for setting occupational exposure limit values for diesel
      exhaust, and outlines directions for future research. The review is based on a
      collaborative evaluation report by the Nordic Expert Group for Criteria
      Documentation of Health Risks from Chemicals and the Dutch Expert Committee on
      Occupational Safety.

PMID- 28637329
TI  - Health Benefits Associated With Three Helping Behaviors: Evidence for Incident
      Cardiovascular Disease.
AB  - Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between
      three helping behaviors and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD; heart attack,
      stroke; fatal and nonfatal), with an exploration of gender differences. The study
      is framed within the caregiving system model. Helping others is argued to be an
      evolved characteristic of humans that yields beneficial health effects. Methods:
      Data were taken from the 2004-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. The
      three forms of helping others considered were formal volunteering, informal
      helping, and caregiving for a parent or spouse. Cox proportional hazards models
      were estimated for gender-stratified samples. Results: Women who volunteered
      showed a lower risk of incident CVD compared to women who did not volunteer. Men
      who informally helped others in the community exhibited a lower risk of incident
      CVD compared to men who did not provide this form of help. Caregiving status was
      generally not associated with incident CVD for women or men. Discussion: The
      results demonstrated that specific types of prosocial behavior may be beneficial
      for women and men. However, tests for effect differences showed that gender did
      not moderate the relationships between these helping behaviors and CVD risk.

PMID- 28637330
TI  - Occurrence of aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes among isolates of Escherichia coli
      exhibiting high levels of aminoglycoside resistance isolated from Korean cattle
      farms.
AB  - This study investigated 247 Escherichia coli isolates collected from four cattle
      farms to characterize aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme (AME) genes, their plasmid
      replicons and transferability. Out of 247 isolates a high number of isolates
      (total 202; 81.78%) were found to be resistant to various antibiotics by disc
      diffusion. Of the 247 strains, 139 (56.3%) were resistant to streptomycin, and
      other antibiotic resistances followed as tetracycline (12.15%), ampicillin (7%),
      chloramphenicol (5.7%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (0.8%). Among 247
      isolates B1 was the predominant phylogenetic group identified comprising 151
      isolates (61.1%), followed by groups A (27.9%), D (7%) and B2 (4%). Out of 139
      isolates investigated for AME, 130 (93.5%) isolates carried at least one AME
      gene. aph3"-1a and aph3"-1b (46%) were the principal genes detected, followed by
      aac3-IVa (34.5%). ant2"-1a was the least detected gene (2.2%). Nine (6.5%)
      strains carried no AME genes. Twelve (63.2%) among 19 isolates transferred an AME
      gene to a recipient and aph3?-1a was the dominant transferred gene.
      Transferability mainly occurred via the IncFIB replicon type (52.6%). Pulsed
      field gel electrophoresis typing demonstrated a higher degree of diversity with
      14 distinct cluster types. This result suggests that commensal microflora from
      food-producing animals has a tremendous ability to harbor and transfer AME genes,
      and poses a potential risk by dissemination of resistance to humans through the
      food chain.

PMID- 28637331
TI  - Antioxidants as stabilizers for His6-OPH: is this an unusual or regular role for
      them with enzymes?
AB  - The effect of 14 different antioxidants on the activity of a hexahistidine-tagged
      organophosphorus hydrolase (His6-OPH) has been studied in vitro. It has been
      found that antioxidants can have a positive, neutral or negative effect on the
      activity of His6-OPH in a native form or in the form of an enzyme-polyelectrolyte
      complex, while the enzyme itself does not affect their antioxidant activity. A
      significant stabilizing effect of a number of antioxidants on His6-OPH has been
      shown against its inhibiting with organic solvents (DMSO and isopropyl alcohol).
      The kinetics of the process has been studied. Based on molecular docking of all
      tested antioxidants to the surface of His6-OPH dimer, options of their
      localization have been identified. These data were used to explain the revealed
      stabilizing effect of the antioxidants on the enzyme as well as their negative
      influence on His6-OPH activity.

PMID- 28637327
TI  - Effect of simvastatin on baboon endometriosis.
AB  - Endometriosis, a common disorder affecting women of reproductive age, is
      characterized by ectopic growth of the endometrial tissues, altered steroid
      hormone response, and inflammation. Previous studies revealed that statins,
      selective inhibitors of the key step of mevalonate pathway, inhibit growth of
      endometrial stromal cells in vitro and reduce endometriotic lesions in murine
      models of endometriosis. This study evaluated the effects of simvastatin on the
      development of endometriosis in a baboon model of this disease. Sixteen baboons
      were randomly assigned to the treatment group (simvastatin, 20 mg daily) or to
      the control group. Endometriotic lesions were evaluated by laparoscopy after 3
      months. The volume of red, orange-red, and white endometriotic lesions was
      significantly reduced by 78% in animals treated with simvastatin. The expression
      of a marker of proliferation, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), was
      significantly reduced in animals receiving simvastatin in red lesions, white
      lesions, black lesions, and in adhesions. Simvastatin was also associated with an
      increase in the expression of estrogen receptor alpha in red lesions, and a
      decrease in the expression of estrogen receptor beta in black lesions, in
      adhesions, and in eutopic endometrium. Furthermore, simvastatin significantly
      reduced the expression of neopterin, a marker of inflammation, oxidative stress,
      and immune system activation. Collectively, the present findings indicate that
      the inhibition of the mevalonate pathway by simvastatin reduces the risk of
      developing endometriosis in the primate model of this disease by decreasing the
      growth of endometrial lesions, by modulating the expression of genes encoding for
      estrogen receptors, and by reducing inflammation.

PMID- 28637332
TI  - Coarse particle inclusion and lignocellulose-rich fiber addition in feed benefit
      performance and health of broiler chickens.
AB  - Measures to improve gut health and nutrient digestibility have been sought due to
      in-feed antibiotics being phased out in poultry. The appropriate physical
      structure of feed ingredients and addition of dietary fiber may be beneficial in
      enhancing gut health in poultry. In this study, the effect of a lignocellulose
      rich fiber source and corn particle size on broiler performance, gizzard
      development, nutrient digestibility, cecal microflora, and litter quality was
      evaluated. A total of 684 day-old male Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to
      6 treatments with 6 replicate pens, each housing 19 birds. A 2 * 3 factorial
      arrangement of treatments was applied with the factors of: corn particle size
      (coarse: 2,982 MUm or fine: 941 MUm geometric mean diameter), and 3 levels of
      lignocellulose (0%, 1% or 2%). Significant particle size * fiber interaction was
      observed for feed conversion ratio (FCR) at d 10 (P < 0.05). The birds fed
      coarsely ground corn (CGC) had lower FCR than those fed finely ground corn (FGC)
      only at 2% of lignocellulose but not at 1% or no lignocellulose addition. Birds
      fed FGC were heavier (P < 0.001) at d 10. In contrast, at d 24 and 35, birds fed
      CGC had lower FCR than those fed FGC (P < 0.05). Ileal gross energy and protein
      digestibility increased in birds fed CGC compared with those fed FGC at d 24 (P <
      0.05). Relative gizzard weight was higher (P < 0.05) on d 24 and 35 in birds fed
      CGC as compared to those fed FGC. Birds consumed 2% dietary lignocellulose had
      decreased counts of cecal Clostridium spp. compared to those with 1%
      lignocellulose (P < 0.05) at d 24. On d 35, both levels of lignocellulose had
      significantly decreased (P < 0.05) litter moisture content compared to the
      control. In conclusion, birds fed pelleted diets containing CGC exhibited
      improved FCR, and increased nutrient digestibility, which may have been caused by
      larger gizzards. Furthermore, dietary lignocellulose addition is beneficial to
      litter quality.

PMID- 28637333
TI  - Infections in Early Life and Development of Celiac Disease.
AB  - It has been suggested that early infections are associated with increased risk
      for later celiac disease (CD). We analyzed prospective claims data of infants
      from Bavaria, Germany, born between 2005 and 2007 (n = 295,420), containing
      information on medically attended infectious diseases according to International
      Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes in quarterly intervals. We
      calculated hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for time to CD diagnosis by
      infection exposure, adjusting for sex, calendar month of birth, and number of
      previous healthcare visits. CD risk was higher among children who had had a
      gastrointestinal infection during the first year of life (hazard ratio = 1.32,
      95% confidence interval: 1.12, 1.55) and, to a lesser extent, among children who
      had had a respiratory infection during the first year of life (hazard ratio =
      1.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 1.43). Repeated gastrointestinal infections
      during the first year of life were associated with particularly increased risk of
      CD in later life. These findings indicate that early gastrointestinal infections
      may be relevant for CD development.

PMID- 28637334
TI  - New predictor of aortic enlargement in uncomplicated type B aortic dissection
      based on elliptic Fourier analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to re-examine the conventional predictive factors
      for dissected aortic enlargement, such as the aortic and false lumen diameter and
      to consider whether the morphological elements of the dissected aorta could be
      predictors by quantifying the 'shape' of the true lumen based on elliptic Fourier
      analysis. METHODS: A total of 80 patients with uncomplicated type B aortic
      dissection were included. The patients were divided into 'Enlargement group' and
      'No Change group.' Between the 2 groups, the mean systolic blood pressure during
      follow-up, aortic and false lumen maximum diameters, and analysed morphological
      data were compared using each statistical method. RESULTS: The maximum aortic and
      false lumen diameters were significantly larger in the Enlargement group than in
      the No Change group (39.3 vs 35.9 mm; P = 0.0058) (23.5 vs 18.2 mm; P =
      0.000095). The principal component 1, which is the data calculated by elliptic
      Fourier analysis, was significantly lower in the Enlargement group than in the No
      Change group (0.020 vs - 0.072; P = 0.000049). The mean systolic blood pressure
      >=130 mmHg, aortic diameter, false lumen diameter and principal component 1 were
      included in the Cox proportional hazard model as covariates to determine the
      significant predictive variable. Principal component 1 demonstrated the only
      significance with aortic enlargement on multivariate analysis (odds ratio = 0.32;
      P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: The analysed and calculated morphological data of the
      shape of the true lumen can be more effective predictive factors of aortic
      enlargement of type B dissection than the conventional factors.

PMID- 28637335
TI  - Astrocyte-produced miR-146a as a mediator of motor neuron loss in spinal muscular
      atrophy.
AB  - Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant mortality, is
      caused by the loss of the survival motor neuron-1 (SMN1) gene, which leads to
      motor neuron loss, muscle atrophy, respiratory distress, and death. Motor neurons
      exhibit the most profound loss, but the mechanisms underlying disease
      pathogenesis are not fully understood. Recent evidence suggests that motor neuron
      extrinsic influences, such as those arising from astrocytes, contribute to motor
      neuron malfunction and loss. Here we investigated both loss-of-function and toxic
      gain-of-function astrocyte mechanisms that could play a role in SMA pathology. We
      had previously found that glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is reduced in
      SMA astrocytes. However, reduced GDNF expression does not play a major role in
      SMA pathology as viral-mediated GDNF re-expression did not improve astrocyte
      function or motor neuron loss. In contrast, we found that SMA astrocytes
      increased microRNA (miR) production and secretion compared to control astrocytes,
      suggesting potential toxic gain-of-function properties. Specifically, we found
      that miR-146a was significantly upregulated in SMA induced pluripotent stem cell
      (iPSC)-derived astrocytes and SMNDelta7 mouse spinal cord. Moreover, increased
      miR-146a was sufficient to induce motor neuron loss in vitro, whereas miR-146a
      inhibition prevented SMA astrocyte-induced motor neuron loss. Together, these
      data indicate that altered astrocyte production of miR-146a may be a contributing
      factor in astrocyte-mediated SMA pathology.

PMID- 28637337
TI  - Matrix completion with side information and its applications in predicting the
      antigenicity of influenza viruses.
AB  - Motivation: Low-rank matrix completion has been demonstrated to be powerful in
      predicting antigenic distances among influenza viruses and vaccines from
      partially revealed hemagglutination inhibition table. Meanwhile, influenza
      hemagglutinin (HA) protein sequences are also effective in inferring antigenic
      distances. Thus, it is natural to integrate HA protein sequence information into
      low-rank matrix completion model to help infer influenza antigenicity, which is
      critical to influenza vaccine development. Results: We have proposed a novel
      algorithm called biological matrix completion with side information (BMCSI),
      which first measures HA protein sequence similarities among influenza viruses
      (especially on epitopes) and then integrates the similarity information into a
      low-rank matrix completion model to predict influenza antigenicity. This
      algorithm exploits both the correlations among viruses and vaccines in
      serological tests and the power of HA sequence in predicting influenza
      antigenicity. We applied this model into H3N2 seasonal influenza virus data.
      Comparing to previous methods, we significantly reduced the prediction root-mean
      square error in a 10-fold cross validation analysis. Based on the cartographies
      constructed from imputed data, we showed that the antigenic evolution of H3N2
      seasonal influenza is generally S-shaped while the genetic evolution is half
      circle shaped. We also showed that the Spearman correlation between genetic and
      antigenic distances (among antigenic clusters) is 0.83, demonstrating a globally
      high correspondence and some local discrepancies between influenza genetic and
      antigenic evolution. Finally, we showed that 4.4%+/-1.2% genetic variance
      (corresponding to 3.11 +/- 1.08 antigenic distances) caused an antigenic drift
      event for H3N2 influenza viruses historically. Availability and implementation:
      The software and data for this study are available at
      http://bi.sky.zstu.edu.cn/BMCSI/. Contact: jialiang.yang@mssm.edu or
      pinganhe@zstu.edu.cn. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available
      at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28637336
TI  - Identification of Arabidopsis thaliana upstream open reading frames encoding
      peptide sequences that cause ribosomal arrest.
AB  - Specific sequences of certain nascent peptides cause programmed ribosomal arrest
      during mRNA translation to control gene expression. In eukaryotes, most known
      regulatory arrest peptides are encoded by upstream open reading frames (uORFs)
      present in the 5'-untranslated region of mRNAs. However, to date, a limited
      number of eukaryotic uORFs encoding arrest peptides have been reported. Here, we
      searched for arrest peptide-encoding uORFs among Arabidopsis thaliana uORFs with
      evolutionarily conserved peptide sequences. Analysis of in vitro translation
      products of 22 conserved uORFs identified three novel uORFs causing ribosomal
      arrest in a peptide sequence-dependent manner. Stop codon-scanning mutagenesis,
      in which the effect of changing the uORF stop codon position on the ribosomal
      arrest was examined, and toeprint analysis revealed that two of the three uORFs
      cause ribosomal arrest during translation elongation, whereas the other one
      causes ribosomal arrest during translation termination. Transient expression
      assays showed that the newly identified arrest-causing uORFs exerted a strong
      sequence-dependent repressive effect on the expression of the downstream reporter
      gene in A. thaliana protoplasts. These results suggest that the peptide sequences
      of the three uORFs identified in this study cause ribosomal arrest in the uORFs,
      thereby repressing the expression of proteins encoded by the main ORFs.

PMID- 28637338
TI  - Complex interactions between potentially pathogenic, opportunistic, and resident
      bacteria emerge during infection on a reef-building coral.
AB  - Increased bacterial diversity on diseased corals can obscure disease etiology and
      complicate our understanding of pathogenesis. To untangle microbes that may cause
      white band disease signs from microbes responding to disease, we inoculated
      healthy Acropora cervicornis corals with an infectious dose from visibly diseased
      corals. We sampled these dosed corals and healthy controls over time for
      sequencing of the bacterial 16S region. Endozoicomonas were associated with
      healthy fragments from 4/10 colonies, dominating microbiomes before dosing and
      decreasing over time only in corals that displayed disease signs, suggesting a
      role in disease resistance. We grouped disease-associated bacteria by when they
      increased in abundance (primary vs secondary) and whether they originated in the
      dose (colonizers) or the previously healthy corals (responders). We found that
      all primary responders increased in all dosed corals regardless of final disease
      state and are therefore unlikely to cause disease signs. In contrast, primary
      colonizers in the families Pasteurellaceae and Francisellaceae increased solely
      in dosed corals that ultimately displayed disease signs, and may be infectious
      foreign bacteria involved in the development of disease signs. Moving away from a
      static comparison of diseased and healthy bacterial communities, we provide a
      framework to identify key players in other coral diseases.

PMID- 28637340
TI  - An Analysis of the Use of Multichannel Microelectrode Recording During Deep Brain
      Stimulation Surgeries at a Single Center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Microelectrode recording (MER) can be used to map out the target
      nucleus and identify ideal lead placement. OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of
      multichannel MER to increase the efficiency of lead placement without
      compromising patient safety. METHODS: Analysis of a single center's technique for
      utilizing multichannel MER with 3 consistent anterior-to-posterior simultaneous
      passes that include an evaluation of the location of final lead placement,
      patient diagnosis, target nuclei, and additional work involved for refinement of
      targeting. Lead revision rates and rate of hemorrhage are also assessed. RESULTS:
      There were a total of 237 lead placements in 123 patients over a 4-yr period. In
      4.2% of lead placements, additional planning was required, while only 2.5%
      required additional MER. The lead placement matched 51.3% of the time in
      bilateral placements and was consistent regardless of target nuclei. In 84.8% of
      cases, the final lead placement was within the initial 3 MER passes. An
      additional 11.3% could be placed without the need for an additional pass. There
      were 2 lead revisions and no hemorrhage or stroke complications. CONCLUSION: This
      series demonstrates that our technique of multichannel MER leads to accurate and
      efficient lead placement maintaining its safety profile.

PMID- 28637339
TI  - Emergence of ceftazidime/avibactam non-susceptibility in an MDR Klebsiella
      pneumoniae isolate.
AB  - Background: Avibactam is a novel broad-range beta-lactamase inhibitor active
      against Ambler class A (including ESBL and KPC) and some Ambler class C and D
      (e.g. OXA-48) enzymes. We here report on the emergence of ceftazidime/avibactam
      resistance in clinical, multiresistant, OXA-48 and CTX-M-14-producing Klebsiella
      pneumoniae isolate DT12 during ceftazidime/avibactam treatment. Methods and
      results: Comparative whole-genome sequence analysis identified two SNPs in the
      CTX-M-14-encoding gene leading to two amino acid changes (P170S and T264I).
      Compared with WT CTX-M-14, expression of the CTX-M-14Delta170Delta264 isoform in
      Escherichia coli led to a >64- and 16-fold increase in ceftazidime and
      ceftazidime/avibactam MICs, respectively, functionally linking the observed SNPs
      and elevated MICs. The mutated CTX-M-14 isoform exhibited augmented ceftazidime
      hydrolytic activity, which was a reasonable cause for impaired susceptibility to
      avibactam inhibition. The P170S exchange in CTX-M-14 was found in association
      with elevated ceftazidime/avibactam MICs for independent K. pneumoniae isolates,
      but was not sufficient for full resistance. Apparently, additional CTX-M
      independent mechanisms contribute to ceftazidime/avibactam resistance in K.
      pneumoniae DT12. Conclusions: This study on the molecular basis of
      ceftazidime/avibactam resistance in clinical K. pneumoniae emerging in vivo
      underscores the need for continuous monitoring of ceftazidime/avibactam
      susceptibility during therapy. Despite sustained inhibition of OXA-48, rapid
      development of CTX-M-14 isoforms exhibiting augmented ceftazidime hydrolytic
      activity may limit the usefulness of ceftazidime/avibactam monotherapies in
      infections caused by isolates carrying blaCTX-M-14 and blaOXA-48.

PMID- 28637341
TI  - Assessment of Workers' Exposure to Grain Dust and Bioaerosols During the Loading
      of Vessels' Hold: An Example at a Port in the Province of Quebec.
AB  - Longshoremen are exposed to large amounts of grain dust while loading of grain
      into the holds of vessels. Grain dust inhalation has been linked to respiratory
      diseases such as chronic bronchitis, hypersensitivity, pneumonitis, and toxic
      pneumonitis. Our objective was to characterize the exposure of longshoremen to
      inhalable and total dust, endotoxins, and cultivable bacteria and fungi during
      the loading of grain in a vessel's hold at the Port of Montreal in order to
      assess the potential health risks. Sampling campaigns were conducted during the
      loading of two different types of grain (wheat and corn). Environmental samples
      of microorganisms (bacteria, fungus, and actinomycetes) were taken near the top
      opening of the ship's holds while personal breathing zone measurements of dust
      and endotoxins were sampled during the worker's 5-hour shifts. Our study show
      that all measurements are above the recommendations with concentration going up
      to 390 mg m-3 of total dust, 89 mg m-3 of inhalable fraction, 550 000 EU m-3 of
      endotoxins, 20 000 CFU m-3 of bacteria, 61 000 CFU m-3 of fungus and 2500 CFU m-3
      of actinomycetes. In conclusion, longshoremen are exposed to very high levels of
      dust and of microorganisms and their components during grain loading work.
      Protective equipment needs to be enforced for all workers during such tasks in
      order to reduce their exposure.

PMID- 28637342
TI  - Genetic heterogeneity of atrial fibrillation susceptibility loci across racial or
      ethnic groups.

PMID- 28637343
TI  - Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in Matlab, Bangladesh.

PMID- 28637344
TI  - Nicotine Delivery to the Aerosol of a Heat-Not-Burn Tobacco Product: Comparison
      With a Tobacco Cigarette and E-Cigarettes.
AB  - Introduction: The purpose was to measure nicotine levels to the tobacco and
      levels emitted to the aerosol of a heat-not-burn product (HnB, IQOS) compared to
      e-cigarettes (ECs) and a tobacco cigarette. Methods: The HnB device and regular
      and menthol sticks were purchased from Italy. Three types of ECs (ciga-like, eGo
      style, and variable wattage) and a commercially-available tobacco cigarette were
      also tested. A custom-made liquid containing 2% nicotine was used with ECs.
      Products were tested using Health Canada Intense puffing regime while HnB and ECs
      were additionally tested using a 4-second puff duration regime while maintaining
      the same puff volume. Results: Nicotine content in HnB regular and menthol
      tobacco sticks was 15.2 +/- 1.1 mg/g and 15.6 +/- 1.7 mg/g tobacco respectively.
      The levels of nicotine to the aerosol were similar for regular and menthol HnB
      products (1.40 +/- 0.16 and 1.38 +/- 0.11 mg/12 puffs respectively) and did not
      change significantly with prolonged puff duration. The tobacco cigarette
      delivered the highest level of nicotine (1.99 +/- 0.20 mg/cigarette), with levels
      being higher than HnB and ECs under Health Canada Intense regime but similar to
      eGo-style and variable wattage ECs at prolonged puff duration regime.
      Conclusions: The HnB product delivers nicotine to the aerosol at levels higher
      than ECs but lower than a tobacco cigarette when tested using Health Canada
      Intense puffing regime. No change in HnB nicotine delivery was observed at
      prolonged puff duration with the same puff volume, unlike ECs which deliver more
      nicotine with longer puff duration. Implications: Nicotine delivery to the smoker
      is expected to play an important role in the ability of any harm-reduction
      product to successfully substitute smoking. This study evaluated the content and
      nicotine delivery to the aerosol of a heat-not-burn tobacco product (IQOS) in
      comparison with e-cigarettes and a tobacco cigarette. The main findings were that
      the heat-not-burn tobacco sticks contained similar nicotine concentration to
      tobacco cigarettes, and that the levels of nicotine delivered to the aerosol of
      the heat-not-burn products were lower than tobacco cigarette, higher than e
      cigarettes at low puff duration but lower than high-power e-cigarettes at longer
      puff duration.

PMID- 28637345
TI  - "He Wouldn't Turn Me Loose".

PMID- 28637347
TI  - Mechanisms underlying the long-term survival of the monocot Dracaena marginata
      under drought conditions.
AB  - Efficient water management is essential for the survival of vascular plants under
      drought stress. While interrelations among drought stress, plant anatomy and
      physiological functions have been described in woody dicots, similar research is
      very limited for non-palm arborescent and shrubby monocots despite their
      generally high drought tolerance. In this study, potted transplants of Dracaena
      marginata Lam. in primary growth stage were exposed to several short- and long
      term drought periods. Continuous measurements of sap flow and stem diameter, the
      evaluation of capacitance and leaf conductance, the quantification of non
      structural carbohydrates (NSC), and organ-specific anatomical analyses were
      performed to reveal the mechanisms promoting plant resistance to limited soil
      moisture. The plants showed sensitive stomata regulation in the face of drying
      soil, but only intermediate resistance to water loss through cuticular
      transpiration. The water losses were compensated by water release from stem
      characterized by densely interconnected, parenchyma-rich ground tissue and
      considerable hydraulic capacitance. Our results suggest that the high
      concentration of osmotically active NSC in aboveground organs combined with the
      production of root pressures supported water uptake and the restoration of
      depleted reserves after watering. The described anatomical features and
      physiological mechanisms impart D. marginata with high resistance to irregular
      watering and long-term water scarcity. These findings should help to improve
      predictions with respect to the impacts of droughts on this plant group.

PMID- 28637346
TI  - An ion beam-induced Arabidopsis mutant with marked chromosomal rearrangement.
AB  - Ion beams have been used as an effective tool in mutation breeding for the
      creation of crops with novel characteristics. Recent analyses have revealed that
      ion beams induce large chromosomal alterations, in addition to small mutations
      comprising base changes or frameshifts. In an effort to understand the potential
      capability of ion beams, we analyzed an Arabidopsis mutant possessing an abnormal
      genetic trait. The Arabidopsis mutant uvh3-2 is hypersensitive to UVB radiation
      when photoreactivation is unavailable. uvh3-2 plants grow normally and produce
      seeds by self-pollination. SSLP and CAPS analyses of F2 plants showed abnormal
      recombination frequency on chromosomes 2 and 3. PCR-based analysis and sequencing
      revealed that one-third of chromosome 3 was translocated to chromosome 2 in uvh3
      2. FISH analysis using a 180 bp centromeric repeat and 45S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)
      as probes showed that the 45S rDNA signal was positioned away from that of the
      180 bp centromeric repeat in uvh3-2, suggesting the insertion of a large
      chromosome fragment into the chromosome with 45S rDNA clusters. F1 plants derived
      from a cross between uvh3-2 and wild-type showed reduced fertility. PCR-based
      analysis of F2 plants suggested that reproductive cells carrying normal
      chromosome 2 and uvh3-2-derived chromosome 3 are unable to survive and therefore
      produce zygote. These results showed that ion beams could induce marked genomic
      alterations, and could possibly lead to the generation of novel plant species and
      crop strains.

PMID- 28637348
TI  - Hydrogen Peroxide Sensing Based on Inner Surfaces Modification of Solid-State
      Nanopore.
AB  - There are many techniques for the detection of molecules. But detection of
      molecules through solid-state nanopore in a solution is one of the promising,
      high-throughput, and low-cost technology used these days. In the present
      investigation, a solid-state nanopore platform was fabricated for the detection
      of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is not only a label free product but also a
      significant participant in the redox reaction. We have successfully fabricated
      silicon nitride (Si3N4) nanopores with diameters of ~50 nm by using a focused Ga
      ion beam, the inner surface of the nanopore has been modified with horseradish
      peroxidase (HRP) by employing carbodiimide coupling chemistry. The immobilized
      HRP enzymes have ability to induce redox reactions in a single nanopore channel.
      Moreover, a real-time single aggregated ABTS*+ molecular translocation events
      were monitored and investigated. The designed solid-state nanopore biosensor is
      reversible and can be applied to detect H2O2 multiple times.

PMID- 28637349
TI  - The Antibacterial Polyamide 6-ZnO Hierarchical Nanofibers Fabricated by Atomic
      Layer Deposition and Hydrothermal Growth.
AB  - In this paper, we report the combination of atomic layer deposition (ALD) with
      hydrothermal techniques to deposit ZnO on electrospun polyamide 6 (PA 6)
      nanofiber (NF) surface in the purpose of antibacterial application. The micro-
      and nanostructures of the hierarchical fibers are characterized by field emission
      scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron
      microscopy (HRTEM), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). We find
      that NFs can grow into "water lily"- and "caterpillar"-like shapes, which depend
      on the number of ALD cycles and the hydrothermal reaction period. It is believed
      that the thickness of ZnO seed layer by ALD process and the period in
      hydrothermal reaction have the same importance in crystalline growth and
      hierarchical fiber formation. The tests of antibacterial activity demonstrate
      that the ZnO/PA 6 core-shell composite fabricated by the combination of ALD with
      hydrothermal are markedly efficient in suppressing bacteria survivorship.

PMID- 28637350
TI  - Structural Peculiarities of Ion-Conductive Organic-Inorganic Polymer Composites
      Based on Aliphatic Epoxy Resin and Salt of Lithium Perchlorate.
AB  - The article is concerned with hybrid amorphous polymers synthesized basing on
      epoxy oligomer of diglycide aliphatic ester of polyethylene glycol that was cured
      by polyethylene polyamine and lithium perchlorate salt. Structural peculiarities
      of organic-inorganic polymer composites were studied by differential scanning
      calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray spectra, infrared spectroscopic, scanning electron
      microscopy, elemental analysis, and transmission and reflective optical
      microscopy. On the one hand, the results showed that the introduction of LiClO4
      salt into epoxy polymer leads to formation of the coordinative metal-polymer
      complexes of donor-acceptor type between central Li+ ion and ligand. On the other
      hand, the appearance of amorphous microinclusions, probably of inorganic nature,
      was also found.

PMID- 28637351
TI  - Tuning Surface Chemistry of Polyetheretherketone by Gold Coating and Plasma
      Treatment.
AB  - Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has good chemical and biomechanical properties that
      are excellent for biomedical applications. However, PEEK exhibits hydrophobic and
      other surface characteristics which cause limited cell adhesion. We have
      investigated the potential of Ar plasma treatment for the formation of a
      nanostructured PEEK surface in order to enhance cell adhesion. The specific aim
      of this study was to reveal the effect of the interface of plasma-treated and
      gold-coated PEEK matrices on adhesion and spreading of mouse embryonic
      fibroblasts. The surface characteristics (polarity, surface chemistry, and
      structure) before and after treatment were evaluated by various experimental
      techniques (gravimetry, goniometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and
      electrokinetic analysis). Further, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to
      examine PEEK surface morphology and roughness. The biological response of cells
      towards nanostructured PEEK was evaluated in terms of cell adhesion, spreading,
      and proliferation. Detailed cell morphology was evaluated by scanning electron
      microscopy (SEM). Compared to plasma treatment, gold coating improved PEEK
      wettability. The XPS method showed a decrease in the carbon concentration with
      increasing time of plasma treatment. Cell adhesion determined on the interface
      between plasma-treated and gold-coated PEEK matrices was directly proportional to
      the thickness of a gold layer on a sample. Our results suggest that plasma
      treatment in a combination with gold coating could be used in biomedical
      applications requiring enhanced cell adhesion.

PMID- 28637352
TI  - Absence of conformational change in complement factor 3 and factor XII adsorbed
      to acrylate polymers is related to a high degree of polymer backbone flexibility.
AB  - In previous investigations, the authors have examined the adsorption of albumin,
      immunoglobulin, and fibrinogen to a series of acrylate polymers with different
      backbone and side-group flexibility. The authors showed that protein adsorption
      to acrylates with high flexibility, such as poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA),
      tends to preserve native conformation. In the present study, the authors have
      continued this work by examining the conformational changes that occur during the
      binding of complement factor 3 (C3) and coagulation factor XII (FXII). Native C3
      adsorbed readily to all solid surfaces tested, including a series of acrylate
      surfaces of varying backbone flexibility. However, a monoclonal antibody
      recognizing a "hidden" epitope of C3 (only exposed during C3 activation or
      denaturation) bound to the C3 on the rigid acrylate surfaces or on polystyrene
      (also rigid), but not to C3 on the flexible PLMA, indicating that varying degrees
      of conformational change had occurred with binding to different surfaces.
      Similarly, FXII was activated only on the rigid poly(butyl methacrylate) surface,
      as assessed by the formation of FXIIa-antithrombin (AT) complexes; in contrast,
      it remained in its native form on the flexible PLMA surface. The authors also
      found that water wettability hysteresis, defined as the difference between the
      advancing and receding contact angles, was highest for the PLMA surface,
      indicating that a dynamic change in the interface polymer structure may help
      protect the adsorbed protein from conformational changes and denaturation.

PMID- 28637355
TI  - Evaluation of employment-support services for adults with autism spectrum
      disorder.
AB  - The employment rate among persons with autism spectrum disorder has been noted as
      unacceptably low. Employment-support services are increasingly linked to the
      potential for favorable job outcomes, yet little is known about employment
      support practices and the outcome of these interventions. This mixed-methods
      study examined employment-support resources for persons with autism spectrum
      disorder. An online survey was completed by 137 senior clinicians or
      administrators in employment-support programs in Canada. Additionally, 122 follow
      up interviews were conducted with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (n =
      71) and their parents/caregivers (n = 51). Findings indicate that the quality and
      beneficial impact of employment-support services for adults with autism spectrum
      disorder may be more favorably perceived by employment-support personnel than by
      individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families. Furthermore,
      employment-support personnel were more disparaging about autism spectrum disorder
      vocational support capacity within their community, compared to their own
      programs. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families seek
      services that support both accessing and retaining employment. Capacity-building
      in employment support for youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder is
      recommended, based on a reported insufficiency of, and a lack of evidence
      guiding, existing services. Program recommendations and an emerging model for
      integrated vocational support in autism spectrum disorder are offered.

PMID- 28637356
TI  - A New Mobile Application for Standardizing Diabetic Foot Images.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We describe the development of a new mobile app called "FootSnap," to
      standardize photographs of diabetic feet and test its reliability on different
      occasions and between different operators. METHODS: FootSnap was developed by a
      multidisciplinary team for use with the iPad. The plantar surface of 30 diabetic
      feet and 30 nondiabetic control feet were imaged using FootSnap on two separate
      occasions by two different operators. Reproducibility of foot images was
      determined using the Jaccard similarity index (JSI). RESULTS: High intra- and
      interoperator reliability was demonstrated with JSI values of 0.89-0.91 for
      diabetic feet and 0.93-0.94 for control feet. CONCLUSIONS: Similarly high
      reliability between groups indicates FootSnap is appropriate for longitudinal
      follow-ups in diabetic feet, with potential for monitoring pathology.

PMID- 28637357
TI  - Behavioral intention to take up different types of HIV testing among men who have
      sex with men who were never-testers in Hong Kong.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is an important global prevention
      strategy but underutilized by local men who have sex with men (MSM). This study
      investigated the prevalence of behavioral intention to take up HIV testing
      (specific or any type), in the next six months among MSM who had not been tested
      for HIV in the last three years (never-testers) in Hong Kong. The data was based
      on 141 never-testers of 430 MSM who completed the anonymous baseline telephone
      survey of an ongoing randomized controlled trial from January 2015 to August
      2015. Only 17.7% of them showed strong intention to take up any type of HIV
      testing in the next six months. Adjusted analysis showed that perceived benefit
      of HIV testing (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]:
      1.01, 1.66), perceived psychological barriers of HIV testing (AOR: 0.85, 95%CI:
      0.73, 1.00), and perceived self-efficacy in taking up HIV testing (AOR: 1.28,
      95%CI: 1.07, 1.52) were significantly associated with behavioral intention to
      take up any HIV testing. Perceived cue to action from non-governmental
      organization staff was positively associated with a marginal p-value of 0.077
      (AOR: 2.37, 95%CI: 0.97, 5.77). It is warranted to strengthen perceived benefit,
      remove psychological barriers, and increase perceived self-efficacy related to
      HIV testing. Innovative and effective health promotions are greatly needed to
      increase HIV testing coverage among never-testers.

PMID- 28637354
TI  - Essential Dietary Bioactive Lipids in Neuroinflammatory Diseases.
AB  - SIGNIFICANCE: Under physiological conditions, neurons and glia are in a healthy,
      redox-balanced environment; when injury perturbs this equilibrium, a
      neuroinflammatory state is established by activated microglia that triggers pro
      inflammatory responses and alters the oxidant/antioxidant balance, thus leading
      to neuronal loss and neurodegeneration. In neurodegenerative diseases (such as
      Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyothrophic lateral sclerosis, and
      multiple sclerosis), the brain is in a constitutively self-sustaining cycle of
      inflammation and oxidative stress that prompts and amplifies brain damage. Recent
      Advances: Recently, an increasing amount of scientific data highlight the ability
      of specific nutrients to cross the blood-brain barrier, and to modulate
      inflammatory and oxidative pathways. Therefore, nutritional approaches may
      contribute to restore the lost equilibrium among factors accounting for
      neurodegeneration. CRITICAL ISSUES: Herein, we critically examine how essential
      lipids (including fatty acids, liposoluble vitamins and phytosterols) might
      contribute to accelerate or prevent the onset and progression of such
      pathologies. In particular, we highlight that experimental and clinical findings,
      although promising, are still inadequate to draw definitive conclusions. FUTURE
      DIRECTIONS: More research is warranted in order to establish the real impact of
      lipid intake on brain health, especially when redox balance and inflammatory
      responses have been already compromised. In the future, it would be hoped to gain
      a detailed knowledge of chemical modifications and dynamic properties of such
      nutrients, before planning to exploit them as potential therapeutics. Antioxid.
      Redox Signal. 29, 37-60.

PMID- 28637358
TI  - Comparative Simulation Study of Glucose Control Methods Designed for Use in the
      Intensive Care Unit Setting via a Novel Controller Scoring Metric.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Effective glucose control in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting
      has the potential to decrease morbidity and mortality rates and thereby decrease
      health care expenditures. To evaluate what constitutes effective glucose control,
      typically several metrics are reported, including time in range, time in mild and
      severe hypoglycemia, coefficient of variation, and others. To date, there is no
      one metric that combines all of these individual metrics to give a number
      indicative of overall performance. We proposed a composite metric that combines 5
      commonly reported metrics, and we used this composite metric to compare 6 glucose
      controllers. METHODS: We evaluated the following controllers: Ideal Medical
      Technologies (IMT) artificial-intelligence-based controller, Yale protocol,
      Glucommander, Wintergerst et al PID controller, GRIP, and NICE-SUGAR. We
      evaluated each controller across 80 simulated patients, 4 clinically relevant
      exogenous dextrose infusions, and one nonclinical infusion as a test of the
      controller's ability to handle difficult situations. This gave a total of 2400 5
      day simulations, and 585 604 individual glucose values for analysis. We used a
      random walk sensor error model that gave a 10% MARD. For each controller, we
      calculated severe hypoglycemia (<40 mg/dL), mild hypoglycemia (40-69 mg/dL),
      normoglycemia (70-140 mg/dL), hyperglycemia (>140 mg/dL), and coefficient of
      variation (CV), as well as our novel controller metric. RESULTS: For the
      controllers tested, we achieved the following median values for our novel
      controller scoring metric: IMT: 88.1, YALE: 46.7, GLUC: 47.2, PID: 50, GRIP:
      48.2, NICE: 46.4. CONCLUSION: The novel scoring metric employed in this study
      shows promise as a means for evaluating new and existing ICU-based glucose
      controllers, and it could be used in the future to compare results of glucose
      control studies in critical care. The IMT AI-based glucose controller
      demonstrated the most consistent performance results based on this new metric.

PMID- 28637359
TI  - Decreased paraoxonase 2 enzymatic activity in monocyte/macrophages cells. A
      comparative in vivo and in vitro study for diabetes.
AB  - AIM: To investigate peripheral blood monocytes/macrophages (Mo/M?) paraoxonase 2
      (PON2) in diabetes and the factors modulating its activity. METHODS: One hundred
      and eighteen patients with newly diagnosed uncomplicated type 2 diabetes mellitus
      were compared regarding clinical, biochemical and oxidative stress parameters
      with 80 healthy subjects. The capacity of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMNC) to release pro-oxidants and to neutralise them was determined by
      measuring the respiratory burst (RB) and the intracellular antioxidant enzyme
      PON2. In vitro experiments were conducted on a differentiated monocytes cell line
      (dU937) that was exposed to serum deprivation followed by addition of isolated
      lipoproteins (VLDL or LDL). RESULTS: Paraoxonase 2 activity in Mo/M? was
      significantly lower in type 2 diabetes patients (0.042 +/- 0.044 vs 0.165 +/-
      0.133U lactonase activity/mg protein in controls, p < .0005) and decreased in the
      obese in all groups. It was inversely correlated to parameters of adiposity (BMI
      and Waist Circumference), of glucose control (blood glucose, fructosamine and
      HbA1c) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). In multivariate regression models, 15
      34% of the PON2 variance was explained by diabetes. The in vitro addition of VLDL
      normalised the RB of serum deprived dU937 cells, S- (to 82 +/- 18% of the cells
      incubated with serum, S+) and PON2 activity (from 0.524 +/- 0.061 in S - to 0.298
      +/- 0.048 U/mg protein). In contrast, when LDL was added, the RB remained lower
      (61 +/- 12% of S+, p = .03) and PON2 higher (0.580 +/- 0.030 U/mg protein, p =
      .003). CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in monocyte/macrophage PON2 enzymatic activity
      observed in type 2 diabetes cannot be totally explained by abdominal obesity and
      insulin resistance. The underlying molecular mechanisms need to be identified.

PMID- 28637360
TI  - Who or what has agency in the discussion of antimicrobial resistance in UK news
      media (2010-2015)? A transitivity analysis.
AB  - The increase in infections resistant to the existing antimicrobial medicines has
      become a topic of concern for health professionals, policy makers and publics
      across the globe; however, among the public there is a sense that this is an
      issue beyond their control. Research has shown that the news media can have a
      significant role to play in the public's understanding of science and medicine.
      In this article, we respond to a call by research councils in the United Kingdom
      to study antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance as a social phenomenon by
      providing a linguistic analysis of reporting on this issue in the UK press. We
      combine transitivity analysis with a social representations framework to
      determine who and what the social actors are in discussions of antimicrobial
      resistance in the UK press (2010-2015), as well as which of those social actors
      are characterised as having agency in the processes around antimicrobial
      resistance. Findings show that antibiotics and the infections they are designed
      to treat are instilled with agency, that there is a tension between allocating
      responsibility to either doctors-as-prescribers or patients-as-users and
      collectivisation of the general public as an unspecified 'we': marginalising
      livestock farming and pharmaceutical industry responsibilities.

PMID- 28637363
TI  - "Think positively": Parkinson's disease, biomedicine, and hope in contemporary
      Germany.
AB  - Narratives of hope shape contemporary engagements with Parkinson's disease. On
      the one hand, a "biomedical narrative of hope" promises that biomedical research
      will help to transform this treatable but incurable disease into a curable one in
      the future. On the other hand, a more individual "illness narrative of hope"
      encourages patients to influence the course of Parkinson's disease by practicing
      self-care and positive thinking. This article asks how these two narratives of
      hope interact. It bases its argument on an analysis of data from 13 focus groups
      conducted in Germany in 2012 and 2014 with patients with Parkinson's disease and
      their relatives. Participants were asked to have their say on clinical trials for
      advanced therapies for Parkinson's disease and, while doing so, envisioned their
      biosocial selves in the present and the future. Three "modes of being" for
      patients were drawn from this body of data: a "users on stand-by" mode, an
      "unengaged" mode, and an "experimental pioneers" mode. Both narratives of hope
      were important to all three modes, yet they were mobilized at different
      frequencies and also had different statuses. While the biomedical narrative of
      hope was deemed an important "dream of the future" that participants passively
      supported without having to make it their own, the illness narrative of hope was
      a truth discourse that took an imperative form: having Parkinson's disease
      implied the need to maintain a positive attitude.

PMID- 28637361
TI  - Antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds from extracts of Eucalyptus globulus
      and Melaleuca styphelioides and their protective role on D-glucose-induced
      hyperglycemic stress and oxalate stress in NRK-49Fcells.
AB  - Phytochemicals serve as potential therapeutic agents for the prevention and
      treatment of diseases. In this study, we elucidate the renoprotective activity of
      compounds isolated from Eucalyptus globulus and Melaleuca styphelioides extracts
      in glucose- and oxalate-challenged NRK-49F cell model. The antioxidant potential
      of isolated compounds was evaluated based on their effect on antioxidant enzyme
      activities and lipid peroxidation levels. The results demonstrated that exposure
      of NRK-49F cells to glucose and oxalate stress augmented cell damage and
      attenuated antioxidant enzyme activities. The phytochemicals 2,2,8-trimethyl-6
      formyl-chrom-3-ene-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, Cornusiin B and tellimagrandin I
      treatment restored antioxidant enzyme activity, significantly lowered lipid
      peroxidation levels and effectively protected cells from glucose and oxalate
      stress equivalent to the known antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine. Pterocarinin A
      significantly reversed cellular damage owing to glucose stress. In conclusion,
      the compounds isolated from E. globulus and M. styphelioides showed potential
      cytoprotective and anti-oxidative property against glucose- and oxalate-induced
      oxidative stress in NRK-49F cells.

PMID- 28637362
TI  - Spindle Cell Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Palatine Tonsil With CRTC1-MAML2
      Fusion Transcript: Report of a Rare Case in a 17-Year-Old Boy and a Review of the
      Literature.
AB  - Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) with a predominant spindle cell composition
      occurring in the palatine tonsil is exceedingly rare. We present a case of a 17
      year-old boy with an uncommon spindle cell variant of MEC arising in the palatine
      tonsil. Histologically, the tumor showed a solid, noncystic architecture and was
      composed of a predominant population of bland spindle to fusiform cells arranged
      in organoid nests with interspersed goblet cells and focal areas of ductular
      structures. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in
      situ hybridization (FISH) revealed the presence of a t(11;19) CRTC1-MAML2 gene
      fusion in this rare variant of MEC. This is the first case report of a spindle
      cell MEC of the palatine tonsil, with molecular genetic confirmation. It
      illustrates the importance of awareness and recognition of this uncommon
      histological variant of MEC, which will help establish appropriate treatment and
      prognostication.

PMID- 28637353
TI  - Hallmarks of Pulmonary Hypertension: Mesenchymal and Inflammatory Cell Metabolic
      Reprogramming.
AB  - SIGNIFICANCE: The molecular events that promote the development of pulmonary
      hypertension (PH) are complex and incompletely understood. The complex interplay
      between the pulmonary vasculature and its immediate microenvironment involving
      cells of immune system (i.e., macrophages) promotes a persistent inflammatory
      state, pathological angiogenesis, and fibrosis that are driven by metabolic
      reprogramming of mesenchymal and immune cells. Recent Advancements: Consistent
      with previous findings in the field of cancer metabolism, increased glycolytic
      rates, incomplete glucose and glutamine oxidation to support anabolism and
      anaplerosis, altered lipid synthesis/oxidation ratios, increased one-carbon
      metabolism, and activation of the pentose phosphate pathway to support nucleoside
      synthesis are but some of the key metabolic signatures of vascular cells in PH.
      In addition, metabolic reprogramming of macrophages is observed in PH and is
      characterized by distinct features, such as the induction of specific activation
      or polarization states that enable their participation in the vascular remodeling
      process. CRITICAL ISSUES: Accumulation of reducing equivalents, such as NAD(P)H
      in PH cells, also contributes to their altered phenotype both directly and
      indirectly by regulating the activity of the transcriptional co-repressor C
      terminal-binding protein 1 to control the proliferative/inflammatory gene
      expression in resident and immune cells. Further, similar to the role of
      anomalous metabolism in mitochondria in cancer, in PH short-term hypoxia
      dependent and long-term hypoxia-independent alterations of mitochondrial
      activity, in the absence of genetic mutation of key mitochondrial enzymes, have
      been observed and explored as potential therapeutic targets. FUTURE DIRECTIONS:
      For the foreseeable future, short- and long-term metabolic reprogramming will
      become a candidate druggable target in the treatment of PH. Antioxid. Redox
      Signal. 28, 230-250.

PMID- 28637365
TI  - Insight into the C-F bond mechanism of molecular analogs for antibacterial drug
      design.
AB  - The activities of biological molecules usually rely on both of intra-molecular
      and intermolecular interactions between their function groups. These interactions
      include interonic attraction theory, Van der Waal's forces and the function of
      geometry on the individual molecules, whether they are naturally or synthetic.
      The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of C-F bond
      compound using combination of experiments verification and theoretical
      calculation. We target on the insect natural products from the maggots of
      Chrysomyis megacephala Fabricius. Based on density functional theory(DFT) and
      B3LYP method, a theoretical study of the C-F bond on fluoride was designed to
      explore compounds 2 and 4 antibacterial structure-activity relationship. With the
      progress in DFT, first-principle calculation based on DFT has gradually become a
      routine method for drug design, quantum chemistry and other science fields.

PMID- 28637364
TI  - Comparison of Perioperative Outcomes Between Holmium Laser Enucleation of the
      Prostate and Robot-Assisted Simple Prostatectomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare perioperative outcomes for patients undergoing holmium
      laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and robotic-assisted simple
      prostatectomy (RSP) for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). METHODS: Patient
      demographics and perioperative outcomes were compared between 600 patients
      undergoing HoLEP and 32 patients undergoing RSP at two separate academic
      institutions between 2008 and 2015. RESULTS: Patients undergoing HoLEP and RSP
      had comparable ages (71 vs 71, p = 0.96) and baseline American Urological
      Association Symptom Scores (20 vs 24, p = 0.21). There was no difference in mean
      specimen weight (96 g vs 110 g, p = 0.15). Mean operative time was reduced in the
      HoLEP cohort (103 minutes vs 274 minutes, p < 0.001). Patients undergoing HoLEP
      had lesser decreases in hemoglobin, decreased transfusions rates, shorter
      hospital stays, and decreased mean duration of catheterization. There was no
      difference in the rate of complications Clavien grade 3 or greater (p = 0.33).
      CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP and RSP are both efficacious treatments for large gland BPH.
      In expert hands, HoLEP appears to have a favorable perioperative profile. Further
      studies are necessary to compare long-term efficacy, cost, and learning curve
      influences, especially as minimally invasive approaches become more widespread.

PMID- 28637366
TI  - HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of phenolics and in vitro antioxidant activity of
      Epilobium angustifolium L.
AB  - The aerial parts of Epilobium plants are widely used as folk medicine and food
      around the world. The present study was aimed to investigate the antioxidant
      activities and active chemical constituents from Epilobium angustifolium L. The
      results revealed that the EtOAc extract, rich in phenolic compounds and
      flavonoids (16.81 +/- 0.67 g GAE/100 g extract and 4.95 +/- 0.21 g QE/100 g
      extract, respectively), possessed significantly antioxidant activities in
      reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging
      activity and highly in inhibiting lipid peroxidation activity. Simultaneously,
      active fractions F to H from EtOAc extracts showing potent in vitro antioxidant
      activities also contained high content of total phenolic and flavonoid. Twenty
      eight compounds were identified as phenolic compounds and flavonoids by LC-MS/MS.
      The results illustrate that the E. angustifolium L., which is rich in phenolics,
      could be used as a natural resource of antioxidant ingredient.

PMID- 28637367
TI  - Parental perceptions of hypothermia treatment for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic
      encephalopathy.
AB  - AIMS: Hypothermia Treatment (HT) is now the standard care for neonatal hypoxic
      ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). We conducted a survey to explore parental
      perceptions of HT as there is little information about this in the current
      literature. METHODS: Postal questionnaire survey included families (n = 51) whose
      babies received HT at Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, UK, with 23 questions
      covering communication, clinical management, follow-up, and care in general.
      Statistical analysis of descriptive and analytical tests were done using Minitab
      16. RESULTS: The response rate was 60.8%. All parents had concerns amongst which
      perceptions of pain and distress were described by 41%. Temporary concerns about
      bonding were common (83.8%), more so in babies transferred from other hospitals
      (p = .04). Only 61.3% felt they had a good understanding of HT. The need for
      improvements in the quality (71%) and frequency of communication (48.3%) were
      also highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: Parents were worried about pain and distress,
      bonding and about outcomes after HT. Consistency in communication, regular
      updates, involvement of parents in decision making, strong support mechanisms and
      balanced discussions about long term outcomes at an early stage are of high
      importance to families whose babies undergo HT.

PMID- 28637369
TI  - Segmental resection of the uterine wall for placenta previa percreta: some
      clarifications.

PMID- 28637368
TI  - Emergency Ureteral Stone Treatment Score Predicts Outcomes of Ureteroscopic
      Intervention in Acute Obstructive Uropathy Secondary to Urolithiasis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Immediate ureteroscopic treatment for patients presenting to the
      emergency room with symptomatic ureterolithiasis is more commonly being utilized.
      Recent reports demonstrate good efficacy for emergency ureteroscopy (URS);
      however, preoperative predictors of treatment success have not been described. In
      this study, we report our multicenter experience with emergency URS and identify
      predictors of successful treatment. We also describe the Emergency Ureteral Stone
      Treatment (EUST) score, which integrates these predictors and stratifies patients
      into those that are likely and unlikely to have successful treatment. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Laboratory and radiographic data for all patients who underwent
      emergency URS for acute symptomatic ureterolithiasis from 2010 to 2015 were
      reviewed. Statistical difference among parameters for patients who were stone
      free (SF) and not SF was assessed with the Student's t-test. Cutoff values for
      significant predictors were determined using sensitivity and specificity
      analysis. The EUST score was determined based on the number of cutoffs a patient
      was below. RESULTS: Two hundred two of 247 patients (81.8%) were SF. Two
      complications (ureteral perforation) occurred. Stone size, duration of symptoms
      before presentation, and serum white blood count at presentation did not affect
      SF rates. 95.5% of the treatment failures were attributed to a tight ureter
      preventing stone access. Patients who received alpha blockers before treatment
      were more likely to be SF (98.0% vs 55.5%, p < 0.01). Periureteral density (PUD)
      was lower in SF patients (2.8 HU vs 19.6 HU, p < 0.01), whereas the increase in
      serum creatinine from baseline (DeltaCr) was greater in non-SF patients (0.44
      mg/dL vs 0.20 mg/dL, p < 0.01). EUST score of 0, 1, and 2 correlated with SF
      rates of 20.6%, 81.9%, and 99.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Combined
      consideration of PUD and DeltaCr with the EUST score can assist in selecting
      optimal candidates for immediate ureteroscopic management. Administration of
      alpha blockers before surgery may improve success rates by providing preoperative
      ureteral dilation.

PMID- 28637370
TI  - A case of indolent AML with five-year survival without treatment.

PMID- 28637371
TI  - Association between dietary patterns and serum adiponectin: a cross-sectional
      study in a Japanese population.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between dietary pattern,
      adiponectin and insulin resistance. The study population consisted of 612 men and
      women aged 35-69 years old who had participated in the baseline survey of Japan
      Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study in Tokushima Prefecture.
      Diets and lifestyle related variables were assessed by questionnaires. Multiple
      regression analyses were used to analyse the relations between dietary patterns
      and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin. For further analysis, path analysis
      was used to test the hypothesised model of association between dietary pattern,
      serum adiponectin and insulin resistance. The result showed that higher score of
      bread and dairy pattern was directly associated with increased serum level of
      adiponectin in women, which was inversely related to homeostasis model assessment
      of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). In conclusion, higher consumption of bread and
      dairy products, and low intake of rice may be associated with increased serum
      adiponectin in women.

PMID- 28637372
TI  - Recent migration and sample representativeness in a Danish genetic study.

PMID- 28637373
TI  - Efficacy, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of apaziquone in the
      treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Apaziquone (also known as EO9 and QapzolaTM) is a prodrug that is
      activated to DNA damaging species by oxidoreductases (particularly NQO1) and has
      the ability to kill aerobic and/or hypoxic cancer cells. Areas covered: Whilst
      its poor pharmacokinetic properties contributed to its failure in phase II
      clinical trials when administered intravenously, these properties were ideal for
      loco-regional therapies. Apaziquone demonstrated good anti-cancer activity
      against non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) when administered
      intravesically to marker lesions and was well tolerated with no systemic side
      effects. However, phase III clinical trials did not reach statistical
      significance for the primary endpoint of 2-year recurrence in apaziquone over
      placebo although improvements were observed. Post-hoc analysis of the combined
      study data did indicate a significant benefit for patients treated with
      apaziquone, especially when the instillation of apaziquone was given 30 min or
      more after surgery. A further phase III study is ongoing to test the hypotheses
      generated in the unsuccessful phase III studies conducted to date. Expert
      opinion: Because of its specific pharmacological properties, Apaziquone is
      excellently suited for local therapy such as NMIBC. Future studies should include
      proper biomarkers.

PMID- 28637374
TI  - Facial emotion recognition in Parkinson's disease: Association with age and
      olfaction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The ability to recognize facial emotion expressions has been reported
      to be impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD), yet previous studies showed
      inconsistent findings. The aim of this study was to further investigate facial
      emotion recognition (FER) in PD patients and its association with demographic and
      clinical parameters (including motor and nonmotor symptoms). METHOD: Thirty-four
      nondemented PD patients and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC)
      underwent clinical neurological and neuropsychological assessment, standardized
      olfactory testing with Sniffin' Sticks, and the Ekman 60 Faces Emotion
      Recognition Test. RESULTS: PD patients had a significantly lower score on the
      total FER task than HC (p = .006), even after controlling for the potential
      confounding factors depression and apathy. The PD group had a specific impairment
      in the recognition of surprise (p = .007). The recognition of anger approached
      statistical significance (p = .07). Increasing chronological age and age at
      disease onset were associated with worse performance on the FER task in PD
      patients. Olfactory function along with PD diagnosis predicted worse FER
      performance within all study participants. CONCLUSION: Facial emotion recognition
      and especially the recognition of surprise are significantly impaired in PD
      patients compared with age- and sex-matched HC. The association of FER with age
      and olfactory function is endorsed by common structures that undergo
      neurodegeneration in PD. The relevance of FER in social interaction stresses the
      clinical relevance and the need for further investigation in this field. Future
      studies should also determine whether impaired FER is already present in premotor
      stages of PD.

PMID- 28637375
TI  - Anticoagulant therapy for recurrent in-stent thrombosis following carotid artery
      stenting: A case report.
AB  - We report a case in which strict anticoagulant therapy management was useful for
      a recurrent in-stent thrombosis after carotid artery stenting (CAS). An 84-year
      old man presented with cognitive decline that progressed rapidly over two months.
      Head magnetic resonance imaging showed an acute-stage infarct occurring
      frequently in the right cerebral hemisphere, and he underwent hospitalization and
      treatment. On neck magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), severe stenosis was
      found at the origin of the right internal carotid artery. Since he took aspirin,
      clopidogrel, and a statin after placement of an indwelling coronary stent, we
      treated him by adding argatroban and edaravone drip therapy to his existing
      medication. CAS was performed on day 15 of the hospitalization. A small in-stent
      thrombosis with plaque protrusion was observed on a carotid sonogram performed at
      the second day after CAS, and re-examination at the seventh day confirmed
      enlargement of the lesion and an increase in peak systolic velocity; thus, a
      second CAS procedure was performed on the same day. After the second CAS, oral
      cilostazol was added for triple antiplatelet therapy (TAPT), but as the in-stent
      thrombosis increased further, we started a continuous infusion of heparin with
      the goal of an activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of 50 to 65 seconds.
      After starting heparin, the lesion did not progress; after 14 days of continuous
      heparin infusion, the patient was switched to TAPT, and regression of the plaque
      was confirmed. This case demonstrated to us that controlled anticoagulation
      therapy can be an effective treatment for cases in which a thrombus recurs within
      a stent after CAS.

PMID- 28637376
TI  - Cystometrogram: the low-cost method for rural areas and its benefits.
AB  - Cystometrography (CMG) is a means of studying bladder pressure. It is a very
      useful diagnostic tool in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms for which a
      simple cystoscopy will not offer sufficient information to form a diagnosis. Of
      the 8893 patients who underwent screening for urological conditions in rural
      northeast India during 2010-2014, 280 with lower urinary tract symptoms were
      investigated with a combination of cystoscopy and CMG. By corresponding CMG
      diagnosis and treatment, we could examine patients' overall satisfaction with
      both the procedure and the treatment. We describe a low-cost method of CMG and
      our results using this method in rural areas of India.

PMID- 28637378
TI  - Surveillance to Inform Control of Emerging Plant Diseases: An Epidemiological
      Perspective.
AB  - The rise in emerging pathogens and strains has led to increased calls for more
      effective surveillance in plant health. We show how epidemiological insights
      about the dynamics of disease spread can improve the targeting of when and where
      to sample. We outline some relatively simple but powerful statistical approaches
      to inform surveillance and describe how they can be adapted to include
      epidemiological information. This enables us to address questions such as:
      Following the first report of an invading pathogen, what is the likely incidence
      of disease? If no cases of disease have been found, how certain can we be that
      the disease was not simply missed by chance? We illustrate the use of spatially
      explicit stochastic models to optimize targeting of surveillance and control
      resources. Finally, we discuss how modern detection and diagnostic technologies
      as well as information from passive surveillance networks (e.g., citizen science)
      can be integrated into surveillance strategies.

PMID- 28637377
TI  - The Candidatus Liberibacter-Host Interface: Insights into Pathogenesis Mechanisms
      and Disease Control.
AB  - "Candidatus Liberibacter" species are associated with economically devastating
      diseases of citrus, potato, and many other crops. The importance of these
      diseases as well as the proliferation of new diseases on a wider host range is
      likely to increase as the insects vectoring the "Ca. Liberibacter" species expand
      their territories worldwide. Here, we review the progress on understanding
      pathogenesis mechanisms of "Ca. Liberibacter" species and the control approaches
      for diseases they cause. We discuss the Liberibacter virulence traits, including
      secretion systems, putative effectors, and lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), as well as
      other important traits likely to contribute to disease development, e.g.,
      flagella, prophages, and salicylic acid hydroxylase. The pathogenesis mechanisms
      of Liberibacters are discussed. Liberibacters secrete Sec-dependent effectors
      (SDEs) or other virulence factors into the phloem elements or companion cells to
      interfere with host targets (e.g., proteins or genes), which cause cell death,
      necrosis, or other phenotypes of phloem elements or companion cells, leading to
      localized cell responses and systemic malfunction of phloem. Receptors on the
      remaining organelles in the phloem, such as plastid, vacuole, mitochondrion, or
      endoplasmic reticulum, interact with secreted SDEs and/or other virulence factors
      secreted or located on the Liberibacter outer membrane to trigger cell responses.
      Some of the host genes or proteins targeted by SDEs or other virulence factors of
      Liberibacters serve as susceptibility genes that facilitate compatibility (e.g.,
      promoting pathogen growth or suppressing immune responses) or disease
      development. In addition, Liberibacters trigger plant immunity response via
      pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs, such as lipopolysaccharides),
      which leads to premature cell death, callose deposition, or phloem protein
      accumulation, causing a localized response and/or systemic effect on phloem
      transportation. Physical presence of Liberibacters and their metabolic activities
      may disturb the function of phloem, via disrupting osmotic gradients, or the
      integrity of phloem conductivity. We also review disease management strategies,
      including promising new technologies. Citrus production in the presence of
      Huanglongbing is possible if the most promising management approaches are
      integrated. HLB management is discussed in the context of local, area-wide, and
      regional Huanglongbing/Asian Citrus Psyllid epidemiological zones. For zebra chip
      disease control, aggressive psyllid management enables potato production,
      although insecticide resistance is becoming an issue. Meanwhile, new technologies
      such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-derived
      genome editing provide an unprecedented opportunity to provide long-term
      solutions.

PMID- 28637379
TI  - Neuropsychological outcomes of pediatric demyelinating diseases: a review.
AB  - Immune-mediated central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating diseases impact
      various areas of the brain, optic nerves, and/or spinal cord and can result in a
      wide range of neurologic symptoms including adverse cognitive outcomes.
      Neuropsychological outcomes in adult multiple sclerosis (MS) are well documented,
      while literature on such outcomes in pediatric cohorts is more limited.
      Furthermore, literature on neuropsychological outcomes in pediatric acute
      disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), and transverse
      myelitis (TM) is even more limited. This paper is the first to review what is
      known about neuropsychological outcomes associated with immune-mediated CNS
      demyelinating diseases, with a focus on pediatric MS, ADEM, NMO, and TM.
      Additionally, this review illuminates the need to clarify differences in
      neuropsychological sequelae between conditions, characterize longitudinal
      cognitive outcomes, and investigate neuropsychological outcomes in relation to
      clinical variables (e.g., age of onset, disease duration, number of relapses) and
      psychosocial variables (e.g., fatigue, emotional problems, behavioral
      functioning) to better understand neuropsychological outcomes associated with
      these conditions.

PMID- 28637381
TI  - Role of Caspase-3-Mediated Apoptosis in Chronic Caspase-3-Cleaved Tau
      Accumulation and Blood-Brain Barrier Damage in the Corpus Callosum after
      Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats.
AB  - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be a significant risk factor for development of
      neurodegenerative disorders such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), post
      traumatic epilepsy (PTE), and Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases.
      Chronic TBI is associated with several pathological features that are also
      characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases, including tau pathologies, caspase
      3-mediated apoptosis, neuroinflammation, and microvascular alterations. The goal
      of this study was to evaluate changes following TBI in cleaved-caspase-3 and
      caspase-3-cleaved tau truncated at Asp421, and their relationships to cellular
      markers potentially associated with inflammation and blood-brain (BBB) barrier
      damage. We studied astrocytes (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]), microglia
      (ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 [Iba1]), BBB (endothelial barrier
      antigen [EBA]), and activated microglia/macrophages (cluster of differentiation
      68 [CD68]). We employed immunohistochemistry at different time points from 24 h
      to 3 months after controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury in rats, with
      particular interest in white matter. The study demonstrated that CCI caused
      chronic upregulation of cleaved-caspase-3 in the white matter of the corpus
      callosum. Increases in cleaved-caspase-3 in the corpus callosum were accompanied
      by accumulation of caspase-3-cleaved tau, with increasing perivascular
      aggregation 3 months after CCI. Immunofluorescence experiments further showed
      cellular co-localization of cleaved-caspase-3 with GFAP and CD68 and its adjacent
      localization with EBA, suggesting involvement of apoptosis and neuroinflammation
      in mechanisms of delayed BBB and microvascular damage that could contribute to
      white matter changes. This study also provides the first evidence that evolving
      upregulation of cleaved-caspase-3 is associated with accumulation of caspase-3
      cleaved tau following experimental TBI, thus providing new insights into
      potential common mechanisms mediated by caspase-3 and underlying chronic TBI
      pathologies and neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28637380
TI  - Diabetes-related weight change in a Canadian First Nation cohort.
AB  - The Canadian First Nations population is disproportionately burdened by diabetes
      and diabetes complications. Body weight management is purported to be important
      in the prevention and management of diabetes. In this study, we sought to
      describe weight change in a First Nation cohort according to diabetes status and
      management. Study data were from two diabetes screening studies in Sandy Bay
      First Nation in Manitoba, Canada, collected in 2002/2003 (baseline) and 2011/2012
      (follow-up). The cohort was composed of respondents to both screening studies
      (n=171). Fasting blood samples, anthropometric, health and demographic data were
      collected. At baseline, 24.8% (n=41) of the cohort members had diabetes. At
      follow-up, an additional 20.6% (n=34) developed diabetes. Among all participants
      with diabetes (long-term and incident cases), 66.6% lost weight between the two
      study periods. Among only participants with long-term diabetes (>8 years), 31.7%
      lost >10 kg. HbA1c at baseline, positive change in HbA1c over time, and use of
      metformin were significantly associated with weight loss >=5%, independent of
      age, sex, and BMI at baseline. Further research is needed to better understand if
      and how diabetes-related weight loss contributes to morbidity and mortality in
      this First Nation population.

PMID- 28637382
TI  - Rates and Correlates of Binge Drinking Among College Students With Disabilities,
      United States, 2013.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to provide the first comprehensive picture of
      alcohol use and binge drinking by US college students with disabilities (SWDs),
      who represent at least 11% (1.6 million) of the US college student population.
      METHODS: In fall 2013, we used a stratified random sampling technique to identify
      and recruit 2440 SWDs from 122 US colleges and universities. A total of 1285
      (53%) SWDs from 61 (50%) colleges and universities completed a survey of alcohol
      and other drug use and the use of substances by student peers. We conducted 4
      multiple logistic regression analyses to compare binge-drinking and non-binge
      drinking SWDs by potential correlates of such use and a final model that included
      only significant variables. RESULTS: SWDs aged <21 vs >=21 (odds ratio [OR] =
      0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.99) who spent more time vs less time
      socializing (OR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.11-1.38), who spent less time vs more time
      studying (OR = -0.89; 95% CI, -0.80 to -0.99), and who used vs did not use
      marijuana (OR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.18-1.75) or amphetamines (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.15
      2.89) were significantly more likely to binge drink. SWDs who reported using
      barbiturates were less likely to binge drink than were those who did not use
      barbiturates (OR = -0.36; 95% CI, -0.21 to -0.61). In the final model, use of
      amphetamines (OR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.15-2.65) or marijuana (OR = 1.60; 95% CI, 1.32
      1.94) was the highest predictor of binge drinking. CONCLUSION: SWDs' reported
      rates of binge drinking, although high, were not as high as those of nondisabled
      college students. Nevertheless, prevention efforts should be targeted toward
      college SWDs.

PMID- 28637383
TI  - Inflammation-Induced Osteogenesis in a Rabbit Tibia Model.
AB  - Pathologic conditions associated with bone formation can serve as models to
      identify bone-promoting mediators. The inflammatory response to bacterial
      infections generally leads to osteolysis and impaired bone healing, but
      paradoxically, it can also have pro-osteogenic effects. As a potential model to
      investigate pro-osteogenic stimuli, this study characterizes the bone formation
      in an established rabbit tibia model of periprosthetic infection. Our hypothesis
      was that the infection with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) correlates with
      bone formation as a response to local inflammation. Fluorochromes showed
      excessive subperiosteal bone formation in infected tibiae, starting the first
      week and continuing throughout the study period. Despite the observed cortical
      lysis on micro-CT after 28 days, infection resulted in a twofold higher bone
      volume in the proximal tibiae compared to uninfected controls. The ipsilateral
      fibulae, nor the contralateral fibulae or tibiae were affected by infection.
      Next, we sought to confine the cause of stimulated bone formation to the isolated
      S. aureus cell wall. In absence of virulent bacterial infection, the S. aureus
      cell wall extract induced bone in a more favorable way without cortical lysis.
      This suggests that the sterile inflammatory reaction to bacterial antigens may be
      harnessed for bone regenerative purposes. Future investigations in this rabbit
      tibia model can lead to further identification of effective stimuli for clinical
      application.

PMID- 28637384
TI  - Long-Term Effects of High-Protein Diets on Renal Function.
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a prevalence of approximately 13% and is most
      frequently caused by diabetes and hypertension. In population studies, CKD
      etiology is often uncertain. Some experimental and observational human studies
      have suggested that high-protein intake may increase CKD progression and even
      cause CKD in healthy people. The protein source may be important. Daily red meat
      consumption over years may increase CKD risk, whereas white meat and dairy
      proteins appear to have no such effect, and fruit and vegetable proteins may be
      renal protective. Few randomized trials exist with an observation time greater
      than 6 months, and most of these were conducted in patients with preexisting
      diseases that dispose to CKD. Results conflict and do not allow any conclusion
      about kidney-damaging effects of long-term, high-protein intake. Until additional
      data become available, present knowledge seems to substantiate a concern.
      Screening for CKD should be considered before and during long-term, high-protein
      intake.

PMID- 28637385
TI  - Applying cognitive restructuring in therapy: The clinical reality in Spain.
AB  - : Cognitive restructuring is one of the most widely used techniques among
      psychologists of different orientations. However, there is a lack of clarity in
      what concerns its precise definition, functioning, effectiveness, and components.
      OBJECTIVE: To obtain precise information on how psychotherapists use cognitive
      restructuring in their clinical practice in Spain. METHOD: A survey study was
      conducted following a descriptive quantitative methodology, with a cross
      sectional design and a non-random sampling method. Three hundred and twenty
      psychotherapists responded to a questionnaire, created ad hoc, on cognitive
      restructuring. RESULTS: Cognitive restructuring is widely used by therapists with
      different levels of experience, training, and following different
      psychotherapeutic approaches. Furthermore, it is applied to address a wide
      variety of psychological problems. There exist relevant differences in the use of
      the technique depending on the therapists' level of experience. CONCLUSIONS: This
      study has shown, for the first time, how cognitive restructuring is applied in
      daily clinical practice. The main implications of these results are discussed,
      and new lines of inquiry are proposed.

PMID- 28637387
TI  - Immunopathology of Chikungunya Virus Infection: Lessons Learned from Patients and
      Animal Models.
AB  - Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthropod-borne alphavirus that causes acute and
      chronic arthritis. The virus reemerged in the Indian Ocean islands in 2005-2006
      and is responsible for outbreaks in the Caribbean islands and the Americas since
      late 2013. Despite the wealth of research over the past 10 years, there are no
      commercially available antiviral drugs or vaccines. Treatment usually involves
      analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and supportive care. Most studies have been
      focused on understanding the pathogenesis of CHIKV infection through clinical
      observation and with animal models. In this review, the clinical manifestations
      of CHIKV that define the disease and the use of relevant animal models, from mice
      to nonhuman primates, are discussed. Understanding key cellular factors in CHIKV
      infection and the interplay with the immune system will aid in the development of
      preventive and therapeutic approaches to combat this painful viral disease in
      humans.

PMID- 28637386
TI  - Enzymes and Enzyme Activity Encoded by Nonenveloped Viruses.
AB  - Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that rely on host cell machineries
      for their replication and survival. Although viruses tend to make optimal use of
      the host cell protein repertoire, they need to encode essential enzymatic or
      effector functions that may not be available or accessible in the host cellular
      milieu. The enzymes encoded by nonenveloped viruses-a group of viruses that lack
      any lipid coating or envelope-play vital roles in all the stages of the viral
      life cycle. This review summarizes the structural, biochemical, and mechanistic
      information available for several classes of enzymes and autocatalytic activity
      encoded by nonenveloped viruses. Advances in research and development of
      antiviral inhibitors targeting specific viral enzymes are also highlighted.

PMID- 28637388
TI  - Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy: Endemic Viruses and Lethal Brain
      Disease.
AB  - In 1971, the first human polyomavirus was isolated from the brain of a patient
      who died from a rapidly progressing demyelinating disease known as progressive
      multifocal leukoencephalopathy. The virus was named JC virus after the initials
      of the patient. In that same year a second human polyomavirus was discovered in
      the urine of a kidney transplant patient and named BK virus. In the intervening
      years it became clear that both viruses were widespread in the human population
      but only rarely caused disease. The past decade has witnessed the discovery of
      eleven new human polyomaviruses, two of which cause unusual and rare cancers. We
      present an overview of the history of these viruses and the evolution of JC
      polyomavirus-induced progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy over three
      different epochs. We review what is currently known about JC polyomavirus, what
      is suspected, and what remains to be done to understand the biology of how this
      mostly harmless endemic virus gives rise to lethal disease.

PMID- 28637389
TI  - Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in various types of raw oilseeds
      from different regions of China.
AB  - Ninety-five samples of 18 types of oilseeds used for edible oil production were
      collected from different origins of China. The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic
      hydrocarbons (PAHs) in these oilseeds was presented after the analysis by using a
      simplified gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method. The results indicated
      that some of these oilseeds were not found of indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene,
      dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and benzo[ghi]perylene. Naphthalene and phenanthrene had
      higher concentration than other individual PAH in the same sample. The range of
      BaP, PAH4, and PAH16 concentration in these 95 samples was 0.1-14.1, 1.1-74.6,
      and 81.8-466.8 ug/kg, respectively. LPAH accounted for 87.1-99.5% of the total
      concentration of PAHs in all of studied oilseeds. The average concentrations of
      PAH16 in different types of oilseed were different. Meanwhile, the samples
      collected from different origins of China presented various levels of PAH16. The
      differences between herbaceous plant oilseeds and woody plant oilseeds in terms
      of PAH levels were not observed.

PMID- 28637390
TI  - Isolation, structural elucidation and antiplasmodial activity of fucosterol
      compound from brown seaweed, Sargassum linearifolium against malarial parasite
      Plasmodium falciparum.
AB  - The brown seaweed, Sargassum linearifolium (Turner) C. Agardh, 1820 is commonly
      available along the south-east coast of India. Its compound fucosterol was
      isolated and confirmed through spectral characterisation and chemical
      transformation methods. The antiplasmodial effect of the isolated fucosterol was
      investigated against the 3D7 chloroquine sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strain,
      parasitaemia percentage was determined at 48 h and morphological change was
      studied through microscopic examination after Giemsa staining. A perceptible
      antiplasmodial effect was produced by fucosterol compound against the P.
      falciparum and positive control, chloroquine with the IC50 values (MUg/mL) of
      7.48 and 12.81, respectively. Fucosterol showed higher antiplasmodial activity as
      compared to chloroquine. It is inferred that both the fucosterol and chloroquine
      could have inhibited the schizont stage of the parasite during the intra
      erythrocyte asexual development. The findings underline the usefulness of the
      seaweed-based fucosterol and further studies are warranted.

PMID- 28637391
TI  - A study of burden of care and its correlates among family members supporting
      relatives and loved ones with traumatic spinal cord injuries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To understand and describe in a sample of caregivers of persons with
      spinal cord injury, their burden of care, resilience and life satisfaction and to
      explore the relationship between these variables. DESIGN: Cross-sectional design.
      SETTING: One Spinal Cord Injury Acute Inpatient Unit from a general hospital.
      SUBJECTS: Seventy-five relatives of persons with spinal cord injuries (84% women)
      with a mean age of 48.55 ( SD = 12.55) years. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASURES:
      Demographics (neurological loss and severity according to the American Spinal
      Injury Association criteria), the Zarit Burden Interview, the Resilience Scale
      and the Life Satisfaction Checklist. RESULTS: All caregivers experienced feelings
      of different intensities of burden (52% mild-to-moderate, 43% moderate-to-severe
      and 5% severe), and none of them expressed little or no burden at the assessment
      moment. Caregivers' main worries were "dependence" and "the future of the
      injured." Resilience was medium-to-high (mean = 141.93, SD = 23.44) for the whole
      sample with just a minority of them revealing low (15%) or very low resilience
      (7%). The highest scores were obtained in relation to "caregivers' independence"
      and "meaning of their lives." Life satisfaction scores were medium-to-high (mean
      = 36.6, SD = 6). These scores were not related to demographics or the severity of
      the injury. Zarit Burden Interview scores were negatively correlated to
      Resilience Scale ( r = -.370, P = .001) and Life Satisfaction Checklist scores (
      r = -.412, P < .001). CONCLUSION: More resilient and satisfied caregivers
      experienced lower burden. Burden is moderate-to-high and mainly related to
      uncertainty about the future, caregivers' insecurity with caregiving and
      dependence of the injured.

PMID- 28637392
TI  - Thoughts on human geriatric rehabilitation from a geriatric greyhound: lessons
      learned from the rehabilitation given to an aged dog.

PMID- 28637393
TI  - Introductory paragraph.

PMID- 28637394
TI  - Comparison of bone healing, as assessed by computed tomography, following tibial
      tuberosity advancement in dogs with and without autogenous cancellous bone
      grafts.
AB  - AIMS: To objectively compare measures of bone healing, using computed tomography
      (CT) in dogs following bilateral tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA), between
      tibiae treated with and without autogenous cancellous bone grafts. METHODS: Ten
      dogs with bilateral cranial cruciate ligament disease requiring surgical
      stabilisation were prospectively recruited to undergo single-session bilateral
      TTA, with only one, randomly assigned, tibia receiving bone graft in the
      osteotomy deficit. Bone healing at the osteotomy site was assessed using CT
      performed 38-70 days post-operatively. CT images were evaluated using both
      objective measurements of osseous bridging and subjective evaluation by six
      radiologists. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the objective outcomes
      between the grafted and non-grafted tibiae. RESULTS: The mean percentage of the
      osteotomy deficit bridged at the lateral cortex was greater in grafted (77.6, SD
      35.2%) compared to non-grafted (63.0, SD 36.5%) tibiae (p=0.001), but did not
      differ at the medial cortex (p=0.1). The mean minimum callus width was greater in
      grafted (7.2, SD 3.3 mm) compared to non-grafted (3.6, SD 2.9 mm) tibiae
      (p<0.001). There was no difference in mean attenuation (measured in Hounsfield
      units) of the callus between grafted and non-grafted tibiae (p=0.5). The grafted
      tibia was deemed to have superior bone healing in 50/60 subjective assessments
      made by radiologists. CONCLUSIONS: Superior osseous bridging was detected by CT
      analysis following TTA using autogenous cancellous bone grafts compared with no
      graft. This was shown by greater bridging percentage at the lateral cortex and
      formation of a broader callus. Qualitative assessments made by six radiologists
      also supported the conclusion that bone healing was improved by use of autogenous
      cancellous bone graft. CT was a useful method for assessing evidence of bone
      healing following TTA. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These findings justify the application
      of autogenous cancellous bone graft to augment healing following TTA in dogs.

PMID- 28637397
TI  - Ursolic acid derivatives for pharmaceutical use: a patent review (2012-2016).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Ursolic acid (UA), belongs to a group of pentacyclic triterpenoids
      and is known to possess some very interesting biological properties. Protocols
      have been developed in order to synthesize bioactive UA analogs which have
      resulted in numerous ursolic acid analogs being synthesized during the period
      2012-2016. Ursolic acid and its analogues can be employed to treat various
      cancers, inflammatory diseases, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's
      disease, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and AIDS to mention but a few. Areas covered:
      This review covers patents on therapeutic activities of ursolic acid (UA) and its
      synthetic derivatives published during the four year period 2012-2016. A
      discussion about structure-activity relationships (SAR) of these analogs is also
      included. Expert opinion: Ursolic acid and its synthetic derivatives demonstrated
      excellent anticancer, antidiabetic, antiarrhythmic, anti-hyperlipidemic,
      antimicrobial, anti-hypercholesterolemic, and anti-cardiovascular properties.
      Additionally, various ursolic acid analogues have been synthesized through
      modification at positions C2-OH, C3-OH and C17-CO2H. It is noteworthy that the C
      17 amide and amino analogs of UA possessed better anticancer activity compared to
      the parent compound (UA). Most importantly, UA has the potential to conjugate
      with other anticancer drugs or be transformed into its halo derivatives since
      this will greatly facilitate scientists to get lead compounds in cancer drug
      discovery.

PMID- 28637398
TI  - What Do We Know About NOD-Like Receptors in Plant Immunity?
AB  - The first plant disease resistance (R) genes were identified and cloned more than
      two decades ago. Since then, many more R genes have been identified and
      characterized in numerous plant pathosystems. Most of these encode members of the
      large family of intracellular NLRs (NOD-like receptors), which also includes
      animal immune receptors. New discoveries in this expanding field of research
      provide new elements for our understanding of plant NLR function. But what do we
      know about plant NLR function today? Genetic, structural, and functional analyses
      have uncovered a number of commonalities and differences in pathogen recognition
      strategies as well as how NLRs are regulated and activate defense signaling, but
      many unknowns remain. This review gives an update on the latest discoveries and
      breakthroughs in this field, with an emphasis on structural findings and some
      comparison to animal NLRs, which can provide additional insights and paradigms in
      plant NLR function.

PMID- 28637396
TI  - Modulation of miR29a improves impaired post-ischemic angiogenesis in
      hyperglycemia.
AB  - Individuals with diabetes mellitus suffer from impaired angiogenesis and this
      contributes to poorer peripheral arterial disease outcomes. In experimental
      peripheral arterial disease, angiogenesis and perfusion recovery are impaired in
      mice with diabetes. We recently showed that a disintegrin and metalloproteinase
      domain-containing protein 12 (ADAM12) is upregulated in ischemic endothelial
      cells and plays a key role in post-ischemic angiogenesis and perfusion recovery
      following experimental peripheral arterial disease. Here we investigated the role
      of miR29a in the regulation of endothelial cell ADAM12 expression in ischemia and
      how hyperglycemia negatively affects this regulation. We also explored whether
      modulating miR29a can improve impaired post-ischemic angiogenesis associated with
      hyperglycemia. Additionally, we tested whether miR29a modulation could improve
      post ischemic angiogenesis in the setting of impaired vascular endothelial growth
      factor signaling. We forced miR29a expression in ischemic endothelial cells and
      assessed ADAM12 expression. We also evaluated whether hyperglycemia in vivo and
      in vitro impair ischemia-induced ADAM12 upregulation and miR29a downregulation.
      Lastly, we determined whether modulating endothelial cell miR29a expression in
      ischemia and hyperglycemia could improve impaired endothelial cell functions. We
      found under ischemic conditions where ADAM12 is upregulated in endothelial cells,
      miR29a is downregulated. Forced expression of miR29a in ischemic endothelial cell
      prevented ADAM12 upregulation . In ischemic hind limbs of mice with type 1
      diabetes and in endothelial cells exposed to simulated ischemia plus
      hyperglycemia, ADAM12 upregulation and miR29a downregulation were blunted while
      angiogenesis was impaired. Knocking down miR29a with an miR29a inhibitor was
      sufficient to improve ADAM12 upregulation and angiogenesis in simulated ischemia
      plus hyperglycemia. It was also sufficient to improve perfusion recovery in type
      1 diabetes mellitus mice in vivo and angiogenesis in vitro even when vascular
      endothelial growth factor signaling was impaired with blocking antibodies. In
      conclusion, MiR29a regulates endothelial cell ADAM12 upregulation in ischemia and
      this is impaired in hyperglycemia. Modulating miR29a improves impaired post
      ischemic angiogenesis associated with hyperglycemia. Impact statement Individuals
      with diabetes are more likely to develop peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and
      when PAD is present, in those with diabetes, it is more severe and there is
      currently no effective medical treatment for impaired blood flow which occurs in
      diabetics with PAD. The current work advances the field by providing an
      understanding of a molecular mechanism involved in impaired post ischemic
      angiogenesis in diabetes. It shows for the first time that failure to
      downregulate miR29a in ischemic diabetic tissues is a major contributing factor
      to poor perfusion recovery in experimental PAD, and miR29a is elevated in
      skeletal muscle samples from human diabetics compared with levels in those
      without diabetes. Knocking down the elevated miR29a in ischemic diabetic mouse
      hind limbs improved perfusion recovery following experimental PAD. This shows
      miR29a modulation as a novel therapeutic target for improving blood flow in
      diabetics with PAD.

PMID- 28637399
TI  - * Biomineralized Recombinant Collagen-Based Scaffold Mimicking Native Bone
      Enhances Mesenchymal Stem Cell Interaction and Differentiation.
AB  - The need of synthetic bone grafts that recreate from macro- to nanoscale level
      the biochemical and biophysical cues of bone extracellular matrix has been a
      major driving force for the development of new generation of biomaterials. In
      this study, synthetic bone substitutes have been synthesized via biomimetic
      mineralization of a recombinant collagen type I-derived peptide (RCP), enriched
      in tri-amino acid sequence arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD). Three-dimensional
      (3D) isotropic porous scaffolds of three different compositions are developed by
      freeze-drying: non-mineralized (RCP, as a control), mineralized (Ap/RCP), and
      mineralized scaffolds in the presence of magnesium (MgAp/RCP) that closely
      imitate bone composition. The effect of mineral phase on scaffold pore size,
      porosity, and permeability, as well as on their in vitro kinetic degradation, is
      evaluated. The ultimate goal is to investigate how chemical (i.e., surface
      chemistry and ion release from scaffold) together with physical signals (i.e.,
      surface nanotopography) conferred via biomimetic mineralization can persuade and
      guide mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) interaction and fate. The three scaffold
      compositions showed optimum pore size and porosity for osteoconduction, without
      significant differences between them. The degradation tests confirmed that
      MgAp/RCP scaffolds presented higher reactivity under physiological condition
      compared to Ap/RCP ones. The in vitro study revealed an enhanced cell growth and
      proliferation on MgAp/RCP scaffolds at day 7, 14, and 21. Furthermore, MgAp/RCP
      scaffolds potentially promoted cell migration through the inner areas reaching
      the bottom of the scaffold after 14 days. MSCs cultured on MgAp/RCP scaffolds
      displayed higher gene and protein expressions of osteogenic markers when
      comparing them with the results of those MSCs grown on RCP or Ap/RCP scaffolds.
      This work highlights that mineralization of recombinant collagen mimicking bone
      mineral composition and morphology is a versatile approach to design smart
      scaffold interface in a 3D model guiding MSC fate.

PMID- 28637400
TI  - Impulse Oscillometry System and Anthropometric Variables of Preschoolers,
      Children and Adolescents Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To identify the anthropometric variables in equations/reference
      values of impulse oscillometry system (IOS) parameters in preschoolers, children
      and adolescents. METHOD: Systematic search on the databases MEDLINE/Ovid, SCOPUS
      and SciELO using the key words "preschool, child and adolescent", "impulse
      oscillometry", "reference values" and its variations. RESULTS: This review
      considered a total of 13 articles. The studies presented height, weight, sex and
      age as the variables correlated to oscillometric parameters. Most studies do not
      present the correlation values of analyzed variables, and only a few presented
      the results considering gender differences. The coefficients of determination of
      the equations were low, specially for the samples including preschoolers. Height
      was identified as the most influent predictive variable to IOS parameters in the
      studied age group. CONCLUSION: Anthropometric variables, especially height, plays
      an important role determining reference values/equations for oscillometric
      parameters, however, the data acquisition method should be standardized.

PMID- 28637401
TI  - Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index (AASI) is Unable to Estimate Arterial
      Stiffness of Hypertensive Subjects: Role of Nocturnal Dipping of Blood Pressure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index (AASI) has been proposed as an
      indirect and simpler method to estimate the Arterial Stiffness (AS). AASI,
      calculated from a set of data collected during a 24-hours ambulatory blood
      pressure monitoring (ABPM), is defined as 1 minus the regression slope of
      diastolic on systolic blood pressure (BP) values. For a given increase in
      diastolic BP, the increase in systolic BP is smaller in a compliant compared to a
      stiff artery; the stiffer the arterial tree, the closer AASI is to 1. AASI was
      demonstrated to predict cardiovascular mortality, cerebrovascular events and to
      be associated with target organ damage. Taking into account the almost complete
      absence of data regarding the ability of AASI to predict the different degree of
      AS when hypertensives are divided into four classes of dipping in relation to the
      extent of the nocturnal reduction of BP (extreme dippers, dippers, mild dippers
      and reverse dippers) aim to clarify the ability of AASI to estimate the different
      degree of AS of hypertensive subjects with different nocturnal BP profile and
      resulting in different extent of organ damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled
      816 subjects (403 men and 413 women) with essential hypertension, referred to the
      U.O.C of Medicina Interna e Cardioangiologia of the University of Palermo; 173
      subjects (71 men and 102 women, mean age 44.4 +/- 14.6 years) without a history
      of hypertension were enrolled as controls. RESULTS: The analysis of data was
      performed by dividing the population into four categories in relation to the
      extent of the nocturnal decline of BP: 124 extreme dipper (mean age 54,8 +/- 12,4
      years, men 46.8 %); 287 dipper (mean age 55,9 +/- 14,2 years, men 54,0 %); 271
      mild dipper (mean age 61,5 +/- 14,7 years, men 52,0 %); 134 reverse dipper (mean
      age 61,5 +/- 14,7 years, men 33.6 %). The mean value of AASI was significantly
      higher for mild and reverse dippers versus control patients and versus the other
      categories of dipping. The multiple regression analysis with AASI as the
      dependent variable confirmed the significant association between AASI and
      nocturnal dip (p: 0.015). The Multinomial Logistic Regression Analysis, in which
      AASI values were adjusted for the main confounders (age, sex, Body Mass Index,
      24h SBP, 24h DBP) showed that the association between AASI and dipping is
      maintained only for dipper and extreme dipper hypertensives, missing the
      significance for mild and reverse subjects. CONCLUSION: 1) AASI levels are
      associated with night-to-day BP ratio; 2) Lower levels of AASI are significantly
      associated to extreme dipper and dipper BP nocturnal profile when compared to
      healthy controls. 3) After correction for the major confounding factors, the
      association between AASI and the high-damaged class of hypertensive subjects with
      lower or no nocturnal fall of BP is lost. Our findings support the hypothesis
      that AASI is unable to estimate AS of older hypertensive subjects with a high
      burden of organ and vascular damage and several comorbidities, probably because
      the nocturnal reduction of BP is the main determinant of AASI, being more
      powerful than AS itself.

PMID- 28637402
TI  - Antioxidant SkQ1 Alleviates Signs of Alzheimer's Disease-like Pathology in Old
      OXYS Rats by Reversing Mitochondrial Deterioration.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial dysfunction is called the missing link between brain
      aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common type of age-related dementia
      worldwide. Among the most advanced and promising of approaches to prevention or
      slowing of AD are therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria. OBJECTIVE:
      Mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 can suppress the development of AD signs,
      but its therapeutic potential in AD at clinical stages is currently unknown.
      METHOD: Using OXYS rats that simulate key characteristics of sporadic AD, we
      evaluated effects of SkQ1 treatment from the age of 19 to 24 months on the
      locomotor and exploratory activities, signs of neurodegeneration detectable by
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), amyloid-beta (Abeta) protein levels in the
      hippocampus and serum, and structure of the mitochondrial apparatus in
      hippocampal neurons. RESULTS: Treatment with SkQ1 increased behavioral activity
      in OXYS and Wistar (control) rats. According to MRI, SkQ1 decreased the
      percentage of animals with demyelination only among Wistar rats. At the same
      time, the antioxidant reduced hippocampal Abeta1-40 and Abeta1-42 protein levels
      in both rat strains and did not affect serum Abeta levels. The number of
      mitochondria was significantly lower in OXYS rats; SkQ1 had no effect on this
      parameter but significantly reduced the destructive changes in mitochondria of
      both rat strains. As a result, in OXYS rats, the proportion of severely damaged
      mitochondria decreased, whereas in Wistar rats, the proportion of intact
      mitochondria increased. CONCLUSION: According to our past and present results,
      the repair of the mitochondrial apparatus by SkQ1 is a promising strategy against
      AD.

PMID- 28637403
TI  - Experiences with 99mTc-HMPAO in a Diagnostic Pathway for Violent Patients with
      Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In a security ward we assessed the diagnostic
      contribution of single photon scintigraphy [SPECT] in our diagnostic pathway for
      patients with serious mental disease and a history of violence. METHODS: Twenty
      patients were examined between 2012 and 2015 and the findings compared to those
      in nine patients with the same diagnosis, but no history of violence. RESULTS:
      All violent patients had areas with reduced accumulation of 99mTc-HMPAO frontally
      and in the temporal lobe, in the non-violent group only two patients demonstrated
      these findings. CONCLUSION: Traditionally, low accumulation of the tracer in
      SPECT is related to reduced perfusion of brain tissue. We discuss our findings in
      the light of other possible pathophysiological mechanisms.

PMID- 28637404
TI  - Role of DNA and RNA N6-Adenine Methylation in Regulating Stem Cell Fate.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epigenetic modifications have been evidenced to participate in
      eukaryotic stem cell fate decision. Among the most studied, 5-methylcytosine
      (m5C) and its derivatives are wellestablished epigenetic codes that play
      important roles in stem cell pluripotency and differentiation. Based on improved
      detection techniques, recent studies have succeeded in defining N6-adenine
      methylation (m6A) in eukaryotic DNA and RNA. The abundant m6A methylation in RNA
      was shown to be involved in multiple cellular metabolisms while the presence and
      functional potential of DNA m6A methylation in different species advanced our
      knowledge in the m6A-mediated biological processes. CONCLUSION: m6A modification
      has been observed during embryogenesis and has been proposed to fine-tune stem
      cell regulation. The m6A methyltransferases and demethylases work together to
      control the dynamic state of m6A marks in genomic DNA and RNA to ensure proper
      cell fate transition and determination, which are vital to the development and
      survival of eukaryotes.

PMID- 28637406
TI  - Socioeconomic Status: The Missing Link Between Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Currently, there is an epidemic expansion of obesity rates worldwide.
      The increasing number of obese individuals associated with the aging of
      population leads to increasing number of individuals with type 2 diabetes
      mellitus (T2DM) at the same rate. The traditional factors that link obesity to
      T2DM are related to genetics, hypercaloric diet, sedentary lifestyle, and stress.
      Individuals from lower Socioeconomic Status (SES) have restricted autonomy and
      opportunities that could lead to more stress and consequently increase in stress
      hormones, such as cortisol, catecholamines, glucagon, and growth hormone, which
      might ultimately change fat deposition, increasing visceral fat and increasing
      the risk of T2DM development. METHODS: We conducted a review of the literature on
      the effects of low SES and the risk of developing T2DM in obese persons. RESULTS:
      191 studies were found. The obesity of lower SES individuals is more central than
      that for individuals from higher socioeconomic position. It is also proposed that
      the quality of food seems to be lower, with more intake of fat and simple
      carbohydrates and less of fruits, vegetables and whole wheat bread, in the more
      disadvantaged social classes. The lower income neighborhoods, without exercise
      facilities and unsafety are also associated with higher indices of physical
      inactivity. Cross sectional and prospective studies confirm the relationship
      between lower socioeconomic status and obesity and diabetes. The lower SES is
      associated to metabolic implications that are linked to insulin resistance and
      possibly may also interfere with the ability of beta cell to secrete insulin and
      change the gut microbiota, increasing even more the future risk of developing
      diabetes.

PMID- 28637405
TI  - Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Challenges and Opportunities: A Biologist's
      Prospective.
AB  - Molecular dynamics (MD) is a computational technique which is used to study
      biomolecules in virtual environment. Each of the constituent atoms represents a
      particle and hence the biomolecule embodies a multi-particle mechanical system
      analyzed within a simulation box during MD analysis. The potential energies of
      the atoms are explained by a mathematical expression consisting of different
      forces and space parameters. There are various software and force fields that
      have been developed for MD studies of the biomolecules. MD analysis has
      unravelled the various biological mechanisms (protein folding/unfolding, protein
      small molecule interactions, protein-protein interactions, DNA/RNA-protein
      interactions, proteins embedded in membrane, lipid-lipid interactions, drug
      transport etc.) operating at the atomic and molecular levels. However, there are
      still some parameters including torsions in amino acids, carbohydrates (whose
      structure is extended and not well defined like that of proteins) and single
      stranded nucleic acids for which the force fields need further improvement,
      although there are several workers putting in constant efforts in these
      directions. The existing force fields are not efficient for studying the crowded
      environment inside the cells, since these interactions involve multiple factors
      in real time. Therefore, the improved force fields may provide the opportunities
      for their wider applications on the complex biosystems in diverse cellular
      conditions. In conclusion, the intervention of MD in the basic sciences involving
      interdisciplinary approaches will be helpful for understanding many fundamental
      biological and physiological processes at the molecular levels that may be
      further applied in various fields including biotechnology, fisheries, sustainable
      agriculture and biomedical research.

PMID- 28637407
TI  - Oral Insulin: Myth or Reality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a disorder of glucose metabolism marked by
      hyperglycemia, glycosuria, hyperlipidemia, negative nitrogen balance and
      ketonaemia. DM is a major healthcare problems today and its treatment costs
      billions of dollars worldwide annually. The cases of diabetes have increased
      rapidly in recent years throughout the world. Currently, for the management of
      Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus (TIDM), Multiple Daily Insulin (MDI) injections is the
      most popular treatment. Oral administration of insulin is the most suitable and
      attractive as compared to subcutaneous route but unfortunately cannot be utilized
      for the administration of peptides and proteins due to poor epithelial
      permeability and enzymatic degradation within the gastrointestinal tract. Since
      many years, extensive research has been carried out to explore the potential ways
      of insulin administration based on novel methods such as liposome, microsphere,
      nanoparticle, mouth dissolving strips, sprays exploiting oral and pulmonary
      route. These next generation efficient therapies for T1DM may help to improve the
      quality of life of diabetic patients especially in Insulin Dependent Diabetes
      Mellitus (IDDM). CONCLUSION: This review emphasizes on the most recent progress
      made in the development of oral insulin delivery formulations, and focuses on key
      lessons and implications from studies undertaken till date with the oral insulin
      formulations. Further, this review analyzes effectiveness of the advancements,
      applications and limitations of the technologies in delivering insulin to the
      targeted site through oral administration.

PMID- 28637408
TI  - Lifestyle Modifications in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Non- Alcoholic
      Steatohepatitis.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common diseases
      worldwide, affecting more than 30% of general population. High-fat diets,
      physical inactivity and obesity, all prevalent in the western societies, are
      strongly associated with the development and progression of NAFLD. Current drug
      therapies have not consistently shown substantial beneficial effects. Thus,
      lifestyle modification appears to be the optimal intervention in combating the
      disease. Accordingly, several studies have concluded that weight loss, via
      increase in physical activity, and dietary interventions could potential
      ameliorate biochemical, histological, and structural abnormalities of non
      alcoholic fatty liver disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the
      findings of these lifestyle intervention studies and discuss the implementation
      of each intervention, and its effectiveness in the management of the disease in
      everyday clinical practice.

PMID- 28637409
TI  - Fertility Drugs and Ovarian Cancer.
AB  - The aetiology of ovarian cancer is multifactorial with both endogenous and
      exogenous risk factors playing an important role. The exact pathogenesis of
      ovarian cancer is still not well understood, despite the number of hypotheses
      published. Due to an increase in the number of women using fertility drugs, much
      attention has been focused on the long-term health effects of such drugs.
      Although fertility drugs facilitate the ovulation process, it is however
      associated with a significant increase in hormone concentrations, placing exposed
      women at increased risk of gynaecological cancer. Many clinical and
      epidemiological studies have examined the association between fertility drugs and
      ovarian cancer risk. Results from these studies have been contradictory, as some
      studies have reported an increased risk of ovarian cancer while others reported
      no increased risk. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that women who used
      fertility drugs and did not conceive had a higher risk of developing ovarian
      cancer, compared to women who used fertility drugs and conceived and delivered
      successfully. This review discusses the effect of fertility drugs on the risk of
      developing ovarian cancer, providing details on four possible scenarios
      associated with fertility treatment. In addition, the limitations of previous
      studies and their impact on our understanding of the association between
      fertility drugs and ovarian cancer have also been highlighted.

PMID- 28637410
TI  - New Research for Quinazoline-2,4-diones as HPPD Inhibitors Based on 2D-MLR and 3D
      QSAR Models.
AB  - AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), converting
      phydroxyphenylpyruvate (HPPA) to homogentisate (HGA), is an important target for
      treating type I tyrosinemia and synthesizing novel herbicides due to its
      significant role in tyrosine catabolism. Hence, it is imperative to design novel
      HPPD inhibitors that can block HPPA-HGA conversion, which leads to the deficiency
      in isoprenoid redox cofactors such as plastoquinone and tocopherol, and finally
      caused growth inhibition. This study was undertaken to investigate structural
      requirements for their HPPD inhibition with better biological activity. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Based on the structure-activity relationships, a series of
      quinolinone-2,4- diones derivatives were studied using combined of 2D multiple
      linear regression (2D-MLR) and 3D quantitative structure-activity relationship
      (3D-QSAR). Firstly, genetic algorithm (GA) was applied and descriptors generated
      in DRAGON 5.5 software were used for building 2D-MLR models in the QSARINGS. Then
      CoMFA and CoMSIA models were performed by using alignment of the common framework
      and the pharmacophore model. The obtained models were validated through internal
      and external validation to verify predictive abilities. Especially, the CoMFA and
      CoMSIA contour maps were used to show vital structural characteristics related to
      HPPD inhibitors activities. RESULTS: The 2D-MLR liner equation and corresponding
      parameters were listed as follows:pKi = -38.2034Me+22.4078GATS2m-1.4265EEig15r
      2.1849Hy+32.9158ntr=28, npred=6, R2=0.863, Q2LOO=0.787, Q2LMO=0.607, Q2F1=0.780,
      Q2F2=0.780, Q2F3=0.860,CCCpred=0.920. RMSEtr=0.253, RMSEpred=0.555, F=36.289The
      steric contours graph indicated that small and negative electrostatic
      substitutions at R1 and R2regions were favorable for the better activity, and
      hydrogen-bond donors at this region would alsoincrease the activity. Positive
      electrostatic and bulky substitutions in the R3 position would enhancethe
      activity. The analysis of these models suggested that the steric factor of R4
      position was crucialfor activity of quinazoline-2,4-diones HPPD inhibitors, bulky
      substitutions might improve thebioactivity of these inhibitors greatly,
      meanwhile, hydrogen-bond acceptor groups in this positionwere required for higher
      activity. CONCLUSION: In this study, a combined 2D-MLR, CoMFA and CoMSIA models
      demonstrated satisfying results through internal and external validation,
      especially good predictive abilities and the CoMFA and CoMSIA contour maps showed
      vital structural characteristics related to HPPD inhibitors activities.

PMID- 28637411
TI  - Venom Peptides and Toxins - A Prospective Spearhead in Cancer Treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIM: Cancer is a condition of genetically or environmentally
      mutated, uncontrollable cell growth that directly affects human morbidity and
      mortality. Many treatments have been adopted to reduce cancer cell proliferation;
      however, new mutated developments of some cancer cells have started to show
      resistance towards current therapies and treatments that cause some drugs to lose
      their efficacy. Additionally, deleterious side-effects of some hard application
      methods like radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery are less favorable.
      Accumulative research effort has revealed that peptides and toxins identified
      from underutilized natural sources including venomous reptiles, amphibians,
      insects, arachnids, marine organisms and plants are increasingly being employed
      in cancer treatment. This demands more peptides / toxins to be identified from
      underutilized natural sources as an alternative therapeutic approach. METHOD &
      RESULTS: Accumulative research effort has revealed that peptides and toxins
      identified from underutilized natural sources including venomous reptiles,
      amphibians, insects, arachnids, marine organisms and plants are increasingly
      being employed in cancer treatment. Secondary structures / pharmacophore
      modifications have proven to be an important criterion for raising the efficacy
      level and anticancer effects. Structure specificity and structural-related
      cytotoxicity have successfully allowed these peptides to target and cause
      sufficient damage to malignant cells with minimal cytotoxicity effects towards
      healthy cells. On top of that, some these pure peptides had adopted multiple
      anticancer mechanisms and demonstrated collective anticancer effects within a
      single application. CONCLUSION: Our review exclusively selected peptides and
      toxins found identified from various natural sources in combating malignant
      cells, their selectivity towards specific anticancer mechanisms, and the
      prospective of conjugated peptide as a single entity for a new therapeutic
      strategy.

PMID- 28637412
TI  - Vascular Lesion Thickness in the Lenticulostriate Artery Region Serves as a
      Biomarker for Early Neurological Deterioration.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early neurological deterioration (END) was common in single small
      subcortical infarction (SSSI). Distal type of SSSI (dSSSI) was reported to have a
      lower risk of END than proximal type of SSSI (pSSSI) in lenticulostriate
      artery(LSA) territory. However, dSSSIs with different lesion thickness might have
      different risks of END. OBJECTIVE: In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to
      investigate whether dSSSIs visible on >=3 serial axial diffusion weighted imaging
      (DWI) slices were also imaging markers for END. METHODS: Patients of SSSIs in the
      LSA territory admitted within 72 hours from the onset were selected in a
      prospective stroke database. Clinical characteristics including the occurrence of
      END after admission were recorded. The lowest slice (LS), total number of slices
      (TNS) involved and the maximum axial diameter were evaluated for lesion location
      and size on axial plane of DWI images. Lesion patterns were categorized according
      to LS and TNS. Multivariate logistic analysis was performed to determine the
      imaging pattern that associated with END. RESULTS: A total of 201 out of 1,158
      patients were analyzed. END occurred in 32(15.9%) patients after admission. SSSI
      was categorized to pSSSI (LS<=2), distal and large SSSI (dl-SSSI, LS>2, TNS>=3),
      distal and small SSSI (ds-SSSI, LS>2, TNS<3) respectively. Multivariate logistic
      analysis showed that ds-SSSI patients had a significantly lower rate of END(OR
      0.20, 95% CI 0.06-0.71, P=0.013) comparing to dl-SSSI patients; pSSSI patients,
      however, had a similar rate of END (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.50-3.21, P=0.611) to dl
      SSSI patients. CONCLUSION: Except for pSSSI, dl-SSSI was also an imaging marker
      for END in the territory of LSA.

PMID- 28637413
TI  - Early-phase 18F-AV-45 PET Imaging can Detect Crossed Cerebellar Diaschisis
      Following Carotid Artery Stenosis and Cerebral Hypoperfusion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Carotid artery stenosis (CAS) may induce cerebral hypoperfusion.
      Early-phase 18F-Florbetapir (AV-45/Amyvid, 18F-AV-45) positron emission
      tomography (PET) imaging can provide perfusion-like property (pAV-45) for the
      estimation of cerebral blood flow (CBF). Supra-tentorial lesions may cause
      decreased blood flow and metabolism in the contralateral cerebellum known as
      crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD). OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the
      occurrence of CCD after CAS using pAV-45 PET. METHODS: Eleven healthy controls
      and 21 patients with unilateral CAS were studied. All subjects underwent 18F-AV
      45 PET imaging and arterial spin labeling (ASL) CBF magnetic resonance perfusion
      imaging. The pAV-45 and ASL CBF values were first correlated. Then, cerebral and
      cerebellar hypoperfusion volume was analyzed. The cerebral and cerebellar
      perfusion asymmetry indices (AIs) were calculated from the pAV-45 standard uptake
      value ratios (SUVRs) of bilateral cerebral and cerebellar cortices, respectively.
      RESULTS: We found that pAV-45 SUVR was significantly correlated to ASL CBF
      (p<0.0001, r=0.5731). The AI of cerebellar perfusion was negatively correlated to
      that of cerebral perfusion (p<0.0001, r=-0.8751). Multiple linear regression
      showed the cerebral AI (p<0.0001) and hypoperfusion volume (p=0.02) but not the
      infarction severity and CAS degree significantly correlated to cerebellar AI. If
      the lower limit of 95% confidence interval of cerebellar AI in healthy controls
      was set as cut-off for positive CCD, the occurrence of CCD correlated to
      infarction severity in CAS patients (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest pAV
      45 is reliable to study CBF change. Under unilateral CAS, cerebral AI and
      hypoperfusion severity may determine the occurrence of CCD.

PMID- 28637415
TI  - Study on Adsorption and Sustained Release of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. Leaf
      Extracts on Activated Carbon.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Due to its excellent adsorption capability, activated carbon(AC) has
      also been employed as a drug carrier. However, applications of the AC carrier in
      traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been rare. We selected the Eucommia
      ulmoides leaf extract as the drug of choice and AC as its carrier, to investigate
      the adsorption and sustained release behavior of the Eucommia ulmoides leaf
      extract on the AC. METHODS: AC was employed in this study as the sustained
      release carrier and its capability for adsorption and sustained release of
      Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts was systematically investigated. Acid or alkali
      modified AC was assessed for its ability to absorb and sustain release of
      Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts according to a variety of adsorption/release rate
      and composition. RESULTS: Results demonstrated that the adsorption rate for the
      differently modified AC reached above 80 %, whereas the adsorption of Eucommia
      ulmoides leaf extracts on the AC was selective. The composition of the sustained
      release liquid, which was treated by the acid modified AC, was almost similar to
      the original extract. The acid modified AC was therefore taken as an optimal
      carrier that can be used for Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts sustained release.
      CONCLUSION: The synchronous release and absorption of different ingredients in
      the active ingredient release process ensures the global and cooperative effect
      with sustained and less toxic advantages. The ideal synchronous release is that
      the absorbed component proportion is consistent with its release. The acid
      modified AC was therefore taken as the optimal carrier that can be used for
      Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts sustained release.

PMID- 28637414
TI  - Hyperfibrinogenemia is Significantly Associated with an Increased Risk of In
      hospital Mortality in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The impact of hyperfibrinogenemia on short-term outcomes after acute
      ischemic stroke (AIS) is still not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We investigated
      the association between hyperfibrinogenemia upon hospital admission and the short
      term prognosis of AIS patients. METHODS: A total of 3,212 AIS patients enrolled
      from December 2013 to May 2014 across 22 hospitals in Suzhou city were included
      in the present study. Hyperfibrinogenemia was defined as having a serum
      fibrinogen>4.0g/L. Cox proportional hazard and logistic regression models were
      used to estimate the effect of hyperfibrinogenemia on all-cause in-hospital
      mortality and poor discharge outcome (modified Rankin Scale score>=3) in AIS
      patients. RESULTS: During hospitalization, 106 patients (3.3%) died from all
      cause and 1226 (38.2%) patients experienced poor functional outcome at discharge.
      Multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, baseline National Institutes of Health
      Stroke Scale score, white blood cell count and other covariates, showed that
      hyperfibrinogenemia was associated with a 1.76-fold increase in the risk of in
      hospital mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10
      2.81; P-value=0.019). However, there was no significant association between
      hyperfibrinogenemia and poor outcome at discharge (adjusted odds ratios[OR]1.15;
      95% CI 0.86-1.53; P-value=0.338). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses also
      confirmed a significant association between hyperfibrinogenemia and in-hospital
      mortality. CONCLUSION: In patients with AIS, hyperfibrinogenemia at the time of
      admission was independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

PMID- 28637416
TI  - Mixed Micelles as Nano Polymer Therapeutics of Docetaxel: Increased In vitro
      Cytotoxicity and Decreased In vivo Toxicity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Docetaxel (DTX) has been used to treat several types of cancers, but
      it has provided pharmaceutical challenges due to its poor water solubility and
      toxicities associated with the co-solvents (tween-80 and ethanol). Nanopolymer
      therapeutics can be engineered to deliver anticancer agent specifically to cancer
      cells, thereby leaving normal healthy cells unaffected by toxic drugs such as
      DTX. The objective of the present study was to synthesize the polyacrylic acid
      (PAA)-DTX conjugate (PAADC) and preparation of nanopolymer therapeutics such as
      PAADC/DSPE-mPEG2000 mixed micelles (PAADC-DP MMs). METHODS: The prepared PAADC-DP
      MMs were characterized for mean particle size and zeta potential, in vitro
      release profile using dialysis technique, hemolytic behavior against human blood,
      and cytotoxicity against human cancer cell line (A549) using MTT assay. In vivo
      acute toxicity of PAADC-DP MMs was determined in albino mice at intravenous
      single dose of 40 mg/kg. RESULTS: PAADC-DP MMs showed mean particle size of 443+/
      9nm. PAADC-DP MMs showed maximum DTX loading (DTX equivalent; 90.5+/-2.7%) with
      minimum DSPE-mPEG2000 molecules (1:1 ratio), while to load 77.9+/-2.2% of plain
      DTX, more DSPE-mPEG2000 is required(1:10 ratio). The developed PAADC-DP MMs
      system showed significantly lower CMC (5 ng/mL), sustained release profile
      (28.6+/-1.9% after 48 h of study), lower hemolytic behavior (13.7+/-1.3% of
      hemolysis ratio at 40 ug/mL concentration and after 1 h incubation), higher in
      vitro cytotoxicity (IC50 of 0.0064+/-0.001 nM after 48 h study) and remarkably
      reduced in vivo toxicity (9.9+/-2.1% body weight loss) in mice when compared to
      marketed Taxotere(r). CONCLUSION: The obtained results clearly demonstrated that
      the developed PAADC-DP MMs system is a promising approach for cancer chemotherapy
      with reduced toxicity.

PMID- 28637417
TI  - Effect of Heteropterys aphrodisiaca on Anxiety and Male Exposure of Female Mice
      with Advanced Age.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Effect of Heteropterys aphrodisiaca (dog-node) on anxiety and
      function of adult female wistar mice. The project is an experiment with the use
      of H. aphrodisiac root extract, in order to observe the frequency of sexual
      exposure of females exposed to the extract, quantify the effect of the extract on
      the concentration of total testosterone and observe the anxiety levels of the
      animals exposed. Results will be measured with the laboratory testosterone test
      and LCE and CA tests. METHODS: In preparation of the extract, the root was oven
      dried at 40 degrees C and diluted in alcohol extract (100g of root for 1 liter of
      alcohol) and lyophilized. 40 adult female mice were enrolled, separated in
      control group (placebo) and treatment group (50 mg/kg/day) for 15, 30, 45 and 60
      days. At each period, hormonal testosterone and anxiety levels by the Elevated
      Cross Labyrinth (ECL) tests and Open Camp (CA) were measured in 10 animals that
      were later euthanized (SBNeC). RESULTS: The results showed an improvement in the
      decrease of anxiety, as shown in the variables of number of open arm entries,
      time on the same side of the field, less avoidance and leakage. However, it
      appears that the time of exposure to the extract does not result in increased
      benefit, with possible decline of effect after 45 days of use. CONCLUSION: With
      this performed experiment with the "no-de-cachorro" extract, it was possible to
      understand a little more how this root can act in relation to anxiety, as
      predicted by the pharmacology that validates the animal models; anxiolytic
      components decrease anxiety-related behaviors, as shown in the variables of entry
      numbers in the open arm, time on the same side of the field, less avoidance and
      escape. However, it seems that the time of exposure to the extract does not
      modify the performance in the tests, observing until an apparent exhaustion of
      the anxiolytic action, which evidences the need for more specific studies on the
      possible effects of the extract.

PMID- 28637418
TI  - Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Crocus sativus on Serum Cytokine Levels in Subjects
      with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: A growing body of evidence supports an important role of
      inflammatory cytokines in the development and progression of the Metabolic
      Syndrome (MetS), which explains, at least in part, its relationship with an
      increased cardiovascular-risk. Several studies have reported the therapeutic
      impact of crocus-sativus in a preclinical/clinical setting. Here we have explored
      the effects of crocus-sativus, on the serum concentrations of twelve serum
      cytokines in subjects with MetS in a randomized control trial. METHODS: Forty
      four adult volunteers, who met the diagnostic-criteria of MetS, were enrolled and
      randomly divided into 2 groups, to receive 100 mg/day crocus-sativus for 12
      weeks. 12 cytokines, including IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL
      10, TNF-alpha, MCP-1, IFN-gamma, EGF, and VEGF were measured using sandwich chemi
      luminescence assays before/after therapy. RESULTS: Individuals with MetS who
      received crocus-sativus had significantly (P<0.05) lower levels of total
      cholesterol, low density-lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride (TG), fasting
      blood-sugar and hsCRP, however the serum concentration of high density
      lipoprotein-cholesterol markedly enhanced after therapy (e.g., TG level reduced
      from 148.86+/-71.49 to 101.90+/-38.19 after therapy, P= 0.003). Moreover, we
      observed that treatment with Crocus-sativus affected the serumconcentrations of
      some pro-/anti-inflamatory cytokines. In particular, the level of VEGF was
      increased from 12.64 pg/mL (95% CI: 9.60-17.67) to 16.59 (95% CI: 11.33-35.98, P=
      0.033. Similar results were detected for IL-6 and EGF. CONCLUSION: Our findings
      provide a novel insight into the therapeutic effects of this therapy in MetS
      patients via perturbation of serum cytokines and reducing the levels of
      triglyceride and LDL/TC, but further studies are required in larger populations.

PMID- 28637419
TI  - Pharmacological Inhibitors of NAD Biosynthesis as Potential An ticancer Agents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alteration of cellular metabolism is a hallmark of cancer, which
      underlies exciting opportunities to develop effective, anti-cancer therapeutics
      through inhibition of cancer metabolism. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
      (NAD+), an essential coenzyme of energy metabolism and a signaling molecule
      linking cellular energy status to a spectrum of molecular regulation, has been
      shown to be in high demand in a variety of cancer cells. Depletion of NAD+ by
      inhibition of its key biosynthetic enzymes has become an attractive strategy to
      target cancer. OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: The main objective of this article is to
      review the recent patents which develop and implicate the chemical inhibitors of
      the key NAD+ biosynthetic enzymes for cancer treatment. We first discuss the
      biological principles of NAD+ metabolism in normal and malignant cells, with a
      focus on the feasibility of selectively targeting cancer cells by pharmacological
      inhibition of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and
      indoleamine/tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenases (IDO/TDO), the rate-limiting salvage and
      de novo NAD+ biosynthetic enzymes, respectively. We then analyze a series of
      recent patents on development and optimization of chemical scaffolds for
      inhibiting NAMPT or IDO/TDO enzymes as potential anticancer drugs. Conclusion and
      Results: We have reviewed 16 relevant patents published since 2015, and
      summarized the chemical properties, mechanisms of action and proposed
      applications of the patented compounds. Without a better understanding of the
      properties of these compounds, their utility for further optimization and
      clinical use is unknown. For the compounds that have been tested using cell and
      mouse models of cancer, results look promising and clinical trials are currently
      ongoing to see if these results translate to improved cancer treatments.

PMID- 28637420
TI  - Bioinformatic Insights on Target Receptors of Amiodarone in Human and
      Acanthamoeba castellanii.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amiodarone is prescribed for certain cardiac arrhythmias in current
      medical practice. The drug targets and inhibits voltage dependent sodium (Na+ v),
      calcium (Ca+2 v), potassium (K+ v) channels, enzymes like cytochrome P450 and
      oxidosqualene cyclase. Past studies have shown that amiodarone exerts
      antiparasitic effects against Trypanosoma cruzi and Acanthamoeba castellanii.
      OBJECTIVES: The presence of aforementioned targets and the type of cell death
      induced by amiodarone in pathogenic eukaryotes like Acanthamoeba castellanii
      remains to be established. We inferred the presence of homologous targets of
      amiodarone in A. castellanii compared with humans. METHODS: This study used
      bioinformatics exploration for amino acid sequence homology, ligand binding
      attribute predictions, 3D structural model development, and experimental assays
      that highlight similarity between certain target proteins in Acanthamoeba as
      compared to humans. RESULTS: The sequence identity scores for amino acids and 3D
      models show that A. castellanii expresses similar types of targets of amiodarone
      like Na+ v - K+1 v channels, cytochrome P450 3A4, and lanosterol synthase
      (oxidosqualene cyclase). We show that even though human like L-type and two pore
      Ca+2 channels are present in A. castellanii, there was no evidence of the
      expression of T-type voltage dependent Ca+2 channels. Growth assays showed
      amoebicidal and amoebistatic effects at doses of 40-80MUg/ml. CONCLUSION: The
      existing bioinformatics tools, ligand binding attribute prediction, and model
      building offer a specific method to establish homology of proteins, discover drug
      targets, and facilitate the investigation of the evolution of several types of
      cardinal ion channels from unicellular eukaryotes to multicellular species as
      humans.

PMID- 28637421
TI  - A novel pathway-based distance score enhances assessment of disease heterogeneity
      in gene expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Distance based unsupervised clustering of gene expression data is
      commonly used to identify heterogeneity in biologic samples. However, high noise
      levels in gene expression data and relatively high correlation between genes are
      often encountered, so traditional distances such as Euclidean distance may not be
      effective at discriminating the biological differences between samples. An
      alternative method to examine disease phenotypes is to use pre-defined biological
      pathways. These pathways have been shown to be perturbed in different ways in
      different subjects who have similar clinical features. We hypothesize that
      differences in the expressions of genes in a given pathway are more predictive of
      differences in biological differences compared to standard approaches and if
      integrated into clustering analysis will enhance the robustness and accuracy of
      the clustering method. To examine this hypothesis, we developed a novel
      computational method to assess the biological differences between samples using
      gene expression data by assuming that ontologically defined biological pathways
      in biologically similar samples have similar behavior. RESULTS: Pre-defined
      biological pathways were downloaded and genes in each pathway were used to
      cluster samples using the Gaussian mixture model. The clustering results across
      different pathways were then summarized to calculate the pathway-based distance
      score between samples. This method was applied to both simulated and real data
      sets and compared to the traditional Euclidean distance and another pathway-based
      clustering method, Pathifier. The results show that the pathway-based distance
      score performs significantly better than the Euclidean distance, especially when
      the heterogeneity is low and genes in the same pathways are correlated. Compared
      to Pathifier, we demonstrated that our approach achieves higher accuracy and
      robustness for small pathways. When the pathway size is large, by downsampling
      the pathways into smaller pathways, our approach was able to achieve comparable
      performance. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a novel distance score that
      represents the biological differences between samples using gene expression data
      and pre-defined biological pathway information. Application of this distance
      score results in more accurate, robust, and biologically meaningful clustering
      results in both simulated data and real data when compared to traditional
      methods. It also has comparable or better performance compared to Pathifier.

PMID- 28637422
TI  - Optimal alpha reduces error rates in gene expression studies: a meta-analysis
      approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transcriptomic approaches (microarray and RNA-seq) have been a
      tremendous advance for molecular science in all disciplines, but they have made
      interpretation of hypothesis testing more difficult because of the large number
      of comparisons that are done within an experiment. The result has been a
      proliferation of techniques aimed at solving the multiple comparisons problem,
      techniques that have focused primarily on minimizing Type I error with little or
      no concern about concomitant increases in Type II errors. We have previously
      proposed a novel approach for setting statistical thresholds with applications
      for high throughput omics-data, optimal alpha, which minimizes the probability of
      making either error (i.e. Type I or II) and eliminates the need for post-hoc
      adjustments. RESULTS: A meta-analysis of 242 microarray studies extracted from
      the peer-reviewed literature found that current practices for setting statistical
      thresholds led to very high Type II error rates. Further, we demonstrate that
      applying the optimal alpha approach results in error rates as low or lower than
      error rates obtained when using (i) no post-hoc adjustment, (ii) a Bonferroni
      adjustment and (iii) a false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment which is widely used
      in transcriptome studies. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that optimal alpha can reduce
      error rates associated with transcripts in both microarray and RNA-seq
      experiments, but point out that improved statistical techniques alone cannot
      solve the problems associated with high throughput datasets - these approaches
      need to be coupled with improved experimental design that considers larger sample
      sizes and/or greater study replication.

PMID- 28637423
TI  - The relation between DNA methylation patterns and serum cytokine levels in
      community-dwelling adults: a preliminary study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The levels of circulating cytokines fluctuate with age, acute
      illness, and chronic disease, and are predictive of mortality; this is also true
      for patterns of DNA (CpG) methylation. Given that immune cells are particularly
      sensitive to changes in the concentration of cytokines in their microenvironment,
      we hypothesized that serum levels of TNF, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 would correlate
      with genome-wide alterations in the DNA methylation levels of blood leukocytes.
      To test this, we evaluated community-dwelling adults (n = 14; 48-78 years old)
      recruited to a pilot study for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA),
      examining DNA methylation patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using
      the Illumina HumanMethylation 450 K BeadChip. RESULTS: We show that, apart from
      age, serum IL-10 levels exhibited the most substantial association to DNA
      methylation patterns, followed by TNF, IL-6 and IL-8. Furthermore, while the
      levels of these cytokines were higher in elderly adults, no associations with
      epigenetic accelerated aging, derived using the epigenetic clock, were observed.
      CONCLUSIONS: As a preliminary study with a small sample size, the conclusions
      drawn from this work must be viewed with caution; however, our observations are
      encouraging and certainly warrant more suitably powered studies of this
      relationship.

PMID- 28637424
TI  - Gabapentin in procedure-specific postoperative pain management - preplanned
      subgroup analyses from a systematic review with meta-analyses and trial
      sequential analyses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has been argued that postoperative pain treatment should be
      "procedure-specific", since different analgesics may have specific effects
      dependent on the surgical procedure. The aim of the present subgroup analysis was
      to compare the beneficial and harmful effects of perioperative gabapentin
      treatment in different surgical procedures. METHODS: Relevant databases were
      searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing gabapentin versus
      placebo. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, extracted data
      and assessed risk of bias. The primary outcomes were differences in 24-h morphine
      consumption, and serious adverse events (SAE) between surgical procedures. These
      subgroup analyses were predefined in a PRISMA compliant systematic review
      registered at PROSPERO (ID: CRD42013006538). It was predefined that conclusions
      should primarily be based on trials classified as overall low risk of bias.
      RESULTS: Seventy-four RCTs with 5645 patients were included, assessing benefit
      and harm in cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, mastectomy, and arthroplasty surgery,
      spinal surgery, and thoracic surgery. Only eight of 74 trials were classified as
      overall low risk of bias limiting our ability to conclude on the estimates in
      most meta-analyses. The differences between surgical procedures in these trials
      were not statistically significant when tested for subgroup differences. Fifteen
      trials with 1377 patients reported a total of 59 SAEs, most of which were
      observed in the thoracic surgery group. CONCLUSION: Both beneficial and harmful
      effects in these subgroup analyses were influenced by bias and insufficient data,
      limiting conclusions. With these limitations, we could not adequately test for
      differences in beneficial or harmful outcomes between six surgical subgroups
      undergoing perioperative gabapentin treatment.

PMID- 28637425
TI  - The colonization and divergence patterns of Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii)
      populations reveal evidence of genetic surfing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The colonial habit of Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii) differs
      from that of most other species of the genus Microtus. The demographic history of
      this species and the patterns shaping its current genetic structure remain
      unknown. Here, we explored patterns of genetic differentiation and infered the
      demographic history of Brandt's vole populations through analyses of nuclear
      microsatellite and D-loop sequences. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analyses divided the
      sampled populations into three main clusters, which represent the southeastern,
      northeastern and western parts of the total range in Mongolia and China.
      Molecular data revealed an ancestral area located in the southeast of the extant
      range, in the Xilinguole District, Inner Mongolia, China, from where Brandt's
      vole populations began expanding. A gene flow analysis suggested that the most
      likely colonization route was from the ancestral area and was followed by
      subsequent northeastward and westward range expansions. We identified decreases
      in genetic diversity with increasing distance from the founder population within
      the newly occupied regions (northeastern and western regions), clinal patterns in
      the allele frequencies, alleles that were rare in the original area that have
      become common in the newly occupied regions, and higher genetic differentiation
      in the expanded range compared with the original one. CONCLUSION: Our results
      indicate that L. brandtii most likely originated from the southeastern part of
      its current geographic range, and subsequently colonized into the northeastern
      and western parts by expansion. The genetic patterns among the derived
      populations and with respect to the original population are consistent with that
      expected under genetic surfing models, which indicated that genetic drift, rather
      than gene flow, is the predominant factor underlying the genetic structure of
      expanding Brandt's vole populations.

PMID- 28637426
TI  - Bioinformatics: indispensable, yet hidden in plain sight?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bioinformatics has multitudinous identities, organisational
      alignments and disciplinary links. This variety allows bioinformaticians and
      bioinformatic work to contribute to much (if not most) of life science research
      in profound ways. The multitude of bioinformatic work also translates into a
      multitude of credit-distribution arrangements, apparently dismissing that work.
      RESULTS: We report on the epistemic and social arrangements that characterise the
      relationship between bioinformatics and life science. We describe, in
      sociological terms, the character, power and future of bioinformatic work. The
      character of bioinformatic work is such that its cultural, institutional and
      technical structures allow for it to be black-boxed easily. The result is that
      bioinformatic expertise and contributions travel easily and quickly, yet remain
      largely uncredited. The power of bioinformatic work is shaped by its dependency
      on life science work, which combined with the black-boxed character of
      bioinformatic expertise further contributes to situating bioinformatics on the
      periphery of the life sciences. Finally, the imagined futures of bioinformatic
      work suggest that bioinformatics will become ever more indispensable without
      necessarily becoming more visible, forcing bioinformaticians into difficult
      professional and career choices. CONCLUSIONS: Bioinformatic expertise and labour
      is epistemically central but often institutionally peripheral. In part, this is a
      result of the ways in which the character, power distribution and potential
      futures of bioinformatics are constituted. However, alternative paths can be
      imagined.

PMID- 28637427
TI  - Aging and obesity are associated with undiagnosed hypertension in a cohort of
      males in the Central Province of Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional descriptive study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lifestyle factors associated with hypertension (HT) in South Asian
      populations are relatively unknown. The objective of the current study was to
      investigate the prevalence rates of undiagnosed HT and factors associated with it
      in a cohort of males from the Central Province of Sri Lanka. METHODS: The study
      group consisted of 2462 males (mean age 31 years, range: 16-72 years) who
      underwent a routine medical examination at the National Transport Medical
      Institute, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Participants with previously diagnosed heart
      disease, diabetes, hypertension or other chronic illnesses were excluded from
      this study. Dietary and other lifestyle factors were studied using validated self
      administered questionnaires. Body Mass Index (BMI) cut-off values for Asians were
      used to categorize the subjects according to weight status. The association of
      individual dietary and lifestyle patterns with HT was assessed by fitting into
      binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: The mean systolic (SBP) and diastolic
      blood pressures (DBP) of the individuals were 125.9 mmHg and 80.5 mmHg,
      respectively. The prevalence rate of undiagnosed HT was 31.7%. Both SBP and DBP
      showed significant positive correlations with age, weight, BMI and waist
      circumference. After adjusting for potential confounders, HT was associated with
      older age (p = 0.001) and increased weight status (p < 0.001) with trends of
      association for level of education (p = 0.058). Level of income, alcohol
      consumption, sleeping hours, smoking, physical activity level, ethnic difference,
      consumption of fruits, fish, meat, dairy, sweets or fried snacks were not
      significantly associated with HT. Obese males were 92.1% [odds ratio: 1.9 (1.4
      2.7)] more likely to be hypertensive compared to normal weight males.
      CONCLUSIONS: Undiagnosed HT is prevalent at an alarming rate among adult males in
      the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Its association with age and BMI (weight
      status) highlights the importance of routine screening for HT as well as
      interventions targeted at reducing obesity to curb the rise of this modifiable
      cardiovascular disease risk factor.

PMID- 28637428
TI  - Quality of care provided in two Scottish rural community maternity units: a
      retrospective case review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women in Scotland with uncomplicated pregnancies are encouraged by
      professional bodies and national guidelines to access community based models of
      midwife-led care for their labour and birth. The evidence base for these
      guidelines relates to comparisons of predominantly urban birth settings in
      England. There appears to be little evidence available about the quality of the
      care during the antenatal, birth and post birth periods available for women
      within the Scottish Community Maternity Unit (CMU) model. The research aim was to
      explore the safety and effectiveness of the maternity services provided at two
      rural Community Maternity Units in Scotland, both 40 miles by main road access
      from a tertiary obstetric unit. METHODS: Following appropriate NHS and University
      ethical approval, an anonymous retrospective review of consecutive maternity
      records for all women who accessed care at the CMUs over a 12 month period (June
      2011 to May 2012) was undertaken in 2013 -14. Data was extracted using variables
      chosen to provide a description of the socio-demographics of the cohort and the
      process and outcomes of the care provided. Data were analysed using descriptive
      statistics. RESULTS: Regarding effectiveness, the correct care pathway was
      allocated to 97.5% of women, early access to antenatal care achieved by 95.7% of
      women, 94.8% of women at one CMU received continuity of carer and 78.6% of those
      clinically eligible accessed care in labour. 11.9% were appropriately transferred
      to obstetrician-led care antenatally and 16.9% were transferred in labour. All
      women received one-to one care in labour and 67.1% of babies born at the CMUs
      were breastfed at birth. Regarding safety, severe morbidity for women was rare,
      perineal trauma of 3rd degree tear occurred for 0.3% of women and 1.0%
      experienced an episiotomy. Severe post partum haemorrhage occurred for 0.3% of
      women. Babies admitted to the Neonatal unit were discharged within 48 hrs.
      CONCLUSION: These findings support the recommendations of professional bodies and
      national guidelines. Maternity service provision at rural CMUs achieved a
      consistently high standard of safety and effectiveness when measured against
      national standards and international evidence.

PMID- 28637429
TI  - Effects of selection for fast growth on survival rate during grow-out phase in
      giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Correlated genetic response in survival to selection for high growth
      has not been reported in giant freshwater prawn (GFP) (Macrobrachium
      rosenbergii). The main aim of this study was to measure genetic changes and
      estimate heritability for this character (survival rate) and its genetic
      associations with body traits in a GFP population selected over eight generations
      from 2008 to 2015. Statistical analyses were conducted on 106,696 data records,
      using threshold logistic mixed model. RESULTS: The estimated heritability for
      survival was 0.14 +/- 0.04 and significant. Genetic associations of survival with
      body traits (weight, length and width) were weak, with the estimates of genetic
      correlations between the traits close to zero. Realised genetic changes in
      survival, calculated as the difference in estimated breeding values between the
      selection line and control group within the same generation, was in positive
      direction but the estimates were not significantly different from zero regardless
      of the expression unit used either in actual unit of measurement or genetic
      standard deviation unit. On the other hand, communal testing of stocks in the
      latest generation, namely G7 (2015), showed that the selection line had 18%
      higher survival rate than progeny of the wild prawns originated from Mekong
      river. This result suggests that inadvertent changes in survival occurred during
      domestication-selection. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that selection for high
      growth had no significant effect on survival in the present population of M.
      rosenbergii.

PMID- 28637430
TI  - Malaria control by commodities without practical malariology.
AB  - Malaria remains a serious clinical and public health problem, the object of an
      ongoing technological and humanitarian struggle to abate the very substantial
      harm done. The manner by which humanity approached malaria control changed
      abruptly and profoundly after 1945 with the advent of the insecticide DDT.
      Malariologists in the first half of the twentieth century conceived precise
      modifications to natural or man-made environments aimed at making those less
      hospitable to specific anopheline mosquito vector species. This practical
      malariology achieved very significant reductions in burdens of morbidity and
      mortality, but the revolutionary insecticide eliminated the need for its
      specialized knowledge and diverse practices. By 1970 mosquito resistance to DDT
      and perceived environmental concerns precipitated the collapse of what had been a
      vigorous global campaign to eradicate malaria. Humanity did not then revitalize
      practical malariology but turned to another commodity as the foundation of
      control strategy, the war-spurred suite of synthetic antimalarial drugs developed
      in the 1940s and 1950s. When those drugs became lost to parasite resistance in
      the latter twentieth century, malaria resurged globally. Since 2005, tens of
      billions of dollars mobilized new commodities to control malaria: point-of-care
      diagnostics, effective artemisinin-based treatments, and longer-lasting
      insecticide treated bed nets. The know-how of practical malariology is not part
      of that ongoing commodities-based strategy. This article examines contemporary
      malaria control in the broad strokes of a strategy mitigating the consequences of
      infection contrasted to that of the abandoned practical malariology strategy of
      prevention. The inherent risks and limitations of over-reliance upon commodities
      in striving to control malaria may prompt consideration of a strategic posture
      inclusive of the proven methods of practical malariology.

PMID- 28637431
TI  - Continuous long-term cytotoxicity monitoring in 3D spheroids of beetle luciferase
      expressing hepatocytes by nondestructive bioluminescence measurement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) spheroids are frequently used in toxicological
      study because their morphology and function closely resemble those of tissue. As
      these properties are maintained over a long term, repeated treatment of the
      spheroids with a test object is possible. Generally, in the repeated treatment
      test to assess cytotoxicity in the spheroids, ATP assay, colorimetric measurement
      using pigments or high-content imaging analysis is performed. However, continuous
      assessment of cytotoxicity in the same spheroids using the above assays or
      analysis is impossible because the spheroids must be disrupted or killed. To
      overcome this technical limitation, we constructed a simple monitoring system in
      which cytotoxicity in the spheroids can be continuously monitored by
      nondestructive bioluminescence measurement. RESULTS: Mouse primary hepatocytes
      were isolated from transchromosomic (Tc) mice harboring a mouse artificial
      chromosome (MAC) vector expressing beetle luciferase Emerald Luc (ELuc) under the
      control of cytomegalovirus immediate early enhancer/chicken beta-actin
      promoter/rabbit beta-globin intron II (CAG) promoter, and used in 3D cultures. We
      confirmed that both luminescence and albumin secretion from the spheroids seeded
      in the 96-well format Cell-ableTM were maintained for approximately 1 month.
      Finally, we repetitively treated the luminescent 3D spheroids with representative
      hepatotoxicants for approximately 1 month, and continuously and nondestructively
      measured bioluminescence every day. We successfully obtained daily changes of the
      dose-response bioluminescence curves for the respective toxicants. CONCLUSIONS:
      In this study, we constructed a monitoring system in which cytotoxicity in the
      same 3D spheroids was continuously and sensitively monitored over a long term.
      Because this system can be easily applied to other cells, such as human primary
      cells or stem cells, it is expected to serve as the preferred platform for simple
      and cost-effective long-term monitoring of cellular events, including
      cytotoxicity.

PMID- 28637432
TI  - Current guidelines for BRCA testing of breast cancer patients are insufficient to
      detect all mutation carriers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identification of BRCA mutations in breast cancer (BC) patients
      influences treatment and survival and may be of importance for their relatives.
      Testing is often restricted to women fulfilling high-risk criteria. However,
      there is limited knowledge of the sensitivity of such a strategy, and of the
      clinical aspects of BC caused by BRCA mutations in less selected BC cohorts. The
      aim of this report was to address these issues by evaluating the results of BRCA
      testing of BC patients in South-Eastern Norway. METHODS: 1371 newly diagnosed BC
      patients were tested with sequencing and Multi Ligation Probe Amplification
      (MLPA). Prevalence of mutations was calculated, and BC characteristics among
      carriers and non-carriers compared. Sensitivity and specificity of common
      guidelines for BRCA testing to identify carriers was analyzed. Number of
      identified female mutation positive relatives was evaluated. RESULTS: A
      pathogenic BRCA mutation was identified in 3.1%. Carriers differed from non
      carriers in terms of age at diagnosis, family history, grade, ER/PR-status,
      triple negativity (TNBC) and Ki67, but not in HER2 and TNM status. One mutation
      positive female relative was identified per mutation positive BC patient. Using
      age of onset below 40 or TNBC as criteria for testing identified 32-34% of
      carriers. Common guidelines for testing identified 45-90%, and testing all below
      60 years identified 90%. Thirty-seven percent of carriers had a family history of
      cancer that would have qualified for predictive BRCA testing. A Variant of
      Uncertain Significance (VUS) was identified in 4.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Mutation
      positive BC patients differed as a group from mutation negative. However, the
      commonly used guidelines for testing were insufficient to detect all mutation
      carriers in the BC cohort. Thirty-seven percent had a family history of cancer
      that would have qualified for predictive testing before they were diagnosed with
      BC. Based on our combined observations, we suggest it is time to discuss whether
      all BC patients should be offered BRCA testing, both to optimize treatment and
      improve survival for these women, but also to enable identification of healthy
      mutation carriers within their families. Health services need to be aware of
      referral possibility for healthy women with cancer in their family.

PMID- 28637434
TI  - Examination of multiple UGT1A and DPYD polymorphisms has limited ability to
      predict the toxicity and efficacy of metastatic colorectal cancer treated with
      irinotecan-based chemotherapy: a retrospective analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To evaluate a new UGT1A and DPYD polymorphism panel to better predict
      irinotecan-induced toxicity and the clinical response in Chinese patients with
      metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). METHODS: The genotypes of UGT1A (UGT1A1*6,
      UGT1A1*27, UGT1A1*28, UGT1A7*2, UGT1A7*3, UGT1A7*4 and UGT1A9*22) and DPYD
      (DPYD*5, DPYD c.1896 T > C, and DPYD*2A) were examined by direct sequencing in
      661 mCRC patients receiving irinotecan-based chemotherapy. The influences of
      UGT1A and DPYD polymorphisms on severe irinotecan-induced toxicities and clinical
      outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: In the cohort studied here, the incidence of
      UGT1A1*6, UGT1A1*28, UGT1A7*2, UGT1A7*3, UGT1A9*22, DPYD*5, and DPYD c.1896 T > C
      variants were 34.8%, 24.2%, 34.3%, 39.4%, 81.8%, 48.4% and 20.4%, respectively.
      UGT1A1*27 and DPYD*2A had low frequencies and UGT1A7*4 was not found. A total of
      59 patients (8.9%) suffered severe diarrhea and 136 patients (20.6%) suffered
      severe neutropenia. UGT1A1*28 heterozygotes (OR = 2.263, 95%CI 1.395-3.670),
      UGT1A1*28 homozygotes (OR = 5.910, 95%CI 1.138-30.672) and UGT1A1*6 homozygotes
      (OR = 4.737, 95%CI 1.946-11.533) were independent risk factors for severe
      neutropenia. UGT1A polymorphisms were not found to relate to severe diarrhea.
      DPYD*5 was determined to be an independent risk factor for severe diarrhea (OR =
      2.143, 95%CI 1.136-4.041). Neither DPYD*5 nor DPYD c.1896 T > C was found to
      relate to severe neutropenia. In the first-line irinotecan-based treatment,
      UGT1A1*28 and DPYD*5 contributed to higher response rates (P = 0.043 and P =
      0.019, respectively), while DPYD*5 was found to associate with better progression
      free survival (P = 0.015). UGT1A1*27 contributed to worse overall survival (P <
      0.001). CONCLUSION: Results still showed UGT1A1*6 and UGT1A1*28 to be partially
      associated with irinotecan-induced toxicity and clinical response. An examination
      of more UGT1A loci, except for UGT1A1*6 and UGT1A1*28, was not helpful to improve
      the predictive value of irinotecan-based toxicity and efficacy. An examination of
      DPYD*5 assisted in the prediction of severe diarrhea.

PMID- 28637433
TI  - Postoperative alignment of TKA in patients with severe preoperative varus or
      valgus deformity: is there a difference between surgical techniques?
AB  - BACKGROUND: There have been conflicting studies published regarding the ability
      of various total knee arthroplasty (TKA) techniques to correct preoperative
      deformity. The purpose of this study was to compare the postoperative
      radiographic alignment in patients with severe preoperative coronal deformity
      (>=10 degrees  varus/valgus) who underwent three different TKA techniques; manual
      instrumentation (MAN), computer navigated instrumentation (NAV) and patient
      specific instrumentation (PSI). METHODS: Patients, who received a TKA with a
      preoperative coronal deformity of >=10 degrees  with available radiographs were
      included in this retrospective study. The groups were: MAN; n = 54, NAV; n = 52
      and PSI; n = 53. The mechanical axis (varus / valgus) and the posterior tibial
      slope were measured and analysed using standing long leg- and lateral
      radiographs. RESULTS: The overall mean postoperative varus / valgus deformity was
      2.8 degrees  (range, 0 to 9.9; SD 2.3) and 2.5 degrees  (range, 0 to 14.7; SD
      2.3), respectively. The overall outliers (>3 degrees ) represented 30.2% (48
      /159) of cases and were distributed as followed: MAN group: 31.5%, NAV group:
      34.6%, PSI group: 24.4%. No significant statistical differences were found
      between these groups. The distribution of the severe outliers (>5 degrees ) was
      14.8% in the MAN group, 23% in the NAV group and 5.6% in the PSI group. The PSI
      group had significantly (p = 0.0108) fewer severe outliers compared to the NAV
      group while all other pairs were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In
      severe varus / valgus deformity the three surgical techniques demonstrated
      similar postoperative radiographic alignment. However, in reducing severe
      outliers (> 5 degrees ) and in achieving the planned posterior tibial slope the
      PSI technique for TKA may be superior to computer navigation and the conventional
      technique. Further prospective studies are needed to determine which technique is
      the best regarding reducing outliers in patients with severe preoperative coronal
      deformity.

PMID- 28637437
TI  - Curative resection by splenectomy for solitary splenic metastasis from early
      gastric cancer: a case report and literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Solitary metastasis of a malignancy to the spleen is rare,
      particularly for gastric cancer. Only a few case reports have documented isolated
      splenic metastasis from early gastric cancer. We describe a case of splenic
      metastasis from early gastric cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old man
      underwent a distal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer. It infiltrated the
      submucosa with pathological nodal involvement (pT1bN2M0, stage IIB). One year
      after the gastrectomy, an abdominal computed tomography scan showed a low-density
      lesion, 17 mm in diameter, at the upper pole of the spleen. Positron emission
      tomography/computed tomography showed focal accumulation of fluorine-18
      fluorodeoxyglucose in the spleen without extrasplenic tumor dissemination or
      metastasis. We diagnosed splenic metastasis of gastric cancer, and performed a
      splenectomy. Histological examination confirmed moderately differentiated tubular
      adenocarcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (solid type) that was
      consistent with the features of the primary gastric cancer. The splenic tumor was
      pathologically and immunohistochemically diagnosed as a metastasis from the
      gastric carcinoma. More than 18 months after the splenectomy, the patient has had
      no evidence of recurrent gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: When solitary metastasis to
      the spleen is suspected during the postoperative follow-up of a patient with
      gastric cancer, a splenectomy is a potentially effective treatment.

PMID- 28637435
TI  - Association between polymorphism rs11200638 in the HTRA1 gene and the response to
      anti-VEGF treatment of exudative AMD: a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anti-angiogenesis treatments are the most commonly used treatments
      for the vision loss caused by exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD),
      in which the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs with
      ranibizumab and bevacizumab are current standard treatments. However, the outcome
      of anti-VEGF therapeutics is not uniform in all patients. METHODS: We performed a
      literature-based meta-analysis including, five published studies relevant to
      HTRA1 and response to anti-VEGF treatment (bevacizumab or ranibizumab). Summary
      odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using fixed-
      and random-effects models. Sensitivity analysis and meta-regression were also
      performed. Q-statistic test and Egger's test was used to evaluate heterogeneity
      and publication bias respectively. RESULTS: Overall, no association between the
      rs11200638 polymorphism in HTRA1 gene and the anti-VEGF treatment response was
      found in the genotype GG versus AA (OR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.77 to 1.48; P = 0.98),
      genotype GA versus AA (OR = 1.11; 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.47; P = 0.93), genotype GG +
      GA versus AA (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.57; P = 0.09), and allele G versus A
      (OR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.78 to 1.08; P = 0.14). In the subgroup analysis by
      ethnicity Caucasian population, and a significant association was still not
      observed in all genetic models. Sensitivity analysis indicated the robustness of
      our findings, and no publication bias was observed in our meta-analysis.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there was no association between the
      polymorphism rs11200638 in HTRA1 gene and response to anti-VEGF treatment of
      exudative AMD. However, more studies are needed to further prove the conclusion
      of present study, especially well-designed and high quality randomised controlled
      trials or intervention studies.

PMID- 28637436
TI  - Management of early gastric cancer that meet the indication for radical lymph
      node dissection following endoscopic resection: a retrospective cohort analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endoscopic resection (ER) has been widely accepted as the standard
      treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC). However, in patients considered to have
      undergone non-curative ER due to their potential risk of lymph node metastasis
      (LNM), additional gastrectomy is recommended. The aim of the present study was to
      identify EGC patients after non-curative ER at high risk of LNM. METHODS: A total
      of 150 patients who had undergone ER for EGC were diagnosed as non-curative ER
      due to their potential risk of LNM. Clinicopathological data and clinical
      outcomes were examined retrospectively. RESULTS: Additional gastrectomy with
      lymph node dissection was performed in 73 patients, and the remaining 77 patients
      were followed-up without additional gastrectomy. In patients who underwent
      additional gastrectomy, 8 patients had local residual tumor, and 8 patients had
      LNM, which were limited in the peritumoral nodes. Only lymphatic invasion (p =
      0.012) was a statistically significant factor for LNM. The 5-year overall
      survival and recurrence-free survival were not significantly different between
      patients with and without additional gastrectomy. CONCLUSION: Additional
      gastrectomy with lymph node dissection is recommended for patients who were
      diagnosed as non-curative ER with lymphatic invasion, and minimizing the extent
      of lymph node dissection may be allowed for these patients.

PMID- 28637438
TI  - The efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid in revision total knee arthroplasty: a
      meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is no consistent conclusion regarding the efficacy and safety
      of the intravenous administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) for reducing blood
      loss in revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We performed a meta-analysis of
      comparative trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TXA in revision TKA.
      METHODS: We conducted a search of PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library and Web of
      Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs. Two authors
      selected the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias
      independently. A pooled meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.
      RESULTS: Four non-RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis indicated
      that the use of TXA was related to significantly less transfusion requirements
      (RD = -0.25; 95% CI: -0.43 to -0.08; P = 0.005), drainage volume (MD = -321.07;
      95% CI: -445.13 to -197.01, P = 0.005), hemoglobin reduction (MD = -0.52; 95% CI:
      -0.79 to -0.25, P = 0.0001), and length of hospital stay (MD = -2.36; 95% CI: 
      4.00 to -0.71, P = 0.005). No significant differences in the incidence of deep
      venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The
      use of TXA for patients undergoing revision TKA may reduce blood loss and
      transfusion requirements without increasing the risk of postoperative venous
      thromboembolism. Due to the limited quality of the currently available evidence,
      more high-quality RCTs are required.

PMID- 28637439
TI  - A qualitative analysis of smokers' perceptions about lung cancer screening.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2013, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) began
      recommending lung cancer screening for high risk smokers aged 55-80 years using
      low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan. In light of these updated
      recommendations, there is a need to understand smokers' knowledge of and
      experiences with lung cancer screening in order to inform the design of patient
      education and tobacco cessation programs. The purpose of this study is to
      describe results of a qualitative study examining smokers' perceptions around
      lung cancer screening tests. METHODS: In 2009, prior to the release of the
      updated USPSTF recommendations, we conducted 12 120-min, gender-specific focus
      groups with 105 current smokers in Charlotte, North Carolina and Cincinnati,
      Ohio. Focus group facilitators asked participants about their experience with
      three lung cancer screening tests, including CT scan, chest x-ray, and sputum
      cytology. Focus group transcripts were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed
      using constant comparative methods. RESULTS: Participants were 41-67 years-old,
      with a mean smoking history of 38.9 pack-years. Overall, 34.3% would meet the
      USPSTF's current eligibility criteria for screening. Most participants were
      unaware of all three lung cancer screening tests. The few participants who had
      been screened recalled limited information about the test. Nevertheless, many
      participants expressed a strong desire to pursue lung cancer screening. Using the
      social ecological model for health promotion, we identified potential barriers to
      lung cancer screening at the 1) health care system level (cost of procedure,
      confusion around results), 2) cultural level (fatalistic beliefs, distrust of
      medical system), and 3) individual level (lack of knowledge, denial of risk,
      concerns about the procedure). Although this study was conducted prior to the
      updated USPSTF recommendations, these findings provide a baseline for future
      studies examining smokers' perceptions of lung cancer screening. CONCLUSION: We
      recommend clear and patient-friendly educational tools to improve patient
      understanding of screening risks and benefits and the use of best practices to
      help smokers quit. Further qualitative studies are needed to assess changes in
      smokers' perceptions as lung cancer screening with CT scan becomes more widely
      used in community practice.

PMID- 28637440
TI  - Acute airway compromise due to parathyroid tumour apoplexy: an exceptionally rare
      and potentially life-threatening presentation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spontaneous haemorrhage into a parathyroid adenoma is a rare and
      potentially life-threatening presentation. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case
      of a 45 year old female recently diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism who
      presented with chest discomfort and acute airway compromise due to spontaneous
      extracapsular haemorrhage into a parathyroid adenoma. Computed tomography (CT)
      imaging showed a hypopharyngeal haematoma extending 10 cm into the superior
      mediastinum. Surgical decompression of the cyst followed by enbloc resection of
      the parathyroid tumour was performed after elective intubation. Calcium and
      parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels had fallen prior to surgery and remain normal
      post-operatively. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous parathyroid haemorrhage should be
      considered in any patient with unexplained spontaneous cervical haemorrhage,
      particularly if there is a history of hyperparathyroidism. Initial evaluation of
      such patients should include serum calcium and PTH as well as imaging.

PMID- 28637441
TI  - Impact of tobacco industry and other corporations in the defeat of the 1994
      Clinton health care plan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The primary reason cited by many scholars for the defeat of the
      Clinton Administration's 1994 health care reform bill has long been identified as
      Health Insurance Association of America and National Federation of Independent
      Businesses opposition to the bill. Given this predominant consensus combined with
      sizeable proposed funding for the bill by a large tobacco product tax, this
      manuscript examined what the tobacco industry's role was in whole or part in
      defeating the Clinton health care bill. METHODS: This research occurred through
      crosschecking internal tobacco industry documents and Clinton White House
      documents. RESULTS: Prior to the passage of the bill, the tobacco industry
      accepted a compromise of 45 cents per pack increase phased in over five years.
      Due to this compromise, the industry or third party allies had no role in the
      ultimate defeat in the bill. CONCLUSIONS: The primary reason for the bill's
      ultimate defeat was general business (but not tobacco industry and third party
      ally) opposition, the bill running out of time, and conflicting bills. Secondary
      reasons for the bill's defeat included issues with: employer mandates, high taxes
      on insurance plans, impacts on medical research and education, Congressional
      attention to other issues, election year politics, and possible future excise tax
      possibilities.

PMID- 28637442
TI  - Membranous nephropathy: a retrospective observational study of membranous
      nephropathy in north east and central London.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the leading cause of nephrotic
      syndrome in adults. MN is a clinically heterogeneous disease and it is difficult
      to accurately predict outcomes (including end stage renal failure) at
      presentation and whom to treat with potentially toxic therapies. We aimed to
      identify factors predicting outcome in MN in our cohort from two large tertiary
      London units by undertaking a retrospective data analysis of 148 biopsy-proven MN
      patients from North East and Central London between 1995 and 2015. METHODS:
      Review of clinical and biochemistry databases. RESULTS: Surprisingly, patients
      that reached end stage renal failure (ESRF) had a less severe nephrosis compared
      to those that did not develop ESRF; serum albumin 33 g/L (3.3 g/dL) versus 24 g/L
      (2.4 g/dL), p = 0.002 and urinary protein creatinine ratio (uPCR) 550 mg/mmol
      (5500 mg/g) versus 902 mg/mmol (9020 mg/g), p = 0.0124. The correlation with ESRF
      was strongest with the presenting creatinine; 215 MUmol/L (2.43 mg/dL) compared
      to 81 MUmol/L (0.92 mg/dL), p < 0.0001. Patients presenting with creatinine of
      >120 MUmol/L (1.36 mg/dL; corresponding to an eGFR of <=60 ml/min in non-Black
      males) had an increased rate of ESRF and a faster decline. Other traditional risk
      factors for progression were not significantly associated with ESRF. Black
      patients presented with higher serum creatinine but no statistically significant
      difference in the estimated glomerular filtration rate, a higher rate of
      progression to ESRF and had a poorer response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This
      ethnically diverse cohort does not demonstrate the traditional risk profile
      associated with development of ESRF. Thus, careful consideration of therapeutic
      options is crucial, as current risk modelling cannot accurately predict the risk
      of ESRF. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of antibodies and
      risk genes.

PMID- 28637443
TI  - Trichoderma virens beta-glucosidase I (BGLI) gene; expression in Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae including docking and molecular dynamics studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cellulose, a linear polymer of beta 1-4, linked glucose, is the most
      abundant renewable fraction of plant biomass (lignocellulose). It is
      synergistically converted to glucose by endoglucanase (EG) cellobiohydrolase
      (CBH) and beta-glucosidase (BGL) of the cellulase complex. BGL plays a major role
      in the conversion of randomly cleaved cellooligosaccharides into glucose. As it
      is well known, Saccharomyces cerevisiae can efficiently convert glucose into
      ethanol under anaerobic conditions. Therefore, S.cerevisiae was genetically
      modified with the objective of heterologous extracellular expression of the BGLI
      gene of Trichoderma virens making it capable of utilizing cellobiose to produce
      ethanol. RESULTS: The cDNA and a genomic sequence of the BGLI gene of Trichoderma
      virens was cloned in the yeast expression vector pGAPZalpha and separately
      transformed to Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The size of the BGLI cDNA clone was 1363
      bp and the genomic DNA clone contained an additional 76 bp single intron
      following the first exon. The gene was 90% similar to the DNA sequence and 99%
      similar to the deduced amino acid sequence of 1,4-beta-D-glucosidase of T.
      atroviride (AC237343.1). The BGLI activity expressed by the recombinant genomic
      clone was 3.4 times greater (1.7 x 10-3 IU ml-1) than that observed for the cDNA
      clone (5 x 10-4 IU ml-1). Furthermore, the activity was similar to the activity
      of locally isolated Trichoderma virens (1.5 x 10-3 IU ml-1). The estimated size
      of the protein was 52 kDA. In fermentation studies, the maximum ethanol
      production by the genomic and the cDNA clones were 0.36 g and 0.06 g /g of
      cellobiose respectively. Molecular docking results indicated that the bare
      protein and cellobiose-protein complex behave in a similar manner with
      considerable stability in aqueous medium. The deduced binding site and the
      binding affinity of the constructed homology model appeared to be reasonable.
      Moreover, it was identified that the five hydrogen bonds formed between the amino
      acid residues of BGLI and cellobiose are mainly involved in the integrity of
      enzyme-substrate association. CONCLUSIONS: The BGLI activity was remarkably
      higher in the genomic DNA clone compared to the cDNA clone. Cellobiose was
      successfully fermented into ethanol by the recombinant S.cerevisiae genomic DNA
      clone. It has the potential to be used in the industrial production of ethanol as
      it is capable of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of cellobiose.
      Homology modeling, docking studies and molecular dynamics simulation studies will
      provide a realistic model for further studies in the modification of active site
      residues which could be followed by mutation studies to improve the catalytic
      action of BGLI.

PMID- 28637444
TI  - A comparison of nutritional intake and daily physical activity of girls aged 8-11
      years old in Makkah, Saudi Arabia according to weight status.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity rates in Saudi Arabia are amongst the highest in the world.
      It is known that teenage girls are less active than teenage boys, but less is
      known about the diet and activity patterns in younger girls. Therefore this study
      sought to investigate dietary intake and daily physical activity in girls aged 8
      11 years old in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This was a cross- sectional observational
      study conducted in seven schools across the city of Makkah. A total of 266 girls
      had anthropometric measurements taken including height, weight, waist
      circumference and body fat estimations. Dietary assessment using a 4 day
      unweighed diet diary was undertaken in 136 of these participants, and 134 agreed
      to monitor their physical activity for the 4 days using an accelerometer. After
      exclusion for under-reporting, 109 remained in the dietary analysis and 78 in the
      physical activity analyses. Differences in means between BMI groups were
      determined using one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey test. Multivariable linear
      regression analysis was performed to look at the effect of multiple variables on
      body weight. RESULTS: A total of 30% of participants were classified obese or
      overweight. There was a significant difference in the mean daily energy intake
      between the BMI groups with the obese group having the highest energy, fat,
      carbohydrate and protein intake (obese group: 2677 +/- 804 kcal/d; healthy weight
      group: 1806 +/- 403 kcal/d, p < 0.001), but the percentage contribution of the
      macronutrients to energy intake remained the same across the BMI groups. There
      were no differences in number of steps taken per day or time spent in moderate to
      vigorous intensity exercise according to BMI category. Most of the girls did not
      meet daily physical activity guidelines (5969 to 6773 steps per day and 18.5 -
      22.5 mins per day of moderate to vigorous activity). Multiple linear regression
      showed that energy intake positively predicted body weight (Beta = 0.279, p =0
      .001), whereas, total energy expenditure per kg of body weight and family income
      had a significant negative influence on body weight (Beta = -0.661, p < 0.001; 
      0.131, p = 0.028 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this cross sectional
      analysis suggest that obesity in girls aged 8-11 years is linked to excessive
      energy intake from all macronutrients and the majority of girls in all weight
      categories are inactive. Research should be conducted to further investigate
      causal relationships in longitudinal studies and develop interventions to promote
      dietary change and activity that is culturally acceptable for girls in Saudi
      Arabia.

PMID- 28637446
TI  - miR-363-5p as potential prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma indicated
      by weighted co-expression network analysis of miRNAs and mRNA.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate potential miRNAs and genes associated
      with the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Weighted co
      expression network analysis was utilized to analyze the mRNA and miRNA sequencing
      data of HCC from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database. Significant network
      modules were identified, and then functions of genes in the gene network modules
      and target genes of miRNAs in the miRNA network modules were explored.
      Additionally, correlations between network modules and prognostic factors of HCC
      were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 10 mRNA network modules were identified, three
      of which were significantly related to tumor stage, NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease) and patient age. Four miRNA network modules were identified, of
      which one was associated with tumor stage. Targets of hsa-miR-363-5p were found
      distributed in the gene network modules, such as RGPD5, RGPD6, ZNF445 and
      ZNF780B. Kaplan-Meier test revealed that low expression of hsa-miR-363-5p was
      associated with better overall survival of HCC patients. CONCLUSION: hsa-miR-363
      5p may be a potential prognostic marker for HCC.

PMID- 28637445
TI  - Cerebellar mutism syndrome in children with brain tumours of the posterior fossa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central nervous system tumours constitute 25% of all childhood
      cancers; more than half are located in the posterior fossa and surgery is usually
      part of therapy. One of the most disabling late effects of posterior fossa tumour
      surgery is the cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS) which has been reported in up to
      39% of the patients but the exact incidence is uncertain since milder cases may
      be unrecognized. Recovery is usually incomplete. Reported risk factors are tumour
      type, midline location and brainstem involvement, but the exact aetiology,
      surgical and other risk factors, the clinical course and strategies for
      prevention and treatment are yet to be determined. METHODS: This observational,
      prospective, multicentre study will include 500 children with posterior fossa
      tumours. It opened late 2014 with participation from 20 Nordic and Baltic
      centres. From 2016, five British centres and four Dutch centres will join with a
      total annual accrual of 130 patients. Three other major European centres are
      invited to join from 2016/17. Follow-up will run for 12 months after inclusion of
      the last patient. All patients are treated according to local practice. Clinical
      data are collected through standardized online registration at pre-determined
      time points pre- and postoperatively. Neurological status and speech functions
      are examined pre-operatively and postoperatively at 1-4 weeks, 2 and 12 months.
      Pre- and postoperative speech samples are recorded and analysed. Imaging will be
      reviewed centrally. Pathology is classified according to the 2007 WHO system.
      Germline DNA will be collected from all patients for associations between CMS
      characteristics and host genome variants including pathway profiles. DISCUSSION:
      Through prospective and detailed collection of information on 1) differences in
      incidence and clinical course of CMS for different patient and tumour
      characteristics, 2) standardized surgical data and their association with CMS, 3)
      diversities and results of other therapeutic interventions, and 4) the role of
      host genome variants, we aim to achieve a better understanding of risk factors
      for and the clinical course of CMS - with the ultimate goal of defining
      strategies for prevention and treatment of this severely disabling condition.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT02300766 , date of registration:
      November 21, 2014.

PMID- 28637447
TI  - Differential gene expression at different stages of mesocarp development in high-
      and low-yielding oil palm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The oil yield trait of oil palm is expected to involve multiple
      genes, environmental influences and interactions. Many of the underlying
      mechanisms that contribute to oil yield are still poorly understood. In this
      study, we used a microarray approach to study the gene expression profiles of
      mesocarp tissue at different developmental stages, comparing genetically related
      high- and low- oil yielding palms to identify genes that contributed to the
      higher oil-yielding palm and might contribute to the wider genetic improvement of
      oil palm breeding populations. RESULTS: A total of 3412 (2001 annotated) gene
      candidates were found to be significantly differentially expressed between high-
      and low-yielding palms at at least one of the different stages of mesocarp
      development evaluated. Gene Ontologies (GO) enrichment analysis identified 28
      significantly enriched GO terms, including regulation of transcription, fatty
      acid biosynthesis and metabolic processes. These differentially expressed genes
      comprise several transcription factors, such as, bHLH, Dof zinc finger proteins
      and MADS box proteins. Several genes involved in glycolysis, TCA, and fatty acid
      biosynthesis pathways were also found up-regulated in high-yielding oil palm,
      among them; pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 component Subunit Beta (PDH), ATP-citrate
      lyase, beta- ketoacyl-ACP synthases I (KAS I), beta- ketoacyl-ACP synthases III
      (KAS III) and ketoacyl-ACP reductase (KAR). Sucrose metabolism-related genes such
      as Invertase, Sucrose Synthase 2 and Sucrose Phosphatase 2 were found to be down
      regulated in high-yielding oil palms, compared to the lower yield palms.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that a higher carbon flux (channeled through
      down-regulation of the Sucrose Synthase 2 pathway) was being utilized by up
      regulated genes involved in glycolysis, TCA and fatty acid biosynthesis leading
      to enhanced oil production in the high-yielding oil palm. These findings are an
      important stepping stone to understand the processes that lead to production of
      high-yielding oil palms and have implications for breeding to maximize oil
      production.

PMID- 28637448
TI  - Vitamin D levels and deficiency with different occupations: a systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent worldwide, but some groups are at
      greater risk. We aim to evaluate vitamin D levels in different occupations and
      identify groups vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency. METHODS: An electronic search
      conducted in Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,
      and CINAHL Plus with Full Text generated 2505 hits; 71 peer-reviewed articles
      fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Occupations investigated included outdoor and
      indoor workers, shiftworkers, lead/smelter workers, coalminers, and healthcare
      professionals. We calculated the pooled average metabolite level as mean +/- SD;
      deficiency/insufficiency status was described as % of the total number of
      subjects in a given category. RESULTS: Compared to outdoor workers, indoor
      workers had lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D) levels (40.6 +/- 13.3 vs. 66.7
      +/- 16.7 nmol/L; p < 0.0001). Mean 25-(OH)D levels (in nmol/L) in shiftworkers,
      lead/smelter workers and coalminers were 33.8 +/- 10.0, 77.8 +/- 5.4 and 56.6 +/-
      28.4, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency (25-(OH)D < 50 nmol/L), was high in
      shiftworkers (80%) and indoor workers (78%) compared to outdoor workers (48%).
      Among healthcare professionals, medical residents and healthcare students had the
      lowest levels of mean 25-(OH)D, 44.0 +/- 8.3 nmol/L and 45.2 +/- 5.5 nmol/L,
      respectively. The mean 25-(OH)D level of practising physicians, 55.0 +/- 5.8
      nmol/L, was significantly different from both medical residents (p < 0.0001) and
      healthcare students (p < 0.0001). Nurses and other healthcare employees had 25
      (OH)D levels of 63.4 +/- 4.2 nmol/L and 63.0 +/- 11.0 nmol/L, respectively, which
      differed significantly compared to practising physicians (p = 0.01), medical
      residents (p < 0.0001) and healthcare students (p < 0.0001). Rates of vitamin D
      deficiency among healthcare professionals were: healthcare students 72%, medical
      residents 65%, practising physicians 46%, other healthcare employees 44%, and
      nurses 43%. Combined rates of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (25-(OH)D <
      75 nmol/L) were very high in all investigated groups. Potential confounders such
      as gender and body composition were not consistently reported in the primary
      studies and were therefore not analyzed. Furthermore, the descriptions of
      occupational characteristics may be incomplete. These are limitations of our
      systematic review. CONCLUSIONS: Our review demonstrates that shiftworkers,
      healthcare workers and indoor workers are at high risk to develop vitamin D
      deficiency, which may reflect key lifestyle differences (e.g. sunlight exposure).
      This may help target health promotion and preventive efforts.

PMID- 28637449
TI  - Task shifting interpersonal counseling for depression: a pragmatic randomized
      controlled trial in primary care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Task shifting approaches (rational redistribution of tasks among
      health workforce teams) to train lay professionals to assist with integrating
      mental health treatment in primary care has been recommended to close the mental
      health treatment gap for depression in low- and middle-income countries. This
      study aims to examine the a new model for depression care in a low-resource
      environment compared to enhanced treatment at usual (E-TAU). METHODS: We trained
      non-specialist community health workers (local lay employees of the public health
      system) to provide Interpersonal Counseling (IPC) to treat depressive symptoms in
      the Brazilian, Sao Paulo city, family health strategy (FHS). We conducted a
      randomized controlled trial involving 86 patients with a current major depressive
      disorder or dysthymia (based on DSM-IV) recruited from an FHS clinic.
      Participants were randomized to IPC intervention (n = 43) or E-TAU (n = 43).
      Participants allocated to IPC received 3-4 sessions provided by community health
      workers; research psychologists followed the E-TAU participants to facilitate
      their referral to specialized mental health care within the public system.
      Reduction of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale
      (HDRS-17) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9); minor psychiatric
      symptomatology (including depression, anxiety and somatoform symptoms) were
      measured using the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ); and functioning was
      measured by the Clinical Global Impression Scale over a 2-month period. RESULTS:
      Intention-to-treat analysis showed significant improvement on symptoms for both
      groups over 2 months, without significant differences between them. Per-protocol
      analysis showed significant better HDRS-17 outcomes for the IPC group.
      CONCLUSIONS: Training non-specialist community health workers in low- and middle
      income countries to provide IPC could be a successful strategy in reducing the
      burden of depression and also potentially a low-cost and effective alternative to
      specialist-led services that might not be possible in low income settings. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Brazilian Clinical Trials, number RBR-5qhmb5 (trial url:
      http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-5qhmb5/) , retrospectively registered
      after May 1, 2013.

PMID- 28637450
TI  - Health care use and costs at the end of life: a comparison of elderly Australian
      decedents with and without a cancer history.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is limited population-level research on end-of-life care in
      Australia that considers health care use and costs across hospital and community
      sectors. The aim of this study was to quantify health care use and costs in the
      last 6 months of life in a cohort of elderly Australian decedents and to examine
      the factors associated with end-of-life resource use and costs. METHODS: A
      retrospective cohort study using routinely collected health data from Australian
      Government Department of Veterans' Affairs clients. The study included two
      cohorts of elderly Australians who died between 2005 and 2009; one cohort with a
      recorded cancer diagnosis and a comparison cohort with no evidence of a cancer
      history. We examined hospitalisations, emergency department (ED) visits,
      prescription drugs, clinician visits, pathology, and procedures and associated
      costs in the last 6 months of life. We used negative binominal regression to
      explore factors associated with health service use and costs. RESULTS: The cancer
      cohort had significantly higher rates of health service use and 27% higher total
      health care costs than the comparison cohort; in both cohorts, costs were driven
      primarily by hospitalisations. Older age was associated with lower costs and
      those who died in residential aged care incurred half the costs of those who died
      in hospital. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest differences in end-of-life care
      pathways dependent on patient factors, with younger, community-dwelling patients
      and those with a history of cancer incurring significantly greater costs. There
      is a need to examine whether the investment in end-of-life care meets patient and
      societal needs.

PMID- 28637451
TI  - Performance of cone beam computed tomography and conventional intraoral
      radiographs in detecting interproximal alveolar bone lesions: a study in pig
      mandibles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been largely used in
      dentistry. Nevertheless, there is lack of evidence regarding CBCT accuracy in the
      diagnosis of early periodontal lesions as well as the correlation between
      accuracy and lesion size. The aim of this study was to evaluate accuracy of CBCT
      and conventional intraoral radiographs in detecting different-sized interproximal
      bone lesions created in pig mandibles. The hypothesis was that CBCT accuracy
      would be superior to radiographs in detecting incipient bone lesions. METHODS:
      Twenty swine dry mandibles were used, totalizing 80 experimental sites. Four
      groups were created according to exposure time to perchloric acid 70-72%:
      controls (no exposure), 2-hour exposure, 4-hour exposure, and 6-hour exposure.
      Standardized CBCT and conventional intraoral radiographs were taken and analyzed
      by two trained radiologists. The presence of lesions in the dry mandible was
      considered the gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in detecting
      different-sized bone lesions were calculated for CBCT and intraoral radiographs.
      RESULTS: Accuracy of CBCT ranged from 0.762 to 0.825 and accuracy of periapical
      radiography ranged from 0.700 to 0.813, according to examiner and time of acid
      exposure. Inter-examiner agreement varied from slight to fair, whereas intra
      examiner agreement varied from moderate to substantial. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT
      performance was not superior to that provided by conventional intraoral
      radiographs in the detection of interproximal bone loss.

PMID- 28637452
TI  - Downregulation of Talin-1 expression associates with increased proliferation and
      migration of vascular smooth muscle cells in aortic dissection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assessed whether Talin-1 is involved in the
      pathogenesis of aortic dissection via regulating vascular smooth muscle cell
      (VSMC) biological function. METHODS: Human aortic samples were obtained from
      organ donors who died from nonvascular diseases as normal controls and from
      patients undergoing surgical repair of thoracic aortic dissection. The expression
      level and distribution of Talin-1 were detected using westernblot analysis and
      immunohistochemistry in each sample. We inhibited the expression of Talin-1 via
      RNA interference in VSMCs. VSMC proliferation was detected by Cell-counting Kit-8
      analyses. Scratch test and flow cytometry were used to identify the migration and
      apoptosis ability. Antibody microarray analysis and qRT-PCR were used to detect
      some protein and mRNA changes which were induced by Talin-1 downregulation.
      RESULTS: Talin-1 was significantly downregulated in the media of aortic
      dissection samples compared with controls (P < 0.05). Talin-1 knockdown
      significantly induced VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro. Proteins which
      involved in cell cycle can be regulated by downregulating Talin-1. Down
      regulation of Talin-1 can significanly increased the expression of anaphase
      promoting complex subunit 2 (APC2) and decreased p19 alternative reading frame
      (p19ARF), Cullin-3, and beta actin's expression. CONCLUSIONS: Talin-1 induces
      VSMCs proliferation and migration. It downregulated in aortic dissection, which
      might play a potential role in the development of aortic dissection.

PMID- 28637453
TI  - Electroacupuncture at LI11 promotes jejunal motility via the parasympathetic
      pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal motility disorder has been demonstrated to be
      regulated by acupuncture treatment. The mechanisms underlying the effects of
      acupuncture stimulation of abdominal and lower limb acupoints on gastrointestinal
      motility have been thoroughly studied; however, the physiology underlying the
      effects of acupuncture on the forelimbs to mediate gastrointestinal motility
      requires further exploration. The aim of this study was to determine whether
      electroacupuncture (EA) at LI11 promotes jejunal motility, whether the
      parasympathetic pathway participates in this effect, and if so, which somatic
      afferent nerve fibres are involved. METHODS: A manometric balloon was used to
      observe jejunal motility. The effects and mechanisms of EA at LI11 were explored
      in male Sprague-Dawley rats with or without drug administration (propranolol,
      clenbuterol, acetylcholine, and atropine) and with or without vagotomy. Three
      types of male mice (beta1beta2 receptor-knockout [beta1beta2-/-] mice, M2M3
      receptor-knockout [M2M3-/-] mice and wild-type [WT] mice) were also studied by
      using different EA intensities (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mA). A total of 72 rats and 56
      mice were included in the study. RESULTS: EA at LI11 increased the contractile
      amplitude of jejunal motility in the majority of both rats and mice. However, EA
      at LI11 did not enhance jejunal motility in rats administered atropine, rats that
      underwent vagotomy, and M2M3-??/- mice (at all intensities). In WT mice, EA at
      LI11 significantly increased jejunal motility at all intensities except 1 mA, and
      a plateau was reached at intensities greater than 4 mA. CONCLUSION: Our results
      suggest that EA at LI11 promotes jejunal motility primarily by exciting the
      parasympathetic pathway, and that Adelta-fibres and C-fibres may play important
      roles in the process.

PMID- 28637454
TI  - Relationships of work characteristics to job satisfaction, turnover intention,
      and burnout among doctors in the district public-private mixed health system of
      Bangladesh.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Work design integrates work characteristics having organizational,
      social and job components which influence employees' welfare and also
      organizational goals. We investigated the effects of work characteristics and
      other predictors to job satisfaction, turnover intention, and burnout in doctors
      of the public primary, public secondary and private facilities of the district
      health system of Bangladesh. METHODS: A quantitative study using a self
      administered questionnaire containing mostly structured items was conducted among
      the public and private doctors with a sample size of 384 from 29 out of a total
      64 districts of Bangladesh during October and November 2015. All variables
      including work characteristics and outcomes of interest were based on literature
      and measured on 5-point Likert scale. Multivariate analysis of variance,
      bivariate correlation, and multiple regression were the models operated through
      SPSS version-21. RESULTS: A total of 354 doctors responded. No significant
      differences were found between public primary and secondary level doctors on
      combined work characteristics and outcomes variables, which however differed
      significantly between the public and private doctors. Organizational support was
      the strongest predictor adversely affecting job satisfaction, turnover intention
      and burnout of both the public and private doctors; private doctors' experienced
      more support. The effects of health-professional politics on the public doctors
      were alarming. CONCLUSION: Work design of the Bangladesh's health system is in
      need of ample development. Doing so, improvement in organizational supports is
      crucial; however, other work characteristics components are also important for
      enhancing doctors' welfare and health system productivity.

PMID- 28637455
TI  - Mental disorders and the use of primary health care services among homeless
      shelter users in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Homelessness is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and
      health care use. The aim of this study was to examine the role of mental
      disorders in relation to the use of 1) daytime primary health care services and
      2) after hours primary health care emergency room (PHER) services among homeless
      shelter users in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. METHODS: The study
      cohort consists of all 158 homeless persons using the four shelters operating in
      the study area during two selected nights. The health records were analyzed over
      a period of 3 years prior to the sample nights and data on morbidity and primary
      health care visits were gathered. We used negative binomial regression to
      estimate the association between mental disorders and daytime visits to primary
      health care and after hours visits to PHERs. RESULTS: During the 3 years the 158
      homeless persons in the cohort made 1410 visits to a physician in primary health
      care. The cohort exhibited high rates of mental disorders, including substance
      use disorders (SUDs); i.e. 141 persons (89%) had a mental disorder. We found dual
      diagnosis, defined as SUD concurring with other mental disorder, to be strongly
      associated with daytime primary health care utilization (IRR 11.0, 95% CI 5.9
      20.6) when compared with those without any mental disorder diagnosis. The
      association was somewhat weaker for those with only SUDs (IRR 4.9, 95% CI 2.5
      9.9) or with only other mental disorders (IRR 5.0, 95% CI 2.4-10.8). When
      focusing upon the after hours visits to PHERs we observed that both dual
      diagnosis (IRR 14.1, 95% CI 6.3-31.2) and SUDs (11.5, 95% CI 5.7-23.3) were
      strongly associated with utilization of PHERs compared to those without any
      mental disorder. In spite of a high numbers of visits, we found undertreatment of
      chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Dual diagnosis
      is particularly strongly associated with primary health care daytime visits among
      homeless persons staying in shelters, while after hours visits to primary health
      care level emergency rooms are strongly associated with both dual diagnosis and
      SUDs. Active treatment for SUDs could reduce the amount of emergency visits made
      by homeless shelter users.

PMID- 28637456
TI  - The modified Yi qi decoction protects cardiac ischemia-reperfusion induced injury
      in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the effects and involved mechanisms of the modified Yi
      Qi decoction (MYQ) in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) induced injury. METHODS:
      Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 30-min coronary arterial occlusion
      followed by reperfusion, low or high dose decoction of MYQ was administrated
      orally for 1 week or 1 month. RESULTS: Both in 1 week and 1 month IR rat groups,
      cardiac function indexes were significantly impaired compared with sham group
      rats, accompanied with higher ratio of infarct size to risk size, decreased
      expressions of sodium calcium exchanger (NCX1) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+
      ATPase (Serca2a), and different expressions of autophagic proteins, Beclin-1 and
      LC3. Treatment with MYQ (low or high dose) for 1 week showed no marked beneficial
      effects on cardiac function and cardiac injury (ratio of infarct size to risk
      size), although expressions of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, NCX1 and Serca2a
      were increased. Treatment with MYQ (low or high dose) for 1 month showed
      significantly improved effects on cardiac function and cardiac injury (ratio of
      infarct size to risk size), accompanied with increase of Bcl-2, NCX1 and Serca2a
      expressions, and decrease of Bax (a pro-apoptotic protein) and Beclin-1
      expressions. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that MYQ have potential therapeutic
      effects on IR-induced cardiac injury, which may be through regulation of
      apoptotic proteins, cytosolic Ca2+ handling proteins and autophagic proteins
      signal pathways.

PMID- 28637457
TI  - Descriptive and network analyses of the equine contact network at an equestrian
      show in Ontario, Canada and implications for disease spread.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying the contact structure within a population of horses
      attending a competition is an important element towards understanding the
      potential for the spread of equine pathogens as the horses subsequently travel
      from location to location. However, there is limited information in Ontario,
      Canada to quantify contact patterns of horses. The objective of this study was to
      describe the network of potential contacts associated with an equestrian show to
      determine how this network structure may influence potential disease
      transmission. RESULTS: This was a descriptive study of horses attending an
      equestrian show in southern Ontario, Canada on July 6 and 7, 2014. Horse show
      participants completed a questionnaire about their horse, travel patterns, and
      infection control practices. Questionnaire responses were received from horse
      owners of 79.7% (55/69) of the horses attending the show. Owners reported that
      horses attending the show were vaccinated for diseases such as rabies, equine
      influenza, and equine herpesvirus. Owners demonstrated high compliance with most
      infection control practices by reporting reduced opportunities for direct and
      indirect contact while away from home. The two-mode undirected network consisted
      of 820 nodes (41 locations and 779 horses). Eight percent of nodes in the network
      represented horses attending the show, 87% of nodes represented horses not
      attending the show, but boarded at individual home facilities, and 5% represented
      locations. The median degree of a horse in the network was 33 (range: 1-105).
      CONCLUSIONS: Developing disease management strategies without the explicit
      consideration of horses boarded at individual home facilities would underestimate
      the connectivity of horses in the population. The results of this study provides
      information that can be used by equestrian show organizers to configure event
      management in such a way that can limit the extent of potential disease spread.

PMID- 28637458
TI  - Exposure of hospitalised pregnant women to plasticizers contained in medical
      devices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Medical devices (MDs) in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are not a well
      known source of exposure to plasticizers, in particular during pregnancy. Because
      of its toxicity, the di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been replaced by
      other plasticizers such as di (isononyl)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxilic acid
      (DINCH), tri-octyltrimellitate (TOTM) and di-(isononyl) phthalate (DiNP). Our
      study aimed to quantify the plasticizers (DEHP and alternative plasticizers)
      contained in PVC medical devices used for hospitalised pregnant women and to
      describe which these MDs had been used (type, number, duration of exposure).
      METHODS: The plasticizers contained in the MDs used for daily care in the
      Obstetrics Department of a French University Hospital were extracted from PVC
      (after contact with a chloroform solution), identified and quantified by gas
      chromatography-mass-spectrometry analysis. A total of 168 pregnant women
      hospitalised in the Obstetrics Department with at least one catheter were
      included in the observational study. The median number of MDs containing
      plasticizers used and the daily duration of exposure to the MDs were compared in
      three groups of pregnant women: "Pathology group" (women hospitalised for an
      obstetric disorder who did not give birth during this hospitalisation; n = 52),
      "Pathology and delivery group" (hospitalised for an obstetric disorder and who
      gave birth during this stay; n = 23) and "Delivery group" (admitted for planned
      or spontaneous delivery without obstetric disorder; n = 93). RESULTS: DiNP, TOTM
      and DINCH were the predominant plasticizers contained in the MDs at an amount of
      29 to 36 g per 100 g of PVC. Women in the "Pathology group" (preterm labour or
      other pathology) were exposed to a median number of two MDs containing TOTM and
      one MD containing DiNP, fewer than those in the "Pathology and delivery group" (p
      < 0.05). Women in the "Pathology group" had a median exposure of 3.4 h/day to MDs
      containing DiNP and 8.2 h/day to MDs containing TOTM, longer than those in the
      "Delivery group" (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the medical
      management of pregnant women in a hospital setting entails exposure to MDs
      containing alternative plasticizers (DiNP, TOTM and DINCH).

PMID- 28637459
TI  - The role of JAK-STAT signaling pathway and its regulators in the fate of T helper
      cells.
AB  - The Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)
      pathway plays critical roles in orchestrating of immune system, especially
      cytokine receptors and they can modulate the polarization of T helper cells. This
      pathway is regulated by an array of regulator proteins, including Suppressors of
      Cytokine Signaling (SOCS), Protein Inhibitors of Activated STATs (PIAS) and
      Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (PTPs) determining the initiation, duration and
      termination of the signaling cascades. Dysregulation of the JAK-STAT pathway in T
      helper cells may result in various immune disorders. In this review, we represent
      how the JAK-STAT pathway is generally regulated and then in Th cell subsets in
      more detail. Finally, we introduce novel targeted strategies as promising
      therapeutic approaches in the treatment of immune disorders. Studies are ongoing
      for identifying the other regulators of the JAK-STAT pathway and designing
      innovative therapeutic strategies. Therefore, further investigation is needed.

PMID- 28637460
TI  - Healthcare utilization and costs for patients initiating Dabigatran or Warfarin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) such as dabigatran, when compared to
      warfarin, have been shown to potentially reduce the risk of stroke in patients
      with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) together with lower healthcare
      resource utilization (HCRU) and similar total costs. This study expands on
      previous work by comparing HCRU and costs for patients newly diagnosed with NVAF
      and newly initiated on dabigatran or warfarin, and is the first study
      specifically in a Medicare population. METHODS: A retrospective matched-cohort
      study was conducted using data from administrative health care claims during the
      study period 01/01/2010-12/31/2012. Cox regression analyses were used to compare
      all-cause risk of first hospitalizations and emergency room (ER) visits. Medical,
      pharmacy, and total costs per-patient-per-month (PPPM) were compared between
      dabigatran and warfarin users. RESULTS: A total of 1110 patients initiated on
      dabigatran were propensity score-matched with corresponding patients initiated on
      warfarin. The mean number of hospitalizations (0.92 vs. 1.13, P = 0.012), ER
      visits (1.32 vs. 1.56, P < 0.01), office visits (21.43 vs. 29.41; P < 0.01), and
      outpatient visits (10.86 vs. 22.02; P < 0.01) were lower among dabigatran
      compared to warfarin users. Patients initiated on dabigatran had significantly
      lower risk of first all-cause ER visits [hazard ratio (HR): 0.84, 95% confidence
      interval (CI): 0.73-0.98] compared to those initiated on warfarin. Adjusted mean
      pharmacy costs PPPM were significantly greater for dabigatran users ($510 vs.
      $250, P < 0.001); however, mean medical costs PPPM ($1912 vs. $1956, P = 0.55)
      and mean total costs PPPM ($2381 vs. $2183, P = 0.10) were not significantly
      different compared to warfarin users. CONCLUSIONS: Dabigatran users had
      significantly lower HCRU compared to warfarin users. In addition, dabigatran
      users had lower risk of all-cause ER visits. Despite higher pharmacy costs, the
      two cohorts did not differ significantly in medical or total all-cause costs.

PMID- 28637461
TI  - Prenatal exposure to antifungal medication may change anogenital distance in male
      offspring: a preliminary study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vaginal candidiasis is frequent among pregnant women and it is
      treated with anti-fungal medication (conazoles). Conazoles have anti-androgenic
      properties and prenatal exposure in rodents is associated with a shorter (less
      masculine) anogenital distance (AGD) in male offspring. To our knowledge this has
      never been studied in humans. METHOD: In the Odense Child Cohort pregnant women
      residing in Odense municipality, Denmark, were recruited at gestational age 8-16
      weeks between 2010 and 2012. Of the eligible 2421 mother-child pairs, 812 mother
      son pairs were included. Questionnaire data on medicine use were collected in
      first and third trimester and physical examination at age 3 month was performed.
      Ano-scrotal distance; measured from the centre of anus to the posterior base of
      scrotum (AGDas). Ano-cephalad distance; measured from the centre of anus to the
      cephalad insertion of the penis (AGDap) and penile width; measured at the base of
      the penis. RESULTS: Eighty seven women had used antifungal medicine during
      pregnancy. Maternal use of oral fluconazole (n = 4) was associated with a 6.4 mm
      shorter AGDas (95% CI: -11.9;-0.9) in the male offspring. Use of antifungal
      vaginal tablets (n = 21), was associated with a non-significantly shorter AGDas (
      1.9 mm; 95% CI: -4.3; 0.5) whereas exposure to vaginal cream (n = 23) was not
      associated to AGDas. Use of antifungal medicine in the window of genital
      development between 8 and 14 weeks of gestation was associated with a larger
      reduction in AGDas than exposure outside this window. Antifungal medicine intake
      was not associated with AGDap and penil width. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary
      findings prompted us to hypothesize that maternal use of conazole antifungal
      medication during pregnancy may affect the masculinization of male offspring. If
      confirmed, pregnant women should be advised to use antifungal medicine with
      caution.

PMID- 28637462
TI  - Outbreak tracking of Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) using partial NS1 gene
      sequencing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aleutian Mink Disease (AMD) is an infectious disease of mink
      (Neovison vison) and globally a major cause of economic losses in mink farming.
      The disease is caused by Aleutian Mink Disease Virus (AMDV) that belongs to the
      genus Amdoparvovirus within the Parvoviridae family. Several strains have been
      described with varying virulence and the severity of infection also depends on
      the host's genotype and immune status. Clinical signs include respiratory
      distress in kits and unthriftiness and low quality of the pelts. The infection
      can also be subclinical. Systematic control of AMDV in Danish mink farms was
      voluntarily initiated in 1976. Over recent decades the disease was mainly
      restricted to the very northern part of the country (Northern Jutland), with only
      sporadic outbreaks outside this region. Most of the viruses from this region have
      remained very closely related at the nucleotide level for decades. However, in
      2015, several outbreaks of AMDV occurred at mink farms throughout Denmark, and
      the sources of these outbreaks were not known. METHODS: Partial NS1 gene
      sequencing, phylogenetic analyses data were utilized along with epidemiological
      to determine the origin of the outbreaks. RESULTS: The phylogenetic analyses of
      partial NS1 gene sequences revealed that the outbreaks were caused by two
      different clusters of viruses that were clearly different from the strains found
      in Northern Jutland. These clusters had restricted geographical distribution, and
      the variation within the clusters was remarkably low. The outbreaks on Zealand
      were epidemiologically linked and a close sequence match was found to two virus
      sequences from Sweden. The other cluster of outbreaks restricted to Jutland and
      Funen were linked to three feed producers (FP) but secondary transmissions
      between farms in the same geographical area could not be excluded. CONCLUSION:
      This study confirmed that partial NS1 sequencing can be used in outbreak tracking
      to determine major viral clusters of AMDV. Using this method, two new distinct
      AMDV clusters with low intra-cluster sequence diversity were identified, and
      epidemiological data helped to reveal possible ways of viral introduction into
      the affected herds.

PMID- 28637463
TI  - Health and safety matters! Associations between organizational practices and
      personal support workers' life and work stress in Ontario, Canada.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The home and community care sector is one of the fastest growing
      sectors globally and most prominently in mature industrialized countries.
      Personal support workers (PSWs) are the largest occupational group in the sector.
      This paper focuses on the emotional health of PSWs working in the home and
      community care sector in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this paper is to present
      evidence on the associations between PSWs' life and work stress and
      organizational practices of full-time and guaranteed hours, and PSWs' perceptions
      of support at work and preference for hours. METHODS: Data come from our 2015
      survey of 1543 PSWs. Dependent variables are life and work stress. Independent
      variables are: objective organizational practices of full-time and guaranteed
      hours, and subjective organizational practices of perceived support at work, and
      preferred hours of work. Descriptive statistics, correlations and ordinary least
      square regression analyses with collinearity tests are conducted. RESULTS:
      Organizational practices of employing PSWs in full-time or guaranteed hours are
      not associated with their life and work stress. However, those who perceive
      support from their organizations are also the ones reporting lower life and work
      stress. In addition, those PSWs perceiving support from their supervisor report
      lower work stress. PSWs would like to work in their preferred hours, and those
      who prefer to work more hours report lower life and work stress, and conversely,
      those who prefer to work less hours report life and work stress. CONCLUSION: For
      PSWs in home and community care, perceived support from their organizations and
      supervisors, and employment in preferred hours are important factors related to
      their life and work stress.

PMID- 28637464
TI  - Kaiso differentially regulates components of the Notch signaling pathway in
      intestinal cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In mammalian intestines, Notch signaling plays a critical role in
      mediating cell fate decisions; it promotes the absorptive (or enterocyte) cell
      fate, while concomitantly inhibiting the secretory cell fate (i.e. goblet, Paneth
      and enteroendocrine cells). We recently reported that intestinal-specific Kaiso
      overexpressing mice (Kaiso Tg ) exhibited chronic intestinal inflammation and had
      increased numbers of all three secretory cell types, hinting that Kaiso might
      regulate Notch signaling in the gut. However, Kaiso's precise role in Notch
      signaling and whether the Kaiso Tg secretory cell fate phenotype was linked to
      Kaiso-induced inflammation had yet to be elucidated. METHODS: Intestines from 3
      month old Non-transgenic and Kaiso Tg mice were "Swiss" rolled and analysed for
      the expression of Notch1, Dll-1, Jagged-1, and secretory cell markers by
      immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. To evaluate inflammation,
      morphological analyses and myeloperoxidase assays were performed on intestines
      from 3-month old Kaiso Tg and control mice. Notch1, Dll-1 and Jagged-1 expression
      were also assessed in stable Kaiso-depleted colon cancer cells and isolated
      intestinal epithelial cells using real time PCR and western blotting. To assess
      Kaiso binding to the DLL1, JAG1 and NOTCH1 promoter regions, chromatin
      immunoprecipitation was performed on three colon cancer cell lines. RESULTS: Here
      we demonstrate that Kaiso promotes secretory cell hyperplasia independently of
      Kaiso-induced inflammation. Moreover, Kaiso regulates several components of the
      Notch signaling pathway in intestinal cells, namely, Dll-1, Jagged-1 and Notch1.
      Notably, we found that in Kaiso Tg mice intestines, Notch1 and Dll-1 expression
      are significantly reduced while Jagged-1 expression is increased. Chromatin
      immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that Kaiso associates with the DLL1 and
      JAG1 promoter regions in a methylation-dependent manner in colon carcinoma cell
      lines, suggesting that these Notch ligands are putative Kaiso target genes.
      CONCLUSION: Here, we provide evidence that Kaiso's effects on intestinal
      secretory cell fates precede the development of intestinal inflammation in Kaiso
      Tg mice. We also demonstrate that Kaiso inhibits the expression of Dll-1, which
      likely contributes to the secretory cell phenotype observed in our transgenic
      mice. In contrast, Kaiso promotes Jagged-1 expression, which may have
      implications in Notch-mediated colon cancer progression.

PMID- 28637465
TI  - Early pulmonary response is critical for extra-pulmonary carbon nanoparticle
      mediated effects: comparison of inhalation versus intra-arterial infusion
      exposures in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The death toll associated with inhaled ambient particulate matter
      (PM) is attributed mainly to cardio-vascular rather than pulmonary effects.
      However, it is unclear whether the key event for cardiovascular impairment is
      particle translocation from lung to circulation (direct effect) or indirect
      effects due to pulmonary particle-cell interactions. In this work, we addressed
      this issue by exposing healthy mice via inhalation and intra-arterial infusion
      (IAI) to carbon nanoparticles (CNP) as surrogate for soot, a major constituent of
      (ultrafine) urban PM. METHODS: Equivalent surface area CNP doses in the blood
      (30mm2 per animal) were applied by IAI or inhalation (lung-deposited dose
      10,000mm2; accounting for 0.3% of lung-to-blood CNP translocation). Mice were
      analyzed for changes in hematology and molecular markers of
      endothelial/epithelial dysfunction, pro-inflammatory reactions, oxidative stress,
      and coagulation in lungs and extra-pulmonary organs after CNP inhalation (4 h and
      24 h) and CNP infusion (4 h). For methodological reasons, we used two different
      CNP types (spark-discharge and Printex90), with very similar physicochemical
      properties [>=98 and >=95% elemental carbon; 10 and 14 nm primary particle
      diameter; and 800 and 300 m2/g specific surface area] for inhalation and IAI
      respectively. RESULTS: Mild pulmonary inflammatory responses and significant
      systemic effects were observed following 4 h and 24 h CNP inhalation. Increased
      retention of activated leukocytes, secondary thrombocytosis, and pro-inflammatory
      responses in secondary organs were detected following 4 h and 24 h of CNP
      inhalation only. Interestingly, among the investigated extra-pulmonary tissues
      (i.e. aorta, heart, and liver); aorta revealed as the most susceptible extra
      pulmonary target following inhalation exposure. Bypassing the lungs by IAI
      however did not induce any extra-pulmonary effects at 4 h as compared to
      inhalation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that extra-pulmonary effects due
      to CNP inhalation are dominated by indirect effects (particle-cell interactions
      in the lung) rather than direct effects (translocated CNPs) within the first
      hours after exposure. Hence, CNP translocation may not be the key event inducing
      early cardiovascular impairment following air pollution episodes. The
      considerable response detected in the aorta after CNP inhalation warrants more
      emphasis on this tissue in future studies.

PMID- 28637467
TI  - Imported Plasmodium falciparum and locally transmitted Plasmodium vivax: cross
      border malaria transmission scenario in northwestern Thailand.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cross-border malaria transmission is an important problem for
      national malaria control programmes. The epidemiology of cross-border malaria is
      further complicated in areas where Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are
      both endemic. By combining passive case detection data with entomological data, a
      transmission scenario on the northwestern Thai-Myanmar border where P. falciparum
      is likely driven by importation was described, whereas P. vivax is also locally
      transmitted. This study highlights the differences in the level of control
      required to eliminate P. falciparum and P. vivax from the same region. METHODS:
      Malaria case data were collected from malaria clinics in Suan Oi village, Tak
      Province, Thailand between 2011 and 2014. Infections were diagnosed by light
      microscopy. Demographic data, including migrant status, were correlated with
      concomitantly collected entomology data from 1330 mosquito trap nights using
      logistic regression. Malaria infection in the captured mosquitoes was detected by
      ELISA. RESULTS: Recent migrants were almost four times more likely to be infected
      with P. falciparum compared with Thai patients (OR 3.84, p < 0.001) and cases
      were significantly associated with seasonal migration. However, P. falciparum
      infection was not associated with the Anopheles mosquito capture rates,
      suggesting predominantly imported infections. In contrast, recent migrants were
      equally likely to present with P. vivax as mid-term migrants. Both migrant groups
      were twice as likely to be infected with P. vivax in comparison to the resident
      Thai population (OR 1.96, p < 0.001 and OR 1.94, p < 0.001, respectively).
      Plasmodium vivax cases were strongly correlated with age and local capture rates
      of two major vector species Anopheles minimus and Anopheles maculatus (OR 1.23, p
      = 0.020 and OR 1.33, p = 0.046, respectively), suggesting that a high level of
      local transmission might be causing these infections. CONCLUSIONS: On the Thai
      Myanmar border, P. falciparum infections occur mostly in the recent migrant
      population with a seasonality reflecting that of agricultural activity, rather
      than that of the local mosquito population. This suggests that P. falciparum was
      mostly imported. In contrast, P. vivax cases were significantly associated with
      mosquito capture rates and less with migrant status, indicating local
      transmission. This highlights the different timelines and requirements for P.
      falciparum and P. vivax elimination in the same region and underlines the
      importance of multinational, cross-border malaria control.

PMID- 28637468
TI  - Chorioallantoic membranes of embryonated chicken eggs as an alternative system
      for isolation of equine influenza virus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Influenza virus isolation in embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs) is not
      applicable for rapid diagnosis, however it allows the recovery and propagation of
      the viable virus. A low number of infectious virus particles in the swabs, poor
      quality of samples or individual strain properties can lead to difficulties
      during the virus isolation process. We propose to utilize chorioallantoic
      membranes (CAM) of ECEs with the assistance of real-time RT PCR to facilitate
      equine influenza virus isolation. METHODS: Real-time RT PCR was used to detect
      influenza virus genetic material in amniotic/allantoic fluids (AF) and CAM of
      ECEs. Haemagglutination assay was used for AF. We used highly diluted virus as a
      substitute of clinical specimen for ECEs inoculation. RESULTS: Our study
      demonstrated that real-time RT PCR testing of CAM homogenates was more useful
      than testing of AF for EIV detection in ECEs. Positive results from CAM allowed
      to select the embryos from those with haemagglutination assay (HA) - and real
      time RT PCR-negative AF for further passages. Using homogenates of CAM for
      subsequent passages, we finally obtained HA-positive AF, which confirmed virus
      replication. CONCLUSION: We postulate that real-time RT PCR testing of CAM
      homogenates and their subsequent passages may facilitate the isolation of equine
      influenza viruses.

PMID- 28637466
TI  - The KT Jeang Retrovirology prize 2017: Michael Emerman.

PMID- 28637469
TI  - Impact of phthalate and BPA exposure during in utero windows of susceptibility on
      reproductive hormones and sexual maturation in peripubertal males.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Phthalates and BPA are endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) widely
      used in consumer products. Evidence suggests that phthalate and BPA exposure
      alters steroid hormone levels in adults, while in utero exposure has been
      associated with altered fetal reproductive development in boys. However, the
      impact of exposure during distinct critical windows of in utero development on
      hormone concentrations and sexual maturation during the pubertal transition has
      not been examined. The objective of this study was to assess trimester-specific
      in utero phthalate and BPA exposure in relation to measures of reproductive
      development among peripubertal boys in a Mexico City birth cohort. METHODS: We
      measured maternal urinary phthalate metabolites and BPA during the first, second,
      and third trimesters of pregnancy. We measured serum levels of testosterone,
      estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), inhibin B, and sex hormone
      binding globulin (SHBG), and assessed sexual maturation (Tanner staging and
      testicular volume) among male children at age 8-14 years (n = 109). Linear and
      logistic regression were used to investigate trimester-specific in utero exposure
      as predictors of peripubertal hormone levels and sexual maturation, respectively.
      In sensitivity analyses we evaluated estimated exposure at 7 weeks gestation and
      rates of change in exposure across pregnancy in relation to outcomes. RESULTS:
      Exposure to phthalates during the third trimester was associated with reduced
      odds of having a Tanner stage >1 for pubic hair development (e.g. MBzP OR = 0.18
      per interquartile range (IQR) increase; 95% CI:0.03-0.97) and higher peripubertal
      SHBG levels (e.g. MBzP 15.2%/IQR; 95% CI:3.2-28%), while first and second
      trimester phthalates were not. In contrast, exposure to DEHP during the first
      trimester was associated with higher estradiol (11%/IQR; 95% CI:1.5-22%), while
      second or third trimester DEHP exposure was not. Sensitivity analyses yielded
      similar findings. CONCLUSIONS: Associations between in utero phthalate and BPA
      exposure and peripubertal measures of male reproductive development are dependent
      on the timing of that exposure during gestation. These findings suggest that
      future epidemiological studies relating in utero EDC exposure to pubertal
      outcomes should consider windows of susceptibility.

PMID- 28637470
TI  - Promoting physical activity among adolescent girls: the Girls in Sport group
      randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Slowing the decline in participation in physical activity among
      adolescent girls is a public health priority. This study reports the outcomes
      from a multi-component school-based intervention (Girls in Sport), focused on
      promoting physical activity among adolescent girls. METHODS: Group randomized
      controlled trial in 24 secondary schools (12 intervention and 12 control).
      Assessments were conducted at baseline (2009) and at 18 months post-baseline
      (2010). The setting was secondary schools in urban, regional and rural areas of
      New South Wales, Australia. All girls in Grade 8 in 2009 who attended these
      schools were invited to participate in the study (N = 1769). Using a Health
      Promoting Schools and Action Learning Frameworks, each school formed a committee
      and developed an action plan for promoting physical activity among Grade 8 girls.
      The action plan incorporated strategies in three main areas - i) the formal
      curriculum, ii) school environment, and iii) home/school/community links - based
      on the results of formative data from target girls and staff and on individual
      needs of the school. A member of the research team supported each school
      throughout the intervention. The main outcome measure was accelerometer-derived
      total physical activity (TPA) spent in physical activity. Data were analyzed from
      December 2011 to March 2012. RESULTS: 1518 girls (mean age 13.6y +/-0.02) were
      assessed at baseline. There was a significant decline in TPA from baseline to 18
      month follow-up with no differences between girls in the intervention and control
      schools. Only one-third of schools (4/12) implemented the intervention as per
      their action plan. Per-protocol analyses on these schools revealed a smaller
      decline in percentage of time spent in MVPA among girls in the intervention group
      (adjusted difference 0.5%, 95% CI = -0.01, 0.99, P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The
      Girls in Sport intervention was not effective in reducing the decline in physical
      activity among adolescent girls. Lack of implementation by most intervention
      schools was the main reason for a null effect. Identifying strategies to enhance
      implementation levels is critical to determining the true potential of this
      intervention approach. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively
      registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry
      ACTRN12610001077055 . Date of registration: 7 December 2010.

PMID- 28637471
TI  - Enhanced humoural and cellular immune responses to influenza H7N9 antigen HA1-2
      fused with flagellin in chickens.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sudden increases in the number of human A (H7N9) cases reported
      during December and January have been observed in previous years. Most reported
      infection cases are due to prior exposure to live poultry or potentially
      contaminated environments. Low pathogenicity of influenza A (H7N9) virus in avian
      species complicates timely discovery of infected birds. Therefore, there is a
      pressing need to develop safe and effective anti-H7N9 vaccines for poultry to
      reduce the risk of human infection and prevent the emergence of novel mutated
      strains. In addition to a good antigen, an effective vaccine also requires an
      appropriate adjuvant to enhance its immunogenicity. Previously, we generated an
      H7N9 influenza recombinant subunit vaccine (HA1-2-fliC), in which haemagglutinin
      globular head domain (HA1-2) was fused with flagellin (fliC), a potent TLR5
      ligand, and demonstrated that HA1-2-fliC elicited effective HA1-2-specific immune
      responses in mice. RESULTS: In this study, we determined flagellin-induced
      expression profiles of cytokines and chemokines in different types of avian
      immune cells in vitro and ex vivo. We found that flagellin significantly
      increased the expression levels of CXCL inflammatory chemokines (CXCLi1 and
      CXCLi2) and CCL chemokines (MIP-1beta and MCP-3) in avian macrophage HD11 cells.
      In addition, HA1-2-fliC induced significant upregulation of cytokines (IL-1beta,
      IL-6, IL-18 and IFN-gamma) and chemokines (CXCLi1, CXCLi2 and MIP-1beta) in ex
      vivo splenic lymphocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs),
      suggesting that flagellin promoted immune responses of avian cells in vitro. We
      also evaluated specific humoural and cellular immune responses induced by HA1-2
      fliC and found that chickens immunised intramuscularly with HA1-2-fliC showed
      significantly higher HA1-2-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G titers in serum.
      Furthermore, HA1-2-fliC potentiated cellular immune responses, as reflected by an
      increase in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and proliferation of PBMCs. Significantly
      higher levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4 in PBMCs from chickens vaccinated with HA1-2
      fliC further indicated that HA1-2-fliC promoted a balanced Th1/Th2 immune
      response. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the use of the flagellin as an
      adjuvant potentiated immunogenicity of influenza subunit vaccine HA1-2 in vitro
      and in vivo. These findings provide a basis for the development of H7N9 influenza
      HA1-2 subunit vaccines for chickens.

PMID- 28637472
TI  - Variability in P1 gene redefines phylogenetic relationships among cassava brown
      streak viruses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cassava brown streak disease is emerging as the most important viral
      disease of cassava in Africa, and is consequently a threat to food security. Two
      distinct species of the genus Ipomovirus (family Potyviridae) cause the disease:
      Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV).
      To understand the evolutionary relationships among the viruses, 64 nucleotide
      sequences from the variable P1 gene from major cassava producing areas of east
      and central-southern Africa were determined. METHODS: We sequenced an amplicon of
      the P1 region of 31 isolates from Malawi and Tanzania. In addition to these, 33
      previously reported sequences of virus isolates from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania,
      Malawi and Mozambique were added to the analysis. RESULTS: Phylogenetic analyses
      revealed three major P1 clades of Cassava brown streak viruses (CBSVs): in
      addition to a clade of most CBSV and a clade containing all UCBSV, a novel,
      intermediate clade of CBSV isolates which has been tentatively called CBSV
      Tanzania (CBSV-TZ). Virus isolates of the distinctive CBSV-TZ had nucleotide
      identities as low as 63.2 and 63.7% with other members of CBSV and UCBSV
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Grouping of P1 gene sequences indicated for distinct
      sub-populations of CBSV, but not UCBSV. Representatives of all three clades were
      found in both Tanzania and Malawi.

PMID- 28637473
TI  - Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) 7:
      supporting staff in evidence-based decision-making, implementation and evaluation
      in a local healthcare setting.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This is the seventh in a series of papers reporting Sustainability in
      Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare
      setting. The SHARE Program was a systematic, integrated, evidence-based program
      for resource allocation within a large Australian health service. It aimed to
      facilitate proactive use of evidence from research and local data; evidence-based
      decision-making for resource allocation including disinvestment; and development,
      implementation and evaluation of disinvestment projects. From the literature and
      responses of local stakeholders it was clear that provision of expertise and
      education, training and support of health service staff would be required to
      achieve these aims. Four support services were proposed. This paper is a detailed
      case report of the development, implementation and evaluation of a Data Service,
      Capacity Building Service and Project Support Service. An Evidence Service is
      reported separately. METHODS: Literature reviews, surveys, interviews,
      consultation and workshops were used to capture and process the relevant
      information. Existing theoretical frameworks were adapted for evaluation and
      explication of processes and outcomes. RESULTS: Surveys and interviews identified
      current practice in use of evidence in decision-making, implementation and
      evaluation; staff needs for evidence-based practice; nature, type and
      availability of local health service data; and preferred formats for education
      and training. The Capacity Building and Project Support Services were successful
      in achieving short term objectives; but long term outcomes were not evaluated due
      to reduced funding. The Data Service was not implemented at all. Factors
      influencing the processes and outcomes are discussed. CONCLUSION: Health service
      staff need access to education, training, expertise and support to enable
      evidence-based decision-making and to implement and evaluate the changes arising
      from those decisions. Three support services were proposed based on research
      evidence and local findings. Local factors, some unanticipated and some
      unavoidable, were the main barriers to successful implementation. All three
      proposed support services hold promise as facilitators of EBP in the local
      healthcare setting. The findings from this study will inform further exploration.

PMID- 28637474
TI  - Arsenic trioxide inhibits EBV reactivation and promotes cell death in EBV
      positive lymphoma cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is associated with hematopoietic
      malignancies, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, post-transplantation
      lymphoproliferative disorder, and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The current
      approach for EBV-associated lymphoma involves chemotherapy to eradicate cancer
      cells, however, normal cells may be injured and organ dysfunction may occur with
      currently employed regimens. This research is focused on employing arsenic
      trioxide (ATO) as EBV-specific cancer therapy takes advantage of the fact the EBV
      resides within the malignant cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: Our research reveals
      that low ATO inhibits EBV gene expression and genome replication. EBV spontaneous
      reactivation starts as early as 6 h after re-suspending EBV-positive Mutu cells
      in RPMI media in the absence of ATO, however this does not occur in Mutu cells
      cultured with ATO. ATO's inhibition of EBV spontaneous reactivation is dose
      dependent. The expression of the EBV immediate early gene Zta and early gene
      BMRF1 is blocked with low concentrations of ATO (0.5 nM - 2 nM) in EBV latency
      type I cells and EBV-infected PBMC cells. The combination of ATO and ganciclovir
      further diminishes EBV gene expression. ATO-mediated reduction of EBV gene
      expression can be rescued by co-treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132,
      indicating that ATO promotes ubiquitin conjugation and proteasomal degradation of
      EBV genes. Co-immunoprecipitation assays with antibodies against Zta pulls down
      more ubiquitin in ATO treated cell lysates. Furthermore, MG132 reverses the
      inhibitory effect of ATO on anti-IgM-, PMA- and TGF-beta-mediated EBV
      reactivation. Thus, mechanistically ATO's inhibition of EBV gene expression
      occurs via the ubiquitin pathway. Moreover, ATO treatment results in increased
      cell death in EBV-positive cells compared to EBV-negative cells, as demonstrated
      by both MTT and trypan blue assays. ATO-induced cell death in EBV-positive cells
      is dose dependent. ATO and ganciclovir in combination further enhances cell death
      specifically in EBV-positive cells. CONCLUSION: ATO-mediated inhibition of EBV
      lytic gene expression results in cell death selectively in EBV-positive
      lymphocytes, suggesting that ATO may potentially serve as a drug to treat EBV
      related lymphomas in the clinical setting.

PMID- 28637476
TI  - Eliminating acetate formation improves citramalate production by metabolically
      engineered Escherichia coli.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Citramalate, a chemical precursor to the industrially important
      methacrylic acid (MAA), can be synthesized using Escherichia coli overexpressing
      citramalate synthase (cimA gene). Deletion of gltA encoding citrate synthase and
      leuC encoding 3-isopropylmalate dehydratase were critical to achieving high
      citramalate yields. Acetate is an undesirable by-product potentially formed from
      pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, the precursors of citramalate during aerobic growth of
      E. coli. This study investigated strategies to minimize acetate and maximize
      citramalate production in E. coli mutants expressing the cimA gene. RESULTS: Key
      knockouts that minimized acetate formation included acetate kinase (ackA),
      phosphotransacetylase (pta), and in particular pyruvate oxidase (poxB). Deletion
      of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (zwf) and ATP synthase (atpFH) aimed at
      improving glycolytic flux negatively impacted cell growth and citramalate
      accumulation in shake flasks. In a repetitive fed-batch process, E. coli gltA
      leuC ackA-pta poxB overexpressing cimA generated 54.1 g/L citramalate with a
      yield of 0.64 g/g glucose (78% of theoretical maximum yield), and only 1.4 g/L
      acetate in 87 h. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the gene deletions critical
      to reducing acetate accumulation during aerobic growth and citramalate production
      in metabolically engineered E. coli strains. The citramalate yield and final
      titer relative to acetate at the end of the fed-batch process are the highest
      reported to date (a mass ratio of citramalate to acetate of nearly 40) without
      being detrimental to citramalate productivity, significantly improving a
      potential process for the production of this five-carbon chemical.

PMID- 28637477
TI  - Determinants of intra-household food allocation between adults in South Asia - a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nutrition interventions, often delivered at the household level,
      could increase their efficiency by channelling resources towards pregnant or
      lactating women, instead of leaving resources to be disproportionately allocated
      to traditionally favoured men. However, understanding of how to design targeted
      nutrition programs is limited by a lack of understanding of the factors affecting
      the intra-household allocation of food. METHODS: We systematically reviewed
      literature on the factors affecting the allocation of food to adults in South
      Asian households (in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Islamic Republic of
      Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) and developed a framework of food
      allocation determinants. Two reviewers independently searched and filtered
      results from PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Scopus databases by using pre-defined
      search terms and hand-searching the references from selected papers. Determinants
      were extracted, categorised into a framework, and narratively described. We used
      adapted Downs and Black and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists to
      assess the quality of evidence. RESULTS: Out of 6928 retrieved studies we found
      60 relevant results. Recent, high quality evidence was limited and mainly from
      Bangladesh, India and Nepal. There were no results from Iran, Afghanistan,
      Maldives, or Bhutan. At the intra-household level, food allocation was determined
      by relative differences in household members' income, bargaining power, food
      behaviours, social status, tastes and preferences, and interpersonal
      relationships. Household-level determinants included wealth, food security,
      occupation, land ownership, household size, religion / ethnicity / caste,
      education, and nutrition knowledge. In general, the highest inequity occurred in
      households experiencing severe or unexpected food insecurity, and also in better
      off, high caste households, whereas poorer, low caste but not severely food
      insecure households were more equitable. Food allocation also varied regionally
      and seasonally. CONCLUSION: Program benefits may be differentially distributed
      within households of different socioeconomic status, and targeting of nutrition
      programs might be improved by influencing determinants that are amenable to
      change, such as food security, women's employment, or nutrition knowledge.
      Longitudinal studies in different settings could unravel causal effects.
      Conclusions are not generalizable to the whole South Asian region, and research
      is needed in many countries.

PMID- 28637475
TI  - Uptake of label-free graphene oxide by Caco-2 cells is dependent on the cell
      differentiation status.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding the interaction of graphene-related materials (GRM)
      with human cells is a key to the assessment of their potential risks for human
      health. There is a knowledge gap regarding the potential uptake of GRM by human
      intestinal cells after unintended ingestion. Therefore the aim of our study was
      to investigate the interaction of label-free graphene oxide (GO) with the
      intestinal cell line Caco-2 in vitro and to shed light on the influence of the
      cell phenotype given by the differentiation status on cellular uptake behaviour.
      RESULTS: Internalisation of two label-free GOs with different lateral size and
      thickness by undifferentiated and differentiated Caco-2 cells was analysed by
      scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Semi
      quantification of cells associated with GRM was performed by flow cytometry.
      Undifferentiated Caco-2 cells showed significant amounts of cell-associated GRM,
      whereas differentiated Caco-2 cells exhibited low adhesion of GO sheets.
      Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed internalisation of both
      applied GO (small and large) by undifferentiated Caco-2 cells. Even large GO
      sheets with lateral dimensions up to 10 um, were found internalised by
      undifferentiated cells, presumably by macropinocytosis. In contrast, no GO uptake
      could be found for differentiated Caco-2 cells exhibiting an enterocyte-like
      morphology with apical brush border. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the
      internalisation of GO is highly dependent on the cell differentiation status of
      human intestinal cells. During differentiation Caco-2 cells undergo intense
      phenotypic changes which lead to a dramatic decrease in GRM internalisation. The
      results support the hypothesis that the cell surface topography of differentiated
      Caco-2 cells given by the brush border leads to low adhesion of GO sheets and
      sterical hindrance for material uptake. In addition, the mechanical properties of
      GRM, especially flexibility of the sheets, seem to be an important factor for
      internalisation of large GO sheets by epithelial cells. Our results highlight the
      importance of the choice of the in vitro model to enable better in vitro-in vivo
      translation.

PMID- 28637478
TI  - Out of Africa: the mite community (Arachnida: Acariformes) of the common waxbill,
      Estrilda astrild (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) in Brazil.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The common waxbill, Estrilda astrild (L., 1758) (Passeriformes:
      Estrildidae) is a small passerine bird native to Sub-Saharan Africa that has been
      introduced into several regions of the world. RESULTS: In the present paper,
      eight mite species (Acariformes) are reported from this host from Brazil,
      including three species new to science: Montesauria caravela n. sp., M.
      conquistador n. sp. (Proctophyllodidae), Trouessartia transatlantica n. sp., T.
      minuscula Gaud & Mouchet, 1958, T. estrildae Gaud & Mouchet, 1958
      (Trouessartiidae), Onychalges pachyspathus Gaud, 1968 (Pyroglyphidae),
      Paddacoptes paddae (Fain, 1964) (Dermationidae) and Neocheyletiella megaphallos
      (Lawrence, 1959) (Cheyletidae). Comparative material from Africa was also
      studied. CONCLUSIONS: These mites represent at least three morpho-ecological
      groups regarding their microhabitats occupied on the bird: (i) vane mites
      (Montesauria and Trouessartia on the large wing and tail feathers); (ii) down
      mites (Onychalges); and (iii) skin mites (Paddacoptes and Neocheyletiella). On
      one bird individual we found representatives of all eight mite species. Although
      the common waxbill was introduced to the Neotropical region almost two centuries
      ago, we demonstrate that it still retains its Old World acarofauna and has not
      yet acquired any representatives of typical Neotropical mite taxa.

PMID- 28637480
TI  - Institutional analysis of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for
      oligometastatic lymph node metastases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In limited metastatic burden of disease, stereotactic body
      radiotherapy (SBRT) has been shown to achieve high local control rates. It has
      been hypothesized that SBRT may translate to a better quality of life by delaying
      the need for systemic chemotherapy and possibly increasing survival. There is
      limited published literature on the efficacy of SBRT in limited nodal metastases.
      The primary aim is to review institutional outcomes of patients with solitary or
      oligometastatic lymph nodes treated with SBRT. METHODS: A retrospective study of
      patients treated with SBRT to metastatic lymph nodes (March 2010-June 2015) was
      conducted. Endpoints of this study were local control (LC), chemotherapy-free
      survival (CFS) following SBRT, toxicities, progression free survival (PFS), and
      overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Eighteen patients with a mean age of 65 years
      underwent SBRT to metastatic lymph nodes. Median follow-up was 33.6 months. There
      were four hepatocellular carcinoma, seven colorectal, four pancreatic, one
      esophageal, one gallbladder and one lung primary. Eleven (61%) patients had lymph
      node metastases at initial presentation of metastatic disease. Seven patients
      (39%) had systemic therapy prior to SBRT, with five patients receiving two lines
      of chemotherapy. Eight patients had solitary metastatic disease at the time of
      radiotherapy. All patients had <5 metastases. Median size of lymph node
      metastases was 1.95 cm (range: 0.8-6.2 cm). RT doses were 31 to 60 Gy in four to
      ten fractions, with 44% of patients receiving 35 Gy in 5 fractions. At 1 year, LC
      was 94% and CFS from SBRT was 60%. One-year PFS and OS were 39% and 89%
      respectively. There were no grade 3 or higher toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: In this
      single institution study, SBRT to oligometastatic lymph nodes provided excellent
      LC and a moderate chemotherapy-free interval with minimal toxicities. Disease
      progression remains prominent in these patients and larger studies are warranted
      to identify those who benefit most from SBRT.

PMID- 28637479
TI  - Pediatric eMental healthcare technologies: a systematic review of implementation
      foci in research studies, and government and organizational documents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Researchers, healthcare planners, and policymakers convey a sense of
      urgency in using eMental healthcare technologies to improve pediatric mental
      healthcare availability and access. Yet, different stakeholders may focus on
      different aspects of implementation. We conducted a systematic review to identify
      implementation foci in research studies and government/organizational documents
      for eMental healthcare technologies for pediatric mental healthcare. METHODS: A
      search of eleven electronic databases and grey literature was conducted. We
      included research studies and documents from organization and government websites
      if the focus included eMental healthcare technology for children/adolescents (0
      18 years), and implementation was studied and reported (research studies) or
      goals/recommendations regarding implementation were made (documents). We assessed
      study quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and document quality using
      the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II. Implementation
      information was grouped according to Proctor and colleagues' implementation
      outcomes-acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, cost, feasibility, fidelity,
      penetration, and sustainability-and grouped separately for studies and documents.
      RESULTS: Twenty research studies and nine government/organizational documents met
      eligibility criteria. These articles represented implementation of eMental
      healthcare technologies in the USA (14 studies), United Kingdom (2 documents, 3
      studies), Canada (2 documents, 1 study), Australia (4 documents, 1 study), New
      Zealand (1 study), and the Netherlands (1 document). The quality of research
      studies was excellent (n = 11), good (n = 6), and poor (n = 1). These eMental
      health studies focused on the acceptability (70%, n = 14) and appropriateness
      (50%, n = 10) of eMental healthcare technologies to users and mental healthcare
      professionals. The quality of government and organizational documents was high (n
      = 2), medium (n = 6), and low (n = 1). These documents focused on cost (100%, n =
      9), penetration (89%, n = 8), feasibility (78%, n = 7), and sustainability (67%,
      n = 6) of implementing eMental healthcare technology. CONCLUSION: To date,
      research studies have largely focused on acceptability and appropriateness, while
      government/organizational documents state goals and recommendations regarding
      costs, feasibility, and sustainability of eMental healthcare technologies. These
      differences suggest that the research evidence available for pediatric eMental
      healthcare technologies does not reflect the focus of governments and
      organizations. Partnerships between researchers, healthcare planners, and
      policymakers may help to align implementation research with policy development,
      decision-making, and funding foci.

PMID- 28637481
TI  - Arthroscopic treatment of focal osteochondral lesions of the first
      metatarsophalangeal joint.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although arthroscopic surgical treatment of the first
      metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint involves painful sesamoid excision, synovectomy,
      debridement, and partial cheilectomy, no gold standard treatment technique has
      been defined in the literature for hallux rigidus and focal osteochondral
      lesions. This study aimed to assess the arthroscopic treatment for early-grade
      focal osteochondral lesions of the first MTP joint and to determine the impact of
      arthroscopic microhole drill surgery on foot function and activities of daily
      living in a group of patients who failed conservative treatment. METHODS: This
      prospective study included 14 patients with hallux rigidus and focal
      osteochondral lesions of the first MTP joint who underwent surgery in 2014 and
      were followed on a regular basis thereafter. RESULTS: The patients had mean
      preoperative VPS (visual pain scale) and AOFAS (American Orthopedic Foot and
      Ankle Society)-Hallux scores of 8.14 +/- 0.86 SD and 48.64 +/- 4.27,
      respectively; the corresponding postoperative values of both scores were 1.86 +/-
      0.66 SD and 87.00 +/- 3.70, respectively. Both VPS and AOFAS-Hallux scores
      changed significantly. DISCUSSION: In this prospective study, we explored the
      impact of arthroscopic microhole drill surgery on foot function and activities of
      daily living in patients with focal osteochondral lesions of the first MTP joint.
      Our results showed significant improvements in VPS and AOFAS scores with this
      treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An arthroscopic microhole drill technique can be used
      with impressive functional scores and without any complications in patients who
      failed conservative therapy for hallux rigidus with focal chondral injury.

PMID- 28637483
TI  - Analyzing human decisions in IGRT of head-and-neck cancer patients to teach image
      registration algorithms what experts know.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In IGRT of deformable head-and-neck anatomy, patient setup
      corrections are derived by rigid registration methods. In practice, experienced
      radiation therapists often correct the resulting vectors, thus indicating a
      different prioritization of alignment of local structures. Purpose of this study
      is to transfer the knowledge experts apply when correcting the automatically
      generated result (pre-match) to automated registration. METHODS: Datasets of 25
      head-and-neck-cancer patients with daily CBCTs and corresponding approved setup
      correction vectors were analyzed. Local similarity measures were evaluated to
      identify the criteria for human corrections with regard to alignment quality,
      analogous to the radiomics approach. Clustering of similarity improvement
      patterns is applied to reveal priorities in the alignment quality. RESULTS: The
      radiation therapists prioritized to align the spinal cord closest to the high
      dose area. Both target volumes followed with second and third highest priority.
      The bony pre-match influenced the human correction along the crania-caudal axis.
      Based on the extracted priorities, a new rigid registration procedure is
      constructed which is capable of reproducing the corrections of experts.
      CONCLUSIONS: The proposed approach extracts knowledge of experts performing IGRT
      corrections to enable new rigid registration methods that are capable of
      mimicking human decisions. In the future, the deduction of knowledge-based
      corrections for different cohorts can be established automating such supervised
      learning approaches.

PMID- 28637482
TI  - MicroRNA-200c and microRNA- 141 are regulated by a FOXP3-KAT2B axis and
      associated with tumor metastasis in breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Members of the microRNA (miR)-200 family, which are involved in tumor
      metastasis, have potential as cancer biomarkers, but their regulatory mechanisms
      remain elusive. METHODS: We investigated FOXP3-inducible breast cancer cells,
      Foxp3 heterozygous Scurfy mutant (Foxp3 sf/+ ) female mice, and patients with
      breast cancer for characterization of the formation and regulation of the miR-200
      family in breast cancer cells and circulation. Participants (259), including
      patients with breast cancer or benign breast tumors, members of breast cancer
      families, and healthy controls, were assessed for tumor and circulating levels of
      the miR-200 family. RESULTS: First, we identified a FOXP3-KAT2B-miR-200c/141 axis
      in breast cancer cells. Second, aging Foxp3 sf/+ female mice developed
      spontaneous breast cancers and lung metastases. Levels of miR-200c and miR-141
      were lower in Foxp3 sf/+ tumor cells than in normal breast epithelial cells, but
      plasma levels of miR-200c and miR-141 in the Foxp3 sf/+ mice increased during
      tumor progression and metastasis. Third, in patients with breast cancer, the
      levels of miR-200c and 141 were lower in FOXP3 low relative to those with FOXP3
      high breast cancer cells, especially in late-stage and metastatic cancer cells.
      The levels of miR-200c and miR-141 were higher in plasma from patients with
      metastatic breast cancer than in plasma from those with localized breast cancer,
      with benign breast tumors, with a family history of breast cancer, or from
      healthy controls. Finally, in Foxp3 sf/+ mice, plasma miR-200c and miR-141
      appeared to be released from tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: miR-200c and miR-141 are
      regulated by a FOXP3-KAT2B axis in breast cancer cells, and circulating levels of
      miR-200c and miR-141 are potential biomarkers for early detection of breast
      cancer metastases.

PMID- 28637484
TI  - Seasonal and geographical distribution of bacillary dysentery (shigellosis) and
      associated climate risk factors in Kon Tam Province in Vietnam from 1999 to 2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bacillary dysentery (BD) is an acute bacterial infection of the
      intestine caused by Shigella spp., with clinical symptoms ranging from fever to
      bloody diarrhoea to abdominal cramps to tenesmus. In Vietnam, enteric bacterial
      pathogens are an important cause of diarrhoea and most cases in children under 5
      years of age are due to Shigella strains. The serogroups S. flexneri and S.
      sonnei are considered to be the most common. The main objective of this study was
      to, for the first time, assess the seasonal patterns and geographic distribution
      of BD in Vietnam, and to determine the climate risk factors associated with the
      incidence of BD in Kon Tum Province, where the highest rate of bacillary
      dysentery was observed from 1999 to 2013. METHODS: The seasonal patterns and
      geographic distribution of BD was assessed in Vietnam using a seasonal-trend
      decomposition procedure based on loess. In addition, negative binomial regression
      models were used to determine the climate risk factors associated with the
      incidence of BD in Kon Tum Province, from 1999 to 2013. RESULTS: Overall,
      incidence rates of BD have slightly decreased over time (except for an extremely
      high incidence in 2012 in the north of Vietnam). The central regions (north/south
      central coast and central highlands) had relatively high incidence rates, whereas
      the northwest/east and Red River Delta regions had low incidence rates. Overall,
      seasonal plots showed a high peak in the mid-rainy reason and a second smaller
      peak in the early or late rainy season. The incidence rates significantly
      increased between May and October ("wet season") across the country. In Kon Tum
      Province, temperature, humidity, and precipitation were found to be positively
      associated with the incidence of BD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide insights
      into the seasonal patterns and geographic distribution of BD in Vietnam and its
      associated climate risk factors in Kon Tum Province. This study may help
      clinicians and the general public to better understand the timings of outbreaks
      and therefore equip them with the knowledge to plan better interventions (such as
      improving water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions) during peak seasons. This
      can, in turn, prevent or reduce outbreaks and onwards transmission during an
      outbreak.

PMID- 28637485
TI  - The development of lower respiratory tract microbiome in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although culture-independent methods have paved the way for
      characterization of the lung microbiome, the dynamic changes in the lung
      microbiome from neonatal stage to adult age have not been investigated. RESULTS:
      In this study, we tracked changes in composition and diversity of the lung
      microbiome in C57BL/6N mice, starting from 1-week-old neonates to 8-week-old
      mice. Towards this, the lungs were sterilely excised from mice of different ages
      from 1 to 8 weeks. High-throughput DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene followed
      by composition and diversity analysis was utilized to decipher the microbiome in
      these samples. Microbiome analysis suggests that the changes in the lung
      microbiome correlated with age. The lung microbiome was primarily dominated by
      phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria in all the
      stages from week 1 to week 8 after birth. Although Defluvibacter was the
      predominant genus in 1-week-old neonatal mice, Streptococcus became the dominant
      genus at the age of 2 weeks. Lactobacillus, Defluvibacter, Streptococcus, and
      Achromobacter were the dominant genera in 3-week-old mice, while Lactobacillus
      and Achromobacter were the most abundant genera in 4-week-old mice.
      Interestingly, relatively greater diversity (at the genus level) during the age
      of 5 to 6 weeks was observed as compared to the earlier weeks. The diversity of
      the lung microbiome remained stable between 6 and 8 weeks of age. CONCLUSIONS: In
      summary, we have tracked the development of the lung microbiome in mice from an
      early age of 1 week to adulthood. The lung microbiome is dominated by the phyla
      Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. However, dynamic
      changes were observed at the genus level. Relatively higher richness in the
      microbial diversity was achieved by age of 6 weeks and then maintained at later
      ages. We believe that this study improves our understanding of the development of
      the mice lung microbiome and will facilitate further analyses of the role of the
      lung microbiome in chronic lung diseases.

PMID- 28637486
TI  - A guide to using the Theoretical Domains Framework of behaviour change to
      investigate implementation problems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Implementing new practices requires changes in the behaviour of
      relevant actors, and this is facilitated by understanding of the determinants of
      current and desired behaviours. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was
      developed by a collaboration of behavioural scientists and implementation
      researchers who identified theories relevant to implementation and grouped
      constructs from these theories into domains. The collaboration aimed to provide a
      comprehensive, theory-informed approach to identify determinants of behaviour.
      The first version was published in 2005, and a subsequent version following a
      validation exercise was published in 2012. This guide offers practical guidance
      for those who wish to apply the TDF to assess implementation problems and support
      intervention design. It presents a brief rationale for using a theoretical
      approach to investigate and address implementation problems, summarises the TDF
      and its development, and describes how to apply the TDF to achieve implementation
      objectives. Examples from the implementation research literature are presented to
      illustrate relevant methods and practical considerations. METHODS: Researchers
      from Canada, the UK and Australia attended a 3-day meeting in December 2012 to
      build an international collaboration among researchers and decision-makers
      interested in the advancing use of the TDF. The participants were experienced in
      using the TDF to assess implementation problems, design interventions, and/or
      understand change processes. This guide is an output of the meeting and also
      draws on the authors' collective experience. Examples from the implementation
      research literature judged by authors to be representative of specific
      applications of the TDF are included in this guide. RESULTS: We explain and
      illustrate methods, with a focus on qualitative approaches, for selecting and
      specifying target behaviours key to implementation, selecting the study design,
      deciding the sampling strategy, developing study materials, collecting and
      analysing data, and reporting findings of TDF-based studies. Areas for
      development include methods for triangulating data, e.g. from interviews,
      questionnaires and observation and methods for designing interventions based on
      TDF-based problem analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We offer this guide to the
      implementation community to assist in the application of the TDF to achieve
      implementation objectives. Benefits of using the TDF include the provision of a
      theoretical basis for implementation studies, good coverage of potential reasons
      for slow diffusion of evidence into practice and a method for progressing from
      theory-based investigation to intervention.

PMID- 28637488
TI  - A high-throughput colorimetric assay for detection of Schistosoma mansoni
      viability based on the tetrazolium salt XTT.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Schistosoma mansoni is a trematode parasite that causes
      schistosomiasis, one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases, leading
      to the loss of 2.6 million disability-adjusted life years. Praziquantel is the
      only drug available, and new drugs are required. The most common strategy in
      schistosomiasis drug discovery is the use of the schistosomula larval-stage for a
      pre-screen in drug sensitivity assays. However, assessing schistosomula viability
      by microscopy has always been a limitation to the throughput of such assays.
      Hence, the development of validated, robust high-throughput in vitro assays for
      Schistosoma with simple readouts is needed. Here, we present a simple and
      affordable alternative to assess schistosomula viability. The method employed is
      based on the hydrosoluble tetrazolium salt XTT which has been widely used in
      other organisms but has never been used to drug screen in schistosomes. RESULTS:
      We showed that schistosomula reduce XTT salt to a coloured formazan product and
      that absorbance levels reflected the viability and parasites number. This XTT
      viability assay was validated for high throughput screening of compounds in
      schistosomula, and dose-response curves of compounds could be reproduced.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the XTT viability assay could be applied for the
      screening of large compounds collections in S. mansoni and accelerate the
      identification of novel antischistosomal compounds.

PMID- 28637487
TI  - The NF1 somatic mutational landscape in sporadic human cancers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1: Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man
      (OMIM) #162200) is an autosomal dominantly inherited tumour predisposition
      syndrome. Heritable constitutional mutations in the NF1 gene result in
      dysregulation of the RAS/MAPK pathway and are causative of NF1. The major known
      function of the NF1 gene product neurofibromin is to downregulate RAS. NF1
      exhibits variable clinical expression and is characterized by benign cutaneous
      lesions including neurofibromas and cafe-au-lait macules, as well as a
      predisposition to various types of malignancy, such as breast cancer and
      leukaemia. However, acquired somatic mutations in NF1 are also found in a wide
      variety of malignant neoplasms that are not associated with NF1. MAIN BODY:
      Capitalizing upon the availability of next-generation sequencing data from cancer
      genomes and exomes, we review current knowledge of somatic NF1 mutations in a
      wide variety of tumours occurring at a number of different sites: breast,
      colorectum, urothelium, lung, ovary, skin, brain and neuroendocrine tissues, as
      well as leukaemias, in an attempt to understand their broader role and
      significance, and with a view ultimately to exploiting this in a diagnostic and
      therapeutic context. CONCLUSION: As neurofibromin activity is a key to regulating
      the RAS/MAPK pathway, NF1 mutations are important in the acquisition of drug
      resistance, to BRAF, EGFR inhibitors, tamoxifen and retinoic acid in melanoma,
      lung and breast cancers and neuroblastoma. Other curiosities are observed, such
      as a high rate of somatic NF1 mutation in cutaneous melanoma, lung cancer,
      ovarian carcinoma and glioblastoma which are not usually associated with
      neurofibromatosis type 1. Somatic NF1 mutations may be critical drivers in
      multiple cancers. The mutational landscape of somatic NF1 mutations should
      provide novel insights into our understanding of the pathophysiology of cancer.
      The identification of high frequency of somatic NF1 mutations in sporadic tumours
      indicates that neurofibromin is likely to play a critical role in development,
      far beyond that evident in the tumour predisposition syndrome NF1.

PMID- 28637490
TI  - Lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia by steroidogenic acute regulatory protein
      (STAR) gene mutation in an Italian infant: an uncommon cause of adrenal
      insufficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) (OMIM n. 201710) is the
      most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It is characterized by severe
      adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis impairment due to a defect in the conversion
      of cholesterol to pregnenolone. Affected infants experience salt loss, but
      glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy enables long-term
      survival. Classic lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia is relatively common in
      Japan and Korea but extremely rare in Caucasian populations. CASE PRESENTATION: A
      female infant of Italian origin came to our attention in late infancy with a
      clinical picture of acute adrenal insufficiency. The study of the STAR gene
      revealed two genomic variants c.562C > T and c.577C > T in compound
      heterozygosity. At the protein level, the two mutations determine the p.Arg188Cys
      variant (rs104894090) and the p.Arg193Ter variant (rs387907235), respectively.
      Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the identified variants and to perform
      familial study. The mother carried the p.Arg188Cys variant, while the father
      carried the p.Arg193Ter variant. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge this is the second
      case of classic lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia reported in the Italian
      population. STAR mutations resulting in lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia
      should be considered all over the world in the differential diagnosis of newborn
      babies and infants with primary adrenal insufficiency.

PMID- 28637489
TI  - Synaptoimmunology - roles in health and disease.
AB  - Mounting evidence suggests that the nervous and immune systems are intricately
      linked. Many proteins first identified in the immune system have since been
      detected at synapses, playing different roles in normal and pathological
      situations. In addition, novel immunological functions are emerging for proteins
      typically expressed at synapses. Under normal conditions, release of inflammatory
      mediators generally represents an adaptive and regulated response of the brain to
      immune signals. On the other hand, when immune challenge becomes prolonged and/or
      uncontrolled, the consequent inflammatory response leads to maladaptive synaptic
      plasticity and brain disorders. In this review, we will first provide a summary
      of the cell signaling pathways in neurons and immune cells. We will then examine
      how immunological mechanisms might influence synaptic function, and in particular
      synaptic plasticity, in the healthy and pathological CNS. A better understanding
      of neuro-immune system interactions in brain circuitries relevant to
      neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders should provide specific biomarkers to
      measure the status of the neuroimmunological response and help design novel
      neuroimmune-targeted therapeutics.

PMID- 28637491
TI  - Stable centromere positioning in diverse sequence contexts of complex and
      satellite centromeres of maize and wild relatives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paradoxically, centromeres are known both for their characteristic
      repeat sequences (satellite DNA) and for being epigenetically defined. Maize (Zea
      mays mays) is an attractive model for studying centromere positioning because
      many of its large (~2 Mb) centromeres are not dominated by satellite DNA. These
      centromeres, which we call complex centromeres, allow for both assembly into
      reference genomes and for mapping short reads from ChIP-seq with antibodies to
      centromeric histone H3 (cenH3). RESULTS: We found frequent complex centromeres in
      maize and its wild relatives Z. mays parviglumis, Z. mays mexicana, and
      particularly Z. mays huehuetenangensis. Analysis of individual plants reveals
      minor variation in the positions of complex centromeres among siblings. However,
      such positional shifts are stochastic and not heritable, consistent with prior
      findings that centromere positioning is stable at the population level.
      Centromeres are also stable in multiple F1 hybrid contexts. Analysis of repeats
      in Z. mays and other species (Zea diploperennis, Zea luxurians, and Tripsacum
      dactyloides) reveals tenfold differences in abundance of the major satellite
      CentC, but similar high levels of sequence polymorphism in individual CentC
      copies. Deviation from the CentC consensus has little or no effect on binding of
      cenH3. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that complex centromeres are neither a
      peculiarity of cultivation nor inbreeding in Z. mays. While extensive arrays of
      CentC may be the norm for other Zea and Tripsacum species, these data also reveal
      that a wide diversity of DNA sequences and multiple types of genetic elements in
      and near centromeres support centromere function and constrain centromere
      positions.

PMID- 28637492
TI  - Expression patterns of FSHD-causing DUX4 and myogenic transcription factors PAX3
      and PAX7 are spatially distinct in differentiating human stem cell cultures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is most commonly
      inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern and caused by the abnormal expression
      of DUX4 in skeletal muscle. The DUX4 transcription factor has DNA binding domains
      similar to several paired class homeotic transcription factors, but only myogenic
      factors PAX3 and PAX7 rescue cell viability when co-expressed with DUX4 in mouse
      myoblasts. This observation suggests competition for DNA binding sites in
      satellite cells might limit muscle repair and may be one aspect of DUX4
      associated myotoxicity. The competition hypothesis requires that DUX4 and PAX3/7
      be expressed in the same cells at some point during development or in adult
      tissues. We modeled myogenesis using human isogenic iPS and ES cells and examined
      expression patterns of DUX4, PAX3, and PAX7 to determine if conditions that
      promote PAX3 and PAX7 expression in cell culture also promote DUX4 expression in
      the same cells. METHODS: Isogenic iPSCs were generated from human fibroblasts of
      two FSHD-affected individuals with somatic mosaicism. Clones containing the
      shortened FSHD-causing D4Z4 array or the long non-pathogenic array were isolated
      from the same individuals. We also examined myogenesis in commercially available
      hES cell lines derived from FSHD-affected and non-affected embryos. DUX4, PAX3,
      and PAX7 messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were quantified during a 40-day differentiation
      protocol, and antibodies were used to identify cell types in different stages of
      differentiation to determine if DUX4 and PAX3 or PAX7 are present in the same
      cells. RESULTS: Human iPS and ES cells differentiated into skeletal myocytes as
      evidenced by Titin positive multinucleated fibers appearing toward the end of a
      40-day differentiation protocol. PAX3 and PAX7 were expressed at similar times
      during differentiation, and DUX4 positive nuclei were seen at terminal stages of
      differentiation in cells containing the short D4Z4 arrays. Nuclei that expressed
      both DUX4 and PAX3, or DUX4 and PAX7 were not observed after examining
      immunostained nuclei at five different time points during myogenic
      differentiation of pluripotent cells. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that DUX4, PAX3,
      and PAX7 have distinct expression patterns during myogenic differentiation of
      stem cells. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that muscle damage in
      FSHD is due to DUX4-mediated toxicity causing destruction of terminally
      differentiated myofibers. While these studies examine DUX4, PAX3, and PAX7
      expression patterns during stem cell myogenesis, they should not be generalized
      to tissue repair in adult muscle tissue.

PMID- 28637493
TI  - The role of NLRP3 inflammasome in 5-fluorouracil resistance of oral squamous cell
      carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used drug for the therapy of
      cancer. However, the chemoresistance of tumor cells to 5-FU usually limits its
      clinical effectiveness. In this study, we explored the role of NLRP3 inflammasome
      in 5-FU resistance of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: The mRNA and
      protein expression levels of NLRP3, Caspase1 and IL-1beta in resected OSCC
      specimens or cell lines were measured respectively by quantitative real time-PCR
      (qRT-PCR) and western blot. NLRP3 and Ki-67 expression in paraffin-embedded OSCC
      tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between 5-FU
      treatment and the expression and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome was further
      examined by evaluating NLRP3 and IL-1beta expression in OSCC cell lines without
      or with NLRP3 knocked down. Cell viabilities of OSCC cells were determined by the
      MTT assay. Apoptosis and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) of OSCC
      cells induced by 5-FU were measured by the flow cytometer. The carcinogen-induced
      tongue squamous carcinoma mice model was established by continuous oral
      administration of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide in wild-type BALB/c, Nlrp3 -/- and
      Caspase1 -/- mice. Tumor incidence were observed and tumor area were evaluated.
      RESULTS: In the clinical analysis, expression and activation of NLRP3
      inflammasome was clearly increased in OSCC tissues of patients who received 5-FU
      based chemotherapy. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that this high
      expression was significantly correlated with tumor stage and differentiation, and
      was associated with poor prognosis. Moreover, 5-FU treatment increased expression
      and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in OSCC cells in a cell culture system and
      xenograft mouse model. Silencing of NLRP3 expression significantly inhibited OSCC
      cell proliferation and enhanced 5-FU-induced apoptosis of OSCC cells. Further
      investigation showed that intracellular ROS induced by 5-FU promoted the
      expression and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and increased the production of
      interleukin (IL)-1beta, which then mediated the chemoresistance. With the
      carcinogen-induced OSCC model, we found less and later tumor incidence in Nlrp3 
      /- and Caspase1 -/- mice than wild-type mice. And greater decrease of tumor area
      was observed in the gene deficient mice treated with 5-FU. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      findings suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome promoted 5-FU resistance of OSCC both in
      vitro and in vivo, and targeting the ROS/NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1beta signaling
      pathway may help 5-FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy of OSCC.

PMID- 28637495
TI  - Diurnal variation in the core interthreshold zone and its relation to cutaneous
      sensation threshold zone.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The core interthreshold zone (CIZ) is defined as the range between
      temperatures at the onset of shivering and sweating. Its circadian or diurnal
      variation has not been extensively studied. The present study examined whether
      the CIZ is subject to a diurnal rhythm. In addition, according to the previous
      finding that the CIZ was proportionally correlated with peripheral interthreshold
      zone (PIZ), it was also examined whether cutaneous sensation threshold zone
      (CSZ), a determinant of the PIZ, is correlated with the CIZ. METHODS: The CIZ and
      the CSZ were measured in ten Japanese men who underwent three experiments in a
      single day on the morning, afternoon, and evening in the 2014 experiment (so
      called single-day experiment) and six Japanese men underwent the same experiments
      on the morning of day 1, the afternoon of day 2, and the evening of day 3 in the
      2015 experiment (so-called multiple-day experiment). Air temperature was
      controlled at 20-24  degrees C. Each subject wore a suit perfused with 25 
      degrees C water at a rate of 600 cm3/min and exercised on an ergometer at 50% of
      their maximum work rate for 10-15 min until their rate of sweating increased.
      They then remained seated without exercising until their oxygen uptake increased.
      Rectal temperature, skin temperatures at seven sites, the sweating rate at the
      forehead, and oxygen uptake were continuously monitored throughout experiment.
      Cutaneous warm and cold sensation thresholds at three sites were measured using 1
      and 2-cm2 probes. RESULTS: The results from the single-day experiment
      demonstrated a small change in the CIZ and core temperature prior to exercise (T
      c-init) whereas those from the multiple-day experiment demonstrated continuous
      increase in the CIZ and T c-init. The CSZ measured with a 1-cm2 probe was
      inversely proportional to the average skin temperature at three sites prior to
      measurement (T sk-av). CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the CIZ may be not
      dependent on time of a day but Tc-init per se and may not be associated with the
      CSZ.

PMID- 28637494
TI  - Euiiyin-tang in the treatment of obesity: study protocol for a randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity is a public health concern in many countries due to its
      increasing prevalence. Euiiyin-tang is an herbal medicine formula often used as a
      clinical treatment for obesity. It acts to eliminate humidity and purify the
      blood, the causes of obesity identified by the theoretical framework of Korean
      medicine. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of
      Euiiyin-tang in treating obesity. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a randomised,
      double-blinded and placebo-controlled, multicentre trial. It has two parallel
      arms: the Euiiyin-tang group and the placebo group. A total of 160 obese adult
      women will be enrolled in the trial. The participants will be randomly divided at
      a 1:1 ratio at visit 2 (baseline). The participants will be administered Euiiyin
      tang or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint is the change in weight
      occurring between baseline and post-treatment. The secondary outcomes include
      average weight reduction, changes in body fat, waist and hip circumferences, body
      mass index, and lipid profile, and the results of questionnaires such as the
      Korean version of Obesity-related Quality of Life, the Korean version of Eating
      Attitudes Test, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, and the Stress Reaction
      Inventory. DISCUSSION: The present study will provide research methodologies for
      evaluating the efficacy and safety of Euiiyin-tang in patients with obesity. In
      addition, it will provide evidence of correlation between obesity and Sasang
      constitutional medicine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01724099 .
      Registered on 2 November 2012.

PMID- 28637496
TI  - MiR21 sensitized B-lymphoma cells to ABT-199 via ICOS/ICOSL-mediated interaction
      of Treg cells with endothelial cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRs) are involved in tumor progression by regulating
      tumor cells and tumor microenvironment. MiR21 is overexpressed in diffuse large B
      cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and its biological impact on tumor microenvironment remains
      unclear. METHODS: MiR21 was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR in patients with
      newly diagnosed DLBCL. The mechanism of action of miR21 on lymphoma progression
      and tumor angiogenesis was examined in vitro in B-lymphoma cell lines and in vivo
      in a murine xenograft model. RESULTS: Serum miR21 was significantly elevated in
      patients and associated with advanced disease stage, International Prognostic
      Index indicating intermediate-high and high-risk, and increased tumor
      angiogenesis. When co-cultured with immune cells and endothelial cells, miR21
      overexpressing B-lymphoma cells were resistant to chemotherapeutic agents, but
      sensitive to Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-199, irrespective of Bcl-2 expression on
      lymphoma cells. In both co-culture systems of Bcl-2positive and Bcl-2negative B
      lymphoma cells, miR21 induced inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) expression on
      regulatory T (Treg) cells. Through crosstalking with Treg cells by ICOS ligand
      (ICOSL), endothelial cells were activated, resulting in stimulation of Bcl-2
      expression and vessel formation. ABT-199 directly targeted Bcl-2 on endothelial
      cells, induced endothelial cell apoptosis and inhibited tumor angiogenesis. In a
      murine xenograft model established with subcutaneous injection of B-lymphoma
      cells, ABT-199 particularly retarded the growth of miR21-overexpressing tumors,
      consistent with the induction of endothelial cell apoptosis and inhibition of
      tumor angiogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: As a serum oncogenic biomarker of B-cell
      lymphoma, miR21 indicated B-lymphoma cell sensitivity to ABT-199 via ICOS/ICOSL
      mediated interaction of Treg cells with endothelial cells.

PMID- 28637497
TI  - Influence of low-flow time on survival after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation (eCPR).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support
      under extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) is the last option and
      may be offered to selected patients. Several factors predict outcome in these
      patients, including initial heart rhythm, comorbidities, and bystander
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We evaluated outcomes of all VA-ECMO
      patients treated within the last 5 years at our center in respect to low-flow
      duration during CPR. METHODS: We report retrospective registry data on all
      patients with eCPR treated at a university hospital between October 2010 and May
      2016. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients (mean age 58.7 +/- 2.6 years, Simplified
      Acute Physiology Score II score at admission 48.1 +/- 3.4) were included in the
      analysis. The indication for eCPR was either in-hospital or out-of-hospital
      cardiac arrest without return of spontaneous circulation (n = 74 and 59,
      respectively). There was a significant difference in survival rates between
      groups (eCPR in-hospital cardiac arrest [IHCA] 18.9%, eCPR out-of-hospital
      cardiac arrest [OHCA] 8.5%; p < 0.042). Mean low-flow duration (i.e., duration of
      mechanical CPR until VA-ECMO support) was 59.6 +/- 5.0 minutes in all patients
      and significantly shorter in IHCA patients than in OHCA patients (49.6 +/- 5.9
      vs. 72.2 +/- 7.4 minutes, p = 0.001). Low-flow time strongly correlated with
      survival (p < 0.001) and was an independent predictor of mortality. CONCLUSIONS:
      Time to full support is an important and alterable predictor of patient survival
      in eCPR, suggesting that VA-ECMO therapy should be established as fast as
      possible in the selected patients destined for eCPR.

PMID- 28637499
TI  - Diagnostic relevance of urinary steroid profiles on ovarian granulosa cell
      tumors: two case reports.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Granulosa cell tumor of the ovary is the most frequent sex cord
      stromal tumor and represents 2 to 5% of all primary ovarian cancers. Ovarian
      granulosa cell tumor is a malignant tumor with slow progression and in some cases
      this tumor is hormonally active. The recurrence of granulosa cell tumor often
      happens after 5 years. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe two cases of postmenopausal
      women with adult-type granulosa cell tumors of the ovary. Patient 1 is a 49-year
      old European woman with a recurrent tumor; patient 2 is a 55-year-old European
      woman without recurrence of tumor. Urinary steroid profiles of patient 1 were
      monitored during a 5-year period starting from before an operation (13 samples).
      In patient 2, the urinary steroid profiles were monitored during a 3-year period
      starting from after an operation (six samples). The 24-hour urinary samples were
      examined and the urinary concentration of 20 androgen, progesterone, and
      corticoid metabolites was quantitatively determined by gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry with selected ion-monitoring mode. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these cases
      a correlation could be observed between increased levels of the urinary steroids
      and the recurrence of ovarian granulosa cell tumor; therefore, we concluded that
      a urinary steroid profile could be a more effective method to follow-up such
      patients compared to the traditional serum hormones determinations supplemented
      with conventional tumor markers.

PMID- 28637498
TI  - Incidence of thyroid dysfunction in an Iranian adult population: the predictor
      role of thyroid autoantibodies: results from a prospective population-based
      cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction is high in Isfahan, an area of
      iodine sufficient in Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence
      of thyroid dysfunctions in adults of metropolitan Isfahan and to determine the
      role of thyroid autoantibodies. METHODS: In a population-based cohort study in
      2006-2011, we measured TSH, T4, T3, thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), and
      thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) in 618 out of 2254 people who were euthyroid in
      2006. The incidence rates per 1000 person-year (pr) were calculated. The odds
      ratio (OR), relative risk (RR), and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were
      calculated based on logistic regression to quantify the potential predictors of
      thyroid dysfunction. The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis along
      with area under the curve (AUC) was used to determine the optimal cutoff values
      for baseline TPOAb and TgAb as predictors of thyroid dysfunction. RESULTS: Within
      a 6-year follow-up, the incidence rate of hypothyroidism was 3.3 in women and 2.1
      in men while the incidence rate of hyperthyroidism was 3.8 in women and none in
      men per 1000 (person-year). A cutoff value of TPOAb at 38 IU/mL was obtained to
      differentiate the patients with hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, with
      specificity of 0.75 and sensitivity of 0.76, and AUC (CI 95%) of 0.882 (0.743
      1.02), P = 0.01 and 0.817 (0.600-1.035) P = 0.033, respectively. There is a
      statistically significant association of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism with
      positive TPOAb [RR (CI 95%): 1.99 (1.27-3.13) and 2.20 (1.23-3.95),
      respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of thyroid dysfunction is high in
      Isfahan, and higher TPOAb concentration is its strong predictor.

PMID- 28637500
TI  - Association of antenatal care and place of delivery with newborn care practices:
      evidence from a cross-sectional survey in rural Uttar Pradesh, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Appropriate immediate newborn care is vital for neonatal survival.
      Antenatal period is a crucial time to impart knowledge and awareness to mothers
      regarding newborn care, either during facility visits or during home visits by
      community health workers (CHWs) especially in the rural context. In this paper,
      we report newborn care practices in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP) and have explored
      association between newborn care practices with antenatal care, contact with
      community health workers during pregnancy and place of childbirth. METHODS: We
      use cross-sectional baseline data (which is part of a larger intervention
      project) collected from 129 gram panchayats (GPs) from 15 administrative blocks
      spread over five districts of UP in 2013. From currently married women (n = 2208)
      of 15-49 years, who delivered 15 months prior to the survey, we collected
      information on women's demographic and socio-economic characteristics, knowledge
      and practice of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition
      behaviours. Association of newborn practices with antenatal care, contacts by
      community health worker during pregnancy and place of childbirth were tested
      using random intercept logistic regression, adjusting for socio-economic and
      demographic factors and accounting for clustering at the GP and block levels.
      RESULTS: Eighty-three percent of 2208 mothers received ANC, but only half of the
      respondents received a minimum of three ANC visits. More than two thirds of
      respondents delivered at a health facility. Practice of newborn care was poor:
      merely one fourth of women practised clean cord care, one third of women followed
      good breastfeeding practices (initiation with an hour of birth, fed colostrum and
      did not give pre-lacteal feeds) and one third provided adequate thermal care
      (kept baby warm and delayed bathing). Only 5% followed all above practices with
      evidence of clustering of newborn care practices at the block and GP levels.
      While facility-based childbirth was strongly associated with appropriate newborn
      care practices, ANC visits and contacts with CHWs was not associated with all
      newborn care practices. CONCLUSION: The quality of ANC care provided needs to be
      improved to have an impact on newborn care practices. Our finding emphasizes the
      importance of facility-based birthing. There is a need for training CHWs to
      strengthen their counselling skills on newborn care. Variation of newborn care
      practices between communities should be taken into consideration while
      implementing any intervention to optimize benefits.

PMID- 28637502
TI  - Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of gastroenteropancreatic
      neuroendocrine neoplasms: a multicenter study in South China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) are a
      heterogeneous group of rare tumors. Many issues in terms of epidemiologic
      features, pathogenesis, and treatment of GEP-NENs are still under discussion. Our
      study aimed to analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of
      Chinese patients with GEP-NENs. METHODS: Complete clinicopathologic data and
      survival information of 1183 patients with GEP-NENs treated between 2005 and 2015
      were collected from five medical centers in Guangdong Province, China. Patient
      survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed using the log
      rank test; prognostic factors were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards
      model. RESULTS: The most common tumor location was the rectum (37.4%), followed
      by the pancreas (28.1%), stomach (20.7%), small intestine (7.2%), appendix
      (3.4%), and colon (3.3%). After initial definitive diagnosis, 1016 (85.9%)
      patients underwent surgery. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates
      for the entire cohort were 87.9%, 78.5%, and 72.8%, respectively. The 3-year OS
      rates of patients with G1, G2, and G3 tumors were 93.1%, 82.7%, and 43.1%,
      respectively (P < 0.001). The 3-year OS rates of patients with stage I, II, III,
      and IV tumors were 96.0%, 87.3%, 64.0%, and 46.8%, respectively (P < 0.001).
      Patients with distant metastasis who underwent palliative surgery had a longer
      survival than those who did not (P = 0.003). Similar survival benefits of
      palliative surgery were observed in patients with neuroendocrine tumor (P =
      0.031) or neuroendocrine carcinoma (P = 0.046). In multivariate analysis, age,
      grade, N category, M category, and surgery were found to be independent
      prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with GEP-NENs who are women, younger
      than 50 years old, have smaller tumor size, have lower tumor grade, have lower
      T/N/M category, and who undergo surgery can have potentially longer survival
      time. Our data showed that surgery can improve the prognosis of GEP-NEN patients
      with distant metastasis. However, randomized controlled trials need to be
      conducted to establish the optimal criteria for selecting patients to undergo
      surgery.

PMID- 28637501
TI  - S100A8 inhibits PDGF-induced proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells
      dependent on the receptor for advanced glycation end-products.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Airway remodeling is a key feature of asthma, characterized by
      increased proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). S100A8 is a
      calcium-binding protein with a potential to regulate cell proliferation. Here,
      the effect of exogenous S100A8 protein on the proliferation of ASMCs induced by
      platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and the underlying molecular mechanism was
      investigated. METHODS: Rat ASMCs were cultured with or without a neutralizing
      antibody to the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), a potential
      receptor for S100A8 protein. Purified recombinant rat S100A8 protein was then
      added into the cultured cells, and the proliferation of ASMCs induced by PDGF was
      detected by colorimetric-based WST-8 assay and ampedance-based xCELLigence
      proliferation assay. The expression levels of RAGE in ASMCs were analyzed using
      western blotting assay. RESULTS: Results showed that exogenous S100A8 inhibited
      the PDGF-induced proliferation of rat ASMCs in a dose-dependent manner with the
      maximal effect at 1 MUg/ml in vitro. Furthermore, when ASMCs was pre-treated with
      anti-RAGE neutralizing antibody, the inhibitory effect of S100A8 on PDGF-induced
      proliferation was significantly suppressed. In addition, neither the treatment
      with S100A8 or PDGF alone nor the pre-treatment with rS100A8 followed by PDGF
      stimulation affected the expression levels of RAGE. CONCLUSIONS: Our study
      demonstrated that S100A8 inhibits PDGF-induced ASMCs proliferation in a manner
      dependent on membrane receptor RAGE.

PMID- 28637504
TI  - Impact of free delivery policy on utilization of maternal health services in
      county referral hospitals in Kenya.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Kenya has a high maternal mortality rate. Provision of skilled
      delivery plays a major role in reducing maternal mortality. Cost is a hindrance
      to the utilization of skilled delivery. The Government of Kenya introduced a
      policy of free delivery services in government facilities beginning June 2013. We
      sought to determine the impact of this intervention on facility based deliveries
      in Kenya. METHODS: We compared deliveries and antenatal attendance in 47 county
      referral hospitals and 30 low cost private hospitals not participating in the
      free delivery policy for 2013 and 2014 respectively. The data was extracted from
      the Kenya Health Information System. Multiple regression was done to assess
      factors influencing increase in number of deliveries among the county referral
      hospitals. RESULTS: The number of deliveries and antenatal attendance increased
      by 26.8% and 16.2% in county referral hospitals and decreased by 11.9% and 5.4%
      respectively in low cost private hospitals. Increase in deliveries among county
      referral hospitals was influenced by population size of county and type of county
      referral hospital. Counties with level 5 hospitals recorded more deliveries
      compared to those with level 4 hospitals. CONCLUSION: This intervention increased
      the number of facility based deliveries. Policy makers may consider incorporating
      low cost private hospitals so as to increase the coverage of this intervention.

PMID- 28637503
TI  - Expression of endogenous mouse APP modulates beta-amyloid deposition in hAPP
      transgenic mice.
AB  - Amyloid-beta (Abeta) deposition is one of the hallmarks of the amyloid hypothesis
      in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mouse models using APP-transgene overexpression to
      generate amyloid plaques have shown to model only certain parts of the disease.
      The extent to which the data from mice can be transferred to man remains
      controversial. Several studies have shown convincing treatment results in
      reducing Abeta and enhancing cognition in mice but failed totally in human. One
      model-dependent factor has so far been almost completely neglected: the
      endogenous expression of mouse APP and its effects on the transgenic models and
      the readout for therapeutic approaches.Here, we report that hAPP-transgenic
      models of amyloidosis devoid of endogenous mouse APP expression (mAPP-knockout /
      mAPPko) show increased amounts and higher speed of Abeta deposition than controls
      with mAPP. The number of senile plaques and the level of aggregated hAbeta were
      elevated in mAPPko mice, while the deposition in cortical blood vessels was
      delayed, indicating an alteration in the general aggregation propensity of hAbeta
      together with endogenous mAbeta. Furthermore, the cellular response to Abeta
      deposition was modulated: mAPPko mice developed a pronounced and age-dependent
      astrogliosis, while microglial association to amyloid plaques was diminished. The
      expression of human and murine aggregation-prone proteins with differing amino
      acid sequences within the same mouse model might not only alter the extent of
      deposition but also modulate the route of pathogenesis, and thus, decisively
      influence the study outcome, especially in translational research.

PMID- 28637505
TI  - Human lung and monocyte-derived macrophages differ with regard to the effects of
      beta2-adrenoceptor agonists on cytokine release.
AB  - BACKGROUND: beta2-adrenoceptor agonists have been shown to reduce the
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine release by human monocyte-derived
      macrophages (MDMs). We compare the expression of beta2-adrenoceptors and the
      inhibitory effect of formoterol and salmeterol on the LPS-induced release of
      tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and a range of
      chemokines (CCL2, 3, 4, and IL-8) by human lung macrophages (LMs) and MDMs.
      METHODS: LMs were isolated from patients undergoing resection and MDMs were
      obtained from blood monocytes in the presence of GM-CSF. LMs and MDMs were
      incubated in the absence or presence of formoterol or salmeterol prior to
      stimulation with LPS. The effects of formoterol were also assessed in the
      presence of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor roflumilast. RESULTS: LPS-induced
      cytokine production was higher in LMs than in MDMs. Salmeterol and formoterol
      exerted an inhibitory effect on the LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha, IL-6,
      CCL2, CCL3, and CCL4 in MDMs. In contrast, the beta2-adrenoceptor agonists were
      devoid of any effect on LMs - even in the presence of roflumilast. The expression
      of beta2-adrenergic receptors was detected on Western blots in MDMs but not in
      LMs. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrations of beta2-adrenoceptor agonists that cause
      relaxation of the human bronchus can inhibit cytokine production by LPS
      stimulated MDMs but not by LMs.

PMID- 28637506
TI  - Improved gamma-linolenic acid production in Mucor circinelloides by homologous
      overexpressing of delta-12 and delta-6 desaturases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA) is important because of its nutritional
      value and medicinal applications. Although the biosynthetic pathways of some
      plant and microbial GLA have been deciphered, current understanding of the
      correlation between desaturases and GLA synthesis in oleaginous fungi is
      incomplete. In previous work, we found that a large amount of oleic acid (OA) had
      not been converted to linoleic acid (LA) or GLA in Mucor circinelloides CBS
      277.49, which may be due to inadequate activities of the delta-12 or delta-6
      desaturases, and thus leading to the accumulation of OA and LA. Thus, it is
      necessary to explore the main contributing factor during the process of GLA
      biosynthesis in M. circinelloides. RESULTS: To enhance GLA production in M.
      circinelloides, homologous overexpression of delta-12 and two delta-6 desaturases
      (named delta-6-1 and delta-6-2, respectively) were analyzed. When delta-6
      desaturase were overexpressed in M. circinelloides, up to 43% GLA was produced in
      the total fatty acids, and the yield of GLA reached 180 mg/l, which were,
      respectively, 38 and 33% higher than the control strain. CONCLUSION: These
      findings revealed that delta-6 desaturase (especially for delta-6-1 desaturase)
      plays an important role in GLA synthesis by M. circinelloides. The strain
      overexpressing delta-6-1 desaturase may have potential application in microbial
      GLA production.

PMID- 28637508
TI  - Hyperpolarized 13C urea myocardial first-pass perfusion imaging using velocity
      selective excitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A velocity-selective binomial excitation scheme for myocardial first
      pass perfusion measurements with hyperpolarized 13C substrates, which preserves
      bolus magnetization inside the blood pool, is presented. The proposed method is
      evaluated against gadolinium-enhanced 1H measurements in-vivo. METHODS: The
      proposed excitation with an echo-planar imaging readout was implemented on a
      clinical CMR system. Dynamic myocardial stress perfusion images were acquired in
      six healthy pigs after bolus injection of hyperpolarized 13C urea with the
      velocity-selective vs. conventional excitation, as well as standard 1H gadolinium
      enhanced images. Signal-to-noise, contrast-to-noise (CNR) and homogeneity of semi
      quantitative perfusion measures were compared between methods based on first-pass
      signal-intensity time curves extracted from a mid-ventricular slice. Diagnostic
      feasibility is demonstrated in a case of septal infarction. RESULTS: Velocity
      selective excitation provides over three-fold reduction in blood pool signal with
      a two-fold increase in myocardial CNR. Extracted first-pass perfusion curves
      reveal a significantly reduced variability of semi-quantitative first-pass
      perfusion measures (12-20%) for velocity-selective excitation compared to
      conventional excitation (28-93%), comparable to that of reference 1H gadolinium
      data (9-15%). Overall image quality appears comparable between the velocity
      selective hyperpolarized and gadolinium-enhanced imaging. CONCLUSION: The
      feasibility of hyperpolarized 13C first-pass perfusion CMR has been demonstrated
      in swine. Comparison with reference 1H gadolinium data revealed sufficient data
      quality and indicates the potential of hyperpolarized perfusion imaging for human
      applications.

PMID- 28637507
TI  - Dysregulated expression of long noncoding RNAs in gynecologic cancers.
AB  - Cancers of the female reproductive system include ovarian, uterine, vaginal,
      cervical and vulvar cancers, which are termed gynecologic cancer. The emergence
      of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are believed to play a crucial role in
      several different biological processes, has made the regulation of gene
      expression more complex. Although the function of lncRNAs is still rather
      elusive, their broad involvement in the initiation and progression of various
      cancers is clear. They are also involved in the pathogenesis of cancers of the
      female reproductive system. LncRNAs play a critical physiological role in
      apoptosis, metastasis, invasion, migration and cell proliferation in these
      cancers. Different expression profiles of lncRNAs have been observed in various
      types of tumors compared with normal tissues and between malignant and benign
      tumors. These differential expression patterns may lead to the promotion or
      suppression of cancer development and tumorigenesis. In the current review, we
      present the lncRNAs that show a differential expression between cancerous and
      normal tissues in ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancers, and highlight the
      associations between lncRNAs and some of the molecular pathways involved in these
      cancers.

PMID- 28637509
TI  - Genetic effects of rs3740199 polymorphism in ADAM12 gene on knee osteoarthritis:
      a meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex arthritic condition in which
      genetic factors play an important role. ADAM12 gene is one of the recognized
      candidate genes although the results are conflicting. To derive a more precise
      estimation of the association between rs3740199 polymorphism in ADAM12 gene and
      risk of knee OA, we performed a meta-analysis based on six related studies,
      including a total of 2185 cases and 3716 controls. METHODS: A comprehensive
      search was performed to identify related studies up to April 14, 2017. We used
      odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the strength of
      the association. Different genetic models were used to assess the pooled and
      stratified data. RESULTS: Overall, no significant association was found in all
      genetic models (C vs. G, OR = 0.983, 95% CI = 0.910-1.061; CC vs. GG, OR = 1.033,
      95% CI = 0.851-1.255; CG vs. GG, OR = 1.030, 95% CI = 0.877-1.209; CC/CG vs. GG,
      OR = 1.031, 95% CI = 0.886-1.201; CC vs. CG/GG, OR = 1.017, 95% CI = 0.868
      1.190). When stratified by ethnicity, no significant association was found.
      CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggested that the rs3740199 polymorphism does
      not contribute to the development of knee OA. Additional well-designed large
      studies are required to confirm these findings in different populations.

PMID- 28637510
TI  - A new monoclonal antibody detects downregulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase
      receptor type gamma in chronic myeloid leukemia patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor gamma (PTPRG) is a ubiquitously
      expressed member of the protein tyrosine phosphatase family known to act as a
      tumor suppressor gene in many different neoplasms with mechanisms of inactivation
      including mutations and methylation of CpG islands in the promoter region.
      Although a critical role in human hematopoiesis and an oncosuppressor role in
      chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have been reported, only one polyclonal antibody
      (named chPTPRG) has been described as capable of recognizing the native antigen
      of this phosphatase by flow cytometry. Protein biomarkers of CML have not yet
      found applications in the clinic, and in this study, we have analyzed a group of
      newly diagnosed CML patients before and after treatment. The aim of this work was
      to characterize and exploit a newly developed murine monoclonal antibody specific
      for the PTPRG extracellular domain (named TPgamma B9-2) to better define PTPRG
      protein downregulation in CML patients. METHODS: TPgamma B9-2 specifically
      recognizes PTPRG (both human and murine) by flow cytometry, western blotting,
      immunoprecipitation, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Co-localization
      experiments performed with both anti-PTPRG antibodies identified the presence of
      isoforms and confirmed protein downregulation at diagnosis in the Philadelphia
      positive myeloid lineage (including CD34+/CD38bright/dim cells). After effective
      tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, its expression recovered in tandem
      with the return of Philadelphia-negative hematopoiesis. Of note, PTPRG mRNA
      levels remain unchanged in tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) non-responder
      patients, confirming that downregulation selectively occurs in primary CML cells.
      CONCLUSIONS: The availability of this unique antibody permits its evaluation for
      clinical application including the support for diagnosis and follow-up of these
      disorders. Evaluation of PTPRG as a potential therapeutic target is also
      facilitated by the availability of a specific reagent capable to specifically
      detect its target in various experimental conditions.

PMID- 28637511
TI  - The emergence of mesencephalic trigeminal neurons.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The cells of the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) are the
      proprioceptive sensory neurons that innervate the jaw closing muscles. These
      cells differentiate close to the two key signalling centres that influence the
      dorsal midbrain, the isthmus, which mediates its effects via FGF and WNT
      signalling and the roof plate, which is a major source of BMP signalling as well
      as WNT signalling. METHODS: In this study, we have set out to analyse the
      importance of FGF, WNT and BMP signalling for the development of the MTN. We have
      employed pharmacological inhibitors of these pathways in explant cultures as well
      as utilising the electroporation of inhibitory constructs in vivo in the chick
      embryo. RESULTS: We find that interfering with either FGF or WNT signalling has
      pronounced effects on MTN development whilst abrogation of BMP signalling has no
      effect. We show that treatment of explants with either FGF or WNT antagonists
      results in the generation of fewer MTN neurons and affects MTN axon extension and
      that inhibition of both these pathways has an additive effect. To complement
      these studies, we have used in vivo electroporation to inhibit BMP, FGF and WNT
      signalling within dorsal midbrain cells prior to, and during, their
      differentiation as MTN neurons. Again, we find that inhibition of BMP signalling
      has no effect on the development of MTN neurons. We additionally find that cells
      electroporated with inhibitory constructs for either FGF or WNT signalling can
      differentiate as MTN neurons suggesting that these pathways are not required cell
      intrinsically for the emergence of these neurons. Indeed, we also show that
      explants of dorsal mesencephalon lacking both the isthmus and roof plate can
      generate MTN neurons. However, we did find that inhibiting FGF or WNT signalling
      had consequences for MTN differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that
      the emergence of MTN neurons is an intrinsic property of the dorsal mesencephalon
      of gnathostomes, and that this population undergoes expansion, and maturation,
      along with the rest of the dorsal midbrain under the influence of FGF and WNT
      signalling.

PMID- 28637513
TI  - Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma is a rare and aggressive malignancy
      with histological features of both carcinosarcoma and teratoma. The optimal
      management of this malignancy is unclear, with most patients being managed by a
      combination of surgery and radiotherapy. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe an 83
      year-old white woman with sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma of her left nasal cavity
      treated with surgical debulking initially with radiological evidence of residual
      disease which was treated with radiotherapy (60 Gy in 30 fractions). A follow-up
      examination at 2 years showed no evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of
      sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma with residual disease post-surgery, radiotherapy
      alone can be an effective option.

PMID- 28637514
TI  - Performance of point-of-care international normalized ratio measurement to
      diagnose trauma-induced coagulopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) is a common feature after severe
      trauma. Detection of TIC is based upon classic coagulation tests including
      international normalized ratio (INR) value. Point-of-care (POC) devices have been
      developed to rapidly measure INR at the bedside on whole blood. The aim of the
      study was to test the precision of the Coagucheck(r) XS Pro device for INR
      measurement at hospital admission after severe trauma. METHODS: We conducted a
      prospective observational study in a French level I trauma center. From January
      2015 to May 2016, 98 patients with a suspicion of a post-traumatic acute
      hemorrhage had POC-INR measurement on whole blood concomitantly to classic
      laboratory INR determination (lab-INR) on plasma at hospital admission. The
      agreement between the two methods in sorting three predefined categories of INR
      (normal coagulation, moderate TIC and severe TIC) was evaluated using the Cohen's
      kappa test with a quadratic weighting. The correlation between POC-INR and lab
      INR was measured using the Pearson's coefficient. We also performed a Bland and
      Altman analysis. RESULTS: The agreement between the lab-INR and the POC-INR was
      moderate (Kappa = 0.45 [95% CI 0.36-0.50]) and the correlation between the two
      measurements was also weak (Pearson's coefficient = 0.44 [95% CI 0.27-0.59]).
      Using a Bland and Altman analysis, the mean difference (bias) for INR was 0.22
      [95% CI 0.02-0.42], and the standard deviation (precision) of the difference was
      1.01. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: POC Coagucheck(r) XS Pro device is not reliable to
      measure bedside INR. Its moderate agreement with lab-INR weakens the usefulness
      of such device after severe trauma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02869737 . Registered
      9 August 2016.

PMID- 28637512
TI  - Single- or double-unit UCBT following RIC in adults with AL: a report from
      Eurocord, the ALWP and the CTIWP of the EBMT.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The feasibility of cord blood transplantation (CBT) in adults is
      limited by the relatively low number of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
      contained in one single CB unit. The infusion of two CB units from different
      partially HLA-matched donors (double CBT) is frequently performed in patients who
      lack a sufficiently rich single CB unit. METHODS: We compared CBT outcomes in
      patients given single or double CBT following reduced-intensity conditioning
      (RIC) in a retrospective multicenter registry-based study. Inclusion criteria
      included adult (>=18 years) patients, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), complete remission (CR) at the time of
      transplantation, first single (with a cryopreserved TNC >= 2.5 * 107/kg) or
      double CBT between 2004 and 2014, and RIC conditioning. RESULTS: Data from 534
      patients with AML (n = 408) or ALL (n = 126) receiving a first single (n = 172)
      or double (n = 362) CBT were included in the analyses. In univariate analysis, in
      comparison to patients transplanted with a single CB, double CB recipients had a
      similar incidence of neutrophil engraftment but a suggestion for a higher
      incidence of grade II-IV acute GVHD (36 versus 28%, P = 0.08). In multivariate
      analyses, in comparison to single CBT recipients, double CBT patients had a
      comparable incidence of relapse (HR = 0.9, P = 0.5) and of nonrelapse mortality
      (HR = 0.8, P = 0.3), as well as comparable overall (HR = 0.8, P = 0.17), leukemia
      free (HR = 0.8, P = 0.2) and GVHD-free, relapse-free (HR = 1.0, P = 0.3)
      survival. CONCLUSIONS: These data failed to demonstrate better transplantation
      outcomes in adult patients receiving double CBT in comparison to those receiving
      single CBT with adequate TNC after RIC.

PMID- 28637517
TI  - Priorities for African youth for engaging in DOHaD.
AB  - A challenge for implementing DOHaD-defined health promotion is how to engage the
      at-risk population. The WHO Health Promoting School (HPS) model has proven
      success engaging youth and improving health behaviors. Hence, we introduced DOHaD
      concepts to 151 pupils aged 12-15 years in three HPS programs in rural Uganda,
      inquired what factors would make DOHaD-related health promotion resonate with
      them, and discussed how they recommended making learning about DOHaD acceptable
      to youth. Economic factors were judged the most compelling; with nutrition and
      responsive care elements next in importance. Suggested approaches included: teach
      how good health is beneficial, what works and why, and give tools to use to
      achieve it, and make information positive rather than linked to later harm.
      Involve youth in making DOHaD learning happen, make being a parent sound
      interesting, and include issues meaningful to boys. These are the first data from
      youth charged with addressing their engagement in the DOHaD agenda.

PMID- 28637516
TI  - Feeding heat-oxidized oil to dairy cows affects milk fat nutritional quality.
AB  - Heating oil and oilseeds results in oxidation products that affect ruminal
      biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, altering milk fatty acids
      profile, and could be transferred to milk. An experiment was conducted to
      investigate the effects of oil heating on rumen and milk fatty acids profile and
      the transfer of oxidation products to milk. Sunflower oil was heated at 150
      degrees C for 15 h and given to lactating dairy cows in a 2*2 arrangement: two
      groups of two cows, equipped with a ruminal cannula and receiving two diets
      (containing either heated or unheated oil) during two experimental periods. Oil
      heating generated hydroperoxides and/or hydroxyacids and aldehydes, in particular
      trans-2,trans-4-decadienal. In milk, heated oil only significantly decreased
      trans-11-C18:1 and cis-9,trans-11-CLA percentage compared to non-heated oil, and
      slightly increased cis-9,cis-12-C18:2 percentage, which was probably linked to an
      inhibition of the ruminal Delta12 isomerase by oxidative products in the rumen.
      However, feeding highly oxidized oil did not result in the appearance of
      hydroperoxides or hydroxyacids in milk and did not increase milk aldehydes
      content.

PMID- 28637515
TI  - Current globalization of drug interventional clinical trials: characteristics and
      associated factors, 2011-2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical trial globalization is a major trend for industry-sponsored
      clinical trials. There has been a shift in clinical trial sites towards emerging
      regions of Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Our
      study objectives were to evaluate the current characteristics of clinical trials
      and to find out the associated multiple factors which could explain clinical
      trial globalization and its implications for clinical trial globalization in 2011
      2013. METHODS: The data elements of "phase," "recruitment status," "type of
      sponsor," "age groups," and "design of trial" from 30 countries were extracted
      from the ClinicalTrials.gov website. Ten continental representative countries
      including the USA were selected and the design elements were compared to those of
      the USA. Factors associated with trial site distribution were chosen for a
      multilinear regression analysis. RESULTS: The USA, Germany, France, Canada, and
      United Kingdom were the "top five" countries which frequently held clinical
      trials. The design elements from nine continental representative countries were
      quite different from those of the USA; phase 1 trials were more prevalent in
      India (OR 1.517, p < 0.001) while phase 3 trials were much more prevalent in all
      nine representative countries than in the USA. A larger number of "child" age
      group trials was performed in Poland (OR 1.852, p < 0.001), Israel (OR 1.546, p =
      0.005), and South Africa (OR 1.963, p < 0.001) than in the USA. Multivariate
      analysis showed that health care expenditure per capita, Economic Freedom Index,
      Human Capital Index, and Intellectual Property Rights Index could explain the
      variance of regional distribution of clinical trials by 63.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The
      globalization of clinical trials in the emerging regions of Asia, South Africa,
      and Eastern Europe developed in parallel with the factors of economic drive,
      population for recruitment, and regulatory constraints.

PMID- 28637518
TI  - Non-Digital Game Playing by Older Adults.
AB  - Research on video games' effect on cognition and behaviour has been extensive,
      yet little research has explored non-digital forms of game playing, especially
      among older adults. As part of a larger survey on game playing, 886 respondents
      (>= age 55) filled out questionnaires about non-digital game play. The study aims
      were to determine perceived benefits of non-digital game play and to determine
      socio-demographic factors that might predict perceived benefits. Survey results
      indicate that non-digital game playing is social in nature and common (73% of
      respondents) among older adults. Older adults play for fun, but also to help
      maintain their cognition. Regression analyses indicated various socio-demographic
      factors - age, education, gender, and race - were independently associated with
      perceived benefits from game playing. The results thus emphasize the importance
      of non-digital game playing in this population and suggest that efforts to
      facilitate game playing may improve social interactions and quality of life.

PMID- 28637519
TI  - Gender associated developmental trajectories of SDQ-dysregulation profile and its
      predictors in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe mood dysregulation is common in childhood and can be highly
      impairing. The Dysregulation Profile (DP) can be considered as a broader
      phenotype of emotional dysregulation, including affect, cognition and behaviour.
      Since mood dysregulation may persist, but differently in boys and girls, the
      gender associated course needs to be considered longitudinally to gain a better
      insight in order to support the children more adequately. This study is focusing
      on gender associated subgroup trajectories of the Strengths and Difficulties
      Questionnaire-Dysregulation Profile (SDQ-DP) in middle childhood (9-13 years of
      age) and includes the potential impact of clinical and psychosocial
      characteristics. METHOD: The data set was available from the BELLA study on
      mental health and well-being in children and adolescents, which is the mental
      health module of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children
      and Adolescents (KiGGS). A representative epidemiological sample of 564 children
      living in Germany was examined at three assessment points over 2 years (data
      collection 2003-2006). The SDQ-DP of children aged 9-13 years was evaluated using
      Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA). RESULTS: For both genders three trajectories
      with low (girls 67.0% and boys 59.5%), moderate (girls 28.0% and boys 31.7%) and
      high SDQ-DP (girls 5.0% and boys 8.8%) scores were detected. The courses of low
      and moderate subgroups were stable, while in the high SDQ-DP subgroup boys showed
      a decreasing and girls an increasing trend in symptom severity on a descriptive
      level. The results of the multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed a
      significant influence of mainly externalising but also internalising problems
      both increasing the risk of moderate and high SDQ-DP in both genders. Good
      quality of life was a protective factor for the SDQ-DP course in all subgroups.
      CONCLUSION: In addition to the known clinical and scientific value of the SDQ-DP,
      three distinguishable trajectories of SDQ-DP in boys and girls could be found.
      High externalising problems at the beginning of the trajectory were associated
      with an undesirable course of SDQ-DP. These findings might be helpful for better
      psychoeducation, counselling and monitoring in clinical cases and public health.

PMID- 28637520
TI  - Citrulline decreases hepatic endotoxin-induced injury in fructose-induced non
      alcoholic liver disease: an ex vivo study in the isolated perfused rat liver.
AB  - Steatosis can sensitise the liver to various challenges and favour the
      development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this context,
      fructose feeding promotes endotoxin translocation from the gut, contributing to
      disease progression via an inflammatory process. Citrulline is protective against
      fructose-induced NAFLD; we hypothesised that this property might be related to
      its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative action against endotoxin-induced hepatic
      injuries. This hypothesis was evaluated in a model of perfused liver isolated
      from NAFLD rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n 30) were fed either a standard
      rodent chow or a 60 % fructose diet alone, or supplemented with citrulline (1
      g/kg per d) for 4 weeks. After an evaluation of their metabolic status, fasted
      rats received an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (2.5
      mg/kg). After 1 h, the livers were isolated and perfused for 1 h to study liver
      function and metabolism, inflammation and oxidative status. In vivo, citrulline
      significantly decreased dyslipidaemia induced by a high-fructose diet and insulin
      resistance. In the isolated perfused rat livers, endotoxaemia resulted in higher
      cytolysis (alanine aminotransferase release) and higher inflammation (Toll-like
      receptor 4) in livers of fructose-fed rats, and it was prevented by citrulline
      supplementation. Oxidative stress and antioxidative defences were similar in all
      three groups. Amino acid exchanges and metabolism (ammonia and urea release) were
      only slightly different between the three groups. In this context of mild
      steatosis, our results suggest that fructose-induced NAFLD leads to an increased
      hepatic sensitivity to LPS-induced inflammation. Citrulline-induced restriction
      of the inflammatory process may thus contribute to the prevention of NAFLD.

PMID- 28637521
TI  - Rapid improvement in beliefs, mood, and performance following an experimental
      success experience in an analogue test of recovery-oriented cognitive therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Negative symptoms significantly contribute to disability and lack of
      community participation for low functioning individuals with schizophrenia.
      Cognitive therapy has been shown to improve negative symptoms and functional
      outcome in this population. Elucidation of the mechanisms of the therapy would
      lead to a better understanding of negative symptoms and the development of more
      effective interventions to promote recovery. The objective of this study was to
      determine (1) whether guided success at a card-sorting task will produce
      improvement in defeatist beliefs, positive beliefs about the self, mood, and card
      sorting performance, and (2) whether these changes in beliefs and mood predict
      improvements in unguided card-sorting. METHODS: Individuals with schizophrenia
      having prominent negative symptoms and impaired neurocognitive performance (N =
      35) were randomized to guided success (n = 19) or a control (n = 16) condition.
      RESULTS: Controlling for baseline performance, the experimental group performed
      significantly better, endorsed defeatist beliefs to a lesser degree, reported
      greater positive self-concept, and reported better mood than the control
      condition immediately after the experimental session. A composite index of change
      in defeatist beliefs, self-concept, and mood was significantly correlated with
      improvements in card-sorting. CONCLUSIONS: This analogue study supports the
      rationale of cognitive therapy and provides a general therapeutic model in which
      experiential interventions that produce success have a significant immediate
      effect on a behavioral task, mediated by changes in beliefs and mood. The rapid
      improvement is a promising indicator of the responsiveness of this population,
      often regarded as recalcitrant, to cognitively-targeted behavioral interventions.

PMID- 28637522
TI  - Evaluation of urinary resveratrol as a biomarker of dietary resveratrol intake in
      the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.
AB  - In vitro studies have shown several beneficial properties of resveratrol.
      Epidemiological evidence is still scarce, probably because of the difficulty in
      estimating resveratrol exposure accurately. The current study aimed to assess the
      relationships between acute and habitual dietary resveratrol and wine intake and
      urinary resveratrol excretion in a European population. A stratified random
      subsample of 475 men and women from four countries participating in the European
      Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cross-sectional study,
      who had provided 24-h urine samples and completed a 24-h dietary recall (24-HDR)
      on the same day, were included. Acute and habitual dietary data were collected
      using standardised 24-HDR software and a validated country-specific dietary
      questionnaire, respectively. Phenol-Explorer was used to estimate the intake of
      resveratrol and other stilbenes. Urinary resveratrol was analysed using tandem
      MS. Spearman's correlation coefficients between estimated dietary intakes of
      resveratrol and other stilbenes and consumption of wine, their main food source,
      were very high (r>0.9) when measured using dietary questionnaires and were
      slightly lower with 24-HDR (r>0.8). Partial Spearman's correlations between
      urinary resveratrol excretion and intake of resveratrol, total stilbenes or wine
      were found to be higher when using the 24-HDR (R 2 partial approximately 0.6)
      than when using the dietary questionnaires (R 2 partial approximately 0.5).
      Moderate to high correlations between dietary resveratrol, total stilbenes and
      wine, and urinary resveratrol concentrations were observed. These support the
      earlier findings that 24-h urinary resveratrol is an effective biomarker of both
      resveratrol and wine intakes. These correlations also support the validity of the
      estimation of resveratrol intake using the dietary questionnaire and Phenol
      Explorer.

PMID- 28637523
TI  - Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum in sexually active women attending public
      health clinics in Brazil.
AB  - Ureaplasma urealyticum and U. parvum have been associated with genital
      infections. The purpose of this study was to detect the presence of ureaplasmas
      and other sexually transmitted infections in sexually active women from Brazil
      and relate these data to demographic and sexual health, and cytokines IL-6 and IL
      1beta. Samples of cervical swab of 302 women were examined at the Family Health
      Units in Vitoria da Conquista. The frequency of detection by conventional PCR was
      76.2% for Mollicutes. In qPCR, the frequency found was 16.6% for U. urealyticum
      and 60.6% U. parvum and the bacterial load of these microorganisms was not
      significantly associated with signs and symptoms of genital infection. The
      frequency found for Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Gardnerella
      vaginalis and Chlamydia trachomatis was 3.0%, 21.5%, 42.4% and 1.7%,
      respectively. Higher levels of IL-1beta were associated with control women
      colonized by U. urealyticum and U. parvum. Increased levels of IL-6 were
      associated with women who exhibited U. parvum. Sexually active women, with more
      than one sexual partner in the last 3 months, living in a rural area were
      associated with increased odds of certain U. parvum serovar infection.

PMID- 28637524
TI  - A new look at the supposed risks of early institutional rearing.
AB  - The main focus is on the assessment of the effects of early institutional care
      and compares three longitudinal studies from Romania, Greece and Hong Kong/China.
      The findings have been strikingly contrasting. The review asks if the risks are
      dependent on whether or not the institutional rearing is accompanied by gross
      pervasive deprivation (as it was in Romania) and investigates the methodological
      issues to explore the causal influence of the outcomes. Evidence is considered on
      changing institutional practices and the benefits of doing so. Comparison is made
      between institutions with major deprivation and those without global deprivation.
      A small number of studies are discussed that look at direct comparisons between
      institutional and community care. The empirical and conceptual implications of
      the findings are discussed.

PMID- 28637525
TI  - Eye-Tracking Evidence of a Maintenance Bias in Social Anxiety.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The mechanisms and triggers of the attentional bias in social anxiety
      are not yet fully determined, and the modulating role of personality traits is
      being increasingly acknowledged. AIMS: Our main purpose was to test whether
      social anxiety is associated with mechanisms of hypervigilance, avoidance (static
      biases), vigilance-avoidance or the maintenance of attention (dynamic biases).
      Our secondary goal was to explore the role of personality structure in shaping
      the attention bias. METHOD: Participants with high vs low social anxiety and
      different personality structures viewed pairs of faces (free-viewing eye-tracking
      task) representing different emotions (anger, happiness and neutrality). Their
      eye movements were registered and analysed for both whole-trial (static) and time
      dependent (dynamic) measures. RESULTS: Comparisons between participants with high
      and low social anxiety levels did not yield evidence of differences in eye
      tracking measures for the whole trial (latency of first fixation, first fixation
      direction, total dwell time), but the two groups differed in the time course of
      overt attention during the trial (dwell time across three successive time
      segments): participants with high social anxiety were slower in disengaging their
      attention from happy faces. Similar results were obtained using a full-sample,
      regression-based analysis. CONCLUSION: Our results speak in favour of a
      maintenance bias in social anxiety. Preliminary results indicated that
      personality structure may not affect the maintenance (dynamic) bias of socially
      anxious individuals, although depressive personality structures may favour
      manifestations of a (static) hypervigilance bias.

PMID- 28637526
TI  - Hiding in the swamp: new capillariid nematode parasitizing New Zealand brown
      mudfish.
AB  - The extent of New Zealand's freshwater fish-parasite diversity has yet to be
      fully revealed, with host-parasite relationships still to be described from
      nearly half the known fish community. While advances in the number of fish
      species examined and parasite taxa described are being made, some parasite
      groups, such as nematodes, remain poorly understood. In the present study we
      combined morphological and molecular analyses to characterize a capillariid
      nematode found infecting the swim bladder of the brown mudfish Neochanna apoda,
      an endemic New Zealand fish from peat-swamp-forests. Morphologically, the studied
      nematodes are distinct from other Capillariinae taxa by the features of the male
      posterior end, namely the shape of the bursa lobes, and shape of spicule distal
      end. Male specimens were classified into three different types according to
      differences in the shape of the bursa lobes at the posterior end, but only one
      was successfully characterized molecularly. Molecular analysis indicated that the
      studied capillariid is distinct from other genera. However, inferences about the
      phylogenetic position of the capillariid reported here will remain uncertain, due
      to the limited number of Capillariinae taxa characterized molecularly. The
      discovery of this new capillariid, which atypically infects the swim bladder of
      its host, which itself inhabits a very unique ecosystem, underlines the very
      interesting evolutionary history of this parasite, which for now will remain
      unresolved.

PMID- 28637527
TI  - Rodents, goats and dogs - their potential roles in the transmission of
      schistosomiasis in China.
AB  - Schistosomiasis in China has been substantially reduced due to an effective
      control programme employing various measures including bovine and human
      chemotherapy, and the removal of bovines from endemic areas. To fulfil
      elimination targets, it will be necessary to identify other possible reservoir
      hosts for Schistosoma japonicum and include them in future control efforts. This
      study determined the infection prevalence of S. japonicum in rodents (0-9.21%),
      dogs (0-18.37%) and goats (6.9-46.4%) from the Dongting Lake area of Hunan
      province, using a combination of traditional coproparasitological techniques
      (miracidial hatching technique and Kato-Katz thick smear technique) and molecular
      methods [quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)]. We
      found a much higher prevalence in goats than previously recorded in this setting.
      Cattle and water buffalo were also examined using the same procedures and all
      were found to be infected, emphasising the occurrence of active transmission.
      qPCR and ddPCR were much more sensitive than the coproparasitological procedures
      with both KK and MHT considerably underestimating the true prevalence in all
      animals surveyed. The high level of S. japonicum prevalence in goats indicates
      that they are likely important reservoirs in schistosomiasis transmission,
      necessitating their inclusion as targets of control, if the goal of elimination
      is to be achieved in China.

PMID- 28637528
TI  - Maternal verbal responsiveness and directiveness: consistency, stability, and
      relations to child early linguistic development.
AB  - Maternal responsive and directive speech to children at ages 0;10 and 2;0 was
      investigated by applying a procedure first introduced by Flynn and Masur (2007)
      to a new language community (Finnish). The issues examined were consistency and
      stability over time, and also the role of responsiveness and directiveness in
      child linguistic development at 1;0 and 2;6. The measures of maternal speech from
      each age were used to predict the results of the subsequent linguistic
      assessment. Negative correlations between responsive and directive utterances
      were found at both ages. The frequencies of responsive utterances and supportive
      directives increased over time. Responsiveness was positively, and intrusive
      directiveness negatively, related to child early comprehensive skills and the use
      of symbolic actions and communicative gestures. By contrast, no relations were
      found between responsiveness and directiveness and children's later linguistic
      capacities.

PMID- 28637529
TI  - Predictors of adults' body mass index and the association with index child's
      infant birth weight, in the Lifeways Cross-Generation Cohort Study of a thousand
      families in the Republic of Ireland.
AB  - The Lifeways study is novel in having information on three generations of the
      same families. It is well established that infant birth weight (IBW) predicts
      individuals' risk of adult chronic disease and more recently studies report cross
      generation transmission of risk patterns. The aims of this analysis were to
      examine whether adults' birth weights were associated with measures of own health
      status or social position and to relate adults' birth weights to that of the
      index child's IBW. Finally, we assessed whether birth weight of either adults or
      children was associated with adult body mass index (BMI) of parents and
      grandparents. We included 1075 children whose IBW was recorded at recruitment
      from hospital records and 2546 adult cohort members followed from 2001 until
      2014. At baseline, a sub-group of 920 adults had reported own birth weight (RBW).
      Results showed male adults' RBW were significantly higher than females'
      (P=0.001). Mothers' RBW was significantly correlated with IBW (r=0.178, P<0.001).
      In mixed effects linear models with BMI as the outcome variable, of all adults,
      and in sub-groups of adults with RBW and of mothers only, the IBW was associated
      with adult BMI adjusting for other predictors. Adults' BMI was positively
      associated with age (P=0.013), index child's IBW (P=0.001), gender (P<0.001) but
      not own RBW, adjusting for family identification number. When mothers were
      removed from the adult models however, IBW ceased to be associated with BMI, a
      final model showed RBW being associated with adult BMI (P=0.04). There are cross
      generational associations in the Lifeways cohort, the maternal association being
      stronger.

PMID- 28637530
TI  - Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Ortleppascaris sinensis
      (Nematoda: Heterocheilidae) and comparative mitogenomic analysis of eighteen
      Ascaridida nematodes.
AB  - Ortleppascaris sinensis (Nematoda: Ascaridida) is a dominant intestinal nematode
      of the captive Chinese alligator. However, the epidemiology, molecular ecology
      and population genetics of this parasite remain largely unexplored. In this
      study, the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome sequence of O. sinensis was first
      determined using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based primer-walking strategy,
      and this is also the first sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome of a
      member of the genus Ortleppascaris. The circular mitochondrial genome (13,828 bp)
      of O. sinensis contained 12 protein-coding, 22 transfer RNA and 2 ribosomal RNA
      genes, but lacked the ATP synthetase subunit 8 gene. Finally, phylogenetic
      analysis of mtDNAs indicated that the genus Ortleppascaris should be attributed
      to the family Heterocheilidae. It is necessary to sequence more mtNDAs of
      Ortleppascaris nematodes in the future to test and confirm our conclusion. The
      complete mitochondrial genome sequence of O. sinensis reported here should
      contribute to molecular diagnosis, epidemiological investigations and ecological
      studies of O. sinensis and other related Ascaridida nematodes.

PMID- 28637531
TI  - Minimising generation of acid whey during Greek yoghurt manufacturing.
AB  - Greek yoghurt, a popular dairy product, generates large amounts of acid whey as a
      by-product during manufacturing. Post-processing treatment of this stream
      presents one of the main concerns for the industry. The objective of this study
      was to manipulate initial milk total solids content (15, 20 or 23 g/100 g) by
      addition of milk protein concentrate, thus reducing whey expulsion. Such an
      adjustment was investigated from the technological standpoint including starter
      culture performance, chemical and physical properties of manufactured Greek
      yoghurt and generated acid whey. A comparison was made to commercially available
      products. Increasing protein content in regular yoghurt reduced the amount of
      acid whey during whey draining. This protein fortification also enhanced the Lb.
      bulgaricus growth rate and proteolytic activity. Best structural properties
      including higher gel strength and lower syneresis were observed in the Greek
      yoghurt produced with 20 g/100 g initial milk total solid compared to
      manufactured or commercially available products, while acid whey generation was
      lowered due to lower drainage requirement.

PMID- 28637532
TI  - Estimating the economic impact of subclinical ketosis in dairy cattle using a
      dynamic stochastic simulation model.
AB  - The objective of this study was to estimate the economic impact of subclinical
      ketosis (SCK) in dairy cows. This metabolic disorder occurs in the period around
      calving and is associated with an increased risk of other diseases. Therefore,
      SCK affects farm productivity and profitability. Estimating the economic impact
      of SCK may make farmers more aware of this problem, and can improve their
      decision-making regarding interventions to reduce SCK. We developed a dynamic
      stochastic simulation model that enables estimating the economic impact of SCK
      and related diseases (i.e. mastitis, metritis, displaced abomasum, lameness and
      clinical ketosis) occurring during the first 30 days after calving. This model,
      which was applied to a typical Dutch dairy herd, groups cows according to their
      parity (1 to 5+), and simulates the dynamics of SCK and related diseases, and
      milk production per cow during one lactation. The economic impact of SCK and
      related diseases resulted from a reduced milk production, discarded milk,
      treatment costs, costs from a prolonged calving interval and removal (culling or
      dying) of cows. The total costs of SCK were ?130 per case per year, with a range
      between ?39 and ?348 (5 to 95 percentiles). The total costs of SCK per case per
      year, moreover, increased from ?83 per year in parity 1 to ?175 in parity 3. Most
      cows with SCK, however, had SCK only (61%), and costs were ?58 per case per year.
      Total costs of SCK per case per year resulted for 36% from a prolonged calving
      interval, 24% from reduced milk production, 19% from treatment, 14% from
      discarded milk and 6% from removal. Results of the sensitivity analysis showed
      that the disease incidence, removal risk, relations of SCK with other diseases
      and prices of milk resulted in a high variation of costs of SCK. The costs of
      SCK, therefore, might differ per farm because of farm-specific circumstances.
      Improving data collection on the incidence of SCK and related diseases, and on
      consequences of diseases can further improve economic estimations.

PMID- 28637535
TI  - Routine hospital management of self-harm and risk of further self-harm:
      propensity score analysis using record-based cohort data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The care received by people presenting to hospital following self
      harm varies and it is unclear how different types of treatment affect risk of
      further self-harm. METHOD: Observational cohort data from the Manchester Self
      Harm Project, UK, included 16 456 individuals presenting to an Emergency
      Department with self-harm between 2003 and 2011. Individuals were followed up for
      12 months. We also used data from a smaller cohort of individuals presenting to
      31 hospitals in England during a 3-month period in 2010/2011, followed up for 6
      months. Propensity score (PS) methods were used to address observed confounding.
      Missing data were imputed using multiple imputation. RESULTS: Following PS
      stratification, those who received a psychosocial assessment had a lower risk of
      repeat hospital attendance for self-harm than those who were not assessed [RR
      0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-0.95]. The risk was reduced most among
      people less likely to be assessed. Following PS matching, we found no
      associations between risks of repeat self-harm and admission to a medical bed,
      referral to outpatient psychiatry or admission to a psychiatric bed. We did not
      find a relationship between psychosocial assessment and repeat self-harm in the
      31 centre cohort. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the potential value of using
      novel statistical techniques in large mental health datasets to estimate
      treatment effects. We found that specialist psychosocial assessment may reduce
      the risk of repeat self-harm. This type of routine care should be provided for
      all individuals who present to hospital after self-harm, regardless of perceived
      risk.

PMID- 28637536
TI  - Mental health morbidity among people subject to immigration detention in the UK:
      a feasibility study.
AB  - AIMS: The UK has one of the largest systems of immigration detention in Europe..
      Those detained include asylum-seekers and foreign national prisoners, groups with
      a higher prevalence of mental health vulnerabilities compared with the general
      population. In light of little published research on the mental health status of
      detainees in immigration removal centres (IRCs), the primary aim of this study
      was to explore whether it was feasible to conduct psychiatric research in such a
      setting. A secondary aim was to compare the mental health of those seeking asylum
      with the rest of the detainees. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with simple random
      sampling followed by opportunistic sampling. Exclusion criteria included
      inadequate knowledge of English and European Union nationality. Six validated
      tools were used to screen for mental health disorders including developmental
      disorders like Personality Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
      (ADHD), Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Disability, as well as
      for needs assessment. These were the MINI v6, SAPAS, AQ-10, ASRS, LDSQ and
      CANFOR. Demographic data were obtained using a participant demographic sheet.
      Researchers were trained in the use of the screening battery and inter-rater
      reliability assessed by joint ratings. RESULTS: A total of 101 subjects were
      interviewed. Overall response rate was 39%. The most prevalent screened mental
      disorder was depression (52.5%), followed by personality disorder (34.7%) and
      post-traumatic stress disorder (20.8%). 21.8% were at moderate to high suicidal
      risk. 14.9 and 13.9% screened positive for ASD and ADHD, respectively. The
      greatest unmet needs were in the areas of intimate relationships (76.2%),
      psychological distress (72.3%) and sexual expression (71.3%). Overall presence of
      mental disorder was comparable with levels found in prisons. The numbers in each
      group were too small to carry out any further analysis. CONCLUSION: It is
      feasible to undertake a psychiatric morbidity survey in an IRC. Limitations of
      the study include potential selection bias, use of screening tools, use of single
      site study, high refusal rates, the lack of interpreters and lack of women and
      children in study sample. Future studies should involve the in-reach team to
      recruit participants and should be run by a steering group consisting of
      clinicians from the IRC as well as academics.

PMID- 28637534
TI  - Depression and pain: primary data and meta-analysis among 237 952 people across
      47 low- and middle-income countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression and pain are leading causes of global disability. However,
      there is a paucity of multinational population data assessing the association
      between depression and pain, particularly among low- and middle-income countries
      (LMICs) where both are common. Therefore, we investigated this association across
      47 LMICs. METHODS: Community-based data on 273 952 individuals from 47 LMICs were
      analysed. Multivariable logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to
      assess the association between the International Classification of Diseases, 10th
      Revision depression/depression subtypes (over the past 12 months) and pain in the
      previous 30 days based on self-reported data. Country-wide meta-analysis
      adjusting for age and sex was also conducted. RESULTS: The prevalence of severe
      pain was 8.0, 28.2, 20.2, and 34.0% for no depression, subsyndromal depression,
      brief depressive episode, and depressive episode, respectively. Logistic
      regression adjusted for socio-demographic variables, anxiety and chronic medical
      conditions (arthritis, diabetes, angina, asthma) demonstrated that compared with
      no depression, subsyndromal depression, brief depressive episode, and depressive
      episode were associated with a 2.16 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.83-2.55],
      1.45 (95% CI 1.22-1.73), and 2.11 (95% CI 1.87-2.39) increase in odds of severe
      pain, respectively. Similar results were obtained when a continuous pain scale
      was used as the outcome. Depression was significantly associated with severe pain
      in 44/47 countries with a pooled odds ratio of 3.93 (95% CI 3.54-4.37).
      CONCLUSION: Depression and severe pain are highly comorbid across LMICs,
      independent of anxiety and chronic medical conditions. Whether depression
      treatment or pain management in patients with comorbid pain and depression leads
      to better clinical outcome is an area for future research.

PMID- 28637537
TI  - Occult HIV infection in a large sample of health-care users in Lombardy, Italy in
      2014-2015: implications for control strategies.
AB  - We estimated the number of people unaware of their human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) infection in our province, Pavia (population 540 000) in Lombardy, Italy,
      by means of anonymous unlinked testing of 10 044 serum/plasma samples residual
      from clinical analyses at the outpatient clinic of Policlinico San Matteo in 2014
      and 2015. Ethical and legal approval was obtained prior to study start. Samples
      were irreversibly anonymised, only retaining gender and 5-year age class. Five
      sample pools were tested for HIV using LIAISON(r) XL MUREX HIV Ab/Ag (DiaSorin,
      Saluggia, Italy). If the pool tested positive, individual samples underwent
      confirmatory tests, Innotest HIV Antigen mAb (Fujirebio Europe, Gent, Belgium)
      and HIV BLOT 2.2 (MP Diagnostics, Singapore). Among the 10 044 samples processed,
      eight were confirmed positive (0.08%, 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.16%), all
      were males and age was >50 in 3 (37.5%). If projected to the entire population of
      the Pavia province, this would result in approximately 1000 people unaware of
      their HIV infection, with age older than expected. In Italy, HIV testing is
      voluntary, universally free-of-charge and (upon request) anonymous. Nevertheless,
      this study demonstrates that it is suboptimally employed, and that new strategies
      and population-level actions will be needed to achieve better implementation of
      HIV testing and HIV control in our province.

PMID- 28637533
TI  - Everybody needs sphingolipids, right! Mining for new drug targets in protozoan
      sphingolipid biosynthesis.
AB  - Sphingolipids (SLs) are an integral part of all eukaryotic cellular membranes. In
      addition, they have indispensable functions as signalling molecules controlling a
      myriad of cellular events. Disruption of either the de novo synthesis or the
      degradation pathways has been shown to have detrimental effects. The earlier
      identification of selective inhibitors of fungal SL biosynthesis promised potent
      broad-spectrum anti-fungal agents, which later encouraged testing some of those
      agents against protozoan parasites. In this review we focus on the key enzymes of
      the SL de novo biosynthetic pathway in protozoan parasites of the Apicomplexa and
      Kinetoplastidae, outlining the divergence and interconnection between host and
      pathogen metabolism. The druggability of the SL biosynthesis is considered,
      alongside recent technology advances that will enable the dissection and analyses
      of this pathway in the parasitic protozoa. The future impact of these advances
      for the development of new therapeutics for both globally threatening and
      neglected infectious diseases is potentially profound.

PMID- 28637538
TI  - Chief Resident Dictation of Operative Cases and Its Relationship to American
      Board of Surgery Examination Performance.

PMID- 28637539
TI  - Laparoscopic Excision of Remnant Gallbladder after Subtotal Cholecystectomy.

PMID- 28637540
TI  - Biliary Cystadenoma and Cystadenocarcinoma of the Gallbladder: A Clinical Review.

PMID- 28637541
TI  - Lap-Belt-Induced Pediatric Blunt Traumatic Abdominal Wall Hernia.

PMID- 28637542
TI  - Pericarditis as a Result of Pneumomediastinum after Uncomplicated Laparoscopic
      Totally Extraperitoneal Inguinal Hernia Repair.

PMID- 28637543
TI  - Gracilis Flap for Perineal Closures in Minimally Invasive Abdominoperineal
      Resection.

PMID- 28637545
TI  - A Strangulated Cecal Volvulus through the Foramen of Winslow, a Rare Presentation
      of Internal Herniation.

PMID- 28637544
TI  - Evaluation of Blood Flow with Indocyanine Green-Guided Imaging to Determine
      Optimal Site for Gastric Conduit Anastomosis to Prevent Anastomotic Leak after
      Esophagectomy.

PMID- 28637546
TI  - Impact of Preinjury Anticoagulation with Warfarin on Outcomes of Adult Trauma
      Patients: Experience of a Level 1 Trauma Center.

PMID- 28637547
TI  - End-Stage Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Presenting as a Sister Mary Joseph's Nodule.

PMID- 28637548
TI  - Pancreatic Pseudocyst-Induced Gastric Varices: A Rare Case of Extrahepatic Portal
      Hypertension?

PMID- 28637549
TI  - Segmental Resection versus Local Excision for Colonic Endometriosis.

PMID- 28637550
TI  - Esophageal Hematoma following Acute Esophageal Barotrauma.

PMID- 28637551
TI  - Outcomes of Geriatric Trauma Patients on Preinjury Anticoagulation: A Multicenter
      Study.
AB  - Outpatient anticoagulation in the geriatric trauma patient is a challenging
      clinical problem. The aim of this study is to determine clinical outcomes
      associated with class of preinjury anticoagulants (PA) used by this population.
      This is a multicenter retrospective cohort study among four Level II trauma
      centers. A total of 1642 patients were evaluated; 684 patients were on
      anticoagulation and 958 patients were not. Patients on PA were compared with
      those who were not. Drug classes were divided into thromboxane A2 inhibitors,
      vitamin K factor-dependent inhibitors, antithrombin III activation, platelet
      P2Y12 inhibitors, and thrombin inhibitors. Multivariate regression was used to
      adjust for age, gender, race, mechanism of injury, and Injury Severity Score. No
      single or combination of anticoagulation agents had a significant association
      with mortality; however, there were positive trends toward increased mortality
      were noted for all antiplatelet groups involving thromboxane A2 inhibitors and
      platelet P2Y12 inhibitors classes. The likelihood of complications was
      significantly higher with platelet P2Y12 inhibitors adjusted odds ratio (aOR)
      2.39 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32, 4.3]. The likelihood of blood
      transfusion was increased with vitamin K inhibitors aOR 2.89 (95% CI 1.3, 6.5),
      P2Y12 inhibitors aOR 2.76 (95% CI 1.12, 6.76), and combined thromboxane A2 and
      P2Y12 inhibitors aOR 2.89 (95% CI 1.13, 7.46). P2Y12 inhibitors were also more
      likely associated with traumatic brain injury aOR 2.16 (95% CI 1.01, 4.6). All
      classes of PA were associated with solid organ injury. There were no significant
      differences in the use of antiplatelet agents between patients with major
      indications for PA and those without major indications. Geriatric trauma patients
      on outpatient anticoagulants have a higher likelihood of developing
      complications, packed red blood cell transfusions, traumatic brain injury, and
      solid organ injury. Attention should be paid to patients on platelet P2Y12
      inhibitors, vitamin K inhibitors, and thromboxane A2 inhibitor agents combined
      with platelet P2Y12 inhibitors. Opportunities exist to address the use of
      antiplatelet agents among patients without major indications to improve patient
      outcomes.

PMID- 28637552
TI  - Standardized, Interdepartmental, Simulation-Based Central Line Insertion Course
      Closes an Educational Gap and Improves Intern Comfort with the Procedure.
AB  - Central line placement is a common procedure, routinely performed by junior
      residents in medical and surgical departments. Before this project, no
      standardized instructional course on the insertion of central lines existed at
      our institution, and few interns had received formal ultrasound training. Interns
      from five departments participated in a simulation-based central line insertion
      course. Intern familiarity with the procedure and with ultrasound, as well as
      their prior experience with line placement and their level of comfort, was
      assessed. Of the 99 interns in participating departments, 45 per cent had been
      trained as of October 2015. Forty-one per cent were female. The majority (59.5%)
      had no prior formal ultrasound training, and 46.0 per cent had never placed a
      line as primary operator. Scores increased significantly, from a precourse score
      mean of 13.7 to a postcourse score mean of 16.1, P < 0.001. All three of the self
      reported measures of comfort with ultrasound also improved significantly. All
      interns reported the course was "very much" helpful, and 100 per cent reported
      they felt "somewhat" or "much" more comfortable with the procedure after
      attendance. To our knowledge, this is the first hospital-wide, standardized,
      simulation-based central line insertion course in the United States. Preliminary
      results indicate overwhelming satisfaction with the course, better ultrasound
      preparedness, and improved comfort with central line insertion.

PMID- 28637553
TI  - More Helmets Fewer Deaths: Motorcycle Helmet Legislation Impacts Traumatic Brain
      Injury-Related Mortality in Young Adults.
AB  - The aim of our study was to assess the impact of helmet legislations on the
      incidence and the mortality rate of motorcycle collision (MCC)-related traumatic
      brain injury (TBI) in young adult trauma patients. A 1-year (2011) retrospective
      analysis was performed of all patients under 21 years old with trauma-related
      hospitalization using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (representing 20%
      of all in-patient admissions). Patients with MCC were identified using E-codes.
      States were classified into three groups based on helmet legislations: universal
      age helmet legislation, <18 years helmet legislation, and <21 years helmet
      legislation. Outcome measures were the rates of TBI and mortality. Linear
      regression analysis was used to assess outcomes among the states. A total of
      1,165,150 patients with trauma-related hospitalizations across 29 states were
      reviewed of which, 587 patients with MCC were included. Ten states had universal
      age legislation; 13 states had age <18 years legislation, and 6 states had age
      <21 years legislation. There was a lower incidence in the rate of TBI (P = 0.03)
      in states with universal helmet legislations compared with states with age
      restricted helmet legislation. Universal helmet legislations lowered the rate of
      MCC-related TBI injures by a factor of 2.15 (beta coefficient: 2.15; 95%
      confidence interval: 0.91-10.18; P = 0.04). States with age-restricted helmet
      legislations have a higher rate of traumatic brain injury and mortality compared
      with states with universal helmet legislations. Establishing universal helmet
      legislations across the states may provide a potential preventive strategy
      against traumatic brain injury.

PMID- 28637554
TI  - The G60 Trauma Center: A Future Consideration?
AB  - With a considerably increasing elderly population, we sought to determine whether
      the volume of elderly trauma patients treated impacted outcomes at two different
      Level I trauma centers. This is a retrospective review of all elderly patients
      (>60 years) at two state-verified Level I trauma centers over the past five
      years. The elderly trauma center (ETC) saw a greater proportion (52%) of elderly
      patients than the reference trauma center (30%, TC). Demographic and clinical
      characteristics were abstracted and stratified into ETC and TC groups for
      comparison. Primary outcomes were overall postinjury complication and mortality
      rates, as well as death after major complication (failure to rescue). ETC
      patients were older (78.6 vs 70.5), more likely to be admitted with severe head
      injuries (head abbreviated injury score >= 3, 50.0% vs 32%), had a greater
      overall injury burden (injury severity score > 16 41.4% vs 21.1%), and required
      intensive care unit admission (81.3% vs 64%) than the TC group. Need for
      operative intervention, mechanism of injury, and comorbidities were similar
      between the two groups. Overall complications were higher in trauma patients
      admitted to the TC (21.9% vs 14.3%), as well as failure to rescue (4.0% vs 1.8%).
      Adjusting for confounding factors, ETC had significantly lower chance of
      developing a postinjury complication (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] = 0.4, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] = [0.3, 0.5]), failure to rescue (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI =
      [0.1, 0.5]), and overall mortality (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI = [0.2, 0.4]). Improved
      outcomes were demonstrated in the Level I center treating a higher proportion of
      elderly patients. Exact etiology of these benefits should be determined for
      quality improvement in care of the injured geriatric patient.

PMID- 28637555
TI  - Overview of Nonoperative Blunt Splenic Injury Management with Associated Splenic
      Artery Pseudoaneurysm.
AB  - The delayed development of splenic artery pseudoaneurysm (SAP) can complicate the
      nonoperative management of splenic injuries. We sought to determine the utility
      of repeat imaging in diagnosing SAP in patients managed nonoperatively without
      angioembolization. We hypothesized that a significant rate of SAPs would be found
      in this population on repeat imaging. Patients undergoing nonoperative splenic
      injury management from January 2011 to June 2015 were queried from the trauma
      registry. Rates of repeat imaging, angioembolization, readmission, and SAP
      development were analyzed. Further, subanalyses investigating the incidence of
      SAP in patients managed nonoperatively without angioembolization were conducted.
      A total of 133 patients met inclusion criteria. Repeat imaging rate was 40 per
      cent, angioembolization rate was 26 per cent, and readmission rate was 6 per
      cent. Within the study population, nine SAPs were found (8/9 in patients with
      splenic injury grade >=III). Of these nine SAPs, three (33%) were identified on
      initial scans and embolized, whereas six (67%) were found on repeat imaging in
      patients not initially receiving angioembolization. Splenic injuries are
      typically managed nonoperatively without serious complications. Our results
      suggest patients with splenic injuries grade >=III managed nonoperatively without
      angioembolization should have repeat imaging within 48 hours to rule out the
      possibility of SAP.

PMID- 28637556
TI  - Pretrauma Functional Independence Measure Score Predicts Survival in Geriatric
      Trauma.
AB  - The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is used by rehabilitation professionals
      to access disability. The FIM score combines both motor and cognitive parameters
      to assess a patient's level of required assistance in performing activities of
      daily living (ADL). The geriatric trauma patient is becoming an increasingly
      important cohort for trauma services. FIM has been shown to predict discharge
      outcomes and those at high risk for falls. We hypothesized pretrauma FIM scores
      may predict survival in the geriatric trauma population. This was a retrospective
      study of patients 65 years and older that were admitted to our Level I trauma
      center from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2012. A total 941 patients underwent stepwise
      regression to identify those factors predicting survival. Age, Injury Severity
      Score, revised trauma score, body mass index, and pretrauma FIM scores (12-point
      scale) were studied. The primary outcome was survival. Statistical significance
      reached at P value <0.05. Multiple logistic regression analysis was then
      performed. A total of 1315 patients were identified and complete data were
      available on 941 patients. Mean age was 78 (SD +/- 8.2), mean Injury Severity
      Score was 13(SD +/- 8.7), and mean body mass index was 26. Overall mortality was
      11 per cent. The odds ratio of survival was 3.532 (95% confidence interval =
      2.191-5.718) times greater for every 1-point increase in the preadmission FIM
      expression score. Glasgow Coma Scale, revised trauma score, gender, and pretrauma
      FIM expression scores were predictive of survival in the geriatric trauma
      patient. Pretrauma FIM expression can be used to predict survival in the elderly
      trauma victim. Further study is needed to establish the role of FIM as part of
      trauma scoring systems.

PMID- 28637557
TI  - Nomogram-Derived Prediction of Postoperative Ileus after Colectomy: An Assessment
      from Nationwide Procedure-Targeted Cohort.
AB  - Postoperative ileus (POI) is a clinical burden to health-care system. This study
      aims to evaluate the incidence and predictors of POI in patients undergoing
      colectomy and create a nomogram by using recently released procedure-targeted
      nationwide database. Patients who underwent elective colectomy in 2012 and 2013
      were identified from American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality
      Improvement Program using the new procedure-targeted database. Demographics,
      comorbidities, and 30-day postoperative outcomes were evaluated. Variables in the
      final stepwise multiple logistic regression model for each outcome were selected
      in a stepwise fashion using Akaike's information criterion. A nomogram was
      created to aid in the calculation of POI risk for individual patients. A total of
      29,201 patients met the inclusion criteria; 3834 (13.1%) developed POI with a
      male predominance (55.9%). Patients who developed ileus had longer length of
      hospital stay (11 vs 5 days; P < 0.001) and operative time (200 vs 174 minutes; P
      < 0.001). In the stepwise logistic regression model, the following variables were
      found to be independent risk factors for POI: older age (P < 0.001), male gender
      (P < 0.001), American Society of Anesthesiologists class III/IV (P < 0.001), open
      approach (P < 0.001), preoperative septic conditions (P < 0.001), omission of
      oral antibiotic before surgery (P < 0.001), right colectomy or total colectomy vs
      other procedures (P < 0.001), smoking (P = 0.001), decreased preoperative serum
      albumin level (P < 0.001), and prolonged operating time (P < 0.001). All
      postoperative complications were more frequently occurred in patients with POI.
      The nomogram accurately predicted POI with a concordant index for this model of
      0.69. The use of minimal invasive techniques, control of preoperative septic
      conditions, oral antibiotic bowel preparation and shorter operative time are
      associated with a decreased rate of POI. External validation is essential for the
      confirmation and further evaluation of our logistic regression model and
      nomogram.

PMID- 28637558
TI  - Travel Time Influences Readmission Risk: Geospatial Mapping of Surgical
      Readmissions.
AB  - The University of Virginia (UVA) has recently become an Accountable Care
      Organization (ACO), intensifying efforts to provide better care for individuals.
      UVA's ACO population resides across the entire Commonwealth, with a large
      percentage of patients living in rural areas. To provide better health for this
      population, the central tenet of the ACO mission, we identified geographic risk
      factors influencing hospital readmission. We analyzed the relationship between
      the distance of patients' residence to the nearest hospital and 30-day
      readmission in general surgery patients. A retrospective chart review using
      January 1, 2011 through October 31, 2013 American College of Surgeons National
      Surgical Quality Improvement Program data for general surgery procedures was
      conducted. ArcGIS mapped street addresses provided graphical representation of
      distance between surgical population and the nearest hospital. We analyzed the
      impact on readmission, of time traveled, insurance status, and median household
      income. Each increase of 10 minutes in travel time from the patient's residence
      to the nearest hospital, not just UVA, was associated with a 9 per cent increase
      in the probability of readmission after adjusting for patient characteristics,
      preoperative comorbidities, laboratory values, and postoperative complications
      before or after discharge (odds ratio = 1.09; 95% confidence interval = 1.01
      1.17; P = 0.019). Unlike urban hospitals, those serving rural populations may be
      at particular risk of postsurgical readmissions. Patients living furthest from a
      hospital facility are most at risk for readmission after a general surgery
      procedure. This vulnerable population may benefit most from comprehensive
      discharge planning.

PMID- 28637559
TI  - Complex Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair in Contaminated Surgical Fields: Factors
      Affecting the Choice of Prosthesis.
AB  - To compare patients with complex abdominal wall hernias undergoing surgical
      repair using synthetic nonabsorbable or biologic meshes in contaminated fields.
      Retrospective review of 62 patients with complex abdominal wall hernia with
      surgical repair in an elective setting and in the context of a clean-contaminated
      or contaminated fields (January 2009-April 2015). Two groups according to the
      prosthesis (synthetic nonabsorbable, n = 48 or biologic, n = 14). Mean follow-up
      was 24.6 (15.8) months. Clean-contaminated wounds were significantly more
      frequent in the synthetic group. Contaminated wounds were significantly more
      frequent in the biologic group. Enterocutaneous fistula, recurrent hernia, and
      removal of chronic infected mesh were significantly more frequently in the
      biologic group. Differences in postoperative complications and surgical site
      infections were not found. Recurrence was higher in the biologic group (35.7% vs
      8.3%, P = 0.03). In the elective repair of complex hernia, the level of
      contamination, a recurrent hernia, an enterocutaneous fistula or removal of
      chronic infected mesh were the factors affecting the choice of prosthesis. In the
      clean-contaminated setting, the use of a synthetic nonabsorbable mesh versus a
      biologic mesh did not increase the rate of postoperative infections. Recurrences
      are significantly higher with biologic meshes.

PMID- 28637560
TI  - Despite Trauma Center Closures, Trauma System Regionalization Reduces Mortality
      and Time to Definitive Care in Severely Injured Patients.
AB  - The Northern Ohio Trauma System (NOTS), consisting of multiple hospital systems,
      was established in 2010 to improve trauma outcomes. This study assessed its
      impact on mortality and time to definitive care, focusing especially on the
      severely injured patients. NOTS trauma registry was queried for all trauma
      activations from 2008 to 2013. The years between 2008-2009 and 2011-2013 were
      designated as pre- and post-NOTS, respectively. Data from 2010 was excluded as a
      transitional year. Two trauma centers (TCs) closed in 2010. Predetermined patient
      subgroups were analyzed. A total of 27,843 patients were examined. Mean age was
      46 and 64 per cent were male. Median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was five, and 87
      per cent sustained blunt injuries. Of these, 10,641 patients were pre-NOTS and
      17,202 were post-NOTS. Comparing the two groups, mortality decreased from 5 to 4
      per cent post-NOTS (P < 0.001); median time to definitive care increased by 12
      minutes post-NOTS. Multivariate logistic regression showed that NOTS
      implementation was an independent predictor for survival (P = 0.008), whereas
      time to definitive care was not. Subgroup analyses demonstrated mortality
      reductions post-NOTS for all subgroups except patients with penetrating injuries,
      where mortality remained the same despite an increase in ISS. Patients with ISS
      >=15 had a 23 per cent relative reduction in mortality, and their median time to
      definitive care decreased by 12 minutes. Implementation of a collaborative,
      regional trauma system was associated with mortality reduction and shortened time
      to definitive care in the severely injured patients. These findings highlight the
      importance of collaboration in the future development of regional trauma systems.

PMID- 28637561
TI  - Considering Postoperative Functional Hypoaldosteronism after Unilateral
      Adrenalectomy.
AB  - Conn's Syndrome is an uncommon condition. Patients who have undergone
      adrenalectomy in the early postoperative period can demonstrate biochemical
      hypoaldosteronism. Given the rare nature of this phenomenon we investigated its
      incidence and whether it translated to clinical findings. A single-institution
      retrospective review of all patients with biochemically proven hyperaldosteronism
      from 2005 to 2014 that underwent unilateral adrenalectomy. A total of 29 patients
      fit the inclusion criteria. Functional hypoaldosteronism had appreciated in 18/29
      (62%) patients, whereas 11 patients (38%) had normal postoperative aldosterone.
      No significant differences between diagnostic groups were found in terms of
      clinical outcomes (length of stay, postoperative symptomatology, and readmissions
      P = 0.669, 0.154, and 0.268, respectively). Two (7%) patients required medical
      therapy. Biochemical evidence of functional hypoaldosteronism was identified in
      two-thirds of patients undergoing unilateral adrenalectomy. Although
      contralateral aldosterone suppression can be anticipated, the phenotypic response
      varied and the outcomes were similar to patients with normal aldosterone levels.
      Current guidelines make no formal recommendations for assessment of
      hypoaldosteronism after adrenalectomy, resulting in varying practice paradigms.
      Surgeons should consider the risk of postoperative hypoaldosteronism in these
      patients and counsel patients accordingly. Prospective investigations should be
      performed to assist in development of an outcomes-based care delivery model for
      these patients.

PMID- 28637562
TI  - IBD: A Growing and Vulnerable Cohort of Hospitalized Patients with Clostridium
      difficile Infection.
AB  - The most recent nationwide data show a rising incidence of Clostridium difficile
      infection in hospitalized patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We describe
      recent national trends with regard to incidence, mortality, and the rate of total
      colectomy. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database identified patients admitted
      to hospitals in the United States with diagnoses of C. difficile and inflammatory
      bowel disease (IBD) during the study years 2007 to 2013. We analyzed incidence of
      C. difficile, mortality, and colectomy rates. From 2007 to 2013, incidence of
      patients with IBD admitted with the primary diagnosis of C. difficile rose faster
      than the non-IBD population (1.24% to 2.14% vs 0.26% to 0.30%, P < 0.0001) and
      specifically in the UC population rose from 2.36 to 3.48 per cent (P < 0.001).
      The mortality of non-IBD patients with C. difficile decreased 47 per cent (3.76%
      to 1.99%, P = 0.003), whereas mortality of IBD patients with C. difficile
      decreased 54 per cent (6.08% to 2.79%, P = 0.003). For UC patients with primary
      diagnosis C. difficile, the percentage undergoing total colectomy decreased by 38
      per cent (2.47% vs 1.51%, P = 0.049). The incidence of C. difficile continues to
      rise in the both the IBD and non-IBD population. Our study shows decreasing
      mortality for IBD and non-IBD patients with C. difficile but a greater decrease
      in mortality for IBD patients.

PMID- 28637563
TI  - Postoperative Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Predictor of Long-Term
      Prognosis after Pancreatectomy for Pancreatic Carcinoma: A Retrospective
      Analysis.
AB  - To clarify the prognostic value of the postoperative blood neutrophil-to
      lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients undergoing pancreatectomy for pancreatic
      carcinoma (PAC). A high preoperative NLR has been reported to be a predictor of
      poor survival in patients with various cancers including PAC. However, it has not
      been extensively examined in postoperative NLR after pancreatectomy for PAC. This
      retrospective study enrolled 86 patients who underwent pancreatectomy without
      preoperative therapy for PAC from 2005 to 2013. Clinicopathological parameters,
      including postoperative NLR, were evaluated to identify predictors of the overall
      and recurrence-free survival of patients after pancreatectomy. Univariate and
      multivariate analyses were performed, using the Cox proportional hazards model.
      Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that postoperative NLR at one month
      was an independent prognostic factor in the overall and recurrence-free survival
      of patients. The 3-year survival rate after pancreatectomy was as follows: 33.9
      per cent in patients with a postoperative NLR of less than 3.0 at one month; and
      7.3 per cent in those with a postoperative NLR of 3.0 or more at one month (P <
      0.001). The overall survival rate after pancreatectomy in the NLR at one month
      >=3.0 group was significantly lower than in the NLR at one month <3.0 group: one
      year, 42.6 versus 81.9 per cent; three year, 7.3 versus 33.9 per cent (P <
      0.001). The results of the study suggest that the postoperative NLR at one month
      is an independent predictor of survival after pancreatectomy in patients with
      PAC.

PMID- 28637565
TI  - Is Percutaneous Cholecystostomy a Good Alternative Treatment for Acute
      Cholecystitis in High-Risk Patients?
AB  - Cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for acute cholecystitis but the
      management of high-risk surgical patients is a difficult dilemma. Percutaneous
      cholecystostomy (PC) could represent a safer and less invasive option. The aim of
      the study was to assess the outcomes of PC in high-risk patients. This is a
      retrospective single-center study; data were collected from our hospital
      electronic record system. From February 2009 to March 2014, there were 753
      patients admitted with acute cholecystitis. Of these 39 were considered high risk
      for surgery and underwent PC during their hospital stay. The radiological
      approach was transperitoneal in 29 patients and transhepatic in 10 patients.
      Median follow-up was 19 months. There were 27 males (69.2%) and 12 females
      (30.8%) with a mean age of 72 years (range 41-90 years). Twenty-seven patients
      had PC as definitive treatment (group A) and 12 patients as a bridge to
      cholecystectomy (group B). There were no postprocedure complications. Five
      patients in group A were readmitted once with another episode of cholecystitis
      after PC (18.5%), one patient in group B was readmitted with cholecystitis after
      two years before proceeding to cholecystectomy, and two patients were readmitted
      after cholecystectomy (16.6%) for intra-abdominal collections treated with
      percutaneous radiological drainage. Seven patients died (17.9%) as a result of
      severe biliary sepsis during their index hospital admission. PC is a safe
      approach in high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis and can provide
      satisfactory long-term results when cholecystectomy is not a viable option.

PMID- 28637564
TI  - Do Iodine-Impregnated Adhesive Surgical Drapes Reduce Surgical Site Infections
      during Open Ventral Hernia Repair? A Comparative Analysis.
AB  - This study evaluated the role of iodine-impregnated adhesive drapes to reduce
      surgical site infections and occurrences in open ventral hernia repairs. All
      patients undergoing open ventral hernia repair of clean wounds with a
      retromuscular repair using synthetic mesh by a single surgeon were prospectively
      evaluated from the American Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. Patients were
      divided into those that had an Ioban drape and those that did not. The primary
      endpoints of this study were postoperative surgical site occurrence and
      infections. One hundred and four patients met inclusion criteria and were
      analyzed. There were 56 patients that received a 3MTM IobanTM drape and 48
      patients did not. The two groups were similar based on baseline demographics,
      risk factors, and operative details. There were four (7%) surgical site
      occurrences in the Ioban group (one wound cellulitis, one superficial surgical
      site infection, one allergic reaction to the Ioban, and one sterile seroma).
      There was one (2%) surgical site occurrence in the non-Ioban group (one
      superficial wound dehiscence). For patients undergoing clean ventral hernia
      repair with synthetic mesh placed in the retrorectus plane, the use of an iodine
      impregnated drape does not result in a reduction in surgical site occurrences or
      superficial surgical site infections.

PMID- 28637566
TI  - Evolving Role of Hepatic Resection for Metastatic Urologic Malignancies.
AB  - Liver resection for noncolorectal, nonneuroendocrine metastases remains
      controversial. Here, we evaluate a single institutional experience with hepatic
      resection for metastatic urologic malignancies. A single-institution review of
      patients who underwent hepatic resection for metastatic urologic tumors between
      the years of 2000 and 2013 was performed. Patient charts were analyzed for
      pathologic data and perioperative outcomes including short- and long-term
      morbidity, mortality, and overall and disease-free survival. Eleven patients were
      identified who underwent hepatic resection for metastatic urologic malignancy.
      The mean age was 63.5 years. All patients had an R0 resection. There were three
      major complications. Mean length of stay was 6.5 days and there was no 90-day
      mortality. Three patients have died of recurrent disease at an average of 11.2
      months from resection to death. The remaining patients are still alive during a
      mean follow-up of 31.5 months. Five-year overall and disease-free survival was 50
      and 21 months, respectively. Hepatic resection for metastatic urologic tumors is
      safe with low morbidity and mortality and durable long-term survival can be
      achieved. Liver resection for isolated hepatic disease should be considered for
      this rare metastatic disease to the liver.

PMID- 28637568
TI  - Disparities in the Age-Related Rates of Colorectal Cancer in the United States.
AB  - The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) among Americans under the age of 50
      years is increasing. The purpose of this study was to identify racial and
      socioeconomic disparities associated with this trend. The National Cancer Data
      Base was used to identify patients with CRC from 1998 to 2011. Patients were
      stratified by age (<50 versus >60 years), with ages 50 to 60 years omitted from
      the analysis to minimize overlapping trends between the two age groups. Relative
      frequencies (RFs) by year were plotted against demographic variables. Changes in
      RF over time and intervals from diagnosis to treatment (including surgery and
      chemotherapy) were compared. A total of 1,213,192 patients were studied; 885,510
      patients with colon cancer and 327,682 with rectal or rectosigmoid cancer.
      Patients <50 years had higher RF for stage III/IV CRC compared with >60 years,
      with the highest rate of increase in stage III colon cancer (0.198% per year).
      Patients <50 years had higher RF for CRC if they were African-American or
      Hispanic. Hispanic patients <50 years had the highest rates of increase for both
      colon (RF = 0.300% per year) and rectal cancer (RF = 0.248% per year). Compared
      with race, other variables including education and income were not found to have
      as strong an association on age-related rates of CRC. No clinically significant
      differences were observed for time from diagnosis to treatment in either age
      group. Important racial disparities are associated with differences in age
      related CRC rates, warranting further investigation to develop improved
      strategies for the earlier detection of CRC in these populations.

PMID- 28637567
TI  - The Impact of Early Recurrence on Quality of Life after Cytoreduction with HIPEC.
AB  - Improved oncological outcomes after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic
      intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in highly selected patients have been well
      documented. The extensive nature of the procedure adversely affects quality of
      life (QoL). The aim of this study is to longitudinally evaluate QoL following
      CRS/HIPEC. This is a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database
      of patients with peritoneal malignancies undergoing CRS/HIPEC.
      Clinicopathological data, oncologic outcomes, and QoL were analyzed
      preoperatively and postoperatively at 2 weeks, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. The
      Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal instrument was used to
      determine changes in QoL after CRS/HIPEC and the impact of early recurrence (<12
      months) on QoL. Thirty-six patients underwent CRS/HIPEC over 36 months. The
      median peritoneal cancer index score was 18 and the completeness of cytoreduction
      0/1 rate was 97.2 per cent. Postoperative major morbidity was 16.7 per cent with
      one perioperative death. Disease-free survival was 12.6 months in patients with
      high-grade tumors versus 31.0 months in those with low-grade tumors (P = 0.03).
      QoL decreased postoperatively and improved to baseline in six months. Patients
      with early recurrence had a decrease in global QoL compared with preoperative QoL
      at 6 (P < 0.03) and 12 months (P < 0.05). This correlation was not found in
      patients who had not recurred. Patients who undergo CRS/HIPEC have a decrease in
      QoL that plateaus in 3 to 6 months. Early recurrence adversely impacts QoL at 6
      and 12 months. This study emphasizes the importance of patient selection for
      CRS/HIPEC. The expected QoL trajectory in patients at risk for early recurrence
      must be carefully weighed against the potential oncological benefit of CRS/HIPEC.

PMID- 28637569
TI  - Assessing Field Triage Decisions and the International Classification Injury
      Severity Score (ICISS) at Predicting Outcomes of Trauma Patients.
AB  - Florida considers the International Classification Injury Severity Score (ICISS)
      from hospital discharges within a geographic region in the apportionment of
      trauma centers (TCs). Patients with an ICISS <0.85 are considered to require
      triage to a TC, yet many are triaged to an emergency department (ED). We assess
      outcomes of those with an ICISS <0.85 by the actual triage decision of emergency
      medical services (EMS). From October 2011 to October 2013, 39,021 consecutive
      admissions with injury ICD-9 codes were analyzed. ICISS was calculated from the
      product of the survival risk ratios for a patient's three worst injuries.
      Outcomes were compared between patients with ICISS <0.85 either triaged to the ED
      or its separate, neighboring, free-standing TC at a large urban hospital. A total
      of 32,191 (83%) patients were triaged to the ED by EMS and 6,827 (17%) were
      triaged to the TC. Of these, 2544 had an ICISS <0.85, with 2145 (84%) being
      triaged to the TC and 399 (16%) to the ED. In these patients, those taken to the
      TC more often required admission, and those taken to the ED had better outcomes.
      When the confounders influencing triage to an ED or a TC are eliminated, those
      triaged by EMS to the ED rather than the TC had better overall outcomes. EMS
      providers better identified patients at risk for mortality than did the
      retrospective application of ICISS. ICISS <0.85 does not identify the absolute
      need for TC as EMS providers were able to appropriately triage a large portion of
      this population to the ED.

PMID- 28637570
TI  - Risk Factors that Predict Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infections in Surgical
      Patients.
AB  - Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) is a serious problem mostly
      studied during patients' index infections. The aim of this study is to define the
      incidence of primary and recurrent postoperative (postop) CDI in a single
      institution's entire surgical population and to identify risk factors that
      influence disease recurrence. Using electronic medical records from 2002 to 2012,
      charts were reviewed from all patients with laboratory-proven (enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay or polymerase chain reaction methods) C. difficile-positive
      stool samples. Index postop CDI was defined as a positive C. difficile assay
      (CDA) within 30 days of surgery and recurrence was defined as a positive CDA
      within 30 days of any surgery in a patient with a previously documented positive
      CDA. Patient demographics, surgical diagnoses, and laboratory data were recorded.
      Approximately 342,000 surgeries were performed in the study period with a 0.6 per
      cent (2188 patients) incidence of index postop CDI. Patients undergoing
      musculoskeletal surgery had the highest recurrent CDI rate [odds ratio (OR) 3.09
      (1.47-6.49), P = 0.003]. Use of any steroid (OR 2.45 [1.43-4.20], P = 0.002) or
      other immunosuppressant (OR 2.64 [1.09-6.38], P = 0.011) within six months of
      surgery was associated with an increased risk of the development of a recurrent
      CDI. Across surgical specialties at our institution, postop index CDI is low and
      patients have about a 5-fold increased risk for developing recurrent CDI.
      Patients undergoing musculoskeletal surgery are at greater risk for CDI
      recurrence and younger age, use of steroids and immune modulators, and surgery by
      organ system are independent risk factors for a recurrent CDI.

PMID- 28637571
TI  - Workforce Issues in Pediatric Surgery.
AB  - High salaries indicate a demand for pediatric surgeons in excess of the supply,
      despite only a slight growth in the pediatric-age population and a sharp increase
      in numbers of trainees. Top-level neonatal intensive care units require 24-hour-7
      day pediatric surgical availability, so hospitals are willing to pay surgeons a
      premium and engage high-priced locum tenens surgeons to fill vacancies in
      coverage. With increased supply comes an erosion of the numbers of cases
      performed by trainees and surgeons in practice. Caseloads may be inadequate to
      gain expertise and maintain skills. A quality initiative sponsored by the
      American College of Surgeons and the American Pediatric Surgical Association will
      discourage underresourced community facilities and surgeons without specialty
      training from performing operations on children, mostly common conditions such as
      appendicitis. This will further increase demand for specialty-trained
      practitioners. Receiving less attention are considerations of value, the ratio of
      quality per dollar cost. Cost concerns, paramount among buyers of health care
      (businesses, insurance companies, and governmental health agencies), will prefer
      community hospitals that have lower cost structures than specialty children's
      facilities. Less recognized are the costs to families, who for a myriad of
      reasons would prefer closer alternatives. Cost considerations support providing
      pediatric surgical services in local facilities. Quality considerations may be
      addressed by a tiered system where top centers would care for conditions that
      require technical expertise and advanced modalities. Evidence indicates that
      pediatric surgeons already direct such cases to more specialized centers.

PMID- 28637572
TI  - Investigating Cyclooxygenase Inhibition in a Rat Pulmonary Contusion Model: A
      Laboratory Study Finding No Improvement with Ibuprofen.
AB  - Minimal advances have been made in the management of pulmonary contusions (PCs).
      The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of cyclooxygenase inhibition
      on outcomes following PC in a rat model. PC was induced in anesthetized adult
      rats. Ibuprofen was given to the treatment group (TG) and water was given to the
      control group (CG). Lung injury was assessed with pulse oximetry, arterial blood
      gases, CT, and histopathologic examination. Inflammation was measured with both
      serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha and
      interleukin-6. Rats in the TG did not differ from rats in the CG with respect to
      oxygenation. Pathologic examination demonstrated a trend toward more inflammatory
      infiltrate in the CG, yet the sizes of the contusions were larger in the TG. The
      CG trended toward decreased levels of interleukin-6 in the serum and BAL at both
      three and seven days. While BAL levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha were
      increased in the TG at three days compared to the CG, they trended toward a
      reduced amount at seven days. Our data do not support cyclooxygenase inhibition
      for treatment to decrease the respiratory compromise associated with PC in this
      model of rat PCs.

PMID- 28637573
TI  - Laparoscopic Appendectomy Protocol Expedites Management of Uncomplicated Acute
      Appendicitis.
AB  - Bed availability remains a constant struggle for tertiary care centers resulting
      in the use of management protocols to streamline patient care and reduce length
      of stay (LOS). A standardized perioperative management protocol for uncomplicated
      acute appendicitis (UA) was implemented in April 2014 to decrease both CT scan
      usage and LOS. Patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for UA from April
      2012 to May 2013 (PRE group) and April 2014 to May 2015 (POST group) were
      compared retrospectively. There were no differences in patient demographics or
      clinical findings between the groups. All patients in the PRE group had a CT scan
      for the diagnosis of appendicitis, whereas there was a 14 per cent decrease in
      the POST group (P = 0.002). There was a significant decrease in median LOS
      between the groups [PRE 1.3 vs POST 0.9 days; (P < 0.001)]. There was no
      difference in subsequent emergency department visits for complications [3 (4%) vs
      4 (4%); P = 1.0] or 30-day readmission rate [1 (1%) vs 5 (5%); P = 0.22] between
      the groups. A standardized perioperative management protocol for UA patients
      significantly decreased CT scan utilization and LOS without compromising patient
      care.

PMID- 28637575
TI  - Credentialing and Privileging of Pharmacists: A Resource Paper from the Council
      on Credentialing in Pharmacy.
AB  - This Resource Paper has been made available elsewhere in the American Journal of
      Health-Systems Pharmacy Volume 71(21), pp.1891-1900 (November 2014) and has an
      original DOI of 10.2146/ajhp140420.

PMID- 28637574
TI  - Perforated Colonic Diverticula Presenting as Periorbital and Cervical
      Subcutaneous Emphysema.

PMID- 28637576
TI  - Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) surveillance system:
      coordinating national data on antimicrobial use and resistance for Australia.
AB  - Objective The aim of the present study was to describe the process of
      establishment and coordination of the national Antimicrobial Use and Resistance
      in Australia (AURA) surveillance system. Methods Existing surveillance programs
      conducted by health organisations at state or multi-jurisdictional levels were
      reviewed, and gaps and opportunities identified for the development of a national
      system. In view of the time frame available as part of the Australian Government
      Department of Health funding agreement, the strategy used by the Australian
      Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care was to commence work with
      existing surveillance programs, expanding and enhancing them and developing new
      systems where gaps were identified. Using the specifications of the AURA national
      system, the data from each of these elements were then analysed and reported. The
      system provides coverage for the acute and community sectors for antimicrobial
      use and antimicrobial resistance. Results The AURA surveillance system integrates
      eight streams of surveillance activities, including passive and targeted
      surveillance of antimicrobial use and resistance from hospitals (public and
      private) and the community (general practitioners and aged care homes). A gap was
      identified in timely surveillance of critical antimicrobial resistances (CARs),
      which resulted in the development of the national CARAlert system. The first
      comprehensive analyses of data across the surveillance programs was published in
      June 2016, providing baseline data for future reports to build on. Conclusion The
      AURA surveillance system has established the framework and foundation systems for
      an integrated and comprehensive picture of both antimicrobial use and resistance
      in Australia over time. National coordination and support will improve data
      collection, standardisation and analysis, and will facilitate collaboration
      across the states and territories, the Australian Government and the private
      sector. AURA publications will inform policy development and clinical decision
      making and improve consumer awareness of antimicrobial use and resistance. The
      system will continue to develop as a comprehensive system, with additional data
      over time, and appropriate clinical and epidemiological review. What is known
      about this topic? Surveillance of antimicrobial use and resistance is critical to
      inform effective policy development and public health responses to the growing
      problem of antimicrobial resistance. Until now, surveillance of antimicrobial use
      and resistance in Australia has been fragmented, with state and territory and
      professional group differences in data collection, analysis and reporting. What
      does this paper add? This paper profiles the development of the AURA surveillance
      system, the first nationally coordinated surveillance system for antimicrobial
      use and resistance, and its use of a partnership approach with contributing
      programs in order to promote participation and to obtain data to inform
      strategies to prevent and contain antimicrobial resistance. This paper highlights
      the establishment phase, noting that the system continues to be improved with
      growing participation from all sectors. What are the implications for
      practitioners? National surveillance data from the AURA surveillance system
      provides evidence for action to guide improvements in infection control,
      antimicrobial prescribing and the prevention and control of antimicrobial
      resistance across all healthcare sectors. It will also enable trends to be
      identified and reported on, and have the capability of determining the effect of
      interventions to improve and rationalise antimicrobial prescribing.

PMID- 28637577
TI  - Physiotherapists' perceptions of workplace competency: a mixed-methods
      observational study.
AB  - Objectives Workplace-based competency is increasingly considered fundamental to
      patient safety and quality healthcare. The aim of the present study was to
      identify and describe physiotherapists' perceptions of workplace
      competency.Methods The present study was a mixed-methods cross-sectional
      observational study. Thematic and descriptive analysis of qualitative and survey
      data were undertaken. Forty-six physiotherapists employed at a metropolitan acute
      public hospital participated in interviews or focus groups; a subgroup of 31
      participants also completed an online survey.Results Five main themes were
      identified: (1) despite the availability of workplace learning opportunities and
      supports, less-experienced staff reported limited confidence; (2) assessment and
      feedback around workplace competency was limited, predominantly informal and
      unstructured, with less than half of the cohort (42%) agreeing feedback received
      was useful for improving their workplace skills; (3) practicing within individual
      scope is an important aspect of workplace competency as a physiotherapist; (4)
      most (81%) agreed it was important for them to self-determine their learning and
      development goals, and they relied primarily on informal discussion to achieve
      these goals; and, (5) physiotherapists felt motivated regarding workplace
      learning, with 97% interested in developing their workplace skills however,
      nearly half (45%) did not feel they had sufficient time to do so.Conclusions The
      perceptions of physiotherapists working in a metropolitan acute public hospital
      are reflected in five themes. These themes elucidate how workplace competency is
      supported, maintained and developed among physiotherapists in this setting. These
      themes also highlight key challenges of workplace learning faced by this cohort
      of physiotherapists and allude to methods that may assist with improving feedback
      mechanisms and knowledge acquisition.What is known about this topic? Studies
      investigating employee perceptions around workplace competency, knowledge, skills
      and learning are found across a range of industries. Workplace-based competency
      is increasingly considered fundamental to patient safety and quality health care.
      There is little known about physiotherapists' perceptions of workplace
      competency.What does this paper add? This study has identified and described
      themes around physiotherapists' perceptions of their workplace knowledge and
      skills.What are the implications for practitioners? The themes identified provide
      support for the development, implementation and evaluation of a workplace-based
      competency framework for physiotherapists.

PMID- 28637578
TI  - Clinical activity profile of preregistration physiotherapy students during
      clinical placements.
AB  - Objective The aim of the present study was to determine the clinical activity
      profile of preregistration physiotherapy students during clinical placements and
      their clinical activity contribution to health service delivery.Methods Clinical
      activity data for 2014 were obtained from five Queensland public sector hospitals
      providing preregistration physiotherapy students clinical education in three key
      clinical areas (cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal and neurological) over four 5
      week placement blocks. Data regarding the number of student occasions of service
      (OOS) and the length of the OOS (LOOS) were collected to determine the average
      OOS and LOOS per student in each clinical area.Results Twenty weeks of student
      data were collected from each hospital in each clinical area, representing 29.1%
      of cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal and neurorehabilitation student placements.
      Students completed 19051 OOS. The average OOS per student per block for
      cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal and neurorehabilitation placements was 98.3,
      74.0 and 72.4 respectively. Two-way ANOVA revealed a main effect of weeks
      (F=402.1, P<0.001) and clinical area (F =1331.5, P<0.001) for LOOS.In addition,
      an interaction was found between clinical placement week and clinical area for
      LOOS (F=8.4, P<0.001).Conclusions Student clinical activity data are useful for
      understanding the student contribution to health services. Student contribution
      appears to increase throughout the clinical placement and consideration should be
      given to the clinical educator:student ratio to enhance overall student
      contribution.What is known about the topic? Quantitative data describing
      physiotherapy student clinical care activity during placements are limited.What
      does this paper add? This paper profiles physiotherapy student clinical care
      activity and the changes occurring over 5-week placements.What are the
      implications for practitioners? Physiotherapy students provide clinical activity
      for health services that changes over their 5-week placement. Student clinical
      activity should be considered when responding to placement demand and planning
      service delivery.

PMID- 28637579
TI  - Abortion: findings from women and men participating in the Understanding
      Fertility Management in contemporary Australia national survey.
AB  - : Background There are few reliable Australian abortion data. The aim was to
      investigate prevalence, sexual experiences and socioeconomic characteristics of
      women and men who report having had or being a partner in an abortion. METHODS: A
      cross-sectional survey of women and men aged 18-50 years randomly selected from
      the Australian Electoral Roll was used. Weighted multivariable analyses were
      conducted. RESULTS: Data from 2235 returned (of 15480) mailed surveys were
      analysed. One in six women and one in 10 men had experienced or been a partner in
      an abortion. In adjusted analyses, for women, experience of sexual coercion
      [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46, 3.24] was
      associated with significantly increased odds of abortion, and socioeconomic
      advantage (AOR=0.57; 95% CI 0.39, 0.84), being comfortable negotiating
      contraceptive use (AOR 0.26; 95% CI 0.09, 0.73) and importance of religion in
      fertility choices (AOR=0.55; 95% CI 0.35, 0.87) were associated with
      significantly reduced odds. For men, sexual coercion (AOR=3.05; 95% CI 1.51,
      6.18) and metropolitan residence (AOR=1.70; 95% CI 1.06, 2.75) significantly
      increased the odds of reporting being a partner in an abortion. CONCLUSIONS: The
      findings contribute to scarce information about abortion in Australia. The high
      prevalence of abortion suggests that effective contraceptive counselling and
      accessible contraception services are not sufficient, and that there is a
      continuing need for universal pregnancy advice and abortion services. The
      association between sexual coercion and abortion warrants further investigation.

PMID- 28637580
TI  - Association between sexually transmissible infection testing, numbers of partners
      and talking to partners and friends about sexual health: survey of young adults.
AB  - : Background Young adults, aged 18-30 years, comprise the largest proportion of
      sexually transmissible infection (STI) notifications in Australia compared with
      other age groups. Understanding the influence of partner and friendship networks
      on their STI testing practices may enhance health promotion efforts to increase
      testing for this group. METHOD: Participants aged 21-30 years, living in
      Australia for >=3 years, were recruited within nightlife precincts in Melbourne,
      Australia. They completed a survey on demographic items, sexual health attitudes,
      sexual health knowledge and STI testing experiences and perceptions. Responses to
      items related to talking to partners and friends about STI testing were allocated
      partner and friend communication scores. Analyses included chi2 tests of
      independence and independent sample t-tests. RESULTS: Overall, 36.5% (61/167) of
      participants had tested for STIs in the previous 12 months. Of those who had
      tested for STIs, most had significantly higher numbers of sexual partners in the
      same period (P<0.05), and were significantly more likely to have felt at risk of
      STI acquisition (P<0.05). Significantly greater mean partner and friend
      communication scores were associated with higher numbers of sexual partners,
      feeling at risk of STIs, and testing for STIs in the previous 12 months (all
      P<0.05). There were no significant differences when participants were stratified
      by gender or age. CONCLUSION: Talking to partners and friends about STI testing
      is associated with testing rates for young adults. Feeling at risk and increased
      numbers of sexual partners may be associated with the promotion of STI testing
      among friends and partners.

PMID- 28637581
TI  - How partnership type and HIV seroconcordance affect HIV transmission risk in
      regular sexual partnerships: a cross-sectional survey of Australian gay and
      bisexual men.
AB  - : Background Regular sexual partnerships among gay and bisexual men (GBM) who
      practice condomless anal intercourse (CLAI) have not been well characterised in
      terms of partnership type, HIV seroconcordance and risk of HIV transmission.
      Primarily sexual regular partnerships, although commonly reported by gay men,
      have largely been ignored in research and HIV prevention. Among regular partners
      reporting CLAI with each other, we determined factors differentiating romantic or
      committed relationships from partnerships organised primarily around sex
      ('fuckbuddies') and estimated the proportion of CLAI presenting risk for HIV
      transmission. METHODS: An online, cross-sectional survey of Australian GBM was
      conducted. Univariate and multivariate generalised estimating equations were used
      to determine statistical associations. RESULTS: Men reported on 2250 regular
      sexual partnerships. Over half the partnerships were romantic or committed
      relationships. Over half the partnerships were HIV-negative seroconcordant
      (54.9%), 3.1% were HIV-positive seroconcordant, 5.2% were serodiscordant and
      36.8% were of unknown seroconcordance. Potential risks presented by CLAI were
      sometimes mitigated by protective factors, such as having a clear spoken
      agreement about sex with outside partners, having fewer outside partners, openly
      discussing HIV risk and having an agreement to reduce risk from outside partners.
      These protective factors were more often found in romantic or committed
      relationships than among primarily sexual partnerships, and were less often found
      in partnerships of unknown seroconcordance. CONCLUSION: CLAI is more common among
      regular sexual partnerships considered to be of a romantic, committed nature.
      However, factors associated with such romantic or committed partnerships can also
      protect against HIV transmission risk. Unknown seroconcordance, particularly lack
      of communication about HIV status among primarily sexual partnerships, is a key
      risk factor that needs to be addressed by HIV education.

PMID- 28637582
TI  - Principles of capacity management, applied in the mental health context.
AB  - Objective The aim of the paper was to describe a suite of capacity management
      principles that have been applied in the mental health setting that resulted in a
      significant reduction in time spent in two emergency departments (ED) and
      improved throughput.Methods The project consisted of a multifocal change approach
      over three phases that included: (1) the implementation of a suite of fundamental
      capacity management activities led by the service and clinical director; (2) a
      targeted Winter Demand Plan supported by McKinsey and Co.; and (3) a
      sustainability of change phase. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the
      performance data that was collected through-out the project.Results This capacity
      management project has resulted in sustained patient flow improvement. There was
      a reduction in the average length of stay (LOS) in the ED for consumers with
      mental health presentations to the ED. At the commencement of the project, in
      July 2014, the average LOS was 20.5h compared with 8.5h in December 2015 post the
      sustainability phase. In July 2014, the percentage of consumers staying longer
      than 24h was 26% (n=112); in November and December 2015, this had reduced to 6%
      and 7 5% respectively (less than one consumer per day).Conclusion Improving
      patient flow is multifactorial. Increased attendances in public EDs by people
      with mental health problems and the lengthening boarding in the ED affect the
      overall ED throughput. Key strategies to improve mental health consumer flow need
      to focus on engagement, leadership, embedding fundamentals, managing and target
      setting.What is known about the topic? Improving patient flow in the acute sector
      is an emerging topic in the health literature in response to increasing pressures
      of access block in EDs.What does this paper add? This paper describes the
      application of a suite of patient flow improvement principles that were applied
      in the mental health setting that significantly reduced the waiting time for
      consumers in two EDs.What are the implications for practitioners? No single
      improvement will reduce access block in the ED for mental health consumers.
      Reductions in waiting times require a concerted, multifocal approach across all
      components of the acute mental health journey.

PMID- 28637583
TI  - The Revised Trauma Score plus serum albumin level improves the prediction of
      mortality in trauma patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The Revised Trauma Score (RTS) is used worldwide in prehospital
      practice and in the emergency department (ED) settings to triage trauma patients.
      The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of the RTS plus serum
      albumin (RTS-A) and to compare it with other existing trauma scores as well as to
      compare the predictive performance of the Trauma and Injury Severity Score with
      the RTS-A (TRISS-A) with the original TRISS. METHODS: This was a single center,
      trauma registry based observational cohort study. Data were collected from
      consecutive patients with blunt or penetrating injuries who presented to the
      emergency department of a tertiary referral hospital, between January 2012 and
      June 2016. 3145 and 2447 patients were assigned to the derivation group and
      validation group, respectively. Main outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS:
      Among patients in the derivation group, the median [interquartile range] age was
      59 [43-73] years, and 66.7% were male. The area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curves (AUC) of the RTS-A (0.948; 95% CI: 0.939-0.955) was higher
      than that of the RTS (0.919; 95% CI: 0.909-0.929). In patients with blunt trauma,
      the AUC of the TRISS-A (0.960; 95% CI: 0.952-0.967) was significantly higher than
      that of the original TRISS (0.949; 95% CI: 0.941-0.957). CONCLUSION: The value of
      the RTS-A predicts the in-hospital mortality of trauma patients better than the
      RTS, and the TRISS-A is a better mortality predictor compared to the original
      TRISS in patients with blunt trauma.

PMID- 28637584
TI  - Decreased TIM-3 expression of peripheral blood natural killer cells in patients
      with severe aplastic anemia.
AB  - Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by severe
      pancytopenia and bone marrow failure. In our previous studies, we found natural
      killer (NK) cells were aberrant in SAA patients. T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3
      (TIM-3), an important regulator of immunity, is widely detected on NK cells and
      may contribute as a marker of activation and maturation of NK cells. In this
      study, we found that SAA untreated patients had lower TIM-3 expression on NK
      cells and CD56dim NK subsets compared with normal controls, and were correlated
      with the severity of pancytopenia of SAA. After immunosuppressive therapy (IST),
      TIM-3 expression recovered to normal level. Moreover, the TIM-3 mRNA levels in NK
      cells significantly increased in SAA remission patients after IST. We inferred
      that low expression of TIM-3 on NK cells might lead to NK cells dysfunction and
      involve in the progress of bone marrow failure in SAA.

PMID- 28637585
TI  - Effects of periodontal endoscopy on the treatment of periodontitis: A systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For this systematic review, the authors evaluated and synthesized the
      available scientific evidence related to the effects of periodontal endoscopy on
      the treatment of periodontitis. METHODS: The authors searched PubMed, Embase,
      Cochrane Library, Chinese Scientific Journals database, China National Knowledge
      Infrastructure, and Chinese Medicine Premier's Wanfang database for articles
      about periodontal endoscopy that were published through January 2017. The authors
      considered the percentage of residual calculus, average treatment time, bleeding
      on probing (BOP), gingival inflammation (GI), and probing depth (PD) as outcome
      measures. The authors extracted data and performed meta-analyses for groups of
      articles for which it was appropriate. RESULTS: The authors identified 8 articles
      as being suitable for this systematic review. The investigators of 3 studies
      reported results related to BOP and GI that revealed some advantages of
      periodontal endoscopy over traditional scaling and root planing (SRP). The
      investigators of 4 studies explored PD and found no difference between
      periodontal endoscopy and traditional SRP. The authors could not perform meta
      analyses on the study results related to BOP, GI, or PD. The percentage of
      residual calculus after periodontal endoscope-aided debridement was significantly
      less than the percentage of residual calculus after traditional SRP (mean
      difference, -3.18; 95% confidence interval, -4.86 to -1.49; P = .002;
      heterogeneity I2 = 74%). The authors found that periodontal endoscopy took
      significantly more time than traditional SRP (mean difference, 6.01 minutes; 95%
      confidence interval, 4.23 to 7.8; P < .00001; heterogeneity I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS
      AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Periodontal endoscopy may provide additional benefits
      for calculus removal compared with traditional SRP, although it could take more
      time to perform. With respect to BOP, GI, and PD, the authors found no sufficient
      evidence to support the difference between the use of periodontal endoscopy and
      traditional SRP. The authors concluded that additional scientific research is
      required to assess the effects of periodontal endoscopy on the treatment of
      periodontitis.

PMID- 28637586
TI  - Soluble LR11 associates with aortic root calcification in asymptomatic treated
      male patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite statin treatment, a high prevalence of severe
      vascular calcification is found in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia
      (FH). We assessed the relation between the circulating soluble form of low
      density lipoprotein receptor relative with 11 ligand-binding repeats (sLR11), a
      risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and vascular calcification in
      asymptomatic statin-treated heterozygous FH patients. METHODS: In 123
      asymptomatic heterozygous FH patients (age 40-69 years), aortic root (ARC),
      aortic valve (AVC) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) were determined with
      CT-based calcium scoring expressed in Agatston units. Plasma sLR11 levels were
      measured by sandwich ELISA. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients displayed ARC, 48 had
      AVC and 96 CAC. Plasma sLR11 levels were positively correlated with the presence
      of ARC (r = 0.2, p = 0.03), but not with AVC or CAC. The correlation between
      sLR11 levels and ARC was restricted to male FH patients (r = 0.31, p = 0.006).
      Multivariate logistic analyses showed that the association of plasma sLR11 with
      the presence of ARC was independent of other determinants (Adjusted Odds Ratio,
      2.01 (95% CI = 1.28-3.16) p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma sLR11 is associated
      with ARC in male FH patients and may be mechanistically involved in the
      differential distribution of atherosclerotic lesions in the vasculature.

PMID- 28637587
TI  - Comparative study on secretome and transmembranome of immature and mature
      metacestodes of Echinococcus multilocularis.
AB  - Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a worldwide zoonosis caused by E. multilocularis.
      Humans become infected through oral ingestion of the eggs. Host of E.
      multilocularis produces immune responses that help to either reject and/or limit
      the growth of this parasite, and in response the parasite produces molecules
      against this immune attack. This study identifies candidate key molecules in the
      early infection phase and the chronic stage of the parasite infestation, through
      comparison of gene expression of 4- and 16-week metacestodes. First, RNA was
      isolated from 4- and 16-weeks metacestodes of E. multilocularis (Nemuro strain).
      Thereafter, clean reads with lengths of 50bp or longer were compared against a
      reference genome using TopHat. Functional annotation of transcripts of E.
      multilocularis were investigated using multi-step bioinformatics tools. At the
      gene ontology (GO) level, 356 and 1774 transmembrane (TM) predicted proteins of
      the E. multilocularis were mapped to an enhanced 'hydrolase activity' and
      increased 'transmembrane transporter activity', respectively. In addition,
      comparison of gene expression level between 4- and 16-week metacestode revealed
      168 different expression (DE) genes. This study has demonstrated that, the
      expression levels of predicted ES and TM proteins in E. multilocularis change in
      the transformation from one stage to another. Genes that are highly expressed in
      immature or mature metacestode could be explored as novel candidates for
      diagnostic antigens and vaccine targets.

PMID- 28637588
TI  - Is artificial neural network an ideal modelling technique?

PMID- 28637589
TI  - Elevated factor H-related protein 1 and factor H pathogenic variants decrease
      complement regulation in IgA nephropathy.
AB  - IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a frequent cause of chronic kidney disease worldwide, is
      characterized by mesangial deposition of galactose-deficient IgA1-containing
      immune complexes. Complement involvement in IgAN pathogenesis is suggested by the
      glomerular deposition of complement components and the strong protection from
      IgAN development conferred by the deletion of the CFHR3 and CFHR1 genes
      (DeltaCFHR3-CFHR1). Here we searched for correlations between clinical
      progression and levels of factor H (FH) and FH-related protein 1 (FHR-1) using
      well-characterized patient cohorts consisting of 112 patients with IgAN, 46 with
      non-complement-related autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), and
      76 control individuals. Patients with either IgAN or ADPKD presented normal FH
      but abnormally elevated FHR-1 levels and FHR-1/FH ratios compared to control
      individuals. Highest FHR-1 levels and FHR-1/FH ratios are found in patients with
      IgAN with disease progression and in patients with ADPKD who have reached chronic
      kidney disease, suggesting that renal function impairment elevates the FHR-1/FH
      ratio, which may increase FHR-1/FH competition for activated C3 fragments.
      Interestingly, DeltaCFHR3-CFHR1 homozygotes are protected from IgAN, but not from
      ADPKD, and we found five IgAN patients with low FH carrying CFH or CFI pathogenic
      variants. These data support a decreased FH activity in IgAN due to increased FHR
      1/FH competition or pathogenic CFH variants. They also suggest that alternative
      pathway complement activation in patients with IgAN, initially triggered by
      galactose-deficient IgA1-containing immune complexes, may exacerbate in a vicious
      circle as renal function deterioration increase FHR-1 levels. Thus, a role of FHR
      1 in IgAN pathogenesis is to compete with complement regulation by FH.

PMID- 28637590
TI  - Evaluation of readmissions due to surgical site infections: A potential target
      for quality improvement.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Readmissions have become a focus of pay-for-performance programs.
      Surgical site infections (SSI) are the reason for most readmissions. Readmissions
      for SSI could be a unique target for quality improvement. METHODS: Readmission
      risk for SSI were evaluated for patients undergoing colectomies from 2013 to
      2014. Hazard models were developed to examine factors associated with and
      hospital-level variation in risk-adjusted rates of readmission for SSI. RESULTS:
      Among 59,088 patients at 525 hospitals, the rate of readmissions for SSI ranged
      from 1.45% to 6.34%. Characteristics associated with a greater likelihood of SSI
      readmissions include male gender, smoking, open surgery and hospitals with
      increased socioeconomically-disadvantaged patients. After risk adjustment, there
      was little correlation between hospital performance with SSI readmission rate and
      performance with overall SSI or total readmission rate (r2 = 0.29, r2 = 0.14).
      CONCLUSIONS: Readmission for SSI represents a unique aspect of quality beyond
      that offered by measuring only SSI or readmission rates alone, and may provide
      actionable quality improvement.

PMID- 28637591
TI  - Salicylate-induced frequency-map reorganization in four subfields of the mouse
      auditory cortex.
AB  - Salicylate is the active ingredient in aspirin, and in high-doses it is used as
      an experimental tool to induce transient hearing loss, tinnitus, and hyperacusis.
      These salicylate-induced perceptual disturbances are associated with tonotopic
      map reorganization and neural activity modulation, and such neural correlates
      have been examined in the central auditory pathway, including the auditory cortex
      (AC). Although previous studies have reported that salicylate induces increases
      in noise-burst-evoked neural responses and reorganization of tonotopic maps in
      the primary AC, little is known about the effects of salicylate on other
      frequency-organized AC subfields such as the anterior auditory, secondary
      auditory, and dorsomedial fields. Therefore, to examine salicylate-induced
      spatiotemporal effects on AC subfields, we measured sound-evoked neural activity
      in mice before and after the administration of sodium salicylate (SS, 200 mg/kg),
      using flavoprotein auto-fluorescence imaging. SS-treatment gradually reduced
      responses driven by tone-bursts with lower (<=8 kHz) and higher (>=25 kHz)
      frequencies over 3 h, whereas evoked responses to tone-bursts within middle-range
      frequencies (e.g., 12 and 16 kHz) were sustained and unchanged in the four
      subfields. Additionally, in each of the four subfields, SS-treatment induced
      similar reorganization of tonotopic maps, and the response areas selectively
      driven by the middle-range frequencies were profoundly expanded. Our results
      indicate that the SS-induced tonotopic map reorganizations in each of the four AC
      subfields were similar, and only the extent of the activated areas responsive to
      tone-bursts with specific frequencies was subfield-dependent. Thus, we expect
      that examining cortical reorganization induced by SS may open the possibility of
      new treatments aimed at altering cortical reorganization into the normative
      functional organization.

PMID- 28637592
TI  - Personalized modeling for real-time pressure ulcer prevention in sitting posture.
AB  - Ischial pressure ulcer is an important risk for every paraplegic person and a
      major public health issue. Pressure ulcers appear following excessive compression
      of buttock's soft tissues by bony structures, and particularly in ischial and
      sacral bones. Current prevention techniques are mainly based on daily skin
      inspection to spot red patches or injuries. Nevertheless, most pressure ulcers
      occur internally and are difficult to detect early. Estimating internal strains
      within soft tissues could help to evaluate the risk of pressure ulcer. A subject
      specific biomechanical model could be used to assess internal strains from
      measured skin surface pressures. However, a realistic 3D non-linear Finite
      Element buttock model, with different layers of tissue materials for skin, fat
      and muscles, requires somewhere between minutes and hours to compute, therefore
      forbidding its use in a real-time daily prevention context. In this article, we
      propose to optimize these computations by using a reduced order modeling
      technique (ROM) based on proper orthogonal decompositions of the pressure and
      strain fields coupled with a machine learning method. ROM allows strains to be
      evaluated inside the model interactively (i.e. in less than a second) for any
      pressure field measured below the buttocks. In our case, with only 19 modes of
      variation of pressure patterns, an error divergence of one percent is observed
      compared to the full scale simulation for evaluating the strain field. This
      reduced model could therefore be the first step towards interactive pressure
      ulcer prevention in a daily set-up.

PMID- 28637593
TI  - Remote ischemic preconditioning of transplant recipients to reduce graft ischemia
      and reperfusion injuries: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplantation is an accepted treatment for end-stage
      solid organ diseases. During the procedure, ischemia and reperfusion injury may
      affect graft and patient outcomes. Remote ischemic preconditioning (rIC) has been
      shown to reduce ischemia and reperfusion injury and can be performed safely.
      Thus, rIC may potentially improve outcomes after solid organ transplantation.
      Traditionally, the focus of rIC has been on the donor. However, preconditioning
      the recipient may be a more suitable approach in transplant settings. The current
      review analyzed previously published studies where rIC was performed on
      transplant recipients. METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for
      eligible clinical and animal studies evaluating rIC of recipients. Articles were
      analyzed and compared qualitatively. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane
      Collaboration's tool for interventional clinical studies and SYRCLEs risk of bias
      tool for animal studies. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies were included. Overall,
      these studies were heterogeneous due to differences in populations and
      intervention set-up. Some of the studies suggested improvement of graft function,
      while other studies did not show any effect. The quality of the 12 included
      studies was predominantly low. CONCLUSION: Due to the heterogeneity and quality
      of the included studies the result, that rIC may be beneficial in transplantation
      of some organs, should be interpreted with caution. The result must be confirmed
      by further clinical studies.

PMID- 28637594
TI  - Association of plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-4 activity with non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease in nondiabetic Chinese population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is
      attributed to a "multi-hits hypothesis" involving insulin resistance, oxidative
      stress and inflammation. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) was identified as a novel
      adipokine capable of enhancing the"multi-hits". Hence, we investigated the
      association between plasma DPP4 activity and NAFLD in nondiabetic Chinese
      population. DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study using data
      from 1105 subjects (36-79years) in Guilin between 2015 and 2016. Plasma DPP4
      activity, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), oxidative
      stress parameters, and inflammatory markers were measured in all participants.
      NAFLD and its severity were diagnosed by ultrasound after the exclusion of
      alcohol abuse and other liver diseases. RESULTS: Participants in the highest
      quartile of DPP4 activity had higher HOMA-IR, nitrotyrosine, 8-iso-PGF2a,
      interleukin-6, CRP, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and
      gamma-glutamyltransferase compared with those in the lowest quartile (all
      P<0.05). Plasma DPP4 activity gradually increased across the groups according to
      the ultrasonographic severity of steatosis (P<0.001 for the trend). In the
      highest DPP4 quartile, NAFLD risk was higher (odds ratio 1.88; 95% CI 1.04-3.37)
      than in the lowest quartile after adjustment for confounders. The risk for NAFLD
      increased more with higher levels of DPP4 activity, HOMA-IR, nitrotyrosine, 8-iso
      PGF2a, interleukin-6 and CRP. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma DPP4 activity is significantly
      associated with NAFLD. The underlying mechanisms may be partly attributed to the
      interactions between insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and
      DPP4.

PMID- 28637595
TI  - A one-year mortality clinical prediction rule for patients with heart failure.
AB  - AIMS: To create and validate a clinical prediction rule which is easy to manage,
      reproducible and that allows classifying patients admitted for heart failure
      according to their one-year mortality risk. METHODS: A prospective cohort study
      carried out with 2565 consecutive patients admitted with heart failure in 13
      hospitals in Spain. The derivation cohort was made up of 1283 patients and 1282
      formed the validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, we carried out a
      multivariate logistic model to predict one-year mortality. The performance of the
      derived predictive risk score was externally validated in the validation cohort,
      and internally validated by K-fold cross-validation. The risk score was
      categorized into four risk levels. RESULTS: The mean age was 77.2years, 49.7%
      were female and there were 611 (23.8%) deaths in the follow-up period. The
      variables included in the predictive model were: age>=75, systolic blood
      pressure<135, New York Heart Association class III-IV, heart valve disease,
      dementia, prior hospitalization, haemoglobin<13, sodium<136, urea>=86, length of
      stay>=14 and Physical dimension of Minnesota Living with Heart Failure
      questionnaire. The AUC for the risk score were 0.73 and 0.70 in the derivation
      and validation cohorts, respectively, and 0.73 in the K-fold cross-validation.
      The percentage of mortality ranged from 8.08% in the low-risk to 58.20% in the
      high-risk groups (p<0.0001; AUC, 0.72). CONCLUSIONS: This model based on
      routinely available data, for admitted patients and with a follow-up at one year
      is a simple and easy-to-use tool for improving management of patients with heart
      failure.

PMID- 28637596
TI  - Y balance test has no correlation with the Stability Index of the Biodex Balance
      System.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design. BACKGROUND: The Stability Index of
      the Biodex Balance System (SI-BBS) and Y Balance Test (YBT) has been used in
      studies assessing postural stability but no studies have verified the association
      of the YBT with the SI-BBS. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of the Y
      Balance Test (YBT) with the Stability Index of the Biodex Balance System (SI-BBS)
      to evaluate postural stability. METHODS: Forty participants who engaged in
      recreational physical activities, 12 of whom had a history of injury to the lower
      limbs. Was used the SI-BBS and the anterior, posterolateral, posteromedial, and
      composite measures of the YBT. The order of execution of the tests and of the
      lower limbs evaluated was randomized and blind tested by two evaluators. RESULTS:
      Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to check the strength of the
      relationship between the distances achieved on the YBT and the SI-BBS. The YBT
      showed excellent reliability in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral
      directions. However, the YBT showed no statistically significant correlation with
      any variables in the SI-BBS, indicating poor validity between YBT and SI-BBS
      assessments of postural stability in people with and without history of lower
      limb injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed the YBT is not
      correlated with the SI-BBS as an assessment of postural stability. This finding
      has implications for researchers and clinicians using YBT results as the only
      measure of postural stability.

PMID- 28637598
TI  - The use and perceived usefulness of a patient-specific measurement instrument in
      physiotherapy goal setting. A qualitative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Physiotherapists are encouraged to set goals together with their
      patients to deliver client-centred care. In practice however, this goal-setting
      process is poorly specified, with limited patient involvement. The Patient
      Specific Complaints instrument (PSC) can support the goal-setting process.
      Despite its being frequently used by Dutch physiotherapists, its actual role in
      goal setting is unknown. The objective was to examine physiotherapy goal-setting
      and the use of the PSC within this process, as well as the physiotherapists'
      perception of the usefulness of the PSC. METHODS: Consultations between
      physiotherapists and patients were observed and physiotherapists were
      interviewed. Data were analysed by directed content analysis, using a goal
      setting framework as the coding scheme whose phases include: goal negotiation,
      goal setting, planning, and appraisal and feedback. RESULTS: The patients'
      problems were comprehensively explored, with the PSC focussing on activity
      problems. Goal-setting and planning phases were poorly specified and mainly
      physiotherapist-led. The physiotherapists appreciated the PSC for patient
      involvement during goal negotiation and evaluation. Its perceived usefulness for
      goal setting and planning ranged from useful for tailoring goals to the patient's
      needs to not useful at all. One major reason to use it was meeting external audit
      obligations. CONCLUSIONS: There are some discrepancies between how
      physiotherapists use the PSC and how they perceived its usefulness.
      Physiotherapists did use the PSC in a goal-setting process, though often as a
      standalone tool without integration in the whole physiotherapy process, and with
      limited patient involvement. In this way, its full potential for goal setting is
      not utilized.

PMID- 28637597
TI  - Effects of lower body quadrant neural mobilization in healthy and low back pain
      populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neural mobilization (NM) is widely used to assess and treat several
      neuromuscular disorders. However, information regarding the NM effects targeting
      the lower body quadrant is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of NM
      techniques targeting the lower body quadrant in healthy and low back pain (LBP)
      populations. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis. METHOD: Randomized
      controlled trials were included if any form of NM was applied to the lower body
      quadrant. Pain, disability, and lower limb flexibility were the main outcomes.
      PEDro scale was used to assess methodological quality. RESULTS: Forty-five
      studies were selected for full-text analysis, and ten were included in the meta
      analysis, involving 502 participants. Overall, studies presented fair to good
      quality, with a mean PEDro score of 6.3 (from 4 to 8). Five studies used healthy
      participants, and five targeted people with LBP. A moderate effect size (g =
      0.73, 95% CI: 0.48-0.98) was determined, favoring the use of NM to increase
      flexibility in healthy adults. Larger effect sizes were found for the effect of
      NM in pain reduction (g = 0.82, 95% CI 0.56-1.08) and disability improvement (g =
      1.59, 95% CI: 1.14-2.03), in people with LBP. CONCLUSION: Evidence suggests that
      there are positive effects from the application of NM to the lower body quadrant.
      Specifically, NM shows moderate effects on flexibility in healthy participants,
      and large effects on pain and disability in people with LBP. Nevertheless, more
      studies with high methodological quality are necessary to support these
      conclusions.

PMID- 28637599
TI  - Isokinetic clinical assessment of rotator cuff strength in subacromial shoulder
      impingement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current conservative management of subacromial shoulder impingement
      (SSI) includes generic strengthening exercises, especially for internal (IR) and
      external (ER) shoulder rotators. However, there is no evidence that the strength
      or the ratio of strength between these muscle groups is different between those
      with SSI (cases) and an asymptomatic population (controls). OBJECTIVE: To
      identify if isokinetic rotator cuff strength or the ratio of strength is
      significantly different between cases and controls. STUDY DESIGN: Case Control
      Study. METHOD: Fifty one cases with SSI and 51 asymptomatic controls matched for
      age, gender, hand dominance and physical activity level completed isokinetic peak
      torque glenohumeral IR and ER testing. Within the SSI group, 31 dominant limbs
      were symptomatic and 20 non-dominant limbs were symptomatic. IR and ER were
      measured separately using continuous reciprocal concentric (con) and eccentric
      (ecc) contraction cycles at a speed of 60 degrees per second and again at 120
      degrees per second. Values of peak torque (PT), relative peak torque (RPT) and
      ratios were compared using independent t-tests between the SSI and asymptomatic
      groups. RESULTS: Significant strength differences between the two groups were
      present only when the symptomatic SSI shoulder was the dominant shoulder (con ER
      PT at 60 degrees /second, ecc ER PT at 120 degrees /second, ecc ER RPT at 120
      degrees /second and ecc IR PT at 60 degrees /second and 120 degrees /second).
      CONCLUSIONS: Changes in rotator cuff strength in SSI may be related to limb
      dominance, which may have implications for strengthening regimes. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: Level 3a.

PMID- 28637601
TI  - Clinical assessment of subacromial shoulder impingement - Which factors differ
      from the asymptomatic population?
AB  - BACKGROUND: To date, the significance of factors purported to be associated with
      subacromial shoulder impingement (SSI) and what differences, if any, are present
      in those with SSI compared to a matched asymptomatic population has not been
      identified. Gaining information about differences between people with SSI and
      asymptomatic people may direct clinicians towards treatments that impact upon
      these differences. OBJECTIVE: Compare the assessment findings of factors
      suggested to be associated with SSI; passive posterior shoulder range, passive
      internal rotation range, resting cervical and thoracic postures, active thoracic
      range in standing and scapula positioning between cases experiencing SSI and a
      matched asymptomatic group (controls). STUDY DESIGN: Case Control Study. METHOD:
      Fifty one SSI cases and 51 asymptomatic controls were matched for age, gender,
      hand dominance and physical activity level. The suggested associated factors were
      measured bilaterally. Independent t-tests were used to compare each of these
      measurements between the groups. Any variables for which a significant difference
      was identified, were then included in a conditional logistic regression analysis
      to identify independent predictors of SSI. RESULTS: The SSI group had
      significantly increased resting thoracic flexion and forward head posture, as
      well as significantly reduced upper thoracic active motion, passive internal
      rotation range and posterior shoulder range than the matched asymptomatic group.
      No independent predictors of SSI were identified in conditional logistic
      regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Thoracic posture, passive internal rotation
      range and posterior shoulder range were significantly different between cases
      experiencing SSI and a matched asymptomatic group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3a.

PMID- 28637602
TI  - Perceived task complexity of trunk stability exercises.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Perceived task complexity can impact participation in an exercise
      programme and the level of skill acquisition resulting from participation.
      Although trunk stability exercises are commonly included in the management of
      people with low back pain, potential differences in perceived task complexity
      between those exercises have not been investigated previously. OBJECTIVE: To
      investigate the perceived task complexity following first time instruction of two
      common stability exercises: the abdominal brace and abdominal hollow. DESIGN:
      Cross-sectional. METHODS: Twenty-four naive healthy participants received
      instruction in the performance of an abdominal brace and an abdominal hollow with
      feedback. Participants rated their perceived task complexity (mental, physical,
      and temporal demand, performance, effort, frustration) for each exercise on the
      NASA-Task Load Index. RESULTS: The abdominal hollow was associated with higher
      perceived mental demand than the abdominal brace (p = 0.01), and required more
      time to learn (p < 0.01). The abdominal brace was associated with greater mental
      demand and frustration when performed after the abdominal hollow than before.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study has provided the first evidence for differences in
      perceived task complexity between two commonly used trunk stability exercises.
      Those differences in perceived task complexity may influence the selection of
      exercises intended to enhance the robustness of spinal stability.

PMID- 28637604
TI  - Cervical flexion-rotation test and physiological range of motion - A comparative
      study of patients with myogenic temporomandibular disorder versus healthy
      subjects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) refer to several common clinical
      disorders which involve the masticatory muscles, the temporomandibular joint
      (TMJ) and the adjacent structures. Although neck signs and symptoms are found
      with higher prevalence in TMD patients compared to the overall population,
      whether limitation of cervical mobility is an additional positive finding in this
      cohort is still an open question. OBJECTIVE: To compare the physiological
      cervical range of motion (CROM) and the extent of rotation during cervical
      flexion (flexion-rotation test, FRT) in people with TMD (muscular origin) and
      healthy control subjects. METHOD: The range of motion of the neck and FRT was
      measured in 20 women with myogenic TMD and 20 age matched healthy controls.
      RESULTS: Women with myogenic TMD had significantly lower FRT scores compared to
      their matched healthy women. No difference was found between groups in CROM in
      any of the planes of movement. The FRT was positive (less than 32 degrees ) in
      90% of the TMD participants versus 5% in the healthy control but the findings
      were not correlated with TMD severity. CONCLUSION: The results point out a
      potential involvement of the upper cervical joints (c1-c2) in women with myogenic
      TMD.

PMID- 28637600
TI  - Distinguishing between nociceptive and neuropathic components in chronic low back
      pain using behavioural evaluation and sensory examination.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of chronic low back pain (CLBP) is traditionally predicated
      on identifying underlying pathological or anatomical causes, with treatment
      outcomes modest at best. Alternately, it is suggested that identification of
      underlying pain mechanisms with treatments targeted towards specific pain
      phenotypes may yield more success. Differentiation between nociceptive and
      neuropathic components of CLBP is problematic; evidence suggests that clinicians
      fail to identify a significant neuropathic component in many CLBP patients. The
      painDETECT questionnaire (PDQ) was specifically developed to identify occult but
      significant neuropathic components in individuals thought to have predominantly
      nociceptive pain. METHODS: Using the PDQ, we classified 50 CLBP patients into two
      distinct groups; those with predominantly nociceptive pain (Group 1) and those
      with a significant neuropathic component (Group 2). We characterised these two
      distinct CLBP sub-groups using a) questionnaire-based behavioural evaluation
      measuring pain-related function and quality of life, pain intensity and
      psychological well-being and b) sensory examination, using two-point and tactile
      threshold discrimination. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine if differences in the
      pain phenotype of each CLBP sub-group would be reflected in sensory and
      behavioural group profiles. RESULTS: We report that Group 1 and Group 2 sub
      groups demonstrate unique clinical profiles with significant differences in
      sensory tactile discrimination thresholds and in a wide range of behavioural
      domains measuring pain intensity, disability and psychological well-being.
      CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated distinct clinical profiles for CLBP patient sub
      groups classified by PDQ. Our results give diagnostic confidence in using the PDQ
      to characterise two distinct pain phenotypes in a heterogeneous CLBP population.

PMID- 28637603
TI  - Reliability and validity of two multidimensional self-reported physical activity
      questionnaires in people with chronic low back pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although there is some evidence for reliability and validity of self
      report physical activity (PA) questionnaires in the general adult population, it
      is unclear whether we can assume similar measurement properties in people with
      chronic low back pain (LBP). OBJECTIVE: To determine the test-retest reliability
      of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long-version and the
      Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire (BPAQ) and their criterion-related
      validity against data derived from accelerometers in patients with chronic LBP.
      DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Patients with non-specific chronic LBP
      were recruited. Each participant attended the clinic twice (one week interval)
      and completed self-report PA. Accelerometer measures >7 days included time spent
      in moderate-and-vigorous physical activity, steps/day, counts/minute, and vector
      magnitude counts/minute. Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) and Bland and
      Altman method were used to determine reliability and spearman rho correlation
      were used for criterion-related validity. RESULTS: A total of 73 patients were
      included in our analyses. The reliability analyses revealed that the BPAQ and its
      subscales have moderate to excellent reliability (ICC2,1: 0.61 to 0.81), whereas
      IPAQ and most IPAQ domains (except walking) showed poor reliability (ICC2,1: 0.20
      to 0.40). The Bland and Altman method revealed larger discrepancies for the IPAQ.
      For the validity analysis, questionnaire and accelerometer measures showed at
      best fair correlation (rho < 0.37). CONCLUSIONS: Although the BPAQ showed better
      reliability than the IPAQ long-version, both questionnaires did not demonstrate
      acceptable validity against accelerometer data. These findings suggest that
      questionnaire and accelerometer PA measures should not be used interchangeably in
      this population.

PMID- 28637605
TI  - 'I need to do another course' - Italian physiotherapists' knowledge and beliefs
      when assessing psychosocial factors in patients presenting with chronic low back
      pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Psychosocial factors play an important role in the development and
      subsequent recovery of individuals suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP).
      The study explored physiotherapists' personal beliefs and knowledge about the
      biopsychosocial model and the different ways they assess and manage psychosocial
      factors in patients presenting with CLBP. METHODS: Qualitative research design
      using semi-structured interviews and a constructivist grounded theory approach to
      data collection and analysis. A purposive sample of eight physiotherapists
      practicing in Italy and having experience with patients presenting chronic
      musculoskeletal problems were recruited from private clinics. RESULTS: Three main
      categories were constructed: 1) conceptions of the biopsychosocial model and its
      role in CLBP; 2) evaluation and management of PS factors; 3) barriers in the
      assessment and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Physiotherapists showed a basic knowledge
      of the biopsychosocial model and partially recognised social, emotional,
      cognitive and psychological factors in chronic low back pain patients, and their
      contribution in the individual patient's pain and disability. Physiotherapists
      highlighted the presence of barriers in the evaluation and treatment of people
      with CLBP, and some participants displayed a lack of skills to overcome these
      barriers. Physiotherapists perceived limited education and training to
      successfully address psychosocial factors in the management of patients with
      chronic low back pain, indicating the need to incorporate the biopsychosocial
      model in the daily practice and improve the training and education of the
      psychosocial assessment and management.

PMID- 28637606
TI  - Inter-examiner classification reliability of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy for
      extremity problems - Systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is used in the treatment of
      extremity problems. Classifying clinical problems is one method of providing
      effective treatment to a target population. Classification reliability is a key
      factor to determine the precise clinical problem and to direct an appropriate
      intervention. OBJECTIVES: To explore inter-examiner reliability of the MDT
      classification for extremity problems in three reliability designs: 1) vignette
      reliability using surveys with patient vignettes, 2) concurrent reliability,
      where multiple assessors decide a classification by observing someone's
      assessment, 3) successive reliability, where multiple assessors independently
      assess the same patient at different times. DESIGN: Systematic review with data
      synthesis in a quantitative format. METHOD: Agreement of MDT subgroups was
      examined using the Kappa value, with the operational definition of acceptable
      reliability set at >= 0.6. The level of evidence was determined considering the
      methodological quality of the studies. RESULTS/FINDINGS: Six studies were
      included and all studies met the criteria for high quality. Kappa values for the
      vignette reliability design (five studies) were >= 0.7. There was data from two
      cohorts in one study for the concurrent reliability design and the Kappa values
      ranged from 0.45 to 1.0. Kappa values for the successive reliability design (data
      from three cohorts in one study) were < 0.6. CONCLUSION: The current review found
      strong evidence of acceptable inter-examiner reliability of MDT classification
      for extremity problems in the vignette reliability design, limited evidence of
      acceptable reliability in the concurrent reliability design and unacceptable
      reliability in the successive reliability design.

PMID- 28637607
TI  - Response to letter to the Editor 'Altered breathing pattern valuation relative to
      dyspnea assessment and treatment for low back pain: Effects of clinical
      practice'.

PMID- 28637608
TI  - Regarding 'Classification characteristics of a chronic low back pain population
      using a combined McKenzie and patho-anatomical assessment' authored by Flavell C
      et al., manual therapy 26 (2016), 201-207.

PMID- 28637609
TI  - Reply to the letter to the editor regarding 'Classification characteristics of a
      chronic low back pain population using a combined McKenzie and patho-anatomical
      assessment'.

PMID- 28637611
TI  - Emotional communication in support groups for siblings of children with
      disabilities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Support groups are often arranged for siblings of children with
      disabilities to prevent psychological maladjustment. This study describes how
      children express emotions in support groups and how group leaders and other
      children respond. METHOD: Conversations in 17 group sessions for siblings aged 11
      to 16 were coded with VR-CoDES to report frequency of emotional expressions and
      responses. RESULTS: Children expressed negative emotion during group sessions
      (n=235), 59% as cues and 41%concerns. The immediate response was in 98% of the
      instances from the group leader. 38% of the responses focused on emotion,
      cognition or behavior. CONCLUSION: Children express emotions, but seldom respond
      immediately to others' emotional expressions in support groups. Group leaders
      should attend to emotion, cognition and behavior more frequently. PRACTICE
      IMPLICATIONS: Group leaders may better fulfill the support potential of support
      groups through explicitly stating the role of participants, and by exploring
      emotional aspects.

PMID- 28637610
TI  - An exploration of how positive emotions are expressed by older people and nurse
      assistants in homecare visits.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We don't know how positive emotions are being expressed by patients
      and health care providers in consultations. The aim of this study is to identify
      positive emotions expressed by older people and nurse assistants to discuss the
      function of these in the visits. METHOD: This paper presents secondary analysis
      of consultations in the COMHOME project. In this pilot study, six transcribed
      consultations between nurse assistants and older people in home health care were
      analysed using a coding system for positive emotions with seven categories
      capturing both content and emotional intensity of positive affect. RESULTS: We
      found 114 expressions of positive emotions, 63% from nurse assistants and 37%
      from patients. Patients mostly expressed gratitude, indicating that patients are
      grateful for being helped. Nurse assistants mostly expressed Praise or Support,
      indicating that they gave their patients positive affirmation. CONCLUSION: The
      praise and support given by nurse assistants to older people in home health care
      seemed effective in fostering relationships and maintaining patient resilience.
      Thus, we claim that emotional talk in communication also should include positive
      emotions. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Teaching health care providers about the
      importance of expressions of positive emotions should be integrated in
      communication skills training.

PMID- 28637612
TI  - Eliciting patient preferences in shared decision-making (SDM): Comparing
      conversation analysis and SDM measurements.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore how physicians bring up patient preferences, and how it
      aligns with assessments of shared decision-making. METHODS: Qualitative
      conversation analysis of physicians formulating hypotheses about the patient's
      treatment preference was compared with quantitative scores on SDM and 'patient
      preferences' using OPTION(5) and MAPPIN'SDM. RESULTS: Physicians occasionally
      formulate hypotheses about patients' preferences and then present a treatment
      option on the basis of that ("if you think X+we can do Y"). This practice may
      promote SDM in that the decisions are treated as contingent on patient
      preferences. However, the way these hypotheses are formulated, simultaneously
      constrains the patient's freedom of choice and exerts a pressure to accept the
      physician's recommendation. These opposing effects may in part explain cases
      where different assessment instruments yield large variations in SDM measures.
      CONCLUSION: Eliciting patient preferences is a complex phenomenon that can be
      difficult to reduce into an accurate number. Detailed analysis can shed light on
      how patient preferences are elicited, and its consequences for patient
      involvement. Comparing CA and SDM measurements can contribute to specifying
      communicative actions that SDM scores are based on. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our
      findings have implications for SDM communication skills training and further
      development of SDM measurements.

PMID- 28637613
TI  - The inseparability of emotional and instrumental care in cancer: Towards a more
      powerful science of clinical communication.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Clinical communication literature currently distinguishes clinicians'
      emotional care of patients from instrumental aspects of clinical care, and
      regards clinicians' explicit emotional engagement with patients as the key to
      emotional care. Here we critically appraise this view. METHODS: We draw on
      empirical evidence and recent reviews and critiques focusing on cancer care.
      RESULTS: Patients and families do not generally seek explicit emotional
      engagement from their practitioners; nor does such engagement consistently
      improve patient outcomes. Instead some evidence indicates that anxious patients
      and families can be comforted by clinicians' focus on instrumental care.
      CONCLUSIONS: Such findings can be interpreted according to the view that clinical
      relationships evoke attachment processes. In the context of mortal illness,
      patients are comforted by being able to trust clinicians whom they regard as
      having the expertize to look after them. From this perspective, instrumental and
      emotional care are inseparable. Clinicians' clinical authority and expertize are
      the basis for the emotional comfort they can provide. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: For
      researchers and educators, a consequence of appreciating the inseparability of
      emotional and instrumental care will be greater emphasis on learning from, and
      collaborating with, clinicians. Clinicians, in turn, can benefit by communication
      scientists developing new approaches to supporting their communication. These
      approaches will need to recognize that clinicians' emphasis on their authority
      and clinical expertize in communicating with patients can be central to providing
      emotional comfort, and not necessarily a way to avoid doing so.

PMID- 28637614
TI  - Classical inherited bone marrow failure syndromes with high risk for
      myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia.
AB  - The inherited marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) are a heterogeneous group of
      diseases characterized by failure in the production of one or more blood lineage.
      The clinical manifestations of the IBMFS vary according to the type and number of
      blood cell lines involved, including different combinations of anemia,
      leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. In some IBMFS, systemic non-hematologic
      manifestations, including congenital malformations, mucocutaneous abnormalities,
      developmental delay, and other medical complications, may be present. Fanconi
      anemia (FA), caused by germline pathogenic variants in the DNA repair genes
      comprising the FA/BRCA pathway is associated with congenital anomalies, bone
      marrow failure, and increased risk of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), acute
      myelogenous leukemia (AML), and solid tumors. Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a
      telomere biology disorder (TBD) caused by aberrations in key telomere biology
      genes. In addition to mucocutaneous manifestations, patients with DC are at
      increased risk of marrow failure, MDS, AML, pulmonary fibrosis, and other
      complications. Ribosomal biology defects are the primary causes of Diamond
      Blackfan anemia (DBA) and Shwachman Diamond syndrome (SDS). In addition to pure
      red blood cell aplasia, DBA is associated with elevated risk of solid tumors,
      AML, and MDS. Patients with SDS have pancreatic insufficiency, neutropenia, as
      well as MDS and AML risks. Patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN),
      caused by pathogenic variants in genes essential in myeloid development, have
      profound neutropenia and high risk of MDS and AML. Herein we review the genetic
      causes, clinical features, diagnostic modalities, predisposition to malignancies
      with focus on leukemogenic markers whenever available, and approaches to
      treatments of the classical IBMFS: FA, DC, SDS, DBA, and SCN.

PMID- 28637615
TI  - Cancer predisposition syndromes associated with myeloid malignancy.
AB  - The majority of myeloid malignancies are caused by sporadic somatic events rather
      than cancer predisposition. Nonetheless, the identification of hereditary cancer
      predisposition syndromes is critical when caring for patients with myeloid
      malignancies since detection may direct decisions related to cancer treatment and
      surveillance. A positive genetic test result also has important implications for
      other family members who can use this information to undergo their own testing to
      determine their cancer risk. We review the demographics, genetic mechanisms of
      disease, diagnostic approach, malignancy risk, and management for the following
      five cancer predisposition syndromes associated with myeloid malignancies: Li
      Fraumeni, constitutional mismatch repair deficiency, Werner, Bloom, and Nijmegen
      breakage.

PMID- 28637616
TI  - Down syndrome, RASopathies, and other rare syndromes.
AB  - In this article we discuss the occurrence of myeloid neoplasms in patients with a
      range of syndromes that are due to germline defects of the RAS signaling pathway
      and in patients with trisomy 21. Both RAS mutations and trisomy 21 are common
      somatic events contributing to leukemogenis. Thus, the increased leukemia risk
      observed in children affected by these conditions is biologically highly
      plausible. Children with myeloid neoplasms in the context of these syndromes
      require different treatments than children with sporadic myeloid neoplasms and
      provide an opportunity to study the role of trisomy 21 and RAS signaling during
      leukemogenesis and development.

PMID- 28637617
TI  - Introduction: Genetic syndromes predisposing to myeloid neoplasia.

PMID- 28637618
TI  - Recognition of familial myeloid neoplasia in adults.
AB  - Hereditary hematologic malignancy (HM) syndromes are increasingly recognized as
      causative of adult hematopoietic cancers, and the advent of next-generation
      sequencing has accelerated the discovery of new syndromes based on dense
      clustering of these diseases in particular families. Updated classifications
      schemes for myeloid malignancies will now include recommendations for taking a
      family history on all patients diagnosed with hematopoietic malignancies and for
      genetic counseling and testing of appropriate individuals and families.
      Therefore, now more than ever, clinicians and pathologists will need to have a
      high index of suspicion and be familiar with the aspects of a patient's personal
      or family history that should raise suspicion regarding these syndromes as well
      as the options for clinical testing. Whenever possible, individuals should be
      tested with certified, clinical platforms that can detect both point mutations
      and genomic rearrangements that disrupt gene function so that results are
      immediately actionable. Individuals and families who test negative for mutations
      in the known germline predisposition genes serve as important sources of
      discovery for new inherited susceptibility syndromes.

PMID- 28637619
TI  - Practical considerations for diagnosis and management of patients and carriers.
AB  - Newly diagnosed children and adults with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute
      myeloid leukemia (AML) need to be screened for presence of a genetic
      predisposition syndrome because the information on the genetic status is likely
      to influence clinical care and management of the patient and the family.
      Scenarios in which genetic counseling is advised include presence of a mutation
      on somatic screen that can be associated with a germline predisposition,
      hematologic or cytogenetic characteristics suggestive of an underlying
      susceptibility syndrome, non-hematological phenotype suspicious for a familial
      condition, history of previous malignancy, or a family history of cancer,
      cytopenia, autoimmunity, or organ-system manifestation fitting a predisposition
      syndrome. With increasing complexity on phenotypes, genetics, and leukemia risk
      of the recently recognized predisposition syndromes, specialized clinics for
      hereditary hematologic malignancies have been initiated to guide genetic testing
      and support hematologists integrating genetic data into therapeutic strategies
      and clinical care. Recommendations for surveillance of carriers are currently
      based on expert opinion and subject to future modification when a more complete
      picture for the distinct genetic entities will arise.

PMID- 28637620
TI  - RUNX1 deficiency (familial platelet disorder with predisposition to myeloid
      leukemia, FPDMM).
AB  - In this review, we discuss disease-causing alterations of RUNT-related
      transcription factor 1 (RUNX1), a master regulator of hematopoietic
      differentiation. Familial platelet disorder with predisposition to myeloid
      leukemia (FPDMM) typically presents with (1) mild to moderate thrombocytopenia
      with normal-sized platelets; (2) functional platelets defects leading to
      prolonged bleeding; and (3) an increased risk to develop myelodysplastic
      syndromes (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), or T-cell acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia (T-ALL). Hematological neoplasms in carriers of a germline RUNX1
      mutation need additional secondary mutations or chromosome aberrations to
      develop. If a disease-causing mutation is known in the family, it is important to
      prevent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a sibling or other relative
      carrying the familial mutation. First experiments introducing a wild-type copy of
      RUNX1 into induce pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) lines from patients with FPDMM
      appear to demonstrate that by gene correction reversal of the phenotype may be
      possible.

PMID- 28637622
TI  - Familial CEBPA-mutated acute myeloid leukemia.
AB  - Familial CEBPA-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a recognized
      leukemia predisposition syndrome, with several families described in the
      literature since the initial report in 2004. The pathological features and long
      term survival of individuals with familial CEBPA-mutated AML are reminiscent of
      sporadic CEBPAdm AML.  Germline mutations predominantly localize to the N
      terminal and are associated with near complete penetrance, with age of AML onset
      from 2-50 years, frequently accompanied by the acquisition of a second CEBPA
      mutation in C-terminal domain.  Patients appear to have a significant risk of
      late AML recurrence and these typically represent independent leukemic episodes,
      characterized by a unique molecular profile that is distinct from that of the
      preceding tumor.  While these patients respond well to salvage therapies,
      allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) should be considered
      for patients with high-risk features at presentation or recurrent disease, with
      the aim of eradicating the germline mutation and improving long-term survival. In
      contrast, inherited C-terminal CEBPA mutations occur less frequently and appear
      to demonstrate reduced penetrance, impeding clinical detection and surveillance.

PMID- 28637621
TI  - GATA2 deficiency and related myeloid neoplasms.
AB  - The GATA2 gene codes for a hematopoietic transcription factor that through its
      two zinc fingers (ZF) can occupy GATA-DNA motifs in a countless number of genes.
      It is crucial for the proliferation and maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells.
      During the past 5 years, germline heterozygous mutations in GATA2 were reported
      in several hundred patients with various phenotypes ranging from mild cytopenia
      to severe immunodeficiency involving B cells, natural killer cells, CD4+ cells,
      monocytes and dendritic cells (MonoMAC/DCML), and myeloid neoplasia. Some
      patients additionally show syndromic features such as congenital deafness and
      lymphedema (originally defining the Emberger syndrome) or pulmonary disease and
      vascular problems. The common clinical denominator in all reported cohorts is the
      propensity for myeloid neoplasia (myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS],
      myeloproliferative neoplasms [MPN], chronic myelomonocytic leukemia [CMML], acute
      myeloid leukemia [AML]) with an overall prevalence of approximately 75% and a
      median age of onset of roughly 20 years. Three major mutational types are
      encountered in GATA2-deficient patients: truncating mutations prior to ZF2,
      missense mutations within ZF2, and noncoding variants in the +9.5kb regulatory
      region of GATA2. Recurrent somatic lesions comprise monosomy 7 and trisomy 8
      karyotypes and mutations in SETBP1 and ASXL1 genes. The high risk for progression
      to advanced myeloid neoplasia and life-threatening infectious complications guide
      decision-making towards timely stem cell transplantation.

PMID- 28637623
TI  - DDX41-related myeloid neoplasia.
AB  - While early presentation of familial leukemia syndromes is typical, long disease
      anticipation may mask cases of familial traits in seemingly spontaneous disease.
      Germline mutations in DDX41 gene have been discovered in several leukemia
      families, as well as in mostly adult patients with seemingly spontaneous disease
      but having strong family histories of myeloid neoplasia. As with other familial
      genes, DDX41 mutation carriers can develop neoplasia through acquisition of
      another somatic mutation, thereby affecting both DDX41 alleles. In other
      patients, somatic mutations of different driver genes can substitute for acquired
      missense DDX41 during progression. Conversely, non-familial cases with
      heterozygous somatic DDX41 mutations point towards other mutations that can
      substitute for the germ line founder DDX41 lesions. In either circumstance, total
      inactivation of DDX41 appears to be cell-lethal, explaining why frameshift
      germline lesions have not been found to be accompanied by deletions of the DDX41
      locus on 5q. The precise function of the DDX41 protein is unknown; considerable
      evidence suggests its involvement in RNA splicing. Thus DDX41 can be included in
      the now large group of mutated spliceosomal genes affected in myeloid neoplasia.
      However, it appears that DDX4 is so far the only example of a germline
      spliceosomal mutation in leukemia. Clinically, recognition of DDX41 mutated cases
      may have implications for surveillance, assessment of prognosis, and, perhaps,
      for design of targeted therapies.

PMID- 28637625
TI  - Counterfeit drugs: A plot worthy of John le Carre.

PMID- 28637624
TI  - ETV6 in hematopoiesis and leukemia predisposition.
AB  - The ETV6 (also known as TEL) gene encodes a transcriptional repressor that plays
      a critical role in hematopoiesis and in embryonic development. While somatic ETV6
      translocations and missense mutations are frequently observed in human cancers,
      the role of ETV6 in malignant transformation was unclear. Recently, autosomal
      dominant germline ETV6 mutations were discovered in families with inherited
      thrombocytopenia and a propensity to develop hematological malignancy,
      unequivocally demonstrating a role for ETV6 in leukemogenesis. Studies of
      germline ETV6 mutations also uncovered an important function of ETV6 in
      megakaryocyte development. Here we discuss our current understanding of the role
      of ETV6 in malignancy and in hematopoiesis.

PMID- 28637626
TI  - Chromosome 4q25 variants and recurrence after second-generation cryoballoon
      ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chromosome 4q25 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated
      with atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after radiofrequency catheter ablation,
      however the underlying mechanism is unknown. Pulmonary vein (PV) reconnections
      are common post-radiofrequency ablation. We explored the pre-procedural
      parameters, including AF susceptibility SNPs, predicting the response to PV
      isolation (PVI) using second-generation cryoballoons. METHODS: One hundred fifty
      seven paroxysmal AF patients undergoing PVI using second-generation cryoballoons
      and genetic testing were enrolled. The top 6 AF-associated Japanese ancestry SNPs
      were evaluated. Fourteen-day consecutive monitoring was performed to detect AF
      recurrences. RESULTS: Early recurrence of AF (ERAF) was detected in 74(47.1%)
      patients, and the AF-free survival at 12-months after single procedures was
      72.1%. Cox's proportional models determined that higher pro-BNP values (hazard
      ratio [HR]=1.001; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.000-1.001; p=0.003) and the
      rs1906617 risk allele (HR=2.440; 95% CI=1.062-5.605; p=0.035) were independently
      associated with ERAFs, and the rs1906617 risk allele (HR=4.339; 95% CI=1.044
      18.028; p=0.043) was the sole factor significantly associated with AF recurrence.
      Second procedures were performed in 41 patients a median of 6.0[5.0-9.5] months
      later, and 42/162(25.9%) PVs were reconnected. Reconnections were similarly
      observed in rs1906617 risk allele carriers and wild-type patients. Risk allele
      carriers at rs1906617 were more likely to have non-PV foci, but did not reach
      statistical significance (10/35 vs. 0/6, p=0.132). CONCLUSIONS: AF risk alleles
      on chromosome 4q25 modulated the risk of AF recurrence after PVI using second
      generation cryoballoons in patients with paroxysmal AF. Our study results
      suggested that non-PV foci might be the more likely mechanism of a high AF
      recurrence in chromosome 4q25 variant carriers.

PMID- 28637628
TI  - Dietary Habits and Psychosocial Outcomes in Women with Fibromyalgia.

PMID- 28637627
TI  - Pulmonary arterial resistance and compliance in preterm infants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is known to be associated with an increased risk of
      pulmonary arterial hypertension, although how preterm birth influences pulmonary
      hemodynamics has not been fully understood. Pulmonary arterial resistance (Rp)
      and compliance (Cp) are important factors to assess the pulmonary circulation.
      The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between Rp and Cp in
      preterm infants. METHODS: We performed cardiac catheterization in 96 infants (50
      males) with ventricular septal defect, and compared pulmonary hemodynamic
      parameters including Rp and Cp between preterm and full-term infants. RESULTS:
      Thirteen infants were preterm. There were no significant differences in sex, age,
      preoperative pulmonary arterial pressure, preoperative pulmonary-to-systemic flow
      ratio, and preoperative Rp between the 2 groups. However, preoperative Cp and
      resistor-capacitor (RC) time in preterm infants were significantly lower than
      those in full-term infants (2.1 vs 2.8mL/mmHg/m2 and 0.31 vs 0.36s, respectively;
      p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Postoperative systolic and mean pulmonary
      arterial pressures were higher in preterm infants than those in full-term infants
      (29 vs 25mmHg and 18 vs 14mmHg, respectively; both p<0.01). It was also observed
      that postoperative Cp was lower in preterm infants, although postoperative Rp
      remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that preterm infants with
      pulmonary arterial hypertension had lower Cp than full-term infants, causing a
      modest increase in pulmonary arterial pressure. It is important to consider the
      unique pulmonary vasculature characterized by lower Cp, when managing preterm
      infants with congenital heart disease.

PMID- 28637629
TI  - Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Framework for Consideration in Dietetics
      Education.

PMID- 28637630
TI  - Author's Response.

PMID- 28637631
TI  - Validity of a Digital Diet Estimation Method for Use with Preschool Children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The validity of using the Remote Food Photography Method (RFPM) for
      measuring food intake of minority preschool children's intake is not well
      documented. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the validity of intake
      estimations made by human raters using the RFPM compared with those obtained by
      weighing all foods and beverages consumed by 3- to 5-year-old children (weighed
      method). DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional observational study.
      PARTICIPANTS/SETTINGS: A convenience sample of 54 3- to 5-year-old Hispanic and
      African-American children were observed during a 12-hour period at Baylor
      Metabolic Research Unit between June 2013 and January 2014. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: All foods/beverages consumed by the children were provided by Baylor
      research coordinators who took and wirelessly transmitted before-and-after
      pictures of the trays to trained human raters at the Pennington Biomedical
      Research Center who estimated grams consumed. Energy and macronutrients were
      calculated using the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies or food facts
      data provided by manufacturers. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Paired t test, mean
      differences, and Bland-Altman limits of agreement were performed. RESULTS:
      Compared to the weighed method, the rater method significantly overestimated
      total intake by 34+/-71 g (P<0.0001), with a mean percent error of 2.9% (root
      mean square error=7.1%), and total energy intake by 75+/-102 kcal (P<0.0001),
      with a mean percent error of 7.5% (root mean square error=12.3%). The standard
      error for the macronutrient intakes ranged from 11.0% to 20.2%. The Bland-Altman
      approach demonstrated a positive slope for the rater method relative to the
      weighed method for total intake in grams (P=0.006), carbohydrate (P=0.01), and
      protein (P=0.01) (ie, magnitude of the bias increased with increasing intakes).
      CONCLUSIONS: The rater method overestimated total intake in grams and energy in
      kilocalories in minority preschool children in a well-controlled condition and
      needs to be further tested in a free-living environment.

PMID- 28637632
TI  - 'De-pathologising' the psychological responses to injury and pain.

PMID- 28637633
TI  - Physical activity correlates among people with psychosis: Data from 47 low- and
      middle-income countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with schizophrenia engage in low levels of physical activity
      (PA). However, few large-scale studies have investigated the factors that may
      influence PA participation in individuals with psychosis and data from low- and
      middle-income countries (LMICs) is especially scarce. Thus, we investigated PA
      correlates in a large sample of people with a psychosis diagnosis across 47
      LMICs. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the World Health Survey, restricting to
      those with a self-reported lifetime diagnosis of schizophrenia/psychotic
      disorder, was analyzed. PA was assessed by the International Physical Activity
      Questionnaire (IPAQ) and participants were dichotomized into those that do and do
      not (low PA) meet the minimum recommended PA weekly targets (>=150min). A range
      of socio-demographic, health behavior, and mental and physical health variables
      were examined using random effects logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall 2407
      people (mean 42.0years, 41.5% males) with schizophrenia/psychosis were included.
      The prevalence of low PA was 39.2% (95%CI=37.0%-41.2%). Male sex (odds ratio
      (OR)=1.33), increasing age, unemployment (vs. employed OR=2.50), urban setting
      (vs. rural OR=1.75), inadequate fruit consumption (vs. adequate fruit intake
      OR=3.03), depression (OR=1.33), sleep/energy disturbance, and mobility
      limitations were significantly associated with low PA. Marital status, education,
      wealth, smoking, vegetable and alcohol consumption, anxiety, cognition, pain, and
      chronic medical conditions were not significant correlates. CONCLUSION: PA is
      influenced by a range of factors among people with psychosis. These correlates
      should be considered in interventions aiming to facilitate PA in psychotic
      individuals living in LMICs.

PMID- 28637634
TI  - Optimization of food waste compost with the use of biochar.
AB  - This paper aims to examine the influence of biochar produced from lawn waste in
      accelerating the degradation and mineralization rates of food waste compost.
      Biochar produced at two different temperatures (350 and 450  degrees C) was
      applied at the rates 10 and 15% (w/w) of the total waste to an in-vessel compost
      bioreactor for evaluating its effects on food waste compost. The quality of
      compost was assessed against stabilization indices such as moisture contents
      (MC), electrical conductivity (EC), organic matters (OM) degradation, change in
      total carbon (TC) and mineral nitrogen contents such as ammonium (NH4+) and
      nitrate (NO3-). The use of biochar significantly improved the composting process
      and physiochemical properties of the final compost. Results showed that in
      comparison to control trial, biochar amended compost mixtures rapidly achieved
      the thermophilic temperature, increased the OM degradation by 14.4-15.3%,
      concentration of NH4+ by 37.8-45.6% and NO3- by 50-62%. The most prominent
      effects in term of achieving rapid thermophilic temperature and a higher
      concentration of NH4+ and NO3- were observed at 15% (w/w) biochar. According to
      compost quality standard of United States (US), California, Germany, and Austria,
      the compost stability as a result of biochar addition was achieved in 50-60 days.
      Nonetheless, the biochar produced at 450  degrees C had similar effects as to
      biochar produced at 350  degrees C for most of the compost parameters. Therefore,
      it is recommended to produce biochar at 350  degrees C to reduce the energy
      requirements for resource recovery of biomass and should be added at a
      concentration of 15% (w/w) to the compost bioreactor for achieving a stable
      compost.

PMID- 28637636
TI  - Epilepsy after cerebral infection: review of the literature and the potential for
      surgery.
AB  - The risk of unprovoked seizures in population-based cohorts of cerebral infection
      survivors is 7-8% in developed countries, rising to considerably higher rates in
      resource-poor countries. The main risk factors for epilepsy after cerebral
      infection, besides acute seizures, are infection-associated brain lesions and
      status epilepticus during the acute phase. Despite the high prevalence of
      pharmacoresistant epilepsies after cerebral infections, especially in patients
      with MRI-identifiable lesions, only a small minority undergoes epilepsy surgery.
      However, excellent surgical candidates are particularly those with a history of
      meningitis or encephalitis in early childhood, hippocampal sclerosis on MRI, as
      well as a history, seizure semiology, and EEG-findings compatible with the
      diagnosis of a mesial temporal lobe epilepsy syndrome. More challenging are
      patients with neocortical/extratemporal lobe epilepsies post cerebral infection.
      Finally, patients with a severe hemispheric injury with contralateral hemiparesis
      are candidates for hemispherectomy/hemispherotomy. This review attempts to shed
      some light on this frequent cause of symptomatic focal epilepsy, with an emphasis
      on the chances offered by epilepsy surgery.

PMID- 28637635
TI  - Stereotactic bilateral transfrontal minimal radiofrequency thermocoagulation of
      the amygdalohippocampal complex for bilateral medial temporal lobe epilepsy: a
      retrospective study of 12 patients.
AB  - Some patients with temporal lobe epilepsy have bilateral discharges and a few
      have bilateral medial temporal sclerosis. Stereotactic bilateral radiofrequency
      thermocoagulation (RFTC) of the amygdalohippocampal complex can terminate
      seizures or reduce seizure severity in patients with bilateral medial temporal
      lobe epilepsy (BMTLE). To explore the safety and efficacy of bilateral
      transfrontal minimal RFTC of the amygdalohippocampal complex for the treatment of
      BMTLE. A total of 12 BMTLE patients were treated with bilateral transfrontal
      minimal RFTC of the amygdalohippocampal complex under limited coagulations. The
      volumes of coagulated lesions were less than 0.6 cm3 Clinical outcomes were
      evaluated using Engel's classification, the Liverpool Seizure Severity Scale
      (LSSS) 2.0, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R), and Wechsler
      Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R). Quality of life (QOL) was evaluated using the 36
      item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Of the 12 patients, five (42%) were
      assessed as Engel Class I during 12-62 months of follow-up. LSSS scores declined
      sharply compared with the baseline of patients not in the seizure-free category.
      Functions of memory and intelligence declined transiently without statistical
      significance (p>0.05) immediately after surgery, but improved significantly
      (p<0.05) six months later. The qualities of life improved except vitality.
      Bilateral transfrontal minimal RFTC of the amygdalohippocampal complex may
      terminate seizures or reduce seizure severity in patients with BMTLE. Under
      limited coagulations, neuropsychological function was not affected but improved
      along with seizure control.

PMID- 28637637
TI  - Alternating hemiplegia of childhood and a pathogenic variant of ATP1A3: a case
      report and pathophysiological considerations.
AB  - We describe a case of a child suffering from alternating hemiplegia with a
      heterozygous p. E815K pathogenic variant of ATP1A3. The patient started to
      present abnormal eye movements in the first days of life, followed by the
      appearance at 2 months of dystonic episodes, and later on, by recurrent episodes
      of alternating hemiplegia more often on the right side. A severe epilepsy started
      at the age of 2 years with episodes of status epilepticus since the onset which
      frequently recurred, requiring admission to the intensive care unit. MRI showed
      bilateral mesial temporal sclerosis and a left-sided ischaemic lesion. Interictal
      EEG showed bilateral abnormalities, whereas postictal EEG after status
      epilepticus showed overt slowing on the left side, suggesting a predominant
      involvement of ictal activity of the left hemisphere. We hypothesize that in our
      patient, the left hemisphere might have been more prominently affected by the
      pathogenetic abnormalities underlying alternating hemiplegia of childhood,
      rendering it more prone to early ischaemic lesions and recurrent unilateral
      status epilepticus. We speculate whether alternating hemiplegia of childhood
      shares some common pathophysiological mechanisms with familial hemiplegic
      migraine that may be associated with a pathogenic variant of ATP1A2.

PMID- 28637638
TI  - The Gap in Medical Informatics and Continuing Education Between the United States
      and China: A Comparison of Conferences in 2016.
AB  - BACKGROUND: China launched its second health reform in 2010 with considerable
      investments in medical informatics (MI). However, to the best of our knowledge,
      research on the outcomes of this ambitious undertaking has been limited.
      OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to understand the development of MI and the state of
      continuing education in China and the United States from the perspective of
      conferences. METHODS: We conducted a quantitative and qualitative analysis of
      four MI conferences in China and two in the United States: China Medical
      Information Association Annual Symposium (CMIAAS), China Hospital Information
      Network Annual Conference (CHINC), China Health Information Technology Exchange
      Annual Conference (CHITEC), China Annual Proceeding of Medical Informatics (CPMI)
      versus the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) and Healthcare
      Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). The scale, composition, and
      regional distribution of attendees, topics, and research fields for each
      conference were summarized and compared. RESULTS: CMIAAS and CPMI are mainstream
      academic conferences, while CHINC and CHITEC are industry conferences in China.
      Compared to HIMSS 2016, the meeting duration of CHITEC was 3 versus 5 days, the
      number of conference sessions was 132 versus 950+, the number of attendees was
      5000 versus 40,000+, the number of vendors was 152 versus 1400+, the number of
      subforums was 12 versus 230, the number of preconference education symposiums and
      workshops was 0 versus 12, and the duration of preconference educational
      symposiums and workshops was 0 versus 1 day. Compared to AMIA, the meeting
      duration of Chinese CMIAAS was 2 versus 5 days, the number of conference sessions
      was 42 versus 110, the number of attendees was 200 versus 2500+, the number of
      vendors was 5 versus 75+, and the number of subforums was 4 versus 10. The number
      of preconference tutorials and working groups was 0 versus 29, and the duration
      of tutorials and working group was 0 versus 1.5 days. CONCLUSIONS: Given the size
      of the Chinese economy and the substantial investment in MI, the output in terms
      of conferences remains low. The impact of conferences on continuing education to
      professionals is not significant. Chinese researchers and professionals should
      approach MI with greater rigor, including validated research methods, formal
      training, and effective continuing education, in order to utilize knowledge
      gained by other countries and to expand collaboration.

PMID- 28637639
TI  - Wendy Burn: On Ilkley Moor with cats.

PMID- 28637640
TI  - Six members quit US presidential AIDS council as Trump "simply does not care".

PMID- 28637641
TI  - Five minutes with . . . Debbie Robson.

PMID- 28637642
TI  - Emergency department attendance following 4-component meningococcal B vaccination
      in infants.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In September 2015, the UK became the first country in the world to
      introduce the 4-component meningococcal B vaccine(4CMenB) into the routine
      vaccine schedule for infants. 4CMenB is known to cause fever in infants. Infants
      presenting with fever, particularly those under 3 months, have a significant risk
      of serious bacterial infection(SBI). METHOD: Between September 2015 and January
      2016, we performed a prospective audit of management of infants between 30 and
      180 days attending the regional paediatric emergency department(ED) in Northern
      Ireland, within 4 days of receiving 4CMenB. RESULTS: 35 ED attendances in infants
      aged 30-180 days were due to symptoms occurring after primary vaccinations
      including 4CMenB, representing an estimated 0.8% of the vaccinated population in
      the catchment area. 86% of infants presented after the first vaccine and parents
      reported giving paracetamol to 94% of infants. 80% of infants presented with
      fever. Blood tests were performed in 62% of infants and leucocytosis was present
      in 73%. All cultures taken were negative and 51% were admitted to hospital. 100%
      of final diagnoses were vaccine related (diagnosis made by exclusion).
      DISCUSSION: In this study, an estimated 0.8% of the vaccinated population in the
      catchment area attended ED with symptoms occurring after primary vaccinations
      including 4CMenB. Infants with fever have a higher risk of SBI, but infants with
      fever in the post-vaccination period may not have the same risk. Further data are
      essential to inform national guidelines on investigation and management of fever
      in infants following vaccination with 4CMenB, possibly incorporating a less
      invasive approach.

PMID- 28637643
TI  - Cancer and the limits of longevity.

PMID- 28637645
TI  - Doctors can act as advocates on health effects of poverty, says BMA.

PMID- 28637644
TI  - Does attendance at a specialist antenatal clinic improve clinical outcomes in
      women with class III obesity compared with standard care? A retrospective case
      note analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine whether attendance at a specialised multidisciplinary
      antenatal clinic for women with class III obesity (BMI >40 kg/m2) is associated
      with improved clinical outcomes compared with standard antenatal care. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort study using routinely collected data from electronic patient
      record. SETTING: Community and hospital based antenatal care. PARTICIPANTS: Women
      with a singleton pregnancy with class III obesity booked for antenatal care and
      delivered in one of two hospitals in NHS Lothian, Scotland, UK between 2008 and
      2014. Maternal and offspring outcomes were compared in women who attended a
      specialised obesity clinic (n=511) compared with standard antenatal care (n=502).
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Included stillbirth, low birth weight, gestational
      diabetes, induction of labour and caesarean section. RESULTS: Compared with
      standard care, women receiving specialist care were less likely to have a
      stillbirth (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.97) and a low birthweight baby (OR 0.57,
      95% CI 0.33 to 0.99) and more likely to be screened for (100% vs 73.6%; p<0.001)
      and diagnosed with (26.0% vs 12.5%; p<0.001) gestational diabetes, to require
      induction of labour (38.4% vs 29.9%; p=0.009), an elective (20.3% vs 17.7%;
      p<0.001) and emergency (23.9% vs 20.3%; p<0.001) caesarean section and attend
      antenatal triage one or more times during pregnancy (77.7% vs 53.1%; p<0.001).
      Women attending the specialist clinic had a higher BMI (44.5 kg/m2 (4.3) vs 43.2
      kg/m2 (3.1); p<0.001) and were more likely to be nulliparous (46.0% vs 24.9%;
      p<0.001). There were no other differences in maternal demographic or maternal and
      offspring outcomes between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Attendance at a specialised
      antenatal clinic for obesity is associated with reduced rates of stillbirth and
      low birth weight and improved detection of gestational diabetes. The improvement
      in clinical outcomes is associated with an increase in healthcare attendance to
      obstetric triage and clinical interventions including induction of labour and
      caesarean section.

PMID- 28637646
TI  - Author's reply to Dean.

PMID- 28637647
TI  - Chronic purulent nasal discharge.

PMID- 28637648
TI  - Are final year medical students ready to save lives in Italy? Not yet.

PMID- 28637649
TI  - Measuring the distribution of adolescent births among 15-19-year-olds in Chile:
      an ecological study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although within Latin America Chile has one of the lowest birth rates
      among adolescents, it has a high rate in comparison to other developed nations.
      AIM: To explore trends in birth rates among adolescents by selected demographics
      in Chile. METHODS: The national trend in birth rates was examined for women aged
      15-19 years between 1992 and 2012. The birth rates for regions and communes were
      calculated using birth and census data and were analysed to determine its
      relationship to the regional or communal poverty rate, which were obtained from
      the Casen Survey. Differences in educational attainment were explored among
      adolescents with first-order and second-order or higher births using the Chi
      square test. RESULTS: The birth rate among adolescents has experienced a 25%
      decline in the past 20 years. Cross-regional variance in birth rates could not be
      explained by poverty rates. Within the Metropolitan Region, there is a positive
      correlation between poverty and adolescent birth rates. Among adolescents giving
      birth, 67% had completed 10-12 years of school at birth, but there is a
      significant difference in educational attainment between girls with a first-order
      and those with a higher-order birth. CONCLUSIONS: In Chile, the adolescent birth
      rate varies greatly among regions and communes. This study found that urban and
      wealthy areas had lower birth rates than poor and rural ones, and that girls with
      a first-order birth had completed more years of school than girls with higher
      order births.

PMID- 28637650
TI  - Achalasia leading to diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.
AB  - A 50-year-old male with a 7 month history of progressive dysphagia to solids then
      subsequently to liquids. He underwent a diagnostic gastroscopy which was normal.
      A further barium swallow suggested achalasia. He was referred to a tertiary
      centre, where he underwent pH and manometry studies which confirmed a diagnosis
      of achalasia. He was referred for a laparoscopic cardiomyotomy, and at surgery
      there was a suspected tumour at the gastro-oesophageal junction. A follow-up
      endoscopy with biopsies was normal. Following this, a positron emission
      tomography scan showed T3 distal oesophageal cancer with no nodal involvement or
      distal metastasis. An attempt at oesophagectomy was performed, but at operation
      there was locally advanced carcinoma infiltrating the coeliac axis. He is
      currently undergoing palliative chemotherapy.

PMID- 28637651
TI  - Pivotal Role of O-GlcNAc Modification in Cold-Induced Thermogenesis by Brown
      Adipose Tissue Through Mitochondrial Biogenesis.
AB  - Adipose tissues considerably influence metabolic homeostasis, and both white
      (WAT) and brown (BAT) adipose tissue play significant roles in lipid and glucose
      metabolism. O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification is characterized
      by the addition of N-acetylglucosamine to various proteins by O-GlcNAc
      transferase (Ogt), subsequently modulating various cellular processes. However,
      little is known about the role of O-GlcNAc modification in adipose tissues. Here,
      we report the critical role of O-GlcNAc modification in cold-induced
      thermogenesis. Deletion of Ogt in WAT and BAT using adiponectin promoter-driven
      Cre recombinase resulted in severe cold intolerance with decreased uncoupling
      protein 1 (Ucp1) expression. Furthermore, Ogt deletion led to decreased
      mitochondrial protein expression in conjunction with decreased peroxisome
      proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha protein expression.
      This phenotype was further confirmed by deletion of Ogt in BAT using Ucp1
      promoter-driven Cre recombinase, suggesting that O-GlcNAc modification in BAT is
      responsible for cold-induced thermogenesis. Hypothermia was significant under
      fasting conditions. This effect was mitigated after normal diet consumption but
      not after consumption of a fatty acid-rich ketogenic diet lacking carbohydrates,
      suggesting impaired diet-induced thermogenesis, particularly by fat. In
      conclusion, O-GlcNAc modification is essential for cold-induced thermogenesis and
      mitochondrial biogenesis in BAT. Glucose flux into BAT may be a signal to
      maintain BAT physiological responses.

PMID- 28637652
TI  - GM-CSF- and M-CSF-primed macrophages present similar resolving but distinct
      inflammatory lipid mediator signatures.
AB  - M1 and M2 activated macrophages (Mphis) have different roles in inflammation.
      Because pathogens may first encounter resting cells, we investigated lipid
      mediator profiles prior to full activation. Human monocytes were differentiated
      with granulocyte Mphi colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or Mphi colony
      stimulating factor (M-CSF), which are known to prime toward M1 or M2 phenotypes,
      respectively. Lipid mediators released during resting conditions and produced in
      response to bacterial stimuli (LPS/N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine or
      peptidoglycan) were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. In
      resting conditions, both Mphi phenotypes released primarily proresolving lipid
      mediators (prostaglandin E2 metabolite, lipoxin A4, and 18
      hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid). A striking shift toward proinflammatory
      eicosanoids was observed when the same cells were exposed (30 min) to bacterial
      stimuli: M-CSF Mphis produced considerably more 5-lipoxygenase products,
      particularly leukotriene C4, potentially linked to M2 functions in asthma.
      Prostaglandins were formed by both Mphi types. In the M-CSF cells, there was also
      an enhanced release of arachidonic acid and activation of cytosolic phospholipase
      A2 However, GM-CSF cells expressed higher levels of 5-lipoxygenase and 5
      lipoxygenase-activating protein, and in ionophore incubations these cells also
      produced the highest levels of 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid. In summary, GM-CSF
      and M-CSF Mphis displayed similar proresolving lipid mediator formation in
      resting conditions but shifted toward different proinflammatory eicosanoids upon
      bacterial stimuli. This demonstrates that preference for specific eicosanoid
      pathways is primed by CSFs before full M1/M2 activation.-Lukic, A., Larssen, P.,
      Fauland, A., Samuelsson, B., Wheelock, C. E., Gabrielsson, S., Radmark, O. GM-CSF
      and M-CSF-primed macrophages present similar resolving but distinct inflammatory
      lipid mediator signatures.

PMID- 28637654
TI  - Implementation of Instrument-Based Vision Screening for Preschool-Age Children in
      Primary Care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vision screening is an essential element of well-child care for young
      children. Recently, several professional groups have recommended the use of
      instrument-based screening; however, studies demonstrating the effectiveness of
      this technique in pediatric primary care settings are lacking. METHODS: We
      designed a cluster randomized quality improvement project to test the
      implementation of instrument-based vision screening for 3- to 5-year-old children
      within a pediatric primary care network. The program consisted of 12 pediatric
      practices randomized into phase 1 and phase 2 groups. We evaluated the effect of
      the intervention on completed vision screening at well-child visits, family
      satisfaction, and referrals to eye care specialists. RESULTS: Instrument-based
      vision screening increased completed screening among 3- to 5-year-old children
      from 54% to 89% in the phase 1 group and from 65% to 92% in the phase 2 group.
      Improvement was most marked among 3-year-old children, with completed screening
      increasing from 39% with chart-based screening to 87% with instrument screening.
      Family satisfaction was higher with instrument screening. In addition, instrument
      screening was associated with a 15% reduction in referrals to eye care
      specialists. CONCLUSIONS: Instrument-based vision screening for preschool-aged
      children can be effectively implemented into primary care practice, results in
      substantially improved rates of completed vision screening at well-child visits,
      and may result in a reduction in unnecessary referrals to eye care specialists.
      Additional research is needed regarding how best to overcome barriers to the
      widespread use of this technology in pediatric primary care settings, as well as
      its longer-term effect on referrals and the prevalence of amblyopia.

PMID- 28637653
TI  - The Prognostic Value of Fasting Plasma Glucose, Two-Hour Postload Glucose, and
      HbA1c in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Report From EUROASPIRE IV: A
      Survey From the European Society of Cardiology.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Three tests are recommended for identifying dysglycemia: fasting
      glucose (FPG), 2-h postload glucose (2h-PG) from an oral glucose tolerance test
      (OGTT), and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). This study explored the prognostic
      value of these screening tests in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: FPG, 2h-PG, and HbA1c were used to screen 4,004 CAD
      patients without a history of diabetes (age 18-80 years) for dysglycemia. The
      prognostic value of these tests was studied after 2 years of follow-up. The
      primary end point included cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial
      infarction, stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure and a secondary end
      point of incident diabetes. RESULTS: Complete information including all three
      glycemic parameters was available in 3,775 patients (94.3%), of whom 246 (6.5%)
      experienced the primary end point. Neither FPG nor HbA1c predicted the primary
      outcome, whereas the 2h-PG, dichotomized as <7.8 vs. >=7.8 mmol/L, was a
      significant predictor (hazard ratio 1.38, 95% CI 1.07-1.78; P = 0.01). During
      follow-up, diabetes developed in 78 of the 2,609 patients (3.0%) without diabetes
      at baseline. An FPG between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/L did not predict incident diabetes,
      whereas HbA1c 5.7-6.5% and 2h-PG 7.8-11.0 mmol/L were both significant
      independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: The 2h-PG, in contrast to FPG and HbA1c,
      provides significant prognostic information regarding cardiovascular events in
      patients with CAD. Furthermore, elevated 2h-PG and HbA1c are significant
      prognostic indicators of an increased risk of incident diabetes.

PMID- 28637655
TI  - Elimination Communication: Diaper-Free in America.

PMID- 28637656
TI  - Benchmarking life expectancy and cancer mortality: global comparison with
      cardiovascular disease 1981-2010.
AB  - Objective To quantify the impact of cancer (all cancers combined and major sites)
      compared with cardiovascular disease (CVD) on longevity worldwide during 1981
      2010.Design Retrospective demographic analysis using aggregated data.Setting
      National civil registration systems in member states of the World Health
      Organization.Participants 52 populations with moderate to high quality data on
      cause specific mortality.Main outcome measures Disease specific contributions to
      changes in life expectancy in ages 40-84 (LE40-84) over time in populations
      grouped by two levels of Human Development Index (HDI) values.Results Declining
      CVD mortality rates during 1981-2010 contributed to, on average, over half of the
      gains in LE40-84; the corresponding gains were 2.3 (men) and 1.7 (women) years,
      and 0.5 (men) and 0.8 (women) years in very high and medium and high HDI
      populations, respectively. Declines in cancer mortality rates contributed to, on
      average, 20% of the gains in LE40-84, or 0.8 (men) and 0.5 (women) years in very
      high HDI populations, and to over 10% or 0.2 years (both sexes) in medium and
      high HDI populations. Declining lung cancer mortality rates brought about the
      largest LE40-84 gain in men in very high HDI populations (up to 0.7 years in the
      Netherlands), whereas in medium and high HDI populations its contribution was
      smaller yet still positive. Among women, declines in breast cancer mortality
      rates were largely responsible for the improvement in longevity, particularly
      among very high HDI populations (up to 0.3 years in the United Kingdom). In
      contrast, losses in LE40-84 were observed in many medium and high HDI populations
      as a result of increasing breast cancer mortality rates.Conclusions The control
      of CVD has led to substantial gains in LE40-84 worldwide. The inequality in
      improvement in longevity attributed to declining cancer mortality rates reflects
      inequities in implementation of cancer control, particularly in less resourced
      populations and in women. Global actions are needed to revitalize efforts for
      cancer control, with a specific focus on less resourced countries.

PMID- 28637657
TI  - Seasonal factors influence quantal transmitter release and calcium dependence at
      amphibian neuromuscular junctions.
AB  - Amphibian neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are composed of hundreds of
      neurotransmitter release sites that exhibit nonuniform transmitter release
      probabilities and demonstrated seasonal modulation. We examined whether
      recruitment of release sites is variable when the extracellular calcium
      concentration ([Ca2+]o) is increased in the wet and dry seasons. The amount of
      transmitter released from the entire nerve terminal increases by approximately
      the fourth power as [Ca2+]o is increased. Toad (Bufo marinus) NMJs were
      visualized using 3,3'-diethyloxardicarbocyanine iodide [DiOC2(5)] fluorescence,
      and focal loose patch extracellular recordings were used to record the end-plate
      currents (EPCs) from small groups of release sites. Quantal content (me ),
      average probability of quantal release (pe ), and the number of active release
      sites (ne ) were determined for different [Ca2+]o Our results indicated that the
      recruitment of quantal release sites with increasing [Ca2+]o differs spatially
      (between different groups of release sites) and also temporally (in different
      seasons). These differences were reflected by the nonuniform alterations in pe
      and ne Most release site groups demonstrated an increase in both pe and ne when
      [Ca2+]o increased. In ~30% of release site groups examined, pe decreased while ne
      increased only during the active period (wet season). Although the dry season
      induced parallel right shift in the quantal release versus extracellular calcium
      concentration when compared with the wet season, the dependence of quantal
      content on [Ca2+]o was not changed. These results demonstrate the flexibility,
      reserve, and adaptive capacity of neuromuscular junctions in maintaining
      appropriate levels of neurotransmission.

PMID- 28637658
TI  - Decreased myoblast differentiation in chronic binge alcohol-administered simian
      immunodeficiency virus-infected male macaques: role of decreased miR-206.
AB  - Skeletal muscle stem cells play a critical role in regeneration of myofibers. We
      previously demonstrated that chronic binge alcohol (CBA) markedly attenuates
      myoblast differentiation potential and myogenic gene expression. Muscle-specific
      microRNAs (miRs) are implicated in regulation of myogenic genes. The aim of this
      study was to determine whether myoblasts isolated from asymptomatic CBA
      administered simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques treated with
      antiretroviral therapy (ART) showed similar impairments and, if so, to elucidate
      potential underlying mechanisms. Myoblasts were isolated from muscle at 11 mo
      after SIV infection from CBA/SIV macaques and from time-matched sucrose (SUC)
      treated SIV-infected (SUC/SIV) animals and age-matched controls. Myoblast
      differentiation and myogenic gene expression were significantly decreased in
      myoblasts from SUC/SIV and CBA/SIV animals compared with controls. SIV and CBA
      decreased muscle-specific miR-206 in plasma and muscle and SIV decreased miR-206
      expression in myoblasts, with no statistically significant changes in other
      muscle-specific miRs. These findings were associated with a significant increase
      in histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) and decrease in myogenic enhancer factor 2C
      (MEF2C) expression in CBA/SIV muscle. Transfection with miR-206 inhibitor
      decreased myotube differentiation, increased expression of HDAC4, and decreased
      MEF2C, suggesting a critical role of miR-206 in myogenesis. Moreover, HDAC4 was
      confirmed to be a direct miR-206 target. These results support a mechanistic role
      for decreased miR-206 in suppression of myoblast differentiation resulting from
      chronic alcohol and SIV infection. The parallel changes in skeletal muscle and
      circulating levels of miR-206 warrant studies to establish the possible use of
      plasma miR-206 as an indicator of impaired muscle function.

PMID- 28637659
TI  - Enduring effects of perinatal nicotine exposure on murine sleep in adulthood.
AB  - The long-term consequences of early life nicotine exposure are poorly defined.
      Approximately 8-10% of women report smoking during pregnancy, and this may
      promote aberrant development in the offspring. To this end, we investigated
      potential enduring effects of perinatal nicotine exposure on murine sleep and
      affective behaviors in adulthood (~13-15 wk of age) in C57Bl6j mice. Mothers
      received a water bottle containing 200 ug/ml nicotine bitartrate dihydrate in 2%
      wt/vol saccharin or pH-matched 2% saccharin with 0.2% (vol/vol) tartaric acid
      throughout pregnancy and before weaning. Upon reaching adulthood, offspring were
      tested in the open field and elevated plus maze, as well as the forced swim and
      sucrose anhedonia tests. Nicotine-exposed male (but not female) mice had reduced
      mobility in the open field, but no differences were observed in anxiety-like or
      depressive-like responses. Upon observing this male-specific phenotype, we
      further assessed sleep-wake states via wireless EEG/EMG telemetry. Following
      baseline recording, we assessed whether mice exposed to nicotine altered their
      homeostatic response to 5 h of total sleep deprivation and whether nicotine
      influenced responses to a powerful somnogen [i.e., lipopolysaccharides (LPS)].
      Males exposed to perinatal nicotine decreased the percent time spent awake and
      increased time in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, without changes to REM
      sleep. Nicotine-exposed males also displayed exaggerated responses (increased
      time asleep and NREM spectral power) to sleep deprivation. Nicotine-exposed
      animals additionally had blunted EEG slow-wave responses to LPS administration.
      Together, our data suggest that perinatal nicotine exposure has long-lasting
      effects on normal sleep and homeostatic sleep processes into adulthood.

PMID- 28637660
TI  - Interleukin-33 induces growth-regulated oncogene-alpha expression and secretion
      in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
AB  - Although interleukin-33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 cytokine family, plays
      proinflammatory roles in immune cells as an "alarmin," little is known regarding
      the biological actions of IL-33 on vascular endothelial cells. To investigate the
      effects of IL-33 on vascular endothelial cells, we first screened the IL-33
      regulated proteins in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) using a dot
      blot array and observed that IL-33 markedly increased growth-regulated oncogene
      alpha (GRO-alpha), a chemokine that is also known as chemokine (C-X-C motif)
      ligand 1 (CXCL1). Real-time reverse transcription PCR and ELISA demonstrated that
      IL-33 induced GRO-alpha expression and secretion in HUVECs in a dose- and a time
      dependent manner. Western immunoblot assay revealed that IL-33 activated the
      phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun
      NH2-terminal kinase (JNK). In addition, translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB
      (NF-kappaB) p65 to the nucleus of HUVECs was observed by IL-33 stimulation.
      Furthermore, treatment with pharmacological inhibitors against ERK1/2 (PD98059),
      JNK (SP600125), or NF-kappaB (BAY11-7085) significantly suppressed IL-33-induced
      GRO-alpha gene expression and secretion from HUVECs. Moreover,
      immunohistochemical staining demonstrated that IL-33 and GRO-alpha coexpressed in
      the endothelium of human carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Taken together, the
      present study indicates that IL-33 localized in the human atherosclerotic plaque
      increases GRO-alpha mRNA expression and protein secretion via activation of
      ERK1/2, JNK, and NF-kappaB in HUVECs, suggesting that IL-33 plays an important
      role in the pathophysiology and development of atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28637661
TI  - The full transforming capacity of MLL-Af4 is interlinked with lymphoid lineage
      commitment.
AB  - Chromosome rearrangements involving the mixed-lineage leukemia gene (MLL) create
      MLL-fusion proteins, which could drive both acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
      and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The lineage decision of MLL-fusion leukemia is
      influenced by the fusion partner and microenvironment. To investigate the
      interplay of fusion proteins and microenvironment in lineage choice, we
      transplanted human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) expressing MLL
      AF9 or MLL-Af4 into immunodeficient NSGS mice, which strongly promote myeloid
      development. Cells expressing MLL-AF9 efficiently developed AML in NSGS mice. In
      contrast, MLL-Af4 cells, which were fully oncogenic under lymphoid conditions
      present in NSG mice, displayed compromised transformation capacity in a myeloid
      microenvironment. MLL-Af4 activated a self-renewal program in a lineage-dependent
      manner, showing the leukemogenic activity of MLL-Af4 was interlinked with
      lymphoid lineage commitment. The C-terminal homology domain (CHD) of Af4 was
      sufficient to confer this linkage. Although the MLL-CHD fusion protein failed to
      immortalize HSPCs in myeloid conditions in vitro, it could successfully induce
      ALL in NSG mice. Our data suggest that defective self-renewal ability and
      leukemogenesis of MLL-Af4 myeloid cells could contribute to the strong B-cell ALL
      association of MLL-AF4 leukemia observed in the clinic.

PMID- 28637663
TI  - NY-ESO-1 TCR single edited stem and central memory T cells to treat multiple
      myeloma without graft-versus-host disease.
AB  - Transfer of T-cell receptors (TCRs) specific for tumor-associated antigens is a
      promising approach for cancer immunotherapy. We developed the TCR gene editing
      technology that is based on the knockout of the endogenous TCR alpha and beta
      genes, followed by the introduction of tumor-specific TCR genes, and that proved
      safer and more effective than conventional TCR gene transfer. Although
      successful, complete editing requires extensive cell manipulation and 4
      transduction procedures. Here we propose a novel and clinically feasible TCR
      "single editing" (SE) approach, based on the disruption of the endogenous TCR
      alpha chain only, followed by the transfer of genes encoding for a tumor-specific
      TCR. We validated SE with the clinical grade HLA-A2 restricted NY-ESO-1157-165
      specific TCR. SE allowed the rapid production of high numbers of tumor-specific T
      cells, with optimal TCR expression and preferential stem memory and central
      memory phenotype. Similarly to unedited T cells redirected by TCR gene transfer
      (TCR transferred [TR]), SE T cells efficiently killed NY-ESO-1pos targets;
      however, although TR cells proved highly alloreactive, SE cells showed a
      favorable safety profile. Accordingly, when infused in NSG mice previously
      engrafted with myeloma, SE cells mediated tumor rejection without inducing
      xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease, thus resulting in significantly higher
      survival than that observed in mice treated with TR cells. Overall, single TCR
      gene editing represents a clinically feasible approach that is able to increase
      the safety and efficacy of cancer adoptive immunotherapy.

PMID- 28637662
TI  - Daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed and/or refractory
      multiple myeloma.
AB  - Daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (pom-dex) was evaluated in
      patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma with >=2 prior lines of
      therapy who were refractory to their last treatment. Patients received
      daratumumab 16 mg/kg at the recommended dosing schedule, pomalidomide 4 mg daily
      for 21 days of each 28-day cycle, and dexamethasone 40 mg weekly. Safety was the
      primary end point. Overall response rate (ORR) and minimal residual disease (MRD)
      by next-generation sequencing were secondary end points. Patients (N = 103)
      received a median (range) of 4 (1-13) prior therapies; 76% received >=3 prior
      therapies. The safety profile of daratumumab plus pom-dex was similar to that of
      pom-dex alone, with the exception of daratumumab-specific infusion-related
      reactions (50%) and a higher incidence of neutropenia, although without an
      increase in infection rate. Common grade >=3 adverse events were neutropenia
      (78%), anemia (28%), and leukopenia (24%). ORR was 60% and was generally
      consistent across subgroups (58% in double-refractory patients). Among patients
      with a complete response or better, 29% were MRD negative at a threshold of 10-5
      Among the 62 responders, median duration of response was not estimable (NE; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 13.6-NE). At a median follow-up of 13.1 months, the
      median progression-free survival was 8.8 (95% CI, 4.6-15.4) months and median
      overall survival was 17.5 (95% CI, 13.3-NE) months. The estimated 12-month
      survival rate was 66% (95% CI, 55.6-74.8). Aside from increased neutropenia, the
      safety profile of daratumumab plus pom-dex was consistent with that of the
      individual therapies. Deep, durable responses were observed in heavily treated
      patients. The study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01998971.

PMID- 28637665
TI  - Hmga2 promotes the development of myelofibrosis in Jak2V617F knockin mice by
      enhancing TGF-beta1 and Cxcl12 pathways.
AB  - Myelofibrosis (MF) is a devastating blood disorder. The JAK2V617F mutation has
      been detected in ~50% cases of MF. Elevated expression of high-mobility group AT
      hook 2 (HMGA2) has also been frequently observed in patients with MF.
      Interestingly, upregulation of HMGA2 expression has been found in association
      with the JAK2V617F mutation in significant cases of MF. However, the contribution
      of HMGA2 in the pathogenesis of MF remains elusive. To determine the effects of
      concurrent expression of HMGA2 and JAK2V617F mutation in hematopoiesis, we
      transduced bone marrow cells from Jak2V617F knockin mice with lentivirus
      expressing Hmga2 and performed bone marrow transplantation. Expression of Hmga2
      enhanced megakaryopoiesis, increased extramedullary hematopoiesis, and
      accelerated the development of MF in mice expressing Jak2V617F Mechanistically,
      the data show that expression of Hmga2 enhances the activation of transforming
      growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and Cxcl12 pathways in mice expressing Jak2V617F
      In addition, expression of Hmga2 causes upregulation of Fzd2, Ifi27l2a, and TGF
      beta receptor 2. Forced expression of Cxcl12, Fzd2, or Ifi27l2a increases
      megakaryocytic differentiation and proliferation in the bone marrow of Jak2V617F
      mice, whereas TGF-beta1 or Cxcl12 stimulation induces collagen deposition in the
      bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. Together, these findings demonstrate that
      expression of Hmga2 cooperates with Jak2V617F in the pathogenesis of MF.

PMID- 28637664
TI  - Expanded repertoire of RASGRP2 variants responsible for platelet dysfunction and
      severe bleeding.
AB  - Heritable platelet function disorders (PFDs) are genetically heterogeneous and
      poorly characterized. Pathogenic variants in RASGRP2, which encodes calcium and
      diacylglycerol-regulated guanine exchange factor I (CalDAG-GEFI), have been
      reported previously in 3 pedigrees with bleeding and reduced platelet aggregation
      responses. To better define the phenotype associated with pathogenic RASGRP2
      variants, we compared high-throughput sequencing and phenotype data from 2042
      cases in pedigrees with unexplained bleeding or platelet disorders to data from
      5422 controls. Eleven cases harbored 11 different, previously unreported RASGRP2
      variants that were biallelic and likely pathogenic. The variants included 5 high
      impact variants predicted to prevent CalDAG-GEFI expression and 6 missense
      variants affecting the CalDAG-GEFI CDC25 domain, which mediates Rap1 activation
      during platelet inside-out alphaIIbbeta3 signaling. Cases with biallelic RASGRP2
      variants had abnormal mucocutaneous, surgical, and dental bleeding from
      childhood, requiring >=1 blood or platelet transfusion in 78% of cases. Platelets
      displayed reduced aggregation in response to adenosine 5'-diphosphate and
      epinephrine, but variable aggregation defects with other agonists. There were no
      other consistent clinical or laboratory features. These data enable definition of
      human CalDAG-GEFI deficiency as a nonsyndromic, recessive PFD associated with a
      moderate or severe bleeding phenotype and complex defects in platelet
      aggregation.

PMID- 28637667
TI  - Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.
AB  - Thrombocytopenia develops in 5% to 10% of women during pregnancy or in the
      immediate postpartum period. A low platelet count is often an incidental feature,
      but it might also provide a biomarker of a coexisting systemic or gestational
      disorder and a potential reason for a maternal intervention or treatment that
      might pose harm to the fetus. This chapter reflects our approach to these issues
      with an emphasis on advances made over the past 5 to 10 years in understanding
      and managing the more common causes of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy. Recent
      trends in the management of immune thrombocytopenia translate into more women
      contemplating pregnancy while on treatment with thrombopoietin receptor agonists,
      rituximab, or mycophenylate, which pose known or unknown risks to the fetus. New
      criteria to diagnose preeclampsia, judicious reliance on measurement of ADAMTS13
      to make management decisions in suspected thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura,
      new evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of anticomplement therapy for
      atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome during pregnancy, and implications of
      thrombotic microangiopathies for subsequent pregnancies are evolving rapidly. The
      goals of the chapter are to help the hematology consultant work through the
      differential diagnosis of thrombocytopenia in pregnancy based on trimester of
      presentation, severity of thrombocytopenia, and coincident clinical and
      laboratory manifestations, and to provide guidance for dealing with some of the
      more common and difficult diagnostic and management decisions.

PMID- 28637666
TI  - NR4A orphan nuclear receptor family members, NR4A2 and NR4A3, regulate neutrophil
      number and survival.
AB  - The lifespan of neutrophils is plastic and highly responsive to factors that
      regulate cellular survival. Defects in neutrophil number and survival are common
      to both hematologic disorders and chronic inflammatory diseases. At sites of
      inflammation, neutrophils respond to multiple signals that activate protein
      kinase A (PKA) signaling, which positively regulates neutrophil survival. The aim
      of this study was to define transcriptional responses to PKA activation and to
      delineate the roles of these factors in neutrophil function and survival. In
      human neutrophil gene array studies, we show that PKA activation upregulates a
      significant number of apoptosis-related genes, the most highly regulated of these
      being NR4A2 and NR4A3 Direct PKA activation by the site-selective PKA agonist
      pair N6/8-AHA (8-AHA-cAMP and N6-MB-cAMP) and treatment with endogenous
      activators of PKA, including adenosine and prostaglandin E2, results in a
      profound delay of neutrophil apoptosis and concomitant upregulation of NR4A2/3 in
      a PKA-dependent manner. NR4A3 expression is also increased at sites of
      neutrophilic inflammation in a human model of intradermal inflammation. PKA
      activation also promotes survival of murine neutrophil progenitor cells, and
      small interfering RNA to NR4A2 decreases neutrophil production in this model.
      Antisense knockdown of NR4A2 and NR4A3 homologs in zebrafish larvae significantly
      reduces the absolute neutrophil number without affecting cellular migration. In
      summary, we show that NR4A2 and NR4A3 are components of a downstream
      transcriptional response to PKA activation in the neutrophil, and that they
      positively regulate neutrophil survival and homeostasis.

PMID- 28637669
TI  - High rise living after Grenfell.

PMID- 28637668
TI  - Approaches to assessing shoulder pain.

PMID- 28637671
TI  - Are new hepatitis C drugs all they're cracked up to be?

PMID- 28637670
TI  - A randomised, double-blind trial to demonstrate bioequivalence of GP2013 and
      reference rituximab combined with methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid
      arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this report is to demonstrate pharmacokinetic (PK) and
      pharmacodynamic (PD) equivalence as well as similar efficacy, safety and
      immunogenicity between GP2013, a biosimilar rituximab, and innovator rituximab
      (RTX) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with inadequate response or
      intolerance to tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment. METHODS: In
      this multinational, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group study, 312 patients
      with active disease despite prior TNFi therapy were randomised to receive GP2013
      or either the EU (RTX-EU) or the US (RTX-US) reference product, along with
      methotrexate (MTX) and folic acid. The primary endpoint was the area under the
      serum concentration-time curve from study drug infusion to infinity (AUC0-inf).
      Additional PK and PD parameters, along with efficacy, immunogenicity and safety
      outcomes were also assessed up to week 24. RESULTS: The 90% CI of the geometric
      mean ratio of the AUCs were within the bioequivalence limits of 80% to 125% for
      all three comparisons; GP2013 versus RTX-EU: 1.106 (90% CI 1.010 to 1.210);
      GP2013 versus RTX-US: 1.012 (90% CI 0.925 to 1.108); and RTX-EU versus RTX-US:
      1.093 (90% CI 0.989 to 1.208). Three-way PD equivalence of B cell depletion was
      also demonstrated. Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity profiles were similar
      between GP2013 and RTX. CONCLUSIONS: Three-way PK/PD equivalence of GP2013, RTX
      EU and RTX-US was demonstrated. Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity profiles were
      similar between GP2013 and RTX. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01274182; Results.

PMID- 28637673
TI  - Lipopolysaccharide downregulates macrophage-derived IL-22 to modulate alcohol
      induced hepatocyte cell death.
AB  - Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a Th17 cell hepatoprotective cytokine that is
      undergoing clinical trials to treat patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH).
      Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation of macrophage is implicated in hepatocyte
      cell death and pathogenesis of AH. The role of IL-22 production from macrophage,
      its regulation by LPS, and effects on alcohol-induced hepatocyte cell death are
      unexplored and were examined in this study. Low levels of IL-22 mRNA/protein were
      detected in macrophage but were significantly upregulated by 6.5-fold in response
      to the tissue reparative cytokine IL-10. Conversely, LPS significantly decreased
      IL-22 mRNA levels in a temporal and concentration-dependent manner with a maximum
      reduction of 5-fold. LPS downregulation of IL-22 mRNA levels was rescued in the
      presence of a pharmacological inhibitor of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and by
      JNK knockdown. Next, we explored whether macrophage-derived IL-22 regulated
      ethanol-induced hepatocyte death. Conditioned media from IL-10-stimulated
      macrophages attenuated ethanol-induced hepatocyte caspase-3/7 activity, and
      apoptosis as assessed by fluorometric assay and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end
      labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. This effect was diminished in
      conditioned media from macrophages with IL-22 knockdown. Cytokine analysis in
      sera samples of patients with AH revealed that IL-22 levels were significantly
      elevated compared with healthy controls and heavy-drinking controls, implying a
      state of IL-22 resistance in human AH. Macrophage-derived IL-22 protects
      hepatocytes from ethanol-induced cell death. IL-22 downregulation is a new
      regulatory target of LPS in the pathogenesis of AH.

PMID- 28637676
TI  - S-nitrosylation/denitrosylation regulates myoblast proliferation. Focus on
      "Balance between S-nitrosylation and denitrosylation modulates myoblast
      proliferation independently of soluble guanylyl cyclase activation".

PMID- 28637675
TI  - Structure/functional aspects of the human riboflavin transporter-3 (SLC52A3):
      role of the predicted glycosylation and substrate-interacting sites.
AB  - The human riboflavin (RF) transporter-3 (hRFVT-3; product of the SLC52A3 gene)
      plays an essential role in the intestinal RF absorption process and is expressed
      exclusively at the apical membrane domain of polarized enterocytes. Previous
      studies have characterized different physiological/biological aspects of this
      transporter, but nothing is known about the glycosylation status of the hRFVT-3
      protein and role of this modification in its physiology/biology. Additionally,
      little is known about the residues in the hRFVT-3 protein that interact with the
      ligand, RF. We addressed these issues using appropriate biochemical/molecular
      approaches, a protein-docking model, and established intestinal/renal epithelial
      cells. Our results showed that the hRFVT-3 protein is glycosylated and that
      glycosylation is important for its function. Mutating the predicted N
      glycosylation sites at Asn94 and Asn168 led to a significant decrease in RF
      uptake; it also led to a marked intracellular (in the endoplasmic reticulum, ER)
      retention of the mutated proteins as shown by live-cell confocal imaging studies.
      The protein-docking model used in this study has identified a number of putative
      substrate-interacting sites: Ser16, Ile20, Trp24, Phe142, Thr314, and Asn315
      Mutating these potential interacting sites was indeed found to lead to a
      significant inhibition in RF uptake and to intracellular (ER) retention of the
      mutated proteins (except for the Phe142 mutant). These results demonstrate that
      the hRFVT-3 protein is glycosylated and this glycosylation is important for its
      function and cell surface expression. This study also identified a number of
      residues in the hRFVT-3 polypeptide that are important for its function/cell
      surface expression.

PMID- 28637677
TI  - Is FoxO1 the culprit, partner in crime, or a protector in systemic inflammation?

PMID- 28637674
TI  - Oxidative stress destabilizes protein arginine methyltransferase 4 via glycogen
      synthase kinase 3beta to impede lung epithelial cell migration.
AB  - Oxidative stress impacts normal cellular function leading to the pathogenesis of
      various diseases including pulmonary illnesses. Protein arginine
      methyltransferase 4 (PRMT4) is critical for normal lung alveolar epithelial cell
      development; however, the regulation of PRMT4 within such pulmonary diseases has
      yet to be elucidated. Using biochemical approaches, we uncovered that peroxide
      (H2O2) treatment decreases PRMT4 protein stability in murine lung epithelial
      (MLE12) cells to impede cell migration. Protein kinase glycogen synthase kinase
      3beta (GSK-3beta) interacts with PRMT4 and catalyzes PRMT4 T132 phosphorylation
      that protects PRMT4 from ubiquitin proteasomal degradation. H2O2 downregulates
      GSK-3beta to reduce PRMT4 at protein level. PRMT4 promotes cell migration and
      H2O2 degrades PRMT4 to inhibit lung epithelial cell migration. These observations
      demonstrate that oxidative stress destabilizes PRMT4 via GSK-3beta signaling to
      impede lung epithelial cell migration that may hinder the lung repair and
      regeneration process.

PMID- 28637678
TI  - Regulation of the unfolded protein response by noncoding RNA.
AB  - Cells are exposed to various intrinsic and extrinsic stresses in both
      physiological and pathological conditions. To adapt to those conditions, cells
      have evolved various mechanisms to cope with the disturbances in protein demand,
      largely through the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the endoplasmic reticulum
      (ER), but also through the integrated stress response (ISR). Both responses
      initiate downstream signaling to transcription factors that, in turn, trigger
      adaptive programs and/or in the case of prolonged stress, cell death mechanisms.
      Recently, noncoding RNAs, including microRNA and long noncoding RNA, have emerged
      as key players in the stress responses. These noncoding RNAs act as both
      regulators and effectors of the UPR and fine-tune the output of the stress
      signaling pathways. Although much is known about the UPR and the cross talk that
      exists between pathways, the contribution of small noncoding RNA has not been
      fully assessed. Herein we bring together and review the current known functions
      of noncoding RNA in regulating adaptive pathways in both physiological and
      pathophysiological conditions, illustrating how they operate within the known UPR
      functions and contribute to diverse cellular outcomes.

PMID- 28637680
TI  - Myoendothelial gap junctions mediate regulation of angiopoietin-2-induced
      vascular hyporeactivity after hypoxia through connexin 43-gated cAMP transfer.
AB  - Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) contributes to vascular hyporeactivity after hemorrhagic
      shock and hypoxia through upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)
      in a vascular endothelial cell (VEC)-specific and Ang-2/Tie2 receptor-dependent
      manner. While iNOS is primarily expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells
      (VSMCs), the mechanisms of signal transfer from VECs to VSMCs are unknown. A
      double-sided coculture model with VECs and VSMCs from Sprague-Dawley rats was
      used to investigate the role of myoendothelial gap junctions (MEGJs), the
      connexin (Cx) isoforms involved, and other relevant mechanisms. After hypoxia,
      VSMCs treated with exogenous Ang-2 showed increased iNOS expression and
      hyporeactivity, as well as MEGJ formation and communication. These Ang-2 effects
      were suppressed by the MEGJ inhibitor 18alpha-glycyrrhetic acid (18-GA), Tie2
      siRNA, or Cx43 siRNA. Reagents antagonizing cAMP or protein kinase A (PKA) in
      VECs inhibited Cx43 expression in MEGJs, decreasing MEGJ formation and associated
      communication, after hypoxia following Ang-2 treatment. The increased cAMP levels
      in VSMCs and transfer of Alexa Fluor 488-labeled cAMP from VECs to VSMCs, after
      hypoxia following Ang-2 treatment, was antagonized by Cx43 siRNA. A cAMP
      antagonist added to VECs or VSMCs inhibited both increased iNOS expression and
      hyporeactivity in VSMCs subjected to hypoxia following Ang-2 treatment. Based on
      these findings, we propose that Cx43 was the Cx isoform involved in MEGJ-mediated
      VEC-dependent regulation of Ang-2, which induces iNOS protein expression and
      vascular hyporeactivity after hypoxia. Cx43 was upregulated by cAMP and PKA,
      permitting cAMP transfer between cells.

PMID- 28637679
TI  - Characterization of ectonucleotidase expression in the rat carotid body:
      regulation by chronic hypoxia.
AB  - The carotid body (CB) chemoreflex maintains blood Po2 and Pco2/H+ homeostasis and
      displays sensory plasticity during exposure to chronic hypoxia. Purinergic
      signaling via P1 and P2 receptors plays a pivotal role in shaping the afferent
      discharge at the sensory synapse containing catecholaminergic chemoreceptor (type
      I) cells, glial-like type II cells, and sensory (petrosal) nerve endings.
      However, little is known about the family of ectonucleotidases that control
      synaptic nucleotide levels. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), we first compared
      expression levels of ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases
      (NTPDases1,2,3,5,6) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase (E5'Nt/CD73) mRNAs in juvenile rat
      CB vs. brain, petrosal ganglia, sympathetic (superior cervical) ganglia, and a
      sympathoadrenal chromaffin (MAH) cell line. In whole CB extracts, qPCR revealed a
      high relative expression of surface-located members NTPDase1,2 and E5'Nt/CD73,
      compared with low NTPDase3 expression. Immunofluorescence staining of CB sections
      or dissociated CB cultures localized NTPDase2,3 and E5'Nt/CD73 protein to the
      periphery of type I clusters, and in association with sensory nerve fibers and/or
      isolated type II cells. Interestingly, in CBs obtained from rats reared under
      chronic hypobaric hypoxia (~60 kPa, equivalent to 4,300 m) for 5-7 days, in
      addition to the expected upregulation of tyrosine hydroxylase and VEGF mRNAs,
      there was a significant upregulation of NTPDase3 and E5'Nt/CD73 mRNA, but a
      downregulation of NTPDase1 and NTPDase2 relative to normoxic controls. We
      conclude that NTPDase1,2,3 and E5'Nt/CD73 are the predominant surface-located
      ectonucleotidases in the rat CB and suggest that their differential regulation
      during chronic hypoxia may contribute to CB plasticity via control of synaptic
      ATP, ADP, and adenosine pools.

PMID- 28637681
TI  - Two Tales of Cytauxzoon felis Infections in Domestic Cats.
AB  - Cytauxzoonosis is an emerging infectious disease that affects wild felids as well
      as the domestic cat; it is caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasites
      belonging to the genus Cytauxzoon. Cytauxzoonfelis is the species of major
      concern, whose transmission occurs via the bite of an infected tick.
      Cytauxzoonosis of the domestic cat has historically been considered uniformly
      fatal, with a short course of illness, and most domestic cats die within 9 to 15
      days postinfection. However, increasing evidence of domestic cats surviving C.
      felis infection suggests the existence of different strains with various levels
      of pathogenicity. Although wild felids are considered natural reservoirs for this
      parasite, a number of studies suggest that domestic cats that have survived
      nonlethal infections may serve as an additional reservoir. The current article
      comprehensively reviews the parasite and its life cycle, geographic distribution,
      genetic variability, and pathogenesis, as well as host immunology and the
      diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infection in the domestic cat. This
      information should provide a basis for better understanding the parasite as well
      as the pathogenesis of the disease.

PMID- 28637683
TI  - An environmental scan of quality indicators in critical care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We performed a directed environmental scan to identify and categorize
      quality indicators unique to critical care that are reported by key stakeholder
      organizations. METHODS: We convened a panel of experts (n = 9) to identify key
      organizations that are focused on quality improvement or critical care, and
      reviewed their online publications and website content for quality indicators. We
      identified quality indicators specific to the care of critically ill adult
      patients and then categorized them according to the Donabedian and the Institute
      of Medicine frameworks. We also noted the organizations' rationale for selecting
      these indicators and their reported evidence base. RESULTS: From 28 targeted
      organizations, we identified 222 quality indicators, 127 of which were unique. Of
      the 127 indicators, 63 (32.5%) were safety indicators and 61 (31.4%) were
      effectiveness indicators. The rationale for selecting quality indicators was
      supported by consensus for 58 (26.1%) of the 222 indicators and by published
      research evidence for 45 (20.3%); for 119 indicators (53.6%), the rationale was
      not reported or the reader was referred to other organizations' reports. Of the
      127 unique quality indicators, 27 (21.2%) were accompanied by a formal grading of
      evidence, whereas for 52 (40.9%), no reference to evidence was provided.
      INTERPRETATION: There are many quality indicators related to critical care that
      are available in the public domain. However, owing to a paucity of rationale for
      selection, supporting evidence and results of implementation, it is not clear
      which indicators should be adopted for use.

PMID- 28637682
TI  - Cellular mechanism of fibril formation from serum amyloid A1 protein.
AB  - Serum amyloid A1 (SAA1) is an apolipoprotein that binds to the high-density
      lipoprotein (HDL) fraction of the serum and constitutes the fibril precursor
      protein in systemic AA amyloidosis. We here show that HDL binding blocks fibril
      formation from soluble SAA1 protein, whereas internalization into mononuclear
      phagocytes leads to the formation of amyloid. SAA1 aggregation in the cell model
      disturbs the integrity of vesicular membranes and leads to lysosomal leakage and
      apoptotic death. The formed amyloid becomes deposited outside the cell where it
      can seed the fibrillation of extracellular SAA1. Our data imply that cells are
      transiently required in the amyloidogenic cascade and promote the initial
      nucleation of the deposits. This mechanism reconciles previous evidence for the
      extracellular location of deposits and amyloid precursor protein with
      observations the cells are crucial for the formation of amyloid.

PMID- 28637684
TI  - Placebo might be superior to antipsychotics in management of delirium in the
      palliative care setting.

PMID- 28637685
TI  - Milk Oligosaccharides Inhibit Human Rotavirus Infectivity in MA104 Cells.
AB  - Background: Oligosaccharides in milk act as soluble decoy receptors and prevent
      pathogen adhesion to the infant gut. Milk oligosaccharides reduce infectivity of
      a porcine rotavirus strain; however, the effects on human rotaviruses are less
      well understood.Objective: In this study, we determined the effect of specific
      and abundant milk oligosaccharides on the infectivity of 2 globally dominant
      human rotavirus strains.Methods: Four milk oligosaccharides-2'-fucosyllactose
      (2'FL), 3'-sialyllactose (3'SL), 6'-sialyllactose (6'SL), and galacto
      oligosaccharides-were tested for their effects on the infectivity of human
      rotaviruses G1P[8] and G2P[4] through fluorescent focus assays on African green
      monkey kidney epithelial cells (MA104 cells). Oligosaccharides were added at
      different time points in the infectivity assays. Infections in the absence of
      oligosaccharides served as controls.Results: When compared with infections in the
      absence of glycans, all oligosaccharides substantially reduced the infectivity of
      both human rotavirus strains in vitro; however, virus strain-specific differences
      in effects were observed. Compared with control infections, the maximum reduction
      in G1P[8] infectivity was seen with 2'FL when added after the onset of infection
      (62% reduction, P < 0.01), whereas the maximum reduction in G2P[4] infectivity
      was seen with the mixture of 3'SL + 6'SL when added during infection (73%
      reduction, P < 0.01). The mixture of 3'SL + 6'SL at the same ratio as is present
      in breast milk was more potent in reducing G2P[4] infectivity (73% reduction, P <
      0.01) than when compared with 3'SL (47% reduction) or 6'SL (40% reduction)
      individually. For all oligosaccharides the reduction in infectivity was mediated
      by an effect on the virus and not on the cells.Conclusions: Milk oligosaccharides
      reduce the infectivity of human rotaviruses in MA104 cells, primarily through an
      effect on the virus. Although breastfed infants are directly protected, the
      addition of specific oligosaccharides to infant formula may confer these benefits
      to formula-fed infants.

PMID- 28637686
TI  - High Serum Phospholipid Dihomo-gamma-Linoleic Acid Concentration and Low Delta5
      Desaturase Activity Are Associated with Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among
      Japanese Adults in the Hitachi Health Study.
AB  - Background: The association between the circulating fatty acid (FA) composition
      and type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been reported in Western populations, but evidence
      is scarce among Asian populations, including Japanese, who consume large amounts
      of fish.Objective: The objective of the present study was to prospectively
      examine the association between circulating concentrations of individual FAs and
      T2D incidence among Japanese adults.Methods: We conducted a nested case-control
      study in a cohort of 4754 employees, aged 34-69 y, who attended a comprehensive
      health checkup in 2008-2009 and donated blood samples for the Hitachi Health
      Study. During 5 y of follow-up, diabetes was identified on the basis of plasma
      glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and self-report. Two controls matched to each case
      by sex, age, and date of checkup were randomly chosen by using density sampling,
      resulting in 336 cases and 678 controls with FA measurements. GC was used to
      measure the FA composition in serum phospholipids. Cox proportional hazards
      regression was used to estimate the HRs and 95% CIs after adjusting for potential
      confounders. We examined the association of T2D risk with 25 different individual
      and combinations of FAs.Results: T2D risk was positively associated with serum
      dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid concentration (highest compared with the lowest
      quartile-HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.04, 2.11; P-trend = 0.02) and inversely associated
      with Delta5-desaturase activity (highest compared with the lowest quartile-HR:
      0.72; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.99; P-trend = 0.02), independent of body mass index (BMI).
      There were also inverse associations between T2D risk with serum total n-6 (omega
      6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), linoleic acid, and cis-vaccenic acid, but
      these were attenuated and became nonsignificant after adjustment for BMI. Serum n
      3 (omega-3) PUFAs and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were not associated with T2D
      risk.Conclusions: T2D risk was associated with circulating concentrations of the
      n-6 PUFA dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid and Delta5-desaturase activity but not with n
      3 PUFA or SFA concentrations in Japanese adults.

PMID- 28637687
TI  - Inhibition of CDK4/6 by Palbociclib Significantly Extends Survival in
      Medulloblastoma Patient-Derived Xenograft Mouse Models.
AB  - Purpose: Bioinformatics analysis followed by in vivo studies in patient-derived
      xenograft (PDX) models were used to identify and validate CDK 4/6 inhibition as
      an effective therapeutic strategy for medulloblastoma, particularly group 3 MYC
      amplified tumors that have the worst clinical prognosis.Experimental Design: A
      protein interaction network derived from a Sleeping Beauty mutagenesis model of
      medulloblastoma was used to identify potential novel therapeutic targets. The top
      hit from this analysis was validated in vivo using PDX models of medulloblastoma
      implanted subcutaneously in the flank and orthotopically in the cerebellum of
      mice.Results: Informatics analysis identified the CDK4/6/CYCLIN D/RB pathway as a
      novel "druggable" pathway for multiple subgroups of medulloblastoma. Palbociclib,
      a highly specific inhibitor of CDK4/6, was found to inhibit RB phosphorylation
      and cause G1 arrest in PDX models of medulloblastoma. The drug caused rapid
      regression of Sonic hedgehog (SHH) and MYC-amplified group 3 medulloblastoma
      subcutaneous tumors and provided a highly significant survival advantage to mice
      bearing MYC-amplified intracranial tumors.Conclusions: Inhibition of CDK4/6 is
      potentially a highly effective strategy for the treatment of SHH and MYC
      amplified group 3 medulloblastoma. Clin Cancer Res; 23(19); 5802-13. (c)2017
      AACR.

PMID- 28637688
TI  - FUS-DDIT3 Fusion Protein-Driven IGF-IR Signaling is a Therapeutic Target in
      Myxoid Liposarcoma.
AB  - Purpose: Myxoid liposarcoma is an aggressive disease with particular propensity
      to develop hematogenic metastases. Over 90% of myxoid liposarcoma are
      characterized by a reciprocal t(12;16)(q13;p11) translocation. The resulting
      chimeric FUS-DDIT3 fusion protein plays a crucial role in myxoid liposarcoma
      pathogenesis; however, its specific impact on oncogenic signaling pathways
      remains to be substantiated. We here investigate the functional role of FUS-DDIT3
      in IGF-IR/PI3K/Akt signaling driving myxoid liposarcoma pathogenesis.Experimental
      Design: Immunohistochemical evaluation of key effectors of the IGF-IR/PI3K/Akt
      signaling axis was performed in a comprehensive cohort of myxoid liposarcoma
      specimens. FUS-DDIT3 dependency and biological function of the IGF-IR/PI3K/Akt
      signaling cascade were analyzed using a HT1080 fibrosarcoma-based myxoid
      liposarcoma tumor model and multiple tumor-derived myxoid liposarcoma cell lines.
      An established myxoid liposarcoma avian chorioallantoic membrane model was used
      for in vivo confirmation of the preclinical in vitro results.Results: A
      comprehensive subset of myxoid liposarcoma specimens showed elevated expression
      and phosphorylation levels of various IGF-IR/PI3K/Akt signaling effectors. In
      HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells, overexpression of FUS-DDIT3 induced aberrant IGF
      IR/PI3K/Akt pathway activity, which was dependent on transcriptional induction of
      the IGF2 gene. Conversely, RNAi-mediated FUS-DDIT3 knockdown in myxoid
      liposarcoma cells led to an inactivation of IGF-IR/PI3K/Akt signaling associated
      with diminished IGF2 mRNA expression. Treatment of myxoid liposarcoma cell lines
      with several IGF-IR inhibitors resulted in significant growth inhibition in vitro
      and in vivoConclusions: Our preclinical study substantiates the fundamental role
      of the IGF-IR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in myxoid liposarcoma pathogenesis and
      provides a mechanism-based rationale for molecular- targeted approaches in myxoid
      liposarcoma cancer therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 23(20); 6227-38. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637690
TI  - p53: master of life, death, and the epigenome.
AB  - Long understood as a bona fide tumor suppressor that safeguards the integrity of
      the genome via regulating numerous cellular outcomes, p53 may also exert its
      decisive and versatile functions by controlling DNA methylation. In this issue of
      Genes & Development, Tovy and colleagues (pp. 959-972) report that, in naive
      mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), p53 controls DNA methylation homeostasis by
      regulating the expression of key counteracting components of the DNA methylation
      machinery. Their findings indicate that p53 may exert its "guardian of genome"
      duties at least in part via safeguarding the epigenome of ESCs.

PMID- 28637689
TI  - Elevation of TP53 Autoantibody Before CA125 in Preclinical Invasive Epithelial
      Ovarian Cancer.
AB  - Purpose: The TP53 tumor-suppressor gene is mutated in >95% of high-grade serous
      ovarian cancers. Detecting an autologous antibody response to TP53 that might
      improve early detection.Experimental Design: An immunoassay was developed to
      measure TP53 autoantibody in sera from 378 cases of invasive epithelial ovarian
      cancer and 944 age-matched healthy controls from the United States, Australia,
      and the United Kingdom. Serial preclinical samples from cases and controls were
      also assayed from the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening
      (UKCTOCS).Results: Using a cutoff value of 78 U/mL to achieve a specificity of
      97.4%, TP53 autoantibody was elevated in 30% of 50 cases from MD Anderson, 21.3%
      of 108 cases from the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study, and 21% of 220 cases from
      the UKCTOCS. Among 164 cases with rising CA125 detected with the UKCTOCS risk of
      ovarian cancer algorithm (ROCA), 20.7% had elevated TP53 autoantibody. In cases
      missed by the ROCA, 16% of cases had elevated TP53 autoantibody. Of the 34
      ovarian cancer cases detected with the ROCA, TP53 autoantibody titers were
      elevated 11.0 months before CA125. In the 9 cases missed by the ROCA, TP53
      autoantibody was elevated 22.9 months before cancer diagnosis. Similar
      sensitivity was obtained using assays with specific mutant and wild-type
      TP53.Conclusions: TP53 autoantibody levels provide a biomarker with clinically
      significant lead time over elevation of CA125 or an elevated ROCA value.
      Quantitative assessment of autoantibodies in combination with CA125 holds promise
      for earlier detection of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res;
      23(19); 5912-22. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637691
TI  - Settling the m6A debate: methylation of mature mRNA is not dynamic but
      accelerates turnover.
AB  - Post-transcriptional modification of RNA nucleosides has been implicated as a
      pivotal regulator of mRNA biology. In this issue of Genes & Development, Ke and
      colleagues (pp. 990-1006) provide insights into the temporal and spatial
      distribution of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in RNA transcripts by analyzing
      different subcellular fractions. Using a recently developed biochemical approach
      for detecting m6A, the researchers show that m6A methylations are enriched in
      exons and are added to transcripts prior to splicing. Although m6A addition is
      widely thought to be readily reversible, they demonstrate in HeLa cells that once
      RNA is released from chromatin, the modifications are surprisingly static. This
      study integrates data from previous publications to clarify conflicting
      conclusions regarding the role of m6A in mRNA biogenesis and function. Ke and
      colleagues found that m6A methylation levels negatively correlate with transcript
      half-life but are not required for most pre-mRNA splicing events.

PMID- 28637692
TI  - m6A mRNA modifications are deposited in nascent pre-mRNA and are not required for
      splicing but do specify cytoplasmic turnover.
AB  - Understanding the biologic role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modifications in
      mRNA requires an understanding of when and where in the life of a pre-mRNA
      transcript the modifications are made. We found that HeLa cell chromatin
      associated nascent pre-mRNA (CA-RNA) contains many unspliced introns and m6A in
      exons but very rarely in introns. The m6A methylation is essentially completed
      upon the release of mRNA into the nucleoplasm. Furthermore, the content and
      location of each m6A modification in steady-state cytoplasmic mRNA are largely
      indistinguishable from those in the newly synthesized CA-RNA or nucleoplasmic
      mRNA. This result suggests that quantitatively little methylation or
      demethylation occurs in cytoplasmic mRNA. In addition, only ~10% of m6As in CA
      RNA are within 50 nucleotides of 5' or 3' splice sites, and the vast majority of
      exons harboring m6A in wild-type mouse stem cells is spliced the same in cells
      lacking the major m6A methyltransferase Mettl3. Both HeLa and mouse embryonic
      stem cell mRNAs harboring m6As have shorter half-lives, and thousands of these
      mRNAs have increased half-lives (twofold or more) in Mettl3 knockout cells
      compared with wild type. In summary, m6A is added to exons before or soon after
      exon definition in nascent pre-mRNA, and while m6A is not required for most
      splicing, its addition in the nascent transcript is a determinant of cytoplasmic
      mRNA stability.

PMID- 28637695
TI  - Corrigendum: Dicer loss and recovery induce an oncogenic switch driven by
      transcriptional activation of the oncofetal Imp1-3 family.

PMID- 28637693
TI  - Neuroblast differentiation during development and in neuroblastoma requires
      KIF1Bbeta-mediated transport of TRKA.
AB  - We recently identified pathogenic KIF1Bbeta mutations in sympathetic nervous
      system malignancies that are defective in developmental apoptosis. Here we
      deleted KIF1Bbeta in the mouse sympathetic nervous system and observed impaired
      sympathetic nervous function and misexpression of genes required for
      sympathoadrenal lineage differentiation. We discovered that KIF1Bbeta is required
      for nerve growth factor (NGF)-dependent neuronal differentiation through
      anterograde transport of the NGF receptor TRKA. Moreover, pathogenic KIF1Bbeta
      mutations identified in neuroblastoma impair TRKA transport. Expression of
      neuronal differentiation markers is ablated in both KIF1Bbeta-deficient mouse
      neuroblasts and human neuroblastomas that lack KIF1Bbeta. Transcriptomic analyses
      show that unfavorable neuroblastomas resemble mouse sympathetic neuroblasts
      lacking KIF1Bbeta independent of MYCN amplification and the loss of genes
      neighboring KIF1B on chromosome 1p36. Thus, defective precursor cell
      differentiation, a common trait of aggressive childhood malignancies, is a
      pathogenic effect of KIF1Bbeta loss in neuroblastomas. Furthermore, neuropathy
      associated KIF1Bbeta mutations impede cargo transport, providing a direct link
      between neuroblastomas and neurodegeneration.

PMID- 28637696
TI  - A Game of Unknowns.

PMID- 28637694
TI  - Dendritic Eph organizes dendrodendritic segregation in discrete olfactory map
      formation in Drosophila.
AB  - Proper function of the neural network results from the precise connections
      between axons and dendrites of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons,
      respectively. In the Drosophila olfactory system, the dendrites of projection
      neurons (PNs) stereotypically target one of ~50 glomeruli in the antennal lobe
      (AL), the primary olfactory center in the brain, and form synapses with the axons
      of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Here, we show that Eph and Ephrin, the well
      known axon guidance molecules, instruct the dendrodendritic segregation during
      the discrete olfactory map formation. The Eph receptor tyrosine kinase is highly
      expressed and localized in the glomeruli related to reproductive behavior in the
      developing AL. In one of the pheromone-sensing glomeruli (DA1), the Eph cell
      autonomously regulates its dendrites to reside in a single glomerulus by
      interacting with Ephrins expressed in adjacent PN dendrites. Our data demonstrate
      that the trans interaction between dendritic Eph and Ephrin is essential for the
      PN dendritic boundary formation in the DA1 olfactory circuit, potentially
      enabling strict segregation of odor detection between pheromones and the other
      odors.

PMID- 28637697
TI  - GAS6: Pouring GASoline Into the Inflammatory Inferno of Venous Thrombosis.

PMID- 28637699
TI  - ATVB Named Lecture Review-Insight Into Author: Jeffrey M. Hoeg.

PMID- 28637698
TI  - Charming the Snake: Venom-Derived Peptides Show Surprising Efficacy as
      Glycoprotein VI-Targeting Antithrombotic Agents.

PMID- 28637700
TI  - ATVB Named Lecture Review-Insight Into Author: John H. Griffin.

PMID- 28637702
TI  - Cell Death in the Vessel Wall: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.

PMID- 28637705
TI  - Light exercise heart rate on-kinetics: a comparison of data fitted with sigmoidal
      and exponential functions and the impact of fitness and exercise intensity.
AB  - This study examined the suitability of sigmoidal (SIG) and exponential (EXP)
      functions for modeling HR kinetics at the onset of a 5-min low-intensity cycling
      ergometer exercise test (5MT). The effects of training status, absolute and
      relative workloads, and high versus low workloads on the accuracy and reliability
      of these functions were also examined. Untrained participants (UTabs; n = 13)
      performed 5MTs at 100W. One group of trained participants (n = 10) also performed
      5MTs at 100W (ETabs). Another group of trained participants (n = 9) performed
      5MTs at 45% and 60% VO2 max (ET45 and ET60, respectively). SIG and EXP functions
      were fitted to HR data from 5MTs. A 30-s lead-in time was included when fitting
      SIG functions. Functions were compared using the standard error of the regression
      (SER), and test-retest reliability of curve parameters. SER for EXP functions was
      significantly lower than for SIG functions across all groups. When residuals from
      the 30-s lead-in time were omitted, EXP functions only outperformed SIG functions
      in ET60 (EXP, 2.7 +/- 1.2 beats.min-1; SIG, 3.1 +/- 1.1 beats.min-1: P < 0.05).
      Goodness of fit and test-retest reliability of curve parameters were best in ET60
      and comparatively poor in UTabs Overall, goodness of fit and test-retest
      reliability of curve parameters favored functions fitted to 5MTs performed by
      trained participants at a high and relative workload, while functions fitted to
      data from untrained participants exercising at a low and absolute workload were
      less accurate and reliable.

PMID- 28637704
TI  - The Structure-function remodeling in rabbit hearts of myocardial infarction.
AB  - Animal models are of importance to investigate basic mechanisms for ischemic
      heart failure (HF). The objective of the study was to create a rabbit model
      through multiple coronary artery ligations to investigate the postoperative
      structure-function remodeling of the left ventricle (LV) and coronary arterial
      trees. Here, we hypothesize that the interplay of the degenerated coronary
      vasculature and increased ventricle wall stress relevant to cardiac fibrosis in
      vicinity of myocardial infarction (MI) precipitates the incidence and progression
      of ischemic HF Echocardiographic measurements showed an approximately monotonic
      drop of fractional shortening and ejection fraction from 40% and 73% down to 28%
      and 58% as well as persistent enlargement of LV cavity and slight mitral
      regurgitation at postoperative 12 weeks. Micro-CT and histological measurements
      showed that coronary vascular rarefaction and cardiac fibrosis relevant to
      inflammation occurred concurrently in vicinity of MI at postoperative 12 weeks
      albeit there was compensatory vascular growth at postoperative 6 weeks. These
      findings validate the proposed rabbit model and prove the hypothesis. The post-MI
      rabbit model can serve as a reference to test various drugs for treatment of
      ischemic HF.

PMID- 28637706
TI  - Endothelial mineralocorticoid receptor contributes to systolic dysfunction
      induced by pressure overload without modulating cardiac hypertrophy or
      inflammation.
AB  - Heart Failure (HF) is associated with increased circulating levels of aldosterone
      and systemic inflammation. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists block
      aldosterone action and decrease mortality in patients with congestive HF However,
      the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic benefits of MR antagonists
      remain unclear. MR is expressed in all cell types in the heart, including the
      endothelial cells (EC), in which aldosterone induces the expression of
      intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Recently, we reported that ICAM-1
      regulates cardiac inflammation and cardiac function in mice subjected to
      transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Whether MR specifically in endothelial
      cells (EC) contributes to the several mechanisms of pathological cardiac
      remodeling and cardiac dysfunction remains unclear. Basal cardiac function and LV
      dimensions were comparable in mice with MR selectively deleted from ECs (EC-MR-/
      ) and wild-type littermate controls (EC-MR+/+). MR was specifically deleted in
      heart EC, and in EC-containing tissues, but not in leukocytes of TAC EC-MR-/-
      mice. While EC-MR-/- TAC mice showed preserved systolic function and some
      alterations in the expression of fetal genes, the proinflammatory cytokine
      TNFalpha and the endothelin receptors in the LV as compared to EC-MR+/+ TAC mice,
      no difference was observed between both TAC groups in overall cardiac
      hypertrophy, ICAM-1 LV expression and leukocyte infiltration, cardiac fibrosis or
      capillary rarefaction, all hallmarks of pathological cardiac remodeling. Our data
      indicate that EC-MR contributes to the transition of cardiac hypertrophy to
      systolic dysfunction independently of other maladaptive changes induced by LV
      pressure overload.

PMID- 28637707
TI  - Daily rhythms of cloacal temperature in broiler chickens of different age groups
      administered with zinc gluconate and probiotic during the hot-dry season.
AB  - The aim of the experiment was to evaluate effects of zinc gluconate (ZnGlu) and
      probiotic administration on the daily rhythm of cloacal temperature (tcloacal) in
      broiler chickens of different age groups during the hot-dry season. One-day-old
      broiler chicks (n = 60) were divided into groups I-IV of 15 chicks per group, and
      treated for 35 days: Group I (control) was given deionized water; Group II, ZnGlu
      (50 mg/kg); Group III, probiotic (4.125 * 106 cfu/100 mL), and Group IV, ZnGlu
      (50 mg/kg) + probiotic (4.125 * 106 cfu/100 mL). Air dry-bulb temperature (tdb),
      relative humidity (RH), and temperature-humidity index (THI) inside the pen, and
      tcloacal of each broiler chick were obtained bihourly over a 24-h period; on days
      21, 28, and 35 of the study. Values of tdb (32.10 +/- 0.49 degrees C), RH (49.94
      +/- 1.91%), and THI (38.85 +/- 0.42) obtained were outside the thermoneutral zone
      for broiler chickens, and suggested that the birds were subjected to heat stress.
      Application of the periodic model showed disruption of daily rhythm of tcloacal
      in broilers on day 21, which was synchronized by probiotic administration. The
      administration of probiotics or ZnGlu + probiotics to a greater extent decreased
      the mesor and amplitude, delayed the acrophases of tcloacal in broilers,
      especially at day 35, as compared to the controls. Overall, the tcloacal values
      in broiler chickens administered with probiotic alone (41.25 +/- 0.05 degrees C)
      and ZnGlu + probiotic (41.52 +/- 0.05 degrees C) were lower (P < 0.001) than that
      of the controls (41.94 +/- 0.06 degrees C). In conclusion, probiotic alone
      synchronized tcloacal of the birds at day 21, and, in addition, decreased
      tcloacal response most, followed by its coadministration with ZnGlu, the
      antioxidants may be beneficial in modulating daily rhythmicity of tcloacal and
      alleviating adverse effects of heat stress on broiler chickens during the hot-dry
      season.

PMID- 28637708
TI  - Hypohydration impairs endurance performance: a blinded study.
AB  - The general scientific consensus is that starting exercise with hypohydration >2%
      body mass impairs endurance performance/capacity, but most previous studies might
      be confounded by a lack of subject blinding. This study examined the effect of
      hypohydration in a single blind manner using combined oral and intragastric
      rehydration to manipulate hydration status. After familiarization, seven active
      males (mean +/- SD: age 25 +/- 2 years, height 1.79 +/- 0.07, body mass 78.6 +/-
      6.2, VO2peak 48 +/- 7 mL.kg.min-1) completed two randomized trials at 34 degrees
      C. Trials involved an intermittent exercise preload (8 * 15 min exercise/5 min
      rest), followed by a 15-min all-out performance test on a cycle ergometer. During
      the preload, water was ingested orally every 10 min (0.2 mL.kg body mass-1).
      Additional water was infused into the stomach via a gastric feeding tube to
      replace sweat loss (EU) or induce hypohydration of ~2.5% body mass (HYP). Blood
      samples were drawn and thirst sensation rated before, during, and after exercise.
      Body mass loss during the preload was greater (2.4 +/- 0.2% vs. 0.1 +/- 0.1%; P <
      0.001), while work completed during the performance test was lower (152 +/- 24 kJ
      vs. 165 +/- 22 kJ; P < 0.05) during HYP At the end of the preload, heart rate,
      RPE, serum osmolality, and thirst were greater and plasma volume lower during HYP
      (P < 0.05). These results provide novel data demonstrating that exercise
      performance in the heat is impaired by hypohydration, even when subjects are
      blinded to the intervention.

PMID- 28637709
TI  - Genome-Wide Association Analyses Based on Broadly Different Specifications for
      Prior Distributions, Genomic Windows, and Estimation Methods.
AB  - A currently popular strategy (EMMAX) for genome-wide association (GWA) analysis
      infers association for the specific marker of interest by treating its effect as
      fixed while treating all other marker effects as classical Gaussian random
      effects. It may be more statistically coherent to specify all markers as sharing
      the same prior distribution, whether that distribution is Gaussian, heavy-tailed
      (BayesA), or has variable selection specifications based on a mixture of, say,
      two Gaussian distributions [stochastic search and variable selection (SSVS)].
      Furthermore, all such GWA inference should be formally based on posterior
      probabilities or test statistics as we present here, rather than merely being
      based on point estimates. We compared these three broad categories of priors
      within a simulation study to investigate the effects of different degrees of
      skewness for quantitative trait loci (QTL) effects and numbers of QTL using
      43,266 SNP marker genotypes from 922 Duroc-Pietrain F2-cross pigs. Genomic
      regions were based either on single SNP associations, on nonoverlapping windows
      of various fixed sizes (0.5-3 Mb), or on adaptively determined windows that
      cluster the genome into blocks based on linkage disequilibrium. We found that
      SSVS and BayesA lead to the best receiver operating curve properties in almost
      all cases. We also evaluated approximate maximum a posteriori (MAP) approaches to
      BayesA and SSVS as potential computationally feasible alternatives; however, MAP
      inferences were not promising, particularly due to their sensitivity to starting
      values. We determined that it is advantageous to use variable selection
      specifications based on adaptively constructed genomic window lengths for GWA
      studies.

PMID- 28637711
TI  - The Exon Junction Complex and Srp54 Contribute to Hedgehog Signaling via ci RNA
      Splicing in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Hedgehog (Hh) regulates the Cubitus interruptus (Ci) transcription factor in
      Drosophila melanogaster by activating full-length Ci-155 and blocking processing
      to the Ci-75 repressor. However, the interplay between the regulation of Ci-155
      levels and activity, as well as processing-independent mechanisms that affect Ci
      155 levels, have not been explored extensively. Here, we identified Mago Nashi
      (Mago) and Y14 core Exon Junction Complex (EJC) proteins, as well as the Srp54
      splicing factor, as modifiers of Hh pathway activity under sensitized conditions.
      Mago inhibition reduced Hh pathway activity by altering the splicing pattern of
      ci to reduce Ci-155 levels. Srp54 inhibition also affected pathway activity by
      reducing ci RNA levels but additionally altered Ci-155 levels and activity
      independently of ci splicing. Further tests using ci transgenes and ci mutations
      confirmed evidence from studying the effects of Mago and Srp54 that relatively
      small changes in the level of Ci-155 primary translation product alter Hh pathway
      activity under a variety of sensitized conditions. We additionally used ci
      transgenes lacking intron sequences or the presumed translation initiation codon
      for an alternatively spliced ci RNA to provide further evidence that Mago acts
      principally by modulating the levels of the major ci RNA encoding Ci-155, and to
      show that ci introns are necessary to support the production of sufficient Ci-155
      for robust Hh signaling and may also be important mediators of regulatory inputs.

PMID- 28637710
TI  - The Combined Action of Duplicated Boron Transporters Is Required for Maize Growth
      in Boron-Deficient Conditions.
AB  - The micronutrient boron is essential in maintaining the structure of plant cell
      walls and is critical for high yields in crop species. Boron can move into plants
      by diffusion or by active and facilitated transport mechanisms. We recently
      showed that mutations in the maize boron efflux transporter ROTTEN EAR (RTE)
      cause severe developmental defects and sterility. RTE is part of a small gene
      family containing five additional members (RTE2-RTE6) that show tissue-specific
      expression. The close paralogous gene RTE2 encodes a protein with 95% amino acid
      identity with RTE and is similarly expressed in shoot and root cells surrounding
      the vasculature. Despite sharing a similar function with RTE, mutations in the
      RTE2 gene do not cause growth defects in the shoot, even in boron-deficient
      conditions. However, rte2 mutants strongly enhance the rte phenotype in soils
      with low boron content, producing shorter plants that fail to form all
      reproductive structures. The joint action of RTE and RTE2 is also required in
      root development. These defects can be fully complemented by supplying boric
      acid, suggesting that diffusion or additional transport mechanisms overcome
      active boron transport deficiencies in the presence of an excess of boron.
      Overall, these results suggest that RTE2 and RTE function are essential for maize
      shoot and root growth in boron-deficient conditions.

PMID- 28637713
TI  - A pilot study of interprofessional palliative care education of medical students
      in the UK and USA.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Educating medical students to care for patients at the end-of-life is
      increasingly recognised as an essential component of training. Traditionally,
      medical student programmes are run by doctors, but patient care is delivered by
      an interprofessional team. Our programmes in the UK and USA independently
      developed a teaching experience led by an interprofessional team of palliative
      care health professionals. OBJECTIVES: This study explores the palliative care
      health professionals' perceptions, regarding their unique role in medical student
      palliative care education. METHODS: This is the first study to ascertain views of
      an interprofessional team delivering palliative care education to medical
      students. Focus groups enable interaction between members of the group as well as
      the generation of consensus of comments among group members. RESULTS: Two major
      themes were identified: perceived benefits and value of the experience, and the
      challenges and lessons learnt from the experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Despite
      different structures and settings, this experiential learning in palliative care
      provided a rewarding interprofessional experience that has historically been
      difficult to achieve.

PMID- 28637714
TI  - Advance care planning in Medicare: an early look at the impact of new
      reimbursement on billing and clinical practice.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined the US Medicare programme's (government
      funded social insurance for the elderly or disabled) new reimbursement for
      advance care planning (ACP) that began on 1 January 2016. This single-centre
      study addressed whether clinicians who have ACP conversations with patients will
      use the new reimbursement code and if the new reimbursement is successful at
      motivating clinicians to have more ACP conversations with patients. METHODS: This
      is a multimethod study. To gain a general sense of ACP practice and code
      visibility, we first surveyed 493 clinicians in a large academic medical centre
      (20% response rate). Then, for more in-depth answers and to illuminate the
      reasons behind survey findings, we conducted semistructured interviews with 28
      physicians. RESULTS: We found that while clinicians are open to using the
      reimbursement codes, organisational barriers such as low visibility and
      documentation make it difficult for clinicians to bill for ACP. Moreover,
      structural and professional factors have rendered Medicare's ACP reimbursement
      largely ineffective at motivating healthcare providers to perform more ACP
      conversations during the first 3 months of this policy. CONCLUSIONS: It does not
      appear that Medicare's reimbursement of ACP has made a significant, direct impact
      on ACP billing or practice during the policy's first 90 days. However, there is a
      symbolic role that this change can serve, and the policy could have more impact
      as its existence becomes more widely known. Barriers to ACP that we identify
      should be addressed directly to expand the use of ACP.

PMID- 28637712
TI  - Shrinking Daughters: Rlm1-Dependent G1/S Checkpoint Maintains Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae Daughter Cell Size and Viability.
AB  - The Rlm1 transcription factor is a target of the cell wall integrity pathway. We
      report that an rlm1Delta mutant grown on a nonfermentable carbon source at low
      osmolarity forms cell groups in which a mother cell is surrounded by smaller
      "satellite-daughter" cells. Mother cells in these groups progressed through
      repeated rounds of cell division with normal rates of bud growth and genetic
      stability; however, these cells underwent precocious START relative to wild-type
      mothers. Thus, once activated, Rlm1 delays the transition from G1 to S, a
      mechanism we term the cell wall/START (CW/START) checkpoint. The rlm1Delta
      satellite-cell phenotype is suppressed by deletion of either SLT2, which encodes
      the kinase that activates Rlm1, or SWI4, which is also activated by Slt2;
      suggesting that Slt2 can have opposing roles in regulating the START transition.
      Consistent with an Rlm1-dependent CW/START checkpoint, rlm1Delta satellite
      daughters were unable to grow or divide further even after transfer to rich
      medium, but UV irradiation in G1 could partially rescue rlm1Delta satellite
      daughters in the next division. Indeed, after cytokinesis, these satellite
      daughters shrank rapidly, displayed amorphous actin staining, and became more
      permeable. As a working hypothesis, we propose that duplication of an "actin
      organizing center" in late G1 may be required both to progress through START and
      to reestablish the actin cytoskeleton in daughter cells.

PMID- 28637715
TI  - Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Protect the Salivary Gland from Radiation Damage by
      Inhibiting Activation of Protein Kinase C-delta.
AB  - In patients undergoing irradiation (IR) therapy, injury to nontumor tissues can
      result in debilitating, and sometimes permanent, side effects. We have defined
      protein kinase C-delta (PKCdelta) as a regulator of DNA damage-induced apoptosis
      and have shown that phosphorylation of PKCdelta by c-Abl and c-Src activates its
      proapoptotic function. Here, we have explored the use of tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors (TKI) of c-Src and c-Abl to block activation of PKCdelta for
      radioprotection of the salivary gland. Dasatinib, imatinib, and bosutinib all
      suppressed tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCdelta and inhibited IR-induced
      apoptosis in vitro To determine whether TKIs can provide radioprotection of
      salivary gland function in vivo, mice were treated with TKIs and a single or
      fractionated doses of irradiation. Delivery of dasatinib or imatinib within 3
      hours of a single or fractionated dose of irradiation resulted in >75% protection
      of salivary gland function at 60 days. Continuous dosing with dasatinib extended
      protection to at least 5 months and correlated with histologic evidence of
      salivary gland acinar cell regeneration. Pretreatment with TKIs had no impact on
      clonogenic survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells, and
      in mice harboring HNSCC cell-derived xenografts, combining dasatinib or imatinib
      with fractionated irradiation did not enhance tumor growth. Our studies indicate
      that TKIs may be useful clinically to protect nontumor tissue in HNC patients
      undergoing radiotherapy, without negatively impacting cancer treatment. Mol
      Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1989-98. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637716
TI  - Modulation of Plasma Metabolite Biomarkers of the MAPK Pathway with MEK Inhibitor
      RO4987655: Pharmacodynamic and Predictive Potential in Metastatic Melanoma.
AB  - MAPK pathway activation is frequently observed in human malignancies, including
      melanoma, and is associated with sensitivity to MEK inhibition and changes in
      cellular metabolism. Using quantitative mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, we
      identified in preclinical models 21 plasma metabolites including amino acids,
      propionylcarnitine, phosphatidylcholines, and sphingomyelins that were
      significantly altered in two B-RAF-mutant melanoma xenografts and that were
      reversed following a single dose of the potent and selective MEK inhibitor
      RO4987655. Treatment of non-tumor-bearing animals and mice bearing the PTEN-null
      U87MG human glioblastoma xenograft elicited plasma changes only in amino acids
      and propionylcarnitine. In patients with advanced melanoma treated with
      RO4987655, on-treatment changes of amino acids were observed in patients with
      disease progression and not in responders. In contrast, changes in
      phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins were observed in responders. Furthermore,
      pretreatment levels of seven lipids identified in the preclinical screen were
      statistically significantly able to predict objective responses to RO4987655. The
      RO4987655 treatment-related changes were greater than baseline physiological
      variability in nontreated individuals. This study provides evidence of a
      translational exo-metabolomic plasma readout predictive of clinical efficacy
      together with pharmacodynamic utility following treatment with a signal
      transduction inhibitor. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(10); 2315-23. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637721
TI  - Red blood cell distribution width as a risk factor for inhospital mortality in
      obstetric patients admitted to an intensive care unit: a single centre
      retrospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been shown to predict
      mortality in critically ill patients. To our knowledge, whether or not RDW is
      associated with clinical outcomes of obstetric patients requiring critical care
      has not been evaluated. METHODS: This was a single centre, retrospective,
      observational study of obstetric patients admitted to the intensive care unit
      (ICU). Patients were excluded from the analysis if they had known haematological
      diseases or recently underwent blood transfusion. Patients who died or were
      discharged from the ICU within 24 hours of admission were also excluded. Patient
      clinical characteristics at ICU admission were retrieved from the medical charts.
      Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate OR and 95% CI for inhospital
      mortality associated with RDW. The receiver operating characteristic curve was
      used to examine the performance of RDW, alone or in combination with the Acute
      Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (APACHE II), in predicting
      inhospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 376 patients were included in the
      study. The hospital mortality rate was 5.32%. A significant association was found
      between baseline RDW levels and hospital mortality (OR per per cent increase in
      RDW, 1.31; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.49). Further adjustment for haematocrit and other
      potential confounders did not appreciably alter the result (p<0.001). The area
      under the curve (AUC) for inhospital mortality based on RDW was similar to that
      based on the APACHE II score (0.752 vs 0.766). A combination of these two factors
      resulted in substantial improvement in risk prediction, with an AUC value of
      0.872 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that RDW is an independent
      predictor for inhospital mortality among ICU admitted obstetric patients.
      Combining RDW and APACHE II score could significantly improve inhospital
      prognostic prediction among these critically ill obstetric patients.

PMID- 28637720
TI  - Notch1 maintains dormancy of olfactory horizontal basal cells, a reserve neural
      stem cell.
AB  - The remarkable capacity of the adult olfactory epithelium (OE) to regenerate
      fully both neurosensory and nonneuronal cell types after severe epithelial injury
      depends on life-long persistence of two stem cell populations: the horizontal
      basal cells (HBCs), which are quiescent and held in reserve, and mitotically
      active globose basal cells. It has recently been demonstrated that down
      regulation of the DeltaN form of the transcription factor p63 is both necessary
      and sufficient to release HBCs from dormancy. However, the mechanisms by which
      p63 is down-regulated after acute OE injury remain unknown. To identify the
      cellular source of potential signaling mechanisms, we assessed HBC activation
      after neuron-only and sustentacular cell death. We found that ablation of
      sustentacular cells is sufficient for HBC activation to multipotency. By
      expression analysis, next-generation sequencing, and immunohistochemical
      examination, down-regulation of Notch pathway signaling is coincident with HBC
      activation. Therefore, using HBC-specific conditional knockout of Notch receptors
      and overexpression of N1ICD, we show that Notch signaling maintains p63 levels
      and HBC dormancy, in contrast to its suppression of p63 expression in other
      tissues. Additionally, Notch1, but not Notch2, is required to maintain HBC
      dormancy after selective neuronal degeneration. Taken together, our data indicate
      that the activation of HBCs observed after tissue injury or sustentacular cell
      ablation is caused by the reduction/elimination of Notch signaling on HBCs;
      elimination of Jagged1 expressed by sustentacular cells may be the ligand
      responsible.

PMID- 28637722
TI  - Cross-sectional surveillance study to phenotype lorry drivers' sedentary
      behaviours, physical activity and cardio-metabolic health.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Elevated risk factors for a number of chronic diseases have been
      identified in lorry drivers. Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours such as a lack of
      physical activity (PA) and high levels of sedentary behaviour (sitting) likely
      contribute to this elevated risk. This study behaviourally phenotyped UK lorry
      drivers' sedentary and non-sedentary behaviours during workdays and non-workdays
      and examined markers of drivers cardio-metabolic health. SETTING: A transport
      company from the East Midlands, UK. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 159 male heavy
      goods vehicle drivers (91% white European; (median (range)) age: 50 (24, 67)
      years) completed the health assessments. 87 (age: 50.0 (25.0, 65.0); body mass
      index (BMI): 27.7 (19.6, 43.4) kg/m2) provided objective information on sedentary
      and non-sedentary time. OUTCOMES: Participants self-reported their
      sociodemographic information. Primary outcomes: sedentary behaviour and PA,
      assessed over 7 days using an activPAL3 inclinometer. Cardio-metabolic markers
      included: blood pressure (BP), heart rate, waist circumference (WC), hip
      circumference, body composition and fasted capillary blood glucose,
      triglycerides, high-density lipopreotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) levels. These cardio-metabolic
      markers were treated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Lorry drivers presented an
      unhealthy cardio-metabolic health profile (median (IQR) systolic BP: 129 (108.5,
      164) mm Hg; diastolic BP: 81 (63, 104) mm Hg; BMI: 29 (20, 47) kg/m2; WC: 102
      (77.5, 146.5) cm; LDL-C: 3 (1, 6) mmol/L; TC: 4.9 (3, 7.5) mmol/L). 84% were
      overweight or obese, 43% had type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and 34% had the
      metabolic syndrome. The subsample of lorry drivers with objective postural data
      (n=87) accumulated 13 hours/day and 8 hours/day of sedentary behaviour on
      workdays and non-workdays (p<0.001), respectively. On average, drivers accrued 12
      min/day on workdays and 6 min/day on non-workdays of moderate-to-vigorous PA
      (MVPA). CONCLUSION: Lorry drivers demonstrate a high-risk cardio-metabolic
      profile and are highly sedentary and physically inactive. Interventions to reduce
      sitting and increase MVPA during breaks and leisure time to improve cardio
      metabolic health are urgently needed. Educational programmes to raise awareness
      about diet and exercise are recommended.

PMID- 28637723
TI  - Impact of consumer copayments for subsidised medicines on health services use and
      outcomes: a protocol using linked administrative data from Western Australia.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Across the world, health systems are adopting approaches to manage
      rising healthcare costs. One common strategy is a medication copayments scheme
      where consumers make a contribution (copayment) towards the cost of their
      dispensed medicines, with remaining costs subsidised by the health insurance
      service, which in Australia is the Federal Government.In Australia, copayments
      have tended to increase in proportion to inflation, but in January 2005, the
      copayment increased substantially more than inflation. Results from aggregated
      dispensing data showed that this increase led to a significant decrease in the
      use of several medicines. The aim of this study is to determine the demographic
      and clinical characteristics of individuals ceasing or reducing statin medication
      use following the January 2005 Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) copayment
      increase and the effects on their health outcomes. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This
      whole-of-population study comprises a series of retrospective, observational
      investigations using linked administrative health data on a cohort of West
      Australians (WA) who had at least one statin dispensed between 1 May 2002 and 30
      June 2010. Individual-level data on the use of pharmaceuticals, general
      practitioner (GP) visits, hospitalisations and death are used.This study will
      identify patients who were stable users of statin medication in 2004 with follow
      up commencing from 2005 onwards. Subgroups determined by change in adherence
      levels of statin medication from 2004 to 2005 will be classified as continuation,
      reduction or cessation of statin therapy and explored for differences in health
      outcomes and health service utilisation after the 2005 copayment change. ETHICS
      AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approvals have been obtained from the Western
      Australian Department of Health (#2007/33), University of Western Australia
      (RA/4/1/1775) and University of Notre Dame (0 14 167F). Outputs from the findings
      will be published in peer reviewed journals designed for a policy audience and
      presented at state, national and international conferences.

PMID- 28637724
TI  - Cross-sectional association between ZIP code-level gentrification and
      homelessness among a large community-based sample of people who inject drugs in
      19 US cities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Housing instability has been associated with poor health outcomes
      among people who inject drugs (PWID). This study investigates the associations of
      local-level housing and economic conditions with homelessness among a large
      sample of PWID, which is an underexplored topic to date. METHODS: PWID in this
      cross-sectional study were recruited from 19 large cities in the USA as part of
      National HIV Behavioral Surveillance. PWID provided self-reported information on
      demographics, behaviours and life events. Homelessness was defined as residing on
      the street, in a shelter, in a single room occupancy hotel, or in a car or
      temporarily residing with friends or relatives any time in the past year. Data on
      county-level rental housing unaffordability and demand for assisted housing
      units, and ZIP code-level gentrification (eg, index of percent increases in non
      Hispanic white residents, household income, gross rent from 1990 to 2009) and
      economic deprivation were collected from the US Census Bureau and Department of
      Housing and Urban Development. Multilevel models evaluated the associations of
      local economic and housing characteristics with homelessness. RESULTS: Sixty
      percent (5394/8992) of the participants reported homelessness in the past year.
      The multivariable model demonstrated that PWID living in ZIP codes with higher
      levels of gentrification had higher odds of homelessness in the past year
      (gentrification: adjusted OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.04 to 1.17). CONCLUSIONS: Additional
      research is needed to determine the mechanisms through which gentrification
      increases homelessness among PWID to develop appropriate community-level
      interventions.

PMID- 28637725
TI  - Filling the gaps in SARDs research: collection and linkage of administrative
      health data and self-reported survey data for a general population-based cohort
      of individuals with and without diagnoses of systemic autoimmune rheumatic
      disease (SARDs) from British Columbia, Canada.
AB  - PURPOSE: Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) are a group of
      debilitating autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus and
      related disorders. Assessing the healthcare and economic burden of SARDs has been
      challenging: while administrative databases can be used to determine healthcare
      utilisation and costs with minimal selection and recall bias, other health,
      sociodemographic and economic data have typically been sourced from highly
      selected, clinic-based cohorts. To address these gaps, we are collecting self
      reported survey data from a general population-based cohort of individuals with
      and without SARDs and linking it to their longitudinal administrative health
      data. PARTICIPANTS: Using administrative data from the province of British
      Columbia (BC), Canada, we established a population-based cohort of all BC adults
      receiving care for SARDs during 1996-2010 (n=20 729) and non-SARD individuals
      randomly selected from the general population. BC Ministry of Health granted us
      contact information for 12 000 SARD and non-SARD individuals, who were recruited
      to complete the surveys by mail or online. FINDINGS TO DATE: Four hundred
      individuals were initially invited to participate, with 135 (34%) consenting and
      127 (94%) submitting the first survey (72% completed online). Sixty-three (49.6%)
      reported >=1 SARD diagnosis. The non-SARDs group (n=64) was 92% female with mean
      age 57.0+/-11.6 years. The SARDs group (n=63) was 94% female with mean age 56.5+/
      13.1 years. Forty-eight per cent of those with SARDs were current-or-former
      smokers (mean 10.6+/-16.2 pack-years), and 33% were overweight or obese (mean
      body mass index of 24.4+/-5.3). FUTURE PLANS: Health and productivity data
      collected from the surveys will be linked to participants' administrative health
      data from the years 1990-2013, allowing us to determine the healthcare and lost
      productivity costs of SARDs, and assess the impact of patient-reported variables
      on utilisation, costs, disability and clinical outcomes. Findings will be
      disseminated through scientific conferences and peer-reviewed journals.

PMID- 28637726
TI  - Interventions for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission: protocol of an
      overview of systematic reviews.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Various interventions to prevent mother-to-child-transmission
      (MTCT) of HIV have been investigated and implemented. A number of systematic
      reviews assessing the efficacy of interventions for the prevention of MTCT of HIV
      reported antiretroviral prophylaxis, caesarean section before labour and before
      ruptured membranes, and complete avoidance of breastfeeding were efficacious for
      preventing MTCT of HIV. Recent WHO guidelines recommend lifelong antiretroviral
      therapy for all pregnant women for treatment of the woman's own HIV infection and
      for prevention of MTCT of HIV. Therefore, the objective of this overview is to
      evaluate the currently available systematic reviews of interventions for
      preventing MTCT of HIV, and to identify the current best evidence-based
      interventions for reducing the risk of MTCT of HIV. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will
      include only peer-reviewed systematic reviews of randomised or quasi-randomised
      controlled trials assessing the effects of interventions for preventing MTCT of
      HIV that target both HIV-infected women and children aged 2 years and younger
      born to HIV-infected women. We will search the Cochrane Database of Systematic
      Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, Ovid MEDLINE and
      EMBASE. We will assess review eligibility, the methodological quality of included
      systematic reviews using A Measurement Tool to Assess The Systematic Reviews and
      will extract data, comparing our results and resolving discrepancies by
      consensus. Finally, we will independently assess the certainty of the evidence
      using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation. ETHICS
      AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required. We will publish the results
      in a peer-reviewed journal and present at conferences, which will inform future
      research and will be useful for healthcare managers, administrators and
      policymakers to guide resource allocation decisions and optimisation of
      interventions to prevent the MTCT of HIV.

PMID- 28637727
TI  - A protocol for prospective studies of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, leptin and body mass
      index in relation to cutaneous melanoma incidence and survival.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The incidence and mortality rates of cutaneous melanoma (CM) are
      increasing among fair-skinned populations worldwide. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR)
      is the principal risk factor for CM, but is also the main source of 25
      hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), which has been associated with reduced risk and
      better prognosis of some cancer types. However, both low and high 25(OH)D levels
      have been associated with increased risk of CM. Obesity as measured by body mass
      index (BMI) is associated with risk of several cancers and has also been
      suggested as a risk factor for CM, and may also be related to insufficient
      25(OH)D and/or high leptin levels. Moreover, contracting a CM diagnosis has been
      associated with increased risk of developing second cancer. We aim to study
      whether low prediagnostic serum levels of 25(OH)D, high prediagnostic levels of
      BMI and high serum leptin levels influence CM incidence, Breslow thickness and CM
      mortality, and risk of second cancer and survival after a CM diagnosis. METHODS
      AND ANALYSIS: Cohort and nested case-control studies will be carried out using
      the population-based Janus Serum Bank Cohort (archival prediagnostic sera, BMI,
      smoking and physical activity), with follow-up from 1972 to 2014. Additional data
      will be received from the Cancer Registry of Norway, the national Cause of Death
      Registry, Statistics Norway (education and occupation) and exposure matrices of
      UVR. Time-to-event regression models will be used to analyse the cohort data,
      while the nested case-control studies will be analysed by conditional logistic
      regression. A multilevel approach will be applied when incorporating group-level
      data. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The project is approved by the Regional Committee
      for Medical Research Ethics and is funded by the Norwegian Cancer Society.
      Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, at scientific conferences
      and in the news media.

PMID- 28637728
TI  - Efficacy of long-acting release octreotide for preventing chemotherapy-induced
      diarrhoea: protocol for a systematic review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Diarrhoea is a common adverse effect induced by chemotherapy that
      can reduce the dose of chemotherapeutic drugs or interrupt the chemotherapy
      schedule. The current treatment strategies have various limitations. It has been
      shown that long-acting release octreotide (octreotide LAR) can decrease the
      occurrence and severity of diarrhoea, yet the efficacy of octreotide LAR in
      preventing chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea (CID) remains to be assessed. The main
      objective of this paper was to draw up a protocol for systematic review to
      evaluate the protective effects of octreotide LAR on CID. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:
      We searched Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge
      Infrastructure, Wanfang Data and the VIP Database without language restrictions
      from inception until 1 September 2016. The references of relevant studies were
      also manually searched. Two investigators independently accessed the selected
      studies, extracted data and assessed the reliability of the studies. Any
      discrepancies were resolved by a third investigator. The effect size of the
      selected studies was assessed by different measures based on the type of data.
      The selected studies were descriptively analysed. We then chose a fixed-effect
      model or a random-effect model based on statistical homogeneity, and pooled data
      from the studies for meta-analysis, if possible. The primary outcome was the
      incidence of diarrhoea. The secondary outcomes were the duration of diarrhoea,
      incidence of diarrhoea-associated symptoms, physical function and quality of
      life. All statistical analyses were performed by Review Manager V.5.3. ETHICS AND
      DISSEMINATION: This systematic review did not require ethics approval, because it
      included aggregated published data, and not individual patient data. The review
      was published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This systematic
      review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD
      42016048573).

PMID- 28637729
TI  - Incidence of diabetes-related complications in Chinese patients with type 1
      diabetes: a population-based longitudinal cohort study in Taiwan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence densities and cumulative incidence of
      diabetes-related complications in patients with type 1 diabetes for a maximum of
      15-year follow-up. The estimations were further stratified by gender and age at
      diagnosis (ie, early onset: 0-12 years, late onset:>=13 years). DESIGN: A
      population-based retrospective longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Taiwan's
      National Health Insurance medical claims. PARTICIPANTS: 4007 patients newly
      diagnosed with type 1 diabetes were identified during 1999-2012. OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Acute complications included diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and
      hypoglycaemia. Chronic complications were cardiovascular diseases (CVD),
      retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy. RESULTS: The incidence density of
      retinopathy was greatest (97.74 per 1000 person-years), followed by those of
      nephropathy (31.36), neuropathy (23.93) and CVD (4.39). Among acute
      complications, the incidence density of DKA was greatest (121.11 per 1000 person
      years). The cumulative incidences of acute complications after 12 years following
      diagnosis were estimated to be 52.1%, 36.1% and 4.1% for DKA, outpatient
      hypoglycaemia and hospitalised hypoglycaemia, respectively. For chronic
      complications, the cumulative incidence of retinopathy after 12 years following
      diagnosis was greatest (65.2%), followed by those of nephropathy (30.2%),
      neuropathy (23.7%) and CVD (4.1%). Females with late-onset diabetes were greatly
      affected by advanced retinopathy (ie, sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy) and
      hospitalised hypoglycaemia, whereas those with early-onset diabetes were more
      vulnerable to DKA. Chronic complications were more commonly seen in late-onset
      diabetes, whereas early-onset diabetes were most affected by acute complications.
      CONCLUSIONS: Ethnic Chinese patients with type 1 diabetes were greatly affected
      by DKA and retinopathy. The incidence of diabetes-related complications differed
      by age at diagnosis and sex.

PMID- 28637730
TI  - The relationship between physician burnout and quality of healthcare in terms of
      safety and acceptability: a systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study reviews the current state of the published peer-reviewed
      literature related to physician burnout and two quality of care dimensions. The
      purpose of this systematic literature review is to address the question, 'How
      does physician burnout affect the quality of healthcare related to the dimensions
      of acceptability and safety?' DESIGN: Using a multiphase screening process, this
      systematic literature review is based on publically available peer-reviewed
      studies published between 2002 and 2017. Six electronic databases were searched:
      (1) MEDLINE Current, (2) MEDLINE In-process, (3) MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, (4)
      PsycINFO, (5) Embase and (6) Web of Science. SETTING: Physicians practicing in
      civilian settings. PARTICIPANTS: Practicing physicians who have completed
      training. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality of healthcare related
      to acceptability (ie, patient satisfaction, physician communication and physician
      attitudes) and safety (ie, minimising risks or harm to patients). RESULTS: 4114
      unique citations were identified. Of these, 12 articles were included in the
      review. Two studies were rated as having high risk of bias and 10 as having
      moderate risk. Four studies were conducted in North America, four in Europe, one
      in the Middle East and three in East Asia. Results of this systematic literature
      review suggest there is moderate evidence that burnout is associated with safety
      related quality of care. Because of the variability in the way patient
      acceptability-related quality of care was measured and the inconsistency in study
      findings, the evidence supporting the relationship between burnout and patient
      acceptability-related quality of care is less strong. CONCLUSIONS: The focus on
      direct care-related quality highlights additional ways that physician burnout
      affects the healthcare system. These studies can help to inform decisions about
      how to improve patient care by addressing physician burnout. Continued work
      looking at the relationship between dimensions of acceptability-related quality
      of care measures and burnout is needed to advance the field.

PMID- 28637731
TI  - The impact of the asylum process on mental health: a longitudinal study of
      unaccompanied refugee minors in Norway.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors
      prospectively during the asylum-seeking process, with a focus on specific stages
      in the asylum process, such as age assessment, placement in a supportive or non
      supportive facility and final decision on the asylum applications. DESIGN: This
      was a21/2 year follow-up study of unaccompanied minors (UM) seeking asylum in
      Norway. Data were collected within three weeks (n=138) and at 4 months (n=101),
      15 months (n=84) and 26 months (n=69) after arrival. SETTING: Initially in an
      observation and orientation centre for unaccompanied asylum-seeking adolescents,
      and subsequently wherever the UM were located in other refugee facilities in
      Norway. PARTICIPANTS: Male UM from Afghanistan, Somalia, Algeria and Iran. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Mental health symptoms assessed by Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25
      and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. RESULTS: At the group level, the young asylum
      seekers reported high levels of psychological distress on arrival and symptom
      levels that stayed relatively unchanged over time. According to age-assessment
      procedures, 56% of the population were not recognised as minors. Subsequent
      placement in a low-support facility was associated with higher levels of
      psychological distress in the follow-up period. Those who were placed in a
      reception centre for adults had higher levels of psychological distress symptoms
      both after 15 months and 26 months compared with the remaining participants who
      were placed in reception centres for youth. Refusal of asylum was highly
      associated with higher levels of psychological distress. CONCLUSION: Mental
      health trajectory of young asylum seekers appears to be negatively affected by
      low support and refusal of asylum.

PMID- 28637733
TI  - Integration of sexually transmitted infection (STI) services into HIV care and
      treatment services for women living with HIV: a systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review and critically appraise the existing evidence on integration
      of sexually transmitted infection (STI) services into HIV care and treatment
      services for women living with HIV. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Four
      electronic databases were searched through 16February 2017 using keywords for
      HIV, STIs and integration. Reference lists of included articles and other reviews
      were also screened. REVIEW METHODS: We included studies that compared women
      living with HIV who received STI services integrated into HIV care and treatment
      services with those who received HIV care and treatment services without
      integrated STI services or standard of care. RESULTS: Of 170 articles identified,
      3 studies reported in 4 articles were included. Two studies evaluated
      comprehensive care for people living with HIV in the UK; in both cases, quality
      and uptake of STI services seemed to improve following integration. The third
      study conducted a comparative case study across different models of care in
      Swaziland: two clinics integrated with sexual and reproductive health services
      (including STI services), and two stand-alone HIV clinics (without STI services).
      Coverage for Pap smears among women living with HIV was higher at the fully
      integrated site, but there was no significant difference in the prevalence of
      sexual health screening or advice on sexual health. Reported client satisfaction
      was generally higher at the stand-alone HIV clinic, and a diverse range of
      factors related to implementation of different care models challenged the notion
      that integrated services are always superior or desired. CONCLUSION: While there
      is a limited evidence base for integrating STI services into HIV care and
      treatment services, existing studies indicate that integration is feasible and
      has the potential for positive outcomes. However, diverse population needs and
      health system factors must be considered when designing models of care to provide
      STI services to women living with HIV.

PMID- 28637732
TI  - Outpatient percutaneous native renal biopsy: safety profile in a large
      monocentric cohort.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aim to evaluate the safety of performing percutaneous native
      kidney biopsy (PKB) as an outpatient procedure (implying an observation period of
      6 hours) compared with the traditional inpatient policy. DESIGN, SETTING,
      PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Group I, in whom PKB was performed in the
      outpatient department (2012-2016) and followed by 6 hours' observation period and
      then by regular outpatient visits and group II, in whom PKB was performed and
      followed by at least 1 day hospital admission. Group II included retrospectively
      retrieved patients who underwent PKB in our Institution between January 2000 and
      November 2012 as an inpatient procedure. All biopsies were performed by a single
      nephrologist following a structured protocol. RESULTS: 462 biopsies were
      reviewed, 210 (45.5%) of patients were women and the mean age was 54.7+/-17.9
      years. One hundred and twenty-nine (27.9%) of these biopsies were performed in
      outpatients. A total of 36 (7.8%) of patients developed a complication, and of
      those, 9 (1.9%) suffered for a major complication (arteriovenous fistula (six
      cases, 1.2%), ischaemic stroke (2; 0.4%), thromboembolic pulmonary embolism (1;
      0.2%)) and 27 (5.8%) for minor(macroscopic haematuria (12 cases, 2.6%),
      haematomas on sonography not requiring intervention (15 cases, 3.2%)). When
      comparing the complication rate between groups I and II, no statical difference
      was observed. When analysing together both groups, after multivariate analysis,
      serum creatinine >3 mg/dL (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.18 to 6.81) and known severe
      hypertension (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.7) were found to be independent risk
      factors for minor and major complications, respectively. Conversely, we found no
      association of risk with the number of biopsy passes, gender, age, diagnosis,
      presence of haematuria before the kidney biopsy nor the degree of proteinuria.
      CONCLUSIONS: Outpatient biopsy could be a valuable, safe and perhaps cost
      effective method of obtaining diagnostic renal tissue in the majority of
      patients.

PMID- 28637734
TI  - Pregnancy-specific stress, fetoplacental haemodynamics, and neonatal outcomes in
      women with small for gestational age pregnancies: a secondary analysis of the
      multicentre Prospective Observational Trial to Optimise Paediatric Health in
      Intrauterine Growth Restriction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine associations between maternal pregnancy-specific stress
      and umbilical (UA PI) and middle cerebral artery pulsatility indices (MCA PI),
      cerebroplacental ratio, absent end diastolic flow (AEDF), birthweight,
      prematurity, neonatal intensive care unit admission and adverse obstetric
      outcomes in women with small for gestational age pregnancies. It was hypothesised
      that maternal pregnancy-specific stress would be associated with fetoplacental
      haemodynamics and neonatal outcomes. DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of data
      collected for a large-scale prospective observational study. SETTING: This study
      was conducted in the seven major obstetric hospitals in Ireland and Northern
      Ireland. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 331 women who participated in the
      Prospective Observational Trial to Optimise Paediatric Health in Intrauterine
      Growth Restriction. Women with singleton pregnancies between 24 and 36 weeks
      gestation, estimated fetal weight <10th percentile and no major structural or
      chromosomal abnormalities were included. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Serial Doppler ultrasound examinations of the umbilical and middle cerebral
      arteries between 20 and 42 weeks gestation, Pregnancy Distress Questionnaire
      (PDQ) scores between 23 and 40 weeks gestation and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS:
      Concerns about physical symptoms and body image at 35-40 weeks were associated
      with lower odds of abnormal UAPI (OR 0.826, 95% CI 0.696 to 0.979, p=0.028). PDQ
      score (OR 1.073, 95% CI 1.012 to 1.137, p=0.017), concerns about birth and the
      baby (OR 1.143, 95% CI 1.037 to 1.260, p=0.007) and concerns about physical
      symptoms and body image (OR 1.283, 95% CI 1.070 to 1.538, p=0.007) at 29-34 weeks
      were associated with higher odds of abnormal MCA PI. Concerns about birth and the
      baby at 29-34 weeks (OR 1.202, 95% CI 1.018 to 1.421, p=0.030) were associated
      with higher odds of AEDF. Concerns about physical symptoms and body image at 35
      40 weeks were associated with decreased odds of neonatal intensive care unit
      admission (OR 0.635, 95% CI 0.435 to 0.927, p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: These findings
      suggest that fetoplacental haemodynamics may be a mechanistic link between
      maternal prenatal stress and fetal and neonatal well-being, but additional
      research is required.

PMID- 28637735
TI  - Development of the Tailored Rett Intervention and Assessment Longitudinal (TRIAL)
      database and the Rett Evaluation of Symptoms and Treatments (REST) Questionnaire.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Rett syndrome (RTT) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that
      presents with deficits in brain functioning leading to language and learning
      regression, characteristic hand stereotypies and developmental delay. Different
      mutations in the gene implicated in RTT-methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2)
      establishes RTT as a disorder with divergent symptomatology ranging from
      individuals with severe to milder phenotypes. A reliable and single
      multidimensional questionnaire is needed that can embrace all symptoms, and the
      relationships between them, and can map clinically meaningful data to
      symptomatology across the lifespan in patients with RTT. As part of the
      HealthTracker-based Tailored Rett Intervention and Assessment Longitudinal
      (TRIAL) database, the Rett Evaluation of Symptoms and Treatments (REST)
      Questionnaire will be able to marry with the physiological aspects of the disease
      obtained using wearable sensor technology, along with genetic and psychosocial
      data to stratify patients. Taken together, the web-based TRIAL database will
      empower clinicians and researchers with the confidence to delineate between
      different aspects of disorder symptomatology to streamline care pathways for
      individuals or for those patients entering clinical trials. This protocol
      describes the anticipated development of the REST questionnaire and the TRIAL
      database which links with the outcomes of the wearable sensor technology, and
      will serve as a barometer for longitudinal patient monitoring in patients with
      RTT. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The US Food and Drug Administration Guidance for
      Patient-Reported Outcome Measures will be used as a template to inform the
      methodology of the study. It will follow an iterative framework that will include
      item/concept identification, item/concept elicitation in parent/carer-mediated
      focus groups, expert clinician feedback, web-based presentation of
      questionnaires, initial scale development, instrument refinement and instrument
      validation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study has received favourable opinion
      from the National Health Service (NHS) Research Ethics Committee (REC): NHS
      Research Ethics Committee (REC)-London, Bromley Research Ethics Committee
      (reference: 15/LO/1772).

PMID- 28637736
TI  - Transcatheter closure, mini-invasive closure and open-heart surgical repair for
      treatment of perimembranous ventricular septal defects in children: a protocol
      for a network meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Both transcatheter device closure and surgical repair are effective
      treatments with excellent midterm outcomes for perimembranous ventricular septal
      defects (pmVSDs) in children. The mini-invasive periventricular device occlusion
      technique has become prevalent in research and application, but evidence is
      limited for the assessment of transcatheter closure, mini-invasive closure and
      open-heart surgical repair. This study comprehensively compares the efficacy,
      safety and costs of transcatheter closure, mini-invasive closure and open-heart
      surgical repair for treatment of pmVSDs in children using Bayesian network meta
      analysis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search will be performed using
      Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure,
      PubMed, EMBASE.com and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to
      include random controlled trials, prospective or retrospective cohort studies
      comparing the efficacy, safety and costs of transcatheter closure, mini-invasive
      closure and open-heart surgical repair. The risk of bias for the included
      prospective or retrospective cohort studies will be evaluated according to the
      risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions (ROBINS-I). For random
      controlled trials, we will use risk of bias tool from Cochrane Handbook version
      5.1.0. A Bayesian network meta-analysis will be conducted using R-3.3.2 software.
      ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval and patient consent are not required
      since this study is a network meta-analysis based on published trials. The
      results of this network meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed
      journal for publication. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016053352.

PMID- 28637737
TI  - Management of shoulder pain by UK general practitioners (GPs): a national survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Studies in Canada, the USA and Australia suggested low confidence
      among general practitioners (GPs) in diagnosing and managing shoulder pain, with
      frequent use of investigations. There are no comparable studies in the UK; our
      objective was to describe the diagnosis and management of shoulder pain by GPs in
      the UK. METHODS: A national survey of a random sample of 5000 UK GPs collected
      data on shoulder pain diagnosis and management using two clinical vignettes that
      described primary care presentations with rotator cuff tendinopathy (RCT) and
      adhesive capsulitis (AdhC). RESULTS: Seven hundred and fourteen (14.7%) responses
      were received. 56% and 83% of GPs were confident in their diagnosis of RCT and
      AdhC, respectively, and a wide range of investigations and management options
      were reported. For the RCT presentation, plain radiographs of the shoulder were
      most common (60%), followed by blood tests (42%) and ultrasound scans (USS)
      (38%). 19% of those who recommended a radiograph and 76% of those who recommended
      a USS did so 'to confirm the diagnosis'. For the AdhC presentation, the most
      common investigations were blood tests (60%), plain shoulder radiographs (58%)
      and USS (31%). More than two-thirds of those recommending a USS did so 'to
      confirm the diagnosis'. The most commonly recommended treatment for both
      presentations was physiotherapy (RCT 77%, AdhC 71%) followed by non-steroidal
      anti-inflammatory drugs (RCT 58%, AdhC 74%). 17% opted to refer the RCT to
      secondary care (most often musculoskeletal interface service), compared with 31%
      for the AdhC. CONCLUSIONS: This survey of GPs in the UK highlights reliance on
      radiographs and blood tests in the management of common shoulder pain
      presentations. GPs report referring more than 7 out of 10 patients with RCT and
      AdhC to physiotherapists. These findings need to be viewed in the context of low
      response to the survey and, therefore, potential non-response bias.

PMID- 28637739
TI  - Intrathecal baclofen therapy in paediatrics: a study protocol for an Australian
      multicentre, 10-year prospective audit.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Increasing clinical use of Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) in Australian
      tertiary paediatric hospitals, along with the need for standardised assessment
      and reporting of adverse events, saw the formation of the Australian Paediatric
      ITB Research Group (APIRG). APIRG developed a National ITB Audit tool designed to
      capture clinical outcomes and adverse events data for all Australian children and
      adolescents receiving ITB therapy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Australian ITB Audit
      is a 10 year, longitudinal, prospective, clinical audit collecting all adverse
      events and assessment data across body functions and structure, participation and
      activity level domains of the ICF. Data will be collected at baseline, 6 and 12
      months with ongoing capture of all adverse event data. This is the first
      Australian study that aims to capture clinical and adverse event data from a
      complete population of children with neurological impairment receiving a specific
      intervention between 2011 and 2021. This multi-centre study will inform ITB
      clinical practice in children and adolescents, direct patient selection, record
      and aid decision making regarding adverse events and investigate the impact of
      ITB therapy on family and patient quality of life. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This
      project was approved by the individual Human Research Ethics committees at the
      six Australian tertiary hospitals involved in the study. Results will be
      published in various peer reviewed journals and presented at national and
      international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN 12610000323022; Pre
      results.

PMID- 28637740
TI  - Tablet computers versus optical aids to support education and learning in
      children and young people with low vision: protocol for a pilot randomised
      controlled trial, CREATE (Children Reading with Electronic Assistance To
      Educate).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Low vision and blindness adversely affect education and
      independence of children and young people. New 'assistive' technologies such as
      tablet computers can display text in enlarged font, read text out to the user,
      allow speech input and conversion into typed text, offer document and spreadsheet
      processing and give access to wide sources of information such as the internet.
      Research on these devices in low vision has been limited to case series. METHODS
      AND ANALYSIS: We will carry out a pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) to
      assess the feasibility of a full RCT of assistive technologies for children/young
      people with low vision. We will recruit 40 students age 10-18 years in India and
      the UK, whom we will randomise 1:1 into two parallel groups. The active
      intervention will be Apple iPads; the control arm will be the local standard low
      vision aid care. Primary outcomes will be acceptance/usage, accessibility of the
      device and trial feasibility measures (time to recruit children, lost to follow
      up). Exploratory outcomes will be validated measures of vision-related quality of
      life for children/young people as well as validated measures of reading and
      educational outcomes. In addition, we will carry out semistructured interviews
      with the participants and their teachers. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: NRES
      reference 15/NS/0068; dissemination is planned via healthcare and education
      sector conferences and publications, as well as via patient support
      organisations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02798848; IRAS ID 179658, UCL
      reference 15/0570.

PMID- 28637738
TI  - The REAnimation Low Immune Status Markers (REALISM) project: a protocol for broad
      characterisation and follow-up of injury-induced immunosuppression in intensive
      care unit (ICU) critically ill patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The host response to septic shock is dynamic and complex. A sepsis
      induced immunosuppression phase has recently been acknowledged and linked to bad
      outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Moreover, a marked suppression of the
      immune response has also been partially described in patients hospitalized in
      intensive care unit (ICU) for severe trauma or burns. It has been hypothesized
      that immune monitoring could enable identification of patients who might most
      benefit from novel, adjunctive immune-stimulating therapies. However, there is
      currently neither a clear definition for such injury-induced immunosuppression
      nor a stratification biomarker compatible with clinical constraints. METHODS AND
      ANALYSIS: We set up a prospective, longitudinal single-centre clinical study to
      determine the incidence, severity and persistency of innate and adaptive immune
      alterations in ICU patients. We optimized a workflow to describe and follow the
      immunoinflammatory status of 550 patients (septic shock, severe trauma/burn and
      major surgery) during the first 2 months after their initial injury. On each time
      point, two immune functional tests will be performed to determine whole-blood TNF
      alpha production in response to ex vivo lipopolysaccharide stimulation and the T
      lymphocyte proliferation in response to phytohaemagglutinin. In addition, a
      complete immunophenotyping using flow cytometry including monocyte HLA-DR
      expression and lymphocyte subsets will be obtained. New markers (ie, levels of
      expression of host mRNA and viral reactivation) will be also evaluated. Reference
      intervals will be determined from a cohort of 150 age-matched healthy volunteers.
      This clinical study will provide, for the first time, data describing the immune
      status of severe ICU patients over time. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical
      approval has been obtained from the institutional review board (no 69HCL15_0379)
      and the French National Security agency for drugs and health-related products.
      Results will be disseminated through presentations at scientific meetings and
      publications in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:
      Clinicaltrials.gov Registration number: NCT02638779. Pre-results.

PMID- 28637741
TI  - The CLOSED trial; CLOnidine compared with midazolam for SEDation of paediatric
      patients in the intensive care unit: study protocol for a multicentre randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sedation is an essential part of paediatric critical care.
      Midazolam, often in combination with opioids, is the current gold standard drug.
      However, as it is a far-from-ideal agent, clonidine is increasingly being used in
      children. This drug is prescribed off-label for this indication, as many drugs in
      paediatrics are. Therefore, the CLOSED trial aims to provide data on the
      pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy of clonidine for the sedation of
      mechanically ventilated patients in order to obtain a paediatric-use marketing
      authorisation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The CLOSED study is a multicentre, double
      blind, randomised, active-controlled non-inferiority trial with a 1:1
      randomisation between clonidine and midazolam. Both treatment groups are
      stratified according to age in three groups with the same size: <28 days (n=100),
      28 days to <2 years (n=100) and 2-18 years (n=100). The primary end point is
      defined as the occurrence of sedation failure within the study period. Secondary
      end points include a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship,
      pharmacogenetics, occurrence of delirium and withdrawal syndrome, opioid
      consumption and neurodevelopment in the neonatal age group. Logistic regression
      will be used for the primary end point, appropriate statistics will be used for
      the secondary end points. ETHICS: Written informed consent will be obtained from
      the parents/caregivers. Verbal or deferred consent will be used in the sites
      where national legislation allows. The study has institutional review board
      approval at recruiting sites. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed
      journal and shared with the worldwide medical community. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      EudraCT: 2014-003582-24; Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02509273; pre-results.

PMID- 28637742
TI  - Primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator in patients with non
      ischaemic cardiomyopathy: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
      (RCTs) is to evaluate the role of primary prevention implantable cardioverter
      defibrillator (ICD) in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM).
      SETTING: A meta-analysis of RCTs performed according to the Preferred Reporting
      Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. DATA SOURCES: The
      PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials
      databases were searched for relevant articles. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5 RCTs
      with 2573 patients with NICM were included. INTERVENTION: Primary prevention ICD,
      compared with medical therapy alone. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: All
      cause mortality (primary outcome) and sudden cardiac death (SCD, secondary
      outcome). DATA ANALYSIS: Summary estimate HR were constructed using the random
      effect DerSimonian and Laird's model. Multiple study-level subgroup analyses were
      performed, and interaction was tested using random-effect analysis. RESULTS:
      Compared with medical therapy alone, ICD placement was associated with lower risk
      of all-cause mortality (HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.64 to 0.93; p<0.001; I2=0%) at a mean
      follow-up of 4.2 years. The risk of SCD was also lower with ICD placement (RR
      0.47; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.73; p=0.001; I2=0%) compared with control. On subgroup
      analyses, there was a suggestion of possible effect modification by age, in which
      benefit was observed in age group <60 years (HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47 to 0.89), but
      not with age >=60 years (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.65 to 1.03) (Pinteraction=0.058), but
      not with other study-level variables. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with medical therapy
      alone, primary prevention ICD therapy in patients with NICM is associated with a
      significant reduction in all-cause mortality, especially in younger patients.
      Future dedicated studies are needed to investigate the role of primary prevention
      ICD in the elderly population. PROSPEROREGISTRATIONNUMBER: PROSPERO
      CRD42016052010.

PMID- 28637743
TI  - Knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare professionals towards infliximab
      and insulin glargine biosimilars: result of a UK web-based survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes
      towards infliximab and insulin glargine biosimilars and the factors influencing
      their prescribing. Then, to compare healthcare professionals' attitudes with the
      utilisation of these biosimilars in UK hospitals. DESIGN: Self-administered, one
      time web-based survey and drug utilisation analysis. SETTING AND DATA SOURCES:
      Professional associations and societies in the field of dermatology, diabetology,
      gastroenterology and rheumatology in the UK, between 8 August 2016 and 8 January
      2017. The volume of utilisation of branded and biosimilar infliximab and insulin
      glargine in UK hospitals was derived from the DEFINE database, between 2015 and
      2016. OUTCOMES: Participants' knowledge and awareness of biosimilars and factors
      influencing their use and corresponding usage of infliximab and insulin glargine
      biosimilars. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 234 healthcare professionals
      across dermatology, diabetology, gastroenterology and rheumatology specialties.
      75% of respondents were aware that biosimilars were available on their local
      formulary. 77% of respondents considered biosimilars extremely or very important
      to save costs for the NHS. Gastroenterologists had the highest utilisation of
      infliximab biosimilars (14%) in 2015 rising to (62%) in 2016. Healthcare
      professionals had greater concerns about safety and efficacy when switching
      patients to biosimilars than when starting biosimilars in biological naive
      patients. Guidance from National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and
      robust pharmacovigilance studies on biosimilars were both considered important
      factors in increasing biosimilars use. CONCLUSION: British healthcare
      professionals are well informed about biosimilars with high level of awareness.
      Safety and efficacy concerns were higher in switching than in initiating
      biosimilars among some prescribers. It is probable that personal experience of
      biologics as well as discipline-specific guidance influenced prescribers'
      responses.

PMID- 28637745
TI  - Corrections: Cost-effectiveness of therapist-guided internet-delivered cognitive
      behaviour therapy for paediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder: results from a
      randomised controlled trial.

PMID- 28637744
TI  - Group clinics for young adults with diabetes in an ethnically diverse,
      socioeconomically deprived setting (TOGETHER study): protocol for a realist
      review, co-design and mixed methods, participatory evaluation of a new care
      model.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Young adults with diabetes often report dissatisfaction with care
      and have poor diabetes-related health outcomes. As diabetes prevalence continues
      to rise, group-based care could provide a sustainable alternative to traditional
      one-to-one consultations, by engaging young people through life stage-, context-
      and culturally-sensitive approaches. In this study, we will co-design and
      evaluate a group-based care model for young adults with diabetes and complex
      health and social needs in socioeconomically deprived areas. METHODS AND
      ANALYSIS: This participatory study will include three phases. In phase 1, we will
      carry out a realist review to synthesise the literature on group-based care for
      young adults with diabetes. This theory-driven understanding will provide the
      basis for phase 2, where we will draw on experience-based co-design methodologies
      to develop a new, group-based care model for young adults (aged <25 years, under
      the care of adult diabetes services). In phase 3, we will use a researcher-in
      residence approach to implement and evaluate the co-designed group clinic model
      and compare with traditional care. We will employ qualitative (observations in
      clinics, patient and staff interviews and document analysis) and quantitative
      methods (eg, biological markers, patient enablement instrument and diabetes
      distress scale), including a cost analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: National
      Health Service ethics approval has been granted (reference 17/NI/0019). The
      project will directly inform service redesign to better meet the needs of young
      adults with diabetes in socioeconomically deprived areas and may guide a possible
      cluster-randomised trial, powered to clinical and cost-effectiveness outcomes.
      Findings from this study may be transferable to other long-term conditions and/or
      age groups. Project outputs will include briefing statements, summaries and
      academic papers, tailored for different audiences, including people living with
      diabetes, clinicians, policy makers and strategic decision makers. REGISTRATION
      DETAILS: PROSPERO (CRD42017058726).

PMID- 28637747
TI  - F-actin prevents interaction between sperm DNA and the oocyte meiotic spindle in
      C. elegans.
AB  - Fertilization occurs during female meiosis in most animals, which raises the
      question of what prevents the sperm DNA from interacting with the meiotic
      spindle. In this study, we find that Caenorhabditis elegans sperm DNA stays in a
      fixed position at the opposite end of the embryo from the meiotic spindle while
      yolk granules are transported throughout the embryo by kinesin-1. In the absence
      of F-actin, the sperm DNA, centrioles, and organelles were transported as a unit
      with the yolk granules, resulting in sperm DNA within 2 um of the meiotic
      spindle. F-actin imaging revealed a cytoplasmic meshwork that might restrict
      transport in a size-dependent manner. However, increasing yolk granule size did
      not slow their velocity, and the F-actin moved with the yolk granules. Instead,
      sperm contents connect to the cortical F-actin to prevent interaction with the
      meiotic spindle.

PMID- 28637746
TI  - Early protection to stress mediated by CDK-dependent PI3,5P2 signaling from the
      vacuole/lysosome.
AB  - Adaptation to environmental stress is critical for cell survival. Adaptation
      generally occurs via changes in transcription and translation. However, there is
      a time lag before changes in gene expression, which suggests that more rapid
      mechanisms likely exist. In this study, we show that in yeast, the cyclin
      dependent kinase Pho85/CDK5 provides protection against hyperosmotic stress and
      acts before long-term adaptation provided by Hog1. This protection requires the
      vacuolar/endolysosomal signaling lipid PI3,5P2 We show that Pho85/CDK5 directly
      phosphorylates and positively regulates the PI3P-5 kinase Fab1/PIKfyve complex
      and provide evidence that this regulation is conserved in mammalian cells.
      Moreover, this regulation is particularly crucial in yeast for the stress-induced
      transient elevation of PI3,5P2 Our study reveals a rapid protection mechanism
      regulated by Pho85/CDK5 via signaling from the vacuole/lysosome, which is
      distinct temporally and spatially from the previously discovered long-term
      adaptation Hog1 pathway, which signals from the nucleus.

PMID- 28637749
TI  - Cell cycle-dependent spatial segregation of telomerase from sites of DNA damage.
AB  - Telomerase can generate a novel telomere at DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), an
      event called de novo telomere addition. How this activity is suppressed remains
      unclear. Combining single-molecule imaging and deep sequencing, we show that the
      budding yeast telomerase RNA (TLC1 RNA) is spatially segregated to the nucleolus
      and excluded from sites of DNA repair in a cell cycle-dependent manner. Although
      TLC1 RNA accumulates in the nucleoplasm in G1/S, Pif1 activity promotes TLC1 RNA
      localization in the nucleolus in G2/M. In the presence of DSBs, TLC1 RNA remains
      nucleolar in most G2/M cells but accumulates in the nucleoplasm and colocalizes
      with DSBs in rad52Delta cells, leading to de novo telomere additions.
      Nucleoplasmic accumulation of TLC1 RNA depends on Cdc13 localization at DSBs and
      on the SUMO ligase Siz1, which is required for de novo telomere addition in
      rad52Delta cells. This study reveals novel roles for Pif1, Rad52, and Siz1
      dependent sumoylation in the spatial exclusion of telomerase from sites of DNA
      repair.

PMID- 28637750
TI  - Interplay of PA-X and NS1 Proteins in Replication and Pathogenesis of a
      Temperature-Sensitive 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza A Virus.
AB  - Influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemics,
      representing a serious public health concern. It has been described that one
      mechanism used by some IAV strains to escape the host innate immune responses and
      modulate virus pathogenicity involves the ability of the PA-X and NS1 proteins to
      inhibit the host protein synthesis in infected cells. It was reported that for
      the 2009 pandemic H1N1 IAV (pH1N1) only the PA-X protein had this inhibiting
      capability, while the NS1 protein did not. In this work, we have evaluated, for
      the first time, the combined effect of PA-X- and NS1-mediated inhibition of
      general gene expression on virus pathogenesis, using a temperature-sensitive,
      live-attenuated 2009 pandemic H1N1 IAV (pH1N1 LAIV). We found that viruses
      containing PA-X and NS1 proteins that simultaneously have (PAWT+/NS1MUT+) or do
      not have (PAMUT-/NS1WT-) the ability to block host gene expression showed reduced
      pathogenicity in vivo However, a virus where the ability to inhibit host protein
      expression was switched between PA-X and NS1 (PAMUT-/NS1MUT+) presented
      pathogenicity similar to that of a virus containing both wild-type proteins
      (PAWT+/NS1WT-). Our findings suggest that inhibition of host protein expression
      is subject to a strict balance, which can determine the successful progression of
      IAV infection. Importantly, knowledge obtained from our studies could be used for
      the development of new and more effective vaccine approaches against
      IAV.IMPORTANCE Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are one of the most common causes of
      respiratory infections in humans, resulting in thousands of deaths annually.
      Furthermore, IAVs can cause unpredictable pandemics of great consequence when
      viruses not previously circulating in humans are introduced into humans. The
      defense machinery provided by the host innate immune system limits IAV
      replication; however, to counteract host antiviral activities, IAVs have
      developed different inhibition mechanisms, including prevention of host gene
      expression mediated by the viral PA-X and NS1 proteins. Here, we provide evidence
      demonstrating that optimal control of host protein synthesis by IAV PA-X and/or
      NS1 proteins is required for efficient IAV replication in the host. Moreover, we
      demonstrate the feasibility of genetically controlling the ability of IAV PA-X
      and NS1 proteins to inhibit host immune responses, providing an approach to
      develop more effective vaccines to combat disease caused by this important
      respiratory pathogen.

PMID- 28637748
TI  - Impaired spliceosomal UsnRNP assembly leads to Sm mRNA down-regulation and Sm
      protein degradation.
AB  - Specialized assembly factors facilitate the formation of many macromolecular
      complexes in vivo. The formation of Sm core structures of spliceosomal U-rich
      small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (UsnRNPs) requires assembly factors
      united in protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and survival motor neuron
      (SMN) complexes. We demonstrate that perturbations of this assembly machinery
      trigger complex cellular responses that prevent aggregation of unassembled Sm
      proteins. Inactivation of the SMN complex results in the initial tailback of Sm
      proteins on the PRMT5 complex, followed by down-regulation of their encoding
      mRNAs. In contrast, reduction of pICln, a PRMT5 complex subunit, leads to the
      retention of newly synthesized Sm proteins on ribosomes and their subsequent
      lysosomal degradation. Overexpression of Sm proteins under these conditions
      results in a surplus of Sm proteins over pICln, promoting their aggregation. Our
      studies identify an elaborate safeguarding system that prevents individual Sm
      proteins from aggregating, contributing to cellular UsnRNP homeostasis.

PMID- 28637752
TI  - Identification of Intermediate in Hepatitis B Virus CCC DNA Formation and
      Sensitive and Selective CCC DNA Detection.
AB  - The hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA functions as the
      only viral template capable of coding for all the viral RNA species and is thus
      essential to initiate and sustain viral replication. CCC DNA is converted, in a
      multi-step and ill-understood process, from a relaxed circular (RC) DNA, in which
      neither of the two DNA strands is covalently closed. To detect putative
      intermediates during RC to CCC DNA conversion, two 3' exonucleases Exo I and Exo
      III, in combination were used to degrade all DNA strands with a free 3' end,
      which would nevertheless preserve closed circular DNA, either single-stranded
      (SS) or double-stranded (DS). Indeed, a RC DNA species with a covalently closed
      minus strand but an open plus strand (closed minus-strand RC DNA or cM-RC DNA)
      was detected by this approach. Further analyses indicated that at least some of
      the plus strands in such a putative intermediate likely still retained the RNA
      primer that is attached to the 5' end of the plus strand in RC DNA, suggesting
      that minus strand closing can occur before plus strand processing. Furthermore,
      the same nuclease treatment proved to be useful for sensitive and specific
      detection of CCC DNA by removing all DNA species other than closed circular DNA.
      Application of these and similar approaches may allow the identification of
      additional intermediates during CCC DNA formation and facilitate specific and
      sensitive detection of CCC DNA, which should help elucidate the pathways of CCC
      DNA formation and factors involved.IMPORTANCE The hepatitis B virus (HBV)
      covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA is the molecular basis of viral persistence,
      by serving as the viral transcriptional template. CCC DNA is converted, in a
      multi-step and ill-understood process, from a relaxed circular (RC) DNA. Little
      is currently understood about the pathways or factors involved in CCC DNA
      formation. We have now detected a likely intermediate during the conversion of RC
      to CCC DNA, thus providing important clues to the pathways of CCC DNA formation.
      Furthermore, the same experimental approach that led to the detection of the
      intermediate could also facilitate specific and sensitive detection of CCC DNA,
      which has remained challenging. This and similar approaches will help identify
      additional intermediates during CCC DNA formation and elucidate the pathways and
      factors involved.

PMID- 28637751
TI  - Ifit2 Is a Restriction Factor in Rabies Virus Pathogenicity.
AB  - Understanding the interactions between rabies virus (RABV) and individual host
      cell proteins is critical for the development of targeted therapies. Here we
      report that interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 2 (Ifit2),
      an interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) with possible RNA-binding capacity, is an
      important restriction factor for rabies virus. When Ifit2 was depleted, RABV grew
      more quickly in mouse neuroblastoma cells in vitro This effect was replicated in
      vivo, where Ifit2 knockout mice displayed a dramatically more severe disease
      phenotype than wild-type mice after intranasal inoculation of RABV. This increase
      in pathogenicity correlated to an increase in RABV mRNA and live viral load in
      the brain, as well as to an accelerated spread to brain regions normally affected
      by this RABV model. These results suggest that Ifit2 exerts its antiviral effect
      mainly at the level of viral replication, as opposed to functioning as a
      mechanism that restricts viral entry/egress or transports RABV particles through
      axons.IMPORTANCE Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease with a nearly 100% case
      fatality rate. Although there are effective vaccines for rabies, this disease
      still takes the lives of about 50,000 people each year. Victims tend to be
      children living in regions without comprehensive medical infrastructure who
      present to health care workers too late for postexposure prophylaxis. The protein
      discussed in our report, Ifit2, is found to be an important restriction factor
      for rabies virus, acting directly or indirectly against viral replication. A more
      nuanced understanding of this interaction may reveal a step of a pathway or site
      at which the system could be exploited for the development of a targeted therapy.

PMID- 28637753
TI  - Structural mimicry of the dengue virus envelope glycoprotein revealed by the
      crystallographic study of an idiotype-anti-idiotype Fab complex.
AB  - A detailed understanding of the fine specificity of serotype-specific human
      antibodies is vital for the development and evaluation of new vaccines for
      pathogenic Flaviviruses such as Dengue virus (DENV) and Zika virus. In this
      study, we thoroughly characterize the structural footprint of an anti-idiotype
      antibody (E1) specific for a potent, fully human DENV serotype 1-specific
      antibody termed HM14c10, derived from a recovered patient. The crystal structure
      at a resolution of 2.5 A of a complex between the Fab fragments of E1 and HM14c10
      provides the first detailed molecular comparison of an anti-idiotype paratope
      specific for a human antibody with its analogous epitope- a discontinuous
      quaternary structure located at the surface of the viral particle that spans
      adjacent envelope (E) proteins. This comparison reveals that the footprints left
      by E1 and E on HM14c10 largely overlap, explaining why formation of the binary
      complexes are mutually exclusive. Structural mimicry of the DENV E epitope by the
      E1 combining site is achieved via the formation of numerous interactions with
      heavy chain CDRs of HM14c10, while fewer interactions are observed with its light
      chain, compared to the E protein. We show that E1 can be utilized to detect
      HM14c10-like antibodies in sera from patients recovered from a DENV-1 infection
      suggesting that this is a public (common) idiotype. These data demonstrate the
      utility of employing an anti-idiotype antibody to monitor a patient's specific
      immune responses and suggest routes for improvement of E 'mimicry' by E1 through
      increasing its recognition of the FabHM14c10 light chain CDRs.IMPORTANCE A
      chimeric yellow fever/dengue live-attenuated tetravalent vaccine is now marketed.
      Dengue remains a significant public health problem, because protection conferred
      by this vaccine is uneven against the four circulating serotypes. Reliable tools
      must be developed to measure the immune response of individuals exposed to DENV,
      either via viral infection or through vaccination. Anti-idiotypic antibodies
      provide precision tools for analyzing the pharmacokinetics of antibodies in an
      immune response and also for measuring the amount of circulating anti-infective
      therapeutic antibodies. Here, we characterize how an anti-idiotypic antibody (E1)
      binds the antibody HM14c10, which potently neutralizes DENV serotype 1. We report
      the crystal structure at a resolution of 2.5 A of a complex between the Fab
      fragments of E1 and HM14c10 and provide the first detailed molecular comparison
      between the anti-idiotype surface and its analogous epitope located at the
      surface of the Dengue viral particle.

PMID- 28637755
TI  - Seasonal H3N2 and 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza A Viruses Reassort Efficiently but
      Produce Attenuated Progeny.
AB  - Reassortment of gene segments between coinfecting influenza A viruses (IAVs)
      facilitates viral diversification and has a significant epidemiological impact on
      seasonal and pandemic influenza. Since 1977, human IAVs of H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes
      have cocirculated with relatively few documented cases of reassortment. We
      evaluated the potential for viruses of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) and
      seasonal H3N2 lineages to reassort under experimental conditions. Results of
      heterologous coinfections with pH1N1 and H3N2 viruses were compared to those
      obtained following coinfection with homologous, genetically tagged, pH1N1 viruses
      as a control. High genotype diversity was observed among progeny of both
      coinfections; however, diversity was more limited following heterologous
      coinfection. Pairwise analysis of genotype patterns revealed that homologous
      reassortment was random while heterologous reassortment was characterized by
      specific biases. pH1N1/H3N2 reassortant genotypes produced under single-cycle
      coinfection conditions showed a strong preference for homologous PB2-PA
      combinations and general preferences for the H3N2 NA, pH1N1 M, and H3N2 PB2
      except when paired with the pH1N1 PA or NP. Multicycle coinfection results
      corroborated these findings and revealed an additional preference for the H3N2
      HA. Segment compatibility was further investigated by measuring chimeric
      polymerase activity and growth of selected reassortants in human tracheobronchial
      epithelial cells. In guinea pigs inoculated with a mixture of viruses, parental
      H3N2 viruses dominated but reassortants also infected and transmitted to cage
      mates. Taken together, our results indicate that strong intrinsic barriers to
      reassortment between seasonal H3N2 and pH1N1 viruses are few but that the
      reassortants formed are attenuated relative to parental strains.IMPORTANCE The
      genome of IAV is relatively simple, comprising eight RNA segments, each of which
      typically encodes one or two proteins. Each viral protein carries out multiple
      functions in coordination with other viral components and the machinery of the
      cell. When two IAVs coinfect a cell, they can exchange genes through
      reassortment. The resultant progeny viruses often suffer fitness defects due to
      suboptimal interactions among divergent viral components. The genetic diversity
      generated through reassortment can facilitate the emergence of novel outbreak
      strains. Thus, it is important to understand the efficiency of reassortment and
      the factors that limit its potential. The research described here offers new
      tools for studying reassortment between two strains of interest and applies those
      tools to viruses of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 and seasonal H3N2 lineages, which
      currently cocirculate in humans and therefore have the potential to give rise to
      novel epidemic strains.

PMID- 28637754
TI  - Functional Evolution of Influenza Virus NS1 Protein in Currently Circulating
      Human 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Viruses.
AB  - In 2009, a novel H1N1 influenza virus emerged in humans, causing a global
      pandemic. It was previously shown that the NS1 protein from this human 2009
      pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus was an effective interferon (IFN) antagonist but
      could not inhibit general host gene expression, unlike other NS1 proteins from
      seasonal human H1N1 and H3N2 viruses. Here we show that the NS1 protein from
      currently circulating pH1N1 viruses has evolved to encode 6 amino acid changes
      (E55K, L90I, I123V, E125D, K131E, and N205S) with respect to the original
      protein. Notably, these 6 residue changes restore the ability of pH1N1 NS1 to
      inhibit general host gene expression, mainly by their ability to restore binding
      to the cellular factor CPSF30. This is the first report describing the ability of
      the pH1N1 NS1 protein to naturally acquire mutations that restore this function.
      Importantly, a recombinant pH1N1 virus containing these 6 amino acid changes in
      the NS1 protein (pH1N1/NSs-6mut) inhibited host IFN and proinflammatory responses
      to a greater extent than that with the parental virus (pH1N1/NS1-wt), yet virus
      titers were not significantly increased in cell cultures or in mouse lungs, and
      the disease was partially attenuated. The pH1N1/NSs-6mut virus grew similarly to
      pH1N1/NSs-wt in mouse lungs, but infection with pH1N1/NSs-6mut induced lower
      levels of proinflammatory cytokines, likely due to a general inhibition of gene
      expression mediated by the mutated NS1 protein. This lower level of inflammation
      induced by the pH1N1/NSs-6mut virus likely accounts for the attenuated disease
      phenotype and may represent a host-virus adaptation affecting influenza virus
      pathogenesis.IMPORTANCE Seasonal influenza A viruses (IAVs) are among the most
      common causes of respiratory infections in humans. In addition, occasional
      pandemics are caused when IAVs circulating in other species emerge in the human
      population. In 2009, a swine-origin H1N1 IAV (pH1N1) was transmitted to humans,
      infecting people then and up to the present. It was previously shown that the NS1
      protein from the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus is not able to inhibit general
      gene expression. However, currently circulating pH1N1 viruses have evolved to
      encode 6 amino acid changes (E55K, L90I, I123V, E125D, K131E, and N205S) that
      allow the NS1 protein of contemporary pH1N1 strains to inhibit host gene
      expression, which correlates with its ability to interact with CPSF30. Infection
      with a recombinant pH1N1 virus encoding these 6 amino acid changes (pH1N1/NSs
      6mut) induced lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines, resulting in viral
      attenuation in vivo This might represent an adaptation of pH1N1 virus to humans.

PMID- 28637757
TI  - Going against the Tide: Selective Cellular Protein Synthesis during Virally
      Induced Host Shutoff.
AB  - Many viral infections cause host shutoff, a state in which host protein synthesis
      is globally inhibited. Emerging evidence from vaccinia and influenza A virus
      infections indicates that subsets of cellular proteins are resistant to host
      shutoff and continue to be synthesized. Remarkably, the proteins of oxidative
      phosphorylation, the cellular-energy-generating machinery, are selectively
      synthesized in both cases. Identifying mechanisms that drive selective protein
      synthesis should facilitate understanding both viral replication and fundamental
      cell biology.

PMID- 28637756
TI  - High-Resolution Metatranscriptomics Reveals the Ecological Dynamics of Mosquito
      Associated RNA Viruses in Western Australia.
AB  - Mosquitoes harbor a high diversity of RNA viruses, including many that impact
      human health. Despite a growing effort to describe the extent and nature of the
      mosquito virome, little is known about how these viruses persist, spread, and
      interact with both their hosts and other microbes. To address this issue we
      performed a metatranscriptomics analysis of 12 Western Australian mosquito
      populations structured by species and geographic location. Our results identified
      the complete genomes of 24 species of RNA viruses from a diverse range of viral
      families and orders, among which 19 are newly described. Comparisons of viromes
      revealed a striking difference between the two mosquito genera, with viromes of
      mosquitoes of the Aedes genus exhibiting substantially less diversity and lower
      abundances than those of mosquitoes of the Culex genus, within which the viral
      abundance reached 16.87% of the total non-rRNA. In addition, there was little
      overlap in viral diversity between the two genera, although the viromes were very
      similar among the three Culex species studied, suggesting that the host taxon
      plays a major role in structuring virus diversity. In contrast, we found no
      evidence that geographic location played a major role in shaping RNA virus
      diversity, and several viruses discovered here exhibited high similarity (95 to
      98% nucleotide identity) to those from Indonesia and China. Finally, using
      abundance-level and phylogenetic relationships, we were able to distinguish
      potential mosquito viruses from those present in coinfecting bacteria, fungi, and
      protists. In sum, our metatranscriptomics approach provides important insights
      into the ecology of mosquito RNA viruses.IMPORTANCE Studies of virus ecology have
      generally focused on individual viral species. However, recent advances in bulk
      RNA sequencing make it possible to utilize metatranscriptomic approaches to
      reveal both complete virus diversity and the relative abundance of these viruses.
      We used such a metatranscriptomic approach to determine key aspects of the
      ecology of mosquito viruses in Western Australia. Our results show that RNA
      viruses are some of the most important components of the mosquito transcriptome,
      and we identified 19 new virus species from a diverse set of virus families. A
      key result was that host genetic background plays a more important role in
      shaping virus diversity than sampling location, with Culex species harboring more
      viruses at higher abundance than those from Aedes mosquitoes.

PMID- 28637758
TI  - Genome-Wide Analysis of 18 Epstein-Barr Viruses Isolated from Primary
      Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Biopsy Specimens.
AB  - Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous gammaherpesvirus that is highly
      prevalent in almost all human populations and is associated with many human
      cancers, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), Hodgkin's disease, and gastric
      carcinoma. However, in these EBV-associated cancers, only NPC exhibits remarkable
      ethnic and geographic distribution. We hypothesized that EBV genomic variations
      might contribute to the pathogenesis of different human cancers in different
      geographic areas. In this study, we collected 18 NPC biopsy specimens from the
      Hunan Province in southern China and de novo assembled 18 NPC biopsy specimen
      derived EBV (NPC-EBV) genomes, designated HN1 to HN18. This was achieved through
      target enrichment of EBV DNA by hybridization, followed by next-generation
      sequencing, to reveal sequence diversity. These EBV genomes harbored 20,570
      variations totally, including 20,328 substitutions, 88 insertions, and 154
      deletions, compared to the EBV reference genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed
      that all NPC-EBV genomes were distinct from other EBV genomes. Furthermore, HN1
      to HN18 had some nonsynonymous variations in EBV genes including genes encoding
      latent, early lytic, and tegument proteins, such as substitutions within
      transmembrane domains 1 and 3 of LMP1, FoP_duplication, and zf-AD domains of
      ENBA1, in addition to aberrations in noncoding regions, especially in BamHI A
      rightward transcript microRNAs. These variations might have potential biological
      significance. In conclusion, we reported a genome-wide view of sequence variation
      in EBV isolated from primary NPC biopsy specimens obtained from the Hunan
      Province. This might contribute to further understanding of how genomic
      variations contribute to carcinogenesis, which would impact the treatment of EBV
      associated cancer.IMPORTANCE Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is highly associated
      with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and exhibits remarkable ethnic and
      geographic distribution. Hunan Province in southern China has a high incidence
      rate of NPCs. Here, we report 18 novel EBV genome sequences from viruses isolated
      from primary NPC biopsy specimens in this region, revealing whole-genome sequence
      diversity.

PMID- 28637759
TI  - Role of the JNK Pathway in Varicella-Zoster Virus Lytic Infection and
      Reactivation.
AB  - Mechanisms of neuronal infection by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) have been
      challenging to study due to the relatively strict human tropism of the virus and
      the paucity of tractable experimental models. Cellular mitogen-activated protein
      kinases (MAPKs) have been shown to play a role in VZV infection of nonneuronal
      cells, with distinct consequences for infectivity in different cell types. Here,
      we utilize several human neuronal culture systems to investigate the role of one
      such MAPK, the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), in VZV lytic infection and
      reactivation. We find that the JNK pathway is specifically activated following
      infection of human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons and that this activation
      of JNK is essential for efficient viral protein expression and replication.
      Inhibition of the JNK pathway blocked viral replication in a manner distinct from
      that of acyclovir, and an acyclovir-resistant VZV isolate was as sensitive to the
      effects of JNK inhibition as an acyclovir-sensitive VZV isolate in neurons.
      Moreover, in a microfluidic-based human neuronal model of viral latency and
      reactivation, we found that inhibition of the JNK pathway resulted in a marked
      reduction in reactivation of VZV. Finally, we utilized a novel technique to
      efficiently generate cells expressing markers of human sensory neurons from
      neural crest cells and established a critical role for the JNK pathway in
      infection of these cells. In summary, the JNK pathway plays an important role in
      lytic infection and reactivation of VZV in physiologically relevant cell types
      and may provide an alternative target for antiviral therapy.IMPORTANCE Varicella
      zoster virus (VZV) has infected over 90% of people worldwide. While primary
      infection leads to the typically self-limiting condition of chickenpox, the virus
      can remain dormant in the nervous system and may reactivate later in life,
      leading to shingles or inflammatory diseases of the nervous system and eye with
      potentially severe consequences. Here, we take advantage of newer stem cell-based
      technologies to study the mechanisms by which VZV infects human neurons. We find
      that the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway is activated by VZV infection and
      that blockade of this pathway limits lytic replication (as occurs during primary
      infection). In addition, JNK inhibition limits viral reactivation, exhibiting
      parallels with herpes simplex virus reactivation. The identification of the role
      of the JNK pathway in VZV infection of neurons reveals potential avenues for the
      development of alternate antiviral drugs.

PMID- 28637760
TI  - Discovery of a highly divergent coronavirus in the Asian house shrew from China
      illuminates the origin of the alphacoronaviruses.
AB  - Although shrews are one of the largest groups of mammals little is known about
      their role in the evolution and transmission of viral pathogens including
      coronaviruses. We captured 266 Asian house shrews (Suncus murinus) in Jiangxi and
      Zhejiang provinces, China, during 2013-2015. Coronavirus (CoV) RNA was detected
      in 24 Asian house shrews, with an overall prevalence of 9.02%. Complete viral
      genome sequences were successfully recovered from the RNA positive samples. The
      newly discovered shrew CoV fell into four lineages reflecting their geographic
      origins, indicative of largely allopatric evolution. Notably, these viruses were
      most closely related to alphacoronaviruses, but sufficiently divergent that they
      should be considered a novel member of the genus Alphacoronavirus, which we
      denote Wencheng shrew virus (WESV). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that WESV was
      a highly divergent member of the alphacoronaviruses and, more dramatically, that
      the S gene of WESV fell in a cluster that was genetically distinct from that of
      known coronaviruses. The divergent position of WESV suggests that coronaviruses
      have a long association with Asian house shrews. In addition, the genome of WESV
      contains a distinct NS7 gene that exhibits no sequence similarity to any known
      viruses. Together, these data suggest that shrews are natural reservoirs for
      coronaviruses and may have played an important and long-term role in CoV
      evolution.IMPORTANCE The subfamily Coronavirinae contains several notorious human
      and animal pathogens, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus,
      Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and porcine epidemic diarrhea
      virus. Because of their genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships it has
      been proposed that the alphacoronaviruses likely have their ultimate ancestry in
      those viruses residing in bats. Here, we described a novel alphacoronavirus
      (Wencheng shrew virus, WESV) that was sampled from Asian house shrews in China.
      Notably, WESV is a highly divergent member of the alphacoronaviruses and
      possesses an S gene that is genetically distinct from that of all known
      coronaviruses. In addition, the genome of WESV contains a distinct NS7 gene that
      exhibits no sequence similarity to any known viruses. Together, these data
      suggest that shrews are important and long-standing hosts for coronaviruses that
      merit additional research and surveillance.

PMID- 28637761
TI  - Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Bottleneck Selects for Consensus Virus with
      Lower Gag-Protease-Driven Replication Capacity.
AB  - In the large majority of cases, HIV infection is established by a single variant,
      and understanding the characteristics of successfully transmitted variants is
      relevant to prevention strategies. Few studies have investigated the viral
      determinants of mother-to-child transmission. To determine the impact of Gag
      protease-driven viral replication capacity on mother-to-child transmission, the
      replication capacities of 148 recombinant viruses encoding plasma-derived Gag
      protease from 53 nontransmitter mothers, 48 transmitter mothers, and 47 infected
      infants were assayed in an HIV-1-inducible green fluorescent protein reporter
      cell line. All study participants were infected with HIV-1 subtype C. There was
      no significant difference in replication capacities between the nontransmitter (n
      = 53) and transmitter (n = 44) mothers (P = 0.48). Infant-derived Gag-protease
      NL4-3 recombinant viruses (n = 41) were found to have a significantly lower Gag
      protease-driven replication capacity than that of viruses derived from the
      mothers (P < 0.0001 by a paired t test). High percent similarities to consensus
      subtype C Gag, p17, p24, and protease sequences were also found in the infants (n
      = 28) in comparison to their mothers (P = 0.07, P = 0.002, P = 0.03, and P =
      0.02, respectively, as determined by a paired t test). These data suggest that of
      the viral quasispecies found in mothers, the HIV mother-to-child transmission
      bottleneck favors the transmission of consensus-like viruses with lower viral
      replication capacities.IMPORTANCE Understanding the characteristics of
      successfully transmitted HIV variants has important implications for preventative
      interventions. Little is known about the viral determinants of HIV mother-to
      child transmission (MTCT). We addressed the role of viral replication capacity
      driven by Gag, a major structural protein that is a significant determinant of
      overall viral replicative ability and an important target of the host immune
      response, in the MTCT bottleneck. This study advances our understanding of the
      genetic bottleneck in MTCT by revealing that viruses transmitted to infants have
      a lower replicative ability as well as a higher similarity to the population
      consensus (in this case HIV subtype C) than those of their mothers. Furthermore,
      the observation that "consensus-like" virus sequences correspond to lower in
      vitro replication abilities yet appear to be preferentially transmitted suggests
      that viral characteristics favoring transmission are decoupled from those that
      enhance replicative capacity.

PMID- 28637762
TI  - Differential Requirement of Human Cytomegalovirus UL112-113 Protein Isoforms for
      Viral Replication.
AB  - The UL112-113 gene is one of the few alternatively spliced genes of human
      cytomegalovirus (HCMV). It codes for four phosphoproteins, p34, p43, p50, and
      p84, all of which are expressed with early kinetics and accumulate at sites of
      viral DNA replication within the host cell nucleus. Although these proteins are
      known to play important, possibly essential, roles in the viral replication
      cycle, little is known about the contribution of individual UL112-113 protein
      products. Here we used splice site mutagenesis, intron deletion and substitution,
      and nonsense mutagenesis to prevent the individual expression of each UL112-113
      protein isoform and to investigate the importance of each isoform for viral
      replication. We show that HCMV mutants lacking p34 or p50 expression replicated
      to high titers in human fibroblasts and endothelial cells, indicating that these
      proteins are nonessential for viral replication, while mutant viruses carrying a
      stop mutation within the p84 coding sequence were severely growth impaired. Viral
      replication could not be detected upon the inactivation of p43 expression,
      indicating that this UL112-113 protein is essential for viral replication. We
      also analyzed the ability of UL112-113 proteins to recruit other viral proteins
      to intranuclear prereplication compartments. While UL112-113 expression was
      sufficient to recruit the UL44-encoded viral DNA polymerase processivity factor,
      it was not sufficient for the recruitment of the viral UL84 and UL117 proteins.
      Remarkably, both the p43 and p84 isoforms were required for the efficient
      recruitment of pUL44, which is consistent with their critical role in the viral
      life cycle.IMPORTANCE Human cytomegalovirus requires gene products from 11
      genetic loci for the lytic replication of its genome. One of these loci, UL112
      113, encodes four proteins with common N termini by alternative splicing. In this
      study, we inactivated the expression of each of the four UL112-113 proteins
      individually and determined their requirement for HCMV replication. We found that
      two of the UL112-113 gene products were dispensable for viral replication in
      human fibroblasts and endothelial cells. In contrast, viral replication was
      severely reduced or absent when one of the other two gene products was
      inactivated, indicating that they are of crucial importance for the viral
      replication cycle. We further showed that the latter two gene products are
      involved in the recruitment of pUL44, an essential cofactor of the viral DNA
      polymerase, to specific sites within the cell nucleus that are thought to serve
      as starting points for viral DNA replication.

PMID- 28637764
TI  - Roth's spot in megaloblastic anaemia.

PMID- 28637763
TI  - Analysis of Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation in Explant Reveals a Method
      Dependent Difference in Measured Timing of Reactivation.
AB  - Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is widespread in the human population.
      Following orofacial infection, HSV establishes latency in innervating sensory
      neurons, primarily located in the trigeminal ganglia. A central feature of HSV
      pathogenesis is the ability to periodically reactivate in those neurons and be
      transported back to the body surface. Both transmission and disease, such as
      keratitis, encephalitis, and neurodegeneration, have been linked to reactivation.
      Despite invaluable insights obtained from model systems, interactions between
      viral and host functions that regulate reactivation are still incompletely
      understood. Various assays are used for measuring reactivation in animal models,
      but there have been limited comparisons between methods and the accuracy of
      detecting the timing of reactivation and the corresponding amount of infectious
      virus produced in the ganglia per reactivation event. Here, we directly compare
      two approaches for measuring reactivation in latently infected explanted ganglia
      by sampling media from the explanted cultures or by homogenization of the ganglia
      and compare the results to viral protein expression in the whole ganglia. We show
      that infectious virus detection by direct homogenization of explanted ganglia
      correlates with viral protein expression, but detection of infectious virus in
      medium samples from explanted cultures does not occur until extensive spread of
      virus is observed in the ganglia. The medium-sampling method is therefore not
      reflective of the initial timing of reactivation, and the additional variables
      influencing spread of virus in the ganglia should be considered when interpreting
      results obtained using this method.IMPORTANCE The development of treatments to
      prevent and/or treat HSV infection rely upon understanding viral and host factors
      that influence reactivation. Progress is dependent on experimental methods that
      accurately measure the frequency and timing of reactivation in latently infected
      neurons. In this study, two methods for detecting reactivation using the explant
      model are compared. We show through direct tissue homogenization that
      reactivation occurs much earlier than can be detected by the indirect method of
      sampling media from explanted cultures. Thus, the sampling method does not detect
      the initial timing of reactivation, and results obtained using this method are
      subject to additional variables with the potential to obscure reactivation
      outcomes.

PMID- 28637766
TI  - Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy-linked genes and centronuclear myopathy-linked
      genes regulate myonuclear movement by distinct mechanisms.
AB  - Muscle cells are a syncytium in which the many nuclei are positioned to maximize
      the distance between adjacent nuclei. Although mispositioned nuclei are
      correlated with many muscle disorders, it is not known whether this common
      phenotype is the result of a common mechanism. To answer this question, we
      disrupted the expression of genes linked to Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy
      (EDMD) and centronuclear myopathy (CNM) in Drosophila and evaluated the position
      of the nuclei. We found that the genes linked to EDMD and CNM were each necessary
      to properly position nuclei. However, the specific phenotypes were different.
      EDMD-linked genes were necessary for the initial separation of nuclei into
      distinct clusters, suggesting that these factors relieve interactions between
      nuclei. CNM-linked genes were necessary to maintain the nuclei within clusters as
      they moved toward the muscle ends, suggesting that these factors were necessary
      to maintain interactions between nuclei. Together these data suggest that nuclear
      position is disrupted by distinct mechanisms in EDMD and CNM.

PMID- 28637765
TI  - Electrostatic interaction between polyglutamylated tubulin and the nexin-dynein
      regulatory complex regulates flagellar motility.
AB  - Tubulins undergo various posttranslational modifications. Among them,
      polyglutamylation is involved in the motility of eukaryotic flagella and the
      stability of the axonemal microtubules. However, it remains unclear where
      polyglutamylated tubulin localizes precisely within the axoneme and how tubulin
      polyglutamylation affects flagellar motility. In this study, we identified the
      three-dimensional localization of the polyglutamylated tubulin in Chlamydomonas
      flagella using antibody labeling and cryo-electron tomography. Polyglutamylated
      tubulins specifically located in close proximity to a microtubule-cross-bridging
      structure called the nexin-dynein regulatory complex (N-DRC). Because N-DRC is
      positively charged, we hypothesized that there is an electrostatic interaction
      between the polyglutamylated tubulin and the N-DRC, and therefore we mutated the
      amino acid sequences of DRC4 to modify the charge of the N-DRC. We found that
      both augmentation and reduction of the positive charge on DRC4 resulted in
      reduced flagellar motility. Moreover, reduced motility in a mutant with a
      structurally defective N-DRC was partially restored by increasing the positive
      charge on DRC4. These results clearly indicate that beating motion of flagella is
      maintained by the electrostatic cross-bridge formed between the negatively
      charged polyglutamylated tubulins and the positively charged N-DRC.

PMID- 28637767
TI  - A short region upstream of the yeast vacuolar Qa-SNARE heptad-repeats promotes
      membrane fusion through enhanced SNARE complex assembly.
AB  - Whereas SNARE (soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein
      receptor) heptad-repeats are well studied, SNAREs also have upstream N-domains of
      indeterminate function. The assembly of yeast vacuolar SNAREs into complexes for
      fusion can be studied in chemically defined reactions. Complementary
      proteoliposomes bearing a Rab:GTP and either the vacuolar R-SNARE or one of the
      three integrally anchored Q-SNAREs were incubated with the tethering/SM protein
      complex HOPS and the two other soluble SNAREs (lacking a transmembrane anchor) or
      their SNARE heptad-repeat domains. Fusion required a transmembrane-anchored R
      SNARE on one membrane and an anchored Q-SNARE on the other. The N-domain of the
      Qb-SNARE was completely dispensable for fusion. Whereas fusion can be promoted by
      very high concentrations of the Qa-SNARE heptad-repeat domain alone, at
      physiological concentrations the Qa-SNARE heptad-repeat domain alone has almost
      no fusion activity. The 181-198 region of Qa, immediately upstream of the SNARE
      heptad-repeat domain, is required for normal fusion activity with HOPS. This
      region is needed for normal SNARE complex assembly.

PMID- 28637770
TI  - Analgesia and Opioids: A Pharmacogenetics Shortlist for Implementation in
      Clinical Practice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of opioids to alleviate pain is complicated by the risk of
      severe adverse events and the large variability in dose requirements.
      Pharmacogenetics (PGx) could possibly be used to tailor pain medication based on
      an individual's genetic background. Many potential genetic markers have been
      described, and the importance of genetic predisposition in opioid efficacy and
      toxicity has been demonstrated in knockout mouse models and human twin studies.
      Such predictors are especially of value for neonates and young children, in whom
      the assessment of efficacy or side effects is complicated by the inability of the
      patient to communicate this properly. The current problem is determining which of
      the many potential candidates to focus on for clinical implementation. CONTENT:
      We systematically searched publications on PGx for opioids in 5 databases, aiming
      to identify PGx markers with sufficient robust data and high enough occurrence
      for potential clinical application. The initial search yielded 4257 unique
      citations, eventually resulting in 852 relevant articles covering 24 genes. From
      these genes, we evaluated the evidence and selected the most promising 10
      markers: cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily D member 6 (CYP2D6), cytochrome P450
      family 3 subfamily A member 4 (CYP3A4), cytochrome P450 family 3 subfamily A
      member 5 (CYP3A5), UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B7 (UGT2B7), ATP
      binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1), ATP binding cassette subfamily C
      member 3 (ABCC3), solute carrier family 22 member 1 (SLC22A1), opioid receptor
      kappa 1 (OPRM1), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and potassium voltage-gated
      channel subfamily J member 6 (KCNJ6). Treatment guidelines based on genotype are
      already available only for CYP2D6. SUMMARY: The application of PGx in the
      management of pain with opioids has the potential to improve therapy. We provide
      a shortlist of 10 genes that are the most promising markers for clinical use in
      this context.

PMID- 28637768
TI  - VRK2A is an A-type lamin-dependent nuclear envelope kinase that phosphorylates
      BAF.
AB  - The nuclear envelope (NE) is critical for numerous fundamental cellular
      functions, and mutations in several NE constituents can lead to a heterogeneous
      spectrum of diseases. We used proximity biotinylation to uncover new constituents
      of the inner nuclear membrane (INM) by comparative BioID analysis of lamin A,
      Sun2 and a minimal INM-targeting motif. These studies identify vaccinia-related
      kinase-2 (VRK2) as a candidate constituent of the INM. The transmembrane VRK2A
      isoform is retained at the NE by association with A-type lamins. Furthermore,
      VRK2A physically interacts with A-type, but not B-type, lamins. Finally, we show
      that VRK2 phosphorylates barrier to autointegration factor (BAF), a small and
      highly dynamic chromatin-binding protein, which has roles including NE
      reassembly, cell cycle, and chromatin organization in cells, and subtly alters
      its nuclear mobility. Together these findings support the value of using BioID to
      identify unrecognized constituents of distinct subcellular compartments
      refractory to biochemical isolation and reveal VRK2A as a transmembrane kinase in
      the NE that regulates BAF.

PMID- 28637769
TI  - Potential contribution of tandem circadian enhancers to nonlinear oscillations in
      clock gene expression.
AB  - Limit-cycle oscillations require the presence of nonlinear processes. Although
      mathematical studies have long suggested that multiple nonlinear processes are
      required for autonomous circadian oscillation in clock gene expression, the
      underlying mechanism remains controversial. Here we show experimentally that cell
      autonomous circadian transcription of a mammalian clock gene requires a
      functionally interdependent tandem E-box motif; the lack of either of the two E
      boxes results in arrhythmic transcription. Although previous studies indicated
      the role of the tandem motifs in increasing circadian amplitude, enhancing
      amplitude does not explain the mechanism for limit-cycle oscillations in
      transcription. In this study, mathematical analysis suggests that the
      interdependent behavior of enhancer elements including not only E-boxes but also
      ROR response elements might contribute to limit-cycle oscillations by increasing
      transcriptional nonlinearity. As expected, introduction of the interdependence of
      circadian enhancer elements into mathematical models resulted in autonomous
      transcriptional oscillation with low Hill coefficients. Together these findings
      suggest that interdependent tandem enhancer motifs on multiple clock genes might
      cooperatively enhance nonlinearity in the whole circadian feedback system, which
      would lead to limit-cycle oscillations in clock gene expression.

PMID- 28637771
TI  - Medicare Advantage Associated With More Racial Disparity Than Traditional
      Medicare For Hospital Readmissions.
AB  - We compared racial disparities in thirty-day readmissions between traditional
      Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who underwent one of six major
      surgeries in New York State in 2013. We found that Medicare Advantage was
      associated with greater racial disparity, compared to traditional Medicare. After
      controlling for patient, hospital, and geographic characteristics in a propensity
      score based approach, we found that in traditional Medicare, black patients were
      33 percent more likely than white patients to be readmitted, whereas in Medicare
      Advantage, black patients were 64 percent more likely than white patients to be
      readmitted. Our findings suggest that the risk-reduction strategies adopted by
      Medicare Advantage plans have not been successful in lowering the markedly higher
      rate of readmission among black patients, compared to white patients.

PMID- 28637773
TI  - Follow-up of a randomized trial on postdischarge nutrition in preterm-born
      children at age 8 y.
AB  - Background: Early nutritional interventions may modulate health risks in preterm
      born infants. Previously, we showed that preterm-born infants fed an isocaloric
      protein- and mineral-enriched postdischarge formula (PDF) from term age to 6-mo
      corrected age (CA) gained more lean mass than did those fed term formula (TF).
      Long-term follow-up of randomized nutritional trials is important to test the
      hypothesis that short-term positive effects on health are sustainable.Objective:
      The aim of this follow-up study was to compare body size, body composition, and
      metabolic health at age 8 y in preterm-born children who were randomly assigned
      to receive either PDF or TF from term age until 6-mo CA.Design: A total of 79 of
      152 children (52%) from the original randomized controlled trial were enrolled
      for follow-up at age 8 y. Weight, height, and head circumference were measured by
      using standard methods. Body composition, including fat mass, lean mass, bone
      mineral content, and bone mineral density, was determined by dual-energy X-ray
      absorptiometry. Blood pressure was measured in the supine position by using an
      automatic device. Metabolic variables, including glucose, insulin, insulin-like
      growth factor I, triglycerides, cholesterol, cortisol, and leptin, were measured
      after an overnight fast. Nutritional habits at age 8 y were assessed by using a 3
      d nutritional diary.Results: At age 8 y, no differences were found in body size,
      body composition, bone variables, and metabolic health variables when comparing
      children fed PDF with those fed TF. Adjustment for known and possible confounders
      did not change these results.Conclusions: In this follow-up study in preterm-born
      children, we showed that the favorable effects of PDF at 6-mo CA either were not
      maintained or could not be confirmed because of attrition at the age of 8 y. We
      suggest that future research should focus on nutritional interventions in the pre
      and postdischarge period as a continuum rather than as separate entities. This
      trial was registered at www.trialregister.nl as NTR 2972 (follow-up study [STEP-2
      (Study Towards the Effects of Post-discharge Nutrition 2)]) and NTR 55 [original
      randomized controlled trial (STEP)].

PMID- 28637772
TI  - Tolerance to increased supplemented dietary intakes of methionine in healthy
      older adults.
AB  - Background: l-Methionine (Met) is an essential amino acid for humans and is
      important for protein synthesis and the formation of polyamines and is involved
      in the synthesis of many metabolites, including homocysteine. Free-Met
      supplements have been claimed to have multiple positive effects; however, it
      remains unclear what the exact tolerance level is. With aging, Met metabolism
      changes, and increased plasma homocysteine is more apparent. High plasma
      concentrations of homocysteine are assumed to be associated with a high risk of
      developing atherosclerosis.Objective: We estimated the no-observed-adverse-effect
      level (NOAEL) and the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level (LOAEL) of
      supplemented, oral, free Met in healthy older adults by examining the increase in
      plasma homocysteine as the primary determinant.Design: We provided capsules with
      free Met to 15 healthy older adult subjects for 4 wk at climbing dosages of, on
      average, 9.2, 22.5, 46.3 and 91 mg . kg body weight-1 . d-1 with washout periods
      of 2 wk between each intake. Before, at 2 and 4 wk during, and 2 wk after each
      dosage, we studied a complete panel of biochemical blood variables to detect
      possible intolerance to increased Met intake. Plasma homocysteine and body
      composition were measured, and tolerance, quality of life, and cognitive function
      were assessed via questionnaires.Results: Plasma homocysteine was elevated with
      the highest dose of supplemented Met. The estimated NOAEL of supplemented Met was
      set at 46.3 mg . kg body weight-1 . d-1, and the estimated LOAEL of supplemented
      Met was set at 91 mg . kg body weight-1 . d-1 (on the basis of the actual
      intakes) in subjects independent of sex. No signs of intolerance were observed
      via questionnaires or other blood variables at the LOAEL. There were no
      meaningful changes in body composition.Conclusions: On the basis of plasma
      homocysteine, the NOAEL of supplemented Met intake is 46.3 and the LOAEL is 91 mg
      . kg body weight-1 . d-1 in healthy older adults. Both the NOAEL and LOAEL are
      not associated with meaningful effects on health and wellbeing. This trial was
      registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02566434.

PMID- 28637774
TI  - Most deaths of babies and brain injuries in childbirth are avoidable, says
      college.

PMID- 28637775
TI  - Increased Proximal Aortic Diameter is Associated With Risk of Cardiovascular
      Events and All-Cause Mortality in Blacks The Jackson Heart Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Enlargement of the proximal aorta is associated with aortic wall
      tissue remodeling, including fragmentation of the elastin fibers, increased
      synthesis of collagen, and calcification, all of which are associated with aortic
      wall stiffening. We hypothesized that the proximal aortic diameter (AoD) is
      associated with cardiovascular events in a community-based cohort of blacks.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated the associations between AoD and
      cardiovascular events among 3018 black participants (mean age, 55.9 years; 69%
      women) without past history of cardiovascular disease in the Jackson Heart Study.
      AoD was measured using echocardiography at the level of the sinuses of Valsalva
      at end diastole. Cardiovascular event was defined as incident myocardial
      infarction, fatal coronary artery disease, stroke, or heart failure
      hospitalization. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate
      the association between baseline AoD and cardiovascular events. Over a median
      follow-up of 8.3 years, there were 258 cardiovascular events (incident rate, 10.5
      per 1000 person-years). After adjustment for traditional risk factors, increased
      AoD was significantly associated with cardiovascular events (hazard ratio per 1
      cm increase, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.10-2.69; P<0.05). Participants in the top AoD
      quintile had a higher incidence of cardiovascular events compared to those not in
      the top quintile (hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.11-1.94; P<0.005) after
      adjustment for risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Greater AoD was associated with an
      increased risk of cardiovascular events in a community-based cohort of blacks.
      AoD may be useful as a predictor of incident cardiovascular events and further
      investigation is warranted.

PMID- 28637776
TI  - Targeting of Extracellular RNA Reduces Edema Formation and Infarct Size and
      Improves Survival After Myocardial Infarction in Mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Following myocardial infarction (MI), peri-infarct myocardial edema
      formation further impairs cardiac function. Extracellular RNA (eRNA) released
      from injured cells strongly increases vascular permeability. This study aimed to
      assess the role of eRNA in MI-induced cardiac edema formation, infarct size,
      cardiac function, and survival after acute MI and to evaluate the therapeutic
      potential of ribonuclease 1 (RNase-1) treatment as an eRNA-degrading
      intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: C57BL/6J mice were subjected to MI by
      permanent ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Plasma eRNA
      levels were significantly increased compared with those in controls starting from
      30 minutes after ligation. Systemic application of RNase-1, but not DNase,
      significantly reduced myocardial edema formation 24 hours after ligation compared
      with controls. Consequently, eRNA degradation by RNase-1 significantly improved
      the perfusion of collateral arteries in the border zone of the infarcted
      myocardium 24 hours after ligation of the left anterior descending coronary
      artery, as detected by micro-computed tomography imaging. Although there was no
      significant difference in the area at risk, the area of vital myocardium was
      markedly larger in mice treated with RNase-1 compared with controls, as detected
      by Evans blue and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The increase in
      viable myocardium was associated with significantly preserved left ventricular
      function, as assessed by echocardiography. Moreover, RNase-1 significantly
      improved 8-week survival following MI. CONCLUSIONS: eRNA is an unrecognized
      permeability factor in vivo, associated with myocardial edema formation after
      acute MI. RNase-1 counteracts eRNA-induced edema formation and preserves
      perfusion of the infarction border zone, reducing infarct size and protecting
      cardiac function after MI.

PMID- 28637777
TI  - The American Heart Association Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Incident Type 2
      Diabetes Mellitus Among Blacks: The Jackson Heart Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The concept of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH), defined by the
      American Heart Association primarily for coronary heart disease and stroke
      prevention, may apply to diabetes mellitus prevention among blacks. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Our sample included 2668 adults in the Jackson Heart Study with complete
      baseline data on 6 of 7 American Heart Association CVH metrics (body mass index,
      healthy diet, smoking, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and physical activity).
      Incident diabetes mellitus was defined as fasting glucose >=126 mg/dL, physician
      diagnosis, use of diabetes mellitus drugs, or glycosylated hemoglobin >=6.5%. A
      summary CVH score from 0 to 6, based on presence/absence of ideal CVH metrics,
      was derived for each participant. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted
      hazard ratios. Mean age was 55 years (65% women) with 492 incident diabetes
      mellitus events over 7.6 years (24.6 cases/1000 person-years). Three quarters of
      participants had only 1 or 2 ideal CVH metrics; no participant had all 6. After
      adjustment for demographic factors (age, sex, education, and income) and high
      sensitivity C-reactive protein, each additional ideal CVH metric was associated
      with a 17% diabetes mellitus risk reduction (hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74
      0.93). The association was attenuated with further adjustment for homeostasis
      model assessment for insulin resistance (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.79-1.00).
      Compared with participants with 1 or no ideal CVH metric, diabetes mellitus risk
      was 15% and 37% lower in those with 2 and >=3 ideal CVH metrics, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: The AHA concept of ideal CVH is applicable to diabetes mellitus
      prevention among blacks. These associations were largely explained by insulin
      resistance.

PMID- 28637778
TI  - Breastfeeding and the Risk of Maternal Cardiovascular Disease: A Prospective
      Study of 300 000 Chinese Women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding confers substantial benefits to child health and has
      also been associated with lower risk of maternal cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
      in later life. However, the evidence on the effects of CVD is still inconsistent,
      especially in East Asians, in whom the frequency and duration of breastfeeding
      significantly differ from those in the West. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 2004-2008,
      the nationwide China Kadoorie Biobank recruited 0.5 million individuals aged 30
      to 79 years from 10 diverse regions across China. During 8 years of follow-up, 16
      671 incident cases of coronary heart disease and 23 983 cases of stroke were
      recorded among 289 573 women without prior CVD at baseline. Cox regression
      yielded adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for incident CVD by
      breastfeeding. Overall, ~99% of women had given birth, among whom 97% reported a
      history of breastfeeding, with a median duration of 12 months per child. Compared
      with parous women who had never breastfed, ever breastfeeding was associated with
      a significantly lower risk of CVD, with adjusted HRs of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.84-0.99)
      for coronary heart disease and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.85-0.99) for stroke. Women who had
      breastfed for >=24 months had an 18% (HR, 0.82; 0.77-0.87) lower risk of coronary
      heart disease and a 17% (HR, 0.83; 0.79-0.87) lower risk of stroke compared with
      women who had never breastfed. Among women who ever breastfed, each additional 6
      months of breastfeeding per child was associated with an adjusted HR of 0.96 (95%
      CI, 0.94-0.98) for coronary heart disease and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.96-0.98) for
      stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Among Chinese women, a history of breastfeeding was
      associated with an ~10% lower risk of CVD in later life and the magnitude of the
      inverse association was stronger among those with a longer duration of
      breastfeeding.

PMID- 28637779
TI  - Racial Differences in Arterial Stiffness are Mainly Determined by Blood Pressure
      Levels: Results From the ELSA-Brasil Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Black people have a higher risk of developing hypertension and
      presenting higher vascular stiffening. Our aim was to investigate whether the
      association between race and aortic stiffness could be explained by differences
      in the primary risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from 11 472
      adults (mean age, 51.9+/-8.9; 53.8% female) self-reported as white (n=6173),
      brown (n=3364), or black (n=1935). Their carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity
      (cf-PWV) as well as clinical and anthropometric parameters were measured. cf-PWV
      was higher in blacks than in whites or browns (men: white, 9.63+/-1.81; brown,
      9.63+/-1.88; black, 9.98+/-1.99; women: white, 8.84+/-1.64; brown, 9.02+/-1.68;
      black, 9.34+/-1.91; P<0.05). However, this difference disappeared after
      adjustments for age, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, waist circumference,
      fasting glucose, and glomerular filtration rate (men: white, 9.68+/-1.54; brown,
      9.68+/-1.50; black, 9.73+/-1.52; women: white, 8.93+/-1.32; brown, 8.98+/-1.29;
      black, 9.02+/-1.32; P>0.05). The association between race and arterial stiffness
      was significant for brown and black women in the highest cf-PWV quartile, even
      after controlling for covariates. There were no differences in the age-related
      increase in cf-PWV among the racial groups after adjustment, confirming the
      strong effect of age and mean arterial pressure on cf-PWV revealed by the
      multiple linear regression. CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences in cf-PWV were mainly
      attributed to differences in mean arterial pressure and age, although they cannot
      fully explain the association between race and cf-PWV in women in the highest cf
      PWV values. This suggests that therapeutic approaches to overcome the effects of
      aging on the vascular system should focus on blood pressure control, especially
      in the black population.

PMID- 28637781
TI  - Detecting optic nerve head swelling on ultrasound and optical coherence
      tomography in children and young people: an observational study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Following high-profile cases, referrals for evaluation of 'suspicious
      optic discs' to eye clinics in the UK have sharply increased, asking
      ophthalmologists to reliably distinguish between true and pseudopapilloedema.
      Optic nerve sheath dilatation (ONSD) on ocular ultrasound (US) is considered a
      reliable sign of true papilloedema, but this test is not widely available.
      Recently, anterior bowing of Bruch's membrane (BM) and increased retinal nerve
      fibre layer thickness on optical coherence tomography (OCT) have emerged as
      indicators of intracranial hypertension, and OCT is widely available. We aimed to
      evaluate safety and efficacy of the diagnostic workup in our service, with
      particular emphasis of diagnostic reliability of US and OCT. METHODS:
      Retrospective service evaluation/cohort study of children and young people
      younger than 16 years investigated for 'suspicious discs' over a 7-month period
      in 2016 at a single eye care provider in London, UK. 61 children and young people
      underwent clinical assessment, US scan and OCT. RESULTS: Of 61 cases, 3 had
      intracranial pathology. At presentation, only one had ONSD on US and anterior
      bowing of BM on OCT. Increased nerve fibre layer thickness in at least one of
      three relevant sectors was observed in two cases. All three cases of intracranial
      pathology, however, had significant points in their presenting or medical
      history. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmologists and optometrists must not rely on
      funduscopy and ocular imaging when assessing a child for possible intracranial
      disease; history and basic neurological assessment are critical in the diagnostic
      workup.

PMID- 28637780
TI  - Sex-Based Differences in the Performance of the HEART Score in Patients
      Presenting to the Emergency Department With Acute Chest Pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sex-based differences in clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and
      outcomes of patients with acute chest pain are increasingly being recognized, but
      are not implemented in guidelines and clinical prediction tools. We evaluated the
      performance of the HEART score in women versus men, because sex-based differences
      may exist among the algorithm's components: history, electrocardiogram, age, risk
      factors, and admission troponin level. METHODS AND RESULTS: The HEART score was
      retrospectively assessed in 831 women and 1084 men presenting to the emergency
      department with acute chest pain, assigning patients to the low-, intermediate-,
      or high-risk category for the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE)
      within 6 weeks. MACE, consisting of myocardial infarction, coronary
      revascularization, and all-cause death, also included events during index visit.
      Six-week MACE rates were 2 times lower in women than men (10.0% versus 20.8%;
      P<0.01). Despite similar discriminatory accuracy of the HEART score among women
      and men (c-statistic, 0.80 [0.75-0.84] versus 0.77 [0.74-0.81]; P=0.43), 6-week
      MACE rates were significantly lower in women than men across all HEART risk
      categories: 2.1% versus 6.5% (P<0.01) in the low-risk category, 12.7% versus
      21.3% (P<0.01) in intermediate-risk category, and 53.1% versus 77.0% (P=0.02) in
      the high-risk category. The HEART score-adjusted risk ratio for men was 1.6 (1.3
      2.0; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The markedly higher 6-week MACE risk in men across all
      HEART risk categories should be taken into account when using the HEART score to
      guide clinical decision making; early discharge with a low-risk HEART score
      appears less safe for men than women with acute chest pain.

PMID- 28637782
TI  - The Brugada Syndrome Susceptibility Gene HEY2 Modulates Cardiac Transmural Ion
      Channel Patterning and Electrical Heterogeneity.
AB  - RATIONALE: Genome-wide association studies previously identified an association
      of rs9388451 at chromosome 6q22.3 (near HEY2) with Brugada syndrome. The causal
      gene and underlying mechanism remain unresolved. OBJECTIVE: We used an
      integrative approach entailing transcriptomic studies in human hearts and
      electrophysiological studies in Hey2+/- (Hey2 heterozygous knockout) mice to
      dissect the underpinnings of the 6q22.31 association with Brugada syndrome.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: We queried expression quantitative trait locus data acquired
      in 190 human left ventricular samples from the genotype-tissue expression
      consortium for cis-expression quantitative trait locus effects of rs9388451,
      which revealed an association between Brugada syndrome risk allele dosage and
      HEY2 expression (beta=+0.159; P=0.0036). In the same transcriptomic data, we
      conducted genome-wide coexpression analysis for HEY2, which uncovered KCNIP2,
      encoding the beta-subunit of the channel underlying the transient outward current
      (Ito), as the transcript most robustly correlating with HEY2 expression
      (beta=+1.47; P=2*10-34). Transcript abundance of Hey2 and the Ito subunits Kcnip2
      and Kcnd2, assessed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain
      reaction, was higher in subepicardium versus subendocardium in both left and
      right ventricles, with lower levels in Hey2+/- mice compared with wild type.
      Surface ECG measurements showed less prominent J waves in Hey2+/- mice compared
      with wild-type. In wild-type mice, patch-clamp electrophysiological studies on
      cardiomyocytes from right ventricle demonstrated a shorter action potential
      duration and a lower Vmax in subepicardium compared with subendocardium
      cardiomyocytes, which was paralleled by a higher Ito and a lower sodium current
      (INa) density in subepicardium versus subendocardium. These transmural
      differences were diminished in Hey2+/- mice because of changes in subepicardial
      cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSIONS: This study uncovers a role of HEY2 in the normal
      transmural electrophysiological gradient in the ventricle and provides compelling
      evidence that genetic variation at 6q22.31 (rs9388451) is associated with Brugada
      syndrome through a HEY2-dependent alteration of ion channel expression across the
      cardiac ventricular wall.

PMID- 28637783
TI  - Paradoxical Suppression of Atherosclerosis in the Absence of microRNA-146a.
AB  - RATIONALE: Inflammation is a key contributor to atherosclerosis. MicroRNA-146a
      (miR-146a) has been identified as a critical brake on proinflammatory nuclear
      factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells signaling in several cell
      types, including endothelial cells and bone marrow (BM)-derived cells.
      Importantly, miR-146a expression is elevated in human atherosclerotic plaques,
      and polymorphisms in the miR-146a precursor have been associated with risk of
      coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVE: To define the role of endogenous miR-146a
      during atherogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Paradoxically, Ldlr-/- (low-density
      lipoprotein receptor null) mice deficient in miR-146a develop less
      atherosclerosis, despite having highly elevated levels of circulating
      proinflammatory cytokines. In contrast, cytokine levels are normalized in Ldlr-/
      ;miR-146a-/- mice receiving wild-type BM transplantation, and these mice have
      enhanced endothelial cell activation and elevated atherosclerotic plaque burden
      compared with Ldlr-/- mice receiving wild-type BM, demonstrating the
      atheroprotective role of miR-146a in the endothelium. We find that deficiency of
      miR-146a in BM-derived cells precipitates defects in hematopoietic stem cell
      function, contributing to extramedullary hematopoiesis, splenomegaly, BM failure,
      and decreased levels of circulating proatherogenic cells in mice fed an
      atherogenic diet. These hematopoietic phenotypes seem to be driven by
      unrestrained inflammatory signaling that leads to the expansion and eventual
      exhaustion of hematopoietic cells, and this occurs in the face of lower levels of
      circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in mice lacking miR-146a in BM
      derived cells. Furthermore, we identify sortilin-1(Sort1), a known regulator of
      circulating low-density lipoprotein levels in humans, as a novel target of miR
      146a. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that miR-146a regulates cholesterol
      metabolism and tempers chronic inflammatory responses to atherogenic diet by
      restraining proinflammatory signaling in endothelial cells and BM-derived cells.

PMID- 28637785
TI  - Surgical emergency: rupture of infected brachial artery pseudoaneurysm.

PMID- 28637787
TI  - Biophysics and biofluid dynamics of primary cilia: evidence for and against the
      flow-sensing function.
AB  - Primary cilia have been called "the forgotten organelle" for over 20 yr. As cilia
      now have their own journal and several books devoted to their study, perhaps it
      is time to reconsider the moniker "forgotten organelle." In fact, during the
      drafting of this review, 12 relevant publications have been issued; we therefore
      apologize in advance for any relevant work we inadvertently omitted. What purpose
      is yet another ciliary review? The primary goal of this review is to specifically
      examine the evidence for and against the hypothesized flow-sensing function of
      primary cilia expressed by differentiated epithelia within a kidney tubule,
      bringing together differing disciplines and their respective conceptual and
      experimental approaches. We will show that understanding the
      biophysics/biomechanics of primary cilia provides essential information for
      understanding any potential role of ciliary function in disease. We will
      summarize experimental and mathematical models used to characterize renal fluid
      flow and incident force on primary cilia and to characterize the mechanical
      response of cilia to an externally applied force and discuss possible ciliary
      mediated cell signaling pathways triggered by flow. Throughout, we stress the
      importance of separating the effects of fluid shear and stretch from the action
      of hydrodynamic drag.

PMID- 28637786
TI  - The role of capsaicin-sensitive C-fiber afferent pathways in the control of
      micturition in spinal-intact and spinal cord-injured mice.
AB  - We examined bladder and urethral sphincter activity in mice with or without
      spinal cord injury (SCI) after C-fiber afferent desensitization induced by
      capsaicin pretreatment and changes in electrophysiological properties of mouse
      bladder afferent neurons 4 wk after SCI. Female C57BL/6N mice were divided into
      four groups: 1) spinal intact (SI)-control, 2) SI-capsaicin pretreatment (Cap),
      3) SCI-control, and 4) SCI-Cap groups. Continuous cystometry and external
      urethral sphincter (EUS)-electromyogram (EMG) were conducted under an awake
      condition. In the Cap groups, capsaicin (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg) was injected
      subcutaneously 4 days before the experiments. In the SI-Cap group, 100 mg/kg
      capsaicin pretreatment significantly increased bladder capacity and decreased the
      silent period duration of EUS/EMG compared with the SI-control group. In the SCI
      Cap group, 50 and 100 mg/kg capsaicin pretreatment decreased the number of
      nonvoiding contractions (NVCs) and the duration of reduced EUS activity during
      voiding, respectively, compared with the SCI-control group. In SCI mice,
      hexamethonium, a ganglionic blocker, almost completely blocked NVCs, suggesting
      that they are of neurogenic origin. Patch-clamp recordings in capsaicin-sensitive
      bladder afferent neurons from SCI mice showed hyperexcitability, which was
      evidenced by decreased spike thresholds and increased firing rate compared with
      SI mice. These results indicate that capsaicin-sensitive C-fiber afferent
      pathways, which become hyperexcitable after SCI, can modulate bladder and
      urethral sphincter activity in awake SI and SCI mice. Detrusor overactivity as
      shown by NVCs in SCI mice is significantly but partially dependent on capsaicin
      sensitive C-fiber afferents, whereas the EUS relaxation during voiding is
      enhanced by capsaicin-sensitive C-fiber bladder afferents in SI and SCI mice.

PMID- 28637784
TI  - TNFR2 Stimulation Promotes Mitochondrial Fusion via Stat3- and NF-kB-Dependent
      Activation of OPA1 Expression.
AB  - RATIONALE: Mitochondria are important cellular organelles and play essential
      roles in maintaining cell structure and function. Emerging evidence indicates
      that in addition to having proinflammatory and proapoptotic effects, TNFalpha
      (tumor necrosis factor alpha) can, under certain circumstances, promote
      improvements in mitochondrial integrity and function, phenomena that can be
      ascribed to the existence of TNFR2 (TNFalpha receptor 2). OBJECTIVE: The present
      study aimed to investigate whether and how TNFR2 activation mediates the effects
      of TNFalpha on mitochondria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Freshly isolated neonatal mouse
      cardiac myocytes treated with shRNA targeting TNFR1 were used to study the
      effects of TNFR2 activation on mitochondrial function. Neonatal mouse cardiac
      myocytes exhibited increases in mitochondrial fusion, a change that was
      associated with increases in mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular ATP
      levels, and oxygen consumption capacity. Importantly, TNFR2 activation-induced
      increases in OPA1 (optic atrophy 1) protein expression were responsible for the
      above enhancements, and these changes could be attenuated using siRNA targeting
      OPA1. Moreover, both Stat3 and RelA bound to the promoter region of OPA1 and
      their interactions synergistically upregulated OPA1 expression at the
      transcriptional level. Stat3 acetylation at lysine 370 or lysine 383 played a key
      role in the ability of Stat3 to form a supercomplex with RelA. Meanwhile, p300
      modulated Stat3 acetylation in HEK293T (human embryonic kidney 293T) cells, and
      p300-mediated Stat3/RelA interactions played an indispensable role in OPA1
      upregulation. Finally, TNFR2 activation exerted beneficial effects on OPA1
      expression in an in vivo transverse aortic constriction model, whereby TNFR1
      knockout mice exhibited better outcomes than in mice with both TNFR1 and TNFR2
      knocked out. CONCLUSIONS: TNFR2 activation protects cardiac myocytes against
      stress by upregulating OPA1 expression. This process was facilitated by p300
      mediated Stat3 acetylation and Stat3/RelA interactions, leading to improvements
      in mitochondrial morphology and function.

PMID- 28637789
TI  - Harnessing basic and clinic tools to evaluate SGLT2 inhibitor nephrotoxicity.
AB  - Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new class of medications
      that target the transporter that reabsorbs ~90% of glucose in the S1 segment of
      the proximal convoluted tubule. As a result, SGLT2 inhibition increases urinary
      glucose excretion, effectively lowering plasma glucose levels. In addition to
      reducing hemoglobin A1c levels, these drugs also lower body weight, blood
      pressure, and uric acid levels in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.
      Importantly, empagliflozin has been observed to slow progression of kidney
      disease and reduce dialysis requirements in T2DM patients. However, the Food and
      Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) has collected
      over 100 cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) for canagloflozin and dapagliflozin
      since their approval. Of the 101 patients, 96 required hospitalization, 22
      required intensive care unit admission, and 15 underwent hemodialysis. The FDA
      now requires that AKI be listed as a potential side effect of the SGLT2
      inhibitors along with cautious prescription of these drugs with other
      medications, such as renin-angiotensin-system antagonists, diuretics, and NSAIDs.
      It is unclear, however, whether this FAERS reported "AKI" actually represents
      structural kidney injury, as randomized, controlled trials of these drugs do not
      describe AKI as an adverse event despite coprescription with RAS blockers and
      diuretics. As a result of this FDA warning, diabetic patients with early-stage
      CKD may not be prescribed an SGLT2 inhibitor for fear of AKI. Thus, it is
      imperative to ascertain whether the reported AKI represents true structural
      kidney injury or a functional decline in glomerular filtration rate. We propose
      using readily available clinical tools with experimental biomarkers of kidney
      injury and kidney-on-a-chip technology to resolve this question and provide solid
      evidence about the AKI risk of these drugs for healthcare providers.

PMID- 28637788
TI  - The effects of neuromodulation in a novel obese-prone rat model of detrusor
      underactivity.
AB  - Obesity is a global epidemic associated with an increased risk for lower urinary
      tract dysfunction. Inefficient voiding and urinary retention may arise in late
      stage obesity when the expulsive force of the detrusor smooth muscle cannot
      overcome outlet resistance. Detrusor underactivity (DUA) and impaired
      contractility may contribute to the pathogenesis of nonobstructive urinary
      retention. We used cystometry and electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves
      (pudendal and pelvic nerves) to characterize and improve bladder function in
      urethane-anesthetized obese-prone (OP) and obese-resistant (OR) rats following
      diet-induced obesity (DIO). OP rats exhibited urinary retention and impaired
      detrusor contractility following DIO, reflected as increased volume threshold,
      decreased peak micturition pressure, and decreased voiding efficiency (VE)
      compared with OR rats. Electrical stimulation of the sensory branch of the
      pudendal nerve did not increase VE, whereas patterned bursting stimulation of the
      motor branch of the pudendal nerve increased VE twofold in OP rats. OP rats
      required increased amplitude of electrical stimulation of the pelvic nerve to
      elicit bladder contractions, and maximum evoked bladder contraction amplitudes
      were decreased relative to OR rats. Collectively, these studies characterize a
      novel animal model of DUA that can be used to determine pathophysiology and
      suggest that neuromodulation is a potential management option for DUA.

PMID- 28637790
TI  - Protection of kidneys by magnesium in cisplatin chemotherapy: a fight between two
      metals.

PMID- 28637791
TI  - Store-operated calcium entry suppressed the TGF-beta1/Smad3 signaling pathway in
      glomerular mesangial cells.
AB  - Our previous study demonstrated that the abundance of extracellular matrix
      proteins was suppressed by store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) in mesangial cells
      (MCs). The present study was conducted to investigate the underlying mechanism
      focused on the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)/Smad3 pathway, a
      critical pathway for ECM expansion in diabetic kidneys. We hypothesized that SOCE
      suppressed ECM protein expression by inhibiting this pathway in MCs. In cultured
      human MCs, we observed that TGF-beta1 (5 ng/ml for 15 h) significantly increased
      Smad3 phosphorylation, as evaluated by immunoblot. However, this response was
      markedly inhibited by thapsigargin (1 uM), a classical activator of store
      operated Ca2+ channels. Consistently, both immunocytochemistry and immunoblot
      showed that TGF-beta1 significantly increased nuclear translocation of Smad3,
      which was prevented by pretreatment with thapsigargin. Importantly, the
      thapsigargin effect was reversed by lanthanum (La3+; 5 uM) and GSK-7975A (10 uM),
      both of which are selective blockers of store-operated Ca2+ channels.
      Furthermore, knockdown of Orai1, the pore-forming subunit of the store-operated
      Ca2+ channels, significantly augmented TGF-beta1-induced Smad3 phosphorylation.
      Overexpression of Orai1 augmented the inhibitory effect of thapsigargin on TGF
      beta1-induced phosphorylation of Smad3. In agreement with the data from cultured
      MCs, in vivo knockdown of Orai1 specific to MCs using a targeted nanoparticle
      small interfering RNA delivery system resulted in a marked increase in abundance
      of phosphorylated Smad3 and in nuclear translocation of Smad3 in the glomerulus
      of mice. Taken together, our results indicate that SOCE in MCs negatively
      regulates the TGF-beta1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

PMID- 28637792
TI  - Reactive sulfur species inactivate Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV
      via S-polysulfidation of its active-site cysteine residue.
AB  - Reactive sulfur species (RSS) modulate protein functions via S-polysulfidation of
      reactive Cys residues. Here, we report that Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent
      protein kinase IV (CaMKIV) was reversibly inactivated by RSS via polysulfidation
      of the active-site Cys residue. CaMKIV is phosphorylated at Thr196 by its
      upstream CaMK kinase (CaMKK), resulting in the induction of its full activity. In
      vitro incubation of CaMKIV with the exogenous RSS donors Na2S n (n = 2-4)
      resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of the CaMKK-induced phospho-Thr196 and
      consequent inactivation of the enzyme activity. Conversely, mutated CaMKIV
      (C198V) was refractory to the Na2S n -induced enzyme inhibition. A biotin
      polyethylene glycol-conjugated maleimide capture assay revealed that Cys198 in
      CaMKIV represents a target for S-polysulfidation. Furthermore, phosho-Thr196 and
      CaMKIV activity were inhibited by incubation with cysteine hydropersulfide, a
      newly identified RSS that is generated from cystine by cystathionine-gamma-lyase.
      In transfected cells expressing CaMKIV, ionomycin-induced CaMKIV phosphorylation
      at Thr196 was decreased upon treatment with either Na2S4 or the endoplasmic
      reticulum (ER) stress inducer thapsigargin, whereas cells expressing mutant
      CaMKIV (C198V) were resistant to this treatment. In addition, the ionomycin
      induced phospho-Thr196 of endogenous CaMKIV was also inhibited by treatment
      either with Na2S4 or thapsigargin in Jurkat T lymphocytes. Taken together, these
      data define a novel signaling function for intracellular RSS in inhibiting CaMKIV
      activity via S-polysulfidation of its Cys198 during the response to ER stress.

PMID- 28637793
TI  - Endothelial cell metabolism in health and disease: impact of hypoxia.
AB  - In contrast to the general belief, endothelial cell (EC) metabolism has recently
      been identified as a driver rather than a bystander effect of angiogenesis in
      health and disease. Indeed, different EC subtypes present with distinct metabolic
      properties, which determine their function in angiogenesis upon growth factor
      stimulation. One of the main stimulators of angiogenesis is hypoxia, frequently
      observed in disease settings such as cancer and atherosclerosis. It has long been
      established that hypoxic signalling and metabolism changes are highly
      interlinked. In this review, we will provide an overview of the literature and
      recent findings on hypoxia-driven EC function and metabolism in health and
      disease. We summarize evidence on metabolic crosstalk between different hypoxic
      cell types with ECs and suggest new metabolic targets.

PMID- 28637794
TI  - A TRPV1-to-secretagogin regulatory axis controls pancreatic beta-cell survival by
      modulating protein turnover.
AB  - Ca2+-sensor proteins are generally implicated in insulin release through SNARE
      interactions. Here, secretagogin, whose expression in human pancreatic islets
      correlates with their insulin content and the incidence of type 2 diabetes, is
      shown to orchestrate an unexpectedly distinct mechanism. Single-cell RNA-seq
      reveals retained expression of the TRP family members in beta-cells from diabetic
      donors. Amongst these, pharmacological probing identifies Ca2+-permeable
      transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 channels (TRPV1) as potent inducers
      of secretagogin expression through recruitment of Sp1 transcription factors.
      Accordingly, agonist stimulation of TRPV1s fails to rescue insulin release from
      pancreatic islets of glucose intolerant secretagogin knock-out(-/-) mice.
      However, instead of merely impinging on the SNARE machinery, reduced insulin
      availability in secretagogin-/- mice is due to beta-cell loss, which is
      underpinned by the collapse of protein folding and deregulation of secretagogin
      dependent USP9X deubiquitinase activity. Therefore, and considering the
      desensitization of TRPV1s in diabetic pancreata, a TRPV1-to-secretagogin
      regulatory axis seems critical to maintain the structural integrity and signal
      competence of beta-cells.

PMID- 28637795
TI  - Genome-Wide Association Studies of Cancer in Diverse Populations.
AB  - Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of cancer have identified more than 700
      risk loci, of which approximately 80% were first discovered in European ancestry
      populations, approximately 15% in East Asians, 3% in multiethnic scans, and less
      than 1% in African and Latin American populations. These percentages closely
      mirror the distribution of samples included in the discovery phase of cancer GWAS
      to date (84% European, 11% East Asian, 4% African, and 1% Latin American
      ancestry). GWAS in non-European ancestry populations have provided insight into
      ancestry-specific variation in cancer and have pointed to regions of
      susceptibility that are of particular importance in certain populations.
      Uncovering and characterizing cancer risk loci in diverse populations is critical
      for understanding underlying biological mechanisms and developing future genetic
      risk prediction models in non-European ancestry populations. New GWAS and
      continued collaborations will be required to eliminate population inequalities in
      the number of studies, sample sizes, and variant content on GWAS arrays, and to
      better align genetic research in cancer to the global distribution of
      race/ethnicity Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(4); 405-17. (c)2018 AACRSee
      all articles in this CEBP Focus section, "Genome-Wide Association Studies in
      Cancer."

PMID- 28637799
TI  - 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT and Volumetric Morphology of PET-Positive Lymph Nodes Stratified
      by Tumor Differentiation of Prostate Cancer.
AB  - 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT is a new method to detect
      early nodal metastases in patients with biochemical relapse of prostate cancer.
      In this retrospective investigation, the dimensions, volume, localization, and
      SUVmax of nodes identified by 68Ga-PSMA were correlated to their Gleason score
      (GS) at diagnosis. Methods: All PET/CT images were acquired 60 +/- 10 min after
      intravenous injection of 68Ga-PSMA (mean dose, 176 MBq). In 147 prostate cancer
      patients (mean age, 68 y; range, 44-87 y) with prostate-specific antigen relapse
      (mean prostate-specific antigen level, 5 ng/mL; range, 0.25-294 ng/mL), 362 68Ga
      PSMA PET-positive lymph nodes (LNs) were identified. These patients were
      classified on the basis of their histopathology at primary diagnosis into either
      low- (GS <= 6, well differentiated), intermediate- (GS = 7, moderately
      differentiated), or high-GS cohorts (GS >= 8, poorly differentiated prostate
      cancer). Using semiautomated LN segmentation software (Fraunhofer MEVIS), we
      measured node volume and short-axis dimensions (SADs) and long-axis dimensions
      based on CT and compared with the SUVmax Nodes demonstrating uptake of 68Ga-PSMA
      with an SUVmax of 2.0 or more were considered PSMA-positive, and nodes with an
      SAD of 8 mm or more were considered positive by morphologic criteria. Results:
      Mean SUVmax was 13.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.9-16.1), 12.4 (95% CI, 9.9
      14.9), and 17.8 (95% CI, 15.4-20.3) within the low-, intermediate-, and high-GS
      groups, respectively. The morphologic assessment of the 68Ga-PSMA-positive LN
      demonstrated that the low-GS cohort presented with smaller 68Ga-PSMA-positive LNs
      (mean SAD, 7.7 mm; n = 113), followed by intermediate- (mean SAD, 9.4 mm; n =
      122) and high-GS cohorts (mean SAD, 9.5 mm; n = 127). On the basis of the CT
      morphology criteria, only 34% of low-GS patients, 56% of intermediate-GS
      patients, and 53% of high-GS patients were considered CT positive. Overall, 68Ga
      PSMA imaging led to a reclassification of stage in 90 patients (61%) from cN0 to
      cN1 over CT. Conclusion:68Ga-PSMA PET is a promising modality in biochemical
      recurrent prostate cancer patients for N staging. Conventional imaging
      underestimates LN involvement compared with PSMA molecular staging score in each
      GS cohort. The sensitivity of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT enables earlier detection of
      subcentimeter LN metastases in the biochemical recurrence setting.

PMID- 28637801
TI  - Accuracy in the Eye of the Beholder: Can We Improve Agreement in Prostate Cancer
      Diagnostics with PSMA PET/CT?

PMID- 28637796
TI  - Quantifying the Genetic Correlation between Multiple Cancer Types.
AB  - Background: Many cancers share specific genetic risk factors, including both rare
      high-penetrance mutations and common SNPs identified through genome-wide
      association studies (GWAS). However, little is known about the overall shared
      heritability across cancers. Quantifying the extent to which two distinct cancers
      share genetic origin will give insights to shared biological mechanisms
      underlying cancer and inform design for future genetic association
      studies.Methods: In this study, we estimated the pair-wise genetic correlation
      between six cancer types (breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and
      prostate) using cancer-specific GWAS summary statistics data based on 66,958 case
      and 70,665 control subjects of European ancestry. We also estimated genetic
      correlations between cancers and 14 noncancer diseases and traits.Results: After
      adjusting for 15 pair-wise genetic correlation tests between cancers, we found
      significant (P < 0.003) genetic correlations between pancreatic and colorectal
      cancer (rg = 0.55, P = 0.003), lung and colorectal cancer (rg = 0.31, P = 0.001).
      We also found suggestive genetic correlations between lung and breast cancer (rg
      = 0.27, P = 0.009), and colorectal and breast cancer (rg = 0.22, P = 0.01). In
      contrast, we found no evidence that prostate cancer shared an appreciable
      proportion of heritability with other cancers. After adjusting for 84 tests
      studying genetic correlations between cancer types and other traits (Bonferroni
      corrected P value: 0.0006), only the genetic correlation between lung cancer and
      smoking remained significant (rg = 0.41, P = 1.03 * 10-6). We also observed
      nominally significant genetic correlations between body mass index and all
      cancers except ovarian cancer.Conclusions: Our results highlight novel genetic
      correlations and lend support to previous observational studies that have
      observed links between cancers and risk factors.Impact: This study demonstrates
      modest genetic correlations between cancers; in particular, breast, colorectal,
      and lung cancer share some degree of genetic basis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers
      Prev; 26(9); 1427-35. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637800
TI  - Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution, and Radiation Dosimetry for 89Zr-Trastuzumab
      in Patients with Esophagogastric Cancer.
AB  - Trastuzumab with chemotherapy improves clinical outcomes in patients with human
      epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive esophagogastric adenocarcinoma
      (EGA). Despite the therapeutic benefit, responses are rarely complete, and most
      patients develop progression. To our knowledge, this is the first report
      evaluating 89Zr-trastuzumab in HER2-positive EGA; here, we evaluate the safety,
      pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and dosimetry 89Zr-trastuzumab. Methods:
      Trastuzumab was conjugated with deferoxamine and radiolabeled with 89Zr. A mean
      activity of 184 MBq was administered to 10 patients with metastatic HER2-positive
      EGA. PET imaging, whole-body probe counts, and blood draws were performed to
      assess pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and dosimetry. Results: No clinically
      significant toxicities were observed. At the end of infusion, the estimated 89Zr
      trastuzumab in plasma volume was a median 102% (range, 78%-113%) of the injected
      dose. The median biologic half-life T1/2beta was 111 h (range, 78-193 h). The
      median biologic whole-body retention half-life was 370 h (range, 257-578 h). PET
      images showed optimal tumor visualization at 5-8 d after injection. The maximum
      tumor SUV ranged from no to minimal uptake in 3 patients to a median of 6.8
      (range, 2.9-22.7) for 20 lesions in 7 patients. Dosimetry estimates from OLINDA
      showed that the organs receiving the highest absorbed doses were the liver and
      heart wall, with median values of 1.37 and 1.12 mGy/MBq, respectively.
      Conclusion:89Zr-trastuzumab imaging tracer is safe and provides high-quality
      images in patients with HER2-positive EGA, with an optimal imaging time of 5-8 d
      after injection.

PMID- 28637802
TI  - Tumor Uptake of 64Cu-DOTA-Trastuzumab in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer.
AB  - The goal of this study was to characterize the relationship between tumor uptake
      of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab as measured by PET/CT and standard, immunohistochemistry
      (IHC)-based, histopathologic classification of human epidermal growth factor
      receptor 2 (HER2) status in women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods:
      Women with biopsy-confirmed MBC and not given trastuzumab for 2 mo or more
      underwent complete staging, including 18F-FDG PET/CT. Patients were classified as
      HER2-positive (HER2+) or -negative (HER2-) based on fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (FISH)-supplemented immunohistochemistry of biopsied tumor tissue.
      Eighteen patients underwent 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab injection, preceded in 16 cases
      by trastuzumab infusion (45 mg). PET/CT was performed 21-25 (day 1) and 47-49
      (day 2) h after 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab injection. Radiolabel uptake in prominent
      lesions was measured as SUVmax Average intrapatient SUVmax (<SUVmax>pt) was
      compared between HER2+ and HER2- patients. Results: Eleven women were HER2+ (8
      immunohistochemistry 3+; 3 immunohistochemistry 2+/FISH amplified), whereas 7
      were HER2- (3 immunohistochemistry 2+/FISH nonamplified; 4 immunohistochemistry
      1+). Median <SUVmax>pt for day 1 and day 2 was 6.6 and 6.8 g/mL for HER 2+ and
      3.7 and 4.3 g/mL for HER2- patients (P < 0.005 either day). The distributions of
      <SUVmax>pt overlapped between the 2 groups, and interpatient variability was
      greater for HER2+ than HER2- disease (P < 0.005 and 0.001, respectively, on days
      1 and 2). Conclusion: By 1 d after injection, uptake of 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab in
      MBC is strongly associated with patient HER2 status and is indicative of binding
      to HER2. The variability within and among HER2+ patients, as well as the overlap
      between the HER2+ and HER2- groups, suggests a role for 64Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab
      PET/CT in optimizing treatments that include trastuzumab.

PMID- 28637803
TI  - Protein Malnutrition Alters Tryptophan and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
      Homeostasis and Adaptive Immune Responses in Human Rotavirus-Infected Gnotobiotic
      Pigs with Human Infant Fecal Microbiota Transplant.
AB  - Malnutrition leads to increased morbidity and is evident in almost half of all
      deaths in children under the age of 5 years. Mortality due to rotavirus diarrhea
      is common in developing countries where malnutrition is prevalent; however, the
      relationship between malnutrition and rotavirus infection remains unclear. In
      this study, gnotobiotic pigs transplanted with the fecal microbiota of a healthy
      2-month-old infant were fed protein-sufficient or -deficient diets and infected
      with virulent human rotavirus (HRV). After human rotavirus infection, protein
      deficient pigs had decreased human rotavirus antibody titers and total IgA
      concentrations, systemic T helper (CD3+ CD4+) and cytotoxic T (CD3+ CD8+)
      lymphocyte frequencies, and serum tryptophan and angiotensin I-converting enzyme
      2. Additionally, deficient-diet pigs had impaired tryptophan catabolism
      postinfection compared with sufficient-diet pigs. Tryptophan supplementation was
      tested as an intervention in additional groups of fecal microbiota-transplanted,
      rotavirus-infected, sufficient- and deficient-diet pigs. Tryptophan
      supplementation increased the frequencies of regulatory (CD4+ or CD8+ CD25+
      FoxP3+) T cells in pigs on both the sufficient and the deficient diets. These
      results suggest that a protein-deficient diet impairs activation of the adaptive
      immune response following HRV infection and alters tryptophan homeostasis.

PMID- 28637804
TI  - Bioactive Immune Components of Anti-Diarrheagenic Enterotoxigenic Escherichia
      coli Hyperimmune Bovine Colostrum Products.
AB  - Diarrhea is a common illness among travelers to resource-limited countries, the
      most prevalent attributable agent being enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC).
      At this time, there are no vaccines licensed specifically for the prevention of
      ETEC-induced traveler's diarrhea (TD), and this has propelled investigation of
      alternative preventive methods. Colostrum, the first milk expressed after
      birthing, is rich in immunoglobulins and innate immune components for protection
      of newborns against infectious agents. Hyperimmune bovine colostrum (HBC)
      produced by immunization of cows during gestation (and containing high levels of
      specific antibodies) is a practical and effective prophylactic tool against
      gastrointestinal illnesses. A commercial HBC product, Travelan, is available for
      prevention of ETEC-induced diarrhea. Despite its demonstrated clinical efficacy,
      the underlying immune components and antimicrobial activity that contribute to
      protection remain undefined. We investigated innate and adaptive immune
      components of several commercial HBC products formulated to reduce the risk of
      ETEC-induced diarrhea, including Travelan and IMM-124E, a newer product that has
      broader gastrointestinal health benefits. The immune components measured included
      total and ETEC-specific IgG, total IgA, cytokines, growth factors, and
      lactoferrin. HBC products contained high levels of IgG specific for multiple ETEC
      antigens, including O-polysaccharide 78 and colonization factor antigen I (CFA/I)
      present in the administered vaccines. Antimicrobial activity was measured in
      vitro using novel functional assays. HBC greatly reduced ETEC motility in soft
      agar and exhibited bactericidal activity in the presence of complement. We have
      identified immune components and antimicrobial activity potentially involved in
      the prevention of ETEC infection by HBC in vivo.

PMID- 28637805
TI  - Conjugation of PspA4Pro with Capsular Streptococcus pneumoniae Polysaccharide
      Serotype 14 Does Not Reduce the Induction of Cross-Reactive Antibodies.
AB  - Current pneumococcal vaccines are composed of bacterial polysaccharides as
      antigens, plain or conjugated to carrier proteins. While efficacious against
      vaccine serotypes, epidemiologic data show an increasing incidence of infections
      caused by nonvaccine serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae The use of
      pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) as a carrier protein in a conjugate vaccine
      could help prevent serotype replacement by increasing vaccine coverage and
      reducing selective pressure of S. pneumoniae serotypes. PspA is present in all
      pneumococcal strains, is highly immunogenic, and is known to induce protective
      antibodies. Based on its sequence, PspA has been classified into three families
      and six clades. A PspA fragment derived from family 2, clade 4 (PspA4Pro), was
      shown to generate antibodies with a broad range of cross-reactivity, across
      clades and families. Here, PspA4Pro was modified and conjugated to capsular
      polysaccharide serotype 14 (PS14). We investigated the impact of conjugation on
      the immune response induced to PspA4Pro and PS14. Mice immunized with the PS14
      mPspA4Pro conjugate produced higher titers of anti-PS14 antibodies than the
      animals that received coadministered antigens. The conjugate induced antibodies
      with opsonophagocytic activity against PS14-carrying strains, as well as against
      a panel of strains bearing PspAs from five clades (encompassing families 1 and 2)
      bearing a non-PS14 serotype. Furthermore, mice immunized with PS14-mPspA4Pro were
      protected against nasal colonization with a nonrelated S. pneumoniae strain
      bearing PspA from clade 1, serotype 6B. These results demonstrate that the cross
      reactivity mediated by PspA4Pro is retained following conjugation, supporting the
      use of PspA4 as a carrier protein in order to enhance pneumococcal vaccine
      coverage and encourage its further investigation as a candidate in future vaccine
      designs.

PMID- 28637806
TI  - The Pneumococcal Serotype 15C Capsule Is Partially O-Acetylated and Allows for
      Limited Evasion of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine-Elicited Anti
      Serotype 15B Antibodies.
AB  - As a species, Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) utilizes a diverse
      array of capsular polysaccharides to evade the host. In contrast to large
      variations in sugar composition and linkage formation, O-acetylation is a subtle
      capsular modification that nonetheless has a large impact on capsular shielding
      and recognition of the capsule by vaccine-elicited antibodies. Serotype 15B,
      which is included in the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23),
      carries the putative O-acetyltransferase gene wciZ The coding sequence of wciZ
      contains eight consecutive TA repeats [(TA)8]. Replication slippage is thought to
      result in the addition or loss of TA repeats, subsequently causing frameshift and
      truncation of WciZ to yield a nonacetylated serotype, 15C. Using sensitive
      serological tools, we show that serotype 15C isolates whose wciZ contains seven
      or nine TA repeats retain partial O-acetylation, while serotype 15C isolates
      whose wciZ contains six TA repeats have barely detectable O-acetylation. We
      confirmed by inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that (TA)7 serotype 15C
      is ~0.1% as acetylated as serotype 15B, while serotype 15X is nonacetylated. To
      eliminate the impact of genetic background, we created isogenic serotype 15B,
      (TA)7 serotype 15C, and 15BDeltawciZ (15X) strains and found that reduction or
      absence of WciZ-mediated O-acetylation did not affect capsular shielding from
      phagocytes, biofilm formation, adhesion to nasopharyngeal cells, desiccation
      tolerance, or murine colonization. Sera from PPV23-immunized persons opsonized
      serotype 15B significantly but only slightly better than serotypes 15C and 15X;
      thus, PPV23 may not result in expansion of serotype 15C.

PMID- 28637808
TI  - DMT efficiently inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis by regulating the Galphaq
      signaling pathway.
AB  - Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with complicated
      pathogenesis and targeting gluconeogenesis inhibition is a promising strategy for
      anti-diabetic drug discovery. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are classified
      as distinct families by heterotrimeric G proteins, primarily including Galphas,
      Galphai and Galphaq. Galphas-coupled GPCRs function potently in the regulation of
      hepatic gluconeogenesis by activating cyclic adenosine monophosphate
      (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway and Galphai-coupled GPCRs exhibit
      inhibitory effect on adenylyl cyclase and reduce intracellular cAMP level.
      However, little is known about the regulation of Galphaq-coupled GPCRs in hepatic
      gluconeogenesis. Here, small-molecule 2-(2,4-dimethoxy-3-methylphenyl)-7
      (thiophen-2-yl)-9-(trifluoromethyl)-2,3-dihydropyrido[3',2':4,5]thieno[3,2
      d]pyrimidin-4(1H)-one (DMT) was determined to suppress hepatic glucose production
      and reduce mRNA levels of gluconeogenic genes. Treatment of DMT in db/db mice
      decreased fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels, while improved
      glucose tolerance and pyruvate tolerance. Mechanism study demonstrated that DMT
      inhibited gluconeogenesis by regulating the Galphaq/phospholipase C
      (PLC)/inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated calcium
      (Ca2+)/calmodulin (CaM)/phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase
      (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathway.
      To our knowledge, DMT might be the first reported small molecule able to suppress
      hepatic gluconeogenesis by regulating Galphaq signaling, and our current work has
      also highlighted the potential of DMT in the treatment of T2DM.

PMID- 28637807
TI  - Sudden Cardiac Death Substrate Imaged by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: From
      Investigational Tool to Clinical Applications.
AB  - Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a devastating event afflicting 350 000 Americans
      annually despite the availability of life-saving preventive therapy, the
      implantable cardioverter defibrillator. SCD prevention strategies are hampered by
      over-reliance on global left ventricular ejection fraction <35% as the most
      important criterion to determine implantable cardioverter defibrillator
      candidacy. Annually in the United States alone, this results in ~130 000
      implantable cardioverter defibrillator placements at a cost of >$3 billion but
      only a 5% incidence per year of appropriate firings. This approach further fails
      to identify individuals who experience the majority, as many as 80%, of SCD
      events, which occur in the setting of more preserved left ventricular ejection
      fraction. Better risk stratification is needed to improve care and should be
      guided by direct pathophysiologic markers of arrhythmic substrate, such as
      specific left ventricular structural abnormalities. There is an increasing body
      of literature to support the prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance
      imaging with late gadolinium enhancement in phenotyping the left ventricular to
      identify those at highest risk for SCD. Cardiac magnetic resonance has
      unparalleled tissue characterization ability and provides exquisite detail about
      myocardial structure and composition, abnormalities of which form the direct,
      pathophysiologic substrate for SCD. Here, we review the evolution and the current
      state of cardiac magnetic resonance for imaging the arrhythmic substrate, both as
      a research tool and for clinical applications.

PMID- 28637809
TI  - rRNA Pseudogenes in Filamentous Ascomycetes as Revealed by Genome Data.
AB  - The nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is considered as a paradigm of concerted
      evolution. Components of the rDNA tandem repeats (45S) are widely used in
      phylogenetic studies of different organisms and the internal transcribed spacer
      (ITS) region was recently selected as a fungal DNA bar code. However, rRNA
      pseudogenes, as one kind of escape from concerted evolution, were reported in a
      wide range of organisms, especially in plants and animals. Moreover, large
      numbers of 5S rRNA pseudogenes were identified in several filamentous
      ascomycetes. To study whether rDNA evolves in a strict concerted manner and test
      whether rRNA pseudogenes exist in more species of ascomycetes, intragenomic rDNA
      polymorphisms were analyzed using whole genome sequences. Divergent rDNA paralogs
      were found to coexist within a single genome in seven filamentous ascomycetes
      examined. A great number of paralogs were identified as pseudogenes according to
      the mutation and secondary structure analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of the three
      rRNA coding regions of the 45S rDNA repeats, i.e., 18S, 5.8S, and 28S, revealed
      an interspecies clustering pattern of those different rDNA paralogs. The
      identified rRNA pseudogenic sequences were validated using specific primers
      designed. Mutation analyses revealed that the repeat-induced point (RIP) mutation
      was probably responsible for the formation of those rRNA pseudogenes.

PMID- 28637810
TI  - McClintock: An Integrated Pipeline for Detecting Transposable Element Insertions
      in Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequencing Data.
AB  - Transposable element (TE) insertions are among the most challenging types of
      variants to detect in genomic data because of their repetitive nature and complex
      mechanisms of replication . Nevertheless, the recent availability of large
      resequencing data sets has spurred the development of many new methods to detect
      TE insertions in whole-genome shotgun sequences. Here we report an integrated
      bioinformatics pipeline for the detection of TE insertions in whole-genome
      shotgun data, called McClintock (https://github.com/bergmanlab/mcclintock), which
      automatically runs and standardizes output for multiple TE detection methods. We
      demonstrate the utility of McClintock by evaluating six TE detection methods
      using simulated and real genome data from the model microbial eukaryote,
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae We find substantial variation among McClintock component
      methods in their ability to detect nonreference TEs in the yeast genome, but show
      that nonreference TEs at nearly all biologically realistic locations can be
      detected in simulated data by combining multiple methods that use split-read and
      read-pair evidence. In general, our results reveal that split-read methods detect
      fewer nonreference TE insertions than read-pair methods, but generally have much
      higher positional accuracy. Analysis of a large sample of real yeast genomes
      reveals that most McClintock component methods can recover known aspects of TE
      biology in yeast such as the transpositional activity status of families, target
      preferences, and target site duplication structure, albeit with varying levels of
      accuracy. Our work provides a general framework for integrating and analyzing
      results from multiple TE detection methods, as well as useful guidance for
      researchers studying TEs in yeast resequencing data.

PMID- 28637811
TI  - Bayesian Networks Illustrate Genomic and Residual Trait Connections in Maize (Zea
      mays L.).
AB  - Relationships among traits were investigated on the genomic and residual levels
      using novel methodology. This included inference on these relationships via
      Bayesian networks and an assessment of the networks with structural equation
      models. The methodology employed three steps. First, a Bayesian multiple-trait
      Gaussian model was fitted to the data to decompose phenotypic values into their
      genomic and residual components. Second, genomic and residual network structures
      among traits were learned from estimates of these two components. Network
      learning was performed using six different algorithmic settings for comparison,
      of which two were score-based and four were constraint-based approaches. Third,
      structural equation model analyses ranked the networks in terms of goodness of
      fit and predictive ability, and compared them with the standard multiple-trait
      fully recursive network. The methodology was applied to experimental data
      representing the European heterotic maize pools Dent and Flint (Zea mays L.).
      Inferences on genomic and residual trait connections were depicted separately as
      directed acyclic graphs. These graphs provide information beyond mere pairwise
      genetic or residual associations between traits, illustrating for example
      conditional independencies and hinting at potential causal links among traits.
      Network analysis suggested some genetic correlations as potentially spurious.
      Genomic and residual networks were compared between Dent and Flint.

PMID- 28637812
TI  - Sensitivity of neurons in the middle temporal area of marmoset monkeys to random
      dot motion.
AB  - Neurons in the middle temporal area (MT) of the primate cerebral cortex respond
      to moving visual stimuli. The sensitivity of MT neurons to motion signals can be
      characterized by using random-dot stimuli, in which the strength of the motion
      signal is manipulated by adding different levels of noise (elements that move in
      random directions). In macaques, this has allowed the calculation of
      "neurometric" thresholds. We characterized the responses of MT neurons in
      sufentanil/nitrous oxide-anesthetized marmoset monkeys, a species that has
      attracted considerable recent interest as an animal model for vision research. We
      found that MT neurons show a wide range of neurometric thresholds and that the
      responses of the most sensitive neurons could account for the behavioral
      performance of macaques and humans. We also investigated factors that contributed
      to the wide range of observed thresholds. The difference in firing rate between
      responses to motion in the preferred and null directions was the most effective
      predictor of neurometric threshold, whereas the direction tuning bandwidth had no
      correlation with the threshold. We also showed that it is possible to obtain
      reliable estimates of neurometric thresholds using stimuli that were not highly
      optimized for each neuron, as is often necessary when recording from large
      populations of neurons with different receptive field concurrently, as was the
      case in this study. These results demonstrate that marmoset MT shows an essential
      physiological similarity to macaque MT and suggest that its neurons are capable
      of representing motion signals that allow for comparable motion-in-noise
      judgments.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We report the activity of neurons in marmoset MT in
      response to random-dot motion stimuli of varying coherence. The information
      carried by individual MT neurons was comparable to that of the macaque, and the
      maximum firing rates were a strong predictor of sensitivity. Our study provides
      key information regarding the neural basis of motion perception in the marmoset,
      a small primate species that is becoming increasingly popular as an experimental
      model.

PMID- 28637814
TI  - Effective assessments of electroencephalography during stroke recovery:
      contemporary approaches and considerations.
AB  - Stroke is one of the leading causes of permanent disability worldwide, relying
      conventionally on extended periods of physiotherapy to recover functional
      ability. While neuroimaging techniques and emerging neurorehabilitation paradigms
      have advanced our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying
      stroke, recent evidence has renewed focus on quantifying features of cortical
      activity present in electroencephalography recordings to greatly enhance our
      understanding of stroke treatment and recovery. This Neuro Forum article reviews
      these key advances and discusses the importance of quantifying
      electroencephalography in future assessments of stroke survivors.

PMID- 28637813
TI  - Contribution of blood oxygen and carbon dioxide sensing to the energetic
      optimization of human walking.
AB  - People can adapt their gait to minimize energetic cost, indicating that walking's
      neural control has access to ongoing measurements of the body's energy use. In
      this study we tested the hypothesis that an important source of energetic cost
      measurements arises from blood gas receptors that are sensitive to O2 and CO2
      concentrations. These receptors are known to play a role in regulating other
      physiological processes related to energy consumption, such as ventilation rate.
      Given the role of O2 and CO2 in oxidative metabolism, sensing their levels can
      provide an accurate estimate of the body's total energy use. To test our
      hypothesis, we simulated an added energetic cost for blood gas receptors that
      depended on a subject's step frequency and determined if subjects changed their
      behavior in response to this simulated cost. These energetic costs were simulated
      by controlling inspired gas concentrations to decrease the circulating levels of
      O2 and increase CO2 We found this blood gas control to be effective at shifting
      the step frequency that minimized the ventilation rate and perceived exertion
      away from the normally preferred frequency, indicating that these receptors
      provide the nervous system with strong physiological and psychological signals.
      However, rather than adapt their preferred step frequency toward these lower
      simulated costs, subjects persevered at their normally preferred frequency even
      after extensive experience with the new simulated costs. These results suggest
      that blood gas receptors play a negligible role in sensing energetic cost for the
      purpose of optimizing gait.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Human gait adaptation implies that
      the nervous system senses energetic cost, yet this signal is unknown. We tested
      the hypothesis that the blood gas receptors sense cost for gait optimization by
      controlling blood O2 and CO2 with step frequency as people walked. At the
      simulated energetic minimum, ventilation and perceived exertion were lowest, yet
      subjects preferred walking at their original frequency. This suggests that blood
      gas receptors are not critical for sensing cost during gait.

PMID- 28637815
TI  - The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha excites subfornical
      organ neurons.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a proinflammatory cytokine implicated
      in cardiovascular and autonomic regulation via actions in the central nervous
      system. TNF-alpha-/- mice do not develop angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced
      hypertension, and administration of TNF-alpha into the bloodstream of rats
      increases blood pressure and sympathetic tone. Recent studies have shown that
      lesion of the subfornical organ (SFO) attenuates the hypertensive and autonomic
      effects of TNF-alpha, while direct administration of TNF-alpha into the SFO
      increases blood pressure, suggesting the SFO to be a key site for the actions of
      TNF-alpha. Therefore, we used patch-clamp techniques to examine both acute and
      long-term effects of TNF-alpha on the excitability of Sprague-Dawley rat SFO
      neurons. It was observed that acute bath application of TNF-alpha depolarized SFO
      neurons and subsequently increased action potential firing rate. Furthermore, the
      magnitude of depolarization and the proportion of depolarized SFO neurons were
      concentration dependent. Interestingly, following 24-h incubation with TNF-alpha,
      the basal firing rate of the SFO neurons was increased and the rheobase was
      decreased, suggesting that TNF-alpha elevates SFO neuron excitability. This
      effect was likely mediated by the transient sodium current, as TNF-alpha
      increased the magnitude of the current and lowered its threshold of activation.
      In contrast, TNF-alpha did not appear to modulate either the delayed rectifier
      potassium current or the transient potassium current. These data suggest that
      acute and long-term TNF-alpha exposure elevates SFO neuron activity, providing a
      basis for TNF-alpha hypertensive and sympathetic effects.NEW & NOTEWORTHY
      Considerable recent evidence has suggested important links between inflammation
      and the pathological mechanisms underlying hypertension. The present study
      describes cellular mechanisms through which acute and long-term exposure of tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) influences the activity of subfornical organ
      neurons by modulating the voltage-gated transient Na+ current. This provides
      critical new information regarding the specific pathological mechanisms through
      which inflammation and TNF-alpha in particular may result in the development of
      hypertension.

PMID- 28637816
TI  - Timing during transitions in Bengalese finch song: implications for motor
      sequencing.
AB  - To investigate mechanisms of action sequencing, we examined the relationship
      between timing and sequencing of syllables in Bengalese finch song. An
      individual's song comprises acoustically distinct syllables organized into
      probabilistic sequences: a given syllable potentially can transition to several
      different syllables (divergence points), and several different syllables can
      transition to a given syllable (convergence points). In agreement with previous
      studies, we found that more probable transitions at divergence points occur with
      shorter intersyllable gaps. One intuition for this relationship is that selection
      between syllables reflects a competitive branching process, in which stronger
      links to one syllable lead to both higher probabilities and shorter latencies for
      transitions to that syllable vs. competing alternatives. However, we found that
      simulations of competitive race models result in overlapping winning-time
      distributions for competing outcomes and fail to replicate the strong negative
      correlation between probability and gap duration found in song data. Further
      investigation of song structure revealed strong positive correlation between gap
      durations for transitions that share a common convergent point. Such transitions
      are not related by a common competitive process, but instead reflect a common
      terminal syllable. In contrast to gap durations, transition probabilities were
      not correlated at convergence points. Together, our data suggest that syllable
      selection happens early during the gap, with gap timing determined chiefly by the
      latency to syllable initiation. This may result from a process in which
      probabilistic sequencing is first stabilized, followed by a shortening of the
      latency to syllables that are sung more often.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Bengalese finch
      songs consist of probabilistic sequences of syllables. Previous studies revealed
      a strong negative correlation between transition probability and the duration of
      intersyllable gaps. We show here that the negative correlation is inconsistent
      with previous suggestions that timing at syllable transitions is governed by a
      race between competing alternatives. Rather, the data suggest that syllable
      selection happens early during the gap, with gap timing determined chiefly by the
      latency to syllable initiation.

PMID- 28637817
TI  - The neural mechanisms able to predict future emotion regulation decisions.
AB  - Emotion regulation is crucial in maintaining healthy psychological well-being,
      and its dysregulation is often linked to a range of neuropsychiatric disorders
      including depression. The neurobiological underpinnings of cognitive reappraisal,
      an emotion regulation strategy, have been shown to include the amygdala and
      regions of the prefrontal cortex. A novel study by Dore, Weber, and Ochsner (J
      Neurosci 37: 2580-2588, 2017) has demonstrated that neural activity in these
      regions during uninstructed visualization of affective stimuli can successfully
      predict which individuals are more likely to subsequently employ emotion
      regulation, and under what circumstances.

PMID- 28637818
TI  - The cerebellum does more than sensory prediction error-based learning in
      sensorimotor adaptation tasks.
AB  - Individuals with damage to the cerebellum perform poorly in sensorimotor
      adaptation paradigms. This deficit has been attributed to impairment in sensory
      prediction error-based updating of an internal forward model, a form of implicit
      learning. These individuals can, however, successfully counter a perturbation
      when instructed with an explicit aiming strategy. This successful use of an
      instructed aiming strategy presents a paradox: In adaptation tasks, why do
      individuals with cerebellar damage not come up with an aiming solution on their
      own to compensate for their implicit learning deficit? To explore this question,
      we employed a variant of a visuomotor rotation task in which, before executing a
      movement on each trial, the participants verbally reported their intended aiming
      location. Compared with healthy control participants, participants with
      spinocerebellar ataxia displayed impairments in both implicit learning and
      aiming. This was observed when the visuomotor rotation was introduced abruptly
      (experiment 1) or gradually (experiment 2). This dual deficit does not appear to
      be related to the increased movement variance associated with ataxia: Healthy
      undergraduates showed little change in implicit learning or aiming when their
      movement feedback was artificially manipulated to produce similar levels of
      variability (experiment 3). Taken together the results indicate that a
      consequence of cerebellar dysfunction is not only impaired sensory prediction
      error-based learning but also a difficulty in developing and/or maintaining an
      aiming solution in response to a visuomotor perturbation. We suggest that this
      dual deficit can be explained by the cerebellum forming part of a network that
      learns and maintains action-outcome associations across trials.NEW & NOTEWORTHY
      Individuals with cerebellar pathology are impaired in sensorimotor adaptation.
      This deficit has been attributed to an impairment in error-based learning,
      specifically, from a deficit in using sensory prediction errors to update an
      internal model. Here we show that these individuals also have difficulty in
      discovering an aiming solution to overcome their adaptation deficit, suggesting a
      new role for the cerebellum in sensorimotor adaptation tasks.

PMID- 28637819
TI  - Long-interval intracortical inhibition is asymmetric in young but not older
      adults.
AB  - Aging is typically accompanied by a decline in manual dexterity and handedness;
      the dominant hand executes tasks of manual dexterity more quickly and accurately
      than the nondominant hand in younger adults, but this advantage typically
      declines with age. Age-related changes in intracortical inhibitory processes
      might play a role in the age-related decline in manual dexterity. Long-interval
      intracortical inhibition (LICI) is asymmetric in young adults, with more
      sensitive and more powerful LICI circuits in the dominant hemisphere than in the
      nondominant hemisphere. Here we investigated whether the hemispheric asymmetry in
      LICI in younger adults persists in healthy older adults. Paired-pulse
      transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to measure LICI in the dominant and
      nondominant hemispheres of younger and older adults; LICI stimulus-response
      curves were obtained by varying conditioning stimulus intensity at two different
      interstimulus intervals [100 ms (LICI100) and 150 ms]. We have replicated the
      finding that LICI100 circuits are more sensitive and more powerful in the
      dominant than the nondominant hemisphere of young adults and extend this finding
      to show that the hemispheric asymmetry in LICI100 is lost with age. In the
      context of behavioral observations showing that dominant hand movements in
      younger adults are more fluent than nondominant hand movements in younger adults
      and dominant hand movements in older adults, we speculate a role of LICI100 in
      the age-related decline in manual dexterity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In younger adults,
      more sensitive and more powerful long-interval intracortical inhibitory circuits
      are evident in the hemisphere controlling the more dexterous hand; this is not
      the case in older adults, for whom long-interval intracortical inhibitory
      circuits are symmetric and more variable than in younger adults. We speculate
      that the highly sensitive and powerful long-interval intracortical inhibition
      circuits in the dominant hemisphere play a role in manual dexterity.

PMID- 28637820
TI  - Dynamic mechanisms of visually guided 3D motion tracking.
AB  - The continuous perception of motion-through-depth is critical for both navigation
      and interacting with objects in a dynamic three-dimensional (3D) world. Here we
      used 3D tracking to simultaneously assess the perception of motion in all
      directions, facilitating comparisons of responses to motion-through-depth to
      frontoparallel motion. Observers manually tracked a stereoscopic target as it
      moved in a 3D Brownian random walk. We found that continuous tracking of motion
      through-depth was selectively impaired, showing different spatiotemporal
      properties compared with frontoparallel motion tracking. Two separate factors
      were found to contribute to this selective impairment. The first is the geometric
      constraint that motion-through-depth yields much smaller retinal projections than
      frontoparallel motion, given the same object speed in the 3D environment. The
      second factor is the sluggish nature of disparity processing, which is present
      even for frontoparallel motion tracking of a disparity-defined stimulus. Thus,
      despite the ecological importance of reacting to approaching objects, both the
      geometry of 3D vision and the nature of disparity processing result in
      considerable impairments for tracking motion-through-depth using binocular
      cues.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We characterize motion perception continuously in all
      directions using an ecologically relevant, manual target tracking paradigm we
      recently developed. This approach reveals a selective impairment to the
      perception of motion-through-depth. Geometric considerations demonstrate that
      this impairment is not consistent with previously observed spatial deficits
      (e.g., stereomotion suppression). However, results from an examination of
      disparity processing are consistent with the longer latencies observed in
      discrete, trial-based measurements of the perception of motion-through-depth.

PMID- 28637821
TI  - Endovascular management of aneurysms associated with spinal arteriovenous
      malformations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spinal aneurysms are rare among spinal arteriovenous malformations
      (SAVMs). There are few reports of endovascular management of spinal aneurysms
      associated with SAVM. OBJECTIVE: To present endovascular management of aneurysms
      associated with SAVM. METHODS: Of 91 patients with SAVMs,eight (9%) presented
      with aneurysms. Of these, three were male and five were female with a median age
      of 18 years (range 11-38). We evaluated the presenting pattern, lesion level,
      type of the target aneurysm related to the presenting pattern and AVM nidus, and
      the result obtained after embolization or open surgery. Clinical status was
      evaluated by Aminoff-Logue (ALS) gait and micturition scale scores. RESULTS: The
      presenting patterns were subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH, n=3) or mass effect caused
      by extrinsic (n=4) or intrinsic (n=1) cord compression. Aneurysms were located in
      four cervical, two thoracic, and two lumbar enlargement areas. There were two
      prenidal (arterial), three nidal, and three postnidal (venous) aneurysms. The
      mean diameter of the aneurysms was 9 mm (range 3-27). Glue embolization (n=6),
      open surgery (n=1), and combined surgery and embolization (n=1) was performed to
      obliterate the aneurysms. Obliteration of the target aneurysms resulted in
      improvement of symptoms and clinical stabilization of SAVMs in all patients
      during a mean of 55 months (range 7-228) of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:
      Identification of a symptomatic aneurysm should be associated with clinical
      presentation pattern. Targeted obliteration of the aneurysm by embolization
      and/or surgery resulted in improvement of symptoms and stabilization of SAVM.

PMID- 28637822
TI  - Pattern of pressure gradient alterations after venous sinus stenting for
      idiopathic intracranial hypertension predicts stent-adjacent stenosis: a proposed
      classification system.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Venous sinus stenting (VSS) is a safe and effective treatment for
      idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) with angiographic venous sinus
      stenosis. However, predictors of stent-adjacent stenosis (SAS) remain poorly
      defined. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 47 patients with IIH and
      intracranial venous stenosis who underwent VSS with pre- and post-stent
      venography. Patient characteristics, treatments and outcomes were reviewed.
      Changes in pressure gradient after VSS were classified according to pattern of
      gradient resolution into types I-III. RESULTS: Type I gradient resolution, in
      which mean venous pressure (MVP) in the transverse sinus (TS) decreases towards
      MVP in the sigmoid sinus (SS), occurred in 18 patients (38.3%). Type II gradient
      resolution pattern, in which SS MVP increases towards that in the TS, occurred in
      7patients (14.9%). Type III pattern, in which MVP equilibrates to a middle value,
      occurred in 22patients (46.8%). SAS occurred in 0%, 28.6%, and 22.7% of patients
      in types I, II and III, respectively. Compared with patients with type I gradient
      resolution, SAS was more common in those with type II (p=0.0181) and type III
      (p=0.0306) patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of change in the trans-stenosis
      venous pressure gradient may be predictive of SAS and is a useful tool for
      classifying the response of the venous obstruction to stenting. A type I pattern
      appears to represent the ideal response to VSS. Some patients with type II and
      III changes, particularly if they have other predictors of recurrent stenosis,
      may benefit from longer initial stent constructs.

PMID- 28637824
TI  - In This Issue of Diabetes.

PMID- 28637823
TI  - Titin force enhancement following active stretch of skinned skeletal muscle
      fibres.
AB  - In actively stretched skeletal muscle sarcomeres, titin-based force is enhanced,
      increasing the stiffness of active sarcomeres. Titin force enhancement in
      sarcomeres is vastly reduced in mdm, a genetic mutation with a deletion in titin.
      Whether loss of titin force enhancement is associated with compensatory
      mechanisms at higher structural levels of organization, such as single fibres or
      entire muscles, is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether
      mechanical deficiencies in titin force enhancement are also observed at the fibre
      level, and whether mechanisms compensate for the loss of titin force enhancement.
      Single skinned fibres from control and mutant mice were stretched actively and
      passively beyond filament overlap to observe titin-based force. Mutant fibres
      generated lower contractile stress (force divided by cross-sectional area) than
      control fibres. Titin force enhancement was observed in control fibres stretched
      beyond filament overlap, but was overshadowed in mutant fibres by an abundance of
      collagen and high variability in mechanics. However, titin force enhancement
      could be measured in all control fibres and most mutant fibres following short
      stretches, accounting for ~25% of the total stress following active stretch. Our
      results show that the partial loss of titin force enhancement in myofibrils is
      not preserved in all mutant fibres and this mutation likely affects fibres
      differentially within a muscle. An increase in collagen helps to reestablish
      total force at long sarcomere lengths with the loss in titin force enhancement in
      some mutant fibres, increasing the overall strength of mutant fibres.

PMID- 28637825
TI  - We Know More Than We Can Tell About Diabetes and Vascular Disease: The 2016 Edwin
      Bierman Award Lecture.
AB  - The Edwin Bierman Award Lecture is presented in honor of the memory of Edwin L.
      Bierman, MD, an exemplary scientist, mentor, and leader in the field of diabetes,
      obesity, hyperlipidemia, and atherosclerosis. The award and lecture recognizes a
      leading scientist in the field of macrovascular complications and contributing
      risk factors in diabetes. Clay F. Semenkovich, MD, the Irene E. and Michael M.
      Karl Professor and Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid
      Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO,
      received the prestigious award at the American Diabetes Association's 76th
      Scientific Sessions, 10-14 June 2016, in New Orleans, LA. He presented the Edwin
      Bierman Award Lecture, "We Know More Than We Can Tell About Diabetes and Vascular
      Disease," on Sunday, 12 June 2016.Diabetes is a disorder of abnormal lipid
      metabolism, a notion strongly supported by the work of Edwin Bierman, for whom
      this eponymous lecture is named. This abnormal lipid environment continues to be
      associated with devastating vascular complications in diabetes despite current
      therapies, suggesting that our understanding of the pathophysiology of blood
      vessel disease in diabetes is limited. In this review, potential new insights
      into the nature of diabetic vasculopathy will be discussed. Recent observations
      suggest that while the concept of distinct macrovascular and microvascular
      complications of diabetes has been useful, vascular diseases in diabetes may be
      more interrelated than previously appreciated. Moreover, the intermediary
      metabolic pathway of de novo lipogenesis, which synthesizes lipids from simple
      precursors, is robustly sensitive to insulin and may contribute to these
      complications. De novo lipogenesis requires fatty acid synthase, and recent
      studies of this enzyme suggest that endogenously produced lipids are channeled to
      specific intracellular sites to affect physiology. These findings raise the
      possibility that novel approaches to treating diabetes and its complications
      could be based on altering the intracellular lipid milieu.

PMID- 28637826
TI  - Indirect Regulation of Endogenous Glucose Production by Insulin: The Single
      Gateway Hypothesis Revisited.
AB  - On the basis of studies that investigated the intraportal versus systemic insulin
      infusion and transendothelial transport of insulin, we proposed the "single
      gateway hypothesis," which supposes an indirect regulation of hepatic glucose
      production by insulin; the rate-limiting transport of insulin across the adipose
      tissue capillaries is responsible for the slow suppression of free fatty acids
      (FFAs), which in turn is responsible for delayed suppression of hepatic
      endogenous glucose production (EGP) during insulin infusion. Preventing the fall
      in plasma FFAs during insulin infusion either by administering intralipids or by
      inhibiting adipose tissue lipolysis led to failure in EGP suppression, thus
      supporting our hypothesis. More recently, mice lacking hepatic Foxo1 in addition
      to Akt1 and Akt2 (L-AktFoxo1TKO), all required for insulin signaling,
      surprisingly showed normal glycemia. Inhibiting the fall of plasma FFAs in these
      mice prevented the suppression of EGP during a clamp, reaffirming that the site
      of insulin action to control EGP is extrahepatic. Measuring whole-body turnover
      rates of glucose and FFAs in L-AktFoxo1TKO mice also confirmed that hepatic EGP
      was regulated by insulin-mediated control of FFAs. The knockout mouse model in
      combination with sophisticated molecular techniques confirmed our physiological
      findings and the single gateway hypothesis.

PMID- 28637827
TI  - Islet Encapsulation: Physiological Possibilities and Limitations.
AB  - A logical cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D) involves replacing the lost insulin
      producing cells with new ones, preferably cells from a well-characterized and
      unlimited source of human insulin-producing cells. This straightforward and
      simple solution to provide a cure for T1D is immensely attractive but entails at
      least two inherent and thus far unresolved hurdles: 1) provision of an unlimited
      source of functional human insulin-producing cells and 2) prevention of rejection
      without the side effects of systemic immunosuppression. Generation of
      transplantable insulin-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells or induced
      pluripotent stem cells is at present close to reality, and we are currently
      awaiting the first clinical studies. Focus is now directed to foster development
      of novel means to control the immune system to enable large-scale clinical
      application. Encapsulation introduces a physical barrier that prevents access of
      immune cells to the transplanted cells but also hinders blood vessel ingrowth.
      Therefore, oxygen, nutrient, and hormonal passage over the encapsulation membrane
      is solely dependent on diffusion over the immune barrier, contributing to delays
      in glucose sensing and insulin secretion kinetics. This Perspective focuses on
      the physiological possibilities and limitations of an encapsulation strategy to
      establish near-normoglycemia in subjects with T1D, assuming that glucose
      responsive insulin-producing cells are available for transplantation.

PMID- 28637828
TI  - Ambient Air Pollution and Type 2 Diabetes: Do the Metabolic Effects of Air
      Pollution Start Early in Life?

PMID- 28637830
TI  - A Light Harvesting Complex-Like Protein in Maintenance of Photosynthetic
      Components in Chlamydomonas.
AB  - Using a genetic approach, we have identified and characterized a novel protein,
      named Msf1 (Maintenance factor for photosystem I), that is required for the
      maintenance of specific components of the photosynthetic apparatus in the green
      alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Msf1 belongs to the superfamily of light
      harvesting complex proteins with three transmembrane domains and consensus
      chlorophyll-binding sites. Loss of Msf1 leads to reduced accumulation of
      photosystem I and chlorophyll-binding proteins/complexes. Msf1is a component of a
      thylakoid complex containing key enzymes of the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic
      pathway, thus revealing a possible link between Msf1 and chlorophyll
      biosynthesis. Protein interaction assays and greening experiments demonstrate
      that Msf1 interacts with Copper target homolog1 (CHL27B) and accumulates
      concomitantly with chlorophyll in Chlamydomonas, implying that chlorophyll
      stabilizes Msf1. Contrary to other light-harvesting complex-like genes, the
      expression of Msf1 is not stimulated by high-light stress, but its protein level
      increases significantly under heat shock, iron and copper limitation, as well as
      in stationary cells. Based on these results, we propose that Msf1 is required for
      the maintenance of photosystem I and specific protein-chlorophyll complexes
      especially under certain stress conditions.

PMID- 28637831
TI  - OsHAD1, a Haloacid Dehalogenase-Like APase, Enhances Phosphate Accumulation.
AB  - Phosphorus (P) deficiency limits plant growth and yield. Since plants can absorb
      only the inorganic form of P (Pi), a large portion of soil P (organic and
      inorganic P complexes) remains unused. Here, we identified and characterized a
      PHR2-regulated, novel low-Pi-responsive haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-like
      hydrolase, OsHAD1 While OsHAD1 is a functional HAD protein having both acid
      phosphatase and phytase activities, it showed little homology with other known
      low-Pi-responsive HAD superfamily members. Recombinant OsHAD1 is active at acidic
      pH and dephosphorylates a broad range of organic and inorganic P-containing
      substrates, including phosphorylated serine and sodium phytate. Exogenous
      application of recombinant OsHAD1 protein in growth medium supplemented with
      phytate led to marked increases in growth and total P content of Pi-deficient
      wild-type rice (Oryza sativa) seedlings. Furthermore, overexpression of OsHAD1 in
      rice resulted in enhanced phosphatase activity, biomass, and total and soluble P
      contents in Pi-deficient transgenic seedlings treated with phytate as a
      restricted Pi source. Gene expression and metabolite profiling revealed enhanced
      Pi starvation responses, such as up-regulation of multiple genes involved in Pi
      uptake and solubilization, accumulation of organic acids, enhanced secretory
      phosphatase activity, and depletion of ATP in overexpression lines as compared
      with the wild type. To elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms of OsHAD1,
      we performed in vitro pull-down assays, which revealed the association of OsHAD1
      with protein kinases such as OsNDPKs. We conclude that, besides dephosphorylation
      of cellular organic P, OsHAD1 in coordination with kinases may regulate the
      phosphorylation status of downstream targets to accomplish Pi homeostasis under
      limited Pi supply.

PMID- 28637833
TI  - Management of neuropathy musculoskeletal deficits is much more than general
      global exercises: physiotherapy-based programs for diabetes long-term
      complications.

PMID- 28637832
TI  - Autophosphorylation Affects Substrate-Binding Affinity of Tobacco Ca2+-Dependent
      Protein Kinase1.
AB  - Protein kinases regulate diverse physiological processes. Because many kinases
      preserve inherent autophosphorylation capability, autophosphorylation appears to
      be one of the most important mechanisms for cellular signaling. However,
      physiological functions of autophosphorylation are still largely unknown, other
      than the self-activation by phosphorylation of activation loop in the catalytic
      domain. REPRESSION OF SHOOT GROWTH (RSG) is the transcription factor involved in
      gibberellin (GA) feedback regulation. The tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Ca2+
      dependent protein kinase, NtCDPK1, phosphorylates RSG, resulting in the negative
      regulation of RSG. NtCDPK1 was previously shown to be autophosphorylated in a
      Ca2+-dependent manner. Here, we investigated the functional importance of
      autophosphorylation in NtCDPK1. Ser-6 and Thr-21 were identified as
      autophosphorylation sites of NtCDPK1. Autophosphorylation not only reduced the
      binding affinity of NtCDPK1 for RSG, but also inhibited the homodimerization of
      NtCDPK1. Furthermore, autophosphorylation decreased the phosphorylation
      efficiency of RSG yet increased that of myelin basic protein. Ser-6 and Thr-21 of
      NtCDPK1 were phosphorylated in response to GAs in plants. The substitution of
      these autophosphorylation sites with Ala enhanced the NtCDPK1 overexpression
      induced sensitization of seeds to a GA biosynthetic inhibitor during germination.
      These results suggest new functions of autophosphorylation in CDPKs, namely,
      autophosphorylation can prevent the excessive phosphorylation of substrates and
      alter the substrate preference of CDPKs.

PMID- 28637834
TI  - Reply to Drs. Sacco et al.

PMID- 28637837
TI  - Physiological thermal limits predict differential responses of bees to urban heat
      island effects.
AB  - Changes in community composition are an important, but hard to predict, effect of
      climate change. Here, we use a wild-bee study system to test the ability of
      critical thermal maxima (CTmax, a measure of heat tolerance) to predict community
      responses to urban heat-island effects in Raleigh, NC, USA. Among 15 focal
      species, CTmax ranged from 44.6 to 51.3 degrees C, and was strongly predictive of
      population responses to urban warming across 18 study sites (r2 = 0.44). Species
      with low CTmax declined the most. After phylogenetic correction, solitary species
      and cavity-nesting species (bumblebees) had the lowest CTmax, suggesting that
      these groups may be most sensitive to climate change. Community responses to
      urban and global warming will likely retain strong physiological signal, even
      after decades of warming during which time lags and interspecific interactions
      could modulate direct effects of temperature.

PMID- 28637835
TI  - Do COPD subtypes really exist? COPD heterogeneity and clustering in 10
      independent cohorts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: COPD is a heterogeneous disease, but there is little consensus on
      specific definitions for COPD subtypes. Unsupervised clustering offers the
      promise of 'unbiased' data-driven assessment of COPD heterogeneity. Multiple
      groups have identified COPD subtypes using cluster analysis, but there has been
      no systematic assessment of the reproducibility of these subtypes. OBJECTIVE: We
      performed clustering analyses across 10 cohorts in North America and Europe in
      order to assess the reproducibility of (1) correlation patterns of key COPD
      related clinical characteristics and (2) clustering results. METHODS: We studied
      17 146 individuals with COPD using identical methods and common COPD-related
      characteristics across cohorts (FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FVC, body mass index, Modified
      Medical Research Council score, asthma and cardiovascular comorbid disease).
      Correlation patterns between these clinical characteristics were assessed by
      principal components analysis (PCA). Cluster analysis was performed using k
      medoids and hierarchical clustering, and concordance of clustering solutions was
      quantified with normalised mutual information (NMI), a metric that ranges from 0
      to 1 with higher values indicating greater concordance. RESULTS: The
      reproducibility of COPD clustering subtypes across studies was modest (median NMI
      range 0.17-0.43). For methods that excluded individuals that did not clearly
      belong to any cluster, agreement was better but still suboptimal (median NMI
      range 0.32-0.60). Continuous representations of COPD clinical characteristics
      derived from PCA were much more consistent across studies. CONCLUSIONS: Identical
      clustering analyses across multiple COPD cohorts showed modest reproducibility.
      COPD heterogeneity is better characterised by continuous disease traits
      coexisting in varying degrees within the same individual, rather than by mutually
      exclusive COPD subtypes.

PMID- 28637839
TI  - Correction to 'A hypervariable mitochondrial protein coding sequence associated
      with geographical origin in a cosmopolitan bloom-forming alga, Heterosigma
      akashiwo'.

PMID- 28637836
TI  - Bacterial Cellulose Shifts Transcriptome and Proteome of Cultured Endothelial
      Cells Towards Native Differentiation.
AB  - Preserving the native phenotype of primary cells in vitro is a complex challenge.
      Recently, hydrogel-based cellular matrices have evolved as alternatives to
      conventional cell culture techniques. We developed a bacterial cellulose-based
      aqueous gel-like biomaterial, dubbed Xellulin, which mimics a cellular
      microenvironment and seems to maintain the native phenotype of cultured and
      primary cells. When applied to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), it
      allowed the continuous cultivation of cell monolayers for more than one year
      without degradation or dedifferentiation. To investigate the impact of Xellulin
      on the endothelial cell phenotype in detail, we applied quantitative
      transcriptomics and proteomics and compared the molecular makeup of native HUVEC,
      HUVEC on collagen-coated Xellulin and collagen-coated cell culture plastic
      (polystyrene).Statistical analysis of 12,475 transcripts and 7831 proteins
      unveiled massive quantitative differences of the compared transcriptomes and
      proteomes. K-means clustering followed by network analysis showed that HUVEC on
      plastic upregulate transcripts and proteins controlling proliferation, cell cycle
      and protein biosynthesis. In contrast, HUVEC on Xellulin maintained, by and
      large, the expression levels of genes supporting their native biological
      functions and signaling networks such as integrin, receptor tyrosine kinase
      MAP/ERK and PI3K signaling pathways, while decreasing the expression of
      proliferation associated proteins. Moreover, CD34-an endothelial cell
      differentiation marker usually lost early during cell culture - was re-expressed
      within 2 weeks on Xellulin but not on plastic. And HUVEC on Xellulin showed a
      significantly stronger functional responsiveness to a prototypic pro-inflammatory
      stimulus than HUVEC on plastic.Taken together, this is one of the most
      comprehensive transcriptomic and proteomic studies of native and propagated
      HUVEC, which underscores the importance of the morphology of the cellular
      microenvironment to regulate cellular differentiation, and demonstrates, for the
      first time, the potential of Xellulin as versatile tool promoting an in vivo-like
      phenotype in primary and propagated cell culture.

PMID- 28637838
TI  - Experimental species removals impact the architecture of pollination networks.
AB  - Mutualistic networks are key for the creation and maintenance of biodiversity,
      yet are threatened by global environmental change. Most simulation models assume
      that network structure remains static after species losses, despite theoretical
      and empirical reasons to expect dynamic responses. We assessed the effects of
      experimental single bumblebee species removals on the structure of entire flower
      visitation networks. We hypothesized that network structure would change
      following processes linking interspecific competition with dietary niche breadth.
      We found that single pollinator species losses impact pollination network
      structure: resource complementarity decreased, while resource overlap increased.
      Despite marginally increased connectance, fewer plant species were visited after
      species removals. These changes may have negative functional impacts, as
      complementarity is important for maintaining biodiversity-ecological functioning
      relationships and visitation of rare plant species is critical for maintaining
      diverse plant communities.

PMID- 28637840
TI  - Promoting Sleep Oscillations and Their Functional Coupling by Transcranial
      Stimulation Enhances Memory Consolidation in Mild Cognitive Impairment.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) not only involves loss of memory functions, but also
      prominent deterioration of sleep physiology, which is already evident at the
      stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Cortical slow oscillations (SO; 0.5-1
      Hz) and thalamocortical spindle activity (12-15 Hz) during sleep, and their
      temporal coordination, are considered critical for memory formation. We
      investigated the potential of slow oscillatory transcranial direct current
      stimulation (so-tDCS), applied during a daytime nap in a sleep-state-dependent
      manner, to modulate these activity patterns and sleep-related memory
      consolidation in nine male and seven female human patients with MCI. Stimulation
      significantly increased overall SO and spindle power, amplified spindle power
      during SO up-phases, and led to stronger synchronization between SO and spindle
      power fluctuations in EEG recordings. Moreover, visual declarative memory was
      improved by so-tDCS compared with sham stimulation and was associated with
      stronger synchronization. These findings indicate a well-tolerated therapeutic
      approach for disordered sleep physiology and memory deficits in MCI patients and
      advance our understanding of offline memory consolidation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT
      In the light of increasing evidence that sleep disruption is crucially involved
      in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), sleep appears as a promising
      treatment target in this pathology, particularly to counteract memory decline.
      This study demonstrates the potential of a noninvasive brain stimulation method
      during sleep in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor of AD,
      and advances our understanding of its mechanism. We provide first time evidence
      that slow oscillatory transcranial stimulation amplifies the functional cross
      frequency coupling between memory-relevant brain oscillations and improves visual
      memory consolidation in patients with MCI.

PMID- 28637843
TI  - POEMS syndrome: a rare cause of exudative ascites and chronic peripheral
      neuropathy.
AB  - POEMS syndrome (Peripheral neuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, M protein,
      Skin changes) is a rare plasma cell disorder with multisystem involvementA 40
      year-old man with a chronic history of unexplained peripheral neuropathy ,
      presented with exudative ascites.He was found to have an incidental osteolytic
      lesion of the sacrum proven to be a plasmacytoma. Immunoelectrophoresis for
      monoclonal protein was negative.In addition, the patient was found to have
      hepatosplenomegaly, erectile dysfunction, hyperprolactinaemia and
      hypothyroidism.The patient, was given steroid along with lenalidomide, and showed
      a good clinical response.

PMID- 28637842
TI  - Thromboembolism in active ulcerative colitis.
AB  - Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a range of both intestinal and
      extraintestinal manifestations. Thromboembolism involving the arterial and/or
      venous systems is rare. Early recognition and treatment of thrombosis in patients
      with IBD may prevent progression and minimise complications. However, clear
      guidelines on the duration of treatment and indications for primary prophylaxis
      need to be established. We report a case of a young patient with ulcerative
      colitis, who developed multiple site arterial and venous thrombosis, all
      occurring within short intervals of each other.

PMID- 28637844
TI  - A dirty cause of vancomycin-mediated Henoch-Schonlein purpura: oxygen tubing is
      not a foley.
AB  - A 59-year-old male presented with methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus
      bacteraemia from a prostatic abscess and was treated with vancomycin. Two weeks
      into his treatment course, he developed severe joint pains, abdominal pain with
      bloody, mucinous stools and a diffuse palpable purpuric rash on his extremities.
      Biopsy of the rash showed IgA immune-complex deposition consistent with Henoch
      SchA nlein purpura. After treatment with glucocorticoids, his symptoms resolved
      completely. Vancomycin is an extremely commonly used antibiotic with certain well
      known adverse effects. Henoch-SchA nlein purpura, a vasculitis involving
      abdominal pain, arthralgias and palpable purpura, is a much less common side
      effect, as seen in this patient. Given that vancomycin is widely used
      internationally, clinicians should be aware of the risks entailed by its use.

PMID- 28637841
TI  - Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase delta Mediates the Sema3A-Induced Cortical Basal
      Dendritic Arborization through the Activation of Fyn Tyrosine Kinase.
AB  - Leukocyte common antigen-related (LAR) class protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs)
      are critical for axonal guidance; however, their relation to specific guidance
      cues is poorly defined. We here show that PTP-3, a LAR homolog in Caenorhabditis
      elegans, is involved in axon guidance regulated by Semaphorin-2A-signaling.
      PTPdelta, one of the vertebrate LAR class PTPs, participates in the Semaphorin-3A
      (Sema3A)-induced growth cone collapse response of primary cultured dorsal root
      ganglion neurons from Mus musculus embryos. In vivo, however, the contribution of
      PTPdelta in Sema3A-regualted axon guidance was minimal. Instead, PTPdelta played
      a major role in Sema3A-dependent cortical dendritic growth. Ptpdelta-/- and
      Sema3a-/- mutant mice exhibited poor arborization of basal dendrites of cortical
      layer V neurons. This phenotype was observed in both male and female mutants. The
      double-heterozygous mutants, Ptpdelta+/-; Sema3a+/-, also showed a similar
      phenotype, indicating the genetic interaction. In Ptpdelta-/- brains, Fyn and Src
      kinases were hyperphosphorylated at their C-terminal Tyr527 residues. Sema3A
      stimulation induced dephosphorylation of Tyr527 in the dendrites of wild-type
      cortical neurons but not of Ptpdelta-/- Arborization of cortical basal dendrites
      was reduced in Fyn-/- as well as in Ptpdelta+/-; Fyn+/- double-heterozygous
      mutants. Collectively, PTPdelta mediates Sema3A-signaling through the activation
      of Fyn by C-terminal dephosphorylation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The relation of
      leukocyte common antigen-related (LAR) class protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs)
      and specific axon guidance cues is poorly defined. We show that PTP-3, a LAR
      homolog in Caenorhabditis elegans, participates in Sema2A-regulated axon
      guidance. PTPdelta, a member of vertebrate LAR class PTPs, is involved in Sema3A
      regulated cortical dendritic growth. In Sema3A signaling, PTPdelta activates Fyn
      and Src kinases by dephosphorylating their C-terminal Tyr residues. This is the
      first evidence showing that LAR class PTPs participate in Semaphorin signaling in
      vivo.

PMID- 28637846
TI  - Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a healthy adolescent.

PMID- 28637845
TI  - Successful conservative management of a permanent pacemaker pocket infection: a
      less invasive approach.
AB  - We present a successful conservative management strategy for a frail elderly
      patient with a cardiac resynchronisation pacemaker who presented with evidence of
      an Enterobacter cloacae pacemaker pocket infection. A device washout and
      debridement procedure was performed, with reburial of the device in a new
      prepectoral pocket and creation of a closed-loop continuous antibiotic infusion
      into the infected pacemaker pocket. This was followed by a 6-week course of
      ambulatory intravenous antibiotic therapy. This conservative management strategy
      avoided the need for a more invasive and high-risk full device extraction, which
      the patient clearly stated he did not wish to have. Up-to-date consensus
      management guidelines recommend extraction of the entire implanted system in this
      situation; however, in this case we demonstrate an alternative conservative
      management option, which may be suitable for frail elderly and comorbid patients
      or for patients who decline device extraction.

PMID- 28637847
TI  - Asymmetric competition impacts evolutionary rescue in a changing environment.
AB  - Interspecific competition can strongly influence the evolutionary response of a
      species to a changing environment, impacting the chance that the species survives
      or goes extinct. Previous work has shown that when two species compete for a
      temporally shifting resource distribution, the species lagging behind the
      resource peak is the first to go extinct due to competitive exclusion. However,
      this work assumed symmetrically distributed resources and competition.
      Asymmetries can generate differences between species in population sizes, genetic
      variation and trait means. We show that asymmetric resource availability or
      competition can facilitate coexistence and even occasionally cause the leading
      species to go extinct first. Surprisingly, we also find cases where traits evolve
      in the opposite direction to the changing environment because of a 'vacuum of
      competitive release' created when the lagging species declines in number. Thus,
      the species exhibiting the slowest rate of trait evolution is not always the most
      likely to go extinct in a changing environment. Our results demonstrate that the
      extent to which species appear to be tracking environmental change and the extent
      to which they are preadapted to that change may not necessarily determine which
      species will be the winners and which will be the losers in a rapidly changing
      world.

PMID- 28637848
TI  - Using Captain Scott's Discovery specimens to unlock the past: has Antarctic
      cyanobacterial diversity changed over the last 100 years?
AB  - Evidence of climate-driven environmental change is increasing in Antarctica, and
      with it comes concern that this will propagate to impacts on biological
      communities. Recognition and prediction of change needs to incorporate the extent
      and timescales over which communities vary under extant conditions. However, few
      observations of Antarctic microbial communities, which dominate inland habitats,
      allow this. We therefore carried out the first molecular comparison of
      Cyanobacteria in historic herbarium microbial mats from freshwater ecosystems on
      Ross Island and the McMurdo Ice Shelf, collected by Captain R.F. Scott's
      'Discovery' Expedition (1902-1903), with modern samples from those areas. Using
      16S rRNA gene surveys, we found that modern and historic cyanobacteria
      assemblages showed some variation in community structure but were dominated by
      the same genotypes. Modern communities had a higher richness, including genotypes
      not found in historic samples, but they had the highest similarity to other
      cyanobacteria sequences from Antarctica. The results imply slow cyanobacterial
      16S rRNA gene genotype turnover and considerable community stability within
      Antarctic microbial mats. We suggest that this relates to Antarctic freshwater
      'organisms requiring a capacity to withstand diverse stresses, and that this
      could also provide a degree of resistance and resilience to future climatic
      driven environmental change in Antarctica.

PMID- 28637849
TI  - Breaking out of the comfort zone: El Nino-Southern Oscillation as a driver of
      trophic flows in a benthic consumer of the Humboldt Current ecosystem.
AB  - The trophic flow of a species is considered a characteristic trait reflecting its
      trophic position and function in the ecosystem and its interaction with the
      environment. However, climate patterns are changing and we ignore how patterns of
      trophic flow are being affected. In the Humboldt Current ecosystem, arguably one
      of the most productive marine systems, El Nino-Southern Oscillation is the main
      source of interannual and longer-term variability. To assess the effect of this
      variability on trophic flow we built a 16-year series of mass-specific somatic
      production rate (P/B) of the Peruvian scallop (Argopecten purpuratus), a species
      belonging to a former tropical fauna that thrived in this cold ecosystem. A
      strong increase of the P/B ratio of this species was observed during nutrient
      poor, warmer water conditions typical of El Nino, owing to the massive
      recruitment of fast-growing juvenile scallops. Trophic ecology theory predicts
      that when primary production is nutrient limited, the trophic flow of organisms
      occupying low trophic levels should be constrained (bottom-up control). For
      former tropical fauna thriving in cold, productive upwelling coastal zones, a
      short time of low food conditions but warm waters during El Nino could be
      sufficient to waken their ancestral biological features and display massive
      proliferations.

PMID- 28637850
TI  - Hierarchical complexity and the size limits of life.
AB  - Over the past 3.8 billion years, the maximum size of life has increased by
      approximately 18 orders of magnitude. Much of this increase is associated with
      two major evolutionary innovations: the evolution of eukaryotes from prokaryotic
      cells approximately 1.9 billion years ago (Ga), and multicellular life
      diversifying from unicellular ancestors approximately 0.6 Ga. However, the
      quantitative relationship between organismal size and structural complexity
      remains poorly documented. We assessed this relationship using a comprehensive
      dataset that includes organismal size and level of biological complexity for 11
      172 extant genera. We find that the distributions of sizes within complexity
      levels are unimodal, whereas the aggregate distribution is multimodal. Moreover,
      both the mean size and the range of size occupied increases with each additional
      level of complexity. Increases in size range are non-symmetric: the maximum
      organismal size increases more than the minimum. The majority of the observed
      increase in organismal size over the history of life on the Earth is accounted
      for by two discrete jumps in complexity rather than evolutionary trends within
      levels of complexity. Our results provide quantitative support for an
      evolutionary expansion away from a minimal size constraint and suggest a
      fundamental rescaling of the constraints on minimal and maximal size as
      biological complexity increases.

PMID- 28637851
TI  - Island Rule, quantitative genetics and brain-body size evolution in Homo
      floresiensis.
AB  - Colonization of islands often activate a complex chain of adaptive events that,
      over a relatively short evolutionary time, may drive strong shifts in body size,
      a pattern known as the Island Rule. It is arguably difficult to perform a direct
      analysis of the natural selection forces behind such a change in body size. Here,
      we used quantitative evolutionary genetic models, coupled with simulations and
      pattern-oriented modelling, to analyse the evolution of brain and body size in
      Homo floresiensis, a diminutive hominin species that appeared around 700 kya and
      survived up to relatively recent times (60-90 kya) on Flores Island, Indonesia.
      The hypothesis of neutral evolution was rejected in 97% of the simulations, and
      estimated selection gradients are within the range found in living natural
      populations. We showed that insularity may have triggered slightly different
      evolutionary trajectories for body and brain size, which means explaining the
      exceedingly small cranial volume of H. floresiensis requires additional selective
      forces acting on brain size alone. Our analyses also support previous conclusions
      that H. floresiensis may be most likely derived from an early Indonesian H.
      erectus, which is coherent with currently accepted biogeographical scenario for
      Homo expansion out of Africa.

PMID- 28637852
TI  - Testing the molecular clock using mechanistic models of fossil preservation and
      molecular evolution.
AB  - Molecular sequence data provide information about relative times only, and fossil
      based age constraints are the ultimate source of information about absolute times
      in molecular clock dating analyses. Thus, fossil calibrations are critical to
      molecular clock dating, but competing methods are difficult to evaluate
      empirically because the true evolutionary time scale is never known. Here, we
      combine mechanistic models of fossil preservation and sequence evolution in
      simulations to evaluate different approaches to constructing fossil calibrations
      and their impact on Bayesian molecular clock dating, and the relative impact of
      fossil versus molecular sampling. We show that divergence time estimation is
      impacted by the model of fossil preservation, sampling intensity and tree shape.
      The addition of sequence data may improve molecular clock estimates, but accuracy
      and precision is dominated by the quality of the fossil calibrations. Posterior
      means and medians are poor representatives of true divergence times; posterior
      intervals provide a much more accurate estimate of divergence times, though they
      may be wide and often do not have high coverage probability. Our results
      highlight the importance of increased fossil sampling and improved statistical
      approaches to generating calibrations, which should incorporate the non-uniform
      nature of ecological and temporal fossil species distributions.

PMID- 28637853
TI  - Trophic state changes can affect the importance of methane-derived carbon in
      aquatic food webs.
AB  - Methane-derived carbon, incorporated by methane-oxidizing bacteria, has been
      identified as a significant source of carbon in food webs of many lakes. By
      measuring the stable carbon isotopic composition (delta13C values) of particulate
      organic matter, Chironomidae and Daphnia spp. and their resting eggs (ephippia),
      we show that methane-derived carbon presently plays a relevant role in the food
      web of hypertrophic Lake De Waay, The Netherlands. Sediment geochemistry, diatom
      analyses and delta13C measurements of chironomid and Daphnia remains in the lake
      sediments indicate that oligotrophication and re-eutrophication of the lake
      during the twentieth century had a strong impact on in-lake oxygen availability.
      This, in turn, influenced the relevance of methane-derived carbon in the diet of
      aquatic invertebrates. Our results show that, contrary to expectations, methane
      derived relative to photosynthetically produced organic carbon became more
      relevant for at least some invertebrates during periods with higher nutrient
      availability for algal growth, indicating a proportionally higher use of methane
      derived carbon in the lake's food web during peak eutrophication phases.
      Contributions of methane-derived carbon to the diet of the investigated
      invertebrates are estimated to have ranged from 0-11% during the phase with the
      lowest nutrient availability to 13-20% during the peak eutrophication phase.

PMID- 28637854
TI  - Fish prey change strategy with the direction of a threat.
AB  - Predation is a fundamental interaction between species, yet it is unclear what
      escape strategies are effective for prey survival. Classical theory proposes that
      prey should either escape in a direction that conforms to a performance optimum
      or that is random and therefore unpredictable. Here, we show that larval
      zebrafish (Danio rerio) instead use a mixed strategy that may be either random or
      directed. This was determined by testing classic theory with measurements of the
      escape direction in response to a predator robot. We found that prey consistently
      escaped in a direction contralateral to the robot when approached from the side
      of the prey's body. At such an orientation, the predator appeared in the prey's
      central visual field and the contralateral response was consistent with a model
      of strategy that maximizes the distance from the predator. By contrast, when the
      robot approached the rostral or caudal ends of the body, and appeared in the
      prey's peripheral vision, the escape showed an equal probability of a
      contralateral or ipsilateral direction. At this orientation, a contralateral
      response offered little strategic advantage. Therefore, zebrafish larvae adopt an
      escape strategy that maximizes distance from the threat when strategically
      beneficial and that is otherwise random. This sensory-mediated mixed strategy may
      be employed by a diversity of animals and offers a new paradigm for understanding
      the factors that govern prey survival.

PMID- 28637855
TI  - Fear of the human 'super predator' reduces feeding time in large carnivores.
AB  - Large carnivores' fear of the human 'super predator' has the potential to alter
      their feeding behaviour and result in human-induced trophic cascades. However, it
      has yet to be experimentally tested if large carnivores perceive humans as
      predators and react strongly enough to have cascading effects on their prey. We
      conducted a predator playback experiment exposing pumas to predator (human) and
      non-predator control (frog) sounds at puma feeding sites to measure immediate
      fear responses to humans and the subsequent impacts on feeding. We found that
      pumas fled more frequently, took longer to return, and reduced their overall
      feeding time by more than half in response to hearing the human 'super predator'.
      Combined with our previous work showing higher kill rates of deer in more
      urbanized landscapes, this study reveals that fear is the mechanism driving an
      ecological cascade from humans to increased puma predation on deer. By
      demonstrating that the fear of humans can cause a strong reduction in feeding by
      pumas, our results support that non-consumptive forms of human disturbance may
      alter the ecological role of large carnivores.

PMID- 28637857
TI  - Acute peaks of testosterone suppress paternal care: evidence from individual
      hormonal reaction norms.
AB  - A long-standing tenet of evolutionary endocrinology states that testosterone
      mediates the life-history trade-off between mating and paternal care. However,
      the support for a role of testosterone in suppressing paternal care is mixed:
      implantation studies in birds suggest that high-level testosterone implants
      suppress paternal care, but circulating levels of testosterone and paternal care
      are typically not correlated. Because any trade-off in real life must be realized
      with hormone levels that are within an individual's reaction norm, it is crucial
      to show that natural changes in the hormone can modulate behaviour. Here, we used
      GnRH-injections to alter testosterone levels of free-living male black redstarts
      within each individual's hormonal reaction norm: individuals experiencing a short
      term peak in testosterone resumed feeding their offspring later and showed a
      stronger suppression of offspring-feeding behaviour than control males. For the
      first time, this study demonstrated that short-term peaks in testosterone within
      the hormonal reaction norm of individuals can suppress paternal behaviour. Our
      findings reconcile previous seemingly contradictive effects that testosterone
      implants had on paternal care and the absence of correlations between circulating
      testosterone levels and paternal care, and demonstrate that the differential
      production of testosterone within the hormonal reaction norm of single
      individuals can indeed function as a mechanism to mediate a potential trade-off
      between mating and parenting. On a broader note, our results suggest that natural
      and short peaks in testosterone can elicit adaptive behavioural changes.

PMID- 28637856
TI  - How to get the most bang for your buck: the evolution and physiology of nutrition
      dependent resource allocation strategies.
AB  - All organisms use resources to grow, survive and reproduce. The supply of these
      resources varies widely across landscapes and time, imposing ultimate constraints
      on the maximal trait values for allocation-related traits. In this review, we
      address three key questions fundamental to our understanding of the evolution of
      allocation strategies and their underlying mechanisms. First, we ask: how diverse
      are flexible resource allocation strategies among different organisms? We find
      there are many, varied, examples of flexible strategies that depend on nutrition.
      However, this diversity is often ignored in some of the best-known cases of
      resource allocation shifts, such as the commonly observed pattern of lifespan
      extension under nutrient limitation. A greater appreciation of the wide variety
      of flexible allocation strategies leads directly to our second major question:
      what conditions select for different plastic allocation strategies? Here, we
      highlight the need for additional models that explicitly consider the evolution
      of phenotypically plastic allocation strategies and empirical tests of the
      predictions of those models in natural populations. Finally, we consider the
      question: what are the underlying mechanisms determining resource allocation
      strategies? Although evolutionary biologists assume differential allocation of
      resources is a major factor limiting trait evolution, few proximate mechanisms
      are known that specifically support the model. We argue that an integrated
      framework can reconcile evolutionary models with proximate mechanisms that appear
      at first glance to be in conflict with these models. Overall, we encourage future
      studies to: (i) mimic ecological conditions in which those patterns evolve, and
      (ii) take advantage of the 'omic' opportunities to produce multi-level data and
      analytical models that effectively integrate across physiological and
      evolutionary theory.

PMID- 28637858
TI  - Maternal and nourishment factors interact to influence offspring developmental
      trajectories in social wasps.
AB  - The social and nutritional environments during early development have the
      potential to affect offspring traits, but the mechanisms and molecular
      underpinnings of these effects remain elusive. We used Polistes fuscatus paper
      wasps to dissect how maternally controlled factors (vibrational signals and
      nourishment) interact to induce different caste developmental trajectories in
      female offspring, leading to worker or reproductive (gyne) traits. We established
      a set of caste phenotype biomarkers in P. fuscatus females, finding that gyne
      destined individuals had high expression of three caste-related genes
      hypothesized to have roles in diapause and mitochondrial metabolism. We then
      experimentally manipulated maternal vibrational signals (via artificial 'antennal
      drumming') and nourishment levels (via restricted foraging). We found that these
      caste-related biomarker genes were responsive to drumming, nourishment level or
      their interaction. Our results provide a striking example of the potent influence
      of maternal and nutritional effects in influencing transcriptional activity and
      developmental outcomes in offspring.

PMID- 28637859
TI  - Seeds integrate biological information about conspecific and allospecific
      neighbours.
AB  - Numerous organisms integrate information from multiple sources and express
      adaptive behaviours, but how they do so at different developmental stages remains
      to be identified. Seeds, which are the embryonic stage of plants, need to make
      decisions about the timing of emergence in response to environmental cues related
      to survival. We investigated the timing of emergence of Plantago asiatica
      (Plantaginaceae) seed while manipulating the presence of Trifolium repens seed
      and the relatedness of neighbouring P. asiatica seed. The relatedness of
      neighbouring P. asiatica seed and the presence of seeds of T. repens did not on
      their own influence the timing of P. asiatica emergence. However, when
      encountering a T. repens seed, a P. asiatica seed emerged faster in the presence
      of a sibling seed than in the presence of a non-sibling seed. Water extracts of
      seeds gave the same result. We show that P. asiatica seeds integrate information
      about the relatedness of neighbouring P. asiatica seeds and the presence of seeds
      of a different species via water-soluble chemicals and adjust their emergence
      behaviour in response. These findings suggest the presence of kin-dependent
      interspecific interactions.

PMID- 28637860
TI  - Higher-order neural processing tunes motion neurons to visual ecology in three
      species of hawkmoths.
AB  - To sample information optimally, sensory systems must adapt to the ecological
      demands of each animal species. These adaptations can occur peripherally, in the
      anatomical structures of sensory organs and their receptors; and centrally, as
      higher-order neural processing in the brain. While a rich body of investigations
      has focused on peripheral adaptations, our understanding is sparse when it comes
      to central mechanisms. We quantified how peripheral adaptations in the eyes, and
      central adaptations in the wide-field motion vision system, set the trade-off
      between resolution and sensitivity in three species of hawkmoths active at very
      different light levels: nocturnal Deilephila elpenor, crepuscular Manduca sexta,
      and diurnal Macroglossum stellatarum. Using optical measurements and
      physiological recordings from the photoreceptors and wide-field motion neurons in
      the lobula complex, we demonstrate that all three species use spatial and
      temporal summation to improve visual performance in dim light. The diurnal
      Macroglossum relies least on summation, but can only see at brighter intensities.
      Manduca, with large sensitive eyes, relies less on neural summation than the
      smaller eyed Deilephila, but both species attain similar visual performance at
      nocturnal light levels. Our results reveal how the visual systems of these three
      hawkmoth species are intimately matched to their visual ecologies.

PMID- 28637861
TI  - Epidemic and endemic pathogen dynamics correspond to distinct host population
      microbiomes at a landscape scale.
AB  - Infectious diseases have serious impacts on human and wildlife populations, but
      the effects of a disease can vary, even among individuals or populations of the
      same host species. Identifying the reasons for this variation is key to
      understanding disease dynamics and mitigating infectious disease impacts, but
      disentangling cause and correlation during natural outbreaks is extremely
      challenging. This study aims to understand associations between symbiotic
      bacterial communities and an infectious disease, and examines multiple host
      populations before or after pathogen invasion to infer likely causal links. The
      results show that symbiotic bacteria are linked to fundamentally different
      outcomes of pathogen infection: host-pathogen coexistence (endemic infection) or
      host population extirpation (epidemic infection). Diversity and composition of
      skin-associated bacteria differed between populations of the frog, Rana sierrae,
      that coexist with or were extirpated by the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium
      dendrobatidis (Bd). Data from multiple populations sampled before or after
      pathogen invasion were used to infer cause and effect in the relationship between
      the fungal pathogen and symbiotic bacteria. Among host populations, variation in
      the composition of the skin microbiome was most strongly predicted by pathogen
      infection severity, even in analyses where the outcome of infection did not vary.
      This result suggests that pathogen infection shapes variation in the skin
      microbiome across host populations that coexist with or are driven to extirpation
      by the pathogen. By contrast, microbiome richness was largely unaffected by
      pathogen infection intensity, but was strongly predicted by geographical region
      of the host population, indicating the importance of environmental or host
      genetic factors in shaping microbiome richness. Thus, while both richness and
      composition of the microbiome differed between endemic and epidemic host
      populations, the underlying causes are most likely different: pathogen infection
      appears to shape microbiome composition, while microbiome richness was less
      sensitive to pathogen-induced disturbance. Because higher richness was correlated
      with host persistence in the presence of Bd, and richness appeared relatively
      stable to Bd infection, microbiome richness may contribute to disease resistance,
      although the latter remains to be directly tested.

PMID- 28637862
TI  - Multicenter Registry Analysis of Center Characteristics Associated with Technique
      Failure in Patients on Incident Peritoneal Dialysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Technique failure is a major limitation of peritoneal
      dialysis. Our study aimed to identify center- and patient-level predictors of
      peritoneal dialysis technique failure. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, &
      MEASUREMENTS: All patients on incident peritoneal dialysis in Australia from 2004
      to 2014 were included in the study using data from the Australia and New Zealand
      Dialysis and Transplant Registry. Center- and patient-level characteristics
      associated with technique failure were evaluated using Cox shared frailty models.
      Death-censored technique failure and cause-specific technique failure were
      analyzed as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The study included 9362 patients from 51
      centers in Australia. The technique failure rate was 0.35 (95% confidence
      interval, 0.34 to 0.36) episodes per patient-year, with a sevenfold variation
      across centers that was mainly associated with center-level characteristics.
      Technique failure was significantly less likely in centers with larger
      proportions of patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (>29%; adjusted hazard
      ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.73 to 0.94) and more likely in smaller
      centers (<16 new patients per year; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence
      interval, 1.00 to 1.21) and centers with lower proportions of patients achieving
      target baseline serum phosphate levels (<40%; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.15; 95%
      confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.29). Similar results were observed for death
      censored technique failure, except that center target phosphate achievement was
      not significantly associated. Technique failure due to infection, social reasons,
      mechanical causes, or death was variably associated with center size, proportion
      of patients on peritoneal dialysis, and/or target phosphate achievement,
      automated peritoneal dialysis exposure, icodextrin use, and antifungal use. The
      variation of hazards of technique failure across centers was reduced by 28% after
      adjusting for patient-specific factors and an additional 53% after adding center
      specific factors. CONCLUSIONS: Technique failure varies widely across centers in
      Australia. A significant proportion of this variation is related to potentially
      modifiable center characteristics, including peritoneal dialysis center size,
      proportion of patients on peritoneal dialysis, and proportion of patients on
      peritoneal dialysis achieving target phosphate level.

PMID- 28637863
TI  - Managing Issues in Dialysis for the Patient with AKI.

PMID- 28637864
TI  - Are Peritoneal Dialysis Center Characteristics a Modifiable Risk Factor to
      Improve Peritoneal Dialysis Outcomes?

PMID- 28637866
TI  - Endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria junction is required for iron homeostasis.
AB  - The endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria encounter structure (ERMES) is a
      protein complex that physically tethers the two organelles to each other and
      creates the physical basis for communication between them. ERMES functions in
      lipid exchange between the ER and mitochondria, protein import into mitochondria,
      and maintenance of mitochondrial morphology and genome. Here, we report that
      ERMES is also required for iron homeostasis. Loss of ERMES components activates
      an Aft1-dependent iron deficiency response even in iron-replete conditions,
      leading to accumulation of excess iron inside the cell. This function is
      independent of known ERMES roles in calcium regulation, phospholipid
      biosynthesis, or effects on mitochondrial morphology. A mutation in the vacuolar
      protein sorting 13 (VPS13) gene that rescues the glycolytic phenotype of ERMES
      mutants suppresses the iron deficiency response and iron accumulation. Our
      findings reveal that proper communication between the ER and mitochondria is
      required for appropriate maintenance of cellular iron levels.

PMID- 28637865
TI  - An evolutionarily distinct family of polysaccharide lyases removes rhamnose
      capping of complex arabinogalactan proteins.
AB  - The human gut microbiota utilizes complex carbohydrates as major nutrients. The
      requirement for efficient glycan degrading systems exerts a major selection
      pressure on this microbial community. Thus, we propose that this microbial
      ecosystem represents a substantial resource for discovering novel carbohydrate
      active enzymes. To test this hypothesis we screened the potential enzymatic
      functions of hypothetical proteins encoded by genes of Bacteroides
      thetaiotaomicron that were up-regulated by arabinogalactan proteins or AGPs.
      Although AGPs are ubiquitous in plants, there is a paucity of information on
      their detailed structure, the function of these glycans in planta, and the
      mechanisms by which they are depolymerized in microbial ecosystems. Here we have
      discovered a new polysaccharide lyase family that is specific for the l-rhamnose
      alpha1,4-d-glucuronic acid linkage that caps the side chains of complex AGPs. The
      reaction product generated by the lyase, Delta4,5-unsaturated uronic acid, is
      removed from AGP by a glycoside hydrolase located in family GH105, producing the
      final product 4-deoxy-beta-l-threo-hex-4-enepyranosyl-uronic acid. The crystal
      structure of a member of the novel lyase family revealed a catalytic domain that
      displays an (alpha/alpha)6 barrel-fold. In the center of the barrel is a deep
      pocket, which, based on mutagenesis data and amino acid conservation, comprises
      the active site of the lyase. A tyrosine is the proposed catalytic base in the
      beta-elimination reaction. This study illustrates how highly complex glycans can
      be used as a scaffold to discover new enzyme families within microbial ecosystems
      where carbohydrate metabolism is a major evolutionary driver.

PMID- 28637867
TI  - Full-length cellular beta-secretase has a trimeric subunit stoichiometry, and its
      sulfur-rich transmembrane interaction site modulates cytosolic copper
      compartmentalization.
AB  - The beta-secretase (BACE1) initiates processing of the amyloid precursor protein
      (APP) into Abeta peptides, which have been implicated as central players in the
      pathology of Alzheimer disease. BACE1 has been described as a copper-binding
      protein and its oligomeric state as being monomeric, dimeric, and/or multimeric,
      but the native cellular stoichiometry has remained elusive. Here, by using single
      molecule fluorescence and in vitro cross-linking experiments with photo
      activatable unnatural amino acids, we show that full-length BACE1, independently
      of its subcellular localization, exists as trimers in human cells. We found that
      trimerization requires the BACE1 transmembrane sequences (TMSs) and cytoplasmic
      domains, with residues Ala463 and Cys466 buried within the trimer interface of
      the sulfur-rich core of the TMSs. Our 3D model predicts that the sulfur-rich core
      of the trimeric BACE1 TMS is accessible to metal ions, but copper ions did not
      trigger trimerization. The results of functional assays of endogenous BACE1
      suggest that it has a role in intracellular copper compartmentalization by
      transferring cytosolic copper to intracellular compartments, while leaving the
      overall cellular copper concentration unaltered. Adding to existing physiological
      models, our results provide novel insight into the atypical interactions between
      copper and BACE1 and into its non-enzymatic activities. In conclusion,
      therapeutic Alzheimer disease prevention strategies aimed at decreasing BACE1
      protein levels should be regarded with caution, because adverse effects in copper
      homeostasis may occur.

PMID- 28637868
TI  - Post-transcriptional regulation of ERBB2 by miR26a/b and HuR confers resistance
      to tamoxifen in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells.
AB  - Tamoxifen-resistant (TAMR) estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is
      characterized by elevated Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ERBB2) expression.
      However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the increased ERBB2 expression
      in the TAMR cells remain poorly understood. Herein, we reported that the ERBB2
      expression is regulated at the post-transcriptional level by miR26a/b and the RNA
      binding protein human antigen R (HuR), both of which associate with the 3'-UTR of
      the ERBB2 transcripts. We demonstrated that miR26a/b inhibits the translation of
      ERBB2 mRNA, whereas HuR enhances the stability of the ERBB2 mRNA. In TAMR ER+
      breast cancer cells with elevated ERBB2 expression, we observed a decrease in the
      level of miR26a/b and an increase in the level of HuR. The forced expression of
      miR26a/b or the depletion of HuR decreased ERBB2 expression in the TAMR cells,
      resulting in the reversal of tamoxifen resistance. In contrast, the inactivation
      of miR26a/b or forced expression of HuR decreased tamoxifen responsiveness of the
      parental ER+ breast cancer cells. We further showed that the increase in HuR
      expression in the TAMR ER+ breast cancer cells is attributable to an increase in
      the HuR mRNA isoform with shortened 3'-UTR, which exhibits increased
      translational activity. This shortening of the HuR mRNA 3'-UTR via alternative
      polyadenylation (APA) was observed to be dependent on cleavage stimulation factor
      subunit 2 (CSTF2/CstF-64), which is up-regulated in the TAMR breast cancer cells.
      Taken together, we have characterized a model in which the interplay between
      miR26a/b and HuR post-transcriptionally up-regulates ERBB2 expression in TAMR ER+
      breast cancer cells.

PMID- 28637870
TI  - Cardiac myocyte p38alpha kinase regulates angiogenesis via myocyte-endothelial
      cell cross-talk during stress-induced remodeling in the heart.
AB  - Stress-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity is implicated
      in pathological remodeling in the heart. For example, constitutive p38 MAPK
      activation in cardiomyocytes induces pathological features, including myocyte
      hypertrophy, apoptosis, contractile dysfunction, and fetal gene expression.
      However, the physiological function of cardiomyocyte p38 MAPK activity in
      beneficial compensatory vascular remodeling is unclear. This report investigated
      the functional role and the underlying mechanisms of cardiomyocyte p38 MAPK
      activity in cardiac remodeling induced by chronic stress. Using both in vitro and
      in vivo model systems, we found that p38 MAPK activity is required for hypoxia
      induced pro-angiogenic activity from cardiomyocytes and that p38 MAPK activation
      in cardiomyocyte is sufficient to promote paracrine signaling-mediated, pro
      angiogenic activity. We further demonstrate that VEGF is a paracrine factor
      responsible for the p38 MAPK-mediated pro-angiogenic activity from cardiomyocytes
      and that p38 MAPK pathway activation is sufficient for inducing VEGF secretion
      from cardiomyocytes in an Sp1-dependent manner. More significantly, cardiomyocyte
      specific inactivation of p38alpha in mouse heart impaired compensatory
      angiogenesis after pressure overload and promoted early onset of heart failure.
      In summary, p38alphaMAPK has a critical role in the cross-talk between
      cardiomyocytes and vasculature by regulating stress-induced VEGF expression and
      secretion in cardiomyocytes. We conclude that as part of a stress-induced
      signaling pathway, p38 MAPK activity significantly contributes to both
      pathological and compensatory remodeling in the heart.

PMID- 28637869
TI  - Heat shock proteins stimulate APOBEC-3-mediated cytidine deamination in the
      hepatitis B virus.
AB  - Apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic subunit 3 (APOBEC-3) enzymes are
      cytidine deaminases that are broadly and constitutively expressed. They are often
      up-regulated during carcinogenesis and candidate genes for causing the major
      single-base substitution in cancer-associated DNA mutations. Moreover, APOBEC-3s
      are involved in host innate immunity against many viruses. However, how APOBEC-3
      mutational activity is regulated in normal and pathological conditions remains
      largely unknown. Heat shock protein levels are often elevated in both
      carcinogenesis and viral infection and are associated with DNA mutations. Here,
      using mutational analyses of hepatitis B virus (HBV), we found that Hsp90
      stimulates deamination activity of APOBEC-3G (A3G), A3B, and A3C during co
      expression in human liver HepG2 cells. Hsp90 directly stimulated A3G deamination
      activity when the purified proteins were used in in vitro reactions. Hsp40, -60,
      and -70 also had variable stimulatory effects in the cellular assay, but not in
      vitro Sequencing analyses further demonstrated that Hsp90 increased both A3G
      cytosine mutation efficiency on HBV DNA and total HBV mutation frequency. In
      addition, Hsp90 shifted A3G's cytosine region selection in HBV DNA and increased
      A3G's 5' nucleoside preference for deoxycytidine (5'-CC). Furthermore, the Hsp90
      inhibitor 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin dose dependently inhibited A3G
      and A3B mutational activity on HBV viral DNA. Hsp90 knockdown by siRNA or by
      Hsp90 active-site mutation also decreased A3G activity. These results indicate
      that heat shock proteins, in particular Hsp90, stimulate APOBEC-3-mediated DNA
      deamination activity, suggesting a potential physiological role in carcinogenesis
      and viral innate immunity.

PMID- 28637871
TI  - Phosphorylation at serine 31 targets tyrosine hydroxylase to vesicles for
      transport along microtubules.
AB  - Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) catalyzes the conversion of l-tyrosine into l-DOPA,
      which is the rate-limiting step in the synthesis of catecholamines, such as
      dopamine, in dopaminergergic neurons. Low dopamine levels and death of the
      dopaminergic neurons are hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD), where alpha
      synuclein is also a key player. TH is highly regulated, notably by
      phosphorylation of several Ser/Thr residues in the N-terminal tail. However, the
      functional role of TH phosphorylation at the Ser-31 site (THSer(P)-31) remains
      unclear. Here, we report that THSer(P)-31 co-distributes with the Golgi complex
      and synaptic-like vesicles in rat and human dopaminergic cells. We also found
      that the TH microsomal fraction content decreases after inhibition of cyclin
      dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and ERK1/2. The cellular distribution of an
      overexpressed phospho-null mutant, TH1-S31A, was restricted to the soma of
      neuroblastoma cells, with decreased association with the microsomal fraction,
      whereas a phospho-mimic mutant, TH1-S31E, was distributed throughout the soma and
      neurites. TH1-S31E associated with vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and
      alpha-synuclein in neuroblastoma cells, and endogenous THSer(P)-31 was detected
      in VMAT2- and alpha-synuclein-immunoprecipitated mouse brain samples. Microtubule
      disruption or co-transfection with alpha-synuclein A53T, a PD-associated
      mutation, caused TH1-S31E accumulation in the cell soma. Our results indicate
      that Ser-31 phosphorylation may regulate TH subcellular localization by enabling
      its transport along microtubules, notably toward the projection terminals. These
      findings disclose a new mechanism of TH regulation by phosphorylation and reveal
      its interaction with key players in PD, opening up new research avenues for
      better understanding dopamine synthesis in physiological and pathological states.

PMID- 28637872
TI  - Hydrogen sulfide modulates eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2alpha
      (eIF2alpha) phosphorylation status in the integrated stress-response pathway.
AB  - Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) regulates various physiological processes, including
      neuronal activity, vascular tone, inflammation, and energy metabolism. Moreover,
      H2S elicits cytoprotective effects against stressors in various cellular models
      of injury. However, the mechanism of the signaling pathways mediating the
      cytoprotective functions of H2S is not well understood. We previously uncovered a
      heme-dependent metabolic switch for transient induction of H2S production in the
      trans-sulfuration pathway. Here, we demonstrate that increased endogenous H2S
      production or its exogenous administration modulates major components of the
      integrated stress response promoting a metabolic state primed for stress
      response. We show that H2S transiently increases phosphorylation of eukaryotic
      translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2alpha) resulting in inhibition of general
      protein synthesis. The H2S-induced increase in eIF2alpha phosphorylation was
      mediated at least in part by inhibition of protein phosphatase-1 (PP1c) via
      persulfidation at Cys-127. Overexpression of a PP1c cysteine mutant (C127S-PP1c)
      abrogated the H2S effect on eIF2alpha phosphorylation. Our data support a model
      in which H2S exerts its cytoprotective effect on ISR signaling by inducing a
      transient adaptive reprogramming of global mRNA translation. Although a transient
      increase in endogenous H2S production provides cytoprotection, its chronic
      increase such as in cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency may pose a problem.

PMID- 28637873
TI  - Disease-linked mutations in factor H reveal pivotal role of cofactor activity in
      self-surface-selective regulation of complement activation.
AB  - Spontaneous activation enables the complement system to respond very rapidly to
      diverse threats. This activation is efficiently suppressed by complement factor H
      (CFH) on self-surfaces but not on foreign surfaces. The surface selectivity of
      CFH, a soluble protein containing 20 complement-control protein modules (CCPs 1
      20), may be compromised by disease-linked mutations. However, which of the
      several functions of CFH drives this self-surface selectivity remains unknown. To
      address this, we expressed human CFH mutants in Pichia pastoris We found that
      recombinant I62-CFH (protective against age-related macular degeneration) and V62
      CFH functioned equivalently, matching or outperforming plasma-derived CFH,
      whereas R53H-CFH, linked to atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), was
      defective in C3bBb decay-accelerating activity (DAA) and factor I cofactor
      activity (CA). The aHUS-linked CCP 19 mutant D1119G-CFH had virtually no CA on
      (self-like) sheep erythrocytes (ES) but retained DAA. The aHUS-linked CCP 20
      mutant S1191L/V1197A-CFH (LA-CFH) had dramatically reduced CA on ES but was less
      compromised in DAA. D1119G-CFH and LA-CFH both performed poorly at preventing
      complement-mediated hemolysis of ES PspCN, a CFH-binding Streptococcus pneumoniae
      protein domain, binds CFH tightly and increases accessibility of CCPs 19 and 20.
      PspCN did not improve the DAA of any CFH variant on ES Conversely, PspCN boosted
      the CA, on ES, of I62-CFH, R53H-CFH, and LA-CFH and also enhanced hemolysis
      protection by I62-CFH and LA-CFH. We conclude that CCPs 19 and 20 are critical
      for efficient CA on self-surfaces but less important for DAA. Exposing CCPs 19
      and 20 with PspCN and thus enhancing CA on self-surfaces may reverse deficiencies
      of some CFH variants.

PMID- 28637875
TI  - Coupled feedback loops control the stimulus-dependent dynamics of the yeast
      transcription factor Msn2.
AB  - Information about environmental stimuli often can be encoded by the dynamics of
      signaling molecules or transcription factors. In the yeast Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae, different types of stresses induce distinct nuclear translocation
      dynamics of the general stress-responsive transcription factor Msn2, but the
      underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using deterministic and stochastic
      modeling, we reproduced in silico the different dynamic responses of Msn2 to
      glucose limitation and osmotic stress observed in vivo and found that a positive
      feedback loop on protein kinase A mediated by the AMP-activated protein kinase
      Snf1 is coupled with a negative feedback loop to generate the characteristic
      pulsatile dynamics of Msn2. The model predicted that the stimulus-specific
      positive feedback loop could be responsible for the difference between Msn2
      dynamics induced by glucose limitation and osmotic stress. This prediction was
      further verified experimentally by time-lapse microscopic examinations of the
      snf1Delta strain. In this mutant lacking the Snf1-mediated positive feedback
      loop, Msn2 responds similarly to glucose limitation and osmotic stress, and its
      pulsatile translocation is largely abrogated. Our combined computational and
      experimental analysis reveals a regulatory mechanism by which cells can encode
      information about environmental cues into distinct signaling dynamics through
      stimulus-specific network architectures.

PMID- 28637874
TI  - Direct demonstration of a neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)-driven endosomal sorting
      pathway for cellular recycling of albumin.
AB  - Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein involved in the transport of many
      compounds, such as fatty acids, bilirubin, and heme. The endothelial cellular
      neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) has been suggested to play a central role in
      maintaining high albumin plasma levels through a cellular recycling pathway.
      However, direct mapping of this process is still lacking. This work presents the
      use of wild-type and engineered recombinant albumins with either decreased or
      increased FcRn affinity in combination with a low or high FcRn-expressing
      endothelium cell line to clearly define the FcRn involvement, intracellular
      pathway, and kinetics of albumin trafficking by flow cytometry, quantitative
      confocal microscopy, and an albumin-recycling assay. We found that cellular
      albumin internalization was proportional to FcRn expression and albumin-binding
      affinity. Albumin accumulation in early endosomes was independent of FcRn-binding
      affinity, but differences in FcRn-binding affinities significantly affected the
      albumin distribution between late endosomes and lysosomes. Unlike albumin with
      low FcRn-binding affinity, albumin with high FcRn-binding affinity was directed
      less to the lysosomes, suggestive of FcRn-directed albumin salvage from lysosomal
      degradation. Furthermore, the amount of recycled albumin in cell culture media
      corresponded to FcRn-binding affinity, with a ~3.3-fold increase after 1 h for
      the high FcRn-binding albumin variant compared with wild-type albumin. Together,
      these findings uncover an FcRn-dependent endosomal cellular-sorting pathway that
      has great importance in describing fundamental mechanisms of intracellular
      albumin recycling and the possibility to tune albumin-based therapeutic effects
      by FcRn-binding affinity.

PMID- 28637876
TI  - Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells with Silenced PD-1 Ligands and Transpresenting
      Interleukin-15 Stimulate Strong Tumor-Reactive T-cell Expansion.
AB  - Although allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) can elicit graft-versus
      tumor (GVT) immunity, patients often relapse due to residual tumor cells. As
      essential orchestrators of the immune system, vaccination with dendritic cells
      (DC) is an appealing strategy to boost the GVT response. Nevertheless, durable
      clinical responses after DC vaccination are still limited, stressing the need to
      improve current DC vaccines. Aiming to empower DC potency, we engineered monocyte
      derived DCs to deprive them of ligands for the immune checkpoint regulated by
      programmed death 1 (PD-1). We also equipped them with interleukin (IL)-15
      "transpresentation" skills. Transfection with short interfering (si)RNA targeting
      the PD-1 ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, in combination with IL15 and IL15Ralpha mRNA,
      preserved their mature DC profile and rendered the DCs superior in inducing T
      cell proliferation and IFNgamma and TNFalpha production. Translated into an ex
      vivo hematological disease setting, DCs deprived of PD-1 ligands (PD-L), equipped
      with IL15/IL15Ralpha expression, or most effectively, both, induced superior
      expansion of minor histocompatibility antigen-specific CD8+ T cells from
      transplanted cancer patients. These data support the combinatorial approach of in
      situ suppression of the PD-L inhibitory checkpoints with DC-mediated IL15
      transpresentation to promote antigen-specific T-cell responses and, ultimately,
      contribute to GVT immunity. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8); 710-5. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637877
TI  - Ex Vivo Expanded Adaptive NK Cells Effectively Kill Primary Acute Lymphoblastic
      Leukemia Cells.
AB  - Manipulation of human natural killer (NK) cell repertoires promises more
      effective strategies for NK cell-based cancer immunotherapy. A subset of highly
      differentiated NK cells, termed adaptive NK cells, expands naturally in vivo in
      response to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, carries unique repertoires of
      inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR), and displays strong
      cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Here, we established a robust and scalable
      protocol for ex vivo generation and expansion of adaptive NK cells for cell
      therapy against pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Culture of
      polyclonal NK cells together with feeder cells expressing HLA-E, the ligand for
      the activating NKG2C receptor, led to selective expansion of adaptive NK cells
      with enhanced alloreactivity against HLA-mismatched targets. The ex vivo expanded
      adaptive NK cells gradually obtained a more differentiated phenotype and were
      specific and highly efficient killers of allogeneic pediatric T- and precursor B
      cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) blasts, previously shown to be refractory
      to killing by autologous NK cells and the NK-cell line NK92 currently in clinical
      testing. Selective expansion of NK cells that express one single inhibitory KIR
      for self-HLA class I would allow exploitation of the full potential of NK-cell
      alloreactivity in cancer immunotherapy. In summary, our data suggest that
      adaptive NK cells may hold utility for therapy of refractory ALL, either as a
      bridge to transplant or for patients that lack stem cell donors. Cancer Immunol
      Res; 5(8); 654-65. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637878
TI  - CD4+ T Cell and NK Cell Interplay Key to Regression of MHC Class Ilow Tumors upon
      TLR7/8 Agonist Therapy.
AB  - One of the next challenges in cancer immunotherapy is the resistance of tumors to
      T-cell-based treatments through loss of MHC class I. Here, we show that under
      these circumstances, the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-7/8 ligand imiquimod, but not
      the TLR3 ligand poly I:C or TLR9 ligand CpG, mediated an effective antitumor
      response. The rejection of these immune-escaped cancers was mediated by NK cells
      and CD4+ T cells, whereas activated CD8+ T cells were dispensable. Application of
      the innate immune stimulator at a distant site activated NK cells and thereby
      elicited tumor-specific T-cell responses in tumor-bearing mice. Mechanistically,
      imiquimod activated NK cells to kill tumor cells, resulting in release of tumor
      antigens and induction of tumor-specific CD4+ T cells. These T helper cells
      provoked a strong induction of CXCL9 and CXCL10 in the tumor environment.
      Simultaneously, imiquimod induced the expression of the cognate chemokine
      receptor CXCR3 on peripheral lymphocytes. This ignited intratumoral CD4+ T-cell
      infiltration and accumulation, which was critical for tumor rejection; CXCR3
      blocking antibodies mitigated the clinical response. In the effector phase, NK
      cell recruitment to tumors and their activation depended on CD4+ T cells.
      Together, we have uncovered a potent immune axis of tumor-specific CD4+ T cells
      and NK cells that eliminates escaped MHC-Ilow tumors. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8);
      642-53. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637879
TI  - Platelets Express Activated P2Y12 Receptor in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Platelets from patients with diabetes mellitus are hyperactive.
      Hyperactivated platelets may contribute to cardiovascular complications and
      inadequate responses to antiplatelet agents in the setting of diabetes mellitus.
      However, the underlying mechanism of hyperactivated platelets is not completely
      understood. METHODS: We measured P2Y12 expression on platelets from patients with
      type 2 diabetes mellitus and on platelets from rats with diabetes mellitus. We
      also assayed platelet P2Y12 activation by measuring cAMP and VASP
      phosphorylation. The antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of AR-C78511 and
      cangrelor were compared in rats. Finally, we explored the role of the nuclear
      factor-kappaB pathway in regulating P2Y12 receptor expression in megakaryocytes.
      RESULTS: Platelet P2Y12 levels are 4-fold higher in patients with type 2 diabetes
      mellitus compared with healthy subjects. P2Y12 expression correlates with ADP
      induced platelet aggregation (r=0.89, P<0.01). P2Y12 in platelets from patients
      with diabetes mellitus is constitutively activated. Although both AR-C78511, a
      potent P2Y12 inverse agonist, and cangrelor have similar antiplatelet efficacy on
      platelets from healthy subjects, AR-C78511 exhibits more powerful antiplatelet
      effects on diabetic platelets than cangrelor (aggregation ratio 36+/-3% versus
      49+/-5%, respectively, P<0.05). Using a FeCl3-injury mesenteric arteriole
      thrombosis model in rats and an arteriovenous shunt thrombosis model in rats, we
      found that the inverse agonist AR-C78511 has greater antithrombotic effects on GK
      rats with diabetes mellitus than cangrelor (thrombus weight 4.9+/-0.3 mg versus
      8.3+/-0.4 mg, respectively, P<0.01). We also found that a pathway involving high
      glucose-reactive oxygen species-nuclear factor-kappaB increases platelet P2Y12
      receptor expression in diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: Platelet P2Y12 receptor
      expression is significantly increased and the receptor is constitutively
      activated in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, which contributes to
      platelet hyperactivity and limits antiplatelet drug efficacy in type 2 diabetes
      mellitus.

PMID- 28637880
TI  - Study Comparing Vein Integrity and Clinical Outcomes in Open Vein Harvesting and
      2 Types of Endoscopic Vein Harvesting for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: The
      VICO Randomized Clinical Trial (Vein Integrity and Clinical Outcomes).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current consensus statements maintain that endoscopic vein harvesting
      (EVH) should be standard care in coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but vein
      quality and clinical outcomes have been questioned. The VICO trial (Vein
      Integrity and Clinical Outcomes) was designed to assess the impact of different
      vein harvesting methods on vessel damage and whether this contributes to clinical
      outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: In this single-center,
      randomized clinical trial, patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting
      with an internal mammary artery and with 1 to 4 vein grafts were recruited. All
      veins were harvested by a single experienced practitioner. We randomly allocated
      300 patients into closed tunnel CO2 EVH (n=100), open tunnel CO2 EVH (n=100), and
      traditional open vein harvesting (n=100) groups. The primary end point was
      endothelial integrity and muscular damage of the harvested vein. Secondary end
      points included clinical outcomes (major adverse cardiac events), use of
      healthcare resources, and impact on health status (quality-adjusted life-years).
      RESULTS: The open vein harvesting group demonstrated marginally better
      endothelial integrity in random samples (85% versus 88% versus 93% for closed
      tunnel EVH, open tunnel EVH, and open vein harvesting; P<0.001). Closed tunnel
      EVH displayed the lowest longitudinal hypertrophy (1% versus 13.5% versus 3%;
      P=0.001). However, no differences in endothelial stretching were observed between
      groups (37% versus 37% versus 31%; P=0.62). Secondary clinical outcomes
      demonstrated no significant differences in composite major adverse cardiac event
      scores at each time point up to 48 months. The quality-adjusted life-year gain
      per patient was 0.11 (P<0.001) for closed tunnel EVH and 0.07 (P=0.003) for open
      tunnel EVH compared with open vein harvesting. The likelihood of being cost
      effective, at a predefined threshold of L20 000 per quality-adjusted life-year
      gained, was 75% for closed tunnel EVH, 19% for open tunnel EVH, and 6% for open
      vein harvesting. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that harvesting techniques
      affect the integrity of different vein layers, albeit only slightly. Secondary
      outcomes suggest that histological findings do not directly contribute to major
      adverse cardiac event outcomes. Gains in health status were observed, and cost
      effectiveness was better with closed tunnel EVH. High-level experience with
      endoscopic harvesting performed by a dedicated specialist practitioner gives
      optimal results comparable to those of open vein harvesting. CLINICAL TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.isrctn.com. International Standard Randomised
      Controlled Trial Registry Number: 91485426.

PMID- 28637881
TI  - Physical Activity and Prognosis in the TOPCAT Trial (Treatment of Preserved
      Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is inversely associated with adverse
      cardiovascular outcomes in healthy populations, but the impact of physical
      activity in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction is
      less well characterized. METHODS: The baseline self-reported PA of 1751 subjects
      enrolled in the Americas region of the TOPCAT trial (Treatment of Preserved
      Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist) was categorized as
      poor, intermediate, or ideal PA with American Heart Association criteria. PA was
      related to the primary composite outcome (HF hospitalization, cardiovascular
      mortality, or aborted cardiac arrest), its components, and all-cause mortality
      with the use of multivariable Cox models. RESULTS: The mean age at enrollment was
      68.6+/-9.6 years. Few patients met American Heart Association criteria for ideal
      activity (11% ideal, 14% intermediate, 75% poor). Over a median follow-up of 2.4
      years, the primary composite outcome occurred in 519 patients (397 HF
      hospitalizations, 222 cardiovascular deaths, and 6 aborted cardiac arrests).
      Compared with those with ideal baseline PA, poor and intermediate baseline PA was
      associated with a greater risk of the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 2.05;
      95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-3.28; HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.15-3.33,
      respectively), HF hospitalization (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.16-3.22; HR, 1.84; 95% CI,
      1.02-3.31), cardiovascular mortality (HR, 4.36; 95% CI, 1.37-13.83; HR, 4.05; 95%
      CI, 1.17-14.04), and all-cause mortality (HR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.44-6.02; HR, 2.05;
      95% CI, 0.90-4.67) after multivariable adjustment for potential confounders.
      CONCLUSIONS: In patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction, both poor and
      intermediate self-reported PA were associated with higher risk of HF
      hospitalization and mortality. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL:
      https://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00094302.

PMID- 28637882
TI  - FLT3 dancing on the stem cell.
AB  - Whether or not FLT3 mutations are present and expressed within a leukemic
      hematopoietic stem cell has engendered some controversy. New evidence has now
      been presented on this issue that could change the way we manage the disease in
      the future.

PMID- 28637885
TI  - In This Issue of Diabetes Care.

PMID- 28637883
TI  - Niche-mediated depletion of the normal hematopoietic stem cell reservoir by Flt3
      ITD-induced myeloproliferation.
AB  - Although previous studies suggested that the expression of FMS-like tyrosine
      kinase 3 (Flt3) initiates downstream of mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs),
      FLT3 internal tandem duplications (FLT3 ITDs) have recently been suggested to
      intrinsically suppress HSCs. Herein, single-cell interrogation found Flt3 mRNA
      expression to be absent in the large majority of phenotypic HSCs, with a strong
      negative correlation between Flt3 and HSC-associated gene expression. Flt3-ITD
      knock-in mice showed reduced numbers of phenotypic HSCs, with an even more severe
      loss of long-term repopulating HSCs, likely reflecting the presence of non-HSCs
      within the phenotypic HSC compartment. Competitive transplantation experiments
      established that Flt3-ITD compromises HSCs through an extrinsically mediated
      mechanism of disrupting HSC-supporting bone marrow stromal cells, with reduced
      numbers of endothelial and mesenchymal stromal cells showing increased
      inflammation-associated gene expression. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a cell
      extrinsic potent negative regulator of HSCs, was overexpressed in bone marrow
      niche cells from FLT3-ITD mice, and anti-TNF treatment partially rescued the HSC
      phenotype. These findings, which establish that Flt3-ITD-driven
      myeloproliferation results in cell-extrinsic suppression of the normal HSC
      reservoir, are of relevance for several aspects of acute myeloid leukemia
      biology.

PMID- 28637884
TI  - Vaccination establishes clonal relatives of germinal center T cells in the blood
      of humans.
AB  - Germinal center T follicular helper cells (GCTfh) in lymphatic tissue are
      critical for B cell differentiation and protective antibody induction, but
      whether GCTfh establish clonal derivatives as circulating memory T cells is less
      understood. Here, we used markers expressed on GCTfh, CXCR5, PD1, and ICOS, to
      identify potential circulating CXCR5+CD4+ Tfh-like cells (cTfh) in humans, and
      investigated their functional phenotypes, diversity, and ontogeny in paired donor
      blood and tonsils, and in blood after vaccination. Based on T cell receptor
      repertoire analysis, we found that PD-1-expressing cTfh and tonsillar GCTfh cells
      were clonally related. Furthermore, an activated, antigen-specific PD1+ICOS+ cTfh
      subset clonally expanded after booster immunization whose frequencies correlated
      with vaccine-specific serum IgG; these phenotypically resembled GCTfh, and were
      clonally related to a resting PD1+ICOS- CD4+ memory T cell subset. Thus, we
      postulate that vaccination establishes clonal relatives of GCTfh within the
      circulating memory CD4+CXCR5+PD1+ T cell pool that expand upon reencounter of
      their cognate antigen.

PMID- 28637886
TI  - Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes: Has the Dawn of a New Era Arrived?
AB  - Hyperglycemia is the major risk factor for microvascular complications in
      patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the
      principal cause of death, and lowering HbA1c has only a modest effect on reducing
      CVD risk and mortality. The recently published LEADER and SUSTAIN-6 trials
      demonstrate that, in T2D patients with high CVD risk, the glucagon-like peptide 1
      receptor agonists liraglutide and semaglutide reduce the primary major adverse
      cardiac events (MACE) end point (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial
      infarction, nonfatal stroke) by 13% and 24%, respectively. The EMPA-REG OUTCOME,
      IRIS (subjects without diabetes), and PROactive (second principal end point)
      studies also demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular events in T2D
      patients treated with empagliflozin and pioglitazone. However, the benefit of
      these four antidiabetes agents (liraglutide, semaglutide, empagliflozin, and
      pioglitazone) on the three individual MACE end points differed, suggesting that
      different underlying mechanisms were responsible for the reduction in
      cardiovascular events. Since liraglutide, semaglutide, pioglitazone, and
      empagliflozin similarly lower the plasma glucose concentration but appear to
      reduce CVD risk by different mechanisms, there emerges the intriguing possibility
      that, if used in combination, the effects of these antidiabetes agents may be
      additive or even multiplicative with regard to cardiovascular benefit.

PMID- 28637887
TI  - Mitigating Cardiovascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes With Antidiabetes Drugs: A
      Review of Principal Cardiovascular Outcome Results of EMPA-REG OUTCOME, LEADER,
      and SUSTAIN-6 Trials.
AB  - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a diabetes guidance in 2008
      mandating that all new antidiabetes drugs rule out excess cardiovascular (CV)
      risk, defined as an upper bound of the two-sided 95% CI for major adverse CV
      events (MACE) of less than 1.80 preapproval and 1.30 postapproval. Over 25 large,
      prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trials involving nearly 195,000
      subjects thus far have been completed or are ongoing in accordance with this
      guidance. The results of seven trials have been presented so far-three with
      dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors, one with a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2
      (SGLT2) inhibitor, and three with glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP
      1 RA). While all seven trials showed noninferiority in the rate of MACE with the
      use of these agents compared with placebo, three of them revealed CV benefits.
      Treatment with empagliflozin (an SGLT2 inhibitor) and treatment with liraglutide
      (a GLP-1 RA) both significantly reduced the risk of MACE, mortality from CV
      causes, and mortality from any cause when compared with placebo. Treatment with
      semaglutide, another GLP-1 RA, showed a significantly lower rate of MACE but not
      mortality from CV or any cause compared with placebo. In all of the trials, the
      effects of treatment on outcomes were out of proportion to the small differences
      in glycemic control levels, suggesting that the effects observed were likely
      unrelated to differences in the glucose-lowering efficacy. Overall, the results
      of these trials yield a favorable benefit-risk balance for these therapies in
      mitigating CV risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. More research is needed to
      elucidate the underlying mechanisms and confirm whether the CV benefits are a
      class effect or whether the benefits persist in patients without established CV
      disease or are evident even in patients without diabetes.

PMID- 28637888
TI  - Maternal BMI and Glycemia Impact the Fetal Metabolome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We used targeted metabolomics to determine associations of maternal
      BMI and glucose levels with cord blood metabolites and associations of cord blood
      metabolites with newborn birth weight and adiposity in mother-offspring dyads.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Targeted metabolomic assays were performed on cord
      blood serum samples from European ancestry, Afro-Caribbean, Thai, and Mexican
      American newborns (400 from each ancestry group) whose mothers participated in
      the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study and who had
      anthropometric measurements at birth. RESULTS: Meta-analysis across the four
      cohorts demonstrated significant correlation of all cord blood metabolites
      analyzed with maternal fasting levels of the same metabolites at ~28 weeks'
      gestation except for triglycerides, asparagine/aspartate, arginine, and the
      acylcarnitine C14-OH/C12-DC. Meta-analyses also demonstrated that maternal BMI
      with or without adjustment for maternal glucose was associated with cord blood
      metabolites including the branched-chain amino acids and their metabolites as
      well as phenylalanine. One-hour but not fasting glucose was associated with cord
      blood 3-hydroxybutyrate and its carnitine ester, a medium-chain acylcarnitine,
      and glycerol. A number of cord blood metabolites were associated with newborn
      birth weight and sum of skinfolds, including a negative association of
      triglycerides and positive association of 3-hydroxybutyrate, its carnitine ester,
      and serine with both newborn outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal BMI and glycemia are
      associated with different components of the newborn metabolome, consistent with
      their independent effects on newborn size at birth. Maternal BMI is associated
      with a newborn metabolic signature characteristic of insulin resistance and risk
      of type 2 diabetes in adults.

PMID- 28637889
TI  - Targeted Metabolomics Demonstrates Distinct and Overlapping Maternal Metabolites
      Associated With BMI, Glucose, and Insulin Sensitivity During Pregnancy Across
      Four Ancestry Groups.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We used targeted metabolomics in pregnant mothers to compare maternal
      metabolite associations with maternal BMI, glycemia, and insulin sensitivity.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Targeted metabolomic assays of clinical metabolites,
      amino acids, and acylcarnitines were performed on fasting and 1-h postglucose
      serum samples from European ancestry, Afro-Caribbean, Thai, and Mexican American
      mothers (400 from each ancestry group) who participated in the Hyperglycemia and
      Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study and underwent an oral glucose tolerance
      test at ~28 weeks gestation. RESULTS: K-means clustering, which identified
      patterns of metabolite levels across ancestry groups, demonstrated that, at both
      fasting and 1-h, levels of the majority of metabolites were similar across
      ancestry groups. Meta-analyses demonstrated association of a broad array of
      fasting and 1-h metabolites, including lipids and amino acids and their
      metabolites, with maternal BMI, glucose levels, and insulin sensitivity before
      and after adjustment for the different phenotypes. At fasting and 1 h, a mix of
      metabolites was identified that were common across phenotypes or associated with
      only one or two phenotypes. Partial correlation estimates, which allowed
      comparison of the strength of association of different metabolites with maternal
      phenotypes, demonstrated that metabolites most strongly associated with different
      phenotypes included some that were common across as well as unique to each
      phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal BMI and glycemia have metabolic signatures that
      are both shared and unique to each phenotype. These signatures largely remain
      consistent across different ancestry groups and may contribute to the common and
      independent effects of these two phenotypes on adverse pregnancy outcomes.

PMID- 28637891
TI  - Comment on Rubino et al. Metabolic Surgery in the Treatment Algorithm for Type 2
      Diabetes: A Joint Statement by International Diabetes Organizations. Diabetes
      Care 2016;39:861-877.

PMID- 28637892
TI  - Comment on American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes
      2017. Diabetes Care 2017;40(Suppl. 1):S1-S135.

PMID- 28637893
TI  - Response to Comment on American Diabetes Association. Standards of Medical Care
      in Diabetes-2017. Diabetes Care 2017;40(Suppl. 1):S1-S135.

PMID- 28637894
TI  - Deep insight into neutrophil trafficking in various organs.
AB  - Neutrophils are professional phagocytes that constitute the first line of defense
      in humans. The primary function of neutrophils is to eliminate invading pathogens
      through oxidative and nonoxidative mechanisms. Because neutrophils rapidly
      migrate into inflammatory foci via diapedesis and chemotaxis, neutrophil
      recruitment has long been considered a hallmark of inflammation. Recent advances
      in intravital microscopic technologies using animal model systems have enabled
      researchers to directly visualize neutrophil trafficking. Consequently, the
      specific mechanisms of neutrophil transmigration have been identified, and even
      the reverse migration of neutrophils can be verified visually. Moreover, the
      detailed phenomena of neutrophil infiltration into various organs, such as the
      liver, lymphoid organs, and CNS have been identified. This progress in the study
      of neutrophil migration from the blood vessels to organs results in a deeper
      understanding of these immune cells' motility and morphology, which are closely
      related to the spatiotemporal regulation of the overall immune response. In this
      review, we discuss our current understanding of neutrophil trafficking in various
      organs.

PMID- 28637895
TI  - CD4+CD8beta+ double-positive T cells in skin-draining lymph nodes respond to
      inflammatory signals from the skin.
AB  - CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP), mature, peripheral T cells are readily detectable
      in a variety of species and tissues. Despite a common association with autoimmune
      and malignant skin disorders, however, little is understood about their role or
      function. Herein, we show that DP T cells are readily detectable in the blood,
      spleen, and peripheral lymph nodes of naive C57BL/6 mice. DP T cells were also
      present in Jalpha18-/- and CD1d-/- mice, indicating that these cells are not NK-T
      cells. After skin administration of CASAC adjuvant, but not Quil A adjuvant, both
      total DP T cells and skin-infiltrating DP T cells increased in number. We
      explored the possibility that DP T cells could represent aggregates between CD4+
      and CD8+ single-positive T cells and found strong evidence that a large
      proportion of apparent DP T cells were indeed aggregates. However, the existence
      of true CD4+CD8+ DP T cells was confirmed by Amnis ImageStream (Millipore Sigma,
      Billerica, MA, USA) imaging. Multiple rounds of FACS sorting separated true DP
      cells from aggregates and indicated that conventional analyses may lead to ~10
      fold overestimation of DP T cell numbers. The high degree of aggregate
      contamination and overestimation of DP abundance using conventional analysis
      techniques may explain discrepancies reported in the literature for DP T cell
      origin, phenotype, and function.

PMID- 28637896
TI  - Technical Advance: New in vitro method for assaying the migration of primary B
      cells using an endothelial monolayer as substrate.
AB  - Migration of B cells supports their development and recruitment into functional
      niches. Therefore, defining factors that control B cell migration will lead to a
      better understanding of adaptive immunity. In vitro cell migration assays with B
      cells have been limited by poor adhesion of cells to glass coated with adhesion
      molecules. We have developed a technique using monolayers of endothelial cells as
      the substrate for B cell migration and used this technique to establish a robust
      in vitro assay for B cell migration. We use TNF-alpha to up-regulate surface
      expression of the adhesion molecule VCAM-1 on endothelial cells. The ligand VLA-4
      is expressed on B cells, allowing them to interact with the endothelial monolayer
      and migrate on its surface. We tested our new method by examining the role of L
      plastin (LPL), an F-actin-bundling protein, in B cell migration. LPL-deficient
      (LPL-/-) B cells displayed decreased speed and increased arrest coefficient
      compared with wild-type (WT) B cells, following chemokine stimulation. However,
      the confinement ratios for WT and LPL-/- B cells were similar. Thus, we
      demonstrate how the use of endothelial monolayers as a substrate will support
      future interrogation of molecular pathways essential to B cell migration.

PMID- 28637897
TI  - Heritability of resting heart rate and association with mortality in middle-aged
      and elderly twins.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Resting heart rate (RHR) possibly has a hereditary component and is
      associated with longevity. We used the classical biometric twin study design to
      investigate the heritability of RHR in a population of middle-aged and elderly
      twins and, furthermore, studied the association between RHR and mortality.
      METHODS: In total, 4282 twins without cardiovascular disease were included from
      the Danish Twin Registry, hereof 1233 twin pairs and 1816 'single twins' (twins
      with a non-participating co-twin); mean age 61.7 (SD 11.1) years; 1334 (31.2%)
      twins died during median 16.3 (IQR 13.8-16.5) years of follow-up assessed through
      Danish national registers. RHR was assessed by palpating radial pulse. RESULTS:
      Within pair correlations for RHR adjusted for sex and age were 0.23 (95% CI 0.14
      to 0.32) and 0.10 (0.03 to 0.17) for RHR in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ)
      twin pairs, respectively. Overall, heritability estimates were 0.23 (95% CI 0.15
      to 0.30); 0.27 (0.15 to 0.38) for males and 0.17 (0.06 to 0.28) for females. In
      multivariable models adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, diabetes,
      hypertension, pulmonary function, smoking, physical activity and zygosity, RHR
      was significantly associated with mortality (eg, RHR >90 vs 61-70 beats per min:
      all-cause HR 1.56 (95% CI 1.21 to 2.03); cardiovascular 2.19 (1.30 to 3.67).
      Intrapair twin comparison revealed that the twin with the higher RHR was
      significantly more likely to die first and the probability increased with
      increase in intrapair difference in RHR. CONCLUSIONS: RHR is a trait with a
      genetic influence in middle-aged and elderly twins free of cardiovascular
      disease. RHR is independently associated with longevity even when familial
      factors are controlled for in a twin design.

PMID- 28637898
TI  - Activation of Complement by Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor in Rheumatoid
      Arthritis.
AB  - The aim of this study was to identify molecules that trigger complement
      activation in rheumatic joints. C4d, the final cleavage product of C4 activation,
      is found in the diseased joint and can bind covalently to complement-activating
      molecules. By using a highly specific Ab against a cleavage neoepitope in C4d,
      several molecules that were specifically bound to C4d were identified from pooled
      synovial fluid (SF) from four rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. One of these
      molecules, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), is a broadly expressed
      multifunctional member of the serine proteinase inhibitor family. Using ELISA, we
      confirmed the presence of various amounts of complexes between PEDF and C4d in
      the SF from 30 RA patients, whereas none were detected in SF from control
      subjects. Correlation analyses suggested that, in arthritis patients, C4d-PEDF
      complexes found in sera arise from the joints, as well as from other tissues, and
      levels of the complexes did not differ in sera of RA patients and healthy
      controls. When immobilized, recombinant PEDF expressed in eukaryotic cells
      activated the classical complement pathway but not the alternative or lectin
      pathways. C1q protein was demonstrated to bind immobilized PEDF, and PEDF was
      shown to bind to immobilized C1q, in particular its head regions, which are known
      to interact with other activators of the classical pathway. Our results call for
      further investigation into the role of PEDF in inflammatory processes in the
      joint, which, in combination with classical complement activation, appears to be
      part of a (patho-)physiologic response.

PMID- 28637900
TI  - Activation of Mouse Tcrb: Uncoupling RUNX1 Function from Its Cooperative Binding
      with ETS1.
AB  - T lineage commitment requires the coordination of key transcription factors (TFs)
      in multipotent progenitors that transition them away from other lineages and
      cement T cell identity. Two important TFs for the multipotent progenitors to T
      lineage transition are RUNX1 and ETS1, which bind cooperatively to composite
      sites throughout the genome, especially in regulatory elements for genes involved
      in T lymphopoiesis. Activation of the TCR beta (Tcrb) locus in committed
      thymocytes is a critical process for continued development of these cells, and is
      mediated by an enhancer, Ebeta, which harbors two RUNX-ETS composite sites. An
      outstanding issue in understanding T cell gene expression programs is whether
      RUNX1 and ETS1 have independent functions in enhancer activation that can be
      dissected from cooperative binding. We now show that RUNX1 is sufficient to
      activate the endogenous mouse Ebeta element and its neighboring 25 kb region by
      independently tethering this TF without coincidental ETS1 binding. Moreover,
      RUNX1 is sufficient for long-range promoter-Ebeta looping, nucleosome clearance,
      and robust transcription throughout the Tcrb recombination center, spanning both
      DbetaJbeta clusters. We also find that a RUNX1 domain, termed the negative
      regulatory domain for DNA binding, can compensate for the loss of ETS1 binding at
      adjacent sites. Thus, we have defined independent roles for RUNX1 in the
      activation of a T cell developmental enhancer, as well as its ability to mediate
      specific changes in chromatin landscapes that accompany long-range induction of
      recombination center promoters.

PMID- 28637899
TI  - Dietary Salt Exacerbates Experimental Colitis.
AB  - The Western diet is characterized by high protein, sugar, fat, and low fiber
      intake, and is widely believed to contribute to the incidence and pathogenesis of
      inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, high sodium chloride salt content, a
      defining feature of processed foods, has not been considered as a possible
      environmental factor that might drive IBD. We set out to bridge this gap. We
      examined murine models of colitis on either a high salt diet (HSD) or a low salt
      diet. We demonstrate that an HSD exacerbates inflammatory pathology in the IL-10
      deficient murine model of colitis relative to mice fed a low salt diet. This was
      correlated with enhanced expression of numerous proinflammatory cytokines.
      Surprisingly, sodium accumulated in the colons of mice on an HSD, suggesting a
      direct effect of salt within the colon. Similar to the IL-10-deficient model, an
      HSD also enhanced cytokine expression during infection by Salmonella typhimurium
      This occurred in the first 3 d of infection, suggesting that an HSD potentiates
      an innate immune response. Indeed, in cultured dendritic cells we found that high
      salt media potentiates cytokine expression downstream of TLR4 activation via p38
      MAPK and SGK1. A third common colitis model, administration of dextran sodium
      sulfate, was hopelessly confounded by the high sodium content of the dextran
      sodium sulfate. Our results raise the possibility that high dietary salt is an
      environmental factor that drives increased inflammation in IBD.

PMID- 28637901
TI  - Caveolin-1 Influences LFA-1 Redistribution upon TCR Stimulation in CD8 T Cells.
AB  - TCR stimulation by peptide-MHC complexes on APCs requires precise reorganization
      of molecules into the area of cellular contact to form an immunological synapse
      from where T cell signaling is initiated. Caveolin (Cav)1, a widely expressed
      transmembrane protein, is involved in the regulation of membrane composition,
      cellular polarity and trafficking, and the organization of signal transduction
      pathways. The presence of Cav1 protein in T cells was identified only recently,
      and its function in this context is not well understood. We show that Cav1
      knockout CD8 T cells have a reduction in membrane cholesterol and sphingomyelin,
      and upon TCR triggering they exhibit altered morphology and polarity, with
      reduced effector function compared with Cav1 wild-type CD8 T cells. In
      particular, redistribution of the beta2 integrin LFA-1 to the immunological
      synapse is compromised in Cav1-knockout T cells, as is the ability of LFA-1 to
      form high-avidity interactions with ICAM-1. Our results identify a role for Cav1
      in membrane organization and beta2 integrin function in primary CD8 T cells.

PMID- 28637902
TI  - TGF-beta1 Suppresses IL-33-Induced Mast Cell Function.
AB  - TGF-beta1 is involved in many pathological conditions, including autoimmune
      disorders, cancer, and cardiovascular and allergic diseases. We have previously
      found that TGF-beta1 can suppress IgE-mediated mast cell activation of human and
      mouse mast cells. IL-33 is a member of the IL-1 family capable of inducing mast
      cell responses and enhancing IgE-mediated activation. In this study, we
      investigated the effects of TGF-beta on IL-33-mediated mast cell activation. Bone
      marrow-derived mast cells cultured in TGF-beta1, beta2, or beta3 showed reduced
      IL-33-mediated production of TNF, IL-6, IL-13, and MCP-1 in a concentration
      dependent manner. TGF-beta1 inhibited IL-33-mediated Akt and ERK phosphorylation
      as well as NF-kappaB- and AP-1-mediated transcription. These effects were
      functionally important, as TGF-beta1 injection suppressed IL-33-induced systemic
      cytokines in vivo and inhibited IL-33-mediated cytokine release from human mast
      cells. TGF-beta1 also suppressed the combined effects of IL-33 and IgE-mediated
      activation on mouse and human mast cells. The role of IL-33 in the pathogenesis
      of allergic diseases is incompletely understood. These findings, consistent with
      our previously reported effects of TGF-beta1 on IgE-mediated activation,
      demonstrate that TGF-beta1 can provide broad inhibitory signals to activated mast
      cells.

PMID- 28637904
TI  - IFN-gamma-Expressing Th17 Cells Are Required for Development of Severe Ocular
      Surface Autoimmunity.
AB  - Th17 cells are critical effectors mediating the ocular surface autoimmunity in
      dry eye disease (DED). Increased IFN-gamma has also been implicated in DED;
      however, it remains unclear to what extent Th1 cells contribute to DED
      pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated the cellular source of IFN-gamma and
      assessed its contribution to corneal epitheliopathy in DED mice. We discovered a
      significant IL-17A+IFN-gamma+ (Th17/1) population and determined that these cells
      are derived from Th17 precursors. Adoptive transfer of Th17/1, but not Th1, cells
      confers the disease to naive recipients as effectively as do Th17 cells alone.
      DED-induced IL-12 and IL-23 are required for in vivo transition of pathogenic
      Th17 cells to IFN-gamma producers. Furthermore, using IFN-gamma-deficient Th17
      cells, we demonstrate the disease-amplifying role of Th17-derived IFN-gamma in
      DED pathogenesis. These results clearly demonstrate that Th17 cells mediate
      ocular surface autoimmunity through both IL-17A and IFN-gamma.

PMID- 28637903
TI  - Involvement of NK Cells in IL-28B-Mediated Immunity against Influenza Virus
      Infection.
AB  - IL-28B is a member of the newly discovered type III IFN family and exhibits
      unique antiviral properties compared with other family members. NK cells play a
      critical role in defending against viruses; however, little is known about the
      role of IL-28B in NK cell function. In a mouse model of influenza A virus (mouse
      adapted influenza A/PR/8/34 strain) infection, long-term overexpression of IL-28B
      induced by hepatocyte-specific gene delivery exerted a strong antiviral effect in
      the presence of NK cells. In IL-28B-overexpressing wild-type mice, the
      percentages and absolute numbers of NK cells in the spleen, liver, and lung were
      markedly increased, with higher proliferation and accelerated NK cell maturation
      based on phenotypes staining with CD11b and CD27 or CD11b and KLRG1. Furthermore,
      the effect of IL-28B on NK cells was macrophage dependent, as confirmed in an in
      vitro coculture assay and in in vivo macrophage- or alveolar macrophage-depletion
      experiments. Transwell studies demonstrated that CFSE-labeled NK cell
      proliferation was driven, in a dose-dependent manner, by unknown soluble
      factor(s) secreted by IL-28B-stimulated alveolar macrophages, without requiring
      direct cell-cell contact. An understanding of the NK cell-promoting features of
      IL-28B will facilitate future clinical application of this cytokine.

PMID- 28637905
TI  - p120-Catenin Downregulation and PIK3CA Mutations Cooperate to Induce Invasion
      through MMP1 in HNSCC.
AB  - Despite recent improvements in treatment for head and neck squamous cell
      carcinoma (HNSCC), half of all patients with a regional or advanced disease will
      die within 5 years from diagnosis. Therefore, identification of mechanisms
      driving the aggressive behavior of HNSCC is of utmost importance. Because p120
      catenin (CTNND1/P120CTN) downregulation and PIK3CA mutations are commonly found
      in HNSCC, the objective of this study was to identify their impact on fundamental
      processes of metastasis, specifically, migration and invasion. Furthermore, this
      study aimed to identify the key effector proteins regulated by P120CTN
      downregulation and PIK3CA mutations. Studies using oral keratinocytes
      demonstrated that P120CTN downregulation and PIK3CA mutations increased migration
      and invasion. In addition, P120CTN downregulation and PIK3CA mutations resulted
      in elevated matrix metallopeptidase 1 (MMP1) levels. Inhibition of MMP1 resulted
      in decreased invasion, suggesting that MMP1 plays a critical role in HNSCC
      invasion. Moreover, analysis of HNSCC patient specimens from The Cancer Genome
      Atlas confirmed these findings. Tumors with low P120CTN and PI3K pathway
      mutations have higher levels of MMP1 compared to tumors with high P120CTN and no
      PI3K pathway mutations. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that P120CTN
      downregulation and PIK3CA mutations promote MMP1-driven invasion, providing a
      potential novel target for limiting metastasis in HNSCC.Implications: Because of
      its role in invasion, MMP1 represents a novel, potential target for limiting
      metastasis in a subset of HNSCCs with P120CTN downregulation and PIK3CA
      mutations. Mol Cancer Res; 15(10); 1398-409. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28637906
TI  - Anogenital warts and other HPV-associated anogenital lesions in the HIV-positive
      patient: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of
      interventions assessed in controlled clinical trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Anogenital warts (AGW, condylomata acuminata) and intraepithelial
      neoplasia (IEN) do not only impact health and social well-being, they are also
      associated with considerable costs for the healthcare systems. Immunocompromised
      and HIV-positive patients carry the highest epidemiological burden of human
      papillomavirus (HPV) infection and comprise a population specifically susceptible
      to treatment failures and recurrences. This systematic review aimed at
      identifying and appraising the available evidence from controlled studies of
      interventions for the treatment of AGW and IEN in immunocompromised patients.
      METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive literature search. The Cochrane
      Collaboration's tool was used to assess risk of bias in included studies. Our
      confidence in the (pooled) effect-estimates was evaluated according to the
      Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. All
      evaluations were based on data independently extracted by two review authors.
      RESULTS: Nine randomised controlled trials and two controlled studies were
      eligible, investigating external AGW, intra-anal and/or vaginal warts, and intra
      anal and/or perianal IEN. The identified studies assessed imiquimod, cidofovir,
      fluorouracil, electrocautery, systemic interferon-alpha and interferon-beta, and
      the combination of intralesional interferon-alpha and podophyllin. Four studies
      combined an ablational intervention with either imiquimod, cidofovir,
      intralesional or systemic interferon-alpha. One study investigated an
      experimental therapeutic vaccination (HPV 16 E7) at different concentrations.
      CONCLUSIONS: The quality of the evidence ranged from 'very low' to 'moderate' and
      was limited by the often small samples. Evidence was available for the efficacy
      of electrocautery for intra-anal IEN, and imiquimod cream for external AGW. Some
      further interventions should be subjected to investigations in larger samples. No
      data on some interventions established for the treatment of AGW in
      immunocompetent patients such as podophyllotoxin, sinecatechins, laser ablation
      or trichloroacetate were available. Future trials should address these gaps and
      include relevant patient-reported outcomes such as health-related quality of
      life.

PMID- 28637907
TI  - Validation of a New Web Application for Identification of Fungi by Use of Matrix
      Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass
      spectrometry has emerged as a reliable technique to identify molds involved in
      human diseases, including dermatophytes, provided that exhaustive reference
      databases are available. This study assessed an online identification application
      based on original algorithms and an extensive in-house reference database
      comprising 11,851 spectra (938 fungal species and 246 fungal genera). Validation
      criteria were established using an initial panel of 422 molds, including
      dermatophytes, previously identified via DNA sequencing (126 species). The
      application was further assessed using a separate panel of 501 cultured clinical
      isolates (88 mold taxa including dermatophytes) derived from five hospital
      laboratories. A total of 438 (87.35%) isolates were correctly identified at the
      species level, while 26 (5.22%) were assigned to the correct genus but the wrong
      species and 37 (7.43%) were not identified, since the defined threshold of 20 was
      not reached. The use of the Bruker Daltonics database included in the MALDI
      Biotyper software resulted in a much higher rate of unidentified isolates (39.76
      and 74.30% using the score thresholds 1.7 and 2.0, respectively). Moreover, the
      identification delay of the online application remained compatible with real-time
      online queries (0.15 s per spectrum), and the application was faster than
      identifications using the MALDI Biotyper software. This is the first study to
      assess an online identification system based on MALDI-TOF spectrum analysis. We
      have successfully applied this approach to identify molds, including
      dermatophytes, for which diversity is insufficiently represented in commercial
      databases. This free-access application is available to medical mycologists to
      improve fungal identification.

PMID- 28637908
TI  - Rapid Filter-Based Detection and Culture of Burkholderia pseudomallei from Small
      Volumes of Urine.
AB  - Clinical outcomes of melioidosis patients improve when the infecting agent,
      Burkholderia pseudomallei, is rapidly detected and identified by laboratory
      testing. Detection of B. pseudomallei DNA or recovery of the pathogen by culture
      from urine can support a diagnosis of melioidosis and guide patient care. Two new
      methods, designated filter-capture DNA isolation (FCDI) and filter cellular
      recovery (FCR), were developed to increase the sensitivity of detection and
      recovery of viable B. pseudomallei cells from small volumes (0.45 ml) of urine.
      DNA from eight strains of B. pseudomallei that were spiked into synthetic urine
      at low concentrations (1 * 102 CFU/ml) was detected in FCDI cell lysates using
      real-time PCR with greater consistency than with preparations from a QIAamp DNA
      Blood minikit. The FCR method showed greater B. pseudomallei detection
      sensitivity than conventional urine culture methods and resulted in typical
      colony growth at 24 h from as few as 1 * 102 CFU/ml. In addition, the FCR method
      does not rely on precipitation of a urine pellet by centrifugation and requires a
      smaller volume of urine. The FCDI and FCR methods described here could improve
      time-to-results and decrease the number of negative B. pseudomallei reports that
      are currently observed from urine culture as a consequence of samples containing
      low or variable bacterial cell concentrations.

PMID- 28637909
TI  - Rapid Differentiation of Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus haemolyticus by
      Use of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass
      Spectrometry with ClinProTools Mass Spectrum Analysis.
AB  - Haemophilus influenzae is associated with severe invasive disease, while
      Haemophilus haemolyticus is considered part of the commensal flora in the human
      respiratory tract. Although the addition of a custom mass spectrum library into
      the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry
      (MALDI-TOF MS) system could improve identification of these two species, the
      establishment of such a custom database is technically complicated and requires a
      large amount of resources, which most clinical laboratories cannot afford. In
      this study, we developed a mass spectrum analysis model with 7 mass peak
      biomarkers for the identification of H. influenzae and H. haemolyticus using the
      ClinProTools software. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of this model
      using 408 H. influenzae and H. haemolyticus isolates from clinical respiratory
      specimens from 363 hospitalized patients and compared the identification results
      with those obtained with the Bruker IVD MALDI Biotyper. The IVD MALDI Biotyper
      identified only 86.9% of H. influenzae (311/358) and 98.0% of H. haemolyticus
      (49/50) clinical isolates to the species level. In comparison, the ClinProTools
      mass spectrum model could identify 100% of H. influenzae (358/358) and H.
      haemolyticus (50/50) clinical strains to the species level and significantly
      improved the species identification rate (McNemar's test, P < 0.0001). In
      conclusion, the use of ClinProTools demonstrated an alternative way for users
      lacking special expertise in mass spectrometry to handle closely related
      bacterial species when the proprietary spectrum library failed. This approach
      should be useful for the differentiation of other closely related bacterial
      species.

PMID- 28637910
TI  - Excellent Diagnostic Characteristics for Ultrafast Gene Profiling of DEFA1-IL1B
      LTF in Detection of Prosthetic Joint Infections.
AB  - The timely and exact diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is crucial for
      surgical decision-making. Intraoperatively, delivery of the result within an hour
      is required. Alpha-defensin lateral immunoassay of joint fluid (JF) is precise
      for the intraoperative exclusion of PJI; however, for patients with a limited
      amount of JF and/or in cases where the JF is bloody, this test is unhelpful.
      Important information is hidden in periprosthetic tissues that may much better
      reflect the current status of implant pathology. We therefore investigated the
      utility of the gene expression patterns of 12 candidate genes (TLR1, -2, -4, -6,
      and 10, DEFA1, LTF, IL1B, BPI, CRP, IFNG, and DEFB4A) previously associated with
      infection for detection of PJI in periprosthetic tissues of patients with total
      joint arthroplasty (TJA) (n = 76) reoperated for PJI (n = 38) or aseptic failure
      (n = 38), using the ultrafast quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR)
      Xxpress system (BJS Biotechnologies Ltd.). Advanced data-mining algorithms were
      applied for data analysis. For PJI, we detected elevated mRNA expression levels
      of DEFA1 (P < 0.0001), IL1B (P < 0.0001), LTF (P < 0.0001), TLR1 (P = 0.02), and
      BPI (P = 0.01) in comparison to those in tissues from aseptic cases. A feature
      selection algorithm revealed that the DEFA1-IL1B-LTF pattern was the most
      appropriate for detection/exclusion of PJI, achieving 94.5% sensitivity and 95.7%
      specificity, with likelihood ratios (LRs) for positive and negative results of
      16.3 and 0.06, respectively. Taken together, the results show that DEFA1-IL1B-LTF
      gene expression detection by use of ultrafast qRT-PCR linked to an electronic
      calculator allows detection of patients with a high probability of PJI within 45
      min after sampling. Further testing on a larger cohort of patients is needed.

PMID- 28637911
TI  - Discovery of Specific Antigens That Can Predict Microfilarial Intensity in Loa
      loa Infection.
AB  - Antigen-based immunoassays are currently needed for point-of-care quantification
      of Loa loa microfilariae (mf). Coupling transcriptomic approaches with
      bioinformatic analysis, we have identified 11 specific putative proteins (coding
      mRNAs) with potential utility as biomarkers of patent (mf + ) L. loa infection.
      We successfully developed antigen capture immunoassays to quantify 2 (LOAG_14221
      and LOAG_15846) of these proteins in individual plasma/serum samples. Of the 2
      quantifiable circulating biomarkers, LOAG_14221 showed the highest degree of
      specificity, particularly with a monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay. Moreover,
      the levels of LOAG_14221 in L. loa mf + patients were positively correlated to
      the mf densities in the corresponding blood samples (r = 0.53 and P = 0.008 for
      polyclonal assay; r = 0.54 and P = 0.004 for monoclonal assay). Thus, LOAG_14221
      is a very promising biomarker that will be exploited in a quantitative point-of
      care immunoassay for determination of L. loa mf densities.

PMID- 28637912
TI  - Parallel Evaluation of the MALDI Sepsityper and Verigene BC-GN Assays for Rapid
      Identification of Gram-Negative Bacilli from Positive Blood Cultures.
AB  - Rapid identification of microorganisms from positive blood cultures has improved
      clinical management and antimicrobial stewardship. The advent of matrix-assisted
      laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has
      reduced the time to identification of cultured isolates and is now often the
      definitive method used in the clinical microbiology laboratory. The commercial in
      vitro diagnostic MALDI Sepsityper (Sepsityper) kit has the potential for
      standardization and clinical routine use for the rapid identification of a broad
      range of bacteria from positive blood cultures. In this study, we performed a
      parallel evaluation of the Sepsityper (Bruker Daltonics, Billerica, MA) and the
      Verigene BC-GN (BC-GN) assays (Nanosphere, Inc., Northfield, IL) for the
      identification of Gram-negative bacilli. A total of 210 Bactec bottles
      demonstrating Gram-negative bacilli were prospectively enrolled for this study.
      Among these, 200 monomicrobial cultures were included in the comparative
      analysis. For monomicrobial cultures, the BC-GN detected 85% (170/200) compared
      to that detected by routine culture while the Sepsityper detected 94% (188/200)
      and 91% (181/200) to the genus and species levels, respectively. Comparable
      positive percentage agreement and negative percentage agreement were observed
      between the Sepsityper (96.5% and 98.8%, respectively) and the BC-GN (99.4% and
      99.8%, respectively) when only (n = 170, 85%) organisms targeted by the latter
      test were included in the analysis. In conclusion, the two methods evaluated in
      this study showed excellent performance characteristics for the identification of
      Gram-negative bacilli commonly isolated from blood cultures. The Sepsityper
      showed a broader identification range capability that may further improve
      clinical management and antimicrobial stewardship in patients with less frequent
      Gram-negative bacilli bloodstream infections.

PMID- 28637913
TI  - Predicting green: really radical (plant) predictive processing.
AB  - In this article we account for the way plants respond to salient features of
      their environment under the free-energy principle for biological systems.
      Biological self-organization amounts to the minimization of surprise over time.
      We posit that any self-organizing system must embody a generative model whose
      predictions ensure that (expected) free energy is minimized through action.
      Plants respond in a fast, and yet coordinated manner, to environmental
      contingencies. They pro-actively sample their local environment to elicit
      information with an adaptive value. Our main thesis is that plant behaviour takes
      place by way of a process (active inference) that predicts the environmental
      sources of sensory stimulation. This principle, we argue, endows plants with a
      form of perception that underwrites purposeful, anticipatory behaviour. The aim
      of the article is to assess the prospects of a radical predictive processing
      story that would follow naturally from the free-energy principle for biological
      systems; an approach that may ultimately bear upon our understanding of life and
      cognition more broadly.

PMID- 28637914
TI  - Soiled adhesive pads shear clean by slipping: a robust self-cleaning mechanism in
      climbing beetles.
AB  - Animals using adhesive pads to climb smooth surfaces face the problem of keeping
      their pads clean and functional. Here, a self-cleaning mechanism is proposed
      whereby soiled feet would slip on the surface due to a lack of adhesion but shed
      particles in return. Our study offers an in situ quantification of self-cleaning
      performance in fibrillar adhesives, using the dock beetle as a model organism.
      After beetles soiled their pads by stepping into patches of spherical beads, we
      found that their gait was significantly affected. Specifically, soiled pads
      slipped 10 times further than clean pads, with more particles deposited for
      longer slips. Like previous studies, we found that particle size affected
      cleaning performance. Large (45 MUm) beads were removed most effectively,
      followed by medium (10 MUm) and small (1 MUm). Consistent with our results from
      climbing beetles, force measurements on freshly severed legs revealed larger
      detachment forces of medium particles from adhesive pads compared to a flat
      surface, possibly due to interlocking between fibres. By contrast, dock leaves
      showed an overall larger affinity to the beads and thus reduced the need for
      cleaning. Self-cleaning through slippage provides a mechanism robust to particle
      size and may inspire solutions for artificial adhesives.

PMID- 28637916
TI  - Model-based analysis of an outbreak of bubonic plague in Cairo in 1801.
AB  - Bubonic plague has caused three deadly pandemics in human history: from the mid
      sixth to mid-eighth century, from the mid-fourteenth to the mid-eighteenth
      century and from the end of the nineteenth until the mid-twentieth century.
      Between the second and the third pandemics, plague was causing sporadic outbreaks
      in only a few countries in the Middle East, including Egypt. Little is known
      about this historical phase of plague, even though it represents the temporal,
      geographical and phylogenetic transition between the second and third pandemics.
      Here we analysed in detail an outbreak of plague that took place in Cairo in
      1801, and for which epidemiological data are uniquely available thanks to the
      presence of medical officers accompanying the Napoleonic expedition into Egypt at
      that time. We propose a new stochastic model describing how bubonic plague
      outbreaks unfold in both rat and human populations, and perform Bayesian
      inference under this model using a particle Markov chain Monte Carlo. Rat
      carcasses were estimated to be infectious for approximately 4 days after death,
      which is in good agreement with local observations on the survival of infectious
      rat fleas. The estimated transmission rate between rats implies a basic
      reproduction number R0 of approximately 3, causing the collapse of the rat
      population in approximately 100 days. Simultaneously, the force of infection
      exerted by each infected rat carcass onto the human population increases
      progressively by more than an order of magnitude. We also considered human-to
      human transmission via pneumonic plague or human specific vectors, but found this
      route to account for only a small fraction of cases and to be significantly below
      the threshold required to sustain an outbreak.

PMID- 28637917
TI  - Degree heterogeneity and stability of ecological networks.
AB  - A classic measure of ecological stability describes the tendency of a community
      to return to equilibrium after small perturbations. While many advances show how
      the network architecture of these communities severely constrains such
      tendencies, one of the most fundamental properties of network structure, i.e.
      degree heterogeneity-the variability of the number of links associated with each
      species, deserves further study. Here we show that the effects of degree
      heterogeneity on stability vary with different types of interspecific
      interactions. Degree heterogeneity consistently destabilizes ecological networks
      with both competitive and mutualistic interactions, while its effects on networks
      of predator-prey interactions such as food webs depend on prey contiguity, i.e.
      the extent to which the species consume an unbroken sequence of prey in community
      niche space. Increasing degree heterogeneity tends to stabilize food webs except
      those with the highest prey contiguity. These findings help explain why food webs
      are highly but not completely interval and, more broadly, deepen our
      understanding of the stability of complex ecological networks.

PMID- 28637918
TI  - Direct enzymatic bioelectrocatalysis: differentiating between myth and reality.
AB  - Enzymatic bioelectrocatalysis is being increasingly exploited to better
      understand oxidoreductase enzymes, to develop minimalistic yet specific biosensor
      platforms, and to develop alternative energy conversion devices and
      bioelectrosynthetic devices for the production of energy and/or important
      chemical commodities. In some cases, these enzymes are able to electronically
      communicate with an appropriately designed electrode surface without the
      requirement of an electron mediator to shuttle electrons between the enzyme and
      electrode. This phenomenon has been termed direct electron transfer or direct
      bioelectrocatalysis. While many thorough studies have extensively investigated
      this fascinating feat, it is sometimes difficult to differentiate desirable
      enzymatic bioelectrocatalysis from electrocatalysis deriving from inactivated
      enzyme that may have also released its catalytic cofactor. This article will
      review direct bioelectrocatalysis of several oxidoreductases, with an emphasis on
      experiments that provide support for direct bioelectrocatalysis versus denatured
      enzyme or dissociated cofactor. Finally, this review will conclude with a series
      of proposed control experiments that could be adopted to discern successful
      direct electronic communication of an enzyme from its denatured counterpart.

PMID- 28637915
TI  - Tumour-on-a-chip: microfluidic models of tumour morphology, growth and
      microenvironment.
AB  - Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death, albeit enormous efforts to
      cure the disease. To overcome the major challenges in cancer therapy, we need to
      have a better understanding of the tumour microenvironment (TME), as well as a
      more effective means to screen anti-cancer drug leads; both can be achieved using
      advanced technologies, including the emerging tumour-on-a-chip technology. Here,
      we review the recent development of the tumour-on-a-chip technology, which
      integrates microfluidics, microfabrication, tissue engineering and biomaterials
      research, and offers new opportunities for building and applying functional three
      dimensional in vitro human tumour models for oncology research, immunotherapy
      studies and drug screening. In particular, tumour-on-a-chip microdevices allow
      well-controlled microscopic studies of the interaction among tumour cells, immune
      cells and cells in the TME, of which simple tissue cultures and animal models are
      not amenable to do. The challenges in developing the next-generation tumour-on-a
      chip technology are also discussed.

PMID- 28637919
TI  - The morphological heterogeneity of cricket flow-sensing hairs conveys the complex
      flow signature of predator attacks.
AB  - Arthropod flow-sensing hair length ranges over more than an order of magnitude,
      from 0.1 to 5 mm. Previous studies repeatedly identified the longest hairs as the
      most sensitive, but recent studies identified the shortest hairs as the most
      responsive. We resolved this apparent conflict by proposing a new model, taking
      into account both the initial and long-term aspects of the flow pattern produced
      by a lunging predator. After the estimation of the mechanical parameters of
      hairs, we measured the flow produced by predator mimics and compared the
      predicted and observed values of hair displacements in this flow. Short and long
      hairs respond over different time scales during the course of an attack. By
      harbouring a canopy of hairs of different lengths, forming a continuum, the
      insect can fractionize these moments. Short hairs are more agile, but are less
      able to harvest energy from the air. This may result in longer hairs firing their
      neurons earlier, despite their slower deflection. The complex interplay between
      hair agility and sensitivity is also modulated by the predator distance and the
      attack speed, characteristics defining flow properties. We conclude that the
      morphological heterogeneity of the hair canopy mirrors the flow complexity of an
      entire attack, from launch to grasp.

PMID- 28637920
TI  - Hippocampal Activity Patterns Reflect the Topology of Spaces: Evidence from
      Narrative Coding.

PMID- 28637922
TI  - Targeting factor D of the alternative complement pathway reduces geographic
      atrophy progression secondary to age-related macular degeneration.
AB  - Geographic atrophy is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
      and a leading cause of vision loss for which there are no approved treatments.
      Genetic studies in AMD patients have implicated dysregulation of the alternative
      complement pathway in the pathogenesis of geographic atrophy. Lampalizumab is a
      potential therapeutic that targets complement factor D, a pivotal activator of
      the alternative complement pathway. The MAHALO phase 2 clinical trial was a
      multicenter, randomized, controlled study that evaluated lampalizumab
      administered by intravitreal injection monthly (n = 42) and every other month (n
      = 41) versus sham control (n = 40) in patients with geographic atrophy secondary
      to AMD. The primary endpoint was the mean change in lesion area from baseline to
      month 18 as measured by fundus autofluorescence. Specific AMD-associated genetic
      polymorphisms were also analyzed. The MAHALO study met its primary efficacy
      endpoint with an acceptable safety profile; monthly lampalizumab treatment
      demonstrated a 20% reduction in lesion area progression versus sham control [80%
      confidence interval (CI), 4 to 37%]. A more substantial monthly treatment benefit
      of 44% reduction in geographic atrophy area progression versus sham control (95%
      CI, 15 to 73%) was observed in a subgroup of complement factor I (CFI) risk
      allele carriers (57% of the patients analyzed were CFI risk-allele carriers). The
      MAHALO study shows a potential treatment effect in patients with geographic
      atrophy and supports therapeutic targeting of the alternative complement pathway
      for treating AMD pathogenesis.

PMID- 28637923
TI  - Infectivity of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites determines emerging parasitemia
      in infected volunteers.
AB  - Malaria sporozoites must first undergo intrahepatic development before a
      pathogenic blood-stage infection is established. The success of infection depends
      on host and parasite factors. In healthy human volunteers undergoing controlled
      human malaria infection (CHMI), we directly compared three clinical Plasmodium
      falciparum isolates for their ability to infect primary human hepatocytes in
      vitro and to drive the production of blood-stage parasites in vivo. Our data show
      a correlation between the efficiency of strain-specific sporozoite invasion of
      human hepatocytes and the dynamics of patent parasitemia in study subjects,
      highlighting intrinsic differences in infectivity among P. falciparum isolates
      from distinct geographical locales. The observed heterogeneity in infectivity
      among strains underscores the value of assessing the protective efficacy of
      candidate malaria vaccines against heterologous strains in the CHMI model.

PMID- 28637925
TI  - Flipping the kill switch.
AB  - Alveolar macrophages display an impairment in delayed bacterial killing in
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that may contribute to an increased
      susceptibility to bacterial infection.

PMID- 28637926
TI  - When they go low, we go high.
AB  - High-frequency electrical interference can be used to drive activity deep in the
      brain.

PMID- 28637924
TI  - VP4- and VP7-specific antibodies mediate heterotypic immunity to rotavirus in
      humans.
AB  - Human rotaviruses (RVs) are the leading cause of severe diarrhea in young
      children worldwide. The molecular mechanisms underlying the rapid induction of
      heterotypic protective immunity to RV, which provides the basis for the efficacy
      of licensed monovalent RV vaccines, have remained unknown for more than 30 years.
      We used RV-specific single cell-sorted intestinal B cells from human adults,
      barcode-based deep sequencing of antibody repertoires, monoclonal antibody
      expression, and serologic and functional characterization to demonstrate that
      infection-induced heterotypic immunoglobulins (Igs) primarily directed to VP5*,
      the stalk region of the RV attachment protein, VP4, are able to mediate
      heterotypic protective immunity. Heterotypic protective Igs against VP7, the
      capsid glycoprotein, and VP8*, the cell-binding region of VP4, are also generated
      after infection; however, our data suggest that homotypic anti-VP7 and non
      neutralizing VP8* responses occur more commonly in people. These results indicate
      that humans can circumvent the extensive serotypic diversity of circulating RV
      strains by generating frequent heterotypic neutralizing antibody responses to
      VP7, VP8*, and most often, to VP5* after natural infection. These findings
      further suggest that recombinant VP5* may represent a useful target for the
      development of an improved, third-generation, broadly effective RV vaccine and
      warrants more direct examination.

PMID- 28637927
TI  - "AMP"(K)ed up recovery from ischemia-reperfusion injury.
AB  - Aging decreases tolerance to ischemia-reperfusion injury, which is mitigated by
      sestrin2-driven substrate metabolism.

PMID- 28637929
TI  - Systematic Prediction of the Impacts of Mutations in MicroRNA Seed Sequences.
AB  - MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that are involved in many
      important biological processes and the dysfunction of microRNA has been
      associated with many diseases. The seed region of a microRNA is of crucial
      importance to its target recognition. Mutations in microRNA seed regions may
      disrupt the binding of microRNAs to their original target genes and make them
      bind to new target genes. Here we use a knowledge-based computational method to
      systematically predict the functional effects of all the possible single
      nucleotide mutations in human microRNA seed regions. The result provides a
      comprehensive reference for the functional assessment of the impacts of possible
      natural and artificial single nucleotide mutations in microRNA seed regions.

PMID- 28637930
TI  - Towards a Consistent, Quantitative Evaluation of MicroRNA Evolution.
AB  - The miRBase currently reports more than 25,000 microRNAs in several hundred
      genomes that belong to more than 1000 families of homologous sequences.
      Quantitative investigations of miRNA gene evolution requires the construction of
      data sets that are consistent in their coverage and include those genomes that
      are of interest in a given study. Given the size and structure of data, this can
      be achieved only with the help of a fully automatic pipeline that improves the
      available seed alignments, extends the set of available sequences by homology
      search, and reliably identifies true positive homology search results. Here we
      describe the current progress towards such a system, emphasizing the task of
      improving and completing the initial seed alignment.

PMID- 28637931
TI  - Comparative miRomics of Salt-Tolerant and Salt-Sensitive Rice.
AB  - Increase in soil salt causes osmotic and ionic stress to plants, which inhibits
      their growth and productivity. Rice production is also hampered by salinity and
      the effect of salt is most severe at the seedling and reproductive stages.
      Salainity tolerance is a quantitative property controlled by multiple genes
      coding for signaling molecules, ion transporters, metabolic enzymes and
      transcription regulators. MicroRNAs are key modulators of gene-expression that
      act at the post-transcriptional level by translation repression or transcript
      cleavage. They also play an important role in regulating plant's response to salt
      stress. In this work we adopted the approach of comparative and integrated data
      mining to understand the miRNA-mediated regulation of salt-stress in rice. We
      profiled and compared the miRNA regulations using natural varieties and
      transgenic lines with contrasting behaviors in response to salt-stress. The
      information obtained from sRNAseq, RNAseq and degradome datasets was integrated
      to identify the salt-deregulated miRNAs, their targets and the associated
      metabolic pathways. The analysis revealed the modulation of many biological
      pathways, which are involved in salt-tolerance and play an important role in
      plant phenotype and physiology. The end modifications of the miRNAs were also
      studied in our analysis and isomiRs having a dynamic role in salt-tolerance
      mechanism were identified.

PMID- 28637928
TI  - The long noncoding RNA Wisper controls cardiac fibrosis and remodeling.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as powerful regulators of cardiac
      development and disease. However, our understanding of the importance of these
      molecules in cardiac fibrosis is limited. Using an integrated genomic screen, we
      identified Wisper (Wisp2 super-enhancer-associated RNA) as a cardiac fibroblast
      enriched lncRNA that regulates cardiac fibrosis after injury. Wisper expression
      was correlated with cardiac fibrosis both in a murine model of myocardial
      infarction (MI) and in heart tissue from human patients suffering from aortic
      stenosis. Loss-of-function approaches in vitro using modified antisense
      oligonucleotides (ASOs) demonstrated that Wisper is a specific regulator of
      cardiac fibroblast proliferation, migration, and survival. Accordingly, ASO
      mediated silencing of Wisper in vivo attenuated MI-induced fibrosis and cardiac
      dysfunction. Functionally, Wisper regulates cardiac fibroblast gene expression
      programs critical for cell identity, extracellular matrix deposition,
      proliferation, and survival. In addition, its association with TIA1-related
      protein allows it to control the expression of a profibrotic form of lysyl
      hydroxylase 2, implicated in collagen cross-linking and stabilization of the
      matrix. Together, our findings identify Wisper as a cardiac fibroblast-enriched
      super-enhancer-associated lncRNA that represents an attractive therapeutic target
      to reduce the pathological development of cardiac fibrosis in response to MI and
      prevent adverse remodeling in the damaged heart.

PMID- 28637932
TI  - Synergistic immunotoxin-paclitaxel combination against lymphoma.

PMID- 28637933
TI  - Rhabdomyolysis in MELAS may be multifactorial.

PMID- 28637934
TI  - A case of rhabdomyolysis after status epilepticus without stroke-like episodes in
      mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like
      episodes.

PMID- 28637935
TI  - A case of chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement
      responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) with the largest lesion in the temporal lobe.
AB  - Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive
      to steroids (CLIPPERS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system
      with a predilection for the hindbrain. Generally, lesions decrease in size with
      increasing distance from the hindbrain. We herein describe a case of CLIPPERS in
      a patient showing the largest lesions in the temporal lobe. A 49-year-old man
      consulted to our hospital with a 22-day history of a high fever and an abnormal
      visual field involving the left eye. Brain MRI showed a FLAIR hyperintense lesion
      in the right temporal lobe with punctate gadolinium enhancement. Several days
      later, lesions showing similar enhancement extended to the pons, medulla
      oblongata, and cerebellar hemispheres. Biopsy of the right temporal lobe lesion
      revealed perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates without any findings of
      demyelination, lymphoma, or glioma. He was diagnosed with CLIPPERS based on
      clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings. Clinical and radiological
      findings improved quickly after steroid therapy. CLIPPERS could represent larger
      lesions distant from the hindbrain showing punctate enhancement.

PMID- 28637936
TI  - A case of Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis with transient reflex myoclonus.
AB  - A 33-year-old woman was admitted due to disturbance of consciousness, dysarthria,
      dysphagia, sensory disturbances and weakness of the left upper limb after
      mycoplasma infection. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and
      intravenous high-dose methylprednisolone as Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis
      (BBE). On the 15th hospital day, reflex myoclonus appeared on her face, neck,
      body and limbs induced by techniques of jaw jerk reflex and patellar tendon
      reflex. The myoclonus was disappeared after two weeks in accordance with
      improvement of BBE. The transient reflex myoclonus may be originated from
      brainstem lesion which was affected by BBE. Reflex myoclonus is thought to be
      rare symptom in patient with BBE.

PMID- 28637937
TI  - Herpes simplex encephalitis presenting as stroke-like symptoms with atypical MRI
      findings and lacking cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis.
AB  - A 73-year-old woman presented with sudden onset of right hemiparesis and was
      diagnosed as having cerebral infarction on the basis of diffusion-weighted brain
      MRI, which demonstrated lesions in the left parietal cortex. On the 3rd day, the
      patient developed right upper limb myoclonus, aphasia, and disturbance of
      consciousness with high fever. On the 6th day, she was transferred to our
      hospital with suspected viral encephalitis, and treatment with acyclovir was
      started. By the 6th day, the lesions detected by MRI had expanded to the gyrus
      cinguli, insula and thalamus, but not to the temporal lobe. At that time, the CSF
      cell count was 8/MUl, and this later increased to 17/MUl by the 13th day.
      Although herpes simplex virus DNA was detected in the CSF on the 6th day, there
      was no evidence of CSF pleocytosis or temporal lobe abnormalities demonstrable by
      brain MRI throughout the whole follow-up period. This was very atypical case of
      herpes simplex encephalitis characterized by a stroke-like episode, atypical MRI
      findings, and absence of cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. It is important to be
      mindful that herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) can have an atypical presentation,
      and that sufficient acyclovir treatment should be initiated until HSE can be
      ruled out.

PMID- 28637938
TI  - Questionnaire survey on the process of specialty training in neurology in Japan.
AB  - Documentation of the current status of specialty training to become a neurologist
      in Japan would represent an important basis for constructing better neurology
      training program in the planned reform of the specialty training system in Japan.
      The committee for future neurology specialty system of Japanese Society of
      Neurology (JSN) conducted a questionnaire survey on the process of specialty
      training of each trainee for neurology in board-certified educational facilities
      and semi-educational facilities throughout Japan. The response rate was 46.2% in
      all facilities and 87.5% in medical universities. The training process of 905
      trainees over 5 grades was clarified, which was estimated to be about 80% of all
      the relevant subjects. Specialty training dedicated to neurology was started at
      the 3rd year of residency in 87.8% of subjects. During the 3 years following
      junior residency, 51.3% of subjects ran the rotation training between university
      and city hospital, whereas 36.5% was trained within the same institution
      throughout the 3 years of training period.

PMID- 28637939
TI  - Surgery of Thymic Tumor with Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava.
AB  - Because a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is a rare congenital
      malformation in the thoracic venous system, surgery of the thymus in such
      patients has rarely been reported. We herein present a case involving a 68-year
      old woman who was treated for a thymic tumor adhering to a PLSVC. She underwent
      complete resection of the thymic tumor through median sternotomy with left-sided
      video-assisted thoracic surgery. Although the tumor was close to the left phrenic
      nerve, this nerve was safely preserved. The pathological diagnosis was mucosa
      associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the thymus. Thoracoscopy combined
      with median sternotomy enabled us to perform a safe surgical procedure for this
      patient.

PMID- 28637940
TI  - Thoracoscopic Thymectomy with Tangential Partial Resection of the Innominate
      Vein.
AB  - We herein report a case in which thoracoscopic thymectomy with partial resection
      of the brachiocephalic vein was performed using a subxiphoid approach. We suggest
      the usefulness of the subxiphoid approach in thymectomy. We could extend the
      indications of thoracoscopic thymectomy for invasive tumors. Thoracoscopic
      thymectomy with the combined resection of part of the brachiocephalic vein was
      possible. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was diffuse large cell B-cell
      lymphoma. Since the postoperative complications were minimal, postoperative
      adjuvant chemotherapy could be initiated without delay. This operation might be
      unnecessary. However, we could decrease the invasiveness of surgery using our
      procedures without sternotomy. Thoracoscopic thymectomy using subxiphid approach
      seems to be an ideal procedure for the surgical treatment of invasive lesions.

PMID- 28637942
TI  - Clinical Characteristics and Psychotropic Prescribing Patterns Associated with
      impaired Concentration in Asians with Depressive Disorders: The REAP-AD Study.
AB  - The Research on Asian Psychotropic Prescription Patterns for Antidepressants
      (REAP-AD) study aimed to survey and review antidepressant prescribing patterns in
      different clinical settings in Asian countries/areas. The REAP-AD study collected
      comprehensive data for psychiatric patients prescribed antidepressants in 10
      Asian countries/areas during the period from March to June 2013. Depressive
      disorders have been an important issue closely associated with ill-health and
      disability in the realm of mental health. Impaired concentration was found to be
      a consistent symptom in depressive disorders regardless of clinical course, and a
      predictor of poor treatment outcome. In this work we aimed to identify clinical
      characteristics independently associated with impaired concentration in patients
      with depressive disorders, using data from the REAP-AD study. A total of 336
      depressive disorder patients with impaired concentration and 786 depressive
      disorder patients without impaired concentration were recruited from 40 centers
      in 10 Asian countries/areas. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to
      identify the independent correlates of impaired concentration in patients with
      depressive disorders. After adjusting the effects of covariates, the binary
      logistic model showed that impaired concentration was independently associated
      with higher rates of loss of interest (P < 0.0001), fatigue (P < 0.0001), low
      self-confidence (P < 0.0001) and appetite disturbance (P < 0.0001) and with a
      lower rate of adjunctive antipsychotic prescription (P = 0.007). Our findings
      suggest that impaired concentration and its associated depressive symptom
      profiles constitute a unitary depressive symptom cluster that is also an
      intervening variable for poor social function.

PMID- 28637941
TI  - A Novel Danshensu-Tetramethylpyrazine Conjugate DT-010 Provides Cardioprotection
      through the PGC-1alpha/Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway.
AB  - In this study, we investigated the cardioprotective mechanisms of action of DT
      010, a novel danshensu-tetramethylpyrazine conjugate. DT-010 significantly
      preserved cell viability and suppressed cell apoptosis in H9c2 cells injured by
      tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP), iodoacetic acid (IAA) and hypoxia-reoxygenation.
      In addition, DT-010 pre-treatment reduced the intracellular level of free
      radicals including superoxide anion (.O2-), hydroxyl radical (.OH) and
      peroxynitrite anion (ONOO-) after t-BHP exposure. Moreover, DT-010 up-regulated
      the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma
      coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1alpha) and nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as
      well as mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)
      in H9c2 cells. DT-010 also triggered Nrf2 nuclear translocation. In a rat
      myocardial ischemia-reperfusion model, DT-010 significantly alleviated myocardial
      infarction. The results indicated that DT-010 may be a promising candidate for
      the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, particularly myocardial ischemia and
      reperfusion injury.

PMID- 28637943
TI  - Stereoelectroencephalography: Indication and Efficacy.
AB  - Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) is a method for invasive study of patients
      with refractory epilepsy. Localization of the epileptogenic zone in SEEG relied
      on the hypothesis of anatomo-electro-clinical analysis limited by X-ray, analog
      electroencephalography (EEG), and seizure semiology in the 1950s. Modern
      neuroimaging studies and digital video-EEG have developed the hypothesis aiming
      at more precise localization of the epileptic network. Certain clinical scenarios
      favor SEEG over subdural EEG (SDEEG). SEEG can cover extensive areas of bilateral
      hemispheres with highly accurate sampling from sulcal areas and deep brain
      structures. A hybrid technique of SEEG and subdural strip electrode placement has
      been reported to overcome the SEEG limitations of poor functional mapping.
      Technological advances including acquisition of three-dimensional angiography and
      magnetic resonance image (MRI) in frameless conditions, advanced multimodal
      planning, and robot-assisted implantation have contributed to the accuracy and
      safety of electrode implantation in a simplified fashion. A recent meta-analysis
      of the safety of SEEG concluded the low value of the pooled prevalence for all
      complications. The complications of SEEG were significantly less than those of
      SDEEG. The removal of electrodes for SEEG was much simpler than for SDEEG and
      allowed sufficient time for data analysis, discussion, and consensus for both
      patients and physicians before the proceeding treatment. Furthermore, SEEG is
      applicable as a therapeutic alternative for deep-seated lesions, e.g., nodular
      heterotopia, in nonoperative epilepsies using SEEG-guided radiofrequency
      thermocoagulation. We review the SEEG method with technological advances for
      planning and implantation of electrodes. We highlight the indication and
      efficacy, advantages and disadvantages of SEEG compared with SDEEG.

PMID- 28637944
TI  - Service and sales workers, are they vulnerable to smoking cessation?
AB  - The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between failed
      smoking cessation and occupation by age stratification among Korean males and
      provide quantitative evidence of factors associated with failed smoking
      cessation. The study comprised 3,127 male workers who had attempted smoking
      cessation during their life time. Data were obtained from the Korea National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2010 to 2012. Participants were
      stratified by age into two subgroups comprising a younger group (19-40 yr) and an
      older group (41-60 yr). Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to
      estimate odds ratios (ORs) for failed smoking cessation. In the younger group,
      failed smoking cessation was related to the occupational fields "service and
      sales" and "manual work" compared to "office work" (OR: 2.10, 95% confidence
      interval (CI): 1.34-3.29; and OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.02-2.12, respectively). In the
      older group, the ORs of failed smoking cessation occupational categories "service
      and sales" and "manual work" [ref: office workers] were 0.58 (0.40-0.85) and 0.90
      (0.66-1.24), respectively. Failed smoking cessation is associated with
      occupational categories and age stratification. Policy makers need to create
      tailored anti-smoking policy considering the occupation and the age of the
      subjects.

PMID- 28637945
TI  - Multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of clonal
      lineages of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae serovar 1a strains currently circulating
      in Japan.
AB  - The species Erysipelothrixrhusiopathiae displays genetic heterogeneity; however,
      E. rhusiopathiae serovar 1a strains currently circulating in Japan exhibit
      remarkably low levels of genetic diversity and group into clonal sublineages of
      Lineage IVb (IVb-1 and IVb-2). In the present study, based on whole genome
      sequencing data, we designed primers for a multiplex PCR assay to simultaneously
      detect and differentiate the sublineages of E. rhusiopathiae strains. Among the
      one hundred and twenty-seven isolates of various serovar strains, including
      isolates from a wide range of hosts and geographic origins, the PCR assay could
      successfully detect and differentiate the serovar 1a strains belonging to the
      sublineages.

PMID- 28637946
TI  - Basal cell adenocarcinoma in the gland of the third eyelid of a brown bear (Ursus
      arctos).
AB  - The right third eyelid of an adult female brown bear (Ursus arctos) was swollen
      and removed. Histopathology revealed a tumor exhibiting proliferation with mild
      infiltration, consisting of multi-stratified glandular structures of the
      innermost laminal neoplastic cells and the basaloid neoplastic cells, and with
      eosinophilic thick basal lamina material around the glandular structures. Both
      types of neoplastic cells exhibited moderate anisokaryosis, and mitotic figures
      were observed in the basaloid neoplastic cells. The laminal neoplastic cells were
      cytokeratin (CK) 8/18-positive. In contrast, the basaloid neoplastic cells were
      CK14- and p63-positive, but alpha-smooth muscle actin- and calponin-negative. The
      case described herein is the first report of basal cell adenocarcinoma in the
      gland of the third eyelid of a bear.

PMID- 28637947
TI  - Neurosurgical Virtual Reality Simulation for Brain Tumor Using High-definition
      Computer Graphics: A Review of the Literature.
AB  - Simulation and planning of surgery using a virtual reality model is becoming
      common with advances in computer technology. In this study, we conducted a
      literature search to find trends in virtual simulation of surgery for brain
      tumors. A MEDLINE search for "neurosurgery AND (simulation OR virtual reality)"
      retrieved a total of 1,298 articles published in the past 10 years. After
      eliminating studies designed solely for education and training purposes, 28
      articles about the clinical application remained. The finding that the vast
      majority of the articles were about education and training rather than clinical
      applications suggests that several issues need be addressed for clinical
      application of surgical simulation. In addition, 10 of the 28 articles were from
      Japanese groups. In general, the 28 articles demonstrated clinical benefits of
      virtual surgical simulation. Simulation was particularly useful in better
      understanding complicated spatial relations of anatomical landmarks and in
      examining surgical approaches. In some studies, Virtual reality models were used
      on either surgical navigation system or augmented reality technology, which
      projects virtual reality images onto the operating field. Reported problems were
      difficulties in standardized, objective evaluation of surgical simulation
      systems; inability to respond to tissue deformation caused by surgical maneuvers;
      absence of the system functionality to reflect features of tissue (e.g., hardness
      and adhesion); and many problems with image processing. The amount of description
      about image processing tended to be insufficient, indicating that the level of
      evidence, risk of bias, precision, and reproducibility need to be addressed for
      further advances and ultimately for full clinical application.

PMID- 28637948
TI  - In the overnight dexamethasone suppression test, 1.0 mg loading is superior to
      0.5 mg loading for diagnosing subclinical adrenal Cushing's syndrome based on
      plasma dexamethasone levels determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - The low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (DST) is one of the commonly used
      initial tests for endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS). However, there are two
      loading dose regimens (0.5-mg and 1-mg), which may cause some confusion in daily
      practice in Japan; furthermore, there are no reports regarding whether 0.5-mg DST
      is a better loading dose for detecting adrenal subclinical CS (SCS) based on the
      plasma dexamethasone (DEX) levels. Therefore, the aims of this study were (a) to
      develop a novel assay to measure DEX by using liquid chromatography tandem-mass
      spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and (b) to compare between the 0.5-mg and 1-mg DST for
      SCS diagnosis based on the DEX levels. The study retrospectively analyzed 52
      consecutive subjects hospitalized for diagnosis of adrenal incidentaloma but who
      did not exhibit an overt CS phenotype; eight (15.4%) patients were affected with
      adrenal SCS. Inter-individual variability of DEX levels after the DST was high,
      but intra-individual variability was low. DEX levels after 1-mg loading in each
      patient was around two times higher than those after 0.5-mg loading (rho = 0.853
      and p < 0.001). There were 45 (86.5%) and 17 (32.7%) subjects with DEX levels
      <=2.2 ng/mL after the 0.5-mg and 1-mg DST, respectively (p < 0.001). Twenty-eight
      (93.3%) of 30 subjects and four (21.1%) of 19 subjects with detectable ACTH
      levels after the 0.5-mg and 1.0-mg DST, respectively, did not exhibit DEX levels
      >2.2 ng/mL. These results clearly indicate that the 1-mg DST is superior to 0.5
      mg loading for the diagnosis of adrenal SCS.

PMID- 28637949
TI  - Comparative analysis of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC)-induced carbohydrate
      oxidation changes via TRPV1 between mice and chickens.
AB  - Postprandial hyperglycemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It has
      been reported that intragastric administration of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC),
      which is one of the pungent ingredients of wasabi and horseradish but it is not
      included in hot chili pepper, increased carbohydrate oxidation and reduced
      postprandial increase of blood glucose via transient receptor potential vanilloid
      1 (TRPV1)in mice. However, the action site of AITC on TRPV1 for increasing
      carbohydrate oxidation is unclear. Both mammalian and chicken TRPV1 (cTRPV1) are
      activated by heat and acid, but unlike its mammalian counterpart, cTRPV1 is only
      faintly activated by capsaicin. This difference is due to the 8 chicken-specific
      amino acid residues around transmembrane 3, which is the main site of capsaicin
      binding in rat TRPV1. Moreover, AITC-induced activation of mouse TRPV1 (mTRPV1)
      is largely dependent on S513, a residue that is involved in capsaicin-binding.
      Thus, we hypothesized that the increase of carbohydrate oxidation by AITC in
      mammals is induced by the binding of AITC to the capsaicin-binding site of TRPV1.
      In this study, we performed a comparative study using chickens and mice, since
      chickens are thought to partly lack the capsaicin-binding site of TRPV1. We
      examined the effects of AITC on the respiratory quotient (RQ), the index of
      carbohydrate oxidation and fat oxidation, in chickens and mice. Respiratory gas
      analysis revealed that AITC does not increase the RQ in chickens, and Ca2+
      imaging methods and a whole cell-patch clamp analysis showed that AITC does not
      activate cTRPV1. These results implied that the capsaicin-binding site is an
      important region for increasing carbohydrate oxidation by AITC administration in
      animals.

PMID- 28637950
TI  - ADAM17 regulates TNF-alpha expression upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation in oral
      keratinocytes.
AB  - A disintegrin and metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)
      converting enzyme and was first identified as the enzyme that cleaves the
      prodomain of TNF-alpha, a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a central role in
      immune regulation and a variety of inflammatory responses in destructive
      periodontal disease. The aim of the present study was to verify the presence of
      ADAM17 in the gingival epithelium and elucidate its involvement in the release of
      TNF-alphain oral keratinocytes. Immunohistochemical analyses of ADAM17 were
      performed in gingival tissues obtained from patients and in human oral
      keratinocytes (HOKs). Additionally, levels of TNF-alpha and ADAM17 in HOKs
      exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were assessed using enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays. Moreover, the effects of ADAM17 inhibitor, matrix
      metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor, and ADAM17 siRNA on TNF-alpha concentration
      were assessed. Strong immunoreactivity for ADAM17 was observed in the epithelium
      of the inflamed gingival tissues and in HOKs. Furthermore, treatment with either
      ADAM17 inhibitor or ADAM17 siRNA inhibited the generation of TNF-alpha induced by
      LPS in HOKs. The present study demonstrates that ADAM17 is strongly expressed in
      the epithelium of gingival tissues and suggests that ADAM17 may be a key enzyme
      that regulates the generation of TNF-alpha in oral keratinocytes.

PMID- 28637951
TI  - Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced IL-33 down-regulates hCAP-18/LL-37 production in
      human gingival epithelial cells.
AB  - hCAP-18/LL-37 is an antimicrobial peptide that is mainly expressed in epithelial
      cells. Gingival epithelial cells play pivotal roles in antimicrobial defense by
      expressing hCAP-18/LL-37. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a primary pathogen for
      chronic periodontitis and produces cysteine proteinase gingipains, which induce
      proinflammatory cytokines production, leading to enhance inflammatory responses.
      In contrast, gingipains attenuate immune responses, leading to induce anti
      inflammatory responses. In this study, we investigated the ability of gingipains
      to attenuate P. gingivalis-induced hCAP-18/LL-37 production by human gingival
      epithelial Ca9-22 cells. The expression of LL-37 mRNA was increased by the
      infection of Ca9-22 cells with a P. gingivalis gingipains-null mutant KDP136
      compared with P. gingivalis wild-type strain ATCC 33277. Interleukin (IL)-33 is
      involved in the development of chronic inflammatory diseases, and P. gingivalis
      infection increases IL-33 production by human gingival epithelial cells. P.
      gingivalis-induced LL-37 mRNA expression was augmented in IL-33 small interfering
      RNA-transfected Ca9-22 cells. Maxacalcitol (22-oxacalcitriol: OCT) is a
      biologically active metabolite of vitamin D3 analog, and OCT increases hCAP-18/LL
      37 production by human gingival epithelial cells. The increasing expression of LL
      37 mRNA by OCT was down-regulated by infection of the cells with P. gingivalis
      ATCC 33277 in Ca9-22 cells. Furthermore, P. gingivalis infection induced IL-33
      mRNA expression in Ca9-22 cells; therefore, P. gingivalis-induced endogenous IL
      33 down-regulated hCAP-18/LL-37 production by the bacterium. These findings
      suggested that endogenous IL-33 down-regulates the induction of hCAP-18/LL-37
      production in human gingival epithelial cells.

PMID- 28637952
TI  - Heat-shock protein 72 promotes platelet aggregation induced by various platelet
      activators in rats.
AB  - Increase of thrombus in the coronary arteries is positively correlated with the
      level of heat-shock protein 72 (HSP72) in the blood of patients with acute
      myocardial infarction (AMI). Platelet aggregation participates in thrombus
      formation on ruptured plaque in AMI. In this study, we aimed to clarify the role
      of HSP72 in thrombus formation by evaluating the effects of HSP72 on platelet
      aggregation. Platelet aggregation activities were measured in platelet-rich
      plasma obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats with or without the platelet
      activators, such as adenosine diphosphate (ADP), collagen, thrombin receptor
      activating peptide-6 (TRAP-6), ristocetin, and arachidonic acid. Changes in
      aggregation were estimated by the co-addition of recombinant HSP72 and anti-HSP72
      antibodies. Our results showed that addition of HSP72 increased platelet
      aggregation in the presence of low concentrations of ADP, collagen, TRAP-6,
      ristocetin, and arachidonic acid. Increased platelet aggregation stimulated by
      ADP and HSP72 was reduced by the co-addition of anti-HSP72 antibodies. Thus,
      these findings suggested that HSP72 was released extracellularly in response to
      stress, promoting thrombus formation and AMI. Additionally, treatment with anti
      HSP72 antibodies may control platelet aggregation induced by extracellular HSP72.

PMID- 28637953
TI  - Synapse-specific effects of IL-1beta on long-term potentiation in the mouse
      hippocampus.
AB  - Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is a key molecule in the inflammatory responses
      elicited during infection and injury. It exerts local effects on synaptic
      plasticity by binding to IL-1 receptors that are expressed at high levels in the
      hippocampus. We examined the effects of IL-1beta on synaptic plasticity in
      different hippocampal regions in acute mouse brain slices by measuring long-term
      potentiation (LTP). IL-1beta (1 ng/mL) was applied for 30 min before LTP was
      induced with high-frequency stimulation (HFS). LTP was significantly impaired by
      either IL-1beta application to the Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses or the
      associational/commissural (A/C) fiber-CA3 synapses, which are both dependent on N
      methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation. However, mossy fiber-CA3 LTP,
      which is expressed presynaptically in an NMDA-independent manner, was not
      impaired by IL-1beta. Our results demonstrate that IL-1beta exerts variable
      effects on LTP at different kinds of synapses, indicating that IL-1beta has
      synapse-specific effects on hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

PMID- 28637954
TI  - Increases in IL-33 production by fimbriae and lipopeptide from Porphyromonas
      gingivalis in mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells via Toll-like receptor 2.
AB  - Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is an IL-1 cytokine family member that is involved in the
      development of chronic inflammatory diseases and the initiation of allergic
      inflammation in response to pathogens. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a primary
      pathogen that is involved in chronic periodontitis and its bacterial components
      induce inflammatory responses. Dendritic cells (DCs) recognize pathogen-
      associated molecular patterns by expression of pattern-recognition receptors,
      such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs). DCs play an essential role in resistance to
      infection and maintenance of mucosal immune system. In this study, we
      investigated whether P. gingivalis increases the expression of IL-33 in mouse
      bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs). BMDCs exhibited an increased expression of IL-33
      mRNA upon stimulation with P. gingivalis whole cells. Furthermore, fimbriae and
      lipopeptide derived from P. gingivalis exhibited higher IL-33 mRNA expression
      than P. gingivalis whole cells. In contrast, lipopolysaccharide derived from P.
      gingivalis did not induce IL-33 mRNA expression in BMDCs. The IL-33 mRNA
      expression after stimulation with fimbriae or lipopeptide was up-regulated in
      BMDCs from wild-type mice but not from TLR2-deficient (TLR2-/-) mice. IL-33
      production induced by fimbriae and lipopeptide accumulated in the cytoplasm of
      BMDCs from wild-type mice, but not from TLR2-/- mice. These findings suggested
      that IL-33 production induced by P. gingivalis fimbriae and lipopeptide is
      recognized by TLR2 and may modulate DC function in periodontal diseases.

PMID- 28637955
TI  - Fine structure of human thoracic duct as revealed by light and scanning electron
      microscopy.
AB  - Little information has been available regarding microanatomy of human thoracic
      duct in spite of the importance for an understanding of pathophysiology in
      clinical medicine. The present study demonstrated a fine structure of human
      thoracic duct system by light and scanning electron microscopy. A number of
      longitudinal or spiral ridges and grooves were formed on luminal surfaces of the
      lymphangia and lymph sac, it likely facilitating fluent lymph flow. The
      endothelial cells displayed various cell shapes in compliance with their
      distributed regions. The lymph sac joining large vein composed a peculiar
      multiple valve structure presumably ensuring lymph storage and prevention of
      lymph backflow. The longitudinal muscle sheet in the tunica intima and circular
      muscle bundles in the tunica media constructed an integrated power unit probably
      eliciting spontaneous lymph propulsion. Furthermore, the thoracic duct was richly
      supplied with blood vessels not only in the tunica externa, but also just beneath
      the endothelium. The present findings provide a morphological basis for
      investigation of human thoracic duct in basic and clinical medicine.

PMID- 28637956
TI  - CD36 involvement in the olfactory perception of oleic aldehyde, an odour-active
      volatile compound, in mice.
AB  - Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is a broadly expressed transmembrane
      receptor that has multiple ligands. It has been found to occur abundantly on the
      surface of the olfactory epithelium in mice and postulated to play a role in
      mammalian olfaction. However, there have been no ethological analyses of the
      mammalian behaviour showing CD36 involvement in the olfactory perception of a
      distinct odour-active volatile compound. In this study, we aimed to assess
      whether mammals perceive oleic aldehyde, an odour-active volatile that serves as
      a potential CD36 ligand, and if so, whether CD36 is involved in the sensing by
      following measurements using CD36-knockout mice and their wild-type littermates.
      In a two-bottle choice test, wild-type mice, but not CD36-knockout mice,
      discriminated a sucrose solution containing oleic aldehyde from the sucrose
      solution alone. To assess the importance of the olfactory system in the oleic
      aldehyde perception, we conducted an exploration test where the animals could
      rely primarily on the odour of test volatiles for recognition. We found that the
      wild-type, but not CD36-knockout mice, were aware of the compound. Our results
      provide behavioural evidence that CD36 plays a role in the perception of specific
      odour-active volatile compounds in the nasal cavity.

PMID- 28637959
TI  - Examination of Dose Reduction Using Image Noise Reduction Technology in
      Cardiovascular X-ray Systems.
AB  - The aim of this study is to establish radiation exposure dose reduction protocols
      during cardiac intervention by decreasing the entrance dose at flat panel
      detector (FPD) with image quality evaluations. For measuring entrance surface
      dose (ESD), we have used a Radical 9015 dosimeter (6 cc ion chamber) placed under
      20 cm thick acrylic plates at the patient's entrance reference point. We
      performed an image quality assessment based on quantitative as well as visual
      evaluation of the images obtained via current and dose reduction protocols. The
      visual evaluation was performed by measuring the signal to noise ratio and
      contrast using a cine/digital angiography cardiac phantom. The quantitative
      evaluation was performed by cardiologists and radiological technologists using
      the five-point scale method. For the dose reduction protocol, we used an image
      noise reduction technique to prevent the deterioration of image quality. The ESDs
      for the fluoroscopy and digital cine in the dose reduction protocol were 18.0
      mGy/min and 0.18 mGy/frame, respectively, which corresponded to 81% and 49% of
      the ESD in the current protocol. Our results reveal that the ESD for fluoroscopy
      was lower than the diagnostic reference level (20 mGy/min) for interventional
      radiology. We recommend a lower dose setting and the maintenance of image quality
      using noise reduction techniques. This will ensure use of a lower FPD entrance
      dose compared to the initial dose setting currently recommended by manufacturers.

PMID- 28637957
TI  - Gm7325 is MyoD-dependently expressed in activated muscle satellite cells.
AB  - The Gm7325 gene, bioinformatically identified in the mouse genome, encodes a
      small protein but has not been characterized until recently. Our gene expression
      analysis revealed that Gm7325 transcription is remarkably upregulated in injured
      skeletal muscle tissues. Activated satellite cells and immature myotubes were
      densely decorated with positive signals for Gm7325 mRNA in in situ hybridization
      analysis, while no obvious signals were observed in quiescent satellite cells and
      mature myofibers. In the 5'-flanking regions of mouse Gm7325 and its human
      homologue, conserved E-box motifs for helix-loop-helix transcription factors are
      repeatedly arranged around the putative promoter regions. Reporter gene assays
      suggested that MyoD, a master transcription factor for myogenesis, binds to the
      conserved E-box motifs to activate Gm7325 expression. Therefore, Gm7325, as a
      novel MyoD-target gene, is specifically induced in activated satellite cells, and
      may have an important role in skeletal myogenesis.

PMID- 28637958
TI  - Validation of Cross-calibration Schemes for Quantitative Bone SPECT/CT Using
      Different Sources under Various Geometric Conditions.
AB  - PURPOSE: Several cross-calibration schemes have been proposed to produce
      quantitative values in bone SPECT imaging. Differences in the radionuclide
      sources and geometric conditions can decrease the accuracy of cross-calibration
      factor (CCF). The present study aimed to validate the effects of calibration
      schemes using different sources under various geometric conditions. METHODS:
      Temporal variations as well as variations in acquisition counts and the shapes of
      57Co standard and 99mTc point sources and a 99mTc disk source were determined.
      The effects of the geometric conditions of the source-to-camera distance (SCD)
      and lateral distance on the CCF were investigated by moving the camera or source
      away from the origin. The system planar sensitivity of NEMA incorporated into a
      Symbia Intevo SPECT/CT device (Siemens(r)) was defined as reference values.
      RESULTS: The temporal variation in CCF using the 57Co source was relatively
      stable within the range of 0.7% to 2.3%, whereas the 99mTc source ranged from
      2.7% to 7.3%. In terms of source shape, the 57Co standard point source was the
      most stable. Both SCD and lateral distance decreased as a function of distance
      from the origin. Errors in the geometric condition were higher for the 57Co
      standard point source than the 99mTc disk source. CONCLUSIONS: Different
      calibration schemes influenced the reliability of quantitative values. The 57Co
      standard point source was stable over a long period, and this helped to maintain
      the quality of quantitative SPECT/CT imaging data. The CCF accuracy of the 99mTc
      source decreased depending on the preparative method. The method of calibration
      for quantitative SPECT should be immediately standardized to eliminate
      uncertainty.

PMID- 28637961
TI  - 2. Current Status of DRLs in the World.

PMID- 28637960
TI  - Pacemaker-induced Metallic Artifacts in Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography:
      Clinical Feasibility of Single Energy Metal Artifact Reduction Technique.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with
      pacemaker suffers from metallic lead-induced artifacts, which often interfere
      with accurate assessment of coronary luminal stenosis. The purpose of this study
      was to assess a frequency of the lead-induced artifacts and artifact-suppression
      effect by the single energy metal artifact reduction (SEMAR) technique. METHODS:
      Forty-one patients with a dual-chamber pacemaker were evaluated using a 320 multi
      detector row CT (MDCT). Among them, 22 patients with motion-free full data
      reconstruction images were the final candidates. Images with and without the
      SMEAR technique were subjectively compared, and the degree of metallic artifacts
      was compared. RESULTS: On images without SEMAR, severe metallic artifacts were
      often observed in the right coronary artery (#1, #2, #3) and distal anterior
      descending branch (#8). These artifacts were effectively suppressed by SEMAR, and
      the luminal accessibility was significantly improved in #3 and #8. CONCLUSION:
      While pacemaker leads often cause metallic-induced artifacts, SEMAR technique
      reduced the artifacts and significantly improved the accessibility of coronary
      lumen in #3 and #8.

PMID- 28637962
TI  - 3. Diagnostic Imaging for Prostate Cancer.

PMID- 28637963
TI  - Welcome to Imaging Section for Coloring Your Research Life.

PMID- 28637964
TI  - How to Utilize the Nuclear Medicine Division.

PMID- 28637965
TI  - Introduction of the Radiotherapy Division of the JSRT.

PMID- 28637966
TI  - Participation/Dispatch Reports on International Conferences in 2017.

PMID- 28637967
TI  - Activity Report of Medical Imaging System Division and JIRA VISION 2020.

PMID- 28637968
TI  - Transmit.

PMID- 28637970
TI  - Impact of Door-to-Balloon Time in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial
      Infarction Who Arrived by Self-Transport - Acute Myocardial Infarction-Kyoto
      Multi-Center Risk Study Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who arrive
      at a hospital via self-transport reportedly have a delayed door-to-balloon time
      (DBT). However, the clinical impacts of delayed DBT on in-hospital mortality
      among such patients are not well known.Methods and Results:In total, 1,172 STEMI
      patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention between January
      2009 and December 2013 from the Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) Kyoto Registry
      were analyzed. Compared with the emergency medical service (EMS) group (n=804),
      the self-transport group (n=368) was younger and had a significantly longer DBT
      (115 min vs. 90 min, P<0.01), with fewer patients having a Killip classification
      of 2 or higher. The in-hospital mortality rate was lower in the self-transport
      group than in the EMS group (3.3% vs. 7.1%, P<0.01). A DBT >90 min was an
      independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in EMS patients (odds ratio
      (OR)=2.43, P=0.01) but not in self-transport patients (OR=0.89, P=0.87).
      CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that there was no relationship
      between in-hospital prognosis and DBT <=90 min in STEMI patients using self
      transport. The prognosis of these patients cannot be improved by focusing only on
      DBT. Treatment strategies based on means of transport should also be considered.

PMID- 28637973
TI  - Neural mechanisms of nociception during orthodontic treatment.
AB  - Orthodontic tooth movement is accompanied by inflammatory responses in the
      periodontal ligament. Chemical mediators such as interleukin-1beta have key roles
      in nociception around teeth. Such nociceptive inputs to the periodontal ligament
      continue for several days and potentially induce plastic changes in higher brain
      regions, including the cerebral cortex. This review summarizes research on
      orthodontic treatment-induced modulation of neural activities in the central
      nervous system. Furthermore, we describe our recent findings on the
      spatiotemporal effects of orthodontic treatment in the somatosensory and insular
      cortices.

PMID- 28637972
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28637969
TI  - Development of a Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model for the
      Investigation of SCN5A-D1275N-Related Cardiac Sodium Channelopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: TheSCN5Agene encodes the alpha subunit of the cardiac voltage-gated
      sodium channel, NaV1.5. The missense mutation, D1275N, has been associated with a
      range of unusual phenotypes associated with reduced NaV1.5 function, including
      cardiac conduction disease and dilated cardiomyopathy. Curiously, the reported
      biophysical properties ofSCN5A-D1275N channels vary with experimental
      system.Methods and Results:First, using a human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell
      based heterologous expression system, theSCN5A-D1275N channels showed similar
      maximum sodium conductance but a significantly depolarizing shift of activation
      gate (+10 mV) compared to wild type. Second, we generated human-induced
      pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a 24-year-old female who carried
      heterozygousSCN5A-D1275N and analyzed the differentiated cardiomyocytes (CMs).
      AlthoughSCN5Atranscript levels were equivalent between D1275N and control hiPSC
      CMs, both the total amount of NaV1.5 and the membrane fractions were reduced
      approximately half in the D1275N cells, which were rescued by the proteasome
      inhibitor MG132 treatment. Electrophysiological assays revealed that maximum
      sodium conductance was reduced to approximately half of that in control hiPSC-CMs
      in the D1275N cells, and maximum upstroke velocity of action potential was lower
      in D1275N, which was consistent with the reduced protein level of NaV1.5.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study successfully demonstrated diminished sodium currents
      resulting from lower NaV1.5 protein levels, which is dependent on proteasomal
      degradation, using a hiPSC-based model forSCN5A-D1275N-related sodium
      channelopathy.

PMID- 28637977
TI  - The oral mucosal membrane and transient receptor potential channels.
AB  - The oral cavity is the first line of defense, sensation, and secretion of the
      alimentary canal. Oral perception contributes to the enjoyment of food and
      beverages and to avoiding consumption of poisonous or harmful substances. Oral
      sensation is served by somatosensory nervous systems distributed to the oral
      membrane. Recent studies reported that oral epithelial cells may transduce
      temperature and touch through membranous sensors, which comprise ion channels
      with multimodal properties, and nerves. Here, we describe the possible role of
      oral epithelial cells in oral perception.

PMID- 28637974
TI  - Neuron-glia interaction is a key mechanism underlying persistent orofacial pain.
AB  - Excitability of neurons in the trigeminal ganglion (TG), trigeminal spinal
      subnucleus caudalis (Vc), and upper cervical spinal cord (C1-C2) is greatly
      enhanced after orofacial inflammation and trigeminal nerve injury, and TG, Vc,
      and C1-C2 neurons remain sensitized long after such episodes. Sensitized neurons
      generate various molecules, which are released from nociceptive neurons in these
      areas and are involved in modulating the excitability of TG, Vc, and C1-C2
      nociceptive neurons. Hyperexcitable nociceptive neurons also activate satellite
      glial cells in the TG and microglial cells and astrocytes in the Vc and C1-C2.
      Glial cell activation spreads throughout the TG, Vc, and C1-C2 and triggers the
      release of various molecules involved in modulating nociceptive neurons in TG,
      Vc, and C1-C2 neurons. These findings suggest that functional interaction between
      neurons and glial cells is critical in persistent orofacial pain associated with
      orofacial inflammation and trigeminal nerve injury.

PMID- 28637975
TI  - Projection and synaptic connectivity of trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus neurons
      controlling jaw reflexes.
AB  - Neurons in the trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus (Vmes) receive deep sensation
      (proprioception) from jaw-closing muscle spindles and periodontal ligaments and
      project primarily to the jaw-closing motoneuron pool (jaw-closing nucleus) of the
      trigeminal motor nucleus and to the supratrigeminal nucleus. Numerous articles
      have described the morphology and physiology of the central projections of Vmes
      afferents originating from the muscle spindles and periodontal ligaments.
      However, no report has provided a detailed description of projection and synaptic
      connectivity, especially of single afferents, and their functional implications.
      In this review, we reanalyze data obtained by single intra-axonal recording and
      labeling of functionally identified Vmes muscle spindle afferents and periodontal
      ligament afferents and by electron microscopic observation of their projection
      features and synaptic organization of boutons, to compare the data for the jaw
      closing nucleus and supratrigeminal nucleus. Our analysis shows that each Vmes
      afferent type has characteristic projection pattern and synaptic feature that may
      be important in jaw-reflex control.

PMID- 28637978
TI  - Mechanisms underlying delta- and MU-opioid receptor agonist-induced increases in
      extracellular dopamine level in the nucleus accumbens of freely moving rats.
AB  - The nucleus accumbens is a terminal area of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system
      that arises in the ventral tegmental area. Opioids are thought to enhance
      dopaminergic activity in the nucleus accumbens by activating delta- and MU-opioid
      receptors in the ventral tegmental area. However, delta- and MU-opioid receptor
      agonists increase extracellular levels of accumbal dopamine when infused directly
      into the nucleus accumbens of rats. Therefore, the roles of delta- and MU-opioid
      receptors in regulation of accumbal dopaminergic neural activity have been
      analyzed by using delta- and MU-opioid receptor ligands. This review describes
      the mechanisms underlying the stimulatory effects on accumbal dopamine efflux,
      which are induced by local administration of delta- and MU-opioid receptor
      agonists into the nucleus accumbens of freely moving rats. The focus of this
      article is neurochemical studies that use in vivo microdialysis techniques. Taken
      together, the in vivo neurochemical evidence from these studies indicates that
      delta- and MU-opioid receptor agonists increase accumbal dopamine efflux by
      activating naloxone-sensitive opioid receptors, and by mechanisms independent of
      naloxone-sensitive opioid receptors, in the nucleus accumbens.

PMID- 28637976
TI  - Coordinated control of the tongue during suckling-like activity and respiration.
AB  - The tongue can move freely and is important in oral motor functions. Tongue
      movement must be coordinated with movement of the hyoid, mandible, and pharyngeal
      wall, to which it is attached. Our previous study using isolated brainstem-spinal
      cord preparations showed that application of N-methyl-D-aspartate induces
      rhythmic activity in the hypoglossal nerve that is coincident with rhythmic
      activity in the ipsilateral trigeminal motor nerve. Partial or complete midline
      transection of the preparation only abolishes activity in the trigeminal motor
      nerve; therefore, the neuronal network contributing to coordinated activity of
      the jaw/tongue muscles is located on both sides of the preparation and sends
      motor commands to contralateral trigeminal motoneurons. Arterially perfused
      decerebrate rat preparations exhibit stable inspiratory activity in the phrenic
      nerve, with efferent nerves innervating the upper airway muscles (the hypoglossal
      nerve, a branch of the cervical spinal nerve, the external branch of the superior
      laryngeal nerve, and the recurrent laryngeal nerve) under normocapnic conditions
      (5% CO2). During hypercapnia (8% CO2), pre-inspiratory discharges appear in all
      nerves innervating upper airway muscles. Such coordinated activity in the pre
      inspiratory phase contributes to dilation of the upper airway and improves
      hypercapnia.

PMID- 28637971
TI  - Esculentoside A ameliorates cecal ligation and puncture-induced acute kidney
      injury in rats.
AB  - Esculentoside A (EsA), a saponin isolated from Phytolacca esculenta, can
      attenuate acute liver and lung injury. However, whether EsA has a protective
      effect against sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been reported. In
      this study, EsA (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/kg) was given to rats with sepsis induced by
      cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We found that EsA improved the survival of
      septic rats in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, EsA lowered the kidney
      tubular damage score and decreased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Moreover,
      EsA inhibited excessive generation of pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor
      alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 in the serum and downregulated cyclooxygenase-2 and
      inducible nitric oxide synthase in the renal tissues of septic rats. EsA also
      suppressed the production of malonaldehyde and the activity of myeloperoxidase in
      the septic kidney and enhanced the activity of superoxide dismutase and
      glutathione. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of a high dose of
      EsA were comparable to those of dexamethasone. Mechanically, EsA inhibited CLP
      induced increases in high-mobility group box 1, Toll-like receptor-4, and myeloid
      differentiation primary response 88 and nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor
      kappa B p65 in renal tissues. In vitro, lipopolysaccharide-induced alteration of
      AKI-related factors in HK-2 cells, which had been evaluated in vivo, was
      inhibited after EsA administration. Taken together, our study suggests that EsA
      effectively protects rats against septic AKI caused by CLP.

PMID- 28637979
TI  - The oral microbiome and human health.
AB  - In this brief review, we discuss our previous research on the relationship
      between the bacterial composition of salivary microbiota and periodontal disease.
      Analysis using a terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism method and an
      international comparison suggest that the predominance of the genera Prevotella
      and Veillonella in the salivary microbiota is attributable to periodontal disease
      conditions, and that the predominance of the genus Neisseria indicates healthy
      periodontal conditions. Furthermore, we recently used next-generation sequencing
      technology to perform a detailed large-scale analysis of the salivary microbiota.
      An important finding of that study was that high bacterial richness in the
      salivary microbiota was significantly associated with poor oral health, as
      indicated by decayed teeth, periodontitis, and poor oral hygiene. Another
      important result was that relative abundance of predominant bacteria in saliva
      was significantly associated with oral health-related conditions. Of the two
      different cohabiting groups of bacteria found in the salivary microbiota, a
      greater relative abundance of group I bacteria, which include Prevotella and
      Veillonella species, was associated with poor oral health, high body mass index,
      and old age. These findings suggest that the salivary microbiota reflects oral
      and systemic conditions.

PMID- 28637980
TI  - Satisfaction with dietary life affects oral health-related quality of life and
      subjective well-being in very elderly people.
AB  - Age-related deterioration in physical and oral health reduces healthy life
      expectancy and is thus an important problem for very elderly people. We
      investigated the effects of satisfaction with dietary life (SDL) in everyday life
      on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and subjective well-being and
      examined associations between these factors. We evaluated 426 elders aged 85
      years or older. All participants completed a questionnaire that inquired about
      age, gender, drinking status, body mass index, cognitive function, disability,
      and comorbidities, among other covariates. Oral, physical, and mental health
      conditions were also examined. Associations of questionnaire results for SDL with
      items on subjective well-being (Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale [PGC]
      and World Health Organization-5 [WHO-5]) and OHRQoL (Geriatric Oral Health
      Assessment Index [GOHAI]) were confirmed with multiple logistic regression
      analysis. In a multivariate model adjusted for various confounders, participants
      with self-reported "enjoyable" SDL had significantly lower risks for having the
      lowest scores on the GOHAI, PGC, and WHO-5 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.460, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] = 0.277-0.762; OR = 0.589, 95% CI = 0.348-0.996; and OR
      = 0.452, 95% CI = 0.263-0.775, respectively). These associations remained after
      further adjustment for number of teeth.

PMID- 28637981
TI  - Effects of vascular endothelial growth factor on osteoblasts around dental
      implants in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Vasculogenesis is a pivotal procedure during dental implant osseointegration and
      bone repair process. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), regarded as one
      of the most important vasculogenesis factor, also plays a central role in bone
      repair, but its role around dental implants is still unknown. In the present
      study, rat primary osteoblasts seeded on titanium discs were tested using
      proliferation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Real-time PCR, and alkaline
      phosphatase (ALP) expression. Chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was
      used to test the vasculogenesis property. In vivo VEGF-coated implants assay was
      used to test the osteocalcin (OCN)- and CD31-positive cells around an implant.
      VEGF could significantly promote osteoblasts seeded on titanium surfaces
      proliferation and secretion of VEGF protein (P < 0.05); increasing of VEGF,
      VEGFR1, VEGFR2, NRP-1, ALP and Runx2 mRNA expression (P < 0.05); up-regulating
      ALP expression on days 7 and 11 (P < 0.01). Supernatant of VEGF-induced
      osteoblasts could promote CAM vasculogenesis (P < 0.05). In vivo, VEGF-coated
      implants could promote OCN- and CD31-positive cells around bone lacunas. The
      present study shows that VEGF could induce primary rat osteoblasts proliferation,
      VEGF protein secretion, ALP expression, and VEGF-related mRNA expression in
      vitro. Osteoblasts co-cultured with VEGF could promote neovascularization in
      chicken embryos. In the in vivo experiments, coating the implant with VEGF could
      promote osteoblasts and endothelial cell expression.

PMID- 28637982
TI  - In vivo evaluation of chitosan-glycerol gel scaffolds seeded with stem cells for
      full-thickness mandibular bone regeneration.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate in vivo bone regeneration, mediated by
      adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), induced to differentiate into osteoblasts and
      carried by a scaffold gel. In the test group, bone regeneration was mediated by
      ADSCs, induced to differentiate into osteoblasts, and carried by a scaffold gel.
      In the control group a scaffold without cells was used. The scaffold, consisting
      of chitosan and glycerol phosphate, was maintained in situ by a cross-linked
      resorbable membrane. The osteogenic potential of ADSCs was confirmed by
      osteocalcin assay and Von Kossa staining performed before implantation.
      Histological assays detected an initial increase in bone formation in the test
      group compared with the control group. Microcomputed tomography analysis did not
      show significant differences between the two groups. Both histological and
      microcomputed tomography analysis were performed on the ex vivo specimens after a
      follow-up period of 8 weeks. We observed that differentiated ADSCs could increase
      bone regeneration and that the scaffold used here can be a suitable carrier to
      entrap and maintain the cells in situ. On the contrary, the membrane used was not
      functional in isolating the site of the defect from surrounding soft tissues and
      caused a significant inflammatory reaction.

PMID- 28637983
TI  - Repeatability of measurements of surface electromyographic variables during
      maximum voluntary contraction of temporalis and masseter muscles in normal
      adults.
AB  - This study evaluated the intraexaminer repeatability of measurements of surface
      electromyography (EMG) variables and functional indices of the myoelectric
      signals from the masseter and temporalis muscles bilaterally in 15 healthy men.
      The test was repeated on two different days without templates. The resting muscle
      activity was recorded once, and two kinds of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)
      tasks were performed and recorded three times. The two MVC tasks involved
      clenching the teeth and biting down on two cotton rolls bilaterally with the
      posterior teeth. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of amplitude was
      >88% and that of frequency was >95% during the two MVC tasks but not under
      resting conditions. The ICC of the asymmetry and activity indices during the two
      MVC tasks was >76%. A Bland-Altman analysis revealed no significant difference in
      amplitude or frequency or in the two indices between the two days during the MVC
      tasks. In conclusion, the measurements of surface EMG variables and the indices
      obtained according to the study protocol were highly repeatable in healthy men.
      Additional studies using templates and intraexaminer measurement errors are
      warranted in both men and women for complete validation of these findings.

PMID- 28637984
TI  - Anti-inflammatory effect of rosuvastatin decreases alveolar bone loss in
      experimental periodontitis.
AB  - The effects of systemically administered rosuvastatin on alveolar bone loss
      (ABL), cytokine levels and oxidative status were investigated in rats with
      ligature-induced periodontitis. Rats were divided randomly into four groups: a
      non-ligated group (C); a non-ligated+rosuvastatin group (R); a ligated group (P);
      and a ligated+rosuvastatin group (PR). Ligatures were placed at the maxillary
      second molars, and rosuvastatin was administered for 14 days. After the rats had
      been euthanatized, histomorphometric and histological analyses were performed,
      and the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-10 and oxidant and antioxidant
      parameters (malondialdehyde [MDA], superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and
      glutathione peroxidase) were evaluted by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
      Rosuvastatin significantly decreased the extent of ABL, inflammatory infiltration
      and osteoclasts in periodontitis, but increased the numbers of osteoblasts.
      Although rosuvastatin reduced the levels of IL-1beta, they did not differ
      significantly between the PR and P groups. In the PR group, not only were IL-10
      levels significantly higher but also the ratio of IL-1beta to IL-10 was lower
      than in the P group. Although MDA levels were significantly increased in the P
      group relative to the C group, they did not differ significantly between the PR
      and C groups. The present data suggest that rosuvastatin decreases ABL in
      ligature-induced periodontitis, and that its anti-inflammatory effect is more
      remarkable than its antioxidant effect.

PMID- 28637985
TI  - Three-dimensional evaluation of the location of the mandibular canal using cone
      beam computed tomography for orthodontic anchorage devices.
AB  - This study investigated guidelines for placement of monocortical screws in the
      mandible, particularly the mandibular canal. In this study of 35 patients, we
      used cone-beam computed tomography to determine the distance from the alveolar
      crest to the superior border of the mandibular canal (DMC) and the shortest
      distance from the buccal and lingual cortex to the mandibular canal (attaining
      distance) in the areas between premolars (premolar area), between the second
      premolar and first molar (middle area), and between the first and second molars
      (molar area). The DMC values for these areas were 16.55, 18.94, and 16.58 mm,
      respectively, and were similar in adults and adolescents. When the attaining
      distance was 8 mm, the heights on the buccal and lingual sides of the areas were
      9 and 16.6 mm, 13.7 and 14.7 mm, and 15.3 and 12 mm, respectively. Risk of
      proximity to the mandibular canal should be considered at above heights or
      greater when an orthodontic anchorage device (OAD) 8 mm in length is placed.
      Careful attention is needed for placements on lingual side in adolescents. By
      reducing the OAD length to 6 mm, placement safety increases in all areas except
      the premolar area, especially on the buccal side.

PMID- 28637986
TI  - The logic behind the use of fissure sealant retention as a proxy outcome measure
      for dental caries prevention.
AB  - Fissure sealant retention is traditionally considered as a proxy measure for
      caries prevention. This study investigated the logic behind this proposition, and
      its validity. A logical framework of the proposition was established. The
      mechanism of caries development was transferred into a Directed acyclic graph,
      and this was used to investigate the logical framework. The sensitivity and
      specificity of full sealant retention in the prediction of dental carious lesion
      development and the number of false positive/false negative prediction rates were
      computed. The sensitivity/specificity was statistically compared to that of
      random values. A contradiction in the logical framework was identified. The mean
      sensitivity/specificity was 37.9% (SD = 27.8%) and 67.6% (SD = 28.4%),
      respectively. When these values were compared against random values (30.5%, SD =
      25.7% and 58.7%, SD = 31.6%), a non-significant sensitivity (P = 0.06) and a
      borderline higher specificity (P = 0.04) were observed. The overall false
      prediction rate was 33.7%, with 16.9% and 16.8% false negative and false positive
      predictions, respectively. The sensitivity/specificity was too low and the false
      prediction rate was too high to consider retention a valid proxy for caries
      prevention. The logic behind the investigated proposition is flawed, contradicted
      by the current empirical evidence, and thus invalid.

PMID- 28637987
TI  - Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the effects of implant diameter and
      photofunctionalization on peri-implant stress.
AB  - Previous finite element analyses of peri-implant stress assumed a bone-implant
      contact (BIC) ratio of 100%, even though the BIC ratio is known to be
      approximately 50% or less. However, the recent development of ultraviolet
      treatment of titanium immediately before use, known as photofunctionalization,
      significantly increased the BIC ratio, to 98.2%. We used a unique finite element
      analysis model that enabled us to examine the effects of different BIC ratios on
      peri-implant stress. A three-dimensional model was constructed under conditions
      of vertical or oblique loading, an implant diameter of 3.3, 3.75, or 5.0 mm, and
      a BIC ratio of 53.0% or 98.2%. Photofunctionalization and larger implant
      diameters were associated with reduced stress on surrounding tissues. Under
      vertical loading, photofunctionalization had a greater effect than increased
      implant diameter on stress reduction. Under oblique loading, increased implant
      diameter had a greater effect than photofunctionalization on stress reduction.

PMID- 28637988
TI  - Comparison of gene expression profiles of gingival carcinoma Ca9-22 cells and
      colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells to identify potentially important mediators
      of SLPI-induced cell migration.
AB  - Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a serine protease inhibitor
      whose expression level is positively correlated with tumor aggressiveness and
      metastatic potential. However, the mechanism underlying SLPI-induced enhancement
      of malignant phenotype is not completely understood. The malignancy of cancer
      cells is highly dependent on cell migration activity. Our previous study revealed
      that gingival carcinoma Ca9-22 cells, but not colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29
      cells, expressed SLPI. Therefore, we investigated the migration activity of these
      two cell types to understand the nature of SLPI-mediated tumor aggressiveness and
      metastatic potential. In vitro wound healing assay indicated that HT-29 cells and
      SLPI-deleted Ca9-22 cells showed lower migration activity than wild-type Ca9-22
      cells, suggesting that SLPI-induced cell migration plays an important role in
      tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. In addition, our gene expression
      profiling study based on microarray data for the three cell types identified a
      number of candidates, including LCP1 and GLI, that could be key molecules in the
      mechanism of SLPI-induced cell migration.

PMID- 28637989
TI  - HLA-A*26-A*30 and HLA-DRB1*10 could be predictors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
      risk in high-risk Tunisian families.
AB  - We investigated human leukocyte antigen (HLA) profiles for Tunisians with
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), their families, and a sample of unrelated healthy
      Tunisians in order to identify HLA specificities associated with familial NPC.
      HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 typing was successful for 36 NPC patients, 72 unaffected
      family members, and 130 community controls, and the chi square or Fisher exact
      test was used to compare allele frequencies between cases and controls. We
      observed a consistent protective effect of HLA-DRB1*10 on NPC development.
      However, none of the NPC patients or their family members had a positive result
      for this HLA marker (0% vs 9.2% in controls, P = 0.047). In addition, HLA-A*26
      was probably an induction marker, as its allelic frequency was significantly
      higher among NPC patients than among controls (P = 0.003) and among NPC patients
      than among at-risk family members (P = 0.067). Logistic regression analysis of
      the joint effect of selected HLA specificities showed that HLA-A*26 and HLA-A*30
      were co-associated and have an important effect on NPC risk. Despite the small
      size of our cohort, we showed that HLA-A*26-A*30 and HLA-DRB1*10 might be
      predictive markers for NPC screening of Tunisian families with a high risk of
      NPC.

PMID- 28637990
TI  - Effect of the leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast on orthodontic tooth
      movement.
AB  - Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease, and its prevalence is relatively high
      among children. Optimal management of asthma often requires long-term
      pharmacotherapy; however, the effects of these medications on orthodontic
      treatment is uncertain. We evaluated the effects of the leukotriene LTD4 receptor
      antagonist montelukast on orthodontic tooth movement in an animal model. Eight
      mongrel dogs were given montelukast for periods up to 4 weeks. An orthodontic
      force of 150-200 g was applied to move the second and fourth premolars toward the
      site of the extracted third premolar. The distance between premolars was measured
      at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, and 4. Histological examination with hematoxylin
      eosin staining was used to evaluate osteoclast activity. A slight delay in
      orthodontic movement and decreased osteoclast activity were observed in the
      montelukast-treated group, as compared with untreated controls. However, the
      differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Our findings suggest
      that montelukast use will not interfere with orthodontic treatment of asthma
      patients. However, these findings require confirmation in clinical studies.

PMID- 28637992
TI  - Ten-year clinical observation of a porcelain laminate veneer seated with
      biological tissue adaptation (BTA) technique.
AB  - This clinical report describes the use of biological tissue adaptation technique
      for placement of a porcelain laminate veneer in a 50-year-old woman. The author
      developed this prosthetic technique to facilitate alignment of gingival levels
      for esthetic purposes. The laminate veneer was seated on the maxillary central
      incisor with an adhesive system. Although the margin of the restoration
      overhangs, no gingival inflammation or recession has been observed during a
      follow-up period of 10 years and 9 months.

PMID- 28637991
TI  - Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-6 and
      RANKL expression in osteoblasts.
AB  - Periodontal disease is caused by inflammation induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis
      (P.g.) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and involves expression of proinflammatory
      cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and
      receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL), which are implicated
      in bone resorption. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is commonly used in
      the treatment of bone fracture. However, the mechanisms by which LIPUS inhibits
      LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines are poorly understood. Therefore, we
      investigated the effects of LIPUS on LPS-induced expression of the
      proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and RANKL. MC3T3-E1 cells were incubated in the
      presence or absence of P.g. LPS and then stimulated with LIPUS for 30 min/day for
      a maximum of 14 days. LPS increased mRNA and protein expressions of IL-6 and
      RANKL on day 14. In addition, mRNA expression of COX-2 LPS was higher after 3 and
      7 days of LIPUS treatment. PGE2 was induced by LPS after 7 and 14 days of
      culture. LIPUS suppressed all stimulatory effects of LPS. These results suggest
      that LIPUS inhibits LPS-induced expression of inflammation cytokines by
      suppressing PGE2 production and might thus have potential applications in the
      treatment of periodontitis.

PMID- 28637993
TI  - Association between Excessive Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Injuries in College
      Students: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study in Japan.
AB  - Alcohol-related injuries in college students are a major public health problem
      worldwide. We clarified the association between excessive drinking and alcohol
      related injuries in Japanese college students. This was a cross-sectional study
      with a self-administered questionnaire. From January to March 2013, we sampled
      all college students and graduate students aged 20 years or older during annual
      health examinations at three colleges in Mie Prefecture in Japan. The
      questionnaire assessed the frequency of alcohol drinking, amount of alcohol
      consumed per day, binge drinking during the past year, alcohol-related injuries
      during the past year, and demographic data. Logistic regression analysis was
      conducted on the association between excessive alcohol use and alcohol-related
      injuries. A total of 2,842 students underwent health examinations, of whom 2,177
      (76.6%) completed the questionnaire. Subjects included 1,219 men (56.0%) and 958
      women (44.0%). Eighty-eight men (7.2%) and 93 women (9.7%) were classified as
      excessive weekly drinkers, while 693 men (56.8%) and 458 women (47.8%) were
      determined to be binge drinkers. Eighty-one men (6.6%) and 26 women (2.7%) had
      experienced alcohol-related injuries during the past year. In the logistic
      regression analysis, binge drinkers (odds ratio 25.6 [8.05-81.4]) and excessive
      weekly drinkers (odds ratio 3.83 [2.41-6.09]) had a history of significantly more
      alcohol-related injuries, even after adjusting for age and sex. In conclusion,
      alcohol-related injuries in college students in Japan were strongly associated
      with excessive drinking. As a strategy for preventing such injuries in this
      population, an interventional study is required to identify effective methods for
      reducing excessive alcohol use.

PMID- 28637994
TI  - Anti-diabetic activities of traditional Chinese herbal medicine in streptozotocin
      induced diabetic rats.
AB  - Zhen Qi Hypoglycemic Capsules (ZQHC) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine
      containing medical activities by ougi (Astragalus membranaceus) and ousei
      (Polygonatum rhizome). Although ZQHC has been traditionally utilized as an anti
      diabetic medicine in China, there is no evidence. Therefore, this study
      investigated the beneficial effects of ZQHC against diabetes using streptozotocin
      (STZ)-induced diabetic rats by biochemical and morphological methods. Eight-week
      old male Fisher strain rats were intraperitoneally injected with STZ (50 mg/kg of
      B.W.) to induce diabetes and were fed ad lib feeding with normal diet containing
      4% ZQHC for 30 days. Blood and urine samples were collected for biochemical
      analysis, and liver and pancreas samples were prepared for morphological
      analysis. Values of blood glucose, AST and ALT of ZQHC oral administrated
      diabetic rats were lower than those of diabetic rats without administration.
      Morphological analysis revealed that ZQHC induced sustainment of insulin secreted
      beta cells survival and suppression of hepatocellular fat droplet accumulation.
      These results suggested that oral administration of ZQHC has anti-diabetic
      activities those were mainly associated with improvement of liver metabolism.

PMID- 28637995
TI  - Intracranial Bony Canal of the Middle Meningeal Artery - Morphological and
      Histological Analysis.
AB  - : The middle meningeal artery (MMA) can play an important role in the surgical
      revascularization. However, the MMA can be easily injured if it passes through a
      bony canal. We investigated the morphological and histological features of the
      bony canal to improve surgical results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty adult dry
      skulls were investigated. The length of the bony canal and the distance from the
      orbital rim to the bony canal were measured. Additionally, 28 cadaveric heads
      were examined histologically. RESULTS: Sixty-three bony canals were found in 43
      skulls. The mean length of bony canals was 9.2 mm, and the mean distance from the
      orbital rim was 24.0 mm. The bony canal ran mainly from the sphenoid bone (69.8%)
      to the parietal bone (73.0%). Histologically, both sides of the meningeal grooves
      gradually closed the distance, and formed the bony canal. The MMA inside the bony
      canal was enveloped with collagen tissues, divided into branches, and was
      accompanied by the vein. CONCLUSIONS: The bony canal is located around the
      pterion and is formed during bone growth. The MMA is covered with collagen
      tissues inside the bony canal. It is possible to safely expose and preserve the
      MMA during craniotomy with careful drilling.

PMID- 28637996
TI  - The localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide in the human trigeminal
      ganglion and masseter muscle.
AB  - The localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is similar to that of
      a neurotransmitter which indicates masticatory muscle pain in the area of the
      masseter fascia. CGRP is released from the trigeminal ganglion (TG). The aim of
      this study was to analyze the distribution of CGRP in the fascia of the masseter
      muscle (FMM) and TG in a morphometric manner, with respect to the location and
      density of CGRP-immunopositive reaction fiber (CGRP-IRF). A higher number of the
      CGRP-IRF were mainly found located around elongated blood vessels and small
      nerves on the origin side of the middle zone FMM in the O group (presented with
      occlusion). In the sectional histochemical analysis of the O group, the CGRP-IRF
      were clearly detected in oval vessels, large elongated vessels and large nerves
      in contrast with that of the Non-O group (presented with no occlusion) samples.
      The number of CGRP-immunopositive ganglion cells (CGRP-IPGCs) in the O group
      mandibular nerve division was higher than that of other divisions. A reduction of
      the CGRP-IRF numbers were found in the no-loading groups. The characterization of
      these locations of CGRP-IPGCs can also provide useful data for the understanding
      of myofascial pain syndrome of the masseter muscle (MM).

PMID- 28637998
TI  - Reinvestigation of the Morphological Characteristics of the Lateral Ulnar
      Collateral Ligament in Humans.
AB  - To clarify the cause of posterolateral rotatory instability after damage to the
      lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL), the morphological characteristics of
      the LUCL were reinvestigated and three-dimensional (3D) image of the ligament was
      reconstructed using 35 human elbows. The results were as follows: 1) the
      insertion point of the LUCL on the humerus was almost at the center of the
      capitellum, and its width was 2.61 +/- 1.02 mm. The insertion point of the LUCL
      on the ulna was located from the lesser sigmoid notch to the supinator crest and
      had a width of 9.0 +/- 2.8 mm. The proximal insertion of the LUCL on the ulna was
      7.0 +/- 3.0 mm, and the distal part was on the articular surface of the radial
      head. 2) Three-dimensional imaging of the LUCL revealed an anterior curved shape
      that covered the radial head. Based on these results, it was clear that both the
      supinator crest and the lesser sigmoid notch could be useful as osseous
      landmarks. We think that these anatomical results are useful for surgeons
      performing LUCL reconstruction.

PMID- 28637997
TI  - Positional relationships of abdominal aortic branches for contrast radiography of
      the inferior mesenteric artery using the coeliac trunk and superior mesenteric
      artery as landmarks.
AB  - PURPOSE: To establish a method by which angiography of the inferior mesenteric
      artery (IMA) can be performed smoothly, we investigated the relative locations of
      the coeliac trunk (CT), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), IMA, and left renal
      artery (LtRA). METHODS: From a total of 60 cadavers, 32 cadavers with few
      arteriosclerotic lesions and little vascular tortuosity were selected for the
      study. The abdominal aorta (Ao) were removed and incised on both lateral side,
      along the vertical axis and transected into the ventral and dorsal sides. The
      intravascular lumen on the ventral side of the Ao was photographed using a
      digital camera, and the horizontal and vertical diameters of the sites of
      confluence of the CT, SMA, and IMA, were measured on the computer screen. We also
      calculated the distances between the branches, including the CT, SMA, IMA, LtRA,
      and the common iliac artery (CoI). RESULTS: Although the SMA-IMA distance did not
      correlate with the CT-SMA distance, the ratio of the SMA-IMA to CT-CoI distance
      was four times greater than the ratio of the CT-SMA to CT-CoI distance.
      CONCLUSIONS: The site of branching of the IMA can be inferred to some extent from
      the CT and SMA distance.

PMID- 28637999
TI  - A morphological study of the foramina of the mandible in the Japanese macaque by
      cone-beam computed tomography.
AB  - The mandibular canal (MC) contains vessels and nerves in the mandible of the
      Japanese macaque (JM). The inferior alveolar nerves and vessels of the mandible
      insert from the mandibular foramen and then run through the MC, the mental
      foramen and spinal foramen to the outside of the mandible. However, the detailed
      morphological properties of multiple canals, such as the accessory canal (AC) of
      the mandible, are unknown in JMs. The purpose of this study was to describe the
      multiple canals of JMs and to determine the location and analyse the measurements
      of the JM mandible. In this study, we also showed the course of the lingual
      foramen in 17 JMs (male: n = 8; female: n = 9) using cone-beam computed
      tomography (CBCT). In our results, we classified multiple mental foramina and
      multiple lingual foramina found on the mandibular body at the premolar or molar
      region. However, there was no significance between the formation of mandibular
      properties and the lingual foramen. These multiple foramina contain nerves and
      blood vessels have a few branched canals; these branches run downward and connect
      with the inferior mandibular nerve and artery. These morphological features may
      provide useful information about surgical treatment of the alveolus in a human
      model.

PMID- 28638000
TI  - Effectiveness of workplace exercise supervised by a physical therapist among
      nurses conducting shift work: A randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of supervised exercise
      among nurses conducting shift work for health promotion. METHODS: A total of 30
      healthy female nurses conducting shift work participated in this study and they
      were randomly assigned to one of the following 2 groups: The supervised exercise
      group (SG; participants exercised under the supervision of a physical therapist
      (PT)) and the voluntary exercise group (VG; participants exercised without
      supervision). The study participants were asked to exercise twice/week for 12
      weeks for 24 sessions. The primary outcome was aerobic fitness, and the secondary
      outcomes were muscle strength, anthropometric data, biochemical parameters, and
      mental health. We compared all the outcomes before and after the intervention
      within each group and between both groups at follow-up. RESULTS: Aerobic fitness
      increased in the SG whereas it decreased in the VG, but these changes were not
      statistically significant (p=0.053 and 0.073, respectively). However, the between
      group difference was significant in the intervention effect (p=0.010). Muscle
      strength, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and metabolic profile (high
      molecular weight adiponectin), and depressive symptom significantly improved in
      the SG over time, even though the SG exercised less as compared with the VG.
      Moreover, significant differences in muscle strength, and low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol and reactive oxygen metabolite levels were observed between both
      groups, and these parameters were better in the SG than in the VG. CONCLUSIONS:
      Our data-suggest the effectiveness of exercise supervised by a PT at the
      workplace of nurses conducting shift work for health promotion.

PMID- 28638001
TI  - Comparison between Glioblastoma and Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma Using
      MR Image-based Texture Analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To elucidate differences between glioblastoma (GBM) and primary central
      nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) with MR image-based texture features. METHODS:
      This was an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved retrospective study.
      Consecutive, pathologically proven, initially treated 44 patients with GBM and 16
      patients with PCNSL were enrolled. We calculated a total of 67 image texture
      features on the largest contrast-enhancing lesion in each patient on post
      contrast T1-weighted images. Texture analyses included first-order features
      (histogram) and second-order features calculated with gray level co-occurrence
      matrix, gray level run length matrix (GLRLM), gray level size zone matrix, and
      multiple gray level size zone matrix. All texture features were measured by two
      neuroradiologists independently and the intraclass correlation coefficients were
      calculated. Reproducible features with the intraclass correlation coefficients of
      greater than 0.7 were used for hierarchical clustering between the cases and the
      features along with unpaired t statistics-based comparisons under the control of
      false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05. Principal component analysis (PCA) was
      performed to find the predominant features in evaluating the differences between
      GBM and PCNSL. RESULTS: Twenty-one out of the 67 features satisfied the
      acceptable intraclass correlation coefficient and the FDR constraints. PCA
      suggested first-order entropy, median, GLRLM-based run length non-uniformity, and
      run percentage as the distinguished features. Compared with PCNSL, run percentage
      and median were significantly lower, and entropy and run length non-uniformity
      were significantly higher in GBM. CONCLUSIONS: Among MR image-based textures,
      first-order entropy, median, GLRLM-based run length non-uniformity, and run
      percentage are considered to enhance differences between GBM and PCNSL.

PMID- 28638002
TI  - Predictors of International Normalized Ratio Variability in Patients With Atrial
      Fibrillation Under Warfarin Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Variability in the international normalized ratio (INR) of
      prothrombin time has been suggested to be related to outcome in patients with
      atrial fibrillation (AF) under warfarin therapy, but its determinants remain
      unclear.Methods and Results:The study population consisted of 626 AF patients
      under warfarin therapy in the Shinken Database (n=22,230). INR variability was
      calculated by Fihn's method. Determinants of high log INR variability (defined as
      over mean+standard deviation) were determined by logistic regression analyses.
      Symptomatic heart failure (odds ratio [OR] 3.974, 95% confidence interval [CI]
      2.510-6.292), older age (>=75 years old; OR 2.984, 95% CI 1.844-4.826) and severe
      renal dysfunction (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2; OR 3.918, 95% CI 1.742-8.813) were
      identified as independent predictors of high INR variability on multivariate
      logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The determinants of INR variability in
      AF patients under warfarin therapy could assist Japanese clinicians in
      identifying patients likely to show unstable warfarin control irrespective of the
      definition of the target INR range.

PMID- 28638003
TI  - Molecular and cellular events during blastocyst implantation in the receptive
      uterus: clues from mouse models.
AB  - The success of implantation is an interactive process between the blastocyst and
      the uterus. Synchronized development of embryos with uterine differentiation to a
      receptive state is necessary to complete pregnancy. The period of uterine
      receptivity for implantation is limited and referred to as the "implantation
      window", which is regulated by ovarian steroid hormones. Implantation process is
      complicated due to the many signaling molecules in the hierarchical mechanisms
      with the embryo-uterine dialogue. The mouse is widely used in animal research,
      and is uniquely suited for reproductive studies, i.e., having a large litter size
      and brief estrous cycles. This review first describes why the mouse is the
      preferred model for implantation studies, focusing on uterine morphology and
      physiological traits, and then highlights the knowledge on uterine receptivity
      and the hormonal regulation of blastocyst implantation in mice. Our recent study
      revealed that selective proteolysis in the activated blastocyst is associated
      with the completion of blastocyst implantation after embryo transfer.
      Furthermore, in the context of blastocyst implantation in the mouse, this review
      discusses the window of uterine receptivity, hormonal regulation, uterine
      vascular permeability and angiogenesis, the delayed-implantation mouse model,
      morphogens, adhesion molecules, crosslinker proteins, extracellular matrix, and
      matricellular proteins. A better understanding of uterine and blastocyst biology
      during the peri-implantation period should facilitate further development of
      reproductive technology.

PMID- 28638004
TI  - Modification of the HCMV-specific IFN-gamma release test (QuantiFERON-CMV) and a
      novel proposal for its application.
AB  - Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is universally distributed among humans without any
      adverse effects; however, it induces severe diseases in immunocompromised
      patients such as organ transplant recipients and AIDS patients. To manage these
      immunocompromised patients, an easy clinical examination for the monitoring of
      disease risk is required. In this study, we modified the interferon-gamma (IFN
      gamma) release test (QuantiFERON(r)-CMV) using HCMV immediate early-1 (IE-1) or
      pp65 whole proteins, or UV-inactivated HCMV particles as an antigen. The response
      of heparinized peripheral blood from healthy volunteers to the pp65 protein
      showed an obvious dose-dependent sigmoid curve, although no correlation was
      observed between results of this assay and an ELISPOT assay. The addition of pp65
      to the blood samples at a final concentration of 1*103 to 1*105 pg/ml was found
      to be optimum. Using this assay, we observed a significant enhancement in
      cellular immunity in volunteers after the daily ingestion of yogurt for 8 weeks,
      which suggested a novel application of the assay in addition to monitoring HCMV
      infection risk. IFN-gamma secretion from peripheral blood cells on HCMV-antigen
      stimulation differed significantly between individuals; therefore, the assay
      could not be normalized. Nevertheless, it was found to be particularly useful for
      observing fluctuations in cellular immune activity on an individual level.

PMID- 28638005
TI  - Sclerosing Mesenteritis Causing Chylous Ascites and Small Bowel Perforation.
AB  - BACKGROUND Sclerosing mesenteritis (SM) is a rare idiopathic inflammation and
      fibrosis of the mesentery. Its etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. It has
      been linked to abdominal trauma related to peritoneal dialysis, recent abdominal
      surgery, idiopathic inflammatory disorder, paraneoplastic syndrome,
      ischemia/infection, and autoimmunity. Abdominal CT is the most sensitive imaging
      modality, and diagnosis is usually confirmed by surgical biopsy. Patients most
      often present with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss,
      and less commonly with chylous ascites and small bowel obstruction. Treatment is
      usually supportive; surgical intervention may be attempted for life-threatening
      complications such as bowel obstruction or perforation. CASE REPORT This report
      describes an 80-year-old man with hypertension and end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
      presenting with increasing abdominal pain and tenderness over the past 5 months.
      Abdominal enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a fat-ring sign and
      peritoneal calcifications along the serosa surface of small bowel consistent with
      sclerosing mesenteritis. His hospital course was complicated by increasing
      ascites requiring multiple ultrasound-guided paracentesis, worsening
      leukocytosis, and persistent hypotension after dialysis, requiring pressor
      support. Ascitic fluid analysis was consistent with chylous ascites. The patient
      subsequently developed small bowel obstruction causing focal perforation, leading
      to the death of our patient. In this report, we review the clinical presentation,
      radiographic findings, treatment, and outcome in our patient and review the
      relevant literature. CONCLUSIONS Diagnosis of sclerosing mesenteritis is
      challenging due to its nonspecific clinical features. Sclerosing mesenteritis is
      a debilitating albeit self-limiting disorder that can rarely become fulminant,
      largely due to its complications.

PMID- 28638006
TI  - Effect of Probiotics on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus:
      A Meta-Analysis of 12 Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND It has been unclear whether supplemental probiotics therapy improves
      clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetic patients. This meta-analysis aimed to
      summarize the effect of probiotics on glucose and lipid metabolism and C-reactive
      protein (CRP) from 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). MATERIAL AND METHODS
      An up-to-date search was performed for all relevant RCTs up to April 2016 from
      PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and
      weighted mean difference (WMD) were calculated for a fixed-effect and random
      effect meta-analysis to assess the impact of supplemental probiotics on fasting
      plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, homeostasis
      model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, and CRP level.
      RESULTS A total of 12 studies (684 patients) were entered into the final
      analysis. The effect of probiotics was significant on reducing HbA1c level
      (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.38; confidence interval [CI], -0.62 to 
      0.14, P=0.002; I2=0%, P=0.72 for heterogeneity), fasting insulin level (SMD, 
      0.38; CI -0.59 to -0.18, P=0.0003; I2=0%, P=0.81 for heterogeneity), and HOMA-IR
      (SMD, -0.99; CI -1.52 to -0.47, P=0.0002; I2=86%, P<0.00001 for heterogeneity).
      Pooled results on effects of probiotics on FPG, CRP, or lipid profile were either
      non-significant or highly heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis
      demonstrated that probiotics supplementation was associated with significant
      improvement in HbA1c and fasting insulin in type 2 diabetes patients. More
      randomized placebo-controlled trials with large sample sizes are warranted to
      confirm our conclusions.

PMID- 28638007
TI  - [Re-operations in patients with heart wounds].
AB  - AIM: To define the risk factors of complications which are followed by re
      operations in patients with cardiac and pericardial wounds and to prevent these
      complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective and prospective analysis of
      1072 victims with cardiac and pericardial injuries for 35 years was performed.
      Overall mortality was 17.2%. 98 patients died during surgery. Postoperative
      bleeding was observed in 38 (3.9%) cases. RESULTS: In 28 cases re-operations were
      performed for bleeding-related complications. Indications for re-thoracotomy were
      one-time drainage from pleural cavity over 500 ml or bleeding rate over 100 ml
      per hour for 4 hours. Prevention of postoperative bleeding in case of cardiac and
      pericardial wounds was developed on basis of analysis of these observations.
      CONCLUSION: Risk factors of complications requiring re-operation are
      cardiomyopathy of different etiology, technical and tactical errors during
      primary intervention and hypocoagulation with massive blood loss. Prevention of
      these complications includes careful heart wound closure, comprehensive
      intraoperative control, correction of hemostatic system.

PMID- 28638008
TI  - [The results of pulmonary veins isolation to prevent postoperative atrial
      fibrillation].
AB  - AIM: To compare an efficacy of primary surgical (epicardial bipolar pulmonary
      veins isolation) and pharmacological (amiodarone) prevention of postoperative
      atrial fibrillation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 117 patients with
      coronary artery disease without previous paroxysms of atrial fibrillation who
      were randomized into 3 groups. The first (I) group (n=39) included patients who
      underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without radiofrequency ablation of
      pulmonary veins and prophylactic amiodarone administration. The second (II) group
      (n=38) consisted of patients who received amiodarone as a prevention of
      postoperative atrial fibrillation. In the third (III) group (n=40) simultaneous
      CABG and pulmonary veins isolation were made. RESULTS: The incidence of atrial
      fibrillation in early postoperative period was significantly lower in the 3rd
      group compared with control group (90% vs 69.2%, p=0.021). 1-year freedom from
      atrial fibrillation was 97.5% in group III vs. 84.2% in group II (p=0.004). In
      group I the incidence of early postoperative atrial fibrillation was 30.8% with
      following decrease to 17.9% in 12 months. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous preventive
      pulmonary veins isolation during CABG is safe and effective, significantly
      reduces duration of hospital-stay and incidence of postoperative atrial
      fibrillation.

PMID- 28638009
TI  - [Videolaparoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of diseases simulating acute
      appendicitis].
AB  - AIM: To analyze videolaparoscopic diagnosis and treatment of abdominal pathology
      simulating acute appendicitis (AA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: For the period 2008
      2015 at Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care 2784 patients with
      suspected AA underwent clinical, laboratory and ultrasonic examination. Depending
      on survey results patients were divided into 2 groups. Group I included 1352
      (48.6%) patients with AA, group II - 1432 (51.4%) patients with suspected AA. All
      of them underwent videolaparoscopy. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Videolaparoscopy
      confirmed AA in 1308 (96.7%) patients of group I and 856 (59,8%) patients of
      group II. In the 1st group 36 (2.7%) patients had pathology simulating AA and 8
      (0.6%) patients had not organic changes; in the 2nd group these values were 462
      (32.3%) and 114 (7.9%) respectively. Absence of organic changes was explained by
      functional bowel disorders. In 95 (3.4%) out of 498 (17.9%) patients of both
      groups with simulating diseases videolaparoscopy was made and in 49 (1.8%) cases
      indications for laparotomy were established. In 354 (12.7%) patients with
      simulating diseases and 122 (4.4%) patients without organic changes operations
      were not carried out. CONCLUSION: Videolaparoscopy in patients scheduled for
      appendectomy or with unclear clinical picture allows to diagnose various forms of
      AA, simulating diseases and to perform necessary surgery.

PMID- 28638011
TI  - [Collagen types ratio in prediction of postoperative ventral hernias].
AB  - AIM: To analyze collagen types ratio in skin and aponeurosis in order to predict
      postoperative ventral hernias. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial included 141
      patients for the period 2012-2015. Group I (n=65) of patients without ventral
      hernias was divided into subgroup AI (primary operation, n=41) and BI (re
      operation, n=24). Group II consisted of 76 patients with ventral hernias. We
      performed histological examination of skin and aponeurosis to define the collagen
      structure of connective tissue. RESULTS: There were significant differences
      between collagen type I/III ratio in skin (2.81+/-0.52 in group I vs. 1.13+/-0.48
      in group II) and aponeurosis (2.69+/-0.41 vs. 1.09+/-0.21, respectively,
      p<=0.05). We revealed strong direct correlation (r=+0.92) between aponeurosis and
      skin specimens in one group. Collagen type I level was 73.81+/-2.74% in subgroup
      AI and 72.03+/-2.47% in subgroup BI. Collagen type I was predominant (p<=0.05).
      CONCLUSION: In patients with ventral hernias collagen type I/III ratio in skin is
      2.54 times lower than in patients without hernias. Significant correlation of
      collagen types in skin and aponeurosis (r= +0.92) allows to predict the risk of
      postoperative ventral hernias on basis of skin fragment.

PMID- 28638012
TI  - [Comparative analysis of laparotomy closure techniques].
AB  - AIM: To assess experimentally different laparotomy closure techniques. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: Experimental research on laboratory animals was performed.
      Laboratory animals underwent laparotomy followed by aponeurosis suturing by using
      of interrupted, continuous suture and continuous suture with an arrangement of
      stitches at different levels. Tensometric and histological examination of tissue
      specimens together with sutures was made in 7, 14, 60 days after surgery.
      RESULTS: Correlation of laparotomy closure technique with values of durability,
      elasticity and wound process course was obtained. CONCLUSION: Continuous suture
      after laparotomy promotes the formation of more mature granulation tissue and
      more solid scar with low elasticity compared with interrupted sutures.

PMID- 28638010
TI  - [Evaluating an effectiveness of surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux
      disease combined with hiatal hernia].
AB  - AIM: To assess an effectiveness of surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux
      disease (GERD) combined with hiatal hernia (HH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial
      included 96 patients with GERD and HH who were divided into 2 groups. The
      principal difference between groups was the use of surgery in the main group and
      therapeutic treatment in the comparison group. RESULTS: The effectiveness of
      surgical treatment is superior to therapeutic treatment of GERD by more than 2.5
      times. CONCLUSION: HH combined with GERD is an indication for surgical treatment.
      Fundoplication cuff should not lead to angular and rotational esophageal
      deformation. Nissen procedure in Donahue modification (Short Floppy Nissen)
      simulates optimally the geometry of esophago-gastric junction and His angle.

PMID- 28638014
TI  - [Sliding ingvinal haernias in children].
AB  - AIM: To study the features of diagnosis and treatment of children with sliding
      inguinal hernias. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 30-year experience of treatment of 19
      boys with sliding inguinal hernia and 1 boy with bilateral sliding femoral hernia
      was analyzed. RESULTS: 14 out of all children with inguinal and femoral hernia
      admitted with the diagnosis of incarcerated inguinal hernia. Accurate diagnosis
      was established during the operation as a rule. Surgical treatment of sliding
      hernias in children presents some difficulties. Intraoperative injury of bladder
      was observed in 2 children with sliding inguinal hernia. All children with
      sliding hernias have recovered after surgery. CONCLUSION: Sliding inguinal hernia
      in children are rare, sliding femoral hernia is even rarer. In most cases
      children with sliding inguinal hernias are diagnosed with incarcerated inguinal
      hernia. Colon and bladder as the elements of sliding inguinal hernias remain
      viable after infringement.

PMID- 28638013
TI  - [Surgical treatment of diabetic neuroosteoarthropathy (DNOAP) and its long-term
      results].
AB  - AIM: To develop pathogenetically justified surgical treatment of diabetic
      neuroosteoarthropathy (DNOAP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 52 patients were operated
      and long-term results were studied in 36 of them. 2 groups were assessed
      depending on completeness of surgical treatment including changed synovial
      structures removal. Tarso-metatarsal arthrodesis was created after synovectomy in
      median foot to restore longitudinal arch. Cruro-calcaneal neoarthrosis was
      performed after elimination of posterior focus of DNOAP. Excision of large, deep
      plantar ulcer (or osteomyelitic fistula) was completed by tissues tension with
      needles for primary wound healing. RESULTS: DNOAP patients are tolerant against
      surgical infection that is decreased in patients with neuropathic form of
      diabetic foot syndrome. Skin plasty is followed by rejection in DNOAP that was
      cured with prednisolone. Deep suppurations complicating foot skeleton
      fragmentation have subacute course and do not lead to sepsis. Infected wounds
      heal by primary intention in 98% after closure with primary suture. It was
      empirically found that synovectomy and osteochondral detritus removal discontinue
      DNOAP course. Reconstructive surgical stage is aimed to restoring the shape and
      function of the foot. Analysis of long-term outcomes showed absence of DNOAP
      signs in 76.2+/-9.2% of cases after radical surgery and positive results of
      treatment in 97.2+/-2.7% of patients. CONCLUSION: Our data conceptually assume
      the possibility of autoimmune mechanism in DNOAP pathogenesis. On this basis
      pathogenetically reasonable surgical procedures are established to interrupt
      pathological process. These interventions differ by technological aspects only
      depending on middle or rear foot destruction.

PMID- 28638015
TI  - [Microelemental homeostasis correction of and oxidative stress in patients with
      acute intestinal obstruction].
AB  - AIM: To improve the results of treatment of patients with acute small bowel
      obstruction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research is based on the results of a
      comprehensive survey 202 people with acute small bowel obstruction. Reamberin was
      used in 102 patients treatment. RESULTS: It was established that metalloenzymes
      take an active part in the formation of endotoxemia in people with acute small
      bowel obstruction. Also, in patients as a result of an imbalance between oxidant
      and antioxidant systems, accumulated a significant amount of lipid peroxidation
      products, along with it a decrease activity of enzymes of antioxidant system.
      reamberin application in complex treatment of acute small bowel obstruction
      provided the reduction in the time correction of oxidative stress by preventing
      the growth and activity of lipid peroxidation products with simultaneous
      stimulation of the antioxidant system and contributed to the normalization of
      microelement homeostasis.

PMID- 28638016
TI  - [Atrioventricular junction reconstruction in severe calcification of mitral
      fibrous annulus].

PMID- 28638017
TI  - [Intraoperative disinfection, sterilization and repeated use of infected titanium
      implant in treatment of scalp radial ulcer with recurrent meningioma].

PMID- 28638018
TI  - [Results of treatment of gastric cancer and metachromic metastases in liver and
      lungs].

PMID- 28638019
TI  - [Extracorporeal circulation in cardiac surgery: state of the problem].

PMID- 28638020
TI  - [Anatomico-morphological justification of nerve-sparing lymphodissection for
      breast cancer].

PMID- 28638021
TI  - [Right ventricular dysfunction after tetralogy of Fallot repair: are all
      questions resolved?]

PMID- 28638022
TI  - [Resolution of National Surgical Congress. April 8, 2017, Moscow].

PMID- 28638023
TI  - [The development of ideas about the organization of the speech system].
AB  - This work represents an insight into a problem of studying one of the higher
      mental functions of humans - speech, its primary role in the development of man
      as a biosocial being. Various concepts of speech and the problem of the dominance
      of cerebral hemispheres in language function are analyzed. It touched upon the
      ontogenesis of hemispheric asymmetry. The problem of 'codominance' of right and
      left hemispheres depending on the nature of the task solving by the subject and
      the functional level of information processing is discussed. The authors
      highlight that the problem has an interdisciplinary nature, it is marked at the
      junction of neurophysiology, neuropsychology, neurology and defectology.

PMID- 28638025
TI  - [Music therapy as an effective method of neurorehabilitation].
AB  - AIM: To assess the role of music therapy in the recovery of motor, speech and
      autonomic functions in patients with ischemic stroke (II). MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Forty-five patients with II in the middle cerebral artery were examined. The
      patients were randomized into three groups (main, comparison and control) of 15
      individuals each. With patients of the first and the second groups on the 3rd,
      5th, 7th and 9th days of the rehabilitation period the special set of exercises
      with music and without that respectively was fulfilled. The third group received
      a basic set of physical exercises (a control group).The third group was control.
      Dynamics of patients' state was estimated by the NIHSS, the Rivermead Mobility
      Index, the Action Research Arm Test and the modified scale for speech evaluation
      on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th day of disease. A study of cardiorespiratory
      synchronization was conducted since the 6th day of stroke. RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSION: The statistically significant efficacy of music therapy was shown for
      all parameters. The authors suggest that neuroplasticity may underlie the
      mechanisms of the programs used in the study.

PMID- 28638024
TI  - [Diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment in adults with attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder].
AB  - AIM: To qualify cognitive impairment in adults with attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and evaluate the efficacy of memoplant in the
      treatment of this pathology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors present the
      results of the clinical, psychological and electroencephalographic examination of
      40 patients with ADHD, aged from 18 to 45 years. All patients received memoplant
      in dose of 240 mg a day for 8 weeks. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Adult patients with
      ADHD were characterized by both subjective and objective disorders of memory and
      attention. The results of the electroencephalographic study suggested the
      dysfunction of the frontal-thalamic regulatory system and the lack of non
      specific activation of the reticular formation. After treatment, clinical
      improvement was observed in 24 patients (60.0%). Repeated psychological and
      neuropsychological examinations showed a reduction of inattention and improvement
      of memory performance.

PMID- 28638026
TI  - [Analysis of the efficacy of reflexology in the complex treatment of chronic
      migraine].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effect of different reflexology techniques on main clinical
      indices of patients with chronic migraine, the number of analgesics used and
      dynamics of chronic migraine comorbid disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study
      included 84 patients (60 women (71.5%) and 24 men (28.5%)), aged from 18 to 63
      years, with a diagnosis of chronic migraine. Patients were randomized in 4 groups
      - Su Jok (n=22), acupuncture (n=22), electroacupuncture (n=20), control (n=20).
      Topiramate was administered in all groups in dose of 100 mg daily. Patients were
      evaluated before treatment, after 4 and 16 weeks from randomization. RESULTS:
      There was a marked regression in frequency of headache in reflexological groups
      in comparison with the control. The number of days with headache was 19+/-1.12 at
      baseline and 6.57+/-1.3 days after treatment in the Su Jok group; 21.6+/-1.688
      and 7+/-1.786 days in the acupuncture group; 20.25+/-1.97 and 5.75+/-0.633 days
      in the electroacupuncture group. Each of the methods had an impact on various
      clinical aspects of chronic migraine and comorbid disorders: Su Jok was most
      effective in treatment of autonomic disorders, the use of acupuncture resulted in
      the significant reduction of headache intensity and regression of anxiety
      disorders. The electroacupuncture group showed a significant increase in pain
      threshold and the least number of days with headache per month. CONCLUSION:
      Reflexotherapy is a method of choice in the complex treatment of patients with
      chronic migraine. Taking into account complex diagnosis, the individually
      oriented approach in prescribing of different reflexology techniques for
      successful treatment and subsequent rehabilitation of patients with chronic
      migraine is required.

PMID- 28638027
TI  - [The drug-drug interactions in a psychiatric hospital].
AB  - An analysis of 132 drugs used in a psychiatric hospital for the estimation of the
      possibility of drug-drug interactions has been carried out. It has been
      established that one in five potential combination has a drug-drug interaction
      with clinically significant interactions being more frequent. Psychotropic drugs
      occupy a leading position in the number of such interactions. This analysis is
      able to improve the safety of the combined pharmacotherapies by choosing an
      alternative drug, correction of dose or active monitoring of the clinical
      condition of the patient, including laboratory and instrumental data.

PMID- 28638028
TI  - [Main directions of differential diagnosis optimization and rational treatment of
      an acute vertigo attack].
AB  - AIM: To develop and assess the validity of the clinical algorithm VERTIGO for the
      differential diagnosis of central and peripheral vertigo and optimization of
      treatment of patients with vertigo. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-five patients
      with an acute attack of vertigo, aged from 18 to 75 years (53+/-6.7 years), were
      studied. All patients underwent standard neurological examination. In case of
      signs of central vertigo, patients underwent neuroimaging. Diagnostic accuracy,
      sensitivity and specificity of the VERTIGO algorithm as well as its positive and
      negative prognostic values were calculated. RESULTS: The sensitivity of VERTIGO
      for the diagnosis of central vertigo was 100% (95% CI: 78.2-100%), specificity
      94.0% (95% CI: 83.5-98.8%), positive prognostic value 83.3% (95% CI: 58.6-96.4%);
      negative prognostic value 100% (95% CI: 92.5-100%). Cohen's kappa estimated by
      the results of final diagnosis was 0.88. CONCLUSION: Differential treatment of
      patients with acute vertigo should be performed according to the current
      recommendations and include multimodal pharmacological medications, e.g. cavinton
      forte, to restore the vestibular control by the stimulation of neuroplasticity.
      The VERTIGO algorithm allows the increase of the efficacy of clinical
      differential diagnosis of central and peripheral vertigo.

PMID- 28638029
TI  - [Pharmacotherapy of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: the
      results of a multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled study of hopantenic
      acid].
AB  - AIM: To assess the efficacy and safety of hopantenic acid (pantogam) compared to
      placebo in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in
      children, aged from 6 to 12 years, during 4 month in the prospective multicenter
      comparative double-blind placebo-controlled study in parallel groups. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: One hundred patients enrolled in the safety assessment population
      were stratified into two equal pantogam and placebo groups. Eighty-nine patients
      who completed the study in according to the protocol were included in the
      efficacy assessment group: 45 in the pantogam group and 44 in the placebo group.
      Pantogam was administered in tablets (250 mg) in the therapeutic dose 30 mg/kg of
      body mass, divided into 2 doses, during 4 month. Patient's state was assessed by
      the total score on ADHD-DSM-IV, CGI-S WFIRS-P and results of the Toulouse-Pieron
      test for sustained attention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was a trend towards
      an increase in the percentage of patients with positive changes (a decrease in
      the total ADHD-DSM-IV by >=25%) in the end of the 3rd and 4th month in the
      pantogam group (treatment response was 66.7 and 68.9%, respectively) compared to
      the placebo group (treatment response was 52.3 and 61.4%, respectively). A
      significant decrease in disease severity assessed by the CGI-S was noted in the
      pantogam group compared to the placebo group. After 4 month of treatment with
      pantogam, the severity of functional disturbances was reduced by 4 out of 6 WFIRS
      P domains: Family, School and learning, Child's self-concept and Risky
      activities. Pantogam improved the measures of sustained attention (accuracy and
      speed) in the Toulouse-Pieron test. The drug used in mean daily dose 30 mg/kg
      during 4 month had a favorable safety profile which did not differ from that of
      placebo.

PMID- 28638030
TI  - [Characteristics of cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with cognitive
      impairment in Parkinson's disease].
AB  - AIM: To study the relationship between early cognitive impairment symptoms and
      cerebral glucose metabolism in different brain regions (according to the positron
      emission tomography (PET) data) in Parkinson's disease (PD) in order to increase
      the diagnostic and treatment efficacy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two groups of
      patients with PD (stage I-III), including 11 patients without cognitive disorders
      and 13 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), were examined. The control group
      included 10 age-matched people with normal cognition. To evaluate cognitive
      state, the Mini mental state examination (MMSE), the Frontal assessment battery
      (FAB) and the 'clock drawing test' were used. The regional cerebral glucose
      metabolism rate (CMRglu) was assessed using PET with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose
      (FDG). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In PD patients, CMRglu were decreased in the
      frontal (Brodmann areas (BA) 9, 10, 11, 46, 47), occipital (BA 19) and parietal
      (BA 39), temporal (BA 20, 37), and cingulate cortex (BA 32) compared to the
      control group. Cerebral glucose metabolism was decreased in the frontal (BA 8, 9,
      10, 45, 46, 47), parietal (BA 7, 39, 40) and cingulate cortex (BA 23, 24, 31, 32)
      in the group of PD patients with MCI compared to PD patients with normal
      cognition. Hypometabolism in BA 7, 8, 23, 24, 31, 40 was revealed only in
      comparison of PD and PD-MCI groups, and did not appear in case of comparison of
      cognitively normal PD patients with the control group. It is possible to suggest
      that the mentioned above brain areas were associated with cognitive impairment.
      The revealed glucose hypometabolism pattern possibly has the diagnostic value for
      the early and preclinical diagnosis of MCI in PD and control of treatment
      efficacy.

PMID- 28638031
TI  - [Anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of emoxipine, reamberin and mexidol in
      experimental diabetes mellitus].
AB  - AIM: To perform a comparative study of anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of
      derivatives of 3-oxypyridine and succinic acid (emoxipine, reamberin and mexidol)
      in experimental diabetes mellitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An effect of emoxipine,
      reamberin and mexidol on manifestations of anxiety in 'elevated plus maze' (EPM)
      and duration of 'desperate behavior' (DB) in Porsolt test in rats with alloxan
      diabetes during medication course was studied. Alpha-lipoic (thioctic) acid
      (alpha-LA) was used as a reference drug. In additional experimental series, an
      effect of emoxipine, reamberin, mexidol and alpha-LA on the intensity of
      hyperglycemia in experimental DM was investigated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All
      studied medications used in doses equivalent to therapeutic range in humans and
      administered for 14 days significantly reduced manifestations of anxiety and
      depression in rats with alloxan diabetes. The most pronounced anxiolytic
      potential was demonstrated for emoxipine that emerged as the only medication in
      the study that reduced manifestations of anxiety not only in comparison with
      'alloxan diabetes-control' groups but also in comparison to 'intact control'. The
      intensity of tranquilizing activity of derivatives of 3-oxypyridine and succinic
      acid was similar to that of alpha-LA while the thymoanaleptic activity, when the
      drugs were administered in maximal doses to rats with experimental DM, was
      higher. Both emoxipine and mexidol as well as alpha-LA in all studied doses
      significantly decreased hyperglycemia in alloxan diabetes. Reamberin demonstrated
      only insignificant tendencies of the same trend.

PMID- 28638032
TI  - [Association of polymorphic variants of PIP5K2A and HTR2C genes with response to
      antidepressant therapy of patients with a current depressive episode].
AB  - AIM: To study the association between polymorphisms of PIP5K2A and HTR2C genes
      and response to antidepressant therapy in patients with a current depressive
      episode. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 222 patients (168 women and 54
      men) with a current depressive episode. The assessment of the severity of the
      current depressive episode and the efficacy of treatment was performed using the
      Hamilton depression scale (HDRS-17) and the Clinical global impression scale (CGI
      S, CGI-I). The association of treatment efficacy with PIP5K2A polymorphisms
      rs10430590, rs10828317 and HTR2C polymorphisms rs6318, rs569959, rs3813929,
      rs12858300 was studied. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms rs10828317 and
      rs10430590 in the PIP5K2A gene were associated with the CGI-S total score at day
      28 of therapy. Polymorphism rs6318 in the HTR2C gene was associated with response
      to antidepressant therapy followed by clinical improvement of patients with
      current depressive episode on the 28th day of antidepressant therapy.

PMID- 28638033
TI  - [The biomarkers of cerebral ischemia as a new method for the validation of the
      efficacy of cytoprotective therapy].
AB  - AIM: To study blood plasma concentrations of NR2-peptide in patients with
      ischemic stroke (IS) to assess its diagnostic value as a biomarker of cerebral
      ischemia and determine the dynamics of the biomarker during treatment with
      cortexin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients, aged from 18 to
      70 years, including 36 with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and 84 with IS in the
      carotid territory (n=70) and vertebral/basilar territory with the Wallenberg
      Zakharchenko syndrome (n=14), were enrolled. The National Institute of Health
      Stroke scale (NIHSS) was used to assess neurological status. Blood plasma
      concentration of NR2-peptide was measured in all patients at admission and after
      treatment. All laboratory results were compared with neuroimaging (MRI, CT) data.
      RESULTS: Concentrations of NR2-peptide detected in all patients were higher than
      in controls (>1.5 ng/ml), p<0.0001. The direct correlation between NR2-peptide
      (from 3.38 ng/ml to 15.6 ng/ml) and ischemic lesion (from few to 80 mm) was
      observed. A decrease in NR2-peptide concentration (from 8.5 to 5,.9 ng/ml,
      p<0.0001) was noted in patients treated with cortexin after 10-day treatment
      course. CONCLUSION: NR2-peptide blood assay is a reliable hemotest of brain
      ischemia. Cortexin has a sufficient therapeutic efficacy.

PMID- 28638034
TI  - [Post-graduated education and medical pedagogics: a new approach based on the
      competence-oriented educational program for neurologists in the field of children
      epileptology].
AB  - The highly qualified performance of jobs according to professional standards due
      to the reformed system of additional professional education is one of the
      objectives of practical health care. The development of the educational program
      'Children epileptology. Clinical, diagnostic and treatment issues' for increasing
      the qualification of neurologists was based on the competent approach that
      orients the content and process of education on the formation of competence in
      work performance. Work performance, in its turn, allowed the determination of
      professional tasks by neurologists. Module principles used in the development of
      the Program provided its structuration in accordance to step by step formation of
      physician competencies aimed to solve professional tasks. In its turn,
      professional tasks determined a choice of didactic conditions of each educational
      module (form, methods and means of education) that leads to the achievement of
      planned results.

PMID- 28638035
TI  - [The abnomal personalities in the conception of H. Gruhle].
AB  - Understanding of psychopathic personality in the conception of H. Gruhle, a
      famous German psychiatrist, is analyzed. The issue that the psychopathic
      personality is accidentally combined with mental illness, psychosis is
      contradictory to the conception of 'general degenerative constitution';
      psychopathology can be isolated and transient. There is absence of age criteria
      in the diagnosis of psychopathy as well. The initial attempt of H. Gruhle to
      systematically consider all types of psychopathy was not well substantiated,
      therefore the author returned to Kraepelin's systematics of psychopathic
      personality according to prominent traid.

PMID- 28638036
TI  - [Seronegative nonparaneoplastic Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome].
AB  - The authors studied two patients with Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) in
      whom the repeated examination did not find specific of LEMS P/Q type voltage
      gates calcium channel autoantibodies. The results of clinical testing and
      electrophysiological examination showed the typical character of movement
      disorders with the absence of tendon reflexes and signs of disautonomia as well
      as a decrease in M-response amplitude and phenomena of decrement with low
      frequency- and increment with high frequency stimulation. Both patients revealed
      no signs of paraneoplastic process. Autoimmune character of the damage was
      confirmed by the effectiveness of treatment with glucocorticoid hormones.

PMID- 28638037
TI  - [Melatonin in therapy of sleep disorders age-related estrogen deficiency].
AB  - AIM: To assess quantitative characteristics of sleep in perimenopausal women
      treated with melatonin in a dose of 3 mg during 3 month. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A
      study included 21 perimenopausal women with sleep disorders. Seventeen women
      completed the study. Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), anamnestic and gynecological
      examinations, polysomnographic monitoring (PSM) were used. All patients received
      melatonin (melaxen) 30 min before going to bed in a dose of 3 mg daily during 3
      month. RESULTS: Insomnia was confirmed by PSM. The dynamics of PSM demonstrated
      the improvement of the latency to sleep onset, total sleep efficiency and
      increase in percentage of REM-sleep. A significant number of EEG activation
      responses showed a decrease in sleep fragmentation and improvement of the
      structure of sleep segments. CONCLUSION: The use of melatonin drugs, including
      melaxen in a dose of 3 mg during 3 month, is one of the main methods of treatment
      of sleep disorders in age-related estrogen deficiency. The main clinical effect
      was due to the elimination of pre- and intrasomnic disorders.

PMID- 28638038
TI  - [A current view on the history of atypical antipsychotics].
AB  - Based on the analysis of the original literature, the author for the first time
      systemizes the data on the story of atypical antipsychotic drugs. The history of
      introduction of the first atypical neuroleptics - clozapine and sulpiride, which
      launched the dichotomic development of psychopharmacology of atypical
      antipsychotics, is described. Historical facts on the introduction into practice
      of different sulpiride- and clozapine-like neuroleptics as well as the
      relationship of their history with the elaboration of dopamine and serotonin
      hypotheses of mechanisms of action of antipsychotics are presented. The author
      analyzes the efficacy and tolerability of treatment with different atypical
      neuroleptics. An importance of evidence-based medicine principles in the history
      of atypical antipsychotics is described. A significance of the history of some
      atypical and typical (pericyazine) neuroleptics in the evolution of conceptions
      on the validity of evidence-based medicine in psychiatry is evaluated. Main
      stages in the history of typical and atypical antipsychotics are determined.

PMID- 28638039
TI  - [Headache immunology].
AB  - The overview is dedicated to the neuroimmunological mechanisms of headache
      development and chronification. Based on the analyzed data, the authors
      determined the relationship between immunological parameters and duration,
      intensity and other characteristics of this disease. These findings confirm that
      immunocompetent cells can be used as headache biomarkers and predictors of
      treatment efficacy. Questions about the role of separate parts of the immune
      system in the development and maintenance of a headache require further research.
      Studies of humoral immunity appeared to be very promising.

PMID- 28638040
TI  - [Complex application 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-succinate and vinpocetine
      in cerebrovascular disorder.]
AB  - Developing brain ischemia due to cerebral vascularization leads to disruption of
      brain metabolism. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion leads to irreversible brain
      damage and plays an important role in the development of some types of dementia.
      Early use of antioxidants such as ethyl ether apovincamine acid (vinpocetine) and
      2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-succinate in the treatment of this pathology
      is seen as a real pathogenetically based method of correction of cerebral
      metabolism with cerebral vascular disorders, demonstrating the increase in
      cerebral blood flow and also neuroprotective effects. Clinical studies and
      studies on biological models show that the main mechanisms of action of
      vinpocetine and 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine-succinate, although have a
      similar focus, but implementing neuroprotective and nootropic effects via various
      links in the pathogenesis of ischemic brain damage.

PMID- 28638041
TI  - [The presumption of mental health: is it really proved?]
AB  - The article is devoted to one of the most complicated and peculiar problems of
      modern psychiatry - the presumption of mental health. Its originality is seen in
      the fact that practically all speaking and writing about it noted the importance
      of this principle for the protection of rights and legal interests of citizens,
      failing into the field of psychiatry. However, expressing this opinion, doctors
      and lawyers offer very few arguments in support of this view. Traditional
      arguments in favor of the presumption of mental health, scattered and
      unsystematic, prove to be absolutely insolvent. It was also found out that the
      similarity of the presumption of mental health with the presumption of innocence
      is capable to entail negative consequences. The noted similarity strengthens
      stigmatizing effect of psychiatric diagnosis, making it extremely undesirable for
      the patient, and the basis of the relationship between the patient and the doctor
      laid counterproductive antagonistic model as the model of mutual relations of the
      accused with the prosecutor. The main conclusion of authors is that the
      supporters of the presumption of mental health have yet to prove its right to
      exist, to work out its content and try to neutralize some of the negative
      consequences of its possible implementation in practice. Without compliance with
      the listed conditions to bring the presumption of mental health to the level of
      one of the fundamental principles of Russian psychiatry would be premature.

PMID- 28638042
TI  - [About the measures taken to improve the mental health service in the Republic of
      Uzbekistan for 2013-2016].

PMID- 28638043
TI  - [The resolution of Expert Board meeting 'Advanced stage of Parkinson's disease.
      Possibilities of the transition to non-invasive methods of treatment'. Moscow.
      Dec16 2016].

PMID- 28638044
TI  - [A.A. Mikhailenko, A.N. Kuznetsov, N.S. Il'insky 'Science, art and ill nerves' M.
      RANS, 2014. 216 p. 2nd Ed. 2016, 290 p.]

PMID- 28638045
TI  - Treatment of sarcopenia and glucose intolerance through mitochondrial activation
      by 5-aminolevulinic acid.
AB  - Recently, sarcopenia has attracted attention as therapeutic target because it
      constitutes a risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. We focused 5
      aminolevulinic acid (ALA) which act as electron carriers in the mitochondrial
      electron transport system. The mice that received ALA for 8 weeks gained muscle
      strength and endurance, and exhibited increased muscle mass and mitochondrial
      amount. Administration of ALA to sarcopenia mice aged 100 weeks and chronic
      kidney disease (CKD) model mice also increased muscle mass and improved physical
      performance. Metabolome analysis revealed increased branched-chain amino acids
      (BCAAs) levels in the skeletal muscle of ALA-treated mice. Quantitative PCR
      analysis revealed decreased expression levels in branched-chain amino acid
      transaminases (BCATs) that degrade BCAAs and other muscle-degrading factors, and
      increased levels of mitochondria-activating factors. We also studied in cultured
      myocytes and obtained compatible results. ALA-treated mice tended to increase
      body weight, but reduced blood glucose level. These suggested that ALA treatment
      not only activated muscle mitochondria but also enhanced muscle mass through an
      increase in BCAAs contents, as to improve muscle strength, endurance and glucose
      tolerance in mice. In these ways, muscle mitochondrial activation with ALA is
      suggested to be useful for the treatment of sarcopenia and glucose intolerance.

PMID- 28638046
TI  - A note on the stationary distribution of stochastic SEIR epidemic model with
      saturated incidence rate.
AB  - The stochastic SEIR infectious diseases model with saturated incidence rate is
      studied in this paper. By constructing appropriate Lyapunov functions, we show
      that there is a stationary distribution for the system and the ergodicity holds
      provided [Formula: see text] > 1. In particular, we improve the results obtained
      by previous studies greatly, condition in our Theorem is more concise and
      elegant.

PMID- 28638047
TI  - Semi-rational engineering of a thermostable aldo-keto reductase from Thermotoga
      maritima for synthesis of enantiopure ethyl-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyrate (EHPB).
AB  - A novel aldo-keto reductase Tm1743 characterized from Thermotoga maritima was
      explored as an effective biocatalyst in chiral alcohol production. Natural Tm1743
      catalyzes asymmetric reduction of ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyrate (EOPB) at high
      efficiency, but the production of, ethyl (S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyrate ((S)
      EHPB), which is less desirable, is preferred with an enantiomeric excess (ee)
      value of 76.5%. Thus, altering the enantioselectivity of Tm1743 to obtain the
      more valuable product (R)-EHPB for angiotensin drug synthesis is highly desired.
      In this work, we determined the crystal structure of Tm1743 in complex with its
      cofactor NADP+ at 2.0 A resolution, and investigated the enantioselectivity of
      Tm1743 through semi-rational enzyme design. Molecular simulations based on the
      crystal structure obtained two binding models representing the pro-S and pro-R
      conformations of EOPB. Saturation mutagenesis studies revealed that Trp21 and
      Trp86 play important roles in determining the enantioselectivity of Tm1743. The
      best (R)- and (S)-EHPB preferring Tm1743 mutants, denoted as W21S/W86E and
      W21L/W118H, were identified; their ee values are 99.4% and 99.6% and the
      catalytic efficiencies are 0.81 and 0.12 mM-1s-1, respectively. Our work presents
      an efficient strategy to improve the enantioselectivity of a natural biocatalyst,
      which will serve as a guide for further exploration of new green catalysts for
      asymmetric reactions.

PMID- 28638048
TI  - Maternal folate deficiency causes inhibition of mTOR signaling, down-regulation
      of placental amino acid transporters and fetal growth restriction in mice.
AB  - Maternal folate deficiency is linked to restricted fetal growth, however the
      underlying mechanisms remain to be established. Here we tested the hypothesis
      that mTOR functions as a folate sensor in vivo in mice and that maternal folate
      deficiency inhibits placental mTOR signaling and amino acid transporter activity
      and causes fetal growth restriction. Folate deficient mice had lower serum folate
      (-60%). In late pregnancy, fetal weight in the folate deficient group was
      decreased (-17%, p < 0.05), whereas placental weight, litter size and crown rump
      length were unaltered. Maternal folate deficiency inhibited placental mTORC1 and
      mTORC2 signaling and decreased trophoblast plasma membrane System A and L amino
      acid transporter activities and transporter isoform expression. Folate deficiency
      also caused a decrease in phosphorylation of specific functional readouts of
      mTORC1 and mTORC2 signaling in multiple maternal and fetal tissues. We have
      identified a novel specific molecular link between maternal folate availability
      and fetal growth, involving regulation of placental mTOR signaling by folate,
      resulting in changes in placental nutrient transport. mTOR folate sensing may
      have broad biological significance because of the critical role of folate in
      normal cell function and the wide range of disorders, including cancer, that have
      been linked to folate availability.

PMID- 28638049
TI  - Immunomodulatory Effects of Nanoparticles on Skin Allergy.
AB  - In recent years there has been considerable effort to understand the interaction
      of nanomaterials with the skin. In this study we use an in vivo mouse model of
      allergic contact dermatitis to investigate how nanoparticles (NPs) may alter
      allergic responses in skin. We investigate a variety of NPs that vary in size,
      charge and composition. Results show that small (<200 nm) negative and neutral
      charged NPs exhibit an immunosuppressive effect but that positively charged NPs
      do not. Confocal imaging suggests positively charged NPs may penetrate skin to a
      lesser extent and thereby are less able interact with and alter the local immune
      responses. Interestingly, negatively charged silica (20 nm) NPs suppress allergic
      response to two chemically distinct sensitizers; 1-fluoro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene and
      2-deoxyurushiol. Skin wiping and NP application time studies suggest that the
      immunomodulatory mechanism is not due solely to the blocking of sensitizer adduct
      formation in skin. Results suggest that NPs modulate early immune events that
      impact mast cell degranulation. Our study shows for the first time the potential
      to modulate the elicitation phase of the allergic response which depends on the
      NP charge and composition. These finding can be used to inform the design topical
      therapeutics to mitigate allergic responses in skin.

PMID- 28638050
TI  - De novo yeast genome assemblies from MinION, PacBio and MiSeq platforms.
AB  - Long-read sequencing technologies such as Pacific Biosciences and Oxford Nanopore
      MinION are capable of producing long sequencing reads with average fragment
      lengths of over 10,000 base-pairs and maximum lengths reaching 100,000 base-
      pairs. Compared with short reads, the assemblies obtained from long-read
      sequencing platforms have much higher contig continuity and genome completeness
      as long fragments are able to extend paths into problematic or repetitive
      regions. Many successful assembly applications of the Pacific Biosciences
      technology have been reported ranging from small bacterial genomes to large plant
      and animal genomes. Recently, genome assemblies using Oxford Nanopore MinION data
      have attracted much attention due to the portability and low cost of this novel
      sequencing instrument. In this paper, we re-sequenced a well characterized
      genome, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288C strain using three different
      platforms: MinION, PacBio and MiSeq. We present a comprehensive metric comparison
      of assemblies generated by various pipelines and discuss how the platform
      associated data characteristics affect the assembly quality. With a given read
      depth of 31X, the assemblies from both Pacific Biosciences and Oxford Nanopore
      MinION show excellent continuity and completeness for the 16 nuclear chromosomes,
      but not for the mitochondrial genome, whose reconstruction still represents a
      significant challenge.

PMID- 28638051
TI  - Experimental evidence for reciprocity in allogrooming among wild-type Norway
      rats.
AB  - If individuals help more those who have previously helped them, stable
      cooperation may ensue through alternation of roles between donors and recipients.
      Allogrooming, which is costly to donors and beneficial to recipients, is often
      exchanged between social partners. Arguably, allogrooming and allopreening are
      the most frequently exchanged social services and have been used as a standard
      model of reciprocal cooperation. However, evidence for the application of
      reciprocity rules among social partners allogrooming each other hitherto is
      merely correlational. Here, we tested whether female Norway rats (Rattus
      norvegicus) apply the decision rule characterising direct reciprocity: help
      someone who has helped you before, by experimentally manipulating both the need
      for allogrooming and the behavioural response. Furthermore, we checked whether
      trading of grooming services is influenced by the rank of the social partner. We
      show that rats groom social partners reciprocally and prefer to do so up the
      hierarchy, i.e. they groom dominant partners more often than subordinates, while
      reciprocating with both. This provides experimental evidence that animals render
      a costly social service by applying reciprocity decision rules when showing a
      natural hygienic behaviour. The fact that allogrooming is more readily shown up
      the hierarchy may suggest an appeasing function.

PMID- 28638052
TI  - Determination of Crucial Immunogenic Epitopes in Major Peanut Allergy Protein,
      Ara h2, via Novel Nanoallergen Platform.
AB  - Current methods for detection and diagnosis of allergies do not provide epitope
      specific immunogenic information and hence lack critical information that could
      aid in the prediction of clinical responses. To address this issue, we developed
      a nanoparticle based platform, called nanoallergens that enable multivalent
      display of potential allergy epitopes for determining the immunogenicity of each
      IgE binding epitope. By synthesizing nanoallergens that present various epitopes
      from the major peanut allergen, Ara h2, we directly determined the immunogenicity
      of each epitope, alone and in combination with other epitopes, using patient
      sera. This information provided insights on which epitopes are most critical for
      physiological responses to Ara h2 and revealed the importance of both high and
      low affinity epitopes for allergic responses. We anticipate the nanoallergen
      platform to be used to provide information regarding allergic reactions and
      therefore potentially aid in more accurate diagnosis and design of personalized
      treatment options.

PMID- 28638053
TI  - Hard X-rays as pump and probe of atomic motion in oxide glasses.
AB  - Nowadays powerful X-ray sources like synchrotrons and free-electron lasers are
      considered as ultimate tools for probing microscopic properties in materials.
      However, the correct interpretation of such experiments requires a good
      understanding on how the beam affects the properties of the sample, knowledge
      that is currently lacking for intense X-rays. Here we use X-ray photon
      correlation spectroscopy to probe static and dynamic properties of oxide and
      metallic glasses. We find that although the structure does not depend on the
      flux, strong fluxes do induce a non-trivial microscopic motion in oxide glasses,
      whereas no such dependence is found for metallic glasses. These results show that
      high fluxes can alter dynamical properties in hard materials, an effect that
      needs to be considered in the analysis of X-ray data but which also gives novel
      possibilities to study materials properties since the beam can not only be used
      to probe the dynamics but also to pump it.

PMID- 28638055
TI  - Pupil response hazard rates predict perceived gaze durations.
AB  - We investigated the mechanisms for evaluating perceived gaze-shift duration.
      Timing relies on the accumulation of endogenous physiological signals. Here we
      focused on arousal, measured through pupil dilation, as a candidate timing
      signal. Participants timed gaze-shifts performed by face stimuli in a
      Standard/Probe comparison task. Pupil responses were binned according to
      "Longer/Shorter" judgements in trials where Standard and Probe were identical.
      This ensured that pupil responses reflected endogenous arousal fluctuations
      opposed to differences in stimulus content. We found that pupil hazard rates
      predicted the classification of sub-second intervals (steeper dilation = "Longer"
      classifications). This shows that the accumulation of endogenous arousal signals
      informs gaze-shift timing judgements. We also found that participants relied
      exclusively on the 2nd stimulus to perform the classification, providing insights
      into timing strategies under conditions of maximum uncertainty. We observed no
      dissociation in pupil responses when timing equivalent neutral spatial
      displacements, indicating that a stimulus-dependent timer exploits arousal to
      time gaze-shifts.

PMID- 28638056
TI  - Trap Modulated Charge Carrier Transport in Polyethylene/Graphene Nanocomposites.
AB  - The role of trap characteristics in modulating charge transport properties is
      attracting much attentions in electrical and electronic engineering, which has an
      important effect on the electrical properties of dielectrics. This paper focuses
      on the electrical properties of Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE)/graphene
      nanocomposites (NCs), as well as the corresponding trap level characteristics.
      The dc conductivity, breakdown strength and space charge behaviors of NCs with
      the filler content of 0 wt%, 0.005 wt%, 0.01 wt%, 0.1 wt% and 0.5 wt% are
      studied, and their trap level distributions are characterized by isothermal
      discharge current (IDC) tests. The experimental results show that the 0.005 wt%
      LDPE/graphene NCs have a lower dc conductivity, a higher breakdown strength and a
      much smaller amount of space charge accumulation than the neat LDPE. It is
      indicated that the graphene addition with a filler content of 0.005 wt%
      introduces large quantities of deep carrier traps that reduce charge carrier
      mobility and result in the homocharge accumulation near the electrodes. The deep
      trap modulated charge carrier transport attributes to reduce the dc conductivity,
      suppress the injection of space charges into polymer bulks and enhance the
      breakdown strength, which is of great significance in improving electrical
      properties of polymer dielectrics.

PMID- 28638054
TI  - Drug-Repositioning Screening for Keap1-Nrf2 Binding Inhibitors using Fluorescence
      Correlation Spectroscopy.
AB  - The Kelch-like ECH-associating protein 1 (Keap1)-nuclear factor erythroid 2
      related factor 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling pathway is
      the major regulator of cytoprotective responses to oxidative and electrophilic
      stress. The Cul3/Keap1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex interacts with Nrf2, leading
      to Nrf2 ubiquitination and degradation. In this study, we focused on the
      disruption of the Keap1-Nrf2 interaction to upregulate Nrf2 expression and the
      transcription of ARE-controlled cytoprotective oxidative stress response enzymes,
      such as HO-1. We completed a drug-repositioning screening for inhibitors of Keap1
      Nrf2 protein-protein interactions using a newly established fluorescence
      correlation spectroscopy (FCS) screening system. The binding reaction between
      Nrf2 and Keap1 was successfully detected with a KD of 2.6 MUM using our FCS
      system. The initial screening of 1,633 drugs resulted in 12 candidate drugs.
      Among them, 2 drugs significantly increased Nrf2 protein levels in HepG2 cells.
      These two promising drugs also upregulated ARE gene promoter activity and
      increased HO-1 mRNA expression, which confirms their ability to dissociate Nrf2
      and Keap1. Thus, drug-repositioning screening for Keap1-Nrf2 binding inhibitors
      using FCS enabled us to find two promising known drugs that can induce the
      activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway.

PMID- 28638058
TI  - Theoretical analyses on orbital angular momentum modes in conventional graded
      index multimode fibre.
AB  - Orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes are another mode basis to represent spatial
      modes. There have been increasing interests in exploiting OAM modes in specialty
      fibres. In this paper, we present a comprehensive characterisation of OAM modes
      in conventional graded-index multimode fibre (MMF). 1) We synthesise the
      circularly polarized OAM modes by properly combining two fold degenerate
      cylindrical vector modes (eigenmodes) and analyse the total angular momentum,
      i.e. spin angular momentum and orbital angular momentum. 2) We divide all the OAM
      modes of the conventional graded-index MMF into 10 OAM mode groups with effective
      refractive index differences between different mode groups above 10-4 enabling
      low-level inter-group crosstalk. 3) We study the chromatic dispersion,
      differential group delay, effective mode area, and nonlinearity for each OAM mode
      group over a wide wavelength ranging from 1520 to 1630 nm covering the whole C
      band and L band. 4) We discuss the performance tolerance to fibre ellipticity and
      bending. 5) We further address the robustness of performance against fibre
      perturbations including the core size, index contrast and the imperfect index
      profile of the practically fabricated MMFs. The obtained results may provide
      theoretical basis for further space-division multiplexing applications employing
      OAM modes in conventional graded-index MMF.

PMID- 28638057
TI  - The Variation in the Rhizosphere Microbiome of Cotton with Soil Type, Genotype
      and Developmental Stage.
AB  - Plant roots and soil microorganisms interact with each other mainly in the
      rhizosphere. Changes in the community structure of the rhizosphere microbiome are
      influenced by many factors. In this study, we determined the community structure
      of rhizosphere bacteria in cotton, and studied the variation of rhizosphere
      bacterial community structure in different soil types and developmental stages
      using TM-1, an upland cotton cultivar (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and Hai 7124, a sea
      island cotton cultivar (G. barbadense L.) by high-throughput sequencing
      technology. Six bacterial phyla were found dominantly in cotton rhizosphere
      bacterial community including Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes,
      Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia. The abundance of
      Acidobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes and Proteobacteria were
      largely influenced by cotton root. Bacterial alpha-diversity in rhizosphere was
      lower than that of bulk soil in nutrient-rich soil, but higher in cotton
      continuous cropping field soil. The beta-diversity in nutrient-rich soil was
      greater than that in continuous cropping field soil. The community structure of
      the rhizosphere bacteria varied significantly during different developmental
      stages. Our results provided insights into the dynamics of cotton rhizosphere
      bacterial community and would facilitate to improve cotton growth and development
      through adjusting soil bacterial community structure artificially.

PMID- 28638059
TI  - Cis-regulatory evolution in prokaryotes revealed by interspecific archaeal
      hybrids.
AB  - The study of allele-specific expression (ASE) in interspecific hybrids has played
      a central role in our understanding of a wide range of phenomena, including
      genomic imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, and cis-regulatory evolution.
      However across the hundreds of studies of hybrid ASE, all have been restricted to
      sexually reproducing eukaryotes, leaving a major gap in our understanding of the
      genomic patterns of cis-regulatory evolution in prokaryotes. Here we introduce a
      method to generate stable hybrids between two species of halophilic archaea, and
      measure genome-wide ASE in these hybrids with RNA-seq. We found that over half of
      all genes have significant ASE, and that genes encoding kinases show evidence of
      lineage-specific selection on their cis-regulation. This pattern of polygenic
      selection suggested species-specific adaptation to low phosphate conditions,
      which we confirmed with growth experiments. Altogether, our work extends the
      study of ASE to archaea, and suggests that cis-regulation can evolve under
      polygenic lineage-specific selection in prokaryotes.

PMID- 28638061
TI  - A new study on the growth behavior of austenite grains during heating processes.
AB  - In this paper, the effects of the heating temperature and holding time on the
      austenite grain growth of SCM435 steel were studied and analyzed in terms of the
      average, macro-axis and minor-axis size of the grains. The results indicated that
      the classical Sellars model was highly consistent for describing the growth stage
      of the new austenite but poorly described the initial nucleation-growth stage and
      stability stage of the austenite. A new model that expresses the average
      austenite grain growth of SCM435 steel was developed, and the values calculated
      based on this model were highly consistent with the actual measured values. The
      standard deviation and expected grain-size expressions increased as the heating
      temperature and holding time increased. The macro-axis and minor-axis size of the
      grains were linearly correlated with the average size, and the ratio of the macro
      axis to the minor-axis size remained generally constant during grain growth.
      Furthermore, this paper provides a new way of thinking about heredity in
      materials science from the perspective of mathematical characteristics.

PMID- 28638060
TI  - Epidural Dexmedetomidine Reduces the Requirement of Propofol during Total
      Intravenous Anaesthesia and Improves Analgesia after Surgery in Patients
      undergoing Open Thoracic Surgery.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess the systemic and analgesic effects of
      epidural dexmedetomidine in thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA) combined with
      total intravenous anaesthesia during thoracic surgery. Seventy-one patients
      undergoing open thoracotomy were included in this study and randomly divided into
      three groups: Control group (Group C): patients received TEA with levobupivacaine
      alone and were intravenously infused with saline; Epidural group (Group E):
      patients received TEA with levobupivacaine and dexmedetomidine, and were
      intravenously infused with saline; Intravenous group (group V): patients received
      TEA with levobupivacaine alone and were intravenously infused with
      dexmedetomidine. The doses of propofol used in the induction and maintenance of
      general anaesthesia, cardiovascular response, dose and first time of
      postoperative analgesia and verbal rating scale were recorded. The induction and
      maintenance were significantly lower in the Groups E and V. Verbal rating scale
      and postoperative analgesic requirements were significantly lower in Group E than
      in Groups C and V. Patients in Group C had more severe cardiovascular responses,
      as compared with Groups E and V. Epidural administration of dexmedetomidine
      reduced the induction and maintenance of propofol, and inhibited the
      cardiovascular response after intubation and extubation. Moreover, epidural
      dexmedetomidine provided better analgesia after open thoracotomy.

PMID- 28638063
TI  - Crystallisation of the amorphous ices in the intermediate pressure regime.
AB  - The crystallisation behaviour of very high-density amorphous ice (VHDA) and
      unannealed high-density amorphous ice (uHDA) has been studied in situ by
      volumetry and ex situ by powder x-ray diffraction in the intermediate pressure
      range 0.7-1.8 GPa employing different heating rates (0.5, 5 and 30 K min-1). This
      study shows that at pressures >1 GPa the crystallisation behaviour of VHDA and
      uHDA is basically the same for all heating rates. That is, parallel
      crystallisation is almost entirely suppressed with mainly ice XII forming. This
      contrasts former results reporting parallel crystallisation to approximately
      levelled phase mixtures of ice IV and ice XII even at higher pressures for uHDA.
      We speculate this to be due to formation of microcracks upon decompression in
      earlier works, but not in the present one. Crystallisation temperatures T x are
      up to 16 K higher than previously reported, raising the low-temperature border to
      no man's land and opening a considerably larger window for future studies on non
      crystalline water. The results indicate uHDA to contain heterogeneities on the
      nanoscale, but VHDA to be rather homogeneous with nano-crystallites being largely
      absent. Upon transforming uHDA to VHDA, the nano-scale heterogeneities disappear
      for >1 GPa whereas microcracks do not.

PMID- 28638062
TI  - CH2 Linkage Effects on the Reactivity of Bis(aminophosphine)-Ruthenium Complexes
      for Selective Hydrogenation of Esters into Alcohols.
AB  - A novel ruthenium complex binding to two subtly different aminophosphine ligands,
      (o-PPh2C6H4CH2NH2)(o-PPh2C6H4NH2)RuCl2, was successfully isolated. This
      bis(aminophosphine)-ruthenium complex shows efficient activity in both dimethyl
      oxalate (DMO) and methyl benzoate (MB) hydrogenation. On the contrast, similar
      complexes (o-PPh2C6H4NH2)2RuCl2 and (o-PPh2C6H4CH2NH2)2RuCl2, can only
      effectively catalyze the hydrogenation of DMO and MB, respectively. Our
      experimental studies in combination of theoretical calculations reveal that the
      remarkable substrate selectivity in the hydrogenation of esters arises from the
      nonbonding interactions operated by the CH2 linkage of the ligand.

PMID- 28638065
TI  - Colorimetric detection of magnesium (II) ions using tryptophan functionalized
      gold nanoparticles.
AB  - The functional nanoparticles with specific molecular probe appear to be a
      promising approach for developing colorimetric nanosensor. In this work, we have
      synthesized tryptophan capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and used to establish
      colorimetric detection of magnesium (Mg2+). The colorimetric response of the
      AuNPs toward Mg2+ was noticed with naked eyes, and spectral changes were
      monitored by using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The detection response was rapid
      (less than 1 min), with a detection limit (LOD) about 0.2 umol L-1. The proposed
      nanoprobe shows characteristic red-shift of the AuNPs at 620 nm and high
      selectivity for Mg2+ due to the binding affinity of the tryptophan with Mg2+. The
      real-time response of the UV-Vis spectrum was monitored at three different
      concentrations of Mg2+ (0.45, 0.50, and 0.55 umol L-1). The AuNPs probe was
      suitable to provide a molecular platform for selective coordination with Mg2+
      over Ca2+ ions, thus it could be facile to establish a practically viable sensing
      system. Furthermore, experimental results were confirmed to exhibit excellent
      linear curve for urine and serum samples spiked with Mg2+. Thus, this nanosensor
      is practically useful for the detection of Mg2+, without using expensive
      instruments, enzymes and/or DNA molecules.

PMID- 28638066
TI  - Mummified Oligocene fruits of Schima (Theaceae) and their systematic and
      biogeographic implications.
AB  - The genus Schima includes about 20 species and is distributed only in southern
      China and adjacent areas of Asia. The previous molecular phylogenetic analysis
      suggested Schima is in the tribe Gordoniae, along with Gordonia and Franklinia.
      However, because few fossils have been reported, the biogeographic origin of
      Schima is still poorly known. In this paper mummified fossil fruits of Schima are
      described from the upper Oligocene Yongning Formation of the Nanning Basin,
      Guangxi, South China. In gross morphology, the new fossil species, Schima
      kwangsiensis, is similar to the extant S. superba by its pentacarpellate,
      loculicidally dehiscent capsules, 5 imbricate sepals, pedicels with bracteoles
      and marginally winged seeds. Due to its excellent preservation, the new species
      may provide sufficient details for understanding the early evolutionary and
      phytogeographic history of the genus. Morphological clustering analysis shows
      that the new fossil species is closely related to two extant species (S.
      wallichii and S. superba) in the genus, implying that they may belong to an
      ancient taxon that occurs earlier than the others. More importantly, this
      discovery represents the earliest record of this genus in Asia and it explicitly
      moves the fossil record back to the late Oligocene in this region.

PMID- 28638064
TI  - Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Reveals a Role for Collapsin Response Mediator
      Protein 2 in PDGF-Induced Cell Migration.
AB  - The Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) family of ligands have well established
      functions in the induction of cell proliferation and migration during
      development, tissue homeostasis and interactions between tumours and stroma.
      However, the mechanisms by which these actions are executed are incompletely
      understood. Here we report a differential phosphoproteomics study, using a SILAC
      approach, of PDGF-stimulated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). 116 phospho
      sites were identified as up-regulated and 45 down-regulated in response to PDGF
      stimulation. These encompass proteins involved in cell adhesion, cytoskeleton
      regulation and vesicle-mediated transport, significantly expanding the range of
      proteins implicated in PDGF signalling pathways. Included in the down-regulated
      class was the microtubule bundling protein Collapsin Response Mediator Protein 2
      (CRMP2). In response to stimulation with PDGF, CRMP2 was dephosphorylated on
      Thr514, an event known to increase CRMP2 activity. This was reversed in the
      presence of micromolar concentrations of the protein phosphatase inhibitor
      okadaic acid, implicating PDGF-induced activation of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1)
      in CRMP2 regulation. Depletion of CRMP2 resulted in impairment of PDGF-mediated
      cell migration in an in vitro wound healing assay. These results show that CRMP2
      is required for PDGF-directed cell migration in vitro.

PMID- 28638067
TI  - Highly-efficient photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by PoPD-modified
      TiO 2 nanocomposites due to photosensitization-synergetic effect of TiO2 with
      PoPD.
AB  - Poly-o-phenylenediamine modified TiO2 nanocomposites were successfully
      synthesized via an 'in situ' oxidative polymerization method. The modified
      nanocomposites were characterized by BET, XRD, TEM, FT-IR, TGA, XPS, EA and UV
      Vis DRS. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was chosen as a model
      reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of TiO2 and PoPD/TiO2. The
      results indicated that PoPD/TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited good photocatalytic
      activity and stability. The photocatalytic activity of PoPD/TiO2 increased as the
      initial pH increased because of electrostatic adsorption between the
      photocatalyst and MB as well as the generation of .OH, whereas it exhibited an
      earlier increasing and later decreasing trend as the concentration of the
      photocatalyst increased owing to the absorption of visible light. The
      photocatalytic stability of the PoPD/TiO2 nanocomposite was dependent on the
      stability of its structure. Based on radical trapping experiments and ESR
      measurements, the origin of oxidizing ability of PoPD/TiO2 nanocomposites on
      photocatalytic degradation of MB was proposed, which taking into account of .OH
      and .O2- were the first and second important ROS, respectively. The possible
      photocatalytic mechanism and photocatalytic activity enhanced mechanism has been
      proposed, taking into account the photosensitization effect and synergetic effect
      of TiO2 with PoPD.

PMID- 28638068
TI  - Microbiota-derived butyrate suppresses group 3 innate lymphoid cells in terminal
      ileal Peyer's patches.
AB  - The regional specialization of intestinal immune cells is affected by the
      longitudinal heterogeneity of environmental factors. Although the distribution of
      group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) is well characterized in the lamina
      propria, it is poorly defined in Peyer's patches (PPs) along the intestine. Given
      that PP ILC3s are closely associated with mucosal immune regulation, it is
      important to characterize the regulatory mechanism of ILC3s. Here, we found that
      terminal ileal PPs of specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice have fewer NKp46+ ILC3s
      than jejunal PPs, while there was no difference in NKp46+ ILC3 numbers between
      terminal ileal and jejunal PPs in antibiotics (ABX)-treated mice. We also found
      that butyrate levels in the terminal ileal PPs of SPF mice were higher than those
      in the jejunal PPs of SPF mice and terminal ileal PPs of ABX-treated mice. The
      reduced number of NKp46+ ILC3s in terminal ileal PPs resulted in a decrease in
      Csf2 expression and, in turn, resulted in reduced regulatory T cells and enhanced
      antigen-specific T-cell proliferation. Thus, we suggest that NKp46+ ILC3s are
      negatively regulated by microbiota-derived butyrate in terminal ileal PPs and the
      reduced ILC3 frequency is closely associated with antigen-specific immune
      induction in terminal ileal PPs.

PMID- 28638069
TI  - Global profiling of phytohormone dynamics during combined drought and pathogen
      stress in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals ABA and JA as major regulators.
AB  - Global transcriptome studies demonstrated the existence of unique plant responses
      under combined stress which are otherwise not seen during individual stresses. In
      order to combat combined stress plants use signaling pathways and 'cross talk'
      mediated by hormones involved in stress and growth related processes. However,
      interactions among hormones' pathways in combined stressed plants are not yet
      known. Here we studied dynamics of different hormones under individual and
      combined drought and pathogen infection in Arabidopsis thaliana by liquid
      chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based profiling. Our results revealed
      abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) as key regulators under individual
      drought and pathogen stress respectively. Under combined drought and host
      pathogen stress (DH) we observed non-induced levels of ABA with an upsurge in SA
      and jasmonic acid (JA) concentrations, underscoring their role in basal tolerance
      against host pathogen. Under a non-host pathogen interaction with drought (DNH)
      stressed plants, ABA, SA and JA profiles were similar to those under DH or non
      host pathogen alone. We propose that plants use SA/JA dependent signaling during
      DH stress which antagonize ABA biosynthesis and signaling pathways during early
      stage of stress. The study provides insights into hormone modulation at different
      time points during combined stress.

PMID- 28638071
TI  - Emergent stochastic oscillations and signal detection in tree networks of
      excitable elements.
AB  - We study the stochastic dynamics of strongly-coupled excitable elements on a tree
      network. The peripheral nodes receive independent random inputs which may induce
      large spiking events propagating through the branches of the tree and leading to
      global coherent oscillations in the network. This scenario may be relevant to
      action potential generation in certain sensory neurons, which possess myelinated
      distal dendritic tree-like arbors with excitable nodes of Ranvier at peripheral
      and branching nodes and exhibit noisy periodic sequences of action potentials. We
      focus on the spiking statistics of the central node, which fires in response to a
      noisy input at peripheral nodes. We show that, in the strong coupling regime,
      relevant to myelinated dendritic trees, the spike train statistics can be
      predicted from an isolated excitable element with rescaled parameters according
      to the network topology. Furthermore, we show that by varying the network
      topology the spike train statistics of the central node can be tuned to have a
      certain firing rate and variability, or to allow for an optimal discrimination of
      inputs applied at the peripheral nodes.

PMID- 28638070
TI  - Thioesterase YbgC affects motility by modulating c-di-GMP levels in Shewanella
      oneidensis.
AB  - Because of ubiquity of thioesters, thioesterases play a critical role in
      metabolism, membrane biosynthesis, signal transduction, and gene regulation. In
      many bacteria, YbgC is such an enzyme, whose coding gene mostly resides in the
      tol-pal cluster. Although all other proteins encoded in the tol-pal cluster are
      clearly involved in maintaining cell envelope integrity and cell division, little
      is known about the physiological role of YbgC. In this study, we identify in
      Shewanella oneidensis, a gamma-proteobacterium used as a research model for
      environmental microbes, YbgC as a motility regulator. The loss of YbgC results in
      enhanced motility, which is likely due to the increased rotation rate of the
      flagellum. The regulatory function of YbgC requires its thioesterase activity but
      could not be replaced by YbgC homologues of other bacteria. We further show that
      the regulation of YbgC is mediated by the second message c-di-GMP.

PMID- 28638073
TI  - Plasmon-induced selective carbon dioxide conversion on earth-abundant aluminum
      cuprous oxide antenna-reactor nanoparticles.
AB  - The rational combination of plasmonic nanoantennas with active transition metal
      based catalysts, known as 'antenna-reactor' nanostructures, holds promise to
      expand the scope of chemical reactions possible with plasmonic photocatalysis.
      Here, we report earth-abundant embedded aluminum in cuprous oxide antenna-reactor
      heterostructures that operate more effectively and selectively for the reverse
      water-gas shift reaction under milder illumination than in conventional thermal
      conditions. Through rigorous comparison of the spatial temperature profile,
      optical absorption, and integrated electric field enhancement of the catalyst, we
      have been able to distinguish between competing photothermal and hot-carrier
      driven mechanistic pathways. The antenna-reactor geometry efficiently harnesses
      the plasmon resonance of aluminum to supply energetic hot-carriers and increases
      optical absorption in cuprous oxide for selective carbon dioxide conversion to
      carbon monoxide with visible light. The transition from noble metals to aluminum
      based antenna-reactor heterostructures in plasmonic photocatalysis provides a
      sustainable route to high-value chemicals and reaffirms the practical potential
      of plasmon-mediated chemical transformations.Plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis
      holds promise for the control of chemical reactions. Here the authors report an
      Al@Cu2O heterostructure based on earth abundant materials to transform CO2 into
      CO at significantly milder conditions.

PMID- 28638072
TI  - Diet-induced reconstruction of mucosal microbiota associated with alterations of
      epithelium lectin expression and regulation in the maintenance of rumen
      homeostasis.
AB  - It is unknown whether lectins of the rumen epithelium contribute to the
      recognition of mucosal microbes and activation of tolerogenic cytokines in
      ruminant animals. We applied an integrated method of RNA-seq and 16S rRNA gene
      sequencing to investigate alterations of epithelial lectin expression and
      regulation with a diet-induced reconstruction of the mucosal microbiota in the
      goat rumen. Our results showed that the diversity and richness of the rumen
      mucosal microbiota were promoted by the dietary concentrate. Meantime, in the
      rumen epithelium, five lectin genes, namely, sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin
      14 (LOC102180073), C-type lectin domain family 4, member E (CLEC4E), C-type
      lectin domain family 7, member A (CLEC7A), C-type lectin domain family 16, member
      A (CLEC16A), and lectin, mannose-binding 2 (LMAN2), were indicated to promote the
      expression of 8 tolerogenic cytokines, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1)
      and 4 enzyme genes involved in retinoic acid biosynthesis via 6 signaling
      pathways. Analysis of the combined data showed that 9 microbial genera
      (Clostridium_IV, Desulfobulbus, Eubacterium, Ochrobactrum, Propionibacterium,
      Pseudomonas, Slackia, Staphylococcus and Subdivision5_genera_IS) were highly
      related to the expression of functional lectins. These findings provide new
      insights into the interactions between the rumen epithelium and mucosal
      microbiota in the maintenance of rumen homeostasis.

PMID- 28638074
TI  - Geochemical constraints on the Hadean environment from mineral fingerprints of
      prokaryotes.
AB  - The environmental conditions on the Earth before 4 billion years ago are highly
      uncertain, largely because of the lack of a substantial rock record from this
      period. During this time interval, known as the Hadean, the young planet
      transformed from an uninhabited world to the one capable of supporting, and
      inhabited by the first living cells. These cells formed in a fluid environment
      they could not at first control, with homeostatic mechanisms developing only
      later. It is therefore possible that present-day organisms retain some record of
      the primordial fluid in which the first cells formed. Here we present new data on
      the elemental compositions and mineral fingerprints of both Bacteria and Archaea,
      using these data to constrain the environment in which life formed. The cradle
      solution that produced this elemental signature was saturated in barite, sphene,
      chalcedony, apatite, and clay minerals. The presence of these minerals, as well
      as other chemical features, suggests that the cradle environment of life may have
      been a weathering fluid interacting with dry-land silicate rocks. The specific
      mineral assemblage provides evidence for a moderate Hadean climate with dry and
      wet seasons and a lower atmospheric abundance of CO2 than is present today.

PMID- 28638075
TI  - Mycobacterial heat shock protein 65 mediated metabolic shift in decidualization
      of human endometrial stromal cells.
AB  - Successful implantation is dependent on the appropriate decidualization of
      endometrial stromal cells for the establishment of pregnancy in women.
      Mycobacterial heat shock protein 65 (HSP65) is involved in pathogenesis of the
      genital tuberculosis (GTB), one of the common causes of infertility in emerging
      countries. Though implantation failure appears to be the major cause,
      understanding the status of decidualizaiton process in women diagnosed with GTB
      has not been thoroughly addressed. We, therefore, explored the effect of HSP65
      protein on the endometrial cell metabolism during in vitro decidualization. In
      order to identify the cellular metabolism of decidual cells with and without
      HSP65 treatment, proton NMR based characterization of metabolites extracted from
      cells and culture media were performed. In presence of HSP65, significant
      reduction in the decidual phenotype of endometrial stromal cells and prolactin
      expression is suggestive of impairment in decidualization. The intracellular and
      extracellular metabolic changes in HSP65 treated endometrial stromal cells
      produced a distinct pattern, reflecting the interaction between the protein and
      cellular metabolism. HSP65 mediated dysregulation in cellular metabolism is
      associated with poor decidualization. Besides enriching the present knowledge on
      metabolic changes underlying stromal cells decidualization, these findings assist
      in identifying potential molecular causes for decidualization failure in GTB
      women.

PMID- 28638077
TI  - Vapour-Induced Liquid Crystallinity and Self-Recovery Mechanochromism of Helical
      Block Copolymer.
AB  - New molecular design of conjugated polymer that possess high sensitivity to
      vapour and self-recovering property against pressure is proposed. We synthesised
      a rod-rod diblock copolymer, poly(3-((3S)-3,7-dimethyl-octyl)-thiophene)-block
      poly(4-octyl phenylisocyanide) (PTh- b -PPI), composed of a pi-conjugated polymer
      and a rod-type helical coiled polymer. Introduction of PPI block in the block
      copolymer architecture enabled PTh- b -PPI film to exhibit solid-to-liquid
      crystal phase transition by exposure to chloroform vapour, accompanied with
      colour change (purple-to-yellow), which is the first report on a new phenomenon
      of "vapour-induced liquid crystallinity". In addition, PTh- b -PPI film showed
      colour change (purple-to-vermillion) during mechanical shearing, and
      spontaneously recovered under ambient conditions. We concluded that rod-type
      helical coiled polymer PPI block performs crucial roles as intrinsically vapour
      induced liquid crystallinity and self-reassembling property in the architecture
      of PTh- b -PPI.

PMID- 28638076
TI  - Single-molecule analysis reveals that DNA replication dynamics vary across the
      course of schizogony in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
AB  - The mechanics of DNA replication and cell cycling are well-characterized in model
      organisms, but less is known about these basic aspects of cell biology in early
      diverging Apicomplexan parasites, which do not divide by canonical binary fission
      but undergo unconventional cycles. Schizogony in the malaria parasite,
      Plasmodium, generates ~16-24 new nuclei via independent, asynchronous rounds of
      genome replication prior to cytokinesis and little is known about the control of
      DNA replication that facilitates this. We have characterised replication dynamics
      in P. falciparum throughout schizogony, using DNA fibre labelling and combing to
      visualise replication forks at a single-molecule level. We show that origins are
      very closely spaced in Plasmodium compared to most model systems, and that
      replication dynamics vary across the course of schizogony, from faster synthesis
      rates and more widely-spaced origins through to slower synthesis rates and closer
      spaced origins. This is the opposite of the pattern usually seen across S-phase
      in human cells, when a single genome is replicated. Replication forks also appear
      to stall at an unusually high rate throughout schizogony. Our work explores
      Plasmodium DNA replication in unprecedented detail and opens up tremendous scope
      for analysing cell cycle dynamics and developing interventions targetting this
      unique aspect of malaria biology.

PMID- 28638080
TI  - Thermoelectric performance of n-type Mg2Ge.
AB  - Magnesium-based thermoelectric materials (Mg2X, X = Si, Ge, Sn) have received
      considerable attention due to their availability, low toxicity, and reasonably
      good thermoelectric performance. The synthesis of these materials with high
      purity is challenging, however, due to the reactive nature and high vapour
      pressure of magnesium. In the current study, high purity single phase n-type
      Mg2Ge has been fabricated through a one-step reaction of MgH2 and elemental Ge,
      using spark plasma sintering (SPS) to reduce the formation of magnesium oxides
      due to the liberation of hydrogen. We have found that Bi has a very limited
      solubility in Mg2Ge and results in the precipitation of Mg2Bi3. Bismuth doping
      increases the electrical conductivity of Mg2Ge up to its solubility limit, beyond
      which the variation is minimal. The main improvement in the thermoelectric
      performance is originated from the significant phonon scattering achieved by the
      Mg2Bi3 precipitates located mainly at grain boundaries. This reduces the lattice
      thermal conductivity by ~50% and increases the maximum zT for n-type Mg2Ge to
      0.32, compared to previously reported maximum value of 0.2 for Sb-doped Mg2Ge.

PMID- 28638079
TI  - Transcriptome changes between compatible and incompatible graft combination of
      Litchi chinensis by digital gene expression profile.
AB  - Plant grafting has been practiced widely in horticulture and proved as a useful
      tool in science. However, the mechanisms of graft healing or graft
      incompatibility remain poorly understood. In this study, Litchi chinensis cv.
      'Jingganghongnuo' homograft ('J/J') and 'Jingganghongnuo'/'zhuangyuanhong'
      heterograft ('J/Z') as compatible and incompatible combination, respectively, was
      used to study transcriptional changes between incompatible and compatible graft
      during graft union formation. Anatomical observation indicated that three stages
      (2 h, 14 d and 21 d after grafting) were critical for graft union formation and
      selected for high-throughput sequencing. Results indicated 6060 DEGs were
      differentially expressed in the compatible combination and 5267 DEGs exhibiting
      in the incompatible one. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were
      involved in metabolism, wound response, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant
      hormone signal transduction. The expression of 9 DEGs annotated in auxin pathway
      was up-regulated in compatible combination than that in incompatible combination.
      The IAA concentration confirmed that the IAA might promote the graft
      compatibility. In addition, 13 DEGs related to lignin biosynthesis were
      differentially expressed during graft healing process. Overall, our results
      provide abundant sequence resources for studying mechanisms underlying graft
      compatibility and establish a platform for further studies of litchi and other
      evergreen fruit trees.

PMID- 28638078
TI  - The stress response factor daf-16/FOXO is required for multiple compound families
      to prolong the function of neurons with Huntington's disease.
AB  - Helping neurons to compensate for proteotoxic stress and maintain function over
      time (neuronal compensation) has therapeutic potential in aging and
      neurodegenerative disease. The stress response factor FOXO3 is neuroprotective in
      models of Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's disease and motor-neuron
      diseases. Neuroprotective compounds acting in a FOXO-dependent manner could thus
      constitute bona fide drugs for promoting neuronal compensation. However, whether
      FOXO-dependent neuroprotection is a common feature of several compound families
      remains unknown. Using drug screening in C. elegans nematodes with neuronal
      expression of human exon-1 huntingtin (128Q), we found that 3beta-Methoxy
      Pregnenolone (MAP4343), 17beta-oestradiol (17betaE2) and 12 flavonoids including
      isoquercitrin promote neuronal function in 128Q nematodes. MAP4343, 17betaE2 and
      isoquercitrin also promote stress resistance in mutant Htt striatal cells derived
      from knock-in HD mice. Interestingly, daf-16/FOXO is required for MAP4343,
      17betaE2 and isoquercitrin to sustain neuronal function in 128Q nematodes. This
      similarly applies to the GSK3 inhibitor lithium chloride (LiCl) and, as
      previously described, to resveratrol and the AMPK activator metformin. Daf
      16/FOXO and the targets engaged by these compounds define a sub-network enriched
      for stress-response and neuronally-active pathways. Collectively, these data
      highlights the dependence on a daf-16/FOXO-interaction network as a common
      feature of several compound families for prolonging neuronal function in HD.

PMID- 28638081
TI  - Development of lysosome-mimicking vesicles to study the effect of abnormal
      accumulation of sphingosine on membrane properties.
AB  - Synthetic systems are widely used to unveil the molecular mechanisms of complex
      cellular events. Artificial membranes are key examples of models employed to
      address lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions. In this work, we developed a
      new synthetic system that more closely resembles the lysosome - the lysosome
      mimicking vesicles (LMVs) - displaying stable acid-to-neutral pH gradient across
      the membrane. To evaluate the advantages of this synthetic system, we assessed
      the distinct effects of sphingosine (Sph) accumulation in membrane structure and
      biophysical properties of standard liposomes (no pH gradient) and in LMVs with
      lipid composition tuned to mimic physiological- or NPC1-like lysosomes. Ternary 1
      palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/Sphingomyelin
      (SM)/Cholesterol (Chol) mixtures with, respectively, low and high Chol/SM levels
      were prepared. The effect of Sph on membrane permeability and biophysical
      properties was evaluated by fluorescence spectroscopy, electrophoretic and
      dynamic light scattering. The results showed that overall Sph has the ability to
      cause a shift in vesicle surface charge, increase membrane order and promote a
      rapid increase in membrane permeability. These effects are enhanced in NPC1-
      LMVs. The results suggest that lysosomal accumulation of these lipids, as
      observed under pathological conditions, might significantly affect lysosomal
      membrane structure and integrity, and therefore contribute to the impairment of
      cell function.

PMID- 28638082
TI  - Tandem malonate-based glucosides (TMGs) for membrane protein structural studies.
AB  - High-resolution membrane protein structures are essential for understanding the
      molecular basis of diverse biological events and important in drug development.
      Detergents are usually used to extract these bio-macromolecules from the
      membranes and maintain them in a soluble and stable state in aqueous solutions
      for downstream characterization. However, many eukaryotic membrane proteins
      solubilized in conventional detergents tend to undergo structural degradation,
      necessitating the development of new amphiphilic agents with enhanced properties.
      In this study, we designed and synthesized a novel class of glucoside
      amphiphiles, designated tandem malonate-based glucosides (TMGs). A few TMG agents
      proved effective at both stabilizing a range of membrane proteins and extracting
      proteins from the membrane environment. These favourable characteristics, along
      with synthetic convenience, indicate that these agents have potential in membrane
      protein research.

PMID- 28638083
TI  - Multiple thermal spin transport performances of graphene nanoribbon heterojuction
      co-doped with Nitrogen and Boron.
AB  - Graphene nanoribbon is a popular material in spintronics owing to its unique
      electronic properties. Here, we propose a novel spin caloritronics device based
      on zigzag graphene nanoribbon (ZGNR), which is a heterojunction consisting of a
      pure single-hydrogen-terminated ZGNR and one doped with nitrogen and boron. Using
      the density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function,
      we investigate the thermal spin transport properties of the heterojunction under
      different magnetic configurations only by a temperature gradient without an
      external gate or bias voltage. Our results indicate that thermally-induced spin
      polarized currents can be tuned by switching the magnetic configurations,
      resulting in a perfect thermal colossal magnetoresistance effect. The
      heterojunctions with different magnetic configurations exhibit a variety of
      excellent transport characteristics, including the spin-Seebeck effect, the spin
      filtering effect, the temperature switching effect, the negative differential
      thermal resistance effect and the spin-Seebeck diode feature, which makes the
      heterojunction a promising candidate for high-efficiently multifunctional spin
      caloritronic applications.

PMID- 28638084
TI  - Identification and expression analysis of chemosensory receptor genes in an aphid
      endoparasitoid Aphidius gifuensis.
AB  - Olfaction and gustation play critical roles during the host-location search
      process of insects. Several chemosensory receptor genes are thought to be
      involved in providing specificity to the olfactory sensory neuron responses. The
      aphid endoparasitoid, Aphidius gifuensis, has been used as a biological control
      agent against a variety of aphid species; this parasitoid is able to detect its
      target host(s) effectively during the parasitic process. To understand the
      mechanism of host detection in A. gifuensis, we assembled specific antennal
      transcriptomes of each sex through next generation sequencing technology to
      identify the major chemosensory receptor genes. Using a bioinformatics screen, we
      identified 100 olfactory receptors candidates (62 odorant receptors, 15 gustatory
      receptors, and 23 ionotropic receptors) from the sex-specific antennal
      transcriptome. In addition, combining with the demonstrated functions of
      chemosensory genes in other insects, the sex-, tissue-, and host-specific
      expression profile of chemosensory genes potentially revealed the candidate
      physiological functions. The identification and expression profile of
      chemosensory receptor genes in A. gifuensis provide valuable information for
      understanding and investigating the intraspecific or interspecific chemical
      communications in the solitary parasitic wasps.

PMID- 28638086
TI  - Wnt2b attenuates HSCs activation and liver fibrosis through negative regulating
      TLR4 signaling.
AB  - The Wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 2b (Wnt2b) has been found
      to be a principal mediator of liver development and regeneration. However, the
      significance of Wnt2b in the pathogenesis of fibrosis-related liver diseases
      remains undefined. Here, we report that Wnt2b was highly expressed in the
      fibrotic liver tissues, exhibiting protective effects against activation of
      hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and fibrosis progression. We identified a negative
      regulation of Wnt2b on the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation-mediated pro
      fibrogenic effects. Wnt2b was shown not only to directly suppress LPS-induced
      HSCs activation, but also to inhibit TLR4-enhanced the sensitivity of HSCs to
      transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). Mechanistic study showed that Wnt2b
      suppresses TLR4 signaling through inhibiting the expression of TLR4 as well as
      the activation of NF-kappaB and MAPKs. These findings provided new insights into
      the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis by characterizing Wnt2b as a novel
      endogenous suppressor of TLR4 signaling, maintaining tissue homeostasis during
      the early stage of hepatic fibrosis-associated liver diseases.

PMID- 28638085
TI  - Differential regulations of vestibulo-ocular reflex and optokinetic response by
      beta- and alpha2-adrenergic receptors in the cerebellar flocculus.
AB  - Norepinephrine modulates synaptic plasticity in various brain regions and is
      implicated in memory formation, consolidation and retrieval. The cerebellum is
      involved in motor learning, and adaptations of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR)
      and optokinetic response (OKR) have been studied as models of cerebellum
      dependent motor learning. Previous studies showed the involvement of adrenergic
      systems in the regulation of VOR, OKR and cerebellar synaptic functions. Here, we
      show differential contributions of beta- and alpha2-adrenergic receptors in the
      mouse cerebellar flocculus to VOR and OKR control. Effects of application of beta
      or alpha2-adrenergic agonist or antagonist into the flocculus suggest that the
      beta-adrenergic receptor activity maintains the VOR gain at high levels and
      contributes to adaptation of OKR, and that alpha2-adrenergic receptor counteracts
      the beta-receptor activity in VOR and OKR control. We also examined effects of
      norepinephrine application, and the results suggest that norepinephrine regulates
      VOR and OKR through beta-adrenergic receptor at low concentrations and through
      alpha2-receptor at high concentrations.

PMID- 28638087
TI  - Mesoscopic Multimodal Imaging Provides New Insight to Tumor Tissue Evaluation: An
      Example of Macrophage Imaging of Hepatic Tumor using Organosilica Nanoparticles.
AB  - Multimodal imaging using novel multifunctional nanoparticles provides new
      approach to biomedical field. Thiol-organosilica nanoparticles containing iron
      oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and rhodamine B (thiol OS-MNP/Rho) were
      applied to multimodal imaging of hepatic tumor of Long-Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rat.
      The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of LEC rats revealed tumors in the liver
      clearly and semi-quantitatively due to a labeling of macrophages in liver. The
      fluorescent imaging (FI) showed abnormal fluorescent patterns of the liver at the
      mesoscopic level that was between macroscopic and microscopic level. We performed
      correlation analysis between optical imaging including FI and MRI. We found that
      the labeled macrophages located specific area in the tumor tissue and influenced
      the tumor size on MRI. In addition histological observation showed the labeled
      macrophages related specific tissue in the pathological region. We demonstrated a
      new approach to evaluate tumor tissue at the macroscopic and microscopic level as
      well as mesoscopic level using multimodal imaging.

PMID- 28638089
TI  - A screen for inhibitory peptides of hepatitis C virus identifies a novel entry
      inhibitor targeting E1 and E2.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry into hepatocytes is a multistep process that
      represents a promising target for antiviral intervention. The viral envelope
      protein E1E2 plays a critical role in HCV entry. In this study, we sought to
      identify peptide inhibitors of HCV by screening a library of overlapping peptides
      covering E1E2. Screening the peptide library identified several novel anti-HCV
      peptides. Four peptides from glycoprotein E2 were selected for further
      investigation. The 50% effective dose (ED50) was approximately 5 nM for each
      peptide. Our data indicated that these peptides inhibited HCV entry at the post
      attachment step. Moreover, these peptides blocked cell-to-cell transmission of
      HCVcc and had broad-spectrum antiviral effects on HCVcc. These peptides exhibited
      combination inhibitory effects on HCVcc infection when combined with IFN-alpha2b
      or anti-CD81 antibody. Interestingly, we observed that E2-42 associated with E1
      and E2. Our results indicate that E2-42 inhibits HCV entry via E1 and E2. These
      findings suggest a new avenue for HCV therapeutic development.

PMID- 28638088
TI  - Chemokine receptor CXCR4 regulates CaMKII/CREB pathway in spinal neurons that
      underlies cancer-induced bone pain.
AB  - We previously demonstrated that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays an important
      role in cancer-induced bone pain by activating spinal neurons and glial cells.
      However, the specific neuronal mechanism of CXCR4 signaling is not clear. We
      further report that CXCR4 contributes to the activation of the neuronal
      CaMKII/CREB pathway in cancer-induced bone pain. We used a tumor cell
      implantation (TCI) model and observed that CXCR4, p-CaMKII and p-CREB were
      persistently up-regulated in spinal neurons. CXCR4 also co-expressed with p
      CaMKII and p-CREB, and mediated p-CaMKII and p-CREB expression after TCI.
      Intrathecal delivery of CXCR4 siRNA or CaMKII inhibitor AIP2 abrogated TCI
      induced pain hypersensitivity and TCI-induced increase in p-CaMKII and p-CREB
      expression. Intrathecal injection of the principal ligand for CXCR4, SDF-1,
      promoted p-CaMKII and p-CREB expression in naive rats, which was prevented by
      post-administration of CXCR4 inhibitor Plerixafor or PLC inhibitor U73122.
      Plerixafor, U73122, or AIP2 also alleviated SDF-1-elicited pain behaviors.
      Intrathecal injection of CXCR4 siRNA significantly suppressed TCI-induced up
      regulation of NMDAR1 mRNA and protein, which is a known gene target of CREB.
      Collectively, these results suggest that the CaMKII/CREB pathway in spinal
      neurons mediates CXCR4-facilitated pain hypersensitivity in cancer rats.

PMID- 28638090
TI  - A change in the aggregation pathway of bovine serum albumin in the presence of
      arginine and its derivatives.
AB  - Chemical chaperones including arginine and its derivatives are widely used by
      biochemists working on the design of agents, which are able to efficiently
      suppress protein aggregation. To elucidate the mechanisms of anti-aggregation
      activity of chemical chaperones, methods based on registration of the increment
      in light scattering intensity must be supplemented with methods for direct
      detection of the portion of aggregated protein (gammaagg). For this purpose
      asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation was used in the present work. It was
      shown that heat-induced aggregation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) followed the
      kinetics of the reaction of the second order (0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH
      7.0, 70  degrees C). It was proposed to use R h vs gammaagg plots to characterize
      the aggregation pathway (R h is the hydrodynamic radius of the protein
      aggregates, which was calculated from the dynamic light scattering data). The
      changes in the shape of R h vs gammaagg plots in the presence of arginine,
      arginine amide and arginine ethyl ester are indicative of the changes in the
      aggregation pathway of BSA aggregation. A conclusion has been made that larger
      aggregates are formed in the presence of arginine hydrochloride and its
      derivatives.

PMID- 28638092
TI  - From shifting cultivation to teak plantation: effect on overland flow and
      sediment yield in a montane tropical catchment.
AB  - Soil erosion supplies large quantities of sediments to rivers of Southeastern
      Asia. It reduces soil fertility of agro-ecosystems located on hillslopes, and it
      degrades, downstream, water resource quality and leads to the siltation of
      reservoirs. An increase in the surface area covered with commercial perennial
      monocultures such as teak plantations is currently observed at the expanse of
      traditional slash-and-burn cultivation systems in steep montane environments of
      these regions. The impacts of land-use change on the hydrological response and
      sediment yields have been investigated in a representative catchment of Laos
      monitored for 13 years. After the gradual conversion of rice-based shifting
      cultivation to teak plantation-based systems, overland flow contribution to
      stream flow increased from 16 to 31% and sediment yield raised from 98 to 609 Mg
      km-2. This result is explained by the higher kinetic energy of raindrops falling
      from the canopy, the virtual absence of understorey vegetation cover to dissipate
      drop energy and the formation of an impermeable surface crust accelerating the
      formation and concentration of overland flow. The 25-to-50% lower 137Cs
      activities measured in soils collected under mature teak plantations compared to
      soils under other land uses illustrate the severity of soil erosion processes
      occurring in teak plantations.

PMID- 28638091
TI  - The cannabinoid ligand LH-21 reduces anxiety and improves glucose handling in
      diet-induced obese pre-diabetic mice.
AB  - LH-21 is a triazol derivative that has been described as a low-permeant neutral
      CB1 antagonist, though its pharmacology is still unclear. It has been associated
      with anti-obesity actions in obese rats. However, its role in preventing type 2
      diabetes (T2D) onset have not been studied yet. Given CB1 receptors remain as
      potential pharmacological targets to fight against obesity and T2D, we wanted to
      explore the metabolic impact of this compound in an animal model of obesity and
      pre-diabetes as well as the lack of relevant actions in related central processes
      such as anxiety. C57BL/6J mice were rendered obese and pre-diabetic by feeding a
      high-fat diet for 15 weeks and then treated with LH-21 or vehicle for two weeks.
      Food intake, body weight and glucose handling were assessed, together with other
      relevant parameters. Behavioural performance was evaluated by the open field test
      and the elevated plus maze. LH-21 did not affect food intake nor body weight but
      it improved glucose handling, displaying tissue-specific beneficial actions.
      Unexpectedly, LH-21 induced anxiolysis and reverted obesity-induced anxiety,
      apparently through GPR55 receptor. These results suggest that LH-21 can be a new
      candidate to fight against diabetes onset. Indeed, this compound shows potential
      in counteracting obesity-related anxiety.

PMID- 28638093
TI  - Fatty acid composition and phospholipid types used in infant formulas modifies
      the establishment of human gut bacteria in germ-free mice.
AB  - Human milk fat contains high concentrations of medium-chained fatty acids (MCFA)
      and triacylglycerols emulsified by a sphingomyelin-rich phospholipid membrane
      (milk phospholipids, MPL). Infant formula comprises mainly long-chained fatty
      acids (LCFA) emulsified with dairy proteins and soy lecithin (SL) lacking
      sphingomyelin. Sphingomyelin content and saturation level of phospholipids affect
      the gut lipase activity, which alters the concentrations of lipid hydrolysis
      products in ileum and colon, and hereby putatively affects the competitive
      advantage of specific gut bacteria. Thus, differences in phospholipid and FA
      composition may modulate the establishment of the gut microbiota. We investigated
      effects of fatty acid (FA) composition and emulsification (MPL vs SL) ingested
      during establishment of human gut microbiota in germ-free mice, and found that
      cecal microbiotas from mice given MCFA-rich emulsions were characterized by high
      relative abundances of Bacteroidaceae and Desulfovibrionaceae, while LCFA-rich
      emulsions caused higher abundances of Enterobacteriaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae,
      Coriobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae. Consumption of SL-emulsified lipids skewed
      the community towards more Enterococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae, while MPL
      increased Bacteroidaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, Rikkenellaceae and
      Porphyromonadaceae. Intake of SL increased cecal concentrations of iso-valeric
      and iso-butyric acids. This suggests that fat-type and emulsifiers applied in
      infant formula may have distinct effects on the establishment of the gut
      microbiota in formula-fed infants.

PMID- 28638094
TI  - Microsaccades are sensitive to word structure: A novel approach to study language
      processing.
AB  - Microsaccades are miniature eye movements that occur involuntarily during
      fixation. They are typically inhibited following stimulus onset and are released
      from inhibition about 300 ms post-stimulus. Microsaccade-inhibition is modulated
      by low level features of visual stimuli, but it is currently unknown whether they
      are sensitive to higher level, abstract linguistic properties. To address this
      question, we measured the timing of microsaccades while subjects were presented
      with written Hebrew words and pronounceable nonwords (pseudowords). We
      manipulated the underlying structure of pseudowords such that half of them
      contained real roots while the other half contained invented roots. Importantly,
      orthographic similarity to real words was equated between the two conditions.
      Microsaccade onset was significantly slower following real-root compared to
      invented-root stimuli. Similar results were obtained when considering post
      stimulus delay of eye blinks. Moreover, microsaccade-delay was positively and
      significantly correlated with measures of real-word similarity. These findings
      demonstrate, for the first time, sensitivity of microsaccades to linguistic
      structure. Because microsaccades are involuntary and can be measured in the
      absence of overt response, our results provide initial evidence that they can be
      used as a novel physiological measure in the study of language processes in
      healthy and clinical populations.

PMID- 28638096
TI  - Identification of a flavonoid isolated from plum (Prunus domestica) as a potent
      inhibitor of Hepatitis C virus entry.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver diseases that
      often requires liver transplantation. The standard therapies are limited by
      severe side effects, resistance development, high expense and in a substantial
      proportion of cases, fail to clear the infection which bespeak the need for
      development of well-tolerated antivirals. Since most of the drug development
      strategies target the replication stage of viral lifecycle, the identification of
      entry inhibitors might be crucial especially in case of liver-transplant
      recipients. In the present study we have evaluated fruits which are known for
      their hepatoprotective effects in order to screen for entry inhibitors. We report
      the identification of a flavonoid, rutin, isolated from Prunus domestica as a new
      HCV entry inhibitor. Characterization and confirmation of the chemical structure
      was done by LC-ESI-MS, NMR and IR spectral analyses. Rutin significantly
      inhibited HCV-LP binding to hepatoma cells and inhibited cell-culture derived HCV
      (HCVcc) entry into hepatoma cells. Importantly, rutin was found to be non-toxic
      to hepatoma cells. Furthermore, rutin inhibits the early entry stage of HCV
      lifecycle possibly by directly acting on the viral particle. In conclusion, rutin
      is a promising candidate for development of anti-HCV therapeutics in the
      management of HCV infection.

PMID- 28638097
TI  - Linking the rotation of a rigid body to the Schrodinger equation: The quantum
      tennis racket effect and beyond.
AB  - The design of efficient and robust pulse sequences is a fundamental requirement
      in quantum control. Numerical methods can be used for this purpose, but with
      relatively little insight into the control mechanism. Here, we show that the free
      rotation of a classical rigid body plays a fundamental role in the control of two
      level quantum systems by means of external electromagnetic pulses. For a state to
      state transfer, we derive a family of control fields depending upon two free
      parameters, which allow us to adjust the efficiency, the time and the robustness
      of the control process. As an illustrative example, we consider the quantum
      analog of the tennis racket effect, which is a geometric property of any
      classical rigid body. This effect is demonstrated experimentally for the control
      of a spin 1/2 particle by using techniques of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. We also
      show that the dynamics of a rigid body can be used to implement one-qubit quantum
      gates. In particular, non-adiabatic geometric quantum phase gates can be realized
      based on the Montgomery phase of a rigid body. The robustness issue of the gates
      is discussed.

PMID- 28638095
TI  - Mitochondria localization induced self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles for
      cellular dysfunction.
AB  - Achieving spatiotemporal control of molecular self-assembly associated with
      actuation of biological functions inside living cells remains a challenge owing
      to the complexity of the cellular environments and the lack of characterization
      tools. We present, for the first time, the organelle-localized self-assembly of a
      peptide amphiphile as a powerful strategy for controlling cellular fate. A
      phenylalanine dipeptide (FF) with a mitochondria-targeting moiety, triphenyl
      phosphonium (Mito-FF), preferentially accumulates inside mitochondria and reaches
      the critical aggregation concentration to form a fibrous nanostructure, which is
      monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron
      microscopy. The Mito-FF fibrils induce mitochondrial dysfunction via membrane
      disruption to cause apoptosis. The organelle-specific supramolecular system
      provides a new opportunity for therapeutics and in-depth investigations of
      cellular functions.Spatiotemporal control of intracellular molecular self
      assembly holds promise for therapeutic applications. Here the authors develop a
      peptide consisting of a phenylalanine dipeptide with a mitochondrial targeting
      moiety to form self-assembling fibrous nanostructures within mitochondria,
      leading to apoptosis.

PMID- 28638098
TI  - Bounds for coherence of quantum superpositions in high dimension.
AB  - Quantum coherence plays a major role in the promotion for quantum information
      processing and designing quantum technology. Since coherence is rooted in
      superposition principle, it is vital to understand the coherence change with
      respect to superpositions. Here we study the bounds for coherence of quantum
      superpositions in high dimension. We consider three most frequently used measures
      of coherence, i.e. the relative entropy of coherence, l 1 norm of coherence and
      robustness of coherence. For a quantum state (an arbitrary dimension) and its
      arbitrary decomposition, we give the upper and lower bounds for coherence of the
      superposition state in terms of the coherence of the states being superposed.

PMID- 28638099
TI  - Brilliant X-rays using a Two-Stage Plasma Insertion Device.
AB  - Particle accelerators have made an enormous impact in all fields of natural
      sciences, from elementary particle physics, to the imaging of proteins and the
      development of new pharmaceuticals. Modern light sources have advanced many
      fields by providing extraordinarily bright, short X-ray pulses. Here we present a
      novel numerical study, demonstrating that existing third generation light sources
      can significantly enhance the brightness and photon energy of their X-ray pulses
      by undulating their beams within plasma wakefields. This study shows that a three
      order of magnitude increase in X-ray brightness and over an order of magnitude
      increase in X-ray photon energy is achieved by passing a 3 GeV electron beam
      through a two-stage plasma insertion device. The production mechanism micro
      bunches the electron beam and ensures the pulses are radially polarised on
      creation. We also demonstrate that the micro-bunched electron beam is itself an
      effective wakefield driver that can potentially accelerate a witness electron
      beam up to 6 GeV.

PMID- 28638100
TI  - Camphor-Engine-Driven Micro-Boat Guides Evolution of Chemical Gardens.
AB  - A micro-boat self-propelled by a camphor engine, carrying seed crystals of FeCl3,
      promoted the evolution of chemical gardens when placed on the surface of aqueous
      solutions of potassium hexacyanoferrate. Inverse chemical gardens (growing from
      the top downward) were observed. The growth of the "inverse" chemical gardens was
      slowed down with an increase in the concentration of the potassium
      hexacyanoferrate. Heliciform precipitates were formed under the self-propulsion
      of the micro-boat. A phenomenological model, satisfactorily describing the self
      locomotion of the camphor-driven micro-boat, is introduced and checked.

PMID- 28638101
TI  - Naked singularity, firewall, and Hawking radiation.
AB  - Spacetime singularity has always been of interest since the proof of the Penrose
      Hawking singularity theorem. Naked singularity naturally emerges from reasonable
      initial conditions in the collapsing process. A recent interesting approach in
      black hole information problem implies that we need a firewall to break the
      surplus entanglements among the Hawking photons. Classically, the firewall
      becomes a naked singularity. We find some vacuum analytical solutions in R n 
      gravity of the firewall-type and use these solutions as concrete models to study
      the naked singularities. By using standard quantum theory, we investigate the
      Hawking radiation emitted from the black holes with naked singularities. Here we
      show that the singularity itself does not destroy information. A unitary quantum
      theory works well around a firewall-type singularity. We discuss the validity of
      our result in general relativity. Further our result demonstrates that the
      temperature of the Hawking radiation still can be expressed in the form of the
      surface gravity divided by 2pi. This indicates that a naked singularity may not
      compromise the Hakwing evaporation process.

PMID- 28638102
TI  - miR-509-5p and miR-1243 increase the sensitivity to gemcitabine by inhibiting
      epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer.
AB  - The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes to various processes in
      cancer progression, such as metastasis and drug resistance. Since we have already
      established a cell-based reporter system for identifying EMT-suppressive
      microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pancreatic cancer cell line Panc1, we performed a
      function-based screening assay by combining this reporter system and a miRNA
      library composed of 1,090 miRNAs. As a result, we identified miR-509-5p and miR
      1243 as EMT-suppressive miRNAs, although the mechanisms for EMT-suppression
      induced by these miRNAs have yet to be clarified. Herein, we demonstrated that
      overexpression of miR-509-5p and miR-1243 increased the expression of E-cadherin
      through the suppression of EMT-related gene expression and that drug sensitivity
      increased with a combination of each of these miRNAs and gemcitabine. Moreover,
      miR-509-5p was associated with worse overall survival in patients with pancreatic
      cancer and was identified as an independently selected predictor of mortality.
      Our findings suggest that miR-509-5p and miR-1243 might be novel chemotherapeutic
      targets and serve as biomarkers in pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28638103
TI  - The application of ultrasound in detecting lymph nodal recurrence in the treated
      neck of head and neck cancer patients.
AB  - Early detection of neck lymph node (LN) recurrence is paramount in improving the
      prognosis of treated head and neck cancer patients. Ultrasound (US) with US
      guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) have been shown
      to have great accuracy for LN diagnoses in the untreated neck. However, in the
      treated neck with fibrosis, their roles are not clarified. Here, we
      retrospectively review 153 treated head and neck cancer patients who had received
      US and US-guided FNA/CNB. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, size
      (short-axis diameter >0.8 cm) (odds ratio (OR) 4.19, P = 0.007), round shape
      (short/long axis ratio >0.5) (OR 3.44, P = 0.03), heterogeneous internal echo (OR
      3.92, P = 0.009) and irregular margin (OR 7.32, P < 0.001) are effective US
      features in predicting recurrent LNs in the treated neck. However,
      hypoechogenicity (OR 2.38, P = 0.289) and chaotic/absent vascular pattern (OR
      3.04, P = 0.33) are ineffective. US-guided FNA (sensitivity/specificity:
      95.24%/97.92%) is effective in the treated neck, though with high non-diagnostic
      rate (29.69%). US-guided CNB (sensitivity/specificity: 84.62%/100%) is also
      effective, though with low negative predictive value (62.5%). Overall, US with US
      guided FNA/CNB are still effective diagnostic tools for neck nodal recurrence
      surveillance.

PMID- 28638104
TI  - Anti-proliferative therapy for HIV cure: a compound interest approach.
AB  - In the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-1 infection is no longer
      tantamount to early death. Yet the benefits of treatment are available only to
      those who can access, afford, and tolerate taking daily pills. True cure is
      challenged by HIV latency, the ability of chromosomally integrated virus to
      persist within memory CD4+ T cells in a non-replicative state and activate when
      ART is discontinued. Using a mathematical model of HIV dynamics, we demonstrate
      that treatment strategies offering modest but continual enhancement of reservoir
      clearance rates result in faster cure than abrupt, one-time reductions in
      reservoir size. We frame this concept in terms of compounding interest: small
      changes in interest rate drastically improve returns over time. On ART, latent
      cell proliferation rates are orders of magnitude larger than activation and new
      infection rates. Contingent on subtypes of cells that may make up the reservoir
      and their respective proliferation rates, our model predicts that coupling
      clinically available, anti-proliferative therapies with ART could result in
      functional cure within 2-10 years rather than several decades on ART alone.

PMID- 28638105
TI  - High efficacy in vitro selection procedure for generating transgenic parasites of
      Plasmodium berghei using an antibiotic toxic to rodent hosts.
AB  - The malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei is one of the main rodent malaria models.
      A shortcoming of this model parasite is its low flexibility in genetic
      manipulation. As this parasite cannot be continuously propagated in cell
      cultures, in vivo drug selection procedures are necessary to isolate genetic
      mutants. Drugs harmful to rodents therefore cannot be used for drug selection,
      which restricts the range of genetic manipulation. In this study, we addressed
      this problem by establishing a novel in vitro culture drug selection method,
      which we used in combination with other established methods to successfully
      isolate genetically manipulated parasites. The target mutants were enriched to
      the desired level within two weeks. We show that our system can also be used for
      sequential genetic manipulation of parasites carrying the traditionally used
      selection markers, demonstrate the procedure's versatility, and show its use in
      isolating specific genetically manipulated parasites. This novel in vitro
      selection method increases the number of available selection markers, allowing
      more extensive genetic manipulation in malaria parasite research.

PMID- 28638106
TI  - Protective Efficacy of the Trivalent Pseudomonas aeruginosa Vaccine Candidate
      PcrV-OprI-Hcp1 in Murine Pneumonia and Burn Models.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a formidable pathogen that is responsible for a diverse
      spectrum of human infectious diseases, resulting in considerable annual mortality
      rates. Because of biofilm formation and its ability of rapidly acquires of
      resistance to many antibiotics, P. aeruginosa related infections are difficult to
      treat, and therefore, developing an effective vaccine is the most promising
      method for combating infection. In the present study, we designed a novel
      trivalent vaccine, PcrV28-294-OprI25-83-Hcp11-162 (POH), and evaluated its
      protective efficacy in murine pneumonia and burn models. POH existed as a dimer
      in solution, it induced better protection efficacy in P. aeruginosa lethal
      pneumonia and murine burn models than single components alone when formulated
      with Al(OH)3 adjuvant, and it showed broad immune protection against several
      clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Immunization with POH induced strong immune
      responses and resulted in reduced bacterial loads, decreased pathology,
      inflammatory cytokine expression and inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore,
      in vitro opsonophagocytic killing assay and passive immunization studies
      indicated that the protective efficacy mediated by POH vaccination was largely
      attributed to POH-specific antibodies. Taken together, these data provided
      evidence that POH is a potentially promising vaccine candidate for combating P.
      aeruginosa infection in pneumonia and burn infections.

PMID- 28638107
TI  - Tracking protein function with sodium multi quantum spectroscopy in a 3D-tissue
      culture based on microcavity arrays.
AB  - The aim of this study was to observe the effects of strophanthin induced
      inhibition of the Na-/K-ATPase in liver cells using a magnetic resonance (MR)
      compatible bioreactor. A microcavity array with a high density three-dimensional
      cell culture served as a functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) phantom for
      sodium multi quantum (MQ) spectroscopy. Direct contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI
      revealed the homogenous distribution of biochemical substances inside the
      bioreactor. NMR experiments using advanced bioreactors have advantages with
      respect to having full control over a variety of physiological parameters such as
      temperature, gas composition and fluid flow. Simultaneous detection of single
      quantum (SQ) and triple quantum (TQ) MR signals improves accuracy and was
      achieved by application of a pulse sequence with a time proportional phase
      increment (TQTPPI). The time course of the Na-/K-ATPase inhibition in the cell
      culture was demonstrated by the corresponding alterations of sodium TQ/SQ MR
      signals.

PMID- 28638108
TI  - Pregnancy outcomes in nulliparous women after ultrasound ablation of uterine
      fibroids: A single-central retrospective study.
AB  - To explore the impact of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation of
      uterine fibroids in nulliparous women on subsequent pregnancy and delivery. A
      retrospective analysis was conducted of nulliparous women who received HIFU
      treatment at Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing,China, from January 1, 2010,
      to January 1, 2015. A total of 189 cases were enrolled, the median follow-up time
      was three years. Among them,there were 131 cases pregnancy with a total of 133
      times,the pregnancy rate was 69.3% (131/189),and the spontaneous conception rate
      was 95.4% (125/131). Of 131 pregnant women, 19 were on-going pregnancy,
      terminated pregnancy 114 times,which include 93 times successfully delivery with
      a 76.3% (87/114) full-term birth rate,and the cesarean section rate was 72.0%
      (67/93). Of 94 newborns,the average birth weight was (3.3 +/- 0.4)kg (range:1.5
      4.8 kg), and a pair of them were identical twins. The incidence of complications
      during pregnancy and delivery were 10.8% (10/93) and 7.5%
      (7/93),respectively,except one woman failed on-going pregnancy and one woman
      suffered hysterectomy due to the complications,others all successful pregnant and
      delivered. Multiple-factor regression analysis found that age and infertility
      history were the important factors that may affect pregnancy after HIFU (P <
      0.01). Nulliparous women who undergo HIFU treatment for uterine fibroids can
      subsequently have successful pregnancy and delivery safely.

PMID- 28638109
TI  - Voxel-based morphometric brain comparison between healthy subjects and major
      depressive disorder patients in Japanese with the s/s genotype of 5-HTTLPR.
AB  - Individuals with s/s genotype of serotonin transporter gene-linked promotor
      region (5-HTTLPR), which appear with a high frequency in Japanese, exhibit more
      diagnosable depression in relation to stressful life events than those with the
      s/l or l/l genotype. We prospectively investigated the brain volume changes in
      first-episode and medication naive major depression disorder patients (MDD) with
      the s/s genotype in Japanese. We assessed the differences between 27 MDD with the
      s/s genotype and 44 healthy subjects (HS) with the same genotype using a whole
      brain voxel-by-voxel statistical analysis of MRI. Gray matter volume in a brain
      region with significant clusters obtained via voxel-based morphometry analysis
      were measured and, as an exploratory analysis, evaluated for relationships to the
      subcategory scores (core, sleep, activity, psychic, somatic anxiety, delusion) of
      the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Social Readjustment Rating
      Scale (SRRS). The brain volume in the left insula lobe was significantly smaller
      in the MDD than in the HS. The left insula lobe volume correlated negatively with
      the "psychic" score of HAM-D and the SRRS. In a Japanese population with the s/s
      genotype, we found an atrophy of the insula in the MDD, which might be associated
      with "psychic" symptom and stress events.

PMID- 28638110
TI  - A novel and effective method to generate human porcine-specific regulatory T
      cells with high expression of IL-10, TGF-beta1 and IL-35.
AB  - Organ transplantation remains the most effective treatment for patients with late
      stage organ failure. Transgenic pigs provide an alternative organ donor source to
      the limited availability of human organs. However, cellular rejection still
      remains to be the obstacle for xenotransplantation. Superior to other methods,
      antigen-specific regulatory T cells (Treg) alleviate cellular rejection with
      fewer side effects. Here we demonstrate the use of a fast method to provide
      tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDC) that can be used to generate effective
      porcine-specific Treg cells (PSTreg). TolDC were produced within three days from
      human monocytes in medium supplemented with anti-inflammatory cytokines. Treg
      were generated from naive CD4+ T cells and induced to become PSTreg by
      cocultivation with porcine-antigen-loaded tolDC. Results showed that PSTreg
      exhibited the expected phenotype, CD4+CD25+CD127low/- Foxp3+, and a more
      activated phenotype. The specificity of PSTreg was demonstrated by suppression of
      effector T cell (Teff) activation markers of different stages and inhibition of
      Teff cell proliferation. TolDC and PSTreg exhibited high expression of IL-10 and
      TGF-beta1 at both protein and RNA levels, and PSTreg also highly expressed IL-35
      at RNA levels. Upon restimulation, PSTreg retained the activated phenotype and
      specificity. Taken together, the newly developed procedure allows efficient
      generation of highly suppressive PSTreg.

PMID- 28638111
TI  - Transcriptome analyses of taste organoids reveal multiple pathways involved in
      taste cell generation.
AB  - Taste cells undergo constant turnover throughout life; however, the molecular
      mechanisms governing taste cell generation are not well understood. Using RNA
      Seq, we systematically surveyed the transcriptome landscape of taste organoids at
      different stages of growth. Our data show the staged expression of a variety of
      genes and identify multiple signaling pathways underlying taste cell
      differentiation and taste stem/progenitor cell proliferation. For example,
      transcripts of taste receptors appear only or predominantly in late-stage
      organoids. Prior to that, transcription factors and other signaling elements are
      upregulated. RNA-Seq identified a number of well-characterized signaling pathways
      in taste organoid cultures, such as those involving Wnt, bone morphogenetic
      proteins (BMPs), Notch, and Hedgehog (Hh). By pharmacological manipulation, we
      demonstrate that Wnt, BMPs, Notch, and Hh signaling pathways are necessary for
      taste cell proliferation, differentiation and cell fate determination. The
      temporal expression profiles displayed by taste organoids may also lead to the
      identification of currently unknown transducer elements underlying sour, salt,
      and other taste qualities, given the staged expression of taste receptor genes
      and taste transduction elements in cultured organoids.

PMID- 28638112
TI  - The structure-function relationship of disulfide bonds in etanercept.
AB  - Etanercept is a TNFalpha receptor Fc fusion protein used for the treatment of
      rheumatic disease and psoriasis. Physicochemical and functional investigation of
      process fractions during development of the etanercept biosimilar GP2015
      (Erelzi(r)) revealed a correlation between reduced potency and incorrect
      disulfide bridging between specific cysteines in the receptor domain. This novel
      structure-function relationship was found to be the molecular basis for reduced
      potency in recent Enbrel(r) batches, which exhibit higher levels of incorrect
      disulfide bridging. Interestingly, incorrect disulfide bridging was found to be
      reversible under serum-like redox conditions, restoring potency to normal levels.
      This redox dependent reversibility suggests that these variants are likely not
      relevant for clinical efficacy once the drug enters the bloodstream. Nonetheless,
      incorrect disulfide bridging in etanercept represents a new quality attribute
      that is critical for biopharmaceutical functionality and should thus be carefully
      monitored and controlled to guarantee patient safety.

PMID- 28638113
TI  - Clinical Significance and Next-Generation Sequencing of Chinese Pulmonary
      Sarcomatoid Carcinoma.
AB  - Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma (PSC) constitutes a heterogeneous group of non
      small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) with a poor prognosis. In this study, a group
      of 7 patients with PSC was studied. Microscope analysis of all 7 cases revealed a
      pleomorphic carcinoma subtype. Moreover, 5 cases (71.4%) were composed entirely
      of malignant sarcomatoid-like elements, and 2 cases (28.6%) were composed of
      malignant sarcomatoid-like elements and at least 10% adenocarcinoma-like
      elements. Immunohistochemically, the PSC components of all 7 cases were positive
      for vimentin and cytokeratins, including cytokeratin (CK) and cytokeratin 7
      (CK7). Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) was performed, and a total of 136
      putative somatic variants and one gene fusion were identified, of which 16
      variants were considered hot spot mutations, including the genes EGFR, EML4-ALK,
      MET, BRAF, PIK3CA, and TP53. Of these hot spot mutations, one sample expressing
      an EML4-ALK fusion was further confirmed by Ventana IHC, and one sample
      containing an EGFR exon 19 deletion was also confirmed. The NGS results imply
      that TP53 mutations occur often in PSCs and that EML4-ALK fusion events and EGFR
      exon deletions also occur in these rare tumors. Molecular targeted therapy may be
      a useful treatment strategy for these rare lung tumors.

PMID- 28638114
TI  - Key driving forces of desertification in the Mu Us Desert, China.
AB  - The temporal trends and key driving forces of desertification in the Mu Us Desert
      are representatives of most arid regions of Asia with a high risk of
      desertification. We analyzed the significance of Aeolian transport on
      desertification in the Mu Us Desert by field investigations, sampling, wind
      tunnel experiments, particle size and nutrient measurements, and statistics on
      aeolian transport potentials. The results showed that high intensities of aeolian
      processes may result in low differences in aeolian transport despite differences
      in the underlying sediments. When high desertification occurred in the 1970s, the
      annual losses of the ammonium N, nitrate N, available K, and available P were
      approximately 116, 312, 46,436, and 1,251 kg km-2, respectively. After 2010, the
      losses were only 8, 20, 3,208, and 84 kg km-2, which were generally only 6.7% of
      those in the 1970s. The results showed that although human activity may trigger
      desertification, the dramatic decline of aeolian transport and low nutrient loss
      may be the key driving forces for the occurrence of rehabilitation in this
      region.

PMID- 28638115
TI  - Effect of impurity resonant states on optical and thermoelectric properties on
      the surface of a topological insulator.
AB  - We investigate the thermoelectric effect on a topological insulator surface with
      particular interest in impurity-induced resonant states. To clarify the role of
      the resonant states, we calculate the dc and ac conductivities and the
      thermoelectric coefficients along the longitudinal direction within the full Born
      approximation. It is found that at low temperatures, the impurity resonant state
      with strong energy de-pendence can lead to a zero-energy peak in the dc
      conductivity, whose height is sensitively dependent on the strength of scattering
      potential, and even can reverse the sign of the thermopower, implying the
      switching from n- to p-type carriers. Also, we exhibit the thermoelectric
      signatures for the filling process of a magnetic band gap by the resonant state.
      We further study the impurity effect on the dynamic optical conductivity, and
      find that the resonant state also generates an optical conductivity peak at the
      absorption edge for the interband transition. These results provide new
      perspectives for understanding the doping effect on topological insulator
      materials.

PMID- 28638116
TI  - Laser-ultrasonic delivery of agents into articular cartilage.
AB  - Research is ongoing to develop drug therapies to manage osteoarthritis (OA) and
      articular cartilage (AC) injuries. However, means to deliver drug to localized AC
      lesions are highly limited and not clinically available. This study investigates
      the capability of laser ultrasound (laser-induced plasma sound source) to deliver
      agents (methylene blue, MB, in PBS) into bovine AC. Treatment samples (n = 10)
      were immersed in MB solution simultaneously with LU exposure, while adjacent
      control 1 tissue (n = 10) was pre-treated with LU followed by immersion in MB and
      adjacent control 2 tissue (n = 10) was only immersed in MB. AC exposed (n = 22)
      or not exposed (n = 27) to LU were characterized for anomalies in structure,
      composition, viability or RNA expression. Optically detected MB content was
      significantly (p < 0.01) higher in treatment samples up to a depth of 500 um from
      AC surface as compared to controls. No major unwanted short-term effects on AC
      structure, proteoglycan or collagen contents, chondrocyte viability or RNA
      expression levels were detected. In conclusion, LU can deliver agents into AC
      without major short-term concerns on safety. LU could reveal new strategies for
      the development of localized drug therapies in AC.

PMID- 28638117
TI  - Disrupted functional connectivity between the periaqueductal gray and other brain
      regions in a rat model of recurrent headache.
AB  - Functional connectivity (FC) has been used to investigate the pathophysiology of
      migraine. We aimed to identify atypical FC between the periaqueductal gray (PAG)
      and other brain areas in rats induced by repeated meningeal nociception. The rat
      model was established by infusing an inflammatory soup (IS) through supradural
      catheters in conscious rats. Quiescent and face-grooming behaviors were observed
      to assess nociceptive behavior. FC analysis seeded on the PAG was performed on
      rats 21 days after IS infusion. The rats exhibited nociceptive behavior
      correlates of human behaviors associated with migraine after IS infusion. The PAG
      showed increased FC with the prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and motor cortex
      but decreased FC with the basal ganglia, dorsal lateral thalamus, internal
      capsule and prelimbic cortex in the rat model. The atypical FC of the PAG with
      brain regions in the rat model that are involved in nociception, somatosensory
      processing, emotional processing, and pain modulation are consistent with the
      clinical data from migraineurs, indicate that resting-state FC changes in
      migraine patients may be a consequence of headache attacks, and further validate
      this rat model of chronic migraine.

PMID- 28638118
TI  - Conformational plasticity and evolutionary analysis of the myotilin tandem Ig
      domains.
AB  - Myotilin is a component of the sarcomere where it plays an important role in
      organisation and maintenance of Z-disk integrity. This involves direct binding to
      F-actin and filamin C, a function mediated by its Ig domain pair. While the
      structures of these two individual domains are known, information about their
      relative orientation and flexibility remains limited. We set on to characterise
      the Ig domain pair of myotilin with emphasis on its molecular structure, dynamics
      and phylogeny. First, sequence conservation analysis of myotilin shed light on
      the molecular basis of myotilinopathies and revealed several motifs in Ig domains
      found also in I-band proteins. In particular, a highly conserved Glu344 mapping
      to Ig domain linker, was identified as a critical component of the inter-domain
      hinge mechanism. Next, SAXS and molecular dynamics revealed that Ig domain pair
      exists as a multi-conformation species with dynamic exchange between extended and
      compact orientations. Mutation of AKE motif to AAA further confirmed its impact
      on inter-domain flexibility. We hypothesise that the conformational plasticity of
      the Ig domain pair in its unbound form is part of the binding partner recognition
      mechanism.

PMID- 28638121
TI  - Neural coding: Face values.

PMID- 28638120
TI  - Neural circuits underlying thirst and fluid homeostasis.
AB  - Thirst motivates animals to find and consume water. More than 40 years ago, a set
      of interconnected brain structures known as the lamina terminalis was shown to
      govern thirst. However, owing to the anatomical complexity of these brain
      regions, the structure and dynamics of their underlying neural circuitry have
      remained obscure. Recently, the emergence of new tools for neural recording and
      manipulation has reinvigorated the study of this circuit and prompted re
      examination of longstanding questions about the neural origins of thirst. Here,
      we review these advances, discuss what they teach us about the control of
      drinking behaviour and outline the key questions that remain unanswered.

PMID- 28638119
TI  - Neuroimmunology and neuroepigenetics in the establishment of sex differences in
      the brain.
AB  - The study of sex differences in the brain is a topic of neuroscientific study
      that has broad reaching implications for culture, society and biomedical science.
      Recent research in rodent models has led to dramatic shifts in our views of the
      mechanisms underlying the sexual differentiation of the brain. These include the
      surprising discoveries of a role for immune cells and inflammatory mediators in
      brain masculinization and a role for epigenetic suppression in brain
      feminization. How and to what degree these findings will translate to human brain
      development will be questions of central importance in future research in this
      field.

PMID- 28638122
TI  - Synergistic effects of various Her inhibitors in combination with IGF-1R, C-MET
      and Src targeting agents in breast cancer cell lines.
AB  - Overexpression of HER2 has been reported in around 25% of human breast cancers.
      Despite recent advances in HER2 targeted therapy, many patients still experience
      primary and secondary resistance to such treatments, the mechanisms for which are
      poorly understood. Here, we investigated the sensitivity of a panel of breast
      cancer cell lines to treatment with various types of HER-family inhibitors alone
      or in combination with other tyrosine kinase inhibitors or chemotherapeutic
      agents. We found that treatment with the second-generation irreversible HER
      family inhibitors, particularly afatinib and neratinib, were more effective than
      treatment with the first-generation reversible inhibitors in inhibiting growth,
      migration and downstream cell signalling in breast cancer cells. Of the three
      HER2 overexpressing cell lines in this panel, SKBr3 and BT474 were highly
      sensitive to treatment with HER-family inhibitors, while MDA-MB-453 was
      comparatively resistant. Combinations of HER-family inhibitors with NVP-AEW541,
      dasatinib or crizotinib (inhibitors of IGF-1R, Src and c-Met/ALK, respectively)
      led to synergistic effects in some of the cell lines examined. In particular,
      treatment with a combination of Src and HER-family member inhibitors resulted in
      synergistic growth inhibition of MDA-MB453 cells, implicating Src as a mediator
      of resistance to HER2-targeting agents. Our results suggest that combining HER
      family inhibitors with other TKIs such as dasatinib may have therapeutic
      advantages in certain breast cancer subtypes and warrants further investigation.

PMID- 28638123
TI  - Transient cell assembly networks encode stable spatial memories.
AB  - One of the mysteries of memory is that it can last despite changes in the
      underlying synaptic architecture. How can we, for example, maintain an internal
      spatial map of an environment over months or years when the underlying network is
      full of transient connections? In the following, we propose a computational model
      for describing the emergence of the hippocampal cognitive map in a network of
      transient place cell assemblies and demonstrate, using methods of algebraic
      topology, how such a network can maintain spatial memory over time.

PMID- 28638127
TI  - The Relevance of Arieti's Work in the Age of Medication.
AB  - This paper looks at the relevance of psychoanalysis as a treatment option for
      psychotic individuals at a time when psychosis is invariably considered to be a
      biologically-based brain disease, for which the preferred course of treatment is
      psychotropic medication. In recent years, the use of psychoanalysis has declined
      noticeably in favor of evidenced-based biomedical approaches, which rely heavily
      upon statistical probabilities for ameliorating specific psychotic symptoms. Well
      publicized biological approaches have proliferated, often to the detriment of the
      psychotic individual's general health, emotional recovery, and long-term
      rehabilitation. Sadly, these approaches may also be a significant factor
      affecting mortality rates in those suffering with psychosis, known to be about 25
      years shorter, on average, than the general population.

PMID- 28638124
TI  - Expression of the Human Herpesvirus 6A Latency-Associated Transcript U94A
      Disrupts Human Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Migration.
AB  - Progression of demyelinating diseases is caused by an imbalance of two opposing
      processes: persistent destruction of myelin and myelin repair by differentiating
      oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Repair that cannot keep pace with
      destruction results in progressive loss of myelin. Viral infections have long
      been suspected to be involved in these processes but their specific role remains
      elusive. Here we describe a novel mechanism by which HHV-6A, a member of the
      human herpesvirus family, may contribute to inadequate myelin repair after
      injury.

PMID- 28638131
TI  - The Flexible Function of the Modern Kleinian Psychoanalytic Approach:
      Interpreting Through the Unbearable Security of Paranoid and Depressive
      Phantasies.
AB  - Working to establish analytic contact (Waska, 2007) with a patient involves the
      verbal act of interpretation. But, how one interprets and what we try to hold in
      words is not the same with each patient. Each patient requires, invites, provokes
      and responds to a unique mixture of interpretive elements or approaches. The
      projective identification process that is so often the bedrock of the
      transference, and therefore the catalyst of the counter-transference, forms the
      psychological climate between patient and analyst. Case material is used to
      explore a Modern Kleinian interpretive approach with both a very entrenched
      depressive position (Klein, 1935, 1940) patient and a very primitive paranoid
      schizoid (Klein, 1946) patient. Both these individuals desired relief from their
      symptoms of anxiety, anger, emptiness, and guilt. But, their unbearable
      unconscious phantasies offered pathological security that they were familiar with
      and therefore they preferred the known internal trauma and chaos to facing the
      unknown and undefined reality of self and other that change, grief, and growth
      would bring.

PMID- 28638132
TI  - Troubled Journeys: Some Motivations of Young Muslim Men to Join the Islamic
      State.
AB  - Large numbers of young people have joined jihadists groups in the Syrian/Iraqi
      conflict. Why would these young people decide to become jihadist fighters? What
      are the representations of the West they hold and how do these representations
      shape their decision? Drawing on the psychotherapeutic work with Syrian and Iraqi
      asylum seekers, this paper seeks to explain the most intimate reasons of young
      Muslim would-be fighters to join the Islamic State militias.

PMID- 28638133
TI  - The agenetic body: prosthetics or the new Promethean ideal.
AB  - In our rapidly changing world, we are often encouraged to treat our bodies as
      objects of constant improvement by means of various facilities and innovations.
      As part of this "Promethean tendency," the present-day alliance between medicine
      and technology has opened up a new perspective on the ill and disabled body, by
      providing access to sophisticated prosthetics that are increasingly seen as ideal
      remedies. These devices allow patients to benefit from previously unimaginable
      treatments and inestimable scientific advances, yet they also create new forms of
      dependency that go beyond simply forming a habit. They are part of a complex
      process which results in the construction of a body full of paradoxes and whose
      effects go beyond the subject's image construction. Based on the case of
      Mathilde, a little girl with a partial arm agenesis, the author traces some
      elements of the psychic process of constructing a body: from a congenital
      malformation towards a body "supplemented" by a prosthesis.

PMID- 28638134
TI  - Melancholia, Narcissism and Depression.
AB  - This paper discusses ideas about depression as a paradigmatic symptom of
      contemporaneous psychological suffering and makes a comparison between depression
      and melancholia. The ideas we describe were stimulated by two comparative studies
      that were conducted based on an analysis of how depressed subjects relate to the
      concept of desire, their feelings of shame and their self-image in today's age.

PMID- 28638136
TI  - Ternary Resistance Switching Memory Behavior Based on Graphene Oxide Embedded in
      a Polystyrene Polymer Layer.
AB  - Nonvolatile ternary memory devices were fabricated using the composite of
      polystyrene (PS) and graphene oxide(GO) as active layers, which have an reliable
      intermediate state. The current-voltage (I-V) curves of the indium tin oxide
      (ITO)/PS+GO/Al device under the external applied voltages exhibited current tri
      stability with three conductivity states, which clearly revealed ternary memory
      performance. Under the stimulus of the external voltage, a stable intermediate
      conductivity state was observed. In the write-read-erase-read test, the
      ITO/PS+GO/Al device exhibited rewritable, nonvolatile, ternary memory properties.
      The resistance as functions of the time indicated that three conductivity states
      held for 2 * 105 s, suggesting that the good stability of the ITO/PS+GO/Al
      devices. HRTEM and XPS observation indicated that the Al top electrode reacted
      with oxygen within in GO.

PMID- 28638135
TI  - Temperature dependence of protein-water interactions in a gated yeast aquaporin.
AB  - Regulation of aquaporins is a key process of living organisms to counteract
      sudden osmotic changes. Aqy1, which is a water transporting aquaporin of the
      yeast Pichia pastoris, is suggested to be gated by chemo-mechanical stimuli as a
      protective regulatory-response against rapid freezing. Here, we tested the
      influence of temperature by determining the X-ray structure of Aqy1 at room
      temperature (RT) at 1.3 A resolution, and by exploring the structural dynamics of
      Aqy1 during freezing through molecular dynamics simulations. At ambient
      temperature and in a lipid bilayer, Aqy1 adopts a closed conformation that is
      globally better described by the RT than by the low-temperature (LT) crystal
      structure. Locally, for the blocking-residue Tyr31 and the water molecules inside
      the pore, both LT and RT data sets are consistent with the positions observed in
      the simulations at room-temperature. Moreover, as the temperature was lowered,
      Tyr31 adopted a conformation that more effectively blocked the channel, and its
      motion was accompanied by a temperature-driven rearrangement of the water
      molecules inside the channel. We therefore speculate that temperature drives Aqy1
      from a loosely- to a tightly-blocked state. This analysis provides high
      resolution structural evidence of the influence of temperature on membrane
      transport channels.

PMID- 28638137
TI  - Optimized microwave illusion device.
AB  - We report the design, fabrication and experimental verification of an illusion
      device working at microwave frequencies. A two dimensional topology optimization
      procedure is employed to find the binary layout of a dielectric coating that,
      when wrapped around a metallic cylinder, mimics the scattering from a predefined,
      arbitrarily-shaped dielectric object. Fabrication is carried out with 3D-printing
      and spatially resolved near field measurements in a waveguide configuration were
      performed, allowing us to map the illusion effect. Our work provides general
      guidelines for engineering electromagnetic illusions but can be extended to shape
      the near and far-field radiations using low index isotropic materials.

PMID- 28638138
TI  - Immune regulation by oral tolerance induces alternate activation of macrophages
      and reduces markers of plaque destabilization in Apobtm2Sgy/Ldlrtm1Her/J mice.
AB  - Atherosclerosis is the leading cause for cardiovascular mortality. We determined
      the effect of multi-antigenic construct expressing three peptides AHC (ApoB100,
      HSP60 and outer membrane protein of chlamydia pneumonia) in stabilizing advanced
      atherosclerosis in Apobtm2Sgy/Ldlrtm1Her/J mice. Atherosclerosis was induced by
      feeding high fat diet (HFD) to mice for 10 weeks, followed by five oral dosing
      with purified AHC or ovalbumin on alternate days and continued on HFD for another
      10 weeks. Tolerance was associated with significantly higher numbers of
      regulatory T cells both in aortic sinus and spleen with higher mRNA expression of
      CTLA4 (3 fold), Foxp3 (1.4 folds) and TGF-beta (1.62) in aorta. Tregs cells were
      found to induce alternate activation of macrophages to M2 phenotype, with a
      reduction in plaque inflammation. AHC treatment showed evidence of plaque
      stabilization as observed by reduction in plaque necrosis in aortic sinus (35.8%)
      and in brachiocephalic artery (26%), with reduced expression of Tissue factor and
      MMP9. Macrophage apoptosis was reduced and collagen content was enhanced by
      treatment. Our results suggest that tolerance to atherogenic peptides increases
      regulatory T cells which activate M2 macrophages, prevent T cell proliferation
      and reduce plaque destabilization and inflammatory markers thus providing
      evidences for plaque stabilization in mice with advanced atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28638139
TI  - Platelet releasates promote the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells
      by suppressing the expression of KLF6.
AB  - Platelets in the primary tumor microenvironment play crucial roles in the
      regulation of tumor progression, but the mechanisms underlying are poorly
      understood. Here, we report that platelet releasates exerted a proliferative
      effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells both in vitro and in vivo. This
      effect depended on a reduction of KLF6 expression in HCC cells. After incubation
      with either platelets or platelet granule contents, SMMC.7721 and HepG2 cells
      exhibited significant increases in proliferation and decreases in apoptosis.
      However, no effect was observed when incubating cancer cells with resuspended
      activated platelet pellet which exhausted of releasates. Platelet releasates also
      increased the population of HCC cells in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle
      and reduced the cell population in the G0/G1 phase. Moreover, knocking down KLF6
      expression significantly diminished the platelet-mediated enhancement of HCC
      growth. In addition, blocking TGF-beta signaling with the TGF-beta receptor
      inhibitor SB431542 counteracted the effect of platelets on KLF6 expression and
      proliferation of HCC cells. Based on these findings, we conclude that platelet
      releasates, especially TGF-beta, promote the proliferation of SMMC.7721 and HepG2
      cells by decreasing expression of KLF6. This discovery identifies a potential new
      therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

PMID- 28638141
TI  - al mena: a comprehensive resource of human genetic variants integrating genomes
      and exomes from Arab, Middle Eastern and North African populations.
AB  - Middle East and North Africa (MENA) encompass very unique populations, with a
      rich history and encompasses characteristic ethnic, linguistic and genetic
      diversity. The genetic diversity of MENA region has been largely unknown. The
      recent availability of whole-exome and whole-genome sequences from the region has
      made it possible to collect population-specific allele frequencies. The
      integration of data sets from this region would provide insights into the
      landscape of genetic variants in this region. We integrated genetic variants from
      multiple data sets systematically, available from this region to create a
      compendium of over 26 million genetic variations. The variants were
      systematically annotated and their allele frequencies in the data sets were
      computed and available as a web interface which enables quick query. As a proof
      of principle for application of the compendium for genetic epidemiology, we
      analyzed the allele frequencies for variants in transglutaminase 1 (TGM1) gene,
      associated with autosomal recessive lamellar ichthyosis. Our analysis revealed
      that the carrier frequency of selected variants differed widely with significant
      interethnic differences. To the best of our knowledge, al mena is the first and
      most comprehensive repertoire of genetic variations from the Arab, Middle Eastern
      and North African region. We hope al mena would accelerate Precision Medicine in
      the region.

PMID- 28638140
TI  - Imaging dynamic fingerprints of competing E2 and SN2 reactions.
AB  - The competition between bimolecular nucleophilic substitution and base-induced
      elimination is of fundamental importance for the synthesis of pure samples in
      organic chemistry. Many factors that influence this competition have been
      identified over the years, but the underlying atomistic dynamics have remained
      difficult to observe. We present product velocity distributions for a series of
      reactive collisions of the type X- + RY with X and Y denoting the halogen atoms
      fluorine, chlorine and iodine. By increasing the size of the residue R from
      methyl to tert-butyl in several steps, we find that the dynamics drastically
      change from backward to dominant forward scattering of the leaving ion relative
      to the reactant RY velocity. This characteristic fingerprint is also confirmed by
      direct dynamics simulations for ethyl as residue and attributed to the dynamics
      of elimination reactions. This work opens the door to a detailed atomistic
      understanding of transformation reactions in even larger systems.The competition
      between chemical reactions critically affects our natural environment and the
      synthesis of new materials. Here, the authors present an approach to directly
      image distinct fingerprints of essential organic reactions and monitor their
      competition as a function of steric substitution.

PMID- 28638142
TI  - Inter-generational instability of inserted repeats during transmission in
      spinocerebellar ataxia type 31.
AB  - The causative mutation for spinocerebellar ataxia type 31 (SCA31) is an intronic
      insertion containing pathogenic pentanucleotide repeats, (TGGAA)n. We examined to
      what degree the inserted repeats were unstable during transmission. In 14 parent
      child pairs, the average change of onset age was -6.4+/-7.3 years (mean+/-s.d.)
      in the child generation when compared with the parent generation. Of the 11 pairs
      analyzed, six showed expansion of inserted repeat length during transmission, and
      five showed contraction. On average, the inserted repeats expanded by 12.2+/-32.7
      bp during transmission, but their mean length (with a 95% confidence interval)
      was not significantly different between parent and child generations. We consider
      that the length of the inserted repeats in SCA31 is changeable during
      transmission, but inter-generational instability is not marked, as far as the
      current sizing method can determine.

PMID- 28638143
TI  - Siblings with optic neuropathy and RTN4IP1 mutation.
AB  - Inherited optic neuropathies (IONs) are neurodegenerative disorders affecting the
      optic nerve and the nervous system. Dominant and recessive IONs are known. Many
      of the dominant IONs are caused by mutations of OPA1. Autosomal-recessive IONs
      are rare. OPA10 is an autosomal-recessive ION due to mutations in RTN4IP1.
      Patients with RTN4IP1 mutations show extraocular manifestations. We report
      brothers with optic neuropathy who had novel mutations in the RTN4IP1 gene. This
      is the first report of Japanese patients with OPA10. They showed extraocular
      manifestations resembling mitochondrial encephalopathy.

PMID- 28638144
TI  - On the interaction of toxic Heavy Metals (Cd, Hg, Pb) with graphene quantum dots
      and infinite graphene.
AB  - The promise of graphene and its derivatives as next generation sensors for real
      time detection of toxic heavy metals (HM) requires a clear understanding of
      behavior of these metals on the graphene surface and response of the graphene to
      adsorption events. Our calculations herein were focused on the investigation of
      the interaction between three HMs, namely Cd, Hg and Pb, with graphene quantum
      dots (GQDs). We determine binding energies and heights of both neutral and
      charged HM ions on these GQDs. The results show that the adsorption energy of
      donor-like physisorbed neutral Pb atoms is larger than that of either Cd or Hg.
      In contrast to the donor-like behavior of elemental HMs, the chemisorbed charged
      HM species act as typical acceptors. The energy barriers to migration of the
      neutral adatoms on GQDs are also estimated. In addition, we show how the
      substitution of a carbon atom by a HM adatom changes the geometric structure of
      GQDs and hence their electronic and vibrational properties. UV-visible absorption
      spectra of HM-adsorbed GQDs vary with the size and shape of the GQD. Based on our
      results, we suggest a route towards the development of a graphene-based sensing
      platform for the optical detection of toxic HMs.

PMID- 28638145
TI  - A sacrificial layer strategy for photolithography on highly hydrophobic surface
      and its application for electrowetting devices.
AB  - Patterning micro-structures on highly hydrophobic surface by photolithography is
      usually inevitable for fabricating devices based on electrowetting effects. The
      key challenges for such photolithography processes are how to coat photoresist
      uniformly and maintain the hydrophobicity of the highly hydrophobic surface,
      which are usually two contradict aspects. Moreover, the patterned microstructure
      must adhere to the highly hydrophobic surface excellently, which is critical for
      device application. However, a simple and robust fabrication process that
      fulfills all the above requirements was seldom reported. In this paper, we
      developed a sacrificial layer photolithography strategy on highly hydrophobic
      surface. Photoresist is easily coated uniformly all over the substrate by
      introducing a sacrificial layer between the photoresist and the highly
      hydrophobic surface. The hydrophobicity of the exposed hydrophobic surface was
      maintained and the adhesion of the microstructures to the substrate is excellent.
      An electrowetting display sample was demonstrated by this fabrication strategy,
      which showed dynamic image displaying with response time less than 40 ms. The
      strategy is applicable to both rigid and flexible substrate and manufacturing
      compatible. We believe our developed photolithography process is important for
      research and development of devices based on electrowetting effect.

PMID- 28638146
TI  - Outstanding compressive creep strength in Cr/Ir-codoped (Mo0.85Nb0.15)Si2
      crystals with the unique cross-lamellar microstructure.
AB  - A (Mo0.85Nb0.15)Si2 crystal with an oriented, lamellar, C40/C11b two-phase
      microstructure is a promising ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) structural material,
      but its low room-temperature fracture toughness and low high-temperature strength
      prevent its practical application. As a possibility to overcome these problems,
      we first found a development of unique "cross-lamellar microstructure", by the
      cooping of Cr and Ir. The cross-lamellar microstructure consists of a rod-like
      C11b-phase grains that extend along a direction perpendicular to the lamellar
      interface in addition to the C40/C11b fine lamellae. In this study, the
      effectiveness of the cross-lamellar microstructure for improving the high
      temperature creep deformation property, being the most essential for UHT
      materials, was examined by using the oriented crystals. The creep rate
      significantly reduced along a loading orientation parallel to the lamellar
      interface. Furthermore, the degradation in creep strength for other loading
      orientation that is not parallel to the lamellar interface, which has been a
      serious problem up to now, was also suppressed. The results demonstrated that the
      simultaneous improvement of high-temperature creep strength and room temperature
      fracture toughness can be first accomplished by the development of unique cross
      lamellar microstructure, which opens a potential avenue for the development of
      novel UHT materials as alternatives to existing Ni-based superalloys.

PMID- 28638148
TI  - Full-time response of starch subjected to microwave heating.
AB  - The effect of non-ionizing microwave radiation on starch is due to a
      gelatinization temperature range that changes starch structure and properties.
      However, the changes in starch upon microwave heating are observable throughout
      the heating process. We compared the effects on starch heating by microwaves to
      the effects by rapid and regular conventional heating. Our results show that
      microwave heating promotes the rapid rearrangement of starch molecules at low
      temperatures; starch showed a stable dielectric response and a high dielectric
      constant. Microwave heating changed the Cole-Cole curve and the polarization of
      starch suspension at low temperatures. A marked transition at 2.45 GHz resulted
      in a double-polarization phenomenon. At temperatures below gelatinization,
      microwave-induced dielectric rearrangement and changes in the polarization
      characteristics of starch suspensions reduced the absorption properties; at
      temperatures above gelatinization, these characteristics became consistent with
      conventional heating. Throughout the heating process, microwaves change the
      electrical response and polarization characteristics of the starch at low
      temperatures, but on the macro level, there is no enhancement of the material's
      microwave absorption properties. In contrast, with the warming process, the
      starch exhibited a "blocking effect", and the absorption properties of the starch
      quickly returned to the level observed in conductive heating after
      gelatinization.

PMID- 28638147
TI  - Sensitivity of human pluripotent stem cells to insulin precipitation induced by
      peristaltic pump-based medium circulation: considerations on process development.
AB  - Controlled large-scale production of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is
      indispensable for their envisioned clinical translation. Aiming at advanced
      process development in suspension culture, the sensitivity of hPSC media to
      continuous peristaltic pump-based circulation, a well-established technology
      extensively used in hydraulically-driven bioreactors, was investigated.
      Unexpectedly, conditioning of low protein media (i.e. E8 and TeSR-E8) in a
      peristaltic pump circuit induced severe viability loss of hPSCs cultured as
      aggregates in suspension. Optical, biochemical, and cytological analyses of the
      media revealed that the applied circulation mode resulted in the reduction of the
      growth hormone insulin by precipitation of micro-sized particles. Notably, in
      contrast to insulin depletion, individual withdrawal of other medium protein
      components (i.e. bFGF, TGFbeta1 or transferrin) provoked minor reduction of hPSC
      viability, if any. Supplementation of the surfactant glycerol or the use of the
      insulin analogue Aspart did not overcome the issue of insulin precipitation. In
      contrast, the presence of bovine or human serum albumin (BSA or HSA,
      respectively) stabilized insulin rescuing its content, possibly by acting as
      molecular chaperone-like protein, ultimately supporting hPSC maintenance. This
      study highlights the potential and the requirement of media optimization for
      automated hPSC processing and has broad implications on media development and
      bioreactor-based technologies.

PMID- 28638149
TI  - Hsp90 inhibitor induces nuclear translocation of HSF1 predominantly in
      hippocampal CA1 region.

PMID- 28638150
TI  - Strain-balanced type-II superlattices for efficient multi-junction solar cells.
AB  - Multi-junction solar cells made by assembling semiconductor materials with
      different bandgap energies have hold the record conversion efficiencies for many
      years and are currently approaching 50%. Theoretical efficiency limits make use
      of optimum designs with the right lattice constant-bandgap energy combination,
      which requires a 1.0-1.15 eV material lattice-matched to GaAs/Ge. Nevertheless,
      the lack of suitable semiconductor materials is hindering the achievement of the
      predicted efficiencies, since the only candidates were up to now complex
      quaternary and quinary alloys with inherent epitaxial growth problems that
      degrade carrier dynamics. Here we show how the use of strain-balanced
      GaAsSb/GaAsN superlattices might solve this problem. We demonstrate that the
      spatial separation of Sb and N atoms avoids the ubiquitous growth problems and
      improves crystal quality. Moreover, these new structures allow for additional
      control of the effective bandgap through the period thickness and provide a type
      II band alignment with long carrier lifetimes. All this leads to a strong
      enhancement of the external quantum efficiency under photovoltaic conditions with
      respect to bulk layers of equivalent thickness. Our results show that
      GaAsSb/GaAsN superlattices with short periods are the ideal (pseudo)material to
      be integrated in new GaAs/Ge-based multi-junction solar cells that could approach
      the theoretical efficiency limit.

PMID- 28638151
TI  - The crystal structure of human Rogdi provides insight into the causes of
      Kohlschutter-Tonz Syndrome.
AB  - Kohlschutter-Tonz syndrome (KTS) is a rare autosomal-recessive disorder of
      childhood onset characterized by global developmental delay, spasticity,
      epilepsy, and amelogenesis imperfecta. Rogdi, an essential protein, is highly
      conserved across metazoans, and mutations in Rogdi are linked to KTS. However,
      how certain mutations in Rogdi abolish its physiological functions and cause KTS
      is not known. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of human Rogdi
      protein at atomic resolution. Rogdi forms a novel elongated curved structure
      comprising the alpha domain, a leucine-zipper-like four-helix bundle, and a
      characteristic beta-sheet domain. Within the alpha domain, the N-terminal H1
      helix (residues 19-45) pairs with the C-terminal H6 helix (residues 252-287) in
      an antiparallel manner, indicating that the integrity of the four-helix bundle
      requires both N- and C-terminal residues. The crystal structure, in conjunction
      with biochemical data, indicates that the alpha domain might undergo a
      conformational change and provide a structural platform for protein-protein
      interactions. Disruption of the four-helix bundle by mutation results in
      significant destabilization of the structure. This study provides structural
      insights into how certain mutations in Rogdi affect its structure and cause KTS,
      which has important implications for the development of pharmaceutical agents
      against this debilitating neurological disease.

PMID- 28638154
TI  - [Assessment of predictive dermal exposure to chemicals in the work environment].
AB  - Assessment of dermal exposure to chemicals in the work environment is
      problematic, mainly as a result of the lack of measurement data on occupational
      exposure to chemicals. Due to common prevalence of occupational skin exposure and
      its health consequences it is necessary to look for efficient solutions allowing
      for reliable exposure assessment. The aim of the study is to present predictive
      models used to assess non-measured dermal exposure, as well as to acquaint Polish
      users with the principles of the selected model functioning. This paper presents
      examples of models to assist the employer in the the assessment of occupational
      exposure associated with the skin contact with chemicals, developed in European
      Union (EU) countries, as well as in countries outside the EU. Based on the
      literature data dermal exposure models EASE (Estimation and Assessment of
      Substance Exposure), COSHH Essentials (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
      Regulations), DREAM (Dermal Exposure Assessment Method), Stoffenmanager , ECETOC
      TRA (European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals Targeted Risk
      Assessment), MEASE (Metal's EASE), PHED (Pesticide Handlers Exposure Database),
      DERM (Dermal Exposure Ranking Method) and RISKOFDERM (Risk Assessment of
      Occupational Dermal Exposure to Chemicals) were briefly described. Moreover the
      characteristics of RISKOFDERM, guidelines for its use, information on input and
      output data were further detailed. Problem of full work shift dermal exposure
      assessment is described. An example of exposure assessment using RISKOFDERM and
      effectiveness evaluation to date were also presented. When no measurements are
      available, RISKOFDERM allows dermal exposure assessment and thus can improve the
      risk assessment quality and effectiveness of dermal risk management. Med Pr
      2017;68(4):557-569.

PMID- 28638155
TI  - From the Editor.

PMID- 28638152
TI  - Combination of a high-fat diet with sweetened condensed milk exacerbates
      inflammation and insulin resistance induced by each separately in mice.
AB  - Obesogenic diets increase body weight and cause insulin resistance (IR), however,
      the association of these changes with the main macronutrient in the diet remains
      to be elucidated. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed with: control (CD), CD and sweetened
      condensed milk (HS), high-fat (HF), and HF and condensed milk (HSHF). After 2
      months, increased body weight, glucose intolerance, adipocyte size and
      cholesterol levels were observed. As compared with CD, HS ingested the same
      amount of calories whereas HF and HSHF ingested less. HS had increased plasma AST
      activity and liver type I collagen. HF caused mild liver steatosis and
      hepatocellular damage. HF and HSHF increased LDL-cholesterol, hepatocyte and
      adipocyte hypertrophy, TNF-alpha by macrophages and decreased lipogenesis and
      adiponectin in adipose tissue (AT). HSHF exacerbated these effects, increasing
      IR, lipolysis, mRNA expression of F4/80 and leptin in AT, Tlr-4 in soleus muscle
      and IL-6, IL-1beta, VCAM-1, and ICAM-1 protein in AT. The three obesogenic diets
      induced obesity and metabolic dysfunction. HS was more proinflammatory than the
      HF and induced hepatic fibrosis. The HF was more detrimental in terms of insulin
      sensitivity, and it caused liver steatosis. The combination HSHF exacerbated the
      effects of each separately on insulin resistance and AT inflammatory state.

PMID- 28638156
TI  - Goal-Directed Perfusion Methodology for Determining Oxygenator Performance during
      Clinical Cardiopulmonary Bypass.
AB  - New generation oxygenators incorporate arterial line filtration either sequential
      to, or directly in, the gas exchange module. This unique design may affect gas
      exchange performance by altering the operational characteristics of the device.
      The present study was designed to evaluate three oxygenators in a clinical
      setting using a goal-directed perfusion algorithm during cardiopulmonary bypass
      (CPB). After institutional review board approval, 60 adult patients undergoing
      cardiac surgery for acquired heart disease were matched for disease state and
      body size into three groups based on oxygenator type: Terumo SX18TM (n = 20),
      Terumo FX15TM (n = 20), and LivaNova Inspire6FTM 6 Dual (n = 20). An external
      arterial line filter was used with the FX15, whereas the SX18 and Inspire6F had
      integrated arterial filters. All perfusion, anesthetic and postoperative care
      management was standardized using institutional goal-directed patient management
      processes. Data were collected and stored according to quality improvement
      guidelines. There were no differences in demographics or type of surgical
      procedure performed among groups. The Inspire6F patients required lower fraction
      of inspired oxygen values as compared to the SX18 (67.9% +/- 6.2% vs. 75.4% +/-
      6.5%, p < .005) and FX15 (79.1% +/- 8.4%, p < .0001) groups. Arterial oxygen
      content and oxygen delivery were slightly higher in the FX15 group as compared to
      SX18 (13.1 +/- 1.4 mL O2/dL vs. 12.4 +/- 1.1 mL O2/dL, 611.1 +/- 150.4 mL O2 vs.
      528.2 +/- 102.3 mL O2, p < .05). The FX15 patients had significantly higher CPB
      hematocrits compared to SX18 patients (30.3% +/- 3.9% vs. 27.7% +/- 2.6%, p <
      .05), but were not different when compared to the Inspire6F group (28.8% +/-
      3.5%, p < .50). There were no differences in intraoperative transfusion rates,
      but a higher percent of patients received postoperative transfusions in the SX18
      group as compared to either FX15 or Inspire6F groups (p < .039). There were no
      differences in postoperative morbidity or complications in any group. In
      conclusion, the use of the SX18 was comparable to newer generation oxygenators in
      regard to gas exchange performance and the degree of hemodilution.

PMID- 28638157
TI  - Complex Cardiac Surgery on Patients with a Body Weight of Less Than 5 kg without
      Donor Blood Transfusion.
AB  - Performing safe cardiac surgery in neonates or infants whose parents are
      Jehovah's Witnesses is only possible in a coordinated team approach. An
      unconditional prerequisite is a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit with a very
      low priming volume to minimize hemodilution. In the past decade, we have
      developed a functional blood-sparing approach at our institution. The
      extracorporeal circuit was miniaturized. This had to be recently adapted, faced
      with a challenge associated with the switch to high-volume crystalloid
      cardioplegia. A filtration circuit was added. Here, we report an open heart
      surgery on three consecutive children of Jehovah's Witness parents with a body
      weight of 2.7, 4.5, and 4.8 kg, respectively. Procedures consisted of one
      arterial switch operation and two repairs of complete atrioventricular septal
      defects. Our static priming volume of less than 90 mL resulted in a nadir
      hematocrit during CPB of 27.7% (Hb 8.9 g/dL) in a patient which happened to have
      the lowest body weight of 2.7 kg. The two other patients had their lowest
      hematocrit at 31.4% (Hb 10.2 g/dL). The three children could be treated without
      any kind of transfusion of blood which had left the circulation or its
      extensions, in accordance with the parents' wishes, and enjoy favorable outcomes
      without transfusion of blood products during their entire hospital stay.

PMID- 28638158
TI  - Cardiac Surgery in Developing Countries.
AB  - This literature review summarizes recommendations and challenges encountered when
      establishing cardiac surgery centers in developing countries and common heart
      diseases encountered abroad. Cardiac surgery is not widely available in most
      developing countries, and most patients have no choice but to live in morbid
      conditions. The ideal continuous treatment for these patients would be provided
      by a local, sustainable cardiac surgery center. A collaborative effort from
      international volunteers, nongovernmental organizations, local governments, and
      private benefactors is necessary to facilitate adequate cardiac care in
      developing countries.

PMID- 28638159
TI  - In Vitro Evaluation of the Fresenius Kabi CATSmart Autotransfusion System.
AB  - Use of autotransfusion systems to collect, wash, and concentrate shed blood
      during surgical procedures is a widely used method for reducing postoperative
      anemia and the need for blood transfusions. The aim of this study was to evaluate
      the CATSmart Continuous Autotransfusion System wash program performance with
      small (200 or 700 mL) and large volumes (1,000 mL) of shed blood and to determine
      non-inferiority of the CATSmart to the C.A.T.S plus system. Human whole blood was
      collected in citrate phosphate dextrose, diluted, and divided into two aliquots
      to be processed as a pair using the C.A.T.S plus and CATSmart systems with their
      corresponding wash programs: low-volume, high quality/smart, or emergency wash.
      Final packed red cell product was analyzed for red blood cell (RBC), white blood
      cell, and platelet counts; hemoglobin; hemolysis; RBC recovery rates; and
      elimination of albumin, total protein, and potassium. The mean hematocrit (HCT)
      after processing with CATSmart and C.A.T.S plus systems were 59.63% and 57.71%,
      respectively. The calculated overall RBC recovery rates on the CATSmart and
      C.A.T.S plus systems were 85.41% and 84.99%, respectively. Elimination of albumin
      (97.5%, 98.0%), total proteins (97.1%, 97.5%), and potassium (92.1%, 91.9%) were
      also calculated for the CATSmart and C.A.T.S plus systems. The CATSmart and
      C.A.T.S plus systems both provided a high-quality product in terms of HCT,
      protein elimination, and hemolysis rates across the range of tested shed blood
      volumes and all wash programs. The study was able to confirm the CATSmart is non
      inferior to the C.A.T.S plus system.

PMID- 28638160
TI  - Low-Flow Extracorporeal Carbon Dioxide Removal Using the Hemolung Respiratory
      Dialysis System(r) to Facilitate Lung-Protective Mechanical Ventilation in Acute
      Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
AB  - Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) permits reductions in alveolar
      ventilation requirements that the lungs would otherwise have to provide. This
      concept was applied to a case of hypercapnia refractory to high-level invasive
      mechanical ventilator support. We present a case of an 18-year-old man who
      developed post-pneumonectomy acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after
      resection of a mediastinal germ cell tumor involving the left lung hilum.
      Hypercapnia and hypoxemia persisted despite ventilator support even at traumatic
      levels. ECCO2R using a miniaturized system was instituted and provided effective
      carbon dioxide elimination. This facilitated establishment of lung-protective
      ventilator settings and lung function recovery. Extracorporeal lung support
      increasingly is being applied to treat ARDS. However, conventional extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation (ECMO) generally involves using large cannulae capable of
      carrying high flow rates. A subset of patients with ARDS has mixed hypercapnia
      and hypoxemia despite high-level ventilator support. In the absence of profound
      hypoxemia, ECCO2R may be used to reduce ventilator support requirements to lung
      protective levels, while avoiding risks associated with conventional ECMO.

PMID- 28638162
TI  - The Goal Directed Therapy Symposium: Goal Directed Therapy in Perfusion - The New
      Take on Adequacy of Perfusion.

PMID- 28638161
TI  - Argatroban for Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia during Venovenous Extracorporeal
      Membrane Oxygenation with Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration.
AB  - Patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are at risk of
      circuit thrombosis due to constant contact between blood and the extracorporeal
      components. Unfractionated heparin has traditionally been used in this setting as
      a systemic form of anticoagulation to prevent thrombosis of the circuit. However,
      if a patient develops heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), an alternative
      anticoagulant would be required while the patient is maintained on ECMO.
      Unfortunately, the pharmacokinetic changes induced by ECMO and critical illness
      may potentially affect optimal drug dosing. In addition, other modalities, such
      as continuous renal replacement therapy, may further complicate dosing
      strategies. We report the case of a 27-year-old man with severe acute respiratory
      distress syndrome who developed HIT while on venovenous ECMO with continuous
      venovenous hemofiltration. We describe the successful use of an argatroban
      infusion in this setting at much higher doses than what has previously been
      reported in the adult literature.

PMID- 28638163
TI  - Variation in Measurement and Reporting of Goal Directed Perfusion Parameters.

PMID- 28638164
TI  - Is it Time for Goal-Directed Therapy in Perfusion.

PMID- 28638165
TI  - Is Timing Everything?

PMID- 28638166
TI  - Will Real-Time Monitoring Technology be a Game Changer for Perfusion Safety?

PMID- 28638167
TI  - Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Venturi Dustiness Tester.
AB  - Dustiness quantifies the propensity of a finely divided solid to be aerosolized
      by a prescribed mechanical stimulus. Dustiness is relevant wherever powders are
      mixed, transferred or handled, and is important in the control of hazardous
      exposures and the prevention of dust explosions and product loss. Limited
      quantities of active pharmaceutical powders available for testing led to the
      development (at University of North Carolina) of a Venturi-driven dustiness
      tester. The powder is turbulently injected at high speed (Re ~ 2 * 104) into a
      glass chamber; the aerosol is then gently sampled (Re ~ 2 * 103) through two
      filters located at the top of the chamber; the dustiness index is the ratio of
      sampled to injected mass of powder. Injection is activated by suction at an
      Extraction Port at the top of the chamber; loss of powder during injection
      compromises the sampled dustiness. The present work analyzes the flow inside the
      Venturi Dustiness Tester, using an Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes
      formulation with the k-omega Shear Stress Transport turbulence model. The
      simulation considers single-phase flow, valid for small particles (Stokes number
      Stk <1). Results show that ~ 24% of fluid-tracers escape the tester before the
      Sampling Phase begins. Dispersion of the powder during the Injection Phase
      results in a uniform aerosol inside the tester, even for inhomogeneous
      injections, satisfying a necessary condition for the accurate evaluation of
      dustiness. Simulations are also performed under the conditions of reduced
      Extraction-Port flow; results confirm the importance of high Extraction-Port flow
      rate (standard operation) for uniform distribution of fluid tracers. Simulations
      are also performed under the conditions of delayed powder injection; results show
      that a uniform aerosol is still achieved provided 0.5 s elapses between powder
      injection and sampling.

PMID- 28638168
TI  - PTSD and Cannabis-Related Coping Among Recent Veterans in New York City.
AB  - This article presents interview and focus group data from veterans of recent
      conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan about their use of cannabis as a coping tool
      for dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder. Veterans' comparisons of
      cannabis, alcohol, and psychopharmaceuticals tended to highlight advantages to
      cannabis use as more effective and less complicated by side effects. Some
      participants suggested that cannabis can be part of an approach-based coping
      strategy that aids with introspection and direct confrontation of the sources of
      personal trauma. Others, however, held that cannabis use was part of a less
      productive, avoidant coping strategy. Some self-reports suggested the need for
      more nuanced theorizations of coping behaviors, as they indicated motivations for
      use that were grounded in symptom alleviation rather than any direct
      confrontation with (or avoidance of) sources of trauma.

PMID- 28638169
TI  - Organ and effective dose reduction for region-of-interest (ROI) CBCT and
      fluoroscopy.
AB  - In some medical-imaging procedures using CBCT and fluoroscopy, it may be needed
      to visualize only the center of the field-of-view with optimal quality. To reduce
      the dose to the patient as well as enable increased contrast in the region of
      interest (ROI) during CBCT and fluoroscopy procedures, a 0.7 mm thick Cu ROI
      attenuator with a circular aperture 12% of the FOV was used. The aim of this
      study was to quantify the dose-reduction benefit of ROI imaging during a typical
      CBCT and interventional fluoroscopy procedures in the head and torso. The Toshiba
      Infinix C-Arm System was modeled in BEAMnrc/EGSnrc with and without the ROI
      attenuator. Patient organ and effective doses were calculated in DOSXYZnrc/EGSnrc
      Monte-Carlo software for CBCT and interventional procedures. We first compared
      the entrance dose with and without the ROI attenuator on a 20 cm thick solid
      water block. Then we simulated a CBCT scan and an interventional fluoroscopy
      procedure on the head and torso with and without an ROI attenuator. The results
      showed that the entrance-surface dose reduction in the solid water is about 85.7%
      outside the ROI opening and 10.5% in the ROI opening. The results showed a
      reduction in most organ doses of 45%-70% and in effective dose of 46%-66%
      compared to the dose in a CBCT scan and in an interventional procedure without
      the ROI attenuator. This work provides evidence of substantial reduction of organ
      and effective doses when using an ROI attenuator during CBCT and fluoroscopic
      procedures.

PMID- 28638170
TI  - Atlas-based automatic measurements of the morphology of the tibiofemoral joint.
AB  - PURPOSE: Anatomical metrics of the tibiofemoral joint support assessment of joint
      stability and surgical planning. We propose an automated, atlas-based algorithm
      to streamline the measurements in 3D images of the joint and reduce user
      dependence of the metrics arising from manual identification of the anatomical
      landmarks. METHODS: The method is initialized with coarse registrations of a set
      of atlas images to the fixed input image. The initial registrations are then
      refined separately for the tibia and femur and the best matching atlas is
      selected. Finally, the anatomical landmarks of the best matching atlas are
      transformed onto the input image by deforming a surface model of the atlas to fit
      the shape of the tibial plateau in the input image (a mesh-to-volume
      registration). We apply the method to weight-bearing volumetric images of the
      knee obtained from 23 subjects using an extremity cone-beam CT system. Results of
      the automated algorithm were compared to an expert radiologist for measurements
      of Static Alignment (SA), Medial Tibial Slope (MTS) and Lateral Tibial Slope
      (LTS). RESULTS: Intra-reader variability as high as ~10% for LTS and 7% for MTS
      (ratio of standard deviation to the mean in repeated measurements) was found for
      expert radiologist, illustrating the potential benefits of an automated approach
      in improving the precision of the metrics. The proposed method achieved excellent
      registration of the atlas mesh to the input volumes. The resulting automated
      measurements yielded high correlations with expert radiologist, as indicated by
      correlation coefficients of 0.72 for MTS, 0.8 for LTS, and 0.89 for SA.
      CONCLUSIONS: The automated method for measurement of anatomical metrics of the
      tibiofemoral joint achieves high correlation with expert radiologist without the
      need for time consuming and error prone manual selection of landmarks.

PMID- 28638171
TI  - 3D Printed Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Phantom for Image Guided Surgical Planning
      with a Patient Specific Fenestrated Endovascular Graft System.
AB  - : Following new trends in precision medicine, Juxatarenal Abdominal Aortic
      Aneurysm (JAAA) treatment has been enabled by using patient-specific fenestrated
      endovascular grafts. The X-ray guided procedure requires precise orientation of
      multiple modular endografts within the arteries confirmed via radiopaque markers.
      Patient-specific 3D printed phantoms could familiarize physicians with complex
      procedures and new devices in a risk-free simulation environment to avoid
      periprocedural complications and improve training. Using the Vascular Modeling
      Toolkit (VMTK), 3D Data from a CTA imaging of a patient scheduled for Fenestrated
      EndoVascular Aortic Repair (FEVAR) was segmented to isolate the aortic lumen,
      thrombus, and calcifications. A stereolithographic mesh (STL) was generated and
      then modified in Autodesk MeshMixer for fabrication via a Stratasys Eden 260
      printer in a flexible photopolymer to simulate arterial compliance. Fluoroscopic
      guided simulation of the patient-specific FEVAR procedure was performed by
      interventionists using all demonstration endografts and accessory devices.
      Analysis compared treatment strategy between the planned procedure, the
      simulation procedure, and the patient procedure using a derived scoring scheme.
      RESULTS: With training on the patient-specific 3D printed AAA phantom, the
      clinical team optimized their procedural strategy. Anatomical landmarks and all
      devices were visible under x-ray during the simulation mimicking the clinical
      environment. The actual patient procedure went without complications.
      CONCLUSIONS: With advances in 3D printing, fabrication of patient specific AAA
      phantoms is possible. Simulation with 3D printed phantoms shows potential to
      inform clinical interventional procedures in addition to CTA diagnostic imaging.

PMID- 28638172
TI  - Investigation of Noise and Contrast Sensitivity of an Electron Multiplying Charge
      Coupled Device (EMCCD) based Cone Beam Micro-CT System.
AB  - A small animal micro-CT system was built using an EMCCD detectors having complex
      pre-digitization amplification technology, high-resolution, high-sensitivity and
      low-noise. Noise in CBCT reconstructed images when using pre-digitization
      amplification behaves differently than commonly used detectors and warrants a
      detailed investigation. In this study, noise power and contrast sensitivity were
      estimated for the newly built system. Noise analysis was performed by scanning a
      water phantom. Tube voltage was lowered to minimum delivered by the tube (20 kVp
      and 0.5 mA) and detector gain was varied. Contrast sensitivity was analyzed by
      using a phantom containing different iodine contrast solutions (20% to 70%)
      filled in six different tubes. First, we scanned the phantom using various x-ray
      exposures at 40 kVp while changing the gain to maintain the background air value
      of the projection images constant. Next, the exposure was varied while the
      detector gain was maintained constant. Radial NPS plots show that noise power
      level increases as gain increases. Contrast sensitivity was analyzed by
      calculating ratio of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) for increased gain with those
      of low constant gain at each exposure. The SNR value at low constant gain was
      always lower than SNR of high detector gain at all x-ray settings and iodine
      contrast. The largest increase of SNR approached 1.3 for low contrast feature for
      an iodine concentration of 20%. Despite an increase in noise level as gain
      increases, the SNR improvement shows that signal level also increases because of
      the unique on-chip gain of the detector.

PMID- 28638173
TI  - Lens of the eye dose calculation for neuro-interventional procedures and CBCT
      scans of the head.
AB  - The aim of this work is to develop a method to calculate lens dose for
      fluoroscopically-guided neuro-interventional procedures and for CBCT scans of the
      head. EGSnrc Monte Carlo software is used to determine the dose to the lens of
      the eye for the projection geometry and exposure parameters used in these
      procedures. This information is provided by a digital CAN bus on the Toshiba
      Infinix C-Arm system which is saved in a log file by the real-time skin-dose
      tracking system (DTS) we previously developed. The x-ray beam spectra on this
      machine were simulated using BEAMnrc. These spectra were compared to those
      determined by SpekCalc and validated through measured percent-depth-dose (PDD)
      curves and half-value-layer (HVL) measurements. We simulated CBCT procedures in
      DOSXYZnrc for a CTDI head phantom and compared the surface dose distribution with
      that measured with Gafchromic film, and also for an SK150 head phantom and
      compared the lens dose with that measured with an ionization chamber. Both
      methods demonstrated good agreement. Organ dose calculated for a simulated neuro
      interventional-procedure using DOSXYZnrc with the Zubal CT voxel phantom agreed
      within 10% with that calculated by PCXMC code for most organs. To calculate the
      lens dose in a neuro-interventional procedure, we developed a library of
      normalized lens dose values for different projection angles and kVp's. The total
      lens dose is then calculated by summing the values over all beam projections and
      can be included on the DTS report at the end of the procedure.

PMID- 28638174
TI  - Near-Real Time Measurement of Carbonaceous Aerosol Using Microplasma
      Spectroscopy: Application to Measurement of Carbon Nanomaterials.
AB  - A sensitive, field-portable microplasma spectroscopy method has been developed
      for real-time measurement of carbon nanomaterials. The method involves
      microconcentration of aerosol on a microelectrode tip for subsequent analysis for
      atomic carbon using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) or spark emission
      spectroscopy (SES). The spark-induced microplasma was characterized by measuring
      the excitation temperature (15,000 - 35,000 K), electron density (1.0 * 1017 -
      2.2 * 1017 cm-3), and spectral responses as functions of time and interelectrode
      distance. The system was calibrated and detection limits were determined for
      total atomic carbon (TAC) using a carbon emission line at 247.856 nm (C I) for
      various carbonaceous materials including sucrose, EDTA, caffeine, sodium
      carbonate, carbon black, and carbon nanotubes. The limit of detection for total
      atomic carbon was 1.61 ng, equivalent to 238 ng m-3 when sampling at 1.5 L min-1
      for 5 min. To improve the selectivity for carbon nanomaterials, which consist of
      elemental carbon (EC), the cathode was heated to 300  degrees C to reduce the
      contribution of organic carbon to the total atomic carbon. Measurements of carbon
      nanotube aerosol at elevated electrode temperature showed improved selectivity to
      elemental carbon and compared well with the measurements from thermal optical
      method (NIOSH Method 5040). The study shows that the SES method to be an
      excellent candidate for development as a low-cost, hand-portable, real-time
      instrument for measurement of carbonaceous aerosols and nanomaterials.

PMID- 28638175
TI  - Lessons from LOCHI.

PMID- 28638176
TI  - Gallbladder Carcinoma in the United States: A Population Based Clinical Outcomes
      Study Involving 22,343 Patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Result Database (1973-2013).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common malignancy of the
      biliary tract and the third most common gastrointestinal tract malignancy. This
      study examines a large cohort of GBC patients in the United States in an effort
      to define demographics, clinical, and pathologic features impacting clinical
      outcomes. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data on 22,343 GBC patients was
      abstracted from the SEER database (1973-2013). RESULTS: GBC was presented most
      often among Caucasian (63.9%) females (70.7%) as poorly or moderately
      differentiated (42.5% and 38.2%) tumors, with lymph node involvement (88.2%).
      Surgery alone was the most common treatment modality for GBC patients (55.0%).
      Combination surgery and radiation (10.6%) achieved significantly longer survival
      rates compared to surgery alone (4.0 +/- 0.2 versus 3.7 +/- 0.1 years, p =
      0.004). Overall mortality was 87.0% and cancer-specific mortality was 75.4%.
      CONCLUSIONS: GBC is an uncommon malignancy that presents most often among females
      in their 8th decade of life, with over a third of cases presenting with distant
      metastasis. The incidence of GBC has doubled in the last decade concurrent with
      increases in cholecystectomy rates attributable in part to improved
      histopathological detection, as well as laparoscopic advances and enhanced
      endoscopic techniques. Surgical resection confers significant survival benefit in
      GBC patients.

PMID- 28638177
TI  - Highly Luminescent Water-Dispersible NIR-Emitting Wurtzite CuInS2/ZnS Core/Shell
      Colloidal Quantum Dots.
AB  - Copper indium sulfide (CIS) quantum dots (QDs) are attractive as labels for
      biomedical imaging, since they have large absorption coefficients across a broad
      spectral range, size- and composition-tunable photoluminescence from the visible
      to the near-infrared, and low toxicity. However, the application of NIR-emitting
      CIS QDs is still hindered by large size and shape dispersions and low
      photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs). In this work, we develop an efficient
      pathway to synthesize highly luminescent NIR-emitting wurtzite CIS/ZnS QDs,
      starting from template Cu2-x S nanocrystals (NCs), which are converted by
      topotactic partial Cu+ for In3+ exchange into CIS NCs. These NCs are subsequently
      used as cores for the overgrowth of ZnS shells (<=1 nm thick). The CIS/ZnS
      core/shell QDs exhibit PL tunability from the first to the second NIR window (750
      1100 nm), with PLQYs ranging from 75% (at 820 nm) to 25% (at 1050 nm), and can be
      readily transferred to water upon exchange of the native ligands for
      mercaptoundecanoic acid. The resulting water-dispersible CIS/ZnS QDs possess good
      colloidal stability over at least 6 months and PLQYs ranging from 39% (at 820 nm)
      to 6% (at 1050 nm). These PLQYs are superior to those of commonly available water
      soluble NIR-fluorophores (dyes and QDs), making the hydrophilic CIS/ZnS QDs
      developed in this work promising candidates for further application as NIR
      emitters in bioimaging. The hydrophobic CIS/ZnS QDs obtained immediately after
      the ZnS shelling are also attractive as fluorophores in luminescent solar
      concentrators.

PMID- 28638178
TI  - Determining Safety Inspection Thresholds for Employee Incentives Programs on
      Construction Sites.
AB  - The goal of this project was to evaluate approaches of determining the numerical
      value of a safety inspection score that would activate a reward in an employee
      safety incentive program. Safety inspections are a reflection of the physical
      working conditions at a construction site and provide a safety score that can be
      used in incentive programs to reward workers. Yet it is unclear what level of
      safety should be used when implementing this kind of program. This study explored
      five ways of grouping safety inspection data collected during 19 months at
      Harvard University-owned construction projects. Each approach grouped the data by
      one of the following: owner, general contractor, project, trade, or
      subcontractor. The median value for each grouping provided the threshold score.
      These five approaches were then applied to data from a completed project in order
      to calculate the frequency and distribution of rewards in a monthly safety
      incentive program. The application of each approach was evaluated qualitatively
      for consistency, competitiveness, attainability, and fairness. The owner-specific
      approach resulted in a threshold score of 96.3% and met all of the qualitative
      evaluation goals. It had the most competitive reward distribution (only 1/3 of
      the project duration) yet it was also attainable. By treating all workers equally
      and maintaining the same value throughout the project duration, this approach was
      fair and consistent. The owner-based approach for threshold determination can be
      used by owners or general contractors when creating leading indicator incentives
      programs and by researchers in future studies on incentive program effectiveness.

PMID- 28638181
TI  - The Clinical Value, Principle, and Basic Practical Technique of Mindfulness
      Intervention.
AB  - Mindfulness intervention is a psychotherapy based on the Buddhist practice of
      meditation, combining the theories and methodology of contemporary psychology.
      The empirical research in recent years has indicated that mindfulness
      intervention yields favorable results including reduction of depression relapse,
      alleviation of the symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduction of substance
      abuse, relief of pain, blood pressure management, enhancement of immunity, and
      improvement of sleep. Currently, mindfulness therapy has become the mainstream of
      psychotherapy in the realm of European and American psychotherapy. The fields of
      psychology and psychotherapy in China have also begun to introduce mindfulness
      intervention in recent years. However, there is a lack of relevant practice and
      research in the field of clinical mental health. This article will briefly
      introduce the concept of mindfulness, the basic mechanism of the intervention,
      and the basic skills and guidelines in clinical practice.

PMID- 28638179
TI  - Danhong Huayu Koufuye Prevents Diabetic Retinopathy in Streptozotocin-Induced
      Diabetic Rats via Antioxidation and Anti-Inflammation.
AB  - Danhong Huayu Koufuye (DHK), a traditional Chinese prescription, is used to treat
      central retinal vein occlusion clinically. We previously reported that DHK
      prevented diabetic retinopathy (DR) in rats. Moreover, we found that it protected
      endothelial cells from hyperglycemia-induced apoptosis through antioxidation and
      anti-inflammation. Here, we investigated whether antioxidative and anti
      inflammatory activities of DHK contributed to its therapeutic effect on DR in
      streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic rats. DHK significantly blocked the
      breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) and increased the thickness of the
      inner nuclear layer (INL), as well as suppressed the swelling of the ganglion
      cell layer (GCL) in diabetic retinas. DHK remarkably increased the activities of
      superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in plasma, and
      decreased serum level of nitric oxide (NO). Moreover, DHK markedly reduced the
      serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intercellular
      adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Furthermore, DHK significantly downregulated
      protein expressions of VEGF and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and mRNA expression
      of ICAM-1 in retinas. These results suggest that the antioxidative and anti
      inflammatory activities of DHK may be important mechanisms involved in the
      protective effect of DHK on DR in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

PMID- 28638180
TI  - In Situ Cytokine Expression and Morphometric Evaluation of Total Collagen and
      Collagens Type I and Type III in Keloid Scars.
AB  - Keloids are characterized by excessive collagen deposition and growth beyond the
      edges of the initial injury, and cytokines may be related to their formation. The
      objective of this study was to evaluate the collagen fibers, analyze in situ
      expression of cytokines in keloid lesions, and compare to the control group.
      Results showed that there was a predominance of women and nonwhite and direct
      black ancestry. Keloid showed a significant increase in total and type III
      collagen. Significantly, the expression of mRNA for TGF-beta in keloid was
      increased, the expressions of IFN-gamma, IFN-gammaR1, and IL-10 were lower, and
      IFN-gammaR1 and TNF-alpha had no statistical difference. Correlations between
      collagen type III and TGF-beta mRNA expression were positive and significant, IFN
      gamma, IFN-gammaR1, and IL-10 were negative and significant, and TNF-alpha showed
      no statistical difference. We conclude that there was a significant increase of
      total collagen in keloid and predominance of collagen type III compared to the
      controls, showing keloid as an immature lesion. There is a significant increase
      in TGF-beta mRNA in keloid lesions, and a significant decrease in IFN-gamma and
      IL-10, suggesting that these cytokines are related to keloid lesions.

PMID- 28638182
TI  - Sleep Quality in University Students with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Up to 8% of women in their reproductive years are affected by
      Premenstral Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Sleep disturbances such as insomnia or
      hypersomnia are one of the DSM-IV-TR's defining criteria for the diagnosis of
      PMDD and are found in about 70% of women with the disorder. However, studies are
      lacking that specifically address the effects of PMDD on quality of sleep. AIM:
      This study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of Premenstrual
      DysphoricDisorder (PMDD) and its impact on sleep quality in female university
      students. METHODS: We developed an 18-item PMDD scale based on The Diagnostic and
      Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)
      to diagnose PMDD in female university studentswho ranged in age from 18 to 30
      years and had regular menstrual cycles.Participants were categorized into a PMDD
      group or a No/PMDD group and sleep quality was compared between the two groups.
      The evaluation tool used to measure sleep quality was the Pittsburgh Sleep
      Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: The prevalence of PMDD in female
      universitystudents was 25.5%. Analysis of the PSQI demonstrated that 80.5% of
      those in PMDD group had a PSQI that scored >5; however, only 56.4% in the No/PMDD
      grouphad a PSQI that scored >5 (chi2 =12.459, p<0.001). The mean PSQI score was
      8.2(3.4) in the PMDD group and was 6.5(3.1) in the No/PMDD group (t=3.648,
      p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Female university students who experience PMDD are deeply
      affected by sleep problems. Lower sleep quality, daytime dysfunction, and sleep
      disturbance are common sleep problems among female university students with PMDD.

PMID- 28638183
TI  - Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Arabic Scale of Death
      Anxiety.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Death anxiety is regarded as a risk and maintaining factor of
      psychopathology. While the Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) is a brief,
      commonly used assessment, such a tool is lacking in Chinese clinical practice.
      AIM: The current study was conducted to develop a Chinese version of the ASDA,
      i.e., the ASDA(C), using a multistage back-translation technique, and examine the
      psychometric properties of the scale. METHODS: A total of 1372 participants from
      hospitals and universities located in three geographic areas of China were
      recruited for this study. To calculate the criterion-related validity of the
      ASDA(C) compared to the Chinese version of the longer-form Multidimensional
      Orientation toward Dying and Death Inventory (MODDI-F/chin), 49 undergraduates
      were randomly assigned to complete both questionnaires. Of the total
      participants, 56 were randomly assigned to retake the ASDA(C) in order to
      estimate the one-week, test-retest reliability of the ASDA(C). RESULTS: The
      overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.91 for the whole scale. The one-week, test-retest
      reliability was 0.96. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed three factors,
      "fear of dead people and tombs," "fear of lethal disease," and "fear of
      postmortem events," accounted for 57.09% of the total variance. Factor structure
      for the three-factor model was sound. The correlation between the total scores on
      the ASDA(C) and the MODDI-F/chin was 0.54, indicating acceptable concurrent
      validity. CONCLUSIONS: ASDA(C) has adequate psychometrics and properties that
      make it a reliable and valid scale to assess death anxiety in Mandarin-speaking
      Chinese.

PMID- 28638184
TI  - An analysis of factors influencing drinking relapse among patients with alcohol
      induced psychiatric and behavioral disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with alcohol-induced psychiatric and behavioral disorders
      have higher drinking relapse rates after treatment when compared to those without
      these disorders. AIM: To investigate factors influencing drinking relapse among
      patients with alcohol-induced psychiatric and behavioral disorders and provide
      guidance for rehabilitative intervention for those being treated for substance
      use disorders. METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned into either the study
      group or the control group. We used Chi-square test to analyze their general
      demographics, drinking history, and hospitalizations. Factors influencing the
      relapse were analyzed by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The univariate
      analysis showed that factors included ethnicity, level of education, occupation,
      marital status, duration of psychiatric symptoms and deception about alcohol use;
      multivariate analysis showed that marital status, duration of psychiatric
      symptoms, and deception about alcohol use were correlated with relapse among
      patients with psychiatric and behavioral disorders. CONCLUSIONS: For patients who
      were single, psychiatric symptoms were more likely to occur between the first and
      fifth year of alcohol consumption, and those who were deceptive about their
      alcohol use were more likely to have a relapse than those who were not.

PMID- 28638185
TI  - Literature Searches in the Conduct of Systematic Reviews and Evaluations.
AB  - Performing a literature search is an important part of performing a systematic
      review or a meta-analysis of biomedical literature, which have now become the
      gold standards for determining what qualifies as 'evidence-based' medicine.
      Combining searches of English-language databases and the large Chinese-language
      databases can identify new, potentially important, sources of data that are not
      include in the traditional English-only reviews. Selection of a restricted subset
      of databases for conducting the literature search or using inappropriate methods
      to identify appropriate articles within each database can lead to biased results
      and incorrect conclusions. This article introduces common English and Chinese
      databases, describes the search engines available for conducting searches,
      discusses the basic methods and common pitfalls of conducting searches, and
      provides an example of a search to highlight these issues.

PMID- 28638186
TI  - Current Problems in the Research and Development of more Effective
      Antidepressants.
AB  - This commentary was stimulated by discussions held at the First China
      Antidepressants Research and Development Summit held in Beijing in October 2015.
      Hosted by the Chinese Psychiatrist Psychopharmacology Commission and including
      leading clinicians, neuroscientists, and representatives of the pharmaceutical
      industry, the summit focused on the major problems that are limiting the
      development of more effective antidepressant medications. In the absence of clear
      biomarkers of depression, clinicians must base treatment decisions on clinical
      phenomenology; the lack of clear biological targets results in currently
      available antidepressants that take a long time to be effective, have low rates
      of full remission, and high rates of relapse. Basic research on depression by
      neuroscientists in China is internationally recognized, but the vast proportion
      of candidate chemical compounds Chinese researchers propose as potential
      treatments for depression fail when tested clinically. This high failure rate of
      proposed agents has rapidly increased the cost of bringing new drugs to market,
      so pharmaceutical firms prefer to 'tweak' currently approved medications rather
      than take the financial risk of supporting the development of novel
      antidepressants. Thus, the development of new, more effective treatments for
      depression is at a stalemate. Given the huge impact of depression on the economic
      development of China and other countries, it is essential to actively solicit the
      support of governments and communities in the efforts of clinicians, researchers,
      and the pharmaceutical industry to overcome this stalemate.

PMID- 28638187
TI  - Atypical Features and Bipolar Disorder.
AB  - Bipolar Disorder (BD) features with various of clinical symptoms, leading to the
      misdiagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). The atypical features (ATFs) are
      regarded as one of valuable index to identify BD from depressed patients. The
      ATFs should be helpful to the differential diagnose of the two diseases. In this
      forum, we discussed the issue of the relation between the ATFs and BD.

PMID- 28638188
TI  - Case Report of Cushing's Syndrome with an Acute Psychotic Presentation.
AB  - A 36-year-old Chinese woman was brought to the emergency department of a general
      hospital with a 3-day history of mania, persecutory delusions, and suicidal
      ideation; she also had a 6-month history of disrupted sleep, hypervigilance, and
      somatic symptoms. Her physical exam on admission to the psychosomatic ward
      identified a moon-shaped face, exophthalmos, and purple striae on her legs, so
      acute psychiatric symptoms secondary to Cushing's syndrome was suspected.
      Elevated plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and
      identification of a mass on her left adrenal gland on the computed tomography
      (CT) scan of her abdomen confirmed the diagnosis. Low dose quetiapine (75-125
      mg/d) and alprazolam (0.4 mg/qn) were prescribed to control the psychotic
      symptoms and improve her sleep. After surgical removal of a benign ACTH
      independent adrenal tumor, her cortisol and ACTH levels returned to normal and
      her psychiatric symptoms gradually diminished over a one-month period, at which
      point she was discharged. Low-dose quetiapine was continued for 2 months after
      discharge and then discontinued; by this time her psychiatric symptoms had
      completely disappeared. In this case the patient had pathognomonic symptoms of
      CS, so it was relatively easy to make the diagnosis; but acute psychotic symptoms
      in CS can be life-threatening and may not be associated with the typical physical
      symptoms of CS (if there is only modest hypercortisolemia), so psychiatric
      clinicians should always consider CS among the possible differential diagnoses
      for unexplained acute psychosis.

PMID- 28638190
TI  - Primary Question and Hypothesis Testing in Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials.
AB  - We briefly reviewed and provided cautions about some of the fundamental concepts
      used in the design of medical and public studies, especially primary question,
      hypothesis testing and sample size in this short note. We also talked about some
      of the extensions and development in the recent years.

PMID- 28638189
TI  - Sphenoid Wing Meningioma Presenting as Cognitive Impairment.
AB  - Frontal meningioma may present solely withpsychological symptoms that resemble
      dementia. We present the case of a 42-year-old man who initially was thought to
      have dementia, but he was eventually diagnosed with dementia caused by a sphenoid
      wing meningioma. Diagnosis of this illness is often delayed due to the insidious
      nature of the symptoms, which may be mistaken as symptoms of dementia. As
      cognitive impairment is complex and easily overlooked, it is important to
      accurately assess neuropsychological function in patients with large brain
      tumors.

PMID- 28638191
TI  - Tai Chi for Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tai Chi as a form of moderate aerobic exercise originating in China,
      could promote balance and healing of the mind-body. Furthermore, Tai Chi has been
      used as an adjunctive treatment for patients with schizophrenia. However, no meta
      analysis or systematic review on adjunctive Tai Chi for patients with
      schizophrenia has yet been reported. AIM: A systematic review and meta-analysis
      was conducted to examine the efficacy of Tai Chi as an adjunctive treatment for
      schizophrenia using randomized controlled trial (RCT) data. METHOD: Two
      evaluators independently and systematically searched both English- and Chinese
      language databases for RCTs of Tai Chi for schizophrenia patients, selected
      studies, extracted data, conducted quality assessment and data synthesis.
      Statistical analyses were performed using the Review Manager (version 5.3). The
      Cochrane Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation
      (GRADE) was used to assess the strength of the evidence. RESULTS: In 6 RCTs
      conducted in mainland China and Hong Kong, there were 483 participants including
      215 subjects in the intervention group and 268 subjects in the control group. The
      trials lasted 16.0 (6.2) weeks. Compared to control group, we found significant
      differences regarding improvement of negative symptoms assessed by the Positive
      and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) negative symptom sub-score (2 trials) and
      Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) (3 trials) over the study
      period in the intervention group (5 trials with 6 treatment arms, n=451, SMD: 
      0.87 (95%CI: -1.51, -0.24), p=0.007; I2=90%). Furthermore, there is no
      significant difference regarding improvement of positive symptoms assessed by the
      PANSS positive symptom sub-score (2 trials) and Scale for the Assessment of
      Positive Symptoms (SAPS) (2 trials) over the study period (4 trials with 5
      treatment arms, n=391, SMD: -0.09 (95%CI: -0.44, 0.26), p=0.60; I2=65%). All
      included RCTs did not report side effects. Based on the GRADE, the strength of
      the evidence for primary outcome was 'very low'. CONCLUSIONS: The data available
      on the effectiveness of adjunctive Tai Chi in patients with schizophrenia who are
      receiving antipsychotic is insufficient to arrive at a definitive conclusion
      about its efficacy. Furthermore, follow-up time in the available studies was
      relatively short, and all studies did not use blinded assessment of outcome
      measures. High-quality randomized trials are needed to inform clinical
      recommendations.

PMID- 28638192
TI  - Treatment Effect of Antipsychotics in Combination with Horticultural Therapy on
      Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled
      Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As a newly developed treatment method for schizophrenia,
      horticultural therapy is gaining more attention. However, there is as of now
      little research investigating this topic as well as a general lack of studies
      adopting into standard treatment plans. AIMS: Investigate treatment effect of
      horticultural therapy on patients with schizophrenia and its possibility of
      standardized application in psychiatric hospitals. METHODS: 110 patients with
      schizophrenia who met the inclusion criteria and provided informed consent were
      selected from the rehabilitation ward of the Minhang District Mental Health
      Center from September 2015 to December 2015. We used random-number methods to
      classify patients into either the intervention group or the control group. While
      the two groups both received normal medications, the intervention group also
      attended horticultural therapy. Patients in the intervention group were led by a
      rehabilitation therapist who had obtained the level II psychological counselor
      qualification (the standard qualification for counselors in China). The treatment
      period lasted for 12 weeks. Treatment was held 3 times every week and each
      session lasted for 90 minutes. The specific contents included ridging, planting,
      watering, fertilizing and pruning of flowers; plowing, sowing, watering,
      fertilizing, weeding and catching pests for gardens; appreciating, collecting
      vegetables, cooking and tasting for flowers and grasses. During the final 10
      minutes of every session, patients mutually expressed their thoughts and
      experiences and the rehabilitation therapist concluded the session. The two
      groups were measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at
      baseline, the end of the 4th week and the end of the 12th week. RESULTS: There
      was no statistically significant difference in gender, age, course of disease,
      marital status, mean dosage of antipsychotic medications and PANSS score before
      the intervention among two groups. The PANSS score in the intervention group was
      statistically significant lower than in the control group both at the end of the
      4th week (t=-4.03, p<0.001) and at the end of the 12th week (t=-5.57, p<0.001).
      There were statistically significant differences before and after intervention in
      the intervention group (F=253.03, p<0.001); there was statistically significant
      differences before and after intervention in the control group (F=67.66,
      p<0.001). There was statistically significant difference in the positive scale
      score among the two groups both at the end of the 4th week (t=-3.69, p<0.001) and
      the end of the 12th week (t=-3.55, p<0.001); there was a statistically
      significant difference in the general psychopathology scale score among the two
      groups both at the end of the 4th week (t=-3.67, p<0.001) and the end of the 12th
      week (t=-3.34, p<0.001). Likewise, there were statistically significant
      differences in the positive scale scores at baseline, end of the 4th week and the
      end of the 12th week both among the intervention group (F=13.76, p<0.001) and the
      control group (F=5.12, p=0.02); there were statistically significant differences
      in the general psychopathology scale scores at the baseline, the end of the 4th
      weekand the end of the 12th week both among the intervention group (F=156.40,
      p<0.001) and the control group (F=56.72, p<0.001). There was statistically
      significant differences in the negative scale score at the end of the 12th week
      among the two groups (t=-2.76, p<0.001). There were statistically significant
      differences in the positive scale scores at the baseline, the end of the 4th week
      and the end of the 12th week both among the intervention group (F=103.94,
      p<0.001) and the control group (F=34.03, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although
      antipsychotic medications can alleviate the psychiatric symptoms of patients with
      schizophrenia, the treatment effect for both positive and negative symptoms would
      be even more effective if it is combined with horticultural therapy.

PMID- 28638193
TI  - A Comparison Study of Quetiapine and Risperidone's Effectiveness and Safety on
      Treating Alcohol-induced Mental Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compared with Risperidone, Quetiapine's effectiveness and safety on
      treating alcohol-induced mental disorder is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To
      investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Quetiapine on treating
      alcohol-induced mental disorder. METHODS: One hundred and forty-eight patients
      with alcohol-induced mental disorder were divided into the experimental group (75
      patients) and the control group (73 patients) by the treatments they received.
      The patients in the experimental group were treated with Quetiapine by taking it
      three times per day orally. The mean (sd) maintenance dose was 151.2(27.3) mg/d,
      and the treatment cycle was 6 weeks. Patients in the control group received
      Risperidone once per day orally with a mean (sd) maintenance dose being 2.3(0.9)
      mg/d, and the treatment cycle was 6 weeks as well. The PANSS scale was used to
      assess patients' before and after treatment. The researchers also observed any
      adverse reactions in both treatment strategies and evaluated the effectiveness
      and safety of both treatment strategies. RESULTS: The mean (sd) PANSS scale score
      of the experimental group after two weeks of treatment was 71.9 (10.2), which was
      clearly better than the mean (sd) score before treatment (82.6 [11.4]), and was
      significantly better than the control group's mean (sd) score after two weeks
      (76.5[12.8]). Also, the experimental group's scores after 4 weeks of treatment
      and 6 weeks of treatment were significantly better than the control group. The
      experimental group's efficacy rate (94.7%) was higher than the control group's
      (90.4%); the cure rate of the experimental group (33.3%) was higher than that of
      the control group (24.7%), and the difference was statistically significant. The
      rates of adverse reactions in the experimental and control groups were 13.3% and
      19.2% respectively, and they were significantly different from each other.
      CONCLUSION: Treating alcohol-induced mental disorder with Quetiapine is more
      effective than treating it with Risperidone. Quetiapine can improve patients'
      symptoms quickly, and lower the chance of adverse reactions. It is effective and
      safe.

PMID- 28638194
TI  - A Case Report of Psychoactive Drugs Aggravating and Alleviating Meige Syndrome.
AB  - The present case report described a 61-year-old female patient who was diagnosed
      as Meige syndrome with double eyelid spasm, anxiety and insomnia. After she was
      treated with psychoactive drugs, it was found that clonazepam tablets in the
      benzodiazepine class and dopamine antagonist olanzapine tablets aggravated double
      eyelid spasm; while eszopiclone tablets as a specificity gamma-aminobutyric acid
      receptor binding drug alleviated this condition. The present case suggests that
      psychoactive drugs have both positive and negative effects on treating Meige
      syndrome. As for the patients who also have emotion disorder, their conditions
      should be observed carefully when choosing which psychoactive drug to use. The
      specificity gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor binding drugs should be the prime
      choice, such as eszopiclone.

PMID- 28638195
TI  - Malignant Syndrome or Withdrawal Reaction?
AB  - We report on a case of a female patient who had serious side effects from
      treatment with clozapine and chlorpromazine and the appeared to have a withdrawal
      reaction from cessation of clozapine. During the treatment process she was
      misdiagnosed as having malignant syndrome. This case highlights the importance of
      clinicians being able to distinguish malignant syndrome from withdrawal
      reactions, and to be familiar with treatment and prevention methods for both.

PMID- 28638196
TI  - Primary Delusion and the Sociopolitical Milieu in India - A Case Report & Short
      Review.
AB  - Delusion has always been a central topic for psychiatric research with regard to
      its etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and forensic relevance. Among
      these, primary delusion seems to be the interest of many psychiatrists. Content
      of delusion has always been the area of interest of cultural psychiatry. We have
      tried to discuss the various aspects of primary delusion and also tried to
      explain how cultural and sociopolitical environment in a country like India can
      shape the formation of primary delusion and influence its psychopathology.

PMID- 28638197
TI  - Does More Data Mean Higher Efficiency? An Experience from Pre- and Post-treatment
      Study with Missing Data.
AB  - In this paper we compare two moment-based methods which have been widely used to
      test the hypothesis of no treatment effect in pre- and post-treatment studies
      with data missing completely at random. Our theoretical derivation and simulation
      results show that the method based on all available data is not necessarily more
      efficient than the method that uses only complete data pairs. We propose an
      optimal linear combination of these two methods which turns to be more powerful
      in all cases.

PMID- 28638199
TI  - Factors Associated with Significant Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Pregnant
      Women with a History of Complications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The occurrence of complications during the gestation period is higher
      among pregnant women with a history of complications than among pregnant women
      without previous complications. High-risk pregnancy can cause negative emotional
      symptoms such as anxiety and depression in pregnant women. Current research on
      anxiety and depression symptoms in pregnant women is sparse. AIMS: To examine the
      incidence of anxiety and depression symptoms in pregnant women with a history of
      previous complications or high risk pregnancy and related risk factors. METHODS:
      Women with a history of previous complications in pregnancy or current 'high
      risk' pregnancy (e.g. test tube fertilization, etc.) were classified as 'high
      risk'. 197 of these 'high risk' women who were in their second trimester (16 to
      20 weeks) underwent a monthly comprehensive assessment using the Hospital Anxiety
      and Depression Scale (HAD) in the last 4 months of the gestation period. The
      Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used for assessment and risk
      factor investigation 3 to 7 days, 42 days, and 3 months after childbirth.
      RESULTS: The mean (sd) HAD anxiety score among 'high-risk'women at the time of
      enrollment was 3.69 (2.76) and depression score was 3.42 (2.53). Significant
      anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms were found in 14 cases (7.18 %) and 10
      cases (5.13%), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed a correlation between
      anxiety symptoms and history of miscarriage (OR: 8.162, 95%CI: 1.213 to
      54.914)and testing positive for hepatitis (OR: 8.912, 95%CI: 1.052 to 75.498).
      Depressive symptoms were correlated with glucose positive urine (OR: 30.529,
      95%CI: 1.312 to 710.610) and history of hemorrhaging (OR: 7.122, 95%CI: 1.015 to
      49.984). General factors associated with anxiety and depression symptoms include
      patients' health status in the recent 3 months, concerns about fetal health,
      quality of marital relationship, and relationship with in-laws. CONCLUSIONS:
      Anxiety and depression symptoms are commonly seen in pregnant women with a
      history of previous complications or current 'high risk' pregnancy. Patients'
      recent health status, relationship with in-laws, marital quality and concerns
      about fetal health are associated with anxiety and depression symptoms during
      pregnancy.

PMID- 28638200
TI  - Brain Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Concentration of the Prefrontal Lobe in
      Unmedicated Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Research of Magnetic
      Resonance Spectroscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In recent years, a large number of neuroimaging studies found that
      the Cortico-Striato- Thalamo-Cortical circuit (CSTC), including the prefrontal
      lobe, a significant part of CSTC, has disturbance metabolically in patients with
      Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). AIM: Explore the correlation between the
      neuro-metabolic features and clinical characteristics of OCD patients using
      magnetic resonance spectroscopy technology. METHODS: 88 patients with OCD who
      were not received medication and outpatient treatment for 8 weeks and 76 health
      controls were enrolled, there was no significant difference in gender, age or
      education level between the two groups. SIEMENS 3.0T MRI scanner was used to
      measure the spectral wave of Orbito Frontal Cortex (OFC) and Anterior Cingulate
      Cortex (ACC) of participants, setting mega-press sequences. Meanwhile, the
      concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamine/glutamate complex
      (Glx) and N-Acetyl Aspartate (NAA) were measured relative to concentration of
      water, on the ACC and OFC of participants, for statistical analysis via LC model
      version 6.3 software. The concentration of metabolic substances of the OCD group
      compared to the healthy control group was analyzed using two sample t-test. The
      correlation between substance concentration and scores on the scales, including
      Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Anxiety scale (HAMA) and
      Hamilton Depression scale (HAMD) was carried out using the Pearson correlation
      method. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, the GABA/W and NAA/W
      concentration in individuals with OCD are significantly decreased (p=0.031,
      t=2.193, p=0.002, t=3.223). Also, the concentration of GABA/W had a trend of
      decrease in the ACC. The GABA/W of the OFC had a negative correlation with Y-BOCS
      O, Y-BOCS-C and Y-BOCS-T scores (p=0.037, r=0.221; p=0.007, r=0.283; p=0.014,
      r=0.259). CONCLUSIONS: These results support that GABA concentration in the OFC
      area of patients with OCD is significantly decreased and the concentration in the
      ACC has a trend of decreasing. All of these indicate that there is a relationship
      between the GABA concentration and the psychopathology of OCD.

PMID- 28638201
TI  - A Pilot Longitudinal Study on Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Tau Protein in
      Alzheimer's Disease and Vascular Dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) has high a prevalence rate, high medical
      costs, and care difficulties, and has become a serious social and economic
      problem in our aging society. So far, there has not been a reliable and objective
      diagnostic criteria for AD found. In recent years, there have been many domestic
      and foreign studies on the biological markers of cerebrospinal fluid in the
      patients with AD, and high levels of the T-tau, P-tau found in cerebrospinal
      fluid (CSF) is at this point an indisputable fact. However, the relationship
      between these markers and the severity of dementia, as well as the development of
      the disease, should be further studied. OBJECTIVE: Compare the CSF level of total
      tau (T-tau) and phosphorylated tau at threonine 231 (P-tau231) between patients
      with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) and those with vascular dementia
      (VD) at baseline, and 6 month follow-up. Observe the differences between patients
      with AD and control group, as well as the changes as the disease develops.
      METHODS: There were 11 patients with moderate AD (10 <= MMSE <= 20), 10 patients
      with severe AD (MMSE <= 9), and 7 age-matched patients with severe VD at
      baseline, among which 7 AD patients and 6 VD patients completed the 6 months
      follow-up. CSF levels of T-tau, P-tau231 were measured with sandwich ELISA.
      RESULT: At baseline, the concentrations of the CSF level of T-tau were 470.08
      (263.58) pg/mL in the AD group and 208.76 (42.24) pg/mL in the VD group. This
      difference was statistically significant (Z= -3.369, p <0.001). The
      concentrations of CSF level of P-tau231 were 90.94 (49.86) pg/mL in the AD group
      and 42.96 (13.10) pg/mL in the VD group. This difference was also statistically
      significant (Z = -3.237, p <0.001). Compared to patients with severe VD, the
      concentration of CSF T-tau in patients with severe AD was significantly higher
      (Z= -2.830, p = 0.005), as well as the concentration of CSF P-tau231 (Z = -2.392,
      p = 0.017). The concentration of CSF P-tau231 in the patients with moderate AD
      was significantly higher than that in the patients with severe VD (Z = -2.605, p
      = 0.009). At the 6 months follow-up, there were no statistically significant
      differences in the changes of CSF T-tau and CSF P-tau231 concentrations between
      the AD group and VD group. CONCLUSION: The CSF level of T-tau and P-tau231 in the
      AD patients was significantly higher than that in the VD patients. The
      concentration of CSF P-tau231 in the moderate AD patients was significantly
      higher than that in the patients with severe AD. During the 6 months follow-up,
      the changes of the CSF concentrations of T-tau and P-tau231 between AD group and
      VD group were not statistically significant.

PMID- 28638202
TI  - Characteristics of Aggressive Behavior among Male Inpatients with Schizophrenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of the aggressive behavior is higher among the patients
      with severe mental disorder such as schizophrenia than the general population.
      The study of factors related to aggressive behavior has great meaning in
      designing prevention and intervention methods with this population of patients.
      AIMS: To understand the characteristics of assaultive behavior of male patients
      with schizophrenia who have been hospitalized. METHODS: Using a continuous
      sampling method, data from 75 male inpatients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
      was collected at the psychiatric unit of Central South University Second Xiangya
      Hospital (Changsha, China) from August 2015 to February 2016.On the third day
      after hospitalization participants were given a general questionnaire as well as
      being assessed using the modified overt aggression scale (MOAS), historical
      clinical risk management-20 (HCR-20) questionnaire, hare psychopathic checklist
      revised (PCL-R), and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS).Based on
      results of the MOAS participants were group into an 'aggressive behavior' group
      (39 cases) and 'non-aggressive behavior' group (36 cases). The differences in
      socio-demographic characteristics and scores on the other evaluation tools were
      then compared between these two groups. RESULTS: Participants in the 'aggressive
      behavior' group had significantly different scores in the HCR-20 in the H1 (past
      violence events), H2 (violent events when young), H10 (disobedience in the past),
      and C4 (impulsiveness) sections; as well in the anti-social section of PCL-R; and
      significantly higher PANSS scores in the positive symptom, depressive symptoms
      and paranoid symptom sections than those in the 'non-aggressive behavior' group.
      CONCLUSIONS: A combination of adverse and traumatic life events such as a history
      of violence, vulnerabilities in ones personality (e.g. impulsive or antisocial
      tendencies) and psychopathology of current illness (e.g. significant anxiety and
      depressive symptoms) contribute to aggressive behavior in male inpatients with
      schizophrenia. Our results contribute to the literature that will hopefully aid
      in ensuring patient and staff safety, as well as providing more information in
      working with this vulnerable population.

PMID- 28638198
TI  - Efficacy of Atypical Antipsychotics in the Management of Acute Agitation and
      Aggression in Hospitalized Patients with Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder:
      Results from a Systematic Review.
AB  - Acute agitation and aggression are common symptoms in patients with bipolar
      disorder and schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss the prevalence, clinical
      assessment strategies, treatment options, and current Western and Chinese
      guidelines for the management of acute agitation and aggression in patients with
      bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Among available approaches, we discuss in
      detail recent evidence supporting the use of intramuscular (IM) antipsychotics
      and some recently approved oral atypical antipsychotics for the management of
      acute aggression and agitation in hospitalized patients with bipolar disorder or
      schizophrenia presenting with acute agitation or aggression, highlighting some
      differences between individual antipsychotic agents.

PMID- 28638203
TI  - The History, Diagnosis and Treatment of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder.
AB  - Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder was newly included as a diagnostic
      category in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders fifth edition
      (DSM-5), but the knowledge about it in the clinical practice field is still
      limited. Therefore, the aim of the present article is to introduce this
      diagnostic category's history, key points of diagnosis, treatment and its impact
      on clinical practice for clinical reference.

PMID- 28638204
TI  - Modern methods for longitudinal data analysis, capabilities, caveats and
      cautions.
AB  - Longitudinal studies are used in mental health research and services studies. The
      dominant approaches for longitudinal data analysis are the generalized linear
      mixed-effects models (GLMM) and the weighted generalized estimating equations
      (WGEE). Although both classes of models have been extensively published and
      widely applied, differences between and limitations about these methods are not
      clearly delineated and well documented. Unfortunately, some of the differences
      and limitations carry significant implications for reporting, comparing and
      interpreting research findings. In this report, we review both major approaches
      for longitudinal data analysis and highlight their similarities and major
      differences. We focus on comparison of the two classes of models in terms of
      model assumptions, model parameter interpretation, applicability and limitations,
      using both real and simulated data. We discuss caveats and cautions when applying
      the two different approaches to real study data.

PMID- 28638205
TI  - Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for Auditory
      Hallucinations: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasion
      brain stimulation, which has been suggested as a safe and promising treatment for
      auditory hallucinations, however, no systematic review has been conducted to
      evaluate the effects of tDCS on auditory hallucinations (AH). OBJECTIVE: To
      investigate the efficacy and safety of tDCS for auditory hallucinations among
      patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: We searched relevant randomized controlled
      trials (RCTs) from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Chinese National
      Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP database for Chinese Technical
      Periodicals, WANFANG DATA, Chinese Biological Medical Literature Database, and
      Taiwan Electronic Periodical Services (TEPS) before February 13, 2016. Studies
      were selected based on pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality
      of each included study was assessed by the risk of bias table. The levels of
      evidence of primary outcomes were evaluated using GRADE criteria. Data synthesis
      was conducted using RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: 304 papers were screened. Finally, three
      studies with a combined sample size of 87 patients were included in the meta
      analysis. Two studies were classified as having 'low risk of bias', one study was
      classified as having 'unclear'. Inconsistent results and the overall level of
      evidence of primary outcome was graded as 'low'. CONCLUSIONS: The sample sizes of
      the published studies were small and the results were inconsistent. We could not
      draw any strong conclusions from these trials. Further high quality RCTs with
      large sample sizes are needed to assess the efficacy of tDCS for auditory
      hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia.

PMID- 28638206
TI  - Effect of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cigarette Smoking in
      Patients with Schizophrenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The high smoking rate among patients with schizophrenia is an
      important public health problem, and researchers have been studying how to change
      the status quo. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effects of high frequency (10Hz)
      repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the amount of cigarette smoking
      in patients with schizophrenia. METHOD: This study enrolled 37 male patients with
      schizophrenia who were at a stable stage of treatment. Patients were randomly
      divided into a treatment group (n=19) and a control group (n=18). The treatment
      group received repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the left
      prefrontal dorsolateral cortex (DLPFC), and the control group received placebo
      treatment. The number of cigarettes smoked were recorded at 7 days before
      treatment, during the course of treatment (i.e. for 21 days), and 3 weeks after
      treatment had ended. Assessments using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
      (PANSS), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and Montgomery Asberg Depression
      Rating Scale (MADRS) were applied before and after treatment. RESULT: Compared to
      the control group, the number of cigarettes smoked in the treatment group showed
      a statistically significant reduction in the first week after treatment. However,
      there was no significant correlation between the scores on PANSS, WCST and MADRS
      and the number of cigarettes smoked before and after treatment in both groups.
      DISCUSSION: High frequency (10Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on
      the left prefrontal cortex can reduce the number of cigarettes smoked in patients
      with schizophrenia.

PMID- 28638207
TI  - Effect of Clonazepam Co-Administered with Clozapine on the Serum Clozapine and
      Norclozapine Concentration of Patients with Schizophrenia: A Retrospective
      Survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For patients with schizophrenia clozapine (CLZ) is sometimes co
      prescribed with clonazepam (CLNAZ). However, the impact of administration of CLZ
      along with CLNAZ on the serum concentration of CLZ and its major metabolite N-CLZ
      in schizophrenia is not well understood. AIM: To investigate the effects of CLNAZ
      co-medication, patient gender, age and CLZ dosage on serum concentration of CLZ
      and norclozapine (N-CLZ) in individuals with schizophrenia. METHODS: Serum CLZ
      and N-CLZ concentrations and demographic data were retrospectively analyzed for
      341 patients with schizophrenia. We used SPSS 21.0 to perform stepwise regression
      to analyze the concentration data and demographics. Variables included in the
      analysis were: serum concentration of CLZ, N-CLZ, and CLZ dosage, gender, age and
      CLNAZ co-medication. RESULTS: (1) CLNAZ co-medication significantly affects serum
      CLZ and N-CLZ concentration in schizophrenics (p=0.010, p=0.020); (2) CLNAZ co
      medication, gender and CLZ dosage significantly affect serum CLZ concentration in
      patients with schizophrenia (p=0.010, p=0.009, p<0.001). Serum CLZ concentration
      is negatively correlated with CLNAZ co-medication, and is positively correlated
      with being female and CLZ dosage; (3) CLNAZ co-medication and CLZ dosage were
      significantly related to serum N-CLZ concentration in participants (p=0.020,
      p<0.001). Serum N-CLZ concentration was negatively correlated with CLNAZ
      comedication, and positively correlated with CLZ dosage. CONCLUSION: CLNAZ co
      medication is associated with changes in serum CLZ and N-CLZ concentration. It is
      indicated that gender and/or CLZ dosage are also related to serum CLZ and N-CLZ
      concentration. Therapeutic drug monitoring and dosage regulation of CLZ should be
      performed for patients with schizophrenia who are also taking CLNAZ to maintain a
      safe and effective serum concentration of CLZ and N-CLZ.

PMID- 28638208
TI  - Eye Movement Indices in the Study of Depressive Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Impaired cognition is one of the most common core symptoms of
      depressive disorder. Eye movement testing mainly reflects patients' cognitive
      functions, such as cognition, memory, attention, recognition, and recall. This
      type of testing has great potential to improve theories related to cognitive
      functioning in depressive episodes as well as potential in its clinical
      application. AIMS: This study investigated whether eye movement indices of
      patients with unmedicated depressive disorder were abnormal or not, as well as
      the relationship between these indices and mental symptoms. METHODS: Sixty
      patients with depressive disorder and sixty healthy controls (who were matched by
      gender, age and years of education) were recruited, and completed eye movement
      tests including three tasks: fixation task, saccade task and free-view task. The
      EyeLink desktop eye tracking system was employed to collect eye movement
      information, and analyze the eye movement indices of the three tasks between the
      two groups. RESULTS: (1) In the fixation task, compared to healthy controls,
      patients with depressive disorder showed more fixations, shorter fixation
      durations, more saccades and longer saccadic lengths; (2) In the saccade task,
      patients with depressive disorder showed longer anti-saccade latencies and
      smaller anti-saccade peak velocities; (3) In the free-view task, patients with
      depressive disorder showed fewer saccades and longer mean fixation durations; (4)
      Correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between the pro
      saccade amplitude and anxiety symptoms, and a positive correlation between the
      anti-saccade latency and anxiety symptoms. The depression symptoms were
      negatively correlated with fixation times, saccades, and saccadic paths
      respectively in the free-view task; while the mean fixation duration and
      depression symptoms showed a positive correlation. CONCLUSION: Compared to
      healthy controls, patients with depressive disorder showed significantly abnormal
      eye movement indices. In addition patients' anxiety and depression symptoms and
      eye movement indices were correlated. The pathological meaning of these phenomena
      deserve further exploration.

PMID- 28638209
TI  - Comparative Analysis of Results from a Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire
      Between International Students from West Asia and Xinjiang College Students in
      China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) is a cognitive
      and emotional tool measuring how individuals deal with stressful life events.
      However differences exist in the results of CERQ among individuals. OBJECTIVE:
      This study was conducted to investigate the CERQ results and depressive symptoms
      of students at our university (both local and international students) in order to
      provide further guidance for psychological interventions. METHODS: 255 sophomore
      and junior international students (171 male and 84 female) and 262 sophomore and
      junior Chinese students (124 male and 138 female) were investigated using CERQ,
      ASLEC and SDS questionnaires. Results were analyzed using SPSS 16.0. RESULT:
      Compared to Chinese students, international students more often used cognitive
      adjustment methods such as "positive refocusing","re-focus on planning" and
      "catastrophizing". In regression equations where depression symptoms were used as
      the dependent variable, "self-blaming" and "catastrophizing"positively
      contributed to depression symptoms in international students, while"acceptance"
      was negatively correlated with depression symptoms.In Chinese students, "life
      events score" and "catastrophizing"were positively correlated withdepression
      symptoms, while "positive re-evaluating" was negatively correlated with
      depression symptoms. CONCLUSION: Among students of different races, positive
      coping methods were negatively correlated with depression symptoms and could
      possibly prevent the occurrence of depression, while negative coping methods were
      positively correlated with depression.Encouraging students to use adaptive coping
      methods during psychological intervention is an effective way to adjust
      cognitions and behavior for depression prevention.

PMID- 28638210
TI  - Why is Diagnosing MDD Challenging?
AB  - Depression is highly prevalent and one of the major contributors to disability
      worldwide. However, one of the findings from the DSM-5 field trials was that
      inter-rater reliability for diagnosing major depressive disorder was very poor.
      Why is diagnosing MDD so challenging? This article attempts to explain why
      undefined pathogenesis and complicated phenotypes complicate the diagnosis of
      MDD. However, further biomarker and translational research is still necessary to
      help clinicians screen and diagnose depression in the future rather than relying
      solely on current subjective diagnostic criteria.

PMID- 28638211
TI  - Psychogenic Blepharospasm: A Diagnostic Dilemma.
AB  - Blepharospasm is an uncontrolled spasmodic contraction of the orbicularis muscles
      of the eye resulting in an abnormal tic or twitch of eyes. It usually lasts for
      seconds to minutes but in severe cases eyes may be closed for hours. It may be
      essentially benign or secondary due to a lesion in basal ganglia, pyramidal
      tract, and trauma, local pathology in the eyes or drug induced. Here we are
      presenting a case of psychogenic blepharospasm. A 65 year old woman presented
      with a history of episodic inability of opening her eyes for the past 6 months.
      She had repeated abrupt closure of eyes which would persist for 1 hour. It made
      her socially and interpersonally disabled. Systemic and neurological causes were
      ruled out by detailed physical examinations and investigations including
      neuroimaging. Following poor response to oral medications she was injected with 7
      units of Botox only in the muscles of the right eye. But within seconds she
      received relief in both eyes. During the next session she received a needle prick
      in one eye with no medication and immediately both of her eyes opened from a
      tightly closed position. In this case the patient reported stress due to
      increased workload around the house. From our case it depicts that a true
      movement disorder is often difficult to distinguish from functional disorder. So
      evaluation and management of patient's external and internal stress will be of
      immense help before conducting any invasive treatment.

PMID- 28638212
TI  - Choking Phobia : An Uncommon Phobic Disorder, Treated with Behavior Therapy : A
      Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - Choking phobia is a relatively uncommon phobic disorder which is often
      encountered by otorhinolaryngologists and referred to psychiatrists as a cause of
      psychogenic dysphagia. If not diagnosed early and treated appropriately, it can
      have severe detrimental effects on the physical and psychological health of an
      individual. We present a case of a 20 year old female who presented with choking
      phobia and was treated with behavior therapy. Additionally, we discuss the
      differential diagnosis and treatment strategies of this rare anxiety disorder.

PMID- 28638213
TI  - Comment on "Disability, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Quality of Life in Infertile
      Women: A Cross-Sectional Study In Turkey".
AB  - The aim of this work is to comment on the study about disability, psychiatric
      symptoms and quality of life in infertile women of Turkey that was published in
      this Journal. We suggest that future studies use larger samples, consider the
      influence of factors such as cause of infertility and assisted reproductive
      techniques (ARTs) and, last but not least, exclude other comorbidities which may
      influence the data analysis.

PMID- 28638214
TI  - Two Paradoxes in Linear Regression Analysis.
AB  - Regression is one of the favorite tools in applied statistics. However, misuse
      and misinterpretation of results from regression analysis are common in
      biomedical research. In this paper we use statistical theory and simulation
      studies to clarify some paradoxes around this popular statistical method. In
      particular, we show that a widely used model selection procedure employed in many
      publications in top medical journals is wrong. Formal procedures based on solid
      statistical theory should be used in model selection.

PMID- 28638215
TI  - Endoscopic shielding technique, a new method in therapeutic endoscopy.
AB  - Prevention of late complications after large endoscopic resection is inefficient
      with current methods. Endoscopic shielding, as a simple and safe technique, has
      been proposed to improve the incidence of these events. Different methods, sheets
      or hydrogels, have showed proven efficacy in the prevention of late bleeding and
      perforation, as well as the improvement of tissue repair, in experimental models
      and in clinical practice.

PMID- 28638216
TI  - Role of surgery in pancreatic cancer.
AB  - Treatment of pancreatic cancer is multimodal and surgery is an essential part,
      mandatory for curative potential. Also chemotherapy is essential, and serious
      postoperative complications or rapid disease progression may preclude completion
      of multimodal treatment. The sequence of treatment interventions has therefore
      become an important concern, and numerous ongoing randomized controlled trials
      compare clinical outcome after upfront surgery and neoadjuvant treatment with
      subsequent resection. In previous years, borderline resectable and locally
      advanced pancreatic cancer was most often considered unresectable. More effective
      chemotherapy together with the latest improvements in surgical expertise has
      resulted in extended operations, pushing the borders of resectability.
      Multivisceral resections with or without resection of major mesenteric vessels
      are now performed in numerous patients, resulting in better outcome, recorded as
      overall survival and/or patient reported outcome. But postoperative morbidity
      increases concurrently, and clinical benefit must be carefully evaluated against
      risk of potential harm, associated with new comprehensive multimodal treatment
      sequences. Even though cost/utility analyses are deficient, extended surgery has
      resulted in significantly longer and better life for many patients with no other
      treatment alternative. Improved selection of patients to surgery and/or
      chemotherapy will in the near future be possible, based on better tumor biology
      insight. Clinically available biomarkers enabling personalized treatment are
      forthcoming, but these options are still limited. The importance of surgical
      resection for each patient's prognosis is presently increasing, justifying
      sustained expansion of the surgical treatment modality.

PMID- 28638217
TI  - Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to
      patients!
AB  - A substantial proportion of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
      associate their symptoms with the ingestion of specific foods. Therefore, in
      recent years, scientific research has increasingly focused on the role of diet in
      IBS and dietary management is now considered an important tool in IBS treatment.
      This article reviews the main dietary approaches in IBS emphasizing evidence from
      experimental and observational studies and summarizing the main diet and
      lifestyle recommendations provided by dietary guidelines and scientific
      literature. Despite the limited evidence for a beneficial role, general advice on
      healthy eating and lifestyle is recommended as the first-line approach in the
      dietary management of IBS. Standard recommendations include adhering to a regular
      meal pattern, reducing intake of insoluble fibers, alcohol, caffeine, spicy
      foods, and fat, as well as performing regular physical activity and ensuring a
      good hydration. Second-line dietary approach should be considered where IBS
      symptoms persist and recommendations include following a low FODMAP diet, to be
      delivered only by a healthcare professional with expertise in dietary management.
      The efficacy of this diet is supported by a growing body of evidence. In
      contrast, the role of lactose or gluten dietary restriction in the treatment of
      IBS remains subject to ongoing research with a lack of high-quality evidence.
      Likewise, further clinical trials are needed to conclude the efficacy of
      probiotics on IBS symptoms.

PMID- 28638218
TI  - New endoscopes and add-on devices to improve colonoscopy performance.
AB  - Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colorectal cancer prevention; however, it is
      still an imperfect modality. Precancerous lesions can be lost during screening
      examinations, thus increasing the risk of interval cancer. A variety of factors
      either patient-, or endoscopist dependent or even the procedure itself may
      contribute to loss of lesions. Sophisticated modalities including advanced
      technology endoscopes and add-on devices have been developed in an effort to
      eliminate colonoscopy's drawbacks and maximize its ability to detect potentially
      culprit polyps. Novel colonoscopes aim to widen the field of view. They
      incorporate more than one cameras enabling simultaneous image transmission. In
      that way the field of view can expand up to 330 degrees . On the other hand a
      plethora of add-on devices attachable on the standard colonoscope promise to
      detect lesions in the proximal aspect of colonic folds either by offering a
      retrograde view of the lumen or by straightening the haustral folds during
      withdrawal. In this minireview we discuss how these recent advances affect
      colonoscopy performance by improving its quality indicators (cecal intubation
      rate, adenoma detection rate) and other metrics (polyp detection rate, adenomas
      per colonoscopy, polyp/adenoma miss rate) associated with examination's outcomes.

PMID- 28638219
TI  - Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma: A mini-review.
AB  - Spontaneous tumor regression is an extremely rare phenomenon in the oncology
      field. However, there are several case reports resulted in the regression of
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the accumulation of clinical information and
      analyses of the mechanism can contribute to the development of a novel therapy.
      For this purpose, we have carefully reviewed 23 cases of spontaneously regressed
      HCC published in recent 5 years and our case. The information regarding the tumor
      size, tumor marker, treatments, etc., have been summarized. The mechanism of
      spontaneous regression has been discussed to date and presumed to be due to many
      factors, including hypoxia and immunological reactions. In this careful review of
      the 24 cases based on the clinical information, hypoxia, systemic inflammation,
      and both upon spontaneous regression were seen in 3, 8, and 4 cases, respectively
      among the 15 cases for which the information regarding the proposed mechanisms
      are available. Recent development of immunotherapeutic approaches in oncology
      shows promising results, therefore, accumulation of additional cases and analysis
      of mechanisms underlying the spontaneous regression of HCC are essential and
      could lead to the development of a new generation of immunotherapies including
      antibodies directed against immune reactions.

PMID- 28638220
TI  - Green tea polyphenols ameliorate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through
      upregulating AMPK activation in high fat fed Zucker fatty rats.
AB  - AIM: To investigate protective effects and molecular mechanisms of green tea
      polyphenols (GTP) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Zucker fatty
      (ZF) rats. METHODS: Male ZF rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 2 wk then
      treated with GTP (200 mg/kg) or saline (5 mL/kg) for 8 wk, with Zucker lean rat
      as their control. At the end of experiment, serum and liver tissue were collected
      for measurement of metabolic parameters, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and
      aspartate aminotransferase (AST), inflammatory cytokines and hepatic triglyceride
      and liver histology. Immunoblotting was used to detect phosphorylation of AMP
      activated protein kinase (AMPK) acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and sterol
      regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP1c). RESULTS: Genetically obese ZF
      rats on a HFD presented with metabolic features of hepatic pathological changes
      comparable to human with NAFLD. GTP intervention decreased weight gain (10.1%, P
      = 0.052) and significantly lowered visceral fat (31.0%, P < 0.01). Compared with
      ZF-controls, GTP treatment significantly reduced fasting serum insulin, glucose
      and lipids levels. Reduction in serum ALT and AST levels (both P < 0.01) were
      observed in GTP-treated ZF rats. GTP treatment also attenuated the elevated
      TNFalpha and IL-6 in the circulation. The increased hepatic TG accumulation and
      cytoplasmic lipid droplet were attenuated by GTP treatment, associated with
      significantly increased expression of AMPK-Thr172 (P < 0.05) and phosphorylated
      ACC and SREBP1c (both P < 0.05), indicating diminished hepatic lipogenesis and
      triglycerides out flux from liver in GTP treated rats. CONCLUSION: The protective
      effects of GTP against HFD-induced NAFLD in genetically obese ZF rats are
      positively correlated to reduction in hepatic lipogenesis through upregulating
      the AMPK pathway.

PMID- 28638221
TI  - Prevalence of IFNL3 rs4803217 single nucleotide polymorphism and clinical course
      of chronic hepatitis C.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the association of IFNL3 (IL28B) SNP rs4803217 with severity of
      disease and treatment outcome in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). METHODS: The study
      enrolled 196 CHC Polish patients (82 women and 114 men in age 20-64) infected
      with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1. They were treatment naive and qualified
      to pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-alpha) and ribavirin (RBV) therapy. The
      analyzed baseline parameters included: degree of inflammation, stage of fibrosis,
      viral load as well as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), asparagine aminotransferase
      (AST) and total bilirubin (TBIL). The analysis of response to therapy included:
      sustained virological response (SVR), defined as undetectable serum HCV RNA level
      six month after completion of 48-wk therapy, and relapse, defined as achieving
      undetectable viral load at the end of treatment but not SVR. HCV genotyping and
      HCV RNA quantification were performed using commercially available tests. DNA was
      isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or from buccal cell swabs. In
      addition to rs4803217, also single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs12979860,
      rs8099917 and rs12980275) of known significance in predicting of HCV clearance
      were analyzed. SNPs were determined by high resolution melt analysis and
      confirmed by sequencing of amplicons. RESULTS: Frequency of rs4803217 genotypes
      in studied group was as follows: 27.55%; 54.59% and 17.86% for CC, CA and AA,
      respectively. The rs4803217 SNP, similar to other analyzed SNPs, was not
      associated with severity of CHC (grade of inflammation, stage of fibrosis,
      baseline viral load as well as biochemical parameters: ALT, AST, TBIL). It was
      demonstrated that the rs4803217C allele is associated with SVR (C vs A: P <
      0.0001; dose of C allele: P = 0.0002) and non-relapse (C vs A: P = 0.001; dose of
      C allele: P = 0.002). Moreover, it was found that patients with CC genotype have
      significantly higher response rates as compared with CA/AA patients (P < 0.0001),
      whereas patients carrying A allele are significantly predisposed to relapse after
      treatment (P = 0.0007). Moreover, the association of rs4803217 with SVR was
      comparable to that of rs12979860 and stronger as observed for rs12980275 and
      rs8099917. Association of rs4803217 with relapse, was the strongest as compared
      with the other SNPs. The analysis of combined rs4803217 and rs8099917 genotypes
      demonstrated that additional genotyping of rs8099917 had no significant impact on
      the prediction of SVR. Multivariate analysis revealed that among analyzed SNPs
      only rs4803217 is an independent predictor of SVR (P = 0.016) and relapse (P =
      0.024). CONCLUSION: The rs4803217 SNP is a strong, independent and superior
      predictor of SVR and relapse in HCV genotype 1 infected CHC patients treated with
      PEG-IFN-alpha and RBV.

PMID- 28638222
TI  - Corticotropin-releasing factor stimulates colonic motility via muscarinic
      receptors in the rat.
AB  - AIM: To measure exogenous corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-induced motility
      of the isolated rat colon and to demonstrate the effect of pharmacologic
      inhibition on CRF-induced motility. METHODS: The isolated vascularly-perfused rat
      colon was used. Luminal pressure was monitored via microtip catheter pressure
      transducers in the proximal and distal colon. At first, exogenous CRF was
      administered in a stepwise manner and the concentration of CRF yielding maximal
      colonic motility was selected. After recording basal colonic motility,
      hexamethonium, phentolamine, propranolol, atropine and tetrodotoxin were infused
      into the isolated colon. Initially, only the test drug was infused; then, CRF was
      added. The motility index was expressed as percentage change over basal level.
      RESULTS: Administration of 1.4, 14.4, 144 and 288 pmol/L CRF progressively
      increased colonic motility in the proximal and distal colon. Infusion of atropine
      or tetrodotoxin reduced CRF-induced motility of both the proximal and distal
      colon, whereas hexamethonium, phentolamine and propranolol had no effect.
      CONCLUSION: CRF-induced colonic motility appears to be mediated by local
      cholinergic signaling via muscarinic receptors. Muscarinic receptors are
      potential targets for counteracting CRF-induced colonic hypermotility.

PMID- 28638223
TI  - Clinical significance of changes in the Th17/Treg ratio in autoimmune liver
      disease.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the levels, ratios, and clinical significance of T helper 17
      (Th17) cells and regulatory T (Treg) cells in the peripheral blood of patients
      with autoimmune liver disease (AILD). METHODS: Forty-two AILD patients were
      included in the experimental group (group E), and 11 healthy subjects were
      recruited as the control group (group C). Flow cytometry was performed to
      determine the percentages of Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes.
      Furthermore, a range of biochemical indices was measured simultaneously in the
      blood of group E patients. RESULTS: The percentage of Th17 cells and the
      Th17/Treg ratio were higher in group E than in group C (P < 0.01), whereas the
      percentage of Tregs was lower in the group E patients (P < 0.05). Patients in
      group E who were admitted with AILD in the active stage showed significantly
      higher Th17 percentages and Th17/Treg ratios than those measured in patients with
      AILD in remission (P < 0.05). In addition, among patients with AILD in the active
      stage, individuals that remained unhealed after hospitalization showed
      significantly higher baseline values of the Th17 percentage and the Th17/Treg
      ratio than those detected in patients who improved after treatment (P < 0.05).
      The results suggested that imbalance in the Th17/Treg ratio plays an important
      role in the pathogenesis and development of AILD. CONCLUSION: A high Th17/Treg
      ratio appears to predict poor short-term prognosis in patients with AILD in the
      active stage.

PMID- 28638224
TI  - Inhibitory effect of oxymatrine on hepatocyte apoptosis via TLR4/PI3K/Akt/GSK
      3beta signaling pathway.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the effect of oxymatrine (OMT) on hepatocyte apoptosis in rats
      with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced acute liver
      failure (ALF). METHODS: LPS/D-GalN was used to establish a model of ALF in rats.
      To evaluate the effect of OMT, we assessed apoptosis by transmission electron
      microscopy, and the pathological changes in the liver by light microscopy with
      hematoxylin and eosin staining. An automated biochemical analyzer was used to
      measure serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase
      (AST). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of
      tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta. Western blotting
      was used to detect protein levels in liver tissues. Streptavidin peroxidase
      immunohistochemistry was used to observe expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)4,
      active caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2. RESULTS: All rats in the normal control and OMT
      pretreated groups survived. The mortality rate in the model group was 30%. OMT
      preconditioning down-regulated apoptosis of hepatocytes and ameliorated
      pathological changes in liver tissue. The levels of AST, ALT, TNF-alpha and IL
      1beta in the model group increased significantly, and were significantly reduced
      by OMT pretreatment. OMT pretreatment down-regulated expression of TLR4 and
      active caspase-3 and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and up-regulated expression of P
      AktSer473 (Akt phosphorylated at serine 473) and P-GSK3betaSer9 (glycogen
      synthase kinase 3beta phosphorylated at serine 9) induced by LPS/D-GalN.
      CONCLUSION: OMT inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis by suppressing the
      TLR4/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3beta signaling pathway, which suggests that OMT is an
      effective candidate for ameliorating acute liver failure.

PMID- 28638227
TI  - Relationship between serum adenosine deaminase levels and liver histology in
      autoimmune hepatitis.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the relationship between serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels
      and histological features in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). METHODS: A
      total of 80 subjects (52 AIH cases and 28 healthy controls) were included in the
      study. Patients were diagnosed according to the simplified criteria suggested by
      the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group. All of the cases had been diagnosed
      with AIH between 2010-2015 at Hacettepe University, Department of
      Gastroenterology. Serum blood samples were collected and stored at -80  degrees C
      until the biochemical estimation of ADA activity. The diagnosis of patients was
      confirmed by liver biopsy. Serum ADA > 20 U/L was considered to be high level.
      RESULTS: Mean serum ADA levels were significantly higher in AIH patients than
      those in healthy controls (25.4 +/- 9.6 U/L vs 12.8 +/- 2.2 U/L, P < 0.001).
      Serum ADA levels > 20 U/L were found in 63.5% AIH patients and in 0% healthy
      controls (P < 0.001). Mean serum ADA levels were significantly increased in each
      stage of histological activity: 15.2 +/- 3.5 U/L for patients with mild interface
      hepatitis, 23.1 +/- 10.0 U/L for patients with moderate interface hepatitis and
      30.9 +/- 7.0 U/L for patients with severe interface hepatitis (P < 0.001).
      Correlation analysis showed that there was a positive association between serum
      ADA levels and histological activity (r = 0.71, P < 0.001). Receiver operating
      characteristic analysis suggested that 24.5 U/L was the optimum cut-off point of
      ADA level for severe interface hepatitis (sensitivity 88%, specificity 85.2%,
      area under the curve: 0.88). CONCLUSION: Because of the positive correlation with
      inflammatory activity, serum ADA level may be a potential biomarker for
      predicting or monitoring histological activity in patients with AIH.

PMID- 28638226
TI  - Validation of a serum microRNA panel as biomarkers for early diagnosis of
      hepatocellular carcinoma post-hepatitis C infection in Egyptian patients.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the prospective importance of serum micro (mi)RNAs (miR-125b,
      miR-138b, miR-1269, miR-214-5p, miR-494, miR375 and miR-145) as early biomarkers
      for the diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC). METHODS: Two-hundred and fifty HCV4a patients, 224 HCV4a-HCC patients, and
      84 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Expression levels of miR214-5p,
      miR-125b, miR-1269 and miR-375 were quantified using quantitative real-time PCR.
      RESULTS: Expression of the selected miRNAs in serum was significantly lower in
      HCC patients than in the healthy controls, except for miR-1269 and miR-494. There
      was a significant difference between HCC and HCV patients, in particular for HCC
      and late stage fibrosis, rather than HCV patients and early fibrosis. It is
      obvious that miR-1269 was significantly upregulated in HCC cases compared to
      hepatic fibrosis cases. Each miRNA can show HCC progression. Multivariate
      logistic regression analysis indicated that the tested panel of miRNAs (miR214
      5p, miR-125b, miR-1269 and miR-375) represent accurate and specific indictors of
      HCC development. CONCLUSION: This study presents a panel of miRNAs with strong
      power as putative diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HCV-induced HCC.
      Moreover, miR-214-5p and miR-1269 could be considered as early biomarkers for
      tracking the progress of liver fibrosis to HCC.

PMID- 28638228
TI  - Clinical significance of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as an early predictive
      marker for adverse outcomes in patients with acute pancreatitis.
AB  - AIM: To investigated the prognostic value of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio
      (NLR) in patients with acute pancreatitis and determined an optimal cut-off value
      for the prediction of adverse outcomes in these patients. METHODS: We
      retrospectively analyzed 490 patients with acute pancreatitis diagnosed between
      March 2007 and December 2012. NLRs were calculated at admission and 24, 48, and
      72 h after admission. Patients were grouped according to acute pancreatitis
      severity and organ failure occurrence, and a comparative analysis was performed
      to compare the NLR between groups. RESULTS: Among the 490 patients, 70 had severe
      acute pancreatitis with 31 experiencing organ failure. The severe acute
      pancreatitis group had a significantly higher NLR than the mild acute
      pancreatitis group on all 4 d (median, 6.14, 6.71, 5.70, and 4.00 vs 4.74, 4.47,
      3.20, and 3.30, respectively, P < 0.05). The organ failure group had a
      significantly higher NLR than the group without organ failure on all 4 d (median,
      7.09, 6.72, 6.27, and 6.24 vs 4.85, 4.49, 3.35, and 2.34, respectively, P <
      0.05). The optimal cut-off value for baseline NLR was 4.76 in predicting severity
      and 4.88 in predicting organ failure in acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: Elevated
      baseline NLR correlates with severe acute pancreatitis and organ failure.

PMID- 28638225
TI  - Sodium selenite ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced chronic colitis in
      mice by decreasing Th1, Th17, and gammadeltaT and increasing CD4(+)CD25(+)
      regulatory T-cell responses.
AB  - AIM: To assess the effect of sodium selenite on the severity of dextran sulfate
      sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided
      into four groups (n = 10/group): normal group, selenium (Se) group, chronic
      colitis group, and Se + chronic colitis group. The mice were sacrificed on day
      26. Survival rates, clinical symptoms, colon length, and histological changes
      were determined. The percentages and absolute numbers of immune system cells in
      the lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) of the colon, the expression of mRNA in
      colon tissue, and the concentrations of Th1, Th17, and Treg cytokines in LPL from
      the large intestine, were measured. RESULTS: Se significantly ameliorated the
      symptoms of colitis and histological injury (P < 0.05 each), increasing the
      proportions of neutrophils and CD4+ CD25+ T cells (P < 0.05 each) and decreasing
      the proportions of gammadeltaT cells, CD4+, CD4+CD44+, and CD4+ CD69+ T cells in
      LPL (P < 0.05 each). Moreover, Se reduced the expression of IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL
      17A, IL-21, T-bet, and RORgammat (P < 0.05 each), but enhanced the expression of
      IL-10 and Foxp3 (P < 0.05 each). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that Se
      protects against DSS-induced chronic colitis perhaps by increasing the number of
      CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs that suppress the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and
      populations of Th1, Th17, and gammadeltaT cells.

PMID- 28638229
TI  - Dietary and metabolomic determinants of relapse in ulcerative colitis patients: A
      pilot prospective cohort study.
AB  - AIM: To identify demographic, clinical, metabolomic, and lifestyle related
      predictors of relapse in adult ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. METHODS: In this
      prospective pilot study, UC patients in clinical remission were recruited and
      followed-up at 12 mo to assess a clinical relapse, or not. At baseline
      information on demographic and clinical parameters was collected. Serum and urine
      samples were collected for analysis of metabolomic assays using a combined direct
      infusion/liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic
      resolution spectroscopy. Stool samples were also collected to measure fecal
      calprotectin (FCP). Dietary assessment was performed using a validated self
      administered food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included
      (mean age: 42.7 +/- 14.8 years, females: 55%). Seven patients (35%) experienced a
      clinical relapse during the follow-up period. While 6 patients (66.7%) with
      normal body weight developed a clinical relapse, 1 UC patient (9.1%) who was
      overweight/obese relapsed during the follow-up (P = 0.02). At baseline, poultry
      intake was significantly higher in patients who were still in remission during
      follow-up (0.9 oz vs 0.2 oz, P = 0.002). Five patients (71.4%) with FCP > 150
      MUg/g and 2 patients (15.4%) with normal FCP (<= 150 MUg/g) at baseline relapsed
      during the follow-up (P = 0.02). Interestingly, baseline urinary and serum
      metabolomic profiling of UC patients with or without clinical relapse within 12
      mo showed a significant difference. The most important metabolites that were
      responsible for this discrimination were trans-aconitate, cystine and acetamide
      in urine, and 3-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate and acetone in serum. CONCLUSION: A
      combination of baseline dietary intake, fecal calprotectin, and metabolomic
      factors are associated with risk of UC clinical relapse within 12 mo.

PMID- 28638230
TI  - Role of three-dimensional endoanal ultrasound in assessing the anal sphincter
      morphology of female patients with chronic proctalgia.
AB  - AIM: To assess the role of three-dimensional endoanal ultrasound (3D-EAUS) for
      morphological assessment of the anal sphincter of female patients with chronic
      proctalgia (CP). METHODS: In this unmatched case control study, 30 consecutive
      female patients with CP and 25 normal women (control group) were enrolled. 3D
      EAUS was performed in all subjects. Thickness and length of internal anal
      sphincter (IAS), thickness of puborectalis muscle (PR), length of the external
      anal sphincter (EAS) plus PR, and puborectalis angle were measured and compared
      between the two groups. RESULTS: Patients with CP had significantly shorter IAS
      length and greater PR thickness, as compared to those in normal individuals
      (26.28 +/- 3.59 mm vs 28.87 +/- 4.84 mm, P < 0.05 and 9.67 +/- 1.57 mm vs 8.85 +/
      0.97 mm, P < 0.05, respectively). No significant between-group differences were
      observed with respect to IAS thickness and the EAS plus PR length (P > 0.05).
      Puborectalis angle in the CP group was significantly decreased, both in resting
      (88.23 degrees  +/- 1.81 degrees  vs 89.94 degrees  +/- 2.07 degrees  in control
      group, P < 0.05) and straining (88.47 degrees  +/- 3.32 degrees  vs 90.72 degrees
      +/- 1.87 degrees  in control group, P < 0.05) phases, which suggest the presence
      of paradoxical contraction of PR in patients with CP. In the CP group, no
      significant difference in puborectalis angle was observed between the resting and
      straining phases (88.23 degrees  +/- 1.81 degrees  vs 88.47 degrees  +/- 3.32
      degrees  respectively, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The association of greater PR
      thickness and paradoxical contraction of PR with CP suggest their potential value
      as markers of CP.

PMID- 28638231
TI  - Pleiotrophin and N-syndecan promote perineural invasion and tumor progression in
      an orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer.
AB  - AIM: To detect the expression of pleiotrophin (PTN) and N-syndecan in pancreatic
      cancer and analyze their association with tumor progression and perineural
      invasion (PNI). METHODS: An orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer was
      created by injecting tumor cells subcapsularly in a root region of the pancreas
      beneath the spleen. Pancreatic cancer tissues were taken from 36 mice that
      survived for more than 90 d. PTN and N-syndecan proteins were detected by
      immunohistochemistry and analyzed for their correlation with pathological
      features, PNI, and prognosis. RESULTS: The expression rates of PTN and N-syndecan
      proteins were 66.7% and 61.1%, respectively, in cancer tissue. PTN and N-syndecan
      expression was associated with PNI (P = 0.019 and P = 0.032, respectively). High
      PTN expression was closely associated with large bloody ascites (P = 0.009),
      liver metastasis (P = 0.035), and decreased survival time (P = 0.022). N-syndecan
      expression was significantly associated with tumor size (P = 0.025), but not with
      survival time (P = 0.539). CONCLUSION: High PTN and N-syndecan expression was
      closely associated with metastasis and poor prognosis, suggesting that they may
      promote tumor progression and PNI in the orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic
      cancer.

PMID- 28638232
TI  - Epidemiology of functional gastrointestinal disorders in children and
      adolescents: A systematic review.
AB  - AIM: To assess the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in
      children and adolescents. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were
      searched for original articles from inception to September 2016. The literature
      search was made in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
      Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. For inclusion, each study had
      to report epidemiological data on FGIDs in children between 4 and 18 years old
      and contain standardized outcome based on Rome II, III or IV criteria. The
      overall quality of included epidemiological studies was evaluated in accordance
      with Loney's proposal for prevalence studies of health literature. Two reviewers
      assessed each study for data inclusion and extraction. Discrepancies were
      reconciled through discussion with seniors. RESULTS: A total of 659 articles were
      identified from the databases and 16 through manual search. A total of 43
      articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria for full-text reading, with 26
      remaining to be included in the final analysis. All studies were written in
      English and published between 2005 and 2016. Eight (30.8%) articles were
      performed in North America, five (19.2%) in Latin America, five (19.2%) in
      Europe, seven (27%) in Asia, and one (3.8%) in Africa. Sample size varied between
      114 and 99416 subjects, totaling 132600 individuals. Fourteen (53.9%) studies
      recruited their target samples from schools, 11 (42.3%) from healthcare settings
      and the remaining one (3.8%) from online panel community. The overall FGID
      prevalence rates for student samples ranged from 9.9% to 29% to as high as 87% in
      clinical samples. Cyclic vomiting, irritable bowel syndrome and functional
      constipation were the most researched conditions, with a prevalence ranging from
      0.2% to 6.2%, 0% to 45.1% and 0.5% to 86.9%, respectively. The qualitative
      appraisal revealed that most of the studies showed average or below average
      generalizability. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity of the studies on FGIDs must be
      improved in order to allow comparison. Improvements should include appropriate
      sampling of representative population, comparable study setting, and consistent
      data collection.

PMID- 28638233
TI  - Esophageal carcinoma originating in the surface epithelium with
      immunohistochemically proven esophageal gland duct differentiation: A case
      report.
AB  - A case of esophageal carcinoma exclusively composed of adenocarcinoma simulating
      an esophageal gland duct in a 61-year-old man is presented. The tumor arose as a
      slightly elevated lesion in the middle intrathoracic esophagus. It was almost
      completely overlaid with non-neoplastic stratified squamous epithelial cells.
      Beneath the overlying surface epithelium, an adenocarcinoma that was bilayered in
      structure diffusely invaded both the mucosal and submucosal layers. Although the
      tumor consisted exclusively of adenocarcinomatous cells, a keratinizing squamous
      cell carcinoma component was focally observed. The invasive carcinoma was focally
      continuous with the small area of the surface squamous epithelial layer, which
      was confirmed to be neoplastic by immunohistochemistry. Morphological and
      immunohistochemical examinations suggested that the adenocarcinomatous component
      arose from the esophageal surface epithelium and clearly differentiated into an
      esophageal gland duct. It is important to consider the possibility of this type
      of adenocarcinoma when diagnosing a ductal or glandular lesion of the esophagus
      in small biopsy specimens.

PMID- 28638235
TI  - Managing health and safety risks: Implications for tailoring health and safety
      management system practices.
AB  - As national and international health and safety management system (HSMS)
      standards are voluntarily accepted or regulated into practice, organizations are
      making an effort to modify and integrate strategic elements of a connected
      management system into their daily risk management practices. In high-risk
      industries such as mining, that effort takes on added importance. The mining
      industry has long recognized the importance of a more integrated approach to
      recognizing and responding to site-specific risks, encouraging the adoption of a
      risk-based management framework. Recently, the U.S. National Mining Association
      led the development of an industry-specific HSMS built on the strategic
      frameworks of ANSI: Z10, OHSAS 18001, The American Chemistry Council's
      Responsible Care, and ILO-OSH 2001. All of these standards provide strategic
      guidance and focus on how to incorporate a plan-do-check-act cycle into the
      identification, management and evaluation of worksite risks. This paper details
      an exploratory study into whether practices associated with executing a risk
      based management framework are visible through the actions of an organization's
      site-level management of health and safety risks. The results of this study show
      ways that site-level leaders manage day-to-day risk at their operations that can
      be characterized according to practices associated with a risk-based management
      framework. Having tangible operational examples of day-to-day risk management can
      serve as a starting point for evaluating field-level risk assessment efforts and
      their alignment to overall company efforts at effective risk mitigation through a
      HSMS or other processes.

PMID- 28638236
TI  - Public Transit Equity Analysis at Metropolitan and Local Scales: A Focus on Nine
      Large Cities in the US.
AB  - Recent studies on transit service through an equity lens have captured broad
      trends from the literature and national-level data or analyzed disaggregate data
      at the local level. This study integrates these methods by employing a
      geostatistical analysis of new transit access and income data compilations from
      the Environmental Protection Agency. By using a national data set, this study
      demonstrates a method for income-based transit equity analysis and provides
      results spanning nine large auto-oriented cities in the US. Results demonstrate
      variability among cities' transit services to low-income populations, with
      differing results when viewed at the regional and local levels. Regional-level
      analysis of transit service hides significant variation through spatial
      averaging, whereas the new data employed in this study demonstrates a block-group
      scale equity analysis that can be used on a national-scale data set. The methods
      used can be adapted for evaluation of transit and other modes' transportation
      service in areas to evaluate equity at the regional level and at the neighborhood
      scale while controlling for spatial autocorrelation. Transit service equity
      planning can be enhanced by employing local Moran's I to improve local analysis.

PMID- 28638234
TI  - Ischemic or toxic injury: A challenging diagnosis and treatment of drug-induced
      stenosis of the sigmoid colon.
AB  - A 48-year-old woman was admitted with 15-mo history of abdominal pain, diarrhea
      and hematochezia, and 5-mo history of defecation difficulty. She had been
      successively admitted to nine hospitals, with an initial diagnosis of
      inflammatory bowel disease with stenotic sigmoid colon. Findings from computed
      tomography virtual colonoscopy, radiography with meglumine diatrizoate,
      endoscopic balloon dilatation, metallic stent implantation and later overall
      colonoscopy, coupled with the newfound knowledge of compound Qingdai pill-taking,
      led to a subsequent diagnosis of ischemic or toxic bowel disease with sigmoid
      colon stenosis. The patient was successfully treated by laparoscopic sigmoid
      colectomy, and postoperative pathological examination revealed ischemic or toxic
      injury of the sigmoid colon, providing a final diagnosis of drug-induced sigmoid
      colon stenosis. This case highlights that adequate awareness of drug-induced
      colon stenosis has a decisive role in avoiding misdiagnosis and mistreatment. The
      diagnostic and therapeutic experiences learnt from this case suggest that
      endoscopic balloon expansion and colonic metallic stent implantation as bridge
      treatments were demonstrated as crucial for the differential diagnosis of benign
      colonic stenosis. Skillful surgical technique and appropriate perioperative
      management helped to ensure the safety of our patient in subsequent surgery after
      long-term use of glucocorticoids.

PMID- 28638237
TI  - Friendships Lost: The Social Consequences of Violent Victimization.
AB  - Few studies have examined the impact of violent victimization on friendship
      networks. This study used two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study
      of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to examine the effects of violent
      victimization on number peer- and self-reported friendships. Guided by stigma
      theory (Goffman, 1963), fixed-effect regression models controlling for
      depression, delinquency, substance use, and school engagement were completed to
      predict changes in number of friends following victimization. Consistent with the
      theory, results indicate that experiencing violent victimization (e.g., jumped,
      stabbed, shot at) was associated with a decrease in number of friends. These
      effects were magnified for females and for individuals with a greater number of
      depressive symptoms. These results were consistent even when models were run
      separately for each individual type of victimization. Treatment and prevention
      implications are discussed.

PMID- 28638238
TI  - A Computational Methodology to Overcome the Challenges Associated With the Search
      for Specific Enzyme Targets to Develop Drugs Against Leishmania major.
AB  - We present an approach for detecting enzymes that are specific of Leishmania
      major compared with Homo sapiens and provide targets that may assist research in
      drug development. This approach is based on traditional techniques of sequence
      homology comparison by similarity search and Markov modeling; it integrates the
      characterization of enzymatic functionality, secondary and tertiary protein
      structures, protein domain architecture, and metabolic environment. From 67
      enzymes represented by 42 enzymatic activities classified by AnEnPi (Analogous
      Enzymes Pipeline) as specific for L major compared with H sapiens, only 40 (23
      Enzyme Commission [EC] numbers) could actually be considered as strictly specific
      of L major and 27 enzymes (19 EC numbers) were disregarded for having ambiguous
      homologies or analogies with H sapiens. Among the 40 strictly specific enzymes,
      we identified sterol 24-C-methyltransferase, pyruvate phosphate dikinase,
      trypanothione synthetase, and RNA-editing ligase as 4 essential enzymes for L
      major that may serve as targets for drug development.

PMID- 28638239
TI  - Using Transfer Learning for Improved Mortality Prediction in a Data-Scarce
      Hospital Setting.
AB  - Algorithm-based clinical decision support (CDS) systems associate patient-derived
      health data with outcomes of interest, such as in-hospital mortality. However,
      the quality of such associations often depends on the availability of site
      specific training data. Without sufficient quantities of data, the underlying
      statistical apparatus cannot differentiate useful patterns from noise and, as a
      result, may underperform. This initial training data burden limits the
      widespread, out-of-the-box, use of machine learning-based risk scoring systems.
      In this study, we implement a statistical transfer learning technique, which uses
      a large "source" data set to drastically reduce the amount of data needed to
      perform well on a "target" site for which training data are scarce. We test this
      transfer technique with AutoTriage, a mortality prediction algorithm, on patient
      charts from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (the source) and a
      population of 48 249 adult inpatients from University of California San Francisco
      Medical Center (the target institution). We find that the amount of training data
      required to surpass 0.80 area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC)
      on the target set decreases from more than 4000 patients to fewer than 220. This
      performance is superior to the Modified Early Warning Score (AUROC: 0.76) and
      corresponds to a decrease in clinical data collection time from approximately 6
      months to less than 10 days. Our results highlight the usefulness of transfer
      learning in the specialization of CDS systems to new hospital sites, without
      requiring expensive and time-consuming data collection efforts.

PMID- 28638241
TI  - Oral Anaerobic Bacteria in the Etiology of Ankylosing Spondylitis.
AB  - Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is associated with periodontitis. Anti-Porphyromonas
      gingivalis and anti-Prevotella intermedia antibody titers were higher in patients
      with spondyloarthritis than in healthy people. Sulfasalazine is an effective
      antibiotic treatment for AS. Moxifloxacin and rifamycin were also found to be
      significantly effective. The etiology hypothesis suggests that oral anaerobic
      bacteria such as Porphyromonas spp and Prevotella spp contribute to the disease.
      These bacteria have been identified in AS, and we will discuss their pathogenic
      properties with respect to our knowledge of the disease. Periodontal pathogens
      are likely to be responsible for the development of AS in genetically susceptible
      individuals. This finding should guide the development of more comprehensive and
      efficacious treatment strategies for AS.

PMID- 28638240
TI  - Perioperative Management of Neurological Conditions.
AB  - Perioperative care of the patients with neurological diseases can be challenging.
      Most important consideration is the management and understanding of
      pathophysiology of these disorders and evaluation of new neurological changes
      that occur perioperatively. Perioperative generally refers to 3 phases of
      surgery: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. We have tried to
      address few commonly encountered neurological conditions in clinical practice,
      such as delirium, stroke, epilepsy, myasthenia gravis, and Parkinson disease. In
      this article, we emphasize on early diagnosis and management strategies of
      neurological disorders in the perioperative period to minimize morbidity and
      mortality of patients.

PMID- 28638242
TI  - Cost-Utility of a Single-Injection Combined Corticosteroid-Hyaluronic Acid
      Formulation vs a 2-Injection Regimen of Sequential Corticosteroid and Hyaluronic
      Acid Injections.
AB  - Research has shown early and sustained relief with a combination therapy of a
      corticosteroid (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in knee osteoarthritis (OA)
      patients. This can be administered via a single injection containing both
      products or as separate injections. The former may be more expensive when
      considering only product cost, but the latter incurs the additional costs and
      time of a second procedure. The purpose of this study was to compare the cost
      utility of the single injection with the 2-injection regimen. The results of this
      analysis revealed that the single-injection formulation of a CS and HA may be
      cost-effective, assuming a willingness-to-pay of $50 000 per quality-adjusted
      life year gained, for symptomatic relief of OA symptoms. This treatment may also
      be more desirable to patients who find injections to be inconvenient or
      unpleasant.

PMID- 28638243
TI  - Subacromial Anesthetics Increase Proprioceptive Deficit in the Shoulder and Elbow
      in Patients With Subacromial Impingement Syndrome.
AB  - Shoulder proprioception gives information regarding arm joint position and
      movement direction. Several studies have investigated shoulder proprioceptive
      acuity in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS); however,
      differences in protocols and between-subjects designs have limited scientific
      inferences regarding proprioception and SIS. We aimed to determine within-subject
      differences in shoulder and elbow proprioceptive acuity in 17 patients with stage
      2 SIS following treatment of a local anesthetic injection. In addition, we used
      17 healthy, age-, sex-, and arm dominance-matched controls to determine the
      magnitude of differences after treatment. Joint position sense (JPS) was measured
      before and after treatment in both groups in the sagittal plane for the shoulder
      and elbow. Our results indicate that patients with SIS have less sensitivity to
      angular position and tended to overshoot their targets with greater variability
      during angle-matching tasks for the shoulder (1.8 degrees  difference, P = .042)
      and elbow (5.6 degrees  difference, P = .001) than controls. The disparities in
      JPS found in patients with SIS were not resolved following subacromial injection;
      in fact, the magnitude of the errors increased after treatment where
      postinjection errors were significantly greater (P = .046) than controls, with an
      average difference of 2.4 degrees . These findings suggest that patients with SIS
      have decrements in either the signaling or processing of proprioceptive
      information and may use pain to reduce these inequalities.

PMID- 28638244
TI  - Cardiac Rehabilitation for Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A Practical
      Guide to Enhance Patient Outcomes Through Continuity of Care.
AB  - Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide.
      Referral to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a class I recommendation for all
      patients with CAD based on findings that participation can reduce cardiovascular
      and all-cause mortality, as well as improve functional capacity and quality of
      life. However, programme uptake remains low, systematic progression through the
      traditional CR phases is often lacking, and communication between health care
      providers is frequently suboptimal, resulting in fragmented care. Only 30% to 50%
      of eligible patients are typically referred to outpatient CR and fewer still
      complete the programme. In contemporary models of CR, patients are no longer
      treated by a single practitioner, but rather by an array of health professionals,
      across multiples specialities and health care settings. The risk of fragmented
      care in CR may be great, and a concerted approach is required to achieve
      continuity and optimise patient outcomes. 'Continuity of care' has been described
      as the delivery of services in a coherent, logical, and timely fashion and which
      entails 3 specific domains: informational, management, and relational continuity.
      This is examined in the context of CR.

PMID- 28638245
TI  - Optical Coherence Tomography Technology and Quality Improvement Methods for
      Optical Coherence Tomography Images of Skin: A Short Review.
AB  - Optical coherence tomography (OCT) delivers 3-dimensional images of tissue
      microstructures. Although OCT imaging offers a promising high-resolution method,
      OCT images experience some artifacts that lead to misapprehension of tissue
      structures. Speckle, intensity decay, and blurring are 3 major artifacts in OCT
      images. Speckle is due to the low coherent light source used in the configuration
      of OCT. Intensity decay is a deterioration of light with respect to depth, and
      blurring is the consequence of deficiencies of optical components. In this short
      review, we summarize some of the image enhancement algorithms for OCT images
      which address the abovementioned artifacts.

PMID- 28638246
TI  - Prevalence of Painful Temporomandibular Disorders and Correlation to Lifestyle
      Factors among Adolescents in Norway.
AB  - AIM: To estimate the prevalence of painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD-P)
      among adolescents and to investigate correlations with health, environment, and
      lifestyle factors. METHODS: For this cross-sectional case-control study, 562
      patients were consecutively recruited at their yearly revision control from four
      dental clinics in Rogaland County, Norway. Patients completed a questionnaire on
      general health, socioeconomics, demographics, and lifestyle factors. Responses to
      two screening questions identified patients with TMD-P, who then underwent
      clinical examination to verify the TMD diagnosis. Pain intensity was assessed on
      a visual analogue scale. Patients without TMD-P constituted the control group and
      were not clinically examined. RESULTS: 7% experienced TMD-P. The female-to-male
      ratio is 3:1; median age is 17 years. Patients at urban clinics had higher
      prevalence compared with those at rural clinics. TMD-P patients had headache and
      severe menstrual pain compared to controls. They were more likely to live with
      divorced/single parents and less likely to have regular physical activity.
      Myalgia was present in 21 patients with TMD-P, arthralgia in nine, and myalgia
      and arthralgia in nine. Females had higher pain intensity than males.
      CONCLUSIONS: A low prevalence of TMD-P was shown but was comparable to other
      studies. Sex, health, lifestyle, and environment factors were associated with TMD
      P.

PMID- 28638247
TI  - Is Sutureless Pancreaticogastrostomy More Effective than Single-Layer Duct-to
      Mucosa Pancreaticojejunostomy in Pancreaticoduodenectomy?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to assess the safety of pancreatic anastomosis
      after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and to compare the results of sutureless
      pancreatogastrostomy (PG) with those of single-layer duct-to-mucosa
      pancreatojejunostomy (PJ) after PD in patients with malignant disease of the
      pancreatic head and of the periampullary region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study
      included 173 consecutive patients undergoing PD from May 2009 to December 2015 at
      a single surgical center. Single-layer duct-to-mucosa PJ was performed in 52
      patients and sutureless PG in the remaining 123. The primary endpoint was the
      safety of the procedures, which was assessed as the occurrence of complications
      during hospitalization. Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) was classified as
      grade A, B, or C according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula
      classification. RESULTS: We found that the incidence of POPF was 11.52%. With
      regard to POPF, the present study showed no significant difference in the two
      groups (p=0.043). The incidence of Grade C POPF was significantly higher in the
      PJ group than in the PG group (p=0.001), which was been reflected in the form of
      a higher rate of postoperative hemorrhage (p=0.001), intra-abdominal abscess
      (p=0.012), and septic shock (p=0.012) events in the PJ group. CONCLUSION: The
      evaluation of short-term outcomes demonstrates that suturelessPG is a feasible
      and safe technique, associated with lower life-threatening complications than
      single-layer duct-to-mucosa PJ. If long-term functional outcomes confirm similar
      results, sutureless PG could become a valid alternative for pancreatic
      anastomosis after PD in patients with soft pancreas and high morbidity.

PMID- 28638248
TI  - Evaluation of Microorganisms Causing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in a
      Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify microorganisms causing
      ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and also study the antibiotic
      resistance/susceptibility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively assessed
      microorganisms isolated from patients diagnosed with VAP in a pediatric intensive
      care unit between January 1, 2014, and June 30, 2016. RESULTS: We included 44
      patients diagnosed with VAP. The prevalence thereof was 8.6 patients per 1,000
      ventilator days. Mechanical ventilation was required for 56.5% of patients.
      Thirty-three patients (75%) died. An underlying chronic disease was detected in
      75% of patients (n=33). Fifty microorganisms were isolated from 44 patients.
      Single microorganisms were isolated from 86.4% (n=38) and two from 13.6% (n=6) of
      patients. Of all the isolated bacteria, 96% (n=48) were gram-negative; the most
      common was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32%), followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (24%)
      and Acinetobacter baumannii (22%). The isolates were most susceptible to colistin
      (92.6%), followed by piperacillin-tazobactam (71.4%), amikacin (65.2%), and
      gentamicin (52.2%). No enterobacterium or Acinetobacter strain was resistant to
      colistin; however, 13% of P. aeruginosa isolates were resistant. CONCLUSION: In
      VAP, it is essential to catalog antibiotic resistance patterns of bacteria
      present in the unit to ensure that empirical antibiotic therapy is effective.

PMID- 28638249
TI  - Circulatory Levels of C-X-C Motif Chemokine Ligands 1, 9, and 10 Are Elevated in
      Patients with Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Inflammation plays a significant role in the development of ischemic
      stroke. CXC chemokines play pleiotropic roles in prolonged leukocyte locomotion,
      astrocyte migration/activation, and neural attachment/sprouting in response to
      focal stroke. In this study, we aimed to explore the changes in serum levels of
      three chemokines, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), C-X-C motif chemokine
      ligand 9 (CXCL9), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10), in ischemic
      stroke patients at the time of admission and before discharge from the hospital
      ward. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we recruited 43 unrelated ischemic
      stroke patients using an easy convenience method or accidental sampling which is
      a type of non-probability sampling that involves the sample being drawn from that
      part of the population that is close to hand. We also enrolled 50 genetically
      unrelated healthy controls showing no history of neurologic, cardiovascular, or
      inflammatory diseases. Serum levels of the considered chemokines were measured by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients and healthy controls.
      RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in ischemic stroke patients
      following hospitalization and prior discharging from the hospital; however, there
      was a significant difference in serum levels of CXCL9 and CXCL10 between patients
      and healthy controls. We also found that the level of the chemokine was not
      related to gender or medical therapy. It appears that CXCL9 and CXCL10 are more
      predisposing factors and play a direct role in stroke considering that they were
      higher in patients than in healthy controls. CONCLUSION: We believe that this
      study might be used as a basis for further studies on more effective medication
      regimens to prevent the onset and subsequent complications of stroke. However,
      these mediators are useful diagnostic and prognostic tools rather than
      therapeutic tools.

PMID- 28638250
TI  - Phacoemulsification and Core Vitrectomy in Fuchs' Heterochromic Uveitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of phacoemulsification combined with
      posterior capsulorhexis, core vitrectomy and ciliary sulcus intraocular lens
      (IOL) implantation in patients with Fuchs' heterochromic uveitis (FHU). MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: A total of 18 eyes of 18 patients with FHU underwent cataract
      surgery were included in the study. 18 eyes with FHU underwent posterior
      capsulorhexis, core vitrectomy and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) IOL
      implantation in the ciliary sulcus. Subjects were chosen for this procedure based
      on an intraoperative vitreous haziness assessment, performed by indirect
      ophthalmoscopy. Patients with +2 or more vitreous haziness qualified for this
      procedure. RESULTS: Of the 83 eyes with FHU that underwent cataract surgery, 18
      eyes (21.6%) of 18 patients were employed in the study. There were 11 (61.1%) men
      and 7 (38.9%) women in the study; ages ranged from 23 to 47, with a mean of 32.06
      years. Follow-up ranged from 8 months to 49 months. There were no intraoperative
      complications except for peripheral iris bleeding in 7 eyes. There was no severe
      intraocular inflammation in any patient postoperatively. All patients had 0.05 or
      better logMAR visual acuity after corneal suture removal. Glaucoma developed in 2
      patients. For the short term period, the main vision threatening problem was
      suture-induced astigmatism. CONCLUSION: Cataract surgery combined with posterior
      capsulorhexis, core vitrectomy and IOL implantation in the ciliary sulcus is safe
      and leads to good visual outcome due to the removal of the hazy vitreous in
      patients with FHU.

PMID- 28638251
TI  - What is the Importance of Body Composition in Obesity-related Depression?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: It is known that depression is common in obese individuals. Besides
      the effects of obesity, pathogenic effects of increase in visceral and abdominal
      fat mass on depression are also being investigated. Our study aimed to show the
      relationship between visceral fat percentage detected with practical methods and
      the presence and severity of depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study
      included 104 obese patients and 50 healthy controls. In all individuals, the
      severity of depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
      Anthropometric measurements, visceral fat percentage, and body fat percentage
      were measured using the bioelectric impedance method. RESULTS: The mean age was
      51.5+/-12.3 years, and 65 participants (62.5%) were women. BDI scores were
      statistically higher in the obese group than in the control group (23.1+/-10.9
      and 12.1+/-9.4, p<0.001). In the obese group, 63.5% of patients were depressed,
      and in the control group, this was 24%. Women were more depressed in the obese
      group, but there was no significant difference between men and women in the
      control group. Body fat percentage was the highest correlating parameter with
      depression severity. Positive correlation was found between depression severity
      and body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, and visceral fat
      percentage. In the logistic regression analysis, obesity was found as an
      independent risk factor for depression (OR: 4.84, 2.1-10.7, p<0.001). CONCLUSION:
      According to the results of our study, obesity is a significant and independent
      risk factor for depression. Obesity type and body composition are important
      factors that determine the severity of depression.

PMID- 28638252
TI  - Evaluation of the Ki-67 Proliferation Index and Urocortin Expression in Women
      with Ovarian Endometriomas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The reasons why endometriosis is more aggressive and invasive in some
      patients are unknown. Despite the importance of population-based clinically
      defined risk factors in the prediction of recurrence, biochemical markers
      obtained from the patient are more valuable for prediction on an individual
      basis. Therefore, the discovery of significant potential biomarkers could be
      useful to clinicians for shedding light on the pathogenesis of endometriosis and
      in the monitoring recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 50
      patients who underwent surgery for ovarian cysts that were diagnosed as
      endometrioma. The age of the patients, stage of the endometriosis, diameter and
      localization of endometriomas, type of surgery, and pre- and postoperative cancer
      antigen 125 (CA125) levels were compared between patients with and without
      recurrence. The archived pathology slides were stained with Ki-67 and anti
      urocortin antibodies for reevaluation. By comparing the pathology parameters of
      the patients with and without recurrence, the association between these
      parameters and recurrence was investigated. RESULTS: The median Ki-67
      proliferation index of the patients with recurrence (7.5+/-6.5) was statistically
      significant compared with that of the patients without recurrence (1+/-4)
      (p=0.003). The urocortin epithelial staining intensity and percentage were not
      found to be statistically significant in comparison. A statistically significant
      difference was determined between postoperative CA125 median levels of patients
      without recurrence (10+/-17.6) and those of patients with recurrence (29.9+/
      18.1) (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: The Ki-67 proliferation index may be useful for
      predicting prognosis and recurrence risk.

PMID- 28638253
TI  - Effects of Vitamin D Therapy on Quality of Life in Patients with Fibromyalgia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The role of vitamin D in the etiopathogenesis of fibromyalgia and non
      specific musculoskeletal pain is controversial. In our study, we aimed to
      investigate the effect of vitamin D therapy on quality of life in patients with
      fibromyalgia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia
      and 65 age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study. Patients were
      grouped as deficient (<20 ng/mL), inadequate (20-30 ng/mL), and sufficient (>30
      ng/mL) according to the levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D replacement was performed
      for patients with deficiencies and inadequacies. Before and after vitamin D
      therapy, patients filled in the assessment tools, fibromyalgia impact
      questionnaire (FIQ), Arizona sexual experience scale (ASEX), Beck depression
      inventory (BDI), visual analog scale (VAS), and short form-36 (SF-36). RESULTS:
      Vitamin D deficiencies and inadequacies were observed in 60% of the patients
      (n=42). Among patients with low and normal levels of vitamin D, no statistically
      significant difference was observed in their values. In scales examined after
      vitamin D replacement therapy, statistically significant differences were
      observed in the FIQ, BDI, VAS, and SF-36 compared with pre-treatment. CONCLUSION:
      Vitamin D deficiency seems to be linked to the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia.
      Vitamin D supplementation may improve the quality of life in patients with
      fibromyalgia.

PMID- 28638254
TI  - Inflammation and Oxidation Biomarkers in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis: The
      Influence of Azithromycin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In addition to their antibiotic effect, macrolides appear to modulate
      the inflammatory response in cystic fibrosis (CF) and could influence oxidative
      stress. The objective of this study was to assess oxidation biomarkers and levels
      of inflammation and to determine whether there is an association between these
      parameters and the intake of macrolides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects
      included in this cross-sectional study were, on the one hand, clinically stable
      patients with CF and, on the other, healthy controls. The following serum and
      plasma inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured: interleukin-6
      (IL-6), reactive C protein (RCP), tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-alpha), glutathione
      peroxidase (GPx), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), and
      superoxide dismutase (SOD), together with markers of lipid peroxidation (8
      isoprostanes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]). Clinical,
      anthropometric, lung function, radiological, and analytical variables (albumin,
      prealbumin, vitamins, and zinc) were also recorded. RESULTS: We studied 36 adults
      with CF and 41 controls. No differences were observed in age, gender, or
      anthropometric variables. The patients had significantly higher levels of IL-6,
      TNF-alpha, RCP, TBARS, and isoprostanes, and lower levels of SOD than the
      controls. Twenty-three of the patients were treated with azithromycin, and they
      had more severe clinical and radiological parameters than those who were not but
      nevertheless presented significantly lower levels of TNF-alpha. No differences
      were observed in the markers of oxidation. CONCLUSION: Inflammation and oxidation
      biomarkers were increased in patients with CF compared with controls. The use of
      azithromycin was associated with reduced TNF-alpha levels and did not influence
      oxidation parameters.

PMID- 28638255
TI  - Sleep Quality and its Association with Disease Severity in Psoriasis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this research was to crosscheck sleep quality in
      patients with psoriasis with that in healthy individuals and to evaluate a
      possible relationship between sleep quality and disease severity in these
      patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with plaque psoriasis and
      58 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals were included. The Psoriasis Area
      and Severity Index (PASI) scoring method was used to assess the disease severity
      in patients with psoriasis. The sleep quality of the participants was evaluated
      by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The sleep quality scores of the
      patients with psoriasis were compared to those of healthy controls. Pearson's
      correlation test and independent samples t-test and were used to interpret the
      data. RESULTS: The mean disease duration was 11.1+/-7.4 years (mean+/-standard
      deviation), and the mean PASI was 14.1+/-5.3. In total, 60% of the patients with
      psoriasis (n=35) experienced poor sleep quality, and this frequency was
      considerably higher in the patients with psoriasis than in the healthy controls
      (p<0.000). Further, the mean PSQI in the patients with psoriasis (7.01+/-41.4)
      was higher than that in the healthy controls (4.18+/-2.76, p=0.000). The scores
      of daytime dysfunction, habitual sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality,
      which are the three components of sleep quality, were considerably higher in the
      patients with psoriasis than in the healthy controls (p=0.007, p=0.032, and
      p=0.034, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results showing impaired sleep quality
      and its association with disease severity in patients with psoriasis may
      contribute to the management of psoriasis.

PMID- 28638256
TI  - Comparison of Ultrasonography and Low-Dose Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis
      of Pediatric Urolithiasis in the Emergency Department.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare ultrasonography (US) and low-dose computed
      tomography (LDCT) for diagnosing pediatric urolithiasis in the emergency
      department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was approved by our
      institutional ethics committee, and informed consent was waived. From March 2016
      to March 2017, 100 consecutive patients met the selection criteria and were
      enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly selected in a 1:1 ratio and were
      allocated to one of the following two imaging groups: US or abdominal LDCT. LDCT
      examinations were performed using a 320-detector row CT. Radiation dose analysis
      was performed using Radimetrics. US examinations were performed using the Aplio
      500 ultrasound system. The presence of urolithiasis, anatomical location of
      urolithiasis, and measurements of renal stones were evaluated and recorded.
      RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between US and standard
      dose CT (SDCT) with respect to the diagnosis of urolithiasis, anatomical location
      of urolithiasis, and measurements of renal stones (p<0.001, p=0.005, and p=0.03,
      respectively). The mean effective radiation dose of LDCT was 1.44+/-0.34 mSv and
      that of SDCT was calculated to be 4.36+/-1.33 mSv. There was no statistically
      significant difference between LDCT and SDCT with regard to the diagnosis of
      urolithiasis, anatomical location of urolithiasis and measurements of renal
      stones (p=1 for all). The diagnostic accuracy of US and LDCT was 0.68 and 1.0,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: Low-dose computed tomography had 1/3 SDCT radiation
      dose, and LDCT and SDCT accurately diagnosed pediatric urolithiasis in the
      emergency department. US had a lower accuracy than SDCT and LDCT for diagnosing
      pediatric urolithiasis in the emergency department. LDCT can be an alternative
      for SDCT for diagnosing pediatric urolithiasis.

PMID- 28638257
TI  - XRCC1 Gene Polymorphisms and miR-21 Expression in Patients with Colorectal
      Carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of two X-ray
      repair cross complementing 1 (XRCC1) gene polymorphisms (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln)
      on the risk of development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and to assess the
      expression levels of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in CRC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      A case-control cross sectional study was conducted on 50 CRC patients and 50
      cancer-free subjects. DNA and miR-21 were extracted from whole blood samples. The
      expression levels of the XRCC1 polymorphisms and miR-21 were assessed by real
      time PCR in all subjects of the study. RESULTS: Genotype analysis revealed a
      significant association between CRC risk and both the Arg194Trp genotype
      (OR=11.407, 95% CI=4.039-32.221, p<0.001) and the Arg399Gln genotype (OR=3.778,
      95% CI= 1.6-8.919, p=0.002). The expression levels of circulating miR-21 were
      able to detect CRC cases significantly (p=0.022) with a sensitivity of 82% and a
      specificity of 56% (Area under the curve (AUC)=0.633) but were unable to
      distinguish between early and late cases (AJCC classification) (p=0.194).
      CONCLUSION: The XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln polymorphisms both confer high
      susceptibility for the development of CRC. Circulating miR-21 expression levels
      are a potentially diagnostic non-invasive genetic marker of CRC.

PMID- 28638258
TI  - Evacuation of Hospitals during Disaster, Establishment of a Field Hospital, and
      Communication.
AB  - The buildings, working personnel, and patients and their relatives may directly
      or indirectly be affected by the disasters. Here we will discuss evacuation,
      establishing a field hospital, communication, the role of the media in disasters,
      and defending against sabotage. The affected individuals should be evacuated and
      transferred to secure zones safely and rapidly. How the decision for evacuation
      should be made and how the evacuation triage should be performed are important
      issues. Field hospitals should be established within the bounds of possibility
      for continuation of the treatments of evacuated people. The standards for the
      field hospitals and its sections that may be created according to the needs will
      be explained. Undoubtedly, since one of the most important subjects in disasters
      is communication, the types of communication in disasters and their significance
      will be mentioned. How the relationships with the media should be an aspect of
      communication and how they can be beneficially used will also be mentioned. As in
      all organizations and institutions, sabotage attempts may also be present
      concerning health facilities. For this reason, during the preparation of the
      hospital disaster plan, defending against sabotage will be discussed, and what
      should be done at that stage will be mentioned.

PMID- 28638259
TI  - Global Alert: Zika Virus-an Emerging Arbovirus.
AB  - Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus of the Flavivirus genus, and it has an envelope
      and a single RNA molecule. In early 2016, the World Health Organization declared
      ZIKV infection to be an emerging global health threat. The major transmission
      route of the virus to humans is Aedes mosquitoes. ZIKV can be transmitted between
      humans by transplacental, perinatal, and sexual routes and via blood and body
      fluids. ZIKV infection usually results in a mild and self-limiting disease with
      low-grade fever, conjunctivitis, and periorbital edema. Neurological
      complications such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, meningoencephalitis, acute
      disseminated encephalomyelitis, acute myelitis, and transverse myelitis have been
      reported during ZIKV infection. Intrauterine and congenital ZIKV infections have
      strong teratogenic effects on the fetus. Intrauterine or congenital ZIKV
      infection can lead to microcephaly, ocular anomalies (such as macular atrophy,
      pigment mottling, and optic nerve anomalies), and cardiac anomalies (such as
      atrial or ventricular septal defect). Calcification in the brain between the
      cortical and subcortical areas, ventriculomegaly, cerebellar hypoplasia, corpus
      callosum hypoplasia, cortical/subcortical atrophy, delayed myelination, enlarged
      cisterna magna, and craniofacial disproportion have been reported as brain
      development defects. ZIKV infection usually results in a mild disease, and it
      does not require specific therapy. However, complications of infection during the
      early period of life are serious. Thus, many drugs have been investigated, and
      vaccine development studies have been conducted to prevent ZIKV infection. Vector
      control and personal protection from mosquito-borne transmission are important
      for decreasing the prevalence of ZIKV infection. In particular, pregnant
      residents or travelers to endemic areas should be carefully protected against
      mosquito-borne transmission.

PMID- 28638261
TI  - Coincidence of Polysplenia, Kartagener Syndrome, Dorsal Pancreas Agenesis, and
      Polycystic Kidney Disease in an Adult.
AB  - Here we present the case of an adult male patient with the anomalies of
      polysplenia, Kartagener syndrome, dorsal pancreas agenesis, and adult polycystic
      kidney disease. Familiarity with this extremely rare coincidence may improve
      diagnostic accuracy and patient management.

PMID- 28638260
TI  - Infantile Nephropathic Cystinosis: A Novel CTNS Mutation.
AB  - Cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized by the
      accumulation of cystine in lysosomes, which results from defects in the carrier
      mediated transport protein encoded by the CTNS gene. Infantile nephropathic
      cystinosis (INC) is one of the major complications of cystinosis. It is
      characterized by findings of Fanconi's syndrome within the first year of life.
      Here we report two patients with INC presenting with signs of Fanconi's syndrome
      and describe a novel CTNS mutation.

PMID- 28638262
TI  - Free-Floating Pigmented Vitreous Cyst.

PMID- 28638263
TI  - Cutaneous Presentation of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma.

PMID- 28638264
TI  - A Severely Encrusted Forgotten Double J Ureteral Catheter.

PMID- 28638265
TI  - "Steinstrasse" in the Biliary Tract.

PMID- 28638266
TI  - Nuclear Expression of GS28 Protein: A Novel Biomarker that Predicts Prognosis in
      Colorectal Cancers.
AB  - Aims: GS28 (Golgi SNARE protein, 28 kDa), a member of the soluble N
      ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE) protein
      family, plays a critical role in mammalian endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-Golgi or
      intra-Golgi vesicle transport. To date, few researches on the GS28 protein in
      human cancer tissues have been reported. In this study, we assessed the
      prognostic value of GS28 in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods and
      results: We screened for GS28 expression using immunohistochemistry in 230
      surgical CRC specimens. The CRCs were right-sided and left-sided in 28.3%
      (65/230) and 71.3% (164/230) of patients, respectively. GS28 staining results
      were available in 214 cases. Among these, there were 26 nuclear predominant cases
      and 188 non-nuclear predominant cases. Stromal GS28 expression was noted in 152
      cases of CRC. GS28 nuclear predominant immunoreactivity was significantly
      associated with advanced tumour stage (p = 0.045) and marginally associated with
      perineural invasion (p = 0.064). Decreased GS28 expression in the stromal cells
      was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (N stage; p = 0.036).
      GS28 expression was not associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
      immunohistochemical positivity or KRAS mutation status. Investigation of the
      prognostic value of GS28 with Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a correlation with
      overall survival (p = 0.004). Cases with GS28 nuclear predominant expression had
      significantly poorer overall survival than those with a non-nuclear predominant
      pattern. Conclusions: Taken together, these results indicate that GS28 nuclear
      predominant expression could serve as a prognostic marker for CRC and may help in
      identifying aggressive forms of CRC.

PMID- 28638267
TI  - Synergistic Antitumor Effect of Sorafenib in Combination with ATM Inhibitor in
      Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.
AB  - Background: Currently, sorafenib is the only systemic chemotherapy drug for
      advanced stage Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, emerging data from some
      clinical HCC patients indicate that sorafenib alone has only moderate antitumor
      efficacy, and could not inhibit disease metastasis and progression. KU-55933 is a
      specific ATM inhibitor, which has pro-apoptotic effect on tumor cells. In this
      study, we analyzed the synergistic effect of sorafenib and KU-55933 on the
      proliferation of HCC cell lines. Methods: Three HCC cell lines were treated with
      sorafenib and KU-55933 alone or combination in vitro to investigate inhibitory
      effect by MTT and wound healing assay. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT)
      phenotype change was investigated after sorafenib and KU-55933 treatment by
      microscopy. Akt signaling pathway proteins including p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-p70S6K
      were examined by western blot. In addition, cleaved PARP and autophage-related
      proteins LC3A/B were detected by western blot. Results: KU-55933 can enhance the
      effect of sorafenib in inhibiting cell proliferation and migration, overcoming
      EMT, inducing cell apoptosis via inactivating Akt signaling pathway and inducing
      autophage. The combination treatment with sorafenib and KU-55933 resulted in a
      strong synergistic effect in vitro. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that
      sorafenib combined with KU-55933 treatment does effectively inhibit proliferation
      of HCC cell lines synergistically. These data suggests that KU-55933 may be a
      promising chemosensitizer to sorafenib in the treatment of HCC.

PMID- 28638268
TI  - KLF6 inhibited oral cancer migration and invasion via downregulation of
      mesenchymal markers and inhibition of MMP-9 activities.
AB  - Kruppel-like factors can bind to specific DNA motifs and regulate various
      cellular functions, such as metabolism, cell proliferation, and differentiation.
      Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6), a member of this family, is downregulated in human
      cancers. Oral cancer is a highly prevalent type in Taiwan. Although KLF6
      overexpression in human cancer cells inhibits cell proliferation, induces
      apoptosis, and attenuates cell migration, the effects of KLF6 on oral cancer
      remains poorly elucidated. This study investigated the role of KLF6 in oral
      cancer tumorigenesis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that nuclear KLF6
      level was significantly and inversely associated with tumor size and stages. KLF6
      overexpression attenuated the migration and invasion of oral cancer SAS cells.
      Zymography assay demonstrated that KLF6 inhibited the activities of matrix
      metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and weakened the expression of mesenchymal markers,
      such as snail, slug, and vimentin. Our study is the first to provide demonstrate
      that KLF6 functions as a tumor suppressor gene and prevents the metastasis of
      oral cancer cells.

PMID- 28638269
TI  - Clinical insomnia and associated factors in failed back surgery syndrome: a
      retrospective cross-sectional study.
AB  - Background Insomnia frequently occurs to patients with persistent back pain. By
      worsening pain, mood, and physical functioning, insomnia could lead to the
      negative clinical consequences of patients with failed back surgery syndrome
      (FBSS). This retrospective and cross-sectional study aims to identify the risk
      factors associated with clinical insomnia in FBSS patients. Methods A total of
      194 patients with FBSS, who met the study inclusion criteria, were included in
      this analysis. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was utilized to ascertain the
      presence of clinical insomnia (ISI score >= 15). Logistic regression analysis
      evaluates patient demographic factors, clinical factors including prior surgical
      factors, and psychological factors to identify the risk factors of clinical
      insomnia in FBSS patients. Results After the persistent pain following lumbar
      spine surgery worsened, 63.4% of patients reported a change from mild to severe
      insomnia. In addition, 26.2% of patients met the criteria for clinically
      significant insomnia. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, high pain
      intensity (odds ratio (OR) =2.742, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.022 - 7.353,
      P=0.045), high pain catastrophizing (OR=4.185, 95% CI: 1.697 - 10.324, P=0.002),
      greater level of depression (OR =3.330, 95% CI: 1.127 - 9.837, P=0.030) were
      significantly associated with clinical insomnia. However, patient demographic
      factors and clinical factors including prior surgical factors were not
      significantly associated with clinical insomnia. Conclusions Insomnia should be
      addressed as a critical part of pain management in FBSS patients with these risk
      factors, especially in patients with high pain catastrophizing.

PMID- 28638270
TI  - Existence of a Strong Correlation of Biomarkers and miRNA in Females with
      Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity in a Population of West Virginia.
AB  - Objectives: Metabolic syndrome causes complications like cardiovascular disease
      and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As metabolic syndrome develops, altered
      levels of cytokines and microRNAs (miRNA) are measurable in the circulation. We
      aimed to construct a panel detecting abnormal levels of cytokines and miRNAs in
      patients at risk for metabolic syndrome. Methods: Participants included 54
      patients from a Family Medicine Clinic at Marshall University School of Medicine,
      in groups of: Control, Obese, and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Results: Serum
      levels of leptin, adiponectin, leptin: adiponectin ratio, IL-6, six miRNAs (320a,
      197-3p, 23-3p, 221-3p, 27a-3p, and 130a-3p), were measured. Among the three
      groups, leptin, and leptin: adiponectin ratio, and IL-6 levels were highest in
      MetS, and levels in Obese were greater than Control (p>0.05). Adiponectin levels
      were lower in Obese compared to Control, but lowest in MetS (p<0.05). MiRNAs
      levels were lowest in MetS, and levels in Obese were lower than Control (p>0.05).
      Conclusion: Our results support the clinical application of biomarkers in
      diagnosing early stage MetS, which will enable attenuation of disease progression
      before onset of irreversible complications. Since West Virginians are high-risk
      for developing MetS, our biomarker panel could reduce the disease burden on our
      population.

PMID- 28638272
TI  - Bioactivities of ethanol extract from the Antarctic freshwater microalga,
      Chloromonas sp.
AB  - Cancer is the principal cause of human death and occurs through highly complex
      processes that involve the multiple coordinated mechanisms of tumorigenesis. A
      number of studies have indicated that the microalgae extracts showed anticancer
      activity in a variety of human cancer cells and can provide a new insight in the
      development of novel anti-cancer therapy. Here, in order to investigate molecular
      mechanisms of anticancer activity in the Antarctic freshwater microalga,
      Chloromonas sp., we prepared ethanol extract of Chloromonas sp. (ETCH) and
      performed several in vitro assays using human normal keratinocyte (HaCaT) and
      different types of cancer cells including cervical, melanoma, and breast cancer
      cells (HeLa, A375 and Hs578T, respectively). We revealed that ETCH had the
      antioxidant capacity, and caused significant cell growth inhibition and apoptosis
      of cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner, whereas it showed no anti
      proliferation to normal cells. In addition, ETCH had a significant inhibitory
      effect on cell invasion without the cytotoxic effect. Furthermore, ETCH-induced
      apoptosis was mediated by increase in pro-apoptotic proteins including cleaved
      caspase-3 and p53, and by decrease in anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2 in ETCH
      treated cancer cells. Taken together, this work firstly explored the antioxidant
      and anticancer activities of an Antarctic freshwater microalga, and ETCH could be
      a potential therapeutic candidate in the treatment of human cancer.

PMID- 28638271
TI  - ProEx C as Diagnostic Marker for Detection of Urothelial Carcinoma in Urinary
      Samples: A Review.
AB  - The gold standard for the detection of urothelial carcinoma is represented by
      urethro-cystoscopy and biopsy. Both procedures are invasive and expensive and
      therefore cytology is often used as first approach to investigate on a possible
      neoplasia, being a safe and cost-effective diagnostic modality of evaluation.
      Because cytology alone is not highly sensitive for detection of low grade
      urothelial carcinoma and recurrence of the disease, several adjunct markers and
      urine based tests for urothelial carcinoma have been developed, which can help in
      the final diagnosis. In particular, ProEx C is an immunohistochemical cocktail
      containing antibodies direct against topoisomerase IIalpha (TOP2A) and
      minichromosome maintenance 2 (MCM2) proteins. It proved to be a valid biomarker
      especially in detecting squamous intraepithelial lesions in cervical liquid-based
      samples and in discerning these lesions from their mimickers, as well as in
      ovarian, endometrial, vulvar, primary and metastatic melanomas, breast,
      pancreatic and renal cell carcinomas. This brief review covers the effective
      utility of ProEx C as adjunct tool in assessing the urothelial lesions in urine
      cytology, also providing prognostic and therapeutic information to help in
      clinical decisions.

PMID- 28638273
TI  - The Effect of Nefopam Infusion during Laparascopic Cholecystectomy on
      Postoperative Pain.
AB  - Background: While recovery from remifentanil is fast due to its rapid metabolism,
      it can induce hyperalgesia by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)
      receptors. Therefore, administration of NMDA receptor antagonists such as
      ketamine is effective in relieving hyperalgesia caused by remifentanil. A
      previous study showed that nefopam administration before anesthesia combined with
      low-dose remifentanil reduced pain and analgesic consumption during the immediate
      postoperative period. We hypothesized that intraoperative infusion of nefopam
      during laparoscopic cholecystectomy would be as effective as ketamine in
      controlling pain during the acute postoperative period after sevoflurane and
      remifentanil based anesthesia. Methods: Sixty patients scheduled to undergo
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into three groups. General
      anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and effect-site target concentration
      of remifentanil (4 ng/ml) in all patients. An intravenous bolus of nefopam (0.3
      mg/kg) was given, followed by continuous infusion (65 ug/kg/h) in Group N (n=20).
      An intravenous bolus of ketamine (0.3 mg/kg) was administered, followed by
      continuous infusion (180 ug/kg/h) in Group K (n=20), and Group C received a bolus
      and subsequent infusion of normal saline equal to the infusion received by Group
      K (n=20). We compared postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores and
      analgesic requirements over the first 8 postoperative hours between groups.
      Results: The pain scores (VAS) and fentanyl requirements for 1 h after surgery
      were significantly lower in the nefopam and ketamine groups compared with the
      control group (p<0.05). There were no differences between the nefopam and
      ketamine groups. The three groups showed no differences in VAS scores and number
      of analgesic injections from 1 to 8 h after surgery. Conclusion: Intraoperative
      nefopam infusion during laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced opioid requirements
      and pain scores (VAS) during the early postoperative period after remifentanil
      based anesthesia.

PMID- 28638274
TI  - Hypoxia-regulated MicroRNA-210 Overexpression is Associated with Tumor
      Development and Progression in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypoxia has been shown to facilitate tumor progression. Hypoxia
      regulated microRNA-210 (miR-210) may play an important role in carcinogenesis and
      tumor progression. In this study, we evaluated the clinical significance of miR
      210 expression in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). METHODS: Eighty-three
      UTUC patients participated in this study. All of them provided cancer tissue
      samples and 50 of them provided non-cancerous urothelium samples.
      Clinicopathologic data were collected by reviewing medical records. The
      expression of miR-210 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) was
      determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The relationship
      between clinicopathologic variables and the expression of miR-210 and HIF-1alpha
      was analyzed statistically. RESULTS: MiR-210 is overexpressed in UTUC compared to
      non-cancerous urothelium (p < 0.001); it is also upregulated in high-stage and
      high-grade tumors (p = 0.020 and 0.049, respectively). HIF-1alpha is
      overexpressed in UTUC and correlates positively with miR-210 expression (r =
      0.442, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both miR-210 and HIF-1alpha are involved in
      promoting UTUC carcinogenesis. MiR-210 is also correlated with tumor progression.
      Further studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanism.

PMID- 28638275
TI  - The Application of Dehydroepiandrosterone on Improving Mitochondrial Function and
      Reducing Apoptosis of Cumulus Cells in Poor Ovarian Responders.
AB  - Poor ovarian responders (PORs) pose a great challenge for in vitro fertilization
      (IVF). Previous studies have suggested that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may
      improve IVF outcomes in PORs. The current study attempted to investigate the
      clinical benefits of DHEA in PORs and the possible mechanisms of DHEA on cumulus
      cells (CCs). This was a prospective study performed at one tertiary center from
      January 2015 to March 2016. A total of 131 women who underwent IVF treatment
      participated, including 59 normal ovarian responders (NORs) and 72 PORs. PORs
      were assigned to receive DHEA supplementation or not before the IVF cycle. For
      all patients, CCs were obtained after oocyte retrieval. In the CCs, mRNA
      expression of apoptosis-related genes and mitochondrial transcription factor A
      (TFAM) gene, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay,
      mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity and mitochondrial mass were measured. The
      results indicated that PORs with DHEA supplementation produces a great number of
      top-quality embryos at day 3 and increased the number of transferred embryos and
      fertilization rate compared with those without DHEA supplementation.
      Additionally, supplementation with DHEA in PORs decreased DNA damage and
      apoptosis in CCs while enhancing the mitochondrial mass, mitochondrial
      dehydrogenase activity and TFAM expression in CCs. In conclusion, our results
      showed that the benefits of DHEA supplementation on IVF outcomes in PORs were
      significant, and the effects may be partially mediated by improving mitochondrial
      function and reducing apoptosis in CCs.

PMID- 28638276
TI  - Gastric Juice-Based Real-Time PCR for Tailored Helicobacter Pylori Treatment: A
      Practical Approach.
AB  - A gastric juice-based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was
      established to identify Helicobacter pylori infection, clarithromycin
      susceptibility and human CYP2C19 genotypes and to guide the choice of proton pump
      inhibitor (PPI), clarithromycin and amoxicillin treatment for tailored H. pylori
      eradication therapy. From January 2013 to November 2014, 178 consecutive
      dyspeptic patients were enrolled for collection of gastric biopsy samples and
      gastric juice by endoscopy at the Peking University Third Hospital; 105 and 73 H.
      pylori-positive and -negative patients, respectively, were included in this
      study. H. pylori infection was defined as samples with both a strongly positive
      rapid urease test (RUT) and positive H. pylori histology. A series of primers and
      probes were distributed into four reactions for identifying the H. pylori cagH
      gene coupled with an internal control (Rnase P gene), A2142G and A2143G mutants
      of the H. pylori 23S rRNA gene, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) G681A
      of CYP2C19*2 and G636A of CYP2C19*3. The E-test and DNA sequencing were used to
      evaluate the H. pylori clarithromycin susceptibility phenotype and genotype. The
      SNPs CYP2C19*2 and CYP2C19*3 were also evaluated by nucleotide sequencing. The
      sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative
      predictive value (NPV) of this gastric juice-based real-time PCR assay were
      evaluated by comparing with the same measures obtained through gastric biopsy
      based PCR and culture. The H. pylori diagnostic sensitivities of the culture,
      PCR, and gastric biopsy- and gastric juice-based real-time PCR assays were 90.48%
      (95/105), 92.38% (97/105), 97.14% (102/105) and 100% (105/105), respectively; the
      specificities of the above methods were all 100%. Higher false-negative rates
      were found among the gastric biopsy samples assessed by culture (10.48%, 11/105),
      PCR (7.62%, 8/105) and real-time PCR (2.86%, 3/105) than in gastric juice by real
      time PCR. Regarding clarithromycin susceptibility, a concordance of 82.98%
      (78/94) and discordance of 17.02% (16/94) were observed among the different
      methods, discrepancies that mainly represent differences between the H. pylori
      clarithromycin susceptibility phenotype and genotype. Three coinfections of
      susceptible and resistant strains were detected, with resistant-to-susceptible
      ratios of 1.16, 3.44, and 8.26. The CYP2C19 genotyping results from gastric juice
      by real-time PCR were completely in accordance with those obtained from biopsy
      samples by conventional PCR. This gastric juice-based real-time PCR assay is a
      more accurate method for detecting H. pylori infection, clarithromycin
      susceptibility and CYP2C19 polymorphisms. The method may be employed to inform
      the choice of proton pump inhibitor (PPI), clarithromycin and amoxicillin
      treatment for tailored H. pylori eradication therapy.

PMID- 28638277
TI  - Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles as Radiosensitisers: An In vitro and Phantom-Based
      Study.
AB  - Objective: Radiosensitisation caused by titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs)
      is investigated using phantoms (PRESAGE(r) dosimeters) and in vitro using two
      types of cell lines, cultured human keratinocyte (HaCaT) and prostate cancer
      (DU145) cells. Methods: Anatase TiO2-NPs were synthesised, characterised and
      functionalised to allow dispersion in culture-medium for in vitro studies and
      halocarbons (PRESAGE(r) chemical compositions). PRESAGE(r) dosimeters were
      scanned with spectrophotometer to determine the radiation dose enhancement.
      Clonogenic and cell viability assays were employed to determine cells survival
      curves from which the dose enhancement levels "radiosensitisation" are deduced.
      Results: Comparable levels of radiosensitisation were observed in both phantoms
      and cells at kilovoltage ranges of x-ray energies (slightly higher in vitro).
      Significant radiosensitisation (~67 %) of control was also noted in cells at
      megavoltage energies (commonly used in radiotherapy), compared to negligible
      levels detected by phantoms. This difference is attributed to biochemical
      effects, specifically the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as
      hydroxyl radicals (*OH), which are only manifested in aqueous environments of
      cells and are non-existent in case of phantoms. Conclusions: This research shows
      that TiO2-NPs improve the efficiency of dose delivery, which has implications for
      future radiotherapy treatments. Literature shows that Ti2O3-NPs can be used as
      imaging agents hence with these findings renders these NPs as theranostic agents.

PMID- 28638278
TI  - Lifespan and associated factors of peripheral intravenous Cannula among infants
      admitted in public hospitals of Mekelle City, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2016.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peripheral Intravenous cannula (IV) is the most common vascular
      access device used to administer medications with the exception of medication or
      fluid with high or low PH or hyperosmolarity which may cause severe damage to
      small veins. The insertion of a peripheral intravenous cannula in newborn infants
      can be difficult. Appropriate veins with sufficient capacity to insert a cannula
      become less available throughout the hospital stay. Once a peripheral intravenous
      cannula is inserted, it is desirable that its patency can be maintained as long
      as possible. This study was aimed to assess the lifespan and associated factors
      of peripheral intravenous cannula among infants admitted in public hospitals of
      Mekelle city, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2016. METHODS: The method used was a prospective
      cohort study. 178 study subjects were recruited using systematic random sampling
      technique. The data was collected by structured questionairre and observational
      checklist. RESULTS: More than half of infants (94) had a short cannula lifespan
      (below 30 h). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that Pediatric
      intensive care unit (PICU) [AOR = 6.93; 95% CI (1.56,30.71)], clinical experience
      (3-5 years) [AOR = 0.168; 95% CI (0.060-0.469)], insertion site (arm) [AOR =
      0.126;95% CI (0.046-0.349)], reason for removal (dislodgement and complication)
      [AOR = 8.15; 95% CI (2.49,26.63) [AOR = 10.48;95% CI (3.08,35.65)], medication
      [AOR = 0.17;95% CI (0.37,0.784)], corticosteroids [0.164; 95% CI (0.034,0.793)]
      and blood transfusion [AOR = 0.12; 95% CI (0.028-0.509)] were the statistically
      significant variables associated with the lifespan of a peripheral intravenous
      cannula. CONCLUSIONS: Untimely removal of peripheral intravenous cannulas was
      higher in infants and demographic. Cannulation and health care factors had
      significant effects on the lifespan of a peripheral intravenous cannula.

PMID- 28638281
TI  - From the Editor's Desk: Sailing Into Summer 2017.

PMID- 28638280
TI  - Anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome after phenytoin administration in an
      adolescent patient: a case report and review of literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity is a rare adverse drug reaction (ADR) associated
      with anti-epileptic medications. Phenytoin is one of the commonly used drugs for
      treatment of epilepsy that encounters a hypersensitivity reaction. This reaction
      can be ranged from mild cutaneous rash to anticonvulsant hypersensitivity
      syndrome (AHS) or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS)
      that includes fever, rash, eosinophilia and involvement of multiple internal
      organs. CASE PRESENTATION: A 15 year old middle eastern female patient from Gaza
      strip with free past medical and allergic history. She presented to An-Najah
      National University Hospital (NNUH) in Nablus with intermittent high grade fever,
      jaundice, rash and skin peeling. On examination, she had axillary and inguinal
      lymphadenopathy, moderate splenomegaly and diffuse maculopapular rash. The
      patient was on phenytoin which started 1 month prior to her presentation as a
      seizure prophylaxis due to previous head injury. Eventually, the patient was
      diagnosed with AHS/DRESS. CONCLUSIONS: AHS is a diagnosis of exclusion and it is
      significantly underreported that requires a high index of suspicion. We liked to
      share this case and shed the light in more details on AHS/DRESS. Our goal was to
      help making AHS more reported in the literature in adolescent patients, as well
      as to make physicians more alert of this condition's seriousness when they
      prescribe antiepileptic medications in particular. In this report, we included
      the first case of AHS which was reported in an adolescent patient in Palestine.
      Moreover, we reviewed the available literature for a better understanding of the
      pathophysiology and management of AHS. We still believe that the full
      understanding of the pathogenesis of AHS is lacking, and also we are lacking a
      clinical tool or scoring system to determine the severity of AHS/DRESS.

PMID- 28638282
TI  - Transfusion Service Observations: Red Blood Cell Surname-Antibody Pairings.

PMID- 28638279
TI  - Preventive actions of allergen immunotherapy: the facts and the effects in search
      of evidence.
AB  - Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only treatment that works on the causes of
      allergy. Available AIT nowadays are subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and
      sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for allergic rhinitis and asthma, while for
      allergy to Hymenoptera venom only subcutaneous route is recommended. A bulk of
      trials and meta-analyses demonstrated that efficacy and safety of AIT in
      decreasing allergic clinical symptoms and use of rescue medications, while its
      preventive capacity is yet under investigation. The most important of these
      effects is the prevention of potentially fatal anaphylactic reactions to
      Hymenoptera stings by venom immunotherapy (VIT). A certain number of studies thus
      far available showed that AIT, in both forms, is able to prevent the progress of
      allergic rhinitis into asthma and the development of new sensitizations. These
      effects should be related to the mechanisms of action of AIT. In fact, it has
      been demonstrated that both SCIT and SLIT are able to modify the allergen
      presentation by dendritic cells, with result in modification of the phenotype of
      allergen-specific T cells, switching from the typical of allergic inflammation
      Th2-type response to a Th1-type one. Also allergen-specific T regulatory (Treg)
      cells play a pivotal role by producing suppressive cytokines, such as IL-10 and
      TGF-beta. However, the only plain evidence of a preventive effect concerns VIT,
      while the other outcomes need to be furtherly investigated.

PMID- 28638283
TI  - Relapsing Pleural Effusion in a Patient on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis.

PMID- 28638284
TI  - How Much Negative Pressure Are We Generating During Thoracentesis?

PMID- 28638285
TI  - Clinical Images: Left Atrial Air Embolism Following Computed Tomography-Guided
      Lung Biopsy.

PMID- 28638286
TI  - Bioethics in Practice: Ethical Issues in the Care of Transgender Patients.

PMID- 28638287
TI  - Use of Sodium Hyaluronate/Carboxymethylcellulose Bioresorbable Membrane in Loop
      Ileostomy Construction Facilitates Stoma Closure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Loop ileostomy is a common adjunct to surgical procedures for low
      rectal cancers and inflammatory bowel disease. Ileostomy closure through a
      limited incision can be technically challenging. We hypothesized that placing a
      sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose (SH/CMC) bioresorbable membrane at loop
      ileostomy creation would decrease stoma closure time without increasing
      morbidity. METHODS: In a retrospective review at a single institution with 6
      board-certified colorectal surgeons, patients with loop ileostomy creation and
      closure between September 1999 and December 2011 were grouped based on SH/CMC
      placement at ileostomy creation. Data were abstracted for age, sex, body mass
      index (BMI), primary diagnosis, length of surgery, staff surgeon, interval
      between surgeries, and postoperative morbidity. The primary endpoint was the
      length of the surgery for ileostomy closure. Secondary outcome measures were
      length of stay, wound infection rate, and other complications. RESULTS: A total
      of 293 patients were identified. Group 1 (with SH/CMC) included 146 patients, and
      Group 2 (without SH/CMC) included 147 patients. The groups were matched according
      to age, sex, BMI, interval between creation and closure, and indication for
      surgery. The average surgical time for closure was significantly shorter in Group
      1 (46.4 minutes +/- 2.7) compared to Group 2 (60 minutes +/- 2.3) (P=0.0001). We
      found no difference between the groups in length of stay, wound infection rate,
      or complication rate. CONCLUSION: The use of SH/CMC in loop ileostomy creation
      significantly decreases the operative time required for stoma closure with no
      increase in the complication rate.

PMID- 28638288
TI  - Effects of Immunomodulators and Biologic Agents on Sexual Health in Patients With
      Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although much knowledge has been gained regarding the medical and
      surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a paucity of information
      is available on the psychosexual issues related to IBD. The aim of this study was
      to evaluate the sexual health of patients with IBD who were taking
      immunomodulators and/or biologic agents vs patients with IBD who were not on that
      medication regimen. METHODS: All study participants completed a validated sexual
      health questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index or the International Index
      of Erectile Function, to assess their subjective perception of the effect of IBD
      on the different domains of sexual function during the prior 1-month time period.
      RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in any baseline demographic
      variables were found for either sex between the group taking
      immunomodulators/biologic agents and the nontreatment group. Among females and
      males, individual question responses, domain scores, and total scores showed no
      statistically significant differences between the 2 treatment groups. CONCLUSION:
      Our data suggest that the use of immunomodulators or biologic agents does not
      affect female or male sexual health. However, treatment of patients with IBD must
      be individualized based on the aggressive nature of the disease, treatment goals,
      and the tolerability of various medications.

PMID- 28638289
TI  - Diagnosis and Treatment of Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare genetic
      disorder known for its debilitating symptoms. More than 90% of patients with HHT
      experience epistaxis, and they average up to 18 bleeds per month. We review the
      current literature on the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management
      of HHT. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed and identified 19
      articles published since 2000 with current information on HHT. RESULTS: HHT is a
      disease more commonly associated with significant morbidity rather than
      mortality. The morbidity of the disease and decreased quality of life are the
      result of the recurrent and potentially severe epistaxis that the majority of
      patients with HHT experience. During active epistaxis, the effective emergency
      techniques of locally applied pressure, nasal packing anteriorly and/or
      posteriorly, and cauterization are effective. Medical treatment with antiestrogen
      therapy has shown promising results, but further research is needed to determine
      the long-term side effects and the limitations of lifelong therapy. Research
      directed toward bleeding reduction and prevention has yet to have a breakthrough.
      Although initial reports suggest that intranasal bevacizumab is an effective
      agent, further research is required. CONCLUSION: Interventional treatments in
      life-threatening and/or severe circumstances will continue to be used because of
      their effectiveness. Research into the pathophysiology of HHT has led to the
      development of potential therapies that prevent and decrease the severity of
      epistaxis, but the current evidence is insufficient to ascertain best practice.
      At present, appropriate management of acute epistaxis coupled with early
      diagnosis and referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist should be the
      mainstay of treatment.

PMID- 28638292
TI  - Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill Initiation in a Patient With Major Depressive
      Disorder, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, and
      Histrionic Personality Disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Comorbid psychiatric conditions present an added layer of challenge
      in managing patients, as each condition and associated set of symptoms exacerbate
      the complexity of the overall presentation. Premenopausal women may be at
      particular risk for inadequate care, as their comorbid conditions may present
      overlapping symptoms and mask independent premenstrual symptoms. The prevalence
      of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and associated conditions can be as high as 8%
      in women of reproductive age. Recognizing and assessing premenstrual symptoms
      that are comorbid with other psychiatric conditions can help contribute to a
      comprehensive treatment strategy and potentially improve the treatment response
      for the comorbid conditions. Combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) have been
      approved for premenstrual conditions and should be considered by the psychiatrist
      as an available treatment option. CASE REPORT: A 34-year-old Caucasian female
      patient with comorbid major depressive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder,
      social anxiety, panic disorder, and histrionic personality disorder, with
      persistent suicidal ideation and distress intolerance, was treated with
      norgestimate-ethinyl estradiol with improvement in mood, anxiety, and menstrual
      cramping and with associated diminished suicidal ideation and improved distress
      tolerance. CONCLUSION: In this case, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety
      Inventory scores, as well as self- and peer-reported functionality, all suggested
      improvement in symptoms following the introduction of COCPs. The neurohormonal
      contribution to psychiatric conditions continues to be studied and is becoming
      increasingly important. An understanding of the presence and etiology of
      premenstrual symptoms should be part of a comprehensive psychiatric assessment of
      female patients, and consideration of COCPs in the treatment plan adds a
      potentially potent option for symptom mitigation and remission.

PMID- 28638290
TI  - Medication-Induced Tardive Dyskinesia: A Review and Update.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder that causes
      involuntary, repetitive body movements and is commonly seen in patients who are
      on long-term treatment with antipsychotic medications. However, several other
      classes of medications with different mechanisms are also associated with TD.
      METHODS: We conducted a PubMed search using keywords and combined word searches
      that involved medication-induced TD, as well as agents that are associated with
      causing or are used to treat medication-induced TD. We attempted to include as
      many recent (publication date of 2015 and later) articles as possible. RESULTS:
      The reported incidence of TD seems to be reduced with the use of atypical
      antipsychotic drugs, yet the risk of developing TD remains with these
      medications. Furthermore, several other medication classes have a high prevalence
      of TD and yet are not commonly considered to be TD-inducing. This review
      highlights the need for a prevention-based focus of TD treatment that starts with
      a clinical consideration of pharmacologic choices related to each individual
      patient's history. CONCLUSION: This review offers the information current as of
      2016 on the pathophysiology, etiology, and epidemiology of TD, as well as the
      medications associated with TD, mechanisms of medication-induced TD, and
      treatments for medication-induced TD.

PMID- 28638291
TI  - Pain and Psychology-A Reciprocal Relationship.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression typically affects 5% of the general population, but among
      patients with chronic pain, 30%-45% experience depression. Studies have shown
      that the relationship between depression and pain is bidirectional: depression is
      a positive predictor of the development of chronic pain, and chronic pain
      increases the risk of developing depression. METHODS: This literature review
      focuses on the relationship between psychology and pain, covering studies that
      have investigated the association between depression, pain sensitivity, opioid
      abuse, and gender differences in pain perception. We conducted a PubMed search
      pairing the word pain with depression, opioid use, and gender differences.
      RESULTS: The relationship between depression and pain is complex, as suggested by
      numerous studies that propose depression to be a moderator of the relationship
      between pain severity, physical functioning, and opioid use. Neuroimaging also
      suggests an anatomic overlap in the pathway of chronic pain and depression.
      Positive psychological factors, namely hope, pain acceptance, and optimism,
      affect the adjustment to persistent pain. CONCLUSION: The intricate relationship
      between pain and psychology is evidenced by the clinical overlap in their
      presentations and the overlap between the anatomic regions in the brain
      associated with the emotional and sensory features of pain and the areas affected
      by depression. Studies are beginning to improve our understanding of these two
      systems, but more studies are needed to elucidate the relationship.

PMID- 28638294
TI  - Persistent Sciatic Artery: A Favorable Anatomic Variant in a Setting of Trauma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is a rare congenital anomaly of the
      circulation of the lower limb that results from the persistence of an artery that
      normally regresses early in embryonic development. PSA is usually an incidental
      finding and is exceedingly rare to find bilaterally. CASE REPORT: We present the
      case of a rare presentation of PSA that resulted in a favorable outcome for a
      patient who sustained a gunshot wound to his midthigh and discuss the history,
      embryology, anatomy, classification schema, imaging evaluation, complications,
      diagnosis, and management of PSA. CONCLUSION: PSAs are of doubtful clinical
      significance when found incidentally at imaging; however, individual patient
      symptoms, unique arterial anatomy, and the PSA classification best determine the
      appropriate treatment options.

PMID- 28638293
TI  - Septic Embolic Stroke Resulting From Staphylococcus lugdunensis Endocarditis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus lugdunensis, a member of the coagulase-negative
      staphylococci (CoNS), has been recognized as a causal organism for infective
      endocarditis since the 1980s. Although most CoNS have an insidious and chronic
      nature, they are involved in a variety of systemic infections. S lugdunensis
      infective endocarditis is a rare entity but is as catastrophic as Staphylococcus
      aureus infective endocarditis and requires aggressive antibiotic therapy and,
      typically, valve replacement. S lugdunensis infective endocarditis-induced septic
      embolic cerebrovascular accident has rarely been reported in the literature. CASE
      REPORT: We present the case of a 63-year-old African American man who presented
      with sudden-onset aphasia and right-sided hemiplegia and was admitted for the
      management of cerebrovascular accident. Afterwards, he developed a fever and was
      found to have S lugdunensis bacteremia, with subsequent imaging revealing
      vegetations of the mitral valve. Despite being treated with culture-appropriate
      antibiotics, he remained persistently bacteremic and required surgical mitral
      valve replacement. CONCLUSION: S lugdunensis infective endocarditis is rare but
      can have a malignant course and requires early surgical intervention in most
      cases.

PMID- 28638295
TI  - Eagle Syndrome Secondary to Osteoradionecrosis of the Styloid Process.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Eagle syndrome is a rare condition caused by elongation of the
      styloid process or ossification of the stylohyoid ligament. The symptomatology
      can be vague but may include dysphagia, odynophagia, otalgia, foreign body
      sensation, facial pain, trismus, headache, tinnitus, increased salivation, and/or
      voice changes. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 58-year-old male believed to
      have acquired Eagle syndrome secondary to osteoradionecrosis of the styloid
      process following radiation therapy used as adjuvant treatment for a surgically
      resected pT2N1M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil. CONCLUSION:
      Radiation is a common component of treatment for head and neck cancers. The
      diagnosis of Eagle syndrome secondary to osteoradionecrosis of the styloid
      process is an elusive, but important, diagnosis to consider because the condition
      can be treated successfully.

PMID- 28638297
TI  - Pediatric Nasal Tip Amputation Successfully Treated with Nonmicrovascular
      Replantation and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nasal tip amputation is a rare but difficult problem to manage.
      Nonmicrovascular nasal tip replantation is a valid and relatively simple repair
      option for moderate nasal defects, but tissue ischemia and graft failure occur
      frequently. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a pediatric nasal tip amputation
      from a dog bite treated with replantation within 5 hours. The 2.5-cm avulsed tip
      contained skin, cartilage, and mucosa and was replanted as a 3-layer composite
      graft. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy was initiated for 2 weeks postoperatively.
      The outcome was functionally adequate, and the majority of the native nasal
      tissue was salvaged. CONCLUSION: HBO therapy can be used after nonmicrovascular
      nasal tip replantation to improve graft survival and potentially decrease the
      need for revision surgery.

PMID- 28638296
TI  - Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Cervical and Upper Thoracic Sympathetic Chain
      Neuromodulation for Upper Extremity Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) comprises a group of conditions
      characterized by severe, debilitating pain that is disproportionate to any
      inciting event and is not distributed in a specific nerve distribution or
      dermatome. CASE REPORT: A 42-year-old female with a 2-year history of right upper
      extremity CRPS type I refractory to conventional management underwent an
      ultrasound-guided and fluoroscopy confirmed percutaneous peripheral nerve
      stimulation trial with a lead extending from the C6 to the T3 level to cover the
      cervical and upper thoracic sympathetic chain. The patient subsequently received
      a permanent ultrasound-guided lead and implantable pulse generator. At 1-month
      follow-up, the patient's pain intensity had declined from a weekly average of
      8/10 to 1/10 on the verbal pain scale with marked improvement in function. The
      patient continues to be pain-free or experiences only minimal discomfort 7 years
      after the implant. She experienced no complications and has discontinued all her
      pain medications since the implant. CONCLUSION: The placement of a peripheral
      nerve-stimulating electrode resulted in sustained suppression of intractable pain
      secondary to CRPS. Ultrasonography guidance enabled the nonsurgical minimally
      invasive percutaneous approach. Use of ultrasonography may improve the safety of
      the procedure by permitting direct visualization of the related anatomic
      structures, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the inferior thyroid artery,
      vertebral artery, esophagus, intervertebral disc, and pleura.

PMID- 28638298
TI  - Uncertainty of Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Chest Pain Risk Stratification.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chest pain is a common presenting symptom in the emergency department
      (ED). Although the diagnostic workup for chest pain is well established, the best
      time to perform invasive cardiac catheterization in patients with low to moderate
      risk of coronary artery disease is still unclear, particularly if noninvasive
      tests such as the electrocardiogram (ECG) and nuclear myocardial perfusion scan
      show nonsignificant findings. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 52-year-old
      female who presented to the ED with acute-onset chest pain that had started early
      in the morning while she was sleeping. She had presented to the ED 2 weeks prior
      with chest pain, but her ECG and transthoracic echocardiogram were normal, and
      her myocardial perfusion scan revealed no significant perfusion defect, so she
      was discharged. During her second ED visit, the patient developed an arrhythmia,
      diagnosed as supraventricular tachycardia, that was rapidly converted to sinus
      rhythm with one dose of intravenous adenosine. Because of her persistent chest
      pain and the arrhythmia, she underwent cardiac catheterization that revealed
      coronary artery disease with 80% middle left anterior descending artery stenosis.
      Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed, and the patient's symptoms
      resolved. CONCLUSION: Chest pain evaluation is challenging for ED physicians,
      hospitalists, and cardiologists. Although the nuclear myocardial perfusion scan
      has excellent sensitivity and specificity in ischemic detection, the clinical
      examination remains the primary determinant of further management.

PMID- 28638299
TI  - Cannabinoids in Pediatrics.
AB  - Despite its controversial nature, the use of medical marijuana and cannabis
      derived medicinal products grows more popular with each passing year. As of
      November 2016, over 40 states have passed legislation regarding the use of either
      medical marijuana or cannabidiol products. Many providers have started
      encountering patients experimenting with cannabis products for a wide range of
      conditions. While the debate continues regarding these agents for both medicinal
      and recreational use in the general population, special consideration needs to be
      made for pediatric use. This review will deliver the history of marijuana use and
      legislation in the United States in addition to the currently available medical
      literature to equip pediatric health care providers with resources to provide
      patients and their parents the best recommendation for safe and appropriate use
      of cannabis-containing compounds.

PMID- 28638300
TI  - Characteristics of Pediatric Clinical Interventions Documented by a School of
      Pharmacy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Documentation of interventions by pharmacists has become a standard
      of practice in clinical practice sites. Pharmacists' interventions in pediatric
      practice settings for short periods of time have been reported in the literature.
      A single study has described faculty and student interventions in the pediatric
      setting. The objective of this study was to characterize 4 years of interventions
      by faculty and students of a school of pharmacy that occurred at various
      pediatric practice sites throughout a state. METHODS: Pharmacy practice faculty
      and fourth year student pharmacists are required to document clinical
      interventions during advanced pharmacy practice experiences. Interventions are
      documented in a single, commercially available, Web-based system. Reports of
      interventions with cost avoidance at pediatric inpatient and outpatient practice
      sites throughout a state from 2011 to 2014 were collected and analyzed. Data were
      sorted based on year, practice site, type, and number of activities and
      interventions, and estimated cost avoidance. RESULTS: Two full-time faculty
      members practiced in pediatrics and, on average, 25 students entered
      interventions at pediatric sites each year. A total of 12,784 interventions were
      documented by faculty and students over the 4-year period, with students entering
      81.8% of the interventions and 69% occurring in the inpatient setting. Total cost
      avoidance for all 4 years was $1,684,609. The most frequent interventions were
      patient medication history, patient counseling, allergy information clarified,
      drug therapy adjusted, and drug information. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy faculty and
      students documented various types of clinical interventions in the inpatient and
      outpatient pediatric settings and demonstrated a positive impact at pediatric
      practice sites throughout a state, as well as cost avoidance in the associated
      healthcare systems.

PMID- 28638301
TI  - Toxic and Essential Trace Element Content of Commonly Administered Pediatric Oral
      Medications.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that commonly
      administered pediatric oral medications are a significant source of toxic
      elements. The concentrations of 16 elements were determined in 14 frequently used
      pediatric oral medications. METHODS: Samples were prepared for analysis by
      dilution or nitric acid microwave-assisted digestion and analyzed by inductively
      coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The intake of each element from administration
      for 1 week of the medication's maximum recommended daily dose to 6-month-olds was
      calculated and compared to an exposure guideline for that element. Exposure
      guidelines used for adverse effects were minimal risk levels, oral reference
      dose, permissible or permitted daily exposure, provisional tolerable weekly
      intake, and tolerable upper intake concentrations. Exposure guidelines utilized
      for desired effect were adequate intake and recommended dietary allowance.
      RESULTS: Intake of the maximum recommended daily dose by 6-month-olds for 1 week
      would not deliver more than the exposure guideline of any of the elements, with
      the exceptions of chromium in several medications and zinc in the pediatric
      electrolyte solution, if it was consumed for 1 week. CONCLUSIONS: Consumed alone,
      these frequently administered pediatric oral medications would not deliver
      amounts of toxic elements that exceed established exposure guidelines for adverse
      effects, nor would most significantly contribute to adequate intake of essential
      elements.

PMID- 28638302
TI  - Extended Stability and Sterility of Antihemophilic Factor Human.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Antihemophilic factor human is a factor VIII product used to
      supplement those with hemophilia. Recent data show treatment benefit and cost
      saving opportunities if factor products are administered as a continuous infusion
      rather than conventional bolus dose. This method has not been widely used given
      the lack of evidence for safe and effective use beyond 3 hours from preparation.
      The objectives of this study were to determine the physical and chemical
      stability and sterility of antihemophilic factor human over a 7-day period.
      METHODS: Antihemophilic factor human was obtained from the manufacturer. Baseline
      stability and sterility were determined by factor activity levels along with
      bacterial and fungal cultures. These tests were also evaluated over a span of 7
      days at room temperature and under refrigeration. RESULTS: Each sample was
      inspected at the time of delivery and showed no visible signs of physical
      changes. Factor activity levels were maintained between 88% and 102% of baseline
      measurements. No growth was observed for bacterial or fungal cultures in any
      sample after 4 weeks of incubation. CONCLUSIONS: Antihemophilic factor human
      maintained physical stability and chemical stability and remained sterile for the
      7-day period, allowing extended stability and continuous infusions to be
      considered.

PMID- 28638303
TI  - The Use of Gabapentin for Pain and Agitation in Neonates and Infants in a
      Neonatal ICU.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Limited data support how to safely and effectively treat refractory
      pain and agitation in neonates and infants. Gabapentin has been used in this
      patient population and has shown promising results, yet there is still a paucity
      of data about its clinical efficacy. There is a need for a larger evaluation to
      determine its effectiveness. This study describes one institution's experience
      with gabapentin for the treatment of refractory pain and agitation in the
      neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: This was a retrospective,
      observational evaluation of patients who received gabapentin in the level IV NICU
      at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital. Changes in neonatal pain, agitation,
      and sedation scale (N-PASS) scores and analgesic and sedative medication
      requirements were analyzed, as were gabapentin dose requirements and adverse
      reactions. RESULTS: Between January 2012 and November 2015, 22 patients received
      gabapentin and were included in this study. The average gabapentin starting dose
      was 10.2 mg/kg/day, with maximum doses up to 25.5 mg/kg/day. The median N-PASS
      score at gabapentin therapy initiation was 3.1 and after gabapentin initiation
      the last N-PASS score documented was 0 in all but 5 patients. Gabapentin use
      reduced the need for analgesic or sedative medications. The drug was well
      tolerated, and only 1 patient experienced an adverse reaction to gabapentin
      (i.e., nystagmus). CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin was well tolerated and associated with
      decreases in pain scores. It's use resulted in decreased requirements for
      analgesic and sedative medications. Gabapentin therapy appears to be an effective
      option for neonates and infants with refractory pain and agitation.

PMID- 28638304
TI  - Extended Infusion of Piperacillin/Tazobactam in Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Extended-infusion piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) has been associated
      with positive clinical outcomes in adults, but similar data in children are
      lacking. The objective of this study was to describe efficacy outcomes with
      pediatric patients receiving extended-infusion TZP. METHODS: This was a
      retrospective case series of children aged 1 month to 17 years who had documented
      Gram-negative infection and received extended-infusion TZP between April 2011 and
      March 2012. The primary outcome was 21-day clinical cure defined as negative
      follow-up cultures, where available, and infection resolution. RESULTS: Fifty
      children with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 5 (2-9) years were
      included in the study. Patients received a median (IQR) TZP dose of 111.4 (100
      112.5) mg/kg administered every 8 hours over 4 hours. Clinical and microbiologic
      cure were observed in 74% and 100% of patients, respectively. Patients not
      meeting criterial for 21-day clinical cure were younger (1 vs 7 years, p = 0.087)
      and had a longer length of hospital stay (23 vs 11 days, p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS:
      The majority of children in this cohort achieved 21-day clinical cure with
      extended-interval TZP. Those without clinical cure tended to be younger and
      critically ill. Additional comparative studies evaluating traditional and
      extended-infusion TZP in children are needed.

PMID- 28638305
TI  - Predictors of Adverse Outcomes in Children With Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is a common infection, associated
      with significant morbidity and mortality in children. Factors associated with
      adverse treatment outcomes are poorly understood in the pediatric population.
      METHODS: Our study compared clinical and microbiologic characteristics of
      children admitted during a 5-year period (2007-2012) to a large university-based
      hospital and found to have S aureus bacteremia with outcome measures, in order to
      identify risk factors associated with treatment failure (defined as 30-day
      mortality, delayed microbiologic resolution, or recurrence of S aureus bacteremia
      within 60 days of completing effective antibiotic therapy). RESULTS: In all, 71
      patients were found to have S aureus bacteremia, and of these, 17 patients (24%)
      experienced treatment failure. Based on the logistic regression model, only high
      vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration in combination with a high-risk
      source of infection (i.e., infected graft or device, intra-abdominal infection,
      or respiratory tract infection) was significantly associated with risk of
      treatment failure. CONCLUSIONS: Infection associated with a high-risk source may
      increase the chance of treatment failure in pediatric patients with S aureus
      bacteremia. Vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration alone was not found to be
      a predictor of treatment outcomes.

PMID- 28638306
TI  - Effect of Maternal Obesity on Maternal-Fetal Transfer of Preoperative Cefazolin
      at Cesarean Section.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a
      single dose of antibiotic prophylaxis before all cesarean sections (C/S). This
      recommendation is based on pharmacokinetic studies that include only non-obese
      patients. We sought to evaluate 1) cefazolin plasma concentrations among obese
      and non-obese patients after administration of a 2-g cefazolin dose for
      prevention of surgical wound infections, and 2) whether cefazolin concentration
      in fetal circulation may be protective against pathogens that cause early onset
      neonatal sepsis. METHODS: Maternal and fetal cefazolin plasma concentrations were
      compared between obese (body mass index [BMI] >= 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI <
      25 kg/m2) healthy, term pregnant women undergoing scheduled C/S. Liquid
      chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) methods were used for
      quantification of total and free cefazolin concentrations in maternal blood (MB)
      and umbilical cord blood (UCB). RESULTS: Eight women were screened and consented.
      There was no difference between groups in MB total and free cefazolin
      concentrations. All MB samples had total and free cefazolin concentrations
      greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration 90 (MIC90) for Group B
      Streptococcus (GBS), Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. All UCB samples
      had total and free cefazolin concentrations greater than MIC90 for GBS and S
      aureus, even when administered as briefly as 18 minutes before delivery. A lower
      concentration of total cefazolin was detected in UCB of neonates of obese women
      compared to non-obese women (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of 2 g of
      cefazolin to women undergoing scheduled C/S might be an adequate prophylactic
      dose for surgical wound infection in both non-obese and obese patients; and
      cefazolin concentration in fetal circulation may be protective against GBS and S
      aureus.

PMID- 28638307
TI  - Rectal Metyrapone for Treatment of Hypercortisolism in an Infant with McCune
      Albright Syndrome.
AB  - Infantile Cushing syndrome is an infrequent yet potentially fatal manifestation
      of McCune-Albright syndrome, for which there are few safe treatments available.
      Ketoconazole is limited by potential hepatotoxicity in this population.
      Metyrapone may be an effective treatment, but it may not be tolerated when given
      orally. An infant with McCune-Albright syndrome presented with severe Cushing
      syndrome. Oral metyrapone resulted in feeding refusal, and ketoconazole caused an
      increase in liver enzymes; however, she was successfully treated with metyrapone
      given rectally. The patient avoided a feeding tube, and her serum cortisol
      concentration was lowered to a safe level. Metyrapone given per rectum may be a
      safe and effective alternative to oral metyrapone in treating young children with
      Cushing syndrome.

PMID- 28638308
TI  - Pediatric News.

PMID- 28638309
TI  - Editor's Introduction to This Issue (G&I 15:2, 2017).

PMID- 28638310
TI  - Analysis of Gene Expression in Human Dermal Fibroblasts Treated with Senescence
      Modulating COX Inhibitors.
AB  - We have previously reported that NS-398, a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-selective
      inhibitor, inhibited replicative cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts
      and skin aging in hairless mice. In contrast, celecoxib, another COX-2-selective
      inhibitor, and aspirin, a non-selective COX inhibitor, accelerated the senescence
      and aging. To figure out causal factors for the senescence-modulating effect of
      the inhibitors, we here performed cDNA microarray experiment and subsequent Gene
      Set Enrichment Analysis. The data showed that several senescence-related gene
      sets were regulated by the inhibitor treatment. NS-398 up-regulated gene sets
      involved in the tumor necrosis factor beta receptor pathway and the fructose and
      mannose metabolism, whereas it down-regulated a gene set involved in protein
      secretion. Celecoxib up-regulated gene sets involved in G2M checkpoint and E2F
      targets. Aspirin up-regulated the gene set involved in protein secretion, and
      down-regulated gene sets involved in RNA transcription. These results suggest
      that COX inhibitors modulate cellular senescence by different mechanisms and will
      provide useful information to understand senescence-modulating mechanisms of COX
      inhibitors.

PMID- 28638311
TI  - A Variant in RUNX3 Is Associated with the Risk of Ankylosing Spondylitis in
      Koreans.
AB  - Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic autoinflammatory disease that affects
      the spine and sacroiliac joints. Regarding its etiology, although HLA-B27 is
      known to be the strongest genetic factor of AS, much evidence suggests the
      potential contribution of non-MHC genes to the susceptibility to AS. Most of
      these non-MHC genes have been discovered in non-Asian populations; however, just
      some of them have been validated in Koreans. In this study, we aimed to identify
      additional AS-associated single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) candidates by
      replicating the candidate SNPs in Korean AS patients and healthy controls. For
      this, we selected three SNPs (rs11249215 in RUNX3, rs6556416 in IL12B, and
      rs8070463 in TBKBP1), which were previously reported as risk factors of AS but
      have not been studied in Koreans, and performed genotyping assays using a total
      of 1138 Korean samples (572 AS patients and 566 healthy controls). Of the three
      SNP candidates, one SNP in RUNX3 (rs11249215) was significantly associated with
      the risk of AS (odds ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.68, p =
      0.03). These results will be helpful in elucidating the pathogenesis of AS and
      may be useful for developing AS risk prediction models in Koreans.

PMID- 28638312
TI  - In Silico Signature Prediction Modeling in Cytolethal Distending Toxin-Producing
      Escherichia coli Strains.
AB  - In this study, cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) producer isolates genome were
      compared with genome of pathogenic and commensal Escherichia coli strains.
      Conserved genomic signatures among different types of CDT producer E. coli
      strains were assessed. It was shown that they could be used as biomarkers for
      research purposes and clinical diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction, or in
      vaccine development. cdt genes and several other genetic biomarkers were
      identified as signature sequences in CDT producer strains. The identified
      signatures include several individual phage proteins (holins, nucleases, and
      terminases, and transferases) and multiple members of different protein families
      (the lambda family, phage-integrase family, phage-tail tape protein family,
      putative membrane proteins, regulatory proteins, restriction-modification system
      proteins, tail fiber-assembly proteins, base plate-assembly proteins, and other
      prophage tail-related proteins). In this study, a sporadic phylogenic pattern was
      demonstrated in the CDT-producing strains. In conclusion, conserved signature
      proteins in a wide range of pathogenic bacterial strains can potentially be used
      in modern vaccine-design strategies.

PMID- 28638313
TI  - Real life pharmaceutical treatment patterns for adult patients with focal
      epilepsy in Germany: a longitudinal and cross-sectional analysis of recently
      approved anti-epileptic drugs.
AB  - Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the antiepileptic drug (AED)
      treatment of adults suffering from focal epilepsies (FE) in Germany. Of special
      interest was the number and percentage of the patients 16 years and older
      receiving no treatment with an AED, treatment with one AED (monotherapy),
      treatment with more than one AED, and treatment with a novel AED. The definition
      for "novel" was newly approved at the time of market entry since 2006 (last 10
      years): eslicarbazepine (ESL), lacosamide (LCM), perampanel (PER), and retigabine
      (RTG). Methods: The analysis was based on a claims data set covering the years
      2007 to 2014, provided by AOK PLUS, a German statutory health insurance. Two
      patient samples were defined: (1) prevalent patients suffering from FE (at least
      one in- or outpatient diagnosis of FE and at least one prescription of an AED),
      and (2) incident FE patients (first in- or outpatient diagnosis of FE without any
      previous diagnoses/AED prescriptions in the preceding 6 months). Patient
      observation started at date of first observed inpatient or outpatient focal
      epilepsy diagnosis within the analyzed period. Each patient was classified as a
      "no AED therapy", "AED monotherapy" or "more than one AED therapy". Patients were
      analyzed by number and type of concomitantly prescribed AEDs in yearly tranches
      (no, one, two, three, four, more than four AEDs; novel versus non-novel AEDs).
      Results: A total of 34,422 patients diagnosed with FE aged 16 year or older (mean
      age 59.6 years, 48.7% female) were identified. The mean follow-up period was
      1,891 days (5.2 years) since first confirmed diagnosis. The percentage of
      prevalent patients diagnosed with FE who received one AED (monotherapy) was
      stable overall and ranged between a minimum of 66.2% (2007) and a maximum of
      68.9% (2010). The percentage of patients who received two AEDs ranged from 23.6%
      (2012) to 25.8% (2007). The remaining patients received therapies with three
      (6.0% in 2010 to 6.7% in 2007), four (1.0% in 2010 to 1.2% in 2009) or more than
      four AEDs (0.1% in 2014 to 0.3% in 2013). Between 8.1%-16.6% (2007; 2014) of the
      patients received no AED therapy in the observed period. In the first year after
      the diagnosis of FE (incident patients), 9.7% of patients didn't receive any AED
      therapy. Of those treated with at least one AED, 80.0% received one AED
      (monotherapy) only, 17.0% received therapy with two AEDs, 2.6% with three AEDs,
      0.3% with four AEDs, and 0.1% with >4 AEDs during the respective observation time
      window and remained stable throughout the four-year follow-up period. Of
      prevalent patients with a diagnosis of FE, 1,889 (5.5%) received at least one
      prescription of a novel AED during the observation period; 98.6% of these
      patients received the novel AED in combination with at least one other AED. Of
      those patients, 269 (14.2%) received >1 novel AED. The analysis of the patients
      receiving novel AEDs by the time from the first confirmed diagnosis of FE until
      the prescription of a novel AED resulted in a mean duration of 4.0 years (SD 2.0)
      for ESL, 3.6 years (SD 2.2) for LCM, 5.7 years (SD 1.2) for PER, and 4.6 years
      (SD 0.8 years) for RTG. The mean number of AEDs prescribed before the novel AEDs
      were 3.2 for ESL, 2.4 for LCM, 5.0 for PER and 5.2 for RTG. Conclusions: Most
      patients aged 16 years or older, suffering from focal seizures, received AED
      monotherapy. Novel AEDs were prescribed in a small proportion of patients (<6%)
      and relatively late in the treatment course. These results are consistent with
      the recommendations of the German Society for Epileptology (Deutsche Gesellschaft
      fur Epileptologie, DGfE) which suggests a number of monotherapy options - these
      options do not include the novel AEDs described in this study.

PMID- 28638314
TI  - In-person retail marketing claims in tobacco and E-cigarette shops in Southern
      California.
AB  - BACKGROUND: E-cigarette use has been increasing in the United States, though
      knowledge of potential risks and harms associated with e-cigarette use is low.
      Marketing of e-cigarettes may serve as a source of information to shape beliefs
      and attitudes toward e-cigarettes. The purpose of this study was to identify the
      most common marketing claims made within "vape" and tobacco shops in sales
      interactions with customers in demographically diverse cities. METHODS: Vape and
      tobacco shops from three diverse cities in Southern California were selected for
      inclusion in the study. From May 2015 to July 2015, simulated customers asked
      salespeople in vape and tobacco shops how e-cigarettes compare to conventional
      cigarettes, and then recorded the resulting claims that were made using a
      standardized form designed for this purpose. Data were analyzed from January to
      March 2016. RESULTS: The most frequent claims made by sales staff were that:
      smoking e-cigarettes helps one quit smoking (57% of the simulated shopping
      interactions), e-cigarettes come in multiple flavors (54%), and e-cigarettes are
      healthier than conventional cigarettes (50%). Simulated customer interactions
      that took place in vape shops included more positive marketing claims than those
      that occurred in tobacco shops; this relationship approached statistical
      significance (p = .087). There was a significant relationship between city and
      the average number of positive e-cigarette claims made (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A
      wide range of marketing claims are made about e-cigarettes in retail settings.
      These may vary by geographic location, community demographics, and type of retail
      outlet.

PMID- 28638315
TI  - Acute Abdomen: A Rare Case of Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - Spontaneous ruptures of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are rare. Nevertheless
      they may lead to difficult decisions in the emergency situation. The acute
      therapies include conservative treatment, transarterial embolization and surgery.
      Curative treatment of HCC can be achieved by liver resection solely. The decision
      making depends on prognostic patient's factors, such as hepatic viral infection
      status, Child-Pugh grade, liver cirrhosis and number of tumors. In this case
      transarterial embolization was preferable as a bridging therapy prior to further
      diagnostics and therapy, to lower the perioperative morbidity and mortality. The
      therapy of these cases needs an interdisciplinary approach to choose the best
      possible procedure in each case.

PMID- 28638316
TI  - A New Generation of Brain-Computer Interfaces Driven by Discovery of Latent EEG
      fMRI Linkages Using Tensor Decomposition.
AB  - A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a setup permitting the control of external
      devices by decoding brain activity. Electroencephalography (EEG) has been
      extensively used for decoding brain activity since it is non-invasive, cheap,
      portable, and has high temporal resolution to allow real-time operation. Due to
      its poor spatial specificity, BCIs based on EEG can require extensive training
      and multiple trials to decode brain activity (consequently slowing down the
      operation of the BCI). On the other hand, BCIs based on functional magnetic
      resonance imaging (fMRI) are more accurate owing to its superior spatial
      resolution and sensitivity to underlying neuronal processes which are
      functionally localized. However, due to its relatively low temporal resolution,
      high cost, and lack of portability, fMRI is unlikely to be used for routine BCI.
      We propose a new approach for transferring the capabilities of fMRI to EEG, which
      includes simultaneous EEG/fMRI sessions for finding a mapping from EEG to fMRI,
      followed by a BCI run from only EEG data, but driven by fMRI-like features
      obtained from the mapping identified previously. Our novel data-driven method is
      likely to discover latent linkages between electrical and hemodynamic signatures
      of neural activity hitherto unexplored using model-driven methods, and is likely
      to serve as a template for a novel multi-modal strategy wherein cross-modal EEG
      fMRI interactions are exploited for the operation of a unimodal EEG system,
      leading to a new generation of EEG-based BCIs.

PMID- 28638317
TI  - Emergence Time and Skin Melanin Spot Patterns Do Not Correlate with Growth
      Performance, Social Competitive Ability or Stress Response in Farmed Rainbow
      Trout.
AB  - In wild salmonid fish, specific individual behavioral traits have been correlated
      with the timing of fry emergence from their gravel spawning nests; Early emerging
      fish display more aggressive behavior and have a higher probability of becoming
      socially dominant, compared to fish that emerge at a later stage. Apart from
      aggression and dominance, other behavioral and metabolic traits, such as
      boldness, metabolic rate, or growth, have also been linked to emergence time.
      Altogether, the traits of early- and late-emerging fish resemble those of the
      proactive and reactive stress-coping style, respectively. As proactive fish are
      considered more resilient to stress, it may be desirable to select these for
      aquaculture production. However, it is currently unclear to what extent the link
      between emergence time and stress-coping styles is maintained in the selective
      breeding of farmed fish. In the present study, eyed eggs from a commercial
      supplier were hatched, and larvae fractionated according to their emergence time.
      Later on, juvenile fish from different emergence fractions were subjected to a
      stress challenge and also tested to evaluate their competitive ability for food.
      Beyond some slight dissimilarities in the acute stress responses, emergence
      fraction displayed no correlation with growth rates, or the ability to compete
      for feed. Within the whole group of fish utilized in the experiments, no
      relationship between skin melanin spot pattern and growth performance, stress
      response intensity, or competitive ability was found. Altogether, the differences
      in physiological traits related to emergence time were not as strong as those
      found in earlier studies. It is hypothesized, that the origin and degree of
      domestication of the fish might be partly responsible for this. The predictive
      value of skin spots or emergence time to infer the fish stress coping style in
      farmed fish is also discussed.

PMID- 28638318
TI  - Maturation, Behavioral Activation, and Connectivity of Adult-Born Medium Spiny
      Neurons in a Striatal Song Nucleus.
AB  - Neurogenesis continues in the adult songbird brain. Many telencephalic song
      control regions incorporate new neurons into their existing circuits in
      adulthood. One song nucleus that receives many new neurons is Area X. Because
      this striatal region is crucial for song learning and song maintenance the
      recruitment of new neurons into Area X could influence these processes. As an
      entry point into addressing this possibility, we investigated the maturation and
      connectivity within the song circuit and behavioral activation of newly generated
      Area X neurons. Using BrdU birth dating and virally mediated GFP expression we
      followed adult-generated neurons from their place of birth in the ventricle to
      their place of incorporation into Area X. We show that newborn neurons receive
      glutamatergic input from pallial/cortical song nuclei. Additionally, backfills
      revealed that the new neurons connect to pallidal-like projection neurons that
      innervate the thalamus. Using in situ hybridization, we found that new neurons
      express the mRNA for D1- and D2-type dopamine receptors. Employing DARPP-32
      (dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein of 32 kDa) and EGR-1 (early growth
      response protein 1) as markers for neural maturation and activation, we
      established that at 42 days after labeling approximately 80% of new neurons were
      mature medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and could be activated by singing behavior.
      Finally, we compared the MSN density in Area X of birds up to seven years of age
      and found a significant increase with age, indicating that new neurons are
      constantly added to the nucleus. In summary, we provide evidence that newborn
      MSNs in Area X constantly functionally integrate into the circuit and are thus
      likely to play a role in the maintenance and regulation of adult song.

PMID- 28638319
TI  - Dynamiceuticals: The Next Stage in Personalized Medicine.
AB  - The surge in the interest in personalized medicine necessitates a corresponding
      rational approach for implementing such individualized therapies. Dynamiceuticals
      represents a natural extension of the Pharmaceutical and Electroceutical fields,
      where the precise determination of the dynamical regimes of the pathophysiology
      will guide to devise therapies that ameliorate the pathology in a well-controlled
      manner, thus being precisely tailored toward the implementation of individualized
      medicine. This approach foretells to lessen side-effects and achieve superior
      efficacy as compared with current trial-and-error or open-loop strategies. But
      does the current state of knowledge and technology allow this scheme to offer
      what it claims?

PMID- 28638320
TI  - Membrane Fusion Involved in Neurotransmission: Glimpse from Electron Microscope
      and Molecular Simulation.
AB  - Membrane fusion is one of the most fundamental physiological processes in
      eukaryotes for triggering the fusion of lipid and content, as well as the
      neurotransmission. However, the architecture features of neurotransmitter release
      machinery and interdependent mechanism of synaptic membrane fusion have not been
      extensively studied. This review article expounds the neuronal membrane fusion
      processes, discusses the fundamental steps in all fusion reactions (membrane
      aggregation, membrane association, lipid rearrangement and lipid and content
      mixing) and the probable mechanism coupling to the delivery of neurotransmitters.
      Subsequently, this work summarizes the research on the fusion process in synaptic
      transmission, using electron microscopy (EM) and molecular simulation approaches.
      Finally, we propose the future outlook for more exciting applications of membrane
      fusion involved in synaptic transmission, with the aid of stochastic optical
      reconstruction microscopy (STORM), cryo-EM (cryo-EM), and molecular simulations.

PMID- 28638321
TI  - Membrane Guanylate Cyclase catalytic Subdomain: Structure and Linkage with
      Calcium Sensors and Bicarbonate.
AB  - Membrane guanylate cyclase (MGC) is a ubiquitous multi-switching cyclic GMP
      generating signaling machine linked with countless physiological processes. In
      mammals it is encoded by seven distinct homologous genes. It is a single
      transmembrane spanning multi-modular protein; composed of integrated blocks and
      existing in homo-dimeric form. Its core catalytic domain (CCD) module is a common
      transduction center where all incoming signals are translated into the production
      of cyclic GMP, a cellular signal second messenger. Crystal structure of the MGC's
      CCD does not exist and its precise identity is ill-defined. Here, we define it at
      a sub-molecular level for the phototransduction-linked MGC, the rod outer segment
      guanylate cyclase type 1, ROS-GC1. (1) The CCD is a conserved 145-residue
      structural unit, represented by the segment V820-P964. (2) It exists as a homo
      dimer and contains seven conserved catalytic elements (CEs) wedged into seven
      conserved motifs. (3) It also contains a conserved 21-residue neurocalcin delta
      modulated structural domain, V836-L857. (4) Site-directed mutagenesis documents
      that each of the seven CEs governs the cyclase's catalytic activity. (5) In
      contrast to the soluble and the bacterium MGC which use Mn2+-GTP substrate for
      catalysis, MGC CCD uses the natural Mg2+-GTP substrate. (6) Strikingly, the MGC
      CCD requires anchoring by the Transmembrane Domain (TMD) to exhibit its major
      (~92%) catalytic activity; in isolated form the activity is only marginal. This
      feature is not linked with any unique sequence of the TMD; there is minimal
      conservation in TMD. Finally, (7) the seven CEs control each of four
      phototransduction pathways- -two Ca2+-sensor GCAPs-, one Ca2+-sensor, S100B-, and
      one bicarbonate-modulated. The findings disclose that the CCD of ROS-GC1 has
      built-in regulatory elements that control its signal translational activity. Due
      to conservation of these regulatory elements, it is proposed that these elements
      also control the physiological activity of other members of MGC family.

PMID- 28638322
TI  - Neural Signals Related to Outcome Evaluation Are Stronger in CA1 than CA3.
AB  - We have shown previously that CA1 conveys significant neural signals necessary to
      update value of the chosen target, namely chosen value and reward signals. To
      better understand hippocampal neural processes related to valuation, we compared
      chosen value- and reward-related neural activity between the CA3 and CA1 regions.
      Single units were recorded with tetrodes from the dorsal CA3 and CA1 regions of
      rats performing a dynamic foraging task, and chosen value- and reward-related
      neural activity was estimated using a reinforcement learning model and multiple
      regression analyses. Neural signals for chosen value and reward converged in both
      CA3 and CA1 when a trial outcome was revealed. However, these neural signals were
      stronger in CA1 than CA3. Consequently, neural signals for reward prediction
      error and updated chosen value were stronger in CA1 than CA3. Together with our
      previous finding that CA1 conveys stronger value signals than the subiculum, our
      results raise the possibility that CA1 might play a particularly important role
      among hippocampal subregions in evaluating experienced events.

PMID- 28638324
TI  - Stochastic Signatures of Involuntary Head Micro-movements Can Be Used to Classify
      Females of ABIDE into Different Subtypes of Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
AB  - Background: The approximate 5:1 male to female ratio in clinical detection of
      Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevents research from characterizing the female
      phenotype. Current open access repositories [such as those in the Autism Brain
      Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE I-II)] contain large numbers of females to help
      begin providing a new characterization of females on the autistic spectrum. Here
      we introduce new methods to integrate data in a scale-free manner from continuous
      biophysical rhythms of the nervous systems and discrete (ordinal) observational
      scores. Methods: New data-types derived from image-based involuntary head motions
      and personalized statistical platform were combined with a data-driven approach
      to unveil sub-groups within the female cohort. Further, to help refine the
      clinical DSM-based ASD vs. Asperger's Syndrome (AS) criteria, distributional
      analyses of ordinal score data from Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
      based criteria were used on both the female and male phenotypes. Results:
      Separate clusters were automatically uncovered in the female cohort corresponding
      to differential levels of severity. Specifically, the AS-subgroup emerged as the
      most severely affected with an excess level of noise and randomness in the
      involuntary head micro-movements. Extending the methods to characterize males of
      ABIDE revealed ASD-males to be more affected than AS-males. A thorough study of
      ADOS-2 and ADOS-G scores provided confounding results regarding the ASD vs. AS
      male comparison, whereby the ADOS-2 rendered the AS-phenotype worse off than the
      ASD-phenotype, while ADOS-G flipped the results. Females with AS scored higher on
      severity than ASD-females in all ADOS test versions and their scores provided
      evidence for significantly higher severity than males. However, the statistical
      landscapes underlying female and male scores appeared disparate. As such, further
      interpretation of the ADOS data seems problematic, rather suggesting the critical
      need to develop an entirely new metric to measure social behavior in females.
      Conclusions: According to the outcome of objective, data-driven analyses and
      subjective clinical observation, these results support the proposition that the
      female phenotype is different. Consequently the "social behavioral male ruler"
      will continue to mask the female autistic phenotype. It is our proposition that
      new observational behavioral tests ought to contain normative scales, be
      statistically sound and combined with objective data-driven approaches to better
      characterize the females across the human lifespan.

PMID- 28638323
TI  - Sortilin Fragments Deposit at Senile Plaques in Human Cerebrum.
AB  - Genetic variations in the vacuolar protein sorting 10 protein (Vps10p) family
      have been linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we demonstrate deposition of
      fragments from the Vps10p member sortilin at senile plaques (SPs) in aged and AD
      human cerebrum. Sortilin changes were characterized in postmortem brains with
      antibodies against the extracellular and intracellular C-terminal domains. The
      two antibodies exhibited identical labeling in normal human cerebrum, occurring
      in the somata and dendrites of cortical and hippocampal neurons. The C-terminal
      antibody also marked extracellular lesions in some aged and all AD cases,
      appearing as isolated fibrils, mini-plaques, dense-packing or circular mature
      looking plaques. Sortilin and beta-amyloid (Abeta) deposition were correlated
      overtly in a region/lamina- and case-dependent manner as analyzed in the temporal
      lobe structures, with co-localized immunofluorescence seen at individual SPs.
      However, sortilin deposition rarely occurred around the pia, at vascular wall or
      in areas with typical diffuse Abeta deposition, with the labeling not enhanced by
      section pretreatment with heating or formic acid. Levels of a major sortilin
      fragment ~15 kDa, predicted to derive from the C-terminal region, were
      dramatically elevated in AD relative to control cortical lysates. Thus, sortilin
      fragments are a prominent constituent of the extracellularly deposited protein
      products at SPs in human cerebrum.

PMID- 28638325
TI  - Dopamine, Noradrenaline and Differences in Sexual Behavior between Roman High and
      Low Avoidance Male Rats: A Microdialysis Study in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex.
AB  - Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) outbred rats, which differ for a
      respectively rapid vs. poor acquisition of the active avoidance response in the
      shuttle-box, display differences in sexual activity when put in the presence of a
      sexually receptive female rat. Indeed RHA rats show higher levels of sexual
      motivation and copulatory performance than RLA rats, which persist also after
      repeated sexual activity. These differences have been correlated to a higher tone
      of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system of RHA rats vs. RLA rats, revealed by the
      higher increase of dopamine found in the dialysate obtained from the nucleus
      accumbens of RHA than RLA rats during sexual activity. This work shows that
      extracellular dopamine and noradrenaline (NA) also, increase in the dialysate
      from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of male RHA and RLA rats put in the
      presence of an inaccessible female rat and more markedly during direct sexual
      interaction. Such increases in dopamine (and its main metabolite 3,4
      dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, DOPAC) and NA were found in both sexually naive and
      experienced animals, but they were higher: (i) in RHA than in RLA rats; and (ii)
      in sexually experienced RHA and RLA rats than in their naive counterparts.
      Finally, the differences in dopamine and NA in the mPFC occurred concomitantly to
      those in sexual activity, as RHA rats displayed higher levels of sexual
      motivation and copulatory performance than RLA rats in both the sexually naive
      and experienced conditions. These results suggest that a higher dopaminergic tone
      also occurs in the mPFC, together with an increased noradrenergic tone, which may
      be involved in the different copulatory patterns found in RHA and RLA rats, as
      suggested for the mesolimbic dopaminergic system.

PMID- 28638326
TI  - Commentary: Decoding the Charitable Brain: Empathy, Perspective Taking, and
      Attention Shifts Differentially Predict Altruistic Giving.

PMID- 28638327
TI  - Noninvasive Brain Stimulation and Personal Identity: Ethical Considerations.
AB  - As noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technology advances, these methods may
      become increasingly capable of influencing complex networks of mental
      functioning. We suggest that these might include cognitive and affective
      processes underlying personality and belief systems, which would raise important
      questions concerning personal identity and autonomy. We give particular attention
      to the relationship between personal identity and belief, emphasizing the
      importance of respecting users' personal values. We posit that research
      participants and patients should be encouraged to take an active approach to
      considering the personal implications of altering their own cognition,
      particularly in cases of neurocognitive "enhancement." We suggest that efforts to
      encourage careful consideration through the informed consent process would
      contribute usefully to studies and treatments that use NIBS.

PMID- 28638328
TI  - Protocol for the Reconstructing Consciousness and Cognition (ReCCognition) Study.
AB  - Important scientific and clinical questions persist about general anesthesia
      despite the ubiquitous clinical use of anesthetic drugs in humans since their
      discovery. For example, it is not known how the brain reconstitutes consciousness
      and cognition after the profound functional perturbation of the anesthetized
      state, nor has a specific pattern of functional recovery been characterized. To
      date, there has been a lack of detailed investigation into rates of recovery and
      the potential orderly return of attention, sensorimotor function, memory,
      reasoning and logic, abstract thinking, and processing speed. Moreover, whether
      such neurobehavioral functions display an invariant sequence of return across
      individuals is similarly unknown. To address these questions, we designed a study
      of healthy volunteers undergoing general anesthesia with electroencephalography
      and serial testing of cognitive functions (NCT01911195). The aims of this study
      are to characterize the temporal patterns of neurobehavioral recovery over the
      first several hours following termination of a deep inhaled isoflurane general
      anesthetic and to identify common patterns of cognitive function recovery.
      Additionally, we will conduct spectral analysis and reconstruct functional
      networks from electroencephalographic data to identify any neural correlates
      (e.g., connectivity patterns, graph-theoretical variables) of cognitive recovery
      after the perturbation of general anesthesia. To accomplish these objectives, we
      will enroll a total of 60 consenting adults aged 20-40 across the three
      participating sites. Half of the study subjects will receive general anesthesia
      slowly titrated to loss of consciousness (LOC) with an intravenous infusion of
      propofol and thereafter be maintained for 3 h with 1.3 age adjusted minimum
      alveolar concentration of isoflurane, while the other half of subjects serves as
      awake controls to gauge effects of repeated neurobehavioral testing, spontaneous
      fatigue and endogenous rest-activity patterns.

PMID- 28638329
TI  - The Contribution of Cognitive Factors to Individual Differences in Understanding
      Noise-Vocoded Speech in Young and Older Adults.
AB  - Noise-vocoded speech is commonly used to simulate the sensation after cochlear
      implantation as it consists of spectrally degraded speech. High individual
      variability exists in learning to understand both noise-vocoded speech and speech
      perceived through a cochlear implant (CI). This variability is partly ascribed to
      differing cognitive abilities like working memory, verbal skills or attention.
      Although clinically highly relevant, up to now, no consensus has been achieved
      about which cognitive factors exactly predict the intelligibility of speech in
      noise-vocoded situations in healthy subjects or in patients after cochlear
      implantation. We aimed to establish a test battery that can be used to predict
      speech understanding in patients prior to receiving a CI. Young and old healthy
      listeners completed a noise-vocoded speech test in addition to cognitive tests
      tapping on verbal memory, working memory, lexicon and retrieval skills as well as
      cognitive flexibility and attention. Partial-least-squares analysis revealed that
      six variables were important to significantly predict vocoded-speech performance.
      These were the ability to perceive visually degraded speech tested by the Text
      Reception Threshold, vocabulary size assessed with the Multiple Choice Word Test,
      working memory gauged with the Operation Span Test, verbal learning and recall of
      the Verbal Learning and Retention Test and task switching abilities tested by the
      Comprehensive Trail-Making Test. Thus, these cognitive abilities explain
      individual differences in noise-vocoded speech understanding and should be
      considered when aiming to predict hearing-aid outcome.

PMID- 28638330
TI  - Flat vs. Expressive Storytelling: Young Children's Learning and Retention of a
      Social Robot's Narrative.
AB  - Prior research with preschool children has established that dialogic or active
      book reading is an effective method for expanding young children's vocabulary. In
      this exploratory study, we asked whether similar benefits are observed when a
      robot engages in dialogic reading with preschoolers. Given the established
      effectiveness of active reading, we also asked whether this effectiveness was
      critically dependent on the expressive characteristics of the robot. For
      approximately half the children, the robot's active reading was expressive; the
      robot's voice included a wide range of intonation and emotion (Expressive). For
      the remaining children, the robot read and conversed with a flat voice, which
      sounded similar to a classic text-to-speech engine and had little dynamic range
      (Flat). The robot's movements were kept constant across conditions. We performed
      a verification study using Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) to confirm that the
      Expressive robot was viewed as significantly more expressive, more emotional, and
      less passive than the Flat robot. We invited 45 preschoolers with an average age
      of 5 years who were either English Language Learners (ELL), bilingual, or native
      English speakers to engage in the reading task with the robot. The robot narrated
      a story from a picture book, using active reading techniques and including a set
      of target vocabulary words in the narration. Children were post-tested on the
      vocabulary words and were also asked to retell the story to a puppet. A subset of
      34 children performed a second story retelling 4-6 weeks later. Children reported
      liking and learning from the robot a similar amount in the Expressive and Flat
      conditions. However, as compared to children in the Flat condition, children in
      the Expressive condition were more concentrated and engaged as indexed by their
      facial expressions; they emulated the robot's story more in their story retells;
      and they told longer stories during their delayed retelling. Furthermore,
      children who responded to the robot's active reading questions were more likely
      to correctly identify the target vocabulary words in the Expressive condition
      than in the Flat condition. Taken together, these results suggest that children
      may benefit more from the expressive robot than from the flat robot.

PMID- 28638331
TI  - Monosynaptic Stretch Reflex Fails to Explain the Initial Postural Response to
      Sudden Lateral Perturbations.
AB  - Postural reflexes are essential for locomotion and postural stability, and may
      play an important role in the etiology of chronic back pain. It has recently been
      theoretically predicted, and with the help of unilateral perturbations of the
      trunk experimentally confirmed that the sensorimotor control must lower the
      reflex amplitude for increasing reflex delays to maintain spinal stability. The
      underlying neuromuscular mechanism for the compensation of postural
      perturbations, however, is not yet fully understood. In this study, we applied
      unilateral and bilateral sudden external perturbations to the trunk of healthy
      subjects and measured the muscular activity and the movement onset of the trunk.
      We found that the onset of the trunk muscle activity is prior to, or coincident
      with, the onset of the trunk movement. Additionally, the results of our
      experiments imply that the muscular response mechanism integrates distant sensory
      information from both sides of the body. These findings rule out a simple
      monosynaptic stretch reflex in favor of a more complex polysynaptic postural
      reflex mechanism to compensate postural perturbations. Moreover, the previously
      predicted negative correlation between reflex delay and reflex gain was also
      confirmed for bilateral perturbations.

PMID- 28638332
TI  - Commentary: Skilled Bimanual Training Drives Motor Cortex Plasticity in Children
      With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy.

PMID- 28638333
TI  - Switching Adaptability in Human-Inspired Sidesteps: A Minimal Model.
AB  - Humans can adapt to abruptly changing situations by coordinating redundant
      components, even in bipedality. Conventional adaptability has been reproduced by
      various computational approaches, such as optimal control, neural oscillator, and
      reinforcement learning; however, the adaptability in bipedal locomotion necessary
      for biological and social activities, such as unpredicted direction change in
      chase-and-escape, is unknown due to the dynamically unstable multi-link closed
      loop system. Here we propose a switching adaptation model for performing bipedal
      locomotion by improving autonomous distributed control, where autonomous
      actuators interact without central control and switch the roles for propulsion,
      balancing, and leg swing. Our switching mobility model achieved direction change
      at any time using only three actuators, although it showed higher motor costs
      than comparable models without direction change. Our method of evaluating such
      adaptation at any time should be utilized as a prerequisite for understanding
      universal motor control. The proposed algorithm may simply explain and predict
      the adaptation mechanism in human bipedality to coordinate the actuator functions
      within and between limbs.

PMID- 28638334
TI  - Frontal Theta Dynamics during Response Conflict in Long-Term Mindfulness
      Meditators.
AB  - Mindfulness meditators often show greater efficiency in resolving response
      conflicts than non-meditators. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the
      improved behavioral efficiency are unclear. Here, we investigated frontal theta
      dynamics-a neural mechanism involved in cognitive control processes-in long-term
      mindfulness meditators. The dynamics of EEG theta oscillations (4-8 Hz) recorded
      over the medial frontal cortex (MFC) were examined in terms of their power (MFC
      theta power) and their functional connectivity with other brain areas (the MFC
      centered theta network). Using a flanker-type paradigm, EEG data were obtained
      from 22 long-term mindfulness meditators and compared to those from 23 matched
      controls without meditation experience. Meditators showed more efficient
      cognitive control after conflicts, evidenced by fewer error responses
      irrespective of response timing. Furthermore, meditators exhibited enhanced
      conflict modulations of the MFC-centered theta network shortly before the
      response, in particular for the functional connection between the MFC and the
      motor cortex. In contrast, MFC theta power was comparable between groups. These
      results suggest that the higher behavioral efficiency after conflicts in
      mindfulness meditators could be a function of increased engagement to control the
      motor system in association with the MFC-centered theta network.

PMID- 28638335
TI  - Quantification of Head Movement Predictability and Implications for Suppression
      of Vestibular Input during Locomotion.
AB  - Achieved motor movement can be estimated using both sensory and motor signals.
      The value of motor signals for estimating movement should depend critically on
      the stereotypy or predictability of the resulting actions. As predictability
      increases, motor signals become more reliable indicators of achieved movement, so
      weight attributed to sensory signals should decrease accordingly. Here we
      describe a method to quantify this predictability for head movement during human
      locomotion by measuring head motion with an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and
      calculating the variance explained by the mean movement over one stride, i.e., a
      metric similar to the coefficient of determination. Predictability exhibits
      differences across activities, being most predictable during running, and changes
      over the course of a stride, being least predictable around the time of heel
      strike and toe-off. In addition to quantifying predictability, we relate this
      metric to sensory-motor weighting via a statistically optimal model based on two
      key assumptions: (1) average head movement provides a conservative estimate of
      the efference copy prediction, and (2) noise on sensory signals scales with
      signal magnitude. The model suggests that differences in predictability should
      lead to changes in the weight attributed to vestibular sensory signals for
      estimating head movement. In agreement with the model, prior research reports
      that vestibular perturbations have greatest impact at the time points and during
      activities where high vestibular weight is predicted. Thus, we propose a unified
      explanation for time-and activity-dependent modulation of vestibular effects that
      was lacking previously. Furthermore, the proposed predictability metric
      constitutes a convenient general method for quantifying any kind of kinematic
      variability. The probabilistic model is also general; it applies to any situation
      in which achieved movement is estimated from both motor signals and zero-mean
      sensory signals with signal-dependent noise.

PMID- 28638336
TI  - Emphysematous Pyelonephritis and Cystitis: Unusual Adverse Events during
      Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Lung Cancer.
AB  - Various adverse events can occur during antineoplastic therapy. A 67-year-old
      diabetic woman developed an emphysematous urinary tract infection (UTI)
      associated with chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer. She had received weekly
      carboplatin plus paclitaxel with thoracic radiotherapy and developed a fever on
      day 19. Computed tomography showed a large quantity of gas within the urinary
      tract. She was therefore diagnosed with emphysematous UTI. Poor diabetes control
      due to the weekly administration of dexamethasone, an existing urinary tract
      obstruction, and bone marrow suppression were involved in her serious infection.
      The potential development of emphysematous UTI during chemoradiotherapy should be
      considered in at-risk patients.

PMID- 28638337
TI  - Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor for Macular Edema due to
      Complex Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysms.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Complex retinal arterial macroaneurysms (RAM) are often accompanied
      by hemorrhage and/or affect the macula. We evaluated the effect of intravitreal
      anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy using ranibizumab or
      aflibercept with or without laser photocoagulation in the treatment of macular
      edema due to RAM. METHODS: A case report of two patients with secondary macular
      edema caused by RAM is presented. The first case was a 76-year-old female treated
      with two 0.5-mg injections of ranibizumab and additional focal laser
      photocoagulation. This patient presented a solely intraretinal exudation. The
      second patient was a 96-year-old female, who received one 2.0-mg injection of
      aflibercept. She showed sub- and intraretinal edema. We documented the clinical
      courses of these patients based on fundus photography, fluorescein angiography,
      and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Patients were followed-up for
      12 months. RESULTS: Patients were treated successfully using anti-VEGF therapy
      (ranibizumab or aflibercept) with or without laser photocoagulation. In both
      cases, we observed a complete regression of the macular edema and an increase in
      visual acuity. CONCLUSION: RAM can manifest with heterogeneous findings.
      Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy with or without laser photocoagulation may be an
      effective treatment option in cases of macular edema due to RAM. Aflibercept and
      ranibizumab seem to be a potent anti-VEGF therapy for RAM. Individualized patient
      care is needed.

PMID- 28638338
TI  - Physical Exercise with Music Reduces Gray and White Matter Loss in the Frontal
      Cortex of Elderly People: The Mihama-Kiho Scan Project.
AB  - Findings from previous studies suggest that physical exercise combined with
      cognitive training produces more positive effects on cognitive function in
      elderly people than physical exercise alone. However, the brain plasticity
      associated with these proposed benefits of combined therapy has not yet been
      investigated in elderly subjects. We hypothesized that the dual task group would
      experience greater benefits than the physical exercise alone and non-exercise
      control groups with regard to both cognitive function and brain plasticity. This
      study investigated the effect of physical exercise with musical accompaniment on
      structural brain changes in healthy elderly people. Fifty-one participants
      performed physical exercise (once a week for an hour with professional trainers)
      with musical accompaniment (ExM), 61 participants performed the same exercise
      without music (Ex), and 32 participants made up the non-exercise group (Cont).
      After the 1-year intervention, visuospatial functioning of the ExM but not the Ex
      group was significantly better than that of the Cont group. Voxel-based
      morphometry analyses revealed that the ExM group showed greater right superior
      frontal gyrus volume and preserved volumes of the right anterior cingulate gyrus,
      left superior temporal gyrus, and insula. These results indicate that compared
      with exercise alone, physical exercise with music induces greater positive
      effects on cognitive function and leads to subtle neuroanatomical changes in the
      brains of elderly people. Therefore, physical exercise with music may be a
      beneficial intervention to delay age-related cognitive decline.

PMID- 28638340
TI  - Neurologically Potent Molecules from Crataegus oxyacantha; Isolation,
      Anticholinesterase Inhibition, and Molecular Docking.
AB  - Crataegus oxyacantha is an important herbal supplement and famous for its
      antioxidant potential. The antioxidant in combination with anticholinesterase
      activity can be considered as an important target in the management of
      Alzheimer's disease. The compounds isolated from C. oxyacantha were evaluated for
      cholinesterases inhibitory activity using Ellman's assay with Galantamine as
      standard drug. Total of nine (1-9) compounds were isolated. Compounds 1 and 2
      were isolated for the first time from natural source. Important natural products
      like beta-Sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-Glucopyranoside (3), lupeol (4), beta-sitosterol
      (5), betulin (6), betulinic acid (7), oleanolic acid (8), and chrysin (9) have
      also been isolated from C. oxyacantha. Overall, all the compounds exhibited an
      overwhelming acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition potential in the range 5.22
      44.47 MUM. The compound 3 was prominent AChE inhibitor with IC50 value of 5.22
      MUM. Likewise, all the compounds were also potent in butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)
      inhibitions with IC50s of up to 0.55-15.36 MUM. All the compounds, except 3, were
      selective toward BChE. Mechanism of the inhibition of both the enzymes were
      further studied by docking procedures using Genetic Optimization for Ligand
      Docking suit v5.4.1. Furthermore, computational blood brain barrier prediction of
      the isolated compounds suggest that these are BBB+.

PMID- 28638341
TI  - Herbal Medicine AC591 Prevents Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in
      Animal Model and Cancer Patients.
AB  - Oxaliplatin is clinically compelling because of severe peripheral neuropathy. The
      side effect can result in dosage reductions or even cessation of chemotherapy,
      and no effective treatments are available. AC591 is a standardized extract of
      Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu decoction, an herbal formula recorded in "Synopsis of the
      Golden Chamber" for improving limb numbness and pain. In this study, we
      investigated whether AC591 could protect against oxaliplatin-induced peripheral
      neuropathy. To clarify it, a rat model of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral
      neuropathy was established, and neuroprotective effect of AC591 was studied. Our
      results showed that pretreatment with AC591 reduced oxaliplatin-induced cold
      hyperalgesia, mechanical allodynia as well as morphological damage of dorsal root
      ganglion. Microarray analysis indicated the neuroprotective action of AC591
      depended on the modulation of multiple molecular targets and pathways involved in
      the downregulation of inflammation and immune response. Moreover, AC591 enhanced
      the antitumor activity of oxaliplatin to some extent in Balb/c mice bearing CT-26
      carcinoma cells. The efficacy of AC591 is also investigated in 72 colorectal
      cancer patients. After four cycles of treatment, the percentage of grades 1-2
      neurotoxicity in AC591-treated group (n = 36) was 25%, whereas in the control
      group the incidence was 55.55% (P < 0.01) (n = 36). No significant differences in
      the tumor response rate between the two groups were found. These evidences
      suggested that AC591 can prevent oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy without reducing
      its antitumor activity, and may be a promising adjuvant to alleviate sensory
      symptoms in clinical practice.

PMID- 28638339
TI  - Nutritional and Pharmacological Strategies to Regulate Microglial Polarization in
      Cognitive Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - The study of microglia, the immune cells of the brain, has experienced a
      renaissance after the discovery of microglia polarization. In fact, the concept
      that activated microglia can shift into the M1 pro-inflammatory or M2
      neuroprotective phenotypes, depending on brain microenvironment, has completely
      changed the understanding of microglia in brain aging and neurodegenerative
      diseases. Microglia polarization is particularly important in aging since an
      increased inflammatory status of body compartments, including the brain, has been
      reported in elderly people. In addition, inflammatory markers, mainly derived
      from activated microglia, are widely present in neurodegenerative diseases.
      Microglial inflammatory dysfunction, also linked to microglial senescence, has
      been extensively demonstrated and associated with cognitive impairment in
      neuropathological conditions related to aging. In fact, microglia polarization is
      known to influence cognitive function and has therefore become a main player in
      neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia. As the life span of human beings
      increases, so does the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction. Thus, therapeutic
      strategies aimed to modify microglia polarization are currently being developed.
      Pharmacological approaches able to shift microglia from M1 pro-inflammatory to M2
      neuroprotective phenotype are actually being studied, by acting on many different
      molecular targets, such as glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) beta, AMP-activated
      protein kinase (AMPK), histone deacetylases (HDACs), etc. Furthermore,
      nutritional approaches can also modify microglia polarization and, consequently,
      impact cognitive function. Several bioactive compounds normally present in foods,
      such as polyphenols, can have anti-inflammatory effects on microglia. Both
      pharmacological and nutritional approaches seem to be promising, but still need
      further development. Here we review recent data on these approaches and propose
      that their combination could have a synergistic effect to counteract cognitive
      aging impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD) through immunomodulation of
      microglia polarization, i.e., by driving the shift of activated microglia from
      the pro-inflammatory M1 to the neuroprotective M2 phenotype.

PMID- 28638343
TI  - Editorial: Biomarkers in Drug Hypersensitivity.

PMID- 28638344
TI  - The Beneficial Effects of Bisphosphonate-enoxacin on Cortical Bone Mass and
      Strength in Ovariectomized Rats.
AB  - Osteoporosis is a major age-related bone disease characterized by low bone
      mineral density and a high risk of fractures. Bisphosphonates are considered as
      effective agents treating osteoporosis. However, long-term use of bisphosphonates
      is associated with some serious side effects, which limits the widespread
      clinical use of bisphosphonates. Here, we demonstrate a novel type of bone
      targeting anti-resorptive agent, bisphosphonate-enoxacin (BE). In this study,
      ovariectomized rat model was established and treated with PBS, zoledronate (50
      MUg/kg) and different dose of BE (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg), respectively. The rats
      subjected to sham-operation and PBS treatment were considered as control group.
      Then, micro-computed tomography scanning, biomechanical tests, nano-indentation
      test and Raman analysis were used to compare the effects of zoledronate and BE on
      cortical bone mass, strength, and composition in ovariectomized rats. We found
      that both zoledronate and BE were beneficial to cortical bone strength. Three
      point bending and nano-indentation tests showed that zoledronate- and BE-treated
      groups had superior general and local biomechanical properties compared to the
      ovariectomized groups. Interestingly, it seemed that BE-treated group got a
      better biomechanical property than the zoledronate-treated group. Also, BE
      treated group showed significantly increased proteoglycan content compared with
      the zoledronate-treated group. We hypothesized that the increased bone strength
      and biomechanical properties was due to altered bone composition after treatment
      with BE. BE, a new bone-targeting agent, may be considered a more suitable anti
      resorptive agent to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases associated with
      decreased bone mass.

PMID- 28638342
TI  - Warfarin Anticoagulation Therapy in Caribbean Hispanics of Puerto Rico: A
      Candidate Gene Association Study.
AB  - Existing algorithms account for ~50% of observed variance in warfarin dose
      requirements after including common polymorphisms. However, they do not perform
      as well in populations other than Caucasians, in part because some ethno-specific
      genetic variants are overlooked. The objective of the present study was to
      identify genetic polymorphisms that can explain variability in warfarin dose
      requirements among Caribbean Hispanics of Puerto Rico. Next-Generation Sequencing
      of candidate genes CYP2C9 and VKORC1 and genotyping by DMET(r) Plus Assay of
      cardiovascular patients were performed. We also aimed at characterizing the
      genomic structure and admixture pattern of this study cohort. Our study used the
      Extreme Discordant Phenotype approach to perform a case-control association
      analysis. The CYP2C9 variant rs2860905, which was found in all the major
      haplotypes occurring in the Puerto Rican population, showed stronger association
      with warfarin sensitivity (<4 mg/day) than common variants CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3.
      Although, CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 are separately contained within two of the
      haplotypes, 10 subjects with the sensitive phenotype were carriers of only the
      CYP2C9 rs2860905 variant. Other polymorphisms in CES2 and ABCB1 were found to be
      associated with warfarin resistance. Incorporation of rs2860905 in a regression
      model (R2 = 0.63, MSE = 0.37) that also includes additional genetics (i.e.,
      VKORC1-1639 G>A; CYP2C9 rs1856908; ABCB1 c.IVS9-44A>G/ rs10276036; CES2 c.269
      965A>G/ rs4783745) and non-genetic factors (i.e., hypertension, diabetes and age)
      showed better prediction of warfarin dose requirements than CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3
      combined (partial R2 = 0.132 vs. 0.023 and 0.007, respectively, p < 0.001). The
      genetic background of Puerto Ricans in the study cohort showed a tri-hybrid
      admixture pattern, with a slightly higher than expected contribution of Native
      American ancestry (25%). The genomic diversity of Puerto Ricans is highlighted by
      the presence of four different major haplotype blocks in the CYP2C9 locus.
      Although, our findings need further replication, this study contributes to the
      field by identifying novel genetic variants that increase predictability of
      stable warfarin dosing among Caribbean Hispanics.

PMID- 28638345
TI  - Heterogeneity and Developmental Connections between Cell Types Inhabiting Teeth.
AB  - Every tissue is composed of multiple cell types that are developmentally,
      evolutionary and functionally integrated into the unit we call an organ. Teeth,
      our organs for biting and mastication, are complex and made of many different
      cell types connected or disconnected in terms of their ontogeny. In general,
      epithelial and mesenchymal compartments represent the major framework of tooth
      formation. Thus, they give rise to the two most important matrix-producing
      populations: ameloblasts generating enamel and odontoblasts producing dentin.
      However, the real picture is far from this quite simplified view. Diverse pulp
      cells, the immune system, the vascular system, the innervation and cells
      organizing the dental follicle all interact, and jointly participate in
      transforming lifeless matrix into a functional organ that can sense and protect
      itself. Here we outline the heterogeneity of cell types that inhabit the tooth,
      and also provide a life history of the major populations. The mouse model system
      has been indispensable not only for the studies of cell lineages and
      heterogeneity, but also for the investigation of dental stem cells and tooth
      patterning during development. Finally, we briefly discuss the evolutionary
      aspects of cell type diversity and dental tissue integration.

PMID- 28638347
TI  - Bile Acids Do Not Contribute to the Altered Calcium Homeostasis of Platelets from
      Rats with Biliary Cirrhosis.
AB  - Previously, we have found that intracellular calcium homeostasis is altered in
      platelets from an experimental model of liver cirrhosis, the bile-duct ligated
      (BDL) rat; these alterations are compatible with the existence of a
      hypercoagulable state and related to an enhanced intracellular calcium release
      evoked by thrombin and an increased amount of calcium stored in the intracellular
      organelles. In the present study we have investigated the role of bile acids in
      those alterations of the BDL cirrhotic model. Cholic acid (CA) or deoxycholic
      acid (DCA) did not change P-selectin expression or platelet aggregation in any
      group but elevated baseline platelet calcium levels. Incubation with both bile
      acids reduced calcium release after stimulation with thrombin in the absence of
      extracellular calcium. Pretreatment with CA but not with DCA reduced
      significantly thrombin-induced calcium entry in all three experimental groups.
      The capacitative calcium entry was also significantly lower in platelets
      pretreated with both bile acids. The simultaneous addition of thapsigargin and
      ionomycin to estimate the total amount of calcium in platelet internal stores was
      decreased by pretreatment with both CA and DCA, although these changes were
      significantly different in the control rats only with CA and in the BDL platelets
      with DCA. These results indicate that CA and DCA reduce calcium movements in
      platelets of control and BDL animals, thus suggesting that bile acids do not
      participate in the alterations observed in the BDL cirrotic model.

PMID- 28638348
TI  - The Redox Balance in Erythrocytes, Plasma, and Periosteum of Patients with
      Titanium Fixation of the Jaw.
AB  - Titanium miniplates and screws are commonly used for fixation of jaw fractured or
      osteotomies. Despite the opinion of their biocompatibility, in clinical practice
      symptoms of chronic inflammation around the fixation develop in some patients,
      even many years after the application of miniplates and screws. The cause of
      these complications is still an unanswered question. Taking into account that
      oxidative stress is one of the toxic action of titanium, we have evaluated the
      antioxidant barrier as well as oxidative stress in the erythrocytes, plasma and
      periosteum covering the titanium fixation of the jaw. The study group was
      composed of 32 patients aged 20-30 with inserted miniplates and screws. The
      antioxidant defense: catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide
      dismutase-1 (SOD1), uric acid (UA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), as well as
      oxidative damage products: advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), advanced
      glycation end products (AGE), dityrosine, kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine,
      tryptophan, malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), total oxidant status
      (TOS), and oxidative status index (OSI) were evaluated. SOD1 activity (?37%), and
      tryptophan levels (?34%) showed a significant decrease while AOPP (?25%), TOS
      (?80%) and OSI (?101%) were significantly elevated in maxillary periosteum of
      patients who underwent bimaxillary osteotomies as compared to the control group.
      SOD-1 (?55%), TAC (?58.6%), AGE (?60%) and N-formylkynurenine (?34%) was
      statistically reduced while AOPP (?38%), MDA (?29%), 4-HNE (?114%), TOS (?99%),
      and OSI (?381%) were significantly higher in the mandibular periosteum covering
      miniplates/screw compared with the control tissues. There were no correlations
      between antioxidants and oxidative stress markers in the periosteum of all
      patients and the blood. As exposure to the Ti6Al4V titanium alloy leads to
      disturbances of redox balance in the periosteum surrounding titanium implants of
      the maxilla and the mandible so antioxidant supplementation should be recommended
      to the patients undergoing treatment of dentofacial deformities with the use of
      titanium implants. The results we obtained may also indicate a need to improve
      the quality of titanium jaw fixations through increase of TiO2 passivation layer
      thickness or to develop new, the most highly biodegradable materials for their
      production.

PMID- 28638349
TI  - Cardiorespiratory Coordination in Repeated Maximal Exercise.
AB  - Increases in cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC) after training with no
      differences in performance and physiological variables have recently been
      reported using a principal component analysis approach. However, no research has
      yet evaluated the short-term effects of exercise on CRC. The aim of this study
      was to delineate the behavior of CRC under different physiological initial
      conditions produced by repeated maximal exercises. Fifteen participants performed
      2 consecutive graded and maximal cycling tests. Test 1 was performed without any
      previous exercise, and Test 2 6 min after Test 1. Both tests started at 0 W and
      the workload was increased by 25 W/min in males and 20 W/min in females, until
      they were not able to maintain the prescribed cycling frequency of 70 rpm for
      more than 5 consecutive seconds. A principal component (PC) analysis of selected
      cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory variables (expired fraction of O2, expired
      fraction of CO2, ventilation, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure,
      and heart rate) was performed to evaluate the CRC defined by the number of PCs in
      both tests. In order to quantify the degree of coordination, the information
      entropy was calculated and the eigenvalues of the first PC (PC1) were compared
      between tests. Although no significant differences were found between the tests
      with respect to the performed maximal workload (Wmax), maximal oxygen consumption
      (VO2 max), or ventilatory threshold (VT), an increase in the number of PCs and/or
      a decrease of eigenvalues of PC1 (t = 2.95; p = 0.01; d = 1.08) was found in Test
      2 compared to Test 1. Moreover, entropy was significantly higher (Z = 2.33; p =
      0.02; d = 1.43) in the last test. In conclusion, despite the fact that no
      significant differences were observed in the conventionally explored maximal
      performance and physiological variables (Wmax, VO2 max, and VT) between tests, a
      reduction of CRC was observed in Test 2. These results emphasize the interest of
      CRC evaluation in the assessment and interpretation of cardiorespiratory exercise
      testing.

PMID- 28638346
TI  - MicroRNAs in Muscle: Characterizing the Powerlifter Phenotype.
AB  - Powerlifters are the epitome of muscular adaptation and are able to generate
      extreme forces. The molecular mechanisms underpinning the significant capacity
      for force generation and hypertrophy are not fully elucidated. MicroRNAs (miRs)
      are short non-coding RNA sequences that control gene expression via promotion of
      transcript breakdown and/or translational inhibition. Differences in basal miR
      expression may partially account for phenotypic differences in muscle mass and
      function between powerlifters and untrained age-matched controls. Muscle biopsies
      were obtained from m. vastus lateralis of 15 national level powerlifters (25.1 +/
      5.8 years) and 13 untrained controls (24.1 +/- 2.0 years). The powerlifters were
      stronger than the controls (isokinetic knee extension at 60 degrees /s: 307.8 +/-
      51.6 Nm vs. 211.9 +/- 41.9 Nm, respectively P < 0.001), and also had larger
      muscle fibers (type I CSA 9,122 +/- 1,238 vs. 4,511 +/- 798 MUm2p < 0.001 and
      type II CSA 11,100 +/- 1,656 vs. 5,468 +/- 1,477 MUm2p < 0.001). Of the 17 miRs
      species analyzed, 12 were differently expressed (p < 0.05) between groups with 7
      being more abundant in powerlifters and five having lower expression. Established
      transcriptionally regulated miR downstream gene targets involved in muscle mass
      regulation, including myostatin and MyoD, were also differentially expressed
      between groups. Correlation analysis demonstrates the abundance of eight miRs was
      correlated to phenotype including peak strength, fiber size, satellite cell
      abundance, and fiber type regardless of grouping. The unique miR expression
      profiles between groups allow for categorization of individuals as either
      powerlifter or healthy controls based on a five miR signature (miR-126, -23b, 
      16, -23a, -15a) with considerable accuracy (100%). Thus, this unique miR
      expression may be important to the characterization of the powerlifter phenotype.

PMID- 28638350
TI  - Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein
      Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans.
AB  - The ingestion of intact protein or essential amino acids (EAA) stimulates
      mechanistic target of rapamycin complex-1 (mTORC1) signaling and muscle protein
      synthesis (MPS) following resistance exercise. The purpose of this study was to
      investigate the response of myofibrillar-MPS to ingestion of branched-chain amino
      acids (BCAAs) only (i.e., without concurrent ingestion of other EAA, intact
      protein, or other macronutrients) following resistance exercise in humans. Ten
      young (20.1 +/- 1.3 years), resistance-trained men completed two trials,
      ingesting either 5.6 g BCAA or a placebo (PLA) drink immediately after resistance
      exercise. Myofibrillar-MPS was measured during exercise recovery with a primed,
      constant infusion of L-[ring13C6] phenylalanine and collection of muscle biopsies
      pre and 4 h-post drink ingestion. Blood samples were collected at time-points
      before and after drink ingestion. Western blotting was used to measure the
      phosphorylation status of mTORC1 signaling proteins in biopsies collected pre, 1
      , and 4 h-post drink. The percentage increase from baseline in plasma leucine
      (300 +/- 96%), isoleucine (300 +/- 88%), and valine (144 +/- 59%) concentrations
      peaked 0.5 h-post drink in BCAA. A greater phosphorylation status of S6K1Thr389
      (P = 0.017) and PRAS40 (P = 0.037) was observed in BCAA than PLA at 1 h-post
      drink ingestion. Myofibrillar-MPS was 22% higher (P = 0.012) in BCAA (0.110 +/-
      0.009%/h) than PLA (0.090 +/- 0.006%/h). Phenylalanine Ra was ~6% lower in BCAA
      (18.00 +/- 4.31 MUmol.kgBM-1) than PLA (21.75 +/- 4.89 MUmol.kgBM-1; P = 0.028)
      after drink ingestion. We conclude that ingesting BCAAs alone increases the post
      exercise stimulation of myofibrillar-MPS and phosphorylation status mTORC1
      signaling.

PMID- 28638351
TI  - Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Considerations for Research in
      Adolescent Depression.
AB  - Adolescent depression is a prevalent disorder with substantial morbidity and
      mortality. Current treatment interventions do not target relevant pathophysiology
      and are frequently ineffective, thereby leading to a substantial burden for
      individuals, families, and society. During adolescence, the prefrontal cortex
      undergoes extensive structural and functional changes. Recent work suggests that
      frontolimbic development in depressed adolescents is delayed or aberrant. The
      judicious application of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to the
      prefrontal cortex may present a promising opportunity for durable interventions
      in adolescent depression. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applies
      a low-intensity, continuous current that alters cortical excitability. While this
      modality does not elicit action potentials, it is thought to manipulate neuronal
      activity and neuroplasticity. Specifically, tDCS may modulate N-methyl-d
      aspartate receptors and L-type voltage-gated calcium channels and effect changes
      through long-term potentiation or long-term depression-like mechanisms. This mini
      review considers the neurobiological rationale for developing tDCS protocols in
      adolescent depression, reviews existing work in adult mood disorders, surveys the
      existing tDCS literature in adolescent populations, reviews safety studies, and
      discusses distinct ethical considerations in work with adolescents.

PMID- 28638352
TI  - Why Psychiatric Research Must Abandon Traditional Diagnostic Classification and
      Adopt a Fully Dimensional Scope: Two Solutions to a Persistent Problem.

PMID- 28638354
TI  - Investigating Team Coordination in Baseball Using a Novel Joint Decision Making
      Paradigm.
AB  - A novel joint decision making paradigm for assessing team coordination was
      developed and tested using baseball infielders. Balls launched onto an infield at
      different trajectories were filmed using four video cameras that were each placed
      at one of the typical positions of the four infielders. Each participant viewed
      temporally occluded videos for one of the four positions and were asked to say
      either "ball" if they would attempt to field it or the name of the bag that they
      would cover. The evaluation of two experienced coaches was used to assign a group
      coordination score for each trajectory and group decision times were calculated.
      Thirty groups of 4 current college baseball players were: (i) teammates (players
      from same team/view from own position), (ii) non-teammates (players from
      different teams/view from own position), or (iii) scrambled teammates (players
      from same team/view not from own position). Teammates performed significantly
      better (i.e., faster and more coordinated decisions) than the other two groups,
      whereas scrambled teammates performed significantly better than non-teammates.
      These findings suggest that team coordination is achieved through both experience
      with one's teammates' responses to particular events (e.g., a ball hit up the
      middle) and one's own general action capabilities (e.g., running speed). The
      sensitivity of our joint decision making paradigm to group makeup provides
      support for its use as a method for studying team coordination.

PMID- 28638353
TI  - The Effects of Spatial Endogenous Pre-cueing across Eccentricities.
AB  - Frequently, we use expectations about likely locations of a target to guide the
      allocation of our attention. Despite the importance of this attentional process
      in everyday tasks, examination of pre-cueing effects on attention, particularly
      endogenous pre-cueing effects, has been relatively little explored outside an
      eccentricity of 20 degrees . Given the visual field has functional subdivisions
      that attentional processes can differ significantly among the foveal, perifoveal,
      and more peripheral areas, how endogenous pre-cues that carry spatial information
      of targets influence our allocation of attention across a large visual field
      (especially in the more peripheral areas) remains unclear. We present two
      experiments examining how the expectation of the location of the target shapes
      the distribution of attention across eccentricities in the visual field. We
      measured participants' ability to pick out a target among distractors in the
      visual field after the presentation of a highly valid cue indicating the size of
      the area in which the target was likely to occur, or the likely direction of the
      target (left or right side of the display). Our first experiment showed that
      participants had a higher target detection rate with faster responses,
      particularly at eccentricities of 20 degrees  and 30 degrees . There was also a
      marginal advantage of pre-cueing effects when trials of the same size cue were
      blocked compared to when trials were mixed. Experiment 2 demonstrated a higher
      target detection rate when the target occurred at the cued direction. This pre
      cueing effect was greater at larger eccentricities and with a longer cue-target
      interval. Our findings on the endogenous pre-cueing effects across a large visual
      area were summarized using a simple model to assist in conceptualizing the
      modifications of the distribution of attention over the visual field. We discuss
      our finding in light of cognitive penetration of perception, and highlight the
      importance of examining attentional process across a large area of the visual
      field.

PMID- 28638355
TI  - Motion Event Similarity Judgments in One or Two Languages: An Exploration of
      Monolingual Speakers of English and Chinese vs. L2 Learners of English.
AB  - Languages differ systematically in how to encode a motion event. English
      characteristically expresses manner in verb root and path in verb particle; in
      Chinese, varied aspects of motion, such as manner, path and cause, can be
      simultaneously encoded in a verb compound. This study investigates whether
      typological differences, as such, influence how first and second language
      learners conceptualize motion events, as suggested by behavioral evidences.
      Specifically, the performance of Chinese learners of English, at three
      proficiencies, was compared to that of two groups of monolingual speakers in a
      triads matching task. The first set of analyses regarding categorisation
      preferences indicates that participants across groups preferred the path-matched
      (rather than manner-matched) screens. However, the second set of analyses
      regarding reaction time suggests, firstly, that English monolingual speakers
      reacted significantly more quickly in selecting the manner-matched scenes
      compared with monolingual speakers of Chinese, who tended to use an approximately
      equal amount of time in making manner- and path-matched decisions, a finding that
      can arguably be mapped onto the typological difference between the two languages.
      Secondly, the pattern of response latency in low-level L2 learners looked more
      like that of monolingual speakers of Chinese. Only at intermediate and advanced
      levels of acquisition did the behavioral pattern of L2 learners become target
      like, thus suggesting language-specific constraints from the L1 at an early stage
      of acquisition. Overall, our results suggest that motion event cognition may be
      linked to, among other things, the linguistic structure of motion description in
      particular languages.

PMID- 28638356
TI  - How Can Smoking Cessation Be Induced Before Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta
      Analysis of Behavior Change Techniques and Other Intervention Characteristics.
AB  - Background: Smokers who continue to smoke up to the point of surgery are at
      increased risk of a range of complications during and following surgery.
      Objective: To identify whether behavioral and/or pharmacological interventions
      increase the likelihood that smokers quit prior to elective surgery and which
      intervention components are associated with larger effects. Design: Systematic
      review with meta-analysis. Data sources: MEDLINE, Embase, and Embase Classic,
      CINAHL, CENTRAL. Study selection: Studies testing the effect of smoking reduction
      interventions delivered at least 24 h before elective surgery were included.
      Study appraisal and synthesis: Potential studies were independently screened by
      two people. Data relating to study characteristics and risk of bias were
      extracted. The effects of the interventions on pre-operative smoking abstinence
      were estimated using random effects meta-analyses. The association between
      specific intervention components (behavior change techniques; mode; duration;
      number of sessions; interventionist) and smoking cessation effect sizes were
      estimated using meta-regressions. Results: Twenty-two studies comprising 2,992
      smokers were included and 19 studies were meta-analyzed. Interventions increased
      the proportion of smokers who were abstinent or reduced smoking by surgery
      relative to control: g = 0.56, 95% CI 0.32-0.80, with rates nearly double in the
      intervention (46.2%) relative to the control (24.5%). Interventions that
      comprised more sessions, delivered face-to-face and by nurses, as well as
      specific behavior change techniques (providing information on consequence of
      smoking/cessation; providing information on withdrawal symptoms; goal setting;
      review of goals; regular monitoring by others; and giving options for additional
      or later support) were associated with larger effects. Conclusion: Rates of
      smoking can be halved prior to surgery and a number of intervention
      characteristics can increase these effects. There was, however, some indication
      of publication bias meaning the benefits of such interventions may be smaller
      than estimated. Registration: Prospero 2015: CRD42015024733.

PMID- 28638357
TI  - Leaders' Behaviors Matter: The Role of Delegation in Promoting Employees'
      Feedback-Seeking Behavior.
AB  - Feedback helps employees to evaluate and improve their performance, but there
      have been relatively few empirical investigations into how leaders can encourage
      employees to seek feedback. To fill this gap we examined the relationship among
      delegation, psychological empowerment, and feedback-seeking behavior. We
      hypothesized that delegation promotes feedback-seeking behavior by
      psychologically empowering subordinates. In addition, power distance moderates
      the relationship between delegation and feedback-seeking behavior. Analysis of
      data from a sample of 248 full-time employees of a hotel group in northern China
      indicated that delegation predicts subordinates' feedback seeking for individuals
      with moderate and high power distance orientation, but not for those with low
      power distance orientation. The mediation hypothesis was also supported.

PMID- 28638358
TI  - Learning to Detect Triggers of Airway Symptoms: The Role of Illness Beliefs,
      Conceptual Categories and Actual Experience with Allergic Symptoms.
AB  - Background: In asthma and allergic rhinitis, beliefs about what triggers allergic
      reactions often do not match objective allergy tests. This may be due to
      insensitivity for expectancy violations as a result of holding trigger beliefs
      based on conceptual relationships among triggers. In this laboratory experiment,
      we aimed to investigate how pre-existing beliefs and conceptual relationships
      among triggers interact with actual experience when learning differential symptom
      expectations. Methods: Healthy participants (N = 48) received information that
      allergic reactions were a result of specific sensitivities versus general
      allergic vulnerability. Next, they performed a trigger learning task using a
      differential conditioning paradigm: brief inhalation of CO2 enriched air was used
      to induce symptoms, while participants were led to believe that the symptoms came
      about as a result of inhaled allergens (conditioned stimuli, CS's; CS+ followed
      by symptoms, CS- not followed by symptoms). CS+ and CS- stimuli either shared
      (e.g., birds-mammals) or did not share (e.g. birds-fungi) category membership.
      During Acquisition, participants reported symptom expectancy and symptom
      intensity for all triggers. During a Test 1 day later, participants rated symptom
      expectancies for old CS+/CS- triggers, for novel triggers within categories, and
      for exemplars of novel trigger categories. Data were analyzed using multilevel
      models. Findings: Only a subgroup of participants (n = 22) showed differences
      between CO2 and room air symptoms. In this group of responders, analysis of
      symptom expectancies during acquisition did not result in significant
      differential symptom CS+/CS- acquisition. A retention test 1 day later showed
      differential CS+/CS- symptom expectancies: When CS categories did not share
      category membership, specific sensitivity beliefs improved retention of CS+/CS-
      differentiation. However, when CS categories shared category membership, general
      vulnerability beliefs improved retention of CS+/CS- differentiation. Furthermore,
      participants showed some selectivity in generalization of symptom expectancies to
      novel categories, as symptom expectancies did not generalize to novel categories
      that were unrelated to CS+ or CS- categories. Generalization to novel categories
      was not affected by information about general vulnerability or specific
      sensitivities. Discussion: Pre-existing vulnerability beliefs and conceptual
      relationships between trigger categories influence differential symptom
      expectancies to allergic triggers.

PMID- 28638360
TI  - Sequential Effects in Essay Ratings: Evidence of Assimilation Effects Using Cross
      Classified Models.
AB  - Writing assessments are an indispensable part of most language competency tests.
      In our research, we used cross-classified models to study rater effects in the
      real essay rating process of a large-scale, high-stakes educational examination
      administered in China in 2011. Generally, four cross-classified models are
      suggested for investigation of rater effects: (1) the existence of sequential
      effects, (2) the direction of the sequential effects, and (3) differences in
      raters by their individual characteristics. We applied these models to the data
      to account for possible cluster effects caused by the application of multiple
      rating strategies. The results of our research showed that raters demonstrated
      sequential effects during the rating process. In contrast to many other studies
      on rater effects, our study found that raters exhibited assimilation effects. The
      more experienced, lenient, and qualified raters were less susceptible to
      assimilation effects. In addition, our research demonstrated the feasibility and
      appropriateness of using cross-classified models in assessing rater effects for
      such data structures. This paper also discusses the implications for educators
      and practitioners who are interested in reducing sequential effects in the rating
      process, and suggests directions for future research.

PMID- 28638359
TI  - Neural Correlates of Outcome of the Psychotherapy Compared to Antidepressant
      Therapy in Anxiety and Depression Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - The most prevalent mental disorders, anxiety and depression, are commonly
      associated with structural and functional changes in the fronto-limbic brain
      areas. The clinical trials investigating patients with affective disorders showed
      different outcome to different treatments such as psychotherapy or
      pharmacotherapy. It is, however, still unexplored how these interventions
      approach affect the functional brain. This meta-analysis aims to compare the
      effects of psychotherapy compared to antidepressant therapy on functional brain
      activity in anxiety and depression disorders. Twenty-one samples with
      psychotherapy and seventeen samples with antidepressant therapy were included.
      The main finding showed an inverse effect of the two treatments on the right
      paracingulate activity. The patients undergoing psychotherapy showed an increase
      in the right paracingulate activity while pharmacological treatment led to a
      decrease of activation of this area. This finding seems to support the recent
      studies that hypothesize how psychotherapy, through the self-knowledge and the
      meaning processing, involves a top-down emotional regulation.

PMID- 28638361
TI  - Bilingual Language Switching: Production vs. Recognition.
AB  - This study aims at assessing how bilinguals select words in the appropriate
      language in production and recognition while minimizing interference from the non
      appropriate language. Two prominent models are considered which assume that when
      one language is in use, the other is suppressed. The Inhibitory Control (IC)
      model suggests that, in both production and recognition, the amount of inhibition
      on the non-target language is greater for the stronger compared to the weaker
      language. In contrast, the Bilingual Interactive Activation (BIA) model proposes
      that, in language recognition, the amount of inhibition on the weaker language is
      stronger than otherwise. To investigate whether bilingual language production and
      recognition can be accounted for by a single model of bilingual processing, we
      tested a group of native speakers of Dutch (L1), advanced speakers of English
      (L2) in a bilingual recognition and production task. Specifically, language
      switching costs were measured while participants performed a lexical decision
      (recognition) and a picture naming (production) task involving language
      switching. Results suggest that while in language recognition the amount of
      inhibition applied to the non-appropriate language increases along with its
      dominance as predicted by the IC model, in production the amount of inhibition
      applied to the non-relevant language is not related to language dominance, but
      rather it may be modulated by speakers' unconscious strategies to foster the
      weaker language. This difference indicates that bilingual language recognition
      and production might rely on different processing mechanisms and cannot be
      accounted within one of the existing models of bilingual language processing.

PMID- 28638362
TI  - Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Mediates the Association between Self
      Control Skills and Subjective Well-Being.
AB  - Although studies have shown that self-control skills (SCSs) are positively linked
      to both personal and interpersonal outcomes in adolescent students, studies on
      the putative mechanisms underlying this relationship are scarce. Drawing on Self
      Determination Theory and previous studies, we theorized that the association
      between students' SCSs and their subjective well-being (SWB) in school may be
      mediated by students' perceived satisfaction of their basic psychological needs
      for competence, relatedness, and autonomy. The sample consisted of 1576 Israeli
      adolescent students (54% girls) in grades 10-12 (mean age 16) enrolled in 20
      schools. A mediation model was tested with structural equation modeling and a
      robust bootstrap method for testing indirect effects, controlling for school
      level variance. The findings supported the hypothesized model and a post hoc
      multi-group comparison analysis yielded gender invariance in the model. The
      findings suggest that both girls and boys with high SCSs may perceive themselves
      as having greater needs satisfaction in school and consequently higher school
      related SWB. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

PMID- 28638363
TI  - Toddlers Selectively Help Fair Agents.
AB  - : Previous research showed that infants and toddlers are inclined to help
      prosocial agents and assign a positive valence to fair distributions. Also, they
      expect that positive and negative actions directed toward distributors will
      conform to reciprocity principles. This study investigates whether toddlers are
      selective in helping others, as a function of others' previous distributive
      actions. Toddlers were presented with real-life events in which two actresses
      distributed resources either equally or unequally between two puppets. Then, they
      played together with a ball that accidentally fell to the ground and asked
      participants to help them to retrieve it. Participants preferred to help the
      actress who performed equal distributions. This finding suggests that by the
      second year children's prosocial actions are modulated by their emerging sense of
      fairness. HIGHLIGHTS: Toddlers (mean age = 25 months) are selective in helping
      distributors. Toddlers prefer helping a fair rather than an unfair distributor.
      Toddlers' selective helping provides evidence for an early sense of fairness.

PMID- 28638364
TI  - Impact of Neuronal Membrane Damage on the Local Field Potential in a Large-Scale
      Simulation of Cerebral Cortex.
AB  - Within multiscale brain dynamics, the structure-function relationship between
      cellular changes at a lower scale and coordinated oscillations at a higher scale
      is not well understood. This relationship may be particularly relevant for
      understanding functional impairments after a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)
      when current neuroimaging methods do not reveal morphological changes to the
      brain common in moderate to severe TBI such as diffuse axonal injury or gray
      matter lesions. Here, we created a physiology-based model of cerebral cortex
      using a publicly released modeling framework (GEneral NEural SImulation System)
      to explore the possibility that performance deficits characteristic of blast
      induced mTBI may reflect dysfunctional, local network activity influenced by
      microscale neuronal damage at the cellular level. We operationalized microscale
      damage to neurons as the formation of pores on the neuronal membrane based on
      research using blast paradigms, and in our model, pores were simulated by a
      change in membrane conductance. We then tracked changes in simulated electrical
      activity. Our model contained 585 simulated neurons, comprised of 14 types of
      cortical and thalamic neurons each with its own compartmental morphology and
      electrophysiological properties. Comparing the functional activity of neurons
      before and after simulated damage, we found that simulated pores in the membrane
      reduced both action potential generation and local field potential (LFP) power in
      the 1-40 Hz range of the power spectrum. Furthermore, the location of damage
      modulated the strength of these effects: pore formation on simulated axons
      reduced LFP power more strongly than did pore formation on the soma and the
      dendrites. These results indicate that even small amounts of cellular damage can
      negatively impact functional activity of larger scale oscillations, and our
      findings suggest that multiscale modeling provides a promising avenue to
      elucidate these relationships.

PMID- 28638365
TI  - Motor Impairments in Transient Ischemic Attack Increase the Odds of a Subsequent
      Stroke: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Transient ischemic attack (TIA) increases the risk for a
      subsequent stroke. Typical symptoms include motor weakness, gait disturbance, and
      loss of coordination. The association between the presence of motor impairments
      during a TIA and the chances of a subsequent stroke has not been examined. In the
      current meta-analysis, we examine whether the odds of a stroke are greater in TIA
      individuals who experience motor impairments as compared with those who do not
      experience motor impairments. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of
      electronic databases as well as manual searches of the reference lists of
      retrieved articles. The meta-analysis included studies that reported an odds
      ratio relating motor impairments to a subsequent stroke, or the number of
      individuals with or without motor impairments who experienced a subsequent
      stroke. We examined these studies using rigorous meta-analysis techniques
      including random effects model, forest and funnel plots, I2, publication bias,
      and fail-safe analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies with 15,129 participants
      from North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe qualified for inclusion. An odds
      ratio of 2.11 (95% CI, 1.67-2.65, p = 0.000) suggested that the chances of a
      subsequent stroke are increased by twofolds in individuals who experience motor
      impairments during a TIA compared with those individuals who have no motor
      impairments. CONCLUSION: The presence of motor impairments during TIA is a
      significantly high-risk clinical characteristic for a subsequent stroke. The
      current evidence for motor impairments following TIA relies exclusively on the
      clinical reports of unilateral motor weakness. A comprehensive examination of
      motor impairments in TIA will enhance TIA prognosis and restoration of residual
      motor impairments.

PMID- 28638366
TI  - Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone and Its Role in the Enteric Nervous System.
AB  - Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), follicle-stimulating hormone, and
      luteinizing hormone orchestrate the reproduction cycle and regulate the sex
      steroid secretion from the gonads. In mammals, GnRH1 is secreted as a hormone
      from the hypothalamus, whereas both GnRH1 and GnRH2 are present as
      neurotransmitters/peptides in various tissues, where the peptides exert many
      different effects. mRNA coding for GnRH1 and GnRH2 have been described in the
      human gastrointestinal tract, and GnRH has been found in both submucosal and
      myenteric neurons. mRNA coding for GnRH and the fully expressed peptide have been
      found in rat enteric neurons by some researchers but not by others. mRNA coding
      for GnRH receptors, but not the fully expressed receptor, has been found in one
      rat study. GnRH influences gastrointestinal motility and secretion. GnRH analogs
      are clinically used in the treatment of sex hormone-dependent diseases, i.e.,
      endometriosis and malignancies, and as pretreatment for in vitro fertilization.
      Reduced numbers of enteric neurons and IgM antibodies against GnRH and
      progonadoliberin-2 (precursor of GnRH2) have been observed after such treatment,
      with the clinical picture of gastrointestinal dysmotility. Similarly, a rat model
      of enteric neurodegeneration has been developed after administration of the GnRH
      analog buserelin. Serum IgM antibodies against GnRH1, progonadoliberin-2, and
      GnRH receptors have been described in patients with signs and symptoms of
      gastrointestinal dysmotility and/or autonomic dysfunction, such as irritable
      bowel syndrome, enteric dysmotility, diabetes mellitus, and primary Sjogren's
      syndrome. Thus, apart from regulation of reproduction and sex hormone secretion,
      GnRH also constitutes a part of enteric nervous system (ENS) and its functions
      during physiological and pathological conditions. This review aimed to describe
      the role of GnRH in the ENS.

PMID- 28638367
TI  - GnRH Agonist Trigger and LH Activity Luteal Phase Support versus hCG Trigger and
      Conventional Luteal Phase Support in Fresh Embryo Transfer IVF/ICSI Cycles-A
      Systematic PRISMA Review and Meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The use of GnRH agonist (GnRHa) for final oocyte maturation trigger
      in oocyte donation and elective frozen embryo transfer cycles is well established
      due to lower ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) rates as compared to hCG
      trigger. A recent Cochrane meta-analysis concluded that GnRHa trigger was
      associated with reduced live birth rates (LBRs) in fresh autologous IVF cycles
      compared to hCG trigger. However, the evidence is not unequivocal, and recent
      trials have found encouraging reproductive outcomes among couples undergoing
      GnRHa trigger and individualized luteal LH activity support. Thus, the aim was to
      compare GnRHa trigger followed by luteal LH activity support with hCG trigger in
      IVF patients undergoing fresh embryo transfer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted
      a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials published until
      December 14, 2016. The population was infertile patients submitted to IVF/ICSI
      cycles with GnRH antagonist cotreatment who underwent fresh embryo transfer. The
      intervention was GnRHa trigger followed by LH activity luteal phase support
      (LPS). The comparator was hCG trigger followed by a standard LPS. The critical
      outcome measures were LBR and OHSS rate. The secondary outcome measures were
      number of oocytes retrieved, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates, and
      miscarriage rates. RESULTS: A total of five studies met the selection criteria
      comprising a total of 859 patients. The LBR was not significantly different
      between the GnRHa and hCG trigger groups (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.62, 1.14). OHSS was
      reported in a total of 4/413 cases in the GnRHa group compared to 7/413 in the
      hCG group (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.15, 1.60). We observed a slight, but non-significant
      increase in miscarriage rate in the GnRHa triggered group compared to the hCG
      group (OR 1.85; 95% CI 0.97, 3.54). CONCLUSION: GnRHa trigger with LH activity
      LPS resulted in comparable LBRs compared to hCG trigger. The most recent trials
      reported LBRs close to unity indicating that individualization of the LH activity
      LPS improved the luteal phase deficiency reported in the first GnRHa trigger
      studies. However, LPS optimization is needed to further limit OHSS in the
      subgroup of normoresponder patients (<14 follicles >= 11 mm). PROSPERO
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016051091.

PMID- 28638368
TI  - Impact of Ferrous Iron on Microbial Community of the Biofilm in Microbial Fuel
      Cells.
AB  - The performance of microbial electrochemical cells depends upon microbial
      community structure and metabolic activity of the electrode biofilms. Iron as a
      signal affects biofilm development and enrichment of exoelectrogenic bacteria. In
      this study, the effect of ferrous iron on microbial communities of the electrode
      biofilms in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) was investigated. Voltage production
      showed that ferrous iron of 100 MUM facilitated MFC start-up compared to 150 MUM,
      200 MUM, and without supplement of ferrous iron. However, higher concentration of
      ferrous iron had an inhibitive influence on current generation after 30 days of
      operation. Illumina Hiseq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons indicated that
      ferrous iron substantially changed microbial community structures of both anode
      and cathode biofilms. Principal component analysis showed that the response of
      microbial communities of the anode biofilms to higher concentration of ferrous
      iron was more sensitive. The majority of predominant populations of the anode
      biofilms in MFCs belonged to Geobacter, which was different from the populations
      of the cathode biofilms. An obvious shift of community structures of the cathode
      biofilms occurred after ferrous iron addition. This study implied that ferrous
      iron influenced the power output and microbial community of MFCs.

PMID- 28638369
TI  - Diversity and Activity of Diazotrophs in Great Barrier Reef Surface Waters.
AB  - Discrepancies between bioavailable nitrogen (N) concentrations and phytoplankton
      growth rates in the oligotrophic waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) suggest
      that undetermined N sources must play a significant role in supporting primary
      productivity. One such source could be biological dinitrogen (N2) fixation
      through the activity of "diazotrophic" bacterioplankton. Here, we investigated N2
      fixation and diazotroph community composition over 10 degrees  S of latitude
      within GBR surface waters. Qualitative N2 fixation rates were found to be
      variable across the GBR but were relatively high in coastal, inner and outer GBR
      waters, reaching 68 nmol L-1 d-1. Diazotroph assemblages, identified by amplicon
      sequencing of the nifH gene, were dominated by the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium
      erythraeum, gamma-proteobacteria from the Gamma A clade, and delta
      proteobacterial phylotypes related to sulfate-reducing genera. However,
      diazotroph communities exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity, correlated
      with shifts in dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations. Specifically,
      heterotrophic diazotrophs generally increased in relative abundance with
      increasing concentrations of phosphate and N, while Trichodesmium was
      proportionally more abundant when concentrations of these nutrients were low.
      This study provides the first in-depth characterization of diazotroph community
      composition and N2 fixation dynamics within the oligotrophic, N-limited surface
      waters of the GBR. Our observations highlight the need to re-evaluate N cycling
      dynamics within oligotrophic coral reef systems, to include diverse N2 fixing
      assemblages as a potentially significant source of dissolved N within the water
      column.

PMID- 28638370
TI  - Removal of Foodborne Pathogen Biofilms by Acidic Electrolyzed Water.
AB  - Biofilms, which are complex microbial communities embedded in the protective
      extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), are difficult to remove in food
      production facilities. In this study, the use of acidic electrolyzed water (AEW)
      to remove foodborne pathogen biofilms was evaluated. We used a green fluorescent
      protein-tagged Escherichia coli for monitoring the efficiency of AEW for removing
      biofilms, where under the optimal treatment conditions, the fluorescent signal of
      cells in the biofilm disappeared rapidly and the population of biofilm cells was
      reduced by more than 67%. Additionally, AEW triggered EPS disruption, as
      indicated by the deformation of the carbohydrate C-O-C bond and deformation of
      the aromatic rings in the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. These
      deformations were identified by EPS chemical analysis and Raman spectroscopic
      analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images confirmed that the breakup
      and detachment of biofilm were enhanced after AEW treatment. Further, AEW also
      eradicated biofilms formed by both Gram-negative bacteria (Vibrio
      parahaemolyticus) and Gram-positive bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes) and was
      observed to inactivate the detached cells which are a potential source of
      secondary pollution. This study demonstrates that AEW could be a reliable
      foodborne pathogen biofilm disrupter and an eco-friendly alternative to
      sanitizers traditionally used in the food industry.

PMID- 28638371
TI  - The Anticancer Peptide TAT-RasGAP317-326 Exerts Broad Antimicrobial Activity.
AB  - Antibiotic resistance has become a major health issue. Nosocomial infections and
      the prevalence of resistant pathogenic bacterial strains are rising steadily.
      Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new classes of antibiotics
      effective on multi-resistant nosocomial pathogenic bacteria. We have previously
      shown that a cell-permeable peptide derived from the p120 Ras GTPase-activating
      protein (RasGAP), called TAT-RasGAP317-326, induces cancer cell death, inhibits
      metastatic progression, and sensitizes tumor cells to various anti-cancer
      treatments in vitro and in vivo. We here report that TAT-RasGAP317-326 also
      possesses antimicrobial activity. In vitro, TAT-RasGAP317-326, but not mutated or
      truncated forms of the peptide, efficiently killed a series of bacteria including
      Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa. In vivo experiments revealed that TAT-RasGAP317-326 protects mice
      from lethal E. coli-induced peritonitis if administrated locally at the onset of
      infection. However, the protective effect was lost when treatment was delayed,
      likely due to rapid clearance and inadequate biodistribution of the peptide.
      Peptide modifications might overcome these shortcomings to increase the in vivo
      efficacy of the compound in the context of the currently limited antimicrobial
      options.

PMID- 28638373
TI  - Interactions between Food Additive Silica Nanoparticles and Food Matrices.
AB  - Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely utilized in the food industry as additives
      with their beneficial characteristics, such as improving sensory property and
      processing suitability, enhancing functional and nutritional values, and
      extending shelf-life of foods. Silica is used as an anti-caking agent to improve
      flow property of powered ingredients and as a carrier for flavors or active
      compounds in food. Along with the rapid development of nanotechnology, the sizes
      of silica fall into nanoscale, thereby raising concerns about the potential
      toxicity of nano-sized silica materials. There have been a number of studies
      carried out to investigate possible adverse effects of NPs on the
      gastrointestinal tract. The interactions between NPs and surrounding food
      matrices should be also taken into account since the interactions can affect
      their bioavailability, efficacy, and toxicity. In the present study, we
      investigated the interactions between food additive silica NPs and food matrices,
      such as saccharides, proteins, lipids, and minerals. Quantitative analysis was
      performed to determine food component-NP corona using HPLC, fluorescence
      quenching, GC-MS, and ICP-AES. The results demonstrate that zeta potential and
      hydrodynamic radius of silica NPs changed in the presence of all food matrices,
      but their solubility was not affected. However, quantitative analysis on the
      interactions revealed that a small portion of food matrices interacted with
      silica NPs and the interactions were highly dependent on the type of food
      component. Moreover, minor nutrients could also affect the interactions, as
      evidenced by higher NP interaction with honey rather than with a simple sugar
      mixture containing an equivalent amount of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and
      maltose. These findings provide fundamental information to extend our
      understanding about the interactions between silica NPs and food components and
      to predict the interaction effect on the safety aspects of food-grade NPs.

PMID- 28638372
TI  - Diversity and Composition of Sulfate-Reducing Microbial Communities Based on
      Genomic DNA and RNA Transcription in Production Water of High Temperature and
      Corrosive Oil Reservoir.
AB  - Deep subsurface petroleum reservoir ecosystems harbor a high diversity of
      microorganisms, and microbial influenced corrosion is a major problem for the
      petroleum industry. Here, we used high-throughput sequencing to explore the
      microbial communities based on genomic 16S rDNA and metabolically active 16S rRNA
      analyses of production water samples with different extents of corrosion from a
      high-temperature oil reservoir. Results showed that Desulfotignum and Roseovarius
      were the most abundant genera in both genomic and active bacterial communities of
      all the samples. Both genomic and active archaeal communities were mainly
      composed of Archaeoglobus and Methanolobus. Within both bacteria and archaea, the
      active and genomic communities were compositionally distinct from one another
      across the different oil wells (bacteria p = 0.002; archaea p = 0.01). In
      addition, the sulfate-reducing microorganisms (SRMs) were specifically assessed
      by Sanger sequencing of functional genes aprA and dsrA encoding the enzymes
      adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate reductase and dissimilatory sulfite reductase,
      respectively. Functional gene analysis indicated that potentially active
      Archaeoglobus, Desulfotignum, Desulfovibrio, and Thermodesulforhabdus were
      frequently detected, with Archaeoglobus as the most abundant and active sulfate
      reducing group. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the SRM
      communities in petroleum reservoir system were closely related to pH of the
      production water and sulfate concentration. This study highlights the importance
      of distinguishing the metabolically active microorganisms from the genomic
      community and extends our knowledge on the active SRM communities in corrosive
      petroleum reservoirs.

PMID- 28638374
TI  - Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus: A Consequence of Antifungal Use in
      Agriculture?
AB  - Agricultural industry uses pesticides to optimize food production for the growing
      human population. A major issue for crops is fungal phytopathogens, which are
      treated mainly with azole fungicides. Azoles are also the main medical treatment
      in the management of Aspergillus diseases caused by ubiquitous fungi, such as
      Aspergillus fumigatus. However, epidemiological research demonstrated an
      increasing prevalence of azole-resistant strains in A. fumigatus. The main
      resistance mechanism is a combination of alterations in the gene cyp51A
      (TR34/L98H). Surprisingly, this mutation is not only found in patients receiving
      long-term azole therapy for chronic aspergillosis but also in azole naive
      patients. This suggests an environmental route of resistance through the exposure
      of azole fungicides in agriculture. In this review, we report data from several
      studies that strongly suggest that agricultural azoles are responsible for
      medical treatment failure in azole-naive patients in clinical settings.

PMID- 28638375
TI  - Valorization of Spent Escherichia coli Media Using Green Microalgae Chlamydomonas
      reinhardtii and Feedstock Production.
AB  - The coupling of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii biomass production for nutrients
      removal of Escherichia coli anaerobic broth (EAB) is thought to be an
      economically feasible option for the cultivation of microalgae. The feasibility
      of growing microalgae in using EAB high in nutrients for the production of more
      biomass was examined. EAB comprised of nutrient-abundant effluents, which can be
      used to produce microalgae biomass and remove environment pollutant
      simultaneously. In this study, C. reinhardtii 21gr (cc1690) was cultivated in
      different diluted E. coli anaerobic broth supplemented with trace elements under
      mixotrophic and heterotrophic conditions. The results showed that C. reinhardtii
      grown in 1*, 1/2*, 1/5* and 1/10*E. coli anaerobic broth under mixotrophic
      conditions exhibited specific growth rates of 2.71, 2.68, 1.45, and 1.13 day-1,
      and biomass production of 201.9, 184.2, 175.5, and 163.8 mg L-1, respectively.
      Under heterotrophic conditions, the specific growth rates were 1.80, 1.86, 1.75,
      and 1.02 day-1, and biomass production were 45.6, 29.4, 15.8, and 12.1 mg L-1,
      respectively. The removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand, total-nitrogen
      and total-phosphorus from 1*E. coli anaerobic broth was 21.51, 22.41, and 15.53%.
      Moreover, the dry biomass had relatively high carbohydrate (44.3%) and lipid
      content (18.7%). Therefore, this study provides an environmentally sustainable as
      well economical method for biomass production in promising model microalgae and
      subsequently paves the way for industrial use.

PMID- 28638376
TI  - First Molecular Detection of Piroplasm Infection in Pet Dogs from Gansu, China.
AB  - Babesiosis, the hemolytic disease caused by Babesia, which is a tick-transmitted
      obligate intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite. This disease is responsible for
      significant mortality and morbidity rates and enormous economic losses to the
      livestock industry in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In this study,
      blood samples were collected from 141 pet dogs from Gansu, China, and analyzed
      for Babesia or Theileria spp. infection using specific PCR and sequencing based
      on 18S rRNA gene fragments. The results indicated that 18S rRNA gene sequences
      from 11 samples were similar to the 18S rRNA gene sequences in Babesia canis
      vogeli (2) and Theileria sinensis (9). The total infected rates of B. canis
      vogeli and T. sinensis were 1.4% (2/141) and 6.4% (9/141), respectively. This
      represents the first molecular report of T. sinensis in dogs worldwide and of B.
      canis vogeli in dogs from Gansu province of China. Furthermore, the finding of T.
      sinensis in dogs may represent the common infection of this parasite occurring in
      Gansu.

PMID- 28638378
TI  - Corrigendum: Long-Term Enrichment of Stress-Tolerant Cellulolytic Soil
      Populations following Timber Harvesting Evidenced by Multi-Omic Stable Isotope
      Probing.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 537 in vol. 8, PMID: 28443069.].

PMID- 28638377
TI  - A Novel Bromodomain Inhibitor Reverses HIV-1 Latency through Specific Binding
      with BRD4 to Promote Tat and P-TEFb Association.
AB  - While combinatory antiretroviral therapy (cART) can effectively reduce HIV-1
      viremia, it cannot eliminate HIV-1 infection. In the presence of cART, viral
      reservoirs remain latent, impeding the cure of HIV-1/AIDS. Recently, latency
      reversing agents (LRAs) have been developed with the intent of purging latent HIV
      1, providing an intriguing strategy for the eradication of the residual viral
      reservoirs. Our earlier studies show that the first-generation, methyl-triazolo
      bromodomain, and extra-terminal domain inhibitor (BETi), JQ1, facilitates the
      reversal of HIV-1 latency. BETis have emerged as a new class of compounds that
      are promising for this HIV-1 "shock and kill" eradication approach. However, when
      used as a single drug, JQ1 only modestly reverses HIV-1 latency, which
      complicates studying the underlining mechanisms. Meanwhile, it has been widely
      discussed that the induction of latent proviruses is stochastic (Ho et al.,
      2013). Thus, new BETis are currently under active development with focus on
      improving potency, ease of synthesis and structural diversity. Using fluorous
      tagged multicomponent reactions, we developed a novel second-generation, 3,5
      dimethylisoxazole BETi based on an imidazo[1,2-a] pyrazine scaffold, UMB-32.
      Furthermore, we screened 37 UMB-32 derivatives and identified that one, UMB-136,
      reactivates HIV-1 in multiple cell models of HIV-1 latency with better efficiency
      than either JQ1 or UMB-32. UMB-136 enhances HIV-1 transcription and increases
      viral production through the release of P-TEFb. Importantly, UMB-136 enhances the
      latency-reversing effects of PKC agonists (prostratin, bryostatin-1) in CD8
      depleted PBMCs containing latent viral reservoirs. Our results illustrate that
      structurally improved BETis, such as UMB-136, may be useful as promising LRAs for
      HIV-1 eradication.

PMID- 28638380
TI  - Candida albicans Yeast, Pseudohyphal, and Hyphal Morphogenesis Differentially
      Affects Immune Recognition.
AB  - Candida albicans is a human opportunist pathogen that can grow as yeast,
      pseudohyphae, or true hyphae in vitro and in vivo, depending on environmental
      conditions. Reversible cellular morphogenesis is an important virulence factor
      that facilitates invasion of host tissues, escape from phagocytes, and
      dissemination in the blood stream. The innate immune system is the first line of
      defense against C. albicans infections and is influenced by recognition of wall
      components that vary in composition in different morphological forms. However,
      the relationship between cellular morphogenesis and immune recognition of this
      fungus is not fully understood. We therefore studied various vegetative cell
      types of C. albicans, singly and in combination, to assess the consequences of
      cellular morphogenesis on selected immune cytokine outputs from human monocytes.
      Hyphae stimulated proportionally lower levels of certain cytokines from monocytes
      per unit of cell surface area than yeast cells, but did not suppress cytokine
      response when copresented with yeast cells. Pseudohyphal cells induced
      intermediate cytokine responses. Yeast monomorphic mutants had elevated cytokine
      responses under conditions that otherwise supported filamentous growth and
      mutants of yeast and hyphal cells that were defective in cell wall mannosylation
      or lacking certain hypha-specific cell wall proteins could variably unmask or
      deplete the surface of immunostimulatory ligands. These observations underline
      the critical importance of C. albicans morphology and morphology-associated
      changes in the cell wall composition that affect both immune recognition and
      pathogenesis.

PMID- 28638379
TI  - Graft-versus-Leukemia Effect Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
      for Leukemia.
AB  - The success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) lies with the
      ability of the engrafting immune system to remove residual leukemia cells via a
      graft-versus-leukemia effect (GvL), caused either spontaneously post-HSCT or via
      donor lymphocyte infusion. GvL effects can also be initiated by allogenic
      mismatched natural killer cells, antigen-specific T cells, and activated
      dendritic cells of leukemic origin. The history and further application of this
      GvL effect and the main mechanisms will be discussed and reviewed in this
      chapter.

PMID- 28638381
TI  - Anti-Bovine Programmed Death-1 Rat-Bovine Chimeric Antibody for Immunotherapy of
      Bovine Leukemia Virus Infection in Cattle.
AB  - Blockade of immunoinhibitory molecules, such as programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD
      ligand 1 (PD-L1), is a promising strategy for reinvigorating exhausted T cells
      and preventing disease progression in a variety of chronic infections.
      Application of this therapeutic strategy to cattle requires bovinized chimeric
      antibody targeting immunoinhibitory molecules. In this study, anti-bovine PD-1
      rat-bovine chimeric monoclonal antibody 5D2 (Boch5D2) was constructed with
      mammalian expression systems, and its biochemical function and antiviral effect
      were characterized in vitro and in vivo using cattle infected with bovine
      leukemia virus (BLV). Purified Boch5D2 was capable of detecting bovine PD-1
      molecules expressed on cell membranes in flow cytometric analysis. In particular,
      Biacore analysis determined that the binding affinity of Boch5D2 to bovine PD-1
      protein was similar to that of the original anti-bovine PD-1 rat monoclonal
      antibody 5D2. Boch5D2 was also capable of blocking PD-1/PD-L1 binding at the same
      level as 5D2. The immunomodulatory and therapeutic effects of Boch5D2 were
      evaluated by in vivo administration of the antibody to a BLV-infected calf.
      Inoculated Boch5D2 was sustained in the serum for a longer period. Boch5D2
      inoculation resulted in activation of the proliferation of BLV-specific CD4+ T
      cells and decrease in the proviral load of BLV in the peripheral blood. This
      study demonstrates that Boch5D2 retains an equivalent biochemical function to
      that of the original antibody 5D2 and is a candidate therapeutic agent for
      regulating antiviral immune response in vivo. Clinical efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1
      blockade awaits further experimentation with a large number of animals.

PMID- 28638383
TI  - Non-canonical Glucocorticoid Receptor Transactivation of gilz by Alcohol
      Suppresses Cell Inflammatory Response.
AB  - Acute alcohol exposure suppresses cell inflammatory response. The underlying
      mechanism has not been fully defined. Here we report that alcohol was able to
      activate glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling in the absence of glucocorticoids
      (GCs) and upregulated glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (gilz), a prominent
      GC-responsive gene. Such a non-canonical activation of GR was not blocked by
      mifepristone, a potent GC competitor. The proximal promoter of gilz, encompassing
      five GC-responsive elements (GREs), was incorporated and tested in a luciferase
      reporter system. Deletion and/or mutation of the GREs abrogated the promoter
      responsiveness to alcohol. Thus, the GR-GRE interaction transduced the alcohol
      action on gilz. Alcohol induced GR nuclear translocation, which was enhanced by
      the alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor fomepizole, suggesting that it was alcohol,
      not its metabolites, that engendered the effect. Gel mobility shift assay showed
      that unliganded GR was able to bind GREs and such interaction withstood
      clinically relevant levels of alcohol. GR knockout via CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting
      or GILZ depletion via small RNA interference diminished alcohol suppression of
      cell inflammatory response to LPS. Thus, a previously unrecognized, non-canonical
      GR activation of gilz is involved in alcohol modulation of cell immune response.

PMID- 28638384
TI  - Induced Regulatory T Cells Superimpose Their Suppressive Capacity with Effector T
      Cells in Lymph Nodes via Antigen-Specific S1p1-Dependent Egress Blockage.
AB  - Regulatory T cells (Tregs) restrict overexuberant lymphocyte activation. While
      close proximity between Tregs and their suppression targets is important for
      optimal inhibition, and literature indicates that draining lymph nodes (LNs) may
      serve as a prime location for the suppression, signaling details orchestrating
      this event are not fully characterized. Using a protocol to enable peripheral
      generation of inducible antigen-specific Tregs (asTregs) to control allergen
      induced asthma, we have identified an antigen-specific mechanism that locks
      asTregs within hilar LNs which in turn suppresses airway inflammation. The
      suppressive asTregs, upon antigen stimulation in the LN, downregulate sphingosine
      1-phosphate receptor 1 egress receptor expression. These asTregs in turn mediate
      the downregulation of the same receptor on incoming effector T cells. Therefore,
      asTregs and effector T cells are locked in these draining LNs for prolonged
      interactions. Disruption of individual steps of this retention sequence abolishes
      the inflammation controlled by asTregs. Collectively, this study identifies a new
      requirement of spatial congregation with their suppression targets essential for
      asTreg functions and suggests therapeutic programs via Treg traffic control.

PMID- 28638382
TI  - Expanding Role of T Cells in Human Autoimmune Diseases of the Central Nervous
      System.
AB  - It is being increasingly recognized that a dysregulation of the immune system
      plays a vital role in neurological disorders and shapes the treatment of the
      disease. Aberrant T cell responses, in particular, are key in driving
      autoimmunity and have been traditionally associated with multiple sclerosis. Yet,
      it is evident that there are other neurological diseases in which autoreactive T
      cells have an active role in pathogenesis. In this review, we report on the
      recent progress in profiling and assessing the functionality of autoreactive T
      cells in central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disorders that are currently
      postulated to be primarily T cell driven. We also explore the autoreactive T cell
      response in a recently emerging group of syndromes characterized by
      autoantibodies against neuronal cell-surface proteins. Common methodology
      implemented in T cell biology is further considered as it is an important
      determinant in their detection and characterization. An improved understanding of
      the contribution of autoreactive T cells expands our knowledge of the autoimmune
      response in CNS disorders and can offer novel methods of therapeutic
      intervention.

PMID- 28638387
TI  - Predicting Flowering Behavior and Exploring Its Genetic Determinism in an Apple
      Multi-family Population Based on Statistical Indices and Simplified Phenotyping.
AB  - Irregular flowering over years is commonly observed in fruit trees. The early
      prediction of tree behavior is highly desirable in breeding programmes. This
      study aims at performing such predictions, combining simplified phenotyping and
      statistics methods. Sequences of vegetative vs. floral annual shoots (AS) were
      observed along axes in trees belonging to five apple related full-sib families.
      Sequences were analyzed using Markovian and linear mixed models including year
      and site effects. Indices of flowering irregularity, periodicity and
      synchronicity were estimated, at tree and axis scales. They were used to predict
      tree behavior and detect QTL with a Bayesian pedigree-based analysis, using an
      integrated genetic map containing 6,849 SNPs. The combination of a Biennial
      Bearing Index (BBI) with an autoregressive coefficient (gamma g ) efficiently
      predicted and classified the genotype behaviors, despite few misclassifications.
      Four QTLs common to BBIs and gamma g and one for synchronicity were highlighted
      and revealed the complex genetic architecture of the traits. Irregularity
      resulted from high AS synchronism, whereas regularity resulted from either
      asynchronous locally alternating or continual regular AS flowering. A relevant
      and time-saving method, based on a posteriori sampling of axes and statistical
      indices is proposed, which is efficient to evaluate the tree breeding values for
      flowering regularity and could be transferred to other species.

PMID- 28638386
TI  - Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis of the Dioscin Rich Medicinal Plant
      Dioscorea nipponica.
AB  - Dioscorea contains critically important species which can be used as staple foods
      or sources of bioactive substances, including Dioscorea nipponica, which has been
      used to develop highly successful drugs to treat cardiovascular disease. Its
      major active ingredients are thought to be sterol compounds such as diosgenin,
      which has been called "medicinal gold" because of its valuable properties.
      However, reliance on naturally growing plants as a production system limits the
      potential use of D. nipponica, raising interest in engineering metabolic pathways
      to enhance the production of secondary metabolites. However, the biosynthetic
      pathway of diosgenin is still poorly understood, and D. nipponica is poorly
      characterized at a molecular level, hindering in-depth investigation. In the
      present work, the RNAs from five organs and seven methyl jasmonate treated D.
      nipponica rhizomes were sequenced using the Illumina high-throughput sequencing
      platform, yielding 52 gigabases of data, which were pooled and assembled into a
      reference transcriptome. Four hundred and eighty two genes were found to be
      highly expressed in the rhizomes, and these genes are mainly involved in stress
      response and transcriptional regulation. Based on their expression patterns, 36
      genes were selected for further investigation as candidate genes involved in
      dioscin biosynthesis. Constructing co-expression networks based on significant
      changes in gene expression revealed 15 gene modules. Of these, four modules with
      properties correlating to dioscin regulation and biosynthesis, consisting of
      4,665 genes in total, were selected for further functional investigation. These
      results improve our understanding of dioscin biosynthesis in this important
      medicinal plant and will help guide more intensive investigations.

PMID- 28638385
TI  - Intercellular Communication of Tumor Cells and Immune Cells after Exposure to
      Different Ionizing Radiation Qualities.
AB  - Ionizing radiation can affect the immune system in many ways. Depending on the
      situation, the whole body or parts of the body can be acutely or chronically
      exposed to different radiation qualities. In tumor radiotherapy, a fractionated
      exposure of the tumor (and surrounding tissues) is applied to kill the tumor
      cells. Currently, mostly photons, and also electrons, neutrons, protons, and
      heavier particles such as carbon ions, are used in radiotherapy. Tumor
      elimination can be supported by an effective immune response. In recent years,
      much progress has been achieved in the understanding of basic interactions
      between the irradiated tumor and the immune system. Here, direct and indirect
      effects of radiation on immune cells have to be considered. Lymphocytes for
      example are known to be highly radiosensitive. One important factor in indirect
      interactions is the radiation-induced bystander effect which can be initiated in
      unexposed cells by expression of cytokines of the irradiated cells and by direct
      exchange of molecules via gap junctions. In this review, we summarize the current
      knowledge about the indirect effects observed after exposure to different
      radiation qualities. The different immune cell populations important for the
      tumor immune response are natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and CD8+
      cytotoxic T-cells. In vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the modulation of
      their functions due to ionizing radiation exposure of tumor cells. After
      radiation exposure, cytokines are produced by exposed tumor and immune cells and
      a modulated expression profile has also been observed in bystander immune cells.
      Release of damage-associated molecular patterns by irradiated tumor cells is
      another factor in immune activation. In conclusion, both immune-activating and 
      suppressing effects can occur. Enhancing or inhibiting these effects,
      respectively, could contribute to modified tumor cell killing after radiotherapy.

PMID- 28638388
TI  - Using In Situ Symbiotic Seed Germination to Restore Over-collected Medicinal
      Orchids in Southwest China.
AB  - Due to increasing demand for medicinal and horticultural uses, the Orchidaceae is
      in urgent need of innovative and novel propagation techniques that address both
      market demand and conservation. Traditionally, restoration techniques have been
      centered on ex situ asymbiotic or symbiotic seed germination techniques that are
      not cost-effective, have limited genetic potential and often result in low
      survival rates in the field. Here, we propose a novel in situ advanced
      restoration-friendly program for the endangered epiphytic orchid species
      Dendrobium devonianum, in which a series of in situ symbiotic seed germination
      trials base on conspecific fungal isolates were conducted at two sites in Yunnan
      Province, China. We found that percentage germination varied among treatments and
      locations; control treatments (no inoculum) did not germinate at both sites. We
      found that the optimal treatment, having the highest in situ seed germination
      rate (0.94-1.44%) with no significant variation among sites, supported a warm,
      moist and fixed site that allowed for light penetration. When accounting for seed
      density, percentage germination was highest (2.78-2.35%) at low densities and did
      not vary among locations for the treatment that supported optimal conditions.
      Similarly for the same treatment, seed germination ranged from 0.24 to 5.87%
      among seasons but also did vary among sites. This study reports on the
      cultivation and restoration of an endangered epiphytic orchid species by in situ
      symbiotic seed germination and is likely to have broad application to the
      horticulture and conservation of the Orchidaceae.

PMID- 28638389
TI  - Recognition of Orobanche cumana Below-Ground Parasitism Through Physiological and
      Hyper Spectral Measurements in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).
AB  - Broomrape (Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) parasitism is a severe problem in many
      crops worldwide, including in the Mediterranean basin. Most of the damage occurs
      during the sub-soil developmental stage of the parasite, by the time the parasite
      emerges from the ground, damage to the crop has already been done. One feasible
      method for sensing early, below-ground parasitism is through physiological
      measurements, which provide preliminary indications of slight changes in plant
      vitality and productivity. However, a complete physiological field survey is
      slow, costly and requires skilled manpower. In recent decades, visible to
      shortwave infrared (VIS-SWIR) hyperspectral tools have exhibited great potential
      for faster, cheaper, simpler and non-destructive tracking of physiological
      changes. The advantage of VIS-SWIR is even greater when narrow-band signatures
      are analyzed with an advanced statistical technique, like a partial least squares
      regression (PLS-R). The technique can pinpoint the most physiologically sensitive
      wavebands across an entire spectrum, even in the presence of high levels of noise
      and collinearity. The current study evaluated a method for early detection of
      Orobanche cumana parasitism in sunflower that combines plant physiology,
      hyperspectral readings and PLS-R. Seeds of susceptible and resistant O. cumana
      sunflower varieties were planted in infested (15 mg kg-1 seeds) and non-infested
      soil. The plants were examined weekly to detect any physiological or structural
      changes; the examinations were accompanied by hyperspectral readings. During the
      early stage of the parasitism, significant differences between infected and non
      infected sunflower plants were found in the reflectance of near and shortwave
      infrared areas. Physiological measurements revealed no differences between
      treatments until O. cumana inflorescences emerged. However, levels of several
      macro- and microelements tended to decrease during the early stage of O. cumana
      parasitism. Analysis of leaf cross-sections revealed differences in range and in
      mesophyll structure as a result of different levels of nutrients in sunflower
      plants, manifesting the presence of O. cumana infections. The findings of an
      advanced PLS-R analysis emphasized the correlation between specific reflectance
      changes in the SWIR range and levels of various nutrients in sunflower plants.
      This work demonstrates potential for the early detection of O. cumana parasitism
      on sunflower roots using hyperspectral tools.

PMID- 28638391
TI  - Glomus mosseae Inoculation Improves the Root System Architecture, Photosynthetic
      Efficiency and Flavonoids Accumulation of Liquorice under Nutrient Stress.
AB  - The poor quality and low productivity of cultivated liquorice (Glycyrrhiza
      uralensis) continues to put pressure on wild plant populations. As arbuscular
      mycorrhizal fungi are known to support plant growth and in some cases even to
      enhance the accumulation of valuable molecules in the plant, the effect of Glomus
      mosseae on the growth and active ingredient contents was evaluated in liquorice
      plants grown under nutrient deficiency. We created a nutrient-deficient
      environment by mixing paddy soil, washed river sand, and pumice at a ratio of
      1:5:1. Our results showed that the inoculation of pot-grown liquorice plants with
      G. mosseae significantly increased the shoot and root biomass (by 25- and 17
      folds, respectively) and the contents of glycyrrhizic acid, liquiritin,
      isoliquiritin, and isoliquiritigenin in the main root (by 1.6-, 4.8-, 6.5-, and
      4.4-folds, respectively). Both isoliquiritin and isoliquiritigenin were
      detectable in the lateral roots of the plants inoculated with G. mosseae, but not
      in plants without G. mosseae inoculation. G. mosseae inoculation improved the
      features of the root system and increased photosynthetic efficiency of liquorice.
      The uptake of P and K by liquorice increased when G. mosseae was inoculated,
      leading to the depletion of these macronutrients in the soil; G. mosseae also
      improved the availability of Mg, Cu, Zn, and Mn. Based on these results, we
      concluded that the inoculation of liquorice plants with G. mosseae is beneficial,
      particularly for those grown in nutrient-deficient soil, and such positive effect
      is related to the improvement of the root system and an increased photosynthetic
      efficiency.

PMID- 28638390
TI  - Characterization, Genomic Organization, Abundance, and Chromosomal Distribution
      of Ty1-copia Retrotransposons in Erianthus arundinaceus.
AB  - Erianthus arundinaceus is an important wild species of the genus Saccharum with
      many valuable traits. However, the composition and structure of its genome are
      largely unknown, which have hindered its utilization in sugarcane breeding and
      evolutionary research. Retrotransposons constitute an appreciable fraction of
      plant genomes and may have played a significant role in the evolution and
      sequence organization of genomes. In the current study, we investigate the
      phylogenetic diversity and genomic abundance of Ty1-copia retrotransposons for
      the first time and inspect their chromosomal distribution patterns in E.
      arundinaceus. In total, 70 Ty1-copia reverse transcriptase (RT) sequences with
      significant levels of heterogeneity were obtained. The phylogenetic analysis
      revealed these Ty1-copia retrotransposons were classified into four distinct
      evolutionary lineages (Tork/TAR, Tork/Angela, Retrofit/Ale, and Sire/Maximus).
      Dot-blot analysis showed estimated the total copy number of Ty1-copia
      retrotransposons to be about 4.5 * 103 in the E. arundinaceus genome, indicating
      they were a significant component. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed
      that Ty1-copia retrotransposons from the four lineages had strikingly similar
      patterns of chromosomal enrichment, being exclusively enriched in the subterminal
      heterochromatic regions of most E. arundinaceus chromosomes. This is the first
      clear evidence of the presence of Ty1-copia retrotransposons in the subterminal
      heterochromatin of E. arundinaceus. Altogether, these results promote the
      understanding of the diversification of Ty1-copia retrotransposons and shed light
      on their chromosomal distribution patterns in E. arundinaceus.

PMID- 28638392
TI  - Evaluation of Borage Extracts As Potential Biostimulant Using a Phenomic,
      Agronomic, Physiological, and Biochemical Approach.
AB  - Biostimulants are substances able to improve water and nutrient use efficiency
      and counteract stress factors by enhancing primary and secondary metabolism.
      Premise of the work was to exploit raw extracts from leaves (LE) or flowers (FE)
      of Borago officinalis L., to enhance yield and quality of Lactuca sativa
      'Longifolia,' and to set up a protocol to assess their effects. To this aim, an
      integrated study on agronomic, physiological and biochemical aspects, including
      also a phenomic approach, has been adopted. Extracts were diluted to 1 or 10 mL L
      1, sprayed onto lettuce plants at the middle of the growing cycle and 1 day
      before harvest. Control plants were treated with water. Non-destructive analyses
      were conducted to assess the effect of extracts on biomass with an innovative
      imaging technique, and on leaf photosynthetic efficiency (chlorophyll a
      fluorescence and leaf gas exchanges). At harvest, the levels of ethylene,
      photosynthetic pigments, nitrate, and primary (sucrose and total sugars) and
      secondary (total phenols and flavonoids) metabolites, including the activity and
      levels of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were assessed. Moreover, a
      preliminary study of the effects during postharvest was performed. Borage
      extracts enhanced the primary metabolism by increasing leaf pigments and
      photosynthetic activity. Plant fresh weight increased upon treatments with 10 mL
      L-1 doses, as correctly estimated by multi-view angles images. Chlorophyll a
      fluorescence data showed that FEs were able to increase the number of active
      reaction centers per cross section; a similar trend was observed for the
      performance index. Ethylene was three-fold lower in FEs treatments. Nitrate and
      sugar levels did not change in response to the different treatments. Total
      flavonoids and phenols, as well as the total protein levels, the in vitro PAL
      specific activity, and the levels of PAL-like polypeptides were increased by all
      borage extracts, with particular regard to FEs. FEs also proved efficient in
      preventing degradation and inducing an increase in photosynthetic pigments during
      storage. In conclusion, borage extracts, with particular regard to the flower
      ones, appear to indeed exert biostimulant effects on lettuce; future work will be
      required to further investigate on their efficacy in different conditions and/or
      species.

PMID- 28638393
TI  - Non-chemical Control of Root Parasitic Weeds with Biochar.
AB  - This study tested whether soil-applied biochar can impact the seed germination
      and attachment of root parasitic weeds. Three hypotheses were evaluated: (i)
      biochar adsorbs host-exuded signaling molecules; (ii) biochar activates plants'
      innate system-wide defenses against invasion by the parasite; and (iii) biochar
      has a systemic influence on the amount of seed germination stimulant produced or
      released by the host plant. Three types of experiments were performed: (I) pot
      trials with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) infested with Phelipanche aegyptiaca
      PERS. (Egyptian broomrape) and three different types of biochar at concentrations
      ranging from 0 to 1.5% weight, wherein tomato plant biomass, P. aegyptiaca
      biomass, and number of P. aegyptiaca-tomato root attachments were quantified;
      (II) split-root biochar/no-biochar experiments under hydroponic growing
      conditions performed in polyethylene bags with tomato plant rootings, wherein P.
      aegyptiaca seed germination percentage and radicle attachment numbers were
      quantified; and (III) germination trials, wherein the effect of biochar
      adsorption of GR-24 (artificial germination stimulant) on P. aegyptiaca seed
      germination was quantified. Addition of biochar to the pot soil (Experiment I)
      resulted in lower levels of P. aegyptiaca infection in the tomato plants, mainly
      through a decrease in the number of P. aegyptiaca attachments. This led to
      improved tomato plant growth. In Experiment II, P. aegyptiaca seed germination
      percentage decreased in the biochar-treated root zone as compared with the no
      biochar control root zone; P. aegyptiaca radicle attachment numbers decreased
      accordingly. This experiment showed that biochar did not induce a systemic change
      in the activity of the stimulant molecules exuded by the tomato roots, toxicity
      to the radicles, or a change in the ability of the radicles to penetrate the
      tomato roots. The major cause for the decrease in germination percentage was
      physical adsorption of the stimulant molecule by the biochar (Experiment III).
      Adding biochar to soil to reduce infections by root parasitic weeds is an
      innovative means of control with the potential to become an important strategy
      both for non-chemical treatment of this family of pests, and for enhancing the
      economic feasibility of the pyrolysis/biochar platform. This platform is often
      viewed as one of a handful of credible strategies for helping to mitigate climate
      change.

PMID- 28638394
TI  - A Comparative Study of Selected Physical and Biochemical Traits of Wild-Type and
      Transgenic Sorghum to Reveal Differences Relevant to Grain Quality.
AB  - Transgenic sorghum featuring RNAi suppression of certain kafirins was developed
      recently, to address the problem of poor protein digestibility in the grain.
      However, it was not firmly established if other important quality parameters were
      adversely affected by this genetic intervention. In the present study several
      quality parameters were investigated by surveying several important physical and
      biochemical grain traits. Important differences in grain weight, density and
      endosperm texture were found that serve to differentiate the transgenic grains
      from their wild-type counterpart. In addition, ultrastructural analysis of the
      protein bodies revealed a changed morphology that is indicative of the effect of
      suppressed kafirins. Importantly, lysine was found to be significantly increased
      in one of the transgenic lines in comparison to wild-type; while no significant
      changes in anti-nutritional factors could be detected. The results have been
      insightful for demonstrating some of the corollary changes in transgenic sorghum
      grain, that emerge from imposed kafirin suppression.

PMID- 28638395
TI  - Modulation of Antioxidant Defense System Is Associated with Combined Drought and
      Heat Stress Tolerance in Citrus.
AB  - Drought and high temperatures are two major abiotic stress factors that often
      occur simultaneously in nature, affecting negatively crop performance and yield.
      Moreover, these environmental challenges induce oxidative stress in plants
      through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Carrizo citrange and
      Cleopatra mandarin are two citrus genotypes with contrasting ability to cope with
      the combination of drought and heat stress. In this work, a direct relationship
      between an increased antioxidant activity and stress tolerance is reported.
      According to our results, the ability of Carrizo plants to efficiently coordinate
      superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and
      glutathione reductase (GR) activities involved in ROS detoxification along with
      the maintenance of a favorable GSH/GSSG ratio could be related to their relative
      tolerance to this stress combination. On the other hand, the increment of SOD
      activity and the inefficient GR activation along with the lack of CAT and APX
      activities in Cleopatra plants in response to the combination of drought and heat
      stress, could contribute to an increased oxidative stress and the higher
      sensibility of this citrus genotype to this stress combination.

PMID- 28638396
TI  - Defoliating Insect Mass Outbreak Affects Soil N Fluxes and Tree N Nutrition in
      Scots Pine Forests.
AB  - Biotic stress by mass outbreaks of defoliating pest insects does not only affect
      tree performance by reducing its photosynthetic capacity, but also changes N
      cycling in the soil of forest ecosystems. However, how insect induced defoliation
      affects soil N fluxes and, in turn, tree N nutrition is not well-studied. In the
      present study, we quantified N input and output fluxes via dry matter input,
      throughfall, and soil leachates. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of mass
      insect herbivory on tree N acquisition (i.e., organic and inorganic 15N net
      uptake capacity of fine roots) as well as N pools in fine roots and needles in a
      Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest over an entire vegetation period. Plots
      were either infested by the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) or served as
      controls. Our results show an increased N input by insect feces, litter, and
      throughfall at the infested plots compared to controls, as well as increased
      leaching of nitrate. However, the additional N input into the soil did not
      increase, but reduce inorganic and organic net N uptake capacity of Scots pine
      roots. N pools in the fine roots and needles of infested trees showed an
      accumulation of total N, amino acid-N, protein-N, and structural N in the roots
      and the remaining needles as a compensatory response triggered by defoliation.
      Thus, although soil N availability was increased via surplus N input, trees did
      not respond with an increased N acquisition, but rather invested resources into
      defense by accumulation of amino acid-N and protein-N as a survival strategy.

PMID- 28638397
TI  - Generation, Annotation, and Analysis of a Large-Scale Expressed Sequence Tag
      Library from Arabidopsis pumila to Explore Salt-Responsive Genes.
AB  - Arabidopsis pumila is an ephemeral plant, and a close relative of the model plant
      Arabidopsis thaliana, but it possesses higher photosynthetic efficiency, higher
      propagation rate, and higher salinity tolerance compared to those A. thaliana,
      thus providing a candidate plant system for gene mining for environmental
      adaption and salt tolerance. However, A. pumila is an under-explored resource for
      understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying abiotic stress adaptation. To
      improve our understanding of the molecular and genetic mechanisms of salt stress
      adaptation, more than 19,900 clones randomly selected from a cDNA library
      constructed previously from leaf tissue exposed to high-salinity shock were
      sequenced. A total of 16,014 high-quality expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were
      generated, which have been deposited in the dbEST GenBank under accession numbers
      JZ932319 to JZ948332. Clustering and assembly of these ESTs resulted in the
      identification of 8,835 unique sequences, consisting of 2,469 contigs and 6,366
      singletons. The blastx results revealed 8,011 unigenes with significant
      similarity to known genes, while only 425 unigenes remained uncharacterized.
      Functional classification demonstrated an abundance of unigenes involved in
      binding, catalytic, structural or transporter activities, and in pathways of
      energy, carbohydrate, amino acid, or lipid metabolism. At least seven main
      classes of genes were related to salt-tolerance among the 8,835 unigenes. Many
      previously reported salt tolerance genes were also manifested in this library,
      for example VP1, H+-ATPase, NHX1, SOS2, SOS3, NAC, MYB, ERF, LEA, P5CS1. In
      addition, 251 transcription factors were identified from the library, classified
      into 42 families. Lastly, changes in expression of the 12 most abundant unigenes,
      12 transcription factor genes, and 19 stress-related genes in the first 24 h of
      exposure to high-salinity stress conditions were monitored by qRT-PCR. The large
      scale EST library obtained in this study provides first-hand information on gene
      sequences expressed in young leaves of A. pumila exposed to salt shock. The rapid
      discovery of known or unknown genes related to salinity stress response in A.
      pumila will facilitate the understanding of complex adaptive mechanisms for
      ephemerals.

PMID- 28638398
TI  - Discovery of Putative Herbicide Resistance Genes and Its Regulatory Network in
      Chickpea Using Transcriptome Sequencing.
AB  - Background: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) contributes 75% of total pulse
      production. Being cheaper than animal protein, makes it important in dietary
      requirement of developing countries. Weed not only competes with chickpea
      resulting into drastic yield reduction but also creates problem of harboring
      fungi, bacterial diseases and insect pests. Chemical approach having new
      herbicide discovery has constraint of limited lead molecule options, statutory
      regulations and environmental clearance. Through genetic approach, transgenic
      herbicide tolerant crop has given successful result but led to serious concern
      over ecological safety thus non-transgenic approach like marker assisted
      selection is desirable. Since large variability in tolerance limit of herbicide
      already exists in chickpea varieties, thus the genes offering herbicide tolerance
      can be introgressed in variety improvement programme. Transcriptome studies can
      discover such associated key genes with herbicide tolerance in chickpea. Results:
      This is first transcriptomic studies of chickpea or even any legume crop using
      two herbicide susceptible and tolerant genotypes exposed to imidazoline
      (Imazethapyr). Approximately 90 million paired-end reads generated from four
      samples were processed and assembled into 30,803 contigs using reference based
      assembly. We report 6,310 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 3,037
      were regulated by 980 miRNAs, 1,528 transcription factors associated with 897
      DEGs, 47 Hub proteins, 3,540 putative Simple Sequence Repeat-Functional Domain
      Marker (SSR-FDM), 13,778 genic Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) putative
      markers and 1,174 Indels. Randomly selected 20 DEGs were validated using qPCR.
      Pathway analysis suggested that xenobiotic degradation related gene, glutathione
      S-transferase (GST) were only up-regulated in presence of herbicide. Down
      regulation of DNA replication genes and up-regulation of abscisic acid pathway
      genes were observed. Study further reveals the role of cytochrome P450,
      xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase, glutamate dehydrogenase, methyl
      crotonoyl carboxylase and of thaumatin-like genes in herbicide resistance.
      Conclusion: Reported DEGs can be used as genomic resource for future discovery of
      candidate genes associated with herbicide tolerance. Reported markers can be used
      for future association studies in order to develop marker assisted selection
      (MAS) for refinement. In endeavor of chickpea variety development programme,
      these findings can be of immense use in improving productivity of chickpea
      germplasm.

PMID- 28638399
TI  - Recent Genetic Gains in Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Oilseed Rape.
AB  - Nitrogen is essential for plant growth, and N fertilization allows farmers to
      obtain high yields and produce sufficient agricultural commodities. On the other
      hand, nitrogen losses potentially cause adverse effects to ecosystems and to
      human health. Increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is vital to solve the
      conflict between productivity, to secure the demand of a growing world
      population, and the protection of the environment. To ensure this, genetic
      improvement is considered to be a paramount aspect toward ecofriendly crop
      production. Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is the second most important
      oilseed crop in the world and is cultivated in many regions across the temperate
      zones. To our knowledge, this study reports the most comprehensive field-based
      data generated to date for an empirical evaluation of genetic improvement in
      winter oilseed rape varieties under two divergent nitrogen fertilization levels
      (NFLs). A collection of 30 elite varieties registered between 1989 and 2014,
      including hybrids and open pollinated varieties, was tested in a 2-year
      experiment in 10 environments across Germany for changes in seed yield and seed
      quality traits. Furthermore, NUE was calculated. We observed a highly significant
      genetics-driven increase in seed yield per-se and, thus, increased NUE at both
      NFLs. On average, seed yield from modern open-pollinated varieties and modern
      hybrids was higher than from old open-pollinated varieties and old hybrids. The
      annual yield progress across all tested varieties was ~35 kg ha-1 year-1 at low
      nitrogen and 45 kg ha-1 year-1 under high nitrogen fertilization. Furthermore, in
      modern varieties an increased oil concentration and decreased protein
      concentration was observed. Despite, the significant effects of nitrogen
      fertilization, a surprisingly low average seed yield gap of 180 kg N ha-1 was
      noted between high and low nitrogen fertilization. Due to contrary effects of N
      fertilization on seed yield per-se and seed oil concentration an oil yield of
      2.04 t ha-1 was measured at both N levels. Collectively, the data reveal that
      genetic improvement through modern breeding techniques in conjunction with
      reduced N fertilizer inputs has a tremendous potential to increase NUE of oilseed
      rape.

PMID- 28638400
TI  - Integration of Cadmium Accumulation, Subcellular Distribution, and Physiological
      Responses to Understand Cadmium Tolerance in Apple Rootstocks.
AB  - Cadmium (Cd) is a nonessential and highly toxic element causing agricultural
      problems. However, little information is available about the variation in Cd
      tolerance among apple rootstocks and its underlying physiological regulation
      mechanisms. This study investigated Cd accumulation, subcellular distribution,
      and chemical forms as well as physiological changes among four apple rootstocks
      exposed to either 0 or 300 MUM CdCl2. The results showed that variations in Cd
      tolerance existed among these rootstocks. Cd exposure caused decline in
      photosynthesis, chlorophyll and biomass in four apple rootstocks, which was less
      pronounced in M. baccata, indicating its higher Cd tolerance. This finding was
      corroborated with higher Cd tolerance indexes (TIs) of the whole plant in M.
      baccata than those in the other three apple rootstocks. Among the four apple
      rootstocks, M. baccata displayed the lowest Cd concentrations in roots, wood, and
      leaves, the smallest total Cd amounts as well as the lowest BCF. In apple
      rootstocks, it was found that to immobilize Cd in cell wall and soluble fraction
      (most likely in vacuole) and to convert it into pectate- or protein- integrated
      forms and undissolved Cd phosphate forms may be the primary strategies to reduce
      Cd mobility and toxicity. The physiological changes including ROS, carbohydrates
      and antioxidants were in line with the variations of Cd tolerance among four
      apple rootstocks. In comparison with the other three apple rootstocks, M. baccata
      had lower concentrations of ROS in roots and bark, H2O2 in roots and leaves and
      MDA in roots, wood and bark, but higher concentrations of soluble sugars in bark
      and starch in roots and leaves, and enhanced antioxidants. These results indicate
      that M. baccata are more tolerant to Cd stress than the other three apple
      rootstocks under the current experiment conditions, which is probably related to
      Cd accumulation, subcellular partitioning and chemical forms of Cd and well
      coordinated antioxidant defense mechanisms.

PMID- 28638401
TI  - Development of Elite BPH-Resistant Wide-Spectrum Restorer Lines for Three and Two
      Line Hybrid Rice.
AB  - Hybrid rice has contributed significantly to the world food security. Breeding of
      elite high-yield, strong-resistant broad-spectrum restorer line is an important
      strategy for hybrid rice in commercial breeding programs. Here, we developed
      three elite brown planthopper (BPH)-resistant wide-spectrum restorer lines by
      pyramiding big-panicle gene Gn8.1, BPH-resistant genes Bph6 and Bph9, fertility
      restorer genes Rf3, Rf4, Rf5, and Rf6 through molecular marker assisted
      selection. Resistance analysis revealed that the newly developed restorer lines
      showed stronger BPH-resistance than any of the single-gene donor parent Luoyang-6
      and Luoyang-9. Moreover, the three new restorer lines had broad spectrum recovery
      capabilities for Honglian CMS, Wild abortive CMS and two-line GMS sterile lines,
      and higher grain yields than that of the recurrent parent 9,311 under nature
      field conditions. Importantly, the hybrid crosses also showed good performance
      for grain yield and BPH-resistance. Thus, the development of elite BPH-resistant
      wide-spectrum restorer lines has a promising future for breeding of broad
      spectrum BPH-resistant high-yield varieties.

PMID- 28638402
TI  - DNA Methylation, Nuclear Organization, and Cancer.
AB  - The dramatic re-organization of the cancer cell nucleus creates telltale
      morphological features critical for pathological staging of tumors. In addition,
      the changes to the mutational and epigenetic landscape in cancer cells alter the
      structure and stability of the genome and directly contribute to malignancy. DNA
      methylation is one of the best studied epigenetic changes in cancer, as nearly
      every type of cancer studied shows a loss of DNA methylation spread across most
      of the genome. This global hypomethylation is accompanied by hypermethylation at
      distinct loci, and much of the work on DNA methylation in cancer has focused on
      how local changes contribute to gene expression. However, the emerging picture is
      that the changes to DNA methylation in cancer cells has little direct effect on
      gene expression but instead impacts the organization of the genome in the
      nucleus. Several recent studies that take a broad view of the cancer epigenome
      find that the most profound changes to the cancer methylome are spread across
      large segments of the genome, and that the focal changes are reflective of a
      whole reorganization of epigenome. Hallmarks of nuclear reorganization in cancer
      are found in the long regions of chromatin marked by histone methylation (LOCKs)
      and nuclear lamina interactions (LADs). In this review, we focus on a novel
      perspective that DNA methylation changes in cancer impact the global structure of
      heterochromatin, LADs and LOCKs, and how these global changes, in turn,
      contribute to gene expression changes and genomic stability.

PMID- 28638403
TI  - Jaburetox: update on a urease-derived peptide.
AB  - Urease from Canavalia ensiformis seeds was the first enzyme ever to be
      crystallized, in 1926. These proteins, found in plants, bacteria and fungi,
      present different biological properties including catalytic hydrolysis of urea,
      and also enzyme-independent activities, such as induction of exocytosis, pro
      inflammatory effects, neurotoxicity, antifungal and insecticidal properties.
      Urease is toxic to insects and fungi per se but part of this toxicity relies on
      an internal peptide (~11 kDa), which is released upon digestion of the protein by
      insect enzymes. A recombinant form of this peptide, called jaburetox (JBTX), was
      constructed using jbureII gene as a template. The peptide exhibits liposome
      disruption properties, and insecticidal and fungicidal activities. Here we review
      the known biological properties activities of JBTX, and comment on new ones not
      yet fully characterized. JBTX was able to cause mortality of Aedes aegypti larvae
      in a feeding assay whereas in a dose as low as of 0.1 MUg it provoked death of
      Triatoma infestans bugs. JBTX (10-5-10-6 M) inhibits the growth of E. coli, P.
      aeruginosa and B. cereus after 24 h incubation. Multilamellar liposomes
      interacting with JBTX undergo reorganization of the membrane's lipids as detected
      by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies. Encapsulating JBTX into lipid
      nanoparticles led to an increase of the peptide's antifungal activity. Transgenic
      tobacco and sugarcane plants expressing the insecticidal peptide JBTX, showed
      increased resistance to attack of the insect pests Spodoptera frugiperda,
      Diatraea saccharalis and Telchin licus licus. Many questions remain unanswered;
      however, so far, JBTX has shown to be a versatile peptide that can be used
      against various insect and fungus species, and in new bacterial control
      strategies.

PMID- 28638405
TI  - A Combined One-Class SVM and Template-Matching Approach for User-Aided Human Fall
      Detection by Means of Floor Acoustic Features.
AB  - The primary cause of injury-related death for the elders is represented by falls.
      The scientific community devoted them particular attention, since injuries can be
      limited by an early detection of the event. The solution proposed in this paper
      is based on a combined One-Class SVM (OCSVM) and template-matching classifier
      that discriminate human falls from nonfalls in a semisupervised framework.
      Acoustic signals are captured by means of a Floor Acoustic Sensor; then Mel
      Frequency Cepstral Coefficients and Gaussian Mean Supervectors (GMSs) are
      extracted for the fall/nonfall discrimination. Here we propose a single-sensor
      two-stage user-aided approach: in the first stage, the OCSVM detects abnormal
      acoustic events. In the second, the template-matching classifier produces the
      final decision exploiting a set of template GMSs related to the events marked as
      false positives by the user. The performance of the algorithm has been evaluated
      on a corpus containing human falls and nonfall sounds. Compared to the OCSVM only
      approach, the proposed algorithm improves the performance by 10.14% in clean
      conditions and 4.84% in noisy conditions. Compared to Popescu and Mahnot (2009)
      the performance improvement is 19.96% in clean conditions and 8.08% in noisy
      conditions.

PMID- 28638406
TI  - An HTML5-Based Pure Website Solution for Rapidly Viewing and Processing Large
      Scale 3D Medical Volume Reconstruction on Mobile Internet.
AB  - This study aimed to propose a pure web-based solution to serve users to access
      large-scale 3D medical volume anywhere with good user experience and complete
      details. A novel solution of the Master-Slave interaction mode was proposed,
      which absorbed advantages of remote volume rendering and surface rendering. On
      server side, we designed a message-responding mechanism to listen to interactive
      requests from clients (Slave model) and to guide Master volume rendering. On
      client side, we used HTML5 to normalize user-interactive behaviors on Slave model
      and enhance the accuracy of behavior request and user-friendly experience. The
      results showed that more than four independent tasks (each with a data size of
      249.4 MB) could be simultaneously carried out with a 100-KBps client bandwidth
      (extreme test); the first loading time was <12 s, and the response time of each
      behavior request for final high quality image remained at approximately 1 s,
      while the peak value of bandwidth was <50-KBps. Meanwhile, the FPS value for each
      client was >=40. This solution could serve the users by rapidly accessing the
      application via one URL hyperlink without special software and hardware
      requirement in a diversified network environment and could be easily integrated
      into other telemedical systems seamlessly.

PMID- 28638404
TI  - Puerarin Protects against Cardiac Fibrosis Associated with the Inhibition of TGF
      beta1/Smad2-Mediated Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Puerarin is a kind of flavonoids and is extracted from Chinese herb
      Kudzu root. Puerarin is widely used as an adjuvant therapy in Chinese clinics.
      But little is known about its effects on regulating cardiac fibrosis. METHODS:
      Mice were subjected to transverse aorta constriction (TAC) for 8 weeks; meanwhile
      puerarin was given 1 week after TAC. Cardiac fibrosis was assessed by
      pathological staining. The mRNA and protein changes of CD31 and vimentin in both
      animal and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) models were detected.
      Immunofluorescence colocalization of CD31 and vimentin and scratch test were
      carried out to examine TGF-beta1-induced changes in HUVECs. The agonist and
      antagonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) were
      used to explore the underlying mechanism. RESULTS: Puerarin mitigated TAC-induced
      cardiac fibrosis, accompanied with suppressed endothelial-to-mesenchymal
      transition (EndMT). The consistent results were achieved in HUVECs model. TGF
      beta1/Smad2 signaling pathway was blunted and PPAR-gamma expression was
      upregulated in puerarin-treated mice and HUVECs. Pioglitazone could reproduce the
      protective effect in HUVECs, while GW9662 reversed this effect imposed by
      puerarin. CONCLUSION: Puerarin protected against TAC-induced cardiac fibrosis,
      and this protective effect may be attributed to the upregulation of PPAR-gamma
      and the inhibition of TGF-beta1/Smad2-mediated EndMT.

PMID- 28638407
TI  - The Proline 7 Substitution in the Preproneuropeptide Y Is Associated with Higher
      Hepatic Lipase Activity In Vivo.
AB  - Hepatic lipase (HL) functions as a lipolytic enzyme that hydrolyzes triglycerides
      and phospholipids present in circulating plasma lipoproteins. Plasma HL activity
      is known to be regulated by hormonal and metabolic factors, but HL responsiveness
      to insulin as well as its role in modulating atherosclerotic risk is still
      controversial. We investigated on the influence of a known polymorphism in the
      neurotransmitter neuropeptide Y (NPY) on HL activity in two different cohorts
      consisting of diabetic and nondiabetic patients. HL activity was 24% and 34%
      higher on nondiabetic and diabetic subjects in the presence of the 7Pro allele in
      NPY, respectively. The presence of the 7Pro allele was an independent predictor
      of HL activity in multivariate analyses in both cohorts. These data suggest a
      regulatory effect of NPY on HL activity. Among carriers of the 7Pro allele, we
      also found a statistically significant lower absolute number of infarctions
      compared to noncarriers (p < 0.05) and a nonsignificant trend towards less
      myocardial infarction in the 7Pro allele diabetic carriers (p = 0.085). In
      conclusion, the common 7Pro allele in NPY was associated with higher HL activity
      in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects and its presence seems to coincide with a
      lower frequency of certain cardiovascular events.

PMID- 28638408
TI  - Reanalysis and External Validation of a Decision Tree Model for Detecting
      Unrecognized Diabetes in Rural Chinese Individuals.
AB  - We reanalyzed previous data to develop a more simplified decision tree model as a
      screening tool for unrecognized diabetes, using basic information in Beijing
      community health records. Then, the model was validated in another rural town.
      Only three non-laboratory-based risk factors (age, BMI, and presence of
      hypertension) with fewer branches were used in the new model. The sensitivity,
      specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under
      the curve (AUC) for detecting diabetes were calculated. The AUC values in
      internal and external validation groups were 0.708 and 0.629, respectively.
      Subjects with high risk of diabetes had significantly higher HOMA-IR, but no
      significant difference in HOMA-B was observed. This simple tool will help general
      practitioners and residents assess the risk of diabetes quickly and easily. This
      study also validates the strong associations of insulin resistance and early
      stage of diabetes, suggesting that more attention should be paid to the current
      model in rural Chinese adult populations.

PMID- 28638410
TI  - Low Survival Rates of Oral and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - AIM: To assess the epidemiological and clinical factors that influence the
      prognosis of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: One
      hundred and twenty-one cases of oral and oropharyngeal SCC were selected. The
      survival curves for each variable were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
      The Cox regression model was applied to assess the effect of the variables on
      survival. RESULTS: Cancers at an advanced stage were observed in 103 patients
      (85.1%). Cancers on the tongue were more frequent (23.1%). The survival analysis
      was 59.9% in one year, 40.7% in two years, and 27.8% in 5 years. There was a
      significant low survival rate linked to alcohol intake (p = 0.038), advanced
      cancer staging (p = 0.003), and procedures without surgery (p < 0.001). When
      these variables were included in the Cox regression model only surgery procedures
      (p = 0.005) demonstrated a significant effect on survival. CONCLUSION: The
      findings suggest that patients who underwent surgery had a greater survival rate
      compared with those that did not. The low survival rates and the high percentage
      of patients diagnosed at advanced stages demonstrate that oral and oropharyngeal
      cancer patients should receive more attention.

PMID- 28638409
TI  - Differential Fasting Plasma Glucose and Ketone Body Levels in GHRKO versus 3xTg
      AD Mice: A Potential Contributor to Aging-Related Cognitive Status?
AB  - Cognitive function declines with age and appears to correlate with decreased
      cerebral metabolic rate (CMR). Caloric restriction, an antiaging manipulation
      that extends life-span and can preserve cognitive function, is associated with
      decreased glucose uptake, decreased lactate levels, and increased ketone body
      (KB) levels in the brain. Since the majority of brain nutrients come from the
      periphery, this study examined whether the capacity to regulate peripheral
      glucose levels and KB production differs in animals with successful cognitive
      aging (growth hormone receptor knockouts, GHRKOs) versus unsuccessful cognitive
      aging (the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease). Animals were fasted for 5
      hours with their plasma glucose and KB levels subsequently measured.
      Intriguingly, in GHRKO mice, compared to those in controls, fasting plasma
      glucose levels were significantly decreased while their KB levels were
      significantly increased. Conversely, 3xTg-AD mice, compared to controls,
      exhibited significantly elevated plasma glucose levels and significantly reduced
      plasma KB levels. Taken together, these results suggest that the capacity to
      provide the brain with KBs versus glucose throughout an animal's life could
      somehow help preserve cognitive function with age, potentially through minimizing
      overall brain exposure to reactive oxygen species and advanced glycation end
      products and improving mitochondrial function.

PMID- 28638411
TI  - Regular Dental Visits: Influence on Health-Related Quality of Life in 1,607
      Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is in the top 10
      of all cancer entities. Regular oral examinations by dentists play an important
      role in oral cancer prevention. METHODS: Patients with OSCC (n = 1,607) and
      physicians (n = 1,489) completed questionnaires during the DOSAK Rehab Study. The
      psychosocial and functional factors collected in these questionnaires were
      assessed in the present study. We compared patients who visited their dentist at
      least once a year (group A) with those who visited their dentist less than once a
      year (group B). RESULTS: Patients in group A had significantly better health
      related quality of life after tumor treatment than patients in group B. Patients
      in group A also had a smaller tumor size and less lymph node metastasis and lost
      fewer teeth during the treatment. This resulted in better prosthetic
      rehabilitation and better psychological status after tumor treatment.
      CONCLUSIONS: Dentists play an important role in the early recognition of oral
      cancer. This study should encourage dentists to take a more active role in oral
      cancer prevention.

PMID- 28638412
TI  - Molecular Identification of Aminoglycoside-Modifying Enzymes and Plasmid-Mediated
      Quinolone Resistance Genes among Klebsiella pneumoniae Clinical Isolates
      Recovered from Egyptian Patients.
AB  - Inappropriate use of antibiotics in clinical settings is thought to have led to
      the global emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens. The goal of
      this study was to investigate the prevalence of genes encoding aminoglycoside
      resistance and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance among clinical isolates of
      Klebsiella pneumoniae. All K. pneumoniae isolates were phenotypically identified
      using API 20E and then confirmed genotypically through amplification of the
      specific K. pneumoniae phoE gene. All isolates were genotyped by the
      enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction
      technique (ERIC-PCR). Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by a modified
      Kirby-Bauer method and broth microdilution. All resistant or intermediate
      resistant isolates to either gentamicin or amikacin were screened for 7 different
      genes encoding aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs). In addition, all
      resistant or intermediate-resistant isolates to either ciprofloxacin or
      levofloxacin were screened for 5 genes encoding the quinolone resistance protein
      (Qnr), 1 gene encoding quinolone-modifying enzyme, and 3 genes encoding quinolone
      efflux pumps. Biotyping using API 20E revealed 13 different biotypes. Genotyping
      demonstrated that all isolates were related to 2 main phylogenetic groups.
      Susceptibility testing revealed that carbapenems and tigecycline were the most
      effective agents. Investigation of genes encoding AMEs revealed that acc(6')-Ib
      was the most prevalent, followed by acc(3')-II, aph(3')-IV, and ant(3'')-I.
      Examination of genes encoding Qnr proteins demonstrated that qnrB was the most
      prevalent, followed by qnrS, qnrD, and qnrC. It was found that 61%, 26%, and 12%
      of quinolone-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates harbored acc(6')-Ib-cr, oqxAB, and
      qebA, respectively. The current study demonstrated a high prevalence of
      aminoglycoside and quinolone resistance genes among clinical isolates of K.
      pneumoniae.

PMID- 28638413
TI  - Uterine Cavity Abnormalities in Patients with Endometriosis in Alexandria: A
      Diagnostic Test Accuracy Study.
AB  - Endometriosis is strongly associated with infertility. Endometrial polyps are
      prevalent in infertile women and they have similar pathological characteristics
      to endometriosis, suggesting a possible association. Uterine malformations as
      uterine septum and hypoplastic uterus are also linked to endometriosis.
      Hysterosalpingogram and transvaginal ultrasonography are used to diagnose
      endometrial lesions. Hysteroscopy can detect small lesions that might be missed.
      Recently, 4D ultrasonography is being used, but which is superior has not been
      established yet. We aim to compare 4D ultrasonography to office hysteroscopy in
      evaluating uterine cavity in cases with endometriosis; also we aim at correlating
      these findings with the stage of endometriosis. 50 cases of endometriosis
      diagnosed by laparoscopy were randomly selected from El Shatby fertility clinic,
      Alexandria University, Egypt, with exclusion of cases with any previous
      intrauterine surgery or any hormonal treatment. Transvaginal 4D ultrasonography
      and office hysteroscopy were done. 4D ultrasonography agreed with office
      hysteroscopy in diagnosing abnormal uterine findings in 14 cases and four
      additional cases were diagnosed by hysteroscopy alone. Conclusion. Endometrial
      polyps, septate uterus, and hypoplastic uterus are more prevalent among infertile
      women who happen to have endometriosis. 4D ultrasonography and office
      hysteroscopy are equally successful in assessing the uterine cavity.

PMID- 28638415
TI  - Corrigendum to "Physiologic Conditions Affect Toxicity of Ingested Industrial
      Fluoride".
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2013/439490.].

PMID- 28638414
TI  - An Examination of the Role of Transcriptional and Posttranscriptional Regulation
      in Rhabdomyosarcoma.
AB  - Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is an aggressive family of soft tissue tumors that most
      commonly manifests in children. RMS variants express several skeletal muscle
      markers, suggesting myogenic stem or progenitor cell origin of RMS. In this
      review, the roles of both recently identified and well-established microRNAs in
      RMS are discussed and summarized in a succinct, tabulated format. Additionally,
      the subtypes of RMS are reviewed along with the involvement of basic helix-loop
      helix (bHLH) proteins, Pax proteins, and microRNAs in normal and pathologic
      myogenesis. Finally, the current and potential future treatment options for RMS
      are outlined.

PMID- 28638416
TI  - Corrigendum to "Detection of Gastrointestinal Pathogens from Stool Samples on
      Hemoccult Cards by Multiplex PCR".
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2017/3472537.].

PMID- 28638417
TI  - Development and Validation of a Decision-Making Stratification Algorithm to
      Optimize the Use of Rapid Diagnostic Testing for Patients with Staphylococcus
      Bacteremia.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate whether introducing rapid diagnostic testing in conjunction
      with implementing a stratification algorithm for testing eligibility would be an
      appropriate clinical and cost saving approach. METHOD: An internal concurrent 4
      month observational study was performed. Positive blood cultures continued to be
      worked up in accordance with standard of care. An additional call to the
      infectious disease (ID) pharmacy service occurred for all positive blood cultures
      with Gram-positive cocci in clusters (GPCC). The ID pharmacy service investigated
      each case using a prespecified stratification algorithm to minimize unnecessary
      use of rapid identification testing. RESULTS: 43 patients with GPCC were
      screened. Only nine patients met inclusion criteria for QuickFISHTM testing. The
      average expected time avoided to optimize antibiotic therapy is 35 +/- 16 hours.
      If the QuickFISH test had been indiscriminately implemented for all cases, the
      cost for performing this test would have been $5,590. However, using the
      prespecified algorithm, only 9 patients were tested for a projected cost of
      $1,170. CONCLUSION: Introducing rapid diagnostic testing in conjunction with
      implementing patient stratification algorithm for rapid identification of GPCC
      from blood cultures in addition to the ID pharmacy intervention will provide a
      positive impact on the clinical and economic outcomes in our health care setting.

PMID- 28638419
TI  - Diagnostic Yield of a Direct Quantitative Smear of Lower Respiratory Tract
      Secretions in Patients with Suspected Pneumonia Compared to a Semi-quantitative
      Culture.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Microorganism isolation from respiratory tract specimens is the
      standard of care in patients with suspected nosocomial and ventilator associated
      pneumonia. However, these methods are time-consuming and are influenced by
      several factors. A direct quantitative smear (DQS) with proper staining may be an
      easy, cost-effective, rapid method. We evaluated the diagnostic yield of direct
      smears compared to semi-quantitative culture methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Hospitalized, intubated patients with clinically suspected pneumonia and patients
      who underwent diagnostic bronchoscopic alveolar lavage (BAL) and trans
      endotracheal aspiration (TEA) were enrolled in a prospective study. The obtained
      specimens were Gram stained and microorganisms were computed per 10 high-power
      fields (HPFs) of light microscopy. All samples were cultured by a standard semi
      quantitative method. Colony-forming units (CFU) >104/mL and >105 CFU/mL were
      reported as culture-positive for BAL and TEA, respectively. RESULTS: A total of
      331 respiratory specimens were analyzed. Based on culture results, the best cut
      off point was 35 microorganisms in 10 HPFs of microscopy and provided 90.4%
      sensitivity and 90.8% specificity. The best cut-off point for 25 microorganisms
      in 10 fields of light microscopy provided 95.2% sensitivity and 85.7%
      specificity. CONCLUSION: A DQS obtained by BAL and TEA may be a reliable and
      rapid method to diagnose pneumonia and anticipate semi-quantitative culture
      results. The sensitivity and specificity of a direct smear have adequate
      diagnostic yield to recommend it as an adjunct to microorganism-isolation
      methods.

PMID- 28638418
TI  - The Expression of STAT3 and STAT5A Genes in Severe Refractory Asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite being a high burden disorder, the pathogenesis of severe
      refractory asthma (SRA) is poorly understood. There are some evidences for the
      involvement of members of the signal transducer and activator of transcription
      (STAT) family, including STAT3 and STAT5a. Our study aimed to evaluate the gene
      expression of STAT3 and STAT5a in asthma and SRA to establish if there is an
      association. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain
      reactions (qRT-PCR), the transcript levels of STAT3 and STAT5a were evaluated in
      peripheral blood mononuclear lymphocytes (PBML) isolated from 13 patients with
      SRA, 14 with mild asthma, and 30 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: There were no
      significant differences in STAT3 transcript levels between study groups. There
      was however a significant difference in STAT5a transcript levels between cases
      and controls (p-value=0.03). In comparison to healthy controls, the levels of
      STAT5a were notably lower in patients with mild asthma and significantly least in
      those with SRA. CONCLUSION: Our study found no appreciable association between
      STAT3 gene expression and either mild asthma or SRA. However, the STAT5a down
      regulation in asthmatics and especially SRA is a notable finding which denotes on
      association between STAT5a and different level of asthma.

PMID- 28638420
TI  - Treatment Delay and Total Delay among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in the
      North of Iran: Application Survival Data Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death among infectious
      diseases worldwide. Identifying the factors associated with the treatment delay
      and total delay would be helpful in the prevention of tuberculosis and in
      reducing the burden on the health care system. The objective of this study was to
      assess the treatment delay and total delay in TB patients and investigate the
      factors causing these delays. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a longitudinal
      study conducted in 2009-2015. Our study consisted of 1694 TB patients registered
      in the TB center of Mazandaran province. Data regarding the patients' demographic
      characteristics and clinical factors associated with treatment delay and total
      delay were analyzed. Kaplan Meier plots and log rank tests were used to assess
      the survival pattern. Cox proportional hazards model for multivariable analysis
      was discussed. We used mean values and median (Q2) [first quartile (Q1)-third
      quartile (Q3)] to describe delays. RESULTS: The median treatment delay and total
      delay were 35 (ranged 23-80) and 36 (ranged 24-82) days, respectively. The mean
      age of TB patients was 47.40+/-20.3. No significant association was found between
      the location of residence, nationality, gender, and type of pulmonary TB patients
      with treatment delay and total delay. Additionally, age, prison status of
      patients, HIV test, and contact history had a significant relationship with the
      treatment delay and total delay (p-value <0.05). It was shown that the median
      total delay in men patients in the <=14 year-old age group, imprisoner patients,
      rural patients, patients who have not received an HIV test, smear negative
      patients, those who are Iranian, and TB patients whose contact history was
      unknown was lower than that of others. The highest median treatment delay and
      total delay was in the >60 age groups, and were 41 and 44 days, respectively.
      Treatment delay was the same as the total delay except in the place of residence
      variable; median treatment delay among urban patients was less than that of rural
      patients. CONCLUSION: According to this study age, prison status of patients, HIV
      test and contact history had a significant relationship with the treatment delay
      and total delay (P-value<0.05). Understanding the factors that are closely
      associated with these delays is essential to effectively control TB and could be
      helpful in reducing these delays.

PMID- 28638422
TI  - Cognitive Impairment among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
      Compared to Normal Individuals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most
      important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The complications of COPD
      are numerous, and cognitive impairment is one of the most common complications
      that relates to mortality and morbidity directly. The present study was conducted
      with the aim of evaluating the prevalence of cognitive impairment in patients
      with COPD in comparison to normal individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this
      case-control study, 87 patients with COPD, whose diagnoses were confirmed by a
      pulmonologist based on the spirometry test findings, were included. The mini
      mental state examination (MMSE) questionnaire was administered for assessing the
      cognitive impairment. Arterial oxygen saturation was measured. The MMSE
      questionnaires were administered to 60 healthy, age-and-sex-matched individuals
      without a history of myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular infarction, and
      their arterial oxygen saturations were measured. The data were analyzed using the
      SPSS (version 20) software. RESULTS: In the case group, 42 patients (48.27%) had
      no cognitive impairment, 39 (44.82%) had mild, and 6 (6.89%) had moderate
      cognitive impairment. In the control group, 38 (63.33%) had no cognitive
      impairment, 20 (33.33%) mild and 2 (3.33 %) moderate cognitive impairment. There
      were significant relationships between the cognitive impairment and arterial
      oxygen saturation, severity of COPD, and higher age. The prevalence of cognitive
      impairment was 51.71% in the case group and 36.66% in the control group.
      CONCLUSION: According the results of the present study, COPD increased the risk
      of cognitive impairment significantly and is related to the severity of COPD,
      arterial oxygen saturation, and higher age.

PMID- 28638421
TI  - Item Selection and Content Validity of the Risk Factors of Post-Intubation
      Tracheal Stenosis Observation Questionnaire for ICU-Admitted Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laryngotracheal stenosis as a late complication of prolonged
      endotracheal intubation is a life-threatening event. In order to determine the
      related risk factors for this complication, which may vary among different
      countries, designing a valid questionnaire is necessary. The aim of this study
      was to select the items and evaluate the face and content validities of a
      questionnaire developed for assessment of risk factors of post-intubation
      tracheal stenosis (PITS) in patients admitted in the intensive care unit.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mixed method study design was used in four steps in
      2015, i.e., 1) a literature review, 2) focus groups with five experts in the
      field, 3) consultations with intensive care unit (ICU) specialists and thoracic
      surgeons, and 4) evaluation of content and face validity with 15 experts in a
      scientific panel using two self-administered questionnaires. Content validity
      index (CVI) was computed for individual items as well as the overall scale.
      RESULTS: We extracted the items from different sources of information. An initial
      version of the 52-item questionnaire was developed and classified into four
      domains including patient characteristics, intubation features, equipment-drugs,
      and complications. The items with an excellent modified kappa were included in
      the questionnaire. Five questions received more criticism instead of support and
      were removed (Item-CVI<0.55, fair modified kappa). The ones with an Item-CVI >
      0.60 and a good modified kappa were revised, merged, or retained. The new 43-item
      questionnaire found a scale-level CVI, averaging (Scale-CVI/Ave) of 0.91.
      CONCLUSION: The PITS risk factors questionnaire was developed and validated
      through item selection, expert opinions, and content validity index.

PMID- 28638424
TI  - Application of Fuzzy Delphi in the Selection of COPD Risk Factors among Steel
      Industry Workers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Delphi method has been widely applied in many study areas to
      systematically gather experts' input on particular topic. Recently, it has become
      increasingly well known in health related research. This paper applied the Fuzzy
      Delphi method to enhance the validation of a questionnaire pertaining chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk factors among metal industry workers.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A detailed, predefined list of possible risk factors for
      COPD among metal industry workers was created through a comprehensive and
      exhaustive review of literature from 1995 to 2015. The COPD questionnaire were
      distributed among people identified as occupational, environmental, and hygiene
      experts. Linguistic variable using Likert scale was used by the expert to
      indicate their expert judgment of each item. Subsequently, the linguistic
      variable was converted into a triangular fuzzy number. The average score of the
      fuzzy number will be used to determine whether the item will be removed or
      retained. RESULTS: Ten experts were involved in evaluating 26 items. The experts
      were in agreement with most of the items, with an average fuzzy number range
      between 0.429 and 0.800. Two items were removed and three items were added,
      leaving a total 26 items selected for the COPD risk factors questionnaire. The
      experts were in disagreement with each other for items F10 and F11 where most of
      the experts claimed that the question is too subjective and based on self
      perception only. CONCLUSION: The fuzzy Delphi method enhanced the accuracy of the
      questionnaire pertaining to COPD risk factors, and decreased the length of the
      established tools.

PMID- 28638423
TI  - Relationship between Plasma Levels of Zinc and Clinical Course of Pneumonia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is a common disease and is more prevalent among children
      and the elderly. Zinc (Zn) is an essential substance for the human body and plays
      an important role in regulating the immune system. Studies have shown a possible
      relation between the Zn plasma levels and pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a
      cross-sectional study, 100 patients with pneumonia, who were referred to the
      Educational-Medical Centers of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, were
      included in the study. The plasma levels of Zn of all patients were measured. The
      patients were divided into two groups of normal and low plasma levels of Zn. The
      severity and clinical course of pneumonia, including the durations of fever,
      tachycardia, and tachypnea were evaluated and compared between the two groups.
      RESULTS: The plasma levels of Zn were normal in 56 patients and low in 44
      patients. The mean duration of fever, tachycardia, and tachypnea in the group
      with normal plasma levels of Zn were 1.58+/-0.68, 2.04+/-0.81, and 2.78+/-0.84
      days, respectively; and those in the group with decreased Zn plasma levels were
      1.72+/-0.70, 2.18+/-0.90, and 2.97+/-0.91 days, respectively. There were no
      statistically significant differences between the two groups (P>0.05). However,
      the incidence of severe pneumonia was significantly less in the group with normal
      Zn plasma levels (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of the present
      study, there was no statistically significant relationship between the plasma
      levels of Zn and the clinical course of pneumonia. However, Zn lowered the
      incidence of severe pneumonia.

PMID- 28638425
TI  - The Effect of Wood Aerosols and Bioaerosols on the Respiratory Systems of Wood
      Manufacturing Industry Workers in Golestan Province.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure to dust leads to acute and chronic respiratory
      diseases, occupational asthma, and depressed lung function. In the light of a
      lack of comprehensive studies on the exposure of Iranian workers to wood dusts,
      the objective of this study was to monitor the occupational exposure to wood dust
      and bioaerosol, and their correlation with the lung function parameters in
      chipboard manufacturing industry workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross
      sectional study was conducted on chipboard workers in Golestan Province; a total
      of 150 men (100 exposed cases and 50 controls) were assessed. Workers were
      monitored for inhalable wood dust and lung function parameters, i.e., FVC, FEV1,
      FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75%. The workers' exposure to bioaerosols was measured using
      a bacterial sampler; a total of 68 area samples were collected. The analysis was
      performed using the Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and regression statistical
      tests. RESULTS: The geometric mean value and geometric standard deviation of
      inhalable wood dust for the exposed and control groups were 19 +/- 2.00 mg/m3 and
      0.008 +/- 0.001 mg/m3, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was
      observed between the lung parameters and cumulative exposure to inhalable wood
      dust, whereas a statistically significant correlation was not observed between
      the lung parameters and bioaerosol exposure. However, the exposure of Iranian
      workers to bioaerosols was higher, compared to their foreign coworkers.
      CONCLUSION: Considering the high level of exposure among workers in this study
      along with their lung function results, long-term exposure to wood dust may be
      detrimental to the workers' health and steps to limit their exposure should be
      considered seriously.

PMID- 28638426
TI  - Pulmonary Functions and Health-Related Quality of Life among Silica-Exposed
      Workers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the pulmonary functions of silica
      exposed workers and their health-related quality of life in an insulator
      manufacturing industry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study,
      participants selected from the manufacturing unit (n = 127) constituted the
      exposed group and those from the administrative department (n = 30) constituted
      the unexposed group. All subjects were evaluated using personal air sampling of
      crystalline silica, pulmonary function tests, and a quality of life questionnaire
      (36-item short form health survey [SF-36]). RESULTS: The mean (SD) concentrations
      of crystalline silica were 0.507 (0.23) mg/m3 and 0.0116 (0.008) mg/m3 for the
      exposed and unexposed groups, respectively. All the pulmonary function indices
      and all the physical and mental health domains of the workers were significantly
      lower than those of the administrative clerks (p < 0.05). The silica
      concentration did not significantly correlate with the quality of life components
      and all the pulmonary function indices (p > 0.05), except for forced vital
      capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the workers exposed to higher levels of crystalline
      silica had lower values of pulmonary function indices and lower health-related
      quality of life; however, further follow-up studies are needed to confirm these
      findings.

PMID- 28638427
TI  - Colopharyngoplasty in Patients with Severe Pharyngoesophageal Corrosive Injury: A
      Complicated but Worthwhile Procedure to Restore GI Tract Continuity, A Case
      Series.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pharyngoesophageal strictures (PES) after corrosive injury impose a
      problematic condition for both physicians and patients in terms of their
      management and patients' quality of life. Colopharyngoplasty is a complex
      procedure, which is used to restore swallowing in these severely disabled
      patients. We describe our experience in treating nine patients with severe PES
      after corrosive injuries in a referral center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      retrospective analysis of our database from 2009 to 2014 showed nine patients
      (seven men; age range: 18 to 47 years) with severe PES who underwent
      colopharyngoplasty ~6 months (range: 4-10) after caustic material ingestion. All
      patients had a feeding jejunostomy tube before reconstruction. Esophagectomy with
      or without gastrectomy was performed in all patients, except for one; thereafter,
      an isoperistaltic segment of the left colon was pulled up, and a pharyngocolic
      anastomosis was performed. Eight patients had a tracheostomy created either
      before reconstruction due to respiratory symptoms or at the time of definitive
      surgery to prevent aspiration in the early post-operative period. RESULTS: Almost
      all survivors had a satisfactory swallowing at the end of the follow-up (range: 4
      60 months). The jejunostomy tube could be removed in all of the patients after a
      median of 5 months. One patient died of sepsis due to graft necrosis in the
      immediate post-operative period. Another patient died 5 months after the first
      surgery following a revision surgery for intractable dysphagia. At the end of the
      follow-up, only one patient tolerated tracheostomy tube decannulation. Two
      patients required laryngotracheal dissociation because of massive aspiration and
      recurrent episodes of pneumonia. Five patients still had a tracheostomy because
      of an severely destroyed larynx (two patients) and aspiration (three patients).
      CONCLUSION: Colopharyngoplasty is considered a complicated but trustworthy
      procedure to restore gastrointestinal tract continuity after severe corrosive
      injury. Undeniably, laryngeal involvement adversely affects the functional
      outcome. The post-operative course is frequently protracted, accompanied with
      several problems. Aspiration is nearly the most problematic event in the early
      post-operative period, which mandates a multidisciplinary approach to manage it.

PMID- 28638428
TI  - Acute Respiratory Failure as the First Manifestation of Antisynthetase Syndrome.
AB  - We report the case of a 40-year-old man with acute respiratory failure syndrome
      that later proved to be an initial manifestation of antisynthetase syndrome. The
      diagnosis of this rare combination of a connective tissue disease and an acute
      respiratory failure is difficult in a previously asymptomatic patient. Early
      diagnosis and immunosuppressive therapy started precociously prevented the
      disease progression and resulted in a good outcome.

PMID- 28638429
TI  - Adalimumab-Responsive Refractory Sarcoidosis Following Multiple Eyebrow Tattoos:
      A Case Report.
AB  - Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease that can involve multiple organs including
      the lungs, eyes, nerves, and skin. Cosmetic tattooing can be a predisposing
      factor for sarcoidosis, and its incidence is likely to increase along with its
      popularity. A 47-year-old woman with symptoms of fever and polyarthritis along
      with erythema nodosum lesions on the legs, swollen eyebrows, and a history of
      multiple eyebrow tattooing was referred to our center. Since the signs and
      symptoms were positive for Lofgren's syndrome triad including erythema nodosum,
      bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, and polyarthritis, a diagnosis of acute
      sarcoidosis was made, and treatment was started accordingly. The patient was
      unresponsive to routine therapeutic agents used for sarcoidosis; however, she
      successfully responded to adalimumab. Our case indicates that systemic
      sarcoidosis could develop as a reaction to cosmetic tattooing, which might be
      refractory to conventional therapeutic agents including corticosteroids and non
      biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, while tumor necrosis factor
      antagonists such as adalimumab, could lead to disease remission.

PMID- 28638430
TI  - Treatment of Esophageal Perforation with Primary Closure and Reinforcement Using
      TachoSil.
AB  - Two patients with iatrogenic esophageal perforation following rigid esophagoscopy
      for foreign body removal were successfully treated with primary repair and
      reinforcement using a collagen patch coated with human fibrinogen and thrombin
      (TachoSil, Nycomed, Austria, Vienna). The clinical implication of this report is
      that TachoSil can be used to bolster the repair site of esophageal perforation.

PMID- 28638432
TI  - Mechanical Stimulation of the HT7 Acupuncture Point to Reduce Ethanol Self
      Administration in Rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcoholism, which is a disabling addiction disorder, is a major
      public health problem worldwide. The present study was designed to determine
      whether the application of acupuncture at the Shenmen (HT7) point suppresses
      voluntary alcohol consumption in addicted rats and whether this suppressive
      effect is potentiated by the administration of naltrexone. METHODS: Rats were
      initially trained to self-administer a sucrose solution by operating a lever. A
      mechanical acupuncture instrument (MAI) for objective mechanical stimulation was
      used on rats whose baseline response had been determined. In addition, the effect
      of HT7 acupuncture on beta-endorphin concentration and ethanol intake via
      naltrexone were investigated in different groups. RESULTS: We found that ethanol
      intake and beta-endorphin level in rats being treated with the MAI at the HT7
      point reduced significantly. The treatment of naltrexone at high doses reduced
      the ethanol intake and low-dose injection of naltrexone in conjunction with the
      MAI also suppressed ethanol intake. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study
      indicate that using the MAI at the HT7 point effectively reduces ethanol
      consumption in rats. Furthermore, the coadministration of the MAI and a low dose
      of naltrexone can produce some more potent reducing effect of ethanol intake than
      can acupuncture alone.

PMID- 28638431
TI  - Erzhi Pill(r) Repairs Experimental Liver Injury via TSC/mTOR Signaling Pathway
      Inhibiting Excessive Apoptosis.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of hepatoprotective effect
      of Erzhi Pill (EZP) on the liver injury via observing TSC/mTOR signaling pathway
      activation. The experimental liver injury was induced by 2-acetylaminofluorene (2
      AAF) treatment combined with partial hepatectomy (PH). EZP treated 2-AAF/PH
      induced liver injury by the therapeutic and prophylactic administration. After
      the administration of EZP, the activities of aspartic transaminase (AST), alanine
      aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and gamma-glutamyl
      transpeptidase (gamma-GT) were decreased, followed by the decreased levels of
      hepatocyte apoptosis and caspase-3 expression. However, the secretion of albumin,
      liver weight, and index of liver weight were elevated. Microscopic examination
      showed that EZP restored pathological liver injury. Meanwhile, Rheb and mammalian
      target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation were suppressed, and tuberous sclerosis
      complex (TSC) expression was elevated in liver tissues induced by 2-AAF/PHx and
      accompanied with lower-expression of Bax, Notch1, p70S6K, and 4E-EIF and
      upregulated levels of Bcl-2 and Cyclin D. Hepatoprotective effect of EZP was
      possibly realized via inhibiting TSC/mTOR signaling pathway to suppress excessive
      apoptosis of hepatocyte.

PMID- 28638433
TI  - Shenqiwan Ameliorates Renal Fibrosis in Rats by Inhibiting TGF-beta1/Smads
      Signaling Pathway.
AB  - Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) refers to the transition of epithelial
      cells into mesenchymal cells. Emerging evidence suggests that EMT is a key point
      in renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). Traditional Chinese Medicine Shenqiwan
      (SQW) is widely used in clinical treatment of chronic kidney disease, but the
      underlying mechanism remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate
      the effect of SQW on renal fibrosis and its association with TGF-beta1/Smads
      signaling pathway. A rat model of adenine (150 mg/kg) was established and
      intragastrically treated with various concentrations of SQW at dose of 1.5 g/kg,
      3 g/kg, and 6 g/kg. Control group and model group were given the same volume of
      saline. Meanwhile, the positive control group was treated with Enalapril (4
      mg/kg). Animals were sacrificed on 21st day after administration. The results
      showed that SQW could significantly relieve renal pathological damage caused by
      adenine, increase gene and protein expression of E-cadherin, and decrease the
      expression of Vimentin in kidney samples. In addition, SQW efficiently inhibited
      the mRNA and protein expression of p-Smad2/3 by upregulating Smad7. These results
      suggest that SQW could slow down the progression of renal fibrosis, possibly by
      inhibiting TGF-beta1/Smads signaling pathway.

PMID- 28638434
TI  - An evaluation of the protective role of vitamin C in reactive oxygen species
      induced hepatotoxicity due to hexavalent chromium in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - BACKGROUD: Drinking water contamination with hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] has
      become one of the most serious public health problems, thus the investigation of
      Cr (VI)-induced hepatotoxicity has attracted much attention in recent years.
      METHODS: In the present study, by determining the indices of hepatotoxicity
      induced by Cr (VI), the source of accumulated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and
      the protective effect of the antioxidant Vitamin C (Vit C), we explored the
      mechanisms involved in Cr (VI)-induced hepatotoxicity in vitro and in vivo.
      RESULTS: We found Cr (VI) caused hepatotoxicity characterized by the alterations
      of several enzymatic and cytokine markers including aspartate aminotransferase
      (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), interleukine-1beta (IL-1beta), and tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), etc. ROS production after Cr (VI) exposure was
      origins from the inhibition of electron transfer chain (ETC) and antioxidant
      system. Vit C inhibited ROS accumulation thus protected against Cr (VI)-induced
      hepatotoxicity in L-02 hepatocytes and in the rat model. CONCLUSIONS: We
      concluded that ROS played a role in Cr (VI)-induced hepatotoxicity and Vit C
      exhibited protective effect. Our current data provides important clues for
      studying the mechanisms involved in Cr (VI)-induced liver injury, and may be of
      great help to develop therapeutic strategies for prevention and treatment of
      liver diseases involving ROS accumulation for occupational exposure population.

PMID- 28638435
TI  - Exclusive breastfeeding and mothers' employment status in Gondar town, Northwest
      Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as feeding an infant breast milk
      only, for the first six months. In Ethiopia, more than half of infants do not
      receive exclusive breastfeeding. Workplace barriers contribute to these low rates
      of exclusive breastfeeding practices. Understanding the sociodemographic, health
      related, behavioral and economic factors is crucial to promote the practice of
      exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to
      assess the extent of exclusive breastfeeding practice and associated factors
      among employed and unemployed mothers with children of age 7-12 months in Gondar
      town, northwest Ethiopia, 2015. METHODS: A community based comparative cross
      sectional study was conducted in October 2015. Simple random sampling technique
      was used to select 649 eligible mothers with children age 7-12 months during the
      study period. A structured and pretested interviewer administered questionnaire
      was used to collect the data. Three logistic regression models: whole sample,
      employed and not employed, were fitted. RESULTS: A total of 649 (333 unemployed
      and 316 employed) mothers were interviewed. The mean duration of mothers to
      exclusively breastfeed was 4.77 months (+/- 1.36 Standard Deviation [SD]).
      Exclusive breastfeeding was higher among unemployed 48.0% with 95% Confidence
      Interval (CI) (42.0%, 54.0%) than employed (20.9%) with 95% CI (16.0%, 25.0%).
      Parity of three children and above (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 3.48), and having
      social support (AOR = 3.45) were positively associated with exclusive
      breastfeeding while poor knowledge (AOR = 0.30), wealth index of the medium level
      (AOR = 0.38) were negatively associated among employed mothers. In the case of
      unemployed mothers, vaginal delivery (AOR = 2.60) and having social support (AOR
      = 3.03) were positively associated with exclusive breastfeeding while, poor
      knowledge (AOR = 0.28), and not having antenatal care (AOR = 0.56) were
      negatively associated. CONCLUSIONS: The overall exclusive breastfeeding practice
      of mothers was low. However, unemployed mothers breastfeed more than employed
      mothers. Providing a special support for employed mothers and revising either the
      legislation of the two month postpartum maternity leave or applying different
      alternatives is recommended.

PMID- 28638436
TI  - In vivo label-free mapping of the effect of a photosystem II inhibiting herbicide
      in plants using chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In order to better understand and improve the mode of action of
      agrochemicals, it is useful to be able to visualize their uptake and distribution
      in vivo, non-invasively and, ideally, in the field. Here we explore the potential
      of plant autofluorescence (specifically chlorophyll fluorescence) to provide a
      readout of herbicide action across the scales utilising multiphoton-excited
      fluorescence lifetime imaging, wide-field single-photon excited fluorescence
      lifetime imaging and single point fluorescence lifetime measurements via a fibre
      optic probe. RESULTS: Our studies indicate that changes in chlorophyll
      fluorescence lifetime can be utilised as an indirect readout of a photosystem II
      inhibiting herbicide activity in living plant leaves at three different scales:
      cellular (~MUm), single point (~1 mm2) and macroscopic (~8 * 6 mm2 of a leaf).
      Multiphoton excited fluorescence lifetime imaging of Triticum aestivum leaves
      indicated that there is an increase in the spatially averaged chlorophyll
      fluorescence lifetime of leaves treated with Flagon EC-a photosystem II
      inhibiting herbicide. The untreated leaf exhibited an average lifetime of 560 +/-
      30 ps while the leaf imaged 2 h post treatment exhibited an increased lifetime of
      2000 +/- 440 ps in different fields of view. The results from in vivo wide-field
      single-photon excited fluorescence lifetime imaging excited at 440 nm indicated
      an increase in chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime from 521 ps in an untreated leaf
      to 1000 ps, just 3 min after treating the same leaf with Flagon EC, and to 2150
      ps after 27 min. In vivo single point fluorescence lifetime measurements
      demonstrated a similar increase in chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime. Untreated
      leaf presented a fluorescence lifetime of 435 ps in the 440 nm excited
      chlorophyll channel, CH4 (620-710 nm). In the first 5 min after treatment, mean
      fluorescence lifetime is observed to have increased to 1 ns and then to 1.3 ns
      after 60 min. For all these in vivo plant autofluorescence lifetime measurements,
      the plants were not dark-adapted. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that the local
      impact of a photosystem II herbicide on living plant leaves can be conveniently
      mapped in space and time via changes in autofluorescence lifetime, which we
      attribute to changes in chlorophyll fluorescence. Using portable fibre-optic
      probe instrumentation originally designed for label-free biomedical applications,
      this capability could be deployed outside the laboratory for monitoring the
      distribution of herbicides in growing plants.

PMID- 28638437
TI  - A multiplex PCR for rapid identification of Brassica species in the triangle of
      U.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Within the Brassicaceae, six species from the genus Brassica are
      widely cultivated throughout the world as oilseed, condiment, fodder or vegetable
      crops. The genetic relationships among the six Brassica species are described by
      U's triangle model. Extensive shared traits and diverse morphotypes among
      Brassica species make identification and classification based on phenotypic data
      alone challenging and unreliable, especially when dealing with large germplasm
      collections. Consequently, a major issue for genebank collections is ensuring the
      correct identification of species. Molecular genotyping based on simple sequence
      repeat (SSR) marker sequencing or the Illumina Infinium Brassica napus 60K single
      nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array has been used to identify species and assess
      genetic diversity of Brassica collections. However, these methods are technically
      challenging, expensive and time-consuming, making them unsuitable for routine or
      rapid screening of Brassica accessions for germplasm management. A cheaper,
      faster and simpler method for Brassica species identification is described here.
      RESULTS: A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR) consisting of new and
      existing primers specific to the Brassica A, B and C genomes was able to reliably
      distinguish all six Brassica species in the triangle of U with 16 control samples
      of known species identity. Further validation against 120 Brassica accessions
      previously genotyped showed that the MPCR is highly accurate and comparable to
      more advanced techniques such as SSR marker sequencing or the Illumina Infinium
      B. napus 60K SNP array. In addition, the MPCR was sensitive enough to detect seed
      contaminations in pooled seed samples of Brassica accessions. CONCLUSION: A cheap
      and fast multiplex PCR assay for identification of Brassica species in the
      triangle of U was developed and validated in this study. The MPCR assay can be
      readily implemented in any basic molecular laboratory and should prove useful for
      the management of Brassica germplasm collections in genebanks.

PMID- 28638439
TI  - Non-invasive absolute measurement of leaf water content using terahertz quantum
      cascade lasers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plant water resource management is one of the main future challenges
      to fight recent climatic changes. The knowledge of the plant water content could
      be indispensable for water saving strategies. Terahertz spectroscopic techniques
      are particularly promising as a non-invasive tool for measuring leaf water
      content, thanks to the high predominance of the water contribution to the total
      leaf absorption. Terahertz quantum cascade lasers (THz QCL) are one of the most
      successful sources of THz radiation. RESULTS: Here we present a new method which
      improves the precision of THz techniques by combining a transmission measurement
      performed using a THz QCL source, with simple pictures of leaves taken by an
      optical camera. As a proof of principle, we performed transmission measurements
      on six plants of Vitis vinifera L. (cv "Colorino"). We found a linear law which
      relates the leaf water mass to the product between the leaf optical depth in the
      THz and the projected area. Results are in optimal agreement with the proposed
      law, which reproduces the experimental data with 95% accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: This
      method may overcome the issues related to intra-variety heterogeneities and
      retrieve the leaf water mass in a fast, simple, and non-invasive way. In the
      future this technique could highlight different behaviours in preserving the
      water status during drought stress.

PMID- 28638438
TI  - Real-time monitoring of PtaHMGB activity in poplar transactivation assays.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Precise control of gene expression is essential to synchronize plant
      development with the environment. In perennial plants, transcriptional regulation
      remains poorly understood, mainly due to the long time required to perform
      functional studies. Transcriptional reporters based on luciferase have been
      useful to study circadian and diurnal regulation of gene expression, both by
      transcription factors and chromatin remodelers. The high mobility group proteins
      are considered transcriptional chaperones that also modify the chromatin
      architecture. They have been found in several species, presenting in some cases a
      circadian expression of their mRNA or protein. RESULTS: Transactivation
      experiments have been shown as a powerful and fast method to obtain information
      about the potential role of transcription factors upon a certain reporter. We
      designed and validated a luciferase transcriptional reporter using the 5'
      sequence upstream ATG of Populus tremula * alba LHY2 gene. We showed the
      robustness of this reporter line under long day and continuous light conditions.
      Moreover, we confirmed that pPtaLHY2::LUC activity reproduces the accumulation of
      PtaLHY2 mRNA. We performed transactivation studies by transient expression, using
      the reporter line as a genetic background, unraveling a new function of a high
      mobility group protein in poplar, which can activate the PtaLHY2 promoter in a
      gate-dependent manner. We also showed PtaHMGB2/3 needs darkness to produce that
      activation and exhibits an active degradation after dawn, mediated by the 26S
      proteasome. CONCLUSIONS: We generated a stable luciferase reporter poplar line
      based on the circadian clock gene PtaLHY2, which can be used to investigate
      transcriptional regulation and signal transduction pathway. Using this reporter
      line as a genetic background, we established a methodology to rapidly assess
      potential regulators of diurnal and circadian rhythms. This tool allowed us to
      demonstrate that PtaHMGB2/3 promotes the transcriptional activation of our
      reporter in a gate-dependent manner. Moreover, we added new information about the
      PtaHMGB2/3 protein regulation along the day. This methodology can be easily
      adapted to other transcription factors and reporters.

PMID- 28638440
TI  - Finding Solvable Units of Variables in Nonlinear ODEs of ECM Degradation Pathway
      Network.
AB  - We consider ordinary differential equation (ODE) model for a pathway network that
      arises in extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. For solving the ODEs, we
      propose applying the mass conservation law (MCL), together with a stoichiometry
      called doubling rule, to them. Then it leads to extracting new units of variables
      in the ODEs that can be solved explicitly, at least in principle. The simulation
      results for the ODE solutions show that the numerical solutions are indeed in
      good accord with theoretical solutions and satisfy the MALs.

PMID- 28638441
TI  - Efficient dehydration and recovery of ionic liquid after lignocellulosic
      processing using pervaporation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Biomass pretreatment using certain ionic liquids (ILs) is very
      efficient, generally producing a substrate that is amenable to saccharification
      with fermentable sugar yields approaching theoretical limits. Although promising,
      several challenges must be addressed before an IL pretreatment technology can
      become commercially viable. One of the most significant challenges is the
      affordable and scalable recovery and recycle of the IL itself. Pervaporation (PV)
      is a highly selective and scalable membrane separation process for quantitatively
      recovering volatile solutes or solvents directly from non-volatile solvents that
      could prove more versatile for IL dehydration. RESULTS: We evaluated a
      commercially available PV system for IL dehydration and recycling as part of an
      integrated IL pretreatment process using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate
      ([C2C1Im][OAc]) that has been proven to be very effective as a biomass
      pretreatment solvent. Separation factors as high as 1500 were observed. We
      demonstrate that >99.9 wt% [C2C1Im][OAc] can be recovered from aqueous solution
      (<=20 wt% IL) and recycled five times. A preliminary technoeconomic analysis
      validated the promising role of PV in improving overall biorefinery process
      economics, especially in the case where other IL recovery technologies might lead
      to significant losses. CONCLUSIONS: These findings establish the foundation for
      further development of PV as an effective method of recovering and recycling ILs
      using a commercially viable process technology.

PMID- 28638444
TI  - Understanding the barriers and improving care in type 2 diabetes: Brazilian
      perspective in time to do more in diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex disease, particularly in
      a continental country like Brazil. We attempted to understand and evaluate the
      perceptions and routines of Brazilians with T2DM and physicians, compared with
      other countries. METHODS: We compared the results from a 20-min online survey in
      Brazil with simultaneously collated data from India, Japan, Spain, UK and USA.
      RESULTS: In total, 652 adults with T2DM and 337 treating physicians were
      enrolled, of whom 100 patients and 55 physicians were from Brazil. The numbers of
      primary care physicians from the five countries were 221 versus 43 in Brazil,
      diabetes specialists were 61 versus 12. There was disconnect between the opinions
      of physicians and people with diabetes globally. Further, there were differences
      between clinical practices in Brazil versus the rest of the world, in many areas
      Brazilians were performing better. CONCLUSIONS: Communication between patients
      and physicians should be clearer. There is an urgent need to identify the
      deficits in education, in order to address the clinical inertia within the
      diabetes management team. There is a necessity to understand the specific
      requirements of the Brazilian population in order to contextualise international
      guidelines and implement local changes in practice.

PMID- 28638443
TI  - Dosage compensation and sex-specific epigenetic landscape of the X chromosome in
      the pea aphid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heterogametic species display a differential number of sex
      chromosomes resulting in imbalanced transcription levels for these chromosomes
      between males and females. To correct this disequilibrium, dosage compensation
      mechanisms involving gene expression and chromatin accessibility regulations have
      emerged throughout evolution. In insects, these mechanisms have been extensively
      characterized only in Drosophila but not in insects of agronomical importance.
      Aphids are indeed major pests of a wide range of crops. Their remarkable ability
      to switch from asexual to sexual reproduction during their life cycle largely
      explains the economic losses they can cause. As heterogametic insects, male
      aphids are X0, while females (asexual and sexual) are XX. RESULTS: Here, we
      analyzed transcriptomic and open chromatin data obtained from whole male and
      female individuals to evaluate the putative existence of a dosage compensation
      mechanism involving differential chromatin accessibility of the pea aphid's X
      chromosome. Transcriptomic analyses first showed X/AA and XX/AA expression ratios
      for expressed genes close to 1 in males and females, respectively, suggesting
      dosage compensation in the pea aphid. Analyses of open chromatin data obtained by
      Formaldehyde-Assisted Isolation of Regulatory Elements (FAIRE-seq) revealed a X
      chromosome chromatin accessibility globally and significantly higher in males
      than in females, while autosomes' chromatin accessibility is similar between
      sexes. Moreover, chromatin environment of X-linked genes displaying similar
      expression levels in males and females-and thus likely to be compensated-is
      significantly more accessible in males. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the
      existence of an underlying epigenetic mechanism enhancing the X chromosome
      chromatin accessibility in males to allow X-linked gene dose correction between
      sexes in the pea aphid, similar to Drosophila. Our study gives new evidence into
      the comprehension of dosage compensation in link with chromatin biology in
      insects and newly in a major crop pest, taking benefits from both transcriptomic
      and open chromatin data.

PMID- 28638442
TI  - Computational dynamic approaches for temporal omics data with applications to
      systems medicine.
AB  - Modeling and predicting biological dynamic systems and simultaneously estimating
      the kinetic structural and functional parameters are extremely important in
      systems and computational biology. This is key for understanding the complexity
      of the human health, drug response, disease susceptibility and pathogenesis for
      systems medicine. Temporal omics data used to measure the dynamic biological
      systems are essentials to discover complex biological interactions and clinical
      mechanism and causations. However, the delineation of the possible associations
      and causalities of genes, proteins, metabolites, cells and other biological
      entities from high throughput time course omics data is challenging for which
      conventional experimental techniques are not suited in the big omics era. In this
      paper, we present various recently developed dynamic trajectory and causal
      network approaches for temporal omics data, which are extremely useful for those
      researchers who want to start working in this challenging research area.
      Moreover, applications to various biological systems, health conditions and
      disease status, and examples that summarize the state-of-the art performances
      depending on different specific mining tasks are presented. We critically discuss
      the merits, drawbacks and limitations of the approaches, and the associated main
      challenges for the years ahead. The most recent computing tools and software to
      analyze specific problem type, associated platform resources, and other
      potentials for the dynamic trajectory and interaction methods are also presented
      and discussed in detail.

PMID- 28638445
TI  - Association of MAGE A1-6 Expression with Lung Cancer Progression.
AB  - The melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) genes are known to be expressed in various
      kinds of tumors including lung cancer. Although they are studied as targets for
      immunotherapy and tools for early detection of lung cancer, the correlation
      between MAGE expression and the prognosis in lung cancer has not been clarified.
      In this study, we evaluated the relationship between MAGE A1-6 gene expression
      and the clinical prognosis in lung cancer. Bone marrow aspirations were performed
      in 60 patients who were diagnosed as lung cancer and underwent lung cancer
      surgery between 2007 and 2008. Each bone marrow was examined using nested reverse
      transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with the MAGE common primer to
      detect MAGE A1-6. Overall survival rate, disease-free survival rate, recurrence,
      and distant metastasis were reviewed retrospectively. Survival periods were
      analyzed using SPSS ver. 20.0. Of the total 60 lung cancer patients, 9 patients
      (15%) had MAGE A1-6. MAGE A1-6-positive patients showed poor overall survival and
      overall disease-free survival rates (43.8 +/- 26.1, 43.2 +/- 26.9 months,
      respectively) compared with MAGE A1-6-negative patients (54.4 +/- 17.2, 44.8 +/-
      22.1 months, respectively). No significant difference was shown in either
      survival rates. In conclusion, MAGE A1-6 expression of bone marrow in lung cancer
      patients correlated with poor survival rates. We suggest that MAGE A1-6 may be
      considered as a novel prognostic factor for lung cancer which leads to effective
      follow-up and treatment.

PMID- 28638446
TI  - Overexpression of Transcobalamin 1 is an Independent Negative Prognosticator in
      Rectal Cancers Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy.
AB  - Objective: Neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is an increasingly
      common therapeutic strategy for locally advanced rectal cancer, but
      stratification of risk and final outcomes remain a major challenge.
      Transcobalamin 1 (TCN1), a vitamin B12 (cobalamin)-binding protein, regulates
      cobalamin homeostasis. High expression of TCN1 have been reported in neoplasms
      such as breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, little is known
      about the relevance of TCN1 to rectal cancer receiving CCRT. This study examined
      the predictive and prognostic impact of TCN1 expression in patients with rectal
      cancer following neoadjuvant CCRT. Methods: Through data mining from a published
      transcriptome of rectal cancers (GSE35452), we identified upregulation of TCN1
      gene as the most significantly predicted poor response to CCRT among ion
      transport-related genes (GO:0006811). We evaluated TCN1 immunohistochemistry and
      performed an H-score analysis on endoscopic biopsy specimens from 172 rectal
      cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant CCRT followed by curative surgery.
      Expression levels of TCN1 were further correlated with clinicopathologic
      features, therapeutic response, tumor regression grade (TRG) and survivals
      including metastasis-free survival (MeFS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and
      recurrent-free survival (LRFS). Results: TCN1 overexpression was significantly
      related to advanced post-treatment tumor (T3, T4; p<0.001) and nodal status (N1,
      N2; p<0.001), vascular invasion (p=0.003) and inferior tumor regression grade (p
      < 0.001). In survival analyses, TCN1 overexpression was significantly associated
      with shorter DSS (p<0.0001), MeFS (p=0.0002) and LRFS (p=0.0001). Furthermore, it
      remained an independent prognosticator of worse DSS (p=0.002, hazard
      ratio=3.344), MeFS (p=0.021, hazard ratio=3.015) and LRFS (p=0.037, hazard
      ratio=3.037) in the multivariate comparison. Conclusion: Overexpression of TCN1
      is associated with poor therapeutic response and adverse outcomes in rectal
      cancer patients receiving CCRT, justifying the potential prognostic value of TCN1
      in rectal cancer receiving CCRT.

PMID- 28638447
TI  - Serum IgG4:IgG Ratio Predicts Recurrence of Patients with Hepatocellular
      Carcinoma after Curative Resection.
AB  - Aim: IgG4 is associated with a Th1-to-Th2 switch, which plays a vital role in
      metastasis, in patients with malignances; thus, we aimed to investigate its
      clinical significance in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence in
      the present study. Methods: The correlation between serum IgG4:IgG ratio and
      recurrence was analyzed in a cohort of 195 patients undergoing curative resection
      in 2012. Another 100 patients were analyzed in a prospective independent cohort
      during 2012-2013 to validate the value of serum IgG4. Serum IgG4 and total IgG
      concentrations were measured with an automatic immune analyzer and the optimal
      cutoff value for serum IgG4 levels was determined by X-tile software. Results:
      Our data revealed that serum IgG4:IgG were significantly elevated in patients
      with tumor recurrence (P<0.05). A cutoff IgG:IgG4 ratio of 0.08 was set to
      stratify HCC patients into high (>0.08) and low (<=0.08) groups. High serum
      IgG4:IgG ratio correlated with significantly shorter time-to-recurrence (median
      11.85 months vs. 39.20, P=0.005). Univariate and multivariate analyses
      demonstrated that serum IgG4:IgG ratio is an independent indicator of tumor
      recurrence and this retained its clinical significance even in conventional low
      recurrence-risk subgroups, including patients with low alpha-fetoprotein and
      early-stage diseases. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that elevated serum
      IgG4:IgG ratio is associated with poor clinical outcomes in HCC patients and
      therefore, and can serve as a novel prognostic predictor for HCC patients
      undergoing resection. Analyzing serum IgG4 would be useful to tailor
      individualized therapies for patients.

PMID- 28638448
TI  - Ratio of Autoantibodies of Tumor Suppressor AIMP2 and Its Oncogenic Variant Is
      Associated with Clinical Outcome in Lung Cancer.
AB  - Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-interacting multi-functional protein 2 (AIMP2) works as
      potent tumor suppressor, while its splicing variant lacking exon 2 (AIMP2-DX2)
      competes with AIMP2 for binding to target proteins and compromises its anti-tumor
      activity. Assuming that AIMP2 and its variant AIMP2-DX2 could be released out to
      human sera in pathological condition, we investigated the diagnostic and
      prognostic usefulness of autoantibodies against AIMP2 and AIMP2-DX2 by measuring
      their serum levels in 80 normal and lung cancer samples that were matched in age,
      gender and smoking status. The area under the curve of AIMP2-DX2, AIMP2, and
      AIMP2-DX2/AIMP2 autoantibody ratio was low (0.416, 0.579, and 0.357,
      respectively), suggesting limited diagnostic value. A total of 165 lung cancer
      patients were classified into low and high AIMP2-DX2, AIMP2, and AIMP2-DX2/AIMP2
      based on the median expression of each parameter. The high AIMP2-DX2 group was
      older and had larger tumors (>3 cm) than the low AIMP2-DX2 group. The high AIMP2
      DX2/AIMP2 group had higher CYFRA-21 levels and significantly shorter overall
      survival than the low AIMP2-DX2/AIMP2 group (18.6 vs. 48.9 months, P = 0.021, Log
      Rank Test). Taken together, autoantibodies against AIMP2-DX2 and AIMP2 are
      detectable in the human blood and the increased ratio of AIMP2-DX2/AIMP2 is
      related to poor clinical outcome of lung cancer.

PMID- 28638449
TI  - Plasma Mesothelin as a Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Colorectal
      Cancer.
AB  - Objective Mesothelin is a cell surface protein and overexpressed in many cancers.
      However, the potential value of mesothelin as plasma biomarker in colorectal
      cancer has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to identify whether
      plasma mesothelin is a suitable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for
      colorectal cancer. Methods We performed a two-stage case-control study to
      evaluate plasma mesothelin levels in colorectal cancer using enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Preoperative and postoperative plasma were collected
      to examine the level changes influenced by surgery. Receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) curves were applied to identify the diagnostic value of
      plasma mesothelin. We also conducted univariate Kaplan-Meier survival analysis
      and Cox regression analysis of patients with survival information. Results We
      found that the plasma mesothelin levels in colorectal cancer patients were
      significantly higher than that in the controls (P < 0.001) with an AUC value of
      0.690 (95% CI = 0.625 to 0.752). Individuals with lower mesothelin level had a
      longer survival time (adjusted HR = 4.43, 95% CI = 1.93-10.15, P < 0.001).
      Furthermore, Patients had slightly decreased mesothelin levels in postoperative
      plasma than preoperative plasma, although the alteration was not statistically
      significant (P = 0.052). Conclusion Our findings highlight the correlative
      relationship between plasma mesothelin levels and the presence and progression of
      colorectal cancer. Plasma mesothelin may be a potential diagnostic and, or
      prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28638450
TI  - Osteopontin is Critical for Hyperactive mTOR-Induced Tumorigenesis in Oral
      Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a critical role in the development
      of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but the underlying mechanisms remain
      poorly understood. Here we have demonstrated that the expression of osteopontin
      (OPN) was dramatically up-regulated in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover,
      reduction of OPN suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation, and in vivo
      tumorigenic ability of OSCC cell lines Tca8113. In addition, there was a strong
      positive correlation between mTORC1 activity and OPN expression in OSCC tissues
      and cell lines. Furthermore, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) enhanced OPN expression
      through up-regulation of ERRalpha. Therefore, OPN is a downstream target of
      mTORC1 and is crucial for OSCC development. mTORC1, ERRalpha, and OPN may be
      potential targets for treatment of OSCC with aberrant mTORC1 signaling.

PMID- 28638451
TI  - Antiemetic Effectiveness and Cost-Saving of Aprepitant plus Granisetron Is
      Superior to Palonosetron in Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients Who Received
      Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy.
AB  - Purpose The therapeutic benefit of a three-drug combination of antiemetics has
      not been established in moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). The aim of this
      study was to compare the antiemetic effectiveness and cost-saving of palonosetron
      plus dexamethasone (control group) with aprepitant, granisetron, and
      dexamethasone (study group) in cancer patients who received MEC. Methods We
      switched the standard antiemetic treatment from the control group to the study
      group in gastrointestinal cancer patients who received MEC after October 2015.
      The antiemetics in both groups were modified using salvage antiemetic therapy at
      the clinicians' discretion, according to the severity of chemotherapy-induced
      nausea and vomiting. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records
      from patients, before and after switching groups, from between April 2014 and
      March 2016. Results We evaluated 443 treatment courses in 83 patients. The
      proportion of courses that included salvage antiemetic therapy in the control
      group and the study group was 34.8 % (116/333) and 8.2 % (9/110), respectively,
      and was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The mean integrated costs of
      antiemetics per course in the control group and the study group were 193 +/- 55
      USD and 143 +/- 38 USD, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis
      revealed that the study group was significantly associated with a reduced risk of
      requiring salvage antiemetic therapy (p = 0.038). Conclusions These results
      suggest that the antiemetic effectiveness and cost-saving of a three-drug
      combination of aprepitant, generic granisetron, and dexamethasone was superior to
      a two-drug combination of palonosetron plus dexamethasone in gastrointestinal
      cancer patients who received MEC.

PMID- 28638452
TI  - Targeting TPX2 Suppresses the Tumorigenesis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
      Resulting in Arrested Mitotic Phase Progression and Increased Genomic
      Instability.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most difficult cancers to
      treat, with chemotherapies being relatively ineffective. Therefore, a better
      knowledge of molecular hepatocarcinogenesis will provide opportunities for
      designing targeted therapies. TPX2 (targeting protein for Xklp2) is overexpressed
      as a consequence of oncogenic alterations and is likely to alter the proper
      regulation of chromosome segregation in cancer cells. Disrupting the machinery
      which is responsible for mitosis and chromosome instability in cancer cells can
      be one of the most successful strategies for cancer therapy. Therefore, we
      consider the targeting TPX2 could provide novel therapeutic strategies for
      cancer. In this study, increased TPX2 protein expression was present in 16 (42%)
      of 38 primary HCCs and was associated with advanced stage, distant metastatic
      HCCs and poor prognosis. Knockdown of TPX2 inhibited cancer cell growth and
      downregulation of cyclin A, cyclin E and CDK2 proteins. However, over-expressed
      EGFP-TPX2 protein enhanced the in vitro tumor spheroid formation and rescued the
      TPX2 depleted cell growth. Targeting TPX2 caused a rising impaired chromosomal
      instability resulting in multinuclearity, cell cycle progression arrest,
      apotosis, senescence and an increased polyploidy in cells. An image-cytometry
      analysis revealed cell cycle progression arrest after TPX2 inhibition. A
      correlation was observed between the downregulation of the protein levels of
      genes related to chromosomal segregation and spindle assembly checkpoint
      (securin, seprase, Aurora A, Aurora B, Cyclin B1, Cyclin B2, MPS1, BUB1, BUB3,
      MAD1 and MAD2) and increased cell ploidy, indicating mitotic progression failure
      and the loss of the balance of genomic instability. In vitro tumor spheroid assay
      and in vivo xenografts mouse model showed a therapeutic opportunity. Our findings
      indicate that targeting TPX2 lead to suppress tumorigenicity in liver cancer
      cells, suggesting that TPX2 is a potential target for anticancer therapy in HCC.

PMID- 28638453
TI  - The Clinical Impact of c-MET Over-Expression in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer
      (BTC).
AB  - Background: c-MET is a proto-oncogene that encodes the tyrosine kinase receptor
      for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Activation of HGF-c-MET signaling involves
      cell invasiveness and evokes metastasis through direct involvement of tumor
      angiogenesis. However, the value of c-MET overexpression is still unknown in
      metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC). Methods: We analyzed the incidence and
      clinicopathologic characteristics of c-MET overexpression in advanced BTC.
      Moreover, we investigated the value of c-MET overexpression in predicting
      response to gemicitabine plus cisplatin (GC), a first line standard regimen, and
      as a prognostic marker in metastatic BTC. Results: The BTC subtype distribution
      (N=44) was as follows: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC, n=7), extrahepatic
      cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC, n=25) and gallbladder cancer (GBC, n=12). Liver (52.3%)
      was the predominant metastatic site, followed by lymph nodes (36.4%) and bone
      (15.9%). Among the 44 patients analyzed for c-MET expression, 15 (34.1%)
      exhibited c-MET overexpression in tumor tissues. There was no significant
      difference in the prevalence of c-MET overexpression among primary sites in EHCC
      (7/25, 28.0%), IHCC (3/7, 42.9%), and GBC (5/12, 41.7%). There was also no
      significant correlation between specific clinicopathologic variables and c-MET
      expression. Comparing the tumor-response to GC according to c-MET expression
      (overexpression vs. non-overexpression), there was no significant difference in
      either RR or DCR (p=0.394 and p >0.999, respectively). The median PFS for all 44
      patients was 9.00 months (95% CI, 7.5-10.5 months) and there was no significant
      difference for PFS between patients with c-MET overexpression and those without
      (p=0.917). The median OS was 14.4 months (95% CI, 11.9-16.9 months). There was no
      significant difference in OS between patients with c-MET overexpression compared
      to those without (13.7 vs. 14.4 months, respectively; p=0.708). Conclusions: c
      MET overexpression was detected in 34.1% of advanced BTC patients irrespective of
      tumor location. c-MET overexpression did not predict response to GC or survival.
      Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the value of c-MET overexpression
      as a novel biomarker in these patients.

PMID- 28638454
TI  - Downregulation of Mitochondrial Single Stranded DNA Binding Protein (SSBP1)
      Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Increases the Radiosensitivity in Non-Small
      Cell Lung Cancer Cells.
AB  - Radiotherapy is one of the major therapeutic strategies for human non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC), but intrinsic radioresistance of cancer cells makes a
      further improvement of radiotherapy for NSCLC challenging. Mitochondrial function
      is frequently dysregulated in cancer cells for adaptation to the changes of tumor
      microenvironment after exposure to radiation. Therefore, targeting mitochondrial
      biogenesis and bioenergetics is an attractive strategy to sensitize cancer cells
      to radiation therapy. In this study, we found that downregulation of single
      strand DNA-binding protein 1 (SSBP1) in H1299 cells was associated with inducing
      mitochondrial dysfunction and increasing radiosensitivity to ionizing radiation.
      Mechanistically, SSBP1 loss induced mitochondrial dysfunction via decreasing
      mitochondrial DNA copy number and ATP generation, enhancing the mitochondrial
      derived ROS accumulation and downregulating key glycolytic enzymes expression.
      SSBP1 knockdown increased the radiosensitivity of H1299 cells by inducing
      increased apoptosis, prolonged G2/M phase arrest and defective homologous
      recombination repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Our findings identified SSBP1
      as a radioresistance-related protein, providing potential novel mitochondrial
      target for sensitizing NSCLC to radiotherapy.

PMID- 28638455
TI  - The Prognostic and Predictive Value of Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 in Metastatic
      Colorectal Cancer Patients with First Line Bevacizumab Containing Chemotherapy.
AB  - Objective: We had previously demonstrated that the carbohydrate antigen 19-9
      (CA19-9), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are
      prognostic factors for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In this
      study, we try to analysis the association of these blood-based biomarkers with
      bevacizumab efficacy in the first line setting. Methods: A total of 284 eligible
      consecutive mCRC patients who received first-line chemotherapy with or without
      bevacizumab were studied from 2007 to 2014 at Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer
      Center. The endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression free survival
      (PFS). Results: Among all the patients, the initial elevated CA19-9, high LDH,
      and NLR > 2.47 were confirmed as independent unfavorable prognostic factors. The
      CA19-9 and LDH levels were significantly associated with PFS. In the high CA19-9
      subgroup, patients had favorable OS from bevacizumab administration in the first
      line therapy (32.1 vs. 20.1 months, P = 0.03), but without PFS benefit. In terms
      of different levels of LDH, and NLR, there were no survival benefit from
      bevacizumab treatment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the initial CA19-9,
      LDH, and NLR levels could be independent prognostic biomarkers in mCRC patients.
      And among all these factors, the initial high CA19-9 level could be a predictor
      for bevacizumab effect.

PMID- 28638456
TI  - Temozolomide and Bevacizumab Induction before Chemoradiotherapy in Patients with
      Bulky Glioblastoma and/or with Severe Neurological Impairment.
AB  - Background. New approaches are needed for patients newly diagnosed with bulky
      glioblastoma (GB) and/or with severe neurological impairment that cannot benefit
      from first line temozolomide (TMZ)-based chemoradiotherapy. Bevacizumab (BEV), an
      antiangiogenic anti-VEGF-R monoclonal antibody, has a rapid impact on tumor
      related brain edema in recurrent GB. The present study reports the feasibility
      and efficacy of an induction treatment with TMZ and BEV to alleviate the initial
      neurological impairment and/or to reduce the tumor volume before a delayed
      chemoradiotherapy. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed tumor and target volumes
      and clinical neurological status in 39 patients with bulky GB and/or with severe
      neurological impairment after an induction treatment combining TMZ and BEV.
      Neurological and radiological responses were assessed according to RANO criteria.
      Calculating gross tumor and clinical target volumes (GTV and CTV) was done at
      diagnosis and before radiotherapy. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall
      survival (OS) were determined by Kaplan Meier methods. Safety was reported
      according to NCTCAE. Results. A cohort of 39 patients was analyzed between
      December 2010 and April 2014. Upfront standard TMZ-based chemoradiotherapy was
      recused due either to tumor volume or impairment of neurological status and/or
      performance status. After TMZ/BEV induction (median time of 3 months), 6 (15%)
      patients achieved a partial response (PR), and 17 (44%) had a stable disease. 24
      patients (62%) received a radical-intent chemoradiotherapy. TMZ-BEV induced
      median reduction of the clinical target volume (CTV) was 25.9% [-84.4%; - 4.8%].
      The median PFS and OS were 8.4 months [95% CI: (6.6 - 9.9)] and 11.0 months [95%
      CI: (9.3 - 13.7)], respectively in the whole cohort and 10.8 [95% CI: (9.3 -
      12.9)] and 15.0 [95% CI: (13.2 - 17.8)] for irradiated patients. Induction
      treatment led to corticosteroid dose reduction or cessation in 21 patients (54%).
      KPS improvement was observed in 38% of patients. Toxicity was mild with only 7/39
      (18%) grade III-IV toxicity, including 1 digestive bleeding and 1 epistaxis.
      Conclusion. TMZ-BEV induction led to CTV reduction allowing for optimal
      chemoradiotherapy in a majority (62%) of patients for which radiotherapy was
      initially recused. A clinical benefit was obtained with improved KPS and a
      decrease in steroid dose.

PMID- 28638457
TI  - Upregulation of Coxsackie Adenovirus Receptor Sensitizes Cisplatin-Resistant Lung
      Cancer Cells to CRAd-Induced Inhibition.
AB  - Objective. Conditionally replicating adenoviruses (CRAds) have been proven potent
      oncolytic viruses in previous studies. They selectively replicate in the tumor
      cells because of incorporated survivin promoter and ultimately lead to their
      killing with minimal side effects on normal tissue. Chemotherapy with cisplatin
      is commonly employed for treating tumors, but its cytotoxic effects and
      development of resistance remained major concerns to be dealt with. The aim of
      this study was to explore the anticancer potential of survivin regulated CRAd
      alone or in combination with cisplatin in the A549 lung cancer cell line and
      cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cell line, A549-DDPR. Methods. CRAd was
      genetically engineered in our laboratory by removing its E1B region and adding
      survivin promoter to control its replication. A549, H292, and H661 lung cancer
      cell lines were procured from the CAS-China. The anti-tumor effectiveness of
      combined treatment (cisplatin plus CRAd) was evaluated in vitro through MTS
      assays and in vivo through mouse model experimentation. RT- PCR was used to
      assess MDR gene and mRNA expression of coxsackie adenoviral receptor (CAR).
      Results. Results of in vitro studies established that A549 lung cancer cells were
      highly sensitive to cisplatin showing dose-dependent inhibition. The resistant
      cells of A549-DDPR exhibited very less sensitivity to cisplatin but were infected
      with CRAd more efficiently as compared to A549. A549-DDPR cells exhibited higher
      expression of MDR gene and CAR in the RT-PCR analysis. The nearly similar rise in
      the CAR expression was seen when lung cancer cell lines received cisplatin in
      combined treatment (cisplatin plus CRAd). Combined anti-cancer therapy (cisplatin
      plus oncolytic virus) proved more efficient than monotherapy in the killing of
      cancer cells. Results of in vivo experiments recapitulated nearly similar tumor
      inhibition activities. Conclusion. This study highlighted the significant role of
      survivin in gene therapy as it has the potential to render CRAd more tumor
      specific. It also establishes that higher CAR expression plays a vital role in
      the success of adenovirus-based therapies. Furthermore, a careful combination of
      chemotherapy drugs and oncolytic viruses can culminate in significant therapeutic
      achievements against cancer.

PMID- 28638458
TI  - Anti-Metastatic Effect of Semi-Purified Nuphar Lutea Leaf Extracts.
AB  - Nuphar lutea L. SM., leaf and rhizome extracts (NUP), contain nupharidines as
      active components. Nupharidines belong to the sesquiterpene lactones class of a
      naturally occurring plant terpenoids. This family of compounds has gained
      considerable interest for treating infection, inflammation and cancer. NF-kappaB
      is a central, downstream regulator of inflammation, cell proliferation and
      apoptosis. In our previous work we demonstrated strong inhibition of NF-kappaB
      activity and induction of apoptosis by NUP. In addition, NUP exhibited anti
      inflammatory properties and partial protection from LPS-induced septic shock by
      modulating ERK pathway and cytokine secretion in macrophages. In the present
      study, we examined the effect of NUP in a B16 melanoma experimental murine lung
      metastasis model and its ability to affect the ERK and NF-kappaB pathways in
      variety of cell lines. We showed that NUP and cisplatin combined treatment was
      synergistic and reduced the lung metastatic load. In addition NUP treatment
      inhibited TNFalpha-induced IkappaBalpha degradation and NF- kappaB nuclear
      translocation. We also observed that NUP induced ERK activation. Furthermore, ERK
      inhibition prevented NF-kappaB inactivation by NUP. Overall, our work implies
      that co-administration of NF-kappaB inhibitors such as NUP, with standard anti
      cancer drugs, may act as "sensitizers" for more effective chemotherapy.

PMID- 28638459
TI  - Towards Prognostic Profiling of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: New Perspectives on
      the Relevance of Polo-Like Kinase 1 Expression, the TP53 Mutation Status and
      Hypoxia.
AB  - Background: Currently, prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients
      is based on clinicopathological factors, including TNM stage. However, there are
      considerable differences in patient outcome within a similar staging group, even
      when patients received identical treatments. In order to improve prognostic
      predictions and to guide treatment options, additional parameters influencing
      outcome are required. Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a master regulator of mitotic
      cell division and the DNA damage response, is considered as a new potential
      biomarker in this research area. While several studies reported Plk1
      overexpression in a broad range of human malignancies, inconsistent results were
      published regarding the clinical significance hereof. A prognostic panel,
      consisting of Plk1 and additional biomarkers that are related to the Plk1
      pathway, might further improve prediction of patient prognosis. Methods: In this
      study, we evaluated for the first time the prognostic value of Plk1 mRNA and
      protein expression in combination with the TP53 mutation status (next generation
      sequencing), induction of apoptotic cell death (immunohistochemistry for cleaved
      caspase 3) and hypoxia (immunohistochemistry for carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX))
      in 98 NSCLC adenocarcinoma patients. Results: Both Plk1 mRNA and protein
      expression and CA IX protein levels were upregulated in the majority of tumor
      samples. Plk1 mRNA and protein expression levels were higher in TP53 mutant
      samples, suggesting that Plk1 overexpression is, at least partially, the result
      of loss of functional p53 (<0.05). Interestingly, the outcome of patients with
      both Plk1 mRNA and CA IX protein overexpression, who also harbored a TP53
      mutation, was much worse than that of patients with aberrant expression of only
      one of the three markers (p=0.001). Conclusion: The combined evaluation of Plk1
      mRNA expression, CA IX protein expression and TP53 mutations shows promise as a
      prognostic panel in NSCLC patients. Moreover, these results pave the way for new
      combination strategies with Plk1 inhibitors.

PMID- 28638461
TI  - Current Status of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Gastrointestinal Cancers.
AB  - The expansion of our understanding of tumor immunity and the recent success of
      new cancer immunotherapy has reignited the hope that we can treat cancer
      effectively with immunotherapeutic approaches. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have
      shown significant efficacy in the treatment of some solid and hematologic
      malignancies. Encouraged by recent success in some other types of malignancies,
      many clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate the efficacy of immune checkpoint
      inhibitors in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. In this review, we briefly
      discuss theoretical background and current status of immune checkpoint inhibitors
      in GI cancers. We summarize the key studies and present the ongoing clinical
      trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitors in GI cancers.

PMID- 28638460
TI  - ZEB1 Mediates Drug Resistance and EMT in p300-Deficient CRC.
AB  - We discuss the hypothesis that ZEB1-Wnt-p300 signaling integrates epithelial to
      mesenchymal transition (EMT) and resistance to histone deacetylase inhibitors
      (HDACis) in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. The HDACi butyrate, derived from
      dietary fiber, has been linked to CRC prevention, and other HDACis have been
      proposed as therapeutic agents against CRC. We have previously discussed that
      resistance to butyrate likely contributes to colonic carcinogenesis, and we have
      demonstrated that butyrate resistance leads to cross-resistance to cancer
      therapeutic HDACis. Deregulated Wnt signaling is the major initiating event in
      most CRC cases. One mechanism whereby butyrate and other HDACis exert their anti
      CRC effects is via Wnt signaling hyperactivation, which promotes CRC cell
      apoptosis. The histone acetylases (HATs) CBP and p300 are mediators of Wnt
      transcriptional activity, and play divergent roles in the downstream consequences
      of Wnt signaling. CBP-mediated Wnt signaling is associated with cell
      proliferation and stem cell maintenance; whereas, p300-mediated Wnt activity is
      associated with differentiation. We have found that CBP and p300 differentially
      affect the ability of butyrate to influence Wnt signaling, apoptosis, and
      proliferation. ZEB1 is a Wnt signaling-targeted gene, whose product is a
      transcription factor expressed at the invasive front of carcinomas where it
      promotes malignant progression and EMT. ZEB1 is typically a transcriptional
      repressor; however, when associated with p300, ZEB1 enhances transcription. These
      changes in ZEB1 activity likely affect the cancer cell phenotype. ZEB1 has been
      shown to promote resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, and expression of ZEB1 is
      upregulated in butyrate-resistant CRC cells that lack p300 expression. Since the
      expression of ZEB1 correlates with poor outcomes in cancer, ZEB represents a
      relevant therapeutic target. Here we propose that targeting the signaling network
      established by ZEB1, Wnt signaling, and p300 signaling can reverse HDACi
      resistance and inhibit EMT.

PMID- 28638462
TI  - Reorganized Collagen in the Tumor Microenvironment of Gastric Cancer and Its
      Association with Prognosis.
AB  - Collagen components in the tumor microenvironment substantially influence cancer
      pathogenesis and progression. Nevertheless, in gastric cancer, collagen status
      and its prognostic role remain unclear. Using picrosirius red staining and
      immunohistochemistry, we found that collagen deposition was significantly
      increased in gastric cancer when compared with non-neoplastic tissues, and in
      cancer stroma, more immature collagen components were present, suggesting a
      qualitative change. Furthermore, the morphology of collagen fibers could be
      weakly, moderately or strongly changed in gastric cancer; when weakly or
      moderately changed, they appeared similar to normal collagen fibers, except for a
      higher linearization and density; when strongly changed, they were thicker and
      less eosinophilic, sharply differently from their normal counterparts. In
      addition, we found abundant myofibroblasts and elevated expression of lysyl
      oxidase-like 2 (the enzyme that mediates crosslinking of collagen molecules) in
      cancer stroma, which might contribute to the increased collagen deposition and
      crosslinking. Last, five collagen architectural parameters (alignment, density,
      width, length and straightness) were analyzed with second harmonic generation
      imaging, a highly specific technology for detection of collagen fibers, and our
      data indicated that all the parameters were significantly increased in the tumor
      microenvironment. Of the five parameters, collagen width was the most powerful
      parameter in predicting 5-year overall survival, and increased collagen width was
      associated with reduced survival. The prognostic value of collagen width was
      superior to traditional clinicopathological parameters, and this was validated in
      two unrelated gastric cancer cohorts that contained 225 and 151 patients.
      Collectively, the collagen status (content, maturity, morphology and
      architecture) was profoundly reorganized in the tumor microenvironment of gastric
      cancer, and collagen width could serve as a valuable prognostic indicator.

PMID- 28638463
TI  - Deficiency of hMLH1 and hMSH2 expression is a poor prognostic factor in Early
      Gastric Cancer (EGC).
AB  - Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of deficiency of
      hMLH1 and hMSH2 expression on the prognosis of early gastric cancer (EGC) in
      Chinese populations. Methods: A total of 160 EGC patients who underwent curative
      gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy from January 2011 to July 2014 at Xinhua
      Hospital were evaluated. The expression rates of hMLH1 and hMSH2 were examined
      using tissues preserved in paraffin blocks by immunohistochemical staining. The
      clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of EGC with deficient hMLH1 and
      hMSH2 were analyzed. Results: On immunohistochemical staining, the loss
      expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 were observed in 89 (55.6%) and 45 (28.1%),
      respectively. The hMLH1 deficiency was associated with the middle third of tumor
      location (P = 0.041). According to Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-Rank
      test, the loss expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 were associated with worse survival
      than positive hMLH1 (HR = 0.247, 95% CI = 0.078-0.781, P = 0.017) and hMSH2 (HR =
      0.174, 95% CI = 0.051-0.601, P = 0.006) in EGC. Conclusion: The main conclusions
      were as follows: The hMLH1 deficiency was preferred to the middle third of EGC.
      Lymph node metastasis (LNM) was a prognostic factor of EGC. And the prognosis of
      EGC patients with deficient mismatch repair (dMMR, mainly including deficient
      hMLH1 and hMSH2) was obviously worse than proficient mismatch repair (pMMR).

PMID- 28638464
TI  - Overexpression of PAK1 Correlates with Aberrant Expression of EMT Markers and
      Poor Prognosis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - Objective: p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are serine/threonine protein kinases.
      PAK1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are key therapeutic targets in
      cancer. The clinical significance of PAK1 and its potential association with EMT
      phenotype in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was investigated. Methods:
      Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of PAK1, and mesenchymal
      and epithelial markers (vimentin, N-cadherin, and E-cadherin) in 186 cases of
      NSCLC tissues and 50 cases of tumor-adjacent normal tissues. The correlation of
      PAK1 with the clinicopathological characteristics, prognosis, and mesenchymal and
      epithelial markers in NSCLC were analyzed. Results: Compared with the non-tumor
      tissues, PAK1, vimentin, and N-cadherin levels were markedly elevated in NSCLC
      tissues, whereas the E-cadherin levels were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The
      aberrant expression of PAK1 was significantly associated with TNM stage and
      metastasis (P<0.001). Patients who displayed high expression of PAK1 may achieve
      a poorer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), compared to
      those with low expression of PAK1 (P=0.001 and P<0.001). Univariate and
      multivariate analysis showed that high expression of PAK1 was an independent
      predictor of poor prognosis [hazard ratio (HR) =2.121, P<0.001, HR=1.928,
      P=0.001, respectively]. In addition, significant correlations were observed
      between the EMT markers and OS or PFS (P<0.01). Interestingly, PAK1 expression
      was positively correlated with vimentin and N-cadherin levels (r=0.473, P<0.001;
      r=0.526, P<0.001, respectively) and negatively correlated with E-cadherin levels
      (r=-0.463, P<0.001) in NSCLC tissues. Conclusion: PAK1 may promote NSCLC
      progression and metastasis through EMT, thereby exhibiting the potential of an
      efficient prognostic predictor in NSCLC patients.

PMID- 28638465
TI  - Prediction of Lymph Node Metastases in Gastric Cancer by Serum APE1 Expression.
AB  - Aims: To investigate the functional role of serum Human apurinic/apyrimidinic
      endonuclease 1 (APE1) in prediction of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer
      patients. Materials and methods: Serum samples were pre-operational collected
      from 86 patients with gastric cancer from Tianjin Medical University Cancer
      Institute and Hospital from March 2016 to August 2016. The serum of APE1 was
      measured by ELISA development kit and other CA242, CA724, CA199 and CEA levels by
      electrochemiluminescence assay. Results: The total of 86 patients with gastric
      cancer was classified into two groups (lymph node positive and negative groups).
      Using ELISA assay, we found out that the concentration of serum APE1 was higher
      in lymph node positive group than that of lymph node negative group. The receiver
      operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to analyze, indicating that
      area under the ROC curve of serum APE1 were better than those of each regular
      markers (CEA+CA199+CA242+CA724) or combination of these markers. Additionally,
      the APE1 overexpression was uncovered in tissue of gastric cancer patients with
      lymph nodes metastases, which is correlation with results of serum APE1.
      Conclusion: Serum APE1 was identified as a valuable marker for prediction of
      lymph node metastases in patients with gastric cancer.

PMID- 28638466
TI  - Long Noncoding RNA CCAT2 as a Potential Novel Biomarker to Predict the Clinical
      Outcome of Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - Background: Colon Cancer-Associated Transcript 2 (CCAT2) has been demonstrated
      associated with clinical outcomes in various tumors. However, the results from
      each study were unfortunately insufficient and not completely consistent.
      Therefore, we conduct a systematic meta-analysis to evaluate the value for a
      feasible biomarker for metastasis and prognosis. Methods: A meta-analysis was
      performed using data obtained through a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE,
      Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database and
      VIP database. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95%
      Confidence interval (CI ) using random-effect were used to identify the
      relationship of CCAT2 with clinical outcome of cancer patients. Subgroup analysis
      and sensitivity analysis were performed. Results: A total of 867 patients from
      eight studies were finally included. Patients with high CCAT2 expression
      underwent an increased risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) (OR=3.09, 95% CI: 1.53
      6.26) and distant metastasis (DM) (OR=7.70, 95% CI: 3.26-18.17). CCAT2 was also
      significantly correlated with overall survival (OS) (HR=2.19, 95%CI: 1.70-2.82)
      and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR=2.59, 95% CI: 1.78-3.76). Moderate
      heterogeneity was observed in meta-analysis for LNM. However, the results
      remained robust in multiple sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: High expression of
      CCAT2 was linked with poor clinical outcome. CCAT2 can serve as a potential
      molecular marker for prognosis in different types of cancers.

PMID- 28638467
TI  - Dual-Responsive Molecular Probe for Tumor Targeted Imaging and Photodynamic
      Therapy.
AB  - The precision oncology significantly relies on the development of multifunctional
      agents to integrate tumor targeting, imaging and therapeutics. In this study, a
      first small-molecule theranostic probe, RhoSSCy is constructed by conjugating 5'
      carboxyrhodamines (Rho) and heptamethine cyanine IR765 (Cy) using a reducible
      disulfide linker and pH tunable amino-group to realize thiols/pH dual sensing. In
      vitro experiments verify that RhoSSCy is highly sensitive for quantitative
      analysis and imaging intracellular pH gradient and biothiols. Furthermore,
      RhoSSCy shows superb tumor targeted dual-modal imaging via near-infrared
      fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA). Importantly, RhoSSCy also induces
      strongly reactive oxygen species for tumor photodynamic therapy (PDT) with robust
      antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. Such versatile small-molecule
      theranostic probe may be promising for tumor targeted imaging and precision
      therapy.

PMID- 28638468
TI  - Current and emerging techniques for antibiotic susceptibility tests.
AB  - Infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are a worldwide burden. Serious
      bacterial infection-related complications, such as sepsis, affect over a million
      people every year with mortality rates ranging from 30% to 50%. Crucial clinical
      microbiology laboratory responsibilities associated with patient management and
      treatment include isolating and identifying the causative bacterium and
      performing antibiotic susceptibility tests (ASTs), which are labor-intensive,
      complex, imprecise, and slow (taking days, depending on the growth rate of the
      pathogen). Considering the life-threatening condition of a septic patient and the
      increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals, rapid and
      automated diagnostic tools are needed. This review summarizes the existing
      commercial AST methods and discusses some of the promising emerging AST tools
      that will empower humans to win the evolutionary war between microbial genes and
      human wits.

PMID- 28638469
TI  - Dual-pH Sensitive Charge-reversal Nanocomplex for Tumor-targeted Drug Delivery
      with Enhanced Anticancer Activity.
AB  - Poly(beta-L-malic acid) (PMLA), a natural aliphatic polyester, has been proven to
      be a promising carrier for anti-cancer drugs. In spite of excellent bio
      compatibility, the application of PMLA as the drug carrier for cancer therapy is
      limited by its low cellular uptake efficiency. The strong negative charge of PMLA
      impedes its uptake by cancer cells because of the electrostatic repulsion. In
      this study, a dual pH-sensitive charge-reversal PMLA-based nanocomplex (PMLA-PEI
      DOX-TAT@PEG-DMMA) was developed for effective tumor-targeted drug delivery,
      enhanced cellular uptake, and intracellular drug release. The prepared
      nanocomplex showed a negative surface charge at the physiological pH, which could
      protect the nanocomplex from the attack of plasma proteins and recognition by the
      reticuloendothelial system, so as to prolong its circulation time. While at the
      tumor extracellular pH 6.8, the DMMA was hydrolyzed, leading to the charge
      reversal and exposure of the TAT on the polymeric micelles, thus enhancing the
      cellular internalization. Then, the polymeric micelles underwent dissociation and
      drug release in response to the acidic pH in the lyso/endosomal compartments of
      the tumor cell. Both in vitro and in vivo efficacy studies indicated that the
      nanocomplex significantly inhibited the tumor growth while the treatment showed
      negligible systemic toxicity, suggesting that the developed dual pH-sensitive
      PMLA-based nanocomplex would be a promising drug delivery system for tumor
      targeted drug delivery with enhanced anticancer activity.

PMID- 28638470
TI  - Bright Polymer Dots Tracking Stem Cell Engraftment and Migration to Injured Mouse
      Liver.
AB  - Stem cell therapy holds promise for treatment of intractable diseases and injured
      organs. For clinical translation, it is pivotal to understand the homing,
      engraftment, and differentiation processes of stem cells in a living body. Here
      we report near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent semiconductor polymer dots (Pdots) for
      bright labeling and tracking of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The Pdots
      exhibit narrow-band emission at 775 nm with a quantum yield of 22%, among the
      highest value for various NIR probes. The Pdots together with a cell penetrating
      peptide are able to track stem cells over two weeks without disturbing their
      multipotent properties, as confirmed by the analyses on cell proliferation,
      differentiation, stem-cell markers, and immunophenotyping. The in vivo cell
      tracking was demonstrated in a liver-resection mouse model, which indicated that
      the Pdot-labeled MSCs after tail-vein transplantation were initially trapped in
      lung, gradually migrated to the injured liver, and then proliferated into cell
      clusters. Liver-function analysis and histological examination revealed that the
      inflammation induced by liver resection was apparently decreased after stem cell
      transplantation. With the bright labeling, superior biocompatibility, and long
      term tracking performance, the Pdot probes are promising for stem cell research
      and regenerative medicine.

PMID- 28638471
TI  - Rapid Detection of Avian Influenza Virus by Fluorescent Diagnostic Assay using an
      Epitope-Derived Peptide.
AB  - Currently, the point of care testing (POCT) is not fully developed for subtype
      specific avian influenza virus detection. In this study, an H5N1 hemaglutinin 1
      (HA1) epitope (P0: KPNDAINF) and three modified peptides (P1: KPNTAINF, P2:
      KPNGAINF, P3: KPNDAINDAINF) were evaluated as POCT elements for rapid detection
      of avian influenza virus. Based on modeling predictions by Autodock Vina, binding
      affinity varied depending on alteration of one amino acid in these peptides. The
      binding energy of P2 indicated its potential for a strong interaction with HA.
      Fluorescence-linked immunosorbent assay experimentally demonstrated the
      interaction between these peptides and virus. The four peptides interacted with
      HA1 of H5N3 with different binding affinities with P2 showing the strongest
      binding affinity. When P0 and P2 peptides were used in rapid fluorescent
      immunochromatographic test (FICT) as detection elements, the inter-assay
      coefficients of variation (CV) indicated that P2-linked FICT was more acceptable
      than the P0-linked FICT in the presence of human specimens. Antibody pair-linked
      FICT was influenced by clinical samples more than the P2-linked FICT assay, which
      showed a 4-fold improvement in the detection limit of H5N3 and maintained H5
      subtype-specificity. Compared to the rapid diagnostic test (RDT) which is not
      specific for influenza subtypes, P2-linked FICT could increase virus detection.
      In conclusion, results of this study suggest that HA epitope-derived peptides can
      be used as alternatives to antibodies for a rapid fluorescent diagnostic assay to
      detect avian influenza virus.

PMID- 28638473
TI  - Rapid fluorescence imaging of spinal cord following epidural administration of a
      nerve-highlighting fluorophore.
AB  - Iatrogenic spinal cord injury (SCI) is the most devastating complication of spine
      surgery, which usually results in permanent and serious disabilities of patients.
      Improvement of the visualization and discrimination of the spinal cord is
      critical for accuracy and safety during surgery; however, to date, there is no
      suitable technology to fulfill this clinical need. Here, we first show an
      efficient and rapid fluorescence imaging of the spinal cord in rabbit by epidural
      administration of a nerve-highlighting fluorophore, i.e. (E, E)-1,4-bis(p
      aminostryl)-2-methoxy benzene (BMB). The BMB is firstly encapsulated into
      polymeric micelles to form a BMB-micelle (BMB-m) formulation with well-dispersion
      in normal saline solution. After epidural administration of BMB-m, BMB is
      transported by the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and binds to the peripheral
      region of the white matter thus facilitating rapid staining of the spinal cord.
      Furthermore, this BMB imaging technology also holds great potential for visually
      monitoring the integrity of the spinal cord in real time and promptly identifying
      acute SCI during spine surgery.

PMID- 28638472
TI  - Advances in the detection of telomerase activity using isothermal amplification.
AB  - Telomerase plays a significantly important role in keeping the telomere length of
      a chromosome. Telomerase overexpresses in nearly all tumor cells, suggesting that
      telomerase could be not only a promising biomarker but also a potential
      therapeutic target for cancers. Therefore, numerous efforts focusing on the
      detection of telomerase activity have been reported from polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR)-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assays to PCR
      free assays such as isothermal amplification in recent decade. In this review, we
      highlight the strategies for the detection of telomerase activity using
      isothermal amplification and discuss some of the challenges in designing future
      telomerase assays as well.

PMID- 28638474
TI  - Self-Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles Shows Microenvironment-Mediated Dynamic
      Switching and Enhanced Brain Tumor Targeting.
AB  - Inorganic nanoparticles with unique physical properties have been explored as
      nanomedicines for brain tumor treatment. However, the clinical applications of
      the inorganic formulations are often hindered by the biological barriers and
      failure to be bioeliminated. The size of the nanoparticle is an essential design
      parameter which plays a significant role to affect the tumor targeting and
      biodistribution. Here, we report a feasible approach for the assembly of gold
      nanoparticles into ~80 nm nanospheres as a drug delivery platform for enhanced
      retention in brain tumors with the ability to be dynamically switched into the
      single formulation for excretion. These nanoassemblies can target epidermal
      growth factor receptors on cancer cells and are responsive to tumor
      microenvironmental characteristics, including high vascular permeability and
      acidic and redox conditions. Anticancer drug release was controlled by a pH
      responsive mechanism. Intracellular L-glutathione (GSH) triggered the complete
      breakdown of nanoassemblies to single gold nanoparticles. Furthermore, in vivo
      studies have shown that nanospheres display enhanced tumor-targeting efficiency
      and therapeutic effects relative to single-nanoparticle formulations. Hence, gold
      nanoassemblies present an effective targeting strategy for brain tumor treatment.

PMID- 28638475
TI  - Tamoxifen activates Nrf2-dependent SQSTM1 transcription to promote endometrial
      hyperplasia.
AB  - Long-term application of Tamoxifen (TAM) is usually recommended for hormone
      receptor positive breast cancer patients. Unfortunately, TAM will inevitably
      increase the incidence of endometrial hyperplasia even endometrial cancer.
      Despite of substantial investigations, no effective approaches to prevent TAM
      induced endometrial carcinogenesis have been acknowledged. In this study, we
      found that inhibition of Nrf2 could be valuable to prevent TAM-induced
      endometrial hyperplasia. Upon TAM treatment, the mRNA and protein expression of
      autophagy adaptor SQSTM1 was specifically increased in endometrial cells but not
      breast cancer cells. Knocking-down of SQSTM1 expression retarded TAM-promoted
      growth of endometrial cancer cells. TAM stimulated SQSTM1 transcription
      specifically in endometrial cells by enhancing phosphorylation and nuclear
      translocation of Nrf2. Indeed, the expression of Nrf2 and SQSTM1 were positively
      correlated in primary endometrial tissues. In rats with TAM-induced endometrial
      hyperplasia, both Nrf2 and SQSTM1 expression were increased. Nrf2 inhibitor
      brusatol effectively attenuated TAM-induced SQSTM1 upregulation and endometrial
      hyperplasia. The kinase of Nrf2, PRKCD, was activated by TAM. Once PRKCD was
      depleted, TAM failed to promote Nrf2 phosphorylation and SQSTM1 expression. In
      summary, TAM stimulated Nrf2-dependent SQSTM1 transcription to promote
      endometrial hyperplasia by activating PRKCD. Therefore, blocking PRKCD-Nrf2
      SQSTM1 signaling could be useful to prevent TAM-induced endometrial hyperplasia.

PMID- 28638476
TI  - Therapeutic Inhibition of miR-4260 Suppresses Colorectal Cancer via Targeting MCC
      and SMAD4.
AB  - Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) and their putative target genes have
      been increasingly reported to contribute to colorectal cancer. However, miRNAs
      that directly target the mutated in colorectal cancer (MCC) gene, a tumor
      suppressor which is downregulated or inactivated in colorectal cancer, remain
      largely unknown. By using an array-based miRNA analysis, we identified a group of
      miRNAs that were dysregulated in human metastatic versus non-metastatic
      colorectal cancer tissues. One of these miRNAs, miR-4260, was predicted to target
      MCC in the miRDB database. Results using human HCT116 and HT29 colorectal cancer
      cell lines showed that miR-4260 mimic enhanced cell proliferation and migration
      and reduced apoptosis induced by the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil while
      miR-4260 inhibitor had inverse effects. Furthermore, miR-4260 negatively
      regulated MCC as well as SMAD4 by directly binding to the 3'untranslational
      region (3'UTR). Using siRNAs targeting MCC or SMAD4, we showed that upregulation
      of MCC and SMAD4 was essential to mediate the functional roles of miR-4260
      inhibitor in colorectal cancer cells. Our in vivo experiments indicated that
      inhibition of miR-4260 reduced colorectal tumor growth in nude mice
      subcutaneously implanted with HCT116 cells. Significantly, miR-4260 was increased
      in human colorectal cancer tissues with simultaneous downregulation of MCC and
      SMAD4, strongly suggesting the clinical relevance of targeting miR-4260 in the
      treatment of colorectal cancer. In summary, we identified miR-4260 as a novel
      oncomiR for colorectal cancer that targets MCC and SMAD4. Inhibition of miR-4260
      can, therefore, be a potential therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28638477
TI  - Triptolide Inhibits the AR Signaling Pathway to Suppress the Proliferation of
      Enzalutamide Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells.
AB  - Enzalutamide is a second-generation androgen receptor (AR) antagonist for the
      treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).
      Unfortunately, AR dysfunction means that resistance to enzalutamide will
      eventually develop. Thus, novel agents are urgently needed to treat this
      devastating disease. Triptolide (TPL), a key active compound extracted from the
      Chinese herb Thunder God Vine (Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F.), possesses anti
      cancer activity in human prostate cancer cells. However, the effects of TPL
      against CRPC cells and the underlying mechanism of any such effect are unknown.
      In this study, we found that TPL at low dose inhibits the transactivation
      activity of both full-length and truncated AR without changing their protein
      levels. Interestingly, TPL inhibits phosphorylation of AR and its CRPC-associated
      variant AR-V7 at Ser515 through XPB/CDK7. As a result, TPL suppresses the binding
      of AR to promoter regions in AR target genes along with reduced TFIIH and RNA Pol
      II recruitment. Moreover, TPL at low dose reduces the viability of prostate
      cancer cells expressing AR or AR-Vs. Low-dose TPL also shows a synergistic effect
      with enzalutamide to inhibit CRPC cell survival in vitro, and enhances the anti
      cancer effect of enzalutamide on CRPC xenografts with minimal side effects. Taken
      together, our data demonstrate that TPL targets the transactivation activity of
      both full-length and truncated ARs. Our results also suggest that TPL is a
      potential drug for CRPC, and can be used in combination with enzalutamide to
      treat CRPC.

PMID- 28638479
TI  - Should Low Molecular Weight PSMA Targeted Ligands Get Bigger and Use Albumin
      Ligands for PSMA Targeting?
AB  - Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) is strongly expressed in prostate
      cancer. Recently a number of low-molecular-weight inhibitors have demonstrated
      excellent PSMA targeting activity for both imaging as well as Lutecium-177
      radiotherapy in human trials. The paper by Choy et al raises the question of
      whether we can further increase the effectiveness of PSMA targeted therapy by
      adding an albumin-binding entity to low-molecular-weight agents.

PMID- 28638478
TI  - 177Lu-Labeled Phosphoramidate-Based PSMA Inhibitors: The Effect of an Albumin
      Binder on Biodistribution and Therapeutic Efficacy in Prostate Tumor-Bearing
      Mice.
AB  - Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) continues to be an active biomarker for
      small-molecule PSMA-targeted imaging and therapeutic agents for prostate cancer
      and various non-prostatic tumors that are characterized by PSMA expression on
      their neovasculature. One of the challenges for small-molecule PSMA inhibitors
      with respect to delivering therapeutic payloads is their rapid renal clearance.
      In order to overcome this pharmacokinetic challenge, we outfitted a 177Lu-labeled
      phosphoramidate-based PSMA inhibitor (CTT1298) with an albumin-binding motif
      (CTT1403) and compared its in vivo performance with that of an analogous compound
      lacking the albumin-binding motif (CTT1401). The radiolabeling of CTT1401 and
      CTT1403 was achieved using click chemistry to connect 177Lu-DOTA-N3 to the
      dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO)-bearing CTT1298 inhibitor cores. A direct comparison in
      vitro and in vivo performance was made for CTT1401 and CTT1403; the specificity
      and efficacy by means of cellular uptake and internalization, biodistribution,
      and therapeutic efficacy were determined for both compounds. While both compounds
      displayed excellent uptake and rapid internalization in PSMA+ PC3-PIP cells, the
      albumin binding moiety in CTT1403 conferred clear advantages to the PSMA
      inhibitor scaffold including increased circulating half-life and prostate tumor
      uptake that continued to increase up to 168 h post-injection. This increased
      tumor uptake translated into superior therapeutic efficacy of CTT1403 in PSMA+
      PC3-PIP human xenograft tumors.

PMID- 28638480
TI  - Mouse IP-10 Gene Delivered by Folate-modified Chitosan Nanoparticles and
      Dendritic/tumor Cells Fusion Vaccine Effectively Inhibit the Growth of
      Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice.
AB  - Dendritic cells (DC) and tumor cell fusion vaccine (DC/tumor cell fusion vaccine)
      is considered an effective approach in cancer biotherapy. However, its
      therapeutic effects in early clinical trials have been suboptimal partially due
      to the immunosuppressive tumor environment. In this study, we used nanoparticles
      of folate (FA)-modified chitosan, a non-viral vector capable of targeting tumor
      cells with high expression of FA receptors. FA-chitosan nanoparticles were used
      as biological carriers for the expression plasmid of the mouse interferon-induced
      protein-10 (mIP-10) gene, a potent chemoattractant for cytotoxic T cells. The
      combination of FA-chitosan/mIP-10 and DC/tumor cell fusion vaccine against
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) effectively inhibited the growth of implanted HCC
      tumors and prolonged the survival of mice. The combination therapy significantly
      reduced myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in mouse spleen, local tumor, and
      bone marrow while increasing tumor-specific IFN-gamma responses. Furthermore, the
      combination therapy significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation while
      promoting their apoptosis. Taken together, our data illustrate that the mIP-10
      enhances the anti-tumor effect of DC/tumor cell fusion vaccine by alleviating the
      immunosuppressive tumor environment.

PMID- 28638481
TI  - Neonatal Heart-Enriched miR-708 Promotes Proliferation and Stress Resistance of
      Cardiomyocytes in Rodents.
AB  - Adult heart has limited potential for regeneration after pathological injury due
      to the limited cell proliferation of cardiomyocytes and the quiescent status of
      progenitor cells. As such, induction of cell-cycle reentry of cardiomyocytes is
      one of the key strategies for regeneration of damaged heart. In this study, a
      subset of miRNAs including miR-708 were identified to be much more abundant in
      the embryonic and neonatal cardiomyocytes than that in adult rodents.
      Overexpression of miR-708 promoted cellular proliferation of H9C2 cells or
      primary cardiomyocytes from neonatal rats or mice in vitro. Lipid nanoparticle
      delivery of miR-708 promoted myocardial regeneration and heart function recovery
      in vivo. In addition, miR-708 protected cardiomyocytes against stress-induced
      apoptosis under hypoxia or isoproterenol treatments. miR-708 inhibited the
      expression of MAPK14, which has been demonstrated arresting the cell cycle in
      cardiomyocytes. The cell proliferation-promoting function of miR-708 was
      dependent at least partly on the expression of MAPK14. These findings strengthen
      the potential of applying miRNAs to reconstitute lost cardiomyocytes in injured
      hearts, and may provide a novel miRNA candidate for promoting heart regeneration.

PMID- 28638482
TI  - Implantable and Biodegradable Macroporous Iron Oxide Frameworks for Efficient
      Regeneration and Repair of Infracted Heart.
AB  - The construction, characterization and surgical application of a multilayered
      iron oxide-based macroporous composite framework were reported in this study. The
      framework consisted of a highly porous iron oxide core, a gelatin-based hydrogel
      intermediary layer and a matrigel outer cover, which conferred a multitude of
      desirable properties including excellent biocompatibility, improved mechanical
      strength and controlled biodegradability. The large pore sizes and high extent of
      pore interconnectivity of the framework stimulated robust neovascularization and
      resulted in substantially better cell viability and proliferation as a result of
      improved transport efficiency for oxygen and nutrients. In addition, rat models
      with myocardial infraction showed sustained heart tissue regeneration over the
      infract region and significant improvement of cardiac functions following the
      surgical implantation of the framework. These results demonstrated that the
      current framework might hold great potential for cardiac repair in patients with
      myocardial infraction.

PMID- 28638483
TI  - Thermoacoustic Imaging and Therapy Guidance based on Ultra-short Pulsed Microwave
      Pumped Thermoelastic Effect Induced with Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - Multifunctional nanoparticle-mediated imaging and therapeutic techniques are
      promising modalities for accurate localization and targeted treatment of cancer
      in clinical settings. Thermoacoustic (TA) imaging is highly sensitive to detect
      the distribution of water, ions or specific nanoprobes and provides excellent
      resolution, good contrast and superior tissue penetrability. TA therapy is a
      potential non-invasive approach for the treatment of deep-seated tumors. In this
      study, human serum albumin (HSA)-functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide
      nanoparticle (HSA-SPIO) is used as a multifunctional nanoprobe with clinical
      application potential for MRI, TA imaging and treatment of tumor. In addition to
      be a MRI contrast agent for tumor localization, HSA-SPIO can absorb pulsed
      microwave energy and transform it into shockwave via the thermoelastic effect.
      Thereby, the reconstructed TA image by detecting TA signal is expected to be a
      sensitive and accurate representation of the HSA-SPIO accumulation in tumor. More
      importantly, owing to the selective retention of HSA-SPIO in tumor tissues and
      strong TA shockwave at the cellular level, HSA-SPIO induced TA effect under
      microwave-pulse radiation can be used to highly-efficiently kill cancer cells and
      inhibit tumor growth. Furthermore, ultra-short pulsed microwave with high
      excitation efficiency and deep penetrability in biological tissues makes TA
      therapy a highly-efficient anti-tumor modality on the versatile platform.
      Overall, HSA-SPIO mediated MRI and TA imaging would offer more comprehensive
      diagnostic information and enable dynamic visualization of nanoagents in the
      tumorous tissue thereby tumor-targeted therapy.

PMID- 28638485
TI  - PSMA-PET for Lymph Node Detection in Recurrent Prostate Cancer: How do we use the
      Magic Bullet?

PMID- 28638484
TI  - Surface De-PEGylation Controls Nanoparticle-Mediated siRNA Delivery In Vitro and
      In Vivo.
AB  - The present work proposes a unique de-PEGylation strategy for controllable
      delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) using a robust lipid-polymer hybrid
      nanoparticle (NP) platform. The self-assembled hybrid NPs are composed of a lipid
      poly(ethylene glycol) (lipid-PEG) shell and a polymer/cationic lipid solid core,
      wherein the lipid-PEG molecules can gradually dissociate from NP surface in the
      presence of serum albumin. The de-PEGylation kinetics of a series of different
      lipid-PEGs is measured with their respective NPs, and the NP performance is
      comprehensively investigated in vitro and in vivo. This systematic study reveals
      that the lipophilic tails of lipid-PEG dictate its dissociation rate from NP
      surface, determining the uptake by tumor cells and macrophages, pharmacokinetics,
      biodistribution, and gene silencing efficacy of these hybrid siRNA NPs. Based on
      our observations, we here propose that lipid-PEGs with long and saturated
      lipophilic tails might be required for effective siRNA delivery to tumor cells
      and gene silencing of the lipid-polymer hybrid NPs after systemic administration.

PMID- 28638486
TI  - In Molecular Pursuit of Bone Metastasis by Fluciclovine PET.
AB  - Diagnosing bone metastases with traditional anatomic modalities, such as MRI and
      CT, is limited by sensitivity, and conventional bone radiotracers are only
      indirect markers of cancer activity. Fortunately, molecular imaging is uniquely
      capable of providing radiotracers such as fluciclovine and radiolabeled choline,
      that actually target tumors in the bone. The merits of research in imaging
      osseous metastases in animal models using these radiotracers and the implications
      for future clinical translation are discussed.

PMID- 28638488
TI  - A Look Inside of the Complex Pathogenesis of B-RAF(V600E)-Driven Cancer.
AB  - Cancer is a very complex disease, where cell alterations (i.e. gene mutations,
      dysregulated signaling pathway(s) and epigenetic modifications) contribute to its
      development and progression. Elucidating the connections among these cell
      modifications is a critical challenge, in order to understand the mechanisms
      which are activated from cancer cells to survive and proliferate. Interesting,
      Prof. Peng Hou and colleagues, at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong
      University in China, identified unknown epigenetic mechanisms and their
      involvement in the tumorigenesis of B-RAF(V600E)-driven cancer.

PMID- 28638487
TI  - Current Strategies and Challenges for Purification of Cardiomyocytes Derived from
      Human Pluripotent Stem Cells.
AB  - Cardiomyocytes (CMs) derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are
      considered a most promising option for cell-based cardiac repair. Hence, various
      protocols have been developed for differentiating hPSCs into CMs. Despite
      remarkable improvement in the generation of hPSC-CMs, without purification, these
      protocols can only generate mixed cell populations including undifferentiated
      hPSCs or non-CMs, which may elicit adverse outcomes. Therefore, one of the major
      challenges for clinical use of hPSC-CMs is the development of efficient isolation
      techniques that allow enrichment of hPSC-CMs. In this review, we will discuss
      diverse strategies that have been developed to enrich hPSC-CMs. We will describe
      major characteristics of individual hPSC-CM purification methods including their
      scientific principles, advantages, limitations, and needed improvements.
      Development of a comprehensive system which can enrich hPSC-CMs will be
      ultimately useful for cell therapy for diseased hearts, human cardiac disease
      modeling, cardiac toxicity screening, and cardiac tissue engineering.

PMID- 28638489
TI  - Harnessing Integrative Omics to Facilitate Molecular Imaging of the Human
      Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Family for Precision Medicine.
AB  - Cancer is a growing problem worldwide. The cause of death in cancer patients is
      often due to treatment-resistant metastatic disease. Many molecularly targeted
      anticancer drugs have been developed against 'oncogenic driver' pathways.
      However, these treatments are usually only effective in properly selected
      patients. Resistance to molecularly targeted drugs through selective pressure on
      acquired mutations or molecular rewiring can hinder their effectiveness. This
      review summarizes how molecular imaging techniques can potentially facilitate the
      optimal implementation of targeted agents. Using the human epidermal growth
      factor receptor (HER) family as a model in (pre)clinical studies, we illustrate
      how molecular imaging may be employed to characterize whole body target
      expression as well as monitor drug effectiveness and the emergence of tumor
      resistance. We further discuss how an integrative omics discovery platform could
      guide the selection of 'effect sensors' - new molecular imaging targets - which
      are dynamic markers that indicate treatment effectiveness or resistance.

PMID- 28638491
TI  - O-GlcNAc-ylation in the Nuclear Pore Complex.
AB  - O-GlcNAc-ylation is the post-translational addition of an O-linked beta-N
      acetylglucosamine to the serine and threonine residues of thousands of proteins
      in eukaryotic cells. Specifically, half of the thirty different types of protein
      components in the nuclear pore complex (NPC) are modified by O-GlcNAc, of which
      the majority are intrinsically disordered nucleoporins (Nups) containing multiple
      phenylalanine-glycine (FG) repeats. Moreover, these FG-Nups form a strict
      selectivity barrier with a high density of O-GlcNAc in the NPC to mediate
      bidirectional trafficking between the cytoplasm and nucleus. However, the roles
      that O-GlcNAc plays in the structure and function of the NPC remain obscure. In
      this review paper, we will discuss the current knowledge of O-GlcNAc-ylated Nups,
      highlight some new techniques used to probe O-GlcNAc's roles in the nuclear pore,
      and finally propose a new model for the effect of O-GlcNAc on the NPC's
      permeability.

PMID- 28638492
TI  - Importance of Radiological Evaluation of Global Spinal Balance Together with
      Lower Limb Alignment in Planning Lumbar Spine Deformity Surgery - Illustrative
      Case Presentation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presented case illustrates the critical role of a detailed
      preoperative radiological evaluation in complex spine surgery. CASE REPORT: A 49
      year-old patient was admitted for a revision surgery after L3-L5 fusion.
      Preoperative assessment showed preserved sagittal balance, coronal imbalance and
      valgus knee deformity. The patient reported pain of 8-10 in VAS (Visual Analogue
      Scale) and had an ODI (Oswestry Disability Index) of 60%. The first step of the
      surgery was L2-S1 fusion with decompression and spine deformity correction. The
      second step involved anti-valgus osteotomy of the right tibial bone. CONCLUSIONS:
      The assessment of global spinal balance together with lower extremity alignment
      should be strongly recommended.

PMID- 28638493
TI  - Tibialis Anterior Muscle Hernia: A Case of Chronic, Dull Pain and Swelling in Leg
      Diagnosed by Dynamic Ultrasonography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Symptomatic muscle hernias are not uncommon in the lower extremities
      and are a rare cause of chronic leg pain. They are most commonly seen in the
      tibialis anterior muscle, occurring through fascial defects, usually after
      trauma. There are about 200 cases of muscle hernias described in the literature.
      The diagnosis is challenging as most of the patients present with non-specific
      chronic leg pain. Dynamic muscle ultrasonography at rest and at stress is often
      used for the diagnosis. CASE REPORT: We describe a case of tibialis anterior
      muscle hernia presenting with persistent dull pain and swelling along the
      anterior aspect of the leg on straining the leg muscles. Dynamic ultrasonography
      was performed, which showed a defect in the fascial sheath of the muscle through
      which the tibialis anterior muscle herniated and produced a focal bulge along the
      anterior aspect of the leg. Based upon physical examination and dynamic
      ultrasonographic findings, a diagnosis of tibialis anterior muscle hernia was
      made. CONCLUSIONS: Tibialis anterior muscle hernia is a rare diagnosis and should
      be included in the differential diagnosis in a patient with chronic leg pain and
      swelling. Dynamic ultrasound is crucial in confirming the diagnosis and should be
      done on straining the muscles of the affected limb.

PMID- 28638490
TI  - Obesity and microbiota: an example of an intricate relationship.
AB  - It is widely accepted that metabolic disorders, such as obesity, are closely
      linked to lifestyle and diet. Recently, the central role played by the intestinal
      microbiota in human metabolism and in progression of metabolic disorders has
      become evident. In this context, animal studies and human trials have
      demonstrated that alterations of the intestinal microbiota towards enhanced
      energy harvest is a characteristic of the obese phenotype. Many publications,
      involving both animal studies and clinical trials, have reported on the
      successful exploitation of probiotics and prebiotics to treat obesity. However,
      the molecular mechanisms underlying these observed anti-obesity effects of
      probiotics and prebiotic therapies are still obscure. The aim of this mini-review
      is to discuss the intricate relationship of various factors, including diet, gut
      microbiota, and host genetics, that are believed to impact on the development of
      obesity, and to understand how modulation of the gut microbiota with dietary
      intervention may alleviate obesity-associated symptoms.

PMID- 28638494
TI  - An Unusual Case of Live Caesarean Scar Ectopic Pregnancy: A Common Entity in an
      Uncommon Location.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Scar pregnancy is an extremely rare type of ectopic pregnancy, where
      there is implantation of the gestational sac onto the anterior wall of the uterus
      at the site of previous LSCS scar in a multipara female. Due to a poor vascular
      supply to the lower uterine segment, caesarean scars may heal improperly
      predisposing it to be a site of improper implantation of the gestational sac.
      RESULTS: The characteristic features are empty uterus and cervix, gestational sac
      in the anterior part of lower uterine segment with a history of painless vaginal
      bleeding. It carries a high risk of morbidity related to uterine rupture and
      extensive haemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: In case of a previous LSCS delivery in a
      female with a viable gestational sac in the lower uterine segment and elevated B
      Hcg levels, the possibility of scar ectopic pregnancy should be considered. KCl
      or methotrexate can be injected directly into the foetal pole under transvaginal
      ultrasound guidance in order to stop the cardiac activity in the foetus. The
      knowledge of the specific ultrasound features of uncommon locations of ectopic
      pregnancies such as an ectopic scar is crucial for a correct diagnosis and early
      management in order to prevent complications.

PMID- 28638495
TI  - An Atypical Presentation of Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation (CPAM): A
      Rare Case with Antenatal Ultrasound Findings and Review of Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is a relatively rare
      congenital anomaly with a wide spectrum of ultrasound features depending on the
      specific variety of CPAM. Antenatal ultrasound is a valuable, safe, nonionizing,
      cost-effective, widely available and easily reproducible imaging tool and is
      indispensable in the diagnosis of CPAM. In this paper, we aimed to report an
      atypical imaging presentation of CPAM type II in the second trimester,
      extensively involving all lobes of the left lung. CASE REPORT: A 25-year-old
      G1P0A0 woman with a gestational age of around 22 weeks was referred for an
      anomaly scan. The antenatal ultrasound scan showed a single, live, intrauterine
      foetus corresponding to a gestational age of around 22 weeks and 4 days. There
      were multiple, anechoic structures noted within the pulmonary tissue in the left
      hemithorax, each measuring around 3 to 4 mm in diameter. The lesion was extending
      from the left lower lobe up to the apical (apicoposterior) segment of the left
      upper lobe. The ultrasound diagnosis of congenital pulmonary airway malformation
      type II was made. After explaining the condition and the poor prognosis to the
      patient, an informed consent was obtained after she opted for medical termination
      of pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is an
      uncommon foetal anomaly with a very wide range of ultrasound appearances
      depending on the specific type of CPAM. CPAM also has a wide spectrum of
      differential diagnoses and a variable prognosis. Antenatal ultrasound should
      always be the primary mode of diagnosis in CPAM.

PMID- 28638496
TI  - Effect of Early Follow-Up After Hospital Discharge on Outcomes in Patients With
      Heart Failure or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transitions in care can increase patients' vulnerability to adverse
      events. In particular, patients admitted for heart failure or chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disorder (COPD) have high rates of readmission and return emergency
      department visits. Heart failure patients have the highest 30-day readmission
      rates in Canada, and COPD patients comprise the highest volume of readmissions.
      Combined, these two conditions account for the largest number of emergency
      department returns. Prompt follow-up of discharged patients has been linked with
      reduced rates of readmission, emergency department use, and death. This
      systematic review evaluated the clinical effectiveness of early follow-up, within
      either 7 days or 30 days after hospital discharge, compared with usual care or a
      different time to follow-up, in reducing readmissions, emergency department
      visits, and mortality in patients with heart failure or COPD. METHODS: We
      performed a literature search to identify studies published in English up to May
      25, 2016, on early follow-up after discharge from hospital in patients with heart
      failure or COPD. A single reviewer screened the titles and abstracts and obtained
      full-text articles for studies meeting the eligibility criteria. The risk of bias
      in the studies was evaluated according to ROBINS-I and EPOC criteria, and the
      quality of the body of evidence for each outcome was examined according to the
      Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE)
      Working Group criteria. RESULTS: From a total of 3,228 unique citations, we
      identified 10 eligible studies: one randomized controlled trial, two
      nonrandomized controlled trials, and seven observational studies. Four studies
      were specifically on 7-day follow-up and 30-day health outcomes. The other six
      studies were on 30-day follow-up and more variable time to health outcomes.
      Follow-up was conducted by general and specialist physicians, nurses, and
      pharmacists in clinics, by telephone, and by home visit. Risk of bias was
      moderate for most of the studies. Having follow-up within either 7 days or 30
      days after hospitalization for heart failure or COPD was associated with lower
      all-cause readmissions, emergency department visits, and mortality, even after
      accounting for confounders such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, and disease
      severity (GRADE: Very low to low). However, the evidence was inconsistent. We did
      not find a difference in effectiveness between studies using a 7-day versus a 30
      day follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Based on low- and very low-quality evidence, follow
      up within 7 days and within 30 days of discharge from hospitalization for heart
      failure or COPD-compared with usual care or no follow-up-were both associated
      with a reduced risk of all-cause readmission, emergency department visits, and
      mortality. Overall, there is a lack of large, methodologically robust studies
      specifically focusing on the effectiveness of 7-day follow-up after discharge in
      improving patient outcomes.

PMID- 28638497
TI  - FIBER DIRECTION ESTIMATION, SMOOTHING AND TRACKING IN DIFFUSION MRI.
AB  - Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging is an imaging technology designed to probe
      anatomical architectures of biological samples in an in vivo and noninvasive
      manner through measuring water diffusion. The contribution of this paper is
      threefold. First, it proposes a new method to identify and estimate multiple
      diffusion directions within a voxel through a new and identifiable
      parametrization of the widely used multi-tensor model. Unlike many existing
      methods, this method focuses on the estimation of diffusion directions rather
      than the diffusion tensors. Second, this paper proposes a novel direction
      smoothing method which greatly improves direction estimation in regions with
      crossing fibers. This smoothing method is shown to have excellent theoretical and
      empirical properties. Last, this paper develops a fiber tracking algorithm that
      can handle multiple directions within a voxel. The overall methodology is
      illustrated with simulated data and a data set collected for the study of
      Alzheimer's disease by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI).

PMID- 28638499
TI  - Avascular Necrosis of the Capitate.

PMID- 28638498
TI  - Estimation of High-Dimensional Graphical Models Using Regularized Score Matching.
AB  - Graphical models are widely used to model stochastic dependences among large
      collections of variables. We introduce a new method of estimating undirected
      conditional independence graphs based on the score matching loss, introduced by
      Hyvarinen (2005), and subsequently extended in Hyvarinen (2007). The regularized
      score matching method we propose applies to settings with continuous observations
      and allows for computationally efficient treatment of possibly non-Gaussian
      exponential family models. In the well-explored Gaussian setting, regularized
      score matching avoids issues of asymmetry that arise when applying the technique
      of neighborhood selection, and compared to existing methods that directly yield
      symmetric estimates, the score matching approach has the advantage that the
      considered loss is quadratic and gives piecewise linear solution paths under l1
      regularization. Under suitable irrepresentability conditions, we show that l1
      regularized score matching is consistent for graph estimation in sparse high
      dimensional settings. Through numerical experiments and an application to RNAseq
      data, we confirm that regularized score matching achieves state-of-the-art
      performance in the Gaussian case and provides a valuable tool for computationally
      efficient estimation in non-Gaussian graphical models.

PMID- 28638500
TI  - A Pilot Study Exploring the Quadratic Nature of the Relationship of Strength to
      Performance among Shot Putters.
AB  - The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the quadratic nature of the
      relationship between the strength and throwing distance in the shot put. A survey
      was sent to throws coaches with Master Coach or USA Track and Field Level III
      distinction to examine fifty-three collegiate and elite throwers (24 male, 29
      female). The coaches reported the thrower's personal best shot put distance and
      preseason weight room 1RM for bench press, power clean, and squat exercises.
      Relationship between distance and 1RM was determined via general linear model
      polynomial contrast analysis and regression. Data analysis showed significant
      linear and quadratic trends for distance and 1RM power clean for both male
      (linear: p<=0.001, quadratic: p<=0.003) and female (linear: p<=0.001, quadratic:
      p=0.001) elite and collegiate shot put athletes. Analysis also provided a
      quadratic equation to compare personal best distance and 1RM power clean. The
      power clean was found to be more closely related to shot put distance as compared
      with squat and also with bench press, which is the least related. Based on the
      results of this investigation, in addition to strength exercises such as the
      squat and bench press, power exercises such as the power clean should also be
      incorporated into strength and conditioning programs of shot put athletes for
      optimal performance.

PMID- 28638501
TI  - The Growing Health Literacy Gap and Graduate Medical Education.

PMID- 28638502
TI  - Immigration, Graduate Medical Education, and Ethical Dilemmas.

PMID- 28638503
TI  - Rural Medical Education Programs: A Proposed Nomenclature.

PMID- 28638504
TI  - Solving One of Graduate Medical Education's Problems: A Loss of Thoroughness.

PMID- 28638505
TI  - Remediation Strategies for Systems-Based Practice and Practice-Based Learning and
      Improvement Milestones.

PMID- 28638506
TI  - Efficacy of Interventions to Reduce Resident Physician Burnout: A Systematic
      Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies report high burnout prevalence among resident physicians,
      with little consensus on methods to effectively reduce it. OBJECTIVE: This
      systematic literature review explores the efficacy of interventions in reducing
      resident burnout. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched using
      these key words: burnout and resident, intern, or residency. We excluded review
      articles, editorials, letters, and non-English-language articles. We abstracted
      data on study characteristics, population, interventions, and outcomes. When
      appropriate, data were pooled using random effects meta-analysis to account for
      between-study heterogeneity. Study quality was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa
      Scale (cohort studies) and Jadad scale (randomized control trials [RCTs]).
      RESULTS: Of 1294 retrieved articles, 19 (6 RCTs, 13 cohort studies) enrolling
      2030 residents and examining 12 interventions met criteria, with 9 studying the
      2003 and 2011 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty
      hour restrictions. Work hour reductions were associated with score decrease (mean
      difference, -2.73; 95% confidence interval (CI) -4.12 to -1.34; P < .001) and
      lower odds ratio (OR) for residents reporting emotional exhaustion (42%; OR =
      0.58; 95% CI 0.43-0.77; P < .001); a small, significant decrease in
      depersonalization score (-1.73; 95% CI -3.00 to -0.46; P = .008); and no effect
      on mean personal accomplishment score (0.93; 95% CI -0.19-2.06; P = .10) or for
      residents with high levels of personal accomplishment (OR = 1.01; 95% CI 0.67
      1.54; P = .95). Among interventions, self-care workshops showed decreases in
      depersonalization scores, and a meditation intervention reduced emotional
      exhaustion. CONCLUSIONS: The ACGME work hour limits were associated with
      improvement in emotional exhaustion and burnout.

PMID- 28638508
TI  - Are Milestones Really Measuring Development?

PMID- 28638507
TI  - The Impact of Using Mean Versus Mode When Assessing Resident Competency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestone
      Project was implemented in 2014 to standardize assessments and progression of
      residents. While it is recommended that milestones not be used as tools for
      direct assessments of resident competency, many programs have used or adapted
      milestone tools for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore use of the most
      frequent milestone level at which a resident was evaluated (ie, the mode), and
      compared this to the standard practice of using the arithmetic mean for
      summarizing performance. METHODS: We reviewed all Family Medicine Milestone
      evaluations from 1 program for the first 2 academic years of milestone
      implementation. Mean and mode scores were calculated across 24 unique residents,
      841 evaluation forms, and 5897 measurements. The proportion of overestimation
      errors (where the mean is at least 0.5 larger than the mode) and underestimation
      errors (where the mean is at least 0.5 less than the mode) were then compared
      across resident training year and subcompetency. RESULTS: For the 24 residents,
      an estimation error occurred in 175 of 792 of the comparisons (22%). Of these
      errors, 118 (67%) were overestimation errors. First-year residents accounted for
      55% (96 of 175) of all estimation errors. All subcompetencies had some estimation
      errors, with 6 having greater than 5%. CONCLUSIONS: If the trend for using the
      milestones as stand-alone assessment tools is to continue, aggregating data by
      using frequency distributions and mode would be a more stable and appropriate
      approach given their nominal or, at best, ordinal nature.

PMID- 28638509
TI  - Resident Experiences With Implementation of the I-PASS Handoff Bundle.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The I-PASS Handoff Study found that introduction of a handoff bundle
      (handoff and teamwork training for residents, a mnemonic, a handoff tool, a
      faculty development program, and a sustainability campaign) at 9 pediatrics
      residency programs was associated with improved communication and patient safety.
      OBJECTIVE: This parallel qualitative study aimed to understand resident
      experiences with I-PASS and to inform future implementation and sustainability
      strategies. METHODS: Resident experiences with I-PASS were explored in focus
      groups (N = 50 residents) at 8 hospitals throughout 2012-2013. A content analysis
      of transcripts was conducted following the principles of grounded theory.
      RESULTS: Residents generally accepted I-PASS as an ideal format for handoffs, and
      valued learning a structured approach. Across all sites, residents reported full
      adherence to I-PASS when observed, but selective adherence in usual practice.
      Residents adhered more closely when patients were complex, teams were unfamiliar,
      and during evening handoff. Residents reported using elements of the I-PASS
      mnemonic variably, with Illness Severity and Action Items most consistently used,
      but Synthesis by Receiver least used, except when observed. Most residents were
      receptive to the electronic handoff tool, but perceptions about usability varied
      across sites. Experiences with observation and feedback were mixed. Concern about
      efficiency commonly influenced attitudes about I-PASS. CONCLUSIONS: Residents
      generally supported I-PASS implementation, but adherence was influenced by
      patient type, context, and individual and team factors. Our findings could inform
      future implementation, particularly around the areas of resident engagement in
      change, sensitivity to resident level, perceived efficiency, and faculty
      observation.

PMID- 28638510
TI  - Viewing Resident Experience With I-PASS Implementation Through Different
      Implementation, Diffusion, and Sustainability Frameworks.

PMID- 28638511
TI  - Passing a Technical Skills Examination in the First Year of Surgical Residency
      Can Predict Future Performance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ability of an assessment to predict performance would be of major
      benefit to residency programs, allowing for early identification of residents at
      risk. OBJECTIVE: We sought to establish whether passing the Objective Structured
      Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) examination in postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1)
      predicts future performance. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2012, 133 PGY-1 surgery
      residents at the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) completed an 8
      station, simulated OSATS examination as a component of training. With recently
      set passing scores, residents were assigned a pass/fail status using 3 standards
      setting methods (contrasting groups, borderline group, and borderline
      regression). Future in-training performance was compared between residents who
      had passed and those who failed the OSATS, using in-training evaluation reports
      from resident files. A Mann-Whitney U test compared performance among groups at
      PGY-2 and PGY-4 levels. RESULTS: Residents who passed the OSATS examination
      outperformed those who failed, when compared during PGY-2 across all 3 standard
      setting methodologies (P < .05). During PGY-4, only the contrasting groups method
      showed a significant difference (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: We found that PGY-1
      surgical resident pass/fail status on a technical skills examination was
      associated with future performance on in-training evaluation reports in later
      years. This provides validity evidence for the current PGY-1 pass/fail score, and
      suggests that this technical skills examination may be used to predict
      performance and to identify residents who require remediation.

PMID- 28638512
TI  - An Early Assessment of the ACGME CLER Program: A National Survey of Designated
      Institutional Officials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
      Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) is an innovative element of the
      ACGME's new accreditation system. To date, little information has been collected
      regarding the value of CLER. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to collect
      information on designated institutional officials' (DIOs') perspectives about the
      initial CLER visits conducted at their institutions. METHODS: The authors created
      and distributed a survey to DIOs about their initial CLER visits. Demographic
      data were compared across survey responses with Spearman's rank correlation and
      the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: The authors received responses from 63% of DIOs
      (186 of 297) at institutions that participated in the initial CLER visits, with
      88% (164 of 186) having served as DIO during the visit. Seventy-two percent (114
      of 158) reported institutional changes to address CLER focus areas prior to the
      visit, yet only 32% (51 of 157) reported that additional resources were allocated
      to these areas after the site visit. Sixty-five percent (102 of 156) reported
      institutional executive leadership was positive about participating in CLER; 85%
      (134 of 158) reported that ACGME conducted the visits efficiently; 84% (133 of
      158) reported that the site visit accurately assessed the institution's
      performance in the CLER focus areas; and 60% (93 of 156) reported CLER provided
      high-value information. CONCLUSION: Survey results from DIOs suggest that CLER is
      an effective mechanism to improve the learning environment. Common concerns
      included limited advance notice for the site visit and disruptions of clinical
      practice.

PMID- 28638513
TI  - The Continuous Quality Improvement of CLER.

PMID- 28638515
TI  - Use of Fellow as Clinical Teacher (FACT) Curriculum for Teaching During
      Consultation: Effect on Subspecialty Fellow Teaching Skills.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Subspecialty consultation in inpatient care is increasing. Teaching
      by subspecialty fellows in a consultation setting may be an important source of
      work-based learning for students and residents. However, teaching and evaluation
      of learners in this context may be challenging due to personal and systems-based
      barriers. OBJECTIVE: We developed and evaluated a framework designed to overcome
      barriers to teaching and to improve fellow teaching skills during inpatient
      consultation. METHODS: The PARTNER (Partner with resident, Assess the learner,
      Reinforce positives, Teaching objectives, New knowledge, Execute recommendations,
      Review) framework was delivered to rheumatology and pulmonary and critical care
      medicine fellows at 3 academic medical centers as part of a 2-session Fellow as
      Clinical Teacher (FACT) curriculum. Fellows' teaching skills were evaluated using
      an objective structured teaching exercise (OSTE) pre- and postcurriculum, and at
      the end of the academic year. Self-assessment surveys were used to evaluate
      fellows' self-perception of teaching skills. RESULTS: Twelve of 16 eligible
      fellows (75%) participated in the program and completed 73 OSTE cases. Teaching
      skills measured by OSTEs and self-assessment surveys improved after
      administration of the FACT curriculum. There was no significant skill decay at
      the end-of-year evaluation. The curriculum was rated highly, and 73% (8 of 11) of
      fellows stated they would teach more frequently as a result of the intervention.
      CONCLUSIONS: The FACT curriculum was practical and feasible, and significantly
      improved fellows' teaching skills teaching during inpatient consultation.

PMID- 28638514
TI  - Internal Medicine Residents' Ambulatory Management of Core Geriatric Conditions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adults aged 65 years and older account for more than 33% of annual
      visits to internal medicine (IM) generalists and specialists. Geriatrics
      experiences are not standardized for IM residents. Data are lacking on IM
      residents' continuity experiences with older adults and competencies relevant to
      their care. OBJECTIVE: To explore patient demographics and the prevalence of
      common geriatric conditions in IM residents' continuity clinics. METHODS: We
      collected data on age and sex for all IM residents' active clinic patients during
      2011-2012. Academic site continuity panels for 351 IM residents were drawn from 4
      academic medical center sites. Common geriatric conditions, defined by Assessing
      Care of Vulnerable Elders measures and the American Geriatrics Society IM
      geriatrics competencies, were identified through International Classification of
      Disease, ninth edition, coded electronic problem lists for residents' patients
      aged 65 years and older and cross-checked by audit of 20% of patients' charts
      across 1 year. RESULTS: Patient panels for 351 IM residents (of a possible 411,
      85%) were reviewed. Older adults made up 21% of patients in IM residents' panels
      (range, 14%-28%); patients >= 75 (8%) or 85 (2%) years old were relatively rare.
      Concordance between electronic problem lists and chart audit was poor for most
      core geriatric conditions. On chart audit, active management of core geriatric
      conditions was variable: for example, memory loss (10%-25%), falls/gait
      abnormality (26%-42%), and osteoporosis (11%-35%). CONCLUSIONS: The IM residents'
      exposure to core geriatric conditions and management of older adults was variable
      across 4 academic medical center sites and often lower than anticipated in
      community practice.

PMID- 28638516
TI  - A Professionalism Curricular Model to Promote Transformative Learning Among
      Residents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Using the frameworks of transformational learning and situated
      learning theory, we developed a technology-enhanced professionalism curricular
      model to build a learning community aimed at promoting residents' self-reflection
      and self-awareness. The RAPR model had 4 components: (1) Recognize: elicit
      awareness; (2) Appreciate: question assumptions and take multiple perspectives;
      (3) Practice: try new/changed perspectives; and (4) Reflect: articulate
      implications of transformed views on future actions. OBJECTIVE: The authors
      explored the acceptability and practicality of the RAPR model in teaching
      professionalism in a residency setting, including how residents and faculty
      perceive the model, how well residents carry out the curricular activities, and
      whether these activities support transformational learning. METHODS: A
      convenience sample of 52 postgraduate years 1 through 3 internal medicine
      residents participated in the 10-hour curriculum over 4 weeks. A constructivist
      approach guided the thematic analysis of residents' written reflections, which
      were a required curricular task. RESULTS: A total of 94% (49 of 52) of residents
      participated in 2 implementation periods (January and March 2015). Findings
      suggested that RAPR has the potential to foster professionalism transformation in
      3 domains: (1) attitudinal, with participants reporting they viewed
      professionalism in a more positive light and felt more empathetic toward
      patients; (2) behavioral, with residents indicating their ability to listen to
      patients increased; and (3) cognitive, with residents indicating the discussions
      improved their ability to reflect, and this helped them create meaning from
      experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that RAPR offers an acceptable and
      practical strategy to teach professionalism to residents.

PMID- 28638517
TI  - Writing Well: The Long-Term Effect on Empathy, Observation, and Physician Writing
      Through a Residency Writers' Workshop.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Writing narratives during medical training can provide a way to
      derive meaning from challenging experiences, enhance reflection, and combat
      burnout. The Yale Internal Medicine Residency Writers' Workshop, an annual 2-day
      intensive workshop followed by faculty-guided writing revision and publication,
      has been training resident physicians in the craft of writing since 2003.
      OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess the long-term effects of a craft-focused
      writers' workshop for residents on empathy, observation skills, and future
      writing. METHODS: A survey of closed and open-ended questions was sent to former
      workshop participants (2003-2013), who rated and described the workshop's
      influence on their observation skills, empathy, improvement in writing, and
      continued informal and formal writing. A total of 89 of 130 participants (68%)
      completed the online survey. We identified key themes in written responses and
      collected quantitative ratings on a 5-point Likert scale of self-reported
      influence on these factors. Simple statistics and narrative analysis were used to
      derive results. RESULTS: Most participants agreed or strongly agreed that the
      workshop influenced their ability for careful observation (72 of 85, 85%);
      ability to be empathic with patients or colleagues (51 of 77, 66%); quality of
      writing (69 of 77, 90%); and continued formal or informal writing (52 of 77 [68%]
      and 41 of 77 [53%], respectively). Participants felt the workshop improved their
      attention to detail, provided a deeper understanding of others' experiences, and
      improved their writing. CONCLUSIONS: Participants in a residency writers'
      workshop experienced lasting effects on observation, empathy, and writing skills.

PMID- 28638518
TI  - Automated Reporting of Trainee Metrics Using Electronic Clinical Systems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has called
      for increased emphasis on reporting objective performance measures to trainees
      and programs. However, reporting of objective measures, including clinical
      volume, is largely omitted from training programs. OBJECTIVE: To use automated
      electronic medical systems at a tertiary pediatric care hospital to create a
      dashboard that reports objective trainee and program metrics, including clinical
      volume and diagnoses in a pediatrics residency. METHODS: We queried an enterprise
      data warehouse that aggregates data daily from multiple hospital systems to
      identify patient encounters during which senior pediatrics residents at Boston
      Children's Hospital had entered documentation over a 9-month period. From this
      query, we created a filterable dashboard to display clinical volume and diagnosis
      data by individual resident and in aggregate. RESULTS: A total of 44 of 45 senior
      residents (98%) in the program were included in analysis. We identified 12 198
      patient encounters during which a senior pediatrics resident had entered
      documentation; these included a median of 332 inpatient encounters per resident,
      122 emergency department encounters, and 84 outpatient encounters. The most
      common diagnoses stratified by clinical site were: inpatient - dehydration
      (median = 61); emergency department - long-term/current drug therapy (median =
      16); and outpatient - encounter for immunization (median = 48). CONCLUSIONS: We
      used electronic health record systems to generate performance dashboards for
      trainees in a pediatrics residency across different sites of care with reported
      volume by diagnosis. Our dashboards provide feedback to program leadership
      regarding individual and aggregate trainee experience and allow individual
      trainees to compare their clinical exposure to peers.

PMID- 28638520
TI  - The Consultant Chat: A Novel Didactic Method for Specialist Presentations to
      Emergency Medicine Residents.

PMID- 28638519
TI  - The View From Over Here: A Framework for Multi-Source Feedback.

PMID- 28638521
TI  - A Mathematical Formula for Institutional GME Program Support.

PMID- 28638522
TI  - Institutional Review Board Checklist for Trainee Quality Improvement Project
      Approvals.

PMID- 28638523
TI  - Enhancing Resident Scholarly Productivity by Facilitating Web-Based Access to
      Publicly Accessible Datasets.

PMID- 28638524
TI  - Changing Spaces and Learning Environments to Improve Inpatient Interprofessional
      Education for Internal Medicine Residents.

PMID- 28638525
TI  - Teaching Nutrition in Graduate Medical Education: An Interactive Workshop.

PMID- 28638526
TI  - Revamping Journal Club for the Millennial Learner.

PMID- 28638527
TI  - Taking SGIM's Teaching Educators Across the Continuum of Health Care on the Road
      A Local, Interprofessional Faculty Development Innovation.

PMID- 28638528
TI  - Meeting the Primary Care Needs of Transgender Patients Through Simulation.

PMID- 28638529
TI  - Creating Provider-Level Quality Reports for Residents to Improve the Clinical
      Learning Environment.

PMID- 28638530
TI  - A Simulation-Based Resident as Surgical Teacher (RAST) Program.

PMID- 28638531
TI  - An Interprofessional Multimodal Patient Experience-Focused Curriculum.

PMID- 28638532
TI  - Using a Poverty Simulation in Graduate Medical Education as a Mechanism to
      Introduce Social Determinants of Health and Cultural Competency.

PMID- 28638533
TI  - Podcasting in Medical Education: How Long Should an Educational Podcast Be?

PMID- 28638534
TI  - Social Support Network Outreach: A No-Cost Intervention to Improve Resident Well
      Being.

PMID- 28638535
TI  - Flipping Out: Does the Flipped Classroom Learning Model Work for GME?

PMID- 28638536
TI  - Science Fiction in Medical Education: The Case of Learning Styles.

PMID- 28638538
TI  - Resident First Author Publications.

PMID- 28638537
TI  - Education Versus Service in Residency: A False Dichotomy?

PMID- 28638539
TI  - The Electronic Health Record: A Blessing for Patient Safety but a Curse for
      Medical Education?

PMID- 28638541
TI  - Entrustment Versus Competency-Continued Confusion.

PMID- 28638540
TI  - The Importance of Grit in Medical Training.

PMID- 28638542
TI  - A Call for Collegiality in Residency.

PMID- 28638544
TI  - Presentation Pet Peeves.

PMID- 28638543
TI  - Life as a Resident in the Inaugural Class of a New Residency Program.

PMID- 28638545
TI  - Program Performance in the Next Accreditation System (NAS): Results of the 2015
      2016 Annual Data Review.

PMID- 28638546
TI  - Comparing the effect of diode laser against acyclovir cream for the treatment of
      herpes labialis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently alternative therapies such as the use of diode laser therapy
      have been introduced for recurrent herpes labial infection. The aim of this study
      was to evaluate the effectiveness of diode laser for treatment of recurrent
      herpes labialis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was single-blind randomized clinical
      trial to evaluate the efficacy of diode laser for the treatment of recurrent
      herpes labial. In total, 60 patients whit recurrent herpes simplex labialis were
      selected and randomly divided in to three groups. 20 patients received treatment
      whit diode laser (at a wavelength of 870 nm, energy density 4.5 j/cm2), 20
      patients were treated with acyclovir cream 5%, 20 patients received treatment
      with laser-off (placebo). The end point was lesions crusting. Data analyzed by
      Tukey HSD Test and One-way ANOVA (at a significance level of 0.05) in SPSS-20
      software. RESULTS: The mean length of recovery time (day) in the laser, off
      laser, and acyclovir groups was 2.20+/-0.41, 4.30+/-1.03, and 3.4+/-1.142,
      respectively. There is a significant difference between three groups in this
      regard (P<0.0001). The mean duration of pain (day) was 1.35+/-0.74, 2.65+/-1.27,
      and 2.30+/-0.92 for laser, off laser, and acyclovir groups, respectively
      (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with diode laser reduced the length of
      recovery time and pain severity faster than treatment with acyclovir cream. Key
      words:Recurrent herpes labial, Acyclovir, Low level laser therapy.

PMID- 28638547
TI  - Push-out bond strength of different endodontic obturation material at three
      different sites - In-vitro study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The key to success of any root canal therapy is adequate obturation
      of the prepared root canal space. Root canal sealers are not dimensionally stable
      and might dissolve partially over a period of time. The objective of this in
      vitro study is to evaluate the push-out bond strength to intraradicular dentin of
      two endodontic obturation materials. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty extracted single
      rooted permanent teeth were used. Canals orifice was explored, teeth were
      instrumented. The samples were divided into two groups each containing twenty
      specimens obturated with different obturation material (Group1 Epiphany/Resilon
      and Group 2 Gutta Percha/AH Plus).The obturation systems used in this study was
      Element Obturation unit (Sybron Endo). Each tooth root was horizontally sectioned
      in approximately 2-mm thick slices from the coronal 1/3rd, middle 1/3rd and
      apical 1/3rd. The push-out bond strength of each specimen was calculated using
      Universal Testing Machine. The statistical analysis was done using two way
      analysis of variance (ANOVA) and tukey's test. RESULTS: There was significant
      difference between push out bond strength of Resilon/Epiphany and AH Plus/Gutta
      Percha. Gutta percha group was superior with push out bond strength of 2.22 (+/-
      0.16) Mpa in comparison to Resilon/Epiphany group with 1.61 (+/-0.14) Mpa
      (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The interfacial bond strength achieved with
      Resilon/Epiphany self-etch (SE) to intraradicular dentine was not superior to
      that of AH Plus/Gutta Percha. Key words:AH Plus, Apical leakage, Epiphany, Gutta
      percha, Push-out test Resilon.

PMID- 28638548
TI  - Dentin bonding agent with improved bond strength to dentin through incorporation
      of sepiolite nanoparticles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study aims to investigate the effect of incorporation of
      sepiolite nanoparticles on the microtensile bond strength of an experimental
      dentin bonding to the human dentin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sepiolite
      nanoparticles were incorporated into an experimental methacrylate-based dentin
      bonding system in concentrations of 0.0, 0.2, 1.0, 2.0, and 5.0 weight percents.
      The specimens were then ultrasonicated to finely disperse the nanoparticles in
      the adhesive matrix. The coronal enamel of 30 intact human premolars was cut to
      expose dentin. Having etched, rinsed, and blot dried the experimental bonding
      agents were applied to dentin surface. Adper Single Bond was used as control
      group according to the manufactor's instruction. Then all the teeth were built up
      by composite and sectioned in stick form for microtensile test. The fracture
      surface was observed using SEM. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's post
      Hoc test. RESULTS: The results indicated that the incorporation of the
      nanofiller, improved the bond strength to dentin with the highest values obtained
      at 1 w% sepiolite nanoparticle content. CONCLUSIONS: Sepiolite nanoparticles can
      be considered as novel fillers to improve the mechanical properties of dentin
      bonding agents. Key words:Dentin bonding agent, nanoparticles, bond strength,
      sepiolite, microtensile test.

PMID- 28638549
TI  - Antibacterial activity of different root canal sealers against Enterococcus
      faecalis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare in vitro the
      antimicrobial activity of different root canal sealers against Enterococcus
      faecalis, prior and subsequent to setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Agar diffusion
      test (ADT) was used for evaluating the antibacterial activity of non-set sealer
      while the direct contact test (DCT) was used for after setting. RESULTS: ADT:
      Except for TotalFill BC Sealer all the others sealers tested showed antibacterial
      activity. BioRootTMRCS, MTA Fillapex and Sealapex Root Canal Sealer showed the
      lowest antibacterial activity, a significant increase in antibacterial effect for
      both Pulp Canal SealerTM and AH plus sealers were found. Significantly higher
      were the mean diameters of the bacterial inhibition zone by both EasySeal or N2
      sealers. DCT: AH plus and Sealapex Root Canal Sealer doesn't show any
      bactericidal effect after 6 min of contact. After 15 and 60 min of contact a
      significant increment for AH plus and for Sealapex Root Canal Sealer of the
      bactericidal effect was found. Significantly much higher was the antibacterial
      effect of Sealapex Root Canal Sealer compare to that observed for AH plus.
      BioRootTMRCS, MTA Fillapex, Pulp Canal SealerTM and N2 showed at least means of
      the number of colonies formed in milliliter after 6 min of contact. Except for
      N2, a significant increase in bactericidal effect after 15 and 60 min for the
      other compared sealers (BioRootTMRCS, MTA Fillapex and Pulp Canal SealerTM).
      CONCLUSIONS: For every contact times considered, both TotalFill BC Sealer and
      EasySeal were bactericidal against E. faecalis and killed all bacteria. Key
      words:Agar diffusion test, antibacterial activity, direct contact test,
      Enterococcus faecalis, root canal sealer.

PMID- 28638550
TI  - Shear bond strength of orthodontic metal brackets to aged composite using three
      primers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the effect of surface preparation with
      sandblasting and diamond bur along with the use of three primers on shear bond
      strength (SBS) of metal brackets to aged composite. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this
      in vitro, experimental study, 60 Filtek Z250 composite discs were fabricated
      (10*2mm), immersed in distilled water for 24 hours and subjected to 5000 thermal
      cycles. They were randomly divided into two groups (n=30) of sandblasting with
      aluminum oxide particles for 10 seconds and surface roughening with bur. Each
      group was randomly divided into three subgroups (n=10) for use of Transbond XT,
      Assure Plus and Composite Primer. Metal brackets were bonded and the samples were
      stored in distilled water for 24 hours followed by 2000 thermal cycles. The SBS
      of brackets was measured and the adhesive remnant index (ARI) score was
      calculated. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, t-test and Chi square test.
      RESULTS: The difference in the mean SBS was not significant among the six
      subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: All combinations of primers and surface preparation
      methods provided adequately high SBS between brackets and aged composite
      surfaces. Considering the ARI scores, surface roughening by bur is superior to
      sandblasting. Key words:Shear strength, composite resins, orthodontic brackets,
      aged composite, surface preparation.

PMID- 28638551
TI  - Effectiveness of flossing loops in the control of the gingival health.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One of the key factor in the good condition of periodontal tissues is
      their daily hygiene. Oral hygiene techniques such brushing and a good interdental
      hygiene by correct flossing are very important. The aim of this study is to
      compare the use of dental floss in a loop vs traditional floss in the control of
      Loe-Silness Gingival Index (IG), Turesky's Plaque Index (IPT), Gingival Bleeding
      Index (IS) and the values of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8).
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: A comparative study of 40 patients in which each patient
      was his own control, using during 45 days each one of the devices (new loop floss
      and conventional floss) of interdental hygiene analysed. Data for Loe-Silness
      Gingival Index (IG), Turesky's Plaque Index (IPT), Gingival Bleeding Index (IS)
      and the values of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8)were collected and
      measured in every visit for every type of interdental hygiene device. RESULTS:
      Our data indicates that the rate of Turesky's Plaque Index presented
      statistically significant differences between groups (loop: 1.66 +/- 0.8;
      traditional: 1.12 +/- 0.8; p<0.0001). The rest of the indices studied showed no
      statistically significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The creation of new dental
      floss designs try to make their use easier and more sensitive, and plaque removal
      more effective. The loop design can facilitate interdental hygiene, reaching
      similar effectiveness than traditional floss, improving some indicators, such as
      Turesky's Plaque Index. Key words:Dental floss, bacterial plaque, loop floss,
      plaque index, periodontal diseases.

PMID- 28638552
TI  - Efficacy of three methods for inserting calcium hydroxide-based paste in root
      canals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To compare the quality of calcium hydroxide paste fillings performed
      by three different techniques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty extracted maxillary
      central incisors, with previous root canal treatment, were decoronated and the
      gutta-percha was completely removed from the root canals. Subsequently, the
      canals were filled with a calcium hydroxide-based paste composed of calcium
      hydroxide, bismuth carbonate, and glycerin. The study samples were divided into
      the following three groups on the basis of three insertion techniques (n = 20,
      each): conventional technique using a hand instrument (MAN), rotary Lentulo
      spiral (LEN) technique, and a combined technique combining conventional hand
      files with sonic activation through the EndoActivator device (EA). The quality of
      fillings was evaluated radiographically by two examiners on the basis of the
      amount of voids and the apical limit. RESULTS: The canals filled with LEN or MAN
      had less void volume compared to the EA technique (P >0.01), with no significant
      differences between them. Considering the apical limits, the three tested
      techniques showed comparable results (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A combined approach
      utilizing hand files with sonic activation showed no enhancements over the LEN or
      MAN techniques on the quality of intracanal placement of calcium hydroxide paste.
      Key words:Calcium hydroxide placement, EndoActivator, Lentulo spirals, intracanal
      medication, root canal treatment.

PMID- 28638553
TI  - A review of 640 Oral squamous cell carcinoma cases in Nigeria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent malignant
      neoplasm in the oral cavity and accounts for 70% to 90% of all oral malignant
      neoplasms. The aim of this study was to examine the demographic distribution of
      OSCC in five Tertiary Health centres in Nigeria. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All cases
      diagnosed as OSCC during the period from 1970 -2014 were retrieved from the
      records of five teaching hospitals in Nigeria. Hematoxylin and eosin stained
      histological slides of all cases that had a diagnosis of OSCC were reviewed for
      confirmation and inclusion. Data from all the centers was collated at the
      University College Hospital, Ibadan by 2 researchers. The data was entered into
      and analyzed with the SPSS for Windows (version 20.0; SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL).
      Simple descriptive and comparative analyses were done, with the test of
      statistical significance set at p <= 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 640 cases of OSCC
      were seen out of 1560 oral malignant neoplasms representing 41% of all the oral
      malignancies seen. The mean age of occurence of OSCC was 55.5 (+/-17.0) years and
      a peak age incidence in the sixth and seventh decades of life. OSCC occurred more
      in males (60.9%) than females (39.1%) with a male: female ratio of 1.6:1. The
      well differentiated OSCC with 309 (48.3%) cases, was the most common grade, while
      the moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated OSCC accounted for 232
      (36.2%) and 92 (14.4%) cases respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that
      OSCC is more common in males, most commonly seen in the 60-69 age group and the
      commonest site of occurrence was the mandibular mucosa. The well differentiated
      OSCC was the most common histology sub-type. Key words:Oral squamous cell
      carcinoma, tongue, palate, mandible.

PMID- 28638555
TI  - A comparative evaluation: Oral leukoplakia surgical management using diode laser,
      CO2 laser, and cryosurgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The comparatively evaluate the three surgical treatment modalities
      namely cryosurgery, diode and CO2 laser surgery in terms of healing outcomes on
      the day of surgery, first and second week post operatively and recurrence at the
      end of 18 months was assessed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty selected patients
      were divided randomly into three groups. Each group comprising of ten patients
      were subjected to one of the three modalities of treatment namely cryosurgery,
      diode laser or CO2 laser surgery for ablation of OL. Obtained data was analyzed
      using mainly using Chi-square and Anova tests. RESULTS: Study showed statistical
      significant differences (p > 0.05) for evaluation parameters like pain, edema and
      scar. The parameters like infection, recurrence, bleeding showed no statistical
      significance. Pain was significantly higher in CO2 laser surgery group as
      compared with diode laser group. There was no recurrence observed at the end of
      the 6 months follow up period in all the three study groups. CONCLUSIONS:
      Observations from the study highlights that all three surgical modalities used in
      this study were effective for treatment of OL, and the overall summation of the
      results of the study showed that laser therapy (CO2 and Diode) seems to offer
      better clinically significant results than cryotherapy. Key words:Oral
      premalignant lesion, leukoplakia, cryosurgery, CO2 laser surgery, diode laser
      surgery.

PMID- 28638554
TI  - Effect of professional dental prophylaxis on the surface gloss and roughness of
      CAD/CAM restorative materials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dental prophylaxis on the
      surface gloss and roughness of different indirect restorative materials for
      computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM): two types of
      CAD/CAM composite resin blocks (Shofu Block HC and Estelite Block) and two types
      of CAD/CAM ceramic blocks (IPS Empress CAD and Celtra DUO). MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      After polishing the CAD/CAM blocks and applying prophylaxis pastes, professional
      dental prophylaxis was performed using four different experimental protocols (n =
      5 each): mechanical cleaning with Merssage Regular for 10 s four times (Group 1);
      four cycles of mechanical cleaning with Merssage Regular for 10 s and Merssage
      Fine for 10 s (Group 2); four cycles of mechanical cleaning with Merssage Regular
      for 10 s and Merssage Fine for 30 s (Group 3); and mechanical cleaning with
      Merssage Fine for 10 s four times (Group 4). A glossmeter was used to measure
      surface gloss before and after mechanical cleaning, and a contact stylus
      profilometer was used to measure surface roughness (Ra). RESULTS: Polishing with
      prophylactic paste led to a significant reduction in surface gloss and increase
      in surface roughness among resin composite blocks, whereas the polishing-related
      change in surface gloss or roughness was smaller in Celtra DUO, a zirconia
      reinforced lithium silicate block. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in surface gloss and
      roughness due to polishing with a prophylactic paste containing large particles
      were not improved by subsequent polishing with a prophylactic paste containing
      fine particles. Key words:CAD/CAM, professional dental prophylaxis, prophylactic
      paste, surface gloss, surface roughness.

PMID- 28638556
TI  - Effects of Different Powder to liquid Ratios on the Push out Bond Strength of CEM
      Cement on Simulated Perforations in the Furcal Area.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proper bond strength to dentin is one of the properties of
      biomaterials used for therapeutic purposes such as repair of furcal perforations.
      The aim of the present study to evaluate the effects of different powder to
      liquid ratios of Calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) on the push-out bond strengths in
      simulated perforations in the furcal area and compare it with Mineral trioxide
      aggregate (MTA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Furcal perforations, measuring 1.3 mm in
      diameter and 2 mm in height, were prepared in 120 mandibular first molars. Then
      the samples were randomly assigned to two groups (n=60). MTA and CEM cement were
      used for the repair of perforations in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Each group
      was divided into 3 subgroups based on the powder to liquid rations as follows:
      subgroup 1 (W/P) , 1:2; subgroup 2, 1:3; and subgroup 3, 1:4. After mixing and
      placing the materials in the perforation area, the samples were placed in closed
      containers at 37 degrees C and 100% relative humidity for one week. A universal
      testing machine was used to determine the bond strength values. After recording
      the standard deviations, data were analyzed with two-way ANOVA. Statistical
      significance was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: In the MTA and CEM groups the highest
      push-out bond strength values were recorded in the third (W/P: 1:4) and first
      (W/P: 1:2) subgroups, respectively. There were significant differences in both
      groups between the ratios mentioned above and the other ratios (P<0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Under the limitations of the present study, an increase in the
      powder-to-liquid ratio in CEM cement resulted in a decrease in bond strength,
      contrary to MTA. Key words:CEM, Perforation, Powder-to-liquid ratio, push-out
      bond strength, MTA.

PMID- 28638557
TI  - Continuous Apical Negative-Pressure Ultrasonic Irrigation (CANUI): A new concept
      for activating irrigants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Irrigation of the root canal system is an essential step in the
      endodontic treatment. The aim of this article is to introduce continuous apical
      negative-pressure ultrasonic irrigation (CANUI), a new irrigation concept, and
      compare the characteristics of this new technique with current devices for
      activating the irrigant. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CANUI is designed for cleaning and
      disinfecting the root canal system. The device consists of a tube inside another
      tube that allows the continuous ultrasonic exchange of fresh irrigant, as the
      irrigant is simultaneously aspirated apically. The coronal and apical tubes are
      0.75 and 0.3 mm in diameter, respectively. It is composed of a nickel-titanium
      microcannula suitable for the working length of curved canals. RESULTS: The CANUI
      technique has the advantages of apical negative pressure (to avoid apical
      extrusion of the irrigant) and continuous ultrasonic irrigation (continuous
      refreshment of the irrigant and forced introduction into the canal
      ramifications). CONCLUSIONS: The CANUI technique could improve the irrigation
      technique of dentists to reach more disinfection in endodontic treatments. Key
      words:Apical negative pressure, continuous ultrasonic irrigation, irrigation in
      curved canals, irrigation systems.

PMID- 28638558
TI  - Impacted lower third molars and distal caries in the mandibular second molar. Is
      prophylactic removal of lower third molars justified?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between
      the presence of mandibular third molars and the occurrence of carious lesions in
      the distal aspect of the mandibular second molar. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A
      retrospective cohort study comprising 327 lower third molars extracted in the
      Oral Surgery and Implantology Master's Degree program of the School of Dentistry
      of the University of Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) was carried out. A descriptive
      and bivariate analysis was made. The diagnosis of caries in the second molar and
      the position of the mandibular third molar were evaluated through panoramic
      radiographies. RESULTS: The sample included 203 patients, 94 males (46.3%) and
      109 females (53.7%), with a mean age of 26,8 years and 327 lower third molars.
      The prevalence of second molar distal caries was 25.4% (95% CI= 20.6% to 30.2%).
      This pathology was significantly more frequent when the third molar was in a
      horizontal position (27.7%), when the contact point was at (45,8%) or below
      (47.0%) the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), and when the distal CEJ of the
      mandibular second molar and the mesial CEJ of the third molar was 7 to 12 mm
      apart. CONCLUSIONS: Horizontal lower third molars with contact points at or below
      the CEJ are more likely to produce distal caries in the mandibular second molars.
      Due to the high prevalence of this pathology (20.6% to 30.2%), a prophylactic
      removal of lower third molars with the above-mentioned features might be
      advisable. Key words:Second molar, caries, third molar, prophylactic removal.

PMID- 28638559
TI  - Comparative Evaluation of Anti Microbial effects of Triple Antibiotic Paste and
      Amox and its derivatives against E. Faecalis: An in vitro study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Enterococcus faecalis is a microorganism commonly detected in
      asymptomatic, persistent endodontic infections. Triple antibiotic paste has stood
      the test of time as a proven antibiotic combination against E. Faecalis. However,
      problems with this include staining of teeth and standardization of the
      preparation. Thus, the search for better alternatives and better preparation
      techniques is still on. AIM: To observe the potential of combinations
      [(Amoxicillin+ Metronidazole, Amoxicillin Clavulanic Acid + Metronidazole;
      Amoxicillin and Cloxacillin + Metronidazole)] over Triple Antibiotic Paste.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty single rooted teeth free from dental caries were
      selected for the study. Teeth were cut at equal distance from root apex (13mm
      from apex) with sterile diamond disk and straight hand piece for standardization
      of root length. The opening of root canal was enlarged with engine driven pro
      taper files. To remove the organic and inorganic debris, canal was cleaned with
      17% EDTA followed by 2.5% NaOCl for 5min. Distilled water irrigation was done for
      5 min to remove any traces of used chemical and then sterilized in autoclave at
      1200c for 15 min. at 15 lbs pressure. Bacteria cultured on blood agar plate and
      at the same time fresh antibiotic combinations were made and placed in the root
      canals, then incubated in the incubator, under sterile conditions and observed at
      24hrs, 48hr and 72hrs. RESULTS: The largest inhibition zones were observed for
      the Triple Antibiotic Paste, followed by Amoxicillin and Clavulanic acid +
      Metronidazole group however, the clearest zones were achieved with Amoxicillin
      and Clavlunic acid + Metronidazole group and the smallest for Amoxicillin and
      Metronidazole group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that though Triple
      antibiotic showed the maximum inhibition, Amoxicillin and Clavulanic acid
      combination along with Metronidazole gave the most reliable results. Further
      studies using the different combinations and different concentrations along with
      different methods of increasing the shelf life of such medications can be
      undertaken. Key words:Enterococcus faecalis, Triple Antibiotic Paste, Amoxcillin,
      Clavulanic acid.

PMID- 28638560
TI  - Effects of Different Percentages of Microhydroxyapatite on Microhardness of Resin
      modified Glass-ionomer and Zirconomer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hydroxyapatite (HA) is the main mineral component of the tooth
      structure, which exhibits considerable biological behavior and its incorporation
      might improve microhardness of dental materials. Microhardness of restorative
      materials, like glass-ionomer, is critical for the clinical longevity of
      restorations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microhardness of two
      glass-ionomers types by incorporating different percentages of
      microhydroxyapatite. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, 80 disc-shaped
      experimental specimens (6 mm in diameter, 2 mm in height) were prepared in 8
      groups, including resin-modified glass-ionomer (RMGI, GC, Gold Label, Japan),
      zirconia-reinforced glass-ionomer (Zirconomer, Shofu, Kyoto, Japan), and their
      mixture with 0, 5, 15 and 25 wt% of microhydroxyapatite (Sigma-Aldrich, Germany).
      All the specimens were stored in deionized water at 37oC for 24 hours. Then
      Vickers microhardness test was carried out on the both sides of specimens and
      data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and paired t-test (P<0.05). RESULTS:
      Microhardness of Zirconomer and RMGI increased significantly due to adding 5 and
      15 wt% of micrhydrox-yapatite (P<0.001). The highest Vickers hardness number
      (VHN) was recorded in the RMGI group with 5 wt% of microhydroxyapatite. In
      addition, in all the study groups RMGI exhibited higher microhardness values than
      Zirconomer (P<0.001). However, microhardness values decreased significantly after
      adding 25 wt% of microhydroxyapatite to Zirconomer (P<0.001). Similarly, VHN
      decreased in RMGI groups containing 25 wt% of HA compared to control groups
      (without HA) (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Incorporation of 5 and 15 wt% of
      microhydroxyapatite to RMGI and Zirconomer improved microhardness, while adding
      25 wt% of HA decreased hardness with both experimental materials compared to the
      control groups (without HA). Key words:Microhardness, Resin-modified glass
      ionomer, Zirconia-reinforced glass ionomer, Microhydroxyapatite.

PMID- 28638562
TI  - A rare case of oral multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
AB  - Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disorder characterized by high
      proliferation of Langerhans dendritic cells. LCH is a solitary or multifocal
      disease that primarily involves bone tissue and often affects children and young
      men. A 29 years-old Caucasian man was referred to the Oral Surgery Unit of George
      Eastman Hospital - Umberto I teaching hospital, with third degree mobility of
      teeth belonging to second, third and fourth quadrant. Panoramic radiograph showed
      multiple radiolucent areas with well demarcated borders on the right and left
      site of the mandible and on the left site of the maxilla. Extractions of
      compromised teeth and biopsy of the osteolytic tissue were performed. The final
      diagnosis of multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the soft and hard
      tissues of the oral cavity was made. The patient was sent to the Hematology
      department of Umberto I Teaching Hospital of "Sapienza" - University of Rome for
      the proper treatment. The present case of rare multisystem LCH involving oral
      hard and soft tissues shows the strong importance of better investigate, with
      appropriate additional exams, initial shifty symptoms that could lead to a
      misdiagnosis. Key words:Differential diagnosis, microscopic diagnosis, Langerhans
      cell histiocytosis.

PMID- 28638561
TI  - Importance and methodologies of endodontic microleakage studies: A systematic
      review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: It is very important to obtain a tight seal in obturated root
      canal, making it necessary to conduct clinical or laboratory studies on the
      sealability of endodontic materials. Different methodologies have been
      historically used to assess microleakage of different endodontic materials. The
      aim of the present study was to comprehensively review different material testing
      methods used in microleakage studies, their interpretation and importance in
      endodontic literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in
      Medline, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. In addition, the reference lists
      of review articles on the topic were searched. No language restriction was
      applied. Two independent reviewers screened the article. RESULTS: Microleakage is
      considered the single most important risk factor responsible for apical
      periodontitis. Dye penetration, dye diffusion, bacterial and endototoxin
      infiltration, fluid filtration, glucose, caffeine and protein infiltration,
      radioisotope penetration, animal studies, and electrochemical or 3D evaluation
      are different methodologies used to assess dental leakage. 91 out of 177 articles
      in the primary search were included in the study. These methods are very
      divergent in their viewpoints; that is why their results cannot be easily
      compared. It is necessary to standardize microleakage detection methods in order
      to more correctly evaluate the phenomena that are found between the root canal
      wall and the root canal filling materials. CONCLUSIONS: All the methods are
      useful if studies are performed strictly with large sample sizes and proper
      control groups and if the technique can be standardized. Furthermore, more
      evaluations of the reliability of the methods are strongly recommended. Key
      words:Dental leakage, review, root canal, material testing methods, data
      interpretation.

PMID- 28638563
TI  - Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma of the masticator space in a pediatric
      patient.
AB  - Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMC) is a malignant soft-tissue neoplasm
      rarely described in the head and neck region of children and adolescents. We
      describe a case of EMC affecting the masticator space and a literature review. A
      13-year-old boy who presented a large painless, diffuse mass causing progressive
      midfacial asymmetry of 6 months duration. Histopathological evaluation revealed a
      multinodular lesion, containing scattered round vacuolated tumor cells dispersed
      in an abundant myxoid stroma, separated by fibrous septae. Immunohistochemical
      analysis revealed positivity for vimentin, neuron-specific enolase, and
      chromogranin. The Ki-67 labelling index was 42%. The patient was treated
      surgically with tumor resection followed by adjuvant local radiotherapy. The
      patient died 1 year after initial diagnosis due to locoregional tumor
      dissemination. EMC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of myxoid
      neoplasms in the head and neck region. Key words:Extraskeletal myxoid
      chondrosarcoma, masticator space, parapharyngeal space, immunohistochemistry,
      children.

PMID- 28638564
TI  - Glandular odontogenic cyst associated with ameloblastoma: Case report and review
      of the literature.
AB  - Glandular odontogenic cyst (GOC) associated with ameloblastoma is an exceedingly
      rare histologic presentation with no known clinical significance or treatment
      applications. Four cases have been reported, three in the mandible and one in the
      maxilla. The age range is 14-65 and with male predilection. All four presented
      with swellings and two with pain. We add one more case to the literature of a 58
      year old male presenting with an expansile multilocular radiolucency between
      teeth #19-23. The ameloblastomatous changes in this case are consistent with
      those of a unicystic ameloblastoma-mural subtype. Although the histologic changes
      are those of a unicystic ameloblastoma, the clinical and radiographic findings
      are not. This case therefore presents a clinical challenge with regards to
      treatment planning for recurrence and prognosis. We conclude that treatment for
      GOC therefore be based on individual clinical presentation. Key words:Glandular
      odontogenic cyst, GOC, ameloblastoma, unicystic ameloblastoma, mural unicystic
      ameloblastoma.

PMID- 28638566
TI  - Necessity is the mother of invention: an innovative hospitalist-resident
      initiative for improving quality and reducing readmissions from skilled nursing
      facilities.
AB  - Background: Hospital readmissions have been a major challenge to the US health
      system. Medicare data shows that approximately 25% of Medicare skilled nursing
      facility (SNF) residents are readmitted back to the hospital within 30 days. Some
      of the major reasons for high readmission rates include fragmented information
      exchange during transitions of care and limited access to physicians round-the
      clock in SNFs. These represent safety, quality, and health outcome concerns. Aim:
      The goal of the project was to reduce hospital readmission rates from SNFs by
      improving transition of care and increasing physician availability in SNFs (five
      to seven days a week physical presence with 24/7 accessibility by phone).
      Methods: We proposed a model whereby a hospitalist-led team, including the
      resident on the geriatrics rotation, followed patients discharged from the
      hospital to one SNF. Readmission rates pre- and post-implementation were
      compared. Study results: The period between January 2014 and June 2014 served as
      the baseline and showed readmission rate of 32.32% from the SNF back to the
      hospital. After we implemented the new hospitalist SNF model in June 2014,
      readmission rates decreased to 23.96% between July 2014 and December 2014. From
      January 2015 to June 2015, the overall readmission rate from the SNF reduced
      further to 16.06%. Statistical analysis revealed a post-intervention odds ratio
      of 0.403 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The government is piloting several care models
      that incentivize value- based behavior. Our study strongly suggests that the
      hospitalist-resident continuity model of following patients to the SNFs can
      significantly decrease 30-days hospital readmission rates.

PMID- 28638567
TI  - Nephrology key information for internists.
AB  - Hospitalists and primary care physicians encounter renal disease daily. Although
      most cases of acute kidney injury (AKI) are secondary to dehydration and resolve
      by giving fluids, many cases of AKI are due to not uncommon but unfamiliar causes
      needing nephrology evaluation. Common indications to consult a nephrologist on an
      emergency basis include hyperkalemia or volume overload in end stage renal
      disease patients (ESRD). Other causes of immediate consultation are cresenteric
      glomerulonephritis / rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in which renal
      prognosis of the patient depends on timely intervention. The following evidence
      based key information could improve patient care and outcomes. Abbreviations:
      AKI: Acute kidney injury ESRD: End stage renal disease patients.

PMID- 28638568
TI  - Dizziness in a community hospital: central neurological causes, clinical
      predictors, and diagnostic yield and cost of neuroimaging studies.
AB  - Objectives: Neuroimaging is contributing to the rising costs of dizziness
      evaluation. This study examined the rate of central neurological causes of
      dizziness, relevant clinical predictors, and the costs and diagnostic yields of
      neuroimaging in dizziness assessment. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the
      records of 521 adult patients who visited the hospital during a 12-month period
      with dizziness as the chief complaint. Clinical findings were analyzed using
      Fisher's exact test to determine how they correlated with central neurological
      causes of dizziness identified by neuroimaging. Costs and diagnostic yields of
      neuroimaging were calculated. Results: Of the 521 patients, 1.5% had dizziness
      produced by central neurological causes. Gait abnormalities, limb ataxia,
      diabetes mellitus, and the existence of multiple neurological findings predicted
      central causes. Cases were associated with gait abnormalities, limb ataxia,
      diabetes mellitus, and the existence of multiple neurological findings . Brain
      computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in
      42% and 9.5% of the examined cases, respectively, with diagnostic yields of 3.6%
      and 12%, respectively. Nine cases of dizziness were diagnosed from 269 brain
      scans, costing $607 914. Conclusion: Clinical evaluation can predict the presence
      of central neurological causes of dizziness, whereas neuroimaging is a costly and
      low-yield approach. Guidelines are needed for physicians, regarding the
      appropriateness of ordering neuroimaging studies. Abbreviations: OR: odds ratio;
      CI: confidence interval; ED: emergency department; CT: computed tomography; MRI:
      magnetic resonance imaging; HINTS: Head impulse, Nystagmus, Test of skew.

PMID- 28638569
TI  - Quality improvement for HIV screening in a primary care resident clinic.
AB  - : Primary care physicians are responsible for the initiation of the preventive
      health screening tests and examinations for their patients. Resident physicians
      may be uncomfortable obtaining a sexual history from their patient. A performance
      improvement project was carried out in the resident clinic to see if we could
      improve HIV screening of our patients. With a cohesive effort between the faculty
      preceptors and residents, we were able to improve screening rates for HIV and
      improve some aspects, but not all, of sexual history taking for our population of
      patients. We identified two patients who screened positive for a rate of 1.4%.
      ABBREVIATIONS: CDC.

PMID- 28638570
TI  - Barriers in accessing care services for physically disabled in a hospital setting
      in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, cross-sectional study.
AB  - Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the significant difficulties in
      access to health care services experienced by patients with physical
      disabilities. Method: A cross-sectional study at King Abdul Aziz Medical City,
      Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 235 persons with physical disability, from 1 January to
      30 June 2014. Results: A total of 88% of the people with disability reported
      having the need for someone to accompany them. Over 52% were unsatisfied with
      parking, 49.8% with the waiting area, 51.3% with wheel-chair services, and nearly
      45% were unsatisfied with toilet facilities for the physically disabled. Those
      who were wheel-chair bound had statistically significant lower mean score for
      satisfaction with services and facilities related to parking area, reception, and
      appointment, elevator, and physiotherapy.The majority were satisfied with the
      attitude of the clinical staff. Conclusion: The majority of patients with
      physical disability require assistance and cannot move around independently in
      the healthcare facilities. Nearly half of these patients face several challenges
      in accessing health care services and are unsatisfied with the services received.
      Patients with physical disability who are wheel-chair bound have a lesser degree
      of satisfaction than those who are not wheel-chair bound.

PMID- 28638572
TI  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: an overlooked cause of cough and dyspnea.
AB  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immune-mediated pulmonary disorder
      involving inflammation of the lung interstitium, terminal bronchioles, and
      alveoli caused by the immune response to the inhalation of an offending
      environmental airborne agent. It can manifest as exertional dyspnea, fatigue,
      weight loss, and progressive respiratory failure if left untreated. Because of
      its protean features, it can be misdiagnosed as other common obstructive lung
      conditions such as asthma. If triggers are not avoided, it can progress to
      irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. In this article, we present the case of a 51
      year-old male who presented to our hospital with recurrent bouts of dyspnea and
      cough, initially diagnosed as an asthma exacerbation. He received a final
      diagnosis of HP after investigation of his workplace revealed airborne spores and
      surface molds from multiple fungal species, serology revealed eosinophilia, and
      computed tomography showed bronchiectasis. Avoidance of occupational exposure
      resulted in significant improvement of his respiratory symptoms after two months.
      Abbreviations: HP: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

PMID- 28638573
TI  - Acute intermittent porphyria: a test of clinical acumen.
AB  - Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is a rare autosomal dominant hepatic porphyria
      due to deficiency of hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS), also known as
      porphobilinogen deaminase leading to accumulation of porphyrin precursors.
      However, gene defect alone is usually not sufficient to cause an acute attack,
      and many extrinsic factors play a role. Diagnostic tests are defined, but
      clinical suspicion is often delayed as symptoms mimic other common conditions. We
      report a case of a 18-year-old male with severe, persistent, and generalized
      abdominal pain along with marked hyponatremia, with subsequent development of
      altered mentation needing intensive care. He improved after infusion of
      intravenous dextrose. AIP can mimic many common surgical and medical conditions
      such as appendicitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, etc., and may lead to
      extensive diagnostics or surgical intervention if missed. Diagnosis of AIP
      requires high clinical suspicion. It should be considered in a patient with
      recurrent abdominal symptoms, intractable hyponatremia, along with neurological
      manifestations. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent recurrent episodes and
      can potentially be lifesaving. Abbreviations: AIP: Acute intermittent porphyria;
      ALA: Aminolevulinic acid; PBG: Porphobilinogen.

PMID- 28638571
TI  - Prevalence of QT prolongation and associated LVEF changes in diabetic patients
      over a four-year retrospective time period.
AB  - Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and longitudinal changes of prolonged QTc in DM
      patients admitted to our community hospital, and to determine, if any, its
      correlation with changes of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: A
      retrospective chart review of patients with Type 1 (T1DM) and Type 2 (T2DM) with
      at least two admissions during a four-year period was performed to identify QTc
      interval, and LVEF, as measured on transthoracic echocardiogram. Changes in QTc
      and LVEF between patient hospital admissions were compared. Results: A prolonged
      QTc interval was found in 66.7% (n = 24) of type 1 and 51.3% (n = 154) type 2
      diabetic patients. The QTc interval is progressively increased in both type 1 and
      type 2 diabetes during follow-up, although it did not reach statistical
      significance. A total of 62% patients (23 out 37 patients) had a reduction of
      LVEF during follow-up. Conclusion and Discussion: High prevalence of QTc
      prolongation was confirmed in hospitalized patients with in both T1DM and T2DM.
      Significant reduction of LVEF correlated with QTc prolongation over a mean of
      17.3 months in T2DM patients, and may have implications for interventions.
      Abbreviations CHF: Congestive heart failure LVEF: Left ventricular ejection
      fraction.

PMID- 28638574
TI  - Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis: a case study and review of the literature.
AB  - Acute hypokalemic paralysis is a rare cause of acute weakness. Morbidity and
      mortality associated with unrecognized disease can occur and include respiratory
      failure and possibly death. Common causes of hypokalemic paralysis include
      thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) which is a disorder most frequently seen in
      Asian males. TPP is characterized by sudden onset of hypokalemia and paralysis
      that primarily affects the lower extremities. Treatment of TPP includes replacing
      potassium rapidly, using nonselective beta-blockade and correcting the underlying
      hyperthyroidism as soon as possible. TPP is curable once euthyroid state is
      achieved. It is vital for physicians to be able to differentiate TPP from
      familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis, a more common cause of periodic
      paralysis in Caucasians and western countries. We describe a 19-year-old
      Caucasian man who presented with acute onset lower extremity paralysis secondary
      to acute hypokalemia and was found to have new onset Graves' disease.
      Abbreviations: TPP: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis.

PMID- 28638575
TI  - Danon disease for the cardiologist: case report and review of the literature.
AB  - Danon disease is a rare, X-linked dominant genetic disorder that is caused by
      defects in the lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2) gene. It manifests
      predominantly in young males with a classic triad of cardiomyopathy, skeletal
      myopathy, and intellectual disability. Death from cardiac disease is the ultimate
      cause of demise in many patients if left untreated. Given the rarity of the
      condition, the natural history is poorly understood. Here, we present a case
      report on a 14-year-old Hispanic boy with Danon disease, highlighting major
      clinical events and diagnostic study findings over a six-year period from age of
      symptom onset to age of death. He had significant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      (ventricular septal thickness 65 mm) and experienced various arrhythmias during
      his clinical course including Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, non-sustained
      ventricular tachycardia, and pre-excited atrial fibrillation with a
      fasciculoventricular anomalous accessory pathway. He had sudden cardiac death
      from ventricular fibrillation at age 14 and his heart had a weight of 1425 grams
      at autopsy. We also provide a review of the cardiac Danon disease literature
      related to diagnostic and management approaches to aid cardiologists in
      evaluating and treating cardiac manifestations in Danon disease patients.

PMID- 28638576
TI  - A classic case of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and
      literature review.
AB  - Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a relatively under
      recognized hereditary cardiomyopathy. It is characterized pathologically by fibro
      fatty infiltration of right ventricular (RV) myocardium and clinically by
      consequences of RV electrical instability. Timely intervention with device
      therapy and pharmacotherapy may help reduce the risk of arrhythmic events or
      sudden cardiac death. Here, we describe a classic case of a young adult with ARVC
      and a brief literature review. The patient presented with exertional palpitations
      and ARVC was suspected after his routine electrocardiogram (EKG) revealed
      symmetric T wave inversions and possible epsilon waves in right precordial leads.
      Subsequent work up showed fatty infiltration of RV myocardium on cardiac magnetic
      resonance imaging and inducible ventricular tachycardia from the right ventricle
      during electrophysiologic study. Those findings confirmed the diagnosis of ARVC
      and warranted treatment with implantable cardioverter defibrillator. It is always
      exciting to encounter rare pathological entities with classic clinical findings,
      especially when they present as a diagnostic challenge.We were able to provide
      correct diagnosis and management, thereby preventing the potentially lethal
      consequences. Therefore, it is important to recognize the possible EKG findings
      of ARVC and to know when to pursue further investigations and to implement
      therapies.

PMID- 28638577
TI  - A rare case of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM).
AB  - Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a rare form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      that involves thickening of the distal portion of the left ventricular wall. Most
      commonly seen in the Japan, with a prevalence rate of about 15% of all HCM
      patient, its incidence in the USA is approximately 3% of HCM cases. We report a
      case of a 46-year-old woman with history of hypertension who presented to
      emergency department with worsening dyspnea and orthopnea with features of left
      ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and diffuse large T-wave inversions in the lateral
      leads on a 12-lead ECG. Further work up revealed severe concentric LVH, with near
      obliteration of the LV cavity. Ventriculogram showed severe symmetric hypertrophy
      of the mid to lower septum, extending to the apex of left ventricle with
      significant pressure gradient of at least 160 mmHg across the apex to mid septal
      cavity, with no significant gradient across the left ventricular outflow tract.
      These findings were consistent with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She was
      treated with verapamil and metoprolol and has remained asymptomatic over last 2.5
      years of follow-up. Although the clinical presentation of AHCM can be variable
      and nonspecific; however, hallmark findings on ECG and echo can be extremely
      important in its diagnosis. Abbreviations: AHCM: Apical hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy; ECG: Electrocardiogram; LVH: Left ventricular hypertrophy; LVOT:
      Left ventricular outflow tract.

PMID- 28638578
TI  - A rare case of aerococcus urinae infective endocarditis.
AB  - Introduction:Aerococcus urinae is a rare cause of infective endocarditis.
      Aerococcus is a gram positive cocci that is easily misidentified as Staphylococci
      or Streptococci. The true incidence rate of this pathogen is likely
      underestimated. Recent advances in laboratory diagnostic methods with matrix
      associated laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI
      TOF-MS) have lead to increased recognition of this pathogen in the clinical
      microbiology lab, and awareness as a cause of infective endocarditis in the
      infectious disease community. Case reports: Aerococcus usually affects males with
      underlying urinary tract conditions. Herein, we report a case of prosthetic
      aortic valve endocarditis caused by Aerococcus urinae. Discussion: Our patient
      was considered high risk for cardiac surgery and was treated successfully with
      intravenous antibiotics alone for six weeks. Conclusion: Infective endocarditis
      should be considered in all cases of Aerococcus bacteremia and appropriate
      diagnostic evaluations pursued. Abbreviations: AV: Aortic valve; IE: Infective
      endocarditis.

PMID- 28638579
TI  - Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction secondary to carbon monoxide intoxication.
AB  - Carbon monoxide poisoning has been documented in literature to cause severe
      neurological and tissue toxicity within the body. However, cardiotoxicity is
      often overlooked, but not uncommon. Previous research studies and case reports
      have revealed a significant relationship between carbon monoxide intoxication and
      myocardial ischemic events. We report a case of a 48-year-old male, who was
      exposed to severe smoke inhalation due to a house fire and subsequently developed
      a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Ischemic changes were evident on
      electrocardiogram, which demonstrated T-wave inversion in lead III and ST-segment
      depression in leads V4-V6. Elevated cardiac enzymes were also present. After
      standard treatment for an acute cardiac event, the patient fully recovered. This
      case demonstrates that myocardial ischemic changes due to carbon monoxide
      poisoning may be reversible if recognized in early stages and treated
      appropriately, thus reminding physicians that a proper cardiovascular examination
      and diagnostic testing should be performed on all patients with carbon monoxide
      poisoning. Abbreviations: NSTEMI: Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28638580
TI  - There may be more than meets the eye with Clostridium perfringens bacteremia.
AB  - We present the case of an 89-year-old man with a 1 month history of fevers and
      fatigue. Blood cultures were positive for Clostridium perfringens. The patient
      had worsening abdominal distension in which an abdominal computed tomography scan
      uncovered a colonic mass, and further work-up revealed poorly differentiated
      adenocarcinoma. The patient was treated with antibiotics, but unfortunately,
      given his age and the new malignancy, he was discharged to hospice care. The
      association between clostridial bacteremia and colon cancer has been well
      described in the literature and is further discussed in this article. This case
      highlights the importance of recognizing possible occult malignancy in the right
      clinical setting in patients found to have clostridial bacteremia.

PMID- 28638581
TI  - Images in clinical medicine: Tophi.
AB  - Tophi (plural of tophus, Latin for "stone") are stone-like deposits of monosodium
      urate in the soft tissues, synovial tissues, or in bones near the joints. They
      are pathognomonic for gout, the most common inflammatory arthritis in the United
      States, with an estimated lifetime prevalence of 4%. It is usually the end result
      of loss of the balance between uric acid production and excretion. It can be
      found anywhere in the body especially in areas of friction or trauma. It is
      usually painless and rarely to present as the initial manifestation of gout. It
      is diagnosed mainly clinically. Imaging is mainly used to assess the complication
      like bony erosions. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines
      currently indicate that urate-lowering therapy should be initiated in patients
      with the presence of tophi visible on examination or imaging (ACR Evidence A).
      First-line therapy for urate lowering remains the xanthine oxidase inhibitor
      allopurinol. The ACR currently recommends colchicine, 0.6 mg (or 0.5 mg) once or
      twice daily, or low dose NSAIDs should be continued to reduce gout flare
      incidence for six months after resolution of the tophus. Daily prednisone <=10 mg
      has been endorsed as an acceptable second-line prophylactic agent. Abbreviations:
      ACR: American College of Rheumatology; NSAID: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
      drug.

PMID- 28638583
TI  - comparison of the Serum Levels of Trace Elements in Areas with High or Low Rate
      of Esophageal Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND There is a critical role for trace elements in cancer prevention.
      Since northeast Iran is known as a high risk area for esophageal cancer, this
      study was designed to compare the serum levels of some trace elements in high and
      low rate areas of Golestan province. METHODS We used 240 fasting serum samples
      obtained in 2011 from eastern and western parts of Golestan province during the
      non-communicable diseases' screening program. To carry out laboratory
      examinations, the samples were firstly deproteinated and then the concentrations
      of the intended elements were measured by an atomic absorption spectrometer. A
      total of 227 samples were used in the present study and the remaining 13 samples
      were excluded due to inappropriate conditions. RESULTS The mean serum level of
      zinc in the high-risk region was significantly lower than that in the low-risk
      region. But no significant difference was detected in serum levels of copper,
      magnesium, and manganese in the low-risk and high-risk regions. CONCLUSION As
      this study was an ecological study with no comparison between patients with
      cancer and healthy population, its results cannot be used for the general
      population. Therefore, complementary studies including case-control studies are
      suggested for further evaluation of the relationship between these elements and
      the incidence of esophageal cancer.

PMID- 28638582
TI  - An Overview of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: General Consideration and Genetic
      Screening Approach in Diagnosis of Early Onset Subsets.
AB  - Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the consequence of an aberrant hemostasis of
      the immune cells at the gut mucosal border. Based on clinical manifestation,
      laboratory tests, radiological studies, endoscopic and histological features,
      this disease is divided into three main types including Crohn's disease (CD),
      Ulcerative colitis (UC), and IBDunclassified (IBD-U). IBD is frequently presented
      in adults, but about 20% of IBD cases are diagnosed during childhood called
      pediatric IBD (PIBD). Some patients in the latter group emerge the first symptoms
      during infancy or under 5 years of age named infantile and very early onset IBD
      (VEO-IBD), respectively. These subtypes make a small fraction of PIBD, but they
      have exclusive phenotypic and genetic characteristics such that they are
      accompanied by severe disease course and resistance to conventional therapy. In
      this context, understanding the underlying molecular pathology opens a promising
      field for individualized and effective treatment. Here, we describe current
      hypotheses on IBD pathophysiology then explain the new idea about genetic
      screening technology as a good potential approach to identify the causal variants
      early in the disease manifestation, which is especially important for the fast
      and accurate treatment of VEO-IBD.

PMID- 28638585
TI  - Clinicopathological Study of Seronegative Celiac Disease in Adults in Pakistan: A
      Pilot Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND Celiac disease (CD) is usually missed, if the serology is negative. We
      aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of seronegative CD
      (SNCD) and its response to gluten-free diet (GFD) in adult patients. METHODS This
      observational study was carried out at the Department of Hepatogastroenterology,
      Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan from 2009 to
      2015. All consecutive adult patients (>=17 years) with features of marked villous
      atrophy (Marsh class>=III) on duodenal biopsy, negative tissue transglutaminase
      IgA and IgG antibodies (anti-tTg IgA and IgG) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)
      DQ2 or DQ8 serotypes were studied. Clinical characteristics, laboratory
      parameters, and response to GFD were analyzed by SPSS software version 20. Median
      and interquartile range (IQR) were used for summarizing quantitative data.
      Frequency (percentages) was used for qualitative data. RESULTS A total of 12
      patients with median age of 31.5 years (IQR: 19.75-46.75 years), of whom five
      (41.6%) were men were studied. The presenting complaints were: weight loss in 11
      (91.6%) and abdominal pain in 9 (75%) patients. Anemia was observed in 10 (83.3%)
      patients with median hemoglobin of 9.5 g/dL (IQR: 6.3-13.25 g/dL). Median alanine
      transaminase (ALT) was 21 U/L (IQR: 13-27 U/L) and median albumin was 3 g/dL
      (IQR: 2.4-3.6 g/dL). Anti-tTg IgA and IgG were negative in all patients. HLA DQ
      serotyping showed homozygous DQ2 and DQ8 in four and one patients, respectively;
      while heterozygous DQ2 and DQ8 in five and two patients, respectively. All
      patients were advised to receive GFD. Nine (75%) patients showed complete
      clinical response. Two patients were non-compliant and one with non-alcoholic
      fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related cirrhosis had partial clinical response. Out
      of the nine responders, two patients showed response within 6 months while the
      remaining showed improvement over a year period. CONCLUSION The diagnosis of SNCD
      is rewarding as it responds favorably to GFD in most patients. HLA serology
      provides an important tool for diagnosis of this entity.

PMID- 28638584
TI  - The Prevalence of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Diabetes Mellitus in an
      Iranian Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
      (NAFLD) are important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We aimed to
      estimate the prevalence of DM in the context of NAFLD. METHODS In this cross
      sectional study, we studied 5052 participants, aged 18 years and older, of a
      baseline population-based cohort in northern Iran (N=6143). The prevalence of DM
      was estimated in individuals with and without NAFLD. The association between
      NAFLD and T2DM was evaluated using logistic regression with the adjustment of
      confounding effects of age, sex, body mass index, lipid profiles, and fasting
      insulin. RESULTS In men, the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of T2DM was
      5.34% (4.35%-6.34%) and 15.06% (13.12%-17.00%) in individuals without and with
      NAFLD, respectively (p <0.001). In women without NAFLD, the prevalence was 8.27%
      (6.83%-9.71%) while in the presence of NAFLD, the prevalence was 27.21% (24.59%
      29.83%), (p <0.001). In univariate analysis, the chance of having T2DM was 3.700
      (3.130-4.380) times more in patients with NAFLD compared with subjects without
      NAFLD (p<0.001). This chance was reduced (Odds Ratio=1.976, 95% CI: 1.593-2.451,
      p <0.001) after removing the effects of other variables. CONCLUSION The
      prevalence of T2DM is increased in the context of NAFLD. This condition may be
      considered as an independent predictor of T2DM.

PMID- 28638586
TI  - Clarithromycin versus Gemifloxacin in Quadruple Therapeutic Regimens for
      Helicobacter Pylori Infection Eradication.
AB  - BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major casual factor in
      any peptic diseases. Clarithromycin as one of the drugs recommended for the
      infection eradication regimen has shown different levels of resistance. The
      present study is comparing the effectiveness of clarithromycin- and gemifloxacin 
      based quadruple regimens in H. pylori eradication. METHODS This was a
      prospective double blind randomized clinical trial on patients with clear
      indication of H. pylori eradication. The patients were randomly divided into two
      groups: "BPAC group" treated with bismuth subcitrate (240 mg), pantoprazole (20
      mg), amoxicillin (1 gr), and clarithromycin (500 mg), all twice daily, and the
      "BPAG group" treated with bismuth subcitrate, pantoprazole, and amoxicillin with
      same doses as "BPAC group" and gemifloxacin (320 mg daily) all for 10 days. Three
      months after the end of therapy, 14C-Urea breath test was performed to confirm
      the eradication. All the patients were assessed for compliance and drug side
      effects. Based on per-protocol (PP) and intention-to-treat (ITT) methods, data
      were analyzed and a P value<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
      This project has been registered in the Iranian registry of clinical trials
      (IRCT). RESULTS Three patients were excluded from the survey and finally, 179
      patients (89 patients in BPAC group and 90 patients in BPAG group) including
      71(39.66%) men with the mean age of 46.4+/-12.3 years completed the treatment
      period. The incidence of side effects between the two study groups did not differ
      significantly. The success rate of BPAC regimen eradication was remarkably
      greater than BPAG regimen (ITT analysis; 89% vs 77%, respectively; CI 95%: 1.072
      5.507, P<0.015 and PP analysis; 91% vs 77.8% respectively; CI 95%: P<0.015).
      There was no significant relationship between the demographic features and the
      eradication results. CONCLUSION The results showed that gemifloxacin is not a
      good alternative for clarithromycin in H. pylori eradication regimens in our
      region.

PMID- 28638587
TI  - Association between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Alopecia Areata: A Study in
      Iranian Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND Alopecia areata is an immune mediated inflammatory hair loss, which
      occurs in all ethnic and age groups, and both sexes. However no significant
      etiology has been known for this disease. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) , is an
      organism colonized in gastric mucosa. This bacterium has been associated with
      certain extra-digestive dermatological conditions. The causal relationship
      between alopecia areata and H. pylori infection has been discussed in literature.
      Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori
      infection in patients with alopecia areata and assess the risk of this infection
      in patients with this disease in order to determine its potential roles in the
      physiopathology of this disease. METHODS Between 2014 and 2015, we prospectively
      studied 81 patients with alopecia areata and 81 healthy volunteers with similar
      age and sex. Patients without any history of H. pylori infection were included in
      the study and underwent urease breath test. All results were analyzed using SPSS
      software (version 21.0) and p value<0.05 was considered as statistically
      significant. RESULTS 81 patients and 81 controls with the mean age of 34.9+/-11.6
      and 38.2+/-13.4 years were studied (p=0.097). 48 (59.3%) and 45 (55.6%)
      individuals were male, in cases and control groups respectively (p =0.634). The
      result of urea breath test (UBT) was positive in 43 (53.1%) patients in cases and
      27 (33.3%) individuals in control group, which was significantly different (p
      =0.011). The risk of H. pylori infection in alopecia areata was 2.263 (95% CI:
      1.199-4.273). CONCLUSION The results of our study showed significant difference
      between H. pylori infection in individuals with and without alopecia areata,
      which shows that H. pylori contamination may be effective in physiopathology of
      alopecia areata. Therefore these results should be tested in large multivariable
      cohorts and controlled trials to reach more accurate evidence in the future and
      to generalize this idea to larger population.

PMID- 28638588
TI  - Synovial Sarcoma of the Esophagus: A Case Report and Review of Literature.
AB  - Synovial sarcoma is an uncommon soft tissue tumor occurring mainly in the
      periarticular region of the extremities in young adults. It happens less
      frequently in the head and neck, mediastinum, lungs, heart, and digestive tract.
      A 28-year-old man two months after total esophagectomy with final diagnosis of
      esophageal synovial sarcoma was referred to our Positron Emission Tomography (PET
      CT) department for the evaluation of treatment response and further treatment
      planning. To our knowledge this case is the 11th case of esophageal synovial
      sarcoma, being reported in the literature. We presented the 11th case of
      esophageal synovial sarcoma. Synovial sarcomas are very rare tumor entities,
      particularly in the gastrointestinal tract and are likely to be mistaken with
      other more common tumors such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

PMID- 28638589
TI  - Gastrocolic Fistula Presented as an Early Complication of Gastric Surgery in a 42
      year-old Man.
AB  - Currently, surgery is less needed for the treatment of refractory peptic ulcer
      disease (PUD) or its complications. So, the complications of PUD surgery have
      been clearly declined. Here in, we present a 42-year-old man with chronic watery
      diarrhea and significant weight loss during 2 years after gastrojejunostomy for
      the treatment of obstructive PUD. Small bowel gastrointestinal series showed
      rapid transit without passage of contrast in the parts of small bowel. The
      patient was scheduled for exploratory laparotomy. During the surgery a large
      fistula was detected between the stomach and transverse colon, which was
      repaired. At the follow-up 6 months after the surgery, the patient did not have
      any history of recurrence of diarrhea and had 10 kg weight gain. Gastrocolic
      fistula is a very rare complication of surgical management of PUD. Barium enema
      is the most helpful imaging procedure for the diagnosis of gastrocolic fistula
      and surgery after correction of nutritional status is suggested especially for
      malnourished patients.

PMID- 28638590
TI  - A Rare Cause of Hemoperitoneum in a Patient with Cirrhosis and Portal
      Hypertension.

PMID- 28638592
TI  - Evaluating the quality of peer interactions in children and adolescents with
      autism with the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (PIPPS).
AB  - BACKGROUND: A core difficulty for individuals with autism is making friends and
      successfully engaging and interacting with peers. The majority of measures to
      assess peer interactions are observations in a school setting or self-report. The
      present study examined the convergent validity of using a teacher rating scale,
      the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (PIPPS), for collecting information about
      the quality of peer interactions at school. METHODS: Teachers completed the PIPPS
      for 107 children with ASD when the child was 9 and 13 years of age. Clinicians
      completed diagnostic and cognitive assessments and caregivers completed the
      Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) when the child was 9. RESULTS: Parent
      report of reciprocal friendships from the ADI-R was associated with teacher
      report about how socially connected the child was at school on the PIPPS,
      indicating strong convergence between teachers and parents. Children with more
      severe restricted and repetitive behaviors and lower verbal abilities were less
      connected with peers. Children with access to typical peers had more connections
      with peers compared to those who were in a special education classroom.
      CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that teacher ratings from the PIPPS can
      accurately capture the quality of peer interactions in children and adolescents
      with ASD and may be useful for clinicians and researchers to evaluate peer
      engagement in the classroom.

PMID- 28638591
TI  - Replicable in vivo physiological and behavioral phenotypes of the Shank3B null
      mutant mouse model of autism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a clinically and biologically
      heterogeneous condition characterized by social, repetitive, and sensory
      behavioral abnormalities. No treatments are approved for the core diagnostic
      symptoms of ASD. To enable the earliest stages of therapeutic discovery and
      development for ASD, robust and reproducible behavioral phenotypes and biological
      markers are essential to establish in preclinical animal models. The goal of this
      study was to identify electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioral phenotypes
      that are replicable between independent cohorts in a mouse model of ASD. The
      larger goal of our strategy is to empower the preclinical biomedical ASD research
      field by generating robust and reproducible behavioral and physiological
      phenotypes in animal models of ASD, for the characterization of mechanistic
      underpinnings of ASD-relevant phenotypes, and to ensure reliability for the
      discovery of novel therapeutics. Genetic disruption of the SHANK3 gene, a
      scaffolding protein involved in the stability of the postsynaptic density in
      excitatory synapses, is thought to be responsible for a relatively large number
      of cases of ASD. Therefore, we have thoroughly characterized the robustness of
      ASD-relevant behavioral phenotypes in two cohorts, and for the first time
      quantified translational EEG activity in Shank3B null mutant mice. METHODS: In
      vivo physiology and behavioral assays were conducted in two independently bred
      and tested full cohorts of Shank3B null mutant (Shank3B KO) and wildtype
      littermate control (WT) mice. EEG was recorded via wireless implanted telemeters
      for 7 days of baseline followed by 20 min of recording following
      pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) challenge. Behaviors relevant to the diagnostic and
      associated symptoms of ASD were tested on a battery of established behavioral
      tests. Assays were designed to reproduce and expand on the original behavioral
      characterization of Shank3B KO mice. Two or more corroborative tests were
      conducted within each behavioral domain, including social, repetitive, cognitive,
      anxiety-related, sensory, and motor categories of assays. RESULTS: Relative to WT
      mice, Shank3B KO mice displayed a dramatic resistance to PTZ seizure induction
      and an enhancement of gamma band oscillatory EEG activity indicative of enhanced
      inhibitory tone. These findings replicated in two separate cohorts. Behaviorally,
      Shank3B KO mice exhibited repetitive grooming, deficits in aspects of reciprocal
      social interactions and vocalizations, and reduced open field activity, as well
      as variable deficits in sensory responses, anxiety-related behaviors, learning
      and memory. CONCLUSIONS: Robust animal models and quantitative, replicable
      biomarkers of neural dysfunction are needed to decrease risk and enable
      successful drug discovery and development for ASD and other neurodevelopmental
      disorders. Complementary to the replicated behavioral phenotypes of the Shank3B
      mutant mouse is the new identification of a robust, translational in vivo
      neurophysiological phenotype. Our findings provide strong evidence for robustness
      and replicability of key translational phenotypes in Shank3B mutant mice and
      support the usefulness of this mouse model of ASD for therapeutic discovery.

PMID- 28638593
TI  - A potential nanobiotechnology platform based on infectious bursal disease
      subviral particles.
AB  - We describe a novel nanobiotechnology platform based on subviral particles
      derived from infectious bursal disease virus (IBD-SVPs). The major virus coat
      protein VP2 assembles into spherical, 23 nm SVPs when expressed as a heterologous
      protein in the yeast Pichia pastoris. We recovered up to 38 mg of IBD-SVPs at >
      95% purity from 1 L of recombinant yeast culture. The purified particles were
      able to tolerate organic solvents up to 20% concentration (ethanol or
      dimethylsulfoxide), they resisted temperatures up to 65  degrees C and remained
      stable over a wide pH range (2.5-9.0). We achieved bioconjugation to the amine
      groups of lysine residues and to the carboxyl groups of aspartic and glutamic
      acid residues, allowing the functionalization of IBD-SVPs with biotin. The
      accessibility of surface amine groups was measured using Alexa Fluor 488 N
      hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester, an amine-selective fluorescent dye, revealing
      that approximately 60 dye molecules were attached to the surface of each
      particle. IBD-SVPs can therefore be exploited as a robust and versatile
      nanoscaffold to display diverse functional ligands.

PMID- 28638594
TI  - High burden of antimicrobial resistance among gram negative bacteria causing
      healthcare associated infections in a critical care unit of Nepal.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Healthcare associated infections (HCAI) and antimicrobial resistance
      are principal threats to the patients of intensive care units and are the major
      determining factors for patient outcome. They are associated with increased
      morbidity, mortality, excess hospitalization and financial costs. The present
      study is an attempt to investigate the spectrum and antimicrobial resistance of
      bacterial isolates involved in healthcare associated infections (HCAI) in the
      patients of a critical care unit at a tertiary care university hospital in
      Kathmandu, Nepal. METHODS: A laboratory based study was conducted over the period
      of 15 months (January 2014 to March 2015) among the patients of intensive care
      unit of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Clinical
      specimens from patients with suspected healthcare-associated infection were
      processed and bacterial isolates were identified with standard microbiological
      methods. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of the isolated strains were determined
      according to the CLSI guidelines and beta-lactamases (ESBL, AmpC, MBL and KPC)
      were detected by various phenotypic tests. RESULTS: One hundred and forty nine
      clinical specimens received from 135 patients suspected of HCAI (out of 491
      patients) were found with significant bacterial growth. Specimens were from
      patients suspected of hospital-acquired pneumonia (16%, 79/491), bloodstream
      infections (5.7%, 28/491), surgical site infections (4.7%, 23/491), and urinary
      tract infections (3.9%, 19/491). Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Escherichia
      coli and Burkholderia cepacia were the leading bacterial pathogens. Extremely
      high level of drug resistance (95.8%) along with the production of beta
      lactamases (ESBL; 43.7%, AmpC; 27.5%), MBL; 50.2% and KPC; 4.2%) was observed
      among Gram negative bacterial isolates. CONCLUSION: Healthcare associated
      infections are very common in our ICU. Gram negative bacterial pathogens are
      major culprits associated with these infections and there is alarming state of
      drug resistance among these isolates. Continuous surveillance and establishment
      of preventive and control measures of healthcare associated infections are
      urgently needed in our setting.

PMID- 28638595
TI  - Use of 90% ethanol to decontaminate stethoscopes in resource limited settings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In developing countries like Nepal, 90% ethanol is cheap and is
      available in most hospitals. The unavailability of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in
      these settings led us to compare the efficacy between 90% ethanol and isopropyl
      alcohol pads in reducing the bacterial contamination of diaphragm of stethoscope.
      METHODS: A randomized blinded experimental study was carried out to determine the
      difference between cleaning stethoscopes with 90% ethanol and IPA. Cultures of
      diaphragm were taken before and after cleaning with one of the cleaning agent.
      Colony forming units (CFU) count and organism identification was done by a
      blinded investigator. CFU before and after cleaning were compared using Wilcoxon
      signed-rank test. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the decrease in CFU
      count between the cleaning agents. RESULTS: About 30% of the stethoscopes
      harbored potential pathogens. Significant reduction in CFU was observed with both
      IPA (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P value <0.001) and 90% ethanol (Wilcoxon signed
      rank test, P value <0.001). Comparing median decrease in CFU between cleaning
      with IPA and with 90% ethanol, no significant difference was found (Mann Whitney
      U test; U = 1357, P value >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both 90% ethanol and IPA are
      equally effective in decontaminating the diaphragm of stethoscope. Selection of
      agent should be done on the basis of cost and availability.

PMID- 28638597
TI  - Rest tremor revisited: Parkinson's disease and other disorders.
AB  - Tremor is the most common movement disorder characterized by a rhythmical,
      involuntary oscillatory movement of a body part. Since distinct diseases can
      cause similar tremor manifestations and vice-versa, it is challenging to make an
      accurate diagnosis. This applies particularly for tremor at rest. This entity was
      only rarely studied in the past, although a multitude of clinical studies on
      prevalence and clinical features of tremor in Parkinson's disease (PD), essential
      tremor and dystonia, have been carried out. Monosymptomatic rest tremor has been
      further separated from tremor-dominated PD. Rest tremor is also found in dystonic
      tremor, essential tremor with a rest component, Holmes tremor and a few even
      rarer conditions. Dopamine transporter imaging and several electrophysiological
      methods provide additional clues for tremor differential diagnosis. New evidence
      from neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies has broadened our knowledge on
      the pathophysiology of Parkinsonian and non-Parkinsonian tremor. Large cohort
      studies are warranted in future to explore the nature course and biological basis
      of tremor in common tremor related disorders.

PMID- 28638596
TI  - Environmental insults: critical triggers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative
      disease characterised by a rapid loss of lower and upper motor neurons. As a
      complex disease, the ageing process and complicated gene-environment interactions
      are involved in the majority of cases. MAIN BODY: Significant advances have been
      made in unravelling the genetic susceptibility to ALS with massively parallel
      sequencing technologies, while environmental insults remain a suspected but
      largely unexplored source of risk. Several studies applying the strategy of
      Mendelian randomisation have strengthened the link between environmental insults
      and ALS, but none so far has proved conclusive. We propose a new ALS model which
      links the current knowledge of genetic factors, ageing and environmental insults.
      This model provides a mechanism as to how ALS is initiated, with environmental
      insults playing a critical role. CONCLUSION: The available evidence has suggested
      that inherited defect(s) could cause mitochondrial dysfunction, which would
      establish the primary susceptibility to ALS. Further study of the underlying
      mechanism may shed light on ALS pathogenesis. Environmental insults are a
      critical trigger for ALS, particularly in the aged individuals with other
      toxicant susceptible genes. The identification of ALS triggers could lead to
      preventive strategies for those individuals at risk.

PMID- 28638599
TI  - Obesity and kidney disease: hidden consequences of the epidemic.
AB  - Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and its prevalence has been projected to
      grow by 40% in the next decade. This increasing prevalence has implications for
      the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and also for chronic kidney disease
      (CKD). A high body mass index is one of the strongest risk factors for new-onset
      CKD. In individuals affected by obesity, a compensatory hyperfiltration occurs to
      meet the heightened metabolic demands of the increased body weight. The increase
      in intraglomerular pressure can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of
      developing CKD in the long term. The incidence of obesity-related glomerulopathy
      has increased 10-fold in recent years. Obesity has also been shown to be a risk
      factor for nephrolithiasis, and for a number of malignancies including kidney
      cancer. This year World Kidney Day promotes education on the harmful consequences
      of obesity and its association with kidney disease, advocating healthy lifestyles
      and health policy measures that make preventive behaviors an affordable option.

PMID- 28638601
TI  - The efficacy of rituximab in adult frequently relapsing minimal change disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids are the basis of treatment for nephrotic syndrome due
      to minimal change disease (MCD), but 25% of patients have frequently relapsing
      nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) and 30% become steroid dependent. Prolonged use of
      conventional immunosuppressants causes significant toxicity. Rituximab (RTX) is
      now included in guidelines for childhood MCD. Evidence for use in adult MCD is
      limited. We describe a single-centre experience of RTX use in adult MCD. METHODS:
      Outcomes of all adult MCD patients treated with RTX for FRNS between 2008 and
      2015 were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: Thirteen patients received RTX;
      11/13 had childhood-onset MCD. All had FRNS and 10 were steroid dependent. Eleven
      patients experienced one or more major treatment side effect from conventional
      therapy. At the time of RTX treatment, six patients were relapsing. All entered
      remission after RTX. The median length of follow-up after the first RTX treatment
      was 20 months (range 6-85). After RTX, the rate of relapse was reduced from 4 to
      0.4/year (Wilcoxon signed rank P <= 0.05). Seven patients relapsed after RTX
      after a median of 10 months (range 1-11). All seven relapsing patients were
      successfully re-treated with RTX and none developed RTX-resistant nephrosis. The
      median number of courses of RTX per patient was 1 (range 1-5). The number of
      additional immunosuppressants, steroid dependency and antihypertensive agents
      were also reduced. At the last follow-up, two patients remained on low-dose
      steroids. No RTX-related adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: RTX is safe
      and effective in adults with FRNS due to MCD. The median rate of relapse is
      significantly reduced following RTX treatment and additional immunosuppressant
      exposure is minimized.

PMID- 28638598
TI  - Caregiver burden is increased in Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive
      impairment (PD-MCI).
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence on caregiver outcomes associated with mild
      cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD-MCI) and the coping
      strategies used by these caregivers. METHODS: To investigate this relationship,
      we examined levels of burden, depression, anxiety, coping strategies and positive
      aspects of caregiving in the informal caregivers of 96 PD patients. The PD
      patients were classified using MDS-Task Force Level II criteria as showing either
      normal cognition (PD-N; n = 51), PD-MCI (n = 30) or with dementia (PDD; n = 15).
      RESULTS: Mean Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) score increased significantly between
      carers of PD-N (M = 13.39, SD = 12.22) compared to those of PD-MCI patients (M =
      22.00, SD = 10.8), and between carers of PD-MCI and PDD patients (M = 29.33, SD =
      9.59). Moreover, the proportion of carers showing clinically significant levels
      of burden (ZBI score >= 21) also increased as the patients' cognitive status
      declined (18% for PD-N; 60% for PD-MCI; and 80% for PDD) and was mirrored by an
      increasing amount of time spent providing care by the caregivers. Caregiver ZBI
      score was independent of patient neuropsychiatric symptoms, motor function,
      disease duration and time that caregivers spent caregiving. Caregiver use of
      different coping strategies increased with worsening cognition. However, we found
      only equivocal evidence that the use of problem-focused, emotion-focused and
      dysfunctional coping mediated the association between patient cognitive status
      and caregiver burden, because the inverse models that used caregiver burden as
      the mediator were also significant. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the impact
      of Parkinson's disease on those providing care when the patient's cognition is
      poor, including those with MCI. Caregiver well-being has important implications
      for caregiver support, nursing home placement and disease course.

PMID- 28638600
TI  - Quantification of bleeding volume using computed tomography and clinical
      complications after percutaneous renal biopsy.
AB  - Background: The aim of this study was to investigate specific bleeding volume
      after percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) and the correlation between bleeding volume
      and clinical parameters. Methods: A retrospective study of 252 consecutive
      patients (153 male patients and 99 female patients) who underwent PRB at the
      Department of Nephrology, Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital, between July
      2013 and January 2016 was conducted. PRB was performed under ultrasound guidance
      using an automated spring-loaded biopsy device and a 16-cm, 16-gauge needle.
      Patients underwent computed tomography (CT) the day after PRB. Bleeding volume
      after PRB was evaluated using reconstructed CT data. Results: The median bleeding
      volume after PRB was 38 mL (25th-75th percentile, 18-85 mL), with >=4 punctures
      identified as a risk factor for massive bleeding. The incidence rates of
      macrohematuria, transient hypotension and bladder obstruction were 14.3, 8.7 and
      4.7%, respectively. Post-PRB blood transfusion and intervention were required in
      4.7 and 0.8% of patients, respectively. Conclusion: Although it is difficult to
      assess the risk for massive bleeding prior to PRB, we do provide evidence of a
      specific increased risk with >=4 puncture attempts, and recommend careful follow
      up of these patients.

PMID- 28638602
TI  - B cell-depleting therapy with rituximab or ofatumumab in immunoglobulin A
      nephropathy or vasculitis with nephritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Approximately 30% of adult patients with immunoglobulin A (IgA)
      nephropathy (IgAN) or IgA vasculitis with nephritis (IgAVN) develop end-stage
      renal disease during long-term follow-up. In particular, patients with nephritic
      nephrotic syndrome have an increased risk of rapid progression. Conventional
      immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids (CSs) may be insufficient for
      disease control and is associated with a number of side effects. Rituximab (RTX)
      has been shown to be well tolerated and effective in a range of glomerular
      diseases, but there is little information on its therapeutic potential in IgAN.
      The humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ofatumumab (OFAB) may be an
      alternative drug for patients intolerant or unresponsive to RTX, but so far there
      is no report on its use in IgAVN or IgAN. METHODS: We describe clinical outcomes
      after 17-22 months in four adult patients with biopsy-confirmed IgAVN or IgAN
      treated with RTX or OFAB as well as CS soon after diagnosis. All presented with
      nephritic-nephrotic syndrome and one had crescentic IgAN. Rebiopsy was performed
      in two cases. RESULTS: RTX and OFAB were well tolerated. Albuminuria was <250
      mg/day in three patients at last evaluation and two regained normal renal
      function. In all cases, renal function improved after therapy. In one patient
      with severe IgA vasculitis, rebiopsy showed disappearance of subendothelial but
      not mesangial immune complexes. In the case with crescentic IgAN, rebiopsy after
      9 months showed no active necrotic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: B cell-depleting therapy
      may be an alternative treatment for patients with IgAN or IgAVN and nephritic
      nephrotic syndrome. A possible CS-sparing effect should be further evaluated in
      randomized controlled clinical trials.

PMID- 28638604
TI  - Impact of poverty and race on pre-end-stage renal disease care among dialysis
      patients in the United States.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Access to nephrology care prior to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is
      significantly associated with lower rates of morbidity and mortality. We assessed
      the association of area-level and individual-level indicators of poverty and
      race/ethnicity on pre-ESRD care provided by nephrologists. METHODS: In this
      retrospective cohort study using the US Renal Data System database, we identified
      739 537 patients initiated on maintenance dialysis from 1 January 2007 through 31
      December 2012. We assessed the Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibility status as an
      indicator of individual-level poverty and ZIP code-level median household income
      (MHI) data obtained from the 2010 US census. We conducted multivariable logistic
      regression of pre-ESRD nephrology care as the outcome variable. RESULTS: Among
      patients in the lowest area-level MHI quintile, 61.28% received pre-ESRD
      nephrology care versus 67.68% among those in higher quintiles (P < 0.001).
      Similarly, the proportions of dual-eligible and nondual-eligible patients who had
      pre-ESRD nephrology care were 61.49 and 69.84%, respectively (P < 0.001).
      Patients in the lowest area-level MHI quintile were associated with significantly
      lower likelihood of pre-ESRD nephrology care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.86 [95%
      confidence interval (CI) 0.85-0.87]) compared with those in higher quintiles.
      Both African American (AA) and Hispanic patients were significantly less likely
      to have received pre-ESRD nephrology care [aOR 0.85 (95% CI 0.84-0.86) and aOR
      0.72 (95% CI 0.71-0.74), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Individual- and area-level
      measures of poverty, AA race and Hispanic ethnicity were independently associated
      with a lower likelihood of pre-ESRD nephrology care. Efforts to improve pre-ESRD
      nephrology care may require focusing on the poor and minority groups.

PMID- 28638603
TI  - Serum osteoprotegerin and renal function in the general population: the Tromso
      Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) is elevated in patients with chronic
      kidney disease (CKD) and increases with decreasing renal function. However, there
      are limited data regarding the association between OPG and renal function in the
      general population. The aim of the present study was to explore the relation
      between serum OPG and renal function in subjects recruited from the general
      population. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 6689 participants
      recruited from the general population in Tromso, Norway. Estimated glomerular
      filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease
      Epidemiology Collaboration equations. OPG was modelled both as a continuous and
      categorical variable. General linear models and linear regression with adjustment
      for possible confounders were used to study the association between OPG and eGFR.
      Analyses were stratified by the median age, as serum OPG and age displayed a
      significant interaction on eGFR. RESULTS: In participants <=62.2 years with
      normal renal function (eGFR >=90 mL/min/1.73 m2) eGFR increased by 0.35
      mL/min/1.73 m2 (95% CI 0.13-0.56) per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in serum
      OPG after multiple adjustment. In participants older than the median age with
      impaired renal function (eGFR <90 mL/min/1.73 m2), eGFR decreased by 1.54 (95% CI
      -2.06 to -1.01) per 1 SD increase in serum OPG. CONCLUSIONS: OPG was associated
      with an increased eGFR in younger subjects with normal renal function and with a
      decreased eGFR in older subjects with reduced renal function. Our findings imply
      that the association between OPG and eGFR varies with age and renal function.

PMID- 28638605
TI  - Effect of ethnicity and socioeconomic status on vascular access provision and
      performance in an urban NHS hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ethnicity,
      socioeconomic group (SEG) and comorbidities on provision of vascular access for
      haemodialysis (HD). METHODS: This was a retrospective review of two databases of
      HD sessions and access operations from 2003-11. Access modality of first HD
      session and details of transplanted patients were derived from the renal
      database. Follow-up was until 1 January 2015. Primary failure (PF) was defined as
      an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) used for fewer than six consecutive dialysis
      sessions. AVF survival was defined as being until the date the AVF was abandoned.
      Ethnicity was coded from hospital records. SEG was calculated from postcodes and
      2011 census data from the Office of National Statistics. Comorbidities were
      calculated with the Charlson Comorbidity Index. RESULTS: Five hundred incident
      patients started chronic HD in the study period. Mode of starting HD was not
      associated with ethnicity (P = 0.27) or SEG (P = 0.45). Patients from ethnic
      minorities were younger when starting dialysis (P < 0.0001). Some 928 AVF
      patients' first AVF operations were analysed: 68% Caucasian, 26% Asian and 6%
      Afro-Caribbean. Half were in the most deprived SEG and 11% in the least deprived
      SEG. PF did not differ by ethnicity (P = 0.29), SEG (P = 0.75) or comorbidities
      (P = 0.54). AVF survival was not different according to ethnicity (P = 0.13) or
      SEG (P = 0.87). AVF survival was better for patients with a low comorbidity score
      (P = 0.04). The distribution of transplant recipients by ethnic group and SEG was
      similar to the distributions of all HD starters. CONCLUSION: Ethnicity and
      socioeconomic group had no effect on mode of starting HD, primary AVF failure
      rate or AVF survival. Ethnic minorities were younger at start of dialysis and at
      their first AVF operation.

PMID- 28638606
TI  - Palliative care for patients with end-stage renal disease: approach to treatment
      that aims to improve quality of life and relieve suffering for patients (and
      families) with chronic illnesses.
AB  - Providing end-of-life care to patients suffering from chronic kidney disease
      (CKD) and/or end-stage renal disease often presents ethical challenges to
      families and health care providers. However, as the conditions these patients
      present with are multifaceted in nature, so should be the approach when
      determining prognosis and treatment strategies for this patient population.
      Having an interdisciplinary palliative team in place to address any concerns that
      may arise during conversations related to end-of-life care encourages effective
      communication between the patient, the family and the medical team. Through the
      use of a case study, the authors demonstrate how an interdisciplinary palliative
      team can be used to make decisions that satisfy the patient's and the medical
      team's desires for end-of-life care.

PMID- 28638607
TI  - Course of chronic kidney disease in French patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 1998, a French survey showed that the referral of patients with
      chronic kidney disease to a nephrologist was delayed, resulting in many emergency
      initiations of dialysis. In 2009, the ORACLE study aimed to describe the renal
      course of dialysis patients from their first nephrology visit to their first
      dialysis session. METHODS: The ORACLE study was a multicentre retrospective study
      of all patients who started chronic dialysis. Data were collected at the first
      nephrology visit and at the first dialysis session. RESULTS: In total, 720
      patients were included (69 centres). At the first nephrology visit, the mean
      Cockcroft-Gault (CG) indicator was 31.8 mL/min (22.7 in 1998) and 52.4% of
      patients (73% in 1998) had a CG <30. The mean time between the first nephrology
      visit and the first dialysis session was 48 months (35 months in 1998).
      CONCLUSION: In 2009, most patients were referred a long time before dialysis
      initiation, which likely allowed them to benefit from the impact of nephrology
      care on early outcomes when on dialysis. However, 34.2% of the dialysis sessions
      were still initiated under emergency conditions.

PMID- 28638608
TI  - The role of psychological factors in fatigue among end-stage kidney disease
      patients: a critical review.
AB  - Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom, affecting 42-89% of end-stage
      kidney disease patients, persisting even in pre-dialysis care and stable kidney
      transplantation, with huge repercussions on functioning, quality of life and
      patient outcomes. This paper presents a critical review of current evidence for
      the role of psychological factors in renal fatigue. To date, research has
      concentrated primarily on the contribution of depression, anxiety and subjective
      sleep quality to the experience of fatigue. These factors display consistent and
      strong associations with fatigue, above and beyond the role of demographic and
      clinical factors. Considerably less research is available on other psychological
      factors, such as social support, stress, self-efficacy, illness and fatigue
      specific beliefs and behaviours, and among transplant recipients and patients in
      pre-dialysis care. Promising evidence is available on the contribution of illness
      beliefs and behaviours to the experience of fatigue and there is some indication
      that these factors may vary according to treatment modality, reflecting the
      differential burdens and coping necessities associated with each treatment
      modality. However, the use of generic fatigue scales casts doubt on what
      specifically is being measured among dialysis patients, illness-related fatigue
      or post-dialysis-specific fatigue. Therefore, it is important to corroborate the
      available evidence and further explore, qualitatively and quantitatively, the
      differences in fatigues and fatigue-specific beliefs and behaviours according to
      renal replacement therapy, to ensure that any model and subsequent intervention
      is relevant and grounded in the experiences of patients.

PMID- 28638609
TI  - Cognitive function and advanced kidney disease: longitudinal trends and impact on
      decision-making.
AB  - Background: Cognitive impairment commonly affects renal patients. But little is
      known about the influence of dialysis modality on cognitive trends or the
      influence of cognitive impairment on decision-making in renal patients. This
      study evaluated cognitive trends amongst chronic kidney disease (CKD),
      haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The relationship
      between cognitive impairment and decision-making capacity (DMC) was also
      assessed. Methods: Patients were recruited from three outpatient clinics.
      Cognitive function was assessed 4-monthly for up to 2 years, using the Montreal
      Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool. Cognitive trends were assessed using mixed
      model analysis. DMC was assessed using the Macarthur Competency Assessment tool
      (MacCAT-T). MacCAT-T scores were compared between patients with cognitive
      impairment (MoCA <26) and those without. Results: In total, 102 (41 HD, 25 PD and
      36 CKD) patients were recruited into the prospective study. After multivariate
      analysis, the total MoCA scores declined faster in dialysis compared with CKD
      patients [coefficient = -0.03, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = -0.056 to -
      0.004; P = 0.025]. The MoCA executive scores declined faster in the HD compared
      with PD patients (coefficient = -0.12, 95% CI = -0.233 to - 0.007; P = 0.037).
      DMC was assessed in 10 patients. Those with cognitive impairment had lower MacCAT
      T compared with those without [median (interquartile range) 19 (17.9-19.6) versus
      17.4 (16.3-18.4); P = 0.049]. Conclusions: Cognition declines faster in dialysis
      patients compared with CKD patients and in HD patients compared with PD patients.
      Cognitive impairment affects DMC in patients with advanced kidney disease.

PMID- 28638610
TI  - Looking for the needle in the kidney transplantation haystack.
AB  - The diagnosis of acute rejection still relies on renal allograft biopsy. In fact,
      histological features including C4d staining can be useful to differentiate
      cellular and antibody-mediated acute rejection. However, the pathogenic mechanism
      to define the type of rejection is usually assessed by anti-HLA donor specific
      antibodies (DSA) monitoring. Suspicion of acute rejection is usually based on
      renal function deterioration. This method has low sensitivity. Moreover,
      creatinine increase follows graft injury and therefore the diagnosis is performed
      when there is an ongoing acute rejection. One strategy to overcome the limitation
      of serum creatinine as predictor of acute rejection is to perform surveillance
      protocol biopsies. However, the low incidence of subclinical acute rejection
      among patients treated with tacrolimus-based immunosuppression makes this
      procedure questionable in terms of cost-effectiveness. In this scenario new
      biomarkers predicting acute rejection are urgently needed. Ideally, such
      biomarkers should anticipate acute rejection, thus allowing preventive actions
      such as maintenance immunosupression intensification and/or modification.
      Alternatively, these new biomarkers should at least improve the predictive value
      of serum creatinine monitoring. Although many of the new biomarkers are
      promising, none have been translated to the clinic to date because of a lack of
      validation studies and the existence of major methodological concerns.

PMID- 28638611
TI  - Does size matter? Kidney transplant donor size determines kidney function among
      living donors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Kidney donor outcomes are gaining attention, particularly as donor
      eligibility criteria continue to expand. Kidney size, a useful predictor of
      recipient kidney function, also likely correlates with donor outcomes. Although
      donor evaluation includes donor kidney size measurements, the association between
      kidney size and outcomes are poorly defined. METHODS: We examined the
      relationship between kidney size (body surface area-adjusted total volume,
      cortical volume and length) and renal outcomes (post-operative recovery and
      longer-term kidney function) among 85 kidney donors using general linear models
      and time-to-chronic kidney disease data. RESULTS: Donors with the largest
      adjusted cortical volume were more likely to achieve an estimated glomerular
      filtration rate (eGFR) >=60 mL/min/1.73 m2 over a median 24-month follow-up than
      those with smaller cortical volumes (P <0.001), had a shorter duration of renal
      recovery (1.3-2.2 versus 32.5 days) and started with a higher eGFR at pre
      donation (107-110 versus 91 mL/min/1.73 m2) and immediately post-nephrectomy (~63
      versus 50-51 mL/min/1.73 m2). Similar findings were seen with adjusted total
      volume and length. CONCLUSIONS: Larger kidney donors were more likely to achieve
      an eGFR >=60 mL/min/1.73 m2 with renal recovery over a shorter duration due to
      higher pre-donation and initial post-nephrectomy eGFRs.

PMID- 28638612
TI  - Assessment of physical performance and quality of life in kidney-transplanted
      patients: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Information on physical and mental wellness in renal transplantation
      is limited. Therefore, we performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate and
      describe the different components of physical performance and quality of life
      (QoL) in a cohort of kidney-transplanted patients. METHODS: Physical performance
      and QoL were determined through the administration of validated tests and
      questionnaires [muscle strength, dynamometer handgrip, tactile sensitivity,
      visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Fatigue
      Severity Scale (FSS) and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey]. The patients were
      divided into three groups based on time elapsed since transplantation: early (in
      the first 6 months), middle (from 7 to 60 months) and late (>60 months). RESULTS:
      Of 132 enrolled patients, 11 patients (8.3%) presented a severe reduction of
      muscle strength, 63 patients (47%) had significant bilateral impaired handgrip
      and tactile sensitivity was altered in 23 patients (17.4%). TUG assessment showed
      significant mobility limitation in 29 patients (21.9%). The FSS presented a
      pathological value in 50 patients (37.3%), while the mean VAS was 1.8 +/- 2.7.
      There were no significant differences in physical performance parameters among
      the three patient groups. There were inverse correlations among different
      components of physical performance and age, comorbidity and dialysis vintage, and
      there was a direct correlation with renal function. During the first months after
      transplantation there were limitations in physical, social and emotional
      activities. Overall, the self-perceived physical performance was significantly
      lower in transplanted patients with respect to the normal reference level.
      CONCLUSION: Kidney-transplanted patients may present different degrees of
      impairment in physical performance and quality of life. Systematic functional
      assessment is essential to identify patients needing intensive and personalized
      rehabilitation programmes.

PMID- 28638613
TI  - Cuff extrusion in peritoneal dialysis: single-centre experience with the cuff
      shaving procedure in five patients over a 4-year period.
AB  - Catheter-related infections in peritoneal dialysis (PD) remain a significant
      complication, and some patients with recurrent exit-site (ESI) and/or tunnel
      infections may experience external cuff extrusion. In these cases, cuff-shaving
      has been described as a possible course of treatment. During a 4-year period,
      there were 44 patients with PD at our department; all received double-cuffed
      Tenckhoff catheters. Six (13%) never started on PD. Five (13%) of the 38 active
      PD patients experienced cuff extrusion. Causes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
      were diabetic nephropathy (n = 1), toxic nephropathy (n = 1), hypertensive
      nephrosclerosis (n = 1), systemic disease (n = 1) and one with unknown cause. PD
      catheters were inserted by the Department of Surgery and our patients waited a
      mean of 3.71 weeks (0.57-7.86) from catheter insertion to PD start. Patients were
      followed up by monthly and even fortnightly during infections. Our cohort
      experienced two (1-5) ESIs per patient prior to cuff extrusion. Cultures showed
      growth of Staphylococcus aureus and the patients received dicloxacillin orally
      500 mg qid for 3-4 weeks. Of the 38 active PD patients, 5 (13%) developed cuff
      extrusion with an incidence of 0.20 episodes/patient/year, manifesting on average
      at 32 weeks (17.3-40.6), due to repeated ESI in four patients and substantial
      weight loss in one patient. All five underwent cuff-shaving and the ESIs resolved
      completely in 80% of the cases assisted by supplemental treatment with mupirocin
      and/or dicloxacillin. There were no complications to the cuff-shaving procedure
      itself. None of the five patients experienced new ESIs after cuff-shaving had
      been performed. Cuff-shaving reduces the rate of recurring ESIs. The procedure is
      safe, if performed correctly, and poses no risk to the patient or the catheter.

PMID- 28638614
TI  - Loss of kAE1 expression in collecting ducts of end-stage kidneys from a family
      with SLC4A1 G609R-associated distal renal tubular acidosis.
AB  - Distal renal tubular acidosis caused by missense mutations in kidney isoform of
      anion exchanger 1 (kAE1/SLC4A1), the basolateral membrane Cl-/HCO3- exchanger of
      renal alpha-intercalated cells, has been extensively investigated in heterologous
      expression systems but rarely in human kidneys. The preferential apical
      localization of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA)-associated kAE1 mutants
      R901X, G609R and M909T in cultured epithelial monolayers has not been examined in
      human kidney. Here, we present kidney tissues from dRTA-affected siblings
      heterozygous for kAE1 G609R, characterized by predominant absence rather than
      mistargeting of kAE1 in intercalated cells. Thus, studies of heterologous
      recombinant expression of mutant proteins should be, whenever possible,
      interpreted in comparison to affected patient tissues.

PMID- 28638615
TI  - Erratum: Morbidity, mortality and quality of life in the ageing haemodialysis
      population: results from the ELDERLY study.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfw087.].

PMID- 28638616
TI  - Vitamin D deficiency among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients and their
      household contacts: a comparative cross-sectional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that the incidence and severity of
      tuberculosis is associated with low levels of vitamin D. Even though individuals
      living in Ethiopia have a high exposure to sunlight which is a source of vitamin
      D, tuberculosis is still one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in
      the country. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and
      associated factors of vitamin D deficiency in newly diagnosed tuberculosis
      patients, household contacts and community controls in Gondar, Ethiopia. METHODS:
      A comparative cross-sectional study design was conducted. Blood samples were
      collected from newly diagnosed smear positive pulmonary TB patients, their
      household contacts and community controls. Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D3 was determined
      by an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay. A serum level of 25(OH)-vitamin D3 below
      < 50 nmol/L was defined as vitamin D deficiency and <25 nmol/L as severe vitamin
      D deficiency. RESULTS: A total of 126 newly diagnosed smear positive TB patients,
      57 house hold contacts and 70 apparently community controls were included in the
      study. The mean +/- SD age (years) of TB patients, house hold contacts and
      community controls was 29.8 +/- 11.9, 24.3 +/- 14.7 and 27.3 +/- 7.6
      respectively. Ninety out of 126 (71.4%) TB patients were underweight with a BMI
      of < 18.5 kg/m2. The mean 25(OH)-vitamin D3 level of TB patients (30.1 +/- 19.3
      nmol/L) was significantly lower than community controls (38.5 +/- 20.9 nmol/L, P
      = 0.005 and household contacts (37.7 +/- 12.8 nmol/L, P =0.031).). The prevalence
      of vitamin D deficiency was higher in TB patients (83.3%) than in community
      controls (67.1%, P = 0.009). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was also
      found higher in household contacts (80.7%). Severe vitamin D deficiency was
      observed in 53%(67/126), 30% (21/70), 19.3%(11/57) of TB patients, community
      controls and household contacts respectively. Low BMI (AOR = 2.13; 95%CI: 1.02,
      3.28) and being positive for tuberculosis (AOR = 1.93; 95%CI: 1.06, 2.86) were
      significant predictors of severe vitamin D deficiency. CONCLUSION: High
      prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was found among newly diagnosed TB patients
      and in their household contacts. The present study warrants further studies to
      determine the role of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention and treatment
      of tuberculosis in Ethiopia.

PMID- 28638617
TI  - Clinical pharmacists in primary care: Provider satisfaction and perceived impact
      on quality of care provided.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate primary care provider
      satisfaction and perceived impact of clinical pharmacy services on the disease
      state management in primary care. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey with 24 items
      and 4 domains was distributed anonymously to pharmacy residency program directors
      across the United States who were requested to forward the survey to their
      primary care provider colleagues. Primary care providers were asked to complete
      the survey. RESULTS: A total of 144 primary care providers responded to the
      survey, with 130 reporting a clinical pharmacist within their primary care
      practice and 114 completing the entire survey. Primary care providers report
      pharmacists positively impact quality of care (mean = 5.5 on Likert scale of 1-6;
      standard deviation = 0.72), high satisfaction with pharmacy services provided
      (5.5; standard deviation = 0.79), and no increase in workload as a result of
      clinical pharmacists (5.5; standard deviation = 0.77). Primary care providers
      would recommend clinical pharmacists to other primary care practices (5.7;
      standard deviation = 0.59). Primary care providers perceived specific types of
      pharmacy services to have the greatest impact on patient care: medication therapy
      management (38.6%), disease-focused management (29.82%), and medication
      reconciliation (11.4%). Primary care providers indicated the most valuable
      disease-focused pharmacy services as diabetes (58.78%), hypertension (9.65%), and
      pain (11.4%). CONCLUSION: Primary care providers report high satisfaction with
      and perceived benefit of clinical pharmacy services in primary care and viewed
      medication therapy management and disease-focused management of diabetes,
      hypertension, and pain as the most valuable clinical pharmacy services. These
      results can be used to inform development or expansion of clinical pharmacy
      services in primary care.

PMID- 28638618
TI  - Swyer-James-MacLeod syndrome-a rare diagnosis presented through two adult
      patients.
AB  - Swyer-James-MacLeod syndrome (SJMS) is a rare syndrome of acute obliterative
      bronchiolitis following an early childhood infective insult to the lungs. This
      causes arrest of alveolarization, affecting lung development with hypoplasia of
      the ipsilateral pulmonary artery and results in a characteristic radiological
      pattern, such as a unilateral hyperlucent lung with expiratory air-trapping and
      pruned-tree appearance on pulmonary angiogram. The clinical presentation is
      either recurrent chest infections, exertional dyspnoea or it may be an incidental
      finding. Management involves early prevention of infection, airway clearance, and
      regular vaccinations. We describe two adult patients with SJMS: A 51-year-old
      female of Indian ethnicity presenting with recurrent haemoptysis and a 40-year
      old Indigenous male presenting acutely with sepsis and background history of
      recurrent chest infections. These cases highlight the importance of being aware
      of and accurately recognizing this rare condition, to be able to manage patients
      appropriately and avoid incorrect and unnecessary treatment.

PMID- 28638619
TI  - Propionibacterium acnes pleural empyema following medical thoracoscopy.
AB  - Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) is a Gram-positive anaerobic rod and a common
      skin commensal that colonizes sebaceous glands. It has infrequently been
      associated with invasive opportunistic infections and can cause implant
      associated infections through a biofilm mode of growth. Medical thoracoscopy is a
      common procedure for diagnosis and treatment of exudative pleural effusions;
      empyema is a recognized complication. We present a rare case of P. acnes pleural
      empyema 3 weeks following medical thoracoscopy and subsequent intercostal drain
      insertion for 3 days in a 75-year-old man. We postulate that pathogenesis may be
      associated with inoculation at the time of thoracoscopy or via biofilm formation
      on the intercostal drain. This case highlights the potential for this pathogen to
      cause clinically significant disease following thoracoscopy and pleural drainage.

PMID- 28638620
TI  - Chest pain and recurrent chylothorax: an unusual presentation of malignant
      pleural mesothelioma.
AB  - Malignant mesothelioma presenting with recurrent chylous effusion is rare. We
      describe the case of a 34-year-old female Macedonian immigrant who presented with
      central chest pain and subsequently a left-sided chylous pleural effusion. The
      diagnosis was made on pleural biopsy via video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery
      (VATS). Our case demonstrates the utility of thoracic magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) and the difficulties associated with pleural cytology and cervical lymph
      node biopsy in the establishment of a diagnosis of mesothelioma. It is a reminder
      that mesothelioma can metastasize to mediastinal and cervical lymph nodes, can
      occur in young people, and may present as a chylothorax.

PMID- 28638621
TI  - The role of DSM-5 borderline personality symptomatology and traits in the link
      between childhood trauma and suicidal risk in psychiatric patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Childhood traumas appear to be linked to suicidal behavior. However,
      the factors that mediate between these two phenomena are not sufficiently
      understood. Recent findings suggest that borderline personality disorder (BPD)
      may explain some of the association. METHOD: The present study investigated the
      potential mediating role of BPD symptomatology and traits between reported
      childhood trauma and suicidal risk in adult psychiatric outpatients (N = 124).
      BPD symptomatology was measured with DSM-5 Section II criterion-counts (SCID-II;
      Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II), whereas BPD traits were
      measured with specified DSM-5 Section III traits (PID-5; Personality Inventory
      for DSM-5). Childhood traumas were self-reported (CTQ; Childhood Trauma
      Questionnaire), whereas level of suicidal risk was measured with a structured
      interview (MINI Suicidality Module; Mini International Neuropsychiatric
      Interview). Mediation effects were tested by bias-corrected (10.000 boot-strapped
      samples) confidence intervals. RESULTS: BPD features account for a considerable
      part of the cross-sectional association between childhood trauma and level of
      suicidal risk, even when controlling for the influence of gender, age, and
      educational level. This finding remained stable when testing the model without
      the suicidality-related BPD criterion and PID-5 items. DSM-5 Section II BPD
      criterion-counts explained 67% of the total effect, whereas DSM-5 Section III BPD
      traits accounted for 82% of the total effect. The specific DSM-5 Section III
      trait facets of "Depressivity" (52%) and "Perceptual Dysregulation" (37%)
      accounted for most of this effect. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide preliminary
      support for the proposed mediation model indicating that BPD features may help
      explain relations between childhood trauma and elevated suicidal risk in adult
      life, in particular for DSM-5 Section III personality traits of depressivity
      (e.g., pessimism, guilt, and shame) and perceptual dysregulation (e.g.,
      dissociation). To reduce the suicidal risk among those with a history of
      childhood trauma, BPD features (including "Depressivity" and "Perceptual
      Dysregulation") might be an important target of assessment, risk management, and
      treatment. However, other factors are likely to be involved, and a longitudinal
      and more large-scale design is warranted for a conclusive test of mediation.

PMID- 28638622
TI  - The synergistic use of plant and isolated bacteria to clean up polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons from contaminated soil.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Biological methods of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
      contamination elimination typically involve the transformation of contaminants to
      non-toxic materials by microorganisms and plants and appear to be the most
      effective methods available. METHODS: In this study, Bacillus licheniformis and
      Bacillus mojavensis isolated from oil-contaminated soils were inoculated onto
      Festuca arundinacea seeds before planting in the pot and 3 weeks after planting
      by syringe injection into the rhizospheric zone in order to study the elimination
      of PAHs from Festuca's rhizosphere in the greenhouse. Some physical and chemical
      properties of the soil, PAH concentrations, seeds germination percentage, root
      and shoot biomasses of the treated samples were examined. RESULTS: The results
      showed that the treated samples inoculated with both bacteria had a significantly
      higher percentage of seed germination and root and shoot biomass compared to
      other treatments. The concentration of some PAHs reduced significantly (Pvalue <
      0.05) in the rhizosphere of the treated samples inoculated with both bacteria
      compared to in contaminated soils. Concentrations of some PAHs (eg. Naphthalene,
      Phenanthrene, Benzo[a]anthracene and Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene) even reached below
      the detection limit of the method. The PAHs concentrations in the treated samples
      inoculated with bacteria was decreased significantly (Pvalue < 0.05). Therefore,
      the results showed the high efficiency of the Festuca and bacterial inoculation
      in eliminating PAHs from the soil. CONCLUSION: According to the results, the
      partnership of Festuca with B. licheniformis and B. mojavensis isolates displayed
      positive effect on PAHs dissipation and can be effective cleanup technology with
      high performance.

PMID- 28638623
TI  - The genetic architecture of growth traits in Salix matsudana under salt stress.
AB  - Willow (Salix) is one of the most important ornamental tree species in landscape
      plants. One species, Salix matsudana, is widely used as a shade tree and border
      tree because of its soft branches and plump crown. Some varieties of S. matsudana
      were salt tolerant and could grow normally in coastal regions. However, the
      molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance for S. matsudana have been less clear.
      Here, we addressed this issue by performing a mapping experiment containing 195
      intraspecific F1 progeny of S. matsudana, derived from salt-sensitive 'yanjiang'
      and salt-tolerant '9901', grown by cuttings in a 100 mM NaCl solution. Growth
      performance of these progeny under salt stress was investigated, displaying
      marked genotypic variability with the coefficients of variance of 28.64-86.11% in
      shoot and root growth traits. We further mapped specific QTLs contributing to
      these differences to the Salix genome. Of the 204 QTLs identified, a few were
      detected to explain a remarkably larger portion of the phenotypic variation than
      many others. Many detected QTLs were found to reside in the region of candidate
      genes of known biological function. The discovery of growth QTLs expressed under
      salt stress provides important information for marker-assisted breeding of salt
      tolerant Salix varieties and founds the basis for the application of S. matsudana
      in coastal afforestation.

PMID- 28638624
TI  - Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: a case report of a multi-drug resistant, grueling
      disease.
AB  - Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis or Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is
      characterized by its rare occurrence. Mostly prevalent among Asian women, KFD
      manifests with lymphadenopathy-affecting mostly cervical and rarely generalized
      or retroperitoneal regions-in addition to fever. It is a self-limited disease
      that resolves within 1-4 months, responding remarkably to glucocorticosteroids or
      hydroxychloroquine. However, some rare cases prove to be unresponsive to the
      previously mentioned therapies. Here is a description of a case of KFD affecting
      a 67-year-old Syrian woman with a history of hypothyroidism due to iodine
      deficiency. The patient's initial clinical picture was malaise, fever,
      pericarditis and generalized lymphadenopathy. As treatment, she was given
      glucocorticosteroids with no significant response, while hydroxychloroquine
      proved to be partially effective. Until the date of this report, she has been
      receiving hydroxychloroquine with only slight clinical improvement. This case is
      proving to be resistant unlike most KFD cases that generally respond very well to
      treatment.

PMID- 28638625
TI  - Early eculizumab use in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome in a Jehovah's
      Witness refusing blood products.
AB  - Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by microscopic angiopathic
      haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia and organ injury. Supportive therapies
      include the use of blood products. Recently the terminal complement inhibitor
      eculizumab has been approved in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS) in
      some countries. We report the case of a 23-year-old female Jehovah's Witness
      presenting with vaginal haemorrhage from thrombocytopaenia, severe anaemia (nadir
      Hb 28 g/L) and anuric acute kidney injury with TMA secondary to aHUS. Despite a
      life threatening illness, the patient declined the use of blood components and
      plasma exchange. Eculizumab was administered early with subsequent improvement
      and resolution of haemolysis, return to baseline renal function whilst avoiding
      use of blood products. This case demonstrates the effective use of eculizumab for
      life saving therapy in a patient refusing blood products. It highlights the
      importance of accessibility for high cost therapies, but the disparity in access
      between healthcare systems.

PMID- 28638626
TI  - Effects of liposomal-curcumin on five opportunistic bacterial strains found in
      the equine hindgut - preliminary study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The horse intestinal tract is sensitive and contains a highly complex
      microbial population. A shift in the microbial population can lead to various
      issues such as inflammation and colic. The use of nutraceuticals in the equine
      industry is on the rise and curcumin is thought to possess antimicrobial
      properties that may help to minimize the proliferation of opportunistic bacteria.
      METHODS: Four cecally-cannulated horses were utilized to determine the optimal
      dose of liposomal-curcumin (LIPC) on reducing Streptococcus bovis/equinus complex
      (SBEC), Escherichia coli K-12, Escherichia coli general, Clostridium difficile,
      and Clostridium perfringens in the equine hindgut without adversely affecting
      cecal characteristics. In the first study cecal fluid was collected from each
      horse and composited for an in vitro, 24 h batch culture to examine LIPC at four
      different dosages (15, 20, 25, and 30 g) in a completely randomized design. A
      subsequent in vivo 4 * 4 Latin square design study was conducted to evaluate no
      LIPC (control, CON) or LIPC dosed at 15, 25, and 35 g per day (dosages determined
      from in vitro results) for 9 days on the efficacy of LIPC on selected bacterial
      strains, pH, and volatile fatty acids. Each period was 14 days with 9 d for
      acclimation and 5 d withdrawal period. RESULTS: In the in vitro study dosage had
      no effect (P >= 0.42) on Clostridium strains, but as the dose increased SBEC
      concentrations increased (P = 0.001). Concentrations of the E. coli strain varied
      with dose. In vivo, LIPC's antimicrobial properties, at 15 g, significantly
      decreased (P = 0.02) SBEC when compared to 25 and 35 g dosages. C. perfringens
      decreased linearly (P = 0.03) as LIPC dose increased. Butyrate decreased linearly
      (P = 0.01) as LIPC dose increased. CONCLUSION: Further studies should be
      conducted with a longer dosing period to examine the antimicrobial properties of
      curcumin without adversely affecting cecal characteristics.

PMID- 28638628
TI  - Multiple sclerosis epidemiology in Latin America: An updated survey.
AB  - : Novel epidemiological data have appeared in recent years in Latin America
      (LATAM). The objective of this study was to perform an updated systematic review
      of the epidemiology of the disease reported in LATAM. METHODS: We conducted a
      systematic review of published epidemiological articles from January 1995 to
      December 2016. RESULTS: Incidence data were found in four studies and ranged from
      0.3 to 3 annual cases per 100,000 person-years. Prevalence was reported in 13
      studies and ranged from 0.83 to 38.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Two studies
      showed an increase in prevalence and incidence in the last five years in specific
      regions. CONCLUSION: The study provides updated information on epidemiological
      features of MS in the region. The frequency reported is lower compared with some
      European and North American countries; however, due to recent observations,
      studies including follow-up assessment of prevalence and incidence should be
      conducted in the region.

PMID- 28638627
TI  - Environmental factors influencing multiple sclerosis in Latin America.
AB  - It is generally accepted that autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS)
      arise from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental
      factors. Genetic variants confer predisposition to develop MS, but cannot be
      therapeutically modified. On the other hand, several studies have shown that
      different lifestyle and environmental factors influence disease development, as
      well as activity levels and progression. Unlike genetic risk factors, these can
      be modified, with potential for prevention, particularly in high-risk
      populations. Most studies identifying particular lifestyle and environmental
      factors have been carried out in Caucasian patients with MS. Little or no data is
      available on the behavior of these factors in Latin American populations. Ethnic
      and geographic differences between Latin America and other world regions suggest
      potential regional variations in MS, at least with respect to some of these
      factors. Furthermore, particular environmental characteristics observed more
      frequently in Latin America could explain regional differences in MS prevalence.
      Site-specific studies exploring influences of local environmental factors are
      warranted.

PMID- 28638629
TI  - Pathophysiology of copeptin in kidney disease and hypertension.
AB  - Copeptin is derived from the cleavage of the precursor of arginine vasopressin
      (AVP), produced in an equimolar ratio in hypothalamus and processed during axonal
      transport AVP is an unstable peptide and has a short half-life of 5-20 min.
      Unlike AVP, copeptin is a stable molecule and can easily be measured. Recent
      evidence suggest that increased copeptin levels have been associated with worse
      outcomes in various clinical conditions including chronic kidney disease (CKD)
      and hypertension. In this review, the data regarding copeptin with kidney
      function (evaluated as glomerular filtration rate, increased albumin/protein
      excretion or both) and hypertension with regard to performed studies, prognosis
      and pathogenesis was summarised.

PMID- 28638630
TI  - Crystal structure of a pyrazine-2,3-dicarboxamide ligand and of its silver(I)
      nitrate complex, a three-dimensional coordination polymer.
AB  - The title ligand, C18H16N6O2.2H2O (L1) [N2,N3-bis-(pyridin-4-ylmeth-yl)pyrazine
      2,3-dicarboxamide], crystallized as a dihydrate. The mol-ecule is U-shaped with
      the carboxamide groups being cis to one another, making a dihedral angle of 81.6
      (5) degrees . The terminal pyridine rings are inclined to one another by 58.5 (4)
      degrees . There is an intra-molecular N-H?Npyrazine hydrogen bond present,
      forming an S(5) ring motif. In the crystal, adjacent mol-ecules are linked by N
      H?Ocarboxamide hydrogen bonds, forming a chain along [001]. A chain of hydrogen
      bonded water mol-ecules is linked to the chain of (L1) mol-ecules by O-H?N
      hydrogen bonds, forming columns propagating along the c axis. The columns are
      linked by C-H?O and C-H?N hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional supra
      molecular structure. The reaction of ligand (L1) with silver(I) nitrate led to
      the formation of a new three-dimensional coordination polymer,
      {[Ag(C18H16N6O2)]NO3} n , poly[[[MU4-N2,N3-bis-(pyridin-4-ylmeth-yl)pyrazine-2,3
      dicarboxamide]-silver(I)] nitrate] (I). The asymmetric unit is composed of half
      of one silver ion, located on a twofold rotation axis, half a ligand mol-ecule
      and half a positionally disordered nitrate anion located about a twofold rotation
      axis. The full mol-ecule of the ligand is generated by twofold rotational
      symmetry, with this twofold axis bis-ecting the Car-Car bonds of the pyrazine
      ring and the Ag-Ag bond. The carboxamide groups are now trans to one another,
      making a dihedral angle of 65.8 (4) degrees . The two terminal pyridine rings are
      inclined to one another by 6.6 (3) degrees . Two ligands wrap around an Ag-Ag
      bond of 3.1638 (11) A, forming a figure-of-eight-shaped complex mol-ecule. Each
      silver ion is coordinated by two pyridine N atoms and by two carboxamide O atoms
      of neighbouring mol-ecules, hence forming a three-dimensional framework. The
      nitrate anion is linked to the framework by N-H?O and C-H?O hydrogen bonds.

PMID- 28638631
TI  - Crystal structures of three N-(3-acetyl-phen-yl)quinoline-2-carboxamides.
AB  - In the title compounds, N-(5-acetyl-2-methyl-phen-yl)quinoline-2-carboxamide
      [C19H16N2O2, (I)], N-(5-acetyl-2-bromo-phen-yl)quinoline-2-carboxamide
      [C18H13BrN2O2, (II)] and N-(5-acetyl-2-ethynylphen-yl)quinoline-2-carboxamide
      [C20H14N2O2, (III)], the quinoline ring system is essentially planar and forms a
      dihedral angles of 3.68 (5) (I), 5.59 (7) (II) and 1.87 (6) degrees  (III) with
      the acetyl-substituted ring. The mol-ecular structures of (I) and (III) each
      feature an intra-molecular N-H?N hydrogen bond, forming an S(5) ring, while in
      (II) an intra-molecular bifurcated N-H?(N,Br) hydrogen bond forms two S(5) rings.
      In the crystals, weak C-H?O hydrogen bonds link mol-ecules of (I) into C(7)
      chains long [010], mol-ecules of (II) into chains of R22(8) rings along [110] and
      mol-ecules of (III) into C(8) chains along [010]. In (I), there are no
      significant pi-pi stacking inter-actions under 4 A, but in both (II) and (III),
      pi-pi inter-actions link the weak hydrogen-bonded chains into layers parallel to
      (001) [centroid-centroid disttances of 3.748 (1) A in (II) and 3.577 (1), 3.784
      (1) and 3.780 (1) A in (III)].

PMID- 28638632
TI  - Crystal structure of di-MU-chlorido-bis-(chlorido-{N1,N1-diethyl-N4-[(pyridin-2
      yl-kappaN)methyl-idene]benzene-1,4-di-amine-kappaN4}mercury(II)).
AB  - The title dinuclear mercury(II) complex, [Hg2Cl4(C16H19N3)2], synthesized from
      the pyridine-derived Schiff base (E)-N1,N1-diethyl-N4-[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl
      idene]benzene-1,4-di-amine (DPMBD), has inversion symmetry. The five-coordinated
      HgII atoms have distorted square-pyramidal stereochemistry comprising two N-atom
      donors from bidentate chelate BPMBD ligands and three Cl-atom donors, two
      bridging and one monodentate. The dihedral angle between the benzene and the
      pyridine rings in the BPMBD ligand is 7.55 (4) degrees . In the crystal, the
      dinuclear mol-ecules are linked by weak C-H?Cl hydrogen bonds, forming zigzag
      ribbons lying parallel to [001]. Also present in the structure are pi-pi inter
      actions between benzene and pyridine rings [minimum ring-centroid separation =
      3.698 (8) A].

PMID- 28638633
TI  - 1,3-Bis{(E)-[4-(di-methyl-amino)-benzyl-idene]amino}-propan-2-ol: chain structure
      formation via an O-H?N hydrogen bond.
AB  - The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C21H28N4O, consists of two unique mol
      ecules linked by an O-H?N hydrogen bond. The conformation of both C=N bonds is E
      and the azomethine functional groups lie close to the plane of their associated
      benzene rings in each of the independent mol-ecules. The dihedral angles between
      the two benzene rings are 83.14 (4) and 75.45 (4) degrees . The plane of the one
      of the N(CH3)2 units is twisted away from the benzene ring by 18.8 (2) degrees ,
      indicating loss of conjugation between the lone electron pair and the benzene
      ring. In the crystal structure, O-H?N hydrogen bonds together with C-H?O hydrogen
      bonds link neighbouring supra-molecular dimers into a three-dimensional network.

PMID- 28638634
TI  - Synthesis and crystal structure of a new magnesium phosphate Na3RbMg7(PO4)6.
AB  - A new magnesium phosphate, Na3RbMg7(PO4)6 [tris-odium rubidium hepta-magnesium
      hexakis(ortho-phosphate)], has been synthesized as single crystals by the flux
      method and exhibits a new structure type. Its original structure is built up from
      MgO x (x = 5 and 6) polyhedra linked directly to each other through common
      corners or edges and reinforced by corner-sharing with PO4 tetra-hedra. The
      resulting anionic three-dimensional framework leads to the formation of channels
      along the [010] direction, in which the Na+ cations are located, while the Rb+
      cations are located in large inter-stitial cavities.

PMID- 28638635
TI  - Crystal structure of an apremilast ethanol hemisolvate hemihydrate solvatomorph.
AB  - The title compound, C22H24N2O7S.0.5C2H5OH.0.5H2O {systematic name: (S)-4
      acetamido-2-[1-(3-eth-oxy-4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-2-(methyl-sulfon-yl)eth-yl]iso-indo
      line-1,3-dione ethanol hemisolvate hemihydrate}, is a novel solvatomorph of
      apremilast (AP), which is an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) and is
      indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis.
      The asymmetric unit contains one mol-ecule of AP and disordered mol-ecules of
      ethanol and water, both with half occupancy. The dihedral angle between the
      planes of the phenyl ring and the iso-indole ring is 67.9 (2) degrees . Extensive
      intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds help to stabilize the mol-ecular
      conformation and sustain the crystal packing.

PMID- 28638636
TI  - Crystal structure and electrochemical properties of [Ni(bztmpen)(CH3CN)](BF4)2
      {bztmpen is N-benzyl-N,N',N'-tris-[(6-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]ethane-1,2-di
      amine}.
AB  - The mononuclear nickel title complex (acetonitrile-kappaN){N-benzyl-N,N',N'-tris
      [(6-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]ethane-1,2-di-amine}-nickel(II) bis-(tetra-fluor
      ido-borate), [Ni(C30H35N5)(CH3CN)](BF4)2, was prepared from the reaction of
      Ni(BF4)2.6H2O with N-benzyl-N,N',N'-tris-[(6-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)meth-yl]ethane
      1,2-di-amine (bztmpen) in aceto-nitrile at room temperature. With an open site
      occupied by the aceto-nitrile mol-ecule, the nickel(II) atom is chelated by five
      N-atom sites from the ligand and one N atom from the ligand, showing an overall
      octa-hedral coordination environment. Compared with analogues where the 6-methyl
      substituent is absent, the bond length around the Ni2+ cation are evidently
      longer. Upon reductive dissociation of the acetro-nitrile mol-ecule, the title
      complex has an open site for a catalytic reaction. The title complex has two
      redox couples at -1.50 and -1.80 V (versus Fc+/0) based on nickel. The F atoms of
      the two BF4- counter-anions are split into two groups and the occupancy ratios
      refined to 0.611 (18):0.389 (18) and 0.71 (2):0.29 (2).

PMID- 28638637
TI  - Crystal structure of chlorido-[1-(4-nitro-phen-yl)thio-urea-kappaS]bis-(tri
      phenyl-phosphane-kappaP)silver(I).
AB  - In the title compound, [AgCl(C7H7N3O2S)(C18H15P)2], the AgI ion is in a distorted
      tetra-hedral coordination environment formed by P atoms from two tri-phenyl
      phosphane ligands, one terminal S atom from the 1-(4-nitro-phen-yl)thio-urea
      ligand and a chloride ion. In the crystal, bifurcated (N-H)2?Cl hydrogen bonds
      [with graph-set motif R21(6)] connect complex mol-ecules, forming zigzag chains
      along [001]. These chains are linked via weak C-H?O hydrogen bonds, forming a two
      dimensional network parallel to (100). An intra-molecular N-H?Cl hydrogen bond
      forming an S(6) ring is also observed.

PMID- 28638638
TI  - Crystal structure of 2,2'-(ethane-1,2-di-yl)bis-(2,3-di-hydro-1H-naphtho-[1,2
      e][1,3]oxazine): a prospective raw material for polybenzoxazines.
AB  - In the title compound, C26H24N2O2, the oxazine moiety is fused to a naphthalene
      ring system. The asymmetric unit consists of one half of the mol-ecule, which
      lies about an inversion centre. The C atoms of the ethyl-ene spacer group adopt
      an anti-periplanar arrangement. The oxazine ring adopts a half-chair
      conformation. In the crystal, supra-molecular chains running along the b axis are
      formed via short C-H?pi contacts. The crystal studied was a non-merohedral twin
      with a fractional contribution of 0.168 (2) of the minor twin component.

PMID- 28638639
TI  - Crystal structure of a heterometallic coordination polymer: poly[di-aqua-bis-(MU7
      benzene-1,3,5-tri-carboxyl-ato)dicalcium(II)copper(II)].
AB  - In the title complex, [Ca2Cu(C9H3O6)2(H2O)2] n , the CaII and CuII cations are
      bridged by the benzene-1,3,5-tri-carboxyl-ate anions (BTC3-) to form the
      coordination polymer, in which each BTC3- anion bridges two CuII and five CaII
      cations with a MU7 coordination mode. The CuII cation, located at an inversion
      centre, is in a nearly square-planar geometry defined by four O atoms from four
      bridging BTC3- anions, while the CaII cation is in a distorted octa-hedral
      geometry defined by five O atoms from bridging BTC3- anions and one water mol
      ecule. O-H?O hydrogen bonds between coordinating water mol-ecules and carboxyl
      groups further stabilize the structure; pi-pi stacking is also observed between
      parallel benzene rings, the centroid-to-centroid distance being 3.357 (2) A.

PMID- 28638640
TI  - Crystal structure of N,N'-di-decyl-pyromellitic di-imide.
AB  - The title compound, C30H44N2O4 [systematic name: 2,6-di-decyl-pyrrolo-[3,4-f]iso
      indole-1,3,5,7(2H,6H)-tetra-one], consists of a central pyromellitic di-imide
      moiety with terminal decyl groups at the N-atom positions. The centre of the mol
      ecule lies on a crystallographic inversion centre so the asymmetric unit contains
      one half-mol-ecule. The mol-ecule exhibits a rod-shaped conformation, like other
      similar compounds of this type, the distance between the ends of terminal decyl
      groups being 32.45 A. The packing is dominated by a lamellar arrangement of the
      mol-ecules, which is reinforced by C-H?O hydrogen bonds and C-O?pi inter-actions,
      forming a classic herringbone structure. The mol-ecular structure is consistent
      with the theoretical calculations performed by density functional theory (DFT).

PMID- 28638641
TI  - Secondary bonding in di-methyl-bis-(morpholine-4-carbodi-thio-ato
      kappa2S,S')tin(IV): crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis.
AB  - The title compound, [Sn(CH3)2(C5H8NOS2)2], has the SnIV atom bound by two methyl
      groups which lie over the weaker Sn-S bonds formed by two asymmetrically
      chelating di-thio-carbamate ligands so that the coordination geometry is skew
      trapezoidal bipyramidal. The most prominent feature of the mol-ecular packing are
      secondary Sn?S inter-actions [Sn?S = 3.5654 (7) A] that lead to centrosymmetric
      dimers. These are connected into a three-dimensional architecture via methyl-ene
      C-H?S and methyl-C-H?O(morpholino) inter-actions. The Sn?S inter-actions are
      clearly evident in the Hirshfeld surface analysis of the title compound along
      with a number of other inter-molecular contacts.

PMID- 28638642
TI  - Crystal structure of phenyl N-(3,5-di-methyl-phenyl)carbamate.
AB  - The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C15H15NO2, contains two independent
      mol-ecules (A and B). The di-methyl-phenyl ring, the phenyl ring and the central
      carbamate N-C(=O)-O group are not coplanar. In mol-ecule A, the di-methyl-phenyl
      and phenyl rings are inclined to the carbamate group mean plane by 27.71 (13) and
      71.70 (4) degrees , respectively, and to one another by 84.53 (13) degrees . The
      corresponding dihedral angles in mol-ecule B are 34.33 (11), 66.32 (13) and 85.48
      (12) degrees , respectively. In the crystal, the A and B mol-ecules are arranged
      alternately linked through N-H?O(carbon-yl) hydrogen bonds, forming -A-B-A-B-
      chains, which extend along [100]. Within the chains and linking neighbouring
      chains there are C-H?pi inter-actions present, forming columns along the a-axis
      direction. The columns are linked by offset pi-pi stacking inter-actions, forming
      a three-dimensional network [shortest centroid-centroid distance = 3.606 (1) A].

PMID- 28638643
TI  - Crystal structure of dilead(II) oxochromate(VI) oxotellurate(IV).
AB  - Reaction of chromium(III) precursors with TeO2 in PbF2/PbO melts in air led to
      oxidation of chromium(III) to chromium(VI), whereas tellurium remained its
      oxidation state of IV. In the resulting title compound, Pb2(CrO4)(TeO3), the two
      types of anions are isolated from each other, hence a double salt is formed. The
      two independent Pb2+ cations exhibit coordination number nine under formation of
      very distorted coordination polyhedra [bond-length range = 2.363 (6)-3.276 (7)
      A]. The oxochromate(VI) and oxotellurate(IV) anions have tetra-hedral and
      trigonal-pyramidal configurations, respectively. In the crystal structure, (001)
      layers of metal cations alternate with layers of TeO32- and CrO42- anions along
      [001], forming a three-dimensional framework structure. Pb2(CrO4)(TeO3) is
      isotypic with its sulfate analogue Pb2(SO4)(TeO3) and is comparatively discussed.

PMID- 28638644
TI  - Crystal structure of 3-amino-pyridinium 1'-carb-oxy-ferrocene-1-carboxyl-ate.
AB  - The structure of the title salt, (C5H7N2)[Fe(C6H4O2)(C6H5O2)], consists of 3
      amino-pyridinium cations and 1'-carb-oxy-ferrocene-1-carboxyl-ate monoanions. The
      ferrocenyl moiety of the anion adopts a typical sandwich structure, with Fe-C
      distances in the range 2.0270 (15)-2.0568 (17) A. The anion possesses an eclipsed
      conformation, with the torsion angle phi (Csubst-Cpcent-Cpcent- Csubst) equal to
      66.0 degrees . The conformations of other 1'-carb-oxy-ferrocene-1-carboxyl-ate
      monoanions are compared and analyzed on the basis of literature data.

PMID- 28638645
TI  - A new example of intra-molecular C-H?Ni anagostic inter-actions: synthesis,
      crystal structure and Hirshfeld analysis of cis-bis-[4-methyl-2-(1,2,3,4-tetra
      hydro-naphthalen-1-yl-idene)hydrazinecarbo-thio-amidato-kappa2N1,S]nickel(II) di
      methyl-formamide monosolvate.
AB  - The reaction of NiII acetate tetra-hydrate with 4-methyl-2-(1,2,3,4-tetra-hydro
      naphthalen-1-yl-idene)hydrazinecarbo-thio-amide in a 2:1 molar ratio and
      recrystallization from di-methyl-formamide yielded the title compound,
      [Ni(C12H14N3S)2].C3H7NO. The ligands act as monoanionic kappa2N1,S-donors,
      forming five-membered metallarings. The NiII ion is fourfold coordinated in a
      distorted square-planar cis-configuration, which is rather uncommon for mono-thio
      semicarbazone complexes. Intra-molecular H?Ni trans-inter-actions are observed
      [H?Ni distances are 2.50 and 2.57 A] and thus anagostic inter-actions can be
      suggested. The Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the major contributions
      for the crystal packing are H?H (66.6%), H?S (12.3%) and H?C (10.9%) inter
      actions. In the crystal, the complex mol-ecules are linked by di-methyl-formamide
      solvent mol-ecules through N-H?O inter-actions into one-dimensional hydrogen
      bonded polymers along [010].

PMID- 28638646
TI  - Crystal structure of 4,4'-bis-[3-(piperidin-1-yl)prop-1-yn-1-yl]-1,1'-biphen-yl.
AB  - The title compound, C28H32N2, (I), is one of a second generation of compounds
      designed and synthesized based on a very potent and selective alpha9alpha10
      nicotinic acetyl-choline receptor antagonist ZZ161C {1,1'-[[1,1'-biphen-yl]-4,4'
      diylbis(prop-2-yne-3,1-di-yl)]bis-(3,4-di-methyl-pyridin-1-ium) bromide}, which
      has shown analgesic effects in a chemotherapy-induced neuropathy animal model.
      Compound (I) was synthesized by the reaction of 4,4'-bis-(3-bromo-prop-1-yn-1-yl)
      1,1'-biphenyl with piperidine at room temperature in aceto-nitrile. The single
      crystal used for X-ray analysis was obtained by dissolving (I) in a mixture of di
      chloro-methane and methanol, followed by slow evaporation of the solvent. In the
      crystal of (I), the biphenyl moiety has a twisted conformation, with a dihedral
      angle of 25.93 (4) degrees  between the benzene rings. Both piperidine head
      groups in (I) are in the chair conformation and are oriented so that the N-atom
      lone pairs of each piperidine group point away from the central biphenyl moiety.

PMID- 28638647
TI  - Crystal structure of (3S*,4R*)-4-fluoro-3-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)-1-oxo-2-phenyl
      1,2,3,4-tetra-hydro-iso-quinoline-4-carb-oxy-lic acid.
AB  - The title compound, C23H18FNO4, crystallized as a racemate. It exhibits a cis
      conformation with respect to the F atom and the methine H atom. The piperidine
      ring has a screw-boat conformation. The meth-oxy-phenyl ring and the phenyl ring
      are inclined to the mean plane of the iso-quinoline ring system by 89.85 (4) and
      46.62 (5) degrees , respectively, and by 78.15 (5) degrees  to one another. In
      the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by an O-H?O hydrogen bond forming chains
      propagating along the a-axis direction. The chains are linked by C-H?F hydrogen
      bonds, forming layers lying parallel to the ab plane.

PMID- 28638648
TI  - An infinite two-dimensional hybrid water-chloride network in a 4'-(furan-2-yl)
      2,2':6',2''-terpyridine nickel(II) matrix.
AB  - A new complex, namely bis-[4'-(furan-2-yl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine]-nickel(II)
      dichloride deca-hydrate, [Ni(C19H13N3O)2]Cl2.10H2O, has been crystallized by
      solvent evaporation and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The
      coordination environment of the NiII cation is distorted octa-hedral with slight
      deviations from an idealized geometry. The most intriguing structural feature is
      an infinite two-dimensional hybrid water-chloride network parallel to (011)
      constructed by O-H?O and O-H?Cl hydrogen bonds involving two independent chloride
      ions and ten independent solvent water mol-ecules with an l-shaped pattern. One
      of the furyl rings is disordered with a refined occupancy ratio of 0.786
      (13):0.214 (13).

PMID- 28638649
TI  - Crystal structure of 5-chloro-N1-(5-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)benzene-1,2-di-amine.
AB  - The title compound, C15H13ClN4, crystallizes with two independent mol-ecules (A
      and B) in the asymmetric unit, which are far from planar as a result of steric
      repulsion between the rings. The benzene and phenyl rings are inclined to the
      central pyrazole ring by 46.64 (10) and 17.87 (10) degrees  in mol-ecule A, and
      by 40.02 (10) and 14.18 (10) degrees  in mol-ecule B. The aromatic rings are
      inclined to one another by 58.77 (9) degrees  in mol-ecule A, and 36.95 (8)
      degrees  in mol-ecule B. In the crystal, the A and B mol-ecules are linked by two
      pairs of N-H?N hydrogen bonds forming A-B dimers. These are further linked by a
      fifth N-H?N hydrogen bond, forming tetra-mer-like units that stack along the a
      axis direction, forming columns, which are in turn linked by C-H?pi inter
      actions, forming layers parallel to the ac plane.

PMID- 28638651
TI  - A metastable polymorphic form of the anti-fungal anilino-pyrimidine active
      pyrimethanil.
AB  - A second metastable form of the title compound, C12H13N3 (systematic name: 4,6
      dimethyl-N-phenyl-pyrimidin-2-amine), was isolated from an attempted co
      crystallization experiment with meso-erythriol in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The
      crystals of form 2 at 120 K are monoclinic, space group P21/n with Z' = 4
      compared to the previously reported triclinic form with Z' = 2 [Sun et al. (2011
      ?). Acta Chim. Sin.69, 1909-1914]. The four independent mol-ecules in the
      asymmetric unit form two discrete dimeric units through a concerted pair of N-H?N
      hydrogen bonds with a graph-set notation of R22(8). The origin of the polymorphic
      behaviour is revealed in that the conformation of each dimer present in the
      asymmetric unit of the structure is unique and determined by the rotation of the
      second mol-ecule in the dimer with respect to the first.

PMID- 28638650
TI  - Synthesis and crystal structures of three new benzotriazolylpropanamides.
AB  - The base-catalyzed Michael addition of 2-methyl-acryl-amide to benzotriazole
      afforded 3-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-2-methyl-propanamide, C10H12N4O (1), in 32%
      yield in addition to small amounts of isomeric 3-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-2-methyl
      propanamide, C10H12N4O (2). In a similar manner, 3-(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N-di
      methyl-propanamide, C11H14N4O (3), was prepared from benzotriazole and N,N-di
      methyl-acryl-amide. All three products have been structurally characterized by
      single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 comprise
      infinite arrays formed by N-H?O and N-H?N bridges, as well as pi-pi inter
      actions, while the mol-ecules of 3 are aggregated to simple pi-dimers in the
      crystal.

PMID- 28638652
TI  - Crystal structure of a silver-, cobalt- and iron-based phosphate with an
      alluaudite-like structure: Ag1.655Co1.64Fe1.36(PO4)3.
AB  - The new silver-, cobalt- and iron-based phosphate, silver cobalt iron tris(ortho
      phosphate), Ag1.655Co1.64Fe1.36(PO4)3, was synthesized by solid-state reactions.
      Its structure is isotypic to that of Na2Co2Fe(PO4)3, and belongs to the
      alluaudite family, with a partial cationic disorder, the AgI atoms being located
      on an inversion centre and twofold rotation axis sites (Wyckoff positions 4a and
      4e), with partial occupancies of 0.885 (2) and 0.7688 (19), respectively. One of
      the two P atoms in the asymmetric unit completely fills one 4e site while the Co
      and Fe atoms fill another 4e site, with partial occupancies of 0.86 (5) and 0.14
      (5), respectively. The remaining Co2+ and Fe3+ cations are distributed on a
      general position, 8f, in a 0.39 (4):0.61 (4) ratio. All O atoms and the other P
      atoms are in general positions. The structure is built up from zigzag chains of
      edge-sharing [MO6] (M = Fe/Co) octa-hedra stacked parallel to [101]. These chains
      are linked together through PO4 tetra-hedra, forming polyhedral sheets
      perpendicular to [010]. The resulting framework displays two types of channels
      running along [001], in which the AgI atoms (coordination number eight) are
      located.

PMID- 28638653
TI  - Crystal structure of calcium dinickel(II) iron(III) tris-(orthophosphate):
      CaNi2Fe(PO4)3.
AB  - The title compound, CaNi2Fe(PO4)3, was synthesized by solid-state reactions. Its
      structure is closely related to that of alpha-CrPO4 in the space group Imma.
      Except for two O atoms in general positions, all atoms are located in special
      positions. The three-dimensional framework is built up from two types of sheets
      extending parallel to (100). The first sheet is made up from two edge-sharing
      [NiO6] octa-hedra, leading to the formation of [Ni2O10] double octa-hedra that
      are connected to two PO4 tetra-hedra through a common edge and corners. The
      second sheet results from rows of corner-sharing [FeO6] octa-hedra and PO4 tetra
      hedra forming an infinite linear chain. These layers are linked together through
      common corners of PO4 tetra-hedra and [FeO6] octa-hedra, resulting in an open
      three-dimensional framework that delimits two types of channels parallel to [100]
      and [010] in which the eightfold-coordinated CaII cations are located.

PMID- 28638654
TI  - Three closely related (2E,2'E)-3,3'-(1,4-phenyl-ene)bis-[1-(meth-oxy-phen-yl)prop
      2-en-1-ones]: supra-molecular assemblies in one dimension mediated by hydrogen
      bonding and C-H?pi inter-actions.
AB  - In the title compounds, (2E,2'E)-3,3'-(1,4-phenyl-ene)bis-[1-(2-meth-oxy-phen
      yl)prop-2-en-1-one], C26H22O4 (I), (2E,2'E)-3,3'-(1,4-phenyl-ene)bis-[1-(3-meth
      oxy-phen-yl)prop-2-en-1-one], C26H22O4 (II) and (2E,2'E)-3,3'-(1,4-phenyl-ene)bis
      [1-(3,4-di-meth-oxy-phen-yl)prop-2-en-1-one], C28H26O6 (III), the asymmetric unit
      consists of a half-mol-ecule, completed by crystallographic inversion symmetry.
      The dihedral angles between the central and terminal benzene rings are 56.98 (8),
      7.74 (7) and 7.73 (7) degrees  for (I), (II) and (III), respectively. In the
      crystal of (I), mol-ecules are linked by pairs of C-H?pi inter-actions into
      chains running parallel to [101]. The packing for (II) and (III), features
      inversion dimers linked by pairs of C-H?O hydrogen bonds, forming R22(16) and
      R22(14) ring motifs, respectively, as parts of [201] and [101] chains,
      respectively.

PMID- 28638655
TI  - Crystal structure of N-(4-oxo-2-sulfanyl-idene-1,3-thia-zolidin-3-yl)-2-(thio
      phen-3-yl)acetamide.
AB  - The title compound, C9H8N2O2S3, crystallizes with two mol-ecules (A and B) in the
      asymmetric unit. Both have similar conformations (overlay r.m.s. deviation =
      0.209 A) and are linked by an N-H?O hydrogen bond. In both mol-ecules, the thio
      phene rings show orientational disorder, with occupancy factors of 0.6727 (17)
      and 0.3273 (17) for mol-ecule A, and 0.7916 (19) and 0.2084 (19) for mol-ecule B.
      The five-membered rings make an angle of 79.7 (2) degrees  in mol-ecule A and an
      angle of 66.8 (2) degrees  in mol-ecule B. In the crystal, chains of mol-ecules
      running along the a-axis direction are linked by N-H?O hydrogen bonds. The inter
      action of adjacent chains through N-H?O hydrogen bonds leads to two types of ring
      structures containing four mol-ecules and described by the graph-set motifs
      R44(18) and R42(14).

PMID- 28638656
TI  - Crystal structure of 2-azido-1,3-bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl)-1,3,2-di-aza
      phospho-lidine.
AB  - The title compound, C26H38N5P, was synthesized by reacting 2-chloro-1,3-bis-(2,6
      diiso-propyl-phen-yl)-1,3,2-di-aza-phospho-lidine with sodium azide and a
      catalytic amount of lithium chloride in tetra-hydro-furan. The title compound is
      the first structurally characterized 2-azido-1,3,2-di-aza-phospho-lidine and
      exhibits a P atom in a trigonal pyramidal geometry. The azide P-N bond length of
      1.8547 (16) A is significantly longer than the P-N separations for the chelating
      di-amine [P-N = 1.6680 (15) and 1.6684 (14) A]. The sterically hindered 2,6-diiso
      propyl-phenyl groups twist away from the central heterocycle, with dihedral
      angles between the central heteocyclic ring and benzene rings of 76.17 (10) and
      79.74 (9) degrees . In the crystal, a weak C-H?N link to the terminal N atom of
      the azide group leads to [100] chains.

PMID- 28638657
TI  - 6-Chloro-1-phenyl-indoline-2,3-dione: absolute structure, non-linear optical and
      charge-transport properties.
AB  - In the title compound, C14H8ClNO2, the dihedral angle between the isatin moiety
      (r.m.s. deviation = 0.014 A) and the phenyl ring is 51.8 (1) degrees . All mol
      ecules have the same 'frozen chiral' conformation in the non-centrosymmetric
      P212121 space group. A polycrystalline sample of the title compound exhibits a
      considerable second-order non-linear optical effect (frequency doubling of 1064
      nm light to output 532 nm light). In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by C-H?O
      hydrogen bonds, generating chains along the [100] direction. Based on a DFT
      calculation, [100] proves to be the most favourable direction for charge
      transport and the title crystal could be used as a hole-transport material
      because of its high hole mobility.

PMID- 28638658
TI  - Different intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen-bonding patterns in (3S,4aS,8aS)-2
      [(2R,3S)-3-(2,5-X2-benzamido)-2-(2,5-X2-benzo-yloxy)-4-phenyl-butyl]-N-tert
      butyldeca-hydro-iso-quinoline-3-carboxamides (X = H or Cl): compounds with
      moderate aspartyl protease inhibition activity.
AB  - The crystal structures of (3S,4aS,8aS)-2-[(2R,3S)-3-benzamido-2-benzo-yloxy-4
      phenyl-but-yl]-N-tert-butyldeca-hydro-iso-quinoline-3-carboxamide, C38H47N3O4,
      (I), and (3S,4aS,8aS)-2-[(2R,3S)-3-(2,5-di-chloro-benzamido)-2-(2,5-di-chloro
      benzo-yloxy)-4-phenyl-but-yl]-N-tert-butyldeca-hydro-iso-quinoline-3-carboxamide,
      C38H43Cl4N3O4, (II), are described. Despite their chemical similarity, they adopt
      different conformations in the solid state: (I) features a bifurcated intra
      molecular N-H?(N,O) hydrogen bond from the tert-butylamide NH group to the
      piperidine N atom and the benzoate O atom, whereas (II) has an intra-molecular N
      H?O link from the benzamide NH group to the tert-butyl-amide O atom. In the
      crystal of (I), mol-ecules are linked by C(4) amide N-H?O hydrogen bonds into
      chains propagating in the [010] direction, with both donor and acceptor parts of
      the benzamide group. In the extended structure of (II), C(11) N-H?O chains
      propagating in the [010] direction arise, with the donor being the tert
      butylamide NH group and the acceptor being the O atom of the benzamide group.

PMID- 28638659
TI  - 2-[(4-Chloro-phen-yl)selan-yl]-3,4-di-hydro-2H-benzo[h]chromene-5,6-dione:
      crystal structure and Hirshfeld analysis.
AB  - The title organoselenium compound, C19H13ClO3Se {systematic name: 2-[(4-chloro
      phen-yl)selan-yl]-2H,3H,4H,5H,6H-naphtho-[1,2-b]pyran-5,6-dione}, has the
      substituted 2-pyranyl ring in a half-chair conformation with the methyl-ene-C
      atom bound to the methine-C atom being the flap atom. The dihedral angle between
      the two aromatic regions of the mol-ecule is 9.96 (9) degrees  and indicates a
      step-like conformation. An intra-molecular Se?O inter-action of 2.8122 (13) A is
      noted. In the crystal, pi-pi contacts between naphthyl rings [inter-centroid
      distance = 3.7213 (12) A] and between naphthyl and chloro-benzene rings [inter
      centroid distance = 3.7715 (13) A], along with C-Cl?pi(chloro-benzene) contacts,
      lead to supra-molecular layers parallel to the ab plane, which are connected into
      a three-dimensional architecture via methyl-ene-C-H?O(carbon-yl) inter-actions.
      The contributions of these and other weak contacts to the Hirshfeld surface is
      described.

PMID- 28638660
TI  - Analysis of Clinical Characteristics of Immune-Related Dry Eye.
AB  - AIM: To discuss the clinical characteristics of immune-related dry eye. METHODS:
      Simple dry eye (SDE) group: we selected 224 patients of simple dry eye with no
      systemic lesions. Immune-related dry eye (IRDE) group: we selected 207 patients
      of dry eye complicated with immune system diseases, including 70 cases of
      Sjogren's syndrome (SS), 72 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 65
      cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The classification of all patients was
      performed. The difference between the two groups was compared, including age,
      gender, ocular surface fluorescein staining and inflammatory reaction, tear
      breakup time (TBUT), Shirmer I test, confocal microscopy scan, and dry eye
      grading. RESULTS: Compared with the SDE group, the patients of IRDE group were
      younger (P < 0.05). The female patients were significantly more than the male
      ones (P < 0.05). Corneal staining counts and ocular surface inflammation were
      significantly increased (P < 0.05). TBUT and Shirmer I test shortened
      significantly (P < 0.05). Corneal nerve fibers were less, and the number of local
      lymphocyte was significant increased. The number of dry eye patients in the
      moderate or above IRDE group was significantly increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      The dry eye symptom and sign and ocular surface inflammation of IRDE were
      significantly more severe than those of the SDE.

PMID- 28638661
TI  - Efficacy and Tolerability of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Based Regimen as
      Compared to Zidovudine Based Regimens: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although tenofovir (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC)/efavirenz (EFV) and
      zidovudine (ZDV)/lamivudine (3TC)/efavirenz (EFV) are used as preferred first
      line regimen, their head-to-head comparison in terms of their efficacy and
      tolerability was limited. This review aimed to synthesize the best available
      evidence on the comparative efficacy and tolerability of the two regimens.
      METHODS: Seven sites and databases in addition to Google search until August 20,
      2016, were searched. Only randomized clinical trials conducted on adult
      population were included in this study. Our primary outcome was viral load
      suppression while secondary outcomes were death and tolerability. Undetectable
      viral load is defined as <50 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) ribonucleic acid
      (RNA) copies/ml. Joanna Briggs institute meta-analysis of statistics assessment
      and review instrument (JBI-MAStARI) and critical appraisal and data extraction
      tool were applied for critical assessment and data extraction, respectively. We
      performed a random effect meta-analysis to pool the relative risk (RR) for viral
      load suppression (<50 HIV RNA copies/ml and <400 HIV RNA copies/ml),
      tolerability, and death. RESULT: Data was extracted from four articles, which
      included a total of 2381 participants. We found superior viral load suppression
      among tenofovir (TDF) arm compared to zidovudine (ZDV) arm. Tenofovir arm
      achieves viral load <50 HIV RNA copies/ml (RR = 1.12, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) [1.04, 1.21], I2 = 0%) higher than zidovudine arm. Similarly TDF arm is
      superior in viral load suppression to <400 HIV RNA copies/ml (RR = 1.19, 95% CI
      [1.11, 1.27], I2 = 0%). Moreover, TDF based regimens were more likely to be
      tolerated than ZDV based regimens (4 trials, 2381 participants (RR = 1.06, 95% CI
      [1.02, 1.10], I2 = 51%)). However, forest plot of death shows that it was not
      significant (RR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.51, 1.62]). CONCLUSION: The use of TDF/FTC/EFV
      as first line regimen for naive HIV-1 infected adult patient showed superior
      viral load suppression and tolerability as compared to ZDV/3TC/EFV. In order to
      compare the death outcome of both ZDV/3TC/EFV and TDF/FTC/EFV further research is
      needed.

PMID- 28638662
TI  - Comparison of DNA Extraction Protocols and Molecular Targets to Diagnose
      Tuberculous Meningitis.
AB  - Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The
      aims of this study were to evaluate in-house molecular diagnostic protocols of
      DNA extraction directly from CSF samples and the targets amplified by qPCR as an
      accurate and fast diagnosis of TBM. One hundred CSF samples from 68 patients
      suspected of TBM were studied. Four DNA extraction techniques (phenol-chloroform
      thiocyanate guanidine, silica thiocyanate guanidine, resin, and resin with
      ethanol) were compared and CSF samples were used to determine the best target
      (IS6110, MPB64, and hsp65 KDa) by qPCR. The extraction protocol using the phenol
      chloroform-thiocyanate guanidine showed the best results in terms of
      quantification and sensitivity of PCR amplification, presenting up to 10 times
      more DNA than the second best protocol, the silica guanidine thiocyanate. The
      target that showed the best result for TBM diagnosis was the IS6110. This target
      showed 91% sensitivity and 97% specificity when we analyzed the results by sample
      and showed 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity when we analyzed the results by
      patient. The DNA extraction with phenol-chloroform-thiocyanate guanidine followed
      by IS6110 target amplification has been shown to be suitable for diagnosis of TBM
      in our clinical setting.

PMID- 28638663
TI  - Acute Abdominal Compartment Syndrome following Extraperitoneal Bladder
      Perforation.
AB  - Extraperitoneal bladder perforation is a known complication of a commonly
      performed rigid cystoscopy. If unrecognized, this complication can lead to
      continuous intra-abdominal fluid leakage with consequent organ function
      impairment and symptoms. This is the first case report in literature of a
      transurethral bladder perforation causing an acute abdominal compartment
      syndrome, which was subsequently managed conservatively with supportive
      management only. Case Presentation. We describe a clinical course of a 73-year
      old Caucasian female whose initial acute presentation involved urinary symptoms.
      Surgery and general anaesthesia during rigid cystoscopy were complicated by an
      initially unrecognized extraperitoneal bladder perforation, resulting in fluid
      extravasation. This extravasation resulted in transurethral bladder resection
      syndrome with acute intra-abdominal free fluid accumulation. This complication
      caused acute abdominal compartment syndrome resulting in respiratory end-organ
      compromise and immediate postextubation respiratory failure. Patient required an
      emergency reintubation. During the management, diagnosis was considered through
      the use of the point of care abdominal ultrasound. Postoperatively, patient was
      managed conservatively in intensive care. Postoperative course included an
      approximate nine liters of urinary diuresis and supportive ventilation for four
      days. Conclusion. There is equipoise in the clinical management of abdominal
      compartment syndrome with regard to supportive medical management alone or
      invasive surgical treatment.

PMID- 28638664
TI  - Torsade de Pointes Induced by Hypokalemia from Imipenem and Piperacillin.
AB  - Imipenem-cilastatin and piperacillin-tazobactam are two antibiotics with broad
      antimicrobial coverage. Besides the many well established adverse effects of
      these drugs, there have been few case reports of hypokalemia. Here we present an
      interesting case of resistant hypokalemia caused by these drugs leading to
      Torsades de Pointes which has never been reported in the past. Hypokalemia
      resolved with discontinuation of piperacillin.

PMID- 28638665
TI  - A Rare Case of Septic Shock Secondary to Emphysematous Hepatitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of emphysematous hepatitis which is a rare clinical
      entity, characterized by a fatal, rapidly progressive infection of the liver with
      a radiological appearance simulating emphysematous pyelonephritis and to help
      provide more data about the causative organisms and precipitating factors of this
      pathology. DATA SOURCES AND SYNTHESIS: Relevant literature was reviewed and, to
      the best of our knowledge, there is limited data regarding the pathogenesis,
      causative organisms, and management of this condition. CONCLUSION: Emphysematous
      hepatitis is a rapidly progressive infection that can be fatal in the absence of
      appropriate therapeutic intervention. Initial clinical manifestations are usually
      subtle and thus high clinical suspicion is required for early diagnosis and
      management of this condition to help decrease the mortality rates.

PMID- 28638667
TI  - The Semantics of Priapism and the First Sign of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.
AB  - Priapism is defined as an erection that persists beyond four hours, lasting
      beyond or unrelated to sexual stimulation (Salonia et al., 2014). Because the
      risk of ischemic damage and impotence is high with priapism (35%), management
      guidelines are directed towards rapid treatment of this condition (Salonia et
      al., 2014). This report describes the rare case of an 18-year-old male who
      presented to the Emergency Department (ED) three times with recurrent and
      worsening episodes of sustained penile erections. On the patient's third visit,
      he presented with priapism of greater than six-hour duration that was found to be
      the result of chronic myeloid leukemia. Clinician awareness of the diagnostic
      semantics and differential diagnosis surrounding priapism is pivotal in its
      urgent management.

PMID- 28638666
TI  - Osteoma Cutis of the Face in CBCT Images.
AB  - Osteoma cutis (OC) is a rare benign disorder where osseous nodules form in the
      reticular layer of normal skin. These nodules are formed by the deposition of
      lamellar bone and are characterized by osteocytes in the core and osteoclasts
      around the periphery. Interpretation of osteoma cutis cases has always been
      challenging especially using conventional two-dimensional (2D) radiographs, owing
      to difficulty in localization. Cone beam CT (CBCT), with its three-dimensional
      (3D) capabilities, offers a great tool to help detect and diagnose these calcific
      entities. We report a case of miliary type OC incidentally detected in the
      maxillofacial region using CBCT imaging.

PMID- 28638668
TI  - Severe Short Stature in an Adolescent Male with Prader-Willi Syndrome and
      Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: A Therapeutic Conundrum.
AB  - Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency results in
      excess androgen production which can lead to early epiphyseal fusion and short
      stature. Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder resulting from a
      defect on chromosome 15 due to paternal deletion, maternal uniparental disomy, or
      imprinting defect. Ninety percent of patients with PWS have short stature. In
      this article we report a patient with simple-virilizing CAH and PWS who was
      overtreated with glucocorticoids for CAH and not supplemented with growth hormone
      for PWS, resulting in a significantly short adult height.

PMID- 28638669
TI  - External Beam Radiation and Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer: Is It a Possible
      Trigger of Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder?
AB  - Neuroendocrine tumors commonly involve the respiratory and gastrointestinal
      systems. Primary genitourinary neuroendocrine tumors are rare, accounting for
      less than 1% of all bladder carcinomas. Four histopathologic subtypes have been
      described. Among those, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is the least
      common, is more aggressive, and generally presents in an advanced stage with poor
      prognosis compared to transitional cell bladder carcinoma. There is no
      standardized treatment regimen because of the rarity of the disease. Herein, we
      present a case of 72-year-old male patient with previously treated prostate
      cancer, who received external beam radiation therapy and high dose brachytherapy,
      presenting with intermittent hematuria. Cystoscopy and transurethral resection of
      bladder tumor (TURBT) were performed. The histopathology and immunohistochemistry
      were consistent with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC). Further studies
      are required to proof the higher risk of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder
      in patients treated with external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy for
      prostate cancer.

PMID- 28638670
TI  - Arthroscopic Treatment of 2 Consecutive Cases of Dysplasia Epiphysealis
      Hemimelica of the Ankle: A 5-Year Follow-Up Report.
AB  - The dysplasia epiphysealis hemimelica (DEH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology
      consisting in an abnormal osteocartilaginous growth at the epiphysis, usually
      hemimelic with histological findings similar to benign osteochondroma. In this
      case series, we described the results of the arthroscopic treatment of 2
      consecutive cases of intra-articular ankle localization of DEH in 2 patients aged
      9 and 10 years. The good result obtained, persistent at the 5-year follow-up,
      leads us to consider the arthroscopic approach as a reliable treatment in patient
      affected by intra-articular ankle DEH.

PMID- 28638671
TI  - Prenatal Diagnosis of Atrioventricular Block and QT Interval Prolongation by
      Fetal Magnetocardiography in a Fetus with Trisomy 18 and SCN5A R1193Q Variant.
AB  - We report a case of fetal trisomy 18 with SCN5A R1193Q variant that presented
      with sinus bradycardia, 2 : 1 atrioventricular block (AVB), and QT interval
      prolongation. These complex arrhythmias were diagnosed by fetal
      magnetocardiography combined with ultrasound findings. Advanced AVB and
      ventricular arrhythmias were confirmed after birth. Genetic testing of the baby
      revealed a SCN5A R1193Q variant, which we considered could account for the
      various arrhythmias in this case.

PMID- 28638672
TI  - Response to: Comment on "Failure of the Pipeline Embolization Device in Posterior
      Communicating Artery Aneurysms Associated with a Fetal Posterior Cerebral
      Artery".

PMID- 28638673
TI  - Monitoring of Cellular Changes in the Bone Marrow following PTH(1-34) Treatment
      of OVX Rats Using a Portable Stray-Field NMR Scanner.
AB  - Osteoporosis is characterized by reduction in trabecular bone in conjunction with
      increased marrow cell adiposity. While these changes occur within weeks,
      monitoring of treatment efficacy as performed by DEXA is sensitive only to long
      term changes. MRI is sensitive to bone marrow changes but is less affordable. In
      a recent study, we have shown that a stray-field NMR can monitor bone marrow
      cellular changes that are related to osteoporosis. Objectives. To demonstrate
      sensitivity of a low-field tabletop NMR scanner to bone marrow dynamics following
      hormonal treatment in rats. Methods. Two-month-old female rats (n = 36) were
      ovariectomized (OVX) and dosed for the ensuing 3 or 5 weeks with 20 mg/kg of
      PTH(1-34). Hind limbs femurs and tibiae were isolated and underwent ex vivo
      microradiography and histology and NMR relaxometry at 6 weeks (preventive
      experiment) and 11 weeks (therapeutic treatment experiment) after OVX. Results.
      OVX rats developed osteoporotic changes including adipogenic marrow compared to
      Sham and PTH treated rats. T2 and ADC NMR relaxation coefficients were found to
      correlate with marrow composition. Conclusions. This study suggests that stray
      field NMR, an affordable method that is sensitive to the rapid cellular changes
      in bone marrow, may have a clinical value in monitoring hormonal treatment for
      osteoporosis.

PMID- 28638674
TI  - Role of Personality in Behavioral Responses to New Environments in Captive
      Asiatic Lions (Panthera leo persica).
AB  - Studying personality in captive animals may enable the development of individual
      based management decisions, which may improve animal welfare. Asiatic lions at
      London Zoo represent an opportunity to research an understudied species' response
      to new environments since they have experienced social and physical changes, such
      as new enclosures and increased social interaction with humans. This project
      aimed to investigate the role of personality in behavioral responses to these
      changes. Lion personality questionnaires completed by keepers and direct focal
      animal observations were used to create personality profiles. Time budgets and
      enclosure use were determined and compared between control nights and event
      nights and between the lions' previous enclosure and their new one. The results
      showed a lack of difference in time budget and enclosure use between control and
      social event nights, and the spread of participation index values revealed that
      the lions use their enclosures unevenly. Personality profiles identified various
      traits that could assist with individual-based management decisions. As the first
      study to assess Asiatic lions personality, this research contributes to the
      creation of consistent and valid methodology for evaluating captive animal
      personality that may improve husbandry and welfare protocols for individual
      lions, leading to the improved health and success of the species.

PMID- 28638675
TI  - Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fingerprints of Water and Sediment Samples of Buffalo River
      Estuary in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
AB  - Petroleum hydrocarbon status of the Buffalo River Estuary in East London, South
      Africa, was evaluated from January to May, 2016. Surface water and sediment
      samples were collected from five points in the estuary and extracted using
      standard methods. The extracts were subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography
      flame ionization detection. Results showed that total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH)
      varied from 7.65 to 477 MUg/L in the water and 12.59 to 1,100 mg/kg in the
      sediments, with mean values of 146.50 +/- 27.96 MUg/L and 209.81 +/- 63.82 mg/kg,
      respectively. Concentrations of TPH in the sediments correlated significantly
      with organic carbon (OC) in both seasons. TPH and OC levels were slightly lower
      in summer than in autumn in the two environmental matrices, and the average
      amount of TPH in the water samples collected from all the sampling stations was
      generally lower than the EU standard limit of 300 MUg/L. However, the levels in
      the sediments exceeded the EGASPIN target value (50 mg/kg) for mineral oil but
      were below the intervention value (5,000 mg/kg), indicating a serious impact of
      industrial growth and urbanization on the area, although the n-alkane ratios and
      indexes used for source tracking revealed excessive flow from both natural and
      anthropogenic sources.

PMID- 28638676
TI  - Utilization of longitudinal ultrasound to quantify joint soft-tissue changes in a
      mouse model of posttraumatic osteoarthritis.
AB  - To assess the utility of longitudinal ultrasound (US) to quantify volumetric
      changes in joint soft tissues during the progression of posttraumatic
      osteoarthritis (PTOA) in mice, and validate the US results with histological
      findings. A longitudinal cohort of 3-month-old wild-type C57BL/6 male mice
      received the Hulth-Telhag surgical procedure on right knee to induce PTOA, and
      sham surgery on their left knee as control. US scans were performed on both knees
      before, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks post-surgery. Joint space volume and Power-Doppler
      (PD) volume were obtained from US images via Amira software. A parallel cross
      sectional cohort of mice was killed at each US time point, and knee joints were
      subjected to histological analysis to obtain synovial soft-tissue area and OARSI
      scores. The correlation between US joint space volume and histological synovial
      soft-tissue area or OARSI score was assessed via linear regression analysis. US
      images indicated increased joint space volume in PTOA joints over time, which was
      associated with synovial inflammation and cartilage damage by histology. These
      changes started from 2 weeks post-surgery and gradually became more severe. No
      change was detected in sham joints. Increased joint space volume was
      significantly correlated with increased synovial soft-tissue area and the OARSI
      score (P<0.001). PD signal was detected in the joint space of PTOA joints at 6
      weeks post-surgery, which was consistent with the location of blood vessels that
      stained positively for CD31 and alpha-smooth muscle actin in the synovium. This
      study indicates that US is a cost-effective longitudinal outcome measure of
      volumetric and vascular changes in joint soft tissues during PTOA progression in
      mice, which positively correlates with synovial inflammation and cartilage
      damage.

PMID- 28638677
TI  - Changes in sirtuin 2 and sirtuin 3 mRNA expressions in rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Sirtuins (SIRTs) play a prominent role in metabolism, apoptosis,
      aging, inflammation, and epigenetics. Inflammation, apoptosis, and epigenetics
      are pathogenic issues in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to evaluate
      SIRT2 and SIRT3 mRNA expressions in patients with RA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty
      four patients with RA and 26 healthy controls were enrolled. Disease activity was
      determined using the disease activity score (DAS) 28-erythrocyte sedimentation
      rate (ESR) (score of >2.6 was considered to be active). SIRT2 and SIRT3 mRNA
      expressions in the extracellular plasma were investigated by real-time PCR.
      RESULTS: SIRT3 mRNA expression was higher in the RA group than in the healthy
      control group (4.64 fold, p<0.001), whereas SIRT2 mRNA expression was relatively
      lower in the RA group than in the healthy control group (0.55 fold, p=0.109).
      However, SIRT2 (1.73 fold, p=0.065) and SIRT3 (3.58 fold, p=0.051) mRNA
      expressions were relatively higher in patients with active RA than in those with
      inactive RA. CONCLUSION: In RA, SIRT3 mRNA expression is increased, whereas SIRT2
      mRNA expression is decreased. Conversely, SIRT2 and SIRT3 mRNA expressions
      increase in active RA. Therefore, the fate of each SIRT may differ in RA.

PMID- 28638678
TI  - Detailed features of hematological involvement and medication-induced cytopenia
      in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: single center results of 221 patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may affect a number of systems,
      with the hematological system being one of the most common. Our aim is to
      determine the existence of cytopenia at diagnosis or during follow-up of our SLE
      patients as well as the associated factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cohort of SLE
      patients that had been followed-up in the Department of Rheumotology from 1998 to
      2015 was retrospectively assessed. Clinical and laboratory findings about the
      patients were recorded. RESULTS: Out of 221 patients composing the cohort,
      cytopenia was already present in 83.3% (n=184) at the time of diagnosis. Anemia
      was detected in 56.1% (n=124), leukopenia in 28.9% (n=64), lymphopenia in 76%
      (n=168), neutropenia in 4.5% (n=10), and thrombocytopenia in 17.2% (n=38) of
      patients. The proportion of patients with cumulative cytopenia was 90% (n=199).
      Cumulative cytopenia was disease-related in 83.4% (n=166) and medication-related
      in 16.6% (n=33) of the patients. In cases of drug-induced cytopenia, azathioprine
      was the most frequently prescribed drug. In patients with cytopenia at the time
      of diagnosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) were higher, C3 and C4
      hypocomplementemia was more prevalent, and they were positive for anti-ds-DNA at
      a greater proportion (p<0.001, p=0.015, p=0.028, and p=0.019, respectively).
      Moreover, photosensitivity, renal involvement, and antiphospholipid syndrome
      (APS) were detected more frequently in patients with cytopenia at the time of
      diagnosis. There was no difference between the two patient sets in terms of other
      organ involvement (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The most common hematological disorders
      in SLE patients are lymphopenia and anemia, and patients must be further examined
      for APS and renal involvement if they suffer cytopenia.

PMID- 28638679
TI  - Decrease of serum biomarker of type II Collagen degradation (Coll2-1) by intra
      articular injection of an autologous plasma-rich-platelet in patients with
      unilateral primary knee osteoarthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of one dose of intra-articular
      injection of (PRP) in the knee joint on a specific osteoarthritis (OA) serum
      biomarker of cartilage degeneration, Collagen 2-1 (Coll2-1), over a short period
      of 3 months. The aim extended to clarify the effect of PRP on the functional
      status of the osteoarthritic knee joint. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty patients
      with primary unilateral knee OA were enrolled in this study. They were subdivided
      according to Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale (KL) into (Group I): including
      patients with KL grade < 3 and (Group II): including patients with KL grade >=3.
      Patients were asked to complete the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities
      Arthritis Index (WOMAC) Score. PRP was prepared and injected immediately into the
      affected knee. Serum Coll2-1 (S.Coll2-1) concentration was measured by enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit pre and 3 months after PRP injection.
      RESULTS: Significant reduction in S.Coll2-1 concentration in primary knee OA
      patients; (p<0.001) and (p<0.05) in group I and group II respectively as well as
      significant improvements in WOMAC total and WOMAC sub-scores values were noted
      after single intra-articular PRP injection with maximal functional improvements
      were achieved after 3 months (p<0.001). Mild cases experienced favorable results
      with no remarkable adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: Reduction in
      specific OA biomarker S.Coll2-1 following intra-articular PRP injection emphasize
      that PRP could be a promising safe and tolerable effective therapeutic option
      which improves function from basal states in primary knee OA patients.

PMID- 28638680
TI  - Genetic influence of growth and differentiation factor 5 gene polymorphism
      (+104T/C) on the development of knee osteoarthritis and its association with
      disease severity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) gene is recognized for
      its role in the development, repair, and maintenance of cartilage and bone. The
      present case-control study was conducted to detect the genetic association
      between GDF5 (+104T/C) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and primary knee
      osteoarthritis (KOA), as well as the possible association of SNP with the
      severity of KOA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 50 patients with
      primary KOA and 50 healthy control subjects. The severity of the disease was
      assessed by using the Kellgren-Laurence (K-L) grading system and aided by the
      Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score,
      visual analog scale (VAS) score, and tenderness score. The genetic association of
      the SNP with primary KOA was assessed by means of the TaqMan(r) allelic
      discrimination technique. RESULTS: The radiological assessment of patients
      according to the K-L grading system revealed a statistically significant
      association between the wild-type (TT) genotype and disease severity in both the
      right and left knees (p=0.049). The frequency distribution of patients with VAS
      score <=6 was significantly higher in patients carrying the TT genotype (p=0.005)
      as compared to the CT and CC genotypes. The mean WOMAC score was significantly
      higher in patients carrying the TT genotype as compared to patients carrying the
      CC and CT genotypes (p=0.017). No statistically significant association was
      detected on comparing the frequency distribution of allele and genotype
      frequencies of the SNP in patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The results
      of the current study revealed a possible genetic association between GDF5
      (+104T/C) SNP and the severity of KOA, which might be of benefit for the
      detection of patients with a high risk for disease progression. The present study
      did not detect an association between the SNP and development of KOA.

PMID- 28638681
TI  - Efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound
      in a rat knee osteoarthritis model: A randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave
      therapy (ESWT) and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on osteoarthritic rat
      knees. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four rats were divided into 3 groups: group 1
      control (n=8), group 2-LIPUS (n=8) and group 3-ESWT (n=8). Cartilage degeneration
      was provided using mono-iodo-asetate (MIA). One milligram of MIA was delivered to
      the right knees in group 1 and both knees in group 2 and 3. A 0.09% saline
      solution was delivered to the left knees in group 1 for control. Twenty-four
      hours after the delivery, ESWT was applied once on the right knees in the group 2
      rats to the medial tibia plateu with a 1 Hz frequency and 800 impulses. LIPUS was
      applied to the right knees in the group 2 rats to the medial tibia plateu with a
      3 mHz frequency and 40 mW/cm2 intensity for 20 minutes over a period of 15 days.
      Pain scores were measured with a knee bend test. Bone mineral density
      measurements and scintigraphic bone scans were performed. Histopathological
      examination was done using a modified Mankin scale. RESULTS: There was no
      difference among the right knee subchondral bone osteoblastic activities
      (p>0.05). The left knee osteoblastic activities in the LIPUS and extracorporeal
      shockwave therapy (ESWT) groups were higher than those in the control group
      (p<0.05), but there was no difference between the LIPUS and ESWT groups. There
      was no difference among the groups for both knee subchondral bone BMD values
      (p>0.05). The modified Mankin scores of both the right and left knees of the ESWT
      and LIPUS groups were lower than those of the control group (p<0.05), but there
      was no difference between the ESWT and LIPUS groups. The pain scores of both
      knees of the ESWT and LIPUS groups at day 7 were higher than those of the control
      group (p<0.05), but there was no difference between the ESWT and LIPUS groups.
      There was no difference among the pain scores of the right knees at day 14
      (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: ESWT and LIPUS have systemic proliferative and regenerative
      effects on cartilage and tissue.

PMID- 28638682
TI  - Oral ulcer activity in Behcet's disease: Poor medication adherence is an
      underestimated risk factor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between oral
      ulcer activity and medication adherence according to gender in Behcet's disease
      (BD) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group included 330 BD patients
      (F/M: 167/163, mean age: 38.5+/-10.5 years). Oral ulcer activity and medication
      adherence were evaluated in the previous month. Medication adherence was
      evaluated using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) having a
      score range of "0" to "8" with high scores indicating better adherence. Low
      adherence was defined as <6 points on MMAS-8. RESULTS: Over half of the group had
      active oral ulcers (n=219, 66.4%) within the month preceding the visit. The
      number of oral ulcers was significantly higher in female patients with low
      medication adherence (2.39+/-3.24) than in the rest of the female group (1.28+/
      2.05; p=0.023). Although a similar trend was also observed in male patients
      (2.14+/-3.3 vs. 1.81+/-2.31), a significant relationship was not observed
      (p=0.89). The frequency of medication intake per day was lower in patients with
      high medication adherence than in the rest of the study group (p=0.04).
      CONCLUSION: Low medication adherence is a hidden risk factor in the management of
      BD. Poor adherence was associated with oral ulcer activity in female BD patients.

PMID- 28638683
TI  - Low prevalence of obesity in Behcet's disease is associated with high obestatin
      level.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with altered body
      composition. Ghrelin has anti-inflammatory effects, and its level is altered in
      obesity and inflammatory diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the
      prevalence of obesity and ghrelin and obestatin levels in patients with Behcet's
      disease (BD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-three (143) patients
      with BD and 112 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. Participants were subdivided
      according to the body mass index (BMI) as lean (<18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5
      24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2) and obese (>=30 kg/m2). In addition to
      the routine evaluations (fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and kidney and
      liver function tests), serum acylated-ghrelin (AG), unacylated-ghrelin (UAG),
      total ghrelin (TG) and obestatin levels were analyzed. Student's t-test and chi
      square test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of
      obesity was relatively lower in the BD group than in the HC group (12.6% vs.
      20.5%, p=0.089). Serum ghrelin levels were similar in the BD and HC groups
      (p>0.05 for all) although the obestatin level was higher in the BD group compared
      to the HC group (p<0.001). Serum UAG, TG and obestatin levels were lower in obese
      BD patients (n=18) than non-obese BD patients (p=0.027, p=0.014 and p=0.001,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: The obestatin level was high and the prevalence of
      obesity was low in the BD group. Moreover, obese BD patients had low obestatin
      levels. These results suggest that obestatin may protect BD patients from
      obesity.

PMID- 28638684
TI  - The new ACR/EULAR criteria for rheumatoid arthritis can identify patients with
      same disease activity but less damage by ultrasound.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the ultrasound findings of patients fulfilling the
      1987 ACR [OLD-rheumatoid arthritis (RA)] and the new ACR/EULAR (NEW-RA)
      classification criteria to examine the impact of the new criteria on disease
      characteristics, particularly disease duration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of
      2730 hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and foot joints of 105 consecutive
      patients with inflammatory arthritis, i.e., 82 patients fulfilling the RA
      criteria (60 patients, OLD-RA; 22 patients, NEW-RA alone) and 23 patients with
      undifferentiated arthritis, were scanned using ultrasound. Synovitis, erosions,
      and power Doppler (PD) findings were scored using a scale of 0-3 and scores form
      each joint were added up to calculate synovitis, PD and erosion scores for each
      patient. RESULTS: OLD-RA and NEW-RA patients had similar swollen joint count,
      tender joint count, acute-phase response, patient global, and disease activity
      assessment 28 scores. The disease duration was longer in OLD-RA patients [30 (3
      179) months] than in NEW-RA patients [16 (0-45) months; p=0.009]. Both the groups
      had similar synovitis and PD scores, whereas erosion scores were higher in OLD-RA
      patients than in NEW-RA patients (p=0.009). Patients with undifferentiated
      arthritis were older than those with RA and had fewer swollen joints than NEW-RA
      patients [0 (0-4) vs. 2 (0-9); p=0.017]. All other disease activity parameters
      were similar in both NEW-RA and OLD-RA patients. Both the synovitis (p=0.006) and
      erosion (p=0.007) scores were lower in patients with undifferentiated arthritis
      than in OLD-RA patients, despite the scores being similar to those in NEW-RA
      patients. CONCLUSION: The new ACR/EULAR RA criteria enabled the classification of
      patients with similar disease activity (by clinical assessment and ultrasound)
      but with less damage. A similar disease activity should ensure suitability for an
      intervention, and a shorter duration and less damage should improve the outcome
      with patient benefit.

PMID- 28638686
TI  - Rheumatoid Arthritis: Are psychological factors effective in disease flare?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is clinically an undulant disease, and
      reasons for flare or remission vary. We aimed to identify factors potentially
      associated with disease flare and remission. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred
      and seventy-four patients with RA who were admitted to our center between January
      2010 and January 2016 were included. Disease activity was evaluated using disease
      activity score 28 (DAS 28); functional status was evaluated using the modified
      Health Assessment Questionnaire (m-HAQ), a questionnaire that comprises flare or
      remission domains such as psychological stress and mood status, physical trauma,
      nutrition regimen, infection, antibiotic use, and seasonal weather changes. Beck
      Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to identify
      if patients had a mood disorder. Four subscales of Arthritis Impact Measurement
      Scale-2 (AIMS-2) (level of tension, mood, general perception of health, and
      satisfaction with health) were used to determine patient quality of life.
      RESULTS: Of the 274 patients, 261 were female (95.3%) and 13 were male (4.7%);
      the mean age was 52.10+/-9.41 years. According to patients' perception, the most
      frequent reasons for joint symptoms were psychological stress/mood disorder
      (86.1%), followed by infection (49.6%) and trauma (46.4%). The most frequent
      factors for remission of symptoms were antibiotic use (42.7%), cold weather
      (34.3%), and hot weather (19%). CONCLUSION: Psychological stress and mood status
      are independent factors for relapse periods in patients with RA. These should be
      considered particularly in patients who are resistant to different treatment
      regimens and in whom any other reason for disease flare is not obvious.

PMID- 28638685
TI  - Carotid artery stiffness in Behcet's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Increased carotid arterial stiffness (CAS) is a predictor of
      subclinical early atherosclerosis as well as carotid intima-media thickness
      (cIMT). We aimed to determine CAS and cIMT in Behcet's disease (BD). MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: BD (n=49) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n=64) patients and healthy
      controls (HC) (n=40) were included in the study. cIMT was measured. CAS indices,
      including arterial compliance (AC), arterial distensibility (AD), Young's elastic
      modulus (YEM), Peterson's elastic modulus (Ep), and beta stiffness index (betaSI)
      were measured based on the diameter-pressure relationship. RESULTS: When compared
      to the HC group, the mean cIMT was significantly higher in the RA group
      (p=0.033), but it was not higher in the BD group. The CAS indices, including AD,
      AC, Ep, and betaSI were not significantly different among the study groups.
      Moreover, the cIMT and CAS indices were not significantly different between
      active (n=20) and inactive BD patients, and these indices were not correlated
      with the scores of disease activity. AD, AC and Ep were significantly lower in
      the BD patients with a positive pathergy reaction than in those with a negative
      reaction. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that BD does not directly lead to
      arterial stiffness or to an increase in cIMT.

PMID- 28638687
TI  - Aneurysm of the ascending aorta in systemic lupus erythematosus: Case report and
      review of the literature.
AB  - Cardiovascular manifestations in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
      are common, but aortic aneurysm formation is rare. We present a 63-year-old male
      SLE patient with a two-year history of skin lesions, leucopenia, pericarditis,
      mitral valve vegetations consistent with Liebman-Sacks endocarditis, and an
      aneurysm of the ascending aorta, which was successfully repaired surgically.
      Histologic examination of the aneurysm showed medial cystic degeneration, smooth
      muscle necrosis, and mild adventitial perivascular lymphocytic aggregates. This
      histology is typical of thoracic aneurysms that carry a high risk for aortic
      dissection and patient death. The case highlights the importance of early
      detection and treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms in patients with SLE.

PMID- 28638689
TI  - Visceral Leishmaniasis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing
      treatment with methotrexate: Case report and review of the literature.
AB  - There is growing concern regarding the emergence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL),
      a disseminated parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania, as
      an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. This association has
      been principally studied in the context of human immunodeficiency virus
      infection, but VL has also been reported in patients undergoing treatment with
      immunosuppressive medication for various indications. Here a case of VL in a
      patient with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing treatment with methotrexate and
      corticosteroid is presented. Despite the rarity of such incidents, physicians
      should include VL in the differential diagnosis because this infection, if left
      untreated, is characterized by significant mortality.

PMID- 28638688
TI  - Spontaneous regression of Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative
      disorder in a juvenile idiopathic arthritis patient after the discontinuation of
      methotrexate and etanercept.
AB  - A case of a 16-year-old female with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis
      (JIA) since the age of 4 years is reported here. This patient also suffered from
      multiple congenital anomalies. On long-term treatment with oral methotrexate
      (MTX) and etanercept, multiple subcutaneous nodules were detected, which were
      accompanied by increased lactate dehydrogenase and uric acid levels. A biopsy of
      the largest nodule revealed Epstein-Barr (EB) virus-positive diffuse large B-cell
      lymphoma (DLBCL). The patient was classified as clinical stage IIIA due to a
      mediastinal lesion. Immunosuppressive treatment was discontinued immediately,
      which led to regression of the remaining nodules and normalization of the lactate
      dehydrogenase levels. The patient was considered to have an iatrogenic
      lymphoproliferative disorder classified as "other iatrogenic immunodeficiency
      associated lymphoproliferative disorders" by the World health organization (WHO).
      To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a JIA patient with EBV
      positive DLBCL following the administration of etanercept and methotrexate and
      spontaneous regression of lymphoproliferation after the discontinuation of
      antirheumatic treatment.

PMID- 28638690
TI  - An unusual case of diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis of the shoulder: A
      multidisciplinary approach with arthroscopic synovectomy and adjuvant
      radiotherapy.
AB  - Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare proliferative disorder of the
      synovial membrane. This condition is usually monoarticular, can be locally
      destructive, and involves muscles, tendons, bursae, bones, and skin. The most
      commonly affected joints are the knee and hip, followed by the ankle and
      shoulder. Patients often present with pain, swelling, and joint effusion;
      however, the duration of symptoms varies. Total synovectomy is the preferred
      treatment for PVNS. Subtotal synovectomy is a factor of recurrence, and in
      diffuse PVNS, total excision is very difficult to achieve. Radiotherapy may have
      an adjunctive role, particularly in incomplete resection or as a treatment of
      salvation in recurrent cases. This treatment modality has low toxicity levels and
      enables satisfactory joint function. This is a case report of a rare case of
      diffuse PVNS of the shoulder that was treated with partial arthroscopic
      synovectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. A 74-year-old male patient presented with
      gradual onset pain, hemarthrosis, and functional impairment of the right shoulder
      without previous trauma history. Magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder
      demonstrated a diffuse synovial thickening that was compatible with PVNS and
      rotator cuff destruction. The lesion was partially excised by arthroscopy. The
      patient underwent adjuvant radiation therapy with a total dose of 40 Gy/20
      fractions/4 weeks. At the final follow-up, i.e., 1 month after treatment, the
      patient had increased shoulder mobility and no pain, with a mild change in
      cutaneous pigmentation. Radiation therapy is safe and effective in treating and
      preventing recurrence of diffuse PVNS, particularly after incomplete synovectomy.

PMID- 28638691
TI  - Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome treated with rituximab: A case report.
AB  - Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a rare and fatal condition that
      is characterized by diffuse venous and/or arterial thromboembolism within a short
      period of time and histopathological confirmation of small-vessel occlusion in at
      least one organ or tissue in the presence of positive antiphospholipid
      antibodies. Here we report the case of a 19-year-old woman with CAPS. During the
      first week of her hospitalization, she was diagnosed with CAPS on the basis of
      skin necrosis, pulmonary artery thrombosis, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and
      positive lupus anticoagulant. She was treated with corticosteroids, intravenous
      immunoglobulins, plasmapheresis, and anticoagulants. Forty days after the onset
      of CAPS, cutaneous lesions were recurred during skin surgery. She required a high
      dose of corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, and rituximab. No further
      thrombotic events occurred. Rituximab may be an effective treatment option for
      patients with CAPS.

PMID- 28638692
TI  - A report of three cases with lupus myelitis.
AB  - Lupus myelitis (LM) is a rare but serious complication of systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE). In 2009, Birnbaum et al. suggested that LM could be
      classified into two subtypes, namely gray and white matter myelitis, based on
      neurological examination findings. Here we describe three cases of this disorder,
      one with signs of white matter dysfunction and two with signs of gray matter
      dysfunction. We discuss the potential role of autoantibodies in the development
      of LM.

PMID- 28638693
TI  - Management of the temporomandibular joint in inflammatory arthritis: Involvement
      of surgical procedures.
AB  - Many conditions may affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), but its incidence
      in individual joint diseases is low. However, inflammatory arthropathies,
      particularly rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis,
      appear to have a propensity for affecting the joint. Symptoms include pain,
      restriction in mouth opening, locking, and noises, which together can lead to
      significant impairment. Jaw rest, a soft diet, a bite splint, and medical
      therapy, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and simple
      analgesia, are the bedrock of initial treatment and will improve most symptoms in
      most patients. Symptom deterioration does not necessarily follow disease
      progression, but when it does, TMJ arthroscopy and arthrocentesis can help
      modulate pain, increase mouth opening, and relieve locking. These minimally
      invasive procedures have few complications and can be repeated. Operations to
      repair or remove a damaged intra-articular disc or to refine joint anatomy are
      used in select cases. Total TMJ replacement is reserved for patients where joint
      collapse or fusion has occurred or in whom other treatments have failed to
      provide adequate symptomatic control. It yields excellent outcomes and is
      approved by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), UK.
      Knowledge of the assessment and treatment of the TMJ, which differs from other
      joints affected by inflammatory arthritis due to its unique anatomy and function,
      is not widespread outside of the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The aim
      of this article is to highlight the peculiarities of TMJ disease secondary to
      rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis and how to
      best manage these ailments, which should help guide when referral to a specialist
      TMJ surgeon is appropriate.

PMID- 28638694
TI  - Giant cell arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and late-onset rheumatoid
      arthritis: Can they be components of a single disease process in elderly
      patients?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report two patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who developed
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to review the literature in terms of coexistence of
      RA, GCA, and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive
      review of the English literature from 1980 to 2015 to analyze data on the
      coexistence of GCA and RA. The PubMed, Web of Science, Proquest, and Ovid
      databases were searched for articles using the term RA combined with temporal
      arteritis, GCA, and PMR. RESULTS: We identified 17 other cases of coexistent GCA
      and RA reported in the English literature, together with our 2 cases (19 cases).
      They included 14 females and 5 males, with a mean age of 74.3 years (range: 57
      84) at the time of GCA. The mean age at the time of RA diagnosis was 69.6 years
      (range 24-83). The average time elapsed between the onset of GCA and the
      development of RA was 6.7 years (range: 3 month-34 years). RA and GCA were
      reported as the first disease in 10 cases and 4 cases, respectively. The
      development of these 2 diseases in a narrow period of time appeared in 4 cases (3
      months-19 months). PMR was the first disease in 1 case. CONCLUSION: RA, GCA, and
      PMR may appear simultaneously or consecutively; therefore, we suggest that
      physicians should be alert about such a fact so that a proper diagnosis and
      treatment could be tailored accordingly.

PMID- 28638695
TI  - Pre-rheumatoid arthritis and its prevention.
AB  - Pre-rheumatoid arthritis (pre-RA) is the preclinical period of the disease that
      precedes the onset of clinically apparent RA. It includes the interaction between
      genetic and environmental risk factors and development of disease-related
      autoantibodies and joint symptoms and signs, which may be considered nonspecific
      or unclassified for RA. A better understanding of the pre-RA stage will be useful
      in developing screening programs for early detection of RA. Identifying and
      modifying risk factors such as smoking, periodontitis, obesity, viral infections,
      and hormonal or dietary factors will be useful in preventing RA in susceptible
      population.

PMID- 28638697
TI  - Breast calcinosis in a patient with Dermatomyositis.

PMID- 28638696
TI  - Basic radiological assessment of synovial diseases: a pictorial essay.
AB  - The synovium is a specialized tissue lining the synovial joints, bursae, and
      tendon sheaths of the body. It is affected by various localized or systemic
      disorders. Synovial diseases can be classified as inflammatory, infectious,
      degenerative, traumatic, hemorrhagic, and neoplastic. Damage in other
      intraarticular structures, particularly cartilages, generally occurs as a part of
      pathologic processes involving the synovium, leading to irreversible joint
      destruction. Imaging has an essential role in the early detection of synovial
      diseases prior to irreversible joint damage. Obtaining and understanding
      characteristic imaging findings of synovial diseases enables a proper diagnosis
      for early treatment. This article focuses on the recent literature that is
      related with the role of imaging in synovial disease.

PMID- 28638698
TI  - Atypical antipsychotic therapy in Parkinson's disease psychosis: A retrospective
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP) is a frequent complication of
      idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) with significant impact on quality of life
      and association with poorer outcomes. Atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs) are
      often used for the treatment of PDP; however, their use is often complicated by
      adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In this study, we present patients with PDP who
      were treated with the most commonly used atypical antipsychotic agents and review
      their respective ADRs. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out to include
      a total of 45 patients with iPD who visited a movement disorders clinic between
      2006 and 2015. All PDP patients treated with atypical APDs were included in the
      analysis for their specific ADRs. RESULTS: Forty-five iPD patients (mean age of
      onset: 62.67 +/- 9.86 years) were included, of those 10 patients had psychosis
      (mean age of onset: 76.80 +/- 4.61 years). Of the 45 patients, 22.2% were found
      to have psychotic symptoms, of whom 70% had hallucinations, 20% had delusions,
      and 10% illusions. Seventy percent of psychotic symptoms occurred after ten or
      more years from diagnosis of iPD. PDP patients were treated with quetiapine,
      olanzapine, and risperidone separately or in combination, all of which were found
      to have certain ADRs. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its retrospective
      study design and small sample size and with likely selection bias. CONCLUSIONS:
      The prevalence of PDP is relatively high in older patients with iPD. The uses of
      the currently available atypical APDs in this patient population are often
      complicated by ADRs. The selective 5-HT 2A inverse agonist, pimavanserin, could
      be a better alternative in the treatment of PDP.

PMID- 28638699
TI  - Plantar Exteroceptive Inefficiency causes an asynergic use of plantar and visual
      afferents for postural control: Best means of remediation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Some subjects have difficulty to integrate both visual and plantar
      inputs, showing at the same time a "postural blindness" and a Plantar
      Exteroceptive Inefficiency (PEI). The former corresponds to a better stability
      eyes closed (EC) than eyes open (EO), while the latter is defined as a better
      stability on foam than on firm ground. Clinical studies reported that a
      manipulation of either plantar or visual input could affect the weight of both
      cues in postural control, suggesting interdependence in their use. The purpose of
      the experiment is to characterize the PEI phenomenon better and see if such
      synergy can be objectified. METHODS: We recruited 48 subjects (25 +/- 3.3 years)
      and assessed their balance with a force platform, EO, EC, at 40 or 200 cm, on
      firm ground, Depron(r) foam, Dynachoc(r) foam, or on a 3 mm-thick Anterior Bar
      AB(r). We assessed their sensorial preferences through their PQ and RQ. RESULTS:
      The main results are that there normally exists a synergy in the use of plantar
      and visual afferents, but only at 40 cm and in the absence of PEI. CONCLUSIONS:
      Plantar Exteroceptive Inefficiency interferes with the role of vision in postural
      control, its effects are distance specific, are better revealed by Depron(r) foam
      and the AB(r) improves posture but does not solve visual-podal asynergy. These
      results also have clinical interests as they indicate the best way in terms of
      distance and choice of foam to diagnostic PEI. Finally, they suggest restricting
      the use of the AB(r), commonly employed. These findings can be useful for
      clinicians concerned with foot, eye, and posture.

PMID- 28638700
TI  - Vowel decoding from single-trial speech-evoked electrophysiological responses: A
      feature-based machine learning approach.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Scalp-recorded electrophysiological responses to complex, periodic
      auditory signals reflect phase-locked activity from neural ensembles within the
      auditory system. These responses, referred to as frequency-following responses
      (FFRs), have been widely utilized to index typical and atypical representation of
      speech signals in the auditory system. One of the major limitations in FFR is the
      low signal-to-noise ratio at the level of single trials. For this reason, the
      analysis relies on averaging across thousands of trials. The ability to examine
      the quality of single-trial FFRs will allow investigation of trial-by-trial
      dynamics of the FFR, which has been impossible due to the averaging approach.
      METHODS: In a novel, data-driven approach, we used machine learning principles to
      decode information related to the speech signal from single trial FFRs. FFRs were
      collected from participants while they listened to two vowels produced by two
      speakers. Scalp-recorded electrophysiological responses were projected onto a low
      dimensional spectral feature space independently derived from the same two vowels
      produced by 40 speakers, which were not presented to the participants. A novel
      supervised machine learning classifier was trained to discriminate vowel tokens
      on a subset of FFRs from each participant, and tested on the remaining subset.
      RESULTS: We demonstrate reliable decoding of speech signals at the level of
      single-trials by decomposing the raw FFR based on information-bearing spectral
      features in the speech signal that were independently derived. CONCLUSIONS: Taken
      together, the ability to extract interpretable features at the level of single
      trials in a data-driven manner offers unchartered possibilities in the
      noninvasive assessment of human auditory function.

PMID- 28638701
TI  - Reinnervation of denervated muscle by implantation of nerve-muscle-endplate band
      graft to the native motor zone of the target muscle.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Motor endplate reinnervation is critical for restoring motor
      function of the denervated muscle. We developed a novel surgical technique called
      nerve-muscle-endplate band grafting (NMEG) for muscle reinnervation. METHODS:
      Experimentally denervated sternomastoid muscle in the rat was reinnervated by
      transferring a NMEG from the ipsilateral sternohyoid muscle to the native motor
      zone (NMZ) of the target muscle. A NMEG pedicle contained a block of muscle (~ 6
      * 6 * 3 mm), a nerve branch with axon terminals, and a motor endplate band with
      numerous neuromuscular junctions. At 3 months after surgery, maximal tetanic
      muscle force measurement, muscle mass and myofiber morphology, motoneurons,
      regenerated axons, and axon-endplate connections of the muscles were analyzed.
      RESULTS: The mean force of the reinnervated muscles was 82% of the contralateral
      controls. The average weight of the treated muscles was 89% of the controls. The
      reinnervated muscles exhibited extensive axonal regeneration. Specifically, the
      mean count of the regenerated axons in the reinnervated muscles reached up to
      76.8% of the controls. The majority (80%) of the denervated endplates in the
      target muscle regained motor innervation. CONCLUSIONS: The NMZ of the denervated
      muscle is an ideal site for NMEG implantation and for the development of new
      microsurgical and therapeutic strategies to achieve sufficient axonal
      regeneration, rapid endplate reinnervation, and optimal functional recovery. NMEG
      NMZ technique may become a useful tool in the treatment of muscle paralysis
      caused by peripheral nerve injuries in certain clinical situations.

PMID- 28638702
TI  - Cerebral blood flow evaluation of intensive rosuvastatin therapy in
      stroke/transient ischemic attack patients with intracranial arterial
      atherosclerotic stenosis study: Rationale and design.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The risk of recurrent stroke is high in patients with intracranial
      atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Statin use has been demonstrated to decrease the
      incidence of stroke by reducing atherosclerotic plaque burden. However, its
      effect on the hemodynamic situation and cerebral perfusion status has not yet
      been validated. With the use of computed tomography perfusion (CTP), we aim to
      evaluate the impact of Rosuvastatin on cerebral hemodynamic changes, as well as
      the downstream perfusion. METHOD: Cerebral bood flow evaluation of intensive
      rosuvastatin therapy in patients with intracranial arterial atherosclerotic
      stenosis (CEIRIS) is a single-center, prospective, randomized, parallel-group,
      and open-label trial, and it will include 50 participants as estimated. Patients
      with moderate to severe (50%-99%) ICAS are randomized 1:1 to 10 mg/day or 20
      mg/day Rosuvastatin and followed every 13 weeks until 52 weeks. The primary
      outcome for the trial is the change in the relative regional cerebral blood flow
      evaluated by CTP after 52 weeks of Rosuvastatin treatment. The secondary outcomes
      are cerebral blood volume, change in the degree of stenosis of the target vessel
      and lipid parameters. CONCLUSION: The CEIRIS trial about the effects of statin on
      the temporal hemodynamic progression of ICAS may extend our understanding of the
      basic pathophysiology and mechanisms of stroke in ICAS patients.

PMID- 28638703
TI  - Childhood trauma and negative memory bias as shared risk factors for
      psychopathology and comorbidity in a naturalistic psychiatric patient sample.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both childhood trauma and negative memory bias are associated with
      the onset and severity level of several psychiatric disorders, such as depression
      and anxiety disorders. Studies on these risk factors, however, generally use
      homogeneous noncomorbid samples. Hence, studies in naturalistic psychiatric
      samples are lacking. Moreover, we know little about the quantitative relationship
      between the frequency of traumatic childhood events, strength of memory bias and
      number of comorbid psychiatric disorders; the latter being an index of severity.
      The current study examined the association of childhood trauma and negative
      memory bias with psychopathology in a large naturalistic psychiatric patient
      sample. METHODS: Frequency of traumatic childhood events (emotional neglect,
      psychological-, physical- and sexual abuse) was assessed using a questionnaire in
      a sample of 252 adult psychiatric patients with no psychotic or bipolar-I
      disorder and no cognitive disorder as main diagnosis. Patients were diagnosed for
      DSM-IV Axis-I and Axis-II disorders using a structured clinical interview. This
      allowed for the assessment of comorbidity between disorders. Negative memory bias
      for verbal stimuli was measured using a computer task. RESULTS: Linear regression
      models revealed that the frequency of childhood trauma as well as negative memory
      bias was positively associated with psychiatric comorbidity, separately and above
      and beyond each other (all p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that
      childhood trauma and negative memory bias may be of importance for a broader
      spectrum of psychiatric diagnoses, besides the frequently studied affective
      disorders. Importantly, frequently experiencing traumatic events during childhood
      increases the risk of comorbid psychiatric disorders.

PMID- 28638704
TI  - Lipid and hyperglycemia factors in first-ever penetrating artery infarction, a
      comparison between different subtypes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis and progression of branch atheromatous disease
      (BAD), which differs from lipohyalinotic degeneration (LD), remains
      controversial. Few studies have investigated the lipid indices and
      glycometabolism status factors for BAD in first-ever penetrating artery
      infarction (PAI). METHODS: We retrospectively examined acute stroke patients with
      PAI admitted within 3 days after stroke. All patients underwent diffusion weight
      magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and/or
      computed tomography angiography (CTA). Progression was defined as an increase by
      2 point or higher in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. The
      characteristics, clinical data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: BAD and LD
      were diagnosed in 142 (57%) and 107 (43%) patients, respectively. Patients with
      BAD had higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared with those
      with LD (p = .013). Elevated LDL-C was related to early neurological
      deterioration in patients with BAD (p = .045). The percentage of lenticulostriate
      arterial (LSA) infarction was greater than that of the pontine penetrating
      arterial (PPA) infarction in acute PAI (75.1% vs. 24.9%; p < .001). PPA
      infarction was more prevalent in the BAD group compared with the LD group (34.5%
      vs. 12.1%, p < .001). The PPA infarction had older age at onset and higher HbA1c
      concentrations than those with the LSA infarction (p = .014, p = .036
      respectively) in the BAD and LD patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: LDL-C may be
      associated with both the pathogenesis and progression of intracranial BAD. The
      LSA infarction was the most frequently subtypes in PAI. Age at onset and HbA1c
      seem to be closely associated with the PPA infarction of first-ever PAI.

PMID- 28638705
TI  - The innovative development in interferon beta treatments of relapsing-remitting
      multiple sclerosis.
AB  - The introduction of interferon beta therapies more than 20 years ago marked a
      milestone in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with
      a significant impact on the approach to modern multiple sclerosis (MS) care. Key
      learnings and perspectives from the early days of disease modifying therapies in
      MS have improved the knowledge base of MS, need for treatment, and patient care.
      The continuous development of interferons over the past two decades outlines a
      journey with increased understanding of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic
      mechanisms of interferons, leading to innovative formulations with an improved
      benefit/risk profile.

PMID- 28638706
TI  - Cardiac troponin and cerebral herniation in acute intracerebral hemorrhage.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the association, if any, between the relationship between
      cardiac troponin and cerebral herniation after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).
      METHODS: Six hundred and eighty-seven consecutive ICH patients admitted to West
      China Hospital from May 1, 2014 to September 1, 2015 were retrospectively
      reviewed. Data on demographics, etiology, laboratory examinations at admission
      including serum cardiac troponin, computed tomography (CT) scans at admission and
      follow-up, and clinical outcomes were obtained. Using multiple logistic
      regression to identify the relationship of troponin and herniation. The
      association between troponin and hematoma volume was assessed using bivariate
      correlation and linear regression. RESULTS: Among 188 (27.4%) patients who
      underwent the test of serum cardiac troponin at admission, 16 (8.5%) demonstrated
      cerebral herniation. The median time from symptom onset to CT at admission and
      follow-up was 4 and 30.25 hr, respectively. In multivariate analysis, elevated
      troponin was independently associated with cerebral herniation (adjusted odds
      ratio [OR] 5.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-24.93). And those with
      elevated troponin had larger hematoma volume at follow-up in bivariate
      correlation (correlation coefficient, .375, p = .003) and linear regression
      (beta, .370, 95% CI, 0.062-0.320, p = .005), higher National Institutes of Health
      Stroke Scale score (adjusted OR 2.06; 95% CI, 1.06-4.01, p = .033) and lower
      Glasgow Coma Scale score (adjusted OR 2.34; 95% CI, 1.17-4.68, p = .016) than
      those without. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated cardiac troponin was associated with an
      almost five-fold increased risk of cerebral herniation, but not in-hospital
      mortality. The possibility of cerebral herniation should be considered when ICH
      patients with large hematoma volume and elevated troponin.

PMID- 28638707
TI  - Sexual dysfunction in female patients with relapsing-remitting multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sexual dysfunction (SD) is one of the common symptoms of multiple
      sclerosis (MS) and is often underdiagnosed, especially in women. Relapsing
      remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the most widespread form of the disease,
      but the data on SD occurrence in this particular group of patients is limited.
      The aim of the study was to analyze the associations between demographic factors,
      symptoms and signs of MS, psychiatric comorbidities and SD in female patients
      with RRMS. MATERIAL & METHODS: A subgroup of 86 sexually active women with RRMS
      out of 218 total MS respondents was analyzed. Exclusion criteria included active
      relapse, EDSS score equal or higher than 6.5, and current pregnancy. All patients
      completed questionnaires including demographic data, questions about symptoms and
      signs of MS, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for sexual performance, Patient
      Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) for depression, and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)
      for fatigue evaluation. RESULTS: According to FSFI, SD occurred in 21 (27.27%) of
      the respondents. SD occurrence was associated with depression (p < .05) and
      speech disturbances (p < .04). A negative effect on sexual performance was
      associated with depression intensity (p < .003), fatigue intensity (p < .05),
      more advanced age at diagnosis (p < .02), lower education level (p < .05), and
      smaller area of residence (p < .002). CONCLUSIONS: SD in women with RRMS is
      mostly associated with psychosocial parameters. Patients who are more depressed,
      presenting speech problems, less educated, and from smaller towns, should be
      considered high-risk for sexual dysfunction.

PMID- 28638708
TI  - Citation classics in central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To identify and analyze the characteristics of the most influential
      articles about central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory demyelinating disease.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of
      Science database and the 2014 Journal Citation Reports Science Edition were used
      to retrieve the top 100 cited articles on CNS inflammatory demyelinating disease.
      The citation numbers, journals, years of publication, authorships, article types,
      subjects and main issues were analyzed. For neuromyelitis optica (NMO), articles
      that were cited more than 100 times were regarded as a citation classic and
      described separately. RESULTS: The top 100 cited articles were published between
      1972 and 2011 in 13 journals. The highest number of articles (n = 24) was
      published in Brain, followed by The New England Journal of Medicine (n = 21). The
      average number of citations was 664 (range 330-3,897), and 64% of the articles
      were from the United States and the United Kingdom. The majority of the top 100
      cited articles were related to multiple sclerosis (n = 87), and only a few
      articles reported on other topics such as NMO (n = 9), acute disseminated
      encephalomyelitis (n = 2) and optic neuritis (n = 2). Among the top 100 cited
      articles, 77% were original articles. Forty-one citation classics were found for
      NMO. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a historical perspective on the research
      progress on CNS inflammatory demyelinating disease and may serve as a guide for
      important advances and trends in the field for associated researchers.

PMID- 28638709
TI  - "Cure" for multiple sclerosis (MS)-Evolving views of therapy goals in patients on
      different stages of the disease: A pilot study in a cohort of Polish MS patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: New aggressive treatments promise improvement of results in the
      treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), however, with high risk of serious
      complications. In this study, we analyzed patients' acceptance for risks
      connected with the MS treatment. METHODS: The study was designed as a prospective
      nonanonymous online questionnaire. Responders were asked about the definition of
      the "cure" for MS and crucial goals in the treatment. RESULTS: One hundred and
      eighty patients filled in the questionnaire (129 women and 51 men), and the mean
      age was 33 years (SD = 10.29). The MS forms were as follows: relapsing-remitting
      (65%), secondary progressive (14%), primary progressive (10%), and other (11%),
      with mean EDSS score of 3 points (SD = 2.6). For 50% of the patients, relief of
      symptoms such as fatigue (72%), paresis (66%), and balance disorders (65%) was
      synonymous with "cure." The patients with faster progression of the disease were
      likely to accept risky "curative" treatments-with average 68% accepted mortality
      risk (p = .003). Over 81% of patients accepted mortality rates over 1% for the
      treatment that achieves self-defined cure. CONCLUSION: The study shows that the
      MS patients are likely to accept even very risky treatments as long as they
      promise patient-defined "cure."

PMID- 28638710
TI  - Nicotine-prevented learning and memory impairment in REM sleep-deprived rat is
      modulated by DREAM protein in the hippocampus.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: REM sleep deprivation is associated with impairment in learning and
      memory, and nicotine treatment has been shown to attenuate this effect. Recent
      studies have demonstrated the importance of DREAM protein in learning and memory
      processes. This study investigates the association of DREAM protein in REM sleep
      deprived rats hippocampus upon nicotine treatment. METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley
      rats were subjected to normal condition, REM sleep deprivation and control wide
      platform condition for 72 hr. During this procedure, saline or nicotine (1 mg/kg)
      was given subcutaneously twice a day. Then, Morris water maze (MWM) test was used
      to assess learning and memory performance of the rats. The rats were sacrificed
      and the brain was harvested for immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis.
      RESULTS: MWM test found that REM sleep deprivation significantly impaired
      learning and memory performance without defect in locomotor function associated
      with a significant increase in hippocampus DREAM protein expression in CA1, CA2,
      CA3, and DG regions and the mean relative level of DREAM protein compared to
      other experimental groups. Treatment with acute nicotine significantly prevented
      these effects and decreased expression of DREAM protein in all the hippocampus
      regions but only slightly reduce the mean relative level of DREAM protein.
      CONCLUSION: This study suggests that changes in DREAM protein expression in CA1,
      CA2, CA3, and DG regions of rat's hippocampus and mean relative level of DREAM
      protein may involve in the mechanism of nicotine treatment-prevented REM sleep
      deprivation-induced learning and memory impairment in rats.

PMID- 28638711
TI  - Decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor at plasma level but not in serum
      concentrations in suicide behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Suicide is known as a major health concern worldwide. There is
      evidence for the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicide
      behavior. Therefore, this factor has been proposed as a biomarker for suicide
      behavior. Clinical studies have measured BDNF concentrations at central and
      peripheral levels. As a consequence, the aim of this study was to assess BDNF
      levels in blood plasma and serum to see whether there is a difference in
      concentrations in patients with suicide behavior when compared to those in
      controls, using a meta-analysis approach. METHODS: We conducted a systematic
      review and meta-analysis. The search strategy was performed using three
      databases: PubMed, EBSCO and ScienceDirect. The meta-analysis included a total of
      nine case-control studies, six measured the BDNF level in serum and three in
      plasma in suicide behavior. RESULTS: A decrease in BDNF levels in plasma was
      observed (d = -0.73, 95% CI -1.42 to -0.03 pg/ml). In the case of serum
      concentrations, no BDNF differences were encountered between cases and controls
      (d = 0.09, 95% CI -0.31 to 0.13 ng/ml, p(Q) = .92). CONCLUSIONS: According to the
      results found in the present meta-analysis, the plasma BDNF level could be
      suggest as a potential biomarker in suicide behavior. However, since the number
      of studies included in the analysis is limited, a larger number is necessary to
      determine conclusively the role of BDNF as a biomarker in suicide behavior.

PMID- 28638712
TI  - Frontal assessment battery and frontal atrophy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the potential utility of the frontal assessment battery
      (FAB) in assessing cognitive impairments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),
      we investigated the association between the FAB score and regional gray matter
      volume, and ascertained whether the regional brain alterations related to
      cognitive impairments occur in relatively mild stage of ALS. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Twenty-four ALS patients with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of
      >23, a normal score on the Self-Rating Depression Scale, little or no disturbance
      in speech and handling utensils on the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS), and
      normal measures on respiratory tests (respiratory function test and arterial
      blood gas analysis), and two age-matched normal control groups (one for FAB
      assessment and the other for brain morphometry) underwent FAB testing and
      structural magnetic resonance imaging. We applied voxel-based morphometry to
      investigate the relationship between the FAB score and regional brain alteration,
      and assessed the relationship between the altered regional brain volume and
      ALSFRS or respiratory tests. RESULTS: Frontal assessment battery scores were
      significantly lower in ALS patients than in normal controls. Volume reduction in
      the right orbitofrontal gyrus in ALS was correlated with a lower FAB score. There
      was no correlation between the right orbitofrontal gyrus volume and ALSFRS or
      respiratory tests. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the FAB is an adequate
      tool for detecting cognitive impairments related to frontal lobe pathology in the
      relatively mild stage of ALS, independent of physical dysfunctions.

PMID- 28638713
TI  - The behavioral and physiological effects of high-fat diet and alcohol
      consumption: Sex differences in C57BL6/J mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Animal studies can be a great tool to investigate sex
      differences in a variety of different ways, including behavioral and
      physiological responses to drug treatments and different "lifestyle variables"
      such as diets. Consumption of both high-fat diets and alcohol is known to affect
      anxiety behaviors and overall health. This project investigated how high-fat diet
      and alcohol access and its combination affected the behavior and physiology of
      male and female C57BL/6J mice. METHOD: Mice were separated into three food
      groups: high-fat diet, 10% fat diet, and regular chow, and each group was paired
      with either water or 10% alcohol. Behavioral assays included diet and alcohol
      preference, light-dark box, open field, and feeding and drinking measurements.
      Physiological measures included glucose tolerance tests and measurement of brain
      derived neurotrophic factor, insulin, and leptin levels. RESULTS: Females and
      males differed in the open field, as male mice decreased activity, while females
      increased activity when consuming high-fat diet. While females consumed more
      ethanol than males, alcohol consumption was able to improve glucose tolerance and
      increase anxiety in both sexes. Lastly, females were more resistant to the
      physiological changes caused by high-fat diet than males, as females consuming
      high-fat diet exhibited decreased insulin secretion, less change to brain-derived
      neurotrophic factor levels, and better glucose tolerance than males consuming
      high-fat diet. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the response to high-fat
      diet and alcohol consumption is sex dependent and that males are more affected
      both behaviorally and physiologically by high-fat diet compared to females.

PMID- 28638714
TI  - Swallowing safety in Parkinson's disease after zona incerta deep brain
      stimulation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine swallowing function in
      patients with Parkinson's disease before and after caudal zona incerta deep brain
      (cZI DBS) surgery. The aims were to examine the effect of cZI DBS on swallowing
      safety regarding liquid and solid food, as well as to identify the effect of cZI
      DBS on body mass index (BMI) and specific items from part II of the Unified
      Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The median age
      of the 14 patients was 57 years (range 46-71), with a median disease duration of
      6 years (range 2-13). The present sample is an extension of a previous report,
      into which six additional patients have been added. Fiber endoscopic examinations
      of swallowing function, measures of BMI, and evaluation of UPDRS part II items
      were made before and 12 months after surgery, with and without activated DBS.
      RESULTS: There were no significant changes due to cZI DBS regarding
      penetration/aspiration, pharyngeal residue or premature spillage (p > .05).
      Median BMI increased by +1.1 kg/m2 12 months after surgery (p = .01, r = .50).
      All reported specific symptoms from the UPDRS part II were slight or mild. A
      significant improvement regarding handling of utensils was seen 12 months
      postoperatively (p = .03, r = -.42). CONCLUSIONS: Caudal zona incerta DBS was
      found not to have a negative impact on swallowing safety. A significant increase
      in postoperative weight was observed, and speech seemed to be slightly negatively
      affected, whereas handling of utensils was improved with cZI DBS.

PMID- 28638717
TI  - Validation of the Parkinson Fatigue Scale in Chinese Parkinson's disease
      patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fatigue is a common nonmotor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD);
      however, the Parkinson's disease fatigue scale (PFS), which is designed to
      measure fatigue in PD, has not been validated in China. The aim of this study was
      to determine the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the PFS in PD
      patients. METHODS: A total of 115 PD patients were evaluated at baseline and
      after 7 days. Assessments included the PFS, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and
      scales assessing motor, cognition, depression, and anxiety. Acceptability was
      assessed in terms of the rate of missing data and floor and ceiling effects.
      Cronbach's alpha was calculated to determine internal consistency. Test-retest
      reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
      Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used to calculate convergent and
      divergent validity between PFS scores and scales assessing clinical
      characteristics. RESULTS: No data were missing for the PFS. Compared with the
      original scoring method, the binary scoring method had relatively large floor
      effects (5.21% vs. 17.39%) and ceiling effects (0.90% vs. 4.31%). The internal
      consistency and test-retest reliability of the PFS were satisfactory (original
      scoring method: Cronbach's alpha = 0.97, ICC = 0.94; binary scoring method:
      Cronbach's alpha = 0.94, ICC = 0.94). The PFS score exhibited strong convergent
      validity with FSS score (correlation coefficient = 0.87). PFS score was weakly to
      moderately correlated with disease duration and with measures of disease stage,
      motor function, depression, and anxiety (range of correlation coefficients: 0.25
      0.48). There was no significant correlation between PFS score and either onset
      age or MoCA score (range of correlation coefficients: -0.05 to 0.12). CONCLUSION:
      The Chinese version of the PFS is a valid measure for assessing fatigue in PD.

PMID- 28638716
TI  - Long noncoding RNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and suicide
      risk in Chinese patients with major depressive disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: WHO stated that nearly one million people commit suicide every year
      worldly, and 40% of the suicide completer suffered from depression. The primary
      aim of this study was to explore the association between long noncoding RNAs
      (lncRNAs) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and suicide
      risk of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: Using Human
      LncRNA 3.0 microarray profiling which includes 30,586 human lncRNAs and RT-PCR,
      six down-regulated lncRNAs were identified differentially expressed in MDD
      patients. According to suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt, the suicide risk
      of MDD patients was classified into suicidal ideation versus no suicidal ideation
      groups, and past attempt versus no past attempt groups, respectively. The
      expression of six lncRNAs in MDD patients and controls were examined by RT-PCR.
      RESULTS: The expression of six lncRNAs had significant differences between no
      suicidal ideation, suicidal ideation, and controls; corresponding lncRNAs
      associated with suicidal attempt had remarkable differences between no past
      attempt, past attempt, and controls. Additionally, only the expression of lncRNAs
      in suicidal ideation group and past attempt group markedly declined compared with
      controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the expression of six down
      regulated lncRNAs had a negative association with suicide risk in MDD patients,
      and the expression of lncRNAs in PBMCs could have the potential to help clinician
      judge the suicide risk of MDD patients to provide timely treatment and prevent
      suicide.

PMID- 28638715
TI  - Rat intersubjective decisions are encoded by frequency-specific oscillatory
      contexts.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: It is unknown how the brain coordinates decisions to withstand
      personal costs in order to prevent other individuals' distress. Here we test
      whether local field potential (LFP) oscillations between brain regions create
      "neural contexts" that select specific brain functions and encode the outcomes of
      these types of intersubjective decisions. METHODS: Rats participated in an
      "Intersubjective Avoidance Test" (IAT) that tested rats' willingness to enter an
      innately aversive chamber to prevent another rat from getting shocked. c-Fos
      immunoreactivity was used to screen for brain regions involved in IAT
      performance. Multi-site local field potential (LFP) recordings were collected
      simultaneously and bilaterally from five brain regions implicated in the c-Fos
      studies while rats made decisions in the IAT. Local field potential recordings
      were analyzed using an elastic net penalized regression framework. RESULTS: Rats
      voluntarily entered an innately aversive chamber to prevent another rat from
      getting shocked, and c-Fos immunoreactivity in brain regions known to be involved
      in human empathy-including the anterior cingulate, insula, orbital frontal
      cortex, and amygdala-correlated with the magnitude of "intersubjective avoidance"
      each rat displayed. Local field potential recordings revealed that optimal
      accounts of rats' performance in the task require specific frequencies of LFP
      oscillations between brain regions in addition to specific frequencies of LFP
      oscillations within brain regions. Alpha and low gamma coherence between
      spatially distributed brain regions predicts more intersubjective avoidance,
      while theta and high gamma coherence between a separate subset of brain regions
      predicts less intersubjective avoidance. Phase relationship analyses indicated
      that choice-relevant coherence in the alpha range reflects information passed
      from the amygdala to cortical structures, while coherence in the theta range
      reflects information passed in the reverse direction. CONCLUSION: These results
      indicate that the frequency-specific "neural context" surrounding brain regions
      involved in social cognition encodes outcomes of decisions that affect others,
      above and beyond signals from any set of brain regions in isolation.

PMID- 28638718
TI  - Substance P NK1 receptor in the rat corpus callosum during postnatal development.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The expression of substance P (SP) receptor (neurokinin 1, NK1) was
      studied in the rat corpus callosum (cc) from postnatal day 0 (the first 24 hr
      from birth, P0) to P30. METHODS: We used immunocytochemistry to study the
      presence of intracallosal NK1-immunopositive neurons (NK1IP-n) during cc
      development. RESULTS: NK1IP-n first appeared on P5. Their number increased
      significantly between P5 and P10, it remained almost constant between P10 and
      P15, then declined slightly until P30. The size of intracallosal NK1IP-n
      increased constantly from P5 (102.3 MUm2) to P30 (262.07 MUm2). From P5 onward,
      their distribution pattern was adult-like, that is, they were more numerous in
      the lateral and intermediate parts of the cc, and declined to few or none
      approaching the midline. At P5, intracallosal NK1IP-n had a predominantly round
      cell bodies with primary dendrites of different thickness from which originated
      thinner secondary branches. Between P10 and P15, dendrites were longer and more
      thickly branched, and displayed several varicosities as well as short, thin
      appendages. Between P20 and P30, NK1IP-n were qualitatively indistinguishable
      from those of adult animals and could be classified as bipolar (fusiform and
      rectangular), round-polygonal, and pyramidal (triangular-pyriform). CONCLUSIONS:
      Number of NK1IP-n increase between P5 and P10, then declines, but unlike other
      intracallosal neurons, NK1IP-n make up a significant population in the adult cc.
      These findings suggest that NK1IP-n may be involved in the myelination of
      callosal axons, could play an important role in their pathfinding. Since they are
      also found in adult rat cc, it is likely that their role changes during lifetime.

PMID- 28638719
TI  - Abnormal amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity of
      resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with
      leukoaraiosis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the cerebral function deficits in
      patients with leukoaraiosis (LA) and the correlation with white matter
      hyperintensity (WMH) using functional MRI (fMRI) technology. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with LA and 30 volunteers were enrolled in this
      study. All patients underwent structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI (rs
      fMRI) scanning. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of rs-fMRI
      signals for the two groups was compared using two-sample t tests. A one-sample t
      test was performed on the individual z-value maps to identify the functional
      connectivity of each group. The z values were compared between the two groups
      using a two-sample t test. Partial correlations between ALFF values and
      functional connectivity of the brain regions that showed group differences and
      Fazekas scores of the WMH were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the control
      group, the LA group showed a significant decrease in the ALFF in the left
      parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) and an increased ALFF in the left inferior semi-lunar
      lobule and right superior orbital frontal gyrus (SOFG). The patients with LA
      showed an increased functional connectivity between the right insular region and
      the right SOFG and between the right calcarine cortex and the left PHG. After the
      effects of age, gender, and years of education were corrected as covariates, the
      functional connectivity strength of the right insular and the right SOFG showed
      close correlations with the Fazekas scores. CONCLUSION: Our results enhance the
      understanding of the pathomechanism of LA. Leukoaraiosis is associated with
      widespread cerebral function deficits, which show a close correlation with WMH
      and can be measured by rs-fMRI.

PMID- 28638720
TI  - Negative emotion evoked by viewing snakes has a motivating effect on cognitive
      processing in human children with or without intellectual disability.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is well known that prioritization of the processing of threatening
      stimuli generally induces deleterious effects on task performance. However, a
      study recently reported that emotion (possibly fear) evoked by viewing images of
      snakes exerts a facilitating effect upon making judgments of the images' color in
      neurotypical adults and schoolchildren. Here, the author has attempted to confirm
      the relevance of this notion in children with and without intellectual
      disability. METHODS: The author here compared the reaction time required to name
      the colors of snake and flower images between children with Down syndrome (DS)
      and mental age matched, typically-developing (TD) children. RESULTS: Snake images
      were responded to faster than flower images in both the groups, while the
      children with DS tended to respond more slowly overall. CONCLUSIONS: As in TD
      children, negative emotion can have a motivating effect on cognitive processing
      in children with DS. Some implications of the findings are pointed out with
      respect to the lower-level task persistence as a characteristic motivational
      orientation in children with DS.

PMID- 28638721
TI  - Long-term cost of spouses' informal support for dependent midlife stroke
      survivors.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Stroke is a major global disease that requires extensive care and
      support from society and relatives. The aim of this study was to identify and
      quantify the long-term informal support and to estimate the annual cost of
      informal support provided by spouses to their stroke surviving partner. METHOD:
      Data were based on the 7-year follow-up of the Sahlgrenska Academy Study on
      Ischemic Stroke. One-third of the spouses stated that they provided support to
      their stroke surviving partner. The magnitude of the support was assessed with a
      study-specific time-diary and was estimated for independent and dependent stroke
      survivors based on the scores of the modified Rankin Scale. To deal with skewed
      data, a two-part econometric model was used to estimate the annual cost of
      informal support. RESULT: Cohabitant dyads of 221 stroke survivors aged <70 at
      stroke onset were included in the study. Spouses of independent stroke survivors
      (n = 188) provided on average 0.15 hr/day of practical support and 0.48 hr/day of
      being available. Corresponding figures for spouses of dependent stroke survivors
      (n = 33) were 5.00 regarding practical support and 9.51 regarding being
      available. The mean annual cost of informal support provided for independent
      stroke survivors was estimated at ?991 and ?25,127 for dependent stroke survivor.
      CONCLUSION: The opportunity cost of informal support provided to dependent
      midlife stroke survivors is of a major magnitude many years after stroke onset
      and should be considered in economic evaluations of health care.

PMID- 28638723
TI  - Low-dose methotrexate in sickle-cell disease: a pilot study with rationale
      borrowed from rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inflammation is a major feature of sickle cell disease (SCD). Low
      dose methotrexate (MTX) has long been used in chronic inflammatory diseases. This
      pilot study examined the MTX effect on acute vaso-occlusive pain crises (VOC) in
      SCD patients. METHODS: Fourteen adults on hydroxyurea with severe and refractory
      VOC received one intramuscular injection of 10 mg of MTX per week for 12 weeks. A
      single weekly dose of 5 mg of leucovorin was administered orally 48 h after each
      MTX injection. The primary outcome was reduction in number/intensity of acute
      pain episodes. The secondary outcomes were improvement of quality of life (QOL)
      and reduction of the inflammatory status. RESULTS: MTX did not significantly
      change the median VOC frequency (12 before vs 10.5 during treatment, P = 0.6240)
      or the median McGill pain index (45 at week 0 vs 39.5 at week 12, P = 0.9311).
      However, there was a decrease of >=50% in chronic pain resulting from avascular
      osteonecrosis (AVN) in 5 out of 7 patients with radiologic evidence of AVN, with
      the perception of longer pain-free periods. There was a 44.4% median gain in
      physical function in the SF-36 QOL questionnaire (P = 0.0198). MTX treatment up
      regulated two C-X-C motif chemokines (CXCL), CXCL10 (P = 0.0463) and CXCL12 (P <
      0.0001), without significant effect on 14 additional plasma inflammatory markers.
      Adverse events: One individual had fever of unknown origin. Respiratory tract
      infections were recorded in five patients. Among the latter, one also had dengue
      fever and another had a central venous line infection and died of pneumonia and
      septic shock. Three patients with previous history of hydroxyurea-induced
      hematological toxicity developed low blood platelet counts while receiving
      simultaneously MTX and hydroxyurea. CONCLUSIONS: Although MTX did not reduce
      acute VOC frequency/intensity, it decreased chronic pain and led to QOL
      improvement. Trial registration http://www.who.int/ictrp/en/ and
      http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br, RBR-2s9xvn, 19 December 2016, retrospectively
      registered.

PMID- 28638722
TI  - Associations between cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction in Parkinson's
      disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Numerous studies have been carried out to explore the potential
      association between neurologic deficits and variable clinical manifestations of
      Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of our study was to investigate the association
      between cognitive performance and motor dysfunction in Chinese patients with PD.
      METHODS: Data from 96 patients with PD were obtained from the Parkinson's disease
      patient cohort database of Huashan Hospital. All participants underwent a
      comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation to assess cognitive status, that
      included scoring on the Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), followed by more
      detailed cognitive assessment on five main cognitive domains (verbal memory,
      nonverbal memory, visuospatial function, language and attention/executive
      function). Correlations between cognitive and motor scores were investigated
      after controlling for age, disease duration, education, and gender. RESULTS: We
      report a significant correlation between subdomains of cognitive impairment and
      motor dysfunction using analyses of the multiple linear regression. Notably,
      executive function and attention was significantly associated with bradykinesia
      and rigidity, while visuospatial function was associated with bradykinesia and
      tremor. CONCLUSIONS: The association between motor dysfunction and cognitive
      decline in PD might highlight deficits represented by a shared neurochemical
      pathway.

PMID- 28638724
TI  - Calcium electroporation induces tumor eradication, long-lasting immunity and
      cytokine responses in the CT26 colon cancer mouse model.
AB  - Electroporation is used in cancer treatment because of its ability to increase
      local cytotoxicity of e.g. bleomycin (electrochemotherapy) and calcium (calcium
      electroporation). Calcium electroporation is a novel anticancer treatment that
      selectively kills cancer cells by necrosis, a cell death pathway that stimulates
      the immune system due to high release of antigens and "danger signals." In this
      exploratory study, we aimed to investigate whether calcium electroporation could
      initiate an anticancer immune response similar to electrochemotherapy. To this
      end, we treated immunocompetent balb/c mice with CT26 colon tumors with calcium
      electroporation, electrochemotherapy, or ultrasound-based delivery of calcium or
      bleomycin. High treatment efficiency was observed with 100% complete remission in
      all four groups (12/12 with complete remission in each treatment group). In
      addition, none of the surviving mice from these groups formed new tumors when re
      challenged with CT26 cancer cells 100-d post treatment, whereas mice challenged
      with different cancer cells (4T1 breast cancer) all developed tumors. Treatment
      of immunodeficient mice with calcium electroporation and electrochemotherapy
      showed no long-lasting tumor response. Calcium electroporation and
      electrochemotherapy was associated with a release of High Mobility Group Box 1
      protein (HMGB1) in vitro (p = 0.029) and a significant increase of the overall
      systemic level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum from the treated mice (p <
      0.003). These findings indicate that calcium electroporation as well as
      electrochemotherapy could have a role as immune stimulators in future treatments.

PMID- 28638725
TI  - Administration of a vasoactive intestinal peptide antagonist enhances the
      autologous anti-leukemia T cell response in murine models of acute leukemia.
AB  - Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a neuroendocrine peptide hormone that has
      potent anti-inflammatory activities. VIP signaling through its receptor VPAC1 on
      T cells leads to reduced proliferation and a reduction in pro-inflammatory
      cytokine secretion. We report here that inhibition of the VIP pathway with a
      peptide antagonist significantly enhances a T-cell-dependent, autologous anti
      leukemia response in murine models of acute myeloid leukemia and T lymphoblastic
      leukemia. Subcutaneous administration of the VIP antagonist, VIPhyb, resulted in
      reduced tumor burden and significantly enhanced survival (30-50% survival) over
      vehicle-treated controls (0-20% survival). The T cells in mice treated with
      VIPhyb expressed lower levels of the co-inhibitory PD-1 and secreted higher
      levels of IFNgamma. Furthermore, T cells from VIPhyb-treated survivors were
      protective against C1498 following adoptive transfer. These data highlight the
      potential for the VIP pathway as a novel target for immunomodulation in settings
      of hematological malignancies.

PMID- 28638727
TI  - Identification of an immunogenic neo-epitope encoded by mouse sarcoma using CXCR3
      ligand mRNAs as sensors.
AB  - The CXCR3 ligands CXCL9, 10, and 11 play critical roles in the amplification of
      immune responses by recruiting CXCR3+ immune effector cells to the tumor site.
      Taking advantage of this property of CXCR3 ligands, we aimed to establish a novel
      approach to identify immunogenic mutated-antigens. We examined the feasibility of
      using CXCR3 ligand mRNAs as sensors for detection of specific immune responses in
      human and murine systems. We further investigated whether this approach is
      applicable for the identification of immunogenic mutated-antigens by using murine
      sarcoma lines. Rapid synthesis of CXCR3 ligand mRNAs occurred shortly after
      specific immune responses in both human and murine immune systems. Particularly,
      in CMS5 tumor-bearing mice, we detected specific immune responses to mutated
      mitogen-activated protein kinase 2 (ERK2), which has previously been identified
      as an immunogenic mutated-antigen. Furthermore, by combining this approach with
      whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing analyses, we identified an immunogenic
      neo-epitope derived from mutated staphylococcal nuclease domain-containing
      protein 1 (Snd1) in CMS7 tumor-bearing mice. Most importantly, we successfully
      detected the specific immune response to this neo-epitope even without co
      administration of anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte protein-4 (CTLA-4), anti-programmed
      cell death-1 (PD-1) and anti-glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR)
      antibodies, which vigorously augmented the immune response and consequently
      enabled us to detect the specific immune response to this neo-epitope by
      conventional IFNgamma intracellular staining method. Our data indicate the
      potential usefulness of this strategy for the identification of immunogenic
      mutated-antigens. We propose that this approach would be of great help for the
      development of personalized cancer vaccine therapies in future.

PMID- 28638726
TI  - Downregulation of antigen presentation-associated pathway proteins is linked to
      poor outcome in triple-negative breast cancer patient tumors.
AB  - Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous subtype with varying
      disease outcomes. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are frequent in TNBC and
      have been shown to correlate with outcome, suggesting an immunogenic component in
      this subtype. However, other factors intrinsic to the cancer cells may also
      influence outcome. To identify proteins and molecular pathways associated with
      recurrence in TNBC, 34 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) primary TNBC
      tumors were investigated by global proteomic profiling using mass spectrometry.
      Approximately, half of the patients were lymph node-negative and remained free of
      local or distant metastasis within 10 y follow-up, while the other half developed
      distant metastasis. Proteomic profiling identified >4,000 proteins, of which 63
      exhibited altered expression in primary tumors of recurrence versus recurrence
      free patients. Importantly, downregulation of proteins in the major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I antigen presentation pathways were
      enriched, including TAP1, TAP2, CALR, HLA-A, ERAP1 and TAPBP, and were associated
      with significantly shorter recurrence-free and overall survival. In addition,
      proteins involved in cancer cell proliferation and growth, including GBP1,
      RAD23B, WARS and STAT1, also exhibited altered expression in primary tumors of
      recurrence versus recurrence-free patients. The association between the antigen
      presentation pathway and outcome were validated in a second sample set of 10
      primary TNBC tumors and corresponding metastases using proteomics and in a large
      public gene expression database of 249 TNBC and 580 basal-like breast cancer
      cases. Our study demonstrates that downregulation of antigen presentation is a
      key mechanism for TNBC cells to avoid immune surveillance, allowing continued
      growth and spread.

PMID- 28638728
TI  - Gene expression analysis in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas (CTCL) highlights disease
      heterogeneity and potential diagnostic and prognostic indicators.
AB  - Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas (CTCL) are rare, but potentially devastating
      malignancies, whose pathogenesis remains poorly elucidated. Unfortunately,
      currently it is not possible to predict based on the available criteria in which
      patients the cancer will progress and which patients will experience an indolent
      disease course. Furthermore, at early stages this malignancy often masquerades as
      psoriasis, chronic eczema or other benign inflammatory dermatoses. As a result,
      it takes on average 6 y to diagnose this lymphoma since its initial presentation.
      In this study, we performed transcription expression profiling using TruSeq
      targeted RNA gene expression on 181 fresh and formalin-fixed and paraffin
      embedded (FFPE) skin samples from CTCL patients and patients affected by benign
      inflammatory dermatoses that often mimic CTCL clinically and on histology (e.g.,
      psoriasis, chronic eczema, etc.) We also analyzed multiple longitudinal biopsies
      that were obtained from the same patients over time. Our results underscore
      significant molecular heterogeneity with respect to gene expression between
      different patients and even within the same patients over time. Our study also
      confirmed TOX, FYB, LEF1, CCR4, ITK, EED, POU2AF, IL26, STAT5, BLK, GTSF1 and
      PSORS1C2 genes as being differentially expressed between CTCL and benign skin
      biopsies. In addition, we found that differential expression for a subset of
      these markers (e.g., TOX, FYB, GTSF1 and CCR4) may be useful in prognosticating
      this disease. This research, combined with other molecular analyses, prepares the
      foundation for the development of personalized molecular approach toward
      diagnosis and management of CTCL.

PMID- 28638729
TI  - Cellular immunotherapies for cancer.
AB  - Lessons learned over decades on the use of gene and cell therapies have found
      clinical applicability in the field of cancer immunotherapy. On December 16th,
      2016 a symposium was held in Pamplona (Spain) to analyze and discuss the critical
      points for the clinical success of adoptive cell transfer strategies in cancer
      immunotherapy. Cellular immunotherapy is being currently exploited for the
      development of new cancer vaccines using ex vivo manipulated dendritic cells or
      to enhance the number of effector cells, transferring reinvigorated NK cells or T
      cells. In this meeting report, we summarize the main topics covered and provide
      an overview of the field of cellular immunotherapy.

PMID- 28638730
TI  - Blockade of only TGF-beta 1 and 2 is sufficient to enhance the efficacy of
      vaccine and PD-1 checkpoint blockade immunotherapy.
AB  - Checkpoint inhibition has established immunotherapy as a major modality of cancer
      treatment. However, the success of cancer immunotherapy is still limited as
      immune regulation of tumor immunity is very complicated and mechanisms involved
      may also differ among cancer types. Beside checkpoints, other good candidates for
      immunotherapy are immunosuppressive cytokines. TGF-beta is a very potent
      immunosuppressive cytokine involved in suppression of tumor immunity and also
      necessary for the function of some regulatory cells. TGF-beta has three isoforms,
      TGF-beta 1, 2 and 3. It has been demonstrated in multiple mouse tumor models that
      inhibition of all three isoforms of TGF-beta facilitates natural tumor
      immunosurveillance and tumor vaccine efficacy. However, individual isoforms of
      TGF-beta are not well studied yet. Here, by using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)
      specific for TGF-beta isoforms, we asked whether it is necessary to inhibit TGF
      beta3 to enhance tumor immunity. We found that blockade of TGF-beta1 and 2 and of
      all isoforms provided similar effects on tumor natural immunosurveillance and
      therapeutic vaccine-induced tumor immunity. The protection was CD8+ T cell
      dependent. Blockade of TGF-beta increased vaccine-induced Th1-type response
      measured by IFNgamma production or T-bet expression in both tumor draining lymph
      nodes and tumors, although it did not increase tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cell
      numbers. Therefore, protection correlated with qualitative rather than
      quantitative changes in T cells. Furthermore, when combined with PD-1 blockade,
      blockade of TGF-beta1 and 2 further increased vaccine efficacy. In conclusion,
      blocking TGF-beta1 and 2 is sufficient to enhance tumor immunity, and it can be
      further enhanced with PD-1 blockade.

PMID- 28638731
TI  - Novel anti-myeloma immunotherapies targeting the SLAM family of receptors.
AB  - Treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) has significantly advanced in the last decade
      with the introduction of proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory therapies.
      Unfortunately, MM continues to cause significant morbidity and most patients
      eventually succumb to the disease. As in other areas of cancer, immunotherapy in
      MM has also evolved and holds promise to deliver long-lasting remissions or even
      cure. The signaling lymphocyte activation molecules (SLAM) family of surface
      proteins represents a group of potential targets for immunotherapy in MM as some
      of the family members are expressed consistently on plasma cells and also on
      myeloma propagating pre-plasma cells. Here, we review the SLAM family members in
      detail, describe their tissue distribution, biologic pathways, as well as
      relevant pre-clinical studies and clinical trials in MM. Our review demonstrates
      the value of SLAM family receptors as potential targets for anti-myeloma
      immunotherapies and outlines how immunotherapeutic approaches can be developed.

PMID- 28638732
TI  - Serum levels of soluble programmed death protein 1 (sPD-1) and soluble programmed
      death ligand 1 (sPD-L1) in advanced pancreatic cancer.
AB  - Up to now, the efficacy of programmed death protein 1/programmed death ligand 1
      (PD-1/PD-L1) blockade in pancreatic cancer (PC) remains uncertain. Serum levels
      of soluble PD-1 and PD-L1 (sPD-1/sPD-L1) have been reported to be independent
      prognostic factors in solid tumors susceptible to checkpoint blockade.
      Provenience, regulation and immunologic function of sPD-1 and sPD-L1 in cancer
      are poorly understood. To the best of our knowledge, sPD-1 and sPD-L1 have not
      been measured conjointly in any cancer type yet. In contrast to other tumor
      entities, sPD-1/sPD-L1 levels did not indicate an adverse outcome in a cohort of
      41 patients with advanced PC. We observed a close positive correlation of sPD-L1
      levels with sPD-1 in patients with advanced PC, suggesting a common provenience
      and regulation of sPD-1 and sPD-L1 in cancer patients. Higher sPD-L1 levels were
      present in patients with elevated C-reactive protein or strong tumoral T cell
      infiltration, while no correlation of sPD-L1 levels with tumoral PD-L1 expression
      was found. Our findings indicate that sPD-1 and sPD-L1 are markers of systemic
      inflammation in (pancreatic) cancer. In a subset of PC patients, elevation in sPD
      L1 levels might be caused by an inflammatory tumor type - independent of tumoral
      PD-L1 expression.

PMID- 28638733
TI  - Identification of autoantibodies to ECH1 and HNRNPA2B1 as potential biomarkers in
      the early detection of lung cancer.
AB  - Identification of biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer (LC) is
      important, in turn leading to more effective treatment and reduction of
      mortality. Serological proteome analysis (SERPA) was used to identify proteins
      around 34 kD as ECH1 and HNRNPA2B1, which had been recognized by serum
      autoantibody from 25 LC patients. In the validation study, including 90 sera from
      LC patients and 89 sera from normal individuals, autoantibody to ECH1 achieved an
      area under the curve (AUC) of 0.799 with sensitivity of 62.2% and specificity of
      95.5% in discriminating LC from normal individuals, and showed negative
      correlation with tumor size (rs = -0.256, p = 0.023). Autoantibody to HNRNPA2B1
      performed an AUC of 0.874 with sensitivity of 72.2% and specificity of 95.5%, and
      showed negative correlation with lymph node metastasis (rs = -0.279, p = 0.012).
      By using longitudinal preclinical samples, autoantibody to ECH1 showed an AUC of
      0.763 with sensitivity of 60.0% and specificity of 89.3% in distinguishing early
      stage LC from matched normal controls, and elevated autoantibody levels could be
      detected greater than 2 y before LC diagnosis. ECH1 and HNRNPA2B1 are
      autoantigens that elicit autoimmune responses in LC and their autoantibody can be
      the potential biomarkers for the early detection of LC.

PMID- 28638734
TI  - Severe, but not mild heat-shock treatment induces immunogenic cell death in
      cancer cells.
AB  - The mechanisms of immunogenicity underlying mild heat-shock (mHS) treatment < 42
      degrees C of tumor cells are largely attributed to the action of heat-shock
      proteins; however, little is known about the immunogenicity of tumor cells
      undergoing severe cytotoxic heat-shock treatment (sHS > 43 degrees C). Here, we
      found that sHS, but not mHS (42 degrees C), induces immunogenic cell death in
      human cancer cell lines as defined by the induction of ER stress response and ROS
      generation, cell surface exposure of calreticulin, HSP70 and HSP90, decrease of
      cell surface CD47, release of ATP and HMGB1. Only sHS-treated tumor cells were
      efficiently killed and phagocytosed by dendritic cells (DCs), which was partially
      dependent on cell surface calreticulin. DCs loaded with mHS or sHS-treated tumor
      cells displayed similar level of maturation and stimulated IFNgamma-producing
      CD8+ T cells without any additional adjuvants in vitro. However, only DCs loaded
      with sHS-treated tumor cells stimulated antigen-specific CD4+ T cells and induced
      higher CD8+ T-cell activation and proliferation. sHS-treated murine cells also
      exposed calreticulin, HSP70 and HSP90 and activated higher DC maturation than mHS
      treated cells. Vaccination with sHS-treated tumor cells elicited protective
      immunity in mice. In this study, we defined specific conditions for the sHS
      treatment of human lung and ovarian tumor cells to arrive at optimal ratio
      between effective cell death, immunogenicity and content of tumor antigens for
      immunotherapeutic vaccine generation.

PMID- 28638735
TI  - Maternal microchimerism is prevalent in cord blood in memory T cells and other
      cell subsets, and persists post-transplant.
AB  - Among reported advantages of umbilical cord blood (CB) in transplantation is
      lower leukemia relapse probability. Underlying cellular mechanisms of graft-vs.
      leukemia (GVL) are thought to include a prominent role for T cells. Cells of the
      CB's mother, maternal microchimerism (MMc), were recently strongly, but
      indirectly, implicated in this GVL benefit. We assayed MMc directly and
      hypothesized benefit accrues from CB maternal T cells. MMc was quantified in 51
      CBs and, within memory T, naive T, B, NK cells, and monocytes in 27 CBs.
      Polymorphism-specific quantitative-PCR assays targeted maternal genotypes non
      shared with CBs. Overall MMc was common and often at substantial levels. It was
      present in 52.9% of CB and in 33.3-55.6% of tested subsets. Remarkably, MMc
      quantities were greater in memory T cells than other subsets (p < 0.001).
      Expressed as genome equivalents (gEq) per 105 total gEq tested (gEq/105), memory
      T cell MMc averaged 850.2 gEq/105, while other subset mean quantities were 13.8
      30.1 gEq/105. After adjustment for proportionality in CB, MMc remained 6-17 times
      greater in memory T, and 3-9 times greater in naive T, vs. non-T-cell subsets.
      Further, CB-origin MMc was detected in vivo in a patient up to 6 mo post
      transplantation, including among T cells. Overall, results revealed levels and
      phenotypes of CB MMc with potential relevance to CB transplantation and, more
      broadly, to offspring health.

PMID- 28638736
TI  - Transcriptional factor EB regulates macrophage polarization in the tumor
      microenvironment.
AB  - Tumor microenvironment (TME) contains a variety of infiltrating immune cells.
      Among them, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and their alternative activation
      contribute greatly to the progression of tumors. The mechanisms governing
      macrophage polarization in the TME are unclear. Here, we show that in TAMs or
      macrophages under tumor-conditioned medium treatment, the expression of
      transcription factor EB (TFEB) is reduced and more of the TFEB protein is in an
      inactive cytosolic form. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is identified as a
      main driving force for the reduced TFEB expression and activity in TAMs via
      activating ERK signaling. TFEB interference in macrophages significantly enhanced
      their alternative activation, with reduced expression of MHC-II and co
      stimulatory molecule CD80, decreased ability to activate T cells, and increased
      ability to attract tumor cells. When co-inoculated with tumor cells, macrophages
      with TFEB knockdown significantly enhanced tumor growth with increased
      infiltration of M2-like macrophages, reduced infiltration of CD8+ T cells, and
      enhanced angiogenesis in the tumors. Mechanistic studies revealed that TFEB
      downregulation resulted in macrophage M2 polarization through reducing SOCS3
      production and enhancing STAT3 activation. We further demonstrate that the
      activation of TFEB by hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin in macrophages suppressed
      their M2 polarization and tumor-promoting capacity, and that macrophage-specific
      TFEB overexpression inhibited breast tumor growth in mice. Therefore, our data
      suggest that TFEB plays critical roles in macrophage polarization, and the
      downregulation of TFEB expression and activation is an integral part of tumor
      induced immune editing in the TME. This study provides a rationale for a new
      cancer treatment strategy by modulating macrophage polarization through
      activating TFEB.

PMID- 28638737
TI  - Selective activation of anti-CD73 mechanisms in control of primary tumors and
      metastases.
AB  - The emerging role for CD73 in driving cancer growth and metastasis has presented
      opportunities to develop anti-CD73 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in the treatment
      of human cancers. Blockade of CD73 by antagonistic CD73 mAbs ameliorates tumor
      growth and metastasis via the inhibition of enzymatic and non-enzymatic CD73
      pathways. In this study, we investigated whether Fc-receptor cross-linking
      represented a non-redundant mechanism by which anti-CD73 mAbs exert potent
      suppression of solid tumors and metastases. We engineered four anti-CD73 mAbs,
      each different in their ability to modulate CD73 enzymatic function and bind Fc
      receptors. mAbs recognizing a similar epitope of CD73 (CD73-04, TY/23 and 2C5)
      displayed the greatest antitumor activity. Importantly, we observed that the
      optimal control of metastasis by anti-CD73 mAbs involved primarily Fc receptor
      engagement, while suppression of solid tumors required both, enzyme inhibition
      and activation of Fc receptors. Engagement of Fc-receptors was also essential for
      optimal anti-metastatic effect in combination with either A2AR inhibitor or anti
      PD-1 mAb treatment. The control of experimental metastases relied on the
      activation of host NK cells and IFNgamma, while NK cells, CD8+ T cells and
      IFNgamma were needed for effective antitumor effect in the spontaneous metastases
      model. These observations advance our understanding of the enzymatic and non
      enzymatic functions of anti-CD73 mAbs in solid tumors and metastases. Altogether,
      these findings will greatly assist in the design of anti-CD73 mAbs to be used as
      either single agents or in combination with other immunotherapeutic molecules or
      targeted therapies.

PMID- 28638738
TI  - Activation of the FcgammaReceptorIIIa on human natural killer cells leads to
      increased expression of functional interleukin-21 receptor.
AB  - Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune effector cells that play a crucial
      role in immune surveillance and the destruction of cancer cells. NK cells express
      a low-affinity receptor for the Fc or constant region of immunoglobulin G
      (FcgammaRIIIa) and multiple cytokine receptors that respond to antibody-coated
      targets and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment. In the present work,
      microarray gene expression analysis revealed that the IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) was
      strongly upregulated following FcR stimulation. The IL-21R was found to be
      upregulated on FcR-stimulated NK cells at the transcript level as determined by
      reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunoblot analysis
      revealed that protein expression of the IL-21R peaked at 8 h post-stimulation of
      the FcR. Inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway
      downstream of the FcR blocked the induction of IL-21R expression. Increased
      expression of the IL-21R sensitized NK cells to IL-21 stimulation, as treatment
      of FcR-stimulated NK cells led to significantly increased phosphorylation of
      STAT1 and STAT3, as measured by intracellular flow cytometry and immunoblot
      analysis. Following FcR-stimulation, IL-21-activated NK cells were better able to
      mediate the lysis of trastuzumab-coated human epidermal growth factor receptor 2
      (HER2+) SK-BR-3 tumor cells as compared to control-treated cells. Likewise, IL-21
      induced NK cell secretion of IFNgamma following exposure to antibody-coated tumor
      cells was enhanced following FcR-stimulation. The analysis of NK cells from
      patients receiving trastuzumab therapy for HER2+ cancer exhibited increased
      levels of the IL-21R following the administration of antibody suggesting that the
      presence of monoclonal antibody-coated tumor cells in vivo can stimulate the
      increased expression of IL-21R on NK cells.

PMID- 28638739
TI  - Ewing sarcoma partial regression without GvHD by chondromodulin-I/HLA-A*02:01
      specific allorestricted T cell receptor transgenic T cells.
AB  - Background: Chondromodulin-I (CHM1) sustains malignancy in Ewing sarcoma (ES).
      Refractory ES carries a dismal prognosis and patients with bone marrow (BM)
      metastases do not survive irrespective of therapy. We assessed HLA-A*02:01/CHM1
      specific allorestricted T cell receptor (TCR) wild-type and transgenic cytotoxic
      (CD8+) T cells against ES. Patients and Methods: Three refractory HLA-A2+ ES
      patients were treated with HLA-A*02:01/peptide-specific allorepertoire-derived
      (i.e., allorestricted) CD8+ T cells. Patient #1 received up to 4.8 * 105/kg body
      weight HLA-A*02:01- allorestricted donor-derived wild-type CD8+ T cells. Patient
      #2 received up to 8.2 * 106/kg HLA-A*02:01- donor-derived and patient #3 up to 6
      * 106/kg autologous allorestricted TCR transgenic CD8+ T cells. All patients were
      treated with the same TCR complementary determining region 3 allorecognition
      sequence for CHM1 peptide 319 (CHM1319). Results: HLA-A*02:01/CHM1319-specific
      allorestricted CD8+ T cells showed specific in vitro lysis of all patient-derived
      ES cell lines. Therapy was well tolerated and did not cause graft versus host
      disease (GvHD). Patients #1 and #3 showed slow progression, whereas patient #2,
      while having BM involvement, showed partial metastatic regression associated with
      T cell homing to involved lesions. CHM1319 TCR transgenic T cells could be
      tracked in his BM for weeks. Conclusions: CHM1319-TCR transgenic T cells home to
      affected BM and may cause partial disease regression. HLA-A*02:01/antigen
      specific allorestricted T cells proliferate in vivo without causing GvHD.

PMID- 28638740
TI  - Tumor cells PD-L1 expression as a favorable prognosis factor in nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma patients with pre-existing intratumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
AB  - Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression represents a mechanism of immune
      escape by inhibiting T cell immunity. This study systematically evaluated the
      expression of PD-L1, spatial distribution of CD3+ immune cells and the
      relationship of both factors to survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)
      patients. A total of 209 NPC patients treated between 1991 and 2000 were
      included. Pairs of TMAs were immunohistochemically stained with PD-L1 and CD3.
      Survival analysis was evaluated according to PD-L1 status and the spatial
      distribution of CD3+ immune cells in the primary lesion microenvironment. PD-L1
      staining was observed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TILs);
      however, PD-L1-positive immune cells were more common (98/209) than PD-L1
      positive tumor cells (68/209). Limited numbers of intra-tumoral CD3+ T cells
      (median number: 20) were detected. Patients with higher CD3+ T cell infiltration,
      both intratumorally and peritumorally, had higher PD-L1 expression on tumor cells
      (both p < 0.001) and immune cells (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001, respectively).
      Increasing intratumoral CD3 infiltration was correlated with increased overall
      survival (OS) (p = 0.008) and disease-free survival (DFS) (p = 0.003).
      Nevertheless, patients with low levels of peritumoral TILs showed superior OS (p
      = 0.557) and DFS to those with higher levels of peritumoral TILs (p = 0.671).
      Moreover, type classification based on intratumoral CD3 infiltration and tumor
      cell PD-L1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for NPC patients. PD
      L1 expression on tumor cells is a favorable prognosis factor in NPC patients with
      pre-existing intratumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.

PMID- 28638741
TI  - Innate gammadeltaT17 cells play a protective role in DSS-induced colitis via
      recruitment of Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid suppressor cells.
AB  - Innate gammadelta T cells play critical roles in mucosal immunity such as
      regulating intestinal epithelial homeostasis. In addition, gammadelta T cells are
      significantly increased in the inflamed mucosa of patients with ulcerative
      colitis. However, gammadelta T cells are a heterogeneous population. IL-17
      producing versus IFNgamma-producing gammadelta T cells play differential roles in
      different disease settings. Therefore, dissecting the exact role of different
      subsets of gammadelta T cells in colitis is essential for understanding colitis
      immunopathogenesis. In the current study, we found that TCR delta-deficient mice
      had a more severe dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis that was reduced
      upon reconstitution of gammadeltaT17 cells but not IFNgamma-producing gammadelta
      T cells. Immunophenotyping of the cellular infiltrate upon DSS-induced colitis
      showed a reduced infiltration of Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid cells into the sites of
      inflammation in mice lacking gammadeltaT17 cells. Further experiments
      demonstrated that IL-17, IL-18, and chemokine CXCL5 were critical in Gr-1+CD11b+
      myeloid cell recruitment. In vitro T cell suppressive assay indicated that this
      Gr-1+CD11b+ population was immunosuppressive. Depletion of Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid
      cells resulted in an increase severity of DSS-induced colitis. Our study
      elucidates a new immune pathway involving gammadeltaT17-dependent recruitment of
      Gr-1+CD11b+ myeloid cells to the site of colitis inflammation important in the
      protection of colitis initiation and progression.

PMID- 28638742
TI  - An epigenetic modifier triggers therapeutic immune responses against breast
      cancer.

PMID- 28638743
TI  - Type-I-interferons in infection and cancer: Unanticipated dynamics with
      therapeutic implications.
AB  - If there is a great new hope in the treatment of cancer, the immune system is it.
      Innate and adaptive immunity either promote or attenuate tumorigenesis and so can
      have opposing effects on the therapeutic outcome. Originally described as potent
      antivirals, Type-I interferons (IFNs) were quickly recognized as central
      coordinators of tumor-immune system interactions. Type-I-IFNs are produced by,
      and act on, both tumor and immune cells being either host-protecting or tumor
      promoting. Here, we discuss Type-I-IFNs in infectious and cancer diseases
      highlighting their dichotomous role and raising the importance to deeply
      understand the underlying mechanisms so to reshape the way we can exploit Type-I
      IFNs therapeutically.

PMID- 28638744
TI  - Azacytidine prevents experimental xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease without
      abrogating graft-versus-leukemia effects.
AB  - The demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (AZA) has proven its efficacy in the
      treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. In addition,
      AZA can demethylate FOXP3 intron 1 (FOXP3i1) leading to the generation of
      regulatory T cells (Treg). Here, we investigated the impact of AZA on xenogeneic
      graft-vs.-host disease (xGVHD) and graft-vs.-leukemia effects in a humanized
      murine model of transplantation (human PBMCs-infused NSG mice), and described the
      impact of the drug on human T cells in vivo. We observed that AZA improved both
      survival and xGVHD scores. Further, AZA significantly decreased human T-cell
      proliferation as well as IFNgamma and TNF-alpha serum levels, and reduced the
      expression of GRANZYME B and PERFORIN 1 by cytotoxic T cells. In addition, AZA
      significantly increased Treg frequency through hypomethylation of FOXP3i1 as well
      as increased Treg proliferation. The latter was subsequent to higher STAT5
      signaling in Treg from AZA-treated mice, which resulted from higher IL-2
      secretion by conventional T cells from AZA-treated mice itself secondary to
      demethylation of the IL-2 gene promoter by AZA. Importantly, Tregs harvested from
      AZA-treated mice were suppressive and stable over time since they persisted at
      high frequency in secondary transplant experiments. Finally, graft-vs.-leukemia
      effects (assessed by growth inhibition of THP-1 cells, transfected to express the
      luciferase gene) were not abrogated by AZA. In summary, our data demonstrate that
      AZA prevents xGVHD without abrogating graft-vs.-leukemia effects. These findings
      could serve as basis for further studies of GVHD prevention by AZA in acute
      myeloid leukemia patients offered an allogeneic transplantation.

PMID- 28638746
TI  - A Quantitative Study on Anonymity and Professionalism within an Online Free Open
      Access Medical Education Community.
AB  - The increasing use of social media to share knowledge in medical education has
      led to concerns about the professionalism of online medical learners and
      physicians. However, there is a lack of research on the behavior of professionals
      within open online discussions. In 2013, the Academic Life in Emergency Medicine
      website (ALiEM.com) launched a series of moderated online case discussions that
      provided an opportunity to explore the relationship between anonymity and
      professionalism. Comments from 12 case discussions conducted over a one-year
      period were analyzed using modified scales of anonymity and professionalism
      derived by Kilner and Hoadley. Descriptive statistics and Spearman calculations
      were conducted for the professionalism score, anonymity score, and level of
      participation. No correlation was found between professionalism and anonymity
      scores (rho = -0.004, p = 0.97). However, the number of comments (rho = 0.35, p <
      0.01) and number of cases contributed to (rho = 0.26, p < 0.05) correlated
      positively with clear identification. Our results differed from previous
      literature, the majority of which found anonymity associated with
      unprofessionalism. We believe that this may be a result of the fostering of a
      professional environment through the use of a website with a positive reputation,
      the modelling of respectful behaviour by the moderators, the norms of the broader
      online community, and the pre-specified objectives for each discussion.

PMID- 28638745
TI  - Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease and Sleep Disorders: Insights into the Rising
      Epidemic.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death among adult men and women
      in the USA and impacts millions around the globe. Traditional risk factors for
      CVD include obesity, diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia. The modern-day
      epidemic of obesity not only increased the rate of CVD but also ushered in an
      additional CVD risk factor to be added to the list; that is obstructive sleep
      apnea (OSA). In this review, we discuss the growing epidemic of obesity and OSA,
      highlighting the common pathogenic hypotheses linking these risk factors to CVD.
      We will also highlight the therapeutic rationale of OSA as a way to reduce CVD
      risk.

PMID- 28638747
TI  - Health Care Disparities Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: A
      Literature Review.
AB  - About 3.5% Americans identify themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual while 0.3%
      identify themselves as transgender. The LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
      transgender) community belongs to almost every race, ethnicity, religion, age,
      and socioeconomic group. The LGBT youth are at a higher risk for substance use,
      sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity,
      bullying, isolation, rejection, anxiety, depression, and suicide as compared to
      the general population. LGBT youth receive poor quality of care due to stigma,
      lack of healthcare providers' awareness, and insensitivity to the unique needs of
      this community. The main objective of this literature review is to highlight the
      challenges faced by the LGBT youth and to enhance the awareness among physicians
      about the existing disparities in order to provide a more comprehensive, evidence
      based, and humane medical care to this community.

PMID- 28638748
TI  - Policy Address.

PMID- 28638750
TI  - Lecture by Sir Michael Marmot, President of the World Medical Association-Asking
      for the engagement of doctors in "Social Determinations of Health".

PMID- 28638749
TI  - JMA President Dr. Yokokura Was Elected to the WMA Presidency.

PMID- 28638751
TI  - The 2nd World Veterinary Association-World Medical Association Global Conference
      on One Health.

PMID- 28638752
TI  - Japan Medical Association's Efforts in Dealing with Dementia.

PMID- 28638753
TI  - Healthcare Delivery to a Repopulated Village after the Fukushima Nuclear
      Disaster: A Case of Kawauchi Village, Fukushima, Japan.

PMID- 28638754
TI  - Report on the World Medical Association General Assembly and the Junior Doctors
      Network Meetings, Taipei, 2016.

PMID- 28638755
TI  - From a Far Eastern Study Room.

PMID- 28638756
TI  - From the Editor's Desk.

PMID- 28638757
TI  - (BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(HCOO)5: An Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Conducting Magnet.
AB  - This month's cover picture results from Professor Bin Zhang's collaborative work
      between Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University (China). Since the
      discovery of high-temperature superconductors for hole doping on parent
      antiferromagnetic compound La2CuO4, the antiferromagnetic molecular crystal with
      a (4,4) grid copper-formate framework Cu(HCOO)2(H2O)4 and its deuterated compound
      (Cu(DCOO)2(D2O)4) have been studied extensively for supposed dual-functional
      molecular crystals. The cover picture shows the ideal situation by replacing
      intercalated H2O with an organic donor. The organic-inorganic hybrid (BEDT
      TTF)2Cu2(HCOO)5 is obtained through the electrochemical oxidation of neutral BEDT
      TTF in the presence of an ammonium salt of the 1D copper-formate framework
      [(C2H5)3NH]2Cu2(HCOO)5 in a C6H5Cl-C2H5OH solution. For more details, read the
      full text of the Communication at 10.1002/open.201700041.

PMID- 28638758
TI  - Virtual Issue: Advances in Electrochemistry.
AB  - Advances in Electrochemistry! This Virtual Issue on Advances in Electrochemistry
      highlights the rich diversity in the exciting and dynamic field of
      electrochemistry.

PMID- 28638759
TI  - Synthetic Approaches toward Monocyclic 3-Amino-beta-lactams.
AB  - Due to the emerging resistance against classical beta-lactam-based antibiotics, a
      growing number of bacterial infections has become harder to treat. This alarming
      tendency necessitates continued research on novel antibacterial agents. Many
      classes of beta-lactam antibiotics are characterized by the presence of the 3
      aminoazetidin-2-one core, which resembles the natural substrate of the target
      penicillin-binding proteins. In that respect, this Review summarizes the
      different synthetic pathways toward this key structure for the development of new
      antibacterial agents. The most extensively applied methods for 3-amino-beta
      lactam ring formation are discussed, in addition to a few less common strategies.
      Moreover, approaches to introduce the 3-amino substituent after ring formation
      are also covered.

PMID- 28638760
TI  - (BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(HCOO)5: An Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Conducting Magnet.
AB  - A dual-functional organic-inorganic hybrid (BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(HCOO)5 (1) (BEDT
      TTF=bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene) was obtained through the
      electrochemical oxidation of neutral BEDT-TTF in the presence of an ammonium salt
      of the one-dimensional copper-formate framework [(C2H5)3NH]2Cu2(HCOO)5 in a
      C6H5Cl-C2H5OH solution. Compound 1 was composed of organic donor BEDT-TTF+0?5 in
      a theta-phase arrangement and Jahn-Teller distorted (4,4) grid anion sheets
      [Cu2(HCOO)5-] n with S=1/2. We identified the material as a semiconductor with
      values of sigma300K=10-1 S cm-1. The anion sheet is a coordination isomer of
      [Cu2(HCOO)5-] n and, compared with the starting material, shows antiferromagnetic
      behavior as the well-known inorganic Cu-O, Co-O square layers for creating
      inorganic conducting magnets. Long-range antiferromagnetic ordering was observed
      at 8.0 K.

PMID- 28638761
TI  - Peroxidase Activity of a c-Type Cytochrome b5 in the Non-Native State is
      Comparable to that of Native Peroxidases.
AB  - The design of artificial metalloenzymes has achieved tremendous progress,
      although few designs can achieve catalytic performances comparable to that of
      native enzymes. Moreover, the structure and function of artificial metalloenzymes
      in non-native states has rarely been explored. Herein, we found that a c-type
      cytochrome b5 (Cyt b5), N57C/S71C Cyt b5, with heme covalently attached to the
      protein matrix through two Cys-heme linkages, adopts a non-native state with an
      open heme site after guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn?HCl)-induced unfolding, which
      facilitates H2O2 activation and substrate binding. Stopped-flow kinetic studies
      further revealed that c-type Cyt b5 in the non-native state exhibited impressive
      peroxidase activity comparable to that of native peroxidases, such as the most
      efficient horseradish peroxidase. This study presents an alternative approach to
      the design of functional artificial metalloenzymes by exploring enzymatic
      functions in non-native states.

PMID- 28638763
TI  - The Hidden Face of Wine Polyphenol Polymerization Highlighted by High-Resolution
      Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Polyphenols, including tannins and red anthocyanin pigments, are responsible for
      the color, taste, and beneficial health properties of plant-derived foods and
      beverages, especially in red wines. Known compounds represent only the emerged
      part of the "wine polyphenol iceberg". It is believed that the immersed part
      results from complex cascades of reactions involving grape polyphenols and yeast
      metabolites. We used a non-targeted strategy based on high-resolution mass
      spectrometry and Kendrick mass defect plots to explore this hypothesis. Reactions
      of acetaldehyde, epicatechin, and malvidin-3-O-glucoside, representing yeast
      metabolites, tannins, and anthocyanins, respectively, were selected for a proof
      of-concept experiment. A series of compounds including expected and so-far
      unknown structures were detected. Random polymerization involving both the
      original substrates and intermediate products resulting from cascade reactions
      was demonstrated.

PMID- 28638762
TI  - Reductive Deamination by Benzyne for Deoxy Sugar Synthesis Through a Domino
      Reaction.
AB  - Benzyne was developed as a reducing agent in the key step of converting amino
      sugars and ketoses into deoxy sugars, which occur widely in natural products.
      Many deoxy sugars exhibit antibiotic and anticancer activities, and furthermore,
      they play essential biological roles. By treatment with CS2 and then Ac2O, amino
      sugars and ketoses were converted into the corresponding 1,3-thiazolidine-2
      thiones. In the key step, these intermediates were treated with 2
      trimethylsilylphenyl triflate (2.0 equiv.) and CsF (3.0 equiv.) in MeCN at 25 
      degrees C to produce acyclic enol acetates in 60-63 % yields. Saponification of
      the enol acetates with NaOMe/MeOH followed by intramolecular cyclization afforded
      the target 2-deoxy sugars. The key step of the reductive deamination involved a
      domino 1,2-elimination/[3+2]-cycloaddition/retro [3+2]-ring-opening sequence. The
      generality of this new method was proven by the use of various substrates,
      including pentoses, hexoses, monosaccharides, disaccharides, aldoses, and
      ketoses.

PMID- 28638764
TI  - Small-Molecule Dengue Virus Co-imprinting and Its Application as an
      Electrochemical Sensor.
AB  - Polymers can be synthesized to recognize small molecules. This is achieved by
      introducing the target molecule during monomer self-assembly, where they can be
      incorporated during cross-linking polymerization. Following additional pre
      processing, the material obtained can then be applied as a sensing layer for
      these molecules in many applications. The sensitivity of the polymers depends on
      the "active sites" imprinted on the surface. Increasing the number of active
      sites on the polymers surface can be achieved by using nanoparticles as a
      platform to support and concentrate the molecules for imprinting. In this work,
      we report the first use of dengue virus as a supporting nanoparticle to make for
      a more effective polymer composite sensor for the detection of bisphenol A (BPA),
      which is an environmental contaminant. The dengue virus has a nanoparticle size
      of around 100 nm and its surface provides regions where lipids and hydrophobic
      compounds can bind, making it an ideal support. The mixing of BPA with dengue
      prior to monomer self-assembly led to imprinted polymer surfaces with much higher
      density BPA binding sites and a limit of detection of 0.1 pm. We demonstrate that
      a BPA-dengue co-imprinting polymer composite sensor shows a very high sensitivity
      for BPA, but with lower production costs and technical requirements than other
      comparable methods.

PMID- 28638765
TI  - Convenient and General Zinc-Catalyzed Borylation of Aryl Diazonium Salts and
      Aryltriazenes under Mild Conditions.
AB  - A convenient and general zinc-catalyzed borylation of aryl diazonium salts and
      aryltriazenes has been developed. With bis- (pinacolato)diboron as the borylation
      reagent, aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborate salts and aryltriazenes were transformed
      into the corresponding arylboronates in moderate to excellent yields under mild
      conditions. As a convenient and practical methodology, no additional ligands,
      base, or any other additives are required here.

PMID- 28638766
TI  - Metalate-Mediated Functionalization of P4 by Trapping Anionic [Cp*Fe(CO)2(eta1
      P4)]- with Lewis Acids.
AB  - The development of selective functionalization strategies of white phosphorus
      (P4) is important to avoid the current chlorinated intermediates. The use of
      transition metals (TMs) could lead to catalytic procedures, but these are
      severely hampered by the high reactivity and unpredictable nature of the
      tetrahedron. Herein, we report selective first steps by reacting P4 with a metal
      anion [Cp*Fe(CO)2]- (Cp*=C5(CH3)5), which, in the presence of bulky Lewis acids
      (LA; B(C6F5)3 or BPh3), leads to unique TM-substituted LA-stabilized
      bicyclo[1.1.0]tetraphosphabutanide anions [Cp*Fe(CO)2(eta1-P4?LA)]-. Their P
      nucleophilic site can be subsequently protonated to afford the transient LA-free
      neutral butterflies exo,endo- and exo,exo-Cp*Fe- (CO)2(eta1-P4H), allowing
      controllable stepwise metalate-mediated functionalization of P4.

PMID- 28638767
TI  - Novel 5-(Benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)pyridine-3-carbaldehyde (BTPA) Functionalization
      Framework For Modulating Fullerene Electronics.
AB  - Through a cycloaddition reaction, fullerene (C60) was derivatized with a novel
      organic compound 5-(benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)pyridine-3-carbaldehyde to form the
      processable and stable 3-(benzo[b]thiophene-3yl)-5-fullero-1
      methylpyrrolidinepyridine (BTFP) compound. BTFP exhibits close similarities to
      phenyl-C61-butyric-acid-methyl-ester (PCBM) in terms of first reduction potential
      values (-0.62 and -0.61 V vs. Ag/AgCl, for BTFP and PCBM, respectively) and
      lowest occupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level values (3.93 eV in both
      cases). In chloroform, BTFP exhibits a bathochromic shift in the lambdamax of
      BTFP (lambdamax,BTFP=290 nm and lambdamax,PCBM=260 nm), owing to the grafted
      benzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)pyridine moiety. Despite the similarity in LUMO (3.93 eV)
      energy values, BTFP and PCBM differ in their luminescence-quenching ability. The
      bathochromic shift in the lambdamax of BTFP (relative to PCMB) is likely to
      contribute to improved light absorption of a suitable donor for photovoltaic
      applications.

PMID- 28638768
TI  - Spin-Forbidden Branching in the Mechanism of the Intrinsic Haber-Weiss Reaction.
AB  - The mechanism of the O2?- and H2O2 reaction (Haber-Weiss) under solvent-free
      conditions has been characterized at the DFT and CCSD(T) level of theory to
      account for the ease of this reaction in the gas phase and the formation of two
      different set of products (Blanksby et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46,
      4948). The reaction is shown to proceed through an electron-transfer process from
      the superoxide anion to hydrogen peroxide, along two pathways. While the O3?- +
      H2O products are formed from a spin-allowed reaction (on the doublet surface),
      the preferred products, O?-(H2O)+3O2, are formed through a spin-forbidden
      reaction as a result of a favorable crossing point between the doublet and
      quartet surface. Plausible reasons for the preference toward the latter set are
      given in terms of the characteristics of the minimum energy crossing point (MECP)
      and the stability of an intermediate formed (after the MECP) in the quartet
      surface. These unique results show that these two pathways are associated with a
      bifurcation, yielding spin-dependent products.

PMID- 28638769
TI  - Deeper Insight into the Six-Step Domino Reaction of Aldehydes with Malononitrile
      and Evaluation of Antiviral and Antimalarial Activities of the Obtained Bicyclic
      Products.
AB  - The straightforward and efficient synthesis of complex aza- and carbobicyclic
      compounds, which are of importance for medicinal chemistry, is a challenge for
      modern chemical methodology. An unprecedented metal-free six-step domino reaction
      of aldehydes with malononitrile was presented in our previous study to provide,
      in a single operation, these bicyclic nitrogen-containing molecules. Presented
      here is a deeper investigation of this atom-economical domino process by
      extending the scope of aldehydes, performing post-modifications of domino
      products, applying bifunctional organocatalysts and comprehensive NMR studies of
      selected domino products. The thermodynamic aspects of the overall reaction are
      also demonstrated using DFT methods in conjunction with a semi-empirical
      treatment of van der Waals interactions. Furthermore, biological studies of seven
      highly functionalized and artemisinin-containing domino products against human
      cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 are presented. Remarkably,
      in vitro tests against HCMV revealed five domino products to be highly active
      compounds (EC50 0.071-1.8 MUm), outperforming the clinical reference drug
      ganciclovir (EC50 2.6 MUm). Against P. falciparum 3D7, three of the investigated
      artemisinin-derived domino products (EC50 0.72-1.8 nm) were more potent than the
      clinical drug chloroquine (EC50 9.1 nm).

PMID- 28638770
TI  - Sequential Uncaging with Green Light can be Achieved by Fine-Tuning the Structure
      of a Dicyanocoumarin Chromophore.
AB  - We report the synthesis and photochemical properties of a series of
      dicyanocoumarinylmethyl (DEAdcCM)- and dicyanocoumarinylethyl (DEAdcCE)-based
      photocages of carboxylic acids and amines with absorption maximum around 500 nm.
      Photolysis studies with green light have demonstrated that the structure of the
      coumarin chromophore as well as the nature of the leaving group and the type of
      bond to be photocleaved (ester or carbamate) have a strong influence on the rate
      and efficiency of the uncaging process. These experimental observations were also
      supported by DFT calculations. Such differences in deprotection kinetics have
      been exploited to sequentially photolyze two dicyanocoumarin-caged model
      compounds (e.g., benzoic acid and ethylamine), and open the way to increasing the
      number of functional levels that can be addressed with light in a single system,
      particularly when combining dicyanocoumarin caging groups with other
      photocleavable protecting groups, which remain intact under green light
      irradiation.

PMID- 28638771
TI  - Electronic pi-to-pi* Excitations of Rhodamine Dyes Exhibit a Time-Dependent Kohn
      Sham Theory "Cyanine Problem".
AB  - The longest-wavelength pi-to-pi* electronic excitations of rhodamine-like dyes
      (RDs) with different group 16 heteroatoms (O, S, Se, Te) have been investigated.
      Time-dependent Kohn-Sham theory (TDKST) calculations were compared with coupled
      cluster (CC) and equations-of-motion (EOM) CC results for pi-to-pi* singlet and
      triplet excitations. The RDs exhibit characteristics in the TDKST calculations
      that are very similar to previously investigated cyanine dyes, in the sense that
      the singlet energies obtained with nonhybrid functionals are too high compared
      with the CC results at the SD(T) level. The errors became increasingly larger for
      functionals with increasing amounts of exact exchange. TDKST with all tested
      functionals led to severe underestimations of the corresponding triplet
      excitations and overestimations of the singlet-triplet gaps. Long-range-corrected
      range-separated exchange and "optimal tuning" of the range separation parameter
      did not significantly improve the TDKST results. A detailed analysis suggests
      that the problem is differential electron correlation between the ground and
      excited states, which is not treated sufficiently by the relatively small
      integrals over the exchange-correlation response kernel that enter the excitation
      energy expression. Numerical criteria are suggested that may help identify
      "cyanine-like" problems in TDKST calculations of excitation spectra.

PMID- 28638772
TI  - Tin, Bismuth, and Tin-Bismuth Alloy Electrodeposition from Chlorometalate Salts
      in Deep Eutectic Solvents.
AB  - The electrodeposition of tin, bismuth, and tin-bismuth alloys from SnII and BiIII
      chlorometalate salts in the choline chloride/ethylene glycol (1:2 molar ratio)
      deep eutectic solvent was studied on glassy carbon and gold by cyclic
      voltammetry, rotating disc voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. The SnII
      containing electrolyte showed one voltammetric redox process corresponding to
      SnII/Sn0. The diffusion coefficient of [SnCl3]-, detected as the dominating
      species by Raman spectroscopy, was determined from Levich and Cottrell analyses.
      The BiIII-containing electrolyte showed two voltammetric reduction processes,
      both attributed to BiIII/Bi0. Dimensionless current/time transients revealed that
      the electrodeposition of both Sn and Bi on glassy carbon proceeded by 3D
      progressive nucleation at a low overpotential and changed to instantaneous at
      higher overpotentials. The nucleation rate of Bi on glassy carbon was
      considerably smaller than that of Sn. Elemental Sn and Bi were electrodeposited
      on Au-coated glass slides from their respective salt solutions, as were Sn-Bi
      alloys from a 2:1 SnII/BiIII solution. The biphasic Sn-Bi alloys changed from a
      Bi-rich composition to a Sn-rich composition by making the deposition potential
      more negative.

PMID- 28638773
TI  - beta-Octabromo- and beta-Octakis(trifluoromethyl)isocorroles: New Sterically
      Constrained Macrocyclic Ligands.
AB  - Presented herein is a study of the acid-induced demetalation of two sterically
      hindered copper corroles, Cu beta-octabromo-meso-triphenylcorrole (Cu[Br8TPC])
      and beta-octakis(trifluoromethyl)-meso-tris(p-methoxyphenyl)corrole
      (Cu[(CF3)8TpOMePC]). Unlike reductive demetalation, which affords the free-base
      beta-octabromocorrole, demetalation of Cu[Br8TPC] under non- reductive conditions
      (CHCl3/H2SO4) resulted in moderate yields of free-base 5- and 10-hydroxy
      isocorroles. The isomeric free bases could be complexed to CoII and NiII,
      affording stable complexes. Only reductive demetalation was found to work for
      Cu[(CF3)8TpOMePC], affording a highly saddled, hydrated corrole, H3[5-OH,10-H
      (CF3)8TpOMePC], where the elements of water had added across C5 and C10.
      Interaction of this novel free base with CoII resulted in Co[iso-10-H
      [CF3)8TpOMePC], a CoII 10-hydro isocorrole. The new metal complexes were all
      characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and, despite their
      sterically hindered nature, were found to exhibit almost perfectly planar
      isocorrole cores.

PMID- 28638774
TI  - Nature of the Ru-NO Coordination Bond: Kohn-Sham Molecular Orbital and Energy
      Decomposition Analysis.
AB  - We have analyzed structure, stability, and Ru-NO bonding of the trans
      [RuCl(NO)(NH3)4]2+ complex by using relativistic density functional theory.
      First, we focus on the bond dissociation energies associated with the three
      canonical dissociation modes leading to [RuCl(NH3)4]++NO+, [RuCl(NH3)4]2++NO, and
      [RuCl(NH3)4]3++NO-. The main objective is to understand the Ru-NO+ bonding
      mechanism in the conceptual framework of Kohn-Sham molecular orbital theory in
      combination with a quantitative energy decomposition analysis. In our analyses,
      we have addressed the importance of the synergism between Ru-NO+ sigma-donation
      and pi-backdonation as well as the so-called negative trans influence of the Cl-
      ligand on the Ru-NO bond. For completeness, the Ru-NO+ bonding mechanism is
      compared with that of the corresponding Ru-CO bond.

PMID- 28638775
TI  - Host-Guest Complexes of C-Ethyl-2-methylresorcinarene and Aromatic N,N'-Dioxides.
AB  - The C-ethyl-2-methylresorcinarene (1) forms 1:1 in-cavity complexes with aromatic
      N,N'-dioxides, only if each of the aromatic rings has an N-O group. The
      structurally different C-shaped 2,2'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide (2,2'-BiPyNO) and
      the linear rod-shaped 4,4'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide (4,4'-BiPyNO) both form 1:1 in
      cavity complexes with the host resorcinarene in C4v crown and C2v conformations,
      respectively. In the solid state, the host-guest interactions between the 1,3
      bis(4-pyridyl)propane N,N'-dioxide (BiPyPNO) and the host 1 stabilize the
      unfavorable anti-gauche conformation. Contrary to the N,N'-dioxide guests, the
      mono-N-oxide guest, 4-phenylpyridine N-oxide (4PhPyNO), does not form an in
      cavity complex in the solid state. The host-guest complexation and the relative
      guest affinities were studied through 1H NMR competition experiments in methanol.
      Single-crystal X-ray crystallography of the 1:1 complexes supports the proposed
      solution-state structures, also revealing strong hydrogen bonds between the host
      and the guests, not observed in solution owing to hydrogen/deuterium (H/D)
      exchange processes in methanol.

PMID- 28638776
TI  - Synthetic Approaches for the Preparation of Phosphoramidate Prodrugs of 2'
      Deoxypseudoisocytidine.
AB  - A synthetic procedure for the preparation of phosphoramidate prodrugs of C
      nucleosides is reported. Different phosphorochloridates were reacted with 3'-O
      protected N-acetyl-2'-deoxypseudoisocytidine or 3'-O-protected 2'
      deoxypseudoisocytidine, followed by acidic hydrolysis of the protecting group. In
      the presence of the N-acetyl moiety, the enolisable keto group of the nucleobase
      was able to react (like the 5'-OH) with the phosphorochloridates to give
      bisphosphorylated derivatives. Epimerisation (beta to alpha) occurred if the
      amino group of the nucleobase was unprotected. These side reactions demonstrate
      the peculiar behaviour of C-nucleosides compared to their nucleoside analogues.
      It was demonstrated that the first enzymatic activation step for this new class
      of prodrugs can be mediated by carboxypeptidase and that it follows the same
      pathway and rate reported for ProTides of more conventional nucleoside analogues.
      These new phosphoramidate derivatives deserve further investigation for their
      therapeutic potential as anti-cancer agents.

PMID- 28638777
TI  - Heterobifunctional Dyes: Highly Fluorescent Linkers Based on Cyanine Dyes.
AB  - Herein, we present a new synthetic route to cyanine-based heterobifunctional dyes
      and their application as fluorescent linkers between polymers and biomolecules.
      The synthesized compounds, designed in the visible spectral range, are equipped
      with two different reactive groups for highly selective conjugation under
      physiological conditions. By applying indolenine precursors with functionalized
      benzenes, we achieved water-soluble asymmetric cyanine dyes bearing maleimido and
      N-hydroxysuccinimidyl functionalities in a three-step synthesis. Spectroscopic
      characterization revealed good molar absorption coefficients and moderate
      fluorescence quantum yields. Further reaction with polyethylene glycol yielded
      dye-polymer conjugates that were subsequently coupled to the antibody cetuximab,
      often applied in cancer therapy. Successful coupling was confirmed by mass shifts
      detected by gel electrophoresis. Receptor-binding studies and live-cell imaging
      revealed that labeling did not alter the biological function. In sum, we provided
      a successful synthetic pathway to rigid heterobifunctional cyanine dyes that are
      applicable as fluorescent linkers, for example, for connecting antibodies with
      macromolecules. Our approach contributes to the field of bioconjugation
      chemistry, such as antibody-drug conjugates by combining diagnostic and
      therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28638778
TI  - Synthesis and Detonation Properties of 5-Amino-2,4,6-trinitro-1,3-dihydroxy
      benzene.
AB  - 5-Amino-4,6-dinitro-1,3-dihydroxy-benzene (6) was synthesized through the ring
      opening reaction of macrocyclic compound 4 with the aid of VNS (vicarious
      nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen) reaction conditions. The mechanism of ring
      opening of macrocyclic compound 4 was studied. 5-Amino-2,4,6-trinitro-1,3
      dihydroxy-benzene (8) was obtained after the nitration of 6 in KNO3 and
      concentrated sulfuric acid. The thermal stability, sensitivity, and other
      detonation performances of 6 or 8 were compared to commercially used 1,3,5
      triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene (TATB) or 1,3,5-trinitrotriazacyclohexane (RDX),
      respectively. All target compounds were characterized by using single-crystal X
      ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and differential scanning
      calorimetry. The sensitivities were determined by using BAM methods (drop-hammer
      and friction tests). Performance parameters, including heats of formation and
      detonation properties, were calculated by using Gaussian 03 and EXPLO5 v6.01
      programs, respectively. It is worth pointing out that compound 8 has a remarkable
      measured density of 2.078 g cm-3 at 298 K. In addition, compound 8 is more
      insensitive than RDX (compound 8: IS=11 J; RDX: IS=7 J; IS is the impact
      sensitivity).

PMID- 28638779
TI  - Emerging Trends in Phosphorene Fabrication towards Next Generation Devices.
AB  - The challenge of science and technology is to design and make materials that will
      dominate the future of our society. In this context, black phosphorus has emerged
      as a new, intriguing two-dimensional (2D) material, together with its monolayer,
      which is referred to as phosphorene. The exploration of this new 2D material
      demands various fabrication methods to achieve potential applications- this
      demand motivated this review. This article is aimed at supplementing the concrete
      understanding of existing phosphorene fabrication techniques, which forms the
      foundation for a variety of applications. Here, the major issue of the
      degradation encountered in realizing devices based on few-layered black
      phosphorus and phosphorene is reviewed. The prospects of phosphorene in future
      research are also described by discussing its significance and explaining ways to
      advance state-of-art of phosphorene-based devices. In addition, a detailed
      presentation on the demand for future studies to promote well-systemized
      fabrication methods towards large-area, high-yield and perfectly protected
      phosphorene for the development of reliable devices in optoelectronic
      applications and other areas is offered.

PMID- 28638781
TI  - Bioinspired Mechano-Sensitive Macroporous Ceramic Sponge for Logical Drug and
      Cell Delivery.
AB  - On-demand, ultrahigh precision delivery of molecules and cells assisted by
      scaffold is a pivotal theme in the field of controlled release, but it remains
      extremely challenging for ceramic-based macroporous scaffolds that are
      prevalently used in regenerative medicine. Sea sponges (Phylum Porifera), whose
      bodies possess hierarchical pores or channels and organic/inorganic composite
      structures, can delicately control water intake/circulation and therefore achieve
      high precision mass transportation of food, oxygen, and wastes. Inspired by
      leuconoid sponge, in this study, the authors design and fabricate a biomimetic
      macroporous ceramic composite sponge (CCS) for high precision logic delivery of
      molecules and cells regulated by mechanical stimulus. The CCS reveals unique on
      demand AND logic release behaviors in response to dual-gates of moisture and
      pressure (or strain) and, more importantly, 1 cm3 volume of CCS achieves
      unprecedentedly delivery precision of ~100 ng per cycle for hydrophobic or
      hydrophilic molecules and ~1400 cells per cycle for fibroblasts, respectively.

PMID- 28638782
TI  - Hot Hole Enhanced Synergistic Catalytic Oxidation on Pt-Cu Alloy Clusters.
AB  - Hot holes in Pt-Cu alloy clusters can act as catalyst to accelerate the intrinsic
      aerobic oxidation reactions. It is described that under visible light irradiation
      the synergistic alcohol catalytic oxidation on Pt-Cu alloy clusters (~1.1
      nm)/TiO2 nanobelts could be significant promoted by interband-excitation
      generated long-lifetime hot holes in the clusters.

PMID- 28638784
TI  - Coordination of Surface-Induced Reaction and Intercalation: Toward a High
      Performance Carbon Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - Oxygen-rich carbon material is successfully fabricated from a porous carbon and
      evaluated as anode for sodium-ion battery. With the strategy of optimal
      combination of fast surface redox reaction and reversible intercalation, the
      oxygen-rich carbon anode exhibits a large reversible capacity (447 mAh g-1 at 0.2
      A g-1), high rate capability (172 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1), and excellent cycling
      stability.

PMID- 28638783
TI  - Recent Advances of Activatable Molecular Probes Based on Semiconducting Polymer
      Nanoparticles in Sensing and Imaging.
AB  - Molecular probes that change their signals in response to the target of interest
      have a critical role in fundamental biology and medicine. Semiconducting polymer
      nanoparticles (SPNs) have recently emerged as a new generation of purely organic
      photonic nanoagents with desirable properties for biological applications. In
      particular, tunable optical properties of SPNs allow them to be developed into
      photoluminescence, chemiluminescence, and photoacoustic probes, wherein SPNs
      usually serve as the energy donor and internal reference for luminescence and
      photoacoustic probes, respectively. Moreover, facile surface modification and
      intraparticle engineering provide the versatility to make them responsive to
      various biologically and pathologically important substances and indexes
      including small-molecule mediators, proteins, pH and temperature. This article
      focuses on recent advances in the development of SPN-based activatable molecular
      probes for sensing and imaging. The designs and applications of these probes are
      discussed in details, and the present challenges to further advance them into
      life science are also analyzed.

PMID- 28638785
TI  - Hydrophilic Sponges for Leaf-Inspired Continuous Pumping of Liquids.
AB  - A bio-inspired, leaf-like pumping strategy by mimicking the transpiration process
      through leaves is developed for autonomous and continuous liquid transport
      enabled by durable hydrophilic sponges. Without any external power sources, flows
      are continuously generated ascribed to the combination of capillary wicking and
      evaporation of water. To validate this method, durable hydrophilic
      polydimethylsiloxane sponges modified with polyvinyl alcohol via a "dip-coat-dry"
      method have been fabricated, which maintains hydrophilicity more than 2 months.
      The as-made sponges are further applied to achieve stable laminar flow patterns,
      chemical gradients, and "stop-flow" manipulation of the flow in microfluidic
      devices. More importantly, the ease-of-operation and excellent pumping capacity
      have also been verified with over 24 h's pumping and quasi-stable high flow rates
      up to 15 uL min-1. The present strategy can be easily integrated to other
      miniaturized systems requiring pressure-driven flow and should have potential
      applications, such as cell culture, micromixing, and continuous flow reaction.

PMID- 28638780
TI  - Materials Design and System Construction for Conventional and New-Concept
      Supercapacitors.
AB  - With the development of renewable energy and electrified transportation,
      electrochemical energy storage will be more urgent in the future. Supercapacitors
      have received extensive attention due to their high power density, fast charge
      and discharge rates, and long-term cycling stability. During past five years,
      supercapacitors have been boomed benefited from the development of nanostructured
      materials synthesis and the promoted innovation of devices construction. In this
      review, we have summarized the current state-of-the-art development on the
      fabrication of high-performance supercapacitors. From the electrode material
      perspective, a variety of materials have been explored for advanced electrode
      materials with smart material-design strategies such as carbonaceous materials,
      metal compounds and conducting polymers. Proper nanostructures are engineered to
      provide sufficient electroactive sites and enhance the kinetics of ion and
      electron transport. Besides, new-concept supercapacitors have been developed for
      practical application. Microsupercapacitors and fiber supercapacitors have been
      explored for portable and compact electronic devices. Subsequently, we have
      introduced Li-/Na-ion supercapacitors composed of battery-type electrodes and
      capacitor-type electrode. Integrated energy devices are also explored by
      incorporating supercapacitors with energy conversion systems for sustainable
      energy storage. In brief, this review provides a comprehensive summary of recent
      progress on electrode materials design and burgeoning devices constructions for
      high-performance supercapacitors.

PMID- 28638786
TI  - Polyelectrolyte-Enrobed Cancer Cells in View of Personalized Immune-Therapy.
AB  - Targeting the immune system with a personalized vaccine containing cues derived
      from the patient's malignancy might be a promising approach in the fight against
      cancer. It includes neo-antigens as well as nonmutated tumor antigens,
      preferentially leading to an immune response that is directed to a broader range
      of epitopes compared to strategies involving a single antigen. Here, this paper
      reports on an elegant method to encapsulate whole cancer cells into
      polyelectrolyte particles. Porous and nonaggregated microparticles containing
      dead cancer cells are obtained by admixing mannitol and live cancer cells with
      oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, dextran sulfate (anionic polysaccharide),
      and poly-l-arginine (cationic polypeptide) prior to atomization into a hot air
      stream. It shows that the polyelectrolyte-enrobed cancer cells, upon redispersion
      in phosphate buffered saline buffer, are stable and do not release cell proteins
      in the supernatant. In vitro experiments reveal that the particles are nontoxic
      and strongly increase uptake of cell lysate by dendritic cells. In vitro
      assessment of antigen presentation by dendritic cells reveal the potential of the
      polyelectrolyte-enrobed cancer cells as promotors of antigen cross-presentation.
      Finally, it is demonstrated that the immunogenicity can be enhanced by surface
      adsorption of a polymer-substituted TLR7-agonist.

PMID- 28638787
TI  - Bioadhesive Bacterial Microswimmers for Targeted Drug Delivery in the Urinary and
      Gastrointestinal Tracts.
AB  - Bacteria-driven biohybrid microswimmers (bacteriabots), which integrate motile
      bacterial cells and functional synthetic cargo parts (e.g., microparticles
      encapsulating drug), are recently studied for targeted drug delivery. However,
      adhesion of such bacteriabots to the tissues on the site of a disease (which can
      increase the drug delivery efficiency) is not studied yet. Here, this paper
      proposes an approach to attach bacteriabots to certain types of epithelial cells
      (expressing mannose on the membrane), based on the affinity between lectin
      molecules on the tip of bacterial type I pili and mannose molecules on the
      epithelial cells. It is shown that the bacteria can anchor their cargo particles
      to mannose-functionalized surfaces and mannose-expressing cells (ATCC HTB-9)
      using the lectin-mannose bond. The attachment mechanism is confirmed by comparing
      the adhesion of bacteriabots fabricated from bacterial strains with or without
      type I pili to mannose-covered surfaces and cells. The proposed bioadhesive
      motile system can be further improved by expressing more specific adhesion
      moieties on the membrane of the bacteria.

PMID- 28638788
TI  - Histone deacetylases, microRNA and leptin crosstalk in pancreatic cancer.
AB  - Because pancreatic cancer (PC) historically has had poor prognosis and five year
      survival rates, it has been intensely investigated. Analysis of PC incidence and
      biology has shown a link between different risk factors such as smoking,
      alcoholism, and obesity and disease progression. Important factors affecting PC
      include the epigenomic changes driven by DNA methylation and histone acetylation,
      and actions of microRNA inducing oncogenic or tumor suppressor effects. Studies
      have identified markers whose dysregulation seem to play important roles in PC
      progression. PC markers involve classical histone deacetylases (HDAC), PC stem
      cell (PCSC), and leptin. In this review, we discuss the role of several PC
      biomarkers, and the potential crosstalk between HDAC, microRNA, and leptin in PC
      progression. Dysregulated expression of these molecules can increase
      proliferation, survival, PCSC, resistance to chemotherapy and tumor angiogenesis.
      The potential relationships between these molecules are further analyzed using
      data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and crosstalk pathways generated by the Pathway
      Studio Platform (Ariadne Genomics, Inc.). Oncogenic miRNA21 and tumor suppressor
      miRNA200 have been previously linked to leptin signaling. Preliminary analysis of
      PC biopsies and signaling crosstalk suggests that the main adipokine leptin could
      affect the expression of microRNA and HDAC in PC. Data analysis suggests that
      HDAC-microRNA-leptin signaling crosstalk may be a new target for PC therapy.

PMID- 28638789
TI  - Multidisciplinary approach of colorectal cancer liver metastases.
AB  - Large bowel cancer is a worldwide public health challenge. More than one third of
      patients present an advanced stage of disease at diagnosis and the liver is the
      most common site of metastases. Selection criteria for early diagnosis,
      chemotherapy and surgery have been recently expanded. The definition of
      resectability remains unclear. The presence of metastases is the most significant
      prognostic factor. For this reason the surgical resection of hepatic metastases
      is the leading treatment. The most appropriate resection approach remains to be
      defined. The two step and simultaneous resection processes of both primary and
      metastases have comparable survival long-term outcomes. The advent of targeted
      biological chemotherapeutic agents and the development of loco-regional therapies
      (chemoembolization, thermal ablation, arterial infusion chemotherapy) contribute
      to extend favorable results. Standardized evidence-based protocols are missing,
      hence optimal management of hepatic metastases should be single patient tailored
      and decided by a multidisciplinary team. This article reviews the outcomes of
      resection, systemic and loco-regional therapies of liver metastases originating
      from large bowel cancer.

PMID- 28638790
TI  - Evolving role of Sorafenib in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant diseases
      worldwide and comes third in cancer-related mortality. Although there is a broad
      spectrum of treatment options to choose from, only a few patients are eligible
      candidates to receive a curative therapy according to their stage of disease, and
      thus palliative treatment is implemented in the majority of the patients
      suffering from liver cancer. Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor, is the only
      currently approved agent for systemic therapy in patients with advanced stage HCC
      and early stage liver disease. It has been shown to improve the overall survival,
      but with various side effects, while its cost is not negligible. Sorafenib has
      been in the market for a decade and has set the stage for personalized targeted
      therapy. Its role during this time has ranged from monotherapy to neoadjuvant and
      adjuvant treatment with surgical resection, liver transplantation and
      chemoembolization or even in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. In
      this review our aim is to highlight in depth the current position of Sorafenib in
      the armamentarium against HCC and how that has evolved over time in its use
      either as a single agent or in combination with other therapies.

PMID- 28638791
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis and neoadjuvant treatment evaluation in
      locally advanced rectal cancer: A pictorial review.
AB  - High-resolution pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the primary method for
      staging rectal cancer. MRI is highly accurate in the primary staging of rectal
      cancer; however, it has not proven to be effective in re-staging, especially in
      complete response evaluation after neoadjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant
      chemoradiotherapy produces many changes in rectal tumors and on adjacent area, as
      a result, local tumor extent may not be accurately determined. However, adding
      diffusion-weighted sequences to the standard approach can improve diagnostic
      accuracy. In this pictorial review, an overview of the situation of MRI in the
      staging and re-staging of rectal cancer is exhibited as a pictorial assay. An
      experience- and literature-based discussion of limitations and difficulties in
      interpretation are also presented.

PMID- 28638792
TI  - Immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer: Unleash its potential through novel
      combinations.
AB  - Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality in both men and
      women in the United States, with poor response to current standard of care, short
      progression-free and overall survival. Immunotherapies that target cytotoxic T
      lymphocyte antigen-4, programmed cell death protein-1, and programmed death
      ligand 1 checkpoints have shown remarkable activities in several cancers such as
      melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer due to high
      numbers of somatic mutations, combined with cytotoxic T-cell responses. However,
      single checkpoint blockade was ineffective in pancreatic cancer, highlighting the
      challenges including the poor antigenicity, a dense desmoplastic stroma, and a
      largely immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this review, we will summarize
      available clinical results and ongoing efforts of combining immune checkpoint
      therapies with other treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and
      targeted therapy. These combination therapies hold promise in unleashing the
      potential of immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer to achieve better and more
      durable clinical responses by enhancing cytotoxic T-cell responses.

PMID- 28638793
TI  - Current state and controversies in fertility preservation in women with breast
      cancer.
AB  - On average, over 25000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 45
      annually in the United States. Because an increasing number of young women delay
      childbearing to later life for various reasons, a growing population of women
      experience breast cancer before completing childbearing. In this context,
      preservation of fertility potential of breast cancer survivors has become an
      essential concept in modern cancer care. In this review, we will outline the
      currently available fertility preservation options for women with breast cancer
      of reproductive age, discuss the controversy behind hormonal suppression for
      gonadal protection against chemotherapy and highlight the importance of timely
      referral by cancer care providers.

PMID- 28638794
TI  - Biological mesh reconstruction of the pelvic floor following abdominoperineal
      excision for cancer: A review.
AB  - Extralevator abdominoperineal excision and pelvic exenteration are mutilating
      operations that leave wide perineal wounds. Such large wounds are prone to
      infection and perineal herniation, and their closure is a major concern to most
      surgeons. Different approaches to the perineal repair exist, varying from primary
      or mesh closure to myocutaneous flaps. Each technique has its own associated
      advantages and potential complications and the ideal approach is still debated.
      In the present study, we reviewed the current literature and our own local data
      regarding the use of biological mesh for perineal wound closure. Current evidence
      suggests that the use of biological mesh carries an acceptable risk of wound
      complications compared to primary closure and is similar to flap reconstruction.
      In addition, the rate of perineal hernia is lower in early follow-up, while long
      term hernia occurrence appears to be similar between the different techniques.
      Finally, it is an easy and quick reconstruction method. Although more expensive
      than primary closure, the cost associated with the use of a biological mesh is at
      least equal, if not less, than flap reconstruction.

PMID- 28638795
TI  - Potential prognostic biomarkers in pancreatic juice of resectable pancreatic
      ductal adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Despite potentially curative surgery pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis.
      Serum cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) correlates with tumor burden, resectability
      and survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Identification of
      novel biomarkers may facilitate early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and improve
      survival. Pancreatic juice is a rich source of cancer-specific proteins rendering
      it a promising tool for identifying biomarkers. Recent proteomic and microRNA
      expression analyses have identified several biomarkers of potential diagnostic
      and prognostic value. Tumor markers CA 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
      are widely used in the characterization of premalignant and malignant lesions of
      the pancreas. Elevated level of CEA in bile is a marker for malignancy and a
      predictor of hepatic recurrence. The potential value of CA 19-9, CEA and lactate
      dehydrogenase as prognostic biomarkers in pancreatic juice and bile is unknown.
      Specimens of pancreatic juice and bile can be readily collected during surgical
      resection of the tumor. Profiling of pancreatic juice and bile to identify novel
      prognostic biomarkers may improve selection of patients for adjuvant therapy with
      a favorable impact on overall survival in patients diagnosed with pancreatic
      cancer.

PMID- 28638796
TI  - Levels of neutrophil gelatinase-assosciated lipocalin in patients with head and
      neck squamous cell carcinoma in Indian population from Haryana state.
AB  - AIM: To study the levels of neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) in
      head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: This was a non randomized
      case control study conducted at Department of Biochemistry, in collaboration with
      Regional Cancer Center over a period of one year. The study population included
      50 adult newly diagnosed HNSCC patients reporting in outpatient department at
      Regional Cancer Center and compared with 50 healthy controls. NGAL was estimated
      by ELISA technique. Student t test and chi2 test were applied for comparison of
      means of study groups. Correlations between groups were analyzed using Pearson
      correlation coefficient (r) formula. RESULTS: Patients with HNSCC exhibited
      significantly increased levels of NGAL (P < 0.05) as compared to healthy controls
      (978.88 +/- 261.39 ng/mL vs 34.83 +/- 7.59 ng/mL). Out of 50, 26 patients (52%)
      were in stage IV, 21 (42%) in stage III, 1 (2%) patient in stage II and 2 (4%)
      patients were in stage I. Metastasis was absent in 98% patients and mean NGAL
      levels were highest in these patients but P value was not significant. Mean NGAL
      levels were highest in stage IV [1041.54 +/- 222.15 ng/mL (stage IV) vs 1040 +/-
      0.00 ng/mL (stage I); 900 +/- 0.00 ng/mL (stage II) and 1031.90 +/- 202.55 ng/mL
      (stage III)] and chi2 test was highly significant (P < 0.001). Thirty-six
      patients (72%) were having moderately differentiated HNSCC and mean NGAL levels
      were maximum in patients with well differentiated HNSCC (1164 +/- 315.64 ng/mL vs
      1013.33 +/- 161.19 ng/mL in moderately differentiated and 890 +/- 11.55 ng/mL in
      poorly differentiated) and the results were also highly significant (P < 0.001,
      chi2 test). CONCLUSION: The present work demonstrates a potential role of NGAL as
      cancer biomarker and its use in monitoring the HNSCC progression.

PMID- 28638797
TI  - Recurrence-free survival as a putative surrogate for overall survival in phase
      III trials of curative-intent treatment of colorectal liver metastases:
      Systematic review.
AB  - AIM: To verify whether recurrence-free survival (RFS) surrogates overall survival
      (OS) in phase III trials for resectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).
      METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were consulted. Eligible studies
      were phase III trials testing any type of systemic therapy (neoadjuvant, adjuvant
      or perioperative) added to surgery in patients with resectable CRLM. A linear
      regression model based on hazard ratios (HR) of OS and RFS was performed.
      RESULTS: Of 3059 studies, 5 phase III trials (1162 patients) were included for
      analyses. A linear regression weighted by each trial was used to estimate the
      association between each HR and RFS. The originated formula was: OS HR = (0.93 *
      RFS HR) + 0.14; with RFS 95%CI (0.48-1.38), with P = 0.007. CONCLUSION: This
      association suggests that RFS could work as a putative surrogate endpoint of OS
      in this population, avoiding bigger, longer and more resource-consuming trials.
      The OS could be assumed based on RFS and our model could be useful to better
      estimate sample size calculations of phase III trials of CRLM aiming for OS.

PMID- 28638798
TI  - Robot-assisted laparoscopic vs open gastrectomy for gastric cancer: Systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the potential effectiveness of robot-assisted gastrectomy (RAG)
      in comparison to open gastrectomy (OG) for gastric cancer patients. METHODS: A
      comprehensive systematic literature search using PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane
      Library was carried out to identify studies comparing RAG and OG in gastric
      cancer. Participants of any age and sex were considered for inclusion in
      comparative studies of the two techniques independently from type of gastrectomy.
      A meta-analysis of short-term perioperative outcomes was performed to evaluate
      whether RAG is equivalent to OG. The primary outcome measures were set for
      estimated blood loss, operative time, conversion rate, morbidity, and hospital
      stay. Secondary among postoperative complications, wound infection, bleeding and
      anastomotic leakage were also analysed. RESULTS: A total of 6 articles, 5
      retrospective and 1 randomized controlled study, involving 6123 patients overall,
      with 689 (11.3%) cases submitted to RAG and 5434 (88.7%) to OG, satisfied the
      eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. RAG was associated
      with longer operation time than OG (weighted mean difference 72.20 min; P <
      0.001), but with reduction in blood loss and shorter hospital stay (weighted mean
      difference -166.83 mL and -1.97 d respectively; P < 0.001). No differences were
      found with respect to overall postoperative complications (P = 0.65), wound
      infection (P = 0.35), bleeding (P = 0.65), and anastomotic leakage (P = 0.06).
      The postoperative mortality rates were similar between the two groups. With
      respect to oncological outcomes, no statistical differences among the number of
      harvested lymph nodes were found (weighted mean difference -1.12; P = 0.10).
      CONCLUSION: RAG seems to be a technically valid alternative to OG for performing
      radical gastrectomy in gastric cancer resulting in safe complications.

PMID- 28638799
TI  - Bilateral diffuse grade 5 radiation pneumonitis after intensity modulated
      radiation therapy for localized lung cancer.
AB  - We are reporting a case of fatal radiation pneumonitis that developed six months
      following chemoradiation for limited stage small cell lung cancer. The patient
      was a 67-year-old man with a past medical history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and
      remote suspicion for CREST, neither of which were active in the years leading up
      to treatment. He received 6600 cGy delivered in 200 cGy daily fractions via
      intensity modulated radiation therapy with concurrent cisplatin/etoposide
      followed by additional chemotherapy with dose-reduced cisplatin/etoposide and
      carboplatin/etoposide and then received prophylactic cranial irradiation. The
      subsequent months were notable for progressively worsening episodes of
      respiratory compromise despite administration of prolonged steroids and he
      ultimately expired. Imaging demonstrated bilateral interstitial and airspace
      opacities. Autopsy findings were consistent with pneumonitis secondary to
      chemoradiation as well as lymphangitic spread of small cell carcinoma. The
      process was diffuse bilaterally although his radiation was delivered focally to
      the right lung and mediastinum.

PMID- 28638800
TI  - Prostatic adenocarcinoma oncocytic variant: Case report and literature review.
AB  - The oncocytic variant of prostatic adenocarcinoma is exceptionally rare with only
      4 cases reported in the English literature. Little is known about the clinical
      behavior of this variant of prostatic adenocarcinoma, because of the
      exceptionally low number of reported cases. The 2016 World Health Organization
      Classification of Tumors of Prostate does not recognize the oncocytic variant,
      again likely related to the exceptional paucity of reported cases. Here, we
      report the fifth case of the oncocytic variant of acinar type prostatic
      adenocarcinoma in an asymptomatic 64-year-old Caucasian American male with
      elevated serum prostate specific antigen (7.33 ng/mL; normal range 0-4.00 ng/mL)
      during routine blood screening for diabetes mellitus. At subsequent transrectal
      prostate biopsy, the right side of prostate was infiltrated by adenocarcinoma
      with tumor cells forming variably differentiated glands, including some poorly
      differentiated. Tumor cell nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio was low, with small to
      intermediate sized vesicular nuclei and only rare discernable small nucleoli.
      Cellular cytoplasm was characteristically granular pink with sharply defined cell
      membranes. Positive AMACR (P504S) epithelial immunohistochemical staining and
      absence of staining for prostatic basal cells confirmed the tumor to be primary
      prostatic adenocarcinoma. AMACR immunohistochemical staining was also helpful
      with accurate grading of the tumor due to the difficulty of differentiating tumor
      cells from residual prostate myocytes at routine hematoxylin and eosin (HE)
      staining. This new case adds to the exceptionally small number of previously
      reported cases of the oncocytic variant of primary prostatic adenocarcinoma. It
      also highlights the difficulty associated with Gleason scoring of the oncocytic
      variant by routine HE evaluation and the usefulness of AMACR (P504S)
      immunostaining for accurate grading of prostatic adenocarcinoma in the oncocytic
      variant.

PMID- 28638801
TI  - Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor Grade 1 patients followed up without surgery:
      Case series.
AB  - Among the three grades of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), the prognosis for Grade 1
      (G1) with surgery is very good. Therefore, we evaluated the prognoses of
      pancreatic NET (PNET) G1 patients without surgery. A total of 8 patients who were
      diagnosed with NET G1, with an observation period of more than 6 mo until surgery
      or without surgery, were recruited. The patients who underwent surgery were
      ultimately diagnosed using specimens obtained during the surgery, whereas the
      patients who did not undergo surgery were diagnosed using specimens obtained by
      endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration. Overall, we mainly
      evaluated the observation period and tumor growth. The observation period for the
      five cases with surgery ranged from 6-80 mo, and tumor growth was observed in one
      case. In contrast, the observation period for the three cases without surgery
      ranged from 17-54 mo, and tumor growth was not observed. Therefore, although the
      first-choice treatment for NETs is surgery, our experience includes certain NET
      G1 patients who were followed up without surgery.

PMID- 28638802
TI  - Target migration from re-inflation of adjacent atelectasis during lung
      stereotactic body radiotherapy.
AB  - Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a widely accepted option for the
      treatment of medically inoperable early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
      Herein, we highlight the importance of interfraction image guidance during SBRT.
      We describe a case of early-stage NSCLC associated with segmental atelectasis
      that translocated 15 mm anteroinferiorly due to re-expansion of the adjacent
      segmental atelectasis following the first fraction. The case exemplifies the
      importance of cross-sectional image-guided radiotherapy that shows the intended
      target, as opposed to aligning based on rigid anatomy alone, especially in cases
      associated with potentially "volatile" anatomic areas.

PMID- 28638803
TI  - Peptide Nucleic Acid Knockdown and Intra-host Cell Complementation of Ehrlichia
      Type IV Secretion System Effector.
AB  - Survival of Ehrlichia chaffeensis depends on obligatory intracellular infection.
      One of the barriers to E. chaffeensis research progress has been the inability,
      using conventional techniques, to generate knock-out mutants for genes essential
      for intracellular infection. This study examined the use of Peptide Nucleic Acids
      (PNAs) technology to interrupt type IV secretion system (T4SS) effector protein
      expression in E. chaffeensis followed by intracellular complementation of the
      effector to determine its requirement for infection. Successful E. chaffeensis
      infection depends on the E. chaffeensis-specific T4SS protein effector,
      ehrlichial translocated factor-1 (Etf-1), which induces Rab5-regulated autophagy
      to provide host cytosolic nutrients required for E. chaffeensis proliferation.
      Etf-1 is also imported by host cell mitochondria where it inhibits host cell
      apoptosis to prolong its infection. We designed a PNA specific to Etf-1 and
      showed that the PNA bound to the target region of single-stranded Etf-1 RNA using
      a competitive binding assay. Electroporation of E. chaffeensis with this PNA
      significantly reduced Etf-1 mRNA and protein, and the bacteria's ability to
      induce host cell autophagy and infect host cells. Etf-1 PNA-mediated inhibition
      of ehrlichial Etf-1 expression and E. chaffeensis infection could be
      intracellularly trans-complemented by ectopic expression of Etf-1-GFP in host
      cells. These data affirmed the critical role of bacterial T4SS effector in host
      cell autophagy and E. chaffeensis infection, and demonstrated the use of PNA to
      analyze the gene functions of obligate intracellular bacteria.

PMID- 28638804
TI  - PKC-eta-MARCKS Signaling Promotes Intracellular Survival of Unopsonized
      Burkholderia thailandensis.
AB  - Pathogenic Burkholderia rely on host factors for efficient intracellular
      replication and are highly refractory to antibiotic treatment. To identify host
      genes that are required by Burkholderia spp. during infection, we performed a RNA
      interference (RNAi) screen of the human kinome and identified 35 host kinases
      that facilitated Burkholderia thailandensis intracellular survival in human
      monocytic THP-1 cells. We validated a selection of host kinases using imaging
      flow cytometry to assess efficiency of B. thailandensis survival in the host upon
      siRNA-mediated knockdown. We focused on the role of the novel protein kinase C
      isoform, PKC-eta, in Burkholderia infection and characterized PKC-eta/MARCKS
      signaling as a key event that promotes the survival of unopsonized B.
      thailandensis CDC2721121 within host cells. While infection of lung epithelial
      cells with unopsonized Gram-negative bacteria stimulated phosphorylation of
      Ser175/160 in the MARCKS effector domain, siRNA-mediated knockdown of PKC-eta
      expression reduced the levels of phosphorylated MARCKS by >3-fold in response to
      infection with Bt CDC2721121. We compared the effect of the conventional PKC
      alpha and novel PKC-eta isoforms on the growth of B. thailandensis CDC2721121
      within monocytic THP-1 cells and found that >=75% knock-down of PRKCH transcript
      levels reduced intracellular bacterial load 100% more efficiently when compared
      to growth in cells siRNA-depleted of the classical PKC-alpha, suggesting that the
      PKC-eta isoform can specifically mediate Burkholderia intracellular survival.
      Based on imaging studies of intracellular B. thailandensis, we found that PKC-eta
      function stimulates phagocytic pathways that promote B. thailandensis escape into
      the cytoplasm leading to activation of autophagosome flux. Identification of host
      kinases that are targeted by Burkholderia during infection provides valuable
      molecular insights in understanding Burkholderia pathogenesis, and ultimately, in
      designing effective host-targeted therapies against infectious disease caused by
      intracellular pathogens.

PMID- 28638805
TI  - Increased Zinc Availability Enhances Initial Aggregation and Biofilm Formation of
      Streptococcus pneumoniae.
AB  - Bacteria growing within biofilms are protected from antibiotics and the immune
      system. Within these structures, horizontal transfer of genes encoding virulence
      factors, and promoting antibiotic resistance occurs, making biofilms an extremely
      important aspect of pneumococcal colonization and persistence. Identifying
      environmental cues that contribute to the formation of biofilms is critical to
      understanding pneumococcal colonization and infection. Iron has been shown to be
      essential for the formation of pneumococcal biofilms; however, the role of other
      physiologically important metals such as copper, zinc, and manganese has been
      largely neglected. In this study, we investigated the effect of metals on
      pneumococcal aggregation and early biofilm formation. Our results show that
      biofilms increase as zinc concentrations increase. The effect was found to be
      zinc-specific, as altering copper and manganese concentrations did not affect
      biofilm formation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed structural
      differences between biofilms grown in varying concentrations of zinc. Analysis of
      biofilm formation in a mutant strain lacking the peroxide-generating enzyme
      pyruvate oxidase, SpxB, revealed that zinc does not protect against pneumococcal
      H2O2. Further, analysis of a mutant strain lacking the major autolysin, LytA,
      indicated the role of zinc as a negative regulator of LytA-dependent autolysis,
      which could affect biofilm formation. Additionally, analysis of cell-cell
      aggregation via plating and microscopy revealed that high concentrations of zinc
      contribute to intercellular interaction of pneumococci. The findings from this
      study demonstrate that metal availability contributes to the ability of
      pneumococci to form aggregates and subsequently, biofilms.

PMID- 28638808
TI  - Introductory editorial to 30th anniversary edition.

PMID- 28638806
TI  - In vitro Increased Respiratory Activity of Selected Oral Bacteria May Explain
      Competitive and Collaborative Interactions in the Oral Microbiome.
AB  - Understanding the driving forces behind the shifts in the ecological balance of
      the oral microbiota will become essential for the future management and treatment
      of periodontitis. As the use of competitive approaches for modulating bacterial
      outgrowth is unexplored in the oral ecosystem, our study aimed to investigate
      both the associations among groups of functional compounds and the impact of
      individual substrates on selected members of the oral microbiome. We employed the
      Phenotype Microarray high-throughput technology to analyse the microbial cellular
      phenotypes of 15 oral bacteria. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to
      detect respiratory activity triggers and to assess similar metabolic activities.
      Carbon and nitrogen were relevant for the respiration of health-associated
      bacteria, explaining competitive interactions when grown in biofilms. Carbon,
      nitrogen, and peptides tended to decrease the respiratory activity of all
      pathobionts, but not significantly. None of the evaluated compounds significantly
      increased activity of pathobionts at both 24 and 48 h. Additionally, metabolite
      requirements of pathobionts were dissimilar, suggesting that collective
      modulation of their respiratory activity may be challenging. Flow cytometry
      indicated that the metabolic activity detected in the Biolog plates may not be a
      direct result of the number of bacterial cells. In addition, damage to the cell
      membrane may not influence overall respiratory activity. Our methodology
      confirmed previously reported competitive and collaborative interactions among
      bacterial groups, which could be used either as marker of health status or as
      targets for modulation of the oral environment.

PMID- 28638809
TI  - Dual peer mentoring program for undergraduate medical students: exploring the
      perceptions of mentors and mentees.
AB  - Background: Despite the advantages of dual peer mentoring, there are a few
      reports of implementing and evaluating such programs for medical students. This
      study aimed at exploring the perceptions of mentors and mentees about the dual
      peer mentoring program for the first year undergraduate medical students of
      Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This qualitative study was
      conducted at the end of the first year of implementing the mentoring program. All
      mentees and mentors were invited to participate in focus group discussions. Data
      were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. Results: All mentors (n= 12)
      and a group of mentees (n= 21) participated in focus group discussion sessions.
      We provided a variety of supports for the mentees including academic and
      psychosocial support and positive relationship; as a result, some developments
      occurred to the mentors We also explored participants' views on some unique
      aspects of the program such as student-authorized, dual mentoring, and role model
      sessions. Conclusion: Our participants found the mentoring program beneficial in
      various academic achievements and psychosocial supports for both the mentors and
      the mentees. Dual peer mentoring program can be an alternative to school
      administered programs.

PMID- 28638811
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of Eplerenone in treatment of cardiovascular diseases: a
      systematic review.
AB  - Background: No clear evidence is available on the cost-effectiveness of
      eplerenone in treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the present study aimed
      at systematically reviewing studies that have investigated this issue. Methods:
      This systematic review study was conducted in 2016. The required information were
      collected using key Mesh words from the following databases: Google scholar,
      PubMed, Science Direct, MagIran, SID, Scopus, and handsearching journals and the
      references of the selected articles. The quality of the selected articles was
      assessed by the Drummond's checklist. Results: Nine articles were included from
      296 articles found in the literature review. The selected studies have been
      conducted in 8 countries (The United States, Britain, Australia, Switzerland,
      France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Canada). In general, the costeffectiveness of
      eplerenone was investigated in 31 757 patients with cardiovascular diseases. The
      average of quality-adjusted life years (QALY) in studies with nonmodeling
      approach was equal to 0.0908 in Framingham approach, 0.0595 in Saskatchewan
      approach, and 0.1309 in Worcester approach. The overall average cost of treating
      cardiovascular diseases with eplerenone was equal to US$6694 in 1 year. Cost per
      additional (QALY) was estimated to be US$9478. Incremental cost-effectiveness
      ratio was high in the United States compared to European countries. The Average
      quality of articles was estimated to be 7.4 from 10. Conclusions: Based on the
      results of the studies reviewed in the present study, it seems that eplerenone
      has acceptable costeffectiveness compared with current treatments, placebo, and
      similar drugs.

PMID- 28638810
TI  - Common malignant cutaneous conditions among albinos in Kenya.
AB  - Background: Albinos in Africa are at constant risk of developing skin cancer due
      to the damage caused by ultra-violet exposure. This study identifies the common
      skin conditions among albinos in Kenya as a country located along the equator.
      Methods: In this descriptive study on albino patients who were admitted to
      Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya the census method was used for
      sampling and a total of 151 albinos were registered. All necessary data including
      age, gender, type, site and the number of skin lesions were recorded. Suspected
      patients with malignant and premalignant lesions were studied individually
      through skin biopsy and histopathological investigation. Finally, the collected
      data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Albinos with serious skin
      lesions were 121(80%) patients. Females were 64 (52.9%). The frequency of the
      following premalignant and malignant skin lesions including actinic-cheilitis,
      solar elastosis, actinic keratosis (AK), basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous
      cell carcinoma (SCC) were 17.88%, 11.92%, 37.08%, 7.94% and 5.29%, respectively.
      Hands (20.52%), face (19.20%), head (18.18%), shoulder (14.56%) and neck (7.94%)
      were the most affected areas by malignant and premalignant lesions. Conclusions:
      BCC was the most common type of cutaneous malignancy on the face and shoulders
      while AK was the most common cutaneous pre-malignancy on the hands and face in
      albinos in Kenya. Therefore, appropriate physical protection, avoiding any trauma
      when carrying sharp, heavy or rough instruments by the shoulder and hands, and
      finally urgent and quality treatment for any lesion even a small erosion and
      ulcer, especially on exposed areas in albinos, are recommended.

PMID- 28638812
TI  - How canola and sunflower oils affect lipid profile and anthropometric parameters
      of participants with dyslipidemia.
AB  - Background: Restricted intakes of saturated and trans-fatty acids and replacement
      with poly or monounsaturated fatty acids are emphasized in healthy diets. This
      study evaluates the effects of a six-month consumption of canola oil compared to
      sunflower oil on lipid profile and anthropometric parameters of people affected
      by dyslipidemia. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 96
      patients with dyslipidemia, who were randomly assigned into canola oil or the
      sunflower oil groups. The participants were instructed to record the contents of
      their daily meals, beverages, fruits, and snacks a day before treatment, at the
      second clinic visit, in the third month, and at the end of study (i.e., six
      months). Lipid profile and anthropometric parameters were compared between the
      two groups. Student t-test or Mann Whitney U test was used for statistical
      comparisons of variables between groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to
      adjust the confounding factor effects. Results: Of the enrolled participants, 44
      (45.8%) were on sunflower oil diet and 52 (54.2%) on canola oil diet. We observed
      no change in anthropometric parameters and thus no significant difference between
      the two groups (p>0.05). Significant reductions in LDL-C (p<0.001), total
      cholesterol (p<0.001) and triglyceride levels (p<0.001), and significant
      elevation in HDL-C (p=0.008) were observed in canola oil group, as well as those
      who used sunflower oil. Conclusion: Dietary fats in the form of canola oil or
      sunflower oil effectively lower the serum cholesterol, LDL-C and triglyceride
      concentrations. They also result in an increase in serum concentration of HDL-C.
      These oils, however, did not modify general anthropometric parameters.

PMID- 28638807
TI  - Translational Rodent Models for Research on Parasitic Protozoa-A Review of
      Confounders and Possibilities.
AB  - Rodents, in particular Mus musculus, have a long and invaluable history as models
      for human diseases in biomedical research, although their translational value has
      been challenged in a number of cases. We provide some examples in which rodents
      have been suboptimal as models for human biology and discuss confounders which
      influence experiments and may explain some of the misleading results. Infections
      of rodents with protozoan parasites are no exception in requiring close
      consideration upon model choice. We focus on the significant differences between
      inbred, outbred and wild animals, and the importance of factors such as
      microbiota, which are gaining attention as crucial variables in infection
      experiments. Frequently, mouse or rat models are chosen for convenience, e.g.,
      availability in the institution rather than on an unbiased evaluation of whether
      they provide the answer to a given question. Apart from a general discussion on
      translational success or failure, we provide examples where infections with
      single-celled parasites in a chosen lab rodent gave contradictory or misleading
      results, and when possible discuss the reason for this. We present emerging
      alternatives to traditional rodent models, such as humanized mice and organoid
      primary cell cultures. So-called recombinant inbred strains such as the
      Collaborative Cross collection are also a potential solution for certain
      challenges. In addition, we emphasize the advantages of using wild rodents for
      certain immunological, ecological, and/or behavioral questions. The experimental
      challenges (e.g., availability of species-specific reagents) that come with the
      use of such non-model systems are also discussed. Our intention is to foster
      critical judgment of both traditional and newly available translational rodent
      models for research on parasitic protozoa that can complement the existing mouse
      and rat models.

PMID- 28638813
TI  - Impractical CME programs: Influential parameters in Iran.
AB  - Background: Traditional approaches in Continuing Medical Education (CME) appear
      to be ineffective in any improvement of the patients' care, reducing the medical
      errors, and/or altering physicians' behaviors. However, they are still executed
      by the CME providers, and are popular among the majority of the physicians. In
      this study, we aimed to explore the parameters involved in the degree of
      effectiveness of CME program in Iran. Methods: In this study, 31 participants,
      consisting of general practitioners, CME experts and providers were recruited to
      participate in in-depth interviews and field observations concerning experiences
      with CME. Application was made of the qualitative paradigm along with the
      qualitative content analysis, using grounded theory data analysis methodology
      (constant comparative analysis). Results: Based on the participants' experiences,
      the insufficient consistency between the training program contents and the
      demands of GPs, in addition to the non-beneficiary programs for the physicians
      and the non-comprehensive educational designs, created a negative attitude to the
      continuing education among physicians. This could be defined by an unrealistic
      continuing education program, which is the main theme here. Conclusion:
      Impracticable continuing education has created a negative attitude toward the CME
      programs among physicians so much that they consider these programs less
      important, resulting in attending the said programs without any specific aim:
      they dodge absenteeism just to get the credit points. Evidently, promoting CME
      programs to improve the performance of the physicians requires factual needs
      assessment over and above adaptation of the contents to the physicians'
      performance.

PMID- 28638814
TI  - Congenital urogenital abnormalities in children with congenital hypothyroidism.
AB  - Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH), as one of the most common congenital
      endocrine disorders, may be significantly associated with congenital
      malformations. This study investigates urogenital abnormalities in children with
      primary CH (PCH). Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 200 children
      aged three months to 1 year, referred to Amir-Kabir Hospital, Arak, Iran. One
      hundred children with PCH, as the case group, and 100 healthy children, as the
      control group, were selected using convenient sampling. For all children,
      demographic data checklists were filled, and physical examination, abdomen and
      pelvic ultrasound and other diagnostic measures (if necessary) were performed to
      evaluate the congenital urogenital abnormalities including anomalies of the penis
      and urethra, and disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. Results: Among
      92 (100%) urogenital anomalies diagnosed, highest frequencies with 37 (40.2%),
      26(28.2%) and 9 (9.7%) cases including hypospadias, Cryptorchidism, and
      hydrocele, respectively. The frequency of urogenital abnormalities among 32
      children with PCH, with 52 cases (56.5%) was significantly higher than the
      frequency of abnormalities among the 21 children in the control group, with 40
      cases (43.4%). (OR=2.04; 95%CI: 1.1-3.6; p=0.014). Conclusion: Our study
      demonstrated that PCH is significantly associated with the congenital urogenital
      abnormalities. However, due to the lack of evidence in this area, further studies
      are recommended to determine the necessity of conducting screening programs for
      abnormalities of the urogenital system in children with CH at birth.

PMID- 28638815
TI  - Diabetic foot workshop: Improving technical and educational skills for nurses.
AB  - Diabetes mellitus as one of the most common metabolic disorders has some
      complications, one of the main ones is diabetic foot (DF). Appropriate care and
      education prevents 85% of diabetic foot amputations. An ideal management to
      prevent and treat diabetic foot necessitates a close collaboration between the
      health team members and the diabetic patient. Therefore, improving nurses'
      knowledge about DF care and advancement in the quality of care provided by the
      nurses could significantly improve diabetic foot prevention and management.
      Therefore, the aim of DF workshop was to improve technical and educational skills
      of the nurses to prevent and manage diabetic foot. Considering the vital role of
      the nurses in providing DF care, EMRI decided to conduct Diabetic foot workshop
      for them. The following five steps were designed for the 14 coordinating sessions
      in the workshop: Goals definition, deciding about attendees, location selection,
      creating agenda, and developing a follow-up plan. "Diabetic Foot Workshop for
      Nurses" provides appropriate training to DF nurses at the national level; and
      combining theory and practice in this workshop not only increases nurses'
      knowledge, but also improves their skills in the field of the diabetic foot.
      Providing education and care to patients by DF nurse specialists instead of
      general nurses could be an important output of this workshop, which may lead to
      DF prevention and amputation decrease in the long term.

PMID- 28638817
TI  - A Challenging Case of Hepatoblastoma Concomitant with Autosomal Recessive
      Polycystic Kidney Disease and Caroli Syndrome-Review of the Literature.
AB  - We report a rare case of an 18-month-old female with autosomal recessive
      polycystic kidney disease, Caroli syndrome, and pure fetal type hepatoblastoma.
      The liver tumor was surgically resected with no chemotherapy given. Now 9 years
      post resection she demonstrates no local or distant recurrence and stable renal
      function.

PMID- 28638816
TI  - Prevalence of asthma among Middle Eastern children: A systematic review.
AB  - Background: The prevalence of asthma and allergy has increased during the last
      decades, especially in children. However, little is known about it in the Middle
      East region. This systematic review is aimed to estimate the prevalence of asthma
      among the Middle Eastern children. Methods: Local and international scientific
      databases including SID, Iranmedex, Medline and Science Direct were
      systematically searched for relevant keywords including; asthma, prevalence,
      children, International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISACC) and
      the names of Middle Eastern countries for the period of 1996-2011. Papers in
      Persian and English which met the defined criteria were included into the study.
      Bibliographies of the extracted articles were also searched. After extraction of
      data, heterogeneity between studies and publication bias were measured using
      Egger's-test. Effect size was pooled by the random-effect model. Since
      significant heterogeneity was found between studies, univariate meta-regression
      analyses were done to assess the association of variables with the overall
      results. Results: Fifty studies in the Middle East examined the prevalence of
      asthma and allergy in children under the age of 18 years according to the ISAAC
      criteria and were included. A total number of 289,717 children were examined in
      the included studies and the prevalence varied from 0.7 % in Isfahan to 22.3 % in
      Bagdad. The total prevalence of diagnosed asthma was calculated 7.53 % (95% Cl:
      6.38-8.75). Prevalence of asthma in the 13-14 years age group was 7.57% (95% Cl:
      5.78-9.29) and in 6-7 years age group was 7.43% (95% Cl: 5.75-9.10). The
      prevalence of asthma among girls, based on random effect model, was 6.30% (95%
      Cl: 4.97-7.61) and among boys, it was 8.91% (95% Cl: 6.80-11.04). Conclusion: The
      prevalence of asthma in the Middle East is lower than most developed countries.
      However, there is not enough longitudinal data to estimate the trend over time.
      In order to have more accurate estimates and to provide evidence for proper
      planning, standard epidemiologic studies should be conducted in countries of the
      region.

PMID- 28638818
TI  - Effects of Anakinra on Health-Related Quality of Life in a Patient with
      1129G>A/928G>A Mutations in MVK Gene and Heterozygosity for the Mutation 2107C>A
      in CIAS1 Gene.
AB  - Mevalonate kinase deficiency impairs several aspects of the patient's quality of
      life, thus early diagnosis and treatment are required to improve health-related
      quality of life (HRQOL). A 15-year-old patient with double heterozygosity for the
      mutations 1129G>A and 928G>A in MVK gene, heterozygosity for the mutation 2107C>A
      in CIAS1 gene and hyper-IgD syndrome phenotype, has been treated with anakinra
      with a reduction of 50% in the number of fever episodes per month, a reduction of
      33% in the days of fever for each attack and normal blood tests in the
      intercritical phase. The RAND 36-Item Health Survey has been used for the
      assessment of HRQOL before and after the treatment with anakinra. The patient's
      quality of life showed an overall improvement of 27%; results showed a better
      improvement in role limitations due to physical health (50%).

PMID- 28638819
TI  - Testosterone Modifies Alterations to Detrusor Muscle after Partial Bladder Outlet
      Obstruction in Juvenile Mice.
AB  - Lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to posterior urethral valves (PUV) arise
      in boys during adolescence. The reasons for this have previously been attributed
      to increased urine output as boys experience increased growth. Additionally,
      there are few choices for clinicians to effectively treat these complications. We
      formed the new hypothesis that increased androgen levels at this time of
      childhood development could play a role at the cellular level in obstructed
      bladders. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the role of testosterone on
      bladder detrusor muscle following injury from partial bladder outlet obstruction
      (PO) in mice. A PO model was surgically created in juvenile male mice. A group of
      mice were castrated by bilateral orchiectomy at time of obstruction (CPO).
      Testosterone cypionate was administered to a group of castrated, obstructed mice
      (CPOT). Bladder function was assessed by voiding stain on paper (VSOP). Bladders
      were analyzed at 7 and 28 days by weight and histology. Detrusor collagen to
      smooth muscle ratio (Col/SM) was calculated using Masson's trichrome stain. All
      obstructed groups had lower max voided volumes (MVV) than sham mice at 1 day.
      Hormonally intact mice (PO) continued to have lower MVV at 7 and 28 days while
      CPO mice improved to sham levels at both time points. In accordance, PO mice had
      higher bladder-to-body weight ratios than CPO and sham mice demonstrating greater
      bladder hypertrophy. Histologically, Col/SM was lower in sham and CPO mice. When
      testosterone was restored in CPOT mice, MVV remained low at 7 and 28 days
      compared to CPO and bladder-to-body weight ratios were also greater than CPO.
      Histologic changes were also seen in CPOT mice with higher Col/SM than sham and
      CPO mice. In conclusion, our findings support a role for testosterone in the
      fibrotic changes that occur after obstruction in male mice. This suggests that
      while other changes may occur in adolescent boys that cause complication in boys
      with PUV, the bladder itself responds to testosterone at the cellular level. This
      opens the door to a new understanding of pathways that influence bladder fibrosis
      and could lead to novel approaches to treat boys with PUV.

PMID- 28638820
TI  - Dementia Literacy among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Urban China: A Cross
      sectional Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Delay in seeking diagnosis of dementia is common in China.
      Misinformation and poor knowledge about dementia may contribute to it. The study
      was designed to explore the nationwide dementia literacy among older adults in
      urban China and to investigate the factors associated with overall dementia
      literacy. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 3,439
      community-dwelling old adults aged 60 and over was recruited from 34 cities in 20
      provinces between June 20 and August 20, 2014. All participants were administered
      the face-to-face mental health literacy questionnaire, which included the
      prevalence, symptoms, intention, and options for treatment of dementia. Stepwise
      multivariate regression analysis was used to explore factors associated with
      overall dementia literacy. RESULTS: The response rate was 87.4%. The overall
      dementia literacy was 55.5% (SD = 20.9%) among all respondents. The correct
      response rate was higher for questions on symptoms (58.7-89.6%), but lower for
      questions on the prevalence (22.2%) and choosing appropriate professional care
      personnel (22.2%). Being male [OR = 1.256, 95% CI (1.022-1.543)], having lower
      per capita annual income [OR = 1.314, 95% CI (1.064-1.623)], lower education [OR
      = 1.462, 95% CI (1.162-1.839)], and suspected depression [OR = 1.248, 95% CI
      (1.009-1.543)] were negatively associated with overall dementia literacy.
      CONCLUSION: Dementia literacy among community-dwelling older adults in urban
      China remains very low, in particular about the impact of dementia and
      appropriate treatment personnel. Community educational programs aiming to close
      this knowledge gap are encouraged to focus on those in the population at highest
      risk of low dementia literacy.

PMID- 28638821
TI  - The TOR Signaling Pathway in Spatial and Temporal Control of Cell Size and
      Growth.
AB  - Cell size is amenable by genetic and environmental factors. The highly conserved
      nutrient-responsive Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway regulates
      cellular metabolic status and growth in response to numerous inputs. Timing and
      duration of TOR pathway activity is pivotal for both cell mass built up as well
      as cell cycle progression and is controlled and fine-tuned by the abundance and
      quality of nutrients, hormonal signals, growth factors, stress, and oxygen. TOR
      kinases function within two functionally and structurally discrete multiprotein
      complexes, TORC1 and TORC2, that are implicated in temporal and spatial control
      of cell size and growth respectively; however, recent data indicate that such
      functional distinctions are much more complex. Here, we briefly review roles of
      the two complexes in cellular growth and cytoarchitecture in various experimental
      model systems.

PMID- 28638823
TI  - Comparing the Effect of Animal-Rearing Education in Japan with Conventional
      Animal-Assisted Education.
AB  - An increasing number of teachers are introducing animals into their class so that
      pupils foster cognitive, physiological, and social skills through their
      interaction with animals. Along with such an educational style termed animal
      assisted education (AAE), Japanese formal education has also utilized animals for
      education. Japanese animal-rearing education is unique regarding the following
      two points: (1) it takes the form of "education through assisting animals" rather
      than "animals assisting education" and (2) animal rearing is embedded in formal
      education. While conventional AAE expects the benefit from the social support of
      animals, Japanese animal-rearing education expects benefit from nurturing and
      caring for animals. The present study aims to identify effective methods for
      using animals for education by highlighting the benefits of Japanese animal
      rearing education. An overview of Japanese animal-rearing education is followed
      by a critical review of empirical studies of conventional AAE and Japanese animal
      rearing education. Despite the differences in the educational styles, it was
      found that both systems commonly help children adapt to school. Additionally,
      conventional AAE were effective in enhancing cognitive and athletic ability of
      students and foster social skills, while Japanese animal-rearing education
      enhanced academic knowledge and skills and cultivated sympathy for animals and
      other people. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the experience of raising
      animals affects children's development for a long time even after children stop
      raising animals. In order to determine the effect of animal presence at school,
      however, more empirical studies with various viewpoints are necessary for both
      styles of education. Concerning Japanese animal-rearing education, the effects of
      the differences such as the amount of exposure to animals, developmental stage or
      character of individual children, the types of animals need to be controlled for
      a more sophisticated examination. Empirical studies show that preadolescence is
      one of the periods in which animal rearing has the greatest impact on children's
      development. It is suggested that through the program of raising school animals,
      conventional AAE obtains more a variety of effects in their interaction with
      animals.

PMID- 28638824
TI  - Dual Epidemics of Club Drug Use and Sexually Transmitted Infections among Chinese
      Female Sex Workers: New Challenges to STI Prevention.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate club drug use and its potential association with STI
      among female sex workers (FSWs) in China. METHODS: From November 2008 to January
      2009, participants were recruited at sex work venues in five cities for a
      questionnaire survey. Free testing for syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and
      Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) was provided. Logistic regression models were used to
      assess factors associated with club drug use and its association with STI.
      RESULTS: A total of 1604 eligible FSWs were included. The overall prevalence of
      any STI infection and club drug use in the past 12 months was 22.6% and 7.4%,
      respectively. STI prevalence was significantly higher among club drug users
      (33.1%) than among nonusers (21.7%, P < 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression
      found that club drug use was associated with younger age (AOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0,
      6.0), higher education, having injected drugs (AOR 24.4, 95% CI 6.2, 96.8), and
      having had STI symptoms (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4, 3.4). CONCLUSIONS: Club drug use
      and STI were highly prevalent among FSWs in China, especially among young FSWs.
      Club drug users had more risk behaviors and higher STI rates. A coordinated risk
      reduction framework is urgently needed to address the dual epidemic of drug use
      and STI.

PMID- 28638825
TI  - Thyroid Dysfunction in Non-Interferon Treated Hepatitis C Patients Residing in
      Hepatitis Endemic Area.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Association of thyroid dysfunction (TD) with interferon treatment of
      HCV is well known to clinicians. However, a few studies have highlighted the role
      of hepatitis C virus per se in the development of TD. The aim of this study was
      to know the prevalence of TD in non-interferon treated HCV infected patients
      referred for thyroid function testing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 557 ELISA
      positive HCV patients 446 (341 females, 105 males) were selected for this study.
      Serums FT4, FT3, and TSH were determined by radioimmunoassay method. RESULTS: TD
      was detected in 15.2% of patients: 9.0% hypothyroidism and 6.3% hyperthyroidism.
      In increasing order subclinical hypothyroidism, overt hypothyroidism, overt
      hyperthyroidism, and subclinical hyperthyroidism were found in 4.7%, 4.3%, 3.6%,
      and 2.7% patients, respectively. Overall TD was more common in female than in
      male HCV patients but the difference was not significant (16.1% versus 12.4%; p =
      0.648). Hyperthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism were slightly more common
      in female and overall hypothyroidism and overt hypothyroidism in male patients
      but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The incidence of
      TD was relatively high in patients above 36 years (median age) but the difference
      was not statistically significant either collectively or in gender base groups (p
      > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Prior to interferon treatment, HCV infection itself causes
      biochemical thyroid dysfunction in 15.2% of local HCV patients.

PMID- 28638826
TI  - Anxiolytics, Sedatives, and Hypnotics Prescribed by Dentists in Brazil in 2010.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe dental prescriptions for anxiolytics, sedatives, and
      hypnotics for Brazilian outpatients in 2010. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted using data on the use of anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics from the
      Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency, Brazil, 2010. For each prescription,
      prescribed drugs and the prescribed amount were identified. Prescribed
      medications were classified according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical code. We
      calculated the number of Defined Daily Doses (DDD) for anxiolytics, sedatives,
      and hypnotics by code, their mean DDD, and DDD per inhabitant per year. RESULTS:
      There were 16,436 prescriptions dispensed, including anxiolytics, sedatives, and
      hypnotics. These prescriptions corresponded to 3,555,780.50 mg, distributed as
      2,286,200.50 mg (64.30%) of anxiolytics and 1,269,580.00 mg (35.70%) of sedatives
      and hypnotics. This amount allowed treating approximately 474,106 individuals
      (number of DDD). The anxiolytics most frequently dispensed were bromazepam
      (25.30%), alprazolam (19.19%), and diazepam (15.60%). Sedatives and hypnotics
      mostly prescribed were zolpidem (9.55%), midazolam (6.99%), and flunitrazepam
      (2.14%). The per capita rates (100,000 inhabitants) of anxiolytics and
      sedatives/hypnotics were 6.83 and 1.78, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      Benzodiazepines and derivatives were the most frequently prescribed drugs. There
      was a low rate of dental prescriptions for anxiolytics, sedatives, and hypnotics,
      although excessive doses were concentrated in the same prescription.

PMID- 28638822
TI  - Extracellular Vesicles in Renal Pathophysiology.
AB  - Extracellular vesicles are a heterogeneous population of microparticles released
      by virtually all living cells which have been recently widely investigated in
      different biological fields. They are typically composed of two primary types
      (exosomes and microvesicles) and are recently commanding increasing attention as
      mediators of cellular signaling. Indeed, these vesicles can affect recipient
      cells by carrying and delivering complex cargos of biomolecules (including
      proteins, lipids and nucleic acids), protected from enzymatic degradation in the
      environment. Their importance has been demonstrated in the pathophysiology of
      several organs, in particular in kidney, where different cell types secrete
      extracellular vesicles that mediate their communication with downstream urinary
      tract cells. Over the past few years, evidence has been shown that vesicles
      participate in kidney development and normal physiology. Moreover, EVs are widely
      demonstrated to be implicated in cellular signaling during renal regenerative and
      pathological processes. Although many EV mechanisms are still poorly understood,
      in particular in kidney, the discovery of their role could help to shed light on
      renal biological processes which are so far elusive. Lastly, extracellular
      vesicles secreted by renal cells gather in urine, thus becoming a great resource
      for disease or recovery markers and a promising non-invasive diagnostic
      instrument for renal disease. In the present review, we discuss the most recent
      findings on the role of extracellular vesicles in renal physiopathology and their
      potential implication in diagnosis and therapy.

PMID- 28638827
TI  - Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy Is an Independent Risk Factor for Left
      Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.
AB  - AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the association between cardiovascular
      autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in
      type 2 diabetes patients. METHODS: 315 type 2 diabetes patients from inpatients
      of Drum Tower Hospital were included and classified into no CAN (NCAN), possible
      CAN (PCAN), and definite CAN (DCAN) based on cardiovascular autonomic reflex
      tests. The left ventricular diastolic function was assessed by tissue Doppler
      imaging echocardiography. RESULTS: The distribution of NCAN, PCAN, and DCAN was
      11.4%, 51.1%, and 37.5%, respectively. The proportion of LVDD increased among the
      groups of NCAN, PCAN, and DCAN (39.4%, 45.3%, and 68.0%, P = 0.001). Patients
      with DCAN had higher filling pressure (E/e' ratio) (10.9 +/- 2.7 versus 9.4 +/-
      2.8, P = 0.013) and impaired diastolic performance (e') (6.8 +/- 1.7 versus 8.6
      +/- 2.4, P = 0.004) compared with NCAN. CAN was found to be an independent risk
      factor for LVDD from the multivariate regression analysis (OR = 1.628, P = 0.009,
      95% CI 1.131-2.344). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that CAN was an
      independent risk marker for the presence of LVDD in patients with diabetes. Early
      diagnosis and treatment of CAN are advocated for preventing LVDD in type 2
      diabetes.

PMID- 28638828
TI  - Surveillance Program for Diagnosis of HCC in Liver Cirrhosis: Role of Ultrasound
      Echo Patterns.
AB  - International guidelines suggest ultrasound surveillance for hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC) early diagnosis in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, but 40% of
      nodules <2 cm escape detection. We investigated the existence of an ultrasound
      pattern indicating a higher risk of developing HCC in patients under
      surveillance. 359 patients with LC (Child-Pugh A-B8) underwent ultrasound
      screening (median follow-up 54 months, range 12-90 months), liver function tests,
      alpha-fetoprotein assay, and portal hypertension evaluation. Echo patterns were
      homogeneous, bright liver, coarse, coarse small nodular pattern, and coarse large
      nodular pattern. During follow-up 13.9% developed HCC. At multivariate analysis
      using Cox's model alpha-fetoprotein, coarse large nodular pattern, portal
      hypertension, and age were independent predictors of HCC development. Kaplan
      Meier estimates of HCC cumulative risk in relation to the baseline echo patterns
      showed risk of 75% in coarse large nodular pattern patients, 23% coarse small
      nodular pattern, 21% coarse pattern, 0% homogeneous, and bright liver echo
      patterns (log-rank test = 23.6, P < 0.001). Coarse large nodular pattern
      indicates a major risk factor for HCC as 40.7% of patients with this pattern
      developed HCC. Homogeneous and bright liver echo patterns and the absence of
      portal hypertension were not related to HCC. This observation could raise the
      question of possibly modifying the follow-up timing in this subset of patients.

PMID- 28638830
TI  - Abdominal Hernias, Giant Colon Diverticulum, GIST, Intestinal Pneumatosis, Colon
      Ischemia, Cold Intussusception, Gallstone Ileus, and Foreign Bodies: Our
      Experience and Literature Review of Incidental Gastrointestinal MDCT Findings.
AB  - Incidental gastrointestinal findings are commonly detected on MDCT exams
      performed for various medical indications. This review describes the radiological
      MDCT spectrum of appearances already present in the past literature and in
      today's experience of several gastrointestinal acute conditions such as abdominal
      hernia, giant colon diverticulum, GIST, intestinal pneumatosis, colon ischemia,
      cold intussusception, gallstone ileus, and foreign bodies which can require
      medical and surgical intervention or clinical follow-up. The clinical
      presentation of this illness is frequently nonspecific: abdominal pain,
      distension, nausea, fever, rectal bleeding, vomiting, constipation, or a palpable
      mass, depending on the disease. A proper differential diagnosis is essential in
      the assessment of treatment and in this case MDCT exam plays a central rule. We
      wish that this article will familiarize the radiologist in the diagnosis of this
      kind of incidental MDCT findings for better orientation of the therapy.

PMID- 28638831
TI  - Corrigendum to "Differences in Brain Metabolic Impairment between Chronic
      Mild/Moderate TBI Patients with and without Visible Brain Lesions Based on MRI".
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/3794029.].

PMID- 28638829
TI  - Mitochondrial-Targeted Molecular Imaging in Cardiac Disease.
AB  - The present study aimed to discuss the role of mitochondrion in cardiac function
      and disease. The mitochondrion plays a fundamental role in cellular processes
      ranging from metabolism to apoptosis. The mitochondrial-targeted molecular
      imaging could potentially illustrate changes in global and regional cardiac
      dysfunction. The collective changes that occur in mitochondrial-targeted
      molecular imaging probes have been widely explored and developed. As probes
      currently used in the preclinical setting still have a lot of shortcomings, the
      development of myocardial metabolic activity, viability, perfusion, and blood
      flow molecular imaging probes holds great potential for accurately evaluating the
      myocardial viability and functional reserve. The advantages of molecular imaging
      provide a perspective on investigating the mitochondrial function of the
      myocardium in vivo noninvasively and quantitatively. The molecular imaging
      tracers of single-photon emission computed tomography and positron emission
      tomography could give more detailed information on myocardial metabolism and
      restoration. In this study, series mitochondrial-targeted 99mTc-, 123I-, and 18F
      labeled tracers displayed broad applications because they could provide a direct
      link between mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac disease.

PMID- 28638832
TI  - The Response of Macro- and Micronutrient Nutrient Status and Biochemical
      Processes in Rats Fed on a Diet with Selenium-Enriched Defatted Rapeseed and/or
      Vitamin E Supplementation.
AB  - The response of nutrient status and biochemical processes in (i) Wistar and (ii)
      spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats upon dietary intake of selenium- (Se-)
      enriched defatted rapeseed (DRS) and/or vitamin E fortification was examined to
      assess the health benefit of DRS in animal nutrition. Twenty-four individuals of
      each type of rat were used: The control group was fed with an untreated diet
      (Diet A). In Diets B and C, soybean meal was replaced with defatted DRS, which
      comprised 14% of the total diet. The selenized DRS application resulted in ~3
      fold increase of Se content in the diet. Diet C was also fortified with the
      addition of vitamin E, increasing the natural content by 30%. The Se content of
      the blood and kidneys tended to increase in the DRS groups, where the changes
      were significant (P < 0.05) only in the case of SHR rats. The iodine (I) content
      and the proportion of iodide in rat livers indicated a lower transformation rate
      of iodide into organoiodine compounds compared to the control. Slight and
      ambiguous alterations in the antioxidative response of the rat were observed in
      the DRS groups, but the addition of vitamin E to the diet helped to moderate
      these effects.

PMID- 28638834
TI  - Personalized Consent Flow in Contemporary Data Sharing for Medical Research: A
      Viewpoint.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Health data personally collected by individuals with wearable devices
      and smartphones is becoming an important data source for healthcare, but also for
      medical research. OBJECTIVE: To describe a new consent model that allows people
      to control their personally collected health data and determine to what extent
      they want to share these for research purposes. METHODS: We developed, in close
      collaboration with patients, researchers, healthcare professionals, privacy
      experts, and an accredited Medical Ethical Review Committee, an innovative
      concept called "personalized consent flow" within a research platform connected
      to a personal health record. The development was an iterative process with
      informal meetings, semistructured interviews, and surveys. The final concept of
      the personalized consent flow was reviewed by patients and improved and approved
      by the same patients in a focus group. RESULTS: This concept could result in
      optimal control for individual users, since they will answer questions about how
      they will share data. Furthermore, it enables users to collect data for specific
      studies and add expiration dates to their data. This work facilitates further
      discussion about dynamic and personalized consent. A pilot study with the
      personalized consent model is currently being carried out.

PMID- 28638833
TI  - Isolation and Abiotic Stress Resistance Analyses of a Catalase Gene from Ipomoea
      batatas (L.) Lam.
AB  - As an indicator of the antioxidant capability of plants, catalase can detoxify
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by environmental stresses. Sweet potato
      is one of the top six most important crops in the world. However, its catalases
      remain largely unknown. In this study, a catalase encoding gene, IbCAT2
      (accession number: KY615708), was identified and cloned from sweet potato cv.
      Xushu 18. It contained a 1479 nucleotides' open reading frame (ORF). S-R-L, Q-K
      L, and a putative calmodulin binding domain were located at the C-terminus of
      IbCAT2, which suggests that IbCAT2 could be a peroxisomal catalase. Next
      generation sequencing (NGS) based quantitative analyses showed that IbCAT2 was
      mainly expressed in young leaves and expanding tuberous roots under normal
      conditions. When exposed to 10% PEG6000 or 200 mmol/L NaCl solutions, IbCAT2 was
      upregulated rapidly in the first 11 days and then downregulated, although
      different tissues showed different degree of change. Overexpression of IbCAT2
      conferred salt and drought tolerance in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae. The positive response of IbCAT2 to abiotic stresses suggested that
      IbCAT2 might play an important role in stress responses.

PMID- 28638835
TI  - Quality Improvement Interventions for Nutritional Assessment among Pregnant
      Mothers in Northeastern Uganda.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Assessment of pregnant mothers for nutritional status is a
      neglected intervention. In Kaabong Hospital, nutritional status of pregnant
      mothers was not assessed during antenatal care (ANC) visits. A quality
      improvement (QI) project was initiated to increase nutritional assessment using
      midupper arm circumference (MUAC) among pregnant mothers during ANC visits from 0
      to 90% between April and September 2015. METHOD: Baylor-Uganda formed ANC Work
      Improvement Team (WIT) that reviewed ANC register, identified gaps in quality of
      care, analyzed root causes using cause-effect diagram, developed solutions, and
      tested and implemented the solution using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles. Planned and
      tested changes included the provision of anthropometric tools, integrated ANC
      register, and data use. RESULT: In April 2015 (baseline), none (0/235) of the
      pregnant women were assessed for nutritional status using MUAC. Following QI
      interventions, nutritional assessment improved to 79% (200/252) in May 2015 and
      to 100% (241/241) in June 2015. The 100% performance was sustained until August
      2016. Overall, 39 cases of malnutrition-1 (2.6%) severe (MUAC < 19.0 cm) and 38
      (97.4%) moderate acute malnutrition (MUAC 19-22.0 cm)-were identified and linked
      to nutritional rehabilitation program. CONCLUSION: QI interventions are critical
      in achieving high rates of nutritional status assessment and identifying
      malnourished pregnant women during ANC visits.

PMID- 28638836
TI  - Detecting the Candidate Gender Determinants by Bioinformatic Prediction of miRNAs
      and Their Targets from Transcriptome Sequences of the Male and Female Flowers in
      Salix suchowensis.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a class of small, noncoding, and endogenous single
      stranded RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional
      level. Potential miRNAs can be identified based on sequence homology since miRNAs
      are highly conserved in plants. In this study, we aligned the expressed sequence
      tags derived from flower buds of male and female S. suchowensis to miRNAs in the
      miRBase, which enable us to identify 34 potential miRNAs from flower buds of the
      alternate sexes. Among them, 11 were from the female and 23 were from the male.
      Analyzing sequence complementarity led to identification of 124 and 55 miRNA
      targets in the male and female flower buds, respectively. By mapping the target
      genes of the predicted miRNAs to the sequence assemblies of S. suchowensis, a
      miR156 mediated gene was detected at the gender locus of willow, which was a
      transcription factor involved in flower development. It is noteworthy that this
      target is not expressed in male flower, while it is expressed fairly highly in
      female flower based on the transcriptome data derived from the alternate sexes of
      willows. This study provides new bioinformatic clue for further exploring the
      genetic mechanism underlying gender determination in willows.

PMID- 28638838
TI  - Kaposi Sarcoma Mimicking Acute Flare of Ulcerative Colitis.
AB  - Besides an AIDS-defining illness, Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is also seen in individuals
      on long-term immunosuppressant therapy. We report KS in a 70-year-old
      immunocompetent man, which initially mimicked acute flare of ulcerative colitis
      (UC). He was hospitalized multiple times for complaints of watery diarrhea and
      tenesmus. Despite treatment with mesalamine, short courses of methylprednisolone,
      and one dose of infliximab, his symptoms improved only partially. He underwent
      colonoscopy, which revealed mild active colitis and a mass in the ascending
      colon. After treatment of acute flare with methylprednisone and mesalamine, he
      underwent total colectomy with end ileostomy. The histopathology confirmed stage
      I adenocarcinoma of colon. He continued to experience watery diarrhea, which was
      attributed to intractable UC, and he underwent protectomy several weeks later.
      The histopathology of rectum revealed KS. After surgery, watery diarrhea resolved
      completely. Review of literature suggests KS has been rarely reported in
      immunocompetent individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.

PMID- 28638837
TI  - Validation of a Novel Immunoline Assay for Patient Stratification according to
      Virulence of the Infecting Helicobacter pylori Strain and Eradication Status.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori infection shows a worldwide prevalence of around 50%.
      However, only a minority of infected individuals develop clinical symptoms or
      diseases. The presence of H. pylori virulence factors, such as CagA and VacA, has
      been associated with disease development, but assessment of virulence factor
      presence requires gastric biopsies. Here, we evaluate the H. pylori recomLine
      test for risk stratification of infected patients by comparing the test score and
      immune recognition of type I or type II strains defined by the virulence factors
      CagA, VacA, GroEL, UreA, HcpC, and gGT with patient's disease status according to
      histology. Moreover, the immune responses of eradicated individuals from two
      different populations were analysed. Their immune response frequencies and
      intensities against all antigens except CagA declined below the detection limit.
      CagA was particularly long lasting in both independent populations. An isolated
      CagA band often represents past eradication with a likelihood of 88.7%. In
      addition, a high recomLine score was significantly associated with high-grade
      gastritis, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer. Thus, the
      recomLine is a sensitive and specific noninvasive test for detecting serum
      responses against H. pylori in actively infected and eradicated individuals.
      Moreover, it allows stratifying patients according to their disease state.

PMID- 28638839
TI  - Broken Heart Syndrome in a Patient on Maintenance Hemodialysis.
AB  - Context:Broken heart syndrome or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a disorder
      characterized by transient left ventricular apical ballooning that almost
      invariably precedes emotional or physical stress. Although the patients with
      chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis have shown to exhibit sustained activity
      of sympathetic nervous system, the presentation of TC in these patients is a rare
      entity with few case reports in the literature. Case Report: A 75-year-old female
      with past medical history of end-stage renal disease presented with chest
      pressure and heaviness that started during her maintenance hemodialysis session.
      Electrocardiogram showed ST elevation and T wave inversion in V3-V6 leads.
      Emergent left heart catheterization was done that showed normal coronaries and
      akinesis of apical left ventricle wall consistent with TC. She was started on
      maximal medical management and underwent hemodialysis the next day without
      recurrence of the symptoms. Conclusion: TC may an underdiagnosed entity in
      patients on hemodialysis. However, it should be considered in the differential
      diagnosis in hemodialysis patients, particularly who presents with chest pain
      and/or symptoms.

PMID- 28638840
TI  - Epidemiology of Injuries in Stand-Up Paddle Boarding.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is a recreational activity and sport
      that has grown exponentially, with participation increasing from 1.1 million in
      2010 to 2.8 million in 2014 in the United States alone. Despite this growth in
      participation, SUP remains underresearched with regard to injury epidemiology.
      PURPOSE: To investigate injury epidemiology (severity, location, type, mechanism)
      in SUP. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: An open-source
      online survey was administered to active SUP participants internationally. The
      survey captured information relevant to demographics, participation, and injury
      history over the past 12 months. RESULTS: Of 240 participants included in the
      data analysis, 67.1% were males, and 54.6% were involved in competition.
      Participants spent a mean 192.6 +/- 179.5 hours participating in SUP per year,
      most commonly for fun and fitness (43.3%) at the beach or bay (63.0%). A total of
      95 participants had sustained at least 1 injury. A total of 161 injuries were
      recorded, resulting in an injury rate of 3.63 (95% CI, 3.04-4.16) per 1000 hours
      of SUP. The shoulder/upper arm was the most frequently injured body location,
      accounting for 32.9% of all injuries, followed by the lower back (14.3%) and the
      elbow/forearm (11.8%). The most common injury types were to muscle/tendon
      (50.4%), joint/ligament (22.6%), and skin (14.2%). Endurance paddling was the
      most frequently reported mechanism of injury (34.5%), followed by contact with a
      paddler's own board (20.1%) and sprint paddling (9.3%). Key risk factors for
      sustaining an injury were age >46 years, competitive status, and participating
      for >4.8 hours/week, as well as using SUP for racing. CONCLUSION: This is the
      first study to report injury epidemiology for SUP. It is evident that both sexes
      participate in SUP for fun, fitness, and competition. With regard to injuries,
      the shoulder, lower back, and elbow are the most injury prone; older age,
      competitive status, and longer hours of participation all influenced the chance
      of injury. Findings from this study provide the foundation for injury prevention
      strategies.

PMID- 28638841
TI  - Economic Barriers in the Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infection With Oral
      Vancomycin.
AB  - Vancomycin is an increasingly important option for the treatment of Clostridium
      difficile infection, but economic barriers to its use remain significant in the
      outpatient setting. Generic vancomycin capsules are still inexplicably expensive
      and not universally covered by insurers. This report highlights the potential
      adverse consequences of cost-related nonadherence to vancomycin therapy and the
      challenges that clinicians face when prescribing oral vancomycin.

PMID- 28638842
TI  - Choosing Wisely Overnight? Residents' Approach to Fever.
AB  - We surveyed internal medicine residents regarding how they approach febrile
      patients in cross-cover settings. Residents frequently use the term "full fever
      work-up," and rely on this for sign-out. Despite this, residents felt fever work
      ups were not evidenced-based, and definitions of when and how to respond to a
      fever varied.

PMID- 28638843
TI  - Susceptibility to Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis Associated With Idiopathic
      CD4+ Lymphopenia and Secondary Germline or Acquired Defects.
AB  - Idiopathic CD4+ lymphopenia (ICL) predisposes to opportunistic infections (OIs)
      but can often remain asymptomatic and does not have a strong association with
      monogenic mutations. Likewise, cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, the most common
      OI in ICL, is not strongly associated with monogenic mutations. In this study, we
      describe 2 patients with ICL plus an additional immune defect: one from an E57K
      genetic mutation in the nuclear factor-kappabeta essential modulator, and the
      other with acquired autoantibodies to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor. Thus, these cases may exemplify a "multi-hit model" in patients with ICL
      who acquire OIs.

PMID- 28638844
TI  - Predictors of Unplanned Hospitalization in Patients Receiving Outpatient
      Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Across a Large Integrated Healthcare Network.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) prescribing has
      increased along with the trend toward early discharge of hospitalized patients
      who have infections. There is limited literature that assesses unplanned
      hospitalizations during OPAT. This study aims to elucidate the predictors of
      unplanned hospitalization in OPAT patients after discharge from acute-care
      facilities within Carolinas HealthCare System (CHS). Understanding these
      predictors may inform future interventions to improve treatment efficacy and
      patient outcomes. METHODS: The study cohort included hospitalized patients aged
      >19 years who initiated OPAT in an acute-care facility within CHS in 2014-2015.
      Patients who had OPAT prescribed at an ambulatory-care facility were excluded.
      The primary outcome was unplanned hospitalization anytime during the at-risk time
      from discharge through 90 days. RESULTS: The unplanned hospitalization rate for
      the cohort was 18.5%. In adjusted analysis, having OPAT delivered at a skilled
      nursing facility was associated with a 46% (incident risk ratio = 1.46; 95%
      confidence interval = 1.04-2.06) increased risk of an unplanned hospitalization
      compared with patients receiving OPAT at home after adjustment for demographics,
      comorbidities, indication, treatment duration, and antimicrobial prescribed.
      Infusion, dialysis, and rehabilitation centers had the lowest rates of unplanned
      hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the location of OPAT
      delivery is associated with unplanned hospitalizations and that older patients
      need additional support during OPAT.

PMID- 28638846
TI  - The Pandemic H30 Subclone of Sequence Type 131 (ST131) as the Leading Cause of
      Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Infections in the United States (2011-2012).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extraintestinal Escherichia coli infections are increasingly
      challenging due to emerging antimicrobial resistance, including resistance to
      extended-spectrum beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones. Sequence type 131 (ST131) is
      a leading contributor. METHODS: Three hundred sixty E. coli clinical isolates
      from across the United States (2011-2012), selected randomly from the SENTRY
      collection within 3 resistance categories (extended-spectrum cephalosporin [ECS]
      reduced susceptibility [RS]; fluoroquinolone-resistant, ESC-susceptible; and
      fluoroquinolone-susceptible, ESC-susceptible) were typed for phylogroup, sequence
      type complex (STc), subsets thereof, virulence genotype, O type, and beta
      lactamase genes. Molecular results were compared with susceptibility profile,
      specimen type, age, and sex. RESULTS: Phylogroup B2 accounted for most isolates,
      especially fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates (83%). Group B2-derived ST131 and
      its H30 subclone (divided between H30Rx and H30R1) predominated, especially among
      ESC-RS and fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates. In contrast, among fluoroquinolone
      susceptible isolates, group B2-derived STc73 and STc95 predominated. Within each
      resistance category, ST131 isolates exhibited more extensive resistance and/or
      virulence profiles than non-ST131 isolates. ST131-H30 was distributed broadly by
      geographical region, age, and specimen type and exhibited distinctive beta
      lactamase genes. Back-calculations indicated that within the source population
      ST131 accounted for 26.4% of isolates overall (vs 17% in 2007), including 19.8%
      ST131-H30, 13.2% ST131-H30R1, and 6.6% each ST131-H30Rx and non-H30 ST131.
      CONCLUSIONS: ST131-H30, with its ESC resistance-associated H30Rx subset, caused
      most antimicrobial-resistant E. coli infections across the United States in 2011
      2012 and, since 2007, increased in relative prevalence by >50%. Focused attention
      to this strain could help combat the current E. coli resistance epidemic.

PMID- 28638845
TI  - Detection of the Northeastern African Rift Valley Fever Virus Lineage During the
      2015 Outbreak in Mauritania.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an acute viral anthropozoonosis that
      causes epizootics and epidemics among livestock population and humans. Multiple
      emergences and reemergences of the virus have occurred in Mauritania over the
      last decade. This article describes the outbreak that occurred in 2015 in
      Mauritania and reports the results of serological and molecular investigations of
      blood samples collected from suspected RVF patients. METHODS: An RVF outbreak was
      reported from 14 September to 26 November 2015 in Mauritania. Overall, 184
      suspected cases from different localities were identified by 26 health
      facilities. Blood samples were collected and tested by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain
      reaction (RT-PCR) at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD). Sequencing of partial
      genomes and phylogenetic analyses were performed on RT-PCR-positive samples. As
      part of routine surveillance at IPD, samples were also screened for dengue,
      yellow fever, West Nile, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, Zika, and Chikungunya
      viruses by ELISA and RT-PCR. RESULTS: Of the 184 suspected cases, there were 57
      confirmed cases and 12 deaths. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences indicated
      an emergence of a virus that originated from Northeastern Africa. Our results
      show co-circulation of other arboviruses in Mauritania-dengue, Crimean Congo
      hemorrhagic fever, and West Nile viruses. CONCLUSION: The Northeastern Africa
      lineage of RVF was responsible for the outbreak in Mauritania in 2015. Co
      circulation of multiples arboviruses was detected. This calls for systematic
      differential diagnosis and highlights the need to strengthen arbovirus
      surveillance in Africa.

PMID- 28638847
TI  - Spontaneous Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Human Immunodeficiency
      Virus-Infected Men Who Have Sex With Men.
AB  - We assessed spontaneous clearance in 27 human immunodeficiency virus-infected men
      who have sex with men (MSM) who seroconverted for hepatitis C virus (HCV). In
      contrast with a recent estimate of 45.8%, we found a spontaneous clearance rate
      of 11.1% (95% confidence interval = 2.4-29.2). This finding suggests that
      treatment deferral to await spontaneous clearance might not be justified for MSM
      with sexually acquired HCV.

PMID- 28638848
TI  - Cytomegalovirus Infection With Retinitis After Brentuximab Vedotin Treatment for
      CD30+ Lymphoma.
AB  - Brentuximab vedotin is an antibody-conjugated chemotherapy targeting CD30
      indicated in treatment of several lymphomas. We report the first 3 cases of
      cytomegalovirus severe infections with retinitis following this treatment.
      Evolution was favorable, but relapse occurred after treatment rechallenge. We
      suggest vigilance about cytomegalovirus in patients treated with brentuximab
      vedotin.

PMID- 28638849
TI  - Refractory T-Cell Anergy and Rapidly Fatal Progressive Multifocal
      Leukoencephalopathy After Prolonged CTLA4 Therapy.
AB  - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a deadly demyelinating
      disease due to central nervous system replication of the human polyomavirus JC
      virus (JCV) in immunosuppressed patients. The only effective therapeutic approach
      is to restore anti-JCV T-cell responses. In this study, we describe a case of
      rapidly fatal PML with JCV T-cell anergy in a renal transplant patient treated
      with CTLA4-Ig (belatacept, a CD28-B7 costimulation blocker and T-cell anergy
      inducer). T-cell anergy could not be reversed despite several therapeutic
      approaches. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy secondary to biotherapy
      induced T-cell anergy may thus represent a subset of PML with major resistance to
      anti-JCV immune recovery.

PMID- 28638850
TI  - Probiotic Lactobacillus Species Strengthen Intestinal Barrier Function and Tight
      Junction Integrity in Experimental Necrotizing Enterocolitis.
AB  - Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious intestinal disease that occurs in
      newborn infants. It is associated with major morbidity and affects 5% of all
      infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units. Probiotics have variable
      efficacy in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis. Tight junctions (TJ) are
      protein complexes that maintain epithelial barrier integrity. We hypothesized
      that the probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum
      strengthen intestinal barrier function, promote TJ integrity, and protect against
      experimental NEC. Both an in vitro and an in vivo experimental model of NEC were
      studied. Cultured human intestinal Caco-2 cells were pretreated with L. rhamnosus
      and L. plantarum probiotics. TJ were then disrupted by EGTA calcium switch or LPS
      to mimic NEC in vitro. Trans-epithelial resistance (TER) and flux of fluorescein
      isothiocynate dextran was measured. TJ structure was evaluated by ZO-1
      immunofluorescence. In vivo effects of ingested probiotics on intestinal injury
      and ZO-1 expression were assessed in a rat model of NEC infected with Cronobacter
      sakazakii (CS). Caco-2 cells treated with individual probiotics demonstrated
      higher TER and lower permeability compared to untreated cells (p<0.0001). ZO-1
      immunofluorescence confirmed TJ stability in treated cells. Rat pups fed
      probiotics alone had more intestinal injury compared with controls (p=0.0106).
      Probiotics were protective against injury when given in combination with CS, with
      no difference in intestinal injury compared to controls (p=0.21). Increased
      permeability was observed in the probiotic and CS groups (p=0.03, p=0.05), but
      not in the probiotic plus CS group (p=0.79). Lactobacillus sp. strengthened
      intestinal barrier function and preserved TJ integrity in an in vitro
      experimental model of NEC. In vivo, probiotic bacteria were not beneficial when
      given alone, but were protective in the presence of CS in a rat model of NEC.

PMID- 28638852
TI  - Olfactory dysfunction in patients with primary progressive MS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that olfactory function is more impaired in
      patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) than that in relapsing-remitting MS
      (RRMS). METHODS: Standardized olfactory testing was performed in 32 patients with
      PPMS, 32 patients with RRMS, and 32 healthy controls (HCs). Patients with
      olfactory dysfunction due to an alternative primary etiology were excluded. The
      validated olfactory testing method yielded individual scores for olfactory
      threshold, odor discrimination, and odor identification, along with a composite
      Threshold Discrimination Identification (TDI) score. RESULTS: Olfactory
      dysfunction was identified in 27 (84%) patients with PPMS, 10 (31%) patients with
      RRMS, and 1 (3%) HC. While age and sex were similar between PPMS and HCs, the TDI
      score and all olfactory subscores were significantly worse in patients with PPMS
      compared with HCs (all p < 0.001). After adjustment for differences in age, sex,
      Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and disease duration, odor
      discrimination, odor identification, and the composite TDI score were worse in
      patients with PPMS vs RRMS (p = 0.03, 0.04, and 0.02, respectively). Neither age,
      sex, EDSS, nor disease duration was significantly associated with the composite
      TDI score. CONCLUSIONS: Olfactory dysfunction was more frequent and severe in
      PPMS compared with RRMS, independent of disease duration and overall disability
      status. Further research on cellular level differences in olfactory neural
      pathways may lead to new insights about disease pathogenesis in MS.

PMID- 28638851
TI  - Mucosal biopsy shows immunologic changes of the colon in patients with early MS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate immune cells of the colonic mucosa and fecal short
      chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in treatment-naive patients with a clinically isolated
      syndrome (CIS) or early relapsing MS. METHODS: In this cross-sectional proof-of
      concept study, we obtained mucosal specimens during ileocolonoscopy from 15
      untreated patients with CIS/MS and 10 controls. Mucosal immune cells were
      analyzed by FACS, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry measurements of stool
      samples served to determine SCFA. RESULTS: The number of total dendritic cells
      (DCs), CD103+ tolerogenic DCs, and CD4+25+127-regulatory T cells (Tregs) was
      significantly reduced in the distal colon of patients with CIS/MS compared with
      controls, whereas we found no differences in the proximal colon. The patients'
      fecal samples also showed a substantially lower content of SCFA and especially
      lower levels of butyrate and acetate. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a
      disturbed homeostasis of colonic DCs and Tregs in patients with MS which could be
      associated with colonic SCFA depletion. Although not implying causality, these
      findings confirm parallel abnormalities of the gut in MS and warrant further
      research if modulation of the colonic SCFA profile or the colonic Treg pool can
      serve to modify the course of MS.

PMID- 28638853
TI  - An unusual case of miliary PML-IRIS in an HIV+ patient.

PMID- 28638854
TI  - Autoimmune episodic ataxia in patients with anti-CASPR2 antibody-associated
      encephalitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report paroxysmal episodes of cerebellar ataxia in a patient with
      anti-contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) antibody-related autoimmune
      encephalitis and to search for similar paroxysmal ataxia in a cohort of patients
      with anti-CASPR2 antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis. METHODS: We report
      a patient with paroxysmal episodes of cerebellar ataxia observed during
      autoimmune encephalitis with anti-CASPR2 antibodies. In addition, clinical
      analysis was performed in a retrospective cohort of 37 patients with anti-CASPR2
      antibodies to search for transient episodes of ataxia. Paroxysmal symptoms were
      further specified from the referral physicians, the patients, or their relatives.
      RESULTS: A 61-year-old man with limbic encephalitis and anti-CASPR2 antibodies
      developed stereotyped paroxysmal episodes of cerebellar ataxia, including gait
      imbalance, dysarthria, and dysmetria, 1 month after the onset of the
      encephalitis. The ataxic episodes were specifically triggered by orthostatism and
      emotions. Both limbic symptoms and transient ataxic episodes resolved after
      treatment with steroids and IV cyclophosphamide. Among 37 other patients with
      anti-CASPR2 antibodies, we identified 5 additional cases with similar paroxysmal
      ataxic episodes that included gait imbalance (5 cases), slurred speech (3 cases),
      limb dysmetria (3 cases), and nystagmus (1 case). All had concomitant limbic
      encephalitis. Paroxysmal ataxia was not observed in patients with neuromyotonia
      or Morvan syndrome. Triggering factors (orthostatism or anger) were reported in 4
      patients. Episodes resolved with immunomodulatory treatments in 4 patients and
      spontaneously in 1 case. CONCLUSIONS: Paroxysmal cerebellar ataxia must be added
      to the spectrum of the anti-CASPR2 antibody syndrome.

PMID- 28638856
TI  - Devising a Composite Index to Analyze and Model Loneliness and Related Health
      Risks in the United Kingdom.
AB  - Objective:This research presents a framework through which a spatial composite
      index is devised to determine areas of potential loneliness and associated health
      risks. The research is evidenced on the London borough of Southwark in the United
      Kingdom but is designed such that it could be applied more widely. Method: The
      work adopts a quantitative approach through the combination of census and
      accessibility variables at a small area level. The output is a scoring system
      whereby each area is assigned a value indicating the likely presence of
      loneliness and potentially corresponding health risks. Results: Findings imply
      that loneliness is quantifiable and that this correlates with socioeconomic and
      accessibility measures. A strong clustering is evident in Southwark. Discussion:
      This research builds on previous attempts to locate and quantify loneliness with
      favorable results. The outcome provides a replicable solution to assist the
      public service with the targeting of areas deemed most at risk from loneliness
      and resultant mental and physical health conditions at a time when such issues
      are high on the political agenda.

PMID- 28638855
TI  - End of Life Care and Do Not Resuscitate Orders: How Much Does Age Influence
      Decision Making? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - With population aging, "do not resuscitate" (DNAR) decisions, pertaining to the
      appropriateness of attempting resuscitation following a cardiac arrest, are
      becoming commoner. It is unclear from the literature whether using age to make
      these decisions represents "ageism." We undertook a systematic review of the
      literature using CINAHL, Medline, and the Cochrane database to investigate the
      relationship between age and DNAR. All 10 studies fulfilling our inclusion
      criteria found that "do not attempt resuscitation" orders were more prevalent in
      older patients; eight demonstrated that this was independent of other mediating
      factors such as illness severity and likely outcome. In studies comparing age
      groups, the adjusted odds of having a DNAR order were greater in patients aged 75
      to 84 and >=85 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.70, 95% confidence interval
      [CI] = [1.25, 2.33] and 2.96, 95% CI = [2.34, 3.74], respectively), compared with
      those <65 years. In studies treating age as a continuous variable, there was no
      significant increase in the use of DNAR with age (AOR 0.98, 95% CI = [0.84,
      1.15]). In conclusion, age increases the use of "do not resuscitate" orders, but
      more research is needed to determine whether this represents "ageism."

PMID- 28638857
TI  - Development of the FDA Tobacco Credibility Scale (FDA-TCS).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Messages from organizations with high, compared to low, credibility
      may be more persuasive. Whereas the tobacco industry has long recognized the
      importance of credibility in promoting its messages and public image, the source
      credibility of key tobacco control organizations has gone largely unmeasured. To
      assess credibility of a key tobacco regulator, we developed a scale of the US
      Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tobacco-related credibility. METHODS: We
      developed and tested 30 items reflective of the dimensions of source credibility
      (trust, expertise, and public interest) and FDA's tobacco regulatory roles in a
      sample of 1353 US adults and assessed reliability and validity. RESULTS: Factor
      analysis identified 3 dimensions of the FDA Tobacco Credibility Scale (FDA-TCS):
      public interest, trust, and expertise. The 3 subscales showed evidence of
      reliability and convergent validity; all subscales were correlated with general
      FDA credibility and trust in government. Those who knew that the FDA regulates
      tobacco scored higher on the trust and expertise subscales. The subscales were
      also associated with support for potential regulations, suggesting criterion
      related validity. CONCLUSIONS: The FDA-TCS allows for an understanding of the
      impact of credibility on responses to the FDA's tobacco control communications
      and regulatory efforts.

PMID- 28638858
TI  - Endocannabinoid metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28638860
TI  - Collaboration, workshops, and symposia.

PMID- 28638859
TI  - A Review of the Aetiopathogenesis and Clinical and Histopathological Features of
      Oral Mucosal Melanoma.
AB  - Oral mucosal melanoma is an uncommon, usually heavily melanin-pigmented, but
      occasionally amelanotic aggressive tumour with a poor prognosis. Despite radical
      surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, local recurrence and distant metastasis
      are frequent. Microscopical examination is essential for diagnosis, and routine
      histological staining must be supplemented by immunohistochemical studies. The
      aetiology is unknown, the pathogenesis is poorly understood, and the 5-year
      survival rate rarely exceeds 30%. In most cases, oral mucosal melanoma arises
      from epithelial melanocytes in the basal layer of the epithelium and less
      frequently from immature melanocytes arrested in the lamina propria. In both
      cases the melanocytes undergo malignant transformation, invade deeper tissues,
      and metastasize to regional lymph nodes and to distant sites. Very rarely
      metastasis from skin melanoma may give rise to oral mucosal melanoma that may be
      mistaken for primary oral mucosal melanoma. The pathogenesis of oral mucosal
      melanoma is complex involving multiple interactions between cytogenetic factors
      including dysregulation of the cKit signalling pathways, cell cycle, apoptosis,
      and cell-to-cell interactions on the one hand and melanin itself, melanin
      intermediates, and local microenvironmental agents regulating melanogenesis on
      the other hand. The detailed mechanisms that initiate the malignant
      transformation of oral melanocytes and thereafter sustain and promote the process
      of melanomagenesis are unknown.

PMID- 28638861
TI  - RANDOMIZED ANTICANCER AND CYTOTOXICITY ACTIVITIES OF GUIBOURTIA COLEOSPERMA AND
      DIOSPYROS CHAMAETHAMNUS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plants have consistently proven to be a reliable and yet not fully
      explored source of medicines. In light of this, there is a constant demand for
      new treatment regimens for cancer. Namibia has a rich diversity of plant species
      of over 4300 with 17 % of them being endemic to Namibia. Plants growing in
      Namibia's diverse climatic zones produce many secondary metabolites as part of
      adaptation to their environment. This article focused on the screening of such
      phytochemicals and their cytotoxic and anticancer properties in vitro. Two
      Namibian plants Diospyros chamaethamnus and Guibourtia coleosperma were randomly
      selected for this purpose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The plants were screened for
      the presence of coumarins, alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, steroids and
      terpenoids using thin layer chromatography. Anticancer screening was performed on
      a panel of three cancer cell lines, while cytotoxicity was determined using a
      human fibroblast cell line, both using the SRB method. RESULTS: Alkaloids,
      anthraquinones, flavonoids and steroids were detected in both organic and aqueous
      extracts of the two plants. The organic plant extracts had a greater anti
      proliferative effect on the cancer cell lines than the aqueous extracts; the D.
      chamaethamnus organic root extract was the most potent with an IC50 of 16.08,
      29.12 and 24.67 ug/mL against TK10, UACC62 and MCF7 cells, respectively.
      Furthermore, cytotoxicity analysis revealed the non-toxic nature of the extracts,
      except for the organic root extract of D. chamaethamnus that showed significant
      cytotoxicity (IC50 13.03 ug/mL). CONCLUSION: D. chamaethamnus is a potential
      candidate for the development of a plant based cancer treatment. The study showed
      the value of random screening in drug discovery from plants for pharmacological
      activity that is unrelated to their ethnomedicinal uses.

PMID- 28638862
TI  - RAW REHMANNIA RADIX POLYSACCHARIDE CAN EFFECTIVELY RELEASE PEROXIDATIVE INJURY
      INDUCED BY DUCK HEPATITIS A VIRUS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Duck viral hepatitis (DVH), caused by duck hepatitis A virus (DHAV),
      is a fatal contagious infectious disease which spreads rapidly with high
      morbidity and high mortality, and there is no effective clinical drug against
      DVH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Raw Rehmannia Radix Polysaccharide (RRRP), Lycii
      Fructus polysaccharides and Astragalus Radix polysaccharides were experimented in
      vitro and in vivo. Mortality rate, livers change, liver lesion scoring,
      peroxidative injury evaluation indexes in vitro and in vivo, and hepatic injury
      evaluation indexes of optimal one were detected and observed in this experiment.
      RESULTS: RRRP could reduce mortality with the protection rate about 20.0%
      compared with that of the viral control (VC) group, finding that RRRP was the
      most effective against DHAV. The average liver scoring of the VC, blank control
      (BC), RRRP groups were 3.5, 0, 2.1. Significant difference (P<0.05) appeared
      between any two groups, demonstrating that it can alleviate liver pathological
      change. RRRP could make the hepatic injury evaluation indexes similar to BC group
      while the levels of the VC group were higher than other two groups in general.
      The levels of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT of RRRP group showed significant higher than that
      of VC group while the levels of NOS and MDA showed the opposite tendency, thus,
      RRRP could release peroxidative injury. CONCLUSION: RRRP was the most effective
      against duck hepatitis A virus (DHAV). RRRP could reduce mortality, alleviate
      liver pathological change, down-regulate liver lesion score, release peroxidative
      injury and hepatic injury. The antiviral and peroxidative injury releasing
      activity of RRRP for DHAV provided a platform to test novel drug strategies for
      hepatitis A virus in human beings.

PMID- 28638863
TI  - NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA EXTRACTS AND ELLAGIC ACID IN PC12
      CELLS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the common neurodegenerative
      disorders among elderly. The purpose of this study was to determine the
      neuroprotective effect and mechanisms of action underlying the Terminalia chebula
      extracts and ellagic acid by using beta-amyloid25-35 (Abeta25-35)-induced cell
      toxicity in an undifferentiated pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell line. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The T. chebula extracts were prepared using the methanol, water, and 95%
      ethanol. Specifically, the ellagic acid was obtained in our laboratory. Assays
      including cell toxicity and changes in intracellular reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) and calcium level were evaluated to examine the neuroprotective effects and
      mechanisms of the T. chebula extracts and ellagic acid. RESULTS: The methanolic
      and water extracts of T. chebula and ellagic acid exhibited the strongest
      neuroprotective activity against Abeta25-35-induced PC12 cell damages at 0.5-5.0
      MUg/ml. The ellagic acid also exhibited partial neuroprotective activity against
      H2O2-induced PC12 cell damages at 0.5-5.0 MUg/ml. The methanolic and water
      extracts of T. chebula and ellagic acid protected PC12 cells from Abeta25-35
      mediated cell damages and enhanced cell viability thorough two key mechanisms by:
      (1) inhibiting ROS production and (2) reducing calcium ion influx. CONCLUSION:
      The T. chebula represents a promising plant-source as medicine in the application
      for the treatment of AD. Further investigation focusing on the active component
      of T. chebula extracts e.g., ellagic acid is crucial to verify the
      neuroprotective efficacy and mechanisms in vivo.

PMID- 28638865
TI  - SOME ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF SHELLED AND KERNEL TEA (Camellia sinensis) SEEDS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Camellia sinensis is the source of tea leaves and it is an economic
      crop now grown around the World. Tea seed oil has been used for cooking in China
      and other Asian countries for more than a thousand years. Tea is the most widely
      consumed beverages after water in the world. It is mainly produced in Asia,
      central Africa, and exported throughout the World. Some engineering properties
      (size dimensions, sphericity, volume, bulk and true densities, friction
      coefficient, colour characteristics and mechanical behaviour as rupture force of
      shelled and kernel tea (Camellia sinensis) seeds were determined in this study.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research was carried out for shelled and kernel tea
      seeds. The shelled tea seeds used in this study were obtained from East-Black Sea
      Tea Cooperative Institution in Rize city of Turkey. Shelled and kernel tea seeds
      were characterized as large and small sizes. RESULTS: The average geometric mean
      diameter and seed mass of the shelled tea seeds were 15.8 mm, 10.7 mm (large
      size); 1.47 g, 0.49 g (small size); while the average geometric mean diameter and
      seed mass of the kernel tea seeds were 11.8 mm, 8 mm for large size; 0.97 g, 0.31
      g for small size, respectively. The sphericity, surface area and volume values
      were found to be higher in a larger size than small size for the shelled and
      kernel tea samples. The shelled tea seed's colour intensity (Chroma) were found
      between 59.31 and 64.22 for large size, while the kernel tea seed's chroma values
      were found between 56.04 68.34 for large size, respectively. The rupture force
      values of kernel tea seeds were higher than shelled tea seeds for the large size
      along X axis; whereas, the rupture force values of along X axis were higher than
      Y axis for large size of shelled tea seeds. The static coefficients of friction
      of shelled and kernel tea seeds for the large and small sizes higher values for
      rubber than the other friction surfaces. CONCLUSION: Some engineering properties,
      such as geometric mean diameter, sphericity, volume, bulk and true densities, the
      coefficient of friction, L*, a*, b* colour characteristics and rupture force of
      shelled and kernel tea (Camellia sinensis) seeds will serve to design the
      equipment used in postharvest treatments.

PMID- 28638864
TI  - PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF VANILLIC ACID ON OVARIECTOMY-INDUCED OSTEOPOROSIS IN RATS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The need for an anti-osteoporotic agent is in high demand since
      osteoporosis contributes to high rates of disability or impairment (high
      osteoporotic fracture), morbidity and mortality. Hence, the present study is
      designed to evaluate the protective effects of vanillic acid (VA) against
      bilateral ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty healthy female adult SD rats were separated in to
      four groups with sham-operated control with bilateral laprotomy (Sham; n = 10),
      bilateral overiectomy (OVX; n = 10) group, OVX rats were orallay administrated
      with 50 mg/kg b.wt of VA (OVX + 50 VA; n = 10) or 100 mg/kg b.wt of VA (OVX + 100
      VA; n = 10) for 12 weeks (post-treatment) after 4 weeks of OVX. RESULTS: A
      significant change in the body weight gain was noted in OVX group, while
      treatment with VA substantially reverted to normalcy. Meanwhile, the bone mineral
      density and content (BMD and BMC) were substantially improved on supplementation
      with VA. Also, the bone turnover markers like calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P),
      osteocalcin (OC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and deoxypyridinoline (DPD) and
      inflammatory markers (IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha) levels were markedly
      attenuated in VA-treated rats. Moreover, the biomechanical stability was greatly
      ameliorated with VA administration. Both the dose of VA showed potent anti
      osteoporotic activity, but VA 100 mg showed highest protective effects as
      compared with 50 mg of VA. CONCLUSION: Based on the outcome, we concluded that VA
      100 showed better anti-osteoporotic activity by improving BMD and BMC as well as
      biomechanical stability and therefore used as an alternative therapy for treating
      postmenopausal osteoporosis.

PMID- 28638866
TI  - KINETICS OF MODULATORY ROLE OF Cyperus esculentus L. ON THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITY OF
      KEY CARBOHYDRATE METABOLIZING ENZYMES.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The continuous search for new lead compounds as viable inhibitors of
      specific enzymes linked to carbohydrate metabolism has intensified. Cyperus
      esculentus L. is one of the therapeutically implicated botanicals against several
      degenerative diseases including diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      study evaluated the antioxidant and mechanism(s) of inhibitory potential of
      aqueous extract of C. esculentus on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase in vitro.
      The extract was investigated for its radical scavenging and hypoglycaemic
      potentials using standard experimental procedures. Lineweaver-Burke plot was used
      to predict the manner in which the enzymes were inhibited. RESULTS: The data
      obtained revealed that the extract moderately and potently inhibited the specific
      activities of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase, respectively. The inhibition
      was concentration-related with respective IC50 values of 5.19 and 0.78 mg/mL
      relative to that of the control (3.72 and 3.55 mg/mL). The extract also
      significantly scavenged free radicals and the effects elicited could be ascribed
      to its phytoconstituents. CONCLUSION: The respective competitive and non
      competitive mode of action of the extract is due to its inhibitory potentials on
      the activities of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Going forward, in addition
      to completely characterize the exact compound(s) responsible for the elicited
      activity in this study, pertinent attention will be given to the in vivo
      evaluation of the identified constituents.

PMID- 28638867
TI  - ANTITUMOR EFFECTS OF CHRYSANTHEMIN IN PC-3 HUMAN PROSTATE CANCER CELLS ARE
      MEDIATED VIA APOPTOSIS INDUCTION, CASPASE SIGNALLING PATHWAY AND LOSS OF
      MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANE POTENTIAL.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The main objective of the current research work was to investigate
      the antitumor and apoptotic effects of chrysanthemin in PC-3 human prostate
      cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT assay was used to evaluate the effects
      of chrysanthemin on cell viability whereas flow cytometry along with fluorescence
      microscopy were used to study apoptotic induction in these cells. Effects on
      caspase activation were detected through western blot assay. RESULTS: Results
      showed that chrysanthemin inhibited cancer cell growth in PC-3 cancer cells in a
      time-dependent as well as concentration-dependent manner. Chrysanthemin-treated
      cells at 10, 50 and 150 uM doses led to 34.2%, 56.7% and 69.1% apoptosis in these
      cells respectively. The percentage of cells with depolarized mitochondria
      increased from 5.3% in untreated control cells to 27.2%, 57.6% and 86.9% in cells
      treated with 10, 50 and 150 uM dose of chrysanthemin respectively. Chrysanthemin
      also enhanced the activity of all three caspases viz., caspase-3, 8 and 9 in a
      dose-dependent fashion. CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that chrysanthemin
      ledanticancer effects in PC-3 prostate cancer cells by inducing apoptosis,
      activating caspasesignaling pathway and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential.

PMID- 28638868
TI  - IN VIVO EFFECT OF RUTA CHALEPENSIS EXTRACT ON HEPATIC CYTOCHROME 3A1 IN RATS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since the time when drugs began to be used, it became evident that
      they could produce a therapeutic effect, but also a clinical condition of
      toxicity or no effect at all on humans, despite using the same doses in different
      patients. Such untoward effects were termed "drug idiosyncrasy" and also
      "idiosyncratic drug effects", but the factors producing such diverse responses
      were never taken into account. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ruta chalepensis L.
      (fringed rue) is an herbaceous plant of the Rutaceae family used in traditional
      medicine due to its properties, such as its analgesic and antipyretic effects.
      This study used 25 male rats divided into five groups. Plant extract was
      administered to Groups 1 and 2 at doses of 100 and 30 mg/kg/day, respectively,
      for three days; Group 3 was administered 100 mg/kg/day of dexamethasone (DEX), as
      well as 100 mg/kg/day of Ruta chalepensis extract; Group 4 was administered 100
      mg/kg/day of DEX and treated as positive control; Group 5 was treated as negative
      control and was administered a physiological solution. Twenty-four hours after
      the the last dose, the animals were sacrificed and their livers were extracted.
      RESULTS: The aqueous extract of Ruta chalepensis, intraperitoneally administered,
      was able to induce cytochrome 3A1 in doses of 30 mg/kg/day, and a greater
      inducing effect occurs when the plant is co-administered in doses of 100
      mg/kg/day with dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that aqueous
      extract of Ruta chalepensis can induce cytochrome 3a1. This study helps provide a
      better understanding of CYP3a regulation. Future in vitro work is needed to
      determine the compounds that produce the cytochrome modulation.

PMID- 28638870
TI  - APOPTOSIS INDUCTION OF EPIFRIEDELINOL ON HUMAN CERVICAL CANCER CELL LINE.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Present investigation evaluates the antitumor activity of
      epifriedelinol for the management of cervical cancer by inducing process of
      apoptosis. METHODS: Human Cervical Cancer Cell Line, C33A and HeLa were selected
      for study and treated with epifriedelinol at a concentration of (50-1000 ug/ml).
      Cytotoxicity of epifriedelinol was estimated by MTT assay and induction of
      apoptosis was assessed by estimating the activity of caspase 3, 8 and 9 enzyme,
      apoptosis assay and translocation of cytochrome c. Moreover an expression of
      several proteins that plays role in the apoptosis process was estimated by
      western blot method. RESULTS: Result of the study suggested that treatment with
      epifriedelinol significantly decrease the viability count of cancerous cell in a
      dose perndent manner and also enhances the formation of oligonucleosome in both
      the cell lines. However activity of caspase enzymes and translocation of
      cytochrome c were enhanced after treatment with epifriedelinol. It was also
      observed that epifriedelinol treatment alters the ratio of pro-apoptotic to anti
      apoptotic proteins and enhances the expressions of inhibitor of apoptosis
      proteins (IAP). CONCLUSION: Result of our study proves the anticancer activity of
      epifriedelinol in cervical cancer by inducing apoptosis as treatment with it
      enhances the production of oligonucleosomes, translocation of cytochrome c and
      activity caspase enzymes.

PMID- 28638869
TI  - REDUCING TOXICITY AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY: ACONITINE WITH LIQUIRITIN AND
      GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID REGULATE CALCIUM REGULATORY PROTEINS IN RAT MYOCARDIAL CELL.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compatibility of Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli and Liquorice is known to
      treat heart diseases such as heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. This work
      answers the question that whether the active components (Aconitine, Liquiritin
      and Glycyrrhetinic Acid) of Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli and Liquorice could result
      in regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis and calcium cycling, and thereby
      verifies the therapeutic material basis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The myocardial
      cells were divided into twelve groups randomly as control group, Aconitine group,
      nine different dose groups that orthogonal combined with Aconitine, Liquiritin
      and Glycyrrhetinic Acid, and Verapamil group. The myocardial cellular survival
      rate and morphology were assessed. The expression of calcium regulation
      protein(RyR2, NCX1, DHPR-a1) in the myocardial cell by Western-blotting. RESULTS:
      The results exhibited that Aconitine (120 uM) significantly damaged on myocardial
      cell, decreased the survival rate and expression of Na+/Ca2+ exchangers (NCX1)
      and dihydropteridine reducta-alpha1 (DHPR-a1), and increased the expression of
      ryanodine receptor type2 (RyR2) obviously. The compatibility groups (Aconitine,
      Liquiritin and Glycyrrhetinic Acid) all could against the damage on the
      myocardial cell by Aconitine at different levels. CONCLUSION: Aconitine with
      Liquiritin and Glycyrrhetinic Acid may regulate the expression of calcium
      regulated proteins to protect myocardial cells from damage.

PMID- 28638871
TI  - EFFECT OF YISHENJIANPI RECIPE ON SEMEN QUALITY AND SPERM MITOCHONDRIA IN MICE
      WITH OLIGOASTHENOZOOSPERMIA INDUCED BY TRIPTERYGIUM GLYCOSIDES.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Kidney tonifying - spleen strengthening method being one of the
      modalities for treatment of astheno-oligozoospermia is currently commonly used in
      the clinical setting. To investigate the mechanism of YiShenJianPi (YSJP) Recipe,
      used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to benefit "the kidney" and strengthen "the
      spleen". MATERIALS AND METHODS: Oligoasthenozoospermia, male BALB/c mice were
      randomly divided into normal control, disease model, positive control, low-dosage
      and high-dosage groups. Oligoasthenozoospermia was induced by tripterygium
      glucosides intragastric administration before treatment started. Through using
      computer-aided sperm analysis to test the changes in sperm quality, utilizing
      flow cytometry to test the percentage of sperm with normal mitochondrial
      transmembrane potential (JC-1 + %), utilizing X-ray microscopy to observe
      epididymal sperm ultra-microstructure placing special emphasis and photographing
      the differences in mitochondria of the flagellum region. RESULTS: Compared with
      DM, sperm quality of the treated mice was significantly better (P<0.05,
      respectively). Compared with PC, the LD group had significantly better quality
      sperms, while the parameters in the HD group were numerically better. Compared
      with NC, all other groups had significantly lower percentage of sperms with
      normal mitochondrial membrane potential. In PC, LD and HD groups, the percentage
      of sperms with normal mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly higher
      than that of D. The 9+9+2 mitochondrial sheath structure was complete in NC but
      damaged in DM. In the treatment groups, this structure was fairly clear.
      CONCLUSION: YSJP improved semen quality with oligoasthenozoospermia by improving
      sperm mitochondrial membrane potential and restoring sperm mitochondrial
      ultrastructure.

PMID- 28638872
TI  - HEMORHEOLOGY INDEX CHANGES IN A RAT ACUTE BLOOD STASIS MODEL: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
      AND META-ANALYSIS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Blood stasis has received increasing attention in research related to
      traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrative Chinese and Western medicine.
      More than 90% of research studies use hemorheology indexes to evaluate the
      establishment of animal blood stasis models rather than pathological methods, as
      hemorheology index evaluations of blood stasis were short of the consolidated
      standard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of hemorheology
      indexes in rat models of acute blood stasis (ABS) based on studies in which the
      ABS model had been confirmed by pathological methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      searched the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database (CNKI), Chinese
      Medical Journal Database (CMJD), Chinese Biology Medicine disc (CBM), Wanfang
      database, and PubMed for studies of rat blood stasis models; the search
      identified 18 studies of rat ABS models induced by subcutaneous injection of
      epinephrine combined with an ice bath. Each included study received a modified
      Collaborative Approach to Meta-Analysis and Review of Animal Data from
      Experimental Studies (CAMARADES) score list and methodological quality
      assessment, then data related to whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity,
      platelet aggregation rate, erythrocyte aggregation index, and fibrinogen
      concentration were extracted. Extracted data were analyzed using Revman 5.3;
      heterogeneity was tested using Egger's test. RESULTS: A total of 343 studies of
      rat blood stasis were reviewed. Eighteen studies were included in this meta
      analysis; the mean CAMARADES score was 3.5. The rat ABS model revealed a
      significant increase in whole blood viscosity (medium shear rate), whole blood
      viscosity (high shear rate), plasma viscosity, platelet aggregation rate,
      erythrocyte aggregation index, and fibrinogen concentration compared to controls,
      with weighted mean differences (WMD) of 2.42 mPa/s (95% confidence interval (CI)
      = 1.73 - 3.10); 1.76 mPa/s (95% CI = 1.28 - 2.24); 0.39 mPa/s (95% CI = 0.24 -
      0.55); 13.66% (95% CI = 9.78 - 17.55); 0.84 (95% CI = 0.53 - 1.16); and 1.22 g/L
      (95% CI = 0.76 - 1.67), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that whole blood
      viscosity, plasma viscosity, and the platelet aggregation rate test methods were
      more sensitive when measured at 0-24 h than at 24-72 h after induction of blood
      stasis. CONCLUSIONS: Rat blood stasis studies have incomplete experimental design
      and quality controls, and thus need an integrated improvement. Meta-analysis of
      included studies indicated that the unified hemorheology index of whole blood
      viscosity (medium and high shear rate), platelet aggregation rate, erythrocyte
      aggregation rate, and fibrinogen concentration might be used for assessment of
      rat ABS models independent of pathology methods.

PMID- 28638873
TI  - PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF CAMEL MILK AS ANTI-DIABETIC SUPPLEMENT: BIOCHEMICAL,
      MOLECULAR AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a serious disease affects human health. Diabetes in
      advanced stages is accompanied by general weakness and alteration in fats and
      carbohydrates metabolism. Recently there are some scientific trends about the
      usage of camel milk (CM) in the treatment of diabetes and its associated
      alterations. CM contains vital active particles with insulin like action that
      cure diabetes and its complications but how these effects occur, still unclear.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five adult male rats of the albino type divided
      into five equal groups. Group 1 served as a negative control (C). Group 2 was
      supplemented with camel milk (CM). Diabetes was induced in the remaining groups
      (3, 4 and 5). Group 3 served as positive diabetic control (D). Group 4 served as
      diabetic and administered metformin (D+MET). Group 5 served as diabetes and
      supplemented with camel milk (D+CM). Camel milk was supplemented for two
      consecutive months. Serum glucose, leptin, insulin, liver, kidney, antioxidants,
      MDA and lipid profiles were assayed. Tissues from liver and adipose tissues were
      examined using RT-PCR analysis for the changes in mRNA expression of genes of
      carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Pancreas and liver were used for
      immunohistochemical examination using specific antibodies. RESULTS: Camel milk
      supplementation ameliorated serum biochemical measurements that altered after
      diabetes induction. CM supplementation up-regulated mRNA expression of IRS-2, PK,
      and FASN genes, while down-regulated the expression of CPT-1 to control mRNA
      expression level. CM did not affect the expression of PEPCK gene. On the other
      hand, metformin failed to reduce the expression of CPT-1 compared to camel milk
      administered rats. Immunohistochemical findings revealed that CM administration
      restored the immunostaining reactivity of insulin and GLUT-4 in the pancreas of
      diabetic rats. CONCLUSION: CM administration is of medical importance and helps
      physicians in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 28638875
TI  - WHOLE BODY VIBRATION IMPROVES ATTENTION AND MOTOR PERFORMANCE IN MICE DEPENDING
      ON THE DURATION OF THE WHOLE-BODY VIBRATION SESSION.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whole body vibration (WBV) is a form of physical stimulation via
      mechanical vibrations transmitted to a subject. It is assumed that WBV induces
      sensory stimulation in cortical brain regions through the activation of skin and
      muscle receptors responding to the vibration. The effects of WBV on muscle
      strength are well described. However, little is known about the impact of WBV on
      the brain. Recently, it was shown in humans that WBV improves attention in an
      acute WBV protocol. Preclinical research is needed to unravel the underlying
      brain mechanism. As a first step, we examined whether chronic WBV improves
      attention in mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A custom made vibrating platform for
      mice with low intensity vibrations was used. Male CD1 mice (3 months of age)
      received five weeks WBV (30 Hz; 1.9 G), five days a week with sessions of five
      (n=12) or 30 (n=10) minutes. Control mice (pseudo-WBV; n=12 and 10 for the five
      and 30 minute sessions, respectively) were treated in a similar way, but did not
      receive the actual vibration. Object recognition tasks were used as an attention
      test (novel and spatial object recognition - the primary outcome measure). A
      Balance beam was used for motor performance, serving as a secondary outcome
      measure. RESULTS: WBV sessions of five (but not WBV sessions of 30 minutes)
      improved balance beam performance (mice gained 28% in time needed to cross the
      beam) and novel object recognition (mice paid significantly more attention to the
      novel object) as compared to pseudo WBV, but no change was found for spatial
      object performance (mice did not notice the relocation). Although 30 minutes WBV
      sessions were not beneficial, it did not impair either attention or motor
      performance. CONCLUSION: These results show that brief sessions of WBV improve,
      next to motor performance, attention for object recognition, but not spatial cues
      of the objects. The selective improvement of attention in mice opens the avenue
      to unravel the underlying brain mechanisms.

PMID- 28638874
TI  - THE USE OF PLANTS TO PROTECT PLANTS AND FOOD AGAINST FUNGAL PATHOGENS: A REVIEW.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plant fungal pathogens play a crucial role in the profitability,
      quality and quantity of plant production. These phytopathogens are persistent in
      avoiding plant defences causing diseases and quality losses around the world that
      amount to billions of US dollars annually. To control the scourge of plant fungal
      diseases, farmers have used fungicides to manage the damage of plant pathogenic
      fungi. Drawbacks such as development of resistance and environmental toxicity
      associated with these chemicals have motivated researchers and cultivators to
      investigate other possibilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Several databases were
      accessed to determine work done on protecting plants against plant fungal
      pathogens with plant extracts using search terms "plant fungal pathogen", "plant
      extracts" and "phytopathogens". Proposals are made on the best extractants and
      bioassay techniques to be used. RESULTS: In addition to chemical fungicides,
      biological agents have been used to deal with plant fungal diseases. There are
      many examples where plant extracts or plant derived compounds have been used as
      commercial deterrents of fungi on a large scale in agricultural and horticultural
      setups. One advantage of this approach is that plant extracts usually contain
      more than one antifungal compound. Consequently the development of resistance of
      pathogens may be lower if the different compounds affect a different metabolic
      process. Plants cultivated using plants extracts may also be marketed as
      organically produced. Many papers have been published on effective antimicrobial
      compounds present in plant extracts focusing on applications in human health.
      More research is required to develop suitable, sustainable, effective, cheaper
      botanical products that can be used to help overcome the scourge of plant fungal
      diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Scientists who have worked only on using plants to control
      human and animal fungal pathogens should consider the advantages of focusing on
      plant fungal pathogens. This approach could not only potentially increase food
      security for rural farmers, lead to commercial rewards, but it is also much
      easier to test the efficacy in greenhouse or field experiments. Even if extracts
      are toxic it may still be useful in the floriculture industry.

PMID- 28638876
TI  - PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, ANTIMICROBIAL AND CYTOTOXICITY STUDIES OF ETHANOL LEAF
      EXTRACT OF APHANIASENEGALENSIS (SAPINDACEAE).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aphania senegalensis (Sapindaceae) is commonly used in Senegalese
      traditional medicine to treat pain, inflammation, asthenia, bacterial and fungal
      infections. The aim of this study was to determine the type of phytochemical
      constituents present in the ethanol leaf extract and its antimicrobial activity
      against selected bacterial and fungal pathogens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      ethanol leaf extract of A. senegalensis was evaluated for its cytotoxic effect in
      the MTT assay against Vero cells. Flavonoids and tannins were the main
      constituents of the ethanol leaf extract. RESULTS: The extract inhibited the
      growth of the three fungal strains used in this study moderately with the lowest
      MIC obtained for Candidaalbicans (0.16 mg/mL). The extract also inhibited the
      growth of Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans with an MIC of 0.62
      mg/mL. For bacterial pathogens, strong inhibition was obtained against
      Enterococcusfaecalis (ATTC 29212) (MIC 0.08 mg/mL), while moderate inhibition was
      obtained for Escherichia coli (ATTC 25922) (MIC 0.16 mg/mL) and Staphylococcus
      aureus (ATTC 29213) (MIC 0.31mg/mL). The extract however did not inhibit the
      growth of Pseudomonasaeruginosa (ATTC 27853) at the highest concentration (2.5
      mg/ml) tested. The ethanol leaf extract of A. senegalensis had a higher
      cytotoxicity than berberine used as the positive control (LC502.67+/-0.04 ug/mL
      and 9.99+/-0.54 ug/mL respectively). The best selectivity index values was
      obtained for Enterococcus faecalis (SI = 1.24), followed by Escherichia coli (SI
      = 0.62) for bacterial pathogens and C. albicans (SI = 0.62) for fungal pathogens.
      CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the extracts may not be safe
      for use in animals infected by some pathogens.

PMID- 28638877
TI  - PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF IRIS GERMANICA L. IN Beta-AMYLOID-INDUCED ANIMAL MODEL OF
      ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia that is
      an irretrievable chronic neurodegenerative disease. In the current study, we have
      examined the therapeutic effects of Iris germanica extract on Amyloid beta
      (Abeta) induced memory impairment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats were
      divided into five groups of 8 per each. Groups were as followed: control group
      which were normal rats without induction of AD, Abeta group which received Abeta
      (50 ng/side), iris 100 group which received Abeta + Iris (100 mg/kg), iris 200
      group which received Abeta + Iris (200 mg/kg), and iris 400 group which received
      Abeta + Iris (400 mg/kg). AD was established by intrahippocampal injection of 50
      ng/MUl/side Abeta1-42. The day after surgery, animals in treatment groups
      received different doses of the aqueous extract of Iris by gavage for 30 days.
      Morris water maze test (MWM) was performed to assess the effects of I. germanica
      on learning and memory of rats with Abeta induced AD. RESULTS: Data from MWM
      tests, including escape latency and traveled distance, demonstrated that I.
      germanica extract could markedly improve spatial memory in comparison to control.
      Moreover, the plant had a significantly better effect on the performance of AD
      rats in the probe test. CONCLUSION: I. germanica extract can successfully reverse
      spatial learning dysfunction in an experimental model of AD. Further neuro psyco
      pharmacological studies are mandatory to reveal the mechanism of action of this
      natural remedy in the management of AD symptoms.

PMID- 28638879
TI  - TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN TRIBES OF TRIPURA IN NORTHEAST,
      INDIA.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study was carried out in Mandwi area and its outskirts of
      Tripura district of tribal areas Autonomous district council to document the
      available ethno-medicinal plants and their traditional application among Mandwi
      tribes. METHODOLOGY: Field explorations were carried out during the months of
      March-June 2013. The ethno-medicinal survey was conducted particularly with
      Tripuri tribe in Mandai area, with the help of local medicine men, locally known
      as bhoidho (Tripuri). Data were collected through structure questionnaires and
      observations during the field visits. RESULTS: In the present study the local
      population used a total of 51 plant species belonging to 32 families to cure a
      variety of diseases. Of the 51 plants, 21 were herbs, followed by trees (17) and
      shrubs (8). Climbers and ferns had reported 2 species for each one grass species
      was found. Fabaceae was the dominant family with the highest number of species
      (6) followed by Asteracae (4 species) and Lamiaceae (5 species). Seven other
      families had 2 species each and 22 families were represented by a single species.
      In case single diseases, the highest number of plants (7 species) was used for
      dysentery, followed by body pain (6 species), cough (6 species) and toothache (6
      species). CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that, the Tripuri tribes of the
      study area possess rich knowledge on the medicinal plants and their utilization.
      Thus the present study focuses on the documentation of the traditional knowledge
      of these valuable plants, which could enhance the potential of these medicinal
      plants to other communities as well and by understanding the importance, other
      communities can also be helpful for conservation of these resources for further
      use.

PMID- 28638878
TI  - EFFECT OF FUCOIDAN ON B16 MURINE MELANOMA CELL MELANIN FORMATION AND APOPTOSIS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fucoidan is a complex sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown
      seaweed and has a wide variety of biological activities. It not only inhibits
      cancer cell growth but also inhibits tyrosinase in vitro. Therefore, it is of
      interest to investigate the effect of fucoidan on B16 murine melanoma cells as
      the findings may provide new insights into the underlying mechanism regarding the
      inhibition of melanin formation by fucoidan. In the present study, we aimed to
      investigate the anti-melanogenic effect of fucoidan and its inhibitory effect on
      B16 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The influence of fucoidan on B16 melanoma cells
      and cellular tyrosinase was examined. Cell viability was examined by the cell
      counting kit-8 assay. Cellular tyrosinase activity and melanin content were
      determined using spectrophotometric methods and protein expression was analyzed
      by immunoblotting. Morphological changes in B16 melanoma cells were examined by
      phase contrast microscopy and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS:
      In vitro studies were performed using cell viability analysis and showed that
      fucoidan significantly decreased viable cell number in a dose-response manner
      with an IC50 of 550 +/-4.3 ug/mL. Cell morphology was altered and significant
      apoptosis was induced when cells were exposed to 550 ug/mL fucoidan for 48 h.
      CONCLUSION: This study provides substantial evidence to show that fucoidan
      inhibits B16 melanoma cell proliferation and cellular tyrosinase activity.
      Fucoidan may be useful in the treatment of hyperpigmentation and as a skin
      whitening agent in the cosmetics industry.

PMID- 28638880
TI  - EFFICIENCY OF BORAGE SEEDS OIL AGAINST GAMMA IRRADIATION-INDUCED HEPATOTOXICITY
      IN MALE RATS: POSSIBLE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Borage (Borago officinal L.) is an annual herbaceous plant of great
      interest because its oil contains a high percentage of gamma-linolenic acid
      (GLA). The present work was carried out to detect fatty acids composition of the
      oil extracted from borage seeds (BO) and its potential effectiveness against
      gamma-irradiation- induced hepatotoxicity in male rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GC
      MS analysis of fatty acids methyl esters of BO was performed to identify fatty
      acids composition. Sixty rats were divided into five groups (12 rats each):
      Control, irradiated; rats were exposed to (6.5 Gy) of whole body gamma-radiation,
      BO (50 mg/kg b.wt), irradiated BO post-treated and irradiated BO prepost-treated.
      Six rats from each group were sacrificed at two time intervals 7 and 15 days post
      irradiation. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase
      (ALT), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels, lipids profile, as well as serum
      and hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxide (malondialdehyde) (MDA)
      levels were assessed. Histopathological examination of liver sections were also
      carried out. RESULTS: The results showed that the high contents of BO extracted
      by cold pressing, were linoleic acid (34.23%) and GLA (24.79%). Also, oral
      administration of BO significantly improved serum levels of liver enzymes, lipids
      profile, as well as serum and hepatic GSH and MDA levels (p<0.001) as compared
      with irradiated rats after 15 days post irradiation. Moreover, it exerted marked
      amelioration against irradiation-induced histopathological changes in liver
      tissues. The improvement was more pronounced in irradiated BO prepost-treated
      group than irradiated BO post-treated. CONCLUSION: BO has a beneficial role in
      reducing hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by radiation exposure.
      Therefore, BO may be used as a beneficial supplement for patients during
      radiotherapy treatment.

PMID- 28638881
TI  - ARISTOLOCHIA BRACTEOLATE RETZ. ATTENUATES HYPERURICEMIA IN A METABOLIC ARTHRITIS
      RAT MODEL.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The leaves of Aristolochia bracteolata Retz. has been documented in
      the folk medicine literature for its anti-arthritic activity. The target of the
      research envisaged was to elucidate the activity of A. bracteolata extract on
      hyperuricemic condition in arthritis rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dried and
      powdered plant leaves were extracted using ether and chloroform. Potassium
      oxonate was injected intra-articularly to produce arthritis. The hyperuricemic
      effect, of A. bracteolate was analyzed by studying levels of uric acid in serum
      as well as in urine of arthritis induced rats. Effects of plant extracts were
      also studied on BUN (blood urea nitrogen) levels and fraction of uric acid
      excreted. RESULTS: Results indicate that administration of A. bracteolata
      presented substantial change in uric acid concentration, augmented by potassium
      oxonate administration in rats. The reduction in levels of uric acid levels was
      nearly same as allopurinol. The investigation also revealed that the primary
      plant extract has nephroprotective effect by enhancing the production of
      Prostaglandin E2 and Interleukin-1. Histological studies of rat kidney slices
      indicated the safety of the present plant extract. CONCLUSION: The crude extract
      of A. bracteolate can be used to reduce hyperuricemia in metabolic arthritis
      produced in rat model, without inducing any potential damaging effects.

PMID- 28638882
TI  - POSSIBLE HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC EFFECT OF GINGER AND ROSEMARY OILS IN RATS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for development of
      atherosclerosis. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential effect
      of ginger oil alone or combined with rosemary oil as hypocholesterolemic agent in
      rats fed high fat diet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy female albino rats (n=80)
      weighting about (150-180 g) were included in this study divided into two equal
      groups; Group (I): were fed on the basal diet. Group (I) were divided into 4
      subgroups each 10: Group (Ia): negative control. Group (Ib): Rats received i.p
      2.5 g/Kg b.w of ginger oil. Group (Ic): rats received i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w of
      rosemary oil. Group (Id): Rats received i.p 5 g/Kg b.w mixture of ginger oil and
      rosemary oil (1:1). The second main groups; Group (II): high fat diet (HFD) were
      fed on the basal diet plus cholesterol (1%), bile salt (0.25%) and animal fat
      (15%) to induce hypercholesterolemia for six weeks. Group (II) was divided into
      4subgroups: Group (IIa): HFD. Group (IIb): HFD were treated with i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w
      ginger oil. Group (IIc): (n=10) HFD were treated with i.p 2.5 g/Kg b.w rosemary
      oil. Group (IId): (n=10) HFD were treated with i.p 5 g/Kg b.w mixture of oils.
      RESULTS: It was found that HFD rats showed a significant elevation in glucose,
      total cholesterol, triglyceride, GOT, GPT, alkaline phosphatase and a reduction
      in serum HDL-c compared with negative control. Treatment with ginger oil,
      rosemary oil and their mixture modulated the elevation of these parameters.
      Histopathological examination of the liver tissue of HFD rats showed a lipid
      deposition and macrophage infiltration and stenosis of hepatic vein. Treatment
      with mixture oils preserves normal structure of liver. CONCLUSION: It was
      concluded that, hypocholesterolemic effect was related to the active oil content
      as Rosemary oil contain - alpha-pinene, Camphor, cineole, borneol and Ginger oil
      contain Linalool, Terpineol, Borneol, Eucalyptol.

PMID- 28638883
TI  - ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS OF RHAMNAZIN ON LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE
      INDUCED ACUTE LUNG INJURY AND INFLAMMATION IN RATS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute Lung Injury (ALI) results into severe inflammation and
      oxidative stress to the pulmonary tissue. Rhamnazin is a natural flavonoid and
      known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties rhamnazin were tested
      for protection against the acute lung injury. We investigated whether rhamnazin
      improves the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in an animal model (rat). We
      also studied the probable molecular mechanism of action of rhamnazin. Rhamnazin
      was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) two days before
      intratracheal LPS challenge (5mg/kg). The changes in lung wet-to-dry weight
      ratio, LDH activity, pulmonary histopathology, BALF protein concentration, MPO
      activity, oxidative stress, cytokine production were estimated. RESULTS: The
      results showed a significant attenuation of all the inflammatory parameters and a
      marked improvement in the pulmonary histopathology in the animal groups
      pretreated with rhamnazin. The rhamnazin pretreated group also showed activation
      of Nrf2 pathway and attenuation of ROS such as H2O2, MDA and hydroxyl ion. These
      results indicated that rhamnazin could attenuate the symptoms of ALI in rats due
      to its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. CONCLUSION: The
      results strongly demonstrated that rhamnazin provides protection against LPS
      induced ALI. The underlying mechanisms of its anti-inflammatory action may
      include inhibition of Nrf2 mediated antioxidative pathway.

PMID- 28638884
TI  - ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF 5, 7-DIMETHOXYFLAVONE AGAINST LIVER CANCER CELL LINE HEPG2
      INVOLVES APOPTOSIS, ROS GENERATION AND CELL CYCLE ARREST.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Flavonoids are considered potential anticancer agents owing to their
      properties to interact with a diversity of cellular entities. Among flavonoids,
      methylated flavones are more efficient anticancer agents due to their higher
      stability in vivo. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to evaluate
      the anticancer effect of methylated natural flavonoid 5, 7-dimethoxyflavone (5, 7
      DMF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT assay was used to determine the anticancer
      activity and IC50 of 5, -DMF). Cell viability, cell cycle distribution, reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) were
      carried out by flow cytometry. Apoptosis was studied by DAPI staining. RESULTS:
      MTT assay revealed that the molecule reduced the cell viability of HepG2 cancer
      cells. The IC50 of 5, 7-DMF was found to be 25 uM. Our result indicated that 5, 7
      DMF triggered production of ROS and significantly reduced DeltaPsim . It also
      leads to arrest of HepG2 cells in Sub-G1 stage of cell cycle, and ultimately
      induced apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner, as indicated by DAPI
      staging. Additionally, 5, 7-DMF also reduced the colony forming potential of the
      HepG2 cells concentration dependently. CONCLUSION: Taken together, we conclude
      that 5, 7-DMF induces cell death via ROS generation, cell cycle arrest and
      apoptosis, and, therefore, may prove beneficial in the treatment of liver cancer.

PMID- 28638886
TI  - MECHANISMS OF COIX SEED COMPOSITIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF SPLEEN DEFICIENCY AND
      WET DAMPNESS ZHENG.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coix seed has the functions of fortifying the spleen and inhibiting
      the dampness. However, it remains unclear which Coix seed compositions is
      responsible for these functions. Previous investigations have revealed that the
      main compositions of Coix seed are proteins, polysaccharides, oils and starches.
      The objectives of this study are to explore which is the most effective
      compositions in fortifying the spleen and examine how Coix seed works in
      regulating the water transport on the spleen deficiency and wet dampness (SDWD)
      rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats used were divided into (i) control
      group, (ii) model group, (iii) decoction group, (iv) protein group, (v)
      polysaccharide group, (vi) oil group and (vii) starch group. The urine volume,
      the drinking volume and the water loading index in each group were calculated.
      Agilent 8*60K array was used for microarray-based gene expression analysis. The
      differential mRNAs related to the transport activity were screened. qRT-PCR was
      used to validate the mRNA microarray. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that all
      treatment groups could decrease the dampness of SDWD rats. mRNA microarray had
      significant effect on the protein group and the polysaccharide group in
      regulating the water transport, among which the most significant mRNA was Fabp6,
      Slc51a, Slc51b, Slc11a2, Slc4a10 and AQP3 respectively. CONCLUSION: The
      compositions of proteins and polysaccharides had the most significant effect in
      regulating the water transport of SDWD rat model. The contributing mRNA focused
      on Fabp, Slc and AQP family.

PMID- 28638885
TI  - ANTI-ULCEROGENIC EFFICACY AND MECHANISMS OF EDIBLE AND NATURAL INGREDIENTS IN
      NSAID-INDUCED ANIMAL MODELS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of the most
      commonly used medicines and proven to be effective for certain disorders. Some
      people use NSAIDs on daily basis for preventive purpose. But a variety of severe
      side effects can be induced by NSAIDs. Studies have shown that edible natural
      ingredients exhibit preventive benefit of gastric ulcer. This paper reviews the
      efficacy and safety of edible natural ingredients in preventing the development
      of gastric ulcer induced by NSAIDs in animal models. METHODS: A systematic
      literature search was conducted on PubMed, using the terms "herbal medicines" and
      "gastric ulcer", "herbal medicines" and "peptic ulcer", "food" and "peptic
      ulcer", "food" and "gastric ulcer", "natural ingredient" and "peptic ulcer",
      "natural ingredient" and "gastric ulcer", "alternative medicine" and "peptic
      ulcer", "alternative medicine" and "gastric ulcer", "complementary medicine" and
      "peptic ulcer", "complementary medicine" and "gastric ulcer" in papers published
      in English between January 1, 1960 and January 31, 2016, resulting in a total of
      6146 articles containing these terms. After exclusion of studies not related
      prevention, not in NSAID model or using non-edible natural ingredients, 54
      articles were included in this review. RESULTS: Numerous studies have
      demonstrated that edible natural ingredients exhibit antiulcerogenic benefit in
      NSAID-induced animal models. The mechanisms by which edible, ingredient-induced
      anti-ulcerogenic effects include stimulation of mucous cell proliferation,
      antioxidation, inhibition of gastric acid secretion, as well as inhibition of H
      (+), K (+)- ATPase activities. Utilization of edible, natural ingredients could
      be a safe, valuable alternative to prevent the development of NSAID-induced
      gastric ulcer, particularly for the subjects who are long-term users of NSAIDs.

PMID- 28638887
TI  - A MOUSE MODEL OF MAMMARY HYPERPLASIA INDUCED BY ORAL HORMONE ADMINISTRATION.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mammary hyperplasia is one of the most common benign breast
      disorders. Although traditional Chinese medicine has a vast experience in the
      treatment of mammary hyperplasia, it is not accepted widely due to its unclear
      mechanism. METHODS AND MATERIALS: To address the mechanism, we developed a mouse
      model of mammary hyperplasia. We gave mice estradiol valerate tablets and
      progesterone capsules sequentially for one month by intragastric administration.
      RESULTS: Mice treated by this method had a series of pathological changes which
      are similar to those detected in women with mammary hyperplasia, including
      ectopic level of estradiol and progesterone in serum, hyperplasia of mammary
      glands and increased expression of ERalpha and PR. CONCLUSION: This model will
      facilitate the mechanical study of traditional medicine on mammary hyperplasia.

PMID- 28638889
TI  - REDUCTION OF INTRA-ARTICULAR ADHESION BY TOPICAL APPLICATION OF DAIDZEIN
      FOLLOWING KNEE SURGERY IN RABBITS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intra-articular adhesion is the commonest complication that is faced
      by orthopedic surgeons after knee surgery. Thus, the present investigation
      evaluates the effect of daidzein on intra-articular adhesion in rabbits. MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: All the rabbits were separated in to four different groups each
      group carries ten rabbits. Cancellous bone was exposed in each rabbit by removing
      cortical bone from both side of the femoral condyle. Following daidzein (2.5, 5
      and 10 mg/ml) was topically applied for the duration of 10 min to the
      decorticated areas. Thereafter for the period of 4 week surgical limb was fixed.
      Effect of daidzein on intra articular adhesion was estimated by visual score
      through macroscopic examination, histopathology study, hydroxyproline content,
      fibroblast and collage density. RESULTS: Data obtained in the study suggest that
      topical application of daidzein (5 and 10 mg/ml) loose the collagen and
      significantly decreases the adhesion at the decorticated areas. Moreover there
      were significant reduction in the fibroblast density, hydroxyproline content and
      optical density of collagen tissue in daidzein (5 and 10 mg/ml) treated group
      than control. CONCLUSION: Thus present study concludes that topical application
      of daidzein reduces intra-articular adhesion around the knee.

PMID- 28638888
TI  - MODULATION OF KEY BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS RELEVANT TO STROKE BY ANTIARIS AFRICANA
      LEAF EXTRACT FOLLOWING CEREBRAL ISCHEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress plays a significant role in stroke pathogenesis.
      Hence, plants rich in antioxidant phytochemicals have been suggested as effective
      remedies for prevention and treatment of stroke and other neurological diseases.
      Antiaris africana Engl. (Moraceae) is traditionally used for the management of
      brain-related problems but there is paucity of data on its anti-stroke potential.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by a 30 min
      bilateral common carotid artery occlusion/ 2 h reperfusion (BCCAO/R) in the brain
      of male Wistar rats. A sham-operated group which was not subjected to BCCAO/R and
      a group subjected to BCCAO/R without treatment with MEA served as controls. The
      ameliorative effect of 14 days of pretreatment with 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg A.
      africana methanol leaf extract (MEA) on BCCAO/R-mediated alterations to key
      markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione, xanthine
      oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and
      neurochemical disturbances and excitotoxicity (myeloperoxidase, glutamine
      synthetase, Na+/K+ ATPase, acetylcholinesterase and tyrosine hydroxylase), was
      evaluated and compared with the effect produced by treatment with 20 mg/kg
      quercetin as a reference standard. RESULTS: Results show that pretreatment with
      MEA significantly mitigated or reversed BCCAO/R-induced changes in the level or
      activity of the evaluated biochemical markers of oxidative stress, neurochemical
      dysfunction and excitotoxicity compared with the BCCAO/R untreated control group
      (p < 0.05). The effect produced by 100 mg/kg MEA was similar to that of the
      reference standard, quercetin. CONCLUSION: These results revealed the
      neuroprotective potential of A. africana in stroke and other ischemia-related
      pathologies.

PMID- 28638890
TI  - INHIBITORY EFFECT OF CHITOSAN OLIGOSACCHARIDE ON HUMAN HEPATOMA CELLS IN VITRO.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chitosan oligosaccharide, the degradation products of chitin, was
      reported to have a wide range of physiological functions and biological
      activities. In this study, we explored the inhibitory effect of Chitosan
      oligosaccharide on human hepatoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT assay was
      applied to detect cell viability of the human hepatoma cells treated with
      Chitosan oligosaccharide. Flow cytometric analysis was used to investigate the
      apoptosis of the human hepatoma cells treated with Chitosan oligosaccharide. We
      employed western blot to investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in the
      apoptosis. RESULTS: Our data indicated that chitosan oligosaccharide dose
      dependently inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells and induced apoptosis. On the
      molecular level, chitosan oligosaccharide decreased Bcl-2 and increased Caspase-3
      expression which may be related to the apoptosis of hepatoma cells. CONCLUSION:
      Our results provide an experimental basis for the clinical development of
      Chitosan oligosaccharide as a novel anti-hepatoma drug.

PMID- 28638891
TI  - EFFECT OF ASTRAGALOSIDE ON VITAMIN D-RECEPTOR EXPRESSION AFTER ENDOTHELIN-1
      INDUCED CARDIOMYOCYTE INJURY.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Astragaloside, which is one of the main components of Astragalus
      membranaceus, has been widely used in the treatment of congestive heart failure
      in China, and it can protect cardiomyocytes. Its mechanism of action remains
      unclear. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the
      influence of astragaloside on rat cardiomyocytes stimulated with endothelin-1 (ET
      1), and explored the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ET-1 was used
      to stimulate primary rat cardiomyocytes and establish a cardiomyocyte hypertrophy
      model. Different astragaloside doses were administered in combination with ET-1.
      Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis were examined using transmission electron
      microscopy (TEM) and flow cytometry, respectively. The molecular mechanism was
      explored by analyzing the mRNA of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), cytochrome P450
      family 27 subfamily B member 1(CYP27B), cytochrome P450 family 24 subfamily A
      member 1(CYP24A) and renin mRNA levels by quantificational real-time polymerase
      chain reaction(qRT-PCR). RESULTS: Rat cardiomyocyte hypertrophy model was
      established successfully. Astragaloside administration significantly affected
      cell apoptosis and significantly inhibited ET-1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy
      in a dose-dependent manner. Astragaloside treatment affected the expression of
      signaling molecules in the vitamin D axis. CONCLUSION: Astragaloside inhibits ET
      1-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. This effect can be reversed by regulating
      the levels of the relevant factors in the vitamin D axis.

PMID- 28638892
TI  - IN VIVO EFFECT OF GUIDING-HERB RADIX PLATYCODONIS AND RADIX CYATHULAE ON
      PAEONIFLORIN PHARMACOKINETICS OF XUEFU ZHUYU TANG IN RATS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Xuefu Zhuyu Tang (XFZYT), first recorded in Correction of Errors in
      Medical Works by Qing-ren Wang, has been proven reliable and effective for curing
      various diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and
      angina pectoris. It consists of 11 herbs and two of them, Radix platycodonis and
      Radix cyathulae, have been traditionally considered as guiding herbs and deeply
      valued by tens of millions of Chinese medicine practitioners. Do Radix
      platycodonis and Radix cyathulae affect the pharmacokinetics of the effective
      constituent-paeoniflorin of XFZYT? If yes, in what way? This study aims to answer
      these questions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medicinal solutions of XFZYT, XFZYT
      without Radix platycodonis (XFZYT-JG), XFZYT without Radix cyathulae (XFZYT-NX),
      and XFZYT without Radix platycodonis and Radix cyathulae (XFZYT-JG-NX) were
      prepared and administrated to rats in the normal group and the blood-stasis model
      group by gavage, respectively. The blood samples of rats in the normal group were
      obtained 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 240 minutes after gavage; whereas
      the blood samples of rats in the blood-stasis model group were obtained 10, 15,
      20, 30, 45, 90, 150, and 240 minutes after gavage. Biological samples were
      processed; the assays of specificity, precision, linearity, intra-day and inter
      day precisions, recovery and stability were conducted; high performance liquid
      chromatography was performed to detect paeoniflorin content; and DAS software was
      adopted to generate pharmacokinetic parameters. Mobile phase was composed of
      acetonitrile and water (16:84), detection wavelength was 230 nm, and riboflavin
      was set as internal standard substance. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetic parameters
      of the rats in the normal group after oral gavage of XFZYT, XFZYT-JG, XFZYT-NX,
      and XFZYT-JG-NX were Cmax = (0.363+/-0.248, 0.065+/-0.020, 0.099+/-0.033, 0.099+/
      0.020) mg/L, Tmax = (0.276+/-0.084, 0.583+/-0.342, 0.555+/-0.228, 0.317+/
      0.033)h, t1/2 = (0.501+/-0.241, 1.021+/-0.522, 0.853+/-0.377, 1.227+/-0.402) h;
      and AUC0-infinity = (0.381+/-0.415, 0.13+/-0.085, 0.166+/-0.066, 0.185+/-0.059)
      mg/L.h.; whereas the pharmacokinetic parameters for the rats in the blood-stasis
      model group after oral gavage of XFZYT, XFZYT-JG, XFZYT-NX, and XFZYT-JG-NX were
      Cmax = (0.315+/-0.153, 0.215+/-0.044, 0.228+/-0.056, 0.248+/-0.09) mg/L, Tmax =
      (0.5+/-0, 0.667+/-0.129, 0.5+/-0, 0.542+/-0.102) h, t1/2 = (0.408+/-0.146,
      0.813+/-0.135, 0.708+/-0.383, 0.741+/-0.173) h, and AUC0-infinity = (0.306+/
      0.157, 0.408+/-0.136, 0.368+/-0.159, 0.381+/-0.246) mg/L.h. CONCLUSION: The
      guiding herbs, Radix platycodonis and Radix cyathulae, significantly increased
      the absorption amount and rate of paeoniflorin in XFZYT, and accelerated its
      elimination from the blood.

PMID- 28638893
TI  - CHINESE HERBAL DECOCTION AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR ATROPHIC GASTRITIS: A
      SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chinese herbal decoction (CHD) has been extensively used in the
      treatment of atrophic gastritis (AG) in China and other Far Eastern countries. We
      conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the efficacy and
      safety of CHD in AG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane central
      register of controlled trials (central), VIP, China National Knowledge
      Infrastructure, Sinomed, Wanfang data were searched (up to December 2015).
      Randomized controlled trials recruiting patients with AG comparing CHD (alone or
      with western medicine (WM)) with WM were eligible. Dichotomous data were pooled
      to obtain relative risk (RR), with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Forty
      two articles including 3,874 patients were identified. CHD, used alone or with
      WM, had beneficial effect over WM in the improvement of clinical manifestations
      (RR=1.28; 95% CI 1.22-1.34) and pathological change (RR=1.42; 95% CI 1.30-1.54)
      for AG patients. However, the H. pylori eradication effect of CHD was not
      supported by the existing clinical evidence, because of the significant study
      heterogeneity (I2>50%) and inconsistency between the primary results and
      sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSIONS: CHD, if prescribed as a complementary therapy
      to WM, may improve the clinical manifestations and pathological change for AG
      patients. But its monotherapy for H. pylori eradication is not supported by
      enough clinical evidence.

PMID- 28638894
TI  - Hepatitis B Vaccination Rate in Patients with Diabetes: Assessment of Racial and
      Socioeconomic Disparity.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Less hygienic use of blood glucose monitoring equipment such as
      blood glucose meters, lancets, finger stick devices or other diabetes-care
      equipment such as syringes or insulin pens by self-administration often exposes
      the diabetic patient to Hepatitis B infection. This study evaluates hepatitis B
      vaccination among individuals with diabetes. METHODS: The study used data from
      the 2000-2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Vaccination rates among
      adult individuals with diabetes of various ethnic backgrounds was accessed and
      compared using chis-square tests. Multivariable logistic regression model was
      used to compare factors affecting hepatitis B vaccination among individuals with
      diabetes. RESULTS: The crude rate of diabetes in this population was 5.4%. The
      rate of vaccination among individuals with diabetes differed across racial groups
      (Asians 31.8% vs. blacks 30.7%; and whites 26.5%; p<0.01). After multivariate
      regression, the leading factors affecting hepatitis B vaccination included Age
      (40-60 years) (OR=0.51, 95% CI=0.47-0.57, p<0.01), lack of college education
      (OR=0.71,95% CI=0.64-0.79, p<0.01), foreign birth (OR=0.83, 95% CI=0.72-0.95,
      p<0.01), and Hispanic ethnicity (OR=0.88, 95% CI=0.78-1.00, P<0.05). CONCLUSION:
      Social and economic factors-education, insurance status, age, poverty level, and
      place of birth affect rates of vaccination among individuals with diabetes.

PMID- 28638896
TI  - A Scalable Cyberinfrastructure for Interactive Visualization of Terascale
      Microscopy Data.
AB  - The goal of the recently emerged field of connectomics is to generate a wiring
      diagram of the brain at different scales. To identify brain circuitry,
      neuroscientists use specialized microscopes to perform multichannel imaging of
      labeled neurons at a very high resolution. CLARITY tissue clearing allows imaging
      labeled circuits through entire tissue blocks, without the need for tissue
      sectioning and section-to-section alignment. Imaging the large and complex non
      human primate brain with sufficient resolution to identify and disambiguate
      between axons, in particular, produces massive data, creating great computational
      challenges to the study of neural circuits. Researchers require novel software
      capabilities for compiling, stitching, and visualizing large imagery. In this
      work, we detail the image acquisition process and a hierarchical streaming
      platform, ViSUS, that enables interactive visualization of these massive multi
      volume datasets using a standard desktop computer. The ViSUS visualization
      framework has previously been shown to be suitable for 3D combustion simulation,
      climate simulation and visualization of large scale panoramic images. The
      platform is organized around a hierarchical cache oblivious data layout, called
      the IDX file format, which enables interactive visualization and exploration in
      ViSUS, scaling to the largest 3D images. In this paper we showcase the VISUS
      framework used in an interactive setting with the microscopy data.

PMID- 28638897
TI  - Adaptive liquid flow behavior in 3D nanopores.
AB  - Liquid flow speed in 2D nanochannel models has previously been characterized,
      whereas liquid flow behavior in 3D nanostructured materials remains unknown. To
      fill this gap, we have developed a novel liquid nanofoam (LN) system composed of
      nanoporous silica gel particles and a non-wettable liquid phase. We demonstrated
      that the dynamic behavior of the LN sample was strain rate insensitive by
      impacting it with a drop weight at various incident speeds. Using this
      experimental setup, we measured the effective liquid flow speed in 3D nanopores
      and showed that it was 5 orders of magnitude higher than that of quasi-static
      loading. Importantly, the liquid infiltration speed as well as the energy
      absorption efficiency of the LN was found to be adaptive to the incident speed
      and energy level. This provides a mechanistic explanation for the high energy
      absorption efficiency of LNs at high blast impact levels and strain rates, and
      demonstrates the importance of experimentally investigating the liquid flow
      behavior in 3D instead of the traditional 2D nanopores.

PMID- 28638898
TI  - Laser photolysis studies of omega-bond dissociation in aromatic carbonyls with a
      C-C triple bond stimulated by triplet sensitization.
AB  - We have prepared three types of carbonyl compounds, benzoylethynylmethyl phenyl
      sulfide (2@SPh), (p-benzoyl)phenylethynylmethyl phenyl sulfide (3@SPh) and p
      (benzoylethynyl)benzyl phenyl sulfide (4@SPh) with benzoyl and phenylthiylmethyl
      groups, which are interconnected with a C-C triple bond and a phenyl ring. Laser
      flash photolysis of 3@SPh and 4@SPh in acetonitrile provided the transient
      absorption spectra of the corresponding triplet states where no chemical
      reactions were recognized. Upon laser flash photolysis of 2@SPh, the absorption
      band due to the phenylthiyl radical (PTR) was obtained, indicating that the C-S
      bond cleaved in the excited state. Triplet sensitization of these carbonyl
      compounds using acetone and xanthone was conducted using laser photolysis
      techniques. The formation of triplet 3@SPh was seen in the transient absorption,
      whereas the PTR formation was observed for 2@SPh and 4@SPh, indicating that the
      triplet states were reactive for the C-S bond dissociation. The C-S bond
      dissociation mechanism for 4@SPh upon triplet sensitization is discussed in
      comparison with those for 2@SPh and 3@SPh.

PMID- 28638899
TI  - Surface cleaning of artworks: structure and dynamics of nanostructured fluids
      confined in polymeric hydrogel networks.
AB  - Nanosystems and confinement tools for the controlled release of a cleaning agent,
      e.g., hydrogels and microemulsions, have been used for several years for the
      treatment of delicate surfaces in art restoration interventions. However,
      notwithstanding the unprecedented achievements from an application point of view,
      a fundamental comprehension of their interaction mechanism is still lacking. In
      this study PVA hydrogels, obtained via freeze-thaw processes, are prepared as
      scaffolds for water-based nanostructured fluids for application in the cleaning
      of artworks: rheological, thermal, microscopic and scattering techniques showed
      that, depending on the number of freeze-thaw cycles, the hydrogels exhibit
      different physicochemical and viscoelastic properties, making them suitable for
      application in a broad range of cleaning issues. The gels have been loaded with
      an oil-in-water microemulsion and the diffusion of the microemulsion droplets
      inside the polymeric network has been investigated through Fluorescence
      Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS), demonstrating that the microemulsion is
      permanently kept inside the matrix and can freely diffuse in the network. In
      addition, we show that when the gel-microemulsion system is put in contact with a
      layer of hydrophobic grime, a dynamic interaction between the microemulsion
      droplets and the underlying layer is established, leading to the solubilization
      of the hydrophobic molecules inside the droplets in the gel matrix. Thus, for the
      first time, through FCS, insights into the removal mechanism of hydrophobic grime
      upon interaction with a cleaning agent embedded in the polymeric matrix are
      obtained.

PMID- 28638895
TI  - Chronic Orofacial Pain: Burning Mouth Syndrome and Other Neuropathic Disorders.
AB  - Chronic orofacial pain is a symptom associated with a wide range of neuropathic,
      neurovascular, idiopathic, and myofascial conditions that affect a significant
      proportion of the population. While the collective impact of the subset of the
      orofacial pain disorders involving neurogenic and idiopathic mechanisms is
      substantial, some of these are relatively uncommon. Hence, patients with these
      disorders can be vulnerable to misdiagnosis, sometimes for years, increasing the
      symptom burden and delaying effective treatment. This manuscript first reviews
      the decision tree to be followed in diagnosing any neuropathic pain condition, as
      well as the levels of evidence needed to make a diagnosis with each of several
      levels of confidence: definite, probable, or possible. It then examines the
      clinical literature related to the idiopathic and neurogenic conditions that can
      occasion chronic orofacial pain, including burning mouth syndrome, trigeminal
      neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, and atypical
      odontalgia. Temporomandibular disorders also are examined as are other headache
      conditions, even though they are not neurologic conditions, because they are
      common and can mimic symptoms of the latter disorders. For each of these
      conditions, the paper reviews literature regarding incidence and prevalence,
      physiologic and other contributing factors, diagnostic signs and symptoms, and
      empirical evidence regarding treatments. Finally, in order to improve the quality
      and accuracy of clinical diagnosis, as well as the efficiency with which
      effective treatment is initiated and delivered, criteria are offered that can be
      instrumental in making a differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28638900
TI  - Ordering of ferromagnetic nanoparticles in nematic liquid crystals.
AB  - Dispersions of magnetic nanoparticles in a nematic liquid crystal were
      investigated as magnetic fields were applied in three different boundary
      condition geometries: (i) planar substrates and B?n, (ii) planar substrates and
      B||n, and (iii) homeotropic substrates and B?n. Particle chaining is observed
      when a magnetic field is applied, with a periodicity perpendicular to the chains.
      Furthermore, linear chains are observed for the magnetic field applied
      perpendicular to the director, while zigzag chains are formed when the magnetic
      field direction is parallel to the director field. This is attributed to a change
      from a dipolar defect configuration around dispersed nanoparticles, to a
      quadrupolar one, i.e. the change from satellite to Saturn-ring defects. This
      effect is largely independent of the sample thickness. The dynamic development of
      the chain length, as well as their two-dimensional order parameter was studied in
      all cases. Chain lengths increased rapidly until saturation at approximately l =
      30 MUm after a time of about t = 10 s. Similarly, the chain order parameters
      increased until saturation between S = 0.8-0.9, independent of sample geometry.

PMID- 28638901
TI  - An innovative scheme for sub-50 nm patterning via electrohydrodynamic
      lithography.
AB  - The fabrication of large-area and well-ordered nanostructures using lithographic
      techniques is challenging. We have developed novel approaches for sub-50 nm
      nanopatterning using an electrohydrodynamic lithography (EHL) technique by
      tailoring experimental parameters such as applied voltage, stamp features,
      filling ratio, and choice of resist film. We obtain a sub-50 nm pattern replica
      from a master stamp that contains an array of line patterns having 50 nm widths.
      Moreover, we show that a far-smaller pattern replication than the original
      pattern size can be readily obtained by carefully adjusting the experimental
      conditions. Perfect- and much smaller-pattern replicas have been realized from
      the master stamp with an array of hole patterns having a 400 nm hole size by
      tuning the filling ratio. We also demonstrate that an array of 30 nm graphene
      nanoribbons can be easily fabricated by exploring a hierarchical core-shell
      template structure employing a bilayer resist film via an EHL technique. The
      proposed minimal-contact patterning method is simple, versatile, and inexpensive
      and has potential to become a powerful technique for realizing feasible ultrafine
      nanostructures on a wafer scale.

PMID- 28638903
TI  - Adsorption versus aggregation of NIPAM nanogels: new insight into their behaviour
      at the air/water interface as a function of concentration.
AB  - We have used neutron reflectivity (NR) measurements in combination with dynamic
      light scattering (DLS), surface tension and ellipsometry, to study the adsorption
      behaviour at the air/water interface of N-isopropylacrylamide-based nanogels as a
      function of concentration. The data provide clear evidence that the nanogels are
      adsorbed at the interface in a strongly deformed shape and forming a multi-layer
      where the thickness increases with nanogel concentration in the bulk. The
      combination of surface characterisation techniques and bulk studies indicate that
      interfacial film formation is preferred over bulk aggregation. This observation
      at the air/water interface supports the Derjaguin prediction, that a sphere's
      interaction with a plane (the thick adsorbed nanogel layer at interface) is much
      larger than nanogel-nanogel (sphere-sphere) association in the bulk. These
      findings, in particular the changes in conformations and the thick layer
      adsorption at the interface as a function of concentration, impact significantly
      on a number of applications for which nanogels are currently being investigated.
      These results contribute to the understanding of the behaviour of soft colloids
      at the interfaces.

PMID- 28638904
TI  - Dissolution behaviour and activation of selenium in phosphonium based ionic
      liquids.
AB  - The dissolution behaviour of grey selenium in phosphonium based ionic liquids
      (ILs) has been investigated for the first time by 31P and 77Se nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) experiments. The investigations evidence the formation of
      trialkylphosphane selenides which can serve as a selenium reservoir in the
      subsequent formation of metal selenides.

PMID- 28638905
TI  - Thermal stability and thermal conductivity of phosphorene in phosphorene/graphene
      van der Waals heterostructures.
AB  - Phosphorene, a new two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting material, has attracted
      tremendous attention recently. However, its structural instability under ambient
      conditions poses a great challenge to its practical applications. A possible
      solution for this problem is to encapsulate phosphorene with more stable 2D
      materials, such as graphene, forming van der Waals heterostructures. In this
      study, using molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the thermal stability
      of phosphorene in phosphorene/graphene heterostructures can be enhanced
      significantly. By sandwiching phosphorene between two graphene sheets, its
      thermally stable temperature is increased by 150 K. We further study the thermal
      transport properties of phosphorene and find surprisingly that the in-plane
      thermal conductivity of phosphorene in phosphorene/graphene heterostructures is
      much higher than that of the free-standing one, with a net increase of 20-60%.
      This surprising increase in thermal conductivity arises from the increase in
      phonon group velocity and the extremely strong phonon coupling between
      phosphorene and the graphene substrate. Our findings have an important meaning
      for the practical applications of phosphorene in nanodevices.

PMID- 28638906
TI  - Controlled defect creation and removal in graphene and MoS2 monolayers.
AB  - It is known that defects strongly influence the properties of two-dimensional
      (2D) materials. The controlled creation and removal of defects can be utilized to
      tailor the optical and electronic responses of these 2D materials for
      optoelectronic and nanoelectronic applications. In this study, we developed an
      efficient approach to reversibly control the defect states in mechanically
      exfoliated graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayers. The defects were
      created by aluminium oxide (Al2O3) plasmas and removed by moderate thermal
      annealing at up to 300  degrees C. We employed Raman and photoluminescence (PL)
      as well as electrical characterization to monitor the variation of the defect
      level in graphene and MoS2. For graphene, Raman spectra indicate that the Al2O3
      plasma induced sp3-type defects with a controlled concentration, which have been
      substantially removed after thermal annealing. A similar trend was also observed
      in monolayer MoS2, as revealed by the defect-related emission peak (Xb) in the PL
      spectra. We further showed that the defects induced by the Al2O3 plasma in both
      2D materials can be restored to any intended level via annealing under well
      controlled conditions. Our work presents a new route to the functional design of
      the optical and electronic properties of graphene and MoS2-based devices through
      defect engineering.

PMID- 28638907
TI  - Ruthenium(ii) p-cymene complexes of a benzimidazole-based ligand capable of
      VEGFR2 inhibition: hydrolysis, reactivity and cytotoxicity studies.
AB  - The design of Ru or other metal-based anticancer agents may achieve better and
      faster optimization if the ligands used are also designed to have standalone
      functions. In this scenario, even after dissociation from the metal complex under
      adverse conditions, the ligand would have anti-cancer properties. In our work, we
      have generated a bispyrazole-containing benzimidazole ligand with potency against
      vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), which is known to have
      roles in vasculogenesis/angiogenesis. This ligand was used to obtain ternary
      Ru(ii) p-cymene complexes with the formulations [(eta6-p-cymene)Ru(HL)(Cl)](Cl)
      (1), [(eta6-p-cymene)Ru(HL)(Br)](Br) (2) and [(eta6-p-cymene)Ru(HL)(I)](I) (3).
      1H NMR data supports that hydrolysis of the complex is governed by halide
      substitution, and the extent of hydrolysis followed the trend 3 > 1 > 2. All the
      complexes have low affinity towards DNA bases (average Kb ~ 103 M-1 for CT DNA);
      however, all the complexes are cytotoxic in nature, with IC50 values less than 15
      MUM. The presence of excess glutathione (GSH) liberates HL from the complexes in
      solution. The ability of the Ru complex to impair mitochondrial function and
      reduce the cellular GSH pool is thought to be the reason that it retains activity
      in the presence of GSH despite the ability of GSH to degrade the complexes. The
      chloride analogue 1 shows the best in vitro cytotoxicity against a prostate
      cancer cell line (LNCaP), with an IC50 of 6.4 MUM. The complexes show anti
      proliferative activity by the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway.
      Docking studies showed that HL has high affinity towards vascular endothelial
      growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). The complexes show anti-metastatic activity
      (in vitro) at almost non-toxic dosages, and the effect is sustained even 48 h
      after removal of the complexes from the culture media.

PMID- 28638910
TI  - Dark plasmonic mode based perfect absorption and refractive index sensing.
AB  - Dark plasmonic resonances in metallic nanostructures are essential for many
      potential applications such as refractive index sensing, single molecule
      detection, nanolasers etc. However, it is difficult to excite the dark modes in
      optical experiments and thus the practical applications are severely limited.
      Herein, we demonstrate a simple method to experimentally excite the quadrupolar
      and higher-order plasmonic modes with normal incident light. By directionally
      depositing silver films onto the sidewalls of metal-covered one-dimensional
      grating, we have experimentally observed a series of asymmetrical resonances at
      the plasmonic ranges of silver gratings. Interestingly, both of the reflection
      and transmission coefficients of high-order plasmonic modes are reduced to around
      zero, demonstrating the perfect absorption very well. The corresponding numerical
      simulations show that these resonances are the well-known dark modes. Different
      from the conventional dark modes in plasmonic dimers, here the dark modes are the
      electric oscillations (as standing waves) within the silver sidewalls that are
      excited by charge accumulation via the bright plasmonic resonance of the top
      silver strips. In addition to the simple realization of perfect absorption, the
      dark modes are found to be quite sensitive to the environmental changes. The
      experimentally measured reflective index sensitivity is around 458 nm per RIU
      (refractive index unit), which is much higher than the sensitivity of the metal
      covered grating without silver sidewalls. This research shall pave new routes to
      practical applications of dark surface plasmons.

PMID- 28638911
TI  - Synthesis and characterization of catalytically active thiazolium gold(i)
      carbenes.
AB  - Thiamin analogs were used to synthesize mono gold(i)-carbene derivatives in a
      single step under aqueous conditions. The resulting thiazolium gold(i)-carbenes
      catalyze 5-endo-dig carbocyclization of an acetylenic dicarbonyl compound in
      organic solvents and hydroalkoxylation of an allene in aqueous buffer.

PMID- 28638915
TI  - [Optogenetic activation of dorsal hippocampal astrocytic Rac1 blocks the learning
      of associative memory].
AB  - Rac1 belongs to the family of Rho GTPases, and plays important roles in the brain
      function. It affects the cell migration and axon guidance via regulating the
      cytoskeleton and cellular morphology. However, the effect of its dynamic
      activation in regulating physiological function remains unclear. Recently, a
      photoactivatable analogue of Rac1 (PA-Rac1) has been developed, allowing the
      activation of Rac1 by the specific wavelength of light in living cells. Thus, we
      constructed recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) of PA-Rac1 and its light
      insensitive mutant PA-Rac1-C450A under the control of the mouse glial fibrillary
      acidic protein (mGFAP) promoter to manipulate Rac1 activity in astrocytes by
      optical stimulation. Primary culture of hippocampal astrocytes was infected with
      the recombinant AAV-PA-Rac1 or AAV-PA-Rac1-C450A. Real-time fluorescence imaging
      showed that the cell membrane of the astrocyte expressing PA-Rac1 protruded near
      the light spot, while the astrocyte expressing PA-Rac1-C450A did not. We injected
      AAV-PA-Rac1 and AAV-PA-Rac1-C450A into dorsal hippocampus to investigate the role
      of the activation of Rac1 in regulating the associative learning. With optical
      stimulation, the PA-Rac1 group, rather than the PA-Rac1-C450A group, showed
      slower learning curve during the fear conditioning compared with the control
      group, indicating that activating astrocytic Rac1 blocks the formation of
      contextual memory. Our data suggest that the activation of Rac1 in dorsal
      hippocampal astrocyte plays an important role in the associative learning.

PMID- 28638916
TI  - [Different subtypes of estrogen receptor alpha and related signal molecules in
      the hippocampus are associated with spatial cognitive impairment of diabetic
      mice].
AB  - To study the correlation between the spatial cognitive impairment and different
      subtypes of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) of hippocampus in diabetic mice, we
      used alloxan (intraperitoneal injection) to induce type 1 diabetes in male
      Kunming mice and compared the spatial cognitive ability of the model mice with
      that of control mice through Morris water maze test. Meanwhile, using Western
      blot, we detected the protein expressions of ER-alpha36, ER-alpha66, caveolin-1,
      PKCalpha, cAMP-response element binding protein 2 (CREB2), and synaptophysin
      (Syn) in the hippocampus of the mice. The results showed that on the 3rd and 5th
      days of training, the ability of spatial learning and memory in the diabetic mice
      was significantly inferior to that of the control mice (P < 0.05). In the
      diabetic mice, the protein expressions of caveolin-1 and PKCalpha were decreased
      (P < 0.05), but ER-alpha66 expression was unaffected, while ER-alpha36 and CREB2
      expressions were significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared with those of the
      control mice. The results suggest that abnormal expression of ER-alpha36 and
      related signal molecules may be important factors for diabetes-induced spatial
      cognitive impairment.

PMID- 28638918
TI  - [Generation of tnnt2a knock-out zebrafish via CRISPR/Cas9 and phenotypic
      analysis].
AB  - Cardiac troponin T (cTnT) serves as a structural protein of myocardial fiber, and
      participates in heart excitation-contraction coupling process. Here, we generated
      tnnt2a (cTnT-coding gene) deletion mutant zebrafish via CRISPR/Cas9 technique,
      and performed phenotypic analysis of the identified tnnt2a mutants. We observed
      that there was no significant difference between heterozygous mutant and wild
      type zebrafish, and the homozygous mutants displayed significant malformations in
      heart, including cardiac arrest, atrium and ventricle enlargement, pericardium
      effusion, and the individuals usually died before 7 day post fertilization (dpf).
      We further analyzed the expression alternations of heart sarcomere genes (tnnt2a,
      actc1a, tpm4a, myl7, vmhc) at transcriptional level in tnnt2a-/-(Delta2)
      zebrafish by performing real time RT-PCR, and found that the RNA expression level
      of tnnt2a in tnnt2a-/- zebrafish decreased constantly at each time point of
      developmental stages, and actc1a, tpm4a, myl7 and vmhc all showed higher
      expressions at early developmental stages and lower expressions at late
      developmental stages, in comparison with those of wild type zebrafish. Lastly,
      electron microscopy on cardiac tissues suggested that there were significant
      changes of the thick or thin filament structures in tnnt2a-/-(Delta2) zebrafish,
      which was further confirmed by F-actin and Tpm4 immunofluorescence staining. The
      tnnt2a-/- zebrafish generated by CRISPR/Cas9 bears the most common symptoms of
      patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and therefore can be used as a tool to
      study TNNT2-deficiency related cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 28638917
TI  - Influence of sodium nitroprusside on expressions of FBXL5 and IRP2 in SH-SY5Y
      cells.
AB  - Iron accumulation in the brain is associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's
      disease (PD). Misexpression of some iron transport and storage proteins is
      related to iron dyshomeostasis. Iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) including IRP1
      and IRP2 are cytosolic proteins that play important roles in maintaining cellular
      iron homeostasis. F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 5 (FBXL5) is involved in
      the regulation of iron metabolism by degrading IRP2 through the ubiquitin
      proteasome system. Nitric oxide (NO) enhances the binding activity of IRP1, but
      its effect on IRP2 is ambiguous. Therefore, in the present study, we aim to
      determine whether sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, regulates FBXL5 and
      IRP2 expression in cultured SH-SY5Y cells. MTT assay revealed that treatment of
      SNP attenuated the cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry test
      showed that 100 and 300 MUmol/L SNP administration significantly reduced the
      mitochondrial membrane potential by 45% and 60%, respectively. Moreover, Western
      blotting analysis demonstrated that 300 MUmol/L SNP significantly increased FBXL5
      expression by about 39%, whereas the expression of IRP2 was decreased by 46%,
      correspondingly. These findings provide evidence that SNP could induce
      mitochondrial dysfunction, enhance FBXL5 expression and decrease IRP2 expression
      in SH-SY5Y cells.

PMID- 28638919
TI  - [Analyses of exercise-induced muscle damage-specific microRNA expression and
      molecular target of sarcolemmal damage in rats].
AB  - In the present study, we were to screen the specific microRNA (miRNA) of exercise
      induced muscle damage (EIMD) and assess the EIMD-specific miRNAs-regulated target
      of sarcolemmal damage in rats. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were
      randomly divided into 3 groups, which included sedentary (C), 24 h post-exercise
      (E24) and 48 h post-exercise (E48) groups. Rat EIMD model was established by an
      acute eccentric exercise, i.e., a downhill running treatment at -16o gradient.
      EIMD characteristics were verified by Evans blue dye staining, differentially
      expressed miRNAs were detected by microarray assay, EIMD-specific miRNAs
      expressions were further validated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR),
      and targets of the miRNAs were predicted based on mRNA expressions of associated
      proteins and related pathway core molecules of sarcolemmal damage. Two EIMD
      specific expressed miRNAs, including miR-206-3p and miR-139-3p, were found in the
      study. There was a significantly negative correlation (P < 0.05) between miR-206
      3p expression and dystrophin (r = -0.68), utrophin (r = -0.64), JNK (r = -0.62)
      or ERK1 (r = -0.68) respectively, but no correlation was found between miR-139-3p
      and these biomolecules. The results suggest that: i) the expression profile of
      miRNAs in rat is significantly affected by EIMD, ii) miR-206-3p and miR-139-3p
      are the EIMD-specific miRNAs, and iii) miR-206-3p may control sarcolemmal damage
      by regulating dystrophin, utrophin, JNK and ERK1.

PMID- 28638920
TI  - [A study on toxic effects of sodium salicylate on rat cochlear spiral ganglion
      neurons: dopamine receptors mediate expressions of NMDA and GABAA receptors].
AB  - The aim of the present study was to observe whether dopamine receptor (DR) was
      involved in the effects of sodium salicylate (SS) on the expressions of N-methyl
      D-aspartic acid (NMDA) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in rat
      cochlear spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Forty-eight hours after primary culture
      of rat SGNs, immunofluorescence technique was applied to detect expressions of
      DR1 and DR2, the two subtypes of dopamine receptors. Western blot was performed
      to assess NMDA receptor NR1 subunit and GABAA receptor subunit alpha2
      (GABRalpha2) protein expressions in the SGNs after the treatments of SS alone or
      in combination with DR antagonists. The results demonstrated that: (1) The DR1
      and DR2 were expressed in the bodies and axons of the SGN; (2) After the
      treatment with SS, the surface protein expressions of GABRalpha2 and NR1 were
      decreased by 44.69% and 21.57%, respectively, while the total protein expressions
      showed no significant changes; (3) Neither SS + SCH23390 (DR1 antagonist) group
      nor SS + Eticlopride (DR2 antagonist) group showed significant differences in
      GABRalpha2 and NR1 surface protein expressions compared with the control group.
      These results suggest that SS regulates the surface GABAA and NMDA receptors
      trafficking on SGN, and the mechanism may involve DR mediation.

PMID- 28638921
TI  - [Protective effect of synthetic salidroside on acute lung injury in rats].
AB  - To study the protective effect and mechanism of synthetic salidroside on acute
      lung injury (ALI) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), male Sprague-Dawley (SD)
      rats were randomly divided into saline control group, 3 mg/kg LPS model group,
      different doses of salidroside groups (5, 20 and 80 mg/kg), and 5 mg/kg
      dexamethasone group. Intratracheal LPS instillation was used to establish the ALI
      model 0.5 h after intraperitoneal injection of salidroside or dexamethasone, and
      the rats were sacrificed 6 h later. Lung wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) was
      calculated. Lung tissue pathology and lung injury score (LIS) were observed and
      evaluated through hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The centrifugal sediment
      of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was used to count the polymorphonuclear
      leukocyte (PMN) number by Wright's staining, and the centrifugal supernatant of
      BALF was used to determine the contents of protein and inflammatory factors (TNF
      alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6). The contents of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and
      malondialdehyde (MDA) in lung tissue were determined. Western blot was used to
      detect the expression levels of phosphorylated and total nuclear factor kappa B
      (NF-kappaB)/p65 protein in lung tissue. The results showed that, compared with
      LPS group, the intervention of synthetic salidroside alleviated the pathological
      damage in lung tissue, decreased the LIS and lung W/D ratio (P < 0.05), reduced
      the PMN number, the contents of protein and inflammatory factors in BALF (P <
      0.05), reduced the contents of MPO and MDA in lung tissue (P < 0.05), and
      inhibited the expression of p-NF-kappaB in lung tissue (P < 0.05). The results
      suggest that synthetic salidroside has a protective effect on ALI induced by LPS,
      and its mechanism is related to inhibiting the phosphorylation of NF-kappaB and
      reducing the aggregation of PMN in the lung.

PMID- 28638922
TI  - [Palmitoylation of heat shock protein 90 in mouse sperm].
AB  - Protein palmitoylation, one of post-translation modifications, refers to the
      addition of saturated 16-carbon palmitic acid to cysteine residues via the
      thioester bond. It plays key roles in various functional activities, such as the
      interaction, stability and location of proteins. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90),
      an important molecular chaperone, has been reported to be involved in sperm
      capacitation. However, it remains unclear whether protein palmitoylation exists
      in sperm and whether Hsp90 in sperm is palmitoylated under different
      physiological conditions. In this study, we examined whether the protein
      palmitoylation is present in mouse cauda epididymis sperm using acyl-biotin
      exchange method, predicted the potential palmitoylated sites of Hsp90 by the
      software CSS-Palm 4.0 and detected the palmitoylated Hsp90 in the mouse sperm
      from caput epididymis and cauda epididymis by immunoprecipitation. We found that
      some proteins, approximately 50, 65, 72, 85 and 130 kDa, were palmitoylated in
      mouse cauda epididymis sperm. Five sites in two Hsp90 isoforms were predicted to
      be palmitoylated. The results also showed that Hsp90 in mouse sperm was
      palmitoylated and its palmitoylation level was involved in different
      physiological conditions: the palmitoylation level of cauda epididymis sperm was
      higher than that of caput epididymis sperm; and the palmitoylation level after
      capacitation was much higher than that before capacitation. In conclusion, this
      study reveals that protein palmitoylation is present in mouse sperm and the
      palmitoylated Hsp90 is associated with different physiological conditions in
      sperm.

PMID- 28638923
TI  - [Reconstitution of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels into
      artificial planar lipid bilayers].
AB  - This study was aimed to establish a method to create a stable planar lipid
      bilayer membranes (PLBMs), in which large conductance calcium-activated potassium
      channels (BKCa) were reconstituted. Using spreading method, PLBMs were prepared
      by decane lipid fluid consisting of N2-weathered mixture of phosphatidylcholine
      and cholesterol at 3:1 ratio. After successful incorporation of BKCa channel into
      PLBMs, single channel characteristics of BKCa were studied by patch clamp method.
      The results showed that i) the single channel conductance of BKCa was (206.8 +/-
      16.9) pS; ii) the activities of BKCa channel were voltage dependent; iii) in the
      bath solution without Ca2+, there was almost no BKCa channel activities
      regardless of under hyperpolarization or repolarization conditions; iv) under the
      condition of +40 mV membrane potential, BKCa channels were activated in a Ca2+
      concentration dependent manner; v) when [Ca2+] was increased from 1 MUmol/L to
      100 MUmol/L, both the channel open probability and the average open time were
      increased, and the average close time was decreased from (32.2 +/- 2.8) ms to
      (2.1 +/- 1.8) ms; vi) the reverse potential of the reconstituted BKCa was -30 mV
      when [K+] was at 40/140 mmol/L (Cis/Trans). These results suggest that the
      spreading method could serve as a new method for preparing PLBMs and the
      reconstituted BKCa into PLBMs showed similar electrophysiological characteristics
      to natural BKCa channels, so the PLBMs with incorporated BKCa can be used in the
      studies of pharmacology and dynamics of BKCa channel.

PMID- 28638924
TI  - [Measurement of kinetic parameters of skeletal muscle protein synthesis in rats
      by deuterated water].
AB  - The aim of the present study was to measure the kinetic parameters of skeletal
      muscle protein synthesis in rats by deuterated water (2H2O). Twenty Sprague
      Dawley (SD) rats were labeled by 2H2O through intraperitoneal injection and
      drinking. At the each end of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 10th week after the first
      2H2O labeling, four rats were sacrificed by cardiac puncture for blood plasma and
      quadriceps femoris sampling. Skeletal muscle protein and free amino acids in
      plasma were purified, hydrolyzed by hydrochloric acid and derived. The deuterium
      enrichments of 2H-labeled alanyl in skeletal muscle protein and plasma protein
      bound 2H-labeled alanine were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
      (GC-MS). The fractional synthesis rate of skeletal muscle protein and synthetic
      dynamic equation were calculated. The fractional synthetic rate of skeletal
      muscle protein was 12.8%/week, and synthetic dynamic equation was ft = 0.158 * (1
      - e-0.128t). The results suggest that the kinetic parameters of skeletal muscle
      protein synthesis can be measured by 2H2O labeling, and the method can be applied
      in long-term labeling experiment.

PMID- 28638925
TI  - [Autophagy and hypoxic ischemic brain injuries].
AB  - Autophagy is a highly evolutionarily conserved physiological mechanism of
      organism, including several stages such as autophagosomes formation, the fusion
      of lysosomes and autophagosomes, and autophagosomes degradation. In physiological
      conditions, autophagy is responsible for clearing the spoiled organelles and long
      lived proteins to maintain the homeostasis of cells and organism. Meanwhile,
      autophagy is also involved in the formation and development of diseases, but the
      mechanism has not been confirmed yet. The relationship between autophagy and
      hypoxic ischemic brain injuries represented by stroke is a research hotpot in
      recent years, but there is no clear conclusion about autophagy's role and
      mechanism in hypoxic ischemic brain injuries. We reviewed the activation,
      function and mechanism of autophagy in hypoxic ischemic brain injuries, in order
      to provide some perspectives on these researches.

PMID- 28638926
TI  - [Mechanisms and applications of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in
      analgesia].
AB  - Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), as a non-pharmacological and
      non-invasive analgesic therapy with low-cost, has been widely used to relieve
      pain in various clinical applications, by delivering current pulses to the skin
      area to activate the peripheral nerve fibers. Nevertheless, analgesia induced by
      TENS varied in the clinical practice, which could be caused by the fact that TENS
      with different stimulus parameters has different biological mechanisms in
      relieving pain. Therefore, to advance our understanding of TENS in various basic
      and clinical studies, we discussed (1) neurophysiological and biochemical
      mechanisms of TENS-induced analgesia; (2) relevant factors that may influence
      analgesic effects of TENS from the perspectives of stimulus parameters, including
      stimulated position, pulse parameters (current intensity, frequency, and pulse
      width), stimulus duration and used times in each day; and (3) applications of
      TENS in relieving clinical pain, including post-operative pain, chronic low back
      pain and labor pain. Finally, we propose that TENS may involve multiple and
      complex psychological neurophysiological mechanisms, and suggest that different
      analgesic effects of TENS with different stimulus parameters should be taken into
      consideration in clinical applications. In addition, to optimize analgesic
      effect, we recommend that individual-based TENS stimulation parameters should be
      designed by considering individual differences among patients, e.g., adaptively
      adjusting the stimulation parameters based on the dynamic ratings of patients'
      pain.

PMID- 28638927
TI  - [Involvement of aquaporin-4 in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory].
AB  - Aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) is the predominant water channel in the central nervous
      system (CNS) and primarily expressed in astrocytes. Astrocytes have been
      generally believed to play important roles in regulating synaptic plasticity and
      information processing. However, the role of AQP-4 in regulating synaptic
      plasticity, learning and memory, cognitive function is only beginning to be
      investigated. It is well known that synaptic plasticity is the prime candidate
      for mediating of learning and memory. Long term potentiation (LTP) and long term
      depression (LTD) are two forms of synaptic plasticity, and they share some but
      not all the properties and mechanisms. Hippocampus is a part of limbic system
      that is particularly important in regulation of learning and memory. This article
      is to review some research progresses of the function of AQP-4 in synaptic
      plasticity, learning and memory, and propose the possible role of AQP-4 as a new
      target in the treatment of cognitive dysfunction.

PMID- 28638928
TI  - [Fat deposition in skeletal muscle and its regulation].
AB  - Under normal condition, there are a few lipid droplets in skeletal muscle. But in
      skeletal muscle acute injury, muscular dystrophy, muscle atrophy, obesity,
      diabetes and other pathological conditions, the fat deposition in skeletal muscle
      increases, which implicate that the fat deposition may play an important role in
      the pathogenesis of these diseases. However, the mechanisms of development and
      regulation of fat deposition in skeletal muscle are not clear. Clarifying the key
      signaling pathways and regulatory factors that affect fat deposition in skeletal
      muscle, and exploring new ways to improve the fat deposition in skeletal muscle
      will not only help to deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of these
      diseases, but also provide new ideas for the treatment of these diseases. This
      paper reviews the research progresses and main mechanisms of fat deposition in
      skeletal muscle.

PMID- 28638929
TI  - [Research progress of neuregulin 4 biological function].
AB  - Neuregulin 4 (NRG4) is a kind of protein containing epidermal growth factor (EGF)
      like domains, mainly expressed and secreted by brown adipocytes. It specifically
      activates EGF receptor ErbB4 (v-erb-b2 avian erythroblastic leukemia viral
      oncogene homolog 4) to stimulate cell proliferation, inhibit apoptosis and
      improve energy metabolism of cells. Increasing evidence has shown that NRG4 plays
      an important role in epithelial cell-related diseases, cardiovascular diseases,
      tumors and glycolipid metabolic diseases, and therefore it could be a potential
      therapeutic target of some diseases.

PMID- 28638930
TI  - [Different adipose tissue depots and metabolic syndrome in human].
AB  - Obesity is characterized by abnormal and excessive adipose tissue accumulated in
      the body. Compared with peripheral obesity (the accumulation of subcutaneous
      adipose tissue), abdominal obesity (the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue)
      is associated with increased risk of the metabolic syndrome, such as diabetes,
      hypertension, atherosclerosis, and dyslipidemia. Adipose tissue is a highly
      heterogeneous endocrine organ. Adipose tissue depots differ significantly in
      anatomy, cell biology, glucose and lipid metabolism as well as in endocrine
      regulation. Visceral adipose tissue has a stronger metabolic activity and secrets
      a larger amount of free fat acids, adipocytokines, hormones and inflammatory
      factors, which flux into the liver directly via the hepatic portal vein. These
      characteristics indicate that visceral adiposity may lead to the metabolic
      syndrome and thus visceral adipose tissue might be the clinical target for the
      prevention and treatment of obesity.

PMID- 28638931
TI  - [Operative techniques and results of tibial pilon fractures].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The anatomical reconstruction of tibial pilon fractures is a major
      challenge with respect to preoperative planning, time management and the
      intraoperative procedure. OBJECTIVE: Presentation of the various surgical
      procedures available and the clinical outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The
      established open reduction and internal plate fixation procedures form the basis
      for new minimally invasive treatment concepts. The current results of comparative
      studies and basic literature are discussed. RESULTS: The treatment result depends
      on the severity of the initial fracture and accompanying soft tissue damage.
      Essential is an anatomical reduction with an articular displacement of less than
      2 mm. Overall, only approximately half of all patients return to work within 1
      year. The fixation procedure used is not relevant for this purpose. Both plate
      fixation and the combination of external fixator plus minimally invasive
      articular reconstruction with and without arthroscopy achieve equivalent results.
      CONCLUSION: Good clinical results can be achieved by an accurate preoperative
      planning with respect to the surgical procedure, time of surgery and the surgical
      steps. In cases of disregarding these points and inadequate surgical expertise,
      loss of function and reduced quality of life are impending.

PMID- 28638932
TI  - [Treatment of recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis].
AB  - Whereas static vocal fold medialization or lateralization are currently the
      standard procedures, new dynamic treatment methods such as reinnervation and
      laryngeal pacing focus on better toning and remobilization of the paralyzed vocal
      folds. End-to-end or jump anastomoses of the recurrent laryngeal nerve can
      preserve muscle mass and avoid atrophy, thus enabling subsequent dynamic
      therapeutic options. Prognostic evaluation and the time point of therapeutic
      intervention are important issues in the management of patients with recurrent
      laryngeal nerve paralysis. Irreversible interventions should be avoided at early
      time points or during childhood in order to allow for spontaneous remission and
      dynamic therapeutic options.

PMID- 28638933
TI  - [Implementation status of Regulation EU 536/2014 in the member states].
AB  - The upcoming Regulation EU 536/2014 for clinical trials of medicinal products for
      human use requires multinational cooperation in the assessment of clinical trial
      applications by the member states concerned as well as one single decision per
      member state concerned, supported by the new EU Portal and database system. The
      implementation makes national reorganisation of the processes necessary,
      especially coordination and cooperation between the national competent
      authorities and the ethics committees, necessary.A brief overview of
      implementation status with regard to national law adaptations, (re-)
      organisation, information technology systems as well as national or multinational
      pilot projects in 7 of 28 member states is given.Within these member states some
      national laws have been adapted already, while others will be soon. The national
      reorganisation covers mostly administrative organisation and coordination
      especially within the ethics committees. Overall, it is foreseen that a reduced
      number of ethics committees will be involved in the approval of clinical trials
      on medicinal products within the member states.Most of the seven member states
      expect that in addition to the new EU Portal/database system a national IT system
      for national cooperation and interaction will be necessary. Therefore, an
      interface within the EU system for national systems is essential.In order to test
      the new processes some member states are running national pilot projects or are
      planning them. In addition, almost all participate in the voluntary multinational
      assessment of clinical trials on medicinal products, which had existed since
      2009, a few also in cooperation with their ethics committees.The member states
      are confident that all national processes will be in place when the EU regulation
      becomes applicable.

PMID- 28638934
TI  - [The impact of the EU Regulation 536/2014 on the tasks and functioning of ethics
      committees in Germany].
AB  - The EU Clinical Trial Regulation 536/2014 (CTR) and its implementation in Germany
      led to substantial changes of the established, well-accepted and effective system
      of reviewing clinical trial applications by ethics committees (ECs), which impair
      their independence. For the first time, the German federal legislator specified
      in detail the composition, functioning, tasks and responsibilities of ECs. ECs
      have to be registered with the federal drug authority BfArM and if an EC does not
      perform properly the registration can be withdrawn. In addition, the drug
      authorities may override the negative opinion expressed by an EC. The ECs will
      also lose their financial autonomy as the fees will be fixed by the federal
      government. The tasks and responsibilities of the ECs remain almost entirely
      unchanged, however. The ECs remain involved in the assessment of both parts of
      the application dossier. Part I is assessed together with the drug authorities,
      the drug authorities having the lead. The assessment of part II remains the sole
      responsibility of the EC. As the deadlines for the assessment became rather
      short, in particular for multinational trials, and the communication with the
      sponsor will be in writing only, the established procedures of ECs have to be
      modified. Up to now it was common to verbally discuss problematic issues with the
      sponsor. The CTR is focused on written communication with the sponsor via the EU
      portal. ECs, their office staff and chairpersons will need considerable
      professionalism and respective training. The future workflow requires substantial
      IT support. The ECs and the Association of Medical Ethics Committees in Germany
      will do their utmost to protect efficiently the research subjects and to promote
      Germany as a major destination for clinical research.

PMID- 28638935
TI  - JIP1 and JIP3 cooperate to mediate TrkB anterograde axonal transport by
      activating kinesin-1.
AB  - Long-range anterograde axonal transport of TrkB is important for neurons to exert
      appropriate BDNF responses. TrkB anterograde axonal delivery is mediated by
      kinesin-1, which associates with TrkB via the adaptor protein JIP3 or the
      Slp1/Rab27B/CRMP-2 protein complex. However, little is known about the activation
      mechanisms of TrkB-loaded kinesin-1. Here, we show that JIP1 mediates TrkB
      anterograde axonal transport using JIP1 knockout mice, sciatic nerve ligation
      analysis and live imaging. Next, we proved that JIP1 and JIP3 cooperate to
      mediate TrkB anterograde axonal transport. Finally, microtubule-binding and
      microfluidic chamber assays revealed that JIP1 and JIP3 cooperate to relieve
      kinesin-1 autoinhibition, which depends on the binding of JIP1 to kinesin-1 heavy
      chain (KHC) and light chain (KLC) and the binding of JIP3 to KLC and is essential
      for TrkB anterograde axonal transport and BDNF-induced TrkB retrograde signal.
      These findings could deepen our understanding of the regulation mechanism
      underlying TrkB anterograde axonal transport and provide a novel kinesin-1
      autoinhibition-relieving model.

PMID- 28638938
TI  - [Geriatric case management at the kitchen table : Patient outcome of the pilot
      project for a regional geriatric care concept in the District of Lippe].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The interdisciplinary healthcare treatment of the elderly needs to
      consider their complex needs. There is a need for new structures of care to be
      tested, as in the model project regional geriatric care (RVG) concept. The aim is
      to qualitatively improve the treatment of elderly, multimorbid people by the
      implementation of case management and therefore to promote living in their own
      home and avoidance of the necessity for care. OBJECTIVE: How can the quality of
      care of a geriatric care concept be measured and the benefits for the target
      group be evaluated? MATERIALS AND METHODS: The explorative evaluation study
      reports patient outcomes for n = 380 participants who underwent geriatric
      assessment at the beginning of the intervention and again 12 months later.
      Descriptive and bivariate data analyses are reported. RESULTS: Participants of
      the RVG often had a greater need of support because of functional limitations.
      They rated their physical abilities, limitations and health mostly as being
      stable. The subjective mental well-being was significantly improved and
      satisfaction and acceptance by participants and their family members was high.
      CONCLUSION: The RVG care model enables a qualitatively improved geriatric care in
      the District of Lippe and considers the high potential for prevention. For
      organizing care and supporting independent living at home, it is more important
      to focus on the functional limitations of the elderly than on individual
      diseases. The tested concept for evaluation has limitations but serves as a basis
      for future clinical studies.

PMID- 28638937
TI  - Anti-GITR Antibody Treatment Increases TCR Repertoire Diversity of Regulatory but
      not Effector T Cells Engaged in the Immune Response Against B16 Melanoma.
AB  - Crosslinking of glucocorticoid-induced TNF family-related receptor (GITR) with
      agonist antibodies restores cancer immunity by enhancing effector T cell (Teff)
      responses while interfering with intra-tumor regulatory T cell (Treg) stability
      and/or accumulation. However, how anti-GITR antibody infusion changes T cell
      receptor (TCR) repertoire of Teffs and Tregs engaged in anti-tumor immune
      response is unclear. Here, we used a transgenic mouse model (TCRmini) where T
      cells express naturally generated but limited TCR repertoire to trace the fate of
      individual T cells recognizing B16 melanoma in tumor-bearing mice, treated or non
      treated with an anti-GITR monoclonal antibody DTA-1. Analysis of TCRs of CD4+ T
      cells from these mice revealed that the TCR repertoire of dominant tumor-reactive
      Teff clones remained rather similar in treated and non-treated mice. In contrast,
      both tumor-associated and peripheral TCR repertoire of Tregs, which were mostly
      distinct from that of Teffs, underwent DTA-1 mediated remodeling characterized by
      depletion of dominant clones and an emergence of more diverse, low-frequency
      clones bearing increased numbers of TCRs shared with Teffs. We conclude that the
      DTA-1 infusion eliminates activated Tregs engaged in the initial maintenance of
      tolerogenic niche for tumor growth, but over time, it favors tumor replenishment
      by Tregs expressing an array of TCRs able to compete with Teffs for recognition
      of the same tumor antigens which may prevent its complete eradication.

PMID- 28638939
TI  - [Consequences of autopsies for the living : Causes of death in the clinical
      diagnosis "septic and toxic shock"].
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is reason to believe that the diagnosis of septic and toxic
      shock, as indicated on the death certificate, cannot be confirmed as the cause of
      death without autopsy and subsequent histological analysis. The external
      examination of the corpse can therefore not represent the sole basis for a
      reliable statement about the infection status of a corpse, e. g. as a
      prerequisite for embalming. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The validity of autopsy in
      determining septic and toxic shock as the cause of death is demonstrated in 7
      exemplary cases. RESULTS: Decades of experience in a university pathology
      institute have shown that an external examination of the corpse alone is not
      suitable for certifying the cause of death if an infectious disease is suspected.
      Consequently, only autopsy with subsequent histological analysis provides
      reliable statements on the etiopathogenesis of the underlying process. Possible
      problems and discrepancies between clinical and pathological diagnoses are
      discussed on the basis of several cases with or without autoptic confirmation of
      the septic shock. The case of a missionary from Africa infected with Lassa virus
      serves to point out the seriousness of the threat an undiagnosed infection may
      represent to the attending staff. CONCLUSION: During the treatment of patients
      suspected to have an infectious cause of fever of unknown origin, compliance with
      the usual safety regulations, including adequate disinfecting measures, is
      essential. In cases with fatal outcome, not infrequently under the clinical
      picture of a septic and toxic shock, autopsy should be regularly performed to
      confirm the type of infection and the infectious cause of death. Rapid and open
      communication between the professional groups involved plays a crucial role in
      this process.

PMID- 28638940
TI  - Laparoscopic vesico-ureteral reimplantation with Lich-Gregoir approach in
      children: medium term results of 159 renal units in 117 children.
AB  - PURPOSE: Vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) represents one of the most significant risk
      factors for acute pyelonephritis in children. Surgery is an important part of its
      management. Laparoscopic ureteric reimplantation using the Lich-Gregoir technique
      is an option for VUR. The aim of this study is to assess short- and medium-term
      outcomes of this approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study
      including all children with VUR treated by laparoscopic extravesical ureteral
      reimplantation with the Lich-Gregoir technique in University Hospital of Saint
      Etienne from August 2007 to May 2016. Surgery was performed after the age of 12
      months in cases with repeated urinary tract infection (UTI) and a deterioration
      of renal function. All patients were followed-up post operatively. RESULTS: 117
      children (92 girls, 25 boys) representing 159 renal units were included. The mean
      age at surgery was 47.1 months (+/-32.7 months). The mean follow-up was 59.3
      months (+/-31 months). The resolution rate for VUR in terms of no febrile urinary
      UTIs was 98.3%. The mean operative time was 96 min (+/-37.7 min) for unilateral
      procedures and 128 min (+/-46.1 min) for bilateral procedures. The mean hospital
      stay was 25.3 h (+/-6.3 h). There was no difference between males and females
      regarding age, weight, renal function or follow-up duration. CONCLUSIONS:
      Laparoscopic reimplantation with Lich-Gregoir technique is an efficient, quick
      and safe technique for the management of VUR. The success rate is comparable to
      open techniques with the advantages of laparoscopic approach; this can
      potentially be performed as a Day Case procedure.

PMID- 28638941
TI  - Subcutaneous endoscopically assisted ligation of spermatic vessels (SEAL-SV)
      using an epidural-&-spinal needle: a novel technique to repair adolescent
      varicocele.
AB  - We describe a novel technique of subcutaneous endoscopically assisted ligation of
      spermatic vessels (SEAL-SV) using a modified epidural-&-spinal needle. This
      technique achieves very cosmetic and minimally invasive outcomes. We have
      successfully performed SEAL-SV for five consecutive boys and considered it a
      simple, safe, and effective procedure for adolescent varicoceles.

PMID- 28638942
TI  - Morel-Lavallee lesion in pediatric trauma.
AB  - Morel-Lavallee lesions (MLL) are closed degloving injuries that have been rarely
      described in the pediatric literature. These internal degloving injuries can have
      serious complications and long-term morbidity. Early diagnosis and intervention
      is imperative. We present the case of a 20-month-old with MLL of the thigh.

PMID- 28638943
TI  - Elevated serum heat shock protein 70 and liver stiffness reflect hepatic
      dysfunction and severity in postoperative biliary atresia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Biliary atresia (BA) is a severe chronic liver disease characterized
      by progressive obstructive cholangiopathy of biliary tract. Heat shock protein 70
      (HSP70) is involved in protecting cells against a wide variety of stress and
      plays a protective role in tissue damage. The purpose of this study was to
      investigate serum HSP70 and liver stiffness in BA and determine the association
      of serum HSP70, liver stiffness, and outcome parameters in post-Kasai BA
      patients. METHODS: One hundred post-Kasai BA patients and 40 controls were
      enrolled. Serum HSP70 levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay. Liver stiffness values were assessed by transient elastography. RESULTS:
      BA patients had significantly higher serum HSP70 and liver stiffness values than
      controls. Serum HSP70 and liver stiffness values were markedly elevated in BA
      patients with jaundice compared to those without jaundice (P < 0.001).
      Furthermore, serum HSP70 was more elevated in BA children with portal
      hypertension than those without portal hypertension (35.1 +/- 2.1 vs. 27.9 +/-
      2.5 ng/mL, P < 0.001). Moreover, serum HSP70 was positively correlated with serum
      aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.491, P < 0.001), alanine aminotransferase (r =
      0.448, P < 0.001), total bilirubin (r = 0.303, P = 0.002), alkaline phosphatase
      (r = 0.414, P < 0.001), and liver stiffness values (r = 0.455, P < 0.001). There
      was a negative correlation between serum HSP70 and serum albumin (r = -0.434, P =
      0.001). CONCLUSION: Serum HSP70 and liver stiffness values were higher in BA
      patients than controls. The increased serum HSP70 was correlated with hepatic
      dysfunction in BA. Consequently, serum HSP70 and liver stiffness could serve as
      non-invasive parameters reflecting the severity in post-Kasai BA.

PMID- 28638944
TI  - The effect of fight cost structure on fighting behaviour involving simultaneous
      decisions and variable investment levels.
AB  - In the "producer-scrounger" model, a producer discovers a resource and is in turn
      discovered by a second individual, the scrounger, who attempts to steal it. This
      resource can be food or a territory, and in some situations, potentially
      divisible. In a previous paper we considered a producer and scrounger competing
      for an indivisible resource, where each individual could choose the level of
      energy that they would invest in the contest. The higher the investment, the
      higher the probability of success, but also the higher the costs incurred in the
      contest. In that paper decisions were sequential with the scrounger choosing
      their strategy before the producer. In this paper we consider a version of the
      game where decisions are made simultaneously. For the same cost functions as
      before, we analyse this case in detail, and then make comparisons between the two
      cases. Finally we discuss some real examples with potentially variable and
      asymmetric energetic investments, including intraspecific contests amongst
      spiders and amongst parasitoid wasps. In the case of the spiders, detailed
      estimates of energetic expenditure are available which demonstrate the asymmetric
      values assumed in our models. For the wasps the value of the resource can affect
      the probabilities of success of the defender and attacker, and differential
      energetic investment can be inferred. In general for real populations energy
      usage varies markedly depending upon crucial parameters extrinsic to the
      individual such as resource value and intrinsic ones such as age, and is thus an
      important factor to consider when modelling.

PMID- 28638936
TI  - Nuclear receptors in neural stem/progenitor cell homeostasis.
AB  - In the central nervous system, embryonic and adult neural stem/progenitor cells
      (NSCs) generate the enormous variety and huge numbers of neuronal and glial cells
      that provide structural and functional support in the brain and spinal cord. Over
      the last decades, nuclear receptors and their natural ligands have emerged as
      critical regulators of NSC homeostasis during embryonic development and adult
      life. Furthermore, substantial progress has been achieved towards elucidating the
      molecular mechanisms of nuclear receptors action in proliferative and
      differentiation capacities of NSCs. Aberrant expression or function of nuclear
      receptors in NSCs also contributes to the pathogenesis of various nervous system
      diseases. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the regulatory
      roles of steroid, non-steroid, and orphan nuclear receptors in NSC fate
      decisions. These studies establish nuclear receptors as key therapeutic targets
      in brain diseases.

PMID- 28638946
TI  - Nerve atrophy in trigeminal neuralgia due to neurovascular compression and its
      association with surgical outcomes after microvascular decompression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is caused by neurovascular
      compression and is often related to morphological changes in the trigeminal
      nerve. The aim of this study was to quantitatively measure atrophic changes of
      trigeminal nerves in patients with TN, and to further investigate whether nerve
      atrophy affected the efficacy of microvascular decompression (MVD). METHODS: We
      conducted a prospective case-control study of 60 consecutive patients with TN and
      30 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. All subjects underwent high-resolution
      three-dimensional MRI. The volume of the cisternal segment of trigeminal nerves
      was measured and compared using 3D Slicer software. Patients with TN underwent
      primary MVD and regular follow-up for at least 2 years. Associations of nerve
      atrophy with patient characteristics and operative outcomes were analyzed.
      RESULTS: The mean volume of the affected trigeminal nerve was significantly
      reduced in comparison to that of the nonaffected side (65.8 +/- 21.1 versus 77.9
      +/- 19.3 mm3, P = 0.001) and controls (65.8 +/- 21.1 versus 74.7 +/- 16.5 mm3, P
      = 0.003). Fifty-two patients (86.7%) achieved complete pain relief without
      medication immediately after surgery, and 77.6% of patients were complete pain
      relief at the 2-year follow-up. The Spearman correlation test showed that there
      was a positive correlation (r = 0.46, P = 0.018) between the degree of trigeminal
      nerve indentation and nerve atrophy. In multivariate logistic regression
      analysis, two factors, indentation on nerve root (OR = 2.968, P = 0.022) and
      degree of nerve atrophy (OR = 1.18, P = 0.035), were associated with the long
      term outcome. CONCLUSIONS: TN is associated with atrophy on the affected nerve.
      Furthermore, greater nerve atrophy is associated with more severe trigeminal
      nerve indentation and better long-term outcome following MVD.

PMID- 28638945
TI  - Surgical treatment of unruptured distal basilar artery aneurysm: durability and
      risk factors for neurological worsening.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Distal basilar artery aneurysms (DBAs) consist of basilar apex and
      basilar artery-superior cerebellar artery bifurcation (BA-SCA) aneurysms. The
      authors aimed to investigate clinical and radiological differences between two
      locations and to evaluate the 12-month surgical outcome in unruptured DBAs.
      METHODS: Fifty-six consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment (37
      basilar apex and 19 BA-SCA aneurysms) between April 2012 and February 2016 were
      retrospectively evaluated. In patients with a preoperative modified Rankin Scale
      score (mRS) of more than 1, neurological worsening (NW) was defined as an
      increase in one or more mRS. In patients without symptoms, NW was defined as mRS
      >=2. RESULTS: The mean age of the patient population was 64 +/- 9.6 years, and 48
      (86%) were female. Mean follow-up period was 2.6 +/- 0.94 years. An excellent
      (mRS 0 to 1) outcome was archived in 31 (55%), 45 (82%), and 48 (87%) patients at
      30 days, 6 months, and 12 months, respectively. Clinical and radiological
      characteristics showed no differences between two locations. One early death
      (1.8%) and one severe morbidity (1.8%) due to rupture were observed. The
      postoperative annual rupture rate was 1.4% overall (145 patient-years). After
      adjustment for age and location, large or giant DBA was related to 30-day and 12
      month NW [n = 22 (39%) and n = 6 (11%); p = 0.009 and 0.002, respectively],
      aneurysm localization in the interpeduncular cistern (LIC) and perforator
      territory infarction were related to 30-day NW (p = 0.002 and 0.002), and DBA
      that needed bypass surgery and previously treated recurrent DBA were related to
      NW at 12 months (p = 0.017 and 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that LIC was
      significantly related to perforator territory infarction (p = 0.003).
      CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and radiological characteristics were not different between
      basilar apex and BA-SCA aneurysms; therefore, they should not be discussed
      separately. To avoid neurological worsening, results of surgical treatment for
      unruptured DBAs should be improved.

PMID- 28638948
TI  - Does socioeconomic status influence the epidemiology and outcome of distal radial
      fractures in adults?
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study in adult patients with a distal radial fracture
      was to determine whether socioeconomic status influenced the epidemiology,
      mechanism of injury, fracture severity, or the outcome according to function,
      radiographic assessment, and rate of associated complications. METHODS: We
      identified 3983 distal radial fractures over a 7-year period. Socioeconomic
      status was assigned using the Carstairs score, and the population was divided
      into quintiles depending on deprivation. Patient demographics, mechanism of
      injury, fracture severity, and radiographic assessment at time of injury were
      assessed for epidemiological differences according to social quintile. Functional
      outcome was assessed using grip strength, Moberg pickup test, return to normal
      use of the hand, and range of movement. Radiographs were assessed at 1 week, 6
      weeks, and 1 year. Complications were defined as malunion, carpal tunnel
      syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), persistent pain, and subjective
      cosmetic deformity of the wrist. RESULTS: Socioeconomically deprived patients
      were significantly younger (p < 0.001) and more likely to be male (p = 0.017);
      after adjusting for confounding factors, deprived patients were 3.1 (95% CI 1.4
      4.7) years younger than the most affluent patients (p < 0.001). Deprived patients
      were more likely to sustain their fracture by a high-energy mechanism (p =
      0.004). There were no significant differences between quintiles in outcome. There
      was a significantly greater prevalence of CRPS in more affluent patients (p =
      0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomically deprived patients sustaining a distal
      radial fracture are more likely to be younger and male. Outcome is not influenced
      by socioeconomic status, but the prevalence of CRPS is greater in more affluent
      patients.

PMID- 28638947
TI  - Genetic and environmental influences on conduct and antisocial personality
      problems in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
AB  - Conduct problems in children and adolescents can predict antisocial personality
      disorder and related problems, such as crime and conviction. We sought an
      explanation for such predictions by performing a genetic longitudinal analysis.
      We estimated the effects of genetic, shared environmental, and unique
      environmental factors on variation in conduct problems measured at childhood and
      adolescence and antisocial personality problems measured at adulthood and on the
      covariation across ages. We also tested whether these estimates differed by sex.
      Longitudinal data were collected in the Netherlands Twin Register over a period
      of 27 years. Age appropriate and comparable measures of conduct and antisocial
      personality problems, assessed with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based
      Assessment, were available for 9783 9-10-year-old, 6839 13-18-year-old, and 7909
      19-65-year-old twin pairs, respectively; 5114 twins have two or more assessments.
      At all ages, men scored higher than women. There were no sex differences in the
      estimates of the genetic and environmental influences. During childhood, genetic
      and environmental factors shared by children in families explained 43 and 44% of
      the variance of conduct problems, with the remaining variance due to unique
      environment. During adolescence and adulthood, genetic and unique environmental
      factors equally explained the variation. Longitudinal correlations across age
      varied between 0.20 and 0.38 and were mainly due to stable genetic factors. We
      conclude that shared environment is mainly of importance during childhood, while
      genetic factors contribute to variation in conduct and antisocial personality
      problems at all ages, and also underlie its stability over age.

PMID- 28638949
TI  - A career in orthopaedics.

PMID- 28638952
TI  - Assessing the Impact and Effectiveness of Hearing Voices Network Self-Help
      Groups.
AB  - The Hearing Voices Network (HVN) is an influential service-user led organisation
      that promotes self-help as an important aspect of recovery. This study presents
      the first systematic assessment of the impact and effectiveness of HVN self-help
      groups. A customized 45-item questionnaire, the Hearing Voices Groups Survey, was
      sent to 62 groups affiliated with the English HVN. 101 responses were received.
      Group attendance was credited with a range of positive emotional, social and
      clinical outcomes. Aspects that were particularly valued included: opportunities
      to meet other voice hearers, provision of support that was unavailable elsewhere,
      and the group being a safe and confidential place to discuss difficult issues.
      Participants perceived HVN groups to facilitate recovery processes and to be an
      important resource for helping them cope with their experiences. Mental health
      professionals can use their expertise to support the successful running of these
      groups.

PMID- 28638950
TI  - Surgical treatment for metastases of the cervical spine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are limited information and inconclusive results for the
      management of patients with cervical spine metastases. Therefore, we performed
      this study to evaluate the survival and outcome of these patients, and the
      surgical risk and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively
      studied 24 patients [14 men and 10 women; mean age, 71 years (range 54-89
      years)], with cervical spine metastases, who underwent palliative surgical
      treatment, from December 2010 to December 2016. Mean follow-up was 14 months
      (range 1-42 months). We evaluated the survival and the outcome of the patients
      with respect to pain relief and neurological status, and the surgical risk and
      complications. RESULTS: At the last follow-up, three patients were alive with
      disease, and 21 patients were dead with disease. Overall median survival was 14.8
      months (range 1-47 months). A posterior approach was performed in 15 patients, an
      anterior approach with corpectomy and fusion in eight patients, and a two-stage
      combined approach in one patient. Overall, 21 patients experienced complete or
      almost complete, two patients mild, and one patient no pain relief; seven
      patients experienced complete neurological improvement, two patients moderate,
      while four patients remained stable. Overall, five patients experienced six
      complications including residual pain, sagittal malalignment with instability,
      and wound dehiscence; in five complications, a reoperation was necessary.
      CONCLUSIONS: Palliative surgical treatment is usually performed in patients with
      metastatic bone disease of the cervical spine. Appropriate selection of the
      surgical technique is mandatory. However, the survival of the patients is dismal,
      and complications should be expected.

PMID- 28638953
TI  - [Chronic leg ulcers].
AB  - Chronic wounds often manifest as ulcers on the lower legs. The main causes of
      chronic leg ulcers are chronic venous insufficiency and/or peripheral arterial
      occlusive disease in approximately 80% of all patients. However, there are also
      numerous other potentially relevant factors which can cause or almost impede the
      healing of chronic leg ulcers. Therefore, disease such as vasculitis, livedo
      vasculopathy, pyoderma gangrenosum, necrobiosis lipoidica, Martorell hypertensive
      leg ulcer, calciphylaxis, infectious diseases, neoplasms, drugs, cutaneous
      artefacts and genetic defects are exemplarily presented. The successful therapy
      of patients with chronic leg ulcers is only possible on the basis of an adequate
      diagnosis. Therapeutic options include conservative, surgical and interventional
      treatment options. In particular the consequent implementation of compression
      therapy is of very great importance in the therapy of most patients with chronic
      leg ulcers and edema. However, a permanent effective treatment always requires a
      causally oriented therapy, which usually needs an interdisciplinary and
      interprofessional approach.

PMID- 28638951
TI  - Isoflurane and ketamine:xylazine differentially affect intraocular pressure
      associated scotopic threshold responses in Sprague-Dawley rats.
AB  - PURPOSE: Amplitudes of electroretinograms (ERG) are enhanced during acute,
      moderate elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in rats anaesthetised with
      isoflurane. As anaesthetics alone are known to affect ERG amplitudes, the present
      study compares the effects of inhalant isoflurane and injected ketamine:xylazine
      on the scotopic threshold response (STR) in rats with moderate IOP elevation.
      METHODS: Isoflurane-anaesthetised (n = 9) and ketamine:xylazine-anaesthetised (n
      = 6) rats underwent acute unilateral IOP elevation using a vascular loop anterior
      to the equator of the right eye. STRs to a luminance series (subthreshold to 
      3.04 log scotopic cd s/m2) were recorded from each eye of Sprague-Dawley rats
      before, during, and after IOP elevation. RESULTS: Positive STR (pSTR) amplitudes
      for all conditions were significantly smaller (p = 0.0001) for isoflurane- than
      for ketamine:xylazine-anaesthetised rats. In addition, ketamine:xylazine was
      associated with a progressive increase in pSTR amplitudes over time (p = 0.0028).
      IOP elevation was associated with an increase in pSTR amplitude (both
      anaesthetics p < 0.0001). The absolute interocular differences in IOP-associated
      enhancement of pSTR amplitudes for ketamine:xylazine and isoflurane were similar
      (66.3 +/- 35.5 vs. 54.2 +/- 24.1 uV, respectively). However, the fold increase in
      amplitude during IOP elevation was significantly higher in the isoflurane- than
      in the ketamine:xylazine-anaesthetised rats (16.8 +/- 29.7x vs. 2.1 +/- 2.7x,
      respectively, p = 0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: The anaesthetics differentially affect
      the STRs in the rat model with markedly reduced amplitudes with isoflurane
      compared to ketamine:xylazine. However, the IOP-associated enhancement is of
      similar absolute magnitude for the two anaesthetics, suggesting that IOP stress
      and anaesthetic effects operate on separate retinal mechanisms.

PMID- 28638954
TI  - Palliative home care for patients with advanced haematological malignancies-a
      multicenter survey.
AB  - Patients with advanced haematological malignancies in non-curative settings
      suffer from complex physical symptoms and psychosocial distress, comparable to
      patients with solid tumour entities. Nevertheless, numerous problems at the
      interface between haematology and palliative home care have been described. From
      January 2011 until October 2014, we performed a retrospective, multicenter
      analysis of all patients with haematological malignancies (ICD 10: C81-C95) being
      treated by the respective specialized palliative home care (SAPV) team. Three
      SAPV teams were surveyed. Disease entity, physical symptoms, psychosocial
      distress, number of hospital admissions, therapeutic interventions and other
      items were analysed descriptively. Of 3,955 SAPV patients, 1.8% (n = 73) suffered
      from haematological malignancies. Main problems were deterioration of general
      condition, pain or psychological problems. Thirty-seven percent developed new
      symptoms during SAPV, mainly pain, psychological distress or deterioration of
      general status. In 33%, patients were referred to hospital, mainly due to
      deterioration of general condition or pain. Seventy percent died within 3 months
      after beginning SAPV care; 83% died at home or in a nursing home. Patients
      suffering from advanced haematological malignancies were statistically
      underrepresented in SAPV, and SAPV was installed rather at the very last days of
      life. By far, more patients were able to die outside a hospital as compared to
      reference cohorts of haematological patients not being treated in SAPV. The
      spectrum of documented problems is comparable to other patient cohorts being
      treated in SAPV; therefore, the options and benefits of palliative home care
      should be incorporated in palliative haematological treatment concepts more
      vigorously and consequently.

PMID- 28638955
TI  - Lipopolysaccharide-induced CCN1 production enhances interleukin-6 secretion in
      bronchial epithelial cells.
AB  - Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is a clinical
      complication caused by primary or secondary lung injury, as well as by systemic
      inflammation. Researches regarding molecular pathophysiology of ALI/ARDS are
      immerging with an ultimate aim towards developing prognostic molecular biomarkers
      and molecule-based therapy. However, the molecular mechanisms concerning ALI/ARDS
      are still not completely understood. The purpose of the present study was to
      identify a crucial role of CCN1 in inflammatory microenvironment during ALI/ARDS
      and focus on a potential communication between CCN1 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in
      the airway epithelial cells. Our data illustrated that the expression levels of
      CCN1 and IL-6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in a lipopolysaccharide
      (LPS)-induced ALI mouse model were significantly elevated and the pulmonary
      expression of CCN1 was restricted to bronchial epithelial cells. Interestingly,
      both endogenous and exogenous CCN1 stimulated IL-6 production in vitro.
      Furthermore, LPS-induced IL-6 production in a bronchial epithelial cell line was
      blocked by CCN siRNA whereas CCN1 induced by LPS was sensitive to PI3K
      inhibition. Together, our data indicate a linear signal pathway, LPS-CCN1-IL-6,
      existing in bronchial epithelial cells after LPS exposure. This finding may
      represent an additional mechanism and a novel target for development of therapy
      and biomarker on ALI/ARDS.

PMID- 28638956
TI  - Dynamic phenotypes: illustrating a single-cell odyssey.

PMID- 28638959
TI  - [Psychotraumatology : Differentiation, extension and public discourse].
AB  - The first description of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the 1980s marked
      the origin of psychotraumatology. Based on the variety of developments in the
      meantime and being relevant for basic research and clinical application, a
      differentiation of diagnoses according to the new International Classification of
      Diseases (ICD-11) are presented including PTSD, complex PTSD, prolonged grief
      disorder and adjustment disorder. In addition, extension towards traumatic and
      adverse childhood experiences and their significance for lifetime mental and
      somatic morbidity are described. Concerning these childhood traumata and
      adversities, distinct biological and epigenetic factors have been extensively
      investigated. Also, research groups have postulated that important psychological
      disorders should be differentiated according to those with and those without
      reference to pathogenetic trauma. Lastly, regarding relevant public discourses,
      societal dimensions of victimhood and compensation are discussed as well as a
      global perspective with respect to continuous and historical traumatization.

PMID- 28638962
TI  - Sensitivity of the Endogeic Tropical Earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus to the
      Presence of Heavy Crude Oil.
AB  - Contamination of soil with petroleum is common in oil-producing areas across the
      tropical regions of the world. There is limited knowledge on the sensitivity of
      endogeic tropical earthworms to the contamination of soil with total petroleum
      hydrocarbons (TPH) present in crude oil. Pontoscolex corethrurus is a dominant
      species in tropical agroecosystems around oil-processing facilities. The
      sensitivity of P. corethrurus to soil artificially contaminated with "Maya"
      Mexican heavy crude oil was investigated through avoidance and acute ecotoxicity
      tests, using the following measured concentrations: 0 (reference soil), 551, 969,
      4845, 9991 and 14,869 mg/kg. The avoidance test showed that P. corethrurus
      displayed a significant avoidance behavior to heavy crude oil at a concentration
      of 9991 mg/kg or higher. In contrast, acute toxicity tests indicate that the
      median lethal concentration (LC50) was 3067.32 mg/kg; however, growth (weight
      loss) was more sensitive than mortality. Our study revealed that P. corethrurus
      is sensitive to TPH, thus highlighting the importance of P. corethrurus for
      petroleum ecotoxicological tests.

PMID- 28638961
TI  - Evaluation of systolic and diastolic properties of hypertensive heart failure
      using speckle-tracking echocardiography with high volume rates.
AB  - Left ventricular (LV) properties in hypertension (HTN) could be deteriorated by
      pressure overload, especially in endocardium, resulting in hypertensive heart
      failure (HHF). We sought to noninvasively examine LV systolic and diastolic
      functions at three myocardial layers in HTN and elucidate features of HHF by
      speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) with high volume rates. We examined
      normotensive controls (n = 54), HTN patients without LV hypertrophy (LVH) (n =
      50), and HTN patients with LVH (n = 40) and HHF patients (n = 45). The HHF group
      was divided into two subgroups based on their LVEF (20 heart failure with
      preserved ejection fraction: HFpEF and 25 heart failure with reduced ejection
      fraction: HFrEF). LV layer systolic function was assessed by strain rate during
      systole. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) was estimated (ePCWP) using
      kinetics-tracking index (KT index) that we previously reported. HTN patients with
      LVH had a significant deterioration of systolic and diastolic properties compared
      with normotensive controls in the absence of a significant reduction in LVEF.
      Patients with HHF had further deterioration of systolic and diastolic properties
      compared with HTN patients with LVH. LV strain at entire myocardium and ePCWP in
      HFrEF was deteriorated compared with those in HFpEF. Deterioration of LV layer SR
      was more typical during systole, isovolumic relaxation, and early diastole
      compared with control. LV dilation was independently associated with LVEF (r = 
      0.48, p < 0.001) and ePCWP (r = 0.47, p < 0.001), and LVH (LV mass index) was
      independently associated with E/e' (r = 0.37, p = 0.025), LVEF (r = -0.44, p <
      0.001), and ePCWP (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). LV layer analysis by STE could detect
      subtle impairments in systolic function before the deterioration of LVEF in
      patients with HTN. The ePCWP that was estimated using KT index was the
      independent factor associated with HHF. The ePCWP may be useful to noninvasively
      detect the early stage of HHF.

PMID- 28638960
TI  - Comparative diagnostic evaluation of OMP31 gene based TaqMan(r) real-time PCR
      assay with visual LAMP assay and indirect ELISA for caprine brucellosis.
AB  - Brucellosis is one of the leading causes of abortion in domestic animals that
      imposes costs on both economy and society. The disease is highly zoonotic and
      poses risk to animal handlers due to its zoonotic nature. It causes stillbirth,
      loss of kids and abortion in last term of pregnancy. Reproductive damage includes
      infertility in does and orchitis and epididymitis in breeding bucks, which result
      in high financial losses to farmers and the agriculture industry as a whole. It
      requires highly sensitive and specific assays to diagnose the disease at field
      level. In the current study, a visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification
      (LAMP) assay and the TaqMan(r) real-time PCR were developed with high sensitivity
      and specificity. For the TaqMan(r) probe, real-time PCR primers were developed
      using Omp31 gene as target and primers were designed using discontiguous
      conserved sequences of Omp31 gene. The Omp31 probes were designed by attaching 6
      FAM reporter dye at the 5' end and BHQ-1 quencher at the 3' end. Published
      primers were used for visual LAMP assay targeting the Omp25 gene. Sensitivity of
      the standardized visual LAMP assay and TaqMan(r) real-time PCR assay was
      determined by serial dilution of positive Brucella melitensis DNA (102 to 10-4
      ng) obtained from standard culture. The TaqMan(r) probe real-time assay can
      detect as low as 100 fg of B. melitensis DNA, whereas culture from vaginal swab
      washings has a limit of detection (LOD) of only 1 cfu/ml. Similarly, the visual
      LAMP assay can detect as low as 10 fg of B. melitensis DNA as compared to an LOD
      of 30 cfu/ml from culture of vaginal swab washings. Both assays were compared
      with serological tests (serum tube agglutination test (STAT) and indirect enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA)) for diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.
      Diagnostic sensitivities and specificities for TaqMan(r) real-time PCR vs. LAMP
      assays were 98 and 100% vs. 100 and 97.8%, respectively. Results of visual LAMP
      assay indicated that LAMP is a fast, specific, sensitive, inexpensive and
      suitable method for diagnosis of B. melitensis infection under field conditions.
      On the other hand, Omp31 TaqMan(r) probe real-time assay can be used in
      conjunction with the other field-based diagnostic tests due to its high
      specificity.

PMID- 28638963
TI  - Attenuation of the Atmospheric Migration Ability of Polychlorinated Naphthalenes
      (PCN-2) Based on Three-dimensional QSAR Models with Full Factor Experimental
      Design.
AB  - Based on the experimental subcooled liquid vapor pressures (P L) of 17
      polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) congeners, one type of three-dimensional
      quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models, comparative
      molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA), was constructed with Sybyl
      software. Full factor experimental design was used to obtain the final regulation
      scheme for PCN, and then carry out modification of PCN-2 to significantly lower
      its P L. The contour maps of CoMSIA model showed that the migration ability of
      PCN decreases when the Cl atoms at the 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-positions of
      PCNs are replaced by electropositive groups. After modification of PCN-2, 12
      types of new modified PCN-2 compounds were obtained with lnP L values two orders
      of magnitude lower than that of PCN-2. In addition, there are significant
      differences between the calculated total energies and energy gaps of the new
      modified compounds and those of PCN-2.

PMID- 28638964
TI  - Ships' Ballast Water Treatment by Chlorination Can Generate Toxic
      Trihalomethanes.
AB  - The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will enforce a new abundance-based
      performance standard for ballast water in September, 2017. Strong oxidants, like
      chlorine, have been proposed as a method for achieving this standard. However
      chlorine treatment of ballast water can produce hazardous trihalomethanes. We
      assessed maximum trihalomethane production from one chlorine dose for three types
      of ballast water (fresh, brackish and marine) and three levels of total organic
      carbon (TOC) concentration (natural, filtered, enhanced). While the current
      standard test considers a 5 day voyage, there is a high possibility of shorter
      trips and sudden change of plans that will release treated waters in the
      environment. Water source and TOC significantly affected trihalomethane
      production, with the highest amounts generated in brackish waters and enhanced
      TOC concentration. The concentration of brominated trihalomethanes increased from
      background levels and was highest in brackish water, followed by marine and fresh
      water.

PMID- 28638965
TI  - Internalizing and externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence as
      predictors of work incapacity in young adulthood.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is limited information regarding the association between youth
      mental health problems and work incapacity in adulthood. We investigated whether
      internalizing (depressive, anxious, somatic complaints) and externalizing
      (aggressive, rule-breaking) behavior problems in childhood and adolescence were
      associated with sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP) in young
      adulthood. METHODS: Data were used from the population-based and prospective Twin
      Study of Child and Adolescent Development (TCHAD) which includes all Swedish
      twins born in 1985-1986 (N = 2570). Internalizing and externalizing behavior
      problems were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist at ages of 8-9, 13-14,
      16-17, and 19-20 years. Individuals participating in TCHAD were followed
      regarding SA and DP during 2001-2013 using nationwide registers. Cox regression
      models were applied to assess hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals
      (CI). RESULTS: Each one-unit increase of rule-breaking behavior implied a
      significant higher risk for SA in early adulthood, despite of age at assessment,
      with the highest HR of 1.12 (95% CI 1.05-1.19) at age of 8-9 years. Higher levels
      of anxious and depressive symptoms in childhood and adolescence were associated
      with DP in early adulthood despite age at assessment, with the highest risk at
      age 19-20 years [HR 1.31 (95% CI 1.12-1.53)]. The associations attenuated
      slightly when familial factors were taken into account. CONCLUSIONS:
      Internalizing and externalizing behavior problems identified at an early age (8-9
      years) increased risk for SA and DP in young adulthood. These findings indicate
      that early prevention and intervention efforts to reduce behavior problems may
      promote a successful start in working life.

PMID- 28638966
TI  - Measuring everyday functional competence using the Rasch assessment of everyday
      activity limitations (REAL) item bank.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Traditional patient-reported physical function instruments often
      poorly differentiate patients with mild-to-moderate disability. We describe the
      development and psychometric evaluation of a generic item bank for measuring
      everyday activity limitations in outpatient populations. STUDY DESIGN AND
      SETTING: Seventy-two items generated from patient interviews and mapped to the
      International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) domestic
      life chapter were administered to 1128 adults representative of the Dutch
      population. The partial credit model was fitted to the item responses and
      evaluated with respect to its assumptions, model fit, and differential item
      functioning (DIF). Measurement performance of a computerized adaptive testing
      (CAT) algorithm was compared with the SF-36 physical functioning scale (PF-10).
      RESULTS: A final bank of 41 items was developed. All items demonstrated
      acceptable fit to the partial credit model and measurement invariance across age,
      sex, and educational level. Five- and ten-item CAT simulations were shown to have
      high measurement precision, which exceeded that of SF-36 physical functioning
      scale across the physical function continuum. Floor effects were absent for a 10
      item empirical CAT simulation, and ceiling effects were low (13.5%) compared with
      SF-36 physical functioning (38.1%). CAT also discriminated better than SF-36
      physical functioning between age groups, number of chronic conditions, and
      respondents with or without rheumatic conditions. CONCLUSION: The Rasch
      assessment of everyday activity limitations (REAL) item bank will hopefully prove
      a useful instrument for assessing everyday activity limitations. T-scores
      obtained using derived measures can be used to benchmark physical function
      outcomes against the general Dutch adult population.

PMID- 28638967
TI  - Socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and utilization of mental health care
      services associated with SF-6D utility scores in patients with mental disorders:
      contributions of the quantile regression.
AB  - PURPOSE: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a widely used concept in the
      assessment of health care. Some generic HRQoL instruments, based on specific
      algorithms, can generate utility scores which reflect the preferences of the
      general population for the different health states described by the instrument.
      This study aimed to investigate the relationships between utility scores and
      potentially associated factors in patients with mental disorders followed in
      inpatient and/or outpatient care settings using two statistical methods. METHODS:
      Patients were recruited in four psychiatric sectors in France. Patient responses
      to the SF-36 generic HRQoL instrument were used to calculate SF-6D utility
      scores. The relationships between utility scores and patient socio-demographic,
      clinical characteristics, and mental health care utilization, considered as
      potentially associated factors, were studied using OLS and quantile regressions.
      RESULTS: One hundred and seventy six patients were included. Women, severely ill
      patients and those hospitalized full-time tended to report lower utility scores,
      whereas psychotic disorders (as opposed to mood disorders) and part-time care
      were associated with higher scores. The quantile regression highlighted that the
      size of the associations between the utility scores and some patient
      characteristics varied along with the utility score distribution, and provided
      more accurate estimated values than OLS regression. CONCLUSIONS: The quantile
      regression may constitute a relevant complement for the analysis of factors
      associated with utility scores. For policy decision-making, the association of
      full-time hospitalization with lower utility scores while part-time care was
      associated with higher scores supports the further development of alternatives to
      full-time hospitalizations.

PMID- 28638968
TI  - [Large vessel vasculitis : Giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis].
AB  - According to the Chapel Hill Classification, large vessel vasculitides encompass
      giant cell arteritis (GCA) and the histologically related Takakaysu arteritis
      (TAK). The two diseases lack autoantibodies and present with a systemic
      inflammatory response. GCA typically shows a sudden onset with profound sickness,
      loss of appetite and of body weight, and temporal headache. Due to the
      substantial risk of sudden blindness, diagnostic work-up has to be performed
      immediately and treatment started without delay. A close association between
      polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and GCA is well established. Takayasu arteritis very
      often begins in adolescence. In contrast to GCA, the general symptoms are much
      less pronounced and aside from occasional carotidodynia there is a lack of
      diagnostic symptoms. TAK is often diagnosed in late stages due to exercise
      induced claudication.

PMID- 28638969
TI  - Introduction: Childhood and Disability.
AB  - From growth attenuation therapy for severely developmentally disabled children to
      the post-natal management of infants with trisomy 13 and 18, pediatric treatment
      decisions regularly involve assessments of the probability and severity of a
      child's disability. Because these decisions are almost always made by surrogate
      decision-makers (parents and caregivers) and because these decision-makers must
      often make decisions based on both prognostic guesses and potentially biased
      quality of life judgments, they are among the most ethically complex in pediatric
      care. As the introduction to HEC Forum's special thematic issue on Childhood and
      Disability, this article orients the reader to the history of bioethics'
      relationship to both pediatric ethics and disability studies and introduces the
      issue's five manuscripts. As clinicians, disability scholars, philosophers and
      clinical ethicists writing on various aspects of pediatric disability, the
      articles' authors all invite readers to dig beneath an overly-simplified version
      of what disability might mean to children and families and instead embrace a
      posture of genuine humility, recognizing both the limits and harms of traditional
      medical and bioethical responses (or indifferences) to the disabled child.

PMID- 28638970
TI  - Ramp lesions associated with ACL injuries are more likely to be present in
      contact injuries and complete ACL tears.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyse patient and injury
      characteristics as well as arthroscopic findings in a prospective cohort of ACL
      injured patients with or without an associated ramp lesion. METHODS: Two hundred
      and twenty-four patients undergoing a primary (n = 196) or revision (n = 28) ACL
      reconstruction were included. The presence of a ramp lesion was determined by a
      systematic arthroscopic inspection of the posteromedial compartment. Chi-square
      tests were used to compare the population of ACL-injured patients with and
      without a ramp lesion regarding sex, age, body mass index, previous ACL injuries,
      sport before injury, and injury characteristics. Significance was set at p <
      0.05. RESULTS: Fifty-three out of 224 patients had a ramp lesion (24%). The
      presence of the latter was not related to any of the analysed patient
      characteristics. The prevalence of the lesion was higher in contact injuries (n =
      19; 41%) compared with non-contact injures (n = 34; 19%; p < 0.001). It was
      higher in patients with complete ACL ruptures (n = 49; 27%) as opposed to partial
      ruptures (n = 1; 4%; p = 0.01). A patient was 2.98 [95% CI 1.49-5.98] times more
      likely to have a ramp lesion if the ACL injury was declared to have been caused
      by direct contact and 8.71 [95% CI 1.15-66.12] times more likely if the ACL tear
      was complete. CONCLUSION: Ramp lesions may be anticipated in almost one out of
      four patients undergoing ACL reconstruction, especially if a patient sustained a
      contact injury and in the presence of a complete ACL tear. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      III.

PMID- 28638971
TI  - Longer duration of operative time enhances healing metabolites and improves
      patient outcome after Achilles tendon rupture surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: The relationship between the duration of operative time (DOT), healing
      response and patient outcome has not been previously investigated. An enhanced
      healing response related to DOT may potentiate repair processes, especially in
      hypovascular and sparsely metabolized musculoskeletal tissues such as tendons.
      This study aimed to investigate the association between DOT and the metabolic
      healing response, patient-reported outcome and the rate of post-operative
      complications after acute Achilles tendon injury. METHODS: Observational cohort,
      cross-sectional study with observers blinded to patient grouping. A total of two
      hundred and fifty-six prospectively randomized patients (210 men, 46 women; mean
      age 41 years) with an acute total Achilles tendon rupture all operated on with
      uniform anaesthetic and surgical technique were retrospectively assessed. At 2
      weeks post-operatively, six metabolites were quantified using microdialysis. At
      3, 6 and 12 months, patient-reported pain, walking ability and physical activity
      were examined using self-reported questionnaires, Achilles tendon total rupture
      score, foot and ankle outcome score and physical activity scale. At 12 months,
      functional outcome was assessed using the heel-rise test. Complications, such as
      deep venous thrombosis, infections and re-operations, were recorded throughout
      the study. RESULTS: Patients who underwent longer DOT exhibited higher levels of
      glutamate (p = 0.026) and glycerol (p = 0.023) at 2 weeks. At the 1-year follow
      up, longer DOT was associated with significantly less loss in physical activity
      (p = 0.003), less pain (p = 0.009), less walking limitations (p = 0.022) and
      better functional outcome (p = 0.014). DOT did not significantly correlate with
      the rate of adverse events, such as deep venous thrombosis, infections or re
      ruptures. Higher glutamate levels were associated with less loss in physical
      activity (p = 0.017). All correlations were confirmed by multiple linear
      regressions taking confounding factors into consideration. CONCLUSION: The
      results from this study suggest a previously unknown mechanism, increased
      metabolic response associated with longer DOT, which may improve patient outcome
      after Achilles tendon rupture surgery. Allowing for a higher amount of
      traumatized tissue, as reflected by up-regulation of glycerol in patients with
      longer DOT, may prove to be an important surgical tip for stimulation of repair
      of hypometabolic soft tissue injuries, such as Achilles tendon ruptures. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: II.

PMID- 28638972
TI  - Isolation of two new retrotransposon sequences and development of molecular and
      cytological markers for Dasypyrum villosum (L.).
AB  - Dasypyrum villosum is a valuable genetic resource for wheat improvement. With the
      aim to efficiently monitor the D. villosum chromatin introduced into common
      wheat, two novel retrotransposon sequences were isolated by RAPD, and were
      successfully converted to D. villosum-specific SCAR markers. In addition, we
      constructed a chromosomal karyotype of D. villosum. Our results revealed that
      different accessions of D. villosum showed slightly different signal patterns,
      indicating that distribution of repeats did not diverge significantly among D.
      villosum accessions. The two SCAR markers and FISH karyotype of D. villosum could
      be used for efficient and precise identification of D. villosum chromatin in
      wheat breeding.

PMID- 28638973
TI  - A retrospective observational cohort study investigating the association between
      acute kidney injury and all-cause mortality among patients undergoing
      endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been found to be associated with short-
      and long-term mortality and morbidity in various clinical settings. However, it
      is unknown whether AKI after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms
      (EVAR) is associated with postoperative mortality. METHODS: This observational
      study analyzed patients who underwent EVAR. The primary outcome was all-cause
      mortality. The outcomes of patients with and without postoperative AKI were
      compared using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Factors with P < 0.05
      on the univariate analysis were entered into the multivariate Cox regression
      model. Predictors of AKI were also determined using Cox univariate and
      multivariate analysis. The identified predictors of AKI were excluded from
      multivariate analysis for all-cause mortality because these factors could
      intermediate outcome. RESULTS: There were 490 eligible patients. After a follow
      up of 28.3 (16.8) months [mean (standard deviation)], 62 patients (12.7%) died.
      AKI occurred in 59 patients (12.0%). AKI was found by the log-rank test to be
      associated with a significant increase of all-cause mortality (P < 0.001).
      Preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, preoperative peripheral
      vascular disease, and emergency surgery were found to be independent predictors
      of AKI and these variables were excluded from the main analysis. Multivariate
      analysis showed AKI [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01
      3.60, P = 0.045] and transfusion (HR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.09, P = 0.011) were
      independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, AKI and
      transfusion were associated with significant increases in all-cause mortality
      after EVAR.

PMID- 28638974
TI  - Categorical templates are more useful when features are consistent: Evidence from
      eye movements during search for societally important vehicles.
AB  - Unlike in laboratory visual search tasks-wherein participants are typically
      presented with a pictorial representation of the item they are asked to seek out
      in real-world searches, the observer rarely has veridical knowledge of the visual
      features that define their target. During categorical search, observers look for
      any instance of a categorically defined target (e.g., helping a family member
      look for their mobile phone). In these circumstances, people may not have
      information about noncritical features (e.g., the phone's color), and must
      instead create a broad mental representation using the features that define (or
      are typical of) the category of objects they are seeking out (e.g., modern phones
      are typically rectangular and thin). In the current investigation (Experiment 1),
      using a categorical visual search task, we add to the body of evidence suggesting
      that categorical templates are effective enough to conduct efficient visual
      searches. When color information was available (Experiment 1a), attentional
      guidance, attention restriction, and object identification were enhanced when
      participants looked for categories with consistent features (e.g., ambulances)
      relative to categories with more variable features (e.g., sedans). When color
      information was removed (Experiment 1b), attention benefits disappeared, but
      object recognition was still better for feature-consistent target categories. In
      Experiment 2, we empirically validated the relative homogeneity of our societally
      important vehicle stimuli. Taken together, our results are in line with a
      category-consistent view of categorical target templates (Yu, Maxfield, &
      Zelinsky in, Psychological Science, 2016. doi: 10.1177/0956797616640237 ), and
      suggest that when features of a category are consistent and predictable,
      searchers can create mental representations that allow for the efficient guidance
      and restriction of attention as well as swift object identification.

PMID- 28638975
TI  - Does grasping capacity influence object size estimates? It depends on the
      context.
AB  - Linkenauger, Witt, and Proffitt (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human
      Perception and Performance, 37(5), 1432-1441, 2011, Experiment 2) reported that
      right-handers estimated objects as smaller if they intended to grasp them in
      their right rather than their left hand. Based on the action-specific account,
      they argued that this scaling effect occurred because participants believed their
      right hand could grasp larger objects. However, Collier and Lawson (Journal of
      Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 43(4), 749-769, 2017)
      failed to replicate this effect. Here, we investigated whether this discrepancy
      in results arose from demand characteristics. We investigated two forms of demand
      characteristics: altering responses following conscious hypothesis guessing
      (Experiments 1 and 2), and subtle influences of the experimental context
      (Experiment 3). We found no scaling effects when participants were given
      instructions which implied the expected outcome of the experiment (Experiment 1),
      but they were obtained when we used unrealistically explicit instructions which
      gave the exact prediction made by the action-specific account (Experiment 2).
      Scaling effects were also found using a context in which grasping capacity could
      seem relevant for size estimation (by asking participants about the perceived
      graspability of an object immediately before asking about its size on every
      trial, as was done in Linkenauger et al., 2011; Experiment 2). These results
      suggest that demand characteristics due to context effects could explain the
      scaling effects reported in Experiment 2 of Linkenauger et al. (2011), rather
      than either hypothesis guessing, or, as proposed by the action-specific account,
      a change in the perceived size of objects.

PMID- 28638977
TI  - SPECT/CT and PET/CT molecular imaging in medullary thyroid carcinoma. Are we
      running in the right direction?

PMID- 28638976
TI  - LILRB receptor-mediated regulation of myeloid cell maturation and function.
AB  - The leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor (LILR) family comprises a set of
      paired immunomodulatory receptors expressed among human myeloid and lymphocyte
      cell populations. While six members of LILR subfamily A (LILRA) associate with
      membrane adaptors to signal via immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activating motifs
      (ITAM), LILR subfamily B (LILRB) members signal via multiple cytoplasmic
      immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs (ITIM). Ligand specificity of
      some LILR family members has been studied in detail, but new perspective into the
      immunoregulatory aspects of this receptor family in human myeloid cells has been
      limited. LILRB receptors and the murine ortholog, paired immunoglobulin-like
      receptor B (PIRB), have been shown to negatively regulate maturation pathways in
      myeloid cells including mast cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells, as well as B
      cells. Our laboratory further demonstrated in mouse models that PIRB regulated
      functional development of myeloid-derived suppressor cell and the formation of a
      tumor-permissive microenvironment. Based on observations from the literature and
      our own studies, our laboratory is focusing on how LILRs modulate immune
      homeostasis of human myeloid cells and how these pathways may be targeted in
      disease states. Integrity of this pathway in tumor microenvironments, for
      example, permits a myeloid phenotype that suppresses antitumor adaptive immunity.
      This review presents the evidence supporting a role of LILRs as myeloid cell
      regulators and ongoing efforts to understand the functional immunology
      surrounding this family.

PMID- 28638978
TI  - Screening score for early detection of cardio-metabolic risk in Indian adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To develop and to evaluate efficacy of screening score for early
      detection of cardio-metabolic risk (CMR) in adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional data
      on anthropometry, lipids, sugar levels, diet, and physical activity were
      collected on 720 adults (361 men, 35-50 year) using standardized techniques.
      Screening score was developed using regression analysis-cluster of risk
      conditions (blood pressure, lipids, and sugar levels) was dependent variable
      against age, sex, waist, diet, and physical activity as independent variables.
      Odd ratios were added to obtain final score and receiver-operating characteristic
      (ROC) curves were constructed to identify cut-off value of CMR score. RESULTS:
      Mean age and BMI were 42.7 +/- 9.4 years and 25.7 +/- 5.0 kg/m2. Analysis showed
      age, male sex, waist, lack of fruits, green leafy vegetables, and lack of
      physical activity were independent predictors for increased CMR (p < 0.05). Total
      score ranged from 0 to 20. Area under the curve for ROC was 0.728 [95% (CI) 0.67
      0.78]. Criterion value >8 had sensitivity (76%) and specificity (56%) for
      screening cases with CMR. CONCLUSIONS: Screening score is a pragmatic way of
      identifying individuals with CMR without performing biochemical tests. Cost
      effective community screening programs may be planned.

PMID- 28638980
TI  - First report of typical Brazilian Toxoplasma gondii genotypes from isolates of
      free-range chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) circulating in the state of
      Paraiba, Northeast Brazil.
AB  - This study evaluated, for the first time, the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma
      gondii isolates from free-range chickens from the state of Paraiba, Northeast
      Brazil. Tissue samples from 33 chickens from properties in five municipalities of
      Paraiba (Esperanca, Olho d'Agua, Malta, Monteiro, and Patos) were bioassayed in
      mice. The brains of mice infected with T. gondii cysts were used for DNA
      extraction and genotyping. Genotyping was performed using 11 PCR-RFLP markers and
      15 microsatellite (MS) markers. Complete genotyping results were obtained for 29
      isolates, with nine genotypes detected by RFLP and 15 genotypes identified by MS.
      Three genotypes (#273, #274, and #277) have only been recently identified from
      pigs in the region. Brazilian clonal types BrII and BrIII were identified from
      one isolate each. Clonal types I, II, and III were not detected by RFLP. Genotype
      #13 (Caribbean 1), detected in 48.3% (14/29) of isolates from four of the five
      municipalities investigated, was the most prevalent genotype in the state of
      Paraiba. However, the MS analysis showed that of these 14 isolates, only four
      were unique genotypes, and considering the distance between the municipalities
      from where they were collected, it is possible that only seven are independent
      isolates while the others are clones. The other genotypes were restricted to
      different microregions. The results indicate that the Caribbean 1 lineage of T.
      gondii is circulating widely in Northeast Brazil. The genotypic diversity of T.
      gondii in the state of Paraiba is high, and microsatellite analysis revealed this
      diversity with higher resolution than PCR-RFLP.

PMID- 28638979
TI  - Endocytosis is required for exocytosis and priming of respiratory burst activity
      in human neutrophils.
AB  - OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Neutrophil generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is
      enhanced by exposure to pro-inflammatory agents in a process termed priming.
      Priming is depending on exocytosis of neutrophil granules and p47phox
      phosphorylation-dependent translocation of cytosolic NADPH oxidase components.
      Clathrin-mediated endocytosis was recently reported to be necessary for priming,
      but the mechanism linking endocytosis to priming was not identified. The present
      study examined the hypothesis that endocytosis regulates neutrophil priming by
      controlling granule exocytosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clathrin-mediated
      endocytosis by isolated human neutrophils was inhibited by chlorpromazine,
      monodansylcadaverine, and sucrose. Exocytosis of granule subsets was measured as
      release of granule components by ELISA or chemiluminescence. ROS generation was
      measured as extracellular release of superoxide as reduction of ferrocytochrome
      c. p38 MAPK activation and p47phox phosphorylation were measured by immunoblot
      analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA with the Tukey
      Kramer multiple-comparison test. RESULTS: Inhibition of endocytosis prevented
      priming of superoxide release by TNFalpha and inhibited TNFalpha stimulation and
      priming of exocytosis of all four granule subsets. Inhibition of endocytosis did
      not reduce TNFalpha-stimulated p38 MAPK activation or p47phox phosphorylation.
      Inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity blocked TNFalpha stimulation of secretory
      vesicle and gelatinase granule exocytosis. CONCLUSIONS: Endocytosis is linked to
      priming of respiratory burst activity through ROS-mediated control of granule
      exocytosis.

PMID- 28638981
TI  - Use of systemic glucocorticoids and the risk of major osteoporotic fractures in
      patients with sarcoidosis.
AB  - : This study revealed the risk of major osteoporotic fracture in patients with
      sarcoidosis exposed to glucocorticoids. Current use of glucocorticoids was
      associated with a risk of fracture, with no difference between patients with and
      without sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis per se was not associated with an increased
      fracture risk. INTRODUCTION: Sarcoidosis is a multi-organ, chronic inflammatory,
      granulomatous disorder that most frequently affects the lungs, lymph nodes, skin,
      eyes, and liver, but may occur in any organ, including the bones. While oral
      glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used as initial treatment, little is known
      about the risk of major osteoporotic fractures in patients with sarcoidosis
      exposed to GCs. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted using the Danish
      National Hospital Discharge Registry (NHDR) between January 1995 and December
      2011. Conditional logistics regression models were used to derive adjusted odds
      ratios (OR) of major osteoporotic fractures in subjects with and without
      sarcoidosis stratified by average daily and cumulative dose exposures. RESULTS: A
      total of 376,858 subjects with a major osteoporotic fracture and the same number
      of subjects without this event were identified (mean age 64.2 +/- 19.5 years, 69%
      female). In patients with sarcoidosis (n = 124), current use of GC was associated
      with an increased risk of major osteoporotic fracture (adjusted (adj.) OR 1.74;
      95% CI 1.17-2.58), which dropped to baseline levels after discontinuation. In
      subjects without sarcoidosis, this risk was comparable (adj. OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.32
      1.40). In sarcoidosis patients, cumulative dose 1.0-4.9 g and >10 g prednisolone
      equivalents were associated with increased risk of major osteoporotic fracture
      (adj. OR 2.75; 95% CI 1.06-7.14 and 2.22; 95% CI 1.17-4.22, respectively),
      whereas a cumulative dose of <1.0 g and 5.0-9.9 g was not associated with major
      osteoporotic fracture risk. CONCLUSION: Both in subjects with and without
      sarcoidosis, current expose to GC is associated with increased risk of major
      osteoporotic fractures, with no between-group difference. Sarcoidosis per se was
      not associated with increased fracture risk. Having sarcoidosis per se, i.e., if
      not treated with GC, is not a risk factor for fracture, and such patients may
      only need risk assessment when they commence GC therapy.

PMID- 28638982
TI  - Image quality at synthetic brain magnetic resonance imaging in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The clinical application of the multi-echo, multi-delay technique of
      synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) generates multiple sequences in a
      single acquisition but has mainly been used in adults. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the
      image quality of synthetic brain MR in children compared with that of
      conventional images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine children (median age: 6
      years, range: 0-16 years) underwent synthetic and conventional imaging. Synthetic
      (T2-weighted, T1-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery [FLAIR]) images
      with settings matching those of the conventional images were generated. The
      overall image quality, gray/white matter differentiation, lesion conspicuity and
      image degradations were rated on a 5-point scale. The relative contrasts were
      assessed quantitatively and acquisition times for the two imaging techniques were
      compared. RESULTS: Synthetic images were inferior due to more pronounced image
      degradations; however, there were no significant differences for T1- and T2
      weighted images in children <2 years old. The quality of T1- and T2-weighted
      images were within the diagnostically acceptable range. FLAIR images showed
      greatly reduced quality. Gray/white matter differentiation was comparable or
      better in synthetic T1- and T2-weighted images, but poorer in FLAIR images. There
      was no effect on lesion conspicuity. Synthetic images had equal or greater
      relative contrast. Acquisition time was approximately two-thirds of that for
      conventional sequences. CONCLUSION: Synthetic T1- and T2-weighted images were
      diagnostically acceptable, but synthetic FLAIR images were not. Lesion
      conspicuity and gray/white matter differentiation were comparable to conventional
      MRI.

PMID- 28638983
TI  - Treatment of benign thyroid nodules by high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
      at different acoustic powers: a study on in-silico phantom.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The non-surgical therapies of benign thyroid nodules are gaining
      momentum due to the possibility to reduce the nodule's volume and avoid surgery.
      As the last technique introduced, high intensity focused ultrasound allows the
      thermal tissue treatment by directing energy inside the targeted nodule with no
      invasive instruments. In the present study we applied the Food and Drug
      Administration high intensity focused ultrasound simulator to in-silico phantom
      to evaluate the effects obtained by different acoustic powers. METHODS: The
      simulated layers were water and thyroid tissue. The source was a spherically
      curved circular transducer with radius r   = 2.3 cm generating a continuous wave
      beam at a frequency of 3 MHz. The focal distance was 6.5 cm. The sequence
      included a pulse (8 s) with acoustic power at different value from 5 to 50 W, and
      a cooling-off interval (32 s). RESULTS: The use of acoustic power of 5 W allowed
      to achieve the threshold of temperature for coagulative necrosis (55  degrees C)
      at 1 s. The simulation with 50 W showed that temperature was significantly higher
      (above 300  degrees C) at 1 s and is maintained at high levels for a long
      interval. CONCLUSION: Since 2016, we treated patients according to the present
      experience, and a significant reduction of nodule's volume was observed with good
      patent's comfort and no complications (unpublished data). Also, no anesthesia was
      practiced. We feel that the present data could contribute to develop a high
      intensity focused ultrasound therapy of benign thyroid nodules free from
      potential complications.

PMID- 28638984
TI  - Associations of aldosterone and renin concentrations with inflammation-the Study
      of Health in Pomerania and the German Conn's Registry.
AB  - PURPOSE: Chronic inflammation is an age-independent and body mass index
      independent contributor to the development of multi-morbidity. Alterations of the
      renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system are observed within the context of
      proinflammatory states. We assessed circulating aldosterone, renin, and
      inflammatory biomarker concentrations in healthy, normotensive subjects and
      patients with primary aldosteronism. METHODS: We included 1177 normotensive
      individuals from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (first follow
      up, Study of Health in Pomerania-1) and 103 primary aldosteronism patients from
      the German Conn's Registry. A 1:1 matching for sex, age, body mass index, smoking
      status, diabetes mellitus, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate was
      performed to determine whether primary aldosteronism patients exhibit higher
      inflammatory biomarker concentrations than normotensive controls. The
      associations of plasma aldosterone concentration or plasma renin concentration
      with circulating fibrinogen concentrations, white blood cell count, and high
      sensitive C-reactive protein concentrations in the normotensive sample were
      determined with multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS:
      1:1 matched primary aldosteronism patients demonstrated significantly (p < 0.01)
      higher plasma aldosterone concentration (198 vs. 47 ng/l), lower plasma renin
      concentration (3.1 vs. 7.7 ng/l) and higher high sensitive C-reactive protein
      concentrations (1.5 vs. 1.0 mg/l) than normotensive controls. Within the
      normotensive cohort, plasma renin concentration but not plasma aldosterone
      concentration was positively associated with fibrinogen concentrations and white
      blood cell count. Further, a J-shaped association between plasma renin
      concentration and high sensitive C-reactive protein concentrations was detected.
      CONCLUSIONS: High plasma aldosterone concentration in a primary aldosteronism
      cohort and high plasma renin concentration in normotensive subjects are
      associated with increased concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers. This
      suggests a link between the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and inflammatory
      processes in patients with primary aldosteronism and even in normotensive
      subjects.

PMID- 28638985
TI  - Glucuronidation of deoxynivalenol (DON) by different animal species:
      identification of iso-DON glucuronides and iso-deepoxy-DON glucuronides as novel
      DON metabolites in pigs, rats, mice, and cows.
AB  - The Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is a frequent contaminant of cereal
      based food and feed. Mammals metabolize DON by conjugation to glucuronic acid
      (GlcAc), the extent and regioselectivity of which is species-dependent. So far,
      only DON-3-glucuronide (DON-3-GlcAc) and DON-15-GlcAc have been unequivocally
      identified as mammalian DON glucuronides, and DON-7-GlcAc has been proposed as
      further DON metabolite. In the present work, qualitative HPLC-MS/MS analysis of
      urine samples of animals treated with DON (rats: 2 mg/kg bw, single bolus,
      gavage; mice: 1 mg/kg bw, single i.p. injection; pigs: 74 ug/kg bw, single bolus,
      gavage; cows: 5.2 mg DON/kg dry mass, oral for 13 weeks) revealed additional DON
      and deepoxy-DON (DOM) glucuronides. To elucidate their structures, DON and DOM
      were incubated with human (HLM) and rat liver microsomes (RLM). Besides the
      expected DON/DOM-3- and 15-GlcAc, minor amounts of four DON- and four DOM
      glucuronides were formed. Isolation and enzymatic hydrolysis of four of these
      compounds yielded iso-DON and iso-DOM, the identities of which were eventually
      confirmed by NMR. Incubation of iso-DON and iso-DOM with RLM and HLM yielded two
      main glucuronides for each parent compound, which were isolated and identified as
      iso-DON/DOM-3-GlcAc and iso-DON/DOM-8-GlcAc by NMR. Iso-DON-3-GlcAc, most likely
      misidentified as DON-7-GlcAc in the literature, proved to be a major DON
      metabolite in rats and a minor metabolite in pigs. In addition, iso-DON-8-GlcAc
      turned out to be one of the major DON metabolites in mice. DOM-3-GlcAc was the
      dominant DON metabolite in urine of cows and an important DON metabolite in rat
      urine. Iso-DOM-3-GlcAc was detected in urine of DON-treated rats and cows.
      Finally, DON-8,15-hemiketal-8-glucuronide, a previously described by-product of
      DON-3-GlcAc production by RLM, was identified in urine of DON-exposed mice and
      rats. The discovery of several novel DON-derived glucuronides in animal urine
      requires adaptation of the currently used methods for DON-biomarker analysis.

PMID- 28638986
TI  - Effect of electrode potentials on the microbial community of photo
      bioelectrochemical systems.
AB  - Increasing attention is being paid to the adoption of photoautotrophic microbes
      in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) because of the advantages of self
      sustainability. Biased potential on the anode was capable of adjusting the
      performance of non-photo BESs, and the microbial community structure was also
      changed; however, few studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of
      potential on microbial community structure in photo-BESs. In this work, the
      response of microbial community structure to different potentials (i.e., 0, 0.2,
      0.4 and 0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl) was characterized with 454 pyrosequencing. Four
      samples were collected and they generated 42865 16S rDNA sequencing reads with an
      average length of 429 bp. The potential at 0.2 V resulted in the highest current
      density (378.8 mA m-2) and showed a strong selection for gamma-proteobacteria
      (30.8% of the sequences). alpha-Diversity analysis showed that microbial
      diversity increased with increased potential. Rhodopseudomonas palustris was
      dominant among known exoelectrogens in the biofilm biased at 0.4 V. The results
      provided an insight into the mechanism of potential regulation on the performance
      of photo-BESs and changes in microbial community structure.

PMID- 28638988
TI  - Same-day genomic and epigenomic diagnosis of brain tumors using real-time
      nanopore sequencing.
AB  - Molecular classification of cancer has entered clinical routine to inform
      diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. At the same time, new tumor
      entities have been identified that cannot be defined histologically. For central
      nervous system tumors, the current World Health Organization classification
      explicitly demands molecular testing, e.g., for 1p/19q-codeletion or IDH
      mutations, to make an integrated histomolecular diagnosis. However, a plethora of
      sophisticated technologies is currently needed to assess different genomic and
      epigenomic alterations and turnaround times are in the range of weeks, which
      makes standardized and widespread implementation difficult and hinders timely
      decision making. Here, we explored the potential of a pocket-size nanopore
      sequencing device for multimodal and rapid molecular diagnostics of cancer. Low
      pass whole genome sequencing was used to simultaneously generate copy number (CN)
      and methylation profiles from native tumor DNA in the same sequencing run. Single
      nucleotide variants in IDH1, IDH2, TP53, H3F3A, and the TERT promoter region were
      identified using deep amplicon sequencing. Nanopore sequencing yielded ~0.1X
      genome coverage within 6 h and resulting CN and epigenetic profiles correlated
      well with matched microarray data. Diagnostically relevant alterations, such as
      1p/19q codeletion, and focal amplifications could be recapitulated. Using ad hoc
      random forests, we could perform supervised pan-cancer classification to
      distinguish gliomas, medulloblastomas, and brain metastases of different primary
      sites. Single nucleotide variants in IDH1, IDH2, and H3F3A were identified using
      deep amplicon sequencing within minutes of sequencing. Detection of TP53 and TERT
      promoter mutations shows that sequencing of entire genes and GC-rich regions is
      feasible. Nanopore sequencing allows same-day detection of structural variants,
      point mutations, and methylation profiling using a single device with negligible
      capital cost. It outperforms hybridization-based and current sequencing
      technologies with respect to time to diagnosis and required laboratory equipment
      and expertise, aiming to make precision medicine possible for every cancer
      patient, even in resource-restricted settings.

PMID- 28638989
TI  - Parietal white matter lesions in Alzheimer's disease are associated with cortical
      neurodegenerative pathology, but not with small vessel disease.
AB  - Cerebral white matter lesions (WML) encompass axonal loss and demyelination, and
      the pathogenesis is assumed to be small vessel disease (SVD)-related ischemia.
      However, WML may also result from the activation of Wallerian degeneration as a
      consequence of cortical Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, i.e.
      hyperphosphorylated tau (HPtau) and amyloid-beta (Abeta) deposition. WML seen in
      AD have a posterior predominance compared to non-demented individuals but it is
      unclear whether the pathological and molecular signatures of WML differ between
      these two groups. We investigated differences in the composition and aetiology of
      parietal WML from AD and non-demented controls. Parietal WML tissue from 55 human
      post-mortem brains (AD, n = 27; non-demented controls, n = 28) were
      quantitatively assessed for axonal loss and demyelination, as well as for
      cortical HPtau and Abeta burden and SVD. Biochemical assessment included
      Wallerian degeneration protease calpain and the myelin-associated glycoprotein
      (MAG) to proteolipid protein (PLP) ratio (MAG:PLP) as a measure of hypoperfusion.
      WML severity was associated with both axonal loss and demyelination in AD, but
      only with demyelination in controls. Calpain was significantly increased in WML
      tissue in AD, whereas MAG:PLP was significantly reduced in controls. Calpain
      levels were associated with increasing amounts of cortical AD-pathology but not
      SVD. We conclude that parietal WML seen in AD differ in their pathological
      composition and aetiology compared to WML seen in aged controls: WML seen in AD
      may be associated with Wallerian degeneration that is triggered by cortical AD
      pathology, whereas WML in aged controls are due to ischaemia. Hence, parietal WML
      as seen on MRI should not invariably be interpreted as a surrogate biomarker for
      SVD as they may be indicative of cortical AD-pathology, and therefore, AD should
      also be considered as the main underlying cause for cognitive impairment in cases
      with parietal WML.

PMID- 28638987
TI  - Leukodystrophies: a proposed classification system based on pathological changes
      and pathogenetic mechanisms.
AB  - Leukodystrophies are genetically determined disorders characterized by the
      selective involvement of the central nervous system white matter. Onset may be at
      any age, from prenatal life to senescence. Many leukodystrophies are degenerative
      in nature, but some only impair white matter function. The clinical course is
      mostly progressive, but may also be static or even improving with time.
      Progressive leukodystrophies are often fatal, and no curative treatment is known.
      The last decade has witnessed a tremendous increase in the number of defined
      leukodystrophies also owing to a diagnostic approach combining magnetic resonance
      imaging pattern recognition and next generation sequencing. Knowledge on white
      matter physiology and pathology has also dramatically built up. This led to the
      recognition that only few leukodystrophies are due to mutations in myelin- or
      oligodendrocyte-specific genes, and many are rather caused by defects in other
      white matter structural components, including astrocytes, microglia, axons and
      blood vessels. We here propose a novel classification of leukodystrophies that
      takes into account the primary involvement of any white matter component.
      Categories in this classification are the myelin disorders due to a primary
      defect in oligodendrocytes or myelin (hypomyelinating and demyelinating
      leukodystrophies, leukodystrophies with myelin vacuolization); astrocytopathies;
      leuko-axonopathies; microgliopathies; and leuko-vasculopathies. Following this
      classification, we illustrate the neuropathology and disease mechanisms of some
      leukodystrophies taken as example for each category. Some leukodystrophies fall
      into more than one category. Given the complex molecular and cellular interplay
      underlying white matter pathology, recognition of the cellular pathology behind a
      disease becomes crucial in addressing possible treatment strategies.

PMID- 28638990
TI  - Pharmacological intervention of MKL/SRF signaling by CCG-1423 impedes endothelial
      cell migration and angiogenesis.
AB  - De novo synthesis of cytoskeleton-regulatory proteins triggered by the
      megakaryoblastic leukemia (MKL)/serum response factor (SRF) transcriptional
      system in response to pro-angiogenic growth factors lies at the heart of
      endothelial cell (EC) migration (a critical element of angiogenesis) and
      neovascularization. This study explores whether pharmacological intervention of
      MKL/SRF signaling axis by CCG-1423 is able to suppress angiogenesis. Our studies
      show that CCG-1423 inhibits migration and cord morphogenesis of EC in vitro and
      sprouting angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo, suggesting CCG-1423 could be a novel
      anti-angiogenic agent. Kymography analyses of membrane dynamics of EC revealed
      that CCG-1423 treatment causes a major defect in membrane protrusion. CCG-1423
      treatment led to attenuated expression of several actin-binding proteins that are
      important for driving membrane protrusion including ArpC2, VASP, and profilin1
      (Pfn1) with the most drastic effect seen on the expression of Pfn1. Finally,
      depletion of Pfn1 alone is also sufficient for a dramatic decrease in sprouting
      angiogenesis of EC in vitro and ex vivo, further suggesting that Pfn1 depletion
      may be one of the mechanisms of the anti-angiogenic action of CCG-1423.

PMID- 28638992
TI  - A QM/MM study on the enzymatic inactivation of cefotaxime.
AB  - The reaction between the antibiotic cefotaxime and the CTX-M-14 class A serine
      hydrolase is addressed from a theoretical point of view, by means of hybrid
      quantum mechanics/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations, adopting a new
      approach that postulates that the residue Ser70 itself should play the role of
      the acid-base species required for the cefotaxime acylation. The proposed
      mechanism differs from earlier proposals existing in literature for other class A
      beta-lactamases. The results confirm the hypothesis, and show that the reaction
      should occur via a concerted mechanism in which the acylation of the lactam
      carbonyl carbon, protonation of the N7 lactam atom, and opening of the beta
      lactam ring occurs simultaneously. Exploration of the potential energy surface
      shows three critical points, associated with reactants, transition state and
      product. The transition state is characterized by frequency, intrinsic reaction
      coordinate, atomic charge, and bond orders calculations. The calculated
      activation barrier is 20 kcal mol-1, and the reaction appears to be slightly
      endothermic by about 12 kcal mol-1. We conclude that this approach is feasible,
      and should be considered as an alternative mechanism or may exist in competition
      with others already published in the literature. This information should be
      useful for the design of novel antibiotics and beta-lactamase inhibitors.
      Graphical abstract Three-dimensional view of the potential energy surface of
      cefotaxime.

PMID- 28638991
TI  - Integrating Tinbergen's inquiries: Mimicry and play in humans and other social
      mammals.
AB  - Visual signals convey emotions and intentions between individuals. Darwin
      underlined that human facial expressions represent a shared heritage between our
      species and many other social mammals. Social play is a fertile field to examine
      the role and the potential communicative function of facial expressions. The
      relaxed open-mouth (or play face) is a context-specific playful expression, which
      is widespread in human and non-human mammals. Here, we focus on playful
      communication by applying Tinbergen's four areas of inquiry: proximate causation,
      ontogeny, function, and evolution. First of all we explore mimicry by focusing on
      its neural substrates and factors of modulation within playful and non-playful
      context (proximate causation). Play face is one of the earliest facial
      expressions to appear and be mimicked in neonates. The motor resonance between
      infants and their caregivers is essential later in life when individuals begin to
      engage in increasingly complex social interactions, including play (ontogeny).
      The success of a playful session can be evaluated by its duration in time.
      Mirroring facial expressions prolongs the session by favoring individuals to fine
      tune their own motor sequences accordingly (function). Finally, through a
      comparative approach we also demonstrate that the elements constituting play
      communication and mimicry are sensitive to the quality of interindividual
      relationships of a species, thus reflecting the nature of its social network and
      style (evolution). In conclusion, our goal is to integrate Tinbergen's four areas
      of ethological inquiry to provide a broader framework regarding the importance of
      communication and mimicry in the play domain of humans and other social mammals.

PMID- 28638993
TI  - Discrepancy in socioeconomic status does not fully explain the variation in diet
      quality between consumers of different coffee types.
AB  - PURPOSE: Habitual consumers of different coffee types may vary in socioeconomic
      status (SES), which is an important determinant of diet quality. Nonetheless,
      research on diet quality among coffee consumers was scarce. We aimed to compare
      the diet quality of coffee consumers with different preferences towards coffee
      type and additive usage. METHODS: In this cross-sectional analysis, intake data
      of food, coffee, and additive usage from the adult respondents of the 2011-2012
      Australian Health Survey were used. Participants were grouped according to the
      type of coffee (espresso and ground coffee, E&G; coffee made from coffee mixes
      and instant coffee, M&I; non-consumers, NC) and additives (milk, sugar, and
      intense sweetener) consumed. Adjusted food group intake was compared between
      consumption groups using general linear model. RESULTS: E&G drinkers had better
      SES than M&I and NC. After adjusting for covariates, the mean dairy intake of E&G
      drinkers was 22.2% higher than M&I drinkers (p < 0.001) and 33.1% higher than NC
      (p < 0.001). Mean discretionary food intake of E&G drinkers was 12.1% lower than
      M&I (p = 0.003) and 12.3% lower than NC (p = 0.001). In terms of additive usage,
      non-users of coffee additive had the lowest dairy food intake and the highest
      discretionary food intake. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee consumers' different preferences
      towards coffee type and additive usages reflected significant variations in their
      diet quality, even after adjustment of SES. Therefore, future epidemiological
      studies should consider separating coffee drinkers according to their habitual
      consumption of different types of coffee.

PMID- 28638994
TI  - Adherence to Mediterranean diet in relation to bone mineral density and risk of
      fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
AB  - PURPOSE: We aimed to systematically review available data on the association
      between adherence to MD and BMD as well as risk of fractures and to summarize
      this information through a meta-analysis. METHODS: Previous studies in the field
      of adherence to MD in relation to BMD and risk of fracture were selected through
      searching PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar databases prior
      to June, 2016 using Mesh and non-Mesh relevant keywords. RESULTS: In the meta
      analysis of four effect sizes, obtained from three studies, we found that
      adherence to MD was associated with a 21% reduced risk of hip fracture (overall
      RR 0.79; 95% CIs 0.72-0.87). Adherence to MD was positively associated with
      lumber spine's (mean difference of BMD comparing highest and lowest categories of
      MD score 0.12; 95% CI 0.06-0.19 g/cm2), femoral neck (0.10; 0.06-0.15 g/cm2) and
      total hip (0.11; 0.09-0.14 g/cm2) BMD. Meta-regression of included observational
      studies revealed a significant inverse linear association between Mediterranean
      diet score and risk of hip fracture, such that one unit increase in the score of
      Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduction in the risk of hip fracture
      (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.98 p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Adherence to MD was associated
      with a reduced risk of fracture as well as with a higher mean BMD.

PMID- 28638995
TI  - Transport of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in preterm infant plasma is
      dominated by phosphatidylcholine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Docosahexaenoic (C22:6) and arachidonic (C20:4) acids are long-chain
      polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) essential to neonatal development, being
      present in the glycerophospholipids of all organs, particularly the brain. In
      plasma, LC-PUFAs are mainly present in lipoprotein lipids, which are neutral
      lipids (triglycerides and cholesterol esters) and glycerophospholipids, like
      choline containing phosphatidylcholine (PC). PURPOSE: To guide future
      supplementation strategies of C22:6 and C20:4 in combination with choline, we
      determined the distribution of C20:4 and C22:6 between PC and neutral lipid.
      METHODS: Preterm infant plasma (N = 59, postmenstrual age [PMA] 33.9 wk (32.4
      36.0)) and cord plasma (N = 34, PMA 34.0 wk (30.86-38.4)) were investigated. PC
      and neutral lipids were extracted and analyzed using tandem mass spectrometry and
      gas chromatography, respectively. Data are reported as medians and 25th/75th
      percentiles. RESULTS: In cord blood, C20:4-PC and C22:6-PC comprised 36.1% (34.2
      38.6) and 10.2% (8.8-12.8) of total PC, respectively. In preterm infant plasma,
      values were only 20.8% (19.2-23.1) and 5.7% (5.2-6.0), respectively (p < 0.001
      each). Nevertheless, in preterm infant plasma, 80.6% (77.6-83.0) of C20:4 and
      86.0% (83.0-88.9) of C22:6 were found in PC. These values exceeded the
      proportions of C20:4 and C22:6 in PC of cord plasma [71.3% (67.8-72.9) and 79.2%
      (75.2-85.4), respectively] (p < 0.0001 each). CONCLUSION: Irrespective of the low
      proportions of C20:4-PC and C22:6-PC in preterm infant plasma lipids, PC is the
      major transporter for C20:4 and C22:6. Our data support the hypotheses that
      choline deficiency may impair end-organ availability of these LC-PUFA in preterm
      infants. Therefore, supplementation of C20:4 and C22:6 might better be
      accompanied by choline supplementation.

PMID- 28638996
TI  - Smooth at one end and rough at the other: influence of object texture on grasping
      behaviour.
AB  - When picking up objects using a pinch grip, there are usually numerous places at
      which one could place the thumb and index finger. Yet, people seem to
      consistently place them at or close to the centre of mass (COM), presumably to
      minimize torque and therefore the required grip force. People also prefer to
      grasp objects by parallel surfaces and ones with higher friction coefficients
      (rough surfaces), to prevent the object from slipping when they lift it. Here, we
      examine the trade-off between friction and COM. Participants were asked to grasp
      and lift aluminium bars of which one end was polished and therefore smooth and
      the other was rough. Their finger positions were recorded to determine how they
      grasped the objects. The bars were oriented horizontally in the frontal plane,
      with the centre aligned with the participants' body midline. The bars varied in
      the horizontal offset between the COM and the edge of the rough region. The
      offset could be 0, 1 or 2 cm. We expected participants to grasp closer to the
      rough area than the centre of the bar. Completely rough bars and completely
      smooth bars served as control conditions. The slipperiness of the surface that
      was grasped affected the height of the grasping points, indicating that
      participants adjusted their grasping behaviour to the slipperiness of the
      surface. However, the tendency to grasp closer to the rough area was minimal.
      This shows that the judged COM largely determines how an object is grasped.
      Friction has very limited influence.

PMID- 28638997
TI  - Follistatin treatment suppresses SERCA1b levels independently of other players of
      calcium homeostasis in C2C12 myotubes.
AB  - Follistatin (FS) is a high affinity activin-binding protein, neutralizing the
      effects of the Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily members, as
      myostatin (MSTN). Since MSTN emerged as a negative regulator, FS has been
      considered as a stimulator of skeletal muscle growth and differentiation. Here,
      we studied the effect of FS administration on the Ca2+-homeostasis of
      differentiating C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. FS-treatment increased the fusion
      index, the size of terminally differentiated myotubes, and transiently elevated
      the expression of the calcium-dependent protein phosphatase, calcineurin, at the
      beginning of differentiation. Functional experiments did not detect any
      alterations in the Ca2+ transients following the stimulation by KCl or caffeine
      in myotubes. On the other hand, decreased Ca2+-uptake capability was determined
      by calculating the maximal pump rate (332 +/- 17 vs. 279 +/- 11 uM/s, in control
      and FS-treated myotubes, respectively; p < 0.05). In the same way, the expression
      and ATPase activity of the neonatal sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase
      (SERCA1b) were decreased (0.59 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.19 +/- 0.01 mM ATP/min, in control
      and FS-treated myotubes, respectively; p < 0.05). However, the expression level
      of other proteins involved in Ca2+-homeostasis and differentiation
      (calsequestrin, STIM1, MyoD) were not affected. Our results suggest that the FS
      controlled myotube growth is paralleled with the tight regulation of cytosolic
      calcium concentration, and the decline of SERCA1b appears to be one of the key
      components in this process.

PMID- 28638998
TI  - Italian normative data and validation of two neuropsychological tests of face
      recognition: Benton Facial Recognition Test and Cambridge Face Memory Test.
AB  - The Benton Facial Recognition Test (BFRT) and Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT)
      are two of the most common tests used to assess face discrimination and
      recognition abilities and to identify individuals with prosopagnosia. However,
      recent studies highlighted that participant-stimulus match ethnicity, as much as
      gender, has to be taken into account in interpreting results from these tests.
      Here, in order to obtain more appropriate normative data for an Italian sample,
      the CFMT and BFRT were administered to a large cohort of young adults. We found
      that scores from the BFRT are not affected by participants' gender and are only
      slightly affected by participant-stimulus ethnicity match, whereas both these
      factors seem to influence the scores of the CFMT. Moreover, the inclusion of a
      sample of individuals with suspected face recognition impairment allowed us to
      show that the use of more appropriate normative data can increase the BFRT
      efficacy in identifying individuals with face discrimination impairments; by
      contrast, the efficacy of the CFMT in classifying individuals with a face
      recognition deficit was confirmed. Finally, our data show that the lack of
      inversion effect (the difference between the total score of the upright and
      inverted versions of the CFMT) could be used as further index to assess
      congenital prosopagnosia. Overall, our results confirm the importance of having
      norms derived from controls with a similar experience of faces as the "potential"
      prosopagnosic individuals when assessing face recognition abilities.

PMID- 28638999
TI  - Osteopontin and clusterin levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus: differential
      association with peripheral autonomic nerve function.
AB  - Osteopontin (OPN) and clusterin are secreted glycoproteins potentially associated
      with nerve function. Sudomotor dysfunction is associated with the development of
      foot ulcerations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential
      relationship of OPN and clusterin with sudomotor function (i.e., autonomic nerves
      that control sweating) in participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
      Sudomotor function was assessed using SUDOSCAN(r) which measures electrochemical
      skin conductance (ESC) of the hands and feet. Demographics (e.g., age, gender,
      race, body mass index (BMI)), HbA1c, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, creatinine, OPN, and
      clusterin were also determined for the participants. Fifty individuals with T2DM
      (age = 59+/-11 years; 23/27 male/female; 13 African Americans) participated in
      this study. Lower ESC for the hands and feet were observed in African Americans
      versus Caucasians/Asians (p < 0.05). No significant ESC differences were observed
      for good [HbA1c <7%] versus poor [HbA1c >=7%] glycemic control. With regard to
      gender, ESC values were lower for the hands for females (p < 0.05). In linear
      regression with ESC for the hands or feet as the dependent variable, increased
      OPN levels, but not clusterin, were independently associated with reduced
      sudomotor function while adjusting for age, gender, race, BMI, and glycemic
      control (ESC hands model R 2 = 0.504, p < 0.001; ESC feet model R 2 = 0.534, p <
      0.001). The association between OPN and reduced sudomotor function found in our
      study warrants further investigation to delineate the underlying mechanisms and
      determine if OPN is neuroprotective, involved in the pathogenesis of sudomotor
      dysfunction, or simply a bystander.

PMID- 28639000
TI  - Infections in Neurocritical Care.
AB  - Neurointensive care (NICU) patients experience complex infectious disease
      challenges. Central nervous system (CNS) infections are difficult to diagnose and
      treat, and post-neurosurgical patients are vulnerable to a unique set of
      healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) in addition to those typical of critically
      ill patients. The purpose of this review is to summarize the approach to
      suspected infection in the NICU and discuss management of several infectious
      syndromes in the NICU setting.

PMID- 28639001
TI  - SANGUINATETM (PEGylated Carboxyhemoglobin Bovine) Improves Cerebral Blood Flow to
      Vulnerable Brain Regions at Risk of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Subarachnoid
      Hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
      has been linked to focal reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and
      microvascular impairments in oxygen delivery. Effective therapies that restore
      flow and oxygen transport to vulnerable brain regions are currently lacking.
      SANGUINATE is a dual-action carbon monoxide-releasing and hemoglobin-based oxygen
      transfer agent with efficacy in animal models of focal brain ischemia and
      tolerability in patients with sickle cell disease. METHODS: We performed a safety
      and proof-of-principle study in 12 SAH patients at risk of DCI across three
      escalating doses (160, 240, and 320 mg/kg). We used 15O-PET (performed at
      baseline, after SANGUINATE and at 24 h) to evaluate efficacy for improving CBF
      and restoring flow-metabolism balance (assessed by oxygen extraction fraction
      [OEF]) to vulnerable regions (defined as baseline OEF >= 0.50). RESULTS:
      SANGUINATE resulted in a transient rise in mean arterial pressure (116 +/- 15-127
      +/- 13 mm Hg, p = 0.001) that normalized by 24 h and allowed three patients with
      DCI to be weaned off vasopressors. No adverse events were noted during infusion.
      Global CBF did not rise (43 +/- 8-46 +/- 9 ml/100 g/min) although a trend was
      seen at the highest dose (45 +/- 7-51 +/- 9, p = 0.044). However, a significant
      16% rise in regional CBF associated with reduction in OEF was seen in vulnerable
      regions, but did not persist at 24 h. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that this
      novel agent can improve regional CBF and may improve oxygen supply-demand
      balance. Clinical studies (likely with repeat dosing) are required to evaluate
      whether this effect can prevent DCI or cerebral infarction.

PMID- 28639002
TI  - Risk factors of flare in rheumatoid arthritis patients with both clinical and
      ultrasonographic remission: a retrospective study from China.
AB  - Ultrasonographic remission in addition to clinical remission is probably becoming
      a new target in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The current study aimed to
      investigate the risk factors of flare in RA patients who achieved both clinical
      and ultrasonographic remission. RA patients fulfilled both clinical remission and
      ultrasonographic remissions were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Baseline
      clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic data were collected. Durations of
      clinical remission before enrollment and medication strategy during follow-up
      were recorded. Differences between the flare and the non-flare group were
      analyzed. Risk factors of flare were assessed with univariate and multivariate
      Cox proportional hazards models. One hundred and twenty-one RA patients were
      included. Forty-eight patients relapsed during a median follow-up period of 12.3
      months. The flare group had higher percentage of females, shorter duration of
      clinical remission before enrollment, higher baseline ESR and DAS28 (ESR), and
      lower baseline gray scale score. Univariate Cox regression revealed female, short
      duration of remission, high DAS28 (ESR), and failure to achieve 2010 ACR/EULAR
      remission criteria were risk factors of flare. Furthermore, multivariate analysis
      showed short duration of remission was the only independent risk factor of flare
      (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.88-0.98, P = 0.007). One more month in duration of remission
      led to a reduction in flare of 7.3%. Short duration of remission at baseline
      could be an independent risk factor of flare in RA patients who achieved both
      clinical and ultrasonographic remission, which implicates the significance of
      sustained remission in the prognosis of RA patients.

PMID- 28639003
TI  - The crucial role of activin A/ALK4 pathway in the pathogenesis of Ang-II-induced
      atrial fibrosis and vulnerability to atrial fibrillation.
AB  - Atrial fibrosis, the hallmark of structural remodeling associated with atrial
      fibrillation (AF), is characterized by abnormal proliferation of atrial
      fibroblasts and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Transforming growth
      factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)/activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5)/Smad2/3/4 pathway
      has been reported to be involved in the process. Recent studies have implicated
      both activin A and its specific downstream component activin receptor-like kinase
      4 (ALK4) in stimulating fibrosis in non-cardiac organs. We recently reported that
      ALK4 haplodeficiency attenuated the pressure overload- and myocardial infarction
      induced ventricular fibrosis. However, the role of activin A/ALK4 in the
      pathogenesis of atrial fibrosis and vulnerability to AF remains unknown. Our
      study provided experimental and clinical evidence for the involvement of activin
      A and ALK4 in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrosis and AF. Patients with AF had
      higher activin A and ALK4 expression in atriums as compared to individuals devoid
      of AF. After angiotensin-II (Ang-II) stimulation which mimicked atrial fibrosis
      progression, ALK4-deficient mice showed lower expression of ALK4 in atriums,
      reduced activation of atrial fibroblasts, blunted atrial enlargement and atrial
      fibrosis, and further reduced AF vulnerability upon right atrial
      electrophysiological studies as compared to wild-type littermates. Moreover, we
      found that apart from the well-known TGF-beta1/ALK5 pathway, the activation of
      activin A/ALK4/smad2/3 pathway played an important role in the pathogenesis of
      Ang-II-mediated atrial fibrosis and inducibility of AF, suggesting that targeting
      ALK4 might be a potential therapy for atrial fibrosis and AF.

PMID- 28639004
TI  - The Hair in the Sinus: Sharp-Ended Rootless Head Hair Fragments can be Found in
      Large Amounts in Pilonidal Sinus Nests.
AB  - PURPOSE: Hair has been identified as the causative agent of Pilonidal Sinus
      Disease (PSD). Stiffer, dark hair as well as hairiness has been postulated as
      causative factors. Astonishingly, despite the early clinical significance of this
      condition (Hodges in Boston Med Surg J 2:485-486, 1880), macroscopic and
      microscopic examinations of hair inside pilonidal sinus cavities have been
      scarce. The purpose of this study was to study the morphological aspects of the
      hair found in PSD in order to determine the origin of the hair. METHODS: Hair
      from inside pilonidal sinus cavities was collected intraoperatively from 20 PSD
      patients. Additionally, occipital, lumbar and intergluteal hair was harvested
      from the same patients and compared to the hair of volunteer-matched pair
      patients admitted to the hospital at the same time for non-PSD surgery. Intra-
      and intergroup variations of hair length were characterized with analysis of
      variance. Numbers and lengths of pilonidal sinus nest hair were recorded. Hair
      was examined clinically and with light and scanning electron microscopy using
      surface enhancing gold and carbon dust coating techniques. RESULTS: Analysis of
      624 pilonidal sinus nest hair samples from 20 independent sinus cavities revealed
      that hair within pilonidal sinus nests is rootless in 74%. Shorter hair was found
      inside the pilonidal sinus compared to other sites (length 0.9 +/- 0.7 cm p <
      0.0001). Furthermore, hair found inside of the sinus was significantly shorter
      than hair protruding from pores (p < 0.000). Hair samples show razor sharp but no
      broken or split ends. On electron microscopy, these spiky hair ends resemble cut
      hair ends. Pilonidal hair nests contained between 1 and over 400 hair fragments.
      CONCLUSION: Short hair fragments with rootless sharp cut ends were found within
      pilonidal sinus cavities. Morphologically, these fragments resemble short cut
      rather than intact body hair. Since short cut hair, e.g., derived from the head
      potentially enters the pilonidal cavity more easily than longer hair, the source
      of these cut hair fragments needs to be eliminated when aiming to prevent
      Pilonidal Sinus Disease.

PMID- 28639005
TI  - Central Hepatectomy Still Plays an Important Role in Treatment of Early-Stage
      Centrally Located Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Surgical management of centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma (CL
      HCC) poses a great challenge. Major hepatectomy (MH) might compromise future
      remnant liver volume (FRLV), while the long-term benefits of central hepatectomy
      (CH) had not been well demonstrated. METHODS: Consecutive patients with early
      stage CL-HCC who underwent liver resection were enrolled. Fifteen patients
      underwent CH, while thirty-three were subjected to MH. All relevant
      clinicopathological variables were analyzed. Disease-free survival (DFS) and
      overall survival (OS) of both groups were compared. RESULTS: There were no
      differences between CH and MH in terms of predisposing liver disease, tumor size,
      blood loss, complication rate and vascular invasion. Mean FRLV increased from
      40.9 to 69.2% by using CH resection lines. The parenchymal transection time is
      longer in CH. There were no differences of DFS between two groups. The 5-year OS
      rates of CH and MH were 93.3 and 62.6%, respectively. MH was a poor prognostic
      factor. CONCLUSIONS: CH is a relatively time-consuming and technique-demanding
      procedure, but excellent long-term survival could be achieved. CH could increase
      liver volume preservation without compromising intra-hepatic recurrence. In an
      endemic area of hepatitis and cirrhosis, CH should still play an important role
      in surgical treatment of CL-HCC.

PMID- 28639007
TI  - Is electroconvulsive therapy an evidence-based treatment for catatonia? A
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - We aimed to review and discuss the evidence-based arguments for the efficacy of
      electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of catatonia. Randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies focusing on the response to
      ECT in catatonia were selected in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase,
      ClinicalTrials.gov and Current Controlled Trials through October 2016 and
      qualitatively described. Trials assessing pre-post differences using a catatonia
      or clinical improvement rating scale were pooled together using a random effect
      model. Secondary outcomes were adverse effects of anesthesia and seizure. 564
      patients from 28 studies were included. RCTs were of low quality and were
      heterogeneous; therefore, it was not possible to combine their efficacy results.
      An improvement of catatonic symptoms after ECT treatment was evidenced in ten
      studies (SMD = -3.14, 95% CI [-3.95; -2.34]). The adverse effects that were
      reported in seven studies included mental confusion, memory loss, headache, or
      adverse effects associated with anesthesia. ECT protocols were heterogeneous. The
      literature consistently describes improvement in catatonic symptoms after ECT.
      However, the published studies fail to demonstrate efficacy and effectiveness. It
      is now crucial to design and perform a quality RCT to robustly validate the use
      of ECT in catatonia.Prospero registration information: PROSPERO 2016:
      CRD42016041660.

PMID- 28639008
TI  - Evaluation of running knotless barbed suture for capsular closure in primary
      total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis-a prospective randomized study.
AB  - AIMS: This study was conducted to compare the barbed vs. traditional suture
      technique in capsular closure of total knee arthroplasty in terms of closure
      time, cost, needle prick injury, post-operative complication, blood loss and post
      operative function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients in a barbed suture
      group and 90 in a traditional group were enrolled in this prospective randomized
      study. RESULTS: Barbed suture was associated with 4.1 minutes (P < 0.001) faster
      closure. It was found to be cheaper in terms of direct material cost [30.4%].
      Needle prick injury was found in 6.7% (P = 0.020) of cases in the traditional
      group. Blood loss, post-operative complication and post-operative function were
      comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION: Barbed suture use in capsular closure of
      knee arthroplasty is an efficient and cost effective method, and recommended for
      use in the future.

PMID- 28639009
TI  - Chipping and lengthening over nailing technique for femoral shaft nonunion with
      shortening.
AB  - PURPOSE: Chipping and lengthening over nailing (CLON) technique was developed to
      treat femoral shaft nonunion with shortening more than 10 mm. The purpose of the
      current retrospective case series was to clarify the effectiveness of the CLON
      technique on the femoral shaft nonunion following intramedullary nailing.
      METHODS: Clinical and radiological outcomes in the patients receiving operative
      treatment for femoral shaft nonunion between August 2012 and December 2016 were
      retrospectively reviewed using the Refractory Fracture Data Registry at the
      authors' institution. The CLON technique was indicated for patients with the
      femoral shaft nonunion with shortening more than 10 mm. RESULTS: Five patients
      with median follow-up of 32 months (range, 14 to 50 months) were included in this
      study. All patients achieved bone union at the median of 8 months after the CLON
      technique. The median limb length discrepancy was 2.0 mm at the most recent
      follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that the CLON technique
      for femoral shaft nonunion may be the first choice as operative treatment for
      femoral shaft nonunion with shortening more than 10 mm.

PMID- 28639010
TI  - Modulation of calcium carbonate precipitation by exopolysaccharide in Bacillus
      sp. JH7.
AB  - Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) is proposed to facilitate calcium ion
      supersaturation through its nucleation effect during the microbially induced
      calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) process. However, the supersaturation
      effect of Ca2+ via EPS in MICP has not been clearly demonstrated. Enhanced
      exopolysaccharide production of the alkali- and halotolerant MICP-capable
      bacteria, Bacillus sp. JH7, was achieved through glycerol addition. This was
      demonstrated by measuring cellular precipitation and Congo red binding.
      Interestingly, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive
      X-ray spectrometry analysis demonstrated that there was no MICP under glycerol
      amended conditions. Although glycerol promoted exopolysaccharide capture of Ca2+
      ions, Ca2+ embedded onto EPS did not participate in MICP formation. The pH was
      reduced in glycerol-added media, which led us to analyze high acetate production
      under our test conditions. Purified glycerol-induced exopolysaccharide showed a
      higher capacity of Ca2+ capture than the control. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis
      showed that three genes involved in exopolysaccharide production were highly
      upregulated by glycerol. The amounts of three detected monosaccharides
      (arabinose, glucose, and mannose) were altered by glycerol. Cell hydrophobicity
      measurements indicated that glycerol could confer more hydrophilic
      characteristics to cells, which might enhance Ca2+ binding onto EPS.
      Unexpectedly, our data demonstrated, for the first time, that glycerol could
      promote exopolysaccharide and acetate production under our test condition, which
      could inhibit MICP by reducing the availability of free Ca2+.

PMID- 28639006
TI  - Angiogenic growth factors in myocardial infarction: a critical appraisal.
AB  - In the recent past, substantial advances have been made in the treatment of
      myocardial infarction (MI). Despite the impact of these positive developments, MI
      remains to be a leading cause of morbidity as well as mortality. An interesting
      hypothesis is that the development of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) or the
      remodeling of preexisting collaterals may form natural bypasses that could
      compensate for the occlusion of an epicardial coronary artery. A number of
      angiogenic factors are proven to be elicited during MI. Exogenous supplementation
      of these growth factors either in the form of recombinant protein or gene would
      enhance the collateral vessel formation and thereby improve the outcome after MI.
      The aim of this review is to describe the nature and potentials of different
      angiogenic factors, their expression, their efficacy in animal studies, and
      clinical trials pertaining to MI.

PMID- 28639011
TI  - Guselkumab for the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Review of Phase III Trials.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Interleukin (IL)-23 inhibitors are a new class of biologics
      currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of moderate-to-severe
      psoriasis. Phase III studies of guselkumab, an IL-23 receptor monoclonal
      antibody, are currently underway. METHODS: We summarize the available phase III
      results to date, establishing the efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients
      with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. RESULTS: Currently, there are available
      data of up to 48 weeks from two Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind,
      placebo- and comparator-controlled clinical trials, VOYAGE 1 and VOYAGE 2. At
      week 16, the proportion of patients attaining at least a 90% improvement from
      baseline in the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 90) was 73.3% in VOYAGE 1
      and 70.0% in VOYAGE 2. Guselkumab remained efficacious through 48 weeks of
      treatment. Guselkumab maintained a satisfactory safety profile with the most
      frequently reported adverse events being nasopharyngitis, headache, and upper
      respiratory tract infection. CONCLUSION: Phase III trials of Guselkumab suggest a
      favorable efficacy and safety profile of this novel drug. Although further
      studies are needed to assess long-term safety and efficacy, based on the results
      to date, guselkumab appears to be a promising therapeutic option for moderate-to
      severe plaque-type psoriasis.

PMID- 28639012
TI  - The effect of social learning on avoidance of aposematic prey in juvenile great
      tits (Parus major).
AB  - Social learning plays an important role in acquiring new foraging skills and food
      preferences in many bird species but its potential role in learning to avoid
      aposematic prey has never been studied. We tested the effect of social learning
      on the acquisition of avoidance of aposematic insect prey (firebug Pyrrhocoris
      apterus; Heteroptera) in juvenile, hand-reared great tits (Parus major).
      Behaviour towards aposematic prey was compared between two groups of birds: (1)
      the observers that were, prior to encounter with firebugs, allowed to watch the
      experienced conspecific demonstrator repeatedly refuse to attack the prey, and
      (2) the control birds that lacked this opportunity. Observing an experienced
      demonstrator was not sufficient for learning complete avoidance, because birds
      from both groups attacked at least the first firebug they had encountered in
      avoidance training. However, the opportunity to observe the avoidance behaviour
      of another bird significantly increased the rate of subsequent individual
      learning of observers in comparison with control birds. Social learning also
      decreased mortality of firebugs killed by the birds during the avoidance
      learning. Socially enhanced learning to avoid aposematic prey might be a
      mechanism important especially for naive juvenile birds learning from their
      parents, but it could also enhance learning in adults from their more experienced
      flock mates. Because social learning of avoidance may also lead to decreased
      mortality of aposematic prey, its effect should be taken into account in
      scenarios considering evolution and maintenance of prey warning signals.

PMID- 28639013
TI  - Revisiting the environmental Kuznets curve and pollution haven hypotheses: MIKTA
      sample.
AB  - This study aims to examine the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC)
      and pollution haven hypotheses in Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey, and
      Australia (MIKTA) countries from 1982 to 2011 by using a panel vector auto
      regressive (PVAR) model. Empirical findings imply that the EKC hypothesis is
      rejected by the MIKTA sample. However, PVAR estimations reveal Granger causality
      from income level, foreign direct investment (FDI) inward, and energy consumption
      to CO2 emissions. Orthogonalized impulse-response functions are derived from PVAR
      estimations. According to the analysis results, the response of CO2 emissions to
      a shock on FDI is positive. These results assert that FDI has a detrimental
      effect on environmental quality in MIKTA countries which means the pollution
      haven hypothesis is confirmed by the MIKTA sample. Therefore, MIKTA countries
      should revise their current economic growth plans to provide sustainable
      development and also re-organize their legal infrastructure to induce usage of
      renewable energy sources.

PMID- 28639014
TI  - Sediments as a sink for UV filters and benzotriazoles: the case study of Upper
      Iguacu watershed, Curitiba (Brazil).
AB  - Ingredients in home and personal care products, including UV filters and
      benzotriazoles, are high production volume chemicals extensively used in our
      daily life, despite several studies revealed their potential eco-toxicity and
      endocrine-disrupting capacity. Due to some features, such as high lipophilicity,
      low degradability, and persistence of many of these compounds, sediments can be
      considered a sink for them in the aquatic environment. In the present study, nine
      organic UV filters and three benzotriazoles were investigated for the first time
      in sediments from four urban rivers in Brazil. The contaminants were analyzed by
      liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results revealed
      that octocrylene (OC), etylhexyl-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), benzophenone-3
      (oxybenzone, BP3), and benzotriazole (BZT) were the predominant compounds
      adsorbed on the sediments, with concentrations ranging from 5.6 to 322.2 ng g-1
      dry weight. The results reported in this work constitute the first data on the
      accumulation of polar benzotriazoles and lipophilic organic UV filters in
      sediments from Brazil.

PMID- 28639015
TI  - Phytoextraction of Pb, Cr, Ni, and Zn using the aquatic plant Limnobium
      laevigatum and its potential use in the treatment of wastewater.
AB  - In order to study the bioaccumulation of Pb, Cr, Ni, and Zn and the stress
      response, the floating aquatic plant Limnobium laevigatum was exposed to
      increasing concentrations of a mixture of these metals for 28 days, and its
      potential use in the treatment of wastewater was evaluated. The metal
      concentrations of the treatment 1 (T1) were Pb 1 MUg L-1, Cr 4 MUg L-1, Ni 25 MUg
      L-1, and Zn 30 MUg L-1; of treatment 2 (T2) were Pb 70 MUg L-1, Cr 70 MUg L-1, Ni
      70 MUg L-1, and Zn 70 MUg L-1; and of treatment 3 (T3) were Pb 1000 MUg L-1, Cr
      1000 MUg L-1, Ni 500 MUg L-1, and Zn 100 MUg L-1, and there was also a control
      group (without added metal). The accumulation of Pb, Cr, Ni, and Zn in roots was
      higher than in leaves of L. laevigatum, and the bioconcentration factor revealed
      that the concentrations of Ni and Zn in the leaf and root exceeded by over a
      thousand times the concentrations of those in the culture medium (2000 in leaf
      and 6800 in root for Ni; 3300 in leaf and 11,500 in root for Zn). Thus, this
      species can be considered as a hyperaccumulator of these metals. In general, the
      changes observed in the morphological and physiological parameters and the
      formation of products of lipid peroxidation of membranes during the exposure to
      moderate concentrations (T2) of the mixture of metals did not cause harmful
      effects to the survival of the species within the first 14 days of exposure.
      Taking into account the accumulation capacity and tolerance to heavy metals, L.
      laevigatum is suitable for phytoremediation in aquatic environments contaminated
      with moderated concentrations of Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the early stages of
      exposure.

PMID- 28639016
TI  - Accumulation properties of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in Yusho patients
      and prediction of their cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism by in silico
      analysis.
AB  - In what has become known as the Yusho incident, thousands of people in western
      Japan were poisoned by the accidental ingestion of rice bran oil contaminated
      with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and various dioxins and dioxin-like
      compounds. In this study, we investigated the accumulation patterns of 69 PCB
      congeners in the blood of Yusho patients in comparison with those of non-exposed
      controls. The blood samples were collected at medical check-ups in 2004 and 2005.
      To compare the patterns of PCB congeners, we calculated the concentration ratio
      of each congener relative to the 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexaCB (CB153) concentration. The
      concentration ratios of tetra- and penta-chlorinated congeners in the blood of
      Yusho patients were significantly lower than those of controls. To examine the
      cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent metabolic potential of the 2,3',4,4'5-pentaCB
      (CB118), CB153, and 2,3,3',4,4'5-hexaCB (CB156) congeners, we conducted PCB-CYP
      (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2A6, and CYP2B6) docking simulation by in silico analysis.
      The docking models showed that human CYP1A1, CYP2A6, and CYP2B6 isozymes have the
      potential to metabolize CB118 and CB153. On the other hand, it was inferred that
      CB156 is difficult to be metabolized by these four CYP isozymes. These results
      indicate that CYP1 and CYP2 isozymes may be involved in the characteristic
      accumulation patterns of PCB congeners in the blood of Yusho patients.

PMID- 28639017
TI  - Removal of polyvinylamine sulfonate anthrapyridone dye by application of
      heterogeneous electro-Fenton process.
AB  - Diversity and rapidly multiplication of the pollutants incite as to improve the
      conventional treatments wastewater methods. One of the bottlenecks often faced is
      the presence into wastewater of organic pollutants with complex structures that
      requests the design of efficient processes. Thus, this work investigates the
      removal of polyvinylamine sulfonate anthrapyridone (PSA) dye which complex
      structure makes difficult its degradation by conventional technologies. For that,
      a heterogeneous oxidative process using pyrite as sustainable catalyst was
      designed. Initially, the performance of the system BBD-carbon felt as anode and
      cathode, respectively for the production of H2O2 was determined in comparison
      with system boron-doped diamond nickel foam. The carbon felt electrode provided
      the highest oxidant production, and it was selected for the treatment of the
      polymeric dye. Several oxidative processes were evaluated, and the best
      degradation levels were obtained by application of electro-Fenton-pyrite process.
      In addition, it was determined that dye removal followed a kinetic model of
      pseudo-first-order achieving the highest efficiency by operation at optimum
      dosage of pyrite 2 g/L and 200 mA of current intensity. Depending on the optimal
      experimental conditions, these values lead to a nearly complete mineralization
      (total organic carbon removal of 95%) after 6 h. Furthermore, the reusability of
      pyrite was evaluated, by removal of PSA in four cycles.

PMID- 28639018
TI  - Test of aerobic TCE degradation by willows (Salix viminalis) and willows
      inoculated with TCE-cometabolizing strains of Burkholderia cepacia.
AB  - Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a widespread soil and groundwater pollutant and clean
      up is often problematic and expensive. Phytoremediation may be a cost-effective
      solution at some sites. This study investigates TCE degradation by willows (S.
      viminalis) and willows inoculated with three strains of B. cepacia (301C, PR1-31
      and VM1330-pTOM), using chloride formation as an indicator of dehalogenation.
      Willows were grown in non-sterile, hydroponic conditions for 3 weeks in chloride
      free nutrient solution spiked with TCE. TCE was added weekly due to rapid loss by
      volatilization. Chloride and TCE in solution were measured every 2-3 days and
      chloride and metabolite concentrations in plants were measured at test
      termination. Based on transpiration, no tree toxicity of TCE exposure was
      observed. However, trees grown in chloride-free solution showed severely
      inhibited transpiration. No or very little chloride was formed during the test,
      and levels of chloride in TCE-exposed trees were not elevated. Chloride
      concentrations in chloride containing TCE-free nutrient solution doubled within
      23 days, indicating active exclusion of chloride by root cell membranes. Only
      traces of TCE-metabolites were detected in plant tissue. We conclude that TCE is
      not, or to a limited extent (less than 3%), aerobically degraded by the willow
      trees. The three strains of B. cepacia did not enhance TCE mineralization. Future
      successful application of rhizo- and phytodegradation of TCE requires measures to
      be taken to improve the degradation rates.

PMID- 28639019
TI  - Cultivation of freshwater microalgae in biodiesel wash water.
AB  - Biodiesel wash water is a contaminating industrial effluent that must be treated
      prior to disposal. The use of this effluent as a low-cost alternative cultivation
      medium for microalgae could represent a viable supplementary treatment. We
      cultivated 11 microalgae species with potential use for biodiesel production to
      assess their growth capacities in biodiesel industrial washing waters. Only
      Monoraphidium contortum, Ankistrodesmus sp., Chlorococcum sp., and one
      unidentified Chlorophyceae species grew effectively in that effluent. M.
      contortum showed the highest growth capacity and had the second highest fatty
      acid content (267.9 mg g-1 of DW), predominantly producing palmitic (20.9%),
      7,10,13-hexadecatrienoic (14%), oleic (16.2%), linoleic (10.5%), and linolenic
      acids (23.2%). In the second phase of the experiment, the microalgae were
      cultivated in biodiesel wash water at 75% of its initial concentration as well as
      in WC (control) medium. After 21 days of cultivation, 25.8 and 7.2% of the
      effluent nitrate and phosphate were removed, respectively, and the chemical
      oxygen demand was diminished by 31.2%. These results suggest the possibility of
      cultivating biodiesel producing microalgae in industrial wash water effluents.

PMID- 28639020
TI  - Investigation of the removal mechanism of Cr(VI) in groundwater using activated
      carbon and cast iron combined system.
AB  - Zero-valent iron (Fe0) has been widely used for Cr(VI) removal; however, the
      removal mechanisms of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution under complex hydrogeochemical
      conditions were poorly understood. In this research, the mixed materials
      containing cast iron and activated carbon were packed in columns for the
      treatment of aqueous Cr(VI)-Cr(III) in groundwater with high concentration of
      Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3-, NO3-, and SO42-. We investigate the influences of those ions
      on Cr(VI) removal, especially emphasizing on the reaction mechanisms and
      associated precipitations which may lead to porosity loss by using X-ray
      photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
      techniques. The results show that the precipitations accumulated on the material
      surface were (Fe/Cr) (oxy)hydroxide, mixed Fe(III)-Cr(III) (oxy)hydroxides,
      Fe2O3, CaCO3, and MgCO3. During these reactions, the Cr(VI) was reduced to
      Cr(III) coupled with the oxidated Fe0 to Fe(II) through the galvanic corrosion
      formed by the Fe0-C and/or the direct electron transfer between Fe0 and Cr(VI).
      In addition, Cr(VI) could be reduced by aqueous Fe(II), which dominated the whole
      removal efficiency. The primary aqueous Cr(III) was completely removed together
      with Cr(III) reduced from Cr(VI) even when Cr(VI) was detected in the effluent,
      which meant that the aqueous Cr(III) could occupy the adsorption sites. In
      general, the combined system was useful for the Cr(VI)-Cr(III) treatment based on
      galvanic corrosion, and the hardness ions had a negative effect on Cr(VI) removal
      by forming the carbonates which might promote the passivation of materials and
      decrease the removal capacity of the system.

PMID- 28639021
TI  - Evapotranspiration versus oxygen intrusion: which is the main force in
      alleviating bioclogging of vertical-flow constructed wetlands during a resting
      operation?
AB  - Clogging is the most significant challenge limiting the application of
      constructed wetlands. Application of a forced resting period is a practical way
      to relieve clogging, particularly bioclogging. To reveal the alleviation
      mechanisms behind such a resting operation, evapotranspiration and oxygen flux
      were studied during a resting period in a laboratory vertical-flow constructed
      wetland model through physical simulation and numerical model analysis. In
      addition, the optimum theoretical resting duration was determined based on the
      time required for oxygen to completely fill the pores, i.e., formation of a
      sufficiently thick and completely dry layer. The results indicated that (1)
      evapotranspiration was not the key factor, but was a driving force in the
      alleviation of bioclogging; (2) the rate of oxygen diffusion into the pores was
      sufficient to oxidize and disperse the flocculant biofilm, which was essential to
      alleviate bioclogging. This study provides important insights into understanding
      how clogging/bioclogging can be alleviated in vertical-flow constructed wetlands.
      Graphical abstract Evapotranspiration versus oxygen intrusion in alleviating
      bioclogging in vertical flow constructed wetlands.

PMID- 28639022
TI  - Citrus stand ages regulate the fraction alteration of soil organic carbon under a
      citrus/Stropharua rugodo-annulata intercropping system in the Three Gorges
      Reservoir area, China.
AB  - Soil carbon fractionation is a valuable indicator in assessing stabilization of
      soil organic matter and soil quality. However, limited studies have addressed how
      different vegetation stand ages under intercropping agroforestry systems, could
      affect organic carbon (OC) accumulation in bulk soil and its physical fractions.
      A field study thus investigated the impact of citrus plantation age (15-, 25-,
      and 45-year citrus) on the bulk soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC fractions and
      yields of Stropharia rugoso-annulata (SRA) in the Three Gorges Reservoir area,
      Chongqing, China. Results indicated that the intercropping practice of SRA with
      citrus significantly increased the SOC by 57.4-61.6% in topsoil (0-10 cm) and by
      24.8-39.9% in subsoil (10-30 cm). With a significantly higher enhancement under
      the 25-year citrus stand than the other two stands, all these citrus stands of
      three ages also resulted in a significant increase of free particulate OC (fPOC,
      60.1-62.4% in topsoil and 34.8-46.7% in subsoil), intra-micro aggregate
      particulate OC (iPOC, 167.6-206.0% in topsoil and 2.77-61.09% in subsoil), and
      mineral-associated OC (MOC, 43.6-46.5% in topsoil and 26.0-51.5% in subsoil).
      However, there were no significant differences in yields of SRA under three
      citrus stands. Our results demonstrated that citrus stand ages did play an
      important role in soil carbon sequestration and fractionation under a citrus/SRA
      intercropping system, which could therefore provide a sustainable agroforestry
      system to enhance concurrently the SOC accumulation while mitigating farmland CO2
      emission.

PMID- 28639023
TI  - Uncertainties in vegetated buffer strip function in controlling phosphorus export
      from agricultural land in the Canadian prairies.
AB  - Vegetated buffer strips (VBSs) are widely encouraged as a cost-effective strategy
      to address phosphorus (P) pollution associated with agricultural production.
      However, there is a lack of evidence in the effectiveness of these measures for
      tackling diffuse P pollution in cold-climate regions under concentrated runoff
      flow conditions. This research aimed to investigate the effects of VBSs on
      reducing P concentrations in surface runoff at three different watersheds in
      Manitoba, Canada. Surface runoff samples were collected in four sub-catchments
      from each watershed by installing paired weirs at 0.5-m and at 5-m into the VBSs
      along the expected runoff flow path. In addition, P concentrations were measured
      in soil samples collected within and outside of the runoff flow path to gain
      further insight into P dynamics within VBSs at each study site. The results
      indicate that VBSs had little or no significant effect on reducing the
      concentration of P forms in surface runoff in the majority of situations,
      resulting in reduced runoff losses of total, dissolved and particulate P
      concentrations in only 23, 12 and 12% of the situations, respectively. In
      addition, Olsen extractable P concentrations in VBS soils were not significantly
      different from field soils both within and outside of the flow path. The
      ineffective P retention by VBSs in this region is likely associated with the fact
      that the majority of the runoff flow is concentrated through small portions of
      VBSs and occurs during snowmelt when biogeochemical processes responsible for P
      retention in VBSs are limited. Further research is needed to develop alternative
      management practices that enhance P retention during concentrated snowmelt runoff
      events in such cold-climate regions.

PMID- 28639024
TI  - Nematicidal potential of hydrolates from the semi industrial vapor-pressure
      extraction of Spanish aromatic plants.
AB  - The nematicidal activity of hydrolate by-products from the semi industrial vapor
      pressure essential oil extraction of selected aromatic plant species (commercial:
      Lavandula * intermedia Emeric ex Loisel. var. super, Thymus vulgaris L., T. zygis
      Loefl ex L. and experimentally pre-domesticated: L. luisieri (Rozeira) Rivas
      Martinez) was investigated against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica by
      in vitro and in vivo bioassays. Liquid-liquid extraction of hydrolates yielded
      the corresponding aqueous and organic fractions which were biological and
      chemically studied. Hydrolates from L. * intermedia var. super, L. luisieri, T.
      vulgaris, and T. zygis showed strong in vitro nematicidal effects against M.
      javanica (J2 mortality and suppression of egg hatching). In the case of the
      Thymus species, the active components were found in the organic fraction,
      characterized by thymol as major component. Conversely, the nematicidal activity
      of L. * intermedia var. super and L. luisieri remained in the corresponding
      aqueous fractions. In vivo tests on tomato seedlings at sublethal doses of the
      hydrolates/organic fractions induced a significant reduction of nematode
      infectivity. In pot experiments, all hydrolates tested on tomato plants
      significantly affect the infection frequency and reproduction rate of the
      nematode population. This study demonstrates that L. * intermedia var. super, L.
      luisieri, T. vulgaris, and T. zygis hydrolates could be an exploitable source of
      potential waste protection products on root-knot nematodes.

PMID- 28639025
TI  - Characteristics of volatile compound emission and odor pollution from municipal
      solid waste treating/disposal facilities of a city in Eastern China.
AB  - Transfer station, incineration plant, and landfill site made up the major parts
      of municipal solid waste disposal system of S city in Eastern China.
      Characteristics of volatile compounds (VCs) and odor pollution of each facility
      were investigated from a systematic perspective. Also major index related to odor
      pollution, i.e., species and concentration of VCs, olfactory odor concentration,
      and theoretic odor concentration, was quantified. Oxygenated compounds and
      hydrocarbons were the most abundant VCs in the three facilities. Different
      chemical species were quantified, and the following average concentrations were
      obtained: transfer station, 54 VCs, 2472.47 MUg/m3; incineration plant, 75 VCs,
      33,129.25 MUg/m3; and landfill site, 71 VCs, 1694.33 MUg/m3. Furthermore, the
      average olfactory odor concentrations were 20,388.80; 50,677.50; and 4951.17,
      respectively. The highest odor nuisance was detected in the waste tipping port of
      the incineration plant. A positive correlation between the olfactory and chemical
      odor concentrations was found with R 2 = 0.918 (n = 15, P < 0.01). The result
      shows odor pollution risk transfer from landfill to incineration plant when
      adopting thermal technology to deal with the non-source-separated waste. Strong
      attention thus needs to be paid on the enclosed systems in incineration plant to
      avoid any accidental odor emission.

PMID- 28639026
TI  - Regulation of engineered nanomaterials: current challenges, insights and future
      directions.
AB  - Substantial production and wide applications of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs)
      have raised concerns over their potential influences on the environment and
      humans. However, regulations of products containing ENMs are scarce, even in
      countries with the greatest volume of ENMs produced, such as the United States
      and China. After a comprehensive review of life cycles of ENMs, five major
      challenges to regulators posed by ENMs are proposed in this review: (a) ENMs
      exhibit variable physicochemical characteristics, which makes them difficult for
      regulators to establish regulatory definition; (b) Due to diverse sources and
      transport pathways for ENMs, it is difficult to monitor or predict their fates in
      the environment; (c) There is a lack of reliable techniques for quantifying
      exposures to ENMs; (d) Because of diverse intrinsic properties of ENMs and
      dynamic environmental conditions, it is difficult to predict bioavailability of
      ENMs on wildlife and the environment; and (e) There are knowledge gaps in
      toxicity and toxic mechanisms of ENMs from which to predict their hazards. These
      challenges are all related to issues in conventional assessments of risks that
      regulators rely on. To address the fast-growing nanotechnology market with
      limited resources, four ENMs (nanoparticles of Ag, TiO2, ZnO and Fe2O3) have been
      prioritized for research. Compulsory reporting schemes (registration and
      labelling) for commercial products containing ENMs should be adopted. Moreover,
      to accommodate their potential risks in time, an integrative use of quantitative
      structure-activity relationship and adverse outcome pathway (QSAR-AOP), together
      with qualitative alternatives to conventional risk assessment are proposed as
      tools for decision making of regulators.

PMID- 28639028
TI  - Erratum to: Breast cancer risk models: a comprehensive overview of existing
      models, validation, and clinical applications.

PMID- 28639027
TI  - First detection of enteric adenoviruses genotype 41 in recreation spring areas of
      Taiwan.
AB  - Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are DNA viruses found in recreational water, such as
      water parks and swimming pools. Human adenovirus 41 (HAdV-41) is the most common
      serotype detected and is a leading cause of acute diarrheal disease. The focus of
      this study is to determine the prevalence of HAdVs in hot springs. Of 57 samples
      collected from four different geological sites, 16 samples have shown evidence of
      HAdVs (28.1%). HAdV-41 and porcine adenovirus 5 (PAdV-5) were the two types
      isolated, with a greater frequency of HAdV-41, which in other settings has been
      associated with acute diarrhea. The highest occurrence was found in private hot
      tubs/Yuya (37.5%), followed by an outlet of hot springs (30.8%); public pools and
      foot pools shared the same detection rate of 21.4% (3/14). However, there was no
      evidence supporting a link between water quality indicators and HAdV detection
      rate. From a phylogenic analysis and BLAST against the NCBI database, it was
      concluded that HAdV-41 obtained from hot spring areas are closely related to
      global environmental genotypes.

PMID- 28639029
TI  - COX2 induction: a mechanism of endocrine breast cancer resistance?
AB  - PURPOSE: Urine prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels have shown to be a risk factor of
      breast cancer, and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is
      known to be beneficial in preventing breast cancer risk and/or recurrence with or
      without aromatase inhibitors. We hypothesized that the use of an aromatase
      inhibitor triggers the activation of the inflammatory pathway via release of
      PGE2. METHODS: A single oral 25 mg dose of an aromatase inhibitor (exemestane)
      was given to 14 healthy postmenopausal female volunteers. Blood and urine samples
      were collected between 0 and 72 h post-dosing for pharmacokinetic and
      pharmacodynamic analysis. RESULTS: Our findings showed that urine PGE2 levels
      were markedly increased 72 h after exemestane administration (average pre-dosing
      PGE2 levels, 4061.1 pg/mL vs. post-dosing average PGE2 levels, 10732.5 pg/mL, P =
      0.001, Wilcoxon Rank Test). Out of 14 subjects enrolled in the study, one subject
      showed no change in PGE2; another showed a 23-fold decreased in PGE2; and the
      remaining 12 showed an average of 8.4-fold increase in PGE2 levels (range 1.3
      30.5, standard deviation 9.2) after exemestane administration. We found no
      statistically significant correlations between fold increase in urine PGE2 levels
      and the pharmacokinetics of either exemestane or 17-hydroexemestane (major in
      vivo metabolite of exemestane). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that one of the
      pharmacological effects to aromatase inhibitors (e.g., exemestane) involves the
      activation of the inflammatory pathway via release of PGE2. Further in vitro
      mechanistic and in vivo translational studies designed to elucidate the role of
      this newly discovered effect are now warranted.

PMID- 28639030
TI  - Utilization of hypofractionated whole-breast radiation therapy in patients
      receiving chemotherapy: a National Cancer Database analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Results from four major hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy (HF
      WBRT) trials have demonstrated equivalence in select patients with early-stage
      breast cancer when compared with conventionally fractionated WBRT (CF-WBRT).
      Because relatively little data were available on patients receiving neoadjuvant
      or adjuvant chemotherapy, consensus guidelines published in 2011 did not endorse
      the use of HF-WBRT in this population. Our goal is to evaluate trends in
      utilization of HF-WBRT in patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS:
      We retrospectively analyzed data from 2004 to 2013 in the National Cancer
      DataBase on breast cancer patients treated with HF-WBRT who met the clinical
      criteria proposed by consensus guidelines (i.e., age >0 years, T1-2N0, and breast
      conserving surgery), regardless of receipt of chemotherapy. We employed logistic
      regression to delineate and compare clinical and demographic factors associated
      with utilization of HF-WBRT and CF-WBRT. RESULTS: A total of 56,836 women were
      treated with chemotherapy and WBRT (without regional nodal irradiation) from 2004
      to 2013; 9.0% (n = 5093) were treated with HF-WBRT. Utilization of HF-WBRT
      increased from 4.6% in 2004 to 18.2% in 2013 (odds ratio [OR] 1.21/year; P <
      0.001). Among patients receiving chemotherapy, factors most dramatically
      associated with increased odds of receiving HF-WBRT on multivariate analysis were
      academic facilities (OR 2.07; P < 0.001), age >80 (OR 2.58; P < 0.001), west
      region (OR 1.91; P < 0.001), and distance >50 miles from cancer reporting
      facility (OR 1.43; P < 0.001). Factors associated with decreased odds of
      receiving HF-WBRT included white race, income <$48,000, lack of private
      insurance, T2 versus T1, and higher grade (all P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Despite
      the absence of consensus guideline recommendations, the use of HF-WBRT in
      patients receiving chemotherapy has increased fourfold (absolute = 13.6%) over
      the last decade. Increased utilization of HF-WBRT should result in institutional
      reports verifying its safety and efficacy.

PMID- 28639031
TI  - Opioid use among female breast cancer patients using different adjuvant endocrine
      therapy regimens.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore differences in opioid use across different adjuvant endocrine
      therapy (AET) regimens, factors associated with opioid use, and the impact of
      opioid use on overall survival in female breast cancer patients treated with AET.
      METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 2006-2012 SEER-Medicare datasets,
      following patients for at least two years from the index date, defined as the
      first date they filled an AET prescription. The study included adult women with
      incident, primary, hormone-receptor-positive, stage I-III breast cancer. They
      were also first-time AET users, and fee-for-service Medicare enrollees
      continuously enrolled in Medicare Parts A, B, and D. The main independent
      variable was the AET regimen. We measured whether patients used opioids after the
      initiation of AET. RESULTS: After the adjustment of inverse probability treatment
      weights and unbalanced covariates, the average treatment effect probabilities of
      opioid use were similar between those who used aromatase inhibitors (AI) only and
      those used tamoxifen (TAM) only (56.2 vs. 55.3%, respectively). Opioid use
      probabilities for those who switched from AI to TAM were higher than those for
      the TAM-only and AI-only groups. Opioid use was also significantly associated
      with AET non-adherence. Opioid users had a significantly higher risk of death
      (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.59, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Switching from AI to
      TAM was associated with a high likelihood of opioid use. Opioid use was
      significantly associated with AET non-adherence and higher risk of mortality in
      female Medicare beneficiaries with breast cancer even after adjusting for
      adherence.

PMID- 28639032
TI  - Case Study: Microbial Ecology and Forensics of Chinese Drywall-Elemental Sulfur
      Disproportionation as Primary Generator of Hydrogen Sulfide.
AB  - Drywall manufactured in China released foul odors attributed to volatile sulfur
      compounds. These included hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and sulfur dioxide.
      Given that calcium sulfate is the main component of drywall, one would suspect
      bacterial reduction of sulfate to sulfide as the primary culprit. However, when
      the forensics, i.e., the microbial and chemical signatures left in the drywall,
      are studied, the evidence suggests that, rather than dissimilatory sulfate
      reduction, disproportionation of elemental sulfur to hydrogen sulfide and sulfate
      was actually the primary cause of the malodors. Forensic evidence suggests that
      the transformation of elemental sulfur went through several abiological and
      microbial stages: (1) partial volatilization of elemental sulfur during the
      manufacture of plaster of Paris, (2) partial abiotic disproportionation of
      elemental sulfur to sulfide and thiosulfate during the manufacture of drywall,
      (3) microbial disproportionation of elemental sulfur to sulfide and sulfate
      resulting in neutralization of all alkalinity, and acidification below pH 4, (4)
      acidophilic microbial disproportionation of elemental sulfur to sulfide and
      sulfuric acid, and (5) hydrogen sulfide volatilization, coating of copper
      fixtures resulting in corrosion, and oxidation to sulfur dioxide.

PMID- 28639034
TI  - Ageing, health status and coverage rate effects on community prescription costs
      in Ireland.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to explore how GMS drug costs depend on age,
      gender, income, health status, community drug scheme coverage rates and whether
      they display significant differences across regions of Ireland. We also aim to
      find out whether the GMS drug costs of high and low income cohorts respond
      similarly to changes in their health status. The paper projects GMS drug costs in
      2026 and examines the separate cost of population ageing and population growth
      over the period. We also aim to simulate the estimated model to show how much
      giving free prescription drugs to all persons aged 'under 5' would add to 2026
      GMS drug costs, and also how much giving universal GMS coverage to all persons in
      2026 would add to 2026 GMS drug costs. METHODS: We construct a multivariate
      logistic regression model of GMS community drug costs in Ireland. We progress the
      methodology used in earlier studies by explicitly modelling how regional incomes
      and regional health status interact in determining GMS drug costs in Ireland. An
      age cohort and region breakdown of the simulated GMS drug costs, of both
      projected demographic trends and public policy measures that have been adopted or
      are under consideration, are also investigated. FINDINGS: We find that GMS drug
      costs depend on age-but not gender-on income, health status, community drug
      scheme coverage rates, and they are significantly lower for all age cohorts in
      Donegal and the North West region. The GMS drug costs of high income cohorts tend
      to increase as their health status improves, whereas they tend to decrease as the
      health status of low income cohorts improves. A uniform 1% gain in health status
      has little impact on total GMS prescribing costs. Similarly, if the health status
      of all Irish regions improved to match that of the East region in 2010 it would
      only have reduced public prescription costs by around 32 ? million of the 1.8 ?
      billion GMS drugs bill. We find that giving free prescription drugs to all
      persons aged 'under 5' in 2010 would have only a minor impact on 2010 GMS drug
      costs, whereas giving universal GMS coverage to all persons would have doubled
      public prescription costs from 1.8 ? billion to circa 3.6 ? billion.

PMID- 28639033
TI  - Functional restoration of CD56bright NK cells facilitates immune control via IL
      15 and NKG2D in patients under antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis B.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is intrinsically immunogenic, with
      long-lasting immune control in many patients. However, the mechanisms and key
      cell types underlying effective immune control are incompletely understood.
      METHODS: We studied the restoration of natural killer (NK) cell numbers and
      function post antiviral treatment in 52 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive
      chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who received telbivudine (LdT) for 48 weeks.
      Blood samples were collected at week 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 and tested for HBV
      DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), HBeAg, liver enzymes, and NK cell
      parameters. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, the number of peripheral CD3
      CD56bright NK cells increased significantly from week 24 to 48, especially in
      patients with baseline alanine transaminase (ALT) two- to fivefold the upper line
      of normal (ULN) or HBV DNA <9 log10 copies/ml. Expression (number and density) of
      activating receptors NKG2D and NKp46 on CD3-CD56bright NK cells was enhanced,
      while inhibitory receptor NKG2A decreased. Notably, numbers of CD3-CD56bright or
      NKG2D+CD3-CD56bright NK cells were significantly better restored in patients with
      HBeAg seroconversion. NK cell activating serum interleukin 15 (IL-15) was
      significantly increased during LdT treatment, especially in HBeAg seroconverters.
      LdT significantly enhanced expression of NKG2D and IL-15 in cultures of purified
      peripheral NK cells from treatment-naive HBeAg-positive CHB patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Functional restoration of CD56bright NK cells via upregulation of IL
      15 and NKG2D is a novel activity of LdT and likely other antivirals, independent
      of its effect on HBV replication. This also demonstrates the importance of host
      immune restoration in controlling chronic HBV infection.

PMID- 28639035
TI  - Mitigation of pedestrian heat stress using parasols in a humid subtropical
      region.
AB  - Concerns over heat illness have been an increasing social problem in humid
      subtropical regions. One measure for avoiding excessive heat stress in hot
      outdoor environments is the use of parasols or umbrellas. The advantage of
      parasols is that they are a mobile and inexpensive way to provide personal shade
      outdoors. The objectives of this study were to compare the wet-bulb globe
      temperature (WBGT) under parasols and at an unshaded point as a reference, and to
      quantify the reduction in WBGT from the use of parasols in a humid subtropical
      region. Measurements using three parasols of different colors and materials were
      conducted at the athletics field at Daido University, Nagoya, Japan, between 9:00
      and 15:00 Japan Standard Time in August 2015. The WBGT was obtained at heights of
      0.1 m (ankles), 1.1 m (abdomen), and 1.7 m (head) above ground, according to the
      measurement procedure described in ISO 7243. On a sunny and partly cloudy day,
      the use of a parasol lowered the average globe temperature by up to 6.2  degrees
      C, through blocking direct solar radiation. The average reduction in WBGT by the
      parasol was found to be 1.8  degrees C at head level in sunny conditions with
      solar radiation of over 800 W/m2. The reduction in WBGT at head level by the use
      of parasols in sunny conditions was greater than that in cloudy conditions.
      However, although parasols can reduce WBGT at the head level of the user
      regardless of solar radiation, they cannot reduce it at the level of the abdomen
      or ankles.

PMID- 28639036
TI  - Customization of laparoscopic gastric devascularization and splenectomy for
      gastric varices based on CT vascular anatomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic gastric devascularization(Lap GDS) and splenectomy (SPL)
      for gastric varices is technically challenging because of highly developed
      collateral vessels and bleeding tendency. We investigated the feasibility of
      customization of Lap GDS and SPL based on CT vascular anatomy. METHODS: We
      analyzed 61 cirrhotic patients with gastric varices who underwent Lap GDS and SPL
      between 2006 and 2014. Lap GDS was customized according to the afferent feeding
      veins (left gastric vein (LGV) and/or posterior gastric vein (PGV)/short gastric
      vein (SGV)) and efferent drainage veins (gastrorenal shunt and/or gastrophrenic
      shunt, or numerous retroperitoneal veins) based on CT imaging. RESULTS: Thirty
      four patients with efferent drainage veins suitable for balloon-occluded
      retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) underwent B-RTO instead of surgical
      GDS, with subsequent Lap SPL. Among 27 patients with gastric varices unsuitable
      for B-RTO, 15 patients with PGV/SGV underwent Lap GDS of the greater curvature
      and SPL, and 12 patients with LGV or LGV/PGV/SGV underwent Lap GDS of the greater
      and lesser curvature and SPL. The mean operation time was 294 min and mean blood
      loss was 198 g. There was no mortality or severe morbidity. Gastric varices were
      eradicated in all 61 patients, with no bleeding or recurrence during a mean
      follow-up of 55.9 months. The cumulative 3-, 5-, and 7-year survival rates were
      92, 82, and 64%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Lap GDS and SPL customized based on
      CT vascular anatomy is a safe and effective procedure for treating gastric
      varices.

PMID- 28639038
TI  - Characteristics predicting laparoscopic skill in medical students: nine years'
      experience in a single center.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We introduced laparoscopic simulator training for medical students
      in 2007. This study was designed to identify factors that predict the
      laparoscopic skill of medical students, to identify intergenerational differences
      in abilities, and to estimate the variability of results in each training group.
      Our ultimate goal was to determine the optimal educational program for teaching
      laparoscopic surgery to medical students. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2015, a total
      of 270 fifth-year medical students were enrolled in this observational study.
      Before training, the participants were asked questions about their interest in
      laparoscopic surgery, experience with playing video games, confidence about
      driving, and manual dexterity. After the training, aspects of their competence
      (execution time, instrument path length, and economy of instrument movement) were
      assessed. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis identified significant effects of
      manual dexterity, gender, and confidence about driving on the results of the
      training. The training results have significantly improved over recent years. The
      variability among the results in each training group was relatively small.
      CONCLUSIONS: We identified the characteristics of medical students with excellent
      laparoscopic skills. We observed educational benefits from interactions between
      medical students within each training group. Our study suggests that selection
      and grouping are important to the success of modern programs designed to train
      medical students in laparoscopic surgery.

PMID- 28639037
TI  - Long-term oncological outcomes of submucosal manipulation during non-curative
      endoscopic submucosal dissection for submucosal invasive gastric cancer: a
      multicenter retrospective study in Japan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sufficient information is not available on the extent to which lymph
      node metastasis (LNM) and prognosis are affected by submucosal manipulation
      during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for submucosal invasive gastric
      cancer (SMGC). We aimed to identify the effects of submucosal manipulation during
      ESD on LNM and prognosis in patients with SMGC. METHODS: From 19 institutions in
      Japan, 2526 patients who failed to meet the current curative criteria for ESD
      between 2000 and 2011 were recruited. After exclusion, 1969 patients were
      remained. Based on the treatment strategy after ESD, 1064 patients underwent
      additional radical surgery. A total of 890 of 1064 patients with SMGC, LNM and
      cancer recurrence, and prognosis were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: The
      median follow-up duration was 67 months. A total of 214 patients had SM1 (depth
      of tumor invasion from the muscularis mucosae <500 MUm) invasive cancer and 676
      patients had SM2 (depth of tumor invasion from the muscularis mucosae >=500 MUm)
      invasive cancer. LNM was found in 84 patients (9.4%), and 14 patients (1.6%)
      developed cancer recurrence. The 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates were
      96.1 and 91.7%, respectively. The 3-year and 5-year disease-specific survival
      rates were 99.3 and 98.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of LNM and cancer
      recurrence, and prognosis of patients who underwent additional radical surgery
      after non-curative ESD for SMGC were excellent. Submucosal manipulation during
      ESD for SMGC does not seem to enhance the risk for LNM or worsen the prognosis
      compared to surgical series.

PMID- 28639039
TI  - A novel endoscopic surgery for dysphagia after stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is a common complication in stroke patients, which severely
      affects quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and
      safety of temperature-controlled plasma radiofrequency (coblation)-assisted
      endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy (CAECPM) for the treatment sustained (>6
      months) dysphagia in stroke patients. METHODS: This retrospective case-control
      study included a total of 24 stroke patients with sustained dysphagia, who were
      either treated with transcervical cricopharyngeal myotomy (CPM) (n = 16) or
      CAECPM (n = 12). The patients' swallowing function was evaluated by the Chinese
      version of the swallow quality-of-life questionnaire (CSWAL-QOL), and dysphagia
      and aspiration was evaluated using the videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS)
      swallowing (VFSS-SWAL) score and VSSF aspiration (VFSS-ASPI) score. In each
      patient, esophageal pressure and complications were also recorded. RESULTS: The
      CSWAL-QOL score was increased and the VFSS-SWAL and VFSS-ASPI scores were reduced
      after CAECPM treatment. The upper esophageal sphincter pressure was significantly
      reduced after CAECPM. Only 1 of 12 (8.3%) patients had subcutaneous and
      mediastinal emphysema, and 2 patients had gastric regurgitation. CONCLUSION: This
      exploratory study demonstrates that CAECPM is worth further investigation for
      dysphagia after stroke. CAECPM may be an effective and safe treatment for
      sustained dysphagia in stroke patients. Larges and prospective studies are
      required to validate these results.

PMID- 28639040
TI  - Mobile gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery in rural Ecuador: 20 years'
      experience of Cinterandes.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Five billion people worldwide do not have timely access to surgical
      care. Cinterandes is one of the only mobile surgical units in low- and middle
      income countries. This paper examines the methodology that Cinterandes uses to
      deliver mobile surgery. METHODS: Founding and core staff were interviewed, four
      missions were participated in, and internal documents and records were analysed
      between 1 May and 1 July 2014. RESULTS: Cinterandes performed 7641 operations
      over the last 20 years (60% gastrointestinal/laparoscopic), travelling 300,000 km
      to remote areas of Ecuador. The mobile surgery programme was initiated by a local
      Ecuadorian surgeon in 1980. Funding was acquired from businesses, private
      hospitals, and individuals, to fund a low-cost surgical truck, simple equipment,
      and running costs. The mobile surgical unit is a 24-foot modified Isuzu truck
      containing a preparation room with general equipment storage and running water,
      together with an operating room including the operating table, anaesthetic and
      surgical equipment. Mission structure includes: patient identification by a
      network of local medical personnel in remote regions; pre-operative assessment at
      1 week by core team via teleconsultations; four-day surgical missions; post
      operative recovery in tents or a local clinic; post-operative follow-up care by
      local personnel and remote teleconsultations. The permanent core team includes
      seven members; lead surgeon, lead anaesthetist, operating-room technician,
      medical coordinator, driver, general coordinator, and receptionist. Additional
      support members include seven regular surgeons, residents, medical students, and
      volunteers. CONCLUSION: Surgery is a very effective way to gain the trust of the
      community, due to immediate results. Trust opens doors to other programmes (e.g.
      family medicine). Surgery can be incorporated with all other aspects of health
      care, which can in turn be incorporated with all other aspects of human
      development, education, food production and nutrition, housing, work and
      productivity, communication, and recreation.

PMID- 28639041
TI  - Long-term outcomes and quality of life after surgical or conservative treatment
      of benign simple liver cysts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Benign liver cysts are common and are often detected incidentally.
      Most patients do not require intervention. Occasionally, large dominant or
      multifocal small cysts cause symptoms as a result of rapid growth, secondary
      infection, intra-cystic bleeding or compression of adjacent organs. AIM: To
      compare presenting symptoms and outcomes of a consecutive series of patients with
      benign liver cysts treated either conservatively or by surgical intervention.
      Long-term quality of life (QoL) was also assessed. METHODS: Retrospective
      analysis of prospectively collected data was conducted. Long-term general and
      disease-specific quality of life was also documented. RESULTS: Ninety-five
      patients were included in the study (46 treated operatively, 49 treated
      conservatively). 80% were female, and the mean age of the cohort was 58 years.
      Those who had surgical intervention were older (62 vs 55 years, p = 0.004), were
      more likely to have shortness of breath at presentation (11 vs 5%, p = 0.018) and
      had larger cysts (12 vs 4 cm, p < 0.001) compared with those offered conservative
      treatment. Laparoscopic stapled excision was the most common operative procedure
      (70%) and the overall complication rate was 20%. At a median follow-up of 64
      months, 17% (8/46) of the surgically treated patients had radiological evidence
      of cyst recurrence but only 9% (4/46) were symptomatic. At median follow-up of 71
      months, 37% (14/38) of conservatively treated patients had unchanged or new
      symptoms compared to the first presentation. Furthermore, 10% (4/38) of this
      group had additional radiological or surgical intervention for persistent
      symptoms during the follow-up period. Overall, there was no difference in long
      term QoL between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Surgical intervention for selected
      patients with symptomatic benign liver cysts results in low long-term recurrence
      rates and excellent patient-reported outcomes and quality of life. Laparoscopic
      stapled excision can be done safely and reliably in carefully selected patients.

PMID- 28639042
TI  - Comparative study between endoscopic submucosal dissection and surgery in
      patients with early gastric cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is accepted as a standard
      treatment in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) who have a negligible risk
      of lymph node metastasis. The aim of this study was to compare the short-term and
      long-term outcomes between ESD and surgery in patients with EGC that fulfilled
      the expanded indication of ESD on their final pathologic report. METHODS: We
      reviewed the clinical data of patients who underwent gastric ESD and surgery
      between January 2007 and December 2012. Patients with pathologically confirmed
      EGC that fulfilled the expanded indication of ESD on their final pathologic
      report were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 2023 patients, 817 (40.4%) underwent ESD and
      1206 (59.6%) underwent surgery. The proportion of cases meeting the absolute
      indication was significantly higher in the ESD group than in the surgery group
      (66.0 vs. 26.2%). Lesions on the middle third, >3 cm in size, flat or depressed,
      and of undifferentiated histology were significantly more common in the surgery
      group than in the ESD group. The ESD group showed lower acute complication rates
      [8.1% (66 of 817) vs. 18.1% (218 of 1206), P <= 0.001] and procedure-related
      mortality [0 vs. 0.3% (4 of 1206), P = 0.153] than the surgical group. The annual
      incidence of recurrent gastric cancer was 2.18% in the ESD group and 0.19% in the
      surgery group. The 5-year overall and disease-specific survival rates were not
      significantly different between the ESD group and the surgery group (overall
      survival: 96.4 vs. 97.2%, P = 0.423; disease-specific survival: 99.6 vs. 99.2%, P
      = 0.203). CONCLUSIONS: Although EGC lesions had poorer features in the surgery
      group than in the ESD group, ESD was comparable to surgery for EGCs that
      fulfilled the expanded indication of ESD, with lower rates of acute complication
      and comparable overall survival.

PMID- 28639043
TI  - Ultrasonographic optic nerve sheath diameter for predicting elevated intracranial
      pressure during laparoscopic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery involves the creation of a carbon dioxide (CO2)
      pneumoperitoneum to facilitate a clear surgical view, which may result in an
      elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Depending on the surgical area, steep
      Trendelenburg positioning may be used as well, further increasing the ICP. The
      objective of this study was to assess the effects of laparoscopic surgery on
      changes in ICP assessed by ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath
      diameter (ONSD), which is a generally accepted simple, reliable, and non-invasive
      ICP measurement technique. METHODS: A computerized literature search was
      performed in August 2016 to identity prospective studies that measured ONSD to
      assess ICP changes during laparoscopic surgery. The primary outcome was the
      change in ONSD during the early (0-30 min) and late (30-120 min) periods after
      initiating pneumoperitoneum, compared with baseline values measured after
      anesthesia induction. Mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]
      were calculated. RESULTS: Nine observational studies and one randomized
      controlled trial, with a total of 460 subjects, were analyzed. Compared to the
      baseline value after anesthesia induction, significant increases in ONSD were
      observed in both the early period (MD 0.46, 95% CI 0.31-0.61, P < 0.001, I 2 =
      97.3%) and late period (MD 0.67, 95% CI 0.20-1.14, P = 0.005, I 2 = 99.2%).
      Comparing the ONSD during the early and late periods revealed no significant
      differences over time. CONCLUSIONS: The current meta-analysis revealed that ICP
      elevation during laparoscopy could be anticipated through a significant increase
      in the ONSD in the early (0-30 min) and late (30-120 min) periods during CO2
      pneumoperitoneum.

PMID- 28639045
TI  - Passing the fundamentals of endoscopic surgery (FES) exam: linking specialty
      choice and attitudes about endoscopic surgery to success.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Previous work has shown that up to 30% of graduating surgery
      residents fail the fundamentals of endoscopic surgery (FES) exam. This study
      investigated the extent to which FES pass rates differ in a specific sample of
      individuals who have chosen a career in GI surgery and to examine the
      relationships between FES performance and confidence in performing flexible
      endoscopy. METHODS: Fellows attending the 2016 SAGES Flexible Endoscopy Course
      were invited to complete the FES manual skills examination. Participants also
      provided survey responses examining demographics, fellowship type, endoscopy
      curricula in residency, previous endoscopic case volume, confidence in performing
      endoscopy, and future practice plans. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (age: 32.24 +/- 3.24;
      72% men) fellows completed the FES skills examination. Reported fellowships were
      MIS/Bariatric (41.4%), MIS (24.1%), bariatric (13.8%), flexible endoscopy (6.9%),
      Advanced GI (6.9%), and MIS/bariatric/flexible endoscopy (6.9%). Almost half
      (41.4%) had previously participated in a simulation curricula, with 20.7%
      completing a didactic endoscopy curriculum. Fellows reported performing an
      average of 110 +/- 109.48 EGDs and 77.44 +/- 58.80 colonoscopies. The majority
      (96.4%) indicated that they will perform endoscopy at least occasionally in
      practice. Overall pass rate was 60%. Previous endoscopy experience did not
      correlate with overall FES examination scores. However, confidence performing
      EGDs (r = 0.57, p < 0.01), colonoscopies (r = 0.45, p < 0.05), polypectomy (r =
      0.52, p < 0.01), and PEGs (r = 0.46, p < 0.05) did. CONCLUSIONS: These data
      support existing research suggesting that current flexible endoscopy training in
      residency may be insufficient for trainees to pass the FES examination, and that
      failure rates hold true even for this select group of trainees who have chosen a
      profession in GI surgery and intend to use endoscopy in practice.

PMID- 28639044
TI  - Short-term surgical outcomes of minimally invasive repeat hepatectomy for
      recurrent liver cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Repeat liver resection is an effective treatment, with long-term
      surgical outcomes for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal liver
      metastasis. However, the efficacy of a minimally invasive surgical approach for
      recurrent liver cancer is not yet confirmed. The purpose of this study is to
      examine the efficacy of minimally invasive repeat liver resection (MISRLR)
      compared with open repeat liver resection (ORLR) for primary and metastatic liver
      cancer. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological features and
      short-term surgical outcomes of patients undergoing MISRLR and ORLR. METHODS:
      From 2005 to 2016, 97 patients with liver cancer underwent repeat hepatectomy. Of
      these patients, 68 patients receiving macroscopically curative resection and only
      hepatectomy, without other additional operations, were selected. Twenty patients
      underwent MISRLR and 48 patients underwent ORLR. We compared the
      clinicopathological and surgical parameters in the MISRLR group with those in the
      ORLR group. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in
      patients' gender, age, viral infection status, Child-Pugh classification, tumor
      size, tumor number, tumor location, or the presence of liver cirrhosis in the two
      groups. The operative times were similar, but blood loss was significantly lower
      in MISRLR group (159 vs. 502 ml, P = 0.0035). The length of the postoperative
      hospital stay was significantly shorter in the MISRLR group (14.2 vs. 19.2 days,
      P = 0.0275). Postoperative complications were observed only in the ORLR group,
      with a complication rate of 19%. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that MISRLR for
      primary and metastatic liver cancer reduces blood loss and postoperative
      complications compared with ORLR. MISRLR might be a feasible and effective
      procedure for the selected patients.

PMID- 28639046
TI  - Is multidetector CT-based bone mineral density and quantitative bone
      microstructure assessment at the spine still feasible using ultra-low tube
      current and sparse sampling?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Osteoporosis diagnosis using multidetector CT (MDCT) is limited to
      relatively high radiation exposure. We investigated the effect of simulated ultra
      low-dose protocols on in-vivo bone mineral density (BMD) and quantitative
      trabecular bone assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional review board
      approval was obtained. Twelve subjects with osteoporotic vertebral fractures and
      12 age- and gender-matched controls undergoing routine thoracic and abdominal
      MDCT were included (average effective dose: 10 mSv). Ultra-low radiation
      examinations were achieved by simulating lower tube currents and sparse samplings
      at 50%, 25% and 10% of the original dose. BMD and trabecular bone parameters were
      extracted in T10-L5. RESULTS: Except for BMD measurements in sparse sampling
      data, absolute values of all parameters derived from ultra-low-dose data were
      significantly different from those derived from original dose images (p<0.05).
      BMD, apparent bone fraction and trabecular thickness were still consistently
      lower in subjects with than in those without fractures (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In
      ultra-low-dose scans, BMD and microstructure parameters were able to
      differentiate subjects with and without vertebral fractures, suggesting
      osteoporosis diagnosis is feasible. However, absolute values differed from
      original values. BMD from sparse sampling appeared to be more robust. This dose
      dependency of parameters should be considered for future clinical use. KEY
      POINTS: * BMD and quantitative bone parameters are assessable in ultra-low-dose
      in vivo MDCT scans. * Bone mineral density does not change significantly when
      sparse sampling is applied. * Quantitative trabecular bone microstructure
      measurements are sensitive to dose reduction. * Osteoporosis subjects could be
      differentiated even at 10% of original dose. * Radiation exposure should be
      considered when comparing quantitative bone parameters.

PMID- 28639047
TI  - Apparent diffusion coefficient maps obtained from high b value diffusion-weighted
      imaging in the preoperative evaluation of gliomas at 3T: comparison with standard
      b value diffusion-weighted imaging.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether ADC maps obtained from high b value DWI were more
      valuable in preoperatively evaluating the grade, Ki-67 index and outcome of
      gliomas. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with gliomas, who underwent preoperative
      multi b value DWI at 3 T, were enrolled. The ADC1000, ADC2000 and ADC3000 maps
      were generated. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted to
      determine the area under the curve (AUC) in differentiating high-grade gliomas
      (HGG) from low-grade gliomas (LGG). Pearson correlation coefficients (R value)
      were calculated to investigate the correlation between parameters with the Ki-67
      proliferation index. Survival analysis was conducted by using Cox regression.
      RESULTS: The AUC of the mean ADC1000 value (0.820) was lower than that of the
      mean ADC2000 value (0.847) and mean ADC3000 value (0.875) in differentiating HGG
      from LGG. The R value of the mean ADC1000 value (-0.499) was less negative than
      that of the mean ADC2000 value (-0.530) and mean ADC3000 value (-0.567). The mean
      ADC3000 value was an independent prognosis factor for gliomas (p = 0.008), while
      the mean ADC1000 and ADC2000 values were not. CONCLUSION: ADC maps obtained from
      high b value DWI might be a better imaging biomarker in the preoperative
      evaluation of gliomas. KEY POINTS: * ADC 3000 maps could improve the
      differentiation between HGG and LGG. * The mean ADC 3000 value had a closer
      correlation with the Ki-67 index. * The mean ADC 3000 value was an independent
      prognosis factor for gliomas.

PMID- 28639048
TI  - Evaluating anorexia-related brain atrophy using MP2RAGE-based morphometry.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate brain atrophy in anorexic patients by automated cerebral
      segmentation with the magnetization-prepared 2 rapid acquisition gradient echo
      (MP2RAGE) MRI sequence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty patients (female; mean age,
      27.9 years), presenting consecutively for brain MRI between August 2014-December
      2016 with clinical suspicion of anorexia nervosa and BMI<18.5 kg/m2 were
      included. Controls were ten healthy females (mean age, 26.5 years). Automated
      brain morphometry was performed based on MP2RAGE. Means of morphometric results
      in the two groups were compared and correlation with BMI was analysed. RESULTS:
      Significantly lower volumes of total brain, grey matter (GM), white matter (WM),
      cerebellum and insula were found in anorexic patients. Anorexics had higher
      volumes of CSF, ventricles, lateral ventricles and third ventricle. When adjusted
      means for weight and height were compared, the volume of WM and cerebellum were
      not significantly different. However, volume of WM was significantly affected by
      weight and positively correlated with BMI. Significant positive correlations were
      found between BMI and volumes of total brain, GM, cortical GM and WM. BMI was
      negatively correlated with volumes of CSF and third ventricle. CONCLUSION: Brain
      atrophy was demonstrated in anorexic patients with MP2RAGE-based automated
      segmentation, which seems to reliably estimate brain volume. KEY POINTS: *
      Automated brain segmentation based on 3-D MRI seems to reliably estimate brain
      volume. * This technique detected brain atrophy in patients suffering from
      anorexia nervosa. * Brain changes in anorexia nervosa can be quantitatively and
      qualitatively followed-up by MRI.

PMID- 28639049
TI  - Multiparametric voxel-based analyses of standardized uptake values and apparent
      diffusion coefficients of soft-tissue tumours with a positron emission
      tomography/magnetic resonance system: Preliminary results.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the usefulness of voxel-based analysis of standardized
      uptake values (SUVs) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) for evaluating
      soft-tissue tumour malignancy with a PET/MR system. METHODS: Thirty-five subjects
      with either ten low/intermediate-grade tumours or 25 high-grade tumours were
      prospectively enrolled. Zoomed diffusion-weighted and fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG)
      PET images were acquired along with fat-suppressed T2-weighted images (FST2WIs).
      Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on FST2WIs including the tumour in all
      slices. ROIs were pasted onto PET and ADC-maps to measure SUVs and ADCs within
      tumour ROIs. Tumour volume, SUVmax, ADCminimum, the heterogeneity and the
      correlation coefficients of SUV and ADC were recorded. The parameters of high-
      and low/intermediate-grade groups were compared, and receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) analysis was also performed. RESULTS: The mean correlation
      coefficient for SUV and ADC in high-grade sarcomas was lower than that of
      low/intermediate-grade tumours (-0.41 +/- 0.25 vs. -0.08 +/- 0.34, P < 0.01).
      Other parameters did not differ significantly. ROC analysis demonstrated that
      correlation coefficient showed the best diagnostic performance for
      differentiating the two groups (AUC 0.79, sensitivity 96.0%, specificity 60%,
      accuracy 85.7%). CONCLUSIONS: SUV and ADC determined via PET/MR may be useful for
      differentiating between high-grade and low/intermediate-grade soft tissue
      tumours. KEY POINTS: * PET/MR allows voxel-based comparison of SUVs and ADCs in
      soft-tissue tumours. * A comprehensive assessment of internal heterogeneity was
      performed with scatter plots. * SUVmax or ADCminimum could not differentiate high
      grade sarcoma from low/intermediate-grade tumours. * Only the correlation
      coefficient between SUV and ADC differentiated the two groups. * The correlation
      coefficient showed the best diagnostic performance by ROC analysis.

PMID- 28639050
TI  - Paeoniflorin Suppressed High Glucose-Induced Retinal Microglia MMP-9 Expression
      and Inflammatory Response via Inhibition of TLR4/NF-kappaB Pathway Through
      Upregulation of SOCS3 in Diabetic Retinopathy.
AB  - Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious-threatening complication of diabetes and
      urgently needed to be treated. Evidence has accumulated indicating that microglia
      inflammation within the retina plays a critical role in DR. Microglial matrix
      metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) has an important role in the destruction of the
      integrity of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) associated with the development of
      DR. MMP-9 was also considered important for regulating inflammatory responses.
      Paeoniflorin, a monoterpene glucoside, has a potent immunomodulatory effect on
      microglia. We hypothesized that paeoniflorin could significantly suppress
      microglial MMP-9 activation induced by high glucose and further relieve DR. BV2
      cells were used to investigate the effects and mechanism of paeoniflorin. The
      activation of MMP-9 was measured by gelatin zymography. Cell signaling was
      measured by western blot assay and immunofluorescence assay. High glucose
      increased the activation of MMP-9 in BV2 cells, which was abolished by HMGB1,
      TLR4, p38 MAPK, and NF-kappaB inhibition. Phosphorylation of p38 MAPK induced by
      high glucose was decreased by TLR4 inhibition in BV2 cells. Paeoniflorin induced
      suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression and reduced MMP-9
      activation in BV2 cells. The effect of paeoniflorin on SOCS3 was abolished by the
      TLR4 inhibitor. In streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mice, paeoniflorin
      induced SOCS3 expression and reduced MMP-9 activation. Paeoniflorin suppressed
      STZ-induced IBA-1 and IL-1beta expression and decreased STZ-induced high blood
      glucose level. In conclusion, paeoniflorin suppressed high glucose-induced
      retinal microglia MMP-9 expression and inflammatory response via inhibition of
      the TLR4/NF-kappaB pathway through upregulation of SOCS3 in diabetic retinopathy.

PMID- 28639051
TI  - Adjuvant treatment for pancreatic ductal carcinoma.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a tumor with a very poor prognosis.
      Most of the patients are diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease, and 5-year
      survival rates in these patients remains <10%. Surgery still remains the only
      radical treatment option, although only 15-20% of patients are candidates for
      surgical resection at the time of the diagnosis. Patients who undergo radical
      surgery still have a limited survival rate, being the average of 23 months. Three
      clinical trials have shown that adjuvant chemotherapy therapy after surgery may
      improve survival: CONKO-1, ESPAC-3, and ESPAC-4. Adjuvant therapy is recommended
      in patients with R0/R1, T1-4/N1-0 tumors and with ECOG 0-1. In patients with ECOG
      2, the decision needs to be individualized. Treatment schemes that have
      demonstrated efficacy include gemcitabine alone, 5-fluorouracil, or the
      combination of gemcitabine and capecitabine for six months. Prior to adjuvant
      treatment, the following test are recommended: Complete blood tests, including
      CA19.9 biomarker; imaging studies to rule out early disease relapse (preferable
      thorax-abdomen-pelvic CT). Studies that have evaluated the efficacy of radiation
      therapy in the adjuvant setting have presented conflicting results. Its use
      should be considered in patients with R1 or R2 tumors or in those with lymph
      nodes involved.

PMID- 28639052
TI  - Gentamicin-Loaded Polysaccharide Membranes for Prevention and Treatment of Post
      operative Wound Infections in the Skeletal System.
AB  - PURPOSE: To develop polysaccharide-based membranes that allow controlled and
      localized delivery of gentamicin for the treatment of post-operative bone
      infections. METHODS: Membranes made of gellan gum (GUM), sodium alginate (ALG),
      GUM and ALG crosslinked with calcium ions (GUM + Ca and ALG + Ca, respectively)
      as well as reference collagen (COL) were produced by freeze-drying. Mechanical
      properties, drug release, antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility of the
      membranes were assessed. RESULTS: The most appropriate handling and mechanical
      properties (Young's modulus, E = 92 +/- 4 MPa and breaking force, F MAX  = 2.6 +/
      0.1 N) had GUM + Ca membrane. In contrast, COL membrane showed F MAX  = 0.14 +/-
      0.02 N, E = 1.0 +/- 0.3 MPa and was deemed to be unsuitable for antibiotic
      delivery. The pharmacokinetic data demonstrated a uniform and sustainable
      delivery of gentamicin from GUM + Ca (44.4 +/- 1.3% within 3 weeks), while for
      COL, ALG and ALG + Ca membranes the most of the drug was released within 24 h
      (55.3 +/- 1.9%, 52.5 +/- 1.5% and 37.5 +/- 1.8%, respectively). Antimicrobial
      activity against S. aureus and S. epidermidis was confirmed for all the
      membranes. GUM + Ca and COL membranes supported osteoblasts growth, whereas on
      ALG and ALG + Ca membranes cell growth was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: GUM + Ca
      membrane holds promise for effective treatment of bone infections thanks to
      favorable pharmacokinetics, bactericidal activity, cytocompatibility and good
      mechanical properties.

PMID- 28639053
TI  - Managing the genomic revolution in cancer diagnostics.
AB  - Molecular tumor profiling is now a routine part of patient care, revealing
      targetable genomic alterations and molecularly distinct tumor subtypes with
      therapeutic and prognostic implications. The widespread adoption of next
      generation sequencing technologies has greatly facilitated clinical
      implementation of genomic data and opened the door for high-throughput multigene
      targeted sequencing. Herein, we discuss the variability of cancer genetic
      profiling currently offered by clinical laboratories, the challenges of applying
      rapidly evolving medical knowledge to individual patients, and the need for more
      standardized population-based molecular profiling.

PMID- 28639054
TI  - A Strong Relationship Between Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and DNA Repair Genes.
AB  - Single nucleotide polymorphisms of DNA repair genes alter protein function and
      modulate DNA repair efficiency in various cancers. The X-ray repair cross
      complementing group (XRCC) is responsible for the repair of DNA base damage and
      single-strand breaks. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of
      XRCC1 Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms with the susceptibility to
      develop oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in Turkish subjects. One hundred
      eleven patients with OSCC and 148 healthy controls were recruited for the study.
      Genetic analysis was performed using polymerase chain reaction/restriction
      fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP). We found that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln
      Gln/Gln genotype and Gln allele were risk factors for OSCC. Also, Arg/Arg
      genotype and Arg allele had protective effects against OSCC. Relative to XRCC3
      Thr241Met polymorphism, carrying homozygote variants (Thr/Thr and Met/Met) was
      related with elevated OSCC risk. However, the heterozygote genotype and Thr
      allele variants were shown to be protective against OSCC. We suggest that XRCC1
      Arg399Gln Gln/Gln genotype, Gln allele, and homozygote variants of XRCC3
      Thr241Met polymorphism may be a risk factor for predisposition of OSCC in
      Turkish. In addition, XRCC3 Thr241Met genotype could be associated with tumor
      size and level of daily smoking.

PMID- 28639055
TI  - Effects of Kaolin (M-99-099) Application on Antioxidant and Phenolic Compounds in
      Tea Leaves (Camellia sinensis L.O. Kuntze).
AB  - In this study, the effects of kaolin (M-99-099) applications on the total
      phenolic and antioxidant contents of tea leaves (Camellia sinensis (L.) O.
      Kuntze) harvested in three different periods were investigated. For this purpose,
      four different strategies including standard fertilizer application (T), 3%
      kaolin+standard fertilizer application (Ka1), 6% kaolin+standard fertilizer
      application (Ka2), and control (C) (nothing applied) were used to compare the
      effects of these strategies on total phenolic content, FRAP values, and DPPH
      radical scavenging capacities of tea leaves. It has been proven that the kaolin
      applications, Ka1 and Ka2, increase the phenolic content and antioxidant contents
      of tea samples. While the kaolin applications have higher values at 1st harvest
      than those of T and C, they have the lowest values at 3rd harvest.

PMID- 28639056
TI  - Relevance of the Clinical and Psychophysiological Variables in the Dyssynergic
      Defecation: A Comparative Study in Elderly Subjects.
AB  - The relevance of several clinical and psychophysiological variables in the
      dyssynergic defecation in elderly subjects was investigated in this study. To
      accomplish this, 30 elderly subjects (10 without anorectal disorders, 10 with
      chronic constipation and 10 with dyssynergic defecation) were repeatedly assessed
      once per week for 4 weeks, with the following measures being collected at each
      session: EMG-activity (uV) of the external anal sphincter (at rest, during
      squeezing, and during straining to defecate), stool frequency, difficulty
      defecation level, pain grade during defecation, and satisfaction level after
      evacuation. A 3 (group) * 4 (sessions) mixed-measures MANOVA revealed a
      significant main effect for group (Wilks's lambda = 0.006; F = 28.45; p < 0.01),
      but not for sessions (Wilks's lambda = 0.874; F = 0.94; p > 0.05) or for the
      group x sessions interaction (Wilks's lambda = 0.811; F = 1.45; p > 0.05). One
      way ANOVA and Scheffe's posthoc tests were used to isolate the differences
      between the groups with respect to the seven different measures. These analysis
      showed significant differences between the groups on all four clinical variables
      but only for one psychophysiological variable, EMG-activity during straining to
      defecate. Significant differences were evidenced between all pairs examined for
      the difficulty defecation level and pain grade. The complete results of these
      analysis are presented and the conclusions drawn from them are discussed.

PMID- 28639057
TI  - Factors controlling the reactivity of divalent metal ions towards pheophytin a.
AB  - In this study, we evaluate the factors which determine the reactivity of divalent
      metal ions in the spontaneous formation of metallochlorophylls, using
      experimental and computational approaches. Kinetic studies were carried out using
      pheophytin a in reactions with various divalent metal ions combined with non- or
      weakly-coordinative counter ions in a series of organic solvents. To obtain
      detailed insights into the solvent effect, the metalations with the whole set of
      cations were investigated in three solvents and with Zn2+ in seven solvents. The
      reactions were monitored using electronic absorption spectroscopy and the stopped
      flow technique. DFT calculations were employed to shed light on the role of
      solvent in activating the metal ions towards porphyrinoids. This experimental and
      computational analysis gives detailed information regarding how the solvent and
      the counter ion assist/hinder the metalation reaction as activators/inhibitors.
      The metalation course is dictated to a large extent by the reaction medium, via
      either the activation or deactivation of the incoming metal ion. The solvent may
      affect the metalation in several ways, mainly via H-bonding with pyrrolenine
      nitrogens and the activation/deactivation of the incoming cation. It also seems
      to affect the activation enthalpy by causing slight conformational changes in the
      macrocyclic ligand. These new mechanistic insights contribute to a better
      understanding of the "metal-counterion-solvent" interplay in the metalation of
      porphyrinoids. In addition, they are highly relevant to the mechanisms of
      metalation reactions catalyzed by chelatases and explain the differences between
      the insertion of Mg2+ and other divalent cations.

PMID- 28639058
TI  - Geospatial Analysis of Drug Poisoning Deaths Involving Heroin in the USA, 2000
      2014.
AB  - We investigate the geographic patterns of drug poisoning deaths involving heroin
      by county for the USA from 2000 to 2014. The county-level patterns of mortality
      are examined with respect to age-adjusted rates of death for different classes of
      urbanization and racial and ethnic groups, while rates based on raw counts of
      drug poisoning deaths involving heroin are estimated for different age groups and
      by gender. To account for possible underestimations in these rates due to small
      areas or small numbers, spatial empirical Baye's estimation techniques have been
      used to smooth the rates of death and alleviate underestimation when analyzing
      spatial patterns for these different groups. The geographic pattern of poisoning
      deaths involving heroin has shifted from the west coast of the USA in the year
      2000 to New England, the Mid-Atlantic region, and the Great Lakes and central
      Ohio Valley by 2014. The evolution over space and time of clusters of drug
      poisoning deaths involving heroin is confirmed through the SaTScan analysis. For
      this period, White males were found to be the most impacted population group
      overall; however, Blacks and Hispanics are highly impacted in counties where
      significant populations of these two groups reside. Our results show that while
      35-54-year-olds were the most highly impacted age group by county from 2000 to
      2010, by 2014, the trend had changed with an increasing number of counties
      experiencing higher death rates for individuals 25-34 years. The percentage of
      counties across the USA classified as large metro with deaths involving heroin is
      estimated to have decreased from approximately 73% in 2010 to just fewer than 56%
      in 2014, with a shift to small metro and non-metro counties. Understanding the
      geographic variations in impact on different population groups in the USA has
      become particularly necessary in light of the extreme increase in the use and
      misuse of street drugs including heroin and the subsequent rise in opioid-related
      deaths in the USA.

PMID- 28639059
TI  - Safety of flexible endoscopic biopsy of the pharynx and larynx under topical
      anesthesia.
AB  - Recent advancements in transnasal endoscopy enable a shift in diagnostic workup
      of lesions in the pharynx and larynx, from an examination with biopsy under
      general anesthesia to an office-based examination with flexible endoscopic biopsy
      under topical anesthesia. Procedural complications were evaluated to assess the
      safety of office-based flexible endoscopic biopsy in patients with benign and
      malignant laryngopharyngeal lesions. Patients who underwent flexible endoscopic
      biopsy from 2012 to 2016 were evaluated retrospectively. Complications were
      classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications. A
      total of 201 flexible endoscopic biopsies were performed in 187 patients. Two
      Clavien-Dindo grade I (laryngospasm and anterior epistaxis), one grade II
      (laryngeal bleeding), and one grade IIIb (laryngeal edema) complication were
      observed. The first complication was self-limiting and the other three required
      an intervention. All patients fully recovered without sequelae. Flexible
      endoscopic biopsy appears to be a safe office-based procedure for the diagnosis
      of benign and malignant laryngopharyngeal lesions.

PMID- 28639060
TI  - Surgical options in benign parotid tumors: a proposal for classification.
AB  - Different surgical options are currently available for treating benign tumors of
      the parotid gland, and the discussion on optimal treatment continues despite
      several meta-analyses. These options include more limited resections
      (extracapsular dissection, partial lateral parotidectomy) versus more extensive
      and traditional options (lateral parotid lobectomy, total parotidectomy).
      Different schools favor one option or another based on their experience, skills
      and tradition. This review provides a critical analysis of the literature
      regarding these options. The main limitation of all the studies is the bias of
      selection for different surgical approaches. For this reason, we propose a
      staging system that could facilitate clinical decision making and the comparison
      of results. We propose four categories based on the size of the tumor and its
      location within the parotid gland. Category I includes tumors up to 3 cm, which
      are mobile, close to the outer surface and close to the parotid borders. Category
      II includes deeper tumors up to 3 cm. Category III comprises tumors greater than
      3 cm involving two levels of the parotid gland, and category IV tumors are
      greater than 3 cm and involve more than 2 levels. For each category and for the
      various pathologic types, a guideline of surgical extent is proposed. The
      objective of this classification is to facilitate prospective multicentric
      studies on surgical techniques in the treatment of benign parotid tumors and to
      enable the comparison of results of different clinical studies.

PMID- 28639062
TI  - Rheumatoid arthritis: from basic findings and clinical manifestations to future
      therapies.

PMID- 28639063
TI  - Erratum to: Screen Time, Other Sedentary Behaviours, and Obesity Risk in Adults:
      a Review of Reviews.

PMID- 28639061
TI  - Oral and oropharyngeal papillomas are not associated with high-risk human
      papillomavirus infection.
AB  - The role of different types of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the development of
      oral and oropharyngeal papillomas remains unclear. High-risk HPV (HR-HPV) was
      shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of significant proportion of squamous
      cell carcinomas of the oropharynx. In this study, we hypothesized that in some
      oropharyngeal papillomas, low-risk HPV (LR-HPV) and HR-HPV infection could co
      exist, similar to what is observed in genital warts, and thus contribute to the
      elevated risk of malignancy. To test this hypothesis, we used real-time PCR to
      assess the presence of HPV DNA of 16 types (2 LR-HPV and 14 HR-HPV), in 75
      formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded histopathological samples of oral and
      oropharyngeal papillomas and in 57 squamous cell carcinomas from the same
      regions. We investigated the biological activity of HPV by demonstrating
      accumulation of P16(INK4A) protein in the viral-infected tissue samples. The
      presence of the LR-HPV genome from the HPV6 or HPV11 types was confirmed in 42
      (56%) papillomas and in no carcinomas. HPV6/HPV11 co-infection was detected in 17
      (22.7%) of the papillomas. HR-HPV DNA presence and HR-HPV activity hallmarks were
      not observed in any of the investigated papillomas. Thus, a causative role for HR
      HPV or its contribution to LR/HR-HPV co-infection in the pathogenesis of oral or
      oropharyngeal papillomas is unlikely. Additionally, HR-HPV and LR-HPV infections
      seem to be mutually exclusive in papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the
      oral cavity and oropharynx.

PMID- 28639064
TI  - Whole lipid profile and not only HDL cholesterol is impaired in children with
      coexisting type 1 diabetes and untreated celiac disease.
AB  - AIMS: Low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels have been described in patients with
      coexisting type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and celiac disease (CD). Data on other
      possible lipid abnormalities that could further increase cardiovascular risk in
      these patients are scarce and incomplete. Aim of this retrospective multicenter
      study was to evaluate whole lipid profiles, besides HDL-C, in children with T1DM
      associated with biopsy-proven CD, and to investigate the influence of age and
      degree of adherence to gluten-free diet (GFD) on lipid changes. METHODS: A total
      of 261 children with both T1DM and CD were enrolled. Serum lipid profiles at CD
      diagnosis were compared with those after 1 year of GFD and with those of 224
      matched children with T1DM alone. The adherence to GFD was judged by means of CD
      related antibodies. RESULTS: At CD diagnosis, children with T1DM + CD showed
      higher LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) compared to children with T1DM alone. Gluten
      withdrawal failed to normalize LDL-C levels, not even in completely adherent
      individuals. HbA1c values were not influenced by GFD. The youngest children were
      characterized at diagnosis by lower levels of total cholesterol and on treatment
      by a greater decrease in triglycerides levels. CONCLUSIONS: An unfavorable lipid
      profile, characterized not only by low HDL-C levels but also by high LDL-C
      values, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in children with T1DM and
      untreated CD. Therefore, a strict gluten-free diet is mandatory in these
      children, especially the youngest.

PMID- 28639065
TI  - Nosocomial Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis: Two Cases with a Temporal Relationship.
AB  - Mucormycosis is an unusual fungal infection that usually affects immunosuppressed
      patients. Small outbreaks of mucormycosis have been previously reported. We
      present two clinical cases of fatal rhinocerebral mucormycosis with a close
      temporal relationship between them and a possible nosocomial transmission: case 1
      was a 75-year-old male with diabetes and COPD, treated with antibiotics and
      systemic corticosteroids, who developed rhinocerebral mucormycosis. Case 2 was an
      88-year-old woman who was treated with systemic antibiotics and corticosteroids
      and developed the same infection after insertion of a nasogastric tube. Both
      patients concurred at the same time in our hospital, and healthcare staff was
      common to both of them. These cases, along with previously reported cases,
      highlight that, although infrequent, transmission of the fungus in the hospital
      environment is a real possibility that should be taken into account in order to
      initiate contact and air isolation precautions that could avoid nosocomial
      transmission of this infection.

PMID- 28639067
TI  - Discussion: The Characteristics and Short-Term Surgical Outcomes of Adolescent
      Gynecomastia by B.S. Choi et al.

PMID- 28639068
TI  - What About the Rheological Properties of PRP/Microfat Mixtures in Fat Grafting
      Procedure?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fat grafting has emerged as a reference procedure in daily plastic
      surgery practice. Unpredictable fat resorption is the main clinical problem. For
      this purpose, the addition of PRP to enhance fat revascularization is now an easy
      and popular procedure. However, no consensus exists regarding the respective
      volume of fat and PRP used to obtain the ideal mixture. This study investigated
      the rheological properties of microfat mixed with different proportions of PRP.
      Results obtained were compared with commercialized hyaluronic acid fillers.
      METHODS: Microfat and PRP preparations were performed using standardized
      techniques. Lipoaspirate residue and blood were obtained from six patients
      undergoing aesthetic facial microlipofilling. Elastic modulus G' and tan delta
      (proportion of elasticity versus fluidity) were obtained for the following
      conditions: microfat alone and microfat mixed with 10, 30 or 50% of PRP. RESULTS:
      An expected decrease in elastic modulus was observed by adding increase volumes
      of PRP. Two groups of products with different rheological properties were
      considered based on statistical differences highlighted regarding the value of
      G'. Mean tan delta varied from 0.20 +/- 0.04 (microfat alone) to 0.28 +/- 0.08
      (50% microfat/50% PRP). Microfat mixed with 10% of PRP presents consistency
      comparable to stiffer fillers, whereas microfat mixed with 30 or 50% corresponds
      to softer fillers. CONCLUSION: Rheological differences were highlighted given the
      proportion of PRP added to the microfat. Further studies assessing the impact of
      increased doses of platelets in microfat/PRP mixtures on clinical outcomes should
      also be investigated. Our findings will help clinicians to choose a mixture that
      meets their specific needs for a given indication. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This
      journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a
      full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the
      Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

PMID- 28639066
TI  - Enzymatic Mechanisms Involved in Evasion of Fungi to the Oxidative Stress: Focus
      on Scedosporium apiospermum.
AB  - The airways of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are frequently colonized by
      various filamentous fungi, mainly Aspergillus fumigatus and Scedosporium species.
      To establish within the respiratory tract and cause an infection, these
      opportunistic fungi express pathogenic factors allowing adherence to the host
      tissues, uptake of extracellular iron, or evasion to the host immune response.
      During the colonization process, inhaled conidia and the subsequent hyphae are
      exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS)
      released by phagocytic cells, which cause in the fungal cells an oxidative stress
      and a nitrosative stress, respectively. To cope with these constraints, fungal
      pathogens have developed various mechanisms that protect the fungus against ROS
      and RNS, including enzymatic antioxidant systems. In this review, we summarize
      the different works performed on ROS- and RNS-detoxifying enzymes in fungi
      commonly encountered in the airways of CF patients and highlight their role in
      pathogenesis of the airway colonization or respiratory infections. The potential
      of these enzymes as serodiagnostic tools is also emphasized. In addition, taking
      advantage of the recent availability of the whole genome sequence of S.
      apiospermum, we identified the various genes encoding ROS- and RNS-detoxifying
      enzymes, which pave the way for future investigations on the role of these
      enzymes in pathogenesis of these emerging species since they may constitute new
      therapeutics targets.

PMID- 28639070
TI  - Osseous-Cartilaginous Spreader Graft and Nasal Framework Reconstruction.
AB  - Revision rhinoplasties and saddle nose deformities usually require grafting for
      reconstruction. Between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2017, autologous rib
      grafts were used in 127 secondary and tertiary rhinoplasty patients [(57/127
      females) and (70/127 males)]. Osseous-cartilaginous rib grafts (OCRGs) were
      divided into three parts (i.e., 1/3 upper peripheral, 1/3 central, and 1/3 lower
      peripheral). The harvested OCRGs were also shaped as vertical strips using a
      number 11 scalpel blade. These OCRGs were shaped to form the L-strut
      cartilaginous graft (LSCGs), osseous-cartilaginous spreader grafts (OCSGs),
      osseous-cartilaginous onlay grafts, nasal valve grafts (NVGs), and lower lateral
      cartilaginous grafts (LLCGs). The upper peripheral portion of the rib was usually
      used as an onlay graft for dorsal reshaping. The shape of this part was minimally
      convex after being cut from the main graft, and the convex shape was very
      appropriate for use as an onlay graft. The middle portion of the graft that
      consisted of the osseous and cartilaginous structure was used for the OCSGs. The
      middle portion of the graft that contained only cartilage was used for the LSCGs,
      NVGs, and LLCGs. OCRGs were used for the dorsal, alar, septal, upper lateral, and
      columellar struts for all patients. OCSGs were used for all of the septal grafts
      to provide further stability. In the nasal valve failure patients, the rib
      cartilage was fixed onto the lower lateral and upper lateral cartilage and was
      sutured using polyglactin to improve nasal valve function. One edge of the graft
      was sutured over the septum, and the other edge was positioned against the
      maxillary crest to allow for air flow at the nasal valve. After an OCSG was
      sutured to the septum, a flat and smooth dorsum was shaped before the dorsal
      onlay graft was placed and fixed. The bone fragments of the grafts that consisted
      of spreader and onlay grafts were tied to the radix nasi bone without any space.
      After 6 months of follow-up, a minimally warping defect was apparent in 8
      patients but none of these patients requested another surgery. The analysis of
      the questionnaire responses revealed that >90% of the patients were satisfied
      with the outcome of the procedure. Level of evidence IV This journal requires
      that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description
      of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents
      or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28639069
TI  - The Application of 3D Printing Technology for Simultaneous Orthognathic Surgery
      and Mandibular Contour Osteoplasty in the Treatment of Craniofacial Deformities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Because of the limitation of specific preoperative design and
      surgical templates, orthognathic surgery and mandibular contour osteoplasty are
      generally performed in two stages. Three-dimensional printing technology has
      improved the accuracy of the surgery and results in good surgical predictability
      easily. This study aims to confirm the effectiveness, feasibility and precision
      of simultaneous mandibular contour osteoplasty and orthognathic surgery with the
      assistance of 3D printing technology. METHODS: Ten patients, who were diagnosed
      with mandibular hypertrophy and bimaxillary deformities, were included in the
      study. In addition to conventional orthognathic surgery, mandibular angle
      ostectomy, mandibular outer cortex grinding or mandibular border ostectomy was
      designed for mandibular hypertrophy. Optimal osteotomy lines and simulated
      surgeries were designed according the 3D printing model of the mandible. Then,
      surgical templates were made on the 3D printing model. No muscle excision was
      performed in any patient. Preoperative, predicted and postoperative measurements
      were taken, including the gonial angle (Ar-Go-Me) and the mandibular width (Go
      Go). RESULTS: All the patients had a reposeful postoperative recovery, with no
      indication of obvious infection, facial paralysis, osteonecrosis or bone
      displacement. The gonial angle was improved from 110.3 degrees  +/- 11.1 to 121.3
      degrees  +/- 2.9, and the mandibular width was improved from 117.5 mm +/- 6.8 to
      111.9 mm +/- 4.2. The discrepancies between simulation and postoperation of the
      left gonial angle, the right gonial angle and the mandibular width were 0.56
      degrees  +/- 0.22, 0.65 degrees  +/- 0.3 and 0.49 mm +/- 0.43, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study illustrated the predictability, feasibility
      and reliability of simultaneous mandibular contour osteoplasty and orthognathic
      surgery with the assistance of 3D printing technology. Our technique could
      achieve functional improvement and an aesthetic profile at the same time. LEVEL
      OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to
      each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings,
      please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors
      www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28639071
TI  - Synthesis of substituted 2H-chromenes by a three-component reaction as potential
      antioxidants.
AB  - A series of alkoxy-substituted 2H-chromenes were synthesized by a one-pot three
      component reaction using salicylaldehydes, acetyl acetone and alcohol as reactant
      and medium with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (TBAF) as catalyst. Simple
      reaction conditions, short reaction time and overall good yield of products make
      this synthetic strategy an efficient one to synthesize 2H-chromene molecules. All
      the synthesized compounds were evaluated for antioxidant activities. Among all
      the new compounds, 5j and 5k showed good inhibition [Formula: see text] and
      [Formula: see text]) at 100 [Formula: see text] concentrations.

PMID- 28639072
TI  - A synthesis of functionalized arylthio-acrylates, benzo[b][1,4]thiazines and
      benzo[4,5]thiazolo[3,2-a]azepines from 2-methylbenzothiazole and acetylenic
      esters in aqueous media.
AB  - Alkyl (Z)-3-((2-(N-((E)-3-methoxy-3-oxoprop-1-en-1
      yl)acetamido)phenyl)thio)acrylates are obtained from the reaction between 2
      methylbenzothiazole and alkyl propiolates in 70% aqueous alcohol, in moderate
      yields. When dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates were used under similar conditions,
      tetra-alkyl 9,10-dihydrobenzo[4,5]thiazolo[3,2-a]azepine-7,8,9,10
      tetracarboxylates, together with dialkyl 4-acetyl-3,4-dihydro-2H
      benzo[b][1,4]thiazine-2,3-dicarboxylates were obtained in about 4:1 ratios. The
      stereochemistry of these products has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction.

PMID- 28639074
TI  - Worsening trends in analgesics recommended for spinal pain in primary care.
AB  - PURPOSE: Limited evidence exists on secular trends of analgesics for spinal pain.
      We investigated general practitioner's (GP) recommendations of analgesic
      medicines for spinal pain and investigated characteristics associated with their
      recommendation. METHODS: We accessed data on spinal pain consultations from the
      Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) database, a nationally
      representative database on GP activity in Australia. Data extracted included
      consultation details and management provided. Medicines recommended were grouped
      as simple analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioid
      analgesics or neuropathic pain medicines. Multivariate logistic regression
      determined if patient characteristics and GP characteristics were associated with
      medication recommendations. RESULTS: We analysed BEACH data for 9100 GPs who
      managed 39,303 patients with spinal pain between 2004 and 2014. Over the decade,
      analgesic recommendations increased. After accounting for patient and GP
      characteristics, there was a significant increase in the rate single-ingredient
      opioid analgesics [annual relative increase of 6% (RR 1.06 (95% CI 1.05-1.07), P
      < 0.001)] and neuropathic pain medicines [annual relative increase of 19% (RR
      1.19 (95% CI 1.16-1.22), P < 0.001)] were recommended; and a significant decrease
      in the rate NSAIDs were recommended [annual relative decrease of 4% (RR 0.96 (95%
      CI 0.95-0.97), P < 0.001)]. Logistic regression identified several patient and GP
      characteristics associated with medicine recommendations, e.g. stronger opioids
      were less likely recommended for Indigenous patients [odds ratio 0.15 (95% CI
      0.04-0.56)]. CONCLUSIONS: GP's analgesic recommendations for spinal pain have
      become increasingly divergent from guideline recommendations over time.

PMID- 28639073
TI  - Prognostic factors affecting outcomes in fistulating perianal Crohn's disease: a
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One in three patients with Crohn's disease will develop a perianal
      fistulae, and one third of these will achieve long-term healing or closure. A
      barrier to conducting well-designed clinical trials for these patients is a lack
      of understanding of prognostic factors. This systematic review sets out to
      identify factors associated with prognosis of perianal Crohn's fistulae. METHODS:
      This review was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42016050316) and
      conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines along a predefined protocol. English
      language studies assessing baseline factors related to outcomes of fistulae
      treatment in adult patients were included. Searches were performed on MEDLINE and
      Embase databases. Screening of abstracts and full texts for eligibility was
      performed prior to extraction of data into predesigned forms. Bias was assessed
      using the QUIPS tool. RESULTS: Searches identified 997 papers. Following removal
      of duplicates and secondary searches, 923 were screened for inclusion. Forty
      seven papers were reviewed at full-text level and 13, 2 of which were randomised
      trials, were included in the final qualitative review. Two studies reported
      distribution of Crohn's disease as a prognostic factor for healing. Two studies
      found that CARD15 mutations decreased response of fistulae to antibiotics.
      Complexity of fistulae anatomy was implicated in prognosis by 4 studies.
      CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review has identified potential prognostic markers,
      including genetic factors and disease behaviour. We cannot, however, draw robust
      conclusions from this heterogeneous group of studies; therefore, we recommend
      that a prospective cohort study of well-characterised patients with Crohn's
      perianal fistulae is undertaken.

PMID- 28639076
TI  - Conservative treatment for lumbar compartment syndrome shows efficacy over 2-year
      follow-up: a case report and literature review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since in all studies of conservative treatment of lumbar compartment
      syndrome the follow-up duration was less than 6 months, it is difficult to draw
      firm conclusions. PURPOSE: To report a patient with lumbar paraspinal compartment
      syndrome who was treated conservatively over a follow-up period of 2 years. STUDY
      DESIGN: This is a case report of a 23-year-old male college student with lumbar
      paraspinal compartment syndrome who was treated conservatively. METHODS: We
      report a case of a 23-year-old male college student with lumbar paraspinal
      compartment syndrome who was treated conservatively. We repeatedly checked his
      physical examination, laboratory tests, lumbar compartment pressures, and
      magnetic resonance imaging, and surgical teams were readily prepared to operate
      should the patient's condition worsen. To prevent complications of
      rhabdomyolysis, hydration and alkalization were performed. We followed him up to
      2 years after discharge. RESULT: Although the temporal changes on MRI up to the 1
      year point, the patient continued to have no symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative
      therapy can be recommended if rhabdomyolysis is under control.

PMID- 28639075
TI  - Does clavicular shortening after nonoperative treatment of midshaft fractures
      affect shoulder function? A systematic review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Clavicular shortening due to non-anatomical healing of displaced
      clavicular fractures is believed to have a negative effect on shoulder function
      after recovery. The evidence for this, however, is equivocal. This review aimed
      to systematically evaluate the available literature to determine whether the
      current beliefs about clavicular shortening can be substantiated. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting
      Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. PubMed,
      EMBASE, Web of Science and the Clinical Trial Registry were searched to identify
      all studies published in English that evaluated the association between
      clavicular shortening and shoulder function in patients aged >=16 years with a
      nonoperatively treated, displaced midshaft clavicular fracture. Relevant data
      from the selected studies was extracted and summarized. Risk of bias of the
      included studies was assessed using the MINORS instrument. RESULTS: Six studies,
      of which five were retrospective, were included in this review analyzing a total
      of 379 patients. Due to heterogeneity in methods and reporting across studies, a
      pooled analysis of the results was not feasible. No clear associations were found
      between shortening and shoulder function scores (DASH and Constant score) or arm
      strength in each of the included studies. CONCLUSION: The existing evidence to
      date does not allow for a valid conclusion regarding the influence of shortening
      on shoulder function after union of nonoperatively treated midshaft clavicular
      fractures. Shortening alone is currently not an evidence-based indication to
      operate for the goal of functional improvement. Well-powered prospective
      comparative studies are needed to draw firm conclusions.

PMID- 28639077
TI  - Microbial compositions and metabolic interactions in one- and two-phase
      partitioning airlift bioreactors treating a complex VOC mixture.
AB  - Engineered microbial ecosystems in bioscrubbers for the treatment of volatile
      organic compounds (VOCs) have been complicated by complex VOC mixtures from
      various industrial emissions. Microbial associations with VOC removal performance
      of the bioscrubbers are still not definitive. Here, one- and two-phase
      partitioning airlift bioreactors were used for the treatment of a complex VOC
      mixture. Microbial characteristics in both bioreactors were uncovered by high
      throughput metagenomics sequencing. Results showed that dominant species with
      specialized VOC biodegradability were mainly responsible for high removal
      efficiency of relative individual VOC. Competitive enzyme inhibitions among the
      VOC mixture were closely related to the deterioration of removal performance for
      individual VOC. Relative to the mass transfer resistance, the specialized
      biodegrading functions of microbial inoculations and enzymatic interactions among
      individual VOC biodegradation also must be carefully evaluated to optimize the
      treatment of complex VOC mixtures in bioreactors.

PMID- 28639078
TI  - A Genome-wide Expression Association Analysis Identifies Genes and Pathways
      Associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with strong
      genetic components. To identity novel risk variants for ALS, utilizing the latest
      genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and eQTL study data, we conducted a genome
      wide expression association analysis by summary data-based Mendelian
      randomization (SMR) method. Summary data were derived from a large-scale GWAS of
      ALS, involving 12577 cases and 23475 controls. The eQTL annotation dataset
      included 923,021 cis-eQTL for 14,329 genes and 4732 trans-eQTL for 2612 genes.
      Genome-wide single gene expression association analysis was conducted by SMR
      software. To identify ALS-associated biological pathways, the SMR analysis
      results were further subjected to gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). SMR single
      gene analysis identified one significant and four suggestive genes associated
      with ALS, including C9ORF72 (P value = 7.08 * 10-6), NT5C3L (P value = 1.33 * 10
      5), GGNBP2 (P value = 1.81 * 10-5), ZNHIT3(P value = 2.94 * 10-5), and KIAA1600(P
      value = 9.97 * 10-5). GSEA identified 7 significant biological pathways, such as
      PEROXISOME (empirical P value = 0.006), GLYCOLYSIS_GLUCONEOGENESIS (empirical P
      value = 0.043), and ARACHIDONIC_ACID_ METABOLISM (empirical P value = 0.040). Our
      study provides novel clues for the genetic mechanism studies of ALS.

PMID- 28639079
TI  - Autonomic Nervous System Response to Stressors in Newly Diagnosed Patients with
      Multiple Sclerosis.
AB  - Autonomic dysfunction is commonly detected in patients with multiple sclerosis
      (MS). However, data evaluating autonomic nervous system function in early MS are
      limited. Present study investigates response to two different stressors in newly
      diagnosed MS patients, looking for the signs of autonomic dysfunction at the
      beginning of the disease. We examined 19 MS patients and 19 age, sex, and body
      mass index matched healthy controls. MS patients were newly diagnosed, untreated,
      and with low expanded disability status scale (EDSS) values [median 1.0
      (interquartile range 1.0-1.5)]. Two stressors were used to evaluate the response
      of autonomic nervous system: Stroop word-color interference mental stress test
      and orthostasis. Plasma levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine, blood pressure
      (BP), and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters were evaluated. At the end of
      Stroop test MS patients had lower systolic BP (121 +/- 15 vs. 132 +/- 17 mmHg, p
      = 0.044), lower heart rate (79 +/- 9 vs. 88 +/- 16 1/min, p = 0.041), and lower
      epinephrine increment (10 +/- 22 vs. 30 +/- 38 pg/ml; p = 0.049) compared to
      healthy controls. Norepinephrine response was unaffected in MS, however, with
      lower norepinephrine levels during the test (p = 0.036). HRV parameters were
      similar in both groups. No differences in BP, heart rate, catecholamines, and HRV
      parameters between groups during orthostatic testing were found. We found
      slightly diminished sympathetic response to mental stress test, but unchanged
      response to orthostasis, in newly diagnosed untreated MS patients. The results
      suggest that autonomic dysfunction in MS is connected with more developed
      disease.

PMID- 28639080
TI  - The Use of Statins and Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia.
AB  - PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still associated
      with a large burden and causes significant morbidity and mortality. Besides
      universal vaccination and antibiotic treatment, statins as adjunctive therapy may
      also have a beneficial role in the prevention and treatment of CAP. Our goal from
      this review is to discuss the epidemiology of CAP, and role of statins as
      adjunctive therapy in the development of CAP. RECENT FINDINGS: Statins are lipid
      lowering medications characterized by their ability to control
      hypercholesterolemia in addition to other pleiotropic effects that could explain
      their role in the pathogenesis of CAP. While most observational studies have
      shown that statins reduce risk of pneumonia in the general population, patients
      with diabetes, and recently in patients with myocardial infarction, no randomized
      controlled trial (RCT) to date has been conducted to assess the efficacy of
      statins to prevent development of CAP. Given the paucity of robust randomized
      evidence to assess statin use and the development of CAP, and considering
      conflicting results of the observational studies, we are not in favor of
      initiation of statins for either the prevention or treatment of CAP.

PMID- 28639081
TI  - Clinical Impact of Non-Congenital Zika Virus Infection in Infants and Children.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: While the Zika virus (ZIKV) has been noted for its distinct
      neurotropism and identified as a significant cause for a congenital infection
      syndrome, there has been increased recognition of the importance to better
      understand the clinical impact of non-congenital ZIKV infection in infants and
      children. This article reviews reports of perinatal and breast milk transmission
      of ZIKV and summarizes current clinical outcome data of pediatric non-congenital
      ZIKV infection. RECENT FINDINGS: Perinatal transmission and presence of infective
      ZIKV particles in breast milk have been reported. Most symptomatic non-congenital
      ZIKV infection in infants and children is mild and self-limited, but long-term
      follow-up studies are lacking. The mechanism and impact of perinatal and breast
      milk transmission is unclear. The current WHO infant feeding guidelines in areas
      of ZIKV transmission support breastfeeding. Unless any scientific data raise
      concern regarding transmission via breastfeeding, the current guidelines should
      continue to be followed. Prospective population-based cohort studies to
      investigate maternal, perinatal, infant, and child outcomes are needed.

PMID- 28639082
TI  - Socio-economic factors associated with the 1-year prevalence of severe pain and
      pain-related sickness absence in the Austrian population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to (1) investigate the relation of socio
      economic status (SES), measured as education, occupation, and income, with the 12
      month prevalence of severe pain and with pain-related sickness absence, and (2)
      analyse to what extent sociodemographic and medical factors influence these
      associations. METHODS: The study population comprised 8084 subjects aged between
      15 and 65 years from the Austrian Health Interview Survey in 2006/07.
      Associations of SES with the 1-year prevalence of severe pain and sickness
      absence due to pain in those with severe pain was assessed with logistic
      regression analysis and adjusted for socio-demographic and chronic medical
      conditions. RESULTS: The 1-year prevalence of severe pain was 33.7%. Among those
      with severe pain, 32.9% were on sickness absence due to pain. SES was
      significantly associated with the prevalence of severe pain and even more
      strongly with sickness absence due to pain. Stepwise adjustment for socio
      demographics and medical factors had only marginal effects on these associations.
      Multivariate odds ratios (ORs) for severe pain were 1.14; 1.18 and 1.32 for low
      income, blue-collar workers, and low education, respectively. Related ORs for
      sickness absence due to pain were 1.52; 1.14 and 2.05. CONCLUSIONS: There was an
      association between SES, particularly measured as educational level, and the
      prevalence of severe pain, which was even stronger with sickness absence due to
      pain.

PMID- 28639083
TI  - Tumor vascularization and clinicopathologic parameters as prognostic factors in
      merkel cell carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive neuroendocrine
      tumor of the skin with an increasing incidence. The clinical course is variable
      and reliable prognostic factors are scarce. Tumor angiogenesis has been shown to
      have prognostic impact in different types of cancer. The aim of our study was to
      determine potential prognostic factors, including tumor vascularization, for
      clinical outcome of MCC. METHODS: The medical records of 46 patients with MCC
      diagnosed between 1997 and 2010 were analyzed retrospectively. Tissue samples
      were immune-stained for the lymphatic endothelial vessel marker podoplanin/D2-40
      and the panvascular marker CD31. These immunostained sections were analyzed using
      computer-assisted morphometric image analyses. Aside from the parameters of tumor
      vascularization, clinicopathologic features were investigated, and progression
      free survival (PFS) and tumor-specific survival (TSS) were assessed. Univariate
      and multivariate analyses were performed to determine prognostic factors.
      RESULTS: Male sex of the MCC patients and a high cross-sectional whole vessel
      area (WVA) in relation to the entire tumor area as determined on CD31-stained
      tumor sections were found to be negative prognostic factors for PFS in a
      univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Ulceration of the primary tumor
      was significantly associated with both impaired PFS and TSS. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results indicate a high prognostic impact of tumor vascularization on the
      clinical outcome of MCC patients. Male sex and ulceration of the primary MCC were
      identified as independent unfavorable prognostic markers for the clinical
      outcome. As an outlook, MCC patients with increased angiogenesis might be
      identified and subjected to a targeted anti-angiogenic treatment.

PMID- 28639084
TI  - Early Palliative Care for Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: Is It Really so
      Difficult to Achieve?
AB  - Evidence points to many benefits of "early palliative care," the provision of
      specialist palliative care services upstream from the end of life, to improve
      patients' quality of life while living with a serious illness. Yet most trials of
      early palliative care have not included patients with hematologic malignancies.
      Unfortunately, patients with hematologic malignancies are also known to have
      substantial illness burden, poor quality of life, and aggressive care at the end
      of life, including a greater likelihood of dying in the hospital, receiving
      chemotherapy at the end of life, and low hospice utilization, compared to
      patients with solid tumors. Given these unmet needs, one must wonder, why is
      palliative care so underutilized in this population? In this article, we discuss
      barriers to palliative care integration in hematology, highlight several reports
      of successful integration, and suggest specific indications for involving
      palliative care in the management of hematologic malignancy patients.

PMID- 28639085
TI  - Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory therapy suppresses the development of proliferative
      vitreoretinopathy more effectively than a steroid one.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study proves the possibility of targeted use of the nonsteroidal
      anti-inflammatory drug lornoxicam to prevent the development of proliferative
      vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) was selected as a reference
      substance. METHODS: Wistar rats (N = 400) were used. PVR was modeled by
      intravitreal injection of dispase or concanavalin A. Lornoxicam or TA
      intravitreal administration was performed 20 min later. On the second and the
      third day, drugs were administrated systemic. Enucleation was performed on the
      first, third, seventh and 42nd or 56th day of the experiment. RESULTS: Pro
      inflammatory substances led to the development of sub- and epiretinal membranes.
      Lornoxicam decreased the incidence of membrane formation by 43 and 31% in dispase
      and concanavalin models, respectively. Membranes, formed during its use, were
      smaller and contained less fibrotic components. At the end of the experiment, the
      thickness of retinal and choroidal layers among the animals which had received
      the therapy was the same as the thickness of the retina and choroid of intact
      rats. Lornoxicam administration normalized the cyclooxygenases (COXs) expression
      in the retina and the choroid at the early stages of the experiment. TA
      application was less effective in both models. CONCLUSIONS: COXs blocking during
      the development of PVR, overwhelming inflammation in the eye and reducing its
      consequences, is proved to be a much more effective and safe influence than the
      suppression of the entire cascade of arachidonic acid metabolism. Lornoxicam did
      not only improve the condition of the retina and the choroid but also
      significantly reduced the frequency of membrane formation.

PMID- 28639086
TI  - How accurate is an LCD screen version of the Pelli-Robson test?
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy and repeatability of a computer-generated Pelli
      Robson test displayed on liquid crystal display (LCD) systems compared to a
      standard Pelli-Robson chart. METHODS: Two different randomized crossover
      experiments were carried out for two different LCD systems for 32 subjects: 6
      females and 10 males (40.5 +/- 13.0 years) and 9 females and 7 males (27.8 +/-
      12.2 years), respectively, in the first and second experiment. Two repeated
      measurements were taken with the printed Pelli-Robson test and with the LCDs at 1
      and 3 m. To test LCD reliability, measurements were repeated after 1 week.
      RESULTS: In Experiment 1, contrast sensitivity (CS) measured with LCD1 resulted
      significantly higher than Pelli-Robson both at 1 and at 3 m of about 0.20 log 1/C
      in both eyes (p < 0.01). Bland-Altman plots showed a proportional bias for LCD1
      measures. LCD1 measurements showed reasonable repeatability: ICC was 0.83 and
      0.65 at 1 and 3 m, respectively. In Experiment 2, CS measured with LCD2 resulted
      significantly lower than Pelli-Robson both at 1 and at 3 m of about 0.10 log 1/C
      in both eyes (p < 0.01). Bland-Altman plots did not show any proportional bias
      for LCD2 measures. LCD2 measurements showed sufficient repeatability: ICC
      resulted 0.51 and 0.65 at 1 and 3 m, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Computer
      generated versions of Pelli-Robson test, displayed on LCD systems, do not provide
      accurate results compared to classic Pelli-Robson printed version. Clinicians
      should consider that Pelli-Robson computer-generated versions could be non
      interchangeable to the printed version.

PMID- 28639087
TI  - Haigis and SRKT formulae accuracy for intentional myopic overcorrection.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of preoperative biometric parameters on the
      accuracy of Haigis and SRKT formulae in predicting postoperative target
      refraction. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 108 eyes (70 patients) underwent
      uneventful phacoemulsification surgery with implant of Alcon-SN60WF intraocular
      lens (IOL). Forty-five eyes were intentionally targeted to myopia (-0.75 to -1.25
      dpt), while the others targeted between 0 and -0.75 dpt. Preoperative axial
      length and keratometry (K) were measured with optical biometry (LENSTAR-Haag
      Streit). Postoperative spherical equivalent was assessed 3 +/- 2 months after
      surgery. RESULTS: There is a significant correlation between the mean keratometry
      (K) and the Haigis-SRKT prediction differences (P < 0.001; r = 0.749). Linear
      regression indicates that a decrease of 1 diopter (D) on K implies an increase of
      0.23 D on the difference between formulae prediction. K alone does not influence
      the prediction error for both formulas. The difference between the two formulae
      is dependent on K (r = -0.75; P < 0.01). Moreover, eyes with K <43.75 targeted at
      myopia (n = 23) showed a significant myopic shift of -0.26 +/- 0.09 dpt (P <
      0.05) with Haigis, but a hyperopic shift of 0.24 +/- 0.09 dpt (P < 0.05) with
      SRKT. CONCLUSION: Divergences between Haigis and SRKT formulae cause uncertainty
      in choosing the IOL. Our results indicate that, in eyes with lower preoperative
      K, an IOL targeted at myopia might result in a small, but significant myopic
      shift with the Haigis formula, while a hyperopic shift with the SRKT formula.

PMID- 28639088
TI  - Comparison of visual acuity measurements via three different methods in preschool
      children: Lea symbols, crowded Lea symbols, Snellen E chart.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare three different methods to measure
      visual acuity (VA) in healthy and amblyopic preschool children: a Snellen E chart
      (SE), a single Lea symbols (SLS), and a crowded Lea symbols (CLS). METHODS:
      Seventy-eight eyes of 54 patients (28 females, 26 males) were included in this
      cross-sectional, comparative study. The control group consisted of 30 healthy
      cases, and the amblyopic group consisted of 24 patients with amblyopia. Best
      corrected VA (BCVA) measurements with SLS, CLS, and SE were compared in control
      eyes (CE), amblyopic eyes (AE), and fellow eyes (FE) separately. RESULTS: The
      mean age of the cohort was 5.7 +/- 0.7 years (range 5-7 years). The mean
      refractive error was +1.02 +/- 0.36 D (diopter, spherical equivalent) in CE,
      +5.59 +/- 2.45 D in AE, and +3.96 +/- 2.38 D in FE. The median BCVA (logMAR) was
      (in order of SLS, CLS, and SE) 0.00 [interquartile range (IQR) 0.10], 0.10 (IQR
      0.10), 0.00 (IQR 0.10) in CE, 0.25 (IQR 0.33), 0.35 (IQR 0.30), 0.25 (IQR 0.38)
      in AE, and 0.10 (IQR 0.08), 0.10 (IQR 0.00), 0.10 (IQR 0.10) in FE. There was no
      statistically significant difference between the three methods in terms of the CE
      or FE (p > 0.05). In contrast, there was a statistically significant difference
      in AE (p < 0.05). The mean VA measurement with SLS was higher compared with CLS
      in AE. A positive and strong correlation between the three charts was found in
      all of the groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We found SLS, CLS, and SE to be
      consistent: all three methods can be used to obtain measurements of VA in healthy
      and amblyopic preschool children.

PMID- 28639089
TI  - Crossover clinical trial of pain relief in cataract surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the effects of intra-operative Korean traditional music on
      pain experienced by Korean patients undergoing sequential bilateral cataract
      surgery. METHODS: This was a two-sequence, two-period, and two-treatment
      crossover study. Fifty-two patients with cataracts were divided into two groups
      by block randomization, and bilateral cataract surgery was performed. In group 1,
      patients listened to Korean traditional music (KTM) during their first but not
      second cataract surgery. This sequence was reversed for patients in group 2.
      After each surgery, patients scored their pain intensity (PI) using a visual
      analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 was 'no pain' and 10 was
      'unbearable pain.' RESULT: There was a statistically significant reduction in the
      mean VAS score with KTM (3.1 +/- 2.0) compared to that without KTM (4.1 +/- 2.2;
      p = 0.013). However, there were no statistically significant differences in blood
      pressure or pulse rates. CONCLUSION: KTM had a significant effect on reducing
      pain experienced by patients during cataract surgery. This may be useful in the
      context of other surgical procedures to reduce pain in Korean patients.

PMID- 28639090
TI  - Mitochondria and FOXO3 in stem cell homeostasis, a window into hematopoietic stem
      cell fate determination.
AB  - The production of all blood cells from hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is highly
      sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cumulating evidence suggests that
      mitochondria are critical for HSC fate determination. FOXO are known regulators
      of anti-oxidant response and key to the maintenance of HSC. Recent works indicate
      that FOXO3 is implicated in the control of mitochondrial function beyond
      regulating levels of ROS in HSC. Here we review these findings and discuss
      implications for homeostatic blood formation and stem cell fate determination.

PMID- 28639091
TI  - Improved Outcomes with an Outpatient Multidisciplinary Intensive Feeding Therapy
      Program Compared with Weekly Feeding Therapy to Reduce Enteral Tube Feeding
      Dependence in Medically Complex Young Children.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The prevalence of feeding disorders in medically complex
      children is estimated to be as high as 80%. Enteral tube nutrition (ETN) is
      commonly used for nutritional support in children with feeding disorders. Adverse
      consequences of ETN include medical complications, psychosocial problems, and
      higher healthcare costs. We used a retrospective cohort controlled study design
      to compare outcomes of our outpatient multidisciplinary intensive feeding therapy
      (IFT) program to our traditional therapy (TT) of single-discipline, once weekly
      feeding therapy to reduce ETN dependence in medically complex young children.
      RECENT FINDINGS: Children in the IFT cohort experienced a median reduction in ETN
      dependence of 49% (34.5-58.5%) compared with a median reduction of 0% (0-25%) for
      TT (p > 0.0001). Almost half of the IFT cohort no longer required ETN by the
      conclusion of the 5-week program. Medically complex young children (median age 26
      months) successfully reduce or eliminate ETN in an outpatient multidisciplinary
      intensive feeding program.

PMID- 28639093
TI  - Rediscovery of Chonopeltis meridionalis Fryer, 1964 (Crustacea: Branchiura) from
      Labeo rosae Steindachner in the River Olifants, Mpumalanga, and the taxonomic
      status of C. victori Avenant-Oldewage, 1991 and C. koki Van As, 1992.
AB  - Chonopeltis Thiele, 1900 presently comprises 14 species, it is endemic to Africa
      and its species show a high degree of host-specificity towards fish families and
      in some cases, individual fish species. Chonopeltis meridionalis Fryer, 1964 was
      originally described from Labeo rosae Steindachner collected in the River
      Nuanetsi in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, Limpopo River System. At the time of
      description C. meridionalis was the most southerly species of the genus.
      Chonopeltis victori Avenant-Oldewage, 1991 was described from the River Olifants,
      Mpumalanga, South Africa, which also forms part of the Limpopo River System. The
      host fish was Labeo rosae and Labeobarbus marequensis (A. Smith), whilst C. koki
      Van As, 1992 was described from Labeo cylindricus Peters, collected in the River
      Zambezi, Eastern Caprivi, Namibia. During surveys conducted in 2012, additional
      material of a species of Chonopeltis was collected from Labeo rosae in the River
      Olifants. Upon closer examination, the new material was identified as C.
      meridionalis. Further investigation revealed that C. victori and C. koki share a
      number of characteristics with C. meridionalis. This paper provides the first
      scanning electron microscopy of C. meridionalis, includes additional information
      on fully-mature as well as sub-adult males and females. Finally, it was concluded
      that C. victori and C. koki are junior synonyms of C. meridionalis.

PMID- 28639095
TI  - Knowledge, Awareness, and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Korean
      American Parents.
AB  - Hepatitis B (HB) affects 240 million people around the world, and children and
      young adults make up a large proportion of the infected population. Approximately
      1 million people die from HB each year. Despite the seriousness of HB and its
      complications, many are poorly linked to clinical care. A lack of health literacy
      may be a critical barrier hindering access to HB care for adults as well as
      children in these populations. We, therefore, performed a survey to assess the
      level of knowledge of HB among Korean American parents. The survey was conducted
      on 521 Korean American adults who attended community-based HB awareness campaigns
      held at various locations throughout the metropolitan New York area between
      January 2015 and November 2016. Of these, 296 parents, who had children between
      ages 1 and 30, were identified. All participants were asked a series of questions
      regarding various aspects of HB and were evaluated on the basis of their
      awareness on each subject. A separate questionnaire was also employed to obtain
      demographic characteristics of the participants. The study revealed a significant
      deficit of knowledge of HB in most aspects the survey evaluated. Although the
      majority of the participants knew that HB is a liver disease, and many of them
      had been screened for HB, they had a poor understanding of vaccination,
      screening, their own HB status, modes of HBV transmission, and the consequences
      and treatment of HB. The participants also had a low level of awareness of their
      own children's HB status. This study demonstrates a low level of knowledge of HB
      among Korean American parents electing to attend a hepatitis education program.
      In addition, many parents are not aware of their children's screening and immune
      (or non-immune) status. The lack of health literacy may contribute to poor health
      access in HB care, not only in adults but also in children. This suggests an
      urgent need for education on HB in Korean American parents as well as in young
      children.

PMID- 28639094
TI  - New molecular and morphological data for opecoelid digeneans in two Mediterranean
      sparid fishes with descriptions of Macvicaria gibsoni n. sp. and M. crassigula
      (Linton, 1910) (sensu stricto).
AB  - Molecular and morphological data were gathered for specimens of species of
      Macvicaria Gibson & Bray, 1982 and Pseudopycnadena Saad-Fares & Maillard, 1986
      (Digenea: Opecoelidae) collected from two sparid fishes, Diplodus vulgaris
      (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) and Sparus aurata L., off the Algerian coast of the
      Western Mediterranean. Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and partial
      28S rDNA sequences provided evidence for the distinct species status of eight
      Mediterranean species of Macvicaria. Novel molecular data are provided for four
      species, M. gibsoni n. sp. and M. crassigula (Linton, 1910) (sensu stricto) based
      on specimens from D. vulgaris, and M. mormyri (Stossich, 1885) and M. maamouriae
      Antar, Georgieva, Gargouri & Kostadinova, 2015 based on specimens from S. aurata;
      descriptions of the molecular voucher material of the former three species are
      provided. Two species were delineated within the "crassigula" species complex of
      Macvicaria, M. gibsoni n. sp. and M. crassigula (s. str.), the distinctive
      differentiating features being the distribution of the dorsal vitelline fields in
      the forebody, confluent in M. gibsoni n. sp. and non-confluent in M. crassigula
      (s. str.), and the molecular data for both markers. Sequences associated with
      morphological description are also provided for the type-species of
      Pseudopycnadena, P. fischthali Saad-Fares & Maillard, 1986, based on material
      from D. vulgaris.

PMID- 28639096
TI  - 'We're completely back to normal, but I'd say it's a new normal': a qualitative
      exploration of adaptive functioning in rural families following a parental cancer
      diagnosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore rural families' functioning
      following a parental cancer diagnosis. METHOD: Ten families in which a parent of
      dependent children had received a cancer diagnosis were purposively sampled using
      two questionnaires based upon the Resiliency Model of Family Adjustment and
      Adaptation (RMFAA): the Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F
      COPES) and the Family Attachment Changeability Index 8 (FACI8). The total
      participant number was 34, which comprised the involvement of 17 parents and 17
      children. The use of questionnaires ensured representation from both high and low
      functioning families. Qualitative data were gathered via semi-structured family
      interviews, and thematic analysis was used. RESULTS: Families identified three
      key challenges that are not accounted for by the RMFAA and may be unique to the
      rural cancer patient experience: frequent travel, increased work/financial
      demands and family separation. Families also described a number of protective
      factors that enabled them to cope with the demands of the cancer diagnosis, some
      of which were specific to rural families, while others may apply to Australian
      families more broadly. Many of these protective factors aligned with the RMFAA
      framework. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that rural families' ability and
      willingness to access external resources, including informal community support
      and formal support services, are influenced by the strength of their internal
      protective factors. This result has practical implications for the development of
      interventions that accommodate the specific supportive care needs of rural
      families affected by cancer.

PMID- 28639097
TI  - Effect of an Internet-based telehealth system on functional capacity and
      cognition in breast cancer survivors: a secondary analysis of a randomized
      controlled trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: This trial determines the effect of an Internet-based tailored exercise
      program compared to usual care control for improving functional capacity and
      cognition among breast cancer survivors. METHODS: A two-arm, assessor-blinded,
      parallel, randomized controlled efficacy trial was conducted. Participants were
      recruited from the Oncology and Breast unit at the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital
      (Granada, Spain) between March 2012 to November 2013 and randomized to either the
      experimental group (an 8-week Internet-based tailored exercise program) or
      control group (usual care). The outcome measures were the 6-min walk test,
      Auditory Consonant Trigrams, and Trail Making Test. All were assessed at
      baseline, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: After intervention,
      the telerehabilitation group had significantly improved distances (d = 0.92, P <
      0.001) as well as percentage of predicted of the 6-min walk test (d = 0.93, P <
      0.001) compared with the control group. Significant improvement was also observed
      favoring the telerehabilitation group for the number of consonants recalled in
      total compared with the control group (d = 0.47, P = 0.04). These findings were
      maintained after 6-month follow-up (d = 0.80, P = 0.001; d = 0.76, P = 0.002; and
      d = 0.57, P = 0.02, respectively). Analysis was based on intention-to-treat
      principle. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the effectiveness of a telehealth
      system based on an 8-week physical exercise to achieve improvements and maintain
      them after 6-month follow-up in terms of functional and cognitive performance in
      breast cancer survivors. This broad-reach modality could help the growing number
      of cancer survivors to face their disabling side effects.

PMID- 28639098
TI  - A head to head comparison of XINSORB bioresorbable sirolimus-eluting scaffold
      versus metallic sirolimus-eluting stent: 180 days follow-up in a porcine model.
AB  - We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of XINSORB bioresorbable
      sirolimus-eluting scaffold in porcine model. XINSORB scaffolds and metallic
      Firebird2TM stents were randomly implanted into minipigs' coronary arteries.
      Angiography, optical coherent tomography (OCT) and histopathological analyses
      were performed at post-procedure and 14-, 28-, 90-, 180-day follow-up. Thirty-two
      minipigs were enrolled. Eight XINSORB scaffolds and 8 Firebird2 stents were
      examined at each time point. Quantitative coronary angiography showed that in
      scaffold late luminal loss (LLL) of XINSORB scaffold was 0.26 +/- 0.13, 0.50 +/-
      0.16, 0.88 +/- 0.29 and 0.43 +/- 0.24 mm at 14-, 28, 90-, and 180-day follow-up
      respectively, and the corresponding diameter stenosis (DS) was 7.3 +/- 4.7, 12.0
      +/- 9.5, 22.1 +/- 8.0, and 16.0 +/- 9.5%. Neither in-scaffold LLL nor DS of
      XINSORB scaffold was significantly different in comparison with Firebird2 stent.
      No difference of luminal area, device area, neointimal hyperplasia, and area
      stenosis was detected between two devices under OCT. Scaffold area of XINSORB
      remained steady through the observation. Histopathology revealed the similar
      findings. The greatest late recoil of XINSORB scaffold was about 4.12% at 90-day
      follow-up, which was comparable to Firebird2 stent. Both devices showed low
      injury or inflammation of vessel wall. XINSORB scaffold showed early neointimal
      coverage on struts within 28 days under scanning electron microscopy. XINSORB
      scaffold suppressed neointimal hyperplasia as effectively as Firebird2 did
      without obvious late device recoil during the 180 days follow-up. It is feasible
      to carry out clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of XINSORB
      scaffold for patients with coronary artery diseases.

PMID- 28639099
TI  - Erratum to: Intravascular ultrasound elastography analysis of the elastic
      mechanical properties of atherosclerotic plaque.

PMID- 28639100
TI  - STING-mediated DNA sensing in cancer immunotherapy.
AB  - While STING (STimulator of INterferon Genes) has been shown to be essential for
      cytosolic DNA-triggered innate immune activation, accumulated evidence obtained
      from various studies suggested that an intrinsic relevance of STING-associated
      signaling in tumorigenesis can be observed. Also, several clinical trials using
      immunostimulatory adjuvants, particularly agonistic as well as non-agonistic
      ligands for STING, have revealed their therapeutic potential not only as vaccine
      adjuvants but also as anti-tumor agents. However, cases have also been reported
      where the involvement of STING shows a protective role in tumor growth. Here we
      summarize recent findings that have pointed towards the STING pathway as an
      innate immune sensing mechanism driving type I interferon production in the tumor
      context. Better understanding of this pathway can guide further development of
      novel immunotherapeutic strategies in the treatment of cancer.

PMID- 28639101
TI  - Prevention and treatment of cancer targeting chronic inflammation: research
      progress, potential agents, clinical studies and mechanisms.
AB  - Numerous experimental and clinical studies indicate that chronic inflammation is
      closely related to the initiation, progression, and spread of cancer, in which
      proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1beta, and tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and transcription factors, such as nuclear
      factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3
      (STAT3), play pivotal roles. Stimulated by proinflammatory cytokines, NF-kappaB
      and STAT3 can modulate the expression of target genes, most of which are
      oncogenic ones, and promote the survival, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis
      of cancer cells. Now it is generally accepted that inflammation-related molecules
      and pathways are useful targets for the prevention and treatment of cancer. In
      this review, we summarize the relationship between chronic inflammation and
      cancer and describe some potentially useful agents including aspirin, meformin,
      statins, and some natural products (green tea catechins, andrographolide,
      curcumin) for their cancer prevention and treatment activities targeting chronic
      inflammation. The results of typical clinical studies are included, and the
      influences of these agents on the proinflammatory cytokines and inflammation
      related pathways are discussed. Data from the present review support that agents
      targeting chronic inflammation may have a broad application prospect for the
      prevention and treatment of cancer in the future.

PMID- 28639102
TI  - The clinical and genetic characteristics in children with mitochondrial disease
      in China.
AB  - Mitochondrial disease was a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of
      diseases, thus the diagnosis was very difficult to clinicians. Our objective was
      to analyze clinical and genetic characteristics of children with mitochondrial
      disease in China. We tested 141 candidate patients who have been suspected of
      mitochondrial disorders by using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS), and
      summarized the clinical and genetic data of gene confirmed cases from Neurology
      Department, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from October
      2012 to January 2015. In our study, 40 cases of gene confirmed mitochondrial
      disease including eight kinds of mitochondrial disease, among which Leigh
      syndrome was identified to be the most common type, followed by mitochondrial
      encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). The age-of
      onset varies among mitochondrial disease, but early onset was common. All of 40
      cases were gene confirmed, among which 25 cases (62.5%) with mitochondrial DNA
      (mtDNA) mutation, and 15 cases (37.5%) with nuclear DNA (nDNA) mutation.
      M.3243A>G (n=7) accounts for a large proportion of mtDNA mutation. The nDNA
      mutations include SURF1 (n=7), PDHA1 (n=2), and NDUFV1, NDUFAF6, SUCLA2, SUCLG1,
      RRM2B, and C12orf65, respectively.

PMID- 28639103
TI  - Analysis of diagnosis and treatment of lipoblastomatosis.

PMID- 28639104
TI  - Gene mutations and clinical phenotypes in Chinese children with Blau syndrome.
AB  - The mutations of CARD15 gene and clinical features of Chinese patients with Blau
      syndrome were analyzed. We identified 10 missense mutations, out of which five
      were new: R334L, E383D, R471C, C495R and D512F. The rest of them, R334W, R334Q,
      G481D, M513T and R587C, have been reported previously. Among all the mutations,
      R334W, R334Q and C495R had the highest frequency. Blau syndrome was found at
      early age after birth. It began with lepidic rash and symmetric polyarthritis and
      was phenotypically characterized by typical rash, arthritis, iridocyclitis and
      arteritis. Cardiac involvement was also found in Blau syndrome. In addition to
      nerve deafness, renal involvement, osteochondroma and central nervous system
      involvement were also found in our patients. Therefore, Chinese children with
      Blau syndrome have unique gene mutations and complicated clinical phenotypes.
      Pathologic examination and CARD15 mutation testing should be considered for
      diagnosis as early as possible for suspected patients.

PMID- 28639105
TI  - Towards efficiency in rare disease research: what is distinctive and important?
AB  - Characterized by their low prevalence, rare diseases are often chronically
      debilitating or life threatening. Despite their low prevalence, the aggregate
      number of individuals suffering from a rare disease is estimated to be nearly 400
      million worldwide. Over the past decades, efforts from researchers, clinicians,
      and pharmaceutical industries have been focused on both the diagnosis and therapy
      of rare diseases. However, because of the lack of data and medical records for
      individual rare diseases and the high cost of orphan drug development, only
      limited progress has been achieved. In recent years, the rapid development of
      next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based technologies, as well as the popularity of
      precision medicine has facilitated a better understanding of rare diseases and
      their molecular etiology. As a result, molecular subclassification can be
      identified within each disease more clearly, significantly improving diagnostic
      accuracy. However, providing appropriate care for patients with rare diseases is
      still an enormous challenge. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to
      the challenges of rare disease research and make suggestions on where and how our
      efforts should be focused.

PMID- 28639106
TI  - Time to selected quit date and subsequent rates of sustained smoking abstinence.
AB  - In efforts to combat tobacco dependence, most smoking cessation programs offer
      individuals who smoke the choice of a target quit date. However, it is uncertain
      whether the time to the selected quit date is associated with participants'
      chances of achieving sustained abstinence. In a pre-specified secondary analysis
      of a randomized clinical trial of four financial-incentive programs or usual care
      to encourage smoking cessation (Halpern et al. in N Engl J Med 372(22):2108-2117,
      doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1414293 , 2015), study participants were instructed to select
      a quit date between 0 and 90 days from enrollment. Among those who selected a
      quit date and provided complete baseline data (n = 1848), we used multivariable
      logistic regression to evaluate the association of the time to the selected quit
      date with 6- and 12-month biochemically-confirmed abstinence rates. In the fully
      adjusted model, the probability of being abstinent at 6 months if the participant
      selected a quit date in weeks 1, 5, 10, and 13 were 39.6, 22.6, 10.9, and 4.3%,
      respectively.

PMID- 28639108
TI  - Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate reverts iron-induced phenotype of hepatic stellate
      cells by chelating ferrous ions.
AB  - Hepatic fibrosis is an extracellular matrix deposition by hepatic stellate cells
      (HSC). Fibrosis can be caused by iron, which will lead to hydroxyl radical
      production and cell damage. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) has been shown to
      deliver therapeutic effects in many pathological situations. In this work, we
      aimed to test the effects of FBP in HSC cell line, GRX, exposed to an excess of
      iron (Fe). The Fe-treatment increased cell proliferation and FBP reversed this
      effect, which was not due to increased necrosis, apoptosis or changes in cell
      cycle. Oil Red-O staining showed that FBP successfully increased lipid content
      and lead GRX cells to present characteristics of quiescent HSC. Fe-treatment
      decreased PPAR-gamma expression and increased Col-1 expression. Both effects were
      reversed by FBP which also decreased TGF-beta1 levels in comparison to both
      control and Fe groups. FBP, also, did not present scavenger activity in the DPPH
      assay. The treatment with FBP resulted in decreased proliferation rate, Col-1
      expression and TGF-beta1 release by HSC cells. Furthermore, activated PPAR-gamma
      and increased lipid droplets induce cells to become quiescent, which is a key
      event to reversion of hepatic fibrosis. FBP also chelates iron showing potential
      to improve Cell redox state.

PMID- 28639107
TI  - Depressive symptoms in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: biological
      mechanistic pathways.
AB  - This study examined the association between depressive symptoms, as well as
      depressive symptom dimensions, and three candidate biological pathways linking
      them to Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): (1) inflammation; (2) circulating leptin;
      and (3) intermittent hypoxemia. Participants included 181 obese adults with
      moderate-to-severe OSA enrolled in the Cardiovascular Consequences of Sleep Apnea
      (COSA) trial. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression
      Inventory-II (BDI-II). We assessed inflammation using C-reactive protein levels
      (CRP), circulating leptin by radioimmunoassay using a double antibody/PEG assay,
      and intermittent hypoxemia by the percentage of sleep time each patient had below
      90% oxyhemoglobin saturation. We found no significant associations between BDI-II
      total or cognitive scores and CRP, leptin, or percentage of sleep time below 90%
      oxyhemoglobin saturation after controlling for relevant confounding factors.
      Somatic symptoms, however, were positively associated with percentage of sleep
      time below 90% saturation (beta = 0.202, P = 0.032), but not with CRP or
      circulating leptin in adjusted models. Another significant predictor of
      depressive symptoms included sleep efficiency (betaBDI Total = -0.230, P = 0.003;
      betacognitive = -0.173, P = 0.030 (betasomatic = -0.255, P = 0.001). In patients
      with moderate-to-severe OSA, intermittent hypoxia may play a role in somatic
      rather than cognitive or total depressive symptoms.

PMID- 28639109
TI  - Occurrence of naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac residues in wastewater and
      river water of KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa.
AB  - The present paper reports a detailed study that is based on the monitoring of
      naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac in Mbokodweni River and wastewater treatment
      plants (WWTPs) located around the city of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal Province of
      South Africa. Target compounds were extracted from water samples using a multi
      template molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction prior to separation and
      quantification on a high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with photo
      diode array detector. The analytical method yielded the detection limits of 0.15,
      1.00, and 0.63 MUg/L for naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac, respectively. Solid
      phase extraction method was evaluated for its performance using deionized water
      samples that were spiked with 5 and 50 MUg/L of target compounds. Recoveries were
      greater than 80% for all target compounds with RSD values in the range of 4.1 to
      10%. Target compounds were detected in most wastewater and river water samples
      with ibuprofen being the most frequently detected pharmaceutical. Maximum
      concentrations detected in river water for naproxen, ibuprofen, and diclofenac
      were 6.84, 19.2, and 9.69 MUg/L, respectively. The concentrations of target
      compounds found in effluent and river water samples compared well with some
      studies. The analytical method employed in this work is fast, selective,
      sensitive, and affordable; therefore, it can be used routinely to evaluate the
      occurrence of acidic pharmaceuticals in South African water resources.

PMID- 28639110
TI  - Neointimal hyperplasia covering the intraluminal neo-metal carina 12 years after
      the simultaneous kissing stenting technique was performed: insight from optical
      frequency domain imaging findings.

PMID- 28639111
TI  - A Lifetime's Adventure in Extracellular K+ Regulation: The Scottish Connection.
AB  - In a career that has spanned 45 years and shows no signs of slowing down, Dr
      Bruce Ransom has devoted considerable time and energy to studying regulation of
      interstitial K+. When Bruce commenced his studies in 1969 virtually nothing was
      known of the functions of glial cells, but Bruce's research contributed to the
      physiological assignation of function to mammalian astrocytes, namely
      interstitial K+ buffering. The experiments that I describe in this review concern
      the response of the membrane potential (Em) of in vivo cat cortical astrocytes to
      changes in [K+]o, an experimental manoeuvre that was achieved in two different
      ways. The first involved recording the Em of an astrocyte while the initial aCSF
      was switched to one with different K+, whereas in the second series of
      experiments the cortex was stimulated and the response of the astrocyte Em to the
      K+ released from neighbouring neurons was recorded. The astrocytes responded in a
      qualitatively predictable manner, but quantitatively the changes were not as
      predicted by the Nernst equation. Elevations in interstitial K+ are not sustained
      and K+ returns to baseline rapidly due to the buffering capacity of astrocytes, a
      phenomenon studied by Bruce, and his son Chris, published 27 years after Bruce's
      initial publications. Thus, a lifetime spent investigating K+ buffering has seen
      enormous advances in glial research, from the time cells were identified as
      'presumed' glial cells or 'silent cells', to the present day, where glial cells
      are recognised as contributing to every important physiological brain function.

PMID- 28639113
TI  - Ergonomic strategies to improve radiographers' posture during mammography
      activities.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To identify alternatives for radiographers' postures while performing
      mammography that can contribute to reduce the risk of work-related
      musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). METHODS: Radiographers' postures to
      positioning craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views were simulated
      without any intervention for three scenarios: radiographer/patient with similar
      statures, radiographer smaller than patient and radiographer taller than patient.
      Actions were taken to modify the postures: seated radiographer; patient on a
      step; seated patient; radiographer on a step. All the postures were analysed
      using kinovea 0.8.15 software and the angles were measured twice and classified
      according to European standard EN1005-4: 2005. RESULTS: The non-acceptable angles
      were measured mainly during MLO positioning when radiographer was taller than the
      patient: 139 degrees  and 120 degrees  for arm-flexion and abduction, 72 degrees 
      for trunk and -24 degrees  for head/neck-flexion. The introduction of alternative
      postures (radiographer seated), allowed improvements in posture (60 degrees  and
      99 degrees  for arm flexion and abduction, 14 degrees  for trunk and 0 degrees 
      for head/neck flexion), being classified as acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: The
      alternative postures simulated have the potential to reduce the risk of
      developing WRMSDs when radiographers and patients have different statures. MAIN
      MESSAGES: * Radiographers' postures in mammography can contribute to work-related
      musculoskeletal disorders * Non-acceptable posture was identified for MLO breast
      positioning (radiographer taller than patient) * Adapting posture to patient
      biotype reduces the WRMSD risk for radiographers.

PMID- 28639112
TI  - Kuguacin J isolated from bitter melon leaves modulates paclitaxel sensitivity in
      drug-resistant human ovarian cancer cells.
AB  - We previously reported the multidrug resistance-reversing ability of kuguacin J
      (KJ) in cervical cancer cells via the inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp)
      function. This study investigated whether KJ could promote cisplatin- and
      paclitaxel (PTX)-induced cancer cell death in drug-resistance human ovarian
      cancer cells (SKOV3). Cytotoxicity testing showed that SKOV3 was more resistant
      to cisplatin and PTX compared to drug-sensitive human ovarian cancer cells
      (A2780). The cytotoxicity of PTX was significantly increased in SKOV3 cells when
      co-treated with KJ. We found that enhancement of PTX toxicity in the cells was
      not related to P-gp inhibition. To elucidate the mechanism by which KJ increases
      PTX sensitivity, the expression of cell death involving proteins was analyzed by
      Western blot analysis. The results showed that PTX treatment increased the level
      of an anti-apoptotic protein, survivin, which may be involved in drug resistance
      in SKOV3. The co-treatment with PTX and KJ dramatically decreased the level of
      survivin and markedly induced cleavage of PARP and caspase-3, which are apoptotic
      induced molecules. These findings may support the use of KJ as an effective
      chemosensitizer in combination with conventional chemotherapy to promote PTX
      sensitization in ovarian cancer patients.

PMID- 28639114
TI  - Imaging-guided chest biopsies: techniques and clinical results.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This article aims to comprehensively describe indications,
      contraindications, technical aspects, diagnostic accuracy and complications of
      percutaneous lung biopsy. METHODS: Imaging-guided biopsy currently represents one
      of the predominant methods for obtaining tissue specimens in patients with lung
      nodules; in many cases treatment protocols are based on histological information;
      thus, biopsy is frequently performed, when technically feasible, or in case other
      techniques (such as bronchoscopy with lavage) are inconclusive. RESULTS: Although
      a coaxial system is suitable in any case, two categories of needles can be used:
      fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and core-needle biopsy (CNB), with the
      latter demonstrated to have a slightly higher overall sensitivity, specificity
      and accuracy. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous lung biopsy is a safe procedure even
      though a few complications are possible: pneumothorax, pulmonary haemorrhage and
      haemoptysis are common complications, while air embolism and seeding are rare,
      but potentially fatal complications. TEACHING POINTS: * Imaging-guided biopsy is
      one of the main methods to obtain lung nodule specimens. * CT has the highest
      accuracy for diagnosis as an imaging guide. * Compared to FNAB, CNB has a higher
      accuracy for diagnosis. * Pneumothorax and parenchymal pulmonary haemorrhage care
      the most frequent complications. * Several clinical and technical variables can
      affect diagnostic accuracy and patient safety.

PMID- 28639115
TI  - Chemical Composition of Selected Commercial Herbal Remedies in Relation to
      Geographical Origin and Inter-Species Diversity.
AB  - Infusions prepared from medicinal herbs that are rich in flavonoids are very
      popular herbal remedies in societies of Eastern Europe. Therefore, the content of
      essential elements together with total flavonoids was analyzed in 65 commercially
      available samples of herbal drugs originating from Ukraine, Romania, and Belarus.
      The results showed that metallic elements (in mg kg-1 d.w.) have occurred in the
      following order: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu, both for total and water-extractable species.
      Total flavonoids were determined in the range from 10.0 to 191.8 mg g-1 d.w.
      Several significant correlations have been found between the analytes, especially
      among water-extractable Fe with other metals, and total flavonoids and Fe, Zn,
      and Mn. Analysis of variance has revealed significant differences among studied
      samples due to their origin from different countries, especially between
      Belarussian samples and others. Differences owing to belonging to various plant
      species were also found, as it was noticed in the case of Polygoni aviculare
      herba in comparison with other botanical plant species. Moreover, multivariate
      statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis (CA) and principal component
      analysis (PCA) were used to gather herbal drugs based on similarity of chemical
      composition. CA grouped the samples into clusters with similar level of elements
      and total flavonoid contents, and PCA has indicated Hyperici herba, Tiliae
      flores, and Crataegi fructus as herbal remedies with close concentration of
      studied elements and flavonoids.

PMID- 28639117
TI  - Tubeless outpatient robotic upper urinary tract reconstruction in the pediatric
      population: short-term assessment of safety.
AB  - Robotic upper urinary tract reconstruction (UUTR) has been widely utilized for
      surgical management of congenital obstruction. To further reduce morbidity and
      simplify postoperative care, outpatient robotic pyeloplasty (RP) and robotic
      ureteroureterostomy (RUU) were performed without ureteral stents, drains, or
      urethral catheters. The aim of the study was to assess the safety of performing
      tubeless robotic UUTR as an outpatient procedure. A retrospective review was
      performed for patients who underwent outpatient tubeless RP and RUU between July
      2015 and January 2017. All procedures were primary interventions. No ureteral
      stents, drains, or urethral catheters were utilized. No regional blocks were
      utilized. Patients were discharged from the post anesthesia care unit as a
      scheduled outpatient procedure without an extended stay. Primary outcomes
      included 30-day complications, emergency room (ER) visits, and readmissions. A
      total of 19 patients (14 male, 5 female) were identified (RP = 17, RUU = 3),
      including one patient who underwent staged bilateral RP. Median age was 21.5
      months (range 3-220). Median weight was 11.5 kg (range 6-89). Median operative
      time was 167 min (range 108-249), defined as skin incision to closure. No 30-day
      complications, ER visits, or readmissions were observed for any patient. The
      study concludes that pediatric tubeless outpatient robotic UUTR is safe. Further
      evaluation is needed to assess this approach on a larger scale, as well as
      assessing the long-term outcomes of tubeless reconstruction.

PMID- 28639116
TI  - Integration of transcriptomic and metabolic data reveals hub transcription
      factors involved in drought stress response in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).
AB  - KEY MESSAGE: By integration of transcriptional and metabolic profiles we
      identified pathways and hubs transcription factors regulated during drought
      conditions in sunflower, useful for applications in molecular and/or
      biotechnological breeding. Drought is one of the most important environmental
      stresses that effects crop productivity in many agricultural regions. Sunflower
      is tolerant to drought conditions but the mechanisms involved in this tolerance
      remain unclear at the molecular level. The aim of this study was to characterize
      and integrate transcriptional and metabolic pathways related to drought stress in
      sunflower plants, by using a system biology approach. Our results showed a delay
      in plant senescence with an increase in the expression level of photosynthesis
      related genes as well as higher levels of sugars, osmoprotectant amino acids and
      ionic nutrients under drought conditions. In addition, we identified
      transcription factors that were upregulated during drought conditions and that
      may act as hubs in the transcriptional network. Many of these transcription
      factors belong to families implicated in the drought response in model species.
      The integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data in this study, together
      with physiological measurements, has improved our understanding of the biological
      responses during droughts and contributes to elucidate the molecular mechanisms
      involved under this environmental condition. These findings will provide useful
      biotechnological tools to improve stress tolerance while maintaining crop yield
      under restricted water availability.

PMID- 28639118
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of T0001, a newly developed anti-TNFalpha
      fusion protein, in healthy volunteers.
AB  - PURPOSE: T0001 was the first mutant of recombinant fusion protein of human tumor
      necrosis factor receptor and Fc fragment (rhTNFR:Fc) based on etanercept on a
      global scale. This study was carried out to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK)
      and immunogenicity of T0001 in healthy Chinese volunteers. METHODS: This study
      was randomized, with a single ascending dose, and the first-in-human clinical
      trial of T0001. Healthy Chinese volunteers (n = 56; male: female = 1:1) were
      randomly assigned to receive a single subcutaneous (sc) injection of 10, 20, 35,
      50, 65 or 75 mg of T0001. Blood samples were collected at designated time points
      after sc injection to assess immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics of T0001.
      RESULTS: During the study, no serious adverse events were observed. T0001 was
      slowly absorbed with a median Tmax of 84 h and slowly eliminated with a T1/2Z of
      42.1-58.2 h. In the dose-exposure proportionality analysis, the estimated points
      for AUC0-infinity and Cmax were 0.87 with a 90% CI of 0.76-0.98 and 0.86 with a
      90% CI of 0.74-0.97 respectively. The plasma concentration of free (unbound
      T0001) plasma TNFalpha and total (bound and unbound T0001) TNFalpha both
      increased significantly after the injection of T0001. Ten out of 56 volunteers
      (17.9%) tested positive for anti-drug antibodies (ADAs) at a low level.
      CONCLUSIONS: T0001 was safe and well-tolerated at doses up to 75 mg. Cmax and
      AUC0-infinity had an increasing tendency with dose levels, but we could not
      conclude that T0001 has linear PK properties in this study.

PMID- 28639119
TI  - A pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction study between selexipag and midazolam, a
      CYP3A4 substrate, in healthy male subjects.
AB  - PURPOSE: In vitro data showed that selexipag and its active metabolite (ACT
      333679) have an inductive effect on CYP3A4, CYP2B6, and CYP2C9 at concentrations
      approximately 100-fold higher than the maximum plasma concentration (C max)
      measured under steady-state conditions. In order to confirm in vivo the lack of
      induction at the enterocyte level, we assessed the effect of selexipag on
      midazolam, a substrate of hepatic and intestinal CYP3A4. METHODS: This study was
      conducted according to an open-label, randomized, two-way crossover design. A
      total of 20 subjects received a single oral dose of 7.5 mg midazolam alone
      (treatment A) or on top of steady-state selexipag (treatment B). Selexipag was
      administered twice daily using an up-titration scheme consisting of three steps:
      400, 600, 1000, and 1600 MUg with increments every fourth day. A 24-h
      pharmacokinetic profile was performed following midazolam administration, and
      bioequivalence criteria were investigated on an exploratory basis. RESULTS: The C
      max of midazolam and 1-hydroxymidazolam was decreased by approximately 20 and
      14%, respectively, following treatment B compared to A. The time to reach C max
      for midazolam and 1-hydroxymidazolam was similar between treatments. The terminal
      half-life was reduced in treatment B compared to A for both midazolam (16%) and 1
      hydroxymidazolam (20%). Exposure (area under the curve) to midazolam and 1
      hydroxymidazolam was similar between treatments, and the 90% confidence intervals
      of geometric mean ratios were within the bioequivalence interval. Treatment with
      midazolam, selexipag, and the combination was safe and well tolerated.
      CONCLUSION: Exposure to midazolam and 1-hydroxymidazolam was not affected by
      treatment with selexipag.

PMID- 28639120
TI  - Duloxetine and gingival bleeding: a case-report and reviews of the French and
      World PharmacoVigilance Databases and literature.

PMID- 28639121
TI  - Montelukast use-a 19-year nationwide drug utilisation study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist used in asthma and
      rhinitis treatment. Despite being marketed nearly two decades ago, little is
      known about its utilisation pattern. METHODS: Using the Danish National
      Prescription Registry, we identified subjects filling a montelukast prescription
      between 1998 and 2017. Using descriptive statistics, we reported the development
      in incidence, and prevalence, as well as a measure of treatment duration, and
      concomitant use of asthma- or anti-allergic therapy. RESULTS: We identified
      147,247 individuals filling 1,327,489 montelukast prescriptions. A total of
      54,349 users (37%) filled only one montelukast prescription. The prevalence
      increased from 0.9/1000 persons in 1998 to 3.3/1000 persons in 2016. The rate of
      new users reached its maximum of 2.1/1000 person-years in 2009. Among new
      montelukast users, 28% were still users after 1 year. Among all montelukast
      initiators, 60% filled at least one prescription of short-acting beta-2-agonists
      (SABA) up to a year prior to montelukast initiation, and 49% filled a
      prescription of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Only 0.8% (n = 1148) of all
      individuals initiated montelukast without a redeemed prescription of short- or
      long-term inhalation therapy, systemic antihistamines, or nasal topical anti
      allergic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The usage of montelukast has increased over
      threefold since its market entry in 1998, mainly driven by an increased number of
      prevalent users. The majority of individuals who initiated montelukast filled a
      prescription of SABA up to a year prior to montelukast initiation, whereas almost
      half filled a prescription of ICS.

PMID- 28639122
TI  - Targeting Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) with F-18-Labeled Compounds:
      the Influence of Prosthetic Groups on Tumor Uptake and Clearance Profile.
AB  - PURPOSE: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an important biomarker
      expressed in the majority of prostate cancers. The favorable positron emission
      tomography (PET) imaging profile of the PSMA imaging agent 2-(3-(1-carboxy-5-[(6
      [18F]fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl)-ureido)-pentane-dioic acid
      [18F]DCFPyL in preclinical prostate cancer models and in prostate cancer patients
      stimulated the development and validation of other fluorine-containing PSMA
      inhibitors to further enhance pharmacokinetics and simplify production methods.
      Here, we describe the synthesis and radiopharmacological evaluation of various F
      18-labeled PSMA inhibitors which were prepared through different prosthetic group
      chemistry strategies. PROCEDURES: Prosthetic groups N-succinimidyl-4
      [18F]fluorobenzoate ([18F]SFB), 4-[18F]fluorobenzaldehyde, and 2-deoxy-2
      [18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) were used for bioconjugation reactions to PSMA
      binding lysine-urea-glutamate scaffold via acylation and oxime formation. All
      fluorine-containing PSMA inhibitors were tested for their PSMA inhibitory potency
      in an in vitro competitive binding assay in comparison to an established
      reference compound [125I]TAAG-PSMA. Tumor uptake and clearance profiles of three
      F-18-labeled PSMA inhibitors ([18F]4, [18F]7, and [18F]8) were studied with
      dynamic PET imaging using LNCaP tumor-bearing mice. RESULTS: F-18-labeled PSMA
      inhibitors were synthesized in 32-69 % radiochemical yields using (1) acylation
      reaction at the primary amino group of the lysine residue with [18F]SFB and (2)
      oxime formation with 4-[18F]fluorobenzaldehyde and [18F]FDG using the respective
      aminooxy-functionalized lysine residue. Compound 7 displayed an IC50 value of 6
      nM reflecting very high affinity for PSMA. Compounds 4 and 8 showed IC50 values
      of 13 and 62 nM, respectively. The IC50 value of reference compound DCFPyL was 13
      nM. Dynamic PET imaging revealed the following SUV60min for radiotracer uptake in
      PSMA(+) LNCaP tumors: 0.98 ([18F]DCFPyL), 2.11 ([18F]7), 0.40 ([18F]4), and 0.19
      ([18F]8). CONCLUSION: The observed tumor uptake and clearance profiles
      demonstrate the importance of the selected prosthetic group on the
      pharmacokinetic profile of analyzed PSMA-targeting radiotracers. Radiotracer
      [18F]7 displayed the highest uptake and retention in LNCaP tumors, which exceeded
      uptake values of reference compound [18F]DCFPyL by more than 100 %. Despite the
      higher kidney and liver uptake and retention of compound [18F]7, the simple
      radiosynthesis and the exceptionally high tumor uptake (SUV60min 2.11) and
      retention make radiotracer [18F]7 an interesting alternative to radiotracer
      [18F]DCFPyL for PET imaging of PSMA in prostate cancer.

PMID- 28639123
TI  - A Multispecies Approach to Co-Sleeping : Integrating Human-Animal Co-Sleeping
      Practices into Our Understanding of Human Sleep.
AB  - Human sleeping arrangements have evolved over time and differ across cultures.
      The majority of adults share their bed at one time or another with a partner or
      child, and many also sleep with pets. In fact, around half of dog and cat owners
      report sharing a bed or bedroom with their pet(s). However, interspecies co
      sleeping has been trivialized in the literature relative to interpersonal or
      human-human co-sleeping, receiving little attention from an interdisciplinary
      psychological perspective. In this paper, we provide a historical outline of the
      "civilizing process" that has led to current sociocultural conceptions of sleep
      as an individual, private function crucial for the functioning of society and the
      health of individuals. We identify similar historical processes at work in the
      formation of contemporary constructions of socially normative sleeping
      arrangements for humans and animals. Importantly, since previous examinations of
      co-sleeping practices have anthropocentrically framed this topic, the result is
      an incomplete understanding of co-sleeping practices. By using dogs as an
      exemplar of human-animal co-sleeping, and comparing human-canine sleeping with
      adult-child co-sleeping, we determine that both forms of co-sleeping share common
      factors for establishment and maintenance, and often result in similar benefits
      and drawbacks. We propose that human-animal and adult-child co-sleeping should be
      approached as legitimate and socially relevant forms of co-sleeping, and we
      recommend that co-sleeping be approached broadly as a social practice involving
      relations with humans and other animals. Because our proposition is speculative
      and derived from canine-centric data, we recommend ongoing theoretical refinement
      grounded in empirical research addressing co-sleeping between humans and multiple
      animal species.

PMID- 28639124
TI  - Low-Grade Papillary Schneiderian Carcinoma: A Case Report.
AB  - The nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are covered with ciliated respiratory
      mucosa of ectodermal origin, known as Schneiderian epithelium, which can give
      rise to different types of sinonasal carcinomas. A 42-year-old woman with a
      history of nasal polypectomy 3 years previously presented with nasal obstruction
      and rhinorrhea. She was found to have a papillary mass involving the left nasal
      cavity, and the left maxillary and ethmoidal sinuses by radiologic examination.
      She underwent endonasal resection under the diagnosis of oncocytic papilloma. The
      resected specimen showed exuberant invasive growth of papillary or inverted
      architectures of epithelial cells. The neoplastic cells were very bland, showing
      a round to polygonal shape, low nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, abundant oncocytic
      cytoplasm, uniform nuclei, indistinct nucleoli, and scarce mitosis. The overall
      features were identical to those of a recent report of a low-grade papillary
      Schneiderian carcinoma. The main differential diagnosis is Schneiderian
      papilloma, and awareness of this novel entity is important for its proper
      treatment.

PMID- 28639125
TI  - DLSanalysis.org: a web interface for analysis of dynamic light scattering data.
AB  - A web interface ( www.DLSanalysis.org ) for indirect Laplace transformation of
      dynamic light scattering data is presented. When experimental data are uploaded
      to the server they are processed in a few seconds, and the result is displayed on
      the screen in the form of a size distribution together with the experimental data
      and the fit to the data. No other user input than the experimental data is
      necessary, but various options for the analysis may be selected. No local
      installation of software or registration is necessary. The result of the analysis
      can be downloaded.

PMID- 28639126
TI  - A comparison of five partial volume correction methods for Tau and Amyloid PET
      imaging with [18F]THK5351 and [11C]PIB.
AB  - PURPOSE: To suppress partial volume effect (PVE) in brain PET, there have been
      many algorithms proposed. However, each methodology has different property due to
      its assumption and algorithms. Our aim of this study was to investigate the
      difference among partial volume correction (PVC) method for tau and amyloid PET
      study. METHODS: We investigated two of the most commonly used PVC methods, Muller
      Gartner (MG) and geometric transfer matrix (GTM) and also other three methods for
      clinical tau and amyloid PET imaging. One healthy control (HC) and one
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) PET studies of both [18F]THK5351 and [11C]PIB were
      performed using a Eminence STARGATE scanner (Shimadzu Inc., Kyoto, Japan). All
      PET images were corrected for PVE by MG, GTM, Labbe (LABBE), Regional voxel-based
      (RBV), and Iterative Yang (IY) methods, with segmented or parcellated anatomical
      information processed by FreeSurfer, derived from individual MR images. PVC
      results of 5 algorithms were compared with the uncorrected data. RESULTS: In
      regions of high uptake of [18F]THK5351 and [11C]PIB, different PVCs demonstrated
      different SUVRs. The degree of difference between PVE uncorrected and corrected
      depends on not only PVC algorithm but also type of tracer and subject condition.
      CONCLUSION: Presented PVC methods are straight-forward to implement but the
      corrected images require careful interpretation as different methods result in
      different levels of recovery.

PMID- 28639127
TI  - Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiac Risk Factors: Going Gluten-Free, for
      Better or Worse?

PMID- 28639128
TI  - Comparison of 4-L Polyethylene Glycol and 2-L Polyethylene Glycol Plus Ascorbic
      Acid in Patients with Inactive Ulcerative Colitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although colonoscopy preparation may cause symptom flares in patients
      with ulcerative colitis (UC), little is known about the standard preparation
      regimen in this population. AIM: We aimed to compare 4L polyethylene glycol (4L
      PEG) with 2L polyethylene glycol plus ascorbic acid (2L-PEG-Asc) in quiescent UC
      patients. METHODS: Patients with inactive UC undergoing colonoscopy for
      surveillance or checkup of mucosal healing were prospectively enrolled at 5
      tertiary hospitals. They were randomly assigned to 4L-PEG and 2L-PEG-Asc groups.
      The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) was used for the preparation quality.
      Symptoms were assessed using the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI)
      before colonoscopy, at 1 and 4 weeks after the procedure. RESULTS: Overall, 109
      patients were included in the study (4L-PEG group 53, 2L-PEG-Asc group 56, the
      mean age at diagnosis 42.25 years, male 77). The quality of preparation was
      comparable between the groups (BBPS >= 6, 96.2 vs. 92.9%, p = 0.679). Although 26
      patients (23.8%) had increased SCCAI scores within 4 weeks after colonoscopy,
      resulting in a medication dose-up or add-on in 3 patients (2.7%), the rise in
      scores was not different between the groups. No serious adverse events during
      preparation were observed in either group. However, the 2L-PEG-Asc group was more
      likely to be willing to repeat the preparation with the same agent than the 4L
      PEG group (82.1 vs. 64.2%, respectively, p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: PEG-based
      regimens with different volumes are equally effective and safe in inactive UC
      patients. 2L-PEG-Asc is more acceptable in this population as indicated by the
      willingness for further usage.

PMID- 28639129
TI  - The Inhibition of Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase Accelerates Early Liver
      Regeneration in Mice After Partial Hepatectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: The inflammatory response accelerates early liver
      regeneration after liver injury and resection. Recent studies have demonstrated
      that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) suppresses the activation of
      inflammatory cells and induces immune tolerance. In this study, we examined the
      role of IDO1 in liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx). METHODS: WT
      or IDO1-knockout (IDO1-KO) mice received 70% PHx. The liver-body weight ratio
      after PHx was measured and hepatocyte growth was assessed by immunostaining. The
      expression of cell cycle genes and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the liver was
      analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. In addition, 1-methyl-DL-tryptophan (1-MT),
      which is an IDO1 inhibitory agent, was given to WT mice and the liver-body weight
      ratio was measured after PHx. RESULTS: The liver-body weight ratio was
      significantly increased in IDO1-KO mice compared with that in WT mice after PHx.
      More Ki-67-positive cells were present in IDO1-KO mice than in WT mice after PHx.
      The expression of cell cycle genes (cyclin D1, cyclin E) and pro-inflammatory
      cytokines (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha and IL-6) was up-regulated in the remnant liver of
      IDO1-KO mice compared with WT mice. Moreover, treatment with 1-MT promoted liver
      regeneration. CONCLUSION: IDO1 deficiency promoted early liver regeneration after
      PHx, indicating that IDO1 suppresses the production of inflammatory cytokines and
      subsequently inhibits hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration.

PMID- 28639130
TI  - Vitamin C Improves Gastroparesis in Diabetic Rats: Effects on Gastric Contractile
      Responses and Oxidative Stress.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic gastroparesis is a common complication of diabetes mellitus,
      which mainly affects women. Previous studies have demonstrated that oxidative
      stress is involved in its onset and development. AIMS: This study evaluated the
      role of vitamin C on diabetes-associated gastric dysmotility. METHODS: Female
      rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were treated with vehicle (water, 1
      mL/kg, p.o.), vitamin C (300 mg/kg/day, p.o.), or insulin (6 IU/day, s.c.).
      Gastric emptying, in vitro gastric contractility, and biochemistry parameters
      were analyzed at the end of the treatment (i.e. 8 weeks after the diabetes
      induction). RESULTS: Vitamin C reversed the delayed gastric emptying of diabetic
      rats to normal levels, and avoided the changes in the contractile responses to
      acetylcholine (0.1 nM-1 uM), but not to 5-hydroxytryptamine (0.1 nM-1 uM), in the
      pylorus and fundus from diabetic rats. Moreover, the contraction evoked by KCl
      (40 mM) in the fundus, but not in the pylorus, was intensely increased in
      diabetic rats treated with vitamin C. Notably, the vitamin C reestablished the
      reduced glutathione levels by 77% and decreased the reactive oxygen species
      content by 60% in the gastric tissue from diabetic rats. Despite the effects on
      gastric motility, vitamin C treatment did not change the fasting glycaemia or the
      glycated hemoglobin of diabetic rats. Unsurprisingly, insulin treatment
      normalized all parameters evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin C exhibited a
      remarkable beneficial effect on gastric emptying dysfunction in diabetic rats,
      which was mediated by attenuation of oxidative stress and maintenance of the
      cholinergic contractile responses in fundus and pylorus.

PMID- 28639132
TI  - Identifying the neural substrates of intrinsic motivation during task
      performance.
AB  - Intrinsic motivation is the inherent tendency to seek out novelty and challenge,
      to explore and investigate, and to stretch and extend one's capacities. When
      people imagine performing intrinsically motivating tasks, they show heightened
      anterior insular cortex (AIC) activity. To fully explain the neural system of
      intrinsic motivation, however, requires assessing neural activity while people
      actually perform intrinsically motivating tasks (i.e., while answering curiosity
      inducing questions or solving competence-enabling anagrams). Using event-related
      functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that the neural system of
      intrinsic motivation involves not only AIC activity, but also striatum activity
      and, further, AIC-striatum functional interactions. These findings suggest that
      subjective feelings of intrinsic satisfaction (associated with AIC activations),
      reward processing (associated with striatum activations), and their interactions
      underlie the actual experience of intrinsic motivation. These neural findings are
      consistent with the conceptualization of intrinsic motivation as the pursuit and
      satisfaction of subjective feelings (interest and enjoyment) as intrinsic
      rewards.

PMID- 28639133
TI  - Stereotactic biopsy in elderly patients: risk assessment and impact on treatment
      decision.
AB  - To evaluate risk profile, diagnostic yield and impact on treatment decision of
      stereotactic biopsy (SB) in elderly patients with unclear cerebral lesions. In
      this single center retrospective analysis we identified all patients aged >=70
      years receiving SB between January 2005 and December 2015. Demographic data,
      Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), histology, comorbidity (by CHA2DS2-VASc
      Score) and use of anticoagulation were retrieved. We scrutinized diagnostic
      yield, procedural complications (mortality, transient and permanent morbidity),
      hospitalization time and therapeutic consequence. For correlation analysis Chi
      Square, Mann-Whitney rank sum test and binary regression were used. Two hundred
      and thirty patients were included. In 229 patients SB was technically successful.
      Median age was 74 (70-87) years, 56.1% of patients were male and median
      preoperative KPS was 80% (30-100). Median CHA2DS2-VASc Score was 4 (1-9), with
      29.6% receiving anticoagulation. Median hospital stay was 8 (2-29) days.
      Pathological diagnosis was conclusive in 97% revealing neoplastic lesions in
      91.7% (high-grade glioma 62.6%, lymphoma 18.3%, metastasis 4.8%, low-grade glioma
      3.0% and other tumors 3.0%) and non-neoplastic lesions in 5.3% of cases.
      Procedure-related mortality was 0.4%, transient and permanent morbidity occurred
      in 19 patients (8.3%) and eight patients (3.5%). Complication rate was not
      associated with any of the above-mentioned parameters. Adjuvant therapy was
      initiated in 171 (74.3%) patients. Decision against disease-specific therapy was
      only influenced by preoperative KPS (p < 0.001). SB in elderly patients is
      characterized by a favorable risk profile and high diagnostic yield, allowing
      tissue based therapeutic consequences even in patients with high comorbidity and
      anticoagulant medication.

PMID- 28639134
TI  - KIFC1 and myosin Va: two motors for acrosomal biogenesis and nuclear shaping
      during spermiogenesis of Portunus trituberculatus.
AB  - To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the spermiogenesis of the
      swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus, full lengths of motor proteins KIFC1 and
      myosin Va were cloned by rapid-amplification of cDNA ends from P. trituberculatus
      testes cDNA, and their respective probes and specific antibodies were used to
      track their localization during sperm maturation. Antisense probes were designed
      from the gene sequences and used to detect the mRNA levels of each gene.
      According to the results of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), the
      transcription of kifc1 and myosin Va began at the mid-stage of spermatids, with
      the kifc1 mRNA being most active at the location where the acrosome cap was
      formed and the myosin Va was more concentrated in the acrosome complex.
      Immunofluorescence results showed that KIFC1 and myosin Va were highly expressed
      in each stage of spermigenesis. In the early spermatids, they were randomly
      dispersed in the cytoplasm together with cytoskeletons. At the mid-stage, the
      motors were gathered above one side of the nucleus where the acrosome would later
      form. In the late spermatids and mature sperm, the KIFC1 was closely distributed
      in the perinuclear region, indicating its role in nucleus deformation. Myosin Va
      was distributed in the acrosome complex until sperm maturity. This suggests
      myosin Va's potential role in material transportation during acrosome formation
      and maturation. The above results provide a preliminary illustration of the
      essential roles of KIFC1 and myosin Va in the spermiogenesis of the swimming crab
      P. trituberculatus.

PMID- 28639131
TI  - miRNA Signature of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Vascularization: How the Controls Can
      Influence the Signature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: miRNA deregulation and vascular modifications constitute promising
      predictors in the study of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the literature, the
      relative miRNA abundance in HCC is usually determined using as control non
      matched tumoral tissue, healthy liver, or cirrhotic liver. However, a common
      standard RNA control for the normalization toward the tissue gene expression was
      not settled yet. AIM: To assess the differences existing in the quantitative
      miRNA gene expression in HCC on tissue according to two different liver controls.
      METHODS: A wide array of miRNAs was analyzed on 22 HCCs arisen in cirrhotic and
      non-cirrhotic livers by means of microfluidic cards. Control samples included
      total RNA extracted from healthy and cirrhotic livers. Immunohistochemistry for
      CD34 and Nestin was performed to assess the pattern of intratumoral vascular
      modifications. RESULTS: Six miRNAs were deregulated in HCCs using either
      controls: miR-532, miR-34a, miR-93, miR-149#, miR-7f-2#, and miR-30a-5p. Notably,
      the miRNA expression changed significantly between HCCs arisen in cirrhotic and
      non-cirrhotic livers, according to the control used for normalization. Different
      miRNA profiles were found also in HCCs with different vascular patterns,
      according to the control used for normalization. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm
      that the choice of the methodology, and particularly the control used for
      normalization, represents the main concern in miRNA evaluation, particularly in a
      heterogeneous model such as liver pathology. Still we observed the deregulation
      of some common miRNAs as promising in HCC cancerogenesis and progression. A
      standardized control will be a crucial achievement to compare miRNA expression
      among different laboratories.

PMID- 28639135
TI  - Histological verification of the usefulness of magnifying endoscopy with narrow
      band imaging for horizontal margin diagnosis of differentiated-type early gastric
      cancers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (ME-NBI) can
      help identify the horizontal margin (HM) of early gastric cancer (EGC), little is
      known about the factors that can clarify the HM by using ME-NBI. We aimed to
      characterize the pathological features of lesions in which the HM was identified
      using ME-NBI. METHODS: The HMs of 639 differentiated-type EGCs treated with
      endoscopic submucosal dissection or surgery were analyzed using conventional
      endoscopy and ME-NBI. The number and width of the intervening parts (IP) and the
      number, width, and depth of the subepithelial capillaries (SEC) in cancerous and
      noncancerous areas were measured. RESULTS: In 13 lesions (2.0%), more than 90% of
      the HM was not recognized with conventional endoscopy, but 11 of these lesions
      were detectable with ME-NBI (NBI group). The HMs of the other 626 lesions were
      mostly recognized using conventional endoscopy (WLI/CE group). In the NBI group,
      the IP width, standard deviation (SD), and number of IPs did not significantly
      differ between the cancerous and noncancerous areas. However, the SEC number was
      significantly larger and the depth was shallower in cancerous areas. In the
      WLI/CE group, the IP width and SD were significantly larger, but the IP number
      was significantly smaller in cancerous areas. The SEC depth was significantly
      shallower in cancerous areas. CONCLUSIONS: Differences of IP width, SD, and IP
      number may be factors for identifying HMs with conventional endoscopy. Because
      NBI can better visualize vessel structures, the increased SEC number and shallow
      SECs may clarify the HM.

PMID- 28639136
TI  - Long-term oncologic outcomes of robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer compared
      with laparoscopic gastrectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Initial experiences with robotic gastrectomy (RG) for gastric cancer
      have demonstrated favorable short-term outcomes, suggesting that RG is an
      effective alternative to laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG). However, data on long
      term survival and recurrence after RG for gastric cancer have yet to be reported.
      The objective of this study was to assess long-term outcomes after RG compared
      with LG. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 313 and 524 patients who underwent
      RG or LG, respectively, for gastric cancer between July 2005 and December 2009.
      We compared long-term outcomes using the entire and a propensity-score matched
      cohort. RESULTS: The entire cohort analysis revealed no statistically significant
      differences in 5-year overall survival(OS) or relapse-free survival(RFS) (p =
      0.4112 and p = 0.8733, respectively): 93.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 89.9
      95.6] and 90.7% (95% CI, 86.9-93.5) after RG and 91.6% (95% CI 88.9-93.7) and
      90.5% (95% CI 87.6-92.7) after LG, respectively; hazard ratios for death and
      recurrence in the robotic group were 0.828 (95% CI, 0.528-1.299; p = 0.4119) and
      0.968 (95% CI, 0.649-1.445; p = 0.8741), respectively. The propensity-matched
      cohort analysis demonstrated no statistically significant differences for 5-year
      OS or RFS (p = 0.5207 and p = 0.2293, respectively): 93.2% and 90.7% after RG and
      94.2% and 92.6% after LG, respectively; hazard ratios for death and recurrence in
      the robotic group were 1.194 (95% CI, 0.695-2.062; p = 0.5214) and 1.343 (95% CI,
      0.830-2.192; p = 0.2321), respectively. CONCLUSION: The potential technical
      superiority of robotic system over laparoscopy did not improve oncological
      outcomes after gastrectomy. Long-term oncological outcomes were not different
      between RG and LG. Nevertheless, robotic applications in minimally invasive
      gastric cancer surgery may be an oncologically safe alternative.

PMID- 28639137
TI  - The Frank-Starling Law: a jigsaw of titin proportions.
AB  - The Frank-Starling Law dictates that the heart is able to match ejection to the
      dynamic changes occurring during cardiac filling, hence efficiently regulating
      isovolumetric contraction and shortening. In the last four decades, efforts have
      been made to identify a common fundamental basis for the Frank-Starling heart
      that can explain the direct relationship between muscle lengthening and its
      increased sensitization to Ca2+. The term 'myofilament length-dependent
      activation' describes the length-dependent properties of the myofilaments, but
      what is(are) the underlying molecular mechanism(s) is a matter of ongoing debate.
      Length-dependent activation increases formation of thick-filament strongly-bound
      cross-bridges on actin and imposes structural-mechanical alterations on the thin
      filament with greater than normal bound Ca2+. Stretch-induced effects, rather
      than changes in filament spacing, appear to be primarily involved in the
      regulation of length-dependent activation. Here, evidence is provided to support
      the notion that stretch-mediated effects induced by titin govern alterations of
      thick-filament force-producing cross-bridges and thin-filament Ca2+-cooperative
      responses.

PMID- 28639139
TI  - Ex vivo permeation of erythropoietin through porcine conjunctiva, cornea, and
      sclera.
AB  - The aim of this study is to test the permeation of human recombinant
      erythropoietin (rHuEPO) across conjunctiva, cornea, and sclera in an ex vivo
      model. Thirty fresh pig eyes were collected from a slaughterhouse. Conjunctivas
      (n = 10), corneas (n = 10), and scleras (n = 10) were surgically dissected from
      surrounding tissues. Ocular membranes were placed into Franz diffusion cells and
      rHuEPO was administered into the donor phase of each cell, except for control
      samples. Samples were collected from the receptor phase at seven time points,
      from 30 min to 6 h of incubation. Erythropoietin (EPO) was quantified by enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Ocular membranes
      immunohistochemistry was also performed at the end of the study. EPO was detected
      in all test samples. After 6 h of incubation, conjunctiva was the most permeable
      membrane to rHuEPO (509.3 +/- 89.8 mIU/cm2, corresponding to 0.52% of the total
      rHuEPO administered on the donor phase), followed by sclera (359.1 +/- 123.7
      mIU/cm2, corresponding to 0.35%) and finally cornea (71.0 +/- 31.8 mIU/cm2,
      corresponding to 0.07%). Differences between ocular membranes' permeation were
      statistically significant (p < 0.001). EPO immunostaining signal was positive for
      the three ocular membranes. We have demonstrated in an ex vivo model that porcine
      conjunctiva, cornea, and sclera are permeable to rHuEPO protein. These are
      promising results concerning ocular EPO administration.

PMID- 28639138
TI  - Veterinary vaccine nanotechnology: pulmonary and nasal delivery in livestock
      animals.
AB  - Veterinary vaccine development has several similarities with human vaccine
      development to improve the overall health and well-being of species. However,
      veterinary goals lean more toward feasible large-scale administration methods and
      low cost to high benefit immunization. Since the respiratory mucosa is easily
      accessible and most infectious agents begin their infection cycle at the mucosa,
      immunization through the respiratory route has been a highly attractive vaccine
      delivery strategy against infectious diseases. Additionally, vaccines
      administered via the respiratory mucosa could lower costs by removing the need of
      trained medical personnel, and lowering doses yet achieving similar or increased
      immune stimulation. The respiratory route often brings challenges in antigen
      delivery efficiency with enough potency to induce immunity. Nanoparticle (NP)
      technology has been shown to enhance immune activation by producing higher
      antibody titers and protection. Although specific mechanisms between NPs and
      biological membranes are still under investigation, physical parameters such as
      particle size and shape, as well as biological tissue distribution including
      mucociliary clearance influence the protection and delivery of antigens to the
      site of action and uptake by target cells. For respiratory delivery, various
      biomaterials such as mucoadhesive polymers, lipids, and polysaccharides have
      shown enhanced antibody production or protection in comparison to antigen alone.
      This review presents promising NPs administered via the nasal or pulmonary routes
      for veterinary applications specifically focusing on livestock animals including
      poultry.

PMID- 28639140
TI  - Determination of the thermal and epithermal neutron sensitivities of an LBO
      chamber.
AB  - An LBO (Li2B4O7) walled ionization chamber was designed to monitor the epithermal
      neutron fluence in boron neutron capture therapy clinical irradiation. The
      thermal and epithermal neutron sensitivities of the device were evaluated using
      accelerator neutrons from the 9Be(d, n) reaction at a deuteron energy of 4 MeV (4
      MeV d-Be neutrons). The response of the chamber in terms of the electric charge
      induced in the LBO chamber was compared with the thermal and epithermal neutron
      fluences measured using the gold-foil activation method. The thermal and
      epithermal neutron sensitivities obtained were expressed in units of pC cm2,
      i.e., from the chamber response divided by neutron fluence (cm-2). The measured
      LBO chamber sensitivities were 2.23 * 10-7 +/- 0.34 * 10-7 (pC cm2) for thermal
      neutrons and 2.00 * 10-5 +/- 0.12 * 10-5 (pC cm2) for epithermal neutrons. This
      shows that the LBO chamber is sufficiently sensitive to epithermal neutrons to be
      useful for epithermal neutron monitoring in BNCT irradiation.

PMID- 28639141
TI  - Survival of an AIDS patient after infection with Acanthamoeba sp. of the central
      nervous system.
AB  - CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old man presented with headaches and generalized
      weakness. He was found to have AIDS; a ring-enhancing central nervous system
      lesion was found on brain imaging and he had elevated serum Toxoplasma gondii IgG
      levels. A diagnosis of presumptive toxoplasma encephalitis was made and he
      received antiretrovirals and antitoxoplasma therapy for 4 years. Intermittent
      headaches and evidence of disease progression on neuroimaging warranted further
      evaluation and cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed amebic forms on hematoxylin
      and eosin staining and positive polymerase chain reaction testing for
      Acanthamoeba spp. He was placed on miltefosine, fluconazole, trimethoprim
      sulfamethoxazole and flucytosine for 7 months. Five months after therapy
      discontinuation he remains asymptomatic and is taking only antiretroviral
      therapy. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a patient with AIDS and
      granulomatous amebic encephalitis who survived with medical therapy only.

PMID- 28639142
TI  - Serrated Polyps of Colon and Rectum: a Clinicopathologic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the past decade, there have been significant changes in the
      classification and nomenclature of colorectal polyps. Previously, only two groups
      of lesions were widely recognized, the adenoma and the hyperplastic polyp.
      Adenomas were considered the only precursor of colorectal cancer, and
      hyperplastic polyps were considered innocent with no malignant potential.
      However, recent discoveries about molecular pathways of colorectal cancers have
      significantly changed our understanding of these neoplasms. Serrated polyps
      previously uniformly called hyperplastic polyps-are now known to comprise a
      heterogeneous family of neoplasms united by their characteristic saw tooth
      morphology but differing in many important ways, including their malignant
      potential and molecular profile. This group of neoplasms includes both
      hyperplastic polyps and the more recently recognized serrated adenomas. Serrated
      adenomas can be subdivided into the traditional serrated adenoma and the sessile
      serrated adenoma/polyp. Both of these lesions show characteristic molecular
      changes, which differ from traditional colorectal adenomatous polyps. OBJECTIVES:
      In this review, we will discuss the morphologic features of serrated colorectal
      lesions, the molecular alterations that characterize them, and their role in
      colorectal cancer development. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The English literature
      regarding the new nomenclature will be reviewed and the key diagnostic points
      will be recorded. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This large group of polyps has recently
      been better classified which needs specific attention by pathologists,
      gastroenterologists and even surgeons.

PMID- 28639143
TI  - Quality of life after carotid endarterectomy: a review of the literature.
AB  - Strokes are one of the leading causes of death, morbidity, and disability
      worldwide, mainly among elderly people. It is also the third most common cause of
      years of life being lost, indicating a high risk of premature mortality.
      Revascularisation with endarterectomy (CEA) is effective in reducing the risk of
      death and strokes in patients with carotid artery stenosis, but the effect of
      invasive treatment on quality of life (QoL) still needs attention. To shed more
      light on the patients' perspective on this health condition, we carried out a
      review of the literature which aimed to analyze the level of health-related QoL
      among stroke survivors, with special attention to patients who had been treated
      with CEA. Strokes significantly reduce the level of QoL, which may subsequently
      be improved in the course of treatment with CEA. Patients experience a reduced
      level of QoL in the early postoperative period, but at 1 year following CEA, the
      level of QoL remains stable and is similar to that of chronically ill patients.
      The domains of QoL which are most affected are physical and emotional
      functioning, which also serve as markers for decreased QoL in the long term.
      Older age and comorbidities are predictors of worse QoL. Stroke survivors require
      proper care both immediately after a stroke happens and during the long-term
      rehabilitation. Measurement of QoL and of the determining factors that contribute
      to a reduced level of QoL, as well as focusing on determinants of QoL in stroke
      survivors may help to reduce patients' disability and improve their daily
      functioning in society as well as reducing the cost of health care.

PMID- 28639144
TI  - Rural versus urban compliance in the management of cryptorchidism: is there a
      difference?
AB  - : The authors compared the age and referral patterns of pediatric patients
      undergoing surgical intervention for cryptorchidism at a rural, West Virginia
      University, versus urban, Johns Hopkins University, tertiary center. A
      retrospective review of patients undergoing surgical evaluation for
      cryptorchidism was performed. Patients treated for reasons unrelated to
      cryptorchidism or referred for multiple urologic diagnoses were excluded. The
      patients at each institution were then divided into four groups based on their
      corrected gestational age at time of surgery. Referral times and provider
      specialties were also obtained. A total of 131 cases at the urban center and 100
      cases at the rural center were identified. At the rural center, the average age
      of referral and surgery were 48.3 and 53.8 months, respectively, compared to 59.6
      and 65.2 months at the urban center. Only 40% of patients at the rural site and
      29% at the urban institution underwent intervention at less than 18 months of
      age. There was no significant difference in time of referral to surgery between
      the institutions. The majority of referrals were made by private practice
      pediatricians. CONCLUSION: In this study, a pattern of delayed referral and
      intervention was observed at both institutions despite differing geographic
      regions and heterogeneous patient populations. It is important that referring
      providers realize that scrotal U/S does not change management of UDT and should
      not delay prompt referral. What is known: * Significant referral delay is a
      challenging issue in the management of cryptorchidism. * Ultrasound is not a
      valid method for the detection of cryptorchidism. What is new: * The rural and
      urban management of cryptorchidism is not that different. * More emphasis should
      be put on the detection management of cryptorchidism.

PMID- 28639145
TI  - In vitro and In vivo Activity of Theaflavin-Epicatechin Combinations versus
      Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Acinetobacter baumannii is an important human nosocomial pathogen;
      most clinical isolates are multidrug-resistant (MDR). Infections caused by A.
      baumannii often lead to high morbidity and mortality, with limited treatment
      options. Owing to the small number of anti-Gram-negative antibiotics in the
      development pipeline, researchers are looking to other natural compounds. The aim
      of this study was to determine the in vitro kill kinetics, in vivo efficacy and
      toxicity of theaflavin-epicatechin combinations against MDR A. baumannii.
      METHODS: Kill-kinetic assays were performed in Mueller-Hinton 2 broth over 24 h.
      Toxicity of the compound in the insect model, Galleria mellonella was
      investigated. The effect of theaflavin-epicatechin combinations on mortality and
      morbidity were assessed in Acinetobacter baumannii-infected G. mellonella. Larvae
      were scored for morbidity (melanisation: scale; 0-4) and mortality over 96 h.
      RESULTS: Kill-kinetic assays revealed that monotherapy had bacteriostatic
      activity over 24 h, whereas theaflavin-epicatechin combinations were bactericidal
      (a >3 log reduction in bacterial numbers at 24 h compared with the starting
      inoculum). Both polyphenols were non-toxic to G. mellonella at concentrations of
      up to 1000 mg/kg. In vivo treatment assays showed that the combination
      significantly increased (t test; p <= 0.05) larval survival at 96 h to 86% [+/-17
      standard deviation percentage points (pp)] compared to monotherapy with
      theaflavin (52% +/- 14 pp), epicatechin (44% +/- 25 pp) or PBS (31% +/- 13 pp).
      Morbidity was also lower in larvae treated with the combination, compared with
      monotherapy. CONCLUSION: Polyphenol combinations produce effective antibacterial
      action against A. baumannii and show great potential for the treatment of
      infections caused by MDR A. baumannii.

PMID- 28639146
TI  - In vivo Visualisation and Quantification of Bone Resorption and Bone Formation
      from Time-Lapse Imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Mechanoregulation of bone cells was proposed over a century
      ago, but only now can we visualise and quantify bone resorption and bone
      formation and its mechanoregulation. In this review, we show how the newest
      advances in imaging and computational methods paved the way for this
      breakthrough. RECENT FINDINGS: Non-invasive in vivo assessment of bone resorption
      and bone formation was demonstrated by time-lapse micro-computed tomography in
      animals, and by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography in
      humans. Coupled with micro-finite element analysis, the relationships between
      sites of bone resorption and bone formation and low and high tissue loading,
      respectively, were shown. Time-lapse in vivo imaging and computational methods
      enabled visualising and quantifying bone resorption and bone formation as well as
      its mechanoregulation. Future research includes visualising and quantifying
      mechanoregulation of bone resorption and bone formation from molecular to organ
      scales, and translating the findings into medicine using personalised bone health
      prognosis.

PMID- 28639147
TI  - Rethinking cell-cycle-dependent gene expression in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
AB  - Three studies of gene expression during the division cycle of Schizosaccharomyces
      pombe led to the proposal that a large number of genes are expressed at
      particular times during the S. pombe cell cycle. Yet only a small fraction of
      genes proposed to be expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner are reproducible
      in all three published studies. In addition to reproducibility problems,
      questions about expression amplitudes, cell-cycle timing of expression,
      synchronization artifacts, and the problem with methods for synchronizing cells
      must be considered. These problems and complications prompt the idea that caution
      should be used before accepting the conclusion that there are a large number of
      genes expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner in S. pombe.

PMID- 28639149
TI  - Safety, Feasibility, Results, and Economic Impact of Common Interventional
      Procedures in a Low-Volume Region of the United States.
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and economic
      benefit of a high-volume operator performing common interventional procedures in
      a rural region of the United States (U.S.). Rural areas of the U.S., even with
      well-equipped cardiac catheterization laboratories, may not have a full-time
      pediatric interventional cardiologist (PIC); this requires patients to travel out
      of state even for simple interventions. Since 2005, we have adopted a policy of
      performing cardiac catheterizations and common interventional procedures with a
      visiting PIC. We reviewed data of all patients who underwent cardiac
      catheterizations from May 2005 through March 2015 at our center. Variables
      analyzed were type of procedure, results, and follow-up six months after
      procedure. 197 catheterizations were performed, of which 80 were for single
      atrial septal defect (ASD), 29 for fenestrated ASD, 49 for patent ductus
      arteriosus (PDA), and 39 for other procedures. Device closure of single ASD was
      successful in 75 of 79 attempts and in 27 of 28 attempts for fenestrated ASD. PDA
      closure was successful in 45 of 46 attempts. Follow-up data of 6 months or more
      were available for 127 patients. All but two patients had no cardiovascular
      symptoms at 6 months. There were four minor complications and no major
      complications. With a technical success rate of 94.9% for single ASD closure,
      97.8% for PDA closure, and results comparable to those of multi-institutional
      registries, cardiac catheterization and interventions can be performed safely
      with excellent results. Performing procedures in such an arrangement is safe,
      feasible, and economically beneficial.

PMID- 28639150
TI  - How Should We Diagnose Persistence of the Artery of the Fifth Pharyngeal Arch?

PMID- 28639151
TI  - Central Arterial Function Measured by Non-invasive Pulse Wave Analysis is
      Abnormal in Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
AB  - Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by
      mutation of dystrophin. Cardiovascular involvement includes dilated
      cardiomyopathy. Non-invasive assessment of vascular function has not been
      evaluated in DMD. We hypothesize arterial wave reflection is abnormal in patients
      with DMD. Pulse wave analysis was performed on DMD patients with a SphygmoCor
      SCOR-PVx System to determine central blood pressure and augmentation index (AIx)
      as an assessment of arterial wave reflection. Results were compared to a control
      group. A total of 43 patients with DMD were enrolled, and compared to 43 normal
      controls. Central systolic blood pressure was lower, while both AIx-75 (7.8 +/-
      9.6% vs. 2.1 +/- 10.4%, p 0.01, DMD vs. normal) and AIx-not corrected (16.8 +/-
      10.1% vs. -3.6 +/- 10.9, p < 0.001, DMD vs. normal) were higher in the DMD
      compared to control. Using multivariable linear regression model, the variables
      found to have a significant effect on AIx-not corrected included diagnosis of
      DMD, height, and heart rate (r 2 = 0.257). The current data suggest that, despite
      lower central systolic blood pressure, patients with DMD have higher wave
      reflection when compared to normal controls, which may represent increased
      arterial stiffness. Overall there appears to be no effect on ventricular systolic
      function, however the long-term consequence in this group is unknown. Further
      study is required to determine the mechanism of these differences, which may be
      related to the effects of systemic steroids or the role of dystrophin in vascular
      function.

PMID- 28639152
TI  - Influence of muscle groups' activation on proximal femoral growth tendency.
AB  - Muscle and joint contact force influence stresses at the proximal growth plate of
      the femur and thus bone growth, affecting the neck shaft angle (NSA) and femoral
      anteversion (FA). This study aims to illustrate how different muscle groups'
      activation during gait affects NSA and FA development in able-bodied children.
      Subject-specific femur models were developed for three able-bodied children (ages
      6, 7, and 11 years) using magnetic resonance images. Contributions of different
      muscle groups-hip flexors, hip extensors, hip adductors, hip abductors, and knee
      extensors-to overall hip contact force were computed. Specific growth rate for
      the growth plate was computed, and the growth was simulated in the principal
      stress direction at each element in the growth front. The predicted growth
      indicated decreased NSA and FA (of about [Formula: see text] over a four-month
      period) for able-bodied children. Hip abductors contributed the most, and hip
      adductors, the least, to growth rate. All muscles groups contributed to a
      decrease in predicted NSA ([Formula: see text]0.01[Formula: see text]
      0.04[Formula: see text] and FA ([Formula: see text]0.004[Formula: see text]
      [Formula: see text]), except hip extensors and hip adductors, which showed a
      tendency to increase the FA ([Formula: see text]0.004[Formula: see text]
      [Formula: see text]). Understanding influences of different muscle groups on long
      bone growth tendency can help in treatment planning for growing children with
      affected gait.

PMID- 28639153
TI  - Genomics of Lithium Action and Response.
AB  - Lithium is the most successful mood stabilizer treatment for bipolar disorder.
      However, unlike conventional drugs that are designed to interact with a specific
      molecular target, the actions of lithium are distributed across many biological
      processes and pathways. Treatment response is subject to genetic variation
      between individuals and similar genetic variation may dictate susceptibility to
      side effects. Transcriptomic, genomic, and cell-model research strategies have
      all been deployed in the search for the genetic factors and biological systems
      that mediate the interaction between genetics and the therapeutic actions of
      lithium. In this review, recent findings from genome-wide studies and patient
      cell lines will be summarized and discussed from a standpoint that genuine
      progress is being made to define clinically useful mechanisms of this treatment,
      to place it in the context of bipolar disorder pathology, and to move towards a
      time when the prescription of lithium is targeted to those individuals who will
      derive the greatest benefit.

PMID- 28639154
TI  - Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the gallbladder: a case report and
      literature review.
AB  - A 50-year-old man had undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy for malignant
      lymphoma 1 year earlier. Follow-up computed tomography revealed a gallbladder
      polyp. Transabdominal ultrasound demonstrated a 20-mm hypoechoic sessile polyp
      with basal waist in the gallbladder fundus; the surface was covered with a
      hyperechoic layer of non-uniform thickness. On contrast-enhanced computed
      tomography, the polyp showed an early uniform and sustained staining pattern.
      Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the polyp had low and slightly high
      signal intensities on T1- and T2-weighted imaging, respectively. Gallbladder bed
      resection was performed with the diagnosis of special tumor. Histologically, the
      polyp comprised a proliferation of myofibroblast-like spindle cells with
      inflammatory cell infiltration, without muscularis propria or vascular invasion.
      Most of the polyp surface was covered with necrotic exudate, and part of the
      normal epithelium remained. Consequently, a diagnosis of inflammatory
      myofibroblastic tumor was made. The sessile shape with basal waist, epithelium
      shedding, and surface necrotic exudative matter may represent intraluminal
      expansive growth such as a subepithelial tumor. A surface with a hyperechoic
      layer of non-uniform thickness on gallbladder polyp can help in the diagnosis of
      a tumor with expansive growth directly under the epithelium with
      stretching/rupture of the epithelium.

PMID- 28639155
TI  - Giant Caudate Lobe Hemangioma.
AB  - Liver hemangiomas are the most common benign liver mass and typically
      asymptomatic and incidentally found. Giant liver hemangiomas are defined as
      having an overall diameter of >5 cm and more likely to be symptomatic. We present
      a case of a dominant caudate lobe hemangioma presented with weight loss and
      abdominal pain.

PMID- 28639156
TI  - Retinal thickness in parafoveal subfields and visual acuity after vitrectomy for
      macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate retinal thickness in the central and parafoveal
      subfields, including segmented analysis of the inner and outer retinal layers,
      after vitrectomy for macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair.
      METHODS: Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients who underwent primary vitrectomy for
      macula-off RRD repair were enrolled in this study. Spectral-domain optical
      coherence tomography examination and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA)
      measurements were performed at 1, 3, and 6 months after vitrectomy. RESULTS: At
      1, 3, and 6 months after vitrectomy, retinal thickness in the temporal parafoveal
      subfield was more significantly (P = 0.004, 0.001, and 0.003, respectively)
      correlated with BCVA than the central subfield (P = 0.014, 0.001, and 0.022,
      respectively). Segmented analysis showed significant correlations between the
      retinal thickness of both the outer layer (P = 0.018, 0.030, and 0.018,
      respectively) and the inner layer (P = 0.003, 0.002, and 0.001, respectively) in
      the temporal parafoveal subfield and BCVA at every time point after vitrectomy.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that retinal thickness in the temporal
      parafoveal subfield may most closely reflect postoperative BCVA after macula-off
      RRD repair.

PMID- 28639157
TI  - Exercise for improving bone health in women treated for stages I-III breast
      cancer: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of exercise,
      either alone or in combination with other interventions, compared to a control,
      for the preservation of bone mineral density (BMD) in early breast cancer (BC)
      patients. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted to identify randomized or
      quasi-randomized trials which met inclusion criteria including prescribed
      exercise for >=12 months. Ten publications from seven randomized controlled
      trials (RCTs), involving 1199 participants, were identified. Data on primary and
      secondary outcome measures related to BMD at the lumbar spine, total hip, femoral
      neck and greater trochanter were analysed. Meta-analyses were limited to
      subgroups by menopausal status as other data could not be pooled. RESULTS: Based
      on mean differences or mean percentage differences between groups at 1 year,
      exercise did not preserve BMD or bone mineral content at any site in post
      menopausal women. In contrast, evidence from one RCT (n = 498) found that
      exercise reduced bone loss in pre-menopausal women at the femoral neck [% MD =
      1.20 (95% CI 0.22-2.18); P = 0.02] but not at the lumbar spine. CONCLUSIONS:
      Although this review indicated that exercise may result in a clinically important
      preservation of bone health among pre-menopausal but not post-menopausal women,
      further studies are needed to confirm whether or not exercise is important in
      preservation of bone health in women diagnosed with early BC. IMPLICATIONS FOR
      CANCER SURVIVORS: Exercise alone may not be sufficient to prevent bone loss in
      post-menopausal women at high risk of osteoporosis. Further evidence is required
      to determine if it provides any benefit to pharmacological therapy.

PMID- 28639158
TI  - Development of a survivorship needs assessment planning tool for head and neck
      cancer survivors and their caregivers: a preliminary study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize primary end-of-treatment
      challenges in head and neck cancer (HNC) to drive the development of a
      survivorship needs assessment planning (SNAP) tool and evaluate its acceptability
      and feasibility. METHODS: Using qualitative methods (focus groups, interviews),
      we identified physical, emotional, and social post-treatment challenges from the
      perspectives of survivors (N = 17), caregivers (N = 14), and healthcare providers
      (N = 14) and pretested the SNAP tool. After Advisory Board ratings and consensus,
      the tool was finalized. RESULTS: Survivors, caregivers and clinicians
      consistently highlighted the importance of assessing symptoms and functional
      abilities (e.g., dry mouth, speech/swallowing difficulties, weight loss), health
      behaviors (e.g., smoking, alcohol), emotional concerns (e.g., depression,
      isolation, nutritional distress), and social challenges (e.g., support,
      finances). Caregivers were overwhelmed and intensely focused on survivors'
      nutrition and trach/feeding tube care while clinicians emphasized financial and
      access concerns. Most participants were enthusiastic about the tool and directed
      a flexible care plan design due to variability in dyad needs. Over 75% reported
      high comfort using and navigating questions on a tablet and were in strong
      agreement that the care plan would help families practically and emotionally.
      Coordination of survivorship visits with follow-up care was critical to address
      travel and time barriers. While survivors and clinicians recommended waiting 1-6
      months after treatment, caregivers preferred earlier survivorship visits.
      CONCLUSIONS: Results pinpointed optimal end-of-treatment domains for routine
      assessment and support the feasibility of implementing a SNAP tool in the clinic.
      IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Capitalizing on technology to direct HNC
      survivorship care is promising.

PMID- 28639159
TI  - A systematic review of patient perspectives on surveillance after colorectal
      cancer treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE: Surveillance after colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment is routine, but
      intensive follow-up may offer little-to-no overall survival benefit. Given the
      growing population of CRC survivors, we aimed to systematically evaluate the
      literature for the patient perspective on two questions: (1) How do CRC patients
      perceive routine surveillance following curative treatment and what do they
      expect to gain from their surveillance testing or visits? (2) Which providers
      (specialists, nursing, primary care) are preferred by CRC survivors to guide post
      treatment surveillance? METHODS: Systematic searches of PubMed MEDLINE, Embase,
      the CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were conducted.
      Studies were screened for inclusion by two reviewers, with discrepancies
      adjudicated by a third reviewer. Data were abstracted and evaluated utilizing
      validated reporting tools (CONSORT, STROBE, CASP) appropriate to study design.
      RESULTS: Citations (3691) were screened, 91 full-text articles reviewed, and 23
      studies included in the final review: 15 quantitative and 8 qualitative. Overall,
      12 studies indicated CRC patients perceive routine surveillance positively,
      expecting to gain reassurance of continued disease suppression. Negative
      perceptions described in six studies included anxiety and dissatisfaction related
      to quality of life or psychosocial issues during follow-up. Although 5 studies
      supported specialist-led care, 9 studies indicated patient willingness to have
      follow-up with non-specialist providers (primary care or nursing). CONCLUSIONS:
      Patients' perceptions of follow-up after CRC are predominantly positive, although
      unmet needs included psychosocial support and quality of life. IMPLICATIONS FOR
      CANCER SURVIVORS: Survivors perceived follow-up as reassuring, however,
      surveillance care should be more informative and focused on survivor-specific
      needs.

PMID- 28639160
TI  - Expression and Activity Analysis of Fructosyltransferase from Aspergillus oryzae.
AB  - The fructosyltransferase gene was isolated and cloned from Aspergillus oryzae.
      The gene was 1368 bp, which encoded a protein of 455 amino acids. To analyze the
      activity of the expressed fructosyltransferase, the pET32a-fructosyltransferase
      recombined plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli BL21. The
      fructosyltransferase gene was successfully expressed by Isopropyl-beta-d
      thiogalactoside (IPTG) induction. The molecular weight of the expression protein
      was about 45 kDa. The optimal conditions of protein expression were 25  degrees
      C, 0.1 mM IPTG, and 8 h of inducing time. The optimal concentration of urea
      dealing with inclusion body was 2.5 M. The expressed protein exhibited a strong
      fructosyl transfer activity. These results showed that the expressed
      fructosyltransferas owned transferase activity, and could catalyze the synthesis
      of sucrose-6-acetate.

PMID- 28639161
TI  - Moral distress and its contribution to the development of burnout syndrome among
      critical care providers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Burnout appears to be common among critical care providers. It is
      characterized by three components: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and
      personal accomplishment. Moral distress is the inability of a moral agent to act
      according to his or her core values and perceived obligations due to internal and
      external constraints. We aimed to estimate the correlation between moral distress
      and burnout among all intensive care unit (ICU) and the step-down unit (SDU)
      providers (physicians, nurses, nurse technicians and respiratory therapists).
      METHODS: A survey was conducted from August to September 2015. For data
      collection, a self-administered questionnaire for each critical care provider was
      used including basic demographic data, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and
      the Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R). Correlation analysis between MBI
      domains and moral distress score and regression analysis to assess independent
      variables associated with burnout were performed. RESULTS: A total of 283 out of
      389 (72.7%) critical care providers agreed to participate. The same team of
      physicians attended both ICU and SDU, and severe burnout was identified in 18.2%
      of them. Considering all others critical care providers of both units, we
      identified that overall 23.1% (95% CI 18.0-28.8%) presented severe burnout, and
      it did not differ between professional categories. The mean MDS-R rate for all
      ICU and SDU respondents was 111.5 and 104.5, respectively, p = 0.446. Many
      questions from MDS-R questionnaire were significantly associated with burnout,
      and those respondents with high MDS-R score (>100 points) were more likely to
      suffer from burnout (28.9 vs 14.4%, p = 0.010). After regression analysis, moral
      distress was independently associated with burnout (OR 2.4, CI 1.19-4.82, p =
      0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Moral distress, resulting from therapeutic obstinacy and the
      provision of futile care, is an important issue among critical care providers'
      team, and it was significantly associated with severe burnout.

PMID- 28639163
TI  - agr functionality affects clinical outcomes in patients with persistent
      methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia.
AB  - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (MRSAB) often persists
      despite appropriate antibiotic therapy. It is unclear what microbiological
      factors contribute to poor clinical outcomes in persistent MRSAB (pMRSAB). We
      aimed to identify clinical and microbiological risk factors for in-hospital
      mortality in pMRSAB. We analysed MRSAB cases prospectively collected between 2009
      and 2016 at 11 hospitals in Korea, defining cases of pMRSAB as MRSAB lasting >=5
      days despite administration of effective antibiotics. The first blood isolates
      from the pMRSAB cases were tested for staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec
      type, staphylococcal protein A type, accessary gene regulator (agr) type, genes
      for Panton-Valentine leukocidin and phenol-soluble modulin-mec, vancomycin
      minimum inhibitory concentration, vancomycin heteroresistance, and agr
      functionality. We also collected clinical information for each case. Of 960 MRSAB
      cases, 152 pMRSAB were finally eligible. Univariable analysis revealed that in
      hospital mortality was significantly associated with Charlson's comorbidity
      weighted index (CCWI) score, Pitt bacteremia score, sequential organ failure
      assessment score, presentation with septic shock, pneumonia, agr dysfunction, and
      vancomycin heteroresistance. Bone and joint infections were negatively associated
      with in-hospital mortality. Multivariable analysis revealed the following
      independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality: CCWI score [adjusted odds
      ratio (aOR), per one point, 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-1.44; P =
      0.003), Pitt bacteremia score (aOR, per one point, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.09-1.62; P =
      0.005), non-eradicated foci of infection (aOR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.18-8.27; P =
      0.022), and agr dysfunction (aOR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.12-5.47; P = 0.025). agr
      dysfunction is an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality in pMRSAB.

PMID- 28639164
TI  - Lipid peroxidation in Gram-negative bacteremia modulates the risk for septic
      shock and infections by resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.
AB  - Controversies in outcomes with the parenteral administration of antioxidants as
      adjuvant therapies led to the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of
      lipid peroxidation, in serum collected from 120 patients with primary Gram
      negative bacteremia during the first 24 h from sepsis onset. MDA was measured by
      the thiobarbiturate assay, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography
      (HPLC) analysis. After receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis,
      patients were divided into those with high levels of MDA and low levels of MDA.
      The primary endpoint was the association of the level of MDA with septic shock.
      The level of MDA as an index of neutrophil function and associations with outcome
      and with infections by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae were the
      secondary endpoints. In total, 63 patients had high and 57 had low MDA levels;
      27% and 49.1%, respectively, had septic shock (p = 0.015). The rate of the
      concentration of MDA to the total neutrophil count was used as an expression of
      neutrophil function; this was lower among patients with septic shock. The odds
      ratio (OR) for death among patients without septic shock and low level of MDA was
      4.00; this was 0.48 for patients with septic shock (p = 0.020 between the two
      ORs). The OR for resistance to carbapenems among patients with bacteremia by K.
      pneumoniae and low level of MDA was 7.50 (p = 0.011 compared to patients with
      bacteremia by other pathogens). Low level of circulating MDA is associated with
      susceptibility to septic shock and infections by carbapenem-resistant K.
      pneumoniae.

PMID- 28639162
TI  - Bacterial genome sequencing in clinical microbiology: a pathogen-oriented review.
AB  - In recent years, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been perceived as a technology
      with the potential to revolutionise clinical microbiology. Herein, we reviewed
      the literature on the use of WGS for the most commonly encountered pathogens in
      clinical microbiology laboratories: Escherichia coli and other
      Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci,
      streptococci and enterococci, mycobacteria and Chlamydia trachomatis. For each
      pathogen group, we focused on five different aspects: the genome characteristics,
      the most common genomic approaches and the clinical uses of WGS for (i) typing
      and outbreak analysis, (ii) virulence investigation and (iii) in silico
      antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Of all the clinical usages, the most
      frequent and straightforward usage was to type bacteria and to trace outbreaks
      back. A next step toward standardisation was made thanks to the development of
      several new genome-wide multi-locus sequence typing systems based on WGS data.
      Although virulence characterisation could help in various particular clinical
      settings, it was done mainly to describe outbreak strains. An increasing number
      of studies compared genotypic to phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility testing,
      with mostly promising results. However, routine implementation will
      preferentially be done in the workflow of particular pathogens, such as
      mycobacteria, rather than as a broadly applicable generic tool. Overall, concrete
      uses of WGS in routine clinical microbiology or infection control laboratories
      were done, but the next big challenges will be the standardisation and validation
      of the procedures and bioinformatics pipelines in order to reach clinical
      standards.

PMID- 28639166
TI  - IFNgamma Block, Treosulfan Conditioning and alphabeta T Cell Deplete PBSCT for
      XIAP-Deficient HLH.

PMID- 28639165
TI  - Molecular characterization of intestinal carriage of carbapenem-resistant
      Enterobacteriaceae among inpatients at two Iranian university hospitals: first
      report of co-production of bla NDM-7 and bla OXA-48.
AB  - Gastrointestinal colonization of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)
      could serve as a reservoir for the transmission of these pathogens in the
      clinical setting. The aim of this study was to investigate the intestinal
      carriage of CRE and to analyze risk factors for CRE carriage. Rectal swabs were
      collected from 95 patients at two Iranian university hospitals. CRE screening was
      performed using selective media (CHROMagar and MacConkey agar). Polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) was used to detect carbapenemase-encoding genes. Clonal
      relatedness was investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The rate
      of carriage of CRE in hospitalized patients was 37.9%. Overall, 54 CRE isolates
      were identified, of which 47 were carbapenemase-producers. All of the 54 CRE were
      detected using CHROMagar compared with 52 CRE detected using MacConkey agar.
      Fifteen patients were colonized by multiple CRE isolates. Three significant risk
      factors for CRE carriage were detected: intensive care unit (ICU)
      hospitalization, antibiotic exposure, and mechanical ventilation. bla OXA-48 was
      the most frequent carbapenemase detected, followed by bla NDM-1 and bla NDM-7.
      Eleven carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) isolates co-harbored bla
      NDM-1 and bla OXA-48. Also, six CPE isolates co-harbored bla NDM-7 and bla OXA
      48. We did not detect bla KPC, bla GES, bla IMP, or bla VIM. PFGE analysis showed
      that Escherichia coli clones were diverse, while Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates
      were divided into four clusters. Cluster I was the major clone carrying bla OXA
      48 and bla CTX-M-15 genes. In our study, the carriage rate of CRE was high and
      the emergence of CPE isolates among patients is alarming. The implementation of
      adequate preventive measures such as active surveillance is urgently needed to
      control the spread of CPE in the healthcare setting.

PMID- 28639167
TI  - Azathioprine-Associated Complete NK Cell Deficiency.

PMID- 28639168
TI  - Sensitivity of Chaos Measures in Detecting Stress in the Focusing Control
      Mechanism of the Short-Sighted Eye.
AB  - When fixating on a stationary object, the power of the eye's lens fluctuates.
      Studies have suggested that changes in these so-called microfluctuations in
      accommodation may be a factor in the onset and progression of short-sightedness.
      Like many physiological signals, the fluctuations in the power of the lens
      exhibit chaotic behaviour. A breakdown or reduction in chaos in physiological
      systems indicates stress to the system or pathology. The purpose of this study
      was to determine whether the chaos in fluctuations of the power of the lens
      changes with refractive error, i.e. how short-sighted a subject is, and/or
      accommodative demand, i.e. the effective distance of the object that is being
      viewed. Six emmetropes (EMMs, non-short-sighted), six early-onset myopes (EOMs,
      onset of short-sightedness before the age of 15), and six late-onset myopes
      (LOMs, onset of short-sightedness after the age of 15) took part in the study.
      Accommodative microfluctuations were measured at 22 Hz using an SRW-5000
      autorefractor at accommodative demands of 1 D (dioptres), 2 D, and 3 D. Chaos
      theory analysis was used to determine the embedding lag, embedding dimension,
      limit of predictability, and Lyapunov exponent. Topological transitivity was also
      tested for. For comparison, the power spectrum and standard deviation were
      calculated for each time record. The EMMs had a statistically significant higher
      Lyapunov exponent than the LOMs ([Formula: see text] vs. [Formula: see text]) and
      a lower embedding dimension than the LOMs ([Formula: see text] vs. [Formula: see
      text]). There was insufficient evidence (non-significant p value) of a difference
      between EOMs and EMMs or EOMs and LOMs. The majority of time records were
      topologically transitive. There was insufficient evidence of accommodative demand
      having an effect. Power spectrum analysis and assessment of the standard
      deviation of the fluctuations failed to discern differences based on refractive
      error. Chaos differences in accommodation microfluctuations indicate that the
      control system for LOMs is under stress in comparison to EMMs. Chaos theory
      analysis is a more sensitive marker of changes in accommodation microfluctuations
      than traditional analysis methods.

PMID- 28639169
TI  - The Effects of Predator Evolution and Genetic Variation on Predator-Prey
      Population-Level Dynamics.
AB  - This paper explores how predator evolution and the magnitude of predator genetic
      variation alter the population-level dynamics of predator-prey systems. We do
      this by analyzing a general eco-evolutionary predator-prey model using four
      methods: Method 1 identifies how eco-evolutionary feedbacks alter system
      stability in the fast and slow evolution limits; Method 2 identifies how the
      amount of standing predator genetic variation alters system stability; Method 3
      identifies how the phase lags in predator-prey cycles depend on the amount of
      genetic variation; and Method 4 determines conditions for different cycle shapes
      in the fast and slow evolution limits using geometric singular perturbation
      theory. With these four methods, we identify the conditions under which predator
      evolution alters system stability and shapes of predator-prey cycles, and how
      those effect depend on the amount of genetic variation in the predator
      population. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method and the
      relations between the four methods. This work shows how the four methods can be
      used in tandem to make general predictions about eco-evolutionary dynamics and
      feedbacks.

PMID- 28639170
TI  - Bistability and Asynchrony in a Boolean Model of the L-arabinose Operon in
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - The lactose operon in Escherichia coli was the first known gene regulatory
      network, and it is frequently used as a prototype for new modeling paradigms.
      Historically, many of these modeling frameworks use differential equations. More
      recently, Stigler and Veliz-Cuba proposed a Boolean model that captures the
      bistability of the system and all of the biological steady states. In this paper,
      we model the well-known arabinose operon in E. coli with a Boolean network. This
      has several complex features not found in the lac operon, such as a protein that
      is both an activator and repressor, a DNA looping mechanism for gene repression,
      and the lack of inducer exclusion by glucose. For 11 out of 12 choices of initial
      conditions, we use computational algebra and Sage to verify that the state space
      contains a single fixed point that correctly matches the biology. The final
      initial condition, medium levels of arabinose and no glucose, successfully
      predicts the system's bistability. Finally, we compare the state space under
      synchronous and asynchronous update and see that the former has several
      artificial cycles that go away under a general asynchronous update.

PMID- 28639171
TI  - Subject-Specific Axes of Rotation Based on Talar Morphology Do Not Improve
      Predictions of Tibiotalar and Subtalar Joint Kinematics.
AB  - Use of subject-specific axes of rotation may improve predictions generated by
      kinematic models, especially for joints with complex anatomy, such as the
      tibiotalar and subtalar joints of the ankle. The objective of this study was
      twofold. First, we compared the axes of rotation between generic and subject
      specific ankle models for ten control subjects. Second, we quantified the
      accuracy of generic and subject-specific models for predicting tibiotalar and
      subtalar joint motion during level walking using inverse kinematics. Here,
      tibiotalar and subtalar joint kinematics measured in vivo by dual-fluoroscopy
      served as the reference standard. The generic model was based on a cadaver study,
      while the subject-specific models were derived from each subject's talus
      reconstructed from computed tomography images. The subject-specific and generic
      axes of rotation were significantly different. The average angle between the
      modeled axes was 12.9 degrees  +/- 4.3 degrees  and 24.4 degrees  +/- 5.9 degrees
      at the tibiotalar and subtalar joints, respectively. However, predictions from
      both models did not agree well with dynamic dual-fluoroscopy data, where errors
      ranged from 1.0 degrees  to 8.9 degrees  and 0.6 degrees  to 7.6 degrees  for the
      generic and subject-specific models, respectively. Our results suggest that
      methods that rely on talar morphology to define subject-specific axes may be
      inadequate for accurately predicting tibiotalar and subtalar joint kinematics.

PMID- 28639172
TI  - Influence of Cannulation Site on Carotid Perfusion During Extracorporeal Membrane
      Oxygenation in a Compliant Human Aortic Model.
AB  - Blood oxygenized by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can
      be returned to the aorta (central cannulation) or to peripheral arteries
      (axillar, femoral). Hemodynamic effects of these cannulation types were analyzed
      in a mock loop with an aortic model representative of normal anatomy and
      compliance under physiological pressures and flow rates. Pressures, flow rates,
      and contribution of ECMO flow to total flow as a measure of oxygen supply were
      monitored in the carotids. Steady or pulsatile ECMO flow, residual or no cardiac
      output, and intraaortic balloon pump counterpulsation were tested as independent
      factors. With residual heart function, central cannulation provided the best
      oxygenated flow and pressure to the carotid arteries (CA). Axillar cannulation
      preferentially perfused the right CA at the expense of the left CA. Femoral
      cannulation provided only lower amounts of oxygenated blood to both CA. Pulsation
      increased the surplus hemodynamic energy. Counterpulsation reduced flow with
      femoral cannulation but improved flow and pressure with axillar cannulation.
      Femoral cannulation failed to provide oxygenated blood to coronary and
      supraaortic arteries with residual heart function. Central cannulation provided
      the best hemodynamics and oxygen supply to the brain. With a resting heart but
      not with an ejecting heart, pulsatile ECMO flow enhanced CA hemodynamics.

PMID- 28639173
TI  - Numerical Modelling of Femur Fracture and Experimental Validation Using Bone
      Simulant.
AB  - Bone fracture pattern prediction is still a challenge and an active field of
      research. The main goal of this article is to present a combined methodology
      (experimental and numerical) for femur fracture onset analysis. Experimental work
      includes the characterization of the mechanical properties and fracture testing
      on a bone simulant. The numerical work focuses on the development of a model
      whose material properties are provided by the characterization tests. The
      fracture location and the early stages of the crack propagation are modelled
      using the extended finite element method and the model is validated by fracture
      tests developed in the experimental work. It is shown that the accuracy of the
      numerical results strongly depends on a proper bone behaviour characterization.

PMID- 28639174
TI  - Profiling Perceptual Learning Styles of Chinese as a Second Language Learners in
      University Settings.
AB  - This study revisited Reid's (1987) perceptual learning style preference
      questionnaire (PLSPQ) in an attempt to answer whether the PLSPQ fits in the
      Chinese-as-a-second-language (CSL) context. If not, what are CSL learners'
      learning styles drawing on the PLSPQ? The PLSPQ was first re-examined through
      reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 224 CSL
      learners. The results showed that Reid's six-factor PLSPQ could not
      satisfactorily explain the CSL learners' learning styles. Exploratory factor
      analyses were, therefore, performed to explore the dimensionality of the PLSPQ in
      the CSL context. A four-factor PLSPQ was successfully constructed including
      auditory/visual, kinaesthetic/tactile, group, and individual styles. Such a
      measurement model was cross-validated through CFAs with 118 CSL learners. The
      study not only lends evidence to the literature that Reid's PLSPQ lacks construct
      validity, but also provides CSL teachers and learners with insightful and
      practical guidance concerning learning styles. Implications and limitations of
      the present study are discussed.

PMID- 28639175
TI  - Valence and Origin of Emotional Words Influence on Subsequent Perception of
      Ambiguous Stimuli in Terms of Competence Versus Warmth.
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine whether the valence and origin of emotional
      words can alter perception of ambiguous objects in terms of warmth versus
      competence, fundamental dimensions of social cognition. 60 individuals were
      invited into the study focusing on the limits of intuition. They were asked to
      try to guess the meaning of Japanese pictorial signs in terms of their warmth
      versus competence connotations. Before each trial a subsequent memory load task
      was applied. Participants were supposed to read and remember words creating a
      factorial manipulation of valence (three levels) and origins (three levels:
      automatic, neutral and reflective) of affective connotations presenting to them
      for 500 ms. For positively valenced words, automatic originated ones resulted in
      perception of ambiguous signs more in terms of warmth, while reflective
      originated words resulted in perception of signs more in terms of competence.
      This study shows that social perception of warmth versus competence is
      susceptible to emotional influence of unrelated stimulation, and thus can be
      primed by objects in the environment. Warmth may be treated as linked with
      automatic mind processes, while competence may be treated as associated with the
      controlled part of the mind. In a broader context, this experiment results
      support claim that distinct dualities identified in dual-processes theories of
      mind are related to one another, and in fact they may be emanations of two more
      general systems of mind.

PMID- 28639176
TI  - Combined or Individual Effects of Dietary Probiotic Pedicoccus acidilactici and
      Nucleotide on Growth Performance, Intestinal Microbiota, Hemato-biochemical
      Parameters, and Innate Immune Response in Goldfish (Carassius auratus).
AB  - This study investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of probiotic
      Pedicoccus acidilactici and nucleotide (separately or combined) on growth
      performance, intestinal microbiota, hemato-immunological parameters, and immunity
      response in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Fish (average weight 5-6 g) were
      acclimatized and divided into eight experimental diets supplemented with P.
      acidilactici of different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% diet) and
      nucleotides (0 and 0.5% diet) for 6 months. Fish fed with experimental diets
      showed significant differences in terms of final weight, weight gain, feed
      conversion ratio, daily growth rate, and condition factor when compared to
      control diet (P < 0.05). Fish fed with probiotic (0.3%) separately and combined
      with nucleotide (0.5%) had highest RBC and WBC when compared to other diets (P <
      0.05), while the highest values for Hb and Hct as well as total protein, glucose,
      albumin, and globulin were observed in probiotic (0.2%) and nucleotide (0.5%)
      combined diet. Serum lysozyme and anti-protease activities were significantly
      higher in probiotic (0.1 and 0.2%) and nucleotide (0.5%) combined diets.
      Similarly, these two diets combined showed the highest colonization of P.
      acidilactici when compared to other diets. In conclusion, combined dietary
      probiotic and nucleotide improve the growth performance, hemato-biochemical
      parameters, and intestine growth in C. auratus.

PMID- 28639177
TI  - Feasibility of Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM) for Analysis of
      Pharmaceutical Suspensions in Preclinical Development.
AB  - This study examined the use of focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) for
      qualitative and quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical suspensions with
      particular application to toxicology supply preparations for use in preclinical
      studies. Aqueous suspensions of ibuprofen were used as prototype formulations.
      Initial experiments were conducted to examine the effects of operational
      conditions including FBRM probe angle, probe location, and mixing (method and
      rate of mixing) on the FBRM analysis. Once experimental conditions were
      optimized, the homogeneity and sedimentation-redispersion of particles in the
      suspensions were assessed. Ibuprofen suspension under continuous agitation was
      monitored using FBRM for 60 h to study particle size change over time. Another
      study was performed to determine if particle count rates obtained by FBRM could
      be correlated to suspension concentration. The location and the angle of the FBRM
      probe relative to the beaker contents, and the rate and the method of mixing the
      suspension were found to be sensitive parameters during FBRM analysis. FBRM was
      able to monitor the process of particle sedimentation in the suspension. The
      attrition of ibuprofen particles was detectable by FBRM during prolonged stirring
      with an increase in the number of smaller particles and decrease in the number of
      larger particles. A strong correlation was observed between particle count rate
      by FBRM and ibuprofen concentration in the suspension. Also, change in content
      uniformity in the suspension at different locations of the beaker was represented
      by FBRM particle count. Overall, FBRM has potential to be a useful tool for
      qualitative and quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical suspensions.

PMID- 28639178
TI  - Effective Skin Cancer Treatment by Topical Co-delivery of Curcumin and STAT3
      siRNA Using Cationic Liposomes.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of iontophoretic
      co-delivery of curcumin and anti-STAT3 siRNA using cationic liposomes against
      skin cancer. Curcumin was encapsulated in DOTAP-based cationic liposomes and then
      complexed with STAT3 siRNA. This nanocomplex was characterized for the average
      particle size, zeta-potential, and encapsulation efficiency. The cell viability
      studies in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells have shown that the co-delivery of
      curcumin and STAT3 siRNA significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the cancer cell
      growth compared with either liposomal curcumin or STAT3 siRNA alone. The curcumin
      loaded liposomes were able to penetrate up to a depth of 160 MUm inside the skin
      after iontophoretic (0.47 mA/cm2) application. The in vivo efficacy studies were
      performed in the mouse model of melanoma skin cancer. Co-administration of the
      curcumin and STAT3 siRNA using liposomes significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the
      tumor progression as measured by tumor volume and tumor weight compared with
      either liposomal curcumin or STAT3 siRNA alone. Furthermore, the iontophoretic
      administration of curcumin-loaded liposome-siRNA complex showed similar
      effectiveness in inhibiting tumor progression and STAT3 protein suppression
      compared with intratumoral administration. Taken together, cationic liposomes can
      be utilized for topical iontophoretic co-delivery of small molecule and siRNA for
      effective treatment of skin diseases.

PMID- 28639181
TI  - The benefits of dual and double ovulatory triggers in assisted reproduction.

PMID- 28639180
TI  - Initial maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin levels in pregnancies
      achieved after assisted reproductive technology are higher after preimplantation
      genetic screening and after frozen embryo transfer: a retrospective cohort.
AB  - PURPOSE: Few published articles have compared initial hCG values across all
      different types of ART cycles, including cycles with fresh or frozen embryo
      transfer. No articles have compared initial hCG values in cycles utilizing
      preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). The purpose of this study is to compare
      initial hCG values after fresh embryo transfer, frozen embryo transfer, and after
      PGS. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study at an
      academically affiliated private IVF center. All fresh and frozen embryo transfers
      between January 2013 and December 31, 2015 were included. We compared mean
      initial serum hCG values 14 days after oocyte retrieval for fresh cycles and 9
      days after frozen embryo transfer. We examined cycles of single embryo transfer
      (SET) and double embryo transfer (DET). RESULTS: Two hundred elven IVF (fresh
      embryo transfer), 128 FET (frozen embryo transfer cycles, no PGS), and 111 PGS
      cycles (ovarian stimulation with embryo cryopreservation, PGS, and frozen
      transfer in a subsequent estrogen-primed cycle) with initial positive hCG values
      were analyzed. In patients achieving a positive hCG after SET, initial hCG values
      were higher after PGS compared to FET (182.4 versus 124.0 mIU/mL, p = 0.02) and
      IVF (182.4 versus 87.1 mIU/mL, p < 0.001) as well as FET compared to IVF (124.0
      versus 87.1 mIU/mL, p < 0.01). After DET, initial hCG values were higher after
      PGS (222.8 mIU/mL) compared to FET (182.1 mIU/mL, p = 0.02) and IVF (131.1
      mIU/mL, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that initial serum hCG values
      are higher after using PGS and higher after the transfer of a frozen embryo
      compared to a fresh embryo. This suggests that initial hCG values relate to the
      chromosomal status of embryos. Initial hCG values may help determine intervention
      and monitoring later in pregnancy.

PMID- 28639182
TI  - Differential Interaction of Myoglobin with Select Fatty Acids of Carbon Chain
      Lengths C8 to C16.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that palmitic acid (PAM) and oleic acid (OLE) can
      bind myoglobin (Mb). How fatty acids (FA) with different carbon chain lengths and
      sulfate substitution interact with Mb remains uncertain. Indeed, C8:0 and C10:0
      fatty acids do not perturb the intensities of the 1H-NMR MbCN signal intensity at
      FA:Mb ratios below 2:1. Starting with C12:0, C12:0-C16:0, FA induce a noticeable
      spectral change. C12:0 and C14:0 FA affect both the 5- and 8-heme methyl signals,
      whereas the C16:0 FA perturbs only the 8-heme methyl signal. All C12:0-C16:0
      saturated FA induce upfield shifts in the -CH2 peak of different FA in the
      presence of Mb. Increasing the apparent solubility with a sulfate group
      substitution enhances the FA interaction of lauric sulfate (LAU 1-SO4) but not
      palmitate sulfate acid (PAM 1-SO4). The detergent (DET) property of FA has no
      significant contribution. Common positive, neutral, and negative DET at DET:Mb
      ratio of 1:1 induce no perturbation of the MbCN spectra. The experiment
      observations establish a basis to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying
      the FA interaction with Mb.

PMID- 28639183
TI  - Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) and Its Inhibitors: a
      Review of Physiology, Biology, and Clinical Data.
AB  - OPINION STATEMENT: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the
      number one killer in the western world. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL
      C) reduction with statins and ezetimibe has been shown to reduce the risk of
      cardiovascular events. Now, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)
      monoclonal antibodies (mabs) are available for high-risk individuals with ASCVD
      or familial hypercholesterolemia on maximally tolerated statin therapy but
      requiring greater LDL-C reduction. PCSK9 mab outcome trial results from the
      Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research with PCSK9 Inhibitions in Subjects with
      Elevated Risk (FOURIER) study, which was presented at the American College of
      Cardiology in March 2017, which demonstrated a decrease of 15% in primary and 20%
      secondary end points over a 2-year period [1**]. These results firmly
      demonstrated additional benefit beyond maximally tolerated statin therapy in high
      risk individuals. Thus, management of LDL-C will soon become more complex, as a
      new class of medication is added to our standard armamentarium. This review
      explores the discovery of PCSK9, its biology and physiology, and the development
      of the PCSK9 mabs.

PMID- 28639184
TI  - Building a Successful Superficial Venous Program.
AB  - OPINION STATEMENT: As the treatment of superficial venous insufficiency
      transitioned from the hospital to the office setting, a remarkable increase in
      provider interest developed. However, the novelty of the disease process and
      procedural opportunities are tempered by the challenges associated with knowledge
      acquisition, skill development, strategic planning, and program development. Only
      a unique recipe of clinical growth, technical acumen, management skill,
      operational efficiency, and financial sense lead to program success. Despite the
      variety of skills required, treating superficial venous insufficiency is
      obtainable for both the formally and non-formally trained physicians with
      sufficient commitment, education, and resources.

PMID- 28639185
TI  - The Use of Mobile Apps by Radiology Journals.

PMID- 28639187
TI  - Radiology Toolbox Pro App Review.

PMID- 28639186
TI  - Computerized Prediction of Radiological Observations Based on Quantitative
      Feature Analysis: Initial Experience in Liver Lesions.
AB  - We propose a computerized framework that, given a region of interest (ROI)
      circumscribing a lesion, not only predicts radiological observations related to
      the lesion characteristics with 83.2% average prediction accuracy but also
      derives explicit association between low-level imaging features and high-level
      semantic terms by exploiting their statistical correlation. Such direct
      association between semantic concepts and low-level imaging features can be
      leveraged to build a powerful annotation system for radiological images that not
      only allows the computer to infer the semantics from diverse medical images and
      run automatic reasoning for making diagnostic decision but also provides "human
      interpretable explanation" of the system output to facilitate better end user
      understanding of computer-based diagnostic decisions. The core component of our
      framework is a radiological observation detection algorithm that maximizes the
      low-level imaging feature relevancy for each high-level semantic term. On a liver
      lesion CT dataset, we have implemented our framework by incorporating a large set
      of state-of-the-art low-level imaging features. Additionally, we included a novel
      feature that quantifies lesion(s) present within the liver that have a similar
      appearance as the primary lesion identified by the radiologist. Our framework
      achieved a high prediction accuracy (83.2%), and the derived association between
      semantic concepts and imaging features closely correlates with human expectation.
      The framework has been only tested on liver lesion CT images, but it is capable
      of being applied to other imaging domains.

PMID- 28639188
TI  - Small RNA-Guided Transcriptional Gene Activation (RNAa) in Mammalian Cells.
AB  - Small RNA partnering with Argonaute (Ago) proteins plays important roles in
      diverse biological processes mainly by suppressing the expression of cognate
      target sequences. Mounting evidence reveals that the small RNA-Ago pathway can
      also positively regulate gene expression, a phenomenon termed as RNA activation
      (RNAa), which is evolutionarily conserved from Caenorhabditis elegans to human.
      In this chapter, I provide a general overview of mammalian RNAa phenomena and
      their basic characteristics and discuss recent advances toward understanding the
      nature of the molecular machinery responsible for RNAa and the development of
      RNAa-based research tools and therapeutics.

PMID- 28639189
TI  - Enhancing Neuronogenesis and Counteracting Neuropathogenic Gene
      Haploinsufficiencies by RNA Gene Activation.
AB  - Small activating RNAs (saRNAs), targeting endogenous genes and stimulating their
      transcription, are a promising tool for implementing a variety of
      neurotherapeutic strategies. Among these there is the stimulation of select
      histogenetic subroutines for purposes of cell-based brain repair, as well as the
      therapeutic treatment of gene expression deficits underlying severe neurological
      disorders.We employed RNA activation (RNAa) to transactivate the Emx2
      transcription factor gene in embryonic cortico-cerebral precursor cells. This led
      to enhanced self-renewal, delayed differentiation, and reduced death of
      neuronally committed precursors, resulting in a remarkable expansion of the
      neuronogenic precursors pool. These results are of paramount interest for
      purposes of gene-promoted brain repair. As such, RNAa makes therapeutic
      stimulation of neuronogenesis via Emx2 overexpression a feasible goal, preventing
      the drawbacks of exogenous gene copies introduction.Moreover, we employed RNAa to
      achieve a gentle transactivation of the Foxg1 transcription factor gene,
      specifically in cortico-cerebral cells. This manipulation led to an appreciable
      biological outcome, while complying with endogenous gene tuning linked to early
      central nervous system regionalization and late activity of neocortical
      projection neurons. Foxg1-activating miRNAs stimulated RNApolII recruitment,
      possibly via Ago1. One of them worked promisingly in vivo. As such, RNAa can be a
      valuable approach for therapeutic treatment of the FOXG1-haploinsufficiency
      linked variant of the Rett syndrome. Remarkably, hemizygosity for specific genes
      and polygenic chromosomal segments underlies a huge number of neuropathological
      entities for which no cure is presently available. Based on the results reported
      above, RNAa might be a simple and scalable approach for fixing this class of
      problems.

PMID- 28639190
TI  - Target-Recognition Mechanism and Specificity of RNA Activation.
AB  - Small activating RNA (saRNA)-mediated gene activation has opened a new avenue for
      upregulating the expression of target genes by promoting endogenous
      transcription, a phenomenon known as RNA activation (RNAa). RNAa is distinct from
      the established RNAi mechanistic framework, although AGO2 is required by both.
      The precise mechanism of RNAa is currently disputable and has become a bottleneck
      in the development of this new technology. saRNA may achieve activation of target
      genes by directly binding to DNA targets in promoter, or interacting with
      antisense transcripts transcribed from overlapping promoter sequences, or by
      silencing other genes. In this chapter, we focused on recent development in our
      understanding of the target-recognition mechanism in RNAa. Conflicting results on
      saRNA targets are also discussed. Despite that the target mechanism of RNAa is
      more complex than expected and not completely understood so far, independent
      lines of evidence have suggested that saRNAs work by an "on-site" mechanism by
      binding to target genomic DNA in a "seed-region"-dependent manner. Finally, "off
      target" effects of saRNA are observed and should be carefully controlled in
      designing experiments for and interpreting results from RNAa-related studies.

PMID- 28639191
TI  - Promoter-Targeted Small Activating RNAs Alter Nucleosome Positioning.
AB  - Epigenetic modification of target promoters has been identified as a mechanism
      underlying RNA activation (RNAa) induced by promoter-targeting small activating
      RNAs (saRNAs), but it is unclear how the chromosomal environment influences gene
      expression. In a study of the activation of the OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG genes by
      saRNAs, we found that saRNA targeting induced nucleosome-depleted region (NDRs)
      and the accumulation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) near or at the saRNA target
      sites. Additionally, promoters containing certain cis-regulatory elements such as
      the TATA box and CpG islands (CGIs) appeared to be more susceptible to RNAa.
      These results provide novel insight into the mechanism underlying RNAa in that
      saRNAs induce NDRs in the target promoter to remove nucleosome barriers between
      RNAPII-binding sites and the transcription start site (TSS), resulting in rapid
      assembly of transcription preinitiation complex (PIC) and subsequent activation
      of transcription.

PMID- 28639192
TI  - Endogenous miRNAa: miRNA-Mediated Gene Upregulation.
AB  - The phenomenon of RNA activation (RNAa) was initially discovered by Li and
      colleagues about a decade ago. Subsequently, gene activation by exogenously
      expressed small activating RNA has been demonstrated in different cellular
      contexts by a number of laboratories. Conceivably, endogenously expressed
      microRNAs may also utilize RNA activation as a cellular mechanism for gene
      regulation, which may be dysregulated in disease states such as cancer. RNA
      activation can be applied to gain-of-function studies and holds great promise for
      disease intervention. This chapter will discuss examples of promoter-targeting
      microRNAs discovered in recent years and their pathophysiological relevance. I
      will also briefly touch upon other novel classes of microRNAs with positive gene
      regulatory roles, including TATA-box-activating microRNAs and enhancer-associated
      microRNAs.

PMID- 28639193
TI  - miRNA-Mediated RNA Activation in Mammalian Cells.
AB  - MicroRNA (miRNA or miR) is a small noncoding RNA molecule ~22 nucleotides in
      size, which is found in plants, animals, and some viruses. miRNAs are thought to
      primarily down regulate gene expression by binding to 3' untranslated regions of
      target transcripts, thereby triggering mRNA cleavage or repression of
      translation. Recently, evidence has emerged that miRNAs can interact with the
      promoter and activate gene expression. This mechanism, called RNA activation
      (RNAa), is a process of transcriptional activation where the direct interaction
      of miRNA on the promoter triggers the recruitment of transcription factors and
      RNA-Polymerase-II on the promoter to activate gene transcription. To date, very
      little is known about the mechanism by which miRNA regulates RNA activation
      (RNAa) and their role in tumor progression. This is an emerging field in RNA
      biology. In this chapter, we describe the mechanisms utilized by miRNAs to
      activate transcription.

PMID- 28639194
TI  - RNAa Induced by TATA Box-Targeting MicroRNAs.
AB  - Recent studies reveal that some nuclear microRNAs (miRNA) and synthesized siRNAs
      target gene promoters to activate gene transcription (RNAa). Interestingly, our
      group identified a novel HIV-1-encoded miRNA, miR-H3, which targets specifically
      the core promoter TATA box of HIV-1 and activates viral gene expression.
      Depletion of miR-H3 significantly impaired the replication of HIV-1. miR-H3
      mimics could activate viruses from CD4+ T cells isolated from patients receiving
      suppressive highly active antiretroviral therapy, which is very intriguing for
      reducing HIV-1 latent reservoir. Further study revealed that many cellular miRNAs
      also function like miR-H3. For instance, let-7i targets the TATA box of the
      interleukin-2 (IL-2) promoter and upregulates IL-2 expression in T-lymphocytes.
      In RNAa induced by TATA box-targeting miRNAs, Argonaute (AGO) proteins are
      needed, but there is no evidence for the involvement of promoter-associated
      transcripts or epigenetic modifications. We propose that the binding of small RNA
      AGO complex to TATA box could facilitate the assembly of RNA Polymerase II
      transcription preinitiation complex. In addition, synthesized small RNAs
      targeting TATA box can also efficiently activate transcription of interested
      genes, such as insulin, IL-2, and c-Myc. The discovery of RNAa induced by TATA
      box-targeting miRNA provides an easy-to-use tool for activating gene expression.

PMID- 28639195
TI  - miRNA-Mediated RNAa by Targeting Enhancers.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that act as negative regulators of
      gene expression in the cytoplasm. Yet, emerging evidence has shown that miRNAs
      are also distributed in the nucleus, with its function largely undetermined. At
      the same time, while miRNAs and enhancers show obvious tissue specificity, the
      interaction between miRNAs and enhancers in gene regulation remains unknown. By
      screening miRNA databases, we have identified a subset of miRNAs, called nuclear
      activating miRNAs (NamiRNAs). As enhancer regulators, NamiRNAs are able to
      activate gene expression at the transcriptional level. In addition, we found that
      the regulation of enhancers mediated by NamiRNAs depends on the presence of
      intact enhancers and AGO2 protein. More interesting is that NamiRNAs promote
      global gene transcription through the binding and activation of their targeted
      enhancers. Our results demonstrate a novel role for miRNA as an enhancer trigger
      for transcriptional gene activation. Further study of the function and molecular
      mechanism for NamiRNAs in tumorigenesis and development is of great significance.

PMID- 28639196
TI  - Specific Increase of Protein Levels by Enhancing Translation Using Antisense
      Oligonucleotides Targeting Upstream Open Frames.
AB  - A number of diseases are caused by low levels of key proteins; therefore,
      increasing the amount of specific proteins in human bodies is of therapeutic
      interest. Protein expression is downregulated by some structural or sequence
      elements present in the 5' UTR of mRNAs, such as upstream open reading frames
      (uORF). Translation initiation from uORF(s) reduces translation from the
      downstream primary ORF encoding the main protein product in the same mRNA,
      leading to a less efficient protein expression. Therefore, it is possible to use
      antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to specifically inhibit translation of the uORF
      by base-pairing with the uAUG region of the mRNA, redirecting translation
      machinery to initiate from the primary AUG site. Here we review the recent
      findings that translation of specific mRNAs can be enhanced using ASOs targeting
      uORF regions. Appropriately designed and optimized ASOs are highly specific, and
      they act in a sequence- and position-dependent manner, with very minor off-target
      effects. Protein levels can be increased using this approach in different types
      of human and mouse cells, and, importantly, also in mice. Since uORFs are present
      in around half of human mRNAs, the uORF-targeting ASOs may thus have valuable
      potential as research tools and as therapeutics to increase the levels of
      proteins for a variety of genes.

PMID- 28639197
TI  - Repurposing CRISPR System for Transcriptional Activation.
AB  - In recent years, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
      (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system has become the most popular
      one for genome editing. When the nuclease domains of Cas9 protein are mutated
      into deactivated form (dCas9), CRISPR/dCas9 still retains the ability to bind the
      targeted DNA sequence, but loses the endonuclease cleavage activity. Taking
      advantage of the characteristics of this engineered nuclease inactive Cas9, the
      CRISPR/dCas system has been repurposed into versatile RNA-guided, DNA-targeting
      platforms, such as genome imaging, gene regulation, and epigenetic modification.
      Specifically, fusion of dCas9 with activation domains allows specific and
      efficient transcriptional activation on a genome-wide scale among diverse
      organisms. The purpose of this chapter is to review most important the recently
      published literature on CRISPR/dCas9-based transcriptional activation systems.
      Compared with the conventional approaches for enhancement of the expression of
      specific genes of interest, CRISPR/Cas9-based system has emerged as a promising
      technology for genome regulation, allowing specificity, convenience, robustness,
      and scalability for endogenous gene activation.

PMID- 28639198
TI  - RNA-Mediated Gene Activation: Identifying a Candidate RNA for Preclinical
      Development.
AB  - The ability to activate gene expression would provide new opportunities for drug
      development for diseases caused by inadequate or nonexistent expression of a
      therapeutic protein. Duplex RNAs that target gene promoters are one strategy for
      enhancing the expression of target genes. This chapter summarizes our
      understanding of mechanism behind gene activation by small RNAs that bind
      noncoding transcripts at gene promoters. We describe a path for choosing
      candidate genes for therapeutic development.

PMID- 28639199
TI  - Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer by Aptamer Conjugated C/EBPalpha-saRNA.
AB  - Pancreatic cancer is estimated to become the second-leading cause of cancer
      related mortality by 2020. While the death rates of most other cancers continue
      to decline recently, the death rates of pancreatic cancer are still increasing,
      with less than 5% of patients achieving 5-year survival. Despite great efforts to
      improve treatment with combinational therapies in pancreatic cancer patients,
      limited progress has been made. V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene
      homolog (KRAS) has been depicted as a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer for
      many years. However, the clinical outcome of KRAS-directed therapies has not been
      successful, suggesting that KRAS is an undruggable target. For the new druggable
      target, epigenetically silenced transcriptional factor C/EBPalpha (CCAAT/enhancer
      binding protein alpha), upregulator of a strong inhibitor of cell proliferation
      (p21), is upregulated by small activating RNA (saRNA) in pancreatic cancer. For
      the cell type-specific delivery, pancreatic cancer-specific 2'-Fluoropyrimidine
      RNA-aptamers (2'F-RNAs) are conjugated with C/EBPalpha-saRNA via sticky bridge
      sequences. The conjugates of aptamer-C/EBPalpha-saRNA upregulate the expression
      of C/EBPalpha in vitro and inhibit the tumor growth in vivo. It suggests that
      aptamer-mediated targeted delivery of therapeutic C/EBPalpha-saRNA might be the
      effective therapeutics under the current therapeutic modality failure in
      pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28639201
TI  - Enhancing Angiogenesis in Mice by VEGF-Targeting Small Activating RNAs.
AB  - The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is steadily increasing, and it is the
      leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, new treatments, such as gene therapy
      are needed. During the last decade, the role of small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in
      the regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level has been shown.
      Promoter-targeted small RNAs recruit histone-modifying enzymes and can either
      repress or induce target gene expression. As an example, we have targeted mouse
      VEGF-A promoter with small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and identified two shRNAs which
      either repressed or induced VEGF-A expression on messenger RNA and protein level
      in vitro, depending on the targeted location. The changes in expression levels
      correlate with changes in the levels of epigenetic markers, such as histone
      modifications associated with repressed or active state of chromatin. In ischemic
      mouse hindlimbs, upregulation of VEGF-A expression increased vascularity and
      blood flow. When VEGF-A was upregulated in mouse myocardial infarction model, the
      blood vessel formation in the risk zone was observed and infarct size was
      significantly decreased already 2 weeks after treatment. We suggest that
      epigenetic upregulation of VEGF-A by ncRNAs can be transferred to clinical use
      for the treatment of ischemic diseases in the near future.

PMID- 28639200
TI  - Treatment of Liver Cancer by C/EBPA saRNA.
AB  - The prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poor and has not
      improved in over two decades. Most patients with advanced HCC who are not
      eligible for surgery have limited treatment options due to poor liver function or
      large, unresectable tumors. Although sorafenib is the standard-of-care treatment
      for these patients, only a small number respond. For the remaining, the outlook
      remains bleak. A better approach to target "undruggable" molecular pathways that
      reverse HCC is therefore urgently needed. Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) may
      provide a novel strategy to activate expression of genes that become dysregulated
      in chronic disease. The transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha
      (C/EBPalpha), a critical regulator of hepatocyte function, is suppressed in many
      advanced liver diseases. By using an saRNA to activate C/EBPalpha, we can exploit
      the cell's own transcription machinery to enhance gene expression without relying
      on exogenous vectors that have been the backbone of gene therapy. saRNAs do not
      integrate into the host genome and can be modified to avoid immune stimulation.
      In preclinical models of liver disease, treatment with C/EBPalpha saRNA has shown
      reduction in tumor volume and improvement in serum markers of essential liver
      function such as albumin, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and
      alanine transaminase (ALT). This saRNA that activates C/EBPalpha for advanced HCC
      is the first saRNA therapy to have entered a human clinical trial. The hope is
      that this new tool will help break the dismal 20-year trend and provide a more
      positive prognosis for patients with severe liver disease.

PMID- 28639202
TI  - Suppression of Prostate Cancer Metastasis by DPYSL3-Targeted saRNA.
AB  - Metastasis is the sole cause of cancer death and there is no curable means in
      clinic. Cellular protein CRMP4 (DPYSL3 gene) was previously defined as a
      metastasis suppressor in human prostate cancers since its expression is
      dramatically reduced in lymphatic metastatic diseases and DPYSL3 overexpression
      in prostate cancer cells significantly suppressed cancer cell migration and
      invasion. To develop a CRMP4-based antimetastasis therapeutic approach, the small
      activating RNA (saRNA) technique was utilized to enhance CRMP4 expression in
      prostate cancer cells. A total of 14 saRNAs were synthesized and screened in
      multiple prostate cancer cell lines. Two saRNAs targeting the isoform-2 promoter
      region were determined to have significant activating effect on DPYSL3 gene
      expression at the mRNA and protein levels. These saRNA also largely reduced
      prostate cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Most
      significantly, PSMA aptamer-mediated prostate cancer cell homing of these saRNAs
      blocked distal metastasis in an orthotopic nude mouse model. In conclusion, our
      data demonstrated that saRNA-based DPYSL3 gene enhancement is capable of
      suppressing tumor metastasis in prostate cancer, which provides a potential
      therapeutic approach for cancer management.

PMID- 28639203
TI  - Development of Therapeutic dsP21-322 for Cancer Treatment.
AB  - Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) are a class of artificially designed short duplex
      RNAs targeted at the promoter of a particular gene to upregulate its expression
      via a mechanism known as RNA activation (RNAa) and hold great promise for
      treating a wide variety of diseases including those undruggable by conventional
      therapies. The therapeutic benefits of saRNAs have been demonstrated in a number
      of preclinical studies carried out in different disease models including cancer.
      With many tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) downregulated due to either epigenetic
      mechanisms or haploinsufficiency resulting from deletion/mutation, cancer is an
      ideal disease space for saRNA therapeutics which can restore the expression of
      TSGs via epigenetic reprogramming. The p21WAF1/CIP gene is a TSG frequently
      downregulated in cancer and an saRNA for p21WAF1/CIP known as dsP21-322 has been
      identified to be a sequence-specific p21WAF1/CIP activator in a number of cancer
      types. In this chapter, we review preclinical development of medicinal dsP21-322
      for cancer, especially prostate cancer and bladder cancer, and highlight its
      potential for further clinical development.

PMID- 28639204
TI  - A Cross-National Comparison of Risk Factors for Teen Dating Violence in Mexico
      and the United States.
AB  - Involvement in dating violence has been linked with negative health outcomes
      including depressive symptomology, substance use, and later expressions of
      aggressing and victimizing behaviors. Less is known about the prevalence and
      mental health correlates of teen dating violence in countries like Mexico where
      adult partner violence is high. Additional research on teen dating violence is
      also needed, as it may be an important precursor to adult partner violence and
      linked to other mental health problems. The current study used self-report
      ratings to assess the similarities and differences in risk factors associated
      with dating violence among middle school students in Mexico and the United
      States. The US sample (Nus = 15,099; Mus = 12.8; 49.5% female) included non
      Hispanic Caucasian (24.9%), Hispanic American (20.3%), and African American
      (24.2%) adolescents. The Mexican sample (NMexico = 2211; MMexico = 13.67; 51%
      female) included 93.1% adolescents of Hispanic or Latin descent. Logistic
      regressions showed that dating violence victimization was reported at similar
      rates in the cross-national samples, though exposure to risk factors like deviant
      peers and substance use differed significantly by country. Our analyses indicated
      that, although the country of residence was not significantly associated with
      dating violence victimization, the strength of the association between some known
      risk factors and dating violence victimization varied as a function of
      nationality, such that there was a significant interaction between country of
      residence, Mexico or the US, and experiencing internalizing symptoms on
      experiencing physical dating violence victimization. This study contributes to
      the growing body of literature on dating violence, both inside and outside the
      US.

PMID- 28639206
TI  - Are Associations Between "Sexist" Video Games and Decreased Empathy Toward Women
      Robust? A Reanalysis of Gabbiadini et al. 2016.
AB  - Gabbiadini, A., Riva, P., Andrighetto, L., Volpato, C., & Bushman, B, (PloS ONE,
      2016) provided evidence for a connection between "sexist" video games and
      decreased empathy toward girls using an experimental paradigm. These claims are
      based on a moderated mediation model. They reported a three-way interaction
      between game condition, gender, and avatar identification when predicting
      masculine ideology in their original study. Masculine ideology was associated, in
      turn, with decreased empathy. However, there were no main experimental effects
      for video game condition on empathy. The current analysis considers the strength
      of the evidence for claims made in the original study on a sample of 153
      adolescents (M age = 16.812, SD = 1.241; 44.2% male). We confirmed that there was
      little evidence for an overall effect of game condition on empathy toward girls
      or women. We tested the robustness of the original reported moderated mediation
      models against other, theoretically derived alternatives, and found that effects
      differed based on how variables were measured (using alternatives in their public
      data file) and the statistical model used. The experimental groups differed
      significantly and substantially in terms of age suggesting that there might have
      been issues with the procedures used to randomly assign participants to
      conditions. These results highlight the need for preregistration of experimental
      protocols in video game research and raise some concerns about how moderated
      mediation models are used to support causal inferences. These results call into
      question whether use of "sexist" video games is a causal factor in the
      development of reduced empathy toward girls and women among adolescents.

PMID- 28639208
TI  - San Benedetto teaching two monks.

PMID- 28639207
TI  - The cell biology of the thyroid-disrupting mechanism of
      dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an organochlorine known for
      its pesticide properties and for its negative effects on human health. It was
      banned in most countries for its toxicity to the endocrine system, but due to its
      persistence at clinically relevant concentrations in both soil and animal
      tissues, DDT is still linked to several health and social problems. METHODS: We
      have previously shown that DDT exposure is causally related to the extracellular
      release of vesicular organelles such as microvesicles and/or exosomes by using
      immunocytochemistry with gold-tagged antibodies and various fluorescent membrane
      markers. RESULTS: It is now well recognized that microvesicles and/or exosomes
      organelles are implicated in cell-to-cell communication, and that they are
      fundamental elements for transferring proteins, RNA, DNA, lipids and
      transcriptional factors among cells. In this short review, we discussed the role
      of extracellular vesicle formation in the thyroid-disrupting mechanism of DDT. In
      particular, we described how DDT, by dislodging the thyrotropin hormone (TSH)
      receptor from the raft containing compartments of the cells, prevents its
      activation and internalization. CONCLUSION: Based on our earlier finding and on
      the large body of evidence here reviewed, we propose that DDT-induced formation
      of extracellular vesicles containing the TSH receptor could be directly involved
      in the development of autoimmune responses against the TSH receptor and that,
      therefore, their release could lead to the development of the Graves' disease.

PMID- 28639209
TI  - Substance use and misuse among children and youth with mental illness : A pilot
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine prevalence, patterns and
      predictors of substance use among a sample of adolescent psychiatric inpatients.
      METHODS: Participants included 25 minors aged 12-17 years admitted to an Austrian
      department of child and adolescent psychiatry. Lifetime use, initiation,
      frequency and quantity of substance use, sociodemographic, family and school
      related data were collected by self-report measures. Substance use disorders were
      detected using CAGE (a screening instrument for problem drinking) and FTND
      (Fagerstrom Test For Nicotine Dependence). Clinical characteristics were
      extracted from medical records. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of any substance use
      (76%) and regular use (32%) were common. Prevalence was high for alcohol (76%),
      nicotine (44%) and illicit drug use (36%). Older age was associated with tobacco
      (p = 0.023), drug (p = 0.021) and cannabis use (p = 0.015) and regular use of
      psychotropic substances (p = 0.027). Family dysfunction predicted regular (p =
      0.035) and cannabis use (p = 0.02). History of trauma prognosticated regular (p =
      0.047) and tobacco use (p = 0.011). Use of any substance (p < 0.001) as well as
      regular use (p = 0.026) were significantly associated with peer substance use.
      Consuming adolescents were more likely to show academic failure, school
      absenteeism and behavioral problems. Alcohol (p = 0.02), drug (p = 0.017) and
      regular substance use (p = 0.007) were linked to suicidal ideation. A remarkable
      relationship between affective as well as externalizing disorders and alcohol,
      nicotine and drug use was found. CONCLUSIONS: Substance use is highly prevalent
      among youth with mental illnesses and associated with psychosocial consequences.
      These data highlight the need to carefully explore this population at high risk.

PMID- 28639210
TI  - [Oxytocin and the mechanisms of alcohol dependence].
AB  - One of the crucial purposes of treating alcohol-dependent patients is to enhance
      their ability to stay abstinent after detoxification therapy. Anxiety and stress
      vulnerability are the main factors provoking alcohol craving and relapse. In the
      first months of abstinence, alcohol-dependent patients frequently show sleep
      disturbances, irritability and depression, indicating chronic activation of
      stress pathways. In addition, the loss of confidence in interpersonal
      interactions results in social withdrawal and reduced willingness to participate
      in therapeutic programs.Current research shows that the peptide hormone oxytocin
      exerts substantial anxiolytic effects and facilitates prosocial behavior.
      Oxytocin can be safely applied as intranasal preparation. Oxytocin acts by
      inhibiting the effects of the corticotropin-releasing factor on GABAergic
      interneurons in the amygdala and paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus.Recent
      research strongly suggests that application of oxytocin may beneficially
      influence the mechanisms of relapse and craving by reduction of anxiety, stress
      vulnerability and social withdrawal in abstinent alcohol-dependent patients.This
      article reviews neurobiological mechanisms of oxytocin effects on stress-related
      pathways and discusses the potential use of oxytocin in the treatment of alcohol
      addiction.

PMID- 28639211
TI  - Selective venous sampling for primary hyperparathyroidism: how to perform an
      examination and interpret the results with reference to thyroid vein anatomy.
AB  - Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) causes hypercalcemia. The treatment for pHPT
      is surgical dissection of the hyperfunctioning parathyroid gland. Lower rates of
      hypocalcemia and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury imply that minimally invasive
      parathyroidectomy (MIP) is safer than bilateral neck resection. Current trends in
      MIP use can be inferred only by reference to preoperative localization studies.
      Noninvasive imaging studies (typically preoperative localization studies) show
      good detection rates of hyperfunctioning glands; however, there have also been
      cases of nonlocalization or discordant results. Selective venous sampling (SVS)
      is an invasive localization method for detecting elevated intact parathyroid
      hormone in the thyroid and/or internal jugular and brachiocephalic veins. SVS was
      developed mainly for postoperative patients with persistent or recurrent pHPT;
      however, SVS could also be useful before initial operations due to its high
      sensitivity to pHPT. Currently, SVS is generally indicated for recurrent HPT, and
      for cases with negative imaging study results for HPT or discordant results.
      Multi-detector row helical CT is useful for imaging the anatomy of the jugular
      and thyroid veins. Knowledge of the thyroid vein anatomy enables the creation of
      sampling points in the internal jugular and brachiocephalic veins for
      catheterization of the thyroid veins and venous anastomoses.

PMID- 28639212
TI  - Surveillance of Noroviruses in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil: Occurrence of New GIV
      Genotype in Clinical and Wastewater Samples.
AB  - Genogroup (G) IV norovirus (NoV) has been described in the literature as
      infectious agents in humans, although there are few reports regarding the
      frequency and spread of this virus, resulting in insufficient epidemiological
      data. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of GIV norovirus in
      the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in order to evaluate frequency,
      concentration, and genetic diversity using clinical and environmental approaches.
      For this purpose, 316 stool samples were collected from acute gastroenteritis
      cases reported over a period of three years. Wastewater samples were also
      obtained from the main wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located in Rio de
      Janeiro throughout one year, totalizing 156 samples. All samples were submitted
      to quantitative analysis by TaqManTM real-time PCR for GIV norovirus. Three out
      of 316 clinical samples were positive (0.9%) for GIV, with viral load ranging
      from 104 to 106 genome copies (CG) per gram. Regarding wastewater samples, GIV
      were detected in 52% of raw sewage, with viral load ranging from 104 to 106 CG
      per liter. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of a new GIV genotype
      in both clinical and environmental samples. To our knowledge, this is the first
      description of GIV norovirus in clinical samples in Brazil. These results
      demonstrate the importance of performing laboratory surveillance of clinical and
      environmental samples, assisting the comprehension of the epidemiology pattern of
      viruses with neglected diagnosis and indefinite impact in the population.

PMID- 28639213
TI  - Study on Photophysical Properties of N-Arylphthalamic Acid Derivative Containing
      1, 2, 4-Triazole Scaffold.
AB  - A novel N-arylphthalamic acid derivative, 2-({4-[(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1
      yl)methyl]phenyl}carbamoyl)benzoic acid (TMPCB) was synthesized and their
      absorption and emission spectra were recorded in fifteen different solvents of
      varying polarities at room temperature. Ground state dipole moment of the
      derivative was calculated experimentally by Guggenheim method and solvatochromic
      approach proposed by Bilot-Kawski. The singlet excited state dipole moment of
      TMPCB were calculated experimentally based on different approaches of solvent
      polarity function proposed by Lippert-Mataga, Bakhshiev, Kawskii-Chamma-Viallet,
      Reichardt and Bilot-Kawski. Singlet excited state dipole moment was greater than
      ground state dipole moment in all the approaches which could be attributed to
      considerable pi- electron density redistribution. Multiple Linear Regression
      (MLR) analysis based on Kamlet-Abboud-Taft and Catalan parameters were also
      studied to correlate solvatochromism and influence of solvents with absorbance
      and emission spectra. Ground and singlet excited state optimizations of the
      molecule were also performed using Gaussian 09 W software. HOMO-LUMO energies of
      the phthalamic acid derivative have been obtained using TD-DFT/PCM (B3LYP/6-31G
      (d, p)) computations and experimentally by using cyclic voltammetry. Mulliken
      charges and molecular electrostatic potential plot have also been generated from
      DFT calculations to identify nucleophilic and electrophilic sites of TMPCB.

PMID- 28639214
TI  - Acyclovir resistance in herpes simplex virus type I encephalitis: a case report.

PMID- 28639215
TI  - Regulation of T-type Ca2+ channel expression by herpes simplex virus-1 infection
      in sensory-like ND7 cells.
AB  - Infection of sensory neurons by herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 disrupts electrical
      excitability, altering pain sensory transmission. Because of their low threshold
      for activation, functional expression of T-type Ca2+ channels regulates various
      cell functions, including neuronal excitability and neuronal communication. In
      this study, we have tested the effect of HSV-1 infection on the functional
      expression of T-type Ca2+ channels in differentiated ND7-23 sensory-like neurons.
      Voltage-gated Ca2+ currents were measured using whole cell patch clamp recordings
      in differentiated ND7-23 neurons under various culture conditions.
      Differentiation of ND7-23 cells evokes a significant increase in T-type Ca2+
      current densities. Increased T-type Ca2+ channel expression promotes the
      morphological differentiation of ND7-23 cells and triggers a rebound
      depolarization. HSV-1 infection of differentiated ND7-23 cells causes a
      significant loss of T-type Ca2+ channels from the membrane. HSV-1 evoked
      reduction in the functional expression of T-type Ca2+ channels is mediated by
      several factors, including decreased expression of Cav3.2 T-type Ca2+ channel
      subunits and disruption of endocytic transport. Decreased functional expression
      of T-type Ca2+ channels by HSV-1 infection requires protein synthesis and viral
      replication, but occurs independently of Egr-1 expression. These findings suggest
      that infection of neuron-like cells by HSV-1 causes a significant disruption in
      the expression of T-type Ca2+ channels, which can results in morphological and
      functional changes in electrical excitability.

PMID- 28639217
TI  - Erratum to: Endocarps of menispermaceous plants in Taiwan.

PMID- 28639216
TI  - Biocomparison Study of Adult and Paediatric Dose Strengths of the Prostacyclin
      Receptor Agonist Selexipag.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Selexipag is an oral, non-prostanoid, selective
      prostacyclin receptor agonist recently marketed for the treatment of pulmonary
      arterial hypertension (PAH) in adults. Selexipag may also be an effective
      treatment in children with PAH. The aim of this study was to compare the
      pharmacokinetics of selexipag and its active metabolite ACT-333679 following
      single oral administration of one tablet of 200 ug selexipag (Treatment A) vs. 4
      paediatric tablets of 50 ug (Treatment B) in healthy adult male subjects.
      METHODS: This was an open-label, randomized, two-treatment, two-period, crossover
      biocomparison study. Bioequivalence criteria were explored and safety variables
      (vital signs, electrocardiogram, and laboratory parameters) were assessed.
      RESULTS: The exploratory analysis showed that the 90% confidence intervals of
      geometric mean ratio (Treatment B/Treatment A) for maximum plasma concentration
      (C max), area under the plasma concentration-time curve from zero to infinity
      (AUC0-infinity) of ACT-333679, as well as AUC0-infinity of selexipag, were within
      the bioequivalence interval (0.80, 1.25). In addition, no relevant difference in
      C max for selexipag between the two treatments can be concluded. Single oral dose
      administration of 200 ug selexipag as one tablet of 200 ug or four tablets of 50
      ug was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacokinetic characteristics of selexipag
      and its metabolite ACT-333679 following administration of one adult tablet of 200
      ug selexipag and four paediatric tablets of 50 ug selexipag were comparable.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02745860.

PMID- 28639218
TI  - Ecogeographic variability and genetic diversity associated with seed albumins,
      globulins and prolamins patterns in Vicia taxa from Algeria.
AB  - Genetic variability was studied in 78 populations of locally collected Vicia L.
      taxa for seed albumins, globulins and prolamins patterns by sodium dodecyl
      sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) along with an ecogeographic
      characterization of sites investigated. 131, 119 and 98 bands were respectively
      used for albumin, globulin and prolamin cluster analysis. Dendrograms based on
      the Jaccard index and the UPGMA method were generated and the degree of genetic
      diversity between and within taxa was evaluated. Five clusters were generated
      from albumins, six from globulins and four from prolamins patterns. The results
      reflect the great diversity of storage proteins and a high correlation was
      obtained between the three studied fractions. Several accessions present specific
      bands which could be used as a discriminatory marker both on intra and
      interspecific levels. No clear relationships were seen between the groups
      according to their geographical origin. Data obtained from ecogeographic
      investigation can be used for future collecting missions.

PMID- 28639219
TI  - Signature pattern analysis for the full-length env gene of the earliest Korean
      subclade B of HIV-1: outbreak among Korean hemophiliacs.
AB  - The epidemiological link in the hypervariable env gene between viruses infecting
      HIV-positive hemophiliacs (HPs) and plasma donors was not studied. We determined
      full-length env gene sequences in 20 HPs, 3 plasma donors whose plasma was used
      for domestic clotting factor (DCF) production, and 54 local controls (LCs). Env
      genes from viruses in frozen stored sera obtained 1-3 years after diagnosis and
      from samples collected several years after infection were amplified via RT-PCR
      and subjected to direct sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all
      sequences were subtype B, including 133 sequences from 77 cases (20 HPs, 3 plasma
      donors, and 54 LCs) belonging to the Korean subclade B (KSB) and 6 sequences from
      5 cases that did not belong to the KSB. Env gene sequences from donors O and P
      and those of the 20 HPs comprised 2 subclusters within the KSB, although
      phylogenetic analysis did not support significant bootstrap values. In contrast,
      signature pattern analysis indicated signature nucleotides at 43 positions
      between the HPs and LCs (P < 0.05). In particular, specific signature nucleotides
      at 4 positions were fully conserved in the HPs, but not in the LCs (P < 0.0001).
      Furthermore, there were 26 signature residues within the KSB and were distinct
      from the worldwide consensus for subtype B. In conclusion, signature pattern
      analysis for the hypervariable env gene revealed an epidemiological link that the
      20 HPs in this study had been infected with viruses from the DCF used for
      treatment, consistent with our previous finding.

PMID- 28639220
TI  - Emergence of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 in the archipelago of Madeira,
      Portugal (2016-2017).
AB  - We report the detection of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) in the
      Madeira archipelago, Portugal. Viral circulation was confirmed by RT-qPCR and
      vp60 sequencing. Epidemiological data revealed the outbreak initiated in October
      2016 in Porto Santo affecting wild and domestic rabbits. It was then detected
      three months later on the island of Madeira. Five haplotypes were identified and
      a genetic overall similarity of 99.54 to 99.89% was observed between the two
      viral populations. Unique single nucleotide polymorphisms were recognised in the
      Madeira archipelago strains, two of which resulting in amino acid substitutions
      at positions 480 and 570 in the VP60 protein. Phylogenetic investigation by
      Maximum Likelihood showed all the vp60 sequences from the Madeira archipelago
      group together with high bootstraps. The analysis also showed that the Madeira
      archipelago strains are closely related to the strains detected in the south of
      mainland Portugal in 2016, suggesting a possible introduction from the mainland.
      The epidemiological data and high genetic similarity indicate a common source for
      the Porto Santo and Madeira RHDV2 outbreaks. Human activity related to hunting
      was most probably at the origin of the Madeira outbreak.

PMID- 28639222
TI  - Molecular and biological characterization of a new Tomato mild yellow leaf curl
      Aragua virus strain producing severe symptoms in tomato.
AB  - Tomato mild yellow leaf curl Aragua virus (ToMYLCV) is a begomovirus first
      reported infecting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and milkweed (Euphorbia
      heterophylla) in Venezuela. In this study, a ToMYLCV isolate (Zulia-219) was
      completely sequenced and its host range was evaluated. The DNA-A and DNA-B
      components of isolate Zulia-219 showed 93 and 85% nucleotide sequence identity
      with the respective counterparts of the ToMYLCV type strain. According to current
      demarcation criteria for begomovirus species, Zulia-219 is a new strain of
      ToMYLCV. Interestingly, tomato plants inoculated with ToMYLCV Zulia-219 displayed
      severe symptoms, including severe chlorotic leaf curling, in contrast to mild
      symptoms associated with the type strain of this begomovirus. These results
      indicate potential risks associated with this new ToMYLCV strain for tomato
      production in Venezuela.

PMID- 28639221
TI  - HBV X Protein induces overexpression of HERV-W env through NF-kappaB in HepG2
      cells.
AB  - Human endogenous retrovirus W family (HERV-W) envelope (env) at chromosome 7 is
      highly expressed in the placenta and possesses fusogenic activity in trophoblast
      development. HERV-W env has been found to be overexpressed in some cancers and
      immune diseases. Viral transactivators can induce the overexpression of HERV-W
      env in human cell lines. Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is believed to be a
      multifunctional oncogenic protein. Here, we reported that HBx could increase the
      promoter activity of HERV-W env and upregulate the mRNA levels of non-spliced and
      spliced HERV-W env and also its protein in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.
      Interestingly, we found that the inhibition of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB)
      using shRNA targeting NF-kappaB/p65 or PDTC (an inhibitor of NF-kappaB) could
      attenuate the upregulation of HERV-W env induced by HBx. These suggested that HBx
      might upregulate the expression of HERV-W env through NF-kappaB in HepG2 cells.
      This study might provide a new insight in HBV-associated liver diseases including
      HCC.

PMID- 28639224
TI  - Tackling Students' Attitudes Towards Substance Use Disorders.

PMID- 28639223
TI  - Imaging of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy: a Practical Utility for Differential
      Diagnosis and Assessment of Disease Severity.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is often encountered in
      clinical practice, and it is a risk factor for cardiac mortality and morbidity.
      Determination of the etiology and disease severity is important for the
      management of patients with LVH. The aim of this review is to show the remarkable
      progress in cardiac imaging and its importance in clinical practice. RECENT
      FINDINGS: This review focuses on clinical features and characteristic cardiac
      imaging in LVH caused by various diseases including hypertension, aortic valve
      stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and secondary cardiomyopathies. The
      usefulness of echocardiography as a tool of general versatility including
      hemodynamic evaluation and the usefulness of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging
      for assessment of cardiac morphology and myocardial tissue characteristics of
      relevance for LVH are described. Imaging modalities now have central roles in the
      differentiation and prognostic assessment of LVH.

PMID- 28639225
TI  - The Development and Implementation of a Patient Continuity Conference in a
      Psychiatry Residency Program.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A resident-led patient continuity case conference was initiated with
      the goals of improving communication among providers and increasing cohesion
      among residents. METHODS: A monthly case conference focusing on patient
      continuity of care was held over the course of the academic year. Residents were
      surveyed for feedback about the role of the conference in both improving their
      competency in navigating transitions of care and building cohesion among
      residents. RESULTS: The conference improved resident knowledge of care
      transitions and communication during transitions in care in addition to
      increasing comfort, cohesion, and exchange of knowledge between residents.
      CONCLUSIONS: Implementing a resident-led patient continuity case conference can
      improve resident competency during care transitions while improving cohesion
      among residents.

PMID- 28639226
TI  - Standardizing Training in Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Canadian Psychiatry
      Postgraduate Programs: A Competency-Based Framework.

PMID- 28639227
TI  - Association Study Between Coronary Artery Disease and rs1333049 Polymorphism at
      9p21.3 Locus in Italian Population.
AB  - In this study, we verify the association between the rs1333049 single nucleotide
      polymorphism (9p21.3) within CDKN2A-CDKN2B and coronary artery disease (CAD) in
      an Italian population. We replicated rs1333049_G allele association with a
      significantly reduced risk of CAD (OR = 0.816; 95% confidence interval [0.705
      0.945]; p = 0.0065) in 711 CAD patients and 755 normal healthy individuals. This
      effect is maintained even stratifying patients by gender and by risk factors. A
      significant association was found with age of CAD onset. Interestingly, we found
      a protective trend of association between the rs1333049_G allele and peripheral
      artery disease, a progressive atherosclerotic condition in which plaque builds up
      in the arteries that carry blood to the head, organs, and limbs (OR = 0.724; 95%
      CI [0.520-1.007]; p = 0.054). No genotype-phenotype association was found with
      more severe CAD clinical parameters. If certain genetic factors predispose
      individuals to adverse outcomes, the knowledge of a patient's genotype may
      influence clinical management.

PMID- 28639228
TI  - Role of 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid (20-HETE) in Androgen-Mediated Cell
      Viability in Prostate Cancer Cells.
AB  - 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is generated intracellularly through
      the omega-hydroxylation of arachidonic acid by the cytochrome P450 (in humans,
      CYP4A11 and CYP4F2). 20-HETE induces mitogenic responses in different cancer
      cells. The aim of this study was to analyze how 20-HETE impacts cell survival,
      proliferation, and apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Incubation of the human
      androgen-sensitive cells (LNCaP) with 1-10 MUM HET0016 (a selective inhibitor of
      20-HETE synthesis) reduced cell viability by 49*-64%* (*p < 0.05 vs. control).
      This was explained by a reduction in cell proliferation (vehicle, 46 +/- 3%; 1
      MUM, 23 +/- 3%*; 10 MUM, 28 +/- 3%*) and by an increase in apoptosis (vehicle,
      2.1 +/- 0%; 1 MUM, 16 +/- 4%*; 10 MUM, 31 +/- 3%*). Furthermore, the increase in
      LNCaP cell viability induced by dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 0.1 nM) was abrogated
      by 30*-42%* by 1-10 MUM HET0016. Incubation with 20-HETE (5-1000 nM) increased
      LNCaP cell viability up to 50%*, together with a 70%* reduction in apoptosis. PC
      3 (androgen-insensitive) cell viability was not affected by either HET0016 or 20
      HETE. In LNCaP cells, HET0016 (10 MUM) diminished the expression of androgen
      receptors (AR): messenger RNA (mRNA) (40%*) and protein (50%*). DHT (10 nM)
      augmented CYP4F2 protein expression (1.9-fold*) and 20-HETE levels (50%*).
      Oppositely, enzalutamide (AR antagonist) reduced CYP4F2 mRNA and protein
      expressions by 30 and 25%, respectively. Thus, intracellular availability of 20
      HETE is necessary to sustain LNCaP cell viability. 20-HETE may act as a signaling
      molecule in the pathways involved in LNCaP cell viability upon stimulation of the
      AR. This effect may be partially attributed to its role on securing normal AR
      expression levels that in turn contribute to maintain intracellular levels of 20
      HETE.

PMID- 28639229
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of MHAA4549A, an Anti-Influenza A Monoclonal Antibody, in
      Healthy Subjects Challenged with Influenza A Virus in a Phase IIa Randomized
      Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: MHAA4549A, a human anti-influenza immunoglobulin (Ig)
      G1 monoclonal antibody, is being developed to treat patients hospitalized for
      influenza A infection. This study examined the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of
      MHAA4549A in a phase IIa, randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging trial in healthy
      volunteers challenged with influenza A virus. METHODS: Serum PK data were
      collected from 60 subjects in three single-dose groups (400, 1200, or 3600 mg)
      who received MHAA4549A intravenously 24-36 h after inoculation with the influenza
      A virus. Nasopharyngeal swab MHAA4549A concentration data were collected on days
      1-8, and all subjects, including the placebo group, received 75 mg oseltamivir
      twice daily from days 7 to 11. Plasma samples were collected 4 h postdose on day
      8 for oseltamivir and its active metabolite oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) (all
      subjects, n = 100), including subjects treated with oseltamivir alone and
      placebo. Noncompartmental analysis was performed for both nasal and serum PKs.
      RESULTS: MHAA4549A showed dose-proportional serum PKs with a long terminal half
      life (approximately 21.9-24.6 days) and slow clearance (approximately 152-240
      mL/day); however, nasopharyngeal swab PKs were not dose proportional. No
      differences in mean plasma concentrations of oseltamivir and OC at 4 h postdose
      on day 8 were observed between the MHAA4549A treatment and placebo groups. No
      subjects who received MHAA4549A developed anti-drug antibodies. CONCLUSION:
      MHAA4549A serum PKs were consistent with that of a human IgG1antibody without
      known endogenous targets. MHAA4549A showed nonlinear PKs in nasopharyngeal swab
      samples, which will guide future dose selection to achieve the high drug
      concentrations needed at the site of action for efficacy. These data demonstrate
      no PK interactions between MHAA4549A and oseltamivir, and support flat dosing.
      TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01980966.

PMID- 28639230
TI  - Intracellular Pharmacokinetics of Antibacterials and Their Clinical Implications.
AB  - The intracellular pharmacokinetics of the different classes of antimicrobials
      into surrogate markers of tissue accumulation (alveolar macrophages and/or total
      alveolar cells collected by means of bronchoalveolar lavage or peripheral white
      blood cells) was reviewed. The aim of this review was to discuss the clinical
      implications of the intracellular pharmacokinetics of antibacterials, either from
      the therapeutic or toxicological perspective. The different pharmacokinetic
      behaviour of antimicrobials within cells is mainly related to their
      physicochemical properties (hydrophilicity and lipophilicity), and may have
      several clinical implications. Therapeutic efficacy against intracellular
      pathogens has been correlated mainly with the intracellular concentrations
      achieved by the different antimicrobial agents. This is relevant especially for
      macrolides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones and rifampicin in the treatment of
      bacterial infections such as Legionella pneumophila pneumonia, Mycoplasma
      pneumoniae pneumonia, non-gonococcal urethritis and chronic staphylococcal
      infections. Additionally, intracellular accumulation of antibacterials was
      correlated with the possibility of causing organ-specific toxicity, as in the
      case of aminoglycosides in regard to the risk of nephrotoxicity. Finally, it
      should be kept in mind that intracellular accumulation may also represent a drug
      reservoir in the case of lipophilic antimicrobials. This may become extremely
      relevant from the clinical standpoint when treating critically ill patients with
      sepsis with antibacterials. The pathophysiology of sepsis may explain why it is
      necessary to start therapy with an increased loading dose of hydrophilic
      antimicrobials to promptly achieve therapeutically effective concentrations.

PMID- 28639231
TI  - What Is New in the World Health Organization 2017 Histopathology Classification?

PMID- 28639232
TI  - [Electroencephalography in delirium superimposed on dementia].
AB  - Recognizing delirium superimposed on pre-existing cognitive impairment or
      dementia, 'delirium superimposed on dementia' (DSD), is challenging because signs
      of delirium might be interpreted as symptoms of pre-existing cognitive
      dysfunction.In this paper, we review the literature on the role of
      electrencephalography (EEG) in the differential diagnosis of delirium, dementia
      and DSD.Conventional EEG, applying twenty to thirty electrodes, taking thirty
      minutes registration, is not feasible in psychogeriatric patients. Recent studies
      suggest that it is possible to reliably detect delirium using only a limited
      number of EEG electrodes for a short period of time.With this, use of EEG in the
      detection of delirium in patients with cognitive impairment or clinically
      manifest dementia could be possible.

PMID- 28639233
TI  - [Physical and mental dimensions of quality of life of frail older people].
AB  - Frail older people have an increased risk of limitations in performing activities
      of daily living, hospitalization, nursing home admission, and premature death. In
      this study we determined the difference in experiencing quality of life between
      frail and non-frail older people. We also investigated the associations between
      physical, psychological and social components of frailty and the physical and
      mental dimensions of quality of life. 374 people of 75 years and older filled in
      a questionnaire, the Senioren Barometer. This questionnaire contained the Tilburg
      Frailty Indicator (TFI) to assess frailty and the SF-12 for assessing quality of
      life. The study showed that frail older people on average experience a lower
      quality of life than non-frail older people. A considerable part of the variance
      of the physical and mental dimensions of quality of life could be explained by
      the fifteen components of frailty, after controlling for the background
      characteristics of the respondents, 33.2% and 36.5%, respectively. The frailty
      components physical inactivity, physical tiredness, and depressive symptoms were
      associated with the physical dimension as well as the mental dimension of quality
      of life. The results confirm the importance of multidimensional assessment of
      frailty. In addition, they provide a direction to healthcare and welfare
      professionals in performing interventions with the aim of increasing the quality
      of life of older people.

PMID- 28639236
TI  - The effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine premedication in children: a systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Intranasal dexmedetomidine premedication is a newly introduced method
      for reducing stress and anxiety before general anesthesia in children. We
      performed a meta-analysis to identify the effects of intranasal dexmedetomidine
      premedication in children. SOURCE: We conducted a systematic review to find
      published randomized-controlled trials using intranasal dexmedetomidine as
      premedication. We searched databases in EMBASETM, MEDLINE(r), and the Cochrane
      Controlled Trials Register using the Ovid platform. This study was conducted
      based on the Cochrane Review Methods. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This review included
      1,168 participants in 13 studies. Intranasal dexmedetomidine premedication
      provided more satisfactory sedation at parent separation (relative risk [RR],
      1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.76; P = 0.0002; I2 = 80%) than
      other premedication regimes. In addition, it reduced the need for rescue
      analgesics (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.83; P = 0.003; I2 = 0%). Nevertheless,
      there were no differences in sedation at mask induction (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.98
      to 1.59; P = 0.08; I2 =71%) or in the incidence of emergence delirium (RR, 0.52;
      95% CI, 0.24 to 1.13; P = 0.10; I2 = 67%). Intranasal dexmedetomidine was
      associated with a significantly lower incidence of nasal irritation (RR, 0.05;
      95% CI, 0.01 to 0.36; P = 0.003; I2 = 0%) and postoperative nausea and vomiting
      (RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.99; P = 0.04; I2 = 0%) than other premedication
      treatments. It also showed significantly lower systolic blood pressure (weighted
      mean difference [WMD], -6.7 mmHg; 95% CI, -10.5 to -2.9; P = 0.0006; I2 = 96%)
      and heart rate (WMD, -6.8 beats.min-1; 95% CI, -11.3 to -2.6; P = 0.002; I2 =
      98%). CONCLUSIONS: Intranasal dexmedetomidine provided more satisfactory sedation
      at parent separation and reduced the need for rescue analgesics and the incidence
      of nasal irritation and postoperative nausea and vomiting when compared with
      other premedication treatments.

PMID- 28639235
TI  - Biofluid lipidome: a source for potential diagnostic biomarkers.
AB  - Lipidomics is the identification and quantitation of changes in the lipidome of a
      cell, tissue, organ or biofluid in health and disease using high resolution mass
      spectrometry. Lipidome of a particular organism has relevance to the disease
      manifestation as it reflects the metabolic changes which can be a consequence of
      the disease. Hence these changes in the molecules can be considered as potential
      markers for screening and early detection of the disease. Biological fluids as
      blood/serum/plasma, urine, saliva, tear and cerebrospinal fluid, due to their
      accessibility, offer ease of collection with minimal or no discomfort to the
      patient and provide a ready footprint of the metabolic changes occurring during
      disease. This review provides a brief introduction to lipidomics and its role in
      understanding the metabolic changes in health and disease followed by discussion
      on the chemical diversity of the lipid species and their biological role,
      mammalian lipids and their metabolism and role of lipids in pathogens and the
      immune response before dwelling further into importance of studying lipidome in
      various biological fluids. The challenges in performing a lipidomic analysis at
      the experimental and data analysis stages are discussed.

PMID- 28639234
TI  - Novel Biomarkers of Subclinical Cardiac Dysfunction in the General Population.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recognition of subclinical myocardial dysfunction offers
      clinicians and patients an opportunity for early intervention and prevention of
      symptomatic cardiovascular disease. We review the data on novel biomarkers in
      subclinical heart disease in the general population with a focus on
      pathophysiology, recent observational or trial data, and potential applicability
      and pitfalls for clinical use. RECENT FINDINGS: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin
      and natriuretic peptide assays are powerful markers of subclinical cardiac
      disease. Elevated levels of these biomarkers signify subclinical cardiac injury
      and hemodynamic stress and portend an adverse prognosis. Novel biomarkers of
      myocardial inflammation, fibrosis, and abnormal contraction are gaining momentum
      as predictors for incident heart failure, providing new insight into
      pathophysiologic mechanisms of cardiac disease. There has been exciting growth in
      both traditional and novel biomarkers of subclinical cardiac injury in recent
      years. Many biomarkers have demonstrated associations with relevant
      cardiovascular outcomes and may enhance the diagnostic and prognostic power of
      more conventional biomarkers. However, their use in "prime time" to identify
      patients with or at risk for subclinical cardiac dysfunction in the general
      population remains an open question. Strategic investigation into their clinical
      applicability in the context of clinical trials remains an area of ongoing
      investigation.

PMID- 28639237
TI  - Work-Home Interference, Perceived Total Workload, and the Risk of Future Sickness
      Absence Due to Stress-Related Mental Diagnoses Among Women and Men: a Prospective
      Twin Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Work-home interference has been proposed as an important explanation for
      sickness absence (SA). Previous studies show mixed results, have not accounted
      for familial factors (genetics and shared everyday environment), or investigated
      diagnosis specific SA. The aim was to study whether work-home interference and
      perceived total workload predict SA due to stress-related mental diagnoses, or SA
      due to other mental diagnoses, among women and men, when adjusting for various
      confounders and familial factors. METHODS: This study included 11,916 twins, 19
      47 years (49% women). Data on work-to-home and home-to-work conflicts, perceived
      total workload, and relevant confounders were derived from a 2005 survey, and
      national register data on SA spells until 2013 were obtained. Odds ratios (ORs)
      with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Discordant twin pair design
      was applied to adjust for familial factors. RESULTS: Each one unit increase in
      work-to-home and home-to-work conflicts, and perceived total workload was
      associated with higher odds for SA due to stress-related mental diagnoses and to
      SA due to other mental diagnoses among women, when adjusting for sociodemographic
      factors (ORs 1.15-1.31). Including health or familial factors, no associations
      remained. For men, each one unit increase in work-to-home conflicts was
      associated with higher odds for SA due to stress-related diagnoses (ORs 1.23
      1.35), independently of confounders. CONCLUSION: Work-to-home conflict was
      independently associated with future SA due to stress-related diagnoses among men
      only. Health- and work-related factors seem to be important confounders when
      researching work-home interference, perceived total workload, and SA. Not
      including such confounders involves risking drawing incorrect conclusions.
      Further studies are needed to confirm sex differences and whether genetic factors
      are important for the associations studied.

PMID- 28639238
TI  - Multiple Sclerosis in Latin Americans: Genetic Aspects.
AB  - Latin Americans (LA) are a heterogeneous, multiethnic group of individuals who
      inhabit the continental countries in Latin America (LATAM), Caribbean islands and
      constitute the largest ethnic minority in the USA. Commonly used terminology and
      ethno racial classifications to define these groups may not be accurate. Risk for
      multiple sclerosis (MS) among LA is generally low to medium but frequencies are
      increasing in the American hemisphere. Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) in
      LA show diverse variants and genetic proportions among Mestizos, the most
      representative ethnic population, who themselves are the product of centuries of
      interracial mixing between Native Americans (or Amerindians), White Caucasian
      Europeans, and Black Africans. Genetic distribution diversity appears to be
      related to migratory and historical and socio-political factors in LATAM.
      Epidemiologic studies show an extremely low prevalence of MS among non-mixed
      Amerindians; this has been attributed to protective ancestral Asian genetics and
      possibly, environmental factors. Mestizos and biracial LA of African ancestry
      have more susceptibility to MS apparently due to the historical introduction of
      the European HLA-DRB1*1501 gene. Contribution from HLA typing, GWAS, and ancestry
      informative markers (AIMs) has been determinant in the current LA genetic
      understanding but more regional studies are needed. The relationship between
      genetics and disease regional distribution is emphasized.

PMID- 28639239
TI  - Significant Improvement in Detecting BRAF, KRAS, and EGFR Mutations Using Next
      Generation Sequencing as Compared with FDA-Cleared Kits.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We compared mutations detected in EGFR, KRAS, and BRAF genes using
      next-generation sequencing (NGS) and confirmed by Sanger sequencing with
      mutations that could be detected by FDA-cleared testing kits. METHODS: Paraffin
      embedded tissue from 822 patients was tested for mutations in EGFR, KRAS, and
      BRAF by NGS. Sanger sequencing of hot spots was used with locked nucleic acid to
      increase sensitivity for specific hot-spot mutations. This included 442 (54%)
      lung cancers, 168 (20%) colorectal cancers, 29 (4%) brain tumors, 33 (4%)
      melanomas, 14 (2%) thyroid cancers, and 16% others (pancreas, head and neck, and
      cancer of unknown origin). Results were compared with the approved list of
      detectable mutations in FDA kits for EGFR, KRAS, and BRAF. RESULTS: Of the 101
      patients with EGFR abnormalities as detected by NGS, only 58 (57%) were
      detectable by cobas v2 and only 35 (35%) by therascreen. Therefore, 42 and 65%,
      respectively, more mutations were detected by NGS, including two patients with
      EGFR amplification. Of the 117 patients with BRAF mutation detected by NGS, 62
      (53%) mutations were within codon 600, detectable by commercial kits, but 55
      (47%) of the mutations were outside codon V600, detected by NGS only. Of the 321
      patients with mutations in KRAS detected by NGS, 284 (88.5%) had mutations
      detectable by therascreen and 300 (93.5%) had mutations detectable by cobas.
      Therefore, 11.5 and 6.5% additional KRAS mutations were detected by NGS,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: NGS provides significantly more comprehensive testing
      for mutations as compared with FDA-cleared kits currently available commercially.

PMID- 28639240
TI  - Approach to thyroid carcinoma in pregnancy.
AB  - Thyroid carcinoma is the first cancer found in general population and the second
      diagnosed during pregnancy following the breast one. Diagnostic and therapeutic
      approaches to thyroid malignancy in pregnant women pose several and serious
      issues to the physicians. Even if there is no consensus about the surgical
      treatment of thyroid carcinomas during pregnancy, a large number of women undergo
      surgery over the world. The best surgical and anesthesiological treatment should
      be chosen after reaching a consensus between surgeons, anesthesiologists,
      obstetrics, and the patients. From 2000 to 2016, 18 pregnant patients underwent
      thyroidectomy under local anesthesia (cervical plexus block) combined with
      conscious sedation using benzodiazepines and opiates with ultrashort duration of
      action. Our 15-year experience on the thyroidectomies performed using the
      cervical plexus block combined with conscious sedation confirms that this
      combined technique offers a safe chance to defeat cancer also during pregnancy.
      Application of hypnosis could be an interesting alternative approach to
      pharmacological sedation in patients who would avoid intravenous drugs.

PMID- 28639244
TI  - Veterinary Public Health in Italy: From Healthy Animals to Healthy Food,
      Contribution to Improve Economy in Developing Countries.
AB  - The role of the veterinarian as a public health officer is intrinsic to the
      history and the culture of veterinary organization in Italy. The Veterinary
      service being part of the Health administration since the birth of the Italian
      State in the XIX Century. In the second half of the last century the birth of the
      Italian National Health Service confirmed that the function of the Italian
      veterinary service was to analyze and reduce the risks for the human population
      connected to the relationship man-animal-environment, animal health, food safety
      and security. The Italian Veterinary Medicine School curricula, reflected this
      "model" of veterinarian as well. In the majority of countries in the world,
      Veterinary Services are organized within the Agriculture Administration with the
      main function to assure animal health and wellbeing. After the so-called "Mad-cow
      crisis" the awareness of the direct and essential role of veterinary services in
      the prevention of human illness has been officially recognized and in the third
      millennium the old concept of "one health" and "human-animal interface" has
      gained popularity worldwide.The concept of Veterinary Public Health, has evolved
      at International level and has incorporated the more than a century old vision of
      the Italian Veterinary medicine and it is defined as "the sum of the
      contributions to the physical, mental and social development of people through
      the knowledge and application of veterinary science" (WHO, Future trends in
      veterinary public health. Gruppo di lavoro OMS: TE, Italy, 1999, Available from:
      http://www.who.int/zoonoses/vph/en/ . Last visited 16 Feb 2016, 1999).On the
      subject of Cooperation, Sustainability and Public Health, the EXPO 2015 event and
      the activities of international organizations WHO, FAO and World Organization for
      Animal Health are refocusing at present their worldwide mandate to protect human
      health and the economy of both the poorest Countries and the developed countries,
      according to the "new" concept of Veterinary Public Health.Focus of Italian
      Veterinary Services activity is connected to research, diagnosis and
      epidemiological analysis of infectious diseases, including zoonosis, food safety
      as well as food security.

PMID- 28639242
TI  - Accuracy of Fine Needle Cytology in Histological Prediction of Papillary Thyroid
      Carcinoma Variants: a Prospective Study.
AB  - Fine needle cytology (FNC) is a crucial procedure in the preoperative diagnosis
      of thyroid tumors. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), in its classic variant
      (cPTC), is the most common malignant neoplasm of the thyroid. Several
      histological variants of PTC have been described, each one with its own
      characteristics and prognosis. The ability of FNC to identify the variants
      represents a challenge even for a skilled pathologist. The aim of this study was
      to evaluate the diagnostic cytological accuracy of FNC in PTC and to look for
      specific features that could predict the different variants. This was a single
      center prospective study on 128 patients who received a diagnosis of PTC on FNC.
      The smears were blindly reviewed by two cytopathologists to create a frequency
      score (0, 1, 2, 3) of the features for each variant. The cytological parameters
      were divided into three groups: architectural, nucleo-cytoplasmic, and background
      features. Univariate analysis was performed by chi-square test with Yates
      correction and Fisher exact test as appropriate. Multiple regression analysis was
      performed among the variables correlated at the linear correlation. The
      correlation study between cytology and histology showed an accuracy of FNC in
      classic, follicular, and oncocytic PTC variants of 63.5, 87.5, and 87%
      respectively. Familiarity with cytological features may allow an early diagnosis
      of a given PTC variant on FNC samples. This is fundamental in a preoperative
      evaluation for the best surgical approach and subsequent treatment.

PMID- 28639243
TI  - Right atrial myocardial deformation by two-dimensional speckle tracking
      echocardiography predicts recurrence in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a bi-atrial disease yet little attention
      has been given to right heart function in AF. We propose that the assessment of
      right atrial (RA) and right ventricular function (RV) using two-dimensional
      speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) could be valuable in predicting AF
      recurrence in patients with paroxysmal AF (PAF). METHODS: Thirty patients with
      PAF were prospectively recruited from a dedicated AF clinic. Right atrial size,
      volume, and area and RV dimensions were analyzed along with RA and RV strain
      derived from 2D-STE at baseline and at 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: Higher RA
      booster strain independently predicted sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance for up to 1
      year (P = 0.001). RV strain was impaired in patients with recurrent AF compared
      to those in SR (P < 0.05) but did not predict AF recurrence. Two-dimensional STE
      for RA and RV function was simple to perform with excellent reproducibility
      (adjusted R 2 0.92-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Two-dimensional STE is useful and highly
      reproducible in assessing right heart function in AF patients. RA booster strain
      function was predictive of sinus rhythm maintenance for up to 1 year.

PMID- 28639245
TI  - Biofilm-Forming Ability and Clonality in Acinetobacter baumannii Strains Isolated
      from Urine Samples and Urinary Catheters in Different European Hospitals.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Biofilm formation has been associated with the persistence of
      Acinetobacter baumannii in hospital settings and its propensity to cause
      infection. We investigated the adhesion ability and clonality of 128 A. baumannii
      isolates recovered from urine and urinary catheters of patients admitted to 5
      European hospitals during 1991-2013. METHODS: Isolates identification was
      confirmed by rpoB sequencing and by the presence of blaOXA-51. The presence of
      carbapenemases was detected by PCR. Clonality was determined by Sequence Group
      (SG) identification, Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multilocus
      sequence typing. Adhesion ability was defined by quantitative biofilm production
      assay and biofilms were characterized by Confocal Laser Microscopy and Scanning
      Electron Microscopy. RESULTS: The 128 isolates, either resistant (85.9%) or
      susceptible (14.1%) to carbapenems, and belonging to 50 different PFGE types and
      24 different STs, were distributed among SG1 (67.2%), SG2 (10.2%) and other
      allelic profiles (22.7%). ST218 was the most frequent ST, corresponding to 54,5%
      of the isolates collected between 2011 and 2013. Among the 109 isolates showing
      resistance to at least 1 carbapenem, 55% revealed the presence of an acquired
      carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D - lactamases (CHDL): blaOXA-23 were the most
      frequent gene detected from 2008 onwards (75%). Among all the clinical isolates,
      42.2% were strong biofilm producers, with the older isolates having the highest
      adhesion ability. Most isolates recovered later, belonging to ST218 and
      harbouring blaOXA-23, were homogeneously less adhesive. CONCLUSIONS: An evolution
      towards a decrease in adhesion ability and a CHDL content change was observed
      along the years in several European countries.

PMID- 28639246
TI  - ATP-Gated P2X3 Receptors Are Specialised Sensors of the Extracellular
      Environment.
AB  - P2X3 receptors are ion channels expressed by autonomic and sensory nerves and
      specialised in transducing extracellular ATP signals. Structural data, together
      with functional and biochemical studies, suggest that conformational changes of
      P2X3 receptors upon agonist binding influence downstream intracellular molecular
      mechanisms relevant for neuronal responses. Activity of P2X3 receptors is
      implicated in pain, itch, asthma, cardiovascular dysfunction and other
      pathologies. The study of these receptors has therefore a large potential in the
      field of drug development and interdisciplinary efforts could clarify molecular
      mechanisms controlling P2X3 receptor function in different physiological or
      pathological contexts.

PMID- 28639241
TI  - Huntington's Disease and Mitochondria.
AB  - Huntington's disease (HD) as an inherited neurodegenerative disorder leads to
      neuronal loss in striatum. Progressive motor dysfunction, cognitive decline, and
      psychiatric disturbance are the main clinical symptoms of the HD. This disease is
      caused by expansion of the CAG repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin which encodes
      Huntingtin protein (Htt). Various cellular and molecular events play role in the
      pathology of HD. Mitochondria as important organelles play crucial roles in the
      most of neurodegenerative disorders like HD. Critical roles of the mitochondria
      in neurons are ATP generation, Ca2+ buffering, ROS generation, and antioxidant
      activity. Neurons as high-demand energy cells closely related to function,
      maintenance, and dynamic of mitochondria. In the most neurological disorders,
      mitochondrial activities and dynamic are disrupted which associate with high ROS
      level, low ATP generation, and apoptosis. Accumulation of mutant huntingtin
      (mHtt) during this disease may evoke mitochondrial dysfunction. Here, we review
      recent findings to support this hypothesis that mHtt could cause mitochondrial
      defects. In addition, by focusing normal huntingtin functions in neurons, we
      purpose mitochondria and Huntingtin association in normal condition. Moreover,
      mHtt affects various cellular signaling which ends up to mitochondrial
      biogenesis. So, it could be a potential candidate to decline ATP level in HD. We
      conclude how mitochondrial biogenesis plays a central role in the neuronal
      survival and activity and how mHtt affects mitochondrial trafficking,
      maintenance, integrity, function, dynamics, and hemostasis and makes neurons
      vulnerable to degeneration in HD.

PMID- 28639247
TI  - P2Y1 Receptors - Properties and Functional Activities.
AB  - In this chapter we try to show a comprehensive image of current knowledge of
      structure, activity and physiological role of the P2Y1 purinergic receptor. The
      structure, distribution and changes in the expression of this receptor are
      summarized, as well as the mechanism of its signaling activity by the
      intracellular calcium mobilization. We try to show the connection between the
      components of its G protein activation and cellular or physiological effects,
      starting from changes in protein phosphorylation patterns and ending with such
      remote effects as receptor-mediated apoptosis. The special emphasis is put on the
      role of the P2Y1 receptor in cancer cells and neuronal plasticity. We concentrate
      on the P2Y1 receptor, it is though impossible to completely abstract from other
      aspects of nucleotide signaling and cross-talk with other nucleotide receptors is
      here discussed. Especially, the balance between P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors, sharing
      the same ligand but signaling through different pathways, is presented.

PMID- 28639248
TI  - P2X Receptor Activation.
AB  - Extracellular ATP-gated P2X receptors are trimeric non-selective cation channels
      important for many physiological events including immune response and neural
      transmission. These receptors belong to a unique class of ligand-gated ion
      channels composed of only six transmembrane helices and a relatively small
      extracellular domain that harbors three ATP-binding pockets. The crystal
      structures of P2X receptors, including the recent P2X3 structures representing
      three different stages of the gating cycle, have provided a compelling structural
      foundation for understanding how this class of ligand-gated ion channels
      function. These structures, in combination with numerous functional studies
      ranging from classic mutagenesis and electrophysiology to modern optogenetic
      pharmacology, have uncovered unique molecular mechanisms of P2X receptor
      function. This review article summarizes the current knowledge in P2X receptor
      activation, especially focusing on the mechanisms underlying ATP-binding,
      conformational changes in the extracellular domain, and channel gating and
      desensitization.

PMID- 28639249
TI  - Histone Post-Translational Modifications and Nucleosome Organisation in
      Transcriptional Regulation: Some Open Questions.
AB  - The organisation of chromatin is first discussed to conclude that nucleosomes
      play both structural and transcription-regulatory roles. The presence of
      nucleosomes makes difficult the access of transcriptional factors to their target
      sequences and the action of RNA polymerases. The histone post-translational
      modifications and nucleosome remodelling are first discussed, from a historical
      point of view, as mechanisms to remove the obstacles imposed by chromatin
      structure to transcription. Instead of reviewing the state of the art of the
      whole field, this review is centred on some open questions. First, some "non
      classical" histone modifications, such as short-chain acylations other than
      acetylation, are considered to conclude that their relationship with the
      concentration of metabolic intermediaries might make of them a sensor of the
      physiological state of the cells. Then attention is paid to the interest of
      studying chromatin organisation and epigenetic marks at a single nucleosome level
      as a complement to genome-wide approaches. Finally, as a consequence of the above
      questions, the review focuses on the presence of multiple histone post
      translational modifications on a single nucleosome. The methods to detect them
      and their meaning, with special emphasis on bivalent marks, are discussed.

PMID- 28639250
TI  - Regulation of Nephrin Phosphorylation in Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Injury.
AB  - Diabetes is the leading cause of microalbuminuria and end-stage renal failure in
      industrial countries. Disruption of the filtration barrier, seen in almost all
      nephrotic diseases and diabetes, is the result of the loss or effacement of the
      podocyte foot process, notably damage of proteins within the slit diaphragm such
      as nephrin. For many years, nephrin has been viewed as a structural component of
      the slit diaphragm. It is now well recognized that nephrin contains several
      tyrosine residues in its cytoplasmic domain, which influences the development of
      glomerular injury. In this review, we propose an overview of nephrin signaling
      pathways in kidney injury.

PMID- 28639251
TI  - Regulation of the Extracellular SERPINA5 (Protein C Inhibitor) Penetration
      Through Cellular Membranes.
AB  - It is generally accepted that the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membrane is
      impermeable for proteins and peptides and that these molecules require special
      mechanisms for their transport from the extra- to the intracellular space.
      Recently there is increasing evidence that certain proteins/peptides can also
      directly cross the phospholipid membrane. SERPINA5 (protein C inhibitor) is a
      secreted protease inhibitor with broad protease reactivity and wide tissue
      distribution. It binds glycosaminoglycans and certain phospoholipids, which can
      modulate its inhibitory activity. SERPINA5 has been shown to be internalized by
      platelets, granulocytes, HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells, and by Jurkat
      lymphoma cells. Once inside the cell it can translocate to the nucleus. There are
      several indications that SERPINA5 can directly cross the phospholipid bilayer of
      the cell membrane. In this review we will describe what is known so far about the
      conditions, as well as the cellular and molecular requirements for SERPINA5
      translocation through the cell membrane and for its penetration of pure
      phospholipid vesicles.

PMID- 28639252
TI  - Ethnic Variations in Serum 25(OH)D Levels and Bone Ultrasound Attenuation
      Measurements in Blacks and Whites.
AB  - Vitamin D deficiency is more common in Blacks, yet Blacks have lower prevalence
      of bone fragility fractures or osteoporosis than Whites. Broadband ultrasound
      attenuation (BUA) has been used to explore the association between serum 25(OH)D
      levels and bone quality in White and non-white populations. We investigated serum
      25(OH)D status with corresponding BUA measurements assessed cross sectionally in
      a cohort of 232 Blacks and 260 Whites, aged 30-95 years who were part of the
      calibration study of the large Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2). At the
      calibration clinics, calcaneal BUA was measured and blood drawn for serum 25(OH)D
      assessment. In multivariable analyses, BUA was negatively associated with age
      (beta-coefficient = -0.38; p < 0.0001) and positively associated with body mass
      index (BMI) (p (trend) < 0.0001) and positively, but non-significantly,
      associated with serum 25(OH)D levels. Also, as expected, females had lower BUA
      (beta-coefficient = -5.19; p < 0.05) and Blacks had higher BUA (beta-coefficient
      = 4.26; p < 0.05). Gender and race modified the relationship of serum 25(OH)D on
      BUA with a positive association in males (p (trend) <= 0.05), but no significant
      association in females after also controlling for menopausal status and hormone
      therapy. After also controlling for serum 25(OH)D levels, Black males had higher
      BUA than White men, but such differences were not found among the females. When
      stratifying on race, a positive association between serum 25(OH)D levels and BUA
      (p (trend) <= 0.05) was found in Blacks, but not among Whites. Further studies
      are needed to understand how racial/ethnic differences in serum 25(OH)D levels
      influence bone health.

PMID- 28639253
TI  - Ultrasonography in trauma: a nation-wide cross-sectional investigation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) protocol is
      considered beneficial in emergent evaluation of trauma patients with blunt or
      penetrating injury and has become integrated into the Advanced Trauma Life
      Support (ATLS) protocol. No guidelines exist as to the use of ultrasonography in
      trauma in Denmark. We aimed to determine the current use of ultrasonography for
      assessing trauma patients in Denmark. METHODS: We conducted a nation-wide cross
      sectional investigation of ultrasonography usage in trauma care. The first phase
      consisted of an Internet-based investigation of existing guidelines, and the
      second phase was a series of structured interviews of orthopedic surgeons,
      anesthesiologists, and radiologists on call in all hospitals receiving
      traumatized patients in Denmark. RESULTS: Guidelines were obtained from all 22
      hospitals receiving traumatized patients in Denmark. Twenty-one (95.5%) of the
      guidelines included and recommended FAST as part of trauma assessment. The
      recommended person to perform the examination was the radiologist in n = 11
      (50.0%), the surgeon in n = 6 (27.3%), the anesthesiologist in n = 1 (4.5%), and
      unspecified in n = 3 (13.6%) facilities. FAST indications varied between
      circulatory instability n = 8 (36.4%), team leader's discretion n = 6 (27.3%),
      abdominal trauma n = 3 (13.6%), and not specified n = 6 (27.3%). Telephone
      interviews revealed that exams were always n = 8 (36.4%) or often n = 4 (18.2%)
      registered in the patients' charts. The remaining n = 10 (45.5%) facilities
      either never registered n = 2 (9.1%), it was not possible to register n = 1
      (4.5%), or unknown by the trauma leaders n = 7 (31.8%). Images were often stored
      in n = 1 (4.5%), never stored in n = 10 (45.5%), not possible to store in n = 2
      (9.1%), and unknown in n = 9 (40.9%) facilities. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography was
      used in a non-uniform fashion by multiple specialties in Danish trauma
      facilities. Very few images from FAST examinations were stored and documentation
      was scanty. National guidelines on application and documentation of
      ultrasonography in trauma are called for.

PMID- 28639255
TI  - Necessity and feasibility of improving mental health services in China: A
      systematic qualitative review.
AB  - It has been nearly 40 years since the reform and opening up of Mainland China.
      The mental health services system has developed rapidly as a part of the profound
      socioeconomic changes that ensued. However, its development has not been as
      substantial as other areas of medical care. For the current qualitative
      systematic review, we searched databases, including China Biology Medicine disc,
      Weipu, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang digital periodical full
      text data, China's important newspaper full text database, China Statistical
      Yearbook database, etc. The content of primary research, literature, and policy
      papers about the evolution and development of Chinese mental health services was
      systemically reviewed and analysed by using thematic analysis. Two main themes
      relative to the necessity and feasibility of reforming the current mental health
      services system emerged. We discuss 5 corresponding subthemes under the umbrella
      of the necessity of improving the current treatment, rehabilitation, prevention,
      and service systems and 7 requirements for the feasibility of reforming the
      current system. We conclude that as the development of the Chinese economy and
      the spirit of humanistic care continue, the improvement and reformation of the
      mental health services system are both necessary and feasible.

PMID- 28639254
TI  - Use of a digital phantom developed by QIBA for harmonizing SUVs obtained from the
      state-of-the-art SPECT/CT systems: a multicenter study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although quantitative analysis using standardized uptake value (SUV)
      becomes realistic in clinical single-photon emission computed tomography/computed
      tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging, reconstruction parameter settings can deliver
      different quantitative results among different SPECT/CT systems. This study aims
      to propose a use of the digital reference object (DRO), which is a National
      Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) phantom-like object developed by the
      Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance (QIBA) fluorodeoxyglucose-positron
      emission tomography technical committee, for the purpose of harmonizing SUVs in
      Tc-99m SPECT/CT imaging. METHODS: The NEMA body phantom with determined Tc-99m
      concentration was scanned with the four state-of-the-art SPECT/CT systems. SPECT
      data were reconstructed using different numbers of the product of subset and
      iteration numbers (SI) and the width of 3D Gaussian filter (3DGF). The mean
      (SUVmean), maximal (SUVmax), and peak (SUVpeak) SUVs for six hot spheres (10, 13,
      17, 22, 28, and 37 mm) were measured after converting SPECT count into SUV using
      Becquerel calibration factor. DRO smoothed by 3DGF with a FWHM of 17 mm (DRO17
      mm) was generated, and the corresponding SUVs were measured. The reconstruction
      condition to yield the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) of SUVmeans for all
      the spheres between DRO17 mm and actual phantom images was determined as the
      harmonized condition for each SPECT/CT scanner. Then, inter-scanner variability
      in all quantitative metrics was measured before (i.e., according to the
      manufacturers' recommendation or the policies of their own departments) and after
      harmonization. RESULTS: RMSE was lowest in the following reconstruction
      conditions: SI of 100 and 3DGF of 13 mm for Brightview XCT, SI of 160 and 3DGF of
      3 pixels for Discovery NM/CT, SI of 60 and 3DGF of 2 pixels for Infinia, and SI
      of 140 and 3DGF of 15 mm for Symbia. In pre-harmonized conditions, coefficient of
      variations (COVs) among the SPECT/CT systems were greater than 10% for all
      quantitative metrics in three of the spheres, SUVmax and SUVmean, in one of the
      spheres. In contrast, all metrics except SUVmax in the 17-mm sphere yielded less
      than 10% of COVs after harmonization. CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed method clearly
      reduced inter-scanner variability in SUVs. A digital phantom developed by QIBA
      would be useful for harmonizing SUVs in multicenter trials using SPECT/CT.

PMID- 28639256
TI  - Response and survival benefit with chemoimmunotherapy in Epstein-Barr virus
      positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
AB  - Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a
      haematologic malignancy with poor prognosis when treated with chemotherapy. We
      evaluated response and survival benefits of chemoimmunotherapy in EBV-positive
      DLBCL patients. A total of 117 DLBCL patients were included in our retrospective
      analysis; 33 were EBV-positive (17 treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide,
      doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone [R-CHOP] and 16 with CHOP), and 84 were
      EBV-negative (all treated with R-CHOP). The outcomes of interest were complete
      response (CR) and overall survival (OS) in EBV-positive DLBCL patients (R-CHOP
      versus CHOP) and in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP (EBV-positive vs EBV
      negative). There were no differences in the clinical characteristics between EBV
      positive and EBV-negative DLBCL patients. Among EBV-positive DLBCL patients, R
      CHOP was associated with higher odds of CR (OR 3.14, 95% CI 0.75-13.2; P = .10)
      and better OS (hazard ratio 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09-0.94; P =
      .04). There were no differences in CR rate (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.18-1.56; P = .25)
      or OS (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.32-2.67; P = .89) between EBV-positive and EBV
      negative DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP. Based on our study, the addition of
      rituximab to CHOP is associated with improved response and survival in EBV
      positive DLBCL patients. Epstein-Barr virus status does not seem to affect
      response or survival in DLBCL patients treated with R-CHOP.

PMID- 28639257
TI  - Large-scale genome-wide screening of circulating microRNAs in clear cell renal
      cell carcinoma reveals specific signatures in late-stage disease.
AB  - Circulating miRNAs have shown great promises as noninvasive diagnostic and
      predictive biomarkers in several solid tumors. While the miRNA profiles of renal
      tumors have been extensively explored, knowledge of their circulating
      counterparts is limited. Our study aimed to provide a large-scale genome-wide
      profiling of plasma circulating miRNA in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).
      Plasma samples from 94 ccRCC cases and 100 controls were screened for 754
      circulating micro-RNAs (miRNA) by TaqMan arrays. Analyses including known risk
      factors for renal cancer-namely, age, sex, hypertension, obesity, diabetes,
      tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption-highlighted that circulating miRNA
      profiles were tightly correlated with the stage of the disease. Advanced tumors,
      characterized as stage III and IV, were associated with specific miRNA signatures
      that significantly differ from both controls and earlier stage ccRCC cases.
      Molecular pathway enrichment analyses of their gene targets showed high
      similarities with alterations observed in renal tumors. Plasma circulating levels
      of miR-150 were significantly associated with RCC-specific survival and could
      marginally improve the predictive accuracy of clinical parameters in our series,
      including age at diagnosis, sex and conventional staging. In summary, our results
      suggest that circulating miRNAs may provide insights into renal cell carcinoma
      progression.

PMID- 28639258
TI  - Tandem In Situ Monitoring for Quantitative Assessment of Mechanochemical
      Reactions Involving Structurally Unknown Phases.
AB  - We report herein quantitative in situ monitoring by simultaneous PXRD and Raman
      spectroscopy of the mechanochemical reaction between benzoic acid and
      nicotinamide, affording a rich polymorphic system with four new cocrystal
      polymorphs, multiple phase transformations, and a variety of reaction pathways.
      After observing polymorphs by in situ monitoring, we were able to isolate and
      characterize three of the four polymorphs, most of which are not accessible from
      solution. Relative stabilities among the isolated polymorphs at ambient
      conditions were established by slurry experiments. Using two complementary
      methods for in situ monitoring enabled quantitative assessment and kinetic
      analysis of each studied mechanochemical reaction, even when involving unknown
      crystal structures, and short-lived intermediates. In situ Raman monitoring was
      introduced here also as a standalone laboratory technique for quantitative
      assessment of mechanochemical reactions and understanding of mechanochemical
      reactivity. Our results provide an important step toward a complete and high
      throughput quantitative approach to mechanochemical reaction kinetics and
      mechanisms, necessary for the development of the mechanistic framework of milling
      reactions.

PMID- 28639259
TI  - The cost-effectiveness of three interventions for providing preventive services
      to low-income children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the impact of loan repayment programmes, revising
      Medicaid fee-for-service rates, and changing dental hygienist supervision
      requirements on access to preventive dental care for children in Georgia.
      METHODS: We estimated cost savings from the three interventions of preventive
      care for young children after netting out the intervention cost. We used a
      regression model to evaluate the impact of changing the Medicaid reimbursement
      rates. The impact of supervision was evaluated by comparing general and direct
      supervision in school-based dental sealant programmes. RESULTS: Federal loan
      repayments to dentists and school-based sealant programmes (SBSPs) had lower
      intervention costs (with higher potential cost savings) than raising the Medicaid
      reimbursement rate. General supervision had costs 56% lower than direct
      supervision of dental hygienists for implementing a SBSP. Raising the Medicaid
      reimbursement rate by 10 percentage points would improve utilization by <1% and
      cost over $38 million. Given one parameter set, SBSPs could serve over 27 000
      children with an intervention cost between $500 000 and $1.3 million with a
      potential cost saving of $1.1 million. Loan repayment could serve almost 13 000
      children for a cost of $400 000 and a potential cost saving of $176 000.
      CONCLUSIONS: The three interventions all improved met need for preventive dental
      care. Raising the reimbursement rate alone would marginally affect utilization of
      Medicaid services but would not substantially increase acceptance of Medicaid by
      providers. Both loan repayment programmes and amending supervision requirements
      are potentially cost-saving interventions. Loan repayment programmes provide
      complete care to targeted areas, while amending supervision requirements of
      dental hygienists could provide preventive care across the state.

PMID- 28639260
TI  - Improving thermostability of (R)-selective amine transaminase from Aspergillus
      terreus through introduction of disulfide bonds.
AB  - To improve the thermostability of (R)-selective amine transaminase from
      Aspergillus terreus (AT-ATA), we used computer software Disulfide by Design and
      Modelling of Disulfide Bonds in Proteins to identify mutation sites where the
      disulfide bonds were most likely to form. We obtained three stabilized mutants
      (N25C-A28C, R131C-D134C, M150C-M280C) from seven candidates by site-directed
      mutagenesis. Compared to the wild type, the best two mutants N25C-A28C and M150C
      M280C showed improved thermal stability with a 3.1- and 3.6-fold increase in half
      life (t1/2 ) at 40  degrees C and a 4.6 and 5.1  degrees C increase in T5010 . In
      addition, the combination of mutant R131C-D134C and M150C-M280C displayed the
      largest shift in thermostability with a 4.6-fold increase in t1/2 at 40  degrees
      C and a 5.5  degrees C increase in T5010 . Molecular dynamics simulation
      indicated that mutations of N25C-A28C and M150C-M280C lowered the overall root
      mean square deviation for the overall residues at elevated temperature and
      consequently increased the protein rigidity. The stabilized mutation of R131C
      D134C was in the region of high mobility and on the protein surface, and the
      disulfide bond constraints the flexibility of loop 121-136.

PMID- 28639261
TI  - The effects of ethanol on diverse components of choice in the rat: reward
      discrimination, preference and relative valuation.
AB  - Alcohol consumption impairs judgment and choice. How alcohol alters these crucial
      processes is primarily unknown. Choice can be fractionated into different
      components including reward discrimination, preference and relative valuation
      that can function together or in isolation depending upon diverse factors
      including choice context. We examined the diverse components and contextual
      effects by analyzing the effects of alcohol drinking on choice behavior in a task
      with a reduced level of temporal and spatial constraints. Rats were trained to
      drink 10% ethanol during 6 weeks of behavior testing using a combined sucrose
      fade and two-bottle free-choice procedure. Two different sucrose pellet outcomes
      (e.g., constant vs. variable) were presented each week to examine the impact of
      voluntary drinking on reward-based decision-making. Behavioral contexts of single
      option, free choice and extinction were examined for each outcome set.
      Comparisons were made between alcohol and control groups and within the alcohol
      group over time to inspect choice profiles. Between-group results showed alcohol
      drinking animals expressed altered place preference and modified sucrose reward
      approach latencies. The within-group profile showed that alcohol drinking animals
      can express adequate reward discrimination, preference and incentive contrast
      during free choice. All of these components were significantly reduced during the
      context of extinction. Control animals were also impacted by extinction but not
      as severely. The findings point to a need for a greater focus on the context and
      the diverse components of choice when examining external and internal factors
      influencing decision-making during alcohol or other substance of abuse exposure.

PMID- 28639262
TI  - Interprofessional collaboration to improve professional practice and healthcare
      outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Poor interprofessional collaboration (IPC) can adversely affect the
      delivery of health services and patient care. Interventions that address IPC
      problems have the potential to improve professional practice and healthcare
      outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of practice-based interventions
      designed to improve interprofessional collaboration (IPC) amongst health and
      social care professionals, compared to usual care or to an alternative
      intervention, on at least one of the following primary outcomes: patient health
      outcomes, clinical process or efficiency outcomes or secondary outcomes
      (collaborative behaviour). SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL (2015, issue 11),
      MEDLINE, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials
      Registry Platform to November 2015. We handsearched relevant interprofessional
      journals to November 2015, and reviewed the reference lists of the included
      studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised trials of practice-based IPC
      interventions involving health and social care professionals compared to usual
      care or to an alternative intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review
      authors independently assessed the eligibility of each potentially relevant
      study. We extracted data from the included studies and assessed the risk of bias
      of each study. We were unable to perform a meta-analysis of study outcomes, given
      the small number of included studies and their heterogeneity in clinical
      settings, interventions and outcomes. Consequently, we summarised the study data
      and presented the results in a narrative format to report study methods,
      outcomes, impact and certainty of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We included nine
      studies in total (6540 participants); six cluster-randomised trials and three
      individual randomised trials (1 study randomised clinicians, 1 randomised
      patients, and 1 randomised clinicians and patients). All studies were conducted
      in high-income countries (Australia, Belgium, Sweden, UK and USA) across primary,
      secondary, tertiary and community care settings and had a follow-up of up to 12
      months. Eight studies compared an IPC intervention with usual care and evaluated
      the effects of different practice-based IPC interventions: externally facilitated
      interprofessional activities (e.g. team action planning; 4 studies),
      interprofessional rounds (2 studies), interprofessional meetings (1 study), and
      interprofessional checklists (1 study). One study compared one type of
      interprofessional meeting with another type of interprofessional meeting. We
      assessed four studies to be at high risk of attrition bias and an equal number of
      studies to be at high risk of detection bias.For studies comparing an IPC
      intervention with usual care, functional status in stroke patients may be
      slightly improved by externally facilitated interprofessional activities (1
      study, 464 participants, low-certainty evidence). We are uncertain whether
      patient-assessed quality of care (1 study, 1185 participants), continuity of care
      (1 study, 464 participants) or collaborative working (4 studies, 1936
      participants) are improved by externally facilitated interprofessional
      activities, as we graded the evidence as very low-certainty for these outcomes.
      Healthcare professionals' adherence to recommended practices may be slightly
      improved with externally facilitated interprofessional activities or
      interprofessional meetings (3 studies, 2576 participants, low certainty
      evidence). The use of healthcare resources may be slightly improved by externally
      facilitated interprofessional activities, interprofessional checklists and rounds
      (4 studies, 1679 participants, low-certainty evidence). None of the included
      studies reported on patient mortality, morbidity or complication rates.Compared
      to multidisciplinary audio conferencing, multidisciplinary video conferencing may
      reduce the average length of treatment and may reduce the number of
      multidisciplinary conferences needed per patient and the patient length of stay.
      There was little or no difference between these interventions in the number of
      communications between health professionals (1 study, 100 participants; low
      certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Given that the certainty of evidence
      from the included studies was judged to be low to very low, there is not
      sufficient evidence to draw clear conclusions on the effects of IPC
      interventions. Neverthess, due to the difficulties health professionals encounter
      when collaborating in clinical practice, it is encouraging that research on the
      number of interventions to improve IPC has increased since this review was last
      updated. While this field is developing, further rigorous, mixed-method studies
      are required. Future studies should focus on longer acclimatisation periods
      before evaluating newly implemented IPC interventions, and use longer follow-up
      to generate a more informed understanding of the effects of IPC on clinical
      practice.

PMID- 28639264
TI  - Magnetic resonance spin-spin relaxation time estimation in a rat model of fatty
      liver disease.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare mono- and bi-exponential relaxation model equations to
      discriminate between normal and fatty liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six
      rats on a choline deficient amino acid modified (CDAA) diet and six on normal
      chow were studied. Multiple spin echo images with increasing echo times (TEs)
      were collected at 9.4T. Pixel-wise T2 maps were generated using mono-exponential
      decay function to calculate T2M , and a bi-exponential to calculate, short T2
      component (T2S ), long T2 component (T2L ), and fractions of these components
      (rhoS , rhoL ), respectively. Statistical F-tests and Akaike's information
      criterion (AIC) were used to assess the relative performance of the two models.
      RESULTS: F-test and AIC showed that in the CDAA group, T2 bi-exponential model
      described the signal of T2 weighted imaging of the liver better than the mono
      exponential model. Controls were best described by the mono-exponential model.
      Mean values for T2M , T2L , T2S , rhoS , rhoL were 31.2 +/- 0.7 ms, 72.8 +/- 3.3
      ms, 8.2 +/- 0.6 ms,71.2 +/- 2.1%, 30.4 +/- 1.3%, respectively, in CDAA rats,
      compared with 18.8 +/- 0.5 ms, 32.3 +/- 0.7 ms, 9.2 +/- 1.8 ms, 79 +/- 2%, 21.0
      +/- 1.1% in controls. CONCLUSION: In the fatty liver of CDAA rats we have shown
      that T2 weighted images fit the bi-exponential model better than mono-exponential
      decays thus providing a better description of the data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1
      Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:468-476.

PMID- 28639263
TI  - Subthalamic beta dynamics mirror Parkinsonian bradykinesia months after
      neurostimulator implantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Exaggerated oscillatory activity in the beta frequency band in the
      subthalamic nucleus has been suggested to be related to bradykinesia in
      Parkinson's disease (PD). However, studies seeking correlations between such
      activity in the local field potential and motor performance have been limited to
      the immediate postoperative period, which may be confounded by a stun effect that
      leads to the temporary alleviation of PD deficits. METHODS: Local field
      potentials were recorded simultaneously with motor performance in PD patients
      several months after neurostimulator implantation. This was enabled by the
      chronic implantation of a pulse generator with the capacity to record and
      transmit local field potentials from deep brain stimulation electrodes.
      Specifically, we investigated oscillatory beta power dynamics and objective
      measures of bradykinesia during an upper limb alternating pronation and
      supination task in 9 patients. RESULTS: Although beta power was suppressed during
      continuously repeated movements, this suppression progressively diminished over
      time in tandem with a progressive decrement in the frequency and amplitude of
      movements. The relationship between changes within local field potentials and
      movement parameters was significant across patients, and not present for
      theta/alpha frequencies (5-12 Hz). Change in movement frequency furthermore
      related to beta power dynamics within patients. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in beta
      power are linked to changes in movement performance and the sequence effect of
      bradykinesia months after neurostimulator implantation. These findings provide
      further evidence that beta power may serve as a biomarker for bradykinesia and
      provide a suitable substrate for feedback control in chronic adaptive deep brain
      stimulation. (c) 2017 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder
      Society.

PMID- 28639265
TI  - Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with multiple metastases in a patient with
      chronic gluteal pyoderma.

PMID- 28639267
TI  - Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic: Hepatogastric fistula.

PMID- 28639266
TI  - Bakuchiol Contributes to the Hepatotoxicity of Psoralea corylifolia in Rats.
AB  - Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fructus Psoraleae) is widely used in Asia, but there are
      concerns about hepatotoxicity caused by constituents such as psoralens and
      bakukiol. Bakuchiol (BAK) has antiinflammatory, antipyretic, antibacterial
      antiviral, anticancer, and estrogenic activity but appears to be hepatotoxic in
      in vitro tests. This study investigated the hepatotoxicity in vivo in rats. Using
      intragastrically administered bakuchiol at doses of 52.5 and 262.5 mg/kg for 6
      weeks. Bodyweight, relative liver weight, biochemical indicators, histopathology,
      mRNA expression of CYP7A1, HMG-CoA reductase, BSEP, PPARalpha, SREBP-2, and MRP3
      were measured. Many abnormalities were observed in the bakuchiol-treated groups
      including suppression of weight gain and food intake, change of some parameters
      in serum biochemistry, and increased weight of liver. The mRNA expression of
      CYP7A1, HMG-CoA reductase, PPARalpha, and SREBP-2 decreased in bakuchiol-treated
      group, the expression of BSEP increased in bakuchiol-treated low dosage, and the
      expression of BSEP decreased in bakuchiol-treated high dosage. In conclusion, we
      provide evidence for the first time that bakuchiol can induce cholestatic
      hepatotoxicity, suggesting potential hepatotoxicity. The mechanism may be related
      to effects on liver lipid metabolism, but further investigation is necessary.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639268
TI  - Gastrointestinal: Strangulated transomental hernia.

PMID- 28639269
TI  - Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic: Giant hepatomegaly from hepatic hemagiomatosis.

PMID- 28639270
TI  - Gastrointestinal: Mycotic aneurysm: An unexpected cause of severe odynophagia.

PMID- 28639271
TI  - Gastrointestinal: Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome: A rare cause of chronic diarrhea
      and abdominal pain.

PMID- 28639272
TI  - Contemporary Issues in Women's Health.

PMID- 28639273
TI  - A single-center retrospective study of pregnancy outcomes after emergency
      cerclage for cervical insufficiency.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare maternal and perinatal outcomes after emergency cerclage
      with those after elective cerclage. METHODS: In a retrospective review, data were
      assessed from women with a viable singleton pregnancy who underwent elective or
      emergency cerclage for cervical insufficiency at the Tongji Hospital, Wuhan,
      China, between January 2010 and July 2015. Subgroup analyses based on cervical
      length (CL; <=15, 15-25, and 25-30 mm) were also conducted among women undergoing
      emergency cerclage. RESULTS: In total, 68 women underwent elective cerclage and
      53 underwent emergency cerclage. The suture-to-delivery interval was
      significantly longer in the elective group (19.17 +/- 5.86 weeks) than in the
      emergency group (11.29 +/- 7.27 weeks; P<0.001). There was no difference between
      the elective and emergency groups in mean pregnancy length at delivery, frequency
      of Apgar score below 7 at 5 minutes (live births only), or birth weight (live
      births only). An inverse trend in the degree of CL shortening with pregnancy
      outcomes was observed; women with a CL of 25-30 mm had the best outcomes.
      CONCLUSION: Pregnancy outcomes were similar after emergency and elective
      cerclage. There was an inverse trend in the degree of CL shortening with
      pregnancy outcomes in the emergency cerclage group, with better outcomes observed
      for women with longer CL.

PMID- 28639274
TI  - Functional traits explain ecosystem function through opposing mechanisms.
AB  - The ability to explain why multispecies assemblages produce greater biomass
      compared to monocultures, has been a central goal in the quest to understand
      biodiversity effects on ecosystem function. Species contributions to ecosystem
      function can be driven by two processes: niche complementarity and a selection
      effect that is influenced by fitness (competitive) differences, and both can be
      approximated with measures of species' traits. It has been hypothesised that
      fitness differences are associated with few, singular traits while
      complementarity requires multidimensional trait measures. Here, using
      experimental data from plant assemblages, I show that the selection effect was
      strongest when trait dissimilarity was low, while complementarity was greatest
      with high trait dissimilarity. Selection effects were best explained by a single
      trait, plant height. Complementarity was correlated with dissimilarity across
      multiple traits, representing above and below ground processes. By identifying
      the relevant traits linked to ecosystem function, we obtain the ability to
      predict combinations of species that will maximise ecosystem function.

PMID- 28639276
TI  - Construction of meaningful identities in the context of rheumatoid arthritis,
      motherhood and paid work: A meta-ethnography.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To derive new conceptual understanding about how women with
      rheumatoid arthritis manage their illness, motherhood and paid work, based on a
      comprehensive overview of existing knowledge, gained from qualitative studies.
      BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis affects several social aspects of life; however,
      little is known about how women with rheumatoid arthritis simultaneously manage
      their illness, motherhood and paid work. DESIGN: Qualitative metasynthesis.
      METHODS: A qualitative metasynthesis informed by Noblit and Hare's meta
      ethnography was carried out, based on studies identified by a systematic search
      in nine databases. RESULTS: Six studies were included. Social interactions in the
      performance of three interdependent subidentities emerged as an overarching
      category, with three subcategories: subidentities associated with (1) paid work,
      (2) motherhood and (3) rheumatoid arthritis. Pressure in managing one of the
      subidentities could restrict the fulfilment of the others. The subidentities were
      interpreted as being flexible, situational, contextual and competing. The women
      strove to construct meaningful subidentities by taking into account feedback
      obtained in social interactions. CONCLUSIONS: The subidentities associated with
      paid work and motherhood are competing subidentities. Paid work is given the
      highest priority, followed by motherhood and illness is the least attractive
      subidentity. Because of the fluctuating nature of the illness, the women
      constantly reconstruct the three interdependent subidentities. RELEVANCE TO
      CLINICAL PRACTICE: When healthcare professionals meet a woman with rheumatoid
      arthritis, they should consider that she might not accept the subidentity as an
      ill person. Health professionals should not expect that women will prioritise
      their illness in their everyday life. This could be included in clinical
      conversation with the women.

PMID- 28639275
TI  - Statin regulated ERK5 stimulates tight junction formation and reduces
      permeability in human cardiac endothelial cells.
AB  - The MEKK3/MEK5/ERK5 signaling axis is required for cardiovascular development in
      vivo. We analyzed the physiological role of ERK5 in cardiac endothelial cells and
      the consequence of activation of this kinase by the statin class of HMG Co-A
      reductase inhibitor drugs. We utilized human cardiac microvascular endothelial
      cells (HCMECs) and altered ERK5 expression using siRNA mediated gene silencing or
      overexpression of constitutively active MEK5 and ERK5 to reveal a role for ERK5
      in regulating endothelial tight junction formation and cell permeability. Statin
      treatment of HCMECs stimulated activation of ERK5 and translocation to the plasma
      membrane resulting in co-localization with the tight junction protein ZO-1 and a
      concomitant reduction in endothelial cell permeability. Statin mediated
      activation of ERK5 was a consequence of reduced isoprenoid synthesis following
      HMG Co-A reductase inhibition. Statin pretreatment could overcome the effect of
      doxorubicin in reducing endothelial tight junction formation and prevent
      increased permeability. Our data provide the first evidence for the role of ERK5
      in regulating endothelial tight junction formation and endothelial cell
      permeability. Statin mediated ERK5 activation and the resulting decrease in
      cardiac endothelial cell permeability may contribute to the cardioprotective
      effects of statins in reducing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

PMID- 28639277
TI  - Serum Derived Transfer Factor Stimulates the Innate Immune System to Improve
      Survival Traits in High Risk Pathogen Scenarios.
AB  - Preclinical Research Transfer Factors (TFs) are low molecular weight (<5,000
      daltons) biological response mediators. In the present study, a serum derived TF
      improved the ability of the recipient animal to survive high-risk infectious
      challenges (salmonellosis and canine parvoviral enteritis (CPV)) by altering the
      host's cytokine response profile. Mice mortally challenged with 5,000 colony
      forming units of Salmonella experienced a group mortality of 73% while mice
      treated with a single 5 mg dose of the TF demonstrated a significant decrease in
      morbidity (7%, p <= 0.01). The splenic bacterial load in untreated mice was over
      10,000 times higher than that in the TF treated mice. Twenty-four hours post
      administration, the treated murine population expressed a rapid temporal increase
      in serum IL-6 (26-fold) and INF-gamma (77-fold) concentrations. IL-6 can act as a
      critical signal regulating action against bacterial pathogens. A comparative
      double-blind study performed using dogs confirmed to be undergoing a canine
      parvovirus challenge showed that when conventional supportive therapy was
      supplemented with a single 5 mg TF dose there was a reduction (p <= 0.01) in
      group mortality (68% of the TF treated group survived versus 32% of the placebo
      group), an observation consistent with the observed increase in INF-gamma, a
      cytokine associated with promoting antiviral activity. Drug Dev Res 78 : 189-195,
      2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28639278
TI  - Gate-Tunable Resonant Raman Spectroscopy of Bilayer MoS2.
AB  - The gate-tunable phonon properties in bilayer MoS2 are shown to be dependent on
      excitation energy. Raman intensity, Raman shift, and linewidth are affected by
      resonant excitation, while a nonresonant laser does not influence the intensity
      significantly. The gate-dependent Raman shift of A1g mode (either blue-, red-, or
      no-shift) is a result of the combined effect of antibonding electron and resonant
      related decoupling effect. Although the decoupling effect cannot be directly
      measured due to the resonant background, it can be indirectly and qualitatively
      probed by observing A1g mode. This study on gate-tunable resonant Raman
      spectroscopy has clarified the influence of carrier doping on phonon properties
      and demonstrates a new degree of freedom in manipulating phonons in 2D material
      systems.

PMID- 28639279
TI  - Densification of Silica Spheres: A New Pathway to Nano-Dimensioned Zeolite-Based
      Catalysts.
AB  - Nanosized materials are expected to play a unique role in the development of
      future catalytic processes. Herein, pre-prepared and geometrically well-defined
      amorphous silica spheres are densified into silica-rich zeolites with nanosized
      dimensions. After the densification, the obtained nanosized zeolites exhibit the
      same spherical morphology like the starting precursor but characterized by a
      drastically reduced size, higher density, and high crystallinity. The phase
      transformation into crystalline zeolite material and the densification effect are
      achieved through a well-controlled steam-assisted treatment of the larger
      precursor particles so that the transformation process proceeds always towards
      the center of the spheres, just like a shrinking process. Furthermore, this
      procedure is applicable also to commercially available silica particles, as well
      as aluminum-containing systems (precursors) leading to acidic nano-catalysts with
      improved catalytic performance.

PMID- 28639280
TI  - Mutational profiles of Brenner tumors show distinctive features uncoupling
      urothelial carcinomas and ovarian carcinoma with transitional cell histology.
AB  - Brenner tumors (BT) are rare ovarian tumors encompassing benign, borderline, and
      malignant variants. While the histopathology of BTs and their clinical course is
      well described, little is known about the underlying genetic defects. We employed
      targeted next generation sequencing to analyze the mutational landscape in a
      cohort of 23 BT cases (17 benign, 2 borderline, and 4 malignant) and 3 ovarian
      carcinomas with transitional cell histology (TCC). Copy number variations (CNV)
      were validated by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) and quantitative PCR
      based copy number assays. Additionally, we analyzed the TERT promotor region by
      conventional Sanger sequencing. We identified 25 different point mutations in 23
      of the analyzed genes in BTs and 10 mutations in 8 genes in TCCs. About 57%
      percent of mutations occurred in genes involved in cell cycle control, DNA
      repair, and epigenetic regulation processes. All TCC cases harbored TP53
      mutations whereas all BTs were negative and none of the mutations observed in BTs
      were present in TCCs. CNV analysis revealed recurrent MDM2 amplifications in 3
      out of 4 of the malignant BT cases with one case harboring a concomitant
      amplification of CCND1. No mutations were observed in the TERT promoter region in
      BTs and TCCs, which is mutated in about 50%-75% of urothelial carcinoma and in
      16% of ovarian clear-cell carcinomas. In conclusion, our study highlights
      distinct genetic features of BTs, and detection of the triplet phenotype MDM2
      amplification/TP53 wt/TERT wt may aid diagnosis of malignant BT in difficult
      cases. Moreover, selected genetic lesions may be clinically exploitable in a
      metastatic setting.

PMID- 28639281
TI  - Resolving relationships between several Neolithic and Mesolithic populations in
      Northern Eurasia using geometric morphometrics.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Remains from several Eastern European and Siberian Mesolithic and
      Neolithic sites are analysed to clarify their biological relationships. We assume
      that groups' geographical distances correlate with genetic and, therefore,
      morphological distances between them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Material includes
      complete male crania from several Mesolithic and Neolithic burial sites across
      Northern Eurasia and from several modern populations. Geometric morphometrics and
      multivariate statistical techniques are applied to explore morphological trends,
      group distances, and correlations with their geographical position, climate, and
      the time of origin. RESULTS: Despite an overlap in the morphology among the
      modern and archeological groups, some of them show significant morphological
      distances. Geographical parameters account for only a small proportion of cranial
      variation in the sample, with larger variance explained by geography and age
      together. Expectations of isolation by distance are met in some but not in all
      cases. Climate accounts for a large proportion of autocorrelation with geography.
      Nearest-neighbor joining trees demonstrate group relationships predicted by the
      regression on geography and on climate. DISCUSSION: The obtained results are
      discussed in application to relationships between particular groups. Unlike the
      Ukrainian Mesolithic, the Yuzhny Oleni Ostrov Mesolithic displays a high
      morphological affinity with several groups from Northern Eurasia of both European
      and Asian origin. A possibility of a common substrate for the Yuzhny Oleni Ostrov
      Mesolithic and Siberian Neolithic groups is reviewed. The Siberian Neolithic is
      shown to have morphological connection with both modern Siberian groups and the
      Native North Americans.

PMID- 28639282
TI  - Adipokines played a limited role in predicting temporary growth differences
      between very low birthweight infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
AB  - AIMS: This study explored whether growth was poorer among very low birthweight
      (VLBW) infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and assessed adipokine
      levels as predictors of early growth. METHODS: We studied 53 VLBW infants born in
      Tampere University Hospital up to 12 months of corrected age (CA). The median
      gestational age of the 21 infants with BPD and 32 infants without BPD was 29
      weeks, and the median birthweights were 930 (635-1470) and 1185 (650-1470) grams.
      Growth parameters, macronutrients intake and plasma levels of adipokines were
      measured. RESULTS: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia infants were lighter than controls
      until 36 weeks of CA, with catch-up growth achieved by three months of CA.
      Adipsin levels were lower in BPD infants at 28 days of postnatal age. High leptin
      levels seemed protective for low weight for height at nine months of CA. The
      duration of ventilator therapy predicted low weight for height, length for age
      and body mass index and BPD predicted low length for age at 12 months of CA.
      CONCLUSIONS: Catch-up growth in VLBW infants with BPD was achieved by three
      months of CA, but adipokines played a limited role in predicting growth.
      Shortening ventilator therapy could help growth in VLBW infants.

PMID- 28639283
TI  - High-Field NMR Spectroscopy Reveals Aromaticity-Modulated Hydrogen Bonding in
      Heterocycles.
AB  - From DNA base pairs to drug-receptor binding, hydrogen (H-)bonding and
      aromaticity are common features of heterocycles. Herein, the interplay of these
      bonding aspects is explored. H-bond strength modulation due to enhancement or
      disruption of aromaticity of heterocycles is experimentally revealed by comparing
      homodimer H-bond energies of aromatic heterocycles with analogs that have the
      same H-bonding moieties but lack cyclic pi-conjugation. NMR studies of
      dimerization in C6 D6 find aromaticity-modulated H-bonding (AMHB) energy effects
      of approximately +/-30 %, depending on whether they enhance or weaken aromatic
      delocalization. The attendant ring current perturbations expected from such
      modulation are confirmed by chemical shift changes in both observed ring C-H and
      calculated nucleus-independent sites. In silico modeling confirms that AMHB
      effects outweigh those of hybridization or dipole-dipole interaction.

PMID- 28639284
TI  - Soft tissue angiofibroma: Clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical and molecular
      analysis of 14 cases.
AB  - Soft tissue angiofibroma is rare and has characteristic histomorphological and
      genetic features. For diagnostic purposes, there are no specific antibodies
      available. Fourteen lesions (6 females, 8 males; age range 7-67 years) of the
      lower extremities (12) and trunk (2) were investigated by immunohistochemistry,
      including for the first time NCOA2. NCOA2 was also tested in a control group of
      other spindle cell lesions. The known fusion-genes (AHRR-NCOA2 and GTF2I-NCOA2)
      were examined using RT-PCR in order to evaluate their diagnostic value. Cases in
      which no fusion gene was detected were additionally analysed by RNA sequencing.
      All cases tested showed nuclear expression of NCOA2. However, this was not
      specific since other spindle cell neoplasms also expressed this marker in a high
      percentage of cases. Other variably positive markers were EMA, SMA, desmin and
      CD34. STAT6 was negative in the cases tested. By RT-PCR for the most frequently
      observed fusions, an AHRR-NCOA2 fusion transcript was found in 9/14 cases. GTF2I
      NCOA2 was not detected in the remaining cases (n = 3). RNA sequencing revealed
      three additional positive cases; two harbored a AHRR-NCOA2 fusion and one case a
      novel GAB1-ABL1 fusion. Two cases failed molecular analysis due to poor RNA
      quality. In conclusion, the AHRR-NCOA2 fusion is a frequent finding in soft
      tissue angiofibroma, while GTF2I-NCOA2 seems to be a rare genetic event. For the
      first time, we report a GAB1-ABL1 fusion in a soft tissue angiofibroma of a
      child. Nuclear expression of NCOA2 is not discriminating when compared with other
      spindle cell neoplasms.

PMID- 28639286
TI  - Provision and perceived quality of mental health services for older care home
      residents in England: a national survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study examined the nature, extent and perceived quality of the
      support provided by community mental health teams for older people (CMHTsOP) to
      care home residents. METHODS: A postal survey was sent to all CMHTsOP in England.
      Information was collected about teams' staffing and their involvement in case
      finding, assessment, medication reviews, care planning and training as well as
      team managers' rating of the perceived quality of the service they provided for
      care home residents. Data were analysed using chi-squared tests of association
      and ordinal regression. RESULTS: Responses were received from 225 (54%) CMHTsOP.
      Only 18 per cent of these teams contained staff with allocated time for care home
      work. Services for care home residents varied considerably between teams. Two
      fifths of teams provided formal training to care home staff. Team managers were
      more likely to perceive the quality of their service to care homes as good if
      they had a systematic process in place for reviewing antipsychotic drugs or
      routine mental health reviews, including contact with a GP. CONCLUSION: The
      findings suggested that more evidence is needed on the best approach for
      supporting care home residents with mental health needs. Areas to consider are
      the potential benefits of training to care home staff and regular mental health
      reviews, utilising links between GPs and CMHTsOP. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley &
      Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639285
TI  - Porphyrin modified trastuzumab improves efficacy of HER2 targeted photodynamic
      therapy of gastric cancer.
AB  - Gastric cancer (GC) is the 3rd deadliest cancer worldwide, due to limited
      treatment options and late diagnosis. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2
      (HER2) is overexpressed in ~20% of GC cases and anti-HER2 antibody trastuzumab in
      combination with conventional chemotherapy, is recognized as standard therapy for
      HER2-positive metastatic GC. This strategy improves GC patients' survival by 2-3
      months, however its optimal results in breast cancer indicate that GC survival
      may be improved. A new photoimmunoconjugate was developed by conjugating a
      porphyrin with trastuzumab (Trast:Porph) for targeted photodynamic therapy in
      HER2-positive GC. Using mass spectrometry analysis, the lysine residues in the
      trastuzumab structure most prone for porphyrin conjugation were mapped. The in
      vitro data demonstrates that Trast:Porph specifically binds to HER2-positive
      cells, accumulates intracellularly, co-localizes with lysosomal marker LAMP1, and
      induces massive HER2-positive cell death upon cellular irradiation. The high
      selectivity and cytotoxicity of Trast:Porph based photoimmunotherapy is confirmed
      in vivo in comparison with trastuzumab alone, using nude mice xenografted with a
      HER2-positive GC cell line. In the setting of human disease, these data suggest
      that repetitive cycles of Trast:Porph photoimmunotherapy may be used as an
      improved treatment strategy in HER2-positive GC patients.

PMID- 28639287
TI  - Exploration of conformational changes in lactose permease upon sugar binding and
      proton transfer through coarse-grained simulations.
AB  - Escherichia coli lactose permease (LacY) actively transports lactose and other
      galactosides across cell membranes through lactose/H+ symport process. Lactose/H+
      symport is a highly complex process that involves sugar translocation, H+
      transfer, and large-scale protein conformational changes. The complete picture of
      lactose/H+ symport is largely unclear due to the complexity and multiscale nature
      of the process. In this work, we develop the force field for sugar molecules
      compatible with PACE, a hybrid and coarse-grained force field that couples the
      united-atom protein models with the coarse-grained MARTINI water/lipid. After
      validation, we implement the new force field to investigate the binding of a beta
      d-galactopyranosyl-1-thio- beta-d-galactopyranoside (TDG) molecule to a wild-type
      LacY. Results show that the local interactions between TDG and LacY at the
      binding pocket are consistent with the X-ray experiment. Transitions from inward
      facing to outward-facing conformations upon TDG binding and protonation of Glu269
      have been achieved from ~5.5 us simulations. Both the opening of the periplasmic
      side and closure of the cytoplasmic side of LacY are consistent with double
      electron-electron resonance and thiol cross-linking experiments. Our analysis
      suggests that the conformational changes of LacY are a cumulative consequence of
      interdomain H-bonds breaking at the periplasmic side, interdomain salt-bridge
      formation at the cytoplasmic side, and the TDG orientational changes during the
      transition.

PMID- 28639288
TI  - The Economics and Politics of the American Health Care Act.

PMID- 28639289
TI  - Planar Polyolefin Nanostripes: Perhydrogenated Graphene.
AB  - Graphene hydrogenation gives an opportunity to introduce a band gap into the
      graphene electronic structure. Complete hydrogenation may lead to the graphane, a
      fully hydrogenated counterpart of graphene. However, pure graphane has not been
      successfully prepared to this day. Here, we show that hydrogenation of single
      walled carbon nanotubes by means of Birch reduction leads to graphene-based
      carbon nanostripes with uniform dimensions. Such a material exhibits interesting
      electrocatalytic and magnetic properties as well huge potential for hydrogen
      storage since the weight concentration of hydrogen is 8.78 wt.% corresponding to
      the composition of C1 H1.22 O0.05 and thus exceeding the theoretical
      concentration in pure graphane (7.74 wt.%). The obtained concentration of
      hydrogen is the highest value ever reported for any graphene-based material and
      significantly exceeds the ultimate goal of the U.S. Department of Energy for a
      hydrogen storage material of 7.5 wt.%.

PMID- 28639290
TI  - Comparison between anti-VEGF therapy and corticosteroid or laser therapy for
      macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion: A meta-analysis.
AB  - WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Therapeutic effects of anti-VEGF agents,
      corticosteroids and laser therapy have been previously examined for treating
      macular oedema secondary to branch and central retinal vein occlusion (BRVO and
      CRVO). However, anti-VEGF efficacy has not been previously compared to
      corticosteroid or laser therapy efficacy. We performed a meta-analysis to compare
      these treatments. METHODS: Pertinent publications were identified through
      comprehensive literature searches. Therapeutic effects were estimated using best
      corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT) and intraocular
      pressure (IOP). The Review Manager (version 5.3.5) was used to perform searches.
      RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Eleven randomized, controlled trials that included 1045
      RVO patients were identified. For eyes with BRVO, anti-VEGF therapy improved BCVA
      significantly more than corticosteroid/laser therapy at 3 (P=.0002), 6 (P<.00001)
      and 12 months (P<.00001). For eyes with CRVO, this difference was only
      significant at 6 months (P=.002). The same was true when efficacy was examined
      using CRT at 3 and 6 months (BRVO: both P<.00001, CRVO 6 months: P=.02). Long
      term efficacy of anti-VEGF agents was limited in eyes with BRVO and CRVO.
      Improvements in BCVA were similar at 1 and 3 months (P=.74), but BCVA decreased
      between 3 and 6 months (P=.03). In contrast, BCVA progressively decreased 1 and 6
      months following corticosteroid/laser therapy (both P<.00001). Lastly, eyes that
      had been treated with anti-VEGF agents had significantly lower IOP changes than
      eyes treated with corticosteroids/laser 3 and 6 months after initiating therapy
      (both P<.00001). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Anti-VEGF agents improve BCVA and
      reduce CRT more effectively and longer than corticosteroid/laser in eyes with
      RVO. Anti-VEGF agents also have a lower risk of elevating IOP. Additionally, anti
      VEGF agents are more effective for treating BRVO than CRVO.

PMID- 28639292
TI  - Answer to: "Biomarkers in allergic asthma: Which matrix should we use?"

PMID- 28639293
TI  - 'Although we're isolated, we're not really isolated': The value of information
      and communication technology for older people in rural Australia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Drawing from a larger study that identified the supports and services
      that facilitate wellness among older people from rural communities, this study
      examined the specific contribution made by information and communication
      technology (ICT). METHODS: Qualitative interviews were undertaken with 60 older
      adults from six Australian rural areas. A preliminary thematic analysis was
      conducted, followed by a higher-order inductive analysis. RESULTS: Information
      and communication technology use was discussed in terms of individual enrichment,
      and in terms of enabling connections between the individual and their social
      networks, community and wider service environments. CONCLUSION: Information and
      communication technologies may facilitate wellness for rural older people by
      compensating for geographical and social isolation. In the changing world of
      health and aged care service delivery, ICTs will be more important than ever for
      rural older people in building their capacity to access the services,
      socialisation and support that they need, regardless of location.

PMID- 28639291
TI  - Perfusion of isolated rat kidney with Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/Extracellular
      Vesicles prevents ischaemic injury.
AB  - Kidney donation after circulatory death (DCD) is a less than ideal option to meet
      organ shortages. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) with Belzer solution (BS)
      improves the viability of DCD kidneys, although the graft clinical course remains
      critical. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) promote tissue repair by releasing
      extracellular vesicles (EV). We evaluated whether delivering MSC-/MSC-derived EV
      during HMP protects rat DCD kidneys from ischaemic injury and investigated the
      underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Warm ischaemic isolated kidneys were cold
      perfused (4 hrs) with BS, BS supplemented with MSC or EV. Renal damage was
      evaluated by histology and renal gene expression by microarray analysis, RT-PCR.
      Malondialdehyde, lactate, LDH, glucose and pyruvate were measured in the effluent
      fluid. MSC-/EV-treated kidneys showed significantly less global ischaemic damage.
      In the MSC/EV groups, there was up-regulation of three genes encoding enzymes
      known to improve cell energy metabolism and three genes encoding proteins
      involved in ion membrane transport. In the effluent fluid, lactate, LDH, MDA and
      glucose were significantly lower and pyruvate higher in MSC/EV kidneys as
      compared with BS, suggesting the larger use of energy substrates by MSC/EV
      kidneys. The addition of MSC/EV to BS during HMP protects the kidney from
      ischaemic injury by preserving the enzymatic machinery essential for cell
      viability and protects the kidney from reperfusion damage.

PMID- 28639294
TI  - beta-Hydroxy-tetrahydroquinolines from Quinolines Using Chloroborane: Synthesis
      of the Peptidomimetic FISLE-412.
AB  - A new synthetic protocol provides a simple and direct method to generate
      functionalized beta-hydroxy-tetrahydroquinolines (THQs). Hydroboration of
      quinolines using chloroboranes followed by oxidation with NaBO3 ?H2 O led to the
      formation of functionalized beta-hydroxy THQs. High regio- and
      diastereoselectivities were observed in alpha and gamma substituted quinolines
      and the trans diastereomer of the beta-hydroxy-THQ was the major isostere. This
      new protocol was utilized to build the novel antibody-targeted lupus
      peptidomimetic, FISLE-412.

PMID- 28639295
TI  - Out-of-Plane Strain Induced in a Moire Superstructure of Monolayer MoS2 and MoSe2
      on Au(111).
AB  - Making contact of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with a metal surface
      is essential for fabricating and designing electronic devices and catalytic
      systems. It also generates strain in the TMDCs that plays significant role in
      both electronic and phonon structures. Therefore, detailed understanding of
      mechanism of the strain generation is important to fully comprehend the
      modulation effect for the electronic and phonon properties. Here, MoS2 and MoSe2
      monolayers are grown on Au surface by chemical vapor deposition and it is
      demonstrated that the contact with a crystalline Au(111) surface gives rise to
      only out-of-plane strain in both MoS2 and MoSe2 layers, whereas no strain
      generation is observed on polycrystalline Au or SiO2 /Si surfaces. Scanning
      tunneling microscopy analysis provides information regarding consequent specific
      adsorption sites between lower S (Se) atoms in the S?Mo?S (Se?Mo?Se) structure
      and Au atoms via unique moire superstructure formation for MoS2 and MoSe2 layers
      on Au(111). This observation indicates that the specific adsorption sites give
      rise to out-of-plane strain in the TMDC layers. Furthermore, it also leads to
      effective modulation of the electronic structure of the MoS2 or MoSe2 layer.

PMID- 28639296
TI  - Pathways to professionalism? Quality improvement, care pathways, and the
      interplay of standardisation and clinical autonomy.
AB  - Care pathways are a prominent feature of efforts to improve healthcare quality,
      outcomes and accountability, but sociological studies of pathways often find
      professional resistance to standardisation. This qualitative study examined the
      adoption and adaptation of a novel pathway as part of a randomised controlled
      trial in an unusually complex, non-linear field - emergency general surgery - by
      teams of surgeons and physicians in six theoretically sampled sites in the UK. We
      find near-universal receptivity to the concept of a pathway as a means of
      improving peri-operative processes and outcomes, but concern about the impact on
      appropriate professional judgement. However, this concern translated not into
      resistance and implementation failure, but into a nuancing of the pathways-as
      realised in each site, and their use as a means of enhancing professional
      decision-making and inter-professional collaboration. We discuss our findings in
      the context of recent literature on the interplay between managerialism and
      professionalism in healthcare, and highlight practical and theoretical
      implications.

PMID- 28639297
TI  - Autophagy activation, not peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma
      coactivator 1alpha, may mediate exercise-induced improvements in glucose handling
      during diet-induced obesity.
AB  - NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? What are the individual
      and combined effects of muscle-specific peroxisome proliferator-activated
      receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha) overexpression and physical
      activity during high-fat feeding on glucose and exercise tolerance? What is the
      main finding and its importance? Our main finding is that muscle-specific PGC
      1alpha overexpression provides no protection against lipid-overload pathologies
      nor does it enhance exercise adaptations. Instead, physical activity, regardless
      of PGC-1alpha content, protects against high-fat diet-induced detriments.
      Activation of muscle autophagy was correlated with exercise protection,
      suggesting that autophagy might be a mediating factor for exercise-induced
      protection from lipid overload. The prevalence of glucose intolerance is
      alarmingly high. Efforts to promote mitochondrial biogenesis through peroxisome
      proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha) to mitigate
      glucose intolerance have been controversial. However, physical activity remains a
      primary means to alleviate the condition. The aim of this study was to determine
      the combined effects of muscle-specific overexpression of PGC-1alpha and physical
      activity on glucose handling during diet-induced obesity. Wild-type (WT, ~20) and
      PGC-1alpha muscle transgenic (MCK-PGC-1alpha, ~20) mice were given a Western diet
      (WD) at 8 weeks age and allowed to consume food ab libitum throughout the study.
      At 12 weeks of age, all animals were divided into sedentary (SED) or voluntary
      wheel running (VWR) interventions. At 7, 11 and 15 weeks of age, animals
      underwent glucose tolerance tests (GTT) and graded exercise tests (GXT). At 16
      weeks of age, tissues were collected. At 11 weeks, the MCK-PGC-1alpha animals had
      50% greater glucose tolerance integrated area under the curve compared with WT.
      However, at 15 weeks, SED animals also had greater GTT integrated area under the
      curve compared with VWR, regardless of genotype; furthermore, SED animals
      demonstrated reduced exercise capacity compared with earlier time points, which
      was not seen in VWR animals. Voluntary distance run per day was correlated with
      GTT in VWR-WT, but not VWR-MCK-PGC-1alpha mice. Voluntary wheel running and
      genotype independently resulted in a greater LC3II/LC3I ratio, suggesting
      enhanced autophagosome formation, which was correlated with exercise-induced
      improvements in GTT. In conclusion, artificially increasing mitochondrial content
      does not protect from lipid-induced pathologies nor does it augment exercise
      adaptations. Physical activity ameliorates the effects of lipid overload-induced
      glucose intolerance, an effect that appears to be related to enhanced activation
      of autophagy.

PMID- 28639298
TI  - Prevalence, patterns and factors associated with psychotropic use in older adults
      with intellectual disabilities in Ireland.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability (ID) are at increased risk of
      exposure to psychotropic drugs and psychotropic polypharmacy because of the
      higher prevalence of mental health conditions present and more controversially,
      the use of these agents to treat challenging behaviours. Despite the fact that
      many adults with ID are exposed to psychotropic polypharmacy, few studies to date
      have focused on the patterns of use of multiple psychotropics, or factors
      associated with psychotropic polypharmacy, particularly in the older population.
      This study aims to examine the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with
      psychotropic use in general and psychotropic polypharmacy in particular in a
      representative sample of ageing people with ID. METHODS: This was an
      observational cross-sectional study from Wave 1 of Intellectual Disability
      Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing; a nationally representative
      sample of 753 persons with ID aged between 41 and 90 years. Participants/proxy
      reported medicines (prescription and over the counter) taken on a regular basis;
      medication data were available for 736 participants (98%). Participants were
      divided into those with no psychotropic exposure, exposure to 1 psychotropic and
      psychotropic polypharmacy (2+ psychotropics). Patterns of psychotropic use were
      analysed. A multinomial logistic regression model identified factors associated
      with use of 1 psychotropic and psychotropic polypharmacy. RESULTS: Overall, 59.1%
      (436) of the sample was exposed to any psychotropic; of these, 66.2% reported
      psychotropic polypharmacy. Antipsychotics were the most frequently reported
      psychotropic class by 43% of the sample. Living in a residential institution and
      having a history of reporting a mental health condition or sleep problems were
      associated with psychotropic polypharmacy after adjusting for confounders, while
      those with epilepsy were less likely to experience exposure to polypharmacy, but
      age, gender had no significant effect. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotropic use and
      polypharmacy were commonplace for older adults with ID. Psychotropic use,
      particularly the use of psychotropic combinations, needs to be regularly reviewed
      for safety, efficacy and adverse effects, and rationale for use of multiple
      agents needs to be clear and documented.

PMID- 28639299
TI  - Understanding Suicide Across the Lifespan: A United States Perspective of Suicide
      Risk Factors, Assessment & Management.
AB  - Suicide is a troubling, preventable phenomenon. Prior to attempts, individuals
      often seek help, prompting practitioners to perform risk assessments that ideally
      use evidence-based risk management strategies. A literature review was performed
      using Harvard Countway Library of Medicine, Google Scholar, PubMed. Key words
      used were "Forensic Science," "Suicide Risk Management," "Pediatric Suicide Risk
      Factors," "Adult Suicide Risk Factors," "Geriatric Suicide Risk Factors,"
      "Suicide Risk Assessment." Parameters limited articles to studies/reviews
      completed in the past twenty years in the United States. Results indicated
      predictors of suicide in juveniles were insomnia, burdensomeness, and recent
      conflicts with family or a romantic partner. Adults had greater risk if male,
      substance abusing, with marital/job loss. Elderly individuals with multiple
      medical comorbidities, hopelessness, and isolation were at higher risk. Everyone
      evaluated should be screened for access to firearms. Management of suicide risk
      involves providing the least restrictive form of treatment which maintains an
      individual's safety.

PMID- 28639300
TI  - Multiparametric MRI of the breast: A review.
AB  - : During their development, cancers acquire several functional capabilities,
      which are defined as the hallmarks of cancer. For a deeper understanding of the
      hallmarks of cancer, and, consequently, improved personalized patient care,
      diagnostic tests must be multilayered and complex to identify the relevant
      underlying processes of cancer development and progression. In this context,
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as an exceptionally powerful,
      versatile, and precise imaging technique. MRI of the breast is an essential tool
      in breast imaging, with multiple indications. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (CE
      MRI) is the most sensitive test for breast cancer detection, with a good
      specificity. CE-MRI provides mainly morphological, and, to some extent,
      functional information about tumor perfusion and vascularity. Recently, several
      functional imaging techniques in MRI, such as diffusion-weighted imaging and
      spectroscopy, have been assessed for breast imaging and this combined application
      is defined as multiparametric imaging. Furthermore, the application of higher
      field strengths (>=3T) has demonstrated improved sensitivity and specificity of
      breast cancer detection. Multiparametric imaging with different functional MRI
      parameters (mpMRI) visualizes and quantifies the functional processes of cancer
      development and progression at multiple levels, and provides specific information
      about the hallmarks of cancer. MpMRI of the breast improves diagnostic accuracy
      in breast cancer, obviates unnecessary breast biopsies, and enables an improved
      assessment and prediction of response to neoadjuvant therapy. This review will
      provide a comprehensive overview of the current possibilities and emerging
      techniques for mpMRI of the breast. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5 Technical Efficacy:
      Stage 5 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:301-315.

PMID- 28639302
TI  - Prospective validation of pathologic complete response models in rectal cancer:
      Transferability and reproducibility.
AB  - PURPOSE: Multiple models have been developed to predict pathologic complete
      response (pCR) in locally advanced rectal cancer patients. Unfortunately,
      validation of these models normally omit the implications of cohort differences
      on prediction model performance. In this work, we will perform a prospective
      validation of three pCR models, including information whether this validation
      will target transferability or reproducibility (cohort differences) of the given
      models. METHODS: We applied a novel methodology, the cohort differences model, to
      predict whether a patient belongs to the training or to the validation cohort. If
      the cohort differences model performs well, it would suggest a large difference
      in cohort characteristics meaning we would validate the transferability of the
      model rather than reproducibility. We tested our method in a prospective
      validation of three existing models for pCR prediction in 154 patients. RESULTS:
      Our results showed a large difference between training and validation cohort for
      one of the three tested models [Area under the Receiver Operating Curve (AUC)
      cohort differences model: 0.85], signaling the validation leans towards
      transferability. Two out of three models had a lower AUC for validation (0.66 and
      0.58), one model showed a higher AUC in the validation cohort (0.70). DISCUSSION:
      We have successfully applied a new methodology in the validation of three
      prediction models, which allows us to indicate if a validation targeted
      transferability (large differences between training/validation cohort) or
      reproducibility (small cohort differences).

PMID- 28639303
TI  - An Addressable 2D Heterogeneous Nanoreactor to Study the Enzyme-Catalyzed
      Reaction at the Interface.
AB  - Membrane plays significant role in cellular enzymatic reactions. To better
      understand its function on membrane integral or bound enzymes, DNA origami and
      frame-guided assembly strategy are combined to construct a given-size,
      addressable enzyme-containing nanomembrane as a heterogeneous reactor to explore
      the enzymatic catalyst reaction on the membrane. The enzymes in the membrane are
      located precisely. This new kind of membrane can enrich hydrophobic substrate
      molecules in aqueous solution to the embedded enzymes. Otherwise, this
      nanomembrane shows the capability of substrate selectivity, which plays important
      role in the highly efficient and specific properties of enzymes in vivo.

PMID- 28639304
TI  - Mucinous Naevus: A case of suboptimal response to laser treatment.

PMID- 28639301
TI  - Improving the detection sensitivity of pH-weighted amide proton transfer MRI in
      acute stroke patients using extrapolated semisolid magnetization transfer
      reference signals.
AB  - PURPOSE: To quantify amide protein transfer (APT) effects in acidic ischemic
      lesions and assess the spatial-temporal relationship among diffusion, perfusion,
      and pH deficits in acute stroke patients. METHODS: Thirty acute stroke patients
      were scanned at 3 T. Quantitative APT (APT# ) effects in acidic ischemic lesions
      were measured using an extrapolated semisolid magnetization transfer reference
      signal technique and compared with commonly used MTRasym (3.5ppm) or APT-weighted
      parameters. RESULTS: The APT# images showed clear pH deficits in the ischemic
      lesion, whereas the MTRasym (3.5ppm) signals were slightly hypointense. The APT#
      contrast between acidic ischemic lesions and normal tissue in acute stroke
      patients was more than three times larger than MTRasym (3.5ppm) contrast (-1.45
      +/- 0.40% for APT# versus -0.39 +/- 0.52% for MTRasym (3.5ppm), P < 4.6 * 10-4 ).
      Hypoperfused and acidic areas without an apparent diffusion coefficient
      abnormality were observed and assigned to an ischemic acidosis penumbra.
      Hypoperfused areas at normal pH were also observed and assigned to benign
      oligemia. Hyperintense APT signals were observed in a hemorrhage area in one
      case. CONCLUSIONS: The quantitative APT study using the extrapolated semisolid
      magnetization transfer reference signal approach enhances APT MRI sensitivity to
      pH compared with conventional APT-weighted MRI, allowing more reliable
      delineation of an ischemic acidosis in the penumbra. Magn Reson Med 78:871-880,
      2017. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28639305
TI  - Standard laboratory tests are recommended as supplements to the Braden scale for
      pressure ulcer risk.

PMID- 28639306
TI  - A randomized trial of a barrier lipid replacement strategy for the prevention of
      atopic dermatitis and allergic sensitization: the PEBBLES pilot study.

PMID- 28639307
TI  - Anti-D in a mother, hemizygous for the variant RHD*DNB gene, associated with
      hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Individuals with the partial D phenotype when exposed to D+ red blood
      cells (RBCs) carrying the epitopes they lack may develop anti-D specific for the
      missing epitopes. DNB is the most common partial D in Caucasians and the clinical
      significance for anti-D in these individuals is unknown. STUDY DESIGN AND
      METHODS: This article describes the serologic genotyping results and clinical
      manifestations in two group D+ babies of a mother presenting as group O, D+ with
      alloanti-D. RESULTS: The mother was hemizygous for RHD*DNB gene and sequencing
      confirmed a single-nucleotide change at c.1063G>A. One baby (group A, D+)
      displayed bilirubinemia at birth with a normal hemoglobin level. Anti-A and anti
      D were eluted from the RBCs. For the next ongoing pregnancy, the anti-D titer
      increased from 32 to 256. On delivery the baby typed group O and anti-D was
      eluted from the RBCs. This baby at birth exhibited anemia, reticulocytosis, and
      hyperbilirubinemia requiring intensive phototherapy treatment from Day 0 to Day 9
      after birth and was discharged on Day 13. Intravenous immunoglobulin was also
      administered. Both babies were heterozygous for RHD and RHD*DNB. CONCLUSION: The
      anti-D produced by this woman with partial D DNB resulted in a case of hemolytic
      disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) requiring intensive treatment in the
      perinatal period. Anti-D formed by women with the partial D DNB phenotype has the
      potential to cause HDFN where the fetus is D+. Women carrying RHD*DNB should be
      offered appropriate prophylactic anti-D and be transfused with D- RBCs if not
      already alloimmunized.

PMID- 28639308
TI  - Discovery of wt RET and V804M RET Inhibitors: From Hit to Lead.
AB  - Oncogenic activation of RET kinase has been found in several neoplastic diseases,
      like medullary thyroid carcinoma, multiple endocrine neoplasia, papillary thyroid
      carcinoma, and non-small-cell lung cancer. Currently approved RET inhibitors were
      not originally designed to be RET inhibitors, and their potency against RET
      kinase has not been optimized. Hence, novel compounds able to inhibit both wild
      type RET (wt RET) and its mutants (e.g., V804M RET) are needed. Herein we present
      the development and the preliminary evaluation of a new sub-micromolar wt
      RET/V804M RET inhibitor, N-(2-fluoro-5-trifluoromethylphenyl)-N'-{4'-[(2''
      benzamido)pyridin-4''-ylamino]phenyl}urea (69), endowed with a 4-anilinopyridine
      structure, starting from our previously identified 4-anilinopyrimidine hit
      compound. Profiling against a panel of kinases indicated 69 as a multi cKIT/wt
      RET/V804M RET inhibitor.

PMID- 28639309
TI  - Improved enzymatic performance of graphene-immobilized beta-glucosidase A in the
      presence of glucose-6-phosphate.
AB  - Optimization of cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis is crucial for cost-effective
      bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass. Enzyme immobilization in
      solid support allows enzyme recycling for reuse, lowering hydrolysis costs.
      Graphene is a nanomaterial isolated in 2004, which possesses exceptional
      properties for biomolecule immobilization. This study evaluates the potential for
      beta-glucosidase recycling by immobilization on graphene nanosheets. Data
      reported here demonstrated that graphene-immobilized beta-glucosidase can be
      recycled for at least eight cycles. Immobilization did not change the optimal
      temperature of catalysis and improved enzymatic stability upon storage. The role
      of glucose-6-phosphate on immobilized enzyme was also investigated, demonstrating
      that glucose-6-phosphate acts as a mixed-type activator and improves storage
      stability of immobilized enzyme. Complete cellulose hydrolysis using graphene
      immobilized beta-glucosidase in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate resulted in
      greatly improved hydrolysis rates, demonstrating the potential of this strategy
      for biomass hydrolysis.

PMID- 28639310
TI  - High-resolution 31 P echo-planar spectroscopic imaging in vivo at 7T.
AB  - PURPOSE: Conventional 31 P chemical shift imaging is time-consuming and yields
      only limited spatial resolution. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate
      feasibility of 31 P echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) in vivo at 7T.
      METHODS: A 3D 31 P EPSI sequence with trapezoidal-shaped gradient pulses was
      implemented on a 7T MR scanner. To increase spectral width with reduced demand on
      gradient performance, a multishot approach was chosen. Acquisition weighting and
      31 P-{1 H} double resonance for nuclear Overhauser signal enhancement were
      applied to increase sensitivity. RESULTS: 3D 31 P-{1 H} EPSI data from model
      solution and from human calf muscle and brain were obtained from voxels with
      effective sizes of 4.1 to 16.2 cm3 in measurement times of approximately 10 min.
      Individual spectra showed well-resolved resonances of endogenous 31 P-metabolites
      without artifacts. Volumetric high-resolution 31 P-metabolite maps in vivo showed
      metabolic heterogeneity of different tissues. CONCLUSION: In vivo 31 P EPSI at 7T
      yields high-quality metabolic images. The proposed multishot EPSI technique
      reduces the measurement times for acquisition of volumetric high-resolution maps
      of 31 P-metabolites or intracellular pH in human studies. Magn Reson Med 79:1251
      1259, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28639311
TI  - Increasing the pipeline and diversity of doctorally prepared nurses: Description
      and preliminary evaluation of a health disparities summer research program.
AB  - Despite calls to increase the number and diversity of doctorally prepared nurses,
      recent data indicate a severe shortage of PhD-prepared nurses, especially those
      of racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. This is concerning, given that evidence
      indicates that racial/ethnic minority PhD-prepared nurses are well-positioned to
      address health disparities, by attending to the needs/concerns of medically
      underrepresented groups. The purpose of this article is to describe and provide a
      preliminary evaluation of a summer research program for minority nursing
      students. Online surveys were administered to assess for student satisfaction,
      knowledge gains, attitudes toward research, and intentions to pursue a PhD among
      minority undergraduate nursing students (N = 6) participating in the 10-week
      program. Favorable trends were observed related to satisfaction, knowledge gains,
      and attitudes toward research. Fifty percent of the sample intended to pursue a
      PhD immediately after the program, compared to none before the program, and this
      result was maintained at 1-year post-program. The summer research program appears
      to be a promising strategy for increasing the number/diversity of PhD-prepared
      nurses. More research on the implementation of programs exposing minority nursing
      students to health disparities research is needed to strengthen evidence that
      similar programs can serve to increase the pipeline of diverse doctorally
      prepared nurses.

PMID- 28639312
TI  - Quantification of transmission risk in a male patient with a FLNB mosaic mutation
      causing Larsen syndrome: Implications for genetic counseling in postzygotic
      mosaicism cases.
AB  - We report the case of a male patient with Larsen syndrome found to be mosaic for
      a novel point mutation in FLNB in whom it was possible to provide evidence-based
      personalized counseling on transmission risk to future offspring. Using dideoxy
      sequencing, a low-level FLNB c.698A>G, encoding p.(Tyr233Cys) mutation was
      detected in buccal mucosa and fibroblast DNA. Mutation quantification was
      performed by deep next-generation sequencing (NGS) of DNA extracted from three
      somatic tissues (blood, fibroblasts, saliva) and a sperm sample. The mutation was
      detectable in all tissues tested, at levels ranging from 7% to 10% (mutation
      present in ~20% of diploid somatic cells and 7% of haploid sperm), demonstrating
      the involvement of both somatic and gonadal lineages in this patient. This report
      illustrates the clinical utility of performing targeted NGS analysis on sperm
      from males with a mosaic condition in order to provide personalized transmission
      risk and offer evidence-based counseling on reproductive safety.

PMID- 28639313
TI  - Change in attachment states of mind of women with binge-eating disorder.
AB  - Insecure and unresolved/disorganized attachment states of mind may impact affect
      regulation and interpersonal functioning that contribute to binge eating in women
      with binge-eating disorder (BED). Group psychological treatment may facilitate
      changes from insecure to secure and from unresolved-disorganized to non
      unresolved/disorganized attachment states of mind. This study used attachment
      theory to understand better the psychopathology of BED and co-morbid overweight
      status and to understand better the treatment response of patients with BED who
      receive group psychotherapy. Women with BED attended group psychodynamic
      interpersonal psychotherapy and completed the Adult Attachment Interview
      pretreatment and 6 months posttreatment. Matched samples of overweight women
      without BED and normal-weight women without BED completed the Adult Attachment
      Interview at 1 time point. Women with BED had significantly higher rates of
      preoccupied and unresolved/disorganized attachment states of mind compared to
      normal-weight women without BED and had similar rates of insecure and
      unresolved/disorganized attachment states of mind compared to overweight women
      without BED. Of the women with BED who had an insecure and/or
      unresolved/disorganized attachment states of mind at pretreatment, about 60%
      demonstrated clinically relevant changes to secure and to non
      unresolved/disorganized states of mind at 6 months post group psychodynamic
      interpersonal psychotherapy. Results indicated that some women with BED may
      benefit from interventions that help them regulate hyperactivated affect and
      create coherent narratives. Both women with BED and overweight women without BED
      may benefit from treatments that help them develop more adaptive affect
      regulation strategies related to unresolved/disorganized attachment states of
      mind.

PMID- 28639314
TI  - Determinants of red blood cell alloantibody detection duration: analysis of
      multiply alloimmunized patients supports peritransfusion factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alloimmunization to red blood cells (RBCs) can cause serious
      transfusion reactions and complicate the search for compatible blood products.
      Alloantibodies can be detected for periods ranging from a few days to several
      years, yet the mechanisms controlling the duration of detectability remain
      unknown. We studied the detection durations in patients forming multiple
      antibodies to investigate whether the duration is more strongly determined by
      conditions present at the time of each transfusion (peritransfusion factors) or
      by more stable patient-specific factors likely to persist across transfusions.
      STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied retrospective medical records for
      alloimmunized patients at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's
      Hospital (1461 patients; 2187 antibodies). RESULTS: Antibodies discovered
      simultaneously in a patient shared similar fates: 76% persisted through the last
      screen or first became undetectable during the same screen. Simultaneously
      identified antibodies were also more persistent than sequentially identified
      antibodies (mean, 9.2 months vs. 4.9 months; p < 10-3 ). Within a patient,
      antibodies discovered simultaneously tended to be detected for similar periods of
      time (mean difference, 25 days), compared to the detection period for
      sequentially discovered antibodies (107 days, p < 10-3 ). CONCLUSIONS: The
      similarity in detection duration of simultaneously identified antibodies suggests
      that peritransfusion factors are important determinants of alloantibody
      detectability and duration. We also find some evidence that detection durations
      for sequentially identified antibodies are also more highly correlated than those
      for randomly selected antibodies across all patients, suggesting that patient
      specific factors also play a role in determining alloantibody persistence.

PMID- 28639315
TI  - MYC protein dysregulation is driven by BCR-PI3K signalling in diffuse large B
      cell lymphoma.
AB  - AIMS: MYC overexpression is a common feature of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
      (DLBCL) and is associated with poor prognosis in patients with this neoplasm. We
      aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of MYC dysregulation, as they have
      not been fully determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: We immunohistochemically
      evaluated the correlation between B-cell receptor (BCR)-phosphoinositide 3-kinase
      (PI3K) pathway activity and MYC level in 108 cases of de-novo DLBCL, 25 of which
      featured loss of BCR, and investigated the effects of BCR-PI3K signalling on MYC
      level and phosphorylation in DLBCL cell lines. The expression levels of phospho
      SYK and phospho-AKT correlated with MYC expression in BCR-positive DLBCL. MYC
      expression was significantly lower in BCR-negative tumour tissues than in BCR
      positive tumour tissues. Upon BCR stimulation, the BCR-positive cell lines showed
      active BCR-PI3K signalling and decreased MYC phosphorylation at T58, leading to
      an increased overall level of MYC. Conversely, inhibition of BCR-PI3K signalling
      increased MYC phosphorylation and thus resulted in a decreased overall level of
      MYC. No effects were observed in the BCR-negative cell lines. CONCLUSIONS:
      Overexpression of MYC in DLBCL can be driven by the BCR-PI3K signalling pathway
      via dephosphorylation at T58, and BCR inhibitors may exert their functions by
      down-regulation of MYC.

PMID- 28639317
TI  - Factors Influencing CO2 and Energy Penalties of CO2 Mineralization Processes.
AB  - Carbon mineralization is one of the carbon capture utilization, and storage
      (CCUS) technologies that can be used to capture large quantities of CO2 and
      convert it into stable carbonate products that can be stored easily. Several CO2
      mineralization processes have been proposed; however, there are no commercial
      scale projects because there are still significant issues that need to be
      improved before commercialization can take place. In this work, we evaluate the
      CO2 and energy penalties related to the most well-known types of mineralization
      processes developed to date, in which the mineralization reaction takes place
      directly under aqueous conditions, high pressures and temperatures, and compared
      these with newer T-P swing processes and ball-mill reactor processes, which are
      under development. The data used in the evaluation are taken from published
      literature. By comparing the three processes, we identify important variables
      that contribute to high CO2 and energy penalties so that future research can
      focus on optimization of these variables. It is observed that slurry
      concentration (heating) and particle size (grinding) are critical factors, with
      mineral calcination and operating pressure constituting other important factors.

PMID- 28639316
TI  - Synergism between Naproxen and Rutin in a Mouse Model of Visceral Pain.
AB  - Preclinical Research The aim of the present study was to evaluate the
      antinociceptive interaction between naproxen and the glycoside flavonoid, rutin
      in the acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. Naproxen (5, 20, 50, and 100
      mg/kg p.o.) or rutin (10, 25, 50, and 100mg/kg p.o.) were administered 60 min
      before the intraperitoneal administration with acetic acid. The dose-response
      curve of each individual compound and the experimental effective dose 50 (ED50 )
      value were obtained to determinate different proportions of the combinations
      between the two compounds (naproxen-rutin 1:1, 3:1, and 3:1) in the writhing
      test. The results indicated a synergistic antinociceptive interaction between two
      drugs with different mechanism of action, naproxen and rutin in all the
      combinations. Drug Dev Res 78 : 184-188, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28639318
TI  - Epitaxial Lift-Off of Centimeter-Scaled Spinel Ferrite Oxide Thin Films for
      Flexible Electronics.
AB  - Mechanical flexibility of electronic devices has attracted much attention from
      research due to the great demand in practical applications and rich commercial
      value. Integration of functional oxide materials in flexible polymer materials
      has proven an effective way to achieve flexibility of functional electronic
      devices. However, the chemical and mechanical incompatibilities at the interfaces
      of dissimilar materials make it still a big challenge to synthesize high-quality
      single-crystalline oxide thin film directly on flexible polymer substrates. This
      study reports an improved method that is employed to successfully transfer a
      centimeter-scaled single-crystalline LiFe5 O8 thin film on polyimide substrate.
      Structural characterizations show that the transferred films have essentially no
      difference in comparison with the as-grown films with respect to the
      microstructure. In particular, the transferred LiFe5 O8 films exhibit excellent
      magnetic properties under various mechanical bending statuses and show excellent
      fatigue properties during the bending cycle tests. These results demonstrate that
      the improved transfer method provides an effective way to compose single
      crystalline functional oxide thin films onto flexible substrates for applications
      in flexible and wearable electronics.

PMID- 28639319
TI  - Diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for the treatment of
      overweight or obese children from the age of 6 to 11 years.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Child and adolescent overweight and obesity has increased globally,
      and can be associated with significant short- and long-term health consequences.
      This is an update of a Cochrane review published first in 2003, and updated
      previously in 2009. However, the update has now been split into six reviews
      addressing different childhood obesity treatments at different ages. OBJECTIVES:
      To assess the effects of diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions
      (behaviour-changing interventions) for the treatment of overweight or obese
      children aged 6 to 11 years. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE,
      Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS as well as trial registers ClinicalTrials.gov
      and ICTRP Search Portal. We checked references of studies and systematic reviews.
      We did not apply any language restrictions. The date of the last search was July
      2016 for all databases. SELECTION CRITERIA: We selected randomised controlled
      trials (RCTs) of diet, physical activity, and behavioural interventions
      (behaviour-changing interventions) for treating overweight or obese children aged
      6 to 11 years, with a minimum of six months' follow-up. We excluded interventions
      that specifically dealt with the treatment of eating disorders or type 2
      diabetes, or included participants with a secondary or syndromic cause of
      obesity. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently screened
      references, extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and evaluated the quality of
      the evidence using the GRADE instrument. We contacted study authors for
      additional information. We carried out meta-analyses according to the statistical
      guidelines in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. MAIN
      RESULTS: We included 70 RCTs with a total of 8461 participants randomised to
      either the intervention or control groups. The number of participants per trial
      ranged from 16 to 686. Fifty-five trials compared a behaviour-changing
      intervention with no treatment/usual care control and 15 evaluated the
      effectiveness of adding an additional component to a behaviour-changing
      intervention. Sixty-four trials were parallel RCTs, and four were cluster RCTs.
      Sixty-four trials were multicomponent, two were diet only and four were physical
      activity only interventions. Ten trials had more than two arms. The overall
      quality of the evidence was low or very low and 62 trials had a high risk of bias
      for at least one criterion. Total duration of trials ranged from six months to
      three years. The median age of participants was 10 years old and the median BMI z
      score was 2.2.Primary analyses demonstrated that behaviour-changing interventions
      compared to no treatment/usual care control at longest follow-up reduced BMI, BMI
      z score and weight. Mean difference (MD) in BMI was -0.53 kg/m2 (95% confidence
      interval (CI) -0.82 to -0.24); P < 0.00001; 24 trials; 2785 participants; low
      quality evidence. MD in BMI z score was -0.06 units (95% CI -0.10 to -0.02); P =
      0.001; 37 trials; 4019 participants; low-quality evidence and MD in weight was 
      1.45 kg (95% CI -1.88 to -1.02); P < 0.00001; 17 trials; 1774 participants; low
      quality evidence.Thirty-one trials reported on serious adverse events, with 29
      trials reporting zero occurrences RR 0.57 (95% CI 0.17 to 1.93); P = 0.37; 4/2105
      participants in the behaviour-changing intervention groups compared with 7/1991
      participants in the comparator groups). Few trials reported health-related
      quality of life or behaviour change outcomes, and none of the analyses
      demonstrated a substantial difference in these outcomes between intervention and
      control. In two trials reporting on minutes per day of TV viewing, a small
      reduction of 6.6 minutes per day (95% CI -12.88 to -0.31), P = 0.04; 2 trials; 55
      participants) was found in favour of the intervention. No trials reported on all
      cause mortality, morbidity or socioeconomic effects, and few trials reported on
      participant views; none of which could be meta-analysed.As the meta-analyses
      revealed substantial heterogeneity, we conducted subgroup analyses to examine the
      impact of type of comparator, type of intervention, risk of attrition bias,
      setting, duration of post-intervention follow-up period, parental involvement and
      baseline BMI z score. No subgroup effects were shown for any of the subgroups on
      any of the outcomes. Some data indicated that a reduction in BMI immediately post
      intervention was no longer evident at follow-up at less than six months, which
      has to be investigated in further trials. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Multi-component
      behaviour-changing interventions that incorporate diet, physical activity and
      behaviour change may be beneficial in achieving small, short-term reductions in
      BMI, BMI z score and weight in children aged 6 to 11 years. The evidence suggests
      a very low occurrence of adverse events. The quality of the evidence was low or
      very low. The heterogeneity observed across all outcomes was not explained by
      subgrouping. Further research is required of behaviour-changing interventions in
      lower income countries and in children from different ethnic groups; also on the
      impact of behaviour-changing interventions on health-related quality of life and
      comorbidities. The sustainability of reduction in BMI/BMI z score and weight is a
      key consideration and there is a need for longer-term follow-up and further
      research on the most appropriate forms of post-intervention maintenance in order
      to ensure intervention benefits are sustained over the longer term.

PMID- 28639320
TI  - Diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions for the treatment of
      overweight or obese adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adolescent overweight and obesity has increased globally, and can be
      associated with short- and long-term health consequences. Modifying known dietary
      and behavioural risk factors through behaviour changing interventions (BCI) may
      help to reduce childhood overweight and obesity. This is an update of a review
      published in 2009. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of diet, physical activity
      and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obese
      adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. SEARCH METHODS: We performed a systematic
      literature search in: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, LILACS, and the
      trial registers ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP Search Portal. We checked references
      of identified studies and systematic reviews. There were no language
      restrictions. The date of the last search was July 2016 for all databases.
      SELECTION CRITERIA: We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of diet,
      physical activity and behavioural interventions for treating overweight or
      obesity in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two
      review authors independently assessed risk of bias, evaluated the overall quality
      of the evidence using the GRADE instrument and extracted data following the
      guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We
      contacted trial authors for additional information. MAIN RESULTS: We included 44
      completed RCTs (4781 participants) and 50 ongoing studies. The number of
      participants in each trial varied (10 to 521) as did the length of follow-up (6
      to 24 months). Participants ages ranged from 12 to 17.5 years in all trials that
      reported mean age at baseline. Most of the trials used a multidisciplinary
      intervention with a combination of diet, physical activity and behavioural
      components. The content and duration of the intervention, its delivery and the
      comparators varied across trials. The studies contributing most information to
      outcomes of weight and body mass index (BMI) were from studies at a low risk of
      bias, but studies with a high risk of bias provided data on adverse events and
      quality of life.The mean difference (MD) of the change in BMI at the longest
      follow-up period in favour of BCI was -1.18 kg/m2 (95% confidence interval (CI) 
      1.67 to -0.69); 2774 participants; 28 trials; low quality evidence. BCI lowered
      the change in BMI z score by -0.13 units (95% CI -0.21 to -0.05); 2399
      participants; 20 trials; low quality evidence. BCI lowered body weight by -3.67
      kg (95% CI -5.21 to -2.13); 1993 participants; 20 trials; moderate quality
      evidence. The effect on weight measures persisted in trials with 18 to 24 months'
      follow-up for both BMI (MD -1.49 kg/m2 (95% CI -2.56 to -0.41); 760 participants;
      6 trials and BMI z score MD -0.34 (95% CI -0.66 to -0.02); 602 participants; 5
      trials).There were subgroup differences showing larger effects for both BMI and
      BMI z score in studies comparing interventions with no intervention/wait list
      control or usual care, compared with those testing concomitant interventions
      delivered to both the intervention and control group. There were no subgroup
      differences between interventions with and without parental involvement or by
      intervention type or setting (health care, community, school) or mode of delivery
      (individual versus group).The rate of adverse events in intervention and control
      groups was unclear with only five trials reporting harms, and of these, details
      were provided in only one (low quality evidence). None of the included studies
      reported on all-cause mortality, morbidity or socioeconomic effects.BCIs at the
      longest follow-up moderately improved adolescent's health-related quality of life
      (standardised mean difference 0.44 ((95% CI 0.09 to 0.79); P = 0.01; 972
      participants; 7 trials; 8 comparisons; low quality of evidence) but not self
      esteem.Trials were inconsistent in how they measured dietary intake, dietary
      behaviours, physical activity and behaviour. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found low
      quality evidence that multidisciplinary interventions involving a combination of
      diet, physical activity and behavioural components reduce measures of BMI and
      moderate quality evidence that they reduce weight in overweight or obese
      adolescents, mainly when compared with no treatment or waiting list controls.
      Inconsistent results, risk of bias or indirectness of outcome measures used mean
      that the evidence should be interpreted with caution. We have identified a large
      number of ongoing trials (50) which we will include in future updates of this
      review.

PMID- 28639321
TI  - Association of the 5-HT2A receptor gene promoter polymorphism-1438G/A with
      anorexia nervosa and psychopathological traits in the Chinese Han population: A
      preliminary study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to explore the possible role of the 5-HT2A 
      1438G/A polymorphism in the susceptibility to anorexia nervosa (AN) in the
      Chinese Han population. METHODS: The -1438G/A polymorphism of 249 female AN
      patients, 228 matched healthy controls, and 198 trios was genotyped using SNaP
      shot assay. Psychopathological traits of eating-disordered behaviors in AN
      subjects were examined using the Chinese version of the Eating Disorder
      Examination Questionnaire. RESULTS: Neither the case-control analysis nor the
      transmission disequilibrium test revealed significant associations between the 
      1438G/A polymorphism and AN (P > .05). However, AA homozygote patients with AN
      had lower weight and shape concern scores of the EDE-Q6.0 than those of GA
      heterozygotes (P < .05). DISCUSSION: Our findings suggested that female AN
      patients with 5-HT2A -1438AA genotype may be characterized by less severe eating
      disordered psychopathological traits in the Chinese Han population.

PMID- 28639322
TI  - TNF-alpha-Induced NOD2 and RIP2 Contribute to the Up-Regulation of Cytokines
      Induced by MDP in Monocytic THP-1 Cells.
AB  - Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2 (NOD2)-induced signal
      transduction and cytokine production is regulated by a number of factors.
      However, the feedback effect of the pro-inflammatory TNF-alpha on NOD2-induced
      inflammation is not fully understood. In this study, we found unexpectedly that
      TNF-alpha up-regulated NOD2 ligand MDP-induced production of the CXC chemokines,
      including CXCL1, 2, and 8, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL
      1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, in a dose-dependent manner at both mRNA and protein
      levels in monocytic THP-1 cells. Though TNF-alpha induced the up-regulation of
      ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20, an important negative regulator for Toll-like
      receptor- and NOD2-induced inflammatory responses, the over-expression of A20 by
      gene transfer did not reversed MDP-induced production of cytokines, suggested
      that A20 did not regulate the functions of NOD2 in THP-1 cells. Meanwhile, we
      found that TNF-alpha up-regulated NOD2 and its down-stream adaptor protein RIP2
      at both mRNA and protein levels. MDP induced the activation of ERK, JNK, p38 and
      NF-kappaB, and TNF-alpha pre-treatment augmented this activation. The results
      from pharmacological inhibition assay showed that cytokine production was
      dependent on MAPK signaling. In addition, we found that the pre-treatment of THP
      1 cells with MDP down-regulated the mRNA levels of cytokine induced by MDP re
      treatment. MDP pre-treatment up-regulated NOD2, but down-regulated RIP2, and down
      regulated NOD2 signal transduction induced by MDP re-stimulation. Taking
      together, these results suggested that TNF-alpha is a positive regulator for NOD2
      functions via up-regulation of NOD2 and its signal adaptor RIP2, and TNF-alpha
      induced A20 does not regulate MDP-induced inflammatory responses in THP-1 cells.
      J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 5072-5081, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28639323
TI  - Molecular interactions of dioxins and DLCs with the xenosensors (PXR and CAR): An
      in silico risk assessment approach.
AB  - Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) are known to cause endocrine disruption
      in humans and animals. Being lipophilic xenobiotic chemicals, they can be easily
      absorbed into the biological system from the surrounding environments, thereby
      causing various health dysfunctions. In the present study, a total of 100 dioxins
      and DLCs were taken, and their binding pattern was assessed with the xenosensors
      pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) in
      comparison with the corresponding known inhibitors and a well-studied endocrine
      disrupting xenobiotic, bisphenol A (BPA). The nuclear receptors CAR and PXR are
      known to play a significant role in handling potential toxins by coordinating
      cellular transport and metabolic functions of the same. Among different endocrine
      disrupting chemicals used in the present study, DLCs (PCDFs and PCBs) elicited
      better interactions in comparison with the parent dioxin (polychlorinated
      dibenzodioxins) compounds. On comparing D scores of all the compounds against
      both the receptors, PCDF 8-hydroxy-3,4-dichlorodibenzofuran (8-OH-DCDF) and PCB
      tetrachlorobenzyltoluene (TCBT) exhibited significant molecular interactions
      against PXR (-7.633 kcal mol-1 ) and CAR (-8.389 kcal mol-1 ), respectively.
      Predominant interactions were found to be H-bonding, pi-pi stacking, hydrophobic,
      polar, and van der Waals. By contrast, BPA and some natural ligands tested in
      this study showed lower binding affinities with these receptors than certain DLCs
      reported herein, ie, certain DLCs might be more toxic than the proven toxic
      agent, BPA. Such studies play a pivotal role in the risk assessment of exposure
      to dioxins and DLCs on human health.

PMID- 28639324
TI  - A Retina-Like Dual Band Organic Photosensor Array for Filter-Free Near-Infrared
      to-Memory Operations.
AB  - Human eyes use retina photoreceptor cells to absorb and distinguish photons from
      different wavelengths to construct an image. Mimicry of such a process and
      extension of its spectral response into the near-infrared (NIR) is indispensable
      for night surveillance, retinal prosthetics, and medical imaging applications.
      Currently, NIR organic photosensors demand optical filters to reduce visible
      interference, thus making filter-free and anti-visible NIR imaging a challenging
      task. To solve this limitation, a filter-free and conformal, retina-inspired NIR
      organic photosensor is presented. Featuring an integration of photosensing and
      floating-gate memory modules, the device possesses an acute color distinguishing
      capability. In general, the retina-like photosensor transduces NIR (850 nm) into
      nonvolatile memory and acts as a dynamic photoswitch under green light (550 nm).
      In doing this, a filter-free but color-distinguishing photosensor is demonstrated
      that selectively converts NIR optical signals into nonvolatile memory.

PMID- 28639325
TI  - Generalized Synthesis of Metal Oxide Nanosheets and Their Application as Li-Ion
      Battery Anodes.
AB  - Metal oxide nanosheets have attracted great attention in various fields, such as
      energy storage, catalysis, and sensors. Current synthesis methods of metal oxide
      nanosheets are laborious and not scalable. Herein, a facile and scalable method
      for the synthesis of metal oxide nanosheets is presented, which requires neither
      hydro-/solvothermal conditions nor postsynthesis template removal. The synthesis
      is versatile, as evidenced by the wide variety of metal oxide nanosheets derived.
      Nanosheet properties such as crystallinity, crystallite size, and carbon content
      can be controlled by tuning the synthesis conditions. The metal oxide nanosheets
      demonstrate promising performance as Li-ion battery anodes.

PMID- 28639327
TI  - Acute leukemic transformation of myelodysplastic syndrome: Is cytochemistry still
      relevant?

PMID- 28639326
TI  - Bone marrow hematons: An access point to the human hematopoietic niche.
AB  - To understand the complex interactions between hematopoietic stem cells and the
      bone marrow niche, a human experimental model is needed. Our hypothesis is that
      hematons are an appropriate ex vivo model of human bone marrow. We analyzed the
      hierarchical hematopoietic cell content and the tissue organization of single
      hematons from healthy donors. Most (>90%) hematons contained precursors of all
      cell lineages, myeloid progenitors, and LTC-ICs without preferential commitment.
      Approximately, half of the hematons could generate significant levels of lympho
      myeloid hematopoiesis after transplantation in an NSG mouse model, despite the
      low absolute numbers of transplanted CD34+ cells. Mesenchymal STRO-1+ and/or
      CD271+ cells formed a critical network that preserved hematon cohesion, and STRO
      1+ cells colocalized with most hematopoietic CD34+ cells (68%). We observed an
      influence of age and gender. These structures represent a particularly attractive
      model for studying the homeostasis of the bone marrow niche and pathological
      changes that occur during diseases.

PMID- 28639328
TI  - Immunogenicity of protein aggregates of a monoclonal antibody generated by forced
      shaking stress with siliconized and nonsiliconized syringes in BALB/c mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunogenicity of protein
      aggregates of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), generated by forced shaking stress
      with siliconized and nonsiliconized syringes in a mouse model. METHODS: Samples
      were filled in siliconized and nonsiliconized syringes with shaking and headspace
      air. Characterization studies were performed using high-performance size
      exclusion chromatography, nanoparticle tracking analysis, flow cytometry, micro
      flow imaging and resonant mass measurement. The samples (10 or 100 MUg) were
      subcutaneously injected into BALB/c mice for 21 days, and the anti-drug antibody
      (ADA) concentrations were monitored. KEY FINDINGS: In samples shaken with
      siliconized syringes [SO (+)], large amounts of submicron and subvisible protein
      aggregates were formed by interactions with silicone oil droplets. The
      characteristics of protein aggregates differed between the mAb solution and
      shaken samples, which strongly indicates that silicone oil accelerates protein
      aggregation. When administered at low doses, the ADA concentration in all samples
      increased with repeated injections, and SO (+) induced the highest
      immunogenicity. However, when administered at high doses, ADA concentration
      decreased following prolonged repeated administration for tolerance. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results indicated that mAb protein aggregation induced immunogenicity in
      mice, and SO (+) induced higher immunogenicity than samples shaken with
      nonsiliconized syringe.

PMID- 28639329
TI  - Estimating abundance without recaptures of marked pallid sturgeon in the
      Mississippi River.
AB  - Abundance estimates are essential for assessing the viability of populations and
      the risks posed by alternative management actions. An effort to estimate
      abundance via a repeated mark-recapture experiment may fail to recapture marked
      individuals. We devised a method for obtaining lower bounds on abundance in the
      absence of recaptures for both panmictic and spatially structured populations.
      The method assumes few enough recaptures were expected to be missed by random
      chance. The upper Bayesian credible limit on expected recaptures allows
      probabilistic statements about the minimum number of individuals present in the
      population. We applied this method to data from a 12-year survey of pallid
      sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in the lower and middle Mississippi River
      (U.S.A.). None of the 241 individuals marked was recaptured in the survey. After
      accounting for survival and movement, our model-averaged estimate of the total
      abundance of pallid sturgeon >=3 years old in the study area had a 1%, 5%, or 25%
      chance of being <4,600, 7,000, or 15,000, respectively. When we assumed fish were
      distributed in proportion to survey catch per unit effort, the farthest
      downstream reach in the survey hosted at least 4.5-15 fish per river kilometer
      (rkm), whereas the remainder of the reaches in the lower and middle Mississippi
      River hosted at least 2.6-8.5 fish/rkm for all model variations examined. The
      lower Mississippi River had an average density of pallid sturgeon >=3 years old
      of at least 3.0-9.8 fish/rkm. The choice of Bayesian prior was the largest source
      of uncertainty we considered but did not alter the order of magnitude of lower
      bounds. Nil-recapture estimates of abundance are highly uncertain and require
      careful communication but can deliver insights from experiments that might
      otherwise be considered a failure.

PMID- 28639330
TI  - Listening for commissioning: A participatory study exploring young people's
      experiences, views and preferences of school-based sexual health and school
      nursing.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences, views and preferences of young
      people aged 11-19 years regarding school-based sexual health and school nursing
      to inform commissioning and delivery for one local authority area in England
      during 2015. BACKGROUND: Promoting sexual health for young people remains a
      challenging, even controversial, but important public health issue. Concerns
      regarding accessibility, acceptability and efficacy in school-based sexual health
      and school nursing are evident in the literature. Additionally, a complex public
      health policy context now governs the funding, provision and delivery of sexual
      health and school nursing, which potentially presents further challenges. DESIGN:
      A qualitative, participatory design was used to explore sexual health and school
      nursing. Data were generated from 15 focus groups (n = 74), with young people
      aged 11-19 years, in educational-based settings in one local authority area in
      England. RESULTS: The resultant themes of visibility in relation to sexual health
      education and school nursing revealed both the complex tensions in designing and
      delivering acceptable and appropriate sexual health services for young people and
      the significance of participatory approaches. CONCLUSION: Our study shows the
      importance of participatory approaches in working with young people to clearly
      identify what they want and need in relation to sexual health. The findings also
      confirm the ways in which school-based sexual health remains challenging but
      requires a theoretical and conceptual shift. This we argue must be underpinned by
      participatory approaches. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: School nurses have
      always had a significant role to play in promoting positive sexual health for
      young people and they are exceptionally well placed to challenge the risk-based
      cultures that frequently dominate school-based sexual health. A shift of debates
      and practices towards the promotion of positive sexual health cultures though
      previously argued for now requires the active engagement and involvement of young
      people.

PMID- 28639331
TI  - Top-Down Integration of Molybdenum Disulfide Transistors with Wafer-Scale
      Uniformity and Layer Controllability.
AB  - The lack of stable and efficient techniques to synthesize high-quality large-area
      thin films is one of the major bottlenecks for the real-world application of the
      2D transition metal dichalcogenides. In this work, the growth of molybdenum
      disulfide (MoS2 ) on sapphire substrates by sulfurizing the MoO3 film deposited
      by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is reported. The advantages of the ALD method
      can be well inherited, and the synthesized MoS2 films exhibit excellent layer
      controllability, wafer-scale uniformity, and homogeneity. MoS2 films with desired
      thickness can be obtained by varying MoO3 ALD cycles. The atomic force microscope
      and Raman measurements demonstrate that the ALD-based MoS2 has good uniformity.
      Clear Raman shift as a function of the film thickness is observed. Field-effect
      transistor devices are fabricated through a transfer-free and top-down process.
      High On/Off current ratio (~104 ) and medium-level electron mobilities (~0.76 cm2
      V-1 s-1 for monolayer, and 5.9 cm2 V-1 s-1 for four-layer) are obtained. The work
      opens up an attractive approach to realize the application of wafer-scale 2D
      materials in integrated circuits and systems.

PMID- 28639332
TI  - The natural history of fetal diagnosed isolated ventricular septal defect.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to clarify the natural course of ventricular
      septal defect, and to find an index that would help in prenatal counseling.
      METHODS: Between January 2010 and December 2014, 18 188 fetuses underwent
      echocardiographic examinations. Of these, 228 isolated ventricular septal defect
      cases were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: In this retrospective study, the
      incidence of isolated ventricular septal defect was 1.25% (228/18 188). There
      were 146 patients who underwent echocardiography after delivery in order to
      confirm the natural course of patients with isolated ventricular septal defect.
      Of the 146 cases, 64 cases (43.84%) had the ventricular septal defect naturally
      closed in the fetal period. Of the 82 patients with ventricular septal defect at
      birth, 25 patients showed natural closure during follow-up. However, four
      patients (2.74%) required surgical treatment for ventricular septal defect. In
      case of perimembranous defects, natural closure is more frequent in the fetal
      period than in the postnatal period. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that 60.96%
      (89/146) of isolated ventricular septal defects diagnosed during the fetal life
      are closed naturally. Perimembranous type defect, small defect (<2 mm) and
      maternal age less than 35 years are the good prognostic factors for the natural
      closure during fetal life. (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639333
TI  - Amorphous Metallic NiFeP: A Conductive Bulk Material Achieving High Activity for
      Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Both Alkaline and Acidic Media.
AB  - The intrinsic catalytic activity at 10 mA cm-2 for oxygen evolution reaction
      (OER) is currently working out at overpotentials higher than 320 mV. A highly
      efficient electrocatalyst should possess both active sites and high conductivity;
      however, the loading of powder catalysts on electrodes may often suffer from the
      large resistance between catalysts and current collectors. This work reports a
      class of bulk amorphous NiFeP materials with metallic bonds from the viewpoint of
      electrode design. The materials reported here perfectly combine high macroscopic
      conductivity with surface active sites, and can be directly used as the
      electrodes with active sites toward high OER activity in both alkaline and acidic
      electrolytes. Specifically, a low overpotential of 219 mV is achieved at the
      geometric current density 10 mA cm-2 in an alkaline electrolyte, with the Tafel
      slope of 32 mV dec-1 and intrinsic overpotential of 280 mV. Meanwhile, an
      overpotential of 540 mV at 10 mA cm-2 is attained in an acidic electrolyte and
      stable for over 30 h, which is the best OER performance in both alkaline and
      acidic media. This work provides a different angle for the design of high
      performance OER electrocatalysts and facilitates the device applications of
      electrocatalysts.

PMID- 28639334
TI  - Uterine natural killer cells in patients with idiopathic recurrent miscarriage.
AB  - PROBLEM: Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are major players during implantation
      and early pregnancy. The aim of our study was to analyze uNK cell concentration
      in the endometrium of idiopathic recurrent miscarriage (iRM) patients and fertile
      controls. METHOD OF STUDY: Out of n=130 couples with >=3 consecutive, clinical RM
      screened according to a standardized diagnostic protocol, n=58 patients with iRM
      were identified. Endometrial biopsies were investigated in patients and n=17
      fertile women (controls) via immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared to controls,
      the concentration of uNK cells was significantly higher in iRM patients (257+/
      212 vs. 148+/-73 uNK cells/mm2, P=.04). IRM patients showed a higher prevalence
      of >300 uNK cells/mm2 than controls (34.5% vs. 5.9%, P=.02). In 88% of controls
      and 62% of iRM patients, uNK cells were detected within the range of 40-300/mm2.
      CONCLUSION: Idiopathic recurrent miscarriage patients showed higher uNK cell
      levels than controls supporting the possible impact of uNK cells in the
      pathophysiology of miscarriage. Our cutoff levels might help to select RM
      patients which may benefit from immunomodulatory treatment.

PMID- 28639335
TI  - A systematic review on identifying risk factors associated with early sexual
      debut and coerced sex among adolescents and young people in communities.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To review literature on identifying the risk factors
      associated with early sexual coerced debut with the aim to facilitate the
      healthcare workers' planning of relevant health services to improve intervention
      strategies for delaying of early coerced sexual debut or forced sexual debut
      (CSD/FSD) in the communities. BACKGROUND: Identifying the risk factors associated
      with coercion at first sex is crucial for developing appropriate sexual and
      reproductive health information and health promotion in response. However,
      current knowledge about the risk factors associated with coercion, sexual debut
      (SD) and delayed SD among young people is limited. Health information programmes
      are important during adolescence, when young people are developing their values
      and beliefs about sexual activity and sexual norms. However, little is known
      about those risk factors on initiation of early sexual debut to plan relevant
      interventions that can delay SD and prevent CSD/FSD in this population. DESIGN: A
      systematic review. METHODS: An extensive literature search using MEDLINE
      (PubMed), Nursing Journals (PubMed), Web of Science, PsychINFO and CINAHL.
      RESULTS: The search generated 39 published studies that met our inclusion and
      exclusion criteria. Thirty-two articles passed the quality appraisal and were
      selected. This review identified six domains of risk factors, categorised as: (1)
      the individual domain, (2) the family domain, (3) the partner/peer domain, (4)
      the school domain, (5) the community domain and (6) the cultural domain. These
      factors highlight the influences on sexual decision-making among adolescents and
      young people and the timing of their first sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: It is
      important to use the outcome of this review's categorisation of identified risk
      factors to facilitate the healthcare workers and plan relevant sexual and
      reproductive health programmes more accessible to adolescents, especially young
      females and their parents. There is a need to evaluate the impact of these
      programmes that can delay SD and prevent CSD/FSD in this population. RELEVANCE TO
      CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of this study could provide guidance on the
      planning of effective interventions for delaying of early CSD/FSD in the
      communities.

PMID- 28639337
TI  - Partially Acetylated or Benzoylated Arabinose Derivatives as Structurally Simple
      Organogelators: Effect of the Ester Protecting Group on Gel Properties.
AB  - Sugar-based low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) have been used for various
      applications for a long time. Herein, structurally simple, ester-protected
      arabinosides are reported as low-molecular-weight organogelators (LMOGs) that are
      able to gel aromatic solvents, as well as petrol and diesel. Studies on the
      mechanical strength of the gels, through detailed rheological experiments,
      indicate that gels from the 1,2-dibenzoylated arabinose gelator possess better
      mechanical properties than those from the 1,2-diacetylated gelator. These results
      are interpreted in terms of the tendency of the former to form fibers with
      comparatively lower diameter than those of the latter, based on detailed field
      emission SEM and AFM studies. Investigations of the interactions responsible for
      the self-assembly of gelators through IR spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray
      scattering reveal that the primary interactions responsible are hydrogen bonds
      between the hydroxyl groups and ester C=O, which is absent in the solid state of
      the gelators. In addition, pi interactions present in the 1,2-dibenzoylated
      derivative result in a more regular arrangement, which, in turn, leads to better
      mechanical properties of the gels compared with those of the 1,2-diacetylated
      gelator.

PMID- 28639336
TI  - Classification of pancreaticobiliary maljunction and clinical features in
      children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2015, the Committee on Diagnostic Criteria of the Japanese Study
      Group on Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction (PBM) proposed a classification of PBM
      into four types: (A) stenotic type, (B) non-stenotic type, (C) dilated channel
      type, and (D) complex type. To validate this classification and clarify the
      clinical features of the four types of PBM, a retrospective multicenter study was
      conducted. METHODS: The study group of 317 children with PBM was divided into the
      four types of PBM. Clinical features, preoperative complications, operations, and
      postoperative pancreatic complications were evaluated. RESULTS: All patients
      underwent excision of the extrahepatic bile duct. In type A, the age was younger
      and there was a higher incidence of cystic dilatation. Non-dilatation of the
      common bile duct was frequently seen in type B. Abdominal pain with
      hyperamylasemia was frequently seen in types B and C. In particular, the
      incidence of protein plugs and biliary perforation was high in type C (56.1% and
      14.3%, respectively). The overall incidence of acute pancreatitis was 7.3%.
      Pancreatitis after excisional surgery was rare in the children in this study. Two
      patients with type D (0.6%) developed chronic pancreatitis postoperatively.
      CONCLUSIONS: This proposed classification is simple and correlates well with
      clinical features.

PMID- 28639338
TI  - Registration strategies for multi-modal whole-body MRI mosaicing.
AB  - PURPOSE: To test and compare different registration approaches for performing
      whole-body diffusion-weighted (wbDWI) image station mosaicing, and its alignment
      to corresponding anatomical T1 whole-body image. METHODS: Four different
      registration strategies aiming at mosaicing of diffusion-weighted image stations,
      and their alignment to the corresponding whole-body anatomical image, were
      proposed and evaluated. These included two-step approaches, where diffusion
      weighted stations are first combined in a pairwise (Strategy 1) or groupwise
      (Strategy 2) manner and later non-rigidly aligned to the anatomical image; a
      direct pairwise mapping of DWI stations onto the anatomical image (Strategy 3);
      and simultaneous mosaicing of DWI and alignment to the anatomical image (Strategy
      4). Additionally, different images driving the registration were investigated.
      Experiments were performed for 20 whole-body images of patients with bone
      metastases. RESULTS: Strategies 1 and 2 showed significant improvement in
      mosaicing accuracy with respect to the non-registered images (P < 0.006).
      Strategy 2 based on ADC images increased the alignment accuracy between DWI
      stations and the T1 whole-body image (P = 0.0009). CONCLUSIONS: A two-step
      registration strategy, relying on groupwise mosaicing of the ADC stations and
      subsequent registration to T1 , provided the best compromise between whole-body
      DWI image quality and multi-modal alignment. Magn Reson Med 79:1684-1695, 2018.
      (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28639339
TI  - Advancing the field of anti-HLA sensitization management prior to pediatric heart
      transplantation.

PMID- 28639340
TI  - Impact of frailty and residual subsyndromal delirium on 1-year functional
      recovery: A prospective cohort study.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the association between frailty and incomplete delirium
      recovery at discharge (residual subsyndromal delirium [RSSD]), and to examine the
      mediating role of RSSD in the relationship between frailty and functional
      recovery at 12 months post-delirium. METHODS: This was a prospective
      observational study of 234 individuals aged >=65 years admitted to a specialized
      delirium unit. A 20-item frailty index was derived using items from a
      comprehensive geriatric assessment. Individuals with frailty index >=0.25 were
      defined as being frail. Diagnosis of delirium was in accordance with the
      Confusion Assessment Method. RSSD was defined by the Delirium Rating Scale
      Revised-98 severity score of >=13. We measured functional status (modified
      Barthel Index) on admission and 12 months post-delirium. We carried out mediation
      analysis to elucidate the role of baseline frailty and RSSD on 12-month
      functional recovery. RESULTS: A total of 167 (71%) older adults were available
      for analysis of 12-month functional status. Frailty was an independent predictor
      for RSSD (OR 4.1, 95% CI 2.1-8.2, P < 0.001) and functional recovery at 12 months
      post-delirium (beta = -13.4, 95% CI -24.9 to -1.8, P = 0.02). RSSD significantly
      mediated the effect of baseline frailty status on functional recovery at 12
      months (coefficient = -0.1, 95% CI -0.2 to -0.02, P = 0.02), with 45% of the
      total effect mediated by RSSD. CONCLUSIONS: Frailty as a risk factor for poor
      functional recovery in the year post-delirium might be attributable in part to
      its impact on incomplete delirium recovery at discharge (RSSD). Our findings
      support screening and interventions for frailty at admission, and extended
      rehabilitation for frail individuals with RSSD. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17:
      2472-2478.

PMID- 28639341
TI  - Rigidity of the extracellular part of HER2: Evidence from engineering subdomain
      interfaces and shared-helix DARPin-DARPin fusions.
AB  - The second member of the human ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases,
      HER2/hErbB2, is regarded as an exceptional case: The four extracellular
      subdomains could so far only be found in one fixed overall conformation,
      designated "open" and resembling the ligand-bound form of the other ErbB
      receptors. It thus appears to be different from the extracellular domains of the
      other family members that show inter-subdomain flexibility and exist in a
      "tethered" form in the absence of ligand. For HER2, there was so far no direct
      evidence for such a tethered conformation on the cell surface. Nonetheless,
      alternative conformations of HER2 in vivo could so far not be excluded. We now
      demonstrate the rigidity of HER2 on the surface of tumor cells by employing two
      orthogonal approaches of protein engineering: To directly test the potential of
      the extracellular domain of HER2 to adopt a pseudo-tethered conformation on the
      cell surface, we first designed HER2 variants with a destabilized interface
      between extracellular subdomains I and III that would favor deviation from the
      "open" conformation. Secondly, we used differently shaped versions of a Designed
      Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin) fusion, recognizing subdomain I of HER2, devised
      to work as probes for a putative pseudo-tethered extracellular domain of HER2.
      Combining our approaches, we exclude, on live cells and in vitro, that
      significant proportions of HER2 deviate from the "open" conformation.

PMID- 28639342
TI  - The human medial pterygoid muscle: Attachments and distribution of muscle
      spindles.
AB  - Published descriptions about the sites of origin of the human medial pterygoid
      muscle vary and there are few reports on the distribution and density of muscle
      spindles in this muscle. We aimed to: (1) determine the extent of anatomical
      variability in the origins and insertions of the superficial and deep heads of
      the human medial pterygoid muscle and (2) determine the extent of variation in
      the distribution of spindles in the two heads of the muscle. Thirty-nine human
      cadaver hemi-heads were dissected and the attachments of the medial pterygoid
      muscle examined. The whole muscle was removed, weighed, cut into segments and
      embedded in wax for light microscopy. Sections were stained with Weigert-Van
      Gieson stain and scanned into digital images. Spindles were manually counted. In
      seven specimens, the deep head of the muscle arose from the medial surface of the
      lateral pterygoid plate and the pterygoid fossa. In 28 specimens, the origin
      extended onto the lateral surface of the medial pterygoid plate. There were
      abundant muscle spindles in the middle of the muscle, slightly fewer 1 cm toward
      the insertion, significantly fewer 1 cm toward the origin, and few or no spindles
      near the origins of the superficial and deep heads or near their insertion. In
      conclusion, firstly, this study shows that in 72% of the specimens examined, the
      origin of the medial pterygoid is wider than conventionally described in
      anatomical textbooks. Secondly, the segmental distribution of muscle spindles is
      described for the first time. Clin. Anat. 30:1064-1071, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28639343
TI  - First case of anaphylaxis after botulinum toxin type A injection.
AB  - Botulinum toxin type A (BTA) (also known as onabotulinum toxin A) injection is
      widely used in the field of cosmetic dermatology. Although a few adverse events
      related to intramuscular BTA injection have been reported, no life-threatening
      adverse reaction has been documented to date. We report a case of anaphylaxis
      induced by intramuscular BTA injection into the masseter muscles of a 35-year-old
      woman. She had previously received injections of the identical BTA product into
      the same muscles without incident. However, during the reported procedure,
      symptoms suggestive of angio-oedema and anaphylaxis developed about 5 min after
      BTA injection. Intramuscular epinephrine was used to manage the reaction.
      Following this, the patient was found to have an elevated total serum IgE level.
      We could not perform testing with BTA because of the risk of triggering another
      episode of anaphylaxis; however, intradermal tests using the identical sterile
      saline and patch test using the topical anaesthetic cream both showed negative
      results, thus we strongly suspect BTA as being the cause of anaphylaxis in this
      case.

PMID- 28639344
TI  - Intensive care nurses' experiences of caring for obese intensive care patients: A
      hermeneutic study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To obtain a deeper understanding of qualified intensive care
      nurses' experiences of caring for obese patients in intensive care. BACKGROUND:
      Admission of obese patients with complex healthcare needs to intensive care units
      is increasing. Caring for obese critically ill patients can be challenging and
      demanding for the intensive care nurse because of the patients' weight, critical
      situation and physical challenges. There is a gap in knowledge at present about
      qualified intensive care nurses' experiences of caring for obese patients in
      intensive care units. DESIGN: A qualitative hermeneutic approach. METHOD: The
      study took place in 2016 at intensive care units of two different hospitals. Semi
      structured individual interviews were conducted with 13 qualified intensive care
      nurses. The interviews were analysed according to a Gadamerian-inspired research
      method. RESULTS: Intensive care nurses perceived caring for obese intensive care
      patients as emotionally demanding owing to these patients' vulnerability,
      dissimilarity and physical challenges compared to normal weight patients. They
      experienced ambivalent feelings caring for these patients: while they endeavoured
      to provide good and equal care to all patients, they simultaneously held negative
      beliefs and attitudes towards obese patients. Furthermore, frustration arose
      among the intensive care nurses relating to the physically demanding care
      situations and an unwillingness to care for such patients among some colleagues.
      CONCLUSION: The qualified intensive care nurses' experiences of caring for obese
      patients revealed ambivalent feelings, attitudes and beliefs towards these
      patients, which must be considered in intensive care unit practice as well as in
      the education of these nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results have
      implications for clinical practice with respect to increasing intensive care
      nurses' awareness of their attitudes and beliefs towards obese intensive care
      patients and to improve the education of these nurses.

PMID- 28639345
TI  - Acute flaccid myelitis in childhood: a retrospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Clusters of acute limb weakness in paediatric patients
      have been linked to outbreaks of non-polio enteroviruses, termed acute flaccid
      myelitis (AFM). Outside these clusters, in countries where polio is not endemic,
      this poliomyelitic-like illness is rare in childhood and its natural history is
      not well defined. We describe presenting features, investigation findings and
      long-term outcome of a series of children with AFM. METHODS: This was a
      retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: Eight children (six females) aged 3 months
      to 8 years (median age 5 years) met case criteria. Initial symptoms were pain (n
      = 7) followed by limb weakness with hypotonia (n = 8). Flaccid paralysis occurred
      in only three patients. Two had cranial nerve dysfunction. Magnetic resonance
      imaging of the spinal cord demonstrated grey matter involvement particularly
      affecting the anterior cord, with longitudinally extensive changes in three
      children. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed pleocytosis in six children with
      raised cerebrospinal fluid protein in five. Nerve conduction and electromyography
      findings were consistent with a motor neuronopathy. Residual deficits were
      common, with moderate to severe weakness seen in five patients. Median follow-up
      was 28 months (range 17-108 months, 30.4 patient years in total). CONCLUSIONS:
      Acute flaccid myelitis is an uncommon condition in childhood with a high rate of
      significant long-term morbidity. AFM should be considered in children presenting
      with acute limb pain and weakness.

PMID- 28639346
TI  - Adipose Tissue Meal-Derived Fatty Acid Uptake Before and After Diet-Induced
      Weight Loss in Adults with Overweight and Obesity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether diet-induced weight loss alters
      indices of in vivo postprandial fat uptake in adipose tissue (AT) and whether
      these changes are associated with weight regain in adults with overweight and
      obesity. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 16 (6 male) individuals
      (BMI: 28-35 kg/m2 ) were randomized to either a low-calorie diet (1,250 kcal/d)
      for 12 weeks or a very-low-calorie diet (500 kcal/d) for 5 weeks (weight loss
      [WL] period) followed by a 4-week weight-stable (WS) period (together, the
      dietary intervention [DI] period) and a 9-month follow-up period. Arteriovenous
      difference measurements combined with stable isotope labeling ([U-13 C]
      palmitate) of a mixed meal were used to determine postprandial fatty acid uptake
      in AT. RESULTS: Body weight was significantly reduced during the WL period (-8.2
      +/- 0.6 kg, P < 0.001), remained stable during the WS period (0.4 +/- 0.3 kg, P =
      0.150), and increased during follow-up (3.5 +/- 0.8 kg, P = 0.001). Meal-derived
      in vivo fatty acid uptake dynamics across AT and expression of genes important
      for fatty acid uptake, storage, and release were not significantly changed during
      the DI period. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous AT does not appear prone to enhanced
      meal-derived fatty acid uptake after weight loss, nor were fatty acid uptake
      dynamics detected as related to weight regain.

PMID- 28639347
TI  - High-Energy/Power and Low-Temperature Cathode for Sodium-Ion Batteries: In Situ
      XRD Study and Superior Full-Cell Performance.
AB  - Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are still confronted with several major challenges,
      including low energy and power densities, short-term cycle life, and poor low
      temperature performance, which severely hinder their practical applications.
      Here, a high-voltage cathode composed of Na3 V2 (PO4 )2 O2 F nano-tetraprisms
      (NVPF-NTP) is proposed to enhance the energy density of SIBs. The prepared NVPF
      NTP exhibits two high working plateaux at about 4.01 and 3.60 V versus the Na+
      /Na with a specific capacity of 127.8 mA h g-1 . The energy density of NVPF-NTP
      reaches up to 486 W h kg-1 , which is higher than the majority of other cathode
      materials previously reported for SIBs. Moreover, due to the low strain (~2.56%
      volumetric variation) and superior Na transport kinetics in Na
      intercalation/extraction processes, as demonstrated by in situ X-ray diffraction,
      galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, and cyclic voltammetry at varied
      scan rates, the NVPF-NTP shows long-term cycle life, superior low-temperature
      performance, and outstanding high-rate capabilities. The comparison of Ragone
      plots further discloses that NVPF-NTP presents the best power performance among
      the state-of-the-art cathode materials for SIBs. More importantly, when coupled
      with an Sb-based anode, the fabricated sodium-ion full-cells also exhibit
      excellent rate and cycling performances, thus providing a preview of their
      practical application.

PMID- 28639348
TI  - Cell specificity of magnetic cell seeding approach to hydrogel colonization.
AB  - Tissue-engineered scaffolds require an effective colonization with cells.
      Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) can enhance cell adhesion to
      matrices by magnetic cell seeding. We investigated the possibility of improving
      cell attachment and growth on different alginate-based hydrogels using
      fibroblasts and endothelial cells (ECs) loaded with SPIONs. Hydrogels containing
      pure alginate (Alg), alginate dialdehyde crosslinked with gelatin (ADA-G) and Alg
      blended with G or silk fibroin (SF) were prepared. Endothelial cells and
      fibroblasts loaded with SPIONs were seeded and grown on hydrogels for up to 7
      days, in the presence of magnetic field during the first 24 h. Cell morphology
      (fluorescent staining) and metabolic activity (WST-8 assay) of magnetically
      seeded versus conventionally seeded cells were compared. Magnetic seeding of ECs
      improved their initial attachment and further growth on Alg/G hydrogel surfaces.
      However, we did not achieve an efficient and stable colonization of ADA-G films
      with ECs even with magnetic cell seeding. Fibroblast showed good initial
      colonization and growth on ADA-G and on Alg/SF. This effect was further
      significantly enhanced by magnetic cell seeding. On pure Alg, initial attachment
      and spreading of magnetically-seeded cells was dramatically improved compared to
      conventionally-seeded cells, but the effect was transient and diminished
      gradually with the cessation of magnetic force. Our results demonstrate that
      magnetic seeding improves the strength and uniformity of initial cell attachment
      to hydrogel surface in cell-specific manner, which may play a decisive role for
      the outcome in tissue engineering applications. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
      J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2948-2956, 2017.

PMID- 28639349
TI  - Reconfigurable Chiral Self-Assembly of Peptides through Control of Terminal
      Charges.
AB  - Self-assembly of chiral nanostructures is of considerable interest, since the
      ability to control the chirality of these structures has direct ramifications in
      biology and materials science. A new approach to design chiral nanostructures
      from self-assembly of N-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)-protected phenylalanine
      tryptophan-lysine tripeptides is reported. The terminal charges can induce
      helical twisting of the assembled beta-sheets, enabling the formation of well
      defined chiral nanostructures. The degree and direction of twisting in the beta
      sheets can be precisely tailored through in situ pH and temperature modulations.
      This enables the assembly of reconfigurable chiral nanomaterials with easily
      adjustable size and handedness. These results offer new insight into the
      mechanism of helical twist formation, which may enable the precise assembly of
      highly dynamical materials with potential applications in biomedicine,
      chiroptics, and chiral sensing.

PMID- 28639350
TI  - Response to Letter: Novel Electrocardiographic Indices of Arrhythmogenesis and
      Blood Lead Level.

PMID- 28639351
TI  - Titanium-released from dental implant enhances pre-osteoblast adhesion by ROS
      modulating crucial intracellular pathways.
AB  - It is important to understand the cellular and molecular events that occur at the
      cell-material interface of implants used for bone repair. The mechanisms involved
      in the initial stages of osteoblast interactions with the surface of the implant
      material must be decisive for cell fating surrounding them. In order to address
      this issue, we decided to investigate if conditioned medium for dental implants
      was able to modulate murine pre-osteoblast metabolism. First, we determined the
      concentration of titanium (Ti)-containing conditioned medium and found that it
      was 2-fold increased (p < 0.0001). We have reported that this conditioned medium
      significantly up-modulated pre-osteoblast adhesion up to 24 h (p < 0.0001). In
      parallel, our results showed that both phosphorylations of FAK (focal adhesion
      kinase) at Y397 (p < 0.0011) and Cofilin at Ser03 (p < 0.0053) were also up
      modulated, as well as for Rac1 expression (p < 0.0175); both of them are involved
      with cell adaptation by rearranging cytoskeleton actin filaments. Thereafter, Ti
      containing medium stimulated ROS (reactive oxygen species) production by pre
      osteoblast cells, and it is very possible that ROS compromised PTP-1B (protein
      tyrosine phosphatase 1B) activation since PTP1B was down-phosphorylated (p <
      0.0148). The low PTP activity guarantees the phosphorylation of FAK at Y-residue,
      causing better pre-osteoblast adhesion in response to Ti-containing medium.
      Altogether, these data indicate that ROS indirectly modulate FAK phosphorylation
      in response to Ti-released from dental implants. Taken the results in account,
      these data showed for the first time that the implanted dental device is able to
      dynamically affect surrounding tissues, mainly by promoting a better performance
      of the pre-osteoblast cells. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res
      Part A: 105A: 2968-2976, 2017.

PMID- 28639352
TI  - Reply from authors: the use of blood coagulation products requires a thorough re
      evaluation.

PMID- 28639354
TI  - Relationships between social support and student burnout: A meta-analytic
      approach.
AB  - This study is a meta-analysis of 19 relevant studies, with 95,434 participants,
      investigating the relationships between various types of social support and 3
      dimensions of student burnout. The overall results indicate that social support
      is negatively correlated with student burnout. Specifically, school or teacher
      supports have the strongest negative relationship to student burnout. Social
      supports from parents and from peers also have a significant negative
      relationship with student burnout. Among the 3 dimensions of student burnout,
      inefficacy was more strongly related to social support than emotional exhaustion
      or cynicism. The results of a moderation analysis suggest that the type of
      schools (secondary school and postsecondary school) affected the relationships
      between the overall social support and student burnout. We discuss the
      implications to ameliorate student burnout.

PMID- 28639356
TI  - Bias in protected-area location and its effects on long-term aspirations of
      biodiversity conventions.
AB  - To contribute to the aspirations of recent international biodiversity
      conventions, protected areas (PAs) must be strategically located and not simply
      established on economically marginal lands as they have in the past. With refined
      international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity to target
      protected areas in places of "importance to biodiversity," perhaps they may now
      be. We analyzed location biases in PAs globally over historic (pre-2004) and
      recent periods. Specifically, we examined whether the location of protected areas
      are more closely associated with high concentrations of threatened vertebrate
      species or with areas of low agricultural opportunity costs. We found that both
      old and new protected areas did not target places with high concentrations of
      threatened vertebrate species. Instead, they appeared to be established in
      locations that minimize conflict with agriculturally suitable lands. This
      entrenchment of past trends has substantial implications for the contributions
      these protected areas are making to international commitments to conserve
      biodiversity. If protected-area growth from 2004 to 2014 had strategically
      targeted unrepresented threatened vertebrates, >30 times more species (3086 or
      2553 potential vs. 85 actual new species represented) would have been protected
      for the same area or the same cost as the actual expansion. With the land
      available for conservation declining, nations must urgently focus new protection
      on places that provide for the conservation outcomes outlined in international
      treaties.

PMID- 28639355
TI  - How do the characteristics of breast cancer diagnostic assessment programmes
      influence service delivery: A mixed methods study.
AB  - Diagnostic assessment programmes (DAPs) coordinate multidisciplinary teamwork
      (MDT), and improve wait times and patient satisfaction. No research has
      established optimal DAP design. This study explored how DAP characteristics
      influence service delivery. A mixed methods case study of four breast cancer DAPs
      was conducted including qualitative interviews with health-care providers and
      retrospective chart review. Data were integrated using multiple approaches.
      Twenty-three providers were interviewed; 411 medical records were reviewed. The
      number of visits and wait times from referral to diagnosis and consultation were
      lowest at a one-stop model. DAP characteristics (rural-remote region, human
      resources, referral volume, organisation of services, adherence to service
      delivery targets and one-stop model) may influence service delivery (number of
      visits, wait times). MDT, influenced by other DAP characteristics (co-location of
      staff, patient navigators, team functioning), may also influence service
      delivery. While the one-stop model may be ideal, all sites experienced similar
      and unique challenges. Further research is needed to understand how to optimise
      the organisation and delivery of DAP services. Measures reflecting individual,
      team and patient-reported outcomes should be used to assess the effectiveness and
      impact of DAPs in addition to more traditional measures such as wait times.

PMID- 28639357
TI  - Cerebellar projections to the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus and the thalamic
      reticular nucleus in the cat.
AB  - The ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNv) is a retinorecipient part of the
      ventral thalamus and in cats, it consists of medial (M), medial intermediate
      (IM), lateral intermediate (IL), lateral (L), and dorsal (D) subdivisions. These
      subdivisions can be differentiated not only by their cytoarchitecture, but also
      by their connectivity and putative functions. The LGNv may play a role in
      visuomotor gating, in that there is evidence of cerebellar afferent projections
      to the intermediate subdivisions. The cerebellar posterior interpositus (IP) and
      lateral (LC) nuclei are known to project to IM and IL, but the specifics of these
      projections are unclear. We hypothesized that the IP and LC project
      differentially to IM and IL. To evaluate LGNv innervation by the deep cerebellar
      nuclei, we injected the tract-tracer wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase
      (WGA-HRP) into several different regions of the LGNv and cerebellar nuclei of
      adult cats in either sex. Small injections into the middle and posterior LGNv
      retrogradely labeled cells in the ventral part of the IP. However, injections in
      the anterior regions of the LGNv, with or without diffusion into the thalamic
      reticular nucleus (Re), retrogradely labeled cells in the ventral part of both
      the IP and the LC. Confirmatory injections into the IP and LC produced terminal
      like labeling distributed in IM, IL, and Re; injections mostly localized to the
      LC resulted in labeling mainly in IM and Re. We concluded that the IP projects to
      IL whereas the LC projects to IM and Re.

PMID- 28639358
TI  - Antilipase and antiproliferative activities of novel fluoroquinolones and
      triazolofluoroquinolones.
AB  - Fluoroquinolones (FQs) have been identified recently as potent inhibitors of
      pancreatic lipase (PL). The aim of this study was to synthesize novel FQs and
      triazolofluoroquinolones (TFQs) and to evaluate them in vitro with respect to
      their antilipolytic efficacy and potency properties. The PL-IC50 values of 12 FQs
      and TFQs (3 (a-c)-6 (a-c)) were in the range of 12.5-189.1 MUm. These values are
      further supported by docking studies. The suggested association between obesity
      and colorectal cancer initiated the evaluation of antiproliferative activity of
      the new FQs and TFQs against a panel of obesity-related colorectal cells (HT29,
      HCT116, SW620 CACO2, and SW480). Sulforodamine B colorimetric assay revealed that
      some derivatives exhibited unselective cytotoxicity against HT29, HCT116, SW620
      CACO2, and SW480. Remarkably, FQ 4a's selective cytotoxicity against HCT116 was
      found valuable with IC50 value of 4.2 MUm which exceeds that of cisplatin with a
      substantial selective cytotoxicity in periodontal ligament fibroblasts. In
      conclusion, FQ and TFQ derivatives may unveil new antiobesity and anticancer
      agents in the future.

PMID- 28639360
TI  - The mechanism of coupling between oxido-reduction and proton translocation in
      respiratory chain enzymes.
AB  - The respiratory chain of mitochondria and bacteria is made up of a set of
      membrane-associated enzyme complexes which catalyse sequential, stepwise transfer
      of reducing equivalents from substrates to oxygen and convert redox energy into a
      transmembrane protonmotive force (PMF) by proton translocation from a negative
      (N) to a positive (P) aqueous phase separated by the coupling membrane. There are
      three basic mechanisms by which a membrane-associated redox enzyme can generate a
      PMF. These are membrane anisotropic arrangement of the primary redox catalysis
      with: (i) vectorial electron transfer by redox metal centres from the P to the N
      side of the membrane; (ii) hydrogen transfer by movement of quinones across the
      membrane, from a reduction site at the N side to an oxidation site at the P side;
      (iii) a different type of mechanism based on co-operative allosteric linkage
      between electron transfer at the metal redox centres and transmembrane
      electrogenic proton translocation by apoproteins. The results of advanced
      experimental and theoretical analyses and in particular X-ray crystallography
      show that these three mechanisms contribute differently to the protonmotive
      activity of cytochrome c oxidase, ubiquinone-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and NADH
      ubiquinone oxidoreductase of the respiratory chain. This review considers the
      main features, recent experimental advances and still unresolved problems in the
      molecular/atomic mechanism of coupling between the transfer of reducing
      equivalents and proton translocation in these three protonmotive redox complexes.

PMID- 28639359
TI  - Interobserver variability in the classification of congenital coronary
      abnormalities: A substudy of the anomalous connections of the coronary arteries
      registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of anomalous connections of the coronary arteries
      (ANOCOR) requires an appropriate identification for the management of the
      patients involved. We studied the observer variability in the description and
      classification of ANOCOR between a nonexpert group of physicians and a group of
      expert physicians, using the ANOCOR cohort. PATIENTS AND DESIGN: Consecutive
      patients identified by 71 referring cardiologists were included in the ANOCOR
      cohort. Anomalous connection was diagnosed by invasive and/or computed tomography
      coronary angiography. Angiographic images were reviewed by an angiographic
      committee with experience in this field. Both investigators and angiographic
      committee filled out a questionnaire to classify each anomaly with the type of
      coronary artery involved, the site of anomalous connection, and the initial
      course. Observer variability between investigators and angiographic committee was
      assessed by kappa statistics. Anomalous connection with a preaortic course was
      defined as at-risk. RESULTS: Among 472 patients of the ANOCOR cohort, 496
      abnormalities were identified with a preaortic course present in 31%. The
      agreement for the type of artery was excellent (kappa = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.86-0.98,
      P < .05), while the agreement for the site of anomalous connection was moderate
      (kappa = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.42-0.58, P < .05), and the agreement for the initial
      course was only fair (kappa = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.28-0.37, P < .05). Observer
      agreement for the identification of at-risk forms was moderate (kappa = 0.497,
      95% CI = 0.40-0.59, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Observer variability in the assessment
      of anomalous connection of the coronary arteries between nonexperienced and
      experienced physicians can be significant. We found that expert physicians
      provide a more robust classification in comparison with nonexpert physicians.
      Therefore, referral to physicians with a relevant experience should be
      considered, especially if an anomaly at-risk is suspected.

PMID- 28639361
TI  - Experiences and needs of relatives of people with dementia in acute hospitals-A
      meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To present an in-depth analysis of existing qualitative
      literature concerning experiences and needs of the relatives of patients with
      dementia in hospitals. BACKGROUND: Relatives are an important resource for the
      care of patients with dementia in hospitals. They provide necessary information
      about the patient and can support the patient's care. Simultaneously, they are
      themselves vulnerable, having specific needs and experiences. A number of studies
      have been conducted that focus on the perspectives of the relatives. The
      synthesis of qualitative studies contributes to a more comprehensive
      understanding of recent study findings. DESIGN: A meta-ethnographic synthesis of
      qualitative research findings was used. METHODS: The synthesis process followed
      six defined steps. We located relevant studies through searching the CINAHL,
      PubMed and PsycInfo databases and through searching journals and reference lists
      by hand. A list of metaphors was created and translated into one another.
      Identified metaphors were synthesised and interpreted as a new whole. RESULTS:
      Relatives of patients with dementia frequently experience a negative cycle of
      specific worries, negative feelings and resulting roles and functions in hospital
      due to negative care experiences. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of relatives are
      strongly influenced by the attitudes, expertise and communication that they
      receive from health professionals working in the hospital. The results clearly
      show how health professionals have the potential to break through the negative
      cycle and contribute to a more positive feeling about a patient's hospital stay.
      RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Structured and individually planned involvement
      of the relatives during the hospital care seems to be a key aspect for improving
      the experiences for the relatives and the patients with dementia. Collaboration
      with the relatives needs to be valued and supported by the organisation. Also a
      professional and defined frame for this area of responsibility needs to be
      provided.

PMID- 28639362
TI  - The effect of hospital biocide sodium dichloroisocyanurate on the viability and
      properties of Clostridium difficile spores.
AB  - : Clostridium difficile is the primary cause of healthcare-associated diarrhoea
      globally and produces spores which are resistant to commonly used biocides and
      are able persist on contaminated surfaces for months. This study examined the
      effect of sublethal concentrations of the biocide sodium dichloroisocyanurate
      (NaDCC) on the viability of spores produced by 21 clinical isolates of C.
      difficile representing a range of PCR ribotypes. Spores exposed to 500 ppm NaDCC
      for 10 min exhibited between a 4-6 log10 reduction in viability which was
      independent of spore PCR ribotype. The effect of sublethal concentrations of
      biocide on the surface properties of exosporium positive and negative clinical
      isolates was determined using a spore adhesion to hydrocarbon (SATH) assay. These
      isolates differed markedly in their responses suggesting that exposure to biocide
      can have a profound effect on hydrophobicity and thus the ability of spores to
      adhere to surfaces. This raises the intriguing possibility that sublethal
      exposure to NaDCC could inadvertently promote the spread of the pathogen in
      healthcare facilities. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study is the
      first to report on changes in Clostridium difficile spore surface property after
      exposure to sublethal levels of the commonly used biocide sodium
      dichloroisocyanurate. The implications of these changes to the spore surface
      include increased adherence of the spores to inorganic surfaces which can
      directly contribute to persistence and spread of spores within the hospital
      environment.

PMID- 28639363
TI  - In-situ Generated and Premade 1-Copper(I) Alkynes in Cycloadditions.
AB  - The copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) was discovered in
      2002, which has become the most remarkable example for "click chemistry" to date.
      In CuAAC reaction, 1-copper(I) alkyne has been recognized to be a key
      intermediate. However, many contradictory experimental results for this
      intermediate were reported in literature. For example, only the in-situ generated
      1-copper(I) alkyne was used, while the premade 1-copper(I) alkyne proved to be
      inefficient under the standard conditions. The kinetic studies indicated that
      CuAAC reaction had a strict second-order dependence on Cu(I) and the DFT studies
      demonstrated that 1-copper(I) alkyne intermediate should be a dinuclear copper(I)
      complex. But these results were inconsistent with the structure of the premade 1
      copper(I) alkyne. Although hundreds of structurally different ligands were
      reported to significantly enhance the efficiency of CuAAC reaction, their
      functions were assigned to prevent the oxidation and the disproportionation of
      Cu(I) ion. Based on the investigation of the references and our works, we
      proposed that the in-situ generated 1-copper(I) alkyne in CuAAC reaction is not
      identical with the premade 1-copper(I) alkyne. The ligands may play dual roles to
      activate the 1-copper(I) alkyne by blocking the polymerization of the in-situ
      formed 1-copper(I) alkynes and dissociating the polymeric structures of the
      premade 1-copper(I) alkynes. As a result, we first disclosed that carboxylic
      acids can function as such activators and a novel carboxylic acid-catalyzed CuAAC
      strategy was developed, which has been proven to be the most convenient and
      highly efficient CuAAC method to date. Furthermore, highly efficient and
      regioselective methods for the syntheses of 1,4,5-trisubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles
      were developed by using the premade 1-copper(I) alkynes as substrates, in which
      the novel function of the premade 1-copper(I) alkynes as excellent dipolarophiles
      was first disclosed and applied. In this article, a series of works reported by
      our group for the in-situ generated and the premade 1-copper(I) alkynes in
      cycloadditions are reviewed.

PMID- 28639364
TI  - Changes in chronic disease management among community health centers (CHCs) in
      China: Has health reform improved CHC ability?
AB  - Since the 1980s, China has been criticized for its mode of chronic disease
      management (CDM) that passively provides treatment in secondary and tertiary
      hospitals but lacks active prevention in community health centers (CHCs). Since
      there are few systematic evaluations of the CHCs' methods for CDM, this study
      aimed to analyze their abilities. On the macroperspective, we searched the
      literature in China's largest and most authoritative databases and the official
      websites of health departments. Literature was used to analyze the government's
      efforts in improving CHCs' abilities to perform CDM. At the microlevel, we
      examined the CHCs' longitudinal data after the New Health Reform in 2009,
      including financial investment, facilities, professional capacities, and the
      conducted CDM activities. A policy analysis showed that there was an increasing
      tendency towards government efforts in developing CDM, and the peak appeared in
      2009. By evaluating the reform at CHCs, we found that there was an obvious
      increase in fiscal and public health subsidies, large-scale equipment, general
      practitioners, and public health physicians. The benefited vulnerable population
      in this area also rose significantly. However, rural centers were inferior in
      their CDM abilities compared with urban ones, and the referral system is still
      not effective in China. This study showed that CHCs are increasingly valued in
      managing chronic diseases, especially after the New Health Reform in 2009.
      However, we still need to improve collaborative management for chronic diseases
      in the community and strengthen the abilities of CHCs, especially in rural areas.

PMID- 28639365
TI  - Vascular Calcification, Vitamin K and Warfarin Therapy - Possible or Plausible
      Connection?
AB  - Atherosclerosis is a pathological process underpinning many cardiovascular
      diseases; it is the main cause of global mortality. Atherosclerosis is
      characterized by an invasion of inflammatory cells, accumulation of lipids and
      the formation of fatty streaks (plaques) which subsequently allow accumulation of
      calcium and other minerals leading to a disturbance in the vascular endothelium
      and its regulatory role in arterial function. Vascular calcification is a
      different process, stringently regulated mainly by local factors, in which
      osteoblast-like cells accumulate in the muscular layer of arteries ultimately
      taking on the physiological appearance of bone. The elevated stiffness of the
      arteries leads to severe vascular complications in brain, heart and kidneys.
      Recently, evidence from animal experiments as well as clinical and
      epidemiological results suggests that long-term treatment with warfarin, but not
      with the novel direct anticoagulants, can increase the risk or even induce
      vascular calcification in some individuals. Gamma-carboxylation is an enzymatic
      process not only needed for activation of vitamin K but also other proteins which
      participate in bone formation and vascular calcification. Thus, reduced
      expression of the vitamin K-dependent proteins which physiologically inhibit
      calcification of cellular matrix could be postulated to lead to vascular
      calcification. Published clinical data, describing at present a few thousand
      patients, need to be supplemented with controlled studies to confirm this
      interesting hypothesis.

PMID- 28639366
TI  - Visually induced analgesia during massage treatment in chronic back pain
      patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous findings suggest that watching sites of experimental and
      chronic pain can exert an analgesic effect. Our present study investigates
      whether watching one's back during massage increases the analgesic effect of this
      treatment in chronic back pain patients. METHODS: Twenty patients with chronic
      back pain were treated with a conventional massage therapy. During this
      treatment, patients received a real-time video feedback of their own back.
      Watching a neutral object, a video of another person of the same sex being
      massaged, a picture of the own back, and keeping one's eyes closed were used as
      controls. These conditions were presented in randomized order on five separate
      days. RESULTS: All conditions yielded significant decreases in habitual pain
      intensity. The effect of real-time video feedback of the own back on massage
      treatment was the strongest and differed significantly from the effect of
      watching a neutral object, but not from the other control conditions, which may
      have induced slight effects of their own. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated real-time video
      feedback may be useful during massage treatment of chronic pain. SIGNIFICANCE:
      This study shows that inducing visual induced analgesia during massage treatment
      can be helpful in alleviating chronic pain.

PMID- 28639367
TI  - A polydopamine peptide coating enables adipose-derived stem cell growth on the
      silicone surface of cochlear implant electrode arrays.
AB  - The simultaneous application of neurotrophic factors with cochlear implantation
      is proposed to enhance the bioelectrical interface between electrodes and
      auditory neurons, and thus improve speech intelligibility in patients with
      cochlear implants (CIs). In cell-based approaches, the goal is to colonize CIs
      with cells producing neurotrophic factors. This study aims to evaluate whether a
      polydopamine (PD) functionalization of the hydrophobic silicone surface of the
      electrode carrier enables colonization of adipose-derived stem cells known to
      deliver neurotrophic factors. Surface characteristics of PD-coated silicone
      samples and electrode carriers were determined, and the proliferation and
      viability of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) on these surfaces were
      subsequently analyzed. A homogenous PD coating and cell growth with regular
      morphology was observed on coated silicone samples and electrode arrays.
      Hydrophilicity and cell viability was significantly enhanced by PD surface
      modification. Insertion forces of coated electrode arrays did not increase
      compared with untreated CIs. Hence, PD coating of the silicone surface of CIs
      might allow for sufficient colonization with ASCs as a continuous source of
      neurotrophic factors. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomater Res Part A:
      106B: 1431-1438, 2018.

PMID- 28639368
TI  - Botulinum toxin: State of the art.
AB  - Botulinun neurotoxin (BoNT) has emerged as one of the most multipurpose
      therapeutic agents in modern medicine with more clinical applications than any
      other drug currently on the market. Initially developed in the treatment of
      strabismus and neurologic movement disorders, the use of botulinun neurotoxin has
      been expanding during the past 3 decades to include the treatment of a variety of
      ophthalmologic, gastrointestinal, urologic, orthopedic, dermatologic, dental,
      secretory, painful, cosmetic, and other conditions. In addition to
      onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox), abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport), incobotulinumtoxinA
      (Xeomin), and RimabotulinumtoxinB (Myobloc or NeuroBloc) there are other novel
      botulinun neurotoxin products currently in development. With a better
      understanding of the cellular mechanisms of botulinun neurotoxin and advances in
      biotechnology, future botulinun neurotoxin products will likely be even more
      effective and customized to the specific indication and tailored to the needs of
      the patients. (c) 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

PMID- 28639369
TI  - A network analysis to compare biomarker profiles in patients with and without
      diabetes mellitus in acute heart failure.
AB  - AIMS: It is unclear whether distinct pathophysiological processes are present
      among patients with acute heart failure (AHF), with and without diabetes. Network
      analysis of biomarkers may identify correlative associations that reflect
      different pathophysiological pathways. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed a panel
      of 48 circulating biomarkers measured within 24 h of admission for AHF in a
      subset of patients enrolled in the PROTECT trial. In patients with and without
      diabetes, we performed a network analysis to identify correlations between
      measured biomarkers. Compared with patients without diabetes (n = 1111), those
      with diabetes (n = 922) had a higher prevalence of ischaemic heart disease and
      traditional coronary risk factors. After multivariable adjustment, patients with
      and without diabetes had significantly different levels of biomarkers across a
      spectrum of pathophysiological domains, including inflammation (TNFR-1a,
      periostin), cardiomyocyte stretch (BNP), angiogenesis (VEGFR, angiogenin), and
      renal function (NGAL, KIM-1) (adjusted P-value <0.05). Among patients with
      diabetes, network analysis revealed that periostin strongly clustered with C
      reactive protein and interleukin-6. Furthermore, renal markers (creatinine and
      NGAL) closely associated with potassium and glucose. These findings were not seen
      among patients without diabetes. CONCLUSION: Patients with AHF and diabetes,
      compared with those without diabetes, have distinct biomarker profiles. Network
      analysis suggests that cardiac remodelling, inflammation, and fibrosis are
      closely associated with each other in patients with diabetes. Furthermore,
      potassium levels may be sensitive to changes in renal function as reflected by
      the strong renal-potassium-glucose correlation. These findings were not seen
      among patients without diabetes and may suggest distinct pathophysiological
      processes among AHF patients with diabetes.

PMID- 28639370
TI  - B0 concomitant field compensation for MRI systems employing asymmetric transverse
      gradient coils.
AB  - PURPOSE: Imaging gradients result in the generation of concomitant fields, or
      Maxwell fields, which are of increasing importance at higher gradient amplitudes.
      These time-varying fields cause additional phase accumulation, which must be
      compensated for to avoid image artifacts. In the case of gradient systems
      employing symmetric design, the concomitant fields are well described with second
      order spatial variation. Gradient systems employing asymmetric design
      additionally generate concomitant fields with global (zeroth-order or B0 ) and
      linear (first-order) spatial dependence. METHODS: This work demonstrates a
      general solution to eliminate the zeroth-order concomitant field by applying the
      correct B0 frequency shift in real time to counteract the concomitant fields.
      Results are demonstrated for phase contrast, spiral, echo-planar imaging (EPI),
      and fast spin-echo imaging. RESULTS: A global phase offset is reduced in the
      phase-contrast exam, and blurring is virtually eliminated in spiral images. The
      bulk image shift in the phase-encode direction is compensated for in EPI, whereas
      signal loss, ghosting, and blurring are corrected in the fast-spin echo images.
      CONCLUSION: A user-transparent method to compensate the zeroth-order concomitant
      field term by center frequency shifting is proposed and implemented. This
      solution allows all the existing pulse sequences-both product and research-to be
      retained without any modifications. Magn Reson Med 79:1538-1544, 2018. (c) 2017
      International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28639371
TI  - A 'movement for improvement'? A qualitative study of the adoption of social
      movement strategies in the implementation of a quality improvement campaign.
AB  - Given the difficulties of implementing 'top-down' quality improvements, health
      service leaders have turned to methods that empower clinicians to co-produce
      'bottom-up' improvements. This has involved the adoption of strategies and
      activities associated with social movements, with clinicians encouraged to
      participate in collective action towards the shared goal of improvement. This
      paper examines the adoption of social movement methods by hospital managers as a
      strategy for implementing a quality improvement 'campaign'. Our case study
      suggests that, despite the claim of empowering clinicians to develop 'bottom-up'
      improvements, the use of social movement methods can be more narrowly concerned
      with engaging clinicians in pre-determined programmes of 'top-down' change. It
      finds a prominent role for 'hybrid' clinical leaders and other staff
      representatives in the mobilisation of the campaign, especially for enrolling
      clinicians in change activities. The work of these 'hybrids' suggests some degree
      of creative mediation between clinical and managerial interests, but more often
      alignment with the aspirations of management. The study raises questions about
      the translation of social movement's theories as a strategy for managing change
      and re-inventing professionalism.

PMID- 28639372
TI  - Syntheses, Structures, and Solution Studies of Multicomponent Macrocycles and
      Cages Based on Versatile Ligands.
AB  - Different types of multinuclear half-sandwich rhodium macrocycles and cages were
      designed and synthesized by using two similar multifunctional hydroxamate ligands
      (pyrazine-2-hydroxamic acid (NaHL1 ) and 4,4'-bipyridine-2-hydroxamic acid (KHL2
      )) featuring one monodentate site and two pairs of chelating sites. The RhIII 
      PdII heterometallic macrocycles were constructed by using the semi-open
      palladium(II) source [Pd(en)Cl2 ] with two free acceptor sites. However, only one
      kind of macrocycle was found when the shorter ligand L1 was used, while in for
      the larger ligand, various spectroscopic techniques demonstrated the coexistence
      of hexanuclear and octanuclear macrocycles in solution and the proportions of
      both components depended on concentration and temperature. The palladium salt
      Pd(NO3 )2 , as a source of "naked" Pd2+ , was introduced to assemble the cuboid
      shaped cage composed of two types of metal ions and three types of organic
      ligands. In addition, two silver(I)-containing mixed-metal complexes bridged by
      pyrazine were obtained, in which two forms of decanuclear complex with C2v and
      C2h point symmetry cocrystallized-one is a polymeric structure and the other is a
      discrete cage. However, the third form, with D2 point symmetry, was found in the
      larger cage.

PMID- 28639373
TI  - Laboratory diagnosis of overt type 2 diabetes in the first trimester of
      pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the use of hemoglobin A1C
      to oral glucose tolerance testing to diagnose overt type 2 diabetes in the first
      trimester of pregnancy. The study used a nonexperimental descriptive design to
      compare the use of the hemoglobin A1C test results to oral glucose tolerance test
      results. METHODS: The study used a sample of 45 women at high risk for type 2
      diabetes in the first trimester of pregnancy. Participants were consented to draw
      a hemoglobin A1C with their ordered oral glucose tolerance testing for comparison
      of the two tests' ability to diagnose overt type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Hemoglobin
      A1C tests were highly positively correlated with oral glucose tolerance testing
      for diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in women in the first trimester of pregnancy.
      CONCLUSION: The research provides beginning evidence that the hemoglobin A1C
      should be considered as a first-tier diagnostic test for overt type 2 diabetes in
      the first trimester of pregnancy.

PMID- 28639374
TI  - SNP-based genetic characterization of the Tulane National Primate Research
      Center's conventional and specific pathogen-free rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta)
      populations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The rhesus macaque is an important biomedical model organism, and the
      Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNPRC) has one of the largest rhesus
      macaque breeding colonies in the United States. METHODS: SNP profiles from 3266
      rhesus macaques were used to examine the TNPRC colony genetic composition over
      time and across conventional or SPF animals of Chinese and Indian ancestry.
      RESULTS: Chinese origin animals were the least genetically diverse and the most
      inbred; however, since their derivation from their conventional forebearers,
      neither the Chinese nor the Indian SPF animals exhibit any significant loss of
      genetic diversity or differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: The TNPRC colony managers have
      successfully minimized loss in genetic variation across generations. Although
      founder effects and bottlenecks among the Indian animals have been successfully
      curtailed, the Chinese subpopulation still show some influences from these
      events.

PMID- 28639375
TI  - Concise Review: Challenges in Regenerating the Diabetic Heart: A Comprehensive
      Review.
AB  - Stem cell therapy is one of the promising regenerative strategies developed to
      improve cardiac function in patients with ischemic heart diseases (IHD). However,
      this approach is limited in IHD patients with diabetes due to a progressive
      decline in the regenerative capacity of stem cells. This decline is mainly
      attributed to the metabolic memory incurred by diabetes on stem cell niche and
      their systemic cues. Understanding the molecular pathways involved in the
      diabetes-induced deterioration of stem cell function will be critical for
      developing new cardiac regeneration therapies. In this review, we first discuss
      the most common molecular alterations occurring in the diabetic stem
      cells/progenitor cells. Next, we highlight the key signaling pathways that can be
      dysregulated in a diabetic environment and impair the mobilization of
      stem/progenitor cells, which is essential for the transplanted/endogenous stem
      cells to reach the site of injury. We further discuss the possible methods of
      preconditioning the diabetic cardiac progenitor cell (CPC) with an aim to enrich
      the availability of efficient stem cells to regenerate the diseased diabetic
      heart. Finally, we propose new modalities for enriching the diabetic CPC through
      genetic or tissue engineering that would aid in developing autologous therapeutic
      strategies, improving the proliferative, angiogenic, and cardiogenic properties
      of diabetic stem/progenitor cells. Stem Cells 2017;35:2009-2026.

PMID- 28639376
TI  - mfat-1 transgene protects cultured adult neural stem cells against cobalt
      chloride-mediated hypoxic injury by activating Nrf2/ARE pathways.
AB  - Ischemic stroke is a devastating neurological disorder and one of the leading
      causes of death and serious disability in adults. Adult neural stem cell (NSC)
      replacement therapy is a promising treatment for both structural and functional
      neurological recovery. However, for the treatment to work, adult NSCs must be
      protected against hypoxic-ischemic damage in the ischemic penumbra. In the
      present study, we aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of the mfat-1
      transgene on cobalt chloride (CoCl2 )-induced hypoxic-ischemic injury in cultured
      adult NSCs as well as its underlying mechanisms. The results show that in the
      CoCl2 -induced hypoxic-ischemic injury model, the mfat-1 transgene enhanced the
      viability of adult NSCs and suppressed CoCl2 -mediated apoptosis of adult NSCs.
      Additionally, the mfat-1 transgene promoted the proliferation of NSCs as shown by
      increased bromodeoxyuridine labeling of adult NSCs. This process was related to
      the reduction of reactive oxygen species. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain
      reaction and Western blot analysis revealed a much higher expression of nuclear
      factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream genes (HO-1, NQO-1,
      GCLC). Taken together, our findings show that the mfat-1 transgene restored the
      CoCl2 -inhibited viability and proliferation of NSCs by activating nuclear factor
      erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response elements (ARE) signal
      pathway to inhibit oxidative stress injury. Further investigation of the function
      of the mfat-1 transgene in adult protective mechanisms may accelerate the
      development of adult NSC replacement therapy for ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28639377
TI  - Validating the social responsiveness scale for adults with autism.
AB  - The Social Responsiveness Scale [SRS; Constantino & Gruber, 2005] is a widely
      used measure of autism symptoms, but its application for the study of adults with
      autism spectrum disorders has not been fully evaluated. Using a factor structure
      consistent with The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th
      ed., DSM-V) criteria for autism spectrum disorder [Frazier et al., 2014], the
      primary purpose of the current study was to establish the validity of the SRS
      with a sample of adults with autism spectrum disorder (N = 237). Correlational
      analyses indicated that SRS factors were highly associated with autism symptoms
      and behavioral measures, indicating concurrent and predictive validity. Multiple
      regression results demonstrated that SRS factors were differentially related to
      measures specific to social or behavioral domains, indicating convergent and
      discriminant validity. Implications for future research are discussed. Autism Res
      2017, 10: 1663-1671. (c) 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28639378
TI  - Regulation of the fate of dental-derived mesenchymal stem cells using engineered
      alginate-GelMA hydrogels.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from dental and orofacial tissues provide
      an alternative therapeutic option for craniofacial bone tissue regeneration.
      However, there is still a need to improve stem cell delivery vehicles to regulate
      the fate of the encapsulated MSCs for high quality tissue regeneration. Matrix
      elasticity plays a vital role in MSC fate determination. Here, we have prepared
      various hydrogel formulations based on alginate and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)
      and have encapsulated gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) and human bone
      marrow MSCs (hBMMSCs) within these fabricated hydrogels. We demonstrate that
      addition of the GelMA to alginate hydrogel reduces the elasticity of the hydrogel
      mixture. While presence of GelMA in an alginate-based scaffold significantly
      increased the viability of encapsulated MSCs, increasing the concentration of
      GelMA downregulated the osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated MSCs in vitro
      due to decrease in the stiffness of the hydrogel matrix. The osteogenic
      suppression was rescued by addition of a potent osteogenic growth factor such as
      rh-BMP-2. In contrast, MSCs encapsulated in alginate hydrogel without GelMA were
      successfully osteo-differentiated without the aid of additional growth factors,
      as confirmed by expression of osteogenic markers (Runx2 and OCN), as well as
      positive staining using Xylenol orange. Interestingly, after two weeks of osteo
      differentiation, hBMMSCs and GMSCs encapsulated in alginate/GelMA hydrogels still
      expressed CD146, an MSC surface marker, while MSCs encapsulated in alginate
      hydrogel failed to express any positive staining. Altogether, our findings
      suggest that it is possible to control the fate of encapsulated MSCs within
      hydrogels by tuning the mechanical properties of the matrix. We also reconfirmed
      the important role of the presence of inductive signals in guiding MSC
      differentiation. These findings may enable the design of new multifunctional
      scaffolds for spatial and temporal control over the fate and function of stem
      cells even post-transplantation. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater
      Res Part A: 105A: 2957-2967, 2017.

PMID- 28639379
TI  - The In Vitro and In Vivo Biological Activities of the Leaf of Cape Myrtle,
      Myrsine africana L.
AB  - The cape myrtle, Myrsine africana L., is a widely used medicinal plant, which has
      not been well investigated. We assessed the in vivo hepatoprotective and in vitro
      antiproliferative and antioxidant effects of leaf extracts of M. africana
      chemically profiled using high-performance liquid chromatography. Three
      flavonoids were quantified, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis
      revealed the presence of common fatty acids. The animal study was conducted on
      mice treated with CCl4, using three doses each of the methanol and chloroform
      extract (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg b.w.),with silymarin as a positive control.
      Hepatoprotective effects were determined by analyzing blood for liver marker and
      antioxidant enzymes, direct bilirubins and total proteins. The methanol extract
      (300 mg/kg b.w.) showed the strongest hepatoprotective effects against
      abnormalities produced by CCl4. The in vivo hepatoprotective effects correlated
      well with the in vitro antioxidant and antiproliferative activities and with high
      levels of flavonoids in the extracts. Finally, molecular docking studies of the
      constituent quercetin were undertaken in silico and several sites of binding to
      human estrogen receptor (ER) protein, linked with alkaline phosphatase,
      identified. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639380
TI  - Bilayer PbS Quantum Dots for High-Performance Photodetectors.
AB  - Due to their wide tunable bandgaps, high absorption coefficients, easy solution
      processabilities, and high stabilities in air, lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots
      (QDs) are increasingly regarded as promising material candidates for next
      generation light, low-cost, and flexible photodetectors. Current single-layer PbS
      QD photodetectors suffer from shortcomings of large dark currents, low on-off
      ratios, and slow light responses. Integration with metal nanoparticles, organics,
      and high-conducting graphene/nanotube to form hybrid PbS-QD devices are proved
      capable of enhancing photoresponsivity; but these approaches always bring in
      other problems that can severely hamper the improvement of the overall device
      performance. To overcome the hurdles current single-layer and hybrid PbS-QD
      photodetectors face, here a bilayer QD-only device is designed, which can be
      integrated on flexible polyimide substrate and significantly outperforms the
      conventional single-layer devices in response speed, detectivity, linear dynamic
      range, and signal-to-noise ratio, along with comparable responsivity. The results
      which are obtained here should be of great values in studying and designing
      advanced QD-based photodetectors for applications in future flexible
      optoelectronics.

PMID- 28639381
TI  - Elastin-like polypeptide switches: A design strategy to detect multimeric
      proteins.
AB  - Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELPs) reversibly phase separate in response to changes
      in temperature, pressure, concentration, pH, and ionic species. While powerful
      triggers, biological microenvironments present a multitude of more specific
      biological cues, such as antibodies, cytokines, and cell-surface receptors. To
      develop better biosensors and bioresponsive drug carriers, rational strategies
      are required to sense and respond to these target proteins. We recently reported
      that noncovalent association of two ELP fusion proteins to a "chemical inducer of
      dimerization" small molecule (1.5 kDa) induces phase separation at physiological
      temperatures. Having detected a small molecule, here we present the first
      evidence that ELP multimerization can also detect a much larger (60 kDa) protein
      target. To demonstrate this strategy, ELPs were biotinylated at their amino
      terminus and mixed with tetrameric streptavidin. At a stoichiometric ratio of
      [4:1], two to three biotin-ELPs associate with streptavidin into multimeric
      complexes with an apparent Kd of 5 nM. The increased ELP density around a
      streptavidin core strongly promotes isothermal phase separation, which was tuned
      to occur at physiological temperature. This phase separation reverses upon
      saturation with excess streptavidin, which only favors [1:1] complexes. Together,
      these findings suggest that ELP association with multimeric biomolecules is a
      viable strategy to deliberately engineer ELPs that respond to multimeric protein
      substrates.

PMID- 28639382
TI  - Preferred intervention strategies to improve dietary and physical activity
      behaviors among African-American mothers and daughters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify cultural- and age
      appropriate intervention strategies to improve dietary and physical activity (PA)
      behaviors in African-American adolescent daughters and their mothers. DESIGN AND
      SAMPLE: A convergent parallel mixed methods design with interactive quantitative
      and qualitative measures was used. Twenty-four 9th- and 10th-grade African
      American daughters from a large urban high school and their mothers participated.
      MEASURES: Measures included the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
      dietary and PA questions, 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System dietary
      and PA questions, and BMI. Focus group questions covered preferred intervention
      formats and strategies for delivering a dietary and PA intervention. RESULTS:
      Fifty-five percent of daughters and 92% of mothers were overweight/obese. Mothers
      tended to prefer the group format (mothers/daughters together or mothers
      together) for delivering a dietary and PA intervention, while the daughters'
      delivery preferences were mixed. Top mother/daughter dyad strategy preferences
      for both dietary and PA were goal setting and use of rewards/prizes. CONCLUSIONS:
      These findings suggest several dietary and PA obesity intervention strategies
      that can guide obesity prevention efforts for African-American daughters and
      their mothers.

PMID- 28639383
TI  - Longitudinal associations between low morning cortisol in infancy and anger
      dysregulation in early childhood in a CPS-referred sample.
AB  - Children who experience early adversity are at increased risk for developing
      psychopathology, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis
      is a possible mechanism conferring this risk. This study sought to characterize
      the association between morning cortisol during different developmental periods
      and deficits in children's emotion regulation, a core feature of many
      psychological disorders. Morning cortisol was collected at two time points (i.e.,
      during infancy, M = 13.0 months old, and during early childhood, M = 36.8 months
      old) from 120 children with histories of child protective services (CPS)
      involvement. Children completed a lab visit during early childhood (M = 38.6
      months old) that involved an observational measure of anger regulation. Results
      showed that low morning cortisol during infancy, but not early childhood,
      predicted increased anger dysregulation during early childhood. These results
      highlight the importance of developmental timing in assessing the effects of HPA
      axis functioning and suggest that low cortisol during infancy is a risk factor
      for later emotion regulation difficulties.

PMID- 28639384
TI  - Nurses' attitudes towards older people care: An integrative review.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine hospital nurses' attitudes towards caring for
      older adults and delineate associated factors contributing to their attitudes.
      BACKGROUND: Population ageing is of international significance. A nursing
      workforce able to care for the ageing population is critical for ensuring quality
      older adult care. A synthesis of research related to nurses' attitudes towards
      older adult care is important for informing care quality and the nursing
      workforce issues. METHODS: A systematic integrative review process guided the
      review. Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Medline
      databases were searched for primary research published between 2005-2017. A total
      of 1,690 papers were screened with 67 papers read in-depth and eight selected for
      this review that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Nurses' held
      coexisting positive and negative attitudes towards generic and specific aspects
      of older adult care. Negative attitudes, in particular, were directed at the
      characteristics of older adults, their care demands or reflected in nurses'
      approaches to care. Across jurisdictions, work environment, education, experience
      and demographics emerged as influences on nurses' attitudes. CONCLUSION: There is
      a paucity of research examining nurses' attitudes towards older adult care. The
      limited evidence indicates that attitudes towards older people care are complex
      and contradictory. Influences on nurses' attitudes need further study
      individually and collectively to build a strong evidence base. Interventional
      studies are needed as are the development of valid and reliable instruments for
      measuring nurses' attitudes towards older adult care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL
      PRACTICE: Bolstering postgraduate gerontological preparation is critical for
      promoting nurses' attitudes towards older adult care. Creating age-friendly work
      environments, including appropriate resource allocation, is important to support
      older people care and facilitate positive nursing attitudes.

PMID- 28639385
TI  - Prevalence and predictors of anemia in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.

PMID- 28639386
TI  - Development of immune response to tissue-restricted self-antigens in simultaneous
      kidney-pancreas transplant recipients with acute rejection.
AB  - Simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (SKP Tx) is a treatment for end
      stage kidney disease secondary to diabetes mellitus. We investigated the role of
      immune responses to donor human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and tissue-restricted
      kidney and pancreas self-antigens (KSAgs and PSAgs, respectively) in SKP Tx
      recipients (SKP TxRs). Sera collected from 39 SKP TxRs were used to determine de
      novo Abs specific for KSAgs (collagen-IV, Col-IV; fibronectin, FN) and PSAgs
      (insulin, islet cells, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and pancreas-associated
      protein-1) by ELISA. KSAg-specific IFN-gamma, IL-17, and IL-10 cytokines were
      enumerated by ELISpot. Abs to donor HLA classes I and II were determined by
      Luminex assay. Abs to KSAgs and PSAgs were detectable in recipients with
      rejection compared with stable recipients (P<.05). Kidney-only rejection
      recipients had increased Abs against KSAgs compared with stable (P<.05), with no
      increase in Abs against PSAgs. Pancreas-only rejection recipients showed
      increased Abs against PSAgs compared to stable (P<.05), with no Abs against
      KSAgs. SKP TxRs with rejection showed increased frequencies of KSAg-specific IFN
      gamma and IL-17 with reduction in IL-10-secreting cells. SKP TxRs with rejection
      developed Abs to KSAgs and PSAgs demonstrated increased frequencies of kidney or
      pancreas SAg-specific IFN-gamma and IL-17-secreting cells with reduced IL-10,
      suggesting loss of peripheral tolerance to SAgs.

PMID- 28639387
TI  - Determining the orientation angle of directional leads for deep brain stimulation
      using computed tomography and digital x-ray imaging: A phantom study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Orientating the angle of directional leads for deep brain stimulation
      (DBS) in an axial plane introduces a new degree of freedom that is indicated by
      embedded anisotropic directional markers. Our aim was to develop algorithms to
      determine lead orientation angles from computed tomography (CT) and stereotactic
      x-ray imaging using standard clinical protocols, and subsequently assess the
      accuracy of both methods. METHODS: In CT the anisotropic marker artifact was
      taken as a signature of the lead orientation angle and analyzed using discrete
      Fourier transform of circular intensity profiles. The orientation angle was
      determined from phase angles at a frequency 2/360 degrees  and corrected for
      aberrations at oblique leads. In x-ray imaging, frontal and lateral images were
      registered to stereotactic space and sub-images containing directional markers
      were extracted. These images were compared with projection images of an
      identically located virtual marker at different orientation angles. A similarity
      index was calculated and used to determine the lead orientation angle. Both
      methods were tested using epoxy phantoms containing directional leads
      (CartesiaTM, Boston Scientific, Marlborough, USA) with known orientation.
      Anthropomorphic phantoms were used to compare both methods for DBS cases.
      RESULTS: Mean deviation between CT and x-ray was 1.5 degrees  +/- 3.6 degrees 
      (range: -2.3 degrees  to 7.9 degrees ) for epoxy phantoms and 3.6 degrees  +/-
      7.1 degrees  (range: -5.6 degrees  to 14.6 degrees ) for anthropomorphic
      phantoms. After correction for imperfections in the epoxy phantoms, the mean
      deviation from ground truth was 0.0 degrees  +/- 5.0 degrees  (range: -12 degrees
      to 14 degrees ) for x-ray. For CT the results depended on the polar angle of the
      lead in the scanner. Mean deviation was -0.3 degrees  +/- 1.9 degrees  (range: 
      4.6 degrees  to 6.6 degrees ) or 1.6 degrees  +/- 8.9 degrees  (range: -23
      degrees  to 34 degrees ) for polar angles <= 40 degrees  or > 40 degrees .
      CONCLUSIONS: The results show that both imaging modalities can be used to
      determine lead orientation angles with high accuracy. CT is superior to x-ray
      imaging, but oblique leads (polar angle > 40 degrees ) show limited precision due
      to the current design of the directional marker.

PMID- 28639389
TI  - Implementing two nurse practitioner models of service at an Australian male
      prison: A quality assurance study.
AB  - AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine the quality and safety of nurse practitioner
      services of two newly implemented nurse practitioner models of care at a
      correctional facility. BACKGROUND: Nurse practitioners could help to meet the
      physical and mental health needs of Australia's growing prison population;
      however, the nurse practitioner role has not previously been evaluated in this
      context. DESIGN: A quality assurance study conducted in an Australian prison
      where a primary health nurse practitioner and a mental health nurse practitioner
      were incorporated into an existing primary healthcare service. The study was
      guided by Donabedian's structure, processes and outcomes framework. METHODS:
      Routinely collected information included surveys of staff attitudes to the
      implementation of the nurse practitioner models (n = 21 staff), consultation
      records describing clinical processes and time use (n = 289 consultations), and a
      patient satisfaction survey (n = 29 patients). Data were analysed descriptively
      and compared to external benchmarks where available. RESULTS: Over the two-month
      period, the nurse practitioners provided 289 consultations to 208 prisoners. The
      presenting problems treated indicated that most referrals were appropriate. A
      significant proportion of consultations involved medication review and
      management. Both nurse practitioners spent more than half of their time on
      individual patient-related care. Overall, multidisciplinary team staff agreed
      that the nurse practitioner services were necessary, safe, met patient need and
      reduced treatment delays. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the implementation
      of nurse practitioners into Australian correctional facilities is acceptable and
      feasible and has the potential to improve prisoners' access to health services.
      Structural factors (e.g., room availability and limited access to prisoners) may
      have reduced the efficiency of the nurse practitioners' clinical processes and
      service implementation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Results suggest that
      nurse practitioner models can be successfully integrated into a prison setting
      and could provide a nursing career pathway.

PMID- 28639390
TI  - Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a new class of benzo[b]furan
      derivatives as antiproliferative agents, with in silico predicted antitubulin
      activity.
AB  - A new series of 3-benzoylamino-5-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)methylaminobenzo[b]furans were
      synthesized and screened as antitumor agents. As a general trend, tested
      compounds showed concentration-dependent antiproliferative activity against HeLa
      and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, exhibiting GI50 values in the low micromolar range.
      In most cases, insertion of a methyl substituent on the imidazole moiety improved
      the antiproliferative activity. Therefore, methyl-imidazolyl-benzo[b]furans
      compounds were tested in cell cycle perturbation experiments, producing cell
      cycle arrest with proapoptotic effects. Their core similarity to known colchicine
      binding site binders led us to further study the structure features as
      antitubulin agents by in silico protocols.

PMID- 28639391
TI  - An investigation of the relationship between recurrent spontaneous abortion and
      memory T follicular helper cells.
AB  - PROBLEM: Immune tolerance with respect to a semi-allogeneic fetus plays a key
      role in the establishment of a pregnancy. Memory T follicular helper (Tfh) cells
      have a central role in the regulation of the adaptive immune response. Much of
      our knowledge of memory Tfh cells' function comes from immune-related diseases.
      However, the true physiological characteristics of memory Tfh cells and their
      mode of action in pregnancy remain unclear. METHODS OF STUDY: Deciduas and blood
      were obtained from 25 recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) patients undergoing
      surgical abortion and 19 normal women in early pregnancy undergoing elective
      termination. RSA patients were grouped into antibody-positive patients and
      antibody-negative patients, respectively. The memory Tfh cells with the CD4+
      CXCR5+ PD1+ CCR7- and CD4+ CXCR5+ PD-1+ ICOS+ phenotypes were assessed by flow
      cytometry. The B cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. A correlation analysis
      of the subsets of memory Tfh cells and B cells in antibody-positive RSA patients
      was made by the Pearson test. RESULTS: Memory Tfh cells with the CD4+ CXCR5+ PD1+
      CCR7- and CD4+ CXCR5+ PD-1+ ICOS+ phenotypes showed a significant increase in RSA
      patients compared to women with a normal pregnancy who had chosen termination.
      When RSA patients were grouped according positive or negative antibodies, it was
      surprising to find that decidual CD4+ CXCR5+ PD-1+ ICOS+ memory Tfh cells
      significantly increased in RSA patients with positive antibody compared to RSA
      patients with negative antibody. However, the percentages of CD4+ CXCR5+ PD1+
      CCR7- memory Tfh cells did not change in the deciduas of the two groups.
      Circulating and decidual B cells significantly increased in antibody-positive RSA
      patients compared with antibody-negative RSA patients. Correlation analysis
      indicated a strong association between the decidual CD4+ CXCR5+ PD-1+ ICOS+
      memory Tfh cells and B cells in antibody-positive RSA patients. CONCLUSION: These
      new findings provide unique insights into memory Tfh cells in mediating feto
      maternal immune tolerance.

PMID- 28639393
TI  - An Activatable Photosensitizer Targeted to gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase.
AB  - We adopted a spirocyclization-based strategy to design gamma-glutamyl
      hydroxymethyl selenorhodamine green (gGlu-HMSeR) as a photo-inactive compound
      that would be specifically cleaved by the tumor-associated enzyme gamma
      glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) to generate the potent photosensitizer HMSeR. gGlu
      HMSeR has a spirocyclic structure and is colorless and does not show marked
      phototoxicity toward low-GGT-expressing cells or normal tissues upon irradiation
      with visible light. In contrast, HMSeR predominantly takes an open structure, is
      colored, and generates reactive oxygen species upon irradiation. The gamma
      glutamyl group thus serves as a tumor-targeting moiety for photodynamic therapy
      (PDT), switching on tumor-cell-specific phototoxicity. To validate this system,
      we employed chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), a widely used model for
      preliminary evaluation of drug toxicity. Photoirradiation after gGlu-HMSeR
      treatment resulted in selective ablation of implanted tumor spheroids without
      damage to healthy tissue.

PMID- 28639392
TI  - High-Performance 2.6 V Aqueous Asymmetric Supercapacitors based on In Situ Formed
      Na0.5 MnO2 Nanosheet Assembled Nanowall Arrays.
AB  - The voltage limit for aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors is usually 2 V, which
      impedes further improvement in energy density. Here, high Na content Birnessite
      Na0.5 MnO2 nanosheet assembled nanowall arrays are in situ formed on carbon cloth
      via electrochemical oxidation. It is interesting to find that the electrode
      potential window for Na0.5 MnO2 nanowall arrays can be extended to 0-1.3 V (vs
      Ag/AgCl) with significantly increased specific capacitance up to 366 F g-1 . The
      extended potential window for the Na0.5 MnO2 electrode provides the opportunity
      to further increase the cell voltage of aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors beyond
      2 V. To construct the asymmetric supercapacitor, carbon-coated Fe3 O4 nanorod
      arrays are synthesized as the anode and can stably work in a negative potential
      window of -1.3 to 0 V (vs Ag/AgCl). For the first time, a 2.6 V aqueous
      asymmetric supercapacitor is demonstrated by using Na0.5 MnO2 nanowall arrays as
      the cathode and carbon-coated Fe3 O4 nanorod arrays as the anode. In particular,
      the 2.6 V Na0.5 MnO2 //Fe3 O4 @C asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a large
      energy density of up to 81 Wh kg-1 as well as excellent rate capability and cycle
      performance, outperforming previously reported MnO2 -based supercapacitors. This
      work provides new opportunities for developing high-voltage aqueous asymmetric
      supercapacitors with further increased energy density.

PMID- 28639394
TI  - Transferrin-conjugated magnetic dextran-spermine nanoparticles for targeted drug
      transport across blood-brain barrier.
AB  - Application of many vital hydrophilic medicines have been restricted by blood
      brain barrier (BBB) for treatment of brain diseases. In this study, a targeted
      drug delivery system based on dextran-spermine biopolymer was developed for drug
      transport across BBB. Drug loaded magnetic dextran-spermine nanoparticles (DS
      NPs) were prepared via ionic gelation followed by transferrin (Tf) conjugation as
      targeting moiety. The characteristics of Tf conjugated nanoparticles (TDS-NPs)
      were analyzed by different methods and their cytotoxicity effects on U87MG cells
      were tested. The superparamagnetic characteristic of TDS-NPs was verified by
      vibration simple magnetometer. Capecitabine loaded TDS-NPs exhibited pH-sensitive
      release behavior with enhanced cytotoxicity against U87MG cells, compared to DS
      NPs and free capecitabine. Prussian-blue staining and TEM-imaging showed the
      significant cellular uptake of TDS-NPs. Furthermore, a remarkable increase of Fe
      concentrations in brain was observed following their biodistribution and
      histological studies in vivo, after 1 and 7 days of post-injection. Enhanced drug
      transport across BBB and pH-triggered cellular uptake of TDS-NPs indicated that
      these theranostic nanocarriers are promising candidate for the brain malignance
      treatment. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2851
      2864, 2017.

PMID- 28639395
TI  - Spatiotemporally Controllable Peptide-Based Nanoassembly in Single Living Cells
      for a Biological Self-Portrait.
AB  - Simultaneous precise localization and activity evaluation of a biomolecule in a
      single living cell is through an enzyme-specific signal-amplification process,
      which involves the localized, site-specific self-assembly, and activation of a
      presignaling molecule. The inactive presignaling tetraphenylethylene (TPE)
      peptide derivative, TPE-YpYY, is nondetectable and highly biocompatible and these
      small molecules rapidly diffuse into living cells. Upon safely arriving at an
      active site, and accessing the catalytic pocket of an enzyme, TPE-YpYY
      immediately and quantitatively accumulates in situ in response to enzymatic
      activity, forms an enzyme anchor TPE-YYY nanoassembly, displays aggregation
      induced emission behavior, and finally lights up the active enzyme, indicating
      its activity, and allowing its status in living cells to be tracked. This simple
      and direct self-portrait method can be used to monitor dynamic self-assembly
      processes in individual living cells and may provide new insights that reveal
      undiscovered biological processes and that aid in developing biomedical hybrid
      devices. In the future, this strategy of molecular design can be further expanded
      to the noninvasive investigation of other bioactive molecules, thus facilitating
      quantitative imaging.

PMID- 28639396
TI  - The influence of parental concern on the utility of autism diagnostic
      instruments.
AB  - The parental report-based Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the
      clinician observation-based Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) have
      been validated primarily in U.S. clinics specialized in autism spectrum disorder
      (ASD), in which most children are referred by their parents because of ASD
      concern. This study assessed diagnostic agreement of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R toddler
      algorithms in a more broadly based sample of 679 toddlers (age 35-47 months) from
      the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort. We also examined whether parental concern
      about ASD influenced instrument performance, comparing toddlers identified based
      on parental ASD concern (n = 48) and parent-reported signs of developmental
      problems (screening) without a specific concern about ASD (n = 400). The ADOS
      cutoffs showed consistently well-balanced sensitivity and specificity. The ADI-R
      cutoffs demonstrated good specificity, but reduced sensitivity, missing 43% of
      toddlers whose parents were not specifically concerned about ASD. The ADI-R and
      ADOS dimensional scores agreed well with clinical diagnoses (area under the curve
      >= 0.85), contributing additively to their prediction. On the ADI-R, different
      cutoffs were needed according to presence or absence of parental ASD concern, in
      order to achieve comparable balance of sensitivity and specificity. These results
      highlight the importance of taking parental concern about ASD into account when
      interpreting scores from parental report-based instruments such as the ADI-R.
      While the ADOS cutoffs performed consistently well, the additive contributions of
      ADI-R and ADOS scores to the prediction of ASD diagnosis underscore the value of
      combining instruments based on parent accounts and clinician observation in
      evaluation of ASD. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1672-1686. (c) 2017 International Society
      for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28639397
TI  - Ovarian polarity and cell shape determination by Btk29A in Drosophila.
AB  - Drosophila Btk29A is a Tec family nonreceptor tyrosine kinase, the ortholog of
      which causes X-linked agammaglobulinemia in humans when mutant. In Btk29AficP
      mutant ovaries, multiple defects are observed: extrapolar cells form ectopically;
      osk mRNA fails to accumulate posteriorly in mature oocytes; the shape and
      alignment of follicle cells are grossly distorted. All these phenotypes are
      rescued by selectively overexpressing the type 2 isoform of wild-type Btk29A in
      follicle cells. Expression of certain proteins enriched in adherens junctions is
      markedly affected in Btk29AficP mutants; the anterior-posterior gradient normally
      observed in the expression of DE-Cadherin and Armadillo are lost and Canoe is
      sequestered from adherens junctions. Intriguingly, tyrosine phosphorylation of
      Canoe is reduced in Btk29AficP mutants. It is proposed that Btk29A is required
      for the establishment of egg chamber polarity presumably through the regulation
      of subcellular localization of its downstream proteins, including Cno.

PMID- 28639399
TI  - TP73-AS1 promotes breast cancer cell proliferation through miR-200a-mediated TFAM
      inhibition.
AB  - P73 antisense RNA 1T (TP73-AS1 or PDAM) is a long non-coding RNA, which can
      regulate apoptosis through regulation of p53 signaling-related anti-apoptotic
      genes. An abnormal change of TP73-AS1 expression was noticed in cancers. The
      effects of TP73-AS1 in breast cancer (BC) growth and the underlying mechanism
      remain unclear so far. In the present study, the effect of TP73-AS1 in BC cell
      lines and clinical tumor samples was detected so as to reveal its role and
      function. In the present study, TP73-AS1 was specifically upregulated in BC
      tissues and BC cell lines and was correlated to a poorer prognosis in patients
      with BC. TP73-AS1 knocking down suppressed human BC cell proliferation in vitro
      through regulation of TFAM. In our previous study, we demonstrated that miR-200a
      inhibits BC cell proliferation through targeting TFAM; here we revealed that TP73
      AS1 could regulate miR-200a through direct targeting. Moreover, TP73-AS1 might
      compete with TFAM for miR-200a binding thus to promote TFAM expression. Data from
      the present study revealed that TP73-AS1 promoted BC cell proliferation through
      acting as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-200a. In conclusion,
      we regarded TP73-AS1 as an oncogenic lncRNA promoting BC cell proliferation and a
      potential target for human BC treatment.

PMID- 28639398
TI  - Epstein-Barr viral loads do not predict post-transplant lymphoproliferative
      disorder in pediatric lung transplant recipients: A multicenter prospective
      cohort study.
AB  - Prediction of PTLD after pediatric lung transplant remains difficult. Use of EBV
      VL in WB has been poorly predictive, while measurement of VL in BAL fluid has
      been suggested to have enhanced utility. The NIH-sponsored Clinical Trials in
      Organ Transplantation in Children (CTOTC-03) prospectively obtained serial
      quantitative measurements of EBV PCR in both WB and BAL fluid after pediatric
      lung transplantation. Descriptive statistics, contingency analyses, and Kaplan
      Meier analyses evaluated possible association between EBV and PTLD. Of 61
      patients, 34 (56%) had an EBV+PCR (at least once in WB or BAL). EBV donor
      (D)+patients more often had a positive PCR (D+/recipient (R)-: 13/18; D+/R+:
      14/23) compared to EBV D- patients (6/17). Several D-/R- (5/12) patients
      developed EBV, but none developed PTLD. All four PTLD patients were D+/R- with
      EBV+PCR. Neither the time to first EBV+PCR nor the CT for PCR positivity in BAL
      or WB was statistically different between those with and without PTLD. Having an
      EBV-seropositive donor was associated with increased risk of EBV+PCR in WB. EBV
      load in BAL was not predictive of PTLD.

PMID- 28639400
TI  - Motion estimation for cardiac functional analysis using two x-ray computed
      tomography scans.
AB  - PURPOSE: This work concerns computed tomography (CT)-based cardiac functional
      analysis (CFA) with a reduced radiation dose. As CT-CFA requires images over the
      entire heartbeat, the scans are often performed at 10-20% of the tube current
      settings that are typically used for coronary CT angiography. A large image noise
      then degrades the accuracy of motion estimation. Moreover, even if the scan was
      performed during the sinus rhythm, the cardiac motion observed in CT images may
      not be cyclic with patients with atrial fibrillation. In this study, we propose
      to use two CT scan data, one for CT angiography at a quiescent phase at a
      standard dose and the other for CFA over the entire heart beat at a lower dose.
      METHODS: We have made the following four modifications to an image-based cardiac
      motion estimation method we have previously developed for a full-dose
      retrospectively gated coronary CT angiography: (a) a full-dose prospectively
      gated coronary CT angiography image acquired at the least motion phase was used
      as the reference image; (b) a three-dimensional median filter was applied to
      lower-dose retrospectively gated cardiac images acquired at 20 phases over one
      heartbeat in order to reduce image noise; (c) the strength of the temporal
      regularization term was made adaptive; and (d) a one-dimensional temporal filter
      was applied to the estimated motion vector field in order to decrease jaggy
      motion patterns. We describe the conventional method iME1 and the proposed method
      iME2 in this article. Five observers assessed the accuracy of the estimated
      motion vector field of iME2 and iME1 using a 4-point scale. The observers
      repeated the assessment with data presented in a new random order 1 week after
      the first assessment session. RESULTS: The study confirmed that the proposed iME2
      was robust against the mismatch of noise levels, contrast enhancement levels, and
      shapes of the chambers. There was a statistically significant difference between
      iME2 and iME1 (accuracy score, 2.08 +/- 0.81 versus 2.77 +/- 0.98, P < 0.01) and
      the improvement by the score of + 0.69 seemed clinically relevant. Inter-observer
      concordance was good: The inter-class correlation coefficient was 0.63 and
      Kendall's rank correlation coefficients were in the range of 0.41-0.67 (P <
      0.01), respectively. Intra-observer reproducibility between sessions was good
      with the inter-class correlation coefficient of 0.76. CONCLUSION: We have
      proposed iME2 method for CT-CFA with two CT scans. The observer study verified
      the robustness and accuracy of iME2 method and its improved performance over iME1
      method.

PMID- 28639401
TI  - Van der Waals Epitaxial Growth of Atomic Layered HfS2 Crystals for Ultrasensitive
      Near-Infrared Phototransistors.
AB  - As a member of the group IVB transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) family,
      hafnium disulfide (HfS2 ) is recently predicted to exhibit higher carrier
      mobility and higher tunneling current density than group VIB (Mo and W) TMDs.
      However, the synthesis of high-quality HfS2 crystals, sparsely reported, has
      greatly hindered the development of this new field. Here, a facile strategy for
      controlled synthesis of high-quality atomic layered HfS2 crystals by van der
      Waals epitaxy is reported. Density functional theory calculations are applied to
      elucidate the systematic epitaxial growth process of the S-edge and Hf-edge.
      Impressively, the HfS2 back-gate field-effect transistors display a competitive
      mobility of 7.6 cm2 V-1 s-1 and an ultrahigh on/off ratio exceeding 108 .
      Meanwhile, ultrasensitive near-infrared phototransistors based on the HfS2
      crystals (indirect bandgap ~1.45 eV) exhibit an ultrahigh responsivity exceeding
      3.08 * 105 A W-1 , which is 109 -fold higher than 9 * 10-5 A W-1 obtained from
      the multilayer MoS2 in near-infrared photodetection. Moreover, an ultrahigh
      photogain exceeding 4.72 * 105 and an ultrahigh detectivity exceeding 4.01 * 1012
      Jones, superior to the vast majority of the reported 2D-materials-based
      phototransistors, imply a great promise in TMD-based 2D electronic and
      optoelectronic applications.

PMID- 28639402
TI  - Reply to 'Multiple and Opposite Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers on
      the Bioavailability of Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids'.

PMID- 28639403
TI  - Writing with Fluid: Structuring Hydrogels with Micrometer Precision by AFM in
      Combination with Nanofluidics.
AB  - Hydrogels have many applications in biomedical surface modification and tissue
      engineering. However, the structuring of hydrogels after their formation
      represents still a major challenge, in particular due to their softness. Here, a
      novel approach is presented that is based on the combination of atomic force
      microscopy (AFM) and nanofluidics, also referred to as FluidFM technology. Its
      applicability is demonstrated for supramolecular hydrogel films that are prepared
      from low-molecular weight hydrogelators, such as derivates of 1,3,5-benzene
      tricarboxamides (BTAs). BTA films can be dissolved selectively by ejecting
      alkaline solution through the aperture of a hollow AFM-cantilever connected to a
      nanofluidic controller. The AFM-based force control is essential in preventing
      mechanical destruction of the hydrogels. The resulting "chemical writing" process
      is studied in detail and the influence of various parameters, such as applied
      pressure and time, is validated. It is demonstrated that the achievable
      structuring precision is primarily limited by diffusion and the aperture
      dimensions. Recently, various additive techniques have been presented to pattern
      hydrogels. The here-presented subtractive approach can not only be applied to
      structure hydrogels from the large class of reversibly formed gels with superior
      resolution but would also allow for the selective loading of the hydrogels with
      active substances or nanoparticles.

PMID- 28639404
TI  - Mechanoresponsiveness of human adipose stem cells on nanocomposite and micro
      hybrid composite.
AB  - Resin-based composites are used for bone repair applications and comprise resin
      matrix and different sized filler particles. Nanometer-sized filler particles
      improve composite's mechanical properties compared with micrometer-sized filler
      particles, but whether differences exist in the biological response to these
      composites is unknown. Natural bone comprises a nanocomposite structure, and
      nanoscale interactions with extracellular matrix components influence stem cell
      differentiation. Therefore we hypothesized that nanometer-sized filler particles
      in resin-based composites enhance osteogenic differentiation of stem cells
      showing a more bone cell-like response to mechanical loading compared with
      micrometer-sized filler particles. Pulsating fluid flow (PFF; 5 Hz, mean shear
      stress: 0.7 Pa; 1 h) rapidly, within 5 min, increased nitric oxide production in
      human adipose stem cells (hASCs) on nanocomposite, but not on micro-hybrid
      composite. PFF increased RUNX2 expression in hASCs on micro-hybrid composite, but
      not on nanocomposite after 2 h post-incubation. PFF did not affect mean cell
      orientation and shape index of hASCs on both composites. In conclusion, the PFF
      increased nitric oxide production in hASCs on nanocomposite, and increased
      osteogenic differentiation of hASCs on micro-hybrid composite suggest different
      responses to mechanical loading of hASCs on composite with nanometer-sized and
      micrometer-sized filler particles. This might have important implications for
      bone tissue engineering. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part
      A: 105A: 2986-2994, 2017.

PMID- 28639405
TI  - Multiple and Opposite Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers on the
      Bioavailability of Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids.

PMID- 28639406
TI  - Controlling cyanobacterial harmful blooms in freshwater ecosystems.
AB  - Cyanobacteria's long evolutionary history has enabled them to adapt to
      geochemical and climatic changes, and more recent human and climatic
      modifications of aquatic ecosystems, including nutrient over-enrichment,
      hydrologic modifications, and global warming. Harmful (toxic, hypoxia-generating,
      food web altering) cyanobacterial bloom (CyanoHAB) genera are controlled by the
      synergistic effects of nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) supplies, light,
      temperature, water residence/flushing times, and biotic interactions.
      Accordingly, mitigation strategies are focused on manipulating these dynamic
      factors. Strategies based on physical, chemical (algaecide) and biological
      manipulations can be effective in reducing CyanoHABs. However, these strategies
      should invariably be accompanied by nutrient (both nitrogen and phosphorus in
      most cases) input reductions to ensure long-term success and sustainability.
      While the applicability and feasibility of various controls and management
      approaches is focused on freshwater ecosystems, they will also be applicable to
      estuarine and coastal ecosystems. In order to ensure long-term control of
      CyanoHABs, these strategies should be adaptive to climatic variability and
      change, because nutrient-CyanoHAB thresholds will likely be altered in a
      climatically more-extreme world.

PMID- 28639407
TI  - Factorial structure and construct validity of an Italian version of the Fears of
      Compassion Scales: A study on non-clinical subjects.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at investigating the factorial structure and the
      construct validity of the Italian translation of the Fears of Compassion (FC)
      Scales in a non-clinical sample (i.e., Fear of Compassion From Others [FCFO],
      Fear of Compassion Towards Others [FCTO] and Fear of Self-Compassion [FSC]). An
      exploratory factor analysis was conducted on all the items to investigate the
      dimensionality of the FC scales. To assess construct validity, correlations
      between the FC scales and a series of construct-related measures were analysed.
      DESIGN/METHODS: After being translated into Italian using a back-translation
      procedure, the questionnaire was administered to a community sample of 298
      participants (82 males) with a mean age of 24.31 (SD = 8.75), along with self
      report measures of psychopathological symptoms, attachment style, self-esteem,
      satisfaction with life and altruistic behaviour. A behavioural test of altruism
      was also administered in a subsample of 40 subjects. RESULTS: Thirteen of 38
      items did not show adequate psychometric characteristics and thus were removed.
      The remaining 25 items showed a clear 3-factor solution which explained 48% of
      the variance. FC Scales were significantly correlated with all the construct
      related scales administered in the expected direction, with higher effect sizes
      for FCFO and FSC than FCTO. CONCLUSIONS: Although 13 items were removed, results
      confirmed the expected three factor solution for the Italian translation of FC
      scales, and provided new evidence for their construct validity. In this vein, an
      interesting pattern of correlations emerged with psychiatric symptoms and
      prosocial behaviour, indicating that FCFO and FSC are more powerful correlates of
      psychopathology and altruism with respect to FCTO. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Fears of
      Compassion Scales have been increasingly used in clinical and research settings.
      The reduced Italian version of the FCS developed in this study is a valid and
      parsimonious instrument. Fears of receiving compassion from others and from
      ourselves are more powerful predictors of psychopathological symptoms than fear
      of giving compassion to others. Fears of Compassion Scales were correlated with
      both a self-report and a behavioural measure of altruism.

PMID- 28639408
TI  - Quantifying long-term impact of zoo and aquarium visits on biodiversity-related
      learning outcomes.
AB  - Zoos and aquariums aim to achieve lasting impact on their public audiences'
      awareness of biodiversity, its value, and the steps they can take to conserve it.
      Here, we evaluate the long-term educational impact of visits to zoos and
      aquariums on biodiversity understanding and knowledge of actions to help protect
      biodiversity. A minimum of two years after completing a repeated-measures survey
      before and after visiting a zoo or aquarium, the same participants were invited
      to take part in a follow-up online survey. Despite the small number of
      respondents (n = 161), our study may still represent the best available
      quantitative evidence pertaining to zoo and aquarium visits' long-term
      educational impact. We found that improvements in respondents' biodiversity
      understanding from pre- to post-visit leveled off, staying unchanged in the
      follow-up survey. In contrast, the improved knowledge of actions to help protect
      biodiversity from pre- to post-visit showed further improvement from post-visit
      to delayed post-visit follow-up survey. These results suggest that the immediate
      positive effects of a zoo or aquarium visit on biodiversity-related learning
      outcomes may be long lasting and even help lay the groundwork for further
      improvements over an extended period of time following the visit.

PMID- 28639409
TI  - Anti-PD-1 antibodies in metastatic uveal melanoma: a treatment option?
AB  - Uveal melanomas (UMs) are a rare form of cancer with clinical and pathological
      characteristics distinct from cutaneous melanomas. Ipilimumab has shown efficacy
      and safety in the treatment of metastatic UM. This provides a rationale for
      treatment with other immune checkpoint inhibitors. This is a retrospective review
      of 15 patients with metastatic UM treated between June 2014 and February 2016,
      who received treatment with the anti-PD-1 Abs pembrolizumab or nivolumab.
      Patients were treated at two German university hospitals. Therapy was
      administered at the approved dosing schedules of 2 mg/kg q3w for pembrolizumab
      and 3 mg/kg q2w for nivolumab. Treatment was given until first tumor assessment
      and continued if tumor assessment showed disease control. Tumor assessments were
      performed at baseline and following scans every 12 weeks. Patients were monitored
      throughout for adverse events. Best response to treatment was stable disease in
      four patients. Eight out of 15 (53%) patients received treatment until first
      tumor assessment. As of February 2016, median progression-free survival (PFS) is
      3 months (range 0.75-6.75 months) and overall survival (OS) is 5 months (range 1
      16 months). Eight out of 15 (53%) patients are still alive (two patients lost to
      follow-up) with one out of four patients is in ongoing disease control. Patients
      with multiple organ metastases and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase did not
      respond well to treatment. No objective response to PD-1 Ab therapy was seen.
      Best response to treatment was stable disease in four patients. Treatment was
      well tolerated with manageable toxicity.

PMID- 28639411
TI  - Mapping the allosteric sites of the A2A adenosine receptor.
AB  - The A2A adenosine receptor (A2A AR) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is
      pharmacologically targeted for the treatment of inflammation, sepsis, cancer,
      neurodegeneration, and Parkinson's disease. Recently, we applied long-timescale
      molecular dynamics simulations on two ligand-free receptor conformations,
      starting from the agonist-bound (PDB ID: 3QAK) and antagonist-bound (PDB ID:
      3EML) X-ray structures. This analysis revealed four distinct conformers of the
      A2A AR: the active, intermediate 1, intermediate 2, and inactive. In this study,
      we apply the fragment-based mapping algorithm, FTMap, on these receptor
      conformations to uncover five non-orthosteric sites on the A2A AR. Two sites that
      are identified in the active conformation are located in the intracellular region
      of the transmembrane helices (TM) 3/TM4 and the G protein-binding site in the
      intracellular region between TM2/TM3/TM6/TM7. Three sites are identified in the
      intermediate 1 and intermediate 2 conformations, annexing a site in the lipid
      interface of TM5/TM6. Five sites are identified in the inactive conformation,
      comprising a site in the intracellular region of TM1/TM7 and in the extracellular
      region of TM3/TM4 of the A2A AR. We postulate that these sites on the A2A AR be
      screened for allosteric modulators for the treatment of inflammatory and
      neurological diseases.

PMID- 28639412
TI  - The role of microRNA-5196 in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease
      characterised by tissue fibrosis and immune abnormalities. Recent evidence
      suggests that activated circulating monocytes from patients with SSc play an
      important role in early stages of SSc pathogenesis due to enhanced expression of
      tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), IL-8 and reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) induction. However, the exact factors that contribute to chronic
      inflammation and subsequently fibrosis progression are still unknown. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: The expression pattern of IL-8, TIMP-1, AP-1 transcription factor
      Fra2 and ROS induction in peripheral blood monocytes following DZNep (histone
      methyltransferase inhibitor) and TLR8 agonist stimulation was investigated.
      Exogenous microRNA-5196, which is predicted to bind 3'UTR of Fra2 gene, was
      delivered to reverse profibrotic phenotype in monocytes. Expression of
      circulating microRNA-5196 was correlated with SSc parameters. RESULTS: DZNep +
      TLR8 agonist stimulation enhanced profibrotic TIMP-1, IL-8 and ROS generation in
      HC and SSc monocytes. As opposed by the decrease of miRNA-5196 and antioxidant
      SOD1 expression in SSc monocytes. Exogenous delivery of microRNA-5196 reduced
      Fra2 and TIMP-1 expression suggesting that it may be used as a potential
      modulator of fibrogenesis in SSc. Circulating microRNA-5196 was significantly
      increased in SSc and positively correlated with CRP level but not with Rodnan
      skin score or ESR. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that microRNA-5196 can be
      used as a potential biomarker characterising SSc. Overall, this study may open
      new possibilities for the development of microRNA-5196-based diagnostics and
      therapy in early phases of SSc.

PMID- 28639413
TI  - Fully-Inorganic Trihalide Perovskite Nanocrystals: A New Research Frontier of
      Optoelectronic Materials.
AB  - All-inorganic trihalide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are emerging as a new class
      of superstar semiconductors with excellent optoelectronic properties and great
      potential for a broad range of applications in lighting, lasing, photon
      detection, and photovoltaics. This article provides an up-to-date review on the
      developments of fully-inorganic trihalide perovskite NCs by emphasizing their
      controllable solution fabrication strategies, structural phase transformation,
      tunable optoelectronic properties, stability, as well as their photovoltaic and
      optoelectronic applications. Among the properties to be surveyed, particular
      focus is on the size-, shape-, and composition-dependent photoluminescence
      properties. Finally, by identifying new challenges, suggestions are provided for
      further research and potential development of this area.

PMID- 28639410
TI  - Long-term survival benefit of upfront chemotherapy in patients with newly
      diagnosed borderline resectable pancreatic cancer.
AB  - The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation for borderline resectable
      pancreatic adenocarcinoma (BL-PDAC) is increasing. However, the impact of
      neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy on the outcome of BL-PDAC remains
      to be elucidated. We performed a retrospective analysis of 93 consecutive
      patients who were diagnosed with BL-PDAC and primarily followed at Johns Hopkins
      Hospital between February 2007 and December 2012. Among 93 patients, 62% received
      upfront neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation, whereas 20% received
      neoadjuvant chemoradiation alone and 15% neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone.
      Resectability following all neoadjuvant therapy was 44%. Patients who underwent
      resection with a curative intent had a median overall survival (mOS) of 25.8
      months, whereas those who did not undergo surgery had a mOS of 11.9 months.
      However, resectability and overall survival were not significantly different
      between the three types of neoadjuvant therapy. Nevertheless, 22% (95% CI, 0.13
      0.36) of the 58 patients who received upfront chemotherapy followed by
      chemoradiation remained alive for a minimum of 48 months compared to none of the
      19 patients who received upfront chemoradiation. Among patients who underwent
      curative surgical resection, 32% (95% CI, 0.19-0.55) of those who received
      upfront chemotherapy remained disease free at least 48 months following surgical
      resection, whereas none of the eight patients who received upfront chemoradiation
      remained disease free beyond 24 months following surgical resection. Neoadjuvant
      therapy with upfront chemotherapy may result in long-term survival in a
      subpopulation of patients with BL-PDAC.

PMID- 28639414
TI  - Brachiaria Grasses (Brachiaria spp.) harbor a diverse bacterial community with
      multiple attributes beneficial to plant growth and development.
AB  - Endophytic and plant-associated bacteria were isolated from plants and rhizoplane
      soil of naturally grown Brachiaria grasses at International Livestock Research
      Institute in Nairobi, Kenya. Eighty-four bacterial strains were isolated from
      leaf tissues, root tissues, and rhizoplane soil on nutrient agar and 869 media.
      All bacterial strains were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic unit using
      16S rDNA primers and were characterized for the production of Indole-3-acetic
      acid, hydrogen cyanide, and ACC deaminase; phosphate solubilization; siderophore
      production; antifungal properties; and plant biomass production. The 16S rDNA
      based identification grouped these 84 bacterial strains into 3 phyla, 5 classes,
      8 orders, 12 families, 16 genera, and 50 unique taxa. The four most frequently
      isolated genera were Pseudomonas (23), Pantoea (17), Acinetobacter (9), and
      Enterobacter (8). The functional characterization of these strains revealed that
      41 of 84 strains had a minimum of three plant beneficial properties. Inoculation
      of maize seedlings with Acinetobacter spp., Microbacterium spp., Pectobacterium
      spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Enterobacter spp. showed positive effects on seedling
      biomass production. The ability of Brachiaria grasses to host genetically diverse
      bacteria, many of them with multiple plant growth-promoting attributes, might
      have contributed to high biomass production and adaptation of Brachiaria grasses
      to drought and low fertility soils.

PMID- 28639415
TI  - Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for diabetic macular oedema: a network
      meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) is a common complication of diabetic
      retinopathy. Antiangiogenic therapy with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor
      (anti-VEGF) modalities can reduce oedema and thereby improve vision and prevent
      further visual loss. These drugs have replaced laser photocoagulation as the
      standard of care for people with DMO. OBJECTIVES: The 2014 update of this review
      found high-quality evidence of benefit with antiangiogenic therapy with anti-VEGF
      modalities, compared to laser photocoagulation, for the treatment of DMO.The
      objective of this updated review is to compare the effectiveness and safety of
      the different anti-VEGF drugs in preserving and improving vision and quality of
      life using network meta-analysis methods. SEARCH METHODS: We searched various
      electronic databases on 26 April 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised
      controlled trials (RCTs) that compared any anti-angiogenic drug with an anti-VEGF
      mechanism of action versus another anti-VEGF drug, another treatment, sham or no
      treatment in people with DMO. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard
      Cochrane methods for pair-wise meta-analysis and we augmented this evidence using
      network meta-analysis methods. We focused on the relative efficacy and safety of
      the three most commonly used drugs as interventions of direct interest for
      practice: aflibercept and ranibizumab, used on-label; and off-label
      bevacizumab.We collected data on three efficacy outcomes (gain of 15 or more
      Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters; mean change in best
      corrected visual acuity (BCVA); mean change in central retinal thickness (CRT)),
      three safety outcomes (all severe systemic adverse events (SSAEs); all-cause
      death; arterial thromboembolic events) and quality of life.We used Stata
      'network' meta-analysis package for all analyses. We investigated the risk of
      bias of mixed comparisons based on the variance contribution of each study,
      having assigned an overall risk of bias to each study. MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-four
      studies included 6007 participants with DMO and moderate vision loss, of which
      two studies randomised 265 eyes of 230 participants and one was a cross-over
      study on 56 participants (62 eyes) that was treated as a parallel-arm trial. Data
      were collected on drugs of direct interest from three studies on aflibercept (975
      eyes), eight studies on bevacizumab (515 eyes), and 14 studies on ranibizumab
      (1518 eyes). As treatments of indirect interest or legacy treatment we included
      three studies on pegaptanib (541 eyes), five studies on ranibizumab plus prompt
      laser (557 eyes), one study on ranibizumab plus deferred laser (188 eyes), 13
      studies on laser photocoagulation (936 eyes) and six studies on sham treatment
      (793 eyes).Aflibercept, bevacizumab and ranibizumab were all more effective than
      laser for improving vision by 3 or more lines after one year (high-certainty
      evidence). Approximately one in 10 people improve vision with laser, and about
      three in 10 people improve with anti-VEGF treatment: risk ratio (RR) versus laser
      3.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.79 to 4.79) for aflibercept; RR 2.47 (95% CI
      1.81 to 3.37) for bevacizumab; RR 2.76 (95% CI 2.12 to 3.59) for ranibizumab. On
      average there was no change in visual acuity (VA) with laser after one year,
      compared with a gain of 1 or 2 lines with anti-VEGF treatment: laser versus
      aflibercept mean difference (MD) -0.20 (95% CI -0.22 to -0.17) logMAR; versus
      bevacizumab MD -0.12 (95% CI -0.15 to -0.09) logMAR; versus ranibizumab MD -0.12
      (95% CI -0.14 to -0.10) logMAR. The certainty of the evidence was high for the
      comparison of aflibercept and ranibizumab with laser and moderate for bevacizumab
      comparison with laser due to inconsistency between the indirect and direct
      evidence.People receiving ranibizumab were less likely to gain 3 or more lines of
      VA at one year compared with aflibercept: RR 0.75 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.94), moderate
      certainty evidence. For every 1000 people treated with aflibercept, 92 fewer
      would gain 3 or more lines of VA at one year if treated with ranibizumab (22 to
      148 fewer). On average people receiving ranibizumab had worse VA at one year (MD
      0.08 logMAR units, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.11), moderate-certainty evidence; and higher
      CRT (MD 39 um, 95% CI 2 um to 76 um; low-certainty evidence). Ranibizumab and
      bevacizumab were comparable with respect to aflibercept and did not differ in
      terms of VA: RR of gain of 3 or more lines of VA at one year 1.11 (95% CI 0.87 to
      1.43), moderate-certainty evidence, and difference in change in VA was 0.00 (95%
      CI -0.02 to 0.03) logMAR, moderate-certainty evidence. CRT reduction favoured
      ranibizumab by -29 um (95% CI -58 um to -1 um, low-certainty evidence). There was
      no evidence of overall statistical inconsistency in our analyses.The previous
      version of this review found moderate-certainty evidence of good safety of
      antiangiogenic drugs versus control. This update used data at the longest
      available follow-up (one or two years) and found that aflibercept, ranibizumab
      and bevacizumab do not differ regarding systemic serious adverse events (SSAEs)
      (moderate- or high-certainty evidence). However, risk of bias was variable, loop
      inconsistency could be found and estimates were not precise enough on relative
      safety regarding less frequent events such as arterial thromboembolic events or
      death (low- or very low-certainty evidence).Two-year data were available and
      reported in only four RCTs in this review. Most industry-sponsored studies were
      open-label after one year. One large publicly-funded study compared the three
      drugs at two years and found no difference. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Anti-VEGF drugs
      are effective at improving vision in people with DMO with three to four in every
      10 people likely to experience an improvement of 3 or more lines VA at one year.
      There is moderate-certainty evidence that aflibercept confers some advantage over
      ranibizumab and bevacizumab in people with DMO at one year in visual and anatomic
      terms. Relative effects among anti-VEGF drugs at two years are less well known,
      since most studies were short term. Evidence from RCTs may not apply to real
      world practice, where people in need of antiangiogenic treatment are often under
      treated and under-monitored.We found no signals of differences in overall safety
      between the three antiangiogenic drugs that are currently available to treat DMO,
      but our estimates are imprecise for cardiovascular events and death.

PMID- 28639416
TI  - Persistently low lymphocyte counts after FCR therapy for chronic lymphocytic
      leukemia are associated with longer overall survival.
AB  - Decreased absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) following frontline therapy for
      chronic lymphocytic leukemia may be associated with disease control, even in
      patients without evidence of minimal residual disease. We studied the prognostic
      significance of ALCs during the first year following treatment with fludarabine,
      cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR). We evaluated 99 patients who achieved a
      partial response without lymphocytosis (<4.0 * 103 cells/MUL) or better after
      FCR. Absolute lymphocyte counts were recorded at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month
      posttreatment and correlated with overall survival (OS) and event-free survival
      (EFS). For each time point, analyses were limited to patients without
      lymphocytosis, so as to avoid possible biases from undocumented disease
      progressions. Lymphopenia (ALC < 1.0 * 103 cells/MUL) at 3 m after FCR (69% of
      patients n = 68), was associated with a longer OS (5y OS 91% vs 64%, P = .001),
      as were ALC <= 2 * 103 cells/MUL at 6 m (5y OS 85% vs 48%, P = .004) and ALC <=
      1.8 * 103 cells/MUL at 9 m (5y OS 93% vs 54%, P = .009). A normal-range ALC (<=4
      * 103 cells/MUL) at 12 m was also associated with a 91% 5y OS. Higher ALCs (but
      without lymphocytosis) were associated with shorter EFS (median EFS 27 months for
      ALC > 1.8 vs not reached for ALC <= 0.7 at 9 months, P < .0001). In conclusion,
      lower ALC levels in the first few months following frontline FCR therapy were
      associated with longer OS and EFS. Possible explanations may be that lower ALCs
      reflect deeper clonal suppression or protracted Treg depletion. Absolute
      lymphocyte count levels may be a cheap and widely available prognostic marker,
      though the added value for clinical practice is the minimal residual disease era
      needs to be explored.

PMID- 28639417
TI  - Auditory processing in autism spectrum disorder: Mismatch negativity deficits.
AB  - : Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often show changes in (automatic)
      auditory processing. Electrophysiology provides a method to study auditory
      processing, by investigating event-related potentials such as mismatch negativity
      (MMN) and P3a-amplitude. However, findings on MMN in autism are highly
      inconsistent, partly due to small sample sizes in the studies and differences in
      MMN paradigms. Therefore, in the current study, MMN and P3a amplitude were
      assessed in a relatively large sample of children with ASD, using a more
      extensive MMN paradigm and compared with that of typically developing children
      (TDC). Thirty-five children (aged 8-12 years) with ASD and 38 age and gender
      matched TDC were assessed with a MMN paradigm with three types of deviants, i.e.,
      frequency, duration and a combination of these two. MMN elicited by duration and
      frequency-duration deviants was significantly reduced in the ASD group. P3a
      amplitude elicited by duration deviants was significantly increased in the ASD
      group. Reduced MMN in children with ASD suggests that children with ASD may be
      less responsive to environmentally deviant stimuli at an early (sensory) level.
      P3a-amplitude was increased in ASD, implying a hyper-responsivity at the
      attentional level. In addition, as similar MMN deficits are found in
      schizophrenia, these MMN results may explain some of the frequently reported
      increased risk of children with ASD to develop schizophrenia later in life.
      Autism Res 2017, 10: 1857-1865. (c) 2017 International Society for Autism
      Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Automatic detection of deviant
      sounds in the environment, such as upcoming traffic, is often affected in
      children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Mismatch negativity (MMN) is a way
      to quantify automatic deviancy detection, using electroencephalography. In this
      study, auditory MMN was assessed in 35 children with ASD and 38 matched control
      children, revealing significantly reduced MMN in the ASD group. This may indicate
      that children with ASD are less able to automatically detect environmentally
      deviant stimuli.

PMID- 28639419
TI  - Examining the role of positive and negative intergroup contact and anti-immigrant
      prejudice in Brexit.
AB  - This study examined the interplay of anti-immigrant prejudice and intergroup
      contact experience on voting intentions within Britain's 2016 referendum on its
      membership in the European Union. In the days before the referendum, we asked
      more than 400 British people how they planned to vote. We measured a number of
      demographic factors expected to predict voting intentions as well as individuals'
      prejudice towards and intergroup contact experience (positive and negative) with
      EU immigrants. Anti-immigrant prejudice was a strong correlate of support for
      Brexit. Negative intergroup contact experience was associated with higher anti
      immigrant prejudice and, in turn, increased support for 'Leave'. Positive
      intergroup contact, on the other hand, seemed to play a reparative role,
      predicting lower prejudice and increasing support for 'Remain'.

PMID- 28639418
TI  - Clinical course of isolated distal deep vein thrombosis in patients with active
      cancer: a multicenter cohort study.
AB  - : Essentials Isolated distal deep vein thrombosis (IDDVT) is frequently
      associated with cancer. No study has specifically evaluated the long-term
      clinical course of cancer-associated IDDVT. Patients with cancer-associated IDDVT
      are at very high risk of symptomatic recurrence and death. We observed low rates
      of major bleeding during anticoagulation. SUMMARY: Background Although isolated
      distal deep vein thrombosis (IDDVT) is frequently associated with cancer, no
      study has specifically evaluated the long-term clinical course of IDDVT in this
      setting. Aim To provide data on the rate of recurrent venous thromboembolism
      (VTE), major bleeding events and death in IDDVT patients with active cancer.
      Patients and Methods Consecutive patients with active cancer and an objective
      IDDVT diagnosis (January 2011 to September 2014) were included from our files. We
      collected information on baseline characteristics, IDDVT location and extension,
      VTE risk factors, and type and duration of anticoagulant treatment. Results A
      total of 308 patients (mean age 66.2 [standard deviation (SD), 13.2 years]; 57.1%
      female) with symptomatic IDDVT and a solid (n = 261) or hematologic (n = 47)
      cancer were included at 13 centers. Cancer was metastatic in 148 (48.1%)
      patients. All but three (99.0%) patients received anticoagulant therapy, which
      consisted of low-molecular-weight heparin in 288 (93.5%) patients. Vitamin K
      antagonists were used for the long-term treatment in 46 (14.9%) patients, whereas
      all others continued the initial parenteral agent for a mean treatment duration
      of 4.2 months (SD, 4.6 months). During a total follow-up of 355.8 patient-years
      (mean, 13.9 months), there were 47 recurrent objectively diagnosed VTEs for an
      incidence rate of 13.2 events per 100 patient-years. During anticoagulant
      treatment, the annual incidence of major bleeding was 2.0 per 100 patient-years.
      Conclusions Cancer patients with IDDVT have a high risk of VTE recurrence.
      Additional studies are warranted to investigate the optimal intensity and
      duration of anticoagulant treatment for these patients.

PMID- 28639420
TI  - The Pharmacokinetics of Enalapril in Relation to CES1 Genotype in Healthy Danish
      Volunteers.
AB  - This study investigated the influence of variations in the carboxylesterase 1
      gene (CES1) on the pharmacokinetics of enalapril. Forty-three healthy, Danish,
      Caucasian volunteers representing different pre-defined genotypes each received
      10 mg of enalapril. At specified time-points, plasma concentrations of enalapril
      and the active metabolite enalaprilat were measured. The volunteers were divided
      into six different groups according to their genetic profile of CES1: group 1
      (control group, n = 16) with two CES1 copies without non-synonymous SNPs in the
      exons; group 2 (n = 5) with four copies of CES1; group 3 (n = 6) harbouring the
      G143E polymorphism; group 4 (n = 2) with three CES1 copies and increased
      transcriptional activity of the duplication (CES1A2); group 5 (n = 4) harbouring
      the CES1A1c variant; and group 6 (n = 10) with three CES1 copies and the common
      promoter with low transcriptional activity of the duplication. The median AUC of
      enalaprilat in the control group was not significantly different from any of the
      other five groups (297 ng/ml x h in the control group versus 310, 282, 294, 344
      and 306 ng/ml x h in groups 2-6, respectively). The terminal half-life of
      enalaprilat was significantly longer in group 6 compared with the control group
      (26.7 hr versus 12.7 hr, respectively). However, this was not considered
      clinically relevant. In conclusion, none of the selected variations of CES1 had a
      clinically relevant impact on the metabolism of enalapril.

PMID- 28639422
TI  - Medaka and zebrafish contactin1 mutants as a model for understanding neural
      circuits for motor coordination.
AB  - A spontaneous medaka ro mutant shows abnormal wobbling and rolling swimming
      behaviors. By positional cloning, we mapped the ro locus to a region containing
      the gene encoding Contactin1b (Cntn1b), which is an immunoglobulin (Ig)
      superfamily domain-containing membrane-anchored protein. The ro mutant had a
      deletion in the cntn1b gene that introduced a premature stop codon. Furthermore,
      cntn1b mutants generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system and trans-heterozygotes of the
      CRISPR mutant allele and ro had abnormal swimming behavior, indicating that the
      cntn1b gene was responsible for the ro-mutant phenotype. We also established
      zebrafish cntn1a and cntn1b mutants by transcription activator-like effector
      nucleases (TALENs). Zebrafish cntn1b but not cntn1a mutants showed abnormal
      swimming behaviors similar to those in the ro mutant, suggesting that Cntn1b
      plays a conserved role in the formation or function of the neural circuits that
      control swimming in teleosts. Although Cntn1-deficient mice have abnormal
      cerebellar neural circuitry, there was no apparent histological abnormality in
      the cerebellum of medaka or zebrafish cntn1b mutants. The medaka cntn1b mutants
      had defective optokinetic response (OKR) adaptation and abnormal rheotaxis (body
      positioning relative to water flow). Medaka and zebrafish cntn1b mutants are
      effective models for studying the neural circuits involved in motor learning and
      motor coordination.

PMID- 28639423
TI  - Emergency contraceptive pill users' risk perceptions for sexually transmitted
      infections and future unintended pregnancy.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The availability of emergency contraception pills (ECP)
      over the counter (OTC) has the potential to reduce the incidence of unintended
      pregnancy; however, the increased risk for sexually transmitted infection (STI)
      acquisition, related to unprotected intercourse, has not been adequately
      addressed. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into risk perceptions for
      STIs and subsequent unintended pregnancy in women who have purchased ECP OTC.
      METHODS: Twenty-one women, aged 18-24, attending a private university in an urban
      setting, who purchased and used ECP OTC participated in 1-h, individual
      interviews. CONCLUSIONS: Narrative, descriptive findings indicated that these
      women did not consider themselves at risk for STI or unintended pregnancy,
      despite having used ECP OTC. Pregnancy prevention was paramount for these women,
      which overshadowed concerns regarding STIs. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Women at
      risk for unintended consequences of sexual activity are not fully cognizant of
      those potential outcomes and do not take measures to prevent their occurrence.
      The availability of ECP OTC offers protection against unintended pregnancy;
      however, opportunities for health promotion and prevention counseling may be
      lost.

PMID- 28639424
TI  - Parental attitudes toward pediatric use of complementary/alternative medicine in
      Turkey.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the pediatric usage of
      complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) by parents in Turkey, the incidence of
      using these methods, and the factors affecting their use. DESIGN AND METHODS: The
      sectional and relational design of the study included a sample of 497 parents who
      took children for treatment at the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Giresun,
      Turkey. Data for the study were collected via the Personal Information Form and
      the Evaluation Form for Complementary/Alternative Treatment Use. The data
      collection tools were filled out by the researchers during the face-to-face
      interviews. Data obtained from the study were analyzed by Pearson chi-square,
      Fisher-Freeman-Halton and Fisher's exact (posthoc Bonferroni) tests and Z-test.
      RESULTS: It was determined that 97.7% of the parents had used at least one CAM
      method. Moreover, the parents had used CAM methods mostly for respiratory
      complaints. The CAM methods were most commonly used for the symptoms of fever,
      diarrhea, and cough. It was observed that the most commonly used alternative
      methods in the past were vitamin/mineral remedies, cold treatments, and hodja
      (Islamic teacher) consultations, while the most common alternative methods
      currently used are massage, music, and cold treatment. In addition, the
      differences found between CAM users in terms of sociodemographic characteristics
      were not statistically significant. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is crucial for
      nurses to learn the characteristics of the health/disease treatments used by
      those with whom they work in order to increase the efficiency of the service they
      provide. Thus, it was recommended that nurses should be knowledgeable and aware
      of the benefits/side effects, treatment methods, and contraindications of CAM.

PMID- 28639421
TI  - Penetrance estimate of LRRK2 p.G2019S mutation in individuals of non-Ashkenazi
      Jewish ancestry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Penetrance estimates of the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2)
      p.G2019S mutation for PD vary widely (24%-100%). The p.G2019S penetrance in
      individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry has been estimated as 25%, adjusted for
      multiple covariates. It is unknown whether penetrance varies among different
      ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to estimate the penetrance of
      p.G2019S in individuals of non-Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and compare penetrance
      between Ashkenazi Jews and non-Ashkenazi Jews to age 80. METHODS: The kin-cohort
      method was used to estimate penetrance in 474 first-degree relatives of 69 non
      Ashkenazi Jewish LRRK2 p.G2019S carrier probands at 8 sites from the Michael J.
      Fox LRRK2 Cohort Consortium. An identical validated family history interview was
      administered to assess age at onset of PD, current age, or age at death for
      relatives in different ethnic groups at each site. Neurological examination and
      LRRK2 genotype of relatives were included when available. RESULTS: Risk of PD in
      non-Ashkenazi Jewish relatives who carry a LRRK2 p.G2019S mutation was 42.5% (95%
      confidence interval [CI]: 26.3%-65.8%) to age 80, which is not significantly
      higher than the previously estimated 25% (95% CI: 16.7%-34.2%) in Ashkenazi
      Jewish carrier relatives. The penetrance of PD to age 80 in LRRK2 p.G2019S
      mutation carrier relatives was significantly higher than the noncarrier
      relatives, as seen in Ashkenazi Jewish relatives. CONCLUSIONS: The similar
      penetrance of LRRK2 p.G2019S estimated in Ashkenazi Jewish carriers and non
      Ashkenazi Jewish carriers confirms that p.G2019S penetrance is 25% to 42.5% at
      age 80 in all populations analyzed. (c) 2017 International Parkinson and Movement
      Disorder Society.

PMID- 28639426
TI  - Equal-tailed confidence intervals for comparison of rates.
AB  - Several methods are available for generating confidence intervals for rate
      difference, rate ratio, or odds ratio, when comparing two independent binomial
      proportions or Poisson (exposure-adjusted) incidence rates. Most methods have
      some degree of systematic bias in one-sided coverage, so that a nominal 95% two
      sided interval cannot be assumed to have tail probabilities of 2.5% at each end,
      and any associated hypothesis test is at risk of inflated type I error rate.
      Skewness-corrected asymptotic score methods have been shown to have superior
      equal-tailed coverage properties for the binomial case. This paper completes this
      class of methods by introducing novel skewness corrections for the Poisson case
      and for odds ratio, with and without stratification. Graphical methods are used
      to compare the performance of these intervals against selected alternatives. The
      skewness-corrected methods perform favourably in all situations-including those
      with small sample sizes or rare events-and the skewness correction should be
      considered essential for analysis of rate ratios. The stratified method is found
      to have excellent coverage properties for a fixed effects analysis. In addition,
      another new stratified score method is proposed, based on the t-distribution,
      which is suitable for use in either a fixed effects or random effects analysis.
      By using a novel weighting scheme, this approach improves on conventional and
      modern meta-analysis methods with weights that rely on crude estimation of
      stratum variances. In summary, this paper describes methods that are found to be
      robust for a wide range of applications in the analysis of rates.

PMID- 28639425
TI  - High-resolution anorectal manometry: A comparison of solid-state and water
      perfused catheters.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anorectal manometry is the most commonly performed investigation for
      assessment of anorectal dysfunction. Findings from previous studies comparing
      water-perfused (WP) and solid-state (SS) techniques in the anorectum are
      conflicting. We compared anal sphincter pressure at rest and during dynamic
      maneuvers (squeezing and coughing) in healthy volunteers using SS and WP high
      resolution anorectal manometry (HR-ARM) employing equivalent catheter
      configurations, a standardized protocol, and identical data acquisition and
      analysis software. METHODS: Sixty healthy volunteers (40F; median age: 40; range:
      18-74) underwent WP and SS HR-ARM in randomized order. Anal resting pressure, and
      squeeze and cough increments were measured. Median pressure and 5th and 95th
      percentiles were calculated for each maneuver and compared using Wilcoxon signed
      rank test. Bland and Altman plots were used to assess agreement between the
      systems. The impact of gender and parity was also explored. KEY RESULTS: Anal
      sphincter pressure measurements during squeeze (P<.001) and cough (P<.001) were
      significantly higher using SS HR-ARM than WP HR-ARM. No differences were seen at
      rest between the two types of catheter (nulliparous: P=.304; parous: P=.390;
      males: P=.167). Normal ranges for SS and WP manometry from this small group of
      healthy volunteers are presented. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Greater sensitivity
      to rapid pressure change is one of the advantages associated with SS HR-ARM. This
      is reflected in the differences observed during dynamic maneuvers performed
      during this study. Catheter type should be taken into consideration when
      selecting normal ranges for comparison to disease states.

PMID- 28639427
TI  - Resilience dimensions and mental health outcomes in bipolar disorder in a follow
      up study.
AB  - The individual process of resilience has been related to positive outcomes in
      mental disorders. We aimed (a) to identify the resilience domains from the
      Resilience Questionnaire for Bipolar Disorder that are associated cross
      sectionally and longitudinally with mental health outcomes in bipolar disorder
      (BD) and (b) to explore cross-lagged associations among resilience factors. A
      clinical adult sample of 125 patients diagnosed with BD (62.10% female, mean age
      = 46.13, SD = 10.89) gave their informed consent and completed a battery of
      disease-specific tools on resilience, personal recovery, symptomatology,
      psychosocial functioning, and quality of life, at baseline and at follow-up (n =
      63, 58.10% female, mean age = 45.13, SD = 11.06, participation rate = 50.40%).
      Resilience domains of self-management of BD, turning point, self-care, and self
      confidence were significantly associated with mental health indicators at
      baseline. In addition, self-confidence at baseline directly predicted an increase
      in personal recovery at follow-up, and self-confidence improvement mediated the
      relationship between interpersonal support and self-care at baseline and personal
      recovery at follow-up. These findings highlight that resilience domains are
      significantly associated with positive mental health outcomes in BD and that some
      predict personal recovery at follow-up. Moreover, some resilience factors improve
      other resilience factors over time.

PMID- 28639429
TI  - The HLA-C*05 family allele - C*05:142.
AB  - The sequencing of exons 2-7 of a likely new HLA-C*05 allele identified the second
      example of HLA-C*05:142, in a male UK European, within a few months of the first
      example being found in Germany. C*05:142 differs from C*05:01:01:01 by a single
      base (395G>C) in exon 3 resulting in an amino acid substitution of R108P.
      Comprehensive serological HLA-Cw5 typing, using 19 antisera, indicated that
      C*05:142 encodes a "normal" Cw5 specificity. Failure to identify the involvement
      of position 108 in published HLA-C epitopes supported this assertion. The likely
      HLA class I C*05:142-bearing haplotype is A*02:01~C*05:142~B*44:02. This new
      allele has a maximum frequency of 0.00001, in 34,743 sequenced-based typed
      subjects, contrasting with that of C*05:01 (allele frequency 0.10441), in our
      local, largely UK European, blood donors.

PMID- 28639428
TI  - Relationship between pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias, pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinomas, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in autopsied elderly
      patients.
AB  - We comparatively analyzed serially autopsied, elderly Japanese patients (n =
      2205) with pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs) and pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinomas (PDACs) on the basis of their pancreatic lesions, clinical
      information, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The incidence of PanIN
      1, -2, -3, and PDACs in these patients was 55%, 12%, 1.4%, and 2.4%,
      respectively. The occurrence of PanINs was associated with female sex, increasing
      age, and lower body mass index. We did not identify any common SNPs between
      PanINs and PDACs. There were no common SNPs associated with PanINs and PDACs
      between men and women. In previously reported pancreatic cancer-associated SNPs,
      rs3790844 (NR5A2) showed a significant correlation with PDAC in our cohort. Six
      SNPs (rs7016880, rs10096633, rs10503669, rs12678919, rs17482753, rs328) that were
      correlated with blood lipid levels were associated with the risk for PDACs. Our
      data suggest that different clinicopathological characteristics and
      predispositions may affect pancreatic carcinogenesis in elderly Japanese
      patients.

PMID- 28639430
TI  - Talking to healthcare providers about sex in later life: Findings from a
      qualitative study with older Australian men and women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Healthcare providers (HCPs) can play an important role in supporting
      the sexual health of older adults; however, we know little about the experiences
      of older people in talking to HCPs about sex. This article examines older adults'
      experiences and perceptions of talking to HCPs about sex. METHODS: Semi
      structured interviews were conducted with 30 men and 23 women aged 60 and older
      recruited from a national, online survey of older Australians. Data were analysed
      using a thematic approach. RESULTS: Most participants did not discuss sex with
      their HCP, and their HCP did not raise it. For those who did discuss sex with a
      HCP, negative and stigmatising responses were common. Positive responses could
      facilitate access to sexual health care. CONCLUSION: Older people benefit when
      HCPs are proactive and ask about sexual health. Education in how to talk about
      sex with older people would also be beneficial for HCPs.

PMID- 28639431
TI  - Decrease in Oxidative Stress Parameters after Post-Ischaemic Recombinant Human
      Erythropoietin Administration in the Hippocampus of Rats Exposed to Focal
      Cerebral Ischaemia.
AB  - Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEpo) is a multi-functional drug with
      antioxidant potential. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of its action
      are still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of
      rhEpo on the brain infarct volume as well as on the levels of the neuronal
      damage, oxidative stress parameters and active caspase-3, nuclear factor
      erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and haemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1) expressions in
      the hippocampi of rats exposed to the right middle cerebral artery occlusion
      (MCAO) for 1 hr. Ischaemic animals received either vehicle or rhEpo (5000 IU/kg,
      i.p.) immediately or 3 hr after the induction of ischaemia. Sham-operated,
      vehicle-treated animals served as the control group. Rats were killed 24 hr after
      the onset of the ischaemic or sham experimental procedure. MCAO caused
      ipsilateral brain infarction within the striatum and cortex. In the CA1 region of
      the hippocampi, we did not find significant neuronal loss, but a statistically
      significant rise in the active caspase-3 and Nrf2 protein expressions was
      registered. We detected also significant increases in the hippocampal levels of
      oxidative stress parameters (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, superoxide
      dismutase, glutathione peroxidase). Post-ischaemic administration of rhEpo
      significantly reduced the brain infarct volume, decreased levels of all tested
      oxidative stress parameters and increased the Nrf2 expression level. These
      findings suggest that decrease in oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus
      could be an early indicator of post-ischaemic neuroprotective effect of rhEpo in
      rats exposed to focal cerebral ischaemia and that this effect could be
      attributable to additional post-ischaemic activation of Nrf2 endogenous
      antioxidant system.

PMID- 28639433
TI  - Luminescence of a Transition Metal Complex Inside a Metamaterial Nanocavity.
AB  - Modification of the local density of optical states using metallic nanostructures
      leads to enhancement in the number of emitted quanta and photocatalytic turnover
      of luminescent materials. In this work, the fabrication of a metamaterial is
      presented that consists of a nanowire separated from a metallic mirror by a
      polymer thin film doped with a luminescent organometallic iridium(III) complex.
      The large spin-orbit coupling of the heavy metal atom results in an excited state
      with significant magnetic-dipole character. The nanostructured architecture
      supports two distinct optical modes and their assignment achieved with the
      assistance of numerical simulations. The simulations show that one mode is
      characterized by strong confinement of the electric field and the other by strong
      confinement of the magnetic field. These modes elicit drastic changes in the
      emitter's photophysical properties, including dominant nanocavity-derived modes
      observable in the emission spectra along with significant increases in emission
      intensity and the total decay rate. A combination of simulations and momentum
      resolved spectroscopy helps explain the mechanism of the different interactions
      of each optical mode supported by the metamaterial with the excited state of the
      emitter.

PMID- 28639432
TI  - Muscle mass as a target to reduce fatigue in patients with advanced cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) reduces quality of life and the activity
      level of patients with cancer. Cancer related fatigue can be reduced by exercise
      interventions that may concurrently increase muscle mass. We hypothesized that
      low muscle mass is directly related to higher CRF. METHODS: A total of 233
      patients with advanced cancer starting palliative chemotherapy for lung,
      colorectal, breast, or prostate cancer were studied. The skeletal muscle index
      (SMI) was calculated as the patient's muscle mass on level L3 or T4 of a computed
      tomography scan, adjusted for height. Fatigue was assessed with the Functional
      Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-fatigue questionnaire (cut-off for fatigue
      <34). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to study the association
      between SMI and CRF adjusting for relevant confounders. RESULTS: In this group of
      patients with advanced cancer, the median fatigue score was 36 (interquartile
      range 26-44). A higher SMI on level L3 was significantly associated with less CRF
      for men (B 0.447, P 0.004) but not for women (B - 0.401, P 0.090). No association
      between SMI on level T4 and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy
      fatigue score was found (n = 82). CONCLUSIONS: The association between SMI and
      CRF may lead to the suggestion that male patients may be able to reduce fatigue
      by exercise interventions aiming at an increased muscle mass. In women with
      advanced cancer, CRF is more influenced by other causes, because it is not
      significantly related to muscle mass. To further reduce CRF in both men and women
      with cancer, multifactorial assessments need to be performed in order to develop
      effective treatment strategies.

PMID- 28639434
TI  - Case of ileal herniation through the foramen of Winslow diagnosed preoperatively
      by CT and treated with laparoscopic surgery.
AB  - A previously healthy 35-year-old man visited the emergency room complaining of
      epigastric pain and vomiting. The pain was sudden in onset. His blood tests were
      within normal limits except for a mild neutrophilia of 14 300/MUL. Enhanced
      abdominal CT scan showed the small intestine dilated into the space between the
      portal vein and inferior vena cava from the foramen of Winslow. Under the
      diagnosis of herniation through the foramen of Winslow (HFW), we performed
      emergency laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopy revealed an internal herniation of
      the dilated small intestine through the foramen of Winslow. Because the herniated
      small intestine was viable, intestinal resection was unnecessary. We released the
      incarceration under laparoscopy. HFW is very rare and often overlooked, but
      abdominal CT examination enabled a precise preoperative diagnosis because of
      characteristic findings. We should consider the possibility of HFW in patients
      with internal herniation of unknown origin. Laparoscopic surgery for HFW is
      effective.

PMID- 28639435
TI  - Bioinspired Microfibers with Embedded Perfusable Helical Channels.
AB  - Materials with microchannels have attracted increasing attention due to their
      promising perfusability and biomimetic geometry. However, the fabrication of
      microfibers with more geometrically complex channels in the micro- or nanoscale
      remains a big challenge. Here, a novel method for generating scalable microfibers
      with consecutive embedded helical channels is presented using an easily made
      coaxial microfluidic device. The characteristics of the helical channel can be
      accurately controlled by simply adjusting the flow rate ratio of the fluids. The
      mechanism of the helix formation process is theorized with newly proposed
      heterogenerated rope-coil effect, which enhances the tunability of helical
      patterns and promotes the comprehension of this abnormal phenomenon. Based on
      this effect, microfibers with embedded Janus channels and even double helical
      channels are generated in situ by changing the design of the device. The
      uniqueness and potential applications of these tubular microfibers are also
      demonstrated by biomimetic supercoiling structures as well as the perfusable and
      permeable spiral vessel.

PMID- 28639436
TI  - A High HASBLED Score Identifies Poor Warfarin Control in Patients Treated for Non
      Valvular Atrial Fibrillation in Australia and Singapore.
AB  - Warfarin reduces stroke risk in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. The quality of
      warfarin control, measured by time in therapeutic range (TTR), impacts outcome
      and adverse events. One tool evaluating risk of adverse events and potential
      warfarin control would simplify risk-benefit assessment of warfarin. Recently,
      HASBLED was demonstrated effective for this purpose, but this was in well
      controlled patients with deep vein thrombosis. HASBLED as a predictor of warfarin
      control has not been validated in other populations including differing
      indications, warfarin control levels and ethnicities. The aim of this study was
      to determine whether HASBLED can predict warfarin control in patients with AF in
      Australia and Singapore. Retrospective data were collected for patients receiving
      warfarin between January and June 2014 in Australia and Singapore. Patient data
      were used to calculate HASBLED at the start and end of the study period. TTR was
      calculated for each patient, and mean TTR used for analysis to stratified HASBLED
      scores. Of the 4370 patients, there were 3199 in Australia and 1171 in Singapore
      with mean TTRs of 82% and 58%, respectively. At the start of the study, a HASBLED
      score >=3 predicted significantly lower TTR in Singapore, whilst at the end of
      the study, this score identified patients with poor control in both Australia and
      Singapore. A HASBLED score >=3 in patients treated with warfarin can
      differentiate significantly lower TTRs in Australian and Singapore patients with
      AF. HASBLED may assess bleed risk and warfarin control, identifying patients at
      high risk of poor warfarin outcome requiring additional INR monitoring or
      alternative anticoagulation.

PMID- 28639438
TI  - Body composition analysis to study long-term training effects in elite male water
      polo athletes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elite water polo athletes undergo heavy training programs throughout
      the year, but especially to prepare major competitions, such as the Olympic Games
      (OG). Optimal athletic performance is a result of many factors, including proper
      management of the intensity and volume of training, nutrition and recovery
      between training sessions. When training is excessive in relation to recovery may
      occur nonfunctional overreaching (NFO). NFO can degenerate into overtraining
      syndrome resulting in a decrease in athletic performance, with likely changes in
      body weight and body composition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      relationship between body composition and the tolerance to intense training
      supported by diet meal plans and to highlight any difference between athletes
      selected for the OG and not selected ones. METHODS: Twenty-one male elite water
      polo athletes, 26 to 34 years of age, participated in the study. For three months
      before the Olympics, athletes have carried out an intense training period based
      on a detailed program. Only 13 athletes participated to OG (OA), 8 were excluded
      (NOA). Body weight and height were measured and Body Mass Index was calculated.
      BC and phase angle was evaluated at the half of first (T0), second (T1), and
      third (T2) month of training. Also blood analyses were collected at T0 and food
      intake assessed in all the evaluations. Measurements were carried out at three
      selected time points throughout the training period (12 weeks), which marked
      variations in the volume and intensity of the training load. RESULTS: Data
      analyses showed no statistical difference among the three measurements performed
      for body weight, body composition and phase angle in all OA group. Furthermore,
      there was not statistically significant differences between the OA and NOA group
      for weight, body mass index, body composition and phase angle. CONCLUSIONS:
      Results of the present study encourage the use of body composition by
      bioelectrical impedance monitoring system for high-level athletes involved in
      long and intense training periods to prevent body dehydration and overtraining
      syndrome. Body cell mass monitoring provides a valuable help to evaluate the
      effects of training and to prevent any decrease in the performance level.

PMID- 28639439
TI  - Somatic characteristics and motor fitness of elite and sub-elite Polish male
      badminton players.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An appropriate level of somatic and fitness traits is believed to
      contribute to success in an international badminton competitions however, these
      have not been sufficiently explored in elite Polish badminton players. Therefore,
      the aim of the study was to assess somatic build and physical fitness of elite
      and sub-elite Polish badminton players and to identify key traits that determine
      achieving sporting success in badminton. METHODS: The study participants
      comprised 20 men from the Polish Badminton National Teams A (elite; N.=9) and B
      (sub-elite; N.=11). In all participants body height, arm span, body mass, body
      fat, fat free mass and Body Mass Index (BMI) were assessed. Fitness tests
      included two badminton-specific on-court movement tests and cycloergometer test
      to assess maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). RESULTS: Studied players did not differ
      in body height and arm span however, elite players were heavier by about 10 kg
      and had significantly higher values of BMI and body fat. Irrespectively of sport
      level, elite and subelite badminton players achieved comparable results in both
      on-court tests as well as with respect to VO2max (55.9 and 57.2 mL/min/kg,
      respectively). Cluster analysis allowed to indirectly describe the profile of
      somatic traits and physical fitness that facilitates achieving success in
      badminton. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively small body size of badminton players can be
      considered advantageous in sport competitions. It also seems that aerobic
      capacity contributes to achieving sport success in badminton to a much lower
      degree than the badminton-specific on-court skills.

PMID- 28639437
TI  - Ultrasound-assisted green economic synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles
      using eggshell biowaste and study of mechanical and biological properties for
      orthopedic applications.
AB  - Nanostructured hydroxyapatite (HAp) is the most favorable candidate biomaterial
      for bone tissue engineering because of its bioactive and osteoconductive
      properties. Herein, we report for the first time ultrasound-assisted facile and
      economic approach for the synthesis of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (Ca10 (PO4
      )6 (OH)2 ) using recycled eggshell biowaste referred as EHAp. The process
      involves the reaction of eggshell biowaste as a source of calcium and ammonium
      dihydrogen orthophosphate as a phosphate source. Ultrasound-mediated chemical
      synthesis of hydroxyapatite (HAp) is also carried out using similar approach
      wherein commercially available calcium hydroxide and ammonium dihydrogen
      orthophosphate were used as calcium and phosphate precursors, respectively and
      referred as CHAp for better comparison. The prepared materials were characterized
      by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier
      transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy to determine crystal
      structure, particle morphology, and the presence of chemical functional groups.
      The nanocrystalline EHAp and CHAp were observed to have spherical morphology with
      uniform size distribution. Furthermore, mechanical properties such as Vickers
      hardness, fracture toughness, and compression tests have been studied of the EHAp
      and CHAp samples showing promising results. Mechanical properties show the
      influence of calcination at 600 degrees C EHAp and CHAp material. After
      calcination, in the case of EHAp material an average hardness, mechanical
      strength, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness were found 552 MPa, 46.6 MPa,
      2824 MPa, and 3.85 MPa m1/2 , respectively, while in the case of CHAp 618 MPa,
      47.5 MPa, 2071 MPa, and 3.13 MPa m1/2 . In vitro cell studies revealed that the
      EHAp and CHAp nanoparticles significantly increased the attachment and
      proliferation of the hFOB cells. Here, we showed that EHAp and CHAp provide
      promising biocompatible materials that do not affect the cell viability and
      proliferation with enhancing the osteogenic activity of osteoblasts. Moreover,
      hFOB cells are found to express Osteocalcin, Osteopontin, Collagen I,
      Osteonectin, BMP-2 on the EHAp and CHAp bone graft. This study demonstrates the
      formation of pure nanocrystalline HAp with promising properties justifying the
      fact that the eggshell biowaste could be successfully used for the synthesis of
      HAp with good mechanical and osteogenic properties. These findings may have
      significant implications for designing of biomaterial for use in orthopedic
      tissue regeneration. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A:
      105A: 2935-2947, 2017.

PMID- 28639440
TI  - The relationship between jumping performance, isokinetic strength and dynamic
      postural control in elite youth soccer players.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between
      vertical jumping performance, isokinetic strength of knee extensors/flexors, and
      postural priority and to describe a multiple regression model that accounts for
      the effects of selected parameters of isokinetic strength and postural priority
      on vertical jumping performance. METHODS: Thirty-one professional male soccer
      players, aged from 17 to 20 years, participated in this study (age, mean+/-SD:
      18.6+/-1.26 years; height: 1.78+/-0.74 m and weight: 73.1+/-6.77 kg). The
      correlations between isokinetic knee strength, jumping performance, and postural
      control were evaluated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. A linear
      regression model was used to evaluate the effect of hamstrings and quadriceps
      peak torque of both legs at 60o.s-1, total work of both legs at 240o.s-1, and
      postural priority on jumping performance. RESULTS: The peak torque of right leg
      knee flexor (quadriceps) muscles, evaluated at 60o.s-1 speed, showed correlations
      with counter movement jump, 30 second jumping and squat jump (P=0.005, P=0.003,
      and P=0.007, respectively). We also observed a strong relationship between
      counter movement jump and 30 second jumping and peak torque of left leg evaluated
      at the same speed of 60o.s-1 (P=0.26 and P=0.22, respectively). No significant
      correlations were found between any of the jumping tests and peak torque of knee
      extensors of both legs at 60o.s-1. For the 30 second jumping test, it appears
      that jumping endurance has a significant relationship with total work of knee
      flexors for right and left legs at 240o.s-1. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this
      study demonstrate practical implications for soccer performance, but further
      exploration is required.

PMID- 28639441
TI  - Effect of periodized high intensity interval training (HIIT) on body composition
      and attitudes towards hunger in active men and women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High intensity interval training (HIIT) increases maximal oxygen
      uptake similar to aerobic exercise. However, changes in body composition are
      equivocal in response to HIIT. We examined changes in body composition and
      dietary restraint in response to 20 sessions of HIIT varying in structure.
      METHODS: Thirty nine active men and women (age and VO2max=22.5+/-4.4 years and
      40.1+/-5.6 mL/kg/min) were randomized to one of three periodized HIIT regimes
      performed on a cycle ergometer. Before and after training, body composition was
      assessed using skinfolds (SKF), circumference measures, and Bioelectrical
      Impedance Analysis (BIA) following standardized procedures. Hunger, restraint,
      and disinhibition were also measured using the 3-Factor Eating Questionnaire and
      Power of Food Survey. Control participants (N.=32, age and VO2max=25.6+/-4.4
      years and 40.6+/-4.9 mL/kg/min) matched for age and fitness level underwent all
      testing but did not complete HIIT. RESULTS: There was no change (P>0.05) in body
      mass, circumferences, or BIA-derived body fat in response to HIIT. However, SKF
      derived body fat declined (P=0.04) with HIIT, and gender x time (P=0.03) and
      gender x time x regimen interactions (P=0.04) were shown in that women but not
      men exhibited significant reductions in body fat. Hunger was reduced from
      baseline to post-training (P=0.028), but this response was not different in
      response to HIIT compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty sessions of low-volume
      HIIT reduce body fat in women but not men, but do not alter perceptions of
      hunger.

PMID- 28639442
TI  - Weightbearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and sagittal plane kinematics
      during single leg drop jump landing in healthy male athletes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Passive ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DROM) measures have been
      identified as a risk factor for injury during landings. However, passive
      measurements might not be indicative of dynamic ankle movement, whereas a
      weightbearing ROM might be a better tool when evaluating movement. The purpose of
      this study was to investigate the relationship between weightbearing DROM and
      sagittal plane landing mechanics in a single leg drop jump task. METHODS: Seventy
      three male athletes (22.1+/-3.9 years old, height 186.2+/-11 cm, and weight
      100.2+/-21.8 kg) performed bilateral modified-lunge tasks and bilateral single
      leg drop jump landings while 3D kinematic data were collected. Hip, knee, and
      ankle joint angles were calculated at initial contact (IC) maximum knee flexion
      (MKF), and total excursion (TE) during a single leg drop jump landing. RESULTS:
      No bilateral differences in DROM and single leg landing mechanics existed.
      Decreased ankle DROM was correlated to decreased ankle dorsiflexion at MKF
      (P=0.00) and TE (P=0.00) for both dominant and non-dominant limbs. Decreased
      ankle DROM was also correlated to decreased knee flexion at IC (P=0.00), MKF
      (P=0.00), and TE (P=0.1), for both dominant and non-dominant limbs. Ankle DROM
      correlated to hip flexion at MKF (r=0.25) and TE (r=0.30) in the dominant limb.
      CONCLUSIONS: Restrictions in DROM may contribute to a stiff landing with less
      flexion at the ankle and knee. These findings may be useful in designing training
      programs aimed at increasing DROM in order to improve an athlete's landing
      mechanics and decrease risk of injury.

PMID- 28639443
TI  - Relationships between the handball-specific complex test, non-specific field
      tests and the match performance score in elite professional handball players.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study assessed the validity of the handball-specific complex
      test (HBCT) and two non-specific field tests in professional elite handball
      athletes, using the match performance score (MPS) as the gold standard of
      performance. METHODS: Thirteen elite male handball players (age: 27.4+/-4.8
      years; premier German league) performed the HBCT, the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery
      (YYIR) test and a repeated shuttle sprint ability (RSA) test at the beginning of
      pre-season training. The RSA results were evaluated in terms of best time, total
      time, and fatigue decrement. Heart rates (HR) were assessed at selected times
      throughout all tests; the recovery HR was measured immediately post-test and 10
      minutes later. The match performance score was based on various handball specific
      parameters (e.g., field goals, assists, steals, blocks, and technical mistakes)
      as seen during all matches of the immediately subsequent season (2015/2016).
      RESULTS: The parameters of run 1, run 2, and HR recovery at minutes 6 and 10 of
      the RSA test all showed a variance of more than 10% (range: 11-15%). However, the
      variance of scores for the YYIR test was much smaller (range: 1-7%). The resting
      HR (r2=0.18), HR recovery at minute 10 (r2=0.10), lactate concentration at rest
      (r2=0.17), recovery of heart rate from 0 to 10 minutes (r2=0.15), and velocity of
      second throw at first trial (r2=0.37) were the most valid HBCT parameters.
      CONCLUSIONS: Much effort is necessary to assess MPS and to develop valid tests.
      Speed and the rate of functional recovery seem the best predictors of competitive
      performance for elite handball players.

PMID- 28639444
TI  - Shuttle versus straight repeated-sprint ability tests and their relationship to
      anthropometrics and explosive muscular performance in elite handball players.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study assessed inter-relationships between shuttle and straight
      repeated-sprint ability tests and the relationship of each measure to
      anthropometric and explosive lower limb performance data in elite handball
      players. METHODS: Twenty-two elite male handball players (18.9+/-0.2 years; body
      mass: 83.3+/-1.1 kg, height: 1.79+/-2.30 m, body fat: 12.8+/-0.2%) completed
      tests that included a lower limb force-velocity test of peak power (Wpeak),
      jumping ability (squat and counter-movement jumps; SJ, CMJ), 1 repetition maximum
      (1-RM) half back squat, average sprint velocity over 5 m (V-5 m), peak velocity
      between 25-30 m (Vmax), and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1),
      and anthropometric determinations of cross-sectional areas and muscle volumes for
      leg and thigh muscles. Data were compared with performance on two repeated sprint
      tests; the straight test (6 * 30 m [RSA30]) and the intermittent test (6*[2*15 m]
      shuttle sprints [RSA15]). RESULTS: V-5 m, 1-RM, and thigh and leg muscle cross
      sectional areas and volumes showed relevant relationships to the shuttle RSA test
      (r2>=0.5). The Yo-Yo IR1 explained the largest percentage of variance in RSA15
      total time (60%), and V-5 m also explained 56% of the variance in RSA15 total
      time. RSA15% fatigue was only related to 1-RM (explained variance: 58%), and the
      RSA30 test showed no useful correlations with any of the investigated predictors.
      Multiple-regression analyses using all physical tests explained 91% of the
      variance in RSA15 total time (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The volume of the leg
      muscles seems important to power production and repeated sprints over distances
      of 15 m or less. RSA15 is related to muscular power, maximal strength, speed and
      endurance performance; however, the straight repeated sprint ability test is not,
      and thus does not seem relevant for the testing of handball players.

PMID- 28639445
TI  - Periodized training achieves better autonomic modulation and aerobic performance
      than non-periodized training.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the present research was to analyze autonomic response and
      aerobic performance after performing three different workloads training
      distributions. METHODS: Thirty athletes (mean age 38.7+/-9.8 years, height
      174.7+/-6.5 cm, body weight 72.0+/-9.8 kg) were randomly divided into three
      groups of 10 participants each, to perform three different 4-week training
      programs: in a PRO group, aerobic training intensity increased during the 4
      weeks; in a UNI group, aerobic intensity was uniform throughout the program; and
      in a FRE group, free training was performed. Total power, the very-low-frequency
      band, the low-frequency (LF) band, the high-frequency (HF) band, LF and HF
      normalized, basal heart rate, LF/HF ratio and maximal aerobic velocity were
      measured before and after the 4 weeks of training. RESULTS: A significantly
      increase (P<0.05) in HF and HF normalized in the PRO group was measured. The
      basal HR of FRE group increased significantly after the 4-week training program.
      CONCLUSIONS: After a 4-week training, PRO training workload distribution achieved
      higher autonomic adaptation than UNI and FRE training workload distribution. This
      information could help the coaches to develop better training programs and
      organize correctly the different mesocycles of training during the season to
      obtain a correct autonomic response of their athletes.

PMID- 28639446
TI  - Extended Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism.

PMID- 28639447
TI  - [Clinical Results of the Implantation of Two Types of Multifocal Rotational
      Asymmetric Intraocular Lenses].
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of the study was evaluation and comparison of clinical results
      of two types of rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lens (LENTIS Mplus
      and LENTIS MplusX). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 247 eyes of 124
      patients aged 25 - 76 years (mean, 58 years). After phacoemulsification
      multifocal intraocular lens LENTIS Mplus (group A, n = 141) or LENTIS MplusX
      (group B, n = 106) was implanted. Patients were divided into two groups according
      to the type of intraocular lens. Patients were evaluated at 1 month, 3 months and
      6 months after surgery. We assessed the uncorrected visual acuity, best corrected
      visual acuity, subjective refraction, contrast sensitivity and subjective
      satisfaction. RESULTS: Mean preoperative monocular uncorrected distance visual
      acuity (UCDVA) in the group A was 0,40 +/- 0,27; in the group B 0,34 +/- 0,25.
      Postoperatively UCDVA was statistically significant improved in both groups
      (group A: 1,01 +/- 0,20; group B: 0,90 +/- 0,15). Mean preoperative monocular
      uncorrected near visual acuity (UCNVA) was Jaeger (J) 12,82 +/- 4,16 (group A),
      resp. J 12,73 +/- 3,99 (group B). Postoperatively UCNVA was statistically
      significant improved in both groups (group A: J 1,81 +/- 1,42; group B: J 1,54 +/
      1,72). There was not found statistically significant difference between both
      groups in these parameters. Contrast sensitivity was evaluated in patients who
      have undergone clear lens extraction in both eyes. There was not found the
      statistically significant reduction of contrast sensitivity in both groups.
      Subjective satisfaction was assessed in the range of marks 1-5. The average mark
      of the subjective satisfaction ratings in the group A was 1,37; in the group B
      1,25. CONCLUSION: Our study found the multifocal intraocular lens LENTIS Mplus
      and LENTIS MplusX give high-quality distance and near vision and provide high
      degree of spectacle independence. There was not found statistically significant
      difference in all parameters between the Group A (implantation Mplus LENTIS) and
      the Group B (implantation LENTIS MplusX) in our study. However, in our study we
      have observed higher subjective satisfaction and lower incidence of optical
      phenomena in the Group of patients with the implantation of intraocular lens
      LENTIS MplusX.Key words: LENTIS Mplus, LENTIS MplusX, visual acuity, contrast
      sensitivity, optical phenomen.

PMID- 28639448
TI  - [HYBRID MONOVISION].
AB  - AIM: To evaluate our own results of the use of hybrid monovision technique, in
      patients after bilateral cataract surgery, where in the dominant eye the
      monofocal intraocular lens is implanted and in the non-dominant eye the
      multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) is implanted. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective
      follow-up of group of 33 patients with bilateral cataract surgery and induced
      hybrid monovision. In the dominant eye, the hydrophilic monofocal aspheric
      intraocular lens Auroflex (Aurolab) was implanted, and in the non-dominant eye
      the hydrophilic multifocal aspheric intraocular lens Seelens (Hanita) was
      implanted. During the post-operative period, the uncorrected distance visual
      acuity (UDVA), best-corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), uncorrected near
      visual acuity (UNVA), best-corrected near visual acuity (CNVA), and distance
      corrected near visual acuity (DCNVA) were established. Further, the monocular
      contrast sensitivity, subjective satisfaction, and dysfotopsias appearance were
      examined. The examinations were held 3 and 6 months after the surgery. RESULTS:
      In dominant eyes with implanted monofocal lens, UDVA improved from 0.61 +/- 0.39
      logMAR preoperatively to 0.03 +/- 0.14 logMAR at 6 months after the surgery. In
      non-dominant eyes, with implanted multifocal intraocular lens, UDVA improved from
      0.30 +/- 0.23 logMAR preoperatively to -0.04 +/- 0.06 logMAR. The average
      binocular UDVA (bUDVA) was -0.07 +/- 0.08 logMAR and binocular CDVA (bCDVA) -0.12
      +/- 0.06. The average UNVA in dominant eyes 6 months after the surgery was 0.62
      +/- 0.18 logMAR, in non-dominant eyes 0.18 +/- 0,15 logMAR, binocularly 0.15 +/-
      0.11 logMAR. The contrast sensitivity was in the eyes with implanted multifocal
      IOL slightly worse comparing to the eyes with implanted monofocal lens, albeit
      only in the space frequency of 6 cycles per degree (CPD) this difference was
      statistically significant. Subjectively, the presence of dysfotopsia and other
      problems were very low, the average values of single answers were from 1.3 to 2.1
      (on the scale 1 - 5, 1 - no problems and 5 - severe problems). Also, we noticed
      high percentage of subjective satisfaction with the surgery results (94 %). Six
      percent of patients wear glasses for near distance as a standard, 42 % of
      patients wear them occasionally, and 45 % of patients dont use glasses for near
      distance at all. CONCLUSION: The technique of hybrid monovision is effective,
      safe, and relatively cheap method solving the loss of accommodation in patients
      after the cataract surgery. This method extends the spectrum of our possibilities
      how to solve the loss of accommodation in these patients.Key words: hybrid
      monovision, multifocal intraocular lens, contrast sensitivity.

PMID- 28639449
TI  - [OPTIC PROPERTIES OF MYOPIC CORRECTION BY ORTHOKERATOLOGY CONTACT LENSES (A CASE
      REPORT)].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Orthokeratology lenses present a special type of hard contact
      lenses, which is used especially for myopic correction. The lenses are applied
      during the night, when thanks to their special shape cause temporally
      (reversible) change of the cornea shape. During the day, there is not necessary
      to wear any other refractive correction. Due to the wearing regimen, there is,
      comparing to the classical contact lenses, higher risk of health complications.
      For their safe use, it is necessary to pay attention to the application of lenses
      of adequate parameters, follow up the care and hygiene precautions, regular
      controls and early treatment of possible problems. The application of contact
      lenses should be done by experienced and well-educated expert in contact lens
      fitting. In the Czech Republic, this method is practically not used. AIM: The aim
      of the case report was to follow up the course of concrete application of
      orthokeratology lenses for myopic correction from the optic (refractive) point of
      view, and to evaluate the optic changes in the system of the eye. In the followed
      up subject, there were measured subjective changes in refraction, visual acuity,
      corneal curvature, corneal and whole eye aberrations, and corneal thickness
      during the period of one month after the beginning of lens application (initial
      phase). The same parameters were followed-up during one-month period since the
      termination of lens wearing for three months (second phase). The subject was a
      woman, 24 years old, myopic, with the refractive error in the right eye -3.0
      spherical diopters and astigmatism of -0.25 cylinder in the axis 90 degrees , and
      in the left eye -2.75 spherical diopters without astigmatism; without
      ophthalmologic or systemic diseases. The full correction of the refractive error
      after the orthokeratology lenses application occurred approximately after four
      nights (wearing the lenses overnight). Concurrently, during the day, slight
      recurrence to original values was evident. With the decreased refractive error,
      the uncorrected visual acuity improved accordingly. Further, the flattening of
      the central cornea was observed, e.g. increasing of the central cornea curvature
      diameter (maximum change was 0.22 mm in the right and 0.28 mm in the left eye)
      and slight thinning. The adverse accompanying optic phenomenon was increasing of
      the aberrations of higher orders, which presented subjectively by decreased
      visual acuity under mesopic conditions. One month after the termination of
      contact lenses wearing, all the followed-up parameters returned to original
      values.Key words: orthokeratology, orthokeratology contact lenses, myopic
      correction, hard contact lenses, rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lenses.

PMID- 28639450
TI  - [Bilateral Congenital Multiple Pigmented Vitreous Cysts in a Three-year-old Girl:
      Ten Years Follow up].
AB  - The authors present a case report of a three-year-old female patient with
      bilateral multiple anterior vitreous cysts. During examination for intermittent
      esotropia of the right eye was diagnosed not only hypermetropia, astigmatism and
      anisometropia, but also pigmented changes in peripheral retrolental space of both
      eyes. Clinical examination under general anaesthesia revealed bilateral multiple
      pigmented immobile vitreous cysts. There were five almost spherical, translucent,
      but slightly pigmented cysts on its cover on the right eye and four similar on
      the left, but visible only with dilated pupils. A dilating of pupils was slow and
      required more mydriatics than in similar aged children. Follow up period is ten
      years now. Occlusion therapy of amblyopia was performed to nine years of age.
      Treatment of refractive error and esotropia with correction for hypermetropia,
      astigmatism and anisometropia continues. Best corrected visual acuity in thirteen
      year-old girl is 1,0 in both eyes without any visual disturbances described by
      patient. Corrected visual acuity in each eye is 1,0, right eye with +3,5 D sph., 
      3,5D cyl., axis 175 degrees , left eye with +7,5 D sph., -3,0 D cyl., axis 35
      degrees . Patient is otherwise healthy and without any mental deficit. Position
      of all cysts remains unchanged and stabile during the follow up period (with
      recommendation to avoid hits to the head for all time, mainly in sports).
      Formation and slow progression of partial cortical cataract in the area of
      contact of the lens and one cyst in inferonasal quadrant of the lens on the right
      eye is monitored. A lamellar retinal extrafoveal defect of posterior pole of the
      right eye was found by OCT imaging.Key words: vitreous cyst, idiopathic,
      congenital, bilateral, multiple, pigmented, immobile, hypermetropia, astigmatism,
      anisometropia, esotropia, cortical cataract, retinal lamellar extrafoveal defect,
      OCT.

PMID- 28639451
TI  - [TATTOO-ASSOCIATED UVEITIS].
AB  - The clinical case of tattoo-associated uveitis was first described by Lubeck and
      Epstein in 1952. Uveitis is accompanied by induration and hyperemia of tattoo
      skin, which can precede, follow or manifest simultaneously with uveitis. The
      diagnosis is determined on clinical grounds after exclusion of other causes.
      Uveitis is usually bilateral, chronic and vision impairment is variable. Tattoo
      associated uveitis should be remembered in differential diagnosis due to the
      growing interest in tattoo.Key words: uveitis, tattoo, masquerade syndrome.

PMID- 28639452
TI  - [MAGNETIC RESONANCE STRENGTH OF 1.5 T - POSSIBILITIES DETAILED VIEW OF THE OPTIC
      NERVE].
AB  - Due to the increased availability of MRI, this modality is the first choice for
      patients with a suspected pathology of the optic nerve, chiasm and optic tracts.
      Magnetic resonance imaging allows to evaluate the optic nerve itself as well as
      the gain or atrophy, its focal changes; it also allows detailed views of the
      surrounding structures such as vagina of the optic nerve and the mutual ratio
      between the full thickness of the nerve and the vagina, and the nerve itself. MR
      method uses a tissue contrast of an adipose tissue structures to a detailed
      imaging of the orbit. These data can play an important role not only in the
      diagnosis of the diseases with ophthalmic symptoms, but also in the diagnosis of
      the diseases of the nervous system. We are presenting a comprehensive overview of
      basic sequences used to show the optic nerve and the structures of the orbit as
      well as highlighting the benefits of their use and emphasizing their limitations.
      Imaging of the optic nerve and eye sockets may be standardized, and thus make the
      assessment easier for the following examinations that should be ideally performed
      using the same equipment and the same protocol display. The issue of imaging on
      the display unit with the strength of 1.5 Tesla is discussed; it is a machine
      that is largely represented across the Czech Republic.Key words: magnetic
      resonance imaging, scanner strength of 1.5 T, optic nerve, optic path, vagina of
      optic nerve.

PMID- 28639454
TI  - The role of cardiac MRI in cardio-oncology.

PMID- 28639453
TI  - Atypical Primary Cutaneous Rosai Dorfman Disease: A Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rosai Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare disorder that typically
      presents with bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy and follows a benign course.
      OBJECTIVE: We present a case of late-onset atypical primary cutaneous RDD that is
      resistant to treatment modalities described in the literature. METHODS: Case
      report. RESULTS: An 84-year-old woman presented with a 7-year history of
      cutaneous lesions histologically consistent with RDD. She later failed initial
      treatments of acitretin and thalidomide. CONCLUSION: Physicians must be aware of
      unusual presentations of RDD. Also, further treatment options must be explored
      for patients resistant to classical management of RDD.

PMID- 28639455
TI  - Item Response Theory Analysis of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised.
AB  - This study examined item and scale functioning in the Psychopathic Personality
      Inventory-Revised (PPI-R) using an item response theory analysis. PPI-R protocols
      from 1,052 college student participants (348 male, 704 female) were analyzed.
      Analyses were conducted on the 131 self-report items comprising the PPI-R's eight
      content scales, using a graded response model. Scales collected a majority of
      their information about respondents possessing higher than average levels of the
      traits being measured. Each scale contained at least some items that evidenced
      limited ability to differentiate between respondents with differing levels of the
      trait being measured. Moreover, 80 items (61.1%) yielded significantly different
      responses between men and women presumably possessing similar levels of the trait
      being measured. Item performance was also influenced by the scoring format
      (directly scored vs. reverse-scored) of the items. Overall, the results suggest
      that the PPI-R, despite identifying psychopathic personality traits in
      individuals possessing high levels of those traits, may not identify these traits
      equally well for men and women, and scores are likely influenced by the scoring
      format of the individual item and scale.

PMID- 28639456
TI  - Response by Dr Packer to the Letter of Dr Blankfield.

PMID- 28639457
TI  - Glyoxal toxicity in isolated rat liver mitochondria.
AB  - Glyoxal is a physiological metabolite formed by lipid peroxidation, ascorbate
      autoxidation, oxidative degradation of glucose, and degradation of glycated
      proteins. Glyoxal has been linked to oxidative stress and can cause a number of
      cellular damages, including covalent modification of amino and thiol groups of
      proteins to form advanced glycation end products. However, the mechanism of
      glyoxal toxicity has not been fully understood. In this study, we have focused on
      glyoxal toxicity in isolated rat liver mitochondria. Isolated mitochondria (0.5
      mg protein per milliliter) were prepared from the Wistar rat liver using
      differential centrifugation and incubated with various concentrations of glyoxal
      (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 mM) for 30 min. The activity of mitochondrial complex II
      was determined by measurement of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide) conversion. The mitochondrial membrane potential
      (MMP), lipid peroxidation (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation,
      glutathione (GSH) content, and protein carbonylation were also assessed. After an
      incubation of isolated liver mitochondria with glyoxal, disrupted electron
      transport chain, increased mitochondrial ROS formation, lipid peroxidation,
      mitochondrial membrane damage, GSH oxidation, and protein carbonylation ensued as
      compared to the control group ( p < 0.05). Glyoxal toxicity in isolated rat liver
      mitochondria was dose-dependent. In conclusion, glyoxal impaired the electron
      transport chain, which is the cause of increased ROS and MDA production,
      depletion of GSH, and disruption of MMP. Mitotoxicity of glyoxal might be related
      to the pathomechanisms involved in diabetes and its complications.

PMID- 28639458
TI  - Use of computed tomography to define a sacral safe corridor for placement of 2.7
      mm cortical screws in feline sacroiliac luxation.
AB  - Objectives This study aimed to define a safe corridor for 2.7 mm cortical
      sacroiliac screw insertion in the dorsal plane (craniocaudal direction) using
      radiography and CT, and in the transverse plane (dorsoventral direction) using CT
      in feline cadavers. A further aim was to compare the values obtained by CT with
      those previously reported by radiography in the transverse plane. Methods
      Thirteen pelvises were retrieved from feline cadavers and dissected to expose one
      of the articular surfaces of the sacrum. A 2.7 mm screw was placed in the sacrum
      to a depth of approximately 1 cm in each exposed articular surface. Dorsoventral
      radiography and CT scanning of each specimen were performed. Multiplanar
      reconstructions were performed to allow CT evaluation in both the dorsal and
      transverse planes. Calculations were made to find the maximum, minimum and
      optimum angles for screw placement in craniocaudal (radiography and CT) and
      dorsoventral (CT) directions when using a 2.7 mm cortical screw. Results
      Radiographic measurement showed a mean optimum craniocaudal angle of 106 degrees 
      (range 97-112 degrees ). The mean minimum angle was 95 degrees  (range 87-107
      degrees ), whereas the mean maximum angle was 117 degrees  (108-124 degrees ).
      Measurement of the dorsal CT scan images showed a mean optimum craniocaudal angle
      of 101 degrees  (range 94-110 degrees ). The mean minimum angle was 90 degrees 
      (range 83-99 degrees ), whereas the mean maximum angle was 113 degrees  (104-125
      degrees ). The transverse CT scan images showed a mean dorsoventral minimum angle
      of 103 degrees  (range 95-113 degrees ), mean maximum angle of 115 degrees  (104
      125 degrees ) and mean optimum dorsoventral angle of 111 degrees  (102-119
      degrees ). Conclusions and relevance An optimum craniocaudal angle of 101 degrees
      is recommended for 2.7 mm cortical screw placement in the feline sacral body,
      with a safety margin between 99 degrees  and 104 degrees . No single angle can be
      recommended in the dorsoventral direction and therefore preoperative measuring on
      individual cats using CT images is recommended to establish the ideal individual
      angle in the transverse plane.

PMID- 28639460
TI  - Role of CT scan in diagnosis of renal lymphangiectasia: our single-center
      experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Renal lymphangiectasia is rarely reported benign renal disorder of
      lymphatic malformation. Though found incidentally; it presents with nonspecific
      symptoms and shows characteristic findings in radiological imaging studies. AIM:
      Here, we report eight patients with symptoms, laboratory and imaging findings
      compatible with renal lymphangiectasia. This report describes clinical and
      laboratory characteristics, treatment, Imaging findings and outcome of a series
      of patients with renal lymphangiectasia and reviews the literature. METHODS AND
      MATERIAL: Eight patients (mean age 45 years, male:female ratio 3:1) from 1st
      January 2011 to 30th June 2016; showing renal lymphangiectasia as incidental
      finding on CT IVP were included in the series. Imaging and laboratory findings
      were reviewed. Two out of eight patients (25%) underwent aspiration of collection
      and laboratory findings confirmed the diagnosis of renal lymphangiectasia. Four
      out of eight patients (50%) did not undergo aspiration of fluid and were offered
      conservative treatment. Two out of eight patients (25%) were donors for renal
      transplantation who were managed conservatively. RESULTS: Renal lymphangiectasia
      was diagnosed on CT IVP. In each case, where aspiration of collection fluid was
      offered, the laboratory diagnosis of renal lymphangiectasia was confirmed and
      patients were managed conservatively. However, large collection in one patient
      was relieved by percutaneous aspiration. CONCLUSIONS: Renal lymphangiectasia can
      be diagnosed with CT scan and confirmed by laboratory tests. As it may be
      confused with other cystic lesions of kidney; proper diagnosis and exclusion of
      other differentials can be effectively offered by CT scan IVP, which can avoid
      unnecessary invasive treatment options.

PMID- 28639459
TI  - Approach to the Management of Patients With Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Consensus
      Document.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, debilitating, and poorly
      understood condition, which is suboptimally diagnosed, managed, and treated.
      Evidence supporting various treatment modalities is sparse. OBJECTIVES: To
      incorporate scientific evidence and expert opinions to develop useful guidance
      for the evaluation and management of patients with HS. METHODS: An expert panel
      of Canadian dermatologists and surgeons developed statements and recommendations
      based on available evidence and clinical experience. The statements and
      recommendations were subjected to analysis and refinement by the panel, and
      voting was conducted using a modified Delphi technique with a prespecified cutoff
      agreement of 75%. RESULTS: Ten specific statements and recommendations were
      accepted by the expert panel. These were grouped into 4 domains: diagnosis and
      assessment, treatment and management, comorbidities and a multidisciplinary
      approach, and education. CONCLUSIONS: These statements and recommendations will
      serve to increase awareness of HS and provide a framework for decisions involving
      diagnosis and management. Evidence suggests that antibacterial and anti-tumour
      necrosis factor therapies are effective in the treatment of HS. This is supported
      by the clinical experience of the authors. Further clinical research and the
      establishment of multidisciplinary management teams will continue to advance
      management of HS in Canada.

PMID- 28639461
TI  - Hormonal contraception and breast cancer, what more do we need to know?
AB  - Most women use hormonal contraception for more than 30 years and for many, this
      may involve exposure in their older reproductive years when baseline breast
      cancer risk rises steeply. Overall, the risk of breast cancer diagnosis with
      exposure to hormonal contraception is very small and outweighed by its
      contraceptive benefits but despite this, there are still outstanding questions
      for all methods used in clinical practice due to paucity of available evidence,
      lack of which should not be taken to imply safety. This is exemplified by the
      following assumptions: the progestogen-only pill and long-acting reversible
      contraceptives are 'breast-safe' options in peri-menopausal women, use of the
      levonorgestrel intrauterine system for the management of endometrial pathology in
      breast cancer survivors is less likely to promote disease recurrence and the
      benefit all hormonal contraceptive methods confer in reducing unplanned pregnancy
      in women at high familial risk outweigh the risk of breast cancer diagnosis.
      There is no data on risk with the concurrent prescription of hormone replacement
      therapy in women exhibiting climacteric symptoms who are still menstruating.
      Advice of GPs and Community Sexual & Reproductive Health specialists will
      inevitably be sought about some or all these issues and in the absence of
      conclusive evidence from clinical studies, caution should be applied and women
      counselled appropriately.

PMID- 28639462
TI  - Onychomycosis in the 21st Century: An Update on Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and
      Treatment.
AB  - Onychomycosis accounts for 50% of all nail disease cases and is commonly caused
      by dermatophytes. Diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus, immunosuppression,
      obesity, smoking, and advancing age are predisposing factors of this fungal
      infection. Potassium hydroxide and culture are considered the current standard
      for diagnosing onychomycosis, revealing both fungal viability and species
      identification. Other diagnostic tests currently available include periodic acid
      Schiff staining, polymerase chain reaction techniques, and fluorescent staining.
      Across 6 recently published epidemiology studies, the global prevalence of
      onychomycosis was estimated to be 5.5%, falling within the range of previously
      reported estimates (2%-8%). Newly approved onychomycosis treatments include
      efinaconazole, tavaborole, and laser therapy with lasers only approved to
      temporarily increase the amount of clear nail. Additional onychomycosis
      treatments being investigated include iontophoresis and photodynamic therapy with
      small open-label studies reported thus far. Preventative strategies, to help
      decrease recurrence and reinfection rates, include sanitisation of footwear and
      prophylactic topical antifungal agents.

PMID- 28639463
TI  - Adverse Drug Reactions and Cutaneous Manifestations Associated With
      Anticoagulation.
AB  - Anticoagulants are amongst the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide.
      Although rare, localised and systemic drug reactions have been reported with
      anticoagulants that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Some of the
      first signs of drug reactions to anticoagulants are cutaneous changes that, when
      recognised early, can prevent significant complications. Dermatologists should be
      aware of these changes to make an early and accurate diagnosis. This is
      particularly important in instances of skin-induced necrosis caused by systemic
      toxicity to anticoagulants. This review discusses adverse drug reactions to the
      traditional anticoagulants, warfarin and heparin, and the newer direct oral
      anticoagulants (DOACs) such as the thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran, and the factor
      Xa inhibitors, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban. In particular, this review
      provides dermatologists with a framework for early diagnosis and management of
      patients with drug reactions to anticoagulants and alerts them to potential
      bleeding complications associated with minor procedures.

PMID- 28639464
TI  - Neurophysiological Analysis of the Genesis Mechanism of EEG During the Interictal
      and Ictal Periods Using a Multiple Neural Masses Model.
AB  - Electroencephalography (EEG) is an important method to investigate the
      neurophysiological mechanism underlying epileptogenesis to identify new therapies
      for the treatment of epilepsy. The neurophysiologically based neural mass model
      (NMM) can build a bridge between signal processing and neurophysiology, which can
      be used as a platform to explore the neurophysiological mechanism of
      epileptogenesis. Most EEG signals cannot be regarded as the outputs of a single
      NMM with identical model parameters. The outputs of NMM are simple because the
      diversity of neural signals in the same NMM is ignored. To improve the simulation
      of EEG signals, a multiple NMM is proposed, the output of which is the linear
      combination of the outputs of all NMMs. The NMM number is not fixed and is
      minimized under the premise of guaranteeing the fitting effect. Orthogonal
      matching pursuit is used to solve a constrained [Formula: see text] norm
      minimization problem for NMM number and the strength of every NMM. The results
      showed that the NMM number was significantly lower during the ictal period than
      during the interictal period, and the strength of major NMMs increased. This
      indicates that neural masses fuse into fewer larger neural masses with greater
      strength. The distribution of excitatory and inhibitory strength during the ictal
      and interictal periods was similar, whereas the excitation/inhibition ratio was
      higher during the ictal period than during the interictal period.

PMID- 28639465
TI  - An Innovative Approach to Addressing the HIV Care Continuum: Implementation of a
      Clinical Pharmacy Resident in a Veterans Affairs HIV Specialty Clinic.
AB  - PURPOSE: Engagement of patients in the HIV care continuum and adherence to
      antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to limit successful viral suppression.
      Innovative practices to improve this continuum and ameliorate potential physician
      shortages are needed. The objective of this evaluation was to determine the
      clinical benefits of incorporating pharmacy resident involvement on a
      multidisciplinary team in caring for patients with HIV. METHODS: A single-center
      pre-post cohort pilot evaluation was conducted at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare
      Systems VA Medical Center. Patients were enrolled in an HIV pharmacotherapy
      clinic implemented by an ambulatory care pharmacy resident. The primary end point
      of the evaluation was the percentage of patients achieving an undetectable plasma
      HIV viral load after enrollment. Secondary end points included change from
      baseline in CD4 T-cell count and self-reported adherence. RESULTS: A total of 55
      patients were seen in the HIV pharmacotherapy clinic over a 28-week evaluation
      period. Of those patients with detectable viral load at enrollment, 70% reached
      viral suppression during follow-up, with a significant 0.75 log10 decrease in the
      median viral load ( P < .0001 for both). The median CD4 T-cell count increased
      from 464 to 525 cells/mm3 ( P = .01). Reported adherence, assessed using the
      Visual Analogue adherence Scale (VAS) increased significantly ( P = .0001).
      CONCLUSION: After enrollment in an HIV pharmacotherapy clinic, a significant
      decrease in viral load was seen, as were improvements in secondary end points of
      CD4 T cells and adherence. These data demonstrate the clinical benefits of
      pharmacy resident involvement on a multidisciplinary team in caring for patients
      with HIV.

PMID- 28639466
TI  - Genetic Characterization of Sarcoptes scabiei from Black Bears (Ursus americanus)
      and Other Hosts in the Eastern United States.
AB  - Since the early 1990s there has been an increase in the number of cases and
      geographic expansion of severe mange in the black bear (Ursus americanus)
      population in Pennsylvania. Although there are 3 species of mites associated with
      mange in bears, Sarcoptes scabiei has been identified as the etiologic agent in
      these Pennsylvania cases. Historically, S. scabiei-associated mange in bears has
      been uncommon and sporadic, although it is widespread and relatively common in
      canid populations. To better understand this recent emergence of sarcoptic mange
      in bears in Pennsylvania and nearby states, we genetically characterized S.
      scabiei samples from black bears in the eastern United States. These sequences
      were compared with newly acquired S. scabiei sequences from wild canids (red fox
      [Vulpes vulpes] and coyote [Canis latrans]) and a porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
      from Pennsylvania and Kentucky and also existing sequences in GenBank. The
      internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-2 region and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1
      (cox1) gene were amplified and sequenced. Twenty-four ITS-2 sequences were
      obtained from mites from bears (n = 16), red fox (n = 5), coyote (n = 2), and a
      porcupine. The sequences from bear samples were identical to each other or
      differed only at polymorphic bases, whereas S. scabiei from canids were more
      variable, but 2 were identical to S. scabiei sequences from bears. Eighteen cox1
      sequences obtained from mites from bears represented 6 novel haplotypes.
      Phylogenetic analysis of cox1 sequences revealed 4 clades: 2 clades of mites of
      human origin from Panama or Australia, a clade of mites from rabbits from China,
      and a large unresolved clade that included the remaining S. scabiei sequences
      from various hosts and regions, including sequences from the bears from the
      current study. Although the cox1 gene was more variable than the ITS-2,
      phylogenetic analyses failed to detect any clustering of S. scabiei from eastern
      U.S. hosts. Rather, sequences from black bears grouped into a large clade that
      included S. scabiei from numerous hosts from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
      Collectively, these data suggest that the increasing number of S. scabiei cases
      in northeastern black bears is not due to the emergence and expansion of a single
      parasite strain.

PMID- 28639467
TI  - Ethanol-induced symptoms in patients receiving gemcitabine diluted from a
      concentrate for solution for infusion containing ethanol.
AB  - Purpose Ethanol as an excipient is used to enhance the solubility of gemcitabine,
      but, sometimes, the dose of ethanol a patient may be given is much higher than
      the dose considered to be toxic. We aimed to assess ethanol-related symptoms and
      signs in patients receiving two formulations of gemcitabine, with and without
      ethanol. Methods A randomized double blind cross-over study was conducted. All
      patients being treated with gemcitabine received two consecutive doses of the
      drug, one diluted from a concentrate for solution for infusion (CSI) containing
      ethanol and the other from a lyophilized powder, without ethanol, which was used
      as control group. After each administration, patients were surveyed in order to
      assess the appearance of any alcohol consumption symptoms (dizziness, difficulty
      speaking, unsteady walking, impaired balance, mood swings and slower reactions).
      Widmark formula and the amount of alcohol measured on the breath (breathalyzer)
      were used to estimate blood alcohol concentration. Results Twenty-four patients
      received both formulations and were included in the analysis. Mean administered
      ethanol dose when prepared from CSI was 15.81 +/- 2.25 g (mean +/- SD). When
      using CSI gemcitabine, estimated blood ethanol concentration was 0.033 g/dl
      according to Widmark formula and 0.02 g/dl according to breathalyzer results.
      Although overall incidence of symptoms was higher in the study group, the
      difference was not statistically significant (33% vs. 25%; p = 0.53). Conclusions
      These findings prove there is no difference in the onset of ethanol related
      symptoms when using CSI instead of lyophilized powder on the reconstitution of
      gemcitabine.

PMID- 28639468
TI  - CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 genotyping in psychiatric patients on psychotropic medication
      in the former Dutch Antilles.
AB  - AIM: This study was aimed to asses the prevalence of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19
      polymorphisms in psychiatric patients and in volunteers from Dutch caribbean
      origin. METHODS: In total, 435 individuals were genotyped for CYP2D6 and CYP2C19.
      Of these, 269 were psychiatric patients on psychotropic medication, living in
      Curacao and 166 were volunteers from the Dutch Caribbean population. RESULTS: No
      differences in prevalence of alleles were found. CONCLUSION: Although prevalence
      of alleles appeared to be very different from African and Caucasian populations,
      the distribution into predicted phenotypes shows an equal distribution as in
      Caucasians.

PMID- 28639470
TI  - Identifying Computer-Generated Portraits: The Importance of Training and
      Incentives.
AB  - The past two decades have seen remarkable advances in photo-realistic rendering
      of everything from inanimate objects to landscapes, animals, and humans. We
      previously showed that despite these tremendous advances, human observers remain
      fairly good at distinguishing computer-generated from photographic images.
      Building on these results, we describe a series of follow-up experiments that
      reveal how to improve observer performance. Of general interest to anyone
      performing psychophysical studies on Mechanical Turk or similar platforms, we
      find that observer performance can be significantly improved with the proper
      incentives.

PMID- 28639469
TI  - Barriers and facilitators of antiretroviral therapy adherence in rural Eastern
      province, Zambia: the role of household economic status.
AB  - In Zambia, more people living with HIV now have access to lifesaving
      antiretroviral therapy than ever before. However, progress in HIV treatment and
      care has not always resulted in lower mortality. Adherence remains a critical
      barrier to treatment success. The objective of this study was to examine the
      barriers and facilitators of antiretroviral therapy adherence, particularly the
      role of household economic status. The study included a cross-sectional sample of
      101 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in two rural communities in eastern Zambia.
      Adherence was measured using patient self-assessment and pharmacy information.
      Household economic status included components such as occupation, income, assets,
      food security, and debt. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to
      examine the associations between household economic factors and adherence. Our
      findings suggest that the role of economic status on adherence appears to be a
      function of the economic component. Debt and non-farming-related occupation were
      consistently associated with non-adherence. The association between assets and
      adherence depends on the type of asset. Owning more transportation-related assets
      was consistently associated with non-adherence, whereas owning more livestock was
      associated with self-reported adherence. Additionally, living in a community with
      fewer economic opportunities was associated with non-adherence. The associations
      between place of residence and pharmacy refill adherence and between
      transportation assets and self-reported adherence were statistically significant.
      Improving adherence requires a multifaceted strategy that addresses the role of
      economic status as a potential barrier and facilitator. Programmes that provide
      economic opportunities and life-skills training may help PLHIV to overcome
      economic, social, and psychological barriers.

PMID- 28639471
TI  - An enhancer haplotype may influence BCL11A expression levels and the response to
      hydroxyurea in beta-thalassemia patients.
AB  - AIM: To identify the BCL11A intron-2 enhancer linkage disequilibrium (LD) block,
      harboring two previously identified SNPs, associating with the hydroxyurea
      response in beta-thalassemia patients and the functional significance of this
      region. MATERIALS & METHODS: Several neighboring SNPs were genotyped in our
      cohort. The associating LD block was identified, and its function studied in K562
      erythroid cells via CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. RESULTS: A haplotype harboring
      three tag SNPs correlated significantly with the HU-response and BCL11A
      transcript levels in the patients' reticulocytes. Two deletions encompassing this
      LD block significantly reduced BCL11A transcript levels in K562 cells.
      CONCLUSION: Our data suggest an essential role for this LD block in BCL11A
      expression levels and the response to hydroxyurea in beta-thalassemia patients.

PMID- 28639473
TI  - Revision and New Species of Vasotrema Stunkard, 1926 (Digenea:
      Schistosomatoidea): Turtle Blood Flukes of North American Softshell Turtles
      (Testudines: Trionychidae: Apalone spp.).
AB  - Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtles, Apalone spinifera aspera (Agassiz, 1857)
      (Testudines: Trionychidae) from Canoe Lake (33 degrees 47'56.16"N, 86 degrees
      29'25.02"W; Springville, Alabama) and Round Lake (32 degrees 41'50.91"N, 87
      degrees 14'30.39"W; Perry Lakes State Park, Marion, Alabama), were infected by V.
      robustum Stunkard, 1928 , Vasotrema longitestis Byrd, 1939 , and Vasotrema
      rileyae n. sp. The new species differs from its congeners by having papillate
      suckers, a short testis, an ovary dextral to the oviduct, and a pre-ovarian
      genital pore that is lateral to the ventral sucker. We studied the newly
      collected specimens and museum specimens of all congeners to revise the diagnosis
      of Vasotrema Stunkard, 1926 and redescribe and provide an updated dichotomous key
      to all species of the genus.

PMID- 28639472
TI  - MicroRNAs as a tool to aid stratification of colorectal cancer patients and to
      guide therapy.
AB  - Colorectal cancer is a common type of malignant disease with high rates of
      morbidity and mortality. Although treatment options have been expanded over the
      last years, the mainstay of curative treatment remains surgical removal of the
      tumor-bearing organ. Systemic treatment options include classic cytotoxic drugs
      as well as some biological agents. Noncoding RNAs are an evolving field in cancer
      diagnosis, prognosis and possible treatment. Noncoding miRNAs are small molecules
      with huge impact on gene expression. They have been a substantial part of cancer
      research for more than a decade. In this review article, the current knowledge of
      miRNAs and colorectal cancer diagnosis, prognosis and novel or evolving
      therapeutic concepts are discussed. Examples of how miRNAs might change the
      management of the disease will be described.

PMID- 28639474
TI  - Custom, rapid prototype thumb prosthesis for partial-hand amputation: A case
      report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Due to advancements in three-dimensional printing, custom-made
      prostheses are becoming more viable options for persons with difficult cases of
      prosthetic management. The purpose of this article was to develop a custom
      voluntary-closing, body-powered thumb mechanism for a partial-hand amputee who
      had amputations of the index finger and thumb on the left, non-dominant hand.
      Case description and methods: The prosthesis model was manufactured using rapid
      prototype technology and was developed to provide greater force and
      functionality, and to decrease overall size compared to traditional hand
      prostheses. Findings and outcomes: Following device iterations and occupational
      therapy sessions, the patient achieved higher functionality in performing daily
      tasks such as cooking and cleaning, and in completing the Box and Blocks test,
      though some limitations still precluded full acceptance of the device.
      CONCLUSION: This case study represents a unique approach in the development of
      custom-made devices that may increase prostheses acceptance rates among partial
      hand amputees. Clinical relevance Many partial-hand amputees report experiencing
      trouble in finding a device that fits their needs. This study highlights the
      potential of using rapid prototyping technology to design a prosthesis that meets
      a user's specific desires.

PMID- 28639475
TI  - Ecological correlates of multiple sexual partnerships among adolescents and young
      adults in urban Cape Town: a cumulative risk factor approach.
AB  - Studies in South Africa have reported unsafe levels of risky sexual behvaiours
      among adolescents and young adults, with the country reporting the highest burden
      of HIV/AIDS globally, as well as a high rate of teenage pregnancy. While
      determinants of risky sexual behaviours have been investigated for factors
      occurring at the individual and household levels, not fully explored in the
      literature is the effect of community level factors. Furthermore, it is unclear
      whether risk factors occurring within the ecology of adolescents and young adults
      act cumulatively to influence their sexual practices. This article aims to
      address this knowledge gap using a case study of the Cape Area Panel Study of
      adolescents and young adults in urban Cape Town, South Africa. The ecological
      framework was adopted to guide the selection of risk factors at the individual,
      household, and community levels. Multivariate linear discriminant function
      analyses were used to select significant risk factors for multiple sexual
      partnerships and used to produce risk indices for the respondents. The cumulative
      risk approach was applied to test whether significant risk factors acted
      cumulatively. Findings point to the importance of ecological factors in
      influencing outcomes of multiple sexual partnerships among respondents and
      further demonstrate that ecological risk factors may act cumulatively. These
      findings are important for South Africa that is grappling with teenage pregnancy
      and disproportionate HIV epidemic among the youth.

PMID- 28639476
TI  - Effects of Folic Acid on DNMT1, GAP43, and VEGFR1 in Intrauterine Growth
      Restriction Filial Rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a folic acid intervention on the outcome
      of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) filial rats and changes in DNA
      methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), and vascular
      endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1). METHODS: The IUGR animal model was
      established using a starvation method in pregnant rats. The animals were randomly
      divided into 4 groups: normal controls, IUGR rats, IUGR rats given folic acid,
      and IUGR rats given normal saline. After the rats were weighed, the brain tissue
      was removed and the messenger RNA and protein levels of DNMT1, GAP43, and VEGFR1
      were validated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western
      blot. RESULTS: Birth weight was significantly increased after intervention with
      folic acid compared with the IUGR group, although it remained about 16% lower
      compared with the normal controls. The expressions of DNMT1 and GAP43, which were
      significantly upregulated in the IUGR group compared with the normal controls,
      were decreased with the folic acid intervention. However, there were no
      significant differences in VEGFR1 expression across groups. CONCLUSION: Brain
      damage in IUGR rats mainly manifests as delayed myelination or synaptic
      maturation and rarely as pathological proliferation of blood vessels. Our results
      strongly support the idea that the application of folic acid during pregnancy
      might represent a new epigenetic therapy for IUGR.

PMID- 28639477
TI  - Aberrantly Expressed SALL4 Promotes Cell Proliferation via beta-Catenin/c-Myc
      Pathway in Human Choriocarcinoma Cells.
AB  - Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) has been proved to play a pivotal role in the
      development and progression of various cancers. Previous studies showed that
      SALL4 was highly expressed in human choriocarcinoma tissues. However, the role of
      SALL4 in the biological behavior of human choriocarcinoma cells remains largely
      unknown. In this study, we first elucidated that SALL4 was highly expressed in
      human choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3 and JAR. Sal-like protein 4 knockdown by
      small interfering RNA (siRNA) decreased c-Myc expression, whereas SALL4
      overexpression by transfection of human pLenti-SALL4 construct promoted c-Myc
      expression. Further data showed that SALL4 overexpression improved cell
      proliferation of JEG-3 cells, which can be abrogated by c-Myc siRNA. Moreover,
      our data showed that SALL4 interact with beta-catenin and SALL4 overexpression
      promoted the localization of beta-catenin in the nucleus and beta-catenin siRNA
      abrogated SALL4-induced c-Myc expression in JEG-3 cells. These data indicate that
      aberrantly expressed SALL4 in human choriocarcinoma cells may promote cell
      proliferation via beta-catenin/c-Myc pathway, indicating that SALL4 may be
      potential treatment targets of human choriocarcinoma.

PMID- 28639478
TI  - Relation between capacity and performance in paediatric upper limb prosthesis
      users.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The International Classification of functioning, disability and
      health refers capacity to what an individual can do in a standardised environment
      and describes performance as what an individual really does and whether the
      individual encounters any difficulty in the real-life environment. Measures of
      capacity and performance can help to determine if there is any gap between them
      that may restrict participation. The aim of this study was to explore the
      relationship between capacity scores obtained in a standardised clinical setting
      and proportional ease of performance obtained from a real-life environment.
      METHODS: The Assessment of Capacity for Myoelectric Control and the Prosthetic
      Upper Extremity Functional Index were used to assess capacity and performance in
      62 prosthetic users (age 3-17). Spearman coefficient and generalised linear model
      were used to examine the association between these measures. RESULTS: A strong
      correlation (Spearman = 0.75) was found between the capacity scores and the ease
      of performance. In both unadjusted and adjusted models, capacity was
      significantly associated with proportional ease of performance. The adjusted
      model showed that, by 1 unit increase in the Assessment of Capacity for
      Myoelectric Control score, the ratio of proportional ease of performance
      increases by 45%. CONCLUSION: This implies that Assessment of Capacity for
      Myoelectric Control can be a predictor for ease of performance in real-life
      environment. Clinical relevance The ACMC scores may serve as an indicator to
      predict the difficulties that the children may encounter in their home
      environment. This prediction can help the clinician to make decisions, such that
      if the child requires more control training or is ready to move on to learn more
      complex tasks.

PMID- 28639479
TI  - An evaluation of Health of the Nation Outcome Scales data to inform psychiatric
      morbidity following the Canterbury earthquakes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Following the onset of the Canterbury, New Zealand earthquakes, there
      were widespread concerns that mental health services were under severe strain as
      a result of adverse consequences on mental health. We therefore examined Health
      of the Nation Outcome Scales data to see whether this could inform our
      understanding of the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes on patients attending
      local specialist mental health services. METHOD: Health of the Nation Outcome
      Scales admission data were analysed for Canterbury mental health services prior
      to and following the Canterbury earthquakes. These findings were compared to
      Health of the Nation Outcome Scales admission data from seven other large
      District Health Boards to delineate local from national trends. Percentage
      changes in admission numbers were also calculated before and after the
      earthquakes for Canterbury and the seven other large district health boards.
      RESULTS: Admission Health of the Nation Outcome Scales scores in Canterbury
      increased after the earthquakes for adult inpatient and community services, old
      age inpatient and community services, and Child and Adolescent inpatient services
      compared to the seven other large district health boards. Admission Health of the
      Nation Outcome Scales scores for Child and Adolescent community services did not
      change significantly, while admission Health of the Nation Outcome Scales scores
      for Alcohol and Drug services in Canterbury fell compared to other large district
      health boards. Subscale analysis showed that the majority of Health of the Nation
      Outcome Scales subscales contributed to the overall increases found. Percentage
      changes in admission numbers for the Canterbury District Health Board and the
      seven other large district health boards before and after the earthquakes were
      largely comparable with the exception of admissions to inpatient services for the
      group aged 4-17 years which showed a large increase. CONCLUSION: The Canterbury
      earthquakes were followed by an increase in Health of the Nation Outcome Scales
      scores for attendees of local mental health services compared to other large
      district health boards. This suggests that patients presented with greater
      degrees of psychiatric distress, social disruption, behavioural change and
      impairment as a result of the earthquakes.

PMID- 28639480
TI  - Managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults using illicit
      psychostimulants: A systematic review.
AB  - CONTEXT: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and stimulant use disorder
      commonly co-exist, and appropriate treatments have not been well established.
      OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance for treatment of co-existing attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder and stimulant use disorder. DATA SOURCES: A systematic
      review of published English articles using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and
      Cochrane, utilising consistent search terms. STUDY SELECTION: Randomised
      controlled trials, comparing any treatment arm with a control group, for
      participants meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or
      equivalent criteria for both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and
      stimulant use disorder. RESULTS: Eight trials were identified for inclusion in
      this review. Four of eight studies showed improvement in attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder outcome measures compared with placebo. Two of six studies
      that reported substance use outcomes showed improvement in treatment arms
      compared with placebo. Studies to show effect tended to be those with the highest
      treatment dosage. CONCLUSION: Evidence for the efficacy of treatment of patients
      with comorbid stimulant use disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
      is limited. Promising outcomes need replication in further studies utilising
      higher treatment dosage.

PMID- 28639482
TI  - "Always looking for a new balance": toward an understanding of what it takes to
      continue working while being diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the meaning of work in
      the everyday lives of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, and the
      barriers and facilitators to staying in work. METHODS: Nineteen employed adults
      diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis participated in narrative
      interviews. All interviews were transcribed and coded for thematic analysis.
      RESULTS: For people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, continuing to
      work was a precarious balancing act. Five themes influenced this balance:
      becoming familiar with the disease, adjusting expectations, having an
      understanding and realistic line manager, seeing work as meaningful life activity
      and strategic considerations. CONCLUSIONS: People receiving a diagnosis of
      relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis have to refamiliarize themselves with
      their own body in a meaningful way to be able to continue their work.
      Rehabilitation professionals can support them herein by taking into account not
      merely functional capabilities but also identity aspects of the body. Medication
      that stabilizes symptoms supports making the necessary adjustments. A trusting
      relationship with the line manager is vital for this adaptation process.
      Additionally, a match between being adequately challenged by work, while still
      having the capacity to meet those work demands, is needed, as is long-term
      financial stability. Implications for rehabilitation Rehabilitation professionals
      can support employees with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis by taking into
      account not merely functional capabilities but also identity aspects of the body.
      A trusting relationship with the line manager, including a timely disclosure of
      the diagnosis, is vital for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis to
      remain at work. For people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, there is
      a delicate balance between being adequately challenged by work while still having
      the capacity to meet work demands.

PMID- 28639481
TI  - Supporting decision-making by a health promotion programme: experiences of
      persons ageing in the context of migration.
AB  - This study is part of the Promoting Aging Migrants' Capabilities programme that
      applied person-centred group meetings and one individual home visit to prolong
      independence in daily activities among people >=70 years who had migrated to
      Sweden from Finland or the Western Balkan region. With the purpose to understand
      programme outcomes, the study aimed to explore the participants' everyday
      experiences of using health-promoting messages exchanged during the programme.
      Using a grounded theory approach, 12 persons aged 70-83 years were interviewed
      six months to one year after their participation in the programme. The
      participants experienced how using health-promoting messages was a dynamic
      process of how to make decisions on taking action to satisfy health-related needs
      of oneself or others immediately or deferring action. Five sub-processes were
      also identified: gaining inner strength, meeting challenges in available
      resources, being attentive to what is worth knowing, approaching health risks,
      and identifying opportunities to advocate for others. The results suggest that
      the programme could develop personal skills to support older people who have
      migrated to overcome health-related challenges. They further demonstrate the
      importance of supporting their health literacy before personal resources hinder
      action, and call for research on programmes to overcome environmental barriers to
      health.

PMID- 28639483
TI  - Assessing Narcissism Using Rorschach-Based Imagery and Behavior Validated by
      Clinician Reports: Studies With Adult Patients and Nonpatients.
AB  - We evaluate 11 Rorschach variables with potential for assessing grandiosity and
      narcissism. Seven of these variables were drawn from previous literature:
      Omnipotence, Idealization, Reflection, Personal Knowledge Justification,
      Exhibitionism, Magic, and Elevated Mood States; four were developed for this
      research: Expanded Personal Reference, Narcissistic Devaluation, Narcissistic
      Deflation, and Narcissistic Denial. Using Rorschach protocols from American
      normative adults and Italian adult outpatients, the dimensional structure of
      these variables was evaluated by principal components analysis, and validity was
      tested by correlations with clinician ratings of narcissism on two scales from
      the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200 that were made after at least five
      sessions with the primary clinician. A cohesive dimension was found in both data
      sets defined by Expanded Personal Reference, Personal Knowledge Justification,
      Omnipotence, and Idealization, and it was meaningfully correlated with the
      clinician ratings of narcissism ( M r = .41). Implications of the findings
      include the applicability of these variables in clinical practice and research
      for assessing narcissistic personality dynamics.

PMID- 28639484
TI  - Detection Test for Language Impairments in Adults and the Aged-A New Screening
      Test for Language Impairment Associated With Neurodegenerative Diseases:
      Validation and Normative Data.
AB  - To date, there is no quick screening test that could be used during routine
      office visits to accurately assess language disorders in neurodegenerative
      diseases. To fill this important gap, we developed the Detection Test for
      Language impairments in Adults and the Aged (DTLA), a quick, sensitive,
      standardized screening test designed to assess language disorders in adults and
      the elderly individuals. In Study 1, we describe the development of the DTLA. In
      Study 2, we report data on the DTLA's validity and reliability. Finally, in Study
      3, we establish normative data for the test. The DTLA has good convergent and
      discriminant validity as well as good internal consistency and test-retest
      reliability. Norms for the DTLA obtained from a sample of 545 healthy, community
      dwelling, French-speaking adults from 4 French-speaking countries (Belgium,
      Canada (Quebec), France, and Switzerland) are provided. The development,
      validation, and standardization of the DTLA constitute a significant effort to
      meet the need for a language screening test adapted to neurodegenerative
      diseases.

PMID- 28639486
TI  - Estimated Prevalence of the Target Population for Brain-Computer Interface
      Neurotechnology in the Netherlands.
AB  - BACKGROUND: People who suffer from paralysis have difficulties participating in
      society. Particularly burdensome is the locked-in syndrome (LIS). LIS patients
      are not able to move and speak but are cognitively healthy. They rely on
      assistive technology to interact with the world and may benefit from
      neurotechnological advances. Optimal research and design of such aids requires a
      well-defined target population. However, the LIS population is poorly
      characterized and the number of patients in this condition is unknown. OBJECTIVE:
      Here we estimated and described the LIS patient population in the Netherlands to
      define the target population for assistive (neuro)technology. METHODS: We asked
      physicians in the Netherlands if they had patients suffering from severe
      paralysis and communication problems in their files. Physicians responding
      affirmatively were asked to fill out a questionnaire on the patients' status.
      RESULTS: We sent out 9570 letters to general practitioners (GPs), who reported 83
      patients. After first screening, the GPs of 46 patients received the
      questionnaire. Based on the responses, 26 patients were classified as having LIS.
      Extrapolation of these numbers resulted in a prevalence of 0.73 patients per 100
      000 inhabitants. Notable results from the questionnaire were the percentage of
      patients with neuromuscular disease (>50%) and living at home (>70%).
      CONCLUSIONS: We revealed an etiologically diverse group of LIS patients. The
      functioning and needs of these patients were, however, similar and many relied on
      assistive technology. By characterizing the LIS population, our study may
      contribute to optimal development of assistive (neuro)technology.

PMID- 28639485
TI  - Increased SHISA3 expression characterizes chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients
      sensitive to lenalidomide.
AB  - Lenalidomide is a therapeutically effective drug in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
      (CLL). Twenty-seven CLL patients were treated with lenalidomide in a phase II
      clinical trial. Ten patients were grouped as responders (R) and 6 as
      nonresponders (NR). We evaluated T lymphocytes, NK, monocytes and dendritic cells
      at baseline and after treatment. A gene expression analysis was performed on 16
      CLL samples collected before treatment. The levels of immune cells or immune
      related cytokines are not different between R and NR patients. However, CLL
      patients sensitive to lenalidomide clearly show a peculiar gene expression
      profile in leukemic cells. The most up-regulated gene (fold change =  +23 in R
      vs. NR) is Wnt inhibitor SHISA homolog 3 (SHISA3). SHISA3highCLL are
      characterized by a restrained activation of Wnt signaling and sensibility to
      lenalidomide-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, SHISA3 is a candidate gene for the
      identification of CLL patients who will benefit of lenalidomide treatment as
      single agent.

PMID- 28639487
TI  - MRP2/ABCC2 C1515Y polymorphism modulates exposure to lumefantrine during
      artemether-lumefantrine antimalarial therapy.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the potential involvement of the hepatic ATP-binding cassette
      transporters MRP2 and MDR1 in the disposition of lumefantrine (LUM) among
      patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. MATERIALS & METHODS:
      The tag SNPs MDR1/ABCB1 C3435T and MRP2/ABCC2 C1515Y were determined in two
      artemether-LUM clinical trials, including a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic study
      focused on the treatment phase (72 h), and an efficacy trial where day 7 (D7) LUM
      levels were measured. RESULTS: The 1515YY genotype was significantly associated
      with higher (p < 0.01) LUM D7 concentrations (median 1.42 MUM), compared with
      0.77 MUM for 1515CY and 0.59 MUM for 1515CC. No significant influence of the
      MDR1/ABCB1 C3435T was found. CONCLUSION: LUM body disposition may be influenced
      by MRP2/ABCC2 genotype.

PMID- 28639488
TI  - Prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors and congenital heart
      anomalies: an exploratory pharmacogenetics study.
AB  - AIM: To explore the role of pharmacogenetics in determining the risk of
      congenital heart anomalies (CHA) with prenatal use of serotonin reuptake
      inhibitors. METHODS: We included 33 case-mother dyads and 2 mother-only (child
      deceased) cases of CHA in a case-only study. Ten genes important in determining
      fetal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors were examined: CYP1A2, CYP2C9,
      CYP2C19, CYP2D6, ABCB1, SLC6A4, HTR1A, HTR1B, HTR2A and HTR3B. RESULTS: Among the
      exposed cases, polymorphisms that tended to be associated with an increased risk
      of CHA were SLC6A4 5-HTTLPR and 5-HTTVNTR, HTR1A rs1364043, HTR1B rs6296 and
      rs6298 and HTR3B rs1176744, but none reached statistical significance due to our
      limited sample sizes. CONCLUSION: We identified several polymorphisms that might
      potentially affect the risk of CHA among exposed fetuses, which warrants further
      investigation.

PMID- 28639490
TI  - The role of special education teachers in facilitating peer relationships among
      students with mild intellectual disabilities in lower secondary school.
AB  - BACKGROUND:: Students with intellectual disabilities may lack sufficiently
      developed skills to initiate qualitatively good social interactions; thus, they
      might be in need of assistance. This study examined special education teachers'
      role in facilitating peer relationships among students with mild intellectual
      disabilities in a mainstream school context. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: The study
      was based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with nine special education
      teachers who belong to special education groups in lower secondary schools. A
      thematic structural analysis was used to identify themes. RESULTS:: The teachers
      made substantial efforts to promote social competence and ensure optimal
      conditions to foster peer interactions. An "academic-oriented" education,
      divergent attitudes, challenges in teacher collaboration, and organizational
      constraints may be barriers. CONCLUSIONS:: In a mainstream school, the role of
      special education teachers appears to be dependent on the basic values of the
      school management in terms of real opportunities to foster peer relationships
      among students with mild intellectual disabilities.

PMID- 28639491
TI  - Family-centred services for young children with intellectual disabilities and
      their families: Theory, policy and practice.
AB  - This paper outlines the reported discrepancies between the aims of the welfare
      services in Iceland and the experiences of parents raising young children with
      intellectual disabilities. Prevailing views on disability and service delivery
      were also considered. A multi case study design was employed to reflect the
      situation in different parts of the country. Families of eight children with
      intellectual disabilities and professionals in three different municipalities
      formed the cases. The findings reveal a high convergence between the three cases
      with variations based on individual experiences rather than geographical
      location. Overall, parents praised the preschools but experienced support
      services often as fragmented and uncompromising. Particular components of the
      services were consistently regarded as hard to reach and not in accordance with
      the needs of the family. Cultural-historical activity theory is introduced as a
      beneficial framework for further study and system improvement.

PMID- 28639489
TI  - Healthcare provider education to support integration of pharmacogenomics in
      practice: the eMERGE Network experience.
AB  - Ten organizations within the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics Network
      developed programs to implement pharmacogenomic sequencing and clinical decision
      support into clinical settings. Recognizing the importance of informed
      prescribers, a variety of strategies were used to incorporate provider education
      to support implementation. Education experiences with pharmacogenomics are
      described within the context of each organization's prior involvement, including
      the scope and scale of implementation specific to their Electronic Medical
      Records and Genomics projects. We describe common and distinct education
      strategies, provide exemplars and share challenges. Lessons learned inform future
      perspectives. Future pharmacogenomics clinical implementation initiatives need to
      include funding toward implementing provider education and evaluating outcomes.

PMID- 28639492
TI  - Clinical commentary on 'Recurrent natalizumab-related aseptic meningitis in a
      patient with multiple sclerosis', by Foley et al.
AB  - This clinical commentary discusses the occurrence of drug-induced aseptic
      meningitis in patients undergoing natalizumab treatment and other
      immunotherapies.

PMID- 28639493
TI  - Pathway analysis to identify genetic variants associated with efficacy of
      adalimumab in rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - AIM: About 30% of rheumatoid arthritis patients have no clinical benefit from TNF
      inhibitors. Genome-wide association (GWA) and candidate gene studies tested
      several putative genetic variants for TNF inhibitor efficacy with inconclusive
      results. Therefore, this study applied a systematic pathway analysis. PATIENTS &
      METHODS: A total of 325 rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with adalimumab
      were genotyped for 223 SNPs. We tested the association between SNPs and European
      League Against Rheumatism response and remission at 14 weeks under the additive
      genetic model using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 3 SNPs located in
      CD40LG (rs1126535), TANK (rs1267067) and VEGFA (rs25648) showed association with
      both end points. TNFAIP3 (rs2230926) had the strongest effect related to European
      League Against Rheumatism response. CONCLUSION: This exploratory study suggests
      that TNFAIP3, CD40LG, TANK and VEGFA play a role in the response to adalimumab
      treatment.

PMID- 28639494
TI  - Status of mental-health services for adolescents with psychiatric morbidity in
      youth correctional institutions in Lagos.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High prevalence rates of psychiatric morbidity have been documented
      among adolescents within youth correctional institutions in Nigeria. However,
      there has not been prior investigation to determine the capacity for and nature
      of mental health services being provided in these institutions. OBJECTIVES: To
      assess psychiatric morbidity among adolescents within youth correctional
      institutions in Lagos, while simultaneously examining the capacity for and the
      scope of mental health services. METHODS: Psychiatric morbidity and
      alcohol/substance use disorder were assessed among 165 respondents using the
      Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the CRAFFT screening tool for
      adolescent substance use disorder. Availability of mental-health services in the
      institutions was examined using an 'audit protocol'. RESULTS: We found prevalence
      rates of 18.2% and 15.8% of general psychiatric morbidity and alcohol/ substance
      use disorder, respectively, among the adolescents. Only about a third (34.3%; n =
      20) of the operational staff at the institutions had educational backgrounds
      relevant to psycho-social services for children/adolescents, while less than a
      quarter (22.4%, n = 13) has ever received any training in child mental health
      services. There was no evidence of mental health screening and intervention in
      the service framework within the institutions. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that
      there was evidence for significant mental health service gaps within the youth
      correctional services in Lagos.

PMID- 28639495
TI  - Substance use in adolescents with mental illness in Durban, South Africa.
AB  - Comorbid substance use in adolescents with mental illness is often an indicator
      of poor treatment outcome. This study aims to determine the prevalence of, and
      associated risk factors for, substance use in adolescents with mental illness
      attending a mental health service. Data was collected from hospital records of
      162 adolescents, using a structured data sheet, over a two-year period. Substance
      use was more significant in older adolescents and those with severe mental
      illness. Sixty-two (38.3%) adolescents used substances. Thirty-seven (38.1%) male
      adolescents reported substance use compared to 25 (38.5%) female adolescents.
      Alcohol was the most commonly used substance (n = 48; 29.6%), followed by
      cannabis (n = 32; 19.8%). There were significant direct associations between
      substance use and history of abuse or neglect, forensic history, educational
      setting, admission status, and the psychiatric diagnoses of schizophrenia, other
      psychotic disorders, and bipolar mood disorder. Inverse associations were found
      between substance use and adjustment disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity
      disorder, and intellectual disability. The results of this study indicate an
      urgent need for substance misuse programmes for at risk youth, and the
      introduction of dual diagnosis intervention programmes in this age group.

PMID- 28639497
TI  - Tattoo or no tattoo? A contemporary ethical issue in nursing education.

PMID- 28639498
TI  - Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash washing pretreatment by
      biochemical effluent of landfill leachate: a potential substitute for water.
AB  - Sulfate-rich biochemical effluent of landfill leachate (BEL) resulting from aged
      refuse bioreactor was employed to wash municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI)
      fly ash. The dechlorination ability of BEL was found to be nearly equivalent to
      redistilled water (RW), and the concentrations of lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in the
      washing solution resulting from the BEL washing process were lower than that of
      the RW washing process. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis indicated that
      the formation of calcium sulfate and hydroxides in fly ash after BEL washing and
      their entrapping function could significantly inhibit the leaching of Pb and Zn.
      Besides, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) tests showed that the
      BEL washing treatment did not increase the risk of heavy metals leaching from fly
      ash, and the leaching concentrations of Pb, Zn, copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) of
      BEL washed fly ash were lower than that of RW washed fly ash, which suggested BEL
      washing treatment could slightly immobilize heavy metals in fly ash. For MSWI fly
      ash dechlorination, our present results indicated that BEL used in this batch
      experiment could be a potential substitute for water.

PMID- 28639499
TI  - HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in two referral hospitals in
      Ethiopia.
AB  - The aim of the study was to determine the magnitude of HIV and AIDS-related
      stigma and discrimination (SAD) and its associated factors in healthcare
      settings. Primary data were collected from June to September 2014 from two
      referral hospitals located in north-west Ethiopia. The study used pre-test/post
      test design with a non-equivalent control group using a quantitative approach.
      Healthcare professionals were divided into strata and then, using the stratified
      random sampling technique, the study participants were selected from each
      stratum. The median age of study respondents in the treatment group was 32.2
      years with standard deviation (SD) of 7.74. The regressions of stigma for the pre
      tests of the first hospital and second hospital participants' knowledge about SAD
      related issues and perceived risk of HIV infection were found to be significantly
      associated with stigma in the first hospital. In the first hospital, healthcare
      professionals who felt HIV risk of infection at different contact points with HIV
      positive patients were more than 13 times more likely to present stigmatising
      attitudes towards the patients (OR = 13.46, p = 0.005). In the second hospital,
      only perceived risk of infection was significantly associated with stigma (p =
      0.036). Interventions to lessen HIV and AIDS-related SAD in healthcare settings
      must focus on improving the knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare
      professionals as well as overcoming the institutional barriers existing in the
      healthcare settings through staff training and hospital strategy development.

PMID- 28639500
TI  - A review of interprovincial variations in HIV prevalence rates in Zimbabwe.
AB  - Despite the proven remarkable decline of HIV prevalence in the sub-Saharan Africa
      region, both sub-regional and within-country disparities in HIV prevalence
      persist. This paper is a survey of literature on HIV prevalence and spread in
      Zimbabwe, focusing on provincial differences within the national picture of a
      decline in new infections. In particular, it raises the question of why
      prevalence and infection rates seem to be disproportionately higher in
      Matabeleland relative to other provinces of the country. This disparity cannot be
      adequately explained on the basis of national behavioural analyses as has been
      the case. The paper suggests possible additional nuances in the forms of analysis
      and proposes a change of focus in HIV-prevention strategies from national level
      to provincial considerations of the multiple factors influencing variations in
      HIV infection rates at provincial level. Using the different contextual
      conditions between provinces as a way to examine what might be the additional
      significant variables, the paper brings variations that go beyond sexual
      behaviour.

PMID- 28639501
TI  - From pharmacogenetics to imaging pharmacogenetics: elucidating mechanisms of
      antidepressant response.

PMID- 28639502
TI  - Rituximab as first-line treatment for acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic
      purpura.
AB  - Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) as first-line
      treatment of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP). Methods Twenty
      five patients with acute aTTP and/or severe a disintegrin and metalloproteinase
      with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) deficiency were admitted
      to our centre from April 2009 to March 2015. Fourteen patients received RTX plus
      standard therapy (plasma exchange and corticosteroids) at acute episodes.
      Haemoglobin, platelet count, schistocytes, lactate dehydrogenase levels, ADAMTS13
      activity and its inhibitors, and the ratio of B lymphocytes in the peripheral
      blood, were monitored. The number of plasma exchange (PEXs), total plasma volume,
      remission time, relapse ratio, and adverse effects were recorded. Results The
      median number of PEXs was 5 (2-17) sessions and median total plasma volume was
      168.43 ml/kg (62.86-469.52 ml/kg). Patients achieved haematological remission at
      a median of 15 days (5-22 days), and the median time of immunological remission
      was 2 weeks (2-8 weeks) with a median follow-up of 13 months (3-61 months).
      ADAMTS13 activity significantly increased after 2 weeks. The B lymphocyte
      percentage in peripheral blood was reduced 1 week after the first dose of RTX
      infusion compared with before treatment (2.21% +/- 5.23% vs 18.47% +/- 7.34%, P =
      0.000 [the result of statistical software]), and began to gradually increase 9
      months later. Severe adverse effects and relapsing TTP were not observed during
      therapy and follow-up. However, one patient who had sustained immunological
      remission died of severe pneumonia 7 months later. Conclusion Although our study
      was limited by its small sample number and it was a non-controlled, clinical
      trial, it showed potential benefits of RTX therapy for acute aTTP. RTX may be
      administered as a first-line therapy for lowering patients' relapse rate in the
      long term. Randomized, controlled trials of RTX for aTTP are required.

PMID- 28639503
TI  - Markers of disease and steroid responsiveness in paediatric idiopathic nephrotic
      syndrome: Whole-transcriptome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
AB  - Objective To identify markers of disease and steroid responsiveness in paediatric
      idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. Methods Whole-transcriptome sequencing was
      performed of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with NS.
      Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in patients with active NS
      vs those in remission, and those with steroid-sensitive NS (SSNS) vs steroid
      resistant NS (SRNS). Results A total of 1065 DEGs were identified in patients
      with NS ( n = 10) vs those in remission ( n = 9). These DEGs correlated with
      cytokine and/or immune system signalling and the extracellular matrix.
      Comparisons between SSNS ( n = 6) and SRNS ( n = 4) identified 1890 DEGs. These
      markers of steroid responsiveness were enriched with genes related to the cell
      cycle, targets of microRNAs, and genes related to cytokines. Conclusions
      Meaningful DEGs were identified. Additional studies with larger numbers of
      patients will provide more comprehensive data.

PMID- 28639504
TI  - Spatial and Temporal Changes in the Distribution of Blood Fluke Infection in
      Nicolea gracilibranchis (Polychaeta: Terebellidae), the Intermediate Host for
      Cardicola orientalis (Digenea: Aporocotylidae), at a Tuna Farming Site in Japan.
AB  - Fish blood flukes of the genus Cardicola (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) are important
      pathogens in tuna aquaculture. Recent advances in marine blood fluke research
      have led to the elucidation of the lifecycles of 3 Cardicola spp. infecting tuna;
      all 3 flukes utilize terebellid polychaetes as the intermediate host. In our
      survey, we obtained large numbers of Nicolea gracilibranchis infected by larval
      Cardicola orientalis at our tuna farming site. To determine the spatial and
      temporal changes in the distribution of N. gracilibranchis surrounding tuna
      culture cages and their infection by C. orientalis, we conducted monthly sampling
      for a period of 1 yr. Terebellids were most abundant on the floats and ropes of
      culture cages, but a significantly higher proportion of infected N.
      gracilibranchis was detected on ropes, particularly up to 4 m in depth. Cardicola
      orientalis infection in N. gracilibranchis was clearly seasonal, with a higher
      infection rate between April and July. Our findings indicate that the infected
      terebellids inhabit specific microhabitats, and both abiotic and biotic factors
      likely influence blood fluke infection in the intermediate terebellid host. This
      information is important to better understand the general biology of marine
      aporocotylids and may be useful to develop a control strategy for blood fluke
      infection in tuna aquaculture.

PMID- 28639506
TI  - Orthognathic surgery: principles, planning and practice.

PMID- 28639507
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28639510
TI  - Relevant research from orthodontic journals.

PMID- 28639508
TI  - On the results of clinical studies.

PMID- 28639511
TI  - In memory of Professor Teiji Tsuruta; great mentor in polymeric biomaterials.

PMID- 28639512
TI  - The relationship between Nairobi adolescents' media use and their sexual beliefs
      and attitudes.
AB  - Adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa are at risk for contracting HIV. Although media
      campaigns have educated the population as a whole, few studies are available
      about the time sub-Saharan African youth spend listening to and viewing sexual
      messages via the entertainment and informational media. The goals of this project
      were: 1) to investigate what programming Nairobi adolescents access; and 2) to
      investigate the association between frequency of access and level of focus on
      physical relationships with adolescents' perceptions of descriptive norms of peer
      sexual behaviour, and their attitudes regarding men as sex driven, women as sex
      objects, and dating as a sport. A total of 464 students from 6 Nairobi secondary
      schools were surveyed. When students' favourite musicians had a strong focus on
      physical relationships in their songs, those students estimated the prevalence of
      risky sexual behaviours among their peers higher. These students also endorsed
      gender stereotypical and casual attitudes about sex. Large amounts of time spend
      on the Internet was predictive of all sexual attitude variables. Students whose
      favourite TV programmes had a strong focus on physical relationships also
      estimated prevalence of peer sexual behaviour as high.

PMID- 28639505
TI  - Rationale and design of the multiethnic Pharmacogenomics in Childhood Asthma
      consortium.
AB  - AIM: International collaboration is needed to enable large-scale pharmacogenomics
      studies in childhood asthma. Here, we describe the design of the Pharmacogenomics
      in Childhood Asthma (PiCA) consortium. MATERIALS & METHODS: Investigators of each
      study participating in PiCA provided data on the study characteristics by
      answering an online questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies, including
      14,227 children/young persons (58% male), from 12 different countries are
      currently enrolled in the PiCA consortium. Fifty six percent of the patients are
      Caucasians. In total, 7619 were inhaled corticosteroid users. Among patients from
      13 studies with available data on asthma exacerbations, a third reported
      exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid use. In the future pharmacogenomics
      studies within the consortium, the pharmacogenomics analyses will be performed
      separately in each center and the results will be meta-analyzed. CONCLUSION: PiCA
      is a valuable platform to perform pharmacogenetics studies within a multiethnic
      pediatric asthma population.

PMID- 28639513
TI  - Development of an arthroscopically compatible polymer additive layer manufacture
      technique.
AB  - This article describes a proof of concept study designed to evaluate the
      potential of an in vivo three-dimensional printing route to support minimally
      invasive repair of the musculoskeletal system. The study uses a photocurable
      material to additively manufacture in situ a model implant and demonstrates that
      this can be achieved effectively within a clinically relevant timescale. The
      approach has the potential to be applied with a wide range of light-curable
      materials and with development could be applied to create functionally gradient
      structures in vivo.

PMID- 28639514
TI  - Analysis of variability in additive manufactured open cell porous structures.
AB  - In this article, a novel method of analysing build consistency of additively
      manufactured open cell porous structures is presented. Conventionally, methods
      such as micro computed tomography or scanning electron microscopy imaging have
      been applied to the measurement of geometric properties of porous material;
      however, high costs and low speeds make them unsuitable for analysing high
      volumes of components. Recent advances in the image-based analysis of open cell
      structures have opened up the possibility of qualifying variation in
      manufacturing of porous material. Here, a photogrammetric method of measurement,
      employing image analysis to extract values for geometric properties, is used to
      investigate the variation between identically designed porous samples measuring
      changes in material thickness and pore size, both intra- and inter-build.
      Following the measurement of 125 samples, intra-build material thickness showed
      variation of +/-12%, and pore size +/-4% of the mean measured values across five
      builds. Inter-build material thickness and pore size showed mean ranges higher
      than those of intra-build, +/-16% and +/-6% of the mean material thickness and
      pore size, respectively. Acquired measurements created baseline variation values
      and demonstrated techniques suitable for tracking build deviation and inspecting
      additively manufactured porous structures to indicate unwanted process
      fluctuations.

PMID- 28639515
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28639516
TI  - Accuracy assessment of surgical planning and three-dimensional-printed patient
      specific guides for orthopaedic osteotomies.
AB  - This study analyses the accuracy of three-dimensional pre-operative planning and
      patient-specific guides for orthopaedic osteotomies. To this end, patient
      specific guides were compared to the classical freehand method in an experimental
      setup with saw bones in two phases. In the first phase, the effect of guide
      design and oscillating versus reciprocating saws was analysed. The difference
      between target and performed cuts was quantified by the average distance
      deviation and average angular deviations in the sagittal and coronal planes for
      the different osteotomies. The results indicated that for one model osteotomy,
      the use of guides resulted in a more accurate cut when compared to the freehand
      technique. Reciprocating saws and slot guides improved accuracy in all planes,
      while oscillating saws and open guides lead to larger deviations from the planned
      cut. In the second phase, the accuracy of transfer of the planning to the
      surgical field with slot guides and a reciprocating saw was assessed and compared
      to the classical planning and freehand cutting method. The pre-operative plan was
      transferred with high accuracy. Three-dimensional-printed patient-specific guides
      improve the accuracy of osteotomies and bony resections in an experimental setup
      compared to conventional freehand methods. The improved accuracy is related to
      (1) a detailed and qualitative pre-operative plan and (2) an accurate transfer of
      the planning to the operation room with patient-specific guides by an accurate
      guidance of the surgical tools to perform the desired cuts.

PMID- 28639517
TI  - Development of finite element model for customized prostheses design for patient
      with pelvic bone tumor.
AB  - The aim of this study was to design a hemi-pelvic prosthesis for a patient
      affected by pelvic sarcoma. To investigate the biomechanical functionality of the
      pelvis reconstructed with designed custom-made prosthesis, a patient-specific
      finite element model of whole pelvis with primary ligaments inclusive was
      constructed based on the computed tomography images of the patient. Then, a
      finite element analysis was performed to calculate and compare the stress
      distribution between the normal and implanted pelvis models when undergoing three
      different static conditions-both-leg standing, single-leg standing for the
      healthy and the affected one. No significant differences were observed in the
      stresses between the normal and reconstructed pelvis for both-leg standing, but
      20%-40% larger stresses were predicted for the peak stress of the single-leg
      standing (affected side). Moreover, two- to threefold of peak stresses were
      predicted within the prostheses compared to that of the normal pelvis especially
      for single-leg standing case, however, still below the allowable fatigue
      limitation. The study on the load transmission functionality of prosthesis
      indicated that it is crucial to carry out finite element analysis for functional
      evaluation of the designed customized prostheses before three-dimensional
      printing manufacturing, allowing better understanding of the possible peak
      stresses within the bone as well as the implants for safety precaution. The
      finite element model can be equally applicable to other bone tumor model for
      biomechanical studying.

PMID- 28639518
TI  - Selective laser melting-enabled electrospinning: Introducing complexity within
      electrospun membranes.
AB  - Additive manufacturing technologies enable the creation of very precise and well
      defined structures that can mimic hierarchical features of natural tissues. In
      this article, we describe the development of a manufacturing technology platform
      to produce innovative biodegradable membranes that are enhanced with controlled
      microenvironments produced via a combination of selective laser melting
      techniques and conventional electrospinning. This work underpins the manufacture
      of a new generation of biomaterial devices that have significant potential for
      use as both basic research tools and components of therapeutic implants. The
      membranes were successfully manufactured and a total of three microenvironment
      designs (niches) were chosen for thorough characterisation. Scanning electron
      microscopy analysis demonstrated differences in fibre diameters within different
      areas of the niche structures as well as differences in fibre density. We also
      showed the potential of using the microfabricated membranes for supporting
      mesenchymal stromal cell culture and proliferation. We demonstrated that
      mesenchymal stromal cells grow and populate the membranes penetrating within the
      niche-like structures. These findings demonstrate the creation of a very
      versatile tool that can be used in a variety of tissue regeneration applications
      including bone healing.

PMID- 28639519
TI  - Knee joint kinetics in response to multiple three-dimensional printed, customised
      foot orthoses for the treatment of medial compartment knee osteoarthritis.
AB  - The knee adduction moment is consistently used as a surrogate measure of medial
      compartment loading. Foot orthoses are designed to reduce knee adduction moment
      via lateral wedging. The 'dose' of wedging required to optimally unload the
      affected compartment is unknown and variable between individuals. This study
      explores a personalised approach via three-dimensional printed foot orthotics to
      assess the biomechanical response when two design variables are altered: orthotic
      length and lateral wedging. Foot orthoses were created for 10 individuals with
      symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis and 10 controls. Computer-aided design
      software was used to design four full and four three-quarter-length foot orthoses
      per participant each with lateral posting of 0 degrees  'neutral', 5 degrees 
      rearfoot, 10 degrees  rearfoot and 5 degrees  forefoot/10 degrees  rearfoot.
      Three-dimensional printers were used to manufacture all foot orthoses. Three
      dimensional gait analyses were performed and selected knee kinetics were
      analysed: first peak knee adduction moment, second peak knee adduction moment,
      first knee flexion moment and knee adduction moment impulse. Full-length foot
      orthoses provided greater reductions in first peak knee adduction moment (p =
      0.038), second peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.018) and knee adduction moment
      impulse (p = 0.022) compared to three-quarter-length foot orthoses. Dose effect
      of lateral wedging was found for first peak knee adduction moment (p < 0.001),
      second peak knee adduction moment (p < 0.001) and knee adduction moment impulse
      (p < 0.001) indicating greater unloading for higher wedging angles. Significant
      interaction effects were found for foot orthosis length and participant group in
      second peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.028) and knee adduction moment impulse
      (p = 0.036). Significant interaction effects were found between orthotic length
      and wedging condition for second peak knee adduction moment (p = 0.002). No
      significant changes in first knee flexion moment were found. Individual
      heterogeneous responses to foot orthosis conditions were observed for first peak
      knee adduction moment, second peak knee adduction moment and knee adduction
      moment impulse. Biomechanical response is highly variable with personalised foot
      orthoses. Findings indicate that the tailoring of a personalised intervention
      could provide an additional benefit over standard interventions and that a three
      dimensional printing approach to foot orthosis manufacturing is a viable
      alternative to the standard methods.

PMID- 28639520
TI  - Polyomavirus-associated Prostatitis in Wistar Han Rats Following
      Immunosuppression in a Chronic Toxicity Study.
AB  - Chronic prostatitis characterized on light microscopic examination by moderate,
      multifocal, predominantly lymphocytic inflammation associated with epithelial
      atypia and intranuclear and cytoplasmic inclusion-like material was identified in
      the prostate gland of 2 Wistar Han rats administered an immunomodulatory test
      article in a 6-month chronic toxicity study. Transmission electron microscopy of
      the prostate glands identified 45-nm, nonenveloped, icosahedral virions arranged
      in paracrystalline array within the cell nuclei in 1 of the 2 rats. The size,
      shape, location, and array pattern were most consistent with a polyomavirus. The
      light and electron microscopic findings after immunosuppression in our case have
      a resemblance to a polyomavirus recently reported to affect prostate gland
      epithelium in a colony of immunocompromised X-linked severe combined immune
      deficiency rats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of light
      and electronic microscopic lesions in the reproductive tract associated with
      polyomavirus following chronic immunosuppression in a widely used, wild-type
      Wistar Han rat.

PMID- 28639521
TI  - Technology-enhanced focus groups as a component of instrument development.
AB  - Background Bullying is a critical public health problem and a screening tool for
      use in healthcare is needed. Focus groups are a common tool for generating
      qualitative data when developing an instrument and evidence suggests that
      technology-enhanced focus groups can be effective in simultaneously engaging
      participants from diverse settings. Aim To examine the use of technology-enhanced
      focus groups in generating an item pool to develop a youth-bullying screening
      tool. Discussion The authors explore methodological and ethical issues related to
      conducting technology-enhanced focus groups, drawing on their experience in
      developing a youth-bullying measure. They conducted qualitative focus groups with
      professionals from the front lines of bullying response and intervention. They
      describe the experience of conducting technology-enhanced focus group sessions,
      focusing on the methodological and ethical issues that researchers engaging in
      similar work may encounter. Challenges associated with this methodology include
      establishing rapport among participants, privacy concerns and limited non-verbal
      communication. Conclusion The use of technology-enhanced focus groups can be
      valuable in obtaining rich data from a wide variety of disciplines and contexts.
      Organising these focus groups was inexpensive and preferred by the study's
      participants. Implications for practice Researchers should consider using
      technology-enhanced focus groups to generate data to develop health-related
      measurement tools.

PMID- 28639522
TI  - Crowdfunding: an innovative way to fund your project.
AB  - Background Getting research funded is extremely difficult, with research councils
      rejecting more than 70% of grant applications ( Else 2014 ). It is even more
      difficult if you are a junior researcher who doesn't have a track record of being
      awarded grant money or leading a research project. Crowdfunding may offer a
      solution. It is a method of raising funds from members of the public online and
      can offer an alternative to the more formal methods of research funding. Aim To
      outline how this model works and provide tips on designing a campaign. Discussion
      The authors provide an overview of the literature regarding this model, as well
      as a set of resources for future reference when designing a campaign. Conclusion
      Crowdfunding can provide small amounts of money for your first project.
      Implications for practice It is expected that clinicians practice evidence based
      medicine, and research in health environments is commonplace. Crowdfunding can
      offer you support in becoming more engaged in research.

PMID- 28639524
TI  - 'While we treat diseases, we do not treat the root cause'.
AB  - When and why did you develop an interest in research? During my master's degree,
      I was able to publish my research thesis and was hooked on research.

PMID- 28639523
TI  - Psychometric testing of inventory of beliefs and attitudes on domestic violence.
AB  - Background Domestic violence (DV) is an international public health issue
      associated with adverse health outcomes for adults and children. There have been
      widespread calls to increase nurses' capacity to respond to DV and improve
      undergraduate nursing education in this area. However, there are few valid,
      reliable and contemporary measures of nursing attitudes towards and beliefs
      concerning DV that are suited for use in evaluating education programmes. Aim To
      establish the psychometric properties of a newly developed inventory designed to
      measure nursing students' beliefs about and attitudes towards DV. Discussion
      Exploratory factor analysis identified five factors, with a Cronbach's alpha of
      0.646. The few factors loading>.80 suggest that the instrument has good
      discriminate validity. The absence of cross-loadings indicate good convergent
      validity. Conclusion The inventory provides one of the first validated and
      reliable measures for examining undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards
      and beliefs about DV. Implications for practice The instrument is suited for use
      by nurse educators in assessing the influence of curriculum design and teaching
      strategies on student beliefs and attitudes. It would also be useful in studies
      investigating nurses' clinical practice on domestic violence.

PMID- 28639525
TI  - Considerations when conducting e-Delphi research: a case study.
AB  - Background E-Delphi is a way to access a geographically dispersed group of
      experts. It is similar to other Delphi methods but conducted online. E-research
      methodologies, such as the e-Delphi method, have yet to undergo significant
      critical discussion. Aim To highlight some of the challenges nurse researchers
      may wish to consider when using e-Delphi in their research. Discussion This paper
      provides details about the author's approach to conducting an e-Delphi study in
      which a group of health literacy nurse experts (n=41) used an online survey
      platform to identify and prioritise essential health literacy competencies for
      registered nurses. Conclusion This paper advances methodological discourse about
      e-Delphi by critically assessing an e-Delphi case study. The online survey
      platform used in this study was advantageous for the researcher and the experts:
      the experts could participate at any time and place where the internet was
      available; the researcher could efficiently access a national group of experts,
      track responses and analyse data in each round. Implications for practice E
      Delphi studies create opportunities for nurse researchers to conduct research
      nationally and internationally. Before conducting an e-Delphi study, researchers
      should carefully consider the design and methods for collecting data, to avoid
      challenges that could potentially compromise the quality of the findings.
      Researchers are encouraged to publish details about their approaches to e-Delphi
      studies, to advance the state of the science.

PMID- 28639526
TI  - Using technology in research.
AB  - [Figure: see text] In the past 25 years, the growth of the internet and
      associated technology has significantly changed the way in which we communicate,
      seek information and engage with others across all aspects of our lives ( Meyer
      et al 2016 ). Academia in particular has been transformed with a growth in online
      learning and the expanding use of technology in research.

PMID- 28639527
TI  - Bright lights, bold ideas and remembering Justine Beckett.
AB  - It was an honour to once again represent Nurse Researcher at the RCN
      International Nursing Research Conference at Oxford University in April. I
      enjoyed meeting so many readers and contributors. Your comments and feedback are
      vital and help make this journal a publication that meets the needs of readers
      and continues to attract a growing audience.

PMID- 28639528
TI  - Challenges in accessing and interviewing participants with severe mental illness.
AB  - Background Interviews are widely used in qualitative research to collect data.
      However, little has been written about interviewing people with severe mental
      illness (SMI). Aim To report and analyse an experience of addressing the ethical
      and practical challenges of interviewing people with SMI. Discussion Semi
      structured interviews were conducted as part of a doctoral study to explore how
      service users and healthcare professionals built relationships with each other.
      Conclusion Although interviewing participants with SMI was challenging, rich data
      illustrating their experiences were gathered. Careful planning around ethical
      considerations, such as obtaining informed consent, was required to maximise the
      opportunities to gather in-depth information during the interviews. The
      relationship established between researcher and the participants assisted with
      sensitive disclosures and allowed participants to tell their stories.
      Implications for research This paper provides strategies to help guide
      researchers planning interviews with vulnerable populations, including those with
      SMI. These strategies include how to discuss sensitive issues and promote
      engagement. Listening to participants' life stories is an intense experience,
      requiring support for the interviewer to stay neutral during interviews. It is
      also important to be aware of the differences between the roles of nurse and
      nurse researcher before undertaking in-depth qualitative interviews, particularly
      with vulnerable participants.

PMID- 28639529
TI  - Circular external fixation and cemented PMMA spacers for the treatment of complex
      tibial fractures and infected nonunions with segmental bone loss.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of combined
      circular external fixation and cemented polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacer
      application between a cohort of patients with grade 3 open fractures and infected
      tibial nonunions and concomitant segmental bone loss. METHODS: The study was
      designed as a retrospective cohort study. All patients who were treated for
      complex tibial fractures or infected nonunions with segmental bone loss between
      2009 and 2013 were included if they were aged between 16 years and 60 years,
      sustained acute traumatic grade 3 open tibial fractures, presented with infected
      nonunion, and were followed up for a minimum of 12 months. Patients with a
      history of ipsilateral tibial fractures, contralateral lower extremity fractures,
      polytrauma, chest, or abdominal trauma and patients with head injuries were
      excluded. Both groups were treated with aggressive debridement, circular external
      fixation, and antibiotic-impregnated PMMA spacer. Outcome measures were the time
      in the external fixator (EFT) and the external fixation index (EFI). RESULTS:
      Twenty-four patients with a mean age of 32 +/- 14.7 years were included. Twelve
      patients with a mean age of 32 + 14 years and a mean bone defect of 82 + 36 mm
      were treated for acute complex grade 3 open tibial fractures, and 12 patients
      with a mean age of 35.1 + 15.7 years and a mean bone defect of 50 + 26 mm were
      treated for infected nonunions. There was no significant difference ( p = 0.44)
      between the groups for EFT (249 +/- 99 days-tibial fractures; 255 +/- 142 days
      infected nonunion). There were significant between group differences ( p = 0.027)
      for EFI (37.3 +/- 9.1 cm/days-tibial fractures; 56 +/- 14.5 cm/days-infected
      nonunion). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that patients were
      treated for infected nonunion with segmental bone loss using circular external
      fixation, distraction osteogenesis, and antibiotic-impregnated PMMA spacers, and
      the spacers may not offer any advantage over a conventional approach using the
      principles of osteogenesis only. In contrast, antibiotic-impregnated spacers for
      open tibial trauma were advantageous and reduced the EFI considerably.

PMID- 28639530
TI  - Mortality and health-related quality of life in patients surgically treated for
      spondylodiscitis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess mortality, disability, and health-related quality of life
      (HRQL) in patients surgically treated for spondylodiscitis. METHODS: A
      retrospective longitudinal study was conducted on all patients surgically treated
      for spondylodiscitis over a 6-year period at a single tertiary spine center.
      Indications for surgery, pre- and postoperative neurological impairment,
      comorbidities, and mortality were recorded. A survey was conducted on all
      eligible patients with the EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire and Oswestry
      Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were diagnosed with
      spondylodiscitis not related to recent spine surgery. One-year mortality rate was
      6%. In all, 36% and 27% had pre- and postoperative neurological impairment,
      respectively, with only one patient experiencing deterioration postoperatively.
      At final follow-up (median 2 years), mean ODI was 31% (SD = 22) and mean EQ-5D
      time trade-off score was 0.639 (SD = 0.262); this was significantly lower than
      that in the normal population ( p < 0.001). Patients with neurological impairment
      prior to index surgery had lower EQ-5D scores ( p = 0.005) and higher ODI ( p =
      0.02) at final follow-up compared with patients without neurological impairment.
      CONCLUSIONS: Several years after surgery, patients surgically treated for
      spondylodiscitis have significantly lower HRQL and more disability than the
      background population. Neurological impairment prior to index surgery predicts
      adverse outcome in terms of disability and lower HRQL.

PMID- 28639531
TI  - Outcome of bone recycling using liquid nitrogen as bone reconstruction procedure
      in malignant and recurrent benign aggressive bone tumour of distal tibia: A
      report of four cases.
AB  - Amputation still considered as primary choice of malignancy treatment in distal
      tibia. Bone recycling with liquid nitrogen for reconstruction following resection
      of malignant bone tumours offers many advantages. We presented four patients with
      osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, adamantinoma and recurrent giant cell tumour over
      distal tibia. All of the patients underwent wide excision and bone recycling
      using liquid nitrogen as bone reconstruction. The mean functional Musculoskeletal
      Tumor Society (MSTS) score was 75% with no infection and local recurrent. The
      reconstruction provides good local control and functional outcome.

PMID- 28639532
TI  - Diminished abductor muscular strength in patients with valgus-impacted femoral
      neck fractures treated by internal fixation: Clinical study and biomechanical
      considerations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Valgus-impacted femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation
      occasionally result in unsatisfactory postoperative locomotive function,
      partially due to muscle shortening and a decrease in the moment arm. This study
      quantifies the degree of diminished abduction strength both clinically and
      biomechanically. METHODS: Fifteen patients were enrolled in this study. Twelve
      patients with fracture healed in valgus-impacted position were further evaluated.
      Muscular strength around hip was examined, and values between the nonoperated and
      operated side were compared and analyzed. For the biomechanical study, two three
      dimensional models were prepared: model I (control model without displacement)
      and model II (simulated malunion of a 15 degrees  valgus-impacted fracture). Two
      sets of hip flexion angles in each of the models were simulated with flexion
      angles of 0 degrees  and 23 degrees . RESULTS: Mean and standard deviation values
      for muscle strength from the nonoperative/operative side among the valgus group
      are as follows: flexion strength was 9.2 +/- 4.0/9.2 +/- 3.2, extension strength
      was 5.8 +/- 2.8/6.1 +/- 3.2, abduction strength at 0 degrees  was 9.1 +/- 3.7/7.4
      +/- 3.6, abduction strength at 10 degrees  was 6.7 +/- 3.0/5.5 +/- 2.2, and knee
      extension strength was 15.3 +/- 6.2/15.1 +/- 6.0 (kgf). When comparing values
      between the nonoperative and operative sides, statistical significance was only
      observed in abduction strength ( p < 0.01). The biomechanical models prove that
      valgus impaction decreases the moment arm by approximately 10% at both flexion
      angle. CONCLUSIONS: A significant decrease in abductor strength at 0 degrees  and
      10 degrees  was observed in the valgus-healed group. This may be related to a
      decrease in the moment arm. Further research should be done to define the
      acceptable limit of deformity for the satisfactory postoperative functioning.

PMID- 28639533
TI  - Comparison of clinical efficacy among remifentanil, nicardipine, and remifentanil
      plus nicardipine continuous infusion for hypotensive anesthesia during
      arthroscopic shoulder surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE: Hypotensive anesthesia is crucial during arthroscopic shoulder surgery
      to reduce bleeding and allow for clear visibility. The aim of this study was to
      compare the clinical efficacy of continuous infusion of remifentanil,
      nicardipine, and remifentanil plus nicardipine to control hypotensive anesthesia
      in arthroscopic shoulder surgery. METHODS: For this study, we enrolled 45
      consecutive patients who were scheduled to have arthroscopic rotator cuff repair
      surgery and randomly allocated them into remifentanil (group R, n = 15),
      nicardipine (group N, n = 15), and remifentanil plus nicardipine (group RN, n =
      15) groups. During the surgeries, these drugs were administered with continuous
      infusion. We analyzed the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate during
      surgery, stay time in the recovery room, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, use
      of antiemetics in the recovery room, and postoperative blood urea nitrogen and
      creatinine changes. RESULTS: The VAS score in the recovery room was higher for
      group R (mean 5.6, SD 1.4) than for groups N (mean 3.9, SD 0.9) and RN (mean 4.0,
      SD 1.1; p = 0.000). There were no statistical differences regarding other
      clinical variables among the three groups (all p > 0.05) except for MAP at 120
      min of surgery between groups N and RN (N: 84.67 (SD 10.7) mmHg, RN: 65.4 (SD
      9.2) mmHg, p = 0.027). CONCLUSION: The continuous infusion of remifentanil plus
      nicardipine appeared to be advantageous for maintaining hypotensive anesthesia
      until 120 min of arthroscopic shoulder surgery without rebound pain in a
      postanesthesia care unit.

PMID- 28639534
TI  - Synthesis of bioadditives of fuels from biodiesel-derived glycerol by
      esterification with acetic acid on solid catalysts.
AB  - In this paper, glycerol esterification with acetic acid (AA) was studied on
      several solid acid catalysts: Al2O3, Al-MCM-41, HPA/SiO2, HBEA, Amberlyst 15 and
      Amberlyst 36 with the aim of determining the reaction conditions and the nature
      of the surface acid sites required to produce selectively triacetylglycerol
      (triacetin). The acidity of the catalysts (nature, density and strength of acid
      sites) was characterized by temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 and FTIR of
      adsorbed pyridine. Al2O3 (Lewis acidity) did not show any activity in the
      reaction. In contrast, highest activity and selectivity to the triacetylated
      product (triacetin) were obtained on catalysts with Bronsted acidity: Amberlyst
      15 and Amberlyst 36. The effect of temperature and molar ratio of AA to glycerol
      was studied, and the results showed that both parameters have a significant
      impact on the production of the desired product. Glycerol conversion rate and
      selectivity to triacetin increased when temperature or AA to glycerol molar ratio
      were increased, reaching a triacetin yield on Amberlyst 36 of 44% at 393 K and AA
      to glycerol molar ratio of 6. Deactivation and reusability of Amberlyst 36 were
      evaluated by performing consecutive catalytic tests. The presence of some
      irreversible deactivation due to sulfur loss was observed. In addition, the
      feasibility of using crude glycerol from biodiesel production as reactant was
      also investigated. Conversion of crude pretreated glycerol yielded values of
      triacetin and diacetin similar to those obtained with the commercial pure
      glycerol although at a lower rate.

PMID- 28639535
TI  - Corrigendum.
AB  - Cawley N, Tur C, Prados F, et al. Spinal cord atrophy as a primary outcome
      measure in phase II trials of progressive multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. Epub
      ahead of print 18 May 2017. DOI: 10.1177/1352458517709954. On page 9 of this
      article, the Declaration of Conflicting Interests and Funding statements were
      incorrect. The correct declarations are shown below. Declaration of Conflicting
      Interests The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest
      with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: A.T.
      has received honoraria and support for travel from Eisai and EXCEMED. He has
      received support for travel from the International Progressive MS Alliance, as
      chair of their Scientific Steering Committee and the National MS Society (USA) as
      a member of their Research Programs Advisory Committee. He receives an honorarium
      from SAGE Publishing as Editor-in-Chief of Multiple Sclerosis. O.C. acts as a
      consultant for Novartis, Biogen, Roche, Teva, Genzyme and GE Healthcare. She
      receives an honorarium from AAN as Associate Editor of Neurology. Funding The
      author(s) declared receipt of the following financial support for the research,
      authorship and/or publication of this article: This study was funded by the UK MS
      Society and supported by the National Institute for Health Research University
      College London Hospital's Biomedical Research Centre. The online version of this
      article has been updated to reflect the correct declarations. Subsequent versions
      of the article will also be corrected. The authors apologise for this error and
      any confusion it may have caused.

PMID- 28639536
TI  - Recurrent natalizumab-related aseptic meningitis in a patient with multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - Natalizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that decreases T-cell
      migration into the central nervous system (CNS) through alpha4 integrin:adhesion
      molecule inhibition, thereby increasing the risk for opportunistic CNS infection.
      Herein, we report a case of infusion-associated aseptic meningitis in a patient
      receiving natalizumab.

PMID- 28639537
TI  - Prehospital identification of trauma patients requiring transfusion: results of a
      retrospective study evaluating the use of the trauma induced coagulopathy
      clinical score (TICCS) in 33,385 patients from the TraumaRegister DGU(r).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying trauma patients that need emergent blood product
      transfusion is crucial. The Trauma Induced Coagulopathy Clinical Score (TICCS) is
      an easy-to-measure score developed to meet this medical need. We hypothesized
      that TICCS would assist in identifying patients that need a transfusion in a
      large cohort of severe trauma patients from the TraumaRegister DGU(r) (TR-DGU).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 33,385 severe trauma patients were extracted
      from the TR-DGU for retrospective analysis. The TICCS was adapted for the
      registry structure. Blood transfusion was defined as the use of at least one unit
      of red blood cells (RBC) during acute hospital treatment. RESULTS: With an area
      under the receiving operating curve (AUC) of 0.700 (95% CI: 0.691-0.709), the
      TICCS appeared to be moderately discriminant for determining the need for RBC
      transfusion in the trauma population of the TR-DGU. A TICCS cut-off value of >=12
      yielded the best trade-off between true positives and false positives. The
      corresponding positive predictive value and negative predictive values were 48.4%
      and 89.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study confirms that the
      TICCS is a useful and simple score for discriminating between trauma patients
      with and without the need for emergent blood product transfusion.

PMID- 28639540
TI  - STS as science or politics?
AB  - In a recent editorial for this journal, Sergio Sismondo makes two claims. First,
      he states that STS bears no responsibility for the emergence of post-truth
      politics. Second, he claims that debates about the nature of expertise that take
      place within STS are irrelevant in this context. In contrast, we argue that,
      whether or not STS had a causal influence on the emergence of post-truth
      politics, there is a clear resonance between the two positions and that the
      current political climate makes the empirically informed and scientific analysis
      of expertise and the form of life of science more important than ever. We argue
      that treating the contribution of STS to these matters as essentially political
      rather than scientific surrenders any special role we have as experts on the
      organization and values of science and leaves STS as just one political actor
      among others.

PMID- 28639539
TI  - Foreskin and the molecular politics of risk.
AB  - In this paper, I examine disputes over recent claims that male circumcision
      reduces HIV risk to suggest a complicated relationship between risk
      individualization and categorization. Whereas randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
      conducted in sub-Saharan Africa appear to have provided key evidence for the
      World Health Organization's endorsement of male circumcision as an HIV prevention
      strategy, RCTs alone did not provide evidence for the underlying causal
      mechanism. For that, medical authorities have turned to histo-immunological
      studies of the foreskin's biomolecular vulnerability to HIV, thus molecularizing
      risk. Some actors used these studies both as a way of shoring up results of RCTs
      conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and as an important rationale in arguments for
      making neonatal circumcision more widely available. Others, however, resisted
      this move to generalize the RCT results to other parts of the world, citing both
      contextual differences in HIV transmission patterns and conflicting scientific
      details regarding the biomolecular basis of the foreskin's susceptibility.
      Nevertheless, by locating an abstract notion of relative risk in the body itself,
      I argue that histological studies of foreskin have played a key role in
      stabilizing male circumcision status as a new risk category, largely independent
      of a given individual's risk profile.

PMID- 28639538
TI  - Metabolic syndrome: pathophysiology, management, and modulation by natural
      compounds.
AB  - Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that
      include hypertension, central obesity, insulin resistance, and atherogenic
      dyslipidemia, and is strongly associated with an increased risk for developing
      diabetes and atherosclerotic and nonatherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD).
      The pathogenesis of MetS involves both genetic and acquired factors that
      contribute to the final pathway of inflammation that leads to CVD. MetS has
      gained significant importance recently due to the exponential increase in obesity
      worldwide. Early diagnosis is important in order to employ lifestyle and risk
      factor modification. Here, we review the epidemiology and pathogenesis of MetS,
      the role of inflammation in MetS, and summarize existing natural therapies for
      MetS.

PMID- 28639541
TI  - Influence of hyaluronan nasal dressing on clinical outcome after endoscopic sinus
      surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Hyaluronan nasal dressing might be promising in promoting
      reepithelialization after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). However, the results
      remain controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to
      explore the effects of hyaluronan nasal dressing on clinical outcome after ESS.
      METHODS: Medical literature data bases were systematically searched. Randomized
      controlled trials (RCT) that assessed the effect of hyaluronan nasal dressing on
      the outcome after ESS were included. The results were searched and data were
      extracted and assessed for quality. The primary outcome was reepithelization.
      Meta-analysis was performed by using the random-effect model. RESULTS: Four RCTs,
      which involved 352 patients, were included in the meta-analysis. Overall,
      compared with control intervention, hyaluronan nasal dressing significantly
      promoted reepithelization (odds ratio [OR] 3.18 [95% confidence interval {CI},
      1.33-7.59]; p = 0.009) and reduced edema (OR 0.45 [95% CI, 0.23-0.89]; p = 0.02)
      after ESS. However, hyaluronan nasal dressing failed to reduce synechia (OR 0.45
      [95% CI, 0.19-1.03]; p = 0.06), crust (OR 1.00 [95% CI, 0.20-5.09]; p = 1.00),
      and infection (OR 0.84 [95% CI, 0.46-1.53]; p = 0.56) compared with the control
      group in patients who underwent ESS. CONCLUSION: Compared with "Control
      intervention" indicates standard nasal dressing without hyaluronan, resorbable
      hyaluronan nasal dressing could significantly improve reepithelization and
      decrease edema but had no influence on synechia, crust, and infection after ESS.

PMID- 28639542
TI  - Fluticasone propionate and fluticasone propionate/salmeterol multidose dry powder
      inhalers compared with placebo for persistent asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A novel, inhalation-driven, multidose dry powder inhaler (MDPI) has
      been developed, which allows for lower doses of fluticasone propionate (Fp) and
      Fp/salmeterol (FS) for the treatment of patients with asthma. OBJECTIVE: This
      phase III, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group study (NCT02141854)
      evaluated the efficacy and safety of Fp MDPI and FS MDPI versus placebo MDPI.
      METHODS: Patients aged >=12 years with persistent asthma who previously took an
      inhaled corticosteroid with or without a long-acting beta-agonist entered a 14-
      to 21-day run-in period, during which they received single-blind, low-dose Fp
      MDPI 50 MUg (1 inhalation twice daily [b.i.d.]) and used albuterol
      hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) metered-dose inhaler (MDI) for rescue. The patients who
      continued to meet eligibility criteria (N = 728) were randomized to Fp MDPI (100
      or 200 MUg), FS MDPI (100 MUg/12.5 MUg or 200 MUg/12.5 MUg), or placebo (1
      inhalation b.i.d.). Primary efficacy end points were the change from baseline in
      forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the baseline-adjusted area under
      the FEV1 curve 12 hours after the dose at week 12. Secondary efficacy end points
      were A.M. peak expiratory flow, asthma symptom scores, albuterol HFA MDI use,
      time to patient withdrawal, Asthma Quality of Life scores, and time to 15% and
      12% improvement from baseline in FEV1. Safety end points were monitored. RESULTS:
      Fp MDPI and FS MDPI significantly improved both primary end points compared with
      placebo (p < 0.05). FS MDPI significantly improved both end points versus the
      corresponding Fp MDPI dose (p < 0.05), with improvement also greater for FS MDPI
      100 MUg/12.5 MUg versus Fp MDPI 200 MUg (p < 0.05). Both active treatments
      improved a variety of secondary end points and exhibited a safety profile
      consistent with the drug classes. CONCLUSION: Delivery of Fp and FS via the novel
      MDPI provided significant clinical benefits and was well tolerated in patients
      with persistent asthma.

PMID- 28639543
TI  - Rapid detection of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae
      in blood cultures using the ESBL NDP test in Cotonou, Benin.
AB  - PURPOSE: Rapid and inexpensive tests for detecting extended-spectrum-beta
      lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are needed, particularly in low
      resource countries where infections with these bacteria constitute a major public
      health issue. The recently described ESBL NDP test performed well in developed
      countries. This study was designed to assess performance, cost and feasibility of
      this test in positive blood cultures, in Cotonou, Benin (West Africa).
      METHODOLOGY: The test was performed on 175 positive Bactec broth blood cultures
      containing Enterobacteriaceae, and blindly compared with the double-disc synergy
      test (DDST) for the phenotypic detection of ESBL producers. RESULTS: There was a
      complete agreement between the ESBL NDP test and the DDST. On average, the time
      to give results was 37 min for a sample and the cost was US$ 7.3. CONCLUSION: The
      ESBL NDP test is rapid, relatively affordable and performed well in our setting.

PMID- 28639544
TI  - The Never-Ending Promise.
AB  - The editor-in-chief extends thanks to all contributors to this special focus on
      nursing leadership in home and community care. Thank you for leadership,
      thoughtful reflections and call to action. The possibilities for a different
      "person-centered", "people-powered" home and community-oriented health system can
      be realized with nursing at the helm.

PMID- 28639545
TI  - Nursing Leadership in Home and Community Care: An Introduction.
AB  - There is agreement across all provinces that there is transformation needed in
      the area of home and community care. Yet, where is the collective voice of nurse
      leaders in this transformation? The guest editor calls on nurses to respond to
      this unique opportunity to shape the transformation of our health system, and
      improve care for patients and their caregivers.

PMID- 28639546
TI  - Leadership Perspective: Bringing Nursing Back to the Future Through People
      Powered Care.
AB  - At a time when there is a growing interest in person- and family-centred care and
      integrated community-based models, the unique strengths and expertise of home
      care nursing is a strategic lever for change across all healthcare settings. In
      this paper, we explore the theme of people-powered care as a universal starting
      point - a new approach to health and wellness that is anchored in the strengths
      of people, their networks and the patterns of everyday life. Leveraging key
      insights from home and community care, along with broader societal shifts towards
      personalization and empowerment, we discuss how nurses in all areas of the system
      can lead the way by empowering staff, patients and their families. Finally, we
      look at the implications for nursing leadership including how our knowledge,
      skills and abilities must continue to evolve to effectively impact change and
      enable this vital transformation to occur.

PMID- 28639547
TI  - Rebuilding the Roots of Patient-Centred Care.
AB  - In this commentary, Thorne and Stajduhar respond to Sharkey and Lefebre's (2017)
      thoughts on Bringing Nursing Back to the Future Through People-Powered Care by
      reflecting on the kinds of structural and ideological conditions that have
      dismantled the traditional root structure by which the nursing profession
      nurtured its members and optimized their inherent capacity as champions of
      placing patients at the centre of care. Although the idea of patient-centred care
      has great popular appeal in the current context, embedding it meaningfully into a
      transformed healthcare system will require dedicated attention to addressing the
      attitudes, discourses and leadership mechanisms within which strong systems of
      nursing can flourish and thrive.

PMID- 28639548
TI  - A Leadership Perspective on a Shared Vision for Healthcare.
AB  - Our country's recent negotiations for a new Health Accord have shone light on the
      importance of more accessible and better home care. The direction being taken on
      health funding investments has sent a strong message about healthcare system
      redesign. It is time to design a healthcare system that moves us away from a
      hospital-focused model to one that is more effective, integrated and sustainable
      and one that places a greater emphasis on primary care, community care and home
      care. The authors of the lead paper (Sharkey and Lefebre 2017) provide their
      vision for people-powered care and explore the opportunity for nursing leaders to
      draw upon the unique expertise and insights of home care nursing as a strategic
      lever to bring about real health system transformation across all settings.
      Understanding what really matters at the beginning of the healthcare journey and
      honouring the tenants of partnership and empowerment as a universal starting
      point to optimize health outcomes along the continuum of care present a very
      important opportunity. However, as nursing leaders in the health system change,
      it is important that we extend the conversation beyond one setting. It is
      essential that as leaders, we seek to design models of care delivery that achieve
      a shared vision, focused on seamless coordinated care across the continuum that
      is person-centred. Bringing about real system change requires us to think
      differently and consider the role of nursing across all settings, collaboratively
      co-designing so that our collective skills and knowledge can work within a
      complementary framework. Focusing our leadership efforts on enhancing integration
      across healthcare settings will ensure that nurses can be important leaders and
      active decision-makers in health system change. A shared vision for healthcare
      requires all of us to look beyond the usual practices and structures, hospitals
      and institutional walls.

PMID- 28639549
TI  - Integrated Comprehensive Care - A Case Study in Nursing Leadership and System
      Transformation.
AB  - Calls for transformational change of our healthcare system are increasingly
      clear, persuasive and insistent. They resonate at all levels, with those who
      fund, deliver, provide and receive care, and they are rooted in a deep
      understanding that the system, as currently rigidly structured, most often lacks
      the necessary flexibility to comprehensively meet the needs of patients across
      the continuum of care. The St. Joseph's Health System (SJHS) Integrated
      Comprehensive Care (ICC) Program, which bundles care and funding across the
      hospital to home continuum, has reduced fragmentation of care, and it has
      delivered improved outcomes for patients, providers and the system. This case
      study explores the essential contribution of nursing leadership to this
      successful transformation of healthcare service delivery.

PMID- 28639550
TI  - The Role of Nurse Leaders in Advancing Carer Communication Needs across
      Transitions of Care: A Call to Action.
AB  - This paper focuses on the central role of senior nurse leaders in advancing
      organizational resources and support for communication between healthcare
      providers and carers that influences patient and carer outcomes during the
      transition from hospital to the community. A Think Tank (Lobchuk 2012) funded by
      the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) gathered interdisciplinary and
      intersectoral stakeholders from local, national and international levels to
      develop a Family Carer Communication Research Collaboration. Workshop
      stakeholders addressed critical challenges in meeting communication needs of
      carers as partners with clinicians in promoting safe care for the elderly,
      chronically or seriously ill or disabled individuals in the community. Key
      priority areas identified the need to uncover nurse leader perspectives at the
      system, nurse leader, healthcare provider and patient levels where communication
      with carers occurs. The overarching outcome from the workshop focuses on the need
      for nurse leaders to advocate for patients and their families in meeting carer
      communication needs. The authors' "call to action" requires commitment and
      investment from nurse leaders in the critical juncture of healthcare delivery to
      strengthen communication between healthcare providers and carers that influence
      patient and carer outcomes in seamless transitions of care.

PMID- 28639552
TI  - Focal seizures with left hemibody piloerection related to left hemisphere
      cavernous angiomas.

PMID- 28639553
TI  - Can We Improve Pressure Feedback Methods in Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials
      by Applying Custom Pressures?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to use constant and customized
      pressure levels to improve the feedback method of the blood pressure cuff
      technique in order to decrease intra-subject and inter-subject variability.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage,
      the relationship between the pressure level generated in the blood pressure cuff
      and electromyographic response in the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle was
      investigated. In the second stage, vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP)
      measurements were made using a custom-built VEMP chair at a constant pressure
      level of 40 mmHg (P40) or at 50% of the maximum pressure (Pmax50%) that could be
      generated by the SCM muscle. RESULTS: VEMP measurements were performed on 100
      volunteers consisting of 48 males and 52 females whose ages were between 20 and
      68 years. The response rate was 41% on a subject basis and 53% on an ear basis.
      Response rates were similar in males and females, and they decreased with age.
      The response rate was significantly lower in 11% of the volunteers who could not
      generate the stipulated 80 mmHg pressure level. Response rates obtained with P40
      and Pmax50% were similar, and p13 and n23 latencies and p13-n23 amplitudes
      obtained from both sides were also similar. Amplitudes were higher in Pmax50%
      measurements compared to P40, and amplitudes obtained with P40 levels showed
      greater variance compared to Pmax50%. CONCLUSION: The use of Pmax50% provided
      reduced variation compared to P40; however, it did not have significant clinical
      implications. Further studies are needed for the control of many factors that are
      related to amplitude variability.

PMID- 28639554
TI  - Evaluation of Procalcitonin and hs-CRP Levels in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing
      Loss.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate procalcitonin and high sensitive
      c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing
      loss (ISSNHL) patients and assess their correlations with the clinical prognosis.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three ISSNHL patients were included in the study
      (group A). The control group was consisted of 19 patients (group B).
      Procalcitonin and hs-CRP levels were compared between the groups. The
      relationship between procalcitonin and hs-CRP levels and the configuration of the
      audiogram, degree of hearing loss [partial or total ( > 90 dB)], and status of
      improvement (improvement of > 15 dB in the first month PTA) were evaluated.
      RESULTS: The mean age was 47.91+/-15.73 years (range 21-73 years) and 35.16+/
      15.67 years (range 19-79 years) in groups A and B, respectively. Seven patients
      (30.4%) had underlying cardiovascular risk factors. Mean procalcitonin levels
      were 0.057+/-0.025 ug/L and 0.041+/-0.016 ug/L in groups A and B, respectively.
      Mean hs-CRP levels were 0.461+/-1.335 mg/dL and 0.129+/-0.125 mg/dL in groups A
      and B, respectively. Procalcitonin levels were significantly higher in group A
      than in group B (p=0.018). Procalcitonin levels were significantly lower (0.035+/
      0.013 ug/L vs. 0.061+/-0.025 ug/L) in patients with low-frequency hearing loss
      (p=0.04). ROC analysis of procalcitonin values revealed that area under the curve
      was 0.80 (p=0.005). A cut-off procalcitonin level of 0.45 ug/L yielded a
      sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 56.2%. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, as a
      proinflammatory marker, procalcitonin levels were higher in ISSNHL patients than
      in healthy controls. The procalcitonin level was significantly lower in upsloping
      type hearing loss patients. This finding could be regarded as an indirect
      indicator of pathogenesis.

PMID- 28639551
TI  - Facet joint injections for people with persistent non-specific low back pain
      (Facet Injection Study): a feasibility study for a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2009
      guidelines for persistent low back pain (LBP) do not recommend the injection of
      therapeutic substances into the back as a treatment for LBP because of the
      absence of evidence for their effectiveness. This feasibility study aimed to
      provide a stable platform that could be used to evaluate a randomised controlled
      trial (RCT) on the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of intra
      articular facet joint injections (FJIs) when added to normal care. OBJECTIVES: To
      explore the feasibility of running a RCT to test the hypothesis that, for people
      with suspected facet joint back pain, adding the option of intra-articular FJIs
      (local anaesthetic and corticosteroids) to best usual non-invasive care is
      clinically effective and cost-effective. DESIGN: The trial was a mixed design.
      The RCT pilot protocol development involved literature reviews and a consensus
      conference followed by a randomised pilot study with an embedded mixed-methods
      process evaluation. SETTING: Five NHS acute trusts in England. PARTICIPANTS:
      Participants were patients aged >= 18 years with moderately troublesome LBP
      present (> 6 months), who had failed previous conservative treatment and who had
      suspected facet joint pain. The study aimed to recruit 150 participants
      (approximately 30 per site). Participants were randomised sequentially by a
      remote service to FJIs combined with 'best usual care' (BUC) or BUC alone.
      INTERVENTIONS: All participants were to receive six sessions of a bespoke BUC
      rehabilitation package. Those randomised into the intervention arm were, in
      addition, given FJIs with local anaesthetic and steroids (at up to six injection
      sites). Randomisation occurred at the end of the first BUC session. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Process and clinical outcomes. Clinical outcomes included a measurement
      of level of pain on a scale from 0 to 10, which was collected daily and then
      weekly via text messaging (or through a written diary). Questionnaire follow-up
      was at 3 months. RESULTS: Fifty-two stakeholders attended the consensus meeting.
      Agreement informed several statistical questions and three design considerations:
      diagnosis, the process of FJI and the BUC package and informing the design for
      the randomised pilot study. Recruitment started on 26 June 2015 and was
      terminated by the funder (as a result of poor recruitment) on 11 December 2015.
      In total, 26 participants were randomised. Process data illuminate some of the
      reasons for recruitment problems but also show that trial processes after
      enrolment ran smoothly. No between-group analysis was carried out. All pain
      related outcomes show the expected improvement between baseline and follow-up.
      The mean total cost of the overall treatment package (injection L419.22 and BUC
      L264.00) was estimated at L683.22 per participant. This is similar to a NHS
      tariff cost for a course of FJIs of L686.84. LIMITATIONS: Poor recruitment was a
      limiting factor. CONCLUSIONS: This feasibility study achieved consensus on the
      main challenges in a trial of FJIs for people with persistent non-specific low
      back pain. FUTURE WORK: Further work is needed to test recruitment from
      alternative clinical situations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT 2014-000682-50 and
      Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN93184143. FUNDING: This project was funded by the
      National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment
      programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21,
      No. 30. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

PMID- 28639555
TI  - Ginkgo biloba and Lycopene are Effective on Cisplatin Induced Ototoxicity?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-ototoxic impact of
      Ginkgo biloba extract and lycopene on the model of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity
      in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two Wistar albino rats were examined with
      the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) test (MADSEN Capella2 ; GN
      Otometrics, ICS Medical, Chicago USA), and they were randomly divided into four
      groups. Group 1 (n=8) was defined as the healthy control group. Cisplatin was
      given intraperitoneally as single dose of 12 mg/kg to group 2 (n=8), group 3
      (n=8), and group 4 (n=8). Group 2 was determined as ototoxic control group. G.
      biloba extract (100 mg/kg) was given to group 3, and 20 mg/kg lycopene was given
      to group 4 with orogastric feeding tube daily for 10 days. DPOAE test was
      repeated on day 10 on all the groups. Finally, histopathological examination was
      performed. The study has been lead in agreement with the principles by the
      Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Review Board at Kocaeli University
      Medical Center (KOU HADYEK- 1/9-14). The animals were treated in accordance with
      protocols approved by this committee. RESULTS: When DPOAE tests were compared,
      there was no significant difference in the four groups before the application (p
      > 0.05). At the end of day 10, in groups 2 to 4, statistically significant
      changes were observed (p < 0.05). According to the cisplatin group, a significant
      increase in the DP-grams on G. biloba and lycopene groups was observed (p <
      00.5). Corti organ and spiral ganglion neurons of groups 1, 3, and 4 were
      observed to have weak expression. Strong reactions were determined in organum
      spirale and some spiral ganglions of the cisplatin group. The striae vascularis
      damage on group 2 was found to be more significant more compared with groups 3
      and 4. CONCLUSION: There is a protective effect of G. biloba and lycopene on
      cisplatin-dependent ototoxic rat model.

PMID- 28639556
TI  - Caloric Analysis of Patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to compare nystagmus characteristics after
      caloric irrigation in patients with lateral canal (LC) and posterior canal (PC)
      benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and to analyze the role of symptom
      duration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 65 patients
      with BPPV (20 LC and 45 PC) who were subjected to caloric testing. Average slow
      phase velocity and nystagmus duration were analyzed. RESULTS: Caloric hypo
      excitability was 20.4%. It was more evident in patients with apogeotropic-type LC
      BPPV. The comparison of average slow-phase velocity of the nystagmus and
      nystagmus duration between selected types of BPPV for pathologic, non-pathologic,
      and the control ears after warm and cold stimulation was not statistically
      significant (p>0.05). No correlation was found between caloric results and
      symptom duration (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Some patients presented caloric hypo
      excitability. Reliability of caloric testing to differentiate the ear with normal
      and abnormal vestibular function in different types of BPPV was low. No
      difference was found in the analysis of the impact of symptom duration. Caloric
      testing is not an ideal tool to study BPPV.

PMID- 28639557
TI  - Effects of Selective Seratonine Re-Uptake Inhibitors on Meniere's Disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors
      (SSRIs) on Meniere's disease (MD) on patients who have both MD and generalized
      anxiety disorder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients were evaluated with
      neurotologic examination, videonystagmography, audiological tests, and inner ear
      magnetic resonance imaging. Characteristic history and the evaluation of the
      patients' vertigo attacks during the attacks were the primary criteria for the
      diagnosis of MD. According to these parameters, 12 patients were diagnosed with
      definite MD and also symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Escitalopram 10 mg
      was prescribed to the patients. The clinical records of these patients were
      reviewed. RESULTS: Eight female and 4 male patients with MD and generalized
      anxiety disorder were included. The average age was found to be 46.25 years (34
      63 years). Magnetic resonance imaging of patients was reported as normal. All
      patients had unilateral MD. The patients were diagnosed with MD for 2-12 years
      (mean: 5 years). All patients used betahistine and diuretics before escitalopram.
      Intratympanic gentamicin was also applied to one patient. After escitalopram
      medication, no vertigo attack was observed in any of the patients. CONCLUSION:
      SSRIs may have a central balancing effect on vertigo attacks of MD. Escitalopram
      can control vertigo attacks in MD. Further studies are needed to support this
      effect.

PMID- 28639558
TI  - Exchange interactions in transition metal oxides: the role of oxygen spin
      polarization.
AB  - Magnetism of transition metal (TM) oxides is usually described in terms of the
      Heisenberg model, with orientation-independent interactions between the spins.
      However, the applicability of such a model is not fully justified for TM oxides
      because spin polarization of oxygen is usually ignored. In the conventional model
      based on the Anderson principle, oxygen effects are considered as a property of
      the TM ion and only TM interactions are relevant. Here, we perform a systematic
      comparison between two approaches for spin polarization on oxygen in typical TM
      oxides. To this end, we calculate the exchange interactions in NiO, MnO and
      hematite (Fe2O3) for different magnetic configurations using the magnetic force
      theorem. We consider the full spin Hamiltonian including oxygen sites, and also
      derive an effective model where the spin polarization on oxygen renormalizes the
      exchange interactions between TM sites. Surprisingly, the exchange interactions
      in NiO depend on the magnetic state if spin polarization on oxygen is neglected,
      resulting in non-Heisenberg behavior. In contrast, the inclusion of spin
      polarization in NiO makes the Heisenberg model more applicable. Just the
      opposite, MnO behaves as a Heisenberg magnet when oxygen spin polarization is
      neglected, but shows strong non-Heisenberg effects when spin polarization on
      oxygen is included. In hematite, both models result in non-Heisenberg behavior.
      The general applicability of the magnetic force theorem as well as the Heisenberg
      model to TM oxides is discussed.

PMID- 28639559
TI  - Pressure-induced superconductivity in CrAs and MnP.
AB  - Transition-metal monopnictides, CrAs and MnP, were studied over 50 years ago due
      to the presence of interesting magnetic properties: CrAs forms a double-helical
      magnetic structure below T N  ~  270 K accompanied by a strong first-order
      structural transition, while MnP first undergoes a ferromagnetic transition at T
      C  ~  290 K and then adopts a similar double-helical order below T s  ~  50 K.
      Both compounds are correlated metals and exhibit distinct anomalies at these
      characteristic magnetic transitions. By using high pressure as a clean tuning
      knob, we recently observed superconductivity with a maximum superconducting
      transition temperature of T c  ~  2 K and 1 K when their helimagnetic orders are
      suppressed under a critical pressure of P c  ~  0.8 and 8 GPa for CrAs and MnP,
      respectively. Despite a relatively low T c, CrAs and MnP are respectively the
      first superconductor among the Cr- and Mn-based compounds in that the electronic
      density of states at the Fermi energy are dominated by Cr/Mn-3d electrons. These
      discoveries, in particular the close proximity of superconductivity to the
      helimagnetic order reminiscent of many unconventional superconducting systems,
      have attracted considerable attention in the community of superconductivity. The
      evolution of the helimagnetic order under pressure and its relationship with
      superconductivity have been actively investigated recently. Much effort has also
      been devoted to exploring more novel Cr- or Mn-based superconductors, leading to
      the discovery of quasi-1D A2Cr3As3 (A  =  K, Rb, Cs) superconductors. In this
      review article, we will summarize the current progress achieved regarding
      superconductivity in CrAs and MnP.

PMID- 28639560
TI  - Mechanical properties of decellularized extracellular matrix coated with TiCaPCON
      film.
AB  - For the first time the surface of decellularized extracellular matrix (DECM) was
      modified via deposition of a multicomponent bioactive nanostructured film for
      improvement of the DECM's mechanical properties. TiCaPCON films were deposited
      onto the surface of intact and decellularized ulna, radius, and humerus bones by
      magnetron sputtering of TiC0.5 + 10%Ca3(PO4)2 and Ti targets in a gaseous mixture
      of Ar + N2. The film structure was studied using x-ray diffraction, scanning and
      transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The films were
      characterized in terms of their wettability, as well as adhesion strength to the
      intact bone and DECM substrates. The mechanical properties of TiCaPCON-coated
      samples were investigated by compression testing. In addition, humerus bones were
      evaluated during three-point bending tests. The results indicate that the tightly
      adhered films, uniformly covering the DECM surfaces, possessed hydrophilic
      characteristics. A maximum improvement in mechanical properties (250%) was
      observed for coated humerus samples. In case of decellularized radius bones, the
      compressive strength also increased by 150% after coating. The positive role of
      TiCaPCON films was less noticeable for ulna bones because of large data
      scattering. These results clearly indicate that the films acted as a rigid frame
      that increased the material compressive strength. Compared with intact bones,
      fracture in the TiCaPCON-coated DECM samples was characterized by rarer and
      larger cracks generated under higher critical loads. As a result, the samples
      were crushed into several large pieces and numerous tiny fragments. Although the
      film deposition increased the bone stiffness, the bending tests revealed that the
      flexural strength of the coated samples became 20%-25% lower than the strength of
      the film-free samples.

PMID- 28639561
TI  - Rise of nano effects in electrode during electrocatalytic CO2 conversion.
AB  - The electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into value-added fuels has received
      increasing attention as a promising way to mitigate the atmospheric CO2
      concentration and close the broken carbon-cycle. Early studies, focused on
      polycrystalline metal electrodes, outlined in detail the overall trends in the
      catalytic activity and product selectivity of pure metals; however, several
      inherent limitations were found, such as low current density and high
      overpotential, which hindered electrocatalytic CO2 reduction from practical
      application. Fortunately, the recent development of precisely synthesized
      nanocatalysts has led to several breakthroughs in catalytic CO2 conversion. By
      carefully controlling the thermodynamic adsorption energies and flow dynamics of
      reaction intermediates, nanosized electrocatalysts afford more versatile and
      energetically efficient routes to convert CO2 into desired chemicals. In this
      article, we review the state-of-the-art nanocatalysts applied for CO2 conversion
      and discuss newly found phenomena at the local environment near the catalyst
      surface. The mechanistic understanding of these findings can provide insight into
      the future design of catalysts for the efficient and selective reduction of CO2.

PMID- 28639562
TI  - Magnetic skyrmion-based artificial neuron device.
AB  - Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the biological nervous system, has attracted
      considerable attention. Intensive research has been conducted in this field for
      developing artificial synapses and neurons, attempting to mimic the behaviors of
      biological synapses and neurons, which are two basic elements of a human brain.
      Recently, magnetic skyrmions have been investigated as promising candidates in
      neuromorphic computing design owing to their topologically protected particle
      like behaviors, nanoscale size and low driving current density. In one of our
      previous studies, a skyrmion-based artificial synapse was proposed, with which
      both short-term plasticity and long-term potentiation functions have been
      demonstrated. In this work, we further report on a skyrmion-based artificial
      neuron by exploiting the tunable current-driven skyrmion motion dynamics,
      mimicking the leaky-integrate-fire function of a biological neuron. With a simple
      single-device implementation, this proposed artificial neuron may enable us to
      build a dense and energy-efficient spiking neuromorphic computing system.

PMID- 28639563
TI  - The role of apical contractility in determining cell morphology in multilayered
      epithelial sheets and tubes.
AB  - A multilayered epithelium is made up of individual cells that are stratified in
      an orderly fashion, layer by layer. In such tissues, individual cells can adopt a
      wide range of shapes ranging from columnar to squamous. From histological images,
      we observe that, in flat epithelia such as the skin, the cells in the top layer
      are squamous while those in the middle and bottom layers are columnar, whereas in
      tubular epithelia, the cells in all layers are columnar. We develop a
      computational model to understand how individual cell shape is governed by the
      mechanical forces within multilayered flat and curved epithelia. We derive the
      energy function for an epithelial sheet of cells considering intercellular
      adhesive and intracellular contractile forces. We determine computationally the
      cell morphologies that minimize the energy function for a wide range of cellular
      parameters. Depending on the dominant adhesive and contractile forces, we find
      four dominant cell morphologies for the multilayered-layered flat sheet and three
      dominant cell morphologies for the two-layered curved sheet. We study the
      transitions between the dominant cell morphologies for the two-layered flat sheet
      and find both continuous and discontinuous transitions and also the presence of
      multistable states. Matching our computational results with histological images,
      we conclude that apical contractile forces from the actomyosin belt in the
      epithelial cells is the dominant force determining cell shape in multilayered
      epithelia. Our computational model can guide tissue engineers in designing
      artificial multilayered epithelia, in terms of figuring out the cellular
      parameters needed to achieve realistic epithelial morphologies.

PMID- 28639564
TI  - Effect of an Ecological Executive Skill Training Program for School-aged Children
      with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Clinical
      Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As medication does not normalize outcomes of children with attention
      deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), especially in real-life functioning,
      nonpharmacological methods are important to target this field. This randomized
      controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effects of a comprehensive
      executive skill training program for school-aged children with ADHD in a
      relatively large sample. METHODS: The children (aged 6-12 years) with ADHD were
      randomized to the intervention or waitlist groups. A healthy control group was
      composed of gender- and age-matched healthy children. The intervention group
      received a 12-session training program for multiple executive skills. Executive
      function (EF), ADHD symptoms, and social functioning in the intervention and
      waitlist groups were evaluated at baseline and the end of the final training
      session. The healthy controls (HCs) were only assessed once at baseline. Repeated
      measures analyses of variance were used to compare EF, ADHD symptoms, and social
      function between intervention and waitlist groups. RESULTS: Thirty-eight children
      with ADHD in intervention group, 30 in waitlist group, and 23 healthy children in
      healthy control group were included in final analysis. At posttreatment,
      intervention group showed significantly lower Behavior Rating Inventory of
      Executive Function (BRIEF) total score (135.89 +/- 16.80 vs. 146.09 +/- 23.92, P=
      0.04) and monitoring score (18.05 +/- 2.67 vs. 19.77 +/- 3.10, P= 0.02), ADHD-IV
      overall score (41.11 +/- 7.48 vs. 47.20 +/- 8.47, P< 0.01), hyperactivity
      impulsivity (HI) subscale score (18.92 +/- 5.09 vs. 21.93 +/- 4.93, P= 0.02), and
      inattentive subscale score (22.18 +/- 3.56 vs. 25.27 +/- 5.06, P< 0.01), compared
      with the waitlist group. Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed
      significant interactions between time and group on the BRIEF inhibition subscale
      (F = 5.06, P= 0.03), working memory (F = 4.48, P= 0.04), ADHD-IV overall score (F
      = 21.72, P< 0.01), HI subscale score (F = 19.08, P< 0.01), and inattentive
      subscale score (F = 12.40, P< 0.01). Multiple-way analysis of variance showed
      significant differences on all variables of BRIEF, ADHD-rating scale-IV, and
      WEISS Functional Impairment Scale-Parent form (WFIRS-P) among the intervention
      and waitlist groups at posttreatment and HCs at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This
      randomized controlled study on executive skill training in a relatively large
      sample provided some evidences that the training could improve EF deficits,
      reduce problematic symptoms, and potentially enhance the social functioning in
      school-aged children with ADHD. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; NCT02327585.

PMID- 28639565
TI  - Diagnostic Performance of the GenoType MTBDRplus and MTBDRsl Assays to Identify
      Tuberculosis Drug Resistance in Eastern China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The WHO recently has recommended the GenoType MTBDRplus version 1.0
      and MTBDRsl version 1.0 assays for widespread use in countries endemic with drug
      resistant tuberculosis. Despite this, these assays have rarely been evaluated in
      China, where the burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis is among the highest
      globally. METHODS: Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates were obtained
      between January 2008 and December 2008. Isolates were tested for drug resistance
      against rifampicin (RFP) and isoniazid (INH) using the GenoType MTBDRplus assay
      and drug resistance against ethambutol (EMB), ofloxacin (OFX), and kanamycin (KM)
      using the Genotype MTBDRsl assay. These results were compared with conventional
      drug-susceptibility testing (DST). RESULTS: Readable results were obtained from
      235 strains by GenoType MTBDRplus assay. Compared to DST, the sensitivity of
      GenoType MTBDRplus assay to detect RFP, INH, and multidrug resistance was 97.7%,
      69.9%, and 69.8%, respectively, whereas the specificity for detecting RFP, INH,
      and multidrug resistance was 66.7%, 69.2%, and 76.8%, respectively. The
      sensitivity and specificity of the GenoType MTBDRsl assay were 90.9% and 95.2%
      for OFX, 77.8% and 99.5% for KM, 63.7% and 86.4% for EMB, respectively. Mutations
      in codon S531L of the rpoB gene and codon S315T1 of KatG gene were dominated in
      multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strains. CONCLUSIONS: In combination
      with DST, application of the GenoType MTBDRplus and MTBDRsl assays may be a
      useful supplementary tool to allow a rapid and safe diagnosis of multidrug
      resistance and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

PMID- 28639566
TI  - Research of Medical Expenditure among Inpatients with Unstable Angina Pectoris in
      a Single Center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With the rising incidence as well as the medical expenditure among
      patients with unstable angina pectoris, the research aimed to investigate the
      inpatient medical expenditure through the combination of diagnosis-related groups
      (DRGs) among patients with unstable angina pectoris in a Grade A tertiary
      hospital to conduct the referential standards of medical costs for the diagnosis.
      METHODS: Single-factor analysis and multiple linear stepwise regression method
      were used to investigate 3933 cases between 2014 and 2016 in Beijing Hospital
      (China) whose main diagnosis was defined as unstable angina pectoris to determine
      the main factors influencing the inpatient medical expenditure, and decision tree
      method was adopted to establish the model of DRGs grouping combinations. RESULTS:
      The major influential factors of inpatient medical expenditure included age,
      operative method, therapeutic effects as well as comorbidity and complications
      (CCs) of the disease, and the 3933 cases were divided into ten DRGs by four
      factors: age, CCs, therapeutic effects, and the type of surgery with
      corresponding inpatient medical expenditure standards setup. Data of
      nonparametric test on medical costs among different groups were all significant
      (P < 0.001, by Kruskal-Wallis test), with R2 = 0.53 and coefficient of variation
      (CV) = 0.524. CONCLUSIONS: The classification of DRGs by adopting the type of
      surgery as the main branch node to develop cost control standards in inpatient
      treatment of unstable angina pectoris is conducive in standardizing the diagnosis
      and treatment behaviors of the hospital and reducing economic burdens among
      patients.

PMID- 28639567
TI  - Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection as a Cause of Acute Myocardial Infarction
      in Young Female Population: A Single-center Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a nonatherosclerotic
      but a rare and extremely dangerous clinical entity, it has a high prevalence in
      young female population with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The previous
      reports were restricted to other countries' population, but rare in China. Hence,
      this study aimed to focus on the characteristics of SCAD as a cause of young
      female AMI population in Jiangsu, China. METHODS: This study enrolled young
      female AMI patients aged <=50 years who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) and
      intracoronary imaging in our center between January 2013 and December 2016. Their
      clinical presentations, risk factors, and CAG characteristics were analyzed.
      RESULTS: A total of 60 young female AMI (<7 days) patients were enrolled. From
      their CAG and intracoronary imaging results, the prevalence of SCAD in young
      female AMI population was 35% (21/60), the prevalence of coronary
      atherosclerostic heart disease was 65% (39/60). In the SCAD group, 43% (9/21)
      presented with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and the remainder
      presenting as STEMI. SCAD usually occurred in a single vessel (20/21, 95%),
      especially in left anterior descending artery (14/21, 67%). Eighteen patients
      (18/21, 86%) underwent conservative treatment, whereas the remaining three
      patients (3/21, 14%) underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Regarding the
      angiographic results of SCAD lesions, intramural hematoma was discriminated in
      95% (20/21), and Type I imaging was observed in 5% (1/21), Type II was observed
      in 67% (14/21), and Type III was 29% (6/21). The average stenosis in the group
      was 76.9% +/- 20.6%, and the mean lesion length was 36.6 +/- 8.6 mm. CONCLUSIONS:
      SCAD has a high prevalence in young female AMI population in Jiangsu, China.
      Discriminating the cause of AMI in young female population is very important.

PMID- 28639568
TI  - Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Operation of Ebstein's
      Anomaly: A Retrospective Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ebstein's anomaly (EA) has various spectrums in clinical and anatomic
      features. This study aimed to report the experience of two-dimensional
      intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (2D-ITEE) during the EA surgery
      and to analyze the characteristics of the tricuspid valve (TV) by comparing the
      data from 2D-ITEE with the results from the surgery. METHODS: 2D-ITEE data of 164
      patients with EA who were operated in the First Hospital of Tsinghua University
      between July 2004 and April 2014 were retrospectively analyzed in this study. 2D
      ITEE was applied in all patients. Downward displacement distances were measured,
      and the numbers of downward displacement or absent leaflets were compared with
      that of the surgery and with that of the two-dimensional-transthoracic
      echocardiogram (2D-TTE). Data comparison was performed using the Chi-square test.
      RESULTS: The anterior leaflet partial or total downward displacement was 37.76 +/
      17.50 mm in 54 cases, absent in one patient; septal leaflet downward
      displacement was 29.07 +/- 12.34 mm in 134 cases, absent in 17 cases; and
      posterior leaflet downward displacement was 43.18 +/- 19.16 mm in 115 cases,
      absent in 34 cases. Statistically, there was no significant difference between
      the results from 2D-ITEE and that of 2D-TTE. The consistency rates of 2D-ITEE
      with operation for septal and posterior leaflets were 93.2% and 96.1%,
      respectively, while the rate for anterior was only 40.1%, which was significantly
      different. Color Doppler flow image showed severe regurgitation in 150 cases and
      moderate in 14 cases. After surgical correction, moderate regurgitation of TV was
      found in 58 cases with 2D-ITEE, repair was performed again until the effect was
      satisfied. No complication occurred relating to the use of 2D-ITEE. CONCLUSIONS:
      2D-ITEE could help diagnose anterior leaflet, evaluate the effect of TV repair,
      increase operational success rate, and reduce complication.

PMID- 28639569
TI  - Performance of Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 In Predicting Hospital
      Mortality In Emergency Intensive Care Unit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since the 1980s, severity of illness scoring systems has gained
      increasing popularity in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Physicians used them for
      predicting mortality and assessing illness severity in clinical trials. The
      objective of this study was to assess the performance of Simplified Acute
      Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) and its customized equation for Australasia
      (Australasia SAPS 3, SAPS 3 [AUS]) in predicting clinical prognosis and hospital
      mortality in emergency ICU (EICU). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the EICU
      including 463 patients was conducted between January 2013 and December 2015 in
      the EICU of Peking University Third Hospital. The worst physiological data of
      enrolled patients were collected within 24 h after admission to calculate SAPS 3
      score and predicted mortality by regression equation. Discrimination between
      survivals and deaths was assessed by the area under the receiver operator
      characteristic curve (AUC). Calibration was evaluated by Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness
      of-fit test through calculating the ratio of observed-to-expected numbers of
      deaths which is known as the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). RESULTS: A total
      of 463 patients were enrolled in the study, and the observed hospital mortality
      was 26.1% (121/463). The patients enrolled were divided into survivors and
      nonsurvivors. Age, SAPS 3 score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation
      Score II (APACHE II), and predicted mortality were significantly higher in
      nonsurvivors than survivors (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The AUC (95% confidence
      intervals [CI s]) for SAPS 3 score was 0.836 (0.796-0.876). The maximum of
      Youden's index, cutoff, sensitivity, and specificity of SAPS 3 score were 0.526%,
      70.5 points, 66.9%, and 85.7%, respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit
      test for SAPS 3 demonstrated a Chi-square test score of 10.25, P = 0.33, SMR (95%
      CI) = 0.63 (0.52-0.76). The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test for SAPS 3 (AUS)
      demonstrated a Chi-square test score of 9.55, P = 0.38, SMR (95% CI) = 0.68 (0.57
      0.81). Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted for biochemical
      variables that were probably correlated to prognosis. Eventually, blood urea
      nitrogen (BUN), albumin,lactate and free triiodothyronine (FT3) were selected as
      independent risk factors for predicting prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: The SAPS 3 score
      system exhibited satisfactory performance even superior to APACHE II in
      discrimination. In predicting hospital mortality, SAPS 3 did not exhibit good
      calibration and overestimated hospital mortality, which demonstrated that SAPS 3
      needs improvement in the future.

PMID- 28639570
TI  - Menorrhagia and Uterine Volume Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in
      Patients with Adenomyosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adenomyosis is a gynecological disorder with symptoms most presenting
      as dysmenorrhea and heavy menstrual bleeding. However, the presence of lower
      urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) among women with adenomyosis remains unclear. This
      study was designed to determine the prevalence of LUTS and factors related to the
      severity of these symptoms in this population. METHODS: From July 2016 to
      November 2016, a total of 298 untreated symptomatic adenomyosis patients and 280
      age-matched controls were enrolled. Demographics, LUTS, pain symptoms,
      ultrasonographic uterine size, and serum CA125 level were recorded. LUTS were
      evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire.
      Factors related to the severity of LUTS were detected using the logistic
      regression analysis presented as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval
      (CI). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients with adenomyosis had a
      greater IPSS total (4 [2-8] vs. 2 [0-3], Z = -8.159, P 0.001), IPSS storage (2 [1
      4] vs. 1[0-2], Z = -7.361 P 0.001), and IPSS voiding (2 [0-4] vs. 0 [0-1], Z = 
      7.194, P 0.001). Of the patients with adenomyosis, 30.2% had moderate-to-severe
      lower urinary tract symptoms (IPSS >=8). The most prevalent LUTS were daytime
      frequency (40.9%), followed by nocturia (24.8%), weak stream (24.2%), and
      incomplete emptying (23.5%). In study group, patients with an IPSS total score
      >=8 had higher proportion of menorrhagia (51.1% vs. 30.8%, chi2= 11.162 P= 0.025)
      and larger uterine volumes (183.3 [109.8-273.8] cm3 vs. 148.5 [96.4-262.7] cm3, Z
      = -1.441, P= 0.150) compared to patients with an IPSS total score <8. On
      multivariate logistic regression analysis, patients with menorrhagia were
      associated with an increased risk of an IPSS total score >=8 (OR: 2.309, 95% CI:
      1.310-4.070, P= 0.004), an IPSS storage subscore >=4 (OR: 2.422, 95% CI: 1.395
      4.206, P= 0.002), and an IPSS voiding subscore >=5 (OR: 1.971, 95% CI: 1.176
      3.302, P= 0.010). However, patients with uterine volume more than 180 cm3 had
      more than 2-fold risk of bearing IPSS total score >=8 (OR: 2.437, 95% CI: 1.381
      4.300, P= 0.002), IPSS storage subscore >=4 (OR: 2.486, 95% CI: 1.433-4.314, P=
      0.001), and IPSS voiding subscore >=5 (OR: 2.700, 95% CI: 1.485-4.908, P= 0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Lower urinary tract symptoms are prevalent in patients with
      symptomatic adenomyosis and greatly affect patients' quality of life. Menorrhagia
      and large uterine volume could be potential risk factors that increase the
      occurrence of moderate-to-severe LUTS.

PMID- 28639571
TI  - Recurrence Factors in Giant Cell Tumors of the Spine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Giant cell tumors (GCTs) are benign, locally aggressive tumors. We
      examined the rate of local recurrence of spinal GCTs and sought to identify
      recurrence factors in patients who underwent surgery. METHODS: Between 1995 and
      2014, 94 mobile spine GCT patients were treated at our hospital, comprising 43
      male and 51 female patients with an average age of 33.4 years. Piecemeal
      intralesional spondylectomy and total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) were performed.
      Radiotherapy was suggested for recurrent or residual GCT cases. Since denosumab
      was not available before 2014 in our country, only interferon and/or zoledronic
      acid was suggested. RESULTS: Of the 94 patients, four underwent conservative
      treatment and 90 underwent operations. Seventy-five patients (79.8%) were
      followed up for a minimum of 24 months or until death. The median follow-up
      duration was 75.3 months. The overall recurrence rate was 37.3%. Ten patients
      (13.3%) died before the last follow-up (median: 18.5 months). Two patients (2.6%)
      developed osteogenic sarcoma. The local recurrence rate was 80.0% (24/30) in
      patients who underwent intralesional curettage, 8.8% (3/34) in patients who
      underwent extracapsular piecemeal spondylectomy, and 0 (0/9) in patients who
      underwent TES. The risk factors for local recurrence were lesions located in the
      cervical spine (P = 0.049), intralesional curettage (P < 0.001), repeated
      surgeries (P = 0.014), and malignancy (P < 0.001). Malignant transformation was a
      significant risk factor for death (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cervical spinal
      tumors, curettage, and nonintact tumors were risk factors for local recurrence.
      Intralesional curettage and malignancy were the most important significant
      factors for local recurrence and death, respectively.

PMID- 28639573
TI  - A Transcriptomic Analysis of Physiological Significance of Hypoxia-inducible
      Factor-1alpha in Myogenesis and Carbohydrate Metabolism of Genioglossus in Mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic intermittent hypoxia is the most remarkable feature of
      obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome and it can induce the change of hypoxia
      inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) expression and contractile properties in the
      genioglossus. To clarify the role of HIF-1alpha in contractile properties of the
      genioglossus, this study generated and compared high-throughput RNA-sequencing
      data from genioglossus between HIF-1alpha conditional knockout (KO) mice and
      littermate wild-type (WT) mice. METHODS: KO mice were generated with cre-loxP
      strategy. Gene expression profile analysis was performed using gene enrichment
      analysis. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)
      pathway analyses of differently expressed messenger RNAs were performed to
      identify the related pathways and biological functions. Six differentially
      expressed genes (DEGs) were validated by qualitative reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: A total of 142 (77 upregulated and 65
      downregulated) transcripts were found to exhibit statistically significant
      difference between the HIF-1alpha-KO and WT mice. GO and KEGG analyses indicated
      that DEGs included genes involved in "skeletal muscle cell differentiation,"
      "muscle organ development," "glucose metabolic process," "glycogen biosynthetic
      and metabolic process," etc. CONCLUSION: This study might provide evidence that
      HIF-1alpha affects the expression of multiple genes involved in the myogenesis,
      muscle development, and carbohydrate metabolism through transcriptome analysis in
      conditional HIF-1alpha-KO mice.

PMID- 28639572
TI  - Relation of Biochemical Parameters with Flow-mediated Dilatation in Patients with
      Metabolic Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the high cardiovascular (CV)
      situations. Endothelial dysfunction, which is a common finding in patients with
      MetS, is related with increased CV risk. In patients with MetS, the effect of the
      major CV risk factors, not included in the MetS definition, on endothelial
      dysfunction is not well known. The aim of this study was to determine the effect
      of major CV risk factors such as gender, smoking, family history, and biochemical
      parameters on endothelial dysfunction in patients with MetS. METHODS: The study
      was performed between December 2010 and August 2014. A total of 55 patients (15
      females and 40 males) with MetS and 81 healthy controls (37 females and 44 males)
      with a body mass index <25 kg/m2 were enrolled in the study. Endothelial
      dysfunction was measured by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), oxidative stress
      parameters; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), oxidized low-density
      lipoprotein (ox-LDL), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (e-NOS), nitric oxide,
      and cell adhesion markers; von Willebrand factor, and e-selectin. Platelet
      aggregation (endothelial adenosine diphosphate), total platelet count, and mean
      platelet volume were additionally analyzed and demographic parameters were
      explored. Student's t- test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Chi-square test were used
      to analyze the results. RESULTS: The fasting blood glucose (z= 3.52, P= 0.001),
      hs-CRP (z = 3.23, P= 0.004), ox-LDL (z = 2.62, P= 0.013), and e-NOS (z = 2.22, P=
      0.026) levels and cardiac risk score (z = 5.23, P< 0.001) were significantly
      higher in patients with MetS compared with the control group. Smoking was
      correlated with decreased FMD (chi2 = 9.26, P= 0.002) in MetS patients but not in
      the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Increased ox-LDL, hs-CRP, and e-NOS are likely to
      be a result of oxidative stress, a condition in which an imbalance occurs between
      the production and inactivation of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species. In
      addition, in patients with MetS, smoking is independently related to endothelial
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28639574
TI  - MiR-551b-5p Contributes to Pathogenesis of Vein Graft Failure via Upregulating
      Early Growth Response-1 Expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vein graft failure (VGF) is a serious complication of coronary artery
      bypass graft, although the mechanism remains unclear. The study aimed to
      investigate the effects of microRNAs (miRNAs) on the endothelial dysfunction
      involved in VGF. METHODS: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were
      subjected to mechanical stretch stimulation to induce endothelial dysfunction.
      Genome-wide transcriptome profiling was performed using the Human miRNA
      OneArray(r) V4 (PhalanxBio Inc., San Diego, USA). The miRNA-messenger RNA (mRNA)
      network was investigated using gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and
      Genomes. The miR-551b-5p mimic and inhibitor were applied to regulate miR-551b-5p
      expression in the HUVECs. The 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR), and Western blotting (WB) were used to assess HUVECs
      proliferation, mRNA expression, and protein expression, respectively. The vein
      graft model was established in early growth response (Egr)-1 knockout (KO) mice
      and wide-type (WT) C57BL/6J mice for pathological and immunohistochemical
      analysis. Endothelial cells isolated from the veins of WT and Egr-1 KO mice were
      subjected to mechanical stretch stimulation; PCR and WB were conducted to confirm
      the regulatory effect of Egr-1 on Intercellular adhesion molecule (Icam-1). One
      way analysis of variance and independent t-test were performed for data analysis.
      RESULTS: Thirty-eight miRNAs were differentially expressed in HUVECs after
      mechanical stretch stimulation. The bioinformatics analysis revealed that Egr-1
      might be involved in VGF and was a potential target gene of miR-551b-5p. The
      mechanical stretch stimulation increased miR-551b-5p expression by 2.93 +/- 0.08
      fold (t = 3.07, P < 0.05), compared with the normal HUVECs. Transfection with the
      miR-551b-5p mimic or inhibitor increased expression of miR-551b-5p by 793.1 +/-
      171.6 fold (t = 13.84, P < 0.001) or decreased by 26.3% +/- 2.4% (t = 26.39, P <
      0.05) in the HUVECs, respectively. HUVECs proliferation and EGR-1 mRNA expression
      were significantly suppressed by inhibiting miR-551b-5p expression (P < 0.05).
      The lumens of the vein grafts in the Egr-1 KO mice were wider than that in the WT
      mice. Icam-1 expression was suppressed significantly in the Egr-1 KO vein grafts
      (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased miR-551b-5p expression leads to endothelial
      dysfunction by upregulating Egr-1 expression. EGR-1 KO can improve the function
      of a grafted vein through suppressing Icam-1.

PMID- 28639575
TI  - Account for Clinical Heterogeneity in Assessment of Catheter-based Renal
      Denervation among Resistant Hypertension Patients: Subgroup Meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) is a novel treatment for
      resistant hypertension (RH). A recent meta-analysis reported that RDN did not
      significantly reduce blood pressure (BP) based on the pooled effects with mild to
      severe heterogeneity. The aim of the present study was to identify and reduce
      clinical sources of heterogeneity and reassess the safety and efficacy of RDN
      within the identified homogeneous subpopulations. METHODS: This was a meta
      analysis of 9 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) among patients with RH up to June
      2016. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were extensively conducted by
      baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) level, antihypertensive medication change
      rates, and coronary heart disease (CHD). RESULTS: In all patients with RH, no
      statistical differences were found in mortality, severe cardiovascular events
      rate, and changes in 24-h SBP and office SBP at 6 and 12 months. However,
      subgroup analyses showed significant differences between the RDN and control
      groups. In the subpopulations with baseline 24-h SBP >=155 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133
      kPa) and the infrequently changed medication, the use of RDN resulted in a
      significant reduction in 24-h SBP level at 6 months (P = 0.100 and P= 0.009,
      respectively). Subgrouping RCTs with a higher prevalent CHD in control showed
      that the control treatment was significantly better than RDN in office SBP
      reduction at 6 months (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In all patients with RH, the
      catheter-based RDN is not more effective in lowering ambulatory or office BP than
      an optimized antihypertensive drug treatment at 6 and 12 months. However, among
      RH patients with higher baseline SBP, RDN might be more effective in reducing
      SBP.

PMID- 28639577
TI  - Characteristics of Good's Syndrome in China: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Good's syndrome (GS) is a rare disease characterized by thymoma,
      hypogammaglobulinemia, low or absent B-cells, decreased T-cells, an inverted
      CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio and reduced T-cell mitogen proliferative responses. GS is
      difficult to diagnose preoperatively due to its rarity and lack of typical
      symptoms, the characteristics of Chinese GS patients are still lacking. This
      study aimed to systematically review all the clinical, laboratory, and
      immunologic findings of reported cases of Chinese patients with GS. METHODS: We
      searched for case reports and articles up to January 2017 using PubMed, China
      National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wangfang database and China Science and
      Technology Journal Database with the following words in combinations as key
      words: "thymoma," "hypogammaglobulinemia," and "Good's syndrome." The text words
      and MeSH terms were entered depending on the databases characteristics. The
      reference lists from retrieved articles were also screened for additional
      applicable studies. The authors were restricted to Chinese. There was no language
      restriction. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were reported in 27 studies. We found
      that GS has a nationwide distribution and that most cases (83%) have been
      described on the mainland of China. The initial clinical presentation is varied,
      ranging from symptoms related to the thymoma to infections resulting from
      immunodeficiency. Type AB (50%) is the most common histologic type of thymomas in
      Chinese GS patients according to the World Health Organization classification of
      thymomas. With respect to infection, sinopulmonary infection (74%) is the most
      common type, followed by skin infection (10%) and intestinal tract infection
      (10%). Diarrhea was presented in 36% of patients, and autoimmune manifestations
      were presented in 36% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: GS is a rare association of
      thymoma and immunodeficiency with a poor prognosis. Astute clinical acumen and
      increased awareness of the clinical and immunological profile of GS are needed to
      increase early diagnosis, that would benefit improved therapeutic effects.

PMID- 28639576
TI  - Laparoscopic Versus Open Resection of Small Bowel Gastrointestinal Stromal
      Tumors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic resection (LAP) for small bowel gastrointestinal stromal
      tumors (GISTs) is not as common as for stomach. This study aimed to evaluate the
      safety and efficacy of LAP for small bowel GISTs with systematic review and meta
      analysis. METHODS: The Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed
      databases before December 2016 were comprehensively searched to retrieve
      comparative trials of LAP and conventional open resection (OPEN) for GISTs of
      small bowel with a relevance of review object. These researches reported
      intraoperative and postoperative clinical course (operation time, blood loss,
      time to first flatus and oral intake, hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality),
      oncologic outcomes, and long-term survival status. RESULTS: Six studies involving
      391 patients were identified. Compared to OPEN, LAP had associated with a shorter
      operation time (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -27.97 min, 95% confidence
      interval [CI]: -49.40--6.54, P < 0.01); less intraoperative blood loss (WMD = 
      0.72 ml; 95% CI: -1.30--0.13, P = 0.02); earlier time to flatus (WMD = -0.83 day;
      95% CI: -1.44--0.22, P < 0.01); earlier time to restart oral intake (WMD = -1.95
      days; 95% CI: -3.31--0.60, P < 0.01); shorter hospital stay (WMD = -3.00 days;
      95% CI: -4.87--1.13, P < 0.01); and a decrease in overall complications (risk
      ratio = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.33-0.97, P = 0.04). In addition, the tumor recurrence and
      long-term survival rate showed that there was no significant difference between
      the two groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: LAP for small bowel GISTs is a safe and
      feasible procedure with shorter operation time, less blood loss, less overall
      complications, and quicker recovery. Besides, tumor recurrence and the long-term
      survival rate are similar to open approach. Because of the limitations of this
      study, methodologically high-quality studies are needed for certain appraisal.

PMID- 28639578
TI  - Ten Basic Principles about Critical Ultrasonography: Critical Care Practitioners
      Need to Know.

PMID- 28639579
TI  - Postherpetic Comedones in Two Chinese Han Patients.

PMID- 28639580
TI  - Robot-assisted Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement Using Three-Dimensional
      Fluoroscopy: A Preliminary Clinical Study.

PMID- 28639581
TI  - A Unique Lesion of the Esophageal Mucosal Epithelium: Low-grade Intraepithelial
      Neoplasia or Basal-layer-type Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

PMID- 28639582
TI  - Surgical Treatment of a Giant Spontaneous Abdominal Wall Hematoma.

PMID- 28639583
TI  - Outpatient Surgery in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center: Promise and Problems.

PMID- 28639584
TI  - Rehabilitation of Abducens Nerve Palsy after Cholesteatoma Resection at
      Cerebellopontine Angle by Intraorbital Electroacupuncture.

PMID- 28639585
TI  - Intraorbital Granular Cell Tumor Involving in Medial Rectus and Optic Nerve.

PMID- 28639586
TI  - Comparing Shikani Optical Stylet and Macintosh Laryngoscope for Orotracheal
      Intubation.

PMID- 28639587
TI  - Reply to "Comparing Shikani Optical Stylet and Macintosh Laryngoscope for
      Orotracheal Intubation".

PMID- 28639588
TI  - Reconsidering axillary surgery for early breast cancer.

PMID- 28639589
TI  - Potential danger of isolated platelet transfusion in patients with dengue
      infection.

PMID- 28639590
TI  - Wheezing in children with viral infection & its long-term effects.

PMID- 28639591
TI  - Manochaitanya programme for better utilization of primary health centres.

PMID- 28639592
TI  - Current status of lupus nephritis.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic disease of unknown aetiology
      with variable course and prognosis. Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the important
      disease manifestations of SLE with considerable influence on patient outcomes.
      Immunosuppression therapy has made it possible to control the disease with
      improved life expectancy and quality of life. In the last few decades, various
      studies across the globe have clarified the role, dose and duration of
      immunosuppression currently in use and also provided evidence for new agents such
      as mycophenolate mofetil, calcineurin inhibitors and rituximab. However, there is
      still a need to develop new and specific therapy with less adverse effects. In
      this review, the current evidence of the treatment of LN and its evolution, and
      new classification criteria for SLE have been discussed. Also, rationale for low
      dose intravenous cyclophosphamide as induction agent followed by azathioprine as
      maintenance agent has been provided with emphasis on individualized and holistic
      approach.

PMID- 28639594
TI  - Viral aetiology of wheezing in children under five.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Wheezing is a common problem in children under five with
      acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Viruses are known to be responsible for a
      considerable proportion of ARIs in children. This study was undertaken to know
      the viral aetiology of wheezing among the children less than five years of age,
      admitted to a tertiary care hospital in eastern India. METHODS: Seventy five
      children, under the age of five years admitted with wheezing, were included in
      the study. Throat and nasal swabs were collected, and real-time multiplex
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was used to screen for influenza 1 and 2,
      respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV) 1, 2, 3 and 4,
      rhinovirus, human meta-pneumovirus, bocavirus (HBoV), Coronavirus, adenovirus,
      Enterovirus and Parechovirus. RESULTS: The total viral detection rate was 28.57
      per cent. Viral RNA markers were detected from children diagnosed to be having
      pneumonia (3 cases), bronchiolitis (9 cases), episodic wheeze (2 cases) and
      multitrigger wheeze (6 cases). RSV was the most common virus (35%) followed by
      PIV1, 2 and 3 (20%), HBoV (10%) and rhinovirus (5%). However, mixed infection was
      observed in 30 per cent of cases. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The study
      reported the presence of respiratory viral agents in 28.57 per cent of children
      with wheezing; RSV and PIV were most common, accounting to 55 per cent of the
      total cases. Mixed infection was reported in 30 per cent of cases. Seasonal
      variation in the occurrence of these viruses was also noted. Further studies need
      to be done with a large sample and longer follow up period to verify these
      findings.

PMID- 28639593
TI  - Synaptic roles of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 & its implications in epilepsy.
AB  - There is an urgent need to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying
      epilepsy to find novel prognostic/diagnostic biomarkers to prevent epilepsy
      patients at risk. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is involved in multiple
      neuronal functions and plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostatic synaptic
      plasticity by regulating intracellular signalling cascades at synapses. CDK5
      deregulation is shown to be associated with various neurodegenerative diseases
      such as Alzheimer's disease. The association between chronic loss of CDK5 and
      seizures has been reported in animal models of epilepsy. Genetic expression of
      CDK5 at transcriptome level has been shown to be abnormal in intractable
      epilepsy. In this review various possible mechanisms by which deregulated CDK5
      may alter synaptic transmission and possibly lead to epileptogenesis have been
      discussed. Further, CDK5 has been proposed as a potential biomarker as well as a
      pharmacological target for developing treatments for epilepsy.

PMID- 28639595
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis of steroid 21-hydroxylase-deficient congenital adrenal
      hyperplasia: Experience from a tertiary care centre in India.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an autosomal
      recessive disorder with a wide range of clinical manifestations. The disease is
      attributed to mutations in CYP21A2 gene encoding 21-hydroxylase enzyme. In view
      of severe phenotype in salt-losing cases, issues related to genital ambiguity in
      girls and precocity in boys, most families opt for prenatal testing and
      termination of affected foetus. CAH can be diagnosed in utero through direct
      molecular analysis of CYP21A2 gene, using DNA extracted from foetal tissues or
      cells obtained from chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis. The objective of
      this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of prenatal diagnosis
      (PND) using sequencing and multiplex ligation probe amplification (MLPA) methods
      in families at risk for CAH. METHODS: Fifteen pregnant women at risk of having an
      affected offspring with CAH were included in this study. Ten families had
      previous affected children with salt-wasting/simple virilising form of CAH and
      five families did not have live children but had a high index of suspicion for
      CAH in previous children based on history or records. Mutation analysis was
      carried out by Sanger sequencing and MLPA method. RESULTS: Seven different
      mutations were identified in 15 families. Deletions and I2g mutation were the
      most common. Of the 15 foetuses analyzed, nine were unaffected while six were
      affected. Unaffected foetuses were delivered, they were clinically normal and
      their genotype was found to be concordant to the prenatal report. All except two
      families reported in the second trimester. None of the couples opted for prenatal
      treatment. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary findings show that PND
      by direct mutation analysis along with MLPA is a feasible strategy that can be
      offered to families at risk.

PMID- 28639596
TI  - Guillain-Barre syndrome: Demographics, clinical profile & seasonal variation in a
      tertiary care centre of central India.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease
      and a recognized cause of generalized progressive paralysis worldwide. The
      present study was aimed to document the clinical findings, demographics and
      seasonal variations amongst the patients with GBS during the hospital stay.
      METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 66 referred cases diagnosed as GBS was
      conducted. Medical records and the data related to age, sex, antecedent illness,
      duration of symptoms before admission, muscle power graded by the Medical
      Research Council scale, functional scores, details of Intensive Care Unit
      complications and need for ventilation were obtained. The patients were divided
      into four seasonal groups: S1 (spring, February to April), S2 (summer, May to
      July), S3 (rainy, August to October) and S4 (winter, November to January) and
      parameters were studied. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 40.69 yr.
      Forty one (62.1%) patients had a history of preceding illness. Forty nine (74.2%)
      patients showed quadriparesis as most common complaint. Thirty three (50%)
      patients were of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) variant.
      The highest number of GBS cases (60%) was found in S1 and S2. The maximum
      duration of hospital stay was observed in S3 group (mean 23 days). INTERPRETATION
      & CONCLUSIONS: GBS seems to affect all age groups with male preponderance. Most
      common antecedent event and presenting feature were flu-like illness and
      quadriparesis, respectively. AIDP was the most common variant. Most cases
      occurred from February to July (S1 and S2 group) (maximum in July) with preceding
      influenza and diarrhoea and maximum duration of hospital stay was observed in S3
      group. Prospective studies with follow up of GBS patients need to be done to
      confirm findings.

PMID- 28639597
TI  - Evaluation of 75 g glucose load in non-fasting state [Diabetes in Pregnancy Study
      group of India (DIPSI) criteria] as a diagnostic test for gestational diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: There is no consensus regarding optimal standard for
      diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In this study, use of 75 g
      glucose load in non-fasting state [Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group of India
      (DIPSI) criteria] as a diagnostic test for GDM in pregnant women was compared
      with different oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). METHODS: This prospective
      study included 936 pregnant women, who underwent plasma glucose evaluation two
      hours after the challenge of 75 g glucose load irrespective of the timing of last
      meal (DIPSI criteria for GDM). After three days, standard 75 g OGTT was done in
      all women irrespective of previous plasma glucose value. Accuracy of the first
      result was compared to OGTT using cut-offs as per the World Health Organization
      (WHO) and International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups
      (IADPSG) criteria for the diagnosis of GDM. RESULTS: Of the total 936 pregnant
      women, 73 (7.8%) patients had plasma glucose value >=140 mg/dl when measured two
      hours after glucose load. When comparing with the WHO and IADPSG criteria, the
      sensitivity values were 65.1 and 74.1 per cent, respectively, and the
      corresponding specificity values were 96.3 and 96.9 per cent, respectively. On
      comparing with the WHO OGTT, only 41 of the 73 (56.2%) were true positives,
      whereas when IADPSG criteria were used, true positives were 46 (63%). False
      negative cases were also present when classified by the WHO and IADPSG criteria
      though in lesser numbers than false positives. The positive predictive values
      (PPVs) for the WHO and IADPSG criteria were 56.1 and 63 per cent, respectively,
      and their corresponding negative predictive values were 97.7 and 97.9 per cent,
      respectively. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that when 75 g
      glucose load in non-fasting state was used as a diagnostic test for GDM, almost
      one quarter of patients with GDM escaped diagnosis as sensitivity values were
      low. On the other hand, some GDM cases were falsely labelled as normal as this
      test did not account for cases of fasting hyperglycaemia. In addition, comparison
      with other OGTTs showed low PPVs. Hence, use of DIPSI criteria for diagnosing GDM
      must be reconsidered till further validation.

PMID- 28639598
TI  - Haematological profile of patients with mixed-phenotype acute leukaemia from a
      tertiary care centre of north India.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Mixed-phenotype acute leukaemia (MPAL) is a rare
      neoplasm with no definite treatment protocols and a distinctly poor outcome.
      Advancement in polychromatic flow cytometry has made its identification easier.
      This prospective study was designed to identify cases of MPAL and study their
      clinical presentation and haematological profile in a tertiary care hospital in
      north India. METHODS: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-anticoagulated bone
      marrow aspirate samples of patients diagnosed as acute leukaemia (AL) on the
      basis of morphology were utilized for immunophenotyping. A comprehensive panel of
      fluorochrome-labelled monoclonal antibodies targeting myeloid, B-cell, T-cell and
      immaturity markers was utilized. The patients diagnosed to have MPAL, on the
      basis of the World Health Organization 2008 classification, were selected for
      further analyses. RESULTS: There were 15 (2.99%) patients with MPAL of the total
      501 cases of AL. Seven were children, all males and mean age of 5.08+/-3.88 yr.
      Eight were adults, male:female=6:2 and mean age of 21.43+/-5.74 yr. Eight were
      diagnosed as B/myeloid and seven were T/myeloid. No association was observed
      between age and immunophenotype of MPAL. On morphology, 11 were diagnosed as AML
      and four as ALL, and no specific morphology of blasts was predictive of a MPAL.
      INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: MPAL appeared to be a rare neoplasm (2.99% of AL
      cases). A comprehensive primary panel of monoclonal antibodies should be used to
      identify this neoplasm known to have a poor outcome.

PMID- 28639599
TI  - Comparative analysis of Luminex-based donor-specific antibody mean fluorescence
      intensity values with complement-dependent cytotoxicity & flow crossmatch results
      in live donor renal transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Antibodies specific to donor human leucocyte antigen
      (HLA) play a critical role in graft rejection and graft loss. In recent years,
      techniques for their detection have evolved significantly providing an ever
      increasing degree of sensitivity and specificity, from the conventional cell
      based assays to the advanced solid-phase system based on the Luminex platform.
      Consensus is still evolving on the routine employment of all these methods,
      either stand alone or in combination. The objective of this study was to explore
      the near-accurate mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) cut-off values detected on
      Luminex platform predicting the strength of cell-based crossmatch results.
      METHODS: Serum samples from 116 primary renal transplant recipients awaiting
      transplantation were tested for the presence of antidonor antibodies by the
      complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and flow crossmatch (FCXM) methods with
      their corresponding donors as well as for HLA-donor-specific antibodies (DSA)
      detection using a sensitive single antigen bead (SAB) assay. RESULTS: None of the
      patients having HLA Class I DSA with MFI values <1000 showed positivity for T
      cell FCXM or CDC crossmatch, while in the group having MFI values between 1000
      and 3000, 54 per cent showed positivity for the FCXM but none by the CDC method.
      However, in the group having MFI values >3000, 95 per cent of cases were positive
      for FCXM. Further, those groups with MFI values between 3000 and 5000, only 36
      per cent were positive for CDC crossmatch, while 90 per cent showed positivity in
      the group with MFI >7000. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: A cut-off MFI value of
      3000 for Luminex SAB-based assay was found to significantly correlate with the
      FCXM positivity while a MFI value of 7000 and above predicted a positive CDC
      crossmatch. MFI cut-off value obtained as a surrogate marker for CDC and FCXM
      tests will help in resolving the limitations of different cell-based techniques.

PMID- 28639600
TI  - Effects of polysaccharide fractions isolated from Caltha palustris L. on the
      activity of phagocytic cells & humoral immune response in mice with collagen
      induced arthritis: A comparison with methotrexate.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The extracts from Caltha palustris L. have been shown to
      be beneficial for treating arthritis and rheumatism. In this study, the
      immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharide fractions B and C of C. palustris
      extracts were studied, using the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse arthritis
      experimental model. The aim was to determine the activity of blood phagocytic
      cells and humoral immune response in CIA mice treated with polysaccharide
      fractions from C. palustris. METHODS: The effects of fractions B and C of C.
      palustris were explored by evaluating phagocytic activity of peripheral blood
      granulocytes and monocytes and humoral immune response in sheep red blood cell
      (SRBC)-immunized mice. The results were compared with methotrexate (MTX)
      treatment. Following the onset of CIA, DBA/1J mice were treated for 21 days with
      B or C fractions (10 mg/kg; i.p.) or MTX (every 48 h, 6.6 mg/kg; i.p.). RESULTS:
      The results showed that fraction B reduced the level of interleukin (IL)-1beta,
      boosted nitric oxide synthesis in murine peritoneal macrophages stimulated in
      vitro with lipopolysaccharide and enhanced the monocyte phagocytic activity.
      Exposure of SRBC-immunized mice to fraction B and MTX during the course of CIA
      resulted in decreased total anti-SRBC haemagglutinin titres. INTERPRETATION &
      CONCLUSIONS: Fraction B of C. palustris polysaccharides modulated macrophage
      function and exerted beneficial effects on the clinical course of CIA in mice.
      The results also suggested efficacy of fraction B was comparable to that of MTX
      treatment for certain parameters.

PMID- 28639602
TI  - Study of adverse drug reactions in patients with diabetes attending a tertiary
      care hospital in New Delhi, India.
AB  - The present prospective observational study was carried out in a tertiary care
      hospital in New Delhi, India from May 2014 to June 2015 to report adverse drug
      reactions (ADRs) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using
      antidiabetic drugs. A total of 220 patients (121 males, 99 females) were
      enrolled. ADRs were recorded on the prescribed form. Causality and severity
      assessment was done using Naranjo's probability scale and modified Hartwig and
      Siegel's severity scale, respectively. Commonly prescribed drugs were biguanides,
      peptide hormone and sulphonylurea. A total of 26 ADRs were recorded (16 in males
      and 10 in females). Most commonly observed ADRs were related to endocrine and
      gastrointestinal system. Severity assessment of ADRs showed seven (26.9%) ADRs as
      moderate, and 19 (73.1%) as mild. No severe reactions were observed. ADRs were
      mostly related to endocrine and gastrointestinal system. More information on
      prescribed drugs and their side effects is required for ensuring patient safety.

PMID- 28639601
TI  - Faecal microbiota of healthy adults in south India: Comparison of a tribal & a
      rural population.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The relevance of the gut microbiota to human health is
      increasingly appreciated. The objective of this study was to compare the gut
      microbiota of a group of adult tribals with that of healthy adult villagers in
      Tamil Nadu, India. METHODS: Faeces were collected from 10 healthy tribal adults
      (TAs) in the Jawadhi hills and from 10 healthy villagers [rural adults (RAs)] in
      Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. DNA was extracted, and 456 bp segments comprising
      hypervariable regions 3 and 4 of the 16S rRNA gene were amplified, barcoded and
      454 sequenced. RESULTS: Totally 227,710 good-quality reads were analyzed. TAs
      consumed a millets-based diet, ate pork every day, and did not consume milk or
      milk products. RAs consumed a rice-based diet with meat intake once a week. In
      both groups, Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum, followed by Proteobacteria,
      Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The median Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio
      was 34.0 in TA and 92.9 in RA groups. Actinobacteria were significantly low in
      TA, possibly due to non-consumption of milk. Clostridium constituted the most
      abundant genus in both groups, but was significantly more abundant in TAs than
      RAs, while Streptococcus was significantly more abundant in RA (P<0.05). Analyses
      of genetic distance revealed that the microbiota were distinctly different
      between TA and RA, and principal component analysis using 550 distinct
      taxonomically identifiable sequences revealed a clear separation of microbiota
      composition in the two groups. Phylogenetic analysis of major microbiota
      indicated clustering of microbial groups at different major branch points for TAs
      and RAs. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: Phylum Firmicutes and genus Clostridium
      constituted the bulk of the faecal microbiota, while significant differences in
      composition between the groups were probably due to differences in diet and
      lifestyle.

PMID- 28639604
TI  - Intraoral malignant melanoma.

PMID- 28639603
TI  - Serum prolactin levels in patients with psoriasis: Results of a pilot study.

PMID- 28639605
TI  - [The definition of sepsis. 25-year experience of concept development].
AB  - The review, presented in chronological order the stages of formation of the
      modern definition of sepsis syndrome, since the recommendations of the
      conciliation conference ACCP/SCCM (1991), the experience of the practical use of
      which has been extensively critically assessed in future studies. As a result, it
      formed a strong opinion that the global challenge of early diagnosis of sepsis,
      under the previously proposed definitive categories have not been solved,
      moreover, in the scientific community formed a firm belief in the need to make
      fundamental changes in the definition of the term 'sepsis'. As a result, in 2016
      the scientific community were presented the recommendations of the working group
      'Sepsis-3', in which sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction due
      to dysregulated response to infection, and fundamentally distinguish them from
      the former, is a laconic definitions and availability of diagnostic criteria.
      National expert community to analyze, discuss and define the field of clinical
      testing 'Sepsis-3' in the Russian Federation.

PMID- 28639606
TI  - [Non-occlusive form of acute mesenteric circulatory disorders: diagnosis and
      treatment].

PMID- 28639607
TI  - [The school of young academic psychiatrists on the occasion of the 110 birthday
      of A.V. Snezhnevsky].

PMID- 28639608
TI  - [A.S. Nikiforov, M.R. Guseva 'Oftalmoneurology'. M 2014].

PMID- 28639609
TI  - [IIId Congress Cerebrovascular Disorders and Stroke].

PMID- 28639610
TI  - [Interview with prof. I.A. Voznyuk].

PMID- 28639611
TI  - Masked hypertension and effort-reward imbalance at work among 2369 white-collar
      workers.
AB  - Hypertension is an important risk factor of cardiovascular diseases, the leading
      cause of death worldwide. Adverse effects of psychosocial factors at work might
      increase the risk of masked hypertension, but evidences are still scarce. The
      objective of this study is then to determine whether adverse psychosocial work
      factors from the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model are associated with the
      prevalence of masked hypertension in a population of white-collar workers. White
      collar workers were recruited from three public organizations. Blood pressure was
      measured at the workplace for manually operated measurements (mean of the first
      three readings taken by a trained assistant) followed by ambulatory measurements
      (mean of all subsequent readings taken during the working day). Masked
      hypertension was defined as manually operated BP<140/90 mm Hg and ambulatory BP
      ?135/85 mm Hg. ERI exposure at work was measured using Siegrist's validated
      questionnaire. Blood pressure readings were obtained from 2369 workers
      (participation proportion: 85%). ERI exposure (OR: 1.53 (95% CI: 1.16-2.02) and
      high efforts at work (OR: 1.61 (95% CI: 1.13-1.29) were associated with masked
      hypertension, after adjusting for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk
      factors. Workers exposed to an imbalance between efforts spent at work and reward
      had a higher prevalence of masked hypertension. High efforts at work might be of
      particular importance in explaining this association. Future studies should be
      designed to investigate how clinicians can include questions on psychosocial work
      factors to screen for masked hypertension and how workplace interventions can
      decrease adverse psychosocial exposures to lower BP.

PMID- 28639612
TI  - Elevated serum retinol-binding protein 4 levels are correlated with blood
      pressure in prehypertensive Chinese.
AB  - Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has been reported involving in the occurrence
      and development of hypertension. However, to date, few data are available on the
      correlation between serum RBP4 level and blood pressure (BP) in prehypertension.
      Therefore, this association was investigated in prehypertensive Chinese. Overall,
      160 subjects with prehypertension (Pre-HT group) and 160 subjects with normal BP
      (NBP group) were recruited in this study. The subjects were divided into the
      following four subgroups according to body mass index (BMI): obese Pre-HT
      subgroup; non-obese Pre-HT subgroup; obese NBP subgroup; and non-obese NBP
      subgroup (n=80 in each). Anthropometric parameters, systolic BP (SBP), diastolic
      BP (DBP) and several biochemical parameters were measured. Fasting insulin was
      evaluated by radioimmunoassay. Serum RBP4 level was measured by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay. The Pre-HT group had higher levels of serum RBP4 level than
      did the NBP group (P<0.001). Moreover, higher RBP4 levels were identified in the
      obese Pre-HT subgroup relative to the non-obese Pre-HT subgroup (P=0.005).
      However, no difference in RBP4 level was identified between the obese and the non
      obese NBP subgroups (P=0.317). RBP4 level was positively correlated with BMI
      (r=0.226, P=0.001), SBP (r=0.468, P<0.001) and DBP (r=0.358, P<0.001) after
      adjustment for age, sex, smoking status and alcohol consumption. The results of
      the multiple regression analyses demonstrated that RBP4 level was independently
      associated with SBP (beta=0.427, P<0.001) and DBP (beta=0.338, P<0.001). In
      conclusion, serum RBP4 level was significantly higher and closely associated with
      BP in prehypertensive Chinese.

PMID- 28639613
TI  - Mechanical properties of atomically thin boron nitride and the role of interlayer
      interactions.
AB  - Atomically thin boron nitride (BN) nanosheets are important two-dimensional
      nanomaterials with many unique properties distinct from those of graphene, but
      investigation into their mechanical properties remains incomplete. Here we report
      that high-quality single-crystalline mono- and few-layer BN nanosheets are one of
      the strongest electrically insulating materials. More intriguingly, few-layer BN
      shows mechanical behaviours quite different from those of few-layer graphene
      under indentation. In striking contrast to graphene, whose strength decreases by
      more than 30% when the number of layers increases from 1 to 8, the mechanical
      strength of BN nanosheets is not sensitive to increasing thickness. We attribute
      this difference to the distinct interlayer interactions and hence sliding
      tendencies in these two materials under indentation. The significantly better
      interlayer integrity of BN nanosheets makes them a more attractive candidate than
      graphene for several applications, for example, as mechanical reinforcements.

PMID- 28639614
TI  - A coherent quantum annealer with Rydberg atoms.
AB  - There is a significant ongoing effort in realizing quantum annealing with
      different physical platforms. The challenge is to achieve a fully programmable
      quantum device featuring coherent adiabatic quantum dynamics. Here we show that
      combining the well-developed quantum simulation toolbox for Rydberg atoms with
      the recently proposed Lechner-Hauke-Zoller (LHZ) architecture allows one to build
      a prototype for a coherent adiabatic quantum computer with all-to-all Ising
      interactions and, therefore, a platform for quantum annealing. In LHZ an infinite
      range spin-glass is mapped onto the low energy subspace of a spin-1/2 lattice
      gauge model with quasi-local four-body parity constraints. This spin model can be
      emulated in a natural way with Rubidium and Caesium atoms in a bipartite optical
      lattice involving laser-dressed Rydberg-Rydberg interactions, which are several
      orders of magnitude larger than the relevant decoherence rates. This makes the
      exploration of coherent quantum enhanced optimization protocols accessible with
      state-of-the-art atomic physics experiments.

PMID- 28639615
TI  - Adaptive and freeze-tolerant heteronetwork organohydrogels with enhanced
      mechanical stability over a wide temperature range.
AB  - Many biological organisms with exceptional freezing tolerance can resist the
      damages to cells from extra-/intracellular ice crystals and thus maintain their
      mechanical stability at subzero temperatures. Inspired by the freezing tolerance
      mechanisms found in nature, here we report a strategy of combining
      hydrophilic/oleophilic heteronetworks to produce self-adaptive, freeze-tolerant
      and mechanically stable organohydrogels. The organohydrogels can simultaneously
      use water and oil as a dispersion medium, and quickly switch between hydrogel-
      and organogel-like behaviours in response to the nature of the surrounding phase.
      Accordingly, their surfaces display unusual adaptive dual superlyophobic in
      oil/water system (that is, they are superhydrophobic under oil and
      superoleophobic under water). Moreover, the organogel component can inhibit the
      ice crystallization of the hydrogel component, thus enhancing the mechanical
      stability of organohydrogel over a wide temperature range (-78 to 80  degrees C).
      The organohydrogels may have promising applications in complex and harsh
      environments.

PMID- 28639616
TI  - Current rates and mechanisms of subsea permafrost degradation in the East
      Siberian Arctic Shelf.
AB  - The rates of subsea permafrost degradation and occurrence of gas-migration
      pathways are key factors controlling the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS)
      methane (CH4) emissions, yet these factors still require assessment. It is
      thought that after inundation, permafrost-degradation rates would decrease over
      time and submerged thaw-lake taliks would freeze; therefore, no CH4 release would
      occur for millennia. Here we present results of the first comprehensive
      scientific re-drilling to show that subsea permafrost in the near-shore zone of
      the ESAS has a downward movement of the ice-bonded permafrost table of ~14 cm
      year-1 over the past 31-32 years. Our data reveal polygonal thermokarst patterns
      on the seafloor and gas-migration associated with submerged taliks, ice scouring
      and pockmarks. Knowing the rate and mechanisms of subsea permafrost degradation
      is a prerequisite to meaningful predictions of near-future CH4 release in the
      Arctic.

PMID- 28639617
TI  - Gene therapy for spinomuscular atrophy: a biomedical advance, a missed
      opportunity for more equitable drug pricing.
AB  - An experimental approach for gene therapy of spinomuscular atrophy has been
      reported to prevent development of the neuromuscular features of this lethal and
      previously untreatable disorder. The approach involves treatment of patients
      suffering from SMN1-associated infantile form of the disease with a splice
      switching antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that corrects aberrant splicing of the
      nearly identical SMN2 gene to allow the generation of functional SMN protein,
      thereby mitigating the development of the disease. This technique represents the
      first apparently effective therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and an
      important documentation for ASO technology for therapy of neurodegenerative
      disease. These results with one form of SMA are likely to be relevant for similar
      applications to other SMA types and are likely to inspire application to a number
      of other intractable neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease,
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and possibly even the extremely common Parkinson's
      and Alzheimer's diseases and others. Nevertheless, the scientific and medical
      importance of this advance is marred by a pricing policy by the corporate
      sponsors that may complicate accessibility of the drug for some desperate
      patients.

PMID- 28639618
TI  - HTLV-1-induced leukotriene B4 secretion by T cells promotes T cell recruitment
      and virus propagation.
AB  - The human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is efficiently transmitted through
      cellular contacts. While the molecular mechanisms of viral cell-to-cell
      propagation have been extensively studied in vitro, those facilitating the
      encounter between infected and target cells remain unknown. In this study, we
      demonstrate that HTLV-1-infected CD4 T cells secrete a potent chemoattractant,
      leukotriene B4 (LTB4). LTB4 secretion is dependent on Tax-induced transactivation
      of the pla2g4c gene, which encodes the cytosolic phospholipase A2 gamma.
      Inhibition of LTB4 secretion or LTB4 receptor knockdown on target cells reduces T
      cell recruitment, cellular contact formation and virus propagation in vitro.
      Finally, blocking the synthesis of LTB4 in a humanized mouse model of HTLV-1
      infection significantly reduces proviral load. This results from a decrease in
      the number of infected clones while their expansion is not impaired. This study
      shows the critical role of LTB4 secretion in HTLV-1 transmission both in vitro
      and in vivo.

PMID- 28639620
TI  - Poly(4-styrenesulfonate)-induced sulfur vacancy self-healing strategy for
      monolayer MoS2 homojunction photodiode.
AB  - We establish a powerful poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS)-treated strategy for
      sulfur vacancy healing in monolayer MoS2 to precisely and steadily tune its
      electronic state. The self-healing mechanism, in which the sulfur vacancies are
      healed spontaneously by the sulfur adatom clusters on the MoS2 surface through a
      PSS-induced hydrogenation process, is proposed and demonstrated systematically.
      The electron concentration of the self-healed MoS2 dramatically decreased by 643
      times, leading to a work function enhancement of ~150 meV. This strategy is
      employed to fabricate a high performance lateral monolayer MoS2 homojunction
      which presents a perfect rectifying behaviour, excellent photoresponsivity of
      ~308 mA W-1 and outstanding air-stability after two months. Unlike previous
      chemical doping, the lattice defect-induced local fields are eliminated during
      the process of the sulfur vacancy self-healing to largely improve the
      homojunction performance. Our findings demonstrate a promising and facile
      strategy in 2D material electronic state modulation for the development of next
      generation electronics and optoelectronics.

PMID- 28639619
TI  - Long noncoding RNA LncHIFCAR/MIR31HG is a HIF-1alpha co-activator driving oral
      cancer progression.
AB  - Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in hypoxia/HIF-1-associated
      cancer progression through largely unknown mechanisms. Here we identify MIR31HG
      as a hypoxia-inducible lncRNA and therefore we name it LncHIFCAR (long noncoding
      HIF-1alpha co-activating RNA); we describe its oncogenic role as a HIF-1alpha co
      activator that regulates the HIF-1 transcriptional network, crucial for cancer
      development. Extensive analyses of clinical data indicate LncHIFCAR level is
      substantially upregulated in oral carcinoma, significantly associated with poor
      clinical outcomes and representing an independent prognostic predictor.
      Overexpression of LncHIFCAR induces pseudo-hypoxic gene signature, whereas
      knockdown of LncHIFCAR impairs the hypoxia-induced HIF-1alpha transactivation,
      sphere-forming ability, metabolic shift and metastatic potential in vitro and in
      vivo. Mechanistically, LncHIFCAR forms a complex with HIF-1alpha via direct
      binding and facilitates the recruitment of HIF-1alpha and p300 cofactor to the
      target promoters. Our results uncover an lncRNA-mediated mechanism for HIF-1
      activation and establish the clinical values of LncHIFCAR in prognosis and
      potential therapeutic strategy for oral carcinoma.

PMID- 28639621
TI  - Electronic metal-support interaction enhanced oxygen reduction activity and
      stability of boron carbide supported platinum.
AB  - Catalysing the reduction of oxygen in acidic media is a standing challenge.
      Although activity of platinum, the most active metal, can be substantially
      improved by alloying, alloy stability remains a concern. Here we report that
      platinum nanoparticles supported on graphite-rich boron carbide show a 50-100%
      increase in activity in acidic media and improved cycle stability compared to
      commercial carbon supported platinum nanoparticles. Transmission electron
      microscopy and x-ray absorption fine structure analysis confirm similar platinum
      nanoparticle shapes, sizes, lattice parameters, and cluster packing on both
      supports, while x-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopy demonstrate a
      change in electronic structure. This shows that purely electronic metal-support
      interactions can significantly improve oxygen reduction activity without inducing
      shape, alloying or strain effects and without compromising stability. Optimizing
      the electronic interaction between the catalyst and support is, therefore, a
      promising approach for advanced electrocatalysts where optimizing the catalytic
      nanoparticles themselves is constrained by other concerns.

PMID- 28639622
TI  - Growth-coupled overproduction is feasible for almost all metabolites in five
      major production organisms.
AB  - Computational modelling of metabolic networks has become an established procedure
      in the metabolic engineering of production strains. One key principle that is
      frequently used to guide the rational design of microbial cell factories is the
      stoichiometric coupling of growth and product synthesis, which makes production
      of the desired compound obligatory for growth. Here we show that the coupling of
      growth and production is feasible under appropriate conditions for almost all
      metabolites in genome-scale metabolic models of five major production organisms.
      These organisms comprise eukaryotes and prokaryotes as well as heterotrophic and
      photoautotrophic organisms, which shows that growth coupling as a strain design
      principle has a wide applicability. The feasibility of coupling is proven by
      calculating appropriate reaction knockouts, which enforce the coupling behaviour.
      The study presented here is the most comprehensive computational investigation of
      growth-coupled production so far and its results are of fundamental importance
      for rational metabolic engineering.

PMID- 28639623
TI  - Imaging quasiperiodic electronic states in a synthetic Penrose tiling.
AB  - Quasicrystals possess long-range order but lack the translational symmetry of
      crystalline solids. In solid state physics, periodicity is one of the fundamental
      properties that prescribes the electronic band structure in crystals. In the
      absence of periodicity and the presence of quasicrystalline order, the ways that
      electronic states change remain a mystery. Scanning tunnelling microscopy and
      atomic manipulation can be used to assemble a two-dimensional quasicrystalline
      structure mapped upon the Penrose tiling. Here, carbon monoxide molecules are
      arranged on the surface of Cu(111) one at a time to form the potential landscape
      that mimics the ionic potential of atoms in natural materials by constraining the
      electrons in the two-dimensional surface state of Cu(111). The real-space images
      reveal the presence of the quasiperiodic order in the electronic wave functions
      and the Fourier analysis of our results links the energy of the resonant states
      to the local vertex structure of the quasicrystal.

PMID- 28639624
TI  - Nearest-neighbour resonating valence bonds in YbMgGaO4.
AB  - Since its proposal by Anderson, resonating valence bonds (RVB) formed by a
      superposition of fluctuating singlet pairs have been a paradigmatic concept in
      understanding quantum spin liquids. Here, we show that excitations related to
      singlet breaking on nearest-neighbour bonds describe the high-energy part of the
      excitation spectrum in YbMgGaO4, the effective spin-1/2 frustrated
      antiferromagnet on the triangular lattice, as originally considered by Anderson.
      By a thorough single-crystal inelastic neutron scattering study, we demonstrate
      that nearest-neighbour RVB excitations account for the bulk of the spectral
      weight above 0.5 meV. This renders YbMgGaO4 the first experimental system where
      putative RVB correlations restricted to nearest neighbours are observed, and
      poses a fundamental question of how complex interactions on the triangular
      lattice conspire to form this unique many-body state.

PMID- 28639627
TI  - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for Million Hearts(r) Hypertension
      Control Challenge.

PMID- 28639626
TI  - Circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of kidney disease.
AB  - Interest in microRNAs (miRNAs) has dramatically increased in recent years not
      only because they regulate mRNA expression, and thus many physiological or
      pathophysiological processes, but also because they could serve as biomarkers.
      Next to analysis of tissue miRNA expression, measurement in body fluids such as
      blood or urine is attractive because miRNA in microvesicles or bound to protein
      is very stable. Currently it is unclear whether these circulating miRNAs are
      tissue and disease specific or represent more general pathologies like
      inflammation. In addition pre-analytical sample handling and variable analysis
      techniques affect the results and thus much more work needs to be done before one
      can draw a final conclusion about their clinical utility.

PMID- 28639625
TI  - MicroRNA-34a dependent regulation of AXL controls the activation of dendritic
      cells in inflammatory arthritis.
AB  - Current treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) do not reverse underlying
      aberrant immune function. A genetic predisposition to RA, such as HLA-DR4
      positivity, indicates that dendritic cells (DC) are of crucial importance to
      pathogenesis by activating auto-reactive lymphocytes. Here we show that microRNA
      34a provides homoeostatic control of CD1c+ DC activation via regulation of
      tyrosine kinase receptor AXL, an important inhibitory DC auto-regulator. This
      pathway is aberrant in CD1c+ DCs from patients with RA, with upregulation of miR
      34a and lower levels of AXL compared to DC from healthy donors. Production of pro
      inflammatory cytokines is reduced by ex vivo gene-silencing of miR-34a. miR-34a
      deficient mice are resistant to collagen-induced arthritis and interaction of DCs
      and T cells from these mice are reduced and do not support the development of
      Th17 cells in vivo. Our findings therefore show that miR-34a is an epigenetic
      regulator of DC function that may contribute to RA.

PMID- 28639628
TI  - Multiple socioeconomic deprivation and impact on survival in patients with
      primary glomerulonephritis.
AB  - Background: The impact of multiple socio-economic deprivation on patient outcomes
      in primary renal diseases is unknown. We aimed to assess whether risk of death or
      requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with primary
      glomerulonephritis (GN) was higher in patients living in an area of multiple
      socio-economic deprivation. Methods: Patients undergoing native renal biopsy
      between 2000 and 2014 were identified. Baseline demographics, postcode at time of
      biopsy, follow-up blood pressure, proteinuria and time to death or RRT were
      recorded. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) is a multidimensional
      model used to measure deprivation based on postcode. Using SIMD, patients were
      separated into tertiles of deprivation. Results: A total of 797 patients were
      included, 64.2% were male with mean age of 54.1 (standard deviation 17.0) years.
      Median follow-up was 6.3 (interquartile range 3.7-9.4) years during which 174
      patients required RRT and 185 patients died. Patients in the most deprived
      tertile of deprivation were significantly more likely to die than those in the
      least deprived tertile [hazard ratio (HR) 2.2, P  <  0.001], independent of age,
      baseline serum creatinine and blood pressure. They were not more likely to
      require RRT (P  =  0.22). The increased mortality risk in the most deprived
      tertile was not uniform across primary renal diseases, with the association being
      most marked in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (HR 7.4) and IgA nephropathy
      (HR 2.7) and absent in membranous nephropathy. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a
      significant independent 2-fold increased risk of death in patients with primary
      GN who live in an area of multiple socio-economic deprivation at the time of
      diagnosis as compared with those living in less deprived areas.

PMID- 28639629
TI  - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for Healthy Behavior Challenge.

PMID- 28639630
TI  - Erratum: Findings of Research Misconduct; Correction.
AB  - [This corrects the article on p. 36932 in vol. 2016.].

PMID- 28639631
TI  - An update on MALDI mass spectrometry based technology for the analysis of
      fingermarks - stepping into operational deployment.
AB  - Since 2009, when Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Mass Spectrometry
      Imaging (MALDI MSI) was firstly reported for the molecular mapping of latent
      fingermarks, the range of information and operational capabilities have steadily
      increased. Pioneering work from our Fingermark Research Group exploited different
      modalities, including Profiling (MALDI MSP), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and
      Ion Mobility MS/MS; a number of methodologies were also developed to conquer a
      main challenge, namely profiling the suspect and their actions prior to or whilst
      committing the crime. Suspect profiling here is no longer based on behavioural
      science but complements this discipline and the investigations by detecting and
      visualising the molecular make-up of fingermarks onto the identifying ridges.
      This forensic opportunity provides the link between the biometric information
      (ridge detail) and the corpus delicti or intelligence on the circumstances of the
      crime. In 2013, a review was published covering the research work and
      developments of four years supported by the Home Office, UK, and the local
      regional Police with some insights (and comparison) into similar research being
      reported employing other mass spectrometric techniques. The present review is an
      extensive update on the MALDI MS based methods' achievements, limitations and
      work in progress in fingermark analysis; it also offers an outlook on further
      necessary research into this subject. The main highlights are the increased
      number of possible information retrievable around a suspect and the more extended
      compatibility of this technology. The latter has allowed MALDI MS based methods
      to integrate well with current forensic fingerprinting, leading to the
      investigation of real police casework.

PMID- 28639634
TI  - Copper(ii) catalyzed iodine-promoted oxidative cyclization of 2-amino-1,3,5
      triazines and chalcones: synthesis of aroylimidazo[1,2-a][1,3,5]triazines.
AB  - An efficient copper(ii) catalyzed iodine-promoted synthesis of aroylimidazo[1,2
      a][1,3,5]triazines from 2-amino-1,3,5-triazines and chalcones under mild
      conditions has been developed. The reaction occurred with good yields and
      excellent regioselectivities, and tolerated chalcone containing functionalities
      such as ethers, halogens, and nitro groups. The successful application of this
      methodology for a gram-scale reaction indicates its potential for bulk synthesis.

PMID- 28639632
TI  - An NHC-phosphinidenyl as a synthon for new group 13/15 compounds.
AB  - The parent phosphinidene SIMesPH (1) (SIMes = 1,3-bis(2,4,6
      trimethylphenyl)imidazolin-2-ylidene) was treated with benzyl potassium to form
      the metalated species SIMesPK (2), which was used as a synthon for the new group
      13/15 cycles and cage compounds [SIMesPGatBu2]2 (3), [SIMesP(GatBu2)2Cl] (4) and
      [K(SIMesP)3AltBu] (5).

PMID- 28639636
TI  - Hyperbolic metamaterials for dispersion-assisted directional light emission.
AB  - A novel method is presented to outcouple high spatial frequency (large-k) waves
      from hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) without the use of a grating. This approach
      relies exclusively on dispersion engineering, and enables preferential power
      extraction from the top or from the side of a HMM. Multilayer (ML) HMMs are shown
      to be better suited for lateral outcoupling, while nanowire HMMs are the most
      convenient choice for top outcoupling. A 6-fold increase in laterally extracted
      power is predicted for a dipole-HMM system with a Ag/Si ML operating at lambda =
      530 nm, when metallic filling ratio is changed from an unoptimized to the
      optimized one. This new design concept supports the cost-effective mass
      production of high-speed HMM optical transmitters.

PMID- 28639637
TI  - Syntheses, structures and magnetic properties of tetranuclear cubane-type and
      heptanuclear wheel-type nickel(ii) complexes with 3-methoxysalicylic acid
      derivatives.
AB  - Two ferromagnetic multinuclear Ni(ii) clusters, [Ni4L14(MU3-OMe)4(CH3OH)4] (1)
      and [Ni7(HL2)6(MU3-OMe)6]Cl2 (2), and a mononuclear complex [NiL3].2H2O (3) (HL1
      = benzyl 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoate; H2L2 = 1-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzamido)-2
      (benzylideneamino)ethane; H2L3 = 1-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzamido)-2
      (pyridylmethyleneamino)ethane) were synthesised, and their structures and
      magnetic behaviours were investigated in detail. 1 has a [Ni4O4] cubane structure
      while 2 has a wheel-like [Ni@Ni6] arrangement. The temperature-dependent magnetic
      susceptibilities for 1 and 2 are in accord with the presence of dominating intra
      cluster ferromagnetic interactions between Ni(ii) ions. The best fits for their
      behaviours gave the following parameters: J1 = 11.06 cm-1, J2 = 1.43 cm-1, g =
      2.29 for 1, and J1 = 6.87 cm-1, J2 = -3.41 cm-1, g = 2.24 for 2.

PMID- 28639638
TI  - A combined optical and EPR spectroscopy study: azobenzene-based biradicals as
      reversible molecular photoswitches.
AB  - Azobenzene compounds are known as versatile examples for photoswitchable systems
      because of their isomeric cis- and trans-configurations. The switching between
      these isomers can be reversibly controlled by light excitation. In this study we
      characterize two members of this class by joining the azobenzene moiety with each
      two paramagnetic nitroxide spin labels. Two different linkers were chosen to tune
      the molecular properties. The combined approach using optical and EPR
      spectroscopy proved the reversibility of photoexcitation and high fatigue
      resistance. Furthermore, depending on the nature of the linker, PELDOR distance
      measurements monitored clearly the photo-induced structural changes of the
      azobenzene unit. Thus, a powerful concept is presented resulting from the
      combination of these two complementary spectroscopic techniques.

PMID- 28639639
TI  - A coherent study on the Z-enoate assisted Meyer-Schuster rearrangement.
AB  - A systematic study has been performed on the Z-enoate assisted Meyer-Schuster
      rearrangement of propargylic alcohols. The impact of various factors such as
      temperature, solvent, concentration of a counter ion of an acid, and the nature
      of the arene nucleophile was studied. The relative nucleophilicity of various
      arenes estimated in this study is in good agreement with that of Herbert Mayr's
      nucleophilicity scale.

PMID- 28639641
TI  - Incorporation of 'click' chemistry glycomimetics dramatically alters triple-helix
      stability in an adiponectin model peptide.
AB  - Adiponectin (Adpn) has been shown to be a possible therapeutic for Type II
      diabetes, however the production of a therapeutic version of Adpn has proved to
      be challenging. Biological studies have highlighted the importance of the
      glycosylated lysine residues for the formation of bioactive high molecular weight
      oligomers of Adpn. Through the use of 'click' glycopeptide mimetics, we
      investigated the role of glycosylated lysine and serine residues for the
      formation of triple helical structures of the collagenous domain of Adpn, in the
      context of a collagen model peptide scaffold. The physical properties of the
      unglycosylated lysine and serine peptides are compared with their glycosylated
      analogues. Our results highlight the crucial role of lysine residues for
      formation of the triple helical structure of Adpn, possibly due to the extension
      of both intra- and interstrand hydrogen bonding networks. Strikingly, we observed
      a significant decrease in thermal stability upon incorporation of triazole-linked
      analogues of glycosylated lysine residues into the adiponectin collageneous
      domain, indicating possible uses of 'click' glycomimetics for bioengineering
      applications.

PMID- 28639642
TI  - Cleavage of ethers in an ionic liquid. Enhancement, selectivity and potential
      application.
AB  - The cleavage of a series of ethers was examined in an ionic liquid containing
      hydrogen bromide. Reactions that did not proceed in either water or DMSO were
      found to proceed readily in this system, with notable selectivity between the
      cleavage of the different ether types examined herein. Increasing the proportion
      of water in the reaction mixture dramatically decreased the rate constant of
      ether cleavage; this could, in part, be attributed to a decrease in the solvent
      stabilisation of the transition state. Through analysis of the electronic
      requirements of the reaction (using substrates containing substituents with
      different Hammett parameters) and observation of rate enhancements for an ortho
      substituted system, the importance of the extent of protonation of the ether
      prior to nucleophilic attack was demonstrated.

PMID- 28639643
TI  - Palladium-catalyzed C-H alkylation of 2-phenylpyridines with alkyl iodides.
AB  - Palladium-catalyzed C-H alkylation reaction of 2-phenylpyridines with alkyl
      iodides has been successfully developed. The palladacycles obtained from 2
      phenylpyridines should act as the key intermediates in the alkylation reaction.

PMID- 28639645
TI  - Developing a ferroelectric nanohybrid for enhanced photocatalysis.
AB  - We develop a ferroelectric nanohybrid that improves photocatalytic efficiency by
      reducing the recombination of holes and electron charge carriers. In particular,
      the size of uniformly dispersed ferroelectric BaTiO3 in the nanohybrid reaches
      the critical size of a monodomain, which avoids the need for a poling process for
      switching the ferroelectric polarization.

PMID- 28639644
TI  - Differential detection and quantification of cyclic AMP and other adenosine
      phosphates in live cells.
AB  - A new naphthol-based rhodamine derivative (NpRD) has been developed for the
      selective and differential detection of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate
      (cAMP) and adenosine phosphates (APs) (ATP, ADP, and AMP) from other nucleotides.
      The simple detection and quantification of cAMP in human blood cells and in other
      samples based on the 'turn on' fluorescence properties of this chemosensor
      through colorimetry or fluorometry makes it unique for probable application in
      high throughput screening.

PMID- 28639646
TI  - Monovalent and bivalent cations exchange isotherms for faujasites X and Y.
AB  - This study addresses the modeling of exchange isotherms for faujasite-type
      zeolites X and Y with K+, Cs+, Ca2+ and Ba2+ cations based on a large
      experimental dataset obtained under operating conditions of 0.5 N total normality
      and an exchange temperature of 80  degrees C. The isotherm models are based on
      the mass action law. Ideal solution phase is assumed. Heterogeneity of the solid
      phase is taken into account by using Barrer and Klinowski's approach to multi
      site exchange. Three types of exchange sites are identified on these zeolites. To
      each exchange site j corresponds a fitted selectivity coefficient Kj. These
      parameters, estimated by least square method, evaluate the affinity of the
      studied cations for the identified exchange site. Globally, these fitted
      coefficients show that the cations considered present better affinity than Na+,
      especially for type III sites in faujasite X and type II sites in faujasite Y.
      For bivalent cations, an exchange with Ba2+ is always more favorable than with
      Ca2+. On faujasite X, type II sites are more strongly preferred by monovalent
      cations (with the exception of Cs+) than by bivalent ones. The opposite trend is
      observed on faujasite Y, even for Cs+. These conclusions have been confirmed and
      are supported by bibliographic data.

PMID- 28639647
TI  - Water mediated proton conduction in a sulfonated microporous organic polymer.
AB  - Polymer membranes (PEMs) within fuel cells (FCs) act as separators and efficient
      proton conducting electrolytes. Established systems tend to microphase separation
      into hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, making these materials prone to water
      loss at elevated temperatures. Therefore, recent approaches utilize porous
      materials, which promise stronger interactions between water molecules and the
      framework, while still providing efficient conductive pathways. Here we show,
      that the microporous polymer PAF-1 exhibits proton conductivities up to 10-1 S cm
      1 under hydrous conditions, after post-synthetic sulfonation. Gas phase
      sulfonation turned out to be the essential step for introducing a sufficiently
      large amount of -SO3H groups and thus a high charge carrier concentration upon
      hydration. While the absolute conductivity of the sulfonated frameworks strongly
      depends on the water uptake, we found similar activation barriers for all
      relative humidities. Since water is homogeneously stored in micro- and mesoporous
      voids, the activation barrier of the interpore conductivity is decisive for the
      macroscopic properties.

PMID- 28639648
TI  - A freestanding NiSx porous film as a binder-free electrode for Mg-ion batteries.
AB  - An ultrathin, freestanding NiSx nanoporous thin-film was developed by facile
      electrochemical deposition, etching, anodization and chemical vapor treatments.
      The NiSx nanoporous thin-film shows excellent reversible insertion/extraction of
      Mg ions and long-term cycling performance, which is an ideal energy storage
      device for small/micro-size electronic and medical devices.

PMID- 28639649
TI  - Computational design of cephradine synthase in a new scaffold identified from
      structural databases.
AB  - Computational enzyme design exhibits excellent performance for identifying
      potential scaffolds from structural databases and creating new enzymatic
      catalysts from naught. Using the active site-matching algorithm ProdaMatch, we
      identified a new scaffold cocaine esterase from Rhodococcus sp. that showed
      modest activity (kcat/Km = 0.018 M-1 s-1) towards the hydrolysis of beta-lactam
      antibiotic cephradine. The identified cocaine esterase scaffold afforded low
      sequence identity (<30%) with the known beta-lactam synthases, such as penicillin
      G acylase or alpha-amino acid ester hydrolase, and was able to catalyze the
      condensation reaction between d-dihydrophenylglycine methyl ester and 7
      aminodesacetoxycephalosporanic acid to produce cephradine via a kinetically
      controlled synthesis. By virtue of the computational enzyme design protocol,
      hundreds of sequences were predicted in the cocaine esterase scaffold to promote
      the catalytic activity towards the hydrolytic reaction of cephradine. Moreover, a
      single mutant (F261T) was experimentally confirmed to have improved the catalytic
      efficiency by ten times (kcat/Km = 0.193 M-1 s-1), indicating that the novel
      scaffold cocaine esterase may be potentially redesigned to become an industrially
      useful cephradine synthase.

PMID- 28639650
TI  - Mechanisms of H and CO loss from the uracil nucleobase following low energy
      electron irradiation.
AB  - Ionising radiation in cells generates secondary low energy electrons (LEEs) which
      can induce biomolecular damage when incident upon a particular biomolecule.
      Notable biomolecules include those contained within double-stranded DNA and RNA
      helices, which upon exposure to LEEs, may form reactive intermediate products
      that show detriment to their specific structures and functions. Such damaging
      processes are understood to proceed via dissociative electron attachment (DEA).
      Using anion resonance stabilisation methods, coupled to state-of-the-art
      electronic structure methods, and reaction path mapping, the work presented
      herein highlights the detailed mechanisms associated with molecular elimination
      of CO and H from the uracil nucleobase following LEE irradiation - providing a
      rationale for earlier experiments. The results highlight a subset of resonances
      that show a labile route for forming CO + anionic 1,3-dihydroimidazole (1,3-DHIM
      ). The nascent 1,3-DHIM anion is itself unstable with respect to N-H bond fission
      - ultimately forming anionic 1-imidazole (1-IM-) + H products. This hitherto
      unknown mechanism sheds light on the possible lesion processes that may be
      encountered by biomolecular constituents when exposed to electron energies
      analogous to those present in medicinal X-ray diagnostics, aviation and
      interstellar space. The work also offers some insight into the reactive processes
      that may have occurred in prebiotic earth.

PMID- 28639651
TI  - Ru-Catalyzed highly diastereoselective hydrogenation of N-tert-butylsulfinyl
      ketimines for the synthesis of aryl glycine derivatives.
AB  - A ruthenium pincer catalyst has been shown to be highly efficient for the
      hydrogenation of a wide range of alpha-ketimino esters derived from alpha-keto
      esters and chiral 2-methylpropyl-2-sulfinamide, affording chiral aryl glycine
      derivatives with high yields and diasteroselectivities (20 examples, dr values up
      to 99 : 1).

PMID- 28639652
TI  - Probing single-molecule electron-hole transfer dynamics at a molecule-NiO
      semiconductor nanocrystalline interface.
AB  - Interfacial charge transfer dynamics in dye-sensitized NiO nanoparticles are
      being investigated for photocathodes in p-type dye-sensitized solar cells. In the
      photoreaction, after fast electron transfer from NiO to a molecule, the
      recombination of the hole in the nanoparticles with the electron in a reduced
      molecule plays an important role in the charge separation process and solar
      energy harvesting. Nevertheless, knowledge of the interfacial charge
      recombination (CR) rate and its mechanism is still limited due to the complex
      photoinduced electron and hole dynamics and lack of characterization of the
      inhomogeneity of the dynamics. Here, we report our work on probing interfacial
      charge recombination dynamics in Zn(ii)-5,10,15,20-tetra(3
      carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (m-ZnTCPP) dye-sensitized NiO nanoparticles by
      correlating single-molecule fluorescence blinking dynamics with charge transfer
      dynamics using single-molecule photon-stamping spectroscopy. The correlated
      analyses of single-molecule fluorescence intensity, lifetime, and blinking reveal
      the intrinsic distribution and temporal fluctuation of interfacial charge
      transfer reactivity, which are closely related to site-specific molecular
      interactions and dynamics.

PMID- 28639653
TI  - An efficient enzyme-powered micromotor device fabricated by cyclic alternate
      hybridization assembly for DNA detection.
AB  - An efficient enzyme-powered micromotor device was fabricated by assembling
      multiple layers of catalase on the inner surface of a poly(3,4
      ethylenedioxythiophene and sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)/Au microtube (PEDOT
      PSS/Au). The catalase assembly was achieved by programmed DNA hybridization,
      which was performed by immobilizing a designed sandwich DNA structure as the
      sensing unit on the PEDOT-PSS/Au, and then alternately hybridizing with two
      assisting DNA to bind the enzyme for efficient motor motion. The micromotor
      device showed unique features of good reproducibility, stability and motion
      performance. Under optimal conditions, it showed a speed of 420 MUm s-1 in 2%
      H2O2 and even 51 MUm s-1 in 0.25% H2O2. In the presence of target DNA, the
      sensing unit hybridized with target DNA to release the multi-layer DNA as well as
      the multi-catalase, resulting in a decrease of the motion speed. By using the
      speed as a signal, the micromotor device could detect DNA from 10 nM to 1 MUM.
      The proposed micromotor device along with the cyclic alternate DNA hybridization
      assembly technique provided a new path to fabricate efficient and versatile
      micromotors, which would be an exceptional tool for rapid and simple detection of
      biomolecules.

PMID- 28639654
TI  - Fast & easy preparation of 3D scaffolds from methyl benzoate by a diversity
      oriented synthesis strategy based on Diels-Alder and ene-reactions.
AB  - Thermic dimerization of methyl 1,3-cyclohexadiene 2-carboxylate gave original 3D
      shape compounds by Diels-Alder cycloaddition and original [6 + 4]-ene reaction.
      Further selective modifications on an endo [4 + 2] cycloadduct via a diversity
      oriented synthesis (DOS) strategy quickly led to the preparation of a small
      library of original 3D scaffolds, providing access to a larger and unexplored
      chemical space for drug discovery processes.

PMID- 28639656
TI  - Orthogonal electronic coupling in multicentre arylamine mixed-valence compounds
      based on a dibenzofulvene-thiophene conjugated bridge.
AB  - Herein we present organic mixed-valence compounds with an innovative H-shape
      design, where four redox centres are bridged "vertically" via a dibenzofulvene
      backbone and "horizontally" via a bis-(dibenzofulvene)-thiophene bridge. These
      compounds are easily oxidized to stable highly charged radical species which show
      intense intervalence charge transfer transitions in the near infrared region.
      Interestingly, depending on the position of the arylamine substituents on the
      bridge, both vertical and horizontal electron transfer pathways can be optically
      induced.

PMID- 28639657
TI  - Exploring the catalytic mechanism of dihydropteroate synthase: elucidating the
      differences between the substrate and inhibitor.
AB  - Dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) catalyzes the condensation of 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8
      dihydropterin pyrophosphate (DHPPP) with p-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) and is a well
      validated target for anti-malarial and anti-bacterial drugs. However, in recent
      years its utility as a therapeutic target has diminished considerably due to
      multiple mutations. As such, considerable structural biology and medicinal
      chemistry effort has been expended to understand and overcome this issue. To date
      no detailed computational analysis of the protein mechanism has been made despite
      the detailed crystal structures and multiple mechanistic proposals being made. In
      this study the mechanistic proposals for DHPS have been systematically
      investigated using a hybrid QM/MM method. We aimed to compare the energetics
      associated with SN1 and SN2 processes, whether the SN1 process involves a
      carbocation or neutral DHP intermediate, uncover the identity of the general base
      in the catalytic mechanism, and understand the differences in substrate vs.
      inhibitor reactivity. Our results suggest a reaction that follows an SN1 process
      with the rate determining step being C-O bond breaking to give a carbocation
      intermediate. Comparative studies on the inhibitor STZ confirm the experimental
      observations that it is also a DHPS substrate.

PMID- 28639658
TI  - Control on the photo-responsive assembly of a stilbene-containing amphiphile by
      using pillar[5]arene-based host-guest interactions.
AB  - A supra-amphiphilic system with a tunable supra-amphiphilic type and self
      assembled morphology was constructed and controlled via light and host-guest
      interactions based on a water-soluble pillar[5]arene and a stiff-stilbene.

PMID- 28639659
TI  - Hydrothermal and biomineralization synthesis of a dual-modal nanoprobe for
      targeted near-infrared persistent luminescence and magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - The development of the multimodal probes is of great importance for bioimaging
      application. Herein, we report the fabrication of a functional nanocomposite from
      near-infrared (NIR) persistent luminescent nanoparticles (PLNPs) and Gd2O3 as a
      multimodal probe for in vivo NIR persistent luminescence and magnetic resonance
      (MR) imaging. Small-sized monodispersed NIR ZnGa2O4:Cr3+ PLNPs (ca. 15 nm) were
      prepared as the NIR persistent luminescence source by a hydrothermal method while
      hyaluronic acid (HA) functionalized Gd2O3 (HA-Gd2O3) was synthesized as the MR
      contrast agent via a biomineralization approach. An EDC/NHS coupling strategy was
      used to connect the amino functionalized PLNPs and the HA-Gd2O3 to give the HA
      functionalized multimodal probe. The multimodal probe not only exhibits an
      excellent NIR persistent luminescence signal, but also exhibits larger
      longitudinal relaxivity (7.38 mM-1 s-1) than commercial contrast agent Gd-DTPA.
      Moreover, the HA moieties not only enhance the biocompatibility of the multimodal
      probe, but also endow the probe with tumor-targeting capability. Both in vitro
      and in vivo bioimaging experiments demonstrate the potential of the multimodal
      probe for tumor-targeting NIR persistent luminescence and MR imaging.

PMID- 28639660
TI  - A flexible, robust and antifouling asymmetric membrane based on ultra-long
      ceramic/polymeric fibers for high-efficiency separation of oil/water emulsions.
AB  - Polymeric and ceramic asymmetric membranes have dominated commercial membranes
      for water treatment. However, polymeric membranes are prone to becoming fouled,
      while ceramic membranes are mechanically fragile. Here, we report a novel concept
      to develop asymmetric membranes based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers,
      with the combined merits of good mechanical stability, excellent fouling
      resistance and high oil/water selectivity, in order to meet the stringent
      requirements for practical oil/water separation. The ultra-long dimensions of
      ceramic nanofibers/polymeric microfibers endow this novel membrane with
      mechanical flexibility and robustness, due to the integrated and intertwined
      structure. This membrane is capable of separating oil/water emulsions with high
      oil-separation efficiency (99.9%), thanks to its nanoporous selective layer made
      of ceramic nanofibers. Further, this membrane also displays superior antifouling
      properties due to its underwater superoleophobicity and ultra-low oil adhesion of
      the ceramic-based selective layer. This membrane exhibits high water permeation
      flux (6.8 * 104 L m-2 h-1 bar-1) at low operation pressures, which is attributed
      to its 3-dimensional (3D) interconnected fiber-based structure throughout the
      membrane. In addition, the facile fabrication process and inexpensive materials
      required for this membrane suggest its significant potential for industrial
      applications.

PMID- 28639661
TI  - Ferrocene-BODIPYmerocyanine dyads: new NIR absorbing platforms with optical
      properties susceptible to protonation.
AB  - Ferrocene-BODIPYmerocyanine dyads 5 and 6 were prepared and characterized by a
      variety of spectroscopic, electrochemical, and theoretical methods. Experimental
      and theoretical data on these NIR absorbing compounds are suggestive of unusual
      susceptibility (for BODIPY chromophores) of the delocalized pi-system in 5 and 6
      to protonation and low-potential oxidation of their pi-systems.

PMID- 28639662
TI  - Recent progress in the catalytic carbene insertion reactions into the silicon
      hydrogen bond.
AB  - The following review will explore the historical development of Si-H bond
      insertion reactions, giving an up-to-date account on the metal catalysts often
      employed, in addition to an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. Diazo
      compounds have great synthetic potential as versatile reagents for the formation
      of metal carbenes, allowing the selective formation of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds
      and thus the introduction of functional groups into organic molecules. C-Si bond
      forming methods, that introduce silicon motifs into organic molecules, rely on
      catalysts derived from metals such as rhodium, copper, iridium, silver,
      ruthenium, and iron to achieve the desired activities and selectivities.

PMID- 28639663
TI  - The electronic transport properties of zigzag phosphorene-like MX (M = Ge/Sn, X =
      S/Se) nanostructures.
AB  - Single-layer phosphorene-like MX sheets have aroused new interest and could
      become a family of nanomaterials in physics and materials science. Using a first
      principles method combined with non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) theory,
      we study the electronic transport properties of the zigzag phosphorene-like MX (M
      = Ge/Sn, X = S/Se) nanostructures. The results demonstrate that GeS and GeSe
      nanoribbons display very similar electronic transport properties. Their current
      voltage (I-V) curves exhibit an interesting negative differential resistive (NDR)
      effect and are insensitive to their ribbon widths due to their similar band
      structures. However, for SnS and SnSe nanoribbons, their electronic transport
      properties are obviously dependent on their ribbon widths due to their different
      band structures. Most of the SnS nanoribbons display the current-limited effect.
      SnSe nanoribbons could also present a NDR effect, which appeared at a lower
      applied bias. The currents mainly propagate through the phosphorene-like MX
      nanoribbons along the metal-termination, while little along the S/Se-termination.
      Moreover, their two-dimensional monolayers present an obvious difference from
      their one-dimensional structures. These phosphorene-like MX nanostructures have
      potential applications in nanoelectronics, and could become candidates for
      nanodevices, such as NDR devices.

PMID- 28639664
TI  - Double duplex invasion of DNA induced by ultrafast photo-cross-linking using 3
      cyanovinylcarbazole for antigene methods.
AB  - In the creation of double duplex formation with genomic DNA, the probe must be
      able to invade and hybridize to the duplex DNA. We designed new photoresponsive
      probes containing CNVK and CNU; these probes have a high double-duplex invasion
      capability upon photoirradiation.

PMID- 28639665
TI  - Isolation and identification of l/d-lactate-conjugated bufadienolides from toad
      eggs revealing lactate racemization in amphibians.
AB  - Three pairs of bufadienolide l/d-lactate epimers (1-6) were isolated from the
      eggs of the toad Bufo bufo gargarizans. The structures were elucidated by using
      spectroscopic methods, X-ray diffraction analysis and a modified Mosher's method.
      Compounds 1-6 represent the first occurrence of lactate-conjugated bufadienolides
      in nature, and illustrate the existence of an enzyme-controlled epimerization
      from l- to d-lactate in amphibians. The biosynthetic pathways, in which two key
      enzymes might be involved (i.e., lactate racemase and acyltransferase), were
      proposed. In addition, the biological assays revealed that compounds 1-4 are
      potent cytotoxic agents against human gastric cancer cells BGC-823 and human lung
      cancer cells A549 with IC50 values in a range of 8.0 to 80.0 nM.

PMID- 28639666
TI  - Conformational landscape of the SF6 dimer as revealed by high resolution infrared
      spectroscopy and complexation with rare gas atoms.
AB  - Taking advantage of a versatile set-up, combining pulsed pin hole or slit nozzle
      supersonic expansion with an external cavity quantum cascade laser, the
      rovibrational absorption spectrum of the SF6 dimer in the nu3 mode region has
      been revisited at high resolution under various experimental conditions in SF6:He
      mixtures. Two new rotationally resolved spectral bands have been identified in
      the range of the parallel band of the dimer spectrum in addition to that
      previously reported. Among these three spectral features, two of them are
      assigned to conformations of the dimer (noted #1 and #2), clearly distinguished
      from their different S-S interatomic distances, i.e. 474 and 480 pm respectively.
      The third one is assigned to a (SF6)2-He complex, from comparison with additional
      experiments in which (SF6)2-Rg heterotrimers (Rg = Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) are observed.
      A schematic picture of the potential energy landscape of the SF6 dimer in terms
      of a nearly flat surface is proposed to account for the conformational relaxation
      observed in the expansions and for the structure of the (SF6)2-Rg heterotrimers,
      which are exclusively formed from the conformer #2 dimer. Although modelling
      qualitatively supports this picture, much effort has still to be achieved from a
      theoretical point of view to reach a quantitative agreement with the present
      benchmark experimental data both in terms of structure and energetics.

PMID- 28639667
TI  - Recent progress in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for biological and
      biomedical applications: from cells to clinics.
AB  - The application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in biological and
      biomedical detection schemes is feasible due to its excellent molecular
      specificity and high sensitivity as well as the capability of SERS to be
      performed in complex biological compositions. SERS-based investigation of cells,
      which are the basic structure and functional unit of organisms, represents the
      starting point of this review. It is demonstrated that SERS provides a deep
      understanding of living cells as well as their microenvironment which is needed
      to assess the development of diseases. The clinical relevance of SERS is proved
      by its application for the detection of cancer cells and tumour margins under in
      vivo conditions and examples for theranostic approaches are discussed. This
      review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent progress within
      the last 3 years.

PMID- 28639668
TI  - A strategy for fabrication of controllable 3D pattern containing clusters and
      nanoparticles inside a solid material.
AB  - Directly controlling the growth process of clusters and nanoparticles is an
      effective way to tune their specific properties, which has been considered as a
      significant issue lying at the heart of nanotechnology. For technological
      applications, great strides have been made in the assembly of clusters and
      nanoparticles. However, controllable synthesis of clusters and nanoparticles
      inside a bulk solid-state medium remains a tremendous challenge, which is
      important for integrated devices. Here we report a strategy for space-selective
      control of elemental tellurium (Te) precipitation as clusters or nanoparticles in
      glass by femtosecond (fs) laser irradiation. After irradiation by a 1 kHz fs
      laser at 800 nm, Te2 clusters, which emit near-infrared (NIR) light, are observed
      at the focal point of the laser beam inside the glass sample. By shifting the
      repetition rate to 250 kHz, a temperature field forms around the focal area that
      facilitates transformation of Te clusters into nanoparticles. Raman mapping shows
      that the clusters are localized in the center of the laser-induced
      microstructure, while the nanoparticles exhibit an annular distribution. The
      possible mechanisms of generation and distribution of different species are
      discussed. We have also demonstrated optical data storage and embedded micro
      grating by using this technique.

PMID- 28639669
TI  - Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy.
AB  - Fluorescence spectroscopy with strong emitters is a remarkable tool with ultra
      high sensitivity for detection and imaging down to the single-molecule level.
      Plasmon-enhanced fluorescence (PEF) not only offers enhanced emissions and
      decreased lifetimes, but also allows an expansion of the field of fluorescence by
      incorporating weak quantum emitters, avoiding photobleaching and providing the
      opportunity of imaging with resolutions significantly better than the diffraction
      limit. It also opens the window to a new class of photostable probes by combining
      metal nanostructures and quantum emitters. In particular, the shell-isolated
      nanostructure-enhanced fluorescence, an innovative new mode for plasmon-enhanced
      surface analysis, is included. These new developments are based on the coupling
      of the fluorophores in their excited states with localized surface plasmons in
      nanoparticles, where local field enhancement leads to improved brightness of
      molecular emission and higher detection sensitivity. Here, we review the recent
      progress in PEF with an emphasis on the mechanism of plasmon enhancement,
      substrate preparation, and some advanced applications, including an outlook on
      PEF with high time- and spatially resolved properties.

PMID- 28639671
TI  - Construction of unique two-dimensional MoS2-TiO2 hybrid nanojunctions: MoS2 as a
      promising cost-effective cocatalyst toward improved photocatalytic reduction of
      CO2 to methanol.
AB  - Two-dimensional MoS2 nanosheets were in situ grown on TiO2 nanosheets to form two
      dimensional (2D) hybrid nanojunctions, with which MoS2 nanosheets compactly
      contact with TiO2 to increase the interfacial area. MoS2 was identified as a
      promising cost-effective substitute for noble metal cocatalysts such as Pt, Au,
      and Ag, and shows superior activity and selectivity for reducing CO2 to CH3OH in
      aqueous solution to these metal cocatalysts under UV-vis light irradiation. The
      photo-luminescence (PL) spectra and transient time-resolved PL decay measurements
      reveal that the fast electron transfer from TiO2 to MoS2 can minimize charge
      recombination losses to improve the conversion efficiency of photoreduction. It
      reveals that Mo-terminated edges of MoS2 nanosheets possess the metallic
      character and a high d-electron density, and the Mo cation sites may benefit the
      stabilization of CHxOy intermediates via electrostatic attraction to enhance the
      CH3OH formation from the reduction of CO2 in aqueous solution.

PMID- 28639672
TI  - Imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms using carbon dots derived from L.
      plantarum.
AB  - Imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms is challenging due to them being shielded
      by a sticky and strong extracellular polymeric substance matrix that blocks the
      penetration of dyes, but is especially important for biofilm study. Here, carbon
      dots, namely CDs-605, were used for successfully imaging biofilm-encased
      microorganisms. We demonstrated that such CDs-605 could be easily synthesized
      from L. plantarum by one-step hydrothermal carbonization. The negatively charged
      CDs-605 were composed of C, H, O, N, P, and S and contained various functional
      groups, including -OH, -COOH, and -CONH-. For the first time, CDs-605 were found
      to be capable of imaging biofilm-encased microorganisms, including E. coli, S.
      oneidensis, P. aeruginosa, S. aures, and T. reesei, demonstrating that the
      labeling is universal. The labeling method based on CDs-605 did not require
      incubation, protection from light, or washing, which makes it very convenient.
      Additionally, CDs-605 did not disturb the biofilm and displayed better
      photostability compared to the commercial counterpart. CDs-605 can serve as a
      simple, yet powerful staining agent for biofilm-embedded microorganism imaging,
      which is vital for gaining a fundamental understanding of biofilm formation and
      dispersal.

PMID- 28639673
TI  - Observing the real time formation of phosphine-ligated gold clusters by
      electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.
AB  - The early stages of reduction and nucleation of ligated gold clusters in solution
      are largely unknown due, in part, to high reaction rates and the inherent
      complexity of the process. This study demonstrates that the addition of a
      diphosphine ligand, 1-4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (L4) to a methanolic
      solution of the gold precursor, chloro(triphenylphosphine)gold(I) (Au(PPh3)Cl),
      results in the initial formation of organometallic complexes of the type
      [Au(L4)x(L4O)y(PPh3)z]+. These initial complexes lower the rate of gold reduction
      so that the reaction can be directly monitored over time from 1 min to over an
      hour using on-line electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The
      results indicate that the formation of cationic Au8(L4)42+, Au9(L4)4H2+ and
      Au10(L4)52+ clusters occurs through specific reaction pathways that may be
      kinetically controlled by varying either the concentration of reducing agent or
      the extent of L4 oxidation. Comparison of selected ion chronograms indicates that
      Au2(L4)2H+ may be an intermediate in the formation of Au8(L4)42+ and Au10(L4)52+
      while a variety of chlorinated clusters may be involved in the formation of
      Au9(L4)4H2+. Additionally, high resolution mass spectrometry enabled the
      identification of 53 new gold containing species produced under highly oxidative
      conditions. New intermediate species were identified which aid the understanding
      of how different size gold clusters may be stabilized during the growth process.

PMID- 28639674
TI  - Transition from disordered aggregates to ordered lattices: kinetic control of the
      assembly of a computationally designed peptide.
AB  - Natural biomolecular self-assembly typically occurs under a narrow range of
      solution conditions, and the design of sequences that can form prescribed
      structures under a range of such conditions would be valuable in the bottom-up
      assembly of predetermined nanostructures. We present a computationally designed
      peptide that robustly self-assembles into regular arrays under a wide range of
      solution pH and temperature conditions. Controling the solution conditions
      provides the opportunity to exploit a simple and reproducible approach for
      altering the pathway of peptide solution self-assembly. The computationally
      designed peptide forms a homotetrameric coiled-coil bundle that further self
      assembles into 2-D plate structures with well-defined inter-bundle symmetry.
      Herein, we present how modulation of solution conditions, such as pH and
      temperature, can be used to control the kinetics of the inter-bundle assembly and
      manipulate the final morphology. Changes in solution pH primarily influence the
      inter-bundle assembly by affecting the charged state of ionizable residues on the
      bundle exterior while leaving the homotetrameric coiled-coil structure intact. At
      low pH, repulsive interactions prevent 2-D lattice nanostructure formation. Near
      the estimated isoelectric point of the peptide, bundle aggregation is rapid and
      yields disordered products, which subsequently transform into ordered
      nanostructures over days to weeks. At elevated temperatures (T = 40  degrees C or
      50  degrees C), the formation of disordered, kinetically-trapped products largely
      can be eliminated, allowing the system to quickly assemble into plate-like
      nanostructured lattices. Moreover, subtle changes in pH and in the peptide charge
      state have a significant influence on the thickness of formed plates and on the
      hierarchical manner in which plates fuse into larger material structures with
      observable grain boundaries. These findings confirm the ability to finely tune
      the peptide assembly process to achieve a range of engineered structures with one
      simple 29-residue peptide building block.

PMID- 28639675
TI  - Trash to treasure: converting plastic waste into a useful graphene foil.
AB  - Recycling of plastic waste has commercial value and practical significance for
      both environmental safety and recovery of resources. To realize trash recycling,
      a cheap, simple, and safe solid-state chemical vapor deposition method has been
      developed to convert a series of daily plastic wastes to a high quality graphene
      foil (GF) at a large scale. The GF possesses a high electrical conductivity of
      3824 S.cm-1, which is much higher than that of the conventional free-standing
      graphene film treated at an extremely high temperature of 2200-2500  degrees C.
      Further, the GF can act as various flexible elements such as a free-standing
      electrode in a foldable lithium-ion battery, which shows stable electrochemical
      performances. On the other hand, it presents a fast and ultra low-voltage
      responsivity to be used as a flexible electrothermal heater, which generates a
      temperature of up to 322.6  degrees C at a low input voltage of only 5 V. The
      convenient trash-to-treasure conversion of plastics to GF provides a unique
      pathway for waste recycling and opens new application possibilities of graphene
      in various fields.

PMID- 28639676
TI  - Diastereoselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 3-ylideneoxindoles with in situ
      generated CF2HCHN2: syntheses of CF2H-containing spirooxindoles.
AB  - An efficient [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 3-ylideneoxindoles with in situ generated
      CF2HCHN2 for the syntheses of spirooxindoles has been developed. This methodology
      gives access to a range of relatively complex spirooxindoles featuring a CF2H
      group and three contiguous stereogenic centers in up to 84% yield and 99 : 1
      trans/cis.

PMID- 28639677
TI  - Detection of single metal nanoparticle collision events in non-aqueous media.
AB  - In this work, the detection of metal nanoparticle collision events in a non
      aqueous solvent-here, toluene and acetonitrile-using gold nanoparticles and a
      platinum ultramicroelectrode (UME) is reported. The collisions were monitored by
      the oxidation of tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) under diffusion-dominated conditions.
      Based on the current response, it was observed that the current steps were
      indicative of a mediated Faradaic reaction. Current steps as small as 1-2 pA
      could be clearly observed. Larger current steps were caused by agglomeration of
      the nanoparticles attributed to the polarity of the mixed solvent. The
      experimentally observed collisions per second ranged from 0.07 to 0.51,
      indicating that particle agglomeration in solution occurs rapidly, reversibly and
      can subsequently cause rapid and, often, repeated collisions.

PMID- 28639678
TI  - Nitrogen-doped graphene anchored with mixed growth patterns of CuPt alloy
      nanoparticles as a highly efficient and durable electrocatalyst for the oxygen
      reduction reaction in an alkaline medium.
AB  - A highly active and durable CuPt alloy catalyst with trigonal bipyramidal and
      truncated cube-type mixed morphologies, anchored on the nitrogen-doped graphene
      (NGr) surface (CuPt-TBTC/NGr), was prepared by a simple and fast method. The
      obtained CuPt alloy showed improved oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity,
      with a 30 mV positive shift in the half-wave potential value, as compared to the
      state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst in a 0.1 M KOH solution. The CuPt alloy with the
      trigonal bipyramidal morphology possesses porous type inter-connected sides,
      which help to achieve improved mass transport of oxygen during the ORR. The
      exposure of the (111) plane of the CuPt alloy further improved the catalytic
      activity towards the dioxygen reduction in alkaline media. The ORR activity of
      the NGr-supported CuPt alloy was found to be dependent on the reaction time, and
      improved activity was obtained on the material derived at a reaction time of 90
      min (CuPt-TBTC/NGr-90). The material synthesized at a lower or higher reaction
      time than 90 min resulted in a partially formed trigonal bipyramidal morphology
      with more truncated cubes or agglomerated trigonal bipyramidal and truncated
      cubes with closed type structures, respectively. Along with the high intrinsic
      ORR activity, CuPt-TBTC/NGr-90 displayed excellent electrochemical stability.
      Even after repeated 1000 potential cycling in a window ranging from 0.10 to 1.0 V
      (vs. RHE), the system clearly outperformed the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst
      with 15 and 60 mV positive shifts in the onset and half-wave potentials,
      respectively. CuPt-TBTC/NGr-90 also exhibited 2.1 times higher mass activity and
      2.2 times higher specific activity, compared to Pt/C at 0.90 V (vs. RHE).
      Finally, a zinc-air battery fabricated with the alloy catalyst as the air
      electrode displayed a peak power density of 300 mW cm-2, which is much higher
      than the peak power density of 253 mW cm-2 obtained for the state-of-the-art Pt/C
      catalyst as the air electrode.

PMID- 28639679
TI  - On the feasibility of reactions through the fullerene wall: a theoretical study
      of NHx@C60.
AB  - We propose a new approach to the synthesis of AHx@fullerene structures via
      reactions through the fullerene wall. To investigate the feasibility of the
      approach, the step-by-step hydrogenation of the template endofullerene N@C60 up
      to NH4@C60 has been studied using DFT and MP2 calculations. Protonation of the
      endohedral guest through the fullerene wall is competitive with escape of the
      guest, whereas reaction with a hydrogen atom is less favorable. Each protonation
      step is highly exothermic, so that less active acids can also protonate the guest
      with less accumulation of energy. The final product, NH4@C60 is a novel
      concentric ion pair NH4+@C60- in which the charge-centers of the two ions
      coincide.

PMID- 28639680
TI  - Anticancer luminescent gold quantum clusters for in situ cancer-selective marking
      imaging-targeting.
AB  - Ultrafine Au quantum clusters (QCs) were synthesized by etching host Au
      nanoparticles in the presence of ethylenediamine (en) and exhibited both strong
      photoluminescence (PL) and specific anticancer activity. The cutting-edge feature
      of this QC compound comprises subnanometer-size rhombohedral Au8, which consists
      of 8 units of the anticancer motif, namely, an Au+(en) complex (Au(en)QCs), which
      contributes to photo- and physicochemical stability as well as subcellular
      theranostic activity in intracellular PL imaging and in situ targeting. Moreover,
      the Au(en)QCs can be surface-encapsulated by transferrins (Tf) to create
      TfAu(en)QCs as a multipurpose drug carrier owing to numerous merits, which
      include cancer-selective biolabeling, high loading/release efficiency, high
      activity against drug-resistant tumor cells, low toxicity to normal cells, and
      physiological stability against biothiols, e.g., glutathiones. These versatile
      features, which are due to intrinsic optical and anticancer properties, provide
      potential as a single-drug delivery PL probe for preclinical applications, which
      has yet to be achieved using conventional nanoclusters.

PMID- 28639681
TI  - Electrical and optical behaviors of SiC(GeC)/MoS2 heterostructures: a first
      principles study.
AB  - Hybrid structures have attracted a great deal of attention because of their
      excellent properties, which can open up a way we could not foresee in materials
      science and device physics. Here, we investigate the electrical and optical
      behaviors of SiC(GeC)/MoS2 heterostructures, using first principles calculations
      based on density functional theory. Non-covalent bonding exists between the
      junctions due to the weak orbital coupling. Both junctions have optically active
      band gaps, smaller than that of the SiC or GeC and MoS2 layers, which result in
      enhanced optical adsorption under visible-light irradiation. A small number of
      electrons transfer from SiC/GeC to MoS2 causing its n-doping. Furthermore, the
      charge density states of the valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum
      are localized at different sides, and thus the electron-hole pairs are spatially
      separated. Our results provide a potential scheme for photovoltaic materials.

PMID- 28639682
TI  - Introduction to Force-Dependent Kinematics: Theory and Application to Mandible
      Modeling.
AB  - Knowledge of the muscle, ligament, and joint forces is important when planning
      orthopedic surgeries. Since these quantities cannot be measured in vivo under
      normal circumstances, the best alternative is to estimate them using
      musculoskeletal models. These models typically assume idealized joints, which are
      sufficient for general investigations but insufficient if the joint in focus is
      far from an idealized joint. The purpose of this study was to provide the
      mathematical details of a novel musculoskeletal modeling approach, called force
      dependent kinematics (FDK), capable of simultaneously computing muscle, ligament,
      and joint forces as well as internal joint displacements governed by contact
      surfaces and ligament structures. The method was implemented into the anybody
      modeling system and used to develop a subject-specific mandible model, which was
      compared to a point-on-plane (POP) model and validated against joint kinematics
      measured with a custom-built brace during unloaded emulated chewing, open and
      close, and protrusion movements. Generally, both joint models estimated the joint
      kinematics well with the POP model performing slightly better (root-mean-square
      deviation (RMSD) of less than 0.75 mm for the POP model and 1.7 mm for the FDK
      model). However, substantial differences were observed when comparing the
      estimated joint forces (RMSD up to 24.7 N), demonstrating the dependency on the
      joint model. Although the presented mandible model still contains room for
      improvements, this study shows the capabilities of the FDK methodology for
      creating joint models that take the geometry and joint elasticity into account.

PMID- 28639683
TI  - ?
AB  - Oral lichen planus is a relatively common T-cell mediated inflammatory disease
      with potential malignant transformation. It may present itself with pain and oral
      lesions such as ulcers and Wickham?s striae. Treatment includes topical
      corticosteroids, preferably Clobetasol, immunosuppressive drugs and retinoids.
      Hyaluronic acid and aloe vera have been proven to be successful. If topical
      treatment fails, systemic therapy with corticosteroids may be needed. Because of
      the potential malignant transformation periodic follow-up is mandatory.

PMID- 28639684
TI  - ?
AB  - Pyostomatitis vegetans is a disease of the gingiva and the oral mucosa with
      noticeable, uncommon morphology. Clinical characteristics of this rare disease
      and considerations regarding differential diagnosis are described. Pyostomatitis
      vegetans is frequently associated with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and
      can, thus, give a diagnostic hint at an existing ulcerative colitis or Crohn?s
      disease. A therapy plan for pyostomatitis vegetans is presented, which led to
      remission using local treatment only. The follow-up examination after one year
      showed that the treatment outcome had remained stable. An unexpected clinical
      appearance of the gingiva with small, pale pink thickenings after therapy and at
      follow-up is portrayed.

PMID- 28639685
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639686
TI  - ?
AB  - The comprehensive dental rehabilitation of complex prosthetic cases is often
      associated with increasing occlusal vertical dimension and transferring
      horizontal mandibular position in centric relation. The newly defined position of
      the mandibula should be functionally and esthetically evaluated for a longer time
      period before irreversible measures are performed. This case report discusses in
      detail a time-saving and economic direct method for increasing occlusal vertical
      dimension with long-term provisional composite restorations using a simplified
      injection molding technique and illustrates the complete intraoral and laboratory
      workflow.

PMID- 28639687
TI  - Risk indicators of early childhood caries (ECC) in children with high treatment
      needs.
AB  - Early childhood caries (ECC) represents a major health and economic problem
      worldwide. Its consequences such as early pain experience may affect the
      immediate and long-term quality of life of the child. In very young and
      uncooperative children the therapy of ECC is often viable only under general
      anesthesia. After treatment these affected children have a higher risk for future
      caries either soon thereafter, or later in life. The aim of the present study was
      to determine risk indicators and their correlation among children with high
      caries prevalence and high treatment needs, in order to facilitate the
      development of targeted prophylaxis programs that would reduce future occurrences
      of ECC or at least positively influence the outcome. For this purpose, between
      2010 and 2014 the parents of these children (n=82) were interviewed in the
      University Children?s Hospital in Basel (UKBB) prior to the children?s treatment
      under general anesthesia. The standardized questionnaire included questions
      regarding the age of the child, the mother?s country of origin, the oral hygiene,
      and the drinking habits of the child. The analysis shows that the high mean dmft/
      dmfs values (dmft: 9.49 and dmfs: 26.35) correlated significantly with the
      geographic origin of the mother (p<0.05), the beginning of tooth brushing
      (p<0.05), lack of supervised tooth brushing (p<0.01), and nighttime consumption
      of sugar-sweetened beverages (p<0.05). In contrast, the duration of breastfeeding
      and prolonged use of a baby bottle (about 2.5 years) did not have a clear impact
      on high caries prevalence.

PMID- 28639688
TI  - Pronounced limb and fibre type differences in subcellular lipid droplet content
      and distribution in elite skiers before and after exhaustive exercise.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Although lipid droplets in skeletal muscle are an important energy
      source during endurance exercise, our understanding of lipid metabolism in this
      context remains incomplete. Using transmission electron microscopy, two distinct
      subcellular pools of lipid droplets can be observed in skeletal muscle - one
      beneath the sarcolemma and the other between myofibrils. At rest, well-trained
      leg muscles of cross-country skiers contain 4- to 6-fold more lipid droplets than
      equally well-trained arm muscles, with a 3-fold higher content in type 1 than in
      type 2 fibres. During exhaustive exercise, lipid droplets between the myofibrils
      but not those beneath the sarcolemma are utilised by both type 1 and 2 fibres.
      These findings provide insight into compartmentalisation of lipid metabolism
      within skeletal muscle fibres. ABSTRACT: Although the intramyocellular lipid pool
      is an important energy store during prolonged exercise, our knowledge concerning
      its metabolism is still incomplete. Here, quantitative electron microscopy was
      used to examine subcellular distribution of lipid droplets in type 1 and 2 fibres
      of the arm and leg muscles before and after 1 h of exhaustive exercise.
      Intermyofibrillar lipid droplets accounted for 85-97% of the total volume
      fraction, while the subsarcolemmal pool made up 3-15%. Before exercise, the
      volume fractions of intermyofibrillar and subsarcolemmal lipid droplets were 4-
      to 6-fold higher in leg than in arm muscles (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the volume
      fraction of intermyofibrillar lipid droplets was 3-fold higher in type 1 than in
      type 2 fibres (P < 0.001), with no fibre type difference in the subsarcolemmal
      pool. Following exercise, intermyofibrillar lipid droplet volume fraction was 53%
      lower (P = 0.0082) in both fibre types in arm, but not leg muscles. This
      reduction was positively associated with the corresponding volume fraction prior
      to exercise (R2  = 0.84, P < 0.0001). No exercise-induced change in the
      subsarcolemmal pool could be detected. These findings indicate clear differences
      in the subcellular distribution of lipid droplets in the type 1 and 2 fibres of
      well-trained arm and leg muscles, as well as preferential utilisation of the
      intermyofibrillar pool during prolonged exhaustive exercise. Apparently, the
      metabolism of lipid droplets within a muscle fibre is compartmentalised.

PMID- 28639689
TI  - Management of severe suprastomal collapse with bioabsorbable microplates.

PMID- 28639690
TI  - Variation in host preferences of malaria mosquitoes is mediated by skin bacterial
      volatiles.
AB  - The host preferences of the anthropophilic mosquito species in the Anopheles
      gambiae complex (Diptera: Culicidae) are mediated by skin bacterial volatiles.
      However, it is not known whether these mosquitoes respond differentially to skin
      bacterial volatiles from non-human host species. In this study, the responses of
      two malaria mosquito species in the An. gambiae complex, Anopheles gambiae s.s.
      (hereafter, An. gambiae) and Anopheles arabiensis, with different host
      preferences, to volatiles released from skin bacteria were tested. Skin bacteria
      collected from human, cow and chicken skin significantly increased trap catches;
      traps containing bacteria collected from human skin caught the highest
      proportions of An. gambiae and An. arabiensis. Traps with bacteria of human
      origin caught a significantly higher proportion of An. gambiae than of An.
      arabiensis, whereas bacterial volatiles from the chicken attracted significantly
      higher numbers of An. arabiensis than of An. gambiae. Additionally, An. gambiae
      showed a specialized response to volatiles from four specific bacteria, whereas
      An. arabiensis responded equally to all species of bacteria tested. Skin
      bacterial volatiles may therefore play important roles in guiding mosquitoes with
      different host preferences. The identification of these bacterial volatiles can
      contribute to the development of an odour blend that attracts mosquitoes with
      different host preferences.

PMID- 28639691
TI  - Distinct controls of leaf widening and elongation by light and evaporative demand
      in maize.
AB  - Leaf expansion depends on both carbon and water availabilities. In cereals, most
      of experimental effort has focused on leaf elongation, with essentially hydraulic
      effects. We have tested if evaporative demand and light could have distinct
      effects on leaf elongation and widening, and if short-term effects could
      translate into final leaf dimensions. For that, we have monitored leaf widening
      and elongation in a field experiment with temporary shading, and in a platform
      experiment with 15 min temporal resolution and contrasting evaporative demands.
      Leaf widening showed a strong (positive) sensitivity to whole-plant intercepted
      light and no response to evaporative demand. Leaf elongation was (negatively)
      sensitive to evaporative demand, without effect of intercepted light per se. We
      have successfully tested resulting equations to predict leaf length and width in
      an external dataset of 15 field and six platform experiments. These effects also
      applied to a panel of 251 maize hybrids. Leaf length and width presented
      quantitative trait loci (QTLs) whose allelic effects largely differed between
      both dimensions but were consistent in the field and the platform, with high QTL
      * Environment interaction. It is therefore worthwhile to identify the genetic and
      environmental controls of leaf width and leaf length for prediction of plant leaf
      area.

PMID- 28639692
TI  - The Role of Mothers' Child-Based Worth in Their Affective Responses to Children's
      Performance.
AB  - This research examined whether American and Chinese mothers' tendencies to base
      their worth on children's performance contributes to their affective responses to
      children's performance. Study 1 used daily interviews to assess mothers' warmth
      (vs. hostility) and children's school performance (N = 197; Mage  = 12.81 years).
      In Study 2, such affect was observed in the laboratory following children's
      manipulated performance on cognitive problems (N = 128; Mage  = 10.21 years). The
      more mothers based their worth on children's performance, the more their warmth
      (vs. hostility) decreased when children failed in Study 1. This pattern was
      evident only among Chinese mothers in Study 2. In both studies, child-based worth
      did not contribute to mothers' affective responses to children's success.

PMID- 28639693
TI  - Thromboelastography may predict risk of grade 2 bleeding in thrombocytopenic
      patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Platelet count is used as a prophylactic platelet
      transfusion trigger, although evidence suggests that it is a poor predictor of
      bleeding. Thus, alternative tests are required. The primary objective of this
      study was to compare thromboelastography (TEG) parameters on days with and
      without bleeding symptoms. The secondary objectives were to investigate the
      relationship between TEG parameters and haematological variables, fever, C
      reactive protein (CRP) and platelet transfusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a
      prospective, observational pilot study of 13 thrombocytopenic, haemato-oncologic
      patients, over 17 cycles of chemotherapy. Bleeding assessment was performed daily
      together with a total platelet count (TPC), reticulated platelet per cent (RPP)
      and count (RPC), haemoglobin, mean platelet volume, white blood cell count (WBC),
      CRP and temperature. TEG analyses were performed on weekdays. RESULTS: TEG alpha
      angle was significantly lower on days with World Health Organization (WHO) grade
      2 bleeding than on days without bleeding. Haematologic variables, CRP and
      platelet transfusion the previous day were associated with the outcome of TEG
      analysis, but fever was not. CONCLUSION: We found a highly significant
      correlation between the TEG alpha angle and WHO grade 2 bleeding. This finding
      suggests that fibrinogen-platelet interactions may affect the bleeding risk in
      thrombocytopenic patients.

PMID- 28639694
TI  - Rancidity development of refrigerated rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
      fillets: comparative effects of in vivo and in vitro lycopene.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The problem of lipid oxidation in fish during storage is well known
      and is related to both temperature and storage time. Antioxidants could have a
      main role in limiting the deteriorative effects of lipid oxidation in fish. The
      present study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplement against
      postmortem addition of lycopene on the deterioration of trout fillets during
      storage at 4 +/- 1  degrees C for 12 days. RESULTS: At the end of the feeding
      trial, no significant differences were observed with respect to the fatty acid
      composition of different dietary groups. However, a strong positive correlation
      (r = 0.96) was observed between fillet and diet lycopene levels. Lower indices of
      lipid oxidation (peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid) and lipid hydrolysis
      (free fatty acids) were observed in fillets that received lycopene (P < 0.05).
      Although exogenous lycopene was more effective (P < 0.05) than endogenous
      lycopene in delaying lipid oxidation, the fatty acid composition of fillets that
      received dietary lycopene supplement showed a higher stability (P < 0.05) during
      refrigeration storage. CONCLUSION: Accordingly, based on the time of appearance
      of off-odors and discoloration in fish fillets, exogenous lycopene, especially at
      higher levels, was more effective in terms of quality parameters. (c) 2017
      Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28639695
TI  - Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta ablation limits pancreatitis-induced acinar-to
      ductal metaplasia.
AB  - Acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) is a reversible epithelial transdifferentiation
      process that occurs in the pancreas in response to acute inflammation. ADM can
      rapidly progress towards pre-malignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia
      (PanIN) lesions in the presence of mutant KRas and ultimately pancreatic
      adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In the present work, we elucidate the role and related
      mechanism of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta) in ADM development using
      in vitro 3D cultures and genetically engineered mouse models. We show that GSK
      3beta promotes TGF-alpha-induced ADM in 3D cultured primary acinar cells, whereas
      deletion of GSK-3beta attenuates caerulein-induced ADM formation and PanIN
      progression in KrasG12D transgenic mice. Furthermore, we demonstrate that GSK
      3beta ablation influences ADM formation and PanIN progression by suppressing
      oncogenic KRas-driven cell proliferation. Mechanistically, we show that GSK-3beta
      regulates proliferation by increasing the activation of S6 kinase. Taken
      together, these results indicate that GSK-3beta participates in early
      pancreatitis-induced ADM and thus could be a target for the treatment of chronic
      pancreatitis and the prevention of PDAC progression. Copyright (c) 2017
      Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley &
      Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639697
TI  - Determination of metabolic resistance mechanisms in pyrethroid-resistant and
      fipronil-tolerant brown dog ticks.
AB  - Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) is a three-host dog tick
      found worldwide that is able to complete its' entire lifecycle indoors. Options
      for the management of R. sanguineus are limited and its' control relies largely
      on only a few acaricidal active ingredients. Previous studies have confirmed
      permethrin resistance and fipronil tolerance in R. sanguineus populations,
      commonly conferred by metabolic detoxification or target site mutations. Herein,
      five strains of permethrin-resistant and three strains of fipronil-tolerant ticks
      were evaluated for metabolic resistance using synergists to block metabolic
      enzymes. Synergist studies were completed with triphenyl phosphate (TPP) for
      esterase inhibition, piperonyl butoxide (PBO) for cytochrome P450 inhibition, and
      diethyl maleate (DEM) for glutathione-S-transferase inhibition. Additionally,
      increased esterase activity was confirmed using gel electrophoresis. The most
      important metabolic detoxification mechanism in permethrin-resistant ticks was
      increased esterase activity, followed by increased cytochrome P450 activity. The
      inhibition of metabolic enzymes did not have a marked impact on fipronil-tolerant
      tick strains.

PMID- 28639696
TI  - Modulation of global SUMOylation by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and
      its effects on viral gene expression.
AB  - Some viruses have evolved to exploit the host SUMOylation system to regulate
      their own replication. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes K
      bZIP, a SUMO E3 ligase catalyzing the SUMOylation of viral and host proteins.
      KSHV also encodes replication and transcriptional activator (RTA), a SUMO
      targeted ubiquitin ligase catalyzing the ubiquitination of SUMOylated proteins
      and targeting them for degradation. Using chronic KSHV-infected TRE * BCBL-1 RTA
      cells, the expression kinetics of K-bZIP and RTA, and the global SUMOylation
      level were detected. The endogenous K-bZIP protein increased dramatically after
      the induction of the RTA gene that is tetracycline responsive, but then decreased
      rapidly after peaking at 8 h post tetracycline treatment. Consistently, the
      global SUMO-conjugated proteins increased and remained at high levels until 8 h,
      and decreased afterward, correlating with the expression kinetics of RTA and K
      bZIP. In luciferase reporter assays, transfection of 293T cells with SUMO2
      expression plasmid reduced the RTA transactivations of immediate-early genes k8,
      orf45, and orf50, but enhanced the RTA transactivations of other viral genes
      including orf57, pan, k2, orf8, and orf73. These results indicated that KSHV
      might regulate gene expression and viral replication schedule through modulation
      of the global SUMOylation level, probably via RTA, and RTA-regulated K-bZIP.

PMID- 28639698
TI  - Definitional Elasticity in the Measurement of Intergenerational Continuity in
      Substance Use.
AB  - Increasingly, three generation studies have investigated intergenerational (IG)
      continuity and discontinuity in substance use and related problem behaviors.
      However, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the conceptual definition
      of continuity or to different types of discontinuity (resilience and escalation)
      or to measurement sensitivity, which affects not only the magnitudes of observed
      continuity but also factors that correlate with this linkage. This study uses
      longitudinal data on 427 parent-child dyads from the Rochester IG Study to study
      continuity and discontinuity in substance use over ages 14-18. Results suggest
      that the degree of IG continuity, resilience, and escalation in adolescent
      substance use, as well as correlates of each, depend heavily on how heterogeneity
      in the behavior is taken into account.

PMID- 28639699
TI  - An evaluation of asymptomatic Dengue infections among blood donors during the
      2014 Dengue outbreak in Guangzhou, China.
AB  - In 2014, an outbreak of dengue virus (DENV) infection led to 45 171 clinical
      cases diagnosed in Guangdong province, Southern China. However, the potential
      risk of blood donors asymptomatically infected with DENV has not been evaluated .
      In the current study we detected anti-DENV IgG antibody and RNA in volunteer
      Chinese blood donors. We found that anti-DENV IgG antibody was positively
      detected in 3.4% (51/1500) and two donors were detected as being DENV RNA
      positive out of 3000 blood samples. We concluded that the presence of potential
      DENV in blood donors might be potential risk for blood safety. Therefore,
      screening for DENV infection should be considered in blood donations during a
      period of dengue outbreak in high epidemic area of China.

PMID- 28639700
TI  - Systematic review: health-related quality of life in children and adults with
      eosinophilic oesophagitis-instruments for measurement and determinant factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several measures have been used to assess the health-related quality
      of life (HRQoL) of patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE). AIMS: To
      systematically review these HRQoL measures, to appraise measurement properties of
      specific instruments and to evaluate determinant factors influencing HRQoL in
      paediatric and adult EoE patients. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Embase,
      Scopus, Web of Science (WOS) and PsycINFO databases for documents providing
      original information on the development of measurement tools and/or evaluation of
      HRQoL outcomes in EoE patients of all ages. RESULTS: Of the 596 references
      identified, data was collected from 34 studies (with only 16 of them being
      published as full papers) including a total of 1,689 individual patients. Three
      disease-specific HRQoL measures in EoE covering different aspects of patients'
      lives and developed in English, were scored positive regarding measurement
      properties. The PedsQL inventory (including parent and child report forms) and
      the Peds-QoL EoE module were the generic and specific instruments respectively
      used in children, while the SF-36 and EoE-QoL-A were the most used questionnaires
      in adults. Patients with EoE show an impaired HRQoL compared to controls, which
      greatly depends on symptom severity and disease duration. Severity of endoscopic
      features and female gender may also determine an impaired HRQoL. The effect of
      treatments on HRQoL requires further assessment. CONCLUSIONS: HRQoL is a relevant
      outcome that should be considered in clinical practice and research of EoE.
      Further validation studies in several languages and populations are required to
      support the use of disease-specific HRQoL measures.

PMID- 28639701
TI  - Insurance status as a predictor of mortality in patients undergoing head and neck
      cancer surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Explore relationship between insurance status and survival, determine
      outcomes that vary based on insurance status, and identify potential areas of
      intervention. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis of patients who
      underwent resection of an upper aerodigestive tract malignancy at a single
      tertiary care hospital during a 5-year period. METHODS: Patients were categorized
      into four groups by insurance status: Medicaid or uninsured, Medicare and under
      65 years of age, Medicare and 65 years or older, and private insurance. Data were
      collected from the medical record and analyzed with respect to survival and other
      outcomes. RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 860 patients. Survival analysis
      demonstrated a hazard ratio of 2.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-3.0) for
      the Medicaid/uninsured group when compared to the private insurance group. When
      adjusted for other variables, mortality was still different across insurance
      groups (P = 0.002). The following also were different across insurance groups:
      tumor stage (P < 0.001), American Society of Anesthesiologists score (P < 0.001),
      length of stay (P < 0.001), and complications (P = 0.021). The Medicaid/uninsured
      group was most likely to have a complication (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% CI 1.24
      3.56, P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Medicaid/uninsured patients present with more
      advanced tumors and have poorer survival than privately insured patients.
      Insurance status is predictive of tumor stage, comorbidity burden, length of
      stay, and complications. Specifically, the Medicaid/uninsured group had high
      rates of tobacco use and alcohol abuse, advanced stage tumors, and postoperative
      complications. Because alcohol abuse and advanced stage also were predictors of
      poor survival, they may contribute to the survival disparity for socially
      disadvantaged patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:2784-2789, 2017.

PMID- 28639702
TI  - Bone marrow aspirate clot: A technical complication or a smart approach for
      musculoskeletal tissue regeneration?
AB  - One of the methods employed to improve healing of damaged tissues is the use of
      cellular based therapies. A number of regenerative medicine based strategies,
      from in vitro expanded mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to "one-step" procedures
      using bone marrow (BM) in toto (BM aspirate; BMA) or BM concentrate (BMC), have
      been developed. Recently, orthopedic researchers focused their attention on the
      clinical therapeutic potential of BMC and BMA for musculoskeletal regeneration.
      BMA is reported as an excellent source of cells and growth factors. However, the
      quality of BM harvest and aspirate is extremely technique-dependent and, due to
      the presence of megakaryocytes and platelets, BMA is prone to clot. BMA clot
      formation is usually considered a complication hampering the procedures on both
      BMC preparation and MSC expansion. Therefore, different protocols have been
      developed to avoid and/or degrade clots. However, from a biological point of view
      there is a strong rationale for the use of BMA clot for tissue engineering
      strategies. This descriptive systematic literature review summarizes preclinical
      and clinical studies dealing the use of BMA clot for orthopedic procedures and
      provided some evidence supporting its use as a cell based therapy for cartilage
      and bone regeneration. Despite these results, there are still few preclinical and
      clinical studies that carefully evaluate the safety and efficacy of BMA clot in
      orthopedic procedures. Thus, implementing biological knowledge and both
      preclinical and clinical studies could help researchers and clinicians to
      understand if BMA clots can really be considered a possible therapeutic tool.

PMID- 28639703
TI  - An assessment of differences in costs and health benefits of serology and NAT
      screening of donations for blood transfusion in different Western countries.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The cost-utility of safety interventions is becoming
      increasingly important as a driver of implementation decisions. The aim of this
      study was to compare the cost-utility of different blood screening strategies in
      various settings, and to analyse the extent and cause of differences in health
      economic results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For eight Western countries (Australia,
      Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, The Netherlands, UK and the United States of
      America), data were collected on donor and recipient populations, blood products,
      screening tests, and on patient treatment practices and costs. An existing ISBT
      web-tool model was used to assess the cost-utility of various strategies for HIV,
      HCV and HBV screening. RESULTS: The cost-utility ratio of serology screening for
      these eight countries ranges between -11 000 and 92 000 US$ per QALY, and for NAT
      between -12 000 and 113 000 US$ per QALY when compared to no screening. Combined
      serology and NAT ranges between 600 and 217 000 US$ per QALY. The incremental
      cost-utility of NAT after implementation of serology screening ranges from 2 231
      000 to 15 778 000 US$ per QALY. CONCLUSION: There are substantial differences in
      costs per QALY between countries for various HIV, HBV and HCV screening
      strategies. These differences are primarily caused by costs of screening tests
      and infection rates in the donor population. Within each country, similar cost
      per QALY results for serology and NAT compared to no screening, coupled with
      evidence of limited value of serology and NAT together prompts the need for
      further discussion on the acceptability of parallel testing by serology and NAT.

PMID- 28639704
TI  - Genome-wide association analysis identifies potential regulatory genes for
      eumelanin pigmentation in chicken plumage.
AB  - Plumage color in chicken is determined by the proportion of eumelanin and
      pheomelanin pigmentation. As the main ingredient in plumage melanin, eumelanin
      plays a key role in the dark black, brown and grey coloration. However, very few
      studies have been performed to identify the related genes and mutations on a
      genome-wide scale. Herein, a resource family consisting of one backcross
      population and two F2 cross populations between a black roster and Yukou Brown I
      parent stockbreed was constructed for identification of genes related to
      eumelanin pigmentation. Chickens with eumelanin in their plumage were classified
      as the case group, and the rest were considered the control group. A genome-wide
      association study of this phenotype and genotypes using Affymetrix 600K HD SNP
      arrays in this F2 family revealed 13 significantly associated SNPs and in 10
      separate genes on chromosomes 1, 2, 3 and 5. Based on previous studies in model
      species, we inferred that genes, including NUAK family kinase 1 (NUAK1) and sonic
      hedgehog (SHH), may play roles in the development of neural crest cells or
      melanoblasts during the embryonic period, which may also affect the eumelanin
      pigmentation. Our results facilitate the understanding of the genetic basis of
      eumelanin pigmentation in chicken plumage.

PMID- 28639705
TI  - Cloning and characterization of iron-superoxide dismutase in Antarctic yeast
      strain Rhodotorula mucilaginosa AN5.
AB  - A novel superoxide dismutase gene from Antarctic yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa
      AN5 was cloned, sequenced, and then expressed in Escherichia coli. The R.
      mucilaginosa AN5 SOD (RmFeSOD) gene was 639 bp open reading frame in length,
      which encoded a protein of 212 amino acids with a deduced molecular mass of 23.5
      kDa and a pI of 7.89. RmFeSOD was identified as iron SOD type with a natural
      status of homodimer. The recombinant RmFeSOD showed good pH stability in the pH
      1.0-9.0 after 1 h incubation. Meanwhile, it was found to behave relatively high
      thermostability, and maintained more than 80% activity at 50  degrees C for 1 h.
      By addition of 1 mM metal ions, the enzyme activity increased by Zn2+ , Cu2+ ,
      Mn2+ , and Fe3+ , and inhibited only by Mg2+ . RmFeSOD showed relatively low
      tolerance to some compounds, such as PMSF, SDS, Tween-80, Triton X-100, DMSO,
      beta-ME, and urea. However, DTT showed no inhibition to enzyme activity. Using
      copper stress experiment, the RmFeSOD recombinant E. coli exhibited better growth
      than non-recombinant bacteria, which revealed that RmFeSOD might play an
      important role in the adaptability of heavy metals.

PMID- 28639706
TI  - Exercise for pregnant women with gestational diabetes for improving maternal and
      fetal outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with both short-
      and long-term complications for the mother and her baby. Exercise interventions
      may be useful in helping with glycaemic control and improve maternal and infant
      outcomes.The original review on Exercise for diabetic pregnant women has been
      split into two new review titles reflecting the role of exercise for pregnant
      women with gestational diabetes and for pregnant women with pre-existing
      diabetes. Exercise for pregnant women with gestational diabetes for improving
      maternal and fetal outcomes (this review) Exercise for pregnant women with pre
      existing diabetes for improving maternal and fetal outcomes OBJECTIVES: To
      evaluate the effects of exercise interventions for improving maternal and fetal
      outcomes in women with GDM. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy
      and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (27 August 2016), ClinicalTrials.gov, the
      WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (18th August 2016),
      and reference lists of retrieved studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included
      randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing an exercise intervention with
      standard care or another intervention in pregnant women diagnosed with
      gestational diabetes. Quasi-randomised and cross-over studies, and studies
      including women with pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes were not eligible for
      inclusion. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All selection of studies, assessment of
      trial quality and data extraction was conducted independently by two review
      authors. Data were checked for accuracy. MAIN RESULTS: We included 11 randomised
      trials, involving 638 women. The overall risk of bias was judged to be unclear
      due to lack of methodological detail in the included studies.For the mother,
      there was no clear evidence of a difference between women in the exercise group
      and those in the control group for the risk of pre-eclampsia as the measure of
      hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (risk ratio (RR) 0.31, 95% confidence
      interval (CI) 0.01 to 7.09; two RCTs, 48 women; low-quality evidence), birth by
      caesarean section (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.16; five RCTs, 316 women; I2 = 0%;
      moderate-quality evidence), the risk of induction of labour (RR 1.38, 95% CI 0.71
      to 2.68; one RCT, 40 women; low-quality evidence) or maternal body mass index at
      follow-up (postnatal weight retention or return to pre-pregnancy weight) (mean
      difference (MD) 0.11 kg/m2, 95% CI -1.04 to 1.26; three RCTs, 254 women; I2 = 0%;
      high-quality evidence). Development of type 2 diabetes, perineal trauma/tearing
      and postnatal depression were not reported as outcomes in the included
      studies.For the infant/child/adult, a single small (n = 19) trial reported no
      perinatal mortality (stillbirth and neonatal mortality) events in either the
      exercise intervention or control group (low-quality evidence). There was no clear
      evidence of a difference between groups for a mortality and morbidity composite
      (variously defined by trials, e.g. perinatal or infant death, shoulder dystocia,
      bone fracture or nerve palsy) (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.12 to 2.61; two RCTs, 169
      infants; I2 = 0%; moderate-quality evidence) or neonatal hypoglycaemia (RR 2.00,
      95% CI 0.20 to 20.04; one RCT, 34 infants; low-quality evidence). None of the
      included trials pre-specified large-for-gestational age, adiposity
      (neonatal/infant, childhood or adulthood), diabetes (childhood or adulthood) or
      neurosensory disability (neonatal/infant) as trial outcomes.Other maternal
      outcomes of interest: exercise interventions were associated with both reduced
      fasting blood glucose concentrations (average standardised mean difference (SMD) 
      0.59, 95% CI -1.07 to -0.11; four RCTs, 363 women; I2 = 73%; T2 = 0.19) and a
      reduced postprandial blood glucose concentration compared with control
      interventions (average SMD -0.85, 95% CI -1.15 to -0.55; three RCTs, 344 women;
      I2 = 34%; T2 = 0.03). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Short- and long-term outcomes of
      interest for this review were poorly reported. Current evidence is confounded by
      the large variety of exercise interventions. There was insufficient high-quality
      evidence to be able to determine any differences between exercise and control
      groups for our outcomes of interest. For the woman, both fasting and postprandial
      blood glucose concentrations were reduced compared with the control groups. There
      are currently insufficient data for us to determine if there are also benefits
      for the infant. The quality of the evidence in this review ranged from high to
      low quality and the main reason for downgrading was for risk of bias and
      imprecision (wide CIs, low event rates and small sample size). Development of
      type 2 diabetes, perineal trauma/tearing, postnatal depression, large-for
      gestational age, adiposity (neonate/infant, childhood or adulthood), diabetes
      (childhood or adulthood) or neurosensory disability (neonate/infant) were not
      reported as outcomes in the included studies.Further research is required
      comparing different types of exercise interventions with control groups or with
      another exercise intervention that reports on both the short- and long-term
      outcomes (for both the mother and infant/child) as listed in this review.

PMID- 28639707
TI  - Dressings and topical agents for treating pressure ulcers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores, decubitus ulcers and
      pressure injuries, are localised areas of injury to the skin or the underlying
      tissue, or both. Dressings are widely used to treat pressure ulcers and promote
      healing, and there are many options to choose from including alginate,
      hydrocolloid and protease-modulating dressings. Topical agents have also been
      used as alternatives to dressings in order to promote healing.A clear and current
      overview of all the evidence is required to facilitate decision-making regarding
      the use of dressings or topical agents for the treatment of pressure ulcers. Such
      a review would ideally help people with pressure ulcers and health professionals
      assess the best treatment options. This review is a network meta-analysis (NMA)
      which assesses the probability of complete ulcer healing associated with
      alternative dressings and topical agents. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of
      dressings and topical agents for healing pressure ulcers in any care setting. We
      aimed to examine this evidence base as a whole, determining probabilities that
      each treatment is the best, with full assessment of uncertainty and evidence
      quality. SEARCH METHODS: In July 2016 we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised
      Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); Ovid
      MEDLINE; Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations); Ovid Embase and
      EBSCO CINAHL Plus. We also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and
      unpublished studies, and scanned reference lists of relevant included studies as
      well as reviews, meta-analyses, guidelines and health technology reports to
      identify additional studies. There were no restrictions with respect to language,
      date of publication or study setting. SELECTION CRITERIA: Published or
      unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of at least
      one of the following interventions with any other intervention in the treatment
      of pressure ulcers (Stage 2 or above): any dressing, or any topical agent applied
      directly to an open pressure ulcer and left in situ. We excluded from this review
      dressings attached to external devices such as negative pressure wound therapies,
      skin grafts, growth factor treatments, platelet gels and larval therapy. DATA
      COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently performed study
      selection, risk of bias assessment and data extraction. We conducted network meta
      analysis using frequentist mega-regression methods for the efficacy outcome,
      probability of complete healing. We modelled the relative effectiveness of any
      two treatments as a function of each treatment relative to the reference
      treatment (saline gauze). We assumed that treatment effects were similar within
      dressings classes (e.g. hydrocolloid, foam). We present estimates of effect with
      their 95% confidence intervals for individual treatments compared with every
      other, and we report ranking probabilities for each intervention (probability of
      being the best, second best, etc treatment). We assessed the certainty (quality)
      of the body of evidence using GRADE for each network comparison and for the
      network as whole. MAIN RESULTS: We included 51 studies (2947 participants) in
      this review and carried out NMA in a network of linked interventions for the sole
      outcome of probability of complete healing. The network included 21 different
      interventions (13 dressings, 6 topical agents and 2 supplementary linking
      interventions) and was informed by 39 studies in 2127 participants, of whom 783
      had completely healed wounds.We judged the network to be sparse: overall, there
      were relatively few participants, with few events, both for the number of
      interventions and the number of mixed treatment contrasts; most studies were
      small or very small. The consequence of this sparseness is high imprecision in
      the evidence, and this, coupled with the (mainly) high risk of bias in the
      studies informing the network, means that we judged the vast majority of the
      evidence to be of low or very low certainty. We have no confidence in the
      findings regarding the rank order of interventions in this review (very low
      certainty evidence), but we report here a summary of results for some comparisons
      of interventions compared with saline gauze. We present here only the findings
      from evidence which we did not consider to be very low certainty, but these
      reported results should still be interpreted in the context of the very low
      certainty of the network as a whole.It is not clear whether regimens involving
      protease-modulating dressings increase the probability of pressure ulcer healing
      compared with saline gauze (risk ratio (RR) 1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI)
      0.92 to 2.94) (moderate-certainty evidence: low risk of bias, downgraded for
      imprecision). This risk ratio of 1.65 corresponds to an absolute difference of
      102 more people healed with protease modulating dressings per 1000 people treated
      than with saline gauze alone (95% CI 13 fewer to 302 more). It is unclear whether
      the following interventions increase the probability of healing compared with
      saline gauze (low-certainty evidence): collagenase ointment (RR 2.12, 95% CI 1.06
      to 4.22); foam dressings (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.26); basic wound contact
      dressings (RR 1.30, 95% CI 0.65 to 2.58) and polyvinylpyrrolidone plus zinc oxide
      (RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.37 to 4.62); the latter two interventions both had confidence
      intervals consistent with both a clinically important benefit and a clinically
      important harm, and the former two interventions each had high risk of bias as
      well as imprecision. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: A network meta-analysis (NMA) of data
      from 39 studies (evaluating 21 dressings and topical agents for pressure ulcers)
      is sparse and the evidence is of low or very low certainty (due mainly to risk of
      bias and imprecision). Consequently we are unable to determine which dressings or
      topical agents are the most likely to heal pressure ulcers, and it is generally
      unclear whether the treatments examined are more effective than saline gauze.More
      research is needed to determine whether particular dressings or topical agents
      improve the probability of healing of pressure ulcers. The NMA is uninformative
      regarding which interventions might best be included in a large trial, and it may
      be that research is directed towards prevention, leaving clinicians to decide
      which treatment to use on the basis of wound symptoms, clinical experience,
      patient preference and cost.

PMID- 28639708
TI  - Young Infants' Word Comprehension Given An Unfamiliar Talker or Altered
      Pronunciations.
AB  - To understand spoken words, listeners must appropriately interpret co-occurring
      talker characteristics and speech sound content. This ability was tested in 6- to
      14-months-olds by measuring their looking to named food and body part images. In
      the new talker condition (n = 90), pictures were named by an unfamiliar voice; in
      the mispronunciation condition (n = 98), infants' mothers "mispronounced" the
      words (e.g., nazz for nose). Six- to 7-month-olds fixated target images above
      chance across conditions, understanding novel talkers, and mothers'
      phonologically deviant speech equally. Eleven- to 14-months-olds also understood
      new talkers, but performed poorly with mispronounced speech, indicating
      sensitivity to phonological deviation. Between these ages, performance was mixed.
      These findings highlight the changing roles of acoustic and phonetic variability
      in early word comprehension, as infants learn which variations alter meaning.

PMID- 28639709
TI  - Vesiculobullous variant of erythema elevatum diutinum.
AB  - The vesiculobullous variant of erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a very rare
      variant of EED. We describe a 16-year-old boy who presented with symmetrical
      nodular lesions accompanied by vesicles on the dorsa of his hands. Biopsy
      findings were consistent with EED. The histopathological presence of IgA and
      neutrophils in the vesicles indicates that the joint action of both is
      responsible for formation of these subepidermic vesicles. We hypothesize that
      absence of human leucocyte antigen related to dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) in
      our patient might have influenced the location and distribution of the lesions,
      so that they were not typical of DH. We report the second case of the
      vesiculobullous variant of EED with IgA deposits in the dermoepidermal membrane.
      To our knowledge, there are only 14 previously reported cases of the
      vesiculobullous variant of EED.

PMID- 28639710
TI  - Exploring the use of drug trend data in the regional alcohol and other drug
      workforce.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Drug trend data can inform appropriate policies to minimise drug
      related harm, as well as assist in early detection and prevention. While
      Australia has a number of monitoring systems, none operate in regional areas. The
      aim of this study was to explore how drug trend and other data are used by the
      regional alcohol and other drug workforce. METHOD: Twenty-one key experts from
      regional Queensland were interviewed between November 2014 and August 2015. Key
      experts worked in or had contact with the broader alcohol and other drugs field
      in the Darling Downs area of Queensland. Interviews were analysed thematically.
      SETTING: Darling Downs, Queensland. RESULTS: Two themes emerged from the
      analysis. There were differences in workforce needs, with those in the law and
      criminal justice areas believing they had access to good, current data. Those in
      the health sector differed, although the majority indicated that there did appear
      to be a knowledge gap related to their location in a regional area. CONCLUSIONS:
      Trends in the use of, and harms related to, substance use are well captured in
      urban areas, but less so in regional areas. This inhibits both our understanding
      of where substance use is changing, as well as how to best plan and respond.

PMID- 28639711
TI  - Late onset congenital dermal melanocytosis - 'Mongolian blue spots' confused as
      child abuse: Are there more lessons to be learnt?

PMID- 28639712
TI  - The effect of childcare activities on cognitive status and depression in older
      adults: gender differences in a 4.4-year longitudinal study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Although involvement in childcare activities seems to promote better
      physical and mental health in older adults, its impact on cognitive status and
      depression has not yet been fully elucidated. We aimed to analyze the association
      between engagement in childcare activities and cognitive and psychological status
      over a 4.4-year period in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Two thousand
      one hundred four subjects older than 65 years without severe cognitive impairment
      at baseline were categorized according to the frequency of their involvement in
      childcare activities (everyday, occasionally, never). The participants' cognitive
      status and depressive symptoms were evaluated at baseline and after 4.4 years.
      RESULTS: During the follow-up, 269 (12.8%) new cases of cognitive impairment and
      229 (10.9%) new cases of depression were registered. Men engaged in childcare
      showed an almost 20% lower risk of cognitive impairment and cognitive decline.
      Women demonstrated similar results, except for those occasionally involved in
      childcare, who had a higher risk of cognitive decline compared with women who
      never engaged in it. The risk of developing depression was reduced in men
      involved daily (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.30-0.62, p < 0.0001) and occasionally in
      childcare, who also demonstrated a lower risk of exacerbating depressive symptoms
      compared with subjects who never involved in it. The onset of depression was
      reduced in women occasionally engaged in childcare (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.56-0.82,
      p < 0.0001), but not significantly in those daily involved in it. CONCLUSIONS:
      Involvement of older adults in childcare activities seems to lower the risk of
      cognitive impairment in both genders and to prevent onset or worsening of
      depression particularly in older men. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639713
TI  - Rosacea in black South Africans with skin phototypes V and VI.
AB  - Rosacea is a chronic facial dermatosis considered to affect primarily white
      patients with light phototype skin, and is poorly documented in black patients.
      The aim of this study was to document the clinical features of rosacea in
      patients with phototypes V and VI. An 8-year retrospective chart review of
      patients with a clinical and histological diagnosis of rosacea or acne rosacea
      was undertaken. Of 6700 patients, 15 (0.2%) had rosacea. All were of African
      descent with skin phototype V or VI. Mean age was 47 years, and female : male
      ratio was 14 : 1. Of the 15 patients, 5 (33%) were positive for human
      immunodeficiency virus; 5 (33%) had used topical steroids to treat the roseacea;
      6 (40%) had phototype V and presented with erythema, telangiectasia and
      erythematous papules, while 9 (60%) had phototype VI skin and presented with skin
      coloured papules; and 10 (67%) had histology showing granulomatous rosacea, while
      5 (33%) declined a facial skin biopsy. A high index of suspicion is required to
      diagnose rosacea in black patients as the classic signs of erythema and
      telangiectasia are difficult to discern.

PMID- 28639714
TI  - Plasma cytokine IL-6 levels and subjective cognitive decline: preliminary
      findings.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD) prior to clinical inception will
      be paramount for introducing disease modifying treatments. We have begun
      collecting baseline characteristics of a community cohort for longitudinal
      assessment and testing of antecedent blood-based biomarkers. We describe the
      baseline visit from the first 131 subjects in relationship to a commonly
      described cytokine, interleukin 6 (IL-6). METHODS: Subjects from the community
      presented for a free memory screening with varying degrees of memory concern. We
      quantified the baseline plasma levels of the cytokine IL-6 and assessed cognition
      (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) and mood (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS)
      in relationship to their memory concern. RESULTS: Baseline MoCA scores were
      inversely related to age, and this association was influenced by an AD risk
      factor, Apolipoprotein E (APOE4) carrier status. The degree of subjective
      cognitive decline correlated with GDS and was inversely related to MoCA scores.
      Interleukin 6 levels were related to age, body mass index, and years of
      education. CONCLUSIONS: It will be important to assess how these baseline IL-6
      levels and forthcoming novel biomarkers relate to future cognitive decline.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28639715
TI  - Refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria associated with CD4 lymphocytopenia in a
      patient with thymoma.

PMID- 28639716
TI  - Expression of the autoantigen TRIM33/TIF1gamma in skin and muscle of patients
      with dermatomyositis is upregulated, together with markers of cellular stress.
AB  - Dermatomyositis (DM) is an autoimmune disorder associated with a dysregulation of
      immune homeostasis of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Earlier data
      suggested that these two arms of the immune system interconnect in DM. In the
      current study, we analysed the association of autoantigen expression [adaptive
      system components: Mi2, transcriptional intermediary factor (TIF)1gamma, small
      ubiquitin-like modifier 1 activating enzyme subunit (SAE)1, melanoma
      differentiation-associated protein (MDA)5] with markers of cellular stress
      (innate system components: MxA, p53) in skin and muscle (immunohistology and gene
      expression data, respectively). We found that distinctive self-antigens of DM
      were elevated in both skin and muscle tissue. In particular, TIF1gamma expression
      was seen in autoimmune diseases including DM, but not in other inflammatory skin
      disorders. This upregulation was closely associated with p53 expression and type
      I interferon-regulated inflammation, suggesting that upregulation of autoantigens
      in the skin and muscle of patients with DM might be driven by cellular stress.
      Better understanding of these mechanisms could pave the way for new therapeutic
      concepts focusing on stress reduction.

PMID- 28639718
TI  - Catalytic Enantioselective Michael Addition Reactions of Tertiary Enolates
      Generated by Detrifluoroacetylation.
AB  - This work describes, for the first time, Michael addition reactions of tertiary
      fluoro-enolates in situ generated by detrifluoroacetylation with 1-(1
      (phenylsulfonyl) vinylsulfonyl)benzene. Excellent enantioselectivity and chemical
      yields were achieved with application of catalysts (10 mol %) derived from
      Cu(OTf)2 and (1S,2S)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diamine. These reactions show a
      considerable degree of structural generality and allow the preparation of new
      types of biologically relevant molecules that contain quaternary C-F stereogenic
      carbon atoms and feature five-, six-, or seven-membered rings as well as
      heterocyclic 3-fluoro-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one moieties.

PMID- 28639717
TI  - Transvaginal sonographic cervical length in first and second trimesters in a low
      risk population: a prospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess cervical length (CL) longitudinally between the first and
      second trimesters and to determine the proportion of women with short CL. The
      study also aimed to assess if women with short CL at 19-24 weeks' gestation could
      be identified at the time of combined first-trimester screening (cFTS) at 11-14
      weeks' gestation, in order to determine the potential value of implementation of
      CL screening for prediction of preterm delivery in a Danish population. METHODS:
      This was a prospective longitudinal study of women with singleton pregnancy
      attending three University Hospitals in Denmark for combined first-trimester
      screening from 1 November 2013 to 1 December 2014. Exclusion criteria were
      multiple pregnancy, uterine anomaly, cerclage or progesterone treatment at
      inclusion. CL was measured on transvaginal sonography at 11-14 weeks (Cx1), 19-21
      weeks (Cx2) and 23-24 weeks (Cx3), by trained operators as a straight line from
      external to internal os. Women with CL <= 25 mm were referred to a maternal-fetal
      medicine specialist for treatment according to a standardized management
      protocol. RESULTS: Of the 4904 eligible women, 3477 (71%) participated and had
      Cx1 recorded. Of those, 3232 (93.0%) had CL measured on all three scans. Median
      Cx1 was 37 mm, and median Cx2 and Cx3 were 40 mm. The proportion of women with CL
      <= 25 mm increased with gestational age, from 0.41% (95% CI, 0.19-0.62%) at Cx1
      to 1.79% (95% CI, 1.34-2.24%) at Cx3. In total, the proportion of women with
      second-trimester CL (Cx2 or Cx3) <= 25 mm was 2.0% (n = 67), of which 38.8% (n =
      26) were detected at 19-21 weeks. The probability of short CL between 19 and 24
      weeks was greater for those with shorter first-trimester CL. It was nearly nine
      fold higher for women with Cx1 <= 25 mm compared with Cx1 >= 35 mm (17% vs 2%).
      The performance of Cx1 for prediction of short second-trimester CL was 50% at a
      10% false-positive rate. It was found that more than 1500 women would need to be
      screened for short CL at 19-21 weeks to prevent one case of spontaneous preterm
      delivery before 34 weeks in a population such as the one in this study.
      CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between first-trimester CL and risk of short
      cervix in the second trimester. Once short CL was observed, risk of preterm
      delivery was greatly increased. However, whether universal CL screening should be
      implemented in this low-risk population depends on cost-benefit analysis taking
      into account the low proportions of women with short CL and at risk for preterm
      delivery. Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28639719
TI  - Understanding Indigenous patient attendance: A qualitative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To better understand Indigenous patient non-attendance at medical
      specialty appointments by learning from the patients attending their scheduled
      outreach ophthalmology clinic appointment. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A
      qualitative study using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 69
      Indigenous Australian ophthalmology patients and 8 clinic workers at one urban
      and one rural Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) over the period from April 2015 to
      November 2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Explored motivations and enablers for
      attending patients to guide best practice for specialist outreach clinics.
      RESULTS: The main themes emerging from the interviews included: clinic staff are
      persistent in their efforts to organise outreach ophthalmology clinics; both
      motivated and reluctant patients attend medical appointments; and reluctant
      patients are more likely to be unaware of their referral pathway. Health literacy
      and clinic staff triggered the reluctant patient to attend. CONCLUSION:
      Indigenous patients attend their outreach ophthalmology appointments based on
      various motivations. Clinic staff who recognise reluctant patients can
      communicate through a sensitive, patient-centred approach that helps the patient
      realise the importance of the appointment thus creating motivation and promoting
      attendance. The efforts of the clinic staff, through their patient reminding,
      transport provision and patient-centred communication suggest that they are the
      enablers of Indigenous patient attendance at AMS outreach ophthalmology clinics.

PMID- 28639720
TI  - Isophthalic Acid-Based HDAC Inhibitors as Potent Inhibitors of HDAC8 from
      Schistosoma mansoni.
AB  - Schistosoma mansoni histone deacetylase 8 (SmHDAC8) has been recently identified
      as a new potential target for the treatment of schistosomiasis. A series of newly
      designed and synthesized alkoxyamide-based and hydrazide-based HDAC inhibitors
      were tested for inhibitory activity against SmHDAC8 and human HDACs 1, 6, and 8.
      The front runner compounds showed submicromolar activity against SmHDAC8 and
      modest preference for SmHDAC8 over its human orthologue hHDAC8. Docking studies
      provided insights into the putative binding mode in SmHDAC8 and allowed
      rationalization of the observed selectivity profile.

PMID- 28639721
TI  - TRPV4 channels contribute to calcium transients in astrocytes and neurons during
      peri-infarct depolarizations in a stroke model.
AB  - Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability. In the
      penumbra, that is, the area surrounding the infarct core, peri-infarct
      depolarizations (PIDs) are accompanied by strong intracellular calcium elevations
      in astrocytes and neurons, thereby negatively affecting infarct size and clinical
      outcome. The dynamics of PIDs and the cellular pathways that are involved during
      PID formation and progression remain incompletely understood. We have previously
      shown that inositol triphosphate-gated calcium release from internal stores is a
      major component of PID-related astroglial calcium signals, but whether external
      calcium influx through membrane-localized channels also contributes to PIDs has
      remained unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of two astroglial
      membrane channels, transient receptor vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel and aquaporin-4
      (AQP4). We combined in vivo multiphoton microscopy, electrophysiology as well as
      laser speckle contrast imaging with the middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke
      model. Using knockout mice and pharmacological inhibitors, we found that TRPV4
      channels contribute to calcium influx into astrocytes and neurons and subsequent
      extracellular glutamate accumulation during PIDs. AQP4 neither influenced PID
      related calcium signals nor PID-related edema of astrocyte somata. Both channels
      did not alter the dynamics, frequency and cerebrovascular response of PIDs in the
      penumbra. These data indicate that TRPV4 channels may represent a potential
      target to ameliorate the PID-induced calcium overload of astrocytes and neurons
      during acute stroke.

PMID- 28639722
TI  - European guideline for the management of scabies.
AB  - Scabies is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. The disease can be sexually
      transmitted. Patients' main complaint is nocturnal itch. Disseminated,
      excoriated, erythematous papules are usually seen on the anterior trunk and
      limbs. Crusted scabies occurs in immunocompromised hosts and may be associated
      with reduced or absent pruritus. Recommended treatments are permethrin 5% cream,
      oral ivermectin and benzyl benzoate 25% lotion. Alternative treatments are
      malathion 0.5% aqueous lotion, ivermectin 1% lotion and sulphur 6-33% cream,
      ointment or lotion. Crusted scabies therapy requires a topical scabicide and oral
      ivermectin. Mass treatment of large populations with endemic disease can be
      performed with a single dose of ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg of bodyweight).
      Partner management needs a look-back period of 2 months. Screening for other STI
      is recommended. Patients and close contacts should avoid sexual contact until
      completion of treatment and should strictly observe personal hygiene rules when
      living in crowded spaces. Written information should be provided to suspected
      cases.

PMID- 28639723
TI  - Changes in the inspiratory pattern contribute to modulate the sympathetic
      activity in sino-aortic denervated rats.
AB  - NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Sino-aortic denervated
      (SAD) rats present normal levels of sympathetic activity and mean arterial
      pressure. However, neural mechanisms regulating the sympathetic activity in the
      absence of arterial baroreceptors remain unclear. Considering that respiration
      modulates the sympathetic activity, we hypothesize that changes in the
      respiratory network contribute to keep the sympathetic outflow in the normal
      range after removal of arterial baroreceptors. What is the main finding and its
      importance? Despite longer inspiration observed in SAD rats, the respiratory
      sympathetic coupling is working within a normal range of variation. These
      findings suggest that in the absence of arterial baroreceptors the respiratory
      modulation of sympathetic activity is maintained within the normal range. The
      activity of presympathetic neurons is under respiratory modulation, and changes
      in the central respiratory network may impact on the baseline sympathetic
      activity and mean arterial pressure. It is well known that after removal of
      baroreceptor afferents [sino-aortic denervation (SAD)], rats present an
      unexpected normal level of mean arterial pressure. We hypothesized that changes
      in the respiratory pattern and in the respiratory modulation of the sympathetic
      activity contribute to keep the sympathetic outflow within a normal range of
      variation in the absence of arterial baroreceptors in rats. To study these
      mechanisms, we recorded perfusion pressure and the activities of phrenic and
      thoracic sympathetic nerves in male juvenile rats using the working heart
      brainstem preparation. The time of inspiration significantly increased in SAD
      rats, and this change was not dependent on the carotid bodies or on the vagal
      afferents. However, no changes were observed in the perfusion pressure or in the
      baseline thoracic sympathetic nerves in all phases of the respiratory cycle in
      SAD rats. Our data show that despite longer inspiratory activity, the baseline
      sympathetic activity is maintained at a normal level in SAD rats. These findings
      indicate that the respiratory-sympathetic coupling is normal after SAD and
      suggest that the respiratory modulation of sympathetic activity is maintained
      within the normal range after the removal of arterial baroreceptors.

PMID- 28639725
TI  - Targeting NAD(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase (NQO1) in Pancreatic Cancer.
AB  - NAD(P)H: Quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) functions as an important part of cellular
      antioxidant defense by detoxifying quinones, thus preventing the formation of
      reactive oxygen species. The aims of our study were to determine if NQO1 is
      elevated in pancreatic cancer specimens and pancreatic cancer cell lines and if
      so, would compounds previously demonstrated to redox cycle with NQO1 be effective
      in killing pancreatic cancer cells. Immunohistochemistry of resected pancreatic
      specimens demonstrated an increased immunoreactivity for NQO1 in pancreatic
      cancer and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) specimens versus normal
      human pancreas. Immunocytochemistry and Western immunoblots demonstrated inceased
      immunoreactivity in pancreatic cancer cells when compared to a near normal
      immortalized human pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line and a colonic
      epithelial cell line. Streptonigrin, a compound known to cause redox cycling in
      the presence of NQO1, decreased clonogenic survival and decreased anchorage
      independent growth in soft agar. Streptonigrin had little effect on cell lines
      with absent or reduced levels of NQO1. The effects of streptonigrin were reversed
      in pancreatic cancer cells pretreated with dicumarol, a known inhibitor of NQO1.
      NQO1 may be a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer where survival is measured
      in months. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID- 28639724
TI  - Longitudinal changes in global and domain specific cognitive function in the very
      old: findings from the Newcastle 85+ Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Ageing is associated with changes in cognition in some, but not all
      domains. In young-old adults, defined as persons aged 65-84 years, baseline
      cognitive function has been shown to impact on cognitive trajectories. Whether
      similar patterns occur in the very-old, defined as persons aged 85 years and
      over, is not known. METHODS: Longitudinal changes (5 years' follow-up) in global
      and domain specific cognitive function including memory, attention and speed were
      investigated in participants from the Newcastle 85+ Study (n = 845). At baseline,
      participants were grouped using Mini-Mental State Examination cut-off scores and
      dementia status into the following: not impaired, mildly impaired or severely
      impaired/dementia groups. RESULTS: Only a limited number of cognitive measures
      showed significant decline in performance over time. Where observed, change
      generally occurred only in the severely impaired group. In the severely impaired
      group, small differences in baseline age were associated with poorer performance
      over time on most measures. Education was not protective against cognitive
      decline in any group. CONCLUSIONS: There are individuals who maintain a high
      level of cognitive function or only show mild impairments even into their ninth
      decade of life. This group of successful cognitive agers may provide insight for
      identifying predictors of cognitive integrity in later life. In individuals with
      severe impairment, cognitive performance shows significant decline over time,
      especially in measures of attention and speed. Further work to identify those
      individuals at highest risk of cognitive decline is necessary to implement early
      support and intervention strategies in this rapidly expanding age group. (c) 2017
      The Authors. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John
      Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28639726
TI  - Trend of centenarian deaths in Hong Kong between 2001 and 2010.
AB  - AIM: To examine the trends in the leading causes of deaths in centenarians in
      Hong Kong. METHODS: Descriptive analyses of vital statistics data on mortality in
      Hong Kong from 2001 to 2010 were carried out. RESULTS: The number of
      centenarians' deaths increased by 136% in 10 years, from less than 28 men and 166
      women in 2001 to 80 men and 378 women in 2010. During the study period, the top
      leading cause of death was pneumonia, accounting for 33.8% of all deaths. In
      contrast, the other leading causes accounted for much smaller percentages; for
      example, the second and third leading causes were chronic ischemic heart disease
      and unspecified dementia, and account for 4.3% and 4.2% of the total,
      respectively. This cause-of-death pattern has remained fairly stable between 2001
      and 2010. A total of 985 (30.8%) deaths occurred in January to March. The
      correlation between the average monthly temperature and the number of deaths was 
      0.720 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The number of deaths continues to increase in Hong
      Kong. These trends have major implications for healthcare in an aging population.
      Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 931-936.

PMID- 28639727
TI  - Switching Futile para-Quinone to Efficient Reactive Oxygen Species Generator:
      Ubiquitin-Specific Protease-2 Inhibition, Electrocatalysis, and Quantification.
AB  - Understanding the correlation between structural features of small-molecule drugs
      and their mode of action is a fascinating topic and crucial for the drug
      discovery process. However, in many cases, knowledge of the exact parameters that
      dictate the mode of action is still lacking. Following a large screening for
      ubiquitin specific protease 2 (USP2) inhibition, an effective para-quinone-based
      inhibitor with an unclear mode of action was identified. To gain a deeper
      understanding of the mechanism of inhibition, a set of para-quinones were
      prepared and studied for USP2 inhibition, electrocatalysis, and reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) quantification. The excellent correlation obtained from the above
      mentioned studies disclosed a distinct pattern of "N-C=O-N" in the bicyclic para
      quinones to be a crucial factor for ROS generation, and demonstrated that minor
      changes in such a skeleton drastically altered the ROS-generating ability. The
      knowledge acquired herein would serve as an important guideline for future
      medicinal chemistry optimization of related structures to select the preferred
      mode of action.

PMID- 28639728
TI  - Prospective use of Ablation Index targets improves clinical outcomes following
      ablation for atrial fibrillation.
AB  - AIMS: Late recovery of ablated tissue leading to reconnection of pulmonary veins
      remains common following radiofrequency catheter ablation for AF. Ablation Index
      (AI), a novel ablation quality marker, incorporates contact force (CF), time, and
      power in a weighted formula. We hypothesized that prospective use of our
      previously published derived AI targets would result in better outcomes when
      compared to CF-guided ablation. METHODS: Eighty-nine consecutive drug-refractory
      AF patients (49% paroxysmal) underwent AI-guided ablation (AI-group). AI targets
      were 550 for anterior/roof and 400 for posterior/inferior left atrial segments.
      Procedural and clinical outcomes of these patients were compared to 89 propensity
      matched controls who underwent CF-guided ablation (CF-group). All 178 procedures
      were otherwise similar, and both groups were followed-up for 12 months. The last
      25 patients from each group underwent analysis of all VisiTagsTM for ablation
      duration, CF, Force-Time Integral, and impedance drop. RESULTS: First-pass
      pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) was more frequent in AI-group than in CF-group
      (173 [97%] vs. 149 [84%] circles, P < 0.001), and acute PV reconnection was lower
      (11 [6%] vs. 24 [13%] circles, P = 0.02). Mean PVI ablation time was similar (AI
      group: 42 +/- 9 vs. CF-group: 45 +/- 14 minutes, P = 0.14). Median impedance drop
      for AI-group was significantly higher than in CF-group (13.7 [9-19] Omega vs. 8.8
      [5.2-13] Omega, P < 0.001). Two major complications occurred in CF-group and none
      in AI-group. Atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence was significantly lower in AI
      group (15 of 89 [17%]) than in CF-group (33 of 89 [37%], P = 0.002). CONCLUSION:
      AI-guided ablation is associated with significant improvements in the incidence
      of acute PV reconnection and atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence rate compared to
      CF-guided ablation, potentially due to creation of better quality lesions as
      suggested by greater impedance drop.

PMID- 28639729
TI  - Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets for Membrane-Based Gas
      Separation.
AB  - Metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets could serve as ideal building blocks of
      molecular sieve membranes owing to their structural diversity and minimized mass
      transfer barrier. To date, discovery of appropriate MOF nanosheets and facile
      fabrication of high performance MOF nanosheet-based membranes remain as great
      challenges. A modified soft-physical exfoliation method was used to disintegrate
      a lamellar amphiprotic MOF into nanosheets with a high aspect ratio. Consequently
      sub-10 nm-thick ultrathin membranes were successfully prepared, and these
      demonstrated a remarkable H2 /CO2 separation performance, with a separation
      factor of up to 166 and H2 permeance of up to 8*10-7  mol m-2  s-1  Pa-1 at
      elevated testing temperatures owing to a well-defined size-exclusion effect. This
      nanosheet-based membrane holds great promise as the next generation of
      ultrapermeable gas separation membrane.

PMID- 28639730
TI  - Evaluation of thoracic radiographs as a screening test for dogs and cats admitted
      to a tertiary-care veterinary hospital for noncardiopulmonary disease.
AB  - Thoracic radiographs are used as a screening tool for dogs and cats with a
      variety of disorders that have no clinical signs associated with thoracic
      structures. However, this practice has never been supported by an evidence-based
      study. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to determine
      if certain canine and feline populations have a higher proportion of radiographic
      abnormalities, and whether any of these abnormalities are associated with patient
      hospitalization and outcome. Patients were excluded if current or previous
      examinations revealed evidence of primary respiratory or cardiac disease,
      malignant neoplasia, or an abnormal breathing pattern consistent with pulmonary
      pathology. Any notable thoracic change in the radiology report was considered
      important and evaluated in this study. One hundred and sixty-six of these
      included patients were dogs and 65 were cats. Of the 166 dog radiographs
      evaluated, 120 (72.3%) had normal thoracic radiographs, while 46 (27.7%) had
      radiographic abnormalities. Of the sixty-five cats included, 36 (55.4%) had
      normal radiographs, while 29 (44.6%) had abnormal radiographs. Canine patients
      with abnormal radiographs had a significantly higher lactate level (P-value
      0.0348) and feline patients with abnormal radiographs had a significantly lower
      packed cell volume (P-value 0.012). A large proportion of patients that had
      screening thoracic radiographs (32.5%) had documented abnormalities, but a
      relatively low percentage (6.5%) of our total population had their clinical plan
      changed as a consequence of detection of these abnormalities. Findings indicated
      that abnormal screening thoracic radiographs are more likely in dogs with an
      elevated lactate and cats with anemia, or a low normal hematocrit.

PMID- 28639731
TI  - Size Dependence of Doping by a Vacancy Formation Reaction in Copper Sulfide
      Nanocrystals.
AB  - Doping of nanocrystals (NCs) is a key, yet underexplored, approach for tuning of
      the electronic properties of semiconductors. An important route for doping of NCs
      is by vacancy formation. The size and concentration dependence of doping was
      studied in copper(I) sulfide (Cu2 S) NCs through a redox reaction with iodine
      molecules (I2 ), which formed vacancies accompanied by a localized surface
      plasmon response. X-ray spectroscopy and diffraction reveal transformation from
      Cu2 S to Cu-depleted phases, along with CuI formation. Greater reaction
      efficiency was observed for larger NCs. This behavior is attributed to interplay
      of the vacancy formation energy, which decreases for smaller sized NCs, and the
      growth of CuI on the NC surface, which is favored on well-defined facets of
      larger NCs. This doping process allows tuning of the plasmonic properties of a
      semiconductor across a wide range of plasmonic frequencies by varying the size of
      NCs and the concentration of iodine. Controlled vacancy doping of NCs may be used
      to tune and tailor semiconductors for use in optoelectronic applications.

PMID- 28639732
TI  - Simulated Isotope Exchange Patterns Enable Protein Structure Determination.
AB  - Understanding the myriad protein-protein interactions required for cell function
      requires efficient leveraging of biophysical data to drive computational docking.
      The detailed insight into protein interfaces provided by isotope exchange endows
      this experimental technique with a unique importance for docking approaches.
      However, progress in coupling these methods is hindered by the inability to
      interpret the complex exchange patterns in relation to protein structure. A
      method to simulate protein isotope exchange patterns from docking outputs is
      described and its utility to guide the selection of native assemblies
      demonstrated. Unique signatures are generated for each docking pose, allowing
      high-throughput ranking of whole docking simulations by pairwise comparison to
      experimental outputs. Native assemblies are obtained using nothing but their
      simulated profiles as restraints and experimental difference data for individual
      proteins are sufficient to drive structure determination for the whole complex.

PMID- 28639733
TI  - Genetic variants of cell cycle pathway genes predict disease-free survival of
      hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Disruption of the cell cycle pathway has previously been related to development
      of human cancers. However, associations between genetic variants of cell cycle
      pathway genes and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely
      unknown. In this study, we evaluated the associations between 24 potential
      functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 16 main cell cycle pathway
      genes and disease-free survival (DFS) of 271 HCC patients who had undergone
      radical surgery resection. We identified two SNPs, i.e., SMAD3 rs11556090 A>G and
      RBL2 rs3929G>C, that were independently predictive of DFS in an additive genetic
      model with false-positive report probability (FPRP) <0.2. The SMAD3 rs11556090G
      allele was associated with a poorer DFS, compared with the A allele [hazard ratio
      (HR) = 1.46, 95% confidential interval (95% CI) = 1.13-1.89, P = 0.004]; while
      the RBL2 rs3929 C allele was associated with a superior DFS, compared with the G
      allele (HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.57-0.96, P = 0.023). Additionally, patients with an
      increasing number of unfavorable genotypes (NUGs) of these loci had a significant
      shorter DFS (Ptrend  = 0.0001). Further analysis using receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) curves showed that the model including the NUGs and known
      prognostic clinical variables demonstrated a significant improvement in
      predicting the 1-year DFS (P = 0.011). Moreover, the RBL2 rs3929 C allele was
      significantly associated with increased mRNA expression levels of RBL2 in liver
      tissue (P = 1.8 * 10-7 ) and the whole blood (P = 3.9 * 10-14 ). Our data
      demonstrated an independent or a joint effect of SMAD3 rs11556090 and RBL2 rs3929
      in the cell cycle pathway on DFS of HCC, which need to be validated by large
      cohort and biological studies.

PMID- 28639734
TI  - Trace determination of five triazole fungicide residues in traditional Chinese
      medicine samples by dispersive solid-phase extraction combined with ultrasound
      assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and UHPLC-MS/MS.
AB  - A novel and reliable method for determination of five triazole fungicide residues
      (triadimenol, tebuconazole, diniconazole, flutriafol, and hexaconazol) in
      traditional Chinese medicine samples was developed using dispersive solid-phase
      extraction combined with ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid
      microextraction before ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem
      mass spectrometry. The clean up of the extract was conducted using dispersive
      solid-phase extraction by directly adding sorbents into the extraction solution,
      followed by shaking and centrifugation. After that, a mixture of 400 MUL
      trichloromethane (extraction solvent) and 0.5 mL of the above supernatant was
      injected rapidly into water for the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction
      procedure. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized. Under
      the optimum conditions, the calibration curves showed good linearity in the range
      of 2.0-400 (tebuconazole, diniconazole, and hexaconazole) and 4.0-800 ng/g
      (triadimenol and flutriafol) with the regression coefficients higher than 0.9958.
      The limit of detection and limit of quantification for the present method were
      0.5-1.1 and 1.8-4.0 ng/g, respectively. The recoveries of the target analytes
      ranged from 80.2 to 103.2%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to
      the analysis of five triazole fungicides in traditional Chinese medicine samples,
      and satisfactory results were obtained.

PMID- 28639735
TI  - Neonates with cancer and causes of death; lessons from 615 cases in the SEER
      databases.
AB  - Neonatal tumors are rare with no standard treatment approaches to these diseases,
      and the patients experience poor outcomes. Our aim was to determine the
      distribution of cancers affecting neonates and compare survival between these
      cancers and older children. We analyzed SEER data (1973-2007) from patients who
      were younger than 2 years at diagnosis of malignancy. Special permission was
      granted to access the detailed (i.e., age in months) data of those patients. The
      Chi-square Log-rank test was used to compare survival between neonates (aged <1
      month) and older children (>1 month to <2 years). We identified 615 neonatal
      cancers (454 solid tumors, 93 leukemia/lymphoma, and 68 CNS neoplasms).
      Neuroblastoma was the most common neonatal tumor followed by Germ cell tumors.
      The 5-year overall survival (OS) for all neonates was 60.3% (95% CI, 56.2-64.4).
      Neonates with solid tumors had the highest 5-year OS (71.2%; 95% CI, 66.9-75.5),
      followed by those with leukemia (39.1%; 95% CI, 28.3-49.9) or CNS tumors (15%;
      95% CI, 5.4-24.6). Except for neuroblastoma, all neonatal tumors showed inferior
      outcomes compared to that in the older group. The proportion of neonates who died
      from causes other than cancer was significantly higher than that of the older
      children (37.9% vs. 16.4%; P < 0.0005). In general, the outcome of neonatal
      cancers has not improved over the last 34 years. The distribution of neonatal
      cancer is different than other pediatric age groups. Although the progress in
      neonatal and cancer care over the last 30 years, only death from noncancer causes
      showed improvement. Studying neonatal tumors as part of national studies is
      essential to understand their etiology, determine the best treatment approaches,
      and improve survival and quality of life for those patients.

PMID- 28639736
TI  - Primary secondary amine as a sorbent material in dispersive solid-phase
      extraction clean-up for the determination of indicator polychlorinated biphenyls
      in environmental water samples by gas chromatography with electron capture
      detection.
AB  - A simple, rapid, and novel method has been developed and validated for
      determination of seven indicator polychlorinated biphenyls in water samples by
      gas chromatography with electron capture detection. 1 L of water samples
      containing 30 g of anhydrous sodium sulfate was first liquid-liquid extracted
      with an automated Jipad-6XB vertical oscillator using n-hexane/dichloromethane
      (1:1, v/v). The concentrated extract was cleaned up by dispersive solid-phase
      extraction with 100 mg of primary secondary amine as sorbent material. The
      linearity of this method ranged from 1.25 to 100 MUg/L, with regression
      coefficients ranging between 0.9994 and 0.9999. The limits of detection were in
      the ng/L level, ranging between 0.2 and 0.3 ng/L. The recoveries of seven spiked
      polychlorinated biphenyls with external calibration method at different
      concentration levels in tap water, lake water, and sea water were in the ranges
      of 85-112, 76-116, and 72-108%, respectively, and with relative standard
      deviations of 3.3-4.5, 3.4-5.6, and 3.1-4.8% (n = 5), respectively. The
      performance of the proposed method was compared with traditional liquid-liquid
      extraction and solid-phase extraction clean-up methods, and comparable
      efficiencies were obtained. It is concluded that this method can be successfully
      applied for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in different water
      samples.

PMID- 28639737
TI  - Development and validation of the Workplace Interruptions Measure.
AB  - In 3 studies, we developed and tested the first comprehensive, self-report
      measure of workplace interruptions. The Workplace Interruptions Measure (WIM) is
      based on a typology of interruptions that included intrusions, distractions,
      discrepancy detections, and breaks. The four-factor structure was reduced to a 12
      item measure in Study 1 (N = 317) and confirmed in a diverse sample of employees
      in Study 2 (N = 160). Study 3 (N = 323) further examined the psychometric
      properties of the WIM in a sample of university faculty and staff. Studies 2 and
      3 demonstrated that both effort-enhancing interruptions (intrusions,
      distractions, and discrepancy detections) and recovery-enhancing interruptions
      (breaks) were associated with stressors and strains. Distractions, discrepancy
      detections, and breaks uniquely predicted strain outcomes beyond other workplace
      stressors (i.e., quantitative workload, interpersonal conflict, and role
      conflict). We discuss implications of the WIM for the theory and practice of
      interruptions research.

PMID- 28639738
TI  - Impact of postoperative complications on the colorectal cancer survival and
      recurrence: analyses of pooled individual patients' data from three large phase
      III randomized trials.
AB  - This study assessed the impact of postoperative complications on the colorectal
      cancer survival and recurrence after curative surgery using pooled individual
      patients' data from three large phase III randomized trials. In total, 5530
      patients were included in this study. The patients were classified as those with
      postoperative complications (C group) and those without postoperative
      complications (NC group). The risk factors for the overall survival (OS) and the
      disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed. Postoperative complications were found
      in 861 (15.6%) of the 5530 patients. The OS and DFS rates at 5 years after
      surgery were 68.9% and 74.8%, respectively, in the C group and 75.8% and 82.2%,
      respectively, in the NC group, values that were significantly different between
      the two groups (P < 0.001). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that
      postoperative complications were a significant independent risk factor for the OS
      and DFS. Postoperative complications can worsen the colorectal cancer survival
      and risk of recurrence. Surgical morbidity must be considered as a stratification
      factor in future phase III trials evaluating the effects of adjuvant chemotherapy
      on colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28639739
TI  - Philosophical aesthetics and cognitive science.
AB  - Philosophical aesthetics is the branch of philosophy which explores issues having
      to do with art, beauty, and related phenomena. Philosophers have often been
      skeptical about the place of empirical investigation in aesthetics. However, in
      recent years many philosophical aestheticians have turned to cognitive science to
      enrich their understanding of their subject matter. Cognitive scientists have, in
      turn, been inspired by work in philosophical aesthetics. This essay focuses on a
      representative subset of the areas in which there has been fruitful dialog
      between philosophical aestheticians and cognitive scientists. We start with some
      general topics in philosophical aesthetics-the definition of art and the
      epistemic status of aesthetic judgments. We then move on to discussing research
      concerning the roles that imagination and perception play in our aesthetic
      engagement. We conclude with a discussion of the emerging field of experimental
      philosophical aesthetics. WIREs Cogn Sci 2018, 9:e1445. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1445
      This article is categorized under: Philosophy > Value.

PMID- 28639740
TI  - Declining Rates of Hip Fracture in End-Stage Renal Disease: Analysis From the
      2003-2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample.
AB  - The incidence of hip fracture in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is
      considerably higher than that in the general age- and sex-matched population.
      Although medical therapy for chronic kidney disease mineral bone disorder (CKD
      MBD) has changed considerably over the last decade, rates of hip fracture in the
      entire ESRD population have not been well-characterized. Herein, we evaluated
      temporal trends in rates of hip fracture, in-hospital mortality, and costs of
      associated hospital stay in ESRD. We identified hospitalizations for hip fracture
      from 2003 to 2011 using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a representative
      national database inclusive of all ages and payers. We incorporated data from the
      United States Renal Data System and the US Census to calculate population
      specific rates. Between 2003 and 2011, we identified 47,510 hip fractures in the
      ESRD population. The overall rate of hip fracture was 10.04/1000 person-years.
      The rate was 3.73/1000 person-years in patients aged less than 65 years, and
      20.97/1000 person-years in patients aged 65 or older. Age- and sex-standardized
      rates decreased by 12.6% from 2003 (10.23/1000 person-years; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 7.99/1000 to 12.47/1000) to 2011 (8.94/1000 person-years; 95% CI,
      7.12/1000 to 10.75/1000). Hip fracture rates over time were virtually identical
      in patients aged less than 65 years; however, rates decreased by 15.3% among
      patients aged 65 years or older; rates declined more rapidly in older women
      compared with older men (p for interaction = 0.047). In-hospital mortality rate
      after hip fracture operation declined by 26.7% from 2003 (8.6%; 95% CI, 6.8 to
      10.4) to 2011 (6.3%; 95% CI, 4.9 to 7.7). In ESRD, age- and sex-standardized hip
      fracture rates and associated in-hospital mortality have declined substantially
      over the last decade. (c) 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

PMID- 28639742
TI  - Two zinc finger proteins from Mycobacterium smegmatis: DNA binding and activation
      of transcription.
AB  - Single zinc finger domain containing proteins are very few in number. Of numerous
      zinc finger proteins in eukaryotes, only three of them like GAGA, Superman and
      DNA binding by one finger (Dof) have single zinc finger domain. Although few zinc
      finger proteins have been described in eubacteria, no protein with single C4 zinc
      finger has been described in details in anyone of them. In this article, we are
      describing two novel C-terminal C4 zinc finger proteins-Msmeg_0118 and Msmeg_3613
      from Mycobacterium smegmatis. We have named these proteins as Mszfp1
      (Mycobacterial Single Zinc Finger Protein 1) and Mszfp2 (Mycobacterial Single
      Zinc Finger Protein 2). Both the proteins are expressed constitutively, can bind
      to DNA and regulate transcription. It appears that Mszfp1 and Mszfp2 may activate
      transcription by interacting with RNA polymerase.

PMID- 28639741
TI  - The impact of comorbidity on mortality in multiple myeloma: a Danish nationwide
      population-based study.
AB  - To describe the prevalence of comorbidity and its impact on survival in newly
      diagnosed multiple myeloma patients compared with population controls. Cases of
      newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma during the 2005-2012 period were
      identified in the Danish National Multiple Myeloma Registry. For each myeloma
      patient, 10 members of the general population matched by age and sex were chosen
      from the national Civil Registration System. Data on comorbidity in the myeloma
      patients and the general population comparison cohort were collected by linkage
      to the Danish National Patient Registry (DNPR). Cox proportional hazards
      regression models were used to evaluate the prognostic significance of
      comorbidity. The study included 2190 cases of multiple myeloma and 21,900
      population controls. The comorbidity was increased in multiple myeloma patients
      compared with population controls, odds ratio (OR) 1.4 (1.1-1.7). The
      registration of comorbidity was highly increased within the year preceding
      diagnosis of multiple myeloma (OR 3.0 [2.5-3.5]), which was attributable to an
      increased registration of various diseases, in particular, renal disease with OR
      11.0 (8.1-14.9). The median follow-up time from diagnosis of multiple myeloma for
      patients alive was 4.3 years (interquartile range 2.4-6.3). Patients with
      registered comorbidity had increased mortality compared with patients without
      comorbidity, hazard ratio 1.6 (1.5-1.8). Multiple myeloma patients have increased
      comorbidity compared with the background population, in particular during the
      year preceding the diagnosis of myeloma.

PMID- 28639743
TI  - Web alert: Ice microbiology: An annotated selection of World Wide Web sites
      relevant to the topics in environmental microbiology.

PMID- 28639745
TI  - Feature page.

PMID- 28639744
TI  - Per diems undermine health interventions, systems and research in Africa: burying
      our heads in the sand.

PMID- 28639746
TI  - Acute changes in histopathology and intravascular imaging after catheter-based
      renal denervation in a porcine model.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We first aimed to identify the histopathological changes occurring
      immediately after renal denervation (RDN) with radiofrequency energy, and then to
      assess the feasibility of determining procedural success using currently
      available clinical intravascular imaging techniques. BACKGROUND: Catheter-based
      RDN has been used as an alternative therapy for hypertension. However, no
      practical endpoint to determine procedural success during treatment has been
      established. METHODS: A total of 39 ablation lesions were induced in vivo in
      eight porcine renal arteries and a total of 15 ablation lesions were induced ex
      vivo in five excised porcine renal arteries with a radiofrequency delivery
      device. Acute histological changes and appearance on intravascular imaging of the
      lesions were investigated with light microscopy, transmission electron
      microscopy, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), and optical frequency domain imaging
      (OFDI). RESULTS: Marked changes were noted in media, adventitia, and perirenal
      arterial nerves immediately after in vivo ablation. Changes visualized on IVUS
      were characterized by focal adventitial thickening comprising a relatively
      echogenic layer around a heterogeneously hypoechoic interior region, and on OFDI
      as disappearance of the external elastic membrane signals with high scattering of
      signals in the surface layer. The changes after ex vivo ablation were
      histopathologically identical to those from in vivo ablation. There were
      statistically significant positive correlations in measured dimensions (area,
      depth, width, and diameter) of ablation lesions between histopathology and
      IVUS/OFDI findings (Pearson correlation coefficients = 0.69-0.77). CONCLUSIONS:
      These findings suggest that observation of treated renal arteries by IVUS or OFDI
      immediately after RDN improves the success rate of RDN.

PMID- 28639748
TI  - Expansion of the phenotype of Kosaki overgrowth syndrome.
AB  - Skeletal overgrowth is a characteristic of several genetic disorders that are
      linked to specific molecular signaling cascades. Recently, we established a novel
      overgrowth syndrome (Kosaki overgrowth syndrome, OMIM #616592) arising from a de
      novo mutation in PDGFRB, that is, c.1751C>G p.(Pro584Arg). Subsequently, other
      investigators provided in vitro molecular evidence that this specific mutation in
      the juxtamembrane domain of PDGFRB causes an overgrowth phenotype and is the
      first gain-of-function point mutation of PDGFRB to be reported in humans. Here,
      we report the identification of a mutation in PDGFRB, c.1696T>C p.(Trp566Arg), in
      two unrelated patients with skeletal overgrowth, further confirming the existence
      of PDGFRB-related overgrowth syndrome arising from mutations in the juxtamembrane
      domain of PDGFRB. A review of all four of these patients with an overgrowth
      phenotype and PDGFRB mutations revealed postnatal skeletal overgrowth, premature
      aging, cognitive impairment, neurodegeneration, and a prominent connective tissue
      component to this complex phenotype. From a functional standpoint, hypermorphic
      mutations in PDGFRB lead to Kosaki overgrowth syndrome, infantile myofibromatosis
      (OMIM #228550), and Penttinen syndrome (OMIM #601812), whereas hypomorphic
      mutations lead to idiopathic basal ganglia calcification (OMIM #615007). In
      conclusion, a specific class of mutations in PDGFRB causes a clinically
      recognizable syndromic form of skeletal overgrowth.

PMID- 28639747
TI  - The effect of activation rate on left atrial bipolar voltage in patients with
      paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Bipolar voltage is used during electroanatomic mapping to define
      abnormal myocardium, but the effect of activation rate on bipolar voltage is not
      known. We hypothesized that bipolar voltage may change in response to activation
      rate. By examining corresponding unipolar signals we sought to determine the
      mechanisms of such changes. METHODS AND RESULTS: LA extrastimulus mapping was
      performed during CS pacing in 10 patients undergoing first time paroxysmal atrial
      fibrillation ablation. Bipolar and unipolar electrograms were recorded using a
      PentaRay catheter (4-4-4 spacing) and indifferent IVC electrode, respectively. An
      S1S2 pacing protocol was delivered with extrastimulus coupling interval reducing
      from 350 to 200 milliseconds. At each recording site (119 +/- 37 per LA), bipolar
      peak-to-peak voltage, unipolar peak to peak voltage and activation delay between
      unipole pairs was measured. Four patterns of bipolar voltage/extrastimulus
      coupling interval curves were seen: voltage attenuation with plateau voltage >1
      mV (48 +/- 15%) or <1 mV (22 +/- 15%), and voltage unaffected by coupling
      interval with plateau voltage >1 mV (17 +/- 10%) or <1 mV (13 +/- 8%).
      Electrograms showing bipolar voltage attenuation were associated with
      significantly greater unipolar voltage attenuation at low (25 +/- 28 mV/s vs. 9
      +/- 11 mV/s) and high (23 +/- 29 mV/s vs. 6 +/- 12 mV/s) plateau voltage sites (P
      < 0.001). There was a small but significant increase in conduction delay between
      unipole pairs at sites showing bipolar voltage attenuation (P = 0.026).
      CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar electrogram voltage is dependent on activation rate at a
      significant proportion of sites. Changes in unipolar voltage and timing underlie
      these effects. These observations have important implications for use of voltage
      mapping to delineate abnormal atrial substrate.

PMID- 28639749
TI  - Evaluation of the in vivo cosmetic efficacy of the MF3 blue cell serum gel. One-
      and two-month test results.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Skin is changing over time showing signs of aging: dryness,
      increase in visual and tactile roughness, decrease in collagen content and
      stiffness, and eventually formation of deep and surface wrinkles, and fine lines.
      METHODS: Eight-week open experimental study was conducted to test efficacy of MF3
      Blue Cell Serum Gel. Main criteria to determine product efficacy by following
      skin biophysical techniques were as follows: skin moisturization, firmness,
      epidermal and dermal density, skin surface properties and sebum level, reduction
      in fine lines and wrinkles. Secondary criteria were as follows: participant's
      opinion during study and product tolerance evaluation. Days 29 and 57 assessments
      included visual evaluation, skin biophysical techniques, and compliance check.
      The self-assessment questionnaires completed. RESULTS: After week 8, obtained
      results showed very good hydration effect of test product, despite the fact being
      serum gel. Moisturizing increased continuously during study period. Important
      increases on skin firmness were observed which are in line with typical anti
      aging claims. Dermal density steady improvement noted especially after 4th week
      of study, and effect on deep skin layers was due to increase in collagen content
      and stiffness. Sebum regulation process was evidenced. Further significant
      roughness reduction in skin surface showed decrease or disappearance of fine
      lines and wrinkles. Products were well tolerated with no adverse events. Most of
      participants noticed visible improvement and increase in facial radiance, skin
      smoothness, and overall skin improvement. CONCLUSION: Twice daily application of
      MF3 Blue Cell Serum Gel led to significant improvement in skin hydration,
      firmness, dermal density, sebum regulation, roughness reduction, decrease or
      disappearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

PMID- 28639750
TI  - Protein lysine methyltransferase SMYD3 is involved in tumorigenesis through
      regulation of HER2 homodimerization.
AB  - HER2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase, which is amplified and overexpressed in a
      subset of human cancers including breast and gastric cancers, and is indicated in
      its involvement in progression of cancer. Although its specific ligand(s) has not
      been detected, HER2 homodimerization, which is critical for its activation, is
      considered to be dependent on its expression levels. Here, we demonstrate a
      significant role of HER2 methylation by protein lysine methyltransferase SMYD3 in
      HER2 homodimerization. We found that SMYD3 trimethylates HER2 protein at lysine
      175. HER2 homodimerization was enhanced in the presence of SMYD3, and
      substitution of lysine 175 of HER2 with alanine (HER2-K175A) reduced the
      formation of HER2 homodimers. Furthermore, HER2-K175A revealed lower level of
      autophosphorylation than wild-type HER2. We also identified that knockdown of
      SMYD3 attenuated this autophosphorylation in breast cancer cells. Our results
      imply that SMYD3-mediated methylation of HER2 at Lysine 175 may regulate the
      formation of HER2 homodimer and subsequent autophosphorylation and suggest that
      the SMYD3-mediated methylation pathway seems to be a good target for development
      of novel anti-cancer therapy.

PMID- 28639751
TI  - Gefitinib or erlotinib in previously treated non-small-cell lung cancer patients:
      a cohort study in Taiwan.
AB  - Among treatment modalities for lung cancer, the most promising therapy is the use
      of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Both
      erlotinib and gefitinib, the two first-generation EGFR-TKIs, exhibit significant
      clinical responses for patients with lung adenocarcinoma. However, few studies
      have compared the effects of these two drugs, and results have been inconclusive
      because of the small sample sizes in these studies. Therefore, this study was
      conducted to investigate this issue. This retrospective nationwide cohort study
      enrolled NSCLC patients who received EGFR-TKIs after previous chemotherapy in
      Taiwan between 1996 and 2010 from the National Health Insurance Research
      Database. Clinical response and survival after receiving erlotinib and gefitinib
      were compared using logistic and Cox regression analyses, respectively. Inverse
      propensity score weighting and a sensitivity analysis in the EGFR-TKI responder
      (clinical improvement by taking EGFR-TKIs for 90 days), adherent patients
      (receiving EGFR-TKI on a daily basis), adenocarcinoma, and adenocarcinoma with
      second-line TKIs subgroup were performed for bias adjustment. A total of 7222
      patients, including 4592 (63.6%) who received gefitinib, were identified. In the
      survival analysis, erlotinib was associated with a decline in 1-year progression
      free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio, HR: 1.15 [1.09-1.21]) and overall survival
      (OS) (HR: 1.10 [1.03-1.18]). The effects of various TKIs were consistent in the
      4939 EGFR-TKI responders, adherent subgroup, adenocarcinoma subgroup, and
      adenocarcinoma with second-line TKIs subgroup. In previously treated EGFT-TKI
      naive NSCLC patients, those receiving gefitinib exhibited a longer PFS and OS
      than those receiving erlotinib. Additional large-scale randomized controlled
      trials are warranted to confirm this finding.

PMID- 28639752
TI  - Eosinophils in patients with lone atrial fibrillation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inflammation has been evidenced as a critical contributable mechanism
      for the atrial fibrillation (AF) onset and development. As the consistent
      inflammatory and oxidative marker, the effects of white blood cell (WBC) and its
      differential on lone atrial fibrillation (LAF) were investigated in the study.
      METHODS: A total of 126 patients with paroxysmal LAF who scheduled for rhythm
      control drug therapy and 120 age- and gender-matched subjects in sinus rhythm
      were included sequentially. Peripheral blood sample and clinic data were
      collected during the first evaluation. Recurrence of AF was evaluated by
      outpatient clinics and telephone visits for the following 12 months. RESULTS:
      Peripheral eosinophil count, neutrophil count, and left atrial diameter (LAD)
      were significantly higher in LAF than control. Within a follow-up of 12 months,
      56 patients (44.4%) had developed AF recurrence. Patients with AF recurrence had
      higher eosinophil count and LAD. Univariable analyses showed a statistically
      significant relationship between eosinophil count (P = 0.042), LAD (P = 0.030),
      and AF recurrence. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LAD (OR:
      1.090 per 1 mm increase; 95% CI: 1.007-1.180; P = 0.032) and eosinophil (OR:
      1.643 per 1 * 108 /L increase; 95% CI: 1.047-2.578; P = 0.031) were independent
      predictors of AF recurrence during antiarrhythmic drug therapy. CONCLUSION: Our
      results support the association of the WBC response and its components with the
      LAF. Especially, the peripheral eosinophil and LAD may play important roles in
      mediating inflammation and atrial remodeling in AF.

PMID- 28639754
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639755
TI  - [The combination of GLP-1 analogs and SGLT2 inhibitors : new perspectives ?]
AB  - Type 2 diabetes therapy has expanded considerably over the last decade. Two anti
      diabetic therapeutic groups, which are GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor
      agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors (sodium-glucose co-transporter-2), have shown
      efficacy not only on glycemic control but also on weight and other parameters
      that will be detailed in this article. Cardiovascular safety studies for two of
      these molecules were shown for the first time to decrease overall and
      cardiovascular mortality. The combination of these two therapeutic classes
      provides a logical solution due to their different mechanisms of action. The
      DURATION-8 study designed to demonstrate the benefits of this combination will
      also be discussed in this article.

PMID- 28639756
TI  - [Value of continuous glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetic patients].
AB  - Management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus is getting complex with the
      apparition of new treatments, but also new technologies. Among these, continuous
      glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) lead to a better glycemic control and less
      hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetic patients. Studies are scarce in type 2 diabetes
      but also seem to show a benefit, particularly in patients using insulin.
      Nevertheless, type 2 diabetic patients taking advantage of CGMS must be better
      defined. In any case, a multidisciplinary approach to the use of CGMS and
      interpretation of data is warranted.

PMID- 28639757
TI  - [Ketogenic diets : the miraculous solution ?]
AB  - The treatment of obesity and cardiovascular diseases is one of the most difficult
      and important challenges nowadays. Weight loss is frequently offered and aimed at
      improving some of the components of the metabolic syndrome. Among various diets,
      carbohydrate restriction is popular, specifically ketogenic diets, which are very
      low in carbohydrates and usually high in fats and /or proteins. Results are
      controversial, but some benefits such as weight loss and improved glycemic
      control have been described. Nevertheless, these effects seem to be limited in
      time. Moreover, these diets are not totally safe and can be associated with some
      adverse events such as the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The
      aim of this review is to discuss the role of ketogenic diets on different
      cardiovascular risk factors based on available evidence.

PMID- 28639753
TI  - Screening for ovarian cancer: imaging challenges and opportunities for
      improvement.

PMID- 28639758
TI  - [Treatment of type 2 diabetes : risk and benefits of metabolic surgery].
AB  - Metabolic surgery is a serious option to treat type 2 diabetes. The latest
      guidelines consider surgery as one of the first option, especially in patients
      suffering from severe obesity or those who have uncontrolled diabetes. However,
      the radicality of metabolic surgery limits its prescription and is difficult to
      handle. Indeed, criteria of success remain insufficently understood in order to
      help caregivers to rigorously select the right candidates. This article proposes
      a review of the literature on the risks and benefits of metabolic surgery for the
      diabetic obese patient.

PMID- 28639759
TI  - [Diabetes mellitus secondary to an endocrine pathology : when to think about it
      ?]
AB  - An endocrine disease can be associated with glucose intolerance or diabetes
      mellitus, and the latter can falsely be considered as type 2 diabetes. Glycemic
      imbalance can be a direct or indirect consequence of excessive hormone
      production. Endocrine diseases such as acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome and
      pheochromocytoma can increase glucose production and cause insulin resistance.
      Hyperthyroidism, hyperaldosteronism, glucagonoma and somatostatinoma lead to
      hyperglycemia by other physiopathological mechanisms detailed in this article.
      When a clinical picture suggests an endocrine disease, several analyses need to
      be done in order to avoid treatment escalation of diabetes.

PMID- 28639760
TI  - [Euglycemic ketoacidosis : a complication of SGLT2 inhibitors].
AB  - Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors constitute a new category of
      oral antidiabetics recently indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Their
      mechanism of action (inhibition of renal reabsorption of glucose) and the fact
      that they do not induce hypoglycemia (as monotherapy) make their clinical use
      interesting. Various adverse events have however been reported regarding these
      drugs with the euglycemic ketoacidosis being the most serious. In this article we
      aim to review the possible mechanism of this side effect and recommendations for
      use of SGLT2 inhibitors by means of a case report.

PMID- 28639761
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639762
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639763
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639764
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639765
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639766
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639767
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639768
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639769
TI  - [Heart and sport].
AB  - Physical activity is beneficial for health and the cardiovascular risk profile.
      However, it can be dangerous in people with cardiac disease that might be
      asymptomatic. Individuals of all ages and all levels engage in sporting
      activities. The medical approach is different whether one evaluates a young
      competitive athlete, a sedentary adult who wants to start a recreational sport or
      a patient with heart disease who wishes to engage in sport. This article
      summarizes the various recommendations on the subject.

PMID- 28639770
TI  - [Long-term physical activity after a myocardial infarction : a permanent
      challenge].
AB  - Cardiac rehabilitation is a well-defined multidisciplinary program with the
      objective to reduce mortality and morbidity, while also improving the exercise
      capacity and quality of life of the patient following a myocardial infarction.
      Despite the fact that a cardiovascular rehabilitation program is now recommended
      by international guidelines for all patients who have suffered from an acute
      coronary syndrome, only half of all patients actually participate to such a
      program in Switzerland. Even worse, especially when taking into consideration the
      population in Geneva, less than 5 % of patients follow a long-term cardiac
      maintenance program (phase III). Since 2015, our project has been to encourage
      patients who have completed a phase II cardiac rehabilitation program, to resume
      regular physical activity in the long term.

PMID- 28639771
TI  - [Post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect].
AB  - Post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect corresponds to the rupture
      of the ventricular septum between the healthy and infarcted parts. It is a rare
      complication still associated with a high mortality rate. Its diagnostic should
      be evoked in case of pathologic cardiac auscultation and confirmed by emergent
      transthoracic echocardiography. Hemodynamic stabilisation, mainly with the
      insertion of an intra-aortic balloon pump is the first step in the management.
      The subsequent modality of closure, either surgical or transcatheter, as well as
      the ideal timing should be discussed in the Heart team. Successful closure
      decreases the 30-day mortality rate to 30-40 %.

PMID- 28639772
TI  - [Multidisciplinary cardiogenetic counselling].
AB  - Multidisciplinary cardiogenetic consulting offers a global clinical approach to
      patients suffering from channelopathies or hereditary cardiomyopathies. Mutation
      is discovered in around 50 % of the cases. Several experts are working together
      to bring probands and their families useful and necessary informations to help
      them understanding causes, consequences and support of their disease. This
      approach is developped in close collaboration with the treating physician.

PMID- 28639773
TI  - [Paradigm shift in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. The importance of risk
      factor management].
AB  - The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is constantly rising. Different
      studies have underlined the correlation between AF and modifiable risk factors
      such as obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension and sedentary lifestyle.
      Treatment of these comorbidities could significantly reduce the AF burden and the
      recurrence rate after cardioversion or ablation. These data should therefore lead
      to a paradigm shift in the management of AF. A strategy limited to catheter
      ablation or to the prescription of an antiarrhythmic drug is not sufficient. By
      analogy to angioplasty in coronary artery disease, the specific management of AF
      must be combined with the prevention and treatment of risk factors to increase
      the success rate.

PMID- 28639774
TI  - [Discovery of left ventricular hypertrophy during adult echocardiography].
AB  - Left ventricular hypertrophy is a common finding during echocardiography. A
      precise evaluation of the left ventricular wall thickness, ventricular mass and
      distribution of hypertrophy is crucial both for diagnostic workup, follow-up and
      for prognostic evaluation. The differential diagnosis of left ventricular
      hypertrophy includes hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, hypertrophy secondary to
      abnormal left ventricular filling conditions, hypertrophy linked to intense
      physical training and the isolated basal septal hypertrophy of the elderly.
      Amongst the tools at the disposition of the cardiologist, regional analysis of
      longitudinal strain appears promising in helping distinguish cardiac amyloidosis
      form other forms of hypertrophy.

PMID- 28639776
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639775
TI  - [" Living facing death' : improving Lausanne's medical students " attitude toward
      end-of-life issues].
AB  - The optional course " Living facing death " is the result of an innovative
      educational approach jointly developed by CHUV's Palliative Care Service,
      Lausanne's School of Medicine, Medical Ethics Unit and the students' association
      " Doctors & Death ". It is intended for 3rd and 4th grade medical students and
      was inspired by previous experiences conducted at Harvard Medical School. Its
      primary objective is to help students to " take some distances ". A mixed
      quantitative/qualitative satisfaction questionnaire was administered to all
      participating students at the completion of the course. It confirms experiential
      knowledge is a valuable teaching tool to improve medical students' attitude
      toward end-of-life issues.

PMID- 28639777
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639779
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639778
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639780
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639781
TI  - ?

PMID- 28639783
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum Mortality in Africa between 1990 and 2015.

PMID- 28639784
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum Mortality in Africa between 1990 and 2015.

PMID- 28639785
TI  - Risks of MRI in Patients with a Pacemaker or Defibrillator.

PMID- 28639786
TI  - Maternal Immunization.

PMID- 28639787
TI  - Recent Advances in Radical C-H Activation/Radical Cross-Coupling.
AB  - Research and industrial interest in radical C-H activation/radical cross-coupling
      chemistry has continuously grown over the past few decades. These reactions offer
      fascinating and unconventional approaches toward connecting molecular fragments
      with high atom- and step-economy that are often complementary to traditional
      methods. Success in this area of research was made possible through the
      development of photocatalysis and first-row transition metal catalysis along with
      the use of peroxides as radical initiators. This Review provides a brief and
      concise overview of the current status and latest methodologies using radicals or
      radical cations as key intermediates produced via radical C-H activation. This
      Review includes radical addition, radical cascade cyclization, radical/radical
      cross-coupling, coupling of radicals with M-R groups, and coupling of radical
      cations with nucleophiles (Nu).

PMID- 28639788
TI  - Controlled Antibody Release from Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels Cross
      Linked by Diels-Alder Chemistry.
AB  - Amine-modified four- and eight-armed poloxamines were prepared and subsequently
      functionalized with maleimide or furyl groups. Aqueous solutions of these
      polymers exhibited an immediate gelation at a temperature above 37  degrees C.
      Concomitantly, Diels-Alder reactions gradually cross-linked and cured the gels.
      Different ratios between four- and eight-armed macromonomers were used to tune
      hydrogel stability and mechanical properties. In this way, hydrogel stability
      could be precisely controlled in the range of 14 to 329 days. Controlled release
      of the model antibody bevacizumab was achieved over a period of 7, 21, and 115
      days. Release profiles were triphasic with a low burst; approximately 87% of the
      released antibody was intact and displayed functional binding. The hydrogels
      presented in this study are degradable, nontoxic, rapidly gelling, stable, and
      provide controlled antibody release. They can be tailored to match the demands of
      various applications and present an attractive platform for antibody delivery.

PMID- 28639789
TI  - Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Anti-TNF-alpha SiRNA Cationic Phosphorus Dendrimer
      Nanocomplexes Administered Intranasally in a Murine Acute Lung Injury Model.
AB  - Inflammation is an essential component of many lung diseases, including asthma,
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or acute lung injury. Our purpose
      was to design efficient carriers for lung delivery of small interfering RNA
      (siRNA) targeting tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) in an acute lung injury
      model. To achieve this goal, two different types of phosphorus-based dendrimers
      with either pyrrolidinium or morpholinium as terminal protonated amino groups
      were selected for their better biocompatibility compared to other dendrimers.
      Dendriplexes containing pyrrolidinium surface groups demonstrated a stronger
      siRNA complexation, a higher cellular uptake, and enhanced in vitro silencing
      efficiency of TNF-alpha in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated mouse
      macrophage cell line RAW264.7, compared to morpholinium-containing dendriplexes.
      The better performance of the pyrrolidium dendriplexes was attributed to their
      higher pKa value leading to a stronger siRNA complexation and improved protection
      against enzymatic degradation resulting in a higher cellular uptake. The superior
      silencing effect of the pyrrolidinium dendriplexes, compared to noncomplexed
      siRNA, was confirmed in vivo in an LPS-induced murine model of short-term acute
      lung injury upon lung delivery via nasal administration. These data suggest that
      phosphorus dendriplexes have a strong potential in lung delivery of siRNA for
      treating inflammatory lung diseases.

PMID- 28639791
TI  - Insight into the Final Step of the Supramolecular Buildup of Eumelanin.
AB  - The final step in the supramolecular buildup of eumelanin particles is
      investigated regarding the involved species and mechanism. Time-resolved in situ
      light scattering and scanning electron microscopy reveal an aggregation of
      particles with a narrow size distribution around 40 nm, previously only observed
      as substructures. These form larger particles with again very uniform size and
      diameters around 200 nm. Aggregation of each single particle takes only a few
      minutes to complete, whereas the entire process goes on for at least 3 h, partly
      due to the kinetics of the precursors. The individual particles also undergo an
      additional consolidation step toward their final form, which takes up to 24 h.
      Atomic force microscopy shows that the size before consolidation is around twice
      the size of the final particles, due to free space between the substructures.
      Light scattering also reveals that the aggregation is random with respect to
      where the particles attach, as the shape of aggregates changes from sphere to
      coil, before it returns to a spherical shape at the end. Application of enzyme
      mediated autodeposition finally shows the potential to stop the supramolecular
      buildup at each level, and therefore enables isolation of the respective
      eumelanin particles at will. This may enable the full potential for melanin
      materials in nanotechnology deriving from its unique (for biological polymers)
      properties like paramagnetism, electrical conductivity, and many more.

PMID- 28639790
TI  - Programmable Assembly of Peptide Amphiphile via Noncovalent-to-Covalent Bond
      Conversion.
AB  - Controlling the number of monomers in a supramolecular polymer has been a great
      challenge in programmable self-assembly of organic molecules. One approach has
      been to make use of frustrated growth of the supramolecular assembly by tuning
      the balance of attractive and repulsive intermolecular forces. We report here on
      the use of covalent bond formation among monomers, compensating for
      intermolecular electrostatic repulsion, as a mechanism to control the length of a
      supramolecular nanofiber formed by self-assembly of peptide amphiphiles. Circular
      dichroism spectroscopy in combination with dynamic light scattering, size
      exclusion chromatography, and transmittance electron microscope analyses revealed
      that hydrogen bonds between peptides were reinforced by covalent bond formation,
      enabling the fiber elongation. To examine these materials for their potential
      biomedical applications, cytotoxicity of nanofibers against C2C12 premyoblast
      cells was tested. We demonstrated that cell viability increased with an increase
      in fiber length, presumably because of the suppressed disruption of cell
      membranes by the fiber end-caps.

PMID- 28639792
TI  - Emodiversity and biomarkers of inflammation.
AB  - There is growing evidence that inflammatory responses may help to explain how
      emotions get "under the skin" to influence disease susceptibility. Moving beyond
      examination of individuals' average level of emotion, this study examined how the
      breadth and relative abundance of emotions that individuals experience
      emodiversity-is related to systemic inflammation. Using diary data from 175
      adults aged 40 to 65 who provided end-of-day reports of their positive and
      negative emotions over 30 days, we found that greater diversity in day-to-day
      positive emotions was associated with lower circulating levels of inflammation
      (indicated by IL-6, CRP, fibrinogen), independent of mean levels of positive and
      negative emotions, body mass index, anti-inflammatory medications, medical
      conditions, personality, and demographics. No significant associations were
      observed between global or negative emodiversity and inflammation. These findings
      highlight the unique role daily positive emotions play in biological health.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639793
TI  - Cigarette-smoking trajectories of monoracial and biracial Blacks: Testing the
      intermediate hypothesis.
AB  - Research on the cigarette-smoking patterns of biracial adolescents and young
      adults is severely limited. In this study, we tested the intermediate biracial
      substance-use hypothesis, which suggests that the prevalence of substance use
      among biracial individuals falls intermediate to their monoracial counterparts.
      We examined cigarette-smoking trajectories of a de-aggregated sample of biracial
      Black adolescents and young adults. We used longitudinal data from the National
      Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (Add Health; Harris et al.,
      2009). Our sample (N = 9,421) included 4 monoracial groups (Black, White,
      Hispanic, and American Indian [AI]) and 3 biracial groups (Black-AI, Black
      Hispanic, and Black-White). Study hypotheses were tested using latent growth
      curve modeling. We found some support for the intermediate biracial substance-use
      hypothesis for 2 of 3 biracial groups (Black-American Indian, Black-Hispanic) and
      2 of 4 cigarette-use outcomes (lifetime cigarette use, number of cigarettes
      smoked during past month for regular smokers). The cigarette-use trajectories of
      biracial Blacks were significantly different from only 1 corresponding monoracial
      group. Black-AIs and Black Hispanics engage in lifetime cigarette use at
      comparable rates to monoracial Blacks. Black-Hispanic regular smokers' rate of
      cigarette smoking is comparable to the higher rates of Hispanics and not to the
      lower rates of Blacks. Knowledge of the origins, developmental course, and
      consequences of tobacco use among the biracial population may lead to effective
      intervention programs and policies for this group. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639794
TI  - Community health workers in diabetes care: A systematic review of randomized
      controlled trials.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Maintaining optimal self-care in managing Type 2 diabetes is a
      common struggle for patients due to several barriers, including access to quality
      services, financial insecurity and/or lack of insurance, and emotional distress.
      Consequently, morbidity and mortality rates are high, alongside rising health
      care costs. Alternative approaches that address common barriers require further
      investigation. This systematic review of randomized controlled trials examines
      the effectiveness of using community health workers (CHWs) in Type 2 diabetes
      care. This effort is warranted to orient practitioners and researchers to the
      state of existing knowledge, and to direct clinical practice and future research.
      METHOD: Data were extracted from 17 peer-reviewed articles; they were examined
      with respect to theory integration, CHW intervention design, outcome variables,
      and findings. RESULTS: Approximately one-third of articles explicitly integrated
      theory into their research conceptualization and design. There was great
      variation across intervention dosages, attrition rates, and methods of CHW
      training. Main foci across studies' findings suggest that a CHW intervention has
      significant impacts on physical health outcomes, diabetes knowledge, self-care
      behaviors, and emotional distress and well-being. DISCUSSION: Principal
      implications relate to the need for more research regarding CHW intervention
      types and methods, and further investigation about the mechanisms of change
      within a CHW-delivered intervention. Findings support the case for more CHWs in
      treatment teams to bridge patients with the medical system. This research will
      serve to better equip providers in the support of patients managing Type 2
      diabetes and advance the Triple Aim of health care. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639795
TI  - "You're one of us": Black Americans' use of hypodescent and its association with
      egalitarianism.
AB  - Research on multiracial categorization has focused on majority group social
      perceivers (i.e., White Americans), demonstrating that they (a) typically
      categorize Black-White multiracials according to a rule of hypodescent,
      associating them more with their lower status parent group than their higher
      status parent group, and (b) do so at least in part to preserve the hierarchical
      status quo. The current work examines whether members of an ethnic minority
      group, Black Americans, also associate Black-White multiracials more with their
      minority versus majority parent group and if so, why. The first 2 studies (1A and
      1B) directly compared Black and White Americans, and found that although both
      Blacks and Whites categorized Black-White multiracials as more Black than White,
      Whites' use of hypodescent was associated with intergroup antiegalitarianism,
      whereas Blacks' use of hypodescent was associated with intergroup egalitarianism.
      Studies 2-3 reveal that egalitarian Blacks use hypodescent in part because they
      perceive that Black-White biracials face discrimination and consequently feel a
      sense of linked fate with them. This research establishes that the use of
      hypodescent extends to minority as well as majority perceivers but also shows
      that the beliefs associated with the use of hypodescent differ as a function of
      perceiver social status. In doing so, we broaden the social scientific
      understanding of hypodescent, showing how it can be an inclusionary rather than
      exclusionary phenomenon. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639796
TI  - Modality-switching in the Simon task: The clash of reference frames.
AB  - The representation of spatial information related to an event can influence
      behavior even when location is task-irrelevant, as in the case of Stimulus
      Response (S-R) compatibility effects on the Simon task. However, unlike single
      modality situations, which are often used to study the Simon effect, in real-life
      scenarios various sensory modalities provide spatial information coded in
      different coordinate systems. Here, we address the expression of S-R
      compatibility effects in mixed-modality contexts, where events can occur in 1 of
      various sensory modalities (i.e., vision, touch or audition). The results confirm
      that, in single-modality cases, Simon effects in vision are expressed in an
      external spatial frame of reference, while touch information is coded
      anatomically. Remarkably, when mixing visual and tactile trials in an
      unpredictable way, the Simon effect disappeared in vision whereas tactile Simon
      effects remained expressed in their own (anatomical) frame of reference. Mixing
      visual and auditory stimuli did not obliterate the visual Simon effect and S-R
      compatibility effects in an external reference frame were evident for both
      modalities. The extinction of visual Simon effects as a result of mixing visual
      and tactile modalities can be interpreted as a consequence of the dynamic
      reorganization of the weights associated to the different sources of spatial
      information at play. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639797
TI  - The dark side of fluency: Fluent names increase drug dosing.
AB  - Prior research has demonstrated that high processing fluency influences a wide
      range of evaluations and behaviors in a positive way. But can high processing
      fluency also lead to potentially hazardous medical behavior? In 2 controlled
      experiments, we demonstrate that increasing the fluency of pharmaceutical drug
      names increases drug dosage. Experiment 1 shows that drugs with fluent names are
      perceived as safer than those with disfluent names and this effect increases drug
      dosage for both synthetically produced and herbal drugs. Experiment 2
      demonstrates that people chose a higher dosage for themselves and for a child if
      the drug bears a fluent (vs. disfluent) name. Using linear regression based
      mediation analysis, we investigated the underlying mechanisms for the effect of
      fluency on risk perception in more detail. Contrary to prior research, we find
      that affect, but not familiarity, mediates the fluency-risk link. Our findings
      suggest that a drug name's fluency is a powerful driver of dosing behavior.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639798
TI  - Working safely at some times and unsafely at others: A typology and within-person
      process model of safety-related work behaviors.
AB  - Why do individuals choose to work safely in some instances and unsafely in
      others? Though this inherently within-person question is straightforward, the
      preponderance of between-person theory and research in the workplace safety
      literature is not equipped to answer it. Additionally, the limited way in which
      safety-related behaviors tend to be conceptualized further restricts
      understanding of why individuals vary in their safety-related actions. We use a
      goal-focused approach to conceptually address this question of behavioral
      variability and contribute to workplace safety research in 2 key ways. First, we
      establish an updated typology of safety-related behaviors that differentiates
      behaviors based on goal choice (i.e., safe vs. unsafe behaviors), goal
      directedness (i.e., intentional vs. unintentional behaviors), and the means of
      goal pursuit (i.e., commission vs. omission and promotion vs. prevention-focused
      behaviors). Second, using an expectancy-value theoretical framework to explain
      variance in goal choice, we establish within-person propositions stating that
      safety-related goal choice and subsequent behaviors are a function of the target
      of safety-related behaviors, the instrumentality and resource requirement of
      behaviors, and the perceived severity, likelihood, and immediacy of the threats
      associated with behaviors. Taken together, we define what safety-related
      behaviors are, explain how they differ, and offer propositions concerning when
      and why they may vary within-persons. We explore potential between-person
      moderators of our theoretical propositions and discuss the practical implications
      of our typology and process model of safety-related behavior. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28639799
TI  - Aging and confidence judgments in item recognition.
AB  - We examined the effects of aging on performance in an item-recognition experiment
      with confidence judgments. A model for confidence judgments and response time
      (RTs; Ratcliff & Starns, 2013) was used to fit a large amount of data from a new
      sample of older adults and a previously reported sample of younger adults. This
      model of confidence judgments allows us to distinguish between changes evidence
      from memory and changes in decision-related components and it accounts for both
      RT distributions and response proportions. Older adults took longer to respond
      than younger adults, older adults exhibited a small decrease in the strength of
      evidence from memory compared with younger adults and a slight bias toward
      judging items as "old." The difference in RTs between the 2 age groups was
      primarily explained by the difference in the nondecision component. Although our
      small sample size makes the general conclusions about aging tentative, the
      results are consistent with other research examining the effects of aging in two
      choice RT tasks and response-signal tasks, and the study demonstrates that
      confidence judgment choice proportion and RT distribution data from older adults
      can be fit with the response time and confidence 2 (RTCON2) model. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28639800
TI  - Working memory capacity and the antisaccade task: A microanalytic-macroanalytic
      investigation of individual differences in goal activation and maintenance.
AB  - The association between working memory capacity (WMC) and the antisaccade task,
      which requires subjects to move their eyes and attention away from a strong
      visual cue, supports the claim that WMC is partially an attentional construct
      (Kane, Bleckley, Conway, & Engle, 2001; Unsworth, Schrock, & Engle, 2004).
      Specifically, the WMC-antisaccade relation suggests that WMC helps maintain and
      execute task goals despite interference from habitual actions. Related work has
      recently shown that mind wandering (McVay & Kane, 2009, 2012a, 2012b) and
      reaction time (RT) variability (Unsworth, 2015) are also related to WMC and they
      partially explain WMC's prediction of cognitive abilities. Here, we tested
      whether mind-wandering propensity and intraindividual RT variation account for
      WMC's associations with 2 antisaccade-cued choice RT tasks. In addition, we asked
      whether any influences of WMC, mind wandering, or intraindividual RT variation on
      antisaccade are moderated by (a) the temporal gap between fixation and the
      flashing location cue, and (b) whether targets switch sides on consecutive
      trials. Our quasi-experimental study reexamined a published dataset (Kane et al.,
      2016) comprising 472 subjects who completed 6 WMC tasks, 5 attentional tasks with
      mind-wandering probes, 5 tasks from which we measured intraindividual RT
      variation, and 2 antisaccade tasks with varying fixation-cue gap durations. The
      WMC-antisaccade association was not accounted for by mind wandering or
      intraindividual RT variation. WMC's effects on antisaccade performance were
      greater with longer fixation-to-cue intervals, suggesting that goal activation
      processes-beyond the ability to control mind wandering and RT variability-are
      partially responsible for the WMC-antisaccade relation. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639801
TI  - The evolving landscape of Title IX: Predicting mandatory reporters' responses to
      sexual assault disclosures.
AB  - Approximately 1 in 4 women is sexually assaulted in college, a problem that
      federal law has attempted to address with recent changes. Under the evolving
      landscape of Title IX, and related law, universities nationwide have overhauled
      their sexual assault policies, procedures, and resources. Many of the new
      policies designate undergraduate resident assistants (RAs) as Responsible
      Employees-requiring them to provide assistance and report to the university if a
      fellow student discloses sexual assault. We investigated factors that predict the
      likelihood of RAs enacting their policy mandate, that is, reporting sexual
      assault disclosures to university authorities and referring survivors to sexual
      assault resources. Based on data from 305 Responsible Employee RAs, we found that
      likelihood to report and refer varied, depending on RAs' knowledge of reporting
      procedures and resources, trust in these supports, and perceptions of mandatory
      reporting policy. Understanding mandatory reporter behavior is crucial, because
      help-providers' responses can have serious implications for the recovery of
      sexual assault survivors. Our findings elucidate some effects of changes in the
      interpretation and implementation of Title IX, with potential to inform the
      development of more theoretically and empirically informed policies. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28639802
TI  - A cross-cultural analysis of the Test of Memory Malingering among Latin American
      Spanish-speaking adults.
AB  - Cognitive efforts tests, such as the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM; Tombaugh,
      1997), are widely used internationally, yet there is a dearth of research that
      has assessed the utility of these measures in different cultures, countries, and
      languages. This study evaluated the specificity of the TOMM Trial 2 among a
      sample of 3,590 Spanish-speaking adults residing in 8 Latin American countries
      (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Puerto Rico).
      Trial 2 TOMM scores were negatively associated with participants' age and
      positively associated with level of education. Country development, as measured
      by the United Nations Human Development Index, was also positively associated
      with TOMM scores. With the widespread use of cognitive efforts tests, this study
      offers useful insights into the utility of the TOMM in the assessment of Spanish
      speakers and highlights potential cultural biases that may impact test
      performance. Furthermore, this study raises concerns about the cross-cultural
      applicability of the TOMM, particularly when using cut scores established and
      evaluated primarily on North American, English-speaking samples. Forensic
      psychologists should be cautious when interpreting TOMM performance with Spanish
      speaking adults from Latin American countries because it appears that there are
      cross-cultural differences that influence test performance. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28639803
TI  - Determining when to conduct a violence risk assessment: Development and initial
      validation of the Fordham Risk Screening Tool (FRST).
AB  - Techniques to assess violence risk are increasingly common, but no systematic
      approach exists to help clinicians decide which psychiatric patients are most in
      need of a violence risk assessment. The Fordham Risk Screening Tool (FRST) was
      designed to fill this void, providing a structured, systematic approach to
      screening psychiatric patients and determining the need for further, more
      thorough violence risk assessment. The FRST was administered to a sample of 210
      consecutive admissions to the civil psychiatric units of an urban medical center,
      159 of whom were subsequently evaluated using the Historical Clinical Risk
      Management-20, version 3, to determine violence risk. The FRST showed a high
      degree of sensitivity (93%) in identifying patients subsequently deemed to be at
      high risk for violence (based on the Case Prioritization risk rating). The FRST
      also identified all of the patients (100%) rated high in potential for severe
      violence (based on the Serious Physical Harm Historical Clinical Risk Management
      20, version 3, summary risk rating). Sensitivity was more modest when individuals
      rated as moderate risk were included as the criterion (rather than only those
      identified as high risk). Specificity was also moderate, screening out
      approximately half of all participants as not needing further risk assessment. A
      systematic approach to risk screening is clearly needed to prioritize psychiatric
      admissions for thorough risk assessment, and the FRST appears to be a potentially
      valuable step in that process. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639804
TI  - Reflective functioning, physiological reactivity, and overcontrol in mothers:
      Links with school-aged children's reflective functioning.
AB  - Theorists argue that parental reflective functioning (PRF) is activated in
      response to emotions, potentially supporting parenting sensitivity even when
      arousal is high. That is, when parents become emotionally reactive when
      interacting with their children, those who can use PRF to understand their
      children's mental states should be able to parent sensitively, which, in turn,
      should promote children's ability to understand their own mental states. We test
      this theory by examining whether, in the face of physiological reactivity,
      mothers' PRF inhibits one form of parenting insensitivity, overcontrol (OC), and
      whether this process in turn predicts children's RF. A diverse sample of school
      age children (N = 106, Mage = 10.27 years) completed a standardized failure
      paradigm while their mothers were asked to passively observe. Following the
      stressor, mothers and children independently completed interviews regarding the
      task, which were later coded for RF with respect to children's mental states.
      Mothers provided saliva samples before and after the stressor, and after the
      interview, which were later assayed for cortisol reactivity; maternal behavior
      during the stressor task was coded for OC. Among mothers with low levels of RF,
      greater increases in cortisol were associated with more displays of OC, whereas
      among mothers with high PRF, greater cortisol reactivity was associated with
      fewer OC behaviors. For low PRF mothers, higher reactivity and OC predicted lower
      children's PRF for their own experiences. The findings provide initial evidence
      for a protective function of PRF, and may point toward the importance of
      promoting PRF in intervention programs to reduce parental OC. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28639806
TI  - Math-related career aspirations and choices within Eccles et al.'s expectancy
      value theory of achievement-related behaviors.
AB  - Which occupation to pursue is one of the more consequential decisions people make
      and represents a key developmental task. Yet the underlying developmental
      processes associated with either individual or group differences in occupational
      choices are still not well understood. This study contributes toward filling this
      gap, focusing in particular on the math domain. We examined two aspects of Eccles
      et al.'s (1983) expectancy-value theory of achievement-related behaviors: (a) the
      reciprocal associations between adolescents' expectancy and subjective task value
      beliefs and adolescents' career plans and (b) the multiplicative association
      between expectancies and values in predicting occupational outcomes in the math
      domain. Our analyses indicate that adolescents' expectancy and subjective task
      value beliefs about math and their math- or science-related career plans reported
      at the beginning and end of high school predict each other over time, with the
      exception of intrinsic interest in math. Furthermore, multiplicative associations
      between adolescents' expectancy and subjective task value beliefs about math
      predict math-related career attainment approximately 15 years after graduation
      from high school. Gender differences emerged regarding career-related beliefs and
      career attainment, with male students being more likely than female to both
      pursue and attain math-related careers. These gender differences could not be
      explained by differences in beliefs about math as an academic subject. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28639805
TI  - How do parent expectations promote child academic achievement in early elementary
      school? A test of three mediators.
AB  - Using a longitudinal mediation framework and a low-income sample, this study had
      2 aims: (a) to model bidirectional associations between parent academic
      expectations and child academic outcomes from first through fifth grade, and (b)
      to explore 3 mediators of parental influence: parent involvement in child
      schooling, child learning behaviors, and child perceived academic competence.
      Participants included 356 children and their caregivers (89% mothers) recruited
      from Head Start centers (58% European American, 25% African American, 17%
      Latino). At each time point (grades 1, 2, 3, 5), parents rated their academic
      expectations, teachers rated parent involvement and child learning behaviors, and
      children rated their self-perceptions of their academic competence. Bidirectional
      longitudinal associations emerged between parent academic expectations and child
      academic outcomes. Child learning behaviors mediated this association from first
      to third grade, whereas child perceived academic competence mediated from second
      to fifth grade. Parallel cross-lagged models replicated these findings with child
      academic outcomes assessed using a test of reading achievement and teacher
      ratings of academic performance. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639807
TI  - The impact of time and repeated exposure on famous person knowledge in amnestic
      mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Famous people knowledge has been shown to be impaired early in
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However,
      the question of whether recently acquired knowledge is more impaired than
      remotely acquired knowledge remains a matter of debate. The aim of this study was
      to investigate the patterns of semantic memory impairment in aMCI and AD by
      investigating 2 factors that may influence the retrieval of such knowledge,
      namely remoteness and frequency of repetition of information over time. METHOD:
      Three groups (19 controls, 20 aMCI, and 20 AD patients) were compared on a test
      assessing general and specific biographical knowledge about famous people, where
      the period of acquired fame (remote vs. recent) and the type of fame (enduring
      vs. transient) were controlled for. RESULTS: Global performance of aMCI and AD
      patients was significantly poorer than that of controls. However, different
      patterns of recall were observed as a function of time and type of fame. A
      temporal gradient was found in both patient groups for enduring names but not for
      transient ones, whereby knowledge about remote enduring famous persons was better
      recalled. Patients were more impaired at questions assessing specific
      biographical knowledge (unique to an individual) than more general knowledge.
      CONCLUSIONS: Tests of famous people knowledge offer a unique opportunity to
      investigate semantic deficits in aMCI and AD, because they make it possible to
      estimate the time at which memories were acquired, as well as the type of fame.
      Results are discussed in light of memory consolidation models. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28639808
TI  - A quarter century of advances in the statistical analysis of longitudinal
      neuropsychological data.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Over the last 25 years, there has been an unprecedented increase in
      federal funding for large-scale longitudinal studies, many of which collect
      neuropsychological or neuroimaging outcome measures. These studies have collected
      data from thousands of study participants across multiple waves of data
      collection over many years. With the increased availability of longitudinal data,
      data sharing policies have become more liberal, thereby offering significant
      opportunities for interested researchers to carry out their own longitudinal
      research with these data. At the same time, these opportunities have stimulated
      new conceptualizations of longitudinal change and have led to the development of
      novel approaches toward analysis of longitudinal data. My aim is to review these
      new conceptualizations and novel data analytic approaches. METHOD: In this
      article, I describe the state of the field a quarter century ago with respect to
      available longitudinal studies, and I trace the growth of federally funded
      longitudinal studies over the last 25 years by describing 18 of these projects,
      many of which are still collecting data. In the second part of this article, I
      describe changes in the methods used to analyze longitudinal data, transitioning
      from the paired t test and repeated measures ANOVA to latent change scores,
      linear mixed effects modeling, and latent growth curve models. Changes in the
      approach to management of missing data are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Future
      studies should abandon traditional longitudinal analytic methods in favor of
      contemporary approaches given their increased power, greater accuracy, and
      widespread availability. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639809
TI  - The advantage of being oneself: The role of applicant self-verification in
      organizational hiring decisions.
AB  - In this paper, we explore whether individuals who strive to self-verify flourish
      or flounder on the job market. Using placement data from 2 very different field
      samples, we found that individuals rated by the organization as being in the top
      10% of candidates were significantly more likely to receive a job offer if they
      have a stronger drive to self-verify. A third study, using a quasi-experimental
      design, explored the mechanism behind this effect and tested whether individuals
      who are high and low on this disposition communicate differently in a structured
      mock job interview. Text analysis (LIWC) of interview transcripts revealed
      systematic differences in candidates' language use as a function of their self
      verification drives. These differences led an expert rater to perceive candidates
      with a strong drive to self-verify as less inauthentic and less misrepresentative
      than their low self-verifying peers, making her more likely to recommend these
      candidates for a job. Taken together, our results suggest that authentic self
      presentation is an unidentified route to success on the job market, amplifying
      the chances that high-quality candidates can convert organizations' positive
      evaluations into tangible job offers. We discuss implications for job applicants,
      organizations, and the labor market. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639810
TI  - Overstated evidence for short-term effects of violent games on affect and
      behavior: A reanalysis of Anderson et al. (2010).
AB  - Violent video games are theorized to be a significant cause of aggressive
      thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Important evidence for this claim comes from a
      large meta-analysis by Anderson and colleagues (2010), who found effects of
      violent games in experimental, cross-sectional, and longitudinal research. In
      that meta-analysis, the authors argued that there is little publication or
      analytic bias in the literature, an argument supported by their use of the trim
      and-fill procedure. In the present manuscript, we reexamine their meta-analysis
      using a wider array of techniques for detecting bias and adjusting effect sizes.
      Our conclusions differ from those of Anderson and colleagues in 3 salient ways.
      First, we detect substantial publication bias in experimental research on the
      effects of violent games on aggressive affect and aggressive behavior. Second,
      after adjustment for bias, the effects of violent games on aggressive behavior in
      experimental research are estimated as being very small, and estimates of effects
      on aggressive affect are much reduced. In contrast, the cross-sectional
      literature finds correlations that appear largely unbiased. Third, experiments
      meeting the original authors' criteria for methodological quality do not yield
      larger adjusted effects than other experiments, but instead yield larger
      indications of bias, indicating that perhaps they were selected for significance.
      We outline future directions for stronger experimental research. The results
      indicate the need for an open, transparent, and preregistered research process to
      test the existence of the basic phenomenon. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639811
TI  - Violent video game effects remain a societal concern: Reply to Hilgard,
      Engelhardt, and Rouder (2017).
AB  - A large meta-analysis by Anderson et al. (2010) found that violent video games
      increased aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal, and
      aggressive behavior and decreased empathic feelings and helping behavior.
      Hilgard, Engelhardt, and Rouder (2017) reanalyzed the data of Anderson et al.
      (2010) using newer publication bias methods (i.e., precision-effect test,
      precision-effect estimate with standard error, p-uniform, p-curve). Based on
      their reanalysis, Hilgard, Engelhardt, and Rouder concluded that experimental
      studies examining the effect of violent video games on aggressive affect and
      aggressive behavior may be contaminated by publication bias, and these effects
      are very small when corrected for publication bias. However, the newer methods
      Hilgard, Engelhardt, and Rouder used may not be the most appropriate. Because
      publication bias is a potential a problem in any scientific domain, we used a
      comprehensive sensitivity analysis battery to examine the influence of
      publication bias and outliers on the experimental effects reported by Anderson et
      al. We used best meta-analytic practices and the triangulation approach to locate
      the likely position of the true mean effect size estimates. Using this
      methodological approach, we found that the combined adverse effects of outliers
      and publication bias was less severe than what Hilgard, Engelhardt, and Rouder
      found for publication bias alone. Moreover, the obtained mean effects using
      recommended methods and practices were not very small in size. The results of the
      methods used by Hilgard, Engelhardt, and Rouder tended to not converge well with
      the results of the methods we used, indicating potentially poor performance. We
      therefore conclude that violent video game effects should remain a societal
      concern. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639814
TI  - Interventions for alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors among college students:
      A systematic review.
AB  - Alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors are common among college students. Though
      various interventions targeting these behaviors have been examined, the
      literature does not currently include a review of these strategies. A
      comprehensive literature search was conducted, yielding 7 randomized controlled
      trials. Relevant outcome variables included unprotected sex, alcohol in
      conjunction with sex, and number of sexual partners. Findings suggested that
      interventions utilizing reminder cues or motivational interviewing-based
      techniques were largely found to be effective in increasing condom use behaviors
      among intoxicated individuals, while support for personalized normative feedback
      (PNF) for the same outcome was mixed. However, PNF interventions were generally
      effective in reducing alcohol use in conjunction with sex. Finally, though few
      studies examined number of sexual partners, there are mixed findings for
      interventions (i.e., motivational interviewing, PNF) targeting this outcome.
      Overall, there is promising, albeit mixed, evidence of the effectiveness of
      interventions targeting various alcohol-related risky sexual behaviors among
      college students. Strengths, limitations, and implications of the findings of
      this systematic review for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28639813
TI  - Contingency management interventions for tobacco and other substance use
      disorders in pregnancy.
AB  - Contingency management (CM) is an effective intervention for reducing use of
      licit and illicit substances in a variety of populations. Pregnant women are a
      vulnerable population with much to gain from effective interventions for
      substance use disorders, and for whom CM interventions may be especially well
      suited. We reviewed the literature on CM interventions among pregnant women with
      tobacco and other substance use disorders with 3 aims: (a) describe the
      effectiveness of CM for reducing use of tobacco and other substances during
      pregnancy, (b) describe the effects of CM interventions on infant outcomes, and
      (c) identify needs for future research on CM in pregnancy. Our search strategy
      revealed 27 primary studies of CM in pregnancy. CM was effective in the majority
      of studies targeting nicotine abstinence, and results were mixed in studies
      targeting illicit substances. A variety of methodologies were used within the
      relatively small number of studies making it difficult to identify underlying
      mechanisms. Also, very few studies reported maternal and infant outcomes, and
      significant effects of CM were only apparent when secondary analyses pooled data
      from multiple studies. Furthermore, there is extremely limited data on the cost
      effectiveness of CM interventions in pregnancy. Future research should address
      these 3 areas to better determine the ultimate value of CM as an efficacious
      treatment for pregnant women with substance use disorders. (PsycINFO Database
      Record

PMID- 28639812
TI  - Contingency management treatment for substance use disorders: How far has it
      come, and where does it need to go?
AB  - Contingency management (CM) interventions consistently improve substance abuse
      treatment outcomes, yet CM remains a highly controversial intervention and is
      rarely implemented in practice settings. This article briefly outlines the
      evidence base of CM and then describes 4 of the most often-cited concerns about
      it: philosophical, motivational, durability, and economic. Data supporting and
      refuting each of these issues are reviewed. The article concludes with
      suggestions to address these matters and other important areas for CM research
      and implementation, with the aims of improving uptake of this efficacious
      intervention in practice settings and outcomes of patients with substance use
      disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639815
TI  - A multivariate meta-analysis of motivational interviewing process and outcome.
AB  - Motivational interviewing (MI) theory proposes a process whereby a set of
      therapist behaviors has direct effects on client outcomes and indirect effects
      through in-session processes (e.g., client change talk). Despite clear empirical
      support for the efficacy of MI across settings, the results of studies evaluating
      proposed links between MI process and outcome have been less clear. In the
      present study, we used a series of multivariate meta-analyses to test whether
      there are differential relationships between specific MI-consistent and MI
      inconsistent therapist behaviors, MI therapist global ratings, client change
      language, and clinical outcomes. Based on 19 primary studies (N = 2,614), we
      found a significant relationship between MI-consistent therapist behaviors and
      greater client change talk, as well as greater client sustain talk. Higher
      therapist global ratings (empathy and MI spirit) were significantly related to
      increased MI-consistent behaviors, decreased MI-inconsistent behaviors, increased
      client change talk, yet also increased client sustain talk. Therapist global
      ratings were not significantly related to clinical outcomes. Client sustain talk
      was a significant predictor of worse clinical outcomes, while client change talk
      was unrelated to outcome. Variability within the correlations indicated that MI
      consistent and MI-inconsistent therapist behaviors were differentially related to
      therapist global ratings of empathy and MI spirit. Similar to past research,
      present findings provide equivocal support for hypothesized MI process outcome
      relationships. Clinical implications and future areas of MI mechanism research
      are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639816
TI  - Review of interventions to reduce ultraviolet tanning: Need for treatments
      targeting excessive tanning, an emerging addictive behavior.
AB  - Millions of Americans engage in tanning each year, defined as intentional
      ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure in the form of sunbathing or the use of
      indoor tanning beds. An emerging body of research suggests that UVR has addictive
      properties and some tanners engage in excessive tanning. This article provides an
      overview of the evidence of tanning addiction and a systematic review of existing
      tanning interventions with the goal of evaluating their potential to impact
      addicted tanners. Our search identified 24 intervention studies that were
      summarized and discussed according to 3 primary themes. First, there is a dearth
      of tanning interventions that target excessive tanning or are designed as
      treatments for tanning addiction. Second, tanning interventions are primarily
      educational interventions designed to increase knowledge of the risks of tanning.
      Third, there are notable aspects of existing tanning interventions that are
      relevant to addiction science, including the use of brief motivational and
      cognitive-behavioral-based interventions. Future directions are considered
      including recommendations for utilizing the existing evidence base to formulate
      interventions targeting excessive tanners. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639818
TI  - A critical examination of the research and theoretical underpinnings discussed in
      Thomson, Besner, and Smilek (2016).
AB  - Thomson, Besner, and Smilek (2016) propose that performance decrements associated
      with sustained attention are not consistently the result of a decline in
      perceptual sensitivity. Thomson et al. (2016) present empirical evidence using a
      novel, nontraditional vigilance task to support their assumptions. However, in
      the present rebuttal, we argue that the authors have not only have misinterpreted
      previous research in sustained attention, but also have misapplied those
      interpretations to their study. Thomson et al. have also neglected key elements
      of the literature in their argument, including research on expectancy theory and
      individual differences on vigilance performance. Furthermore, Thomson and
      colleagues implement an experimental paradigm that is not appropriate for
      evaluating sensitivity and bias changes in vigilance tasks. Finally, their
      analyses do not capture the manner in which changes in response bias and
      sensitivity can manifest in signal detection theory. We discuss the theoretical
      and experimental issues contained in Thomson et al. (2016) and propose
      suggestions for future vigilance research in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639817
TI  - A systematic review of treatments for problem gambling.
AB  - Gambling problems impact 0.2%-4.0% of the population, and research related to
      treating gambling has burgeoned in the last decades. This article reviews trials
      for psychosocial treatments of gambling problems. Using Preferred Reporting Items
      for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Standards, we identified 21 randomized
      trials. Eleven studies evaluated interventions delivered via multisession, in
      person therapy: cognitive therapies, cognitive-behavioral (CB) therapies, and
      motivational interventions (MI) alone or with CB therapies. An additional 10
      studies used approaches that involved 1 or fewer in-person sessions; these
      included workbooks with CB exercises alone or in combination with MI and brief
      feedback or advice interventions. Although most studies found some benefits of CB
      therapy (alone or combined with MI) and brief feedback or advice relative to the
      control condition in the short term, only a handful of studies demonstrated any
      long-term benefits. Nearly half the studies used waitlist controls, precluding an
      understanding of long-term efficacy, and standardized outcomes measures are also
      lacking. Populations also differ markedly across studies, from nontreatment
      seeking persons who screened positive for gambling problems to those with severe
      gambling disorder, and these discrepant populations may require different
      interventions. Although problem gamblers with less pronounced symptoms may
      benefit from very minimal interventions, therapist contact generally improved
      outcomes relative to entirely self-directed interventions, and at least some
      therapist contact may be necessary for patients with more severe gambling
      pathology to benefit from CB interventions. As treatment services for gambling
      continue to grow, this review provides timely information on best practices for
      gambling treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639820
TI  - Adolescent sympathetic activity and salivary C-reactive protein: The effects of
      parental behavior.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study utilized a novel multisystem approach to investigate the
      effect of observed parental behavior on the relationship between biological
      mechanisms associated with disease processes (i.e., autonomic physiology and
      immune response) among their adolescent children. METHOD: Thirty-three
      adolescents (23 males), aged 11-13, and their parents participated in a
      laboratory session in which adolescents provided baseline measures of autonomic
      (sympathetic) activity, and adolescents and 1 parent participated in a laboratory
      based dyadic conflict resolution interaction task. This included 3 male
      parent/male adolescent dyads, 20 female parent/male adolescent dyads, 3 male
      parent/female adolescent dyads, and 7 female parent/female adolescent dyads.
      Approximately 3 years later, adolescents provided a salivary measure of C
      Reactive Protein (sCRP) to index inflammation. RESULTS: Analyses revealed a
      positive association between sympathetic activity and sCRP, as well as a
      moderating role of positive parental behavior in this relationship, such that the
      association between sympathetic activity and sCRP was greater among adolescents
      whose parents displayed shorter duration of positive affect. CONCLUSIONS: Overall
      findings indicate parental behavior may influence the association between
      adolescent sympathetic activity and inflammatory processes. These findings have
      important implications for understanding the impact of psychosocial factors on
      biological mechanisms of disease. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639819
TI  - Effects of caregiving status and changes in depressive symptoms on development of
      physical morbidity among long-term cancer caregivers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Cancer caregiving burden is known to vary across the survivorship
      trajectory and has been linked with caregivers' subsequent health impairment.
      Little is known, however, regarding how risk factors during long-term
      survivorship relate to vulnerability to caregivers' health during that period.
      This study examined effects of caregiving status and depressive symptoms on
      development of physical morbidity by 5 years postdiagnosis. METHOD: Family
      caregivers (N = 491; Mage = 55.78) completed surveys at 2 (Time 1 [T1]) and 5
      years (T2) after their care recipients' cancer diagnosis. Demographic and
      caregiving context variables known to affect caregivers' health were assessed at
      T1. Self-reported depressive symptoms and a list of physical morbid conditions
      were assessed at T1 and T2. Caregiving status (former, current, or bereaved) was
      assessed at T2. RESULTS: Hierarchical negative binomial regression revealed that
      current caregivers at T2 (p = .02), but not those bereaved by T2 (p = .32),
      developed more physical morbid conditions between T1 and T2 compared with former
      caregivers, controlling for other variables. Independently, caregivers reporting
      either newly emerging or chronically elevated depressive symptoms at T2 (ps <
      .03), but not those whose symptoms remitted at T2 (p = .61), showed greater
      development of physical morbidity than did those reporting minimal depressive
      symptoms at both T1 and T2. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the roles of long-term
      caregiving demands and depressive symptoms in cancer caregivers' premature
      physical health decline. Clinical attention through the long-term survivorship
      trajectory should be emphasized for caregivers of patients with recurrent or
      prolonged illness and to address caregivers' elevated depressive symptoms.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639821
TI  - Perceived discrimination: Associations with physical and cognitive function in
      older adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Perceived discrimination has been associated with poor physical and
      psychological health. There is limited research examining perceived
      discrimination in older adults, and its effects on health in later life. The aim
      of this study is to extend research in this area by examining longitudinal
      associations between reported everyday discrimination and physical and cognitive
      function in older adults. METHOD: The present study uses a national sample of
      4,886 community-dwelling individuals aged 60 years and older from the English
      Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Perceived discrimination was assessed at baseline
      by asking participants about the frequency with which they experienced 5 everyday
      discriminatory situations. Cognitive functioning, comprising tests of recall and
      a test of verbal fluency, and physical functioning, comprising a timed walk test,
      were measured identically at baseline and follow-up. Multiple regression analyses
      were performed, adjusting for sociodemographic and health status variables.
      RESULTS: At baseline, 39.3% of participants reported being discriminated against
      at least a few times a year. After adjusting for demographic variables, health
      status, and depression, baseline discrimination was associated with poorer recall
      (B = -0.26, 95% CI [-0.44, -0.08]) and slower gait speed (B = -0.02, 95% CI [
      0.03, -0.004]) at follow-up. Discrimination was not associated with poorer verbal
      fluency (B = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.45, 0.22]) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The
      experience of discrimination is common among older adults and is associated with
      poorer physical and cognitive functioning. Addressing issues around
      discrimination in older adults may contribute to maintaining functioning in later
      life. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639822
TI  - Exposure to alcohol advertising and adolescents' drinking beliefs: Role of
      message interpretation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Recent research revealed momentary associations between exposure to
      alcohol advertising and positive beliefs about alcohol among adolescents (Martino
      et al., 2016). We reanalyzed those data to determine whether associations depend
      on adolescents' appraisal of ads. METHOD: Over a 10-month period in 2013, 589
      youth, ages 11-14, in the Los Angeles, CA, area, participated in a 14-day
      ecological momentary assessment, logging all exposures to alcohol advertisements
      as they occurred and completing brief assessments of their skepticism toward,
      liking of, and identification with any people in each ad, as well as their
      alcohol-related beliefs at the moment. Participants also completed measures of
      their alcohol- related beliefs at random moments of nonexposure throughout each
      day. Mixed-effects regression models compared beliefs about alcohol at moments of
      exposure to alcohol advertising that was appraised in a particular way (e.g.,
      with liking, without liking) to beliefs at random moments. RESULTS: When youth
      encountered ads they appraised positively, their beliefs about alcohol were
      significantly more positive than when they were queried at random moments.
      Beliefs in the presence of ads that were not positively appraised were generally
      similar to beliefs at random moments. CONCLUSION: Youth are active participants
      in the advertising process. How they respond to and process alcohol advertising
      strongly moderates the association between exposure and alcohol-related beliefs.
      More effort is needed to identify attributes of alcohol advertisements, and of
      youth, that determine how youth process alcohol ads. This information can be used
      to either limit exposure to problematic ads or make youth more resilient to such
      exposure. (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639823
TI  - Our own action kinematics predict the perceived affective states of others.
AB  - Our movement kinematics provide useful cues about our affective states. Given
      that our experiences furnish models that help us to interpret our environment,
      and that a rich source of action experience comes from our own movements, in the
      present study, we examined whether we use models of our own action kinematics to
      make judgments about the affective states of others. For example, relative to
      one's typical kinematics, anger is associated with fast movements. Therefore, the
      extent to which we perceive anger in others may be determined by the degree to
      which their movements are faster than our own typical movements. We related
      participants' walking kinematics in a neutral context to their judgments of the
      affective states conveyed by observed point-light walkers (PLWs). As predicted,
      we found a linear relationship between one's own walking kinematics and affective
      state judgments, such that faster participants rated slower emotions more
      intensely relative to their ratings for faster emotions. This relationship was
      absent when observing PLWs where differences in velocity between affective states
      were removed. These findings suggest that perception of affective states in
      others is predicted by one's own movement kinematics, with important implications
      for perception of, and interaction with, those who move differently. (PsycINFO
      Database Record

PMID- 28639824
TI  - Upside-down: Perceived space affects object-based attention.
AB  - Object-based attention influences the subjective metrics of surrounding space.
      However, does perceived space influence object-based attention, as well? We used
      an attentive tracking task that required sustained object-based attention while
      objects moved within a tracking space. We manipulated perceived space through the
      availability of depth cues and varied the orientation of the tracking space. When
      rich depth cues were available (appearance of a voluminous tracking space), the
      upside-down orientation of the tracking space (objects appeared to move high on a
      ceiling) caused a pronounced impairment of tracking performance compared with an
      upright orientation of the tracking space (objects appeared to move on a floor
      plane). In contrast, this was not the case when reduced depth cues were available
      (appearance of a flat tracking space). With a preregistered second experiment, we
      showed that those effects were driven by scene-based depth cues and not object
      based depth cues. We conclude that perceived space affects object-based attention
      and that object-based attention and perceived space are closely interlinked.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639825
TI  - Sync or separate? No compelling evidence for unintentional interpersonal
      coordination between Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay on the 100-meter world record race.
AB  - In a recent observation article in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human
      Perception and Performance (JEP:HPP; Varlet & Richardson, 2015) the 100-m sprint
      final of the World Championship in Athletics in Berlin of 2009 (i.e., the current
      world record race) was analyzed. That study reported occurrence of spontaneous,
      unintentional interpersonal synchronization between Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay, the
      respective winner and runner-up of that race. In the present commentary article,
      however, we argue that the results and conclusion of that study cannot be
      warranted because of methodological shortcomings. We addressed the same research
      question and reassessed the same race using an alternative data analysis method.
      These results revealed that as yet there is no sufficient ground to conclude that
      in the 100-m world record race synchronization occurred between Bolt and Gay.
      Yet, our reanalysis suggested that even at this very elite level the individual
      movement frequencies did seem to vary to such an extent that synchronization
      would theoretically still be possible, thereby providing incentives for further
      examination of potential unintentional synchronization in coactive sports.
      (PsycINFO Database Record

PMID- 28639826
TI  - Imaging Appearance of Advanced Chronic Adhesive Arachnoiditis: A Retrospective
      Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Chronic adhesive arachnoiditis (CAA) is rare and has potentially
      devastating clinical consequences. The objective of this article is to review the
      clinical features of CAA and describe its appearance on imaging, to increase
      radiologists' awareness of this challenging diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Twenty-nine cases of advanced CAA seen at our institution over 18 years (1995
      2013) were retrospectively reviewed. Chart review was performed, with attention
      given to data on clinical presentation, suspected cause, and interventions
      performed. All patients underwent MRI, and seven patients also underwent CT
      myelography. Clinical and imaging features were evaluated and categorized.
      RESULTS: The 29 patients ranged in age from 23 to 96 years and included 11 women
      and 18 men. Suspected underlying causative factors included trauma (n = 10),
      prior surgery (n = 9), nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (n = 7), infection (n
      = 3), myelography with iophendylate used as contrast medium (n = 1), Guillain
      Barre syndrome (n = 1), ankylosing spondylitis (n = 1), and unknown causes (n =
      1). Imaging characteristics include loculated CSF collections (n = 23), nerve
      root clumping, enhancement, and displacement (n = 15), cord swelling with
      increased T2 signal (n = 12), arachnoid septations (n = 11), cord atrophy (n =
      6), syrinx (n = 5), and intrathecal calcifications (n = 3). Ten patients
      underwent surgical procedures, and most had only brief clinical improvement.
      CONCLUSION: CAA is a rare cause of devastating neurologic symptoms and chronic
      pain. The imaging features of CAA range from subtle to severe. Advanced
      arachnoiditis can present with spinal cord swelling and syrinx formation, which
      can mimic other disease processes. Inclusion of advanced CAA in the differential
      diagnosis can prevent unnecessary interventions.

PMID- 28639827
TI  - The effects of alcohol expectancy and intake on slot machine gambling behavior.
AB  - Background and aims Although alcohol intake and gambling often co-occur in
      related venues, there is conflicting evidence regarding the effects of alcohol
      expectancy and intake on gambling behavior. We therefore conducted an
      experimental investigation of the effects of alcohol expectancy and intake on
      slot machine gambling behavior. Methods Participants were 184 (females = 94)
      individuals [age range: 18-40 (mean = 21.9) years] randomized to four independent
      conditions differing in information/expectancy about beverage (told they received
      either alcohol or placebo) and beverage intake [actually ingesting low (target
      blood alcohol concentration [BAC] < 0.40 mg/L) vs. moderate (target BAC > 0.40
      mg/L; ~0.80 mg/L) amounts of alcohol]. All participants completed self-report
      questionnaires assessing demographic variables, subjective intoxication, alcohol
      effects (stimulant and sedative), and gambling factors (behavior and problems,
      evaluation, and beliefs). Participants also gambled on a simulated slot machine.
      Results A significant main effect of beverage intake on subjective intoxication
      and alcohol effects was detected as expected. No significant main or interaction
      effects were detected for number of gambling sessions, bet size and variation,
      remaining credits at termination, reaction time, and game evaluation. Conclusion
      Alcohol expectancy and intake do not affect gambling persistence, dissipation of
      funds, reaction time, or gambling enjoyment.

PMID- 28639828
TI  - Prevalence of Vertebral Compression Fractures on Routine CT Scans According to L1
      Trabecular Attenuation: Determining Relevant Thresholds for Opportunistic
      Osteoporosis Screening.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Radiologists interpreting body CT scans may be the first to identify
      osteoporosis and associated vertebral fractures. This study correlates L1
      trabecular attenuation measurements with prevalent vertebral body fractures in
      older adults undergoing routine CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mean L1 trabecular
      attenuation was measured at thoracoabdominal CT in 1966 consecutive adults (983
      men and 983 women) 65 years and older (mean age, 74.1 +/- 6.6 [SD] years).
      Sagittal reconstructions and lateral scouts were analyzed for moderate or severe
      thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures according to the Genant
      semiquantitative assessment method. The diagnostic performance of L1 attenuation
      for the evaluation of prevalent vertebral fractures was assessed, including ROC
      curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 162 (8.2%) individuals (mean age, 78.3 years;
      66 men, 96 women) had at least one moderate or severe vertebral fracture. The
      mean L1 attenuation was 70.2 HU among patients with a prevalent fracture, whereas
      it was 132.3 HU among patients without fracture (p < 0.001). The prevalence of
      moderate or severe vertebral compression fractures was 32.5% when L1 attenuation
      was <= 90 HU. Prevalence increased to 49.2% with L1 attenuation of <= 50 HU. ROC
      curve analysis determined an optimal threshold of 90 HU (sensitivity = 86.9%,
      specificity = 83.9%), with a corresponding AUC of 0.895. The odds ratio of having
      a moderate or severe vertebral compression fracture was 31.9 for L1 attenuation
      <= 90 HU (95% CI, 20.2-50.5; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate or
      severe vertebral compression fractures have significantly lower L1 attenuation
      values than patients who do not. L1 attenuation <= 90 HU may represent an optimal
      threshold for determining risk for osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

PMID- 28639829
TI  - Increasing Quiet Compliance by Detained Male Adolescents.
AB  - Some adjudicated adolescents receive treatment for their offenses in residential
      facilities. Detained adolescents' engagement in either low levels of compliant
      behavior or excess behavior (e.g., swearing, gestures) while following commands
      from residential personnel may result in decreased opportunities for those youth
      to access preferred activities. The current study employed nonconcurrent multiple
      baseline across participants designs to evaluate the effects of a procedure to
      increase seven detained adolescents' quiet compliance with academic and
      vocational demands. Results show that problem behavior decreased to zero or near
      zero levels for each participant during simulated conditions and suggest that
      self-control, alone or in combination with a differential reinforcement of low
      rate behavior for omitting problem behavior, may have been responsible for the
      behavior changes. We discuss some clinical implications of the findings.

PMID- 28639830
TI  - First Versus Second Uterine Artery Embolization for Symptomatic Leiomyoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of second
      uterine artery embolization (UAE) with those of first UAE for symptomatic uterine
      leiomyoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single-institution retrospective study,
      between December 1997 and May 2016 first UAE was performed on 423 consecutively
      registered patients and second UAE on 11 consecutively registered patients to
      treat leiomyoma. The primary endpoint was infarction of all tumor tissue as seen
      at postprocedural contrast-enhanced MRI. The secondary endpoints were
      angiographic findings, embolization, MRI, and clinical outcomes 1 year after UAE.
      The outcomes were compared between the two groups. Multivariable linear
      regression analysis was performed to assess independent correlations with tumor
      infarction. RESULTS: Most of the baseline demographic features and technical
      outcomes in the two groups were similar. In the second UAE group, all but one
      uterine artery was reopened. More collateral vessels were observed at the second
      UAE (1.1/patient versus 0.23/patient, p = 0.043). Contrast-enhanced MRI after UAE
      revealed that the tumor infarction rate was significantly lower in the second UAE
      group (69.8 +/- 33.9% vs 96.8 +/- 9.0%, p = 0.025). The difference remained
      significant after adjustments for possible confounders (p < 0.001). Whether UAE
      was a first or a second procedure was significantly associated with tumor
      infarction rate (p < 0.001). The uterine volume reduction rate 1 year after UAE
      was significantly lower in the second UAE group (33.4 +/- 18.1% versus 46.9 +/-
      16.6%, p = 0.008). No other 1-year outcomes were significantly different between
      the groups. CONCLUSION: Second UAE was effective but inferior to first UAE in
      that it resulted in less tumor infarction at contrast-enhanced MRI and had a
      lower uterine volume reduction rate.

PMID- 28639831
TI  - Diagnostic Performance and Confidence of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the
      Differential Diagnosis of Cystic and Cysticlike Liver Lesions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess the diagnostic performance of
      contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the characterization of atypical cystic
      and cysticlike focal liver lesions in comparison with conventional US and to
      determine whether the use of CEUS can reduce the need for further diagnostic
      workup. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In a 3-year period 48 patients with 50 atypical
      cystic and cysticlike lesions found at conventional US underwent CEUS. Diagnostic
      confirmation was obtained in cytohistopathologic examinations, with other imaging
      modalities, and in follow-up. Overall, there were 24 cystic lesions and 26
      cysticlike solid lesions, specifically 32 benign and 18 malignant lesions. The
      conventional US and CEUS images and cine loops were reviewed by two blinded
      readers independently. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the ROC curve (Az),
      and interobserver agreement were calculated. RESULTS: Diagnostic performance
      improved after review of CEUS examinations by both readers (conventional US Az =
      0.781 vs 0.972; CEUS Az = 0.734 vs 0.957). Interreader agreement increased,
      although slightly (conventional US weighted kappa = 0.894; CEUS weighted kappa =
      0.953). In terms of differential diagnosis, the occurrence of correctly
      characterized lesions increased after CEUS for both readers (reader 1, 62% to
      98%; reader 2, 56% to 96%). CONCLUSION: The development of low-acoustic-power
      CEUS has made it possible to identify several imaging features of cystic and
      cysticlike focal liver lesions that, in association with history and clinical
      findings, may help to correctly characterize them. Our data indicate the
      usefulness of CEUS in the evaluation of patients with these lesions.

PMID- 28639832
TI  - Comparing Diagnostic Performance of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and Full-Field
      Digital Mammography in a Hybrid Screening Environment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the diagnostic performance of
      screening digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) to that of full-field digital
      mammography (FFDM) in a mixed DBT and FFDM imaging environment. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This retrospective observational study consisted of all female patients
      undergoing screening DBT or FFDM at an academic medical center and outpatient
      imaging facility between October 2012 and May 2015. Patient demographics and
      personal history of breast cancer were collected from the electronic medical
      record. A natural language processing algorithm extracted patients' breast
      density, current or prior imaging findings, and BI-RADS category from their most
      recent prior imaging examinations. To control for differential selection of FFDM
      versus DBT, we applied propensity score matching based on patient age, imaging
      site, and prior imaging findings. An institutional breast cancer registry
      identified cancer diagnoses. Primary outcomes of recall rate, cancer detection
      rate, and positive predictive value 1 (PPV1) were compared between matched FFDM
      and DBT groups. RESULTS: Among 68,794 screening examinations, we matched 16,264
      FFDM with 21,074 DBT examinations (total, 37,338 examinations) using nearest
      neighbor propensity score matching. Recall rates were 10.3% (1683/16,264) for
      FFDM and 10.7% (2254/21,074) for DBT (p = 0.26). Cancer detection rates (number
      of cancers/1000 examinations) were 1.8/1000 for FFDM and 3.8/1000 for DBT (p =
      0.005). The PPV1 (number of cancers/number of recalls) was 1.8% (26/1478) for
      FFDM and 3.6% (37/1036) for DBT (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: FFDM and DBT recall
      rates were not significantly different in a mixed FFDM and DBT breast imaging
      practice. However, the PPV1 of recalled cases and the cancer detection rate (the
      primary screening objective) were significantly higher with DBT compared with
      FFDM.

PMID- 28639834
TI  - Implicit health associations across the adult lifespan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Explicit reports of one's health self-concept (e.g. rate your overall
      health) are commonly used in research and clinical practice. These measures
      predict important health outcomes, but rely on conscious introspection so may not
      fully capture the different components of the health self-concept (e.g. more
      automatic components) that relate to actual health. This study examined the
      health-implicit association test (health-IAT), and how it may add to our
      prediction of health from self-reports. DESIGN: 1004 participants (ages 18-85)
      completed this web-based study with the health-IAT (assessing self-healthy
      implicit associations) and explicit assessments of health. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Self-reported measures of physical functioning. RESULTS: The health-IAT was valid
      and reliable. Older age was correlated with stronger self-healthy implicit
      associations. Although the health-IAT did not incrementally predict self-reported
      markers of physical functioning when only controlling for explicit health self
      concept, it was an incremental predictor once age was entered for all four models
      tested. CONCLUSIONS: The health-IAT appears to be a valid and reliable new
      measure that assesses implicit self-concept relating to physical health. Results
      reveal the potential value of assessing implicit health self-concept in both
      research and practice, especially when taking into account age.

PMID- 28639833
TI  - Predictive CT Features of Visceral Pleural Invasion by T1-Sized Peripheral
      Pulmonary Adenocarcinomas Manifesting as Subsolid Nodules.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to determine whether visceral pleural
      invasion (VPI) of T1-sized peripheral pulmonary adenocarcinomas manifesting as
      subsolid nodules (SSNs) abutting the pleural surface or associated with pleural
      tags can be predicted. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study population consisted of
      188 T1-sized peripheral pulmonary adenocarcinomas that appeared as SSNs (24 pure
      ground-glass nodules [GGNs] and 164 part-solid nodules) and underwent surgical
      resection between January 2007 and December 2013. Logistic regression analysis
      was performed to identify significant factors in predicting VPI. RESULTS: VPI
      occurred in 36 of 188 adenocarcinomas (19.1%). There were no cases of VPI in
      patients with pure GGNs. In part-solid nodules, there were significant
      differences regarding the presence of pleural contact, presence of pleural
      thickening, presence of solid portion abutting the pleura, nodule size, solid
      portion size, solid proportion, interface length, and length of the solid portion
      contacting the pleura (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed pleural contact
      (p < 0.001), pleural thickening (p = 0.003), solid proportion greater than 50% (p
      = 0.002), and nodule size greater than 20 mm (p = 0.015) as significant
      independent predictive features for VPI with adjusted odds ratios of 8.300,
      3.966, 4.636, and 2.993, respectively. CONCLUSION: In part-solid nodules, the CT
      features of pleural contact, pleural thickening, solid proportion greater than
      50%, and nodule size greater than 20 mm were shown to be significant indicators
      of VPI by T1-sized peripheral adenocarcinomas.

PMID- 28639835
TI  - Is it beneficial to perform surgical resection in elderly patients more than 80
      years old with advanced gastric cancer?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: With the aging population, the number of elderly patients diagnosed
      with gastric cancer is increasing. However, determining treatment strategies for
      elderly patients with gastric cancer is controversial. The aim of this study is
      to evaluate the usefulness of surgical treatment on elderly patients aged >=80
      years with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: A total of 147 elderly patients who
      were diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer from August 2001 to December 2015
      were retrospectively analyzed. We compared the clinicopathological features and
      prognoses of 94 elderly patients (80-85 years) and 53 extreme-elderly patients
      (>=86 years) according to treatment modalities. RESULTS: In the elderly group,
      the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates of the surgical resection group and
      supportive care group were 42.1% and 4.0%, respectively (p < .001). In the
      extreme-elderly group, the 3-year OS rates of the surgical resection group and
      supportive care group were 36.4% and 8.0%, respectively (p = .028). The post
      operative mortality rate of the elderly group and extreme-elderly group was 5.6%
      and 9.1%, respectively. In the analysis of risk factors associated with survival,
      surgical resection was a significantly good prognostic factor in the elderly
      group (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.277; p = .003) compared with supportive care. In the
      extreme-elderly group, surgical resection was associated with good prognosis but
      did not reach statistical significance (HR = 0.491; p = .099). CONCLUSIONS: These
      results suggest that elderly patients aged 80-85 years with advanced gastric
      cancer could expect a better prognosis with surgical resection. However, extreme
      elderly patients aged >=86 years should consider the risks and benefits of
      surgical treatment.

PMID- 28639836
TI  - Development of a 2-dof uterine manipulator with LED illumination system as a new
      transvaginal uterus amputation device for gynecological surgeries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hysterectomy, the most common major gynecological operation
      worldwide, consists of removal of the uterus and can be performed abdominally,
      vaginally, or laparoscopically. A uterine manipulator is a key device used for
      uterine manipulation and cannulation in hysterectomies. The challenges of
      conventional manipulators are to move the uterus in two distinct planes and to
      identify cervical landmarks during circular cut and coagulation. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: In this study, a structural synthesis of the two degrees of freedom
      parallel manipulator was performed considering the constraints noted by surgeons.
      Computer-aided design and assembly of the manipulator, the cervicovaginal cap
      with LEDs, and the external parts were performed before rapid prototyping. The
      final design of the uterine manipulator was then manufactured from stainless
      steel and tested on an artificial uterus model using a test chamber. RESULTS:
      This article presents the design, production and testing processes of an
      innovative manipulator with a motion capability up to 80 degrees  workspace both
      in the sagittal and coronal planes and an illumination system, easily detectable
      by the laparoscope, was successfully implemented on the manipulator's cervical
      cap in order to overcome the drawbacks of conventional uterine manipulators.
      CONCLUSIONS: Despite all the current studies and uterine manipulators on the
      market, no research has incorporated all the features mentioned above.

PMID- 28639837
TI  - Measuring cerebrovascular autoregulation in preterm infants using near-infrared
      spectroscopy: an overview of the literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The preterm born infant's ability to regulate its cerebral blood
      flow (CBF) is crucial in preventing secondary ischemic and hemorrhagic damage in
      the developing brain. The relationship between arterial blood pressure (ABP) and
      CBF estimates, such as regional cerebral oxygenation as measured by near-infrared
      spectroscopy (NIRS), is an attractive option for continuous non-invasive
      assessment of cerebrovascular autoregulation. Areas covered: The authors
      performed a literature search to provide an overview of the current literature on
      various current clinical practices and methods to measure cerebrovascular
      autoregulation in the preterm infant by NIRS. The authors focused on various
      aspects: Characteristics of patient cohorts, surrogate measures for cerebral
      perfusion pressure, NIRS devices and their accompanying parameters, definitions
      for impaired cerebrovascular autoregulation, methods of measurements and clinical
      implications. Expert commentary: Autoregulation research in preterm infants has
      reported many methods for measuring autoregulation using different mathematical
      models, signal processing and data requirements. At present, it remains unclear
      which NIRS signals and algorithms should be used that result in the most accurate
      and clinically relevant assessment of cerebrovascular autoregulation. Future
      studies should focus on optimizing strategies for cerebrovascular autoregulation
      assessment in preterm infants in order to develop autoregulation-based cerebral
      perfusion treatment strategies.

PMID- 28639838
TI  - Provider perceptions of stigma and discrimination experienced by adolescents and
      young adults with pHiV while accessing sexual and reproductive health care.
AB  - Historically, children with perinatally-acquired HIV (PHIV) were viewed as the
      "innocent victims" as their HIV infection was not acquired through sexual/drug
      related means. Today, adolescents with PHIV are surviving into young adulthood
      and are engaging in developmentally expected behaviors such as establishing
      intimate, sexual relationships. Like other youth, those living with PHIV often
      need to access sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Previous research
      has documented stigma and discrimination experienced by adult women living with
      HIV as they try to access SRH care. However, little is known about the
      experiences of stigma and discrimination encountered by the maturing adolescents
      and young adults (AYA) with PHIV when accessing services. HIV health care
      providers (HHCPs) who frequently care for this population are in a unique
      position to learn about and understand the stigma and discrimination experienced
      by their patients in formal service settings. HHCPs (n = 57, 28 medical and 29
      social service providers) were recruited using snowball sampling, and completed
      an online survey based on patient-shared experiences of stigma and discrimination
      when accessing SRH-related health care and social services. Thirty-eight percent
      (22/57) of providers reported that their patients with PHIV had shared encounters
      of stigma or discrimination when accessing SRH services. Coded open-ended
      provider comments indicated that AYA patients experienced challenges with
      providers who were unfamiliar with PHIV and expressed surprise that someone with
      PHIV was still alive. Analyses also revealed prejudicial attitudes towards women
      with HIV. Patients reported being counseled to terminate their pregnancy and
      lectured about their "poor choices." As AYA with PHIV transition out of pediatric
      and adolescent care, it is important for providers to simultaneously help them
      navigate care in other health settings, as well as educate adult health care
      providers about possible misconceptions of caring for individuals with PHIV.

PMID- 28639839
TI  - Biocompatible agarose-chitosan coated silver nanoparticle composite for soft
      tissue engineering applications.
AB  - With increasing gap in the demand and supply of vital organs for transplantation
      there is a pressing need to bridge the gap with substitutes. One way to make
      substitutes is by tissue engineering which involves combining several types of
      synthetic or biomaterials, cells and growth factors cross-linked together to
      synthesize a functional scaffold for repair or replacement of non-functional
      organs. Nanoparticle based composites are gaining importance in tissue
      engineering due to their ability to enhance cell attachment and proliferation.
      The current study focuses on synthesizing agarose composites embedded with
      chitosan-coated silver nanoparticles using glutaraldehyde as the cross-linker.
      The synthesis of chitosan coated silver nanoparticles within the scaffold was
      confirmed with UV-visible spectroscopy. Physical and chemical characterization of
      the synthesized nanoparticles were done by XRD, FTIR, TGA and SEM. DMA showed
      higher mechanical strength of the scaffolds. The scaffolds showed degradation of
      ~37% within a span of four weeks. The higher physical support provided by the
      synthesized scaffolds was shown by in-vitro cell viability assay. Broad spectrum
      anti-bacterial activity and superior hemocompatibility further showed the
      advantage it offered for growing cells. Thus a biopolymer based nanocomposite was
      synthesized, with intended widespread use as scaffold for engineering of soft
      tissues due to its enhanced biocompatibility and greater surface area for cell
      growth.

PMID- 28639840
TI  - Categorical loudness scaling in cochlear implant recipients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study investigated categorical loudness scaling in a large group
      of cochlear implant (CI) recipients. DESIGN: Categorical loudness was measured
      for individually determined sets of current amplitudes on apical, mid and basal
      electrodes of the Nucleus array. STUDY SAMPLE: Thirty adult subjects implanted
      with the Nucleus CI. RESULTS: Subjects were generally reliable in categorical
      loudness scaling. As expected, current levels eliciting the same loudness
      categories differed across subjects and electrodes in many cases. After scaling
      the electric levels to remove differences in dynamic ranges across subjects and
      electrodes, the across-subject loudness functions for the three electrodes were
      very similar. CONCLUSIONS: Scaled electric current to remove differences in
      dynamic range, as implemented in the Nucleus processor, ensures uniform loudness
      across the array and CI recipients. The results also showed that categorical
      loudness scaling for electric stimulation was similar to that for acoustic
      stimulation in normal hearing subjects. These findings could be used as a guide
      for aligning electric and acoustic loudness in CI recipients with contralateral
      hearing.

PMID- 28639841
TI  - Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on symptoms and signs in chronic
      heart failure: A feasibility study.
AB  - AIMS: Despite treatment recommended by guidelines, many patients with chronic
      heart failure remain symptomatic. Evidence is accumulating that mindfulness-based
      interventions (MBIs) have beneficial psychological and physiological effects. The
      aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of MBI on symptoms and signs in
      patients with chronic heart failure in outpatient clinical settings. METHODS: A
      prospective feasibility study. Fifty stable but symptomatic patients with chronic
      heart failure, despite optimized guideline-recommended treatment, were enrolled
      at baseline. In total, 40 participants (median age 76 years; New York Heart
      Association (NYHA) classification II-III) adhered to the study. Most patients (
      n=17) were randomized into MBI, a structured eight-week mindfulness-based
      educational and training programme, or controls with usual care ( n=16). Primary
      outcome was self-reported fatigue on the Fatigue severity scale. Secondary
      outcomes were self-reported sleep quality, unsteadiness/dizziness, NYHA
      functional classification, walking distance in the six-minute walk test, and
      heart and respiratory rates. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyse median
      sum changes from baseline to follow-up (week 10+/-1). RESULTS: Compared with
      usual care (zero change), MBI significantly reduced the self-reported impact of
      fatigue (effect size -8.0; p=0.0165), symptoms of unsteadiness/dizziness (
      p=0.0390) and breathlessness/tiredness related to physical functioning (NYHA
      class) ( p=0.0087). No adverse effects were found. CONCLUSIONS: In stable but
      symptomatic outpatients with chronic heart failure, MBI alleviated self-reported
      symptoms in addition to conventional treatment. The sample size is small and
      further studies are needed, but findings support the role of MBI as a feasible
      complementary option, both clinically and as home-based treatment, which might
      contribute to reduction of the symptom burden in patients diagnosed with chronic
      heart failure.

PMID- 28639842
TI  - Evaluation of Plasma TRB3 and Sestrin 2 Levels in Obese and Normal-Weight
      Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Obesity in childhood and adolescence is associated with metabolic
      syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. TRB3 (Tribbles homolog 3) and sestrin 2 are
      two newly found proteins that have been identified to play an important role in
      obesity and its complications. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate
      concentrations of TRB3 and sestrin 2 in plasma of obese and normal-weight
      children and adolescents, and their association with metabolic and anthropometric
      parameters. METHODS: Plasma levels of TRB3, sestrin 2, insulin, fasting plasma
      glucose (FPG), and lipid profile were evaluated in 70 children and adolescents
      (34 obese and 36 controls). Insulin resistance was calculated using a homeostasis
      model assessment of insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome was defined according
      to IDF criteria. RESULTS: Plasma TRB3 levels of the obese subjects were
      significantly higher than that of normal weight subjects. TRB3 levels were
      positively correlated with BMI, BMI z-score, waist circumference, and FPG. The
      concentration of sestrin 2 was significantly lower in obese subjects compared to
      normal-weight subjects. A statistically significant positive correlation was
      observed between plasma concentrations of sestrin 2 and high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol. Neither TRB3 nor sestrin 2 were correlated with insulin resistance
      and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: Both TRB3 and sestrin 2 may contribute to the
      development of obesity and its complications and can be considered interesting
      therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity.

PMID- 28639843
TI  - Characteristics of children with unilateral hearing loss.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics
      of children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL), examine deterioration in hearing,
      and explore amplification decisions. DESIGN: Population-based data were collected
      prospectively from time of diagnosis. Serial audiograms and amplification details
      were retrospectively extracted from clinical charts to document the trajectory
      and management of hearing loss. SAMPLE: The study included all children
      identified with UHL in one region of Canada over a 13-year period (2003-2015)
      after implementation of universal newborn hearing screening. RESULTS: Of 537
      children with permanent hearing loss, 20.1% (108) presented with UHL at
      diagnosis. They were identified at a median age of 13.9 months (IQR: 2.8, 49.0).
      Children with congenital loss were identified at 2.8 months (IQR: 2.0, 3.6) and
      made up 47.2% (n = 51), reflecting that a substantial portion had late-onset,
      acquired or late-identified loss. A total of 42.4% (n = 39) showed deterioration
      in hearing, including 16 (17.4%) who developed bilateral loss. By study end,
      73.1% (79/108) of children had received amplification recommendations.
      CONCLUSIONS: Up to 20% of children with permanent HL are first diagnosed with
      UHL. About 40% are at risk for deterioration in hearing either in the impaired
      ear and/or in the normal hearing ear.

PMID- 28639845
TI  - Between the Pew and the Pulpit: Can Personality Measures Help Identify Sexually
      Abusive Clergy?
AB  - There has been limited conclusive research examining the personality
      characteristics of clergy who perpetrate abuse. To address this dearth of
      research, the current study aimed to develop a personality profile that
      distinguishes clergy members who sexually abuse children from other clergy.
      Personality and psychopathology were assessed using the Minnesota Multiphasic
      Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III
      (MCMI-III). Data were analyzed from a sample of clergy members, who comprised
      four comparison groups: clergy members referred to treatment for (a) child sexual
      abuse, (b) sexual misconduct with adults, (c) general clinical problems, or (d)
      routine employment evaluations with no previously identified clinical or sexual
      issues. While differences were found between groups, only the Aggressive/Sadistic
      scale of the MCMI-III consistently distinguished clerics who sexually abused
      children from all other clergy members. Findings are discussed in regard to the
      utility of the MMPI-2 and MCMI-III as a screening tool for clerical applicants
      for the Catholic Church.

PMID- 28639844
TI  - Diagnostic sensitivity of cutoff values of IgG4-positive plasma cell number and
      IgG4-positive/CD138-positive cell ratio in typical multiple lesions of patients
      with IgG4-related disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic sensitivity of the
      cutoff values of IgG4-positive plasma cell (PC) number and IgG4-positive/CD138
      positive cell ratio proposed by the International consensus statement (ICS) on
      the pathology of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) in typical multiple lesions of
      patients with IgG4-RD. METHODS: We evaluated IgG4-positive PC number and IgG4
      positive/CD138-positive cell ratio in 39 samples from 18 IgG4-RD patients having
      more than two typical lesions of IgG4-RD. RESULTS: We evaluated 12 submandibular,
      12 ophthalmic, six skin, five kidney, two pancreatic, and one bronchus and
      prostate lesion each in 18 patients with typical clinical, serological, and
      radiographic features. Concerning IgG4 + PC number per high-power field, most
      ophthalmic (11/12), kidney (5/5), pancreatic (2/2), and bronchial lesions (1/1)
      fulfilled the cutoff value of ICS, whereas many of the submandibular (6/12) and
      skin lesions (0/6) did not. In contrast to the absolute number, all lesions
      fulfilled the cutoff value of IgG4+/CD138 + cell ratio. In eight cases, only one
      or two lesions in the same patient fulfilled the cutoff value of ICS, while the
      others did not. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ICS criteria have
      different sensitivities among the affected organs for the diagnosis of IgG4-RD.

PMID- 28639847
TI  - Illusions of specificity in power-laden clinical performance assessment.

PMID- 28639846
TI  - Antibiotic prophylaxis is not indicated prior to dental procedures for prevention
      of periprosthetic joint infections.
AB  - Background and purpose - To minimize the risk of hematogenous periprosthetic
      joint infection (HPJI), international and Dutch guidelines recommended antibiotic
      prophylaxis prior to dental procedures. Unclear definitions and contradictory
      recommendations in these guidelines have led to unnecessary antibiotic
      prescriptions. To formulate new guidelines, a joint committee of the Dutch
      Orthopaedic and Dental Societies conducted a systematic literature review to
      answer the following question: can antibiotic prophylaxis be recommended for
      patients (with joint prostheses) undergoing dental procedures in order to prevent
      dental HPJI? Methods - The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched
      for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), reviews, and observational studies up to
      July 2015. Studies were included if they involved patients with joint implants
      undergoing dental procedures, and either considered HPJI as an outcome measure or
      described a correlation between HPJI and prophylactic antibiotics. A guideline
      was formulated using the GRADE method and AGREE II guidelines. Results - 9
      studies were included in this systematic review. All were rated "very low quality
      of evidence". Additional literature was therefore consulted to address clinical
      questions that provide further insight into pathophysiology and risk factors. The
      9 studies did not provide evidence that use of antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the
      incidence of dental HPJI, and the additional literature supported the conclusion
      that antibiotic prophylaxis should be discouraged in dental procedures.
      Interpretation - Prophylactic antibiotics in order to prevent dental HPJI should
      not be prescribed to patients with a normal or an impaired immune system
      function. Patients are recommended to maintain good oral hygiene and visit the
      dentist regularly.

PMID- 28639848
TI  - Intraoperative Correction of Femoral Rotational Deformity Using a Conventional
      Navigation System and a Smartphone: A Novel Technique.
AB  - The intraoperatively rotational control of femoral shaft fractures treated with a
      closed intramedullary interlocking nailing is a challenging problem. A novel
      surgical technique that includes respective insertions of guidewires into the
      proximal and distal femur under the guidance of a 2-dimensional fluoroscopy-based
      navigation system and the measurements of the intersection angle subtended by the
      proximal and distal guidewires with the smartphone positional software has been
      designed to provide intraoperatively quantitative parameters of femoral rotation
      deformation. The comparison of these parameters with preoperative measurement
      values of the contralateral intact femur on computed tomography images was used
      to align the proximal and distal femur fragments based on periaxial rotation. The
      purpose of this study was to evaluate its clinical suitability. Ten adult
      patients with femoral shaft fractures were attempted to correct intraoperatively
      femoral rotational deformity using this novel technique. The additional operation
      time was 20.04 +/- 3.27 minutes. The angle of femoral anteversion was 20.85
      degrees  +/- 4.22 degrees , 38.14 degrees  +/- 19.07 degrees , and 22.77 degrees 
      +/- 3.38 degrees  in the contralateral intact and preoperatively and
      postoperatively injured femur, respectively. The mean absolute difference between
      both limbs was preoperatively 21.55 degrees  +/- 10.14 degrees  with a
      statistically significant difference ( P = .005) and postoperatively 3.24 degrees
      +/- 1.69 degrees  with no statistically significant difference ( P = .092). Our
      results showed this novel technique could become an effective tool to correct
      intraoperatively rotational malalignment of femoral fractures.

PMID- 28639849
TI  - Degradation of emerging contaminants by acclimated activated sludge.
AB  - The emerging organic micro-pollutants (EMOPs) cannot be effectively removed by
      conventional wastewater treatment processes. In this paper, the most commonly
      detected EMOPs in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants, including
      trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac, triclosan and methyl
      3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoate, were selected to acclimate activated sludge, to
      enhance the biodegradation of EMOPs. The results showed that the acclimated
      activated sludge can significantly enhance the removal of trimethoprim,
      sulfamethoxazole, diclofenac, triclosan and methyl 3,5-dichloro-4
      hydroxybenzoate, but slightly improve the degradation of carbamazepine. The
      distribution of six EMOPs between water and sludge phases demonstrated that
      biodegradation made a major contribution to their removal. The maximal
      degradation rate constants were determined to be 0.9028 (sulfamethoxazole),
      0.5374 (trimethoprim), 0.4123 (triclosan), 0.3544 (diclofenac), 0.2534 (methyl
      3,5-dichloro-4-hydroxybenzoate) and 0.0224 (carbamazepine). Degradation
      intermediate products were detected in water phase at the end of the acclimation
      process through the comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography figures
      before and after the acclimation process, suggesting that degradation products of
      EMOPs might be in the effluents. In summary, the acclimation of activated sludge
      could be an option for removing EMOPs, and more attention should be paid to the
      degradation products of EMOPs in the effluent.

PMID- 28639850
TI  - Field-scale electrolysis/ceramic membrane system for the treatment of sewage from
      decentralized small communities.
AB  - The electrolysis process adopting copper electrodes and ceramic membrane with
      pore sizes of 0.1-0.2 MUm were consisted to a system for the treatment of sewage
      from decentralized small communities. The system was operated under an HRT of 0.1
      hour, voltage of 24 V, and TMP of 0.05 MPa. The system showed average removals of
      organics, nitrogen, phosphorus, and solids of up to 80%, 52%, 92%, and 100%,
      respectively. Removal of organics and nitrogen dramatically increased in
      proportion to increment of influent loading. Phosphorus and solids were
      remarkably eliminated by both electro-coagulation and membrane filtration. The
      residual particulate constituents could also be removed successfully through
      membrane process. A system composed of electrolysis process with ceramic membrane
      would be a compact, reliable, and flexible option for the treatment of sewage
      from decentralized small communities.

PMID- 28639851
TI  - Activated carbon of Babassu coconut impregnated with copper nanoparticles by
      green synthesis for the removal of nitrate in aqueous solution.
AB  - The present study was conducted to impregnate the surface of a carbon of
      vegetable origin with copper nanoparticles by the green synthesis method with the
      aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers, rich in phenolic compounds, which
      are responsible for the reduction and impregnation of metal nanoparticles. Batch
      adsorption assays were conducted aimed at nitrate removal with pure (GAC) and
      impregnated (IGAC) carbon, for comparative purposes. It was found that
      impregnation increases the efficiency of the carbon by four times in terms of the
      maximum adsorption capacity, which was 10.13 mg g-1 at 45 degrees C for GAC and
      45.01 mg g-1 at 15 degrees C for IGAC, indicating that this is a promising
      material for the removal of nitrate in waters with an excess of this ion.

PMID- 28639853
TI  - Persistent Rule-Following in the Face of Reversed Reinforcement Contingencies:
      The Differential Impact of Direct Versus Derived Rules.
AB  - Rule-governed behavior and its role in generating insensitivity to direct
      contingencies of reinforcement have been implicated in human psychological
      suffering. In addition, the human capacity to engage in derived relational
      responding has also been used to explain specific human maladaptive behaviors,
      such as irrational fears. To date, however, very little research has attempted to
      integrate research on contingency insensitivity and derived relations. The
      current work sought to fill this gap. Across two experiments, participants
      received either a direct rule (Direct Rule Condition) or a rule that involved a
      novel derived relational response (Derived Rule Condition). Provision of a direct
      rule resulted in more persistent rule-following in the face of competing
      contingencies, but only when the opportunity to follow the reinforced rule
      beforehand was relatively protracted. Furthermore, only in the Direct Rule
      Condition were there significant correlations between rule-compliance and stress.
      A post hoc interpretation of the findings is provided.

PMID- 28639854
TI  - Rapid On-Site Evaluation of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle
      Aspirations for the Diagnosis of Lung Cancer: A Perspective From Members of the
      Pulmonary Pathology Society.
AB  - CONTEXT: - Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS
      TBNA) has emerged as a very useful tool in the field of diagnostic respiratory
      cytology. Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of EBUS-TBNA not only has the potential
      to improve diagnostic yield of the procedure but also to triage samples for
      predictive molecular testing to guide personalized treatments for lung cancer.
      OBJECTIVE: - To provide an overview of the current status of the literature
      regarding ROSE of EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of lung cancer. DATA SOURCES: - An
      electronic literature search in PubMed and Google databases was performed using
      the following key words: cytology, lung cancer, on-site evaluation, rapid on-site
      evaluation, and ROSE EBUS-TBNA. Only articles published in English were included
      in this review. CONCLUSIONS: - Rapid on-site evaluation can ensure that the
      targeted lesion is being sampled and can enable appropriate specimen triage. If
      available, it should be used with EBUS-TBNA in the diagnosis of lung cancer
      because it can minimize repeat procedures for additional desired testing (ie,
      molecular studies). Some studies have shown that ROSE does not adversely affect
      the number of aspirations, total procedure time of EBUS-TBNA, or the rate of
      postprocedure complications; it is also helpful in providing a preliminary
      diagnosis that can reduce the number of additional invasive procedures, such as
      mediastinoscopy. As EBUS technology continues to evolve, our knowledge of the
      role of ROSE in EBUS-TBNA for the diagnosis of lung cancer will also continue to
      grow and evolve.

PMID- 28639852
TI  - Osteochondritis Dissecans: Etiology, Pathology, and Imaging with a Special Focus
      on the Knee Joint.
AB  - This article is a review of the current understanding of the etiology,
      pathogenesis, and how to diagnose and treat knee osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
      followed by an analysis of and outcomes of the treatments available. OCD is seen
      in children and adolescents with open growth plates (juvenile OCD) and adults
      with closed growth plates (adult OCD). The etiology of OCD lesions remains
      unclear and is characterized by an aseptic necrosis in the subchondral bone area.
      Mechanical factors seem to play an important role. Clinical symptoms are
      unspecific. Thus, imaging techniques are most important. Regarding treatment, a
      tremendous number of publications exist. Spontaneous healing is expected unless
      there is an unstable fragment, and treatment involves rest and different degrees
      of immobilization until healing. Patients with open physes and low-grade lesions
      have good results with conservative therapy. When surgery is necessary, the
      procedure depends on the stage and on the state of the cartilage. With intact
      cartilage, retrograde procedures are favorable. When the cartilage is damaged,
      several techniques can be used. While techniques such as drilling and
      microfracturing produce reparative cartilage, other techniques reconstruct the
      defect with additional osteochondral grafts or cell-based procedures such as
      chondrocyte transplantation. There is a tendency toward better results when using
      procedures that reconstruct the bone and the cartilage and there is also a trend
      toward better long-term results when comorbidities are treated. Severe grades of
      osteoarthrosis are rare.

PMID- 28639855
TI  - Cutaneous and Superficial Soft Tissue CD34+ Spindle Cell Proliferation.
AB  - CONTEXT: - Cutaneous and superficial soft tissue spindle cell proliferations with
      CD34 expression represent a unique heterogeneous group of lesions. They can pose
      diagnostic challenges for unaware pathologists in their daily practice.
      OBJECTIVE: - To review selected entities of CD34+ spindle cell proliferations in
      the skin and superficial soft tissue. The effective diagnostic approaches using
      clinical, histopathologic, and immunophenotypical findings are discussed within a
      broad spectrum of differential diagnosis. DATA SOURCES: - All information used in
      the article is obtained from published literature by PubMed search and Internet
      based search engines. The authors' collective experience and real-life examples
      are also used. CONCLUSIONS: - Spindle cell proliferations with CD34 positivity
      can be worked up to a definitive diagnosis by using clinical, histopathologic,
      and immunophenotypical findings. Familiarity with these entities helps
      pathologists make the accurate diagnosis.

PMID- 28639856
TI  - Adverse events are rare after single-dose montelukast exposures in children.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Montelukast sodium is a leukotriene-receptor antagonist approved
      as a controller medication for chronic asthma and allergic rhinitis in children
      and adults. We sought to characterize adverse events associated with single
      montelukast exposures in children ages 5-17 years and to determine whether
      adverse events were dose related for all-dose and for ultra-high-dose (>=50 mg)
      exposures. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of data from the National
      Poison Data System for exposures that included montelukast in individuals aged 5
      17 years for calendar years 2000-2016. Filters were applied to identify exposure
      events in which montelukast was the primary exposure and for which the exact or
      lowest-possible ingested dose was recorded. Characteristics of adverse events
      were examined using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic models were
      used to examine whether associations of montelukast and adverse events were dose
      related. RESULTS: During the 17-year study period, there were 17,069 montelukast
      exposures available for analyses. Patients were median [interquartile range] age
      7 (5, 9) years, and 10,907 (64%) male gender. Abdominal pain was the most common
      adverse event (0.23%). There were 618 ultra-high-dose exposures (>=50 mg). These
      patients had median age 6 (5, 8) years, and 347 (56%) male gender. Abdominal pain
      was the most common adverse event (1.46%). Increasing ingested dose was
      associated with abdominal pain (adjusted odds ratio, 1.01, 95% confidence
      interval 1.01, 1.02) after adjustment for age and gender. No serious or life
      threatening events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Single-dose exposures of
      montelukast up to 445 mg are rarely associated with any adverse events and are
      not associated with serious or life-threatening adverse events in children aged 5
      17 years.

PMID- 28639857
TI  - Treadmill walking differently affects body composition and metabolic parameters
      of female rats from normal or small litters.
AB  - This work assessed whether walking affects bodily development and metabolic
      parameters of female rats raised in small litters (three pups, group S) or
      control litters (nine pups, group C). After weaning, some of the rats had five
      sessions per week of a 30-min treadmill walking (CE and SE), while the others
      remained sedentary (CS and SS) until the age of 120 days. Exercise caused a
      reduction of body weight (CS/CE = 1.18), Lee index (CS/CE = 1.04), fasting blood
      glucose (CS/CE = 1.35), mesenteric (CS/CE = 1.23), and ovarian fat (CS/CE = 1.33)
      in CE, but only glucose was decreased in SE (SS/SE = 1.16). The diameter of
      adipocytes decreased to a half in the small-litter groups. Exercise increased
      subcutaneous (CS/CE = 0.88 and SS/SE = 0.71), but decreased retroperitoneal
      adipocytes (CS/CE = 1.2 and SS/SE = 1.3). Litter size reduction had little impact
      on females at the age of 120 days, but the light physical activity seemed
      insufficient to counteract all the effects of lactational overfeeding. On the
      other hand, pups from exercised mothers had a decrease in their biometric and
      glycemic indexes, demonstrating the transgenerational action of regular, although
      light, exercise.

PMID- 28639858
TI  - Site-specific associations of muscle thickness with bone mineral density in
      middle-aged and older men and women.
AB  - It is unknown whether age-related site-specific muscle loss is associated with
      areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in older adults. To examine the relationships
      between aBMD and whole-body muscle thickness distribution, 97 healthy adults (46
      women and 51 men) aged 50-78 years volunteered. Total and appendicular lean soft
      tissue mass, aBMD of the lumbar spine (LS-aBMD) and femoral neck (FN-aBMD) were
      determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Muscle thickness (MT) was
      measured by ultrasound at nine sites of the body (forearm, upper arm, trunk,
      upper leg, and lower leg). Relationships of each co-variate with aBMD were tested
      partialling out the effect of age. aBMD was not correlated with either MT of the
      trunk or anterior lower leg in either sex. In men, significant and relatively
      strong correlations were observed between anterior and posterior upper arms,
      posterior lower leg, and anterior upper leg MT and LS-aBMD or FN-aBMD. In women,
      significant correlations were observed between anterior and posterior upper legs,
      posterior lower leg, and anterior upper arm MT and FN-aBMD. LS-aBMD was only
      correlated with forearm and posterior upper leg MT in women. In conclusion, the
      site-specific association of MT and aBMD differs between sexes and may be
      associated with the participants' daily physical activity profile.

PMID- 28639859
TI  - The application of whole-body vibration in physiotherapy - A narrative review.
AB  - Whole-body vibration (WBV) training is a very popular kind of practice in sport,
      fitness and physiotherapy. This work reviews the current knowledge regarding the
      use and effectiveness of WBV in the physiotherapy. The discrepancies between
      different authors' results are probably due to divergence in WBV training
      protocols. The paperwork clearly showed that despite its ultimate effects,
      exercises on a vibration platform are safe, feasible, and well tolerated by
      patients with different disorders. This narrative review should help
      physiotherapists verify therapy programs regarding patients' exposure to WBV.

PMID- 28639860
TI  - Prediction of lactate threshold using the modified Conconi test in distance
      runners.
AB  - This study aimed to examine the validity of the modified Conconi test (CT) to
      predict lactate threshold (LT) during running. Twelve distance runners randomly
      performed the modified CT and the incremental test in which LT was determined
      directly by measuring blood lactate (BLa). Mean values of heart rate (HR) and
      running speed (RS) at heart rate deflection point (HRDP) obtained through the
      modified CT were compared with those at LT. Subsequently, the runners who showed
      a HRDP in the modified CT performed a 30-min prolonged exercise test (PET) at a
      RS corresponding to HRDP. During this test, the kinetics of BLa and HR were
      analyzed to determine whether a steady state in these variables could be
      attained. We succeeded in identifying HRDP in nine of our runners, whereas the
      remaining three runners showed entirely linear HR response. In those nine
      runners, no significant difference was found between HR and RS at HRDP and those
      at LT. Significant correlation was found between HR at HRDP and HR at LT (r =
      0.84, p = 0.005), but RS at HRDP was not significantly correlated with RS at LT
      (r = 0.63, p = 0.07). All nine runners were able to complete the PET with steady
      state conditions being achieved for both BLa and HR. In conclusion, these
      findings indicate that the modified CT has a potential to be used as an
      alternative method for assessment of LT in distance runners presenting a HRDP.

PMID- 28639861
TI  - Adiponectin and osteocalcin responses to rowing exercise, and the relationship to
      substrate oxidation in female rowers.
AB  - This study investigated the effects of acute exercise and menstrual phase on
      adiponectin and osteocalcin concentrations, and the possible role of these
      biomarkers in exercise-induced substrate oxidation in rowers. Thirteen female
      rowers (19.3 +/- 2.3 years; height: 172.7 +/- 3.9 cm; body mass: 66.5 +/- 7.9 kg)
      performed 1-h rowing ergometer exercise at 70% of maximal oxygen consumption
      (VO2max) during follicular phase and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Oxygen
      consumption (VO2), total energy expenditure (EE), carbohydrate EE, and lipid EE
      were assessed during the exercise. Venous blood samples were collected before and
      after ergometer exercise. No differences (p > 0.05) were observed in substrate
      oxidation values during exercise across menstrual cycle. Exercise resulted in an
      acute rise in osteocalcin and no changes in adiponectin at both menstrual cycle
      phases. Adiponectin and osteocalcin were not related across phase or time (r <
      0.211; p > 0.05). Post-exercise adiponectin was related (p < 0.05) to mean VO2 (r
      = 0.459) and total EE rate (r = 0.598), while post-exercise osteocalcin was
      correlated (p < 0.05) with mean total (r = 0.411) and lipid (r = 0.557) EE rates.
      In conclusion, menstrual cycle phase had no effect on substrate oxidation, and
      adiponectin and osteocalcin responses to acute exercise. It appears that
      adiponectin and osteocalcin may serve as signals for metabolic reaction to the
      energy cost of the acute exercise in female rowers.

PMID- 28639862
TI  - Relationship between biomarkers of muscle damage and redox status in response to
      a weightlifting training session: effect of time-of-day.
AB  - The aims of the present study were to: (1) investigate the effect of a
      weightlifting training session and time-of-day (TOD) upon biological parameters
      (i.e., oral temperature, hematological, C-reactive protein (CRP), and oxidative
      stress) and (2) assess their possible link with muscle damage responses. Nine
      weightlifters (21 +/- 0.5 years) performed, in a randomized order, three Olympic
      Weightlifting sessions (i.e., at 08:00, 14:00, and 18:00). Blood samples were
      collected at rest, 3 min and 48 h after each training session. Between pre- and
      post-training session, ANOVA showed significant increases in oxidative stress
      markers at the three TODs (p < 0.01) and significant increases for creatine
      kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) only at 08:00 and 18:00 (p < 0.05).
      At rest, the results showed a significant diurnal variation for the majority of
      the selected parameters except for malondialdehyde (MDA), total bilirubin, and
      CRP with higher values observed at 18:00 (p < 0.05). After the training session,
      given the higher rate of increase during the morning session, these diurnal
      variations persisted for temperature and WBC (p < 0.01) and were suppressed for
      CK, LDH, uric acid (UA), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. The main
      significant correlations (p < 0.001) were observed between: (1) CK and MDA (r =
      0.6) and CK and UA (r = 0.66 and r = 0.82) during the morning and evening
      training sessions; (2) CK and CRP only during the morning session (r = 0.5); and
      (3) CRP and WBC during the three training sessions (r = 0.8). In conclusion, the
      present findings: (1) confirm that the muscle damage responses could be induced
      by a high level of oxidative stress and (2) suggest to avoid scheduling training
      sessions in the morning given the higher muscle damage, inflammatory, and
      oxidative responses at this TOD.

PMID- 28639863
TI  - Alterations of store-operated calcium entry and cyclopiazonic acid-induced
      endothelium-derived relaxations in aging rat thoracic aorta.
AB  - The purpose of our study was to investigate whether endothelium-derived
      relaxations induced by store depletion are altered in aging rat thoracic aorta.
      Vascular responses were measured in aortic segments isolated from young (2-4
      month) and old (20-24 month) male Sprague-Dawley rats. In phenylephrine
      contracted intact tissues, receptor-mediated and receptor-independent endothelium
      derived relaxations were induced by acetylcholine (ACh) and
      sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) blocker cyclopiazonic acid
      (CPA), respectively. In addition, CPA-induced changes in intracellular calcium
      levels were monitored in fura-2-loaded endothelium-denuded tissues. Real-time
      quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blot
      analysis were performed to determine the transient receptor potential canonical
      (TRPC) 4 mRNA and protein levels. Endothelial TRPC4 mRNA levels were apparently
      decreased in aging rats. Immunoblot analysis showed that TRPC4 protein levels
      significantly decreased in intact aorta from 20- to 24-month-old rats compared to
      that from 2- to 4-month-old rats. ACh- and CPA-induced endothelium-dependent
      relaxations decreased in old rat aorta without any change in direct vasodilation
      induced by sodium nitroprusside. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) induced by CPA
      was significantly decreased, whereas sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release was
      unaffected in endothelium-denuded aging rat aorta. In conclusion, TRPC4
      downregulation could be associated with decreased endothelium-dependent
      vasorelaxations. As endothelial nitric oxide synthase is activated by SOCE
      induced caveolar internalization, tracking the expression levels of SERCA, ion
      channels, and/or associated proteins involved in SOCE would lead to the
      development of novel therapeutics for age-related vasospastic disorders with
      dysfunctional endothelium.

PMID- 28639864
TI  - Assessment of exhaled carbon monoxide in exacerbations of chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease.
AB  - Introduction Exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) has been widely implicated as a
      pulmonary biomarker in respiratory diseases. The aim of this study was to
      investigate whether the treatment of patients with severe acute exacerbation of
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) could be aided by monitoring the
      changes in eCO. Methods The levels of eCO along with routine clinical parameters
      were analyzed in 29 current smoker and 33 ex-smoker COPD patients, first at the
      time of hospital admission, and again at discharge following the standard
      treatment. Patients with AECOPD were also stratified according to sputum
      bacteria. Results At exacerbation, the levels of eCO were increased in current
      smokers compared to ex-smokers (6.0 [2.0-9.5] versus 1.0 [1.0-2.0] ppm, p <
      0.001). Similarly, eCO levels were higher in smokers after treatment (7.0 [2.0
      12.5] versus 1.0 [1.0-2.0] ppm, p < 0.001). Treatment of AECOPD did not affect
      eCO concentrations. The levels of eCO were not statistically different between
      bacterial and non-bacterial AECOPD either. Investigating a subgroup of current
      smoker patients (n = 15), there was a significant correlation between the levels
      of eCO and blood carboxyhemoglobin concentrations both at exacerbation and
      discharge. No associations were found between eCO and lung function or blood gas
      parameters. Conclusion Our results suggest that monitoring eCO during the
      treatment of AECOPD is of limited clinical value.

PMID- 28639865
TI  - Efficacy of Rhus coriaria (sumac) juice in reducing muscle pain during aerobic
      exercise.
AB  - The main target of this study was to measure the influence of sumac juice drink
      on muscle indices and pain during an acute, intense exercise for 30 days. Forty
      healthy volunteers (15-25 years) were involved in aerobic exercise program for 4
      weeks. Participants ingested sumac juice or placebo drink twice daily for 30
      days. All participants were subjected for the evaluation of pain and estimation
      of serum: creatine kinase (CK), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), troponin I,
      hydroxyproline (hyp), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and in vitro antioxidant
      activity of sumac juice using pre-validated visual analog scale, colorimetric and
      immunoassays. The participants of both groups, placebo and sumac, showed an
      increment in pain scores both during exercise and post-exercise intervals.
      However, the sumac juice group showed a significant smaller increase in the pain
      scores compared to the placebo group. Participants in the sumac juice group were
      more willing to use the drink in the future. They achieved a higher satisfaction
      of sumac juice in ameliorating and the reduction of pain. Also, the sumac group
      showed a significant enhancement in the level of CK, LDH, troponin I, hyp, along
      with significant increase in serum (TAC) compared to the placebo group. The
      protective activity of muscle may relate to the antioxidant activity of phenolic
      component(s) in sumac juice as measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH)
      radical scavenging (87.9%) and beta-carotene-linoleic acid (68.7%) assays. These
      data suggest that oral administration of sumac juice may have a beneficial effect
      on muscle performance among athletes.

PMID- 28639866
TI  - Protective effects of Vitamin E on CCl4-induced testicular toxicity in male rats.
AB  - The increased generation of free radicals plays an important role in testicular
      damage. The present study aimed to investigate the adverse effects of carbon
      tetrachloride (CCl4) on the reproductive system of male rats as well as to
      examine whether Vitamin E (VE) is able to ameliorate these effects. The rats were
      equally divided into three groups: control, CCl4-treated, and CCl4 + VE-treated
      groups. After 4 weeks of treatment, the decrease in body and testes weights,
      sperm parameters, and the decrease in serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing
      hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone of CCl4-treated rats were ameliorated
      by VE treatment. The co-administration of VE with CCl4 significantly decreased
      the level of lipid peroxidation production (malondialdehyde) and increased the
      activity of anti-oxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) when
      compared with the CCl4 group. Moreover, VE prevented CCl4-induced severe
      testicular histopathological lesions and deformities in spermatogenesis. The
      results demonstrate that VE augments the anti-oxidants' defense mechanism against
      CCl4-induced reproductive toxicity suggesting a therapeutic role in free radical
      mediated infertility.

PMID- 28639867
TI  - Pulmonary function in young females of Kolkata, India - Revisited.
AB  - Rapid economic and industrial growths imposed significant impact on human health
      including the pulmonary health. Questions were raised regarding the validity of
      the existing prediction norms of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in a particular
      population. The present study was conducted to investigate the applicability of
      the existing norms for PFTs in young healthy non-smoking female university
      students of Kolkata, India. Significant difference was noted in vital capacity
      (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)
      when the present data were compared with the earlier study in similar population.
      Correlation statistic revealed significant relationship of age and body height
      with all the PFT parameters. Body mass had significant correlation with VC, FVC,
      FEV1 as a percentage of FVC (FEV1%), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR).
      Regression equations have been computed for predicting PFTs from age and body
      height. There has been a change of PFTs in the studied population for the last
      couple of decades due to increased environmental pollution in the course of
      economical and industrial developments. Regression equations computed in this
      study are not only recommended to predict PFT parameters in the studied
      population, but they are also considered more reliable owing to their
      substantially smaller standard error of estimate than those proposed in the
      previous study.

PMID- 28639868
TI  - Effect of pectin feeding on obesity development and duodenal alkaline phosphatase
      activity in Sprague-Dawley rats fed with high-fat/high-energy diet.
AB  - Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate whether pectin feeding would
      affect the small intestinal function and whether these changes would lead to
      obesity prevention in rats fed with high-fat diet. Three groups of weaned male
      rats (ad lib. fed; rats fed with diet containing 15% w/w of citrus pectin;
      restrictedly pair-fed rats) were fed with either a standard diet (9.5% fat) or a
      high-fat diet (30% fat) for 10 days. Results Our results revealed that pectin
      feeding led to significant decreases in body weight, energy intake and fat pad
      weight in rats fed with the standard as well as high-fat diet. Moreover, compared
      to the restrictedly pair-fed rats, in both groups of rats fed with the diet
      containing pectin, significant decrease in duodenal alkaline phosphatase (AP)
      activity was observed in histochemically stained cryostat sections. In contrast,
      despite their lower energy intake, restrictedly pair-fed rats showed similar fat
      pad deposition accompanied by unchanged values of AP activity in comparison to
      the controls. Conclusions Our findings indicate that daily pectin consumption
      could be beneficial in suppressing body weight gain and reducing probability of
      obesity risk in rats fed with a high-fat diet.

PMID- 28639869
TI  - Economic Burden of Inpatient Admission of Ankle Fractures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ankle fractures are among the most prevalent traumatic orthopaedic
      injuries. A large proportion of patients sustaining operative ankle fractures are
      admitted directly from the emergency department prior to operative management. In
      the authors' experience, however, many closed ankle injuries may be safely and
      effectively managed on an outpatient basis. The aim of this study was to
      characterize the economic impact of routine inpatient admission of ankle
      fractures. METHODS: A retrospective review of all outpatient ankle fracture
      surgery performed by a single foot and ankle fellowship-trained surgeon at a
      tertiary level academic center in 2012 was conducted to identify any patients
      requiring postoperative inpatient admission. The National Inpatient Sample was
      queried for operative management of lateral malleolus, bimalleolar, and
      trimalleolar ankle fractures in 2012 with regard to national estimates of total
      volume and length of stay by age. The maximum allowable Medicare inpatient
      facility reimbursements for diagnosis related group 494 and Medicare outpatient
      facility reimbursements for Current Procedural Terminology codes 27792, 27814,
      and 27822 were obtained from the Medicare Acute Inpatient Prospective Pricer and
      the Medicare Outpatient Pricer Code, respectively. Private facility reimbursement
      rates were estimated at 139% of inpatient Medicare reimbursement and 280% of
      outpatient reimbursement, as described in the literature. Surgeon and
      anesthesiologist fees were considered similar between both inpatient and
      outpatient groups. A unique stochastic decision-tree model was derived from
      probabilities and associated costs and evaluated using modified Monte Carlo
      simulation. RESULTS: Of 76 lateral malleolar, bimalleolar, and trimalleolar ankle
      fracture open reduction internal fixation cases performed in 2012 by the senior
      author, 9 patients required admission for polytrauma, medical comorbidities, or
      age. All 67 outpatients were discharged home the day of surgery. In the 2012
      national cohort analyzed, 48,044 estimated inpatient admissions occurred
      postoperatively for closed ankle fractures. The median length of stay was 3 days
      for each admission and was associated with an estimated facility reimbursement
      ranging from $12,920 for Medicare reimbursement of lateral malleolus fractures to
      $18,613 for private reimbursement of trimalleolar fractures. Outpatient facility
      reimbursements per case were estimated at $4,125 for Medicare patients and
      $11,459 for private insurance patients. Nationally, annual inpatient admissions
      accounted for $796,033,050 in reimbursements, while outpatient surgery would have
      been associated with $419,327,612 for treatment of these same ankle fractures.
      CONCLUSION: In the authors' experience, closed lateral malleolus, bimalleolar,
      and trimalleolar fractures were safely and effectively treated on an outpatient
      basis. Routine perioperative admission of patients sustaining ankle fractures
      likely results in more than $367 million of excess facility reimbursements
      annually in the United States. Even if a 25% necessary admission rate were
      assumed, routine inpatient admission of ankle fractures would result in a $282
      million excess economic burden annually in the United States. Although in certain
      cases, inpatient admission may be necessary, with value-based decision making
      becoming increasingly the responsibility of the orthopaedic surgeon,
      understanding the implications of inpatient stays for ankle fracture surgery can
      ultimately result in cost savings to the US health care system and patients
      individually. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, comparative series.

PMID- 28639870
TI  - Advanced Imaging Techniques in the Knee: Benefits and Limitations of New Rapid
      Acquisition Strategies for Routine Knee MRI.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review current and emerging
      techniques and strategies that can be used to accelerate acquisition times in
      routine knee MRI. CONCLUSION: Specific techniques reviewed include 3D fast spin
      echo imaging as well as new approaches to rapid image acquisition techniques
      (parallel imaging, compressed sensing, simultaneous multislice, and neural
      network reconstruction techniques) and their potential application to knee MRI.

PMID- 28639871
TI  - An Innovative Streaming Video System With a Point-of-View Head Camera
      Transmission of Surgeries to Smartphones and Tablets: An Educational Utility.
AB  - PURPOSE: In order to engage medical students and residents from public health
      centers to utilize the telemedicine features of surgery on their own smartphones
      and tablets as an educational tool, an innovative streaming system was developed
      with the purpose of streaming live footage from open surgeries to smartphones and
      tablets, allowing the visualization of the surgical field from the surgeon's
      perspective. The current study aims to describe the results of an evaluation on
      level 1 of Kirkpatrick's Model for Evaluation of the streaming system usage
      during gynecological surgeries, based on the perception of medical students and
      gynecology residents. METHODS: Consisted of a live video streaming (from the
      surgeon's point of view) of gynecological surgeries for smartphones and tablets,
      one for each volunteer. The volunteers were able to connect to the local wireless
      network, created by the streaming system, through an access password and watch
      the video transmission on a web browser on their smartphones. Then, they answered
      a Likert-type questionnaire containing 14 items about the educational
      applicability of the streaming system, as well as comparing it to watching an in
      loco procedure. This study is formally approved by the local ethics commission
      (Certificate No. 53175915.7.0000.5171/2016). RESULTS: Twenty-one volunteers
      participated, totalizing 294 items answered, in which 94.2% were in agreement
      with the items affirmative, 4.1% were neutral, and only 1.7% answers corresponded
      to negative impressions. Cronbach's alpha was .82, which represents a good
      reliability level. Spearman's coefficients were highly significant in 4
      comparisons and moderately significant in the other 20 comparisons. CONCLUSIONS:
      This study presents a local streaming video system of live surgeries to
      smartphones and tablets and shows its educational utility, low cost, and simple
      usage, which offers convenience and satisfactory image resolution, thus being
      potentially applicable in surgical teaching.

PMID- 28639872
TI  - Prevalence and associated factors of hearing aid use among older adults in Chile.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of use of
      hearing aids by older adults in Chile and the influence of some variables such as
      education level, income level and geographic area of residence on the prevalence
      of hearing aids. DESIGN: A national cross-sectional survey which was carried out
      in 2009. STUDY SAMPLE: A representative sample of 4766 Chilean older adults aged
      60 years and above. RESULTS: The percentage of older adults in Chile who self
      reported hearing problems and used hearing aids was 8.9%. Such prevalence
      increased for adults living in urban areas and for those who knew about the new
      Chilean programme of universal access to health services (AUGE). For older adults
      who did not know about this programme, significant associations between the use
      of hearing aids and the variables of age, geographic area of residence, and
      income level were found. CONCLUSIONS: People's knowledge about AUGE programme may
      positively influence the use of hearing aids, although a direct effect cannot be
      attributed.

PMID- 28639873
TI  - Anesthetic Management of Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Endocardial and
      Epicardial Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in adults affecting
      almost 6 million adults in the United States. The 2 most common comorbidities
      associated with atrial fibrillation are heart failure and thromboembolic events.
      Heart failure symptoms may be treated with rate control, antiarrhythmic
      medications or by catheter ablation. Unfortunately, despite optimal medical
      management, thromboembolic events still occur. Recently, there has been a great
      deal of interest and innovation in finding an alternative to chronic
      anticoagulation. Several percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion devices
      have been developed over recent years, some of which have proven to be
      noninferior to anticoagulation in preventing strokes in atrial fibrillation
      patients. The 2 most widely used left atrial appendage occlusion devices are the
      WATCHMAN (Atritech Inc, Plymouth, MN, USA) and the LARIAT (SentreHEART, Palo
      Alto, CA, USA) devices. After a detailed description of the procedures, the
      anesthetic considerations of each procedure and management of specific adverse
      events are discussed within this review.

PMID- 28639874
TI  - Compression treatment of pelvic congestion syndrome.
AB  - Aim To study the influence of compression treatment on clinical manifestations
      and venous hemodynamics of the pelvis in patients with pelvic congestion
      syndrome. Materials and methods A prospective study of the various options and
      modes of compression treatment was carried out and included 74 patients with
      pelvic congestion syndrome in 2008-2015. The patients were divided into three
      groups. The first group consisted of 48 patients with symptoms of pelvic
      congestion syndrome and chronic pelvic pain. They used Class II compression
      shorts. In the second group, there were 14 patients with pelvic congestion
      syndrome, vulvar varicosities without pelvic pain. They used Class II compression
      shorts and stockings. In the third group, 12 women with pelvic congestion
      syndrome and chronic pelvic pain used only the Class II compression stockings.
      The treatment continued for 14 days. A clinical criterion was the change of
      severity of chronic pelvic pain. The evaluation of the treatments has been
      performed using radionuclide venography and emission computed tomography with
      labeled in vivo red blood cells. Results Group 1: The compression shorts had a
      positive effect on the disease in 81.3% of patients. Chronic pelvic pain
      decreased from 6.4 +/- 1.6 to 1.2 +/- 0.7 points. The coefficient of pelvic
      congestion syndrome (Cpcs) decreased from 1.73 +/- 0.32 to 1.12 +/- 0.27 (p <
      0.05). In 18.8% of patients, no positive effect was observed. Group 2: The
      results of radionuclide venographyshowed accelerating outflow of blood from the
      lower limbs and reduction of insufficiency of perforating veins. Mean
      radionuclide transit time decreased in all patients in the tendon, muscle pump
      parts, popliteal vein and was respectively: 23.6 +/- 2.2 s, 29.6 +/- 3.4 s, 32.3
      +/- 4.2 s and after treatment 16.4 +/- 3.1 s, 22.1 +/- 2.5 s, 25.7 +/- 1.9 s (p <
      0.05). Group 3: The use of compression stockings class II on the clinical
      manifestations of pelvic congestion syndrome in the patients. Cpcs also remained
      unchanged. Conclusion Research has shown the efficiency of class II compression
      shorts in the treatment of patients with isolated extension of intrapelvic venous
      plexuses. Class II compression stockings do not have any impact on the clinical
      manifestations of pelvic congestion syndrome.

PMID- 28639875
TI  - Short-form 6D assessment in compression module of the American College of
      Phlebology Patient Reported Outcome Venous Registry.
AB  - Objective The goal of this American College of Phlebology Patient Reported
      Outcome Venous Registry analysis was to examine the clinical efficacy of
      compression stockings using short-form 6D questionnaire (SF-6D). Method SF-6D
      scores were modeled over time using linear mixed effects model. Changes of SF-6D
      score from baseline to the last encounter were examined using a paired t-test.
      Analysis of variance was used to compare changes from baseline in SF-6D scores
      between C classifications. All analyses were conducted using SAS software,
      version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary NC). Results Baseline mean SF-6D score was 0.83
      and at follow-up, 0.85. Mean SF-6D change was +0.02 points (P = .001) over an
      average time period of 5.5 months. Patients' SF-6D scores were estimated to
      increase by +0.03 points (P = .005) per year of usage of compression stockings.
      SF-6D score changes across C classifications did not demonstrate significant
      differences (P = .265). Conclusion There was an improvement of SF-6D score in the
      registry participants who used circular knit compression stockings.

PMID- 28639876
TI  - Meta-Analysis of Social Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment.
AB  - Social cognitive abilities are impaired in Alzheimer disease and other dementias.
      Recent studies suggested that social cognitive abilities might be also impaired
      in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Current meta-analysis aimed to summarize
      available evidence for deficits in theory of mind (ToM) and emotion recognition
      in MCI. In this meta-analysis of 17 studies, facial emotion recognition and ToM
      performances of 513 individuals with MCI and 693 healthy controls were compared.
      Mild cognitive impairment was associated with significant impairments falling in
      the medium effect sizes range in ToM ( d = 0.63) and facial emotion recognition (
      d = 0.58). Among individual emotions, recognition of fear and sadness were
      particularly impaired. There were no significant between-group differences in
      recognition of disgust, happiness, and surprise. Social cognitive deficits were
      more severe in multidomain MCI. There is a need for longitudinal studies
      investigating the potential role of social cognitive impairment in predicting
      conversion to dementia.

PMID- 28639879
TI  - Comments on "comparing a longitudinal integrated clerkship with traditional
      hospital-based rotations in a rural setting".

PMID- 28639878
TI  - Exploring the Phenotype in Mild Cognitive Impairment to Aid the Prediction of
      Those at Risk of Transitioning to Parkinson Disease and Dementia With Lewy
      Bodies.
AB  - To date, only limited research has concurrently investigated the presence of
      rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and other features associated
      with Parkinson disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) in people
      presenting with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). As a first step towards a
      longitudinal research project, the present study explored the relationships
      between MCI, RBD, and depression in 108 older adults who presented with
      subjective memory complaints but were not known to have a neurodegenerative
      condition. The present study found that RBD was a frequent feature in individuals
      with MCI (35%). Furthermore, MCI patients with RBD were more likely to exhibit
      nonamnestic MCI (89%) rather than an amnestic MCI phenotype (chi2 = 4.99, P =
      .025). Specifically, nonamnestic MCI patients with RBD had selective deficits in
      executive function and verbal memory, as well as a higher level of depressive
      symptoms. This cognitive and psychiatric profile is aligned with PD and DLB
      patients at their time of initial diagnosis and suggests that targeting
      nonamnestic MCI patients who report RBD with additional biomarker testing
      including smell, color vision, and neuroimaging (eg, dopamine transporters scan
      and transcranial ultrasonography) may aid in early diagnosis and prediction of
      these alpha-synucleinopathies.

PMID- 28639880
TI  - Cochrane corner - a new IJA feature.

PMID- 28639877
TI  - Mild Cognitive Impairment and Changes in Everyday Function Over Time: The
      Importance of Evaluating Both Speed and Accuracy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Research estimates that a significant percentage of individuals with
      mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience functional difficulties. In addition
      to reduced accuracy on measures of everyday function, cross-sectional research
      has demonstrated that speed of performing instrumental activities of daily living
      (IADLs) is slowed in individuals with MCI. The present study investigated whether
      baseline and longitudinal changes in speed and accuracy of IADL performance
      differed between persons with MCI and cognitively normal peers. DESIGN: Linear
      mixed models were used to estimate the group differences in longitudinal
      performance on measures of IADLs. SETTING: Assessments were conducted at
      university and medical research centers. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 80
      participants with MCI and 80 control participants who were enrolled in the
      Alzheimer's Disease Research Center's Measuring Independent Living in the Elderly
      Study. MEASUREMENTS: Instrumental activities of daily living speed and accuracy
      were directly assessed using selected domains of the Financial Capacity
      Instrument, the Timed IADL assessment, and driving-related assessments (Useful
      Field of View, Road Sign Test). RESULTS: Individuals with MCI performed worse on
      speed and accuracy measures of IADLs in comparison to cognitively normal peers
      and demonstrated significantly steeper rates of decline over three years in
      either speed or accuracy in all domains assessed. CONCLUSION: Both speed and
      accuracy of performance on measures of IADL are valuable indices for early
      detection of functional change in MCI. The performance pattern may reflect a
      trade-off between speed and accuracy that can guide clinical recommendations for
      maintaining patient independence.

PMID- 28639881
TI  - Suspected Lateral Periodontal Cyst Presenting Concurrently with Canine
      Acanthomatous Ameloblastoma in a 2-Year-Old Standard Poodle.
AB  - Lateral periodontal cysts (LPCs) are odontogenic epithelial cysts composed of
      nonkeratinized epithelial cells that are in the category of developmental cysts,
      rather than inflammatory cysts. Lateral periodontal cysts are rare both in people
      and domestic animals; they are associated with vital teeth and located lateral to
      a tooth root. Lateral periodontal cysts are typically asymptomatic lesions that
      are characterized radiographically as a unilocular lucency with well-defined
      corticated borders. Canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma (CAA) is the most common
      odontogenic neoplasm in dogs and rarely presents as a cystic lesion. This case
      report describes the diagnosis and treatment of a cyst that occurred as a
      swelling apical to a gingival mass that was diagnosed histologically as CAA.
      Surgical management by conservative gingivectomy, cyst enucleation, and bone
      grafting was an effective treatment in this patient.

PMID- 28639882
TI  - Management of Oral Anticoagulation Therapy After Gastrointestinal Bleeding:
      Whether to, When to, and How to Restart an Anticoagulation Therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current clinical evidence for management of oral
      anticoagulation therapy after gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) with an emphasis on
      whether to, when to, and how to resume an anticoagulation therapy. DATA SOURCES:
      Relevant articles from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases were
      identified from 1946 through May 20, 2017, using the keywords: gastrointestinal
      hemorrhage or gastrointestinal bleeding and antithrombotic therapy or
      anticoagulation therapy or warfarin or dabigatran or rivaroxaban or apixaban or
      edoxaban. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All English-language studies
      assessing management of oral anticoagulation therapy after GIB were evaluated.
      DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 9 studies were identified. Four retrospective cohort
      studies showed that resuming anticoagulation therapy was associated with
      significantly lower rate of thromboembolism (TE) in the general population. Meta
      analyses and prospective cohort studies also supported this finding. Two
      retrospective cohort studies indicated an increase in GIB when anticoagulation
      reinitiation occurred in less than 7 days without a decrease in TE. Resuming
      therapy between 7 and 15 days did not demonstrate a significant increase in GIB
      or TE. A large retrospective study showed that apixaban was associated with the
      significantly lowest risk of GIB compared with both rivaroxaban and dabigatran.
      CONCLUSION: Anticoagulation therapy resumption is recommended, with resumption
      being considered between 7 and 14 days following GIB regardless of the therapy
      chosen. Data for warfarin management after GIB should be applied with caution to
      direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) because of the quicker onset and experimental
      nature of reversal agents. Apixaban may be a preferred option when restarting a
      DOAC therapy.

PMID- 28639883
TI  - Cancer immunotherapy: Breakthrough or "deja vu, all over again"?
AB  - From the application of Coley's toxin in the early 1900s to the present clinical
      trials using immune checkpoint regulatory inhibitors, the history of cancer
      immunotherapy has consisted of extremely high levels of enthusiasm after
      anecdotal case reports of enormous success, followed by decreasing levels of
      enthusiasm as the results of controlled clinical trials are available. In this
      review, this pattern will be documented for the various immunotherapeutic
      approaches over the years. The sole exception being vaccination against cancer
      causing viruses, which have already prevented thousands of cancers. We can only
      hope that the present high level of enthusiasm for the use of immune stimulation
      by removal of blocks to cancer immunity will be more productive than the
      incremental improvements using previous immunotherapies.

PMID- 28639884
TI  - Loss of tumor suppressor miR-126 contributes to the development of hepatitis B
      virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis through the upregulation of
      ADAM9.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common histological type of primary liver
      cancer, which represents the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality.
      MiR-126 was reported to be downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues,
      compared with its levels in noncancerous tissues. However, baseline miR-126
      expression levels in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients
      who did not undergo pre-operational treatment remains unknown since hepatitis B
      virus infection and pre-operational transcatheter arterial chemoembolization were
      shown to upregulate miR-126 expression. Here, we demonstrated that miR-126 is
      generally downregulated in a homogeneous population of pre-operational treatment
      naive hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients (84.0%,
      84/100), and its expression is significantly associated with pre-operational
      alpha-fetoprotein levels ( p < 0.05), microvascular invasion ( p < 0.05), tumor
      metastasis ( p < 0.05), as well as early recurrence (12 months after surgery; p <
      0.01). Furthermore, the results of our study revealed that miR-126 is negatively
      correlated with ADAM9 expression in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular
      carcinoma patients. Overexpression of miR-126 was shown to attenuate ADAM9
      expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, which subsequently inhibits cell
      migration and invasion in vitro. In addition, Cox proportional hazards regression
      model analysis showed that ADAM9 levels, tumor number, microvascular invasion,
      and tumor metastasis rate represent independent prognostic factors for shorter
      recurrence-free survival. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the loss of tumor
      suppressor miR-126 in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma cells
      contributes to the development of metastases through the upregulated expression
      of its target gene, ADAM9. MiR-126-ADAM9 pathway-based therapeutic targeting may
      represent a novel approach for the inhibition of hepatitis B virus-related
      hepatocellular carcinoma metastases.

PMID- 28639885
TI  - MicroRNA-195 inhibits the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells
      by targeting the fatty acid synthase/Wnt signaling pathway.
AB  - Emerging evidence suggests that microRNAs are critical regulators of cancer
      development and progression. MicroRNA-195 has been reported as a cancer-related
      microRNA in many human cancers. However, the role of microRNA-195 in pancreatic
      cancer remains largely unknown. Here, we show that microRNA-195 is downregulated
      in pancreatic cancer tissues and cell line. Also, we show that overexpression of
      microRNA-195 inhibits the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells,
      whereas suppression of microRNA-195 promotes proliferation and invasion. We show
      that microRNA-195 directly targets the fatty acid synthase enzyme and negatively
      regulates the expression of fatty acid synthase. Also, we show that fatty acid
      synthase expression is inversely correlated with microRNA-195 expression in
      pancreatic cancer tissues. Moreover, our results show that microRNA-195 inhibits
      Wnt signaling in pancreatic cancer cells. By restoring fatty acid synthase
      expression, we were able to reverse the antitumor effects of microRNA-195 in
      pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, our findings show that microRNA-195
      inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion by regulating the
      fatty acid synthase/Wnt signaling pathway, suggesting a tumor suppressive role
      for microRNA-195 in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Thus,
      inhibiting fatty acid synthase by microRNA-195 may serve as a novel therapeutic
      approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28639886
TI  - A competing endogenous RNA network identifies novel mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA
      markers for the prognosis of diabetic pancreatic cancer.
AB  - Pancreatic cancer (PaC) is highly associated with diabetes mellitus (DM).
      However, the mechanisms are insufficient. The study aimed to uncover the
      underlying regulatory mechanism on diabetic PaC and find novel biomarkers for the
      disease prognosis. Two RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets, GSE74629 and GSE15932,
      as well as relevant data in TCGA were utilized. After pretreatment,
      differentially expressed genes (DEGs) or miRNAs (DEMs) or lncRNAs (DELs) between
      diabetic PaC and non-diabetic PaC patients were identified, and further examined
      for their correlations with clinical information. Prognostic RNAs were selected
      using KM curve. Optimal gene set for classification of different samples were
      recognized by support vector machine. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network
      was constructed for DEGs based on protein databases. Interactions among three
      kinds of RNAs were revealed in the 'lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA' competing endogenous RNA
      (ceRNA) network. A group of 32 feature genes were identified that could classify
      diabetic PaC from non-diabetic PaC, such as CCDC33, CTLA4 and MAP4K1. This
      classifier had a high accuracy on the prediction. Seven lncRNAs were tied up with
      prognosis of diabetic PaC, especially UCA1. In addition, crucial DEMs were
      selected, such as hsa-miR-214 (predicted targets: MAP4K1 and CCDC33) and hsa-miR
      429 (predicted targets: CTLA4). Notably, interactions of 'HOTAIR-hsa-miR-214
      CCDC33' and 'CECR7-hsa-miR-429-CTLA4' were highlighted in the ceRNA network.
      Several biomarkers were identified for diagnosis of diabetic PaC, such as HOTAIR,
      CECR7, UCA1, hsa-miR-214, hsa-miR-429, CCDC33 and CTLA4. 'HOTAIR-hsa-miR-214
      CCDC33' and 'CECR7-hsa-miR-429-CTLA4' regulations might be two important
      mechanisms for the disease progression.

PMID- 28639887
TI  - MicroRNA-138 enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis through interferon-stimulated gene
      15 downregulation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality
      worldwide. TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand) is a
      potential target for cancer therapy. However, many cancer cells are resistant to
      TRAIL-induced apoptosis and its mechanism is not well understood. In this study,
      to identify potential therapeutic targets for TRAIL-resistant cancer cells, we
      compared the expression levels of interferon-stimulated gene 15 in TRAIL
      sensitive and TRAIL-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. Western blot
      analysis showed that interferon-stimulated gene 15 expression levels were
      significantly higher in resistant HLCZ01and Huh7 cells than in sensitive LH86 and
      SMMC-7721 cells. Interferon-stimulated gene 15 knockdown in resistance cells led
      to TRAIL sensitivity. Conversely, interferon-stimulated gene 15 overexpression in
      sensitive cells resulted in TRAIL resistance. Our bioinformatics search detected
      a putative target sequence for microRNA miR-138 in the 3' untranslated region of
      the interferon-stimulated gene 15. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain
      reaction analysis demonstrated that miR-138 was significantly downregulated in
      TRAIL-resistant cells compared to TRAIL-sensitive cells. Forced expression of miR
      138 in resistant cells decreased both messenger RNA and protein levels of
      interferon-stimulated gene 15, and when exposed to TRAIL, activated
      poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase, indicating sensitization to TRAIL.
      The results suggested that miR-138 regulates the interferon-stimulated gene 15
      expression by directly targeting the 3' untranslated region of interferon
      stimulated gene 15 and modulates the sensitivity to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. MiR
      138 may be a target for therapeutic intervention in TRAIL-based drug treatments
      of resistant hepatocellular carcinoma or could be a biomarker to select patients
      who may benefit from the treatment.

PMID- 28639888
TI  - Transgelin-2: A potential oncogenic factor.
AB  - Actin-binding proteins are proteins that could bind to actin or actin fibers. As
      a member of actin-binding proteins, Transgelin-2 is expressed in smooth muscle
      cells and non-smooth muscle cells, and its gene, TAGLN2, is differently expressed
      in all cells and tissues. The deregulation of Transgelin-2 is considered to be
      correlated with progression of many kinds of diseases, especially the development
      of malignant tumors, such as invasion, metastasis, and resistance, yet the
      function and mechanism of action of Transgelin-2 remain elusive. Therefore, we
      reviewed the basic characteristics and function of Transgelin-2 and its
      biological role in various types of diseases in order to provide the theoretical
      basis for further research and new perspectives on cancer development.

PMID- 28639889
TI  - The association between RARbeta and FHIT promoter methylation and the
      carcinogenesis of patients with cervical carcinoma: A meta-analysis.
AB  - The RARbeta and FHIT promoter methylation are observed in some cervical
      carcinoma. However, the association between RARbeta and FHIT promoter methylation
      and cervical carcinogenesis remains unclear. This study was carried out to
      evaluate the correlation between RARbeta or FHIT promoter methylation and
      cervical carcinogenesis. Eligible publications were searched via online
      databases. The combined odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals
      were calculated and summarized. In all, 17 eligible articles on RARbeta and FHIT
      promoter methylation were identified in the study. RARbeta promoter methylation
      was significantly higher in cervical cancer than in cervical intraepithelial
      neoplasia lesions and normal cervical tissues (odds ratio = 3.90, p = 0.018; odds
      ratio = 12.98, p < 0.001, respectively). There was more FHIT promoter methylation
      in cervical cancer than in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions and normal
      controls (odds ratio = 8.0, p = 0.055; odds ratio = 10.75, p < 0.001,
      respectively). In addition, FHIT promoter methylation was correlated with
      clinical stage (advanced stage vs early stage: odds ratio = 2.69, p = 0.056) and
      tumor grade (high grade vs low grade: odds ratio = 4.11, p < 0.001). RARbeta and
      FHIT promoter methylation may be associated with the carcinogenesis of cervical
      cancer. FHIT promoter methylation may play a crucial role in cervical cancer
      progression. Additional studies with large sample sizes are essential to confirm
      our findings.

PMID- 28639890
TI  - MiR-557 works as a tumor suppressor in human lung cancers by negatively
      regulating LEF1 expression.
AB  - MicroRNAs play an important role in regulating post-transcriptional gene
      expression in the progression of various human cancers. In this study, we
      investigated the role of microRNA-557 in human lung cancer cells. The molecular
      mechanism of microRNA-557 was also clarified in the proliferation and invasion of
      human lung cancer cells. Our results showed microRNA-557 levels were obviously
      decreased in clinical lung cancer specimens and lung cancer cell lines. Cell
      viability of A549 and NCI-H460 cells transfected with microRNA-557 mimics was
      significantly decreased than those transfected with negative control mimics.
      MicroRNA-557 promoted cell death of A549 and NCI-H460 but did not affect the cell
      apoptosis of lung cancer cells. Overexpression of microRNA-557 inhibited cell
      invasion of A549 and NCI-H460 cells. TargetScan analysis showed that microRNA-557
      might target 3' untranslated region of lymphocyte enhancement factor 1, and the
      western blotting results showed that transfection of microRNA-557 mimics
      significantly decreased the levels of lymphocyte enhancement factor 1 in A549 and
      H460 cells. MicroRNA-557 might work as a tumor suppressor by negatively
      regulating the expression of lymphocyte enhancement factor 1 in lung cancer
      cells.

PMID- 28639891
TI  - Antitumor activity of a Rhodococcus sp. Lut0910 isolated from polluted soil.
AB  - The actinomycetes strain, lut0910, was isolated from polluted soil and identified
      as the Rhodococcus species with 99% similarity based on the sequence analysis of
      16S recombinant DNA. The extract of this strain demonstrated in vivo and in vitro
      antitumor activity. The treatment of two human cancer cell lines, hepatocellular
      carcinoma HepG2 and cervical carcinoma Hela cells, with the lut0910 extract
      caused the delay in cell propagation in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of
      73.39 and 33.09 ug/mL, respectively. Also, the oral administration of lut0910
      extract to the mice with a solid tumor resulted in the inhibition of tumor growth
      in comparison with a placebo group. The thymus and spleen indexes were
      significantly increased in mice groups treated with the lut0910 extract. The
      histopathological changes of the tumor tissues showed that there were massive
      necrotic areas in the tumor tissues after treatment with different doses of the
      lut0910 extract. Our result would provide a new way and potent source for
      development of new anticancer agent from the polluted environment.

PMID- 28639892
TI  - JAK2 variations and functions in lung adenocarcinoma.
AB  - Lung cancer ranks as the first most common cancer and the first leading cause of
      cancer-related death in China and worldwide. Due to the difficulty in early
      diagnosis and the onset of cancer metastasis, the 5-year survival rate of lung
      cancer remains low. JAK2 has emerged as pivotal participant in biological
      processes, often dysregulated in a range of cancers. Recently our study found
      that JAK2 might play an important role in lung cancer pathogenesis. While our
      understanding of JAK2 in the onset and progression of lung cancer is still in its
      infancy, there is no doubt that understanding the variations and functions of
      JAK2 will certainly secure strong biomarkers and improve treatment options for
      lung cancer patients. The expression level of JAK2 mRNA was assayed using RT-PCR.
      JAK2 mutations and amplification were detected using next-generation sequencing
      (NGS). The shRNA and overexpression plasmids of JAK2 were conducted. MTT (3-(4, 5
      dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazoliumbromide) assay, Trans-well
      migration and Matrigel invasion assay were conducted to study the proliferation,
      migration and invasion abilities of lung adenocarcinoma cells independently. We
      found that JAK2 mRNA was up-regulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues when
      compared with their adjacent non-tumor tissues, and was associated with lymph
      node metastasis ( p < 0.05). JAK2 V617F and N30S mutations and JAK2 amplification
      were detected by NGS in plasmid samples in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
      Downregulation of JAK2 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion
      abilities of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. Moreover, overexpression of JAK2
      induced the proliferation, migration and invasion abilities of A549 cells. Thus,
      the up-regulation, mutation and amplification of JAK2 detected in lung
      adenocarcinoma may participate in lung cancer progression by regulating cancer
      cells' proliferation, migration and invasion.

PMID- 28639893
TI  - Apobec-1 complementation factor regulates cell migration and apoptosis through
      Dickkopf1 by acting on its 3' untranslated region in MCF7 cells.
AB  - A1CF (apobec-1 complementation factor) acts as a component of the apolipoprotein
      B messenger RNA editing complex. Previous researches mainly focused on its post
      transcriptional cytidine to uridine RNA editing. However, few study reported its
      role in progression of breast carcinoma cells. Wound healing assay and flow
      cytometry were applied to detect the migration and apoptosis; western blot, real
      time polymerase chain reaction, and dual-luciferase assays were applied to
      investigate the potential regulation mechanism of A1CF-mediated cell migration
      and apoptosis. Knockdown of A1CF decreased cell migration and enhanced cell
      apoptosis in MCF7 cells in vitro. Western blot analysis showed that knockdown of
      A1CF decreased Dickkopf1 but increased c-Myc and beta-catenin expression, and
      overexpression of A1CF can get opposite results. Knockdown of Dickkopf1 in A1CF
      overexpressed cells decreased cell migration and enhanced cell apoptosis compared
      with A1CF-overexpressed cells. Luciferase-fused 3' untranslated region of human
      Dickkopf1 activity was highly upregulated in A1CF-overexpressed MCF7 cells, but
      this upregulation can be inhibited by mutating conserved binding motifs of
      Dickkopf1 3' untranslated region. A1CF played a crucial role in cell migration
      and survival through affecting 3' untranslated region of Dickkopf1 to upregulate
      its expression in MCF7 cells.

PMID- 28639894
TI  - Deregulated expression of Cdc6 as BCR/ABL-dependent survival factor in chronic
      myeloid leukemia cells.
AB  - Chronic myeloid leukemia is characterized by the presence of the reciprocal
      translocation t(9;22) and the BCR/ABL oncogene. The BCR/ABL oncogene activates
      multiple signaling pathways and involves the dysregulation of oncogenes during
      the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia. The cell division cycle protein 6,
      an essential regulator of DNA replication, is elevated in some human cancer
      cells. However, the expression of cell division cycle protein 6 in chronic
      myeloid leukemia and the underlying regulatory mechanism remain to be elucidated.
      In this study, our data showed that cell division cycle protein 6 expression was
      significantly upregulated in primary chronic myeloid leukemia cells and the
      chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562 cells, as compared to the normal bone
      marrow mononuclear cells. BCR/ABL kinase inhibitor STI571 or BCR/ABL small
      interfering RNA could significantly downregulate cell division cycle protein 6
      messenger RNA expression in K562 cells. Moreover, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT
      pathway inhibitor LY294002 and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of
      transcription pathway inhibitor AG490 could downregulate cell division cycle
      protein 6 expression in K562 cells, but not RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase
      pathway inhibitor PD98059 had such effect. Cell division cycle protein 6 gene
      silencing by small interfering RNA effectively resulted in decrease of
      proliferation, increase of apoptosis, and arrest of cell cycle in K562 cells.
      These findings have demonstrated that cell division cycle protein 6
      overexpression may contribute to the high proliferation and low apoptosis in
      chronic myeloid leukemia cells and can be regulated by BCR/ABL signal
      transduction through downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt and Janus
      kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathways, suggesting cell
      division cycle protein 6 as a potential therapeutic target in chronic myeloid
      leukemia.

PMID- 28639895
TI  - Upregulation of miR-199a/b contributes to cisplatin resistance via Wnt/beta
      catenin-ABCG2 signaling pathway in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells.
AB  - Cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer largely results from the colorectal
      cancer stem cells which could be targeted to improve the efficacy of
      chemotherapy. MicroRNAs are possible modulators of cancer stem cell
      characteristics and maybe involved in the retention of cancer stem cell
      chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the biological function
      of miR-199a/b on cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer stem cells and its
      related mechanisms. Here, ALDHA1+ cells from primary colorectal cancer tissues
      behaved similar to cancer stem cells and were chemoresistant to cisplatin. The
      presence of a variable fraction of ALDHA1 was detected in 9 out of 10 colorectal
      cancer specimens. Significantly, increased miR-199a/b expression was detected in
      ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells, accompanied by a downregulation of Gsk3beta
      and an overexpression of beta-catenin and ABCG2. In patient cohort, enhanced miR
      199a/b expression in colorectal cancer tissues was associated with cisplatin
      response and poor patient survival. In addition, 80% of colorectal cancer samples
      showed lower level of Gsk3beta than their adjacent normal counterparts.
      Furthermore, Gsk3beta was the direct target of miR-199a/b. MiR-199a/b regulated
      Wnt/beta-catenin pathway by targeting Gsk3beta in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem
      cells. By blocking Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, we implied that ABCG2 lies
      downstream of Wnt/beta-catenin pathway. ABCG2 was further demonstrated to
      contribute cisplatin resistance in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells and can
      be regulated by miR-199a/b. Thus, our data suggested that upregulation of miR
      199a/b in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells contributed to cisplatin
      resistance via Wnt/beta-catenin-ABCG2 signaling, which sheds new light on
      understanding the mechanism of cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer stem
      cells and facilitates the development of potential therapeutics against
      colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28639896
TI  - SGK2 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression and mediates GSK-3beta/beta
      catenin signaling in HCC cells.
AB  - The phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway is one of the most commonly altered
      pathways in human cancers. The serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (SGK) family
      of serine/threonine kinases consists of three isoforms, SGK1, SGK2, and SGK3.
      This family of kinases is highly homologous to the AKT kinase family, sharing
      similar upstream activators and downstream targets. Few studies have investigated
      the role of SGK2 in hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we report that SGK2
      expression levels were upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and human
      hepatoma cell lines compared to the adjacent normal liver tissues and a normal
      hepatocyte line, respectively. We found that downregulated SGK2 inhibits cell
      migration and invasive potential of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (SMMC
      7721 and Huh-7).We also found that downregulated SGK2 suppressed the expression
      level of unphosphorylated (activated) glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta. In
      addition, SGK2 downregulation decreased the dephosphorylation (activation) of
      beta-catenin by preventing its proteasomal degradation in the hepatocellular
      carcinoma cell lines. These findings suggest that SGK2 promotes hepatocellular
      carcinoma progression and mediates glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta/beta-catenin
      signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

PMID- 28639897
TI  - Gene signature based on degradome-related genes can predict distal metastasis in
      cervical cancer patients.
AB  - Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women worldwide, which
      mainly affects developing countries. The patients who suffer a recurrence and/or
      progression disease have a higher risk of developing distal metastases. Proteases
      comprising the degradome given its ability to promote cell growth, migration, and
      invasion of tissues play an important role during tumor development and
      progression. In this study, we used high-density microarrays and quantitative
      reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to evaluate the degradome profile
      and their inhibitors in 112 samples of patients diagnosed with locally advanced
      cervical cancer. Clinical follow-up was done during a period of 3 years. Using a
      correlation analysis between the response to treatment and the development of
      metastasis, we established a molecular signature comprising eight degradome
      related genes (FAM111B, FAM111A, CFB, PSMB8, PSMB9, CASP7, PRSS16, and CD74) with
      the ability to discriminate patients at risk of distal metastases. In conclusion,
      present results show that molecular signature obtained from degradome genes can
      predict the possibility of metastasis in patients with locally advanced cervical
      cancer.

PMID- 28639898
TI  - Targeting interlukin-6 to relieve immunosuppression in tumor microenvironment.
AB  - Immunotolerance is one of the hallmarks of malignant tumors. Tumor cells escape
      from host immune surveillance through various mechanisms resulting in tumor
      progression and therapeutic resistance. Interlukin-6 is a proinflammatory
      cytokine involved in many physiological and pathological processes by integrating
      with multiple intracellular signaling pathways. Aberrant expression of interlukin
      6 is associated with the growth, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance in a
      wide range of cancers. Interlukin-6 exerts immunosuppressive capacity mostly by
      stimulating the infiltrations of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumor
      associated neutrophils, and cancer stem-like cells via Janus-activated
      kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway in tumor
      microenvironment. On this foundation, blockage of interlukin-6 signal may provide
      potential approaches to novel therapies. In this review, we introduced interlukin
      6 pathways and summarized molecular mechanisms related to interlukin-6-induced
      immunosuppression of tumor cell. We also concluded recent clinical studies
      targeting interlukin-6 as an immune-based therapeutic intervention in patients
      with cancer.

PMID- 28639899
TI  - TWEAK/Fn14 signaling in tumors.
AB  - TWEAK (tumor necrosis factor-related weak inducer of apoptosis), a member of the
      tumor necrosis factor superfamily, acts on cells by binding to its only receptor
      named Fn14 (fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14). Their engagement activates a
      number of intracellular signal transduction cascades and consequently leads to
      cell death, proliferation, migration, or survival depending on the cellular
      contexts. Studies have indicated that the expression of TWEAK and Fn14 is
      upregulated in many solid tumors compared with healthy tissues. The activation of
      TWEAK/Fn14 signaling enhances the proliferation, invasion, and migration of tumor
      cells. Moreover, the angiogenesis, pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, and
      epithelial-mesenchymal transitions are promoted upon TWEAK/Fn14 activation.
      Currently, the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor and nuclear
      factor kappa B signaling pathways are considered two main downstream pathways
      activated by TWEAK/Fn14 interaction. In view of these facts, some TWEAK- or Fn14
      targeting agents are generated to inhibit the progression of tumors and have
      achieved initial success in clinical and pre-clinical trials. These agents
      include monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins, immunotoxins, and nanoparticles.
      In addition, some relevant signaling pathways are studied to identify new
      potential therapeutic targets. Overall, these findings suggest that the
      TWEAK/Fn14 pathway is critical in the development of tumors, and targeting this
      signaling is a potential therapeutic approach in future tumor therapy.

PMID- 28639900
TI  - The novel CXCR4 antagonist, PRX177561, reduces tumor cell proliferation and
      accelerates cancer stem cell differentiation in glioblastoma preclinical models.
AB  - Glioblastoma is the most frequent and the most lethal primary brain tumor among
      adults. Standard of care is the association of radiotherapy with concomitant or
      adjuvant temozolomide. However, to date, recurrence is inevitable. The
      CXCL12/CXCR4 pathway is upregulated in the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment
      regulating tumor cell proliferation, local invasion, angiogenesis, and the
      efficacy of radio-chemotherapy. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the
      novel CXCR4 antagonist, PRX177561, in preclinical models of glioblastoma. CXCR4
      expression and PRX177561 effects were assessed on a panel of 12 human
      glioblastoma cells lines and 5 patient-derived glioblastoma stem cell cultures.
      Next, the effect of PRX177561 was tested in vivo, using subcutaneous injection of
      U87MG, U251, and T98G cells as well as orthotopic intrabrain inoculation of
      luciferase-transfected U87MG cells. Here we found that PRX177561 impairs the
      proliferation of human glioblastoma cell lines, increases apoptosis, and reduces
      CXCR4 expression and cell migration in response to stromal cell-derived factor
      1alpha in vitro. PRX177561 reduced the expression of stem cell markers and
      increased that of E-cadherin and glial fibrillary acidic protein in U87MG cells
      consistent with a reduction in cancer stem cells. In vivo, PRX177561 reduced the
      weight and increased the time to progression of glioblastoma subcutaneous tumors
      while increasing disease-free survival and overall survival of mice bearing
      orthotopic tumors. Our findings suggest that targeting stromal cell-derived
      factor 1 alpha/CXCR4 axis by PRX177561 might represent a novel therapeutic
      approach against glioblastoma and support further investigation of this compound
      in more complex preclinical settings in order to determine its therapeutic
      potential.

PMID- 28639901
TI  - Downregulation of miR-193a-3p inhibits cell growth and migration in renal cell
      carcinoma by targeting PTEN.
AB  - Although miR-193a-3p has been found to be dysregulated in variety of human
      tumors, little is known about its role in renal cell carcinoma. This study was
      designed to investigate the function and underlying mechanism of miR-193a-3p in
      human renal cell carcinoma tissues and cell lines. Here, we demonstrated that the
      expression of miR-193-3p was increased in renal cell carcinoma tissues and cell
      lines. In addition, knockdown of miR-193a-3p significantly inhibited cell
      proliferation and colony formation and induced cells into G1 phase arrest.
      Meanwhile, the migration potential of 786-O cells was also decreased compared to
      control group. Furthermore, we identified PTEN as a direct and functional target
      of miR-193a-3p, at least partly responsible for promoting tumor effect of miR
      193a-3p in renal cell carcinoma. Taken together, the findings indicated for the
      first time that miR-193a-3p functions as a tumor-promoting microRNA by directly
      targeting PTEN in renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28639902
TI  - Mild hyperthermia enhances sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to chemotherapy
      through reactive oxygen species-induced autophagic death.
AB  - Mild hyperthermia enhances anti-cancer effects of chemotherapy, but the precise
      biochemical mechanisms involved are not clear. This study was carried out to
      investigate whether mild hyperthermia sensitizes gastric cancer cells to
      chemotherapy through reactive oxygen species-induced autophagic death. In total,
      20 BABL/c mice of MKN-45 human gastric cancer tumor model were divided into
      hyperthermia + chemotherapy group, hyperthermia group, chemotherapy group, N
      acetyl-L-cysteine group, and mock group. Reactive oxygen species production and
      expression of autophagy-related genes Beclin1, LC3B, and mammalian target of
      rapamycin were determined. The relationships between tumor growth regression,
      expression of autophagy-related genes, and reactive oxygen species production
      were evaluated. Tumor size and wet weight of hyperthermia + chemotherapy group
      was significantly decreased relative to values from hyperthermia group,
      chemotherapy group, N-acetyl-L-cysteine group, and mock group ( F = 6.92, p <
      0.01 and F = 5.36, p < 0.01, respectively). Reactive oxygen species production
      was significantly higher in hyperthermia + chemotherapy group than in
      hyperthermia, chemotherapy, and mock groups. The expression levels of Beclin1 and
      LC3B were significantly higher, while those of mammalian target of rapamycin were
      significantly lower in hyperthermia + chemotherapy group than in hyperthermia,
      chemotherapy, and mock groups. Tumor growth regression was consistent with
      changes in reactive oxygen species production and expression of autophagy-related
      genes. N-acetyl-L-cysteine inhibited changes in the expression of the autophagy
      related genes and also suppressed reactive oxygen species production and tumor
      growth. Hyperthermia + chemotherapy increase expression of autophagy-related
      genes Beclin1 and LC3B, decrease expression of mammalian target of rapamycin, and
      concomitantly increase reactive oxygen species generation. These results strongly
      indicate that mild hyperthermia enhances sensitivity of gastric cancer cells to
      chemotherapy through reactive oxygen species-induced autophagic death.

PMID- 28639903
TI  - Targeting the mTOR pathway in breast cancer.
AB  - Mechanistic target of rapamycin controls cell growth, metabolism, and aging in
      response to nutrients, cellular energy stage, and growth factors. In cancers
      including breast cancer, mechanistic target of rapamycin is frequently
      upregulated. Blocking mechanistic target of rapamycin with rapamycin, first
      generation and second-generation mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors,
      called rapalogs, have shown potent reduction of breast cancer tumor growth in
      preclinical models and clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the
      fundamental role of the mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway in driving breast
      tumors. Moreover, we also review key molecules involved with aberrant mechanistic
      target of rapamycin pathway activation in breast cancer and current efforts to
      target these components for therapeutic gain. Further development of predictive
      biomarkers will be useful in the selection of patients who will benefit from
      inhibition of the mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway.

PMID- 28639904
TI  - Role of JNK signaling in oral cancer: A mini review.
AB  - JNKs (c-Jun N-terminal kinases) belong to mitogen-activated protein kinases'
      family and become activated by several growth factors, stress, radiation, and
      other extracellular signals. In turn, JNK activation results in phosphorylation
      of downstream molecules involved in many normal cellular processes. Nevertheless,
      recent data have linked JNK signaling with several pathological conditions,
      including neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, and cancer. The role of JNK
      in cancer remains controversial. Initially, JNK was thought to play a rather
      oncosuppressive role by mediating apoptosis in response to stress stimuli,
      inflammatory, or oncogenic signals. However, a number of studies have implicated
      JNK in malignant transformation and tumor growth. The contradictory functions of
      JNK in cancer may be due to the diversity of JNK upstream and downstream
      signaling and are under intensive investigation. This review summarizes current
      literature focusing on the significance of JNK pathway in cancer development and
      progression, particularly addressing its role in oral cancer. Understanding the
      complexity of JNK signaling has the potential to elucidate important molecular
      aspects of oral cancer, possibly leading to development of novel and
      individualized therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28639905
TI  - High expression of Kruppel-like factor 4 as a predictor of poor prognosis for
      cervical cancer patient response to radiotherapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the associations of Kruppel-like
      factor 4 expression with sensitivity to radiation therapy in locally advanced
      cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients. METHODS: The records of 117 locally
      advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients were retrospectively reviewed,
      and Kruppel-like factor 4 expression in cervical carcinoma tissues was examined
      by immunohistochemical staining. The associations of Kruppel-like factor 4
      expression with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Survival time was
      analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox regression model. RESULTS:
      Patients being resistant to radiation therapy were associated with advanced
      International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, tumor diameter (>4
      cm), and poor differentiation grade. The high Kruppel-like factor 4 expression
      level was significantly related to resistance to radiation therapy, including
      radiation therapy non-response, local recurrence, and distant metastasis. The
      high Kruppel-like factor 4 expression level was also significantly related to the
      advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage and poor
      differentiation grade. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicates that locally advanced
      cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients with high Kruppel-like factor 4
      expression showed worse progression-free survival and overall survival.
      Univariate and multivariate Cox regression model analyses suggest that the high
      Kruppel-like factor 4 expression was one of the high-risk factors associated with
      poor prognosis in locally advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma patients
      after radiation therapy. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the high Kruppel
      like factor 4 expression can be used as a novel biomarker to predict radiation
      therapy resistance and poor prognosis for locally advanced cervical squamous cell
      carcinoma.

PMID- 28639906
TI  - Preoperative platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio is a valuable prognostic biomarker in
      patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing curative liver resection.
AB  - The Platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been reported to predict prognosis of
      patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study examined the prognostic
      potential of stratified PLR for HCC patients undergoing curative liver resection.
      Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for 778 HCC patients undergoing
      curative liver resection at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical
      University and the First People's Hospital of Changde between April 2010 and
      October 2013. Patients were stratified based on quintile analysis of their
      preoperative PLR, and patients in different quintiles were analyzed for overall
      survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) using Kaplan-Meier analysis.
      Independent predictors of death or recurrence were explored using multivariable
      Cox proportional hazard regression. Higher PLR quintiles were significantly
      associated with poorer overall survival (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed
      PLR to be an independent risk factor for OS (p = 0.003). Patients in PLR quintile
      5 had lower overall survival than in quintile 1 (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.780, 95%
      confidence interval (CI): 1.769-4.367, p < 0.001). Although patients in PLR
      quintile 5 had significantly lower disease-free survival (DFS) than in quintile 1
      (HR = 1.534, 95% CI: 1.112-2.117, p = 0.009), this association was not
      significant after multivariable adjustment (p = 0.220). Subgroup analysis also
      showed that PLR quintiles were significantly associated with poor OS in patients
      positive for HBsAg or with cirrhosis (both p < 0.001). Similar results were
      obtained when PLR was analyzed as a dichotomous variable with cut-off values of
      110 and 115. Elevated preoperative PLR may be independently associated with poor
      OS and DFS in HCC patients following curative resection.

PMID- 28639907
TI  - Ferrichrome identified from Lactobacillus casei ATCC334 induces apoptosis through
      its iron-binding site in gastric cancer cells.
AB  - Ferrichrome is known to be a siderophore, but it was recently identified as a
      tumor-suppressive molecule derived from Lactobacillus casei ATCC334 ( L. casei).
      In the present study, we investigated the effects of ferrichrome in gastric
      cancer cells. Cell lines and xenograft models treated with ferrichrome
      demonstrated growth suppression. The expression levels of cleaved poly (adenosine
      diphosphate-ribose) polymerase, and cleaved caspase-9 were increased by
      ferrichrome treatment. Although the tumor-suppressive effects of ferrichrome were
      almost completely diminished by the iron chelation, the reduction in the
      intracellular iron by ferrichrome did not correlate with its tumor-suppressive
      effects. An exhaustive docking simulation indicated that iron-free ferrichrome
      can make stable conformations with various mammalian molecules, including
      transporters and receptors. In conclusion, probiotic-derived ferrichrome induced
      apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. The iron binding site of ferrichrome is the
      structure responsible for its tumor suppressive function.

PMID- 28639908
TI  - Circular RNAs play an important role in late-stage gastric cancer: Circular RNA
      expression profiles and bioinformatics analyses.
AB  - Gastric cancer is one of the most common tumors of the digestive system. Here,
      analysis of the expression profiles of circular RNAs in advanced gastric
      adenocarcinoma and adjacent normal mucosa tissues revealed differential
      expression of 306 circular RNAs, among which 273 were predicted to exert
      regulatory effects on target microRNAs. The downstream pathway networks of
      circular RNA-microRNA were mapped and the node genes were identified. In
      particular, we found that the expression of hsa_circ_0058246 was elevated in
      tumor specimens of patients with poor clinical outcomes. Our collective findings
      indicate that circular RNAs play a critical role in gastric cancer tumorigenesis.
      Data from this study provide a new perspective on the molecular pathways
      underlying metastasis and recurrence of gastric cancer and highlight potential
      therapeutic targets that may contribute to more effective diagnosis and treatment
      of the disease.

PMID- 28639909
TI  - Silencing of NRAGE induces autophagy via AMPK/Ulk1/Atg13 signaling pathway in
      NSCLC cells.
AB  - NRAGE has been reported to be overexpressed in cancer cells, especially in lung
      cancer cells. To determine the role of NRAGE in non-small-cell lung cancer cells,
      we investigated the effects of NRAGE on autophagy in non-small-cell lung cancer
      cells. Human A549 and H1299 cells were transfected with NRAGE-specific small
      interfering RNA. The Cell Counting Kit-8 and plate clone assay showed that
      downregulation of NRAGE could induce the proliferation in A549 and H1299 cells.
      In addition, our data suggested that downregulation of NRAGE enhances
      autophagosome formation by immunofluorescence. We found that knockdown of NRAGE
      induced autophagy, together with downregulation of P62 and upregulation of LC3-II
      protein. Furthermore, to elucidate the mechanism of NRAGE in suppressing
      autophagy, the protein expressions of AMPK, Ulk1, and Atg13 were assessed.
      Collectively, these results demonstrate the effective anti-autophagic of NRAGE in
      non-small-cell lung cancer cells through AMPK/Ulk1/Atg13 autophagy signaling
      pathways. Therefore, NRAGE could be used as a potential therapeutic target for
      lung cancer.

PMID- 28639911
TI  - Individualized proximal margin correlates with outcomes in gastric cancers with
      radical gastrectomy.
AB  - The length of proximal margin for gastrectomy remains controversial. The proximal
      margin and its relationships with clinicopathological variables and overall
      survival of 922 gastric cancers were retrospectively analyzed. Proximal margin
      was divided into four groups (0-2.0, 2.1-4.0, 4.1-6.0, and >6.0 cm). It indicated
      that the overall survival was improved with the increase of proximal margin. The
      proximal margin of 2.1-4.0 cm was associated with a better overall survival for
      gastric cancers with solitary-type (T1 and T2 stages, N0 stage, tumor-node
      metastasis stages I and II, tumor size <5 cm, histological G1 and G2, and Bormann
      type I and II). Futhermore, proximal margin of 4.1-6.0 cm was associated with a
      better overall survival for gastric cancers with infiltrative-type (T3 and T4
      stages, N1 stage, tumor-node-metastasis stage III, tumor size ?5 cm, histological
      G3 and G4, and Bormann type III and IV). Univariate analysis revealed that T
      stage, N stage, tumor-node-metastasis stage, histological grade, Bormann type,
      carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 199, extent of gastrectomy, tumor
      location, and proximal margin were significantly associated with overall
      survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor-node-metastasis stage,
      histological grade, Bormann type, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen
      199, extent of gastrectomy, and proximal margin were independent prognostic
      factors for gastric cancers with radical gastrectomy. In conclusion, the proximal
      margin was an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer and should be
      decided individually. Proximal margin of 2.1-4.0 cm and 4.1-6.0 cm were needed
      for patients with solitary-type and infiltrative-type, respectively.

PMID- 28639910
TI  - Apatinib for metastatic breast cancer in non-clinical trial setting: Satisfying
      efficacy regardless of previous anti-angiogenic treatment.
AB  - Apatinib is a novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting vascular endothelial
      growth factor receptor 2. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of
      apatinib in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) under non-clinical trial setting, and
      to study the impact of previous antiangiogenic treatment to the efficacy of
      apatinib. 52 MBC patients treated with apatinib under non-clinical trial setting
      in Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between January 1st 2015 and October
      1st 2016 were included. All patients were included in time-to-treatment failure
      (TTF) analysis, while 45 patients were enrolled for progression-free survival
      (PFS) and overall survival (OS) analysis because 7 of the patients with treatment
      discontinuation due to intolerable toxicities had too short time for efficacy
      assessment. Impact of previous exposure to antiangiogenic treatment and other
      factors to patients' survival were analyzed by Log-rank analysis and Cox
      multivariate analysis. The median PFS, median OS, and median TTF were 4.90 (95%
      confidence interval [CI] 3.44 - 6.36), 10.3 (unable to calculate 95% CI), and
      3.93 (95% CI 1.96 - 5.90) months, respectively. Previous treatment of bevacizumab
      did not affect the efficacy of apatinib. Previous exposure to anthracycline, age
      of 60 years or older and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome were
      independent predictors for prolonged PFS. Discontinuation of treatment was more
      common in age group of 60 years or older than that in younger group, although the
      difference was not significant. Although toxicities were generally managable, a
      previously unrecorded grade 3~4 adverse event of dyspnea has been observed. This
      study confirmed the encouraging efficacy and manageable safety of apatinib on
      pretreated MBC patients in non-clinical trial setting. For the first time to our
      knowledge, this study found that previous treatment of bevacizumab did not affect
      the efficacy of apatinib, and reported an undocumented severe adverse effect of
      dyspnea.

PMID- 28639912
TI  - Increased circulating M2-like monocytes in patients with breast cancer.
AB  - M2-like tumor-associated macrophages promote breast tumor growth and survival and
      may migrate into the peripheral blood. However, the frequency of circulating M2
      like monocytes in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients has not been
      clarified. The objective of this study was to determine the percentages of
      circulating M2-like monocytes in patients with breast cancer. Immunofluorescence
      staining for CD68 and CD163 was performed to detect M2-like macrophages in
      pathological tissues. Flow cytometry was used to assess the frequencies of
      circulating CD14+CD163+/CD14+CD204+/CD14+CD163+CD204+ M2-like monocytes in 99
      breast cancer patients, 56 patients with benign breast disease, and 60 healthy
      controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to compare
      the diagnostic values of circulating M2-like monocytes, carcinoembryonic antigen,
      and cancer antigen 15-3. The associations among circulating M2-like monocytes and
      clinical breast cancer parameters were analyzed. The number of CD68+CD163+ M2
      like macrophages was significantly higher in breast cancer tissues than in benign
      tissues. In the peripheral blood, CD14+CD163+/CD14+CD204+/CD14+CD163+CD204+ M2
      like monocytes were elevated in breast cancer patients compared with normal
      controls and patients with benign breast disease. The area under the receiver
      operating curve for circulating CD14+CD163+CD204+ M2-like monocytes was 0.888
      (95% confidence interval: 0.839-0.936), a value higher than those for
      carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen 15-3. High frequencies of circulating
      CD14+CD204+ and CD14+CD163+CD204+ M2-like monocytes were associated with tumor
      node-metastasis stage, lymph node metastasis, histological differentiation, and
      estrogen receptor expression. Circulating M2-like monocytes may serve as a
      diagnostic biomarker in breast cancer and have a potential role in reflecting
      breast cancer progression.

PMID- 28639914
TI  - Long non-coding RNA urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 as a tumor biomarker for
      the diagnosis of urinary bladder cancer.
AB  - To investigate the diagnostic value of urothelial carcinoma-associated 1 as a
      urine biomarker in urinary bladder cancer patients by performing a comprehensive
      meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search was conducted by the databases
      PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China Knowledge Resource Integrated, and Web of
      Science. The quality of eligible studies was scored with the Quality Assessment
      of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies. The bivariate meta-analysis model was used to
      pool the sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio, and diagnostic odds ratio.
      Receiver operating characteristic curves and hierarchical summary receiver
      operating characteristic models were employed to check the overall test
      performance in this meta-analysis. Seven publications involving 678 patients and
      563 controls were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity was 0.84
      (95% confidence interval: 0.80-0.88), specificity was 0.87 (95% confidence
      interval: 0.75-0.94), positive likelihood ratio was 6.5 (95% confidence interval:
      3.10-13.62), negative likelihood ratio was 0.18 (95% confidence interval: 0.13
      0.25), and diagnostic odds ratio was 36 (95% confidence interval: 13-99). The
      area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.89 (95%
      confidence interval: 0.86-0.91). Our results indicated that urothelial carcinoma
      associated 1 was a potential diagnostic biomarker with good specificity and
      sensitivity in urinary bladder cancer. Further prospective studies with larger
      cohorts are necessary to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of urothelial carcinoma
      associated 1 for urinary bladder cancer.

PMID- 28639913
TI  - Novel roles of folic acid as redox regulator: Modulation of reactive oxygen
      species sinker protein expression and maintenance of mitochondrial redox
      homeostasis on hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - We provide herein several lines of evidence to substantiate that folic acid (or
      folate) is a micronutrient capable of functioning as a novel redox regulator on
      hepatocellular carcinoma. First, we uncovered that folate deficiency could
      profoundly downregulate two prominent anti-apoptotic effectors including survivin
      and glucose-regulated protein-78. Silencing of either survivin or glucose
      regulated protein-78 via small interfering RNA interfering technique established
      that both effectors could serve as reactive oxygen species sinker proteins.
      Second, folate deficiency-triggered oxidative-nitrosative stress could strongly
      induce endoplasmic reticulum stress that in turn could provoke cellular
      glutathione depletion through the modulation of the following two crucial events:
      (1) folate deficiency could strongly inhibit Bcl-2 expression leading to severe
      suppression of the mitochondrial glutathione pool and (2) folate deficiency could
      also profoundly inhibit two key enzymes that governing cellular glutathione redox
      regulation including gamma-glutamylcysteinyl synthetase heavy chain, a catalytic
      enzyme for glutathione biosynthesis, and mitochondrial isocitrate dehydrogenase
      2, an enzyme responsible for providing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
      phosphate necessary for regenerating oxidized glutathione disulfide back to
      glutathione via mitochondrial glutathione reductase. Collectively, we add to the
      literature new data to strengthen the notion that folate is an essential
      micronutrient that confers a novel role to combat reactive oxygen species insults
      and thus serves as a redox regulator via upregulating reactive oxygen species
      sinker proteins and averting mitochondrial glutathione depletion through proper
      maintenance of redox homeostasis via positively regulating glutathione
      biosynthesis, glutathione transporting system, and mitochondrial glutathione
      recycling process.

PMID- 28639915
TI  - High expression of TIG3 predicts poor survival in patients with primary
      glioblastoma.
AB  - TIG3 (tazarotene-induced gene 3) has been reported to suppress the progression of
      several malignancies, where this gene is universally downregulated. However, the
      expression of TIG3 in primary glioblastoma and its relevance to patient's
      prognosis have not been elaborated. Thus, this study was aimed to evaluate TIG3
      expression level in primary glioblastoma and investigate the prognostic value of
      TIG3 for patients. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was first utilized to analyze
      the expression and prognostic potential of TIG3 in 528 glioblastoma cases.
      Compared with control group, glioblastoma showed significantly elevated TIG3
      expression (p < 0.001). Log-rank analysis revealed that higher expression of TIG3
      was associated with shorter overall survival (358vs 383 days, p = 0.039).
      Furthermore, TIG3 protein expression detected by immunohistochemistry confirmed
      positive correlation of TIG3 expression and glioma grade and upregulation of TIG3
      in our cohort of 101 primary glioblastoma patients compared to 16 normal brains.
      Finally, Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis identified high TIG3
      expression as an independent risk factor for overall survival of primary
      glioblastoma patients (overall survival, 10 vs 13 months, p = 0.033; hazard ratio
      = 1.542, p = 0.046). Together, this study indicated that increased expression of
      TIG3 in primary glioblastoma is a novel biomarker for predicting poor outcome of
      patients. We then hypothesize that TIG3 may function in a different pattern in
      glioblastoma.

PMID- 28639916
TI  - Benefits of Long Versus Short Thrombolysis Times for Acutely Thrombosed
      Hemodialysis Native Fistulas.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Local thrombolysis with a time of exposure to recombinant tissue
      plasminogen activator of 15 to 150 minutes is commonly used to declot acutely
      thrombosed hemodialysis fistulas. The duration of thrombolysis for the
      restoration of arteriovenous blood flow remains controversial. The aim of this
      study was to investigate the outcomes of long thrombolysis treatment (LTT, 3
      hours or more) and short thrombolysis treatment (STT, less than 3 hours) in our
      institution. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 86 interventional declotting
      procedures (28 STT and 58 LTT) applied to 86 acutely thrombosed hemodialysis
      fistulas. The intervention time (IT) following thrombolysis (from the initial
      fistulography to the end of the angioplasty maneuvers), the time of day of the
      intervention (ie, during working hours vs off-hours), and the need for temporary
      catheter placement (TCP) were assessed. Success was defined as complete access
      recanalization, and major adverse events were defined as ischemia, bleeding, and
      access rupture. RESULTS: The ITs were reduced after LTT (63.3 [9.3] minutes)
      compared to STT (106.7 [24.7], P = .01), but there was no difference in success
      rate (85.7% STT, 89.7% LTT, P = .722). While all (100%, 58/58) of the angioplasty
      maneuvers after LTT were performed during regular working hours, 75% (21/28) of
      those following STT were managed during off-hours ( P < .001). Despite the longer
      treatment, the need for TCP was not increased after LTT (10.7%) compared to STT
      (12.1%, P = .515), and the major complication rate was reduced (3.4% after LTT
      and 28.6% after STT, P = .004). CONCLUSION: Long thrombolysis treatment results
      in shorter and less complicated percutaneous stenosis treatments during regular
      working hours. Despite the LTT of up to 25 hours until access for dialysis was
      achieved, no increase in the risks of TCP or major adverse events were observed
      following LTT.

PMID- 28639917
TI  - Concomitant Staple Aneurysmorrhaphy and Flow-Calibrated Arteriovenous Fistula
      Banding Over a Coronary Dilator to Treat Hand Steal Syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: True venous aneurysm formation can occur in patients with
      arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) for hemodialysis but association with steal
      syndrome is uncommon. METHODS: To describe a case of a patient on chronic
      hemodialysis through a right brachiocephalic fistula, who presents with
      associated steal syndrome and true arteriovenous access aneurysm. RESULTS: A 34
      year-old female with true AVF aneurysm presented with hand steal syndrome
      confirmed by noninvasive studies. The patient underwent a successful vein
      aneurysmorrhaphy with a commercially available stapler device and duplex
      ultrasound flow-calibrated banding. At 1-year follow-up, she remains pain free
      and the fistula remains functional with no recurrence of venous aneurysmal
      degeneration. CONCLUSION: The use of a commercially available surgical stapler
      devices along with flow-calibrated banding guided by duplex ultrasound over a
      coronary dilator during the same operation is an elegant, efficacious, and a
      durable alternative for patients with hand steal syndrome and concomitant AVF
      aneurysms.

PMID- 28639918
TI  - Midterm Analysis of Survival and Cause of Death Following Endovascular Abdominal
      Aortic Aneurysm Repair.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess rates of complications, secondary interventions, survival, and
      cause of death following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair over
      a 10-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-institution retrospective cohort
      study of all patients undergoing primary endovascular aortic aneurysm repair
      (EVAR) between July 2006 and June 2015. The population constituted 175 patients
      with 163 fusiform and 12 saccular AAAs. Of these, 149 (85%) were male, with mean
      age 75.4 (+/-7.1) years. Patients were followed up until June 30, 2016. Cause of
      death was determined from the national death register. RESULTS: Mean follow-up
      was 34.4 (+/-24.4) months. The secondary intervention rate was 9.7%, and there
      were 4 aneurysm ruptures (0.8% annual incidence). Thirty-day mortality was 0.6%.
      Survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 93.1%, 84%, and 64.9%, respectively. Forty
      eight patients died during follow-up, 3 secondary to rupture, leading to overall
      and aneurysm-related death rates of 9.7 and 0.6 per 100 person-years. All other
      deaths were due to nonaneurysm causes, most commonly cardiovascular (n = 15),
      pulmonary (n = 13), and malignancy (n = 9). Baseline renal impairment ( P <
      .001), ischemic heart disease ( P < .05), age greater than 75 years ( P < .05),
      and urgent/emergency EVAR were associated with inferior long-term survival. Type
      II endoleak negatively influenced fusiform aneurysm sac regression ( P = .02),
      but there was no association between survival and occurrence of any complication
      or secondary intervention. CONCLUSION: The majority of deaths during medium-term
      follow-up post-EVAR are due to nonaneurysm-related causes. Survival is determined
      by the following baseline factors: renal impairment, ischemic heart disease,
      advanced age, and the presence of a symptomatic/ruptured aneurysm.

PMID- 28639919
TI  - Failure of Silicone Catheter Lines: Where, When, and Why.

PMID- 28639920
TI  - Burnout: Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Radiology Residents in New
      England With Comparison Against United States Resident Physicians in Other
      Specialties.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to establish burnout prevalence,
      associated demographic and program-related factors, and degree of burnout in New
      England radiology residents relative to residents in other specialties. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: A 31-item survey, including nine demographic and program-related
      questions and the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey, was
      sent to all resident members of the New England Roentgen Ray Society (20
      programs, 472 residents). Emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and
      personal accomplishment (PA) scores were calculated and stratified using
      published normative data. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to
      identify burnout predictors. Chi-square testing with Bonferroni correction was
      performed to confirm predictors associated with high burnout. The EE, DP, and PA
      scores were compared with the results of residents from other specialties.
      RESULTS: There were 94 responses. High EE, high DP, and low PA scores were
      reported by 37%, 48%, and 50% of respondents, respectively. EE, DP, and PA scores
      and rates were low relative to those reported across specialties. Increasing
      residency year correlated with high EE (p = 0.002) and high DP (p < 0.001). No
      other factor significantly correlated with burnout. CONCLUSION: A high degree of
      burnout, increasing over the postgraduate years, was present in more than one
      third of responding radiology residents but was present in a smaller percentage
      relative to residents across other specialties. Radiology residents score
      relatively poorly in PA and therefore addressing PA may be central to improving
      burnout symptoms overall.

PMID- 28639921
TI  - Multisystem Imaging Findings of Cystic Fibrosis in Adults: Recognizing Typical
      and Atypical Patterns of Disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is an expanding and increasingly heterogeneous population of
      adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Although CF is usually diagnosed in
      children with progressive multisystem involvement, up to 7% of CF cases are
      currently diagnosed de novo in adults with subtle manifestations distinct from
      the typical features of classic CF. The purpose of this article is to present the
      wide spectrum of CF in adults, including both classic and nonclassic variants,
      with an emphasis on the nonclassic imaging findings. CONCLUSION: Recurrent
      pancreatitis, chronic sinusitis, and congenital bilateral absence of the vas
      deferens (CBAVD) are several of the ways in which CF is identified in adult
      patients with relatively rare mutations and with overall milder manifestations.
      It is important for radiologists to recognize the wide spectrum of CF to
      optimally monitor disease progression and response to therapeutic interventions
      in distinct adult patient populations.

PMID- 28639922
TI  - Use of Unenhanced MR Lymphography to Characterize Lung Lymphatic Diseases.

PMID- 28639923
TI  - Reply to "Use of Unenhanced MR Lymphography to Characterize Lung Lymphatic
      Diseases".

PMID- 28639924
TI  - Cushing Syndrome: Diagnostic Workup and Imaging Features, With Clinical and
      Pathologic Correlation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Cushing syndrome (CS) is a constellation of clinical signs and
      symptoms resulting from chronic exposure to excess cortisol, either exogenous or
      endogenous. Exogenous CS is most commonly caused by administration of
      glucocorticoids. Endogenous CS is subdivided into two types: adrenocorticotropic
      hormone (ACTH) dependent and ACTH independent. CONCLUSION: Cushing disease, which
      is caused by a pituitary adenoma, is the most common cause of ACTH-dependent CS
      for which pituitary MRI can be diagnostic, with bilateral inferior petrosal sinus
      sampling useful in equivocal cases. In ectopic ACTH production, which is usually
      caused by a tumor in the thorax (e.g., small cell lung carcinoma, bronchial and
      thymic carcinoids, or medullary thyroid carcinoma) or abdomen (e.g.,
      gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors or pheochromocytoma), CT, MRI, and
      nuclear medicine tests are used for localizing the source of ACTH. In ACTH
      independent CS, which is caused by various adrenal abnormalities, adrenal
      protocol CT or MRI is usually diagnostic.

PMID- 28639925
TI  - Causes of Avascular Hypoechoic Testicular Lesions Detected at Scrotal Ultrasound:
      Can They Be Considered Benign?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to determine the cause of avascular
      hypoechoic lesions detected at scrotal ultrasound and to assess usefulness of
      sonographic and clinical features in differentiating benign from malignant
      etiologic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 58
      patients with avascular hypoechoic lesions detected at testicular ultrasound. The
      sonographic features recorded were lesion size and margins and presence of
      peripheral vascularity and focal calcifications. Also recorded were patient age,
      symptoms, risk factors, lesion palpability, and levels of serum tumor markers.
      The reference standard was pathologic results or at least 2-year stability
      documented with serial follow-up ultrasound studies. Features associated with
      malignant, including burnt-out, lesions and benign lesions were examined by
      Fisher exact test, Wilcox-on rank sum test, and the generalized estimating
      equations method for multivariable models. RESULTS: Sixty-three lesions were
      identified in 58 patients; 40 of the 63 (63.5%) were benign. Patients with
      malignant lesions had elevated serum tumor marker levels more often than patients
      who had benign lesions (26.1% versus 5.7%, p = 0.043). The clinical palpability
      of lesions and history of testicular cancer were not statistically significantly
      different between patients with malignant and those with benign lesions. Poorly
      defined margins of a lesion and focal calcification within the lesion were more
      often found in malignant lesions. Maximal size of a lesion and peripheral
      vascularity were not associated with either the benign or the malignant nature of
      a lesion. CONCLUSION: Although most avascular hypoechoic testicular lesions are
      benign, a substantial proportion are malignant. The ultrasound characteristics of
      a lesion, the patient's clinical presentation, and serum tumor marker status may
      be useful in differentiating malignant from benign lesions.

PMID- 28639926
TI  - Medicolegal-Malpractice and Ethical Issues in RadiologyShould CT and MRI Scout
      Images Be Interpreted?

PMID- 28639927
TI  - Carotid Artery Plaque Vulnerability Assessment Using Noninvasive Ultrasound
      Elastography: Validation With MRI.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Vulnerable and nonvulnerable carotid artery plaques have different
      tissue morphology and composition that may affect plaque biomechanics. The
      objective of this study is to evaluate plaque vulnerability with the use of
      ultrasound noninvasive vascular elastography (NIVE). MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Thirty-one patients (mean [+/- SD] age, 69 +/- 7 years) with stenosis of the
      internal carotid artery of 50% or greater were enrolled in this cross-sectional
      study. Elastography parameters quantifying axial strain, shear strain, and
      translation motion were used to characterize carotid artery plaques as
      nonvulnerable, neovascularized, and vulnerable. Maximum axial strain, cumulated
      axial strain, mean shear strain, cumulated shear strain, cumulated axial
      translation, and cumulated lateral translations were measured. Cumulated
      measurements were summed over a cardiac cycle. The ratio of cumulated axial
      strain to cumulated axial translation was also evaluated. The reference method
      used to characterize plaques was high-resolution MRI. RESULTS: According to MRI,
      seven plaques were vulnerable, 12 were nonvulnerable without neovascularity, and
      12 were nonvulnerable with neovascularity (a precursor of vulnerability). The two
      parameters cumulated axial translation and the ratio of cumulated axial strain to
      cumulated axial translation could discriminate between nonvulnerable plaques and
      vulnerable plaques or determine the presence of neovascularity in nonvulnerable
      plaques (which was also possible with the mean shear strain parameter). All
      parameters differed between the non-vulnerable plaque group and the group that
      combined vulnerable plaques and plaques with neovascularity. The most
      discriminating parameter for the detection of vulnerable neovascularized plaques
      was the ratio of cumulated axial strain to cumulated axial translation (expressed
      as percentage per millimeter) (mean ratio, 39.30%/mm +/- 12.80%/mm for
      nonvulnerable plaques without neovascularity vs 63.79%/mm +/- 17.59%/mm for
      vulnerable plaques and nonvulnerable plaques with neovascularity, p = 0.002),
      giving an AUC value of 0.886. CONCLUSION: The imaging parameters cumulated axial
      translation and the ratio of cumulated axial strain to cumulated axial
      translation, as computed using NIVE, were able to discriminate vulnerable carotid
      artery plaques characterized by MRI from nonvulnerable carotid artery plaques.
      Consideration of neovascularized plaques improved the performance of NIVE. NIVE
      may be a valuable alternative to MRI for carotid artery plaque assessment.

PMID- 28639928
TI  - Peer Review: Is the Process Broken?

PMID- 28639929
TI  - Successful use of sequential B-cell depletion therapy in lupus.

PMID- 28639930
TI  - Bradyrhizobium mercantei sp. nov., a nitrogen-fixing symbiont isolated from
      nodules of Deguelia costata (syn. Lonchocarpus costatus).
AB  - Some bacteria collectively known as rhizobia can establish symbiotic
      relationships and the N2-fixation process with several legumes used as green
      manure, in pastures and for wood production. Symbionts belonging to the genus
      Bradyrhizobium are predominant in the tropics, and an increasing number of
      studies report high genetic diversity within the genus. We performed a polyphasic
      study with two strains belonging to the genus Bradyrhizobium- SEMIA 6399T and
      SEMIA 6404-isolated from root nodules of Deguelia costata (syn. Lonchocarpus
      costatus), an important legume native to eastern Brazil. In general, sequences of
      the 16S rRNA gene were highly conserved in members of the genus Bradyrhizobium,
      and the two strains were positioned in the Bradyrhizobiumelkanii superclade,
      sharing 100 % nucleotide identity with Bradyrhizobiumembrapense,
      Bradyrhizobiumerythrophlei and Bradyrhizobiumviridifuturi. However, multilocus
      sequence analysis with four housekeeping genes (dnaK, glnII, gyrB and recA)
      confirmed that the two strains belong to a distinct clade, sharing from 87.7 to
      96.1 % nucleotide identity with related species of the genus Bradyrhizobium,
      being most closely related to B. viridifuturi. Average nucleotide identity of
      genome sequences between SEMIA 6399T and related species was lower than 92 %,
      below the threshold of species circumscription. nifH phylogeny clustered the
      SEMIA strains in a clade separated from other species of the genus
      Bradyrhizobium, and the nodD phylogeny revealed that SEMIA 6399T presents a more
      divergent sequence. Other phenotypic and genotypic traits were determined for the
      new group, and our data support the description of the SEMIA strains as
      representatives of Bradyrhizobium mercantei sp. nov.; SEMIA 6399T (=CNPSo
      1165T=BR 6010T=U675T=LMG 30031T) was chosen as the type strain.

PMID- 28639931
TI  - ContEst16S: an algorithm that identifies contaminated prokaryotic genomes using
      16S RNA gene sequences.
AB  - Thanks to the recent advancement of DNA sequencing technology, the cost and time
      of prokaryotic genome sequencing have been dramatically decreased. It has
      repeatedly been reported that genome sequencing using high-throughput next
      generation sequencing is prone to contaminations due to its high depth of
      sequencing coverage. Although a few bioinformatics tools are available to detect
      potential contaminations, these have inherited limitations as they only use
      protein-coding genes. Here we introduce a new algorithm, called ContEst16S, to
      detect potential contaminations using 16S rRNA genes from genome assemblies. We
      screened 69 745 prokaryotic genomes from the NCBI Assembly Database using
      ContEst16S and found that 594 were contaminated by bacteria, human and plants. Of
      the predicted contaminated genomes, 8 % were not predicted by the existing
      protein-coding gene-based tool, implying that both methods can be complementary
      in the detection of contaminations. A web-based service of the algorithm is
      available at www.ezbiocloud.net/tools/contest16s.

PMID- 28639932
TI  - Staphylococcus epidermidis lipoteichoic acid: exocellular release and ltaS gene
      expression in clinical and commensal isolates.
AB  - PURPOSE: Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC12228 lipoteichoic acid (LTA) inhibits
      TNFalpha production from keratinocytes that are activated with poly I:C. However,
      this effect has not been proven in clinical or commensal isolates. METHODOLOGY:
      The <10 kDa fractions of S. epidermidis isolates from ocular infections (n=56),
      healthy skin (n=35) and healthy conjunctiva (n=32) were obtained. TNFalpha
      production was determined by elisa in HaCaT keratinocytes stimulated with poly
      I:C and with the <10 kDa fractions. LTA in the cytoplasmic membrane and in the
      <10 kDa fractions of the isolates was determined during bacterial growth by flow
      cytometry, Western blot and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The
      expression levels of ugtP, ltaA and ltaS were evaluated. RESULTS: Two populations
      of isolates were found: a population that inhibited TNFalpha production (TNFalpha
      inhibitor isolates) and a population that did not inhibit it (TNFalpha non
      inhibitor isolates). The cells from the TNFalpha-inhibitor isolates had less LTA
      in the cytoplasmic membrane compared to the cells from the TNFalpha non-inhibitor
      isolates (P<0.05). Similarly, LTA was detected in the supernatants of TNFalpha
      inhibitor isolates, and it was absent in TNFalpha non-inhibitor isolates. High
      expression levels of the ugtP and ltaA genes in the 1850I (TNFalpha-inhibitor
      isolate) and 37HS (TNFalpha non-inhibitor isolate) isolates were found during
      bacterial growth. However, the ltaS gene had a low expression level (P<0.05) in
      the 37HS isolate. CONCLUSION: The TNFalpha-inhibitor isolates release LTA due to
      high expression of the LTA synthesis genes. By contrast, TNFalpha non-inhibitor
      isolates do not release LTA due to low expression level of the ltaS gene.

PMID- 28639933
TI  - Saccharomyces jurei sp. nov., isolation and genetic identification of a novel
      yeast species from Quercus robur.
AB  - Two strains, D5088T and D5095, representing a novel yeast species belonging to
      the genus Saccharomyces were isolated from oak tree bark and surrounding soil
      located at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level in Saint Auban, France. Sequence
      analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 26S rRNA D1/D2
      domains indicated that the two strains were most closely related to Saccharomyces
      mikatae and Saccharomyces paradoxus. Genetic hybridization analyses showed that
      both strains are reproductively isolated from all other Saccharomyces species
      and, therefore, represent a distinct biological species. The species name
      Saccharomyces jurei sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate these two strains, with
      D5088T (=CBS 14759T=NCYC 3947T) designated as the type strain.

PMID- 28639934
TI  - First description of methyltransferases in extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella
      pneumoniae isolates from Saudi Arabia.
AB  - PURPOSE: The resistance determinants for carbapenems, fluoroquinolones and
      aminoglycosides were characterized in 16 extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella
      pneumoniae (XDRKPN) strains collected from Saudi hospitals during 2014.
      METHODOLOGY: PCR and sequencing were used to detect: blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM,
      blaIMP-1,blaOXA-48, blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV and ampC for beta-lactam resistance;
      qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, aac(6')-Ib-cr, qepA and mutations of gyrA and parC for
      fluoroquinolone resistance; and aacA4, aacC2, aadA1, aphA6, armA and rmtB for
      aminoglycoside resistance. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus
      sequence-based PCR was performed to detect the clonal relatedness. RESULTS: All
      isolates encoded blaCTX-M, aacC2 and aphA6, together with mutations in gyrA and
      parC. blaOXA-48, blaNDM-1, aadA1, aacA4, qnrB, aac(6')-Ib-cr, armA and/or rmtB
      were detected in different strains. At least 93.2 % clonal relatedness was
      detected among these strains. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first
      report describing XDRKPN encoding at least seven resistance determinants and
      harbouring methyltransferases in Saudi Arabia.

PMID- 28639935
TI  - Neuroimaging tests for clinical psychiatry: Are we there yet?

PMID- 28639936
TI  - Recognition and management of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

PMID- 28639937
TI  - A multicentre randomiSed controlled TRial of IntraVEnous immunoglobulin compared
      with standard therapy for the treatment of transverse myelitis in adults and
      children (STRIVE).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transverse myelitis (TM) is an immune-mediated disorder of the spinal
      cord that affects adults and children and that causes motor, sensory and
      autonomic dysfunction. There is a prolonged recovery phase, which may continue
      for many years. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an uncommon relapsing inflammatory
      central nervous system condition in which TM can be the first presenting symptom.
      As TM and NMO affect many patients in the prime of their working life, the
      disorder can impose a significant demand on health resources. There are currently
      no robust controlled trials in children or adults to inform the optimal treatment
      of TM. However, treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is being
      effectively used in the management of a range of neurological conditions.
      Although other interventions such as plasma exchange (PLEX) in addition to
      intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone therapy can be beneficial in TM, PLEX is
      costly and technically challenging to deliver in the acute setting. IVIG is more
      readily accessible and less costly. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether additional and
      early treatment with IVIG is of extra benefit in TM compared with standard
      therapy with IV steroids. DESIGN: A multicentre, single-blind, parallel-group
      randomised controlled trial of IVIG compared with standard therapy for the
      treatment of TM in adults and children. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged >= 1 year
      diagnosed with either acute first-onset TM or first presentation of NMO. Target
      recruitment was 170 participants (85 participants per arm). INTERVENTIONS:
      Participants were randomised 1 : 1 to treatment with IV methylprednisolone only
      or treatment with IV methylprednisolone plus 2 g/kg of IVIG in divided doses
      within 5 days of the first commencement of steroid therapy. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Primary outcome measure - American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)
      Impairment Scale at 6 months post randomisation, with a good outcome defined by a
      two-grade change. Secondary and tertiary outcome measures - ASIA motor and
      sensory scales, Expanded Disability Status Scale, health outcome, quality of
      life, Client Service Receipt Inventory and International Spinal Cord Injury Pain,
      Bladder and Bowel Basic Data Sets. RESULTS: In total, 26 participants were
      screened and two were randomised into the study. With the limited sample size,
      treatment effect could not be determined. However, we identified barriers to
      accrual that included strict inclusion criteria, the short enrolment window,
      challenges associated with the use of the ASIA Impairment Scale as an outcome
      measure and estimation of the incidence of TM. CONCLUSIONS: The study did not
      reach the end point and the effect of IVIG in TM/NMO could not be determined.
      Investigators should be aware of the potential challenges associated with
      carrying out a rare disease trial with a short enrolment window. The study
      question is one that still necessitates investigation. Preliminary work to
      ameliorate the effect of the barriers encountered in this study is vital. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: EudraCT 2014-002335-34, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02398994 and Current
      Controlled Trials ISRCTN12127581. FUNDING: This project was funded by the NIHR
      Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health
      Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 31. See the NIHR Journals Library website for
      further project information. Funding was also received from Biotest AG, Germany
      (supply of IVIG) and the Transverse Myelitis Society (excess research cost to
      facilitate study initiation).

PMID- 28639939
TI  - Model for a novel membrane envelope in a filamentous hyperthermophilic virus.
AB  - Biological membranes create compartments, and are usually formed by lipid
      bilayers. However, in hyperthermophilic archaea that live optimally at
      temperatures above 80 degrees C the membranes are monolayers which resemble fused
      bilayers. Many double-stranded DNA viruses which parasitize such hosts, including
      the filamentous virus AFV1 of Acidianus hospitalis, are enveloped with a lipid
      containing membrane. Using cryo-EM, we show that the membrane in AFV1 is a ~2 nm
      thick monolayer, approximately half the expected membrane thickness, formed by
      host membrane-derived lipids which adopt a U-shaped 'horseshoe' conformation. We
      hypothesize that this unusual viral envelope structure results from the extreme
      curvature of the viral capsid, as 'horseshoe' lipid conformations favor such
      curvature and host membrane lipids that permit horseshoe conformations are
      selectively recruited into the viral envelope. The unusual envelope found in AFV1
      also has many implications for biotechnology, since this membrane can survive the
      most aggressive conditions involving extremes of temperature and pH.

PMID- 28639938
TI  - Pilot study of large-scale production of mutant pigs by ENU mutagenesis.
AB  - N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis is a powerful tool to generate mutants on
      a large scale efficiently, and to discover genes with novel functions at the
      whole-genome level in Caenorhabditis elegans, flies, zebrafish and mice, but it
      has never been tried in large model animals. We describe a successful systematic
      three-generation ENU mutagenesis screening in pigs with the establishment of the
      Chinese Swine Mutagenesis Consortium. A total of 6,770 G1 and 6,800 G3 pigs were
      screened, 36 dominant and 91 recessive novel pig families with various phenotypes
      were established. The causative mutations in 10 mutant families were further
      mapped. As examples, the mutation of SOX10 (R109W) in pig causes inner ear
      malfunctions and mimics human Mondini dysplasia, and upregulated expression of
      FBXO32 is associated with congenital splay legs. This study demonstrates the
      feasibility of artificial random mutagenesis in pigs and opens an avenue for
      generating a reservoir of mutants for agricultural production and biomedical
      research.

PMID- 28639941
TI  - Promoting international collaboration and creativity in doctoral students.
AB  - Staff from the Mayo Clinic in the US and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden
      describe a joint transatlantic course intended to broaden the horizons of the
      next generation of researchers in the field of regenerative medicine.

PMID- 28639942
TI  - Commissioning of the tongue-and-groove modelling in treatment planning systems:
      from static fields to VMAT treatments.
AB  - Adequate modelling of the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) by treatment planning
      systems (TPS) is essential for accurate dose calculations in intensity-modulated
      radiation-therapy. For this reason modern TPSs incorporate MLC characteristics
      such as the leaf end curvature, MLC transmission and the tongue-and-groove.
      However, the modelling of the tongue-and-groove is often neglected during TPS
      commissioning and it is not known how accurate it is. This study evaluates the
      dosimetric consequences of the tongue-and-groove effect for two different MLC
      models using both film dosimetry and ionisation chambers. A set of comprehensive
      tests are presented that evaluate the ability of TPSs to accurately model this
      effect in (a) static fields, (b) sliding window beams and (c) VMAT arcs. The
      tests proposed are useful for the commissioning of TPSs and for the validation of
      major upgrades. With the ECLIPSE TPS, relevant differences were found between
      calculations and measurements for beams with dynamic MLCs in the presence of the
      TG effect, especially for the High Definition MLC, small gap sizes and the 1 mm
      calculation grid. For this combination, dose differences as high as 10% and 7%
      were obtained for dynamic MLC gaps of 5 mm and 10 mm, respectively. These
      differences indicate inadequate modelling of the tongue-and-groove effect, which
      might not be identified without the proposed tests. In particular, the TPS tended
      to underestimate the calculated dose, which may require tuning of other
      configuration parameters in the TPS (such as the dosimetric leaf gap) in order to
      maximise the agreement between calculations and measurements in clinical plans.
      In conclusion, a need for better modelling of the MLC by TPSs is demonstrated,
      one of the relevant aspects being the tongue-and-groove effect. This would
      improve the accuracy of TPS calculations, especially for plans using small MLC
      gaps, such as plans with small target volumes or high complexities. Improved
      modelling of the MLC would also reduce the need for tuning parameters in the TPS,
      facilitating a more comprehensive configuration and commissioning of TPSs.

PMID- 28639940
TI  - Genetic specification of left-right asymmetry in the diaphragm muscles and their
      motor innervation.
AB  - The diaphragm muscle is essential for breathing in mammals. Its asymmetric
      elevation during contraction correlates with morphological features suggestive of
      inherent left-right (L/R) asymmetry. Whether this asymmetry is due to L versus R
      differences in the muscle or in the phrenic nerve activity is unknown. Here, we
      have combined the analysis of genetically modified mouse models with
      transcriptomic analysis to show that both the diaphragm muscle and phrenic nerves
      have asymmetries, which can be established independently of each other during
      early embryogenesis in pathway instructed by Nodal, a morphogen that also conveys
      asymmetry in other organs. We further found that phrenic motoneurons receive an
      early L/R genetic imprint, with L versus R differences both in Slit/Robo
      signaling and MMP2 activity and in the contribution of both pathways to establish
      phrenic nerve asymmetry. Our study therefore demonstrates L-R imprinting of
      spinal motoneurons and describes how L/R modulation of axon guidance signaling
      helps to match neural circuit formation to organ asymmetry.

PMID- 28639943
TI  - A bioprintable form of chitosan hydrogel for bone tissue engineering.
AB  - Bioprinting can be defined as 3D patterning of living cells and other biologics
      by filling and assembling them using a computer-aided layer-by-layer deposition
      approach to fabricate living tissue and organ analogs for tissue engineering. The
      presence of cells within the ink to use a 'bio-ink' presents the potential to
      print 3D structures that can be implanted or printed into damaged/diseased bone
      tissue to promote highly controlled cell-based regeneration and remineralization
      of bone. In this study, it was shown for the first time that chitosan solution
      and its composite with nanostructured bone-like hydroxyapatite (HA) can be mixed
      with cells and printed successfully. MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cell laden chitosan
      and chitosan-HA hydrogels, which were printed with the use of an extruder-based
      bioprinter, were characterized by comparing these hydrogels to alginate and
      alginate-HA hydrogels. Rheological analysis showed that all groups had
      viscoelastic properties. It was also shown that under simulated physiological
      conditions, chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels were stable. Also, the viscosity
      values of the bio-solutions were in an applicable range to be used in 3D bio
      printers. Cell viability and proliferation analyses documented that after
      printing with bio-solutions, cells continued to be viable in all groups. It was
      observed that cells printed within chitosan-HA composite hydrogel had peak
      expression levels for early and late stages osteogenic markers. It was concluded
      that cells within chitosan and chitosan-HA hydrogels had mineralized and
      differentiated osteogenically after 21 days of culture. It was also discovered
      that chitosan is superior to alginate, which is the most widely used solution
      preferred in bioprinting systems, in terms of cell proliferation and
      differentiation. Thus, applicability and printability of chitosan as a bio
      printing solution were clearly demonstrated. Furthermore, it was proven that the
      presence of bone-like nanostructured HA in alginate and chitosan hydrogels
      improved cell viability, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation.

PMID- 28639945
TI  - Pulmonary arterial hemodynamic assessment by a novel index in systemic lupus
      erythematosus patients: pulmonary pulse transit time.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, inflammatory, and
      autoimmune connective tissue disease. One of the leading causes of mortality
      among SLE patients is pulmonary hypertension. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the association between echocardiographic findings, including the
      pulmonary pulse transit time and pulmonary hypertension parameters, in SLE
      patients. METHODS: Thirty SLE patients (aged 39.9+/-11 years, 28 females) as the
      study group and 34 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (aged 37.9+/-11.5
      years, 31 females) as the control group were included in the study. After
      detailed medical histories were recorded, 12-lead electrocardiography, blood
      tests, and echocardiography were performed in the groups. In addition to basic
      echocardiographic measurements, other specialized right ventricular indicators
      [i.e, Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE), estimated pulmonary
      artery systolic pressure (ePASP), right ventricular dimensions, and myocardial
      performance index (MPI)] were measured. The pulmonary pulse transit time was
      defined as the time interval between the R-wave peak in ECG and the corresponding
      peak late-systolic pulmonary vein flow velocity. RESULTS: The mean disease
      duration was 121.1+/-49.9 months. The mean age at diagnosis was 35.0+/-15.4
      years. The mean RV MPI was higher (p=0.026), mean TAPSE measurements were shorter
      (p=0.021), and mean ePASP was higher (p=0.036) in the SLE group than in the
      control group. In addition, pPTT was significantly shorter in the SLE group
      (p=0.003). pPTT was inversely correlated with disease duration (p<0.001), MPI
      (p=0.037), and ePASP (p=0.02) and positively correlated with TAPSE (p<0.001).
      CONCLUSION: SLE patients have higher pPTT values than controls. Further, pPTT
      shows an inverse correlation with disease duration, MPI, and ePASP and a positive
      correlation with TAPSE.

PMID- 28639944
TI  - Clinical impact and efficacy of bedside echocardiography on patient management in
      pediatric intensive care units (PICUs): A prospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the indication and necessity of echocardiographic
      assessment and therapeutic interventions in critically ill children. METHODS: A
      total of 140 children, including 75 mechanically ventilated (MV) and 65
      spontaneously breathing (SB) children, who were admitted consecutively from March
      to August 2013 were evaluated prospectively. Data regarding the indication for
      echocardiography and therapeutic approaches used were documented. For evaluating
      disease severity, the Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score III (PRISM) was
      ascertained. The correlation between PRISM score and the requirement of
      echocardiographic evaluations were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients ages were between
      45 days to 18 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1.33. In 35.4% patients who
      underwent echocardiographic evaluation, no definitive alteration occurred in
      treatment approach, whereas in the remaining 64.6% patients, decisive or
      supplemental information was gathered. Echocardiography was indicated in 88% MV
      children and 46.2% SB children. Echocardiographic evaluation was necessary in MV
      children and there was a positive correlation between the PRISM score and the
      requirement of echocardiographic assessment (p<0.001). CONCLUSION:
      Echocardiographic evaluation is an invaluable tool especially in MV children and
      the requirement of echocardiographic assessment increases according to clinical
      severity. Basic training for intensivists in this procedure is crucial and needs
      to be improved and supported in critically ill.

PMID- 28639947
TI  - Surface electrocardiogram: Could atrioventricular nodal and His bundle potentials
      be recorded beat by beat on "Saah electrocardiogram"?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The P-QRS-T wave on surface electrocardiogram (ECG) reflects the
      changes in atrial and ventricular electrical properties. However, the
      atrioventricular conduction system potentials cannot be recorded to date. This
      study aimed to explore the possibility of micropotential of the atrioventricular
      conduction system recorded by surface "SAN-Atrial-AVN-His (Saah) ECG." METHODS:
      We randomized 100 healthy volunteers (50 females and 50 males; mean age 25.12+/
      1.62 years) to receive "conventional 12-lead ECG" and "Saah ECG," which were
      recorded by the "Saah ECG" machine. We recorded and further analyzed
      "conventional 12-lead ECG" and "Saah ECG." According to the microwavelets before
      the QRS complex, the PR interval was the sum of three intervals: PAs interval (PA
      interval recorded on surface ECG), AHs interval (AH interval recorded on surface
      ECG), and HVs interval (HV interval recorded on surface ECG). The PR interval,
      PAs interval, AHs interval, and HVs interval were measured. RESULTS: Not only the
      P-QRS-T waves but also the microwavelets before the P wave, before the QRS
      complex, and after the QRS complex were recorded in 100 healthy volunteers. The
      PAs interval, AHs interval, and HVs interval were 22-37 (31.23+/-2.93) ms, 60-103
      (76.07+/-13.43) ms, and 39-55 (49.29+/-4.44) ms, respectively. The PAs interval,
      AHs interval, and HVs interval were consistent with the intracardiac measurements
      (PA, AH, and HV intervals) obtained in previous studies. Compared with female
      volunteers, male volunteers had a longer AHs interval (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Not
      only the P-QRS-T waves but also the microwavelets before the P wave, before the
      QRS complex, and after the QRS complex were recorded on surface ECG. The wavelets
      before the QRS complex may be related to atrioventricular nodal, His bundle
      (bundle branch) potentials.

PMID- 28639946
TI  - Assessment of left ventricular systolic function in patients with iron deficiency
      anemia by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate left ventricular (LV) systolic
      function in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) by 3 dimensional speckle
      tracking echocardiography (3DSTE). METHODS: Participants were grouped by
      hemoglobin (Hb) levels in order to study the effect of anemia on cardiac
      function. Group A included 40 healthy volunteers. Eighty-three patients who were
      diagnosed with IDA were divided into 2 groups according to the Hb level. Group B
      (Hb 9 g/dL) included 44 patients, while group C (Hb 6-9 g/dL) included 39
      patients. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular
      endsystolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and left
      ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were calculated by real-time 3-dimensional
      echocardiography (RT3D). Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS),
      global area strain (GAS), global radial strain (GRS), and global circumferential
      strain (GCS) were obtained by 3DSTE. RESULTS: LVMI, LVEDV and LVESV of group C
      increased and GCS, GRS, GLS, and GAS of group C decreased compared with those of
      groups A and B (all p<0.05). GAS and GLS decreased significantly compared with
      other parameters (both p<0.01). CONCLUSION: LV remodeling and LV systolic
      dysfunction occurred in patients when the hemoglobin level was in the range of 6
      9 g/dL. 3DSTE can evaluate LV systolic function in patients with IDA, and GAS and
      GLS are more sensitive than other parameters.

PMID- 28639948
TI  - Protective effects of IL28RA siRNA on cardiomyocytes in hypoxia/reoxygenation
      injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We demonstrate the protective effects of the siRNA-mediated inhibition
      of the interleukin-28 receptor alpha (IL28RA) subunit on cardiomyocytes in
      hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury and explore the associated mechanism. METHODS:
      After designing and synthesizing three pairs of siRNA that effectively reduced
      IL28RA gene expression in vitro (siRNA-6158, siRNA-6160, and siRNA-6162), primary
      neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were transfected using a liposome transfection
      method. Six groups were included based on the siRNA that was used and the
      treatment simulating reperfusion injury: control group, H/R group, H/R+negative
      control group, H/R+siRNA-6158 group, H/R+siRNA-6160 group, and H/R+siRNA-6162
      group. Cell survival and apoptosis rates were measured along with lactate
      dehydrogenase levels in the cell culture supernatant. Protein levels of IL28RA,
      phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, catalytic subunit gamma (PI3KCG), Bcl-2, Bax, and
      beta-actin were also measured. RESULTS: The H/R+siRNA-6158 and H/R+siRNA-6160
      groups had significantly higher survival rates and increased PI3KCG-to-beta-actin
      and Bcl-2-to-Bax ratios than the the H/R and H/R+negative control groups
      (p<0.05). The H/R+siRNA-6158 and H/R+siRNA-6160 groups also exhibited reduced
      rates of apoptosis and reduced IL28RA-to-beta-actin ratios (p<0.05). No
      significant difference was observed among the H/R+siRNA-6162, H/R, and
      H/R+negative control groups. CONCLUSION: IL28RA siRNA-6158 and -6160 were able to
      protect cardiomyocytes from H/R injury by inhibiting apoptosis. This strategy of
      inhibiting IL28RA gene expression may reduce reperfusion injury in the treatment
      of patients with acute myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28639949
TI  - Comet assay in evaluating deoxyribonucleic acid damage after out-of-hospital
      cardiac arrest.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
      (OHCA) may induce severe DNA damage measured using comet assay in successfully
      resuscitated humans and to evaluate a short-term prognostic role. METHODS: In
      this prospective, controlled, blinded study (1/2013-1/2014), 41 patients (age,
      63+/-14 years) successfully resuscitated from non traumatic OHCA and 10 healthy
      controls (age, 53+/-17 years) were enrolled. DNA damage [double-strand breaks
      (DSBs) and single-strand breaks (SSBs)] was measured using comet assay in
      peripheral lymphocytes sampled at admission. Clinical data were recorded
      (according to Utstein style). A good short-term prognosis was defined as survival
      for 30 days. RESULTS: Among the patients, there were 71% (29/41) short-term
      survivors. After OHCA, DNA damage (DSBs and SSBs) was higher (11.0+/-7.6% and
      0.79+/-2.41% in tail) among patients than among controls (1.96+/-1.63% and 0.02+/
      0.03% in tail), and it was more apparent for DSBs (p<0.001 and p=0.085). There
      was no difference in the DNA damage between patients with cardiac and non-cardiac
      etiology, or between survivors and nonsurvivors. Among Utstein style parameters,
      ventricular fibrillation, asystole, and early electrical defibrillation
      influenced DSBs; none of the factors influenced SSBs. Factors influencing
      survival were SSBs, ventricular fibrillation, length of cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation by professionals <=15 min, cardiogenic shock, and postanoxic
      encephalopathy. In contrast to DSBs [area under the curve (AUC)=0.520], SSBs seem
      to have a potential in prognostication (AUC=0.639). CONCLUSION: This study for
      the first time demonstrates revelation of DNA damage using comet assay in
      patients successfully resuscitated from OHCA. Whether DNA damage measured using
      comet assay may be a prognostic marker remains unknown, although our data may
      encourage some suggestions.

PMID- 28639950
TI  - Reactive oxygen species generation and increase in mitochondrial copy number: new
      insight into the potential mechanism of cytotoxicity induced by aurora kinase
      inhibitor, AZD1152-HQPA.
AB  - Aurora-B kinase overexpression plays important roles in the malignant progression
      of prostate cancer (PCa). AZD1152-HQPA, as an inhibitor of Aurora-B, has recently
      emerged as a promising agent for cancer treatment. In this study, we aimed to
      investigate the effects of AZD1152-HQPA on reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      generation and mitochondrial function in PCa. We used AZD1152-HQPA (Barasertib),
      a highly potent and selective inhibitor of Aurora-B kinase. The effects of
      AZD1152-HQPA on cell viability, DNA content, cell morphology, and ROS production
      were studied in the androgen-independent PC-3 PCa cell line. Moreover, the
      mitochondrial copy number and the expression of genes involved in cell survival
      and cancer stem cell maintenance were investigated. We found that AZD1152-HQPA
      treatment induced defective cell survival, polyploidy, micronuclei formation,
      cell enlargement, and cell death by significant overexpression of p73, p21 and
      downregulation of cell cycle-regulatory genes in a drug concentration-dependent
      manner. Moreover, AZD1152 treatment led to an excessive ROS generation and an
      increase in the mitochondrial copy number not only in PC-3 but also in several
      other malignant cells. AZD1152 treatment also led to downregulation of genes
      involved in the maintenance of cancer stem cells. Our results showed a functional
      relationship between the aurora kinase inhibition, an increase in mitochondrial
      copy number, and ROS generation in therapeutic modalities of cancer. This study
      suggests that the excessive ROS generation may be a novel mechanism of
      cytotoxicity induced by the aurora kinase inhibitor, AZD1152-HQPA.

PMID- 28639952
TI  - Toward a comprehensive cancer registration in Germany.
AB  - This article presents the current status of the implementation of clinical cancer
      registration across all German federal states that started in 2013 and that is
      basis for setting up comprehensive clinical and population-based cancer
      registries (CRs). A nationwide definition of relevant cancers, a common model of
      passive registration, a standard basic set of data items as well as a sustainable
      funding are prerequisites for a standardized collection of cancer data in
      Germany. For the collected information, the tools and methods used for data
      collection and processing, for statistical analyses and reporting, the potential
      synergies of a comprehensive CR implementing the tasks of both a clinical CR and
      a population-based CR become evident. Many different tasks of clinical and
      population-based CRs have already been implemented in Germany. This includes
      usage of individual patient data for quality assurance and the certification of
      cancer centers or comparative analyses on the adherence to guideline
      recommendations. CRs further provided unselected data on the cancer burden in the
      underlying populations and actively contribute in a variety of ways to many
      collaborative research projects on cancer etiology, the effectiveness of
      screening programs or cancer care, or provide patient or outcome data for
      clinical or population-based studies. Although many tasks of clinical and
      population-based CRs have already been implemented, a number of great efforts
      still lay ahead. Major challenges include the harmonization of data collection,
      the development of required standards and methods for data processing and usage,
      but first and foremost, the collection of complete and valid data for the
      different tasks of comprehensive CRs.

PMID- 28639953
TI  - Impressive Paget Disease of the Lumbar Spine Masks the Coexisting Multiple
      Myeloma.
AB  - Multimodality imaging, including MRI, bone scintigraphy, and FDG PET/CT, was
      performed to evaluate a 49-year-old man who had right hip and lower limb pain for
      4 months because possible malignancy was suspected. All 3 modalities showed
      obvious Paget disease of the lumbar spine. However, less impressive increased
      activity was also noted on FDG PET/CT images. Subsequent laboratory tests and
      pathology examination leads to diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Our case further
      confirms the notion that it is insufficient to focus on the most obvious and
      unintentionally overlook the less impressive findings in interpreting nuclear
      medicine images.

PMID- 28639951
TI  - Metabolic abnormalities and oxidative stress in lupus.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Upon antigen exposure, immune cells rely on cell-specific
      metabolic pathways to mount an efficient immune response. In autoimmunity,
      failure in critical metabolic checkpoints may lead to immune cell hyperactivation
      and tissue damage. Oxidative stress in autoimmune patients can also contribute to
      immune dysregulation and injury to the host. Recent insights into the immune cell
      metabolism signatures, specifically associated with systemic lupus erythematosus
      (SLE) and the consequences of heightened oxidative stress in patients, are
      discussed herein. RECENT FINDINGS: Glucose metabolism inhibitors, mechanistic
      target of rapamycin pathway modulators, and peroxisome proliferator-activated
      receptor gamma-activating compounds demonstrate therapeutic benefit in
      experimental models of lupus. Mitochondrial-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      and molecular modifications induced by oxidative stress appear to be detrimental
      in lupus. Effective therapies tailored toward the reconfiguration of metabolic
      imbalances in lupus immune cells and the reduction of mitochondrial ROS
      production/availability are currently being tested. SUMMARY: A paucity of
      knowledge exists regarding the metabolic needs of a number of immune cells
      involved in the pathogenesis of SLE, including myeloid cells and B cells.
      Nonetheless, SLE-specific metabolic signatures have been identified and their
      specific targeting, along with mitochondrial ROS inhibitors/scavengers, could
      show therapeutic advantage in lupus patients.

PMID- 28639954
TI  - Rare Endobronchial Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor in Pediatric Patient
      Detected on PET/CT Imaging.
AB  - Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) can be seen in all age groups, although
      it is more common in children and adolescents. We report the FDG PET/CT findings
      in an 8-year-old boy with endobronchial IMT. Endobronchial IMT is more commonly
      seen in young adults.

PMID- 28639955
TI  - Endotracheal Leiomyoma Mimicking Malignancy on 18F-FDG PET/CT in a Patient With
      Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.
AB  - Endotracheal leiomyoma is a rare benign lesion, accounting for approximately 1%
      of tracheal tumors, and generally occurs in the lower respiratory tract. Because
      its growth causes airway obstruction symptom, surgical treatment is generally
      suggested after detection. We report a case with leiomyoma of the cervical
      endotracheal space showing intense FDG uptake on F-FDG PET/CT mimicking
      malignancy in a 79-year-old woman with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

PMID- 28639956
TI  - Small fiber neuropathy: a disabling and underrecognized syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To discuss cause, clinical manifestations, diagnostics, and
      treatment of small fiber neuropathy (SFN). The diagnosis is difficult and can be
      easily missed. RECENT FINDINGS: SFN causes high morbidity with disabling symptoms
      and impact on quality of life. Patients may benefit from being diagnosed with
      SFN, even if no underlying cause is identified and no specific treatment is yet
      available. Recently, genetic mutations as a possible cause of SFN were
      identified. Clinical diagnostic criteria have been proposed, but no gold standard
      exists, and each test has its limitations. The diagnosis requires a combination
      of typical symptoms, abnormal neurologic findings, and absence of large fiber
      involvement. Clinicians should be aware of overlapping symptoms of SFN and
      fibromyalgia. Treatment is often difficult, even when the underlying cause is
      identified and appropriately treated. Usually, only symptomatic relief of
      complaints is available. SUMMARY: Awareness of SFN and related symptoms is of
      great clinical relevance. Guidelines for appropriate diagnostic workup using a
      stepwise approach involving a combination of tests are warranted. Even if no
      treatment is available, patients may benefit from timely recognition of SFN.

PMID- 28639957
TI  - Pulmonary arterial hypertension induced by tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized the
      treatment of several neoplastic conditions; however, pulmonary arterial
      hypertension (PAH) has been reported as a complication of TKIs, predominantly
      with dasatinib. Recent studies have elucidated the potential mechanisms of TKI
      induced PAH and have better clarified the long-term outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: In
      addition to the known association between dasatinib and PAH, several other TKIs
      have recently been reported to cause PAH, including ponatinib, bosutinib and
      lapatinib. Dasatinib causes direct pulmonary artery endothelial cell toxicity
      through the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, but likely
      requires the presence of a second risk factor to cause PAH. Symptoms and
      haemodynamic abnormalities frequently resolve after discontinuation of the TKI,
      but PAH persists in over a third of patients and can reoccur when other TKIs are
      used, which warrants close follow-up. Rare fatal cases have occurred; therefore,
      treatment with PAH-specific therapy is recommended for patients with right heart
      failure or persistent PAH after discontinuation of the TKI. SUMMARY: PAH is a
      rare but important complication of several TKIs. Management includes
      discontinuation of the TKI, close follow-up and PAH-specific therapy in severe
      cases.

PMID- 28639958
TI  - Pediatric jellyfish envenomation in the Mediterranean Sea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several species of jellyfish native to the western Indian Ocean have
      entered the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. Since the late 1980s, each
      summer Rhopilema nomadica forms swarms as long as 100 km in the southeastern
      Levant and since the millennium aggregations of additional nonnative jellyfish
      have been sighted. The aim of this study was to evaluate children seen in the
      emergency department after jellyfish envenomations and to establish patterns of
      toxicity associated with this organism. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was
      performed of all children presenting after jellyfish envenomations to the
      pediatric emergency department during the jellyfish swarming seasons (June
      August) between 2010 and 2015. Extracted data included age, location of
      envenomation, pain scores, local and systemic manifestations, treatment provided
      in the emergency department and hospital, and disposition. RESULTS: Forty-one
      patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria; their ages ranged from 1 to 16 years
      and the median age was 9.4 years. Clinical manifestations were evident in all
      patients. Pain, present in 100% of patients, and an erythematous, whip-like,
      linear rash present in 87.8%, were the most common manifestations. The majority
      of 'burns' associated with jellyfish stings were first and second degree. The
      upper limb was affected in 34% and the lower limb was affected in 61% of cases.
      One patient suffered a sting to the abdomen and three patients suffered a sting
      to the face. Treatment in the emergency department included pain control, with
      nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opiates, and antihistamines and topical
      corticosteroids in some cases. Nearly 49% of patients were seen during the summer
      of 2015 alone and seven patients in this group needed hospitalization. Reasons
      for hospitalization included systemic symptoms such as fever, chills,
      tachycardia, and muscle spasms. Two patients developed severe cellulitis, one
      patient had an anaphylactic reaction, and one was admitted to the ICU after
      suffering an anaphylactic reaction to a sting sustained while surfing.
      CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the jellyfish swarms and the severity of clinical
      manifestations because of their envenomations suggest that it should be
      considered as a health hazard in the Mediterranean Sea. We call for public health
      authorities in affected countries to initiate a health hazards database,
      familiarize medical and healthcare staff with the clinical syndromes, train
      medical and healthcare staff' in appropriate treatment, and initiate and continue
      public awareness campaigns.

PMID- 28639959
TI  - 3D Printing: current use in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the use of three-dimensional (3D) printing in facial
      plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a focus on current uses in surgical
      training, surgical planning, clinical outcomes, and biomedical research. To
      evaluate the limitations and future implications of 3D printing in facial plastic
      and reconstructive surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies reviewed demonstrated 3D
      printing applications in surgical planning including accurate anatomic biomodels,
      surgical cutting guides in reconstruction, and patient-specific implants
      fabrication. 3D printing technology also offers access to well tolerated,
      reproducible, and high-fidelity/patient-specific models for surgical training.
      Emerging research in 3D biomaterial printing have led to the development of
      biocompatible scaffolds with potential for tissue regeneration in reconstruction
      cases involving significant tissue absence or loss. Major limitations of
      utilizing 3D printing technology include time and cost, which may be offset by
      decreased operating times and collaboration between departments to diffuse in
      house printing costs SUMMARY: The current state of the literature shows promising
      results, but has not yet been validated by large studies or randomized controlled
      trials. Ultimately, further research and advancements in 3D printing technology
      should be supported as there is potential to improve resident training, patient
      care, and surgical outcomes.

PMID- 28639960
TI  - What is global surgery?

PMID- 28639963
TI  - Takotsubo-Like Cardiomyopathy After Loperamide Overdose.

PMID- 28639964
TI  - Drug-Induced Necrotizing Pancreatitis With a Focus on Canagliflozin.

PMID- 28639965
TI  - Is selenium supplementation in autoimmune thyroid diseases justified?
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review provides an appraisal of recent evidence for or
      against selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases,
      and discusses possible effect mechanisms. RECENT FINDINGS: Epidemiological data
      suggest an increased prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases under conditions
      of low dietary selenium intake. Two systematic reviews have evaluated controlled
      trials among patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and report that selenium
      supplementation decreases circulating thyroid autoantibodies. The
      immunomodulatory effects of selenium might involve reducing proinflammatory
      cytokine release. However, clinically relevant effects of selenium
      supplementation, including improvement in quality of life, are more elusive. In
      Graves' disease, some, but not all, trials indicate that adjuvant selenium
      supplementation enhances the restoration of biochemical euthyroidism, and might
      benefit patients with mild Graves' orbitopathy. SUMMARY: The use of selenium
      supplementation as adjuvant therapy to standard thyroid medication may be
      widespread, but a growing body of evidence yields equivocal results. The
      available evidence from trials does not support routine selenium supplementation
      in the standard treatment of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis or Graves'
      disease. However, correction of moderate to severe selenium deficiency may offer
      benefits in preventing, as well as treating, these disorders. Molecular
      mechanisms have been proposed, but further studies are needed.

PMID- 28639966
TI  - Risk of embryopathies with use of antithyroidal medications.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hyperthyroidism in pregnant women should be adequately treated
      to prevent maternal and fetal complications. The treatment of choice in pregnancy
      is antithyroidal medications (ATDs). The risk of embryopathies associated with
      the use of Methimazole (MMI) and Propylthiouracil (PTU) in early pregnancy is a
      matter of clinical attention and concern. This review describes current evidence
      and how scientific findings are reflected in current clinical guidelines. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Embryopathies after the use of ATDs were previously mainly described in
      case reports and considered rare. Recent large observational studies, including
      nonexposed control groups, have quantified an increased risk of embryopathies
      associated with use of ATDs during pregnancy. Findings suggest a risk of
      embryopathies with the use of both MMI and PTU, but the pattern of embryopathies
      differs, and embryopathies with the use of PTU appear less severe. SUMMARY:
      Current guidelines highlight the need for clinical attention on the use of ATDs
      in early pregnancy. Patients managed on ATDs for the treatment of hyperthyroidism
      should be counseled to report a pregnancy as early as possible. PTU is the
      recommended treatment in early pregnancy, but if the risk of relapse or worsening
      of hyperthyroidism is considered low, it is suggested that ATD treatment can be
      withdrawn followed by frequent monitoring of thyroid function.

PMID- 28639967
TI  - RAS-positive thyroid nodules.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The current review focuses on the uncertainty regarding the
      management of rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog RAS-positive thyroid nodules.
      The application of oncogene testing has been heralded for improving risk
      assessment for indeterminate cytology thyroid nodules and has grown in clinical
      use. RAS mutations are historically considered oncogenic. However, RAS mutation
      detection in thyroid nodules has proven problematic, as these mutations are found
      in benign and malignant lesions. RECENT FINDINGS: RAS-positive thyroid nodules
      frequently have indeterminate cytology and a finding of a positive RAS mutation
      identifies a significant number of benign lesions as well as thyroid cancers.
      Long-term follow-up of RAS-positive nodules with benign cytology shows an
      indolent course not consistent with eventual malignant transformation. Many RAS
      positive nodules previously diagnosed as follicular variant of papillary thyroid
      carcinoma now will be reclassified as noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm
      with papillary-like nuclear features, indicating a more indolent nature of these
      RAS-positive lesions. SUMMARY: Recent findings have underscored that diagnosis of
      a RAS-positive thyroid nodule is not synonymous with thyroid malignancy. The
      ideal clinical and surgical management of these nodules remains challenging.

PMID- 28639968
TI  - Defining the Cervical Transformation Zone and Squamocolumnar Junction: Can We
      Reach a Common Colposcopic and Histologic Definition?
AB  - Quality assurance and research in colposcopy and cervical pathology require
      standardized terminologies and reporting. However, clinical and histologic
      definitions of the cervical transformation zone (TZ) and squamocolumnar junction
      (SCJ) vary considerably. We aimed to identify areas of agreement and areas where
      work is required to standardize the definitions of the TZ and the SCJ. We
      conducted a survey among the board members of the European Federation of
      Colposcopy member societies and members of the International Society of
      Gynecological Pathologists. Overall, 22 expert colposcopists and 34 gynecologic
      pathologists responded. There was broad agreement that the TZ is the area where
      squamous metaplasia has occurred. There was consensus that the original SCJ can
      appear colposcopically indistinct in cases of maturation of the metaplastic
      squamous epithelium but can be identified histologically by the presence of the
      so-called last cervical gland. It was agreed that the border between the
      metaplastic squamous epithelium and the columnar epithelium on the surface of the
      cervix is called the new SCJ. Areas where work is required include the questions
      as to whether the cervical crypts lined by columnar epithelium in the field of
      squamous metaplasia are an integral part of the TZ or not and whether the
      individual microscopic borders between the metaplastic squamous epithelium of
      glandular crypts and the residual columnar epithelium of glandular crypts should
      be considered as part of the new SCJ or not. This paper is a step in an attempt
      to standardize colposcopic and histologic definitions among colposcopists and
      pathologists.

PMID- 28639969
TI  - The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome-type symptoms in inflammatory bowel
      disease patients in remission.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common in inflammatory
      bowel disease (IBD) and are believed to reflect ongoing inflammation.
      Consequently, a low prevalence of IBS-type symptoms in IBD patients with normal
      inflammatory markers is expected. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of IBS
      type symptoms in IBD patients in biochemical remission (evidenced by low fecal
      calprotectin levels) and the relationship of these symptoms with fecal
      calprotectin levels. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this observational, cross-sectional
      study, we included all adults with a history of IBD who had calprotectin levels
      less than 200 ug/g during routine follow-up between August 2014 and May 2015 at
      our hospital. Patients were excluded if calprotectin was measured because of
      gastrointestinal complaints. All patients were approached by telephone to
      evaluate the presence of IBS-type symptoms using Rome III questionnaires.
      Patients fulfilling IBS criteria were subclassified according to bowel habits.
      RESULTS: In total, 74 patients were included; 33 (45%, 95% confidence interval:
      34-56%) fulfilled the IBS criteria. A larger proportion of Crohn's disease
      patients with IBS-type symptoms had ileal disease compared with Crohn's disease
      patients without IBS symptoms (55 vs. 24%; P=0.03). Other characteristics were
      similar between groups. No difference was found in calprotectin levels between
      patients with and without IBS-type symptoms (P=0.91). The majority of patients
      with IBS-type symptoms had diarrhea-predominant or mixed-type IBS (64 and 27% of
      patients with IBS-type symptoms, respectively). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of IBS
      type symptoms in IBD patients in biochemical remission is high. A significant
      proportion of IBS-type symptoms is unrelated to ongoing inflammation and probably
      reflects 'true IBS'.

PMID- 28639970
TI  - Hyperuricemia is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score
      in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia is a significant risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty
      liver disease (NAFLD). It may also have an impact on the histologic severity of
      NAFLD. However, data on this association are limited. We conducted this meta
      analysis to investigate the relationship of serum uric acid with liver histologic
      severity as determined by NAFLD activity score (NAS) in patients with NAFLD.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched through August
      2016 for studies that investigated the association between hyperuricemia and NAS
      among patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence
      interval were calculated using a random-effects model (generic inverse variance
      method). The between-study heterogeneity of effect size was quantified using the
      Q statistic and I. RESULTS: Five observational studies with 777 NAFLD patients
      were identified. Patients with NAFLD who had hyperuricemia had a high NAS
      (defined as score of >=5) significantly more often than did those without
      hyperuricemia with a pooled odds ratio of 2.17 (95% confidence interval: 1.51
      3.12). The statistical heterogeneity was low, with I of 16%
      (Pheterogeneity=0.31). CONCLUSION: In patients with NAFLD, hyperuricemia is
      associated with a higher degree of histological liver damage. Further studies are
      required to establish the role of uric acid-lowering therapy among these
      patients.

PMID- 28639971
TI  - Effective approaches to address the global cardiovascular disease burden.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Describe the global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD),
      highlight barriers to evidence-based care and propose effective interventions
      based on identified barriers. RECENT FINDINGS: The global burden of CVD is
      increasing worldwide. This trend is steeper in lower income countries, where CVD
      incidence and fatality remains high. Risk factor control, around the world,
      remains poor, especially in lower and middle-income countries. Barriers at the
      patient, healthcare provider and health system have been identified. The use of
      multifaceted interventions that target identified contextual barriers to care,
      including increasing awareness of CVD and related risk, improving health policy
      (i.e. taxation of tobacco), improving the availability and affordability of fixed
      dose combined medications and task-shifting of healthcare responsibilities are
      potential solutions to improve the global burden of CVD. SUMMARY: There is a need
      to address identified barriers using evidence-based and multifaceted
      interventions. Global initiatives, led by the World Heart Federation and the WHO,
      to facilitate the implementation of such interventions are underway.

PMID- 28639972
TI  - Imaging in repaired tetralogy of Fallot with a focus on recent advances in
      echocardiography.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Imaging is essential for the management of adults with
      repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rToF). Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic
      resonance imaging are the central modalities to assess rToF. Here we review
      recent literature on imaging rToF, focusing on echocardiography and advances in
      assessment of cardiac mechanics. RECENT FINDINGS: Several two-dimensional, three
      dimensional, and Doppler echo parameters have been proposed to assess pulmonary
      regurgitation, right ventricular volumes and ejection fraction, but most of them
      still have important limitations in their feasibility and reliability compared to
      cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Myocardial deformation imaging to study
      ventricular and atrial mechanics, regional function, ventricular-ventricular
      interactions, and electro-mechanical dyssynchrony has yielded insights into the
      pathophysiologic mechanisms of right ventricular and left ventricular
      dysfunction; thereby predicting clinical outcomes and exercise capacity, allowing
      among others, evaluation of the impact of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR).
      Emerging technologies are expected to further our understanding of the drivers of
      dysfunction and guide indications and timing of PVR. SUMMARY: Echocardiography
      and CMR have complementary and overlapping roles in rToF and contribute to our
      understanding of its pathophysiology and management.

PMID- 28639973
TI  - Sugar sweetened beverages and cardiometabolic health.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: It is widely accepted that sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) are
      implicated in weight gain and adverse cardiometabolic heath. To make informed
      recommendations about SSB, new evidence needs to be considered against existing
      literature. The present review will provide an update on the epidemiological and
      trial evidence linking intake of SSB to cardiometabolic outcomes. RECENT
      FINDINGS: The weight of the evidence from prospective cohort studies supports a
      strong positive association between intake of SSB and weight gain and risk type 2
      diabetes (T2D) and coronary heart disease (CHD) that is independent of adiposity.
      Associations with stroke are less clear and suggestive of greater risk in women
      than men. Findings from short-term trials of SSB and markers of cardiometabolic
      risk including lipids, glucose, blood pressure, and inflammatory cytokines
      provide mechanistic support for associations with T2D and CHD. Putative
      underlying mechanisms include adverse glycemic effects and increased hepatic
      metabolism of fructose. SUMMARY: Conclusive evidence from epidemiological studies
      and trials on markers of cardiometabolic risk support an etiologic role of SSB in
      relation to weight gain and risk of T2D and CHD that is independent of weight.
      Continued efforts to reduce intake of SSB should be encouraged to improve the
      cardiometabolic health of individuals and populations.

PMID- 28639974
TI  - An evaluation of CardioPrevent: a technology-enabled, health-behavior change
      program for the global reduction of cardiovascular risk.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of
      mortality globally. Primary CVD prevention programs have the potential to improve
      risk factor profiles and, ultimately, the risk of developing CVD. The present
      study presents an evaluation of CardioPrevent, a global cardiovascular risk
      reduction program. RECENT FINDINGS: Of the 478 participants enrolled in the
      CardioPrevent program, 308 and 236 had complete 6-month and 12-month data,
      respectively at the time of evaluation. At 6 months, the average reduction in the
      Framingham risk score was -19.5% (median = -26.5%). Women experienced a greater
      reduction in risk than men (-23.1 vs. -11.4%, P = 0.013). Significant
      improvements were observed in body composition, blood pressure, low-density
      lipoproteins, triglycerides, total cholesterol-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio,
      HbA1c, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life, physical activity,
      sitting time, fruit and vegetable consumption, and medication adherence.
      Improvements seen at 6 months were maintained at 12 months. The majority (98%) of
      participants were very satisfied with the program and would recommend it to
      others. SUMMARY: Results of this evaluation identified that CardioPrevent is an
      effective CVD risk reduction program with high satisfaction rates. CardioPrevent
      is an effective, scalable program with the capacity to reduce CVD risk among
      primary care patients.

PMID- 28639975
TI  - The Authors Respond.

PMID- 28639976
TI  - Re: Occupational Diesel Exposure, Duration of Employment, and Lung Cancer: An
      Application of the Parametric G-Formula.

PMID- 28639978
TI  - Rhetoric or Reality? RN to BSN Graduates Returning to the Bedside.
AB  - This article reports on a study designed to illuminate the motivation and future
      goals of RN to BSN degree completion students, specifically to identify whether
      RNs returning to an online completion program were doing so with the intention of
      continuing to practice at the bedside. The findings indicate that students are
      seeking further education for five reasons: 1) to gain entry into a nurse
      practitioner program, 2) to complete a master's degree program in general, 3) to
      find opportunities in management, 4) to assume a position as a nurse educator, or
      5) to take on a leadership position in general.

PMID- 28639980
TI  - Improving Student Receptivity to Abortion Care Education.
AB  - Letting nursing students develop resilience in the presence of moral complexity
      improves compassionate patient care for women contemplating abortion. Nursing
      education needs to include quality materials on abortion care in order to create
      educated providers and citizens. Some students are resistant or conflicted about
      this topic. A preclass optional, anonymous survey allows students the opportunity
      to voice concerns about this sensitive topic and guides the instructor in
      designing class materials. Resulting classroom dialogue is less heated and more
      collegial, enabling students to examine and process this complex professional
      practice issue and practice navigating ethical dilemmas.

PMID- 28639979
TI  - Multi-Options: An Innovative Course Delivery Methodology.
AB  - Multi-Options is a teaching methodology that allows students to choose the format
      in which they will attend class. Weekly, they have the choice of attending the
      face-to-face session, joining synchronously online, or viewing the class
      asynchronously online at their convenience. Each choice has its own requirements
      developed to keep the workload uniform for all students. Advantages include
      conservation of faculty, avoiding the cancellation of poorly populated classes,
      promoting student independence, and allowing for maximum student flexibility
      regarding learning style, scheduling needs, and lifestyle. Although technological
      support and changes to the faculty culture are challenges, initial trials have
      been successful.

PMID- 28639977
TI  - Topical Delivery of Immunosuppression to Prolong Xenogeneic and Allogeneic Split
      Thickness Skin Graft Survival.
AB  - Cadaveric skin allograft is the current standard of treatment for temporary
      coverage of large burn wounds. Porcine xenografts are viable alternatives but
      undergo alpha-1,3-galactose (Gal)-mediated hyperacute rejection and are lost by
      post-operative day (POD) 3 because of naturally occurring antibodies to Gal in
      primate recipients. Using baboons, we previously demonstrated that xenografts
      from GalT-KO swine (lacking Gal) provided wound coverage comparable with
      allografts with systemic immunosuppression. In this study, we investigate topical
      immunosuppression as an alternative to prolong xenograft survival. Full-thickness
      wounds in baboons were created and covered with xenogeneic and allogeneic split
      thickness skin grafts (STSGs). Animals were treated with slow-release (TyroSphere
      encapsulated) topical formulations (cyclosporine-A [CSA] or Tacrolimus) applied
      1) directly to the STSGs only, or 2) additionally to the wound bed before STSG
      and 1). Topical CSA did not improve either xenograft or allograft survival
      (median: treated grafts = 12.5 days, control = 14 days; P = 0.27) with similar
      results when topical Tacrolimus was used. Pretreatment of wound beds resulted in
      a significant reduction of xenograft survival compared with controls (10 vs 14
      days; P = 0.0002), with comparable results observed in allografts. This
      observation was associated with marked reduction of inflammation on histology
      with Tacrolimus and not CSA. Prolongation of allograft and xenograft survival
      after application to full-thickness wound beds was not achieved with the current
      formulation of topical immunosuppressants. Modulation of inflammation within the
      wound bed was effective with Tacrolimus pretreatment before STSG application and
      may serve as a treatment strategy in related fields.

PMID- 28639981
TI  - Increasing Nursing Students' Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder by Using a
      Standardized Patient.
AB  - Nursing students participated in a simulation using a standardized patient role
      playing an adolescent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The researchers used
      student feedback to develop and improve a simulation aimed at increasing learner
      skills and knowledge for treating ASD patients. Students indicated that the
      standardized patient provided realism not obtained when using static manikins or
      high-fidelity simulators. Students strongly agreed or agreed that classroom
      instruction prior to the simulation was important to increasing their knowledge
      of ASD. Overall, the simulation provided students an opportunity to practice and
      develop their clinical skills in caring for patients with ASD.

PMID- 28639982
TI  - Transforming the Nursing Classroom into a Clinical Setting.
AB  - Providing clinical opportunities for students to gain experience in managing
      cardiac dysrhythmias is a challenge for nursing faculty. High-risk experiences
      are often not available for all students or are too life-threatening to entrust
      to students. Faculty shortages and increasing enrollments add to declines in
      clinical opportunities. The use of human patient simulation (HPS) has added
      opportunities to experience high-risk, low-frequency clinical situations. HPS may
      be employed in the classroom setting to teach content related to dysrhythmia
      treatments. This innovative approach to HPS utilization engages students and
      helps them apply theory into clinical nursing practice.

PMID- 28639983
TI  - Maxillary Sinus Membrane Elevation With Simultaneous Installation of Implants
      Without the Use of a Graft Material: A Systematic Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare implant treatment outcome after maxillary sinus membrane
      elevation with simultaneous installation of implants with or without the use of
      graft material applying the lateral window technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase search in combination with a hand
      search of relevant journals was conducted from January 1, 2004 to January 1,
      2016. RESULTS: Thirteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Survival of
      suprastructures has not been compared within the same study. Short-term implant
      survival without graft material varied between 96% and 100% compared to 100% for
      autogenous bone or bone substitutes. No significant difference in bone gain was
      reported without graft material compared to autogenous bone. The density of newly
      formed bone increased significantly during the observation period. Bone density
      was significantly higher in sinuses augmented with blood clot compared to bone
      substitute, whereas no significant difference was found when compared to
      autogenous bone. Noncomparative studies demonstrated high long-term implant
      survival and new bone formation after sinus membrane elevation without graft
      material. CONCLUSIONS: Sinus membrane elevation without the use of a graft
      material seems to enhance new bone formation with high implant survival, but long
      term comparative studies are missing.

PMID- 28639984
TI  - Impact of Implant Surface Micropatterns on Epithelial Cell Behavior.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of topography on cell behavior by
      screening polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds with different nanoscale
      micropatterns to determine the ideal surface characteristics for attachment of
      human epithelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A soft PDMS mold with regular dot
      arrays was fabricated based on an aluminum oxide template with ordered nanotube
      arrays and used as a substrate for cell culture. Cell proliferation, spread, and
      morphology, as well as features of the extracellular matrix and the actin
      cytoskeleton were assessed. DISCUSSION: Cells grown on 100-nm regular dot arrays
      had the highest proliferation rate and spread, with the longest pseudopodia; they
      showed robust actin distribution relative to the control group. CONCLUSION: Three
      dimensional PDMS microstructures with 100 nm regular dot arrays were the most
      effective surface for epithelial cell attachment. These findings can aid in the
      manufacture of superior materials for use in implants to better integrate into
      recipient tissue.

PMID- 28639985
TI  - Implant-Site Related and Patient-Based Factors With the Potential to Impact
      Patients' Satisfaction, Quality of Life Measures and Perceptions Toward Dental
      Implant Treatment.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed at evaluating both the implant site-related
      and patient-based factors with the potential to affect the extent of patients'
      satisfaction and also their perceptions regarding dental implant treatment.
      Potential differences between the esthetic evaluations of dental patients and
      dental specialists were also considered. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Implant-supported
      fixed prosthesis (n = 164) in 264 anterior esthetic implant sites were included.
      Patients' satisfaction, esthetic considerations, and perceptions toward dental
      implants, were evaluated by both Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14)
      questionnaire and visual analog scale. Pink Esthetic Score/White Esthetic Score
      were used for the professional esthetic evaluations of dental specialists.
      RESULTS: Overall patient satisfaction was high (87.42 +/- 11.86). Compared with
      implant supported single-tooth restorations, patients with implant-supported
      bridges had lower OHIP scores (P = 0.001) and were relatively less satisfied with
      particular aspects of dental implant treatment (eg, cleanability, phonetics,
      surgical discomfort, and pretreatment information). Generally, type of
      prosthesis, history of soft/hard tissue augmentation, and reason for tooth loss
      had a clear impact on the extent of patients' satisfaction, esthetic
      considerations regarding treatment outcome, and their perceptions toward dental
      implant treatment (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fixed implant-supported restorations
      generally provide with high levels of satisfaction and oral health-related
      quality of life.

PMID- 28639986
TI  - Chitinase-3-like protein-1 (YKL-40) before and after therapy in supraventricular
      arrhythmias.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The inflammatory glycoprotein chitinase-3-like protein 1 or YKL-40
      has emerged as a potential biomarker of cardiovascular diseases, including atrial
      fibrillation (AFib). We sought to assess YKL-40 in a wide spectrum of
      supraventricular arrhythmias besides AFib in comparison with other inflammatory
      markers. METHODS: We determined serum levels of YKL-40, C-reactive protein (CRP)
      and IL-6 in 70 patients with AFib, atrial flutter, atrioventricular node reentry
      tachycardia or other supraventricular tachycardias before, immediately after
      therapy and 1 week after therapy; 20 healthy patients served as controls.
      Patients were subsequently followed for 6 months for arrhythmia recurrence.
      RESULTS: Baseline YKL-40 was significantly elevated in AFib patients [99.5
      (65.5,194) ng/ml versus 47.2 (38.9,51.6) ng/ml in controls, P < 0.001], but not
      in patients with other arrhythmias. YKL-40 levels correlated positively with left
      atrial volume index (Spearman's rho = 0.853, P < 0.001). Its levels dropped
      significantly 1 week posttreatment only in AFib (P = 0.009 versus baseline); CRP
      and IL-6 remained practically stable throughout the study. Arrhythmia recurrence
      at 6 months occurred in 13 patients (19%), including 11 with AFib and 2 with
      atrial flutter. Baseline YKL-40 was independently associated with AFib recurrence
      (adjusted odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.00-1.04, P = 0.016).
      Neither CRP nor IL-6 was associated with AFib recurrence. CONCLUSION: Serum YKL
      40 was elevated only in AFib and not in other supraventricular arrhythmias. In
      AFib, YKL-40 levels were responsive to therapy and predicted long-term
      recurrence.

PMID- 28639987
TI  - Antithrombotic strategies in the catheterization laboratory for patients with
      acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions: insights
      from the EmploYEd antithrombotic therapies in patients with acute coronary
      Syndromes HOspitalized in iTalian cardiac care units Registry.
AB  - AIMS: In the last decades, several new therapies have emerged for the treatment
      of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We sought to describe real-world patterns of
      use of antithrombotic treatments in the catheterization laboratory for ACS
      patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). METHODS: EmploYEd
      antithrombotic therapies in patients with acute coronary Syndromes HOspitalized
      in iTalian cardiac care units was a nationwide, prospective registry aimed to
      evaluate antithrombotic strategies employed in ACS patients in Italy. RESULTS:
      Over a 3-week period, a total of 2585 consecutive ACS patients have been enrolled
      in 203 cardiac care units across Italy. Among these patients, 1755 underwent PCI
      (923 with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and 832 with non-ST-elevation ACS).
      In the catheterization laboratory, unfractioned heparin was the most used
      antithrombotic drug in both ST-elevation myocardial infarction (64.7%) and non-ST
      elevation ACS (77.5%) undergoing PCI and, as aspirin, bivalirudin and
      glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) more frequently employed before or during
      PCI compared with the postprocedural period. Any crossover of heparin therapy
      occurred in 36.0% of cases, whereas switching from one P2Y12 inhibitor to another
      occurred in 3.7% of patients. Multivariable analysis yielded several independent
      predictors of GPIs and of bivalirudin use in the catheterization laboratory,
      mainly related to clinical presentation, PCI complexity and presence of
      complications during the procedure. CONCLUSION: In our contemporary, nationwide,
      all-comers cohort of ACS patients undergoing PCI, antithrombotic therapies were
      commonly initiated before the catheterization laboratory. In the periprocedural
      period, the most frequently employed drugs were unfractioned heparin, leading to
      a high rate of crossover, followed by GPIs and bivalirudin, mainly used during
      complex PCI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.
      Unique identifier: NCT02015624.

PMID- 28639988
TI  - Stress echo in Italy: state-of-the-art 2015.

PMID- 28639989
TI  - Use of expenditure analysis to enhance returns on investments in HIV services.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Globally, the response to the HIV epidemic is at a crisis
      point. International investments in the HIV response have been essentially flat
      for 8 years and domestic budgets in low and middle-income countries - still
      recovering from the global recession - have not been able to fill the resource
      gap to drive a full-fledged HIV response. Still, efficiencies and prioritization
      of evidence-based interventions enable a significant scale-up of treatment, but
      millions more people remain without treatment. This review looks at recent data
      and research to evaluate interventions that may help close gaps in service
      provision that undermine testing and treatment programs. RECENT FINDINGS: The
      President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief recently began publicly releasing vast
      programmatic and expenditure data. These data reveal potential efficiency gaps in
      testing and treatment programs, particularly in the area of linkage and
      retention. Interventions such as HIV self-testing have been proposed to help, but
      whether they can deliver better results remains unclear. Same-day initiation on
      treatment improves initiation, retention, and viral suppression rates. SUMMARY:
      Near real-time analysis of data and active response is critical in improving
      efficiencies in programs. More investment in implementation research is necessary
      to improve linkage to care and treatment to reach 90-90-90 goals.

PMID- 28639990
TI  - Recent mobile health interventions to support medication adherence among HIV
      positive MSM.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We describe recent mobile health (mHealth) interventions
      supporting antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication adherence among HIV-positive
      MSM. RECENT FINDINGS: Keyword searches (1 January 2016-13 May 2017) identified
      721 citations. Seven publications reporting on six studies met inclusion
      criteria. Five studies focused on MSM. Interventions primarily employed text
      messaging (n = 4), whereas two focused on smartphone apps and one on social
      media. Three studies measured intervention impact on adherence and found
      increased ART use intentions (n = 1), self-reported adherence (n = 1), and viral
      suppression (n = 1, no control group). Other mHealth interventions for HIV
      positive MSM focused on status disclosure and reducing sexual risk. SUMMARY:
      mHealth interventions to support ART adherence among MSM show acceptability,
      feasibility, and preliminary efficacy. No recent mHealth interventions for MSM
      measured impact on viral suppression compared with a control condition despite
      earlier (pre-2015) evidence for efficacy. Studies are underway that include
      multiple features designed to improve adherence within complex smartphone or
      internet-based platforms. Areas for future growth include overcoming measurement
      and engagement challenges, developing tools for coordinating patient and provider
      adherence data, testing combination interventions, and adapting efficacious
      interventions for new languages and geographic settings.

PMID- 28639991
TI  - Evaluation of a Nutritional Support Intervention in Malnourished HIV-Infected
      Children in Bamako, Mali.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We assessed a nutritional support intervention in malnourished HIV
      infected children in a HIV-care program of the University Hospital Gabriel Toure,
      Bamako, Mali. METHODS: All HIV-infected children younger than 15 years were
      diagnosed for malnutrition between 07 and 12, 2014. Malnutrition was defined
      according to the WHO growth standards with Z-scores. Two types were studied:
      acute malnutrition (AM) and chronic malnutrition (CM). All participants were
      enrolled in a 6-month prospective interventional cohort, receiving Ready-To-Use
      Therapeutic Food, according to type of malnutrition. The nutritional intervention
      was offered until child growth reached -1.5 SD threshold. Six-month probability
      to catch up growth (>-2 SD) was assessed for AM using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox
      model. RESULTS: Among the 348 children screened, 198 (57%) were malnourished of
      whom 158 (80%) children were included: 97 (61%) for AM (35 with associated CM)
      and 61 (39%) with CM. Fifty-nine percent were boys, 97% were on antiretroviral
      therapy, median age was 9.5 years (Interquartile Range: 6.7-12.3). Among children
      with AM, 74% catch-up their growth at 6-month; probability to catch-up growth was
      greater for those without associated CM (adjusted Hazard Ratio = 1.97, CI 95%:
      1.13 to 3.44). Anemia decreased significantly from 40% to 12% at the end of
      intervention (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This macronutrient intervention showed 6
      month benefits for weight gain and reduced anemia among these children mainly on
      antiretroviral therapy for years and aged greater than 5 years at inclusion.
      Associated CM slows down AM recovery and needs longer support. Integration of
      nutritional screening and care in the pediatric HIV-care package is needed to
      optimize growth and prevent metabolic disorders.

PMID- 28639992
TI  - Use of Index Patients to Enable Home-Based Testing in Lesotho.

PMID- 28639994
TI  - HIV Care Initiation Delay Among Rural Residents in the Southeastern United
      States, 1996 to 2012.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Delaying HIV care initiation may lead to greater morbidity,
      mortality, and further HIV transmission. Rural residence may be associated with
      delayed diagnosis and linkage to care, with negative clinical outcomes.
      OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between rural patient residence and CD4
      cell count at HIV care initiation in a large HIV clinical cohort in the
      Southeastern United States. METHODS: We included HIV-infected patients who
      initiated care between 1996 and 2012 with a geocodable address and no previous
      history of HIV clinical care. Patient residence was categorized as urban or rural
      using United States Department of Agriculture Rural Urban Commuting Area codes.
      Multivariable linear regression models were fit to estimate the association
      between patient residence and CD4 cell count at HIV care initiation. RESULTS:
      Among 1396 patients who met study inclusion criteria, 988 had a geocodable
      address. Overall, 35% of patients resided in rural areas and presented to HIV
      care with a mean CD4 cell count of 351 cells/mm (SD, 290). Care initiation mean
      CD4 cell counts increased from 329 cells/mm (SD, 283) in 1996-2003 to 391
      cells/mm (SD, 292) in 2008-2012 (P = 0.006). Rural in comparison with urban
      patients presented with lower CD4 cell counts with an unadjusted and adjusted
      mean difference of -48 cells/mm [95% confidence interval, -86 to -10) and -37
      cells/mm (95% confidence interval: -73 to -2), respectively, consistently
      observed across calendar years. CONCLUSIONS: HIV care initiation at low CD4 cell
      counts was common in this Southeastern US cohort and more common among rural area
      residents.

PMID- 28639995
TI  - Brief Report: Recovery of Bone Mineral Density After Discontinuation of Tenofovir
      Based HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for HIV prevention and
      treatment is associated with decreases in bone mineral density (BMD). Previous
      reports suggest that these changes may be reversible after discontinuation of
      TDF. SETTING: A metabolic substudy of 498 participants in a randomized, placebo
      controlled HIV prevention trial of oral coformulated TDF with emtricitabine
      (TDF/FTC, Truvada) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) enrolling a global
      sample of men who have sex with men and trans women. METHODS: Participants
      underwent dual X-ray absorptiometry to quantify bone mineral density (BMD) in the
      hip and spine during PrEP and at 2 visits after stopping (median of 23 and 79
      weeks post-PrEP, respectively). Results are stratified by pharmacologic measure
      of TDF/FTC adherence. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in change in
      hip/spine BMD at any time point between placebo and those with low adherence.
      Adherent participants had a mean (standard error) BMD change at TDF/FTC
      discontinuation of -1.02% (0.24) in the hip and -1.84% (0.36) in the spine. After
      stop, annualized BMD increases of 1.13% per year (0.27) in hip and 1.81% per year
      (0.36) in spine BMD were observed in adherent participants compared with 0.19%
      (0.16) and 0.74% (0.21) in the placebo group, respectively (P = 0.003, both
      comparisons). On average, BMD returned to baseline levels by 1 year after PrEP
      stop. Recovery was consistent across age, baseline BMD z-score, and treatment
      duration. CONCLUSIONS: Mean BMD returns to baseline levels within 12-18 months
      after TDF-based PrEP discontinuation in both hip and spine with consistency
      across participant subgroups. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov
      NCT00458393.

PMID- 28639997
TI  - Parent Education is Changing: A Review of Smartphone Apps.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose was to critique existing parenting apps using established
      criteria and health literacy guidelines. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive methodology
      was used. METHODS: The Apple App Store was searched using the terms parenting,
      child health, and infant health. To be included, the apps had to have relevant
      content (parenting, child health, or infant health), be in English, and contain
      parent education. After eliminating apps that failed to meet inclusion criteria
      from the original 203 apps, 46 apps were reviewed. The Patient Education
      Materials Assessment Tool was used to evaluate the health literacy subscales
      called Understandability and Actionability. Content analysis included Authority,
      Objectivity, Accuracy, Timeliness, and Usability. RESULTS: The majority of the
      apps (70%) were in English only. The price ranged from free to $4.99. The
      purpose, target audience, and topics varied. Although all included apps were for
      parents, some were for more targeted groups of parents. The source of the
      information was not presented in 26% of the apps. Most apps took the user to a
      Web site or an article to read. Functionality of the apps was limited, with none
      of them providing a customized experience. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Much
      development and research is needed before mobile health (mHealth) solutions can
      be recommended by nurses caring for new parents. It is critical that consumers
      and interdisciplinary professionals be involved in the early design phase of the
      product to ensure that the end product is acceptable and usable and that it will
      lead to healthy behaviors.

PMID- 28639996
TI  - Brief Report: Should Abacavir Be a First-Line Alternative for Adults With HIV in
      Sub-Saharan Africa?
AB  - Despite a poor toxicity profile, zidovudine supersedes abacavir (ABC) as an
      alternative first-line agent in most international treatment guidelines because
      of concerns about HLA-B*57:01-related ABC-hypersensitivity. We detected one case
      of HLA-B*57:01 carriage among 513 HIV-infected individuals in Uganda, which, in
      combination with previous reports, supports the safety of ABC in the region.

PMID- 28639999
TI  - The Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Bordetella Pertussis Infection.

PMID- 28639998
TI  - The New Parent Checklist: A Tool to Promote Parental Reflection.
AB  - PURPOSE: To design and establish content and face validity of an evidence
      informed tool that promotes parental self-reflection during the transition to
      parenthood. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The New Parent Checklist was developed
      using a three-phase sequential approach: Phase 1 a scoping review and expert
      consultation to develop and refine a prototype tool; Phase 2 content analysis of
      parent focus groups; and Phase 3 assessment of utility in a cross-sectional
      sample of parents completing the New Parent Checklist and a questionnaire.
      RESULTS: The initial version of the checklist was considered by experts to
      contain key information. Focus group participants found it useful, appropriate,
      and nonjudgmental, and offered suggestions to enhance readability, utility, as
      well as face and content validity. In the cross-sectional survey, 83% of the
      participants rated the New Parent Checklist as "helpful" or "very helpful" and
      90% found the New Parent Checklist "very easy" to use. Open-ended survey
      responses included predominantly positive feedback. Notable differences existed
      for some items based on respondents' first language, age, and sex. Results and
      feedback from all three phases informed the current version, available for
      download online. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The New Parent Checklist is a
      comprehensive evidence-informed self-reflective tool with promising content and
      face validity. Depending on parental characteristics and infant age, certain
      items of the New Parent Checklist have particular utility but may also require
      further adaptation and testing. Local resources for information and/or support
      are included in the tool and could be easily adapted by other regions to
      incorporate their own local resources.

PMID- 28640000
TI  - Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Producing Staphylococcus Aureus Facial Pyomyositis
      Causing Partial Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis.
AB  - We present a case of subtotal cavernous sinus thrombosis secondary to Panton
      Valentine leukocidin-associated Staphylococcus aureus pyomyositis of the muscles
      of mastication in a previously healthy child, who was successfully managed with
      no residual disease. He was found to have a factor V Leiden heterozygous
      mutation. We highlight the propensity of Panton-Valentine leukocidin
      Staphylococcus aureus to induce venous thrombosis at any site but with potential
      for more severe consequences in the head. We highlight pyomyositis as a
      differential for periorbital cellulitis and discuss the significance of the
      factor V Leiden mutation.

PMID- 28640001
TI  - Reduction in Diarrhea- and Rotavirus-related Healthcare Visits Among Children <5
      Years of Age After National Rotavirus Vaccine Introduction in Zimbabwe.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Zimbabwe, rotavirus accounted for 41%-56% of acute diarrhea
      hospitalizations before rotavirus vaccine introduction in 2014. We evaluated
      rotavirus vaccination impact on acute diarrhea- and rotavirus-related healthcare
      visits in children. METHODS: We examined monthly and annual acute diarrhea and
      rotavirus test-positive hospitalizations and Accident and Emergency Department
      visits among children <60 months of age at 3 active surveillance hospitals during
      2012-2016; we compared prevaccine introduction (2012-2013) with postvaccine
      introduction (2015 and 2016) data for 2 of the hospitals. We examined monthly
      acute diarrhea hospitalizations by year and age group for 2013-2016 from
      surveillance hospital registers and monthly acute diarrhea outpatient visits
      reported to the Ministry of Health and Child Care during 2012-2016. RESULTS:
      Active surveillance data showed winter seasonal peaks in diarrhea- and rotavirus
      related visits among children <60 months of age during 2012-2014 that were
      substantially blunted in 2015 and 2016 after vaccine introduction; the percentage
      of rotavirus test-positive visits followed a similar seasonal pattern and
      decrease. Hospital register data showed similar pre-introduction seasonal
      variation and post-introduction declines in diarrhea hospitalizations among
      children 0-11 and 12-23 months of age. Monthly variation in outpatient diarrhea
      related visits mirrored active surveillance data patterns. At 2 surveillance
      hospitals, the percentage of rotavirus-positive visits declined by 40% and 43%
      among children 0-11 months of age and by 21% and 33% among children 12-23 months
      of age in 2015 and 2016, respectively. CONCLUSION: Initial reductions in
      diarrheal illness among children <60 months of age, particularly among those 0-11
      months of age, after vaccine introduction are encouraging. These early results
      provide evidence to support continued rotavirus vaccination and rotavirus
      surveillance in Zimbabwe.

PMID- 28640002
TI  - Trends in Diagnoses Among Hospitalizations of HIV-infected Children and
      Adolescents in the United States: 2003-2012.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Using data from 2003-2012, we updated a previous analysis of trends in
      hospitalizations of HIV-infected children and adolescents in the United States.
      METHODS: We used data from the Kids' Inpatient Database of the Healthcare Cost
      and Utilization Project to derive nationally representative estimates of the
      number of hospitalizations and the rates per 1000 hospitalizations of select
      discharge diagnoses and procedures in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012 among HIV
      infected and HIV-uninfected children and adolescents <=18 years, excluding
      hospitalizations for conditions related to pregnancy/delivery and neonatal
      diagnoses. We also examined trends in the prevalence of select discharge
      diagnoses and procedures using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS:
      During 2003-2012, the number of hospitalizations for HIV-infected children
      declined 58% versus 17% for uninfected, but the odds of having discharge codes
      for most of the diagnoses and procedures studied, including death during
      hospitalization, remained higher among HIV-infected compared with uninfected
      children. Among HIV-infected children, the prevalence of discharge diagnoses for
      pneumonia, pneumococcal disease and varicella/herpes zoster infections and odds
      of death during hospitalization decreased over time, while bacterial
      infections/sepsis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus increased.
      Among HIV-uninfected children, there was no increase in diagnoses of bacterial
      infection/sepsis, but otherwise trends were similar. CONCLUSIONS: The number of
      hospitalizations for HIV-infected children declined from 2003 to 2012. The
      decreased prevalence of several discharge diagnoses and lower risk of death
      during hospitalization likely reflect improvements in HIV therapies and increased
      uptake of other preventive strategies. However, the increasing prevalence of
      discharge diagnoses for bacterial infections/sepsis warrants further attention
      and monitoring.

PMID- 28640003
TI  - Infections Associated With Streptococcus Constellatus in Children.
AB  - Streptococcus constellatus is a viridans Streptococcus belonging to the Anginosus
      group. It was associated with abscesses in 37 children, 80% of whom had acute
      appendicitis with perforation and abscess formation in 50%. None of the children
      was <3 years of age.

PMID- 28640004
TI  - Ocular Lesions in Congenital Toxoplasmosis in Santa Isabel do Ivai, Parana,
      Brazil.
AB  - We verified clinical and psychopedagogic aspects of congenital cases with ocular
      sequelae, 13 years after toxoplasmosis outbreak in Santa Isabel do Ivai, and
      current seroprevalence of this zoonosis in pregnant women. Audiologic and
      ophthalmologic evaluations were performed in congenital cases, in addition to
      collection of clinical and psychopedagogic data. In pregnant women, current
      seroprevalence was observed. Among affected teenagers, 2 of 5 are behind in
      school grade, and 4 of 5 reported learning difficulties, requiring
      psychopedagogic monitoring, as well as ocular complaints. We observed
      predominance of small, scarred, dispersed, type II chorioretinal lesions
      (hypopigmented halo and hyperpigmented central area), and 1 case of ocular
      relapse. All patients presented normal audiologic assessment. Among 131 pregnant
      women, 62 (47.3%) were seronegative and 39 (29.8%) were IgG reactive. Only 1
      reported acquiring infection during the outbreak. This is one of the few studies
      in Brazil showing the outcome of congenital toxoplasmosis, a decade after
      infection, in one of the world's largest outbreaks.

PMID- 28640005
TI  - Intussusception-related Hospitalizations Among Infants Before and After Private
      Market Licensure of Rotavirus Vaccines in Taiwan, 2001-2013.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Rotavirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis among
      Taiwanese children. Two globally licensed rotavirus vaccines recommended for
      inclusion in routine immunization programs that have been available for private
      market use in Taiwan since 2006 have been associated with a low risk of
      intussusception in postmarketing studies conducted in several countries. Our
      objective was to examine trends and characteristics of intussusception
      hospitalizations in Taiwan among children <12 months of age before and after
      rotavirus vaccine licensure to provide updated baseline and early postlicensure
      data. METHODS: We extracted data on intussusception-related hospitalizations
      among children <12 months of age during 2001-2013 from the National Health
      Insurance Research Database. We examined patient demographics, clinical outcome
      and hospitalization trends, focusing on recommended ages for rotavirus
      vaccination (6-14, 15-24 and 25-34 weeks). We compared mean hospitalization rates
      for prevaccine licensure years 2001-2005 with those for postvaccine licensure
      years 2007-2013 using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: During 2001-2013,
      1998 intussusceptions hospitalizations were recorded. The mean age of
      hospitalization was 33 weeks. Almost all children recovered; 3 deaths occurred.
      The overall intussusception hospitalization rate was 75.1 per 100,000;
      seasonality was not evident. Hospitalization rates were greatest in children >=25
      weeks of age and occurred more frequently in boys. Prevaccine and postvaccine
      licensure trends in annual hospitalization rates did not significantly differ.
      However, mean hospitalization rates were lower during the postvaccine licensure
      period for children <12 months of age (rate ratio: 0.84, 95% confidence interval:
      0.76-0.92) with the greatest decline among children 25-34 weeks of age (rate
      ratio: 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.55-0.78). CONCLUSIONS: Infant
      intussusception in Taiwan occurs at a rate within the range of other Asian
      countries is rare among children <3 months of age, has a male predominance and
      does not have a clear seasonality pattern. We did not observe a postlicensure
      increase in intussusception hospitalization rates in children 6-14 weeks of age.

PMID- 28640006
TI  - Poor gait performance is influenced with decreased vestibulo-ocular reflex in
      poststroke patients.
AB  - The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) exerts a significant influence on gait
      performance. Therefore, a decrease in VOR function could worsen gait impairments
      in patients with poststroke hemiparesis. The effects of decreased VOR function on
      gait performance could be further exacerbated by aging-related physical weakness
      and impaired motor function of the hemiparetic lower limb. The aim of our study
      was to evaluate the possible synergistic effect of aging and impairment in lower
      extremity function and the VOR on walking ability of poststroke hemiplegic
      patients. The VOR was evaluated, using the gaze-stabilization test (GST), in 75
      patients with a poststroke hemiplegia. Lower extremity function was assessed
      using the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA-LE). Gait performance was evaluated using
      the 10-m walking test, the timed up-and-go, and the dynamic gait index (DGI). The
      relationships between gait performance and age, FMA-LE and GST, as well as
      whether age, FMA-LE, and/or GST were significant predictors of gait performance
      were evaluated. The 10-m walking test, timed up-and-go and DGI were significantly
      correlated to the FMA-LE and GST (P<0.05). On stepwise multiple regression
      analysis, the GST remained a significant predictor of the DGI (P<0.001). The
      present study indicates that decreased VOR function after stroke contributes to
      impairments in gait both in simple and in dual-task walking tests.

PMID- 28640007
TI  - Evaluation of pulse height control for rapid isometric contractions in college
      sprinters.
AB  - The ability of rapid force development is one of the important factors for
      improving physical performance. It has been known that rapid isometric force is
      controlled by a central motor program to maintain the rise time relatively
      constant independent of force amplitude (pulse height control). The advantage of
      using pulse height control is that it increases the rate of force with force
      amplitude. However, this strategy is believed to be applicable up to about 50-60%
      of maximal voluntary contractions (MVC). When the force level increases further,
      individuals often switch to pulse width control to increase the time to peak
      force. The aim of this study was to determine the force level (turning point) at
      which participants switch from pulse height control to pulse width control. This
      turning point was defined as the maximum force produced by pulse height control.
      We then attempted to examine whether this turning point is different among
      participants (control and sprinter groups). Therefore, participants were asked to
      perform isometric plantar flexions as fast as possible over a wide range of force
      levels (10-90%MVC). Our results showed that a turning point (%MVC) between two
      strategies was detected in all participants and the mean values were
      significantly higher in the sprinter group than that in the control group. Our
      results suggest that each participant has different limits of force level
      produced by pulse height control. The sprinter and control groups may use
      different control strategies for rapid force production at a higher force level.

PMID- 28640008
TI  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor propeptide inhibits proliferation and induces
      apoptosis in C6 glioma cells.
AB  - There are several forms of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the
      precursor of BDNF, mature BDNF, and BDNF propeptide. They exert different effects
      through different transmembrane receptor signaling systems. Precursor of BDNF is
      enzymatically cleaved, either by intracellular or by extracellular proteases, to
      generate mature BDNF and its propeptide (BDNF propeptide). The aim of this study
      was to evaluate the potential molecular mechanisms that underlie the inhibition
      of glioma cell growth by the BDNF propeptide. To achieve this, we examined the
      expression of BDNF propeptide in C6 glioma cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2
      Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and the apoptosis assay were used to
      assess the effects of the BDNF propeptide on the growth and apoptosis of glioma
      cells. We found that the BDNF propeptide promoted C6 glioma cell apoptosis and
      decreased in-vitro cell growth. We also found using western blot that cleaved
      caspase3 and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)-associated X protein abundances increased,
      whereas Bcl2 abundance decreased. Our data suggest that the BDNF propeptide may
      have an inhibitory effect on glioma through activation of the caspase3 pathway.

PMID- 28640009
TI  - Augmented Renal Clearance Using Population-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling in
      Critically Ill Pediatric Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate the prevalence of
      augmented renal clearance in critically ill pediatric patients using vancomycin
      clearance; 2) derive the pharmacokinetic model that best describes vancomycin
      clearance in critically ill pediatric patients; and 3) correlate vancomycin
      clearance with creatinine clearance estimated by modified Schwartz or Cockcroft
      Gault. DESIGN: Retrospective, two-center, cohort study from 2003 to 2016.
      SETTING: Clinical drug monitoring services in the PICUs at two tertiary care,
      teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: Children from 1 to 21 years old. INTERVENTIONS:
      None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Identify patients with augmented renal
      clearance (vancomycin clearance >= 130 mL/min/1.73 m used as definition of
      augmented renal clearance). Derive final population-based pharmacokinetic model
      and estimate individual patient pharmacokinetic parameters. Compare estimated
      glomerular filtration rate (modified Schwartz or Cockcroft-Gault depending on age
      < or >= 17 yr) with vancomycin clearance. Augmented renal clearance was
      identified in 12% of 250 total subjects. The final population-based
      pharmacokinetic model for vancomycin clearance (L/hr) was 0.118 * weight (e).
      Median vancomycin clearance in those with versus without augmented renal
      clearance were 141.3 and 91.7 mL/min/1.73 m, respectively (p < 0.001). By
      classification and regression tree analysis, patients who were more than 7.9
      years old were significantly more likely to experience augmented renal clearance
      (17% vs 4.6% in those <= 7.9 yr old; p = 0.002). In patients with augmented renal
      clearance, 79% of 29 had vancomycin trough concentrations less than 10 ug/mL,
      compared with 52% of 221 in those without augmented renal clearance (p < 0.001).
      Vancomycin clearance was weakly correlated to the glomerular filtration rate
      estimated by the modified Schwartz or Cockcroft-Gault method (Spearman R =
      0.083). CONCLUSIONS: Augmented renal clearance was identified in one of 10
      critically ill pediatric patients using vancomycin clearance, with an increase of
      approximately 50 mL/min/1.73 m in those with augmented renal clearance. As
      augmented renal clearance results in subtherapeutic antibiotic concentrations,
      optimal dosing is essential in those exhibiting augmented renal clearance.

PMID- 28640010
TI  - Living Donor Liver Transplantation in Pakistan.

PMID- 28640012
TI  - Interspecies Organogenesis-Derived Tissues for Transplantation.

PMID- 28640013
TI  - Promote Your Work in Transplantation.

PMID- 28640015
TI  - The Effects of Valsartan on Renal Klotho Expression and Oxidative Stress in
      Alleviation of Cyclosporine Nephrotoxicity: Retraction.

PMID- 28640014
TI  - Potential Impact of Risk and Loss Aversion on the Process of Accepting Kidneys
      for Transplantation.
AB  - Behavioral economic theory suggests that people make decisions based on
      maximizing perceived value; however, this may be influenced more by the risk of
      loss rather than of potential gain. Additionally, individuals may seek certainty
      over uncertainty. These are termed loss aversion and risk aversion, respectively.
      Loss aversion is particularly sensitive to how the decision is "framed." Thus,
      labeling a kidney as high Kidney Donor Profile Index results in higher discard
      rates because this creates a nonlinearity in perceived risk. There is also
      evidence that the perceived loss due to regulatory sanction results in increased
      organ discard rates. This may be due to the overuse of terminology that stresses
      regulatory sanctions and thus perpetuates fear of loss through a form of nudging.
      Our goal is to point out how these concepts of behavioral economics may
      negatively influence the decision process to accept these suboptimal organs. We
      hope to make the community more aware of these powerful psychological influences
      and thus potentially increase the utilization of these suboptimal organs.
      Further, we would urge regulatory bodies to avoid utilizing strategies that frame
      outcomes in terms of loss due to flagging and build models that are less prone to
      uncertain expected versus observed outcomes.

PMID- 28640016
TI  - Hydrogen Peroxide Induces Muscle Nociception via Transient Receptor Potential
      Ankyrin 1 Receptors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: H2O2 has a variety of actions in skin wounds but has been rarely
      studied in deep muscle tissue. Based on response to the transient receptor
      potential ankyrin 1 antagonists after plantar incision, we hypothesized that H2O2
      exerts nociceptive effects via the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 in
      muscle. METHODS: Nociceptive behaviors in rats (n = 269) and mice (n = 16) were
      evaluated after various concentrations and volumes of H2O2 were injected into the
      gastrocnemius muscle or subcutaneous tissue. The effects of H2O2 on in vivo
      spinal dorsal horn neuronal activity and lumbar dorsal root ganglia neurons in
      vitro were evaluated from 26 rats and 6 mice. RESULTS: Intramuscular (mean +/-
      SD: 1,436 +/- 513 s) but not subcutaneous (40 +/- 58 s) injection of H2O2 (100
      mM, 0.6 ml) increased nociceptive time. Conditioned place aversion was evident
      after intramuscular (-143 +/- 81 s) but not subcutaneous (-2 +/- 111 s) injection
      of H2O2. These H2O2-induced behaviors were blocked by transient receptor
      potential ankyrin 1 antagonists. Intramuscular injection of H2O2 caused sustained
      in vivo activity of dorsal horn neurons, and H2O2 activated a subset of dorsal
      root ganglia neurons in vitro. Capsaicin nerve block decreased guarding after
      plantar incision and reduced nociceptive time after intramuscular H2O2.
      Nociceptive time after intramuscular H2O2 in transient receptor potential ankyrin
      1 knockout mice was shorter (173 +/- 156 s) compared with wild-type mice (931 +/-
      629 s). CONCLUSIONS: The greater response of muscle tissue to H2O2 may help
      explain why incision that includes deep muscle but not skin incision alone
      produces spontaneous activity in nociceptive pathways.

PMID- 28640017
TI  - Reversal of Vecuronium-induced Neuromuscular Blockade with Low-dose Sugammadex at
      Train-of-four Count of Four: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block that spontaneously recovered
      to a train-of-four count of four can be reversed with sugammadex 0.5 or 1.0
      mg/kg. We investigated whether these doses of sugammadex can also reverse
      vecuronium at a similar level of block. METHODS: Sixty-five patients were
      randomly assigned, and 64 were analyzed in this controlled, superiority study.
      Participants received general anesthesia with propofol, sevoflurane, fentanyl,
      and vecuronium. Measurement of neuromuscular function was performed with
      acceleromyography (TOF-Watch-SX, Organon Teknika B.V., The Netherlands ). Once
      the block recovered spontaneously to four twitches in response to train-of-four
      stimulation, patients were randomly assigned to receive sugammadex 0.5, 1.0, or
      2.0 mg/kg; neostigmine 0.05 mg/kg; or placebo. Time from study drug injection to
      normalized train-of-four ratio 0.9 and the incidence of incomplete reversal
      within 30 min were the primary outcome variables. Secondary outcome was the
      incidence of reparalysis (normalized train-of-four ratio less than 0.9). RESULTS:
      Sugammadex, in doses of 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, reversed a threshold train-of-four
      count of four to normalized train-of-four ratio of 0.9 or higher in all patients
      in 4.4 +/- 2.3 min (mean +/- SD) and 2.6 +/- 1.6 min, respectively. Sugammadex
      0.5 mg/kg reversed the block in 6.8 +/- 4.1 min in 70% of patients (P < 0.0001
      vs. 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg), whereas neostigmine produced reversal in 11.3 +/- 9.7 min
      in 77% of patients (P > 0.05 vs. sugammadex 0.5 mg/kg). The overall frequency of
      reparalysis was 18.7%, but this incidence varied from group to group.
      CONCLUSIONS: Sugammadex 1.0 mg/kg, unlike 0.5 mg/kg, properly reversed a
      threshold train-of-four count of four vecuronium-induced block but did not
      prevent reparalysis.

PMID- 28640018
TI  - Decision to Extubate Brain-injured Patients: Limiting Uncertainty in
      Neurocritical Care.

PMID- 28640019
TI  - Mini-fluid Challenge of 100 ml of Crystalloid Predicts Fluid Responsiveness in
      the Operating Room.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mini-fluid challenge of 100 ml colloids is thought to predict the
      effects of larger amounts of fluid (500 ml) in intensive care units. This study
      sought to determine whether a low quantity of crystalloid (50 and 100 ml) could
      predict the effects of 250 ml crystalloid in mechanically ventilated patients in
      the operating room. METHODS: A total of 44 mechanically ventilated patients
      undergoing neurosurgery were included. Volume expansion (250 ml saline 0.9%) was
      given to maximize cardiac output during surgery. Stroke volume index (monitored
      using pulse contour analysis) and pulse pressure variations were recorded before
      and after 50 ml infusion (given for 1 min), after another 50 ml infusion (given
      for 1 min), and finally after 150 ml infusion (total = 250 ml). Changes in stroke
      volume index induced by 50, 100, and 250 ml were recorded. Positive fluid
      challenges were defined as an increase in stroke volume index of 10% or more from
      baseline after 250 ml. RESULTS: A total of 88 fluid challenges were performed
      (32% of positive fluid challenges). Changes in stroke volume index induced by 100
      ml greater than 6% (gray zone between 4 and 7%, including 19% of patients)
      predicted fluid responsiveness with a sensitivity of 93% (95% CI, 77 to 99%) and
      a specificity of 85% (95% CI, 73 to 93%). The area under the receiver operating
      curve of changes in stroke volume index induced by 100 ml was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90
      to 0.99) and was higher than those of changes in stroke volume index induced by
      50 ml (0.83 [95% CI, 0.75 to 0.92]; P = 0.01) and pulse pressure variations (0.65
      [95% CI, 0.53 to 0.78]; P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in stroke volume index
      induced by rapid infusion of 100 ml crystalloid predicted the effects of 250 ml
      crystalloid in patients ventilated mechanically in the operating room.

PMID- 28640020
TI  - Extubation Success Prediction in a Multicentric Cohort of Patients with Severe
      Brain Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with brain injury are at high risk of extubation failure.
      METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study in four intensive
      care units of three university hospitals. The aim of the study was to create a
      score that could predict extubation success in patients with brain injury.
      RESULTS: A total of 437 consecutive patients with brain injury were included, and
      338 patients (77.3%) displayed successful extubation. In the multivariate
      analysis, four features were associated with success the day of extubation: age
      less than 40 yr, visual pursuit, swallowing attempts, and a Glasgow coma score
      greater than 10. In the score, each item counted as one. A score of 3 or greater
      was associated with 90% extubation success. The area under the receiver-operator
      curve was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.69 to 0.81). After internal validation by bootstrap,
      the area under the receiver-operator curve was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.79).
      Extubation success was significantly associated with shorter duration of
      mechanical ventilation (11 [95% CI, 5 to 17 days] vs. 22 days [95% CI, 13 to 29
      days]; P < 0.0001), shorter intensive care unit length of stay (15 [95% CI, 9 to
      23 days] vs. 27 days [95% CI, 21 to 36 days]; P < 0.0001), and lower in-intensive
      care unit mortality (4 [1.2%] vs. 11 [11.1%]; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our score
      exploring both airway functions and neurologic status may increase the
      probability of successful extubation in patients with severe brain injury.

PMID- 28640022
TI  - Brain-Dead Donors on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe donors after brain death with ongoing extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation and to analyze the outcome of organs transplanted from these
      donors. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the national information system run by
      the French Biomedicine Agency (CRISTAL database). SETTING: National registry data
      of all donors after brain death in France and their organ recipients between 2007
      and 2013. PATIENTS: Donors after brain death and their organ recipients.
      INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: During the study period,
      there were 22,270 brain-dead patients diagnosed in France, of whom 161 with
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Among these patients, 64 donors on
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and 10,805 donors without extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation had at least one organ retrieved. Donors on extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation were significantly younger and had more severe intensive
      care medical conditions (hemodynamic, biological, renal, and liver insults) than
      donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. One hundred nine kidneys, 37
      livers, seven hearts, and one lung were successfully transplanted from donors on
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. We found no significant difference in 1-year
      kidney graft survival (p = 0.24) and function between recipients from donors on
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (92.7% [85.9-96.3%]) and matching recipients
      from donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (95.4% [93.0-97.0%]). We
      also found no significant difference in 1-year liver recipient survival (p =
      0.91): 86.5% (70.5-94.1) from donors on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
      versus 80.7% (79.8-81.6) from donors without extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
      CONCLUSIONS: Brain-dead patients with ongoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
      have more severe medical conditions than those without extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation. However, kidney graft survival and function were no different than
      usual. Brain-dead patients with ongoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation are
      suitable for organ procurement.

PMID- 28640021
TI  - Identifying Distinct Subgroups of ICU Patients: A Machine Learning Approach.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Identifying subgroups of ICU patients with similar clinical needs and
      trajectories may provide a framework for more efficient ICU care through the
      design of care platforms tailored around patients' shared needs. However,
      objective methods for identifying these ICU patient subgroups are lacking. We
      used a machine learning approach to empirically identify ICU patient subgroups
      through clustering analysis and evaluate whether these groups might represent
      appropriate targets for care redesign efforts. DESIGN: We performed clustering
      analysis using data from patients' hospital stays to retrospectively identify
      patient subgroups from a large, heterogeneous ICU population. SETTING: Kaiser
      Permanente Northern California, a healthcare delivery system serving 3.9 million
      members. PATIENTS: ICU patients 18 years old or older with an ICU admission
      between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2012, at one of 21 Kaiser Permanente
      Northern California hospitals. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: We used clustering analysis to identify putative clusters among 5,000
      patients randomly selected from 24,884 ICU patients. To assess cluster validity,
      we evaluated the distribution and frequency of patient characteristics and the
      need for invasive therapies. We then applied a classifier built from the sample
      cohort to the remaining 19,884 patients to compare the derivation and validation
      clusters. Clustering analysis successfully identified six clinically recognizable
      subgroups that differed significantly in all baseline characteristics and
      clinical trajectories, despite sharing common diagnoses. In the validation
      cohort, the proportion of patients assigned to each cluster was similar and
      demonstrated significant differences across clusters for all variables.
      CONCLUSIONS: A machine learning approach revealed important differences between
      empirically derived subgroups of ICU patients that are not typically revealed by
      admitting diagnosis or severity of illness alone. Similar data-driven approaches
      may provide a framework for future organizational innovations in ICU care
      tailored around patients' shared needs.

PMID- 28640025
TI  - Performance of a Modern Glucose Meter in ICU and General Hospital Inpatients: 3
      Years of Real-World Paired Meter and Central Laboratory Results.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Due to accuracy concerns, the Food and Drug Administration issued
      guidances to manufacturers that resulted in Center for Medicare and Medicaid
      Services stating that the use of meters in critically ill patients is "off-label"
      and constitutes "high complexity" testing. This is causing significant workflow
      problems in ICUs nationally. We wished to determine whether real-world accuracy
      of modern glucose meters is worse in ICU patients compared with non-ICU
      inpatients. DESIGN: We reviewed glucose results over the preceding 3 years,
      comparing results from paired glucose meter and central laboratory tests
      performed within 60 minutes of each other in ICU versus non-ICU settings.
      SETTING: Seven ICU and 30 non-ICU wards at a 1,300-bed academic hospital in the
      United States. SUBJECTS: A total of 14,763 general medicine/surgery inpatients
      and 20,970 ICU inpatients. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:
      Compared meter results with near simultaneously performed laboratory results from
      the same patient by applying the 2016 U.S. Food and Drug Administration accuracy
      criteria, determining mean absolute relative difference and examining where
      paired results fell within the Parkes consensus error grid zones. A higher
      percentage of glucose meter results from ICUs than from non-ICUs passed 2016 Food
      and Drug Administration accuracy criteria (p < 10) when comparing meter results
      with laboratory results. At 1 minute, no meter result from ICUs posed dangerous
      or significant risk by error grid analysis, whereas at 10 minutes, less than 0.1%
      of ICU meter results did, which was not statistically different from non-ICU
      results. CONCLUSIONS: Real-world accuracy of modern glucose meters is at least as
      accurate in the ICU setting as in the non-ICU setting at our institution.

PMID- 28640023
TI  - Preventing Harm in the ICU-Building a Culture of Safety and Engaging Patients and
      Families.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Preventing harm remains a persistent challenge in the ICU despite
      evidence-based practices known to reduce the prevalence of adverse events. This
      review seeks to describe the critical role of safety culture and patient and
      family engagement in successful quality improvement initiatives in the ICU. We
      review the evidence supporting the impact of safety culture and provide practical
      guidance for those wishing to implement initiatives aimed at improving safety
      culture and more effectively integrate patients and families in such efforts.
      DATA SOURCES: Literature review using PubMed including evaluation of key studies
      assessing large-scale quality improvement efforts in the ICU, impact of safety
      culture on patient outcomes, methodologies for quality improvement commonly used
      in healthcare, and patient and family engagement. Print and web-based resources
      from leading patient safety organizations were also searched. STUDY SELECTION:
      Our group completed a review of original studies, review articles, book chapters,
      and recommendations from leading patient safety organizations. DATA EXTRACTION:
      Our group determined by consensus which resources would best inform this review.
      DATA SYNTHESIS: A strong safety culture is associated with reduced adverse
      events, lower mortality rates, and lower costs. Quality improvement efforts have
      been shown to be more effective and sustainable when paired with a strong safety
      culture. Different methodologies exist for quality improvement in the ICU; a
      thoughtful approach to implementation that engages frontline providers and
      administrative leadership is essential for success. Efforts to substantively
      include patients and families in the processes of quality improvement work in the
      ICU should be expanded. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to establish a culture of safety and
      meaningfully engage patients and families should form the foundation for all
      safety interventions in the ICU. This review describes an approach that
      integrates components of several proven quality improvement methodologies to
      enhance safety culture in the ICU and highlights opportunities to include
      patients and families.

PMID- 28640026
TI  - What Is the Relationship Between a Preclerkship Portfolio Review and Later
      Performance in Clerkships?
AB  - PURPOSE: Medical educators struggle to find effective ways to assess essential
      competencies such as communication, professionalism, and teamwork. Portfolio
      based assessment provides one method of addressing this problem by allowing
      faculty reviewers to judge performance, as based on a longitudinal record of
      student behavior. At the Feinberg School of Medicine, the portfolio system
      measures behavioral competence using multiple assessments collected over time.
      This study examines whether a preclerkship portfolio review is a valid method of
      identifying problematic student behavior affecting later performance in
      clerkships. METHOD: The authors divided students into two groups based on a
      summative preclerkship portfolio review in 2014: students who had concerning
      behavior in one or more competencies and students progressing satisfactorily.
      They compared how students in these groups later performed on two clerkship
      outcomes as of October 2015: final grades in required clerkships, and performance
      on a clerkship clinical composite score. They used Mann-Whitney tests and
      multiple linear regression to examine the relationship between portfolio review
      results and clerkship outcomes. They used USMLE Step 1 to control for knowledge
      acquisition. RESULTS: Students with concerning behavior preclerkship received
      significantly lower clerkship grades than students progressing satisfactorily (P
      = .002). They also scored significantly lower on the clinical composite score (P
      < .001). Regression analysis indicated concerning behavior was associated with
      lower clinical composite scores, even after controlling for knowledge
      acquisition. CONCLUSIONS: The results show a preclerkship portfolio review can
      identify behaviors that impact clerkship performance. A comprehensive portfolio
      system is a valid way to measure behavioral competencies.

PMID- 28640024
TI  - Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System Can Reduce Short-Term Mortality Among
      Patients With Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure-A Retrospective Analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Acute-on-chronic liver failure is associated with numerous
      consecutive organ failures and a high short-term mortality rate. Molecular
      adsorbent recirculating system therapy has demonstrated beneficial effects on the
      distinct symptoms, but the associated mortality data remain controversial.
      DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of acute-on-chronic liver failure patients
      receiving either standard medical treatment or standard medical treatment and
      molecular adsorbent recirculating system. Secondary analysis of data from the
      prospective randomized Recompensation of Exacerbated Liver Insufficiency with
      Hyperbilirubinemia and/or Encephalopathy and/or Renal Failure trial by applying
      the recently introduced Chronic Liver Failure-criteria. SETTING: Medical
      Departments of University Hospital Muenster (Germany). PATIENTS: This analysis
      was conducted in two parts. First, 101 patients with acute-on-chronic liver
      failure grades 1-3 and Chronic Liver Failure-C-Organ Failure liver subscore
      equals to 3 but stable pulmonary function were identified and received either
      standard medical treatment (standard medical treatment, n = 54) or standard
      medical treatment and molecular adsorbent recirculating system (n = 47) at the
      University Hospital Muenster. Second, the results of this retrospective analysis
      were tested against the Recompensation of Exacerbated Liver Insufficiency with
      Hyperbilirubinemia and/or Encephalopathy and/or Renal Failure trial.
      INTERVENTIONS: Standard medical treatment and molecular adsorbent recirculating
      system. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Additionally to improved laboratory
      variables (bilirubin and creatinine), the short-term mortality (up to day 14) of
      the molecular adsorbent recirculating system group was significantly reduced
      compared with standard medical treatment. A reduced 14-day mortality rate was
      observed in the molecular adsorbent recirculating system group (9.5% vs 50.0%
      with standard medical treatment; p = 0.004), especially in patients with multiple
      organ failure (acute-on-chronic liver failure grade 2-3). Concerning the affected
      organ system, this effect of molecular adsorbent recirculating system on
      mortality was particularly evident among patients with increased kidney, brain,
      or coagulation Chronic Liver Failure-C-Organ Failure subscores. Subsequent
      reanalysis of the Recompensation of Exacerbated Liver Insufficiency with
      Hyperbilirubinemia and/or Encephalopathy and/or Renal Failure dataset with
      adoption of the Chronic Liver Failure-classification resulted in similar
      findings. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular adsorbent recirculating system treatment was
      associated with an improved short-term survival of patients with acute-on-chronic
      liver failure and multiple organ failure. Among these high-risk patients,
      molecular adsorbent recirculating system treatment might bridge to liver recovery
      or liver transplantation.

PMID- 28640027
TI  - Exploring Integration in Action: Competencies as Building Blocks of Expertise.
AB  - PURPOSE: Competency frameworks such as the CanMEDS roles and the ACGME core
      competencies may lead to the implicit assumption that physicians can learn and
      practice individual competencies in isolation. In contrast, models of adaptive
      expertise suggest that the integration of competencies reflects the capabilities
      of an expert physician. Thus, educational programming aimed at teaching discrete
      roles or competencies might overlook expert physician capabilities that are
      central to patient care. To develop expertise, learning opportunities must
      reflect expert capabilities. To better understand the relationship between
      competency-based medical education and expert development, the authors sought to
      explore how integrated competencies are enacted during patient care by
      postgraduate medical trainees. METHOD: Using a cognitive ethnographic approach,
      in 2014-2015 the authors conducted observations and-to refine and elaborate these
      observations-ad hoc informal interviews with 13 postgraduate trainee
      participants. Data collection resulted in 92 hours of observation, 26 patient
      case portraits, and a total of 220 pages of field notes for analysis. Through
      analysis, the authors identified and examined moments when postgraduate trainees
      appeared to be simultaneously enacting multiple competencies. RESULTS: The
      authors identified two key expert capabilities in moments of integrated
      competence: finding complexity and being patient-centered. They described two
      mechanisms for these forms of integration: valuing the patient's narrative of
      their illness, and integrated understanding. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding
      integrated competencies as the building blocks of expert capabilities, along with
      recognizing the importance of mechanisms that support integration, offers an
      opportunity to use existing competency-based frameworks to understand and teach
      adaptive expertise.

PMID- 28640029
TI  - Enacting Pedagogy in Curricula: On the Vital Role of Governance in Medical
      Education.
AB  - Managing curricula and curricular change involves both a complex set of decisions
      and effective enactment of those decisions. The means by which decisions are
      made, implemented, and monitored constitute the governance of a program. Thus,
      effective academic governance is critical to effective curriculum delivery.
      Medical educators and medical education researchers have been invested heavily in
      issues of educational content, pedagogy, and design. However, relatively little
      consideration has been paid to the governance processes that ensure fidelity of
      implementation and ongoing refinements that will bring curricular practices
      increasingly in line with the pedagogical intent. In this article, the authors
      reflect on the importance of governance in medical schools and argue that, in an
      age of rapid advances in knowledge and medical practices, educational renewal
      will be inhibited if discussions of content and pedagogy are not complemented by
      consideration of a governance framework capable of enabling change. They explore
      the unique properties of medical curricula that complicate academic governance,
      review the definition and properties of good governance, offer mechanisms to
      evaluate the extent to which governance is operating effectively within a medical
      program, and put forward a potential research agenda for increasing the
      collective understanding of effective governance in medical education.

PMID- 28640028
TI  - Assessing and Communicating the Value of Biomedical Research: Results From a
      Pilot Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Assessing the impact of research requires an approach that is sensitive
      both to the context of the research and the perspective of the stakeholders
      trying to understand its benefits. Here, the authors report on a pilot that
      applied such an approach to research conducted at the Collaborative Center for
      Health Equity (CCHE) of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public
      Health. METHOD: The pilot assessed the academic impact of CCHE's work; the
      networks between CCHE and community partners; and the reach of CCHE's programs,
      including an attempt to estimate return on investment (ROI). Data included
      bibliometrics, findings from a stakeholder survey and in-depth interviews, and
      financial figures. RESULTS: The pilot illustrated how CCHE programs increase the
      capacity of community partners to advocate for their communities and engage with
      researchers to ensure that research benefits the community. The results
      illustrate the reach of CCHE's programs into the community. The authors produced
      an estimate of the ROI for one CCHE program targeting childhood obesity, and
      values ranged from negative to positive. CONCLUSIONS: The authors experienced
      challenges using novel assessment techniques at a small scale including the lack
      of comparator groups and the scarcity of cost data for estimating ROI. This pilot
      demonstrated the value of research from a variety of perspectives-from academic
      to community. It illustrates how metrics beyond grant income and publications can
      capture the outputs of an academic health center in a way that may better align
      with the aims of the center and stakeholders.

PMID- 28640030
TI  - Flipped Classrooms in Graduate Medical Education: A National Survey of Residency
      Program Directors.
AB  - PURPOSE: To begin to quantify and understand the use of the flipped classroom
      (FC)-a progressive, effective, curricular model-in internal medicine (IM)
      education in relation to residency program and program director (PD)
      characteristics. METHOD: The authors conducted a survey that included the Flipped
      Classroom Perception Instrument (FCPI) in 2015 regarding programs' use and PDs'
      perceptions of the FC model. RESULTS: Among the 368 IM residency programs, PDs at
      227 (61.7%) responded to the survey and 206 (56.0%) completed the FCPI. Regarding
      how often programs used the FC model, 34 of the 206 PDs (16.5%) reported "never";
      44 (21.4%) reported "very rarely"; another 44 (21.4%) reported "somewhat rarely";
      59 (28.6%) reported "sometimes"; 16 (7.8%) reported "somewhat often"; and 9
      (4.4%) reported "very often." The mean FCPI score (standard deviation [SD]) for
      the in-class application factor (4.11 [0.68]) was higher (i.e., more favorable)
      than for the preclass activity factor (3.94 [0.65]) (P < .001). FC perceptions
      (mean [SD]) were higher among younger PDs (<= 50 years, 4.12 [0.62]; > 50 years,
      3.94 [0.61]; P = .04) and women compared with men (4.28 [0.56] vs. 3.91 [0.62]; P
      < .001). PDs with better perceptions of FCs had higher odds of using FCs (odds
      ratio, 4.768; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Most IM programs use the FC model at least
      to some extent, and PDs prefer the interactive in-class components over the
      independent preclass activities. PDs who are women and younger perceived the
      model more favorably.

PMID- 28640031
TI  - Identifying Gaps in the Performance of Pediatric Trainees Who Receive
      Marginal/Unsatisfactory Ratings.
AB  - PURPOSE: To perform a derivation study to determine in which subcompetencies
      marginal/unsatisfactory pediatric residents had the greatest deficits compared
      with their satisfactorily performing peers and which subcompetencies best
      discriminated between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactorily performing
      residents. METHOD: Multi-institutional cohort study of all 21 milestones (rated
      on four or five levels) reported to the Accreditation Council for Graduate
      Medical Education, and global marginal/unsatisfactory versus satisfactory
      performance reported to the American Board of Pediatrics. Data were gathered in
      2013-2014. For each level of training (postgraduate year [PGY] 1, 2, and 3), mean
      differences between milestone levels of residents with marginal/unsatisfactory
      and satisfactory performance adjusted for clustering by program and C-statistics
      (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) were calculated. A
      Bonferroni-corrected significance threshold of .0007963 was used to account for
      multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Milestone and overall performance evaluations for
      1,704 pediatric residents in 41 programs were obtained. For PGY1s, two
      subcompetencies had almost a one-point difference in milestone levels between
      marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory trainees and outstanding discrimination
      (>= 0.90): organize/prioritize (0.93; C-statistic: 0.91) and transfer of care
      (0.97; C-statistic: 0.90). The largest difference between marginal/unsatisfactory
      and satisfactory PGY2s was trustworthiness (0.78). The largest differences
      between marginal/unsatisfactory and satisfactory PGY3s were ethical behavior
      (1.17), incorporating feedback (1.03), and professionalization (0.96). For PGY2s
      and PGY3s, no subcompetencies had outstanding discrimination. CONCLUSIONS:
      Marginal/unsatisfactory pediatric residents had different subcompetency gaps at
      different training levels. While PGY1s may have global deficits, senior residents
      may have different performance deficiencies requiring individualized counseling
      and targeted performance improvement plans.

PMID- 28640032
TI  - Trends in P Value, Confidence Interval, and Power Analysis Reporting in Health
      Professions Education Research Reports: A Systematic Appraisal.
AB  - PURPOSE: To characterize reporting of P values, confidence intervals (CIs), and
      statistical power in health professions education research (HPER) through manual
      and computerized analysis of published research reports. METHOD: The authors
      searched PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL in May 2016, for comparative research
      studies. For manual analysis of abstracts and main texts, they randomly sampled
      250 HPER reports published in 1985, 1995, 2005, and 2015, and 100 biomedical
      research reports published in 1985 and 2015. Automated computerized analysis of
      abstracts included all HPER reports published 1970-2015. RESULTS: In the 2015
      HPER sample, P values were reported in 69/100 abstracts and 94 main texts. CIs
      were reported in 6 abstracts and 22 main texts. Most P values (>=77%) were <=.05.
      Across all years, 60/164 two-group HPER studies had >=80% power to detect a
      between-group difference of 0.5 standard deviations. From 1985 to 2015, the
      proportion of HPER abstracts reporting a CI did not change significantly (odds
      ratio [OR] 2.87; 95% CI 1.04, 7.88) whereas that of main texts reporting a CI
      increased (OR 1.96; 95% CI 1.39, 2.78). Comparison with biomedical studies
      revealed similar reporting of P values, but more frequent use of CIs in
      biomedicine. Automated analysis of 56,440 HPER abstracts found 14,867 (26.3%)
      reporting a P value, 3,024 (5.4%) reporting a CI, and increased reporting of P
      values and CIs from 1970 to 2015. CONCLUSIONS: P values are ubiquitous in HPER,
      CIs are rarely reported, and most studies are underpowered. Most reported P
      values would be considered statistically significant.

PMID- 28640033
TI  - How Attending Physician Preceptors Negotiate Their Complex Work Environment: A
      Collective Ethnography.
AB  - PURPOSE: To generate an empiric, detailed, and updated view of the attending
      physician preceptor role and its interface with the complex work environment.
      METHOD: In 2013, the authors conducted a modified collective ethnography with
      observations of internal medicine medical teaching unit preceptors from two
      university hospitals in Canada. Eleven observers conducted 32 observations (99.5
      hours) of 26 preceptors (30 observations [93.5 hours] of 24 preceptors were
      included in the analysis). An inductive thematic approach was used to analyze the
      data with further axial coding to identify connections between themes. Four
      individuals coded the main data set; differences were addressed through
      discussion to achieve consensus. RESULTS: Three elements or major themes of the
      preceptor role were identified: (1) competence or the execution of traditional
      physician competencies, (2) context or the extended medical teaching unit
      environment, and (3) conduct or the manner of acting or behaviors and attitudes
      in the role. Multiple connections between the elements emerged. The preceptor
      role appeared to depend on the execution of professional skills (competence) but
      also was vulnerable to contextual factors (context) independent of these skills,
      many of which were unpredictable. This vulnerability appeared to be tempered by
      preceptors' use of adaptive behaviors and attitudes (conduct), such as
      creativity, interpersonal skills, and wellness behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Preceptors
      not only possess traditional competencies but also enlist additional behaviors
      and attitudes to deal with context-driven tensions and to negotiate their complex
      work environment. These skills could be incorporated into role training,
      orientation, and mentorship.

PMID- 28640034
TI  - Using a Simulation of a Frustrated Faculty Member During Department Chair
      Searches: A Proof of Concept Project.
AB  - PROBLEM: Vitae reviews, interviews, presentations, and reference checks are
      typical components of searches used to screen and select new department
      chairs/heads, but these strategies may fail to identify leaders who can
      communicate effectively with faculty in common, tense situations. APPROACH:
      Between May 2015 and November 2016, the authors piloted simulation scenarios in
      four department chair searches at Penn State College of Medicine/Penn State
      Health to assess candidates' skill at handling common, challenging situations
      with faculty members. In the scenarios, a frustrated faculty member complains
      that he/she has too little time for academic pursuits. Candidates were provided
      the scenario approximately two weeks in advance. They were asked to explain their
      goals prior to the 10-minute simulation, do the simulation, and then debrief with
      the search committees, who observed the interactions. OUTCOMES: Approximately two
      thirds (20/29; 69.0%) of candidates were judged to have successfully passed the
      simulation and were ultimately advanced. In most cases, the simulations revealed
      wide variation in candidates' style, substance, and even underlying values that
      were not otherwise identified through the other parts of the recruitment and
      screening process. In some cases, candidates who performed well during group and
      individual interviews did poorly during simulations. NEXT STEPS: The authors will
      build a larger pool of simulation scenario cases, create a rubric, and formally
      measure interrater reliability. They will study whether the strategy successfully
      identifies chairs who will be skilled at navigating common faculty challenges,
      and if this skill results in greater faculty satisfaction, engagement, and
      retention.

PMID- 28640035
TI  - The Professionalism and Integrity in Research Program: Description and
      Preliminary Outcomes.
AB  - Violations of rules and regulations in research can cause significant problems
      for human participants, animal subjects, data integrity, institutions, and
      investigators. The Professionalism and Integrity in Research Program (PI Program)
      provides remediation training that addresses the root causes of violations of
      rules and regulations in research. Through assessments, a three-day workshop, and
      follow-up coaching calls, the PI Program teaches evidence-based decision-making
      strategies designed to help researchers to compensate for bias, uncertainty, and
      work-related stress, and foster the skills needed to oversee research projects in
      today's complex regulatory environments. Across its first three years (2013
      2015), the program trained 39 researchers from 24 different institutions in the
      United States. Participant evaluations of the program's faculty and workshop
      content were highly positive (4.7-4.8 and 4.5-4.6, respectively, on a 5-point
      scale). Preliminary program outcome assessment using validated measures of
      professional decision making and cognitive distortions in a pre- and postworkshop
      design indicated significant improvements. A follow-up survey of participants
      found statistically significant increases in a variety of target behaviors,
      including training research staff members to foster compliance and research
      quality, using standard operating procedures to support compliance and research
      integrity, performing self-audits of research operations, reducing job stressors,
      actively overseeing the work of the research team, and seeking help when
      experiencing uncertainty. Assessment of the PI Program was conducted with modest
      sample sizes, yet evaluation, outcome assessment, and self-reported survey data
      provided statistically significant evidence of effectiveness in achieving program
      goals.

PMID- 28640036
TI  - A Constructive Reframing of Student Roles and Systems Learning in Medical
      Education Using a Communities of Practice Lens.
AB  - Health systems are in the midst of a transformation that is being driven by a
      variety of forces. This has important implications for medical educators because
      clinical practice environments play a key role in learning and professional
      development, and evolving health systems are beginning to demand that providers
      have "systems-ready" knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Such implications provide
      a clear mandate for medical schools to modify their goals and prepare physicians
      to practice flexibly within teams and effectively contribute to the improvement
      of health care delivery. In this context, the concepts of value-added medical
      education, authentic student roles, and health systems science are emerging as
      increasingly important. In this Article, the authors use a lens informed by
      communities of practice theory to explore these three concepts, examining the
      implications that the communities of practice theory has in the constructive
      reframing of educational practices-particularly common student roles and
      experiences-and charting future directions for medical education that better
      align with the needs of the health care system. The authors apply several key
      features of the communities of practice theory to current experiential roles for
      students, then propose a new approach to students' clinical experiences-value
      added clinical systems learning roles-that provides students with opportunities
      to make meaningful contributions to patient care while learning health systems
      science at the patient and population level. Finally, the authors discuss
      implications for professional role formation and anticipated challenges to the
      design and implementation of value-added clinical systems learning roles.

PMID- 28640037
TI  - Epidemiology of Major Depressive Disorder Disability in the US Military: FY 2007
      2012.
AB  - This study assesses the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) disability
      discharge and retirement in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force and
      describes MDD comorbidity. Service members with a disability discharge for either
      MDD (n = 2,882) or any nonpsychiatric disability (n = 56,145), between fiscal
      years 2007 and 2012, were included in the study population. Those with MDD
      disability at first evaluation but not at last evaluation were excluded. The
      incidence of MDD disability discharge increased significantly in the Army and Air
      Force between fiscal years 2007 and 2012. MDD disability retirement significantly
      increased in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Females, and those who experienced at
      least one deployment, had higher incidence rates of MDD disability discharge. All
      services included spinal diseases and posttraumatic stress disorder in their top
      five comorbid categories. Given the association between trauma and MDD, further
      research into the role of both combat exposure and injury on MDD is merited.

PMID- 28640038
TI  - Impact of Noise and Noise Reduction on Processing Effort: A Pupillometry Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Speech perception in adverse listening situations can be exhausting.
      Hearing loss particularly affects processing demands, as it requires increased
      effort for successful speech perception in background noise. Signal processing in
      hearing aids and noise reduction (NR) schemes aim to counteract the effect of
      noise and reduce the effort required for speech recognition in adverse listening
      situations. The present study examined the benefit of NR schemes, applying a
      combination of a digital NR and directional microphones, for reducing the
      processing effort during speech recognition. DESIGN: The effect of noise
      (intelligibility level) and different NR schemes on effort were evaluated by
      measuring the pupil dilation of listeners. In 2 different experiments,
      performance accuracy and peak pupil dilation (PPD) were measured in 24 listeners
      with hearing impairment while they performed a speech recognition task. The
      listeners were tested at 2 different signal to noise ratios corresponding to
      either the individual 50% correct (L50) or the 95% correct (L95) performance
      level in a 4-talker babble condition with and without the use of a NR scheme.
      RESULTS: In experiment 1, the PPD differed in response to both changes in the
      speech intelligibility level (L50 versus L95) and NR scheme. The PPD increased
      with decreasing intelligibility, indicating higher processing effort under the
      L50 condition compared with the L95 condition. Moreover, the PPD decreased when
      the NR scheme was applied, suggesting that the processing effort was reduced. In
      experiment 2, 2 hearing aids using different NR schemes (fast-acting and slow
      acting) were compared. Processing effort changed as indicated by the PPD
      depending on the hearing aids and therefore on the NR scheme. Larger PPDs were
      measured for the slow-acting NR scheme. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of applying an
      NR scheme was demonstrated for both L50 and L95, that is, a situation at which
      the performance level was at a ceiling. This opens the opportunity for new means
      of evaluating hearing aids in situations in which traditional speech reception
      measures are shown not to be sensitive.

PMID- 28640040
TI  - Letters.

PMID- 28640039
TI  - Levosimendan Prevents and Reverts Right Ventricular Failure in Experimental
      Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We investigated whether chronic levosimendan treatment can prevent
      and revert right ventricular (RV) failure and attenuate pulmonary vascular
      remodeling in a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS AND
      RESULTS: PAH was induced in rats by exposure to SU5416 and hypoxia (SuHx). The
      rats were randomized to levosimendan (3 mg.kg.d) initiated before SuHx (n = 10,
      PREV), levosimendan started 6 weeks after SuHx (n = 12, REV), or vehicle
      treatment (n = 10, VEH). Healthy control rats received vehicle (n = 10, CONT).
      Ten weeks after SuHx, RV function was evaluated by echocardiography, magnetic
      resonance imaging, invasive pressure-volume measurements, histology, and
      biochemistry. Levosimendan treatment improved cardiac output (VEH vs. PREV 77 +/-
      7 vs. 137 +/- 6 mL/min; P < 0.0001; VEH vs. REV 77 +/- 7 vs. 117 +/- 10 mL/min; P
      < 0.01) and decreased RV afterload compared with VEH (VEH vs. PREV 219 +/- 33 vs.
      132 +/- 20 mm Hg/mL; P < 0.05; VEH vs. REV 219 +/- 33 vs. 130 +/- 11 mm Hg/mL; P
      < 0.01). In the PREV group, levosimendan restored right ventriculoarterial
      coupling (VEH vs. PREV 0.9 +/- 0.1 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.3; P < 0.05) and prevented the
      development of pulmonary arterial occlusive lesions (VEH vs. PREV 37 +/- 7 vs. 15
      +/- 6% fully occluded lesions; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Chronic treatment with
      levosimendan prevents and reverts the development of RV failure and attenuates
      pulmonary vascular remodeling in a rat model of PAH.

PMID- 28640044
TI  - Nurses: We can lead and transform palliative care.

PMID- 28640045
TI  - Simulation in nursing education.

PMID- 28640046
TI  - Urgent care: A growing healthcare landscape.

PMID- 28640050
TI  - Healing old wounds.

PMID- 28640051
TI  - Emotional intelligence: Five pieces to the puzzle.

PMID- 28640052
TI  - Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy: What nurses need to know.

PMID- 28640053
TI  - Team huddles: A winning strategy for safety.

PMID- 28640054
TI  - Mycoplasma genitalium.

PMID- 28640055
TI  - Letter to a patient.

PMID- 28640056
TI  - Beware of amnesic shellfish poisoning.

PMID- 28640057
TI  - Online resources for victims of sexual violence.

PMID- 28640059
TI  - Preventing falls in hospitalized older adults.

PMID- 28640060
TI  - Individualized Estimation of Physical Activity in Older Adults with Type 2
      Diabetes.
AB  - PURPOSE: Compare physical activity intensity in older adults with type 2 diabetes
      mellitus (T2DM) using individualized, relative cutpoints with standard, absolute
      cutpoints. METHODS: One hundred older adults with T2DM (68.9 +/- 5.1 yr, 65%
      male, 32.7 +/- 6.3 kg.m, 7.2% +/- 1.1% glycosylated hemoglobin) completed a two
      speed walking protocol (varying, walking between 1 and 2.5 mph), followed by a
      modified Bruce peak exercise test. Participants wore an accelerometer-based
      physical activity monitor at their waist, and oxygen consumption was measured.
      Afterward, participants wore the activity monitor for seven consecutive days.
      Linear equations for each individual were derived from the activity counts and
      energy expenditure measured during the walking protocol. Relative intensity
      cutpoints were calculated by using standard classifications of 44% oxygen
      consumption (VO2)peak to determine moderate and 59% VO2peak to determine vigorous
      intensity. Average time spent in intensity categories per day were calculated
      using relative and absolute (moderate, 2020 counts per minute; vigorous, 5999
      counts per minute) cutpoints. t-Tests were run to compare estimated time spent in
      intensity category by cutpoint. RESULTS: Mean VO2peak was 17.9 +/- 4.5 mL.kg.min
      and relative cutpoints were, on average, 1033.5 counts per minute (SD, 741.2
      counts per minute) for moderate and 2211.7 counts per minute (SD, 1512.4) for
      vigorous activity. Using the relative cutpoints, participants accumulated an
      average of 157.2 min (SD, 73.7 min) of light, 33.3 min (SD, 35.6 min) of
      moderate, and 15.6 min (SD, 26.7 min) of vigorous activity per day. Use of the
      absolute cutpoint resulted in significantly different estimations based on
      intensity category: light, 200.7 min (SD, 74.7 min; P < 0.05); moderate, 7.1 min
      (SD, 9.2 min; P < 0.05); and vigorous, 0.006 min (SD, 0.04 min; P < 0.05) of
      activity per day. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest utilization of absolute
      cutpoints may underestimate daily relative intensity levels of physical activity
      in older adults with T2DM. This misclassification may improperly inform dose
      response relationships and population-based prevalence of physical activity in
      these and may extend to other clinically important populations.

PMID- 28640061
TI  - Intermittent Standing but not a Moderate Exercise Bout Reduces Postprandial
      Glycemia.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether minimum recommended moderate-to
      vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 30-min bout of continuous moderate-intensity
      walking) is sufficient to counteract the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting
      on postprandial metabolism and if there are any effects of breaking up sitting
      with intermittent standing when achieving minimum recommended MVPA. METHODS:
      Fourteen (n = 14) physically inactive healthy adult males underwent four
      intrahospital 27-h interventions: 9-h continuous sitting (SIT), 15-min standing
      bouts every 30 min during the 9-h sitting (STAND), 30-min moderate-intensity
      walking bout followed by 8.5 h of sitting (MVPA), and 30-min moderate-intensity
      walking bout followed by 15-min standing bouts every 30 min during 8.5 h of
      sitting (MVPA + STAND). Three standardized meals on intervention day (day 1) and
      breakfast the following day (day 2) were served. RESULTS: Cumulative postprandial
      glucose response (incremental area under the curve) was lower in STAND versus SIT
      (?27%, P = 0.04, effect size [ES] = -0.7) because of decreases in postprandial
      glucose after breakfast on day 1 (STAND vs SIT: ?40%, P = 0.01, ES = -0.7) and
      day 2 (STAND vs SIT: ?33%, P = 0.06, ES = -0.6). STAND did not affect
      postprandial insulin responses. Cumulative postprandial insulin response was
      lower in MVPA versus SIT (?18%, P = 0.03, ES = -0.3) and MVPA + STAND versus SIT
      (?26%, P = 0.02, ES = -0.4) because of expected exercise-induced decreases in
      postprandial insulin after breakfast on day 1 only (MVPA vs SIT: ?36%, P = 0.003,
      ES = -0.7; MVPA + STAND vs SIT: ?43%, P = 0.0001, ES = -0.8). CONCLUSION:
      Breaking up prolonged sitting with nonambulatory standing across 9 h acutely
      reduced postprandial glycemic response during and the day after the intervention
      independent of insulin levels, whereas a 30-min MVPA bout did not.

PMID- 28640062
TI  - An Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization MS/MS Assay Using Online Extraction
      for the Analysis of 11 Cannabinoids and Metabolites in Human Plasma and Urine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although, especially in the United States, there has been a recent
      surge of legalized cannabis for either recreational or medicinal purposes,
      surprisingly little is known about clinical dose-response relationships,
      pharmacodynamic and toxicodynamic effects of cannabinoids such as Delta9
      tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Even less is known about other active cannabinoids.
      METHODS: To address this knowledge gap, an online extraction, high-performance
      liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method for
      simultaneous quantification of 11 cannabinoids and metabolites including THC, 11
      hydroxy-Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-nor-Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9
      carboxylic acid, 11-nor-Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid glucuronide
      (THC-C-gluc), cannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabidivarin, Delta9
      tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Delta9-tetrahydrocannabivarin
      (THCV-COOH) was developed and validated in human urine and plasma. RESULTS: In
      contrast to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, electrospray ionization was
      associated with extensive ion suppression in plasma and urine samples. Thus, the
      atmospheric pressure chemical ionization assay was validated showing a lower
      limit of quantification ranging from 0.39 to 3.91 ng/mL depending on study
      compound and matrix. The upper limit of quantification was 400 ng/mL except for
      THC-C-gluc with an upper limit of quantification of 2000 ng/mL. The linearity was
      r > 0.99 for all analyzed calibration curves. Acceptance criteria for intrabatch
      and interbatch accuracy (85%-115%) and imprecision (<15%) were met for all
      compounds. In plasma, the only exceptions were THCV (75.3%-121.2% interbatch
      accuracy) and cannabidivarin (interbatch imprecision, 15.7%-17.2%). In urine,
      THCV did not meet predefined acceptance criteria for intrabatch accuracy.
      CONCLUSIONS: This assay allows for monitoring not only THC and its major
      metabolites but also major cannabinoids that are of interest for marijuana
      research and clinical practice.

PMID- 28640063
TI  - Pharmacodynamic Monitoring of Tacrolimus-Based Immunosuppression in CD14+
      Monocytes After Kidney Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Monocytes significantly contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury and
      allograft rejection after kidney transplantation. However, the knowledge about
      the effects of immunosuppressive drugs on monocyte activation is limited.
      Conventional pharmacokinetic methods for immunosuppressive drug monitoring are
      not cell type-specific. In this study, phosphorylation of 3 signaling proteins
      was measured to determine the pharmacodynamic effects of immunosuppression on
      monocyte activation in kidney transplant patients. METHODS: Blood samples from 20
      kidney transplant recipients were monitored before and during the first year
      after transplantation. All patients received induction therapy with basiliximab,
      followed by tacrolimus (TAC), mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisolone maintenance
      therapy. TAC whole-blood predose concentrations were determined using an antibody
      conjugated magnetic immunoassay. Samples were stimulated with phorbol 12
      myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin, and phosphorylation of p38MAPK, ERK, and
      Akt in CD14 monocytes was quantified by phospho-specific flow cytometry. RESULTS:
      Phosphorylation of p38MAPK and Akt in monocytes of immunosuppressed recipients
      was lower after 360 days compared with before transplantation in the unstimulated
      samples [mean reduction in median fluorescence intensity 36%; range -28% to 77%
      for p-p38MAPK and 20%; range -22% to 53% for p-Akt; P < 0.05]. P-ERK was only
      decreased at day 4 after transplantation (mean inhibition 23%; range -52% to 73%;
      P < 0.05). At day 4, when the highest whole-blood predose TAC concentrations were
      measured, p-p38MAPK and p-Akt, but not p-ERK, correlated inversely with TAC (rs =
      -0.65; P = 0.01 and rs = -0.58; P = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:
      Immunosuppressive drug combination therapy partially inhibits monocyte activation
      pathways after kidney transplantation. This inhibition can be determined by
      phospho-specific flow cytometry, which enables the assessment of the
      pharmacodynamic effects of immunosuppressive drugs in a cell type-specific
      manner.

PMID- 28640064
TI  - Predictors of Local Recurrence in Patients With Myxofibrosarcoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is reported to have a higher risk of local
      recurrence (LR) following definitive surgical excision relative to other soft
      tissue sarcomas. We reviewed our clinical experience treating MFS to investigate
      predictors of LR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed treatment
      outcomes for MFS patients treated at our institution between 1999 and 2015. A
      total of 52 patients were identified. Median age was 65 years (range, 21 to 86
      y). Site of disease was: upper extremity (27%), lower extremity (46%), trunk
      (15%), pelvic (8%), and head and neck (4%). Patients had low, intermediate, high
      grade, and unknown grade in: 23%, 8%, 67%, and 2% of tumors, respectively. Tumors
      were categorized as <=5 cm (35%), >5 cm (56%), or unknown size (9%). In total,
      71% received radiotherapy: 19% preoperative, 50% postoperative, and 2% both. All
      patients underwent surgery. Margins were negative in 71%, close/positive in 21%,
      and unknown in 8%. In total, 27% of patients received chemotherapy. Univariate
      Cox regression analysis was utilized to determine associations between clinical
      and treatment factors with LR. RESULTS: Median follow-up time was 2.9 years
      (range, 0.4 to 14.3 y). The 3-year actuarial LR, distant metastasis, and overall
      survival were: 31%, 15%, and 87%, respectively. Predictors of LR were patient age
      greater than or equal to the median of 65 years (hazard ratio, 13.46, 95%
      confidence interval, 1.71-106.18, P=0.013), and having close/positive tumor
      margins (hazard ratio, 3.4, 95% confidence interval, 1-11.53, P=0.049).
      CONCLUSIONS: In this institutional series of MFS older age and positive/close
      margins were significantly associated with a higher risk of LR.

PMID- 28640066
TI  - The Evolution of Oxygen Carrier Solutions for Machine Perfusion.

PMID- 28640065
TI  - Effectiveness of an Integrated Approach to HIV and Hypertension Care in Rural
      South Africa: Controlled Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: South Africa faces a dual burden of HIV/AIDS and noncommunicable
      diseases. In 2011, a pilot integrated chronic disease management (ICDM) model was
      introduced by the National Health Department into selected primary health care
      (PHC) facilities. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of
      the ICDM model in controlling patients' CD4 counts (>350 cells/mm) and blood
      pressure [BP (<140/90 mm Hg)] in PHC facilities in the Bushbuckridge
      municipality, South Africa. METHODS: A controlled interrupted time-series study
      was conducted using the data from patients' clinical records collected multiple
      times before and after the ICDM model was initiated in PHC facilities in
      Bushbuckridge. Patients >=18 years were recruited by proportionate sampling from
      the pilot (n = 435) and comparing (n = 443) PHC facilities from 2011 to 2013.
      Health outcomes for patients were retrieved from facility records for 30 months.
      We performed controlled segmented regression to model the monthly averages of
      individuals' propensity scores using autoregressive moving average model at 5%
      significance level. RESULTS: The pilot facilities had 6% greater likelihood of
      controlling patients' CD4 counts than the comparison facilities (coefficient =
      0.057; 95% confidence interval: 0.056 to 0.058; P < 0.001). Compared with the
      comparison facilities, the pilot facilities had 1.0% greater likelihood of
      controlling patients' BP (coefficient = 0.010; 95% confidence interval: 0.003 to
      0.016; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Application of the model had a small effect in
      controlling patients' CD4 counts and BP, but showed no overall clinical benefit
      for the patients; hence, the need to more extensively leverage the HIV program
      for hypertension treatment.

PMID- 28640067
TI  - Taking Kidneys for Granted? Time to Reflect on the Choices We Make.

PMID- 28640069
TI  - Exosomes: From Cell Debris to Potential Biomarkers in Transplantation.

PMID- 28640070
TI  - Early Outcomes of the New UK Deceased Donor Kidney Fast-Track Offering Scheme.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The UK Kidney Fast-Track Scheme (KFTS) was introduced in 2012 to
      identify kidneys at high risk of discard and to rapidly facilitate
      transplantation. A retrospective analysis of kidneys transplanted through the
      KFTS was undertaken. METHODS: UK Transplant Registry data were collected on
      deceased donor kidneys implanted between November 1, 2012, and April 30, 2015,
      (donation after brain death [DBD] donors) and March 1, 2013, and April 30, 2015
      (donation after circulatory death [DCD] donors). Posttransplant outcomes included
      1-year estimated glomerular filtration rate and death-censored graft survival
      (DCGS). RESULTS: Over the study period, 523 deceased donor kidneys were
      transplanted through the KFTS and 4174 via the standard National Kidney
      Allocation Scheme (NKAS). Kidneys in the KFTS were more likely to be from older
      diabetic donors, had a higher frequency of poor ex vivo perfusion, had longer
      cold ischemic times, and were transplanted into older recipients. One-year DCGS
      of KFTS and NKAS DBD donor kidneys was similar (94% vs 95%; P = 0.70), but for
      DCD donor kidneys, DCGS was lower in those allocated via the KFTS (91% versus
      95%; P = 0.04). Median 1-year estimated glomerular filtration rate for DBD donor
      kidneys was lower in those allocated via the KFTS (49 vs 52 mL/min per 1.73 m; P
      = 0.01), but for DCD kidneys, there was no difference (45 vs 48 mL/min per 1.73
      m; P = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Although KFTS kidneys have less favorable donor,
      graft, and recipient risk factors than NKAS kidneys, short-term graft and patient
      outcomes are acceptable. National schemes that identify and rapidly offer kidneys
      at high risk of discard may contribute to minimizing the unnecessary discard of
      organs.

PMID- 28640071
TI  - Worsening of Myasthenia Gravis After Administration of Antipsychotics for
      Treatment of Schizophrenia: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

PMID- 28640072
TI  - Improvement in mortality at a National Burn Centre since 2000: Was it the result
      of increased resources?
AB  - The aim of this study was to find out whether the charging costs (calculated
      using interventional burn score) increased as mortality decreased.During the last
      2 decades, mortality has declined significantly in the Linkoping Burn Centre. The
      burn score that we use has been validated as a measure of workload and is used to
      calculate the charging costs of each burned patient.We compared the charging
      costs and mortality in 2 time periods (2000-2007 and 2008-2015). A total of 1363
      admissions were included. We investigated the change in the burn score, as a
      surrogate for total costs per patient. Multivariable regression was used to
      analyze risk-adjusted mortality and burn score.The median total body surface area
      % (TBSA%) was 6.5% (10-90 centile 1.0-31.0), age 33 years (1.3-72.2), duration of
      stay/ TBSA% was 1.4 days (0.3-5.3), and 960 (70%) were males. Crude mortality
      declined from 7.5% in 2000-2007 to 3.4% in 2008-2015, whereas the cumulative burn
      score was not increased (P  =  .08). Regression analysis showed that risk
      adjusted mortality decreased (odds ratio 0.42, P  =  .02), whereas the adjusted
      burn score did not change (P  =  .14, model R 0.86).Mortality decreased but there
      was no increase in the daily use of resources as measured by the interventional
      burn score. The data suggest that the improvements in quality obtained have been
      achieved within present routines for care of patients
      (multidisciplinary/orientated to patients' safety).

PMID- 28640073
TI  - Reimbursement and use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate
      cancer.
AB  - The use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer
      increased through the mid-2000s, in association with acquisition of the devices
      by large urology groups. More recently, reimbursement for IMRT in the office
      setting (generally representing freestanding facilities owned by physicians) has
      been declining. The aim of the study was to examine trends in IMRT use and
      related payments in the office versus hospital outpatient setting over time.In
      this retrospective cohort study, a total of 66,967 men aged 66 years or older,
      with newly diagnosed prostate cancer from 2007 through 2012 were identified in a
      20% national sample of Medicare claims. IMRT use in the office versus hospital
      outpatient setting was examined over time, adjusted for patient characteristics
      using multivariable logistic regression models. Mean reimbursement for IMRT
      treatments and total IMRT-related payments were plotted by year.IMRT use
      increased from 28.6% to 38.0% of newly diagnosed men with prostate cancer over
      the study period, exclusively related to growth in the office setting. In
      particular, use in the office setting increased from 13.2% in 2007 to 22.1%,
      whereas use in the hospital outpatient setting remained essentially steady
      throughout the period around 15%. During the same period mean reimbursement for
      IMRT in the office setting declined from $504 per individual radiation treatment
      to $381, whereas it increased from $283 to $380 in the hospital outpatient
      setting. However, total IMRT-related payments in the office setting increased
      through 2011 due to increased utilization, falling only in 2012 (to $35.7 million
      from $48.3 million in 2011) related both to continued declines in reimbursement
      and a large reduction in new cases of prostate cancer.In conclusion, use of IMRT
      in the physician office setting in men diagnosed with prostate cancer has
      continued to increase in the face of declining reimbursement. Total payments for
      IMRT fell only in 2012, following a substantial reduction in new cases of
      prostate cancer.

PMID- 28640074
TI  - Bioinformatics analysis of key genes and pathways for hepatocellular carcinoma
      transformed from cirrhosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify some pivotal genes and pathways for
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) transformation from cirrhosis and explore
      potential targets for treatment of the disease. METHODS: The GSE17548 microarray
      data were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database, and 37 samples (20
      cirrhosis and 17 HCC samples) were used for analysis. The differentially
      expressed genes (DEGs) in HCC tissues were compared with those in cirrhosis
      tissues and analyzed using the limma package. Gene ontology-biological process
      and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses
      were performed using ClueGO and CluePedia tool kits, and the key KEGG pathway was
      analyzed using the R package pathview. The regulatory factor miRNA of DEGs was
      extracted from 3 verified miRNAs-target databases using the multiMiR R package.
      Moreover, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the
      Cytoscape software. RESULTS: DEGs including cyclin-dependent Kinase 1 (CDK1), PDZ
      binding kinase (PBK), ribonucleotide reductase M2 (RRM2), and abnormal spindle
      homolog, and microcephaly-associated drosophila (ASPM) were the hub proteins with
      higher degrees in the PPI network. The cell cycle pathway (CDK1 enriched) and p53
      signaling pathway (CDK1 and RRM2 enriched) were significantly enriched by DEGs.
      CONCLUSION: CDK1, PBK, RRM2, and ASPM may be key genes for HCC transformation
      from cirrhosis. Furthermore, cell cycle and p53 signaling pathways may play vital
      mediatory roles; CDK1 may play crucial roles in HCC transformed from cirrhosis
      via cell cycle and p53 signaling pathways, and RRM2 might be involved in HCC
      transformed from cirrhosis via the p53 signaling pathway.

PMID- 28640075
TI  - Maximum voltage gradient technique for optimization of ablation for typical
      atrial flutter with zero-fluoroscopy approach.
AB  - Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is an established effective method for
      the treatment of typical cavo-tricuspid isthmus (CTI)-dependent atrial flutter
      (AFL). The introduction of 3-dimensional electro-anatomic systems enables RFCA
      without fluoroscopy (No-X-Ray [NXR]). The aim of this study was to evaluate the
      feasibility and effectiveness of CTI RFCA during implementation of the NXR
      approach and the maximum voltage-guided (MVG) technique for ablation of AFL.Data
      were obtained from prospective standardized multicenter ablation registry.
      Consecutive patients with the first RFCA for CTI-dependent AFL were recruited.
      Two navigation approaches (NXR and fluoroscopy based as low as reasonable
      achievable [ALARA]) and 2 mapping and ablation techniques (MVG and pull-back
      technique [PBT]) were assessed. NXR + MVG (n  =  164; age: 63.7 +/- 9.5; 30%
      women), NXR + PBT (n  =  55; age: 63.9 +/- 10.7; 39% women); ALARA + MVG (n  = 
      36; age: 64.2 +/- 9.6; 39% women); and ALARA + PBT (n  =  205; age: 64.7 +/- 9.1;
      30% women) were compared, respectively. All groups were simplified with a 2
      catheter femoral approach using 8-mm gold tip catheters (Osypka AG, Germany or
      Biotronik, Germany) with 15 min of observation. The MVG technique was performed
      using step-by-step application by mapping the largest atrial signals within the
      CTI.Bidirectional block in CTI was achieved in 99% of all patients (P  =  NS,
      between groups). In NXR + MVG and NXR + PBT groups, the procedure time decreased
      (45.4 +/- 17.6 and 47.2 +/- 15.7 min vs. 52.6 +/- 23.7 and 59.8 +/- 24.0 min, P <
      .01) as compared to ALARA + MVG and ALARA + PBT subgroups. In NXR + MVG and NXR +
      PBT groups, 91% and 98% of the procedures were performed with complete
      elimination of fluoroscopy. The NXR approach was associated with a significant
      reduction in fluoroscopy exposure (from 0.2 +/- 1.1 [NXR + PBT] and 0.3 +/- 1.6
      [NXR + MVG] to 7.7 +/- 6.0 min [ALARA + MVG] and 9.1 +/- 7.2 min [ALARA + PBT], P
      < .001). The total application time significantly decreased in the MVG technique
      subgroup both in NXR and ALARA (P < .01). No major complications were observed in
      either groups.Complete elimination of fluoroscopy is feasible, safe, and
      effective during RFCA of CTI in almost all AFL patients without cardiac implanted
      electronic devices. The most optimal method for RFCA of CTI-dependent AFL seems
      to be MVG; however, it required validation of optimal RFCA's parameters with
      clinical follow-up.

PMID- 28640076
TI  - Efficacy of methylphenidate for the treatment of mental sequelae after traumatic
      brain injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of methylphenidate for
      treating mental sequelae after traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: Thirty-six
      patients with TBI were randomly divided into the intervention group and placebo
      group. The participants in the intervention group received methylphenidate, while
      subjects in the placebo group were administered a placebo. This study was
      conducted from January 2014 to December 2016. The outcome measurements included
      Mental Fatigue Scale, Choice Reaction Time, Compensatory Tracking Task, Mental
      Arithmetic Test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Mini-Mental State Examination
      (MMSE), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Hamilton Rating Scale for
      Depression. In addition, safety was also recorded and assessed. RESULTS: A total
      of 33 subjects completed the study. Methylphenidate showed greater efficacy than
      placebo, with decreased scores on the Mental Fatigue Scale, Choice Reaction Time,
      and Compensatory Tracking Task in the intervention group compared to the placebo
      group (P < .01, respectively). Furthermore, increased scores on the Mental
      Arithmetic Test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and MMSE in the intervention
      group, compared to those in the placebo group (P < .01 respectively), were
      observed. In addition, a significant difference in the scores on the BDI (P =
      .04) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (P = .005) was observed between the
      2 groups. The safety at the end of the 30 week-treatment was similar between the
      2 groups (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that
      methylphenidate could effectively improve mental fatigue and cognitive functions
      in patients with TBI.

PMID- 28640077
TI  - Improvement of peripheral artery disease with Sildenafil and Bosentan combined
      therapy in a patient with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis: A case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitor and Bosentan, an
      endothelin-1-receptor antagonist combined therapy could have beneficial effect in
      systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with peripheral artery disease. PATIENT
      CONCERNS: We report a case of a 48-year-old Black woman, who developed severe
      left limb claudication and walking limitation following a left femoropopliteal
      bypass occlusion in 2014. She was a heavy smoker and had a history of right
      middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke and bilateral Raynaud phenomenon.
      DIAGNOSES: According to the American College of Rheumatology/European League
      Against Rheumatism-2013 criteria, diagnosis of limited cutaneous SSc was retained
      with macrovascular lesions. She was referred for investigation of left limb
      claudication on treadmill using transcutaneous oxygen pressure measurement during
      exercise to argue for the vascular origin of the walking impairment. She had a
      severe left limb ischemia and the maximum walking distance (MWD) she reached was
      118 m in March 2015 despite the medical optimal treatment and walking
      rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Sildenafil, 20 mg tid, was introduced due to
      active digital ulcers. In July 2015, the MWD increased to 288 m, then to 452 m in
      December 2015. Adding Bosentan to Sildenafil to prevent recurrent digital ulcers
      resulted in an MWD of 1576 m. OUTCOMES: Recently, the patient is treated with the
      combined therapy. She has no more pain during walking and his quality of life has
      improved. LESSONS: Sildenafil and Bosentan combined therapy was associated in our
      case with an improvement of MWD without adverse effect. Further clinical trials
      are necessary to confirm our original observation.

PMID- 28640078
TI  - Prospective observational pharmacogenetic study of side effects induced by
      intravenous morphine for postoperative analgesia.
AB  - Nausea and vomiting are probably the most unpleasant side effects that occur when
      morphine used. A number of studies have investigated the effect on pain relief of
      single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in morphine's
      metabolism, distribution, binding, and cellular action. The mechanism through
      which morphine causes nausea and vomiting has not been elucidated clearly. We
      examined all the reported SNPs which are associated with the complications of
      morphine, including SNPs in genes for phase I and phase II metabolic enzymes, ABC
      binding cassette drug transporters, kappa and delta opioid receptors, and ion
      channels implicated in the postreceptor action of morphine.A prospective,
      observational study in 129 female patients was conducted to investigate the
      effect of 14 SNPs on nausea or vomiting induced by intravenous patient-controlled
      analgesia (IVPCA) with morphine after gynecology surgery. Clinical phenotype,
      subjective complaints, and objective observations were recorded. DNA from blood
      samples was used to record the SNPs. Eleven SNPs were then analyzed further.No
      significant association with the presence of phenotype (nausea or vomiting)
      versus genotype was observed (all P > .05). No significant association with
      severity of phenotype versus genotype of the 11 SNPs was observed except for
      unadjusted data for rs2737703.There was no significant difference between
      severity or incidence of IVPCA morphine-induced nausea and vomiting and genotype
      (11 SNPs). Further study should perhaps be focused on mRNA and proteinomics
      rather than SNPs.

PMID- 28640079
TI  - A genome-wide association scan of biological processes involved in oral lichen
      planus and oral squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In this study, the molecular mechanisms underlying malignant
      transformation from oral lichen planus (OLP) to oral squamous cell carcinoma
      (OSCC) were examined. METHODS: High-throughput sequencing of long noncoding RNAs
      (lncRNAs) and mRNAs of normal subjects and patients with OLP and OSCC was
      conducted. RNA-seq reads were mapped, lncRNA and mRNA transcripts were assembled,
      and expression levels were estimated. The targets of lncRNAs were predicted.
      Finally, Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses of differentially
      expressed genes (DEGs) and lncRNA targets were performed. RESULTS: High-quality
      sequence data were generated and the mapping ratios for OSCC, normal, and OLP
      samples were high. In total, 820, 656, and 582 DEGs were obtained from OPL vs.
      normal, OSCC vs. normal, and OSCC vs. OPL, respectively. A total of 1721 known
      lncRNAs and 133 predicted lncRNAs and targets were obtained. Keratinization was
      significantly enriched by OSCC-related DEGs, but not OPL-related DEGs. The
      pathway of olfactory transduction was enriched by OPL- and OSCC-related DEGs.
      Defense response to virus and viral carcinogenesis were enriched by DEGs and
      lncRNA targets in all comparisons. GO term related to the metabolic process was
      enriched by lncRNA targets in the OPL vs normal comparison, and antigen
      processing and presentation via MHC class I was significantly enriched by lncRNA
      targets in the other 2 comparisons. CONCLUSION: Keratinization and MHC class I
      antigen processing and presentation were activated during the malignant
      transformation from OLP to OSCC. Additionally, the olfactory transduction pathway
      may be important for OSCC.

PMID- 28640080
TI  - Immature enteric ganglion cells were observed in a 13-year-old colon signet ring
      cell carcinoma patient: A case report and literature review.
AB  - RATIONALE: All the enteric ganglion cells are fully mature by 2 to 5 years of age
      in human. No one had reported the presentation of immature enteric ganglion cells
      in elder ones. Colorectal carcinoma is also rare in the adolescent population.
      The coincidence of these 2 rare events in a 13-year-old boy has never been
      reported elsewhere, which may suggest some linkage between them. PATIENT CONCERN:
      A 13-year-old boy presented with progressive abdominal pain and melena for 3
      months. Computed tomography (CT) scan and endoscopic ultrasonography showed
      significant abnormality in the transverse colon characteristic of marked mural
      thickening. The biopsy results indicated signet ring cell carcinoma. DIAGNOSES: A
      13-year-old male patient with advanced colon signet ring cell carcinoma. In
      addition, immature but not mature ganglion cells could be observed in almost all
      of the slices of the resected nontumorous area of the specimen. INTERVENTIONS:
      The transverse colon tumor was resected and the subsequent histopathological
      examination confirmed the diagnosis of primary colon signet ring cell carcinoma.
      Then the patient received adjuvant chemotherapy and biological target therapies
      subsequently. OUTCOMES: After 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy and biological
      target therapies, metastasis was however detected within a year. LESSONS: In this
      case, a 13-year-old male patient with advanced colon signet ring cell carcinoma
      were presented. Unexpectedly, immature ganglion cells could be observed in almost
      all of the slices of the resected nontumorous area of the specimen. It is
      critical to raise medical awareness and improve the diagnosis and treatment of
      the signet ring cell carcinoma. This malignancy and the immature ganglion cells
      may be associated, possibly caused by some unidentified genetic defects. Genome
      sequencing, histopathological examination, and long-term follow-up of young
      patients with related diseases, would help further reveal the potential
      relationship between tumorigenesis and ganglion cells' immaturity, contributing
      to understanding the molecular mechanisms.

PMID- 28640081
TI  - "Direct vision" operation of posterior atlantoaxial transpedicular screw fixation
      for unstable atlantoaxial fractures: A retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The posterior screw fixation in atlas via posterior arch and lateral
      mass, also called C1 "pedicle" screw, combined with C2 pedicle screw fixiation
      has shown better biomechanical stability in unstable atlantoaxial fractures.
      However, its popularization has to fulfill the limitation imposed by anatomical
      characteristics. The aim of this study was to explore the manipulation, effect,
      and safety of the atlantoaxial transpedicular screw fixation under "direct
      vision" for the treatment of unstable atlantoaxial fracture. METHODS: All the
      patients diagnosed with unstable atlantoaxial fracture, who received surgery
      treatment of C1,C2 internal fixation from January 2012 to December 2014 were
      reviewed. Only these patients that were diagnosed with atlantoaxial unstability
      secondary to trauma and were treated with atlantoaxial transpedicular screw
      fixation under "direct vision" and iliac autograft were included. The safety of
      transpedicular screw placement, postoperative outcome, atlantoaxial stability,
      autograft fusion, and complications was observed and analyzed retrospectively.
      The pain visual analog scale (VAS) and the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA)
      score were used as surgical curative effect evaluation standards. RESULTS: We
      reviewed a total of 92 patients diagnosed with unstable atlantoaxial fracture,
      who received surgery treatment of C1,C2 internal fixation from January 2012 to
      December 2014, and 87 patients were treated with atlantoaxial transpedicular
      screw fixation under "direct vision" and were included this analysis. A total of
      306 transpedicular screws in atlas and axis were placed successfully. All cases
      were followed-up >12 months. The overall breach rate was 11.36%. None of the
      breaches resulted in new-onset neurological sequela. The neurological status in
      cases with bilateral upper extremities numbness and lower extremities weakness
      had improved after surgery. At the latest follow-up, the neck VAS and JOA scores
      were significantly improved (P < .01) than those preoperatively. No cases
      demonstrated implantation failure and bone graft absorption on the postoperative
      x-ray films and CT scans. CONCLUSION: Atlantoaxial transpedicular screw fixation
      under "direct vision" and iliac autograft for the treatment of unstable
      atlantoaxial fracture has shown simple manipulation and efficient performance.
      Thus, the technique of C1-C2 fixation is feasible in treating unstable
      atlantoaxial fracture.

PMID- 28640082
TI  - The reliability and validity of a new professionalism assessment scale for young
      health care workers.
AB  - With the development of medical technique, many medical challenges have been
      solved. This cross-sectional study was aimed to assess the reliability and
      validity of a new developed scale for assessing the professionalism of young
      health care workers.This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted
      based on cluster sampling method in 2015. The participants were from 2 medical
      centers of Nantong city of Jiangsu province in China. The internal consistency
      reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and split-half reliability
      coefficients. Construct validity was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis
      (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Content, convergent, and
      discriminant validities were also assessed in this study.Total 749 individuals
      aged 29.09 +/- 3.91 years old participated in this investigation. There were 745
      valid questionnaires and 730 were complete. Cronbach's alpha value (0.944) and
      the split-half reliability coefficient (0.873) reflected satisfactory internal
      consistency reliability of this new professionalism assessment scale. EFA
      extracted a 7-factor model. About 63.4% of the total variance was explained by
      these factors. However, CFA showed a good model fit after excluding the items
      with factor loading lower than 0.5. Good discriminant validity of this new
      developed professionalism assessment scale was also shown (P < .05). However, the
      evidences for content and convergent validity were not enough in this study.The
      results showed the satisfactory reliability of this new developed professionalism
      assessment scale. However, this scale should be modified to improve the validity
      in further studies.

PMID- 28640083
TI  - Clinical significance of plasma D-dimer in ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: D-dimer has been widely used for the diagnosis and prognosis of
      ovarian cancer, but there is still controversy on its prediction value of ovarian
      cancer. OBJECTIVES: To explore the clinical significance of plasma D-dimer level
      on ovarian cancer systematically. METHODS: Using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and
      Web of Science libraries, all the relevant studies for the diagnostic and
      prognostic value of plasma D-dimer for ovarian cancer and the relationship
      between elevated D-dimer level and venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk of ovarian
      cancer were searched till May 30, 2016. Standardized mean difference (SMD), odds
      ratio (OR), hazard ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were
      appropriately pooled. RESULTS: A total of 15 eligible studies involving a total
      of 1437 cancer patients were included. No significant association was found
      between high D-dimer level and overall survival of patients with ovarian cancer
      (HR 1.32, 95% CI: 0.90-1.95, P  =  .044). However, subgroup analysis indicated
      that the sample sizes could explain the heterogeneity between studies. And
      elevated D-dimer could predict increased risk of mortality when the sample sizes
      were >100 (HR 1.800, 95% CI: 1.283-2.523, P  =  .845). Besides, plasma D-dimer
      level was significantly higher in malignant ovarian cancer patients compared with
      benign controls (SMD 0.774, 95% CI: 0.597-0.951, P  =  .39), higher in advanced
      ovarian cancer patients (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
      [FIGO] classification III and IV) than in early stage ovarian cancer patients
      (FIGO classification I and II, SMD 0.611, 95% CI: 0.373-0.849, P  =  .442). And
      high D-dimer level indicated high VTE risk (OR 4.068, 95% CI: 2.423-6.829, P  = 
      .629) of ovarian cancer patients. CONCLUSION: The plasma D-dimer level in ovarian
      cancer patients can predict the changes that correlated with disease progression
      and the VTE risk. But its predictive value for the prognosis of ovarian cancer
      was significantly dependent on the sample sizes. More well-designed studies with
      large sample sizes are needed to validate and update the findings of present
      study.

PMID- 28640084
TI  - Effect of dexmedetomidine and midazolam for flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in
      intensive care unit patients: A retrospective study.
AB  - This study aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness of dexmedetomidine and
      midazolam for sedation of intensive care unit (ICU) patients requiring flexible
      fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB).This retrospective cohort study included 148
      patients from the third ICU ward of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin
      Medical University (Harbin, China) who received simultaneous invasive mechanical
      ventilation and FFB between March 2012 and December 2014. Patients were divided
      into dexmedetomidine (n  =  72) and midazolam (n  =  76) groups according to
      sedative mode. The sedative effects, incidence of adverse events, and
      bronchoscopist satisfaction scores were compared between groups.During FFB, total
      sedation time and total time of FFB were significantly shorter in the midazolam
      group (P < .001, respectively), with a lower percentage of these patients
      requiring propofol for remedial sedation (P < .001). The incidence of FFB-related
      adverse events (including bronchospasm, cough, and decreased oxygen saturation)
      was significantly higher in dexmedetomidine group compared with midazolam group
      (P  =  .007, .014 and .008, respectively). However, the incidence of other
      adverse events was not significantly different between groups. In addition,
      bronchoscopist satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the midazolam
      compared with dexmedetomidine group (7.72 +/- 1.65 vs 7.08 +/- 1.77; P  = 
      .030).For sedation of ICU patients during FFB, combination of midazolam and
      dexmedetomidine demonstrated an enhanced sedative effect, lower incidence of
      adverse events, and higher bronchoscopist satisfaction score compared with
      dexmedetomidine alone, thus represents a suitable alternative sedative for FFB
      patients.

PMID- 28640085
TI  - Familial lumbar Scheuermann disease with idiopathic scoliosis in China: First
      case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Given that Scheuermann disease rarely occurs in the lumbar region and
      that the co-occurrence of Scheuermann disease and idiopathic scoliosis (IS) has
      not been reported-the etiology of Scheuermann disease and IS is not clear. In
      this case report, we present familaiar lumbar Scheuermann disease with IS, in a
      Chinese proband, who was successfully treated with surgery. PATIENT CONCERNS: A
      16-year-old boy presented at the Second XiangYa Hospital of Central South
      University with a chief complaint of kyphotic deformity in the lower back for 4
      years and obvious lower back pain. In addition, he complained of limited lumbar
      activity. And The proband's family history was obtained by routine inquiring. In
      this Chinese family with 17 members over 3 generations. The 3 patients (proband,
      proband's sister and father) shared the characteristics of vertebral wedging from
      L1 to L3 and a kyphosis Cobb angle of 37 degrees , 70 degrees , or 73 degrees ,
      respectively. The main deformity of the proband's mother was at T7-L1 with a Cobb
      angle of 102 degrees  in the coronal plane at T7-L1, thoracic kyphosis of 73
      degrees , and lumbar lordosis of 62 degrees . DIAGNOSES: Scheuermann's disease.
      INTERVENTIONS: Clinical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and
      radiographs of those in the pedigree were recorded, and the related literature
      was reviewed. The proband accepted osteotomy and orthopedic surgery for
      treatment. OUTCOMES: After 3 months of treatment, postoperative lateral
      radiographs showed a significantly improved sagittal vertical axis (SVA). The
      other patients were continued to be seen in follow-up visits. LESSONS: This
      series of lumbar Scheuermann patients with IS in a pedigree support the genetic
      contribution to Scheuermann disease. Therefore, this study provides some insight
      into the genetic etiology of Scheuermann disease with IS.

PMID- 28640087
TI  - Fatal lactic acidosis in hepatitis B virus-associated decompensated cirrhosis
      treated with tenofovir: A case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Recently tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been widely used as a
      first-line therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. Although TDF
      demonstrates successful viral suppression, the possibility of renal failure and
      lactic acidosis has been proposed with TDF administration, especially in human
      immunodeficiency virus co-infected patients. However, TDF induced lactic acidosis
      has never been reported in CHB mono-infected patients. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 59
      year-old man received TDF for hepatitis B associated with cirrhosis. After ten
      days of TDF administration, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain developed. High
      anion gap acidosis with elevated lactate level (pH 7.341, pCO2 29.7 mmHg, HCO3-
      15.6mmHg, lactate 3.2mmol/L, anion gap 15.4 mEq/L) was developed. DIAGNOSIS: With
      no infection, normal diagnostic paracentesis, and urinalysis together with high
      anion gap and increased blood lactate levels suggested lactic acidosis.
      INTERVENTIONS: TDF was stopped, and haemodialysis was performed to control lactic
      acidosis. OUTCOMES: Although stopping TDF instantly and treating lactic acidosis
      using hemodialysis, the patient died. LESSONS: Although, Fatal lactic acidosis is
      very rare in TDF patient, however, decompensated cirrhotic patients should be
      closely observed to keep the possibility of lactic acidosis in mind.

PMID- 28640086
TI  - Diagnostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake parameters to differentiate
      rheumatoid arthritis from other types of arthritis.
AB  - We aimed evaluate F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake at major joints for differentiating
      patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from those with non-RA arthritis using F
      fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET).Eighteen patients
      with RA (13 women; age, 66.8 +/- 13.2 years) and 17 patients with non-RA (6
      women; age, 50.8 +/- 12.5 years) were included. Twelve joints of each patient
      were examined: shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle on both sides. A
      visual scoring (VS) system was used; quantitative parameters such as maximum
      standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic active volume (MAV), and total
      lesion glycolysis (TLG) were evaluated. Total score and value of each parameter
      were compared between the RA and non-RA groups.Total VS score (mean, 37.7 +/- 9.0
      vs 21.9 +/- 7.2; P < .0001) and SUVmax (mean, 28.1 +/- 8.5 vs 17.9 +/- 5.8; P <
      .001) were significantly higher in the RA group than in the non-RA group. A
      significant between-group difference was also observed with respect to total MAV
      (608.3 +/- 370.7 vs 176.5 +/- 217.8; P < .001) and total TLG (1139.3 +/- 759.1 vs
      289.5 +/- 395.4; P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis
      revealed that total VS had the highest area under curve (.92), with sensitivity
      and specificity of 88.9% and 76.4%, respectively.Quantitative PET parameters
      could differentiate RA from non-RA. Total VS score, however, appears to be the
      best convenient qualitative tool for diagnosing RA.

PMID- 28640088
TI  - Safety of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors for treatment of ankylosing
      spondylitis: A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic immune-mediated disease
      affecting the sacroiliac joints and the spine, manifesting with new bone
      formation and osteopenia. Five tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors
      (infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, certolizumab, and golimumab) are available
      for the treatment of AS, however, the results for the safety of TNF-alpha
      inhibitors in the treatment of AS are not consistent. METHODS: In this study, we
      conducted a meta-analysis to determine the safety of TNF-alpha inhibitors
      compared with placebo in reducing pain, swelling, and inflammation of AS
      patients. Eight relevant articles including 2049 patients were included for this
      meta-analysis study. We observed that the incidence of adverse events (RR  = 
      1.22, 95% CI: 1.12-1.33; P  =  .501, I  =  0%) and injection-site reaction (RR  =
      2.93, 95% CI: 2.02-4.23; P  =  .691, I  =  0%) in AS patients' treatment with
      TNF-alpha inhibitors was significantly higher than that with placebo. RESULTS:
      However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of serious adverse
      event, infection, serious infection, and discontinuations due to adverse event.
      TNF-alpha inhibitors may be a promising treatment for AS, but carries an
      increased incidence rate of adverse events and injection-site reaction.
      CONCLUSION: Due to the existence of the unstable factors, further studies need to
      be done to verify the result of this study.

PMID- 28640089
TI  - Functional outcomes of Gartland III supracondylar humerus fractures with early
      neurovascular complications in children: A retrospective observational study.
AB  - This was a retrospective observational study. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate functional outcomes in children treated for Gartland III supracondylar
      humerus (SCH) fracture with neurovascular (NV) injuries using validated outcome
      measures. A secondary goal was to determine whether clinical parameters such as
      age at injury, sex, weight, fracture site, and/or direction of displacement could
      predict NV injury at the time of fracture or long-term functional outcomes in
      these patients.One hundred fifty-four patients of Gartland III SCH fractures
      between March 2004 and May 2013 were studied retrospectively. The patients were
      divided into 2 groups according to the presence of NV injury. Medical records and
      radiographs were reviewed to assess several parameters, including age, sex,
      weight, treatment intervention, the extremity involved, direction of fracture
      displacement, and NV injury. Functional outcome was assessed on final follow-up
      using the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) and Quick
      Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick DASH) outcome measures.
      Statistical analysis was used to determine the relationship between NV injury and
      functional outcomes.There were 33 cases with Gartland III SCH fracture associated
      with NV injuries (10 cases of vascular compromise, 14 cases of neural injury, and
      9 cases involving both vascular compromise and neural injury). There were
      significant differences between the 2 groups in age (P  =  .048), weight (P  = 
      .009), and direction of displacement (P  =  .004). Vascular compromise and median
      nerve injury were most common in fractures with posterolateral displacement, and
      radial nerve injuries were common in fractures with posteromedial displacement.
      The mean global function score in the PODCI was 91.4 points, and the mean Quick
      DASH score was 11.7 points, with excellent functional outcomes. No differences in
      outcomes were identified based upon age, fracture site, sex, weight, direction of
      displacement, or operative technique in NV injury patients (P > .05).The majority
      of patients with Gartland III SCH fractures associated with NV injuries returned
      to a high functioning level after treatment of their injuries. NV injury does not
      appear to influence functional outcomes. Good functional results can be expected
      regardless of age, fracture site, sex, weight, direction of displacement, and
      operative technique.

PMID- 28640090
TI  - Efficiency of microarray and SNPscan for the detection of hearing loss gene in 71
      cases with nonsyndromic hearing loss.
AB  - We aim to screen the mutations of 3 hearing loss (HL) genes (GJB2, SLC26A4, and
      12S rRNA) in 71 cases with nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL) using microarray and
      SNPscan, and identify the roles of nonhotspot mutation of these genes in the
      screening of NSHL. Seventy-one cases with moderate or severe neurosensory
      deafness confirmed in our department from July 2014 to December 2015 including 25
      Uyghur minorities and 46 Han Chinese were included in this study. The type of
      mutations in GJB2, SLC26A4, and 12S rRNA genes were detected using microarray and
      SNPscan, respectively. Statistical difference was noticed in the detection rate
      of the HL genes in 71 cases. Using microassay, deafness genes were identified in
      10 subjects (14.08%), while 22 cases (30.98%) were confirmed with the presence of
      deafness genes using the SNPscan. Compared with the microarray, remarkable
      difference was noticed in the detection rate of SNPscan (P < .05). Nonhotspot
      mutation in GJB2, SLC26A4, and 12S rRNA genes played a crucial role in the
      pathogenesis of NSHL. SNPscan contributed to elevation of detection rate of NSHL
      in clinical practice.

PMID- 28640091
TI  - Comparison of radiofrequency kyphoplasty (RFK) and balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) in
      the treatment of vertebral compression fractures: A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) is a widely adopted minimally invasive
      treatment for vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), but leakage of cement is a
      main complication of BKP. A novel vertebral augmentation technique radiofrequency
      kyphoplasty (RFK) with high viscosity cement was developed in 2009. Here, we aim
      to evaluate whether RFK can relieve symptoms efficiently and reduce cement
      leakage. METHODS: A literature search was performed using Pubmed, Embase, and
      Cochrane CENTRAL until September 30, 2016. Both randomized controlled trial (RCT)
      and non-RCT studies comparing RFK and BKP were included. The main outcomes
      included pain relief (VAS), functionality improvement (ODI), operation time,
      reduction of deformity (vertebral height and kyphosis angle), and incidence of
      cement leakage. The origin of heterogeneity was further explored by subgroup
      stratification. RESULTS: A total of 6 studies involving 833 patients with VCFs
      were included. The reduction of VAS score in the RFK group was 3.96 points more
      than that in the BKP group (P  =  .0007) postoperatively, and the improvement
      persisted until 12 months after the surgery (P < .00001). The operation time was
      shorter in RFK group than that in BKP group (P  =  .01). The increase of anterior
      vertebral height shortly after the operation was 0.53 mm greater in RFK group (P 
      =  .01). The decrease of kyphotic angle after RFK was 0.63 degrees  and 0.92
      degrees  greater than that after BKP, both immediately and 6 months after
      operation (P  =  .002 and P < .00001, respectively). There was no significant
      difference between the incidence of cement leakage after RFK and BKP (P  =  .06).
      Further subgroup analysis stratified by study design indicated that the incidence
      of leakage decreased 15% in RFK than BPK (P < .00001) in non-RCT subgroup, but
      RFK and BKP treatments were equivalent in the RCT studies (P  =  .86).
      CONCLUSION: RFK appears to be more effective and safer than BKP in the present
      meta-analysis. The incidence of cement leakage diverges in RCT and non-RCT
      studies, so large-sample multicentered RCT studies are required to validate this
      new surgery system.

PMID- 28640092
TI  - Glucose metabolism of visceral adipose tissue measured by 18F-FDG PET/CT is
      related to the presence of colonic adenoma.
AB  - This study investigated the relationships between the area and metabolic activity
      of adipose tissue and the presence of colorectal adenoma (CRA). Our institutional
      review board approved the study and waived informed consent. A total of 212
      subjects who underwent fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission
      tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and colonoscopy for routine health
      check-ups were enrolled. The volumetric parameters of areas of visceral (VATav),
      subcutaneous (SATav), and total adipose tissue (TATav) and calculated visceral-to
      subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VSR) and visceral-to-total adipose tissue
      ratio (VAR) were considered. Metabolic parameters of standardized uptake value
      (SUV) of visceral (vcSUVmax, vcSUVmean), subcutaneous (scSUVmax, scSUVmean), and
      calculated visceral-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VSRmax, VSRmean) were
      considered. Anthropometric data of height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist
      circumference (WC), body fat mass (BFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and diverse
      laboratory data were also considered as variables. Sixty-six subjects were placed
      in the CRA group and 146 subjects in the non-CRA group. The presence of CRA was
      significantly correlated with older age (P  =  .001), male sex (P  =  .041),
      higher BMI (P  =  .004), higher WC (P  =  .001), higher BFM (P  =  .024), higher
      VATav (P < .001), higher TATav (P  =  .004), higher VSR (P < .001), higher VAR (P
      < .001), lower vcSUVmax (P  =  .002), lower vcSUVmean (P < .001), and lower
      VSRmean (P  =  .002). On multiple regression analysis, vcSUVmax and vcSUVmean
      were independently associated with the presence of CRA (P  =  .009 and P  = 
      .045). Lower glucose metabolism of visceral adipose tissue was related to the
      presence of CRA. Our findings identify the value of visceral metabolic
      dysfunction as a potential surrogate marker of elevated risk for CRA.

PMID- 28640093
TI  - Correlations of single nucleotide polymorphisms of CRYAA and CRYAB genes with the
      risk and clinicopathological features of children suffering from congenital
      cataract.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study aims to explore the correlations of the single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) of CRYAA and CRYAB with the risk and clinicopathological
      features of children with congenital cataract. METHODS: The study enrolled 168
      children diagnosed as congenital cataract (case group) and 172 normal children
      (control group) from May 2015 to May 2016. Genomic DNA extraction was performed
      using a QIAamp DNA blood mini kit. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were
      genotyped using an ABI direct sequencer. Haplotype, allele, and genotype
      frequencies of CRYAA and CRYAB gene polymorphisms analyses were carried out using
      the SHEsis software. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to
      analyze the risk factors for children suffering from congenital cataract.
      RESULTS: Presence of significant differences between the case and control groups'
      genotype and allele frequencies of CRYAA rs7278468 and CRYAB
      rs370803064/rs387907338. TA of CRYAB gene might increase congenital cataract risk
      in children, while GCG of CRYAA gene and GC of CRYAB gene might decrease
      congenital cataract risk in children. CRYAA rs7278468, CRYAB
      rs370803064/rs387907338 polymorphisms were significantly correlated to
      uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, nystagmus, visual axis
      opacification, microcornea, lens opacity, posterior capsular thickening, and
      degrees of posterior capsule opacification after operation in children with
      congenital cataract. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the T allele of
      CRYAA rs7278468, A allele of CRYAB rs370803064, T allele of CRYAB rs387907338,
      family history, and TA haplotype of CRYAB gene were risk factors for children
      with congenital cataract. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that CRYAA
      rs7278468 and CRYAB rs370803064/rs387907338 are correlated with the risk and
      clinicopathological features of children suffering from congenital cataract.

PMID- 28640094
TI  - Effects of first radioiodine ablation on functions of salivary glands in patients
      with differentiated thyroid cancer.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the first radioactive iodine
      (I) therapy on functions of salivary glands in patients with differentiated
      thyroid carcinoma (DTC).There were 36 consented patients with DTC enrolled in
      this study, who received 3.7 GBq (100mCi) I for ablation after total
      thyroidectomy. Salivary gland function was assessed using salivary gland
      scintigraphy in two phases, one 4 hours before and the other 6 months after I
      therapy (both under thyrotropin stimulation condition). Quantitative parameters
      including uptake fraction (UF), uptake index (UI), excretion fraction (EF), and
      excretion ratio (ER) were measured and compared. Blood parameters were also
      compared. Associations between sex and outcome of the first I therapy as well as
      individual salivary gland function were measured. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Sum test
      and chi test were used for statistical analysis.When compared between pre
      ablation and post-ablation, UF of bilateral parotid and submandibular glands were
      significantly increased (all P < .01). UI of both submandibular glands were
      significantly increased (P < .05). This seemingly increased uptake function after
      the first I therapy was actually compensatory mechanism of salivary gland, which
      indicated a possible intermediate state after radiation. But salivary glands'
      secretory function had not changed significantly except for left submandibular
      gland; we demonstrated that only left submandibular gland showed significantly
      decreased ER (P < .05). Thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibody significantly
      decreased after I therapy (P < .05). There were no sex differences on therapeutic
      outcome and salivary gland dysfunctions after the first I therapy. Salivary gland
      of both males and females could be affected by I therapy.The first I ablative
      therapy may impair the salivary uptake and secretory function of patients with
      DTC. There was no association between sex and salivary gland dysfunction.

PMID- 28640095
TI  - Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 expression is correlated with poor prognosis in breast
      cancer.
AB  - Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and is a major
      cause of death in women. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) is a marker of stem
      cells and cancer stem cells, and its activity correlates with the outcome of
      various tumors, including BC. This study aimed to analyze the relationship
      between ALDH1 expression and clinicopathological characters in BC and the
      prognostic significance of ALDH1.We used quantitative reverse-transcription PCR
      (qRT-PCR) to detect ALDHA1 mRNA levels in 25 fresh frozen BC samples and matched
      noncancerous samples. Immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays was used to
      analyze protein expression in 137 paraffin-embedded BC tissues and corresponding
      noncancerous tissues. STATA 16.0 software was used for statistical analysis.The
      results suggested that levels of both ALDH1 mRNA and protein in BC were
      significantly higher than in corresponding adjacent breast samples (3.856 +/-
      0.3442 vs 1.385 +/- 0.1534, P < .001; 52.6% vs 25.5%, P < .001, respectively).
      ALDH1 protein expression was also significantly associated with histological
      grade (P  =  .017), tumor size (P  =  .017), and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM)
      stage (P  =  .038). Multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model
      demonstrated that ALDH1 expression (P  =  .024), molecular typing (P  =  .046),
      and TNM classification (P  =  .034) were independent predictive factors for the
      outcome of BC. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test indicated that
      patients with high ALDH1 expression, triple-negative BC, and advanced TNM stage
      had a reduced overall survival time.These data suggest that ALDH1 could be used
      as a prognostic factor for BC and may provide a useful therapeutic target in the
      treatment of BC.

PMID- 28640096
TI  - Effect of transforaminal epidural polydeoxyribonucleotide injections on
      lumbosacral radiculopathy: A case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Transforaminal epidural glucocorticoids administration is widely
      performed for the management of lumbosacral radiculopathy. However, it may worsen
      the condition of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
      Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) was recently noted as a substitute for
      glucocorticoids. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 44-year-old male patient was admitted to our
      pain clinic with symptoms of low back pain with severe pain and tingling
      sensation of left posterolateral leg. He had type 2 DM medicated with Glimepiride
      and Metformin. Blood glucose level was 367 mg/dL. He declined to use
      glucocorticoid. DIAGNOSES: He was diagnosed as left foraminal disc protrusion at
      L4-5, left subarticular disc protrusion at L5-S1. INTERVENTIONS: Fluoroscopically
      guided transforaminal epidural PDRN injections were carried out. OUTCOMES: The
      patient was followed up for more than 6 months and demonstrated good improvement
      in lumbosacral radiculopathy without any complications. LESSONS: This is the
      first successful report on epidural injection of PDRN.

PMID- 28640097
TI  - Role of endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic resection for the treatment of
      gastric schwannoma.
AB  - Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic resection play an important role in
      gastric submucosal tumor. However, there were few articles regarding EUS and
      endoscopic resection of gastric schwannomas. Our aim was to evaluate the role of
      EUS and endoscopic resection in treating gastric schwannomas.We retrospectively
      reviewed 14 patients between March 2012 and April 2016 with gastric schwannomas
      and who received EUS and endoscopic resection. EUS characteristics, endoscopic
      resection, tumor features, and follow-up were evaluated in all the
      patients.Fourteen patients were enrolled in the present study. The patients' ages
      ranged from 25 to 72 years (mean age, 52.6 years). On EUS, all tumors were
      originating from muscularis propria and hypoechoic. Ten tumors have the
      extraluminal growth patterns and 4 tumors have the intraluminal growth patterns.
      Marginal halos were observed in 7 lesions. No cystic change and calcification
      were found inside the lesions. Complete endoscopic resection was performed in all
      the patients with no complications occurring in any patients. No recurrence or
      metastases was found in all patients during the follow-up period.Gastric
      schwannoma has some characteristics on EUS, but it is difficult to differentiate
      gastric schwannoma from gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Endoscopic resection is
      an effective and safe treatment for gastric schwannoma with an excellent follow
      up outcome.

PMID- 28640098
TI  - The characteristics of stem cells in human degenerative intervertebral disc.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to identify which possessed the best stem
      cell-like characteristics in 3 kinds of cell in human degenerative intervertebral
      disc: NPSCs (nucleus pulposus-derived stem cells), AFSCs (annulus fibrosus
      derived stem cells), or CESCs (cartilage endplate-derived stem cells). METHODS:
      We separated the disc samples obtained from 15 surgically treated patients with
      disc degenerative diseases into nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and cartilage
      endplate. After cultivating, we used the cell counting kit-8 to analysis the cell
      activity of 3 kinds of disc tissue-derived stem cell separately; different stem
      cells were defined with multilineage (osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic)
      differentiation. We extracted the total RNA and detected the expression of
      different lineage differentiation-related genes with the real-time polymerase
      chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Cell morphology of NPSCs, AFSCs, and CESCs did
      not show significant difference. Cell proliferation capacity of NPSCs and AFSCs
      was stronger than that of CESCs. The differentiation outcomes showed that
      osteocyte-like cells were stained red by Alizarin red S, chondrocyte-like cells
      blue by toluidine blue, and adipocyte-like red by oil red O. The RT-PCR reflected
      that the expression of different lineage differentiation-related genes of AFSCs
      was stronger than NPSCs and CESCs. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we found that the
      cell morphology was not significantly different among NPSCs, AFSCs, and CESCs.
      Both differentiation and RT-PCR tests demonstrated that AFSCs had the best stem
      cell-like characteristics in the human degenerative intervertebral disc.

PMID- 28640099
TI  - Prognostic impact of Ki-67 in patients with gastric cancer-the importance of
      depth of invasion and histologic differentiation.
AB  - Ki-67 protein is a cellular marker for proliferation. The role of Ki-67 as a
      prognostic biomarker has not been established in gastric cancer. The present
      study was performed to investigate the significance of Ki-67 expression as a
      biomarker in early gastric cancer (EGC).With tissue microarray for 320 patients
      with gastric cancer, we performed immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67. Its
      clinical significance was analyzed with adjustment via the propensity score
      matching. For validation, we performed bootstrap resampling.The median follow-up
      duration was 72 months (range: 3-120 months). Ki-67-high group showed worse
      prognosis than Ki-67-low group in EGC (5-YSR, 78.9% vs 92.0%, P  =  .018), but
      not in advanced gastric cancer (AGC) (5-YSR, 58.5% vs 59.2%, P  =  .951).
      Interestingly, in the patients with well-differentiated histology, prognosis for
      Ki-67-high group was considerably worse than that for Ki-67-low group (5-YSR,
      67.0% vs 94.4%, P  =  .012), but not in those with moderately differentiated (P 
      =  .504) and poorly differentiated histology (P  =  .905). In this cohort, there
      was a strong correlation between the proportion of EGC and well-differentiated
      histology (r  =  0.215, P  =  .002). Multivariate analysis also revealed that the
      high-Ki-67 expression serves as a poor prognostic factor in EGC (HR 4.346, 95% CI
      1.397-13.515, P  =  .011), especially in the well-differentiated histology, but
      not in all the patients (P  =  .171). Bootstrap resampling internally validated
      this result (P  =  .011).This study suggests that Ki-67 expression may be a good
      biomarker for prognosis prediction for EGC with well-differentiated histologic
      type.

PMID- 28640100
TI  - Level of sensory block after spinal anesthesia as a predictor of hypotension in
      parturient.
AB  - When the sensory block level (SBL) is >=T5 or T4, a high incidence of hypotension
      occurs in parturients after spinal anesthesia. A rapidly ascending SBL is another
      risk factor for spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension. However, the relationship
      between the ascension rate of the SBL and spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension
      remains unclear.After placement in the left lateral position, combined epidural
      spinal anesthesia was performed on 140 parturients undergoing caesarean section
      using the following procedure: no volume preloading, injection site of L3-4 or L4
      5, injection rate of 0.1 mL/sec, and administration of 10 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric
      bupivacaine. A receiver-operating characteristic curve was built to estimate the
      accuracy of the SBL ascension rate in detecting spinal anesthesia-induced
      hypotension.The mean time interval from spinal injection to placement in the
      supine position was 136 +/- 10 seconds in all anesthesia procedures. The earliest
      and most complete records of the SBL started from the 3rd minute after spinal
      injection. The threshold spread rate corresponding to the highest accuracy for
      occurrence of hypotension was an SBL of >=T8 at the 3rd minute after spinal
      injection, with 82% and 88% sensitivity and specificity, respectively.The
      ascension rate of an SBL of >=T8 at the 3rd minute after spinal injection is as a
      predictor of hypotension in parturients.

PMID- 28640101
TI  - Liposomal bupivacaine versus traditional bupivacaine for pain control after total
      hip arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the past, the efficacy of local infiltration of liposomal
      bupivacaine for total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients was in debate. Therefore,
      this meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether local infiltration of
      liposomal bupivacaine provides better pain relief after THA. METHODS: We searched
      Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases to the April
      2017. Any studies comparing liposomal bupivacaine and traditional bupivacaine
      were included in our meta-analysis. The outcomes included visual analog scale
      (VAS) at 24, 48, and 72 hours, total morphine consumption at 24 hours, and the
      length of hospital stay. We assessed the pooled data using a random-effect model.
      RESULTS: Six studies were finally included in this meta-analysis. Our pooled data
      analysis demonstrated that liposomal bupivacaine was more effective than the
      traditional bupivacaine in terms of VAS at 24 hours (P  =  .018) and the length
      of hospital stay (P  =  .000). There was no significant difference in terms of
      the VAS at 48 and 72 hours and total morphine consumption at 24 hours (P >.05).
      CONCLUSION: Compared with the traditional bupivacaine, liposomal bupivacaine
      shows better pain control at 24 hours and reduces the length of hospital stay
      after THA. Its economic costs must be assessed in multimodal center randomized
      controlled trials when being recommended as a long-acting alternative analgesic
      agent for a THA patient.

PMID- 28640102
TI  - Complicated atrial tachycardia due to atrial fibrillation originating from the
      superior vena cava: A case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The superior vena cava (SVC) can act as an origin of atrial
      fibrillation (AF). The complex structure and special conductive properties of the
      SVC can result in complicated atrial tachycardia (AT), atrial flutter, or AF.
      SYMPTOMS AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: We report a case of the clinical observation of
      various kinds of AT and AF in 1 patient. Electrophysiological (EP) studies
      confirmed the muscle sleeve in the SVC to be the primary trigger and the only
      site or origin of tachycardia in this patient. Furthermore, we describe the
      mechanism of AT observed in clinic, which was misdiagnosed as multiorigin AF.
      INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES: Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation and
      circumferential SVC isolation resulted in termination of tachycardia. CONCLUSION:
      We present an atypical case of AF originating from the SVC with unusual intra
      atrial conduction characteristics and arrhythmogenic pulmonary veins. Stepwise EP
      studies were conducive to clarify the mechanism of this rare AT.

PMID- 28640103
TI  - Occupational injuries among pediatric orthopedic surgeons: How serious is the
      problem?
AB  - In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed all pediatric orthopedic surgeons in
      Saudi Arabia using an anonymous electronic questionnaire composed of 23 items to
      identify the rate of occupational injuries and obtain other relevant information.
      Thirty-nine participants completed the questionnaire (response rate: 83%).
      Participants who sustained occupational injuries throughout their careers
      represented 82.5%. The most injured areas were the hands, eyes, and back by
      54.5%, 24.2%, and 15.2%, respectively. Approximately 11.1% were injured while
      operating on infected patients. Approximately 30.3% reported their injuries to
      their institution. We concluded that the rate of occupational injuries among
      pediatric orthopedic surgeons is very high and underreported.

PMID- 28640104
TI  - The EasyTube during general anesthesia for minor surgery: A randomized,
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The EasyTube (EzT) is a supraglottic airway device that is used for
      emergency airway situations. Ventilation during general anesthesia should also be
      feasible, but literature on the EzT is scarce. We evaluated the EzT in comparison
      with the endotracheal tube (ETT) in its use during general anesthesia in a
      comparative study. METHODS: A total of 400 patients with American Society of
      Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I to II scheduled for minor surgery in 4
      centers were randomized for ventilation via the ETT or EzT. RESULTS: In all
      patients, the EzT and the ETT could be inserted within 3 attempts. In all EzT
      patients, the inspiratory and expiratory minute volumes (6.64 +/- 0.71 and 6.34
      +/- 0.69 L/min) were sufficient to reach target oxygenation values, similar to
      ETT patients (P  =  .59). Mean peak pressure, mean plateau pressure, and mean
      dynamic compliance did not differ between the groups. Sore throat and blood on
      the cuff after removal were the most frequent complications in both groups.
      CONCLUSION: Ventilation for up to 1 hour during general anesthesia in patients
      with ASA physical status I to II with the EzT is feasible and safe.

PMID- 28640105
TI  - Glomerulonephritis and granulomatous vasculitis in kidney as a complication of
      the use of BRAF and MEK inhibitors in the treatment of metastatic melanoma: A
      case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: BRAF and MEK inhibitors have significantly improved the prognosis of
      metastatic melanoma, by inhibiting both the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP
      kinase) pathway. They are associated with infrequent adverse kidney events. Most
      of these are related to the use of BRAF inhibitors and involve interstitial
      nephritis with acute tubular necrosis. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a unique case
      of glomerulonephritis with renal granulomatous vasculitis in a patient diagnosed
      with metastatic melanoma treated with BRAF and MEK inhibitors. The patient was a
      55-year old woman, who presented a melanoma of the right thigh with pulmonary
      metastasis. Treatment started in November 2015, with Encorafenib and Binimetinib,
      new BRAF and MEK inhibitors, respectively. Two months after the beginning of the
      treatment, there was a worsening of her renal function with significant
      proteinuria. DIAGNOSES: Kidney biopsy showed extracapillary proliferation in the
      glomeruli with a granulomatous reaction. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES: Renal
      function recovered completely after withdrawal of the chemotherapy. LESSONS: All
      the reported kidney adverse events secondary to BRAF and MEK inhibitors in the
      literature are related to the use of BRAF inhibitors. Some previous reported
      mechanistic investigations also provide insight between BRAF inhibitors and
      podocytes injuries. Therefore, encorafenib most likely is the main responsible of
      the disease. However, evidence has emerged that inhibition of the MAP kinase
      pathway could also enhance autoimmunity. Thus, binimetinib may also have played a
      role and the combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors may have facilitated this
      autoimmune kidney disease.

PMID- 28640106
TI  - The outcome of eosinophilic granuloma involving unilateral atlantoaxial joint: A
      case report and literature review.
AB  - RATIONALE: Solitary eosinophilic granuloma (EG), the most benign, common form of
      Langerhans cell histiocytosis, has a self-limiting process and is associated with
      a good prognosis. Immobilization is recommended as the first treatment strategy
      for solitary EG, although the treatment protocols are still controversial.
      Radiotherapy and surgery are secondary treatment choices. Lesions of the upper
      cervical spine react differently to treatment because of their specific
      anatomical and motor features. PATIENT CONCERNS: We discuss the case of a 29-year
      old man with axis EG who underwent immobilization, radiotherapy, and finally
      surgery. DIAGNOSIS: Eosinophilic granuloma (EG). INTERVENTIONS: An initial
      conservative protocol, including immobilization with a collar and radiotherapy,
      effectively relieved his neck pain, whereas torticollis secondary to atlantoaxial
      subluxation was not improved. Therefore, he underwent tumor resection through the
      anterior approach and spinal reconstruction, fixation, and fusion through the
      posterior approach. OUTCOMES: The deformity was well corrected and follow-up was
      satisfactory. LESSONS: Upon review of the literature, we found that EG lesions
      affecting the axis have more risk factors for instability or deformity, and they
      have particular anatomical and motor characteristics; thus, they require more
      consideration and attention in terms of treatment, prognosis, and follow-up.

PMID- 28640107
TI  - A nomogram prediction of postoperative surgical site infections in patients with
      perihilar cholangiocarcinoma.
AB  - Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the major morbidities after radical
      resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC). This study aimed to clarify
      the risk factors and construct a nomogram to predict SSIs in patients with PHCC.A
      total of 335 consecutive patients who underwent hepatectomy combined with
      hepaticojejunostomy between January 2013 and December 2015 were analyzed
      retrospectively. SSIs, including incisional (superficial and deep) and
      space/organ infection, were defined according to the Centers for Disease Control
      and Prevention (CDC)'s National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) system.
      Risk factors associated with postoperative SSIs were analyzed by univariate and
      multivariate analyses. A nomogram was developed on the basis of results from the
      multivariate logistic model and the discriminatory ability of the model was
      analyzed.PHCC patients had higher organ/space SSI rate than incisional SSI rate
      after radical resection. Multivariate analysis showed that risk factors
      indicating postoperative overall SSIs (incisional and organ/space) included
      coexisting cholangiolithiasis [odds ratio (OR): 6.77; 95% confidence interval
      (95% CI): 2.40-19.11; P < .001], blood loss >1500 mL (OR: 4.77; 95% CI: 1.45
      15.65; P  =  .010), having abdominal surgical history (OR: 5.85; 95% CI: 1.91
      17.97; P  =  .002), and bile leakage (OR: 15.28; 95% CI: 5.90-39.62; P < .001).
      The beta coefficients from the multivariate logistic model were used to construct
      the model for estimation of SSI risk. The scoring model was as follows: -4.12
      +1.91 * (coexisting cholangiolithiasis  =  1) + 1.77 * (having previous abdominal
      surgical history  =  1) +1.56 * (blood loss >1500 mL  =  1) + 2.73 * (bile
      leakage  =  1). The discriminatory ability of the model was good and the area
      under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was 0.851.In PHCC
      patients, there may be a relationship between postoperative SSIs and abdominal
      surgical history, coexisting cholangiolithiasis, bile leakage, and blood loss.
      The nomogram can be used to estimate the risk of postoperative SSIs in patients
      with PHCC.

PMID- 28640108
TI  - Correlation of HLA-DP/DQ polymorphisms with transplant etiologies and prognosis
      in liver transplant recipients.
AB  - Previous study has identified that the genetic variants in the human leukocyte
      antigen (HLA)-DP/DQ region were strongly associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV)
      infection. But their roles in liver function recovery after hepatic
      transplantation were still obscure. This study aimed to investigate whether HLA
      DP/DQ polymorphisms were associated with post-transplant etiologies and prognosis
      in Chinese liver transplant recipients.A total of 144 liver transplant recipients
      were enrolled, which were divided into 2 groups according to the transplant
      etiology: HBV-related disease and non-HBV-related disease. HBV-related disease
      includes 3 subgroups: liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and progressive
      HBV hepatitis. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms HLA-DP (rs3077 and
      rs9277535) and HLA-DQ (rs7453920) were studied in all recipients by high
      resolution melting curve analysis. Liver function indices (albumin, alanine
      aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma
      glutamyltranspeptidase, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin) and coagulation
      indices (prothrombin time, platelet, international normalized ratio, fibrinogen)
      were routinely tested. After transplant, 10 recipients who were positive for
      HBsAg or with elevation in HBV virus load were regarded as HBV recurrence.No
      significant association of HLA-DP/DQ polymorphisms with HBV recurrence or
      transplant etiology was observed (P < .05). Recipients with HLA-DQ (rs7453920) AG
      and AA genotype had lower direct bilirubin levels than GG genotype individuals,
      especially on the 14th day after surgery (17.80 vs. 5.35, P  =  .038). Patients
      with A alleles displayed earlier liver function recovery than patients with G
      alleles (7 vs. 6 months). No significant correlation was shown in HLA-DP rs3077
      and rs9277535 with HBV infection or liver function recovery (P < .05).Our study
      concluded that HLA-DP (rs3077 and rs9277535) and HLA-DQ (rs7453920) were not
      significantly associated with HBV recurrence or HBV susceptibility, but HLA-DQ
      rs7453920 was related to prognosis of liver transplant recipients. HLA-DQ
      rs7453920 A might be used as an indicator of earlier recovery and better
      prognosis after transplantation.

PMID- 28640109
TI  - Efficacy of levetiracetam versus fosphenytoin for the recurrence of seizures
      after status epilepticus.
AB  - Benzodiazepines are used as first-line treatments for status epilepticus.
      Fosphenytoin (FPHT) is recommended for second-line therapy; however, intravenous
      injection of levetiracetam (LEV) may also be effective against status
      epilepticus. Herein, we compared the efficacy and safety of LEV as a second-line
      treatment for status epilepticus with FPHT in Japanese patients.Patients with
      status epilepticus were selected from the database of the Emergency and Critical
      Care Center of Hitachi General Hospital. The subjects were patients whose status
      epilepticus was successfully stopped by diazepam, and in whom FPHT or LEV was
      administered after diazepam. As LEV injections recently became clinically
      available in Japan, the choice of drug was determined by the treatment period.
      Thus, 21 patients who were intravenously injected with LEV as a second-line
      therapy and 42 matched patients (historical controls) who were treated with FPHT
      (1:2) were selected.The subjects had a mean age of 64.0 +/- 2.2 years, and
      included 48 males and 15 females. The status epilepticus control rates of the
      FPHT and LEV groups did not differ significantly (81.0% [34/42] vs 85.1% [18/21],
      respectively; P  =  .69). As for serious adverse events, a reduction in blood
      pressure was observed in the FPHT group, but not in the LEV group. The oral
      anticonvulsant switching rates of the 2 groups were similar, but the same-drug
      switching rates of the FPHT and LEV groups were 8.1% and 77.8%, respectively.The
      efficacy of intravenous LEV injections after status epilepticus was equivalent to
      that of FPHT, and the incidence of adverse events was lower in the LEV group. LEV
      is effective and safe at preventing recurrent seizures after status epilepticus
      following benzodiazepine treatment.

PMID- 28640110
TI  - Case report of a modified Meso-Rex bypass as a treatment technique for late-onset
      portal vein cavernous transformation with portal hypertension after adult
      deceased-donor liver transplantation.
AB  - RATIONALE: Portal vein thrombosis is a complication after liver transplantation
      and cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV) is a result of portal vein
      thrombosis, with symptoms of portal hypertension revealed by an enhanced CT scan.
      Meso-Rex bypass is an artificial shunt connecting the left portal vein to the
      superior mesenteric vein and is mainly used for idiopathic cavernomas. This
      technique is also used for post-transplant portal vein thrombosis in pediatric
      patients thereby bypassing obstructed sites of the extrahepatic portal vein. Here
      we report about an adult patient who was treated by connecting the cystic part of
      the portal vein to the splenic vein instead of the superior mesenteric vein.
      PATIENTS CONCERN: An adult male patient with post-liver transplantation portal
      vein cavernous transformation suffered from hypersplenism and elevated hepatic
      enzymes. DIAGNOSIS: The last follow up revealed irregular and obvious
      hypersplenism, and splenomegaly had occurred, while an enhanced CT scan revealed
      serious esophagogastric varices and CTPV in addition to occluded right and common
      PV trunks. INTERVENTION: The patient was treated by connecting the cystic part of
      the portal vein to the splenic vein instead of the superior mesenteric vein.
      OUTCOME: After the operation, a satisfactory velocity was confirmed 1 month
      postoperatively and the shunt still remained patent at the 6-month postoperation
      follow-up. LESSONS: A Meso-Rex bypass intervention connecting the left portal
      vein to the splenic vein instead of the superior mesenteric vein after liver
      transplantation in an adult patient with right and common portal vein occlusions
      has been successfully performed as an alternative approach.

PMID- 28640111
TI  - Comparative safety for cardiovascular outcomes of DPP-4 inhibitors versus
      glimepiride in patients with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study.
AB  - Concerns about the cardiovascular safety of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4)
      inhibitors persist. This study sought to determine whether there is a
      differential risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) between
      DPP-4 inhibitors and glimepiride.We conducted this retrospective cohort study by
      using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database from December 1,
      2008, to December 31, 2013. The study subjects were new users of DPP-4 inhibitors
      or glimepiride for type 2 diabetes. Outcome was defined as hospitalization for
      CVDs, including angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, transient cerebral
      ischemic attack, heart failure, or cerebrovascular disease or any procedure
      involving coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention.
      We used a Cox proportional hazard model to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios
      (aHRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), to assess the risk of CVDs
      associated with the use of DPP-4 inhibitors compared with glimepiride.The cohort
      consisted of 1,045,975 patients, with 6504 in the DPP-4 inhibitors group and
      13,447 in the glimepiride group. No significant increased risk of total CVDs was
      found (aHR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-1.01) in the DPP-4 inhibitors versus glimepiride
      group. A decreased risk of hospitalization for CVDs was found among patients with
      a history of visit for CVDs (aHR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97) or with >2.5 years'
      duration of type 2 diabetes (aHR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.66-0.91) in the DPP-4
      inhibitors versus glimepiride group.DPP-4 inhibitors did not increase
      cardiovascular risk compared with glimepiride regardless of CVD history and
      diabetes duration.

PMID- 28640112
TI  - Cement leakage in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with cortical
      defect using high-viscosity bone cement during unilateral percutaneous
      kyphoplasty surgery.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate cement leakage (CL) in osteoporotic
      vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) with cortical defect using high-viscosity
      bone cement during unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) surgery.This study
      included a series of 77 patients (23 males, 54 females) with single level
      osteoporotic vertebral body fracture (OVCF) who underwent unilateral PKP in our
      hospital. Preoperative x-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, and 3-dimensional
      reconstructions were studied. During the PKP procedure, needle was carefully put
      to avoid too near to the cortical defect according to CT image. High-viscosity
      bone cement was used via unilateral PKP. Radiographic outcomes were evaluated by
      assessment of vertebral body wall breakage, fracture type, and vertebral body
      change. The exact rate of CL was analyzed.A total of 77 patients with single
      level OVCF were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 74.8 +/-
      8.0 years. Among these cases, 7 (9.1%) involved the thoracic spine (T3-T10), 60
      (77.9%) involved the thoracolumbar spine (T10-L2), and 10 (13.0%) involved the
      lumbar spine (L3-L5). There were 27 vertebral bodies found posterior wall
      breakage, 51 vertebral bodies found endplate breakage, and 49 vertebral bodies
      found anterior-lateral wall breakage. CT scan was more efficient in detecting
      vertebral body wall breakage and CL than x-ray (P < .001). No neurological
      symptoms were found after surgery. Both cases with CL (CL group) and cases
      without cement leakage (NCL group) experienced vertebral height restoration (HR)
      with similar cement volume CV. There were no significant difference between the
      two groups about the parameter HR and CV. Severe vertebral body fracture and
      biconcave fracture had more CL than other groups. OVCF cases with cortical defect
      had more CL rate than those without cortical defect; however, no significant
      difference was found in the correlation between vertebral wall breakage and
      CL.Cortical defect remains a potential risk of CL during PKP surgery. Careful
      preoperative evaluation and using high-viscosity bone cement during the
      unilateral PKP procedure could prevent serious leakage and clinical symptoms.

PMID- 28640113
TI  - Spleen implanting in the fatty liver mimicking hepatocarcinoma in a patient with
      hepatitis B&C: A case report and literature review.
AB  - RATIONALE: Ectopic splenic autotransplantation refers to the heterotopic
      autotransplantation of splenic tissue and no treatment is necessary for it when
      patient is asymptomatic. Its incidence rate is reported up to 67% among patients
      with a history of splenic trauma and splenic surgery. The diagnosis of it before
      operation is really difficult, and it is easy to mimic as other tumors. PATIENT
      CONCERNS: We reported a 42-year-old man with hepatic splenosis, with history of
      splenectomy for traumatic splenic rupture 16 years ago and hepatitis B&C. The
      patient was enrolled with recurrent low back pain for more than 1 month without
      any treatment. DIAGNOSES: Radiological imaging revealed a subcapsular hepatic
      nodule, showing "fast-in and fast-out" enhancement. Surgery was performed, and
      the result of histological diagnosis was hepatic splenosis. INTERVENTIONS: No
      intervention before segmentectomy of the liver. LESSONS: When imaging of a
      patient with history of traumatic splenic rupture or splenectomy shows1 or few
      well circumscribed hepatic nodules with enhancement in dynamic study, we should
      suspect hepatic splenosis, for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary surgery.

PMID- 28640114
TI  - Injury of the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract in patients with cerebellar infarct:
      Case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Several studies using diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) have
      reported on injury in the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRTT) in patients with
      brain injury. However, there is no study of injury in the DRTT following
      cerebellar infarct. We report on patients with injury in the DRTT following
      cerebellar infarct, demonstrated on DTT. PATIENT CONCERNS: Three patients with
      cerebellar infarct were enrolled in this study. Diffusion tensor imaging data
      were acquired at 3 weeks (patient 1) and 2 weeks (patients 2 and 3) after onset
      and the DRTT was reconstructed. The Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxiaand
      the Functional Ambulation Category were used for evaluation of ataxia and gait
      function. DIAGNOSES AND OUTCOMES: With clinical evaluation, patient 1 scored 18,
      patient 2 scored 22, and patient 3 scored 28 points on the Scale for Assessment
      and Rating of Ataxia. On the Functional Ambulation Category patient 1 scored 2,
      patient 2 scored 2, and patient 3 scored 1 point. DRTT abnormalities were as
      follows: discontinuation (the upper portion of the left DRTT in the patient 1),
      narrowing (the lower portion of the left DRTT in patient 2, and the whole right
      DRTT in the patient 3), and nonreconstruction (the left DRTT in the patient 3).
      LESSONS: Using DTT, we demonstrated injury in the DRTT in 3 patients with severe
      ataxia following cerebellar infarct. We believe that evaluation of the DRTT would
      be helpful in patients who develop ataxia following cerebellar infarct.

PMID- 28640115
TI  - Management of neovascular glaucoma with intravitreal ranibizumab, panretinal
      photocoagulation, and subsequent 5-fluorouracil augmented trabeculectomy: A case
      report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is one of the most refractory types of
      glaucoma caused by high ischemic retinal disorders, resulting in severe visual
      loss. Intravitreal injections of ranibizumab have been reported to have
      anatomical and functional success in treating NVG. PATIENT CONCERNS-DIAGNOSES
      INTERVENTIONS: We report a case with neovascular glaucoma due to central retinal
      vein occlusion who received combination therapy with intravitreal ranibizumab
      (IVR) injection, panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) and subsequent 5-fluorouracil
      (5-FU) augmented trabeculectomy. OUTCOMES: One week after IVR injection, the
      intraocular pressure (IOP) had partially decreased to 33 mmHg, and there was a
      complete regression of neovascularization of the iris (NVI) and the angle (NVA).
      PRP was feasible after IVR due to improvement of corneal edema which made an
      adequate view of the posterior pole of fundus. The surgery of trabeculectomy with
      5-FU was performed 2 weeks after IVR to control the IOP. The intraoperative and
      postoperative courses were uneventful without any adverse complication. Post
      trabeculectomy, his vision remained stable and the IOP was in the range of 4-15
      mmHg without topical antiglaucoma medications. A functioning bleb was maintained
      and there was no recurrence of NVI and NVA during the complete follow-up period
      of 6 months. LESSONS: Combined treatment of IVR, PRP, and subsequent 5-FU
      augmented trabeculectomy is demonstrated to be a possible new paradigm for the
      management of advanced NVG with angle closure and intractable elevation of IOP.

PMID- 28640116
TI  - Distribution of somatic mutations of cancer-related genes according to
      microsatellite instability status in Korean gastric cancer.
AB  - In studies of the molecular basis of gastric cancer (GC), microsatellite
      instability (MSI) is one of the key factors. Somatic mutations found in GC are
      expected to contribute to MSI-high (H) tumorigenesis. We estimated somatic
      mutation distribution according to MSI status in 52 matched pair GC samples using
      the Ion Torrent Ion S5 XL with the AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot panel.Seventy-five
      (9.8%) somatic variants consisting of 34 hotspot mutations and 41 other likely
      pathogenic variants were identified in 34 GC samples. The TP53 mutations was most
      common (35%, 26/75), followed by EGFR (8%, 6/75), HNF1A (8%, 6/75), PIK3CA (8%,
      6/75), and ERBB2 (5%, 4/75). To determine MSI status, 52 matched pair samples
      were estimated using 15 MSI markers. Thirty-nine MS stable (S), 5 MSI-low (L),
      and 8 MSI-H were classified. GCs with MSI-H tended to have more variants
      significantly compared with GCs with MS stable (MSS) and MSI-L (standardized J-T
      statistic  =  3.161 for number of variants; P  =  .002). The mean number of all
      variants and hotspot mutations per tumor samples only in GCs with MSI-H were 3.9
      (range, 1-6) and 1.1 (range, 0-3), respectively. Whereas, the mean number of all
      variants and hotspot mutations per tumor samples only in GCs with MSS/MSI-L were
      1 (0-5)/0.8 (0-1) and 0.5 (0-3)/0.8 (0-1), respectively.In conclusion, GC with
      MSI-H harbored more mutations in genes that act as a tumor suppressor or oncogene
      compared to GC with MSS/MSI-L. This finding suggests that the accumulation of
      MSIs contributes to the genetic diversity and complexities of GC. In addition,
      targeted NGS approach allows for detection of common and also rare clinically
      actionable mutations and profiles of comutations in multiple patients
      simultaneously. Because GC shows distinctive patterns related to ethnics, further
      studies pertaining to different racial/ethnic groups or cancer types may
      reinforce our investigations.

PMID- 28640117
TI  - Incidence of constipation in stroke patients: A systematic review and meta
      analysis.
AB  - There is growing awareness of a link between the gut and cardiovascular disease.
      Constipation is common among individuals who have had a stroke, and it negatively
      affects social functioning and quality of life. However, no systematic study on
      the incidence of constipation in stroke patients has been reported.We selected
      studies included in Medline, Embase, Cochrane database, and Web of Science.
      Studies were included if they reported the incidence in stroke patients. Two
      authors selected the studies, extracted the data independently, and assessed
      these. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the stroke subtype and stage
      of stroke.After detailed evaluations, 8 studies (n  =  1385 participants) were
      found that contained data that were suitable for meta-analytic synthesis. A
      forest plot showed that the incidence of constipation was 48% (95% confidence
      interval [CI]  =  33%-63%). In the analysis of the type of stroke subgroup, the
      incidence of constipation in patients who had had a hemorrhagic stroke (66% [95%
      CI  =  40-91%]) was higher than that in patients who had experienced an ischemic
      stroke (51% [95% CI  =  27%-75%]). The incidence in the acute stage (45% [95% CI 
      =  36%-54%]) was lower than that in the rehabilitation stage (48% [95% CI  =  23%
      73%]).Constipation after a stroke event occurs frequently. This finding may raise
      awareness about bowel complications to allow correct evaluation and proper
      management.

PMID- 28640118
TI  - High normotension is associated with future metabolic syndrome but not
      cardiovascular disease: A 10-year longitudinal study.
AB  - Hypertension and prehypertension can increase the risk of developing
      cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes. However, whether the harmful effects
      of high blood pressure (BP) are also seen with high normotension remains unknown.
      This 10-year longitudinal follow-up study aimed to investigate the relationships
      among normal-range BP, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and CVD.A total of 9133
      nonmedicated normotensive participants, 4634 males and 4499 females, aged 60
      years or older were enrolled in a standard health examination program at 2
      academic hospitals and a health screening center in Taiwan. The study subjects
      were divided into 3 groups according to their BP. The systolic BP (SBP) ranges of
      groups 1, 2, and 3 were 91 to 100, 101 to 110, and 111 to 119 mmHg, whereas the
      diastolic BP (DBP) ranges of groups 1, 2, and 3 were 51 to 60, 61 to 70, and 71
      to 79 mmHg, respectively.In the SBP3 group, both sexes had a higher odds ratio
      (OR) for having MetS or abnormal MetS components, except for triglycerides.
      Females in the DBP3 group had a higher OR for having MetS at baseline. After the
      follow-up period, the SBP3 group had a significantly higher hazard ratio (HR) for
      developing MetS. Males in the DBP3 group and females in the DBP2 and DBP3 groups
      had a significantly higher HR for developing MetS. Neither the SBP3 group nor the
      DBP3 group had a higher HR for developing nonfatal CVD. In the Kaplan-Meier
      analysis, SBP and DBP in both sexes showed statistical significance as predictors
      of MetS, but not of nonfatal CVD.High normotensive elderly individuals have an
      elevated risk of developing MetS at baseline and within 10 years of follow-up,
      but they are not at increased risk of CVD. Preventive interventions, such as life
      style modification, should be offered early even to the apparently healthy
      elderly.

PMID- 28640120
TI  - Working hand syndrome: A new definition of non-classified polyneuropathy
      condition.
AB  - The aim of this paper was to define an unexplained non-classified polyneuropathy
      condition as a new neurological disease. This new diagnosis of occupation related
      polyneuropathy has been named as "WORKING HAND SYNDROME (WHS)."This study
      collected and compared clinic and electrophysiological analyze data from healthy
      controls, WHS patients, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients and polyneuropathy
      patients. The WHS patients presented to the clinic with pain, numbness, tingling,
      and burning sensations in their hands that increased significantly during rest
      and nighttime. However, there was no weakness in the muscles, and the deep tendon
      reflexes were normal in this disease. The patients had all been working in
      physically demanding jobs requiring the use of their hands/arms for at least 1
      year, but no vibrating tools were used by the patients. All of the cases were
      men. I supposed that overload caused by an action repeated chronically by the
      hand/arm may impair the sensory nerves in mentioned hand/arm. In patients with
      these complaints, for a definitive diagnosis, similar diseases must be excluded.
      Nonetheless, the specific electrophysiological finding that the sural nerves are
      normal on the lower sides, as well as the occurrence of sensory axonal
      polyneuropathy in the sensory nerves without a significant effect on velocity and
      latency in the work-ups of the upper extremity are enough to make a diagnosis.In
      conclusion, WHS has been defined as a polyneuropathy and occupational disease.
      Patients with WHS present with pain, numbness, tingling, and burning sensations
      in their hands that increases significantly during rest and nighttime. They also
      use their arms/hands for jobs that require heavy labor. The neurological
      examinations of patients with WHS are normal. Only the sensory nerves in the
      upper extremities are affected. This article is suggested to serve as a resource
      for patients, health care professionals, and members of the neurology community
      at large.

PMID- 28640121
TI  - Effects of anatomical characteristics as factors in abdominal aortic aneurysm
      rupture: CT aortography analysis.
AB  - The aim of this study was to analyze the anatomical characteristics of patients
      with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) using computed tomography (CT)
      aortography in order to determine the risk factors for rupture.We retrospectively
      reviewed the CT aortography findings and medical records of patients with
      ruptured AAAs who underwent CT aortography between February 2002 and December
      2014. Age, sex, blood pressure at the time of rupture, treatment methods used for
      the ruptured AAAs, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. Statistical analyses
      were performed to determine the association between the maximum aneurysm
      diameter, which is considered the standard predictor of aneurysm rupture, and
      anatomical characteristics such as proximal neck diameter, angle between the
      suprarenal aorta and the aneurysm neck (alpha angle), angle between the aneurysm
      neck and aneurysm sac (beta angle), and angles between the abdominal aorta and
      both iliac arteries.Data were reviewed for a total of 36 patients. The mean
      maximum diameter of AAAs was 76.84 +/- 21.08 mm. Multivariate analysis adjusted
      for age and sex indicated statistical correlations between the alpha and beta
      angles and maximum aneurysm diameter and between the beta angle and iliac artery
      involvement.Our results suggest that the tortuosity of the aorta tends to be
      associated with the diameter of AAAs and iliac artery involvement. Investigation
      of the anatomical characteristics of individual patients using CT aortography is
      expected to aid in predicting the risk of AAA rupture.

PMID- 28640119
TI  - Relationships between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex metabolic change and
      cognitive impairment in first-episode neuroleptic-naive schizophrenia patients.
AB  - The present study aimed to explore the possible associations between the
      dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) metabolites and the cognitive function in
      first-episode schizophrenia (FES).This study included 58 patients with FES (29
      males and 29 females; mean age, 22.66 +/- 7.64 years) recruited from the First
      Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, and 43 locally
      recruited healthy controls (16 males and 27 females; mean age, 23.07 +/- 7.49
      years). The single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to
      measure the levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA); complex of glutamate, glutamine,
      and gamma-aminobutyric acid (Glx); choline-containing compounds; and myo-inositol
      in the DLPFC. The ratios of metabolites to creatine (Cr) were calculated. The
      cognitive function was assessed by Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve
      Cognition in Schizophrenia Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Correlation
      analysis was used to assess the relationships between the DLPFC metabolites and
      the cognitive function.Compared with the healthy controls, the patients with FES
      showed significantly reduced scores in each part of the MCCB, significantly
      reduced NAA/Cr, and significantly increased Glx/Cr in the left DLPFC. Poor
      performance in verbal learning and visual learning was correlated to the reduced
      NAA/Cr ratio in the left DLPFC.These findings suggest that a lower NAA/Cr ratio
      in the left DLPFC is associated with the cognitive deficits in patients with FES,
      and may be an early biochemical marker for the cognitive impairment in
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 28640122
TI  - Clinical emergency treatment of 68 critical patients with severe organophosphorus
      poisoning and prognosis analysis after rescue.
AB  - This study reports the clinical emergency treatment of 68 critical patients with
      severe organophosphorus poisoning, and analyzes the prognosis after rescue.The
      general data of 68 patients with severe organophosphorus poisoning treated in our
      hospital were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into 2
      groups: treatment group, and control group. Patients in the control group
      received routine emergency treatment, while patients in the treatment group
      additionally received hemoperfusion plus hemodialysis on the basis of routine
      emergency treatment. The curative effects in these 2 groups and the prognosis
      after rescue were compared.Compared with the control group, atropinization time,
      recovery time of cholinesterase activity, recovery time of consciousness,
      extubation time, and length of hospital stay were shorter (P < .05); the total
      usage of atropine was significantly lower (P < .05); Glasgow Coma Score was
      significantly higher (P < .05); acute physiology and chronic health score (APACHE
      II) was significantly lower (P < .05); and mortality and poisoning rebound rate
      was significantly lower (P < .05) in the treatment group.Hemoperfusion and
      hemodialysis on the basis of routine emergency treatment for critical patients
      with organophosphorus poisoning can improve rescue outcomes and improve the
      prognosis of patients, which should be popularized.

PMID- 28640123
TI  - Recurrent Campylobacter jejuni bacteremia in a patient with
      hypogammaglobulinemia: A case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Although some cases of recurrent bacteremia due to Campylobacter
      jejuni have been reported in immunocompromised patients, antibiotic treatment
      strategies to eradicate C. jejuni and prevent recurrent infections in
      immunocompromised patients have not been established. Authors' experience of such
      rare cases should be shared for improving patients' outcomes. PATIENT CONCERNS:
      An 18-year-old boy with hypogammaglobulinemia, who received intravenous
      immunoglobulin replacement therapy every 3 weeks, was admitted to hospital
      repeatedly due to recurrent diarrhea and cellulitis of the leg. DIAGNOSES: The
      patient was admitted 6 times, and among them, C. jejuni was isolated from blood
      cultures 4 times and stool cultures 2 times. INTERVENTIONS: The patient
      experienced recurrent C. jejuni enteritis and bacteremia 5 times despite
      macrolide therapy. Doxycycline was administered for 3 months after the fifth
      admission. OUTCOMES: Ten months after the completion of doxycycline therapy for 3
      months, C. jejuni enteritis relapsed; however, since then, recurrent infection
      has not occurred for 10 months. LESSONS: Immunocompromised patients can
      experience recurrent C. jejuni infection despite prolonged antibiotic therapy.
      Further studies to establish appropriate antibiotic therapy for eradicating
      colonized C. jejuni and preventing recurrent infection are needed.

PMID- 28640124
TI  - Comparison of the temperature and humidity in the anesthetic breathing circuit
      among different anesthetic workstations: Updated guidelines for reporting
      parallel group randomized trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: For patients undergoing general anesthesia, adequate warming and
      humidification of the inspired gases is very important. The aim of this study was
      to evaluate the differences in the heat and moisture content of the inspired
      gases with low-flow anesthesia using 4 different anesthesia machines. METHODS:
      The patients were divided into 11 groups according to the anesthesia machine used
      (Ohmeda, Excel; Avance; Drager, Cato; and Primus) and the fresh gas flow (FGF)
      rate (0.5, 1, and 4 L/min). The temperature and absolute humidity of the inspired
      gas in the inspiratory limbs were measured at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105,
      and 120 minutes in 9 patients scheduled for total thyroidectomy or cervical spine
      operation in each group. RESULTS: The anesthesia machines of Excel, Avance, Cato,
      and Primus did not show statistically significant changes in the inspired gas
      temperatures over time within each group with various FGFs. They, however, showed
      statistically significant changes in the absolute humidity of the inspired gas
      over time within each group with low FGF anesthesia (P < .05). The anesthesia
      machines of Cato and Primus showed statistically significant changes in the
      absolute humidity of the inspired gas over time within each group with an FGF of
      4 L/min (P < .05). However, even with low-flow anesthesia, the temperatures and
      absolute humidities of the inspired gas for all anesthesia machines were lower
      than the recommended values. CONCLUSION: There were statistical differences in
      the provision of humidity among different anesthesia workstations. The Cato and
      Primus workstations were superior to Excel and Avance. However, even these were
      unsatisfactory in humans. Therefore, additional devices that provide inspired
      gases with adequate heat and humidity are needed for those undergoing general
      anesthetic procedures.

PMID- 28640125
TI  - Targeted sequencing in FGF/FGFR genes and association analysis of variants for
      mandibular prognathism.
AB  - To identify variants of the genes in fibroblast growth factors/fibroblast growth
      factor receptors (FGF/FGFR) signal pathway that predispose to mandibular
      prognathism (MP) in the general Chinese population systematically.Targeted
      sequencing of the FGF/FGFR genes was conducted in 176 MP individuals and 155
      class I malocclusion controls. The associations of common and rare variants with
      MP as a categorical phenotype and also continuous malocclusion phenotypes
      generated by principal component (PC) analysis were analyzed.One common variant,
      rs372127537, located in the 3'-untranslated region of FGF7 gene, was
      significantly related to PC1 (P  =  4.22 * 10), which explained 23.23% of the
      overall phenotypic variation observed and corresponded to vertical discrepancies
      ranging from short anterior face height to long anterior face height, after
      Bonferroni correction. Also, 15 other variants were associated with PC1-4,
      although not significant after multiple corrections (P < .05). We also identified
      3 variants: rs13317 in FGFR1, rs149242678 in FGF20, and rs79176051 FGF12
      associated with MP (P < .05). With respect to rare variant analysis, variants
      within the FGF12 gene showed significant association with MP (P  = 
      .001).Association between FGF/FGFR signaling pathway and MP has been identified.
      We found a previously unreported SNP in FGF7 significantly related to increased
      facial height. Also, rare variants within the FGF12 were associated with MP. Our
      results provide new clues for genetic mechanisms of MP and shed light on
      strategies for evaluating rare variants that underlie complex traits. Future
      studies with larger sample sizes and more comprehensive genome coverage, and also
      in other population are required to replicate these findings.

PMID- 28640126
TI  - Prolonged methylprednisolone therapy after the pulse treatment for patients with
      moderate-to-severe paraquat poisoning: A retrospective analysis.
AB  - This retrospective study aims to evaluate the effect of prolonged
      methylprednisolone (MP) therapy on the mortality of patients with moderate-to
      severe paraquat (PQ) poisoning after the pulse treatment.We performed a
      retrospective analysis of patients with acute moderate-to-severe PQ poisoning
      that were admitted to the emergency department from May 2012 to August 2016. Out
      of 138 patients, 60 were treated with pulse treatment (15 mg kg day MP for 3
      days) and 78 were treated with prolonged MP therapy after pulse treatment (15 mg
      kg day MP for 3 days; afterward, the dosage was reduced in half every 2 days, and
      the MP therapy was terminated until 0.47 mg kg day). Kaplan-Meier method was used
      to compare the mortality between the 2 groups. Cox proportional hazard models
      were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals
      (CI).The mortality of the prolonged MP therapy after pulse treatment group was
      lower than that of the pulse group (47.4% vs 63.3%; log-rank tests, P  =  .003).
      According to the multivariate Cox analysis, the prolonged MP therapy after pulse
      treatment was significantly associated with a lower mortality risk (HR: 0.31, 95%
      CI: 0.19-0.52, P < .001) compared with the pulse group. In addition, the
      prolonged MP therapy after pulse treatment caused more incidences of leucopenia
      than the pulse treatment alone (25.6% vs 11.7%, P  =  .04).The prolonged MP
      therapy after pulse treatment can reduce the mortality of moderate-to-severe PQ
      poisoning patients.

PMID- 28640127
TI  - Association between KCNE1 G38S gene polymorphism and risk of atrial fibrillation:
      A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous case-control studies on association between KCNE1 G38S
      polymorphism and risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) have been published but because
      of the conflicting results and small sample size of individual studies, the
      consolidated result is still controversial. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was
      to explore the relationship between KCNE1 G38S polymorphism and risk of AF.
      METHODS: We performed a comprehensive literature search on PubMed, Embase, OVID,
      Web of Science, Wan Fang, and CNKI databases up to March 10, 2017 in English and
      Chinese languages. Two of the authors individually extracted study data and
      assessed the study quality using Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Odds ratios (ORs) and
      95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined in different genetic models for
      evaluation using a random-effect model or fixed-effect model according to
      interstudy heterogeneity. RESULTS: There were totally 14 independent case-control
      studies of 2810 patients and 3080 healthy controls included. Significant
      associations were found between KCNE1 G38S polymorphism and AF in overall
      population under all genetic models: allelic (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.24-1.45, P <
      .001), homozygous (OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.61-2.24, P < .001), heterozygous (OR:
      1.43, 95% CI: 1.21-1.68, P < .001), recessive (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.69, P <
      .001), dominant genetic model (OR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.39-1.89, P < .001). Subgroup
      analyses indicated similar association in Chinese and white. CONCLUSIONS: The
      G38S polymorphism in the KCNE1 gene can significantly increase the risk of AF in
      both Chinese and white.

PMID- 28640128
TI  - Association between polymorphic CAG repeat lengths in the androgen receptor gene
      and susceptibility to prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies have been conducted to reveal the relationship
      between androgen receptor CAG polymorphism and risk of prostate cancer, yet the
      results were elusive and controversial. Thus, this meta-analysis was performed to
      clarify this association. METHODS: To obtain the relevant available studies,
      online databases PubMed, Embase, and Web of science were searched until September
      1st, 2016. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were
      used to assess the strength of such association. Subgroup analyses were conducted
      based on ethnicity and source of controls. Moreover, Begg's funnel plots and
      Egger's linear regression test were conducted to test the publication bias.
      RESULTS: Overall, our results enrolled 51 studies indicated that significant
      increased risk of prostate cancer was associated with androgen receptor CAG
      polymorphism (OR  =  0.77, 95% CI: 0.67-0.89). In addition, compared with CAG
      repeat <20, 22, carriers of ?20, 22 repeats had decreased risk of prostate cancer
      (cut-off point  =  20: OR  =  0.27, 95% CI: 0.13-0.52; cut-off point  =  22: OR 
      =  0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.97). However, when cut-off point  =  23, no significant
      result was detected in such association (pooled OR  =  0.88, 95% CI: 0.63-1.24).
      When cut-off point is 22, the results were positive only in Asian population (OR 
      =  0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.89) in the subgroup analysis by ethnicity. Besides, when
      the studies were stratified by source of controls, the results were not
      significant in both the subgroup of population-based controls and hospital-based
      controls. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggested the carriers of short
      polymorphic CAG repeats might increase susceptibility to prostate cancer, which
      held potential as a detecting marker of the risk of prostate cancer.

PMID- 28640129
TI  - VACTER syndrome with situs inversus totalis: Case report and a new syndrome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The association of situs inversus totalis (SIT) and VACTERL
      syndrome an extremely rare coincidence. PATIENTS: The patient was first diagnosed
      as simple SIT with lumbosacral neoplasms according to the prenatal magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) examination; however, the local hospital ignored the
      important to physical examination so that missed anal atresia with fistula. The
      patient was presented to our hospital owing to constipation for 1 week. And then,
      she was diagnosed as VACTER syndrome with situs inversus totalis. RESULTS:
      Anorectoplasty was performed to treat constipation, one month later, we performed
      intramedullary tumor resection and pathological diagnosis of ependymal cyst.
      Postoperative recovery was uneventful and the baby was doing well at 5-months
      follow up. CONCLUSION: It is extremely necessary for careful physical examination
      and detailed auxiliary examination to each system (including echocardiography,
      MRI, and so on) when diagnosing SIT. Also, recognizing and understanding the
      spectrum of situs anomalies is important, which aids in the diagnosis of disease
      and accordingly plan the therapeutic interventions.

PMID- 28640130
TI  - Impact of hysterosalpingography after operative treatment for ectopic pregnancy
      in Taiwan: A 16-year Nationwide Population-Based Analysis.
AB  - By retrieving records from Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) system's
      database, the current study aimed to investigate the impacts of
      hysterosalpingography (HSG) to patients after ectopic pregnancy (EP) operations
      in Taiwan.In this retrospective cohort study, insurance claims data from 1997 to
      2013, derived from a cohort of 1 million people randomly sampled to represent all
      NHI beneficiaries, were analyzed. Patients after ectopic pregnancy (EP)
      operations were identified via the inclusion of the corresponding NHI procedure
      codes. We further divided the patients into 2 groups by whether received
      subsequent HSG, EP-HSG, and EP-no-HSG. Patients with history of previous
      pregnancies (PP) and subsequent HSG were grouped as PP-HSG. We sought to evaluate
      the following pregnancies (FP) rate, interval to FP in EP-HSG compared with that
      in EP-no-HSG, and PP-HSG.EP-HSG had significantly higher FP rate odds ratio than
      EP-no-HSG (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.24-2.16, P < .001). EP-HSG had lower FP rate odds
      ratio than that in PP-HSG, but no significant difference (33.1% vs 34.6%, P  = 
      .654). The INTERVAL(HSG-FP) in EP-HSG was no significantly different from that in
      PP-HSG (843.34 +/- 82 days vs 644.72 +/- 24.30 days, P  =  .077). There was
      significant positive correlation between FP after EP and number of HSG (r  = 
      0.070, P < .001). There were significant negative correlation between FP and EP
      age (r  =  -0.270, P < .001), FP and INTERVAL(EP-HSG) (r  =  -0.212, P  =  .001).
      The multivariate analysis showed that INTERVAL(EP-HSG) less than 1 year is the
      predictor factor of INTERVAL(EP-FP) (hazard ratio: 1.422; 95% CI: 1.130-1.788; P
      = .003). It was evident that the longer the INTERVAL(EP-HSG), the lower the FP
      rate odds ratio; and the older the EP age, the lower the FP rate odds ratio. (OR,
      95% CI; >1 year: 0.59, 0.41-0.86; >2 year: 0.42, 0.32-0.55; >25 years old: 0.47,
      0.38-0.57; >30 years old: 0.29, 0.24-0.35; >35 years old: 0.12, 0.08-0.18, all P
      < .001).Receiving HSG after EP, short INTERVAL(EP-HSG), EP age less than 30 years
      old, had significant positive impacts on the FP. We encourage shortening the
      INTERVAL(EP-HSG), and the counseling of women on the most appropriate way to
      conceive thereafter.

PMID- 28640131
TI  - Paragonimiasis in Children in Southwest China: A retrospective case reports
      review from 2005 to 2016.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paragonimiasis infection has no specific symptoms or typical
      radiologic findings, leading to the possibility of misdiagnosis. Thus, the
      objective of this study was to analyze clinical and radiological features, and
      treatment outcome of paragonimiasis in children in Southwest China to improve the
      awareness of this disease. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of
      children diagnosed with paragonimiasis in West China Second University Hospital
      between 2005 and 2016. The confirmed diagnosis of paragonimiasis was based on
      epidemiology history and seropositivity for paragonimiasis and/or detection of
      paragonimus eggs. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings of patients were
      examined in order to summarize risk factors, clinical characteristics, and
      treatment outcomes of these patients. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients were
      included; of them 112 (91.1%) lived in villages and 72 (58.5%) had a history of
      consuming freshwater crabs. Patients with paragonimiasis most frequently showed
      respiratory symptoms, including cough (26.0%, 32/123) and tachypnea (16.3%,
      20/123), and gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain (26.8%, 33/123),
      abdominal distention (22.8%, 28/123), and vomiting (13.0%, 16/123). Laboratory
      examination showed elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts in the peripheral blood
      in 89 (72.4%) patients and eosinophilia in 102 (82.9%) patients. Tuberculosis
      (TB) coinfection was found in 4 (3.3%) patients. Main imaging findings included:
      effusions (90.4%), lymphadenopathy (40.4%), pulmonary ground-glass opacities
      (36.2%), cystic lesions (18.1%), and pleural thickening (17.0%). Twenty-nine
      patients (23.6%) received more than 1 course of praziquantel (PZQ). Additionally,
      4 (19.0%) of 21 patients who were discharged from the hospital without complete
      treatment required rehospitalization for residual serous effusions. Moreover,
      patients from pericardial effusion group showed longer hospital stays and less
      elevated WBC counts than those from nonpericardial effusion group. CONCLUSION:
      Paragonimiasis should be considered in patients from endemic areas, especially in
      those with gastrointestinal and/or respiratory symptoms, elevated WBC count,
      eosinophilia, and serous effusions. Additionally, longer hospital stay may be
      necessary in cases of paragonimiasis associated with pericardial effusions.

PMID- 28640132
TI  - Treatment outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the head and neck:
      Two-institutional study for the significance of radiotherapy after R-CHOP
      chemotherapy.
AB  - This study was performed to analyze the treatment outcome for diffuse large B
      cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involving the head and neck and to evaluate the role of
      radiotherapy in the rituximab era. Fifty-six patients diagnosed with DLBCL
      involving the head and neck were assessed. All patients were treated with 6
      cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisolone
      (R-CHOP). After chemotherapy, radiation was delivered to the head and neck area
      in a median dose of 36 Gy. Radiation was delivered using 3-dimensional
      radiotherapy (n  =  25) or intensity-modulated radiotherapy (n  =  31). Primary
      endpoints were relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and local
      control rate. After median follow-up time of 45 months, the 5-year RFS and OS
      rates were 72% and 61%, respectively. Fourteen (25%) of 56 patients relapsed; 1
      had a local relapse, 11 had distant relapses, and 2 had both local and distant
      relapses. The final local control rate after radiotherapy was 94%. Age,
      performance status, international prognostic index score, and radiotherapy
      response were significant prognostic factors for both RFS and OS in the
      multivariate analysis. Incidence of acute grade 3 and 4 hematologic toxicity was
      9% and 4%, respectively. Grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity occurred in 2 (4%)
      patients, and there was no grade 4 nonhematologic toxicity for the irradiated
      patients. Excellent local control and survival rates can be achieved with R-CHOP
      followed by radiotherapy in patients with DLBCL involving the head and neck.
      Treatment-related toxicity after the introduction of modern radiotherapy was
      acceptable and limited.

PMID- 28640133
TI  - Effectiveness of education in point-of-care ultrasound-assisted physical
      examinations in an emergency department: A before-and-after study.
AB  - Implementation of point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS)-assisted physical
      examination (PE) in emergency departments (EDs) was conducted in the ED of an
      urban tertiary teaching hospital. This study examines the effect of POCUS
      implementation in emergency medicine departments by using a systematic education
      program on image acquisition to analyze decision making.Educating staff on POCUS
      involved a technique related to image acquisition and then accurately diagnosing
      subsequent POCUS results. The quasi-experimental, uncontrolled before-and-after
      study was performed to evaluate the education effect. POCUS orders for eligible
      patients, length of stay (LOS) in ED, and return visits (RVs) to ED between the
      "before" period (March 1, 2015 to February 28, 2016) and the "after" period
      (March 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017) were compared. Piecewise regression was used
      to assess trend differences of LOS and RVs between the periods.A total of 16,942
      and 16,287 patients were included in the before and after periods of education,
      respectively. During the study periods, 966 (6%) and 2801 (18%) POCUS were
      ordered, respectively (rate difference  =  12%; P < .001). Before the education,
      the median LOS was 6.55 (interquartile rage [IQR]: 6.2-6.75) and the trend slope
      of LOS was -0.01. After the education, the median LOS was 5.25 (IQR: 4.85-5.45)
      and the trend slope (the change of which was considered significant, at a P value
      of .012) was -0.15. Before the education, the median RV rate was 6.4% (IQR: 6.15
      6.65) and the trend slope of RVs was -0.01. After the education, the median RVs
      was 5.25% (IQR: 4.95-5.35) and the trend slope of RVs was also significant, at 
      0.11.The education of POCUS-PE in ED successfully increased use of POCUS, and
      reduced the LOS and RV rate in ED.

PMID- 28640134
TI  - Association between PD-L1 and HPV status and the prognostic value for HPV
      treatment in premalignant cervical lesion patients.
AB  - The difference of PD-L1 expression between only HPV-positive patients and
      premalignant cervical lesion patients did not be reported in present studies. And
      to test the PD-L1 expression in some cervical cell lesion studies using cervical
      exfoliated cells sample also was ignored. Meanwhile, the PD-L1 expression as a
      predictive biomarker still existed controversy. So in the study, first to compare
      the expression of PD-L1 between only HPV-positive patients and premalignant
      cervical lesion patients, then to research the association between PD-L1 and HPV
      status, lastly to explore the possible prognostic value for HPV treatment in
      premalignant cervical lesion patients.Cervical exfoliated cells samples of 54
      premalignant cervical lesion patients with HPV16 infection were collected;
      meanwhile the cervical exfoliated cells samples from 20 healthy women without HPV
      infection and 20 patients with only HPV16 infection but cervical cytology normal
      were collected as 2 control groups. Flow-through hybridization and gene chip
      (FHGC) was used to detect the HPV type, the PD-L1 expression was tested by Flow
      cytometry analysis, the methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM)
      was used to test the HPV16 L1 gene methylation. The 54 premalignant cervical
      lesion patients were followed up in 18 months to assess the prognostic value of
      PD-L1 for HPV treatment.The PD-L1 positive cell rate and mean fluorescence
      intensity of PD-L1 positive cell in premalignant cervical lesion patients with
      HPV16 infection were higher than 2 control groups. Mean fluorescence intensity of
      PD-L1 positive cell were increased in 54 cases when existing multiple HPV status
      and high HPV16-L1 gene methylation (L1 gene methylation more than 50%). High PD
      L1 expression (PD-L1 positive cell rate more than 10%), high HPV16-L1 gene
      methylation, and multiple HPV infection status could prolong the time to clean
      HPV infection by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards
      analysis also showed that all of high PD-L1 expression, high HPV-L1 methylation,
      and multiple HPV infection status should increase the risk of HPV unclearance in
      premalignant cervical lesion patients; the hazard ratio (HR) was 2.043 (CI: 1.050
      3.973), 2.797 (CI: 1.277-6.122), and 3.050 (CI: 1.406-6.615).PD-L1 expression
      only was correction with HPV infection when the infection induced the cervical
      cells to create the lesion. PD-L1 was the risk factor of HPV unclearance in
      premalignant cervical lesion patients, so anti-PD-L1 therapy could be a potential
      effectiveness way of HPV infection in premalignant cervical lesion patients.

PMID- 28640135
TI  - Hospitalization with hypoglycemia in patients without diabetes mellitus: A
      retrospective study using a national inpatient database in Japan, 2008-2012.
AB  - We aimed to examine prevalence, patient characteristics, etiology, and clinical
      outcomes of hospitalized patients who had hypoglycemia without a diagnosis of
      diabetes mellitus, using a Japanese nationwide database.This was a retrospective
      observational study using a national database of acute-care inpatients in Japan.
      Nondiabetic patients aged >=15 years who were hospitalized for hypoglycemia were
      eligible. We estimated the annual numbers of hospitalized cases in Japan. We also
      investigated the patient characteristics, and risk factors of in-hospital
      mortality.We identified 8684 eligible patients out of 22.7 million discharge
      records between July 2008 and March 2013. The average age was 70.0 years and the
      average body mass index (BMI) was 19.9 kg/m. Most frequently recorded underlying
      diseases were malignancies, cerebrovascular diseases, pneumonia, renal failure,
      and heart failure. The estimated annual numbers of hospitalizations because of
      hypoglycemia in nondiabetic patients were 5000 to 7000. In-hospital mortality was
      14.9%, and predictive factors for poor survival included older age, community
      hospital, low BMI, coma at admission, urgent admission, renal failure, heart
      failure, pneumonia, sepsis, chronic liver diseases, and malignancies.Patients
      without diabetes mellitus but with hypoglycemia had multiple comorbidities and
      high in-hospital mortality. Clinicians should carefully investigate the etiology
      of hypoglycemia in nondiabetic patients, and treat the underlying diseases.

PMID- 28640136
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of neck-specific exercise with or without a behavioral
      approach versus physical activity prescription in the treatment of chronic
      whiplash-associated disorders: Analyses of a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fifty percent of people injured by whiplash still report neck pain
      after 1 year and costs associated with whiplash associated disorders (WAD) are
      mostly attributed to health service and sick-leave costs in chronic conditions.
      With increasing health care expenditures the economic impact of interventions
      needs to be considered. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the cost-effectiveness of
      physiotherapist-led neck-specific exercise without (NSE) or with a behavioral
      approach (NSEB), or prescription of physical activity (PPA) in chronic WAD, grade
      2 to 3. METHODS: This is a secondary cost-effectiveness analysis of a multicenter
      randomized clinical trial of 216 participants with chronic WAD grade 2 to 3. The
      interventions were physiotherapist-led neck-specific exercise without or with a
      behavioral approach, or prescription of physical activity for 12 weeks.
      Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were determined after 1 year and
      bootstrapped cost-effectiveness planes and sensitivity analyses of physiotherapy
      visits were performed. Health care and production loss costs were included and
      quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated, using the Euroqol-5D
      questionnaire. Comparisons with the Short Form-6D, and neck disability index
      (NDI) were also made. RESULTS: The 1-year follow-up was completed by 170
      participants (79%). Both physiotherapist-led groups improved in health related
      quality of life. The intervention cost alone, per quality-adjusted life year
      (QALY) gain in the NSE group was US$ 12,067. A trend for higher QALY gains were
      observed in the NSEB group but the costs were also higher. The ICERs varied
      depending on questionnaire used, but the addition of a behavioral approach to
      neck-specific exercise alone was not cost-effective from a societal perspective
      (ICER primary outcome $127,800 [95% confidence interval [CI], 37,816-711,302]).
      The sensitivity analyses confirmed the results. The prescription of physical
      activity did not result in any QALY gain and the societal costs were not lower.
      CONCLUSION: Neck-specific exercise was cost-effective from a societal perspective
      in the treatment of chronic WAD compared with the other exercise interventions.
      ICERS varied depending on health-related quality of life questionnaires used, but
      the addition of a behavioral approach was not cost-effective from a societal
      perspective. The prescription of physical activity did not result in any QALY
      gain and was thus not considered a relevant option.

PMID- 28640137
TI  - China's growing contribution to sepsis research from 1984 to 2014: A bibliometric
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the global trends of sepsis
      research and investigate China's contribution by comparing the quantity and
      quality of sepsis-related publications. METHODS: Sepsis-related publications were
      main retrieved from the Web of Science online database by using the keywords
      "sepsis" or "septic shock." Bibliometric indicators, including the number of
      publications, total citation frequency, citation frequency per paper, h-index,
      research type, orientation, organization, author, journal, and funding support
      were analyzed. RESULTS: From 1984 to 2014, a total of 70,564 papers regarding
      sepsis research were published worldwide. 3.60% of which were contributed by
      authors from Chinese institutions. Although this contribution was less than the
      Unites States, Germany, England, France or Japan, a notable trend of increase in
      a number of scientific publications (r  =  0.57, P < .001), with an average
      annual growth rate of 20.78%, was observed. The quality of the publications was
      relatively low in China. Basic research was a clear dominant representation,
      accounting for 50.46% of China's sepsis research. The research centers in China
      were mainly located in Beijing (5 centers), Shanghai (4 centers), and Hong Kong
      (3 centers). The National Natural Science Foundation of China supported the most
      Chinese sepsis researches. CONCLUSION: Global sepsis research developed swiftly
      during the 1984 to 2014 period. The USA was in the forefront of sepsis research.
      Although the data indicated that China had a large increasing rate of
      publications, there was a considerable gap in the quality of articles between
      China and other developed countries.

PMID- 28640138
TI  - An unusual presentation of multiple myeloma with unilateral sudden vision loss: A
      case report.
AB  - RATIONALE: Plasma cell neoplasms are categorized by neoplastic proliferation of a
      single clone of plasma cells which produce a monoclonal immunoglobulin. Plasma
      cell neoplasms can present as a solitary plasmacytoma or as multiple myeloma.
      Both of them can progress to multiple myeloma. Once a diagnosis of plasmacytoma
      has been made, thorough examinations should be carried out for identifying the
      disease entity. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSES: Herein, we describe an
      extraordinary rare case of multiple myeloma with initial presentation of a left
      sphenoid neoplasm resulting in left-sided headache and rapid deterioration of
      visual acuity. Histo-pathologic analysis revealed a plasma cell neoplasm with
      positive immunostaining for cluster of differentiation (CD)138, CD79a, and kappa
      light chain of immunoglobulin. A bone marrow aspiration was then performed, and
      the diagnosis of multiple myeloma was then confirmed. INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES:
      After investigative workup, our patient received chemotherapy, localized
      radiotherapy, and autologous stem cell transplantation. Her visual acuity
      recovered to the baseline and she sustained a partial response without subjective
      discomfort. LESSONS: Extramedullary plasmacytoma is an interesting but infrequent
      presentation of multiple myeloma. Moreover, involvement of the sphenoid sinus in
      multiple myeloma resulting in extrinsic optic nerve compression is extremely
      rare. Clinicians should consider plasmacytoma as a diagnostic possibility when
      presented with cases of solitary sphenoid neoplasm and rapid progression of
      clinical course.

PMID- 28640139
TI  - A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship
      between thyroid disease and different levels of iodine intake in mainland China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Low-iodine intake has historically been an issue in China, causing
      widespread iodine deficiency diseases (IDD). China started to introduce universal
      salt iodization in 1995, but reports of increased thyroid disease are a concern
      and appropriate levels of iodine intake must be considered. OBJECTIVE: To assess
      the prevalence of thyroid disease with different urinary iodine concentrations
      (UICs) in the general population of those residing in mainland China.
      Furthermore, we aimed to analyze the relationship between thyroid disease and
      UIC, to provide guidance in establishing effective health policies regarding
      iodine intake. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, CNKI, Wan fang, and CQVIP
      databases were searched for random community-based relevant studies with UIC
      published before January 2016 in mainland China. Two independent reviewers
      extracted data from eligible citations, and obtained prevalence of thyroid
      disease for different UICs, as well as the intergroup interaction P values.
      RESULTS: Forty-three articles were included. The prevalence of thyroid nodules
      was 22.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.6%-24.1%) for the low-iodine group,
      25.4% (95% CI: 20.8%-28.8%) for the medium-iodine group, and 6.8% (95% CI: 2.8%
      11.5%) for the high-iodine group. In the high-iodine group, the prevalence of
      thyroid nodules was lower than the other groups. The prevalence of 8.3% (95% CI:
      3.8%-17.3%) for subclinical hypothyroidism in the high-iodine group was
      significantly higher than the low- and medium-iodine groups (P < .01). The
      prevalence of hypothyroidism in the medium-iodine group was 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1%
      0.4%), and was lower than the prevalence of the other 2 groups (P < .01). There
      was no difference in prevalence of hyperthyroidism in each group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Thyroid nodules are the most easily detectable thyroid disease. These have a
      lower prevalence in the high-iodine group. The prevalence of most thyroid
      diseases is lowest for a UIC ranging from 100 to 299 MUg/L. This serves as a
      reference for health policy-making with respect to iodine levels. Further studies
      on this topic should be carried out according to sufficient thyroid cancer data.

PMID- 28640140
TI  - Aldosterone and renin in cardiac patients referred for catheterization.
AB  - Little is known regarding alterations of the renin-angiotensin system in patients
      referred for cardiac catheterization. Here, we measured plasma levels of active
      renin and aldosterone in patients referred for cardiac catheterization in order
      to determine the prevalence of elevated renin, aldosterone, and the aldosterone
      renin ratio.A chemiluminescence assay was used to measure plasma aldosterone
      concentration (PAC) and active renin levels in 833 consecutive patients, after an
      overnight fasting and without any medication for least 12 hours. We evaluated
      associations of the hormonal elevations in relation to hypertension, atrial
      fibrillation (AF), hypertensive cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease (CAD),
      valvular disease, impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF < 35%), and
      pulmonary hypertension (arterial pulmonary mean pressure >25 mm
      Hg).Hyperaldosteronism occurred in around one-third of all examined patients,
      without significant differences between patients with or without the named
      cardiac diseases. In a comparison between patients with or without any given
      cardiac disease condition, renin was significantly elevated in patients with
      either hypertension (36.4% vs 15.9%), CAD (33.9% vs 22.1%), or impaired LVEF
      (47.3% vs 24.8%). The angiotensin-renin ratio was elevated in AF patients and in
      patients with hypertensive cardiomyopathy. Patients with AF and coexisting
      hypertension had elevated renin more frequently than AF patients without
      coexisting hypertension (35.3% vs 16.5%; P  =  .005). Patients with
      persistent/permanent AF more frequently had elevated renin than patients with
      paroxysmal AF (34.1% vs 15.8%; P  =  .007).This prospective study of consecutive
      cardiac disease patients referred for cardiac catheterization has revealed
      distinct cardiac disease condition-associated differences in the frequencies of
      elevations in plasma renin, PAC, and the aldosterone-renin ratio.

PMID- 28640141
TI  - Smoking status and gene susceptibility play important roles in the development of
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung function decline: A population
      based prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We conducted this study to identify the influences and synergistic
      effects of smoking status and polymorphisms in hedgehog interacting protein
      (HHIP) on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung function decline.
      METHODS: A cohort containing 306 COPD patients and 743 healthy subjects was
      recruited from 25,000 subjects. All selected subjects had chronic cough for over
      2 years or a smoking history above 20 pack-years. After 8 years, all subjects
      were divided into 2 cohorts according to whether they had quit smoking or not. A
      follow-up of all patients was completed after another period of 10 years. Three
      variants in HHIP were genotyped to investigate the impacts of gene susceptibility
      on the development of COPD and lung function decline. RESULTS: During the follow
      up tests, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) ratios decreased more
      significantly in COPD patients than in healthy subjects. For variant rs7654947,
      FEV1 decreased more significantly in CC and CT subjects than in TT subjects. FEV1
      in COPD patients with a CC genotype from smoking cohorts reduced markedly when
      compared to ex-smoking cohorts (case, 30.75% vs. 35.5%; total, 28% vs. 32%).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that smoking and HHIP variant rs7654947 were
      associated with COPD development and lung function decline. Moreover, we found
      that cigarette smoking and gene susceptibility have cooperative effects on COPD
      risk and lung function decline.

PMID- 28640142
TI  - The derivation and validation of a simple model for predicting in-hospital
      mortality of acutely admitted patients to internal medicine wards.
AB  - Limited information is available about clinical predictors of in-hospital
      mortality in acute unselected medical admissions. Such information could assist
      medical decision-making.To develop a clinical model for predicting in-hospital
      mortality in unselected acute medical admissions and to test the impact of
      secondary conditions on hospital mortality.This is an analysis of the medical
      records of patients admitted to internal medicine wards at one university
      affiliated hospital. Data obtained from the years 2013 to 2014 were used as a
      derivation dataset for creating a prediction model, while data from 2015 was used
      as a validation dataset to test the performance of the model. For each admission,
      a set of clinical and epidemiological variables was obtained. The main diagnosis
      at hospitalization was recorded, and all additional or secondary conditions that
      coexisted at hospital admission or that developed during hospital stay were
      considered secondary conditions.The derivation and validation datasets included
      7268 and 7843 patients, respectively. The in-hospital mortality rate averaged
      7.2%. The following variables entered the final model; age, body mass index, mean
      arterial pressure on admission, prior admission within 3 months, background
      morbidity of heart failure and active malignancy, and chronic use of statins and
      antiplatelet agents. The c-statistic (ROC-AUC) of the prediction model was 80.5%
      without adjustment for main or secondary conditions, 84.5%, with adjustment for
      the main diagnosis, and 89.5% with adjustment for the main diagnosis and
      secondary conditions. The accuracy of the predictive model reached 81% on the
      validation dataset.A prediction model based on clinical data with adjustment for
      secondary conditions exhibited a high degree of prediction accuracy. We provide a
      proof of concept that there is an added value for incorporating secondary
      conditions while predicting probabilities of in-hospital mortality. Further
      improvement of the model performance and validation in other cohorts are needed
      to aid hospitalists in predicting health outcomes.

PMID- 28640143
TI  - Relationship between postural instability and subcortical volume loss in
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The relationship between postural instability and subcortical structure in AD has
      received less attention. The aims of this study were to assess whether there are
      differences in the ability to control balance between Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      and controls, and to investigate the association between subcortical gray matter
      volumes and postural instability in AD.We enrolled 107 consecutive AD patients
      and 37 controls. All participants underwent detailed neuropsychological
      evaluations, T1-weighted MRI at 3 T, and posture assessment using computerized
      dynamic posturography. We segmented the volumes of 6 subcortical structures of
      the amygdala, thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus and nucleus
      accumbens, and of hippocampus, using the FMRIBs integrated registration and
      segmentation tool.All subcortical structures, except for the globus pallidus,
      were smaller in AD compared with controls on adjusting for age and gender.
      Falling frequencies in unilateral stance test (UST) and composite scores in
      sensory organization test (SOT) were worse in AD than in controls. The motor
      control test did not reveal any differences between groups. On subgroup analyses
      in AD, the groups with poor performance in UST or SOT exhibited significantly
      reduced nucleus accumbens and putamen volumes, and nucleus accumbens volume,
      respectively. The smaller volume of the nucleus accumbens was associated with
      postural instability in AD (OR [95% CI] 17.847 [2.59-122.80] for UST, 42.827[6.06
      302.47] for SOT, all P < .05).AD patients exhibited reduced ability to control
      balance compared with controls, and this postural instability was associated with
      nucleus accumbens volume loss. Furthermore, cognitive dysfunction was more
      prominent in the group with severe postural instability.

PMID- 28640144
TI  - Is there an association between IFN-gamma +874A/T polymorphism and periodontitis
      susceptibility?: A meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a key proinflammatory cytokine which
      plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of periodontitis. The
      single nucleotide polymorphism of +874A/T in human IFN-gamma gene can influence
      the secretion of IFN-gamma and affect periodontitis susceptibility. However, the
      findings of published studies are inconsistent. Therefore, the goal of this meta
      analysis is to investigate whether there is an association between IFN-gamma
      +874A/T polymorphism and periodontitis susceptibility. METHODS: PubMed and the
      Cochrane Library were searched for eligible clinical studies. The odds ratio (OR)
      and 95% confidence interval (CI) of each study were pooled to estimate the
      strength of association between +874A/T and periodontitis. Subgroup analyses were
      performed to explore whether particular characteristics of studies were related
      to the overall results. RESULTS: Seven studies and a total of 1252 periodontitis
      patients and 1622 periodontitis-free control subjects were included. No
      difference was observed in genotype distribution and allele frequency between
      periodontitis patients and control (T vs A: OR  =  1.01, 95% CI: 0.90-1.13, P  = 
      .878; TT vs AA: OR  =  1.07, 95% CI: 0.87-1.32, P  =  .537; AT vs AA: OR  = 
      1.00, 95% CI: 0.81-1.23, P  =  .996; TT+AT vs AA: OR  =  1.00, 95% CI: 0.84-1.19,
      P  =  .990; TT vs AA+AT: OR  =  1.03, 95% CI: 0.86-1.23, P  =  .733). Besides,
      the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, type of periodontitis, and smoking
      status failed to identify significant differences in each model, either.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that IFN-gamma +874 A/T
      polymorphism may not contribute to periodontitis susceptibility. High quality and
      well-designed studies which combine genetic and other environmental risk factors
      are needed to validate this conclusion in the future.

PMID- 28640145
TI  - Comparison of Implantable Collamer Lens Visian ICL V4 and ICL V4c for high
      myopia: A cohort study.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the visual quality of the 2 kinds of
      intraocular lens: Visian implantable collamer lens (ICL) V4 and Visian ICL V4c
      implantations for high myopia.Twenty cases (20 eyes) with high myopia who
      received Visian ICL V4 implantation and 18 cases (18 eyes) with high myopia who
      received Visian ICL V4c implantation in our hospital from April 1, 2014 to
      November 31, 2016 were enrolled. In 1-month follow-up, near vision, best
      corrected distant visual acuity (BCVA), uncorrected distant visual acuity (UDVA),
      and wavefront aberrations were measured, and compensation factor was
      calculated.Near vision, UDVA, and BCVA showed no significant difference between
      ICL V4 implantation and ICL V4c implantation (P >.05). However, high-order
      aberrations and spherical aberrations were higher in ICL V4c implantation than in
      ICL V4 implantation (P <.05). Low-order aberrations (defocus and astigmatism),
      coma, and subjective visual quality had no significant difference between ICL V4
      implantation and ICL V4c implantation (P >.05).The 2 kinds of ICL Visian ICL V4
      and Visian ICL V4c had similar efficacy of visual quality for high myopia. The
      presence of the central hole of Visian ICL V4c has no significant effect on
      visual quality.

PMID- 28640146
TI  - No association of TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphisms with head and neck cancer risk:
      A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A number of studies had reported the association between tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene polymorphisms and head and neck cancer
      (HNC) risk. However, the results remained controversial. Therefore, we performed
      a meta-analysis to derive a more precise evaluation of the association between
      TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphism and overall HNC risk and evaluated influence of
      cancer types and ethnicities. METHODS: A systematic literature search was
      performed using Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of science. In total,
      we identified 15 studies including 2005 cancer cases and 2876 controls to
      evaluate the association of TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphism with risk for HNC.
      RESULTS: Overall, there was no significant association between TNF-alpha-308G/A
      polymorphism and the risk of HNC. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were performed
      according to the types of tumor and the ethnicities, we also found there was no
      significant association between TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphism and the risk of NPC
      and OC, and European and Asian populations had no statistically significant
      difference in the relationship of TNF-alpha-308G/A polymorphism and HNC
      susceptibility. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates that the TNF-alpha
      308G/A polymorphism is not associated with HNC risk. In the future, large and
      well-designed case-control studies are needed to validate our findings.

PMID- 28640147
TI  - Human photoreceptor cone density measured with adaptive optics technology (rtx1
      device) in healthy eyes: Standardization of measurements.
AB  - The anatomic structures of the anterior segment of the eye enable correct
      reception of stimuli by the retina, which contains receptors that receive light
      impulses and transmit them to the visual cortex. The aim of this study was to
      assess the effect of the size of the sampling window in an adaptive optics (AO)
      flood-illumination retinal camera (rtx1) on cone density measurements in the eyes
      of healthy individuals and to investigate the differences in cone density and
      spacing in different quadrants of the retina. Thirty-three subjects with no
      ophthalmic or systemic disease underwent a detailed ophthalmologic examination.
      Photographs of retinal fragments 3 degrees from the fovea were taken using the
      rtx1 AO retinal camera. We used sampling windows with 3 sizes (50 * 50, 100 *
      100, and 250 * 250 MUm). Cone density, spacing, and shape were determined using
      AOdetect software. The median (interquartile range) cone density was 19,269
      (4964) cones/mm. There were statistically significant differences between
      measurements taken with the 50/50 and 250/250-m windows. There were no
      significant differences in the cone spacing results between any of the windows
      examined, but the measurements differed according to location between the
      superior and temporal quadrants. The most common cone shape was hexagonal (47.6%)
      for all window sizes and locations. These findings may help in the development of
      a normative database for variation in cone density in healthy subjects and to
      allow the best window to be chosen for obtain the most correct values for
      eccentricity measurements of 3 degrees. In our study, the optimal sampling window
      was 100 * 100 MUm.

PMID- 28640148
TI  - Restrictive versus liberal transfusion strategies for red blood cell transfusion
      after hip or knee surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are commonly used in surgical
      patients, but accompanied by many risks such as metabolic derangement, and
      allergic and febrile reactions. Indications for transfusion in patients after hip
      or knee surgery have not been definitively evaluated and remain controversial. We
      performed a meta-analysis to compare the benefits and harms of restrictive versus
      liberal transfusion strategies in patients after hip or knee surgery. METHODS:
      The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant
      studies through September 2015. The main clinical outcomes reported in randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) included 30-day mortality, infection rate, cardiogenic
      complications, and length of hospital stay. The meta-analysis program of the
      Cochrane Collaboration (RevMan version 5.3.0) was used for data analysis.
      Statistical heterogeneity was assessed by both Cochran chi-squared test (Q test)
      and I test. Begg and Egger test were used to assess potential publication bias.
      RESULTS: We identified 10 eligible RCTs, involving 3788 patients in total. In
      patients undergoing hip or knee surgery, we found no differences in mortality, or
      the incidence rates of pneumonia, wound infection, myocardial infarction, or
      congestive heart failure, between restrictive and liberal thresholds for RBC
      transfusion (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Restrictive transfusion has no advantage over
      the liberal strategy. However, considerably less patients received blood
      transfusion via the restrictive strategy than with the liberal counterpart. Due
      to variations in the included studies, additional larger scale and well-designed
      studies are required to validate these conclusions.

PMID- 28640149
TI  - Analysis of risk factors for intraoperative hemorrhage of cesarean scar
      pregnancy.
AB  - The current commonly used treatments for cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) include
      multiple treatments such as medication, uterine artery embolization, curettage
      and surgery, and their combinations. However, every treatment option has risks of
      excessive hemorrhage from uterus. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the
      risk factors for intraoperative hemorrhage of different treatments for CSP
      patients, with the hope to provide the guidance for CSP treatment.Fifty-eight
      cases of CSP patients who were treated with curettage after medication, curettage
      after uterine artery embolization, or surgery were retrospectively analyzed and
      compared for the clinical efficacy, length of hospital stay, and hemorrhage rate.
      Further, they were divided into the bleeding group (>=200 mL, 15 cases) and the
      control group (<200 mL, 43 cases). The hemorrhage-related risk factors were
      subjected to univariate analysis, including age, pregnant times, delivery times,
      abortion times or curettage times, the time from last cesarean section,
      menolipsis time, serum human chorionic gonadotropin level, ultrasound typing,
      maximum diameter of gestational sac or mass under ultrasound, peritrophoblastic
      blood flow around the mass, and the distance of gestational sac or mass from the
      uterine serosa layer. The significant indexes in univariate analysis were further
      analyzed using both receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and
      multivariate logistic regression analysis.The success rate, length of hospital
      stay, and hemorrhage rate were not significantly different among the 3 treatment
      groups (P > .05). Univariate analysis found that patients in the bleeding group
      had significantly longer menolipsis time and greater maximum diameter than
      patients in the control group (P < .05). ROC analysis showed that the optimal
      cutoff for menolipsis time and maximum diameter were 51 days and 27 mm,
      respectively, and the areas under their corresponding ROC were 0.680 and 0.787,
      respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that only the maximum diameter in the
      retrospective equation was of significance (P < .05, odds ratio: 1.067, 95%
      confidence interval: 1.014~1.123].All treatments have high success rates and no
      significant effects on intraoperative bleeding. Both menolipsis time and maximum
      diameter can be used to predict the risk of intraoperative bleeding, and the
      latter have a greater predictive value.

PMID- 28640150
TI  - Evaluation of research topic evolution in psychiatry using co-word analysis.
AB  - With the rapid increase in the incidence of mental disorders and mental issues,
      psychiatry has become one of the fastest growing clinical medical disciplines.
      Development priorities and research foci in this field have evolved over
      different periods.All the articles in 10 psychiatric journals with the highest
      impact factors were selected from the Science Citation Index (SCI) in Web of
      Science from 2001 to 2015. The information visualization software Sci was used to
      conduct co-word and clustering analyses on these articles. The articles were
      divided into 3 periods: 2001 to 2005, 2006 to 2010, and 2011 to 2015. Each
      bibliographic record contained a title, author names, abstract, keywords,
      references, and other information.During the 3 periods between 2001 and 2015,
      child and adolescent psychiatry, major depression, schizophrenia, and prefrontal
      cortex were constant research foci. The brain and meta-analysis gradually became
      new research foci, although research on symptoms slowly decreased. Molecular
      genetics was also an area of interest.Using scientometrics technology to
      visualize research foci can provide us with new ideas and research methods. Co
      word analysis for the preliminary exploration of research foci and developmental
      trends in psychiatry is helpful in finding developmental rules, choices of
      topics, and innovative research. Our study had some limitations. In the future,
      we should expand our research scope and use a variety of research methods to
      enrich our results.

PMID- 28640151
TI  - A case report of hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state in a 7-year-old child: An
      unusual presentation of first appearance of type 1 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - RATIONALE: A hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) is a rare presentation of a
      hyperglycemic crisis in children with diabetes mellitus. As this condition can be
      fatal and has high morbidity, early recognition and proper management are
      necessary for a better outcome. Here, we report a rare case of HHS as the first
      presentation of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in a 7-year-old girl. PATIENT
      CONCERNS: The patient was admitted due to polyuria and weight loss in the past
      few days. The initial blood glucose level was 1167mg/dL. DIAGNOSES: On the basis
      of clinical manifestations and laboratory results, she was diagnosed with T1DM
      and HHS. INTERVENTIONS: Treatment was started with intravenous fluid and regular
      insulin. OUTCOMES: She was discharged without any complications related to HHS
      and is being followed up in the outpatient clinic with split insulin therapy.
      LESSONS: As the incidence of T1DM is increasing, emergency physicians and
      pediatricians should be aware of HHS to make an early diagnosis for appropriate
      management, as it can be complicated in young children with T1DM.

PMID- 28640152
TI  - Preseason Workload Volume and High-Risk Periods for Noncontact Injury Across
      Multiple Australian Football League Seasons.
AB  - Colby, MJ, Dawson, B, Heasman, J, Rogalski, B, Rosenberg, M, Lester, L, and
      Peeling, P. Preseason workload volume and high-risk periods for noncontact injury
      across multiple Australian Football League seasons. J Strength Cond Res 31(7):
      1821-1829, 2017-The purpose of this study was to assess the association between
      preseason workloads and noncontact injury risk in Australian football players.
      Individual player injury data were recorded over 4 full seasons (2012-15) from
      one professional club. Noncontact injury incidence (per 1,000 "on legs" field
      training and game hours) was compared across the preseason, precompetition, and
      in-season phases to determine relative noncontact injury risk. Preseason
      workloads (global positioning system-derived total distance run and sprint
      distance) and individual (fixed) injury risk factors (age, previous injury
      history) were incorporated into the analysis. A generalized estimating equation
      with a binary logistic function modeled potential risk factors with noncontact
      injury for selected periods across the annual cycle. Odds ratios were calculated
      to determine the relative injury risk. The (preseason) precompetition phase (19.1
      injuries per 1,000 hours) and (in-season) rounds 12-17 (16.0 injuries per 1,000
      hours) resulted in the highest injury incidence. Low cumulative total distances
      in late preseason (<108 km) and precompetition (76-88 km) periods were associated
      with significantly (p <= 0.05) greater injury risk during the in-season phase. In
      conclusion, these results suggest players are at the greatest injury risk during
      the precompetition period, with low preseason cumulative workloads associated
      with increased in-season injury risk. Therefore, strength and conditioning staff
      should place particular emphasis on achieving at least moderate training loads
      during and leading into this phase, where competitive game play is first
      introduced.

PMID- 28640153
TI  - Hot flashes and the heart: an ongoing enigma.

PMID- 28640155
TI  - Successful use of the Gellhorn pessary as a second-line pessary in women with
      advanced pelvic organ prolapse.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary outcome of this study was the efficacy of the Gellhorn
      pessary in patients with advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP) who failed to
      retain a ring with support pessary, and the secondary outcome is the related
      factors that influence its successful use. METHODS: Between May 2015 and May
      2016, women with POP quantification stage III to IV, who initially failed to
      place a ring with a support pessary, but were then successfully fitted with a
      Gellhorn pessary, were included. We performed independent-sample t tests,
      nonparametric tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regressions for data
      analysis. RESULTS: A total of 82.3% (65/79) participants were successfully fitted
      with a Gellhorn pessary at the fitting. At 3 months, 46 participants continued to
      use the pessary, whereas 19 discontinued use, indicating a success rate of 70.8%
      (46/65). All the participants were satisfied with their pessary. More than half
      experienced mild complications such as vaginal erosion or discharge. The presence
      of predominant prolapse in the anterior wall may be an influential factor for
      successful pessary use (P < 0.01), whereas a higher body mass index or a history
      of prior hysterectomy or prolapse surgery was associated with discontinuation.
      CONCLUSION: For patients with advanced POP who failed to retain a ring with
      support pessary, the Gellhorn pessary can be offered as a second option. Body
      mass index, the presence of predominant anterior wall prolapse, and a previous
      hysterectomy or prolapse surgery may be potential factors influencing the
      outcomes of Gellhorn pessary use.

PMID- 28640154
TI  - Vaginal microbiota and genitourinary menopausal symptoms: a cross-sectional
      analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between the composition of the vaginal
      microbiota and genitourinary menopausal symptoms, serum estrogen, and vaginal
      glycogen. METHODS: For this cross-sectional study, 88 women aged 40 to 62 years,
      enrolled in a hot flash treatment trial, provided vaginal swabs and a blood
      sample at enrollment. Bacterial communities were characterized using 16S rRNA PCR
      and deep sequencing targeting the V3-V4 region. Quantities of Lactobacillus
      crispatus and Lactobacillus iners were measured using qPCR. Self-reported
      genitourinary symptoms included: presence and severity of individual symptoms and
      identification of most bothersome symptom. Glycogen was measured fluorometrically
      in swab eluate. Serum estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) were measured by liquid
      chromatography/mass spectrometry. Associations between bacteria, symptoms,
      glycogen, and serum estrogens were tested by linear regression or Wilcoxon signed
      rank test, adjusted for multiple comparisons. Comparisons between groups used
      Kruskall-Wallis or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Of the 88 women, 33 (38%) had a
      majority of Lactobacillus species, whereas 58 (66%) had any Lactobacillus
      detected. Over half (53%) reported at least one vulvovaginal symptom (most
      commonly dryness), but symptoms were not associated with the presence of
      Lactobacillus species. Women with Lactobacillus-dominant communities had higher
      unconjugated serum estrone, but no difference in vaginal glycogen levels,
      compared with those with non-Lactobacillus-dominant communities. Higher serum E2
      and E1 were not associated with either higher vaginal glycogen or detection of
      individual genera. CONCLUSIONS: Presence of Lactobacillus-dominant vaginal
      microbiota was not associated with fewer vulvovaginal symptoms. Serum estrone was
      higher in women with Lactobacillus dominance, but vaginal-free glycogen was not
      associated with composition of the vaginal microbiota.

PMID- 28640156
TI  - The impact of Fiera, a women's personal care device, on genital engorgement as
      measured by thermography: a proof-of-principle study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the degree of vasoengorgement of the external genitalia
      caused by Fiera, a personal care device developed specifically to increase sexual
      arousal and interest. Time to onset of self-reported genital sexual arousal and
      development of responsive sexual desire were also measured. METHODS: This
      nonblinded, prospective cohort, single-site study was conducted in women without
      sexual dysfunction between the ages of 18 and 70. Each participant underwent a
      single-visit procedure that established a baseline temperature of the external
      genitalia, followed by 15 minutes of Fiera use. A post-Fiera temperature
      assessment lasting 10 minutes was performed. Subjective measures assessed the
      development of genital arousal and responsive desire as a result of Fiera use.
      RESULTS: Fourteen premenopausal and 12 postmenopausal participants completed the
      study. Mean time to reach genital arousal was 5.2 + 4.2 minutes in the
      premenopausal group, and 4.5 + 4.3 minutes in the postmenopausal group.
      Statistically significant increases in the temperature of the clitoris and
      vestibule were demonstrated in both groups up to 10 minutes after removal of
      Fiera. At the labia, temperature increase was significant up to 8 minutes in the
      premenopausal group and up to 2 minutes in the postmenopausal group. All of the
      participants experienced responsive sexual desire as a result of Fiera.
      CONCLUSIONS: Use of Fiera produced statistically significant increases in the
      temperature of the external genitalia, markers of vasoengorgement, in both the
      premenopausal and postmenopausal participants. The onset of genital sexual
      arousal was rapid in both groups, and responsive sexual desire was experienced by
      all of the participants.

PMID- 28640157
TI  - Association of visceral fat area with the presence of depressive symptoms in
      Chinese postmenopausal women with normal glucose tolerance.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, and women are
      more vulnerable to depression than men, particularly during stages of hormonal
      fluctuations. After menopause, fat accumulation shifts from the subcutaneous area
      to the visceral area, and the risk of metabolic disorder increases in parallel.
      The present study aimed to evaluate the association between abdominal fat
      distribution and the presence of depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women.
      METHODS: Visceral fat area (VFA) was detected by magnetic resonance imaging.
      Depressive symptoms were evaluated with Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale.
      RESULTS: In all, 437 normoglycemic postmenopausal women with a mean age of 58.4
      +/- 5.0 years (mean age at final menstrual period: 50.1 +/- 3.5 years) were
      enrolled in the present study, including 117 individuals with depressive symptoms
      and 320 individuals without depressive symptoms. The prevalence of abdominal
      obesity in women with depressive symptoms was much higher than that in those
      without depressive symptoms (37.6% vs 27.5%; P = 0.042). Participants with
      depressive symptoms showed elevated VFA values (74.6 +/- 29.8 vs 65.9 +/- 28.9
      cm; P = 0.006). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that VFA
      was independently correlated with the presence of depressive symptoms
      (standardized beta = 0.099, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese postmenopausal
      women, visceral fat accumulation was an independent and positive factor
      significantly associated with the presence of depressive symptoms.

PMID- 28640158
TI  - Vasomotor symptoms are associated with depressive symptoms in community-dwelling
      older women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of, and factors associated with, moderate-to
      severe depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older Australian women. METHODS:
      A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted amongst community
      dwelling older women. Participants were recruited between April and August 2014
      from a national database based on the electoral roll. Depressive symptoms were
      assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) tool. Vasomotor symptoms
      (VMS), vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), and pelvic floor symptoms were assessed using
      validated questionnaires. Women were provided a comprehensive list of
      psychotropic medications (antidepressants, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, and
      mood stabilizers) to identify their use over the preceding month. RESULTS: In
      all, 1,534 women completed the BDI-II. Overall, 34.2% (95% confidence interval
      [CI] 31.8%-36.7%) of women had VMS, 6.3% (95% CI 5.2%-7.7%) had moderate-to
      severe depressive symptoms (BDI-II score >=20), 26.8% (95% CI 24.6%-29.1%) had
      used any psychotropic medication in the previous month, and 17.5% (95%CI: 15.6
      19.5%) had taken an antidepressant.Moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms were
      more common among women using antidepressants compared with nonusers (16.6% vs
      4.3%; P < 0.001). Obesity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.18, 95% CI 1.17-4.04),
      living in financially insecure housing (AOR 3.84, 95% CI 2.08-8.08), being a
      caregiver to another person (AOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.36-4.19), being a smoker (AOR
      2.28, 95% CI 1.12-4.66), having VMS (AOR 1.67, 95% CI 1.03-2.62), having pelvic
      floor dysfunction (AOR 1.78, 95% CI 1.08-2.94), and having vaginal dryness during
      intercourse (AOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.06-3.22, P < 0.05) were positively and
      independently associated with moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Being
      currently partnered (AOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33-0.97) and employed (AOR 0.38, 95% CI
      0.16-0.92) were associated with a lower likelihood of depressive symptoms.
      CONCLUSIONS: In older women, depressive symptoms are common and are associated
      with social and financial insecurity, and with VMS.

PMID- 28640159
TI  - Transcranial direct current stimulation effects on menopausal vasomotor symptoms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation
      (tDCS) compared with tDCS-sham on vasomotor symptoms of postmenopausal women.
      METHODS: Postmenopausal women (N = 30), aged between 45 and 68 years, with at
      least four episodes of vasomotor symptoms per day, were recruited from a
      specialized outpatient clinic at a tertiary hospital in the south of Brazil and
      through a media call after inclusion and exclusion criteria were ensured. Active
      and tDCS-sham were administered over the motor cortex position (anode electrode)
      and contralateral supraorbital region (cathode electrode) for 10 consecutive
      days, except weekends. The number and intensity records of hot flashes were
      evaluated for 7 days before and along 30 days after the intervention. The Women's
      Health Questionnaire and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were applied to
      assess the quality of life and the depressive symptoms, respectively. RESULTS:
      The frequencies of hot flashes per day happened in a similar way in both groups,
      with a reduction in the first 3 weeks after the intervention. There was a return
      in hot flash frequencies to baseline in the fourth week (week 0: 79.0 +/- 6.2 and
      75.8 +/- 6.0, week 1: 61.6 +/- 9.6 and 57.0 +/- 7.8, week 2: 56.8 +/- 8.9 and
      55.9 +/- 7.1, week 3: 56.8 +/- 8.9 and 54.2 +/- 7.2, week 4: 64.9 +/- 10.7, 70.1
      +/- 8.9; tDCS-sham and tDCS groups, respectively). In the tDCS group, a trend
      towards a conversion of intensive hot flashes into mild ones was observed.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the tDCS technique showed small trends on
      postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, justifying searches for more effective methods
      by which tDCS could reduce hot flashes.

PMID- 28640160
TI  - Vasomotor symptoms in women in Asia appear comparable with women in Western
      countries: a systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is a belief that menopausal symptoms, particularly vasomotor
      symptoms (VMS), are a Western phenomena and less likely to be experienced in
      women in Asian countries. This systematic review of the literature was undertaken
      to evaluate the prevalence of VMS in Asian countries. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE,
      PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Google scholar were searched systematically for
      relevant population-based prevalence studies published between 1981 and 2016. The
      included studies were assessed for risk of bias using a risk-of-bias tool
      developed explicitly for the systematic review of prevalence studies. RESULTS: A
      total of 43 articles, comprising 31,945 women, were included. In South Asian and
      Middle Eastern countries, the prevalence of VMS in perimenopausal and
      postmenopausal women reported by studies that used random sampling and validated
      questionnaires was comparable with that reported for Western countries. The other
      Asian studies that used convenience-sampling procedures, irrespective of
      questionnaire validation, provided more disparate results. The reasons for the
      variation in reporting of prevalences of VMS in the included studies are likely
      to be a function of methodological issues, rather than ethnic, cultural, or
      socioeconomic differences. Most of the included studies had a medium-to-high risk
      of bias. CONCLUSIONS: The reported prevalences of VMS in Asia, particularly in
      South Asian and Middle Eastern countries, are consistent across studies that used
      random sampling and validated questionnaires, and are comparable with those in
      Western countries. Data from nationally representative studies that employ
      validated instruments are still needed in several Asian countries to ascertain
      the true prevalence of VMS.

PMID- 28640161
TI  - Combined data of intravaginal prasterone against vulvovaginal atrophy of
      menopause.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of intravaginal prasterone obtained in the
      three randomized clinical studies performed in postmenopausal women suffering
      from moderate to severe (MS) dyspareunia due to vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA).
      METHODS: In three independent 12-week prospective, randomized, double-blind, and
      placebo-controlled clinical studies, the effect of daily intravaginal 0.50% (6.5
      mg) prasterone was examined on four co-primary objectives in women having MS pain
      during sexual activity (dyspareunia), identified as their most bothersome symptom
      (MBS) of VVA at baseline. RESULTS: In 436 women treated with 0.50% prasterone and
      260 women who received placebo, an average 35.1% decrease over placebo in the
      percentage of parabasal cells (P < 0.0001), an average 7.7% increase in the
      percentage of superficial cells (P < 0.0001), and a mean 0.72 pH unit decrease in
      vaginal pH (P < 0.0001) were observed. The severity score of most bothersome
      symptom dyspareunia was decreased by a 0.46 unit (49%) (P < 0.0001 over placebo),
      whereas the severity score of MS vaginal dryness decreased by 0.31 unit (P <
      0.0001 over placebo). A very positive evaluation was obtained on the
      acceptability of the technique of administration of the insert, whereas the male
      partners reported a very positive evaluation of the changes observed in their
      sexual partner. CONCLUSION: The efficacy data demonstrate highly positive effects
      on all the symptoms and signs of vulvovaginal atrophy with no significant drug
      related side effects in line with the physiology of menopause and intracrinology.

PMID- 28640162
TI  - The Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale: cutoffs, minimally important
      differences, and a revised short version.

PMID- 28640163
TI  - Mistletoe fig (Ficus deltoidea Jack) leaf extract prevented postmenopausal
      osteoarthritis by attenuating inflammation and cartilage degradation in rat
      model.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Ficus deltoidea Jack (mistletoe fig) is an ornamental plant found in
      various parts of the world and used as traditional herbal medicine in some
      countries. This study investigated the potential use of F deltoidea leaf extract
      to mitigate osteoarthritis (OA) in ovariectomized (estrogen-deficient
      postmenopausal model) rats and the mechanisms involved. Diclofenac was used for
      comparison. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley female rats (12 weeks old) were divided
      randomly into five groups (n = 6): healthy; nontreated OA; OA + diclofenac (5
      mg/kg); OA + extract (200 mg/kg); and OA + extract (400 mg/kg). Two weeks after
      bilaterally ovariectomy, OA was induced by intra-articular injection of
      monosodium iodoacetate into the right knee joints. After 28 days of treatment,
      the rats were evaluated for knee OA via physical (radiological and histological
      observations), biochemical, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and gene
      expression analysis, for inflammation and cartilage degradation biomarkers.
      RESULTS: The osteoarthritic rats treated with the extract, and diclofenac showed
      significant reduction of cartilage erosion (via radiological, macroscopic, and
      histological images) compared with untreated osteoarthritic rats. The elevated
      serum interleukin-1beta, prostaglandin E2, and C-telopeptide type II collagen
      levels in osteoarthritic rats were significantly reduced by F deltoidea leaf
      extract comparable to diclofenac. The extract significantly down-regulated the
      interleukin-1beta, prostaglandin E2 receptor, and matrix metalloproteinase-1 mRNA
      expressions in the osteoarthritic cartilages, similar to diclofenac. CONCLUSIONS:
      F deltoidea leaf extract mitigated postmenopausal osteoarthritic joint
      destruction by inhibiting inflammation and cartilage degradation enzymes, at an
      effective extract dose equivalent to about 60 mg/kg for humans. The main
      bioactive compounds are probably the antioxidative flavonoids vitexin and
      isovitexin.

PMID- 28640165
TI  - An eHealth approach to treating vasomotor symptoms.

PMID- 28640164
TI  - Associations between postmenopausal endogenous sex hormones and C-reactive
      protein: a clearer picture with regional adiposity adjustment?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To better understand the pathogenesis of inflammatory-related diseases
      after menopause, we studied the adiposity-independent association between
      endogenous sex hormones and C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of
      inflammation. METHODS: We conducted a secondary, cross-sectional analysis of
      baseline data from the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention
      Trial (2003-2007), including 319 healthy, postmenopausal women not using hormone
      therapy. Multivariable linear regression models related serum CRP levels to
      estrogens, androgens, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), all on the natural
      logarithmic scale. Models were adjusted for age, lipids, medication, and former
      menopausal hormone therapy use, and also for adiposity (body mass index [BMI],
      per cent body fat [via whole-body dual x-ray absorptiometry], or intra-abdominal
      fat area [via computed tomography]). RESULTS: Without adiposity adjustment,
      estrone, total estradiol, and free estradiol were significantly positively
      associated with CRP, whereas SHBG was significantly inversely associated with
      CRP. Of all adiposity measures, adjustment for BMI caused the greatest
      attenuation of CRP-estrogen associations; only free estradiol (beta = 0.24, 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 0.06, 0.43) and SHBG (beta = -0.37, 95% CI -0.60, -0.13)
      associations remained significant. Inverse associations between CRP-total
      testosterone became stronger with BMI adjustment (beta = -0.20, 95% CI -0.40, 
      0.01). Differential associations across categories of BMI, former hormone therapy
      use, and years since menopause were suggestive, but not statistically significant
      (Pheterogeneity > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Prospective and systems epidemiological
      studies are needed to understand whether or not the cross-sectional associations
      we observed, independent of adiposity, between CRP-SHBG, CRP-total testosterone,
      and CRP-free estradiol, are causal.

PMID- 28640167
TI  - Timing of first childbirth and age-related cataract.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: No studies investigated the effects of age at first childbirth on
      cataract formation. This study was performed to determine the relationships of
      age at first childbirth to age-related cataract in postmenopausal women. METHODS:
      Study population included 7,021 postmenopausal women in the Korea National Health
      and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008 to 2012. Participants were subdivided in
      quartiles according to the age at first childbirth as follows: 13 to 21, 22 to
      23, 24 to 25, and 26 to 44 years. We used odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence
      intervals (CIs) to address the relationships between age at first childbirth and
      age-related cataract with adjustments for confounders. RESULTS: Mean
      participants' age and age at first childbirth were 64.4 and 23.6 years,
      respectively. The prevalence of any subtype of age-related cataract was 64.9%.
      Nuclear cataract prevalence was significantly higher in postmenopausal women with
      later age at first childbirth (24-25 and 26-44 years) compared with those with
      the earliest age at first childbirth (13-21 years): ORs (95% CIs) were 1.23 (1.05
      1.45) and 1.24 (1.05-1.46), respectively. A significant linear trend across
      quintile was observed (P = 0.006). Age at first childbirth linearly 4% (OR 1.04,
      95% CI 1.01-1.06) and 2% (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04) increased risk for nuclear
      and cortical cataract formation, respectively. The population-attributable
      fraction of nuclear cataract caused by the first childbirth at 24 years or later
      was 4.9% (95% CI 1.20%-8.59%, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Later age of first
      childbirth was independently associated with higher risks of nuclear and cortical
      cataract in postmenopausal women. Further prospective studies are needed to
      elucidate the role of age at first childbirth in developing age-related cataract.

PMID- 28640166
TI  - Missing documentation in breast cancer survivors: genitourinary syndrome of
      menopause.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer survivors often take hormonal treatments to prevent the
      recurrence of breast cancer, particularly aromatase inhibitors that can worsen
      the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) such as dyspareunia,
      dysuria, and urinary incontinence, all of which may adversely affect survivors'
      quality of life. Few breast cancer survivors experiencing GSM receive adequate
      assessment or treatment. METHODS: In this descriptive study, we reviewed medical
      records for documented GSM and any treatments administered or referrals for
      treatment in 800 female patients who visited the Breast Cancer Survivorship
      Clinic at a comprehensive cancer center between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011,
      either at least 5 years after completion of treatment for invasive breast cancer
      or at least 6 months after completion of treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ.
      RESULTS: Of the 279 patients with documented symptoms of vaginal atrophy, only
      111 (39.8%) had documentation of having received any form of treatment or
      referral. Of the 71 patients with documented symptoms of urinary tract atrophy,
      only 33.8% had documentation of having received treatment or referral for
      treatment. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer survivors often experience GSM due to lack
      of estrogen. The worrisome lack of documentation of assessment or treatment for
      GSM in a large breast cancer survivorship practice reveals missed opportunities
      to improve quality of life. Dissemination of recent progress in the development
      of GSM assessment tools, patient handouts, and new treatments to providers who
      care for breast cancer survivors is needed to improve this process.

PMID- 28640168
TI  - Degree of Postictal Suppression Depends on Seizure Induction Time in Magnetic
      Seizure Therapy and Electroconvulsive Therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Anesthesia is required for both magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and
      electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), although it has anticonvulsant properties. In
      this case, bispectral index (BIS) monitoring, a specific electroencephalogram
      derived monitoring, can be used to find the optimal seizure induction time during
      anesthesia to elicit adequate seizures. A measurement of seizure adequacy in
      electroencephalogram is the postictal suppression. The purpose of this study was
      to investigate the influence of seizure induction time on the degree of postictal
      suppression by comparing BIS versus no-BIS monitoring in MST and ECT. METHODS:
      Twenty patients with treatment-resistant depression were randomly assigned to
      either MST or ECT. Each patient underwent 3 treatments with the determination of
      seizure induction time by defined prestimulation BIS (BIS condition) and 3
      treatments with determination of seizure induction time by controlled clinical
      trial protocol (no-BIS condition). Statistical analysis was calculated by
      repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The degree of postictal
      suppression was more pronounced in both MST and ECT, with BIS monitoring. In this
      connection, no differences between MST and ECT were found. Seizure induction time
      was significantly later in the BIS condition (181.3 +/- 6 seconds) compared with
      the no-BIS condition (114.3 +/- 12 seconds) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Adequacy of
      seizures, in the form of the degree of postictal suppression, was superior by
      determining the seizure induction time with BIS in both MST and ECT. Further
      research is needed to investigate the correlation between the degree of postictal
      suppression and treatment response.

PMID- 28640169
TI  - The Use of Lorazepam and Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Treatment of Catatonia:
      Treatment Characteristics and Outcomes in 60 Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Lorazepam and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are effective
      treatments for catatonia. However, systematic data on these treatments in
      catatonia are limited. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the clinical
      and treatment-related characteristics of patients with catatonia who underwent
      lorazepam and/or ECT. METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2016, we
      received 60 patients with catatonia hospitalized in the Gaziantep University
      Faculty of Medicine Clinic of Psychiatry. Lorazepam and/or ECT were used in the
      patients' treatment schedule. Treatment results were evaluated using the Bush
      Francis Catatonia Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement.
      RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (58.3%) in the sample were in their first catatonic
      episode. The most common comorbidity was mood disorder (n = 34, 56.7%), whereas
      the most frequent catatonic sign was mutism (n = 43, 71.7%). Moreover, 31
      patients (51.7%) had some form of medical comorbidity. Cerebral abnormalities
      were detected in computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging in 22 patients
      (36.7%). Furthermore, 95% of the patients (n = 57) fully recovered after
      administration of the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Lorazepam is a reasonable initial
      choice in the treatment of catatonia, with rapid consideration for ECT if there
      is no rapid response to lorazepam.

PMID- 28640170
TI  - Effectiveness of Electroconvulsive Therapy and Associated Cognitive Change in
      Schizophrenia: A Naturalistic, Comparative Study of Treating Schizophrenia With
      Electroconvulsive Therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is limited evidence regarding the relative treatment
      effectiveness and cognitive effects of different types of electroconvulsive
      therapy (ECT) in schizophrenia. In this study, we sought to determine the overall
      effectiveness and compare the symptomatic and cognitive outcomes of patients with
      schizophrenia who received different modalities of ECT treatment. METHODS:
      Patients received 1 of 4 of the following ECT modalities: bitemporal ECT with age
      based dosing, right unilateral ECT with seizure threshold-based dosing,
      bitemporal ECT with seizure threshold-based dosing, and bifrontal ECT with
      seizure threshold-based dosing ECT. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and
      Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were administered to 62 patients before and
      after the ECT course. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in both the
      total and psychotic subscales of BPRS and MoCA scores across the patients after
      the course of ECT. The global improvements in both BPRS and MoCA scores after ECT
      were not influenced by the type of ECT administered. Age-based dosing, however,
      was associated with poorer memory outcomes posttreatment. The overall symptomatic
      response rate, defined as 40% or more reduction in the psychotic subscale of
      BPRS, was 64.5%. The response rates did not significantly differ between the 4
      types of ECT. CONCLUSIONS: Our present findings suggest that an acute course of
      ECT is effective in schizophrenia and may have cognitive benefits for some
      patients.

PMID- 28640171
TI  - Changes in Electroconvulsive Therapy Practice in the Last 12 Years in Hungary.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was rarely used in Hungary in 2002,
      and the majority of patients receiving ECT were diagnosed with schizophrenia.
      This study aimed to explore the use of ECT in Hungary in 2014. METHODS: Two semi
      structured questionnaires were sent to all acute adult psychiatric units in
      Hungary. The first questionnaire contained items concerning ECT use, and the
      second explored the reasons for not using ECT. RESULTS: Fifty-eight acute
      psychiatric inpatient units were identified, and 54 replied. Although 27
      indicated that they used ECT, only 22 actually performed ECT in 2014. Thirty-one
      units did not offer ECT at all. In 2014, 174 patients received ECT in Hungary,
      constituting 0.59% of all inpatients treated in the departments where it was
      offered, equating to 0.176 patients/10,000 population. The indication for ECT
      shifted from schizophrenia in 2002 (55.6%) to mood disorders in 2014 (58.5%), but
      the absolute number of ECT-treated patients with mood disorders (110 vs 102) did
      not change. Reasons for not using ECT included the lack of an ECT machine,
      unavailability of an anesthesiologist, lack of finances, and lack of experienced
      staff. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the high frequency of depression and suicide in
      Hungary, it is very likely that a significant minority of patients who would
      benefit from ECT cannot access it, which constitutes a violation of their right
      to the best possible treatment. The main reasons for the inadequate ECT service
      are the underfinanced hospital system and a lack of necessary knowledge.

PMID- 28640174
TI  - Letter from the Editor.

PMID- 28640172
TI  - Effect of Baseline Anxiety and Depression Symptoms on Selected Outcomes Following
      Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
AB  - PURPOSE: Anxiety and depression are prevalent comorbidities in people with
      chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). This study sought to quantify the influence
      of varying degrees of anxiety and depression on functional performance and
      disease impact in a population with CRDs following pulmonary rehabilitation (PR)
      intervention. METHODS: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the 6
      Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment
      Test (CAT) were assessed pre- and post-PR. Participants were categorized into 3
      groups (None, Probable, and Present) based on their level of anxiety and
      depression. Functional performance and disease impact outcomes were compared pre-
      and post-PR. RESULTS: Patients consisted of a total of 134 program completers (72
      males, 62 females; mean age = 67.8 years). Significant improvements in functional
      performance with regard to 6MWT scores were observed across all groups
      postintervention (P < .05). The Present group, in both the anxiety and depression
      domains, failed to reach a minimally clinically important difference
      postintervention. The Probable and Present groups achieved a significant
      improvement in CAT scores postintervention (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: This study
      showed that symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with CRDs were
      significantly related to lower exercise tolerance levels and higher levels of
      disease impact. People with increased levels of anxiety and depression have the
      potential to significantly improve disease impact outcomes post-PR. The results
      demonstrated that the detection and treatment of anxiety and depression symptoms
      in people with CRDs are likely to be clinically important.

PMID- 28640175
TI  - Treatment of Genital Melanoma: Are We Ready for Innovative Therapies?

PMID- 28640176
TI  - Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Metastasis From
      Ovarian Cancer: A Single-Center Initial Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness,
      and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for
      the treatment of liver metastasis from ovarian cancer (OC). METHODS: A
      retrospective review was performed on 11 patients (mean age, 53.0 +/- 10.1 years)
      with 22 liver metastases (mean diameter, 2.0 +/- 0.8 cm) from OC undergone RFA.
      Radiofrequency ablation was carried out with Starburst XL electrodes (RITA
      Medical System, Mountain View, CA) or Cool-tip electrodes (Cool-tip Systems;
      Valleylab, Boulder, CO). The tumor response, time to progression, and survival
      after RFA were assessed. RESULTS: Complete ablation was achieved for all lesions.
      The technique effectiveness was 100%. During the follow-up period, local tumor
      progression was observed in 1 (4.5%) of 22 lesions. The median time to
      progression was 8.0 months after RFA. Three patients died because of disease
      progression after 13, 18, and 24 months, respectively. The mean overall survival
      time after RFA was 53.1 +/- 10.0 months, with the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall
      survival rates of 100%, 61%, and 61%, respectively. No major complications were
      encountered. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency ablation as an alternative treatment
      strategy is feasible and effective for selected patients with liver metastasis
      from OC, providing a high rate of local tumor control.

PMID- 28640177
TI  - The Efficacy of Fibrin Sealant Patches in Reducing the Incidence of Lymphatic
      Morbidity After Radical Lymphadenectomy: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although pivotal in the oncological management of most tumors,
      radical lymphadenectomy is associated with a significant number of lymphatic
      complications. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy of
      fibrinogen sealant patches in reducing lymphadenectomy-related postoperative
      complications. METHODS/MATERIALS: The electronic databases PubMed, Medline, and
      Scopus were searched using the terms "lymphadenectomy" or "lymph node dissection"
      and "TachoSil," "TachoComb," or "fibrin sealant patch." Series evaluating the
      efficacy of fibrin-thrombin collagen sealant patches were included in the meta
      analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 26 studies were retrieved through the literature
      search. Ten studies including 720 patients met selection criteria. The use of
      fibrin-thrombin sealant patches to the sole scope of reducing lymphadenectomy
      related complications significantly reduced the incidence of lymphocele,
      symptomatic lymphocele, the need of percutaneous drainage procedures, the volume
      of lymph drained, and the duration of the drainage. No effect on wound and/or
      lymphocele infection was noted. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis demonstrates that
      the use of fibrin-thrombin sealant patches significantly reduces the total volume
      of lymph drained, the duration of the drainage, the incidence of lymphocele and
      symptomatic lymphocele, and the need for postoperative percutaneous drainage
      procedures. Its use does not affect the incidence of wound or lymphocele
      infections.

PMID- 28640178
TI  - Multiple Apocrine Hidrocystomas Successfully Treated With Cryotherapy.

PMID- 28640180
TI  - Graphene-Ag Hybrids on Laser-Textured Si Surface for SERS Detection.
AB  - Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been extensively investigated as an
      effective approach for trace species detection. Silver nanostructures are high
      sensitivity SERS substrates in common use, but their poor chemical stability
      impedes practical applications. Herein, a stable and sensitive SERS substrate
      based on the hybrid structures of graphene/silver film/laser-textured Si
      (G/Ag/LTSi) was developed, and a simple, rapid, and low-cost fabrication approach
      was explored. Abundant nanoparticles were directly created and deposited on the
      Si surface via laser ablation. These aggregated nanoparticles functioned as
      hotspots after a 30 nm Ag film coating. A monolayer graphene was transferred to
      the Ag film surface to prevent the Ag from oxidation. The SERS behavior was
      investigated by detecting R6G and 4-MBT molecules. The experimental results
      indicate that the maximum enhancement factor achieved by the G/Ag/LTSi substrate
      is over 107 and less than 23% SERS signals lost when the substrate was exposed to
      ambient conditions for 50 days. The covering graphene layer played crucial roles
      in both the Raman signals enhancement and the Ag nanostructure protection. The
      stable and sensitive SERS performance of G/Ag/LTSi substrate evince that the
      present strategy is a useful and convenient route to fabricate large-area
      graphene-silver plasmonic hybrids for SERS applications.

PMID- 28640179
TI  - Engagement in Pleasant Leisure Activities and Blood Pressure: A 5-Year
      Longitudinal Study in Alzheimer Caregivers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Elevated blood pressure is a significant public health concern,
      particularly given its association with cardiovascular disease risk, including
      stroke. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer disease has been associated with
      physical health morbidity, including higher blood pressure. Engagement in
      adaptive coping strategies may help prevent blood pressure elevation in this
      population. This 5-year longitudinal study examined whether greater participation
      in pleasant leisure activities was associated with reduced blood pressure in
      caregivers. METHODS: Participants were 126 in-home spousal Alzheimer's caregivers
      (M [SD] age = 74.2 [7.9] years) that completed five yearly assessments. Linear
      mixed-effects models analysis was used to examine the longitudinal relationship
      between pleasant leisure activities and caregivers' blood pressure, after
      adjusting for demographic and health characteristics. RESULTS: Greater engagement
      in pleasant leisure activities was associated with reduced mean arterial blood
      pressure (B = -0.08, SE = 0.04, p = .040). Follow-up analyses indicated that
      engagement in activities was significantly associated with reduced diastolic (B =
      -0.07, SE = 0.03, p = .030) but not systolic blood pressure (B = -0.10, SE =
      0.06, p = .114). In addition, mean arterial blood pressure was significantly
      reduced when caregiving duties ended because of placement of care recipients in
      nursing homes (B = -3.10, SE = 1.11, p = .005) or death of the care recipient (B
      = -2.64, SE = 1.14, p = .021). CONCLUSIONS: Greater engagement in pleasant
      leisure activities was associated with lowered caregivers' blood pressure over
      time. Participation in pleasant leisure activities may have cardiovascular health
      benefits for Alzheimer's caregivers.

PMID- 28640181
TI  - A Study for Texture Feature Extraction of High-Resolution Satellite Images Based
      on a Direction Measure and Gray Level Co-Occurrence Matrix Fusion Algorithm.
AB  - To address the problem of image texture feature extraction, a direction measure
      statistic that is based on the directionality of image texture is constructed,
      and a new method of texture feature extraction, which is based on the direction
      measure and a gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) fusion algorithm, is
      proposed in this paper. This method applies the GLCM to extract the texture
      feature value of an image and integrates the weight factor that is introduced by
      the direction measure to obtain the final texture feature of an image. A set of
      classification experiments for the high-resolution remote sensing images were
      performed by using support vector machine (SVM) classifier with the direction
      measure and gray level co-occurrence matrix fusion algorithm. Both qualitative
      and quantitative approaches were applied to assess the classification results.
      The experimental results demonstrated that texture feature extraction based on
      the fusion algorithm achieved a better image recognition, and the accuracy of
      classification based on this method has been significantly improved.

PMID- 28640182
TI  - Paper as Active Layer in Inkjet-Printed Capacitive Humidity Sensors.
AB  - An inkjet-printed relative humidity sensor based on capacitive changes which
      responds to different humidity levels in the environment is presented in this
      work. The inkjet-printed silver interdigitated electrodes configuration on the
      paper substrate allowed for the fabrication of a functional proof-of-concept of
      the relative humidity sensor, by using the paper itself as a sensing material.
      The sensor sensitivity in terms of relative humidity changes was calculated to be
      around 2 pF/RH %. The response time against different temperature steps from 3 to
      85  degrees C was fairly constant (about 4-5 min), and it was considered fast for
      the aimed application, a smart label.

PMID- 28640184
TI  - A Carrier Estimation Method Based on MLE and KF for Weak GNSS Signals.
AB  - Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) has been researched for some acquisition and
      tracking applications of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers and
      shows high performance. However, all current methods are derived and operated
      based on the sampling data, which results in a large computation burden. This
      paper proposes a low-complexity MLE carrier tracking loop for weak GNSS signals
      which processes the coherent integration results instead of the sampling data.
      First, the cost function of the MLE of signal parameters such as signal
      amplitude, carrier phase, and Doppler frequency are used to derive a MLE
      discriminator function. The optimal value of the cost function is searched by an
      efficient Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method iteratively. Its performance including
      Cramer-Rao bound (CRB), dynamic characteristics and computation burden are
      analyzed by numerical techniques. Second, an adaptive Kalman filter is designed
      for the MLE discriminator to obtain smooth estimates of carrier phase and
      frequency. The performance of the proposed loop, in terms of sensitivity,
      accuracy and bit error rate, is compared with conventional methods by Monte Carlo
      (MC) simulations both in pedestrian-level and vehicle-level dynamic
      circumstances. Finally, an optimal loop which combines the proposed method and
      conventional method is designed to achieve the optimal performance both in weak
      and strong signal circumstances.

PMID- 28640183
TI  - Bluetooth Low Energy Mesh Networks: A Survey.
AB  - Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has gained significant momentum. However, the original
      design of BLE focused on star topology networking, which limits network coverage
      range and precludes end-to-end path diversity. In contrast, other competing
      technologies overcome such constraints by supporting the mesh network topology.
      For these reasons, academia, industry, and standards development organizations
      have been designing solutions to enable BLE mesh networks. Nevertheless, the
      literature lacks a consolidated view on this emerging area. This paper
      comprehensively surveys state of the art BLE mesh networking. We first provide a
      taxonomy of BLE mesh network solutions. We then review the solutions, describing
      the variety of approaches that leverage existing BLE functionality to enable BLE
      mesh networks. We identify crucial aspects of BLE mesh network solutions and
      discuss their advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we highlight currently open
      issues.

PMID- 28640185
TI  - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Simple Algorithm Analysis for
      Rapid and Non-Destructive Assessment of Developmental Cotton Fibers.
AB  - With cotton fiber growth or maturation, cellulose content in cotton fibers
      markedly increases. Traditional chemical methods have been developed to determine
      cellulose content, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive, mostly owing to
      the slow hydrolysis process of fiber cellulose components. As one approach, the
      attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy
      technique has also been utilized to monitor cotton cellulose formation, by
      implementing various spectral interpretation strategies of both multivariate
      principal component analysis (PCA) and 1-, 2- or 3-band/-variable intensity or
      intensity ratios. The main objective of this study was to compare the
      correlations between cellulose content determined by chemical analysis and ATR FT
      IR spectral indices acquired by the reported procedures, among developmental
      Texas Marker-1 (TM-1) and immature fiber (im) mutant cotton fibers. It was
      observed that the R value, CIIR, and the integrated intensity of the 895 cm-1
      band exhibited strong and linear relationships with cellulose content. The
      results have demonstrated the suitability and utility of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy,
      combined with a simple algorithm analysis, in assessing cotton fiber cellulose
      content, maturity, and crystallinity in a manner which is rapid, routine, and non
      destructive.

PMID- 28640186
TI  - Analysis of Serotonin Molecules on Silver Nanocolloids-A Raman Computational and
      Experimental Study.
AB  - Combined theoretical and experimental analysis of serotonin by quantum chemical
      density functional calculations and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy,
      respectively, is presented in this work to better understand phenomena related to
      this neurotransmitter's detection and monitoring at very low concentrations
      specific to physiological levels. In addition to the successful ultrasensitive
      analyte detection on silver nanoparticles for concentrations as low as 10-11
      molar, the relatively good agreement between the simulated and experimentally
      determined results indicates the presence of all serotonin molecular forms, such
      as neutral, ionic, and those oxidized through redox reactions. Obvious structural
      molecular deformations such as bending of lateral amino chains are observed for
      both ionic and oxidized forms. Not only does this combined approach reveal more
      probable adsorption of serotonin into the silver surface through hydroxyl/oxygen
      sites than through NH/nitrogen sites, but also that it does so predominantly in
      its neutral (reduced) form, somewhat less so in its ionic forms, and much less in
      its oxidized forms. If the development of opto-voltammetric biosensors and their
      effective implementation is envisioned for the future, this study provides some
      needed scientific background for comprehending changes in the vibrational
      signatures of this important neurotransmitter.

PMID- 28640187
TI  - Performance Optimization Design for a High-Speed Weak FBG Interrogation System
      Based on DFB Laser.
AB  - A performance optimization design for a high-speed fiber Bragg grating (FBG)
      interrogation system based on a high-speed distributed feedback (DFB) swept laser
      is proposed. A time-division-multiplexing sensor network with identical weak FBGs
      is constituted to realize high-capacity sensing. In order to further improve the
      multiplexing capacity, a waveform repairing algorithm is designed to extend the
      dynamic demodulation range of FBG sensors. It is based on the fact that the
      spectrum of an FBG keeps stable over a long period of time. Compared with the pre
      collected spectra, the distorted spectra waveform are identified and repaired.
      Experimental results show that all the identical weak FBGs are distinguished and
      demodulated at the speed of 100 kHz with a linearity of above 0.99, and the range
      of dynamic demodulation is extended by 40%.

PMID- 28640188
TI  - Novel Concrete Temperature Monitoring Method Based on an Embedded Passive RFID
      Sensor Tag.
AB  - This paper firstly introduces the importance of temperature control in concrete
      measurement, then a passive radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor tag
      embedded for concrete temperature monitoring is presented. In order to reduce the
      influences of concrete electromagnetic parameters during the drying process, a T
      type antenna is proposed to measure the concrete temperature at the required
      depth. The proposed RFID sensor tag is based on the EPC generation-2 ultra-high
      frequency (UHF) communication protocol and operates in passive mode. The
      temperature sensor can convert the sensor signals to corresponding digital
      signals without an external reference clock due to the adoption of phase-locked
      loop (PLL)-based architecture. Laboratory experimentation and on-site testing
      demonstrate that our sensor tag embedded in concrete can provide reliable
      communication performance in passive mode. The maximum communicating distance
      between reader and tag is 7 m at the operating frequency of 915 MHz and the
      tested results show high consistency with the results tested by a thermocouple.

PMID- 28640189
TI  - Automatic Detection and Classification of Pole-Like Objects for Urban Cartography
      Using Mobile Laser Scanning Data.
AB  - Mobile laser scanning (MLS) is a modern and powerful technology capable of
      obtaining massive point clouds of objects in a short period of time. Although
      this technology is nowadays being widely applied in urban cartography and 3D city
      modelling, it has some drawbacks that need to be avoided in order to strengthen
      it. One of the most important shortcomings of MLS data is concerned with the fact
      that it provides an unstructured dataset whose processing is very time-consuming.
      Consequently, there is a growing interest in developing algorithms for the
      automatic extraction of useful information from MLS point clouds. This work is
      focused on establishing a methodology and developing an algorithm to detect pole
      like objects and classify them into several categories using MLS datasets. The
      developed procedure starts with the discretization of the point cloud by means of
      a voxelization, in order to simplify and reduce the processing time in the
      segmentation process. In turn, a heuristic segmentation algorithm was developed
      to detect pole-like objects in the MLS point cloud. Finally, two supervised
      classification algorithms, linear discriminant analysis and support vector
      machines, were used to distinguish between the different types of poles in the
      point cloud. The predictors are the principal component eigenvalues obtained from
      the Cartesian coordinates of the laser points, the range of the Z coordinate, and
      some shape-related indexes. The performance of the method was tested in an urban
      area with 123 poles of different categories. Very encouraging results were
      obtained, since the accuracy rate was over 90%.

PMID- 28640190
TI  - trans-Cinnamic and Chlorogenic Acids Affect the Secondary Metabolic Profiles and
      Ergosterol Biosynthesis by Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum Sensu Stricto.
AB  - Plant-derived compounds limiting mycotoxin contamination are currently of major
      interest in food and feed production. However, their potential application
      requires an evaluation of their effects on fungal secondary metabolism and
      membrane effects. In this study, different strains of Fusarium culmorum and F.
      graminearum sensu stricto were exposed to trans-cinnamic and chlorogenic acids on
      solid YES media. Fusaria produced phenolic acids, whose accumulation was lowered
      by exogenous phenolic compounds. In addition, fungi reduced exogenous phenolic
      acids, leading either to their conversion or degradation. trans-Cinnamic acid was
      converted to caffeic and ferulic acids, while chlorogenic acid was degraded to
      caffeic acid. The latter underwent further degradation to protocatechuic acid.
      Fungal-derived trans-cinnamic acid, as the first intermediate of the shikimate
      pathway, increased after chlorogenic acid treatment, presumably due to the
      further inhibition of the conversion of trans-cinnamic acid. Exogenous trans
      cinnamic and chlorogenic acid displayed the inhibition of mycotoxin production by
      Fusaria, which appeared to be largely dependent on the phenolic compound and its
      concentration and the assayed strain. Exogenous phenolic acids showed different
      effects on ergosterol biosynthesis by fungi. It was found that the production of
      this membrane sterol was stimulated by trans-cinnamic acid, while chlorogenic
      acid negatively impacted ergosterol biosynthesis, suggesting that phenolic acids
      with stronger antifungal activities may upregulate ergosterol biosynthesis by
      Fusaria. This paper reports on the production of phenolic acids by Fusaria for
      the first time.

PMID- 28640191
TI  - Phenotypic Plasticity and Cell Fate Decisions in Cancer: Insights from Dynamical
      Systems Theory.
AB  - Waddington's epigenetic landscape, a famous metaphor in developmental biology,
      depicts how a stem cell progresses from an undifferentiated phenotype to a
      differentiated one. The concept of "landscape" in the context of dynamical
      systems theory represents a high-dimensional space, in which each cell phenotype
      is considered as an "attractor" that is determined by interactions between
      multiple molecular players, and is buffered against environmental fluctuations.
      In addition, biological noise is thought to play an important role during these
      cell-fate decisions and in fact controls transitions between different
      phenotypes. Here, we discuss the phenotypic transitions in cancer from a
      dynamical systems perspective and invoke the concept of "cancer attractors"
      hidden stable states of the underlying regulatory network that are not occupied
      by normal cells. Phenotypic transitions in cancer occur at varying levels
      depending on the context. Using epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT),
      cancer stem-like properties, metabolic reprogramming and the emergence of therapy
      resistance as examples, we illustrate how phenotypic plasticity in cancer cells
      enables them to acquire hybrid phenotypes (such as hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal
      and hybrid metabolic phenotypes) that tend to be more aggressive and notoriously
      resilient to therapies such as chemotherapy and androgen-deprivation therapy.
      Furthermore, we highlight multiple factors that may give rise to phenotypic
      plasticity in cancer cells, such as (a) multi-stability or oscillatory behaviors
      governed by underlying regulatory networks involved in cell-fate decisions in
      cancer cells, and (b) network rewiring due to conformational dynamics of
      intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that are highly enriched in cancer
      cells. We conclude by discussing why a therapeutic approach that promotes
      "recanalization", i.e., the exit from "cancer attractors" and re-entry into
      "normal attractors", is more likely to succeed rather than a conventional
      approach that targets individual molecules/pathways.

PMID- 28640193
TI  - Identification of Light-Independent Anthocyanin Biosynthesis Mutants Induced by
      Ethyl Methane Sulfonate in Turnip "Tsuda" (Brassica rapa).
AB  - The epidermis of swollen storage roots in purple cultivars of turnip "Tsuda"
      (Brassica rapa) accumulates anthocyanin in a light-dependent manner, especially
      in response to UV-A light, of which the mechanism is unclear. In this study, we
      mutagenized 15,000 seeds by 0.5% (v/v) ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) and obtained
      14 mutants with abnormal anthocyanin production in their epidermis of swollen
      storage roots. These mutants were classified into two groups: the red mutants
      with constitutive anthocyanin accumulation in their epidermis of storage roots
      even in underground parts in darkness and the white mutants without anthocyanin
      accumulation in the epidermis of storage roots in aboveground parts exposed to
      sunlight. Test cross analysis demonstrated that w9, w68, w204, r15, r21, r30 and
      r57 contained different mutations responsible for their phenotypic variations.
      Further genetic analysis of four target mutants (w9, w68, w204 and r15) indicated
      that each of them was controlled by a different recessive gene. Intriguingly, the
      expression profiles of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, including structural and
      regulatory genes, coincided with their anthocyanin levels in the epidermis of
      storage roots in the four target mutants. We proposed that potential genes
      responsible for the mutations should be upstream factors of the anthocyanin
      biosynthesis pathway in turnips, which provided resources to further investigate
      the mechanisms of light-induced anthocyanin accumulation.

PMID- 28640194
TI  - Moringa Leaves Prevent Hepatic Lipid Accumulation and Inflammation in Guinea Pigs
      by Reducing the Expression of Genes Involved in Lipid Metabolism.
AB  - To investigate the mechanisms by which Moringa oleifera leaves (ML) modulate
      hepatic lipids, guinea pigs were allocated to either control (0% ML), 10% Low
      Moringa (LM) or 15% High Moringa (HM) diets with 0.25% dietary cholesterol to
      induce hepatic steatosis. After 6 weeks, guinea pigs were sacrificed and liver
      and plasma were collected to determine plasma lipids, hepatic lipids, cytokines
      and the expression of genes involved in hepatic cholesterol (CH) and triglyceride
      (TG) metabolism. There were no differences in plasma lipids among groups. A dose
      response effect of ML was observed in hepatic lipids (CH and TG) with the lowest
      concentrations in the HM group (p < 0.001), consistent with histological
      evaluation of lipid droplets. Hepatic gene expression of diglyceride
      acyltransferase-2 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma, as well
      as protein concentrations interleukin (IL)-1beta and interferon-gamma, were
      lowest in the HM group (p < 0.005). Hepatic gene expression of cluster of
      differentiation-68 and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c were 60%
      lower in both the LM and HM groups compared to controls (p < 0.01). This study
      demonstrates that ML may prevent hepatic steatosis by affecting gene expression
      related to hepatic lipids synthesis resulting in lower concentrations of
      cholesterol and triglycerides and reduced inflammation in the liver.

PMID- 28640192
TI  - Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Current and Evolving Therapies.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which constitutes 90% of pancreatic
      cancers, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Due
      to the broad heterogeneity of genetic mutations and dense stromal environment,
      PDAC belongs to one of the most chemoresistant cancers. Most of the available
      treatments are palliative, with the objective of relieving disease-related
      symptoms and prolonging survival. Currently, available therapeutic options are
      surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and use of targeted drugs.
      However, thus far, therapies targeting cancer-associated molecular pathways have
      not given satisfactory results; this is due in part to the rapid upregulation of
      compensatory alternative pathways as well as dense desmoplastic reaction. In this
      review, we summarize currently available therapies and clinical trials, directed
      towards a plethora of pathways and components dysregulated during PDAC
      carcinogenesis. Emerging trends towards targeted therapies as the most promising
      approach will also be discussed.

PMID- 28640196
TI  - Vitamin D3 and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Content of Retail White Fish and Eggs in
      Australia.
AB  - Dietary vitamin D may compensate for inadequate sun exposure; however, there have
      been few investigations into the vitamin D content of Australian foods. We
      measured vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) in four species of white
      fish (barramundi, basa, hoki and king dory), and chicken eggs (cage and free
      range), purchased from five Australian cities. Samples included local, imported
      and wild-caught fish, and eggs of varying size from producers with a range of hen
      stocking densities. Raw and cooked samples were analysed using high performance
      liquid chromatography with photodiode array. Limits of reporting were 0.2 and 0.1
      MUg/100 g for vitamin D3 and 25(OH)D3, respectively. The vitamin D3 content of
      cooked white fish ranged from <0.1 to 2.3 MUg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content
      ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 MUg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked cage eggs
      ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 MUg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.4 to 1.2
      MUg/100 g. The vitamin D3 content of cooked free-range eggs ranged from 0.3 to
      2.2 MUg/100 g, and the 25(OH)D3 content ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 MUg/100 g. If, as
      has been suggested, 25(OH)D3 has five times greater bioactivity than vitamin D3,
      one cooked serve (100 g) of white fish, and one cooked serve of cage or free
      range eggs (120 g) may provide 50% or 100%, respectively, of the current
      guidelines for the adequate intake of vitamin D (5 ug) for Australians aged 1-50
      years.

PMID- 28640197
TI  - Mesoporous Silica Matrix as a Tool for Minimizing Dipolar Interactions in NiFe2O4
      and ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles.
AB  - NiFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles have been prepared encased in the MCM (Mobile
      Composition of Matter) type matrix. Their magnetic behavior has been studied and
      compared with that corresponding to particles of the same composition and of a
      similar size (prepared and embedded in amorphous silica or as bare particles).
      This study has allowed elucidation of the role exerted by the matrix and
      interparticle interactions in the magnetic behavior of each ferrite system. Thus,
      very different superparamagnetic behavior has been found in ferrite particles of
      similar size depending on the surrounding media. Also, the obtained results
      clearly provide evidence of the vastly different magnetic behavior for each
      ferrite system.

PMID- 28640195
TI  - Pharmacogenomic Variants May Influence the Urinary Excretion of Novel Kidney
      Injury Biomarkers in Patients Receiving Cisplatin.
AB  - Nephrotoxicity is a dose limiting side effect associated with the use of
      cisplatin in the treatment of solid tumors. The degree of nephrotoxicity is
      dictated by the selective accumulation of cisplatin in renal tubule cells due to:
      (1) uptake by organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) and copper transporter 1
      (CTR1); (2) metabolism by glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and gamma
      glutamyltransferase 1 (GGT1); and (3) efflux by multidrug resistance-associated
      protein 2 (MRP2) and multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 1 (MATE1). The purpose
      of this study was to determine the significance of single nucleotide
      polymorphisms that regulate the expression and function of transporters and
      metabolism genes implicated in development of acute kidney injury (AKI) in
      cisplatin treated patients. Changes in the kidney function were assessed using
      novel urinary protein biomarkers and traditional markers. Genotyping was
      conducted by the QuantStudio 12K Flex Real-Time PCR System using a custom open
      array chip with metabolism, transport, and transcription factor polymorphisms of
      interest to cisplatin disposition and toxicity. Traditional and novel biomarker
      assays for kidney toxicity were assessed for differences according to genotype by
      ANOVA. Allele and genotype frequencies were determined based on Caucasian
      population frequencies. The polymorphisms rs596881 (SLC22A2/OCT2), and rs12686377
      and rs7851395 (SLC31A1/CTR1) were associated with renoprotection and maintenance
      of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Polymorphisms in SLC22A2/OCT2,
      SLC31A1/CTRI, SLC47A1/MATE1, ABCC2/MRP2, and GSTP1 were significantly associated
      with increases in the urinary excretion of novel AKI biomarkers: KIM-1, TFF3,
      MCP1, NGAL, clusterin, cystatin C, and calbindin. Knowledge concerning which
      genotypes in drug transporters are associated with cisplatin-induced
      nephrotoxicity may help to identify at-risk patients and initiate strategies,
      such as using lower or fractionated cisplatin doses or avoiding cisplatin
      altogether, in order to prevent AKI.

PMID- 28640198
TI  - Experimental Investigation of Magnetic Nanoparticle-Enhanced Microwave
      Hyperthermia.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate microwave heating enhancements
      offered by iron/iron oxide nanoparticles dispersed within tissue-mimicking media
      for improving efficacy of microwave thermal therapy. The following dopamine
      coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were considered: 10 and 20 nm diameter
      spherical core/shell Fe/Fe3O4, 20 nm edge-length cubic Fe3O4, and 45 nm edge
      length/10 nm height hexagonal Fe3O4. Microwave heating enhancements were
      experimentally measured with MNPs dissolved in an agar phantom, placed within a
      rectangular waveguide. Effects of MNP concentration (2.5-20 mg/mL) and microwave
      frequency (2.0, 2.45 and 2.6 GHz) were evaluated. Further tests with 10 and 20 nm
      diameter spherical MNPs dispersed within a two-compartment tissue-mimicking
      phantom were performed with an interstitial dipole antenna radiating 15 W power
      at 2.45 GHz. Microwave heating of 5 mg/mL MNP-agar phantom mixtures with 10 and
      20 nm spherical, and hexagonal MNPs in a waveguide yielded heating rates of 0.78
      +/- 0.02  degrees C/s, 0.72 +/- 0.01  degrees C/s and 0.51 +/- 0.03  degrees C/s,
      respectively, compared to 0.5 +/- 0.1  degrees C/s for control. Greater heating
      enhancements were observed at 2.0 GHz compared to 2.45 and 2.6 GHz. Heating
      experiments in two-compartment phantoms with an interstitial dipole antenna
      demonstrated potential for extending the radial extent of therapeutic heating
      with 10 and 20 nm diameter spherical MNPs, compared to homogeneous phantoms
      (i.e., without MNPs). Of the MNPs considered in this study, spherical Fe/Fe3O4
      nanoparticles offer the greatest heating enhancement when exposed to microwave
      radiation. These nanoparticles show strong potential for enhancing the rate of
      heating and radial extent of heating during microwave hyperthermia and ablation
      procedures.

PMID- 28640200
TI  - Animal-Assisted Interventions in the Classroom-A Systematic Review.
AB  - The inclusion of animals in educational practice is becoming increasingly
      popular, but it is unclear how solid the evidence for this type of intervention
      is. The aim of this systematic review is to scrutinise the empirical research
      literature relating to animal-assisted interventions conducted in educational
      settings. The review included 25 papers; 21 from peer-reviewed journals and 4
      obtained using grey literature databases. Most studies reported significant
      benefits of animal-assisted interventions in the school setting. Despite this,
      studies vary greatly in methods and design, in intervention types, measures, and
      sample sizes, and in the length of time exposed to an animal. Furthermore, a
      worrying lack of reference to risk assessment and animal welfare must be
      highlighted. Taken together, the results of this review show promising findings
      and emerging evidence suggestive of potential benefits related to animals in
      school settings. The review also indicates the need for a larger and more robust
      evidence base driven by thorough and strict protocols. The review further
      emphasises the need for safeguarding for all involved-welfare and safety are
      paramount.

PMID- 28640199
TI  - The Role of Peripheral CNS-Directed Antibodies in Promoting Inflammatory CNS
      Demyelination.
AB  - In central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disorders, such as multiple
      sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and related NMO-spectrum disorders
      (NMO-SD), a pathogenic role for antibodies is primarily projected into enhancing
      ongoing CNS inflammation by directly binding to target antigens within the CNS.
      This scenario is supported at least in part, by antibodies in conjunction with
      complement activation in the majority of MS lesions and by deposition of anti
      aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) antibodies in areas of astrocyte loss in patients with
      classical NMO. A currently emerging subgroup of AQP-4 negative NMO-SD patients
      expresses antibodies against myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), again
      suggestive of their direct binding to CNS myelin. However, both known entities of
      anti-CNS antibodies, anti-AQP-4- as well as anti-MOG antibodies, are
      predominantly found in the serum, which raises the questions why and how a
      humoral response against CNS antigens is raised in the periphery, and in a
      related manner, what pathogenic role these antibodies may exert outside the CNS.
      In this regard, recent experimental and clinical evidence suggests that
      peripheral CNS-specific antibodies may indirectly activate peripheral CNS
      autoreactive T cells by opsonization of otherwise unrecognized traces of CNS
      antigen in peripheral compartments, presumably drained from the CNS by its newly
      recognized lymphatic system. In this review, we will summarize all currently
      available data on both possible roles of antibodies in CNS demyelinating
      disorders, first, directly enhancing damage within the CNS, and second, promoting
      a peripheral immune response against the CNS. By elaborating on the latter
      scenario, we will develop the hypothesis that peripheral CNS-recognizing
      antibodies may have a powerful role in initiating acute flares of CNS
      demyelinating disease and that these humoral responses may represent a
      therapeutic target in its own right.

PMID- 28640201
TI  - Deoxynivalenol Biomarkers in the Urine of UK Vegetarians.
AB  - Deoxynivalenol (DON) is produced by Fusarium graminearum and is one of the most
      commonly occurring trichothecenes. Vegetarians are alleged to be a high-risk
      group for DON exposure due to high intakes of cereals susceptible to the growth
      of the mycotoxin. This study provides the levels of DON and de-epoxi
      Deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) in urine analysed by liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (LC-MS) in UK vegetarians. Over two consecutive days, morning urine
      samples were collected from 32 vegetarians and 31 UK adult volunteers, and
      associated food consumption 24 h prior to the sample was recorded. Statistically
      significant differences between the weight of the UK adults and vegetarians (t =
      3.15. df = 61, p <= 0.005 two-tailed) were observed. The mean levels of DON in
      urine for adults on day 1 was 3.05 ng free DON/mg creatinine, and on day 2 was
      2.98 ng free DON/mg creatinine. Even though high mean levels were observed, most
      adults were within the tolerable daily intake. However, for vegetarians, the mean
      level of urinary DON on day 1 was 6.69 ng free DON/mg creatinine, and on day 2
      was 3.42 ng free DON/mg creatinine. These levels equate to up to 32% of
      vegetarians exceeding recommended tolerable daily intakes (TDI) of exposure (1
      ug/kg b.w./day).

PMID- 28640203
TI  - Effect of Solution pH on the Adsorption of Paracetamol on Chemically Modified
      Activated Carbons.
AB  - Paracetamol adsorption in acidic, neutral and basic media on three activated
      carbons with different chemistry surfaces was studied. A granular activated
      carbon (GAC) was prepared from coconut shell; starting from this sample, an
      oxidized activated carbon (GACo) was obtained by treating the GAC with a boiling
      solution of 6 M nitric acid, so to generate a greater number of oxygenated
      surface groups. In addition, a reduced activated carbon (GACr) was obtained by
      heating the GAC at 1173 K, to remove the oxygenated surface groups. Paracetamol
      adsorption was higher for GACr due to the lower presence of oxygenated surface
      functional groups. Moreover, adsorption was highest at neutral pH. The magnitude
      of the interactions between paracetamol molecules and activated carbons was
      studied by measuring the immersion enthalpies of activated carbons in solution of
      paracetamol at different concentrations and pH values and by calculating the
      interaction enthalpy. The highest value was obtained for GACr in a paracetamol
      solution of 1000 mg L-1 at pH 7, confirming that paracetamol adsorption is
      favoured on basic activated carbons at pH values near to neutrality. Finally, the
      Gibbs energy changes confirmed the latter result, allowing explaining the
      different magnitudes of the interactions between paracetamol and activated
      carbons, as a function of solution pH.

PMID- 28640202
TI  - Evaluation of Legionella Air Contamination in Healthcare Facilities by Different
      Sampling Methods: An Italian Multicenter Study.
AB  - Healthcare facilities (HF) represent an at-risk environment for legionellosis
      transmission occurring after inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In general, the
      control of water is preferred to that of air because, to date, there are no
      standardized sampling protocols. Legionella air contamination was investigated in
      the bathrooms of 11 HF by active sampling (Surface Air System and Coriolis(r)MU)
      and passive sampling using settling plates. During the 8-hour sampling, hot tap
      water was sampled three times. All air samples were evaluated using culture-based
      methods, whereas liquid samples collected using the Coriolis(r)MU were also
      analyzed by real-time PCR. Legionella presence in the air and water was then
      compared by sequence-based typing (SBT) methods. Air contamination was found in
      four HF (36.4%) by at least one of the culturable methods. The culturable
      investigation by Coriolis(r)MU did not yield Legionella in any enrolled HF.
      However, molecular investigation using Coriolis(r)MU resulted in eight HF testing
      positive for Legionella in the air. Comparison of Legionella air and water
      contamination indicated that Legionella water concentration could be predictive
      of its presence in the air. Furthermore, a molecular study of 12 L. pneumophila
      strains confirmed a match between the Legionella strains from air and water
      samples by SBT for three out of four HF that tested positive for Legionella by at
      least one of the culturable methods. Overall, our study shows that Legionella air
      detection cannot replace water sampling because the absence of microorganisms
      from the air does not necessarily represent their absence from water;
      nevertheless, air sampling may provide useful information for risk assessment.
      The liquid impingement technique appears to have the greatest capacity for
      collecting airborne Legionella if combined with molecular investigations.

PMID- 28640204
TI  - Fucoidan Does Not Exert Anti-Tumorigenic Effects on Uveal Melanoma Cell Lines.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The polysaccharide fucoidan is widely investigated as an anti-cancer
      agent. Here, we tested the effect of fucoidan on uveal melanoma cell lines.
      METHODS: The effect of 100 uM fucoidan was investigated on five cell lines (92.1,
      Mel270 OMM1, OMM2.3, OMM2.5) and of 1 ug/mL-1 mg/mL fucoidan in two cell lines
      (OMM1, OMM2.3). Cell proliferation and viability were investigated with a WST-1
      assay, migration in a wound healing (scratch) assay. Vascular Endothelial Growth
      Factor (VEGF) was measured in ELISA. Angiogenesis was evaluated in co-cultures
      with endothelial cells. Cell toxicity was induced by hydrogen-peroxide. Protein
      expression (Akt, ERK1/2, Bcl-2, Bax) was investigated in Western blot. RESULTS:
      Fucoidan increased proliferation in two and reduced it in one cell line.
      Migration was reduced in three cell lines. The effect of fucoidan on VEGF was
      cell type and concentration dependent. In endothelial co-culture with 92.1,
      fucoidan significantly increased tubular structures. Moreover, fucoidan
      significantly protected all tested uveal melanoma cell lines from hydrogen
      peroxide induced cell death. Under oxidative stress, fucoidan did not alter the
      expression of Bcl-2, Bax or ERK1/2, while inducing Akt expression in 92.1 cells
      but not in any other cell line. CONCLUSION: Fucoidan did not show anti
      tumorigenic effects but displayed protective and pro-angiogenic properties,
      rendering fucoidan unsuitable as a potential new drug for the treatment of uveal
      melanoma.

PMID- 28640205
TI  - Lectins from Mycelia of Basidiomycetes.
AB  - Lectins are proteins of a nonimmunoglobulin nature that are capable of specific
      recognition of and reversible binding to the carbohydrate moieties of complex
      carbohydrates, without altering the covalent structure of any of the recognized
      glycosyl ligands. They have a broad range of biological activities important for
      the functioning of the cell and the whole organism and, owing to the high
      specificity of reversible binding to carbohydrates, are valuable tools used
      widely in biology and medicine. Lectins can be produced by many living organisms,
      including basidiomycetes. Whereas lectins from the fruit bodies of basidiomycetes
      have been studied sufficiently well, mycelial lectins remain relatively
      unexplored. Here, we review and comparatively analyze what is currently known
      about lectins isolated from the vegetative mycelium of macrobasidiomycetes,
      including their localization, properties, and carbohydrate specificities.
      Particular attention is given to the physiological role of mycelial lectins in
      fungal growth and development.

PMID- 28640206
TI  - Block-Diagonal Constrained Low-Rank and Sparse Graph for Discriminant Analysis of
      Image Data.
AB  - Recently, low-rank and sparse model-based dimensionality reduction (DR) methods
      have aroused lots of interest. In this paper, we propose an effective supervised
      DR technique named block-diagonal constrained low-rank and sparse-based embedding
      (BLSE). BLSE has two steps, i.e., block-diagonal constrained low-rank and sparse
      representation (BLSR) and block-diagonal constrained low-rank and sparse graph
      embedding (BLSGE). Firstly, the BLSR model is developed to reveal the intrinsic
      intra-class and inter-class adjacent relationships as well as the local
      neighborhood relations and global structure of data. Particularly, there are
      mainly three items considered in BLSR. First, a sparse constraint is required to
      discover the local data structure. Second, a low-rank criterion is incorporated
      to capture the global structure in data. Third, a block-diagonal regularization
      is imposed on the representation to promote discrimination between different
      classes. Based on BLSR, informative and discriminative intra-class and inter
      class graphs are constructed. With the graphs, BLSGE seeks a low-dimensional
      embedding subspace by simultaneously minimizing the intra-class scatter and
      maximizing the inter-class scatter. Experiments on public benchmark face and
      object image datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

PMID- 28640207
TI  - Reverse Gyrase Functions in Genome Integrity Maintenance by Protecting DNA Breaks
      In Vivo.
AB  - Reverse gyrase introduces positive supercoils to circular DNA and is implicated
      in genome stability maintenance in thermophiles. The extremely thermophilic
      crenarchaeon Sulfolobus encodes two reverse gyrase proteins, TopR1 (topoisomerase
      reverse gyrase 1) and TopR2, whose functions in thermophilic life remain to be
      demonstrated. Here, we investigated the roles of TopR1 in genome stability
      maintenance in S. islandicus in response to the treatment of methyl
      methanesulfonate (MMS), a DNA alkylation agent. Lethal MMS treatment induced two
      successive events: massive chromosomal DNA backbone breakage and subsequent DNA
      degradation. The former occurred immediately after drug treatment, leading to
      chromosomal DNA degradation that concurred with TopR1 degradation, followed by
      chromatin protein degradation and DNA-less cell formation. To gain a further
      insight into TopR1 function, the expression of the enzyme was reduced in S.
      islandicus cells using a CRISPR-mediated mRNA interference approach (CRISPRi) in
      which topR1 mRNAs were targeted for degradation by endogenous III-B CRISPR-Cas
      systems. We found that the TopR1 level was reduced in the S. islandicus CRISPRi
      cells and that the cells underwent accelerated genomic DNA degradation during MMS
      treatment, accompanied by a higher rate of cell death. Taken together, these
      results indicate that TopR1 probably facilitates genome integrity maintenance by
      protecting DNA breaks from thermo-degradation in vivo.

PMID- 28640208
TI  - Associations of Drug Lipophilicity and Extent of Metabolism with Drug-Induced
      Liver Injury.
AB  - Drug-induced liver injury (DILI), although rare, is a frequent cause of adverse
      drug reactions resulting in warnings and withdrawals of numerous medications.
      Despite the research community's best efforts, current testing strategies aimed
      at identifying hepatotoxic drugs prior to human trials are not sufficiently
      powered to predict the complex mechanisms leading to DILI. In our previous
      studies, we demonstrated lipophilicity and dose to be associated with increased
      DILI risk and, and in our latest work, we factored reactive metabolites into the
      algorithm to predict DILI. Given the inconsistency in determining the potential
      for drugs to cause DILI, the present study comprehensively assesses the
      relationship between DILI risk and lipophilicity and the extent of metabolism
      using a large published dataset of 1036 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
      approved drugs by considering five independent DILI annotations. We found that
      lipophilicity and the extent of metabolism alone were associated with increased
      risk for DILI. Moreover, when analyzed in combination with high daily dose (>=100
      mg), lipophilicity was statistically significantly associated with the risk of
      DILI across all datasets (p < 0.05). Similarly, the combination of extensive
      hepatic metabolism (>=50%) and high daily dose (>=100 mg) was also strongly
      associated with an increased risk of DILI among all datasets analyzed (p < 0.05).
      Our results suggest that both lipophilicity and the extent of hepatic metabolism
      can be considered important risk factors for DILI in humans, and that this
      relationship to DILI risk is much stronger when considered in combination with
      dose. The proposed paradigm allows the convergence of different published
      annotations to a more uniform assessment.

PMID- 28640209
TI  - Quinolin-6-Yloxyacetamides Are Microtubule Destabilizing Agents That Bind to the
      Colchicine Site of Tubulin.
AB  - Quinolin-6-yloxyacetamides (QAs) are a chemical class of tubulin polymerization
      inhibitors that were initially identified as fungicides. Here, we report that QAs
      are potent anti-proliferative agents against human cancer cells including ones
      that are drug-resistant. QAs act by disrupting the microtubule cytoskeleton and
      by causing severe mitotic defects. We further demonstrate that QAs inhibit
      tubulin polymerization in vitro. The high resolution crystal structure of the
      tubulin-QA complex revealed that QAs bind to the colchicine site on tubulin,
      which is targeted by microtubule-destabilizing agents such as colchicine and
      nocodazole. Together, our data establish QAs as colchicine-site ligands and
      explain the molecular mechanism of microtubule destabilization by this class of
      compounds. They further extend our structural knowledge on antitubulin agents and
      thus should aid in the development of new strategies for the rational design of
      ligands against multidrug-resistant cancer cells.

PMID- 28640210
TI  - The Resistance-Amplitude-Frequency Effect of In-Liquid Quartz Crystal
      Microbalance.
AB  - Due to the influence of liquid load, the equivalent resistance of in-liquid
      quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) increases sharply, and the quality factor and
      resonant frequency decreases. We found that the change in the resonant frequency
      of in-liquid QCM consisted of two parts: besides the frequency changes due to the
      mass and viscous load (which could be equivalent to motional inductance), the
      second part of frequency change was caused by the increase of motional
      resistance. The theoretical calculation and simulation proved that the increases
      of QCM motional resistance may indeed cause the decreases of resonant frequency,
      and revealed that the existence of static capacitance was the root cause of this
      frequency change. The second part of frequency change (due to the increases of
      motional resistance) was difficult to measure accurately, and may cause great
      error for in-liquid QCM applications. A technical method to reduce the
      interference caused by this effect is presented. The study contributes to the
      accurate determination of the frequency and amplitude change of in-liquid QCM
      caused by liquid load, which is significant for the QCM applications in the
      liquid phase.

PMID- 28640211
TI  - A Novel Active Imaging Model to Design Visual Systems: A Case of Inspection
      System for Specular Surfaces.
AB  - The use of visual information is a very well known input from different kinds of
      sensors. However, most of the perception problems are individually modeled and
      tackled. It is necessary to provide a general imaging model that allows us to
      parametrize different input systems as well as their problems and possible
      solutions. In this paper, we present an active vision model considering the
      imaging system as a whole (including camera, lighting system, object to be
      perceived) in order to propose solutions to automated visual systems that present
      problems that we perceive. As a concrete case study, we instantiate the model in
      a real application and still challenging problem: automated visual inspection. It
      is one of the most used quality control systems to detect defects on manufactured
      objects. However, it presents problems for specular products. We model these
      perception problems taking into account environmental conditions and camera
      parameters that allow a system to properly perceive the specific object
      characteristics to determine defects on surfaces. The validation of the model has
      been carried out using simulations providing an efficient way to perform a large
      set of tests (different environment conditions and camera parameters) as a
      previous step of experimentation in real manufacturing environments, which more
      complex in terms of instrumentation and more expensive. Results prove the success
      of the model application adjusting scale, viewpoint and lighting conditions to
      detect structural and color defects on specular surfaces.

PMID- 28640212
TI  - Synthesis and In Vitro Anti-Influenza Virus Evaluation of Novel Sialic Acid (C-5
      and C-9)-Pentacyclic Triterpene Derivatives.
AB  - The emergence of drug resistant variants of the influenza virus has led to a
      great need to identify novel and effective antiviral agents. In our previous
      study, a series of sialic acid (C-2 and C-4)-pentacyclic triterpene conjugates
      have been synthesized, and a five-fold more potent antiviral activity was
      observed when sialic acid was conjugated with pentacyclic triterpene via C-4 than
      C-2. It was here that we further reported the synthesis and anti-influenza
      activity of novel sialic acid (C-5 and C-9)-pentacyclic triterpene conjugates.
      Their structures were confirmed by ESI-HRMS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopic
      analyses. Two conjugates (26 and 42) showed strong cytotoxicity to MDCK cells in
      the CellTiter-Glo assay at a concentration of 100 MUM. However, they showed no
      significant cytotoxicity to HL-60, Hela, and A549 cell lines in MTT assay under
      the concentration of 10 MUM (except compound 42 showed weak cytotoxicity to HL-60
      cell line (10 MUM, ~53%)). Compounds 20, 28, 36, and 44 displayed weak potency to
      influenza A/WSN/33 (H1N1) virus (100 MUM, ~20-30%), and no significant anti
      influenza activity was found for the other conjugates. The data suggested that
      both the C-5 acetylamide and C-9 hydroxy of sialic acid were important for its
      binding with hemagglutinin during viral entry into host cells, while C-4 and C-2
      hydroxy were not critical for the binding process and could be replaced with
      hydrophobic moieties. The research presented herein had significant implications
      for the design of novel antiviral inhibitors based on a sialic acid scaffold.

PMID- 28640213
TI  - The Association of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Elevated Glycated
      Hemoglobin Values: A Longitudinal Study of Non-Diabetic Participants of a
      Preventive Health Program.
AB  - The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is sharply on the rise, both in Canada
      and worldwide. As addressing its root causes, i.e., promotion of healthy
      lifestyles and weight management, has been largely unsuccessful, new clues for
      primary prevention seem essential to curbing the increasing public health burden
      of T2D. In the present study, we examined whether improvements in vitamin D
      status, i.e., serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, are paralleled
      by a reduction in the risk for reaching adverse glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)
      levels in a community sample of non-diabetic volunteers participating in a
      preventive health program that encourages the use of vitamin D. Repeated
      observations on 6565 participants revealed that serum 25(OH)D concentrations
      increased from 90.8 to 121.3 nmol/L, HbA1c values decreased from 5.6% to 5.5%,
      and the prevalence of having HbA1c values >= 5.8% decreased from 29.5% to 17.4%
      while in the program. Compared to participants who did not increase their 25(OH)D
      concentrations during follow-up, those who increased their 25(OH)D concentrations
      with 50 nmol/L or more were 0.74 times as likely to achieve elevated HbA1c values
      at follow-up (p = 0.03). These findings suggest that public health initiatives
      that promote vitamin D status along with healthy lifestyles in the population at
      large may alleviate the future public health burden associated with T2D.

PMID- 28640214
TI  - A Pilot Randomized Cross-Over Trial to Examine the Effect of Kiwifruit on Satiety
      and Measures of Gastric Comfort in Healthy Adult Males.
AB  - : 'Hayward' kiwifruit anecdotally are associated with improved gastrointestinal
      comfort following the consumption of high protein meals, possibly because of the
      presence of a protease enzyme, actinidin. The study aimed to use SmartPillTM
      technology to investigate the acute effect of kiwifruit with actinidin (Actinidia
      chinensis var. deliciosa 'Hayward') and kiwifruit without actinidin (A. chinensis
      var. chinensis 'Hort16A') on digestion of a large protein meal. Ten healthy male
      subjects were recruited. The participants attended the clinic three times, having
      fasted overnight. They consumed a test meal consisting of 400 g lean steak and
      two 'Hort16A' or two 'Hayward kiwifruit'. Subjects completed visual analogue
      scales (VAS) by rating feelings of hunger, satisfaction, fullness, and comfort
      and swallowed a SmartPillTM before completing further VAS scales. After 5 h,
      participants consumed an ad libitum lunch to assess satiety. SmartPillTM
      transponders were worn for five days. There were no significant differences in
      gastric emptying time, small bowel, or colonic transit time between the two
      kiwifruit arms of the study measured by SmartPillTM. Similarly, no significant
      differences were observed in VAS satiety measures or energy consumption at the ad
      libitum meal. However, the measurement of overall gastric comfort tended to be
      lower, and bloating was significantly reduced following the consumption of the
      steak meal with 'Hayward' kiwifruit (p < 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: The SmartPillTM is
      marketed as a diagnostic tool for patients presenting with gastrointestinal
      disorders and is usually used with a standard 'SmartBar'. This small pilot study
      suggests that it is less likely to measure gastric emptying effectively following
      a high protein meal, as it may be delayed because of the meal's physical
      consistency. However, green kiwifruit, containing actinidin, may reduce bloating
      and other measures of gastric discomfort in healthy males. Possible future
      studies could use repeated measures with more readily digested protein and larger
      numbers of participants.

PMID- 28640215
TI  - Correction: Scourboutakos, M.J.; et al. Mismatch between Probiotic Benefits in
      Trials versus Food Products. Nutrients 2017, 9, 400.
AB  - n/a.

PMID- 28640217
TI  - Suboptimal Iodine Concentration in Breastmilk and Inadequate Iodine Intake among
      Lactating Women in Norway.
AB  - Breastfed infants depend on sufficient maternal iodine intake for optimal growth
      and neurological development. Despite this, few studies have assessed iodine
      concentrations in human milk and there is currently no published data on iodine
      status among lactating women in Norway. The aim of this study was to assess
      iodine concentrations in breast milk (BMIC) in lactating women and estimate
      iodine intake. Five Mother and Child Health Centres in Oslo were randomly
      selected during 2016, and 175 lactating women between 2nd and 28th weeks
      postpartum participated. Each of the women provided four breastmilk samples which
      were pooled and analysed for iodine concentrations. Participants also provided
      information on iodine intake from food and supplements covering the last 24 h and
      the habitual iodine intake (food frequency questionnaire). The median (p25, p75
      percentiles) BMIC was 68 (45, 98) ug/L and 76% had BMIC <100 ug/L. Only 19% had
      taken an iodine-containing supplement during the last 24 h. The median 24 h
      iodine intake from food (p25, p75) was 121 (82, 162) ug/day and the total intake
      (food and supplements) was 134 (95, 222) ug/day. The majority of lactating women
      had suboptimal BMIC and inadequate intake of iodine from food and supplements.

PMID- 28640218
TI  - Studies on the Two Thymine Residues in the Catalytic Core of 10-23 DNAzyme: The
      Impact on the Catalysis of Their 5-Substituted Functional Groups.
AB  - In the 15-mer catalytic core of 10-23 DNAzyme, each residue contributes to the
      catalytic conformation differently. Here, the critically conserved T4 and the
      least conserved T8 were modified on their 5-position with hydroxyl, imidazolyl,
      and amino groups with a hydrogen-bonding ability. These external functional
      groups induced new interactions within the catalytic core, resulting in both
      negative and positive effects on the catalytic activity of 10-23 DNAzyme, and the
      different linkages could be used to modulate the effect of the functional groups.
      The conservation of T4 and T8 could be recognized at the level of the nucleobase,
      but at the level of the functional group, T4 is not completely conserved. Their 5
      methyl groups could be modified for a better performance in terms of the DNAzyme.

PMID- 28640216
TI  - A Branched-Chain Amino Acid-Related Metabolic Signature Characterizes Obese
      Adolescents with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
AB  - Dysregulation of several metabolite pathways, including branched-chain amino
      acids (BCAAs), are associated with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and
      insulin resistance in adults, while studies in youth reported conflicting
      results. We explored whether, independently of obesity and insulin resistance,
      obese adolescents with NAFLD display a metabolomic signature consistent with
      disturbances in amino acid and lipid metabolism. A total of 180 plasma
      metabolites were measured by a targeted metabolomic approach in 78 obese
      adolescents with (n = 30) or without (n = 48) NAFLD assessed by magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI). All subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test
      and subsets of patients underwent a two-step hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp
      and/or a second MRI after a 2.2 +/- 0.8-year follow-up. Adolescents with NAFLD
      had higher plasma levels of valine (p = 0.02), isoleucine (p = 0.03), tryptophan
      (p = 0.02), and lysine (p = 0.02) after adjustment for confounding factors.
      Circulating BCAAs were negatively correlated with peripheral and hepatic insulin
      sensitivity. Furthermore, higher baseline valine levels predicted an increase in
      hepatic fat content (HFF) at follow-up (p = 0.01). These results indicate that a
      dysregulation of BCAA metabolism characterizes obese adolescents with NAFLD
      independently of obesity and insulin resistance and predict an increase in
      hepatic fat content over time.

PMID- 28640220
TI  - A Comprehensive Study on the Internet of Underwater Things: Applications,
      Challenges, and Channel Models.
AB  - The Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT) is a novel class of Internet of Things
      (IoT), and is defined as the network of smart interconnected underwater objects.
      IoUT is expected to enable various practical applications, such as environmental
      monitoring, underwater exploration, and disaster prevention. With these
      applications, IoUT is regarded as one of the potential technologies toward
      developing smart cities. To support the concept of IoUT, Underwater Wireless
      Sensor Networks (UWSNs) have emerged as a promising network system. UWSNs are
      different from the traditional Territorial Wireless Sensor Networks (TWSNs), and
      have several unique properties, such as long propagation delay, narrow bandwidth,
      and low reliability. These unique properties would be great challenges for IoUT.
      In this paper, we provide a comprehensive study of IoUT, and the main
      contributions of this paper are threefold: (1) we introduce and classify the
      practical underwater applications that can highlight the importance of IoUT; (2)
      we point out the differences between UWSNs and traditional TWSNs, and these
      differences are the main challenges for IoUT; and (3) we investigate and evaluate
      the channel models, which are the technical core for designing reliable
      communication protocols on IoUT.

PMID- 28640219
TI  - Topical Application of Trisodium Ascorbyl 6-Palmitate 2-Phosphate Actively
      Supplies Ascorbate to Skin Cells in an Ascorbate Transporter-Independent Manner.
AB  - Ascorbic acid (AA) possesses multiple beneficial functions, such as regulating
      collagen biosynthesis and redox balance in the skin. AA derivatives have been
      developed to overcome this compound's high fragility and to assist with AA
      supplementation to the skin. However, how AA derivatives are transferred into
      cells and converted to AA in the skin remains unclear. In the present study, we
      showed that AA treatment failed to increase the cellular AA level in the presence
      of AA transporter inhibitors, indicating an AA transporter-dependent action. In
      contrast, torisodium ascorbyl 6-palmitate 2-phosphate (APPS) treatment
      significantly enhanced the cellular AA level in skin cells despite the presence
      of inhibitors. In ex vivo experiments, APPS treatment also increased the AA
      content in a human epidermis model. Interestingly, APPS was readily metabolized
      and converted to AA in keratinocyte lysates via an intrinsic mechanism.
      Furthermore, APPS markedly repressed the intracellular superoxide generation and
      promoted viability associated with an enhanced AA level in Sod1-deficient skin
      cells. These findings indicate that APPS effectively restores the AA level and
      normalizes the redox balance in skin cells in an AA transporter-independent
      manner. Topical treatment of APPS is a beneficial strategy for supplying AA and
      improving the physiology of damaged skin.

PMID- 28640221
TI  - Use of Chitosan-PVA Hydrogels with Copper Nanoparticles to Improve the Growth of
      Grafted Watermelon.
AB  - Modern agriculture requires alternative practices that improve crop growth
      without negatively affecting the environment, as resources such as water and
      arable land grow scarcer while the human population continues to increase.
      Grafting is a cultivation technique that allows the plant to be more efficient in
      its utilization of water and nutrients, while nanoscale material engineering
      provides the opportunity to use much smaller quantities of consumables compared
      to conventional systems but with similar or superior effects. On those grounds,
      we evaluated the effects of chitosan-polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with absorbed
      copper nanoparticles (Cs-PVA-nCu) on leaf morphology and plant growth when
      applied to grafted watermelon cultivar 'Jubilee' plants. Stomatal density (SD),
      stomatal index (SI), stoma length (SL), and width (SW) were evaluated. The
      primary stem and root length, the stem diameter, specific leaf area, and fresh
      and dry weights were also recorded. Our results demonstrate that grafting induces
      modifications to leaf micromorphology that favorably affect plant growth, with
      grafted plants showing better vegetative growth in spite of their lower SD and SI
      values. Application of Cs-PVA-nCu was found to increase stoma width, primary stem
      length, and root length by 7%, 8% and 14%, respectively. These techniques
      modestly improve plant development and growth.

PMID- 28640222
TI  - Albumin and Hyaluronic Acid-Coated Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
      Loaded with Paclitaxel for Biomedical Applications.
AB  - Super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) were augmented by both
      hyaluronic acid (HA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), each covalently conjugated
      to dopamine (DA) enabling their anchoring to the SPION. HA and BSA were found to
      simultaneously serve as stabilizing polymers of Fe3O4.DA-BSA/HA in water.
      Fe3O4.DA-BSA/HA efficiently entrapped and released the hydrophobic cytotoxic drug
      paclitaxel (PTX). The relative amount of HA and BSA modulates not only the total
      solubility but also the paramagnetic relaxation properties of the preparation.
      The entrapping of PTX did not influence the paramagnetic relaxation properties of
      Fe3O4.DA-BSA. Thus, by tuning the surface structure and loading, we can tune the
      theranostic properties of the system.

PMID- 28640223
TI  - Non-Targeted Metabolomics Analysis of the Effects of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
      Sunitinib and Erlotinib on Heart, Muscle, Liver and Serum Metabolism In Vivo.
AB  - Background: More than 90 tyrosine kinases have been implicated in the
      pathogenesis of malignant transformation and tumor angiogenesis. Tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors (TKIs) have emerged as effective therapies in treating cancer by
      exploiting this kinase dependency. The TKI erlotinib targets the epidermal growth
      factor receptor (EGFR), whereas sunitinib targets primarily vascular endothelial
      growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor
      (PDGFR).TKIs that impact the function of non-malignant cells and have on- and off
      target toxicities, including cardiotoxicities. Cardiotoxicity is very rare in
      patients treated with erlotinib, but considerably more common after sunitinib
      treatment. We hypothesized that the deleterious effects of TKIs on the heart were
      related to their impact on cardiac metabolism. Methods: Female FVB/N mice
      (10/group) were treated with therapeutic doses of sunitinib (40 mg/kg), erlotinib
      (50 mg/kg), or vehicle daily for two weeks. Echocardiographic assessment of the
      heart in vivo was performed at baseline and on Day 14. Heart, skeletal muscle,
      liver and serum were flash frozen and prepped for non-targeted GC-MS metabolomics
      analysis. Results: Compared to vehicle-treated controls, sunitinib-treated mice
      had significant decreases in systolic function, whereas erlotinib-treated mice
      did not. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis of heart identified significant
      decreases in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA)/ eicosapentaenoic
      acid (EPA), O-phosphocolamine, and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid after sunitinib
      treatment. DHA was significantly decreased in skeletal muscle (quadriceps
      femoris), while elevated cholesterol was identified in liver and elevated
      ethanolamine identified in serum. In contrast, erlotinib affected only one
      metabolite (spermidine significantly increased). Conclusions: Mice treated with
      sunitinib exhibited systolic dysfunction within two weeks, with significantly
      lower heart and skeletal muscle levels of long chain omega-3 fatty acids
      docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
      increased serum O-phosphocholine phospholipid. This is the first link between
      sunitinib-induced cardiotoxicity and depletion of the polyunsaturated fatty acids
      (PUFAs) and inflammatory mediators DHA and AA/EPA in the heart. These compounds
      have important roles in maintaining mitochondrial function, and their loss may
      contribute to cardiac dysfunction.

PMID- 28640224
TI  - Nomegestrol Acetate Suppresses Human Endometrial Cancer RL95-2 Cells
      Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo Possibly Related to Upregulating Expression of
      SUFU and Wnt7a.
AB  - Nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC) has been successfully used for the treatment of some
      gynecological disorders, and as a combined oral contraceptive with approval in
      many countries. In this study, we investigated the effects of NOMAC on human
      endometrial cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The proliferation of human
      endometrial cancer cells (RL95-2 and KLE) were assessed using CCK-8 and EdU
      incorporation assays. Whole-genome cDNA microarray analysis was used to identify
      the effects of NOMAC on gene expression profiles in RL95-2 cells. RL95-2
      xenograft nude mice were treated with NOMAC (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) or
      medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA; 100 and 200 mg/kg) for 28 consecutive days. The
      results showed that NOMAC significantly inhibited the growth of RL95-2 cells in a
      concentration-dependent manner, but not in KLE cells. Further investigation
      demonstrated that NOMAC produced a stronger inhibition of tumor growth
      (inhibition rates for 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg NOMAC were 24.74%, 47.04%, and
      58.06%, respectively) than did MPA (inhibition rates for 100 and 200 mg/kg MPA
      were 41.06% and 27.01%, respectively) in the nude mice bearing the cell line of
      RL95-2. NOMAC altered the expression of several genes related to cancer cell
      proliferation, including SUFU and Wnt7a. The upregulation of SUFU and Wnt7a was
      confirmed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western
      blotting in RL95-2 cells and RL95-2 xenograft tumor tissues, but not in KLE
      cells. These data indicate that NOMAC can inhibit the proliferation of RL95-2
      cell in vitro and suppress the growth of xenografts in the nude mice bearing the
      cell line of RL95-2 in vivo. This effect could be related to the upregulating
      expression of SUFU and Wnt7a.

PMID- 28640226
TI  - Trimethylamine Sensors Based on Au-Modified Hierarchical Porous Single
      Crystalline ZnO Nanosheets.
AB  - It is of great significance for dynamic monitoring of foods in storage or during
      the transportation process through on-line detecting trimethylamine (TMA). Here,
      TMA were sensitively detected by Au-modified hierarchical porous single
      crystalline ZnO nanosheets (HPSCZNs)-based sensors. The HPSCZNs were synthesized
      through a one-pot wet-chemical method followed by an annealing treatment.
      Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was used to modify the surface of the HPSCZNs, and then
      the PEI-modified samples were mixed with Au nanoparticles (NPs) sol solution.
      Electrostatic interactions drive Au nanoparticles loading onto the surface of the
      HPSCZNs. The Au-modified HPSCZNs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD),
      scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and
      energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), respectively. The results show that Au-modified
      HPSCZNs-based sensors exhibit a high response to TMA. The linear range is from 10
      to 300 ppb; while the detection limit is 10 ppb, which is the lowest value to our
      knowledge.

PMID- 28640225
TI  - Herb-Drug Interaction between the Traditional Hepatoprotective Formulation and
      Sorafenib on Hepatotoxicity, Histopathology and Pharmacokinetics in Rats.
AB  - Sorafenib has been used as a standard therapy for advanced hepatocellular
      carcinoma (HCC). In Asia, patients with HCC are potentially treated with the
      combination of sorafenib and Chinese herbal medicines to improve the efficiency
      and reduce the side effects of sorafenib. However, limited information about the
      herb-drug interactions is available. We hypothesize that the Chinese herbal
      medicine may exert hepatoprotective effects on the sorafenib-treated group. The
      aim of this study is to investigate the pharmacokinetic mechanism of drug-drug
      interactions of sorafenib including interacting with hepatoprotective
      formulation, Long-Dan-Xie-Gan-Tang formulation (LDXGT) and with two cytochrome
      P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) inhibitors, grapefruit juice and ketoconazole. Liver enzyme
      levels and histopathology of liver slices were used to evaluate sorafenib-induced
      hepatotoxicity and the potential hepatoprotective effects of the LDXGT
      formulation on subjects treated with the combination of sorafenib and the herbal
      medicine. In this study, a validated HPLC-photodiode array analytical system was
      developed for the pharmacokinetic study of sorafenib in rats. As the result of
      the pharmacokinetic data, pretreatment with the LDXGT formulation did not
      significantly interact with sorafenib compared with sorafenib oral administration
      alone. Furthermore, grapefruit juice and ketoconazole did not significantly
      affect sorafenib metabolism. Furthermore, pretreatment with variable, single or
      repeat doses of the LDXGT formulation did not suppress or exacerbate the
      sorafenib-induced hepatotoxicity and histopathological alterations. According to
      these results, the LDXGT formulation is safe, but has no beneficial effects on
      sorafenib-induced hepatotoxicity. A detailed clinical trial should be performed
      to further evaluate the efficacy or adverse effects of the LDXGT formulation in
      combination with sorafenib in humans.

PMID- 28640227
TI  - Impact of Mycotoxins Secreted by Aspergillus Molds on the Inflammatory Response
      of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells.
AB  - Exposure to molds and mycotoxins not only contributes to the onset of respiratory
      disease, it also affects the ocular surface. Very few published studies concern
      the evaluation of the effect of mycotoxin exposure on ocular cells. The present
      study investigates the effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and gliotoxin, two
      mycotoxins secreted by Aspergillus molds, on the biological activity of the human
      corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. After 24, 48, and 72 h of exposure, cellular
      viability and inflammatory response were assessed. Both endpoint cell viability
      colorimetric assays and continuous cell impedance measurements, providing
      noninvasive real-time assessment of the effect on cells, were performed. Cytokine
      gene expression and interleukin-8 release were quantified. Gliotoxin appeared
      more cytotoxic than AFB1 but, at the same time, led to a lower increase of the
      inflammatory response reflecting its immunosuppressive properties. Real-time cell
      impedance measurement showed a distinct profile of cytotoxicity for both
      mycotoxins. HCE cells appeared to be a well-suited in vitro model to study ocular
      surface reactivity following biological contaminant exposure. Low, but persistent
      inflammation, caused by environmental factors, such as fungal toxins, leads to
      irritation and sensitization, and could be responsible for allergic
      manifestations which, in turn, could lead to mucosal hyper-reactivity.

PMID- 28640228
TI  - Development and Validation of a High-Throughput Mass Spectrometry Based Urine
      Metabolomic Test for the Detection of Colonic Adenomatous Polyps.
AB  - Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths
      worldwide. The detection and removal of the precursors to colorectal cancer,
      adenomatous polyps, is the key for screening. The aim of this study was to
      develop a clinically scalable (high throughput, low cost, and high sensitivity)
      mass spectrometry (MS)-based urine metabolomic test for the detection of
      adenomatous polyps. Methods: Prospective urine and stool samples were collected
      from 685 participants enrolled in a colorectal cancer screening program to
      undergo colonoscopy examination. Statistical analysis was performed on 69 urine
      metabolites measured by one-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
      to identify key metabolites. A targeted MS assay was then developed to quantify
      the key metabolites in urine. A MS-based urine metabolomic diagnostic test for
      adenomatous polyps was established using 67% samples (un-blinded training set)
      and validated using the remaining 33% samples (blinded testing set). Results: The
      MS-based urine metabolomic test identifies patients with colonic adenomatous
      polyps with an AUC of 0.692, outperforming the NMR based predictor with an AUC of
      0.670. Conclusion: Here we describe a clinically scalable MS-based urine
      metabolomic test that identifies patients with adenomatous polyps at a higher
      level of sensitivity (86%) over current fecal-based tests (<18%).

PMID- 28640229
TI  - Seasonal Differences in Determinants of Time Location Patterns in an Urban
      Population: A Large Population-Based Study in Korea.
AB  - Time location patterns are a significant factor for exposure assessment models of
      air pollutants. Factors associated with time location patterns in urban
      populations are typically due to high air pollution levels in urban areas. The
      objective of this study was to determine the seasonal differences in time
      location patterns in two urban cities. A Time Use Survey of Korean Statistics
      (KOSTAT) was conducted in the summer, fall, and winter of 2014. Time location
      data from Seoul and Busan were collected, together with demographic information
      obtained by diaries and questionnaires. Determinants of the time spent at each
      location were analyzed by multiple linear regression and the stepwise method.
      Seoul and Busan participants had similar time location profiles over the three
      seasons. The time spent at own home, other locations, workplace/school and during
      walk were similar over the three seasons in both the Seoul and Busan
      participants. The most significant time location pattern factors were employment
      status, age, gender, monthly income, and spouse. Season affected the time spent
      at the workplace/school and other locations in the Seoul participants, but not in
      the Busan participants. The seasons affected each time location pattern of the
      urban population slightly differently, but overall there were few differences.

PMID- 28640230
TI  - Total Flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma Prevent Bone Loss Induced by Hindlimb
      Unloading in Rats.
AB  - Drynariae Rhizoma is a kidney-tonifying herb that has a long history in clinical
      practice for the treatment of bone fractures and joint diseases in China.
      Flavonoids are considered to be its major active ingredients and are reported to
      ease bone loss in ovariectomized rats. However, the beneficial effects of the
      total flavonoids of Drynariae Rhizoma on osteoporosis caused by microgravity or
      mechanical inactivity remain unknown. This study assessed the effects of total
      Drynariae Rhizoma flavonoids (DRTF, Qihuang, Beijing, China, national medicine
      permit No. Z20030007, number of production: 04080081, content of DRTF >=80%)
      against bone loss induced by simulated microgravity. A hindlimb unloading tail
      suspended rat model was established to determine the effect of DRTF on bone
      mineral density (BMD), biomechanical strength and trabecular bone
      microarchitecture. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four
      groups: the baseline, control, hindlimb unloading with vehicle (HLU), and
      hindlimb unloading treated with DRTF (HLU-DRTF, 75 mg/kg/day) groups. Oral DRTF
      was administered for 4 weeks. The underlying mechanisms of the DRTF actions on
      disuse-induced osteoporosis are discussed. The results showed that DRTF treatment
      significantly increased the BMD and mechanical strength of tail-suspended rats.
      Enhanced bone turnover markers with HLU treatment were attenuated by DRTF
      administration. Deterioration of trabecular bone induced by HLU was prevented
      through elevated bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb. N),
      trabecular thickness (Tb. Th) and decreased trabecular separation (Tb. Sp). The
      present study provides the first evidence that DRTF prevents bone loss induced by
      HLU treatment, indicating its potential application in the treatment of disuse
      induced osteoporosis.

PMID- 28640231
TI  - Pubertal Stage, Body Mass Index, and Cardiometabolic Risk in Children and
      Adolescents in Bogota, Colombia: The Cross-Sectional Fuprecol Study.
AB  - This study explored the association between pubertal stage and anthropometric and
      cardiometabolic risk factors in youth. A cross-sectional study was conducted in
      2877 Colombian children and adolescents (9-17.9 years of age). Weight, height,
      and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A
      biochemical study was performed to determine the cardiometabolic risk index
      (CMRI). Blood pressure was evaluated and pubertal stage was assessed with the
      Tanner criteria. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. The
      most significant variable (p < 0.05) in the prognosis of cardiometabolic risk was
      found to be the BMI in both boys and girls. In the case of girls, the pubertal
      stage was also a CMRI predictive factor. In conclusion, BMI was an important
      indicator of cardiovascular risk in both sexes. Pubertal stage was associated
      with cardiovascular risk only in the girls.

PMID- 28640232
TI  - Why Do Children Engage in Sedentary Behavior? Child- and Parent-Perceived
      Determinants.
AB  - Todays children spend a large amount of their time sedentary. There is limited
      evidence on the determinants of sedentary behavior in children, and qualitative
      studies are especially lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to explore
      determinants of children's sedentary behavior from the child- and parent
      perspective. Qualitative data were collected during concept mapping sessions with
      four groups of 11-13 years old children (n = 38) and two online sessions with
      parents (n = 21). Children and parents generated sedentary behavior motives,
      sorted related motives, and rated their importance in influencing children's
      sedentary time. Next, multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis
      was performed to create clusters of motives resulting in a concept map. Finally,
      the researchers named the clusters in the concept map. Concept maps of children
      yielded eight to ten perceived determinants, and concept maps of parents six to
      seven. Children and parents identified six similar potential determinants, and
      both rated as important: Sitting because... "it is the norm (I have to)", and "I
      can work/play better that way". In addition, children rated "there is nobody to
      play with" as an important potential determinant for engaging in sedentary
      behavior. The most important child- and parent perceived determinants were
      related to the social/cultural and physical environment, indicating that these
      are promising targets for future interventions.

PMID- 28640235
TI  - Stereo Vision-Based High Dynamic Range Imaging Using Differently-Exposed Image
      Pair.
AB  - In this paper, a high dynamic range (HDR) imaging method based on the stereo
      vision system is presented. The proposed method uses differently exposed low
      dynamic range (LDR) images captured from a stereo camera. The stereo LDR images
      are first converted to initial stereo HDR images using the inverse camera
      response function estimated from the LDR images. However, due to the limited
      dynamic range of the stereo LDR camera, the radiance values in under/over-exposed
      regions of the initial main-view (MV) HDR image can be lost. To restore these
      radiance values, the proposed stereo matching and hole-filling algorithms are
      applied to the stereo HDR images. Specifically, the auxiliary-view (AV) HDR image
      is warped by using the estimated disparity between initial the stereo HDR images
      and then effective hole-filling is applied to the warped AV HDR image. To
      reconstruct the final MV HDR, the warped and hole-filled AV HDR image is fused
      with the initial MV HDR image using the weight map. The experimental results
      demonstrate objectively and subjectively that the proposed stereo HDR imaging
      method provides better performance compared to the conventional method.

PMID- 28640233
TI  - Metabolic Effects of High Glycaemic Index Diets: A Systematic Review and Meta
      Analysis of Feeding Studies in Mice and Rats.
AB  - Low glycaemic index (LGI) diets are often reported to benefit metabolic health,
      but the mechanism(s) responsible are not clear. This review aimed to
      systematically identify studies investigating metabolic effects of high glycaemic
      index (HGI) versus LGI diets in mice and rats. A meta-analysis was conducted to
      calculate an overall effect size, Hedge's standardised mean differences
      (hereafter d), for each trait, with moderator variables considered in subsequent
      meta-regressions. Across 30 articles, a HGI diet increased five of the seven
      traits examined: body weight (d = 0.55; 95% confidence interval: 0.31, 0.79), fat
      mass (d = 1.08; 0.67, 1.49), fasting circulating insulin levels (d = 0.40; 0.09,
      0.71), and glucose (d = 0.80; 0.35, 1.25) and insulin (d = 1.14; 0.50, 1.77) area
      under the curve during a glucose tolerance test. However, there was substantial
      heterogeneity among the effects for all traits and the small number of studies
      enabled only limited investigation of possible confounding factors. HGI diets
      favour body weight gain, increased adiposity and detrimentally affect parameters
      of glucose homeostasis in mice and rats, but these effects may not be a direct
      result of GI per se; rather they may be due to variation in other dietary
      constituents, such as dietary fibre, a factor which is known to reduce the GI of
      food and promote health via GI-independent mechanisms.

PMID- 28640236
TI  - A Decision Mixture Model-Based Method for Inshore Ship Detection Using High
      Resolution Remote Sensing Images.
AB  - With the rapid development of optical remote sensing satellites, ship detection
      and identification based on large-scale remote sensing images has become a
      significant maritime research topic. Compared with traditional ocean-going vessel
      detection, inshore ship detection has received increasing attention in harbor
      dynamic surveillance and maritime management. However, because the harbor
      environment is complex, gray information and texture features between docked
      ships and their connected dock regions are indistinguishable, most of the popular
      detection methods are limited by their calculation efficiency and detection
      accuracy. In this paper, a novel hierarchical method that combines an efficient
      candidate scanning strategy and an accurate candidate identification mixture
      model is presented for inshore ship detection in complex harbor areas. First, in
      the candidate region extraction phase, an omnidirectional intersected two
      dimension scanning (OITDS) strategy is designed to rapidly extract candidate
      regions from the land-water segmented images. In the candidate region
      identification phase, a decision mixture model (DMM) is proposed to identify real
      ships from candidate objects. Specifically, to improve the robustness regarding
      the diversity of ships, a deformable part model (DPM) was employed to train a key
      part sub-model and a whole ship sub-model. Furthermore, to improve the
      identification accuracy, a surrounding correlation context sub-model is built.
      Finally, to increase the accuracy of candidate region identification, these three
      sub-models are integrated into the proposed DMM. Experiments were performed on
      numerous large-scale harbor remote sensing images, and the results showed that
      the proposed method has high detection accuracy and rapid computational
      efficiency.

PMID- 28640237
TI  - Broad consent for health care-embedded biobanking: understanding and reasons to
      donate in a large patient sample.
AB  - PurposeTo facilitate ethically acceptable and practically successful health care
      embedded biobanking, the attitudes and understanding of patients and their
      motivation to participate need to be explored.MethodsA questionnaire study was
      conducted among 760 outpatients of a northern German university hospital to
      assess their awareness of, and motivation for giving broad consent to health care
      embedded biobanking, also addressing the issue of feedback on individual-level
      research findings.ResultsThe overall willingness to give broad consent was high
      (86.9%) in our study, even though the subjective and objective understanding of
      patients was found to be only modest. Most participants who consented did so for
      prosocial reasons (altruism, solidarity, reciprocity, gratitude), whereas self
      interest or worries about disadvantages played only a marginal role. Better
      objective understanding was associated with both a greater demand for feedback on
      individual research findings and a higher willingness to consent. Intermittent
      modification of the information material provided by the hospital led to
      significantly improved objective understanding.ConclusionPatient willingness to
      give broad consent to health care-embedded biobanking is high, with prosocial
      reasons driving decision making more than factual knowledge and approval or
      disapproval of specific consent elements. Future efforts to improve the
      information material used in health care-embedded biobanking should therefore
      emphasize prosocial reasons to consent.

PMID- 28640238
TI  - Treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome): results from a
      systematic evidence review.
AB  - PurposeA pilot systematic evidence review to establish methodology utility in
      rare genetic diseases, support clinical recommendations, and identify important
      knowledge gaps.MethodsBroad-based published/gray-literature searches through
      December 2015 for studies of males with confirmed mucopolysaccharidosis type II
      (any age, phenotype, genotype, family history) treated with enzyme replacement
      therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Preset inclusion criteria
      employed for abstract and full document selection, and standardized methods for
      data extraction and assessment of quality and strength of evidence.ResultsTwelve
      outcomes reported included benefits of urinary glycosaminoglycan and liver/spleen
      volume reductions and harms of immunoglobulin G/neutralizing antibody development
      (moderate strength of evidence). Less clear were benefits of improved 6-minute
      walk tests, height, early treatment, and harms of other adverse reactions (low
      strength of evidence). Benefits and harms of other outcomes were unclear
      (insufficient strength of evidence). Current benefits and harms of hematopoietic
      stem cell transplantation are unclear, based on dated, low-quality studies. A
      critical knowledge gap is long-term outcomes. Consensus on selection of critical
      outcomes and measures is needed to definitively evaluate treatment safety and
      effectiveness.ConclusionMinor methodology modifications and a focus on critical
      evidence can reduce review time and resources. Summarized evidence was sufficient
      to support guidance development and highlight important knowledge gaps.

PMID- 28640240
TI  - Pitfalls of trio-based exome sequencing: imprinted genes and parental mosaicism
      MAGEL2 as an example.

PMID- 28640239
TI  - Temple syndrome: comprehensive molecular and clinical findings in 32 Japanese
      patients.
AB  - PurposeTemple syndrome (TS14) is a rare imprinting disorder caused by aberrations
      at the 14q32.2 imprinted region. Here, we report comprehensive molecular and
      clinical findings in 32 Japanese patients with TS14.MethodsWe performed molecular
      studies for TS14 in 356 patients with variable phenotypes, and clinical studies
      in all TS14 patients, including 13 previously reported.ResultsWe identified 19
      new patients with TS14, and the total of 32 patients was made up of 23 patients
      with maternal uniparental disomy (UPD(14)mat), six patients with epimutations,
      and three patients with microdeletions. Clinical studies revealed both Prader
      Willi syndrome (PWS)-like marked hypotonia and Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS)-like
      phenotype in 50% of patients, PWS-like hypotonia alone in 20% of patients, SRS
      like phenotype alone in 20% of patients, and nonsyndromic growth failure in the
      remaining 10% of patients in infancy, and gonadotropin-dependent precocious
      puberty in 76% of patients who were pubescent or older.ConclusionThese results
      suggest that TS14 is not only a genetically diagnosed entity but also a
      clinically recognizable disorder. Genetic testing for TS14 should be considered
      in patients with growth failure plus both PWS-like hypotonia and SRS-like
      phenotypes in infancy, and/or precocious puberty, as well as a familial history
      of Kagami-Ogata syndrome due to maternal microdeletion at 14q32.2.

PMID- 28640242
TI  - Report on the Banbury Summit Meeting on medical genetics training in the genomic
      era, 23-26 February 2014.

PMID- 28640241
TI  - Long-read genome sequencing identifies causal structural variation in a Mendelian
      disease.
AB  - PurposeCurrent clinical genomics assays primarily utilize short-read sequencing
      (SRS), but SRS has limited ability to evaluate repetitive regions and structural
      variants. Long-read sequencing (LRS) has complementary strengths, and we aimed to
      determine whether LRS could offer a means to identify overlooked genetic
      variation in patients undiagnosed by SRS.MethodsWe performed low-coverage genome
      LRS to identify structural variants in a patient who presented with multiple
      neoplasia and cardiac myxomata, in whom the results of targeted clinical testing
      and genome SRS were negative.ResultsThis LRS approach yielded 6,971 deletions and
      6,821 insertions > 50 bp. Filtering for variants that are absent in an unrelated
      control and overlap a disease gene coding exon identified three deletions and
      three insertions. One of these, a heterozygous 2,184 bp deletion, overlaps the
      first coding exon of PRKAR1A, which is implicated in autosomal dominant Carney
      complex. RNA sequencing demonstrated decreased PRKAR1A expression. The deletion
      was classified as pathogenic based on guidelines for interpretation of sequence
      variants.ConclusionThis first successful application of genome LRS to identify a
      pathogenic variant in a patient suggests that LRS has significant potential for
      the identification of disease-causing structural variation. Larger studies will
      ultimately be required to evaluate the potential clinical utility of LRS.

PMID- 28640243
TI  - In-depth investigations of adolescents and adults with holoprosencephaly identify
      unique characteristics.
AB  - PurposeWith improved medical care, some individuals with holoprosencephaly (HPE)
      are surviving into adulthood. We investigated the clinical manifestations of
      adolescents and adults with HPE and explored the underlying molecular
      causes.MethodsParticipants included 20 subjects 15 years of age and older.
      Clinical assessments included dysmorphology exams, cognitive testing, swallowing
      studies, ophthalmic examination, and brain magnetic resonance imaging. Genetic
      testing included chromosomal microarray, Sanger sequencing for SHH, ZIC2, SIX3,
      and TGIF, and whole-exome sequencing (WES) of 10 trios.ResultsSemilobar HPE was
      the most common subtype of HPE, seen in 50% of the participants.
      Neurodevelopmental disabilities were found to correlate with HPE subtype. Factors
      associated with long-term survival included HPE subtype not alobar, female
      gender, and nontypical facial features. Four participants had de novo pathogenic
      variants in ZIC2. WES analysis of 11 participants did not reveal plausible
      candidate genes, suggesting complex inheritance in these cases. Indeed, in two
      probands there was a history of uncontrolled maternal type 1
      diabetes.ConclusionIndividuals with various HPE subtypes can survive into
      adulthood and the neurodevelopmental outcomes are variable. Based on the facial
      characteristics and molecular evaluations, we suggest that classic genetic causes
      of HPE may play a smaller role in this cohort.

PMID- 28640244
TI  - Systematic design and comparison of expanded carrier screening panels.
AB  - PurposeThe recent growth in pan-ethnic expanded carrier screening (ECS) has
      raised questions about how such panels might be designed and evaluated
      systematically. Design principles for ECS panels might improve clinical detection
      of at-risk couples and facilitate objective discussions of panel
      choice.MethodsGuided by medical-society statements, we propose a method for the
      design of ECS panels that aims to maximize the aggregate and per-disease
      sensitivity and specificity across a range of Mendelian disorders considered
      serious by a systematic classification scheme. We evaluated this method
      retrospectively using results from 474,644 de-identified carrier screens. We then
      constructed several idealized panels to highlight strengths and limitations of
      different ECS methodologies.ResultsBased on modeled fetal risks for "severe" and
      "profound" diseases, a commercially available ECS panel (Counsyl) is expected to
      detect 183 affected conceptuses per 100,000 US births. A screen's sensitivity is
      greatly impacted by two factors: (i) the methodology used (e.g., full-exon
      sequencing finds more affected conceptuses than targeted genotyping) and (ii) the
      detection rate of the screen for diseases with high prevalence and complex
      molecular genetics (e.g., fragile X syndrome).ConclusionThe described approaches
      enable principled, quantitative evaluation of which diseases and methodologies
      are appropriate for pan-ethnic expanded carrier screening.

PMID- 28640245
TI  - The importance of communicating histories of gender assignment and reassignment
      to genetic laboratories.

PMID- 28640246
TI  - GWAS signals revisited using human knockouts.
AB  - PurposeGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been instrumental to our
      understanding of the genetic risk determinants of complex traits. A common
      challenge in GWAS is the interpretation of signals, which are usually attributed
      to the genes closest to the polymorphic markers that display the strongest
      statistical association. Naturally occurring complete loss of function (knockout)
      of these genes in humans can inform GWAS interpretation by unmasking their
      deficiency state in a clinical context.MethodsWe exploited the unique population
      structure of Saudi Arabia to identify novel knockout events in genes previously
      highlighted in GWAS using combined autozygome/exome analysis.ResultsWe report
      five families with homozygous truncating mutations in genes that had only been
      linked to human disease through GWAS. The phenotypes observed in the natural
      knockouts for these genes (TRAF3IP2, FRMD3, RSRC1, BTBD9, and PXDNL) range from
      consistent with, to unrelated to, the previously reported GWAS
      phenotype.ConclusionWe expand the role of human knockouts in the medical
      annotation of the human genome, and show their potential value in informing the
      interpretation of GWAS of complex traits.

PMID- 28640247
TI  - Genetic testing impacts the utility of prospective familial screening in
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy through identification of a nonfamilial subgroup.
AB  - PurposeHypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is considered a hereditary autosomal
      dominant condition, but genetic testing is positive in only half of patients. In
      patients with negative genetic tests, the inheritance pattern and utility of
      family screening are unclear.MethodsSubjects with HCM were prospectively enrolled
      in a registry. A survey at a median follow-up of 4 years determined the yield of
      family screening.ResultsThe outcome of cardiac screening on 267 family members
      was reported by 120 survey respondents. Subjects with positive genetic test or
      family history (n=74, 62%) reported an HCM diagnosis in 34 of 203 first-degree
      relatives who were screened (17%). Affected family members were diagnosed at a
      mean age of 30-39 years, and 22 of 34 experienced HCM-related adverse events
      (65%). Gene test-negative subjects with no prior family history of HCM (n=46,
      38%) reported an HCM diagnosis in only 2 of 64 first-degree relatives who were
      screened (3%, p<0.001). These two individuals were diagnosed at age >40 years
      without HCM-related adverse events.ConclusionHypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a
      heterogeneous disorder, only half of which tracks with a Mendelian inheritance
      pattern. Negative genetic testing and family history indicates a more complex
      genetic basis corresponding to low risk for family members.

PMID- 28640248
TI  - Voluntary distance running prevents TNF-mediated liver injury in mice through
      alterations of the intrahepatic immune milieu.
AB  - Physical activity confers a broad spectrum of health benefits. Beyond the obvious
      role in metabolically driven diseases, the role of physical activity in acute
      liver injury is poorly explored. To study the role of physical activity in acute
      liver injury, a novel model of voluntary distance running in mice was developed
      and mice were subjected to acute liver injury induced by N-galactosamine (GalN)
      and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Analyses included histological stains,
      immunoblotting, qRT-PCR and FACS analysis. Voluntary distance running increased
      to an average of 10.3 km/day after a learning curve. Running lead to a decrease
      in the absolute numbers of intrahepatic CD4+ T and B lymphocytes and macrophages
      after 7 weeks. In parallel, hepatic mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines
      including IL-6 and IL-1beta, TGF-beta and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP
      1/CCL2) were suppressed, while TNF-alpha was not affected by exercise. Likewise,
      expression of the macrophage-specific antigen F4/80 was downregulated 1.6-fold
      from exercise. Notably, acute liver injury from GaIN/LPS was significantly
      blunted following 7 weeks of voluntary exercise as determined by liver histology,
      a 84.6% reduction of alanine aminotransferase (P<0.01) and a 54.6% reduction of
      aspartate aminotransferase (P<0.05) compared with sedentary mice. Additionally,
      proinflammatory cytokines, activation of caspase 3 and JNK were significantly
      lower, while antiapoptotic protein A20 increased. Voluntary distance running
      alters the intrahepatic immune phenotype producing an environment that is less
      susceptible to acute liver injury.

PMID- 28640250
TI  - BH3-only proteins: the thorny end of the ER stress response.

PMID- 28640249
TI  - MYBL2 (B-Myb): a central regulator of cell proliferation, cell survival and
      differentiation involved in tumorigenesis.
AB  - Limitless cell proliferation, evasion from apoptosis, dedifferentiation,
      metastatic spread and therapy resistance: all these properties of a cancer cell
      contribute to its malignant phenotype and affect patient outcome. MYBL2 (alias B
      Myb) is a transcription factor of the MYB transcription factor family and a
      physiological regulator of cell cycle progression, cell survival and cell
      differentiation. When deregulated in cancer cells, MYBL2 mediates the
      deregulation of these properties. In fact, MYBL2 is overexpressed and associated
      with poor patient outcome in numerous cancer entities. MYBL2 and players of its
      downstream transcriptional network can be used as prognostic and/or predictive
      biomarkers as well as potential therapeutic targets to offer less toxic and more
      specific anti-cancer therapies in future. In this review, we summarize current
      knowledge on the physiological roles of MYBL2 and highlight the impact of its
      deregulation on cancer initiation and progression.

PMID- 28640251
TI  - Inhibition of cancer growth in vitro and in vivo by a novel ROS-modulating agent
      with ability to eliminate stem-like cancer cells.
AB  - Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a crucial role in cell signaling and cellular
      functions. Mounting evidences suggest that abnormal increase of ROS is often
      observed in cancer cells and that this biochemical feature can be exploited for
      selective killing of the malignant cells. A naturally occurring compound
      phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) has been shown to have promising anticancer
      activity by modulating intracellular ROS. Here we report a novel synthetic analog
      of PEITC with superior in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects. Mechanistic study
      showed that LBL21 induced a rapid depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH),
      leading to abnormal ROS accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction, evident by a
      decrease in mitochondrial respiration and transmembrane potential. Importantly,
      LBL21 exhibited the ability to abrogate stem cell-like cancer side population
      (SP) cells in non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells associated with a
      downregulation of stem cell markers including OCT4, ABCG2, SOX2 and CD133.
      Functionally, LBL21 inhibited the ability of cancer cells to form colonies in
      vitro and develop tumor in vivo. The therapeutic efficacy of LBL21 was further
      demonstrated in mice bearing A549 lung cancer xenografts. Our study suggests that
      the novel ROS-modulating agent LBL21 has promising anticancer activity with an
      advantage of elimination of stem-like cancer cells. This compound merits further
      study to evaluate its potential for use in cancer treatment.

PMID- 28640252
TI  - Long non-coding RNA ATB promotes malignancy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
      by regulating miR-200b/Kindlin-2 axis.
AB  - Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer
      related death, especially in China. In addition, the prognosis of late stage
      patients is extremely poor. However, the biological significance of the long non
      coding RNA lnc-ATB and its potential role in ESCC remain to be documented. In
      this study, we investigated the role of lnc-ATB and the underlying mechanism
      promoting its oncogenic activity in ESCC. Expression of lnc-ATB was higher in
      ESCC tissues and cell lines than that in normal counterparts. Upregulated lnc-ATB
      served as an independent prognosis predictor of ESCC patients. Moreover, loss-of
      function assays in ESCC cells showed that knockdown of lnc-ATB inhibited cell
      proliferation and migration both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigation
      indicated that lnc-ATB exerted oncogenic activities via regulating Kindlin-2, as
      the anti-migration role of lnc-ATB silence was attenuated by ectopic expression
      of Kindlin-2. Further analysis showed that lnc-ATB functions as a molecular
      sponge for miR-200b and Kindlin-2. Dysregulated miR-200b/Kindlin-2 signaling
      mediated the oncogenic activity of lnc-ATB in ESCC. Our results suggest that lnc
      ATB predicts poor prognosis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for
      ESCC patients.

PMID- 28640255
TI  - AQP9-induced cell cycle arrest is associated with RAS activation and improves
      chemotherapy treatment efficacy in colorectal cancer.
AB  - Aquaporin-9 (AQP9) expression is associated with arsenic sensitivity in leukemia
      cells. However, the role of AQP9 in regulating tumor sensitivity to adjuvant
      chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been elucidated. In this study,
      we demonstrated that AQP9 can serve as an independent predictive marker for
      adjuvant chemotherapy in CRC. Patients with high AQP9 expression had higher rate
      of disease-free survival (DFS) than those with low AQP9 expression. Upregulation
      of AQP9 was associated with enhanced chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
      both in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of AQP9 resulted in an increased
      intracellular level of 5-FU in CRC cells, hence leading to a higher percentage of
      apoptosis after 5-FU treatment. Moreover, AQP9 is positively associated with RAS
      activation and other downstream signaling molecules in CRC. AQP9 overexpression
      resulted in p21 upregulation and induced S-phase arrest. Taken together, AQP9
      enhances the cytotoxic response to 5-FU in CRC cells by simultaneously inducing S
      phase arrest via activation of RAS signaling and facilitating drug uptake. Our
      results suggest that AQP9 might be a novel predictor for the benefit of 5-FU
      based chemotherapy in CRC. The identification of AQP9-induced tumor sensitivity
      to 5-FU highlights the role of AQP9 in regulating chemosensitivity in CRC.

PMID- 28640256
TI  - MicroRNA-26a/cyclin-dependent kinase 5 axis controls proliferation, apoptosis and
      in vivo tumor growth of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines.
AB  - Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most frequent type of non-Hodgkin
      lymphoma. Despite a favorable therapeutic response to first-line chemo
      immunotherapy, still 30-40% of patients is refractory, or relapse after this
      treatment. Thus, alternative strategies must be sought. Previous studies have
      indicated that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), a serine/threonine protein
      kinase, is involved in tumor development and progression, and it may represent a
      potential therapeutic target. However, its role in modulating DLBCL growth and
      progression remains largely unexplored. In this study, we show that CDK5 and its
      activator, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator 1 (CDK5R1 or p35), are
      overexpressed in DLBCL cell lines and that signal transducer and activator of
      transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation and activity is dependent on CDK5
      expression in DLBCL. Using public data sets, we also demonstrate that patients
      with DLBCL show a higher expression of CDK5 compared with healthy individuals. By
      using loss-of-function approaches, we demonstrate that CDK5's activity regulates
      proliferation and survival of DLBCL cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small
      noncoding RNAs that negatively regulating gene expression and are involved in
      cancer initiation and progression. We identify miR-26a as direct regulator of p35
      expression and CDK5 activity. We show that miR-26a expression is lower in DLBCL
      cell lines compared to B lymphocytes and that its ectopic expression leads to a
      drastic reduction of DLBCL tumor growth in vivo and decreased proliferation, cell
      cycle progression, and survival in vitro. Remarkably, concomitant overexpression
      of a 3'-UTR-truncated form of p35 promoted tumor growth in vivo and cell
      proliferation, cell-cycle progression, and cell survival in vitro. In conclusion,
      these results demonstrate an important role for miR-26a and CDK5 together in the
      survival and growth of DLBCL cells, suggesting the existence of potential novel
      therapeutic targets for the treatment of DLBCL.

PMID- 28640258
TI  - Effects of a ketamine metabolite on synaptic NMDAR function.

PMID- 28640254
TI  - Reduced brain UCP2 expression mediated by microRNA-503 contributes to increased
      stroke susceptibility in the high-salt fed stroke-prone spontaneously
      hypertensive rat.
AB  - UCP2 maps nearby the lod score peak of STR1-stroke QTL in the SHRSP rat strain.
      We explored the potential contribution of UCP2 to the high-salt diet (JD)
      dependent increased stroke susceptibility of SHRSP. Male SHRSP, SHRSR, two
      reciprocal SHRSR/SHRSP-STR1/QTL stroke congenic lines received JD for 4 weeks to
      detect brain UCP2 gene/protein modulation as compared with regular diet (RD).
      Brains were also analyzed for NF-kappaB protein expression, oxidative stress
      level and UCP2-targeted microRNAs expression level. Next, based on knowledge that
      fenofibrate and Brassica Oleracea (BO) stimulate UCP2 expression through
      PPARalpha activation, we monitored stroke occurrence in SHRSP receiving JD plus
      fenofibrate versus vehicle, JD plus BO juice versus BO juice plus PPARalpha
      inhibitor. Brain UCP2 expression was markedly reduced by JD in SHRSP and in the
      (SHRsr.SHRsp-(D1Rat134-Mt1pa)) congenic line, whereas NF-kappaB expression and
      oxidative stress level increased. The opposite phenomenon was observed in the
      SHRSR and in the (SHRsp.SHRsr-(D1Rat134-Mt1pa)) reciprocal congenic line.
      Interestingly, the UCP2-targeted rno-microRNA-503 was significantly upregulated
      in SHRSP and decreased in SHRSR upon JD, with consistent changes in the two
      reciprocal congenic lines. Both fenofibrate and BO significantly decreased brain
      microRNA-503 level, upregulated UCP2 expression and protected SHRSP from stroke
      occurrence. In vitro overexpression of microRNA-503 in endothelial cells
      suppressed UCP2 expression and led to a significant increase of cell mortality
      with decreased cell viability. Brain UCP2 downregulation is a determinant of
      increased stroke predisposition in high-salt-fed SHRSP. In this context, UCP2 can
      be modulated by both pharmacological and nutraceutical agents. The microRNA-503
      significantly contributes to mediate brain UCP2 downregulation in JD-fed SHRSP.

PMID- 28640253
TI  - A role for TSPO in mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis and redox stress signaling.
AB  - The 18 kDa translocator protein TSPO localizes on the outer mitochondrial
      membrane (OMM). Systematically overexpressed at sites of neuroinflammation it is
      adopted as a biomarker of brain conditions. TSPO inhibits the autophagic removal
      of mitochondria by limiting PARK2-mediated mitochondrial ubiquitination via a
      peri-organelle accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we describe
      that TSPO deregulates mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling leading to a parallel increase
      in the cytosolic Ca2+ pools that activate the Ca2+-dependent NADPH oxidase (NOX)
      thereby increasing ROS. The inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake by TSPO is a
      consequence of the phosphorylation of the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC1)
      by the protein kinase A (PKA), which is recruited to the mitochondria, in complex
      with the Acyl-CoA binding domain containing 3 (ACBD3). Notably, the
      neurotransmitter glutamate, which contributes neuronal toxicity in age-dependent
      conditions, triggers this TSPO-dependent mechanism of cell signaling leading to
      cellular demise. TSPO is therefore proposed as a novel OMM-based pathway to
      control intracellular Ca2+ dynamics and redox transients in neuronal
      cytotoxicity.

PMID- 28640257
TI  - Tumor-suppressive miR-26a and miR-26b inhibit cell aggressiveness by regulating
      FUT4 in colorectal cancer.
AB  - Metastasis is a multistep molecular network process, which is the major cause of
      death in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal
      roles in tumorigenesis as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Increased
      expression of fucosyltransferase4 (FUT4) has been reported to be associated with
      the invasive and metastatic properties of CRC. Here to identify potential key
      miRNAs and their target genes for colorectal cancer (CRC), we compared miRNA
      expression profiles between metastatic CRC cell SW620 and primary CRC cell SW480.
      Microarray analysis revealed that there were 85 differentially expressed miRNAs
      in SW620 cells with highly metastatic potential compared to SW480 cells with
      lowly metastatic potential. The expression of miR-26a and miR-26b were lower in
      SW620 cells than in SW480 cells, as well as downregulated in tumor tissues than
      in adjacent normal tissues of CRC patients. By applying bioinformatic approaches
      for the prediction of miRNA targeting 3'-UTR of FUT4, we identified FUT4 as one
      of the miR-26a/26b-targeted genes, while the expression of the target gene
      exhibited patterns opposite to that of miR-26a/26b in CRC cell lines, tumor
      tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues. Forced miR-26a/26b expression
      affected migratory behavior of CRC cells and FUT4 expression, while altered
      expression of FUT4 in CRC cell lines modulated progression upon transfection with
      miR-26a/26b mimic or inhibiter. FUT4 also regulated directly aggressiveness of
      SW620 and SW480 cells. Moreover, statistical analyses revealed that low miR
      26a/26b levels and high expression of FUT4 were positively correlated with poor
      overall survival. The identified CRC-restricted miR-26a and miR-26b might be
      implicated in cancer progression via their target gene FUT4, suggesting their
      potential usage in CRC treatment.

PMID- 28640261
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28640260
TI  - Microscopy of the interacting Harper-Hofstadter model in the two-body limit.
AB  - The interplay between magnetic fields and interacting particles can lead to
      exotic phases of matter that exhibit topological order and high degrees of
      spatial entanglement. Although these phases were discovered in a solid-state
      setting, recent innovations in systems of ultracold neutral atoms-uncharged atoms
      that do not naturally experience a Lorentz force-allow the synthesis of
      artificial magnetic, or gauge, fields. This experimental platform holds promise
      for exploring exotic physics in fractional quantum Hall systems, owing to the
      microscopic control and precision that is achievable in cold-atom systems.
      However, so far these experiments have mostly explored the regime of weak
      interactions, which precludes access to correlated many-body states. Here,
      through microscopic atomic control and detection, we demonstrate the controlled
      incorporation of strong interactions into a two-body system with a chiral band
      structure. We observe and explain the way in which interparticle interactions
      induce chirality in the propagation dynamics of particles in a ladder-like, real
      space lattice governed by the interacting Harper-Hofstadter model, which
      describes lattice-confined, coherently mobile particles in the presence of a
      magnetic field. We use a bottom-up strategy to prepare interacting chiral quantum
      states, thus circumventing the challenges of a top-down approach that begins with
      a many-body system, the size of which can hinder the preparation of controlled
      states. Our experimental platform combines all of the necessary components for
      investigating highly entangled topological states, and our observations provide a
      benchmark for future experiments in the fractional quantum Hall regime.

PMID- 28640264
TI  - Counterfeit drugs: Fight fake reagents with digital tools.

PMID- 28640263
TI  - Strong constraints on aerosol-cloud interactions from volcanic eruptions.
AB  - Aerosols have a potentially large effect on climate, particularly through their
      interactions with clouds, but the magnitude of this effect is highly uncertain.
      Large volcanic eruptions produce sulfur dioxide, which in turn produces aerosols;
      these eruptions thus represent a natural experiment through which to quantify
      aerosol-cloud interactions. Here we show that the massive 2014-2015 fissure
      eruption in Holuhraun, Iceland, reduced the size of liquid cloud droplets
      consistent with expectations-but had no discernible effect on other cloud
      properties. The reduction in droplet size led to cloud brightening and global
      mean radiative forcing of around -0.2 watts per square metre for September to
      October 2014. Changes in cloud amount or cloud liquid water path, however, were
      undetectable, indicating that these indirect effects, and cloud systems in
      general, are well buffered against aerosol changes. This result will reduce
      uncertainties in future climate projections, because we are now able to reject
      results from climate models with an excessive liquid-water-path response.

PMID- 28640265
TI  - Genomics: The feline line.

PMID- 28640266
TI  - Quantum physics: Interactions propel a magnetic dance.

PMID- 28640267
TI  - Ecology: Document India's floral biodiversity.

PMID- 28640268
TI  - Consent: Data-sharing for indigenous peoples.

PMID- 28640269
TI  - Addendum: The antibody aducanumab reduces Abeta plaques in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/nature21361.

PMID- 28640271
TI  - A massive, dead disk galaxy in the early Universe.
AB  - At redshift z = 2, when the Universe was just three billion years old, half of
      the most massive galaxies were extremely compact and had already exhausted their
      fuel for star formation. It is believed that they were formed in intense nuclear
      starbursts and that they ultimately grew into the most massive local elliptical
      galaxies seen today, through mergers with minor companions, but validating this
      picture requires higher-resolution observations of their centres than is
      currently possible. Magnification from gravitational lensing offers an
      opportunity to resolve the inner regions of galaxies. Here we report an analysis
      of the stellar populations and kinematics of a lensed z = 2.1478 compact galaxy,
      which-surprisingly-turns out to be a fast-spinning, rotationally supported disk
      galaxy. Its stars must have formed in a disk, rather than in a merger-driven
      nuclear starburst. The galaxy was probably fed by streams of cold gas, which were
      able to penetrate the hot halo gas until they were cut off by shock heating from
      the dark matter halo. This result confirms previous indirect indications that the
      first galaxies to cease star formation must have gone through major changes not
      just in their structure, but also in their kinematics, to evolve into present-day
      elliptical galaxies.

PMID- 28640273
TI  - Philosophy: Religion's openness towards science.

PMID- 28640272
TI  - Zanos et al. reply.

PMID- 28640274
TI  - Climate science: Clouds unfazed by haze.

PMID- 28640275
TI  - Protect funding for US earthquake early-warning system.

PMID- 28640276
TI  - Teeth tell tale of hippo's quick spread across Africa.

PMID- 28640277
TI  - Ancient oak's youthful genome surprises biologists.

PMID- 28640278
TI  - China cracks down on fake peer reviews.

PMID- 28640279
TI  - New journal blacklist, palm-oil ban and the world's top supercomputers.

PMID- 28640280
TI  - China's genomics giant to make stock-market debut.

PMID- 28640281
TI  - Track batteries degrading in real time.

PMID- 28640282
TI  - Heatwaves to soar above the hot air of climate politics.

PMID- 28640283
TI  - A year on, Brexit brings lessons in uncertainty.

PMID- 28640284
TI  - The fight to save thousands of lives with sea-floor sensors.

PMID- 28640285
TI  - Don't let Europe's open-science dream drift.

PMID- 28640286
TI  - Macron consolidates electoral victory.

PMID- 28640289
TI  - Consensus structures of the Mo(v) sites of sulfite-oxidizing enzymes derived from
      variable frequency pulsed EPR spectroscopy, isotopic labelling and DFT
      calculations.
AB  - Sulfite-oxidizing enzymes from eukaryotes and prokaryotes have five-coordinate
      distorted square-pyramidal coordination about the molybdenum atom. The
      paramagnetic Mo(v) state is easily generated, and over the years four distinct CW
      EPR spectra have been identified, depending upon enzyme source and the reaction
      conditions, namely high and low pH (hpH and lpH), phosphate inhibited (Pi) and
      sulfite (or blocked). Extensive studies of these paramagnetic forms of sulfite
      oxidizing enzymes using variable frequency pulsed electron spin echo (ESE)
      spectroscopy, isotopic labeling and density functional theory (DFT) calculations
      have led to the consensus structures that are described here. Errors in some of
      the previously proposed structures are corrected.

PMID- 28640288
TI  - Prognostic Factors for Transplant-Free Survival and Validation of Prognostic
      Models in Chinese Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis Receiving
      Ursodeoxycholic Acid.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aimed to validate the prognostic models for primary biliary
      cholangitis (PBC) in Chinese patients receiving ursodeoxycholic acid (UCDA), and
      to compare their performances in predicting the long-term survival. METHODS:
      Chinese patients with PBC from a tertiary center were identified via electronic
      search of hospital medical registry. Risk factors associated with adverse events
      (liver transplantation or death from liver-related causes including
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver decompensation) were determined.
      Transplant-free survival was defined as survival free of liver-related death or
      transplantation. RESULTS: Of the 144 patients, 41 (28.5%) had baseline cirrhosis.
      The median age at diagnosis was 57.8 years. During a median follow-up of 7.0
      years, 40 patients died (21 liver-related; 19 non-liver-related), 12 developed
      HCC, and 10 underwent transplantations. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year transplant-free
      survival probabilities were 91.0%, 78.1%, and 58.9%, respectively. Independent
      risk factors for adverse events were increasing age (hazard ratio (HR) 1.05),
      cirrhosis (HR 8.53), and suboptimal treatment response (HR 3.06). Aspartate
      aminotransferase/platelet ratio index at 1 year (APRI-r1) in combination with
      treatment response optimized the risk stratification. The performances of the
      GLOBE, UK-PBC scores, Rotterdam criteria, and APRI-r1 were comparable in
      predicting adverse events. The area under receiver operating curves within 5, 10,
      and 15 years were as follows-GLOBE score: 0.83, 0.85, and 0.85, respectively; UK
      PBC score: 0.89, 0.83, and 0.79, respectively; Rotterdam criteria: 0.82, 0.76,
      and 0.80, respectively; APRI-r1: 0.80, 0.83, and 0.77, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      The UK-PBC, GLOBE scores, Rotterdam criteria, and APRI-r1 had good and comparable
      prognostic prediction values for Chinese PBC patients receiving UCDA.

PMID- 28640287
TI  - Cost-Effectiveness of Risk Score-Stratified Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening in
      Patients with Cirrhosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance with biannual ultrasound
      is currently recommended for all patients with cirrhosis. However, clinical
      implementation of this "one-size-fits-all" approach is challenging as evidenced
      by its low application rate. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of risk
      stratified HCC surveillance strategies in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: A
      Markov decision-analytic modeling was performed to simulate a cohort of 50-year
      old subjects with compensated cirrhosis. Risk-stratified HCC surveillance
      strategies was implemented, in which patients were stratified into high-,
      intermediate-, or low-risk groups by HCC risk biomarker-based scores and assigned
      to surveillance modalities tailored to HCC risk (2 non-risk-stratified and 14
      risk-stratified strategies) and compared with non-stratified biannual ultrasound.
      RESULTS: Quality-adjusted life expectancy gains for biannual ultrasound in all
      patients and risk-stratified strategies compared with no surveillance were 1.3
      and 0.9-2.1 years, respectively. Compared with the current standard of biannual
      ultrasound in all cirrhosis patients, risk-stratified strategies applying
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or ultrasound only in high- and intermediate
      risk patients, without screening in low-risk patients, were cost-effective.
      Abbreviated MRI (AMRI) for high- and intermediate-risk patients had the lowest
      incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $2,100 per quality-adjusted life
      year gained. AMRI in intermediate- and high-risk patients had ICERs <$3,000
      across a wide range of HCC incidences. CONCLUSIONS: Risk-stratified HCC
      surveillance strategies targeting high- and intermediate-risk patients with
      cirrhosis are cost-effective and outperform the currently recommended non
      stratified biannual ultrasound in all patients with cirrhosis.

PMID- 28640290
TI  - Intrinsic 37/35Cl and 18/16O isotope shifts in 195Pt and 103Rh NMR of purely
      inorganic Pt and Rh complexes as unique spectroscopic fingerprints for
      unambiguous assignment of structure.
AB  - Well-resolved intrinsic 1DeltaM(37/35Cl) and 1DeltaM(18/16O) isotope shifts
      (where M = 195Pt or 103Rh) are visible in the 195Pt NMR peak profiles of
      relatively kinetically inert [PtCln(H2O)6-n]4-n (n = 1-6) complexes, their
      corresponding hydroxido [PtCl6-n(OH)n]2- (n = 1-5/6) anions, and [RhCln(H2O)6-n]3
      n (n = 3-6) complexes in aqueous solutions at ca. 293 K. Although some such
      isotope effects have been previously reported, there are very limited published
      data in the open literature, and the first systematic studies of such intrinsic
      1DeltaM(37/35Cl) and 1DeltaM(18/16O) isotope effects are reviewed in this
      perspective. In high magnetic-field NMR spectrometers, the 195Pt and 103Rh NMR
      peak profiles acquired within a relatively narrow temperature range (288-300 K)
      constitute unique 'spectroscopic fingerprints', which allow unambiguous
      structural assignment in solution. Available data for Pt(iv) and Rh(iii)
      complexes give rise to intrinsic isotope 1Deltadelta195Pt/103Rh(37/35Cl)
      profiles, which are extraordinarily sensitive to the structure of a particular
      complex or its geometric isomer. The profiles of aquated Pt(iv) and Rh(iii)
      complexes in acidic solutions may be resolved at either an isotopologue level
      only or at both an isotopologue and an isotopomer level depending on the
      structure. By contrast, in the series of [PtCl6-n(OH)n]2- (n = 1-6) anions,
      1Deltadelta195Pt(37/35Cl) isotope shifts are resolved only at an isotopologue
      level. Relatively larger 1Delta195Pt(18/16O) isotope shifts obtained by the
      partial 18O enrichment of both the [PtCln(H2O)6-n]4-n (n = 1-6) and [PtCl6
      n(OH)n]2- (n = 1-6) series give rise to remarkable 195Pt NMR peak profiles
      showing both 37/35Cl and 18/16O shifts. In the [PtCl6-n(OH)n]2- (n = 1-5/6)
      anions a typical NMR peak profile spanning ~2 ppm only may be resolved at both
      the isotopologue and isotopomer levels, depending on whether 18/16OH- ions are
      coordinated trans to chloride ions or not. The potential utility of such
      1Delta195Pt(37/35Cl) and 1Delta195Pt(18/16O) isotope shifts in selected practical
      applications involving such complexes is briefly illustrated.

PMID- 28640291
TI  - A ferrocene based switchable molecular folding ruler.
AB  - A 2,2'-bipyridine-appended bis(ferrocene) three tiered molecular folding ruler,
      can be switched from a folded conformation to an extended conformation by the
      addition of [Cu(CH3CN)4](PF6) and 6,6'-dimesityl-2,2'-bipyridine. This extension
      and contraction process could be triggered either chemically or electrochemically
      and was reversible.

PMID- 28640292
TI  - Co-ligand tuned pyrimidine-2-carboxylate Mn(ii) complexes from a 2D 63 layer to
      an interpenetrated srs-net.
AB  - A 63 2D layer complex [Mn3Cl3(L3)]n.H2O (1) (L = pyrimidine-2-carboxylate) was
      obtained by assembling 2-cyanopyrimidine and manganese chloride, in which the L
      ligands were generated in situ. In 1 six-membered Mn rings were constructed from
      MnII ions and L ligands, which were connected to each other by double chloride
      anions affording a 2D layer. When the chloride anions in 1 were substituted
      partly by formate, [Mn4Cl3L4(HCO2)]n (2) was obtained. In 2, the L ligands bridge
      MnII to give a 1D chain, which was further connected by the double chloride
      anions and Cl/formate bridges to form a two-fold interpenetrated srs-net.
      Interestingly, 2 exhibits an obvious SHG response of approximately 0.8 times that
      of KDP. Furthermore, 2 is an antiferromagnet with a field induced spin flop
      transition.

PMID- 28640293
TI  - Collision cross section predictions using 2-dimensional molecular descriptors.
AB  - Traditional methods for deriving computationally-generated collision cross
      sections for comparisons with ion mobility-mass spectrometry data require 3
      dimensional energy-minimized structures and are often time consuming, preventing
      high throughput implementation. Here, we introduce a method to predict ion
      mobility collision cross sections of lipids and peptide analogs important in
      prebiotic chemistry and other fields. Using less than 100 2-D molecular
      descriptors this approach resulted in prediction errors of less than 2%.

PMID- 28640294
TI  - Space-confined synthesis of multilayer Cu-N-doped graphene nanosheets for
      efficient oxygen electroreduction.
AB  - Cu-based carbon electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction are difficult
      to compare with the corresponding Fe- or Co-based electrocatalytic materials,
      owing to their insufficient catalytic activity and stability. Herein, as an
      impressive Cu-based electrocatalyst, a multilayer Cu-N-doped graphene sheet (Cu-N
      GR) is directly synthesized by the thermal conversion of copper(ii) 2,2'
      bipyridine in the confined space of lamellar montmorillonites. The open layered
      morphology of Cu-N-GR materials facilitated the exposure of more active centers
      and enhanced the flexibility and mobility of charge carriers. Combining the
      unique electronic properties of layered morphology and the synergistic effect of
      Cu and N, the obtained Cu-N-GR exhibits surprising results in terms of ORR
      catalytic activity, particularly in catalytic stability and methanol-tolerant
      properties in alkaline media.

PMID- 28640295
TI  - Stabilization of a non-aqueous self-double-emulsifying delivery system of rutin
      by fat crystals and nonionic surfactants: preparation and bioavailability study.
AB  - Literature examples of non-aqueous Pickering emulsions stabilized by fat crystals
      are very rare. Moreover, the applications of rutin are limited due to its low
      solubility in both water and oils (less than 0.10 mg g-1 and 0.25 mg g-1,
      respectively). Thus, herein, we developed an optimum formulation of a non-aqueous
      self-double-emulsifying delivery system (SDEDS) containing rutin and evaluated
      its oral bioavailability. The new formulation stabilized by fat crystals
      (glycerol monostearate, GMS) and nonionic surfactants was prepared via a two-step
      emulsification process. The presence of a mixture of GMS crystals and nonionic
      surfactants effectively improves the stability of the emulsions. The non-aqueous
      SDEDS spontaneously forms oil-in-oil-in-water (O/O/W) double emulsions in the
      gastrointestinal environment with the inner oil phase mainly containing the
      active ingredients. It is stable at both 4  degrees C and 25  degrees C for 30
      days and could enhance the dissolution properties of the active ingredients.
      Furthermore, the protection of rutin against digestion-mediated precipitation was
      observed when the formulation contained a high concentration of GMS crystals. The
      oral absolute bioavailability of rutin obtained from SDEDS (8.62%) is 1.76-fold
      higher than that of the actives suspension (4.90%). Thus, the non-aqueous SDEDS
      is an attractive candidate for the encapsulation of water-insoluble and
      simultaneously oil-insoluble nutrients (such as rutin) and for use in oral
      delivery applications.

PMID- 28640296
TI  - Synthesis and photophysical and magnetic studies of ternary lanthanide(iii)
      complexes of naphthyl chromophore functionalized imidazo[4,5
      f][1,10]phenanthroline and dibenzoylmethane.
AB  - The luminescent ternary lanthanide(iii) complexes [Ln(DBM)3(L1)] and
      [Ln(DBM)3(L2)] (Ln = Eu and Tb) of dibenzoylmethane (DBM) and 2-(2-naphthyl)-1H
      imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (L1) and 2-(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)-1H
      imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (L2) are reported in this work. The naphthyl
      chromophore functionalized imidazophenanthroline ligands L1 and L2 are
      structurally characterized by using single crystal X-ray diffraction: (L1), a =
      14.933(4) A, b = 7.4965(13) A, c = 15.999(4) A, alpha = gamma = 90 degrees , beta
      = 102.670(7) degrees , V = 1747.4(6) A3, Z = 4, monoclinic, P21/c and (L2), a =
      7.8555(11) A, b = 26.216(4) A, c = 10.0748(17) A, alpha = gamma = 90 degrees ,
      beta = 96.799(7) degrees , V = 2060.2(6) A3, Z = 4, monoclinic, P21/n. A
      photophysical study reveals that the ligands L1 and L2 sensitize europium(iii)
      emission. The complexes [Eu(DBM)3(L1)] and [Eu(DBM)3(L2)] exhibit the
      characteristic emission of the Eu(iii) ion at 298 and 77 K. The terbium(iii)
      complexes [Tb(DBM)3(L1)] and [Tb(DBM)3(L2)] exhibit only ligand centred
      fluorescence at room temperature, while metal centred emission is observed at 77
      K. The non-luminescence of the Tb(iii) center at room temperature is due to the
      proximity of the triplet states of the ligands to the 5D4 level of the Tb(iii)
      ion. DC magnetic susceptibility studies have been conducted on the Tb(iii)
      complexes in a 1 T field over the temperature range 20-300 K. The complexes
      display room temperature (300 K) chiMT values of 9.69 and 10.21 cm3 mol-1 K,
      respectively. A gradual decrease in the chiMT values is observed on reducing the
      temperature and reached the value of 7.80 and 6.60 cm3 mol-1 K, respectively, at
      20 K. The decrease in the chiMT values as the temperature is lowered could be
      attributed to the depopulation of the Zeeman split crystal field levels.

PMID- 28640297
TI  - Preparation of tetrazine-containing [2 + 1] complexes of 99mTc and in vivo
      targeting using bioorthogonal inverse electron demand Diels-Alder chemistry.
AB  - The aim of this work was to synthesize and evaluate [2 + 1] 99mTc(i) polypyridine
      complexes containing tetrazines, which along with the corresponding Re(i)
      complexes, represent a new class of isostructural nuclear and turn-on luminescent
      probes that can be derivatized and targeted using bioorthogonal chemistry. To
      this end, [2 + 1] complexes of 99mTc(i) of the type [99mTc(CO)3(N^N)(L)] (N^N =
      bathophenanthroline disulfonate (BPS) or 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy)), where the
      monodentate ligand (L) was a tetrazine linked to the metal through an imidazole
      derivative, were prepared. The desired products were obtained in nearly
      quantitative radiochemical yield by adding [99mTc(CO)3(N^N)(OH2)]n to the
      imidazole-tetrazine ligand and heating at 60  degrees C for 30 min. Measurement
      of the reaction kinetics between the tetrazine and (E)-cyclooct-4-enol revealed a
      second-order rate constant of 8.6 * 103 M-1 s-1 at 37  degrees C, which is
      suitable for in vivo applications that require rapid coupling. Stability studies
      showed that the metal complexes were resistant to ligand challenge and exhibited
      reasonable protein binding in vitro. Biodistribution studies of the more water
      soluble BPS derivative in normal mice, one hour after administration of a
      bisphosphonate derivative of trans-cyclooctene (TCO-BP), revealed high activity
      concentrations in the knee (9.3 +/- 0.3 %ID g-1) and shoulder (5.3 +/- 0.7 %ID g
      1). Using the same pretargeting approach, SPECT/CT imaging showed that the [2 +
      1] tetrazine complex localized to implanted skeletal tumors. This is the first
      report of the preparation of 99mTc complexes of BPS and demonstration that their
      tetrazine derivatives can be used to prepare targeted imaging probes by employing
      bioorthogonal chemistry.

PMID- 28640298
TI  - Ellagitannin-rich bioactive extracts of Tuberaria lignosa: insights into the
      radiation-induced effects in the recovery of high added-value compounds.
AB  - Ellagitannins are polyphenols responsible for a number of bioactivities and
      health-promoting effects. These industrially important molecules can be affected
      by post-harvest treatments and recovery processes, but little is known about the
      irradiation-induced effects on their integrity, bioactivity and extractability.
      Herein, the impact of gamma radiation on the production of ellagitannin-rich
      extracts was investigated using Tuberaria lignosa as a case study. These effects
      were compared with those induced in flavonoids and organic acids. The extracts
      were particularly rich in hydrophilic antioxidants (measured by in vitro assays).
      The recovery of different phytochemicals was favoured by longer extraction times.
      Ellagitannins (mainly punicalagin derivatives) were extracted better from samples
      irradiated at 5 kGy and were not significantly affected by the 10 kGy dose.
      However, the total contents of flavonoids and organic acids were decreased by the
      consequent increase in irradiation dose. Therefore, this study supports the use
      of gamma radiation for processing T. lignosa, aiming to obtain ellagitannin-rich
      bioactive extracts.

PMID- 28640299
TI  - Anchoring groups for photocatalytic water oxidation on metal oxide surfaces.
AB  - Surface anchoring groups are needed to attach molecular units to photoanodes for
      photocatalytic water oxidation. The anchoring group must be hydrolytically stable
      and oxidation resistant under a variety of pH conditions. They must sometimes be
      electrically conducting for efficient light-induced electron injection from a
      photosensitizer to a metal oxide, but other times not conducting for accumulation
      of oxidizing equivalents on a water-oxidation catalyst. Commonly used anchors
      such as carboxylic acids and phosphonic acids have limited stability in aqueous
      environments, leading to surface hydrolysis and loss of catalytic function. More
      hydrolytically stable anchors, such as silatranes and hydroxamic acids, which are
      oxidation resistant and stable under acidic, neutral, and basic conditions, are
      more suitable for photoanode applications. Hydroxamic acids can be incorporated
      into dye molecules to give high electron injection efficiency due to their
      electrical conductivity and strong electronic coupling to the metal oxide
      surface. In contrast, silatranes, once bound as siloxanes, have diminished
      electronic coupling making them useful as catalyst anchors.

PMID- 28640300
TI  - Identifying the bottleneck of water oxidation by ab initio analysis of in situ
      optical absorbance spectrum.
AB  - Hematite's (alpha-Fe2O3) major limitation to efficiently splitting water using
      sunlight is the low rate of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Thus,
      identifying the OER rate limiting step is a cornerstone to enhancing the current
      under low applied potential. Different measurement techniques showed similar
      absorption difference spectra during a change in applied potential on the
      hematite anode below and above the onset of the OER in the dark and under light.
      This absorption change was shown to result from surface modification during the
      OER, but the specific surface species could not be resolved. On the basis of ab
      initio calculations, we analyze the calculated absorption spectra in relation to
      previous measurements. We provide for the first time solid evidence to specify
      H2O + *O -> *OOH + H+ + e- as the rate limiting step and *O as the bottleneck
      intermediate of the hematite OER.

PMID- 28640301
TI  - Synthesis of zwitterionic palladium complexes and their application as catalysts
      in cross-coupling reactions of aryl, heteroaryl and benzyl bromides with
      organoboron reagents in neat water.
AB  - N-(3-Chloro-2-quinoxalinyl)-N'-arylimidazolium salts (aryl = 2,6
      diisopropylphenyl [HL1Cl]Cl, aryl = mesityl [HL2Cl]Cl) have been synthesized by
      treating 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline with the corresponding N'-arylimidazole in neat
      water. Facile reactions of these imidazolium salts with Pd(PPh3)4 and
      Pd2(dba)3/PPh3 (dba = dibenzyledene acetone) at 50  degrees C have afforded
      zwitterionic palladium(ii) complexes [Pd(HL1)(PPh3)Cl2] (I) and
      [Pd(HL2)(PPh3)Cl2] (II) in excellent yields. I and II have been tested for their
      ability to catalyze Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling (SMC) reactions in neat
      water/K2CO3 and are found to be highly active for carrying out these reactions
      between aryl bromides and organoboron reagents. Furthermore, the scope of the
      catalyst I was also examined by employing (hetero)aryl bromides, hydrophilic aryl
      bromides, benzyl bromides and various organoboron reagents. More than 80
      aryl/benzyl bromide-arylboronic acid combinations were screened in neat
      water/K2CO3 and it was found that I was a versatile catalyst, which produced
      biaryls/diarylmethanes in excellent yields. A TON of 82 000 was achieved by using
      I. Studies on the mechanism have also been carried out to investigate the
      involvement of carbene complexes in the catalytic path. Poison tests and a two
      phase test were also conducted and the results are reported.

PMID- 28640302
TI  - Influence of substituents on DNA and protein binding of cyclometalated Ir(iii)
      complexes and anticancer activity.
AB  - Synthesis of terpyridyl based ligands 3-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-7
      methoxy-2-(methylthio)-quinolone, (L1); 3-([2,2':6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-6
      methoxyquinolin-2(1H)-one, (L2); 3-([2,2'-:6',2''-terpyridin]-4'-yl)-6
      methylquinolin-2(1H)-one (L3) and cyclometalated iridium(iii) complexes
      [[Ir(ppy)2L1]+PF6- (1), [Ir(ppy)2L2]+PF6- (2), [Ir(ppy)2L3]+PF6- (3) (2
      phenylpyridine = Hppy)] involving these ligands has been described. The ligands
      L1-L3 and complexes 1-3 have been thoroughly characterized by elemental analyses,
      spectral studies (IR, 1H, 13C NMR, UV/vis and fluorescence) ESI-MS, and the
      structure of 3 has been unambiguously authenticated by single crystal X-ray
      analyses. UV/vis, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopic studies
      showed rather efficient binding of 1 with CT-DNA (calf thymus DNA) and BSA
      (bovine serum albumin) relative to 2 and 3. Molecular docking studies unveiled
      binding of 1-3 with minor groove of CT-DNA via van der Waal's forces and
      electrostatically with the hydrophobic moiety of HSA (human serum albumin). The
      ligands and complexes exhibited moderate cytotoxicity towards MDA-MB-231 (breast
      cancer cell line) and significant influence on HeLa (cervical cancer cell line)
      cells. Cytotoxicity, morphological changes, and apoptosis have been followed by
      MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide) assay, Hoechst
      33342/PI (PI = propidium iodide) staining, cell cycle analysis by FACS
      (fluorescence activated cell sorting), and ROS (reactive oxygen species)
      generation by DCFH-DA (dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate) dye. Confocal
      microscopy images revealed that the drug efficiently initiates apoptosis in the
      cell cytosol. The IC50 values showed superior cytotoxicity of 1-3 against the
      HeLa cell line relative to cisplatin, and their ability to induce apoptosis is in
      the order 1 > 2 > 3.

PMID- 28640303
TI  - Novel adenine/thymine photodimerization channels mapped by PCM/TD-DFT
      calculations on dApT and TpdA dinucleotides.
AB  - Despite the biological relevance of AT-rich DNA sequences, the excited state
      paths associated with the photochemical reactions involving adenine and thymine
      stacked pairs have never been characterized, and the structure of the most
      abundant photoproduct in DNA is unknown. PCM/TD-M052X calculations on dApT and
      TpdA unveil the paths leading to the main photoproduct in TpdA, provide new
      insights into the reasons why it is not formed in dApT and show the existence of
      a new photochemical path, which could produce the precursor of the most abundant
      genomic AT/TA photoproduct. Our calculations confirm that anti/anti conformers
      are photochemically active and show that the dynamical solvation effects could
      significantly modulate the reaction yields.

PMID- 28640304
TI  - Addressing the characterisation challenge to understand catalysis in MOFs: the
      case of nanoscale Cu supported in NU-1000.
AB  - We explore the dynamic structure and reactivity of Cu species supported on NU
      1000. By combining pair distribution function (PDF) analysis and difference
      envelope density (DED) analysis of in situ synchrotron-based X-ray scattering
      data, we simultaneously probe the local structure of supported Cu-species, their
      distribution within NU-1000 and distortions of the NU-1000 lattice under
      conditions relevant to catalysis and catalyst activation. These analyses show
      that atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Cu in NU-1000 (Cu-AIM) leads to the
      formation of Cu-oxo clusters within the small pores that connect the triangular
      and hexagonal channels. Exposure of Cu-AIM to a reducing atmosphere at 200 
      degrees C produces metallic Cu0 of two distinct particle sizes: ~4 nm
      nanoparticles and small sub-nanometer clusters. The size of these nanoparticles
      appears to be constrained by NU-1000 pore dimensions, with evidence of the sub
      nanometer clusters being bound within the triangular channels flanked by pyrene
      rings. This supported Cu0-NU-1000 system is catalytically active for gas-phase
      ethylene hydrogenation. Exposure of the catalyst to oxidative atmosphere re
      oxidises the Cu species to a Cu2O cuprite phase. The dynamic restructuring of the
      system in different chemical environments underscores the importance of probing
      these systems in situ.

PMID- 28640305
TI  - Immobilization of catalytic virus-like particles in a flow reactor.
AB  - A functional microfluidic reactor is constructed by the immobilization of gold
      containing virus-based protein cages that catalyze the reduction of nitro-arenes
      with high efficiency.

PMID- 28640306
TI  - Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy - from early developments to recent advances.
AB  - An analytical technique operating at the nanoscale must be flexible regarding
      variable experimental conditions while ideally also being highly specific,
      extremely sensitive, and spatially confined. In this respect, tip-enhanced Raman
      scattering (TERS) has been demonstrated to be ideally suited to, e.g.,
      elucidating chemical reaction mechanisms, determining the distribution of
      components and identifying and localizing specific molecular structures at the
      nanometre scale. TERS combines the specificity of Raman spectroscopy with the
      high spatial resolution of scanning probe microscopies by utilizing plasmonic
      nanostructures to confine the incident electromagnetic field and increase it by
      many orders of magnitude. Consequently, molecular structure information in the
      optical near field that is inaccessible to other optical microscopy methods can
      be obtained. In this general review, the development of this still-young
      technique, from early experiments to recent achievements concerning inorganic,
      organic, and biological materials, is addressed. Accordingly, the technical
      developments necessary for stable and reliable AFM- and STM-based TERS
      experiments, together with the specific properties of the instruments under
      different conditions, are reviewed. The review also highlights selected
      experiments illustrating the capabilities of this emerging technique, the number
      of users of which has steadily increased since its inception in 2000. Finally, an
      assessment of the frontiers and new concepts of TERS, which aim towards rendering
      it a general and widely applicable technique that combines the highest possible
      lateral resolution and extreme sensitivity, is provided.

PMID- 28640307
TI  - Healthy properties of green and white teas: an update.
AB  - Green tea has been consumed for centuries in Japan, China and Morocco. White tea,
      which is considered a variety of green tea, is mostly consumed in China and is
      very appreciated for its flavor. Currently the consumption of both types of tea
      has been extended to the western countries even as a functional ingredient. A
      group of polyphenols called catechins stands out among their bioactive
      components, the most abundant being the (-) epigallocatechin gallate, with high
      antioxidant power. Teas also contain other phenolic compounds such as gallic,
      caffeic, chlorogenic or cinnamic acids, quercetin and proanthocyanidols,
      caffeine, theophylline, l-theanine and minerals such as fluorine, manganese or
      chromium. Investigations have mainly been focused on their antioxidant potential
      and their implication in the prevention and treatment of degenerative diseases.
      Several studies have evaluated their role in cardiovascular diseases, body weight
      control, bone mass increase, protection against neurodegenerative diseases and
      improvement of type 2 diabetes, among other pathologies. The main points of
      controversy are the design and interpretation of epidemiological and human
      intervention studies and the lack of information on catechins availability,
      metabolism and biotransformation. This review compiles and analyzes the latest
      peer-reviewed papers published from 2002 up to February 2017, including
      systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

PMID- 28640308
TI  - Photoconductivity and magnetoconductance effects on vacuum vapor deposition films
      of weak charge-transfer complexes.
AB  - Thin films of weak charge-transfer (CT) complexes
      (pyrene/dimethylpyromellitdiimide or pyrene/pyromellitic dianhydride) were
      prepared on an interdigitated platinum electrode by vacuum vapor deposition.
      Their photoconductivity and magnetoconductance (MC) effects were investigated,
      and mobile triplet excitons (probably CT excitons) were detected by time-resolved
      ESR (TRESR) at room temperature. The MC effect on the photocurrent was observed
      and analyzed by quantum-mechanical simulation assuming two types of collision
      mechanisms between the electron and hole carriers and between the trapped triplet
      excitons and mobile carriers. A successful simulation was achieved when the
      parameters (g, D, E, and polarization) determined by TRESR and the effective
      hyperfine splitting estimated from an ab initio molecular-orbital calculation
      were used.

PMID- 28640309
TI  - Computational analysis of histidine mutations on the structural stability of
      human tyrosinases leading to albinism insurgence.
AB  - Misfolding and structural alteration in proteins lead to serious malfunctions and
      cause various diseases in humans. Mutations at the active binding site in
      tyrosinase impair structural stability and cause lethal albinism by abolishing
      copper binding. To evaluate the histidine mutational effect, all mutated
      structures were built using homology modelling. The protein sequence was
      retrieved from the UniProt database, and 3D models of original and mutated human
      tyrosinase sequences were predicted by changing the residual positions within the
      target sequence separately. Structural and mutational analyses were performed to
      interpret the significance of mutated residues (N180, R202, Q202, R211, Y363,
      R367, Y367 and D390) at the active binding site of tyrosinases. CSpritz analysis
      depicted that 23.25% residues actively participate in the instability of
      tyrosinase. The accuracy of predicted models was confirmed through online servers
      ProSA-web, ERRAT score and VERIFY 3D values. The theoretical pI and GRAVY
      generated results also showed the accuracy of the predicted models. The CCA
      negative correlation results depicted that the replacement of mutated residues at
      His within the active binding site disturbs the structural stability of
      tyrosinases. The predicted CCA scores of Tyr367 (-0.079) and Q/R202 (0.032)
      revealed that both mutations have more potential to disturb the structural
      stability. MD simulation analyses of all predicted models justified that Gln202,
      Arg202, Tyr367 and D390 replacement made the protein structures more susceptible
      to destabilization. Mutational results showed that the replacement of His with
      Q/R202 and Y/R363 has a lethal effect and may cause melanin associated diseases
      such as OCA1. Taken together, our computational analysis depicts that the mutated
      residues such as Q/R202 and Y/R363 actively participate in instability and
      misfolding of tyrosinases, which may govern OCA1 through disturbing the melanin
      biosynthetic pathway.

PMID- 28640310
TI  - Spectroscopic evidence for cofactor-substrate interaction in the radical-SAM
      enzyme TYW1.
AB  - TYW1 is a metalloenzyme involved in the modifications of guanosine 37 of Phe-tRNA
      of Eukaryota and Archaea. It catalyzes the second step of Wybutosine
      biosynthesis, which consists of the formation of the tricyclic compound imG-14
      from m1G using pyruvate and SAM (S-adenosyl-methionine) as co-substrates. Two
      [4Fe-4S] clusters are needed in the catalytic process. One effects the reductive
      binding of SAM, which initiates the radical reaction that inserts a C-C moiety
      into m1G. The other [4Fe-4S] cluster binds the pyruvate molecule that provides
      the C-C motif. Using a combination of EPR and Mossbauer spectroscopy, we have
      been able to probe the binding of both cofactors to the FeS clusters. The results
      highlight an interaction between pyruvate and SAM, indicating that they bind in
      close vicinity inside the catalytic pocket. They also indicate a chelating
      binding mode of pyruvate to the accessible Fe site of the corresponding FeS
      cluster. This binding mode has been used to construct a docking model of holoTYW1
      with pyruvate and SAM, which is consistent with the spectroscopic findings.

PMID- 28640311
TI  - SERS - facts, figures and the future.

PMID- 28640312
TI  - Speciation in human blood of Metvan, a vanadium based potential anti-tumor drug.
AB  - The first report on the anti-cancer activity of the compound Metvan,
      [VIVO(Me2phen)2(SO4)], where Me2phen is 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, dates
      back to 2001. Although it was immediately identified as one of the most promising
      multitargeted anti-cancer V compounds, no development on the medical
      experimentation was carried out. One of the possible reasons is the lack of
      information on its speciation in aqueous solution and its thermodynamic
      stability, factors which influence the transport in the blood and the final form
      which reaches the target organs. To fill this gap, in this work the speciation of
      Metvan in aqueous solution and human blood was studied by instrumental (EPR,
      electronic absorption spectroscopy, ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS), analytical (pH
      potentiometry) and computational (DFT) methods. The results suggested that Metvan
      transforms at physiological pH into the hydrolytic species cis
      [VO(Me2phen)2(OH)]+ and that both citrate and proteins (transferrin and albumin
      in the blood serum, and hemoglobin in the erythrocytes) form mixed complexes,
      denoted [VO(Me2phen)(citrH-1)]2- and VO-Me2phen-Protein with the probable binding
      of His-N donors. The measurements with erythrocytes suggest that Metvan is able
      to cross their membrane forming mixed species VO-Me2phen-Hb. The redox stability
      in cell culture medium was also examined, showing that ca. 60% is oxidized to VV
      after 5 h. Overall, the speciation of Metvan in the blood mainly depends on the V
      concentration: when it is larger than 50 MUM, [VO(Me2phen)(citrH-1)]2- and VO
      Me2phen-Protein are the major species, while for concentrations lower than 10
      MUM, (VO)(hTf) is formed and Me2phen is lost. Therefore, it is plausible that the
      pharmacological activity of Metvan could be due to the synergic action of free
      Me2phen, and VIVO and VVO/VVO2 species.

PMID- 28640313
TI  - Expanding applications of SERS through versatile nanomaterials engineering.
AB  - Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy has evolved into a cross
      disciplinary analytical technique by unveiling relevant chemical, biological,
      material, and structural information. The focus of this review is on two critical
      properties for successfully expanding applications of SERS spectroscopy: quality
      of the plasmonic substrate and molecule localization to the substrate. In this
      review, we discuss recent work on quantifying SERS distance dependence, key
      factors for substrate characterization and performance evaluation, expansion of
      SERS applications through substrate development for UV plasmonics and short
      distance capture strategies for optimizing analyte-surface structures. After
      surveying the recent developments of these seemingly disparate fields, we suggest
      new research directions that may originate from a synergistic blend of all the
      herein discussed topics. Finally, we discuss major challenges and open questions
      related to the application of SERS for understanding of chemical processes at the
      nanoscale, with special interest on in situ catalysts and biosensing.

PMID- 28640314
TI  - Theory of 2D crystals: graphene and beyond.
AB  - This tutorial review presents an overview of the basic theoretical aspects of two
      dimensional (2D) crystals. We revise essential aspects of graphene and the new
      families of semiconducting 2D materials, like transition metal dichalcogenides or
      black phosphorus. Minimal theoretical models for various materials are presented.
      Some of the exciting new possibilities offered by 2D crystals are discussed, such
      as manipulation and control of quantum degrees of freedom (spin and pseudospin),
      confinement of excitons, control of the electronic and optical properties with
      strain engineering, or unconventional superconducting phases.

PMID- 28640315
TI  - Formation and field-driven dynamics of nematic spheroids.
AB  - Unlike the canonical application of liquid crystals (LCs), LC displays, emerging
      technologies based on LC materials are increasingly leveraging the presence of
      nanoscale defects. The inherent nanoscale characteristics of LC defects present
      both significant opportunities as well as barriers for the application of this
      fascinating class of materials. Simulation-based approaches to the study of the
      effects of confinement and interface anchoring conditions on LC domains has
      resulted in significant progress over the past decade, where simulations are now
      able to access experimentally-relevant length scales while simultaneously
      capturing nanoscale defect structures. In this work, continuum simulations were
      performed in order to study the dynamics of micron-scale nematic LC spheroids of
      varying shape. Nematic spheroids are one of the simplest inherently defect
      containing LC structures and are relevant to polymer-dispersed LC-based "smart"
      window technology. Simulation results include nematic phase formation and
      external field-switching dynamics of nematic spheroids ranging in shape from
      oblate to prolate. Results include both qualitative and quantitative insight into
      the complex coupling of nanoscale defect dynamics and structure transitions to
      micron-scale reorientation. Dynamic mechanisms are presented and related to
      structural transitions in LC defects present in the nematic domain. Domain
      averaged metrics including order parameters and response times are determined for
      a range of experimentally-accessible electric field strengths. These results have
      both fundamental and technological relevance, in that increased understanding of
      LC dynamics in the presence of defects is a key barrier to continued advancement
      in the field.

PMID- 28640316
TI  - Electrospun graphene-wrapped Na6.24Fe4.88(P2O7)4 nanofibers as a high-performance
      cathode for sodium-ion batteries.
AB  - Na6.24Fe4.88(P2O7)4 is one of the intensively investigated polyanionic compounds
      and has shown high rate discharge capacity, but its relatively low electronic
      conductivity hampers the high performance of the batteries. Herein for the first
      time we report new graphene wrapped Na6.24Fe4.88(P2O7)4 composite nanofibers
      (NFPO@C@rGO) made from electrospinning for cathodes of SIBs to achieve an even
      higher performance with a highly stable discharge capacity of ~99 mA h g-1 at a
      current density of 40 mA g-1 after 320 cycles, which is 1.6 times higher than
      that of the pristine Na6.24Fe4.88(P2O7)4 (NFPO@C) composite. In particular, the
      NFPO@C@rGO composite cathode exhibits an even higher discharge rate capacity of
      ~53.9 mA h g-1 at a current density of 1280 mA g-1 (11C) than that of ~40 mA h g
      1 at a current density of 1100 mA g-1 (9.4C) for the reported best high discharge
      rate performance of NFPO. The superior cycling and high rate capability are
      attributed to the unique spinning vein fiber based porous structure offering a
      good intimate contact between NFPO@C and graphene for great electronic
      conductivity, fast ionic transport, a large reaction surface and a strong solid
      structure preventing collapse during cycling, thus achieving a high rate
      discharge performance and high cycling stability.

PMID- 28640317
TI  - Octyl gallate, a food additive with potential beneficial properties to treat
      Helicobacter pylori infection.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori infection is marked by intense production of reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) through the activation of neutrophils that are constantly attracted
      to the infected gastric mucosa. Here, gallic acid and its alkyl esters were
      evaluated as compounds able to act as antimicrobial agents and inhibitors of ROS
      released by H. pylori-activated neutrophils simultaneously. We found that the
      higher hydrophobicity caused by esterification of gallic acid led to a
      significant increase in its ability as a cytotoxic agent against H. pylori, a
      scavenger of ROS and an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase in neutrophils. Octyl gallate,
      a widely used food additive, showed the highest antimicrobial activity against H.
      pylori, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 125 MUg mL-1,
      whereas gallic acid had a MIC value higher than 1000 MUg mL-1. The production of
      superoxide anion radicals was almost 100% abolished by the addition of 10 MUM
      (2.82 MUg mL-1) octyl gallate, whereas gallic acid inhibited around 20%. A
      similar tendency was also found when measuring the production of hypochlorous
      acid. The protective effect of the esters was cytochemically confirmed. In
      conclusion, this study showed that hydrophobicity is a crucial factor to obtain a
      significant anti-ROS and anti-H. pylori activity. Finally, it highlights octyl
      gallate, a food additive widely used in the food industry, as a promising
      molecule in the treatment of H. pylori infection.

PMID- 28640318
TI  - K2CO3 catalyzed regioselective synthesis of thieno[2,3-b]thiochromen-4-one
      oximes: access to the corresponding amine and nitroso derivatives.
AB  - An unprecedented and efficient method for the synthesis of useful thieno[2,3
      b]thiochromen-4-one oximes is accomplished via a thio[3 + 2] cyclization reaction
      of 4-hydroxydithiocoumarins and trans-beta-nitrostyrenes in the presence of 10
      mol% K2CO3 in ethanol under reflux conditions. Furthermore, hitherto, these
      precursors were converted into the corresponding 2-amino thieno[2,3-b]thiochromen
      4-one and 2-nitroso thieno[2,3-b]thiochromen-4-one derivatives respectively. The
      salient features of the present protocol are mild reaction conditions, shorter
      reaction times, good yields and unexpected formation of C-C and C-S bonds in a
      regioselective manner.

PMID- 28640319
TI  - Observational constraints on particle acidity using measurements and modelling of
      particles and gases.
AB  - In many parts of the world, the implementation of air quality regulations has led
      to significant decreases in SO2 emissions with minimal impact on NH3 emissions.
      In Canada and the United States, the molar ratio of NH3 : SO2 emissions has
      increased dramatically between 1990 and 2014. In many regions of North America,
      this will lead the molar ratio of NHx : SO4, where NHx is the sum of particle
      phase NH4+ and gas phase NH3, and SO4 is the sum of particle phase HSO4- and SO42
      , to exceed 2. A thermodynamic model (E-AIM model II) is used to investigate the
      sensitivity of particle pH, and the gas-particle partitioning of NHx and
      inorganic nitrate, to the atmospheric NHx : SO4 ratio. Steep increases in pH and
      the gas fraction of NHx are found as NHx : SO4 varies from below 1 to above 2.
      The sensitivity of the gas fraction of nitrate also depends strongly on
      temperature. The results show that if NHx : SO4 exceeds 2, and the gas and
      particle phase NHx are in equilibrium, the particle pH will be above 2.
      Observations of the composition of particulate matter and gas phase NH3 from two
      field campaigns in southern Canada in 2007 and 2012 have median NHx : SO4 ratios
      of 3.8 and 25, respectively. These campaigns exhibited similar amounts of NH3,
      but very different particle phase loadings. Under these conditions, the pH values
      calculated using the observations as input to the E-AIM model were in the range
      of 1-4. The pH values were typically higher at night because the higher relative
      humidity increased the particle water content, diluting the acidity. The
      assumption of equilibration between the gas and particle phase NHx was evaluated
      by comparing the observed and modelled gas fraction of NHx. In general, E-AIM was
      able to reproduce the partitioning well, suggesting that the dominant
      constituents contributing to particle acidity were measured, and that the
      estimated pH values were realistic. These results suggest that regions of the
      world where the ratio of NH3 : SO2 emissions is beginning to exceed 2 on a molar
      basis may be experiencing rapid increases in aerosol pH of 1-3 pH units. This
      could have important consequences for the rates of condensed phase reactions that
      are acid-catalyzed.

PMID- 28640320
TI  - Molecular signature of coronary stent thrombosis: oxidative stress and innate
      immunity cells.
AB  - The clinical impact of in-stent thrombosis is high because it is associated with
      high mortality and 20 % of the patients suffer a recurrent event within the two
      following years. The aim of this study was to characterise the morphologic and
      proteomic profile of in-stent thrombi (IST) in comparison to thrombi developed on
      native coronary arteries (CT) to identify a differential molecular signature. The
      study included 45 patients with ST-elevation-myocardial-infarction (STEMI)
      treated by primary-percutaneous-intervention and thrombus aspiration: 21 had IST
      and 24 had CT. Thrombi were characterised by morphologic immunohistochemical
      analysis and differential proteomic profiling (2-DE+MALDI-TOF/TOF). Bioinformatic
      analysis revealed differences in proteins related to oxidative-stress and cell
      death/survival. IST showed a higher content of structural proteins (gelsolin,
      actin-cytoplasmic-1, tropomyosin, and myosin) together with an imbalance in redox
      homeostasis related proteins (increased superoxide-dismutase and decreased
      peroxiredoxin-2 thrombus content), and a coordinated increase of chaperones
      (HSP60 and HSC70) and cellular quality control-related proteins (26S-protease
      regulatory-subunit-7). These changes were reflected into a significant decrease
      in HSC70 systemic levels and a significant increase in advanced-oxidation-protein
      products (AOPP) indicative of increased oxidative stress-mediated protein damage
      in IST. Our results reveal an imbalance in redox-related proteins indicative of
      an exacerbated oxidative-stress that leads to an accumulation of AOPP serum
      levels in IST. Moreover, the coordinated increase in chaperones and regulatory
      proteins reflects the activation of intracellular protection mechanisms to
      maintain protein integrity in IST. The failure to counterbalance the stress
      situation could trigger cellular apoptosis leading to the destabilization of the
      thrombus and to a worse prognosis of IST-STEMI-patients.

PMID- 28640321
TI  - Effects of direct oral anticoagulants on lupus anticoagulant assays in a real
      life setting.
AB  - Laboratory diagnosis of lupus anticoagulant (LA) is based on prolongation in at
      least one coagulation assay (diluted Russell's viper venom time - dRVVT or
      activated partial thromboplastin time - aPTT), which normalises after addition of
      phospholipids. Both assays may be influenced by anticoagulants and therefore LA
      should not be tested during warfarin or heparin treatment. It has been shown
      (primarily in vitro) that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs - dabigatran [DAB],
      rivaroxaban [RIV] and apixaban [API]) may also influence LA testing. We tested
      the effects of DOACs on assays routinely used for the diagnosis of LA in patients
      treated with these drugs in a real-life setting. Plasma from patients with atrial
      fibrillation treated with DAB (n=30), RIV (n=20) and API (n=17) and not known to
      have LA were tested using dRVVT (LA-screen and LA-confirm, Life Diagnostics) and
      aPTT (PTT-LA, Diagnostica Stago and aPTT Actin FS, Siemens Healthcare
      Diagnostics) assays. According to the diagnostics algorithm, dRVVT and aPTT
      ratios of <1.2 were considered negative, ratios of >1.4 positive, while if the
      ratios were 1.2-1.4 LA could not be ruled out. Plasma concentrations varied
      between 8-172 ug/l for DAB, 8-437 ug/l for RIV and 36-178 ug/l for API. LA
      diagnosis was negative in only eight (27 %) plasma samples from patients treated
      with DAB, and in five (25 %) and four samples (24 %) from patients treated with
      RIV and API, respectively. LA Positivity (dRVVT and aPTT ratios >1.4) was found
      in 5 cases (17 %) among patients treated with DAB, in 10 cases (50 %) treated
      with RIV and in 7 cases (41 %) treated with API. A concentration-dependent effect
      of DOACs on dRVVT-based parameters was observed, particularly as regards DAB. At
      lower concentrations, RIV and API had only minor effects on the confirmatory
      tests (below 100 ug/l and 70 ug/l, respectively). Our results suggest that a risk
      of overestimation of LA detection is present in samples from patients treated
      with DOACs. Therefore, LA testing should not be performed during treatment with
      DOACs. Prolongation in confirmatory assays may be helpful for the recognition of
      false positivity, especially as regards DAB.

PMID- 28640322
TI  - Effectiveness and safety of rivaroxaban versus warfarin for treatment and
      prevention of recurrence of venous thromboembolism.
AB  - The efficacy and safety or rivaroxaban versus enoxaparin/vitamin K antagonist for
      treatment and prevention recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) was
      demonstrated in the randomised EINSTEIN trials. We assessed the effectiveness and
      safety of rivaroxaban versus warfarin in VTE patients managed in routine
      practice. Using US MarketScan claims from 1/2012-6/2015, we included adults with
      a primary diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)
      during a hospitalisation/emergency department visit, newly-initiated on
      rivaroxaban or warfarin within 30-days after the VTE and with >=180-days of
      continuous medical/prescription benefits prior to the VTE (baseline). Patients
      with a claim for anticoagulation at baseline were excluded. Recurrent VTE, major
      bleeding, intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) were
      assessed. Differences in baseline characteristics between cohorts were adjusted
      for using inverse probability of treatment weights based on propensity-scores.
      Patients had a maximum of 12-months period of follow-up post-VTE or until
      endpoint occurrence, switch/discontinuation of index anticoagulation, insurance
      disenrollment or end-of-follow-up. Cox regression was performed and reported as
      hazard ratios (HRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). In total, 13,609
      rivaroxaban and 32,244 warfarin users experiencing VTE were included. Rivaroxaban
      was associated with an 19 % (95 %CI=10-27 %) reduction in recurrent VTE and a 21
      % (95 %CI=4-35 %) reduction in major bleeding hazard versus warfarin. Rivaroxaban
      was also associated with significantly decreased hazards of ICH (HR=0.40) and GIB
      (HR=0.72). Rivaroxaban appears to reduce patients' hazard of both recurrent VTE
      and major bleeding in routine practice. These results appear consistent with
      EINSTEIN and post-marketing registry studies.

PMID- 28640323
TI  - Lys 42/43/44 and Arg 12 of thrombin-activable fibrinolysis inhibitor comprise a
      thrombomodulin exosite essential for its antifibrinolytic potential.
AB  - The thrombin-thrombomodulin (TM) complex activates thrombin-activable
      fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) more efficiently than thrombin alone. The exosite
      on TAFI required for its TM-dependent activation by thrombin has not been
      identified. Based on previous work by us and others, we generated TAFI variants
      with one or more of residues Lys 42, Lys 43, Lys 44 and Arg 12 within the
      activation peptide mutated to alanine. Mutation of one, two, or three Lys
      residues or the Arg residue alone decreased the catalytic efficiency of TAFI
      activation by thrombin-TM by 2.4-, 3.2-, 4.7-, and 15.0-fold, respectively, and
      increased the TAFI concentrations required for half-maximal prolongation of clot
      lysis times (K1/2) by 3-, 4,- 15-, and 24-fold, respectively. Mutation of all
      four residues decreased the catalytic efficiency of TAFI activation by 45.0-fold,
      increased the K1/2 by 130-fold, and abolished antifibrinolytic activity in a clot
      lysis assay at physiologic levels of TAFI. Similar trends in the antifibrinolytic
      activity of the TAFI variants were observed when plasma clots were formed using
      HUVECs as the source of TM. When thrombin was used as the activator, mutation of
      all four residues reduced the rate of activation by 1.1-fold compared with wild
      type TAFI, suggesting that these mutations only impacted activation kinetics in
      the presence of TM. Surface plasmon resonance data suggest that mutation of the
      four residues abrogates TM binding with or without thrombin. Therefore, Lys 42,
      Lys 43, Lys 44 and Arg 12 are critical for the interaction of TAFI with the
      thrombin-TM complex, which modulates its antifibrinolytic potential.

PMID- 28640324
TI  - New paradigms in venous thromboprophylaxis of medically ill patients.
AB  - Acutelly-ill hospitalised medical patients are at risk of venous thromboembolism
      (VTE), both in-hospital and in the immediate post-discharge period, and mortality
      from VTE is thought to be particularly high in this patient population. However,
      despite previous mandates from international antithrombotic guidelines such as
      those of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) for the "universal" use
      of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalised medical patients, global audits suggest
      that implementation of thromboprophylaxis continues to be challenging because of
      the perceived higher risk of bleeding and lower risk of VTE than that reported in
      clinical trials. Recent population-based studies also reveal that a "universal"
      hospital-only thromboprophylactic strategy does not reduce the community burden
      of VTE from this population, which may constitute nearly one quarter of the
      attributable risk of VTE. Lastly, four large randomised placebo-controlled trials
      of extended thromboprophylaxis have failed to show a definitive net clinical
      benefit in hospitalised medical patients. Recent large-scale efforts in deriving
      and validating scored VTE and bleed risk assessment models (RAMs) have been
      completed in the medically-ill population. In addition, an elevated D-dimer as a
      new biomarker to identify at-VTE risk medically ill patients has also undergone
      prospective evaluation. This paper will review current concepts of VTE and bleed
      risk in hospitalised medical patients, both in the hospital as well as the post
      hospital discharge period, and will discuss new paradigms of thromboprophylaxis
      in this population using an individualised, patient-centered approach.

PMID- 28640325
TI  - The deformed reform.

PMID- 28640326
TI  - Bill of Law 4,302: outsourcing, albeit late.

PMID- 28640327
TI  - [Gender and age differences in social support and body mass index in adults in
      Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].
AB  - The objective was to investigate gender and age differences in the association
      between dimensions of social support and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of
      1,465 adults (20 to 59 years) in a population-based study in Duque de Caxias, Rio
      de Janeiro State, Brazil. Anthropometry was conducted by trained evaluators and
      social support obtained by the Medical Outcomes Study, adapted and validated for
      the Brazilian population. The analyses were performed with multiple linear
      regressions, stratified by gender and age bracket, considering the sample's
      expansion factor and complex design. Obesity prevalence was 28% in women and
      16.2% in men. After adjusting for confounders, a negative association was
      observed between social support and BMI in men 40-49 years of age, and in
      emotional support/information (beta = -2.04), and positive social interaction
      (beta = -2.40). There was a positive association for social support and BMI in
      men 50-59 years of age in emotional support/information (beta = 1.84). The study
      indicates that social support can protect against obesity in men in some
      dimensions and age brackets. However, social support does not appear to be a
      protective factor in women.

PMID- 28640328
TI  - [Validity and reproducibility of an Internet-based questionnaire (Web-CAAFE) to
      evaluate the food consumption of students aged 7 to 15 years].
AB  - The study evaluated the validity and reproducibility of the food consumption
      section of the questionnaire Food Intake and Physical Activity of School Children
      (Web-CAAFE), an Internet-based software for the qualitative measurement of food
      consumption by recalling the previous day. A total of 390 students in grades 2 to
      5 (7 to 15 years) of a semi-integral public school participated in the study. The
      validity was tested by comparing the report in the Web-CAAFE and the direct
      observation of food consumed in the school in the previous day. The
      reproducibility was evaluated in a sub-sample of 92 schoolchildren, by comparing
      repeated reports in the Web-CAAFE on the same day. Probabilities of accuracy in
      the Web-CAAFE report in relation to the observation (matches, omissions and
      intrusions and respective 95% confidence intervals) among seven food groups were
      estimated through multinomial logistic regression. The average for the match rate
      was 81.4% (variation: 62% sweets and 98% beans); for the omission rate was 16.2%
      (variation between 2.1% dairy products and 28.5% sweets); for the intrusion rate
      was 7.1% (variation between 1.3% beans and 13.8% cereals). Sweets, cereals and
      processed foods, snack foods and fried foods simultaneously exhibited higher
      rates of omission and intrusion. Students 10 years of age or older had lower
      probabilities of intruding food items. There were no significant variations in
      the accuracy of the report between repeated measures. The Web-CAAFE was a valid
      and reliable instrument for the evaluation of food consumption, when applied to
      students in grades 2 to 5 of public schools.

PMID- 28640329
TI  - Association of adverse oral health outcomes with socioeconomic inequalities and
      dental needs in Brazilian adolescents.
AB  - This study aimed to explore the relations between adverse oral outcomes and
      socioeconomic, demographic, and self-rated oral health variables and to describe
      their distribution. Principal component analysis was conducted on data from
      adolescents in the Brazilian National Oral Health Survey (N = 5,445). Higher
      loadings were found for crowding (0.6), maxillary and mandibular irregularities
      (0.5), and count of communitary periodontal index (CPI) sextants with bleeding
      and dental calculus (0.5). The mean rates for periodontal and occlusal disorders
      were at least two times higher in adolescents from lower income families and
      those reporting the need for dental prostheses, as well as those dissatisfied
      with their dental and overall oral health. Increased mean rates of occlusal
      disorders were associated with schooling delay and history of toothache in the
      previous six months. The mean scores suggested accumulation of at least one of
      the negative oral health indicators in the lower income strata, among adolescents
      with schooling delay, and in those reporting dental needs. The results suggest
      priorities for planning and monitoring as a function of oral health requirements.

PMID- 28640330
TI  - [Incorporation of Information and Communication Technologies and quality of
      primary healthcare in Brazil].
AB  - Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are means to handle
      information, streamline communication, and contribute to patient care. This
      article describes the incorporation of Information and Communication Technologies
      in primary care and its association with quality, based on the Brazilian National
      Program for the Improvement of Access and Quality in Primary Care (PMAQ in
      portuguese). This was a cross-sectional study with 17,053 teams. An Index of
      Incorporation of ICTs was created, which included: information infrastructure,
      systems, and utilization. Regression analysis was used to assess associations.
      Only 13.5% of the teams had a high degree of ICTs. The strongest association was
      seen in the utilization of information. ICTs can contribute to improving quality
      of primary care.

PMID- 28640331
TI  - Health needs of street market saleswomen: access, connection and welcoming as
      integral practices.
AB  - Objective: To analyze the health needs of street market saleswomen of the Mercado
      Publico (Public Market) of a municipality in Northeastern Brazil. Method:
      Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study, with fifteen saleswomen in a
      public market. Data production means included semi-structured interviews, April
      May 2016. Results: Data were analyzed using the analysis of technical content
      technique, from which the following theme category emerged: "Access needs to
      health services and professional humanized practices." The women in the study
      highlighted the guarantee of access, connection and welcoming as driving
      practices for the recognition of health needs confronting the health-disease
      process and comprehensive care. Conclusions: Being welcomed, identifying needs
      and producing a bond will contribute to these women recognizing themselves as
      subjects of their needs, strengthening their autonomy, empowerment and self-care.

PMID- 28640332
TI  - Pregnant teenagers' group: contributions to prenatal care.
AB  - Objective: To describe changes in nurses' care following the implementation of a
      group of pregnant teenagers in prenatal care based on the expectations and
      experiences of pregnant teenagers. Method: Qualitative and descriptive study
      conducted from February to November 2013 at a Primary Care Unit in Fortaleza,
      Ceara, Brazil, through focus groups with 16 adolescents from the group of
      pregnant women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. The analysis
      identified central ideas and units of meanings that formed the categories.
      Results: The strategy of a group of pregnant teenagers, which provides a space
      for coexistence and the establishment of ties encourages these individuals to
      talk about their needs, re-signifying their ties. Educational strategies to
      promote self-care of pregnant teenagers and care for their babies involve the
      sharing of experiences, doubts and beliefs. Conclusion: Considerations and
      suggestions of the adolescents contributed to guide nurses' practice and provide
      a strategic space of care and support for pregnant adolescents in primary care.

PMID- 28640333
TI  - Establishment of lactaton rooms in public and private companies: potentialities
      and difficulties.
AB  - Objective: To know how managers of public and private companies view lactation
      support rooms and their implantation. Method: This is study is based on
      qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive research. Twenty managers from Greater
      Florianopolis participated in the research, in 2015. Data were collected by means
      of semi-structured/projective interviews, and subjected to content analysis
      associated with Atlas.ti software. Results: Data analysis led to the following
      two categories: difficulties and facilities of establishing a lactation room,
      with a predominance of financial difficulties and the lack of physical space.
      Dialectically, the subjects also recognised the low cost involved, which
      facilitates establishment. Conclusion: Financial, cultural, and political aspects
      make it difficult to set up lactation rooms, but the importance of this measure
      was acknowledged. Although the success of breastfeeding partly depends on these
      support rooms, it also requires multiple actions, especially the effective
      participation of nurses and other health workers.

PMID- 28640334
TI  - Instruments for articulating the network of attention to women in situation of
      violence: collective construction.
AB  - Objective: This paper aims at identifying all the necessary information to build
      instruments which are designed to facilitate the professional integration of
      services to women in situation of violence with a view to the establishment of a
      network of attention. Method: Qualitative study, convergent, whose information
      has been produced from February to August 2015 by 10 group meetings, with 32
      participants from the Integrated Working Group to Confront Violence in Santa
      Maria-RS, located at the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Using thematic
      content analysis. Results: It defined the flow direction; the points to compose
      the network; what it would take to communicate among services: identification of
      wife and family, report on the situation and the continuity of care. Conclusions:
      There is a need for an institutional formalization of constructed devices. The
      articulation between the services requires communication, involvement and
      commitment of the professionals to ensure the continuity of care.

PMID- 28640335
TI  - Construction and content validation of checklist for patient safety in emergency
      care.
AB  - Objective: To construct and validate a checklist for patient safety in emergency
      care. Method: This is methodological research conducted in Curitiba, in 2015,
      with construction and validation stages. The checklist was based on the
      guidelines of the Brazilian patient safety programme and validated online using
      the Delphi method, with a questionnaire, and with the participation of 23
      Brazilian specialists in the first round and 20 in the second round. The data
      were analysed using the Content Validity Index (CVI), Cronbach's alpha, and
      Fisher's Exact Test. Results: We produced a checklist with 18 valid and reliable
      items (94% of CVI, Cronbach's alpha = 0.91). Conclusions: The checklist comprises
      patient safety actions and items to predict risk situations, corrective actions,
      and promote safety in emergency services and other health-related contexts.

PMID- 28640336
TI  - Sugars levels of four sugarcane genotypes in different stem portions during the
      maturation phase.
AB  - Maturation is a characteristic of sugarcane plant (Saccharum spp.) and even when
      grown under the same soil and climate conditions the varieties differ on the
      maturation curve. Thus, studies that allow establishing maturation curves of
      different sugarcane genotypes in the local soil and climate may indicate the
      proper harvesting period to ensure better quality of the raw material. This study
      aimed to analyze the levels of soluble sugars during the maturation phase and
      assess the technological and productivity indexes of four irrigated sugarcane
      genotypes in the region of Rio Largo, Alagoas. The experiment was conducted in
      randomized blocks in a 4 x 2 x 5 factorial: four genotypes (RB92579, RB98710,
      RB99395 and RB961003), two stem portions (internodes 1-4 and internodes 5-8) and
      five seasons (82, 49, 25, 13 and 3 days before harvesting), each treatment with
      three replications. Internodes 1-4 showed the highest levels of reducing sugars,
      while the largest accumulation of sucrose and total soluble solids occurred in
      internodes 5-8. RB99395 genotype showed more stability in the sugar levels during
      sugarcane maturation, which can indicate early maturation and high agricultural
      yield.

PMID- 28640337
TI  - Thermodynamic bounds for existence of normal shock in compressible fluid flow in
      pipes.
AB  - The present paper is concerned with the thermodynamic theory of the normal shock
      in compressible fluid flow in pipes, in the lights of the pioneering works of
      Lord Rayleigh and G. Fanno. The theory of normal shock in pipes is currently
      presented in terms of the Rayleigh and Fanno curves, which are shown to cross
      each other in two points, one corresponding to a subsonic flow and the other
      corresponding to a supersonic flow. It is proposed in this paper a novel
      differential identity, which relates the energy flux density, the linear momentum
      flux density, and the entropy, for constant mass flow density. The identity so
      obtained is used to establish a theorem, which shows that Rayleigh and Fanno
      curves become tangent to each other at a single sonic point. At the sonic point
      the entropy reaches a maximum, either as a function of the pressure and the
      energy density flux or as a function of the pressure and the linear momentum
      density flux. A Second Law analysis is also presented, which is fully independent
      of the Second Law analysis based on the Rankine-Hugoniot adiabatic carried out by
      Landau and Lifshitz (1959).

PMID- 28640338
TI  - Publish and perish in the hands of predatory journals.

PMID- 28640340
TI  - Terrestrial impact structures as geoheritage: an assessment method of their
      scientific value and its application to Brazil.
AB  - Terrestrial impact structures are geological and geomorphological features with
      particular importance to understand the history and evolution of the planet.
      Impact structures are scattered around the world but in many countries these
      features are under threat, essentially due to anthropic factors. Impact
      structures with higher scientific value should be considered as geological
      heritage and, consequently, be subjected to geoconservation strategies. In order
      to select the most important impact structures to be properly conserved and
      managed, this paper proposes a quantitative assessment method of the scientific
      value of these structures. The eight Brazilian impact structures were used to
      test this method that has the potential to be applied to any geological context
      in any country. The structures known as Araguainha Dome-MT and Serra da Cangalha
      TO reached a higher scientific value, which justifies the need to develop
      geoconservation strategies and a proper management.

PMID- 28640339
TI  - Special metabolites isolated from Urochloa humidicola (Poaceae).
AB  - This study aims to identify special metabolites in polar extracts from Urochloa
      humidicola (synonym Brachiaria humidicola) that have allelopathic effects and
      induce secondary photosensitization in ruminants. The compounds were isolated and
      identified via chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The compounds 4
      hydroxy-3-methoxy-benzoic acid, trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, and p-hydroxy
      benzoic acid; the flavonols isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside and methyl
      quercetin-3-O-beta-d-glucuronate; and kaempferitrin, quercetin-3-O-alpha-l
      rhamnopyranoside, and tricin were identified in the extract from the leaves of
      Urochloa humidicola. Two furostanic saponins, namely, dioscin and 3-O-alpha-l
      rhamnopyranosyl-(1-4)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)]-beta-d-glucopyranosyl
      penogenin, as well as catechin-7-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside were identified in the
      methanolic extract obtained from the roots of this plant. This species features a
      range of metabolites that may be toxic for animals if used in food and may
      interfere with the growth medium, thereby inhibiting the development of other
      species.

PMID- 28640341
TI  - Carbonate Buildups in the Pernambuco Basin, NE Brazil.
AB  - The Pernambuco Basin represents one of the most prominent regions for deep water
      oil and gas exploration off the Brazilian coast. This study aims to identify and
      describe the occurrence of carbonate buildups in the offshore regions of the
      basin. The study was based on an analysis of a set of 143 2D time-migrated
      seismic sections that cover the offshore region of the Pernambuco Basin. An
      interpretation of the seismic dataset was used to define the main seismic
      sequences related to the main regional pulses of deposition and to identify three
      main groups of carbonate buildups: 1) shelf margin reefs, 2) patch reefs, and 3)
      isolated carbonate buildups. The carbonate buildups formed in two main intervals
      during post-rift sequences of the Santonian-Maastrichtian and Paleocene-Middle
      Miocene, which extend the known periods of carbonate deposit formation in the
      basin. The formation of carbonate buildups was controlled by the tectonic
      evolution of the Pernambuco Plateau, which created a series of paleotopographic
      highs that enabled the establishment of oceanographically and climatically
      favorable conditions for carbonate formation and deposition. These findings are
      important for understanding the evolution of the basin and for future evaluations
      of its petroleum potential.

PMID- 28640342
TI  - Applicability of geomechanical classifications for estimation of strength
      properties in Brazilian rock masses.
AB  - Many authors have been proposed several correlation equations between
      geomechanical classifications and strength parameters. However, these correlation
      equations have been based in rock masses with different characteristics when
      compared to Brazilian rock masses. This paper aims to study the applicability of
      the geomechanical classifications to obtain strength parameters of three
      Brazilian rock masses. Four classification systems have been used; the Rock Mass
      Rating (RMR), the Rock Mass Quality (Q), the Geological Strength Index (GSI) and
      the Rock Mass Index (RMi). A strong rock mass and two soft rock masses with
      different degrees of weathering located in the cities of Ouro Preto and Mariana,
      Brazil; were selected for the study. Correlation equations were used to estimate
      the strength properties of these rock masses. However, such correlations do not
      always provide compatible results with the rock mass behavior. For the
      calibration of the strength values obtained through the use of classification
      systems, stability analyses of failures in these rock masses have been done.
      After calibration of these parameters, the applicability of the various
      correlation equations found in the literature have been discussed. According to
      the results presented in this paper, some of these equations are not suitable for
      the studied rock masses.

PMID- 28640343
TI  - The peculiar breeding biology of the Amazonian frog Allobates subfolionidificans
      (Aromobatidae).
AB  - Allobates subfolionidificans is a vulnerable and endemic leaf-litter frog from
      the state of Acre, Brazilian Amazonia. We monitored a population of A.
      subfolionidificans through regular censuses and mark-recapture of 181 individuals
      during an entire breeding season to characterize its reproductive behavior. The
      space use of A. subfolionidificans individuals differed between sexes, with males
      using smaller and more segregated spaces. Males defended territories and were
      aggressive against same-sex individuals, which was not the case in females. The
      daily cycle of calling activity showed peaks in the morning and in the afternoon,
      and the occurrence of reproductive events was positively correlated with monthly
      rainfall. The breeding behavior comprised vocal and tactile interactions,
      although the species lacked reproductive amplexus. Egg and larvae attendance, as
      well as tadpole transport to water environments was performed mostly by males but
      occasionally by females, probably in cases of desertion by the father. This
      species is characterized by performing courtship, mating, oviposition, as well as
      egg and larvae attendance exclusively on the under surface of leaves, a unique
      behavior among members of the superfamily Dendrobatoidea.

PMID- 28640344
TI  - Screening of plant extracts and fractions on Aedes aegypti larvae found in the
      state of Mato Grosso do Sul (linnaeus, 1762) (culicidae).
AB  - The constant use of chemical insecticides for Aedes aegypti control has caused
      resistance in the mosquito populations. Thus, the objective of this study was to
      analyze the larvicidal potential of extracts and fractions of plants on A.
      aegypti larvae. The analysis included sixty one extracts and twenty five
      fractions of fifty botanical species at concentrations of 0.25; 0.12; 0.06 to
      0.03 mg mL-1; 4 replications and one negative control of dechlorinate water and
      1% DMSO; and a positive control with rotenone. The toxicity index in descending
      order with LC50 for the most active of the extracts selected were ethanol extract
      of Ormosea arborea (0.111 mg mL-1) seeds and ethanol extracts of leaves such as
      Piper hispidum (0.169 mg mL-1), Solanum variabile (0.188 mg mL-1), O. arborea
      (0.238 mg mL-1), Turnera umifolia (0.242 mg mL-1) and Piper hispidum (0.567 mg mL
      1). For plant fractions, the most active were chloroform (0.192 mg mL-1) and
      hexane (0.342 mg mL-1) P. aduncum leaves, hexane fraction (0.415 mg mL-1) and
      methanol extract (0.625 mg mL-1) of Spermacocea latifolia leaves. Regarding the
      extract of T. umifolia single species, there is no bibliographic report on their
      degree of efficiency as an insecticide.

PMID- 28640345
TI  - Abundance of the reef-building Petaloconchus varians (Gastropoda: Vermetidae) on
      intertidal rocky shores at Ilha Grande Bay, southeastern Brazil.
AB  - The reef-building vermetid Petaloconchus varians occurs in the western Atlantic
      Ocean, from the Caribbean Sea to the southern coast of Brazil. The present study
      evaluated the abundance of P. varians on intertidal rocky shores in Ilha Grande
      Bay (Rio de Janeiro State), and characterized their reefs, describing the species
      density, besides the weight and the belt width of the reefs. Petaloconchus
      varians reefs were recorded at 25 sites, with rocky shores exposed to different
      wave action (very sheltered, sheltered, semi-exposed and exposed) and slopes (10
      degrees  to 46 degrees ). Clusters of individuals constructed large reefs along
      the middle intertidal zone, creating a wide belt (38 cm to 2 m). The density of
      P. varians and the weight of the reefs ranged from 620 to 2,559 ind.100 cm-2 and
      from 100 to 1,500 g.100 cm-2, respectively. Considering that the species was last
      reported from the area in the mid-20th century, the present study suggests that
      P. varians reefs are becoming dominant in the intertidal zone of rocky shores in
      Ilha Grande Bay. This is a contribution to knowledge of this ecosystem in Ilha
      Grande Bay, in view of local or global ecological changes.

PMID- 28640346
TI  - N deposition affects allelopathic potential of Amaranthus retroflexus with
      different distribution regions.
AB  - This study aims to determine the allelopathic potential of Amaranthus retroflexus
      (Ar) with different climatic zones on seed germination and growth of A. tricolor
      (At) treated with a gradient N addition. Ar leaf extracts only displayed
      significantly allelopathic potential on the underground growth of Ar but not the
      aboveground growth of At. The allelopathic potential of Ar leaf extracts on root
      length of At were enhanced under N addition and there may be a N-concentration
      dependent relationship. The effects of the extracts of Ar leaves that collected
      from Zhenjiang on seed germination and growth of At may be higher than that
      collected from Jinan especially on root length of At under medium N addition.
      This reason may be the contained higher concentration of secondary metabolites
      for the leaves of plants that growths in high latitudes compare with that growth
      in low latitudes. This phenomenon may also partly be attributed to the fact that
      Ar originated in America and/or south-eastern Asia which have higher similarity
      climate conditions as Zhenjiang rather than Jinan. The allelopathic potential of
      Ar on seed germination and growth of acceptor species may play an important role
      in its successful invasion especially in the distribution region with low
      latitudes.

PMID- 28640347
TI  - Psychotria viridis: Chemical constituents from leaves and biological properties.
AB  - The phytochemical study of hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts from leaves
      of Psychotria viridis resulted in the identification of: the pentacyclic
      triterpenes, ursolic and oleanolic acid; the steroids, 24-methylene-cycloartanol,
      stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol; the glycosylated steroids 3-O-beta-D-glucosyl
      beta-sitosterol and 3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-stigmasterol; a polyunsaturated
      triterpene, squalene; the esters of glycerol, 1-palmitoylglycerol and
      triacylglycerol; a mixture of long chain hydrocarbons; the aldehyde nonacosanal;
      the long chain fat acids hentriacontanoic, hexadecanoic and heptadenoic acid; the
      ester methyl heptadecanoate; the 4-methyl-epi-quinate and two indole alkaloids,
      N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and N-methyltryptamine. The chemical structures were
      determined by means of spectroscopic (IR, 1H and 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY)
      and spectrometric (CG-MS and LCMS-ESI-ITTOF) methods. The study of biologic
      properties of P. viridis consisted in the evaluation of the acetylcholinesterase
      inhibition and cytotoxic activities. The hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and
      methanol extracts, the substances 24-methylene-cycloartanol, DMT and a mixture of
      3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-beta-sitosterol and 3-O-beta-D-glucosyl-stigmasterol showed
      cholinesterase inhibiting activity. This activity induced by chloroform and ethyl
      acetate extracts was higher than 90%. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts
      inhibit the growth and/or induce the death of the tumor cells strains B16F10 and
      4T1, without damaging the integrity of the normal cells BHK and CHO. DMT also
      demonstrated a marked activity against tumor cell strains B16F10 and 4T1.

PMID- 28640348
TI  - Global patterns of aboveground carbon stock and sequestration in mangroves.
AB  - In order to contribute to understand the factors that control the provisioning of
      the ecosystem service of carbon storage by mangroves, data on carbon stock and
      sequestration in the aboveground biomass (AGB) from 73 articles were averaged and
      tested for the dependence on latitude, climatic parameters, physiographic types
      and age. Global means of carbon stock (78.0 +/- 64.5 tC.ha-1) and sequestration
      (2.9 +/- 2.2 tC.ha-1.yr-1) showed that mangroves are among the forest ecosystems
      with greater capacity of carbon storage in AGB per area. On the global scale,
      carbon stock increases toward the equator (R2=0.22) and is dependent on 13
      climatic parameters, which can be integrated in the following predictive
      equation: Carbon Stock in AGB = -16.342 + (8.341 x Isothermality) + (0.021 x
      Annual Precipitation) [R2=0.34; p < 0.05]. It was shown that almost 70% of carbon
      stock variability is explained by age. Carbon stock and sequestration also vary
      according to physiographic types, indicating the importance of hydroperiod and
      edaphic parameters to the local variability of carbon stock. By demonstrating the
      contribution of local and regional-global factors to carbon stock, this study
      provides information to the forecast of the effects of future climate changes and
      local anthropogenic forcings on this ecosystem service.

PMID- 28640349
TI  - Use of GC/MS to identify chemical constituents and cytotoxic activity of the
      leaves of Phoradendron mucronatum and Phoradendron microphyllum (Viscaceae).
AB  - Phoradendron mucronatum and P. microphyllum are plants that found in tropical and
      subtropical areas, used in traditional medicine and popularly known as mistle
      thrush. The aim of this study was to identify the chemical constituents of
      different leaf extracts from P. mucronatum and P. microphyllum and assess
      cytotoxic activity against strains from a human tumour cells. Extracts obtained
      with hexane, dichloromethane, chloroform and ethyl acetate from the leaves were
      analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the
      cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT method (bromide (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2
      yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)). The tested human tumour cells were NCI
      H292 (human pulmonar mucoepidermoid carcinoma), MCF-7 (human breast
      adenocarcinoma) and HEp-2 (epidermoid carcinoma of the larynx). Analysis by GC/MS
      of the extracts from leaves of P. microphyllum and P. mucronatum detected 51
      different compounds, such as alkaloids, diterpenes, triterpenes, sterols,
      alcohols, aldehydes, fatty acids and hydrocarbons. In the cytotoxic evaluation,
      hexane and ethyl acetate extracts from the leaves P. microphyllum inhibited cell
      growth of NCI-H292 strains (72.97%) and HEp-2 (87.53%), respectively. The
      extracts of P. mucronatum species showed an inhibitory effect towards NCI-H292
      (83.19%/hexane), MCF-7 (88.69%/dichloromethane) and HEp-2 (93.40%/hexane). The
      extracts showed cytotoxic activity against the tested strains, especially the P.
      mucronatum, which presented the highest percentages of inhibition of cell growth.

PMID- 28640351
TI  - Occurrence of Dendrocephalus brasiliensis Pesta, 1921 (Crustacea, Anostraca) in
      the Caras river, southern Ceara, Brazil.
AB  - Occurrence of Dendrocephalus brasiliensis Pesta, 1921 (Crustacea, Anostraca) in
      the Caras river, southern Ceara, Brazil. The specimens were collected in March
      and April 2014. The new occurrence extends the distribution and update area of
      occupancy of the species, which is characterized by a specific habitat: temporary
      lakes.

PMID- 28640350
TI  - Development of a real-time PCR assay for the detection of the golden mussel (
      Limnoperna fortunei , Mytilidae) in environmental samples.
AB  - The golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei, is among the most devastating invasive
      species in freshwater habitats worldwide, leading to severe environmental
      disturbances and economic losses. Therefore, management efforts would be greatly
      improved by methods that efficiently detect and quantify the abundance of the
      golden mussel in freshwater habitats, particularly in early stages of
      colonization. In this study, we describe a highly-sensitive real-time PCR assay
      targeting a 100-bp region of the COI mitochondrial gene of the golden mussel. The
      method was able to detect as little as 0.225 pg of target DNA. This assay
      represents an important contribution to surveillance methods, as well as to
      optimize field measures to contain and manage populations of the golden mussel in
      its introduced range.

PMID- 28640352
TI  - Synthesis and evaluation of arylamidine derivatives for new antimicrobial and
      cytotoxic activities.
AB  - A series of arylamidines 3a-j was designed, synthesized and investigated for
      antimicrobial activity. Structures of the compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR
      and 13C-NMR and a 2D spectroscopic study was performed. A preliminary screening
      of the antimicrobial tests clearly showed that three out of ten arylamidines,
      viz, 3f, 3g and 3i, were effective against all the gram-negative bacteria:
      Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella enteric; and against
      the yeast, candida albicans. Further, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC)
      against the bacteria and yeast were determined. All compounds 3a-d, 3f, 3g, 3i
      and 3j were also investigated for their low cytotoxic effects on tested cell
      lines. Compounds 3d and 3f were the most effective derivatives against HL-60 and
      HEp-2 cells, respectively, with IC50 value (2ug/mL), and low normal cells
      toxicity.

PMID- 28640353
TI  - Ecology of the non-native snail Sinotaia cf quadrata (Caenogastropoda:
      Viviparidae). A study in a lowland stream of South America with different water
      qualities.
AB  - Sinotaia quadrata is a snail native from Asia recorded for the first time in
      South America in 2009 in central Argentina. In 2015, this species was also found
      in a lowland stream with different water qualities. Our aims were to contribute
      to the knowledge of its population ecology and to compare the individuals from
      the two locations anatomically. Snails were searched at 6 sites, where
      physicochemical and hydraulic parameters were measured. Biological samples were
      also taken at two sites (S3 and S4) to study the population traits of S. cf
      quadrata (density, size structure, fecundity and sex ratio) and to assess the
      water quality through macroinvertebrates' biological indices (richness, diversity
      and IBPamp). Physicochemical and biological parameters allowed us classifying
      sites as "moderately polluted" (S3) and "heavily polluted" (S4). At S4, the
      population showed a lower density, larger individuals, higher fecundity and a
      scarce representation of young snails. The differences observed in the radula and
      mantle border of snails from the two geographical regions might be attributed to
      environmental differences. We conclude that this species is tolerant to a wide
      range of environmental variables which, along with its high fecundity and
      morphological plasticity, could allow this species to colonize neighbor streams.

PMID- 28640354
TI  - Hepatic toxicity caused by PLGA-microspheres containing usnic acid from the
      lichen C ladonia substellata (AHTI) during pregnancy in Wistar rats.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate the teratogenic and hepatotoxic potential of the
      usnic acid encapsulated into PLGA-microspheres. In total, 12 female Wistar rats
      in pregnancy were randomly distributed in the control group (n= 6) that received
      1.0 mL of physiological solution and treatment group (n= 6) that received 25
      mg/kg of encapsulated usnic acid by oral administration. All females were
      euthanized at day 20 of pregnancy and their fetuses were removed and analyzed.
      During the pregnancy was observed a reduction in weight gain. There was no
      difference in serum transaminases levels analyzed as well as any difference in
      liver weight in both groups. The histomorphometric analysis of the liver from the
      treatment group revealed an increase in number of hepatocytes and a decrease in
      nuclear area of these cells. Moreover, no alteration was observed in cell area of
      hepatocytes or number of Kupffer cells. The fetuses had an increase in total
      number of hepatocytes and a reduction in the amount of megakaryocytes. These
      results show the hepatotoxic potential of usnic acid during pregnancy. However,
      its toxicity can be minimized by encapsulation in microspheres.

PMID- 28640355
TI  - Screening of melon genotypes for resistance to vegetable leafminer and your
      phenotypic correlations with colorimetry.
AB  - Melon is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world. With short cycle
      in a system of phased planting, phytosanitary control is compromised, and a great
      volume of agricultural chemicals is used to control vegetable leafminer. Genetic
      control is an ideal alternative to avoid the damage caused by this insect. Thus,
      the aim of this study was to evaluate Cucumis accessions in regard to resistance
      to leafminer and correlate the variables analyzed. Fifty-four accessions and four
      commercial hybrids of melon were tested. The study was divided into two
      experiments: with and with no choice. The following characteristics were
      evaluated: with choice, in field - subjective score based on the infestation and
      the number of mines per leaf; and with no choice, in cage - number of mines per
      leaf, chlorophyll content, and leaf colorimetry. The results showed variability
      among the accessions and some genotypes showed favorable results for resistance
      in both experiments. There was correlation between the two variables in the
      experiment in the field. The accessions CNPH 11-282, CNPH 06-1047, and CNPH 11
      1077 are the most recommended for future breeding programs with aim on
      introgression of resistance to vegetable leafminer in melon.

PMID- 28640356
TI  - Diameter distribution in a Brazilian tropical dry forest domain: predictions for
      the stand and species.
AB  - Currently, there is a lack of studies on the correct utilization of continuous
      distributions for dry tropical forests. Therefore, this work aims to investigate
      the diameter structure of a brazilian tropical dry forest and to select suitable
      continuous distributions by means of statistic tools for the stand and the main
      species. Two subsets were randomly selected from 40 plots. Diameter at base
      height was obtained. The following functions were tested: log-normal; gamma;
      Weibull 2P and Burr. The best fits were selected by Akaike's information
      validation criterion. Overall, the diameter distribution of the dry tropical
      forest was better described by negative exponential curves and positive skewness.
      The forest studied showed diameter distributions with decreasing probability for
      larger trees. This behavior was observed for both the main species and the stand.
      The generalization of the function fitted for the main species show that the
      development of individual models is needed. The Burr function showed good
      flexibility to describe the diameter structure of the stand and the behavior of
      Mimosa ophthalmocentra and Bauhinia cheilantha species. For Poincianella
      bracteosa, Aspidosperma pyrifolium and Myracrodum urundeuva better fitting was
      obtained with the log-normal function.

PMID- 28640358
TI  - Legal and health dilemmas challenging India's e-cigarette endorsement.

PMID- 28640359
TI  - Cancer drug wastage: The hidden cost in value-based cancer care delivery.

PMID- 28640357
TI  - RNA sequencing of esophageal adenocarcinomas identifies novel fusion transcripts,
      including NPC1-MELK, arising from a complex chromosomal rearrangement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies of chromosomal rearrangements and fusion transcripts have
      elucidated mechanisms of tumorigenesis and led to targeted cancer therapies. This
      study was aimed at identifying novel fusion transcripts in esophageal
      adenocarcinoma (EAC). METHODS: To identify new fusion transcripts associated with
      EAC, targeted RNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) verification
      were performed in 40 EACs and matched nonmalignant specimens from the same
      patients. Genomic PCR and Sanger sequencing were performed to find the breakpoint
      of fusion genes. RESULTS: Five novel in-frame fusion transcripts were identified
      and verified in 40 EACs and in a validation cohort of 15 additional EACs (55
      patients in all): fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2)-GRB2-associated
      binding protein 2 (GAB2) in 2 of 55 or 3.6%, Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1)-maternal
      embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) in 2 of 55 or 3.6%, ubiquitin-specific
      peptidase 54 (USP54)-calcium/calmodulin dependent protein kinase II gamma
      (CAMK2G) in 2 of 55 or 3.6%, megakaryoblastic leukemia (translocation) 1 (MKL1)
      fibulin 1 (FBLN1) in 1 of 55 or 1.8%, and CCR4-NOT transcription complex subunit
      2 (CNOT2)-chromosome 12 open reading frame 49 (C12orf49) in 1 of 55 or 1.8%. A
      genomic analysis indicated that NPC1-MELK arose from a complex interchromosomal
      translocation event involving chromosomes 18, 3, and 9 with 3 rearrangement
      points, and this was consistent with chromoplexy. CONCLUSIONS: These data
      indicate that fusion transcripts occur at a stable frequency in EAC. Furthermore,
      our results indicate that chromoplexy is an underlying mechanism that generates
      fusion transcripts in EAC. These and other fusion transcripts merit further study
      as diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in EAC. Cancer
      2017;123:3916-24. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640360
TI  - Decision-support networks of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the size and characteristics of the decision
      support networks of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer and whether their
      involvement improves breast cancer treatment decisions. METHODS: A population
      based sample of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and 2015, as
      reported to the Georgia and Los Angeles Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Results registries, were surveyed approximately 7 months after diagnosis (N =
      2502; response rate, 68%). Network size was estimated by asking women to list up
      to 3 of the most important decision-support persons (DSPs) who helped them with
      locoregional therapy decisions. Decision deliberation was measured using 4 items
      assessing the degree to which patients thought through the decision, with higher
      scores reflecting more deliberative breast cancer treatment decisions. The size
      of the network (range, 0-3 or more) was compared across patient-level
      characteristics, and adjusted mean deliberation scores were estimated across
      levels of network size using multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: Of the
      2502 women included in this analysis, 51% reported having 3 or more DSPs, 20%
      reported 2, 18% reported 1, and 11% reported not having any DSPs.
      Married/partnered women, those younger than 45 years, and black women all were
      more likely to report larger network sizes (all P < .001). Larger support
      networks were associated with more deliberative surgical treatment decisions (P <
      .001). CONCLUSIONS: Most women engaged multiple DSPs in their treatment decision
      making, and involving more DSPs was associated with more deliberative treatment
      decisions. Future initiatives to improve treatment decision making among women
      with breast cancer should acknowledge and engage informal DSPs. Cancer
      2017;123:3895-903. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640362
TI  - The impact of cancer drug wastage on economic evaluations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of modeling
      cancer drug wastage in economic evaluations because wastage can result from
      single-dose vials on account of body surface area- or weight-based dosing.
      METHODS: Intravenous chemotherapy drugs were identified from the pan-Canadian
      Oncology Drug Review (pCODR) program as of January 2015. Economic evaluations
      performed by drug manufacturers and pCODR were reviewed. Cost-effectiveness
      analyses and budget impact analyses were conducted for no-wastage and maximum
      wastage scenarios (ie, the entire unused portion of the vial was discarded at
      each infusion). Sensitivity analyses were performed for a range of body surface
      areas and weights. RESULTS: Twelve drugs used for 17 indications were analyzed.
      Wastage was reported (ie, assumptions were explicit) in 71% of the models and was
      incorporated into 53% by manufacturers; this resulted in a mean incremental cost
      effectiveness ratio increase of 6.1% (range, 1.3%-14.6%). pCODR reported and
      incorporated wastage for 59% of the models, and this resulted in a mean
      incremental cost-effectiveness ratio increase of 15.0% (range, 2.6%-48.2%). In
      the maximum-wastage scenario, there was a mean increase in the incremental cost
      effectiveness ratio of 24.0% (range, 0.0%-97.2%), a mean increase in the 3-year
      total incremental budget costs of 26.0% (range, 0.0%-83.1%), and an increase in
      the 3-year total incremental drug budget cost of approximately CaD $102 million
      nationally. Changing the mean body surface area or body weight caused 45% of the
      drugs to have a change in the vial size and/or quantity, and this resulted in
      increased drug costs. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer drug wastage can increase drug costs
      but is not uniformly modeled in economic evaluations. Cancer 2017;123:3583-90.
      (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640361
TI  - Global and targeted serum metabolic profiling of colorectal cancer progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with colorectal adenoma polyps (PLPs) are at higher risk for
      developing colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the development of improved and
      robust biomarkers to enable the screening, surveillance, and early detection of
      PLPs and CRC continues to be a challenge. The aim of this study was to identify
      biomarkers of progression to CRC through metabolomic profiling of human serum
      samples with a multistage approach. METHODS: Metabolomic profiling was conducted
      with the Metabolon platform for 30 CRC patients, 30 PLP patients, and 30 control
      subjects, and this was followed by the targeted validation of the top metabolites
      in an additional set of 50 CRC patients, 50 PLP patients, and 50 controls with
      liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Unconditional multivariate
      logistic regression models, adjusted for covariates, were used to evaluate
      associations with PLP and CRC risk. RESULTS: For the discovery phase, 404 serum
      metabolites were detected, with 50 metabolites showing differential levels
      between CRC patients, PLP patients, and controls (P for trend < .05). After
      validation, the 3 top metabolites (xanthine, hypoxanthine, and d-mannose) were
      validated: lower levels of xanthine and hypoxanthine and higher levels of d
      mannose were found in PLP and CRC cases versus controls. A further exploratory
      analysis of metabolic pathways revealed key roles for the urea cycle and caffeine
      metabolism associated with PLP and CRC risk. In addition, a joint effect of the
      top metabolites with smoking and a significant interaction with the body mass
      index were observed. An analysis of the ratio of hypoxanthine levels to xanthine
      levels indicated an association with CRC progression. CONCLUSIONS: These results
      suggest the potential utility of circulating metabolites as novel biomarkers for
      the early detection of CRC. Cancer 2017;123:4066-74. (c) 2017 American Cancer
      Society.

PMID- 28640363
TI  - Small-molecule stabilization of the p53 - 14-3-3 protein-protein interaction.
AB  - 14-3-3 proteins are positive regulators of the tumor suppressor p53, the mutation
      of which is implicated in many human cancers. Current strategies for targeting of
      p53 involve restoration of wild-type function or inhibition of the interaction
      with MDM2, its key negative regulator. Despite the efficacy of these strategies,
      the alternate approach of stabilizing the interaction of p53 with positive
      regulators and, thus, enhancing tumor suppressor activity, has not been explored.
      Here, we report the first example of small-molecule stabilization of the 14-3-3 -
      p53 protein-protein interaction (PPI) and demonstrate the potential of this
      approach as a therapeutic modality. We also observed a disconnect between
      biophysical and crystallographic data in the presence of a stabilizing molecule,
      which is unusual in 14-3-3 PPIs.

PMID- 28640366
TI  - Race and research in the southern United States: Approaching the elephant in the
      room.

PMID- 28640365
TI  - The Caenorhabditis elegans WRN helicase promotes double-strand DNA break repair
      by mediating end resection and checkpoint activation.
AB  - The protein associated with Werner syndrome (WRN), is involved in DNA repair,
      checkpoint activation, and telomere maintenance. To better understand the
      involvement of WRN in double-strand DNA break (DSB) repair, we analyzed the
      combinatorial role of WRN-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans WRN helicase, in
      conjunction with EXO-1 and DNA-2 nucleases. We found that WRN-1 cooperates with
      DNA-2 to resect DSB ends in a pathway acting in parallel to EXO-1. The wrn-1
      mutants show an aberrant accumulation of replication protein A (RPA) and RAD-51,
      and the same pattern of accumulation is also observed in checkpoint-defective
      strains. We conclude that WRN-1 plays a conserved role in the resection of DSB
      ends and mediates checkpoint signaling, thereby influencing levels of RPA and RAD
      51.

PMID- 28640364
TI  - A phase 2 study of the efficacy and biomarker on the combination of transarterial
      chemoembolization and axitinib in the treatment of inoperable hepatocellular
      carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A surge of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) after
      transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) may contribute to tumor progression.
      Axitinib is a potent antiangiogenic agent with main activity against VEGF
      receptors 1 to 3. To the authors' knowledge, its role in combination with TACE
      for the treatment of patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is
      unclear. METHODS: A phase 2 clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier
      NCT01352728) was conducted to evaluate the combination treatment. Patients with
      inoperable HCC who were potential candidates for TACE initiated treatment with
      axitinib at a dose of 5 mg twice daily and were evaluated for the need for TACE
      every 8 weeks. Axitinib was withheld 24 hours before TACE, and resumed 24 hours
      afterward when fulfilling predefined criteria. Radiologic assessment was
      conducted every 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was the 2-year overall survival
      (OS) rate. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients were recruited from March 2011 to
      April 2014. The mean age of the patients was 61.8 years, and 46 patients (92%)
      had hepatitis B infection. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B/C percentage
      was 76% (38 cases)/24% (12 cases). The 2-year OS rate was 43.7%, and the median
      OS was 18.8 months in the intention-to-treat population. Among the evaluable
      population (44 patients), 40.9% (18 patients) and 27.3% (12 patients) achieved
      complete and partial responses, respectively. Common grade 3 or above axitinib
      related complications included hand-foot skin reaction (14%) and hypertension
      (24%). The presence of hypertension during treatment was found to be an
      independent prognosticator (hazard ratio, 0.563; P = .0073) suggestive of a
      contributory role of axitinib to efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of
      axitinib and TACE was potentially efficacious for patients with inoperable HCC
      with a high radiologic response rate. Cancer 2017;123:3977-85. (c) 2017 American
      Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640367
TI  - Culturally sensitive assessment of attachment in children aged 18-40 months in a
      South African township.
AB  - The objective of our work is to study the possible relevance nonwestern cultural
      traditions have on the concordance of attachment patterns assessed in mothers and
      their young children. The attachment of 46 toddlers and their mothers, living in
      a black township in Johannesburg, South Africa, was assessed using scores derived
      from mother-child observations in the home (Attachment Q-Sort) and an interview
      (Working Model of the Child Interview). Mothers also had a semistructured
      psychiatric interview. Agreement between home observations and interview ratings
      was 29% for secure and 71% for insecure attachment when U.S.-developed scoring
      criteria for the interview were used. Agreement increased to 81% for secure and
      67% for insecure attachment when the same protocols were rescored, using a
      culturally modified scoring system, developed by local cultural experts. This
      study suggests that verbal representations of attachment patterns are more
      influenced by cultural traditions than are actual parent-child interactions.

PMID- 28640369
TI  - Cultural influences on early family relationships.

PMID- 28640368
TI  - Response to commentary: Ethical dimensions of the BEIP.

PMID- 28640370
TI  - Insiders and outsiders: Levels of collaboration in research partnerships across
      resource divides.
AB  - With increasing recognition of the health and psychosocial challenges in
      developing countries, more research in these countries is essential. Research
      collaborations between wealthier and less wealthy countries are, however,
      complex. A partnership model has been proposed which emphasizes the importance of
      mutually respectful and beneficial relationships in international research. Using
      an example of a mother-infant intervention project in South Africa we describe
      the elements of an equitable partnership model of research. An issue which has
      been overlooked, however, is the reality of power differentials within the poorer
      countries themselves. We show that there are many intersecting levels of
      relationships within intercountry research, and suggest that power dynamics
      within countries deserves equal attention as international issues. Based on our
      experiences, we present some tentative guidelines for international research
      which builds long-term capacity and recognizes the importance of multiple levels
      of analysis and interaction.

PMID- 28640371
TI  - Infants and young children living in youth-headed households in Rwanda:
      Implications of emerging data.
AB  - The HIV/AIDS epidemic has already produced millions of orphans in Africa and the
      peak of the orphan epidemic has not yet been reached. One emerging social trend
      associated with premature parental death is the formation of households headed by
      youth aged 13-24. In Rwanda, specific sociocultural factors have supported the
      formation of youth-headed households (YHH) in the wake of both the 1994 genocide
      and the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic. There is no published data on the health and
      socioemotional functioning of children under 5 living in YHH. Survey data from
      692 YHH in one region of Rwanda yielded a subsample of 89 homes which contained
      one or more children under 5 (n=104). These data reveal that a majority of young
      children living in YHH's is in fair or poor health. Heads of household themselves
      report high levels of depressive symptoms and social isolation; reports of
      emotional distress among the youngest children in the homes are associated with
      reports of higher symptomatology among heads of household. Findings are
      interpreted in light of the sociocultural context of Rwanda and the implications
      of the data for intervention are considered.

PMID- 28640373
TI  - Cross cultural research during infancy: Methodological considerations.

PMID- 28640372
TI  - How does culture promote the early development of identity?

PMID- 28640374
TI  - International collaboration in infant mental health: Pitfalls, challenge, and a
      way forward.

PMID- 28640375
TI  - Commentary: Ethical considerations in international research collaboration: The
      Bucharest early intervention project.

PMID- 28640376
TI  - Culture, diagnostic assessment, and identity: Defining concepts.

PMID- 28640377
TI  - Infants in the multicultural world.

PMID- 28640378
TI  - Ethical considerations in international research collaboration: The Bucharest
      early intervention project.
AB  - The Bucharest Early Intervention Project (BEIP) is the first ever randomized
      controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care for young
      children. It involved a collaboration between American investigators and Romanian
      health and child protection professionals. We present a brief description of the
      Romanian context and the project itself before discussing a number of ethical
      issues raised by the project. Organized around a discussion of exploitation,
      risk/benefit ratio, and cultural sensitivity, we evaluate a number of ethical
      issues involved in the BEIP using the Ethical Clinical Research Framework and the
      Fair Benefits Framework. Based on this review, we conclude that notwithstanding
      challenging ethical dilemmas, the benefits of the project outweighed its risks.
      Throughout the planning and implementation of the project, ethical issues were a
      central focus of discussion among the investigators and in the collaboration
      between Americans and Romanians. Thoughtful discussions from multiple
      perspectives are necessary to conduct research that is ethically sound and
      scientifically meaningful.

PMID- 28640380
TI  - The evolution of problem and social competence behaviors during toddlerhood: A
      prospective population-based cohort survey.
AB  - Research in developmental psychopathology has long been preoccupied with rather
      broad categories of behavior, but we know little about the specific behaviors
      that comprise these categories. The objective of this study was to: (a) estimate
      the prevalence of problem and social competence behaviors in the general
      population of children at 17 months of age, and (b) describe the continuity and
      discontinuity in the degree to which children exhibit these behaviors between 17
      and 29 months of age. The results show that frequent problem behaviors are not
      typical of children under two years of age. Further, the results suggest that it
      is possible to distinguish between different types of problem behaviors before
      two years of age. In addition, the results show that gender differences in some
      problem behaviors are already present before two years of age, and increase in
      magnitude during toddlerhood. Finally, the results show that interindividual
      differences in problem behaviors observed before two years of age are stable. The
      predictive accuracy of frequent problem behaviors in children at 17 months of age
      was limited, however, with often a majority of toddlers not behaving this way a
      year later. Overall, our results suggest that toddlerhood represents a critical
      period when behavioral and emotional problems of potentially clinical
      significance emerge. Pediatricians should routinely ask parents to report the
      frequency of their young children's problem behaviors during child health
      supervision visits so that children whose frequent problem behaviors persist over
      time can be identified and possibly referred for treatment.

PMID- 28640381
TI  - A case study of traumatic stress disorder in a 5-month-old infant following
      surgery.
AB  - This case study of a 5-month-old infant describes the symptoms of trauma
      following a surgical procedure (cranial remodeling) with short-term hospital
      stay. The infant showed a symptomatology similar to that found in other studies
      of hospitalization during the preverbal period, and fit the diagnosis of
      traumatic stress disorder according to the DC:0-3. The therapy was implemented by
      the parents in consultation with the author. The approach was based on an
      exposure therapy model (flooding) using a somatic trauma trigger that occurred
      spontaneously in the context of a normal caretaking routine. The infant was
      allowed to have a full-blown emotional response during several treatment
      sessions. The outcome was positive, with the disappearance of some symptoms of
      traumatic stress disorder after the first week, and no remaining symptoms after
      two months. Periodic follow-up evaluations for one year revealed normal
      development with no return of symptoms. The symptoms, treatment, and outcomes are
      discussed in the context of behavioral learning theory and emotional processing
      theory. The role of crying during flooding therapy is discussed, and an emotional
      release theory emphasizing the therapeutic value of crying is proposed. Six
      cautionary guidelines are offered for the use of intense exposure therapy with
      infants.

PMID- 28640379
TI  - Comparative and correlative assessments of cytokine, complement and antibody
      patterns in paediatric type 1 diabetes.
AB  - One of the most widespread and effective environmental factors is the infection
      with enteroviruses (EVs) which accelerate beta cell destruction in type 1
      diabetes (T1D). This study represented a comparison between diabetic EV+ and EV-
      children as well as correlation analysis between autoantibodies, T1D markers,
      cytokines, complement activation products and anti-coxsackievirus (CV)
      immunoglobulin (Ig)G. EV RNA was detected in Egyptian children with T1D (26.2%)
      and healthy controls (0%). Detection of anti-CV IgG in T1D-EV+ resulted in 64%
      positivity. Within T1D-EV+ , previously diagnosed (PD) showed 74 versus 56% in
      newly diagnosed (ND) children. Comparisons between populations showed increased
      levels of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-reactive protein (CRP), nitric oxide (NO),
      glutamic acid decarboxylase and insulin and islet cell autoantibodies [glutamic
      acid decarboxylase autoantibodies (GADA), insulin autoantibodies (IAA) and islet
      cell cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ICA), respectively], interferon (IFN)-gamma,
      tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL -10, IL -12, IL 
      17, C3d and sC5-9 in T1D-EV+ versus T1D-EV- . Conversely, both IL-20 and
      transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) decreased in T1D-EV+ versus EV- , while IL
      4, -6 and -13 did not show any changes. Correlation analysis showed dependency of
      accelerated autoimmunity and beta cell destruction on increased IFN-gamma, IL-12
      and IL-17 versus decreased IL-4, -6 and -13. In conclusion, IFN-gamma, IL-12 and
      IL-17 played an essential role in exacerbating EV+ -T1D, while C3d, sC5b -9, IL
      10 and -20 displayed distinct patterns.

PMID- 28640382
TI  - Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in first-time expectant
      women: Relations with parenting cognitions and behaviors.
AB  - The relationship between maternal symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
      disorder (ADHD) and parenting cognitions and behaviors was studied in 86 first
      time expectant women. Women high on ADHD symptoms were less likely to be married,
      less likely to have obtained at least some university education, and less likely
      to report that they wanted to get pregnant at the time they became pregnant. As
      predicted, ADHD symptoms were positively correlated with symptoms of anxiety and
      depression, and predicted less positive prenatal expectations regarding the
      infant and the future maternal role and lower maternal self-efficacy. Contrary to
      predictions, ADHD did not predict any incremental variance in maternal stressful
      life events or social support. Symptoms of ADHD were negatively correlated with
      attendance at recommended prenatal checkups, but were unrelated to other
      behaviors during pregnancy. Findings suggest that even prior to any contact with
      their infant, women with ADHD symptoms have maladaptive cognitions regarding
      their expectations of motherhood and parenting abilities. As a result, they may
      benefit from early interventions that focus on attenuating the potential negative
      effects that these maladaptive cognitions might have on the mother-infant
      relationship and later developmental outcomes for their children.

PMID- 28640383
TI  - A proposed adaptation of DC: 0-3R for primary care, developmental research, and
      prevention of mental disorders.
AB  - The development of the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and
      Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC: 0-3; Zero to Three:
      National Center for Clinical Infant Programs, 1994) has been an important step in
      the field of infant mental health. In this paper, we propose some additions to
      the existing classification system. These additions include the development of
      criteria for infant, toddler, and family strengths, and the development of
      criteria for symptomatology that represents risk for disorder, but not fully
      manifest disorder. These additions will give DC: 0-3R greater potential for use
      in the primary health care of children, thereby increasing the system's utility
      in diagnosing and preventing infant mental health problems.

PMID- 28640384
TI  - Negative emotionality, attachment quality, and behavior problems in early
      childhood.
AB  - Negative emotionality, as well as attachment security and disorganization, are
      seen as major contributors to social adjustment and maladjustment in childhood.
      However, relatively little is known about whether infant negative emotionality
      and attachment quality operate together to affect developing behavior problems.
      The present study thus aims to contribute to this question. Participants were 64
      healthy firstborn children and their primary caregivers. Negative emotionality
      was assessed at the infant ages of 4, 8, and 12 months using laboratory routines.
      At 18 months, the Strange Situation procedure was conducted to assess infant
      attachment security and disorganization, and at 30 months, the child's behavior
      problems were assessed within a structured clinical interview. Attachment
      security and attachment disorganization were significantly associated with
      subsequent behavior problems. There was no significant relation between infant
      negative emotionality and behavior problems. However, there were indications of a
      stronger association between attachment disorganization and behavior problems in
      infants high in negative emotionality. The results underpin the importance of
      attachment quality as well as negative emotionality in social adjustment.
      Disorganized attachment precedes poor adjustment, especially in infants high in
      negative emotionality.

PMID- 28640386
TI  - Photoresponsive Smart Coloration Electrochromic Supercapacitor.
AB  - Electrochromic devices have been widely adopted in energy saving applications by
      taking advantage of the electrode coloration, but it is critical to develop a new
      electrochromic device that can undergo smart coloration and can have a wide
      spectrum in transmittance in response to input light intensity while also
      functioning as a rechargeable energy storage system. In this study, a
      photoresponsive electrochromic supercapacitor based on cellulose-nanofiber/Ag
      nanowire/reduced-graphene-oxide/WO3 -composite electrode that is capable of
      undergoing "smart" reversible coloration while simultaneously functioning as a
      reliable energy-storage device is developed. The fabricated device exhibits a
      high coloration efficiency of 64.8 cm2 C-1 and electrochemical performance with
      specific capacitance of 406.0 F g-1 , energy/power densities of 40.6-47.8 Wh kg-1
      and 6.8-16.9 kW kg-1 . The electrochromic supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycle
      reliability, where 75.0% and 94.1% of its coloration efficiency and
      electrochemical performance is retained, respectively, beyond 10 000 charge
      discharge cycles. Cyclic fatigue tests show that the developed device is
      mechanically durable and suitable for wearable electronics applications. The
      smart electrochromic supercapacitor system is then integrated with a solar sensor
      to enable photoresponsive coloration where the transmittance changes in response
      to varying light intensity.

PMID- 28640385
TI  - Cost-effectiveness analysis of consolidation with brentuximab vedotin for high
      risk Hodgkin lymphoma after autologous stem cell transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In a recent randomized, placebo-controlled trial, consolidation
      treatment with brentuximab vedotin (BV) decreased the risk of Hodgkin lymphoma
      (HL) progression after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). However, the
      impact of BV consolidation on overall survival, quality of life, and health care
      costs remain unclear. METHODS: A Markov decision-analytic model was constructed
      to measure the costs and clinical outcomes for BV consolidation therapy compared
      with active surveillance in a cohort of patients aged 33 years who were at risk
      for HL relapse after ASCT. Life-time costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs),
      and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for each post
      ASCT strategy. RESULTS: After quality-of-life adjustments and standard
      discounting, upfront BV consolidation was associated with an improvement of 1.07
      QALYs compared with active surveillance plus BV as salvage. However, the strategy
      of BV consolidation led to significantly higher health care costs ($378,832 vs
      $219,761), resulting in an ICER for BV consolidation compared with active
      surveillance of $148,664/QALY. If indication-specific pricing was implemented,
      then the model-estimated BV price reductions of 18% to 38% for the consolidative
      setting would translate into ICERs of $100,000 and $50,000 per QALY,
      respectively. These findings were consistent on 1-way and probabilistic
      sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: BV as consolidation therapy under current US
      pricing is unlikely to be cost effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of
      $100,000 per QALY. However, indication-specific price reductions for the
      consolidative setting could reduce ICERs to widely acceptable values. Cancer
      2017. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society. Cancer 2017;123:3763-3771. (c) 2017
      American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640388
TI  - Electrostatic-Driven Exfoliation and Hybridization of 2D Nanomaterials.
AB  - Here, direct and effective electrostatic-driven exfoliation of tungsten trioxide
      (WO3 ) powder into atomically thin WO3 nanosheets is demonstrated for the first
      time. Experimental evidence together with theoretical simulations clearly reveal
      that the strong binding of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surface of WO3 via
      the protonation of ?NH2 groups in acidic conditions leads to the effective
      exfoliation of WO3 nanosheets under sonication. The exfoliated WO3 nanosheets
      have a greatly improved dispersity and stability due to surface-protective
      function of BSA, and exhibit a better performance and unique advantages in
      applications such as visible-light-driven photocatalysis, high-capacity
      adsorption, and fast electrochromics. Further, simultaneous exfoliation and
      hybridization of WO3 and MoS2 nanosheets are demonstrated to form hybrid WO3
      /MoS2 nanosheets through respective electrostatic and hydrophobic interaction
      processes. In addition, this electrostatic-driven exfoliation strategy is applied
      to exfoliate ultrathin black-phosphorus nanosheets from its bulk to exhibit a
      greatly improved stability due to the surface protection by BSA. Overall, the
      work presented not only presents a facile and effective route to fabricate 2D
      materials but also brings more opportunities to exploit unusual exotic and
      synergistic properties in resulting hybrid 2D materials for novel applications.

PMID- 28640387
TI  - DNA mismatch repair deficiency and hereditary syndromes in Latino patients with
      colorectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The landscape of hereditary syndromes and clinicopathologic
      characteristics among US Latino/Hispanic individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC)
      remains poorly understood. METHODS: A total of 265 patients with CRC who were
      enrolled in the Hispanic Colorectal Cancer Study were included in the current
      study. Information regarding CRC risk factors was elicited through interviews,
      and treatment and survival data were abstracted from clinical charts. Tumor
      studies and germline genetic testing results were collected from medical records
      or performed using standard molecular methods. RESULTS: The mean age of the
      patients at the time of diagnosis was 53.7 years (standard deviation, 10.3
      years), and 48.3% were female. Overall, 21.2% of patients reported a first-degree
      or second-degree relative with CRC; 3.4% met Amsterdam I/II criteria. With
      respect to Bethesda guidelines, 38.5% of patients met at least 1 criterion. Of
      the 161 individuals who had immunohistochemistry and/or microsatellite
      instability testing performed, 21 (13.0%) had mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient
      (dMMR) tumors. dMMR tumors were associated with female sex (61.9%), earlier age
      at the time of diagnosis (50.4 +/- 12.4 years), proximal location (61.9%), and
      first-degree (23.8%) or second-degree (9.5%) family history of CRC. Among
      individuals with dMMR tumors, 13 (61.9%) had a germline MMR mutation (MutL
      homolog 1 [MLH1] in 6 patients; MutS homolog 2 [MSH2] in 4 patients; MutS homolog
      6 [MHS6] in 2 patients; and PMS1 homolog 2, mismatch repair system component
      [PMS2] in 1 patient). The authors identified 2 additional MLH1 mutation carriers
      by genetic testing who had not received immunohistochemistry/microsatellite
      instability testing. In total, 5.7% of the entire cohort were confirmed to have
      Lynch syndrome. In addition, 6 individuals (2.3%) had a polyposis phenotype.
      CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of dMMR tumors noted among Latino individuals (13%)
      is similar to estimates in non-Hispanic white individuals. In the current study,
      the majority of individuals with dMMR tumors were confirmed to have Lynch
      syndrome. Cancer 2017. (c) 2017 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society. Cancer 2017;123:3732
      3743. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640390
TI  - Transiently disordered tails accelerate folding of globular proteins.
AB  - Numerous biological proteins exhibit intrinsic disorder at their termini, which
      are associated with multifarious functional roles. Here, we show the surprising
      result that an increased percentage of terminal short transiently disordered
      regions with enhanced flexibility (TstDREF) is associated with accelerated
      folding rates of globular proteins. Evolutionary conservation of predicted
      disorder at TstDREFs and drastic alteration of folding rates upon point-mutations
      suggest critical regulatory role(s) of TstDREFs in shaping the folding kinetics.
      TstDREFs are associated with long-range intramolecular interactions and the
      percentage of native secondary structural elements physically contacted by
      TstDREFs exhibit another surprising positive correlation with folding kinetics.
      These results allow us to infer probable molecular mechanisms behind the TstDREF
      mediated regulation of folding kinetics that challenge protein biochemists to
      assess by direct experimental testing.

PMID- 28640389
TI  - Efficacy and safety of recombinant human lymphotoxin-alpha derivative with
      cisplatin and fluorouracil in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell
      carcinoma: A randomized, multicenter, open-label, controlled, phase 2b trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recombinant human lymphotoxin-alpha derivative (rhLTalpha-Da) is a
      lymphotoxin-alpha derivative that is missing 27 N-terminal amino acid residues.
      Previous studies indicated a benefit from the addition of rhLTalpha-Da to
      cisplatin-based treatment in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell
      carcinoma. The current study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of
      rhLTalpha-Da plus cisplatin and fluorouracil (PF) in patients with mESCC.
      METHODS: Patients from 15 centers in China were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to 3
      arms (arm A, PF plus 10 MUg/m2 daily rhLTalpha-Da; arm B, PF plus 20 MUg/m2 daily
      rhLTalpha-Da; arm C, PF alone). The primary endpoints included progression-free
      survival (PFS) and the confirmed overall response rate (ORR). An exploratory
      analysis was performed to evaluate the role of serum tumor necrosis factor
      receptor II (TNFR II) in predicting the efficacy of rhLTalpha-Da. RESULTS:
      Between September 2010 and May 2013, 150 patients were enrolled. No significant
      differences in either PFS or ORR were observed between the 3 arms. However, in a
      small subset of patients who had low serum TNFR II levels, the median PFS was
      significantly longer for those in arm B than for these in other 2 arms (7.2
      months [95% confidence interval, 5.1-8.6 months] for arm B vs 3.5 months [95%
      confidence interval, 1.7-5.5 months] for arm A [P = .022] and 4.0 months [95%
      confidence interval, 3.2-6.3 months] for arm C [P = .027]). The addition of
      rhLTalpha-Da significantly increased the incidence of chills (P < .001).
      CONCLUSIONS: rhLTalpha-Da combined with the PF regimen failed to improve PFS and
      ORR in patients with mESCC, except in a small subset that had low serum TNFR II
      concentrations. Cancer 2017;123:3986-94. (c) 2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640391
TI  - Selective sweeps of mitochondrial DNA can drive the evolution of uniparental
      inheritance.
AB  - Although the uniparental (or maternal) inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
      is widespread, the reasons for its evolution remain unclear. Two main hypotheses
      have been proposed: selection against individuals containing different mtDNAs
      (heteroplasmy) and selection against "selfish" mtDNA mutations. Recently,
      uniparental inheritance was shown to promote adaptive evolution in mtDNA,
      potentially providing a third hypothesis for its evolution. Here, we explore this
      hypothesis theoretically and ask if the accumulation of beneficial mutations
      provides a sufficient fitness advantage for uniparental inheritance to invade a
      population in which mtDNA is inherited biparentally. In a deterministic model,
      uniparental inheritance increases in frequency but cannot replace biparental
      inheritance if only a single beneficial mtDNA mutation sweeps through the
      population. When we allow successive selective sweeps of mtDNA, however,
      uniparental inheritance can replace biparental inheritance. Using a stochastic
      model, we show that a combination of selection and drift facilitates the fixation
      of uniparental inheritance (compared to a neutral trait) when there is only a
      single selective mtDNA sweep. When we consider multiple mtDNA sweeps in a
      stochastic model, uniparental inheritance becomes even more likely to replace
      biparental inheritance. Our findings thus suggest that selective sweeps of
      beneficial mtDNA haplotypes can drive the evolution of uniparental inheritance.

PMID- 28640393
TI  - Malagasy cichlids differentially limit impacts of body shape evolution on oral
      jaw functional morphology.
AB  - Patterns of trait covariation, such as integration and modularity, are vital
      factors that influence the evolution of vertebrate body plans. In functional
      systems, decoupling of morphological modules buffers functional change in one
      trait by reducing correlated variation with another. However, for complex
      morphologies with many-to-one mapping of form to function (MTOM), resistance to
      functional change may also be achieved by constraining morphological variation
      within a functionally stable region of morphospace. For this research, we used
      geometric morphometrics to evaluate the evolution of body shape and its
      relationship with jaw functional morphology in two independent radiations of
      endemic Malagasy cichlid (Teleostei: Cichlidae). Our results suggested that the
      two subfamilies used different strategies to mitigate impacts of body shape
      variation on a metric of jaw function, maxillary kinematic transmission (MKT):
      (1) modularity between cranial and postcranial morphologies, and (2) integration
      of body and jaw evolution, with jaw morphologies varying in a manner that limits
      change in MKT. This research shows that, unlike modularity, MTOM allows traits to
      retain strong evolutionary covariation while still reducing impacts on
      functionality. These results suggest that MTOM, and its influence on the
      evolution of correlated traits, is likely much more widespread than is currently
      understood.

PMID- 28640392
TI  - Calcineurin inhibitors exacerbate coronary arteritis via the MyD88 signalling
      pathway in a murine model of Kawasaki disease.
AB  - Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) have been used off-label for the treatment of
      refractory Kawasaki disease (KD). However, it remains unknown whether CNIs show
      protective effects against the development of coronary artery lesions in KD
      patients. To investigate the effects of CNIs on coronary arteries and the
      mechanisms of their actions on coronary arteritis in a mouse model of KD, we
      performed experiments with FK565, a ligand of nucleotide-binding oligomerization
      domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) in wild-type, severe combined immunodeficiency
      (SCID), caspase-associated recruitment domain 9 (CARD9)-/- and myeloid
      differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88)-/- mice. We also performed in
      vitro studies with vascular and monocytic cells and vascular tissues. A
      histopathological analysis showed that both cyclosporin A and tacrolimus
      exacerbated the NOD1-mediated coronary arteritis in a dose-dependent manner.
      Cyclosporin A induced the exacerbation of coronary arteritis in mice only in high
      doses, while tacrolimus exacerbated it within the therapeutic range in humans.
      Similar effects were obtained in SCID and CARD9-/- mice but not in MyD88-/- mice.
      CNIs enhanced the expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells and the
      cytokine secretion by monocytic cells in our KD model. These data indicated that
      both vascular and monocytic cells were involved in the exacerbation of coronary
      arteritis. Activation of MyD88-dependent inflammatory signals in both vascular
      cells and macrophages appears to contribute to their adverse effects. Particular
      attention should be paid to the development of coronary artery lesions when using
      CNIs to treat refractory KD.

PMID- 28640395
TI  - From Borane to Borylene without Reduction: Ambiphilic Behavior of a Monovalent
      Silylisonitrile Boron Species.
AB  - Deprotonation of [(cAAC)BH2 (CN)] provided clean access to the stable boryl
      anion, [(cAAC)BH(CN)]- . Whereas the addition of soft electrophiles occurred at
      the nucleophilic boron center, harder silyl electrophiles added to the harder
      terminal cyano nitrogen. The resulting [(cAAC)BH(CNSiPh3 )] species behaved like
      a silylium boryl nucleophile as well as a neutral silylisonitrile borylene.

PMID- 28640394
TI  - In-scan and scan-rescan assessment of LV in- and outflow volumes by 4D flow MRI
      versus 2D planimetry.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the in-scan and scan-rescan consistency of left ventricular
      (LV) in- and outflow assessment from 1) 2D planimetry; 2) 4D flow magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) with retrospective valve tracking, and 3) 4D flow MRI
      with particle tracing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers (age 27 +/-
      3 years) underwent multislice cine short-axis planimetry and whole-heart 4D flow
      MRI on a 3T MRI scanner twice with repositioning between the scans. LV in- and
      outflow was compared from 1) 2D planimetry; 2) 4D flow MRI with retrospective
      valve tracking over the mitral valve (MV) and aortic valve (AV), and 3) 4D flow
      MRI with particle tracing through forward and backward integration of velocity
      data. RESULTS: In-scan consistency between MV and AV flow volumes is excellent
      for both 4D flow MRI methods with r >= 0.95 (P <= 0.001). In-scan AV and MV flow
      by retrospective valve tracking shows good to excellent correlations versus AV
      and MV flow by particle tracing (r >= 0.81, P <= 0.004). Scan-rescan SV
      assessment by 2D planimetry shows excellent reproducibility (intraclass
      correlation [ICC] = 0.98, P < 0.001, coefficient of variation [CV] = 7%). Scan
      rescan MV and AV flow volume assessment by retrospective valve tracking shows
      strong reproducibility (ICCs >= 0.89, P <= 0.05, CVs = 12%), as well as by
      forward and backward particle tracing (ICCs >= 0.90, P <= 0.001, CVs <= 11%).
      Multicomponent particle tracing shows good scan-rescan reproducibility (ICCs >=
      0.81, P <= 0.007, CVs <= 16%). CONCLUSION: LV in- and outflow assessment by 2D
      planimetry and 4D flow MRI with retrospective valve tracking and particle tracing
      show good in-scan consistency and strong scan-rescan reproducibility, which
      indicates that both 4D flow MRI methods are reliable and can be used clinically.
      LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy Stage: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging
      2018;47:511-522.

PMID- 28640398
TI  - Mother's attachment representations of their premature infant at 6 and 18 months
      after birth.
AB  - The effects of premature birth on attachment have generally been examined from
      the infant's perspective. There is a lack of data concerning parental attachment
      representations toward a premature child. Because of the psychological stress
      engendered in parents confronted with a premature birth, we hypothesized that
      their attachment representations would be altered during the first months after
      the hospital discharge. Fifty families with a premature infant (25-33 gestation
      weeks) and a control group of 30 families with a full-term infant participated to
      the study. Perinatal risks were evaluated during hospitalization. To assess
      mothers' representations of their infant, the Working Model of the Child
      Interview (WMCI, Zeanah & Benoit, 1995 & Benoit, Zeanah, Parker, Nicholson, &
      Coolbear, 1997) were administered when their children were 6 and 18 months old.
      The severity of the perinatal risks was found to have an impact on the mothers'
      attachment representations. At six months, only 20% of the mothers of a
      prematurely born infant (30% at 18 months) had secure attachment representations,
      vs. 53% for the control group (57% at 18 months). Furthermore, mothers of low
      risk premature infants more often had disengaged representations, whereas
      distorted representations were more frequent in the high-risk group of premature
      children. These findings suggest that the parental response to a premature birth
      is linked to the severity of postnatal risks. The fact that secure attachment
      representations are affected in mothers of low-risk infants just as much as they
      are in mothers of high-risk infants points to the need to conduct further studies
      aimed at evaluating whether preventive intervention for both low-risk and high
      risk premature will be helpful.

PMID- 28640396
TI  - An anatomical study of plate-rod fixation in feline tibiae.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of placing bi-cortical cortex (B-cort)
      or mono-cortical locking screws (M-lock) in a plate-rod construct applied to the
      feline tibia in combination with different intramedullary (IM) pins. METHODS:
      Twenty-four feline tibiae of cats were divided into 4 groups, corresponding to IM
      pin sizes filling approximately 30% (1.0 mm), 40% (1.4 mm), 45% (1.6 mm), and 50%
      (1.8 mm) of the medullary canal. Computed tomography (CT) was performed to trace
      potential screw trajectories in each group. A 12-hole, 2.4 mm locking compression
      plate was then applied on the medial aspect of the tibia. M-lock and B-cort
      screws were inserted subsequently in each plate hole. Success rates of screw
      insertion based on CT analysis and cadaveric simulation were compared with screw
      type, IM pin diameter, and anatomic location as variables. RESULTS: Screw
      insertion rates were underestimated on CT compared to cadaveric specimens. During
      cadaveric simulation, B-cort screws could be inserted in all specimens in the 3
      most proximal plate holes and in at least 1 of the 3 distal plate holes. The
      smallest pin size (30%) allowed placement of a greater number of B-cort screws (P
      < .05) compared to other pins. Fewer B-cort screws could be inserted in the
      distal diaphyseal region (P < .05) compared to other regions. A total of 99.3% of
      M-lock screws could be inserted regardless of IMP size. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
      Plate rod constructs can include bicortical screws in the proximal and distal
      metaphysis, and monocortical screws in the diaphysis, combined with an IM pin
      filling up to 50% of the medullary canal.

PMID- 28640397
TI  - Preventing preschool externalizing behavior problems through video-feedback
      intervention in infancy.
AB  - In the present study (1) intervention effects on children's preschool behavior
      problems were evaluated in a high risk sample with an overrepresentation of
      insecure adult attachment representations in 77 first-time mothers, and (2)
      predictors and correlates of child problem behavior were examined. Early short
      term video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting (VIPP) focusing on
      maternal sensitivity and implemented in the baby's first year of life
      significantly protected children from developing clinical Total Problems at
      preschool age. Also, compared with the control group, fewer VIPP children scored
      in the clinical range for Externalizing Problems. No intervention effects on
      Internalizing clinical problem behavior were found. The VIPP effects on
      Externalizing and Total clinical Problems were not mediated by VIPP effects on
      sensitivity and infant attachment or moderated by mother or child variables.
      Maternal satisfaction with perceived support appeared to be associated with less
      children's Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems. More research is
      needed to find the mechanisms triggered by VIPP, but the outcomes could be
      considered as promising first steps in the prevention of disturbing,
      externalizing behavior problems in young children.

PMID- 28640399
TI  - Reduction of disrupted caregiver behavior using modified interaction guidance.
AB  - The present study is a reanalysis of a preexisting study examining the usefulness
      of the Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification
      (AMBIANCE; Bronfman, Parsons, & Lyons-Ruth, 1999) measure as an indicator of
      efficacy in reducing disrupted caregiver behavior in two brief interventions. The
      current study examines the rate of change in the display of disrupted caregiver
      behavior over the course of an attachment-based intervention (Modified
      Interaction Guidance) in a group of 11 caregiver-infant dyads referred to a
      tertiary care clinic for feeding problems. The AMBIANCE was utilized as an
      indicator of change in disrupted behavior following an assessment feedback
      session and three intervention sessions. Results showed a significant decrease in
      the total display of disrupted caregiver behaviors, as well as a change in
      classification from disrupted to not-disrupted, after receiving both feedback
      from the assessment and the first treatment session. A qualitative analysis of
      the data further revealed different patterns of change between caregivers. These
      findings provide preliminary empirical support suggesting that a reduction of
      disrupted caregiver behavior can be observed relatively quickly after the
      commencement of the Modified Interaction Guidance intervention.

PMID- 28640402
TI  - The Importance of the Modifying Behaviours During the Inter-Pregnancy Period.

PMID- 28640401
TI  - Two-stage approach for risk estimation of fetal trisomy 21 and other aneuploidies
      using computational intelligence systems.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of fetal trisomy 21 (T21) and other chromosomal
      abnormalities (OCA) at 11-13 weeks' gestation using computational intelligence
      classification methods. METHODS: As a first step, a training dataset consisting
      of 72 054 euploid pregnancies, 295 cases of T21 and 305 cases of OCA was used to
      train an artificial neural network. Then, a two-stage approach was used for
      stratification of risk and diagnosis of cases of aneuploidy in the blind set. In
      Stage 1, using four markers, pregnancies in the blind set were classified into no
      risk and risk. No-risk pregnancies were not examined further, whereas the risk
      pregnancies were forwarded to Stage 2 for further examination. In Stage 2, using
      seven markers, pregnancies were classified into three types of risk, namely no
      risk, moderate risk and high risk. RESULTS: Of 36 328 unknown to the system
      pregnancies (blind set), 17 512 euploid, two T21 and 18 OCA were classified as no
      risk in Stage 1. The remaining 18 796 cases were forwarded to Stage 2, of which
      7895 euploid, two T21 and two OCA cases were classified as no risk, 10 464
      euploid, 83 T21 and 61 OCA as moderate risk and 187 euploid, 50 T21 and 52 OCA as
      high risk. The sensitivity and the specificity for T21 in Stage 2 were 97.1% and
      99.5%, respectively, and the false-positive rate from Stage 1 to Stage 2 was
      reduced from 51.4% to ~1%, assuming that the cell-free DNA test could identify
      all euploid and aneuploid cases. CONCLUSION: We propose a method for early
      diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities that ensures that most T21 cases are
      classified as high risk at any stage. At the same time, the number of euploid
      cases subjected to invasive or cell-free DNA examinations was minimized through a
      routine procedure offered in two stages. Our method is minimally invasive and of
      relatively low cost, highly effective at T21 identification and it performs
      better than do other existing statistical methods. Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG.
      Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28640403
TI  - The baby's place in the world.

PMID- 28640400
TI  - Little evidence for intralocus sexual conflict over the optimal intake of
      nutrients for life span and reproduction in the black field cricket Teleogryllus
      commodus.
AB  - There is often large divergence in the effects of key nutrients on life span (LS)
      and reproduction in the sexes, yet nutrient intake is regulated in the same way
      in males and females given dietary choice. This suggests that the sexes are
      constrained from feeding to their sex-specific nutritional optima for these
      traits. Here, we examine the potential for intralocus sexual conflict (IASC) over
      optimal protein and carbohydrate intake for LS and reproduction to constrain the
      evolution of sex-specific nutrient regulation in the field cricket, Teleogryllus
      commodus. We show clear sex differences in the effects of protein and
      carbohydrate intake on LS and reproduction and strong positive genetic
      correlations between the sexes for the regulated intake of these nutrients.
      However, the between-sex additive genetic covariance matrix had very little
      effect on the predicted evolutionary response of nutrient regulation in the
      sexes. Thus, IASC appears unlikely to act as an evolutionary constraint on sex
      specific nutrient regulation in T. commodus. This finding is supported by clear
      sexual dimorphism in the regulated intake of these nutrients under dietary
      choice. However, nutrient regulation did not coincide with the nutritional optima
      for LS or reproduction in either sex, suggesting that IASC is not completely
      resolved in T. commodus.

PMID- 28640404
TI  - Ghosts and angels: Intergenerational patterns in the transmission and treatment
      of the traumatic sequelae of domestic violence.
AB  - The article discusses the impact of exposure to domestic violence on infants,
      toddlers, and preschoolers; the manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder
      in the first years of life; and the parameters of Child-Parent Psychotherapy as a
      relationship-based treatment that aims at enhancing the parent's effectiveness as
      a protector as a means of restoring the child's momentum towards healthy
      development. Obstacles to the child's mental health and to the success of
      treatment are discussed, with particular attention to the adverse effects of
      parental psychopathology and of environmental stressors such as poverty, cultural
      marginalization, and lack of access to resources. It is argued that the infant
      mental health clinician working with traumatized children and their families
      needs to adopt a therapeutic approach that actively incorporates collaboration
      with other service systems, including pediatric care, childcare, law enforcement,
      child protective services, and the courts, in order to provide ecologically sound
      and culturally competent treatment.

PMID- 28640405
TI  - Detecting infants in need: Are complicated measures really necessary?
AB  - The object of this paper was to study how the Baby Alarm Distress Scale (ADBB),
      developed as a simple screening tool for front line professionals working with
      infants, correlates with the more detailed assessment method of the Global Rating
      Scale (GRS) for Mother-Infant Interaction at two and four months. A sample of 127
      eight- to eleven-week-old infants was videotaped in free interaction with their
      mothers, and infant interaction behavior was rated with both methods by
      independent researchers. Compared to the GRS infant scales the sensitivity of the
      ADBB, using the recommended cutoff point of 5 or more, was 0.77 and specificity
      0.80. In further analyses it was found that deviant ratings of two items of the
      ADBB, the quality of eye contact between the infant and the caregiver and
      assessment of the sense of relationship between the infant and the caregiver,
      were the items most strongly associated with poor interaction skills of the
      infant on the GRS. Mothers of infants found deviant in the ADBB performed more
      poorly in the interaction with their infants when compared to mothers of infants
      found healthy in the ADBB. For the purpose of detecting deviations in infant
      interaction skills as signs of possible problems in early parent-infant
      interaction the ADBB seems to be a sufficiently sensitive and specific
      instrument. However, the results of this study still need to be tested with
      larger samples and against other observation methods.

PMID- 28640406
TI  - Withdrawal behavior and depression in infancy.
AB  - This paper describes the history of the concept of infant depression, which has
      been at the beginning of the discipline of infant mental health, and reviews
      classification and diagnosis issues, along with some animal models. Several
      diagnostic criteria have yielded different prevalence rates, and some being
      unrealistic, but we still do not know when infant depression begins, what its
      outcome is, and what are its different aspects. It is suggested that infant
      depression needs a certain amount of emotional and cognitive development to
      unfold, and that it might not exist before 18-24 months of age, a crossover
      during which major autoreflexive, cognitive, and emotional abilities emerge.
      Depression could be an outcome of attachment disorganization in infancy, as
      depression and disorganization seem to share the same learned helpnessness
      psychopathological process. Developmental psychopathology considers trouble more
      from a dimensional point of view rather than from a categorical one, and more as
      the result of several factors with a sequential action rather than the effect of
      a genetic disorder with direct expression. Before the limit of 18-24 months, the
      concept of relational withdrawal seems more applicable and useful.

PMID- 28640407
TI  - Presidential address: Early parent-infant interaction and mental health.
AB  - The importance and meaning of early mother-infant interaction and their possible
      connection with developmental psychopathology and child psychiatry practice are
      presented. In an experimental study healthy mothers and their infants were kept
      together immediately after delivery instead of separating them. Correlation was
      found between early interactive behavior and later outcome measurements. Other
      effects of early contact were evaluated with the help of interviews,
      questionnaires, developmental screening, analyses of videotapes, and are
      discussed. In another study the outcome of a longitudinal, prospective 30-year
      follow-up on a group of former infant-patients at the Child Guidance Clinics in
      Stockholm was the subject of investigation. A major finding was that some 60% of
      this very young population suffered from a number of serious difficulties and
      problems later on, which is not very encouraging.

PMID- 28640408
TI  - When the bough breaks the cradle will fall: Promoting the health and well being
      of infants and toddlers in juvenile court.
AB  - Approximately one-third of the children in the child welfare system are under the
      age of six. These children are almost invisible in our juvenile courts. It is now
      clear from the emerging science of early childhood development that during the
      first few years of life, children develop the foundation and capabilities on
      which all subsequent development builds. Living in emotional and environmental
      impoverishment and deprivation provides a poor foundation for healthy
      development. These very young and vulnerable children are exhibiting
      disproportionate developmental and cognitive delays, medical problems, and
      emotional disorders. However, there is growing evidence that early planned
      interventions can help. The juvenile court must take a leadership role in
      focusing on the very young child and learning more about risk, prevention, and
      early intervention in order to facilitate the healing process.

PMID- 28640409
TI  - Behavioral Control Dynamics and Developmental Outcomes in Infants Prenatally
      Exposed to Cocaine.
AB  - This study longitudinally examined the associations between mother-infant
      interactions at 15 months and behavioral and cognitive outcomes at 36 months of
      age in a sample of at-risk, young children. Participants for the current study
      were 58 infants/toddlers prenatally exposed to cocaine and their maternal
      caregivers. These infants were from a low socioeconomic status background and
      were part of an intervention setting. When the children were 12, 15, and 36
      months, they participated in research sessions with their maternal caregivers.
      Cognitive development at 12 months and maternal and infant behavior at 15 months
      were measured to predict behavioral and cognitive outcome at 36 months. Higher
      levels of maternal control at 15 months were marginally significant in predicting
      higher levels of problem behavior at 36 months whereas higher levels of infant
      resistance to control predicted lower levels of problem behavior. Furthermore,
      control-resistant behavior displayed by infants was a unique buffer against
      problem behavior, even after controlling for maternal factors and cognitive
      abilities. These findings suggest that maternal control attempts and infant
      reactions to those maternal control behaviors play an important role in the
      development of adaptive and maladaptive behavior patterns during early childhood.

PMID- 28640410
TI  - Reference to Emotion States During Narrative Co-Construction With Three-Year-Old
      Kibbutz Children: Comparison of Mother-Child and Metapelet-Child Dyads.
AB  - In this study of young kibbutz children, we considered similarities and
      differences between mother-child dyads and metapelet (nonmaternal female
      caregiver)-child dyads on their rates of mentioning positive and negative emotion
      states and emotion calls during narrative co-construction from a text-free
      picture book illustrating emotionally charged situations. Thirty-two kibbutz
      children approximately 3 years of age, their mothers, and their metaplot (i.e.,
      plural of metapelet) were observed during co-construction from the picture book.
      All participants (mothers, metaplot, children with mothers, and children with
      metaplot) mentioned more negative emotion states and emitted more negative
      emotion calls than positive ones. Children mentioned less emotion states than
      adults. No differences were found between mothers and metaplot in the number of
      emotion states mentioned, but mothers used significantly more emotion calls than
      did the metaplot, and their children tended to reciprocate. The influence of the
      context and type of relationship on emotion regulation is discussed.

PMID- 28640411
TI  - The Effect of Maternal Depressed Mood on Infant Emotional Reaction in a Surprise
      Eliciting Situation.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to examine the claim that an infant's ability to
      respond appropriately to an emotional situation varies according to the emotional
      state of the mother. Surprise expressions in mother and child were examined both
      in terms of paralinguistic aspects of surprise vocalizations as well as facial
      expressions. Seventy-two infants and their mothers (mean age=8 months, range=5-11
      months) were video- and audiotaped in their homes. Half of the infants, matched
      for age and gender, had mothers who reported depressed mood. Infants of mothers
      with depressed mood showed significantly fewer components of facial expressions
      of surprise compared with infants of nondepressed mothers. Mothers with depressed
      mood exclaimed surprise with a significantly lower pitch (mean F0 =386.13 Hz)
      compared to nondepressed mothers (mean F0 =438.10 Hz). Furthermore, mothers with
      depressed mood showed fewer associations between elements of emotional expression
      than the nondepressed group. Infants' expressions of surprise are influenced by
      maternal mood, resulting in reduced expression of the emotion in infants of
      mothers with depressed mood. These results are discussed in terms of coordination
      of vocal parameters in mother-infant dyadic interaction.

PMID- 28640412
TI  - How Do Mothers Feel About Their Very Low Birth Weight Infants? Development of a
      New Measure.
AB  - The early relationship between a mother and her very low birth weight (VLBW; <1.5
      kg) infant may be difficult to evaluate. Therefore, we aimed to develop a useful
      and practical method to describe a mother's early relationship with her VLBW
      infant. Mothers (mean age=27 years, 46% married) of 119 singleton VLBW infants
      (mean BW=1,056 g, mean GA=28 weeks) admitted to the neonatal ICU at Rainbow
      Babies and Children's Hospital completed a novel questionnaire regarding their
      feelings about their infant at 3 weeks' postnatal age, and at 35 weeks', 40
      weeks' (term), and 4 months' postmenstrual ages. Factor analysis of initial
      interview data was used to construct subscales to measure unique domains
      hypothesized to underpin the beginning maternal-infant relationship. Three
      subscales were identified: (a) The Worry subscale focuses on the mother's
      concerns about her infant's current medical condition and future development, (b)
      the Enjoyment subscale examines the mother's positive feelings about and
      responsiveness to her infant, and (c) the Separation Anxiety subscale examines
      the mother's mental anxiety about being physically separated from her infant.
      Statistical and clinical validation of the subscales produced positive supporting
      evidence that the subscales are a meaningful measure of the mother-infant
      relationship. We have developed a unique and practical measure for describing the
      early mother-VLBW infant relationship.

PMID- 28640413
TI  - Sleep Architecture in Infants of Substance-Abusing Mothers.
AB  - This longitudinal, year-long study compared sleep-wake state organization in two
      groups of infants-infants whose mothers abused substances during their
      pregnancies and nonexposed, typically developing, age-matched comparison infants
      to determine whether differences in sleep-wake state organization existed between
      the two groups. Seventeen infants of mothers who were participating in a parent
      infant residential treatment program for substance abuse were enrolled. Their
      sleep-wake state organization over the first year of life was compared to that of
      17 age-matched comparison infants. The intent was to follow each infant on five
      occasions over the first year of life using established methods of time-lapse
      videosomnography to record sleep-wake state organization; however, attrition in
      the substance-abusing group was problematic. Some sleep-wake variables (i.e.,
      Active Sleep%, Quiet Sleep%, Awake%, number of nighttime awakenings) were similar
      for both groups of infants at comparable ages across the first year. Total sleep
      time and the longest sustained sleep period (sleep continuity variables) differed
      significantly at some of the ages measured. Although overall sleep architecture
      appears highly resilient and well organized, some indications of sleep
      fragmentation and shortened nighttime sleep periods were observed in the
      substance-exposed infants. More research is needed to explain why sleep
      continuity variables and not sleep-state proportion variables differed between
      the two groups.

PMID- 28640414
TI  - The Prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play: A New Observational Assessment Tool of the
      Prenatal Co-Parenting Alliance.
AB  - The goal of this study is to present a new observational assessment tool, the
      prenatal Lausanne Trilogue Play situation (LTP). Expectant parents were asked to
      role play their first meeting with their baby using a doll, and the videotaped
      interaction was subsequently coded. Scores were correlated with measures of the
      couples' marital satisfaction as well as the postnatal family alliance 3 months
      after the baby's birth. Results showed that the prenatal co-parenting alliance
      was positively linked to both fathers' marital satisfaction as well as to the
      postnatal family alliance at 3 months. Thus, the prenatal LTP allows for
      assessment of the prenatal co-parenting alliance at the interactional level. It
      predicts the place the parents will afford their baby after birth and can
      contribute to methods of clinical assessment and prevention.

PMID- 28640415
TI  - Maternal limit-setting in toddlerhood: Socialization strategies for the
      development of self-regulation.
AB  - Early findings from the Prohibition Coding Scheme (PCS; Houck & LeCuyer, 1995;
      LeCuyer-Maus & Houck, 2002; Medvin & Spieker, 1985) revealed that maternal limit
      setting styles with toddlers were differentially related to later child social
      competence, self-concept, and delay of gratification. For this study, the PCS was
      revised to provide more information about the specific strategies mothers used
      during limit-setting in relation to those outcomes. Results from the PCS-Revised
      (PCS-R; LeCuyer & Houck, 2004) included that the more time mothers spent actively
      distracting their toddlers away from a prohibited object during limit-setting, as
      early as 12 months, the longer their children could delay gratification at age 5
      years. Mothers who spent more time sensitively following and being engaged in
      their toddler's own interests (other than the prohibited object), again as early
      as 12 months, had more socially competent children with more developed self
      concepts at age 3 years. Maternal use of reasoning statements later in
      toddlerhood also related to higher levels of social competence. Maternal limits
      and prohibitions were not related to these outcomes, and appeared to contribute
      to the development of self-regulation mainly by creating the opportunity for the
      use of other, less directive strategies. The findings indicate that these
      strategies may be important to include in intervention programs for the promotion
      of toddler and child development of self-regulation.

PMID- 28640416
TI  - Maternal depression: A review of relevant treatment approaches for mothers and
      infants.
AB  - The negative impact of postpartum depression on the mother-infant relationship
      and infant development more generally has been well documented. Compared to
      infants of nondepressed mothers, infants of depressed mothers have been shown to
      be less securely attached to their caregivers and often have cognitive,
      emotional, and behavioral deficits that persist well into childhood. Recent
      evidence has suggested that reduction of maternal depressive symptoms may itself
      not be sufficient to prevent negative effects on children. Rather, treatments
      that target the mother-infant relationship may have great potential in providing
      a buffer against the potentially damaging effects of postpartum depression. Based
      on our review of several treatment-outcome studies, we conclude that mother
      infant psychotherapies and home-based interventions are generally efficacious in
      their goal of ameliorating detrimental consequences for children of depressed
      mothers. Nonetheless, the field must continue to investigate the extent to which
      treatment gains are maintained over time and the mechanisms by which protective
      effects occur. It is likely that the most efficacious treatment approaches will
      be those that address the needs of the mother, the infant, and their
      relationship.

PMID- 28640417
TI  - Antecedents of mothers' emotional and cognitive responses to infant distress: The
      role of family, mother, and infant characteristics.
AB  - The antecedents of mothers' emotional and cognitive responses to infant distress
      were examined. Participants were 67 mothers and their infants. Mothers completed
      questionnaires assessing their experiences in the family of origin and current
      marital relationships both pre- and postnatally and their coping strategies
      prenatally. Infant temperament was observed at 6 months, and mothers were
      interviewed about their emotional and cognitive responses to infant distress 2
      years later to assess their emotional competencies (i.e., accurate identification
      of negative emotions, emotion efficacy, emotional responses to infant distress,
      and emotion goals). A childhood history of emotional rejection was negatively
      associated with empathy and efficacy and positively associated with negative
      emotions. The association between childhood history and some emotional
      competencies was moderated by current marital dysfunction, engaged coping, and
      positive intervening relationships. Maternal marital styles and coping strategies
      and infant temperament correlated with emotional competencies. Theoretical and
      clinical implications are discussed from an attachment theory perspective.

PMID- 28640418
TI  - Impact of mother interactive style on infant affect among babies exposed to
      alcohol in utero.
AB  - This study examined the ability of infants prenatally exposed to alcohol to
      regulate their affect during and after a stressor. Specifically, the Still-Face
      Paradigm (Tronick, Als, Adamson, Wise, ' Brazelton, 1978) was used as a stress
      induction paradigm to assess both mother-infant interaction and infant self
      regulation. In addition to the mothers' interactive style, the effect of mothers'
      drinking during and after pregnancy on the infant was explored. Participants were
      76 six-month-old infants and their mothers. Infant affect and maternal
      interaction style was coded second-by-second for the 6 min of the Still-Face
      Paradigm. Results indicated that infants whose mothers made fewer attempts at
      engaging them during the play portion of the still-face (e.g., either watched
      their infant or paid minimal attention to their infant) showed greater negative
      affect in contrast to infants whose mothers played in an interactive manner. A
      gender effect was found among female infants. That is, female infants whose
      mothers drank more during pregnancy showed greater negative affect. The study
      demonstrates the possibility of early identification of negativity in infants
      with prenatal alcohol exposure. The impact of mother-child relationship on
      emotional regulation of infants prenatally alcohol exposed may be a target of
      future intervention and further study.

PMID- 28640420
TI  - Introduction to the special issue on early preventive intervention and home
      visiting.

PMID- 28640419
TI  - To regulate, or not to regulate? The devious history of cerebral blood flow
      control.

PMID- 28640421
TI  - Pre- and postnatal antecedents of a home-visiting intervention and family
      developmental outcome.
AB  - This is a study of the pre- and postnatal antecedents of select indices of 6 to
      24 months mother-child and child social-emotional development. The following
      hypotheses guided the study: 1. That a mother who is secure before the birth of
      her child will be more involved in the work of the home-visiting intervention,
      and will by child age 24 months be more responsive to the needs of her child,
      encourage the autonomy of her child, and use verbal and positive forms of
      control. In this relationship context, the 2 year-olds would expect to be cared
      for, show more autonomy, and respond positively to the mother's control. 2. That
      in a regression mode of analysis, the following five antecedents will be
      additional predictors of the 2 year outcome: (a) the 1-month mother
      responsiveness and the infant irritability, (b) the 6 month mother's partner and
      family support, and (c) the mother's involvement in the work of the intervention
      in the 7-to 12-months period. Repeated measures analysis of variance and stepwise
      regression analysis showed that the mother's prebirth secure/autonomous state was
      associated with the outcome in the 6- to 24-month period and her involvement in
      the work of the intervention, and that the latter was consistently a significant
      antecedent of the 24-month outcome. The implications of outcome being anticipated
      by both family characteristics and the mother's involvement in the intervention
      are discussed.

PMID- 28640422
TI  - Nurse home visiting: Perspectives from nurses.
AB  - Nurses working in the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) program provide intensive
      home-visitation services for first-time, low-income mothers. The goals are to
      improve maternal health outcomes, child health and development outcomes, and to
      enhance maternal life-course development; however, many of the families face
      significant psychosocial and mental health issues that can impede progress
      achieving their goals. Because of the importance of the nurse-client relationship
      in achieving positive outcomes, these non-mental-health nurses must shift their
      approaches and techniques from a medical to a psychosocial model. In this
      article, we examine the role of the nurse in the NFP and present results of focus
      groups with experienced NFP nurses regarding their perspectives, challenges, and
      rewards in conducting this work.

PMID- 28640423
TI  - A prevention and promotion intervention program in the field of mother-infant
      relationship.

PMID- 28640424
TI  - The process and promise of mental health augmentation of nurse home-visiting
      programs: Data from the Louisiana Nurse-Family Partnership.
AB  - The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) model is a well-studied and effective
      preventive intervention program targeting first-time, impoverished mothers and
      their families. Data documenting the negative impact of maternal depression and
      partner violence on the developing young child can be used to make a strong case
      for augmenting NFP programs to focus on mental health problems impacting the
      mother-child relationship. This article reviews the rationale for and process of
      augmenting an NFP program in Louisiana. Data on the prevalence of depression and
      partner violence in our sample are presented alongside a training protocol for
      nurses and mental health consultants designed to increase the focus on infant
      mental health. The use of a weekly case conference and telephone supervision of
      mental health consultants as well as reflections on the roles of the mental
      health consultant and the nurse supervisor are presented.

PMID- 28640426
TI  - The nurse-family partnership: An evidence-based preventive intervention.
AB  - Pregnancy and the early years of the child's life offer an opportune time to
      prevent a host of adverse maternal, child, and family outcomes that are important
      in their own right, but that also reflect biological, behavioral, and social
      substrates in the child and family that affect family formation and future life
      trajectories. This article summarizes a 27-year program of research that has
      attempted to improve early maternal and child health and future life options with
      prenatal and infancy home visiting by nurses. The program is designed for low
      income mothers who have had no previous live births. The home-visiting nurses
      have three major goals: to improve the outcomes of pregnancy by helping women
      improve their prenatal health, to improve the child's health and development by
      helping parents provide more sensitive and competent care of the child, and to
      improve parental life course by helping parents plan future pregnancies, complete
      their education, and find work. The program has been tested in three separate
      large-scale, randomized controlled trials with different populations living in
      different contexts. Results from these trials indicate that the program has been
      successful in achieving two of its most important goals: (a) the improvement of
      parental care of the child as reflected in fewer injuries and ingestions that may
      be associated with child abuse and neglect and better infant emotional and
      language development; and (b) the improvement of maternal life course, reflected
      in fewer subsequent pregnancies, greater work-force participation, and reduced
      dependence on public assistance and food stamps. The impact on pregnancy outcomes
      is equivocal. In the first trial, the program also produced long-term effects on
      the number of arrests, convictions, emergent substance use, and promiscuous
      sexual activity of 15-year-old children whose nurse-visited mothers were low
      income and unmarried when they registered in the study during pregnancy. In
      general, the impact of the program was greater on those segments of the
      population at greater risk for the particular outcome domain under examination.
      Since 1996, the program has been offered for public investment outside of
      research contexts. Careful attention has been given to ensuring that
      organizational and community contexts are favorable for development of the
      program, to providing excellent training and guidance to the nurses in their use
      of the program's visit-by-visit guidelines, to monitoring the functioning of the
      program with a comprehensive clinical information system, and to improving the
      performance of the programs over time with continuous improvement strategies.

PMID- 28640427
TI  - Can we differentiate sensory over-responsivity from anxiety symptoms in toddlers?
      perspectives of occupational therapists and psychologists.
AB  - Suppose a toddler becomes distressed after hearing a loud noise or when getting
      messy; are these indicators of sensory over-responsiveness or indicators of
      anxiety? There is little evidence regarding the distinction between sensory over
      responsivity and anxiety disorders in toddlers. This construct validity study
      examined differences between occupational therapists' and psychologists'
      judgments of behaviors as representing sensory processing disorders (SPD) versus
      anxiety disorders. Twenty-four occupational therapists and 25 psychologists
      completed a mailed survey, rating items from sensory and anxiety scales as
      representing sensory and/or anxiety disorders in toddlers, and analyzing cases of
      toddlers with these disorders. Occupational therapists were more likely to rate
      items as representing SPD than psychologists, and occupational therapists were
      more certain of the distinction of the sensory scales from anxiety. For the case
      designed to present a general anxiety disorder and the one designed to present
      sensory over-responsivity, more occupational therapists diagnosed as sensory over
      responsive, while more psychologists diagnosed with a general anxiety disorder.
      The overlap in judgments of sensory over-responsivity and anxiety supports the
      notion that these constructs in part reflect different professionals'
      perspectives upon behaviors as well as the difficulty in distinguishing these
      constructs in toddlers.

PMID- 28640428
TI  - Preventive pediatric mental health care: A co-location model.
AB  - Current practice recommendations in both the fields of infant mental health and
      pediatrics support the co-location of mental health professionals into the
      pediatric setting. Multiple policy reports and statements of the past 5 years
      have repeatedly argued the need for coordination and integration between mental
      health care and pediatrics (Halfon, Regalado, McLearn, Kuo, & Wright, 2003;
      Osofsky, 2004). The pediatric office is recognized as a universally accessed,
      nonstigmatized setting, ideal for the assessment and treatment of early childhood
      mental health problems. However, barriers to this type of care are rampant,
      including time limitations on the part of pediatricians, inadequate reimbursement
      structures, inadequate training of pediatricians, and insufficient connections
      between medical and mental health providers. An innovative response to these
      barriers is the co-location of a mental health professional in the pediatric
      practice to provide pediatrician education and appropriate screening, assessment,
      referral, and treatment of young patients. This article describes a successful
      program of this type situated in the Bronx, NY, where a psychologist with
      expertise in infant mental health spends 25 hours per week in a large pediatric
      practice to address the developmental and mental health needs of children aged 0
      3 years old. Preliminary descriptive data regarding the patient population,
      screening scores, and disposition are presented.

PMID- 28640429
TI  - The development of maternal self-esteem.
AB  - Although an important theoretical concept, little is known about the development
      of maternal self-esteem. This study explores the significance of maternal
      cognitions, psychopathological symptoms, and child temperament in the prediction
      of prenatal and postnatal maternal self-esteem. During pregnancy 162 women
      completed measures assessing their unhealthy core beliefs, psychopathological
      symptoms, and self-esteem. At 1 year postpartum 87 of these women completed
      measures assessing their self-esteem and their child's temperament. Overall
      maladaptive maternal core beliefs and psychopathological symptoms during
      pregnancy explained 19% of the variance in prenatal maternal self-esteem. Forty
      two percent of the variance in maternal self-esteem at 1 year could be explained
      by a combination of prenatal maternal self-esteem, mental health symptoms,
      maternal core beliefs, and more unsociable infant temperament. Underlying
      maternal cognitive structures may be important in determining the development of
      maternal self-esteem.

PMID- 28640430
TI  - The helping relationship and program participation in early childhood home
      visiting.
AB  - As researchers have focused on better understanding those circumstances under
      which home visiting can lead to positive effects on parent and child outcomes,
      there has been growing interest in examining variation in the experiences of
      families within these programs, including the quality of the helping
      relationships between home visitors and parents. The current study examined how
      participating mothers perceive the helping relationship, using information
      collected from the Early Head Start National Research and Evaluation Project.
      Results suggest that although maternal report of the helping relationship is
      biased towards positive ratings, it remains a significant predictor of program
      participation, over and above general program satisfaction. Implications for
      measurement development and program interventions are discussed.

PMID- 28640431
TI  - Influence of adolescent maternal characteristics on infant development.
AB  - The present study proposed that several adolescent maternal variables would be
      associated with infant development. Using a sample of 71 adolescent mother-infant
      dyads, the study examined the relative influences of the adolescent's level of
      separation-individuation (Separation-Individuation Process Inventory), feelings
      of attachment towards the infant (Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale), and
      feelings of anxiety regarding separation (Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale) on
      infant mental and motor development (Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd
      ed.). As it was assumed that the adolescent's perceptions of being parented would
      provide the foundation for each of these independent variables, this factor was
      also included (Parental Bonding Instrument). In the current sample, adolescent
      separation-individuation was the only maternal psychological variable to uniquely
      predict infant development, but only on the mental scale. Present findings
      highlight the importance of considering critical developmental processes of
      adolescence when exploring cognitive functioning and other outcomes in infants of
      adolescents. A number of possible mechanisms for the influence of separation
      individuation are considered in the discussion.

PMID- 28640432
TI  - Favourable changes in mortality in people with diabetes: US NHANES 1999-2010.
AB  - AIMS: Diabetes-related complications have declined during the past two decades.
      We aimed to examine whether mortality in people with diabetes improved over time
      in the 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
      METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study using 1999 to 2004 and 2005 to
      2010 data from the NHANES. For primary analyses, we compared the unadjusted, age
      adjusted and multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for mortality outcomes
      (total, cardiovascular, cardiac and cancer deaths) of the participants with
      diabetes with those without diabetes using Cox proportional hazard models.
      RESULTS: For each mortality outcome, HR (95% confidence interval) in diabetic
      participants during the period 2005 to 2010 was lower than that during the period
      1999 to 2004 (all-cause death, 2.76 [1.87-4.08] vs 4.23 [2.57-6.98];
      cardiovascular death, 2.70 [1.20-6.04] vs 8.82 [3.28-23.70]; cardiac death, 2.45
      [0.98-6.09] vs 15.55 [7.01-34.50]; cancer death, 2.33 [0.87-6.23] vs 3.03 [1.20
      7.65]). Compared with mortality outcome during the period 1999 to 2004, greater
      declines in mortality during the period 2005 to 2010 were observed for
      cardiovascular (-54.0%) and cardiac deaths (-64.8%). In age-adjusted and
      multivariable-adjusted models, the cumulative event rates for total,
      cardiovascular and cardiac deaths were not significantly different between
      participants with and without diabetes during the period 2005-2010; this was not
      the case during the period 1999-2004. The leading cause of death was malignant
      neoplasm during the period 2005-2010. CONCLUSION: Considerably improved outcomes
      for total, cardiovascular and cardiac deaths were observed in people with
      diabetes during the 2005 to 2010 NHANES compared to the 1999 to 2004 NHANES.

PMID- 28640433
TI  - Glycemic Improvement with a Fixed-dose combination of DPP-4 inhibitor + metformin
      in patients with Type 2 diabetes (GIFT study).
AB  - This study investigates changes in A1C following a switch from dual therapy of
      metformin and DPP-4 inhibitor to a fixed-dose combination (FDC) of metformin +
      DPP-4 inhibitor following the introduction of the FDC in the provincial
      formulary. The LMC Diabetes Registry was queried retrospectively for patients
      with type 2 diabetes, aged between 18 and 80 years with at least one A1C recorded
      prior and >=3 months post-switch. Five hundred and sixty-eight subjects with mean
      age 64 +/- 12 years and mean A1C 7.7% +/- 1.2% met study criteria. Overall, A1C
      was 0.3% lower post-switch to FDC (P < .01). In stratified analysis, subjects
      with baseline A1C between 7% and 10% had 0.4% lower A1C (P < .01), with 31% of
      these subjects reaching target A1C <=7%, post-switch. A1C reduction was greater
      among patients with a higher baseline pill burden: 0.4% among those using >=10
      pills/day vs. 0.1% for those with <10 pills/day (P = .02). In this real-world
      study, switching to FDC of metformin + DPP-4 inhibitor was associated with a
      significant improvement in A1C. Switching to FDC, especially in patients with
      high pill burden, can improve A1C goal achievement in clinical practice.

PMID- 28640435
TI  - Adjusting the Chemical Bonding of SnO2 @CNT Composite for Enhanced Conversion
      Reaction Kinetics.
AB  - Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with excellent electron conductivity are widely used to
      improve the electrochemical performance of the SnO2 anode. However, the chemical
      bonding between SnO2 and CNTs is not clearly elucidated despite it may affect the
      lithiation/delithiation behavior greatly. In this work, an SnO2 @CNT composite
      with Sn?C and Sn?O?C bonds as a linkage bridge is reported and the influence of
      the Sn?C and Sn?O?C bonds on the lithium storage properties is revealed. It is
      found that the Sn?C bond can act as an ultrafast electron transfer path,
      facilitating the reversible conversion reaction between Sn and Li2 O to form SnO2
      . Therefore, the SnO2 @CNT composite with more Sn?C bond shows high reversible
      capacity and nearly half capacity contributes from conversion reaction. It is
      opposite for the SnO2 @CNT composite with more Sn?O?C bond that the electrons
      cannot be transferred directly to CNTs, resulting in depressed conversion
      reaction kinetics. Consequently, this work can provide new insight for
      exploration and design of metal oxide/carbon composite anode materials in lithium
      ion battery.

PMID- 28640434
TI  - Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Genotype and Gait Speed Changes over 10 Years in
      Older Adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between catechol-O-methyltransferase
      (COMT) genotype and 6-m walk time and to determine whether these associations are
      quadratic in nature, similar to previously reported U-shaped associations between
      dopamine and gait and cognition. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING:
      Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. PARTICIPANTS: Black (n = 850) and white
      (n = 1,352) men and women with a mean age of 73.5 +/- 2.85 at baseline.
      MEASUREMENTS: Mixed models were used to assess the association between the COMT
      genotype and 6-m walk time, cross-sectionally and longitudinally over 10 years.
      Models were assessed unstratified and stratified according to race because allele
      distributions were different between white and black participants. RESULTS: There
      was a significant U-shaped association between COMT genotype and 6-m walk time:
      those with higher (Val/Val) and lower (Met/Met) dopamine slowed more over 10
      years (0.22 +/- 0.02 seconds per visit and 0.23 +/- 0.02 seconds per visit,
      respectively) than those with the intermediate (Met/Val) dopamine (0.20 +/- 0.02
      seconds per visit) (P = .005). Stratified results showed a significant
      relationship in black (P = .01) but not white (P = .15) participants. CONCLUSION:
      These findings indicate a role of dopaminergic regulation of gait speed in
      community-dwelling older adults and of prefrontal cortex involvement in gait
      performance. Future work should investigate the molecular integrity of
      dopaminergic networks and gait changes over time and structural changes in the
      brain with COMT and gait decline in older adults.

PMID- 28640436
TI  - Two-step irradiance schedule versus single-dose cold compress for pain control
      during 5-aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy of condyloma acuminatum.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two-step
      irradiance schedule in relieving pain during PDT of CA. METHODS: The study was a
      prospective, controlled trial of 141 CA patients who were randomly divided into
      Group A (two-step irradiance schedule) and Group B (single-dose cold compress).
      The numeric rating scales (NRS) of patients' pain were recorded at 5, 10, 15, and
      20 minutes during each PDT. RESULTS: The efficacy of PDT and NRS scores of
      patients in the two groups were compared. There was no significant difference in
      gender, age, lesion site, and disease course between the two groups (P > 0.05).
      In addition, the cure rate of patients in the two groups was not significantly
      different (97.1% vs. 95.8%, chi2  = 0.000, P = 1.000). However, the NRS scores at
      different time points and number of PDT sessions were significantly different (F
      = 198.233 and 165.224, respectively, P < 0.05). The NRS scores of patients in
      Group A were significantly lower than those of patients in Group B (F = 82.762, P
      < 0.0001). Moreover, the NRS scores at different positions were significantly
      different (F = 28.286, P < 0.0001). The NRS scores of penis were significantly
      lower than those of the vulva and crissum (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with
      single-dose cold compress, two-step irradiance schedule could more significantly
      reduce the patients' pain degree during treatment, especially for vulva and
      crissum. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:908-912, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28640437
TI  - Repeated evolution of vertebrate pollination syndromes in a recently diverged
      Andean plant clade.
AB  - Although specialized interactions, including those involving plants and their
      pollinators, are often invoked to explain high species diversity, they are rarely
      explored at macroevolutionary scales. We investigate the dynamic evolution of
      hummingbird and bat pollination syndromes in the centropogonid clade
      (Lobelioideae: Campanulaceae), an Andean-centered group of ~550 angiosperm
      species. We demonstrate that flowers hypothesized to be adapted to different
      pollinators based on flower color fall into distinct regions of morphospace, and
      this is validated by morphology of species with known pollinators. This supports
      the existence of pollination syndromes in the centropogonids, an idea
      corroborated by ecological studies. We further demonstrate that hummingbird
      pollination is ancestral, and that bat pollination has evolved ~13 times
      independently, with ~11 reversals. This convergence is associated with correlated
      evolution of floral traits within selective regimes corresponding to pollination
      syndrome. Collectively, our results suggest that floral morphological diversity
      is extremely labile, likely resulting from selection imposed by pollinators.
      Finally, even though this clade's rapid diversification is partially attributed
      to their association with vertebrate pollinators, we detect no difference in
      diversification rates between hummingbird- and bat-pollinated lineages. Our study
      demonstrates the utility of pollination syndromes as a proxy for ecological
      relationships in macroevolutionary studies of certain species-rich clades.

PMID- 28640440
TI  - Frequency-dependent inhibition of bladder function by saphenous nerve stimulation
      in anesthetized rats.
AB  - AIMS: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is an effective
      neuromodulation therapy for treating overactive bladder (OAB). The therapeutic
      effects are achieved by repeatedly applying electrical stimulation through a
      percutaneous needle electrode that is used to target the tibial nerve (TN).
      Anatomical studies indicate there can be multiple saphenous nerve (SAFN) branches
      located near the site of electrical stimulation, and therefore we investigated
      the possibility of evoking a bladder-inhibitory reflex by electrically activating
      the SAFN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acute experiments were conducted in 26 urethane
      anesthetized rats. Changes in bladder contraction rate (BCR) and bladder capacity
      were measured in response to 10-min SAFN stimulation trials. Electrical pulses
      were applied at 25 uA and at stimulation frequencies between 2 Hz and 50 Hz.
      RESULTS: We report that SAFN stimulation at 20 Hz was most effective at
      reflexively decreasing the BCR (53.8 +/- 5.4% from baseline) and also increasing
      the bladder capacity (145.8 +/- 43.5% from baseline). In contrast, SAFN
      stimulation at other frequencies yielded inconsistent changes in bladder
      function. Carry-over effects were minimized by randomizing the sequence of SAFN
      stimulation trials and also by allowing the bladder to return to the baseline
      conditions. CONCLUSIONS: With notable changes in both the BCR and bladder
      capacity, our findings provide evidence of a novel bladder-inhibitory reflex in
      anesthetized rats that is mediated by the SAFN. Further work is needed to
      determine the clinical relevance of this neural pathway.

PMID- 28640438
TI  - Readability, content analysis, and racial/ethnic diversity of online living
      kidney donation information.
AB  - More than three-fourths of adults in the USA use the Internet to access health
      related information. Adults exploring the possibility of living donation should
      have access to online content that is readable and comprehensive. We simulated a
      search of online information about living kidney donation and evaluated
      readability, topics covered, and racial/ethnic diversity of 21 websites meeting
      inclusion criteria (eg, hosted by a nonprofit or patient advocacy organization,
      English content, based in USA). Using standard readability metrics, 62% of sites
      were classified as "Difficult to read" and none achieved the recommended reading
      level of sixth grade. On average, websites covered 18.5 (62%) of 30 recommended
      information topics (range: 7 to 28) and only 2.1 (23%) of 9 racial/ethnic
      diversity items (range: 0 to 6). Overall, the most common nonprofit or patient
      advocacy organization websites do not meet the readability standards established
      by the National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association, many
      lack fundamental information about living kidney donation, and most are not
      racially/ethnically diverse. We encourage the transplant community to consider
      playing a more active role in improving the overall quality of online information
      disseminated to the general public. Further, there is a need to more critically
      examine the accuracy of online living donation content in future investigations.

PMID- 28640439
TI  - Skin-Inspired Multifunctional Autonomic-Intrinsic Conductive Self-Healing
      Hydrogels with Pressure Sensitivity, Stretchability, and 3D Printability.
AB  - The advent of conductive self-healing (CSH) hydrogels, a class of novel materials
      mimicking human skin, may change the trajectory of the industrial process because
      of their potential applications in soft robots, biomimetic prostheses, and health
      monitoring systems. Here, the development of a mechanically and electrically self
      healing hydrogel based on physically and chemically cross-linked networks is
      reported. The autonomous intrinsic self-healing of the hydrogel is attained
      through dynamic ionic interactions between carboxylic groups of poly(acrylic
      acid) and ferric ions. A covalent cross-linking is used to support the mechanical
      structure of the hydrogel. Establishing a fair balance between the chemical and
      physical cross-linking networks together with the conductive nanostructure of
      polypyrrole networks leads to a double network hydrogel with bulk conductivity,
      mechanical and electrical self-healing properties (100% mechanical recovery in 2
      min), ultrastretchability (1500%), and pressure sensitivity. The practical
      potential of CSH hydrogels is further revealed by their application in human
      motion detection and their 3D-printing performance.

PMID- 28640441
TI  - Adipose Tissue-Derived Omentin-1 Function and Regulation.
AB  - Omentin-1, also known as intelectin-1, is a recently identified novel
      adipocytokine of 313 amino acids, which is expressed in visceral (omental and
      epicardial) fat as well as mesothelial cells, vascular cells, airway goblet
      cells, small intestine, colon, ovary, and plasma. The level of omentin-1
      expression in (pre)adipocytes is decreased by glucose/insulin and stimulated by
      fibroblast growth factor-21 and dexamethasone. Several lines of experimental
      evidence have shown that omentin-1 plays crucial roles in the maintenance of body
      metabolism and insulin sensitivity, and has anti-inflammatory, anti
      atherosclerotic, and cardiovascular protective effects via AMP-activated protein
      kinase/Akt/nuclear factor-kappaB/mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK, JNK, and
      p38) signaling. Clinical studies have indicated the usage of circulating omentin
      1 as a biomarker of obesity, metabolic disorders including insulin resistance,
      diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. It
      is also possible to use circulating omentin-1 as a biomarker of bone metabolism,
      inflammatory diseases, cancers, sleep apnea syndrome, preeclampsia, and
      polycystic ovary syndrome. Decreased omentin-1 levels are generally associated
      with these diseases. However, omentin-1 increases to counteract the acute phase
      after onset of these diseases. These findings indicate that omentin-1 may be a
      negative risk factor for these diseases, and also act as an acute-phase reactant
      by its anti-inflammatory and atheroprotective effects. Therapeutic strategies to
      restore omentin-1 levels may be valuable for the prevention or treatment of these
      diseases. Weight loss, olive oil-rich diet, aerobic training, and treatment with
      atorvastatin and antidiabetic drugs (metformin, pioglitazone, and exenatide) are
      effective means of increasing circulating omentin-1 levels. This review provides
      insights into the potential use of omentin-1 as a biomarker and therapeutic
      target for these diseases. (c) 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol
      7:765-781, 2017.

PMID- 28640442
TI  - Endocrine Function after Bariatric Surgery.
AB  - Obesity increases the risks of metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes
      mellitus (T2DM). Bariatric surgery is the most successful therapeutic option that
      causes sustained weight loss and improvements in obesity comorbidities. Roux-en-Y
      gastric bypass (RYGB) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) are two of the most
      frequently performed bariatric surgeries. Despite their different anatomical
      rearrangement, they have remarkably similar success in both weight loss and T2DM
      remission. Interestingly, they also both cause a wide range of endocrine changes.
      Many of these endocrine changes are reflected specifically within the intestine
      and are implicated as mechanisms for the metabolic success of surgery. However,
      while most of the work shows that these hormonal changes are associated with the
      metabolic changes after surgery, causation has been difficult to ascertain. Here,
      we review the endocrine changes after RYGB and VSG and explore their mechanistic
      role in the success of bariatric surgery. Further, we explore important changes
      in gastrointestinal function and the role of these changes in the increase in
      postprandial endocrine responses after bariatric surgery. (c) 2017 American
      Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:783-798, 2017.

PMID- 28640443
TI  - Pathophysiology of Aortic Stenosis and Mitral Regurgitation.
AB  - The global impact of the spectrum of valve diseases is a crucial, fast-growing,
      and underrecognized health problem. The most prevalent valve diseases, requiring
      surgical intervention, are represented by calcific and degenerative processes
      occurring in heart valves, in particular, aortic and mitral valve. Due to the
      increasing elderly population, these pathologies will gain weight in the global
      health burden. The two most common valve diseases are aortic valve stenosis (AVS)
      and mitral valve regurgitation (MR). AVS is the most commonly encountered valve
      disease nowadays and affects almost 5% of elderly population. In particular, AVS
      poses a great challenge due to the multiple comorbidities and frailty of this
      patient subset. MR is also a common valve pathology and has an estimated
      prevalence of 3% in the general population, affecting more than 176 million
      people worldwide. This review will focus on pathophysiological changes in both
      these valve diseases, starting from the description of the anatomical aspects of
      normal valve, highlighting all the main cellular and molecular features involved
      in the pathological progression and cardiac consequences. This review also
      evaluates the main approaches in clinical management of these valve diseases,
      taking into account of the main published clinical guidelines. (c) 2017 American
      Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:799-818, 2017.

PMID- 28640444
TI  - Impact of Growth Hormone on Regulation of Adipose Tissue.
AB  - Increasing prevalence of obesity and obesity-related conditions worldwide has
      necessitated a more thorough understanding of adipose tissue (AT) and expanded
      the scope of research in this field. AT is now understood to be far more complex
      and dynamic than previously thought, which has also fueled research to reevaluate
      how hormones, such as growth hormone (GH), alter the tissue. In this review, we
      will introduce properties of AT important for understanding how GH alters the
      tissue, such as anatomical location of depots and adipokine output. We will
      provide an overview of GH structure and function and define several human
      conditions and cognate mouse lines with extremes in GH action that have helped
      shape our understanding of GH and AT. A detailed discussion of the GH/AT
      relationship will be included that addresses adipokine production, immune cell
      populations, lipid metabolism, senescence, differentiation, and fibrosis, as well
      as brown AT and beiging of white AT. A brief overview of how GH levels are
      altered in an obese state, and the efficacy of GH as a therapeutic option to
      manage obesity will be given. As we will reveal, the effects of GH on AT are
      numerous, dynamic and depot-dependent. (c) 2017 American Physiological Society.
      Compr Physiol 7:819-840, 2017.

PMID- 28640445
TI  - Ubiquitin Ligases and Posttranslational Regulation of Energy in the Heart: The
      Hand that Feeds.
AB  - Heart failure (HF) is a costly and deadly syndrome characterized by the reduced
      capacity of the heart to adequately provide systemic blood flow. Mounting
      evidence implicates pathological changes in cardiac energy metabolism as a
      contributing factor in the development of HF. While the main source of fuel in
      the healthy heart is the oxidation of fatty acids, in the failing heart the less
      energy efficient glucose and glycogen metabolism are upregulated. The ubiquitin
      proteasome system plays a key role in regulating metabolism via protein
      degradation/regulation of autophagy and regulating metabolism-related
      transcription and cell signaling processes. In this review, we discuss recent
      research that describes the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in
      regulating metabolism in the context of HF. We focus on ubiquitin ligases (E3s),
      the component of the UPS that confers substrate specificity, and detail the
      current understanding of how these E3s contribute to cardiac pathology and
      metabolism. (c) 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:841-862,
      2017.

PMID- 28640446
TI  - C1q/TNF-Related Protein 3 (CTRP3) Function and Regulation.
AB  - As the largest endocrine organ, adipose tissue secretes many bioactive molecules
      that circulate in blood, collectively termed adipokines. Efforts to identify such
      metabolic regulators have led to the discovery of a family of secreted proteins,
      designated as C1q tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related proteins (CTRPs). The CTRP
      proteins, adiponectin, TNF-alpha, as well as other proteins with the distinct C1q
      domain are collectively grouped together as the C1q/TNF superfamily. Reflecting
      profound biological potency, the initial characterization of these adipose tissue
      derived CTRP factors finds wide-ranging effects upon metabolism, inflammation,
      and survival-signaling in multiple tissue types. CTRP3 (also known as CORS26,
      cartducin, or cartonectin) is a unique member of this adipokine family. In this
      review we provide a comprehensive overview of the research concerning the
      expression, regulation, and physiological function of CTRP3. (c) 2017 American
      Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:863-878, 2017.

PMID- 28640447
TI  - Role of SERCA Pump in Muscle Thermogenesis and Metabolism.
AB  - In muscle cells, the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) not only acts as a Ca2+ store,
      but also regulates the contractile characteristics of the muscle. Ca2+ release
      from the SR is the primary mechanism for activating muscle contraction and
      reuptake of Ca2+ by the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump causes
      muscle relaxation. The SERCA pump isoforms are encoded by three genes, SERCA 1,
      2, and 3, which are differentially expressed in muscle and determine SR Ca2+
      dynamics by affecting the rate and amount of Ca2+ uptake, thereby affecting SR
      store and release of Ca2+ in muscle. In muscle, small molecular weight proteins,
      including Phospholamban (PLB) and Sarcolipin (SLN), also regulate the SERCA pump.
      Regulation of the SERCA pump by PLB or SLN affects cytosolic Ca2+ dynamics and
      changes in cytosolic Ca2+ not only affect contractile function, but also
      mitochondrial ATP production. Recent studies have shown that alterations in
      cytosolic Ca2+ affects Ca2+ entry into mitochondria and ATP production; thus,
      Ca2+ serves as an integrating signal between muscle contraction-dependent energy
      demand and mitochondrial energy production. In addition, changes in cytosolic
      Ca2+ can affect Ca2+ signaling pathways modulating gene expression and muscle
      growth. An emerging area of research shows that SR Ca2+ cycling is also a player
      in muscle-based nonshivering thermogenesis. Recent data shows that SERCA
      uncoupling by SLN leads to increased ATP hydrolysis and heat production. Our
      studies, using genetically altered mouse models of SLN, show that SLN/SERCA
      interaction plays an important role in muscle thermogenesis and metabolism, which
      will be discussed here, in great length. (c) 2017 American Physiological Society.
      Compr Physiol 7:879-890, 2017.

PMID- 28640450
TI  - Network Supervision of Adult Experience and Learning Dependent Sensory Cortical
      Plasticity.
AB  - The brain is capable of remodeling throughout life. The sensory cortices provide
      a useful preparation for studying neuroplasticity both during development and
      thereafter. In adulthood, sensory cortices change in the cortical area activated
      by behaviorally relevant stimuli, by the strength of response within that
      activated area, and by the temporal profiles of those responses. Evidence
      supports forms of unsupervised, reinforcement, and fully supervised network
      learning rules. Studies on experience-dependent plasticity have mostly not
      controlled for learning, and they find support for unsupervised learning
      mechanisms. Changes occur with greatest ease in neurons containing alpha-CamKII,
      which are pyramidal neurons in layers II/III and layers V/VI. These changes use
      synaptic mechanisms including long term depression. Synaptic strengthening at
      NMDA-containing synapses does occur, but its weak association with activity
      suggests other factors also initiate changes. Studies that control learning find
      support of reinforcement learning rules and limited evidence of other forms of
      supervised learning. Behaviorally associating a stimulus with reinforcement leads
      to a strengthening of cortical response strength and enlarging of response area
      with poor selectivity. Associating a stimulus with omission of reinforcement
      leads to a selective weakening of responses. In some preparations in which these
      associations are not as clearly made, neurons with the most informative
      discharges are relatively stronger after training. Studies analyzing the temporal
      profile of responses associated with omission of reward, or of plasticity in
      studies with different discriminanda but statistically matched stimuli, support
      the existence of limited supervised network learning. (c) 2017 American
      Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:977-1008, 2017.

PMID- 28640449
TI  - Polycystic Kidney Disease.
AB  - Renal cysts, which arise from renal tubules, can be seen in a variety of
      hereditary and nonhereditary entities. Common mechanisms associated with renal
      cyst formation include increased cell proliferation, epithelial fluid secretion,
      and extracellular matrix remodeling. Hereditary polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
      is seen as a component of numerous diseases. Autosomal dominant (AD) PKD is the
      most common potentially fatal hereditary disease in humans, causes renal failure
      in approximately 50% of affected individuals, and accounts for approximately 5%
      of end stage renal disease cases in the United States. ADPKD is caused by
      mutation in one of two genes-85% of cases are caused by mutation in PKD1 on
      chromosome 16 and 15% of cases are caused by mutation in PKD2 on chromosome 4.
      Polycystin-1, encoded by PKD1, is a large protein, has multiple transmembrane
      spanning domains, has extracellular regions suggesting a role in cell-cell or
      cell-matrix interactions, has intracellular domains suggesting a role in signal
      transduction, and can physically interact with Polycystin-2. Polycystin-2 is
      smaller, has transmembrane domains, can act as a cation channel with calcium
      permeability, and may be regulated by Polycystin-1. These proteins, and many
      others associated with cystic kidney disease, localize to primary cilia, which
      may act as flow sensors in the kidney; cystic kidney diseases have also been
      termed ciliopathies. An increasing number of intracellular mechanisms, which are
      abnormally regulated in PKD, have been described and are potential targets for
      therapy, which is lacking in this common hereditary disease. (c) 2017 American
      Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:945-975, 2017.

PMID- 28640451
TI  - Cardiac Fibrosis and Arrhythmogenesis.
AB  - Myocardial injury, mechanical stress, neurohormonal activation, inflammation,
      and/or aging all lead to cardiac remodeling, which is responsible for cardiac
      dysfunction and arrhythmogenesis. Of the key histological components of cardiac
      remodeling, fibrosis either in the form of interstitial, patchy, or dense scars,
      constitutes a key histological substrate of arrhythmias. Here we discuss current
      research findings focusing on the role of fibrosis, in arrhythmogenesis. Numerous
      studies have convincingly shown that patchy or interstitial fibrosis interferes
      with myocardial electrophysiology by slowing down action potential propagation,
      initiating reentry, promoting after-depolarizations, and increasing ectopic
      automaticity. Meanwhile, there has been increasing appreciation of direct
      involvement of myofibroblasts, the activated form of fibroblasts, in
      arrhythmogenesis. Myofibroblasts undergo phenotypic changes with expression of
      gap-junctions and ion channels thereby forming direct electrical coupling with
      cardiomyocytes, which potentially results in profound disturbances of
      electrophysiology. There is strong evidence that systemic and regional
      inflammatory processes contribute to fibrogenesis (i.e., structural remodeling)
      and dysfunction of ion channels and Ca2+ homeostasis (i.e., electrical
      remodeling). Recognizing the pivotal role of fibrosis in the arrhythmogenesis has
      promoted clinical research on characterizing fibrosis by means of cardiac imaging
      or fibrosis biomarkers for clinical stratification of patients at higher risk of
      lethal arrhythmia, as well as preclinical research on the development of
      antifibrotic therapies. At the end of this review, we discuss remaining key
      questions in this area and propose new research approaches. (c) 2017 American
      Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:1009-1049, 2017.

PMID- 28640453
TI  - Corrigendum.
AB  - Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) was first recognized more than four decades ago and
      occurred independent of cardiovascular diseases or hypertension in both type 1
      and type 2 diabetic patients. The exact mechanisms underlying this disease remain
      incompletely understood. Several pathophysiological bases responsible for DCM
      have been proposed, including the presence of hyperglycemia, nonenzymatic
      glycosylation of large molecules (e.g., proteins), energy metabolic disturbance,
      mitochondrial damage and dysfunction, impaired calcium handling, reactive oxygen
      species formation, inflammation, cardiac cell death, and cardiac hypertrophy and
      fibrosis, leading to impairment of cardiac contractile functions. Increasing
      evidence also indicates the phenomenon called "metabolic memory" for diabetes
      induced cardiovascular complications, for which epigenetic modulation seemed to
      play an important role, suggesting that the aforementioned pathogenic bases may
      be regulated by epigenetic modification. Therefore, this review aims at briefly
      summarizing the current understanding of the pathophysiological bases for DCM.
      Although how epigenetic mechanisms play a role remains incompletely understood
      now, extensive clinical and experimental studies have implicated its importance
      in regulating the cardiac responses to diabetes, which are believed to shed
      insight into understanding of the pathophysiological and epigenetic mechanisms
      for the development of DCM and its possible prevention and/or therapy. (c) 2017
      American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:693-711, 2017.

PMID- 28640452
TI  - Role of Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Health and Disease: A Matter of Fat?
AB  - Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a small but very biologically active ectopic
      fat depot that surrounds the heart. Given its rapid metabolism, thermogenic
      capacity, unique transcriptome, secretory profile, and simply measurability,
      epicardial fat has drawn increasing attention among researchers attempting to
      elucidate its putative role in health and cardiovascular diseases. The cellular
      crosstalk between epicardial adipocytes and cells of the vascular wall or
      myocytes is high and suggests a local role for this tissue. The balance between
      protective and proinflammatory/profibrotic cytokines, chemokines, and adipokines
      released by EAT seem to be a key element in atherogenesis and could represent a
      future therapeutic target. EAT amount has been found to predict clinical coronary
      outcomes. EAT can also modulate cardiac structure and function. Its amount has
      been associated with atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, and sleep
      apnea syndrome. Conversely, a beiging fat profile of EAT has been identified. In
      this review, we describe the current state of knowledge regarding the anatomy,
      physiology and pathophysiological role of EAT, and the factors more globally
      leading to ectopic fat development. We will also highlight the most recent
      findings on the origin of this ectopic tissue, and its association with cardiac
      diseases. (c) 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:1051-1082,
      2017.

PMID- 28640454
TI  - Direct quantification of gamma H2AX by cell-based high throughput screening for
      evaluation of genotoxicity of pesticides in a human thyroid cell lines.
AB  - Genotoxicity is thought to be the cause of many cancers. Genotoxicity due to
      environmental toxins may be partly responsible for the dramatic increase in the
      incidence of papillary thyroid cancer over the past two decades. Here, we present
      a fully automatable assay platform that directly quantifies the phosphorylation
      of nuclear histone gamma H2AX (gammaH2AX), a specific cellular marker for DNA
      double strand breaks (DSBs) via immunohistochemistry and laser scanning
      cytometry. It multiplexes gammaH2AX with total cell number measured as propidium
      iodide and calculates the percentage of cells with DSBs. Validation of this assay
      using NTHY-ori-3-1 human thyroid cells and etoposide showed that it was an
      excellent choice for high throughput applications. We used the assay to test the
      genotoxic effects of the EPA Toxcast Phase 1 pesticide library of 309 compounds.
      Compounds were evaluated in dose response and the DSB was quantified. We found
      that 19 pesticides induce DSB in vitro, highlighting a need to further assess
      these pesticides for their long-term oncogenic effects on the thyroid gland.
      Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:522-528, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28640455
TI  - Adjunct fixation with a Kirschner wire or a plate for lateral unicondylar humeral
      fracture stabilization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the biomechanical properties of using an interfragmentary
      1.6 mm Kirschner wire or a 2.7 mm reconstruction plate as adjunctive epicondylar
      stabilization in simulated comminuted lateral unicondylar humeral fractures
      stabilized with a transcondylar 4.5 mm cortical screw. STUDY DESIGN: Cadaveric
      biomechanical assessment. SAMPLE POPULATION: Paired humeri harvested from 9
      young, skeletally mature dogs. METHODS: Simulated comminuted lateral unicondylar
      humeral fractures were stabilized with a transcondylar 4.5 mm cortical screw
      placed in lag fashion. Adjunct fixations consisting of a 1.6 mm Kirschner wire on
      one side, and a 2.7 mm reconstruction plate on the contralateral side, were
      tested within paired humeri. Repaired humeri were axially loaded to failure and
      construct stiffness, yield load, and load to failure were obtained from the load
      deformation curves. RESULTS: Stiffness (mean +/- SD: 577 +/- 245 vs 310 +/- 71
      N/mm; P = .01), yield load (mean +/- SD: 2389 +/- 572 vs 1017 N +/- 292; P =
      .0002), and load at failure (mean +/- SD: 3351 +/- 358 vs 1693 +/- 363 N; P =
      .009) were greater in constructs incorporating a reconstruction plate rather than
      a Kirschner wire. CONCLUSION: Our results support the recommendation for adjunct
      fixation of comminuted lateral unicondylar humeral fractures with an epicondylar
      plate.

PMID- 28640456
TI  - First environmental sample containing plasmid-mediated colistin-resistant ESBL
      producing Escherichia coli detected in Norway.
AB  - We hereby report the detection of the plasmid borne mcr-1 gene conferring
      colistin resistance in an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing
      Escherichia coli ST10 strain retrieved from seawater at a public beach in Norway.
      The sample was collected in September 2010 and was investigated by whole-genome
      sequencing in 2016. This report illustrates that E. coli strains carrying plasmid
      mediated colistin resistance genes have also reached areas where this drug is
      hardly used at all. Surveillance of colistin resistance in environmental,
      veterinary, and human strains is warranted also in countries where colistin
      resistance is rare in clinical settings.

PMID- 28640457
TI  - Primordial-like enzymes from bacteria with reduced genomes.
AB  - The first cells probably possessed rudimentary metabolic networks, built using a
      handful of multifunctional enzymes. The promiscuous activities of modern enzymes
      are often assumed to be relics of this primordial era; however, by definition
      these activities are no longer physiological. There are many fewer examples of
      enzymes using a single active site to catalyze multiple physiologically-relevant
      reactions. Previously, we characterized the promiscuous alanine racemase (ALR)
      activity of Escherichia coli cystathionine beta-lyase (CBL). Now we have
      discovered that several bacteria with reduced genomes lack alr, but contain metC
      (encoding CBL). We characterized the CBL enzymes from three of these:
      Pelagibacter ubique, the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Drosophila melanogaster (wMel)
      and Thermotoga maritima. Each is a multifunctional CBL/ALR. However, we also show
      that CBL activity is no longer required in these bacteria. Instead, the wMel and
      T. maritima enzymes are physiologically bi-functional alanine/glutamate
      racemases. They are not highly active, but they are clearly sufficient. Given the
      abundance of the microorganisms using them, we suggest that much of the planet's
      biochemistry is carried out by enzymes that are quite different from the highly
      active exemplars usually found in textbooks. Instead, primordial-like enzymes may
      be an essential part of the adaptive strategy associated with streamlining.

PMID- 28640458
TI  - Long-term graft survival in patients with chronic antibody-mediated rejection
      with persistent peritubular capillaritis treated with intravenous immunoglobulin
      and rituximab.
AB  - Chronic antibody-mediated rejection (cAMR) is the major cause of premature renal
      allograft loss and is resistant to therapy with 12-month graft failure of up to
      50% reported. We examined the duration of graft survival and associates of graft
      failure in patients with donor-specific antibody-positive cAMR and treatment
      resistant peritubular capillaritis between June 2007 and October 2010. Those with
      advanced interstitial fibrosis (n=5) were excluded. Included patients (n=24)
      received treatment with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin and fixed-dose
      rituximab (500 mg). Compared with previous reports, the study group experienced
      prolonged graft survival (median 82.1 months). Graft loss was predicted by eGFR
      and degree of proteinuria at diagnosis but not by donor-specific HLA antibody
      class or intensity, nor individual or summed Banff scores. Allograft biopsies
      were further examined for infiltrating leukocyte subtypes and location with high
      numbers of glomerular leukocytes, particularly macrophages, independently
      associated with an increased risk of graft failure. This study suggests that
      patients with cAMR and persistent microcirculatory inflammation, excluding those
      with advanced histological damage, can expect prolonged graft survival when
      treated with IVIg and rituximab. Trial level evidence is required to validate
      this observation. Further examination of the role of macrophages in cAMR is
      warranted.

PMID- 28640459
TI  - Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy and the Risk of Attention Deficit with or without
      Hyperactivity Disorder in Children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The association between antidepressant (AD) use during pregnancy and
      the risk of attention deficit with or without hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in
      children is debated. We investigated the risk of ADHD associated with overall and
      class-specific antidepressant exposure in utero. METHODS: We designed a register
      based cohort study using the Quebec Pregnancy/Children Cohort (QPC). A total of
      144 406 singleton full-term live-born from 1998 to 2009 were included. Cox
      proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate unadjusted and
      adjusted hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: During 542 897
      person-years of follow-up, 4564 (3.2%) infants were identified with ADHD. The
      mean age at first ADHD diagnosis was 6.3 +/- 2.3 years (range 0-11 years), and
      the mean age at first ADHD medication use was 7.0 +/- 1.5 years. Adjusting for
      potential confounders, including maternal history of depression/anxiety and ADHD,
      AD use during the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy was associated with an
      increased risk of (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0, 1.6; 134 exposed cases). More
      specifically, tricyclic use was associated with an increased risk of ADHD (HR
      1.8, 95% CI 1.0, 3.1; 16 exposed cases); SSRI and SNRI use were not associated
      with increased ADHD risk. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that AD use during the
      2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy, specifically tricyclics, is an independent
      risk factor for ADHD in children above and beyond the risk associated with
      maternal depression/anxiety or ADHD. However, residual confounding by indication
      severity could not be completely ruled out.

PMID- 28640460
TI  - Giant Peak Voltage of Thermopower Waves Driven by the Chemical Potential Gradient
      of Single-Crystalline Bi2 Te3.
AB  - The self-propagating exothermic chemical reaction with transient thermovoltage,
      known as the thermopower wave, has received considerable attention recently. A
      greater peak voltage and specific power are still demanded, and materials with
      greater Seebeck coefficients have been previously investigated. However, this
      study employs an alternative mechanism of transient chemical potential gradient
      providing an unprecedentedly high peak voltage (maximum: 8 V; average: 2.3 V) and
      volume-specific power (maximum: 0.11 W mm-3 ; average: 0.04 W mm-3 ) using n-type
      single-crystalline Bi2 Te3 substrates. A mixture of nitrocellulose and sodium
      azide is used as a fuel, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy reveals a
      significant downshift in Fermi energy (~5.09 eV) of the substrate by p-doping of
      the fuel. The induced electrical potential by thermopower waves has two distinct
      sources: the Seebeck effect and the transient chemical potential gradient.
      Surprisingly, the Seebeck effect contribution is less than 2.5% (~201 mV) of the
      maximum peak voltage. The right combination of substrate, fuel doping, and
      anisotropic substrate geometry results in an order of magnitude greater transient
      chemical potential gradient (~5.09 eV) upon rapid removal of fuel by exothermic
      chemical reaction propagation. The role of fuel doping and chemical potential
      gradient can be viewed as a key mechanism for enhanced heat to electric
      conversion performance.

PMID- 28640461
TI  - Dynamic Kinetic Spiroketalization/Oxa-Michael Addition Cascade of Alkoxyboronates
      and Peroxyacetals: Enantio- and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Benzannulated
      Spiroketals.
AB  - A unified dynamic kinetic spiroketalization/enantioselective oxa-Michael addition
      cascade of an aromatic ketone tethered to an alkoxyboronate and an enone moiety
      has been developed using cinchona alkaloid based amino-thiourea/squaramide
      organocatalysts to provide isobenzofuran-based benzannulated spiroketals with
      high diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities. Further, a
      dynamic kinetic peroxy-hemiacetalization/dynamic kinetic
      spiroketalization/enantioselective oxa-Michael addition cascade of the above
      substrates provides the corresponding exo-peroxy-benzannulated spiroketals with
      outstanding enantio- and diastereoselectivities.

PMID- 28640462
TI  - Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites for Ultrasensitive Photoactive Switching in
      Terahertz Metamaterial Devices.
AB  - The recent meteoric rise in the field of photovoltaics with the discovery of
      highly efficient solar-cell devices is inspired by solution-processed organic
      inorganic lead halide perovskites that exhibit unprecedented light-to-electricity
      conversion efficiencies. The stunning performance of perovskites is attributed to
      their strong photoresponsive properties that are thoroughly utilized in designing
      excellent perovskite solar cells, light-emitting diodes, infrared lasers, and
      ultrafast photodetectors. However, optoelectronic application of halide
      perovskites in realizing highly efficient subwavelength photonic devices has
      remained a challenge. Here, the remarkable photoconductivity of organic-inorganic
      lead halide perovskites is exploited to demonstrate a hybrid perovskite
      metamaterial device that shows extremely low power photoswitching of the
      metamaterial resonances in the terahertz part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
      Furthermore, a signature of a coupled phonon-metamaterial resonance is observed
      at higher pump powers, where the Fano resonance amplitude is extremely weak. In
      addition, a low threshold, dynamic control of the highly confined electric field
      intensity is also observed in the system, which could tremendously benefit the
      new generation of subwavelength photonic devices as active sensors, low threshold
      optically controlled lasers, and active nonlinear devices with enhanced
      functionalities in the infrared, optical, and the terahertz parts of the
      electromagnetic spectrum.

PMID- 28640463
TI  - Exciton Recombination in Formamidinium Lead Triiodide: Nanocrystals versus Thin
      Films.
AB  - The optical properties of the newly developed near-infrared emitting
      formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3 ) nanocrystals (NCs) and their
      polycrystalline thin film counterpart are comparatively investigated by means of
      steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence. The excitonic emission is
      dominant in NC ensemble because of the localization of electron-hole pairs. A
      promisingly high quantum yield above 70%, and a large absorption cross-section
      (5.2 * 10-13 cm-2 ) are measured. At high pump fluence, biexcitonic recombination
      is observed, featuring a slow recombination lifetime of 0.4 ns. In
      polycrystalline thin films, the quantum efficiency is limited by nonradiative
      trap-assisted recombination that turns to bimolecular at high pump fluences. From
      the temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra, a phase transition is
      clearly observed in both NC ensemble and polycrystalline thin film. It is
      interesting to note that NC ensemble shows PL temperature antiquenching, in
      contrast to the strong PL quenching displayed by polycrystalline thin films. This
      difference is explained in terms of thermal activation of trapped carriers at the
      nanocrystal's surface, as opposed to the exciton thermal dissociation and trap
      mediated recombination, which occur in thin films at higher temperatures.

PMID- 28640464
TI  - Mothers' representations of their infants and parenting behavior: Associations
      with personal and social-contextual variables in a high-risk sample.
AB  - Associations between mothers' psychological distress, experiences of verbal and
      violent relational conflict, representations of the relationships with their
      infants, and parenting behavior were examined in 100 African American mothers of
      17- to 20-month-old infants. Maternal representations of infants were assessed
      via the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI; Zeanah, Benoit, Hirshberg, &
      Barton, 1986). Results showed that mothers who experienced more conflict with
      their own mothers had increased odds of having disengaged representations of the
      relationship with their infants. Mothers who experienced more conflict with their
      infants' fathers had increased odds of having distorted views of their infants.
      Mothers who reported more hostile psychological symptomalogy had greater odds of
      not having a balanced representation of their infants (distorted or disengaged).
      Additionally, mothers with disengaged representations were less sensitive, more
      passive, and used less encouragement and guidance with their children. Maternal
      hostility and conflict were directly related to parenting and were not mediated
      by representations. Results show that representations and parenting behavior are
      linked and multiply determined.

PMID- 28640465
TI  - Anxiety affects the relationship between parents and their very low birth weight
      infants.
AB  - The goal of this study was to examine the medical and sociodemographic factors
      associated with parental anxiety following the birth of a very low birth weight
      infant (VLBW, below 1500 g), and to determine the impact of anxiety on the
      behavior of parents with their VLBW infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
      (NICU). The parents of 88 VLBW infants were recruited through the NICU of a
      tertiary-care hospital, approximately 2 weeks following delivery. Parents
      completed self-report questionnaires measuring anxiety, marital quality, and
      social support. Prior to discharge, each parent was observed twice during a
      feeding interaction with the infant. Maternal anxiety was greater when their
      infants were smaller in terms of birth weight and younger in gestational age.
      Maternal education, marital status, and country of origin, as well as social
      support and marital quality, were also associated with anxiety. Paternal anxiety
      was not related to socioeconomic status or infant medical risk, but was
      associated with country of origin, social support, and marital quality. For both
      mothers and fathers, anxiety was a better predictor of parental behavior than was
      infant medical risk. These findings suggest the need to intervene with anxious
      parents in order to promote satisfactory parent-infant relationships.

PMID- 28640466
TI  - Parental representations and subclinical changes in postpartum mood.
AB  - Parents commonly experience a depressed mood in the immediate postpartum period,
      and a smaller proportion experience clinical postpartum depression. Among other
      factors, mental representations of early parenting experience appear to
      contribute to the development of major depressive disorder. The present study
      examines the role of mental representations of early parenting in subclinical
      fluctuations of parental mood in the peripartum period. Forty-one middle-class
      mothers and thirty-six fathers were interviewed on three occasions from late in
      their pregnancy until three months postpartum. Ratings of social support and past
      history of depression were obtained along with ratings of parents' perceptions of
      their early parenting experiences. Parents' perception of their own maternal care
      was significantly predictive of peripartum fluctuations in mood. Parents who
      perceived their own mothers as less caring showed more dysphoria at 8 months
      gestation, and at 2 weeks and 3 months postpartum. Perceptions of maternal
      protectiveness or fathers' caring and protectiveness were not related to prenatal
      or postpartum mood fluctuations. Both mothers and fathers who perceived their
      mothers as affectionless and/or controlling were more likely to experience
      fluctuations in mood in the peripartum period. A past history of one or more
      episodes of major depression and ratings of perceived social support were also
      associated with more peripartum mood fluctuation. These findings suggest that
      early parenting experiences set the threshold for how vulnerable parents are in
      the peripartum period to the depressive costs of engaging with a new infant.

PMID- 28640467
TI  - The development and evaluation of the intervention model for the Florida Infant
      Mental Health Pilot Program.
AB  - The focus of this paper is on the development and evaluation of an intervention
      model for Florida's Infant and Young Child Mental Health Pilot Program, designed
      to identify families with children at risk for abuse and neglect, and to provide
      clinical evaluation and treatment services. The evaluation model, intervention
      strategies, and results presented in this paper are all part of the Florida pilot
      project developed as a response to the recommendations of the state's Strategic
      Plan for Infant Mental Health. Funded by the Florida legislature, the 3-year,
      multisite pilot was designed to provide earlier identification, better
      evaluation, and more effective treatment services for high-risk children under
      the age of three. The target population was children either at risk for out-of
      home placement due to abuse and neglect, or those already in the child welfare
      system or adjudicated dependent by the state. The goals of the pilot project
      were: 1) to reduce the occurrence and re-occurrence of abuse and neglect; 2) to
      enhance the child's developmental functioning; 3) to improve the parent-child
      relationship; 4) to increase expeditious permanency placements; 5) to develop a
      model for intervention and treatment that could potentially be replicated in
      different sites; and 6) to document the components of a quality infant mental
      health intervention model and evaluate its effectiveness.

PMID- 28640468
TI  - Dominance among unfamiliar peers starts in infancy.
AB  - Dominance has been conceived for a long time in terms of asymmetry in agonistic
      conflicts. But this conception has shown its limits in the complexity of
      children's social worlds. Today, dominance is rather conceived in terms of
      asymmetry in resource control within children's dyads. Some observational studies
      have been done in this context, but only on small groups of familiar children and
      often up to 3 years of age. Our aim was to reveal whether asymmetry in resource
      control would occur between younger children who met each other for the first
      time in the presence of an attractive toy. We observed 201 dyads of 19-month-old
      unfamiliar peers in four repetitive competitive sessions for a toy. Resource
      control and asymmetry between participants were highly consistent between
      sessions. The level of asymmetry in resource control between participants was
      very high. This asymmetry was influenced neither by gender nor by age, and
      coercive behaviors in the situation, physical aggression rated by parents, birth
      order, and day-care habits did not account for the asymmetry in our setting.
      However, body size at birth (although not at the time of testing) and anxiety
      rated by parents contributed significantly to the asymmetry in resource control.

PMID- 28640469
TI  - Still-face and separation effects on depressed mother-infant interactions.

PMID- 28640470
TI  - Contingent first-trimester screening for aneuploidies with cell-free DNA in a
      Danish clinical setting.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to compare the screening
      performance for trisomy 21 (T21) between combined first-trimester screening
      (cFTS) with referral for invasive testing at a T21 risk >= 1 in 300, and
      contingent screening consisting of referral for invasive testing at a cFTS-T21
      risk >= 1 in 100 and referral for cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing at a cFTS-T21
      risk between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000. Secondary aims were to compare the incidence
      of fetuses diagnosed with trisomy 18 (T18), trisomy 13 (T13) or sex chromosome
      aneuploidy, and examine the association between fetal fraction of cfDNA in
      maternal blood and maternal/fetal characteristics. METHODS: Women with a
      singleton pregnancy and a cFTS-T21 risk of >= 1 in 1000 were recruited
      consecutively from two Danish hospitals between August 2014 and May 2015. First
      trimester combined screening was based on maternal age, nuchal translucency
      thickness and levels of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and beta
      human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG). Blood samples for cfDNA testing were
      analyzed for risks of T21, T18, T13 and sex chromosomal aneuploidies. cfDNA
      analysis was conducted blinded to the cFTS assessment and karyotype results.
      Pregnancy outcomes and pre- and postnatal karyotypes were obtained from the
      Danish Fetal Medicine Database. RESULTS: Among 6449 women who underwent cFTS risk
      assessment, 869 (13.5%) had a T21 risk of >= 1 in 1000 and 597 were included for
      cfDNA testing. Among these, there were 15 cases of T21, one case of T18 and two
      cases of T13. The sensitivity for detection of T21 was 100% using both screening
      strategies, while specificity increased significantly (P < 0.0001) from 97.0%
      using the cFTS strategy to 98.8% using the contingent approach. The sensitivity
      for detection of T21, T18 and T13 increased from 94.4% using the cFTS strategy to
      100% using the contingent approach, with overlapping CIs, while specificity
      increased significantly (P < 0.0001) from 97.1% for cFTS to 98.9% for the
      contingent strategy. Seven pregnancies were categorized as being at increased
      risk of a sex chromosomal aneuploidy by cfDNA testing but chromosome analysis was
      discordant, corresponding to a false-positive rate of 1.2%. The fetal fraction
      decreased significantly with increasing maternal weight and increased
      significantly with the level of beta-hCG and PAPP-A and among female fetuses, in
      both univariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In a clinical setting
      with efficient cFTS, contingent screening offering women with a cFTS risk of >= 1
      in 100 an invasive test and women with a risk from 1 in 100 to 1 in 1000 a cfDNA
      test had the same sensitivity for T21, T18 and T13, but significantly increased
      specificity, when compared with offering an invasive test to all women with a
      risk of >= 1 in 300. Implementing contingent screening would therefore reduce
      significantly the number of invasive tests performed at no loss of sensitivity.
      Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28640472
TI  - Social support and postpartum depressive symptomatology: The mediating role of
      maternal self-efficacy.
AB  - Research shows that social support and maternal self-efficacy are inversely
      related to postpartum depression; however, little is known about the mechanisms
      by which these variables impact on depressive symptomatology. This study uses
      path analysis to examine the proposal that maternal self-efficacy mediates the
      effects of social support on postpartum depressive symptomatology. Primiparous
      women (n=247) completed questionnaires during their last trimester and then again
      at 4 weeks' postpartum (n=192). It was hypothesized that higher levels of
      parental support, partner support, and maternal self-efficacy would be associated
      with lower levels of depressive symptomatology postpartum and that the
      relationship between social support and depressive symptomatology would be
      mediated by maternal self-efficacy. Results indicated that as expected, higher
      parental support and maternal self-efficacy were associated with lower levels of
      depressive symptomatology postpartum. Partner support was found to be unrelated
      to both depressive symptomatology and maternal self-efficacy. Results from the
      path analysis supported the mediation model. Findings suggest that parental
      support lowers depressive symptomatology by the enhancement of maternal self
      efficacy.

PMID- 28640471
TI  - Prognostic significance of cystic lymph nodal metastasis in nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of cystic
      lymph nodal metastasis (CLNM) and its prognostic value in patients with
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on
      257 patients with NPC, analyzing the presence of CLNM on MRI or CT scans.
      Oncologic outcomes were performed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: One
      hundred eleven patients (43.2%) had CLNM at diagnosis. Overall, patients with
      CLNM had a poorer disease-specific survival (DSS; P < .001) and overall survival
      (OS; P < .001) compared with patients without CLNM. When analyzed according to
      nodal status, CLNM was associated with a higher rate of distant metastasis
      recurrence (P = .007), a poorer DSS (P < .001), and a poorer OS (P < .001) among
      patients with N2 disease. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CLNM was 43.2%. In
      patients with N2 disease, the presence of CLNM was significantly associated with
      a poorer DSS, OS, and increased risk of distant metastasis recurrence.

PMID- 28640473
TI  - Kangaroo mother care and mother-premature infant dyadic interaction.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological impact of Kangaroo
      Mother Care (KMC) on mother-infant bonding in cases of premature delivery.
      Examined variables were mother-infant relationships, maternal anxiety levels, and
      infant interactive signals. The KMC method requires that babies be undressed and
      held upright between their mother's breasts for a minimum of 1 hr a day, from
      birth until they are discharged from hospital. The present study examined 40
      premature infants and their mothers, with 21 dyads experiencing KMC and 19
      receiving traditional care (TC). Maternal emotional stress was assessed with the
      Parent Stress Index-Short Form questionnaire (Abidin, 1990), and mother-newborn
      interactive style was assessed with the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale
      (Barnard, 1975). Results revealed a better mother-infant interactive style, a
      significant decrease in maternal emotional stress, and better infant ability to
      make requests and respond to parental interactive style in the KMC group.

PMID- 28640474
TI  - Prenatal views of baby and parenthood: Association with sociodemographic and
      pregnancy factors.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to explore whether sociodemographic and
      pregnancy factors are associated with the content of prenatal maternal
      representations about the child and maternity. The study was designed as a
      questionnaire-based, anonymous, cross-sectional study. Participants were 391
      pregnant women in routine follow-up visits enrolled from 14 maternity care
      centers in Southwestern Finland. Measures consisted of self-report questionnaires
      for background data and adjective lists (i.e., semantic differentials) regarding
      the mother's prenatal view of this child, herself, child's father, and own mother
      as-mother. Of the nine background factors explored in this study, two factors had
      significant associations with the content of prenatal representations: a number
      of children under 7 years of age in the household and (b) planning of the current
      pregnancy. Prenatal maternal representations about the child, self, partner, and
      own mother were more negative in content, especially if the mother already had
      two to three children under 7 years of age, if this pregnancy was not planned, or
      both. Background factors which did not have significant associations with the
      content of any prenatal representations included social class, previous
      abortions, duration of gestation, and somatic problems in this pregnancy. The
      results are important considering the previous research findings on the role of
      prenatal representations for the quality of postnatal maternal interactive
      behavior with the child, intergenerational transmission of attachment security,
      and developmental outcome of the child later, even in school age. The factors
      found in this study to have significance for the content of prenatal
      representations are routinely asked in all maternity care practice and do not
      need any arrangements to be explored. The results suggest that professionals
      working in maternity care should pay more attention to the subgroups of pregnant
      women with many small children in the family and/or whose pregnancy is unplanned.
      Their need for support in the relationship with this particular child should be
      especially attended to.

PMID- 28640475
TI  - Sustained withdrawal behavior in clinic-referred and nonreferred infants.
AB  - To examine the relations between infants' sustained withdrawal behavior and
      children's mental health status and maternal and child relational behavior, 36
      clinic-referred and 43 control infants were evaluated. Families were visited at
      home, mother-child free play and feeding interactions were videotaped, and
      mothers completed self-report measures. Interactions were coded for sustained
      withdrawal using the Alarm Distress Baby Scale (ADBB; Guedeney and Fermanian,
      2001) and for global relational patterns with the Coding of Interactive Behavior
      (CIB; Feldman, 1998). Higher ADBB scores were found for the referred group, with
      many infants (38.9% ) scoring above the clinical cutoff (vs. 11.6% in the control
      group). More negative relational patterns were found for the withdrawn group in
      terms of higher maternal intrusiveness, lower reciprocity, and lower child
      involvement. Associations were found between maternal and child behavior during
      play and feeding and child sustained withdrawal behavior at play. Sustained
      withdrawal also was associated with unpredictable child temperament and lower
      sense of parental self-efficacy. Maternal depressive symptoms were higher in the
      referred group and correlated with maternal and child relational patterns. The
      findings contribute to the construct and discriminant validity of the CIB and the
      ADBB coding systems, and suggest that sustained withdrawal may serve as a risk
      indicator for early socioemotional disorders.

PMID- 28640448
TI  - Overview of the Muscle Cytoskeleton.
AB  - Cardiac and skeletal striated muscles are intricately designed machines
      responsible for muscle contraction. Coordination of the basic contractile unit,
      the sarcomere, and the complex cytoskeletal networks are critical for contractile
      activity. The sarcomere is comprised of precisely organized individual filament
      systems that include thin (actin), thick (myosin), titin, and nebulin. Connecting
      the sarcomere to other organelles (e.g., mitochondria and nucleus) and serving as
      the scaffold to maintain cellular integrity are the intermediate filaments. The
      costamere, on the other hand, tethers the sarcomere to the cell membrane. Unique
      structures like the intercalated disc in cardiac muscle and the myotendinous
      junction in skeletal muscle help synchronize and transmit force. Intense
      investigation has been done on many of the proteins that make up these
      cytoskeletal assemblies. Yet the details of their function and how they
      interconnect have just started to be elucidated. A vast number of human
      myopathies are contributed to mutations in muscle proteins; thus understanding
      their basic function provides a mechanistic understanding of muscle disorders. In
      this review, we highlight the components of striated muscle with respect to their
      interactions, signaling pathways, functions, and connections to disease. (c) 2017
      American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:891-944, 2017.

PMID- 28640476
TI  - Histogram analyses of diffusion kurtosis indices and apparent diffusion
      coefficient in assessing liver regeneration after ALPPS and a comparative study
      with portal vein ligation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the value of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) histogram
      analysis in assessing liver regeneration and the microstructure basis after
      associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy
      (ALPPS), in comparison with portal vein ligation (PVL). MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Thirty rats were divided into the ALPPS, PVL, and control groups. Histograms of
      DKI using a 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner were performed for
      corrected apparent diffusion (D), kurtosis (K), and apparent diffusion
      coefficient (ADC). Mean, median, skewness, kurtosis, and the percentiles (5th ,
      25th , 50th , 75th , and 95th ) were generated and compared, and radiologic
      pathologic correlations were evaluated. RESULTS: There were more significant
      volume increases of the right median lobe after ALPPS than PVL (P =
      0.0304/0.0017). The ALPPS group had larger hepatocyte size (P = 0.009/0.000),
      higher Ki-67 and hepatocyte growth factor expression (P = 0.001-0.036) compared
      with both PVL and control groups. Mean, median, 5th , 25th , 50th , 75th
      percentiles of D map in ALPPS were lower than the control group (P = 0.001
      0.022). Skewness and 75th , 95th percentiles of K map in ALPPS were higher than
      the PVL group (P = 0.011-0.042). No differences existed in the ADC map between
      groups (P = 0.073-0.291). Mean, median, 5th , 25th , 50th percentiles of D map,
      and 5th percentile of K map showed significant correlations with hepatocyte size
      (r = -0.582 to -0.426); no significant correlations were found in ADC parameters
      (P = 0.460-0.934). CONCLUSION: ALPPS induced true accelerated liver hypertrophy,
      superior to that seen with PVL. Histogram analysis of diffusion kurtosis indices
      may provide added values in evaluating liver regeneration and the intrinsic
      microstructure basis after ALPPS in comparison with the standard monoexponential
      ADC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Technical Efficacy Stage: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson.
      Imaging 2018;47:729-736.

PMID- 28640477
TI  - Is a prolonged second stage of labor too long?

PMID- 28640478
TI  - Usefulness of office examination with narrow band imaging for the diagnosis of
      head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and follow-up of premalignant lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of narrow band
      imaging (NBI) examination in the office for the diagnosis and follow-up of upper
      airway premalignant and malignant lesions. METHODS: Four hundred eighty lesions
      were evaluated with white light endoscopy (WLE) and NBI before a biopsy/excision.
      Additionally, 151 premalignant lesions were followed up without proven biopsy.
      Carcinoma-free survival was calculated. The learning curve was analyzed. RESULTS:
      Overall, the accuracy improved from 74.1% with WLE to 88.9% with NBI, being
      relevant in all anatomic subsites. The accuracy of NBI increased significantly
      with increasing experience (area under the curve [AUC] >0.9). After a follow-up
      of 25 months, 14 of 151 lesions (9.3%) converted into carcinoma. The 4-year
      carcinoma-free survival rate was 86.4%. The 4-year carcinoma-free survival rate
      differed significantly between lesions classified as benign/mild dysplasia versus
      those presenting as moderate/severe dysplasia (88.9% vs 73.5%; P = .018).
      CONCLUSION: The NBI provided a greater accuracy than WLE and showed promising
      usefulness for the follow-up of premalignant lesions.

PMID- 28640479
TI  - Visible Light Photocatalysis of 6pi Heterocyclization.
AB  - Photo-mediated 6pi cyclization is a valuable method for the formation of fused
      heterocyclic systems. Here we demonstrate that irradiation of cyclic 2
      aryloxyketones with blue LED light in the presence of an IrIII complex leads to
      efficient and high yielding arylation across a panoply of substrates by energy
      transfer. 2-Arylthioketones and 2-arylaminoketones also cyclize effectively under
      these conditions. Quantum calculation demonstrates that the reaction proceeds via
      conrotatory ring closure in the triplet excited state. Subsequent suprafacial 1,4
      hydrogen shift and epimerization leads to the observed cis-fused products.

PMID- 28640480
TI  - Improving the quality of prison research: A qualitative study of ex-offender
      service user involvement in prison suicide prevention research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suicide is the leading cause of avoidable death in prisons worldwide
      and suicide prevention is an international priority. Consequently, there is an
      urgent need to develop evidence-based treatments. We conducted a randomized
      controlled trial of a novel suicide prevention psychological therapy for male
      prisoners. To promote ecological validity by addressing the "real-world"
      situation of suicidal prisoners, we involved a consultant group of ex-offenders
      with past experience of being suicidal during imprisonment. Service user
      involvement in prison research is challenging and underdeveloped. OBJECTIVE: We
      aimed to investigate the ex-offender service user consultants' experiences of
      being involved in the research. DESIGN: Individual qualitative interviews were
      conducted and analysed using an Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA)
      framework. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: The study was conducted at a university in North
      England, UK, comprising four ex-offenders with experience of being suicidal
      during past imprisonments. RESULTS: Two superordinate themes were identified:
      "Working Together" depicted participants' perceptions of the pivotal role of good
      relationships with researchers, and "Journey of Change" outlined how
      participants' involvement in the research impacted on their personal lives.
      DISCUSSION: Little is known about how to successfully involve ex-offender service
      users in research. Our results indicate the conditions necessary for successfully
      engaging ex-offender service users in research and have important implications
      for improving the quality of prison research. CONCLUSIONS: Involving forensic
      service users in research is feasible and should be encouraged, as despite
      certain challenges, it is highly rewarding both for the research and the ex
      offender service users.

PMID- 28640482
TI  - Organogelator-Cellulose Composite for Practical and Eco-Friendly Marine Oil-Spill
      Recovery.
AB  - Marine oil spills pose serious threats to the ecosystem and economy. There is
      much interest in developing sorbents that can tackle such spills. We have
      developed a novel sorbent by impregnating cellulose pulp with a sugar-derived
      oleogelator, 1,2:5,6-di-O-cyclohexylidene-mannitol. The gelator molecules mask
      the surface-exposed hydroxyl groups of cellulose fibrils by engaging them in H
      bonding and expose their hydrophobic parts making the fibers temporarily
      hydrophobic (water contact angle 110 degrees ). This sorbent absorbs oil
      effectively, selectively and instantly from oil-water mixtures due to its
      hydrophobicity. Then the gelator molecules get released uniformly in the oil and
      later self-assemble to fibers, as evident from SEM analysis, congealing the oil
      within the matrix. This hierarchical entrapment of the oil by non-covalent
      polymeric fibers within a covalent polymer matrix makes the gel very strong (230
      fold increase in the yield stress) and rigid, making it suitable for practical
      use.

PMID- 28640481
TI  - Using analytic morphomics to describe body composition associated with post
      kidney transplantation diabetes mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Better risk assessment tools are needed to predict post
      transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM). Using analytic morphomic measurements
      from computed tomography (CT) scans, we aimed to identify specific measures of
      body composition associated with PTDM. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 99
      non-diabetic kidney transplant recipients who received pre-transplant CT scans at
      a single institution between 1/2005 and 5/2014. Analytic morphomic techniques
      were used to measure abdominal adiposity, abdominal size, and psoas muscle area
      and density, standardized by gender. We measured the associations of these
      morphomic factors with PTDM. RESULTS: One-year incidence of PTDM was 18%. The
      morphomic factors significantly associated with PTDM included visceral fat area
      (OR=1.84 per standard deviation increase, P=.020), body depth (OR=1.79, P=.035),
      and total body area (OR=1.67, P=.049). Clinical factors significantly associated
      with PTDM included African American race (OR=3.01, P=.044), hypertension
      (OR=2.97, P=.041), and dialysis vintage (OR=1.24 per year on dialysis, P=.048).
      Body mass index was not associated with PTDM (OR=1.05, P=.188). On multivariate
      modeling, visceral fat area was an independent predictor of PTDM (OR=1.91,
      P=.035). CONCLUSIONS: Analytic morphomics can identify pre-transplant
      measurements of body composition that are predictive of PTDM in kidney transplant
      recipients. Pre-transplant imaging contains a wealth of underutilized data that
      may inform PTDM prevention strategies.

PMID- 28640483
TI  - Decreased cancer-independent life expectancy in the head and neck cancer
      population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aside from cancer mortality, patients with head and neck cancer have
      increased mortality risk. Identifying patients with the greatest loss of cancer
      independent life expectancy can guide comprehensive survivorship programs.
      METHODS: Age-based survival data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Result (SEER) database for patients with head and neck cancer were censored for
      mortality from the index cancer. Life expectancy and years of life lost (YLL)
      referenced to the general population were calculated. Cox proportional regression
      models produced hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS: Cancer-independent life expectancy
      for patients with head and neck cancer is 6.5 years shorter than expected. The
      greatest hazard and impact of other-cause mortality was associated with black
      race (HR 1.23; YLL 8.55), stage IV (HR 1.60; YLL 7.92), Medicaid (HR 1.55; YLL
      12.9), and previous marriage (HR 1.49; YLL 11.4). CONCLUSION: Patients with head
      and neck cancer lives are foreshortened independent of their cancer diagnosis
      necessitating management of noncancer mortality to maximize overall survival.

PMID- 28640484
TI  - Reporting of imaging diagnostic accuracy studies with focus on MRI subgroup:
      Adherence to STARD 2015.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate adherence of diagnostic accuracy studies in imaging journals
      to the STAndards for Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) 2015. The
      secondary objective was to identify differences in reporting for magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MEDLINE was searched for
      diagnostic accuracy studies published in imaging journals in 2016. Studies were
      evaluated for adherence to STARD 2015 (30 items, including expanded imaging
      specific subitems). Evaluation for differences in STARD adherence based on
      modality, impact factor, journal STARD adoption, country, subspecialty area,
      study design, and journal was performed. RESULTS: Adherence (n = 142 studies) was
      55% (16.6/30 items, SD = 2.2). Index test description (including imaging-specific
      subitems) and interpretation were frequently reported (>66% of studies); no
      important differences in reporting of individual items were identified for
      studies on MRI. Infrequently reported items (<33% of studies) included some
      critical to generalizability (study setting and location) and assessment of bias
      (blinding of assessor of reference standard). New STARD 2015 items: sample size
      calculation, protocol reporting, and registration were infrequently reported.
      Higher impact factor (IF) journals reported more items than lower IF journals
      (17.2 vs. 16 items; P = 0.001). STARD adopter journals reported more items than
      nonadopters (17.5 vs. 16.4 items; P = 0.01). Adherence varied between journals (P
      = 0.003). No variability for study design (P = 0.32), subspecialty area (P =
      0.75), country (P = 0.28), or imaging modality (P = 0.80) was identified.
      CONCLUSION: Imaging accuracy studies show moderate adherence to STARD 2015, with
      only minor differences for studies evaluating MRI. This baseline evaluation will
      guide targeted interventions towards identified deficiencies and help track
      progress in reporting. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn.
      Reson. Imaging 2018;47:523-544.

PMID- 28640485
TI  - Pyrethroid concentrations and persistence following indoor application.
AB  - Residential indoor environments are potential sources of exposure to pyrethroids,
      which have low acute toxicity to humans but are allergenic and suspected
      endocrine disruptors. The present study evaluated the persistence of the
      pyrethroids cypermethrin and beta-cyfluthrin on indoor surfaces and in house
      dust. Cypermethrin and beta-cyfluthrin were applied and maintained on aluminum
      foils and in dust samples for 112 d under controlled conditions and for 12 mo in
      a test house; periodically, they were quantified by high-performance liquid
      chromatography. Cypermethrin and beta-cyfluthrin concentrations showed decreases
      of 10.1% and 7.7% on aluminum foils, and 12.7% and 16.4% in dust, respectively,
      at 112 d under controlled conditions. In the test house, cypermethrin and beta
      cyfluthrin concentrations decreased by 40.3% and 60.2% on aluminum foils, and
      29.6% and 56.2% in dust at the end of the study. The results show the
      considerable persistence of cypermethrin and beta-cyfluthrin indoors and indicate
      the risk of exposure to these products. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2895-2898.
      (c) 2017 SETAC.

PMID- 28640486
TI  - Dendrimer-Based Signal Amplification of Click-Labelled DNA in Situ.
AB  - The in vivo incorporation of alkyne-modified bases into the genome of cells is
      today the basis for the efficient detection of cell proliferation. Cells are
      grown in the presence of ethinyl-dU (EdU), fixed and permeabilised. The
      incorporated alkynes are then efficiently detected by using azide-containing
      fluorophores and the CuI -catalysed alkyne-azide click reaction. For a world in
      which constant improvement in the sensitivity of a given method is driving
      diagnostic advancement, we developed azide- and alkyne-modified dendrimers that
      allow the establishment of sandwich-type detection assays that show significantly
      improved signal intensities and signal-to-noise ratios far beyond that which is
      currently possible.

PMID- 28640488
TI  - Commentary: Difficulties assessing social and emotional behavior in large-scale
      national studies.
AB  - Innovations in the assessment of emotional development provide new opportunities
      to track behavioral undercontrol from early childhood to adolescence and
      adulthood. Less attention is given to the assessment and measurement of negative
      affect. Questionnaires used to measure emotions and emotion-regulated behavior
      have strong psychometric properties. Large-scale population studies provide
      challenges for large assessment batteries and place great pressure for the use of
      short forms, but it is not always clear that short forms share the psychometrics
      strengths of their longer versions. Use of narratives provides opportunities to
      gain deeper insights into the child's experiential world. Overall, the diverse
      set of measurement tools that has been developed to assess emotion-regulated
      behavior during the earliest years contributes to our ability to design effective
      prevention programs or intervention strategies to shift developmental pathways.

PMID- 28640487
TI  - A qualitative study exploring the difficulties influencing decision making at the
      end of life for people with dementia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized
      by declining functional and cognitive abilities. The quality of end of life care
      for people with dementia in the UK can be poor. Several difficult decisions may
      arise at the end of life, relating to the care of the person with dementia, for
      example management of comorbidities. OBJECTIVE: To explore difficulties in
      decision making for practitioners and family carers at the end of life for people
      with dementia. DESIGN: Qualitative methodology using focus groups and semi
      structured interviews and thematic analysis methods. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS:
      Former (n=4) and current (n=6) family carers of people with experience of end of
      life care for a person with dementia were recruited from an English dementia
      voluntary group in 2015. A further 24 health and care professionals were
      purposively sampled to include a broad range of expertise and experience in
      dementia end of life care. RESULTS: Four key themes were identified as follows:
      challenges of delivering coherent care in dynamic systems; uncertainty amongst
      decision makers; internal and external conflict amongst decision makers; and a
      lack of preparedness for the end of life. Overarching difficulties such as poor
      communication, uncertainty and conflict about the needs of the person with
      dementia as well as the decision maker's own role can characterize decision
      making at the end of life. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that decision making
      at the end of life for people with dementia has the potential to be improved.
      More planning earlier in the course of dementia with an on-going approach to
      conversation may increase preparedness and family carers' expectations of end of
      life.

PMID- 28640489
TI  - New directions in measuring young children's emotional development.

PMID- 28640490
TI  - Measuring socioemotional functioning in a national birth cohort study.
AB  - An accumulating body of research suggests that the capacities children acquire
      that prepare them for learning in formal educational settings are multilevel and
      complex with multiple contributing factors that begin in infancy. A new U.S.
      longitudinal study, the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS
      B), is designed to enable researchers to examine how an array of children's
      capacities and skills function individually and jointly to promote or hinder the
      acquisition of school readiness. The ECLS-B follows a nationally representative
      sample of 10,688 children born in the U.S. in 2001. Baseline data on the children
      and their families were collected at 9 months of age with follow-up at ages 2, 4,
      and kindergarten entry. Information on study children's socioemotional
      development is derived from several sources: videotaped mother-child
      interactions, parent interviews, and field staff observations. Because attachment
      is such an important indicator of children's socioemotional development during
      the toddler period, the study devoted considerable resources to designing an
      attachment measure. The Toddler Attachment Sort-45 (TAS-45) was designed to meet
      the need for a simple yet valid measure that did not require extensive training
      for field staff to administer easily. The TAS-45 generates the classical
      attachment categories and security and dependency scores.

PMID- 28640491
TI  - With a little help from my friends?: Self-regulation in groups of young children.
AB  - This study examined self-regulation in preschool children (mean age=51 months;
      47% boys) using three situational assessments tapping delay of gratification and
      motor control. Assessments represented a novel adaptation for use with both
      individual (N=116) and groups (N=44) of four familiar peers in ecologically valid
      settings. Results suggest that preschoolers demonstrate an increasing ability to
      self-regulate with age, as well as some evidence for girls performing better than
      boys on the Gift Wrap situational assessment. Children were less able to
      demonstrate self-regulation in the peer group context as compared to individual
      assessments. Differences between age groups and gender were not significant when
      children were assessed with their peers. The influence of peers on self
      regulation behavior is a complex relationship with no clear patterns identified
      in this research. Implications for future research and assessment efforts are
      discussed.

PMID- 28640492
TI  - Conundrums in the use of observational measures of socioemotional behavior.
AB  - The potential for translation of observational measures of social and emotional
      behavior used in small-scale studies for use in large-, possibly national-scale,
      studies of child development is currently an unresolved challenge. To begin to
      address this issue, the advantages and disadvantages to using observational
      measures of social and emotional behavior are discussed. In addition,
      alternatives to observational measures that may be helpful in assessing social
      and emotional behavior are considered with special emphasis on the benefits of
      cognitive measures.

PMID- 28640493
TI  - Applying the Infant-Toddler Social & Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) and Brief-ITSEA
      in early intervention.
AB  - To examine the internal consistency and validity of the Infant-Toddler Social and
      Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) and Brief-ITSEA (BITSEA) parent-report
      questionnaires in an early intervention sample. A sociodemographically diverse
      sample of 192 parents of 11- to 36-month-old children referred to early
      intervention programs completed surveys containing the ITSEA, BITSEA, and Child
      Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Parents were interviewed with the Vineland Adaptive
      Behavior Scales. Evaluators blind to children's status on the ITSEA and BITSEA
      rated child behavior during developmental assessments. Finally, a subsample of 71
      children was administered the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. Findings support
      the internal consistency of the ITSEA and BITSEA, with the majority of Cronbach's
      alphas above .70. Supporting validity, ITSEA and BITSEA problem scores correlated
      significantly with CBCL Internalizing and Externalizing scores (rs=.28 to .78),
      as well as with observational ratings of problem behaviors on constructs
      paralleling the ITSEA domains (rs=.21 to .45). In contrast, ITSEA Competence and
      BITSEA Competence demonstrated moderate negative associations with CBCL scores
      (rs=-.39 to -.43). Finally, ITSEA Competence and BITSEA Competence correlated
      significantly with developmental level on the Mullen, Vineland Socialization, and
      observational ratings of competence (rs=.25 to .43). Emphasizing the importance
      of addressing social-emotional issues in early intervention settings, 58.6% of
      children had high social-emotional/behavioral problems and/or low competence on
      the ITSEA; 39.8% had high ITSEA Problems and 38.5% had low ITSEA Competence.
      Results indicate the need to assess social-emotional adjustment in early
      intervention settings and support the use of the ITSEA and BITSEA for this
      purpose.

PMID- 28640494
TI  - Using narratives to assess competencies and risks in young children: Experiences
      with high risk and normal populations.
AB  - The young child's mental representations convey a wealth of information about
      his/her early moral and emotional construction of reality. The MacArthur Story
      Stem Battery (MSSB) is a unique, child-friendly tool for assessing socioemotional
      development in young children (3-6 years). The technique provides incomplete
      stories (stems), which are completed by the child using their own verbalizations
      and actions with doll figures. A sensitive examiner scaffolds appropriate
      boundaries for the task. The MSSB has demonstrated adequate psychometric
      properties and initial studies suggest the MSSB can tap important prosocial
      competencies as well as features indicative of psychopathology and distress. The
      MSSB has been translated and used in a number of countries across the world, in
      part due to the measure's clinical utility to quickly assess children at the
      level of representation. Current innovations reviewed emphasize the use of the
      MSSB for assessment in clinical and at-risk populations. A table summarizing key
      clinically relevant articles on the MSSB is referenced throughout the paper.

PMID- 28640495
TI  - Control of Mus81 nuclease during the cell cycle.
AB  - DNA replication and homologous recombination involve the formation of branched
      DNA structures that physically link chromosomes. Such DNA-based connections,
      which arise during S-phase, are typically disengaged prior to entry into mitosis,
      in order to ensure proper chromosome segregation. Exceptions can, however, occur:
      replication stress, or elevated levels of DNA damage, may cause cells to enter
      mitosis with unfinished replication as well as carrying recombination
      intermediates, such as Holliday junctions. Hence, cells are equipped with
      pathways that recognize and process branched DNA structures, and evolved
      mechanisms to enhance their function when on the verge of undergoing cell
      division. One of these pathways utilizes the structure-selective endonuclease
      Mus81, which is thought to facilitate the resolution of replication and
      recombination intermediates. Mus81 function is known to be enhanced upon entry
      into M phase in budding yeast and human cells. Based on recent findings, we
      discuss here an updated model of Mus81 control during the cell cycle.

PMID- 28640496
TI  - Distance decay relationships in foliar fungal endophytes are driven by rare taxa.
AB  - Foliar fungal endophytes represent a diverse and species-rich plant microbiome.
      Their biogeography provides essential clues to their cryptic relationship with
      hosts and the environment in which they disperse. We present species composition,
      diversity, and dispersal patterns of endophytic fungi associated with needles of
      Pinus taeda trees across regional scales in the absence of strong environmental
      gradients as well as within individual trees. An empirical designation of rare
      and abundant taxa enlightens us on the structure of endophyte communities. We
      report multiple distance-decay patterns consistent with effects of dispersal
      limitation, largely driven by community changes in rare taxa, those taxonomic
      units that made up less than 0.31% of reads per sample on average. Distance-decay
      rates and community structure also depended on specific classes of fungi and were
      predominantly influenced by rare members of Dothideomycetes. Communities
      separated by urban areas also revealed stronger effects of distance on community
      similarity, confirming that host density and diversity plays an important role in
      symbiont biogeography, which may ultimately lead to a mosaic of functional
      diversity as well as rare species diversity across landscapes.

PMID- 28640497
TI  - Multiple asymptomatic papules on the face and thorax.

PMID- 28640500
TI  - See You in Vienna.

PMID- 28640498
TI  - Management of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: Justification for a
      conservative approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a progressive,
      multifocal, exophytic form of leukoplakia with high rates of malignant
      transformation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a cohort of patients
      with PVL in a single tertiary referral clinic. METHOD: Cases meeting accepted
      diagnostic criteria were reviewed with regard to their pathology, demographic
      characteristics, management, and outcomes. Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing was
      undertaken on a subset. RESULTS: Almost half of the 48 patients with PVL (48%; n
      = 23) underwent malignant transformation after a median 23.4 months. The
      characteristics of this cohort were similar to those previously described, but
      management was notably more conservative. Conservative management of PVL was used
      in 92% of our patients, but the clinical outcomes seem comparable with previously
      described cohorts in which PVL was predominantly treated by surgical excision.
      All HPV testing was negative. CONCLUSION: Aggressive surgical intervention in the
      premalignant phase of PVL may not influence the rate of malignant transformation.

PMID- 28640499
TI  - Triplet Harvesting with a Simple Aromatic Carbonyl.
AB  - The efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes crucially depends on triplet
      harvesters. These accept energy from triplet correlated electron hole pairs and
      convert it into light. Here, experimental evidence is given that simple aromatic
      carbonyls, such as thioxanthone, could serve this purpose. In these compounds,
      the emissive 1 pipi* excitation may rapidly equilibrate with an upper triplet
      state (3 npi*). This equilibrium may persist for nanoseconds. Population of the 3
      npi* state via energy transfer from an electron hole pair should result in
      fluorescence emission and thereby triplet harvesting. To demonstrate the effect,
      solutions of 1,4-dichlorobenzene (triplet sensitizer) and thioxanthone
      (harvester) were excited at 266 nm with a nanosecond laser. The emission decay
      reveals a 100 ns decay absent in the thioxanthone only sample. This matches
      predictions for an energy transfer limited by diffusion and gives clear evidence
      that thioxanthone can convert triplet excitations into light.

PMID- 28640501
TI  - Pruriginous follicular porokeratosis.

PMID- 28640502
TI  - Erythematous plaques of the vulvo-perineal region: diagnostic role of
      dermatoscopy.

PMID- 28640503
TI  - Diary.

PMID- 28640504
TI  - Sustained Posttransplantation Diabetes Is Associated With Long-Term Major
      Cardiovascular Events Following Liver Transplantation.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death among liver transplant (LT)
      recipients. With a rising burden of posttransplantation metabolic disease,
      increases in cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality may reduce life
      expectancy after LT. It is unknown if the risk of long-term major cardiovascular
      events (MCEs) differs among LT recipients with varying diabetic states. We
      performed a retrospective cohort study of LT recipients from 2003 through 2013 to
      compare the incidence of MCEs among patients (1) without diabetes, (2) with
      pretransplantation diabetes, (3) with de novo transient posttransplantation
      diabetes, and (4) with de novo sustained posttransplantation diabetes. We
      analyzed 994 eligible patients (39% without diabetes, 24% with pretransplantation
      diabetes, 16% with transient posttransplantation diabetes, and 20% with sustained
      posttransplantation diabetes). Median follow-up was 54.7 months. Overall, 12% of
      patients experienced a MCE. After adjustment for demographic and clinical
      variables, sustained posttransplantation diabetes was the only state associated
      with a significantly increased risk of MCEs (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.95,
      95% confidence interval 1.20-3.18). Patients with sustained posttransplantation
      diabetes mellitus had a 13% and 27% cumulative incidence of MCEs at 5 and 10
      years, respectively. While pretransplantation diabetes has traditionally been
      associated with cardiovascular disease, the long-term risk of MCEs is greatest in
      LT recipients with sustained posttransplantation diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 28640506
TI  - Ultrasound training in obstetrics and gynecology in Europe: satisfaction survey.

PMID- 28640505
TI  - Associations between arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT) and N
      6 adenine-specific DNA methyltransferase 1 (N6AMT1) polymorphisms, arsenic
      metabolism, and cancer risk in a chilean population.
AB  - Inter-individual differences in arsenic metabolism have been linked to arsenic
      related disease risks. Arsenic (+3) methyltransferase (AS3MT) is the primary
      enzyme involved in arsenic metabolism, and we previously demonstrated in vitro
      that N-6 adenine-specific DNA methyltransferase 1 (N6AMT1) also methylates the
      toxic inorganic arsenic (iAs) metabolite, monomethylarsonous acid (MMA), to the
      less toxic dimethylarsonic acid (DMA). Here, we evaluated whether AS3MT and
      N6AMT1 gene polymorphisms alter arsenic methylation and impact iAs-related cancer
      risks. We assessed AS3MT and N6AMT1 polymorphisms and urinary arsenic metabolites
      (%iAs, %MMA, %DMA) in 722 subjects from an arsenic-cancer case-control study in a
      uniquely exposed area in northern Chile. Polymorphisms were genotyped using a
      custom designed multiplex, ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assay
      for 6 AS3MT SNPs and 14 tag SNPs in the N6AMT1 gene. We found several AS3MT
      polymorphisms associated with both urinary arsenic metabolite profiles and cancer
      risk. For example, compared to wildtypes, individuals carrying minor alleles in
      AS3MT rs3740393 had lower %MMA (mean difference = -1.9%, 95% CI: -3.3, -0.4),
      higher %DMA (mean difference = 4.0%, 95% CI: 1.5, 6.5), and lower odds ratios for
      bladder (OR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-0.6) and lung cancer (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.2-1.1).
      Evidence of interaction was also observed for both lung and bladder cancer
      between these polymorphisms and elevated historical arsenic exposures. Clear
      associations were not seen for N6AMT1. These results are the first to demonstrate
      a direct association between AS3MT polymorphisms and arsenic-related internal
      cancer risk. This research could help identify subpopulations that are
      particularly vulnerable to arsenic-related disease. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:411
      422, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28640507
TI  - A liver-specific gene expression panel predicts the differentiation status of in
      vitro hepatocyte models.
AB  - : Alternative cell sources, such as three-dimensional organoids and induced
      pluripotent stem cell-derived cells, might provide a potentially effective
      approach for both drug development applications and clinical transplantation. For
      example, the development of cell sources for liver cell-based therapy has been
      increasingly needed, and liver transplantation is performed for the treatment for
      patients with severe end-stage liver disease. Differentiated liver cells and
      three-dimensional organoids are expected to provide new cell sources for tissue
      models and revolutionary clinical therapies. However, conventional experimental
      methods confirming the expression levels of liver-specific lineage markers cannot
      provide complete information regarding the differentiation status or degree of
      similarity between liver and differentiated cell sources. Therefore, in this
      study, to overcome several issues associated with the assessment of
      differentiated liver cells and organoids, we developed a liver-specific gene
      expression panel (LiGEP) algorithm that presents the degree of liver similarity
      as a "percentage." We demonstrated that the percentage calculated using the LiGEP
      algorithm was correlated with the developmental stages of in vivo liver tissues
      in mice, suggesting that LiGEP can correctly predict developmental stages.
      Moreover, three-dimensional cultured HepaRG cells and human pluripotent stem cell
      derived hepatocyte-like cells showed liver similarity scores of 59.14% and 32%,
      respectively, although general liver-specific markers were detected. CONCLUSION:
      Our study describes a quantitative and predictive model for differentiated
      samples, particularly liver-specific cells or organoids; and this model can be
      further expanded to various tissue-specific organoids; our LiGEP can provide
      useful information and insights regarding the differentiation status of in vitro
      liver models. (Hepatology 2017;66:1662-1674).

PMID- 28640509
TI  - Meeting the needs of critical care patients after discharge home: a qualitative
      exploratory study of patient perspectives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: With improved survival rates in critical care, increasing focus is
      being placed on survivorship and how best to support patients in returning to
      their former activity. Little is known about what support patients themselves
      view as important, and this has implications for the efficacy and acceptability
      of services provided. OBJECTIVES: To describe former critical care patients'
      perspectives on the support needed to optimize recovery. STUDY DESIGN: This is a
      qualitative exploratory study of the experiences of support received by critical
      care survivors. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken
      with 12 critical care survivors recruited from a charity and a patient and public
      involvement group. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis to
      describe patterns in the participants' experiences. FINDINGS: Four themes of
      support were described: effective management of transfer anxiety, tailored
      information provision, timely access to services and a supportive social network.
      CONCLUSION: Survivors of critical care should be equipped with information about
      their critical care stay, ongoing health issues and recovery and should be
      provided with holistic care at home. Critical care follow up was an effective way
      of meeting many of these needs, but this needs to be flexible to be useful to
      attendees. Peer support groups (face-to-face and online) provided information,
      reassurance, a social network and an avenue for those who had longer-lasting
      problems than current services provide for. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:
      Whilst there are commonalities in the problems faced by critical care survivors,
      recovery is highly individualized, and current support services do not have
      sufficient flexibility to cater for this. This study shows that many survivors
      experience after-effects of critical care that outlast the support they are
      given. These longer-term survivors are often excluded from research studies
      because of fears of recall bias, resulting in poor understanding of their
      experiences.

PMID- 28640508
TI  - Intraglomerular gap junctions enhance interglomerular synchrony in a sparsely
      connected olfactory bulb network.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Despite sparse connectivity, population-level interactions between
      mitral cells (MCs) and granule cells (GCs) can generate synchronized oscillations
      in the rodent olfactory bulb. Intraglomerular gap junctions between MCs at the
      same glomerulus can greatly enhance synchronized activity of MCs at different
      glomeruli. The facilitating effect of intraglomerular gap junctions on
      interglomerular synchrony is through triggering of mutually synchronizing
      interactions between MCs and GCs. Divergent connections between MCs and GCs make
      minimal direct contribution to synchronous activity. ABSTRACT: A dominant feature
      of the olfactory bulb response to odour is fast synchronized oscillations at beta
      (15-40 Hz) or gamma (40-90 Hz) frequencies, thought to be involved in integration
      of olfactory signals. Mechanistically, the bulb presents an interesting case
      study for understanding how beta/gamma oscillations arise. Fast oscillatory
      synchrony in the activity of output mitral cells (MCs) appears to result from
      interactions with GABAergic granule cells (GCs), yet the incidence of MC-GC
      connections is very low, around 4%. Here, we combined computational and
      experimental approaches to examine how oscillatory synchrony can nevertheless
      arise, focusing mainly on activity between 'non-sister' MCs affiliated with
      different glomeruli (interglomerular synchrony). In a sparsely connected model of
      MCs and GCs, we found first that interglomerular synchrony was generally quite
      low, but could be increased by a factor of 4 by physiological levels of gap
      junctional coupling between sister MCs at the same glomerulus. This effect was
      due to enhanced mutually synchronizing interactions between MC and GC
      populations. The potent role of gap junctions was confirmed in patch-clamp
      recordings in bulb slices from wild-type and connexin 36-knockout (KO) mice. KO
      reduced both beta and gamma local field potential oscillations as well as
      synchrony of inhibitory signals in pairs of non-sister MCs. These effects were
      independent of potential KO actions on network excitation. Divergent synaptic
      connections did not contribute directly to the vast majority of synchronized
      signals. Thus, in a sparsely connected network, gap junctions between a small
      subset of cells can, through population effects, greatly amplify oscillatory
      synchrony amongst unconnected cells.

PMID- 28640511
TI  - Tropical Medicine & International Health March 2014.

PMID- 28640510
TI  - Paediatric intensive care nurses' decision-making around gastric residual volume
      measurement.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Measuring gastric residual volume (GRV) to guide enteral feeding is a
      common nursing practice in intensive care units, yet little evidence supports
      this practice. In addition, this practice has been shown to potentially
      contribute to inadequate energy delivery in intensive care, which remains a
      problem in critically ill children. AIMS: We aimed to explore paediatric
      intensive care nurses' decision-making surrounding this practice. METHODS: This
      is a cross-sectional electronic survey in a single mixed general and cardiac
      surgical PICU in the UK. RESULTS: The response rate was 59% (91/154), and
      responding nurses were experienced, with a mean PICU experience of 10.5 years (SD
      8.09). The three main reasons for stopping or withholding enteral feeds were: the
      volume of GRV obtained (67%), the appearance of this gastric aspirate (40%) and
      the overall clinical condition of the child (23%). Most nurses reported checking
      GRV primarily to determine 'feed tolerance' (97%) as well as confirming feeding
      tube position (94%). Nurses' perceived harms from high GRV were: the risk of
      pulmonary aspiration (44%), malabsorption of feeds (20%) and the risk of vomiting
      (19%). GRV was measured frequently in this PICU, with 58% measuring GRV before
      every feed, 27% measuring every 4 h and 17% measuring every 6 h. The majority of
      nurses (84%) stated they would be worried or very worried if they could not
      measure GRV routinely. CONCLUSIONS: PICU nurses' decision-making surrounding
      initiating and withholding enteral feeds and determining 'feed tolerance' remains
      heavily based on GRV. PICU nurses have significant fears around patient harm if
      they do not measure GRV routinely. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This nursing
      practice is likely to be one of the factors that impair the delivery of enteral
      nutrition in critically ill children, and as such, its validity and usefulness
      needs to be challenged and studied in future research.

PMID- 28640512
TI  - A major responder to ipilimumab and nivolumab in metastatic uveal melanoma with
      concomitant autoimmunity.
AB  - The use of immune checkpoint inhibition has led to major improvements in outcome
      for patients with metastatic cutaneous melanoma. The combination of ipilimumab
      and nivolumab has demonstrated greater activity over single-agent immunotherapy
      in phase III trials. Clinical trials of combination CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibition
      are underway in uveal melanoma, for which there are currently no data. Here, we
      present the case of a 74-year-old male patient with metastatic uveal melanoma,
      who was treated with a combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab. He developed
      sequential autoimmune transaminitis, diabetes and uveitis, which necessitated
      discontinuation of maintenance nivolumab 3 months after commencement of
      treatment. The patient continues to demonstrate an ongoing partial response 10
      months from the initial combination immunotherapy, with the evidence of
      depigmentation of the primary ocular tumour.

PMID- 28640513
TI  - Mechanistic Insight into Nanoparticle Surface Adsorption by Solution NMR
      Spectroscopy in an Aqueous Gel.
AB  - Engineering nanoparticle (NP) functions at the molecular level requires a
      detailed understanding of the dynamic processes occurring at the NP surface.
      Herein we show that a combination of dark-state exchange saturation transfer
      (DEST) and relaxation dispersion (RD) NMR experiments on gel-stabilized NP
      samples enables the accurate determination of the kinetics and thermodynamics of
      adsorption. We used the former approach to describe the interaction of cholic
      acid (CA) and phenol (PhOH) with ceria NPs with a diameter of approximately 200
      nm. Whereas CA formed weak interactions with the NPs, PhOH was tightly bound to
      the NP surface. Interestingly, we found that the adsorption of PhOH proceeds via
      an intermediate, weakly bound state in which the small molecule has residual
      degrees of rotational diffusion. We believe the use of aqueous gels for
      stabilizing NP samples will increase the applicability of solution NMR methods to
      the characterization of nanomaterials.

PMID- 28640515
TI  - Carbon Dots as Fillers Inducing Healing/Self-Healing and Anticorrosion Properties
      in Polymers.
AB  - Self-healing is the way by which nature repairs damage and prolongs the life of
      bio entities. A variety of practical applications require self-healing materials
      in general and self-healing polymers in particular. Different (complex) methods
      provide the rebonding of broken bonds, suppressing crack, or local damage
      propagation. Here, a simple, versatile, and cost-effective methodology is
      reported for initiating healing in bulk polymers and self-healing and
      anticorrosion properties in polymer coatings: introduction of carbon dots (CDs),
      5 nm sized carbon nanocrystallites, into the polymer matrix forming a composite.
      The CDs are blended into polymethacrylate, polyurethane, and other common
      polymers. The healing/self-healing process is initiated by interfacial bonding
      (covalent, hydrogen, and van der Waals bonding) between the CDs and the polymer
      matrix and can be optimized by modifying the functional groups which terminate
      the CDs. The healing properties of the bulk polymer-CD composites are evaluated
      by comparing the tensile strength of pristine (bulk and coatings) composites to
      those of fractured composites that are healed and by following the self-healing
      of scratches intentionally introduced to polymer-CD composite coatings. The
      composite coatings not only possess self-healing properties but also have
      superior anticorrosion properties compared to those of the pure polymer coatings.

PMID- 28640514
TI  - De-novo abnormal uteroplacental circulation in third trimester: pregnancy outcome
      and pathological implications.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with impaired
      placentation, as evidenced by abnormal uterine artery (UtA) Doppler. In normal
      pregnancy, mean UtA pulsatility index (PI) shows a progressive decline with
      gestational age (GA). However, previous studies have reported that a proportion
      of pregnancies demonstrate worsening UtA Doppler in later pregnancy. The aim of
      this study was to investigate the incidence of HDP according to the change in
      mean UtA-PI between the second and third trimesters. METHODS: This was a
      retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies between March 1997 and March
      2016 that underwent longitudinal UtA Doppler assessment in the second and third
      trimesters. All parameters were converted into centiles or multiples of the
      median (MoM), adjusting for GA. The study cohort was divided into two groups,
      according to change in mean UtA-PI between the second and third trimesters (those
      with a decrease or no change and those with an increase). HDP included women who
      developed pre-eclampsia and/or gestational hypertension. Logistic regression
      analysis was used to adjust for potential confounders. RESULTS: The analysis
      included 5887 pregnancies. The incidence of HDP was significantly higher in the
      group with increasing mean UtA-PI compared with those without (7.9% vs 5.8%; P =
      0.002). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that both third-trimester UtA
      PI MoM (odds ratio (OR), 7.35; 95% CI, 4.66-11.6; P < 0.001) and stable or
      decrease in UtA-PI MoM between the second and third trimesters (OR, 0.43; 95% CI,
      0.31-0.60; P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors for the development
      of HDP. CONCLUSION: Worsening of UtA Doppler is associated with HDP, independent
      of the value recorded in the second trimester. Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG.
      Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28640516
TI  - DAMP molecular IL-33 augments monocytic inflammatory storm in hepatitis B
      precipitated acute-on-chronic liver failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) usually
      exhibit defective monocyte function and excessive systemic inflammatory response.
      Interleukin-33 (IL-33) acts as a danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) to
      modulate immune response. However, the role of IL-33 in regulating monocyte
      function during hepatitis B-precipitated ACLF (HB-ACLF) in response to
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has not been clear. METHODS: In this study, the levels
      of IL-33/ST2 in blood and liver samples collected from patients with HB-ACLF,
      chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and normal controls and the associated of those
      findings with disease severity were analysed. HLA-DR and CD80 expression,
      phagocytosis capacity, cytokine secretion and MAP kinase activation induced by
      LPS were detected to explore the role of IL-33/ST2 signal in regulating monocyte
      function in patients. RESULTS: The expression levels of IL-33/ST2 were
      significantly increased in peripheral blood and livers of patients with HB-ACLF,
      as compared with patients with CHB and controls. It was found that serum IL-33
      level was associated with severity of liver disease. Treatment with IL-33 on
      monocytes significantly increased HLA-DR, CCR2 and CD80 expression, enhanced LPS
      stimulated TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1beta secretion, but did not affect the
      phagocytic capacity. Furthermore, IL-33 signalling enhanced the ERK1/2 activation
      of monocytes in response to LPS. CONCLUSIONS: DAMP molecular IL-33 augmented the
      'storm' of monocytic inflammation in response to LPS through ERK1/2 activation
      during HB-ACLF.

PMID- 28640517
TI  - Hepatocellular carcinoma in South America: Evaluation of risk factors,
      demographics and therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of
      cancer-related death worldwide. Most studies addressing the epidemiology of HCC
      originate from developed countries. This study reports the preliminary findings
      of a multinational approach to characterize HCC in South America. METHODS: We
      evaluated 1336 HCC patients seen at 14 centres in six South American countries
      using a retrospective study design with participating centres completing a
      template chart of patient characteristics. The diagnosis of HCC was made
      radiographically or histologically for all cases according to institutional
      standards. Methodology of surveillance for each centre was following AASLD or
      EASL recommendations. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of individuals were male with
      a median age of 64 years at time of diagnosis. The most common risk factor for
      HCC was hepatitis C infection (HCV, 48%), followed by alcoholic cirrhosis (22%),
      Hepatitis B infection (HBV, 14%) and NAFLD (9%). We found that among individuals
      with HBV-related HCC, 38% were diagnosed before age 50. The most commonly
      provided therapy was transarterial chemoembolization (35% of HCCs) with few
      individuals being considered for liver transplant (<20%). Only 47% of HCCs were
      diagnosed during surveillance, and there was no difference in age of diagnosis
      between those diagnosed incidentally vs by surveillance. Nonetheless, being
      diagnosed during surveillance was associated with improved overall survival (P =
      .01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study represents the largest cohort to date reporting
      characteristics and outcomes of HCC across South America. We found an important
      number of HCCs diagnosed outside of surveillance programmes, with associated
      increased mortality in those patients.

PMID- 28640519
TI  - A solitary reddish nodule on the upper back of a middle-aged woman.

PMID- 28640518
TI  - A Carborane-Containing Fluorophore as a Stain of Cellular Lipid Droplets.
AB  - The use of fluorescent markers and probes greatly enhances biological
      investigations but relies on the provision of an array of fluorophores with
      diverse properties. Herein we report a novel carborane-containing coumarin, 5,
      which is sufficiently lipophilic to localise in cellular lipid droplets. In non
      polar solvents which show comparable polarities to those of a lipid environment,
      compound 5 exhibits a fluorescence quantum yield two orders of magnitude greater
      than found in aqueous solvents, adding a further degree of selectivity to lipid
      droplet imaging. Compound 5 can stain lipid droplets in ex vivo adipocytes as
      well as in cultured cells, and can be utilised in flow cytometry as well as
      confocal microscopy.

PMID- 28640520
TI  - Helicobacter pylori Seropositivity and Childhood Neurodevelopment, the Rhea Birth
      Cohort in Crete, Greece.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists on the association between exposure to
      Helicobacter pylori infection early in life, including fetal life, and
      neurodevelopment in childhood. METHODS: We used prospective data on 352 mother
      child pairs and cross-sectional data on 674 children to assess the association of
      maternal and child's H. pylori seropositivity correspondingly on child's
      neurodevelopment at age four in the Rhea birth cohort in Crete, Greece. Blood
      levels of immunoglobulin G antibodies to 12 H. pylori proteins were measured
      using multiplex serology. Child's neurodevelopment at age four was assessed using
      the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. Linear regression models were used
      to explore the associations after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS:
      Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence (95% CI) in cord blood, representing maternal
      status, was 41.5% (36.3%, 46.8%) and in 4 years old children was 6.5% (95% CI
      4.8%, 8.7%). Children of H. pylori seropositive mothers had lower score in the
      general cognitive (-3.87, 95% CI -7.02, -0.72), verbal (-2.96, 95% CI -6.08,
      0.15), perceptual performance (-3.37, 95% CI -6.60, -0.15), quantitative (-2.85,
      95% CI -6.28, 0.58), and memory scale (-3.37, 95% CI -6.67, -0.07) compared to
      those of seronegative mothers. Seropositivity in cord blood specifically to GroEl
      and NapA - two of the 12 H. pylori proteins investigated - was associated with
      lower scores in almost all scales. At age four, H. pylori seropositive children
      performed worst in neurodevelopment assessment compared to their seronegative
      counterparts although no association reached statistically significant level.
      CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori infection in early life may be an important but
      preventable risk factor for poor neurodevelopment.

PMID- 28640521
TI  - PET/MRI for evaluating subclinical inflammation of ulcerative colitis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To explore the utility of integrated positron emission tomography (PET)
      / magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluating subclinical inflammation in
      patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective
      study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and informed consent was
      obtained. Between November 2015 and April 2016, 19 consecutive patients with UC
      in clinical remission were enrolled. These patients underwent 18F
      fluorodeoxyglucose PET/MRI (3T) and colonoscopy. Serum high-sensitivity C
      reactive protein (hs-CRP) and fecal calprotectin (FC) levels were also obtained.
      The findings of colonoscopy were graded using the Mayo endoscopic subscore.
      Quantitative (minimum apparent diffusion coefficient [ADCmin ] and maximum
      standardized uptake value [SUVmax ]), semiquantitative, and qualitative
      parameters of PET/MRI were evaluated and correlated with colonoscopic findings.
      RESULTS: In per-segment analysis, ADCmin was significantly lower and SUVmax and
      ratio of SUVmax to ADCmin were significantly higher in the colonic segments with
      active inflammation (Mayo endoscopic subscore >=2) (P < 0.05). Qualitative MRI
      score, PET activity grade, and PET/MRI score were also significantly higher in
      the colonic segments with active inflammation (P < 0.05). Among these parameters,
      the ratio of SUVmax to ADCmin exhibited the highest area under the receiver
      operating characteristic curve (AUC) (0.763). In per-patient analysis, the AUC of
      PET activity grade was 0.778, higher than those of hs-CRP (0.589) and FC (0.722).
      Using a combined index of FC and PET, an even higher AUC (0.867) was achieved.
      CONCLUSION: PET/MRI is a potentially useful tool in identifying subclinical
      inflammation in patients with UC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage
      2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:737-745.

PMID- 28640522
TI  - Defective Tungsten Oxide Hydrate Nanosheets for Boosting Aerobic Coupling of
      Amines: Synergistic Catalysis by Oxygen Vacancies and Bronsted Acid Sites.
AB  - Adsorption and activation of molecules on a surface holds the key to
      heterogeneous catalysis toward aerobic oxidative reactions. To achieve high
      catalytic activities, a catalyst surface should be rationally tailored to
      interact with both organic substrates and oxygen molecules. Here, a facile bottom
      up approach to defective tungsten oxide hydrate (WO3 .H2 O) nanosheets that
      contain both surface defects and lattice water is reported. The defective WO3 .H2
      O nanosheets exhibit excellent catalytic activity for aerobic coupling of amines
      to imines. The investigation indicates that the oxygen vacancies derived from
      surface defects supply coordinatively unsaturated sites to adsorb and activate
      oxygen molecules, producing superoxide radicals. More importantly, the Bronsted
      acid sites from lattice water can contribute to enhancing the adsorption and
      activation of alkaline amine molecules. The synergistic effect of oxygen
      vacancies and Bronsted acid sites eventually boosts the catalytic activity, which
      achieves a kinetic rate constant of 0.455 h-1 and a turnover frequency of 0.85 h
      1 at 2 h, with the activation energy reduced to ~35 kJ mol-1 . This work provides
      a different angle for metal oxide catalyst design by maneuvering subtle
      structural features, and highlights the importance of synergistic effects to
      heterogeneous catalysts.

PMID- 28640523
TI  - Computer-aided diagnostics in digital pathology.

PMID- 28640524
TI  - Carbon-Coated Li3 VO4 Spheres as Constituents of an Advanced Anode Material for
      High-Rate Long-Life Lithium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - Lithium-ion batteries are receiving considerable attention for large-scale energy
      storage systems. However, to date the current cathode/anode system cannot satisfy
      safety, cost, and performance requirements for such applications. Here, a lithium
      ion full battery based on the combination of a Li3 VO4 anode with a LiNi0.5 Mn1.5
      O4 cathode is reported, which displays a better performance than existing
      systems. Carbon-coated Li3 VO4 spheres comprising nanoscale carbon-coating
      primary particles are synthesized by a morphology-inheritance route. The observed
      high capacity combined with excellent sample stability and high rate capability
      of carbon-coated Li3 VO4 spheres is superior to other insertion anode materials.
      A high-performance full lithium-ion battery is fabricated by using the carbon
      coated Li3 VO4 spheres as the anode and LiNi0.5 Mn1.5 O4 spheres as the cathode;
      such a cell shows an estimated practical energy density of 205 W h kg-1 with
      greatly improved properties such as pronounced long-term cyclability, and rapid
      charge and discharge.

PMID- 28640525
TI  - Early stages in the biogenesis of eukaryotic beta-barrel proteins.
AB  - The endosymbiotic organelles mitochondria and chloroplasts harbour, similarly to
      their prokaryotic progenitors, beta-barrel proteins in their outer membrane.
      These proteins are encoded on nuclear DNA, translated on cytosolic ribosomes and
      imported into their target organelles by a dedicated machinery. Recent studies
      have provided insights into the import into the organelles and the membrane
      insertion of these proteins. Although the cytosolic stages of their biogenesis
      are less well defined, it is speculated that upon their synthesis, chaperones
      prevent beta-barrel proteins from aggregation and keep them in an import
      competent conformation. In this Review, we summarize the current knowledge about
      the biogenesis of beta-barrel proteins, focusing on the early stages from the
      translation on cytosolic ribosomes to the recognition on the surface of the
      organelle.

PMID- 28640527
TI  - Is it time for Timm? (a case history).

PMID- 28640526
TI  - Development and characterization of a 99m Tc-tricarbonyl-labelled estradiol
      derivative obtained by "Click Chemistry" with potential application in estrogen
      receptors imaging.
AB  - Assessment of the presence of estrogen receptors in breast cancer is crucial for
      treatment planning. With the objective to develop a potential agent for estrogen
      receptors imaging, we present the development and characterization of a 99m Tc
      tricarbonyl-labelled estradiol derivative. Using ethinylestradiol as starting
      material, an estradiol derivative bearing a 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazole
      containing tridentate ligand system was synthesized by "Click Chemistry" and
      fully characterized. Labelling with high yield and radiochemical purity was
      achieved through the formation of a 99m Tc-tricarbonyl complex. The radiolabelled
      compound was stable, exhibited moderate binding to plasma protein (approximately
      33%) and lipophilicity in the adequate range (logP 1.3 +/- 0.1 at pH 7.4).
      Studies in MCF7 showed promising uptake values (approximately 2%). However, more
      than 50% of the activity is quickly released from the cell. Biodistribution
      experiments in normal rats confirmed the expected "in vivo" stability of the
      radiotracer but showed very high gastrointestinal and liver activity, which is
      inconvenient for in vivo applications. Taking into consideration the well
      documented influence of the chelating system in the physicochemical and
      biological behaviour of technetium-labelled small biomolecules, research will be
      continued using the same pharmacophore but different complexation modalities of
      technetium.

PMID- 28640528
TI  - Evaluation of a novel metal-organic framework as an adsorbent for the extraction
      of multiclass pesticides from coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.): An analytical
      approach using matrix solid-phase dispersion and liquid chromatography.
AB  - We report the synthesis, characterization, and application of [Zn(1,4
      benzenedicarboxylate)(H2 O)2 ]n , Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.99 (NH2 -1,4
      benzenedicarboxylate)0.01 (H2 O)2 ]n , [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.95 (NH2 
      1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.05 (H2 O)2 ]n , and [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.9
      (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.1 (H2 O)2 ]n as sorbents for the extraction of
      multiclass pesticides from coconut palm. Liquid chromatography with ultraviolet
      diode array detection was used as the analysis technique, and the experiments
      were performed at one fortification level (0.1 MUg/g). The recoveries were 47-67,
      51-70, 58-72, and 64-76% for [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)(H2 O)2 ]n , Zn(1,4
      benzenedicarboxylate)0.99 (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.01 (H2 O)2 ]n ,
      [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.95 (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.05 (H2 O)2 ]n
      , and [Zn(1,4-benzenelate)0.95 (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.05 (H2 O)2 ]n ,
      and [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.9 (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.1 (H2 O)2
      ]n , respectively, with relative standard deviation ranging from 1 to 7% (n = 3).
      Detection and quantification limits were 0.01-0.05 and 0.05-0.2 MUg/g,
      respectively, for the different pesticides studied. The method developed was
      linear over the range tested (0.01-10.0 MUg/g) with r2  > 0.9991. A direct
      comparison of [Zn(1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.9 (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.1
      (H2 O)2 ]n with the commercially available neutral alumina showed that [Zn(1,4
      benzenedicarboxylate)0.9 (NH2 -1,4-benzenedicarboxylate)0.1 (H2 O)2 ]n was a
      similar extracting phase for the pesticides investigated.

PMID- 28640529
TI  - Effect of everolimus vs calcineurin inhibitors on quality of life in heart
      transplant recipients during a 3-year follow-up: Results of a randomized
      controlled trial (SCHEDULE).
AB  - The Scandinavian heart transplant everolimus de novo study with early calcineurin
      inhibitors avoidance (SCHEDULE) trial was a 12 month, randomized, open-label,
      parallel-group trial that compared everolimus (EVR; n=56) to conventional CsA
      (n=59) immunosuppression. Previously, we reported that EVR outperformed CsA in
      improving renal function and coronary artery vasculopathy, despite a higher
      rejection rate with EVR. This study aimed to compare the effects of these
      treatments on quality of life (QoL). Within five post-operative days, patients
      (mean age 50+/-13 years, 27% women) were randomized to EVR or a standard CsA
      dosage (CsA group). This study assessed quality of life (QoL), based on the Short
      Form-36, EuroQol-5D, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Assessments were
      performed pre-HTx and 12 and 36 months post-HTx. At 12 and 36 months, the groups
      showed similar improvements in Short Form-36 measures (at pre-HTx, 12 and 36
      months the values were as follows: Physical component summary: EVR: 31.5+/-110.9,
      49.1+/-9.7, and 47.9+/-10.6; P<.01; CsA: 32.5+/-8.2, 48.4+/-8.5, and 46.5+/-11.5;
      P<.01; mental component summary: EVR: 46.0+/-12.0, 51.7+/-11.9, and 52.1+/-13.0;
      P<.01; CsA: 38.2+/-12.5, 53.4+/-7.1, and 54.3+/-13.0; P<.01); similar decrease in
      mean BDI (EVR: 10.9+/-10.2, 5.4+/-4.7, and 8.1+/-9.0; P<.01; CsA: 11.8+/-7.1,
      6.3+/-5.4, and 6.2+/-6.5; P<.01); and similar Euro Qol-improvements. Thus, in
      this small-sized study, EVR-based and conventional CsA immunosuppressive
      strategies produced similar QoL improvements.

PMID- 28640530
TI  - How does age affect the outcome of kidney transplantation in elderly recipients?
AB  - The aging of the on-dialysis population raises the issue of whether to propose
      elderly patients for kidney transplantation and how to manage their
      immunosuppression. This study aimed to analyze the outcome of kidney
      transplantation on an Italian series of elderly recipients. We included in this
      retrospective study all patients over 60 years, receiving a deceased-donor kidney
      transplantation from January 2004 to December 2014 in two north Italian Centers.
      We analyzed the correlation of recipient age with graft's and patient's survival,
      delayed graft function, acute cellular rejection (ACR), surgical complications,
      infections, and glomerular filtration rate. Four hundred and fifty-two patients
      with a median age of 65 years were included in the study. One-, 3-, and 5-year
      patient's and graft's survival were, respectively, of 98.7%, 93%, 89% and 94.4%,
      87.9%, 81.4%. The increasing recipient age was an independent risk factor only
      for the patient's (P=.008) and graft's survival (P=.002). ACR and neoplasia were
      also associated to a worse graft survival. The reduced graft survival in elderly
      kidney recipients seems to be related more to the increasing recipient's age than
      to the donor's features. In this population, the optimization of organ allocation
      and immunosuppression may be the key factors to endorse improvements.

PMID- 28640532
TI  - Nonvolatile Perovskite-Based Photomemory with a Multilevel Memory Behavior.
AB  - Solution-processable organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials with a wealth
      of exotic semiconducting properties have appeared as the promising front-runners
      for next-generation electronic devices. Further, regarding its well
      photoresponsibility, various perovskite-based photosensing devices are
      prosperously developed in recent years. However, most exploited devices to date
      only transiently transduce the optical signals into electrical circuits while
      under illumination, which necessitates using additional converters to further
      store the output signals for recording the occurrence of light stimulation.
      Herein, a nonvolatile perovskite-based floating-gate photomemory with a
      multilevel memory behavior is demonstrated, for which a floating gate comprising
      a polymer matrix impregnated with perovskite nanoparticles is employed. Owing to
      the well photoresponsibility introduced by the embedded nanoparticles, the device
      is enabled to access multiple wavelength response and the functionalities of
      recording power/time-dependent illumination under no vertical electrical field.
      Intriguingly, a nonvolatility of photorecording exceeding three months with a
      high On/Off current ratio over 104 can be achieved.

PMID- 28640531
TI  - Apparent diffusion coefficient in estrogen receptor-positive and lymph node
      negative invasive breast cancers at 3.0T DW-MRI: A potential predictor for an
      oncotype Dx test recurrence score.
AB  - PURPOSE: To measure the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in estrogen
      receptor-positive (ER+) and axillary lymph node-negative (LN-) invasive breast
      cancer and investigate the correlation of ADC with Oncotype Dx test recurrence
      scores (ODxRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a Health Insurance Portability
      and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant single-site retrospective study.
      Patients underwent preoperative 3.0T MRI scans with additional diffusion-weighted
      imaging sequential scans (b = 0, 600 and b = 0, 1000 s/mm2 ) from January 2011 to
      2013. The study population included 31 ER+/LN- invasive breast cancers, which
      underwent ODxRS genomic testing. ADC600 and ADC1000 parametric maps were
      generated, and ADC values were calculated from a user-drawn region of interest.
      ODxRS predicts 10-year recurrence risk in individual patients: low (RS <18),
      intermediate (RS: 18-30), or high (RS >30). All breast lesions, including
      subgroups of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) lesions and mass-only lesions were
      dichotomized by RS scores, low-risk versus intermediate/high-risk, and
      statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney's test (statistical
      significance at P < 0.05) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.
      Multivariate analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Invasive breast cancers, when
      scored as low-risk by ODxRS, had significantly higher ADC values compared with
      intermediate/high-risk lesions for both ADC600 (P = 0.007) and ADC1000 (P =
      0.008) mean values. This was true both when analyzing only mass-lesions (P = 0.03
      and 0.01) or only IDCs (P = 0.001 and 0.009). CONCLUSION: Preliminary findings
      suggest that lesion ADC values correlate with recurrence risk likelihood
      stratified using ODxRS. Hence, ADC is a potential surrogate biomarker for tumor
      aggressiveness. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 5 J. Magn. Reson.
      Imaging 2018;47:401-409.

PMID- 28640533
TI  - High-risk squamous cell carcinoma of the ear - A potential role for sentinel node
      biopsy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the external ear have a
      significant rate of metastasis. The purpose of this study was to present analyzed
      factors associated with auricular SCC metastasis in order to identify a group
      that may benefit from sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). METHODS: We performed a
      retrospective review of all operable SCCs between 2009 and 2014. The association
      between high-risk features and metastasis were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred
      eighty-nine auricular SCCs were excised. Local recurrence was noted in 11% and
      9.5% developed metastases. Cartilage, perineural, and lymphovascular invasion
      were significantly associated with metastasis, as were increased tumor depth and
      diameter (P < .001). All patients with metastasis developed nodal disease.
      CONCLUSION: Factors, including poor differentiation, perineural, cartilage, and
      lymphovascular invasion, are associated with auricular SCC metastasis. Patients
      with 2 or more high-risk features may benefit from SLNB in order to identify and
      treat early nodal disease and possibly reduce the risk of further spread.

PMID- 28640534
TI  - Dynamics of transcriptomic response to infection by the nematode Heterorhabditis
      bacteriophora and its bacterial symbiont Photorhabdus temperata in Heliothis
      virescens larvae.
AB  - Entomopathogenic nematodes in the Heterorhabditis genus and their symbiotic
      Photorhabdus bacteria are important biocontrol agents of insect pests and models
      for the study of microbe-host interactions. In this work, we used larvae of the
      tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens) as a model to study its defensive
      mechanisms against Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes carrying symbiotic
      Photorhabdus temperata. We first determined time points of initial nematode entry
      and release of bacteria into the haemolymph to perform transcriptional analysis
      of insect gene expression during these steps in the infective process. RNA
      Sequencing analyses were then performed to profile differential gene expression
      in the insect during nematode invasion, bacterial release and final steps of
      infection, relative to the untreated controls. Our results support the theory
      that insect immune response genes are induced upon nematode invasion, but the
      majority of these genes are suppressed upon the release of bacteria by the
      nematodes into the haemolymph. Overall, these findings provide information on the
      dynamics of the insect's response to a progressing infection by this
      entomopathogenic nematode-bacteria complex and facilitate development of Hel.
      virescens as a pest model for future functional studies of the key insect defence
      factors.

PMID- 28640535
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28640536
TI  - Dynamic Self-Assembly of Magnetic/Polymer Composites in Rotating Frames of
      Reference.
AB  - Small ferromagnetic particles suspended in a rotating viscous polymer and
      subjected to an external static magnetic field dynamically self-assemble into
      open-lattice, periodic structures. Depending on the orientation of the magnetic
      field with respect to the system's axis of rotation, these structures range from
      arrays of parallel plates to single, double, triple, or even quaternary helices.
      Dynamic self-assembly in this rotating frame of reference can be explained by an
      interplay between magnetic, dipole-dipole, viscous drag, and centripetal forces.
      Once formed, the dynamic aggregates can be made permanent by thermally curing the
      polymer matrix.

PMID- 28640537
TI  - Changes in the biomechanical properties of a single cell induced by nonthermal
      atmospheric pressure micro-dielectric barrier discharge plasma.
AB  - Mechanical properties of a single cell are closely related to the fate and
      functions of the cell. Changes in mechanical properties may cause diseases or
      cell apoptosis. Selective cytotoxic effects of nonthermal atmospheric pressure
      micro-dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma have been demonstrated on cancer
      cells. In this work, changes in the mechanical properties of a single cell
      induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure micro-DBD plasma were investigated
      using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and
      SiHa) and normal human fibroblast cells (HFBs) were exposed to micro-DBD plasma
      for various exposure times. The elasticity of a single cell was determined by
      force-distance curve measurement using AFM. Young's modulus was decreased by
      plasma treatment for all cells. The Young's modulus of plasma-treated HeLa cells
      was decreased by 75% compared to nontreated HeLa cells. In SiHa cells and HFBs,
      elasticity was decreased slightly. Chemical changes induced by the plasma
      treatment, which were observed by Raman spectroscopy, were also significant in
      HeLa cells compared to SiHa cells and HFBs. These results suggested that the
      molecular changes induced by micro-DBD plasma were related to cell mechanical
      changes.

PMID- 28640539
TI  - Levels of Evidence.

PMID- 28640538
TI  - Whole-lesion histogram analysis of the apparent diffusion coefficient: Evaluation
      of the correlation with subtypes of mucinous breast carcinoma.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of the whole-lesion histogram apparent diffusion
      coefficient (ADC) for characterizing the heterogeneity of mucinous breast
      carcinoma (MBC) and to determine which ADC metrics may help to best differentiate
      subtypes of MBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study involved 52 MBC
      patients, including 37 pure MBC (PMBC) and 15 mixed MBC (MMBC). The PMBC patients
      were subtyped into PMBC-A (20 cases) and PMBC-B (17 cases) groups. All patients
      underwent preoperative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 1.5T and the whole
      lesion ADC assessments were generated. Histogram-derived ADC parameters were
      compared between PMBC vs. MMBC and PMBC-A vs. PMBC-B, and receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine optimal histogram
      parameters for differentiating these groups. RESULTS: The PMBC group exhibited
      significantly higher ADC values for the mean (P = 0.004), 25th (P = 0.004), 50th
      (P = 0.004), 75th (P = 0.006), and 90th percentiles (P = 0.013) and skewness (P =
      0.021) than did the MMBC group. The 25th percentile of ADC values achieved the
      highest area under the curve (AUC) (0.792), with a cutoff value of 1.345 * 10-3
      mm2 /s, in distinguishing PMBC and MMBC. The PMBC-A group showed significantly
      higher ADC values for the mean (P = 0.049), 25th (P = 0.015), and 50th (P =
      0.026) percentiles and skewness (P = 0.004) than did the PMBC-B group. The 25th
      percentile of the ADC cutoff value (1.476 * 10-3 mm2 /s) demonstrated the best
      AUC (0.837) among the ADC values for distinguishing PMBC-A and PMBC-B.
      CONCLUSION: Whole-lesion ADC histogram analysis enables comprehensive evaluation
      of an MBC in its entirety and differentiating subtypes of MBC. Thus, it may be a
      helpful and supportive tool for conventional MRI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Technical
      Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:391-400.

PMID- 28640541
TI  - Design and fabrication of dual-targeted delivery system based on gemcitabine
      conjugated human serum albumin nanoparticles.
AB  - Dual-targeted drug delivery system has established their reputation as potent
      vehicles for cancer chemotherapies. Herein, gemcitabine (Gem) was conjugated to
      human serum albumin (HSA) via dithiodipropionic anhydride (DTDPA) to fabricate
      Gem-HSA nanoparticles. It was hypothesized that this system can enhance the low
      stability of Gem and can improve its intracellular delivery. Furthermore, folate
      was applied as targeting agent on HSA nanoparticles for increasing the tumor
      selectivity of Gem. In order to evaluate the structural properties of synthesized
      products, 1 H NMR and FT-IR were performed. Moreover, HPLC was implemented for
      confirming the conjugation between HSA and Gem. Nanoparticles have shown
      spherical shape with negative charge. The release rate of Gem was dependent to
      the concentration of glutathione and pH. Folate-targeted HSA nanoparticles have
      shown higher cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and apoptosis induction on folate
      receptor overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells in comparison to non-targeted
      nanoparticles. Finally, it is considered that the developed dual-targeted
      nanoparticles would be potent in improving the stability and efficacy of
      intracellular delivery of Gem and its selective delivery to cancer cells. This
      article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID- 28640542
TI  - Listen, Look and Learn.

PMID- 28640540
TI  - The effects of advanced age and serum alpha1 -acid glycoprotein on docetaxel
      unbound exposure and dose-limiting toxicity in cancer patients.
AB  - AIM: alpha1 -Acid glycoprotein (AAG), which is a major binding protein of
      docetaxel, is considered to be a determinant for docetaxel pharmacokinetics.
      However, there are no reports about the impact of serum AAG on pharmacokinetics
      and pharmacodynamics in elderly patients treated with docetaxel. The aim of this
      prospective study was to elucidate the effects of advanced age and serum AAG on
      docetaxel unbound exposure and neutropenia, dose-limiting toxicity, in cancer
      patients. METHODS: Docetaxel was administered at 60 mg m-2 to 51 patients with
      non-small cell lung cancer, 17 of whom were >=75 years of age. Pharmacokinetics,
      unbound fraction (fu), neutropenia, serum protein levels of AAG and albumin, as
      well as baseline absolute neutrophil count (ANC) were assessed during the first
      course. Population pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses were performed to
      evaluate the influence of clinically relevant factors on docetaxel
      pharmacokinetics and neutropenia. RESULTS: Clearance of docetaxel and degree of
      fu were significantly associated with serum AAG level, but not with age. Area
      under the concentration-time curve of unbound docetaxel (fu.AUC) was
      significantly higher in patients aged >=75 years (0.389 MUg.h ml-1 , 95% CI;
      0.329-0.448 MUg.h ml-1 ) compared with patients aged <75 years (0.310 MUg.h ml-1
      , 95% CI; 0.268-0.352 MUg.h ml-1 ). Percent decrease in ANC at nadir related to
      fu.AUC, and was dependent on baseline ANC. CONCLUSION: Regardless of ageing,
      serum level of AAG determines docetaxel unbound exposure and related dose
      limiting toxicity. Serum AAG level and ANC at baseline appear to be predictive of
      neutropenia for patients of all ages following the administration of docetaxel.

PMID- 28640543
TI  - Evolutionary-Optimized Photonic Network Structure in White Beetle Wing Scales.
AB  - Most studies of structural color in nature concern periodic arrays, which through
      the interference of light create color. The "color" white however relies on the
      multiple scattering of light within a randomly structured medium, which
      randomizes the direction and phase of incident light. Opaque white materials
      therefore must be much thicker than periodic structures. It is known that flying
      insects create "white" in extremely thin layers. This raises the question,
      whether evolution has optimized the wing scale morphology for white reflection at
      a minimum material use. This hypothesis is difficult to prove, since this
      requires the detailed knowledge of the scattering morphology combined with a
      suitable theoretical model. Here, a cryoptychographic X-ray tomography method is
      employed to obtain a full 3D structural dataset of the network morphology within
      a white beetle wing scale. By digitally manipulating this 3D representation, this
      study demonstrates that this morphology indeed provides the highest white
      retroreflection at the minimum use of material, and hence weight for the
      organism. Changing any of the network parameters (within the parameter space
      accessible by biological materials) either increases the weight, increases the
      thickness, or reduces reflectivity, providing clear evidence for the evolutionary
      optimization of this morphology.

PMID- 28640545
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine, 5th edition.

PMID- 28640544
TI  - Interactions of Neurons with Physical Environments.
AB  - Nerve growth strongly relies on multiple chemical and physical signals throughout
      development and regeneration. Currently, a cure for injured neuronal tissue is an
      unmet need. Recent advances in fabrication technologies and materials led to the
      development of synthetic interfaces for neurons. Such engineered platforms that
      come in 2D and 3D forms can mimic the native extracellular environment and create
      a deeper understanding of neuronal growth mechanisms, and ultimately advance the
      development of potential therapies for neuronal regeneration. This progress
      report aims to present a comprehensive discussion of this field, focusing on
      physical feature design and fabrication with additional information about
      considerations of chemical modifications. We review studies of platforms
      generated with a range of topographies, from micro-scale features down to
      topographical elements at the nanoscale that demonstrate effective interactions
      with neuronal cells. Fabrication methods are discussed as well as their
      biological outcomes. This report highlights the interplay between neuronal
      systems and the important roles played by topography on neuronal differentiation,
      outgrowth, and development. The influence of substrate structures on different
      neuronal cells and parameters including cell fate, outgrowth, intracellular
      remodeling, gene expression and activity is discussed. Matching these effects to
      specific needs may lead to the emergence of clinical solutions for patients
      suffering from neuronal injuries or brain-machine interface (BMI) applications.

PMID- 28640547
TI  - Abbreviations.

PMID- 28640548
TI  - Returning the treasure to babies: Infant mental health and Early Head Start.

PMID- 28640546
TI  - Treatment at high-volume facilities and academic centers is independently
      associated with improved survival in patients with locally advanced head and neck
      cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The treatment of head and neck cancers is complex and associated with
      significant morbidity, requiring multidisciplinary care and physician expertise.
      Thus, facility characteristics, such as clinical volume and academic status, may
      influence outcomes. METHODS: The current study included 46,567 patients taken
      from the National Cancer Data Base who were diagnosed with locally advanced
      invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx and
      were undergoing definitive radiotherapy. High-volume facilities (HVFs) were
      defined as the top 1% of centers by the number of patients treated from 2004
      through 2012. Multivariable Cox regression and propensity score matching were
      performed to account for imbalances in covariates. RESULTS: The median follow-up
      was 55.1 months. Treatment at a HVF (hazard ratio, 0.798; 95% confidence
      interval, 0.753-0.845 [P<.001]) and treatment at an academic facility (hazard
      ratio, 0.897; 95% confidence interval, 0.871-0.923 [P<.001]) were found to be
      independently associated with improved overall survival in multivariable
      analysis. In propensity score-matched cohorts, the 5-year overall survival rate
      was 61.6% versus 55.5% for patients treated at an HVF versus lower-volume
      facilities, respectively (P<.001). Similarly, the 5-year overall survival rate
      was 52.3% versus 49.7% for patients treated at academic versus nonacademic
      facilities (P<.001). Analysis of facility volume as a continuous variable
      demonstrated continual improvement in survival with an increased number of
      patients treated. The impact of facility volume and academic designation on
      survival was observed when using a variety of thresholds to define HVF, and
      across the vast majority of subgroups, including both oropharyngeal and
      nonoropharyngeal subsites. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with locally advanced head and
      neck squamous cell carcinoma who are undergoing curative radiotherapy at HVFs and
      academic centers appear to have improved survival. Cancer 2017;123:3933-42. (c)
      2017 American Cancer Society.

PMID- 28640549
TI  - Pathways to prevention: A training and technical assistance initiative to
      increase program capacity to address infant mental health issues in Early Head
      Start.
AB  - This article provides an overview of a training and consultation program aimed at
      enhancing the capacity of Early Head Start (EHS) and Migrant and Seasonal Head
      Start (MSHS) programs to address infant mental health issues from a promotion,
      prevention, and treatment perspective. This program was implemented by the Early
      Head Start National Resource Center (EHS NRC), operated by ZERO TO THREE. The EHS
      NRC is funded by the Head Start Bureau to provide a diverse array of training and
      technical assistance support services to Early Head Start programs throughout the
      country. In the fall of 2001, ZERO TO THREE was funded to design and implement
      the Pathways Initiative. While ZERO TO THREE was not funded to test the efficacy
      of the Pathways Initiative as a research intervention similar to other papers
      described in this special issue, we worked creatively to identify resources that
      allowed us to engage an external evaluator to look at both process and outcome
      measures. This paper describes the consultation program, evaluation activities,
      and key lessons learned.

PMID- 28640550
TI  - Infant mental health and family support: Contributions of Early Head Start to an
      integrated model for community-based early childhood programs.
AB  - This paper analyzes the experiences of an Early Head Start (EHS) program in
      adopting and implementing an infant mental health (IMH) approach in its work with
      community families. Through qualitative methods (participant observation,
      qualitative interviews, and case studies), we examined the strategies used, and
      the challenges encountered, by program staff as they applied IMH principles in
      their home-visiting interventions with families whose lives involve significant
      economic, social, and psychological stressors. Our study identified four elements
      crucial to an effective IMH initiative: (1) teamwork, especially the use of
      transdisciplinary teams to review family cases, (2) reflective supervision, (3)
      development of an integrated and empathic understanding of the child's needs and
      the parent's challenges in meeting those needs, and (4) a dynamic ecological
      understanding of children, families, and communities in which psychosocial and
      socioeconomic factors are viewed as mutually important and interactive. We argue
      that each of these elements both builds on and enhances long-standing dimensions
      of this EHS program's family support approach, creating an innovative and
      integrated model of IMH and family support that could prove of value in many
      community-based programs serving children and families whose emotional health is
      affected by everyday experiences of economic and social inequality.

PMID- 28640551
TI  - Putting knowledge into policy: Toward an infant-toddler policy agenda.

PMID- 28640552
TI  - Early Head Start and infant mental health.

PMID- 28640553
TI  - Risk for maternal depression and child aggression in Early Head Start families: A
      test of ecological models.
AB  - Current literature indicates that risk for maternal depression is substantial in
      low-income families. A large body of research also indicates that when mothers
      are depressed, children are at risk for a number of developmental difficulties.
      While mutual influence between child and parental difficulties has been noted,
      few studies examine risk factors for both depression and child aggression within
      ecological models. The present cross-site study examined the unique and additive
      contributions of contextual factors, including SES and family functioning, on
      maternal depression and child aggression in Early Head Start families. A
      multiethnic sample of parents and their children, between the ages of 12 and 43
      months, participated in this study. Families came from five Early Head Start
      programs across the United States, representing both urban and rural areas.
      Structural equation models (SEM) demonstrate mutual links between depression and
      aggression, mediated at least in part by ecological factors. SEM indicated that
      36.4% of the variance in child aggression is accounted for in a model linking
      aggressive behavior to parent depression, stress, and couple-level functioning,
      as well as other family interaction variables. A second model focusing on
      maternal depression revealed that 44.5% of the variance in maternal depression
      was accounted for through family factors, including couple-related support and
      satisfaction and parenting stress. In this second model, child aggression was
      indirectly linked to maternal depression. These data have important implications
      for programs serving at-risk families.

PMID- 28640554
TI  - The explication of a mentor model, videotaping, and reflective consultation in
      support of infant mental health.
AB  - Infant mental health, as concept and intervention, is poorly understood by most
      practitioners in education settings. Direct-service personnel often lack
      appropriate knowledge, training, skills, and confidence in recognizing and
      addressing infant mental health problems. While programs and policymakers
      increasingly acknowledge the need to offer infant mental health services in order
      to prevent or mediate poor developmental outcomes among young children, effective
      methods of realizing an infant mental health initiative remain elusive. This
      qualitative study of five early education programs examines the use of mentors
      trained in clinical psychology or social work to support educators in delivering
      infant mental health services. The perspectives of administrators, direct-service
      providers, and mentors help us understand what constitutes successful infant
      mental health mentoring in general, and videotaping in combination with
      reflective consultation in particular.

PMID- 28640556
TI  - It takes time: Impacts of Early Head Start that lead to reductions in maternal
      depression two years later.
AB  - The Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, a random-assignment
      evaluation, found a broad pattern of positive impacts for children and families.
      However, there were no program impacts on depression or use of mental health
      services by the time children reached age 3, at the end of the Early Head Start
      (EHS) program. This paper presents recent findings from the follow-up study in
      the spring prior to the children entering kindergarten, when a positive program
      impact emerged for reducing maternal depression. Results show that earlier
      program impacts on children and parents (when children were 2 and 3 years of age)
      mediated, or led to, the delayed impact on maternal depression. The combination
      of the most promising child factors accounted for over 57% of the later impact on
      depression, while the most promising parent factors accounted for over 35% of the
      later impact on depression. Implications for EHS programs are discussed.

PMID- 28640557
TI  - Infant mental health and Early Head Start: The glass is half full.

PMID- 28640558
TI  - The early promotion and intervention research consortium (E-PIRC): Five
      approaches to improving infant/toddler mental health in Early Head Start.
AB  - One planned consequence of the national Infant Mental Health Forum held in the
      United States in 2000 was the funding of five research projects conducted in
      Early Head Start (EHS) programs. Each project strengthened existing programs by
      integrating infant/toddler mental health approaches and testing the outcomes on
      infant/toddler development, behavior, and parent-child interactions. In two of
      the projects, the effect of offering enrichment for EHS staff was tested. The
      other three projects tested the effect of services offered directly to parents
      and children. This article describes the five projects and the theories, methods,
      and outcome measures used. In order to understand more fully the elevated risk
      factors in these families and the consequences for mental health in their infants
      and toddlers, a common set of measures was developed. Data have been used to
      explore the common threats to mental health and the factors that moderate the
      impact on infants and toddlers.

PMID- 28640559
TI  - Management of monochorionic twin pregnancy discordant for body-stalk anomaly.

PMID- 28640560
TI  - Integration of Biomolecules with Metal-Organic Frameworks.
AB  - Owing to the progressive development of metal-organic-frameworks (MOFs) synthetic
      processes and considerable potential applications in last decade, integrating
      biomolecules into MOFs has recently gain considerable attention. Biomolecules,
      including lipids, oligopeptides, nucleic acids, and proteins have been readily
      incorporated into MOF systems via versatile formulation methods. The formed
      biomolecule-MOF hybrid structures have shown promising prospects in various
      fields, such as antitumor treatment, gene delivery, biomolecular sensing, and
      nanomotor device. By optimizing biomolecule integration methods while overcoming
      existing challenges, biomolecule-integrated MOF platforms are very promising to
      generate more practical applications.

PMID- 28640561
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640562
TI  - [Vaping (electronic cigarette): how to advise smokers in 2017 ?]
AB  - Questions about electronic cigarettes, also called electronic nicotine delivery
      systems (ENDS), are very common when advising patients to stop smoking in medical
      practice. It is widely recognized that the risks of vaping are significantly
      lower than those of smoking, although there are uncertainties about its long-term
      health effects. Some studies suggest that vaping helps to stop smoking. Effective
      smoking cessation medications should be recommended in first line but vaping
      should not be discouraged when patients choose to use this device, as the main
      aim is smoking cessation. This paper proposes recommendations about vaping in
      common situations in medical practice with smokers.

PMID- 28640563
TI  - [Smoking, vaping and cardiovascular risk : an update].
AB  - It is well known that tobacco smoking increases cardiovascular (CV) mortality and
      morbidity, however, smoking cessation is often neglected compared to other CV
      risk factors. Behavioral counseling as well as smoking cessation treatments are
      efficient and do not increase the risk of CV events when used for a defined
      duration. Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) contain potentially
      cardiotoxic substances but in lower concentrations than in cigarettes. The CV
      effect of ENDS is to date difficult to assess and depends on the type of device
      used and its mode of consumption. For smokers with a known CV disease who have
      quit smoking using ENDS, it is recommended that they stop using them as soon as
      they have stabilized.

PMID- 28640564
TI  - [Design and user-testing of a decision aid comparing medications for smoking
      cessation].
AB  - Medications for smoking cessation, such as nicotine replacement, bupropion and
      varenicline have comparable efficacy, but present different advantages and
      drawbacks, making patient-specific preferences important when choosing a
      medication for smoking cessation. Through 3 PDCA cycles (Plan-Do-Check-Act), we
      developed and user-tested a decision aid for use during consultations. It
      contains the most relevant information for choosing a smoking cessation
      medication and is freely available online. The methodology used for its
      development could be employed for other decision aids for preference-sensitive
      decisions.

PMID- 28640565
TI  - [Protection from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in the canton of Vaud :
      review and outcomes].
AB  - At the beginning of the 2000's the dissemination of scientific evidence, public
      opinion shift and the example of private or public workplaces led the Latin part
      of Switzerland to plead for a comprehensive smoke-free ban. In the canton of
      Vaud, the smoke-free public places law entered into force on September 15th 2009
      after a 3-year process initiated by a popular initiative. Key factors included
      public awareness and information actions, civil society engagement and the
      involvement of every stakeholder. Smoke-free public- and workplaces led to health
      improvements in the general population and an evolving social norm towards
      tobacco use. These outcomes are still challenged by the development of new
      tobacco products.

PMID- 28640566
TI  - [The Scientific Commission of the Swiss Cigarette Manufacturers Association : a
      historical overview].
AB  - The Scientific Commission (SC) of the Swiss Cigarette Manufacturers Association
      (SCMA) has been active between 1962 and the end of the 1990s. The commission
      fulfilled multiple tasks in the service of the tobacco industry : planning of
      external joint research, public relations work, lobbying, and collaboration with
      public authorities as well as organisations with a similar mission as the SC
      itself. In addition, it monitored research on smoking and health, reviewed
      studies that were detrimental to the cigarette manufacturers' interest and
      organized pro-tobacco scientific meetings. The commission was thus a powerful
      tool at the disposal of the tobacco industry. It also had a major impact on
      public health through perpetuating the pseudo-controversy about the negative
      effects of smoking on health.

PMID- 28640567
TI  - [Recommendations for the use of antiemetic drugs by the general practitioner].
AB  - Nausea is a common symptom among patients affected by chronic diseases or
      undergoing various treatments. Because nausea can result from many origins, there
      is a large differential diagnosis to explore. Its pathophysiology relies on
      numerous neurotransmitters, on which 5 types of antiemetic antagonists are
      effective (NK-1 receptor antagonists, antiserotoninergic, antidopaminergic,
      antihistaminic and anticholinergic agents). Glucocorticoids and benzodiazepines
      are also used to treat some types of nausea. Choosing the appropriate antiemetic
      can improve quality of life and treatment compliance.

PMID- 28640568
TI  - [Patients : becoming a person before being a partner].
AB  - Do patients and health care professionals wish to become partners in the
      relationship of care ? While many tend to think like that, it is far from certain
      that this is really the case. Data collected by the Espace Patients&Proches,
      where users of the Lausanne University Hospital are allowed to complain about
      health care-related problems, show that patients, their relatives, and health
      care professionals suffer from a process of de-subjectivization owing to the
      increasing technologization and standardization of care. Indeed, they want to be
      recognized as subjects before even thinking of becoming partners. Neither
      patients, their relatives, nor health care professionals call for a symmetrical
      relationship yet ; such attempts may moreover be experienced as painful.

PMID- 28640569
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640570
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640571
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640572
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640573
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640574
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640575
TI  - ?

PMID- 28640576
TI  - The Effect of Aromatherapy on Insomnia and Other Common Symptoms Among Patients
      With Acute Leukemia
AB  - Purpose/Objectives: To determine if the use of aromatherapy improves insomnia and
      other common symptoms in hospitalized patients with newly diagnosed acute
      leukemia. Design: A randomized, crossover, washout trial. Setting: An inpatient
      acute leukemia unit at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard L. Solove
      Research Institute of the Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University in
      Columbus. Sample: 50 patients who were newly diagnosed with acute leukemia and
      hospitalized to receive their initial four weeks of intensive induction
      chemotherapy. Methods: Patients were offered a choice of three scents to be used
      during the trial: lavender, peppermint, or chamomile. Each patient was randomized
      to receive either the chosen aromatherapy intervention or a placebo intervention
      during alternate weeks, with a washout period in between. Sleep quality and other
      common symptoms were measured. Main Research Variables: Aromatherapy, sleep,
      insomnia, pain, tiredness, drowsiness, nausea, lack of appetite, shortness of
      breath, depression, anxiety, and well-being. Findings: Most patients reported
      poor quality sleep at baseline, but aromatherapy had a statistically significant
      positive impact. Improvements were noted in tiredness, drowsiness, lack of
      appetite, depression, anxiety, and well-being because of aromatherapy.
      Conclusions: Aromatherapy is a viable intervention for improving insomnia and
      other symptoms commonly experienced by patients with acute leukemia. Implications
      for Nursing: Oncology nurses can employ aromatherapy safely and inexpensively,
      and with minimal training, as an effective tool in decreasing many symptoms that
      plague patients with leukemia. Patients can exercise a greater sense of control
      over their treatment environments through the use of aromatherapy.

PMID- 28640577
TI  - Laser Ablation Molecular Isotopic Spectrometry for Molecules Formation Chemistry
      in Femtosecond-Laser Ablated Plasmas.
AB  - Recently, laser ablated molecular isotopic spectrometry (LAMIS) has expanded its
      capability to explore molecules formation mechanism in laser-induced plasma in
      addition to isotope analysis. LAMIS is a powerful tool for tracking the
      origination of atoms that is involved in formation of investigated molecules by
      labeling atoms with their isotopic substitution. The evolutionary formation
      pathways of organic molecules, especially of C2 dimers and CN radicals, were
      frequently reported. However, very little is known about the formation pathways
      for metallic radicals and heterodimers in laser ablated plasma. This research
      focuses on elucidating the formation pathways of AlO radicals in femtosecond
      laser ablated plasma from 18O-labeled Al2O3 pellet. Plasmas expanding with strong
      forward bias in the direction normal to the sample surface were generated in the
      wake of a weakly ionized channel created by a femtosecond laser. The formation
      mechanism of AlO and influence of air were investigated with multiple plasma
      diagnostic methods such as monochromatic fast gating imaging, spatiotemporal
      resolved optical emission spectroscopy, and LAMIS. An advanced LAMIS fitting
      procedure was used to deduce the spatiotemporal distributions of Al18O and Al16O
      number densities and also their ratios. We found that the Al16O/Al18O number
      density ratio is higher for plasma portion closer to the sample surface, which
      suggests that chemical reactions between the plasma plume and ambient air are
      more intense at the tail of the plasma. The results also reveals that direct
      association of free Al and O atoms is the main mechanism for the formation of AlO
      at the early stage of the plasma. To the contrast, chemical reactions between
      plasma materials and ambient oxygen molecules and the isotope exchange effect are
      the dominant mechanisms of the formation of AlO and evolution of Al16O/Al18O
      number density ratio at the late stage of the plasma.

PMID- 28640578
TI  - Insect Analogue to the Lotus Leaf: A Planthopper Wing Membrane Incorporating a
      Low-Adhesion, Nonwetting, Superhydrophobic, Bactericidal, and Biocompatible
      Surface.
AB  - Nature has produced many intriguing and spectacular surfaces at the micro- and
      nanoscales. These small surface decorations act for a singular or, in most cases,
      a range of functions. The minute landscape found on the lotus leaf is one such
      example, displaying antiwetting behavior and low adhesion with foreign
      particulate matter. Indeed the lotus leaf has often been considered the
      "benchmark" for such properties. One could expect that there are animal
      counterparts of this self-drying and self-cleaning surface system. In this study,
      we show that the planthopper insect wing (Desudaba danae) exhibits a remarkable
      architectural similarity to the lotus leaf surface. Not only does the wing
      demonstrate a topographical likeness, but some surface properties are also
      expressed, such as nonwetting behavior and low adhering forces with contaminants.
      In addition, the insect-wing cuticle exhibits an antibacterial property in which
      Gram-negative bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis) are killed over many
      consecutive waves of attacks over 7 days. In contrast, eukaryote cell
      associations, upon contact with the insect membrane, lead to a formation of
      integrated cell sheets (e.g., among human stem cells (SHED-MSC) and human dermal
      fibroblasts (HDF)). The multifunctional features of the insect membrane provide a
      potential natural template for man-made applications in which specific control of
      liquid, solid, and biological contacts is desired and required. Moreover, the
      planthopper wing cuticle provides a "new" natural surface with which numerous
      interfacial properties can be explored for a range of comparative studies with
      both natural and man-made materials.

PMID- 28640579
TI  - Rapid and Robust Quantification of p-Xyleneselenocyanate in Plasma via
      Derivatization.
AB  - p-Xyleneselenocyanate (p-XSC) is one of the most investigated selenium compounds
      in cancer-prevention and -therapy. Despite the potent anticancer property, there
      is still no proper method to perform the quantitative analysis of p-XSC in
      plasma. In this investigation, we aimed at developing a method based on liquid
      chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for the measurement of p-XSC in plasma.
      Direct deproteinization was first used to extract parent p-XSC from plasma, but
      failed to achieve high recovery rate (<2%) due to formation of selenium-sulfur
      bond between p-XSC and plasma protein. To overcome this problem, we modified the
      extraction method to three steps: (1) break the selenium-sulfur bond by tris(2
      carboxyethyl)phosphine; (2) stabilize the newly formed intermediate selenol by N
      ethylmaleimide; (3) deproteinization. This three-step method efficiently
      recovered bound p-XSC by more than 75%. In in vivo study, p-XSC was injected
      intravenously into mice and plasma was collected for LC-MS analysis.
      Consistently, p-XSC was undetectable in its parent form, whereas the bound form
      was readily quantified, employing the modified extraction method. In summary, we
      describe a novel, robust, and sensitive method for quantification of p-XSC in
      plasma. The present method will enable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
      studies of p-XSC in both clinical and preclinical settings.

PMID- 28640581
TI  - Molecular Insight into Water Desalination across Multilayer Graphene Oxide
      Membranes.
AB  - Transport of ionic solutions through graphene oxide (GO) membranes is a
      complicated issue because the complex and tortuous structure inside makes it very
      hard to clarify. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we investigated the
      mechanism of water transport and ion movement across multilayer GO. The
      significant flow rate is considerably influenced by the structural parameters of
      GO membranes. Because of the size effect on a shrunken real flow area, there is
      disagreement between the classical continuum model and nanoscaled flow. To
      eliminate the variance, we obtained modified geometrical parameters from density
      analysis and used them in the developed hydrodynamic model to give a precise
      depiction of water flow. Four kinds of solutions (i.e., NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, and
      CaCl2) and different configurational GO sheets were considered to clarify the
      influence on salt permeation. It is found that the abilities of permeation to
      ions are not totally up to the hydration radius. Even though the ionic hydration
      shell is greater than the opening space, the ions can also pass through the split
      because of the special double-deck hydration structure. In the structure of GO, a
      smaller layer separation with greater offsetting gaps could substantially enhance
      the membrane's ability to reject salt. This work establishes molecular insight
      into the effects of configurational structures and salt species on desalination
      performance, providing useful guidelines for the design of multilayer GO
      membranes.

PMID- 28640582
TI  - Thermoelectric Performance of Se/Cd Codoped SnTe via Microwave Solvothermal
      Method.
AB  - Extensive attention has been focused on thermoelectric performance optimization
      of SnTe because of its potential in waste heat recovery. Here, we fabricate high
      thermoelectric performance Se/Cd codoped SnTe octahedral particles by microwave
      stimulated solvothermal method. The SnTe-based octahedral particles have sizes
      ranging from several micrometers to hundreds of nanometers, forming dense bulks
      after spark plasma sintering. Combined with the strong point defect scattering by
      Se and Cd dopants, a low thermal conductivity of 1.8 W m-1 K-1 at 773 K is
      obtained in the Se/Cd codoped Sn0.98Cd0.02Te0.9Se0.1 sample. Se and Cd dopants
      can optimize the band structure of SnTe and boost the power factors, resulting in
      a promising peak ZT of ~0.78 at 773 K in the Se/Cd codoped Sn0.98Cd0.02Te0.9Se0.1
      sample, which is significantly higher than those of undoped SnTe and Se-doped
      SnTe samples.

PMID- 28640580
TI  - A Bioinspired Alginate-Gum Arabic Hydrogel with Micro-/Nanoscale Structures for
      Controlled Drug Release in Chronic Wound Healing.
AB  - Biopolymeric hydrogels have drawn increasing research interest in biomaterials
      due to their tunable physical and chemical properties for both creating bioactive
      cellular microenvironment and serving as sustainable therapeutic reagents.
      Inspired by a naturally occurring hydrogel secreted from the carnivorous Sundew
      plant for trapping insects, here we have developed a bioinspired hydrogel to
      deliver mitsugumin 53 (MG53), an important protein in cell membrane repair, for
      chronic wound healing. Both chemical compositions and micro-/nanomorphological
      properties inherent from the natural Sundew hydrogel were mimicked using sodium
      alginate and gum arabic with calcium ion-mediated cross-linking. On the basis of
      atomic force microscopy (AFM) force measurements, an optimal sticky hydrogel
      scaffold was obtained through orthogonal experimental design. Imaging and
      mechanical analysis showed the distinct correlation between structural
      morphology, adhesion characteristics, and mechanical properties of the Sundew
      inspired hydrogel. Combined characterization and biochemistry techniques were
      utilized to uncover the underlying molecular composition involved in the
      interactions between hydrogel and protein. In vitro drug release experiments
      confirmed that the Sundew-inspired hydrogel had a biphasic-kinetics release,
      which can facilitate both fast delivery of MG53 for improving the
      reepithelization process of the wounds and sustained release of the protein for
      treating chronic wounds. In vivo experiments showed that the Sundew-inspired
      hydrogel encapsulating with rhMG53 could facilitate dermal wound healing in mouse
      model. Together, these studies confirmed that the Sundew-inspired hydrogel has
      both tunable micro-/nanostructures and physicochemical properties, which enable
      it as a delivery vehicle for chronic wounding healing. The research may provide a
      new way to develop biocompatible and tunable biomaterials for sustainable drug
      release to meet the needs of biological activities.

PMID- 28640583
TI  - Fluffy and Ordered Graphene Multilayer Films with Improved Electromagnetic
      Interference Shielding over X-Band.
AB  - Highly ordered nitrogen-doped graphene multilayer films with large interlayer
      void are successfully fabricated by thermal annealing of the compact stacking
      graphene oxide/copper phthalocyanine (GO/CuPc) multilayer films. Scanning
      electron microscopic (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, X-ray photoelectron
      spectroscopic (XPS), and electrical conductivity measurements indicate that the
      breakaway of oxygen functional groups on/in the GO sheets at high temperature and
      the in situ pyrolysis of CuPc molecules in the interlayer of graphene sheets
      synergistically facilitate the restoration of GO in graphitization, the effective
      nitrogen doping by replacing carbon atoms in graphene frameworks, the retention
      of layer-by-layer stacking structure of graphene sheets in plane, and the
      formation of interlayer voids, leading to the enhancement in the electrical
      conductivity (3.64 * 103 S/m). In addition, due to the formation of a Fabry-Perot
      resonance cavity in the unique layer-by-layer stacking structure with larger
      interlayer voids, constructive interference of internal reflections aligned
      between parallel reflecting planes endows the fluffy graphene multilayer films
      with excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness
      (exceeds 25 dB in all X-bands). The optimal shielding effectiveness is up to 55.2
      dB with a smaller thickness of 0.47 mm, which makes it possible to become a
      practical EMI shielding material with a distinct competitive advantage.

PMID- 28640584
TI  - Spectroscopic Evidence for a H Bond Network at Y356 Located at the Subunit
      Interface of Active E. coli Ribonucleotide Reductase.
AB  - The reaction catalyzed by E. coli ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) composed of
      alpha and beta subunits that form an active alpha2beta2 complex is a paradigm for
      proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes in biological transformations.
      beta2 contains the diferric tyrosyl radical (Y122.) cofactor that initiates
      radical transfer (RT) over 35 A via a specific pathway of amino acids (Y122. ?
      [W48] ? Y356 in beta2 to Y731 ? Y730 ? C439 in alpha2). Experimental evidence
      exists for colinear and orthogonal PCET in alpha2 and beta2, respectively. No
      mechanistic model yet exists for the PCET across the subunit (alpha/beta)
      interface. Here, we report unique EPR spectroscopic features of Y356.-beta, the
      pathway intermediate generated by the reaction of 2,3,5-F3Y122.-beta2/CDP/ATP
      with wt-alpha2, Y731F-alpha2, or Y730F-alpha2. High field EPR (94 and 263 GHz)
      reveals a dramatically perturbed g tensor. [1H] and [2H]-ENDOR reveal two
      exchangeable H bonds to Y356.: a moderate one almost in-plane with the pi-system
      and a weak one. DFT calculation on small models of Y. indicates that two in
      plane, moderate H bonds (rO-H ~1.8-1.9 A) are required to reproduce the gx value
      of Y356. (wt-alpha2). The results are consistent with a model, in which a cluster
      of two, almost symmetrically oriented, water molecules provide the two moderate H
      bonds to Y356. that likely form a hydrogen bond network of water molecules
      involved in either the reversible PCET across the subunit interface or in H+
      release to the solvent during Y356 oxidation.

PMID- 28640585
TI  - Thermally and Electrically Triggered Triple-Shape Memory Behavior of Poly(vinyl
      acetate)/Poly(lactic acid) Due to Graphene-Induced Phase Separation.
AB  - This work aimed to develop a facile and broadly applicable method for fabricating
      multistimuli responsive triple-shape memory polymers (SMPs). Hence, herein the
      SMPs were prepared through the simple physical blending of two commercially
      available biopolymers, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), in
      the presence of robust and conductive graphene nanoplatelets. Interestingly,
      atomic force microscopy observations and thermal analyses revealed that the
      presence of nanofillers led to phase separation and appearance of two well
      separated transition temperatures in the blend of these two miscible polymers.
      Consequently, shape memory results showed that the unfilled blend of PLA/PVAc
      with a single thermal transition can only show moderate heat triggered dual-shape
      memory behavior. While, PLA/PVAc/graphene nanocomposite blends demonstrated
      excellent thermally and electrically actuated triple-shape memory effects besides
      their remarkable dual-shape memory behavior. In addition, electrical conductivity
      of the blend was enhanced by ~14 orders of magnitude in the presence of graphene.
      More interestingly, electroactive shape recovery experiments exhibited that
      depending on the applied voltage, temporary shapes in each region of sample can
      be either individually or simultaneously recovered.

PMID- 28640586
TI  - Self-Supported Bi2MoO6 Nanowall for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.
AB  - The nanowall has been regarded as a promising architecture for highly efficient
      photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting due to various advantages, such as
      open geometry, highly reactive facets, independent contact with current
      collector, and so forth. Here, a vertically aligned Bi2MoO6 nanosheet array,
      which is also called a nanowall, is first achieved directly on the ITO glass by a
      facile solvothermal approach. The structural features not only offer multiple
      superiorities for PEC processes, but also provide the bridge for in-depth
      insights of intrinsic features of Bi2MoO6 photoanodes. A quantitative analysis of
      the electrochemical process declares that the utilization of photogenerated
      charges in the Bi2MoO6 nanowall has been optimized, but the main obstacle comes
      from the severe bulk recombination and low efficiencies of charge separation.
      This evaluation both enriches the visual assessment methods and directs clear
      guidance for future improvement, which could serve as a beacon for well-directed
      and economic photoelectrode amelioration, to shorten the road toward ideal
      photoelectrodes.

PMID- 28640587
TI  - Silica Nanoparticle as a Lymph Node Targeting Platform for Vaccine Delivery.
AB  - Nanoparticles have emerged as the platform of choice to improve the efficacy and
      safety of subunit vaccines. A major challenge underlying the use of nanomaterials
      in vaccines lies in the particle designs that can efficiently target and activate
      the antigen-presenting cells, especially dendritic cells. Here we show a toll
      like receptor 9 (TLR-9) agonist and antigen coloaded, silica nanoparticles
      (SiNPs) are able to accumulate in antigen presenting cells in the draining lymph
      nodes after injection. Vaccine loaded SiNPs led to dramatically enhanced
      induction of antigen-specific B and T cell responses as compared to soluble
      vaccines, which in turn drove a protective antitumoral immunity in a murine tumor
      model. Additionally, SiNP vaccines greatly reduced the production of systemic
      proinflammatory cytokines and completely abrogated splenomegaly, key systemic
      toxicities of TLR-9 agonists that limit their advances in clinical applications.
      Our results demonstrate that structure-optimized silica nanocarriers can be used
      as an effective and safe platform for targeted delivery of subunit vaccines.

PMID- 28640588
TI  - Calcitonin-Loaded Thermosensitive Hydrogel for Long-Term Antiosteopenia Therapy.
AB  - Effective antiosteopenia therapy can be achieved by designing long-term
      protein/peptide drug delivery systems for bone trabecula restoration. Here we
      show that a complex of salmon calcitonin and oxidized calcium alginate (sCT-OCA)
      was prepared and loaded into a thermosensitive copolymer hydrogel for long-term
      antiosteopenia treatment. The triblock copolymer, poly(d,l-lactic acid-co
      glycolic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(d,l-lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)
      (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) exhibited sol-gel transition at body temperature. The sustained
      release of sCT from the in situ gelling system was determined by both the
      degradation of the hydrogel and the decomposition of the sCT-OCA complex. This
      system showed sustained effects in reducing serum calcium and bone trabecula
      reconstruction in the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteopenia in rats for
      approximately 30 days after a single subcutaneous injection, which may shed light
      on antiosteopenia therapy in the future.

PMID- 28640589
TI  - Ru(bpy)32+ Incorporated Luminescent Polymer Dots: Double-Enhanced
      Electrochemiluminescence for Detection of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism.
AB  - Encapsulating a large amount of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) active molecules
      into one nanoparticle for single-target recognition can greatly improve the
      sensitivity of the ECL assay. This work used luminescent conjugated polymer as a
      carrier to synthesize Ru(bpy)32+-doped polymer dots (RuPdots). The RuPdots with
      an average size of 20 nm and encapsulation of about 1354 Ru(bpy)32+ showed
      greatly enhanced ECL emission. Using tripropylamine as a coreactant, the
      resonance energy transfer from the excited polymer dots to the encapsulated
      Ru(bpy)32+ was demonstrated, which led to a 15.7-fold higher ECL emission than
      that of Ru(bpy)32+ with the same amount at the gold electrode. By coupling the
      double-enhanced ECL signal of this nanostructure with the specific ligase
      detection reaction, a sensitive ECL biosensor was constructed for specific
      detection of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Using mutant KRAS gene as a
      model target, the ECL SNP detection method showed a linear range from 1 fM to 1
      nM and a detection limit of 0.8 fM. The designed RuPdots provided a novel signal
      amplification strategy and could be used as a universal label for ultrasensitive
      ECL biodetection.

PMID- 28640590
TI  - Chlorin e6 Functionalized Theranostic Multistage Nanovectors Transported by Stem
      Cells for Effective Photodynamic Therapy.
AB  - Approaches to achieve site-specific and targeted delivery that provide an
      effective solution to reduce adverse, off target side effects are urgently needed
      for cancer therapy. Here, we utilized a Trojan-horse-like strategy to carry
      photosensitizer Chlorin e6 conjugated porous silicon multistage nanovectors with
      tumor homing mesenchymal stem cells for targeted photodynamic therapy and
      diagnosis. The inherent versatility of multistage nanovectors permitted the
      conjugation of photosensitizers to enable precise cell death induction (60%) upon
      photodynamic therapy, while simultaneously retaining the loading capacity to load
      various payloads, such as antitumor drugs and diagnostic nanoparticles.
      Furthermore, the mesenchymal stem cells that internalized the multistage
      nanovectors conserved their proliferation patterns and in vitro affinity to
      migrate and infiltrate breast cancer cells. In vivo administration of the
      mesenchymal stem cells carrying photosensitizer-conjugated multistage nanovectors
      in mice bearing a primary breast tumor confirmed their tropism toward cancer
      sites exhibiting similar targeting kinetics to control cells. In addition, this
      approach yielded in a > 70% decrease in local tumor cell viability after in vivo
      photodynamic therapy. In summary, these results show the proof-of-concept of how
      photosensitizer conjugated multistage nanovectors transported by stem cells can
      target tumors and be used for effective site-specific cancer therapy while
      potentially minimizing potential negative side effects.

PMID- 28640591
TI  - Managing Psychotropic Medications in Complex, Real-World Patients Using
      Comprehensive Therapeutic Drug Monitoring.
AB  - There are multiple treatment options for depression, anxiety, psychosis, and
      other psychiatric disorders, and psychiatry patients are often comorbid with
      complex, polypharmacy treatment regimens. Unlike cardiovascular disease and
      diabetes, there are no readily available biomarkers to gauge treatment success
      with psychotropic medications, often resulting in subjective determination of
      medication therapy effectiveness. The physiochemical properties of psychiatric
      medications in general lend themselves to quantitative measurement in blood,
      offering an avenue to optimize treatment for each patient. Herein, we describe a
      novel application that employs comprehensive therapeutic drug monitoring of both
      psychiatric and nonpsychiatric medications to holistically personalize therapy
      for complex psychiatry patients.

PMID- 28640593
TI  - DNA Condensation Induced by a Star-Shaped Hexameric Cationic Surfactant.
AB  - The interactions between a star-shaped hexameric cationic quaternary ammonium
      surfactant PAHB and calf thymus DNA and induced DNA condensation were
      investigated by zeta-potential, dynamic light scattering, atomic force
      microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, ethidium bromide exclusion assay,
      circular dichroism, and cytotoxicity assay. With the addition of PAHB, long
      extended DNA molecules exhibit successive conformational transitions from
      elongated coil to a partially condensed cluster-like aggregate, to a globules-on
      a-string structure, and then to a fully condensed globule until the saturation
      point of interaction between PAHB and DNA, which is slightly above their charge
      neutralization point. The efficient condensation is mainly produced by the strong
      attractive electrostatic interaction between the multiple positively charged
      headgroups of PAHB and negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA, and the
      hydrophobic interaction among the multiple alkyl chains of PAHB. Moreover the
      transition of the DNA conformation is also affected by the transitions of PAHB
      molecular conformation from star-shaped to claw-like and pyramid-like. Although
      the DNA conformation is significantly changed by PAHB, the DNA secondary
      structure does not display obvious variations, and the PAHB/DNA mixture does not
      show cytotoxicity when DNA is partially condensed. These results indicate that
      star-shaped oligomeric cationic surfactant is a potential condensing agent for
      gene transfection.

PMID- 28640592
TI  - Identification of a Small Molecule Activator for AphB, a LysR-Type Virulence
      Transcriptional Regulator in Vibrio cholerae.
AB  - AphB is a LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) that cooperates with a
      second transcriptional activator, AphA, at the tcpPH promoter to initiate
      expression of the virulence cascade in Vibrio cholerae. Because it is not yet
      known whether AphB responds to a natural ligand in V. cholerae that influences
      its ability to activate transcription, we used a computational approach to
      identify small molecules that influence its activity. In silico docking was used
      to identify potential ligands for AphB, and saturation transfer difference
      nuclear magnetic resonance was subsequently employed to access the validity of
      promising targets. We identified a small molecule, BP-15, that specifically binds
      the C-terminal regulatory domain of AphB and increases its activity.
      Interestingly, molecular docking predicts that BP-15 does not bind in the
      putative primary effector-binding pocket located at the interface of RD-I and RD
      II as in other LTTRs, but rather at the dimerization interface. The information
      gained in this study helps us to further understand the mechanism by which
      transcriptional activation by AphB is regulated by suggesting that AphB has a
      secondary ligand binding site, as observed in other LTTRs. This study also lays
      the groundwork for the future design of inhibitory molecules to block the V.
      cholerae virulence cascade, thereby preventing the devastating symptoms of
      cholera infection.

PMID- 28640594
TI  - Biomedical Diagnostics Enabled by Integrated Organic and Printed Electronics.
AB  - Organic and printed electronics integration has the potential to revolutionize
      many technologies, including biomedical diagnostics. This work demonstrates the
      successful integration of multiple printed electronic functionalities into a
      single device capable of the measurement of hydrogen peroxide and total
      cholesterol. The single-use device employed printed electrochemical sensors for
      hydrogen peroxide electroreduction integrated with printed electrochromic display
      and battery. The system was driven by a conventional electronic circuit designed
      to illustrate the complete integration of silicon integrated circuits via pick
      and place or using organic electronic circuits. The device was capable of
      measuring 8 MUL samples of both hydrogen peroxide (0-5 mM, 2.72 * 10-6 A.mM-1)
      and total cholesterol in serum from 0 to 9 mM (1.34 * 10-8 A.mM-1, r2 = 0.99, RSD
      < 10%, n = 3), and the result was output on a semiquantitative linear bar
      display. The device could operate for 10 min via a printed battery, and display
      the result for many hours or days. A mobile phone "app" was also capable of
      reading the test result and transmitting this to a remote health care provider.
      Such a technology could allow improved management of conditions such as
      hypercholesterolemia.

PMID- 28640595
TI  - Detection and Characterization of Small Molecule Interactions with Fibrillar
      Protein Aggregates Using Microscale Thermophoresis.
AB  - Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease share the
      pathological hallmark of fibrillar protein aggregates. The specific detection of
      these protein aggregates by positron emission tomography (PET) in the patient
      brain can yield valuable information for diagnosis and disease progression.
      However, the identification of novel small compounds that bind fibrillar protein
      aggregates has been a challenge. In this study, microscale thermophoresis (MST)
      was applied to assess the binding affinity of known small molecule ligands of
      alpha-synuclein fibrils, which were also tested in parallel in a thioflavin T
      fluorescence competition assay for further validation. In addition, a MST assay
      was also developed for the detection of the interaction between a variety of
      small molecules and tau fibrils. The results of this study demonstrate that MST
      is a powerful and practical methodology to quantify interactions between small
      molecules and protein fibrillar aggregates, which suggests that it can be applied
      for the identification and development of PET radioligands and potentially of
      therapeutic candidates for protein misfolding diseases.

PMID- 28640597
TI  - Positive-Charge Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Nanocarriers
      for Controlled 2,4-Dichlorophenoxy Acetic Acid Sodium Salt Release.
AB  - Because of its relatively high water solubility and mobility, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy
      acetic acid (2,4-D) has a high leaching potential threatening the surface water
      and groundwater. Controlled release formulations of 2,4-D could alleviate the
      adverse effects on the environment. In the present study, positive-charge
      functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were facilely synthesized
      by incorporating trimethylammonium (TA) groups onto MSNs via a postgrafting
      method. 2,4-D sodium salt, the anionic form of 2,4-D, was effectively loaded into
      these positively charged MSN-TA nanoparticles. The loading content can be greatly
      improved to 21.7% compared to using bare MSNs as a single encapsulant (1.5%).
      Pesticide loading and release patterns were pH, ionic strength and temperature
      responsive, which were mainly dominated by the electrostatic interactions. Soil
      column experiments clearly demonstrated that MSN-TA can decrease the soil
      leaching of 2, 4-D sodium salt. Moreover, this novel nanoformulation showed good
      bioactivity on target plant without adverse effects on the growth of nontarget
      plant. This strategy based on electrostatic interactions could be widely applied
      to charge carrying agrochemicals using carriers bearing opposite charges to
      alleviate the potential adverse effects on the environment.

PMID- 28640596
TI  - Drug-Target Kinetics in Drug Discovery.
AB  - The development of therapies for the treatment of neurological cancer faces a
      number of major challenges including the synthesis of small molecule agents that
      can penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Given the likelihood that in many
      cases drug exposure will be lower in the CNS than in systemic circulation, it
      follows that strategies should be employed that can sustain target engagement at
      low drug concentration. Time dependent target occupancy is a function of both the
      drug and target concentration as well as the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters
      that describe the binding reaction coordinate, and sustained target occupancy can
      be achieved through structural modifications that increase target (re)binding
      and/or that decrease the rate of drug dissociation. The discovery and deployment
      of compounds with optimized kinetic effects requires information on the structure
      kinetic relationships that modulate the kinetics of binding, and the molecular
      factors that control the translation of drug-target kinetics to time-dependent
      drug activity in the disease state. This Review first introduces the potential
      benefits of drug-target kinetics, such as the ability to delineate both
      thermodynamic and kinetic selectivity, and then describes factors, such as target
      vulnerability, that impact the utility of kinetic selectivity. The Review
      concludes with a description of a mechanistic PK/PD model that integrates drug
      target kinetics into predictions of drug activity.

PMID- 28640598
TI  - Structural and Light-Absorption Characteristics of Complex Water-Insoluble
      Organic Mixtures in Urban Submicrometer Aerosols.
AB  - Submicrometer aerosols in the urban atmosphere of Nagoya, Japan, were collected
      in late winter and early spring, and the water-insoluble organic matter (WISOM)
      in the samples were fractionated into six subfractions based on their polarities
      by using solvent and normal-phase solid-phase extractions: nonpolar (F1), low
      polar (F2 and F3), and medium-polar (F4, F5, and F6) fractions. The overall
      structural characteristics of these subfractions were then analyzed using Fourier
      transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and
      high-resolution aerosol mass spectrometry. Quantitative information related to
      the overall chemical characteristics of the WISOM in the different polarity
      fractions, including their elemental compositions, the relative abundances of
      different functional groups and their fragments from electron impact ionization,
      was obtained. These water-insoluble fractions accounted for half of the total
      light absorption by the extracted aerosol matter at 400 nm. The contributions of
      the medium-polar fractions to both the total organic carbon and light absorption
      by the extracts were dominant among the contributions from the six subfractions.
      Large molecules with aromatic and heteroatomic (O and N) groups, including charge
      transfer complexes, might have greatly contributed to the light absorption by the
      fraction F4, which is the largest fraction of the extracted water-insoluble
      organic matter.

PMID- 28640599
TI  - A High-Throughput DNA-Sequencing Approach for Determining Sources of Fecal
      Bacteria in a Lake Superior Estuary.
AB  - Current microbial source-tracking (MST) methods, employed to determine sources of
      fecal contamination in waterways, use molecular markers targeting host-associated
      bacteria in animal or human feces. However, there is a lack of knowledge about
      fecal microbiome composition in several animals and imperfect marker specificity
      and sensitivity. To overcome these issues, a community-based MST method has been
      developed. Here, we describe a study done in the Lake Superior-Saint Louis River
      estuary using SourceTracker, a program that calculates the source contribution to
      an environment. High-throughput DNA sequencing of microbiota from a diverse
      collection of fecal samples obtained from 11 types of animals (wild,
      agricultural, and domesticated) and treated effluent (n = 233) was used to
      generate a fecal library to perform community-based MST. Analysis of 319 fecal
      and environmental samples revealed that the community compositions in water and
      fecal samples were significantly different, allowing for the determination of the
      presence of fecal inputs and identification of specific sources. SourceTracker
      results indicated that fecal bacterial inputs into the Lake Superior estuary were
      primarily attributed to wastewater effluent and, to a lesser extent, geese and
      gull wastes. These results suggest that a community-based MST method may be
      another useful tool for determining sources of aquatic fecal bacteria.

PMID- 28640601
TI  - Initiation of the Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 by a Singly Reduced
      Ruthenium(II) Bipyridine Complex.
AB  - The one-electron reduction of [CpRu(bpy)NCCH3]PF6 (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; bpy =
      2,2'-bipyridine), abbreviated as [Ru-S]+, where S = CH3CN, in CO2-saturated
      acetonitrile initiates a cascade of rapid electrochemical and chemical steps
      (ECEC) at an electrode potential of ca. 100 mV positive of the first reduction of
      the ruthenium complex. The overall two-electron process leads to the generation
      of a CO-bound ruthenium complex, [Ru-CO]+, and carbonate, as independently
      confirmed by NMR spectroscopy. Simulations of the cyclic voltammograms using
      DigiElch together with density functional theory based calculations reveal that
      the singly reduced ruthenium complex [Ru-S]0 binds CO2 at a rate of ca. 105 M-1 s
      1 at almost zero driving force. Subsequent to CO2 binding, all of the steps
      leading up to deoxygenation are highly exergonic and rapid. A model of the
      potential energy profile of the CO2 approach to the Ru center in the singly
      reduced manifold reveals a direct correlation between the reactivity toward CO2
      and the nucleophilicity at the metal center influenced by different ligand
      environments. Through the binding of CO2 after the first reduction,
      overpotentials associated with consecutive electrochemical reductions are
      avoided. This work therefore provides an important design principle for
      engineering transition-metal complexes to activate CO2 under low driving forces.

PMID- 28640602
TI  - Dietary N-Carbamylglutamate Supplementation in a Reduced Protein Diet Affects
      Carcass Traits and the Profile of Muscle Amino Acids and Fatty Acids in Finishing
      Pigs.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate whether dietary N-carbamylglutamate
      (NCG) supplementation in a reduced protein diet affected carcass traits and meat
      quality in finishing pigs. A total of 120 gilts were randomly assigned to one of
      four treatments for 40 days, including a standard protein diet (SP), a reduced
      protein diet supplemented with 1.7% l-alanine (RP + Ala), a reduced protein diet
      supplemented with 1.0% l-arginine (RP + Arg), and a reduced protein diet
      supplemented with 0.1% NCG and 1.7% l-alanine (RP + NCG). NCG supplementation
      increased the endogenous synthesis of l-arginine. The RP + NCG diet significantly
      increased the loin eye area (p < 0.05) and tended to decrease the 10th rib fat
      depth (p = 0.08). NCG supplementation in a reduced protein diet was effective to
      produce functional pork with a high content of leucine (p < 0.05). The
      composition of several omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
      but not the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 PUFAs in muscles was altered in finishing
      pigs with dietary NCG supplementation. In conclusion, the RP + NCG diet is
      effective to increase the longissimus dorsi muscle area, decrease back fat
      accretion, and produce functional pork with a high content of leucine but without
      a negative impact on the muscle fatty acid profile in finishing pigs.

PMID- 28640600
TI  - Horse Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase: Zinc Coordination and Catalysis.
AB  - During catalysis by liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), a water bound to the
      catalytic zinc is replaced by the oxygen of the substrates. The mechanism might
      involve a pentacoordinated zinc or a double-displacement reaction with
      participation by a nearby glutamate residue, as suggested by studies of human
      ADH3, yeast ADH1, and some other tetrameric ADHs. Zinc coordination and
      participation of water in the enzyme mechanism were investigated by X-ray
      crystallography. The apoenzyme and its complex with adenosine 5'-diphosphoribose
      have an open protein conformation with the catalytic zinc in one position,
      tetracoordinated by Cys-46, His-67, Cys-174, and a water molecule. The bidentate
      chelators 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline displace the water and form a
      pentacoordinated zinc. The enzyme-NADH complex has a closed conformation similar
      to that of ternary complexes with coenzyme and substrate analogues; the
      coordination of the catalytic zinc is similar to that found in the apoenzyme,
      except that a minor, alternative position for the catalytic zinc is ~1.3 A from
      the major position and closer to Glu-68, which could form the alternative
      coordination to the catalytic zinc. Complexes with NADH and N-1
      methylhexylformamide or N-benzylformamide (or with NAD+ and fluoro alcohols) have
      the classical tetracoordinated zinc, and no water is bound to the zinc or the
      nicotinamide rings. The major forms of the enzyme in the mechanism have a
      tetracoordinated zinc, where the carboxylate group of Glu-68 could participate in
      the exchange of water and substrates on the zinc. Hydride transfer in the
      Michaelis complexes does not involve a nearby water.

PMID- 28640603
TI  - Changes in Light Absorptivity of Molecular Weight Separated Brown Carbon Due to
      Photolytic Aging.
AB  - Brown carbon (BrC) consists of those organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols
      that absorb solar radiation and may play an important role in planetary radiative
      forcing and climate. However, little is known about the production and loss
      mechanisms of BrC in the atmosphere. Here, we study how the light absorptivity of
      BrC from wood smoke and secondary BrC generated from the reaction of ammonium
      sulfate with methylglyoxal changes under photolytic aging by UVA radiation in the
      aqueous phase. Owing to its chemical complexity, BrC is separated by molecular
      weight using size exclusion chromatography, and the response of each molecular
      weight fraction to aging is studied. Photolytic aging induced significant changes
      in the light absorptivity of BrC for all molecular weight fractions; secondary
      BrC was rapidly photoblenched, whereas for wood smoke BrC, both photoenhancement
      and photobleaching were observed. Initially, large biomass burning BrC molecules
      were rapidly photoenhanced, followed by slow photolysis. As a result, large BrC
      molecules dominated the total light absorption of aged biomass burning BrC. These
      experimental results further support earlier observations that large molecular
      weight BrC compounds from biomass burning can be relatively long-lived components
      in atmospheric aerosols, thus more likely to have larger impacts on aerosol
      radiative forcing and could serve as biomass burning tracers.

PMID- 28640604
TI  - Parametrization of a Reactive Force Field (ReaxFF) for Molecular Dynamics
      Simulations of Si Nanoparticles.
AB  - A novel computational approach, based on classical reactive molecular dynamics
      simulations (RMD) and quantum chemistry (QC) global energy optimizations, is
      proposed for modeling large Si nanoparticles. The force field parameters, which
      can describe bond breaking and formation, are derived by reproducing energetic
      and structural properties of a set of Si clusters increasing in size. These
      reference models are obtained through a new protocol based on a joint high
      temperature RMD/low temperature Basin Hopping QC search. The different procedures
      of estimating optimal force field parameters and their performance are discussed
      in detail.

PMID- 28640605
TI  - High-Pressure Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Magnetic and Transport Properties
      of a Six-Layered SrRhO3.
AB  - A SrRhO3 polytype with six-layered (6M) structure was synthesized under high
      pressure and high temperature. The crystal structure was obtained by refining X
      ray powder diffraction with the monoclinic space group C2/c with lattice
      parameters a = 5.5650(1) A, b = 9.5967(2) A, c = 14.0224(4) A, and beta =
      92.846(2) degrees . It is isostructural with SrIrO3 synthesized under ambient
      pressure and consists of dimers of the face-shared Rh(2)O6 octahedra connected by
      their vertices to the corner-shared Rh(1)O6 octahedra along the c axis with a
      stacking of SrO3 layers in the sequence of CCHCCH, where C and H denote cubic and
      hexagonal closed packing, respectively. With increasing pressure, the 6M SrRhO3
      transforms to an orthorhombic perovskite (Pv) phase, having a = 5.5673(1) A, b =
      5.5399(2) A, c = 7.8550(2) A in the space group Pbnm. A pressure-temperature
      phase diagram shows that the 6M-Pv phase boundary moves to lower temperatures
      with increasing pressure. Both the 6M and the Pv phases of SrRhO3 were
      characterized by magnetic susceptibility, resistivity, and thermopower; they are
      all metals with an enhanced and temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility; no
      long-range magnetic order has been found. The polytype structures are normally
      found in ABO3 oxides with the geometric tolerance factor t > 1. SrRhO3 represents
      another example (in addition to SrIrO3) where the polytype 6M structure can be
      stabilized with a t < 1.

PMID- 28640606
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of Mequindox and Its Marker Residue 1,4-Bisdesoxymequindox in
      Swine Following Multiple Oral Gavage and Intramuscular Administration: An
      Experimental Study Coupled with Population Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic
      Modeling.
AB  - Mequindox (MEQ) is a quinoxaline-N,N-dioxide antibiotic used in food-producing
      animals. MEQ residue in animal-derived foods is a food safety concern. The tissue
      distribution of MEQ and its marker residue 1,4-bisdesoxymequindox (M1) were
      determined in swine following oral gavage or intramuscular injection twice daily
      for 3 days. The experimental data were used to construct a flow-limited
      physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. The model predictions
      correlated with available data well. Monte Carlo analysis showed that the times
      needed for M1 concentrations to fall below limit of detection (5 MUg/kg) in liver
      for the 99th percentile of the population were 27 and 34 days after oral gavage
      and intramuscular administration twice daily for 3 days, respectively. This
      population PBPK model can be used to predict depletion kinetic profiles and
      tissue residues of MEQ's marker residue M1 in swine and as a foundation for
      scaling to other quinoxaline-N,N-dioxide antibiotics and to other animal species.

PMID- 28640607
TI  - Primary and Photochemically Aged Aerosol Emissions from Biomass Cookstoves:
      Chemical and Physical Characterization.
AB  - Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation during photo-oxidation of primary
      emissions from cookstoves used in developing countries may make important
      contributions to their climate and air quality impacts. We present results from
      laboratory experiments with a field portable oxidation flow reactor (F-OFR) to
      study the evolution of emissions over hours to weeks of equivalent atmospheric
      aging. Lab tests, using dry red oak, measured fresh and aged emissions from a 3
      stone fire (TSF), a "rocket" natural draft stove (NDS), and a forced draft
      gasifier stove (FDGS), in order of increasing modified combustion efficiency
      (MCE) and decreasing particulate matter emission factors (EF). SOA production was
      observed for all stoves/tests; organic aerosol (OA) enhancement factor ranged
      from 1.2 to 3.1, decreasing with increased MCE. In primary emissions, OA mass
      spectral fragments associated with oxygenated species (primary biomass burning
      markers) increased (decreased) with MCE; fresh OA from FDGS combustion was
      especially oxygenated. OA oxygenation increased with further oxidation for all
      stove emissions, even where minimal enhancement was observed. More efficient
      stoves emit particles with greater net direct specific warming than TSFs, with
      the difference increasing with aging. Our results show that the properties and
      evolution of cookstove emissions are a strong function of combustion efficiency
      and atmospheric aging.

PMID- 28640608
TI  - Numerical Difficulties Computing Electrostatic Potentials Near Interfaces with
      the Poisson-Boltzmann Equation.
AB  - Many researchers compute surface maps of the electrostatic potential (phi) with
      the Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) equation to relate the structural information obtained
      from X-ray and NMR experiments to biomolecular functions. Here we demonstrate
      that the usual method of obtaining these surface maps of phi, by interpolating
      from neighboring grid points on the solution grid generated by a PB solver,
      generates large errors because of the large discontinuity in the dielectric
      constant (and thus in the normal derivative of phi) at the surface. The Cartesian
      Poisson-Boltzmann solver contains several features that reduce the numerical
      noise in surface maps of phi: First, CPB introduces additional mesh points at the
      Cartesian grid/surface intersections where the PB equation is solved. This
      procedure ensures that the solution for interior mesh points only references
      nodes on the interior or on the surfaces; similarly for exterior points. Second,
      for added points on the surface, a second order least-squares reconstruction
      (LSR) is implemented that analytically incorporates the discontinuities at the
      surface. LSR is used both during the solution phase to compute phi at the surface
      and during postprocessing to obtain phi, induced charges, and ionic pressures.
      Third, it uses an adaptive grid where the finest grid cells are located near the
      molecular surface.

PMID- 28640609
TI  - Enantioselective Copper-Catalyzed Arylation-Driven Semipinacol Rearrangement of
      Tertiary Allylic Alcohols with Diaryliodonium Salts.
AB  - A copper-catalyzed enantioselective arylative semipinacol rearrangement of
      allylic alcohols using diaryliodonium salts is reported. Chiral Cu(II)
      bisoxazoline catalysts initiate an electrophilic alkene arylation, triggering a
      1,2-alkyl migration to afford a range of nonracemic spirocyclic ketones with high
      yields, diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

PMID- 28640610
TI  - The Role of Denitrification in Stormwater Detention Basin Treatment of Nitrogen.
AB  - The nitrogen (N) cycling dynamics of four stormwater basins, two often saturated
      sites ("Wet Basins") and two quick draining sites ("Dry Basins"), were monitored
      over a ~ 1-year period. This study paired stormwater and greenhouse gas
      monitoring with microbial analyses to elucidate the mechanisms controlling N
      treatment. Annual dissolved inorganic N (DIN) mass reductions (inflow minus
      outflow) were greater in the Dry Basin than in the Wet Basin, 2.16 vs 0.75 g N m
      2 yr-1, respectively. The Dry Basin infiltrated a much larger volume of water and
      thus had greater DIN mass reductions, even though incoming and outgoing DIN
      concentrations were statistically the same for both sites. Wet Basins had higher
      proportions of denitrification genes and potential denitrification rates. The Wet
      Basin was capable of denitrifying 58% of incoming DIN, whereas the Dry Basin only
      denitrified 1%. These results emphasize the need for more mechanistic attention
      to basin design because the reductions calculated by comparing inflow and outflow
      loads may not be relevant at watershed scales. Denitrification is the only way to
      fully remove DIN from the terrestrial environment and receiving waterbodies.
      Consequently, at the watershed scale the Wet Basin may have better overall DIN
      treatment.

PMID- 28640612
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genome Editing for Disease Modeling and Therapy: Challenges and
      Opportunities for Nonviral Delivery.
AB  - Genome editing offers promising solutions to genetic disorders by editing DNA
      sequences or modulating gene expression. The clustered regularly interspaced
      short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) technology
      can be used to edit single or multiple genes in a wide variety of cell types and
      organisms in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we review the rapidly developing
      CRISPR/Cas9-based technologies for disease modeling and gene correction and
      recent progress toward Cas9/guide RNA (gRNA) delivery based on viral and nonviral
      vectors. We discuss the relative merits of delivering the genome editing elements
      in the form of DNA, mRNA, or protein, and the opportunities of combining viral
      delivery of a transgene encoding Cas9 with nonviral delivery of gRNA. We
      highlight the lessons learned from nonviral gene delivery in the past three
      decades and consider their applicability for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery. We also
      include a discussion of bioinformatics tools for gRNA design and chemical
      modifications of gRNA. Finally, we consider the extracellular and intracellular
      barriers to nonviral CRISPR/Cas9 delivery and propose strategies that may
      overcome these barriers to realize the clinical potential of CRISPR/Cas9-based
      genome editing.

PMID- 28640611
TI  - Lattice-Hydride Mechanism in Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction by Structurally
      Precise Copper-Hydride Nanoclusters.
AB  - Copper electrocatalysts can reduce CO2 to hydrocarbons at high overpotentials.
      However, a mechanistic understanding of CO2 reduction on nanostructured Cu
      catalysts has been lacking. Herein we show that the structurally precise ligand
      protected Cu-hydride nanoclusters, such as Cu32H20L12 (L is a dithiophosphate
      ligand), offer unique selectivity for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction at low
      overpotentials. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict that the
      presence of the negatively charged hydrides in the copper cluster plays a
      critical role in determining the selectivity of the reduction product, yielding
      HCOOH over CO with a lower overpotential. The HCOOH formation proceeds via the
      lattice-hydride mechanism: first, surface hydrides reduce CO2 to HCOOH product,
      and then the hydride vacancies are readily regenerated by the electrochemical
      proton reduction. DFT calculations further predict that hydrogen evolution is
      less competitive than HCOOH formation at the low overpotential. Confirming the
      predictions, electrochemical tests of CO2 reduction on the Cu32H20L12 cluster
      demonstrate that HCOOH is indeed the main product at low overpotential, while H2
      production dominates at higher overpotential. The unique selectivity afforded by
      the lattice-hydride mechanism opens the door for further fundamental and applied
      studies of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction by copper-hydride nanoclusters and
      other metal nanoclusters that contain hydrides.

PMID- 28640613
TI  - Molecular Recognition Under Interfacial Conditions: Calix[4]pyrrole-Based Cross
      linkable Micelles for Ion Pair Extraction.
AB  - An anthracene-functionalized, long-tailed calix[4]pyrrole 1, containing both an
      anion-recognition site and cation-recognition functionality, has been synthesized
      and fully characterized. Upon ion pair complexation with FeF2, receptor 1 self
      assembles into multimicelles in aqueous media. This aggregation process is
      ascribed to a change in polarity from nonpolar to amphiphilic induced upon
      concurrent anion and cation complexation and permits molecular recognition-based
      control over chemical morphology under interfacial conditions. Photoirradiation
      of the micelles serves to cross-link the anthracene units thus stabilizing the
      aggregates. The combination of ion pair recognition, micelle formation, and cross
      linking can be used to extract FeF2 ion pairs from bulk aqueous solutions. The
      present work helps illustrate how molecular recognition and self-assembly may be
      used to control the chemistry of extractants at interfaces.

PMID- 28640614
TI  - Role of Polymeric Coating on the Phosphate Availability as a Fertilizer: Insight
      from Phosphate Release by Castor Polyurethane Coatings.
AB  - The coating of fertilizers with polymers is an acknowledged strategy for
      controlling the release of nutrients and their availability in soil. However, its
      effectiveness in the case of soluble phosphate fertilizers is still uncertain,
      and information is lacking concerning the chemical properties and structures of
      such coatings. Here, an oil-based hydrophobic polymer system (polyurethane) is
      proposed for the control of the release of phosphorus from diammonium phosphate
      (DAP) granules. This material was systematically characterized, with evaluation
      of the delivery mechanism and the availability of phosphate in an acid soil. The
      results indicated that thicker coatings can change the maximum nutrient
      availability toward longer periods, such as 4.5-7.5 wt % DAP coated, that
      presented the highest concentrations at 336 h, as compared to 168 h for uncoated
      DAP. In contrast, DAP treated with 9.0 wt % began to increase the concentration
      after 168 h until it results in maximum release at 672 h. These effects could be
      attributed to the homogeneity of the polymer and the porosity. The strategy
      successfully provided long-term availability of a phosphate source.

PMID- 28640616
TI  - Twist of a Silicon-Silicon Double Bond: Selective Anti-Addition of Hydrogen to an
      Iminodisilene.
AB  - Hydrogenation of alkenes with C?C bonds is a ubiquitous reaction in organic
      chemistry. However, this transformation remains unknown for heavier counterparts,
      disilenes with Si?Si bonds. Here we report the isolation of (Z)
      diiminodisilyldisilene 2 featuring a highly trans-bent and twisted structure and
      the longest silicon-silicon double bond reported to date. In silico studies
      suggested that the Si?Si bond in 2 is described as very weak double donor
      acceptor bond. We utilized the remarkable electronic and structural features of
      this product to achieve the first demonstration of hydrogen activation by a
      multiply bonded silicon compound under ambient conditions. Interestingly, NMR and
      X-ray analysis gave exclusively racemic (RR/SS)-1,2-disilane 3a, indicating a
      stereospecific trans-hydrogenation of the Si?Si bond. In-depth calculations
      revealed that in strong contrast to the reactivity of C?C bonds, a concerted anti
      addition pathway was favored due to the twisted structure of 2.

PMID- 28640615
TI  - Reduction of Dinitrogen to Ammonia Catalyzed by Molybdenum Diamido Complexes.
AB  - [Ar2N3]Mo(N)(O-t-Bu), which contains the conformationally rigid pyridine-based
      diamido ligand, [2,6-(ArNCH2)2NC5H3]2- (Ar = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl), can be
      prepared from H2[Ar2N3], butyllithium, and (t-BuO)3Mo(N). [Ar2N3]Mo(N)(O-t-Bu)
      serves as a catalyst or precursor for the catalytic reduction of molecular
      nitrogen to ammonia in diethyl ether between -78 and 22  degrees C in a batchwise
      manner with CoCp*2 as the electron source and Ph2NH2OTf as the proton source. Up
      to ~10 equiv of ammonia can be formed per Mo with a maximum efficiency in
      electrons of ~43%.

PMID- 28640617
TI  - 5-Methylhydantoin: From Isolated Molecules in a Low-Temperature Argon Matrix to
      Solid State Polymorphs Characterization.
AB  - The molecular structure, vibrational spectra and photochemistry of 5
      methylhydantoin (C4H6N2O2; 5-MH) were studied by matrix isolation infrared
      spectroscopy and theoretical calculations at the DFT(B3LYP)/6-311++G(d,p) theory
      level. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis approach was used to study in
      detail the electronic structure of the minimum energy structure of 5-MH, namely
      the specific characteristics of the sigma and pi electronic systems of the
      molecule and the stabilizing orbital interactions. UV irradiation of 5-MH
      isolated in argon matrix resulted in its photofragmentation through a single
      photochemical pathway, yielding isocyanic acid, ethanimine, and carbon monoxide,
      thus following a pattern already observed before for the parent hydantoin and 1
      methylhydantoin molecules. The investigation of the thermal properties of 5-MH
      was undertaken by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light
      thermal microscopy (PLTM) and Raman spectroscopy. Four different polymorphs of 5
      MH were identified. The crystal structure of one of the polymorphs, for which it
      was possible to grow up suitable crystals, was determined by X-ray diffraction
      (XRD). Two of the additional polymorphs were characterized by powder XRD, which
      confirmed the molecules pack in different crystallographic arrangements.

PMID- 28640618
TI  - Dynamic Roughness Ratio-Based Framework for Modeling Mixed Mode of Droplet
      Evaporation.
AB  - The spatiotemporal evolution of an evaporating sessile droplet and its effect on
      lifetime is crucial to various disciplines of science and technology. Although
      experimental investigations suggest three distinct modes through which a droplet
      evaporates, namely, the constant contact radius (CCR), the constant contact angle
      (CCA), and the mixed, only the CCR and the CCA modes have been modeled
      reasonably. Here we use experiments with water droplets on flat and micropillared
      silicon substrates to characterize the mixed mode. We visualize that a perfect
      CCA mode after the initial CCR mode is an idealization on a flat silicon
      substrate, and the receding contact line undergoes intermittent but recurring
      pinning (CCR mode) as it encounters fresh contaminants on the surface. The
      resulting increase in roughness lowers the contact angle of the droplet during
      these intermittent CCR modes until the next depinning event, followed by the CCA
      mode of evaporation. The airborne contaminants in our experiments are mostly
      loosely adhered to the surface and travel along with the receding contact line.
      The resulting gradual increase in the apparent roughness and hence the extent of
      CCR mode over CCA mode forces appreciable decrease in the contact angle observed
      during the mixed mode of evaporation. Unlike loosely adhered airborne
      contaminants on flat samples, micropillars act as fixed roughness features. The
      apparent roughness fluctuates about the mean value as the contact line recedes
      between pillars. Evaporation on these surfaces exhibits stick-jump motion with a
      short-duration mixed mode toward the end when the droplet size becomes comparable
      to the pillar spacing. We incorporate this dynamic roughness into a classical
      evaporation model to accurately predict the droplet evolution throughout the
      three modes, for both flat and micropillared silicon surfaces. We believe that
      this framework can also be extended to model the evaporation of nanofluids and
      the coffee-ring effect, among others.

PMID- 28640619
TI  - Optimization and Automation of the Construction of Smooth Free Energy Profiles.
AB  - An adaptive procedure is introduced to construct smooth analytical profiles of
      the free energy along a reaction coordinate using sampled data from multiple
      biased simulations. The procedure is based upon identifying problematic regions
      encountered in maximum likelihood estimators of the profile where there are
      statistically relevant discrepancies between the empirical and parametrized
      cumulative distribution functions and preferentially improving the construction
      of the parametric profile in these regions. The method is designed to produce
      continuous and smooth analytical fits that satisfy statistical goodness-of-fit
      tests with a minimum number of parameters. The accuracy of the profile obtained
      from the adaptive construction is compared by numerical computation to that of
      smooth interpolations based on an optimally chosen weighted histogram method for
      a solvated ion pair system and for an activated process for which the analytical
      form of the potential of mean force is available. In the model where the exact
      profile is known, the adaptive procedure is shown to reduce the integrated error
      relative to the optimal histogram construction by a factor of 3 or more in the
      typical case where the sampling is not extensive. It is demonstrated that the
      adaptive procedure can be used to produce statistically accurate smooth
      analytical representations of the free energy profile that can be evaluated with
      little computational effort and require little user input.

PMID- 28640620
TI  - Using Complementary NMR Data Sets To Detect Inconsistencies and Model Flaws in
      the Structure Determination of Human Interleukin-4.
AB  - The derivation of protein structure from values of observable quantities measured
      in NMR experiments is a rather nontrivial task due to (i) the limited number of
      data compared to degrees of freedom of a protein, (ii) the uncertainty inherent
      to the function connecting an observable quantity to molecular structure, (iii)
      the finite quality of biomolecular models and force fields used in structure
      refinement, and (iv) the conformational freedom of a protein in aqueous solution,
      which requires extensive conformational sampling and appropriate conformational
      averaging when calculating or restraining to sets of NMR data. The protein
      interleukin-4 (IL-4) has been taken as a test case using NOE distances, S2 order
      parameters, and 3J-couplings as test data and the former two types of data as
      restraints. It is shown that, by combining sets of different, complementary NMR
      data as restraints in MD simulations, inconsistencies in the data or flaws in the
      model and procedures used to derive protein structure from NMR data can be
      detected. This leads to an improved structural interpretation of such data
      particularly in more mobile loop regions.

PMID- 28640621
TI  - Transformation of Methylene Acetals to Bromoformates with a Combination of
      Trimethyl(phenylthio)silane and N-Bromosuccinimide.
AB  - A novel transformation reaction of methylene acetals, using a combination of
      trimethyl(phenylthio)silane (PhSTMS) and N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) under mild
      reaction conditions, is described. Various methylene acetals were converted to
      their corresponding bromoformates in good to high yields. Under the given
      conditions, the reaction proceeded via a radical pathway. Further transformation
      of bromoformates to their corresponding epoxides was achieved by treatment with
      NaOMe.

PMID- 28640623
TI  - Reactions of Sulfur-Containing Organic Compounds and Peptides in 1-Ethyl-3-methyl
      imidazolium Acetate.
AB  - The neat ionic liquid (IL) [C2mim][OAc] is not just capable of dissolving thiol-
      and disulfide-containing compounds, but is able to chemically react with them
      without addition of any catalytic reagent. Through the analysis of four small
      organic molecules and a cysteine-containing peptide we could postulate a general
      reaction mechanism. Here, the imidazolium-carbenes preferentially react with the
      disulfide bond, but not thiol group. Moreover, the imidazole moiety was found to
      abstract the sulfur atom from the cysteine residue, providing an alternative way
      to transform Cys residues, which were artificially inserted into a peptide
      sequence in order to perform native chemical ligation (NCL) of two peptide
      fragments. Finally, the chemical reaction of [C2mim][OAc] with a cysteine
      containing biomolecules can be tuned or even suppressed through the addition of
      at least 30% of water to the reaction mixture.

PMID- 28640624
TI  - Synthesis of 4-Acylpyrazoles from Saturated Ketones and Hydrazones Featured with
      Multiple C(sp3)-H Bond Functionalization and C-C Bond Cleavage and
      Reorganization.
AB  - In this paper, an efficient and convenient one-pot synthesis of diversely
      substituted 4-acylpyrazole derivatives via copper-catalyzed one-pot cascade
      reactions of saturated ketones with hydrazones is reported. Mechanistically, the
      formation of the title compounds involves the in situ formation of an enone
      intermediate through the dehydrogenation of a saturated ketone and the [2 + 3]
      cyclization of the enone with hydrazone followed by an aromatization-driven C-C
      bond cleavage and reorganization. To our knowledge, this is the first example in
      which the biologically and pharmaceutically important yet otherwise difficult-to
      obtain 4-acylpyrazole derivatives are directly prepared from saturated ketones
      and hydrazones featured with multiple aliphatic C-H bond functionalization and C
      C bond cleavage and reorganization. Compared with literature methods, this novel
      process has advantages such as simple and economical starting materials, a
      sustainable oxidant, excellent regioselectivity, and good efficiency.

PMID- 28640625
TI  - Dust Effects on Nucleation Kinetics and Nanoparticle Product Size Distributions:
      Illustrative Case Study of a Prototype Ir(0)n Transition-Metal Nanoparticle
      Formation System.
AB  - The question is addressed if dust is kinetically important in the nucleation and
      growth of Ir(0)n nanoparticles formed from [Bu4N]5Na3(1,5-COD)IrI.P2W15Nb3O62
      (hereafter [(COD)Ir.POM]8-), reduced by H2 in propylene carbonate solvent.
      Following a concise review of the (often-neglected) literature addressing dust in
      nucleation phenomena dating back to the late 1800s, the nucleation and growth
      kinetics of the [(COD)Ir.POM]8- precatalyst system are examined for the effects
      of 0.2 MUm microfiltration of the solvent and precatalyst solution, of rinsing
      the glassware with that microfiltered solvent, of silanizing the glass reaction
      vessel, for the addition of <0.2 MUm gamma-Al2O3 (inorganic) dust, for the
      addition of flame-made carbon-based (organic) dust, and as a function of the
      starting, microfiltered [(COD)Ir.POM8-] concentration. Efforts to detect dust and
      its removal by dynamic light scattering and by optical microscopy are also
      reported. The results yield a list of eight important conclusions, the four most
      noteworthy of which are (i) that the nucleation apparent rate "constant"
      k1obs(bimol) is shown to be slowed by a factor of ~5 to ~7.6, depending on the
      precise experiment and its conditions, just by the filtration of the precatalyst
      solution using a 0.20 MUm filter and rinsing the glassware surface with 0.20 MUm
      filtered propylene carbonate solvent; (ii) that simply employing a 0.20 MUm
      filtration step narrows the size distribution of the resulting Ir(0)n
      nanoparticles by a factor of 2.4 from +/-19 to +/-8%, a remarkable result; (iii)
      that the narrower size distribution can be accounted for by the slowed nucleation
      rate constant, k1obs(bimol), and by the unchanged autocatalytic growth rate
      constant, k2obs(bimol), that is, by the increased ratio of
      k2obs(bimol)/k1obs(bimol) that further separates nucleation from growth in time
      for filtered vs unfiltered solutions; and (iv) that five lines of evidence
      indicate that the filterable component of the solution, which has nucleation rate
      enhancing and size-dispersion broadening effects, is dust.

PMID- 28640626
TI  - Photocatalytic Hydrazonyl Radical-Mediated Radical Cyclization/Allylation
      Cascade: Synthesis of Dihydropyrazoles and Tetrahydropyridazines.
AB  - A novel photocatalytic hydrazonyl radical-mediated radical cyclization/allylation
      cascade reaction of beta,gamma-unsaturated hydrazones is developed using allyl
      sulfones and Morita-Baylis-Hillman adduct as allyl sources, which provides an
      efficient and practical access to various diversely functionalized
      dihydropyrazoles and tetrahydropyridazines. The reaction is enabled by
      controllable generation of hydrazonyl radicals via an oxidative deprotonation
      electron transfer strategy and selective trapping of the resultant C-centered
      radicals under visible light irradiation.

PMID- 28640627
TI  - Chemical Modification of n-Type-Material Naphthalene Diimide on ITO for Efficient
      and Stable Inverted Polymer Solar Cells.
AB  - To provide orthogonal solvent processable surface modification and improve the
      device stability of bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells (PSCs), n-type
      semiconducting material naphthalene diimide (NDI) was chemically introduced onto
      the ITO surface as a cathode interlayer (CIL) using 3-bromopropyltrimethoxysilane
      (BrTMS) as a coupling agent. After modification, the work function of ITO can be
      decreased from 4.70 to 4.23 eV. The modified ITO cathode was applied in inverted
      PSCs based on PTB7-Th:PC71BM. With the CIL modification, a champion power
      conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.87% was achieved, showing a dramatic improvement
      compared to that of devices (PCE = 3.58%) without CIL. More importantly, with
      these chemical bonded interlayers, the stability of inverted PSCs was greatly
      enhanced. The improved PCE and stability can be attributed to the increased open
      circuit voltage and the formation of robust chemical bonds in NDI-TMS films,
      respectively. This study demonstrated that chemical modification of ITO with n
      type semiconducting materials provides an avenue for not only solving the solvent
      orthogonal problem but also improving the device performance in terms of the PCE
      and the stability.

PMID- 28640628
TI  - Oriented Gold Nanorods and Gold Nanorod Chains within Smectic Liquid Crystal
      Topological Defects.
AB  - We show that the use of oriented linear arrays of smectic A defects, the so
      called smectic oily streaks, enables the orientation of gold nanorods (GNRs) for
      a large range of GNR diameters, ranging from 7 to 48 nm, and for various ligands.
      For the small GNRs it enables oriented end-to-end small chains of GNRs when the
      density is increased from around 2 GNRs/MUm2 to around 6 GNRs/MUm2. We have
      characterized the orientation of single GNRs by spectrophotometry and two-photon
      luminescence (TPL). A strongly anisotropic absorption of the composites and an on
      off switching of GNR luminescence, both controlled by incident light
      polarization, are observed, revealing an orientation of the GNRs mostly parallel
      to the oily streaks. A more favorable trapping of GNRs by smectic dislocations
      with respect to ribbon-like defects is thus demonstrated. The dislocations appear
      to be localized at a specific localization, namely, the summit of rotating grain
      boundaries. Combining plasmonic absorption measurements, TPL measurements, and
      simulation of the plasmonic absorption, we show that the end-to-end GNR chains
      are both dimers and trimers, all parallel to each other, with a small gap between
      the coupled GNRs, on the order of 1.5 nm, thus associated with a large red-shift
      of 110 nm of the longitudinal plasmonic mode. A motion of the GNRs along the
      dislocations appears as a necessary ingredient for the formation of end-to-end
      GNR chains, the gap value being driven by the balance between the attracting van
      der Waals interactions and the steric repulsion between the GNRs and leading to
      interdigitation of the neighboring ligands. We thus obtain electromagnetic
      coupling of nanorods controlled by light polarization.

PMID- 28640629
TI  - Divergent Coupling of beta,gamma-Unsaturated alpha-Ketoesters with Simple
      Olefins: Vinylation and [2 + 2] Cycloaddition.
AB  - Catalytic direct conjugate addition and [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of
      beta,gamma-unsaturated alpha-ketoesters with simple olefins have been developed,
      affording vinylation products and functionalized cyclobutanes, respectively, in
      good yields with high regioselectivity.

PMID- 28640630
TI  - Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling of N-Acylpyrroles and Pyrazoles: Planar,
      Electronically Activated Amides in Catalytic N-C Cleavage.
AB  - The formation of C-C bonds from amides by catalytic activation of the amide bond
      has been thus far possible by steric distortion. Herein, we report the first
      example of a general Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of planar amides
      enabled by the combination of (i) electronic-activation of the amide nitrogen in
      N-acylpyrroles and pyrazoles and (ii) the use of a versatile Pd-NHC catalysis
      platform. The origin and selectivity of forming acylmetals, including the role of
      twist, are discussed.

PMID- 28640622
TI  - Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Butenolides and Butyrolactones.
AB  - gamma-Butenolides, gamma-butyrolactones, and derivatives, especially in
      enantiomerically pure form, constitute the structural core of numerous natural
      products which display an impressive range of biological activities which are
      important for the development of novel physiological and therapeutic agents.
      Furthermore, optically active gamma-butenolides and gamma-butyrolactones serve
      also as a prominent class of chiral building blocks for the synthesis of diverse
      biological active compounds and complex molecules. Taking into account the
      varying biological activity profiles and wide-ranging structural diversity of the
      optically active gamma-butenolide or gamma-butyrolactone structure, the
      development of asymmetric synthetic strategies for assembling such challenging
      scaffolds has attracted major attention from synthetic chemists in the past
      decade. This review offers an overview of the different enantioselective
      synthesis of gamma-butenolides and gamma-butyrolactones which employ catalytic
      amounts of metal complexes or organocatalysts, with emphasis focused on the
      mechanistic issues that account for the observed stereocontrol of the
      representative reactions, as well as practical applications and synthetic
      potentials.

PMID- 28640631
TI  - Photoinduced Oxidative Formylation of N,N-Dimethylanilines with Molecular Oxygen
      without External Photocatalyst.
AB  - A photoinduced oxidative formylation of N,N-dimethylanilines with molecular
      oxygen in the absence of an external photocatalyst was developed and provided the
      corresponding formamides in good yields under mild reaction conditions.
      Investigations indicated that both the starting material and product act as
      photosensitizers and that 1O2 coexists with O2*- during the reaction through
      energy transfer and single electron transfer process.

PMID- 28640632
TI  - Gut Microbiota, Nitric Oxide, and Microglia as Prerequisites for
      Neurodegenerative Disorders.
AB  - Regulating fluctuating endogenous nitric oxide (NO) levels is necessary for
      proper physiological functions. Aberrant NO pathways are implicated in a number
      of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's
      disease. The mechanism of NO in oxidative and nitrosative stress with
      pathological consequences involves reactions with reactive oxygen species (e.g.,
      superoxide) to form the highly reactive peroxynitrite, hydrogen peroxide,
      hypochloride ions and hydroxyl radical. NO levels are typically regulated by
      endogenous nitric oxide synthases (NOS), and inflammatory iNOS is implicated in
      the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, in which elevated NO mediates
      axonal degeneration and activates cyclooxygenases to provoke neuroinflammation.
      NO also instigates a down-regulated secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic
      factor, which is essential for neuronal survival, development and
      differentiation, synaptogenesis, and learning and memory. The gut-brain axis
      denotes communication between the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the GI tract
      and the central nervous system (CNS) of the brain, and the modes of communication
      include the vagus nerve, passive diffusion and carrier by oxyhemoglobin. Amyloid
      precursor protein that forms amyloid beta plaques in AD is normally expressed in
      the ENS by gut bacteria, but when amyloid beta accumulates, it compromises CNS
      functions. Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica are among the many bacterial
      strains that express and secrete amyloid proteins and contribute to AD
      pathogenesis. Gut microbiota is essential for regulating microglia maturation and
      activation, and activated microglia secrete significant amounts of iNOS.
      Pharmacological interventions and lifestyle modifications to rectify aberrant NO
      signaling in AD include NOS inhibitors, NMDA receptor antagonists, potassium
      channel modulators, probiotics, diet, and exercise.

PMID- 28640633
TI  - Exploring a Proximity-Coupled Co Chain on Pb(110) as a Possible Majorana
      Platform.
AB  - Linear chains of magnetic atoms proximity coupled to an s-wave superconductor are
      predicted to host Majorana zero modes at the chain ends in the presence of strong
      spin-orbit coupling. Specifically, iron (Fe) chains on Pb(110) have been explored
      as a possible system to exhibit topological superconductivity and host Majorana
      zero modes [ Nadj-Perge , S. et al., Science 2014 , 346 , 602 - 607 ]. Here, we
      study chains of the transition metal cobalt (Co) on Pb(110) and check for
      topological signatures. Using spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we
      resolve ferromagnetic order in the d bands of the chains. Interestingly, also the
      subgap Yu-Shiba-Rusinov (YSR) bands carry a spin polarization as was predicted
      decades ago. Superconducting tips allow us to resolve further details of the YSR
      bands and in particular resonances at zero energy. We map the spatial
      distribution of the zero-energy signal and find it delocalized along the chain.
      Hence, despite the ferromagnetic coupling within the chains and the strong spin
      orbit coupling in the superconductor, we do not find clear evidence of Majorana
      modes. Simple tight-binding calculations suggest that the spin-orbit-split bands
      may cross the Fermi level four times which suppresses the zero-energy modes.

PMID- 28640634
TI  - Structure Prediction for Surface-Induced Phases of Organic Monolayers: Overcoming
      the Combinatorial Bottleneck.
AB  - Structure determination and prediction pose a major challenge to computational
      material science, demanding efficient global structure search techniques tailored
      to identify promising and relevant candidates. A major bottleneck is the fact
      that due to the many combinatorial possibilities, there are too many possible
      geometries to be sampled exhaustively. Here, an innovative computational approach
      to overcome this problem is presented that explores the potential energy
      landscape of commensurate organic/inorganic interfaces where the orientation and
      conformation of the molecules in the tightly packed layer is close to a favorable
      geometry adopted by isolated molecules on the surface. It is specifically
      designed to sample the energetically lowest lying structures, including the
      thermodynamic minimum, in order to survey the particularly rich and intricate
      polymorphism in such systems. The approach combines a systematic discretization
      of the configuration space, which leads to a huge reduction of the combinatorial
      possibilities with an efficient exploration of the potential energy surface
      inspired by the Basin-Hopping method. Interfacing the algorithm with first
      principles calculations, the power and efficiency of this approach is
      demonstrated for the example of the organic molecule TCNE (tetracyanoethylene) on
      Au(111). For the pristine metal surface, the global minimum structure is found to
      be at variance with the geometry found by scanning tunneling microscopy. Rather,
      our results suggest the presence of surface adatoms or vacancies that are not
      imaged in the experiment.

PMID- 28640635
TI  - Total Synthesis of Huperzine Q.
AB  - The total synthesis of huperzine Q was accomplished. The synthesis features the
      construction of the cis-hydrindane skeleton via a Diels-Alder reaction and a ring
      contraction reaction of an epoxyketone.

PMID- 28640636
TI  - Cross-Reactive Synbody Affinity Ligands for Capturing Diverse Noroviruses.
AB  - Noroviruses are the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the developed
      world. Noroviruses are a diverse group of nonenveloped RNA viruses that are
      continuously evolving. This leads to the rise of immunologically distinct strains
      of the same genotype on a frequent basis. This diversity presents a unique
      challenge for detection and tracking of new strains, with the continuous need for
      new norovirus affinity ligands. Our group developed a family of bivalent synbody
      affinity ligands using a virus-like particle (VLP) from the 2006 GII.4 Minerva
      strain of norovirus. We produced more than 20 synbodies with low nanomolar
      dissociation constants (KD < 10 nM) for GII.4 VLP. We measured binding affinity
      for four synbodies against VLPs from multiple GI and GII genotypes and found that
      the synbodies were broadly cross-reactive with affinities that ranged from 0.5 to
      8 nM. We tested the ability of these synbodies to capture norovirus from dilute
      solutions and found that one synbody could capture GII.4 from a 200 000-fold
      dilution from a norovirus positive stool sample. When these synbodies were tested
      for the ability to capture of multiple genotypes, we found that four different
      genotypes were recognized. These data demonstrate that the synbody approach can
      generate multiple affinity ligands for future use in norovirus detection and
      possible therapeutic development.

PMID- 28640637
TI  - Designing Transmitter Ligands That Mediate Energy Transfer between Semiconductor
      Nanocrystals and Molecules.
AB  - Molecular control of energy transfer is an attractive proposition because it
      allows chemists to synthetically tweak various kinetic and thermodynamic factors.
      In this Perspective, we examine energy transfer between semiconductor
      nanocrystals (NCs) and pi-conjugated molecules, focusing on the transmitter
      ligand at the organic-inorganic interface. Efficient transfer of triplet excitons
      across this interface allows photons to be directed for effective use of the
      entire solar spectrum. For example, a photon upconversion system composed of
      semiconductor NCs as sensitizers, bound organic ligands as transmitters, and
      molecular annihilators has the advantage of large, tunable absorption cross
      sections across the visible and near-infrared wavelengths. This may allow the
      near-infrared photons to be harnessed for photovoltaics and photocatalysis. Here
      we summarize the progress in this recently reported hybrid upconversion platform
      and point out the challenges. Since triplet energy transfer (TET) from NC donors
      to molecular transmitters is one of the bottlenecks, emphasis is on the design of
      transmitters in terms of molecular energetics, photophysics, binding affinity,
      stability, and energy offsets with respect to the NC donor. Increasing the
      efficiency of TET in this hybrid platform will increase both the up- and down
      conversion quantum yields, potentially exceeding the Shockley-Queisser limit for
      photovoltaics and photocatalysis.

PMID- 28640638
TI  - Enzyme-Mediated Conversion of Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) to 8-Formyl FAD
      in Formate Oxidase Results in a Modified Cofactor with Enhanced Catalytic
      Properties.
AB  - Flavins, including flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), are fundamental catalytic
      cofactors that are responsible for the redox functionality of a diverse set of
      proteins. Alternatively, modified flavin analogues are rarely found in nature as
      their incorporation typically results in inactivation of flavoproteins, thus
      leading to the disruption of important cellular pathways. Here, we report that
      the fungal flavoenzyme formate oxidase (FOX) catalyzes the slow conversion of
      noncovalently bound FAD to 8-formyl FAD and that this conversion results in a
      nearly 10-fold increase in formate oxidase activity. Although the presence of an
      enzyme-bound 8-formyl FMN has been reported previously as a result of site
      directed mutagenesis studies of lactate oxidase, FOX is the first reported case
      of 8-formyl FAD in a wild-type enzyme. Therefore, the formation of the 8-formyl
      FAD cofactor in formate oxidase was investigated using steady-state kinetics,
      site-directed mutagenesis, ultraviolet-visible, circular dichroism, and
      fluorescence spectroscopy, liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, and
      computational analysis. Surprisingly, the results from these studies indicate not
      only that 8-formyl FAD forms spontaneously and results in the active form of FOX
      but also that its autocatalytic formation is dependent on a nearby arginine
      residue, R87. Thus, this work describes a new enzyme cofactor and provides
      insight into the little-understood mechanism of enzyme-mediated 8alpha-flavin
      modifications.

PMID- 28640639
TI  - Alkaline Earth-Centered CO Homologation, Reduction, and Amine Carbonylation.
AB  - Reactions of beta-diketiminato magnesium and calcium hydrides with 1 atm of CO
      result in a reductive coupling process to produce the corresponding derivatives
      of the cis-ethenediolate dianion. Computational (DFT) analysis of this process
      mediated by Ca, Sr, and Ba highlights a common mechanism and a facility for the
      reaction that is enhanced by increasing alkaline earth atomic weight. Reaction of
      CO with PhSiH3 in the presence of the magnesium or calcium hydrides results in
      catalytic reduction to methylsilane and methylene silyl ether products,
      respectively. These reactions are proposed to ensue via the interception of
      initially formed group 2 formyl intermediates, an inference which is confirmed by
      a DFT analysis of the magnesium-centered reaction. The computational results
      identify the rate-determining process, requiring traversal of a 33.9 kcal mol-1
      barrier, as a Mg-H/C-O sigma-bond metathesis reaction, associated with the
      ultimate cleavage of the C-O bond. The carbonylation reactivity is extended to a
      variety of magnesium and calcium amides. With primary amido complexes, which for
      calcium include a derivative of the parent [NH2]- anion, CO insertion is facile
      and ensues with subsequent nitrogen-to-carbon migration of hydrogen to yield a
      variety of dinuclear and, in one case, trinuclear formamidate species. The
      generation of initial carbenic carbamoyl intermediates is strongly implicated
      through the isolation of the CO insertion product of a magnesium N-methylanilide
      derivative. These observations are reinforced by a DFT analysis of the calcium
      centered reaction with aniline, which confirms the exothermicity of the
      formamidate formation (DeltaH = -67.7 kcal mol-1). Stoichiometric reduction of
      the resultant magnesium and calcium formamidates with pinacolborane results in
      the synthesis of the corresponding N-borylated methylamines. This takes place via
      a sequence of reactions initiated through the generation of amidatohydridoborate
      intermediates and a cascade of reactivity that is analogous to that previously
      reported for the deoxygenative hydroboration of organic isocyanates catalyzed by
      the same magnesium hydride precatalyst. Although a sequence of amine formylation
      and deoxygenation may be readily envisaged for the catalytic utilization of CO as
      a C1 source in the production of methylamines, our observations demonstrate that
      competitive amine-borane dehydrocoupling is too facile under the conditions of 1
      atm of CO employed.

PMID- 28640640
TI  - Dialkylammonium tert-Butylmethylphosphinites: Stable Intermediates for the
      Synthesis of P-Stereogenic Ligands.
AB  - The preparation of shelf-stable crystalline salts of tert-butylmethylphosphinous
      acid borane 1 is described. X-ray analysis of diisopropylammonium tert
      butylmethylphosphinite borane 6 revealed the presence of a cyclic hydrogen-bond
      network in the solid state which accounts for an increased melting point and
      stability. Dialkylammonium phosphinite boranes are convenient precursors of the
      chiral tert-butylmethylphosphine fragment. Compound 6 can be used directly in
      SN2@P reactions with various nucleophiles to yield valuable P-stereogenic
      intermediates and ligands.

PMID- 28640641
TI  - First-Principles Calculation of Pt Surface Energies in an Electrochemical
      Environment: Thermodynamic Driving Forces for Surface Faceting and Nanoparticle
      Reconstruction.
AB  - Platinum is a widely used catalyst in aqueous and electrochemical environments.
      The size and shape of Pt nanoparticles and the faceting (and roughness) of
      extended Pt surfaces change during use in these environments due to dissolution,
      growth, and reconstruction. Further, many Pt nanoparticle synthesis techniques
      are carried out in an aqueous environment. The surface structures formed are
      impacted by the relative surface energies of the low index facets in these
      environments. Density functional theory is used to calculate the surface energy
      of the low index facets of platinum as a function of electrochemical potential
      and coverage of adsorbed hydrogen, hydroxide, oxygen, and the formation of
      surface oxide in an aqueous environment. Whereas Pt(111) is the lowest energy
      bare surface in vacuum, the strong adsorption of hydrogen to Pt(100) at low
      potentials and of hydroxide to Pt(110) and oxygen to Pt(100) at high potentials
      drives these surfaces to be more stable in an electrochemical environment. We
      experimentally conditioned a polycrystalline platinum electrode by cycling the
      potential and find a growth in the total area as well as in the fraction of 110
      and 100 sites, which are lower in energy at potentials where dissolved Pt is
      deposited or surface oxide is reduced. Further, we find that the lower surface
      energy of Pt(100) at low potentials may play a role in the growth of
      tetrahexahedral nanoparticles seen on square wave cycling of spherical Pt
      nanoparticles. Wulff constructions are presented as a function of Pt electrode
      potential.

PMID- 28640642
TI  - Epidemiological characteristics of hyperhomocysteinemia and H-type hypertension
      in the elderly in Beijing, China.
AB  - Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis
      related diseases, and H-type hypertension (HHT) is becoming a major health-care
      concern in China. We assessed the prevalence of HHcy and HHT in the elderly in a
      retrospective study based on data obtained from the Beijing Longitudinal Study of
      Aging. This cross-sectional study comprised 1460 people in the general population
      (638 males and 822 females) aged >=60 years dwelling in an urban district, a
      suburb, and an outer suburb of Beijing in 2012. Statistical sampling techniques
      included cluster, stratification, and random selection. Basic information and
      physical examination data were collected by trained staff, and the levels of
      plasma homocysteine (Hcy) were measured. Our results showed that the mean
      concentration of plasma Hcy was 21.3 MUmol/L in the elderly population (24.2
      MUmol/L for males and 19.0 MUmol/L for females; 22.5 MUmol/L for rural residents
      and 20.4 MUmol/L for urban residents); 74.4% of the subjects were considered to
      have HHcy (86.2% of males and 63.8% of females; 75.8% of rural and 73.0% of urban
      residents), and 50.2% were considered to have HHT (55.2% of males and 45.7% of
      females; 51.8% of rural and 48.8% of urban residents). Our study findings
      indicated that the prevalence of HHcy and HHT was high among elderly persons in
      Beijing.

PMID- 28640643
TI  - Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Diabetes Mellitus. 'Seeing' beyond Glycemic Control.

PMID- 28640645
TI  - Breastfeeding's Role in the Neurobiology of Parenting.

PMID- 28640644
TI  - Nebivolol alleviates aortic remodeling through eNOS upregulation and inhibition
      of oxidative stress in l-NAME-induced hypertensive rats.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the effect and mechanism of nebivolol on aortic
      remodeling in N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME)-induced hypertension.
      METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with equal volumes of drinking
      water or l-NAME (60 mg/kg/day), alone or in combination with nebivolol (8
      mg/kg/day) or atenolol (80 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 8 weeks. Systolic blood
      pressure (SBP), aortic morphometry, plasma nitric oxide (NO) levels, nitric oxide
      synthase (NOS) activity, and relaxation of aorta to acetylcholine were
      determined. Protein expression of endothelial NOS (eNOS), Akt, and NADPH oxidase
      (Nox) was evaluated. RESULTS: l-NAME-treated rats showed an elevated SBP
      associated with aortic remodeling. l-NAME-treated rats showed reduced plasma NO
      levels and NOS activity and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS). Protein
      expression of eNOS, eNOS phosphorylated at Ser1177 (p-eNOS), Akt, and Akt
      phosphorylated at Ser473 (p-Akt) decreased, whereas that of Nox2, Nox4, and
      p22phox increased in the aortas from l-NAME-treated rats. Nebivolol treatment
      reduced SBP and ameliorated aortic remodeling. The effects of nebivolol were
      accompanied by increasing NO levels, NOS activity, and expression of eNOS, p
      eNOS, Akt, and p-Akt, as well as reduction of ROS generation and Nox2, Nox4, and
      p22phox expression. These effects of nebivolol were not reproduced by atenolol.
      CONCLUSION: Our data indicate a protective role of nebivolol on the high blood
      pressure and vascular remodeling induced by l-NAME. The beneficial vascular
      effect of nebivolol is mediated by the upregulation of eNOS and inhibition of
      oxidative stress.

PMID- 28640646
TI  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for monoester-type aconitic alkaloids and
      its application in the pharmacokinetic study of benzoylhypaconine in rats.
AB  - A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for quantitative
      determination of monoester-type aconitic alkaloids was developed. The antibodies
      derived from the immunogen of benzoylmesaconine (BM) could be electively affined
      to benzoylaconitine-type alkaloids with an ester bond (14-benzoyl-), especially
      to benzoylhypaconine (BH, 140.02% of cross-reactivity). The effective working
      range of BH was 1 ng/ml to 5 MUg/ml; the lower limit of detection and the
      quantification were 0.35 and 0.97 ng/ml, respectively. The values of CV for intra
      day and inter-day assays and recovery ratios were in acceptable ranges. The
      results of stability experiments were also satisfactory. This validated method
      was employed for pharmacokinetic study of BH in rats and the bioavailability
      orally administered was estimated to be 16.3%.

PMID- 28640647
TI  - Influence of PRKCH gene polymorphism on antihypertensive response to amlodipine
      and telmisartan.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PRKCH rs2230500 genetic polymorphism
      on efficacy of amlodipine and telmisartan for patients with hypertension. A total
      of 136 essential hypertension (EH) patients were treated with amlodipine (70
      patients) or telmisartan (66 patients), respectively. Genetic polymorphism was
      genotyped by Sanger sequencing. Both baseline and post-treatment blood pressure
      (BP) and heart rate were measured to evaluate the influence of genetic
      polymorphism on the antihypertensive response. No significant difference in the
      absolute decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP),systolic blood pressure
      (SBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was observed among PRKCH rs2230500
      genotypes after 4-week amlodipine or telmisartan therapy (p > 0.05). However,
      when compared with carriers or GG genotype, the antihypertensive effect of PRKCH
      rs2230500 GA/AA carriers was superior in telmisartan treatment group. PRKCH
      rs2230500 gene polymorphism is significantly related to the efficiency in
      telmisartan therapy (p = 0.02). The PRKCH rs2230500 may influence the
      antihypertensive efficacy of telmisartan in Chinese EH patients, and further
      studies are needed to confirm these findings.

PMID- 28640648
TI  - Extracellular Vesicle Transfer from Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Modulates
      Macrophage Function in Acute Lung Injury. Basic Science and Clinical
      Implications.

PMID- 28640649
TI  - Asthma Attacks in Children: Does Blocking IgE Reduce Rhinovirus Infections?

PMID- 28640650
TI  - Exposure Interaction: A Lifelong Phenomenon with Relevance to Chronic Obstructive
      Pulmonary Disease.

PMID- 28640651
TI  - Association of the lipoprotein lipase gene Ser447Ter polymorphism with
      hypertension and blood pressure variation: evidence from an updated meta
      analysis.
AB  - The polymorphism of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene Ser447Ter (S447X) has long been
      linked to hypertension and blood pressure variation, but the established data
      remained controversial. To better elucidate this inconsistency, a meta-analysis
      was conducted. We comprehensively searched electronic databases, including
      Pubmed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Web of Science,
      for all literatures with the last update on February 2016. The strength of
      association was calculated by using odds ratios (ORs) and weighted mean
      differences (WMDs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Further
      stratified analyses, cumulative meta-analysis analysis, and sensitivity analyses
      were performed. A total of 14 studies (3592 cases and 4643 controls) for
      hypertension and 14 studies (n = 9254) for blood pressure were included. Overall,
      significant associations were revealed between S447X polymorphism and
      hypertension risk using allelic comparison (OR = 0.86, 95%CI 0.77 to 0.96),
      heterozygote comparison (OR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.75 to 0.96), and the dominant model
      (OR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.75 to 0.96), especially in Asians. Furthermore, in subgroup
      analyses restricted to the population-based controls studies, the high-quality
      studies, and the large sample size studies, these significant associations were
      still observed. As for blood pressure association, significant reductions of
      systolic blood pressure (WMD = -1.25 mmHg, 95%CI -2.25 to -0.25 mmHg) and
      diastolic blood pressure (WMD = -1.91 mmHg, 95%CI -3.25 to -0.56 mmHg) levels
      were found using dominant model. No publication bias was observed in any
      comparison model. Therefore, current meta-analysis suggested that the LPL S447X
      polymorphism is likely to be a protective factor in the development of
      hypertension.

PMID- 28640652
TI  - Protective effect against brain tissues oxidative damage as a possible mechanism
      for beneficial effects of L-arginine on lipopolysaccharide induced memory
      impairment in rats.
AB  - L-Arginine (LA) and nitric oxide (NO) have been suggested to have some effects on
      learning, memory, brain tissues oxidative damage, and neuroinflammation. In this
      study, protective effect against brain tissues oxidative damage as a possible
      mechanism for beneficial effects of LA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced memory
      impairment was investigated. The rats were grouped into and treated by (1)
      control (saline), (2) LPS (1 mg/kg, IP), (3) LA (200 mg/kg) - LPS (4) LA. In
      passive avoidance (PA) test, LPS administration shortened the latency to enter
      the dark compartment in LPS group compared to control (p < .001) which was
      accompanied with a high level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and NO metabolite
      concentrations in the hippocampal tissues (p < .001and p < .05, respectively).
      Pretreatment with LA prolonged the latency in LA-LPS group compared with LPS
      group (p < .01-.001) and re-stored MDA and NO metabolites in the hippocampal
      tissues (p < .05). LPS also reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)
      activities and thiol content in the hippocampal tissues in LPS group compared to
      control (p < .05 and p < .001, respectively) which improved by LA when it was
      administered before LPS in LA-LPS group (p < .05 and p < .001). Finally, the
      serum TNFalpha level of LPS group was higher than the control (p < .01) while, in
      LA-LPS group it was lower than LPS group (p < .01). It seems that the beneficial
      effects of LA on memory impairment of LPS-treated rats may be due to its
      protective effects against brain tissues oxidative damage.

PMID- 28640653
TI  - Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A Necessary New Therapeutic Target in Chronic
      Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

PMID- 28640654
TI  - Reply: Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition: A Necessary New Therapeutic Target in
      Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

PMID- 28640655
TI  - Usual Interstitial Pneumonia Can Be Detected in Transbronchial Biopsies Using
      Machine Learning.
AB  - RATIONALE: Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is the histopathologic hallmark of
      idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Although UIP can be detected by high-resolution
      computed tomography of the chest, the results are frequently inconclusive, and
      pathology from transbronchial biopsy (TBB) has poor sensitivity. Surgical lung
      biopsy may be necessary for a definitive diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: To develop a
      genomic classifier in tissue obtained by TBB that distinguishes UIP from non-UIP,
      trained against central pathology as the reference standard. METHODS: Exome
      enriched RNA sequencing was performed on 283 TBBs from 84 subjects. Machine
      learning was used to train an algorithm with high rule-in (specificity)
      performance using specimens from 53 subjects. Performance was evaluated by cross
      validation and on an independent test set of specimens from 31 subjects. We
      explored the feasibility of a single molecular test per subject by combining
      multiple TBBs from upper and lower lobes. To address whether classifier accuracy
      depends upon adequate alveolar sampling, we tested for correlation between
      classifier accuracy and expression of alveolar-specific genes. RESULTS: The top
      performing algorithm distinguishes UIP from non-UIP conditions in single TBB
      samples with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of
      0.86, with specificity of 86% (confidence interval = 71-95%) and sensitivity of
      63% (confidence interval = 51-74%) (31 test subjects). Performance improves to an
      AUC of 0.92 when three to five TBB samples per subject are combined at the RNA
      level for testing. Although we observed a wide range of type I and II alveolar
      specific gene expression in TBBs, expression of these transcripts did not
      correlate with classifier accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate proof of
      principle that genomic analysis and machine learning improves the utility of TBB
      for the diagnosis of UIP, with greater sensitivity and specificity than pathology
      in TBB alone. Combining multiple individual subject samples results in increased
      test accuracy over single sample testing. This approach requires validation in an
      independent cohort of subjects before application in the clinic.

PMID- 28640656
TI  - Measuring exertion time, duty cycle and hand activity level for industrial tasks
      using computer vision.
AB  - Two computer vision algorithms were developed to automatically estimate exertion
      time, duty cycle (DC) and hand activity level (HAL) from videos of workers
      performing 50 industrial tasks. The average DC difference between manual frame-by
      frame analysis and the computer vision DC was -5.8% for the Decision Tree (DT)
      algorithm, and 1.4% for the Feature Vector Training (FVT) algorithm. The average
      HAL difference was 0.5 for the DT algorithm and 0.3 for the FVT algorithm. A
      sensitivity analysis, conducted to examine the influence that deviations in DC
      have on HAL, found it remained unaffected when DC error was less than 5%. Thus, a
      DC error less than 10% will impact HAL less than 0.5 HAL, which is negligible.
      Automatic computer vision HAL estimates were therefore comparable to manual frame
      by-frame estimates. Practitioner Summary: Computer vision was used to
      automatically estimate exertion time, duty cycle and hand activity level from
      videos of workers performing industrial tasks.

PMID- 28640657
TI  - Retinal Findings on OCT in Systemic Conditions.
AB  - PURPOSE: Imaging technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the recent past
      and has resulted in a much greater understanding of ocular diseases. The aim of
      this review article is to summarize optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings
      of various systemic conditions. METHOD: A systematic literature search of the
      Medline/PubMed database was performed. English articles up to April 2015 were
      included. Terms used for search included: Alzheimer's Disease; Multiple
      Sclerosis; Parkinson's Disease; Behcet's Disease; Schizophrenia; Migraine;
      Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome; Neurofibromatosis; Sickle Cell Disease; Renal
      diseases; Lupus Retinopathy; Valsalva Retinopathy; Whiplash Retinopathy; Shaken
      Baby Syndrome; Choroidal metastases; Intracranial Hypertension; Drug toxicity;
      Deferoxamine; Sildenafil; Tamoxifen; Hydroxychloroquine; Chloroquine; Ethambutol;
      Lead; Sickle Cell Disease; and Thalassemia along with OCT. RESULTS: Studies have
      shown that inner retinal thinning could be the earliest sign of neurological
      diseases and may help to differentiate individuals with abnormalities. Outer
      retinal damage was noted in cancer-related retinopathy and secondary to drug
      toxicity as a diagnostic sign. This review article summarizes the OCT findings
      and their importance in early diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in a varying
      spectrum of systemic diseases including neurological diseases, hematological
      diseases, cancer-related retinopathies, and systemic drug toxicity. CONCLUSION:
      OCT findings are useful to predict the probability of a disease, to diagnose it
      early, to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy tissue, and to assess the
      effect of therapeutic interventions in many systemic diseases.

PMID- 28640658
TI  - Advancing the Certified in Public Health Examination: A Job Task Analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In 2014, the National Board of Public Health Examiners performed a
      job task analysis (JTA) to revise the Certified in Public Health (CPH)
      examination. The objectives of this study were to describe the development,
      administration, and results of the JTA survey; to present an analysis of the
      survey results; and to review the implications of this first-ever public health
      JTA. METHODS: An advisory committee of public health professionals developed a
      list of 200 public health job tasks categorized into 10 work domains. The list of
      tasks was incorporated into a web-based survey, and a snowball sample of public
      health professionals provided 4850 usable responses. Respondents rated job tasks
      as essential (4), very important (3), important (2), not very important (1), and
      never performed (0). RESULTS: The mean task importance ratings ranged from 2.61
      to 3.01 (important to very important). The highest mean ratings were for tasks in
      the ethics domain (mean rating, 3.01). Respondents ranked 10 of the 200 tasks as
      the most important, with mean task rankings ranging from 2.98 to 3.39. We found
      subtle differences between male and female respondents and between master of
      public health and doctor of public health respondents in their rankings.
      CONCLUSION: The JTA established a set of job tasks in 10 public health work
      domains, and the results provided a foundation for refining the CPH examination.
      Additional steps are needed to further modify the content outline of the
      examination. An empirical assessment of public health job tasks, using methods
      such as principal components analysis, may provide additional insight.

PMID- 28640659
TI  - PHLDA1 (pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1) knockdown promotes
      migration and invasion of MCF10A breast epithelial cells.
AB  - PHLDA1 (pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1) is a multifunctional
      protein that plays distinct roles in several biological processes including cell
      death and therefore its altered expression has been identified in different types
      of cancer. Progressively loss of PHLDA1 was found in primary and metastatic
      melanoma while its overexpression was reported in intestinal and pancreatic
      tumors. Previous work from our group showed that negative expression of PHLDA1
      protein was a strong predictor of poor prognosis for breast cancer disease.
      However, the function of PHLDA1 in mammary epithelial cells and the tumorigenic
      process of the breast is unclear. To dissect PHLDA1 role in human breast
      epithelial cells, we generated a clone of MCF10A cells with stable knockdown of
      PHLDA1 and performed functional studies. To achieve reduced PHLDA1 expression we
      used shRNA plasmid transfection and then changes in cell morphology and
      biological behavior were assessed. We found that PHLDA1 downregulation induced
      marked morphological alterations in MCF10A cells, such as changes in cell-to-cell
      adhesion pattern and cytoskeleton reorganization. Regarding cell behavior, MCF10A
      cells with reduced expression of PHLDA1 showed higher proliferative rate and
      migration ability in comparison with control cells. We also found that MCF10A
      cells with PHLDA1 knockdown acquired invasive properties, as evaluated by
      transwell Matrigel invasion assay and showed enhanced colony-forming ability and
      irregular growth in low attachment condition. Altogether, our results indicate
      that PHLDA1 downregulation in MCF10A cells leads to morphological changes and a
      more aggressive behavior.

PMID- 28640660
TI  - Chromosome territory relocation paradigm during DNA damage response: Some
      insights from molecular biology to physics.
AB  - Among the many facets of DNA damage response (DDR), relocation of chromosome
      territories (CTs) is most intriguing. We have previously reported that cisplatin
      induced DDR in human dermal fibroblasts led to relocation of CTs 12, 15 from the
      nuclear periphery to its interior while CTs 19, 17 repositioned from the interior
      to its periphery. Studies of CT relocation remain nascent as we begin unraveling
      the role of key players in DDR to demonstrate its mechanistic basis.
      Consolidating our recent reports, we argue that gammaH2AX-signaling leads to
      enhanced recruitment of nuclear myosin 1 (NM1) to chromatin, which via its motor
      function, results in CT repositioning. Next, we invoke a novel systems-level
      theory that subsumed CTs as pairs, not solo entities, to present the physical
      basis for plasticity in interphase CT arrangement. Subsequently, we posited that
      our systems-level theory describes a unified physical basis for non-random
      positioning of CTs in interphase nuclei across disparate eukaryotes.

PMID- 28640661
TI  - Attrition from antiretroviral treatment services among pregnant and non-pregnant
      patients following adoption of Option B+ in Haiti.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has expanded in Haiti because
      of the adoption of Option B+ and the revision of treatment guidelines. Retention
      in care and treatment varies greatly and few studies have examined retention
      rates, particularly among women enrolled in Option B+. OBJECTIVE: To assess
      attrition among pregnant and non-pregnant patients initiating ART following
      adoption of Option B+ in Haiti. METHODS: Longitudinal data of adult patients
      initiated on ART from October 2012 through August 2014 at 73 health facilities
      across Haiti were analyzed using a survival analysis framework to determine
      levels of attrition. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards
      regression were used to examine risk factors associated with attrition. RESULTS:
      Among 17,059 patients who initiated ART, 7627 (44.7%) were non-pregnant women,
      5899 (34.6%) were men, and 3533 (20.7%) were Option B+ clients. Attrition from
      the ART program was 36.7% at 12 months (95% CI: 35.9-37.5%). Option B+ patients
      had the highest level of attrition at 50.4% at 12 months (95% CI: 48.6-52.3%).
      While early HIV disease stage at ART initiation was protective among non-pregnant
      women and men, it was a strong risk factor among Option B+ clients. In adjusted
      analyses, key protective factors were older age (p < 0.0001), living near the
      health facility (p = 0.04), having another known HIV-positive household member (p
      < 0.0001), having greater body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.0001), pre-ART counseling
      (p < 0.0001), and Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis during baseline (p < 0.01). Higher
      attrition was associated with rapidly starting ART after enrollment (p < 0.0001),
      anemia (p < 0.0001), and regimen tenofovir+lamivudine+nevirapine (TDF+3TC+NVP) (p
      < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ART attrition in Haiti is high among adults, especially
      among Option B+ patients. Identifying newly initiated patients most at risk for
      attrition and providing appropriate interventions could help reduce ART
      attrition.

PMID- 28640662
TI  - Using probiotics in clinical practice: Where are we now? A review of existing
      meta-analyses.
AB  - The scientific literature has demonstrated that probiotics have a broad spectrum
      of activity, although often the results are contradictory. This study provides a
      critical overview of the current meta-analyses that have evaluated the efficacy
      of probiotics in physiologic and pathological conditions, such as metabolic
      disease, antibiotic-associated and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea,
      IBS, constipation, IBD, chemotherapy-associated diarrhea, respiratory tract
      infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, NAFLD, liver encephalopathy,
      periodontitis, depression, vaginosis, urinary tract infections, pancreatitis,
      incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, hospital infection and stay in ICU,
      mortality of post-trauma patients, necrotising enterocolitis in premature
      infants. Only for antibiotic- and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, and
      respiratory tract infections the effects of probiotics are considered "evidence
      based." Concerning other fields, meta-analyses lacks to define type and biologic
      effect of probiotic strains, as well as the outcome in a disease state.
      Therefore, the results presented should be a stimulus for further studies which
      will provide clinical recommendations.

PMID- 28640663
TI  - Glycosylation profile and biological activity of Remicade(r) compared with
      Flixabi(r) and Remsima(r).
AB  - As biosimilars enter the market, comparisons of product quality are needed.
      Manufacturing differences may lead to differences in critical quality attributes,
      which affect efficacy. Therefore, critical quality attributes (structure and
      biological activity) of Remicade(r) and of 2 biosimilar products
      (Flixabi(r)/Renflexis(r) and Remsima(r)/Inflectra(r)) were determined. We
      assessed binding to tumor necrosis factor in a fluorescence competitive binding
      assay; potency in a luciferase reporter gene assay; percentages of galactosylated
      glycan, afucose plus high mannosylated glycans, and charged glycan; FcgammaRIIIa
      (CD16) binding (assessed by 3 methods); and antibody-dependent cell-mediated
      cytotoxicity (ADCC) in the NK92-CD16a cell line and in peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells (PBMC). The results of Fab-related activity were similar for
      all products. Compared with Remicade(r), Flixabi(r) had a lower percentage of
      charged glycan, and Remsima(r) had a higher percentage of galactosylated glycan
      and a lower percentage of afucose plus high mannosylated glycans. Whereas
      Remsima(r) and Remicade(r) are expressed in a Sp2/0 cell line, Flixabi(r) is
      expressed in a CHO cell line. Despite this difference, galactosylated glycans
      from the 3 products were not correlated with the expression system. The results
      of all 3 methods used in this study indicated that FcgammaRIIIa binding was lower
      with Remsima(r) than with Remicade(r). The percentage of ADCC in NK92-CD16a cells
      was lower with Remsima(r) and higher with Flixabi(r) compared with Remicade(r),
      but was similar for all 3 products in PBMC. Surface expression of CD16 was 5.7
      fold greater on NK92-CD16a cells than on PBMC. Combined percentages of
      afucosylated and high mannosylated glycans were positively correlated with
      FcgammaRIIIa binding and ADCC in NK92-CD16 cells, while no correlation was
      observed in PBMC.

PMID- 28640664
TI  - ?Somos iguales? Using a structural violence framework to understand gender and
      health inequities from an intersectional perspective in the Peruvian Amazon.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the Peruvian Amazon, historical events of colonization and
      political marginalization intersect with identities of ethnicity, class and
      geography in the construction of gender and health inequities. Gender-based
      inequalities can manifest in poor health outcomes via discriminatory practices,
      healthcare system imbalances, inequities in health research, and differential
      exposures and vulnerabilities to diseases. Structural violence is a comprehensive
      framework to explain the mechanisms by which social forces such as poverty,
      racism and gender inequity become embodied as individual experiences and health
      outcomes, and thus may be a useful tool in structuring an intersectional analysis
      of gender and health inequities in Amazonian Peru. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this
      paper is to explore the intersection of gender inequities with other social
      inequalities in the production of health and disease in Peru's Amazon using a
      structural violence approach. DESIGN: Exploratory qualitative research was
      performed in two Loreto settings - urban Iquitos and the rural Lower Napo River
      region - between March and November 2015. This included participant observation
      with prolonged stays in the community, 46 semi-structured individual interviews
      and three group discussions. Thematic analysis was performed to identify emerging
      themes related to gender inequalities in health and healthcare and how these
      intersect with layered social disadvantages in the reproduction of health and
      illness. We employed a structural violence approach to construct an
      intersectional analysis of gender and health inequities in Amazonian Peru.
      RESULTS: Our findings were arranged into five interrelated domains within a
      gender, structural violence and health model: gender as a symbolic institution,
      systemic gender-based violence, interpersonal violence, the social determinants
      of health, and other health outcomes. Each domain represents one aspect of the
      complex associations between gender, gender inequity and health. Through this
      model, we were able to explore: gender, health and intersectionality; structural
      violence; and to highlight particular local gender and health dynamics.
      Intersecting influences of poverty, ethnicity, geography and gender served as
      significant barriers to healthcare in both rural and urban settings.

PMID- 28640666
TI  - First Report of an Adult Tapeworm (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidea) in a Southern Sea
      Otter (Enhydra lutris nereis).
AB  - We present a novel case of an intestinal cestode infection in a southern sea
      otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). The cestode species Diphyllobothrium tetrapterum
      (syn. Diplogonoporus tetrapterus) was confirmed genetically. Stable isotope
      analysis of whiskers collected from the sea otter did not confirm the consumption
      of fish as the route of exposure.

PMID- 28640665
TI  - mRNA localization in metazoans: A structural perspective.
AB  - Asymmetric localization of mRNAs is a widespread gene regulatory mechanism that
      is crucial for many cellular processes. The localization of a transcript involves
      multiple steps and requires several protein factors to mediate transport,
      anchoring and translational repression of the mRNA. Specific recognition of the
      localizing transcript is a key step that depends on linear or structured
      localization signals, which are bound by RNA-binding proteins. Genetic studies
      have identified many components involved in mRNA localization. However,
      mechanistic aspects of the pathway are still poorly understood. Here we provide
      an overview of structural studies that contributed to our understanding of the
      mechanisms underlying mRNA localization, highlighting open questions and future
      challenges.

PMID- 28640667
TI  - Restricting retrotransposons: ADAR1 is another guardian of the human genome.
AB  - ADAR1 is an enzyme that belongs to the Adenosine Deaminases Acting on RNA (ADARs)
      family. These enzymes deaminate adenosines to inosines (RNA editing A-to-I)
      within double-stranded RNA regions in transcripts. Since inosines are recognized
      as guanosines by the cellular machinery, RNA editing mediated by ADARs can either
      lead to the formation of an altered protein (recoding) or affect different
      aspects of RNA metabolism. Recently, a proteomic analysis led to the
      identification of novel ADAR1-associated factors and found that a good fraction
      of them is shared with the Long Interspersed Element 1 (LINE-1 or L1)
      ribonucleoparticles (RNPs). This evidence suggested a possible role of ADAR1 in
      regulating the L1 life cycle. By taking advantage of the use of cell culture
      retrotransposition assays, a novel function of this deaminase as an inhibitor of
      L1 retrotransposition was demonstrated. These results pave the way toward a
      better comprehension of the mechanisms of restriction of retrotransposons.

PMID- 28640669
TI  - Cellular Components, Including Stem-Like Cells, of Preterm Mother's Mature Milk
      as Compared with Those in Her Colostrum: A Pilot Study.
AB  - PARTICIPATING AND STUDY OBJECTIVE: Whether the preterm mothers' mature milk
      retains the same cellular components as those in colostrum including stem-like
      cell, cell adhesion molecules, and immune cells. PARTICIPANTS: A total of five
      preterm mothers were recruited for the study having an average age of 30.2 years
      and gestational age of 29.8 weeks from the Pristine Women's Hospital, Kolhapur.
      Colostrum milk was collected within 2-5 days and matured milk was collected 20-30
      days after delivery from the same mothers. METHODOLOGY: Integral cellular
      components of 22 markers including stem cells, immune cells, and cell adhesion
      molecules were measured using flowcytometry. OUTCOME: Preterm mature milk was
      found to possess higher expressions of hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem
      like cells, immune cells, few cell adhesion molecules, and side population cells
      than colostrum. CONCLUSION: The increased level of these different cell
      components in mature milk may be important in the long-term preterm baby's health
      growth. Further similar research in a larger population of various gestational
      ages and lactation stages of preterm mothers is warranted to support these pilot
      findings.

PMID- 28640668
TI  - Absence of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein results in defects of RNA
      editing of neuronal mRNAs in mouse.
AB  - The fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common form of inherited intellectual
      disability, is due to the absence of FMRP, a protein regulating RNA metabolism.
      Recently, an unexpected function of FMRP in modulating the activity of Adenosine
      Deaminase Acting on RNA (ADAR) enzymes has been reported both in Drosophila and
      Zebrafish. ADARs are RNA-binding proteins that increase transcriptional
      complexity through a post-transcriptional mechanism called RNA editing. To
      evaluate the ADAR2-FMRP interaction in mammals we analyzed several RNA editing re
      coding sites in the fmr1 knockout (KO) mice. Ex vivo and in vitro analysis
      revealed that absence of FMRP leads to an increase in the editing levels of brain
      specific mRNAs, indicating that FMRP might act as an inhibitor of editing
      activity. Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA) in mouse primary cortical neurons and in
      non-neuronal cells revealed that ADAR2 and FMRP co-localize in the nucleus. The
      ADAR2-FMRP co-localization was further observed by double-immunogold Electron
      Microscopy (EM) in the hippocampus. Moreover, ADAR2-FMRP interaction appeared to
      be RNA independent. Because changes in the editing pattern are associated with
      neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, we propose that the increased
      editing observed in the fmr1-KO mice might contribute to the FXS molecular
      phenotypes.

PMID- 28640670
TI  - Rationale and Design of the Lung Cancer Screening Implementation. Evaluation of
      Patient-Centered Care Study.
AB  - Screening for lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography has been
      demonstrated to reduce lung cancer-related mortality and is being widely
      implemented. Further research in this area is needed to assess the impact of
      screening on patient-centered outcomes. Here, we describe the design and
      rationale for a new study entitled Lung Cancer Screening Implementation:
      Evaluation of Patient-Centered Care. The protocol is composed of an
      interconnected series of studies evaluating patients and clinicians who are
      engaged in lung cancer screening in real-world settings. The primary goal of this
      study is to evaluate communication processes that are being used in routine care
      and to identify best practices that can be readily scaled up for implementation
      in multiple settings. We hypothesize that higher overall quality of patient
      clinician communication processes will be associated with lower levels of
      distress and decisional conflict as patients decide whether or not to participate
      in lung cancer screening. This work is a critical step toward identifying
      modifiable mechanisms that are associated with high quality of care for the
      millions of patients who will consider lung cancer screening. Given the enormous
      potential benefits and burdens of lung cancer screening on patients, clinicians,
      and the healthcare system, it is important to identify and then scale up quality
      communication practices that positively influence patient-centered care.

PMID- 28640671
TI  - Regulation of a muralytic enzyme-encoding gene by two non-coding RNAs.
AB  - Non-coding regulatory RNAs fine-tune gene expression post-transcriptionally. In
      the streptomycetes, rpfA - encoding a muralytic enzyme required for establishing
      and exiting dormancy - is flanked by non-coding regulatory RNA elements both
      upstream (riboswitch) and downstream [antisense small RNA (sRNA)]. In
      Streptomyces coelicolor, the upstream riboswitch decreases rpfA transcript
      abundance in response to the second messenger cyclic di-AMP, itself involved in
      cell wall metabolism and dormancy. There is, however, no obvious expression
      platform associated with this riboswitch and consequently, its mechanism of
      action is entirely unknown. Using in vitro transcription assays, we discovered
      that the rpfA riboswitch promoted premature transcription termination in response
      to cyclic di-AMP. Through an extensive mutational analysis, we determined that
      attenuation required ligand binding and involved an unusual extended stem-loop
      region unique to a subset of rpfA riboswitches in the actinobacteria. At the
      other end of the rpfA gene, an antisense sRNA, termed Scr3097, is expressed
      opposite the predicted rpfA terminator. Using northern blotting, we found that
      Scr3097 accumulation mirrored that of the rpfA mRNA. In liquid culture, we
      detected Scr3097 exclusively in exponential-phase cells, and in plate-grown
      culture, we observed the sRNA primarily in differentiating cultures. Using
      mutational analyses, we found that the sRNA increased rpfA mRNA abundance in
      cells. Taken together, our work revealed multiple regulatory RNAs controlling
      rpfA expression in the streptomycetes.

PMID- 28640672
TI  - Consistency in patient-reported outcomes after total hip replacement.
AB  - Purpose - The primary objective in this study was to describe the patient
      reported outcome measures (PROMs) of total hip replacement (THR) patients 6 years
      after index surgery. Second, we sought to analyze how the preoperative, 1- and 6
      year outcomes were associated. Patients and methods - By assessing the Swedish
      Hip Arthroplasty Register (SHAR), 15,755 patients with complete follow-up were
      included in the study group. 1-year and 6-year response rates were 93% and 87%.
      PROMs used by the SHAR include the EQ-5D instrument, and 2 modified visual
      analogue scales, 1 for pain and 1 for satisfaction. We used a multivariable
      linear regression model to examine the relationship between preoperative, 1-year,
      and 6-year outcome. Results - On average, patient-reported outcomes 6 years after
      THR were satisfactory. Though there was some deterioration in all mean 6-year
      PROMs, the patient-reported outcome after 6 years strongly resembled that of the
      1-year results. The 1-year follow-up was the strongest factor associated with the
      6-year results. Interpretation - There is little deterioration in patient
      reported outcomes 6 years after THR compared with the 1-year results. Although
      the 1-year follow-up was the strongest predictor of the 6-year results it could
      not alone explain the results, thus supporting the utility of the 6-year follow
      up in THR patients.

PMID- 28640673
TI  - The End of Written Informed Consent for HIV Testing: Not With a Bang but a
      Whimper.
AB  - In 2014, only two states in the United States still mandated specific written
      informed consent for HIV testing and, after years of controversy, New York ended
      this requirement, leaving only Nebraska. New York's shift to opt-out testing
      meant that a singular feature of what had characterized the exceptionalism
      surrounding HIV testing was eliminated. We trace the history of debates on
      written informed consent nationally and in New York State. Over the years of
      dispute from when HIV testing was initiated in 1985 to 2014, the evidence about
      the benefits and burdens of written informed consent changed. Just as important
      was the transformation of the political configuration of HIV advocacy and
      funding, both nationwide and in New York State. What had for years been the
      subject of furious debate over what a rational and ethical screening policy
      required came to an end without the slightest public protest. (Am J Public
      Health. 2017;107:1259-1265. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2017.303819).

PMID- 28640674
TI  - Racial/Ethnic Minority Older Adults' Perspectives on Proposed Medicaid Reforms'
      Effects on Dental Care Access.
AB  - To examine how proposed Medicaid reform plans are experienced by racial/ethnic
      minority older adults and what the implications are for their ability to access
      dental care through Medicaid, from 2013 to 2015 we conducted focus groups in
      northern Manhattan, New York, New York, among African American, Dominican, and
      Puerto Rican adults aged 50 years and older. Participants reported problems with
      affording copayments for care, complicated health and social issues, the need for
      vision and dental care close to home, and confusion about and stigmatization with
      Medicaid coverage. Federal, state, and local public health agencies can help by
      clarifying and simplifying Medicaid plans and sustaining benefits that older
      adults need to live healthy and dignified lives.

PMID- 28640675
TI  - Health-Related Quality of Life Among US Workers: Variability Across Occupation
      Groups.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the health-related quality of life among workers in 22
      standard occupation groups using data from the 2013-2014 US Behavioral Risk
      Factor Surveillance System. METHODS: We examined the health-related quality of
      life measures of self-rated health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental
      distress, frequent activity limitation, and frequent overall unhealthy days by
      occupation group for 155 839 currently employed adults among 17 states. We
      performed multiple logistic regression analyses that accounted for the Behavioral
      Risk Factor Surveillance System's complex survey design to obtain prevalence
      estimates adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Among all occupation
      groups, the arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupation group
      reported the highest adjusted prevalence of frequent physical distress, frequent
      mental distress, frequent activity limitation, and frequent overall unhealthy
      days. The personal care and service occupation group had the highest adjusted
      prevalence for fair or poor self-rated health. CONCLUSIONS: Workers' jobs affect
      their health-related quality of life.

PMID- 28640676
TI  - Personally Identifiable Information in State Laws: Use, Release, and
      Collaboration at Health Departments.
AB  - Despite benefits to sharing data among public health programs, confidentiality
      laws are often presumed to obstruct collaboration or data sharing. We present an
      overview of the use and release of confidential, personally identifiable
      information as consistent with public health interests and identify opportunities
      to align data-sharing procedures with use and release provisions in state laws to
      improve program outcomes. In August 2013, Centers for Disease Control and
      Prevention staff and legal researchers from the National Nurse-Led Care
      Consortium conducted a review of state laws regulating state and local health
      departments in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly all states and the
      District of Columbia employ provisions for the general use and release of
      personally identifiable information without patient consent; disease-specific use
      or release provisions vary by state. Absence of law regarding use and release
      provisions was noted. Health departments should assess existing state laws to
      determine whether the use or release of personally identifiable information is
      permitted. Absence of direction should not prevent data sharing but prompt an
      analysis of existing provisions in confidentiality laws.

PMID- 28640677
TI  - Constant Lethality of Gunshot Injuries From Firearm Assault: United States, 2003
      2012.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the validity of the apparent downward trend in the
      national case-fatality rate for gunshot wounds from assault. METHODS: We
      reanalyzed the estimated annual number of nonfatal firearm injuries the National
      Electronic Injury Surveillance System reported from 2003 to 2012. We adjusted the
      estimates for discontinuities created by the substitution of 1 hospital for
      another in the sample and for a downward trend in the percentage of gunshot
      injuries classified as "unknown circumstance." Firearm homicide data are from the
      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Web-based Injury Statistics Query and
      Reporting System. RESULTS: The unadjusted National Electronic Injury Surveillance
      System estimate increased by 49%, yielding a decline in the case-fatality rate
      from 25% to 18%. Our adjustments eliminated these trends; the case-fatality rate
      was 22% in both 2003 and 2012. CONCLUSIONS: With reasonable adjustments, the
      trend in nonfatal injuries from interpersonal firearms assault tracks the flat
      trend in firearms homicides, suggesting that there was no increase in firearms
      violence during this period. The case-fatality rate did not change, and trauma
      care improvements did not influence the firearms homicide trend.

PMID- 28640679
TI  - Crash Fatality Rates After Recreational Marijuana Legalization in Washington and
      Colorado.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate motor vehicle crash fatality rates in the first 2 states
      with recreational marijuana legalization and compare them with motor vehicle
      crash fatality rates in similar states without recreational marijuana
      legalization. METHODS: We used the US Fatality Analysis Reporting System to
      determine the annual numbers of motor vehicle crash fatalities between 2009 and
      2015 in Washington, Colorado, and 8 control states. We compared year-over-year
      changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates (per billion vehicle miles
      traveled) before and after recreational marijuana legalization with a difference
      in-differences approach that controlled for underlying time trends and state
      specific population, economic, and traffic characteristics. RESULTS: Pre
      recreational marijuana legalization annual changes in motor vehicle crash
      fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were similar to those for the control
      states. Post-recreational marijuana legalization changes in motor vehicle crash
      fatality rates for Washington and Colorado also did not significantly differ from
      those for the control states (adjusted difference-in-differences coefficient =
      +0.2 fatalities/billion vehicle miles traveled; 95% confidence interval = -0.4,
      +0.9). CONCLUSIONS: Three years after recreational marijuana legalization,
      changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were
      not statistically different from those in similar states without recreational
      marijuana legalization. Future studies over a longer time remain warranted.

PMID- 28640678
TI  - Hurricane Sandy (New Jersey): Mortality Rates in the Following Month and Quarter.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe changes in mortality after Hurricane Sandy made landfall
      in New Jersey on October 29, 2012. METHODS: We used electronic death records to
      describe changes in all-cause and cause-specific mortality overall, in persons
      aged 76 years or older, and by 3 Sandy impact levels for the month and quarter
      following Hurricane Sandy compared with the same periods in earlier years
      adjusted for trends. RESULTS: All-cause mortality increased 6% (95% confidence
      interval [CI] = 2%, 11%) for the month, 5%, 8%, and 12% by increasing Sandy
      impact level; and 7% (95% CI = 5%, 10%) for the quarter, 5%, 8%, and 15% by
      increasing Sandy impact level. In elderly persons, all-cause mortality rates
      increased 10% (95% CI = 5%, 15%) and 13% (95% CI = 10%, 16%) in the month and
      quarter, respectively. Deaths that were cardiovascular disease-related increased
      by 6% in both periods, noninfectious respiratory disease-related by 24% in the
      quarter, infection-related by 20% in the quarter, and unintentional injury
      related by 23% in the month. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality increased, heterogeneous by
      cause, for both periods after Hurricane Sandy, particularly in communities more
      severely affected and in the elderly, who may benefit from supportive services.

PMID- 28640680
TI  - Polysubstance Use Among US Women of Reproductive Age Who Use Opioids for
      Nonmedical Reasons.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and patterns of polysubstance use among
      US reproductive-aged women who use opioids for nonmedical purposes. METHODS: We
      used the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (2005-2014) data on female
      respondents aged 18 to 44 years reporting nonmedical opioid use in the past 30
      days (unweighted n = 4498). We categorized patterns of polysubstance use in the
      past 30 days, including cigarettes, binge drinking, and other legal and illicit
      substances and reported prevalence adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, and
      educational attainment. RESULTS: Of all women with nonmedical opioid use, 11%
      reported only opioid use. Polysubstance use was highest in non-Hispanic White
      women and women with lower educational attainment. The most frequently used other
      substances among women using opioids nonmedically were cigarettes (56.2% smoked >
      5 cigarettes per day), binge drinking (49.7%), and marijuana (32.4%).
      Polysubstance use was similarly prevalent among pregnant women with nonmedical
      opioid use. CONCLUSIONS: Polysubstance use is highly prevalent among US
      reproductive-aged women reporting nonmedical opioid use. Public Health
      Implications. Interventions are needed that address concurrent use of multiple
      substances.

PMID- 28640681
TI  - Crowdsourced Health Data: Comparability to a US National Survey, 2013-2015.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the generalizability of crowdsourced, electronic health
      data from self-selected individuals using a national survey as a reference.
      METHODS: Using the world's largest crowdsourcing platform in 2015, we collected
      data on characteristics known to influence cardiovascular disease risk and
      identified comparable data from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
      System. We used age-stratified logistic regression models to identify differences
      among groups. RESULTS: Crowdsourced respondents were younger, more likely to be
      non-Hispanic and White, and had higher educational attainment. Those aged 40 to
      59 years were similar to US adults in the rates of smoking, diabetes,
      hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Those aged 18 to 39 years were less similar,
      whereas those aged 60 to 75 years were underrepresented among crowdsourced
      respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Crowdsourced health data might be most generalizable to
      adults aged 40 to 59 years, but studies of younger or older populations, racial
      and ethnic minorities, or those with lower educational attainment should approach
      crowdsourced data with caution. Public Health Implications. Policymakers, the
      national Precision Medicine Initiative, and others planning to use crowdsourced
      data should take explicit steps to define and address anticipated
      underrepresentation by important population subgroups.

PMID- 28640682
TI  - Vocal Timbre and the Classification of Respondent Sex in US Phone-Based Surveys.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To characterize the conflict of sex and gender identity variables in
      the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) sample and examine
      how this may affect the administration of sex-related health behavior items to
      transgender participants. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2014
      BRFSS gender identity, sex, and sex-related health behavior variables. Twenty
      states administered the gender-identity variables (n = 154 062), and 691
      respondents identified as transgender in the survey (0.4%). We examined conflict
      among sex, gender identity, and gender-related variables, and compared
      conflicting and nonconflicting groups across 4 sociodemographic characteristics.
      RESULTS: Nearly one third of respondents (27.8%; n = 171) who identified as
      transgender received sex-specific items that conflicted with their natal sex,
      thereby reducing the already small subsample of valid responses. There were no
      significant differences between conflicting and nonconflicting groups on the
      basis of region, age, race/ethnicity, or type of interview. CONCLUSIONS: Public
      health surveys should ask respondents to self-identify their sex and gender
      identity. Interviewer assumptions of respondents' sex may lead to erroneous
      collection of sex- and gender-based items, inhibit survey administration, and
      create problems in data quality.

PMID- 28640683
TI  - The Public Health Practitioner of the Future.
AB  - The requisite capacities and capabilities of the public health practitioner of
      the future are being driven by multiple forces of change, including public health
      agency accreditation, climate change, health in all policies, social media and
      informatics, demographic transitions, globalized travel, and the repercussions of
      the Affordable Care Act. We describe five critical capacities and capabilities
      that public health practitioners can build on to successfully prepare for and
      respond to these forces of change: systems thinking and systems methods,
      communication capacities, an entrepreneurial orientation, transformational
      ethics, and policy analysis and response. Equipping the public health
      practitioner with the requisite capabilities and capacities will require new
      content and methods for those in public health academia, as well as a
      recommitment to lifelong learning on the part of the practitioner, within an
      increasingly uncertain and polarized political environment.

PMID- 28640684
TI  - Judicial Bypass for Minors Seeking Abortions in Arkansas Versus Other States.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe demographic characteristics and abortion timing of minors
      in Arkansas who obtained an abortion through a judicial bypass, and to contrast
      the frequency of judicial bypass in other states in the United States. METHODS:
      We used individual-level data on all abortions to minors (n = 2624) performed in
      Arkansas from 2005 to 2014 and aggregated data from 10 additional states on
      abortions obtained through a judicial bypass. We characterized correlates of the
      judicial bypass and its association with the timing of abortion. RESULTS: Minors
      in Arkansas who used the courts were more likely to be 17 years of age,
      nonresidents of Arkansas, Hispanic, and with fewer previous pregnancies than
      their younger, resident, non-Hispanic White, and multigravida counterparts; 7.7%
      of abortions to minors were obtained via a bypass in 11 states, but only 2% if
      Texas and Arkansas are excluded. CONCLUSIONS: The demographics of minors who
      obtain an abortion through a judicial bypass differ significantly from those who
      have parental consent, and there is widespread variation in the proportion of
      bypass cases across states.

PMID- 28640685
TI  - Understanding and Improving Arterial Roads to Support Public Health and
      Transportation Goals.
AB  - Arterials are types of roads designed to carry high volumes of motorized traffic.
      They are an integral part of transportation systems worldwide and exposure to
      them is ubiquitous, especially in urban areas. Arterials provide access to
      diverse commercial and cultural resources, which can positively influence
      community health by supporting social cohesion as well as economic and cultural
      opportunities. They can negatively influence health via safety issues, noise, air
      pollution, and lack of economic development. The aims of public health and
      transportation partially overlap; efforts to improve arterials can meet goals of
      both professions. Two trends in arterial design show promise. First,
      transportation professionals increasingly define the performance of arterials via
      metrics accounting for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and nearby
      residents in addition to motor vehicle users. Second, applying traffic
      engineering and design can generate safety, air quality, and livability benefits,
      but we need evidence to support these interventions. We describe the importance
      of arterials (including exposures, health behaviors, effects on equity, and
      resulting health outcomes) and make the case for public health collaborations
      with the transportation sector.

PMID- 28640686
TI  - Prevalence of Financial Fraud and Scams Among Older Adults in the United States:
      A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The financial exploitation of older adults was recently recognized by
      the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a serious public health
      problem. Knowledge of the prevalence of elder financial exploitation is mostly
      limited to the category of financial abuse, which occurs in relationships
      involving an expectation of trust. Little is known about the other major category
      of elder financial exploitation-elder financial fraud and scams, which is
      perpetrated by strangers. A valid estimate of elder financial fraud-scam
      prevalence is necessary as a foundation for research and prevention efforts.
      OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of elder financial fraud-scam
      victimization in the United States based on a systematic review and meta
      analysis. SEARCH METHODS: Multiple investigators independently screened titles
      and abstracts and reviewed relevant full-text records from PubMed, Medline,
      PsycINFO, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Social Work Abstracts, and AgeLine
      databases. SELECTION CRITERIA: To maximize the validity and generalizability of
      prevalence estimation, we restricted eligibility to general population-based
      studies (English speaking, 1990 onward) using state- or national-level
      probability sampling and collecting data directly from older adults. DATA
      COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Information on elder financial fraud-scam prevalence and
      study-level characteristics was extracted independently by 2 investigators. Meta
      analysis of elder financial fraud-scam prevalence used generalized mixed models
      with individual studies as levels of a random classification factor. MAIN
      RESULTS: We included 12 studies involving a total of 41 711 individuals in the
      meta-analysis. Overall pooled elder financial fraud-scam prevalence (up to 5-year
      period) across studies was 5.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.0%, 7.8%), with
      a 1-year period prevalence of 5.4% (95% CI = 3.2%, 7.6%). Studies using a series
      of questions describing specific fraud-scam events to measure victimization found
      a significantly higher prevalence (7.1%; 95% CI = 4.8%, 9.4%) than studies using
      a single, general-question self-report assessment approach (3.6%; 95% CI = 1.8%,
      5.4%). AUTHOR'S CONCLUSIONS: Elder financial fraud and scams is a common problem,
      affecting approximately 1 of every 18 cognitively intact, community-dwelling
      older adults each year; it requires further attention from researchers,
      clinicians, and policymakers. Elder financial fraud-scam prevalence findings in
      this study likely underestimate the true population prevalence. We provide
      methodological recommendations to limit older adult participation and reporting
      bias in future population-based research. Public Health Implications. Elder
      financial exploitation victimization is associated with mortality,
      hospitalization, and poor physical and mental health. Health care professionals
      working with older adults likely routinely encounter patients who are fraud-scam
      victims. Validation of instruments to screen for elder financial fraud and scams
      in clinical settings is an important area of future research. Without effective
      primary prevention strategies, the absolute scope of this problem will escalate
      with the growing population of older adults.

PMID- 28640687
TI  - Dust Exposure and Coccidioidomycosis Prevention Among Solar Power Farm
      Construction Workers in California.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate if work activities, dust exposure, and protection
      measures were associated with a 2011 to 2014 coccidioidomycosis outbreak among
      workers constructing 2 solar farms in California. METHODS: In 2013, we mailed
      self-administered questionnaires to employees who were onsite at the solar farms
      where the outbreak occurred to identify cases of clinical coccidioidomycosis and
      compare with asymptomatic workers by using multivariate logistic regression.
      RESULTS: When we compared 89 workers with clinical coccidioidomycosis to 325
      asymptomatic workers, frequently being in a dust cloud or storm (odds ratio [OR]
      = 5.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.18, 11.06) significantly increased the
      odds of clinical coccidioidomycosis, whereas frequently wetting soil before soil
      disturbing activity (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.24, 0.75) was protective. When we
      controlled for being in a dust cloud or storm, frequent soil disturbance
      significantly increased the odds of clinical coccidioidomycosis only among those
      who reported wearing a respirator infrequently (OR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.27, 4.21).
      CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of personal and employer-driven safety practices and
      increased coccidioidomycosis awareness among construction workers should be
      considered during the planning of any construction work in coccidioidomycosis
      endemic regions to prevent occupational infections and outbreaks.

PMID- 28640688
TI  - Unintentional Poisoning in China, 1990 to 2015: The Global Burden of Disease
      Study 2015.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To estimate the unintentional poisoning burden and risk factors in
      China from 1990 to 2015. METHODS: We extracted data from the Global Burden of
      Disease Study 2015 to compare mortality, prevalence, disability-adjusted life
      years (DALYs), years of life lost, years lived with a disability, and risk
      factors of unintentional poisoning in China. We determined the median of the
      percent change and 95% uncertainty interval for the period between 1990 and 2015.
      RESULTS: The age-standardized unintentional poisoning death rate decreased by
      61.8% from 1990 (4.1 per 100 000) to 2015 (1.6 per 100 000). The age-standardized
      prevalence decreased from 1990 (87.9 per 100 000) to 2010 (39.0 per 100 000), but
      rebounded in 2015 (42.6 per 100 000). All risk factors combined accounted for
      14.9% of unintentional poisoning DALYs in 2015. The leading risk factors for
      unintentional poisoning DALYs were alcohol and drug use and occupational risks.
      CONCLUSIONS: China has made substantial progress in reducing the mortality
      attributable to unintentional poisoning, but the prevalence and absolute number
      of patients has been increasing again since 2010. The growing contribution from
      alcohol and drug use requires increased attention.

PMID- 28640689
TI  - Deciphering Suicide and Other Manners of Death Associated with Drug Intoxication:
      A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Consultation Meeting Summary.
AB  - Manner of death (MOD) classification (i.e., natural, accident, suicide, homicide,
      or undetermined cause) affects mortality surveillance and public health research,
      policy, and practice. Determination of MOD in deaths caused by drug intoxication
      is challenging, with marked variability across states. The Centers for Disease
      Control and Prevention hosted a multidisciplinary meeting to discuss drug
      intoxication deaths as they relate to suicide and other MOD. The meeting
      objectives were to identify individual-level, system-level, and place-based
      factors affecting MOD classification and identify potential solutions to
      classification barriers. Suggested strategies included improved standardization
      in death scene investigation, toxicology, and autopsy practice; greater
      accountability; and creation of job aids for investigators. Continued
      collaboration and coordination of activities are needed among stakeholders to
      affect prevention efforts.

PMID- 28640690
TI  - A new layer of rRNA regulation by small interference RNAs and the nuclear RNAi
      pathway.
AB  - Ribosome biogenesis drives cell growth and proliferation, but mechanisms that
      modulate this process remain poorly understood. For a long time, small rRNA
      sequences have been widely treated as non-specific degradation products and
      neglected as garbage sequences. Recently, we identified a new class of antisense
      ribosomal siRNAs (risiRNAs) that downregulate pre-rRNA through the nuclear RNAi
      pathway in C. elegans. risiRNAs exhibit sequence characteristics similar to 22G
      RNA while complement to 18S and 26S rRNA. risiRNAs elicit the translocation of
      the nuclear Argonaute protein NRDE-3 from the cytoplasm to nucleus and nucleolus,
      in which the risiRNA/NRDE complex binds to pre-rRNA and silences rRNA expression.
      Interestingly, when C. elegans is exposed to environmental stimuli, such as cold
      shock and ultraviolet illumination, risiRNAs accumulate and further turn on the
      nuclear RNAi-mediated gene silencing pathway. risiRNA may act in a quality
      control mechanism of rRNA homeostasis. When the exoribonuclease SUSI-1(ceDis3L2)
      is mutated, risiRNAs are dramatically increased. In this Point of View article,
      we will summarize our understanding of the small antisense ribosomal siRNAs in a
      variety of organisms, especially C. elegans, and their possible roles in the
      quality control mechanism of rRNA homeostasis.

PMID- 28640692
TI  - Comparison of Gadolinium Concentrations within Multiple Rat Organs after
      Intravenous Administration of Linear versus Macrocyclic Gadolinium Chelates.
AB  - Purpose To compare gadolinium tissue concentrations of multiple linear and
      macrocyclic chelates in a rat model to better understand the scope and extent of
      tissue deposition following multiple intravenous doses of gadolinium-based
      contrast agent (GBCA). Materials and Methods In this Institutional Animal Care
      and Use Committee-approved study, healthy rats received 20 intravenous injections
      of 2.5 mmol gadolinium per kilogram (gadolinium-exposed group) or saline (control
      group) over a 26-day period. Unenhanced T1 signal intensities of the dentate
      nucleus were measured from magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained prior to GBCA
      injection and 3 days after final injection. Rat brain and renal, hepatic, and
      splenic tissues were harvested 7 days after final injection and subjected to
      inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy
      for quantification and characterization of gadolinium deposits. Results
      Gadolinium deposition in brain tissue significantly varied with GBCA type (F =
      31.2; P < .0001), with median concentrations of 0 MUg gadolinium per gram of
      tissue (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0, 0.2) in gadoteridol-injected rats, 1.6
      MUg gadolinium per gram of tissue (95% CI: 0.9, 4.7) in gadobutrol-injected rats,
      4.7 MUg gadolinium per gram of tissue (95% CI: 3.5, 6.1) in gadobenate
      dimeglumine-injected rats, and 6.9 MUg gadolinium per gram of tissue (95% CI:
      6.2, 7.0) in gadodiamide-injected rats; a significant positive dose-signal
      intensity correlation was identified (rho = 0.93; P < .0001). No detectable
      neural tissue deposition or MR imaging signal was observed in control rats (n =
      6). Similar relative differences in gadolinium deposition were observed in renal,
      hepatic, and splenic tissues at much higher tissue concentrations (P < .0001).
      Gadolinium deposits were visualized directly in the endothelial capillary walls
      and neural interstitium in GBCA-injected rats, but not in control rats.
      Conclusion Tissue deposition of gadolinium was two- to fourfold higher following
      administration of the linear agents gadodiamide and gadobenate dimeglumine
      compared with the macrocyclic agents gadobutrol and gadoteridol. These findings
      suggest that organ tissue deposition is reduced but not eliminated following
      administration of macrocyclic GBCA chelates in lieu of linear chelates. (c) RSNA,
      2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28640691
TI  - The nesprin-cytoskeleton interface probed directly on single nuclei is a
      mechanically rich system.
AB  - The cytoskeleton provides structure and plays an important role in cellular
      function such as migration, resisting compression forces, and transport. The
      cytoskeleton also reacts to physical cues such as fluid shear stress or
      extracellular matrix remodeling by reorganizing filament associations, most
      commonly focal adhesions and cell-cell cadherin junctions. These mechanical
      stimuli can result in genome-level changes, and the physical connection of the
      cytoskeleton to the nucleus provides an optimal conduit for signal transduction
      by interfacing with nuclear envelope proteins, called nesprins, within the LINC
      (linker of the nucleus to the cytoskeleton) complex. Using single-molecule on
      single nuclei assays, we report that the interactions between the nucleus and the
      cytoskeleton, thought to be nesprin-cytoskeleton interactions, are highly
      sensitive to force magnitude and direction depending on whether cells are
      historically interfaced with the matrix or with cell aggregates. Application of
      ~10-30 pN forces to these nesprin linkages yielded structural transitions, with a
      base transition size of 5-6 nm, which are speculated to be associated with
      partial unfoldings of the spectrin domains of the nesprins and/or structural
      changes of histones within the nucleus.

PMID- 28640693
TI  - Evaluation of Screening US-detected Breast Masses by Combined Use of Elastography
      and Color Doppler US with B-Mode US in Women with Dense Breasts: A Multicenter
      Prospective Study.
AB  - Purpose To investigate the value of the combined use of elastography and color
      Doppler ultrasonography (US) with B-mode US for evaluation of screening US
      detected breast masses in women with dense breasts. Materials and Methods This
      prospective, multicenter study included asymptomatic women with dense breasts who
      were referred for screening US between November 2013 and December 2014. Eligible
      women had a newly detected breast mass at conventional B-mode US screening, for
      which elastography and color Doppler US were performed. The following outcome
      measures were compared between B-mode US and the combination of B-mode US,
      elastography, and color Doppler US: area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value
      (PPV), and the number of false-positive findings at screening US. Results Among
      1021 breast masses (mean size, 1.0 cm; range, 0.3-3.0 cm) in 1021 women (median
      age, 45 years), 68 were malignant (56 invasive). Addition of elastography and
      color Doppler US to B-mode US increased the AUC from 0.87 (95% confidence
      interval [CI]: 0.82, 0.91) to 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.98; P < .001); specificity
      from 27.0% (95% CI: 24.2%, 29.9%) to 76.4% (95% CI: 73.6%, 79.1%; P < .001)
      without loss in sensitivity (95% CI: -1.5%, 1.5%; P > .999); and PPV from 8.9%
      (95% CI: 7.0%, 11.2%) to 23.2% (95% CI: 18.5%, 28.5%; P < .001), while avoiding
      67.7% (471 of 696) of unnecessary biopsies for nonmalignant lesions. Conclusion
      Addition of elastography and color Doppler US to B-mode US can increase the PPV
      of screening US in women with dense breasts while reducing the number of false
      positive findings without missing cancers. (c) RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental
      material is available for this article.

PMID- 28640694
TI  - Assessment of Rectal Tumors with Shear-Wave Elastography before Surgery:
      Comparison with Endorectal US.
AB  - Purpose To compare the value of endorectal ultrasonography (US) with shear-wave
      elastography (SWE) in staging rectal tumors before surgery. Materials and Methods
      This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board and written
      informed consent was obtained. In a pilot cohort from April 2015 to January 2016,
      70 patients with rectal adenocarcinomas and/or adenomas confirmed with
      histopathologic examination underwent both endorectal US and SWE. Tumor stiffness
      and three regions of reference backgrounds, as well as tumor stiffness ratios
      (SRs) versus these backgrounds, were analyzed. The optimal staging feature was
      selected by using receiver operating characteristic analysis, and the concordance
      rate with pathologic stage was analyzed and compared with endorectal US. The
      results were validated in an independent cohort of 30 patients from February 2016
      to July 2016. Results In the pilot study, from rectal adenoma to stage T3
      cancers, the tumor stiffness, stiffness of peritumoral fat, tumor SR versus
      distant perirectal fat, and tumor SR versus normal rectal wall were significantly
      increased (all P < .05, correlation coefficients between SWE features and
      pathologic T stages were 0.589-0.853). Receiver operating characteristic analysis
      of tumor staging demonstrated that tumor stiffness was the optimal feature with
      the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC = 0.991
      1.000). The cutoff values of stage T1, T2, and T3 cancers were 26.9 kPa, 70.3
      kPa, and 112.0 kPa, respectively. For SWE, the diagnostic concordance rate with
      pathologic stage (95.7%, weighted kappa = 0.962) was higher than that of
      endorectal US (75.7%, weighted kappa = 0.756). In the validation cohort, similar
      findings were revealed for diagnostic concordance rate (93.3% vs 76.7%; weighted
      kappa = 0.927 vs 0.651) and diagnostic performance of tumor staging (AUC = 0.950
      1.000 vs 0.700-0.833). Conclusion By using the feature of tumor stiffness at SWE,
      the accuracy of preoperative staging for rectal tumors was improved compared with
      endorectal US in the pilot study, but was not significantly different in the
      validation cohort, potentially due to small sample size. (c) RSNA, 2017 Online
      supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28640695
TI  - Gadolinium Brain Deposition after Macrocyclic Gadolinium Administration: A
      Pediatric Case-Control Study.
AB  - Purpose To determine whether signal intensity (SI) in T1 sequences as a potential
      indicator of gadolinium deposition increases after repeated administration of the
      macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) gadoteridol and gadoterate
      meglumine in a pediatric cohort. Materials and Methods This retrospective case
      control study of children with brain tumors who underwent nine or more contrast
      material-enhanced brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies from 2008 to 2015
      was approved by the local ethics board. Informed consent was obtained for MR
      imaging. Twenty-four case patients aged 5-18 years and appropriate control
      patients with nonpathologic MR neuroimaging findings (and no GBCA
      administration), matched for age and sex, were inculded. SI was measured on
      unenhanced T1-weighted MR images for the following five regions of interest
      (ROIs): the dentate nucleus (DN), pons, substantia nigra (SN), pulvinar thalami,
      and globus pallidus (GP). Paired t tests were used to compare SI and SI ratios
      (DN to pons, GP to thalamus) between case patients and control patients. Pearson
      correlations between relative signal changes and the number of GBCA
      administrations and total GBCA dose were calculated. Results The mean number of
      GBCA administrations was 14.2. No significant differences in mean SI for any ROI
      and no group differences were found when DN-to-pons and GP-to-pulvinar ratios
      were compared (DN-to-pons ratio in case patients: mean, 1.0083 +/- 0.0373
      [standard deviation]; DN-to-pons ratio in control patients: mean, 1.0183 +/-
      0.01917; P = .37; GP-to-pulvinar ratio in case patients: mean, 1.1335 +/-
      0.04528; and GP-to-pulvinar ratio in control patients: mean, 1.1141 +/- 0.07058;
      P = .29). No correlation was found between the number of GBCA administrations or
      the total amount of GBCA administered and signal change for any ROI. (Number of
      GBCA applications: DN: r = -0.254, P = .31; pons: r = -0.097, P = .65; SN: r = 
      0.194, P = .38; GP: r = -0.175, P = .41; pulvinar: r = -0.067, P = .75; total
      amount of administered GBCA: DN: r = 0.091, P = .72; pons: r = 0.106, P = .62;
      SN: r = -0.165, P = .45; GP: r = 0.111, P = .61; pulvinar: r = 0.173, P = .42.)
      Conclusion Multiple intravenous administrations of these macrocyclic GBCAs in
      children were not associated with a measurable increase in SI in T1 sequences as
      an indicator of brain gadolinium deposition detectable by using MR imaging.
      Additional imaging and pathologic studies are needed to confirm these findings.
      (c) RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28640696
TI  - Insights From Molecular Profiling of Adult Glioma.
AB  - The comprehensive molecular profiling of cancer has resulted in new insights into
      the biology and classification of numerous tumor types. In the case of primary
      brain tumors that commonly affect adults, an emerging set of disease-defining
      biomarker sets is reshaping existing diagnostic entities that had previously been
      defined on the basis of their microscopic appearance. Substantial progress has
      been made in this regard for common primary brain tumors in adults, especially
      diffuse gliomas, where large-scale profiling efforts have led to the
      incorporation of highly prevalent molecular alterations that promote a
      biologically based classification as an adjunct to the traditional
      histopathologic approach. The growing awareness that histologically
      indistinguishable tumors can be divided into more precise and biologically
      relevant subgroups has demanded a more global routine approach to biomarker
      assessment. These considerations have begun to intersect with the decreasing
      costs and availability of genome-wide analysis tools and, thus, incorporation
      into routine practice. We review how molecular profiling already has led to an
      evolution in the classification of brain tumors. In addition, we discuss the
      likely trajectory of incorporation of global molecular profiling platforms into
      the routine clinical classification of adult brain tumors.

PMID- 28640697
TI  - Current Clinical Challenges in Childhood Ependymoma: A Focused Review.
AB  - Ependymoma is a locally aggressive tumor with metastatic potential that arises in
      diverse locations throughout the brain and spine in children. Tumor and treatment
      may result in significant morbidity. Cure remains elusive for many patients owing
      to diverse biology and resistance to conventional therapy. The implementation of
      systematic postoperative irradiation in clinical trials during the past 20 years
      has increased the proportion of patients achieving durable disease control with
      excellent results, as measured by objective functional outcome measures.
      Clinical, pathologic, and molecular risk stratification should be used to refine
      treatment regimens for children with ependymoma to reduce the risk of
      complications associated with therapy and increase the rate of disease control in
      the setting of combined modality or more intensive therapy. This review covers
      standards of care and current clinical trials for children with ependymoma,
      emphasizing the history and evolution of treatment regimens during the past 20
      years and the clinical questions they hoped to address.

PMID- 28640698
TI  - Pediatric Gliomas: Current Concepts on Diagnosis, Biology, and Clinical
      Management.
AB  - Gliomas are the most common CNS tumors in children and adolescents, and they show
      an extremely broad range of clinical behavior. The majority of pediatric gliomas
      present as benign, slow-growing lesions classified as grade I or II by the WHO
      classification of CNS tumors. These pediatric low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are
      fundamentally different from IDH-mutant LGGs occurring in adults, because they
      rarely undergo malignant transformation and show excellent overall survival under
      current treatment strategies. However, a significant fraction of gliomas develop
      over a short period of time and progress rapidly and are therefore classified as
      WHO grade III or IV high-grade gliomas (HGGs). Despite all therapeutic efforts,
      they remain largely incurable, with the most aggressive forms being lethal within
      months. Thus, the intentions of neurosurgeons, pediatric oncologists, and
      radiotherapists to improve care for pediatric patients with glioma range from
      increasing quality of life and preventing long-term sequelae in what is often a
      chronic, but rarely life-threatening disease (LGG), to uncovering effective
      treatment options to prolong patient survival in an almost universally fatal
      setting (HGG). The last decade has seen unprecedented progress in understanding
      the molecular biology underlying pediatric gliomas, fueling hopes to achieve both
      goals. Large-scale collaborative studies around the globe have cataloged genomic
      and epigenomic alterations in gliomas across ages, grades, and histologies. These
      studies have revealed biologic subgroups characterized by distinct molecular,
      pathologic, and clinical features, with clear relevance for patient management.
      In this review, we summarize hallmark discoveries that have expanded our
      knowledge in pediatric LGGs and HGGs, explain their role in tumor biology, and
      convey our current concepts on how these findings may be translated into novel
      therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28640699
TI  - Brain Tumor Imaging.
AB  - Modern imaging techniques, particularly functional imaging techniques that
      interrogate some specific aspect of underlying tumor biology, have enormous
      potential in neuro-oncology for disease detection, grading, and tumor delineation
      to guide biopsy and resection; monitoring treatment response; and targeting
      radiotherapy. This brief review considers the role of magnetic resonance imaging
      and spectroscopy, and positron emission tomography in these areas and discusses
      the factors that limit translation of new techniques to the clinic, in
      particular, the cost and difficulties associated with validation in multicenter
      clinical trials.

PMID- 28640702
TI  - Diffuse Infiltrating Oligodendroglioma and Astrocytoma.
AB  - The new 2016 WHO brain tumor classification defines different diffuse gliomas
      primarily according to the presence or absence of IDH mutations ( IDH-mt) and
      combined 1p/19q loss. Today, the diagnosis of anaplastic oligodendroglioma
      requires the presence of both IDH-mt and 1p/19q co-deletion, whereas anaplastic
      astrocytoma is divided into IDH wild-type ( IDH-wt) and IDH-mt tumors. IDH-mt
      tumors have a more favorable prognosis, and tumors with low-grade histology
      especially tend evolve slowly. IDH-wt tumors are not a homogeneous entity and
      warrant further molecular testing because some have glioblastoma-like molecular
      features with poor clinical outcome. Treatment consists of a resection that
      should be as extensive as safely possible, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Trials
      of patients with newly diagnosed grade II or III glioma have shown survival
      benefit from adding chemotherapy to radiotherapy compared with initial treatment
      using radiotherapy alone. Both temozolomide and the combination of procarbazine,
      lomustine, and vincristine provide survival benefit. In contrast, trials that
      compare single modality treatment of chemotherapy alone with radiotherapy alone
      did not observe survival differences. Currently, for patients with grade II or
      III gliomas who require postsurgical treatment, the preferred treatment consists
      of a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Low-grade gliomas with
      favorable characteristics are slow-growing tumors. When deciding on the timing of
      postsurgical treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, both clinical and
      molecular factors should be taken into account, but a more conservative approach
      can be considered initially in some of these patients. The factor that best
      predicts benefit of chemotherapy in grade II and III glioma remains to be
      established.

PMID- 28640700
TI  - CNS Tumors in Neurofibromatosis.
AB  - Neurofibromatosis (NF) encompasses a group of distinct genetic disorders in which
      affected children and adults are prone to the development of benign and malignant
      tumors of the nervous system. The purpose of this review is to discuss the
      spectrum of CNS tumors arising in individuals with NF type 1 (NF1) and NF type 2
      (NF2), their pathogenic etiologies, and the rational treatment options for people
      with these neoplasms. This article is a review of preclinical and clinical data
      focused on the treatment of the most common CNS tumors encountered in children
      and adults with NF1 and NF2. Although children with NF1 are at risk for
      developing low-grade gliomas of the optic pathway and brainstem, individuals with
      NF2 typically manifest low-grade tumors affecting the cranial nerves (vestibular
      schwannomas), meninges (meningiomas), and spinal cord (ependymomas). With the
      identification of the NF1 and NF2 genes, molecularly targeted therapies are
      beginning to emerge, as a result of a deeper understanding of the mechanisms
      underlying NF1 and NF2 protein function. As we enter into an era of precision
      oncology, a more comprehensive awareness of the factors that increase the risk of
      developing CNS cancers in affected individuals, coupled with a greater
      appreciation of the cellular and molecular determinants that maintain tumor
      growth, will undoubtedly yield more effective therapies for these cancer
      predisposition syndromes.

PMID- 28640703
TI  - Integrating Evidence-Based Medicine for Treatment of Spinal Metastases Into a
      Decision Framework: Neurologic, Oncologic, Mechanicals Stability, and Systemic
      Disease.
AB  - Patients with cancer are frequently affected by spinal metastases. Treatment is
      palliative, with the principle goals of pain relief, preservation of neurologic
      function, and improvement in quality of life. In the past decade, we have
      witnessed a dramatic change in the treatment paradigms due to the development of
      improved surgical strategies and systemic and radiation therapy. The most
      important change to these paradigms has been the integration of spinal
      stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS), allowing delivery of tumoricidal radiation
      doses with sparing of nearby organs at risk. High-dose SSRS provides durable
      tumor control when used either as definitive therapy or as a postoperative
      adjuvant therapy. Integration of SSRS has fundamentally changed the indications
      for and type of surgery performed for metastatic spine tumors. Although the role
      for surgical intervention is well established, a clear trend toward less
      aggressive, often minimally invasive techniques has been observed. Targeted
      therapies are also rapidly changing the way cancer is being treated and have
      demonstrated improved survival for a number of malignancies. As these treatment
      decisions become more complex, a multidisciplinary approach including medical
      oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, interventionalists, and pain
      specialists is required. In this article, the current evidence affecting the
      treatment of spinal metastases is integrated into a decision framework that
      considers four principal assessments of a patient's spine disease: NOMS
      (neurologic, oncologic, mechanical instability, and systemic disease).

PMID- 28640701
TI  - Primary CNS Lymphoma.
AB  - Primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare form of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma
      that is typically confined to the brain, eyes, and cerebrospinal fluid without
      evidence of systemic spread. The prognosis of patients with PCNSL has improved
      during the last decades with the introduction of high-dose methotrexate. However,
      despite recent progress, results after treatment are durable in half of patients,
      and therapy can be associated with late neurotoxicity. PCNSL is an uncommon
      tumor, and only four randomized trials and one phase III trial have been
      completed so far, all in the first-line setting. To our knowledge, no randomized
      trial has been conducted for recurrent/refractory disease, leaving many questions
      unanswered about optimal first-line and salvage treatments. This review will give
      an overview of the presentation, evaluation, and treatment of immunocompetent
      patients with PCNSL.

PMID- 28640704
TI  - Immunotherapy for Brain Tumors.
AB  - Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal form of brain tumor and remains a large,
      unmet medical need. This review focuses on recent advances in the neurosciences
      that converge with the broader field of immuno-oncology. Recent findings in
      neuroanatomy provide a basis for new approaches of cellular therapies for tumors
      that involve the CNS. The ultimate success of immunotherapy in the CNS will
      require improved imaging technologies and methods for analysis of the tumor
      microenvironment in patients with GBM. It is likely that combinatorial approaches
      with targeted immunotherapies will be required to exploit the vulnerabilities of
      GBM and other brain tumors.

PMID- 28640705
TI  - Genomic Analysis of Childhood Brain Tumors: Methods for Genome-Wide Discovery and
      Precision Medicine Become Mainstream.
AB  - Recent breakthroughs in next-generation sequencing technology and complementary
      genomic platforms have transformed our capacity to interrogate the molecular
      landscapes of human cancers, including childhood brain tumors. Numerous high
      throughput genomic studies have been reported for the major histologic brain
      tumor entities diagnosed in children, including interrogations at the level of
      the genome, epigenome, and transcriptome, many of which have yielded essential
      new insights into disease biology. The nature of these discoveries has been
      largely platform dependent, exemplifying the usefulness of applying different
      genomic and computational strategies, or integrative approaches, to address
      specific biologic and/or clinical questions. The goal of this article is to
      summarize the spectrum of molecular profiling methods available for investigating
      genomic aspects of childhood brain tumors in both the research and the clinical
      setting. We provide an overview of the main next-generation sequencing and array
      based technologies currently being applied in this field and draw from key
      examples in the recent neuro-oncology literature to illustrate how these genomic
      approaches have profoundly advanced our understanding of individual tumor
      entities. Moreover, we discuss the current status of genomic profiling in the
      clinic and how different platforms are being used to improve patient diagnosis
      and stratification, as well as to identify actionable targets for informing
      molecularly guided therapies, especially for patients for whom conventional
      standard-of-care treatments have failed. Both the demand for genomic testing and
      the main challenges associated with incorporating genomics into the clinical
      management of pediatric patients with brain tumors are discussed, as are
      recommendations for incorporating these assays into future clinical trials.

PMID- 28640706
TI  - Adult Glioblastoma.
AB  - Glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare tumor and one of the most challenging malignancies
      to treat in all of oncology. Although advances have been made in the treatment of
      GBM, encouraging outcomes typically are not observed; patients diagnosed with
      these tumors generally have a dismal prognosis and poor quality of life as the
      disease progresses. This review summarizes the clinical presentation of GBM,
      diagnostic methods, evidentiary basis for the current standards of care, and
      investigational approaches to treat or manage GBM. Because the track record for
      developing effective therapies for GBM has been dismal, we also review the
      challenges to successful therapeutic and biomarker development.

PMID- 28640708
TI  - Medulloblastoma: From Myth to Molecular.
AB  - Current therapies for medulloblastoma were introduced primarily in the 1980s and
      consist of predominantly cytotoxic, nontargeted approaches. Mortality from
      medulloblastoma remains significant. In addition, many survivors suffer from
      severe treatment-related effects of radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy. Further
      intensification of nonspecific therapy is unlikely to offer additional benefits,
      because survival rates have reached a plateau. Recent publications in
      medulloblastoma have revolved largely around the recognition that medulloblastoma
      per se does not exist, but rather, that there are a group of histologically
      similar but clinically and molecularly distinct entities that have been grouped
      under that rubric. Distinguishing the four molecular subgroups of medulloblastoma
      wingless (WNT), sonic hedgehog (SHH), group 3, and group 4-in the daily treatment
      of patients, as well in the setting of clinical trials, is an important challenge
      in the near term for the pediatric neuro-oncology community. The preponderance of
      morbidity in treating patients with medulloblastoma is secondary to the treatment
      or prophylaxis of leptomeningeal metastases, and the cause of most deaths is
      leptomeningeal metastases. Recurrence of medulloblastoma is a nearly universally
      fatal event, with no significant salvage rate. The extent of spatial and temporal
      intratumoral heterogeneity as medulloblastoma metastasizes to leptomeninges and
      as it evolves in the face of radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy is just
      beginning to be understood as a major barrier to therapeutic success. Pediatric
      neuro-oncology clinicians and scientists must now determine how best to
      incorporate rapid changes in our biologic understanding of medulloblastoma into
      the next generation of upfront clinical trials, with the goal of both improving
      survival for the highest-risk patients and improving quality of life for
      survivors.

PMID- 28640707
TI  - Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Clinical Trials.
AB  - Development of novel therapies for CNS tumors requires reliable assessment of
      response and progression. This requirement has been particularly challenging in
      neuro-oncology for which contrast enhancement serves as an imperfect surrogate
      for tumor volume and is influenced by agents that affect vascular permeability,
      such as antiangiogenic therapies. In addition, most tumors have a nonenhancing
      component that can be difficult to accurately quantify. To improve the response
      assessment in neuro-oncology and to standardize the criteria that are used for
      different CNS tumors, the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) working
      group was established. This multidisciplinary international working group
      consists of neuro-oncologists, medical oncologists, neuroradiologists,
      neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuropsychologists, and experts in clinical
      outcomes assessments, working in collaboration with government and industry to
      enhance the interpretation of clinical trials. The RANO working group was
      originally created to update response criteria for high- and low-grade gliomas
      and to address such issues as pseudoresponse and nonenhancing tumor progression
      from antiangiogenic therapies, and pseudoprogression from radiochemotherapy. RANO
      has expanded to include working groups that are focused on other tumors,
      including brain metastases, leptomeningeal metastases, spine tumors, pediatric
      brain tumors, and meningiomas, as well as other clinical trial end points, such
      as clinical outcomes assessments, seizures, corticosteroid use, and positron
      emission tomography imaging. In an effort to standardize the measurement of
      neurologic function for clinical assessment, the Neurologic Assessment in Neuro
      Oncology scale was drafted. Born out of a workshop conducted by the Jumpstarting
      Brain Tumor Drug Development Coalition and the US Food and Drug Administration, a
      standardized brain tumor imaging protocol now exists to reduce variability and
      improve reliability. Efforts by RANO have been widely accepted and are
      increasingly being used in neuro-oncology trials, although additional refinements
      will be needed.

PMID- 28640709
TI  - Brain Tumors: Challenges and Opportunities to Cure.

PMID- 28640710
TI  - Brain Tumor Stem Cells Remain in Play.

PMID- 28640711
TI  - EFFECTS OF SEASON AND POSTMORTEM CHANGES ON BLOOD ANALYTES IN PYRENEAN CHAMOIS
      (RUPICAPRA PYRENAICA PYRENAICA).
AB  - Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of the 1) season, and 2) postmortem
      changes on serum biochemistries related with metabolism in Pyrenean chamois
      (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica). Serum samples from 98 animals obtained from 2009
      to 2012 were included. To investigate seasonal influences on blood parameters,
      the Pyrenean chamois were captured in drive-nets during the feed abundant (FA;
      n=32) and food deficient (FD; n=35) seasons. To evaluate the possible differences
      in biochemistry analytes when sampling live or dead animals, we used serum
      samples from 32 captured animals and 31 dead animals (obtained during controlled
      hunting) in the FA season. Significant increases in high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (24%), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA, 190%), total antioxidant
      capacity (68%), and haptoglobin (33%) were observed in FD when compared with FA
      seasons. Albumin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) showed statistically
      significant decreases of 10% and 11%, respectively, in samples taken in the FD
      season compared to the FA season. Statistically significant higher concentrations
      were found in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (22%), triglycerides
      (28%), acetylcholinesterase (50%), NEFA (383%), albumin (18%), IGF-1 (53%),
      cortisol (959%), and paraoxonase-1 (20%) in samples collected from live animals
      compared to samples collected from dead ones. We demonstrated that season should
      be taken into account when evaluating serum biochemistries in Pyrenean chamois
      because, in the FD season, these animals present lipid mobilization, decreased
      albumin and IGF-1, and increased total antioxidant capacity compared with the FA
      season. In addition, if samples are taken from dead animals, observed decreases
      in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, albumin, paraoxonase
      1, acetylcholinesterase, NEFA, cortisol, IGF-1, and an increase in haptoglobin
      should be expected.

PMID- 28640712
TI  - Detection of Wellfleet Bay Virus Antibodies in Sea Birds of the Northeastern USA.
AB  - Wellfleet Bay virus (WFBV) is a recently described orthomyxovirus isolated from
      the tissues of Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) collected during recurrent
      mortality events on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, US. Coastal Massachusetts is the
      only location where disease or mortality associated with this virus has been
      detected in wild birds, and a previous seroprevalence study found a significantly
      higher frequency of viral exposure in eiders from this location than from other
      areas sampled in North America. This suggests that coastal Massachusetts is an
      epicenter of WFBV exposure, but the reason for this is unknown. Opportunistic
      sampling of sympatric species and testing of banked serum was used to investigate
      potential host range and spatiotemporal patterns of WFBV exposure. Antibodies
      were detected in Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus), Ring-billed Gulls (Larus
      delawarensis), a White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca), and a Black Scoter
      (Melanitta nigra). These findings demonstrate the likely occurrence of
      fall/winter transmission, expand our understanding of the host range of the
      virus, and provide further insight into the epidemiology of WFBV in the
      northeastern US.

PMID- 28640713
TI  - DISPERSAL HAZARDS OF PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS DESTRUCTANS BY BATS AND HUMAN ACTIVITY AT
      HIBERNACULA IN SUMMER.
AB  - Bats occupying hibernacula during summer are exposed to Pseudogymnoascus
      destructans (Pd), the causative agent of white-nose syndrome (WNS), and may
      contribute to its dispersal. Furthermore, equipment and clothing exposed to cave
      environments are a potential source for human-assisted spread of Pd. To explore
      dispersal hazards for Pd during the nonhibernal season, we tested samples that
      were collected from bats, the environment, and equipment at hibernacula in the
      eastern US between 18 July-22 August 2012. Study sites included six hibernacula
      known to harbor bats with Pd with varying winter-count impacts from WNS and two
      hibernacula (control sites) without prior history of WNS. Nucleic acid from Pd
      was detected from wing-skin swabs or guano from 40 of 617 bats (7% prevalence),
      including males and females of five species at five sites where WNS had
      previously been confirmed as well as from one control site. Analysis of guano
      collected during summer demonstrated a higher apparent prevalence of Pd among
      bats (17%, 37/223) than did analysis of wing-skin swabs (1%, 4/617). Viable Pd
      cultured from wing skin (2%, 1/56) and low recapture rates at all sites suggested
      bats harboring Pd during summer could contribute to pathogen dispersal.
      Additionally, Pd DNA was detected on clothing and trapping equipment used inside
      and near hibernacula, and Pd was detected in sediment more readily than in swabs
      of hibernaculum walls. Statistically significant differences in environmental
      abundance of Pd were not detected among sites, but prevalence of Pd differed
      between sites and among bat species. Overall, bats using hibernacula in summer
      can harbor Pd on their skin and in their guano, and demonstration of Pd on
      clothing, traps, and other equipment used at hibernacula during summertime within
      the WNS-affected region indicates risk for pathogen dispersal during the
      nonhibernal season.

PMID- 28640715
TI  - Runner up 2017.

PMID- 28640716
TI  - The unknowns in tissue viability.

PMID- 28640714
TI  - An unexplored brain-gut microbiota axis in stroke.
AB  - Microbiota research, in particular that of the gut, has recently gained much
      attention in medical research owing to technological advances in metagenomics and
      metabolomics. Despite this, much of the research direction has focused on long
      term or chronic effects of microbiota manipulation on health and disease. In this
      addendum, we reflect on our recent publication that reported findings addressing
      a rather unconventional hypothesis. Bacterial pneumonia is highly prevalent and
      is one of the leading contributors to stroke morbidity and mortality worldwide.
      However, microbiological cultures of samples taken from stroke patient with a
      suspected case of pneumonia often return with a negative result. Therefore, we
      proposed that post-stroke infection may be due to the presence of anaerobic
      bacteria, possibly those originated from the host gut microbiota. Supporting
      this, we showed that stroke promotes intestinal barrier breakdown and robust
      microbiota changes, and the subsequent translocation of selective bacterial
      strain from the host gut microbiota to peripheral tissues (i.e. lung) induces
      post-stroke infections. Our findings were further supported by various elegant
      studies published in the past 12 months. Here, we discuss and provide an overview
      of our key findings, supporting studies, and the implications for future advances
      in stroke research.

PMID- 28640717
TI  - Wound care research: why do it?

PMID- 28640718
TI  - Setting up recovery clinics and promoting service user involvement.
AB  - Service user involvement in mental health has gained considerable momentum.
      Evidence from the literature suggests that it remains largely theoretical rather
      than being put into practice. The current nature of acute inpatient mental health
      units creates various challenges for nurses to put this concept into practice.
      Recovery clinics were introduced to bridge this gap and to promote service user
      involvement practice within the current care delivery model at Kent and Medway
      NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust. It has shaped new ways of working for
      nurses with a person-centred approach as its philosophy. Service users and nurses
      were involved in implementing a needs-led and bottom-up initiative using Kotter's
      change model. Initial results suggest that it has been successful in meeting its
      objectives evidenced through increased meaningful interactions and involvement in
      care by service users and carers. The clinics have gained wide recognition and
      have highlighted a need for further research into care delivery models to promote
      service user involvement in these units.

PMID- 28640719
TI  - Using simulated practice in pre-registration education to explore mental health
      issues.
AB  - UK policy advocates that all nurses should have the skills to work with
      individuals experiencing mental health problems. However, barriers exist in that
      mental health placements for child student nurses are brief or difficult to
      arrange. This hinders opportunities to develop a therapeutic working relationship
      with young people, consolidate skills and ultimately develop confidence in
      working with young people presenting with mental health problems. A 3-day
      simulated practice strategy with child nursing students was designed to give
      students the knowledge, skills and confidence to work with young people who
      present to services with mental health problems. Students were approached 6
      months after their simulated practice training to evaluate their opportunities to
      put their skills into practice while on placement. Once back in practice, 100% of
      students said they had improved confidence in working with young people who
      present with mental health problems.

PMID- 28640720
TI  - Fungating wounds: management and treatment options.
AB  - This article defines fungating wounds and considers the underlying cause,
      location and presentation. The clinical challenges presented by fungating wounds
      are discussed, with reference to evidence-based care delivery. This includes
      wound assessment, cleansing, debridement and management of malodour, infection,
      bleeding and exudate. Guidance on the use of wound management dressings is
      considered in relation to symptom management. The importance of clinical decision
      making and educational preparation in the delivery of evidenced-based care for
      those with fungating wounds is emphasised. A conclusion is made that the
      clinician can support the patient with a fungating wound by the delivery of
      evidenced-based care.

PMID- 28640721
TI  - The introduction and evaluation of a pressure ulcer risk assessment tool for
      photopheresis outpatients.
AB  - Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) patients are at high risk of
      compromised skin integrity, and of developing pressure ulcers, which may bleed
      and/or become infected. The Rotherham Outpatient Screening Tool (ROST) was
      adapted from the Waterlow score and the Malnutrition Universial Screening Tool
      (MUST) to suit patients attending an outpatient unit for photopheresis. A review
      of the screening tool highlighted patients at a higher risk of developing
      pressure damage during treatment and therefore the unit was able to reduce this
      risk by the provision of a pressure-relieving cushion (Repose).

PMID- 28640723
TI  - Intravitreal injections service: a patient experience evaluation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This survey has been conducted following the introduction of nurse
      led intravitreal injections clinics at the Great Western Hospital. A team of 5
      nurses regularly carry out an average of 90 injections per week. METHODS: A
      series of 169 consecutive injection patients have been offered the study
      questionnaire between 28 January 2016 and 28 February 2016; patients with no
      previous experience with a nurse injector were excluded. RESULTS: 76.9% strongly
      agree that the nurse is more friendly and sensitive to their needs. Only 12.4%
      strongly agree that a doctor will be more suitable to deliver the injections.
      Seventy-five percent stated that they were very happy with the care, while 0.4%
      thought a nurse would be unsafe; 69.2% feel more comfortable asking questions
      when with a nurse injector. Anxiety and nervousness were found to be the main two
      symptoms experienced by patients around the time of injections (27.8% and 34.9%,
      respectively). DISCUSSION: The questionnaire was designed based on the feedback
      from the local friends and family test. A clear majority of patients gave highly
      positive feedback about nurse injectors. Considering patients' individual needs
      at the time of injections, such as allergies or points that needs clarification,
      helps in overcoming some of the psychological complications of treatment.

PMID- 28640722
TI  - Stroke: ineffective tube securement reduces nutrition and drug treatment.
AB  - Stroke patients with dysphagia often depend on nutrition, hydration and
      medication via nasogastric (NG) feeding tubes. Securing tubes using tape is
      associated with repeated tube loss. In this study, the authors determined cause
      and effect by auditing tube placement methods, delays incurred, duration and
      costs. Of 202 NG tube placements in 75 patients, 67 placements occurred in 17
      patients over a full course of enteral nutrition (EN) and 40 of these placements
      were tracked. Tubes were secured by tape in 100%, mittens 31% and special
      observation 5.4%. However, over an EN course, inadvertent tube loss occurred in
      82% of patients and was associated with age (p=0.049) and mitten use (p<0.001):
      64% of tubes were lost due to patients and 9% slipped. Average 'tube life' was 2
      days, less than 25% of the EN episode (p<0.001). While tube placement occurred
      within 2.55 hours of request, X-ray confirmation led to a delay in feed and drugs
      of 8-9 hours per tube placement and loss of 18.8% of feeding time per EN episode.
      Delays exceeded the 1-hour and 4-hour limits for antibiotics and other medicines
      in 20% and 80%, respectively. In the 17 tracked patients, it was estimated that
      55% of the L5979 direct costs could be saved by nasal bridle use. In conclusion,
      most tubes studied were lost to inadvertent tube removal, leading to clinically
      significant delays to nutrition, hydration and drug treatments; this may impair
      recovery. Reducing tube loss is likely to reduce patient distress, treatment cost
      and enhance recovery.

PMID- 28640724
TI  - Enteral feeding for nutritional support in critically ill patients.
AB  - Omorogieva Ojo, Senior Lecturer in Primary Care at the University of Greenwich,
      O.Ojo@greenwich.ac.uk , highlights key recommendations on enteral nutrition for
      patients in critical care.

PMID- 28640725
TI  - From staff nurse to nurse consultant.
AB  - John Fowler, educational consultant and part-time university chaplain, examines
      the role of clinically based nurses in caring for the spiritual needs of patients
      who are Buddhists.

PMID- 28640726
TI  - A self-administration of medication pilot project: patient and nurse views.

PMID- 28640727
TI  - Urology study day: Leeds 2016.
AB  - Last year, urology nurses and continence nurse specialists took part in the
      second of two study days on urology. The events were delivered by the British
      Journal of Nursing with programme support in association with the British
      Association of Urology Nurses and Hollister Inc. Below are reports of some of the
      presentations.

PMID- 28640728
TI  - Wound-bed preparation: a vital step in the healing process.
AB  - Non-healing wounds are a significant burden to healthcare systems, where it is
      estimated that 4-5% of the adult population has a problem wound at any one time (
      Guest et al, 2017 ). It is suggested that infection is the most frequent
      complication in non-healing wounds where it can prolong patient treatment times
      and increase resource use ( Gottrup et al, 2013 ). Wound infection develops as a
      result of an imbalance between the patient's immune system and the conditions in
      the wound, which subsequently can promote bacterial proliferation ( Wounds UK,
      2013 ). It can impact on the patient by delaying wound healing, increasing the
      risk of amputation and life-threatening conditions, and reducing quality of life.
      The use of antibiotics to treat wound infections has decreased due to the
      increased risk of antibiotic resistance ( Swanson et al, 2014 ). As a result
      alternative strategies for preventing and managing wound infection have been
      adopted, including wound debridement and the use of topical
      antiseptic/antimicrobial agents.

PMID- 28640729
TI  - Why self-care is key to providing high-quality care to others.
AB  - Jo McCormick, Consultant Nurse and Associate Director of Nursing, Belfast Health
      and Social Care Trust, Joanna.McCormick@belfasttrust.hscni.net , and Sally Hayes,
      Director of Strategy, Planning and Resources at the Open University, share their
      insights from undertaking a Florence Nightingale Leadership Scholarship.

PMID- 28640731
TI  - Making their voices heard.

PMID- 28640730
TI  - Treating patients with venous leg ulcers in the acute setting: part 1.
AB  - Leg ulcers present with a variety of aetiologies, sometimes in combination. The
      most common aetiology is venous, with treament involving compression, elevation
      and exercise; the most common treatment setting is the community. However, people
      with leg ulcers do sometimes require admission to hospital for conditions and
      situations which may, or may not, be ulcer-related. There is a lack of
      contemporary evidence on the experience of inpatients and insufficient analysis
      of the impact on healing and complications to the lower limb when patients with
      leg ulcers and compression therapy are admitted to hospital. Admission to
      hospital presents an ideal opportunity for a focus on leg care and potentially
      enhancing healing rates of patients. The reality for patients with venous leg
      ulceration being treated with compression therapy is that this does not continue
      if they are admitted to hospital as inpatients-having been interrupted for MRSA
      screening and skin assessment, often no-one is available to reinstate the
      therapy. This article highlights key issues in the ongoing care of these patients
      and offers suggestions for basic management until a more acceptable and evidence
      based solution can be found. Part 2 will deal with the preparation for discharge
      and options for the treatment of patients who are not already in the care of
      community services.

PMID- 28640733
TI  - STPs need money to succeed.

PMID- 28640732
TI  - Do nurse staffing levels affect patient mortality in acute secondary care?
AB  - This systematic literature review explores and considers whether registered nurse
      staffing levels affect patient mortality in acute secondary care settings. A
      discussion makes particular reference to the philosophical foundations of
      contrasting research approaches used within the literature. At the time of
      writing, the author was a modern matron for surgery, managing the ear, nose and
      throat; head and neck; airway; and reconstructive plastic surgery services in a
      large acute teaching hospital in central London. Effective management and
      leadership of acute clinical areas requires appropriate nurse:patient ratios. In
      practice settings, patient to staff ratios are based on care being provided by
      highly skilled and competent nurses providing best-quality, evidence-based
      practice.

PMID- 28640734
TI  - Cost-effective wound management: a survey of 1717 nurses.
AB  - Delivering high-quality wound care requires a mix of knowledge and skills, which
      nurses aim to update by attending educational events such as conferences and
      study days. This article describes the data obtained from 30 educational study
      days, which took place across England, Scotland and Wales. It will explore
      nurses' knowledge in relation to the cost-effectiveness and clinical efficacy of
      current wound care practices, based on the answers of 1717 delegates that
      attended the events. It will also outline the results in relation to reducing
      expenditure on wound dressings and the importance of performing an accurate wound
      assessment.

PMID- 28640735
TI  - Improving patient safety in the NHS: the culture change agents.
AB  - John Tingle, Reader in Health Law at Nottingham Trent University, and Jen
      Minford, Junior Doctor Coordinator, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust,
      look at the role of patient safety culture change agents in the NHS.

PMID- 28640736
TI  - Compassionate leadership counts.
AB  - Sam Foster, Chief Nurse at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, discusses how
      attitudes to leadership styles have changed and reflects on the role of
      compassionare leadership in improving care.

PMID- 28640737
TI  - Professionalism in practice.
AB  - Emeritus Professor Alan Glasper, from the University of Southampton, discusses a
      new publication from the Nursing and Midwifery Council that offers a toolkit
      designed to strengthen professionalism in nursing.

PMID- 28640738
TI  - Evaluation of the effect and mechanism of action of local phenytoin in treatment
      of vitiligo.
AB  - There are many theories explaining vitiligo such as genetic, autoimmune, neural,
      free radicals, biochemical, intrinsic defect, melanocytorrhagy, and convergent
      theories. Phenytoin is a widely used anticonvulsant, which is used in cutaneous
      medicine for treatment of ulcers and epidermolysis bullosa. The aim of this study
      is to assess the effectiveness of topical phenytoin gel in the treatment of
      vitiligo patients and explaining the underlying mechanism using
      immunohistochemistry for evaluation of HMB45, CD4, and CD8. Only 9 patients out
      of 28 experienced response to phenytoin in the form of dull, white color change
      and light brown color. Post-phenytoin treatment biopsies showed decreased density
      of inflammation, increased melanin and increased HMB45 positive cells together
      with an increased number of CD4 positive lymphocytes and decreased number of CD8
      positive lymphocytes. These observations did not reach significant level (P >
      0.05). A high percentage of CD4 positive lymphocytes was significantly associated
      with a long duration of vitiligo (p = 0.03) and segmental vitiligo type (p =
      0.02). The current study applied phenytoin as 2% concentrated gel for 3 months,
      which is a relatively short duration without observed side effects throughout the
      period. These results indicate that topical phenytoin of low concentrations may
      have beneficial effects through immunomodulatory activity by affecting CD4 and
      CD8 counts and subsequently the ratio between them. Further studies are
      recommended to combine phenytoin with other antivitiligo agents as local
      corticosteroids or phototherapy to clarify if it could potentiate their effects.

PMID- 28640740
TI  - Differential effects of isc operon mutations on the biosynthesis and activity of
      key anaerobic metalloenzymes in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Escherichia coli has two machineries for the synthesis of FeS clusters, namely
      Isc (iron-sulfur cluster) and Suf (sulfur formation). The Isc machinery, encoded
      by the iscRSUA-hscBA-fdx-iscXoperon, plays a crucial role in the biogenesis of
      FeS clusters for the oxidoreductases of aerobic metabolism. Less is known,
      however, about the role of ISC in the maturation of key multi-subunit
      metalloenzymes of anaerobic metabolism. Here, we determined the contribution of
      each iscoperon gene product towards the functionality of the major anaerobic
      oxidoreductases in E. coli, including three [NiFe]-hydrogenases (Hyd), two
      respiratory formate dehydrogenases (FDH) and nitrate reductase (NAR). Mutants
      lacking the cysteine desulfurase, IscS, lacked activity of all six enzymes, as
      well as the activity of fumaratereductase, and this was due to deficiencies in
      enzyme biosynthesis, maturation or FeS cluster insertion into electron-transfer
      components. Notably, based on anaerobic growth characteristics and metabolite
      patterns, the activity of the radical-S-adenosylmethionine enzyme pyruvate
      formate-lyase activase was independent of IscS, suggesting that FeS biogenesis
      for this ancient enzyme has different requirements. Mutants lacking either the
      scaffold protein IscU, the ferredoxin Fdx or the chaperones HscA or HscB had
      similar enzyme phenotypes: five of the oxidoreductases were essentially inactive,
      with the exception being the Hyd-3 enzyme, which formed part of the H2-producing
      formate hydrogenlyase (FHL) complex. Neither the frataxin-homologue CyaY nor the
      IscX protein was essential for synthesis of the three Hyd enzymes. Thus, while
      IscS is essential for H2 production in E. coli, the other ISC components are non
      essential.

PMID- 28640739
TI  - Hepatitis B virus core antigen mutations predict post-operative prognosis of
      patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between hepatitis B virus
      (HBV) core antigen (HBc) mutations and the post-operative prognosis of HBV
      related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In total, 98 patients suffering from HBV
      related HCC and treated with surgery were enrolled, with a 48 month follow-up.
      The preCore/Core region of the HBV genome from tumour tissue (TT) and paired
      adjacent non-tumour tissue (ANTT) of these patients was sequenced, and a
      phylogenetic tree was reconstructed. The correlations between the viral features
      and evolutionary divergence of preCore/Core amino acid sequences from 67 paired
      TTs and ANTTs were analysed. Cox proportional hazard model analysis was applied
      for post-operative hazard risk evaluation. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that
      all of the sequences were ascribed to genotype C. The evolutionary divergence of
      amino acid sequences from matched TTs and ANTTs was significantly negatively
      correlated with serum and intrahepatic HBV DNA levels. Multivariate analysis
      showed that the HBc E77 mutation was associated with shorter overall survival,
      and HBc S87 and P156 mutations were independent risk factors for relapse.
      Furthermore, in contrast to with patients without the S87 mutation, no
      correlation was observed between serum HBV DNA and intrahepatic HBV DNA in HCC
      patients with the S87 mutation. Analysis of the intrahepatic sequence may advance
      our understanding of viral status; thus, it is useful for prognosis prediction
      for HBV-related HCC.

PMID- 28640741
TI  - An endophytic Fusarium sp. isolated from Monarda citriodora produces the
      industrially important plant-like volatile organic compound hexanal.
AB  - An endophytic fungus, MC_25L, has been isolated from the leaves of
      MonardacitriodoraCerv. ex Lag., a medicinal and aromatic herb from the
      northwestern Himalayas. It produces a fruity fragrance while growing on potato
      dextrose agar, suggesting that it is producing volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
      The endophyte inhibited the growth of plant pathogens such asSclerotiniasp. and
      Aspergillusflavus by virtue of VOCs. Identification of MC_25L based on
      morphological and microscopic features, as well as ITS-based rDNA sequence
      analysis, revealed that it is a Fusariumsp. GC-MS analysis revealed that this
      endophyte produces a unique array of VOCs, in particular hexanal, p
      fluoroanisole, pentafluoropropionic acid 2-ethylhexyl, (5E)-5-ethyl-2-methyl-5
      hepten-3-one, 2-butyl-2-hexanol, (7E)-2-methyl-7-hexadecene and acoradiene. Three
      major compounds were hexanal, (5E)-5-ethyl-2-methyl-5-hepten-3-one and
      acoradiene, and they account for around 84.57 % of the total VOCs. Moreover, of
      interest was the presence of hexanal, which has applications in the food and
      cosmetic industries, as well as in mycofumigation. This is the first report of a
      fungal endophyte producing the industrially important plant-like VOC hexanal.
      Hexanal is also active biologically. Thus this study indicates that Fusariumsp.
      (MC_25L) is a potential candidate for the up-scaling of hexanal.

PMID- 28640742
TI  - Identification of amino acids within norovirus polymerase involved in RNA binding
      and viral replication.
AB  - Until recently, molecular studies on human norovirus (HuNoV), a major causative
      agent of gastroenteritis, have been hampered by the lack of an efficient cell
      culture system. Murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) has served as a surrogate model system
      for norovirus research, due to the availability of robust cell culture systems
      and reverse genetics. To identify amino acids involved in RNA synthesis by the
      viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS7), we constructed NS7 mutants in which
      basic amino acids surrounding the catalytic site were substituted with alanine.
      Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that these residues are important
      for RNA binding, particularly R396. Furthermore, in vitro RNA synthesis and
      reverse genetics were used to identify conserved amino acids essential for RNA
      synthesis and viral replication. These results provide additional functional
      insights into highly conserved amino acids in NS7 and provide potential methods
      of rational attenuation of norovirus replication.

PMID- 28640743
TI  - Glucose consumption in carbohydrate mixtures by phosphotransferase-system mutants
      of Escherichia coli.
AB  - Escherichia coli lacking the glucose phosphotransferase system (PTS), mannose PTS
      and glucokinase are supposedly unable to grow on glucose as the sole carbon
      source (Curtis SJ, Epstein W. J Bacteriol 1975;122:1189-1199). We report that W
      ptsG manZ glk (ALS1406) grows slowly on glucose in media containing glucose with
      a second carbon source: ALS1406 metabolizes glucose after that other carbon
      source, including arabinose, fructose, glycerol, succinate or xylose, is
      exhausted. Galactose is an exception to this rule, as ALS1406 simultaneously
      consumes both galactose and glucose. The ability of ALS1406 to metabolize glucose
      in a xylose-glucose mixture was unchanged by an additional knockout in any single
      gene involved in carbohydrate transport and utilization, including agp
      (periplasmic glucose-1-phosphatase), galP (galactose permease), xylA (xylose
      isomerase), alsK (allose kinase), crr (glucose PTS enzyme IIA), galK (galactose
      kinase), mak (mannokinase), malE (maltose transporter), malX (maltose PTS enzyme
      IIBC), mglB (methyl-galactose transporter subunit), nagE (N-acetyl glucosamine
      PTS enzyme IICBA), nanK (N-acetyl mannosamine kinase) or pgm (phosphoglucose
      mutase). Glucose metabolism was only blocked by the deletion of two metabolic
      genes, pgi (phosphoglucose isomerase) and zwf (glucose-6-phosphate 1
      dehydrogenase), which prevents the entry of glucose-6-phosphate into the pentose
      phosphate and Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathways. Carbon-limited steady-state
      studies demonstrated that xylose must be sub-saturating for glucose to be
      metabolized, while nitrogen-limited studies showed that xylose is partly
      converted to glucose when xylose is in excess. Under transient conditions,
      ALS1406 converts almost 25 % (mass) xylose into glucose as a result of reversible
      transketolase and transaldolase and the re-entry of carbon into the pentose
      phosphate pathway via glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase.

PMID- 28640744
TI  - ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Polyomaviridae.
AB  - The Polyomaviridae is a family of small, non-enveloped viruses with circular
      dsDNA genomes of approximately 5 kbp. The family includes four genera whose
      members have restricted host range, infecting mammals and birds. Polyomavirus
      genomes have also been detected recently in fish. Merkel cell polyomavirus and
      raccoon polyomavirus are associated with cancer in their host; other members are
      human and veterinary pathogens. Clinical manifestations are obvious in
      immunocompromised patients but not in healthy individuals. This is a summary of
      the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the taxonomy
      of the Polyomaviridae, which is available at
      www.ictv.global/report/polyomaviridae.

PMID- 28640745
TI  - The amino terminal subdomain of glycoprotein Gc of Schmallenberg virus: disulfide
      bonding and structural determinants of neutralization.
AB  - Orthobunyaviruses are enveloped viruses that can cause human and animal diseases.
      A novel and major member is the Schmallenberg virus (SBV), the etiological agent
      of an emerging disease of ruminants that has been spreading all over Europe since
      2011. The glycoproteins Gn and Gc of orthobunyaviruses mediate the viral entry,
      and specifically Gc is a major target for the humoral immune response. For
      example, the N terminal subdomain of the SBV glycoprotein Gc is targeted by
      neutralizing monoclonal antibodies that recognize conformational epitopes. Here,
      we determined the structural features of the N terminus of Gc, and analysed its
      interaction with monoclonal antibodies. We were able to demonstrate that one of
      two N-glycosylation sites is essential for secretion and interaction with a
      subset of Gc-specific monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, four disulfide bonds (S
      S) were identified and the deletion of the third S-S blocked reactivity with
      another subset of mAbs with virus-neutralizing and non-neutralizing activity. The
      mutagenesis of the N-glycosylation sites and the disulfide bonds strongly
      indicated the independent folding of two subdomains within the SBV Gc N terminus.
      Further, the epitopes recognized by a panel of mAbs could be grouped into two
      clusters, as revealed by fine mapping using chimeric proteins. Combining the
      disulfide bonding and epitope mapping allowed us to generate a structural model
      of the SBV Gc N-terminus. This novel information about the role and structure of
      the amino terminal region of SBV Gc is of general relevance for the design of
      antivirals and vaccines against this virus.

PMID- 28640748
TI  - Spike detection using a multiresolution entropy based method.
AB  - Correct interpretation of neural mechanisms depends on the accurate detection of
      neuronal activities, which become visible as spikes in the electrical activity of
      neurons. In the present work, a novel entropy based method is proposed for spike
      detection which employs the fact that transient spike events change the entropy
      level of the neural time series. In this regard, the time-dependent entropy
      method can be used for detecting spike times, where the entropy of a selected
      segment of a neural time series, using a sliding window approach, is calculated
      and the time of the events are highlighted by sharp peaks in the output of the
      time-dependent entropy method. It is shown that the length of the sliding window
      determines the resolution of the time series in entropy space, therefore, the
      calculation is performed with a different window length for obtaining a
      multiresolution transform. The final decision threshold for detecting spike
      events is applied to the point-wise product of the time dependent entropy
      calculations with different resolutions. The proposed detection method has been
      assessed using several simulated and real neural data sets. The results show that
      the proposed method detects spikes in their exact times while compared with other
      traditional methods, relatively lower false alarm rate is obtained.

PMID- 28640747
TI  - A single amino acid change in the non-structural NV protein impacts the virulence
      phenotype of Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus in trout.
AB  - Novirhabdoviruses like the Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) are
      rhabdoviruses infecting fish. In the current study, RNA genomes of different VHSV
      field isolates classified as high, medium or low virulent phenotypes have been
      sequenced by next-generation sequencing and compared. Various amino acid changes,
      depending on the VHSV phenotype, have been identified in all the VHSV proteins.
      As a starting point, we focused our study on the non-virion (NV) non-structural
      protein in which an arginine residue (R116) is present in all the virulent
      isolates and replaced by a serine/asparagine residue S/N116 in the attenuated
      isolates. A recombinant virus derived from a virulent VHSV strain in which the NV
      R116 residue has been replaced by a serine, rVHSVNVR116S, was generated by
      reverse genetics and used to infect juvenile trout. We showed that rVHSVNVR116S
      was highly attenuated and that surviving fish were almost completely protected
      from a challenge with the wild-type VHSV.

PMID- 28640746
TI  - A chromosome 4 trisomy contributes to increased fluconazole resistance in a
      clinical isolate of Candida albicans.
AB  - Candida albicans is an important opportunistic fungal pathogen capable of causing
      both mucosal and disseminated disease. Infections are often treated with
      fluconazole, a front-line antifungal drug that targets the biosynthesis of
      ergosterol, a major component of the fungal cell membrane. Resistance to
      fluconazole can arise through a variety of mechanisms, including gain-of-function
      mutations, loss of heterozygosity events and aneuploidy. The clinical isolate
      P60002 was found to be highly resistant to azole-class drugs, yet lacked
      mutations or chromosomal rearrangements known to be associated with azole
      resistance. Transcription profiling suggested that increased expression of two
      putative drug efflux pumps, CDR11 and QDR1, might confer azole resistance.
      However, ectopic expression of the P60002 alleles of these genes in a drug
      susceptible strain did not increase fluconazole resistance. We next examined
      whether the presence of three copies of chromosome 4 (Chr4) or chromosome 6
      (Chr6) contributed to azole resistance in P60002. We established that Chr4
      trisomy contributes significantly to fluconazole resistance, whereas Chr6 trisomy
      has no discernible effect on resistance. In contrast, a Chr4 trisomy did not
      increase fluconazole resistance when present in the standard SC5314 strain
      background. These results establish a link between Chr4 trisomy and elevated
      fluconazole resistance, and demonstrate the impact of genetic background on drug
      resistance phenotypes in C. albicans.

PMID- 28640750
TI  - In-vivo monitoring of infection via implantable microsensors: a pilot study.
AB  - The most common complication after implantation of foreign material is infection,
      leading to implant failure and severe patient discomfort. Smoldering-infections
      proceed inapparently and might not get verified by radiological diagnostics.
      Early identification of this type of infection might significantly reduce the
      rate of complications. Therefore, we manufactured a microsensor strip in a hybrid
      of thin-film and laminate technology in a wafer-level process. It comprises
      electrochemical, amperometric microsensors for glucose, oxygen and lactate as
      well as an integrated reference electrode. Microsensors have been implanted in
      the mouse dorsal skin fold chamber, which got inoculated with a human-pathogen
      bacterial strain. A selective signal could be measured for all parameters and
      time points. The infection led to measurable changes of the wound environment as
      given by a decrease of the oxygen- as well as the glucose-concentration while the
      lactate concentration increased markedly over time. The given results in this
      study are the first hints on a promising new tool and should therefore be
      interpreted as a proof of the principle to show the functionality of the
      microsensors in an in vivo setting. These microsensors could be used to monitor
      smoldering infections of implantable foreign materials reducing foreign implant
      associated complications.

PMID- 28640749
TI  - Enamel shear bond strength of different primers combined with an orthodontic
      adhesive paste.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was a comparison of shear bond strength (SBS) on tooth
      enamel of different primers combined with the adhesive paste Transbond XT.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty bovine teeth were used in order to create 40 test
      blocks. The blocks were divided into four groups of 10 blocks each: group A -
      sample primer (SP); group B - Opal Seal (OS); group C - Transbond Plus SEP
      (TSEP); group D - Transbond XT Primer (TXT). After surface preparation and
      application of the primer, respectively, two stainless steel brackets were fixed
      on each tooth by using Transbond XT. Accordingly, 80 brackets were debonded
      (n=20). Shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores were
      evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed by using the Student's t-test and
      Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: All tested groups revealed high shear bond strength
      in a similar size range. There were no significant differences between the groups
      concerning shear bond strength. The ARI scores of group C showed significantly
      lower ARI scores (0 and 1) than that of group D. Apart from that there was no
      statistical difference. CONCLUSION: In combination with the adhesive paste
      Transbond XT, all tested primers were suitable for fixing orthodontic brackets.
      The primers could be changed according to the clinical situation.

PMID- 28640751
TI  - False spectra formation in the differential two-channel scheme of the laser
      Doppler flowmeter.
AB  - Noise in the differential two-channel scheme of a classic laser Doppler flowmetry
      (LDF) instrument was studied. Formation of false spectral components in the
      output signal due to beating of electrical signals in the differential amplifier
      was found out. The improved block-diagram of the flowmeter was developed allowing
      to reduce the noise.

PMID- 28640752
TI  - Argumentation: A Methodology to Facilitate Critical Thinking.
AB  - Caring is a difficult nursing activity that involves a complex nature of a human
      being in need of complex decision-making and problem solving through the critical
      thinking process. It is mandatory that critical thinking is facilitated in
      general and in nursing education particularly in order to render care in diverse
      multicultural patient care settings. This paper aims to describe how
      argumentation can be used to facilitate critical thinking in learners. A
      qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design that is contextual was used.
      Purposive sampling method was used to draw a sample and Miles and Huberman
      methodology of qualitative analysis was used to analyse data. Lincoln and Guba's
      strategies were employed to ensure trustworthiness, while Dhai and McQuoid
      Mason's principles of ethical consideration were used. Following data analysis
      the findings were integrated within literature which culminated into the
      formulation of guidelines that can be followed when using argumentation as a
      methodology to facilitate critical thinking.

PMID- 28640753
TI  - Mechanism of antihypertensive effect of Mucuna pruriens L. seed extract and its
      isolated compounds.
AB  - Background In the search of safe and effective lead molecules from natural
      sources, Mucuna pruriens (MP) L. (Fabaceae) seeds were utilized for exploring the
      antihypertensive potential. Traditionally, it is used as diuretic and
      hypotensive. Methods Bioassay-guided fractions were utilized for the isolation of
      active compounds by column chromatography. IC50 value, enzyme kinetics and
      inhibition mechanism were determined. In vivo time and dose-dependent hypotensive
      study followed by changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) induced by angiotensin
      I (3 nmol/kg), angiotensin II (3 nmol/kg), and bradykinin (10 nmol/kg) in
      anesthetized rats was done. Plasma and tissue angiotensin I-converting enzyme
      (ACE) activities were also determined. Results Phytochemical analysis by
      spectroscopic techniques revealed the presence of known compounds like genistein,
      ursolic acid and L-DOPA from the ethyl acetate and water fraction, respectively.
      In vitro study revealed MP ethyl acetate (MPEA) fraction and genistein as the
      most active fraction (IC50 156.45 ug/mL) and compound (IC50 253.81 uM),
      respectively. Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed a non-competitive mode of
      inhibition. ACE protein precipitation was the suggested mechanism for inhibition.
      The extract showed a time- and dose-dependent decrease in MAP. Genistein was able
      to dose-dependently reduce the MAP, up to 53+/-1.5 mmHg (40 mg/kg, i.v.). As
      compared to control, it showed a dose-dependent decrease in plasma ACE activity
      of 40.61 % and 54.76 % at 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, respectively. It also decreased
      the ACE activity in the aorta (107.67nM/ml min at 10 mg, p<0.001; 95.33nM/ml min
      at 20 mg p<0.001). Captopril was used as a standard for various in vitro and in
      vivo assays. Conclusions The study revealed the antihypertensive potential of MP
      seed compounds via ACE inhibition.

PMID- 28640754
TI  - Raised TSH is associated with endothelial dysfunction in Metabolic Syndrome: A
      case control study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Endothelial dysfunction has been considered as one of the important
      factors in pathogenesis of Metabolic Syndrome (Met S). Subclinical hypothyroidism
      (SCH) has also been reported to be associated with Met S. The aim of our study is
      to evaluate the association of raised TSH with mediators of endothelial
      dysfunction in Met S with Subclinical hypothyroidism as compared to healthy
      controls. METHODS: Study population consisted of 100 subjects, out of which 50
      were cases of Met S and 50 were healthy controls. Met S group were further
      divided into two, based on the presence & absence of SCH. Serum insulin, T3, T4,
      TSH were measured by chemiluminescence based immunoassay (CLIA). Serum nitric
      oxide (NO) levels were measured by Modified Griess's method and serum endothelin
      1 (ET-1) levels were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Out of 50 cases of Met S, SCH
      was diagnosed in 22. The mean serum TSH levels were significantly higher in Met S
      cases as compared to healthy controls (5.7 +/- 1.2 MUIU/mL vs. 2.3 +/- 1.6
      MUIU/mL, P <0.0001). Mean serum NO levels were significantly lower in Met S cases
      as compared to healthy control (15.4 +/- 10 MUM vs. 21 +/- 10 MUM, p = 0.009).
      Mean serum ET-1 levels were significantly higher in Met S cases as compared to
      healthy controls (2.68 +/- 1.7 fmol/mL vs. 2.1 +/- 0.84 fmol/mL, p = 0.011). On
      Pearson's correlation analysis, TSH showed positive correlation with ET-1 (r =
      0.341, p = 0.001) and negative correlation with NO (r = -0.331, p = 0.001).
      Binary logistic regression analysis showed that TSH, NO and ET-1 has significant
      odd's ratio for predicting Met S. CONCLUSION: Met S cases were screened for
      thyroid abnormalities and found to have 44% of SCH along with co-existing
      endothelial dysfunction. Raised TSH in SCH could cause endothelial dysfunction
      which may lead to Met S and associated co-morbidities. Present study gives new
      insight in linking endothelial dysfunction and raised TSH in Met S. Therefore,
      Met S cases should be screened for SCH and treated appropriately to attenuate
      endothelial dysfunction and associated comorbidities in Met S.

PMID- 28640756
TI  - Single-lead f-wave extraction using diffusion geometry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A novel single-lead f-wave extraction algorithm based on the modern
      diffusion geometry data analysis framework is proposed. APPROACH: The algorithm
      is essentially an averaged beat subtraction algorithm, where the ventricular
      activity template is estimated by combining a newly designed metric, the
      'diffusion distance', and the non-local Euclidean median based on the non-linear
      manifold setup. We coined the algorithm [Formula: see text]. MAIN RESULTS: Two
      simulation schemes are considered, and the new algorithm [Formula: see text]
      outperforms traditional algorithms, including the average beat subtraction,
      principal component analysis, and adaptive singular value cancellation, in
      different evaluation metrics with statistical significance. SIGNIFICANCE: The
      clinical potential is shown in the real Holter signal, and we introduce a new
      score to evaluate the performance of the algorithm.

PMID- 28640757
TI  - Novel domain wall dynamics in synthetic antiferromagnets.
AB  - In this article, we review fascinating new mechanisms on recently observed
      remarkable current driven domain wall motion in nanowires formed from
      perpendicularly magnetized synthetic antiferromagnets interfaced with heavy
      metallic layers, sources of spin-orbit torques. All the associated torques such
      as volumetric adiabatic and non-adiabatic spin-transfer-torque, spin-orbit
      torques, shape anisotropy field torques, Dzyaloshinkii-Moriya interaction torques
      and most importantly a new powerful torque, exchange coupling torque, will be
      discussed based on an analytical model that provides an intuitive description of
      domain wall dynamics in synthetic ferromagnets as well as synthetic
      antiferromagnets. In addition, the current driven DW motion in the presence of in
      plane fields will be investigated, thus deepening our knowledge about the role of
      the exchange coupling torque, which will be of potential use for application to
      various novel spintronic devices.

PMID- 28640755
TI  - Chemical composition and biological activities of leaf and fruit essential oils
      from Eucalyptus camaldulensis.
AB  - The chemical composition of the essential oils from the leaves and fruit of
      Eucalyptus camaldulensis grown in Mersin, Turkey was analyzed using gas
      chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques.
      The biological activities (antibacterial and antifungal) were examined using the
      agar well diffusion method. The main leaf oil constituents were p-cymene (42.1%),
      eucalyptol (1,8-cineole) (14.1%), alpha-pinene (12.7%) and alpha-terpinol
      (10.7%). The main constituents of the fruit oil were eucalyptol (1,8-cineole)
      (34.5%), p-cymene (30.0%), alpha-terpinol (15.1%) and alpha-pinene (9.0%). Our
      results showed that both types of oils are rich in terms of monoterpene
      hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes. The leaf and fruit essential oils of E.
      camaldulensis significantly inhibited the growth of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus
      aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and
      Streptococcus sp.) bacteria (p<0.05). The oils also showed fungicidal activity
      against Candida tropicalis and C. globrata. Leaf essential oils showed more
      activity than fruit essential oils, probably due to the higher p-cymene
      concentration in leaves.

PMID- 28640758
TI  - Consecutive ultra-short-term heart rate variability to track dynamic changes in
      autonomic nervous system during and after exercise.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Quantitative measurement of the dynamic changes in autonomic nervous
      system (ANS) during and after exercise has great significance in clinical, sports
      training and other fields. A consecutive ultra-short-term (30 s, UST) heart rate
      variability (HRV) method was proposed to track the exercise-induced autonomic
      control of heart rate (HR). APPROACH: Twenty-three healthy young men participated
      in the study. The first four stages of the Modified Bruce Protocol (S0-S3) were
      performed. Six HRV indices, i.e. HF (power of high frequency ranged from 0.15 to
      0.4 Hz), LF (power of low frequency ranged from 0.04 to 0.15 Hz), LF/HF, SD1 and
      SD2 of Poincare plot, and SD2/SD1, over 30 s were calculated every 5 s over 3 min
      RR time series during, as well as after, exercise. MAIN RESULTS: The results
      showed that during exercise, SD1, SD2, HF and LF dropped down quickly and tended
      to stabilize. Particularly, SD1 and HF showed a slight upward trend in the lower
      three stages while the declining time of SD2 in S3 lasted longer than the other
      stages. SD2/SD1 increased rapidly first and then decreased slowly. The values of
      SD2/SD1 in S3 remained higher than those in the other stages. After exercise,
      SD1, SD2, HF and LF kept increasing first and then declined slowly or fluctuated
      with decaying amplitudes. SD2/SD1 increased initially, then decreased and
      fluctuated slightly. SIGNIFICANCE: Compared with the indices in frequency domain,
      the Poincare indices were more sensitive and accurate in UST measurement of ANS
      during exercise. The results demonstrated that the UST method could characterize
      the dynamic changing tendency of ANS during and after exercise and quantify the
      differences of changes in ANS induced by exercise with different intensities. In
      particular, the vagal branch functioned dominantly in controlling HR in S0 but
      the effect of the sympathetic branch on HR enhanced with the increase of exercise
      intensity. In addition, the transient changes of ANS related with the sudden
      onset of exercise could also be reflected, despite perhaps being limited by the
      computation window width to some extent. Thus, the consecutive UST Poincare
      indices could provide a feasible and simple method to measure quantitatively the
      exercise-induced dynamic changes in ANS.

PMID- 28640759
TI  - Electroactive beta-crystalline phase inclusion and photoluminescence response of
      a heat-controlled spin-coated PVDF/TiO2 free-standing nanocomposite film for a
      nanogenerator and an active nanosensor.
AB  - The electroactive beta-phase is most desirable due to its highest piezo-, pyro-
      and ferroelectric properties in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Induction of
      the beta-phase is successfully accomplished in titanium dioxide (TiO2)
      nanoparticles (NPs) doped spin-coated PVDF nanocomposite (PNC) films. The
      optimized yields of beta-phase and homogeneous ultra-smooth free-standing PNC
      film is utilized in a mechanical-energy harvesting application by fabricating a
      nanogenerator (NG) where the typical electrical poling step is not undertaken.
      Under a repeated human finger touch and release process, it delivers an open
      circuit voltage of 5 V. Moreover, the physical sensing capabilities of the NG are
      examined through harvesting mechanical energy from mouse clicking of a laptop and
      wrist pulse detection, which indicates that it can also be used as a nanosensor.
      The blue photoluminescence centred at 444 nm, which was also observed in PNC
      films, makes us anticipate a new type of photonic application where the design
      feasibility of hybrid sensors, i.e. electromechanical and photonic combination,
      is also possible.

PMID- 28640760
TI  - Successful Treatment of Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia With Eosinophilia With Arterial
      Ligation and Pulsed Dye Laser.

PMID- 28640762
TI  - Management of Patient Experience With ATX-101 (Deoxycholic Acid Injection) for
      Reduction of Submental Fat: ERRATUM.

PMID- 28640761
TI  - Commentary on Development of Basal Cell Carcinoma With Squamous Differentiation
      During Vismodegib Treatment.

PMID- 28640763
TI  - The Effectiveness of Matrix Cauterization With Bichloracetic Acid in the
      Treatment of Ingrown Toenails: ERRATUM.

PMID- 28640764
TI  - The Efficacy of Massage in Reducing Nodule Formation After Poly-L-Lactic Acid
      Administration for Facial Volume Loss: A Randomized, Evaluator-Blinded Clinical
      Trial: ERRATUM.

PMID- 28640765
TI  - Imaging Approaches for Contact Lens Deposition.
AB  - Deposition on contact lenses (CLs) starts quickly after their application to the
      ocular surface. Deposits may be composed of tear film components or other
      extraneous substances. These deposits have been related to various adverse
      conditions of the eye, leading to reduced biocompatibility between the CLs and
      the ocular surface. Analysis of these deposits is essential to better elucidate
      the relationship between these deposits and their adverse reactions so that
      better methods of increasing biocompatibility can be developed. Although methods
      such as enzymatic assays are available for quantitative analysis, they do not
      provide a complete picture of the deposition (e.g., lack of morphological
      details), and therefore, the use of imaging methods that can provide both
      qualitative and quantitative information about the deposits may be more
      preferable. Therefore, a search of the peer-reviewed literature that focused on
      imaging methods in the analysis of deposits on CLs was conducted. Various methods
      of imaging deposits in-vitro, in-vivo, or ex-vivo have been described along with
      the associated results. Imaging methods using fluorescence-based techniques and
      scanning electron microscopy appear to be the most frequently used methods. Some
      of the described methods not only provided morphologies but also identified the
      types of various deposits that were attached to the CLs. Various CL materials
      possessed different deposition morphologies and different quantities of the
      attached deposits. Further imaging studies performed in conjunction with other
      methods that could identify and quantify the deposits at a molecular level are
      recommended.

PMID- 28640766
TI  - Impact of Recurrence of Ovarian Cancer on Quality of Life and Outlook for the
      Future.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Ovarian cancer recurs in most patients, with a 5-year survival rate
      less than 30%. Quality of life is an increasingly important issue in patients
      with cancer, but there are limited data in women with recurrent ovarian cancer in
      this regard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used an ad hoc questionnaire to compare
      changes in health perceptions, burden of disease, and expectations for the future
      quality of life in women with and without recurrence of ovarian cancer. A total
      of 173 women were included, 116 with relapse and 57 without, undergoing follow-up
      in a routine clinical setting. RESULTS: Substantial differences were seen in self
      assessed health status between women with and without recurrence; 33.6% and 82.4%
      of women with and without recurrence rated their health as good to excellent,
      respectively. More patients with recurrence of disease reported limitations in
      moderate activity than those without. Furthermore, 79.0% of women without
      recurrence reported that pain did not affect or only slightly affected daily
      activities, compared with 28.2% with recurrence. Most women with recurrence
      (59.5%) reported that they were able to do less than they wanted to because of
      their emotional status compared with only 15.8% of women without recurrence. In
      addition, 66.4% of women with recurrence referred that they had problems
      concentrating at work and home versus 26.3% of women without recurrence.
      CONCLUSIONS: From this survey, it is clear that relapse of disease has a negative
      psychological and physical impact, highlighting the importance of time without
      recurrence and the need for effective treatment in the long term.

PMID- 28640767
TI  - Surgical and Pathological Outcomes of Laparoscopic Versus Abdominal Radical
      Hysterectomy With Pelvic Lymphadenectomy and/or Para-aortic Lymph Node Sampling
      for Bulky Early-Stage Cervical Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the feasibility,
      morbidity, and recurrence rate of total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH)
      with those of abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) for bulky early-stage cervical
      cancer. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 112 patients with
      stage IB1 or IIA2 cervical cancer in which the tumor diameter was 3 cm or
      greater. All patients underwent LRH (n = 30) or ARH (n = 82) with pelvic
      lymphadenectomy and/or para-aortic lymph node sampling between May 2011 and
      November 2014. Perioperative outcomes were compared between the 2 surgical
      groups. RESULTS: The laparoscopic approach consisted of 4 trocar insertions. Age,
      tumor diameter, and pelvic lymph nodes significantly differed between the 2
      cohorts. Body mass index, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
      stage, histologic type and grade, deep stromal invasion, lymphovascular space
      invasion, positive margins, and adjuvant therapy were not significantly different
      between the 2 cohorts. Laparoscopic radical hysterectomy exhibited favorable
      results compared with ARH in terms of operating time, blood loss, intestinal
      exhaust time, and length of hospital stay. In addition, recurrence was observed
      in 5 LRH patients (16.7%) and 9 ARH patients (11.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The surgical
      outcomes of LRH with pelvic lymphadenectomy and/or para-aortic lymph node
      sampling exhibited a similar therapeutic efficacy to those of the ARH approach.

PMID- 28640768
TI  - Perceptions of Cardiology Administrators About Cardiac Rehabilitation in South
      America and the Caribbean.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs can address the cardiovascular
      disease epidemic in South America. However, there are factors limiting CR access
      at the patient, provider, and system levels. The latter 2 have not been
      extensively studied. The objective of this study was to investigate cardiology
      administrator's awareness and knowledge of CR and perceptions regarding resources
      for CR. METHODS: This study was cross-sectional and observational in design.
      Cardiology administrators from South American and Caribbean countries were
      invited to participate by members of a professional association. Participants
      completed a questionnaire online. Descriptive analysis was performed and
      differences in CR knowledge, awareness, perception, and attitudes regarding CR
      were described overall, by institution funding source (private vs public) and
      presence of within-institution CR (yes vs no). RESULTS: Most of the 55
      respondents from 8 countries perceived CR as important for outpatient care (mean
      +/- SD = 4.83 +/- 0.38 out of 5; higher scores indicating more positive
      perceptions), with benefits including reduced hospital readmissions (4.31 +/-
      0.48) and length of stay (4.64 +/- 0.71 days), not only for cardiac patients but
      for those with other vascular conditions (4.34 +/- 0.68 days). Those working in
      public institutions (50.9%) and in institutions without a CR program (25.0%) were
      not as aware of, and less likely to value, CR services (P < .05). Only 13.2% of
      programs had dedicated funding. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to findings from high-income
      settings, cardiology administrators and cardiologists in South America value CR
      as part of cardiac patient care, but funding and availability of programs
      restrict capacity to deliver these services.

PMID- 28640769
TI  - Physiological Profile and Activity Pattern of Minor Gaelic Football Players.
AB  - Cullen, BD, Roantree, M, McCarren, A, Kelly, DT, O'Connor, PL, Hughes, SM, Daly,
      PG, and Moyna1, NM. Physiological profile and activity pattern of minor Gaelic
      football players. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1811-1820, 2017-The purpose of this
      study was to evaluate the physiological profile and activity pattern in club- and
      county-level under-18 (U-18) Gaelic football players relative to playing
      position. Participants (n = 85) were analyzed during 17 official 15-a-side
      matches using global positioning system technology (SPI Pro X II; GPSports
      Systems, Canberra, Australia) and heart rate (HR) telemetry. During the second
      part of this study, 63 participants underwent an incremental treadmill test to
      assess their maximal oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]o2max) and peak HR
      (HRmax). Players covered a mean distance of 5,774 +/- 737 m during a full 60
      minute match. The mean %HRmax and %V[Combining Dot Above]O2max observed during
      the match play were 81.6 +/- 4.3% and 70.1 +/- 7.75%, respectively. The playing
      level had no effect on the distance covered, player movement patterns, or %HRmax
      observed during match play. Midfield players covered significantly greater
      distance than defenders (p = 0.033). Playing position had no effect on %HRmax or
      the frequency of sprinting or high-intensity running during match play. The
      frequency of jogging, cruise running, striding (p = 0.000), and walking (p =
      0.003) was greater in the midfield position than in the forward position. Time
      had a significant effect (F(1,39) = 33.512, p-value = 0.000, and (Equation is
      included in full-text article.)= 0.462) on distance covered and %HRmax, both of
      which showed a reduction between playing periods. Gaelic football is
      predominantly characterized by low-to-moderate intensity activity interspersed
      with periods of high-intensity running. The information provided may be used as a
      framework for coaches in the design and prescription of training strategies.
      Positional specific training may be warranted given the comparatively greater
      demands observed in the midfield playing position. Replicating the demands of
      match play in training may reduce the decline in distance covered and %HRmax
      observed during the second half of match play.

PMID- 28640770
TI  - Physiological Responses and Time-Motion Analysis of Small Combat Games in
      Kickboxing: Impact of Ring Size and Number of Within-Round Sparring Partners.
AB  - Ouergui, I, Houcine, N, Marzouki, H, Davis, P, Franchini, E, Gmada, N, and
      Bouhlel, E. Physiological responses and time-motion analysis of small combat
      games in kickboxing: impact of ring size and number of within-round sparring
      partners. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1840-1846, 2017-The study aimed to
      investigate the physiological responses and time-structure of small combat games
      (SCGs) in kickboxing according to ring sizes and number of sparring partners.
      Twenty athletes from regional (n = 13) and national levels (n = 7) participated
      in the study (mean +/- SD, age: 20.3 +/- 0.9 years; height: 177 +/- 4.8 cm; body
      mass: 71.8 +/- 10.5 kg). Blood lactate concentration [La] was measured before and
      after bouts, and the delta (Delta) was determined. Heart rate (HR) was measured
      throughout and HR and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were also measured
      postbout. The HRpre, HRmean, and percentage of peak HR (%HRpeak) were used for
      analysis. The HRpeak was determined during a cycle ergometer graded exercise
      test. Each athlete was confronted by 1 (1 vs. 1; no sparring partner change), 2
      (1 vs. 2) and 4 opponents (1 vs. 4) within-round (sparring partner change every 1
      minute or 30 seconds, respectively) in different ring sizes (i.e., 2*2 m, 4*4 m,
      and 6*6 m). All combats were recorded and analyzed to determine the duration of
      different activity phases (high-intensity activities [HIA], low-intensity actions
      [LIA], and referee pause [P]). Results showed that values for HRpre and HRmean
      when opposed by a single individual (1 vs. 1) were lower than other conditions
      (all p < 0.001). Moreover, %HRpeak values in 1 vs. 1 were lower than in other
      conditions and higher in 4 * 4 m compared with other sizes. [La]pre, post, and
      the Delta did not differ among all conditions (p > 0.05). The RPE scores were
      lower in 1 vs. 1 compared with other conditions (p < 0.001), with no ring sizes
      effect (p > 0.05). For time-motion variables, HIA values were lower in 1 vs. 1
      than in the 2 other conditions and was longer in 2 * 2 m compared with 4 * 4 m
      and 6 * 6 m, whereas LIA values were higher in 1 vs. 1 and lower in the 2 * 2 m.
      In conclusion, SCGs seem to be a good form of exercise for sufficient
      cardiovascular conditioning specific to kickboxing activity in comparison with
      data from previous studies.

PMID- 28640771
TI  - Comparison of Jamar and Bodygrip Dynamometers for Handgrip Strength Measurement.
AB  - Guerra, RS, Amaral, TF, Sousa, AS, Fonseca, I, Pichel, F, and Restivo, MT.
      Comparison of Jamar and Bodygrip dynamometers for handgrip strength measurement.
      J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1931-1940, 2017-Studies that compared the agreement
      between Jamar and other models of dynamometers for handgrip strength (HGS)
      measurement have exhibited variability in the provided results. The lack of
      comparability between dynamometers led to the development of the Bodygrip
      dynamometer. This study aims to examine the reliability of the Bodygrip for HGS
      measurement, to compare it with the Jamar, and to explore the HGS differences
      between instruments considering the ergonomic effect of using the Bodygrip with 2
      different handles. A cross-sectional study was conducted in free-living (n = 114,
      18-89 years) and inpatient (n = 50, 65-93 years) volunteers. Nondominant HGS was
      tested randomly with the Jamar and Bodygrip, the latter using 2 different handles
      curved and straight types. Handgrip strength was obtained for each participant
      under the same conditions. Each individual performed 2 HGS measurements with each
      dynamometer, and the maximum HGS value was considered for dynamometers
      comparison. Differences in the maximum HGS value between the 2 devices (Jamar
      Bodygrip), intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), Bland and Altman plots,
      and limits of agreement were obtained. Correlation between the highest HGS
      measurement obtained for the nondominant hand with the Jamar and with the
      Bodygrip using each handle was excellent (ICCs: 0.93-0.95). Mean differences of 
      0.5 (limits of agreement: -4.6; 3.5) kgf with the curved handle and of 1.0 (-7.7;
      9.7) kgf with the straight handle for the free-living participants were obtained,
      whereas for inpatients these values were -1.0 (-3.8; 1.9) kgf and 2.1 (-3.3; 7.5)
      kgf, respectively, for the curved and straight handles. The Bodygrip is
      comparable to the Jamar in free-living adults and in hospitalized older adults,
      exhibiting excellent interinstrument reliability. The Bodygrip with the curved
      handle produces results closer to the Jamar when compared with Bodygrip with the
      straight handle, which emphasizes the importance of grip handle ergonomics to
      measurement reliability.

PMID- 28640772
TI  - The Effect of a Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse on Upper-Body Muscular Strength and
      Endurance.
AB  - Dunkin, JE and Phillips, SM. The effect of a carbohydrate mouth rinse on upper
      body muscular strength and endurance. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1948-1953, 2017
      Carbohydrate (CHO) mouth rinsing rapidly increases corticomotor output and
      maximal muscle force production, which could enhance muscular strength and
      endurance during resistance exercise. However, previous research has found no
      effect of CHO rinsing on muscular strength or endurance. The current study
      altered the CHO rinse composition and frequency and the muscular endurance test
      to further investigate the effects of a CHO mouth rinse on upper-body muscular
      strength and endurance. Twelve recreationally resistance-trained men (mean +/- SD
      age 22 +/- 1 year, height 179.2 +/- 1.8 cm, body mass 80.9 +/- 6.1 kg) completed
      a bench press protocol (1 repetition maximum [RM] test followed by repetitions to
      failure at 40% of 1RM) on 3 occasions. Subjects rinsed 25 ml of an 18% CHO
      solution or a placebo for 10 seconds before 1RM and repetitions to failure and
      completed a no-rinse control condition. Felt arousal (FA) was measured before and
      after each rinse, heart rate (HR) was measured before and after both exercise
      protocols, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was recorded after repetitions
      to failure. Rinsing did not influence 1RM (p = 0.680, (Equation is included in
      full-text article.)= 0.03), repetitions to failure (p = 0.677, (Equation is
      included in full-text article.)= 0.04), or exercise volume (load * reps; p =
      0.600, (Equation is included in full-text article.)= 0.05). There were no
      significant treatment effects on heart rate (p = 0.677, (Equation is included in
      full-text article.)= 0.04), FA (p = 0.674, (Equation is included in full-text
      article.)= 0.04) or rating of perceived exertion (p = 0.604, (Equation is
      included in full-text article.)= 0.05). A CHO mouth rinse does not improve upper
      body muscular strength or endurance.

PMID- 28640774
TI  - The Difference Between Countermovement and Squat Jump Performances: A Review of
      Underlying Mechanisms With Practical Applications.
AB  - Van Hooren, B and Zolotarjova, J. The difference between countermovement and
      squat jump performances: a review of underlying mechanisms with practical
      applications. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 2011-2020, 2017-Two movements that are
      widely used to monitor athletic performance are the countermovement jump (CMJ)
      and squat jump (SJ). Countermovement jump performance is almost always better
      than SJ performance, and the difference in performance is thought to reflect an
      effective utilization of the stretch-shortening cycle. However, the mechanisms
      responsible for the performance-enhancing effect of the stretch-shortening cycle
      are frequently undefined. Uncovering and understanding these mechanisms is
      essential to make an inference regarding the difference between the jumps.
      Therefore, we will review the potential mechanisms that explain the better
      performance in a CMJ as compared with a SJ. It is concluded that the difference
      in performance may primarily be related to the greater uptake of muscle slack and
      the buildup of stimulation during the countermovement in a CMJ. Elastic energy
      may also have a small contribution to an enhanced CMJ performance. Therefore, a
      larger difference between the jumps is not necessarily a better indicator of high
      intensity sports performance. Although a larger difference may reflect the
      utilization of elastic energy in a small-amplitude CMJ as a result of a well
      developed capability to co-activate muscles and quickly build up stimulation, a
      larger difference may also reflect a poor capability to reduce the degree of
      muscle slack and build up stimulation in the SJ. Because the capability to reduce
      the degree of muscle slack and quickly build up stimulation in the SJ may be
      especially important to high-intensity sports performance, training protocols
      might concentrate on attaining a smaller difference between the jumps.

PMID- 28640773
TI  - Salivary Mitochondrial DNA Copy Number Is Associated With Exercise Ventilatory
      Efficiency.
AB  - Chen, Y, Hill, HZ, Lange, G, and Falvo, MJ. Salivary mitochondrial DNA copy
      number is associated with exercise ventilatory efficiency. J Strength Cond Res
      31(7): 2000-2004, 2017-Mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) is an index of
      mitochondrial content and is responsive to changes in exercise training volume.
      Therefore, assessment of mtDNAcn may help to optimize exercise prescription and
      aid in athlete monitoring. Although previous work has assessed mtDNAcn derived
      from skeletal muscle and blood using invasive approaches, no study has examined
      salivary mtDNAcn and its relationship with sport performance. Fifteen adults
      (32.2 +/- 7.1 years) volunteered to participate in this study. Each participant
      provided a saliva sample for the analysis of mtDNAcn via real-time polymerase
      reaction. In addition, participants completed an exercise challenge test to
      assess oxygen consumption relative to body weight (V[Combining Dot Above]O2.kg)
      and ventilatory efficiency (VE/V[Combining Dot Above]CO2). Using multiple linear
      regression, we examined the association of V[Combining Dot Above]O2.kg and
      VE/V[Combining Dot Above]CO2 with salivary mtDNAcn, adjusting for self-reported
      physical activity (min.wk). Greater mtDNAcn was associated with lower
      VE/V[Combining Dot Above]CO2 (p < 0.01) and higher V[Combining Dot Above]O2.kg (p
      < 0.05). In our model adjusted for physical activity, greater mtDNAcn remained
      associated with lower VE/V[Combining Dot Above]CO2 (beta = -0.186; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], -0.348 to -0.025; p < 0.05), but not with V[Combining Dot
      Above]O2.kg (beta = -0.022; 95% CI, -0.113 to 0.063). Our findings suggest that
      salivary mtDNAcn is associated with ventilatory efficiency, which may reflect
      enhanced exercise efficiency as a consequence of greater total mitochondrial
      content. As saliva collection is noninvasive, stable at room temperature, and
      less costly in comparison to skeletal muscle and blood, future studies may
      consider using saliva for the evaluation of mitochondrial content for the
      purposes of monitoring exercise training as well as optimizing exercise
      prescription.

PMID- 28640777
TI  - A Salute to the Editor: Basil A. Pruitt, Jr., M.D. 1995-2011.

PMID- 28640776
TI  - Early fever after trauma: Does it matter?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fever is strongly associated with poor outcome after traumatic brain
      injury (TBI). We hypothesized that early fever is a direct result of brain injury
      and thus would be more common in TBI than in patients without brain injury and
      associated with inflammation. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients with
      major trauma with and without TBI from a busy Level I trauma center intensive
      care unit (ICU). Patients were assigned to one of four groups based on their
      presenting Head Abbreviated Injury Severity Scale scores: multiple injuries: head
      Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score greater than 2, one other region greater
      than 2; isolated head: head AIS score greater than 2, all other regions less than
      3; isolated body: one region greater than 2, excluding head/face; minor injury:
      no region with AIS greater than 2. Early fever was defined as at least one
      recorded temperature greater than 38.3 degrees C in the first 48 hours after
      admission. Outcome measures included neurologic deterioration, length of stay in
      the ICU, hospital mortality, discharge Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended, and plasma
      levels of seven key cytokines at admission and 24 hours (exploratory). RESULTS:
      Two hundred sixty-eight patients were enrolled, including subjects with multiple
      injuries (n = 59), isolated head (n = 97), isolated body (n = 100), and minor
      trauma (n = 12). The incidence of fever was similar in all groups irrespective of
      injury (11-24%). In all groups, there was a significant association between the
      presence of early fever and death in the hospital (6-18% vs. 0-3%), as well as
      longer median ICU stays (3-7 days vs. 2-3 days). Fever was significantly
      associated with elevated IL-6 at admission (50.7 pg/dL vs. 16.9 pg/dL, p =
      0.0067) and at 24 hours (83.1 pg/dL vs. 17.1 pg/dL, p = 0.0025) in the isolated
      head injury group. CONCLUSION: Contrary to our hypothesis, early fever was not
      more common in patients with brain injury, though fever was associated with
      longer ICU stays and death in all groups. Additionally, fever was associated with
      elevated IL-6 levels in isolated head injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic and
      Epidemiological study, level III.

PMID- 28640778
TI  - A cohort study of blunt cerebrovascular injury screening in children: Are they
      just little adults?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVIs) are rare with nonspecific
      predictors, making optimal screening critical. Radiation concerns magnify these
      issues in children. The Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST)
      criteria, the Utah score (US), and the Denver criteria (DC) have been advocated
      for pediatric BCVI screening, although direct comparison is lacking. We
      hypothesized that current screening guidelines inaccurately identify pediatric
      BCVI. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of pediatric trauma patients
      treated from 2005 to 2015 with radiographically confirmed BCVI. Our primary
      outcome was a false-negative screen, defined as a patient with a BCVI who would
      not have triggered screening. RESULTS: We identified 7,440 pediatric trauma
      admissions, and 96 patients (1.3%) had 128 BCVIs. Median age was 16 years (13, 17
      years). A cervical-spine fracture was present in 41%. There were 83 internal
      carotid injuries, of which 73% were Grade I or II, as well as 45 vertebral
      injuries, of which 76% were Grade I or II, p = 0.8. More than one vessel was
      injured in 28% of patients. A cerebrovascular accident (CVA) occurred in 17
      patients (18%); eight patients were identified on admission, and nine patients
      were identified thereafter. The CVA incidence was similar in those with and
      without aspirin use. The EAST screening missed injuries in 17% of patients, US
      missed 36%, and DC missed 2%. Significantly fewer injuries would be missed using
      DC than either EAST or US, p < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Blunt cerebrovascular injury
      does occur in pediatric patients, and a significant proportion of patients
      develop a CVA. The DC appear to have the lowest false-negative rate, supporting
      liberal screening of children for BCVI. Optimal pharmacotherapy for pediatric
      BCVI remains unclear despite a relative high incidence of CVA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:
      Diagnostic study, level III.

PMID- 28640779
TI  - Nonoperative management rather than endovascular repair may be safe for grade II
      blunt traumatic aortic injuries: An 11-year retrospective analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Society of Vascular Surgery (SVS) guidelines currently suggest
      thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for grade II-IV and nonoperative
      management (NOM) for grade I blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI). However, there
      is increasing evidence that grade II may also be observed safely. The purpose of
      this study was to compare the outcome of TEVAR and NOM for grade I-IV BTAI and
      determine if grade II can be safely observed with NOM. METHODS: The records of
      patients with BTAI from 2004 to 2015 at a Level I trauma center were
      retrospectively reviewed. Patients were separated into two groups: TEVAR versus
      NOM. All BTAIs were graded according to the SVS guidelines. Minimal aortic injury
      (MAI) was defined as BTAI grade I and II. Failure of NOM was defined as aortic
      rupture after admission or progression on subsequent computed tomography (CT)
      imaging requiring TEVAR or open thoracotomy repair (OTR). Statistical analysis
      was performed using Mann-Whitney U and chi tests. RESULTS: A total of 105 adult
      patients (>=16 years) with BTAI were identified over the 11-year period. Of
      these, 17 patients who died soon after arrival and 17 who underwent OTR were
      excluded. Of the remaining 71 patients, 30 had MAI (14 TEVAR vs. 16 NOM). There
      were no failures in either group. No patients with MAI in either group died from
      complications of aortic lesions. Follow-up CT imaging was performed on all MAI
      patients. Follow-up CT scans for all TEVAR patients showed stable stents with no
      leak. Follow-up CT in the NOM group showed progression in two patients neither
      required subsequent OTR or TEVAR. CONCLUSIONS: Although the SVS guidelines
      suggest TEVAR for grade II-IV and NOM for grade I BTAI, NOM may be safely used in
      grade II BTAI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, level IV.

PMID- 28640781
TI  - Hydrogen gas inhalation inhibits progression to the "irreversible" stage of shock
      after severe hemorrhage in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mortality of hemorrhagic shock primarily depends on whether or not
      the patients can endure the loss of circulating volume until radical treatment is
      applied. We investigated whether hydrogen (H2) gas inhalation would influence the
      tolerance to hemorrhagic shock and improve survival. METHODS: Hemorrhagic shock
      was achieved by withdrawing blood until the mean arterial blood pressure reached
      30-35 mm Hg. After 60 minutes of shock, the rats were resuscitated with a volume
      of normal saline equal to four times the volume of shed blood. The rats were
      assigned to either the H2 gas (1.3% H2, 26% O2, 72.7% N2)-treated group or the
      control gas (26% O2, 74% N2)-treated group. Inhalation of the specified gas
      mixture began at the initiation of blood withdrawal and continued for 2 hours
      after fluid resuscitation. RESULTS: The survival rate at 6 hours after fluid
      resuscitation was 80% in H2 gas-treated rats and 30% in control gas-treated rats
      (p < 0.05). The volume of blood that was removed through a catheter to induce
      shock was significantly larger in the H2 gas-treated rats than in the control
      rats. Despite losing more blood, the increase in serum potassium levels was
      suppressed in the H2 gas-treated rats after 60 minutes of shock. Fluid
      resuscitation completely restored blood pressure in the H2 gas-treated rats,
      whereas it failed to fully restore the blood pressure in the control gas-treated
      rats. At 2 hours after fluid resuscitation, blood pressure remained in the normal
      range and metabolic acidosis was well compensated in the H2 gas-treated rats,
      whereas we observed decreased blood pressure and uncompensated metabolic acidosis
      and hyperkalemia in the surviving control gas-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: H2 gas
      inhalation delays the progression to irreversible shock. Clinically, H2 gas
      inhalation is expected to stabilize the subject until curative treatment can be
      performed, thereby increasing the probability of survival after hemorrhagic
      shock.

PMID- 28640782
TI  - Perioperative Venous Thromboembolism: A Review.
AB  - Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant problem in the perioperative
      period, increasing patient morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. It is
      also considered the most preventable of the major postoperative complications.
      Despite widespread adoption of prophylaxis guidelines, it appears that morbidity
      from the disease has not substantially changed within the past 2 decades. It is
      becoming clear that current prophylaxis efforts are not sufficient. Using more
      potent anticoagulants may decrease the incidence of VTE, but increase the risk
      for bleeding and infection. Much has been learned about the pathophysiology of
      venous thrombogenesis in recent years. Beyond the "traditional coagulation
      cascade," which anticoagulants modulate, there is a growing appreciation for the
      roles of tissue factor, monocytes, neutrophils, neutrophil extracellular traps,
      microvesicles, and platelets in thrombus initiation and propagation. These recent
      studies explain to some degree why aspirin appears to be remarkably effective in
      preventing thrombus propagation. Endothelial dysfunction, traditionally thought
      of as a risk factor for arterial thrombosis, plays an important role within the
      cusps of venous valves, a unique environment where the majority of venous thrombi
      originate. This suggests a role for newer treatment modalities such as statins.
      Not all patients have an equal likelihood of experiencing a VTE, even when
      undergoing high-risk procedures, and better tools are required to accurately
      predict VTE risk. Only then will we be able to effectively individualize
      prophylaxis by balancing the risks for VTE against the risks associated with
      treatment. Given the different cell types and pathways involved in
      thrombogenesis, it is likely that multimodal treatment regimens will be more
      effective, enabling the use of lower and safer doses of hemostatic modulating
      therapies such as anticoagulants, antithrombotics, and antiplatelet medications.

PMID- 28640783
TI  - The Implementation of a Preoperative Transthoracic Echocardiography Consult
      Service by Anesthesiologists.
AB  - We describe a preoperative transthoracic echocardiography consult service led by
      anesthesiologists. The implementation process and the patient cohort are
      described. Preoperative transthoracic echocardiographic examinations were mostly
      performed in patients undergoing intermediate- or high-risk noncardiac surgery
      and in patients with a higher calculated mortality risk. All transthoracic
      echocardiographic examinations were interpreted by anesthesiologists.

PMID- 28640784
TI  - A Limitation of Intensive Care Unit Sedation Using Volatile Anesthetics.

PMID- 28640785
TI  - Physiologic Considerations in Trauma Patients Undergoing Resuscitative
      Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta.
AB  - Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta is a new procedure for
      adjunctive management of critically injured patients with noncompressible torso
      or pelvic hemorrhage who are in refractory hemorrhagic shock, ie, bleeding to
      death. The anesthesiologist plays a critical role in management of these
      patients, from initial evaluation in the trauma bay to definitive care in the
      operating room and the critical care unit. A comprehensive understanding of the
      effects of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta is essential
      to making it an effective component of hemostatic resuscitation.

PMID- 28640786
TI  - A Standardized Approach for Transfusion Medicine Support in Patients With
      Morbidly Adherent Placenta.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of placenta accreta (PA) has increased from 0.8 to 3.0
      in 1000 pregnancies, driven by increased rates of cesarean deliveries (32.2% in
      2014) of births in the United States. The average blood loss for a delivery
      complicated by PA ranges from 2000 to 5000 mL, frequently requiring substantial
      transfusion medicine support. We report our own institutional multidisciplinary
      approach for managing such patients, along with transfusion medicine outcomes, in
      this setting over a 5-year period. METHODS: We reviewed records for patients
      referred to our program in placental disorders from July 1, 2009, to July 1,
      2014. A placental disorders preoperative checklist was implemented to ensure
      optimal management of patients with peripartum hemorrhage. RESULTS: Of 136
      patients whose placentas were reviewed postpartum, 21 had PA, 39 had microscopic
      PA, 17 had increta, 17 had percreta, and 42 had no accreta (of which 11 had
      placenta previa). For each subtype, the percentage of patients receiving blood
      products were 71% (PA), 28% (microscopic PA), 82% (increta), 82% (percreta), and
      19% (no accreta). Among patients with PA or variants, 89% of patients with PA or
      variants underwent postpartum hysterectomy, compared to only 5% of patients with
      no or microscopic PA. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our experience and on the findings of
      our retrospective analysis, patients presenting with either antepartum
      radiological evidence or clinical suspicion of morbidly adherent placenta will
      benefit from a standardized protocol for clinical management, including
      transfusion medicine support. We found that massive hemorrhage is predictable
      when abnormal placentation is identified predelivery and that blood product
      support is substantial regardless of the degree of placental invasiveness. The
      protocol at our institution provides immediate access to sufficient volumes and
      types of blood products at delivery for patients at highest risk for life
      threatening obstetric hemorrhage. Therefore, for patients with a diagnosis of
      morbidly adherent placenta scheduled for planned cesarean delivery with possible
      hysterectomy, a programmatic checklist that mobilizes a multidisciplinary team,
      including proactive transfusion medicine support, represents best practices.

PMID- 28640787
TI  - In Response.

PMID- 28640788
TI  - The Use of Continuous Extended Criteria Graft Perfusion Will Lead to an Increase
      in Transplantable Organs.

PMID- 28640790
TI  - MicroRNA-155 Deficiency in Kupffer Cells Ameliorates Liver Ischemia-Reperfusion
      Injury in Mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is known to be involved in autoimmune
      diseases, inflammation, and transplantation. However, its role in a warm hepatic
      ischemia-reperfusion (IR) model has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: Partial
      hepatic IR was performed in wild-type and miR-155-deficient mice treated with or
      without GdCl3, and then the serum transaminase concentration and histology were
      analyzed. Kupffer cells (KCs) were isolated from the liver after IR, and
      immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate activation and polarization. In
      addition, the mRNA concentrations of various inflammatory cytokines were
      measured. Macrophages were obtained from the abdominal cavity and challenged with
      or without lipopolysaccharide to determine the influence of miR-155 deficiency on
      macrophage polarization in vitro. Furthermore, we used in vitro coculture assays
      to determine the effect of miR-155 deficiency on hepatocyte apoptosis induced
      directly by KCs. RESULTS: miR-155 deficiency ameliorated liver IR injury, and
      inhibition of KCs by GdCl3 abolished this protective effect. miR-155 deficiency
      decreased CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex class II expression in
      KCs after IR and tipped the M1/M2 balance toward an anti-inflammatory profile,
      where proinflammatory cytokine secretion was suppressed and IL-10 was enhanced.
      In addition, hepatocyte apoptosis was reduced in coculture with miR-155-deficient
      KCs in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: miR-155 deficiency plays an effective role in
      attenuating liver IR injury likely by regulating the activation and inflammatory
      response, as well as modifying the polarization of KCs.

PMID- 28640789
TI  - Complement-Mediated Enhancement of Monocyte Adhesion to Endothelial Cells by HLA
      Antibodies, and Blockade by a Specific Inhibitor of the Classical Complement
      Cascade, TNT003.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) of most solid organs is
      characterized by evidence of complement activation and/or intragraft macrophages
      (C4d + and CD68+ biopsies). We previously demonstrated that crosslinking of HLA I
      by antibodies triggered endothelial activation and monocyte adhesion. We
      hypothesized that activation of the classical complement pathway at the
      endothelial cell surface by HLA antibodies would enhance monocyte adhesion
      through soluble split product generation, in parallel with direct endothelial
      activation downstream of HLA signaling. METHODS: Primary human aortic endothelial
      cells (HAEC) were stimulated with HLA class I antibodies in the presence of
      intact human serum complement. C3a and C5a generation, endothelial P-selectin
      expression, and adhesion of human primary and immortalized monocytes (Mono Mac 6)
      were measured. Alternatively, HAEC or monocytes were directly stimulated with
      purified C3a or C5a. Classical complement activation was inhibited by
      pretreatment of complement with an anti-C1s antibody (TNT003). RESULTS: Treatment
      of HAEC with HLA antibody and human complement increased the formation of C3a and
      C5a. Monocyte recruitment by human HLA antibodies was enhanced in the presence of
      intact human serum complement or purified C3a or C5a. Specific inhibition of the
      classical complement pathway using TNT003 or C1q-depleted serum significantly
      reduced adhesion of monocytes in the presence of human complement. CONCLUSIONS:
      Despite persistent endothelial viability in the presence of HLA antibodies and
      complement, upstream complement anaphylatoxin production exacerbates endothelial
      exocytosis and leukocyte recruitment. Upstream inhibition of classical complement
      may be therapeutic to dampen mononuclear cell recruitment and endothelial
      activation characteristic of microvascular inflammation during AMR.

PMID- 28640791
TI  - Octogenarian Liver Grafts Reaching Centennial Age After Transplantation.

PMID- 28640792
TI  - Alloimmunization After Cryopreserved Arterial Allografts in a Patient on a Kidney
      Transplantation Waiting List.

PMID- 28640793
TI  - Intraoperative Computed Tomography (CT) for Treating Giant Carotid Intracavernous
      Aneurysms.
AB  - BACKGROUND Giant carotid intracavernous aneurysm refers to those lesions larger
      than 2.5 cm and derived from a cavernous segment, accounting for about 30% of all
      intracranial tumors. Dynamic CT perfusion imaging (PCT) is a common method
      recently employed to evaluate cerebral perfusion. This study investigated the
      efficacy and clinical application of intraoperative CT in the surgery for giant
      symptomatic carotid intracavernous aneurysm. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective
      analysis was performed on 23 cases with giant symptomatic carotid intracavernous
      aneurysm. BTO testing was performed before surgery. Differential treatments were
      performed based on the condition of aneurysm, and some patients received
      intraoperative PCT. Postoperative anti-coagulation was given with DSA or CTA
      follow-up examinations at 3-6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. RESULTS
      A total of 17 patients received aneurysm isolation coupled with high-flow bypass
      surgery. Among those, 9 developed early-onset neurological function after
      surgery, with gradual recover within 6 months. One coma patient died 25 months
      after discharge. One patient had aneurysm isolation with clapping of anterior
      communicating artery, and the other 5 cases received artery clapping only. In
      those patients, 4 had improvement at early phase, while 1 patient had numbness of
      the oculomotor nerve. Six patients received surgery in the CT room, including 5
      cases with single proximal ligation of the internal carotid artery plus 1
      aneurysm isolation combined with high-flow bypass surgery. CONCLUSIONS
      Intraoperative PCT can provide objective evidence and effective evaluation of
      cerebral perfusion.

PMID- 28640794
TI  - QuickStats: Percentage* of Adults Aged >=18 Years Who Reported Having a Severe
      Headache or Migraine in the Past 3 Months,? by Sex and Age Group - National
      Health Interview Survey,S United States, 2015.
AB  - In 2015, 20.0% of women and 9.7% of men aged >=18 years had a severe headache or
      migraine in the past 3 months. Overall and for each age group, women aged >=18
      years were more likely than men to have had a severe headache or migraine in the
      past 3 months. For both sexes, a report of a severe headache or migraine in the
      the past 3 months decreased with advancing age, from 11.0% among men aged 18-44
      years to 3.4% among men aged >=75 years and from 24.7% among women aged 18-44
      years to 6.3% among women aged >=75 years.

PMID- 28640795
TI  - Progress Toward Containment of Poliovirus Type 2 - Worldwide, 2017.
AB  - The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) continues to make progress toward
      the eradication target. Only one of the three serotypes, wild poliovirus (WPV)
      type 1 (WPV1), is still circulating, and the numbers of cases and countries with
      endemic transmission are at record lows. With the certification of wild
      poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) eradication in 2015 and the global replacement of
      trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (tOPV) containing Sabin poliovirus types 1, 2,
      and 3 with bivalent OPV containing only Sabin poliovirus types 1 and 3 during
      April-May 2016, poliovirus type 2 (PV2) is now an eradicated pathogen. However,
      in eight countries (Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique,
      Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Syria), monovalent type 2 OPV (mOPV2) was
      authorized for large-scale outbreak control after tOPV withdrawal (1). Poliovirus
      containment, an evolving area of work that affects every country, aims to ensure
      that all PV2 specimens are safely contained to minimize the risk for
      reintroducing the virus into communities. This report summarizes the current
      status of poliovirus containment and progress since the last report (2), and
      outlines remaining challenges. Within 30 countries, 86 facilities have been
      designated by the relevant national authorities (usually the Ministry of Health)
      to become poliovirus-essential facilities for the continued storage or handling
      of PV2 materials; each country is responsible for ensuring that these facilities
      meet all biorisk management requirements.

PMID- 28640796
TI  - Erratum: Vol. 66, No. 22.
AB  - In the report "Japanese Encephalitis Surveillance and Immunization - Asia and
      Western Pacific Regions, 2016," on page 581, in the table "Characteristics of
      Japanese encephalitis (JE) surveillance in countries with JE virus transmission
      risk, 2016," and on page 582, in the table "Characteristics of Japanese
      encephalitis (JE) immunization programs in countries with JE virus transmission
      risk, 2016," Taiwan should have been indented beneath China. The corrected tables
      with added indents can be found at
      http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/255639/1/WER9223.pdf.

PMID- 28640797
TI  - Rural and Urban Differences in Air Quality, 2008-2012, and Community Drinking
      Water Quality, 2010-2015 - United States.
AB  - PROBLEM/CONDITION: The places in which persons live, work, and play can
      contribute to the development of adverse health outcomes. Understanding the
      differences in risk factors in various environments can help to explain
      differences in the occurrence of these outcomes and can be used to develop public
      health programs, interventions, and policies. Efforts to characterize urban and
      rural differences have largely focused on social and demographic characteristics.
      A paucity of national standardized environmental data has hindered efforts to
      characterize differences in the physical aspects of urban and rural areas, such
      as air and water quality. REPORTING PERIOD: 2008-2012 for air quality and 2010
      2015 for water quality. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: Since 2002, CDC's National
      Environmental Public Health Tracking Program has collaborated with federal,
      state, and local partners to gather standardized environmental data by creating
      national data standards, collecting available data, and disseminating data to be
      used in developing public health actions. The National Environmental Public
      Health Tracking Network (i.e., the tracking network) collects data provided by
      national, state, and local partners and includes 21 health outcomes, exposures,
      and environmental hazards. To assess environmental factors that affect health,
      CDC analyzed three air-quality measures from the tracking network for all
      counties in the contiguous United States during 2008-2012 and one water-quality
      measure for 26 states during 2010-2015. The three air-quality measures include 1)
      total number of days with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels greater than the
      U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Ambient Air Quality
      Standards (NAAQS) for 24-hour average PM2.5 (PM2.5 days); 2) mean annual average
      ambient concentrations of PM2.5 in micrograms per cubic meter (mean PM2.5); and
      3) total number of days with maximum 8-hour average ozone concentrations greater
      than the NAAQS (ozone days). The water-quality measure compared the annual mean
      concentration for a community water system (CWS) to the maximum contaminant level
      (MCL) defined by EPA for 10 contaminants: arsenic, atrazine, di(2-ethylhexyl)
      phthalate (DEHP), haloacetic acids (HAA5), nitrate, perchloroethene (PCE),
      radium, trichloroethene (TCE), total trihalomethanes (TTHM), and uranium.
      Findings are presented by urban-rural classification scheme: four metropolitan
      (large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium metropolitan, and
      small metropolitan) and two nonmetropolitan (micropolitan and noncore)
      categories. Regression modeling was used to determine whether differences in the
      measures by urban-rural categories were statistically significant. RESULTS:
      Patterns for all three air-quality measures suggest that air quality improves as
      areas become more rural (or less urban). The mean total number of ozone days
      decreased from 47.54 days in large central metropolitan counties to 3.81 days in
      noncore counties, whereas the mean total number of PM2.5 days decreased from
      11.21 in large central metropolitan counties to 0.95 in noncore counties. The
      mean average annual PM2.5 concentration decreased from 11.15 MUg/m3 in large
      central metropolitan counties to 8.87 MUg/m3 in noncore counties. Patterns for
      the water-quality measure suggest that water quality improves as areas become
      more urban (or less rural). Overall, 7% of CWSs reported at least one annual mean
      concentration greater than the MCL for all 10 contaminants combined. The
      percentage increased from 5.4% in large central metropolitan counties to 10% in
      noncore counties, a difference that was significant, adjusting for U.S. region,
      CWS size, water source, and potential spatial correlation. Similar results were
      found for two disinfection by-products, HAA5 and TTHM. Arsenic was the only other
      contaminant with a significant result. Medium metropolitan counties had 3.1% of
      CWSs reporting at least one annual mean greater than the MCL, compared with 2.4%
      in large central counties. INTERPRETATION: Noncore (rural) counties experienced
      fewer unhealthy air-quality days than large central metropolitan counties, likely
      because of fewer air pollution sources in the noncore counties. All categories of
      counties had a mean annual average PM2.5 concentration lower than the EPA
      standard. Among all CWSs analyzed, the number reporting one or more annual mean
      contaminant concentrations greater the MCL was small. The water-quality measure
      suggests that water quality worsens as counties become more rural, in regards to
      all contaminants combined and for the two disinfection by-products individually.
      Although significant differences were found for the water-quality measure, the
      odds ratios were very small, making it difficult to determine whether these
      differences have a meaningful effect on public health. These differences might be
      a result of variations in water treatment practices in rural versus urban
      counties. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: Understanding the differences between rural and
      urban areas in air and water quality can help public health departments to
      identify, monitor, and prioritize potential environmental public health concerns
      and opportunities for action. These findings suggest a continued need to develop
      more geographically targeted, evidence-based interventions to prevent morbidity
      and mortality associated with poor air and water quality.

PMID- 28640799
TI  - Screening for Syphilis and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections in Pregnant
      Women - Guam, 2014.
AB  - Prenatal screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can
      prevent adverse perinatal outcomes. In Guam, the largest of the three U.S.
      territories in the Pacific, primary and secondary syphilis rates among women
      increased 473%, from 1.1 to 6.3 per 100,000 during 2009-2013 (1). In 2013, the
      first congenital syphilis case after no cases since 2008 was reported (1,2).
      Little is known about STI screening coverage and factors associated with
      inadequate screening among pregnant women in Guam. This study evaluated the
      prevalence of screening for syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
      chlamydia, and gonorrhea, and examined correlates of inadequate screening among
      pregnant women in Guam. Data came from the medical records of a randomly selected
      sample of mothers with live births in 2014 at a large public hospital. Bivariate
      analyses and multivariable models using Poisson regression were conducted to
      determine factors associated with inadequate screening for syphilis and other
      STIs. Although most (93.5%) women received syphilis screening during pregnancy,
      26.8% were not screened sufficiently early to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes.
      Many women were not screened for HIV infection (31.1%), chlamydia (25.3%), or
      gonorrhea (25.7%). Prenatal care and insurance were important factors affecting
      STI screening during pregnancy. Prenatal care providers play an important role in
      preventing congenital infections. Policies and programs increasing STI and HIV
      services for pregnant women and improved access to and use of prenatal care are
      essential for promoting healthy mothers and infants.

PMID- 28640800
TI  - HIV Testing, Linkage to HIV Medical Care, and Interviews for Partner Services
      Among Youths - 61 Health Department Jurisdictions, United States, Puerto Rico,
      and the U.S. Virgin Islands, 2015.
AB  - Identifying persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are
      unaware of their infection, linking them to HIV medical care, and reducing health
      disparities are important national goals (1). Of the 8,841 teens and young adults
      aged 13-24 years (collectively referred to as youths in this report) who received
      a diagnosis of HIV in 2014, 70% were young men who have sex with men (MSM) (2).
      In the same year, an estimated 52% of young MSM living with HIV were unaware of
      their infection compared with 15% among all persons living with HIV (3). An
      average of 22% of high school students who have had sexual intercourse and 33% of
      young adults (persons aged 18-24 years) reported ever receiving an HIV test (4).
      CDC recommends screening all persons aged 13-64 years, with annual rescreening
      for persons at high risk for HIV infection (5). Analysis of CDC-funded program
      data for youths submitted by 61 health departments in 2015 revealed that young
      MSM, who accounted for 83% of new diagnoses among all youths in non-health care
      facilities, received 28% of HIV tests.* The 2020 national goal is to link at
      least 85% of HIV-positive persons to HIV medical care within 30 days of
      diagnosis. In this analysis, 66% of youths who received positive test results for
      HIV infection were linked to care within 90 days of diagnosis. Increasing the
      number of youths at risk for HIV infection who are tested for HIV on a regular
      basis and ensuring that youths who receive positive test results for HIV are
      rapidly linked to and retained in appropriate medical care, including early
      initiation of antiretroviral therapy, are essential steps for reducing HIV
      infection in this vulnerable population.

PMID- 28640801
TI  - Hollywood raising awareness of smoking-related diseases: can it proactively
      counteract the impact of smoking in movies?-the final mission of Star Trek's Mr
      Spock.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/npjpcrm.2016.52.

PMID- 28640802
TI  - Peroxisomal biogenesis is genetically and biochemically linked to carbohydrate
      metabolism in Drosophila and mouse.
AB  - Peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD) are a group of multi-system human diseases
      due to mutations in the PEX genes that are responsible for peroxisome assembly
      and function. These disorders lead to global defects in peroxisomal function and
      result in severe brain, liver, bone and kidney disease. In order to study their
      pathogenesis we undertook a systematic genetic and biochemical study of
      Drosophila pex16 and pex2 mutants. These mutants are short-lived with defects in
      locomotion and activity. Moreover these mutants exhibit severe morphologic and
      functional peroxisomal defects. Using metabolomics we uncovered defects in
      multiple biochemical pathways including defects outside the canonical specialized
      lipid pathways performed by peroxisomal enzymes. These included unanticipated
      changes in metabolites in glycolysis, glycogen metabolism, and the pentose
      phosphate pathway, carbohydrate metabolic pathways that do not utilize known
      peroxisomal enzymes. In addition, mutant flies are starvation sensitive and are
      very sensitive to glucose deprivation exhibiting dramatic shortening of lifespan
      and hyperactivity on low-sugar food. We use bioinformatic transcriptional
      profiling to examine gene co-regulation between peroxisomal genes and other
      metabolic pathways and we observe that the expression of peroxisomal and
      carbohydrate pathway genes in flies and mouse are tightly correlated. Indeed key
      steps in carbohydrate metabolism were found to be strongly co-regulated with
      peroxisomal genes in flies and mice. Moreover mice lacking peroxisomes exhibit
      defective carbohydrate metabolism at the same key steps in carbohydrate
      breakdown. Our data indicate an unexpected link between these two metabolic
      processes and suggest metabolism of carbohydrates could be a new therapeutic
      target for patients with PBD.

PMID- 28640798
TI  - Evaluation of Placental and Fetal Tissue Specimens for Zika Virus Infection - 50
      States and District of Columbia, January-December, 2016.
AB  - Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause congenital microcephaly and brain
      abnormalities (1), and detection of Zika virus RNA in clinical and tissue
      specimens can provide definitive laboratory evidence of recent Zika virus
      infection. Whereas duration of viremia is typically short, prolonged detection of
      Zika virus RNA in placental, fetal, and neonatal brain tissue has been reported
      and can provide key diagnostic information by confirming recent Zika virus
      infection (2). In accordance with recent guidance (3,4), CDC provides Zika virus
      testing of placental and fetal tissues in clinical situations where this
      information could add diagnostic value. This report describes the evaluation of
      formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue specimens tested for Zika virus
      infection in 2016 and the contribution of this testing to the public health
      response. Among 546 live births with possible maternal Zika virus exposure, for
      which placental tissues were submitted by the 50 states and District of Columbia
      (DC), 60 (11%) were positive by Zika virus reverse transcription-polymerase chain
      reaction (RT-PCR). Among 81 pregnancy losses for which placental and/or fetal
      tissues were submitted, 18 (22%) were positive by Zika virus RT-PCR. Zika virus
      RT-PCR was positive on placental tissues from 38/363 (10%) live births with
      maternal serologic evidence of recent unspecified flavivirus infection and from
      9/86 (10%) with negative maternal Zika virus immunoglobulin M (IgM) where
      possible maternal exposure occurred >12 weeks before serum collection. These
      results demonstrate that Zika virus RT-PCR testing of tissue specimens can
      provide a confirmed diagnosis of recent maternal Zika virus infection.

PMID- 28640803
TI  - Brain network eigenmodes provide a robust and compact representation of the
      structural connectome in health and disease.
AB  - Recent research has demonstrated the use of the structural connectome as a
      powerful tool to characterize the network architecture of the brain and
      potentially generate biomarkers for neurologic and psychiatric disorders. In
      particular, the anatomic embedding of the edges of the cerebral graph have been
      postulated to elucidate the relative importance of white matter tracts to the
      overall network connectivity, explaining the varying effects of localized white
      matter pathology on cognition and behavior. Here, we demonstrate the use of a
      linear diffusion model to quantify the impact of these perturbations on brain
      connectivity. We show that the eigenmodes governing the dynamics of this model
      are strongly conserved between healthy subjects regardless of cortical and sub
      cortical parcellations, but show significant, interpretable deviations in
      improperly developed brains. More specifically, we investigated the effect of
      agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC), one of the most common brain
      malformations to identify differences in the effect of virtual corpus
      callosotomies and the neurodevelopmental disorder itself. These findings,
      including the strong correspondence between regions of highest importance from
      graph eigenmodes of network diffusion and nexus regions of white matter from edge
      density imaging, show converging evidence toward understanding the relationship
      between white matter anatomy and the structural connectome.

PMID- 28640804
TI  - Boolean analysis reveals systematic interactions among low-abundance species in
      the human gut microbiome.
AB  - The analysis of microbiome compositions in the human gut has gained increasing
      interest due to the broader availability of data and functional databases and
      substantial progress in data analysis methods, but also due to the high relevance
      of the microbiome in human health and disease. While most analyses infer
      interactions among highly abundant species, the large number of low-abundance
      species has received less attention. Here we present a novel analysis method
      based on Boolean operations applied to microbial co-occurrence patterns. We
      calibrate our approach with simulated data based on a dynamical Boolean network
      model from which we interpret the statistics of attractor states as a theoretical
      proxy for microbiome composition. We show that for given fractions of synergistic
      and competitive interactions in the model our Boolean abundance analysis can
      reliably detect these interactions. Analyzing a novel data set of 822 microbiome
      compositions of the human gut, we find a large number of highly significant
      synergistic interactions among these low-abundance species, forming a connected
      network, and a few isolated competitive interactions.

PMID- 28640805
TI  - High-confidence assessment of functional impact of human mitochondrial non
      synonymous genome variations by APOGEE.
AB  - 24,189 are all the possible non-synonymous amino acid changes potentially
      affecting the human mitochondrial DNA. Only a tiny subset was functionally
      evaluated with certainty so far, while the pathogenicity of the vast majority was
      only assessed in-silico by software predictors. Since these tools proved to be
      rather incongruent, we have designed and implemented APOGEE, a machine-learning
      algorithm that outperforms all existing prediction methods in estimating the
      harmfulness of mitochondrial non-synonymous genome variations. We provide a
      detailed description of the underlying algorithm, of the selected and manually
      curated training and test sets of variants, as well as of its classification
      ability.

PMID- 28640806
TI  - Good enough practices in scientific computing.
AB  - Computers are now essential in all branches of science, but most researchers are
      never taught the equivalent of basic lab skills for research computing. As a
      result, data can get lost, analyses can take much longer than necessary, and
      researchers are limited in how effectively they can work with software and data.
      Computing workflows need to follow the same practices as lab projects and
      notebooks, with organized data, documented steps, and the project structured for
      reproducibility, but researchers new to computing often don't know where to
      start. This paper presents a set of good computing practices that every
      researcher can adopt, regardless of their current level of computational skill.
      These practices, which encompass data management, programming, collaborating with
      colleagues, organizing projects, tracking work, and writing manuscripts, are
      drawn from a wide variety of published sources from our daily lives and from our
      work with volunteer organizations that have delivered workshops to over 11,000
      people since 2010.

PMID- 28640807
TI  - Lack of a peroxiredoxin suppresses the lethality of cells devoid of electron
      donors by channelling electrons to oxidized ribonucleotide reductase.
AB  - The thioredoxin and glutaredoxin pathways are responsible of recycling several
      enzymes which undergo intramolecular disulfide bond formation as part of their
      catalytic cycles such as the peroxide scavengers peroxiredoxins or the enzyme
      ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). RNR, the rate-limiting enzyme of
      deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, is an essential enzyme relying on these electron
      flow cascades for recycling. RNR is tightly regulated in a cell cycle-dependent
      manner at different levels, but little is known about the participation of
      electron donors in such regulation. Here, we show that cytosolic thioredoxins
      Trx1 and Trx3 are the primary electron donors for RNR in fission yeast.
      Unexpectedly, trx1 transcript and Trx1 protein levels are up-regulated in a G1-to
      S phase-dependent manner, indicating that the supply of electron donors is also
      cell cycle-regulated. Indeed, genetic depletion of thioredoxins triggers a DNA
      replication checkpoint ruled by Rad3 and Cds1, with the final goal of up
      regulating transcription of S phase genes and constitutive RNR synthesis.
      Regarding the thioredoxin and glutaredoxin cascades, one combination of gene
      deletions is synthetic lethal in fission yeast: cells lacking both thioredoxin
      reductase and cytosolic dithiol glutaredoxin. We have isolated a suppressor of
      this lethal phenotype: a mutation at the Tpx1-coding gene, leading to a frame
      shift and a loss-of-function of Tpx1, the main client of electron donors. We
      propose that in a mutant strain compromised in reducing equivalents, the absence
      of an abundant and competitive substrate such as the peroxiredoxin Tpx1 has been
      selected as a lethality suppressor to favor RNR function at the expense of the
      non-essential peroxide scavenging function, to allow DNA synthesis and cell
      growth.

PMID- 28640808
TI  - Transmembrane helical interactions in the CFTR channel pore.
AB  - Mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene
      affect CFTR protein biogenesis or its function as a chloride channel, resulting
      in dysregulation of epithelial fluid transport in the lung, pancreas and other
      organs in cystic fibrosis (CF). Development of pharmaceutical strategies to treat
      CF requires understanding of the mechanisms underlying channel function. However,
      incomplete 3D structural information on the unique ABC ion channel, CFTR, hinders
      elucidation of its functional mechanism and correction of cystic fibrosis causing
      mutants. Several CFTR homology models have been developed using bacterial ABC
      transporters as templates but these have low sequence similarity to CFTR and are
      not ion channels. Here, we refine an earlier model in an outward (OWF) and
      develop an inward (IWF) facing model employing an integrated experimental
      molecular dynamics simulation (200 ns) approach. Our IWF structure agrees well
      with a recently solved cryo-EM structure of a CFTR IWF state. We utilize cysteine
      cross-linking to verify positions and orientations of residues within trans
      membrane helices (TMHs) of the OWF conformation and to reconstruct a
      physiologically relevant pore structure. Comparison of pore profiles of the two
      conformations reveal a radius sufficient to permit passage of hydrated Cl- ions
      in the OWF but not the IWF model. To identify structural determinants that
      distinguish the two conformations and possible rearrangements of TMHs within them
      responsible for channel gating, we perform cross-linking by bifunctional reagents
      of multiple predicted pairs of cysteines in TMH 6 and 12 and 6 and 9. To
      determine whether the effects of cross-linking on gating observed are the result
      of switching of the channel from open to close state, we also treat the same
      residue pairs with monofunctional reagents in separate experiments. Both types of
      reagents prevent ion currents indicating that pore blockage is primarily
      responsible.

PMID- 28640809
TI  - Development of ELISAs for diagnosis of acute typhoid fever in Nigerian children.
AB  - Improved serodiagnostic tests for typhoid fever (TF) are needed for surveillance,
      to facilitate patient management, curb antibiotic resistance, and inform public
      health programs. To address this need, IgA, IgM and IgG ELISAs using Salmonella
      enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and hemolysin E
      (t1477) protein were conducted on 86 Nigerian pediatric TF and 29 non-typhoidal
      Salmonella (NTS) cases, 178 culture-negative febrile cases, 28 "other" (i.e., non
      Salmonella) pediatric infections, and 48 healthy Nigerian children. The best
      discrimination was achieved between TF and healthy children. LPS-specific IgA and
      IgM provided receiver operator characteristic areas under the curve (ROC AUC)
      values of 0.963 and 0.968, respectively, and 0.978 for IgA+M combined. Similar
      performance was achieved with t1477-specific IgA and IgM (0.968 and 0.968,
      respectively; 0.976 combined). IgG against LPS and t1477 was less accurate for
      discriminating these groups, possibly as a consequence of previous exposure,
      although ROC AUC values were still high (0.928 and 0.932, respectively).
      Importantly, discrimination between TF and children with other infections was
      maintained by LPS-specific IgA and IgM (AUC = 0.903 and 0.934, respectively;
      0.938 combined), and slightly reduced for IgG (0.909), while t1477-specific IgG
      performed best (0.914). A similar pattern was seen when comparing TF with other
      infections from outside Nigeria. The t1477 may be recognized by cross-reactive
      antibodies from other acute infections, although a robust IgG response may
      provide some diagnostic utility in populations where incidence of other
      infections is low, such as in children. The data are consistent with IgA and IgM
      against S. Typhi LPS being specific markers of acute TF.

PMID- 28640811
TI  - Comparing bee species responses to chemical mixtures: Common response patterns?
AB  - Pollinators in agricultural landscapes can be exposed to mixtures of pesticides
      and environmental pollutants. Existing mixture toxicity modelling approaches,
      such as the models of concentration addition and independent action and the
      mechanistic DEBtox framework have been previously shown as valuable tools for
      understanding and ultimately predicting joint toxicity. Here we apply these
      mixture models to investigate the potential to interpret the effects of semi
      chronic binary mixture exposure for three bee species: Apis mellifera, Bombus
      terrestris and Osmia bicornis within potentiation and mixture toxicity
      experiments. In the potentiation studies, the effect of the insecticide
      dimethoate with added propiconazole fungicide and neonicotinoid insecticide
      clothianidin with added tau-fluvalinate pyrethroid acaricide showed no difference
      in toxicity compared to the single chemical alone. Clothianidin toxicity showed a
      small scale, but temporally conserved increase in exposure conducted in the
      presence of propiconazole, particularly for B. terrestris and O. bicornis, the
      latter showing a near three-fold increase in clothianidin toxicity in the
      presence of propiconazole. In the mixture toxicity studies, the dominant response
      patterns were of additivity, however, binary mixtures of clothianidin and
      dimethoate in A. mellifera, B. terrestris and male O. bicornis there was evidence
      of a predominant antagonistic interaction. Given the ubiquitous nature of
      exposures to multiple chemicals, there is an urgent need to consider mixture
      effects in pollinator risk assessments. Our analyses suggest that current models,
      particularly those that utilise time-series data, such as DEBtox, can be used to
      identify additivity as the dominant response pattern and also those examples of
      interactions, even when small-scale, that may need to be taken into account
      during risk assessment.

PMID- 28640810
TI  - LASSIM-A network inference toolbox for genome-wide mechanistic modeling.
AB  - Recent technological advancements have made time-resolved, quantitative, multi
      omics data available for many model systems, which could be integrated for
      systems pharmacokinetic use. Here, we present large-scale simulation modeling
      (LASSIM), which is a novel mathematical tool for performing large-scale inference
      using mechanistically defined ordinary differential equations (ODE) for gene
      regulatory networks (GRNs). LASSIM integrates structural knowledge about
      regulatory interactions and non-linear equations with multiple steady state and
      dynamic response expression datasets. The rationale behind LASSIM is that
      biological GRNs can be simplified using a limited subset of core genes that are
      assumed to regulate all other gene transcription events in the network. The
      LASSIM method is implemented as a general-purpose toolbox using the PyGMO Python
      package to make the most of multicore computers and high performance clusters,
      and is available at https://gitlab.com/Gustafsson-lab/lassim. As a method, LASSIM
      works in two steps, where it first infers a non-linear ODE system of the pre
      specified core gene expression. Second, LASSIM in parallel optimizes the
      parameters that model the regulation of peripheral genes by core system genes. We
      showed the usefulness of this method by applying LASSIM to infer a large-scale
      non-linear model of naive Th2 cell differentiation, made possible by integrating
      Th2 specific bindings, time-series together with six public and six novel siRNA
      mediated knock-down experiments. ChIP-seq showed significant overlap for all
      tested transcription factors. Next, we performed novel time-series measurements
      of total T-cells during differentiation towards Th2 and verified that our LASSIM
      model could monitor those data significantly better than comparable models that
      used the same Th2 bindings. In summary, the LASSIM toolbox opens the door to a
      new type of model-based data analysis that combines the strengths of reliable
      mechanistic models with truly systems-level data. We demonstrate the power of
      this approach by inferring a mechanistically motivated, genome-wide model of the
      Th2 transcription regulatory system, which plays an important role in several
      immune related diseases.

PMID- 28640812
TI  - Challenges in preparing and implementing a clinical trial at field level in an
      Ebola emergency: A case study in Guinea, West Africa.
AB  - During the large Ebola outbreak that affected West Africa in 2014 and 2015,
      studies were launched to evaluate potential treatments for the disease. A
      clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the antiviral drug favipiravir
      was conducted in Guinea. This paper describes the main challenges of the
      implementation of the trial in the Ebola treatment center of Gueckedou. Following
      the principles of the Good Clinical Research Practices, we explored the aspects
      of the community's communication and engagement, ethical conduct, trial protocol
      compliance, informed consent of participants, ongoing benefit/risk assessment,
      record keeping, confidentiality of patients and study data, and roles and
      responsibilities of the actors involved. We concluded that several challenges
      have to be addressed to successfully implement a clinical trial during an
      international medical emergency but that the potential for collaboration between
      research teams and humanitarian organizations needs to be highlighted.

PMID- 28640814
TI  - A novel algorithm identifies stress-induced alterations in mitochondrial
      connectivity and inner membrane structure from confocal images.
AB  - Mitochondria exist as a highly interconnected network that is exquisitely
      sensitive to variations in nutrient availability, as well as a large array of
      cellular stresses. Changes in length and connectivity of this network, as well as
      alterations in the mitochondrial inner membrane (cristae), regulate cell fate by
      controlling metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, and cell death. Given the
      key roles of mitochondrial dynamics, the process by which mitochondria constantly
      fuse and fragment, the measure of mitochondrial length and connectivity provides
      crucial information on the health and activity of various cell populations.
      However, despite the importance of accurately measuring mitochondrial networks,
      the tools required to rapidly and accurately provide this information are
      lacking. Here, we developed a novel probabilistic approach to automatically
      measure mitochondrial length distribution and connectivity from confocal images.
      This method accurately identified mitochondrial changes caused by starvation or
      the inhibition of mitochondrial function. In addition, we successfully used the
      algorithm to measure changes in mitochondrial inner membrane/matrix occurring in
      response to Complex III inhibitors. As cristae rearrangements play a critical
      role in metabolic regulation and cell survival, this provides a rapid method to
      screen for proteins or compounds affecting this process. The algorithm will thus
      provide a robust tool to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying the key
      roles of mitochondria in the regulation of cell fate.

PMID- 28640816
TI  - Topographic Independent Component Analysis reveals random scrambling of
      orientation in visual space.
AB  - Neurons at primary visual cortex (V1) in humans and other species are edge
      filters organized in orientation maps. In these maps, neurons with similar
      orientation preference are clustered together in iso-orientation domains. These
      maps have two fundamental properties: (1) retinotopy, i.e. correspondence between
      displacements at the image space and displacements at the cortical surface, and
      (2) a trade-off between good coverage of the visual field with all orientations
      and continuity of iso-orientation domains in the cortical space. There is an
      active debate on the origin of these locally continuous maps. While most of the
      existing descriptions take purely geometric/mechanistic approaches which
      disregard the network function, a clear exception to this trend in the literature
      is the original approach of Hyvarinen and Hoyer based on infomax and Topographic
      Independent Component Analysis (TICA). Although TICA successfully addresses a
      number of other properties of V1 simple and complex cells, in this work we
      question the validity of the orientation maps obtained from TICA. We argue that
      the maps predicted by TICA can be analyzed in the retinal space, and when doing
      so, it is apparent that they lack the required continuity and retinotopy. Here we
      show that in the orientation maps reported in the TICA literature it is easy to
      find examples of violation of the continuity between similarly tuned mechanisms
      in the retinal space, which suggest a random scrambling incompatible with the
      maps in primates. The new experiments in the retinal space presented here confirm
      this guess: TICA basis vectors actually follow a random salt-and-pepper
      organization back in the image space. Therefore, the interesting clusters found
      in the TICA topology cannot be interpreted as the actual cortical orientation
      maps found in cats, primates or humans. In conclusion, Topographic ICA does not
      reproduce cortical orientation maps.

PMID- 28640813
TI  - Identification of a Sjogren's syndrome susceptibility locus at OAS1 that
      influences isoform switching, protein expression, and responsiveness to type I
      interferons.
AB  - Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a common, autoimmune exocrinopathy distinguished by
      keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia. Patients frequently develop serious
      complications including lymphoma, pulmonary dysfunction, neuropathy, vasculitis,
      and debilitating fatigue. Dysregulation of type I interferon (IFN) pathway is a
      prominent feature of SS and is correlated with increased autoantibody titers and
      disease severity. To identify genetic determinants of IFN pathway dysregulation
      in SS, we performed cis-expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analyses
      focusing on differentially expressed type I IFN-inducible transcripts identified
      through a transcriptome profiling study. Multiple cis-eQTLs were associated with
      transcript levels of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) peaking at
      rs10774671 (PeQTL = 6.05 * 10-14). Association of rs10774671 with SS
      susceptibility was identified and confirmed through meta-analysis of two
      independent cohorts (Pmeta = 2.59 * 10-9; odds ratio = 0.75; 95% confidence
      interval = 0.66-0.86). The risk allele of rs10774671 shifts splicing of OAS1 from
      production of the p46 isoform to multiple alternative transcripts, including p42,
      p48, and p44. We found that the isoforms were differentially expressed within
      each genotype in controls and patients with and without autoantibodies.
      Furthermore, our results showed that the three alternatively spliced isoforms
      lacked translational response to type I IFN stimulation. The p48 and p44 isoforms
      also had impaired protein expression governed by the 3' end of the transcripts.
      The SS risk allele of rs10774671 has been shown by others to be associated with
      reduced OAS1 enzymatic activity and ability to clear viral infections, as well as
      reduced responsiveness to IFN treatment. Our results establish OAS1 as a risk
      locus for SS and support a potential role for defective viral clearance due to
      altered IFN response as a genetic pathophysiological basis of this complex
      autoimmune disease.

PMID- 28640815
TI  - An autonomous metabolic role for Spen.
AB  - Preventing obesity requires a precise balance between deposition into and
      mobilization from fat stores, but regulatory mechanisms are incompletely
      understood. Drosophila Split ends (Spen) is the founding member of a conserved
      family of RNA-binding proteins involved in transcriptional regulation and
      frequently mutated in human cancers. We find that manipulating Spen expression
      alters larval fat levels in a cell-autonomous manner. Spen-depleted larvae had
      defects in energy liberation from stores, including starvation sensitivity and
      major changes in the levels of metabolic enzymes and metabolites, particularly
      those involved in beta-oxidation. Spenito, a small Spen family member,
      counteracted Spen function in fat regulation. Finally, mouse Spen and Spenito
      transcript levels scaled directly with body fat in vivo, suggesting a conserved
      role in fat liberation and catabolism. This study demonstrates that Spen is a key
      regulator of energy balance and provides a molecular context to understand the
      metabolic defects that arise from Spen dysfunction.

PMID- 28640818
TI  - Ankylosing spondylitis patients at risk of poor radiographic outcome show
      diminishing spinal radiographic progression during long-term treatment with TNF
      alpha inhibitors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of patient characteristics on the course
      of spinal radiographic progression in a large prospective longitudinal cohort
      study of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients treated long-term with TNF-alpha
      inhibitors. METHODS: Consecutive patients from the Groningen Leeuwarden AS (GLAS)
      cohort starting TNF-alpha inhibitors with spinal radiographs at least available
      at baseline and 6 years of follow-up were included. Radiographs were scored using
      mSASSS by two independent readers. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were
      used to explore the associations between baseline characteristics and spinal
      radiographic progression. The course of radiographic progression in patients with
      and without risk factors for poor radiographic outcome was investigated using
      different time models (linear and non-linear). Single linear imputation was used
      in case of missing radiographic data at the intermediate (2 or 4 years) follow-up
      visits. RESULTS: 80 AS patients were included with mean baseline mSASSS 8.7+/
      13.3. Baseline syndesmophytes, male gender, older age, longer symptom duration,
      smoking, and higher BMI were significantly associated with more radiographic
      damage over time. GEE analysis in patients with these risk factors revealed that
      radiographic progression followed a non-linear course with mean mSASSS
      progression rates reducing from max. 2.8 units over 0-2 years to min. 0.9 units
      over 4-6 years. The GEE model revealed a linear course with overall very low
      progression (<=1 mSASSS units/2yrs) in patients without risk factors. Complete
      case analysis in 53 patients showed similar results. CONCLUSION: AS patients at
      risk of poor radiographic outcome showed the highest but diminishing spinal
      radiographic progression during long-term treatment with TNF-alpha inhibitors.

PMID- 28640817
TI  - An R-CaMP1.07 reporter mouse for cell-type-specific expression of a sensitive red
      fluorescent calcium indicator.
AB  - Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) enable imaging of in vivo brain
      cell activity with high sensitivity and specificity. In contrast to viral
      infection or in utero electroporation, indicator expression in transgenic
      reporter lines is induced noninvasively, reliably, and homogenously. Recently,
      Cre/tTA-dependent reporter mice were introduced, which provide high-level
      expression of green fluorescent GECIs in a cell-type-specific and inducible
      manner when crossed with Cre and tTA driver mice. Here, we generated and
      characterized the first red-shifted GECI reporter line of this type using R
      CaMP1.07, a red fluorescent indicator that is efficiently two-photon excited
      above 1000 nm. By crossing the new R-CaMP1.07 reporter line to Cre lines driving
      layer-specific expression in neocortex we demonstrate its high fidelity for
      reporting action potential firing in vivo, long-term stability over months, and
      versatile use for functional imaging of excitatory neurons across all cortical
      layers, especially in the previously difficult to access layers 4 and 6.

PMID- 28640819
TI  - The importance of data quality for generating reliable distribution models for
      rare, elusive, and cryptic species.
AB  - The availability of spatially referenced environmental data and species
      occurrence records in online databases enable practitioners to easily generate
      species distribution models (SDMs) for a broad array of taxa. Such databases
      often include occurrence records of unknown reliability, yet little information
      is available on the influence of data quality on SDMs generated for rare,
      elusive, and cryptic species that are prone to misidentification in the field. We
      investigated this question for the fisher (Pekania pennanti), a forest carnivore
      of conservation concern in the Pacific States that is often confused with the
      more common Pacific marten (Martes caurina). Fisher occurrence records supported
      by physical evidence (verifiable records) were available from a limited area,
      whereas occurrence records of unknown quality (unscreened records) were available
      from throughout the fisher's historical range. We reserved 20% of the verifiable
      records to use as a test sample for both models and generated SDMs with each
      dataset using Maxent. The verifiable model performed substantially better than
      the unscreened model based on multiple metrics including AUCtest values (0.78 and
      0.62, respectively), evaluation of training and test gains, and statistical tests
      of how well each model predicted test localities. In addition, the verifiable
      model was consistent with our knowledge of the fisher's habitat relations and
      potential distribution, whereas the unscreened model indicated a much broader
      area of high-quality habitat (indices > 0.5) that included large expanses of high
      elevation habitat that fishers do not occupy. Because Pacific martens remain
      relatively common in upper elevation habitats in the Cascade Range and Sierra
      Nevada, the SDM based on unscreened records likely reflects primarily a
      conflation of marten and fisher habitat. Consequently, accurate identifications
      are far more important than the spatial extent of occurrence records for
      generating reliable SDMs for the fisher in this region. We strongly recommend
      that practitioners avoid using anecdotal occurrence records to build SDMs but, if
      such data are used, the validity of resulting models should be tested with
      verifiable occurrence records.

PMID- 28640820
TI  - Whole genome analysis of selected human and animal rotaviruses identified in
      Uganda from 2012 to 2014 reveals complex genome reassortment events between
      human, bovine, caprine and porcine strains.
AB  - Rotaviruses of species A (RVA) are a common cause of diarrhoea in children and
      the young of various other mammals and birds worldwide. To investigate possible
      interspecies transmission of RVAs, whole genomes of 18 human and 6 domestic
      animal RVA strains identified in Uganda between 2012 and 2014 were sequenced
      using the Illumina HiSeq platform. The backbone of the human RVA strains had
      either a Wa- or a DS-1-like genetic constellation. One human strain was a Wa-like
      mono-reassortant containing a DS-1-like VP2 gene of possible animal origin. All
      eleven genes of one bovine RVA strain were closely related to those of human
      RVAs. One caprine strain had a mixed genotype backbone, suggesting that it
      emerged from multiple reassortment events involving different host species. The
      porcine RVA strains had mixed genotype backbones with possible multiple
      reassortant events with strains of human and bovine origin.Overall, whole genome
      characterisation of rotaviruses found in domestic animals in Uganda strongly
      suggested the presence of human-to animal RVA transmission, with concomitant
      circulation of multi-reassortant strains potentially derived from complex
      interspecies transmission events. However, whole genome data from the human RVA
      strains causing moderate and severe diarrhoea in under-fives in Uganda indicated
      that they were primarily transmitted from person-to-person.

PMID- 28640821
TI  - Noise reduction in single time frame optical DNA maps.
AB  - In optical DNA mapping technologies sequence-specific intensity variations (DNA
      barcodes) along stretched and stained DNA molecules are produced. These
      "fingerprints" of the underlying DNA sequence have a resolution of the order one
      kilobasepairs and the stretching of the DNA molecules are performed by surface
      adsorption or nano-channel setups. A post-processing challenge for nano-channel
      based methods, due to local and global random movement of the DNA molecule during
      imaging, is how to align different time frames in order to produce reproducible
      time-averaged DNA barcodes. The current solutions to this challenge are
      computationally rather slow. With high-throughput applications in mind, we here
      introduce a parameter-free method for filtering a single time frame noisy barcode
      (snap-shot optical map), measured in a fraction of a second. By using only a
      single time frame barcode we circumvent the need for post-processing alignment.
      We demonstrate that our method is successful at providing filtered barcodes which
      are less noisy and more similar to time averaged barcodes. The method is based on
      the application of a low-pass filter on a single noisy barcode using the width of
      the Point Spread Function of the system as a unique, and known, filtering
      parameter. We find that after applying our method, the Pearson correlation
      coefficient (a real number in the range from -1 to 1) between the single time
      frame barcode and the time average of the aligned kymograph increases
      significantly, roughly by 0.2 on average. By comparing to a database of more than
      3000 theoretical plasmid barcodes we show that the capabilities to identify
      plasmids is improved by filtering single time-frame barcodes compared to the
      unfiltered analogues. Since snap-shot experiments and computational time using
      our method both are less than a second, this study opens up for high throughput
      optical DNA mapping with improved reproducibility.

PMID- 28640823
TI  - Estimating the number of secondary Ebola cases resulting from an unsafe burial
      and risk factors for transmission during the West Africa Ebola epidemic.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Safely burying Ebola infected individuals is acknowledged to be
      important for controlling Ebola epidemics and was a major component of the 2013
      2016 West Africa Ebola response. Yet, in order to understand the impact of safe
      burial programs it is necessary to elucidate the role of unsafe burials in
      sustaining chains of Ebola transmission and how the risk posed by activities
      surrounding unsafe burials, including care provided at home prior to death, vary
      with human behavior and geography. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Interviews
      with next of kin and community members were carried out for unsafe burials in
      Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, in six districts where the Red Cross was
      responsible for safe and dignified burials (SDB). Districts were randomly
      selected from a district-specific sampling frame comprised of villages and
      neighborhoods that had experienced cases of Ebola. An average of 2.58 secondary
      cases were potentially generated per unsafe burial and varied by district (range:
      0-20). Contact before and after death was reported for 142 (46%) contacts.
      Caregivers of a primary case were 2.63 to 5.92 times more likely to become EVD
      infected compared to those with post-mortem contact only. Using these estimates,
      the Red Cross SDB program potentially averted between 1,411 and 10,452 secondary
      EVD cases, reducing the epidemic by 4.9% to 36.5%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: SDB
      is a fundamental control measure that limits community transmission of Ebola;
      however, for those individuals having contact before and after death, it was
      impossible to ascertain the exposure that caused their infection. The number of
      infections prevented through SDB is significant, yet greater impact would be
      achieved by early hospitalization of the primary case during acute illness.

PMID- 28640822
TI  - Effective treatment options for musculoskeletal pain in primary care: A
      systematic overview of current evidence.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Musculoskeletal pain, the most common cause of disability
      globally, is most frequently managed in primary care. People with musculoskeletal
      pain in different body regions share similar characteristics, prognosis, and may
      respond to similar treatments. This overview aims to summarise current best
      evidence on currently available treatment options for the five most common
      musculoskeletal pain presentations (back, neck, shoulder, knee and multi-site
      pain) in primary care. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted. Initial
      searches identified clinical guidelines, clinical pathways and systematic
      reviews. Additional searches found recently published trials and those addressing
      gaps in the evidence base. Data on study populations, interventions, and outcomes
      of intervention on pain and function were extracted. Quality of systematic
      reviews was assessed using AMSTAR, and strength of evidence rated using a
      modified GRADE approach. RESULTS: Moderate to strong evidence suggests that
      exercise therapy and psychosocial interventions are effective for relieving pain
      and improving function for musculoskeletal pain. NSAIDs and opioids reduce pain
      in the short-term, but the effect size is modest and the potential for adverse
      effects need careful consideration. Corticosteroid injections were found to be
      beneficial for short-term pain relief among patients with knee and shoulder pain.
      However, current evidence remains equivocal on optimal dose, intensity and
      frequency, or mode of application for most treatment options. CONCLUSION: This
      review presents a comprehensive summary and critical assessment of current
      evidence for the treatment of pain presentations in primary care. The evidence
      synthesis of interventions for common musculoskeletal pain presentations shows
      moderate-strong evidence for exercise therapy and psychosocial interventions,
      with short-term benefits only from pharmacological treatments. Future research
      into optimal dose and application of the most promising treatments is needed.

PMID- 28640824
TI  - Molecular diagnosis of Plasmodium ovale by photo-induced electron transfer
      fluorogenic primers: PET-PCR.
AB  - Accurate diagnosis of malaria infections continues to be challenging and elusive,
      especially in the detection of submicroscopic infections. Developing new malaria
      diagnostic tools that are sensitive enough to detect low-level infections, user
      friendly, cost effective and capable of performing large scale diagnosis, remains
      critical. We have designed novel self-quenching photo-induced electron transfer
      (PET) fluorogenic primers for the detection of P. ovale by real-time PCR. In our
      study, a total of 173 clinical samples, consisting of different malaria species,
      were utilized to test this novel PET-PCR primer. The sensitivity and specificity
      were calculated using nested-PCR as the reference test. The novel primer set
      demonstrated a sensitivity of 97.5% and a specificity of 99.2% (95% CI 85.2-99.8%
      and 95.2-99.9% respectively). Furthermore, the limit of detection for P. ovale
      was found to be 1 parasite/MUl. The PET-PCR assay is a new molecular diagnostic
      tool with comparable performance to other commonly used PCR methods. It is
      relatively easy to perform, and amiable to large scale malaria surveillance
      studies and malaria control and elimination programs. Further field validation of
      this novel primer will be helpful to ascertain the utility for large scale
      malaria screening programs.

PMID- 28640826
TI  - Allele specific CAPS marker development and characterization of chalcone synthase
      gene in Indian mulberry (Morus spp., family Moraceae).
AB  - Chalcone synthase (CHS) is an essential enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway
      that catalyzes the first step in flavonoid biosynthesis in plants under diverse
      environmental stress. We have used CHS as a candidate gene in mulberry and
      developed Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) based co-dominant Cleaved
      Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS) marker associated with the CHS locus. The
      segregation pattern of the marker was studied in an F1 population derived from a
      hybridization program between two mulberry genotypes showing polymorphism for the
      CHS locus. Differential CHS activity of the recombinants has been correlated with
      the segregation pattern of the marker. Homology modelling and docking studies are
      performed for both the identified CHS alleles and correlated with respective CHS
      activity. Phenotyping of Powdery Mildew infected F1 population indicated a
      probable association with the CAPS marker.

PMID- 28640825
TI  - Olfactory learning without the mushroom bodies: Spiking neural network models of
      the honeybee lateral antennal lobe tract reveal its capacities in odour memory
      tasks of varied complexities.
AB  - The honeybee olfactory system is a well-established model for understanding
      functional mechanisms of learning and memory. Olfactory stimuli are first
      processed in the antennal lobe, and then transferred to the mushroom body and
      lateral horn through dual pathways termed medial and lateral antennal lobe tracts
      (m-ALT and l-ALT). Recent studies reported that honeybees can perform elemental
      learning by associating an odour with a reward signal even after lesions in m-ALT
      or blocking the mushroom bodies. To test the hypothesis that the lateral pathway
      (l-ALT) is sufficient for elemental learning, we modelled local computation
      within glomeruli in antennal lobes with axons of projection neurons connecting to
      a decision neuron (LHN) in the lateral horn. We show that inhibitory spike-timing
      dependent plasticity (modelling non-associative plasticity by exposure to
      different stimuli) in the synapses from local neurons to projection neurons
      decorrelates the projection neurons' outputs. The strength of the decorrelations
      is regulated by global inhibitory feedback within antennal lobes to the
      projection neurons. By additionally modelling octopaminergic modification of
      synaptic plasticity among local neurons in the antennal lobes and projection
      neurons to LHN connections, the model can discriminate and generalize olfactory
      stimuli. Although positive patterning can be accounted for by the l-ALT model,
      negative patterning requires further processing and mushroom body circuits. Thus,
      our model explains several-but not all-types of associative olfactory learning
      and generalization by a few neural layers of odour processing in the l-ALT. As an
      outcome of the combination between non-associative and associative learning, the
      modelling approach allows us to link changes in structural organization of
      honeybees' antennal lobes with their behavioural performances over the course of
      their life.

PMID- 28640828
TI  - Bovine leukemia virus linked to breast cancer in Australian women and identified
      before breast cancer development.
AB  - Bovine leukemia virus (BLV), a common virus of cattle globally, was believed for
      decades not to infect humans. More recent techniques (in situ PCR and DNA
      sequencing) enabled detection of BLV in human breast tissue, and determination of
      its significant association with breast cancer in a US population. Using similar
      techniques to study 96 Australian women, we report here detection of
      retrotranscribed BLV DNA in breast tissue of 40/50(80%) of women with breast
      cancer versus 19/46(41%) of women with no history of breast cancer, indicating an
      age-adjusted odds ratio and confidence interval of 4.72(1.71-13.05). These
      results corroborate the findings of the previous study of US women with an even
      higher odds ratio for the Australian population. For 48 of the subjects, paired
      breast tissue samples, removed 3-10 years apart in two unrelated procedures, were
      available. For 23/31 (74%) of these, in which the first specimen was diagnosed as
      nonmalignant (benign or premalignant) and the second as malignant, BLV was
      already present in benign breast tissue years 3-10 years before the malignancy
      was diagnosed. This is consistent with the supposition of a causative temporal
      relationship between BLV infection and subsequent development of cancer.

PMID- 28640827
TI  - The application of multi-baseline digital close-range photogrammetry in three
      dimensional imaging and measurement of dental casts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore a new technique for reconstructing and measuring three
      dimensional (3D) models of orthodontic plaster casts using multi-baseline digital
      close-range photogrammetry (MBDCRP) with a single-lens reflex camera. STUDY
      DESIGN: Thirty sets of orthodontic plaster casts that do not exhibit severe
      horizontal overlap (>2 mm) between any two teeth were recorded by a single-lens
      reflex camera with 72 pictures taken in different directions. The 3D models of
      these casts were reconstructed and measured using the open source software
      MeshLab. These parameters, including mesio-distal crown diameter, arch width, and
      arch perimeter, were recorded six times on both the 3D digital models and on
      plaster casts by two examiners. Statistical analysis was carried out using the
      Bland-Altman method to measure agreement between the novel method and the
      traditional calliper method by calculating the differences between mean values.
      RESULTS: The average differences between the measurements of the photogrammetric
      3D models and the plaster casts were 0.011-0.402mm. The mean differences between
      measurements obtained by the photogrammetric 3D models and the dental casts were
      not significant except for the lower arch perimeter (P>0.05), and all the
      differences were regarded as clinically acceptable (<0.5 mm). CONCLUSIONS:
      Measurements obtained by MBDCRP are compared well with those obtained from
      plaster casts, indicating that MBDCRP is an alternate way to store and measure
      dental plaster casts without severe horizontal overlap between any two teeth.

PMID- 28640829
TI  - An exploration of collaborative scientific production at MIT through spatial
      organization and institutional affiliation.
AB  - Academic research is increasingly cross-disciplinary and collaborative, between
      and within institutions. In this context, what is the role and relevance of an
      individual's spatial position on a campus? We examine the collaboration patterns
      of faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, through their academic
      output (papers and patents), and their organizational structures (institutional
      affiliation and spatial configuration) over a 10-year time span. An initial
      comparison of output types reveals: 1. diverging trends in the composition of
      collaborative teams over time (size, faculty versus non-faculty, etc.); and 2.
      substantively different patterns of cross-building and cross-disciplinary
      collaboration. We then construct a multi-layered network of authors, and find two
      significant features of collaboration on campus: 1. a network topology and
      community structure that reveals spatial versus institutional collaboration bias;
      and 2. a persistent relationship between proximity and collaboration, well fit
      with an exponential decay model. This relationship is consistent for both papers
      and patents, and present also in exclusively cross-disciplinary work. These
      insights contribute an architectural dimension to the field of scientometrics,
      and take a first step toward empirical space-planning policy that supports
      collaboration within institutions.

PMID- 28640830
TI  - Optimal sequencing strategies for identifying disease-associated singletons.
AB  - With the increasing focus of genetic association on the identification of trait
      associated rare variants through sequencing, it is important to identify the most
      cost-effective sequencing strategies for these studies. Deep sequencing will
      accurately detect and genotype the most rare variants per individual, but may
      limit sample size. Low pass sequencing will miss some variants in each individual
      but has been shown to provide a cost-effective alternative for studies of common
      variants. Here, we investigate the impact of sequencing depth on studies of rare
      variants, focusing on singletons-the variants that are sampled in a single
      individual and are hardest to detect at low sequencing depths. We first estimate
      the sensitivity to detect singleton variants in both simulated data and in down
      sampled deep genome and exome sequence data. We then explore the power of
      association studies comparing burden of singleton variants in cases and controls
      under a variety of conditions. We show that the power to detect singletons
      increases with coverage, typically plateauing for coverage > ~25x. Next, we show
      that, when total sequencing capacity is fixed, the power of association studies
      focused on singletons is typically maximized for coverage of 15-20x, independent
      of relative risk, disease prevalence, singleton burden, and case-control ratio.
      Our results suggest sequencing depth of 15-20x as an appropriate compromise of
      singleton detection power and sample size for studies of rare variants in complex
      disease.

PMID- 28640831
TI  - Ribosomal DNA copy number loss and sequence variation in cancer.
AB  - Ribosomal DNA is one of the most variable regions in the human genome with
      respect to copy number. Despite the importance of rDNA for cellular function, we
      know virtually nothing about what governs its copy number, stability, and
      sequence in the mammalian genome due to challenges associated with mapping and
      analysis. We applied computational and droplet digital PCR approaches to measure
      rDNA copy number in normal and cancer states in human and mouse genomes. We find
      that copy number and sequence can change in cancer genomes. Counterintuitively,
      human cancer genomes show a loss of copies, accompanied by global copy number co
      variation. The sequence can also be more variable in the cancer genome. Cancer
      genomes with lower copies have mutational evidence of mTOR hyperactivity. The
      PTEN phosphatase is a tumor suppressor that is critical for genome stability and
      a negative regulator of the mTOR kinase pathway. Surprisingly, but consistent
      with the human cancer genomes, hematopoietic cancer stem cells from a Pten-/-
      mouse model for leukemia have lower rDNA copy number than normal tissue, despite
      increased proliferation, rRNA production, and protein synthesis. Loss of copies
      occurs early and is associated with hypersensitivity to DNA damage. Therefore,
      copy loss is a recurrent feature in cancers associated with mTOR activation.
      Ribosomal DNA copy number may be a simple and useful indicator of whether a
      cancer will be sensitive to DNA damaging treatments.

PMID- 28640833
TI  - Investigation of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 3JW1 on preventing and reducing
      aflatoxin contaminations in peanuts.
AB  - Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 3JW1, which has a broad-spectrum antimicrobial
      activity, was studied to investigate whether it affects the amounts of aflatoxin
      B1 (AFB1) produced by Aspergillus flavus. It was found that the bacterium reduced
      the amounts of AFB1 in potato dextrose broth (PDB) and peanut medium by 97.8% and
      99.4%, respectively. It also reduced AFB1 by ~183 MUg/kg (55.8%) when applied
      onto peanut kernels. This strain reduced AFB1 via three mechanisms. First, it
      significantly inhibited A. flavus growth; second, our data showed that strain
      3JW1 inhibits aflatoxin biosynthesis by A. flavus; and third, P. fluorescens
      strain 3JW1 is capable of degrading AFB1 at a rate as high as 88.3% in 96 hours.
      This is the first report demonstrating that Pseudomonas fluorescens can reduce
      toxin contamination caused by A. flavus on peanut kernels. Our findings indicate
      that P. fluorescens strain 3JW1 had multiple effects including reducing A. flavus
      infection and aflatoxin contamination. And the results also highlight the
      potential applications of the strain 3JW1 for the biological control of aflatoxin
      contamination in peanuts and other susceptible crops.

PMID- 28640832
TI  - Sarpogrelate hydrochloride ameliorates diabetic nephropathy associated with
      inhibition of macrophage activity and inflammatory reaction in db/db mice.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sarpogrelate hydrochloride
      (SH), a selective serotonin 2A receptor antagonist, on diabetic nephropathy in a
      type 2 diabetes mouse model. We treated db/m and db/db mice with SH (30
      mg/kg/day) for 12 weeks. Rat renal proximal tubule cells (NRK-52E) and mouse
      macrophages (Raw 264.7) were stimulated by high glucose (30 mM glucose) or LPS
      (100 ng/ml) with or without SH (20 MUM). We found that SH treatment increased
      serum adiponectin level and decreased urinary albumin, macrophage infiltration to
      glomeruli, and renal inflammatory and fibrosis signals, which were highly
      expressed in diabetic mice. Proximal tubule cells treated with high glucose (30
      mM) also showed increased inflammatory and fibrosis signals. However, SH (20 MUM)
      treatment reduced these changes. Moreover, SH treatment inhibited LPS-stimulated
      macrophage migration and activation. These findings suggest that SH ameliorates
      diabetic nephropathy not only by suppressing macrophage infiltration, but also by
      anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects.

PMID- 28640834
TI  - Overexpression of GmFDL19 enhances tolerance to drought and salt stresses in
      soybean.
AB  - The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family of transcription factors plays an
      important role in the growth and developmental process as well as responds to
      various abiotic stresses, such as drought and high salinity. Our previous work
      identified GmFDL19, a bZIP transcription factor, as a flowering promoter in
      soybean, and the overexpression of GmFDL19 caused early flowering in transgenic
      soybean plants. Here, we report that GmFDL19 also enhances tolerance to drought
      and salt stress in soybean. GmFDL19 was determined to be a group A member, and
      its transcription expression was highly induced by abscisic acid (ABA),
      polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and high salt stresses. Overexpression of GmFDL19
      in soybean enhanced drought and salt tolerance at the seedling stage. The
      relative plant height (RPH) and relative shoot dry weight (RSDW) of transgenic
      plants were significantly higher than those of the WT after PEG and salt
      treatments. In addition, the germination rate and plant height of the transgenic
      soybean were also significantly higher than that of WT plants after various salt
      treatments. Furthermore, we also found that GmFDL19 could reduce the accumulation
      of Na+ ion content and up-regulate the expression of several ABA/stress
      responsive genes in transgenic soybean. We also found that GmFDL19 overexpression
      increased the activities of several antioxidative enzyme and chlorophyll content
      but reduced malondialdehyde content. These results suggested that GmFDL19 is
      involved in soybean abiotic stress responses and has potential utilization to
      improve multiple stress tolerance in transgenic soybean.

PMID- 28640835
TI  - Bilateral blockade of MEK- and PI3K-mediated pathways downstream of mutant KRAS
      as a treatment approach for peritoneal mucinous malignancies.
AB  - Mucinous colorectal adenocarcinomas (MCAs) are clinically and morphologically
      distinct from nonmucinous colorectal cancers (CRCs), show a distinct spectrum of
      genetic alterations (higher KRAS mutations, lower p53, high MUC2), exhibit more
      aggressive behavior (more prone to peritoneal dissemination and lymph node
      involvement) and are associated with poorer response to chemotherapy with limited
      treatment options. Here, we report the effectiveness of combinatorial targeting
      of two KRAS-mediated parallel pathways in reducing MUC2 production and mucinous
      tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. By knockdown of mutant KRAS we show that,
      mutant KRAS (a) is necessary for MUC2 production in vitro and (b) synergistically
      engages PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK pathways to maintain MUC2 expression in MCA cells.
      These results define a novel and a previously undescribed role for oncogenic KRAS
      in mucinous cancers. MCA cells were sensitive to MEK inhibition suggesting
      cellular dependence ('addiction') of KRAS-mutant MCA cells on hyperactivation of
      the MEK-driven pathway. Interestingly, MCA cells, though initially sensitive,
      were later resistant to PI3K single agent inhibition. Our studies suggest that
      this resistance involves dynamic rewiring of signaling circuits mediated through
      relief of RTK inhibition and MEK-ERK rebound activation. This resistance however,
      could be overcome by co-targeting of PI3K and MEK. Our studies thus provide a
      rational basis for MEK- and PI3K-targeted combination therapy for not only KRAS
      mutant MCA but also for other related mucinous neoplasms that overproduce MUC2
      and have a high rate of KRAS mutations such as pseudomyxoma peritonei.

PMID- 28640836
TI  - Craniofacial similarity analysis through sparse principal component analysis.
AB  - The computer-aided craniofacial reconstruction (CFR) technique has been widely
      used in the fields of criminal investigation, archaeology, anthropology and
      cosmetic surgery. The evaluation of craniofacial reconstruction results is
      important for improving the effect of craniofacial reconstruction. Here, we used
      the sparse principal component analysis (SPCA) method to evaluate the similarity
      between two sets of craniofacial data. Compared with principal component analysis
      (PCA), SPCA can effectively reduce the dimensionality and simultaneously produce
      sparse principal components with sparse loadings, thus making it easy to explain
      the results. The experimental results indicated that the evaluation results of
      PCA and SPCA are consistent to a large extent. To compare the inconsistent
      results, we performed a subjective test, which indicated that the result of SPCA
      is superior to that of PCA. Most importantly, SPCA can not only compare the
      similarity of two craniofacial datasets but also locate regions of high
      similarity, which is important for improving the craniofacial reconstruction
      effect. In addition, the areas or features that are important for craniofacial
      similarity measurements can be determined from a large amount of data. We
      conclude that the craniofacial contour is the most important factor in
      craniofacial similarity evaluation. This conclusion is consistent with the
      conclusions of psychological experiments on face recognition and our subjective
      test. The results may provide important guidance for three- or two-dimensional
      face similarity evaluation, analysis and face recognition.

PMID- 28640837
TI  - Identification and prediction of alternative transcription start sites that
      generate rod photoreceptor-specific transcripts from ubiquitously expressed
      genes.
AB  - Transcriptome complexity is substantially increased by the use of multiple
      transcription start sites for a given gene. By utilizing a rod photoreceptor
      specific chromatin signature, and the RefSeq database of established
      transcription start sites, we have identified essentially all known rod
      photoreceptor genes as well as a group of novel genes that have a high
      probability of being expressed in rod photoreceptors. Approximately half of these
      novel rod genes are transcribed into multiple mRNA and/or protein isoforms
      through alternative transcriptional start sites (ATSS), only one of which has a
      rod-specific epigenetic signature and gives rise to a rod transcript. This
      suggests that, during retina development, some genes use ATSS to regulate cell
      type and temporal specificity, effectively generating a rod transcript from
      otherwise ubiquitously expressed genes. Biological confirmation of the
      relationship between epigenetic signatures and gene expression, as well as
      comparison of our genome-wide chromatin signature maps with available data sets
      for retina, namely a ChIP-on-Chip study of Polymerase-II (Pol-II) binding sites,
      ChIP-Seq studies for NRL- and CRX- binding sites and DHS (University of
      Washington data, available on UCSC mouse Genome Browser as a part of ENCODE
      project) fully support our hypothesis and together accurately identify and
      predict an array of new rod transcripts. The same approach was used to identify a
      number of TSS that are not currently in RefSeq. Biological conformation of the
      use of some of these TSS suggests that this method will be valuable for exploring
      the range of transcriptional complexity in many tissues. Comparison of mouse and
      human genome-wide data indicates that most of these alternate TSS appear to be
      present in both species, indicating that our approach can be useful for
      identification of regulatory regions that might play a role in human retinal
      disease.

PMID- 28640838
TI  - Next generation sequencing of the clonal IGH rearrangement detects ongoing
      mutations and interfollicular trafficking in in situ follicular neoplasia.
AB  - Follicular lymphoma (FL) is characterized genetically by a significant
      intraclonal diversity of rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) genes and a
      substantial cell migration activity (follicular trafficking). Recently, in situ
      follicular neoplasia (ISFN), characterized by accumulations of
      immunohistochemically strongly BCL2-positive, t(14;18)+ clonal B cells confined
      to germinal centers in reactive lymph nodes, has been identified as a precursor
      lesion of FL with low risk of progression to manifest FL. The extent of ongoing
      somatic hypermutation of rearranged IGH genes and interfollicular trafficking in
      ISFN is not known. In this study we performed an in depth analysis of clonal
      evolution and cell migration patterns in a case of pure ISFN involving multiple
      lymph nodes. Using laser microdissection and next generation sequencing (NGS) we
      documented significant intraclonal diversity of the rearranged IGH gene and
      extensive interfollicular migration between germinal centers of the same lymph
      node as well as between different lymph nodes. Furthermore, we identified N
      glycosylation motifs characteristic for FL in the CDR3 region.

PMID- 28640839
TI  - Assessment of recall error in self-reported food consumption histories among
      adults-Particularly delay of interviews decrease completeness of food histories
      Germany, 2013.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Poor recall during investigations of foodborne outbreaks may lead
      to misclassifications in exposure ascertainment. We conducted a simulation study
      to assess the frequency and determinants of recall errors. METHODS: Lunch
      visitors in a cafeteria using exclusively cashless payment reported their
      consumption of 13 food servings available daily in the three preceding weeks
      using a self-administered paper-questionnaire. We validated this information
      using electronic payment information. We calculated associated factors on
      misclassification of recall according to time, age, sex, education level, dietary
      habits and type of servings. RESULTS: We included 145/226 (64%) respondents who
      reported 27,095 consumed food items. Sensitivity of recall was 73%, specificity
      96%. In multivariable analysis, for each additional day of recall period, the
      adjusted chance for false-negative recall increased by 8% (OR: 1.1;95%-CI: 1.06,
      1.1), for false-positive recall by 3% (OR: 1.03;95%-CI: 1.02, 1.05), for
      indecisive recall by 12% (OR: 1.1;95%-CI: 1.08, 1.15). Sex and education-level
      had minor effects. DISCUSSION: Forgetting to report consumed foods is more
      frequent than reporting food-items actually not consumed. Bad recall is strongly
      enhanced by delay of interviews and may make hypothesis generation and testing
      very challenging. Side dishes are more easily missed than main courses. If
      available, electronic payment data can improve food-history information.

PMID- 28640840
TI  - Applying artificial intelligence to disease staging: Deep learning for improved
      staging of diabetic retinopathy.
AB  - PURPOSE: Disease staging involves the assessment of disease severity or
      progression and is used for treatment selection. In diabetic retinopathy, disease
      staging using a wide area is more desirable than that using a limited area. We
      investigated if deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to grade
      diabetic retinopathy and determine treatment and prognosis. METHODS: The
      retrospective study analyzed 9,939 posterior pole photographs of 2,740 patients
      with diabetes. Nonmydriatic 45 degrees  field color fundus photographs were taken
      of four fields in each eye annually at Jichi Medical University between May 2011
      and June 2015. A modified fully randomly initialized GoogLeNet deep learning
      neural network was trained on 95% of the photographs using manual modified Davis
      grading of three additional adjacent photographs. We graded 4,709 of the 9,939
      posterior pole fundus photographs using real prognoses. In addition, 95% of the
      photographs were learned by the modified GoogLeNet. Main outcome measures were
      prevalence and bias-adjusted Fleiss' kappa (PABAK) of AI staging of the remaining
      5% of the photographs. RESULTS: The PABAK to modified Davis grading was 0.64
      (accuracy, 81%; correct answer in 402 of 496 photographs). The PABAK to real
      prognosis grading was 0.37 (accuracy, 96%). CONCLUSIONS: We propose a novel AI
      disease-staging system for grading diabetic retinopathy that involves a retinal
      area not typically visualized on fundoscopy and another AI that directly suggests
      treatments and determines prognoses.

PMID- 28640842
TI  - Living in the waterfalls: A new species of Trichomycterus (Siluriformes:
      Trichomycteridae) from Tabay stream, Misiones, Argentina.
AB  - A new species assigned to the genus Trichomycterus from the area of the
      waterfalls of Tabay stream, Parana River basin, Misiones, Argentina, is
      described. Trichomycterus ytororo sp. nov. is distinguished from all other
      species in the genus by the presence of 31-35 dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays
      and the combination of some external characters such as: coloration, number of
      pectoral-fin rays and pores of the laterosensory canals. The new taxon belongs to
      a presumably monophyletic group of species composed of T. crassicaudatus, T.
      igobi, and T. stawiarski based on the presence of 24 or more thickly ossified and
      rigid procurrent caudal-fin rays with a slender distal tip extending along the
      tips of at least ten neural spines.

PMID- 28640841
TI  - A sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) mutant with altered carbon isotope ratio.
AB  - Recent efforts to engineer C4 photosynthetic traits into C3 plants such as rice
      demand an understanding of the genetic elements that enable C4 plants to
      outperform C3 plants. As a part of the C4 Rice Consortium's efforts to identify
      genes needed to support C4 photosynthesis, EMS mutagenized sorghum populations
      were generated and screened to identify genes that cause a loss of C4 function.
      Stable carbon isotope ratio (delta13C) of leaf dry matter has been used to
      distinguishspecies with C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways. Here, we report the
      identification of a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) mutant with a low delta13C
      characteristic. A mutant (named Mut33) with a pale phenotype and stunted growth
      was identified from an EMS treated sorghum M2 population. The stable carbon
      isotope analysis of the mutants showed a decrease of 13C uptake capacity. The
      noise of random mutation was reduced by crossing the mutant and its wildtype
      (WT). The back-cross (BC1F1) progenies were like the WT parent in terms of 13C
      values and plant phenotypes. All the BC1F2 plants with low delta13C died before
      they produced their 6th leaf. Gas exchange measurements of the low delta13C
      sorghum mutants showed a higher CO2 compensation point (25.24 MUmol CO2.mol-1air)
      and the maximum rate of photosynthesis was less than 5MUmol.m-2.s-1. To identify
      the genetic determinant of this trait, four DNA pools were isolated; two each
      from normal and low delta13C BC1F2 mutant plants. These were sequenced using an
      Illumina platform. Comparison of allele frequency of the single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) between the pools with contrasting phenotype showed that a
      locus in Chromosome 10 between 57,941,104 and 59,985,708 bps had an allele
      frequency of 1. There were 211 mutations and 37 genes in the locus, out of which
      mutations in 9 genes showed non-synonymous changes. This finding is expected to
      contribute to future research on the identification of the causal factor
      differentiating C4 from C3 species that can be used in the transformation of C3
      to C4 plants.

PMID- 28640843
TI  - Metabolic milieu associates with impaired skeletal characteristics in obesity.
AB  - High leptin concentration, low-grade inflammation, and insulin resistance often
      coexist in obese subjects; this adverse metabolic milieu may be the main culprit
      for increased fracture risk and impaired bone quality seen in patients with type
      2 diabetes. We examined the associations of leptin, hs (high sensitivity)- CRP
      and insulin resistance with bone turnover markers (BTMs) and bone characteristics
      in 55 young obese adults (median BMI 40 kg/m2) and 65 non-obese controls. Mean
      age of the subjects was 19.5 +/- 2.5 years (mean +/- SD). Concentrations of
      leptin, adiponectin, hs-CRP, MMP-8 and TIMP-1, fasting plasma glucose and insulin
      (to calculate HOMA), BTMs (BAP, P1NP, CTX-1, and TRAC5b) were measured. Bone
      characteristics were determined with pQCT at radius and tibia, and with DXA for
      central sites. Leptin, hs-CRP and HOMA correlated inversely with BTMs: the
      partial coefficients were 1.5-1.9 fold higher in males than in females. After
      adjusting for age, BMI, and other endocrine factors, leptin displayed an
      independent effect in males on radial bone mass (p = 0.019), tibial trabecular
      density (p = 0.025) and total hip BMD (p = 0.043), with lower densities in males
      with high leptin. In females, the model adjusting for age, BMI, and other
      endocrine factors, revealed that hs-CRP had independent effects on radial bone
      mass (p = 0.034) and lumbar spine BMD (p = 0.016), women with high hs-CRP having
      lower values. Partial correlations of adiponectin and TIMP-1 with bone
      characteristics were discrepant; MMP-8 showed no associations. In conclusion, in
      young obese adults and their controls, leptin, hs-CRP and HOMA associate
      inversely with BTMs and bone characteristics. Leptin appears to be the key
      independent effector in males, whereas hs-CRP displayed a predominant role in
      females.

PMID- 28640844
TI  - The G8 screening tool enhances prognostic value to ECOG performance status in
      elderly cancer patients: A retrospective, single institutional study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some elderly cancer patients, even with good Eastern Cooperative
      Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS), have poor survival outcomes and
      cannot tolerate standard therapy. Few studies have detailed the associations
      between the G8 screening tool, ECOG-PS, and overall survival (OS) in such
      patients. METHODS: Cancer patients, aged 70 years or older, were assessed for G8
      and classified into three groups according to their G8 score: <11 as the low
      score group, 11-14 as the intermediate score group, and >14 as the high score
      group. We retrospectively analyzed the association between G8 score and OS in all
      patients and for each ECOG-PS-categorized group. RESULTS: Out of 264 enrolled
      patients, most patients (87%) with solid tumor were categorized as TNM stage IV.
      ECOG-PS was 0 or 1 in 215 patients and >=2 in 48; there was missing data for one
      patient. Among all patients, the low score group with a median OS of 7.7 months
      survived significantly less than both the high score group with a median OS of
      25.6 months [Hazard ratio (HR) 3.48; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.96-6.63; p <
      0.0001] and the intermediate score group with a median of 15.6 months (HR 1.83;
      95% CI, 1.28-2.65; p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, TNM stage and G8
      score were independent prognostic factors for OS. When patients with an ECOG-PS
      of 0 or 1 were analyzed, patients with a lower G8 score showed significantly
      shorter OS than patients with a higher score when any two groups were compared.
      CONCLUSION: This novel classification of the G8 score contributes to prompt
      identification of patients with poor prognosis and improved the prognostic value
      of ECOG-PS. Using G8 with ECOG-PS may be helpful in deciding treatment for
      elderly patients with advanced cancer.

PMID- 28640845
TI  - Is self-assessment of medical abortion using a low-sensitivity pregnancy test
      combined with a checklist and phone text messages feasible in South African
      primary healthcare settings? A randomized trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate feasibility of self-assessment of medical abortion outcome
      using a low-sensitivity urine pregnancy test, checklist and text messages. The
      study assessed whether accurate self-assessment required a demonstration of the
      low-sensitivity urine pregnancy test or if verbal instructions suffice. METHODS:
      This non-inferiority trial enrolled 525 adult women from six public sector
      abortion clinics. Eligible women were undergoing medical abortion at gestations
      within 63 days. Consenting women completed a baseline interview, received
      standard care with mifepristone and home-administration of misoprostol. All were
      given a low-sensitivity urine pregnancy test and checklist for use 14 days later,
      sent text reminders, and asked to attend in-clinic follow-up after two weeks.
      Women were randomly assigned 1:1 to an instruction-only group (n = 262; issued
      with pre-scripted instructions on the low-sensitivity pregnancy test), or a
      demonstration group (n = 263; performed practice tests guided by lay health
      workers). The primary outcome was accurate self-assessment of incomplete
      abortion, defined as needing additional misoprostol or vacuum aspiration.
      Analysis was by intention to treat and a non-inferiority margin was set to six
      percentage points. Women's acceptability of their abortion procedure and
      preferences for follow-up were also assessed. RESULTS: Follow-up was 81% for
      abortion outcome, confirmed in-clinic at two weeks or self-reported within six
      months. Non-inferiority of instruction-only to a demonstration was inconclusive
      for accurate self-assessment (risk difference for instruction-only 
      demonstration: -2.5%; 95%CI: -9% to 4%). Comparing instruction-only to
      demonstration groups, 99% and 100% found the pregnancy test easy to do; and 91%
      and 93% respectively chose the pregnancy test, checklist and text messages for
      abortion outcome assessment in the future. CONCLUSION: Routine self-assessment
      using a low-sensitivity pregnancy test, checklist and text messages is feasible
      and preferred by women attending South African primary care abortion clinics.
      Counselling with additional emphasis on prompt recognition of ongoing pregnancies
      is recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02231619.

PMID- 28640846
TI  - Endothelial angiogenesis is directed by RUNX1T1-regulated VEGFA, BMP4 and TGF
      beta2 expression.
AB  - Tissue angiogenesis is intimately regulated during embryogenesis and postnatal
      development. Defected angiogenesis contributes to aberrant development and is the
      main complication associated with ischemia-related diseases. We previously
      identified the increased expression of RUNX1T1 in umbilical cord blood-derived
      endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) by gene expression microarray. However,
      the biological relevance of RUNX1T1 in endothelial lineage is not defined
      clearly. Here, we demonstrate RUNX1T1 regulates the survival, motility and tube
      forming capability of ECFCs and EA.hy926 endothelial cells by loss-and gain-of
      function assays, respectively. Second, embryonic vasculatures and quantity of
      bone marrow-derived angiogenic progenitors are found to be reduced in the
      established Runx1t1 heterozygous knockout mice. Finally, a central RUNX1T1
      regulated signature is uncovered and VEGFA, BMP4 as well as TGF-beta2 are
      demonstrated to mediate RUNX1T1-orchested angiogenic activities. Taken together,
      our results reveal that RUNX1T1 serves as a common angiogenic driver for
      vaculogenesis and functionality of endothelial lineage cells. Therefore, the
      discovery and application of pharmaceutical activators for RUNX1T1 will improve
      therapeutic efficacy toward ischemia by promoting neovascularization.

PMID- 28640847
TI  - Heart rate lowering treatment leads to a reduction in vulnerable plaque features
      in atherosclerotic rabbits.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a heart rate (HR) lowering agent
      (Ivabradine) on features of atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability with magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound imaging, and histology. APPROACH AND RESULTS:
      Atherosclerosis was induced in the abdominal aorta of 19 rabbits. Nine rabbits
      were treated with Ivabradine (17 mg/kg/day) during the entire study period. At
      week 14, imaging was performed. Plaque size was quantified on contrast-enhanced
      T1-weighted MR images. Microvascular flow, density, and permeability was studied
      with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Plaque biomechanics was studied by measuring
      the aortic distension with ultrasound. After, animals were sacrificed and
      histology was performed. HR was reduced by 16% (p = 0.026) in Ivabradine-treated
      animals. No differences in absolute and relative vessel wall beat-to-beat
      distension were found, but due to the reduction in HR, the frequency of the
      biomechanical load on the plaque was reduced. Plaque size (MR and histology) was
      similar between groups. Although microvessel density (histology) was similar
      between groups, AUC and Ktrans, indicative for plaque microvasculature flow,
      density, and permeability, were decreased by 24% (p = 0.029) and 32% (p = 0.037),
      respectively. Macrophage content (relative RAM11 positive area) was reduced by
      44% (p<0.001) on histology in Ivabradine-treated animals. CONCLUSIONS: HR
      lowering treatment with Ivabradine in an atherosclerotic rabbit model is
      associated with a reduction in vulnerable plaque features. The current study
      suggests that HR reduction may be beneficial for inducing or maintaining a more
      stable plaque phenotype.

PMID- 28640848
TI  - Easy labeling of proliferative phase and sporogonic phase of microsporidia Nosema
      bombycis in host cells.
AB  - Microsporidia are eukaryotic, unicellular parasites that have been studied for
      more than 150 years. These organisms are extraordinary in their ability to invade
      a wide range of hosts including vertebrates and invertebrates, such as human and
      commercially important animals. A lack of appropriate labeling methods has
      limited the research of the cell cycle and protein locations in intracellular
      stages. In this report, an easy fluorescent labeling method has been developed to
      mark the proliferative and sporogonic phases of microsporidia Nosema bombycis in
      host cells. Based on the presence of chitin, Calcofluor White M2R was used to
      label the sporogonic phase, while beta-tubulin antibody coupled with fluorescence
      secondary antibody were used to label the proliferative phase by
      immunofluorescence. This method is simple, efficient and can be used on both
      infected cells and tissue slices, providing a great potential application in
      microsporidia research.

PMID- 28640849
TI  - Motility in blastogregarines (Apicomplexa): Native and drug-induced organisation
      of Siedleckia nematoides cytoskeletal elements.
AB  - Recent studies on motility of Apicomplexa concur with the so-called glideosome
      concept applied for apicomplexan zoites, describing a unique mechanism of
      substrate-dependent gliding motility facilitated by a conserved form of
      actomyosin motor and subpellicular microtubules. In contrast, the gregarines and
      blastogregarines exhibit different modes and mechanisms of motility, correlating
      with diverse modifications of their cortex. This study focuses on the motility
      and cytoskeleton of the blastogregarine Siedleckia nematoides Caullery et Mesnil,
      1898 parasitising the polychaete Scoloplos cf. armiger (Muller, 1776). The
      blastogregarine moves independently on a solid substrate without any signs of
      gliding motility; the motility in a liquid environment (in both the attached and
      detached forms) rather resembles a sequence of pendular, twisting, undulation,
      and sometimes spasmodic movements. Despite the presence of key glideosome
      components such as pellicle consisting of the plasma membrane and the inner
      membrane complex, actin, myosin, subpellicular microtubules, micronemes and
      glycocalyx layer, the motility mechanism of S. nematoides differs from the
      glideosome machinery. Nevertheless, experimental assays using cytoskeletal probes
      proved that the polymerised forms of actin and tubulin play an essential role in
      the S. nematoides movement. Similar to Selenidium archigregarines, the
      subpellicular microtubules organised in several layers seem to be the leading
      motor structures in blastogregarine motility. The majority of the detected actin
      was stabilised in a polymerised form and appeared to be located beneath the inner
      membrane complex. The experimental data suggest the subpellicular microtubules to
      be associated with filamentous structures (= cross-linking protein complexes),
      presumably of actin nature.

PMID- 28640850
TI  - No evidence for punishment in communally nursing female house mice (Mus musculus
      domesticus).
AB  - Punishment is claimed as an important mechanism to stabilise costly cooperation
      in humans, but its importance in social animals has been questioned recently due
      to both conceptual considerations and a lack of empirical evidence (only few
      published studies). We empirically tested whether there is evidence for
      punishment in communally nursing house mice (Mus musculus domesticus, direct
      descendants of "wild" animals). Communally breeding females pool their litters
      and raise all offspring together, indiscriminately caring for own and other
      offspring. Such a situation resembles a public good and provides scope for
      exploitation if females vary in their relative contributions to the joint nest
      (offspring number). We allowed two females to communally breed and conducted
      removal experiments both in the presence and absence of pups. We aimed to test
      whether reduced investment by one of the females (induced through separation from
      the partner and their combined offspring for 4 or 12 hours) leads to increased
      aggression by the other female after the reunion. We found no evidence for
      punishment, on the contrary, females increased socio-positive behaviours. The
      costs of losing a partner in a communally breeding species might be too high and
      hinder the evolution of punishment. Our findings add to a growing list of
      examples questioning the role of punishment in cooperating non-human animals and
      emphasise the importance of empirical testing of its assumptions and predictions.

PMID- 28640851
TI  - Ligand-mediated and tertiary interactions cooperatively stabilize the P1 region
      in the guanine-sensing riboswitch.
AB  - Riboswitches are genetic regulatory elements that control gene expression
      depending on ligand binding. The guanine-sensing riboswitch (Gsw) binds ligands
      at a three-way junction formed by paired regions P1, P2, and P3. Loops L2 and L3
      cap the P2 and P3 helices and form tertiary interactions. Part of P1 belongs to
      the switching sequence dictating the fate of the mRNA. Previous studies revealed
      an intricate relationship between ligand binding and presence of the tertiary
      interactions, and between ligand binding and influence on the P1 region. However,
      no information is available on the interplay among these three main regions in
      Gsw. Here we show that stabilization of the L2-L3 region by tertiary
      interactions, and the ligand binding site by ligand binding, cooperatively
      influences the structural stability of terminal base pairs in the P1 region in
      the presence of Mg2+ ions. The results are based on molecular dynamics
      simulations with an aggregate simulation time of ~10 MUs across multiple systems
      of the unbound state of the Gsw aptamer and a G37A/C61U mutant, and rigidity
      analyses. The results could explain why the three-way junction is a central
      structural element also in other riboswitches and how the cooperative effect
      could become contextual with respect to intracellular Mg2+ concentration. The
      results suggest that the transmission of allosteric information to P1 can be
      entropy-dominated.

PMID- 28640853
TI  - Required coefficient of friction in the anteroposterior and mediolateral
      direction during turning at different walking speeds.
AB  - This study investigated the required coefficient of friction (RCOF) and the
      tangent of center of mass (COM)-center of pressure (COP) angle in the
      mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) directions during turning at different
      walking speeds. Sixteen healthy young adults (8 males and 8 females) participated
      in this study. The participants were instructed to conduct trials of straight
      walking and 90 degrees  step and spin turns to the right at each of three self
      selected speeds (slow, normal, and fast). The ML and AP directions during turning
      gait were defined using the orientation of the pelvis to construct a body-fixed
      reference frame. The RCOF values and COM-COP angle tangent in the ML direction
      during turning at weight acceptance phase were higher than those during straight
      walking, and those values increased with increasing walking speed. The ML
      component of the RCOF and COM-COP tangent values during weight acceptance for
      step turns were higher than those for spin turns. The mean centripetal force
      during turning tended to increase with an increase in walking speed and had a
      strong positive correlation with the RCOF values in the ML direction (R = 0.97
      during the weight acceptance phase; R = 0.95 during the push-off phase).
      Therefore, turning, particularly step turn, is likely to cause lateral slip at
      weight acceptance because of the increased centripetal force compared with
      straight walking. Future work should test at-risk population and compare with the
      present results.

PMID- 28640852
TI  - Differential roles of 3-Hydroxyflavone and 7-Hydroxyflavone against nicotine
      induced oxidative stress in rat renal proximal tubule cells.
AB  - Plant flavonoids are well known as antioxidants against oxidative stress induced
      by exposure to external pollutants. Nicotine (NIC) is one of those agents which
      increases renal oxidative stress, an important factor in the pathogenesis of
      renal epithelial injury in smokers. Although several studies had been conducted
      on flavonoids and oxidative stress, the mechanism of the protective pathways are
      not fully understood. Here, we present studies on antioxidant properties of two
      mono-hydroxyflavone isomers, 3-hydroxyflanove (3HF)- and 7-hydroxyflavone (7HF),
      against nicotine-associated oxidative stress and injury in cultured renal
      proximal tubule cells and correlate their antioxidant properties with their
      chemical structure. Our data clearly demonstrates, for the first time, that while
      both 3HF and 7HF protect renal cells from NIC-associated cytotoxicity, the
      mechanism of their action is different: 3HF elicits protective activity via the
      PKA/CREB/MnSOD pathway while 7HF does so via the ERK/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Molecular
      docking and dynamics simulations with two major signaling pathway proteins showed
      significant differences in the binding energies of 3HF (-5.67 and -7.39 kcal.mol
      1) compared to 7HF (-5.41 and -8.55 kcal.mol-1) in the matrices of CREB and Keap1
      Nrf2 proteins respectively, which corroborate with the observed differences in
      their protective properties in the renal cells. The implications of this novel
      explorative study is likely to promote the understanding of the mechanisms of the
      antioxidative functions of different flavones.

PMID- 28640854
TI  - Maternal BMI and diabetes in pregnancy: Investigating variations between ethnic
      groups using routine maternity data from London, UK.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ethnicity-specific association between body mass
      index (BMI) and diabetes in pregnancy, with a focus on the appropriateness of
      using BMI cut-offs to identify pregnant women at risk of diabetes. STUDY DESIGN:
      Analysis of routinely-collected data from a maternity unit in London, UK. Data
      were available on 53 264 women delivering between 2004 and 2012. Logistic
      regression was used to explore the association between diabetes in pregnancy and
      BMI among women of different ethnicities, and adjusted probability estimates were
      used to derive risk equivalent cut-offs. ROC curve analysis was used to assess
      the performance of BMI as a predictor of diabetes in pregnancy. RESULTS: The
      prevalence of diabetes in pregnancy was 2.3% overall; highest in South and East
      Asian women (4.6% and 3.7%). In adjusted analysis, BMI category was strongly
      associated with diabetes in all ethnic groups. Modelled as a continuous variable
      with a quadratic term, BMI was an acceptable predictor of diabetes according to
      ROC curve analysis. Applying a BMI cut-off of 30 kg/m2 would identify just over
      half of Black women with diabetes in pregnancy, a third of White (32%) and South
      Asian (35%) women, but only 13% of East Asian women. The 'risk equivalent'
      (comparable to 30 kg/m2 in White women) threshold for South Asian and East Asian
      women was approximately 21 kg/m2, and 27.5 kg/m2 for Black women. CONCLUSIONS:
      This study suggests that current BMI thresholds are likely to be ineffective for
      diabetes screening in South and East Asian women, as many cases of diabetes will
      occur at low BMI levels. Our results suggest that East Asian women appear to face
      a similarly high risk of diabetes to South Asian women. Current UK guidelines
      recommend diabetes screening should be offered to all pregnant South Asian women;
      extending this recommendation to include women of East Asian ethnicity may be
      appropriate.

PMID- 28640855
TI  - The effect of subpressure on the bond strength of resin to zirconia ceramic.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of subpressure on
      the bond strength of resin to zirconia ceramic. The subpressure would create a
      pressure gradient which could clean out the bubbles in the adhesives or bonding
      interface. METHODS: Twenty-eight pre-sintered zirconia discs were fabricated.
      Half of them were polished (group P, n = 14), and the rest were sandblasted
      (group S, n = 14). After sintered,the surface roughness of the zirconia discs was
      measured. Then, they were randomly divided into two subgroups (n = 7). The groups
      were named as follows: PC: P + no additional treatments; PP: P + 0.04 MPa after
      application of adhesives; SC: S + no additional treatments; and SP: S + 0.04 MPa
      after application of adhesives. Resin columns were bonded to the zirconia
      specimens to determine shear bond strength (SBS). The bonding interfaces were
      observed and the fracture modes were evaluated. Statistical analysis was
      performed on all data. RESULTS: The surface roughness of group S was
      significantly higher than that of group P (P<0.05). The SBS values were PC =
      13.48 +/- 0.7 MPa, PP = 15.22 +/- 0.8 MPa, SC = 17.23 +/- 0.7 MPa and SP = 21.68
      +/- 1.4 MPa. There were significant differences among the groups (P<0.05).
      Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that the adhesives of group SP
      and PP were closer and denser to the zirconia ceramic than that of group PC and
      SC. The proportion of the mixed fracture mode significantly increased after
      adding subpressure (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Subpressure can improve the shear bond
      strength of resin to zirconia ceramics and increase micro-infiltration between
      the adhesives and the zirconia ceramics, especially on the rough surfaces.

PMID- 28640856
TI  - Correction: MSLN gene silencing has an anti-malignant effect on cell lines
      overexpressing mesothelin deriving from malignant pleural mesothelioma.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085935.].

PMID- 28640858
TI  - Early growth stages salinity stress tolerance in CM72 x Gairdner doubled haploid
      barley population.
AB  - A doubled haploid (DH) population of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) generated from
      salinity tolerant genotype CM72 and salinity sensitive variety Gairdner was
      studied for salinity stress tolerance at germination, seedling emergence and
      first leaf full expansion growth stages. Germination study was conducted with
      deionized water, 150 mM and 300 mM NaCl treatments. Seedling stage salinity
      tolerance was conducted with three treatments: control, 150 mM NaCl added at
      seedling emergence and first leaf full expansion growth stages. Results from this
      study revealed transgressive phenotypic segregations for germination percentage
      and biomass at seedling stage. Twelve QTL were identified on chromosomes 2H-6H
      each explaining 10-25% of the phenotypic variations. A QTL located at 176.5 cM on
      chromosome 3H was linked with fresh weight per plant and dry weight per plant in
      salinity stress induced at first leaf full expansion growth stage, and dry weight
      per plant in salinity stress induced at seedling emergence. A stable QTL for
      germination at both 150 and 300 mM salinity stress was mapped on chromosome 2H
      but distantly located from a QTL linked with seedling stage salinity stress
      tolerance. QTL, associated markers and genotypes identified in this study play
      important roles in developing salinity stress tolerant barley varieties.

PMID- 28640857
TI  - Glucose dysregulation and response to common anti-diabetic agents in the
      FATZO/Pco mouse.
AB  - : The FATZO/Pco mouse is the result of a cross of the C57BL/6J and AKR/J strains.
      The crossing of these two strains and the selective inbreeding for obesity,
      insulin resistance and hyperglycemia has resulted in an inbred strain exhibiting
      obesity in the presumed presence of an intact leptin pathway. Routinely used
      rodent models for obesity and diabetes research have a monogenic defect in leptin
      signaling that initiates obesity. Given that obesity and its sequelae in humans
      are polygenic in nature and not associated with leptin signaling defects, the
      FATZO mouse may represent a more translatable rodent model for study of obesity
      and its associated metabolic disturbances. The FATZO mouse develops obesity
      spontaneously when fed a normal chow diet. Glucose intolerance with increased
      insulin levels are apparent in FATZO mice as young as 6 weeks of age. These
      progress to hyperglycemia/pre-diabetes and frank diabetes with decreasing insulin
      levels as they age. The disease in these mice is multi-faceted, similar to the
      metabolic syndrome apparent in obese individuals, and thus provides a long pre
      diabetic state for determining the preventive value of new interventions. We have
      assessed the utility of this new model for the pre-clinical screening of agents
      to stop or slow progression of the metabolic syndrome to severe diabetes. Our
      assessment included: 1) characterization of the spontaneous development of
      disease, 2) comparison of metabolic disturbances of FATZO mice to control mice
      and 3) validation of the model with regard to the effectiveness of current and
      emerging anti-diabetic agents; rosiglitazone, metformin and semaglutide.
      CONCLUSION: Male FATZO mice spontaneously develop significant metabolic disease
      when compared to normal controls while maintaining hyperglycemia in the presence
      of high leptin levels and hyperinsulinemia. The disease condition responds to
      commonly used antidiabetic agents.

PMID- 28640859
TI  - Toxic effects of atrazine on porcine oocytes and possible mechanisms of action.
AB  - Because atrazine is a widely used herbicide, its adverse effects on the
      reproductive system have been extensively researched. In this study, we
      investigated the effects of atrazine exposure on porcine oocyte maturation and
      the possible mechanisms. Our results showed that the rates of oocyte maturation
      significantly decreased after treatment with 200 MUM atrazine in vitro. Atrazine
      treatment resulted in abnormal spindle morphology but did not affect actin
      distribution. Atrazine exposure not only triggered a DNA damage response but also
      decreased MPF levels in porcine oocytes. Our results also revealed that atrazine
      worsened porcine oocyte quality by causing excessive accumulation of superoxide
      radicals, increasing cathepsin B activity, and decreasing the GSH level and
      mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, atrazine decreased developmental
      competence of porcine oocytes up to the blastocyst stage and changed some
      properties: cell numbers, apoptosis, and related gene expression levels.
      Collectively, our results indicate that porcine oocyte maturation is defective
      after atrazine treatment at least through disruption of spindle morphology, MPF
      activity, and mitochondrial function and via induction of DNA damage, which
      probably reduces developmental competence.

PMID- 28640860
TI  - The path to specialist multidisciplinary care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A
      population- based study of consultations, interventions and costs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurological
      condition that requires coordinated, multidisciplinary clinical management. ALS
      is prone to misdiagnosis as its signs and symptoms may be non-specific, which may
      prolong patients' journey to multidisciplinary ALS care. METHODS: Using chart
      review and national register data, we have detailed the journey of a national
      cohort of ALS patients (n = 155) from the time of first symptom to presentation
      at a multidisciplinary clinic (MDC). Key milestones were analysed, including
      frequency of consultations, clinical interventions, and associated economic cost.
      RESULTS: A majority of patients was male (60%), 65 years of age and over (54%),
      and had spinal onset ALS (72%). Time from onset of first symptoms to ALS
      diagnosis was a mean of 15.1 months (median, 11). There was a mean interval of
      17.4 months (median 12.5) from first symptoms to arrival at the MDC, and a mean
      of 4.09 (median, 4) consultations with health care professionals.
      Electromyography and nerve conduction studies were among the most common
      interventions. Direct referral by a general practitioner (GP) to a neurologist
      was associated with reduced cost, but not reduced diagnostic delay. Bulbar ALS
      was associated with shorter time from symptom onset to diagnosis. Neurologist
      consultation in the first three consultations was associated with lower costs
      prior to the ALS clinic attendance but not a shorter time from first symptom to
      final diagnosis. Mean cost prior to attending the MDC was ?3,486 per patient.
      CONCLUSIONS: Expedited referral to the multidisciplinary ALS clinic would have
      reduced costs by an estimated ?2,072 per patient. Development of a standardised
      pathway with early referral to neurology of patients with suspected symptoms of
      ALS could limit unnecessary interventions and reduce cost of care.

PMID- 28640863
TI  - Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived limbal epithelial cells (LiPSC) as a
      cellular alternative for in vitro ocular toxicity testing.
AB  - Induced pluripotent stem cells hold great potential to produce unlimited amount
      of differentiated cells as cellular source for regenerative medicine but also for
      in vitro drug screening and cytotoxicity tests. Ocular toxicity testing is
      mandatory to evaluate the risks of drugs and cosmetic products before their
      application to human patients by preventing eye irritation or insult. Since the
      global ban to use animals, many human-derived alternatives have been proposed,
      from ex-vivo enucleated postmortem cornea, primary corneal cell culture and
      immortalized corneal epithelial cell lines. All of them share limitations for
      their routine use. Using an improved protocol, we derived limbal epithelial cells
      from human induced pluripotent stem cells, named LiPSC, that are able to be
      passaged and differentiate further into corneal epithelial cells. Comparative RT
      qPCR, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry analysis and zymography assays
      demonstrate that LiPSC are morphologically and molecularly similar to the adult
      stem cells. Moreover, contrary to HCE, LiPSC and primary limbal cells display
      similarly sensitive to cytotoxicity treatment among passages. Our data strongly
      suggest that LiPSC could become a powerful alternative cellular model for
      cosmetic and drug tests.

PMID- 28640861
TI  - Inhibition of NF-kappaB improves the stress resistance and myogenic
      differentiation of MDSPCs isolated from naturally aged mice.
AB  - A decline in the regenerative capacity of adult stem cells with aging is well
      documented. As a result of this decline, the efficacy of autologous stem cell
      therapies is likely to decline with increasing donor age. In these cases,
      strategies to restore the function of aged stem cells would have clinical
      utility. Globally, the transcription factor NF-kappaB is up-regulated in aged
      tissues. Given the negative role that NF-kappaB plays in myogenesis, we
      investigated whether the age-related decline in the function of muscle-derived
      stem/progenitor cells (MDSPCs) could be improved by inhibition of NF-kappaB.
      Herein, we demonstrate that pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of NF-kappaB
      activation increases myogenic differentiation and improves resistance to
      oxidative stress. Our results suggest that MDSPC "aging" may be reversible, and
      that pharmacologic targeting of pathways such as NF-kappaB may enhance the
      efficacy of cell-based therapies.

PMID- 28640862
TI  - A biosystems approach to identify the molecular signaling mechanisms of TMEM30A
      during tumor migration.
AB  - Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cell migration, which plays an
      important role in tumor growth and progression, is critical for the development
      of novel tumor therapeutics. Overexpression of transmembrane protein 30A
      (TMEM30A) has been shown to initiate tumor cell migration, however, the molecular
      mechanisms through which this takes place have not yet been reported. Thus, we
      propose the integration of computational and experimental approaches by first
      predicting potential signaling networks regulated by TMEM30A using a)
      computational biology methods, b) our previous mass spectrometry results of the
      TMEM30A complex in mouse tissue, and c) a number of migration-related genes
      manually collected from the literature, and subsequently performing molecular
      biology experiments including the in vitro scratch assay and real-time
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to validate the reliability of the
      predicted network. The results verify that the genes identified in the
      computational signaling network are indeed regulated by TMEM30A during cell
      migration, indicating the effectiveness of our proposed method and shedding light
      on the regulatory mechanisms underlying tumor migration, which facilitates the
      understanding of the molecular basis of tumor invasion.

PMID- 28640864
TI  - Targeting breast cancer cells by MRS1477, a positive allosteric modulator of
      TRPV1 channels.
AB  - There is convincing epidemiological and experimental evidence that capsaicin, a
      potent natural transient receptor potential cation channel vanilloid member 1
      (TRPV1) agonist, has anticancer activity. However, capsaicin cannot be given
      systemically in large doses, because of its induction of acute pain and
      neurological inflammation. MRS1477, a dihydropyridine derivative acts as a
      positive allosteric modulator of TRPV1, if added together with capsaicin, but is
      ineffective, if given alone. Addition of MRS1477 evoked Ca2+ signals in MCF7
      breast cancer cells, but not in primary breast epithelial cells. This indicates
      that MCF7 cells not only express functional TRPV1 channels, but also produce
      endogenous TRPV1 agonists. We investigated the effects of MRS1477 and capsaicin
      on cell viability, caspase-3 and -9 activities and reactive oxygen species
      production in MCF7 cells. The fraction of apoptotic cells was increased after 3
      days incubation with capsaicin (10 MUM) paralleled by increased reactive oxygen
      species production and caspase activity. These effects were even more pronounced,
      when cells were incubated with MRS1477 (2 MUM) either alone or together with CAPS
      (10 MUM). Capsazepine, a TRPV1 blocker, inhibited both the effect of capsaicin
      and MRS1477. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings revealed that capsaicin-evoked
      TRPV1-mediated current density levels were increased after 3 days incubation with
      MRS1477 (2 MUM). However, the tumor growth in MCF7 tumor-bearing immunodeficient
      mice was not significantly decreased after treatment with MRS1477 (10 mg/ kg body
      weight, i.p., injection twice a week). In conclusion, in view of a putative in
      vivo treatment with MRS1477 or similar compounds further optimization is
      required.

PMID- 28640865
TI  - Association between suicide-related ideations and affective temperaments in the
      Japanese general adult population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Suicide rates are vastly higher in Japan than in many other
      countries, although the associations between affective temperaments and suicide
      related ideations in the general adult population remain unclear. Therefore, we
      aimed to elucidate these associations in the present study. METHODS: We analyzed
      data from 638 Japanese volunteers who completed both the Patient Health
      Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris,
      and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A). Participants were then divided into
      three groups based on PHQ-9 summary scores and responses to the suicide-related
      ideation item: non-depressive control group (NC; N = 469), depressive symptoms
      without suicide-related ideations group (non-SI; N = 135), and depressive
      symptoms with suicide-related ideations group (SI; N = 34). The depressive
      symptoms were defined for PHQ-9 summary scores >=5, and the suicide-related
      ideations were defined for PHQ-9 #9 score >=1. We then compared TEMPS-A scores
      among the groups using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Then the 95% confidence intervals of
      differences in TEMPS-A subscale scores between the NC and non-SI groups, or
      between NC and SI groups, were calculated. RESULTS: Participants of the SI group
      exhibited significantly higher scores on the depressive, irritable, and anxious
      temperament subscales than those of the non-SI group. Similarly, women of the SI
      group exhibited significantly higher scores of the depressive and irritable
      temperament subscales than women of the non-SI group, while men of the SI group
      exhibited significantly higher depressive temperament scores than those of the
      non-SI group. Among all participants and only men, cyclothymic subscale scores
      were higher in those of the SI group than the non-SI group (not significant),
      although the 95% confidence intervals did not overlap. LIMITATIONS: The cross
      sectional study design was the main limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive,
      irritable, and anxious temperaments are significant risk factors for suicide
      related ideations in the Japanese general adult population. Furthermore,
      irritable temperament in women and depressive temperament in men are associated
      with suicide-related ideations.

PMID- 28640867
TI  - Correction: L-Ferritin Binding to Scara5: A New Iron Traffic Pathway Potentially
      Implicated in Retinopathy.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106974.].

PMID- 28640866
TI  - Diet-induced adipose tissue expansion is mitigated in mice with a targeted
      inactivation of mesoderm specific transcript (Mest).
AB  - Interindividual variation of white adipose tissue (WAT) expression of mesoderm
      specific transcript (Mest), a paternally-expressed imprinted gene belonging to
      the alpha/beta-hydrolase fold protein family, becomes apparent among genetically
      inbred mice fed high fat diet (HFD) and is positively associated with adipose
      tissue expansion (ATE). To elucidate a role for MEST in ATE, mice were developed
      with global and adipose tissue inactivation of Mest. Mice with homozygous
      (MestgKO) and paternal allelic (MestpKO) inactivation of Mest were born at
      expected Mendelian frequencies, showed no behavioral or physical abnormalities,
      and did not perturb expression of the Mest locus-derived microRNA miR-335.
      MestpKO mice fed HFD showed reduced ATE and adipocyte hypertrophy, improved
      glucose tolerance, and reduced WAT expression of genes associated with hypoxia
      and inflammation compared to littermate controls. Remarkably, caloric intake and
      energy expenditure were unchanged between genotypes. Mice with adipose tissue
      inactivation of Mest were phenotypically similar to MestpKO, supporting a role
      for WAT MEST in ATE. Global profiling of WAT gene expression of HFD-fed control
      and MestpKO mice detected few differences between genotypes; nevertheless, genes
      with reduced expression in MestpKO mice were associated with immune processes and
      consistent with improved glucose homeostasis. Ear-derived mesenchymal stem cells
      (EMSC) from MestgKO mice showed no differences in adipogenic differentiation
      compared to control cells unless challenged by shRNA knockdown of Gpat4, an
      enzyme that mediates lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Reduced adipogenic
      capacity of EMSC from MestgKO after Gpat4 knockdown suggests that MEST
      facilitates lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Our data suggests that reduced diet
      induced ATE in MEST-deficient mice diminishes hypoxia and inflammation in WAT
      leading to improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Since inactivation
      of Mest in mice has minimal additional effects aside from reduction of ATE, an
      intervention that mitigates MEST function in adipocytes is a plausible strategy
      to obviate obesity and type-2-diabetes.

PMID- 28640868
TI  - Functional metabolomics as a tool to analyze Mediator function and structure in
      plants.
AB  - Mediator is a multiprotein transcriptional co-regulator complex composed of four
      modules; Head, Middle, Tail, and Kinase. It conveys signals from promoter-bound
      transcriptional regulators to RNA polymerase II and thus plays an essential role
      in eukaryotic gene regulation. We describe subunit localization and activities of
      Mediator in Arabidopsis through metabolome and transcriptome analyses from a set
      of Mediator mutants. Functional metabolomic analysis based on the metabolite
      profiles of Mediator mutants using multivariate statistical analysis and heat-map
      visualization shows that different subunit mutants display distinct metabolite
      profiles, which cluster according to the reported localization of the
      corresponding subunits in yeast. Based on these results, we suggest localization
      of previously unassigned plant Mediator subunits to specific modules. We also
      describe novel roles for individual subunits in development, and demonstrate
      changes in gene expression patterns and specific metabolite levels in med18 and
      med25, which can explain their phenotypes. We find that med18 displays levels of
      phytoalexins normally found in wild type plants only after exposure to pathogens.
      Our results indicate that different Mediator subunits are involved in specific
      signaling pathways that control developmental processes and tolerance to pathogen
      infections.

PMID- 28640869
TI  - Development of an automated size-based filtration system for isolation of
      circulating tumor cells in lung cancer patients.
AB  - Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), defined as tumor cells circulating in the
      peripheral blood of patients with solid tumors, are relatively rare. Diagnosis
      using CTCs is expected to help in the decision-making for precision cancer
      medicine. We have developed an automated microcavity array (MCA) system to detect
      CTCs based on the differences in size and deformability between tumor cells and
      normal blood cells. Herein, we evaluated the system using blood samples from non
      small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. To
      evaluate the recovery of CTCs, preclinical experiments were performed by spiking
      NSCLC cell lines (NCI-H820, A549, NCI-H23 and NCI-H441) into peripheral whole
      blood samples from healthy volunteers. The recovery rates were 70% or more in all
      cell lines. For clinical evaluation, 6 mL of peripheral blood was collected from
      50 patients with advanced lung cancer and from 10 healthy donors. Cells recovered
      on the filter were stained. We defined CTCs as DAPI-positive, cytokeratin
      positive, and CD45-negative cells under the fluorescence microscope. The 50 lung
      cancer patients had a median age of 72 years (range, 48-85 years); 76% had NSCLC
      and 20% had SCLC, and 14% were at stage III disease whereas 86% were at stage IV.
      One or more CTCs were detected in 80% of the lung cancer patients (median 2.5). A
      comparison of the CellSearch system with our MCA system, using the samples from
      NSCLC patients, confirmed the superiority of our system (median CTC count, 0
      versus 11 for CellSearch versus MCA; p = 0.0001, n = 17). The study results
      suggest that our MCA system has good clinical potential for diagnosing CTCs in
      lung cancer.

PMID- 28640870
TI  - Dominance of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      clones in a maternity hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major
      pathogen causing healthcare- and community- acquired infections. The purpose of
      this study was to characterize MRSA isolated at the Maternity Hospital between
      2006 and 2011 for their genetic relatedness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The MRSA
      isolates were investigated using a combination of antibiogram, Staphylococcal
      chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) and spa typing to determine their relatedness to
      MRSA isolated in other Kuwait hospitals. The isolates were also investigated for
      the carriage of genes for Pantone valentine Leukocidin (PVL). RESULTS: A total of
      103 MRSA obtained from 64 neonates, 17 adult patients and 12 healthcare workers.
      The isolates were resistant to Kanamycin (46.6%), gentamicin (40.8%),
      trimethoprim (32%), ciprofloxacin (22.3%), fusidic acid (16.5%), tetracycline
      (19.4%), erythromycin (15.5%), clindamycin (15.5%), streptomycin (11.6%) high
      level mupirocin (2.9%) and chloramphenicol (0.9%). Twenty (19.4%) of the isolates
      were multiresistant. Thirty-one (30.0%) isolates were positive for PVL. Molecular
      typing revealed the presence of 11 clonal complexes and 23 clones with ST5-V
      t002, (N = 22), ST22-IV-t223 (N = 18), ST22-IV-t852 (N = 10), ST80-IV-t044 (N =
      7), ST5-V-t688 (N = 5), ST772-V-t657 (N = 5) and ST239-III-t860 (N = 4)
      constituting 66.9% of the isolates. Other clones were isolated sporadically. The
      number of MRSA isolates increased from two in 2006 to 22 in 2011 with a peak of
      43 in 2008. CONCLUSION: The study revealed a high prevalence of community
      associated MRSA Maternity hospital. The MRSA population consisted of known
      strains, such as ST239-III-t680, ST22-IV-t223/t852 and ST80-IV-t044, that were
      reported previously in Kuwait and novel strains such as ST5-V-t002, and several
      sporadic strains obtained for the first time in the Maternity hospital. This
      study has provided an initial data which will serve as a platform for future
      comparative studies on the distribution of MRSA clones in the Maternity hospital
      in Kuwait.

PMID- 28640872
TI  - Correction: Management of chronic Hepatitis C at a primary health clinic in the
      high-burden context of Karachi, Pakistan.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175562.].

PMID- 28640871
TI  - Nomogram to predict rectal toxicity following prostate cancer radiotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To identify predictors of acute and late rectal toxicity following
      prostate cancer radiotherapy (RT), while integrating the potential impact of RT
      technique, dose escalation, and moderate hypofractionation, thus enabling us to
      generate a nomogram for individual prediction. METHODS: In total, 972 patients
      underwent RT for localized prostate cancer, to a total dose of 70 Gy or 80 Gy,
      using two different fractionations (2 Gy or 2.5 Gy/day), by means of several RT
      techniques (3D conformal RT [3DCRT], intensity-modulated RT [IMRT], or image
      guided RT [IGRT]). Multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of
      acute and late rectal toxicity. A nomogram was generated based on the logistic
      regression model used to predict the 3-year rectal toxicity risk, with its
      accuracy assessed by dividing the cohort into training and validation subgroups.
      RESULTS: Mean follow-up for the entire cohort was 62 months, ranging from 6 to
      235. The rate of acute Grade >=2 rectal toxicity was 22.2%, decreasing when
      combining IMRT and IGRT, compared to 3DCRT (RR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.3-0.6, p<0.01).
      The 5-year Grade >=2 risks for rectal bleeding, urgency/tenesmus, diarrhea, and
      fecal incontinence were 9.9%, 4.5%, 2.8%, and 0.4%, respectively. The 3-year
      Grade >=2 risk for overall rectal toxicity increased with total dose (p<0.01, RR
      = 1.1, 95%CI: 1.0-1.1) and dose per fraction (2Gy vs. 2.5Gy) (p = 0.03, RR = 3.3,
      95%CI: 1.1-10.0), and decreased when combining IMRT and IGRT (RR = 0.50, 95% CI:
      0.3-0.8, p<0.01). Based on these three parameters, a nomogram was generated.
      CONCLUSIONS: Dose escalation and moderate hypofractionation increase late rectal
      toxicity. IMRT combined with IGRT markedly decreases acute and late rectal
      toxicity. Performing combined IMRT and IGRT can thus be envisaged for dose
      escalation and moderate hypofractionation. Our nomogram predicts the 3-year
      rectal toxicity risk by integrating total dose, fraction dose, and RT technique.

PMID- 28640873
TI  - Healthy aging of the left ventricle in relationship to cardiovascular risk
      factors: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationship of cardiovascular structure and
      function to age is confounded by the high prevalence of traditional risk factors
      in the United States. The purpose of the study is to compare left ventricular
      (LV) and aortic structural, and functional parameters in individuals with and
      without traditional risk factors in a population-based cohort. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: 3015 study participants (48% men, age 55-94, mean 69.01+/-9.17 years) in
      the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) underwent cardiovascular
      magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging from 2010-2012. Absence of cardiovascular (CV)
      risk factors (no hypertension, diabetes or impaired fasting glucose, obesity,
      smoking or hypercholesterolemia) was infrequent, occurring in just 314 (10.4%,
      38% men) of 3015 participants. In multivariable analyses adjusting for age, sex
      and race, individuals with CV risk factors had significantly larger LV mass index
      (by 17%) and lower LV contractibility (circumference strain, lower by 14%).
      Indexed LV volumes and stroke volume were inversely associated with age, but such
      relationships were not statistically significant in risk-free male subjects
      (p>0.05). Men with CV risk factors showed positive association of CMR T1 indices
      of myocardial fibrosis with age. Aortic function was similar in individuals with
      and without risk factors; age was associated with decline of aortic function in
      both CV and no CV risk factor groups. CONCLUSION: Our results support that LV
      structure and function are better preserved in senescent hearts in the absence of
      traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and such protection is more prominent in
      men than in women.

PMID- 28640874
TI  - Risk factors are different for deep and lobar remote hemorrhages after
      intravenous thrombolysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Remote parenchymal haemorrhage (rPH) after intravenous
      thrombolysis is defined as hemorrhages that appear in brain regions without
      visible ischemic damage, remote from the area of ischemia causing the initial
      stroke symptom. The pathophysiology of rPH is not clear and may be explained by
      different underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that rPH may have different risk
      factors according to the bleeding location. We report the variables that we found
      associated with deep and lobar rPH after intravenous thrombolysis. METHODS: This
      is a descriptive study of patients with ischemic stroke who were treated with
      intravenous thrombolysis. These patients were included in a multicenter
      prospective registry. We collected demographic, clinical and radiological data.
      We evaluated the number and distribution of cerebral microbleeds (CMB) from
      Magnetic Resonance Imaging. We excluded patients treated endovascularly, patients
      with parenchymal hemorrhage without concomitant rPH and stroke mimics. We
      compared the variables from patients with deep or lobar rPH with those with no
      intracranial hemorrhage. RESULTS: We studied 934 patients (mean age 73.9+/-12.6
      years) and 52.8% were men. We observed rPH in 34 patients (3.6%); 9 (0.9%) were
      deep and 25 (2.7%) lobar. No hemorrhage was observed in 900 (96.6%) patients.
      Deep rPH were associated with hypertensive episodes within first 24 hours after
      intravenous thrombolysis (77.7% vs 23.3%, p<0.001). Lobar rPH were associated
      with the presence of CMB (53.8% vs 7.9%, p<0.001), multiple (>1) CMB (30.7% vs
      4.4%, p = 0.003), lobar CMB (53.8% vs 3.0%, p<0.001) and severe leukoaraiosis
      (76.9% vs 42%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: A high blood pressure within the first 24
      hours after intravenous thrombolysis is associated with deep rPH, whereas lobar
      rPH are associated with imaging markers of amyloid deposition. Thus, our results
      suggest that deep and lobar rPH after intravenous thrombolysis may have different
      mechanisms.

PMID- 28640875
TI  - Percutaneous coronary intervention in left main coronary artery disease with or
      without intravascular ultrasound: A meta-analysis.
AB  - This meta-analysis compared IVUS-guided with angiography-guided PCI to determine
      the effect of IVUS on the mortality in patients with LM CAD. Current guidelines
      recommend intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided percutaneous coronary
      intervention (PCI) in patients with left main coronary artery disease (LM CAD;
      Class IIa, level of evidence B). A systematic search of the MEDLINE, Embase, and
      Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was conducted to
      identify randomized or non-randomized studies comparing IVUS-guided PCI with
      angiography-guided PCI in LM CAD. Ten studies (9 non-randomized and 1 randomized)
      with 6,480 patients were included. The primary outcome was mortality including
      all-cause death and cardiac death. Compared with angiography-guide PCI, IVUS
      guided PCI was associated with significantly lower risks of all-cause death (risk
      ratio [RR] 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.47-0.75, p<0.001), cardiac death
      (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.33-0.66, p<0.001), target lesion revascularization (RR 0.43,
      95% CI 0.25-0.73, p = 0.002), and in-stent thrombosis (RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.12-0.67,
      p = 0.004). Subgroup analyses indicated the beneficial effect of IVUS-guide PCI
      was consistent across different types of studies (unadjusted non-randomized
      studies, propensity score-matched non-randomized studies, or randomized trial),
      study populations (Asian versus non-Asian), and lengths of follow-up (<3 years
      versus >=3 years). IVUS-guided PCI in LM CAD significantly reduced the risks of
      all-cause death by ~40% compared with conventional angiography-guided PCI.
      PROSPERO registration number: CRD 42017055134.

PMID- 28640876
TI  - Reliability and performance of commercial RNA and DNA extraction kits for FFPE
      tissue cores.
AB  - Cancer biomarker studies often require nucleic acid extraction from limited
      amounts of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, such as histologic
      sections or needle cores. A major challenge is low quantity and quality of
      extracted nucleic acids, which can limit our ability to perform genetic analyses,
      and have a significant influence on overall study design. This study was aimed at
      identifying the most reliable and reproducible method of obtaining sufficient
      high-quality nucleic acids from FFPE tissues. We compared the yield and quality
      of nucleic acids from 0.6-mm FFPE prostate tissue cores across 16 DNA and RNA
      extraction protocols, using 14 commercially available kits. Nucleic acid yield
      was determined by fluorometry, and quality was determined by spectrophotometry.
      All protocols yielded nucleic acids in quantities that are compatible with
      downstream molecular applications. However, the protocols varied widely in the
      quality of the extracted RNA and DNA. Four RNA and five DNA extraction protocols,
      including protocols from two kits for dual-extraction of RNA and DNA from the
      same tissue source, were prioritized for further quality assessment based on the
      yield and purity of their products. Specifically, their compatibility with
      downstream reactions was assessed using both NanoString nCounter gene expression
      assays and reverse-transcriptase real-time PCR for RNA, and methylation-specific
      PCR assays for DNA. The kit deemed most suitable for FFPE tissue was the AllPrep
      kit by Qiagen because of its yield, quality, and ability to purify both RNA and
      DNA from the same sample, which would be advantageous in biomarker studies.

PMID- 28640877
TI  - Identification of C/EBPalpha as a novel target of the HPV8 E6 protein regulating
      miR-203 in human keratinocytes.
AB  - Patients suffering from Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV), a rare inherited
      skin disease, display a particular susceptibility to persistent infection with
      cutaneous genus beta-human papillomavirus (beta-HPV), such as HPV type 8. They
      have a high risk to develop non-melanoma skin cancer at sun-exposed sites. In
      various models evidence is emerging that cutaneous HPV E6 proteins disturb
      epidermal homeostasis and support carcinogenesis, however, the underlying
      mechanisms are not fully understood as yet. In this study we demonstrate that
      microRNA-203 (miR-203), a key regulator of epidermal proliferation and
      differentiation, is strongly down-regulated in HPV8-positive EV-lesions. We
      provide evidence that CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha), a
      differentiation-regulating transcription factor and suppressor of UV-induced skin
      carcinogenesis, directly binds the miR-203 gene within its hairpin region and
      thereby induces miR-203 transcription. Our data further demonstrate that the HPV8
      E6 protein significantly suppresses this novel C/EBPalpha/mir-203-pathway. As a
      consequence, the miR-203 target DeltaNp63alpha, a proliferation-inducing
      transcription factor, is up-regulated, while the differentiation factor
      involucrin is suppressed. HPV8 E6 specifically down-regulates C/EBPalpha but not
      C/EBPbeta expression at the transcriptional level. As shown in knock-down
      experiments, C/EBPalpha is regulated by the acetyltransferase p300, a well
      described target of cutaneous E6 proteins. Notably, p300 bound significantly less
      to the C/EBPalpha regulatory region in HPV8 E6 expressing keratinocytes than in
      control cells as demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation. In situ analysis
      confirmed congruent suprabasal expression patterns of C/EBPalpha and miR-203 in
      non-lesional skin of EV-patients. In HPV8-positive EV-lesions both factors are
      potently down-regulated in vivo further supporting our in vitro data. In
      conclusion our study has unraveled a novel p300/C/EBPalpha/mir-203-dependent
      mechanism, by which the cutaneous HPV8 E6 protein may expand p63-positive cells
      in the epidermis of EV-patients and disturbs fundamental keratinocyte functions.
      This may drive HPV-mediated pathogenesis and may potentially also pave the way
      for skin carcinogenesis in EV-patients.

PMID- 28640878
TI  - Genetic loci associated with coronary artery disease harbor evidence of selection
      and antagonistic pleiotropy.
AB  - Traditional genome-wide scans for positive selection have mainly uncovered
      selective sweeps associated with monogenic traits. While selection on
      quantitative traits is much more common, very few signals have been detected
      because of their polygenic nature. We searched for positive selection signals
      underlying coronary artery disease (CAD) in worldwide populations, using novel
      approaches to quantify relationships between polygenic selection signals and CAD
      genetic risk. We identified new candidate adaptive loci that appear to have been
      directly modified by disease pressures given their significant associations with
      CAD genetic risk. These candidates were all uniquely and consistently associated
      with many different male and female reproductive traits suggesting selection may
      have also targeted these because of their direct effects on fitness. We found
      that CAD loci are significantly enriched for lifetime reproductive success
      relative to the rest of the human genome, with evidence that the relationship
      between CAD and lifetime reproductive success is antagonistic. This supports the
      presence of antagonistic-pleiotropic tradeoffs on CAD loci and provides a novel
      explanation for the maintenance and high prevalence of CAD in modern humans.
      Lastly, we found that positive selection more often targeted CAD gene regulatory
      variants using HapMap3 lymphoblastoid cell lines, which further highlights the
      unique biological significance of candidate adaptive loci underlying CAD. Our
      study provides a novel approach for detecting selection on polygenic traits and
      evidence that modern human genomes have evolved in response to CAD-induced
      selection pressures and other early-life traits sharing pleiotropic links with
      CAD.

PMID- 28640880
TI  - Correction: Biotinidase deficiency: Genotype-biochemical phenotype association in
      Brazilian patients.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177503.].

PMID- 28640879
TI  - Dual targeting of a virus movement protein to ER and plasma membrane subdomains
      is essential for plasmodesmata localization.
AB  - Plant virus movement proteins (MPs) localize to plasmodesmata (PD) to facilitate
      virus cell-to-cell movement. Numerous studies have suggested that MPs use a
      pathway either through the ER or through the plasma membrane (PM). Furthermore,
      recent studies reported that ER-PM contact sites and PM microdomains, which are
      subdomains found in the ER and PM, are involved in virus cell-to-cell movement.
      However, functional relationship of these subdomains in MP traffic to PD has not
      been described previously. We demonstrate here the intracellular trafficking of
      fig mosaic virus MP (MPFMV) using live cell imaging, focusing on its ER-directing
      signal peptide (SPFMV). Transiently expressed MPFMV was distributed predominantly
      in PD and patchy microdomains of the PM. Investigation of ER translocation
      efficiency revealed that SPFMV has quite low efficiency compared with SPs of well
      characterized plant proteins, calreticulin and CLAVATA3. An MPFMV mutant lacking
      SPFMV localized exclusively to the PM microdomains, whereas SP chimeras, in which
      the SP of MPFMV was replaced by an SP of calreticulin or CLAVATA3, localized
      exclusively to the nodes of the ER, which was labeled with Arabidopsis
      synaptotagmin 1, a major component of ER-PM contact sites. From these results, we
      speculated that the low translocation efficiency of SPFMV contributes to the
      generation of ER-translocated and the microdomain-localized populations, both of
      which are necessary for PD localization. Consistent with this hypothesis, SP
      deficient MPFMV became localized to PD when co-expressed with an SP chimera. Here
      we propose a new model for the intracellular trafficking of a viral MP. A
      substantial portion of MPFMV that fails to be translocated is transferred to the
      microdomains, whereas the remainder of MPFMV that is successfully translocated
      into the ER subsequently localizes to ER-PM contact sites and plays an important
      role in the entry of the microdomain-localized MPFMV into PD.

PMID- 28640881
TI  - T3SS effector VopL inhibits the host ROS response, promoting the intracellular
      survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
AB  - The production of antimicrobial reactive oxygen species by the nicotinamide
      dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase complex is an important mechanism for
      control of invading pathogens. Herein, we show that the gastrointestinal pathogen
      Vibrio parahaemolyticus counteracts reactive oxygen species (ROS) production
      using the Type III Secretion System 2 (T3SS2) effector VopL. In the absence of
      VopL, intracellular V. parahaemolyticus undergoes ROS-dependent filamentation,
      with concurrent limited growth. During infection, VopL assembles actin into non
      functional filaments resulting in a dysfunctional actin cytoskeleton that can no
      longer mediate the assembly of the NADPH oxidase at the cell membrane, thereby
      limiting ROS production. This is the first example of how a T3SS2 effector
      contributes to the intracellular survival of V. parahaemolyticus, supporting the
      establishment of a protective intracellular replicative niche.

PMID- 28640882
TI  - Quantitation of underivatized branched-chain amino acids in sport nutritional
      supplements by capillary electrophoresis with direct or indirect UV absorbance
      detection.
AB  - The branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) including leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile)
      and valine (Val) play a pivotal role in the human body. Herein, we developed
      capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with conventional UV detector to quantify
      underivatized BCAAs in two kinds of sport nutritional supplements. For direct UV
      detection at 195 nm, the BCAAs (Leu, two enantiomers of Ile and Val) were
      separated in a background electrolyte (BGE) consisting of 40.0 mmol/L sodium
      tetraborate, and 40.0 mmol/L beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) at pH 10.2. In addition,
      the indirect UV detection at 264 nm was achieved in a BGE of 2.0 mmol/L Na2HPO4,
      10.0 mmol/L p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS) as UV absorbing probe, and 40.0 mmol/L
      beta-CD at pH 12.2. The beta-CD significantly benefited the isomeric separation
      of Leu, L- and D-Ile. The optimal conditions allowed the LODs (limit of
      detections) of direct and indirect UV absorption detection to be tens MUmol/L
      level, which was comparable to the reported CE inline derivatization method. The
      RSDs (relative standard deviations) of migration time and peak area were less
      than 0.91% and 3.66% (n = 6). Finally, CE with indirect UV detection method was
      applied for the quantitation of BCAAs in two commercial sport nutritional
      supplements, and good recovery and precision were obtained. Such simple CE method
      without tedious derivatization process is feasible of quality control and
      efficacy evaluation of the supplemental proteins.

PMID- 28640883
TI  - An artificial EMG generation model based on signal-dependent noise and related
      application to motion classification.
AB  - This paper proposes an artificial electromyogram (EMG) signal generation model
      based on signal-dependent noise, which has been ignored in existing methods, by
      introducing the stochastic construction of the EMG signals. In the proposed
      model, an EMG signal variance value is first generated from a probability
      distribution with a shape determined by a commanded muscle force and signal
      dependent noise. Artificial EMG signals are then generated from the associated
      Gaussian distribution with a zero mean and the generated variance. This
      facilitates representation of artificial EMG signals with signal-dependent noise
      superimposed according to the muscle activation levels. The frequency
      characteristics of the EMG signals are also simulated via a shaping filter with
      parameters determined by an autoregressive model. An estimation method to
      determine EMG variance distribution using rectified and smoothed EMG signals,
      thereby allowing model parameter estimation with a small number of samples, is
      also incorporated in the proposed model. Moreover, the prediction of variance
      distribution with strong muscle contraction from EMG signals with low muscle
      contraction and related artificial EMG generation are also described. The results
      of experiments conducted, in which the reproduction capability of the proposed
      model was evaluated through comparison with measured EMG signals in terms of
      amplitude, frequency content, and EMG distribution demonstrate that the proposed
      model can reproduce the features of measured EMG signals. Further, utilizing the
      generated EMG signals as training data for a neural network resulted in the
      classification of upper limb motion with a higher precision than by learning from
      only measured EMG signals. This indicates that the proposed model is also
      applicable to motion classification.

PMID- 28640884
TI  - Human lagochilascariasis-A rare helminthic disease.
AB  - Lagochilascariasis is a parasitic disease caused by a helminth of the order
      Ascaroidea, genus Lagochilascaris that comprises 6 species, among which only
      Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909, is implicated in the human form of the
      disease. It is remarkable that the majority of cases of human lagochilascariasis
      in the Americas have been reported in Brazil. The natural definitive hosts of
      this parasite seem to be wild felines and canines. Lagochilascariasis is mostly a
      chronic human disease that can persist for several years, in which the parasite
      burrows into the subcutaneous tissues of the neck, paranasal sinuses, and
      mastoid. L. minor exhibits remarkable ability to migrate through the tissues of
      its hosts, destroying even bone tissue. Fatal cases have been described in which
      the parasite was found in the lungs or central nervous system. Treatment is often
      palliative, with recurrence of lesions. This paper summarizes the main features
      of the disease and its etiologic agent, including prevalence, life cycle,
      clinical course, and treatment.

PMID- 28640885
TI  - Phylogeography of a tough rock survivor in European dry grasslands.
AB  - Phylogeographic analyses of plants in Europe have revealed common glacial refugia
      and migration routes for several trees and herbs with arctic-alpine
      distributions. The postglacial histories of dry grassland species in central
      Europe have rarely been analyzed, even though the extremely species-rich habitat
      is threatened. Sedum album (Crassulaceae) is a common inhabitant of rocky sites
      in central European dry grasslands. We inferred the phylogeographic history of S.
      album over its distribution range in Europe. Genetic diversity within and
      differentiation between 34 S. album populations was examined using AFLP markers.
      Population isolation was indicated based on the rarity of the fragments and by
      isolation-by-distance effects. We sequenced the trnL-trnF region in 32
      populations and used chloroplast microsatellites to analyze chloroplast haplotype
      distributions. Two distinct S. album lineages were detected. One lineage was
      comprised of populations from eastern and central parts of central Europe, and
      the Apennine Peninsula. A second lineage was comprised of populations from the
      Iberian Peninsula and western and northern parts of central Europe. Glacial
      refugia were identified based on the accumulation of ancient chloroplast
      haplotypes, high diversity of AFLP fragments within populations, and high levels
      of rare fragments in Liguria, Serbia, the Apennine and Iberian peninsulas.
      Cryptic refugia were detected in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Isolation by
      distance was present all over the distribution range, and it was separately
      detected in southwestern and central Europe. In western Europe, where a contact
      zone between the two lineages can be expected, no isolation by distance was
      detected. Our results suggest migration routes of S. album northeastward from
      glacial refugia in southern Iberia, northward from the Apennine Peninsula, and
      northward and westward from the southeastern parts of central Europe. Therefore,
      central European grasslands were recently colonized by northern cryptic
      populations and source populations originating in the east and the Apennine
      Peninsula.

PMID- 28640886
TI  - Epigenomic diversification within the genus Lupinus.
AB  - Deciphering the various chemical modifications of both DNA and the histone
      compound of chromatin not only leads to a better understanding of the genome-wide
      organisation of epigenetic landmarks and their impact on gene expression but may
      also provide some insights into the evolutionary processes. Although both histone
      modifications and DNA methylation have been widely investigated in various plant
      genomes, here we present the first study for the genus Lupinus. Lupins, which are
      members of grain legumes (pulses), are beneficial for food security, nutrition,
      health and the environment. In order to gain a better understanding of the
      epigenetic organisation of genomes in lupins we applied the immunostaining of
      methylated histone H3 and DNA methylation as well as whole-genome bisulfite
      sequencing. We revealed variations in the patterns of chromatin modifications at
      the chromosomal level among three crop lupins, i.e. L. angustifolius (2n = 40),
      L. albus (2n = 50) and L. luteus (2n = 52), and the legume model plant Medicago
      truncatula (2n = 16). Different chromosomal patterns were found depending on the
      specific modification, e.g. H3K4me2 was localised in the terminal parts of L.
      angustifolius and M. truncatula chromosomes, which is in agreement with the
      results that have been obtained for other species. Interestingly, in L. albus and
      L. luteus this modification was limited to one arm in the case of all of the
      chromosomes in the complement. Additionally, H3K9me2 was detected in all of the
      analysed species except L. luteus. DNA methylation sequencing (CG, CHG and CHH
      contexts) of aforementioned crop but also wild lupins such as L. cosentinii (2n =
      32), L. digitatus (2n = 36), L. micranthus (2n = 52) and L. pilosus (2n = 42)
      supported the range of interspecific diversity. The examples of epigenetic
      modifications illustrate the diversity of lupin genomes and could be helpful for
      elucidating further epigenetic changes in the evolution of the lupin genome.

PMID- 28640887
TI  - Epidermal growth factor promotes cyclin G2 degradation via calpain-mediated
      proteolysis in gynaecological cancer cells.
AB  - Cyclin G2 (CCNG2) is an atypical cyclin that functions to inhibit cell cycle
      progression and is often dysregulated in human cancers. We have previously shown
      that cyclin G2 is highly unstable and can be degraded through the
      ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. Furthermore, cyclin G2 contains a PEST domain,
      which has been suggested to act as a signal for degradation by multiple
      proteases. In this study, we determined if calpains, a family of calcium
      dependent proteases, are also involved in cyclin G2 degradation. The addition of
      calpain inhibitors or silencing of calpain expression by siRNAs strongly enhanced
      cyclin G2 levels. On the other hand, incubation of cell lysates with purified
      calpains or increasing the intracellular calcium concentration resulted in a
      decrease in cyclin G2 levels. Interestingly, the effect of calpain was found to
      be dependent on the phosphorylation of cyclin G2. Using a kinase inhibitor
      library, we found that Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Receptor is involved in
      cyclin G2 degradation and treatment with its ligand, EGF, induced cyclin G2
      degradation. In addition, the presence of the PEST domain is necessary for
      calpain and EGF action. When the PEST domain was completely removed, calpain or
      EGF treatment failed to trigger degradation of cyclin G2. Taken together, these
      novel findings demonstrate that EGF-induced, calpain-mediated proteolysis
      contributes to the rapid destruction of cyclin G2 and that the PEST domain is
      critical for EGF/calpain actions.

PMID- 28640888
TI  - Mechanisms of acute neurovascular protection with AT1 blockade after stroke:
      Effect of prestroke hypertension.
AB  - Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide. Improving stroke outcome
      requires an orchestrated interplay that involves up regulation of pro-survival
      pathways and a concomitant suppression of pro-apoptotic mediators. In this
      investigation, we assessed the involvement of eNOS in the AT1 blocker-mediated
      protective and pro-recovery effects in animals with hypertension. We also
      evaluated the effect of acute eNOS inhibition in hypertensive animals. To achieve
      these goals, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were implanted with blood
      pressure transmitters, and randomized to receive either an eNOS inhibitor (L-NIO)
      or saline one hour before cerebral ischemia induction. After 3 hours of ischemia,
      animals were further randomized to receive either candesartan or saline at the
      time of reperfusion and sacrificed either 24 hours or 7 days later. Candesartan
      induced an early protective effect that was independent of eNOS inhibition (50%
      improvement in motor function). However, the protective effect of candesartan was
      associated with about five fold up regulation of BDNF expression and about three
      fold reduction in ER stress markers, in an eNOS dependent manner. The early
      benefit of a single dose of candesartan, present at 24 hours after stroke, was
      diminished at 7 days, perhaps due to a failure to induce an angiogenic response
      in these hypertensive animals. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate an early
      prorecovery effect of candesartan at both functional and molecular levels.
      Candesartan induced prorecovery signaling was mediated through eNOS. This effect
      was not maintained at 7 days after experimental ischemia.

PMID- 28640890
TI  - Systematic review and meta-analysis of initial management of pneumothorax in
      adults: Intercostal tube drainage versus other invasive methods.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The ideal invasive management as initial approach for pneumothorax
      (PTX) is still under debate. The purpose of this systematic review and meta
      analysis was to examine the evidence for the effectiveness of intercostal tube
      drainage and other various invasive methods as the initial approach to all
      subtypes of PTX in adults. METHODS: Three databases were searched from inception
      to May 29, 2016: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane CENTRAL. Randomised controlled
      trials that evaluated intercostal tube drainage as the control and various
      invasive methods as the intervention for the initial approach to PTX in adults
      were included. The primary outcome was the early success rate of each method, and
      the risk ratios (RRs) were used for an effect size measure. The secondary
      outcomes were recurrence rate, hospitalization rate, hospital stay, and
      complications. RESULTS: Seven studies met our inclusion criteria. Interventions
      were aspiration in six studies and catheterization connected to a one-way valve
      in one study. Meta-analyses were conducted for early success rate, recurrence
      rate, hospitalization rate, and hospital stay. Aspiration was inferior to
      intercostal tube drainage in terms of early success rate (RR = 0.82, confidence
      interval [CI] = 0.72 to 0.95, I2 = 0%). While aspiration and intercostal tube
      drainage showed no significant difference in the recurrence rate (RR = 0.84, CI =
      0.57 to 1.23, I2 = 0%), aspiration had shorter hospital stay than intercostal
      tube drainage (mean difference = -1.73, CI = -2.33 to -1.13, I2 = 0%). Aspiration
      had lower hospitalization rate than intercostal tube drainage, but marked
      heterogeneity was present (RR = 0.38, CI = 0.19 to 0.76, I2 = 85%). CONCLUSION:
      Aspiration was inferior to intercostal tube drainage in terms of early
      resolution, but it had shorter hospital stay. The recurrence rate of aspiration
      and intercostal tube drainage did not differ significantly. The efficacy of
      catheterization connected to a one-way valve was inconclusive because of the
      small number of relevant studies. (Registration of study protocol: PROSPERO,
      CRD42016037866).

PMID- 28640889
TI  - Contrasting academic and lay press print coverage of the 2013-2016 Ebola Virus
      Disease outbreak.
AB  - Under a traditional paradigm, only those with the expected background knowledge
      consume academic literature. The lay press, as well as government and non
      government agencies, play a complementary role of extracting findings of high
      interest or importance and translating them for general viewing. The need for
      accurate reporting and public advising is paramount when attempting to tackle
      epidemic outbreaks through behavior change. Yet, public trust in media outlets is
      at a historic low. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model for
      media reporting on public health emergencies was established in 2005 and has
      subsequently been used to analyze media reporting on outbreaks of influenza and
      measles as well as smoking habits and medication compliance. However, no media
      analysis had yet been performed on the 2013-2016 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
      outbreak. This study compared the EVD information relayed by lay press sources
      with general review articles in the academic literature through a mixed-methods
      analysis. These findings suggest that comprehensive review articles could not
      serve as a source to clarify and contextualize the uncertainties around the EVD
      outbreak, perhaps due to adherence to technical accuracy at the expense of
      clarity within the context of outbreak conditions. This finding does not imply
      inferiority of the academic literature, nor does it draw direct causation between
      confusion in review articles and public misunderstanding. Given the erosion of
      the barriers siloing academia, combined with the demands of today's fast-paced
      media environment, contemporary researchers should realize that no study is
      outside the public forum and to therefore consider shifting the paradigm to take
      personal responsibility in the process of accurately translating their scientific
      words into public policy actions to best serve as a source of clarity.

PMID- 28640892
TI  - Novel resistance to Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) in codling moth shows
      autosomal and dominant inheritance and confers cross-resistance to different CpGV
      genome groups.
AB  - Commercial Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) products have been successfully
      applied to control codling moth (CM) in organic and integrated fruit production
      for more than 30 years. Since 2005, resistance against the widely used isolate
      CpGV-M has been reported from different countries in Europe. The inheritance of
      this so-called type I resistance is dominant and linked to the Z chromosome.
      Recently, a second form (type II) of CpGV resistance in CM was reported from a
      field population (NRW-WE) in Germany. Type II resistance confers reduced
      susceptibility not only to CpGV-M but to most known CpGV isolates and it does not
      follow the previously described Z-linked inheritance of type I resistance. To
      further analyze type II resistance, two CM strains, termed CpR5M and CpR5S, were
      generated from parental NRW-WE by repeated mass crosses and selection using the
      two isolates CpGV-M and CpGV-S, respectively. Both CpR5M and CpR5S were
      considered to be genetically homogeneous for the presence of the resistance
      allele(s). By crossing and backcrossing experiments with a susceptible CM strain,
      followed by resistance testing of the offspring, an autosomal dominant
      inheritance of resistance was elucidated. In addition, cross-resistance to CpGV-M
      and CpGV-S was detected in both strains, CpR5M and CpR5S. To test the hypothesis
      that the autosomal inheritance of type II resistance was caused by a large
      interchromosomal rearrangement involving the Z chromosome, making type I
      resistance appear to be autosomal in these strains; fluorescence in situ
      hybridization with bacterial artificial chromosome probes (BAC-FISH) was used to
      physically map the Z chromosomes of different CM strains. Conserved synteny of
      the Z-linked genes in CpR5M and other CM strains rejects this hypothesis and
      argues for a novel genetic and functional mode of resistance in CM populations
      with type II resistance.

PMID- 28640891
TI  - Baculoviral delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 facilitates efficient genome editing in human
      cells.
AB  - The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a highly effective tool for genome editing. Key to
      robust genome editing is the efficient delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 machinery.
      Viral delivery systems are efficient vehicles for the transduction of foreign
      genes but commonly used viral vectors suffer from a limited capacity in the
      genetic information they can carry. Baculovirus however is capable of carrying
      large exogenous DNA fragments. Here we investigate the use of baculoviral vectors
      as a delivery vehicle for CRISPR/Cas9 based genome-editing tools. We demonstrate
      transduction of a panel of cell lines with Cas9 and an sgRNA sequence, which
      results in efficient knockout of all four targeted subunits of the chromosomal
      passenger complex (CPC). We further show that introduction of a homology directed
      repair template into the same CRISPR/Cas9 baculovirus facilitates introduction of
      specific point mutations and endogenous gene tags. Tagging of the CPC recruitment
      factor Haspin with the fluorescent reporter YFP allowed us to study its native
      localization as well as recruitment to the cohesin subunit Pds5B.

PMID- 28640893
TI  - Oroxylin A promotes retinal ganglion cell survival in a rat optic nerve crush
      model.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of oroxylin A on the survival of retinal
      ganglion cells (RGC) and the activation of microglial cells in a rat optic nerve
      (ON) crush model. METHODS: Oroxylin A (15mg/Kg in 0.2ml phosphate-buffered
      saline) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS control) was immediately administered
      after ON crush once by subcutaneous injection. Rats were euthanized at 2 weeks
      after the crush injury. The density of RGC was counted by retrograde labeling
      with FluoroGold and immunostaining of retina flat mounts for Brn3a.
      Electrophysiological visual function was assessed by flash visual evoked
      potentials (FVEP). TUNEL assay, immunoblotting analysis of glial fibrillary
      acidic protein (GFAP), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase
      2 (COX-2) in the retinas, and immunohistochemistry of GFAP in the retinas and ED1
      in the ON were evaluated. RESULTS: Two weeks after the insult, the oroxylin A
      treated group had significantly higher FG labeled cells and Brn3a+ cells
      suggesting preserved RGC density in the central and mid-peripheral retinas
      compared with those of the PBS-treated group. FVEP measurements showed a
      significantly better preserved latency of the P1 wave in the ON-crushed, oroxylin
      A-treated rats than the ON-crushed, PBS treated rats. TUNEL assays showed fewer
      TUNEL positive cells in the ON-crushed, oroxylin A-treated rats. The number of
      ED1 positive cells was reduced at the lesion site of the optic nerve in the ON
      crushed, oroxylin A-treated group. Increased GFAP expression in the retina was
      reduced greatly in ON-crushed, oroxylin A-treated group. Furthermore,
      administration of oroxylin A significantly attenuated ON crush insult-induced
      iNOS and COX-2 expression in the retinas. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated
      that oroxylin A hasss neuroprotective effects on RGC survival with preserved
      visual function and a decrease in microglial infiltration in the ONs after ON
      crush injury.

PMID- 28640894
TI  - Characterization and analysis of long non-coding rna (lncRNA) in In Vitro- and Ex
      Vivo-derived cardiac progenitor cells.
AB  - Recent advancements in cell-based therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular
      disease (CVD) show continuing promise for the use of transplanted stem and
      cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) to promote cardiac restitution. However, a
      detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control the development
      of these cells remains incomplete and is critical for optimizing their use in
      such therapy. Long non-coding (lnc) RNA has recently emerged as a crucial class
      of regulatory molecules involved in directing a variety of critical biological
      processes including development, homeostasis and disease. As such, a rising body
      of evidence suggests that they also play key regulatory roles in CPC development,
      though many questions remain regarding the expression landscape and specific
      identity of lncRNA involved in this process. To address this, we performed whole
      transcriptome sequencing of two murine CPC populations-Nkx2-5 EmGFP reporter
      sorted embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived and ex vivo, cardiosphere-derived-in an
      effort to characterize their lncRNA profiles and potentially identify novel CPC
      regulators. The resulting sequencing data revealed an enrichment in both CPC
      populations for a panel of previously-identified lncRNA genes associated with
      cardiac differentiation. Additionally, a total of 1,678 differentially expressed
      and as-of-yet unannotated, putative lncRNA genes were found to be enriched for in
      the two CPC populations relative to undifferentiated ES cells.

PMID- 28640895
TI  - The interplay of climate, intervention and imported cases as determinants of the
      2014 dengue outbreak in Guangzhou.
AB  - Dengue is a fast spreading mosquito-borne disease that affects more than half of
      the population worldwide. An unprecedented outbreak happened in Guangzhou, China
      in 2014, which contributed 52 percent of all dengue cases that occurred in
      mainland China between 1990 and 2015. Our previous analysis, based on a
      deterministic model, concluded that the early timing of the first imported case
      that triggered local transmission and the excessive rainfall thereafter were the
      most important determinants of the large final epidemic size in 2014. However,
      the deterministic model did not allow us to explore the driving force of the
      early local transmission. Here, we expand the model to include stochastic
      elements and calculate the successful invasion rate of cases that entered
      Guangzhou at different times under different climate and intervention scenarios.
      The conclusion is that the higher number of imported cases in May and June was
      responsible for the early outbreak instead of climate. Although the excessive
      rainfall in 2014 did increase the success rate, this effect was offset by the low
      initial water level caused by interventions in late 2013. The success rate is
      strongly dependent on mosquito abundance during the recovery period of the
      imported case, since the first step of a successful invasion is infecting at
      least one local mosquito. The average final epidemic size of successful invasion
      decreases exponentially with introduction time, which means if an imported case
      in early summer initiates the infection process, the final number infected can be
      extremely large. Therefore, dengue outbreaks occurring in Thailand, Singapore,
      Malaysia and Vietnam in early summer merit greater attention, since the travel
      volumes between Guangzhou and these countries are large. As the climate changes,
      destroying mosquito breeding sites in Guangzhou can mitigate the detrimental
      effects of the probable increase in rainfall in spring and summer.

PMID- 28640896
TI  - Beneficial effects of a gait used while wearing a kimono to decrease the knee
      adduction moment in healthy adults.
AB  - The knee adduction moment (KAM) relates to medial knee osteoarthritis (OA).
      Several gait modifications to reduce the KAM for the prevention of knee OA have
      been studied. Most of the modifications, however, involve voluntary changes in
      leg alignment. Here we investigated the biomechanical effects for reducing the
      KAM of a walking style with a small trunk rotation and arm swing gait, which is a
      natural walking style used while wearing a kimono (Nanba walk) that shifts the
      ground reaction force toward the stance leg (reduced lever arm). Twenty-nine
      healthy adults (21.5 +/- 0.6 years) participated in the present study. A three
      dimensional analysis system with 10 cameras and 1 force plate was used to obtain
      the KAM and other biomechanical data. Surface electromyography (EMG) of the hip
      and trunk muscles (internal obliquus abdominal muscle: IO, external obliquus
      abdominal muscle: EO, multifidus muscle: MF, and gluteus medius muscle: Gmed) was
      also assessed, and integrated EMG (iEMG) of the four muscles was assessed in the
      first and second halves of the stance phase. The 1st and 2nd peak KAMs were
      significantly decreased during Nanba walking (0.40+/-0.09 and 0.37+/-0.13 Nm/kg)
      compared with normal walking (0.45+/-0.09 and 0.45+/-0.13 Nm/kg; P = 0.002,
      P<0.001, respectively). The lever arm lengths at the 1st and 2nd peak KAMs were
      also significantly decreased during Nanba walking compared with normal walking (p
      = 0.023 and p<0.001, respectively). The iEMGs of IO, EO and Gmed muscles during
      the first half, and the iEMGs of EO and GM during the second half of the stance
      phase were significantly increased during Nanba walking compared with normal
      walking. The Nanba gait modification could be a useful strategy for reducing the
      KAM with high activation of the trunk and hip joint muscles for the prevention
      and/or treatment of medial knee OA.

PMID- 28640897
TI  - Impact of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals on microbial
      community assembly and activity in sequencing batch reactors.
AB  - This study covers three widely detected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
      pharmaceuticals (NSAIDs), diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBP) and naproxen (NPX),
      as NSAIDs pollutants. The objective is to evaluate the impact of NSAIDs at their
      environmental concentrations on microbial community assembly and activity. The
      exposure experiments were conducted under three conditions (5 MUg L-1 DCF, 5 MUg
      L-1 DCF+5 MUg L-1 IBP and 5 MUg L-1 DCF+5 MUg L-1 IBP+ 5 MUg L-1 NPX) in
      sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) for 130 days. Removals of COD and NH4+-N were
      not affected but total nitrogen (TN) removal decreased. IBP and NPX had the high
      removal efficiencies (79.96% to 85.64%), whereas DCF was more persistent (57.24%
      to 64.12%). In addition, the decreased removals of TN remained the same under the
      three conditions (p > 0.05). The results of oxidizing enzyme activities, live
      cell percentages and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) indicated that
      NSAIDs damaged the cell walls or microorganisms and the mixtures of the three
      NSAIDs increased the toxicity. The increased Shannon-Wiener diversity index
      suggested that bacterial diversity was increased with the addition of selected
      NSAIDs. Bacterial ribosomal RNA small subunit (16S) gene sequencing results
      indicated that Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were enriched, while Micropruina
      and Nakamurella decreased with the addition of NSAIDs. The enrichment of
      Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes indicated that both of them might have the
      ability to degrade NSAIDs and thereby could adapt well with the presence of
      NSAIDs.

PMID- 28640898
TI  - Competition between influenza A virus subtypes through heterosubtypic immunity
      modulates re-infection and antibody dynamics in the mallard duck.
AB  - Our overall hypothesis is that host population immunity directed at multiple
      antigens will influence the prevalence, diversity and evolution of influenza A
      virus (IAV) in avian populations where the vast subtype diversity is maintained.
      To investigate how initial infection influences the outcome of later infections
      with homologous or heterologous IAV subtypes and how viruses interact through
      host immune responses, we carried out experimental infections in mallard ducks
      (Anas platyrhynchos). Mallards were pre-challenged with an H3N8 low-pathogenic
      IAV and were divided into six groups. At five weeks post H3N8 inoculation, each
      group was challenged with a different IAV subtype (H4N5, H10N7, H6N2, H12N5) or
      the same H3N8. Two additional pre-challenged groups were inoculated with the
      homologous H3N8 virus at weeks 11 and 15 after pre-challenge to evaluate the
      duration of protection. The results showed that mallards were still resistant to
      re-infection after 15 weeks. There was a significant reduction in shedding for
      all pre-challenged groups compared to controls and the outcome of the
      heterologous challenges varied according to hemagglutinin (HA) phylogenetic
      relatedness between the viruses used. There was a boost in the H3 antibody titer
      after re-infection with H4N5, which is consistent with original antigenic sin or
      antigenic seniority and suggest a putative strategy of virus evasion. These
      results imply competition between related subtypes that could regulate IAV
      subtype population dynamics in nature. Collectively, we provide new insights into
      within-host IAV complex interactions as drivers of IAV antigenic diversity that
      could allow the circulation of multiple subtypes in wild ducks.

PMID- 28640899
TI  - Normative 3D opto-electronic stereo-photogrammetric posture and spine morphology
      data in young healthy adult population.
AB  - DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional study. The current study aims to yield
      normative data: i.e., the physiological standard for 30 selected quantitative 3D
      parameters that accurately capture and describe a full-skeleton, upright-standing
      attitude. Specific and exclusive consideration was given to three distinct
      categories: postural, spine morphology and pelvic parameters. To capture such 3D
      parameters, the authors selected a non-ionising 3D opto-electronic stereo
      photogrammetric approach. This required the identification and measurement of 27
      body landmarks, each specifically tagged with a skin marker. As subjects for the
      measurement of these parameters, a cohort of 124 asymptomatic young adult
      volunteers was recruited. All parameters were identified and measured within this
      group. Postural and spine morphology data have been compared between genders. In
      this regard, only five statistically significant differences were found: pelvis
      width, pelvis torsion, the "lumbar" lordosis angle value, the lumbar curve
      length, and the T12-L5 anatomically-bound lumbar angle value. The "thoracic"
      kyphosis mean angle value was the same in both sexes and, even if, derived from
      skin markers placed on spinous processes it resulted in perfect agreement with
      the X-ray based literature. As regards lordosis, a direct comparison was more
      difficult because methods proposed in the literature differ as to the number and
      position of vertebrae under consideration, and their related angle values.
      However, when the L1 superior-L5 inferior end plate Cobb angle was considered,
      these results aligned strongly with the existing literature. Asymmetry was a
      standard postural-spinal feature for both sexes. Each subject presented some
      degree of leg length discrepancy (LLD) with MU = 9.37mm. This was associated with
      four factors: unbalanced posture and/or underfoot loads, spinal curvature in the
      frontal plane, and pelvis torsion. This led to the additional study of the effect
      of LLD equalisation influence on upright posture, relying on a sub-sample of 100
      subjects (51 males, 49 females). As a result of the equalisation, about 82% of
      this sub-sample showed improvement in standing posture, mainly in the frontal
      plane; while in the sagittal plane less than 1/3 of the sub-sample showed
      evidence of change in spinal angles. A significant variation was found in
      relation to pelvis torsion: 46% of subjects showed improvement, 49% worsening.
      The method described in study presents several advantages: non-invasive aspect;
      relatively short time for a complete postural evaluation with many clinically
      useful 3D and 2D anatomical/biomechanical/clinical parameters; analysis of real
      neutral unconstrained upright standing posture.

PMID- 28640900
TI  - Predictors of exclusive breastfeeding and consumption of soft, semi-solid or
      solid food among infants in Boucle du Mouhoun, Burkina Faso: A cross-sectional
      survey.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Exclusive breastfeeding is among the most effective interventions
      for preventing child mortality. The objectives of this paper are to describe
      infant feeding knowledge and practices in Boucle du Mouhoun, Burkina Faso; to
      identify predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among infants <6 months, and
      consumption of soft, semi-solid or solid food among infants 6-11 months; to
      describe mothers' sources of information regarding breastfeeding. METHODS: A
      cross-sectional survey (n = 2288) of a representative sample of women aged 15-49
      years with at least one live birth in past year took place during June and July
      2015. Crude and multivariable random-effects logistic regressions were used to
      identify factors predictive of exclusive breastfeeding and consumption of soft,
      semi-solid or solid food. RESULTS: 30% of infants <6 months were exclusively
      breastfed; 67% of infants age 6-11 months consumed soft, semi-solid or solid food
      the day and night before the interview. 2% of infants age 6-11 months had a
      minimum acceptable diet. There was strong evidence of a positive association
      between knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding, nonetheless 60% of
      mothers who correctly identified that an infant should be exclusively breastfed
      for 6 months did not breastfeed their infant exclusively. Only 42% of mothers
      reported receiving advice on breastfeeding from a health worker, despite all
      mothers having contact with a health worker at least once during pregnancy or
      postpartum. CONCLUSION: Given poor practices and low levels of knowledge,
      targeted interventions are needed to improve infant nutrition in Boucle du
      Mouhoun during antenatal, delivery and postnatal care. Most women now deliver in
      a facility in Burkina Faso; increased attention should be paid to ensuring that
      existing guidelines relating to support and counselling for infant feeding are
      adhered to. Factors such as social norms are also important and these should be
      investigated in more detail using qualitative methods.

PMID- 28640901
TI  - MRSA infections in Norway: A study of the temporal evolution, 2006-2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Norway has one of the lowest prevalences of methicillin-resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in the world. This study exploits the
      extensive data on MRSA infections in the Norwegian surveillance system to
      investigate the important factors defining the MRSA epidemiology. METHODS: We
      performed a quasi-Poisson regression of the monthly notification rate (NR) of
      MRSA infections reported from January 2006 to December 2015, comparing the time
      trend among people with an immigrant vs. Norwegian background and domestic vs.
      imported infections, stratified by age groups. FINDINGS: A total of 5289 MRSA
      infections were reported during the study period, of which 2255 (42.6%) were
      acquired in Norway, 1370 (25.9%) abroad, and 1664 (31.5%) with an unknown place
      of acquisition. Overall, the monthly NR increased significantly from 2006 to 2015
      (+0.8% each month). The monthly increase in immigrants (+1.3%) was steeper than
      that in people with a Norwegian background (+0.6%). There was a significant
      growth (+0.4%) in the rate of domestically acquired infections, however, the NR
      of infections acquired abroad increased faster (+0.8%). For both imported and
      domestic infections, the increase occurred in persons aged < 70 years.
      INTERPRETATION: Our analysis suggests that immigration and importation,
      especially among persons aged < 40 years, represent important factors for the
      increasing notification rate of MRSA infections in Norway.

PMID- 28640902
TI  - Hepatitis B virus reactivation and antiviral prophylaxis during lung cancer
      chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antiviral drugs have been recommended as prophylaxis for the
      reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in cancer patients undergoing
      chemotherapy. However, screening and antiviral prophylaxis for lung cancer remain
      controversial because of insufficient evidence. PURPOSE: In this study, we
      investigate the absolute risk for HBV reactivation and the prophylactic effects
      of antiviral drugs in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive lung cancer
      patients during chemotherapy. METHODS: We searched Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, Web
      of Science and SinoMed from inception until 28 November 2016, and identified all
      potential relevant references with or without prophylactic use of antiviral
      therapy in HBsAg-positive lung cancer patients during chemotherapy. The primary
      outcome was the incidence of HBV reactivation, the secondary outcomes were the
      incidence of hepatitis, chemotherapy disruption and mortality. RESULTS: Eleven
      studies involving 794 patients were analyzed. The incidences of HBV reactivation
      in control group and antiviral prophylaxis group ranged from 0% to 38% (median,
      21%, 95% CI: 0.17-0.25) and 0% to 7% (median, 4%, 95% CI: 0.02-0.06),
      respectively. Antiviral prophylaxis had significantly reduced the risk for HBV
      reactivation (RR, 0.22 [95% CI: 0.13-0.37], p< 0.0001), hepatitis (RR, 0.35 [95%
      CI: 0.22-0.56], p<0.0001) and chemotherapy disruption (RR: 0.29 [95% CI, 0.15
      0.55], p<0.0002) compared to those without antiviral prophylaxis. There was no
      significant heterogeneity in the comparisons, and a fixed-model was used.
      CONCLUSION: The risks of HBV reactivation and relevant complications are high in
      HBsAg-positive lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, and available
      evidences support HBV screening for antiviral prophylaxis before initiation of
      chemotherapy for lung cancer patients.

PMID- 28640903
TI  - Type 2B von Willebrand disease with or without large multimers: A distinction of
      the two sides of the disorder is long overdue.
AB  - Most, but not all patients with type 2B von Willebrand disease (VWD)-which
      features gain-of-function mutations in the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor
      (VWF)-have no circulating large VWF multimers. Similarities and differences were
      analysed in 33 type 2B patients, 12 with a normal and 21 with an abnormal
      multimer pattern, to see whether they should be considered separately. The
      minimum aggregating dose of ristocetin was similarly reduced in both patient
      groups, and modulated by their underlying VWF mutations. Platelet VWF content was
      normal in all patients lacking in large multimers, but sometimes reduced in those
      with a normal multimer pattern. All the former patients and none of the latter
      had persistent or transient thrombocytopenia. A short VWF half-life (affecting
      plasma VWF levels) was seen in both groups, but more pronounced in patients
      without large multimers. Bleeding scores were also high in all patients, but more
      so in those without large multimers, apparently regardless of their platelet
      count. The marked phenotypic heterogeneity of type 2B VWD concerns not only
      patients' VWF multimer pattern, but also their bleeding risk, and consequently
      their appropriate treatment too. Hence the need to clearly distinguish between
      type 2B VWD with normal or abnormal VWF multimers.

PMID- 28640905
TI  - An efficient method for transgenic callus induction from Vitis amurensis petiole.
AB  - Transformation is the main platform for genetic improvement and gene function
      studies in plants. However, the established somatic embryo transformation system
      for grapevines is time-consuming and has low efficiency, which limits its
      utilization in functional genomics research. Vitis amurensis is a wild Vitis
      species with remarkable cold tolerance. The lack of an efficient genetic
      transformation system for it has significantly hindered the functional
      identification of cold stress related genes in the species. Herein, an efficient
      method was established to produce transformed calli of V. amurensis. Segments of
      petioles from micropropagated plantlets of V. amurensis exhibited better capacity
      to differentiate calli than leaf-discs and stem segments, and thus was chosen as
      target tissue for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Both neomycin
      phosphotransferase II (NPTII) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) genes
      were used for simultaneous selection of transgenic calli based on kanamycin
      resistance and eGFP fluorescence. Several parameters affecting the transformation
      efficiency were optimized including the concentration of kanamycin, Agrobacterium
      stains, bacterial densities, infection treatments and co-cultivation time. The
      transgenic callus lines were verified by checking the integration of NPTII gene
      into calli genomes, the expression of eGFP gene and the fluorescence of eGFP. Up
      to 20% of the petiole segments produced transformed calli after 2 months of
      cultivation. This efficient transformation system will facilitate the functional
      analysis of agronomic characteristics and related genes not only in V. amurensis
      but also in other grapevine species.

PMID- 28640906
TI  - Quadratic trigonometric B-spline for image interpolation using GA.
AB  - In this article, a new quadratic trigonometric B-spline with control parameters
      is constructed to address the problems related to two dimensional digital image
      interpolation. The newly constructed spline is then used to design an image
      interpolation scheme together with one of the soft computing techniques named as
      Genetic Algorithm (GA). The idea of GA has been formed to optimize the control
      parameters in the description of newly constructed spline. The Feature SIMilarity
      (FSIM), Structure SIMilarity (SSIM) and Multi-Scale Structure SIMilarity (MS
      SSIM) indices along with traditional Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) are
      employed as image quality metrics to analyze and compare the outcomes of approach
      offered in this work, with three of the present digital image interpolation
      schemes. The upshots show that the proposed scheme is better choice to deal with
      the problems associated to image interpolation.

PMID- 28640904
TI  - Correlation of disease severity with body weight and high fat diet in the
      FATZO/Pco mouse.
AB  - Obesity in many current pre-clinical animal models of obesity and diabetes is
      mediated by monogenic mutations; these are rarely associated with the development
      of human obesity. A new mouse model, the FATZO mouse, has been developed to
      provide polygenic obesity and a metabolic pattern of hyperglycemia and
      hyperinsulinemia, that support the presence of insulin resistance similar to
      metabolic disease in patients with insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes. The FATZO
      mouse resulted from a cross of C57BL/6J and AKR/J mice followed by selective
      inbreeding for obesity, increased insulin and hyperglycemia. Since many clinical
      studies have established a close link between higher body weight and the
      development of type 2 diabetes, we investigated whether time to progression to
      type 2 diabetes or disease severity in FATZO mice was dependent on weight gain in
      young animals. Our results indicate that lighter animals developed metabolic
      disturbances much slower and to a lesser magnitude than their heavier
      counterparts. Consumption of a diet containing high fat, accelerated weight gain
      in parallel with disease progression. A naturally occurring and significant
      variation in the body weight of FATZO offspring enables these mice to be
      identified as low, mid and high body weight groups at a young age. These weight
      groups remain into adulthood and correspond to slow, medium and accelerated
      development of type 2 diabetes. Thus, body weight inclusion criteria can optimize
      the FATZO model for studies of prevention, stabilization or treatment of type 2
      diabetes.

PMID- 28640908
TI  - Evaluating diagnostic tests for bovine tuberculosis in the southern part of
      Germany: A latent class analysis.
AB  - Germany has been officially free of bovine tuberculosis since 1996. However, in
      the last years there has been an increase of bovine tuberculosis cases,
      particularly in the southern part of Germany, in the Allgau region. As a
      consequence a one-time tuberculosis surveillance program was revisited with
      different premortal and postmortal tests. The aim of this paper was to estimate
      diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of the different tests used within
      this surveillance program. In the absence of a perfect test with 100% sensitivity
      and 100% specificity, thus in the absence of a gold standard, a Bayesian latent
      class approach with two different datasets was performed. The first dataset
      included 389 animals, tested with single intra-dermal comparative cervical
      tuberculin (SICCT) test, PCR and pathology; the second dataset contained 175
      animals, tested with single intra-dermal cervical tuberculin (SICT) test,
      Bovigam(r) assay, pathology and culture. Two-way conditional dependencies were
      considered within the models. Additionally, inter-laboratory agreement (five
      officially approved laboratories) of the Bovigam(r) assay was assessed with
      Cohen's kappa test (21 blood samples). The results are given in posterior means
      and 95% credibility intervals. The specificities of the SICT test, SICCT test,
      PCR and pathology ranged between 75.8% [68.8-82.2%] and 99.0% [96.8-100%]. The
      Bovigam(r) assay stood out with a very low specificity (6.9% [3.6-11.1%]), though
      it had the highest sensitivity (95.7% [91.3-99.2%]). The sensitivities of the
      SICCT test, PCR, SICT test, pathology and culture varied from 57.8% [48.0-67.6%]
      to 88.9% [65.5-99.7%]. The prevalences were 19.8% [14.6-26.5%] (three-test
      dataset) and 7.7% [4.2-12.3%] (four-test dataset). Among all pairwise comparisons
      the highest agreement was 0.62 [0.15-1]). In conclusion, the specificity of the
      Bovigam(r) assay and the inter-laboratory agreement were lower than expected.

PMID- 28640907
TI  - Accelerometer measured levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity
      and sedentary time in children and adolescents with chronic disease: A systematic
      review and meta-analysis.
AB  - CONTEXT: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST)
      are important for child and adolescent health. OBJECTIVE: To examine habitual
      levels of accelerometer measured MVPA and ST in children and adolescents with
      chronic disease, and how these levels compare with healthy peers. METHODS: Data
      sources: An extensive search was carried out in Medline, Cochrane library,
      EMBASE, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL from 2000-2017. Study selection: Studies with
      accelerometer-measured MVPA and/or ST (at least 3 days and 6 hours/day to provide
      estimates of habitual levels) in children 0-19 years of age with chronic diseases
      but without co-morbidities that would present major impediments to physical
      activity. In all cases patients were studied while well and clinically stable.
      RESULTS: Out of 1592 records, 25 studies were eligible, in four chronic disease
      categories: cardiovascular disease (7 studies), respiratory disease (7 studies),
      diabetes (8 studies), and malignancy (3 studies). Patient MVPA was generally
      below the recommended 60 min/day and ST generally high regardless of the disease
      condition. Comparison with healthy controls suggested no marked differences in
      MVPA between controls and patients with cardiovascular disease (1 study, n = 42)
      and type 1 diabetes (5 studies, n = 400; SMD -0.70, 95% CI -1.89 to 0.48, p =
      0.25). In patients with respiratory disease, MVPA was lower in patients than
      controls (4 studies, n = 470; SMD -0.39, 95% CI -0.80, 0.02, p = 0.06). Meta
      analysis indicated significantly lower MVPA in patients with malignancies than in
      the controls (2 studies, n = 90; SMD -2.2, 95% CI -4.08 to -0.26, p = 0.03). Time
      spent sedentary was significantly higher in patients in 4/10 studies compared
      with healthy control groups, significantly lower in 1 study, while 5 studies
      showed no significant group difference. CONCLUSIONS: MVPA in children/adolescents
      with chronic disease appear to be well below guideline recommendations, although
      comparable with activity levels of their healthy peers except for children with
      malignancies. Tailored and disease appropriate intervention strategies may be
      needed to increase MVPA and reduce ST in children and adolescents with chronic
      disease.

PMID- 28640910
TI  - Correction: BteA Secreted from the Bordetella bronchiseptica Type III Secetion
      System Induces Necrosis through an Actin Cytoskeleton Signaling Pathway and
      Inhibits Phagocytosis by Macrophages.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148387.].

PMID- 28640909
TI  - HIV-Tat regulates macrophage gene expression in the context of neuroAIDS.
AB  - Despite the success of cART, greater than 50% of HIV infected people develop
      cognitive and motor deficits termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders
      (HAND). Macrophages are the major cell type infected in the CNS. Unlike for T
      cells, the virus does not kill macrophages and these long-lived cells may become
      HIV reservoirs in the brain. They produce cytokines/chemokines and viral proteins
      that promote inflammation and neuronal damage, playing a key role in HIV
      neuropathogenesis. HIV Tat is the transactivator of transcription that is
      essential for replication and transcriptional regulation of the virus and is the
      first protein to be produced after HIV infection. Even with successful cART, Tat
      is produced by infected cells. In this study we examined the role of the HIV Tat
      protein in the regulation of gene expression in human macrophages. Using THP-1
      cells, a human monocyte/macrophage cell line, and their infection with
      lentivirus, we generated stable cell lines that express Tat-Flag. We performed
      ChIP-seq analysis of these cells and found 66 association sites of Tat in
      promoter or coding regions. Among these are C5, CRLF2/TSLPR, BDNF, and
      APBA1/Mint1, genes associated with inflammation/damage. We confirmed the
      association of Tat with these sequences by ChIP assay and expression of these
      genes in our THP-1 cell lines by qRT-PCR. We found that HIV Tat increased
      expression of C5, APBA1, and BDNF, and decreased CRLF2. The K50A Tat-mutation
      dysregulated expression of these genes without affecting the binding of the Tat
      complex to their gene sequences. Our data suggest that HIV Tat, produced by
      macrophage HIV reservoirs in the brain despite successful cART, contributes to
      neuropathogenesis in HIV-infected people.

PMID- 28640911
TI  - Evolution of microRNA in primates.
AB  - MicroRNA play an important role in post-transcriptional regulation of most
      transcripts in the human genome, but their evolution across the primate lineage
      is largely uncharacterized. A particular miRNA can have one to thousands of
      messenger RNA targets, establishing the potential for a small change in sequence
      or overall miRNA structure to have profound phenotypic effects. However, the
      majority of non-human primate miRNA is predicted solely by homology to the human
      genome and lacks experimental validation. In the present study, we sequenced
      thirteen species representing a wide range of the primate phylogeny. Hundreds of
      miRNA were validated, and the number of species with experimentally validated
      miRNA was tripled. These species include a sister taxon to humans (bonobo) and
      basal primates (aye-aye, mouse lemur, galago). Consistent with previous studies,
      we found the seed region and mature miRNA to be highly conserved across primates,
      with overall structural conservation of the pre-miRNA hairpin. However, there
      were a number of interesting exceptions, including a seed shift due to structural
      changes in miR-501. We also identified an increase in the number of miR-320
      paralogs throughout primate evolution. Many of these non-conserved miRNA appear
      to regulate neuronal processes, illustrating the importance of investigating
      miRNA to learn more about human evolution.

PMID- 28640912
TI  - Signaling C-type lectin receptors in antimycobacterial immunity.

PMID- 28640913
TI  - Temporal patterns of Deepwater Horizon impacts on the benthic infauna of the
      northern Gulf of Mexico continental slope.
AB  - The Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred in spring and summer 2010 in the
      northern Gulf of Mexico. Research cruises in 2010 (approximately 2-3 months after
      the well had been capped), 2011, and 2014 were conducted to determine the initial
      and subsequent effects of the oil spill on deep-sea soft-bottom infauna. A total
      of 34 stations were sampled from two zones: 20 stations in the "impact" zone
      versus 14 stations in the "non-impact" zone. Chemical contaminants were
      significantly different between the two zones. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
      averaged 218 ppb in the impact zone compared to 14 ppb in the non-impact zone.
      Total petroleum hydrocarbons averaged 1166 ppm in the impact zone compared to 102
      ppm in the non-impact zone. While there was no difference between zones for
      meiofauna and macrofauna abundance, community diversity was significantly lower
      in the impact zone. Meiofauna taxa richness over the three sampling periods
      averaged 8 taxa/sample in the impact zone, compared to 10 taxa/sample in the non
      impact zone; and macrofauna richness averaged 25 taxa/sample in the impact zone
      compared to 30 taxa/sample in the non-impact zone. Oil originating from the
      Deepwater Horizon oil spill reached the seafloor and had a persistent negative
      impact on diversity of soft-bottom, deep-sea benthic communities. While there are
      signs of recovery for some benthic community variables, full recovery has not yet
      occurred four years after the spill.

PMID- 28640914
TI  - Kinetic analysis of an anion exchange absorbent for CO2 capture from ambient air.
AB  - This study reports a preparation method of a new moisture swing sorbent for CO2
      capture from air. The new sorbent components include ion exchange resin (IER) and
      polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a binder. The IER can absorb CO2 when surrounding is
      dry and release CO2 when surrounding is wet. The manuscript presents the studies
      of membrane structure, kinetic model of absorption process, performance of
      desorption process and the diffusivity of water molecules in the CO2 absorbent.
      It has been proved that the kinetic performance of CO2 absorption/desorption can
      be improved by using thin binder and hot water treatment. The fast kinetics of P
      100-90C absorbent is due to the thin PVC binder, and high diffusion rate of H2O
      molecules in the sample. The impressive is this new CO2 absorbent has the fastest
      CO2 absorption rate among all absorbents which have been reported by other up-to
      date literatures.

PMID- 28640915
TI  - Physiological and genomic features of a novel violacein-producing bacterium
      isolated from surface seawater.
AB  - Strains JW1T and JW3, isolated from surface seawater of the Arabian Sea, were
      subjected to polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Cells of both strains were Gram-stain
      negative, aerobic, and rod-shaped. They formed violet pigment and produced
      violacein. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strains JW1T and JW3
      showed high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Pseudoalteromonas byunsanensis
      JCM12483T (98.2%), P. shioyasakiensis SE3T (97.8%), P. arabiensis JCM 17292T
      (97.3%), and P. gelatinilytica NH153T (97.1%). The 16S rRNA gene sequence
      similarity between JW1T and JW3 was 100%. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that
      both strains fell within the cluster of the genus Pseudoalteromonas and
      represented an independent lineage. The average nucleotide identity and in silico
      DNA-DNA hybridization values between JW1T and type strains of the closely related
      Pseudoalteromonas species were 70.9-83.3% and 20.0-26.4%, respectively. The sole
      respiratory quinone in both strains is ubiquinone 8 (Q-8). The principal fatty
      acids are summed feature 3 (C16:1omega7c and/or iso-C15:0 2OH), C18:1omega7c, and
      C16:0. The major polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol,
      one unidentified glycolipid, one unidentified aminolipid, and one unidentified
      phospholipid. The DNA G+C content was 43.3 mol%. Differential phylogenetic
      distinctiveness, chemotaxonomic differences, and phenotypic properties indicated
      that strains JW1T and JW3 could be differentiated from the Pseudoalteromonas
      species with validly published names. Therefore, it is proposed that strains JW1T
      and JW3 represent a novel species of the genus Pseudoalteromonas, for which the
      name Pseudoalteromonas amylolytica sp. nov. (type strain, JW1T = CGMCC 1.15681T =
      KCTC 52406T = MCCC 1K02162T) is proposed.

PMID- 28640916
TI  - Severe hearing impairment and risk of depression: A national cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Hearing impairment is suggested to be associated with depression in
      the elderly. The present study evaluated the risk of depression after hearing
      impairment in all age groups matched by age, sex, income, and region of
      residence. METHODS: The Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service
      National Patient Samples were collected for a period from 2002 to 2013. Hearing
      impairment was defined as a hearing threshold >= 60 dB in both ears or as >= 80
      dB in one ear and >= 40 dB in one ear. Hearing-impaired participants performed a
      pure tone audiometry test 3 times and an auditory brainstem response threshold
      test once. The 6,136 hearing-impaired participants were matched 1:4 with 24,544
      controls with no reported hearing impairment for age, sex, income, and region of
      residence. Depression was investigated based on the International Classification
      of Disease-10 codes F31 (bipolar affective disorder) through F39 (unspecified
      mood disorder) by a psychiatrist from 2002 through 2013. The crude (simple) and
      adjusted (age, sex, income, region of residence, dementia, hypertension,
      diabetes, and dyslipidemia) hazard ratio (HR) of hearing impairment on depression
      were analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The rate of
      depression was significantly higher in the severe hearing-impaired group than in
      the control group (7.9% vs. 5.7%, P < 0.001). Severe hearing impairment increased
      the risk of depression (adjusted HR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24
      1.52, P < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis, young (0-29 years old), middle-aged (30
      59 years old), and old (>= 60 years old) severe hearing-impaired groups showed
      significantly increased risk of depression compared to controls with no reported
      hearing impairment. In accordance with income level, severe hearing impairment
      elevated depression in the low and high income groups, but not in the middle
      income group. CONCLUSION: Severe hearing impairment increased the risk of
      depression independently of age, sex, region, past medical histories, and income
      (in low and high income persons but not in middle income persons).

PMID- 28640918
TI  - Identifying key demographic parameters of a small island-associated population of
      Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Reunion, Indian Ocean).
AB  - Photo-identification surveys of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were conducted
      from 2009 to 2014 off Reunion Island (55 degrees E33'/21 degrees S07'), in the
      Indian Ocean. Robust Design models were applied to produce the most reliable
      estimate of population abundance and survival rate, while accounting for
      temporary emigration from the survey area (west coast). The sampling scheme
      consisted of a five-month (June-October) sampling period in each year of the
      study. The overall population size at Reunion was estimated to be 72 individuals
      (SE = 6.17, 95%CI = 61-85), based on a random temporary emigration (gamma") of
      0.096 and a proportion of 0.70 (SE = 0.03) distinct individuals. The annual
      survival rate was 0.93 (+/-0.018 SE, 95%CI = 0.886-0.958) and was constant over
      time and between sexes. Models considering gender groups indicated different
      movement patterns between males and females. Males showed null or quasi-null
      temporary emigration (gamma" = gamma' < 0.01), while females showed a random
      temporary emigration (gamma") of 0.10, suggesting that a small proportion of
      females was outside the survey area during each primary sampling period. Sex
      specific temporary migration patterns were consistent with movement and residency
      patterns observed in other areas. The Robust Design approach provided an
      appropriate sampling scheme for deriving island-associated population parameters,
      while allowing to restrict survey effort both spatially (i.e. west coast only)
      and temporally (five months per year). Although abundance and survival were
      stable over the six years, the small population size of fewer than 100
      individuals suggested that this population is highly vulnerable. Priority should
      be given to reducing any potential impact of human activity on the population and
      its habitat.

PMID- 28640919
TI  - The measles epidemic trend over the past 30 years in a central district in
      Shanghai, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Measles vaccination over the past 50 years has greatly reduced the
      incidence of measles. However, measles among migrants and the resulting changes
      in epidemiological characteristics have brought new challenges to the elimination
      of measles. We aim to describe the measles epidemic trend over the past 30 years
      in a central district in Shanghai, China. METHODS: The present study was
      conducted in the Jing'an District, which is located in the center of Shanghai.
      Based on historical surveillance data of measles, we calculated the incidence of
      measles among local residents and migrants separately. Next, we classified all of
      the cases of the measles among local residents between 1984 and 2015 into 8 age
      groups and 5 birth cohorts. Finally, we calculated the measles incidence in each
      time period by the different age groups and birth cohorts, to understand the
      measles epidemic trend over past 30 years in the Jing'an District. RESULTS: A
      total of 103 cases of measles were reported from the Jing'an District, Shanghai,
      from 1984 to 2015. For infants less than 1 year of age and adults over 30 years
      of age, the incidence of measles continued to rise over the past 30 years. For a
      specific birth cohort, the incidence of measles after measles vaccination
      declined initially, and was then followed by a rebound. CONCLUSIONS: The
      incidence of measles in older adults and infants increased in some developed
      regions, which slows the process of measles elimination. This suggested that the
      population immunity against measles after measles vaccination would gradually
      reduce with time. We recommend supplemental immunization against measles in
      adults in order to reduce the immunity decline, especially for migrants.

PMID- 28640917
TI  - Human hantavirus infection elicits pronounced redistribution of mononuclear
      phagocytes in peripheral blood and airways.
AB  - Hantaviruses infect humans via inhalation of virus-contaminated rodent excreta.
      Infection can cause severe disease with up to 40% mortality depending on the
      viral strain. The virus primarily targets the vascular endothelium without direct
      cytopathic effects. Instead, exaggerated immune responses may inadvertently
      contribute to disease development. Mononuclear phagocytes (MNPs), including
      monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs), orchestrate the adaptive immune responses.
      Since hantaviruses are transmitted via inhalation, studying immunological events
      in the airways is of importance to understand the processes leading to
      immunopathogenesis. Here, we studied 17 patients infected with Puumala virus that
      causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Bronchial
      biopsies as well as longitudinal blood draws were obtained from the patients.
      During the acute stage of disease, a significant influx of MNPs expressing HLA
      DR, CD11c or CD123 was detected in the patients' bronchial tissue. In parallel,
      absolute numbers of MNPs were dramatically reduced in peripheral blood,
      coinciding with viremia. Expression of CCR7 on the remaining MNPs in blood
      suggested migration to peripheral and/or lymphoid tissues. Numbers of MNPs in
      blood subsequently normalized during the convalescent phase of the disease when
      viral RNA was no longer detectable in plasma. Finally, we exposed blood MNPs in
      vitro to Puumala virus, and demonstrated an induction of CCR7 expression on MNPs.
      In conclusion, the present study shows a marked redistribution of blood MNPs to
      the airways during acute hantavirus disease, a process that may underlie the
      local immune activation and contribute to immunopathogenesis in hantavirus
      infected patients.

PMID- 28640921
TI  - Correction: Experiences of severe childhood maltreatment, depression, anxiety and
      alcohol abuse among adults in Finland.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177252.].

PMID- 28640920
TI  - Pathogen-specific mortality in very low birth weight infants with primary
      bloodstream infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Mortality in very low birth weight infants following microbiology
      confirmed primary bloodstream infections varies with the type of causative
      pathogen. Given evidence from other studies that infections with gram negative
      bacteria and fungi cause a higher case fatality risk. We tried to confirm this in
      a nation-wide multi-center trial. METHODS: A cohort of 55,465 very low birth
      weight infants from 242 neonatal departments participating in the German national
      neonatal infection surveillance system NEO-KISS was used to investigate
      differences in the case fatality risk of microbiology confirmed primary
      bloodstream infections according to individual pathogens. Cox proportional hazard
      regression analyses were performed with the outcomes death and time from
      microbiology confirmed primary bloodstream infections. The results were adjusted
      to the recorded risk factors and hospital and department characteristics.
      RESULTS: A total of 4 094 very low birth weight infants with microbiology
      confirmed primary bloodstream infections were included in the analysis. The crude
      case fatality risk was 5.7%. The Cox proportional hazard regression analysis with
      adjustment for available risk factors revealed that microbiology confirmed
      primary bloodstream infections caused by Klebsiella spp. (HR 3.17 CI95 1.69
      5.95), Enterobacter spp. (HR 3.42 CI95 1.86-6.27), Escherichia coli (HR 3.32 CI95
      1.84-6.00) and Serratia spp. (HR 3.30 CI95 1.44-7.57) were associated with
      significantly higher case fatality risk compared to Staphylococcus aureus. After
      adjusting, case fatality risk of Candida albicans causing microbiology confirmed
      primary bloodstream infections was not higher than that of S. aureus. CONCLUSION:
      In very low birth weight infants, bloodstream infections caused by gram negative
      pathogens have an increased case fatality risk compared to bloodstream infections
      caused by gram positive pathogens. This should be considered for prevention and
      therapy. Further research should address the specific risk factors for case
      fatality of C. albicans bloodstream infections.

PMID- 28640922
TI  - Changes in hemp secondary fiber production related to technical fiber variability
      revealed by light microscopy and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy.
AB  - Interest in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is increasing due to the development of a
      new range of industrial applications based on bast fibers. However the
      variability of bast fiber yield and quality represents an important barrier to
      further exploitation. Primary and secondary fiber content was examined in two
      commercial hemp varieties (Fedora 17, Santhica 27) grown under contrasted sowing
      density and irrigation conditions. Both growing conditions and hemp varieties
      impact stem tissue architecture with a large effect on the proportion of
      secondary fibers but not primary fibers. Attenuated total reflectance infrared
      spectroscopy allowed the discrimination of manually-isolated native primary
      fibers and secondary fibers but did not reveal any clustering according to
      growing conditions and variety. Infrared data were confirmed by wet chemistry
      analyses that revealed slight but significant differences between primary and
      secondary fiber cell wall composition. Infrared spectroscopy of technical fibers
      obtained after mechanical defibering revealed differences with native primary,
      but not secondary fibers and also discriminated samples obtained from plants
      grown under different conditions. Altogether the results suggested that the
      observed variability of hemp technical fibers could be partially explained by i)
      differences in secondary fiber production and ii) differential behavior during
      mechanical defibering resulting in unequal separation of primary and secondary
      fibers.

PMID- 28640924
TI  - Correction: Accuracy of the Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting Assay for the
      Aquaporin-4 Antibody (AQP4-Ab): Comparison with the Commercial AQP4-Ab Assay Kit.
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162900.].

PMID- 28640923
TI  - How much detail is needed in modeling a transcranial magnetic stimulation figure
      8 coil: Measurements and brain simulations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite TMS wide adoption, its spatial and temporal patterns of
      neuronal effects are not well understood. Although progress has been made in
      predicting induced currents in the brain using realistic finite element models
      (FEM), there is little consensus on how a magnetic field of a typical TMS coil
      should be modeled. Empirical validation of such models is limited and subject to
      several limitations. METHODS: We evaluate and empirically validate models of a
      figure-of-eight TMS coil that are commonly used in published modeling studies, of
      increasing complexity: simple circular coil model; coil with in-plane spiral
      winding turns; and finally one with stacked spiral winding turns. We will assess
      the electric fields induced by all 3 coil models in the motor cortex using a
      computer FEM model. Biot-Savart models of discretized wires were used to
      approximate the 3 coil models of increasing complexity. We use a tailored MR
      based phase mapping technique to get a full 3D validation of the incident
      magnetic field induced in a cylindrical phantom by our TMS coil. FEM based
      simulations on a meshed 3D brain model consisting of five tissues types were
      performed, using two orthogonal coil orientations. RESULTS: Substantial
      differences in the induced currents are observed, both theoretically and
      empirically, between highly idealized coils and coils with correctly modeled
      spiral winding turns. Thickness of the coil winding turns affect minimally the
      induced electric field, and it does not influence the predicted activation.
      CONCLUSION: TMS coil models used in FEM simulations should include in-plane coil
      geometry in order to make reliable predictions of the incident field. Modeling
      the in-plane coil geometry is important to correctly simulate the induced
      electric field and to correctly make reliable predictions of neuronal activation.

PMID- 28640925
TI  - A novel underwater dam crack detection and classification approach based on sonar
      images.
AB  - Underwater dam crack detection and classification based on sonar images is a
      challenging task because underwater environments are complex and because cracks
      are quite random and diverse in nature. Furthermore, obtainable sonar images are
      of low resolution. To address these problems, a novel underwater dam crack
      detection and classification approach based on sonar imagery is proposed. First,
      the sonar images are divided into image blocks. Second, a clustering analysis of
      a 3-D feature space is used to obtain the crack fragments. Third, the crack
      fragments are connected using an improved tensor voting method. Fourth, a minimum
      spanning tree is used to obtain the crack curve. Finally, an improved evidence
      theory combined with fuzzy rule reasoning is proposed to classify the cracks.
      Experimental results show that the proposed approach is able to detect underwater
      dam cracks and classify them accurately and effectively under complex underwater
      environments.

PMID- 28640928
TI  - The State of the Art in Pulmonary Vein Stenosis -Diagnosis & Treatment.
AB  - Pulmonary vein stenosis is a rare but serious complication of pulmonary vein
      isolation to treat atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary vein angioplasty/stenting has
      emerged as the treatment of choice for significantly stenotic veins. Guidelines
      for post ablation evaluation of the pulmonary veins, including the timing and
      method of surveillance for possible stenosis, the criteria for intervention, the
      technical aspects of intervention, and finally the surveillance post
      intervention, are still being developed. The relatively high rate of restenosis
      after intervention in a subset of patients remains a great challenge. A better
      understanding of the pathophysiology underlying this syndrome is needed to
      appropriately answer many of the remaining questions. The goal of this manuscript
      is to describe what has been learned about this complication and its treatment
      from a relatively large experience in a single institution over the past decade,
      and provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature in order to shed as
      much light on the subject as is possible, while at the same time exposing the
      areas that need further study.

PMID- 28640926
TI  - Clinimetric properties of hip abduction strength measurements obtained using a
      handheld dynamometer in individuals with a lower extremity amputation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Suitable handheld dynamometer (HHD)-techniques to test hip
      abduction strength in individuals with a lower extremity amputation, irrespective
      of their amputation level are absent. The aim of this study was to optimise a HHD
      technique and to test its reproducibility and validity. METHODS: This study
      involved three phases, in which two techniques were evaluated. Both HHD
      techniques used a lever-arm of 22 centimetre. HHD-technique 1 used a break
      technique. After obtaining within-session test-retest reproducibility (phase 1)
      we optimised the HHD-technique by adding a fixation-belt and using a make
      technique (HHD-technique 2). We tested the within-session test-retest and inter
      rater reproducibility (phase 2) and the validity (phase 3) of HHD-technique 2
      using an isokinetic dynamometer. New cohorts of participants were recruited for
      each phase. RESULTS: Phase 1: we tested HHD-technique 1 in 26 participants with a
      lower extremity amputation. It was test-retest reproducible (ICC3.1agreement:
      0.80-0.92, standard error of measurement (SEM): 3.1-4.4 Nm and smallest
      detectable change (SDC): 8.6-12.3 Nm). There were questions regarding the
      validity of the measurement, because the mean muscle torque of the residual limb
      and sound limb were similar, which is uncommon. Phase 2: reproducibility of HHD
      technique 2 was tested in 44 participants with a lower extremity amputation. It
      was test-retest reproducible (ICC3.1agreement: 0.96-0.97, SEM: 3.9-4.7 Nm and
      SDC: 10.9-12.9 Nm) but not inter-rater reproducible despite having good
      reliability (ICC3.1agreement: 0.92, SEM: 6.9-7.6 Nm and SDC: 19.2-21.2 Nm).
      Systematic bias and bias related to the magnitude of the muscle torque was
      suspected. Phase 3: the concurrent validity was established in 30 healthy
      participants (r = 0.84). Systematic bias in measurement error was present,
      including a consistent overestimation of the muscle torque of 28% using the HHD.
      CONCLUSION: HHD-technique 2 is a test-retest reproducible and valid measuring
      technique The technique may be further optimised by the use of an external device
      to stabilise the HHD.

PMID- 28640927
TI  - The Role of Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation in Patients with Congestive
      Heart Failure: "Burning"for a Cure.
AB  - Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and congestive heart failure (CHF) often co-exist.
      Catheter ablation is increasingly used to cure AF related to CHF.Clinical
      evidence supports the feasibil- ity of catheter ablation as a treatment option in
      drug refractory AF patients with CHF.Investiga- tors have reported an improvement
      in ejection fraction, quality of life, and functional capacity.

PMID- 28640929
TI  - Modulation of tumor microenvironment by chemopreventive natural products.
AB  - The tumor microenvironment provides a niche in which cancer cells and their
      surrounding stromal cells reside and in which their interactions occur. The cross
      talk between cancer and stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment promotes many
      biological processes to support cancer cell growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and
      metastasis. Recently, not only cancer cells but also multiple types of
      surrounding stromal cells, including endothelial cells, immune cells, and
      fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment, have been recognized to be attractive
      targets for reducing resistance to anticancer therapy and tumor recurrence. Many
      natural products present in fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and some marine
      organisms have been reported to inhibit, delay, or reverse multistage
      carcinogenesis and to inhibit the proliferation of cancerous cells and the self
      renewal capacity of preexisting cancer stem-like cells. Some of these naturally
      occurring chemopreventive and anticarcinogenic substances can modulate the signal
      transduction involved in maintaining the activities/functions of stromal cells
      and their interactions with cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment.

PMID- 28640930
TI  - Orotracheal intubation in infants performed with a stylet versus without a
      stylet.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neonatal endotracheal intubation is a common and potentially life
      saving intervention. It is a mandatory skill for neonatal trainees, but one that
      is difficult to master and maintain. Intubation opportunities for trainees are
      decreasing and success rates are subsequently falling. Use of a stylet may aid
      intubation and improve success. However, the potential for associated harm must
      be considered. OBJECTIVES: To compare the benefits and harms of neonatal
      orotracheal intubation with a stylet versus neonatal orotracheal intubation
      without a stylet. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of
      Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE; Embase; the
      Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and previous
      reviews. We also searched cross-references, contacted expert informants,
      handsearched journals, and looked at conference proceedings. We searched clinical
      trials registries for current and recently completed trials. We conducted our
      most recent search in April 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised, quasi
      randomised, and cluster-randomised controlled trials comparing use versus non-use
      of a stylet in neonatal orotracheal intubation. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two
      review authors independently assessed results of searches against predetermined
      criteria for inclusion, assessed risk of bias, and extracted data. We used the
      standard methods of the Cochrane Collaboration, as documented in the Cochrane
      Handbook for Systemic Reviews of Interventions, and of the Cochrane Neonatal
      Review Group. MAIN RESULTS: We included a single-centre non-blinded randomised
      controlled trial that reported a total of 302 intubation attempts in 232 infants.
      The median gestational age of enrolled infants was 29 weeks. Paediatric residents
      and fellows performed the intubations. We judged the study to be at low risk of
      bias overall. Investigators compared success rates of first-attempt intubation
      with and without use of a stylet and reported success rates as similar between
      stylet and no-stylet groups (57% and 53%) (P = 0.47). Success rates did not
      differ between groups in subgroup analyses by provider level of training and
      infant weight. Results showed no differences in secondary review outcomes,
      including duration of intubation, number of attempts, participant instability
      during the procedure, and local airway trauma. Only 25% of all intubations took
      less than 30 seconds to perform. Study authors did not report neonatal morbidity
      nor mortality. We considered the quality of evidence as low on GRADE analysis,
      given that we identified only one unblinded study. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Current
      available evidence suggests that use of a stylet during neonatal orotracheal
      intubation does not significantly improve the success rate among paediatric
      trainees. However, only one brand of stylet and one brand of endotracheal tube
      have been tested, and researchers performed all intubations on infants in a
      hospital setting. Therefore, our results cannot be generalised beyond these
      limitations.

PMID- 28640931
TI  - Ischemia-responsive protein 94 is a key mediator of ischemic neuronal injury
      induced microglial activation.
AB  - Neuroinflammation, especially activation of microglia, the key immune cells in
      the brain, has been proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of ischemic
      stroke. However, the dynamics and the potential mediators of microglial
      activation following ischemic neuronal injury are not well understood. In this
      study, using oxygen/glucose deprivation and reoxygenation with neuronal and
      microglial cell cultures as an in vitro model of ischemic neuronal injury, we set
      out to identify neuronal factors released from injured neurons that are capable
      of inducing microglial activation. Conditioned media (CM) from hippocampal and
      cortical neurons exposed to oxygen/glucose deprivation and reoxygenation induced
      significant activation of microglial cells as well as primary microglia,
      evidenced by up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase, increased
      production of nitrite and reactive oxygen species, and increased expression of
      microglial markers. Mechanistically, neuronal ischemia-responsive protein 94
      (Irp94) was a key contributor to microglial activation since significant increase
      in Irp94 was detected in the neuronal CM following ischemic insult and
      immunodepletion of Irp94 rendered ischemic neuronal CM ineffective in inducing
      microglial activation. Ischemic insult-augmented oxidative stress was a major
      facilitator of neuronal Irp94 release, and pharmacological inhibition of NADPH
      oxidase significantly reduced the ischemic injury-induced neuronal reactive
      oxygen species production and Irp94 release. Taken together, these results
      indicate that neuronal Irp94 may play a pivotal role in the propagation of
      ischemic neuronal damage. Continued studies may help identify Irp94 and/or
      related proteins as potential therapeutic targets and/or diagnostic/prognostic
      biomarkers for managing ischemia-associated brain disorders.

PMID- 28640933
TI  - Could ivabradine be a new treatment for the short QT syndrome?

PMID- 28640932
TI  - Potential of a cure in patients with colorectal liver metastases and concomitant
      extrahepatic disease: Methodological issues.

PMID- 28640934
TI  - Substrate specificity and safener inducibility of the plant UDP-glucose-dependent
      family 1 glycosyltransferase super-family.
AB  - Plants contain large numbers of family 1 UDP-glucose-dependent
      glycosyltransferases (UGTs), including members that conjugate xenobiotics.
      Arabidopsis contains 107 UGT genes with 99 family members successfully expressed
      as glutathione transferase (GST)-fusion proteins in E. coli. A high-throughput
      catalytic screen was developed based on quantification of the fusion by measuring
      GST activity. UGT activity using UDP-glucose as donor was then determined using
      11 synthetic acceptors bearing hydroxyl, amino and thiol groups that had been
      shown to undergo conjugation in plant extracts. In total, 44 UGTs, largely
      members of the D and E groups, were active towards xenobiotics, glucosylating
      phenol and thiol acceptors. In contrast, N-glucosyltransferase (NGT) activity was
      almost exclusively restricted to a single enzyme, UGT72B1. Using DNA microarrays,
      the induction of UGT transcripts following treatment with the herbicide safener
      fenclorim was compared in Arabidopsis and rice. D and L group members were the
      most safener-inducible UGTs in both species. The respective Arabidopsis enzymes
      showed low conjugating activity towards xenobiotics. Using Genevestigator, a
      small group of safened D and L UGTs were consistently induced in response to
      biotic and abiotic stress suggestive of protective activities beyond xenobiotic
      detoxification in both species. The induction of other detoxifying gene families
      following treatment with fenclorim, namely cytochromes P450 and glutathione
      transferases, further confirmed the selective enhancement of related subfamily
      members in the two species giving new insight into the safening response in
      cereals, where herbicide tolerance is enhanced compared with dicots, which are
      unresponsive to these treatments.

PMID- 28640935
TI  - Additive effect of radiosensitization by 2-deoxy-D-glucose delays DNA repair
      kinetics and suppresses cell proliferation in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has well known that, compared to normal cells, tumor cells have a
      different manner of energy metabolism, which influences the sensitivity of
      radiotherapy. However, whether inhibition of glycolysis enhances the efficacy of
      radiotherapy is a matter of debate in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The
      aim of this study was to characterize whether the combination of radiotherapy
      with the glucose inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) affected DNA repair kinetics.
      METHODS: To compare the synergistic effect of 2-DG, we examined the cell survival
      after treatment with radiation, 2-DG, and a combination of the two in five OSCC
      cell lines and one lip fibroblast cell line, determined using clonogenic survival
      assay. Changes in the protein levels of DNA repair kinetics such as PARP, Rad51,
      and Ku-70 were analyzed by Western blotting. Then, using one of the five OSCC
      cell lines, we assessed the inhibition of xenograft tumor growth in vivo.
      RESULTS: We found that 2-DG with radiation induced significant inhibition of cell
      proliferation in cell line SAS (P<.01, one-way ANOVA). Radiation treatment was
      associated with decreased expression of the DNA repair markers. In additional,
      combinational treatment with 2-DG and radiation significantly inhibited the
      xenograft tumor growth compared to the control (P<.05), and treatment with 2-DG
      or radiation alone. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that 2-DG has synergistic
      cytotoxic effects when combined with radiotherapy, which might lead to the design
      of an effective metabolic target therapy in vitro and in vivo.

PMID- 28640936
TI  - Preparation, Single-Molecule Manipulation, and Energy Transfer Investigation of a
      Polyfluorene-graft-DNA polymer.
AB  - Conjugated polymers have been intensively studied due to their unique optical and
      electronic properties combined with their physical flexibility and scalable
      bottom up synthesis. Although the bulk qualities of conjugated polymers have been
      extensively utilized in research and industry, the ability to handle and
      manipulate conjugated polymers at the nanoscale lacks significantly behind. Here,
      the toolbox for controlled manipulation of conjugated polymers was expanded
      through the synthesis of a polyfluorene-DNA graft-type polymer (poly(F-DNA)). The
      polymer possesses the characteristics associated with the conjugated polyfluorene
      backbone, but the protruding single-stranded DNA provides the material with an
      exceptional addressability. This study demonstrates controlled single-molecule
      patterning of poly(F-DNA), as well as energy transfer between two different
      polymer-DNA conjugates. Finally, highly efficient DNA-directed quenching of
      polyfluorene fluorescence was shown.

PMID- 28640937
TI  - Dreams and creative problem-solving.
AB  - Dreams have produced art, music, novels, films, mathematical proofs, designs for
      architecture, telescopes, and computers. Dreaming is essentially our brain
      thinking in another neurophysiologic state-and therefore it is likely to solve
      some problems on which our waking minds have become stuck. This neurophysiologic
      state is characterized by high activity in brain areas associated with imagery,
      so problems requiring vivid visualization are also more likely to get help from
      dreaming. This article reviews great historical dreams and modern laboratory
      research to suggest how dreams can aid creativity and problem-solving.

PMID- 28640938
TI  - Obstructive sleep apnoea and polycystic ovary syndrome: A comprehensive review of
      clinical interactions and underlying pathophysiology.
AB  - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder in
      women of reproductive age. PCOS is associated with multiple comorbidities
      including, obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, as well as mood
      disorders and impaired quality of life (QoL). Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is
      also a common medical condition that is often undiagnosed, particularly in women.
      OSA is associated with a similar spectrum of comorbidities to that observed in
      PCOS, including manifestations of the metabolic syndrome and impaired QoL, whilst
      obesity frequently constitutes a common denominator in the pathophysiology of
      both OSA and PCOS. Hence, it is not surprising that OSA and PCOS may coexist in
      women of reproductive age, and the current clinical guidelines on the management
      of PCOS recommend screening for OSA symptoms in overweight/obese women with PCOS.
      In this review, we examine the relationship between OSA and PCOS and explore the
      potential underlying mechanisms that link these two conditions.

PMID- 28640939
TI  - Global transcriptome and coexpression network analyses reveal cultivar-specific
      molecular signatures associated with seed development and seed size/weight
      determination in chickpea.
AB  - Seed development is an intricate process regulated via a complex transcriptional
      regulatory network. To understand the molecular mechanisms governing seed
      development and seed size/weight in chickpea, we performed a comprehensive
      analysis of transcriptome dynamics during seed development in two cultivars with
      contrasting seed size/weight (small-seeded, Himchana 1 and large-seeded, JGK 3).
      Our analysis identified stage-specific expression for a significant proportion
      (>13%) of the genes in each cultivar. About one half of the total genes exhibited
      significant differential expression in JGK 3 as compared with Himchana 1. We
      found that different seed development stages can be delineated by modules of
      coexpressed genes. A comparative analysis revealed differential developmental
      stage specificity of some modules between the two cultivars. Furthermore, we
      constructed transcriptional regulatory networks and identified key components
      determining seed size/weight. The results suggested that extended period of cell
      division during embryogenesis and higher level of endoreduplication along with
      more accumulation of storage compounds during maturation determine large seed
      size/weight. Further, we identified quantitative trait loci-associated candidate
      genes harboring single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter sequences that
      differentiate small- and large-seeded chickpea cultivars. The results provide a
      valuable resource to dissect the role of candidate genes governing seed
      development and seed size/weight in chickpea.

PMID- 28640940
TI  - Regioselective Direct C-Alkenylation of Indoles.
AB  - The direct introduction of alkenyl groups into the indole framework avoiding its
      preliminary functionalization can be carried out using different synthetic
      strategies. Transition-metal complexes facilitate the C-H activation of indoles
      or alkenes allowing an efficient Csp2 - Csp2 bond formation. The hydroindolation
      of alkynes catalyzed by the same metal complexes or various acidic promoters can
      also be pursued for the alkenylation process. Conjugate addition of electron-poor
      alkenes and direct condensation of carbonyl derivatives with indoles are also of
      interest for this purpose. The regiochemical control can be exploited using the
      intrinsic C-3 reactivity of the indole ring. The introduction of a suitable
      directing group at the nitrogen atom allows the preparation of C-2 alkenylated
      derivatives by transition metal catalyzed reactions. This review collects the
      fundamental contributions in this field reported in literature during the last
      fifteen years.

PMID- 28640941
TI  - PHOX2B reliably distinguishes neuroblastoma among small round blue cell tumours.
AB  - AIMS: Neuroblastoma shows considerable histological overlap with other small
      round blue cell tumours. PHOX2B, a transcription factor that is essential for
      autonomic nervous system development, has been reported as an immunohistochemical
      marker for neuroblastoma. The aim of this study was to validate the specificity
      and diagnostic utility of PHOX2B for peripheral neuroblastic tumours. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We evaluated 240 cases (133 in whole-tissue sections; 107 in tissue
      microarrays), including 76 peripheral neuroblastic tumours (median age 2 years;
      including four adults) and 164 other tumours: 44 Wilms tumours; 20 Ewing
      sarcomas; 10 each of CIC-rearranged round cell sarcomas, poorly differentiated
      synovial sarcomas, lymphoblastic lymphomas, alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas, embryonal
      rhabdomyosarcomas, mesenchymal chondrosarcomas, Merkel cell carcinomas, olfactory
      neuroblastomas, and melanomas; and five each of NUT midline carcinomas and
      desmoplastic small round cell tumours. Immunohistochemistry for PHOX2B was
      performed with a rabbit monoclonal antibody. PHOX2B positivity was defined as the
      presence of nuclear immunoreactivity in >=5% of cells. PHOX2B was positive in 70
      (92%) peripheral neuroblastic tumours, including 68 of 72 (94%) paediatric and
      two of four (50%) adult cases. Furthermore, PHOX2B was consistently negative in
      all non-peripheral neuroblastic tumours, with staining being absent in 160 cases
      and limited in four cases. CONCLUSION: PHOX2B is a highly sensitive and specific
      immunohistochemical marker for peripheral neuroblastic tumours, including
      neuroblastoma. PHOX2B reliably distinguishes neuroblastoma from histological
      mimics such as Wilms tumour, Ewing sarcoma, and CIC-rearranged round cell
      sarcoma. PHOX2B negativity in two of four adult neuroblastoma cases raises the
      possibility that some adult neuroblastomas are of a different lineage than
      paediatric cases.

PMID- 28640943
TI  - Dimensioning the Term Carbenoid.
AB  - The current use of the term carbenoid is discussed, particularly in the context
      of carbene transfer reactions from diazo compounds, in which intermediates of
      type Ln M=CR1 R2 , or one of its resonance forms, are tagged which such a name.
      We discuss this issue, on the basis of the data evidencing the metal-carbene
      nature of those intermediates, as well as the existence of carbenoids of type (N2
      )(M)CR1 R2 en route to the formation to Ln M=CR1 R2' from diazo reagents. We
      propose the exclusive use of the carbenoid term to species of type (X)(M)CR1 R2
      with a tetrasubstituted carbon center that upon loss of X afford an effective
      carbene transfer process.

PMID- 28640944
TI  - Rare complication of gastrojejunostomy.

PMID- 28640942
TI  - Polyfunctional response by ImmTAC (IMCgp100) redirected CD8+ and CD4+ T cells.
AB  - The success of immune system-based cancer therapies depends on a broad immune
      response engaging a range of effector cells and mechanisms. Immune mobilizing
      monoclonal T cell receptors (TCRs) against cancer (ImmTACTM molecules: fusion
      proteins consisting of a soluble, affinity enhanced TCR and an anti-CD3 scFv
      antibody) were previously shown to redirect CD8+ and CD4+ T cells against
      tumours. Here we present evidence that IMCgp100 (ImmTAC recognizing a peptide
      derived from the melanoma-specific protein, gp100, presented by HLA-A*0201)
      efficiently redirects and activates effector and memory cells from both CD8+ and
      CD4+ repertoires. Using isolated subpopulations of T cells, we find that both
      terminally differentiated and effector memory CD8+ T cells redirected by IMCgp100
      are potent killers of melanoma cells. Furthermore, CD4+ effector memory T cells
      elicit potent cytotoxic activity leading to melanoma cell killing upon
      redirection by IMCgp100. The majority of T cell subsets belonging to both the
      CD8+ and CD4+ repertoires secrete key pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis
      factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, interleukin-6) and chemokines (macrophage
      inflammatory protein-1alpha-beta, interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10, monocyte
      chemoattractant protein-1). At an individual cell level, IMCgp100-redirected T
      cells display a polyfunctional phenotype, which is a hallmark of a potent anti
      cancer response. This study demonstrates that IMCgp100 induces broad immune
      responses that extend beyond the induction of CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.
      These findings are of particular importance because IMCgp100 is currently
      undergoing clinical trials as a single agent or in combination with check point
      inhibitors for patients with malignant melanoma.

PMID- 28640945
TI  - Production of human vitronectin in Nicotiana benthamiana using the INPACT
      hyperexpression platform.
AB  - Human vitronectin (hVN) is a glycoprotein that functions as a cell adhesion
      molecule and a regulator of coagulation in blood plasma and the extracellular
      matrix. In vitro, hVN is added to serum-free media in order to promote the
      adhesion of animal cells to tissue culture surfaces and the proliferation of
      undifferentiated stem cells. Here, we report the production of hVN in Nicotiana
      benthamiana using the inducible In Plant ACTivation (INPACT) hyperexpression
      platform. N. benthamiana plants were transformed with an INPACT expression
      cassette encoding hVN, and both the Tobacco yellow dwarf virus Rep/RepA activator
      and Tomato bushy stunt virus p19 gene under the transcriptional control of the
      ethanol-inducible AlcR:alcA gene switch. hVN expression was maximal 4-5 days
      postactivation of the INPACT platform with a dilute ethanol solution, and crude
      yields of the recombinant protein reached a maximum of 643 +/- 78 mg/kg fresh
      weight. A three-stage purification protocol was developed using heparin and
      polyhistidine tag affinity binding and size exclusion filtration, resulting in a
      plant-made hVN product of >90% purity. Storage conditions for plant-made hVN were
      identified that maximized the capacity of the recombinant protein to promote cell
      adhesion. Critically, plant-made hVN was shown to be functionally equivalent to
      commercial, plasma-derived hVN at promoting one-half maximal attachment of murine
      fibroblast cells (BALB-C/3T3) in serum-free medium at <0.1 MUg/cm2 to tissue
      culture plasticware. The INPACT platform represents an attractive means of
      producing large quantities of functional, animal-free hVN for in vitro
      applications.

PMID- 28640946
TI  - Physicians' Non-Uniform Approach to Prescribing Drugs to Older Patients - A
      Qualitative Study.
AB  - Multi-morbidity and polypharmacy are common in older patients and increase their
      susceptibility to adverse drug events and hospitalizations. Rational drug
      prescription is critical; however, little is known about physicians' perspectives
      on how to prescribe drugs for older patients. The aim of this study was to
      explore physicians' approach to prescribe drugs to older patients, including
      identifying the drugs that physicians perceive to be risk drugs for older
      patients and comparing them with established lists of potentially inappropriate
      medications. Short semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 medical
      specialists in 23 different specialities throughout Denmark who had contact with
      older patients. Content analysis was performed to identify the relevant themes.
      Regardless of their medical or surgical background and how often they prescribed
      drugs for older patients in daily work, all physicians expressed a cautious
      approach when prescribing risk drugs. Despite their shared caution, physicians
      had different strategies for prescribing drugs to older patients. The following
      strategies were identified: (1) 'Start low, go slow', (2) 'Trial and error', (3)
      'Dose reduction', and (4) 'Never prescribe'. The most frequently mentioned risk
      drugs considered to cause hospitalization were vitamin K antagonists, opioids and
      diuretics; these drugs are relatively highly consistent with established lists of
      PIMs. Physicians were relatively knowledgeable about risk drugs. Although the
      physicians agreed that a cautious approach was needed when prescribing drugs for
      older people, there was no consensus about how to best accomplish this in
      practice.

PMID- 28640947
TI  - Clinico-molecular analysis of eleven patients with Hermansky-Pudlak type 5
      syndrome, a mild form of HPS.
AB  - Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS), first described in 1959, is a rare form of
      syndromic oculocutaneous albinism associated with bleeding diathesis and in some
      cases pulmonary fibrosis and granulomatous colitis. All 10 HPS types are caused
      by defects in vesicle trafficking of lysosome-related organelles (LRO) proteins.
      The HPS5 protein associates with HPS3 and HPS6 to form the biogenesis of lysosome
      related organelles complex-2 (BLOC-2). Here, we report the clinical and genetic
      data of 11 patients with HPS-5 analyzed in our laboratory. We report 11 new
      pathogenic variants. The 11 patients present with ocular features that are
      typical for albinism, with mild hypopigmentation, and with no other major
      complication, apart from a tendency to bleed. HPS-5 therefore appears as a mild
      form of HPS, which is often clinically undistinguishable from mild oculocutaneous
      or ocular forms of albinism. Molecular analysis is therefore required to
      establish the diagnosis of this mild HPS form, which has consequences in terms of
      prognosis and of clinical management of the patients.

PMID- 28640948
TI  - High-level betaIII-tubulin overexpression occurs in most head and neck cancers
      but is unrelated to clinical outcome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: betaIII-tubulin (TUBB3) is an isotype of microtubules, which are
      involved in crucial cellular roles including maintenance of cell shape,
      intracellular transport, and mitosis. Overexpression of TUBB3 was found to be
      associated with poor prognosis and resistance to tubulin-binding drugs and in
      several solid tumors including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC).
      Considering the potential high importance of a prognostic biomarker in these
      cancers, this study aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of
      immunohistochemical TUBB3 expression in HNSCC. METHODS: Tissue microarray (TMA)
      sections containing samples from 667 cancers of oral cavity, oro- and
      hypopharynx, and larynx for which follow-up data were available were analyzed for
      TUBB3 expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Over 90% of our analyzed
      cancers showed unequivocal cytoplasmic TUBB3 expression. Staining was considered
      weak in 69 (15.5%), moderate in 149 (33.5%), and strong in 188 (42.2%) of
      cancers. The frequent TUBB3 overexpression showed no significant correlation with
      pathological grading, tumor stage, nodal status, or surgical margin and had no
      impact on patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: Despite lacking prognostic utility in
      HNSCC, the remarkable high prevalence of TUBB3 expression in HNSCC emphasizes its
      putative relevance as a target for future drugs targeting TUBB3.

PMID- 28640949
TI  - Flawed Assumptions: Ethical Problems With Proposed Presumed Consent Legislation.

PMID- 28640950
TI  - Development of a Monte Carlo multiple source model for inclusion in a dose
      calculation auditing tool.
AB  - PURPOSE: The Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core Houston (IROC-H) (formerly the
      Radiological Physics Center) has reported varying levels of agreement in their
      anthropomorphic phantom audits. There is reason to believe one source of error in
      this observed disagreement is the accuracy of the dose calculation algorithms and
      heterogeneity corrections used. To audit this component of the radiotherapy
      treatment process, an independent dose calculation tool is needed. METHODS: Monte
      Carlo multiple source models for Elekta 6 MV and 10 MV therapeutic x-ray beams
      were commissioned based on measurement of central axis depth dose data for a 10 *
      10 cm2 field size and dose profiles for a 40 * 40 cm2 field size. The models were
      validated against open field measurements consisting of depth dose data and dose
      profiles for field sizes ranging from 3 * 3 cm2 to 30 * 30 cm2 . The models were
      then benchmarked against measurements in IROC-H's anthropomorphic head and neck
      and lung phantoms. RESULTS: Validation results showed 97.9% and 96.8% of depth
      dose data passed a +/-2% Van Dyk criterion for 6 MV and 10 MV models
      respectively. Dose profile comparisons showed an average agreement using a +/
      2%/2 mm criterion of 98.0% and 99.0% for 6 MV and 10 MV models respectively.
      Phantom plan comparisons were evaluated using +/-3%/2 mm gamma criterion, and
      averaged passing rates between Monte Carlo and measurements were 87.4% and 89.9%
      for 6 MV and 10 MV models respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate multiple source
      models for Elekta 6 MV and 10 MV x-ray beams have been developed for inclusion in
      an independent dose calculation tool for use in clinical trial audits.

PMID- 28640952
TI  - Label-Free Dynamic Mass Redistribution and Bio-Impedance Methods for Drug
      Discovery.
AB  - Label-free biosensors are increasingly employed in drug discovery. Cell-based
      biosensors provide valuable insights into the biological consequences of exposing
      cells and tissues to chemical agents and the underlying molecular mechanisms
      associated with these effects. Optical biosensors based on the detection of
      dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) and impedance biosensors using cellular
      dielectric spectroscopy (CDS) capture changes of the cytoskeleton of living cells
      in real time. Because signal transduction correlates with changes in cell
      morphology, DMR and CDS biosensors are exquisitely suited for recording
      integrated cell responses in an unbiased, yet pathway-specific manner without the
      use of labels that may interfere with cell function. Described in this unit are
      several experimental approaches utilizing optical label-free system capturing
      dynamic mass redistribution (DMR) in living cells (Epic System) and an impedance
      based CDS technology (CellKey). In addition, potential pitfalls associated with
      these assays and alternative approaches for overcoming such technical challenges
      are discussed. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28640953
TI  - Overview of Transgenic Mouse Models of Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs).
AB  - Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a class of hematologic diseases
      characterized by aberrant proliferation of one or more myeloid lineages and
      progressive bone marrow fibrosis. In 2005, seminal work by multiple groups
      identified the JAK2V617F mutation in a significant fraction of MPN patients.
      Since that time, murine models of JAK2V617F have greatly enhanced the
      understanding of the role of aberrant JAK-STAT signaling in MPN pathogenesis and
      have provided an in vivo pre-clinical platform that can be used to develop novel
      therapies. From early retroviral transduction models to transgenics, and
      ultimately conditional knock-ins, murine models have established that JAK2V617F
      alone can induce an MPN-like syndrome in vivo. However, additional mutations co
      occur with JAK2V617F in MPNs, often in proteins involved in epigenetic regulation
      that can dramatically influence disease outcomes. In vivo modeling of these
      mutations in the context of JAK2V617F has provided additional insights into the
      role of epigenetic dysregulation in augmenting MPN hematopoiesis. In this
      overview, early murine model development of JAK2V617F is described, with an
      analysis of its effects on the hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell niche and
      interactions with downstream signaling elements. This is followed by a
      description of more recent in vivo models developed for evaluating the effect of
      concomitant mutations in epigenetic modifiers on MPN maintenance and progression.
      Mouse models of other driver mutations in MPNs, including primarily calreticulin
      (CALR) and Tpo-receptor (MPL), which occur in a significant percentage of MPN
      patients with wild-type JAK2, are also briefly reviewed. (c) 2017 by John Wiley &
      Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28640954
TI  - The Ussing Chamber Assay to Study Drug Metabolism and Transport in the Human
      Intestine.
AB  - The Ussing chamber is an old but still powerful technique originally designed to
      study the vectorial transport of ions through frog skin. This technique is also
      used to investigate the transport of chemical agents through the intestinal
      barrier as well as drug metabolism in enterocytes, both of which are key
      determinants for the bioavailability of orally administered drugs. More
      contemporary model systems, such as Caco-2 cell monolayers or stably transfected
      cells, are more limited in their use compared to the Ussing chamber because of
      differences in expression rates of transporter proteins and/or metabolizing
      enzymes. While there are limitations to the Ussing chamber assay, the use of
      human intestinal tissue remains the best laboratory test for characterizing the
      transport and metabolism of compounds following oral administration. Detailed in
      this unit is a step-by-step protocol for preparing human intestinal tissue, for
      designing Ussing chamber experiments, and for analyzing and interpreting the
      findings. (c) 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

PMID- 28640951
TI  - The value of visual field testing in the era of advanced imaging: clinical and
      psychophysical perspectives.
AB  - White-on-white standard automated perimetry (SAP) is widely used in clinical and
      research settings for assessment of contrast sensitivity using incremental light
      stimuli across the visual field. It is one of the main functional measures of the
      effect of disease upon the visual system. SAP has evolved over the last 40 years
      to become an indispensable tool for comprehensive assessment of visual function.
      In modern clinical practice, a range of objective measurements of ocular
      structure, such as optical coherence tomography, have also become invaluable
      additions to the arsenal of the ophthalmic examination. Although structure
      function correlation is a highly desirable determinant of an unambiguous clinical
      picture for a patient, in practice, clinicians are often faced with discordance
      of structural and functional results, which presents them with a challenge. The
      construction principles behind the development of SAP are used to discuss the
      interpretation of visual fields, as well as the problem of structure-function
      discordance. Through illustrative clinical examples, we provide useful insights
      to assist clinicians in combining a range of clinical results obtained from SAP
      and from advanced imaging techniques into a coherent picture that can help direct
      clinical management.

PMID- 28640955
TI  - In-solution antibody harvesting with a plant-produced hydrophobin-Protein A
      fusion.
AB  - Purification is a bottleneck and a major cost factor in the production of
      antibodies. We set out to engineer a bifunctional fusion protein from two
      building blocks, Protein A and a hydrophobin, aiming at low-cost and scalable
      antibody capturing in solutions. Immunoglobulin-binding Protein A is widely used
      in affinity-based purification. The hydrophobin fusion tag, on the other hand,
      has been shown to enable purification by two-phase separation. Protein A was
      fused to two different hydrophobin tags, HFBI or II, and expressed transiently in
      Nicotiana benthamiana. The hydrophobins enhanced accumulation up to 35-fold,
      yielding up to 25% of total soluble protein. Both fused and nonfused Protein A
      accumulated in protein bodies. Hence, the increased yield could not be attributed
      to HFB-induced protein body formation. We also demonstrated production of HFBI
      Protein A fusion protein in tobacco BY-2 suspension cells in 30 l scale, with a
      yield of 35 mg/l. Efficient partitioning to the surfactant phase confirmed that
      the fusion proteins retained the amphipathic properties of the hydrophobin block.
      The reversible antibody-binding capacity of the Protein A block was similar to
      the nonfused Protein A. The best-performing fusion protein was tested in
      capturing antibodies from hybridoma culture supernatant with two-phase
      separation. The fusion protein was able to carry target antibodies to the
      surfactant phase and subsequently release them back to the aqueous phase after a
      change in pH. This report demonstrates the potential of hydrophobin fusion
      proteins for novel applications, such as harvesting antibodies in solutions.

PMID- 28640956
TI  - miR-188 promotes senescence of lineage-negative bone marrow cells by targeting
      MAP3K3 expression.
AB  - Lineage-negative bone marrow cells (lin-BMCs) have reparative potential for
      overcoming endothelial dysfunction and reducing cardiovascular risk. Here, we
      found that miR-188 is upregulated and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase
      kinase 3 (MAP3K3) is downregulated in aged lin-BMCs, whereas their expression is
      reversed in young lin-BMCs. We identified and confirmed MAP3K3 as a direct target
      of miR-188. MiR-188 overexpression or MAP3K3 silencing in young lin-BMCs
      increases p16 and p21 expression, enhances cell senescence, and decreases the
      ability for cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. Conversely, miR
      188 suppression in aged lin-BMCs yields the opposite results. We further found
      that MAP3K3 is involved in miR-188-induced promotion of lin-BMC senescence. All
      data reveal that miR-188 induces lin-BMC senescence by targeting MAP3K3
      expression, thus, providing new theoretical basis for the prevention and
      treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

PMID- 28640957
TI  - Restoration of cutaneous pigmentation by transplantation to mice of isogeneic
      human melanocytes in dermal-epidermal engineered skin substitutes.
AB  - Autologous engineered skin substitutes (ESS) containing melanocytes (hM) may
      restore pigmentation and photoprotection after grafting to full-thickness skin
      wounds. In this study, normal hM were isolated from discard skin, propagated with
      or without tyrosinase inhibitors, cryopreserved, recovered into culture, and
      added to ESS (ESS-P) before transplantation. ESS-P were incubated in either
      UCMC160/161 or UCDM1 medium, scored for hM densities, and grafted to mice. The
      results showed that sufficient hM can be propagated to expand donor tissue by 100
      fold; incubation of hM in tyrosinase inhibitors reduced pigment levels but did
      not change hM recovery after cryopreservation; hM densities in ESS-P were greater
      after incubation in UCDM1 than UCMC160 medium; hM were localized to the dermal
      epidermal junction of ESS-P; and UCDM1 medium promoted earlier pigment
      distribution and density. These results indicate that hM can be incorporated into
      ESS-P efficiently to restore cutaneous pigmentation and UV photoprotection after
      full-thickness skin loss conditions.

PMID- 28640958
TI  - Recommendations for revision of Chinese diagnostic criteria for metabolic
      syndrome: A nationwide study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MS) proposed by the
      Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) may have limitations because an additional 2-h
      postprandial plasma glucose (2-h PPG) test is required to diagnose hyperglycemia.
      The aim of this study was to revise the CDS-MS criteria by removing the 2-h PPG
      test and determining the optimal fasting plasma glucose (FPG) cut-off for a
      diagnosis of hyperglycemia in the Chinese population. METHODS: The study
      population was from the 2007-08 China Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Study. The
      optimal FPG diagnostic cut-off value was determined using receiver operating
      characteristic curves. Hyperglycemia defined using CDS-MS criteria was the end
      point. Agreement between different diagnostic methods was assessed using kappa
      values. RESULTS: The study enrolled 46 239 participants (mean age 44.95 years).
      The optimal diagnostic cut-off for FPG was found to be 5.62 mmol/L, which showed
      a sensitivity of 66.92%, a specificity of 89.09%, and an area under the curve of
      0.848. Using this diagnostic criterion, the standardized prevalence of MS was
      similar to that using the CDS-MS criteria (18.26% vs 17.89%, respectively), with
      both values being lower than those obtained using conventional international
      criteria (20.64-26.67%). Compared with the CDS-MS criteria, the recommended FPG
      cut-off showed better agreement (kappa) with international criteria: 0.695,
      0.774, and 0.730 with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), revised Adult
      Treatment Panel III, and Joint Interim Statement of the IDF criteria,
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend eliminating the 2-h PPG blood test and
      lowering the FPG diagnostic cut-off value to 5.6 mmol/L in the CDS-MS diagnostic
      criteria.

PMID- 28640959
TI  - The deeper self: an expanded view of consciousness.
AB  - As science continues to explore the mysteries of the unconscious, two critical
      questions remain. First, can unconscious impulses, desires, and feelings be
      willfully raised to the level of the conscious self?, and, if so, would the
      unveiling of unconscious mechanisms lead to genuine self-knowledge or
      empowerment? Second, can we methodically tap into the unconscious to gear
      ourselves along more creative lines? If the unconscious is a source of intuitive
      and creative inspiration, how might a more expansive understanding of
      consciousness help us to flourish? How can we harness the intuitive parts of
      ourselves to think "outside the box," transcending the limitations of
      preconceived categories? And along those same lines, how would an expanded view
      of the unconscious frame our spiritual experiences or offer spiritual
      nourishment? Writer Siri Hustvedt, historian of psychology Sonu Shamdasani, and
      neuropsychologist Mark Solms will tackle everything from noetic experiences and
      the role of intuition to the phenomenon of peak experience and Jung's "collective
      unconscious."

PMID- 28640961
TI  - Reply to 'Incidence, clinicopathological features and fusion transcript landscape
      of translocation renal cell carcinomas'.

PMID- 28640960
TI  - Ferulic acid alleviates symptoms of preeclampsia in rats by upregulating vascular
      endothelial growth factor.
AB  - Preeclampsia is a complication affecting pregnant women worldwide, which leads to
      maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. In this study, we evaluated the
      efficacy of ferulic acid (FA) on an Nomega -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester
      hydrochloride (L-NAME) induced rat model of preeclampsia. L-NAME was administered
      to pregnant rats to induce preeclampsia. 48 rats were divided into three
      experimental groups (n=16 each): control group, preeclampsia group and
      preeclampsia with FA treatment (preeclampsia+FA). Physiological characteristics
      such as urine volume, total urine protein and blood pressure were assessed.
      Expressions levels of urinary nephrin and podocin mRNAs were analyzed by RT-PCR.
      Levels of renal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), renal soluble fms-like
      tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and serum placenta growth factor (PlGF) were also
      examined. Urine volume, total urine protein and blood pressure were markedly
      increased in preeclampsia group rats compared to control (P<.05), which were then
      significantly reduced in preeclampsia+FA group (P<.05). Expressions of urinary
      nephrin and podocin mRNAs, levels of VEGF, sFlt-1 and PlGF were also reversed in
      preeclampsia+FA group compared to preeclampsia rats (P<.05). We hereby report for
      the first time, FA alleviates preeclampsia symptoms in a rat preeclampsia model,
      supporting its potential value in treating preeclampsia.

PMID- 28640962
TI  - Awareness of Suicide Risk and Communication Between Health Care Professionals and
      Next-of-Kin of Suicides in the Month Before Suicide.
AB  - Based on psychological autopsy data, the study compared awareness of suicide risk
      in the deceased among next-of-kin (NOK) and health care professionals (HCPs), and
      communication between these two groups in the month before death. The NOKs had
      significantly more knowledge about the decedent's suicide warning signs than the
      HCPs (90.5% vs. 44.6%). Contact between NOK and HCP was initiated more often by
      the family than the HCPs (29.4% vs. 5.9%). The study found communication gaps
      between HCPs and NOK and stresses the need for suicide prevention strategies
      strengthening communication between these two groups.

PMID- 28640963
TI  - A Truncated Molecular Star.
AB  - A pentanuclear coordination complex assembled from any palladium(II) component
      and non-chelating ligands is hitherto unreported. The pentanuclear complex [Pd5
      (L1)5 (L2)5 ](BF4 )10 , 1 reported here was prepared by the spontaneous
      complexation of [Pd(DMSO)4 ](BF4 )2 with the non-chelating bidentate ligands 1,4
      phenylenebis(methylene) diisonicotinate, L1 and 4,4'-bipyridine, L2 in a one-pot
      method at room temperature. The planar polycyclic complex 1 with outer diameters
      of ~3 nm is termed as a "molecular star" owing to its resemblance with a
      pentagram shape. Interim paths leading to the star were also probed to decipher
      related dynamics of the system.

PMID- 28640964
TI  - Targeted mutagenesis in tetraploid switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) using
      CRISPR/Cas9.
AB  - The CRISPR/Cas9 system has become a powerful tool for targeted mutagenesis.
      Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a high yielding perennial grass species that
      has been designated as a model biomass crop by the U.S. Department of Energy. The
      self-infertility and high ploidy level make it difficult to study gene function
      or improve germplasm. To overcome these constraints, we explored the feasibility
      of using CRISPR/Cas9 for targeted mutagenesis in a tetraploid cultivar 'Alamo'
      switchgrass. We first developed a transient assay by which a non-functional green
      fluorescent protein gene containing a 1-bp frameshift insertion in its 5' coding
      region was successfully mutated by a Cas9/sgRNA complex resulting in its restored
      function. Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation of embryogenic calli
      derived from mature caryopses averaged a 3.0% transformation efficiency targeting
      the genes of teosinte branched 1(tb1)a and b and phosphoglycerate mutase (PGM).
      With a single construct containing two sgRNAs targeting different regions of tb1a
      and tb1b genes, primary transformants (T0) containing CRISPR/Cas9-induced
      mutations were obtained at frequencies of 95.5% (tb1a) and 11% (tb1b),
      respectively, with T0 mutants exhibiting increased tiller production. Meanwhile,
      a mutation frequency of 13.7% was obtained for the PGM gene with a CRISPR/Cas9
      construct containing a single sgRNA. Among the PGM T0 mutants, six are
      heterozygous and one is homozygous for a 1-bp deletion in the target region with
      no apparent phenotypical alterations. We show that CRISPR/Cas9 system can
      generate targeted mutagenesis effectively and obtain targeted homozygous mutants
      in T0 generation in switchgrass, circumventing the need of inbreeding.

PMID- 28640967
TI  - Acta Physiologica Award: outperforming original articles from 2015 to 2017.

PMID- 28640966
TI  - Linking the degree of virilization in females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
      to genotype.
AB  - Mutations of CYP21A2 variably decrease 21-hydroxylase activity and result in a
      spectrum of disease expressions in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
      (CAH). We examined the association between CYP21A2 mutations and virilization
      (Prader score) in females with CAH. The study population included 187 CAH females
      with fully characterized CYP21A2 mutations. One hundred fifty-eight patients were
      sorted into groups by expected enzyme activity (percent of normal activity) of
      the less severely affected allele: (A) null, 0%; (B) I2G, 1%; (C) I172N, 2%; and
      (D) V281L, >2%. We observed an inverse relationship between virilization and
      residual enzyme activity (P < 0.001). Subjects in group A or B had a
      significantly higher likelihood (unadjusted odds ratio: 16; P < 0.001) of
      developing severe virilization compared with those in group C. Surprisingly, 24%
      of group D patients, whose mutation is usually associated with nonclassical (NC)
      CAH, had severe virilization. Among subjects with the NC P30L mutation, 66%
      expressed unexpected virilization. Virilization, usually leading to extensive
      reconstructive surgery, is highly likely in patients with null or I2G mutations;
      however, NC mutations (P30L/V281L) may also lead to unexpected virilization.
      These findings have implications for prenatal counseling and highlight the need
      for additional investigations into other factors that influence virilization in
      CAH.

PMID- 28640965
TI  - Atypical depression and double depression predict new-onset cardiovascular
      disease in U.S. adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease
      (CVD), it is unknown whether this risk varies across depressive disorder
      subtypes. Thus, we investigated atypical major depressive disorder (MDD) and
      double depression as predictors of new-onset CVD in a nationally representative
      sample of U.S. adults. METHODS: Prospective data from 28,726 adults initially
      free of CVD who participated in Wave 1 (2001-2002) and Wave 2 (2004-2005) of the
      National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were
      examined. Lifetime depressive disorder subtypes (Wave 1) and incident CVD (Wave
      2) were determined by structured interviews. RESULTS: We identified 1,116
      incident CVD cases. In demographics adjusted models, the atypical MDD group had a
      higher odds of incident CVD than the no depression history (OR = 2.19, 95% CI:
      1.71-2.81, P < .001), dysthymic disorder only (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.08-2.39, P =
      .019), and nonatypical MDD (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.11-1.91, P = .006) groups.
      Likewise, the double depression group had a higher odds of incident CVD than the
      no depression history (OR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.92-2.45, P < .001), dysthymic
      disorder only (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.16-2.19, P = .004), and MDD only (OR = 1.46,
      95% CI: 1.20-1.77, P < .001) groups. Relationships were similar but attenuated
      after adjustment for CVD risk factors and anxiety disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Adults
      with atypical MDD or double depression may be subgroups of the depressed
      population at particularly high risk of new-onset CVD. Thus, these subgroups may
      (a) be driving the overall depression-CVD relationship and (b) be in need of
      earlier and/or more intense CVD primary prevention efforts to reduce their excess
      CVD burden.

PMID- 28640968
TI  - The impact of Andean Patagonian mycoflora in the search for new lead molecules.
AB  - Secondary metabolites from fungi have become a major source of chemical
      innovation in programs searching for lead molecules with bioactivities,
      especially over the last 50 years. In this review, we discuss the fundamental
      considerations in the discovery of molecules for agricultural and medicinal uses.
      This group of organisms possesses a strong potential for scientific and
      industrial communities. Recently, the incorporation of new technologies for the
      artificial cultivation of fungi and the use of better equipment to isolate and
      identify active metabolites has allowed the discovery of leading molecules for
      the design of new and safer drugs and pesticides. The geographical region
      including the Patagonian Andes mountains harbors a wide diversity of fungi, many
      of them still unknown and so far associated with Chilean-Argentinian Andean
      endemic forests. There have been very few chemical studies of the fungi located
      in this region. However, those few studies have allowed the discovery of new
      molecules. We argue that the richness of fungal biodiversity in this region
      offers an interesting source for the discovery of bioactive molecules for the
      basic and applied sciences.

PMID- 28640969
TI  - Control of breathing and ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia in deer mice
      native to high altitudes.
AB  - AIM: We compared the control of breathing and heart rate by hypoxia between high-
      and low-altitude populations of Peromyscus mice, to help elucidate the
      physiological specializations that help high-altitude natives cope with O2
      limitation. METHODS: Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) native to high altitude
      and congeneric mice native to low altitude (Peromyscus leucopus) were bred in
      captivity at sea level. The F1 progeny of each population were raised to
      adulthood and then acclimated to normoxia or hypobaric hypoxia (12 kPa,
      simulating hypoxia at ~4300 m) for 5 months. Responses to acute hypoxia were then
      measured during stepwise reductions in inspired O2 fraction. RESULTS: Lowlanders
      exhibited ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia (VAH), in which hypoxia
      acclimation enhanced the hypoxic ventilatory response, made breathing pattern
      more effective (higher tidal volumes and lower breathing frequencies at a given
      total ventilation), increased arterial O2 saturation and heart rate during acute
      hypoxia, augmented respiratory water loss and led to significant growth of the
      carotid body. In contrast, highlanders did not exhibit VAH - exhibiting a fixed
      increase in breathing that was similar to hypoxia-acclimated lowlanders - and
      they maintained even higher arterial O2 saturations in hypoxia. However, the
      carotid bodies of highlanders were not enlarged by hypoxia acclimation and were
      similar in size to those of normoxic lowlanders. Highlanders also maintained
      consistently higher heart rates than lowlanders during acute hypoxia.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that highland deer mice have evolved high rates
      of alveolar ventilation and respiratory O2 uptake without the significant
      enlargement of the carotid bodies that is typical of VAH in lowlanders, possibly
      to adjust the hypoxic chemoreflex for life in high-altitude hypoxia.

PMID- 28640970
TI  - Prevalence of new psychoactive substances and prescription drugs in the Belgian
      driving under the influence of drugs population.
AB  - Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) is a worldwide problem. Several
      countries have adopted DUID legislations which prove their deterrent effect and
      impact on road safety. However, the use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and
      prescription drugs is not known, as the applied roadside screening tests have not
      yet been adapted for these compounds. In this study, 558 blood samples obtained
      during roadside controls in Belgium (January to August 2015) after a positive
      Drugwipe 5S(r) test and 199 oral fluid (OF) samples obtained from negatively
      screened test pads were analyzed. The NPS positivity rate was 7% in blood, while
      it reached 11% in OF. NPS detected were: diphenidine, ketamine, 4
      fluoroamphetamine, 2-amino-indane, methoxetamine, alpha-PVP, methiopropamine, a
      mix of 5-MAPB/5-EAPB, TH-PVP, mephedrone, methedrone, 4-methylethylcathinone, 5
      MeO-DALT, 4-Acetoxy-DiPT, AB Fubinaca, FUB-JWH018, JWH020,
      trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine, and ethylphenidate. Moreover, 17% of blood
      samples (and 5% of OF) contained an analgesic drug, 10% (0.5%) a
      benzodiazepine/hypnotic, 5% (2%) an antidepressant, 2% (3%) an antipsychotic, 2%
      an antiepileptic drug, and 1% methylphenidate. The presence of NPS in the young
      (and predominately male) DUID population is proven. Furthermore, a high level of
      poly-drug use including combinations of NPS, licit, and drugs of abuse was
      observed. Further research concerning the development of on-site NPS detection
      techniques should be established. Meanwhile, the effects of combined drug use on
      driving ability and the physical/psychological signs after NPS use should be
      performed to improve the on-site DUID detection of NPS by police officers, so
      they can engage in blood sampling for a general unknown screening.

PMID- 28640971
TI  - Enhanced recovery programme following laparoscopic colorectal resection for
      elderly patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety
      of an enhanced recovery programme (ERP) in patients aged >=75 years who undergo
      laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. METHODS: Patients were divided into
      two groups according to perioperative management: the ERP group (Group A, n = 94)
      and the conventional perioperative care group (Group B, n = 157). The
      postoperative outcomes were compared between two groups. RESULTS: There were no
      differences in terms of age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists score,
      operative time or blood loss between two groups. Postoperative return of
      gastrointestinal function was significantly faster in Group A compared to Group
      B, including time to first flatus (2 versus 3 days, P < 0.001), first stool (3
      versus 4 days, P = 0.001) and oral intake (1 versus 4 days, P < 0.001). Group A
      was associated with lower overall postoperative complication rate (26.6% versus
      44.6%, P = 0.004) and general complication rate (14.9% versus 31.2%, P = 0.004).
      The median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days in Group A and 8 days in Group
      B (P < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ERP following laparoscopic colorectal
      resection for elderly patients is associated with faster postoperative recovery,
      shorter postoperative hospital stay and fewer complications compared with
      conventional perioperative care.

PMID- 28640972
TI  - Understanding adaptogenic activity: specificity of the pharmacological action of
      adaptogens and other phytochemicals.
AB  - Adaptogens are stress-response modifiers that increase an organism's nonspecific
      resistance to stress by increasing its ability to adapt and survive. The
      classical reductionist model is insufficiently complex to explain the mechanistic
      aspects of the physiological notion of "adaptability" and the adaptogenic
      activity of adaptogens. Here, I demonstrate that (1) the mechanisms of action of
      adaptogens are impossible to rationally describe using the reductionist concept
      of pharmacology, whereas the network pharmacology approach is the most suitable
      method; and (2) the principles of systems biology and pharmacological networks
      appear to be more suitable for conceptualizing adaptogen function and are
      applicable to any phytochemical. Molecular targets, signaling pathways, and
      networks common to adaptogens have been identified. They are associated with
      stress hormones and key mediators of the regulation of homeostasis. In this
      context, the mechanisms of action of adaptogens are specifically related to
      stress-protective activity and increased adaptability of the organism.
      Consequently, adaptogens exhibit polyvalent beneficial effects against chronic
      inflammation, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative cognitive impairment, metabolic
      disorders, cancer, and other aging-related diseases. Current and potential uses
      of adaptogens are mainly related to stress-induced fatigue and cognitive
      function, mental illness, and behavioral disorders. Their prophylactic use by
      healthy subjects to ameliorate stress and prevent age-related diseases appears to
      be justified. It is very unlikely that the pharmacological activity of any
      phytochemical is specific and associated only with one type of receptor,
      particularly adaptogenic compounds, which affect key mediators of the adaptive
      stress response at intracellular and extracellular levels of communication.

PMID- 28640973
TI  - Production of red-flowered oilseed rape via the ectopic expression of
      Orychophragmus violaceus OvPAP2.
AB  - Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), which has yellow flowers, is both an important
      oil crop and a traditional tourism resource in China, whereas the Orychophragmus
      violaceus, which has purple flowers, likely possesses a candidate gene or genes
      to alter the flower colour of oilseed rape. A previously established B. napus
      line has a particular pair of O. violaceus chromosomes (M4) and exhibits slightly
      red petals. In this study, the transcriptomic analysis of M4, B. napus (H3), and
      O. violaceus with purple petals (OvP) and with white petals (OvW) revealed that
      most anthocyanin biosynthesis genes were up-regulated in both M4 and OvP. Read
      assembly and sequence alignment identified a homolog of AtPAP2 in M4, which
      produced the O. violaceus transcript (OvPAP2). The overexpression of OvPAP2 via
      the CaMV35S promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana led to different levels of
      anthocyanin accumulation in most organs, including the petals. However, the B.
      napus overexpression plants showed anthocyanin accumulation primarily in the
      anthers, but not the petals. However, when OvPAP2 was driven by the petal
      specific promoter XY355, the transgenic B. napus plants produced red anthers and
      red petals. The results of metabolomic experiments showed that specific
      anthocyanins accumulated to high levels in the red petals. This study illustrates
      the feasibility of producing red-flowered oilseed rape, thereby enhancing its
      ornamental value, via the ectopic expression of the OvPAP2 gene. Moreover, the
      practical application of this study for insect pest management in the crop is
      discussed.

PMID- 28640974
TI  - RESISTANCE TO POWDERY MILDEW8.1 boosts pattern-triggered immunity against
      multiple pathogens in Arabidopsis and rice.
AB  - The Arabidopsis gene RESISTANCE TO POWDERY MILDEW8.1 (RPW8.1) confers resistance
      to virulent fungal and oomycete pathogens that cause powdery mildew and downy
      mildew, respectively. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we
      show that ectopic expression of RPW8.1 boosts pattern-triggered immunity (PTI)
      resulting in enhanced resistance against different pathogens in both Arabidopsis
      and rice. In Arabidopsis, transcriptome analysis revealed that ectopic expression
      of RPW8.1-YFP constitutively up-regulates expression of many pathogen-associated
      molecular pattern (PAMP-)-inducible genes. Consistently, upon PAMP application,
      the transgenic line expressing RPW8.1-YFP exhibited more pronounced PTI responses
      such as callose deposition, production of reactive oxygen species, expression of
      defence-related genes and hypersensitive response-like cell death. Accordingly,
      the growth of a virulent bacterial pathogen was significantly inhibited in the
      transgenic lines expressing RPW8.1-YFP. Conversely, impairment of the PTI
      signalling pathway from PAMP cognition to the immediate downstream relay of
      phosphorylation abolished or significantly compromised RPW8.1-boosted PTI
      responses. In rice, heterologous expression of RPW8.1-YFP also led to enhanced
      resistance to the blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae (syn. Magnaporthe oryzae) and
      the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). Taken together, our
      data suggest a surprising mechanistic connection between RPW8.1 function and PTI,
      and demonstrate the potential of RPW8.1 as a transgene for engineering disease
      resistance across wide taxonomic lineages of plants.

PMID- 28640976
TI  - Subconductance states of mitochondrial chloride channels: implication for
      functionally-coupled tetramers.
AB  - Recently, it has been discovered that isoforms of intracellular chloride channels
      (CLIC) are present in cardiac mitochondria. By reconstituting rat cardiac
      mitochondrial chloride channels into bilayer lipid membranes, we detected three
      equally separated subconductance states with conductance increment of 45 pS and <
      2% occupancy. The observed rare events of channel decomposition into substates,
      accompanied by disrupted gating, provide an insight into channel quaternary
      structure. Our findings suggest that the observed channels work as four
      functionally coupled subunits with synchronized gating. We discuss the putative
      connection of channel activity from native mitochondria with the recombinant CLIC
      channels. However, conclusive evidence is needed to prove this connection.

PMID- 28640977
TI  - Neurogenic bowel dysfunction: Clinical management recommendations of the
      Neurologic Incontinence Committee of the Fifth International Consultation on
      Incontinence 2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence-based guidelines for the management of neurological disease
      and lower bowel dysfunction have been produced by the International Consultations
      on Incontinence (ICI). These are comprehensive guidelines, and were developed to
      have world-wide relevance. AIMS: To update clinical management of neurogenic
      bowel dysfunction from the recommendations of the 4th ICI, 2009. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A series of evidence reviews and updates were performed by members of
      the working group. The resulting guidelines were presented at the 2012 meeting of
      the European Association of Urology for consultation, and modifications applied
      to deliver evidence based conclusions and recommendations for the scientific
      report of the 5th edition of the ICI in 2013. RESULTS: The current review is a
      synthesis of the conclusions and recommendations, including the algorithms for
      initial and specialized management of neurogenic bowel dysfunction. The
      pathophysiology is described in terms of spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis,
      and Parkinson's disease. Assessment requires detailed history and clinical
      assessment, general investigations, and specialized testing, if required.
      Treatment primarily focuses on optimizing stool consistency and regulating bowel
      evacuation to improve quality of life. Symptom management covers conservative and
      interventional measures to promote good habits and assist stool evacuation, along
      with prevention of incontinence. Education is essential to achieving optimal
      bowel management. DISCUSSION: The review offers a pragmatic approach to
      management in the context of complex pathophysiology and varied evidence base.

PMID- 28640975
TI  - NAC transcription factor JUNGBRUNNEN1 enhances drought tolerance in tomato.
AB  - Water deficit (drought stress) massively restricts plant growth and the yield of
      crops; reducing the deleterious effects of drought is therefore of high
      agricultural relevance. Drought triggers diverse cellular processes including the
      inhibition of photosynthesis, the accumulation of cell-damaging reactive oxygen
      species and gene expression reprogramming, besides others. Transcription factors
      (TF) are central regulators of transcriptional reprogramming and expression of
      many TF genes is affected by drought, including members of the NAC family. Here,
      we identify the NAC factor JUNGBRUNNEN1 (JUB1) as a regulator of drought
      tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Expression of tomato JUB1 (SlJUB1) is
      enhanced by various abiotic stresses, including drought. Inhibiting SlJUB1 by
      virus-induced gene silencing drastically lowers drought tolerance concomitant
      with an increase in ion leakage, an elevation of hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )
      levels and a decrease in the expression of various drought-responsive genes. In
      contrast, overexpression of AtJUB1 from Arabidopsis thaliana increases drought
      tolerance in tomato, alongside with a higher relative leaf water content during
      drought and reduced H2 O2 levels. AtJUB1 was previously shown to stimulate
      expression of DREB2A, a TF involved in drought responses, and of the DELLA genes
      GAI and RGL1. We show here that SlJUB1 similarly controls the expression of the
      tomato orthologs SlDREB1, SlDREB2 and SlDELLA. Furthermore, AtJUB1 directly binds
      to the promoters of SlDREB1, SlDREB2 and SlDELLA in tomato. Our study highlights
      JUB1 as a transcriptional regulator of drought tolerance and suggests
      considerable conservation of the abiotic stress-related gene regulatory networks
      controlled by this NAC factor between Arabidopsis and tomato.

PMID- 28640978
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28640979
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28640981
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28640982
TI  - Mechanisms of sphingosine-1-phosphate-mediated vasoconstriction of rat afferent
      arterioles.
AB  - AIM: Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) influences resistance vessel function and is
      implicated in renal pathological processes. Previous studies revealed that S1P
      evoked potent vasoconstriction of the pre-glomerular microvasculature, but the
      underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. We postulated that S1P
      mediated pre-glomerular microvascular vasoconstriction involves activation of
      voltage-dependent L-type calcium channels (L-VDCC) and the rho/rho kinase
      pathway. METHODS: Afferent arteriolar reactivity was assessed in vitro using the
      blood-perfused rat juxtamedullary nephron preparation, and diameter was measured
      during exposure to physiological and pharmacological agents. RESULTS: Exogenous
      S1P (10-9 -10-5 mol L-1 ) evoked concentration-dependent vasoconstriction of
      afferent arterioles. Superfusion with nifedipine, a L-VDCC blocker, increased
      arteriolar diameter by 39 +/- 18% of baseline and significantly attenuated the
      S1P-induced vasoconstriction. Superfusion with the rho kinase inhibitor, Y-27632,
      increased diameter by 60 +/- 12% of baseline and also significantly blunted
      vasoconstriction by S1P. Combined nifedipine and Y-27632 treatment significantly
      inhibited S1P-induced vasoconstriction over the entire concentration range
      tested. In contrast, depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores with the Ca2+ -ATPase
      inhibitors, thapsigargin or cyclopiazonic acid, did not alter the S1P-mediated
      vasoconstrictor profile. Scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) or inhibition
      of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity significantly
      attenuated S1P-mediated vasoconstriction. CONCLUSION: Exogenous S1P elicits
      potent vasoconstriction of rat afferent arterioles. These data also demonstrate
      that S1P-mediated pre-glomerular vasoconstriction involves activation of L-VDCC,
      the rho/rho kinase pathway and ROS. Mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular
      stores is not required for S1P-mediated vasoconstriction. These studies reveal a
      potential role for S1P in the modulation of renal microvascular tone.

PMID- 28640983
TI  - Multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9-mediated metabolic engineering of gamma-aminobutyric acid
      levels in Solanum lycopersicum.
AB  - In recent years, the type II CRISPR system has become a widely used and robust
      technique to implement site-directed mutagenesis in a variety of species
      including model and crop plants. However, few studies manipulated metabolic
      pathways in plants using the CRISPR system. Here, we introduced the
      pYLCRISPR/Cas9 system with one or two single-site guide RNAs to target the tomato
      phytoene desaturase gene. An obvious albino phenotype was observed in T0
      regenerated plants, and more than 61% of the desired target sites were edited.
      Furthermore, we manipulated the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt in tomatoes
      using a multiplex pYLCRISPR/Cas9 system that targeted five key genes. Fifty-three
      genome-edited plants were obtained following single plant transformation, and
      these samples represented single to quadruple mutants. The GABA accumulation in
      both the leaves and fruits of genomically edited lines was significantly
      enhanced, and the GABA content in the leaves of quadruple mutants was 19-fold
      higher than that in wild-type plants. Our data demonstrate that the multiplex
      CRISPR/Cas9 system can be exploited to precisely edit tomato genomic sequences
      and effectively create multisite knockout mutations, which could shed new light
      on plant metabolic engineering regulations.

PMID- 28640984
TI  - Is it right to ignore learning-curve patients? Laparoscopic colorectal trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increasingly complex, technically demanding surgical procedures
      utilizing emerging technologies have developed over recent decades and are
      recognized as having long 'learning curves'. This raises significant new issues.
      Ethically and scientifically, the outcome of a patient in the learning curve is
      as important as the outcome of a patient outside the learning curve. The aim of
      this study is to highlight just one aspect of our approach to learning-curve
      patients that should change. METHODS: The protocols of multicentre, prospective,
      randomized trials of patients undergoing either traditional open or laparoscopic
      surgery for colorectal cancer were reviewed. The number of patients excluded from
      the published trial results because they were in surgeons' learning curves was
      calculated. The seven editorials accompanying these publications were also
      examined for any mention of these patients. RESULTS: The eight studies identified
      had similar designs. All patients in the surgeons' laparoscopic learning curves,
      which were often several years long, were excluded from the actual trials. The
      total number of patients included in the trial publications was 5680. The number
      of patients excluded because they were in the surgeons' laparoscopic learning
      curves was >10 605. In none of the studies or accompanying editorials is there
      any mention of the total number of patients in the surgeons' learning curves,
      these patients' outcomes or how inclusion of their outcomes might have affected
      the overall results. CONCLUSION: Learning curves are inescapable in modern
      medicine. Our recognition of patients in these curves should evolve, with more
      data about them included in trial publications.

PMID- 28640985
TI  - The interaction between progranulin and prosaposin is mediated by granulins and
      the linker region between saposin B and C.
AB  - The frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) protein progranulin (PGRN) is
      essential for proper lysosomal function. PGRN localizes in the lysosomal
      compartment within the cell. Prosaposin (PSAP), the precursor of lysosomal
      saposin activators (saposin A, B, C, D), physically interacts with PGRN.
      Previously, we have shown that PGRN and PSAP facilitate each other's lysosomal
      trafficking. Here, we report that the interaction between PSAP and PGRN requires
      the linker region of saposin B and C (BC linker). PSAP protein with the BC linker
      mutated, fails to interact with PGRN and deliver PGRN to lysosomes in the
      biosynthetic and endocytic pathways. On the other hand, PGRN interacts with PSAP
      through multiple granulin motifs. Granulin D and E bind to PSAP with similar
      affinity as full-length PGRN. Read the Editorial Comment for this article on page
      154.

PMID- 28640986
TI  - Antimonene Quantum Dots: Synthesis and Application as Near-Infrared Photothermal
      Agents for Effective Cancer Therapy.
AB  - Photothermal therapy (PTT) has shown significant potential for cancer therapy.
      However, developing nanomaterials (NMs)-based photothermal agents (PTAs) with
      satisfactory photothermal conversion efficacy (PTCE) and biocompatibility remains
      a key challenge. Herein, a new generation of PTAs based on two-dimensional (2D)
      antimonene quantum dots (AMQDs) was developed by a novel liquid exfoliation
      method. Surface modification of AMQDs with polyethylene glycol (PEG)
      significantly enhanced both biocompatibility and stability in physiological
      medium. The PEG-coated AMQDs showed a PTCE of 45.5 %, which is higher than many
      other NMs-based PTAs such as graphene, Au, MoS2 , and black phosphorus (BP). The
      AMQDs-based PTAs also exhibited a unique feature of NIR-induced rapid
      degradability. Through both in vitro and in vivo studies, the PEG-coated AMQDs
      demonstrated notable NIR-induced tumor ablation ability. This work is expected to
      expand the utility of 2D antimonene (AM) to biomedical applications through the
      development of an entirely novel PTA platform.

PMID- 28640987
TI  - Independent Effects of Apolipoprotein E and Cerebrovascular Burden on Later-Life
      Depression: The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Studies evaluating the effect of apolipoprotein E (APOE) on vascular
      depression are sparse, employ heterogeneous methods, and yield inconsistent
      results. One possibility is that APOE is a moderator of another predictor such as
      cerebrovascular burden. This longitudinal study examines the relationships
      between APOE, cerebrovascular burden, and depressive symptomatology in a large
      cohort sample from midlife to later life. METHODS: Data include 3,203
      participants across 18 years (1993-2011) from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study
      (baseline mean age = 53 years). Depressive symptomatology was measured using the
      Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Cerebrovascular burden was
      operationalized as hypertension, high blood sugar or diabetes, and other heart
      problems. APOE genotyping was completed using saliva samples. Hypotheses were
      examined via a moderated path model and binary logistic regression. RESULTS:
      Results supported the hypothesized path model (root mean square error of
      approximation = 0.041; comparative fit index = 0.959); however, APOE-conferred
      risk was not a significant moderator of the 2004 or 2011 vascular depression
      effect and only approached significance as a predictor of depression in 2011 (P =
      .079). The logistic regression yielded APOE as a significant predictor of
      clinically significant depressive symptoms in 2011 (P = .02, Exp(B) = 1.197).
      CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that APOE may influence expression of
      depressive symptomatology as adults age into and beyond their mid-70s but do not
      indicate APOE as a moderator of vascular depression. Results posit a potential
      explanation for inconsistent past findings.

PMID- 28640988
TI  - Does Half-Life Matter After Antipsychotic Discontinuation? A Relapse Comparison
      in Schizophrenia With 3 Different Formulations of Paliperidone.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of 1 oral and 2 distinct long-acting injectable
      (LAI) formulations of the same antipsychotic on times to relapse following
      medication discontinuation. METHODS: Data were drawn from 3 similarly designed,
      multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized-withdrawal studies of
      paliperidone in adults with a schizophrenia diagnosis (according to DSM-IV
      criteria for >= 1 year before screening): once-daily extended-release oral
      paliperidone (ORAL paliperidone), once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP1M), and
      once-every-3-months paliperidone palmitate (PP3M). In a post hoc analysis, we
      compared median time to relapse across the treatment-withdrawal arms of the 3
      studies using final analysis datasets. Time to relapse in the withdrawal arm of
      each study was examined using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models.
      RESULTS: Four hundred forty-nine patients were withdrawn from 3 paliperidone
      formulations: 101 from ORAL paliperidone, 203 from PP1M, and 145 from PP3M.
      Postwithdrawal median (95% confidence interval [CI]) days to relapse were 58 days
      (42-114 days) for ORAL paliperidone, 172 days (134-222 days) for PP1M, and 395
      days (274 days-not reached) for PP3M (P < .0001, pairwise comparisons). Relapse
      risk was significantly lower (P < .001) for patients who withdrew from either PP
      formulation relative to ORAL paliperidone and additionally for patients who
      withdrew from PP3M relative to PP1M. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrate that 50% of
      patients who withdrew treatment from ORAL paliperidone, PP1M, or PP3M remained
      relapse free for approximately 2 months, 6 months, and 13 months, respectively.
      This may be relevant for risk mitigation strategies in schizophrenia, a condition
      in which interruptions in maintenance antipsychotic treatment are commonplace and
      unpredictable. LAI antipsychotic formulations may provide substantial delays over
      oral equivalents in times to relapse when patients discontinue therapy. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00086320, NCT00111189, and
      NCT01529515.

PMID- 28640989
TI  - Stimulant Treatment Trajectories Are Associated With Neural Reward Processing in
      Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The past decades have seen a surge in stimulant prescriptions for the
      treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Stimulants acutely
      alleviate symptoms and cognitive deficits associated with ADHD by modulating
      striatal dopamine neurotransmission and induce therapeutic changes in brain
      activation patterns. Long-term functional changes after treatment are unknown, as
      long-term studies are scarce and have focused on brain structure. In this
      observational study (2009-2012), we investigated associations between lifetime
      stimulant treatment history and neural activity during reward processing.
      METHODS: Participants fulfilling DSM-5 criteria for ADHD (N = 269) were
      classified according to stimulant treatment trajectory. Of those, 124 performed a
      monetary incentive delay task during magnetic resonance imaging, all in their
      nonmedicated state (nEARLY&INTENSE = 51; nLATE&MODERATE = 49; nEARLY&MODERATE =
      9; nNAIVE = 15; mean age = 17.4 years; range, 10-26 years). Whole-brain analyses
      were performed with additional focus on the striatum, concentrating on the 2
      largest treatment groups. RESULTS: Compared to the late-and-moderate treatment
      group, the early-and-intense treatment group showed more activation in the
      supplementary motor area and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (SMA/dACC) during
      reward outcome (cluster size = 8,696 mm3; PCLUSTER < .001). SMA/dACC activation
      of the control group fell in between the 2 treatment groups. Treatment history
      was not associated with striatal activation during reward processing.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are compatible with previous reports of acute increases
      of SMA/dACC activity in individuals with ADHD after stimulant administration.
      Higher SMA/dACC activity may indicate that patients with a history of intensive
      stimulant treatment, but currently off medication, recruit brain regions for
      cognitive control and/or decision-making upon being rewarded. No striatal or
      structural changes were found.

PMID- 28640990
TI  - Opiate Antagonists Do Not Interfere With the Clinical Benefits of Stimulants in
      ADHD: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Mixed Opioid Receptor
      Antagonist Naltrexone.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Methylphenidate activates MU-opioid receptors, which are linked to
      euphoria. MU-Opioid antagonists, such as naltrexone, may attenuate the euphoric
      effects of stimulants, thereby minimizing their abuse potential. This study
      assessed whether the combination of naltrexone with methylphenidate is well
      tolerated while preserving the clinical benefits of stimulants in subjects with
      attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: We conducted a 6-week,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of naltrexone in
      adults with DSM-IV ADHD receiving open treatment with a long-acting formulation
      of methylphenidate from January 2013 to July 2015. Spheroidal Oral Drug
      Absorption System (SODAS) methylphenidate was administered twice daily, was
      titrated to approximately 1 mg/kg/d over 3 weeks, and was continued for 3
      additional weeks depending on response and adverse effects. Subjects were adults
      with ADHD preselected for having experienced euphoria with a test dose of
      immediate-release methylphenidate. The primary outcome measure was the Adult ADHD
      Investigator Symptom Report Scale (AISRS). RESULTS: Thirty-seven subjects who
      experienced stimulant-induced (mild) euphoria at a baseline visit were started in
      the open trial of SODAS methylphenidate and randomly assigned to naltrexone 50 mg
      or placebo. Thirty-one subjects completed the study through week 3, and 25
      completed through week 6. Throughout 6 weeks of blinded naltrexone and open
      methylphenidate treatment, the coadministration of naltrexone with
      methylphenidate did not interfere with the clinical effectiveness of
      methylphenidate for ADHD symptoms. Additionally, the combination of naltrexone
      and methylphenidate did not produce an increase in adverse events compared with
      methylphenidate alone. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide support for the concept
      of combining opioid receptor antagonists with stimulants to provide an effective
      stimulant formulation with less abuse potential. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01673594.

PMID- 28640992
TI  - Crystalline Organic Pigment-Based Field-Effect Transistors.
AB  - Three conjugated pigment molecules with fused hydrogen bonds, 3,7
      diphenylpyrrolo[2,3-f]indole-2,6(1H,5H)-dione (BDP), (E)-6,6'-dibromo-[3,3'
      biindolinylidene]-2,2'-dione (IIDG), and 3,6-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,5-dihydropyrrolo
      [3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione (TDPP), were studied in this work. The insoluble pigment
      molecules were functionalized with tert-butoxylcarbonyl (t-Boc) groups to form
      soluble pigment precursors (BDP-Boc, IIDG-Boc, and TDPP-Boc) with latent hydrogen
      bonding. The single crystals of soluble pigment precursors were obtained. Upon
      simple thermal annealing, the t-Boc groups were removed and the soluble pigment
      precursor molecules with latent hydrogen bonding were converted into the original
      pigment molecules with fused hydrogen bonding. Structural analysis indicated that
      the highly crystalline soluble precursors were directly converted into highly
      crystalline insoluble pigments, which are usually only achievable by gas-phase
      routes like physical vapor transport. The distinct crystal structure after the
      thermal annealing treatment suggests that fused hydrogen bonding is pivotal for
      the rearrangement of molecules to form a new crystal in solid state, which leads
      to over 2 orders of magnitude enhancement in charge mobility in organic field
      effect transistor (OFET) devices. This work demonstrated that crystalline OFET
      devices with insoluble pigment molecules can be fabricated by their soluble
      precursors. The results indicated that a variety of commercially available
      conjugated pigments could be potential active materials for high-performance
      OFETs.

PMID- 28640993
TI  - Locking-In Optimal Nanoscale Structure Induced by Naphthalenediimide-Based
      Polymeric Additive Enables Efficient and Stable Inverted Polymer Solar Cells.
AB  - Operational stability and high performance are the most critical issues that must
      be addressed in order to propel and advance the current polymer solar cell (PSC)
      technology to the next level, such as manufacturing and mass production. Herein,
      we report a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.2%, together with an
      excellent device stability in PTB7-Th:PC71BM-based PSCs in the inverted structure
      by introducing the n-type P(NDI2OD-T2) macromolecular additive (>75% PCE
      retention at high temperature up to 120  degrees C, >97% PCE retention after 6
      months in inert conditions, >93% PCE retention after 2 months in air with
      encapsulation, and >80% PCE retention after 140 h in air without encapsulation).
      The PCE is the highest value ever reported in the single-junction systems based
      on the PTB7 family and is also comparable to the previously reported highest PCE
      of inverted PSCs. These promising results are attributed to the efficient
      optimization and stabilization of the blend film morphology in the photoactive
      layer, achieved using the P(NDI2OD-T2) additive. From the perspective of
      manufacturing, our studies demonstrate a promising pathway for fabricating low
      cost PSCs with high efficiency as well as long-term stability.

PMID- 28640991
TI  - A Risk Algorithm for the Persistence of Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors During
      College.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary aims of this study are to (a) identify patterns of
      suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) during college among students with lifetime
      pre-matriculation STB and (b) develop a risk-screening algorithm for persistence
      of pre-matriculation STB during college. METHODS: Data come from the Leuven
      College Surveys, a series of prospective cohort studies of all incoming KU Leuven
      University freshmen. In the academic year 2012-2013, 4,889 incoming freshmen
      (73.2% response rate) provided baseline data on sociodemographic variables,
      childhood-adolescent traumatic experiences, 12-month stressful experiences, 12
      month mental disorders, 12-month STB, and severity markers of pre-matriculation
      STB. A total of 2,566 students (69.3% conditional response rate) participated in
      12- and 24-month follow-up surveys during the first 2 college years. RESULTS:
      Thirteen percent (weighted n = 535) of incoming freshmen reported lifetime pre
      matriculation STB. Of those, 28.0% reported 12-month STB in 1 follow-up
      assessment, and another 27.7%, in both follow-up assessments. High persistence of
      STB (ie, 12-month STB in 2 follow-up assessments) was most strongly associated
      with severity markers of pre-matriculation STB, with odds ratios in the 2.4-10.3
      range and population attributable risk proportions between 9.2% and 50.8%. When
      the aim was for less than 50% of false-positive cases (positive predictive value
      = 54.4%), a multivariate predictive risk algorithm (cross-validated area under
      the curve = 0.79) situated 59.9% of highly persistent cases among the 30%
      respondents with highest baseline predicted risk. CONCLUSIONS: An individualized
      web-based screening approach is a promising strategy to identify students at the
      time of university entrance who may be at high risk for STB persistence during
      their academic career.

PMID- 28640994
TI  - Promotion of Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Nitrogen-Doped
      Carbon Nanosheets with Secondary Heteroatoms.
AB  - Dual heteroatom-doped carbon materials are efficient electrocatalysts via a
      synergistic effect. With nitrogen as the primary dopant, boron, sulfur, and
      phosphorus can be used as secondary elements for co-doped carbons. However,
      evaluation and analysis of the promotional effect of B, P, and S to N-doped
      carbons has not been widely researched. Here we report a robust platform that is
      constructed through polydopamine to prepare N,B-, N,P-, and N,S-co-doped carbon
      nanosheets, characterized by similar N species content and efficient B, P, and S
      doping. Systematic investigation reveals S to have the greatest promotional
      effect in hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) followed by P and that B decreases
      the activity of N-doped carbons. Experimental and theoretical analyses show the
      secondary heteroatom promotional effect is impacted by the intrinsic structures
      and extrinsic surface areas of both materials, i.e., electronic structures
      exclusively determine the catalytic activity of active sites, while large surface
      areas optimize apparent HER performance.

PMID- 28640995
TI  - Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles Induce Changes in Cellular and Subcellular
      Morphology.
AB  - Exposure of cells to colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) can have concentration
      dependent harmful effects. Mostly, such effects are monitored with biochemical
      assays or probes from molecular biology, i.e., viability assays, gene expression
      profiles, etc., neglecting that the presence of NPs can also drastically affect
      cellular morphology. In the case of polymer-coated Au NPs, we demonstrate that
      upon NP internalization, cells undergo lysosomal swelling, alterations in
      mitochondrial morphology, disturbances in actin and tubulin cytoskeleton and
      associated signaling, and reduction of focal adhesion contact area and number of
      filopodia. Appropriate imaging and data treatment techniques allow for
      quantitative analyses of these concentration-dependent changes. Abnormalities in
      morphology occur at similar (or even lower) NP concentrations as the onset of
      reduced cellular viability. Cellular morphology is thus an important quantitative
      indicator to verify harmful effects of NPs to cells, without requiring
      biochemical assays, but relying on appropriate staining and imaging techniques.

PMID- 28640996
TI  - Polyoxometalate-Based Radiosensitization Platform for Treating Hypoxic Tumors by
      Attenuating Radioresistance and Enhancing Radiation Response.
AB  - Radioresistance is one of the undesirable impediments in hypoxic tumors, which
      sharply diminishes the therapeutic effectiveness of radiotherapy and eventually
      results in the failure of their treatments. An attractive strategy for
      attenuating radioresistance is developing an ideal radiosensitization system with
      appreciable radiosensitization capacity to attenuate tumor hypoxia and reinforce
      radiotherapy response in hypoxic tumors. Therefore, we describe the development
      of Gd-containing polyoxometalates-conjugated chitosan (GdW10@CS nanosphere) as a
      radiosensitization system for simultaneous extrinsic and intrinsic
      radiosensitization, by generating an overabundance of cytotoxic reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) using high-energy X-ray stimulation and mediating the hypoxia
      inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a) siRNA to down-regulate HIF-1alpha expression and
      suppress broken double-stranded DNA self-healing. Most importantly, the GdW10@CS
      nanospheres have the capacity to promote the exhaustion of intracellular
      glutathione (reduced GSH) by synergy W6+-triggered GSH oxidation for sufficient
      ROS generation, thereby facilitating the therapeutic efficiency of radiotherapy.
      As a result, the as-synthesized GdW10@CS nanosphere can overcome radioresistance
      of hypoxic tumors through a simultaneous extrinsic and intrinsic strategy to
      improve radiosensitivity. We have demonstrated GdW10@CS nanospheres with special
      radiosensitization behavior, which provides a versatile approach to solve the
      critical radioresistance issue of hypoxic tumors.

PMID- 28640997
TI  - From 1D Polymers to 2D Polymers: Preparation of Free-Standing Single-Monomer
      Thick Two-Dimensional Conjugated Polymers in Water.
AB  - Recently, investigation on two-dimensional (2D) organic polymers has made great
      progress, and conjugated 2D polymers already play a dynamic role in both academic
      and practical applications. However, a convenient, noninterfacial approach to
      obtain single-layer 2D polymers in solution, especially in aqueous media, remains
      challenging. Herein, we present a facile, highly efficient, and versatile "1D to
      2D" strategy for preparation of free-standing single-monomer-thick conjugated 2D
      polymers in water without any aid. The 2D structure was achieved by taking
      advantage of the side-by-side self-assembly of a rigid amphiphilic 1D polymer and
      following topochemical photopolymerization in water. The spontaneous formation of
      single-layer polymer sheets was driven by synergetic association of the
      hydrophobic interactions, pi-pi stacking interactions, and electrostatic
      repulsion. Both the supramolecular sheets and the covalent sheets were confirmed
      by spectroscopic analyses and electron microscope techniques. Moreover, in
      comparison of the supramolecular 2D polymer, the covalent 2D polymer sheets
      exhibited not only higher mechanical strength but also higher conductivity, which
      can be ascribed to the conjugated network within the covalent 2D polymer sheets.

PMID- 28640999
TI  - Common and Potentially Prebiotic Origin for Precursors of Nucleotide Synthesis
      and Activation.
AB  - We have recently shown that 2-aminoimidazole is a superior nucleotide activating
      group for nonenzymatic RNA copying. Here we describe a prebiotic synthesis of 2
      aminoimidazole that shares a common mechanistic pathway with that of 2
      aminooxazole, a previously described key intermediate in prebiotic nucleotide
      synthesis. In the presence of glycolaldehyde, cyanamide, phosphate and ammonium
      ion, both 2-aminoimidazole and 2-aminooxazole are produced, with higher
      concentrations of ammonium ion and acidic pH favoring the former. Given a 1:1
      mixture of 2-aminoimidazole and 2-aminooxazole, glyceraldehyde preferentially
      reacts and cyclizes with the latter, forming a mixture of pentose
      aminooxazolines, and leaving free 2-aminoimidazole available for nucleotide
      activation. The common synthetic origin of 2-aminoimidazole and 2-aminooxazole
      and their distinct reactivities are suggestive of a reaction network that could
      lead to both the synthesis of RNA monomers and to their subsequent chemical
      activation.

PMID- 28641000
TI  - Magnetic Properties of the Distorted Kagome Lattice Mn3(1,2,4-(O2C)3C6H3)2.
AB  - Kagome lattice types have been of intense interest as idealized examples of
      extended frustrated spin systems. Here we demonstrate how the use of neutron
      diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering coupled with spin wave theory
      calculations can be used to elucidate the complex magnetic interactions of
      extended spin networks. We show that the magnetic properties of the coordination
      polymer Mn3(1,2,4-(O2C)3C6H3)2, a highly distorted kagome lattice, have been
      erroneously characterized as a canted antiferromagnet in previous works. Our
      results demonstrate that, although the magnetic structure is ferrimagnetic, with
      a net magnetic moment, frustration persists in the system. We conclude by showing
      that the conventions of the Goodenough-Kanamori rules, which are often applied to
      similar magnetic exchange interactions, are not relevant in this case.

PMID- 28641001
TI  - Atropisomerism in Tertiary Biaryl 2-Amides: A Study of Ar-CO and Ar-Ar'
      Rotational Barriers.
AB  - A rotational barrier study was performed on eight tertiary biaryl 2-amides using
      variable-temperature (VT) NMR and exchange (EXSY) spectroscopy experiments. Seven
      out of the eight 2-amido-2'-methylbiphenyls with additional 3- and 6-substitution
      patterns (1-7) were found to have approximately similar rotational barriers
      (DeltaG?Tc = 56.5-67.5 kJ/mol). However, for both 3- and 6-substitution (8), the
      rotational barrier was found to be significantly higher (DeltaG? = 102.6-103.8
      kJ/mol). Computational studies performed on all eight compounds gave results in
      good agreement with the experimental rotational barriers. A transition state in
      which atropisomerism occurs by a cooperative rotation of the Ar-CO and Ar-Ar'
      bonds depending on substituent location is proposed.

PMID- 28640998
TI  - Oximes and Hydrazones in Bioconjugation: Mechanism and Catalysis.
AB  - The formation of oximes and hydrazones is employed in numerous scientific fields
      as a simple and versatile conjugation strategy. This imine-forming reaction is
      applied in fields as diverse as polymer chemistry, biomaterials and hydrogels,
      dynamic combinatorial chemistry, organic synthesis, and chemical biology. Here we
      outline chemical developments in this field, with special focus on the past ~10
      years of developments. Recent strategies for installing reactive carbonyl groups
      and alpha-nucleophiles into biomolecules are described. The basic chemical
      properties of reactants and products in this reaction are then reviewed, with an
      eye to understanding the reaction's mechanism and how reactant structure controls
      rates and equilibria in the process. Recent work that has uncovered structural
      features and new mechanisms for speeding the reaction, sometimes by orders of
      magnitude, is discussed. We describe recent studies that have identified
      especially fast reacting aldehyde/ketone substrates and structural effects that
      lead to rapid-reacting alpha-nucleophiles as well. Among the most effective new
      strategies has been the development of substituents near the reactive aldehyde
      group that either transfer protons at the transition state or trap the initially
      formed tetrahedral intermediates. In addition, the recent development of
      efficient nucleophilic catalysts for the reaction is outlined, improving greatly
      upon aniline, the classical catalyst for imine formation. A number of uses of
      such second- and third-generation catalysts in bioconjugation and in cellular
      applications are highlighted. While formation of hydrazone and oxime has been
      traditionally regarded as being limited by slow rates, developments in the past 5
      years have resulted in completely overturning this limitation; indeed, the
      reaction is now one of the fastest and most versatile reactions available for
      conjugations of biomolecules and biomaterials.

PMID- 28641002
TI  - Mechanistic Study of SmI2/H2O and SmI2/Amine/H2O-Promoted Chemoselective
      Reduction of Aromatic Amides (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) to Alcohols via
      Aminoketyl Radicals.
AB  - Samarium(II) iodide-water and samarium(II) iodide-water-amine complexes have been
      recognized as valuable reagents for the selective generation of aminoketyl
      radicals from amides and derivatives. The resulting aminoketyl radicals can
      undergo reduction or reductive cyclization pathways, providing a powerful method
      for (i) direct synthesis of alcohols from amides by the challenging N-C bond
      scission and (ii) synthesis of nitrogen-containing heterocycles via polarity
      reversal of the amide bond. This report describes mechanistic investigation into
      samarium(II) iodide-water and samarium(II) iodide-water-amine-mediated generation
      of benzylic aminoketyl radicals from aromatic primary, secondary, and tertiary
      amides (benzamides). The mechanistic experiments suggest that the rate and
      selectivity of the reduction is closely dependent on the water concentration and
      the type of amide undergoing the reduction. The data also suggest that benzylic
      aminoketyl radicals generated in the reduction of benzamides are significantly
      more dependent on the electronic effects of alpha-substitution than the
      corresponding aminoketyl radicals generated by single-electron transfer to
      unactivated aliphatic amides; however, little variation in terms of steric
      influence of N-substituents is observed. These observations will have
      implications for the design of reductive processes involving Sm(II)-mediated
      reduction of amides and reductive umpolung cyclizations via aminoketyl radicals
      as a key step.

PMID- 28641003
TI  - Synthesis and Anti-inflammatory Evaluation of 2-Aminobenzaldehydes via Ir(III)
      Catalyzed C-H Amidation of Aldimines with Acyl Azides.
AB  - The aldimine-directed C-H amidation of various arenes with N-acyl azides as
      amidation surrogates under cationic iridium(III) catalysis is described. This
      transformation efficiently provides a range of 2-aminobenzaldehyde derivatives
      with excellent site selectivity and functional group compatibility. The resulting
      2-aminobenzaldehyde framework provides facile access to a range of biologically
      interesting heterocycles. In addition, all synthetic compounds were screened for
      anti-inflammatory activity against interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor
      necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7
      cells. Generally, a range of ortho-amidated benzaldehydes displayed promising
      inhibitory activity against IL-1beta and TNF-alpha compared to dexamethasone as a
      positive control. Notably, compounds (3ae and 4ac) were found to exhibit potent
      anti-inflammatory activity stronger than that of dexamethasone.

PMID- 28641004
TI  - Performance of the G0W0 Method in Predicting the Electronic Gap of TiO2
      Nanoparticles.
AB  - Using a relativistic all-electron description and numerical atomic-centered
      orbital basis set, the performance of the G0W0 method on the electronic band gap
      of (TiO2)n nanoparticles (n = 1-20) is investigated. Results are presented for
      G0W0 on top of hybrid (PBE0 and a modified version with 12.5% of Fock exchange)
      functionals. The underestimation of the electronic band gap from Kohn-Sham
      orbital energies is corrected by the quasiparticle energies from the G0W0 method,
      which are consistent with the variational DeltaSCF approach. A clear correlation
      between both methods exists regardless of the hybrid functional employed. In
      addition, the vertical ionization potential and electron affinity from
      quasiparticle energies show a systematic correlation with the DeltaSCF calculated
      values. On the other hand, the shape of the nanoparticles promotes some
      deviations on the electronic band gap. In conclusion, this study shows the
      following: (i) A systematic correlation exists between band gaps, ionization
      potentials, and electron affinities of TiO2 nanoparticles as predicted from
      variational DeltaSCF and G0W0 methods. (ii) The G0W0 approach can be successfully
      used to study the electronic band gap of realistic size nanoparticles at an
      affordable computational cost with a DeltaSCF accuracy giving results that are
      directly related with those from photoemission spectroscopy. (iii) The
      quasiparticle energies are explicitly required to shed light on the
      photocatalytic properties of TiO2. (iv) The G0W0 approach emerges as an accurate
      method to investigate the photocatalytic properties of both nanoparticles and
      extended semiconductors.

PMID- 28641005
TI  - Electron Crystallography Reveals Atomic Structures of Metal-Organic Nanoplates
      with M12(MU3-O)8(MU3-OH)8(MU2-OH)6 (M = Zr, Hf) Secondary Building Units.
AB  - Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) have shown tremendous potential in
      cancer therapy and biomedical imaging. However, their small dimensions present a
      significant challenge in structure determination by single-crystal X-ray
      crystallography. We report here the structural determination of nMOFs by rotation
      electron diffraction (RED). Two isostructural Zr- and Hf-based nMOFs with linear
      biphenyldicarboxylate (BPDC) or bipyridinedicarboxylate (BPYDC) linkers are
      stable under intense electron beams to allow the collection of high-quality RED
      data, which reveal a MOF structure with M12(MU3-O)8(MU3-OH)8(MU2-OH)6 (M = Zr,
      Hf) secondary building units (SBUs). The nMOF structures differ significantly
      from their UiO bulk counterparts with M6(MU3-O)4(MU3-OH)4 SBUs and provide the
      foundation for clarifying the structures of a series of previously reported nMOFs
      with significant potential in cancer therapy and biological imaging. Our work
      clearly demonstrates the power of RED in determining nMOF structures and
      elucidating the formation mechanism of distinct nMOF morphologies.

PMID- 28641006
TI  - DFT Simulation of Structural and Optical Properties of 9-Aminoacridine Half
      Sandwich Ru(II), Rh(III), and Ir(III) Antitumoral Complexes and Their Interaction
      with DNA.
AB  - In this work, we use DFT-based methods to simulate the chemical structures,
      optical properties, and interaction with DNA of a recently synthesized chelated
      C^N 9-aminoacridine arene Ru(II) anticancer agent and two new closely related
      Rh(III) and Ir(III) complexes using DFT-based methods. Four chemical models and a
      number of theoretical approaches, which representatively include the PBE0, B97D,
      omegaB97X, omegaB97X-D, M06, and M06-L density functionals and the LANL2DZ, def2
      SVP, and def2-TZVP basis sets, are tested. The best overall accuracy/cost
      performance for the optimization process is reached at the omegaB97X-D/def2-SVP
      and M06/def2-SVP levels of theory. Inclusion of explicit solvent molecules
      (CHCl3) further refines the geometry, while taking into account the crystal
      network gives no significant improvements of the computed bond distances and
      angles. The analysis of the excited states reveals that the M06 level matches
      better the experimental absorption spectra, compared to omegaB97X-D. The use of
      the M06/def2-SVP approach is therefore a well-balanced method to study
      theoretically the bioactivity of this type of antitumoral complexes, so we couple
      this TD-DFT approach to molecular dynamics simulations in order to assess their
      reactivity with DNA. The reported results demonstrate that these drugs could be
      used to inject electrons into DNA, which might broaden their applications in
      photoactivated chemotherapy and as new materials for DNA-based electrochemical
      nanodevices.

PMID- 28641007
TI  - Palladium-Catalyzed SN2'-Cyclization of Ambivalent (Bromoalkadienyl)malonates:
      Preparation of Medium- to Large-Membered Endocyclic Allenes.
AB  - A palladium-catalyzed reaction for preparing various endocyclic allenes was
      developed. The substrates for the reaction were readily available omega
      (pronucleophile-tethered)-3-bromo-1,3-alkadienes, and a palladium-catalyst
      facilitated their unimolecular SN2'-cyclization in the presence of potassium tert
      butoxide to give the corresponding 9- to 16-membered endocyclic allenes in fair
      yields of up to 67% together with the dimeric 16- to 32-membered endocyclic bis
      allenes and other oligomeric/polymeric intermolecular reaction products. For
      higher yields of the monomeric endocyclic allenes, the reaction needed to be
      conducted under high-dilution conditions. Using a chiral palladium catalyst,
      axially chiral endocyclic allenes were obtained in up to 70% ee.

PMID- 28641009
TI  - Metal Halide Perovskites as Mixed Electronic-Ionic Conductors: Challenges and
      Opportunities-From Hysteresis to Memristivity.
AB  - Metal halide perovskites are promising candidates for many classes of different
      optoelectronic devices. Apart from being a semiconductor, they additionally show
      ionic conductivity. It expresses itself in slow response times, reversible
      degradation, and hysteresis in the current-voltage characteristics of solar
      cells. This Perspective gives a condensed overview about experiments and theory
      on ion migration in metal halide perovskites focusing on its effects in solar
      cells. Apart from being a potential stability concern for photovoltaics, ion
      migration paired with the excellent optoelectronic properties of this material
      offers opportunities for novel devices such as optically controlled memristors
      and switchable diodes.

PMID- 28641008
TI  - Hypoxia-Induced Changes in the Fibroblast Secretome, Exosome, and Whole-Cell
      Proteome Using Cultured, Cardiac-Derived Cells Isolated from Neonatal Mice.
AB  - Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) represent a major subpopulation of cells in the
      developing and adult heart. Cardiomyocyte (CM) and CF intercellular communication
      occurs through paracrine interactions and modulate myocyte development and stress
      response. Detailed proteomic analysis of the CF secretome in normal and stressed
      conditions may offer insights into the role of CF in heart development and
      disease. Primary neonatal mouse CFs were isolated and cultured for 24 h in 21%
      (normoxic) or 2% (hypoxic) O2. Conditioned medium was separated to obtain
      exosomes (EXO) and EXO-depleted secretome fractions. Multidimensional protein
      identification technology was performed on secreted fractions. Whole cell lysate
      data were also generated to provide subcellular context to the secretome.
      Proteomic analysis identified 6163 unique proteins in total. Statistical (QSpec)
      analysis identified 494 proteins differentially expressed between fractions and
      oxygen conditions. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis revealed hypoxic conditions
      selectively increase expression of proteins with extracellular matrix and
      signaling annotations. Finally, we subjected CM pretreated with CF secreted
      factors to hypoxia/reoxygenation. Viability assays suggested altered viability
      due to CF-derived factors. CF secretome proteomics revealed differential
      expression based on mode of secretion and oxygen levels in vitro.

PMID- 28641010
TI  - Alpha-Mangostin Reverses Multidrug Resistance by Attenuating the Function of the
      Multidrug Resistance-Linked ABCG2 Transporter.
AB  - The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) drug transporter ABCG2 can actively efflux a wide
      variety of chemotherapeutic agents out of cancer cells and subsequently reduce
      the intracellular accumulation of these drugs. Therefore, the overexpression of
      ABCG2 often contributes to the development of multidrug resistance (MDR) in
      cancer cells, which is one of the major obstacles to successful cancer
      chemotherapy. Moreover, ABCG2 is highly expressed in various tissues including
      the intestine and blood-brain barrier (BBB), limiting the absorption and
      bioavailability of many therapeutic agents. For decades, the task of developing a
      highly effective synthetic inhibitor of ABCG2 has been hindered mostly by the
      intrinsic toxicity, the lack of specificity, and complex pharmacokinetics.
      Alternatively, considering the wide range of diversity and relatively nontoxic
      nature of natural products, developing potential modulators of ABCG2 from natural
      sources is particularly valuable. alpha-Mangostin is a natural xanthone derived
      from the pericarps of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) with various
      pharmacological purposes, including suppressing angiogenesis and inducing cancer
      cell growth arrest. In this study, we demonstrated that at nontoxic
      concentrations, alpha-mangostin effectively and selectively inhibits ABCG2
      mediated drug transport and reverses MDR in ABCG2-overexpressing MDR cancer
      cells. Direct interactions between alpha-mangostin and the ABCG2 drug-binding
      site(s) were confirmed by stimulation of ATPase activity and by inhibition of
      photolabeling of the substrate-binding site(s) of ABCG2 with
      [125I]iodoarylazidoprazosin. In summary, our findings show that alpha-mangostin
      has great potential to be further developed into a promising modulator of ABCG2
      for reversing MDR and for its use in combination therapy for patients with MDR
      tumors.

PMID- 28641011
TI  - Exploiting One-Dimensional Exciton-Phonon Coupling for Tunable and Efficient
      Single-Photon Generation with a Carbon Nanotube.
AB  - Condensed-matter emitters offer enriched cavity quantum electrodynamical effects
      due to the coupling to external degrees of freedom. In the case of carbon
      nanotubes, a very peculiar coupling between localized excitons and the one
      dimensional acoustic phonon modes can be achieved, which gives rise to pronounced
      phonon wings in the luminescence spectrum. By coupling an individual nanotube to
      a tunable optical microcavity, we show that this peculiar exciton-phonon coupling
      is a valuable resource to enlarge the tuning range of the single-photon source
      while keeping an excellent exciton-photon coupling efficiency and spectral
      purity. Using the unique flexibility of our scanning fiber cavity, we are able to
      measure the efficiency spectrum of the very same nanotube in the Purcell regime
      for several mode volumes. Whereas this efficiency spectrum looks very much like
      the free-space luminescence spectrum when the Purcell factor is small (large mode
      volume), we show that the deformation of this spectrum at lower mode volumes can
      be traced back to the strength of the exciton-photon coupling. It shows an
      enhanced efficiency on the red wing that arises from the asymmetry of the
      incoherent energy exchange processes between the exciton and the cavity. This
      allows us to obtain a tuning range up to several hundred times the spectral width
      of the source.

PMID- 28641012
TI  - Regioselective Direct C-4 Functionalization of Indole: Total Syntheses of (-)
      Agroclavine and (-)-Elymoclavine.
AB  - An efficient rhodium-catalyzed method for direct C-H functionalization at the C4
      position of unprotected indoles has been developed. The utility of this method is
      demonstrated by the concise total syntheses of agroclavine and elymoclavine in a
      divergent manner. These syntheses feature a Pd-catalyzed asymmetric allylic
      alkylation reaction to assemble the triyclic indole moiety, and a ring-closing
      metathesis reaction to form the D ring.

PMID- 28641013
TI  - Synthesis of 2,3-Benzodiazepines via Rh(III)-Catalyzed C-H Functionalization of N
      Boc Hydrazones with Diazoketoesters.
AB  - An efficient Rh(III)-catalyzed C-H activation protocol has been developed for the
      synthesis of 2,3-benzodiazepines with use of N-Boc hydrazones and diazoketoesters
      as substrates. The reaction features retention of the C?N and N-N bonds and
      selective cleavage of the N-Boc moiety.

PMID- 28641014
TI  - N-Heterocyclic Carbene Boryl Iodides Catalyze Insertion Reactions of N
      Heterocyclic Carbene Boranes and Diazoesters.
AB  - Boron-hydrogen bond insertion reactions of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) boranes
      and diazoesters can be catalyzed by NHC-boryl iodides and produce stable alpha
      NHC-boryl esters. The conditions of the reaction resemble the previous rhodium
      catalyzed transformations (only the catalyst is different); however, the
      mechanisms of the two reactions are probably very different. The new boryl iodide
      catalyzed method is adept at producing alpha-substituted-alpha-NHC-boryl esters,
      and this has led to a family of NHC-boryl esters with amino acid and amino-acid
      like side chains.

PMID- 28641015
TI  - A Regioselective Approach to Trisubstituted Pyrazoles via Palladium-Catalyzed
      Oxidative Sonogashira-Carbonylation of Arylhydrazines.
AB  - A palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation of arylhydrazines and alkynes with
      balloon pressure CO/O2 to afford trisubstituted pyrazoles in a one-pot manner has
      been developed. The formation of trisubstituted pyrazoles involves a sequential C
      N bond cleavage, carbonylation, Sonogashira coupling, Michael addition, and
      intramolecular condensation cyclization tandem process. An unprecedented
      oxidative Sonogashira-carbonylation reaction of arylhydrazine plays a key role
      for such a facile approach to pyrazoles.

PMID- 28641016
TI  - From Hydrindane to Decalin: A Mild Transformation through a Dyotropic Ring
      Expansion.
AB  - An unexpected ring expansion converting hydrindane cores into decalins has been
      observed. The process occurs under very mild conditions and with exquisite
      transfer of chiral information. The ring expansion provides access to decorated
      decalins with complete stereocontrol. The reaction mechanism is studied in order
      to gain insight into the underlying causes for the low thermal requirements in
      this reaction and the nature of the chirality transfer process. Interestingly,
      both result from an unprecedented dyotropic reaction involving a mesylate group.

PMID- 28641017
TI  - NANPDB: A Resource for Natural Products from Northern African Sources.
AB  - Natural products (NPs) are often regarded as sources of drugs or drug leads or
      simply as a "source of inspiration" for the discovery of novel drugs. We have
      built the Northern African Natural Products Database (NANPDB) by collecting
      information on ~4500 NPs, covering literature data for the period from 1962 to
      2016. The data cover compounds isolated mainly from plants, with contributions
      from some endophyte, animal (e.g., coral), fungal, and bacterial sources. The
      compounds were identified from 617 source species, belonging to 146 families.
      Computed physicochemical properties, often used to predict drug metabolism and
      pharmacokinetics, as well as predicted toxicity information, have been included
      for each compound in the data set. This is the largest collection of annotated
      natural compounds produced by native organisms from Northern Africa. While the
      database includes well-known drugs and drug leads, the medical potential of a
      majority of the molecules is yet to be investigated. The database could be useful
      for drug discovery efforts, analysis of the bioactivity of selected compounds, or
      the discovery of synthesis routes toward secondary metabolites. The current
      version of NANPDB is available at http://african-compounds.org/nanpdb/ .

PMID- 28641018
TI  - Three-Dimensional Imaging of Transparent Tissues via Metal Nanoparticle Labeling.
AB  - Chemical probes are key components of the bioimaging toolbox, as they label
      biomolecules in cells and tissues. The new challenge in bioimaging is to design
      chemical probes for three-dimensional (3D) tissue imaging. In this work, we
      discovered that light scattering of metal nanoparticles can provide 3D imaging
      contrast in intact and transparent tissues. The nanoparticles can act as a
      template for the chemical growth of a metal layer to further enhance the
      scattering signal. The use of chemically grown nanoparticles in whole tissues can
      amplify the scattering to produce a 1.4 million-fold greater photon yield than
      obtained using common fluorophores. These probes are non-photobleaching and can
      be used alongside fluorophores without interference. We demonstrated three
      distinct biomedical applications: (a) molecular imaging of blood vessels, (b)
      tracking of nanodrug carriers in tumors, and (c) mapping of lesions and immune
      cells in a multiple sclerosis mouse model. Our strategy establishes a distinct
      yet complementary set of imaging probes for understanding disease mechanisms in
      three dimensions.

PMID- 28641019
TI  - Correction, article no. 3671: Importance of the patient's clinical questionnaire
      for the diagnosis of skin cancer through teledermatology in remote areas of
      Brazil.

PMID- 28641020
TI  - Comparison of the Buschke Selective Reminding Test and the California Verbal
      Learning Test-Second Edition in a stroke population.
AB  - There are many tests of learning and memory; however, not all yield analogous
      results and thus are not interchangeable. This study examined the relationship
      between the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II) and the
      Buschke Selective Reminding Test (SRT) in a stroke population. Data from stroke
      inpatients (N = 102) referred for rehabilitation were collected from medical
      records. Both tests were administered, as part of a larger neuropsychological
      assessment. Analyses were conducted on Z-scores from the List Total, Learning,
      and Long Delay Free Recall (LDFR) subscales of the two tests. SRT and CVLT-II
      scores were significantly correlated (r = .34 to .52, all p values <.001).
      However, scores were significantly worse on the SRT compared to the CVLT-II (d = 
      .90 to - 1.46, all p values <.001). Left hemisphere strokes performed worse than
      right hemisphere strokes on both tests; however, this trend was not significant.
      The SRT appeared to be more sensitive to impairment than the CVLT-II; thus, the
      two tests may not be interchangeable in a stroke population.

PMID- 28641021
TI  - Genetic screening: birthright or earned with age?

PMID- 28641022
TI  - A Randomized Single Dose Parallel Study on Enhancement of Nitric Oxide in Serum
      and Saliva with the Use of Natural Sports Supplement in Healthy Adults.
AB  - Sports supplements that stimulate the production of nitric oxide (NO) are widely
      promoted agents in the sports nutrition domain, and nitric oxide plays an
      important role to enhance the cardiovascular and physical fitness of the sports
      participants. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether oral intake of a
      sports nutritional supplement (Fitnox) is able to increase nitrate (NO3-) and
      nitrite (NO2-) levels in blood serum and saliva of healthy adults. Fitnox is a
      unique blend of Kaempferia parviflora methoxy flavones, pomegranate peel
      polyphenols, and Moringa oleifera leaf saponins. Twenty-four healthy male adults
      were equally divided and underwent the double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical
      trial with a single oral dose of sports nutrition formulation (250 mg capsules);
      blood and saliva samples were analyzed at different time intervals by high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After administration of Fitnox (250 mg
      capsule as single dose), NO3- and NO2- levels in serum and saliva were found to
      be significantly higher (p <.05) than in the placebo group in 24 hours.
      Pharmacokinetic parameters such as the area under the plasma concentration-time
      curve extrapolated to infinity (AUC0-inf), AUC calculated to the last measured
      concentration (AUC0-t), maximum drug serum concentrations (Cmax), time of maximum
      concentration in serum observed (Tmax), and time required for the concentration
      of the drug to reach half of its original value (Thalf) were also statistically
      significant (p <.05) compared with the placebo. The results indicate that a
      single oral dose of Fitnox is able to increase the NO3- and NO2- levels
      considerably in the body relative to placebo for at least 12 hours. Therefore,
      Fitnox can improve the overall performance of sport participants and enhance
      physical endurance.

PMID- 28641023
TI  - Cardiovascular event incidence and cost in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a Medicare
      claims-based actuarial analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the economic burden of cardiovascular events in Medicare
      beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS: This claims-based
      actuarial analysis queried 2013 and 2014 Medicare 5% samples, defining a
      denominator of fee-for-service beneficiaries. Average per patient per month
      allowed cost ($PPPM) was calculated for T2DM, demographically adjusted non-T2DM,
      and denominator. Per member per month allowed cost ($PMPM) was calculated by
      dividing total population cost by member months in the denominator. Costs of five
      pre-specified cardiovascular events were calculated as a contribution to
      denominator $PMPM, as contribution to $PPPM in T2DM, and as incremental cost.
      RESULTS: During the study period, 22.1% of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries
      had T2DM; of these, 9.68% experienced a cardiovascular event or cardiovascular
      related death. T2DM cost represented 37.9% of total allowed $PMPM for the
      denominator. Average total allowed $PPPM for a T2DM beneficiary was $1,834,
      compared with $850 for a non-T2DM beneficiary (2.2-times higher). Annual rates of
      myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina admission, heart failure
      admission, and coronary revascularization in T2DM were 3.3-, 2.4-, 3.2-, 4.0-,
      and 2.8-times higher than in non-T2DM, and utilization of health services was
      also greater in T2DM. Cardiovascular events in T2DM accounted for 50% of
      denominator cardiovascular event cost; 3.6% of denominator population $PMPM was
      attributable to cardiovascular events in T2DM. Risk-adjusted incremental
      cardiovascular event cost represented 18.1% of $PPPM in T2DM or 6.9% of $PMPM in
      the denominator population. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular events in Medicare fee
      for-service beneficiaries with T2DM contribute substantially to Medicare
      cardiovascular events, resource utilization, and cost.

PMID- 28641024
TI  - Perinatal mortality classification: an analysis of 112 cases of stillbirth.
AB  - This was a retrospective cohort analysis of stillbirths that occurred from
      January 2004 to December 2013 in our institution. We compared Tulip and
      Wigglesworth classification systems on a cohort of stillbirths and analysed the
      main differences between these two classifications. In this period, there were
      112 stillbirths of a total of 31,758 births (stillbirth rate of 3.5 per 1000
      births). There were 99 antepartum deaths and 13 intrapartum deaths. Foetal
      autopsy was performed in 99 cases and placental histopathological examination in
      all of the cases. The Wigglesworth found 'unknown' causes in 47 cases and the
      Tulip classification allocated 33 of these. Fourteen cases remained in the group
      of 'unknown' causes. Therefore, the Wigglesworth classification of stillbirths
      results in a higher proportion of unexplained stillbirths. We suggest that the
      traditional Wigglesworth classification should be substituted by a classification
      that manages the available information.

PMID- 28641025
TI  - Relationship between length and width of the purple line and foetal head descent
      in active phase of labour.
AB  - Purple line is one of the non-invasive methods to assess the progress of labour.
      This longitudinal observational study was performed on 350 women during the
      active phase of labour. We assessed the relationship between length and width of
      the purple line and foetal head descent. Women were examined in the lateral
      position and researcher recorded the presence or absence of the line before each
      vaginal examination. Where present length and width of the line was measured
      using a disposable tape measure. The purple line appeared in 75.3% of 350 women
      during the active phase of labour. There was a positive correlation between
      length of the purple line and station of the foetal head (r = +0.29, p = .001).
      There was also a medium positive correlation between width of the purple line and
      the station of the foetal head (r = +0.71, p < -.001). There is a positive
      correlation between purple line and station of the foetal head. Where the purple
      line is present, measurement of it may reduce the number of vaginal examinations,
      especially when the single aim is to measure station of the foetal head. Further
      research is needed to confirm the current finding in other races. IMPACT
      STATEMENT Current knowledge on the subject: In the literature, purple line is one
      of the non-invasive methods to assess the progress of cervical dilatation and
      foetal head descent in labour. Failure of the foetal head is the second most
      common indication for performing surgical deliveries. Progression of labour has
      been evaluated by vaginal examination for the assessment of cervical dilatation
      and foetal head station. Vaginal examinations can be unpleasant, intrusive,
      embarrassing and so painful for women. Researchers suggested to explore whether
      the line is also present in women across other ethnic and racial groups and they
      also suggested further researches to examine the width of purple line. The
      contribution made by the results of this study: The results of this study add to
      the growing body of research on progression of labour that the purple line
      appeared in most of Iranian women during the active phase of labour. There was a
      positive correlation between length and width of the purple line and station of
      the foetal head. The implications are of these findings for clinical practice and
      further research: The results of this study can be used reduce the number of
      vaginal examinations, especially when the single aim is to measure station of the
      foetal head. Further research is needed to confirm the current finding in other
      races.

PMID- 28641026
TI  - Sociodemographic factors associated with female genital cutting among women of
      reproductive age in Nigeria.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of female
      genital cutting (FGC) among women of reproductive age in Nigeria and identify the
      sociodemographic factors associated with the practice. METHODS: A secondary
      analysis of the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey was carried out in
      38,948 women of reproductive age (15-49 years). RESULTS: The prevalence of FGC
      among respondents was almost 25%, most of whom (82%) had undergone the procedure
      when they were under 5 years of age. Traditional circumcisers performed 72.2% of
      all procedures. Type 2 was the common form (62.6%) of FGC. Almost a quarter of
      respondents (23.1%) wanted the practice to continue. Women aged 45-49 years were
      approximately twice as likely to have undergone FGC compared with women aged 15
      19 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99, 2.92; p <
      .001). Women from parts of Nigeria other than the North East zone were
      significantly more likely to have experienced FGC (p < .001). Women of Yoruba
      ethnicity were significantly more likely to have experienced FGC compared with
      women of Hausa/Fulani ethnicity (OR 4.86; 95% CI 3.03, 8.12; p < .001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings have programmatic implications for ending the practice
      of FGC in Nigeria. Elimination efforts should be intensified among women of
      Yoruba ethnicity. To instigate behavioural change, communication interventions
      should particularly target residents in parts of Nigeria other than the North
      East zone.

PMID- 28641027
TI  - Effect of an educational intervention in "spirituality and health" on knowledge,
      attitudes, and skills of students in health-related areas: A controlled
      randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To date there have been no randomized studies that assess whether
      "Spirituality and Health" (S/H) programs are, indeed, effective, or not. We
      sought to evaluate if an intervention in teaching S/H fosters competence changes
      in healthcare students. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was carried out.
      Students were randomized into two groups: an Intervention Group (a theoretical
      practical course in S/H) and a control group (waiting list). Students' S/H
      knowledge, attitudes, and skills (through a simulated patient) were assessed.
      RESULTS: A total of 49 students were evaluated. Students in the intervention
      group received higher scores on knowledge tests, felt more comfortable and
      prepared to talk about religious/spiritual beliefs with patients, more readily
      recognized importance of hospital chaplains, and more frequently held the opinion
      that addressing spirituality is important. Furthermore, a breaking down of S/H
      barriers was identified. Students also demonstrated more ability in obtaining a
      patient's spiritual history when compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS:
      There were some differences on knowledge, attitudes, and spiritual history skills
      between students who participated in the S/H teaching strategy and students who
      have not been exposed to the theme. These results might foster discussion for the
      development of new educational strategies about the subject.

PMID- 28641028
TI  - Minilaparoscopic myomectomy with trans-vaginal specimen extraction: a case
      report.

PMID- 28641029
TI  - Gender differences in the trajectory classes of depressive symptoms in Korean
      older adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed (1) to identify gender-specific heterogeneous
      longitudinal patterns of depressive symptoms, (2) to explore the effects of
      economic status and various health conditions as risk factors in depressive
      symptom trajectories. METHOD: Data came from the Korean Longitudinal Study of
      Aging (2006-2012) focuing on older adults aged 65 and older. Latent class growth
      analysis was used to identify the depressive symptom trajectory groups.
      Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the association between
      economic and health status changes and the depresison trajectories. RESULTS:
      Among older women, three change groups were identified: stable low, stable high,
      and moderate but slightly increasing groups. Among older men, four groups were
      found: stable low, moderate but rapidly increasing, high but decreasing, and
      moderate but slightly increasing groups. Among women, poverty experience and
      sustained poor health, particularly constantly low cognition, were significantly
      associated with the stable high group. Among men, deteriorating economic and
      health status were significant predictors of membership in the most vulnerable
      subgroup, the moderate but rapidly increasing group. CONCLUSION: This study
      demonstrated among older adults, depressive symptoms change heterogeneously by
      gender. Identification of the most at risk subgroups among older men and women
      provides important initial empirical information to target clinical programs and
      policy development.

PMID- 28641030
TI  - Estetrol combined with drospirenone: an oral contraceptive with high
      acceptability, user satisfaction, well-being and favourable body weight control.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated acceptability, user satisfaction, body weight
      control and general well-being of estetrol (E4) combined with either drospirenone
      (DRSP) or levonorgestrel (LNG). METHODS: In this open-label, multi-centre, dose
      finding, 6-cycle study, 396 healthy women of reproductive age were randomised
      into five treatment groups in a 24/4-day regimen: 15 mg or 20 mg E4 combined with
      either 3 mg DRSP or 150 MUg LNG, and as reference estradiol valerate (E2V)
      combined with dienogest (DNG). Data on acceptability, user well-being,
      satisfaction and body weight were collected. RESULTS: The number of completers
      was the highest in the 15 mg E4/DRSP group (91.1%), and the lowest for 20 mg
      E4/LNG (70.1%). The largest proportion of treatment satisfaction was reported for
      15 mg E4/DRSP (73.1%), and the lowest for 15 mg E4/LNG (50.6%). The number of
      women willing to continue with the assigned study treatment was the highest in
      the 15 mg E4/DRSP group (82.1%) and the lowest for 20 mg E4/LNG (58.3%). Well
      being with E4/DRSP combinations was statistically significantly better than with
      E4/LNG combinations: OR (95% CI) 2.00 (1.13; 3.53) and 1.93 (1.06; 3.56) for 15
      and 20 mg E4, respectively, and comparable to E2V/DNG. Proportion of women with a
      2 kg or more weight loss after 3 and 6 cycles was the highest in the 15 mg
      E4/DRSP group (30.7 and 36.7%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present study
      shows that 15 mg estetrol combined with 3 mg DRSP is associated with a high-user
      acceptability and satisfaction, and with a favourable body weight control.

PMID- 28641031
TI  - Treatment options for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis - a safety evaluation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There is an urgent as yet unmet need to develop highly effective
      and safe therapeutics for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The
      remarkable progress in understanding NAFLD pathogenesis allowed the
      identification of injury pathways which may be recruited as therapy targets.
      Areas covered: This article reviews the safety and tolerability data of the NAFLD
      therapies and explains the mechanistic basis for each of the established and
      investigational drugs. Treatment targets include: weight loss, anti-metabolic
      agents such as lipid lowering and anti-diabetic drugs, inflammation, fibrosis and
      others such as targeting gut microbiota, immune modulation and apoptosis. Expert
      opinion: Current therapies continue to remain suboptimal. Weight loss is
      effective but hard to achieve. Traditional and endoscopic bariatric procedures
      are promising although more randomized trials are needed and the long-term safety
      remains to be established. Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of
      several drugs for the treatment of NASH. Of these, there remains some uncertainty
      about the long-term safety of vitamin E. Pioglitazone is associated with
      osteopenia, fluid retention and weight gain. Obeticholic acid causes pruritus in
      a substantial proportion of subjects and elafibranor has been associated with
      transient rises in creatinine. Several exciting therapies are under development
      and results of clinical and post-marketing trials will help elucidate their
      safety.

PMID- 28641032
TI  - Targeting Rho GTPase effector p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) suppresses p-Bad
      microRNA drug resistance axis leading to inhibition of pancreatic ductal
      adenocarcinoma proliferation.
AB  - Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive and therapy
      resistant malignancy. Mutant K-Ras, found in >90% of refractory PDAC, acts as a
      molecular switch activating Rho GTPase signaling that in turn promotes a plethora
      of pro-survival molecules and oncogenic microRNAs. We investigated the impact of
      Rho GTPase effector protein p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) inhibition on pro
      survival p-Bad and oncogenic miRNA signaling. We demonstrate that the dual NAMPT
      and PAK4 modulators (KPT-9274 and KPT-9307) inhibit PDAC cell proliferation
      through down-regulation of Bad phosphorylation and up-regulation tumor
      suppressive miRNAs (miR-145, let-7c, let-7d, miR-34c, miR320 and miR-100). These
      results suggest that targeting PAK4 could become a promising approach to restore
      pro-apoptotic function of Bad and simultaneously activate tumor suppressive
      miRNAs in therapy resistant PDAC.

PMID- 28641033
TI  - Evaluation of planned bicanalicular nasolacrimal tube retention in treating
      punctal stenosis or occlusion secondary to trachoma.
AB  - This article evaluates retaining bicanalicular silicone nasolacrimal tube in
      patients susceptible to restenosis after punctoplasty. Sixty-nine eyes (38
      patients) suffering from epiphora due to stenosis or occlusion of both punctae
      were included in this prospective study. All had 3 snip punctoplasty and
      bicanalicular silicone nasolacrimal duct insertion. Cases associated with
      proximal canalicular stenosis or obstructions were excluded. Tolerance to tube
      presence until the time of loss or removal was evaluated using a score (0 to 2).
      Average age was 49.71 +/- 11.09 years. Tachomatous lesions were detected in all
      cases of punctal stenosis (48 eyes/69.57%) and membranous occlusion (21
      eyes/30.43%). Common canalicular obstruction was additionally found in 12 eyes
      (17.39%). Absolute improvement was detected in 85% of cases and mean time for
      tube retention was (29.6 +/- 10.2 months) with no difference in presence of
      common canalicular obstruction (P value: 0.138). Isolated punctal affection
      favoured tube retention that was well tolerated throughout the follow-up period
      (P value <0.001). Silicone bicanalicular nasolacrimal tube is an available option
      for treating acquired punctal stenosis. It is tolerated especially in cases
      suffering from isolated punctal stenosis. Tube retention could be of value in
      patients who are at risk of re-occlusion following tube removal.

PMID- 28641034
TI  - Imaging of proximal lacrimal system with time domain anterior segment optical
      coherence tomography in Asian Indian population.
AB  - This article reports proximal lacrimal system parameters using Anterior Segment
      Optical Coherence Tomography (ASOCT-Visante) in an apparently normal Asian Indian
      population with assessment of any correlation between tear meniscus height and
      punctal diameter. This was a prospectively designed observational study that
      included healthy adults, who volunteered for optical coherence tomography imaging
      (OCT) of their proximal lacrimal system. Time domain ASOCT (Visante) images of
      the punctum and proximal canaliculus were captured using the high resolution
      corneal scan protocol. External lacrimal punctal diameter (ELP), internal
      lacrimal punctal diameter (ILP), vertical canalicular length (VCL) and tear
      meniscus height (TMH) were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using
      Pearson's correlation test. Our study had 100 normal subjects with mean age 24.14
      years, range 15-38 years. ASOCT (Visante) with advantage of deeper penetration
      was able to image canaliculus in all cases. The mean TMH, ELP, ILP and VCL was
      252.7 +/- 67.98 MUm, 382.2 +/- 103.14MUm, 140.7 +/- 67.29 MUm and 811.8 +/- 253.7
      MUm, respectively, in 100 normal subjects. No correlation was found between ELP,
      ILP and TMH (Pearson's Correlation; r = -0.355, p > 0.05 for all). ASOCT
      (VisanteTM) is a non-invasive and easy to use objective tool for imaging proximal
      lacrimal system. Further studies are required to validate normative data and
      correlate with microscopic findings of lacrimal system.

PMID- 28641036
TI  - Modelling error distribution in the ground reaction force during an induced
      acceleration analysis of running in rear-foot strikers.
AB  - The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a methodology for
      quantifying the contributions of modelling error terms, as well as individual
      joint torque, gravitational force and motion-dependent terms, to the generation
      of ground reaction force (GRF), whose true value can be measured with high
      accuracy using a force platform. Dynamic contributions to the GRF were derived
      from the combination of (1) the equations of motion for the individual segments,
      (2) the equations for constraint conditions arising from the connection of
      adjacent segments at joints, and (3) the equations for anatomical constraint axes
      at certain joints. The contribution of the error term was divided into four
      components caused by fluctuation of segment lengths, geometric variation in the
      constraint joint axes, and residual joint force and moment errors. The proposed
      methodology was applied to the running motion of thirteen rear-foot strikers at a
      constant speed of 3.3 m/s. Modelling errors arose primarily from fluctuations in
      support leg segment lengths and rapid movement of the virtual joint between the
      foot and ground during the first 20% of stance phase. The magnitudes of these
      error contributions to the vertical and anterior/posterior components of the GRF
      are presented alongside the non-error contributions, of which the joint torque
      term was the largest.

PMID- 28641035
TI  - Hypoglycemia Patients and Transport by EMS in Alameda County, 2013-15.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the rate, characteristics, and dispositions of
      hypoglycemia events among persons who received care from Alameda County,
      California, Emergency Medical Services (EMS). METHODS: This study was based on
      data for 601,077 Alameda County EMS encounters during 2013-15. Subjects were
      defined as having hypoglycemia if EMS personnel recorded a primary impression of
      hypoglycemia or low blood glucose (<60 mg/dl or "unspecified low"). The outcome
      of interest was patient transport or non-transport to an emergency department or
      other care setting; we excluded 33,177 (6%) encounters which lacked clear
      disposition outcomes. RESULTS: Among 567,900 eligible encounters, 8,332 (1.47%)
      were attributed to hypoglycemia, of which 1,125 (13.5%) were not transported. Non
      transport was more likely among males, adult patients age <60, initial blood
      glucose >60 mg/dl or EMS arrival time 18:00-6:00. CONCLUSIONS: Without an
      understanding of EMS encounters and non-transport rates, surveillance based
      solely on emergency department and hospital data will significantly underestimate
      rates of severe hypoglycemia. Additionally, given that hypoglycemia is often
      safely and effectively treated by non-physicians, EMS protocols should provide
      guidance for non-transport of hypoglycemic patients whose blood glucose levels
      have normalized.

PMID- 28641038
TI  - Interaction of tinnitus suppression and hearing ability after cochlear
      implantation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To study the postoperative impact of cochlear implants (CIs) on
      tinnitus, as well as the impact of tinnitus on speech recognition with CI
      switched on. METHODS: Fifty-two postlingual deafened CI recipients (21 males and
      31 females) were assessed using an established Tinnitus Characteristics
      Questionnaire and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) before and after cochlear
      implantation. The tinnitus loudness was investigated when CI was switched on and
      off in CI recipients with persistent tinnitus. The relation between tinnitus
      loudness and recipients' satisfaction of cochlear implantation was analyzed by
      the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. RESULTS: With CI 'OFF', 42 CI recipients
      experienced tinnitus postimplant ipsilaterally and 44 contralaterally. Tinnitus
      was totally suppressed ipsilateral to the CI with CI 'ON' in 42.9%, partially
      suppressed in 42.9%, unchanged in 11.9% and aggravated in 2.4%. Tinnitus was
      totally suppressed contralaterally with CI 'ON' in 31.8% of CI recipients,
      partially suppressed in 47.7%, unchanged in 20.5%. Pearson correlation analysis
      showed that tinnitus loudness and the results of cochlear implant patients
      satisfaction was negatively correlated (r = .674, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The
      study suggests six-month CI activation can be effective for suppressing tinnitus.
      The tinnitus loudness may affect patients' satisfaction with the use of CI.

PMID- 28641037
TI  - Powdery mildews on lilac in western North America include Phyllactinia syringae,
      sp. nov.
AB  - Two powdery mildews, Erysiphe syringae and the previously undescribed
      Phyllactinia syringae, sp. nov., occur on lilac in western North America.
      Phyllactinia syringae is found on common lilac, whereas E. syringae is found on
      Chinese lilac and, occasionally, common lilac. Infection by P. syringae is
      extremely unobtrusive until formation of a hypophyllous mycelial mat with
      chasmothecia in late fall. Infection by E. syringae in late summer is
      conspicuous, with its thick, superficial mycelial mat on the leaf upper surface
      detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the bush.

PMID- 28641039
TI  - An empirical investigation of campus demographics and reported rapes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Rape on college campuses continues to be a pervasive public health
      issue with approximately 11% of women experiencing rape while in college. As
      such, it is important to examine factors unique to college campuses that
      influence the occurrences of rape. METHODS: Using data from 1,423 four-year
      universities (public and private with at least 1,000 students) from the Office of
      Education and the Clery Act (2014), we examined institutional risk factors, such
      as tuition, liquor violations, Greek-life, athletic programs, institution type
      (public vs. private), and geographical location. RESULTS: Public institutions
      with higher tuition, more liquor violations, and greater numbers of fraternity
      men and athletes were more likely to report rape on their campuses. CONCLUSIONS:
      Findings suggest that there are university-level characteristics which may
      increase certain campuses propensity toward violence against women.

PMID- 28641040
TI  - "Drunkorexia": Understanding eating and physical activity behaviors of weight
      conscious drinkers in a sample of college students.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Behaviors of weight conscious drinkers (BWCD) include disordered
      eating, excessive physical activity (PA), and heavy episodic drinking.
      Considering that approximately 25% of the college students report BWCD, it is
      important to investigate what characteristics increase the likelihood of college
      students engaged in BWCD for both moderate and vigorous PAs. PARTICIPANTS: A
      total of 510 college students were recruited from a large, public southeastern
      university. METHODS: Participants completed a cross-sectional survey during the
      spring 2015 semester. RESULTS: Of 510 respondents, 11.2% reported moderate PA
      based BWCD and 14.7% reported vigorous PA-based BWCD. Weight loss intention, BMI
      and Greek affiliation predicted both moderate and vigorous BWCD. CONCLUSIONS:
      Study findings suggest that Greek-affiliated students and students with weight
      loss intentions might be at an increased risk for BWCD. Along with promoting
      lower levels of alcohol consumption, college practitioners should consider
      discussing issues of weight and body image with college students as they relate
      to maladaptive drinking behavior.

PMID- 28641041
TI  - Virulence regulation during late infection by a fish pathogen; sense and
      sensibility of bacteria may lead to novel vaccine development strategy.

PMID- 28641042
TI  - Resolving the Melampsora epitea complex.
AB  - Melampsora epitea (Pucciniales, Basidiomycota) has been widely known as the main
      rust pathogen on willows, but its species boundary has been extremely confusing.
      Melampsora epitea was often confused with several morphologically similar
      species, such as M. arctica, M. humilis, and M. epiphylla. Recent DNA-based
      studies using specimens from North America and Europe suggested that M. epitea
      was a complex of several phylogenetic species. In this study, we examined the
      species boundary of M. epitea based on rDNA phylogeny and the general mixed Yule
      coalescent (GMYC) model from 534 specimens. Twelve distinct species corresponding
      to 10 known species and 2 new species were recognized from East Asian specimens.
      We also evaluated the association of morphological characteristics, geographic
      origins, and host ranges with phylogenetic relationships. Our results revealed
      that several previously overlooked morphological characters in uredinial and
      telial stages were informative in delimiting M. epitea and allied species. Two
      novel species, M. salicis-futurae and M. salicis-triandrae, are described and
      compared with closely related species. A lectotype for M. epitea and epitypes for
      M. epitea, M. epiphylla, and M. humilis are designated to stabilize the use of
      names.

PMID- 28641043
TI  - Radiogenomics of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer: Multireader Multi
      Institutional Study from the Cancer Genome Atlas Ovarian Cancer Imaging Research
      Group.
AB  - Purpose To evaluate interradiologist agreement on assessments of computed
      tomography (CT) imaging features of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), to
      assess their associations with time-to-disease progression (TTP) and HGSOC
      transcriptomic profiles (Classification of Ovarian Cancer [CLOVAR]), and to
      develop an imaging-based risk score system to predict TTP and CLOVAR profiles.
      Materials and Methods This study was a multireader, multi-institutional,
      institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant retrospective analysis of 92
      patients with HGSOC (median age, 61 years) with abdominopelvic CT before primary
      cytoreductive surgery available through the Cancer Imaging Archive. Eight
      radiologists from the Cancer Genome Atlas Ovarian Cancer Imaging Research Group
      developed and independently recorded the following CT features: characteristics
      of primary ovarian mass(es), presence of definable mesenteric implants and
      infiltration, presence of other implants, presence and distribution of peritoneal
      spread, presence and size of pleural effusions and ascites, lymphadenopathy, and
      distant metastases. Interobserver agreement for CT features was assessed, as were
      univariate and multivariate associations with TTP and CLOVAR mesenchymal profile
      (worst prognosis). Results Interobserver agreement for some features was strong
      (eg, alpha = .78 for pleural effusion and ascites) but was lower for others (eg,
      alpha = .08 for intraparenchymal splenic metastases). Presence of peritoneal
      disease in the right upper quadrant (P = .0003), supradiaphragmatic
      lymphadenopathy (P = .0004), more peritoneal disease sites (P = .0006), and
      nonvisualization of a discrete ovarian mass (P = .0037) were associated with
      shorter TTP. More peritoneal disease sites (P = .0025) and presence of pouch of
      Douglas implants (P = .0045) were associated with CLOVAR mesenchymal profile.
      Combinations of imaging features contained predictive signal for TTP (concordance
      index = 0.658; P = .0006) and CLOVAR profile (mean squared deviation = 1.776; P =
      .0043). Conclusion These results provide some evidence of the clinical and
      biologic validity of these image features. Interobserver agreement is strong for
      some features, but could be improved for others. (c) RSNA, 2017 Online
      supplemental material is available for this article.

PMID- 28641044
TI  - The effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance training
      on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review.
AB  - Although the effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance
      training on measures of muscle hypertrophy have been investigated in several
      studies, the findings are equivocal and the practical implications remain
      unclear. In an attempt to provide clarity on the topic, we performed a systematic
      literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library,
      and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) electronic databases. Six studies
      were found to have met the inclusion criteria: (a) an experimental trial
      published in an English-language peer-reviewed journal; (b) the study compared
      the use of short (<=60 s) to long (>60 s) inter-set rest intervals in a
      traditional dynamic resistance exercise using both concentric and eccentric
      muscle actions, with the only difference in resistance training among groups
      being the inter-set rest interval duration; (c) at least one method of measuring
      changes in muscle mass was used in the study; (d) the study lasted for a minimum
      of four weeks, employed a training frequency of >=2 resistance training days per
      week, and (e) used human participants without known chronic disease or injury.
      Current evidence indicates that both short and long inter-set rest intervals may
      be useful when training for achieving gains in muscle hypertrophy. Novel findings
      involving trained participants using measures sensitive to detect changes in
      muscle hypertrophy suggest a possible advantage for the use of long rest
      intervals to elicit hypertrophic effects. However, due to the paucity of studies
      with similar designs, further research is needed to provide a clear
      differentiation between these two approaches.

PMID- 28641045
TI  - Beyond Income: A Social Justice Approach to Assessing Poverty among Older Adults
      with Chronic Kidney Disease.
AB  - How social workers define and assess poverty is a matter of economic and social
      justice. Recent conceptual and measurement advances point to a multidimensional
      definition of poverty which captures material, social, and political
      deprivations. Using data from a survey, this article describes how nephrology
      social workers assess poverty among older adults living with a chronic kidney
      disease (N = 52). Results suggest respondents already conceive of poverty as a
      multidimensional experience, support awareness-raising about poverty, and
      primarily assess poverty by employment status, income, access to transportation,
      and education. Opportunities to expand poverty assessment in future work are
      promising.

PMID- 28641046
TI  - Exploring the Health Needs of Aging LGBT Adults in the Cape Fear Region of North
      Carolina.
AB  - This study explored issues of culturally sensitive healthcare practice and needs
      among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender aging adults in coastal North
      Carolina. Survey data results indicated the largest problem was a history of
      verbally harassment and need for culturally sensitive healthcare. In conclusion,
      culturally sensitive interventions are needed to address the health disparities
      and unique needs of LGBT aging adults. Cultural sensitivity training for service
      providers is suggested as a vital step in addressing health disparities of aging
      LGBT adults. Implications for research include further exploration of health
      related needs of these often hidden and underserved population groups.

PMID- 28641047
TI  - The interaction of distress tolerance and intolerance of uncertainty in the
      prediction of symptom reduction across CBT for social anxiety disorder.
AB  - Distress tolerance (DT) and intolerance of uncertainty (IU) have been identified
      as transdiagnostic processes that predict symptom severity across a range of
      distinct anxiety disorders. However, the joint effect of these two variables on
      therapeutic outcome has not yet been examined. It is possible that DT and IU may
      both impact on treatment response to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) in
      clients with anxiety, as clients with weak DT and strong IU may be less likely to
      engage in exposure and cognitive restructuring tasks across treatment due to
      their associated distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the
      interaction of DT and IU as predictors of post-treatment symptom severity and
      treatment response to group CBT in participants with primary DSM-IV-TR diagnosed
      social anxiety disorder (SAD). Participants (N = 95) with SAD completed 12 weeks
      of manualized group CBT. Results of multilevel longitudinal analysis demonstrated
      an interaction effect, such that lower DT and higher IU predicted higher SAD
      symptom severity across the course of therapy. The findings are discussed in
      terms of clinical implications for the disorder-specific and transdiagnostic
      treatment of anxiety disorders.

PMID- 28641048
TI  - Updates and current challenges in microRNA research for personalized medicine in
      ovarian cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common and the most lethal
      of the gynecological malignancies. Currently, there exists no effective screening
      tool for OC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous 18-23 nucleotide non-coding RNAs
      that refine gene expression. MiRNAs have been found to be aberrantly expressed in
      OC tumor tissue as well as detectable in biological fluids such as the blood,
      urine, and ascites and have been proposed as biomarkers and therapeutic targets
      for OC. Areas covered: This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the
      application of miRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in OC.
      It describes the various tissues allowing for the analysis of miRNAs such as
      tumor tissue, blood, ascites and urine. It also highlights the potential of
      miRNAs as a therapy in other cancers and how these therapies may be applied to
      ovarian cancer. Expert opinion: The study of miRNAs is an innovative and
      promising field for the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. Methodological
      issues surrounding their detection and application therapeutically remain, such
      as the study of various OC histotypes within the same cohort, the choice of
      'normal tissue' for comparison and the difficulties surrounding the choice of a
      normalization miRNA.

PMID- 28641049
TI  - A study of physicians' experiences with recommending HPV vaccines to adolescent
      boys.
AB  - Assessing physicians' experiences in HPV vaccine recommendation and delivery to
      adolescent boys is essential to providing an understanding of the issues of
      vaccine acceptance and an insight for policymakers to enhance HPV vaccinations
      among adolescent boys. Between January and April 2014 a mail survey was conducted
      using physicians in Malaysia known to provide either one or both HPV vaccine
      (Gardasil and Cervarix) immunisation services. A total of 357 completed
      questionnaires were received (response rate 22.5%). Of these, 335 physicians see
      adolescent boys aged 11 to 18 years old in their practice. Only 26.3% (n = 88)
      recommended the HPV vaccine to these boys. A total of 46.6% (n = 41) have
      successfully given the HPV vaccine to adolescent boys. A lack of proper
      guidelines from the health authorities regarding the recommendation of HPV
      vaccine to the boys (37.2%) and a lack of awareness of the availability of the
      vaccine for boys (32.8%) were the most commonly cited reasons for non
      recommendation. Impact statement Recommending the HPV vaccine for adolescent boys
      remains a challenge for physicians. Our study provides evidence of challenges and
      barriers faced by Malaysian physicians who recommend the HPV vaccines (Gardasil
      and Cervarix) in their practices. In this study, physicians reported HPV vaccine
      uptake by adolescent boys was very poor. A lack of proper guidelines from the
      health authorities regarding the recommendation of HPV vaccine to boys and a lack
      of awareness of the availability of the vaccine for boys were the most commonly
      cited reasons for non-recommendation. Physicians viewed that support and
      encouragement from the health authorities are needed to promote the
      recommendation of the HPV vaccine to adolescent boys. Physicians were also of the
      opinion that the lay public should be educated about the availability of the HPV
      vaccine for boys, and its benefits, safety and efficacy, and the high
      susceptibility of boys to getting HPV infections. The findings provide insights
      that could be helpful to policymakers or high-level decision-makers of the
      potential strategies to enhance HPV uptake among adolescent boys.

PMID- 28641050
TI  - Thrifty Females, Frisky Males: Winter Energetics of Hibernating Bats from a Cold
      Climate.
AB  - Mammalian hibernation consists of energy-saving torpor bouts (periods of
      controlled reduction in body temperature [Tb]) interspersed with brief arousals
      to normothermic Tb. Frequency and duration of torpor bouts and arousals can
      affect winter survival and are thought to be influenced by an optimization
      balancing the energetic benefits of prolonged torpor against the physiological
      and ecological costs (e.g., accumulation of metabolic wastes). Female little
      brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) spend their fat reserves more slowly than males
      during winter, presumably so they can emerge from hibernation in good condition
      to initiate pregnancy. We used temperature telemetry over three winters to test a
      prediction of the optimization hypothesis that female M. lucifugus would use
      longer torpor bouts and/or shorter arousals than males. Females did conserve
      energy relative to males by adjusting the magnitude and duration of arousals but
      not the duration of torpor bouts. Although torpor bout duration did not vary by
      sex for adults, it did vary by age. Adults initially used longer torpor bouts
      than young-of-the-year, but this difference declined as cave temperature warmed
      in spring. Males and females in better condition spent more energy during
      hibernation, again via increased arousal duration rather than decreased torpor
      bout duration. Longer arousals by males could increase reproductive fitness if
      males mate with torpid females throughout winter. Our results highlight
      demographic differences in winter behavior for small hibernators facing extreme
      energy limitation in cold climates and illustrate the influence that reproductive
      costs have on hibernation energetics.

PMID- 28641051
TI  - Beneficial Role of Citrus Fruit Polyphenols Against Hepatic Dysfunctions: A
      Review.
AB  - Alcoholic liver diseases and virus-induced hepatic dysfunctions are prevalent in
      western countries. Evidence also suggests that hyperglycemia and insulin
      resistance are key players in the development of hepatic diseases and their
      complications. Since the comorbid diseases like obesity, diabetes and vascular
      dysfunctions primarily affect liver, the modern therapies against other hepatic
      dysfunctions are becoming a major challenge to treat. In addition to these,
      polypharmacy and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are further aggravating the
      phenomenon. Production of interleukins (IL) 1beta, tumor necrosis factors (TNF)
      alpha, nuclear factor (NF) kappaB, activator protein (AP) 1, macrophage
      inflammatory protein (MIP), toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, and several other harmful
      cytokines are often evaluated for clinical significance in hepatic complications
      as recommended by much evidence. On the other hand, transforming growth factors
      (TGF) beta, matrix metalloproteinases, and extracellular matrix- (ECM-) mediated
      hepatic fibrosis have been identified as major targets. However, modern medicines
      rely not only on synthetic compounds but also on herbal sources. Traditional
      therapies are gradually being acknowledged due to having fewer ADRs and other
      complications. Citrus fruits are generally seen all over the world and offer a
      great value as seasonal fruit. Several important biologically active components
      such as polyphenols, flavonols, carbohydrates, amino acids, and oils have been
      isolated from this family. Evidence suggests that polyphenol-based therapies have
      already proved their high potency against the production of inflammatory
      cytokines and profibrogenic factors. Along with the prevention of oxidative
      stress, these molecules hinder the generation of free radicals. Furthermore,
      polyphenols induce several defensive genes such as Nrf2, AMPK, superoxide
      dismutase, catalase, heme oxygenase (HO), Sirt1, and other important functional
      proteins to serve mitochondrial biogenesis. Therefore, this review will try to
      establish some molecular theories between citrus polyphenols and liver
      dysfunctions.

PMID- 28641052
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28641053
TI  - The discovery and development of romidepsin for the treatment of T-cell lymphoma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Romidepsin is a potent and selective inhibitor of histone
      deacetylases (HDCAi). It is also the only bicyclic inhibitor to undergo clinical
      assessment and is considered a promising drug for the treatment of T-cell
      lymphomas. The cellular action of romidepsin results in enhanced histone
      acetylation, as well as the acetylation of other nuclear or cytoplasmic proteins,
      influencing cell cycle, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. In phase II studies
      involving patients with relapsed or refractory of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
      (CTCL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), romidepsin produced overall
      response rates (ORR) of 34-35% and 25-38%, with complete response (CR) rates of
      6% and 15-18%, respectively. Areas covered: This review summarizes the
      development of romidepsin, the mechanisms behind its antineoplastic action and
      its pharmacology. It also covers its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
      properties, as well as the preclinical and clinical data on its activity in T
      cell lymphoma. Expert opinion: Since there are only few effective therapies
      available for T-cell lymphomas, romidepsin is a valuable option for
      relapsed/refractory patients with both CTCL and PTCL. It's also generally well
      tolerated, and gives potentially durable responses for patients with advanced and
      symptomatic disease. Combinations of romidepsin with other antineoplastic agents
      may also further improve drug response and outcomes in T-cell lymphoma.

PMID- 28641054
TI  - Behavioral interventions to reduce nickel exposure in a nickel processing plant.
AB  - Nickel is a widely-used material in many industries. Although there is enough
      evidence that occupational exposure to nickel may cause respiratory illnesses,
      allergies, and even cancer, it is not possible to stop the use of nickel in
      occupational settings. Nickel exposure, however, can be controlled and reduced
      significantly in workplaces. The main objective of this study was to assess if
      educational intervention of hygiene behavior could reduce nickel exposure among
      Indonesian nickel smelter workers. Participants were randomly assigned to three
      intervention groups (n = 99). Group one (n = 35) received only an educational
      booklet about nickel, related potential health effects and preventive measures,
      group two (n = 35) attended a presentation in addition to the booklet, and group
      three (n = 29) received personal feedback on their biomarker results in addition
      to the booklet and presentations. Pre- and post-intervention air sampling was
      conducted to measure concentrations of dust and nickel in air along with worker's
      blood and urine nickel concentrations. The study did not measure significant
      differences in particles and nickel concentrations in the air between pre- and
      post-interventions. However, we achieved significant reductions in the post
      intervention urine and blood nickel concentrations which can be attributed to
      changes in personal hygiene behavior. The median urinary nickel concentration in
      the pre-intervention period for group one was 52.3 ug/L, for group two 57.4 ug/L,
      and group three 43.2 ug/L which were significantly higher (p< = 0.010) than those
      measured in the post-intervention period for each of the groups with 8.5 ug/L,
      9.6 ug/L, and 8.2 ug/L, respectively. A similar pattern was recorded for serum
      nickel with significantly (p < 0.05) higher median concentrations measured in the
      pre-intervention period for group one 1.7 ug/L, and 2.0 ug/L for group 2 and
      group 3 compared with the post intervention median serum nickel levels of 0.1
      ug/L for all groups. The study showed that educational interventions can
      significantly reduce personal exposure levels to nickel among Indonesian nickel
      smelter workers.

PMID- 28641055
TI  - Long-term safety evaluation of natalizumab for the treatment of multiple
      sclerosis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Natalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody highly effective in
      relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Important concerns about its safety
      have been pointed out mainly because of the risk of progressive multifocal
      leukoencephalopathy (PML), caused by the opportunistic John-Cunningham virus
      (JCV). Areas covered: This review analyzes all the safety aspects related to the
      use and safety of natalizumab in MS patients. Other than PML, post-marketing,
      safety red-flags have been reported, as liver or haematological serious adverse
      events. Pregnancy evidences will be pointed out. The risk of PML depends on:
      concomitant or previous immunosuppression, exposure duration, anti-JCV antibody
      level. In natalizumab-related PML the average survival is 77%; prognostic
      features and information for the earliest identification of PML have been
      identified to maximally reduce its incidence, mortality and morbidity. Expert
      opinion: Natalizumab is a highly effective drug for MS patients but its safety
      issues represent a relevant limitation and impose strict clinical surveillance of
      treated patients. Some post-marketing safety red-flags have been pointed out,
      with higher attention to severe liver failures and limphoma cases. If PML and its
      consequences are considered the most relevant issues, a continuous surveillance
      must be maintained also regarding other possible SAEs like liver diseases and
      malignancies.

PMID- 28641057
TI  - Child anthropometry data quality from Demographic and Health Surveys, Multiple
      Indicator Cluster Surveys, and National Nutrition Surveys in the West Central
      Africa region: are we comparing apples and oranges?
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has been limited work comparing survey characteristics and
      assessing the quality of child anthropometric data from population-based surveys.
      OBJECTIVE: To investigate survey characteristics and indicators of quality of
      anthropometric data in children aged 0-59 months from 23 countries in the West
      Central Africa region. METHODS: Using established methodologies and criteria to
      examine child age, sex, height, and weight, we conducted a comprehensive
      assessment and scoring of the quality of anthropometric data collected in 100
      national surveys. RESULTS: The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and
      Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) collected data from a greater number of
      younger children than older children while the opposite was found for the
      National Nutrition Surveys (NNS). Missing or implausible height/weight data
      proportions were 12% and 8% in MICS and DHS compared to 3% in NNS. Average data
      quality scores were 14 in NNS, 33 in DHS, and 41 in MICS. CONCLUSIONS: Although
      our metric of data quality suggests that data from the NNS appear more consistent
      and robust, it is equally important to consider its disadvantages related to
      access and lack of broader socioeconomic information. In comparison, the DHS and
      MICS are publicly-accessable for research and provide socioeconomic context
      essential for assessing and addressing the burden of undernutrition within and
      between countries. The strengths and weaknesses of data from these three sources
      should be carefully considered when seeking to determine the burden of child
      undernutrition and its variation within countries.

PMID- 28641056
TI  - The odd couple: using biomedical and intersectional approaches to address health
      inequities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Better understanding and addressing health inequities is a growing
      global priority. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we contribute to the literature
      examining complex relationships between biological and social dimensions in the
      field of health inequalities. Specifically, we explore the potential of
      intersectionality to advance current approaches to socio-biological entwinements.
      DESIGN: We provide a brief overview of current approaches to combining both
      biological and social factors in a single study, and then investigate the
      contributions of an intersectional framework to such work. RESULTS: We offer a
      number of concrete examples of how intersectionality has been used empirically to
      bring both biological and social factors together in the areas of HIV, post
      traumatic stress disorder, female genital circumcision/mutilation/cutting, and
      cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSION: We argue that an intersectional approach can
      further research that integrates biological and social aspects of human lives and
      human health and ultimately generate better and more precise evidence for
      effective policies and practices aimed at tackling health inequities.

PMID- 28641058
TI  - Acute kinematics changes in marathon runners using different footwear.
AB  - The effects of running with or without shoes on injury prevention have been
      extensively studied, and several investigations have assessed biomechanical
      differences between them. However, findings are not consensual and further
      insights on biomechanical load associated with differently shod or barefoot
      conditions may be needed. This study aimed to observe if habitually shod marathon
      runners show acute alterations when running barefoot or with minimalist shoes,
      and to determine whether the running kinematical adaptations of wearing
      minimalist shoes were similar to barefoot running. Twelve male marathon runners
      ran on the treadmill at their average marathon pace in different footwear
      conditions: habitual running shoes, minimalist shoes, and barefoot. High
      resolution infrared cameras and visual 3D software were used to assess kinematic
      data. The following parameters were studied: foot strike angle, cycle time,
      stance time, normalized stride length, hip, knee, and ankle angular position at
      initial contact, and their respective range-of-motion (ROM) during stance phase.
      Contrary to the expectations, it was found that highly trained habitually shod
      elite marathon runners changed their lower limb kinematic pattern both when
      running barefoot or wearing minimalist shoes. Minimalist shoes showed a trend
      towards intermediate biomechanical effects between running with and without
      shoes.

PMID- 28641059
TI  - The latent structure of social anxiety disorder and the performance only
      specifier: a taxometric analysis.
AB  - Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is often treated as a discrete diagnostic entity
      that represents a naturally occurring class, though empirical evidence largely
      supports a dimensional conceptualization of social fears. Further, the inclusion
      of a "performance only" specifier in the DSM-5 implies that individuals who
      experience intense social anxiety exclusively in performance situations are
      distinct from those with broader social fears. The purpose of the present
      research was to examine the latent structure of SAD and the DSM-5 "performance
      only" specifier in a large nonclinical sample (n = 2019). Three taxometric
      procedures (MAXCOV, MAMBAC, and L-Mode) were applied to indicators derived from
      two commonly used measures of social anxiety. Results yielded convergent evidence
      indicating that social anxiety exhibits a dimensional latent structure. Further,
      social performance anxiety demonstrates continuous relationships with milder
      social fears, suggesting that the "performance only" specifier may not represent
      a discrete entity. The implications of these findings for the assessment,
      diagnosis, classification, and treatment of social anxiety are discussed.

PMID- 28641060
TI  - Effective preventive interventions to support parents of young children:
      Illustrations from the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting
      and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD).
AB  - Secure attachment relationships are essential for children's current and later
      development. From attachment theory and research, it can be derived that
      sensitive parenting is the key to positive parent-child relationships. Is it
      possible to design effective interventions to enhance sensitive parenting? In
      this article, we review elements that are crucial for effective attachment-based
      interventions, and we proceed with illustrations from the Video-feedback
      Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD). We
      describe how this intervention program was developed, how it has been implemented
      in practice in different types of families and in daycare settings, and how
      effective the program is. We conclude that intervention programs like the VIPP-SD
      could play an important role in the community by serving families in need of
      parenting support.

PMID- 28641061
TI  - Positive parenting as responsible care: Risks, protective factors, and
      intervention evaluation.
AB  - In this themed issue of the Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the
      Community, the first four contributions provide knowledge on factors that can
      support or hinder positive parenting throughout children's lives. In particular,
      the first article examined the spillover of work stressors on parenting behaviors
      and the role of spousal support as a moderator of stress spillover. The second
      contribution examines the association between parents' promotion of volitional
      functioning and adopted children's sense of strength of family bonds and
      belonging to the adoptive family. The third article analyzes the negative impact
      of intrusive parenting on young adult children's romantic relationship quality
      and couple identity, and the fourth article examines parents' autonomous and
      controlled motivations to transmit values to their adolescent children and their
      associations with parents' socialization goals. Finally, the last two articles
      present the contents and evaluation of two parenting programs. The fifth article
      illustrates the development, content, and efficacy of an attachment-based
      intervention for parenting: the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive
      Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD); the sixth article presents a
      qualitative evaluation of a group-based program focused on promoting parents'
      identity together with parenting skills: The Groups for Family Enrichment_Parent
      version (GFE_P).

PMID- 28641062
TI  - The difficulty of being a professional, a parent, and a spouse on the same day:
      Daily spillover of workplace interactions on parenting, and the role of spousal
      support.
AB  - Designing parenting interventions and preventions requires knowledge on the
      factors and processes that shape parenting behaviors. Using data collected over
      10 days, during the last hour of work and before going to bed, this study
      examined the spillover of interpersonal work stresses into positive and negative
      parenting behaviors. Data were collected among 103 couples who had at least one
      child between the age of one and eight years. Of particular interest was the role
      of received emotional spousal support as a moderator of stress spillover. Dyadic
      variants of multilevel models were used to analyze the data. The results showed
      that on days on which mothers or fathers reported stressful interpersonal
      interactions in the workplace, they also reported less positive parenting
      behaviors. In addition, mothers reported more negative parenting behaviors on
      days characterized by these kinds of work experiences. Mothers and fathers were
      found to report more positive parenting behaviors, and mothers less negative
      parenting behaviors, on the days on which they received more spousal support.
      Received spousal support also moderated spillover of work stress into parenting
      behaviors and this finding was found to be gender-specific: for mothers, support
      enhanced spillover into positive behaviors, and for fathers, it enhanced
      spillover into negative parenting behaviors.

PMID- 28641063
TI  - Launching adoptees into adulthood: Mothers' and fathers' promotion of volitional
      functioning.
AB  - In the psychological literature, there is growing evidence that parental support
      of children's volitional functioning is one of the most prominent protective
      factors during adolescence and the transition to adulthood. According to the Self
      Determination Theory, children cope best with developmental tasks when they
      acquire a sense of self-governance and self-endorsed functioning. In the field of
      adoption research, however, the parental promotion of volitional functioning
      (PVF) and its relation to the adopted child's development are still
      underinvestigated. The present study involved 160 Italian internationally adopted
      adolescents and emerging adults and both their parents. It was aimed at examining
      the extent to which PVF, as reported by each family member, was related to the
      child's adoptive filiation. Overall, findings showed significant associations
      between maternal and paternal PVF and adoptive filiation that, however, varied
      according to the informant and to the child's gender and age. Results have been
      discussed in relation to the intervention with adoptive parents and children.

PMID- 28641064
TI  - A qualitative evaluation of a preventive intervention for parents: The Groups for
      Family Enrichment_Parent version (GFE_P).
AB  - The traditional objective of parenting enrichment programs is to train parents'
      abilities and specific competences, but less attention is paid to promoting
      participants' reflection on their parental identity. These programs are generally
      delivered to groups of parents, though the group is rarely considered a specific
      tool to promote changes in participants' relational functioning. The Groups for
      Family Enrichment_Parent version (GFE_P; Iafrate, Donato, & Bertoni, 2010 ;
      Iafrate & Rosnati, 2007 ) focus on parental identity in addition to parental
      competences and skills and purposely use the group of parents as an educational
      tool, adopting a semistructured format. In this article, we first introduce the
      characteristics of GFE_P, then we present the results of a qualitative evaluation
      of an application of this intervention to a group of Italian parents. Findings
      from the process evaluation showed that participants actively contributed to the
      development of themes during the intervention. Result evaluation suggested that
      the recognition of key aspects of parental identity can be an important
      prerequisite to the acquisition of better parenting skills. Implications for
      parenting programs design are discussed.

PMID- 28641065
TI  - Motivations and contents of parent-child value transmission.
AB  - This study focused on parents' motivations to transmit values to their adolescent
      children. According to Self-Determination Theory, controlled motivations (i.e.,
      external and introjected)-which refer to doing something because it leads to
      approval or rewards-and autonomous motivations (i.e., identified and integrated)
      which refer to doing something because it is perceived as inherently worthy-were
      examined. 325 Italian parental couples, with one child aged between 14 and 18
      years, filled out a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that in value
      transmission, both parents were primarily moved by autonomous motivations,
      although for fathers, external motivations were more important than for mothers.
      Both paternal and maternal motivations resulted to be related with the values
      parents would like their children to endorse. In particular, the more parents
      felt volitional in transmitting values, the more they gave importance to self
      transcendence in their children's socialization; the more parents were guided by
      controlled motivations, the more they would like their children to endorse
      conservation values. Implications of this research and its possible developments
      are discussed.

PMID- 28641066
TI  - Free to love? The role of intrusive parenting for young adult children's romantic
      relationship quality.
AB  - Intrusive parenting is a form of boundary disturbance in the parent-child
      relationship which has been consistently associated with children's
      maladjustment. The present study examines the role of intrusive parenting for
      young adult children's romantic relationship quality. Relying on data from a two
      wave longitudinal study among young couples in transition to marriage in Italy,
      we investigated the link between young adults' perceived intrusive parenting and
      change in their romantic relationship quality from 6 months before marriage to 18
      months after marriage, as well as the mediating role of change in the capacity to
      include the partner in the self. Data were analyzed using actor-partner
      interdependence modeling. Perceived intrusive parenting negatively predicted
      change in inclusion of the other in the self and change in romantic relationship
      quality for both partners. For females, change in their capacity of inclusion of
      the other in the self fully mediated the association between their perceived
      intrusive parenting and change in their own and partner's relationship quality.
      Limitations and implications for practice are discussed.

PMID- 28641068
TI  - Centric relation-intercuspal position discrepancy and its relationship with
      temporomandibular disorders. A systematic review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between
      centric relation-intercuspal position discrepancy (CR-ICP discrepancy) and
      temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), by systematically reviewing the literature.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic research was performed between 1960 and 2016
      based on electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, Scopus,
      EBSCOhost, BIREME, Lilacs and Scielo, including all languages. Analytical
      observational clinical studies were identified. Two independent authors selected
      the articles. PICO format was used to analyze the studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa
      Scale (NOS) was used to verify the quality of the evidence. RESULTS: Four hundred
      and sixty-seven potentially eligible articles were identified. Twenty studies
      were analyzed, being grouped according to intervention in studies in orthodontic
      patients (n = 3) and studies in subjects without intervention (n = 17). Quality
      of evidence was low, with an average score of 3.36 according to Newcastle-Ottawa
      Scale. In most studies, the presence of CR-ICP discrepancy is associated with the
      presence of muscle (pain) and joint disorders (noise, disc displacement, pain,
      crepitus, osteoarthritis and osteoarthrosis). However, the lack of consistency of
      the results reported reduces the validity of the studies making it impossible to
      draw any definite conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the heterogeneity of the
      design and methodology and the low quality of the articles reviewed, it is not
      possible to establish an association between CR-ICP discrepancy and TMD. The
      consequence of CR-ICP discrepancy on the presence of TMD requires further
      research, well-defined and validated diagnostic criteria and rigorous scientific
      methodologies. Longitudinal studies are needed to identify CR-ICP discrepancy as
      a possible risk factor for the presence of TMD.

PMID- 28641069
TI  - The Present Retirement Crisis and How Social Workers Can Respond.
AB  - Research on Americans' retirement readiness indicates a wide range of
      preparedness for the golden years. Called a "crisis" by researchers, retirement
      for some may include significant choices: continued employment or utilization of
      social welfare services. This article describes factors contributing to the
      retirement crisis and roles social workers can play in assisting older retirees.
      Disparity in household retirement savings exists by ethnicity. On the front lines
      serving aging individuals and their families, social work professionals are well
      situated to collaborate with individuals, and other providers, to address
      financial, social and emotional pillars necessary in facilitating a safe and
      secure retirement.

PMID- 28641070
TI  - ELMO proteins transduce G protein-coupled receptor signal to control
      reorganization of actin cytoskeleton in chemotaxis of eukaryotic cells.
AB  - Chemotaxis, which is chemoattractant-guided directional cell migration, plays
      major roles in recruitment of neutrophils, the metastasis of cancer cells, and
      the development of the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum. These cells share
      remarkable similarities in the signaling pathways by which they control
      chemotaxis. They all use a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated signal
      transduction pathway to sense the chemotactic gradient to guide cell migration.
      Diverse chemokines activate Rac through conserved GPCR signaling pathways. ELMO
      proteins are an evolutionarily conserved, essential component of the ELMO/Dock
      complex, which functions as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for small
      G protein Rac activation. The linkages between the GPCR-initiated gradient
      sensing compass and the Rac-mediated migrating machinery have long been missing.
      Here, we summarize recent findings on ELMO proteins that directly interact with G
      protein and transduce GPCR signaling to control the reorganization of actin-based
      cytoskeleton through regulating Rac activation during chemotaxis, first in D.
      discoideum and then in mammalian cancer cells. This represents an evolutionarily
      conserved signaling shortcut from GPCR to the actin cytoskeleton.

PMID- 28641071
TI  - Giving It Our Best Shot? Human Papillomavirus and Hepatitis B Virus Immunization
      Among Refugees, Massachusetts, 2011-2013.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The receipt rate of hepatitis B virus vaccine among adolescents in
      the United States is high, while the receipt rate of human papillomavirus vaccine
      is low. Rates have not been closely studied among refugees, whose home countries
      have high rates of disease caused by these viruses. METHODS: We examined human
      papillomavirus and hepatitis B virus immunization rates among 2,269 refugees aged
      9 to 26 years who resettled in Massachusetts from 2011 through 2013. This was a
      secondary analysis of data from their medical screenings. We used binary logistic
      regression to assess characteristics associated with immunization and bivariate
      analyses to compare refugee immunization rates with those of the general US
      population. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of US adolescents aged 13 to 17 years
      received 1 dose of human papillomavirus vaccine, compared with 68% of similarly
      aged refugees. Males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% confidence interval
      [CI], 0.52-0.74), refugees older than 13 years (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.93),
      and refugees not from Sub-Saharan Africa (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.92) were less
      likely to receive human papillomavirus vaccine, while arrivals in 2012 through
      2013 were more likely (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9) than those arriving in 2011.
      Refugees older than 13 years were less likely to receive 2 doses of hepatitis B
      virus vaccine (aOR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.37-0.63) than older refugees. CONCLUSION:
      Specialized post-arrival health assessment may improve refugees' immunization
      rates.

PMID- 28641072
TI  - Overweight, Obesity, and Extreme Obesity Among Mississippi Adults, 2001-2010 and
      2011-2015.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In 2015, about 1.5 million adults in Mississippi were overweight or
      obese. Obesity is associated with increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular
      problems. We examined trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and
      extreme obesity from 2001 through 2010 and 2011 through 2015. METHODS: We used
      data from the Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to analyze
      trends in the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity among adults
      from 2001 through 2010 and 2011 through 2015. Joinpoint software was used to
      examine annual percentage change (APC) in the prevalence of each condition
      overall and by sex and race. RESULTS: We observed a significant decrease in
      overweight prevalence from 2001 to 2010, both overall (APC, -1.3%) and among men
      (APC, -2.0%), blacks (APC, -1.0%), and whites (APC, -1.5%), but not among women.
      The overall prevalence of both obesity (APC, 2.9%) and extreme obesity (APC,
      3.6%) increased significantly, and these increases occurred across all subgroups
      for both obesity (men APC, 3.5%; women APC, 2.5%; blacks APC, 1.9%; and whites
      APC, 3.8%) and extreme obesity (men APC, 6.7%; women APC, 2.5%; blacks APC, 2.2%;
      and whites APC, 5.0%). From 2011 to 2015, the only significant change was an
      increase in the prevalence of extreme obesity among whites (APC, 2.6%).
      CONCLUSION: The increasing proportion of adult Mississippians in the 2 highest
      risk BMI categories warrants urgent community and clinical obesity interventions.
      Community-tailored and sustained obesity prevention, treatment, and control
      programs that include diet and physical activity are needed to address the
      obesity epidemic.

PMID- 28641073
TI  - Gonorrhoea testing and positivity in non-remote Aboriginal Community Controlled
      Health Services.
AB  - : Background Gonorrhoea occurs at high levels in young Aboriginal and Torres
      Strait Islander people living in remote communities, but there are limited data
      on urban and regional settings. An analysis was undertaken of gonorrhoea testing
      and positivity at four non-remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services
      participating in a collaborative research network. METHODS: This was a
      retrospective analysis of clinical encounter data derived from electronic medical
      records at participating services. Data were extracted using the GRHANITE program
      for all patients aged 15-54 years from 2009 to 2013. Demographic characteristics
      and testing and positivity for gonorrhoea were calculated for each year. RESULTS:
      A total of 2971 patients (2571 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander) were
      tested for gonorrhoea during the study period. Among Aboriginal and/or Torres
      Strait Islander patients, 40 (1.6%) tested positive. Gonorrhoea positivity was
      associated with clinic location (higher in the regional clinic) and having had a
      positive chlamydia test. By year, the proportion of patients aged 15-29 years
      tested for gonorrhoea increased in both men (7.4% in 2009 to 15.9% in 2013) and
      women (14.8% in 2009 to 25.3% in 2013). Concurrent testing for chlamydia was
      performed on 86.3% of testing occasions, increasing from 75% in 2009 to 92% in
      2013. Factors related to concurrent testing were sex and year of test.
      CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of gonorrhoea among young Aboriginal and/or Torres
      Strait Islander people in non-remote settings suggests that the current approach
      of duplex testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea simultaneously is justified,
      particularly for women.

PMID- 28641074
TI  - Development of novel antigen receptors for CAR T-cell therapy directed toward
      solid malignancies.
AB  - Development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have led to remarkable
      successes in the treatment of B-cell malignancies with anti-CD19 CAR. Here we
      discuss the development of novel antigen receptors for use in solid malignancies
      with respect to target antigens, receptor design, and T cell manipulations.

PMID- 28641076
TI  - Elevated CD26 Expression by Skin Fibroblasts Distinguishes a Profibrotic
      Phenotype Involved in Scar Formation Compared to Gingival Fibroblasts.
AB  - Compared to skin, wound healing in oral mucosa is faster and produces less
      scarring, but the mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Studies in
      mice have linked high expression of CD26 to a profibrotic fibroblast phenotype,
      but this has not been tested in models more relevant for humans. We hypothesized
      that CD26 is highly expressed by human skin fibroblasts (SFBLs), and this
      associates with a profibrotic phenotype distinct from gingival fibroblasts
      (GFBLs). We compared CD26 expression in human gingiva and skin and in gingival
      and hypertrophic-like scar-forming skin wound healing in a pig model, and used
      three-dimensional cultures of human GFBLs and SFBLs. In both humans and pigs,
      nonwounded skin contained abundantly CD26-positive fibroblasts, whereas in
      gingiva they were rare. During skin wound healing, CD26-positive cells
      accumulated over time and persisted in forming hypertrophic-like scars, whereas
      few CD26-positive cells were present in the regenerated gingival wounds. Cultured
      human SFBLs displayed significantly higher levels of CD26 than GFBLs. This was
      associated with an increased expression of profibrotic genes and transforming
      growth factor-beta signaling in SFBLs. The profibrotic phenotype of SFBLs
      partially depended on expression of CD26, but was independent of its catalytic
      activity. Thus, a CD26-positive fibroblast population that is abundant in human
      skin but not in gingiva may drive the profibrotic response leading to excessive
      scarring.

PMID- 28641075
TI  - Postconditioning with Intralipid emulsion protects against reperfusion injury in
      post-infarct remodeled rat hearts by activation of ROS-Akt/Erk signaling.
AB  - The clinically used lipid emulsion Intralipid (ILE) reduces ischemia reperfusion
      injury in healthy rodent hearts. We tested whether ILE is cardioprotective in
      postinfarct remodeled hearts. Post-infarct remodeled and sham Sprague-Dawley rat
      hearts were perfused in working mode and subjected to ischemia (15 minutes) and
      reperfusion (30 minutes). Left ventricular (LV) work was measured in hearts that
      were untreated or that received ILE (1%) postconditioning administered at the
      onset of reperfusion, or the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-(2
      mercaptopropionyl)-glycine (10 MUM) alone or in combination with ILE.
      Mitochondrial O2 consumption was measured in LV muscle fibers. Acetyl CoA
      production was calculated from the oxidation of [U-14C]glucose and [9,10
      3H]palmitate. ROS production was assessed by loss of aconitase activity as well
      as by release of hydrogen peroxide. Phosphorylation of Akt, Erk1/2, and STAT3
      were used to evaluate protection signaling. Remodeled hearts exhibited LV
      dysfunction and signs of hypertrophy consistent with significant postinfarct
      remodeling. ILE postconditioning enhanced the recovery of postischemic LV
      function in remodeled hearts, preserved energy metabolism in mitochondria,
      accelerated palmitate oxidation and acetyl CoA production, and activated
      Akt/Erk/STAT3 in a ROS-dependent manner. Protection by ILE postconditioning
      evolved rapidly within the first minutes of reperfusion without evidence of
      additional cardiotonic effects due to provision of supplementary energy
      substrates potentially released from ILE during reperfusion. ILE represents a
      novel and clinically feasible cardioprotective strategy that is highly effective
      in remodeled hearts. Our data provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of
      ILE postconditioning where ILE is administered as a bolus at the onset of
      reperfusion.

PMID- 28641077
TI  - Inhibition of Early Growth Response 1 in the Hippocampus Alleviates
      Neuropathology and Improves Cognition in an Alzheimer Model with Plaques and
      Tangles.
AB  - A sporadic form of Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular dementia share many risk
      factors, and their pathogenic mechanisms are suggested to be related.
      Transcription factor early growth response 1 (Egr-1) regulates various vascular
      pathologies and is up-regulated in both AD brains and AD mouse models; however,
      its role in AD pathogenesis is unclear. Herein, we report that silencing of Egr-1
      in the hippocampus by shRNA reduces tau phosphorylation, lowers amyloid-beta
      (Abeta) pathology, and improves cognition in the 3xTg-AD mouse model. Egr-1
      silencing does not affect levels of cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 (Cdk5),
      glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, protein phosphatase 1, or protein phosphatase 2A,
      but reduces p35 subunit of Cdk5. Egr-1 silencing also reduces levels of beta
      secretase 1 (BACE-1) and BACE-1-cleaved amyloid precursor protein (APP)
      metabolites (secreted APPbeta, C99, Abeta40, and Abeta42) but has no effect on
      presenilin 1 and presenilin 2. In hippocampal primary neurons, Egr-1 binds to
      BACE-1 and p35 promoters, enhances tau phosphorylation, activates Cdk5 and BACE
      1, and accelerates amyloidogenic APP processing. Blocking Cdk5 action blocks Egr
      1-induced tau phosphorylation but has no effect on BACE-1 activation and
      amyloidogenic APP processing. Blocking BACE-1 action, on the other hand, blocks
      Egr-1-induced amyloidogenic APP processing but does not affect tau
      phosphorylation. Egr-1 regulates tau phosphorylation and Abeta synthesis in the
      brain by respectively controlling activities of Cdk5 and BACE-1, suggesting that
      Egr-1 is a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of AD.

PMID- 28641078
TI  - Signal dimensionality and the emergence of combinatorial structure.
AB  - In language, a small number of meaningless building blocks can be combined into
      an unlimited set of meaningful utterances. This is known as combinatorial
      structure. One hypothesis for the initial emergence of combinatorial structure in
      language is that recombining elements of signals solves the problem of
      overcrowding in a signal space. Another hypothesis is that iconicity may impede
      the emergence of combinatorial structure. However, how these two hypotheses
      relate to each other is not often discussed. In this paper, we explore how signal
      space dimensionality relates to both overcrowding in the signal space and
      iconicity. We use an artificial signalling experiment to test whether a signal
      space and a meaning space having similar topologies will generate an iconic
      system and whether, when the topologies differ, the emergence of combinatorially
      structured signals is facilitated. In our experiments, signals are created from
      participants' hand movements, which are measured using an infrared sensor. We
      found that participants take advantage of iconic signal-meaning mappings where
      possible. Further, we use trajectory predictability, measures of variance, and
      Hidden Markov Models to measure the use of structure within the signals produced
      and found that when topologies do not match, then there is more evidence of
      combinatorial structure. The results from these experiments are interpreted in
      the context of the differences between the emergence of combinatorial structure
      in different linguistic modalities (speech and sign).

PMID- 28641079
TI  - Reply by Authors.

PMID- 28641080
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28641081
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28641082
TI  - Mesh Sling Removals: Why, When, How and Consequences.

PMID- 28641083
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28641084
TI  - Reply by Authors.

PMID- 28641085
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28641086
TI  - Editorial Comment.

PMID- 28641087
TI  - Room to Grow-What is the Current Role of Neuromodulation in Pediatric Bowel
      Bladder Dysfunction?

PMID- 28641089
TI  - Combined time-lapse magnetic resonance imaging and modeling to investigate
      colloid deposition and transport in porous media.
AB  - Colloidal particles can act as vectors of adsorbed pollutants in the subsurface,
      or be themselves pollutants. They can reach the aquifer and impair groundwater
      quality. The mechanisms of colloid transport and deposition are often studied in
      columns filled with saturated porous media. Time-lapse profiles of colloid
      concentration inside the columns have occasionally been derived from magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) data recorded in transport experiments. These profiles
      are valuable, in addition to particle breakthrough curves (BTCs), for testing and
      improving colloid transport models. We show that concentrations could not be
      simply computed from MRI data when both deposited and suspended colloids
      contributed to the signal. We propose a generic method whereby these data can
      still be used to quantitatively appraise colloid transport models. It uses the
      modeled suspended and deposited particle concentrations to compute modeled MRI
      data that are compared to the experimental data. We tested this method by
      performing transport experiments with sorbing colloids in sand, and assessed for
      the first time the capacity of the model calibrated from BTCs to reproduce the
      MRI data. Interestingly, the dispersion coefficient and deposition rate
      calibrated from the BTC were respectively overestimated and underestimated
      compared with those calibrated from the MRI data, suggesting that these
      quantities, when determined from BTCs, need to be interpreted with care. In a
      broader perspective, we consider that combining MRI and modeling offers great
      potential for the quantitative analysis of complex MRI data recorded during
      transport experiments in complex environmentally relevant porous media, and can
      help improve our understanding of the fate of colloids and solutes, first in
      these media, and later in soils.

PMID- 28641088
TI  - Application of zeolite/hydrous zirconia composite as a novel sediment capping
      material to immobilize phosphorus.
AB  - A unique sediment-capping agent consisting of a zeolite/hydrous zirconia
      composite (ZHZ) was developed and tested for P-immobilization in the overlying
      water and sediment cores from a freshwater pond. In the ZHZ, NaP1 zeolite was
      covered with hydrous zirconia, which existed as an amorphous phase. Experimental
      results in pond water indicated that ZHZ could efficiently remove soluble
      reactive phosphorus. The 28-day sediment incubation experiments showed that
      capping sediment with ZHZ resulted in a more efficient, rapid and sustained
      decrease in P concentration when compared with the traditional alum treatment
      method. Furthermore, ZHZ increased the sediment stability, resulting in the
      lowest turbidity, total phosphorus and soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations
      in overlying water following artificially induced resuspension of sediment.
      Phosphorus fractionation of sediment showed that the dominant P form transferred
      from HCl-extractable P to residual P, and the most release-sensitive P (labile P
      and reductant reactive P) was decreased after ZHZ application. Overall, ZHZ is a
      highly effective P-immobilization material. ZHZ has high potential as a sediment
      capping material to control internal P loading in eutrophic water bodies.

PMID- 28641090
TI  - Injunctive safety norms, young worker risk-taking behaviors, and workplace
      injuries.
AB  - Injunctive safety norms (ISNs) refer to perceptions of others' expectations of
      one's safety-related conduct. Drawing on a sample of Canadian young workers
      (n=11,986;M age=17.90years; 55% males), we study the relationships among four
      sources of non-work-related (i.e., parents, siblings, friends, teachers), two
      sources of work-related (i.e., supervisors, co-workers) ISNs, young workers' self
      reported work-related risk-taking behaviors, and workplace injuries. Structural
      equation modeling suggests that ISNs from parents, supervisors, and co-workers
      were related to less frequent work-related risk-taking behaviors, and with fewer
      workplace injuries via less frequent work-related risk-taking behaviors. In
      addition, ISNs from supervisors were directly associated with fewer workplace
      injuries. In contrast, ISNs from teachers and siblings were not associated with
      work-related risk-taking behaviors, but ISNs from siblings were associated with
      fewer work injuries. Finally, ISNs from friends were associated with more
      frequent work-related risk-taking and more frequent work injuries via more
      frequent work-related risk-taking. This study draws attention to the relative
      roles of non-work sources of social influence and provides some evidence of how
      ISNs might be related to young workers' work-related risk-taking behaviors and
      their workplace injuries. It also contributes to practice by suggesting specific
      interventions that parents, supervisors, and co-workers could undertake to reduce
      young workers' work-related risk-taking and workplace injuries, namely
      encouraging youth to be safe at work.

PMID- 28641091
TI  - Increasing rates of Clostridium difficile infection in Mexican hospitals.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has
      changed in the last two decades. There is a lack of information regarding
      incidence and severity of CDI, especially in the developing world. METHODS: This
      was a retrospective and observational study from four hospitals of three Mexican
      cities. Patients were diagnosed with CDI when presented with loose stools and had
      at least one of the following tests positive: toxins assay, real-time PCR, or an
      endoscopic image compatible with pseudomembranous colitis. CDI was classified
      according to international guidelines. Demographic and clinical data as well as
      information regarding total hospital admissions, total length-of-hospital stay,
      and other variables related to hospitalization were gathered from the
      epidemiology and administration departments of each hospital. RESULTS: A total of
      2050 hospital beds were analyzed with 288,171 patients hospitalized accumulating
      1,576,446 days of hospitalization during the study period. The average rate of
      CDI per 1000 hospital-days was lower than the rates reported in the US and
      Europe, although in 2015 CDI rates were almost persistently above the mean rate
      for the study period. More than half of PCR positive patients were ribotype 027.
      CONCLUSION: Hospital rates of CDI are increasing in Mexican hospitals with a
      predominance of infections caused by ribotype 027.

PMID- 28641092
TI  - Nuclear mechanotransduction: sensing the force from within.
AB  - The cell nucleus is a hallmark of eukaryotic evolution, where gene expression is
      regulated and the genome is replicated and repaired. Yet, in addition to complex
      molecular processes, the nucleus has also evolved to serve physical tasks that
      utilize its optical and mechanical properties. Nuclear mechanotransduction of
      externally applied forces and extracellular stiffness is facilitated by the
      physical connectivity of the extracellular environment, the cytoskeleton and the
      nucleoskeletal matrix of lamins and chromatin. Nuclear mechanosensor elements
      convert applied tension into biochemical cues that activate downstream signal
      transduction pathways. Mechanoregulatory networks stabilize a contractile cell
      state with feedback to matrix, cell adhesions and cytoskeletal elements. Recent
      advances have thus provided mechanistic insights into how forces are sensed from
      within, that is, in the nucleus where cell-fate decision-making is performed.

PMID- 28641093
TI  - Hematological parameters and red blood cell morphological abnormality of Glucose
      6-Phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency co-inherited with thalassemia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency and
      thalassemia are genetically independent hemolytic disorders. Co-inheritance of
      both disorders may affect red blood cell pathology to a greater extent than
      normally seen in either disorder alone. This study determines the prevalence and
      evaluates hematological changes of G-6-PD deficiency and thalassemia co
      inheritance. METHODS: G-6-PD deficiency was screened from 200 male thalassemia
      blood samples using a fluorescent spot test. Hematological parameters and red
      blood cell morphology were evaluated among G-6-PD deficiency/thalassemia co
      inheritance, G-6-PD deficiency alone, thalassemia alone, and normal individuals.
      RESULTS: G-6-PD deficiency was detected together with hemoglobin (Hb) E
      heterozygote, Hb E homozygote, beta-thalassemia trait, and beta-thalassemia/Hb E,
      alpha-thalassemia-2 trait, and Hb H disease. Hb level, hematocrit, mean cell
      volume, and mean cell Hb of G-6-PD deficiency co-inherited with asymptomatic
      thalassemia carriers show significantly lower mean values compared to carriers
      with only the same thalassemia genotypes. Higher mean red blood cell distribution
      width was observed in G-6-PD deficiency co-inherited with Hb E heterozygote, as
      with numbers of hemighost cells in G-6-PD deficiency/thalassemia co-inheritance
      compared to those with either disorder. Apart from Hb level, hematological
      parameters of co-inheritance disorders were not different from individuals with a
      single thalassemia disease. CONCLUSION: G-6-PD deficiency co-inherited with
      thalassemia in males was present in 10% of the participants, resulting in
      worsening of red blood cell pathology compared with inheritance of thalassemia
      alone.

PMID- 28641094
TI  - Emerging concepts in cytomegalovirus infection following hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation.
AB  - Despite the refinements in molecular methods for the detection of cytomegalovirus
      (CMV) and the advent of highly effective preemptive strategies, CMV remains a
      leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT)
      recipients. CMV can cause tissue-invasive disease including pneumonia, hepatitis,
      colitis, retinitis, and encephalitis. Mortality in HCT recipients with CMV
      disease can be as high as 60%. CMV infection has been associated with increased
      risk of secondary bacterial and fungal infections, increased risk of graft-versus
      host disease, and high rates of non-relapse mortality following HCT. The risk of
      CMV is highly dependent on the donor (D) and the recipient (R) serostatus (D
      /R+>D+/R+>D+/R->D-/R-). Among allogeneic HCT recipients, high-dose
      corticosteroids, T-cell depletion, graft-versus-host disease, and mismatched or
      unrelated donors constitute the main predisposing factors. However, not all
      seropositive individuals with these risk factors develop CMV, which strongly
      suggests that host factors, such as those regulating CMV-specific T-cell
      responses, play a major role in predisposition to CMV in HCT recipients. Here, we
      discuss emerging concepts in CMV infection in HCT with emphasis on immunological
      factors that govern CMV reactivation and the applicability of immune monitoring
      to understand correlates of pathogenesis and its potential to guide clinical
      decision making.

PMID- 28641095
TI  - High dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation in relapsed or
      refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: Emerging questions, newer agents, and changing
      paradigm.
AB  - Primary treatment for adult and pediatric patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL)
      using current multiagent anthracycline-based chemotherapy with or without
      radiation therapy will cure approximately >70% of the patients; >95% for early
      stage with a favorable risk profile and 70-75% with advanced stage and high risk
      features. Managing refractory and relapsed disease, however, remains a challenge.
      High dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT)
      can salvage 40-70% of patients with relapsed or refractory HL. Two randomized
      trials in relapsed and refractory patients showed superior progression free
      survival. This presentation addresses some of the salient differences and changes
      in the management that have evolved over the last decade and have either already
      affected, or are likely to affect the outcome of HDC auto-SCT. The following will
      discussed. 1. Historic trials and other emerging issues impacting the outcome of
      HDC auto-SCT. 2. Changes in the primary treatment and response adapted therapy.
      3. Evaluation and validation of prognostic factors at the time of first failure.
      4. Selection of salvage chemotherapy. 5. Conditioning regimens. 6. Consolidation
      after HDC auto-SCT. 7. Management of failures of HDC auto-SCT. 8. Availability of
      financial resources in various healthcare systems. Enrolment in clinical trials
      should be encouraged.

PMID- 28641096
TI  - Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for sickle cell disease: The changing
      landscape.
AB  - Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains the only
      curative therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD); however, its use is limited by
      lack of suitable human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors and decreased
      application in older patients with significant morbidity. Myeloablative, HLA
      identical sibling transplantation in children with SCD offers excellent long-term
      survival, with overall and event-free survival rates of 95% and 92%,
      respectively. However, the risk of graft-versus-host-disease, infections,
      infertility, and other long-term transplant complications, further limits its
      widespread use. Recent approaches using reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) are
      associated with lower toxicity, allowing extension of this modality to children
      and adults with significant morbidity; however, these approaches are also
      associated with increased risk of graft failure. The optimal RIC regimen that
      strikes the optimal balance between maximizing the rate of stable engraftment
      while minimizing transplant-related morbidity and mortality is unknown.
      Alternative donor transplants, most prominently, partial HLA-mismatched related
      transplants (haploidentical), are being investigated with promising initial
      results. This review will discuss long-term results of HLA-matched sibling HSCT
      for SCD, and recent updates on HLA-matched unrelated donor and unrelated
      umbilical cord blood HSCT for SCD.

PMID- 28641097
TI  - Long-term complications after hematopoietic cell transplantation.
AB  - The prevalence of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
      (HCT) survivors continues to increase. Among patients whose disease remains in
      remission for the first 2-5years after transplantation, it is estimated that
      approximately 80-90% will be alive over the subsequent 10years. However, the
      relative mortality rates of such patients continue to remain higher than those of
      their general population peers, with late complications contributing to
      significant long-term morbidity and mortality. Late effects in HCT survivors
      include secondary cancers, organ specific complications, late infections, quality
      of life impairments, psychosocial issues, sexual and fertility concerns,
      financial toxicity, and issues around return to work/school. A patient-centric
      and multidisciplinary approach to HCT survivorship care with collaborative and
      coordinated care from transplant centers and community healthcare providers is
      necessary to ensure their long-term health. Lifelong follow-up of HCT survivors
      is recommended, with established guidelines serving as the template for providing
      screening and preventive care based on patient-specific exposures. This review
      discussed common late complications, models for care delivery, and gaps and
      priorities for future research in the field of HCT survivorship.

PMID- 28641098
TI  - Trends in hematopoietic stem cell transplant activity in Lebanon.
AB  - Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been accessible to the
      population residing in Lebanon and surrounding countries since 1997. HSCT
      programs were developed in two major hospitals in Beirut: American University of
      Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) and Makassed General Hospital. Mount Lebanon
      Hospital initiated an autologous HSCT activity later. Between 2012 and 2016, the
      HSCT activity in Lebanon reached a total of 897 transplants, among which 303
      (33.8%) were allogeneic HSCT and 594 (66.2%) were autologous HSCT. Overall,
      autologous HSCT activity has remained stable over the past 5years, whereas
      allogeneic HSCT activity has seen a steep increase between 2012 and 2013 followed
      by a modest increase later. Haploidentical transplantation has mushroomed and
      represented almost half of allogeneic HSCT activity in 2016. AUBMC and Makassed
      General Hospital are members of the European Blood and Marrow Transplantation
      (EBMT) and East Mediterranean Blood and Marrow Transplantation groups, and AUBMC
      has been accredited by JACIE (Joint Accreditation Committee - ISCT & EBMT) since
      2016. The past 5years have seen an increase in HSCT-related research and
      publications, mainly from AUBMC. These research activities were predominantly
      focused on personalized conditioning for allogeneic HSCT and post-transplant
      maintenance therapy.

PMID- 28641099
TI  - Reduced-intensity versus myeloablative allogeneic transplantation.
AB  - Allotransplantation cures patients by cytoreduction and the graft-versus-tumor
      (leukemia; graft-versus-leukemia [GVL]) alloresponse; both eliminate residual
      disease. The spectrum of conditioning intensity influences toxicities and non
      relapse mortality. The spectrum of tumor sensitivity to the GVL response
      influences relapse. Balancing tolerable toxicities (influenced by patients'
      performance status and comorbidities) is also influenced by the graft. Intense
      immunosuppression (for engraftment and graft-versus-host disease prevention) may
      constrain the immunologic potency of the graft and limit the antineoplastic
      capacity of the transplant, thus requiring more intense or more effective
      conditioning regimens to limit the risks of relapse and permit satisfactory
      disease-free survival.

PMID- 28641101
TI  - Copy Number Variation in Tourette Syndrome.
AB  - In the current issue of Neuron, Huang et al. (2017) provide new insights from a
      consortium study of Tourette syndrome pinpointing copy number variations that are
      involved in the genomic architecture and implicate genes of interest.

PMID- 28641100
TI  - Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) as a promising target in solid tumors.
AB  - Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a non-receptor intracellular kinase that
      belongs to the TEC-family tyrosine kinases together with bone marrow-expressed
      kinase (BMX), redundant-resting lymphocyte kinase (RLK), and IL-2 inducible T
      Cell kinase (ITK). All these proteins play a key role in the intracellular
      signaling of both B and T lymphocytes. Recently, some preclinical data have
      demonstrated that BTK is present in certain tumor subtypes and in other relevant
      cells that are contributing to the tumor microenvironment such as dendritic
      cells, macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells and endothelial cells.
      Ibrutinib (PCI-32765) is an orally available small molecule that acts as an
      inhibitor of the BTK and is approved for the treatment of patients with some
      hematological malignancies. It has been suggested that ibrutinib may also have a
      potential antitumor activity in solid neoplasms. In this sense, ibrutinib has the
      ability to revert polarization of TCD4+ to Th1 lymphocytes to increase the
      cytotoxic ability of T CD8+ and to regulate tumor-induced immune tolerance by
      acting over tumor infiltrating cells activity and immunosuppressive cytokines
      release. Furthermore, based on its molecular activity and safety, ibrutinib has
      been considered as a partner for treatment combination with PI3K/AKT/mTOR
      inhibitors or with immune-checkpoint inhibitors, inhibiting immunosuppressive
      signals from the tumor microenvironment, and overcoming the immune resistance to
      current anti-PD1/PDL1 immunotherapeutic drugs by the CXCR4/CXCL2 pathway
      regulation. Currently, a broad range of different studies are evaluating the
      activity of ibrutinib either as single agent or in combination in patients with
      solid tumors.

PMID- 28641102
TI  - Live or Die? Depends on Who You Are.
AB  - In this issue of Neuron, Welsbie et al. (2017) and Norsworthy et al. (2017)
      implicate the transcription factor Sox11 as a key player after optic nerve injury
      in DLK signaling of RGC cell death, and in RGC regeneration and survival but only
      in certain RGCs.

PMID- 28641103
TI  - Staring at the Clock Face in Drosophila.
AB  - Liang et al. (2017) demonstrate how neuropeptides from two groups of clock cells
      appear to be responsible for the fly's circadian neurons becoming active at
      different times of day. By delaying the activity of their clock cell targets,
      they give rise to morning and evening behavior.

PMID- 28641104
TI  - Constructing the External World.
AB  - In this issue of Neuron, Pluta et al. (2017) find a novel map of external space
      in primary somatosensory cortex, generated by multi-whisker interactions during
      active touch.

PMID- 28641105
TI  - It's Not All Fun and Games: Sports, Concussions, and Neuroscience.
AB  - Few items grab the public's attention like sports, from extremes of great victory
      to injury and defeat. No injury currently arouses stronger interest than
      concussion. Giza et al., discuss how neuroscience can provide balance between
      physical activity and TBI, and guide thoughtful discourse and policy.

PMID- 28641107
TI  - The Persistence and Transience of Memory.
AB  - The predominant focus in the neurobiological study of memory has been on
      remembering (persistence). However, recent studies have considered the
      neurobiology of forgetting (transience). Here we draw parallels between
      neurobiological and computational mechanisms underlying transience. We propose
      that it is the interaction between persistence and transience that allows for
      intelligent decision-making in dynamic, noisy environments. Specifically, we
      argue that transience (1) enhances flexibility, by reducing the influence of
      outdated information on memory-guided decision-making, and (2) prevents
      overfitting to specific past events, thereby promoting generalization. According
      to this view, the goal of memory is not the transmission of information through
      time, per se. Rather, the goal of memory is to optimize decision-making. As such,
      transience is as important as persistence in mnemonic systems.

PMID- 28641106
TI  - Antisense Oligonucleotides: Translation from Mouse Models to Human
      Neurodegenerative Diseases.
AB  - Multiple neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by single-protein
      dysfunction and aggregation. Treatment strategies for these diseases have often
      targeted downstream pathways to ameliorate consequences of protein dysfunction;
      however, targeting the source of that dysfunction, the affected protein itself,
      seems most judicious to achieve a highly effective therapeutic outcome. Antisense
      oligonucleotides (ASOs) are small sequences of DNA able to target RNA
      transcripts, resulting in reduced or modified protein expression. ASOs are ideal
      candidates for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, given numerous
      advancements made to their chemical modifications and delivery methods. Successes
      achieved in both animal models and human clinical trials have proven ASOs both
      safe and effective. With proper considerations in mind regarding the human
      applicability of ASOs, we anticipate ongoing in vivo research and clinical trial
      development of ASOs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28641108
TI  - High-Speed and Scalable Whole-Brain Imaging in Rodents and Primates.
AB  - Subcellular resolution imaging of the whole brain and subsequent image analysis
      are prerequisites for understanding anatomical and functional brain networks.
      Here, we have developed a very high-speed serial-sectioning imaging system named
      FAST (block-face serial microscopy tomography), which acquires high-resolution
      images of a whole mouse brain in a speed range comparable to that of light-sheet
      fluorescence microscopy. FAST enables complete visualization of the brain at a
      resolution sufficient to resolve all cells and their subcellular structures. FAST
      renders unbiased quantitative group comparisons of normal and disease model brain
      cells for the whole brain at a high spatial resolution. Furthermore, FAST is
      highly scalable to non-human primate brains and human postmortem brain tissues,
      and can visualize neuronal projections in a whole adult marmoset brain. Thus,
      FAST provides new opportunities for global approaches that will allow for a
      better understanding of brain systems in multiple animal models and in human
      diseases.

PMID- 28641110
TI  - Sox11 Expression Promotes Regeneration of Some Retinal Ganglion Cell Types but
      Kills Others.
AB  - At least 30 types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) send distinct messages through
      the optic nerve to the brain. Available strategies of promoting axon regeneration
      act on only some of these types. Here we tested the hypothesis that
      overexpressing developmentally important transcription factors in adult RGCs
      could reprogram them to a "youthful" growth-competent state and promote
      regeneration of other types. From a screen of transcription factors, we
      identified Sox11 as one that could induce substantial axon regeneration.
      Transcriptome profiling indicated that Sox11 activates genes involved in
      cytoskeletal remodeling and axon growth. Remarkably, alpha-RGCs, which
      preferentially regenerate following treatments such as Pten deletion, were killed
      by Sox11 overexpression. Thus, Sox11 promotes regeneration of non-alpha-RGCs,
      which are refractory to Pten deletion-induced regeneration. We conclude that
      Sox11 can reprogram adult RGCs to a growth-competent state, suggesting that
      different growth-promoting interventions promote regeneration in distinct
      neuronal types.

PMID- 28641111
TI  - Structural Insights into Modulation of Neurexin-Neuroligin Trans-synaptic
      Adhesion by MDGA1/Neuroligin-2 Complex.
AB  - Membrane-associated mucin domain-containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor
      proteins (MDGAs) bind directly to neuroligin-1 (NL1) and neuroligin-2 (NL2),
      thereby respectively regulating excitatory and inhibitory synapse development.
      However, the mechanisms by which MDGAs modulate NL activity to specify
      development of the two synapse types remain unclear. Here, we determined the
      crystal structures of human NL2/MDGA1 Ig1-3 complex, revealing their stable 2:2
      arrangement with three interaction interfaces. Cell-based assays using structure
      guided, site-directed MDGA1 mutants showed that all three contact patches were
      required for the MDGA's negative regulation of NL2-mediated synaptogenic
      activity. Furthermore, MDGA1 competed with neurexins for NL2 via its Ig1 domain.
      The binding affinities of both MDGA1 and MDGA2 for NL1 and NL2 were similar,
      consistent with the structural prediction of similar binding interfaces. However,
      MDGA1 selectively associated with NL2, but not NL1, in vivo. These findings
      collectively provide structural insights into the mechanism by which MDGAs
      negatively modulate synapse development governed by NLs/neurexins.

PMID- 28641109
TI  - Rare Copy Number Variants in NRXN1 and CNTN6 Increase Risk for Tourette Syndrome.
AB  - Tourette syndrome (TS) is a model neuropsychiatric disorder thought to arise from
      abnormal development and/or maintenance of cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical
      circuits. TS is highly heritable, but its underlying genetic causes are still
      elusive, and no genome-wide significant loci have been discovered to date. We
      analyzed a European ancestry sample of 2,434 TS cases and 4,093 ancestry-matched
      controls for rare (< 1% frequency) copy-number variants (CNVs) using SNP
      microarray data. We observed an enrichment of global CNV burden that was
      prominent for large (> 1 Mb), singleton events (OR = 2.28, 95% CI [1.39-3.79], p
      = 1.2 * 10-3) and known, pathogenic CNVs (OR = 3.03 [1.85-5.07], p = 1.5 * 10-5).
      We also identified two individual, genome-wide significant loci, each conferring
      a substantial increase in TS risk (NRXN1 deletions, OR = 20.3, 95% CI [2.6
      156.2]; CNTN6 duplications, OR = 10.1, 95% CI [2.3-45.4]). Approximately 1% of TS
      cases carry one of these CNVs, indicating that rare structural variation
      contributes significantly to the genetic architecture of TS.

PMID- 28641112
TI  - Molecular Mechanism of MDGA1: Regulation of Neuroligin 2:Neurexin Trans-synaptic
      Bridges.
AB  - Neuroligins and neurexins promote synapse development and validation by forming
      trans-synaptic bridges spanning the synaptic cleft. Select pairs promote
      excitatory and inhibitory synapses, with neuroligin 2 (NLGN2) limited to
      inhibitory synapses and neuroligin 1 (NLGN1) dominating at excitatory synapses.
      The cell-surface molecules, MAM domain-containing glycosylphosphatidylinositol
      anchor 1 (MDGA1) and 2 (MDGA2), regulate trans-synaptic adhesion between
      neurexins and neuroligins, impacting NLGN2 and NLGN1, respectively. We have
      determined the molecular mechanism of MDGA action. MDGA1 Ig1-Ig2 is sufficient to
      bind NLGN2 with nanomolar affinity; its crystal structure reveals an unusual
      locked rod-shaped array. In the crystal structure of the complex, two MDGA1 Ig1
      Ig2 molecules each span the entire NLGN2 dimer. Site-directed mutagenesis
      confirms the observed interaction interface. Strikingly, Ig1 from MDGA1 binds to
      the same region on NLGN2 as neurexins do. Thus, MDGAs regulate the formation of
      neuroligin-neurexin trans-synaptic bridges by sterically blocking access of
      neurexins to neuroligins.

PMID- 28641114
TI  - A Critical Role of Presynaptic Cadherin/Catenin/p140Cap Complexes in Stabilizing
      Spines and Functional Synapses in the Neocortex.
AB  - The formation of functional synapses requires coordinated assembly of presynaptic
      transmitter release machinery and postsynaptic trafficking of functional
      receptors and scaffolds. Here, we demonstrate a critical role of presynaptic
      cadherin/catenin cell adhesion complexes in stabilizing functional synapses and
      spines in the developing neocortex. Importantly, presynaptic expression of
      stabilized beta-catenin in either layer (L) 4 excitatory neurons or L2/3
      pyramidal neurons significantly upregulated excitatory synaptic transmission and
      dendritic spine density in L2/3 pyramidal neurons, while its sparse postsynaptic
      expression in L2/3 neurons had no such effects. In addition, presynaptic beta
      catenin expression enhanced release probability of glutamatergic synapses. Newly
      identified beta-catenin-interacting protein p140Cap is required in the
      presynaptic locus for mediating these effects. Together, our results demonstrate
      that cadherin/catenin complexes stabilize functional synapses and spines through
      anterograde signaling in the neocortex and provide important molecular evidence
      for a driving role of presynaptic components in spinogenesis in the neocortex.

PMID- 28641113
TI  - Enhanced Functional Genomic Screening Identifies Novel Mediators of Dual Leucine
      Zipper Kinase-Dependent Injury Signaling in Neurons.
AB  - Dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) has been implicated in cell death signaling
      secondary to axonal damage in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and other neurons. To
      better understand the pathway through which DLK acts, we developed enhanced
      functional genomic screens in primary RGCs, including use of arrayed, whole
      genome, small interfering RNA libraries. Explaining why DLK inhibition is only
      partially protective, we identify leucine zipper kinase (LZK) as cooperating with
      DLK to activate downstream signaling and cell death in RGCs, including in a mouse
      model of optic nerve injury, and show that the same pathway is active in human
      stem cell-derived RGCs. Moreover, we identify four transcription factors, JUN,
      activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2), myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2A
      (MEF2A), and SRY-Box 11 (SOX11), as being the major downstream mediators through
      which DLK/LZK activation leads to RGC cell death. Increased understanding of the
      DLK pathway has implications for understanding and treating neurodegenerative
      diseases.

PMID- 28641115
TI  - Feature Integration Drives Probabilistic Behavior in the Drosophila Escape
      Response.
AB  - Animals rely on dedicated sensory circuits to extract and encode environmental
      features. How individual neurons integrate and translate these features into
      behavioral responses remains a major question. Here, we identify a visual
      projection neuron type that conveys predator approach information to the
      Drosophila giant fiber (GF) escape circuit. Genetic removal of this input during
      looming stimuli reveals that it encodes angular expansion velocity, whereas other
      input cell type(s) encode angular size. Motor program selection and timing emerge
      from linear integration of these two features within the GF. Linear integration
      improves size detection invariance over prior models and appropriately biases
      motor selection to rapid, GF-mediated escapes during fast looms. Our findings
      suggest feature integration, and motor control may occur as simultaneous
      operations within the same neuron and establish the Drosophila escape circuit as
      a model system in which these computations may be further dissected at the
      circuit level. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

PMID- 28641117
TI  - Structural components of nuclear integrity with gene regulatory potential.
AB  - The nucleus is a mechanosensitive and load-bearing structure. Structural
      components of the nucleus interact to maintain nuclear integrity and have become
      subjects of exciting research that is relevant to cell and developmental biology.
      Here we outline the boundaries of what is known about key architectural elements
      within the nucleus and highlight their potential structural and transcriptional
      regulatory functions.

PMID- 28641116
TI  - Mechanisms for Selective Single-Cell Reactivation during Offline Sharp-Wave
      Ripples and Their Distortion by Fast Ripples.
AB  - Memory traces are reactivated selectively during sharp-wave ripples. The
      mechanisms of selective reactivation, and how degraded reactivation affects
      memory, are poorly understood. We evaluated hippocampal single-cell activity
      during physiological and pathological sharp-wave ripples using juxtacellular and
      intracellular recordings in normal and epileptic rats with different memory
      abilities. CA1 pyramidal cells participate selectively during physiological
      events but fired together during epileptic fast ripples. We found that firing
      selectivity was dominated by an event- and cell-specific synaptic drive,
      modulated in single cells by changes in the excitatory/inhibitory ratio measured
      intracellularly. This mechanism collapses during pathological fast ripples to
      exacerbate and randomize neuronal firing. Acute administration of a use- and cell
      type-dependent sodium channel blocker reduced neuronal collapse and randomness
      and improved recall in epileptic rats. We propose that cell-specific synaptic
      inputs govern firing selectivity of CA1 pyramidal cells during sharp-wave
      ripples.

PMID- 28641118
TI  - Mechanisms for fast cell migration in complex environments.
AB  - Cell migration depends on a combination of the cell's intrinsic capacity to move
      and the proper interpretation of external cues. This multistep process enables
      leukocytes to travel long distances in organs in just a few hours. This fast
      migration is partly due to the leukocytes' high level of plasticity, which helps
      them to adapt to a changing environment. Here, we review recent progress in
      understanding the mechanisms used by leukocytes to move rapidly and efficiently
      in intricate anatomical landscapes. We shall focus on specific cytoskeletal
      rearrangements used by neutrophils and dendritic cells to migrate within confined
      environments. Lastly, we will describe the properties that facilitate the rapid
      migration of leukocyte in complex tissue geometries.

PMID- 28641119
TI  - Maternal progesterone levels are modulated by maternal BMI and predict birth
      weight sex-specifically in human pregnancies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Successful pregnancy outcome is the result of a tailored adaptation of
      the maternal endocrine and immune system throughout gestation. We aimed to
      investigate if maternal endocrine, anthropometric and life style factors assessed
      longitudinally throughout pregnancy allow prediction of birth weight. STUDY
      DESIGN: Data on maternal factors and obstetrical characteristics from 220
      pregnancies from a German prospective pregnancy cohort were analyzed using
      univariate and multivariate regression models. The association between maternal
      progesterone levels at the end of the 1st (gw 12-14), the 2nd (gw 22-24) and the
      3rd trimester (gw 34-36) and birth weight of children born at term was examined.
      Interaction terms were included to identify possible sex-specific associations.
      Furthermore, associations between maternal and obstetric characteristics and
      progesterone levels were tested. RESULTS: After controlling for possible
      confounders, progesterone in the 2nd trimester emerged as an independent
      predictor for birth weight in pregnancies with female (p=0.01), but not male
      fetuses (p=0.6). In female fetuses each increase of progesterone by 1ng/ml in the
      2nd trimester was associated with an increase of birth weight by 6.8g (95%
      CI=1.44-12.24). Maternal 1st trimester BMI showed a significant inverse
      correlation to progesterone levels throughout gestation (p<0.0001 in the 1st and
      2nd, p=0.01 in the 3rd trimester). This inverse association between maternal BMI
      and progesterone levels was confined to overweight women. CONCLUSION: Our data
      support that maternal progesterone levels have the potential to serve as early
      biomarker for reduced birth weight and underpins the importance of normal weight
      when entering the reproductive phase.

PMID- 28641120
TI  - The cognitive bases of the development of past and future episodic cognition in
      preschoolers.
AB  - The aim of this study was to use a minimalist framework to examine the joint
      development of past and future episodic cognition and their underlying cognitive
      abilities in 3- to 5-year-old Turkish preschoolers. Participants engaged in two
      main tasks, a what-where-when (www) task to measure episodic memory and a future
      prediction task to measure episodic future thinking. Three additional tasks were
      used for predicting children's performance in the two main tasks: a temporal
      language task, an executive function task, and a spatial working memory task.
      Results indicated that past and future episodic tasks were significantly
      correlated with each other even after controlling for age. Hierarchical multiple
      regressions showed that, after controlling for age, the www task was predicted by
      executive functions, possibly supporting binding of episodic information and by
      linguistic abilities. The future prediction task was predicted by linguistic
      abilities alone, underlining the importance of language for episodic past and
      future thinking.

PMID- 28641121
TI  - Is inhibitory control involved in discriminating pseudowords that contain the
      reversible letters b and d?
AB  - Children tend to confuse reversible letters such as b and d when they start
      learning to read. According to some authors, mirror errors are a consequence of
      the mirror generalization (MG) process that allows one to recognize objects
      independently of their left-right orientation. Although MG is advantageous for
      the visual recognition of objects, it is detrimental for the visual recognition
      of reversible letters. Previous studies comparing novice and expert readers
      demonstrated that MG must be inhibited to discriminate reversible single letters.
      In this study, we investigated whether MG must also be inhibited by novice
      readers to discriminate between two pseudowords containing reversible letters.
      Readable pseudowords, rather than words, were used to mimic early non-automatic
      stages of reading when reading is achieved by decoding words through grapheme
      phoneme pairing and combination. We designed a negative priming paradigm in which
      school-aged children (10-year-olds) were asked to judge whether two pseudowords
      were identical on the prime and whether two animals were identical on the probe.
      Children required more time to determine that two animals were mirror images of
      each other when preceded by pseudowords containing the reversible letter b or d
      than when preceded by different pseudowords containing the control letter f or t
      (Experiment 1) or by different pseudowords that differed only by the target
      letter f or k (Experiment 2). These results suggest that MG must be inhibited to
      discriminate between pseudowords containing reversible letters, generalizing the
      findings regarding single letters to a context more representative of the early
      stages of reading.

PMID- 28641122
TI  - Working with parents to treat anxiety-disordered children: A proof of concept RCT
      evaluating Fear-less Triple P.
AB  - Little is known about the efficacy of parent-only interventions and the
      maintenance of gains over time with anxiety-disordered children and adolescents.
      The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a 6-session parent-focused
      intervention (Fear-less Triple P) in reducing children's anxiety symptomatology.
      The parents of 61 anxiety-disordered children (7-14 years) were randomly assigned
      to either the 6-session parent-only group CBT intervention or a wait-list control
      (WL) group. Diagnostic and questionnaire measures were administered at post
      treatment; as well as 3-, 6- and 12 months following the completion of treatment.
      Families in the WL group were re-assessed after 6 weeks (the duration of the
      active intervention) and were then offered the intervention. The parent-only
      intervention produced superior outcomes for children on diagnostic and
      questionnaire measures. The percentages of children free of any anxiety diagnosis
      following the intervention were 38.7% (post-treatment); 58.6% (3-mth); 69.2% (6
      mth); and 84% (12-mth). At the post-treatment assessment point, 3.4% of children
      in the WL group were free of any anxiety diagnosis. Mother and child
      questionnaire measures demonstrated gains from pre to post-treatment that were
      maintained over time. This proof of concept study suggests that the brief, parent
      only intervention evaluated is an efficacious treatment approach for child
      anxiety disorders. A parent-only, group CBT intervention such as the one
      described here offers a cost-effective, low intensity alternative to traditional
      child-focused interventions.

PMID- 28641123
TI  - The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index: An updated review and
      recommendations for use.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) is
      an instrument, which measures the nursing practice environment - defined as
      factors that enhance or attenuate a nurse's ability to practice nursing
      skillfully and deliver high quality care. The purpose of this paper is to provide
      an updated review of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index's
      use to date and provide recommendations that may be helpful to nursing leaders
      and researchers who plan to use this instrument. DESIGN: A narrative review of
      quantitative studies. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cumulative Index to
      Nursing & Allied Health Literature were searched to identify relevant literature
      using the search terms, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and
      PES-NWI. REVIEW METHODS: Studies were included if they were published in English
      between 2010 and 2016 and focused on the relationship between the Practice
      Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and patient, nurse, or organizational
      outcomes. Data extraction focused on the reported survey scores and the
      significance and strength of the reported associations. RESULTS: Forty-six
      articles, from 28 countries, were included in this review. The majority reported
      significant findings between the nursing practice environment and outcomes.
      Although some modifications have been made, the instrument has remained primarily
      unchanged since its development. Most often, the scores regarding staffing and
      resource adequacy remained the lowest. CONCLUSION: The frequency of use of this
      instrument has remained high. Many researchers advocate for a move beyond the
      study of the connection between the Practice Environment Scale and nurse,
      patient, and organizational outcomes. Research should shift toward identifying
      interventions that improve the environment in which nurses practice and
      determining if changing the environment results in improved care quality.

PMID- 28641124
TI  - Neural repair by NT3-chitosan via enhancement of endogenous neurogenesis after
      adult focal aspiration brain injury.
AB  - The latent regenerative potential of endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells
      (NSCs) in the adult mammalian brain has been postulated as a likely source for
      neural repair. However, the inflammatory and inhibitory microenvironment after
      traumatic brain injury (TBI) prohibits NSCs from generating new functional
      neurons to restore brain function. Here we report a biodegradable material,
      chitosan, which, when loaded with neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and injected into the
      lesion site after TBI, effectively engaged endogenous NSCs to proliferate and
      migrate to the injury area. NSCs differentiate and mature into functional
      neurons, forming nascent neural networks that further integrate into existing
      neural circuits to restore brain function. Three main actions of NT3-chitosan,
      i.e., pro-neurogenesis, anti-inflammation, and pro-revascularization, elicit
      significant regeneration after TBI. Our study suggests that through creating an
      optimal microenvironment, endogenous NSCs are capable of executing neural repair,
      thus widening the therapeutic strategies to treat TBI and perhaps stroke or other
      neurological conditions.

PMID- 28641125
TI  - An altered REDOX environment, assisted by over-expression of fetal hemoglobins,
      protects from inflammatory colitis and reduces inflammatory cytokine expression.
AB  - C5BL/6 female mice receiving dextran sodium sulfate in their drinking water
      develop an acute inflammatory colitis within 7d, with weight loss,
      histopathologic signs of inflammation, and colonic expression of inflammatory
      cytokines. In previous studies we have reported that increased inflammatory
      cytokine expression in aged mice can be attenuated by oral gavage of a crude
      fetal extract containing glutathione (GSH), MPLA and fetal hemoglobin, or more
      specifically by injection of a combination of these purified reagents. We
      speculated that this combination led to an altered tissue redox environment in
      which the immune response developed, thus regulating inflammation. Accordingly,
      we used wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice, or mice lacking either murine beta
      Hemoglobin major (HgbbetamaKO) or minor (HgbbetamiKO) as recipients of DSS in
      their drinking water, and followed development of colitis both clinically and by
      inflammatory cytokine production, before/after oral treatment of mice with a
      crude fetal liver extract. Mice lacking an intact fetal hemoglobin chain
      (HgbbetamiKO) developed severe colitis, with enhanced colonic expression of
      inflammatory cytokines, which could not be rescued by extract, unlike WT and
      HgbbetamaKO animals. Moreover, disease in both WT and HgbbetamaKO animals could
      also be attenuated by exposure to 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5HMF), hydroxyurea or
      rapamycin. The former has been used as an alternative means of stabilizing the
      conformation of adult hemoglobin in a manner which mimicks the oxygen-affinity of
      fetal hemoglobin, while we show that both hydroxyurea and rapamycin augment
      expression of murine fetal hemoglobin chains. Our data suggests there may be a
      clinical value in exploring agents which alter local REDOX environments as an
      adjunctive treatment for colitis and attenuating inflammatory cytokine
      production.

PMID- 28641126
TI  - DNA requirements for interaction of the C-terminal region of Ku80 with the DNA
      dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs).
AB  - Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is the major pathway for the repair of ionizing
      radiation induced DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) in human cells. Critical to
      NHEJ is the DNA-dependent interaction of the Ku70/80 heterodimer with the DNA
      dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) to form the DNA-PK
      holoenzyme. However, precisely how Ku recruits DNA-PKcs to DSBs ends to enhance
      its kinase activity has remained enigmatic, with contradictory findings reported
      in the literature. Here we address the role of the Ku80 C-terminal region (CTR)
      in the DNA-dependent interaction of Ku70/80 with DNA-PKcs using purified
      components and defined DNA structures. Our results show that the Ku80 CTR is
      required for interaction with DNA-PKcs on short segments of blunt ended 25bp
      dsDNA or 25bp dsDNA with a 15-base poly dA single stranded (ss) DNA extension,
      but this requirement is less stringent on longer dsDNA molecules (35bp blunt
      ended dsDNA) or 25bp duplex DNA with either a 15-base poly dT or poly dC ssDNA
      extension. Moreover, the DNA-PKcs-Ku complex preferentially forms on 25 bp DNA
      with a poly-pyrimidine ssDNA extension.Our work clarifies the role of the Ku80
      CTR and dsDNA ends on the interaction of DNA-PKcs with Ku and provides key
      information to guide assembly and biology of NHEJ complexes.

PMID- 28641127
TI  - Deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus helps in improving late phase motor
      planning in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus (DBS-STN) is a well
      accepted treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) but its effect on motor planning
      in the disease is yet unclear. This study examines the effect of switching the
      stimulation ON and OFF on components of bereitschaftspotentials in PD. PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: Scalp bereitschaftspotentials were recorded during self-paced right
      wrist extensions at Fz, Cz, Pz, C3 and C4 sites in patients on DBS-STN plus
      medications (DBS-STN group) as treatment modality or on medications only (Med
      group) and compared with age matched healthy controls. In DBS-STN group, the
      potentials were recorded in stimulation ON, stimulation OFF, and again after re
      switching stimulation ON-2. Offline analysis of potentials was done to calculate
      peak amplitude, late slope (-500 to 0ms) and early slope (-1500 to -500ms).
      RESULTS: We observed that the two components of bereitschaftspotentials in
      stimulation ON state were comparable to those in age matched controls. The late
      slope was found to be significantly reduced during stimulation OFF as compared to
      stimulation ON at Cz (p<0.001), C3 (p<0.001) and C4 (p<0.01) electrode sites.
      This parameter failed to improve on re-switching stimulation ON at Cz (p<0.01).
      No significant change was observed in early part of bereitschaftspotentials among
      any of the conditions. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that DBS-STN along with anti
      parkinsonian medications helps in improving both components of
      bereitschaftspotentials in PD. Switching stimulation OFF for fifteen minutes
      principally affects the late component i.e. the execution part of motor planning;
      which cannot be reversed by re-switching ON. Thus the chronic and acute effects
      of switching DBS-STN ON are different and principally affect the later part of
      motor planning.

PMID- 28641128
TI  - Expectancy of impairment attenuates marijuana-induced risk taking.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Marijuana use has been associated with increased risk-taking and
      impulsive behavior. While pharmacologic effects of marijuana can lead to
      inhibitory impairment, expectancy of potential impairment may result in
      compensatory behavioral response by decreasing impulsive decisions and risky
      behaviors. With the increases in marijuana use and related problems, a better
      understanding of the individual characteristics associated with marijuana
      intoxication and risky behavior is needed. This study examined the role of
      impairment expectancies in marijuana's acute effects on behavioral measures of
      impulsivity and risk-taking. METHODS: Participants (N=136) were regular marijuana
      users. A balanced placebo design (BPD) was used crossing marijuana administration
      (i.e., 0% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vs. 2.8% THC) with stimulus expectancy
      (i.e., Told Placebo vs. Told THC). Marijuana outcome expectancies were measured
      by self-report and dependent measures included a number of behavioral impulsivity
      tasks and the balloon analogue risk task (BART). RESULTS: Among participants who
      received THC, higher expectancies for cognitive-behavioral impairment (CBI) were
      related to lower risk-taking on the BART. Among those who received placebo, there
      was no association between CBI expectancies and BART performance. CBI
      expectancies did not moderate the stimulus expectancy effect on the BART nor drug
      or stimulus expectancy effects on impulsivity measures. CONCLUSIONS: Results
      provide initial evidence that expectancies of greater impairment are associated
      with compensatory behavior on a risk-taking task under acute marijuana
      intoxication. Future studies should examine the role of impairment expectancies
      on risk behaviors of substantial public health concern, such as driving while
      under the influence of marijuana.

PMID- 28641129
TI  - Moderate and vigorous physical activity patterns among marijuana users: Results
      from the 2007-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
AB  - The relationship between marijuana use and recreational physical activity has yet
      to be explored in the United States. Our aim was to examine this relationship in
      a population-based sample of 20-to-59-year olds (N=12,618) using 2007-2014
      National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Marijuana use was categorized
      as never (reference group), past (previously but not within the last 30-days),
      and current (>1day in the last 30-days) use. Current users were further
      categorized based on frequency of use (light, moderate, and heavy users).
      Physical activity was self-reported as moderate (small increase in
      heartrate/breathing for >10min; MPA) and vigorous (large increase in
      heartrate/breathing for >10min; VPA). Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for the
      relationship between marijuana use and physical activity were estimated via
      logistic regression models. The majority of the overall sample reported either
      past (40.5%) or current (12.6%) marijuana use. Marijuana users had a lower
      prevalence of moderate physical activity than never users (current: 51.9%, past:
      50.4%, never: 55.3%, p=0.001). Current (66.8%) and past (67.9%) marijuana users
      also had a lower prevalence of vigorous physical activity than never users
      (71.9%, p=0.001). Current and past users had lower odds of recreational MPA
      (current user AOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50-0.87; past user AOR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62
      0.98) than never users. As the frequency of marijuana use increased, time spent
      on MPA decreased. Results suggest that current and past marijuana users were less
      likely to report recreational MPA than never users. Future studies should examine
      the potential mechanisms and temporality of this relationship.

PMID- 28641130
TI  - Sexual orientation, minority stress, social norms, and substance use among
      racially diverse adolescents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sexual minority adolescents are more likely than their heterosexual
      peers to use substances. This study tested factors that contribute to sexual
      orientation disparities in substance use among racially and ethnically diverse
      adolescents. Specifically, we examined how both minority stress (i.e., homophobic
      bullying) and social norms (i.e., descriptive and injunctive norms) may account
      for sexual orientation disparities in recent and lifetime use of four substances:
      tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs. PROCEDURES: A probability
      sample of middle and high school students (N=3012; aged 11-18 years old; 71.2%
      racial and ethnic minorities) using random cluster methods was obtained in a mid
      size school district in the Southeastern United States. RESULTS: Sexual minority
      adolescents were more likely than heterosexual adolescents to use substances,
      experience homophobic bullying, and report higher descriptive norms for close
      friends and more permissive injunctive norms for friends and parents. While
      accounting for sociodemographic characteristics, multiple mediation models
      concurrently testing all mediators indicated that higher descriptive and more
      permissive injunctive norms were significant mediators of the associations
      between sexual orientation and recent and lifetime use of the four substances,
      whereas homophobic bullying was not a significant mediator of the associations
      between sexual orientation and recent and lifetime use of any of the substances.
      CONCLUSIONS: Descriptive and injunctive norms, in conjunction with minority
      stress, are important to consider in explaining sexual orientation disparities in
      substance use among racially diverse adolescents. These results have implications
      for substance use interventions among sexual minority adolescents.

PMID- 28641132
TI  - Heritability of lifetime ecstasy use.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ecstasy is a widely used psychoactive drug that users often take
      because they experience positive effects such as increased euphoria, sociability,
      elevated mood, and heightened sensations. Ecstasy use is not harmless and several
      immediate and long term side effects have been identified. Lifetime ecstasy use
      is likely to be partly influenced by genetic factors, but no twin study has
      determined the heritability. Here, we apply a classical twin design to a large
      sample of twins and siblings to estimate the heritability of lifetime ecstasy
      use. METHODS: The sample comprised 8500 twins and siblings aged between 18 and 45
      years from 5402 families registered at the Netherlands Twin Registry. In 2013
      2014 participants filled out a questionnaire including a question whether they
      had ever used ecstasy. We used the classical twin design to partition the
      individual differences in liability to ecstasy use into that due to genetic,
      shared environmental, and residual components. RESULTS: Overall, 10.4% of the
      sample had used ecstasy during their lifetime, with a somewhat higher prevalence
      in males than females. Twin modelling indicated that individual differences in
      liability to lifetime ecstasy use are for 74% due to genetic differences between
      individuals, whereas shared environmental and residual factors explain a small
      proportion of its liability (5% and 21%, respectively). Although heritability
      estimates appeared to be higher for females than males, this difference was not
      significant. CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime ecstasy use is a highly heritable trait, which
      indicates that some people are genetically more vulnerable to start using ecstasy
      than others.

PMID- 28641131
TI  - Children's brain activation during risky decision-making: A contributor to
      substance problems?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Among young children excessive externalizing behaviors often predict
      adolescent conduct and substance use disorders. Adolescents with those disorders
      show aberrant brain function when choosing between risky or cautious options. We
      therefore asked whether similarly aberrant brain function during risky decision
      making accompanies excessive externalizing behaviors among children,
      hypothesizing an association between externalizing severity and regional
      intensity of brain activation during risky decision-making. METHOD: Fifty-eight
      (58) 9-11 year-old children (both sexes), half community-recruited, half with
      substance-treated relatives, had parent-rated Child Behavior Checklist
      Externalizing scores. During fMRI, children repeatedly chose between doing a
      cautious behavior earning 1 point or a risky behavior that won 5 or lost 10
      points. Conservative permutation-based whole-brain regression analyses sought
      brain regions where, during decision-making, activation significantly associated
      with externalizing score, with sex, and with their interaction. RESULTS: Before
      risky responses higher externalizing scores were significantly, negatively
      associated with neural activation (t's: 2.91-4.76) in regions including medial
      prefrontal cortex (monitors environmental reward-punishment schedules), insula
      (monitors internal motivating states, e.g., hunger, anxiety), dopaminergic
      striatal and midbrain structures (anticipate and mediate reward), and cerebellum
      (where injuries actually induce externalizing behaviors). Before cautious
      responses there were no significant externalizing:activation associations (except
      in post hoc exploratory analyses), no significant sex differences in activation,
      and no significant sex-by-externalizing interactions. CONCLUSIONS: Among children
      displaying more externalizing behaviors extensive decision-critical brain regions
      were hypoactive before risky behaviors. Such neural hypoactivity may contribute
      to the excessive real-life risky decisions that often produce externalizing
      behaviors. Substance exposure, minimal here, was a very unlikely cause.

PMID- 28641133
TI  - ABC transporters in megakaryopoiesis and platelet activity.
AB  - ATP-binding cassette (ABC) is a family of transporters that facilitates the
      translocation of substrates across cell membrane using its ATPase subunit. These
      transporters have key roles in multidrug resistance, lipid homeostasis, antigen
      processing, immunity, cell proliferation and hematopoiesis. Some ABC transporters
      are selectively expressed on megakaryocyte progenitor, megakaryocyte and its
      cellular fragment platelet. However, the role of ABC transporters in hemostasis
      and thrombosis were not well explored until recently. Studies of both human
      genetic diseases and genetically-manipulated animal models have greatly improved
      our understanding of ABC transporters in regulating hematopoiesis particularly
      megakaryopoiesis and/or platelet activity. Human genome wide association studies
      (GWAS) have also unraveled the association between ABC transporters and
      thrombopoiesis in general population. Therefore, this review aims to summarize
      the recent advances in our understanding of how ABC transporters regulate
      megakaryopoiesis and platelet activity, the underlining mechanisms and their
      association with atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis. Last, the emerging
      therapeutic targets to slow down atherosclerosis development and prevent
      atherothrombosis via ABC transporters or downstream pathways will also be
      discussed.

PMID- 28641134
TI  - Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and adult attachment interview (AAI) in a non
      clinical population.
AB  - Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) tend to be interrelated rather than
      independently occurring. There is a graded effect associated with ACE exposure
      and pathology, with an increase when ACE exposure is four or more. This study
      examined a sample of active individuals (n=129) to determine distribution
      patterns and relationships between ACEs, attachment classification, unresolved
      mourning (U), and disclosure difficulty. The results of this study demonstrated a
      strong relationship between increased ACEs and greater unresolved mourning.
      Specifically, the group differences for individuals who experienced no ACE (n=42,
      33%), those with 1-3 ACEs (n=48, 37.8%), and those with >=4 ACEs (n=37, 29.1%)
      revealed a pattern in which increased group ACE exposure was associated with
      greater lack of resolution for past trauma/loss experiences, more adult traumatic
      events, and more difficulty disclosing past trauma. Despite >=4 ACEs, 51.4% of
      highly exposed individuals were classified as secure in the Adult Attachment
      Interview. Resilience in this group may be related to a combination of attachment
      security, college education, and engagement in meaningful activities. Likewise,
      adversity may actually encourage the cultivation of more social support, goal
      efficacy, and planning behaviors; factors that augment resilience to adversity.

PMID- 28641135
TI  - Variation in prevention of child maltreatment by Dutch child healthcare
      professionals.
AB  - Child maltreatment (CM) is a common condition with a large impact on the victim
      and society. In the Netherlands, the preventive child healthcare (CHC) aims to
      protect children against such threats. However, several studies indicate that the
      efficacy in this area may be suboptimal for many CHC professionals. Therefore,
      this study aims to map the practice variation in the primary and secondary
      prevention of CM, by CHC physicians and nurses. This mixed-methods study used
      interviews to identify relevant topics and develop an online questionnaire. All
      CHC organizations in the Netherlands (n=45) were asked to forward this
      questionnaire to their professionals. Practice variation was described with
      domain scores and item response distributions. Multi-level analysis was used to
      assess case mix-corrected variance between organizations. Interview participants
      (n=11) expected suboptimal care in 35 topics which they considered important for
      prevention of CM, resulting in a 15min questionnaire. Nearly two-thirds of the
      organizations (n=29) agreed to forward the questionnaire to their employees. The
      response rate was 42% (n=1104). Suboptimal care and practice variation was found
      in all domains (i.e. communication, medical expertise, collaboration, involvement
      in prevention of CM, and improvement opportunities), mostly caused by intra
      organization variance. Significant inter-organization variance was found for
      collaboration (variance partition coefficient 6-7%) and involvement (2-3%).
      Furthermore, the majority of the respondents (96%) reported fear in acting upon
      suspicions of CM. Substantial suboptimal care and practice variation in
      prevention of CM warrant action from authorities, CHC training institutes, CHC
      organizations, and professionals.

PMID- 28641136
TI  - Age exacerbates abnormal protein expression in a mouse model of Down syndrome.
AB  - The Ts65Dn is a popular mouse model of Down syndrome (DS). It displays DS
      relevant features of learning/memory deficits and age-related loss of functional
      markers in basal forebrain cholinergic neurons. Here we describe protein
      expression abnormalities in brain regions of 12-month-old male Ts65Dn mice. We
      show that the magnitudes of abnormalities of human chromosome 21 and non-human
      chromosome 21 orthologous proteins are greater at 12 months than at ~6 months.
      Age-related exacerbations involve the number of components affected in the
      mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway, the levels of components of the mitogen
      activated protein kinase pathway, and proteins associated with Alzheimer's
      disease. Among brain regions, the number of abnormalities in cerebellum decreased
      while the number in cortex greatly increased with age. The Ts65Dn is being used
      in preclinical evaluations of drugs for cognition in DS. Most commonly, drug
      evaluations are tested in ~4- to 6-month-old mice. Data on age-related changes in
      magnitude and specificity of protein perturbations can be used to understand the
      molecular basis of changes in cognitive ability and to predict potential age
      related specificities in drug efficacies.

PMID- 28641137
TI  - Real-time PCR methods for the detection of blown pack spoilage causing
      Clostridium species; C. estertheticum, C. gasigenes and C. ruminantium.
AB  - A set of real-time PCR methods for the detection of C. estertheticum, C.
      gasigenes and C. ruminantium, the causative agents of blown pack spoilage (BPS)
      in vacuum packaged beef, was developed. Robust validation of the sensitivity and
      specificity was carried out in the three matrices (beef meat drip, wet
      environmental swabs and dry environmental swabs) as encountered in our testing
      laboratory and against Clostridium strains (n=76) and non-Clostridium strains
      (n=36). It was possible to detect 4-5 spores per ml for C. estertheticum, 2
      spores per ml for C. gasigenes and 8 spores per ml for C. ruminantium, without
      the need for enrichment of the samples. This high sensitivity is particularly
      important for the beef sector, not just for testing spoiled product but also in
      the early detection of contaminated beef and in validation of sporicidal cleaning
      procedures for critical pieces of equipment such as the vacuum packaging machine,
      which have the potential to contaminate large volumes of product.

PMID- 28641138
TI  - Changes in lipid peroxidation in stay-green leaves of tobacco with senescence
      induced synthesis of cytokinins.
AB  - The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the progress of leaf
      senescence has long been suggested, but there are contrasting results to either
      support or deny the positive correlation between the senescence progression and
      the level of ROS-triggered lipid peroxidation. The inconsistency among reported
      results can partly be attributed to the poor specificity of the most commonly
      employed colorimetric assay and changes in the ratio of dry weight/fresh weight
      during leaf senescence. In this study we determined the end-product of lipid
      peroxidation malondialdehyde (MDA) by GS-MS, and analyzed its changes during
      senescence of tobacco leaves as calculated on dry weight basis. In leaves of the
      wild type plants the MDA level did not change during senescence. In the mutant
      PSAG12::IPT leaves stayed green because of the elevated synthesis of cytokinins,
      but the MDA level was much higher in comparison to WT when leaves of the same age
      were compared. These results clearly show that lipid peroxidation is not
      associated with leaf senescence, at least in tobacco. This GS-MS method can be
      used to judge the involvement of lipid peroxidation in senescence in other
      species.

PMID- 28641139
TI  - Hormonal profile and the role of cell expansion in the germination control of
      Cerrado biome palm seeds.
AB  - Little information is currently available concerning the mechanisms controlling
      palm seed germination. We compared the anatomical and physiological aspects of
      seeds of two neotropical palm species showing different levels of dormancy. The
      seeds of Attalea vitrivir and Butia capitata were evaluated for the endogenous
      contents of hormones (ABA, GAs, CKs, BRs, IAA, JA, SA and the ethylene precursor
      ACC) in their cotyledonary petiole and operculum (structures involved in
      germination control), the force necessary to displace the operculum, endo-beta
      mannanase activities, and embryo cell elongation. The analyses were carried out
      on with intact dry and imbibed seeds as well as with seeds with the operculum
      mechanically removed, 2, 5 and 10 days after sowing. The germinabilities of the
      intact seeds of A. vitrivir and B. capitata were 68% and 3%, respectively; the
      removal of the operculum increased germination to more than 90% in both species.
      Reductions of ABA and increases in GAs contents coincided with cell elongation,
      although there is no evidence that hormonal balance and endo-beta-mannanase
      activity are involved in operculum weakening. The ratio between the embryo length
      and the force required for operculum displacement (EL/OF) was found to be 1.9
      times greater in A. vitrivir than in B. capitata, which means that very small
      elongations in each cell would be sufficient to promote germination, resulting in
      a lower level of dormancy in the former species. EL/OF and cell growth control
      are therefore important for defining dormancy level in palm seeds.

PMID- 28641140
TI  - Effect of C1-INH on ischemia/reperfusion injury in a porcine limb ex vivo
      perfusion model.
AB  - Revascularization of an amputated limb within 4-6h is essential to avoid
      extensive ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury leading to vascular leakage, edema
      and tissue necrosis. I/R injury is a pathological inflammatory condition that
      occurs during reperfusion of an organ or tissue after prolonged ischemia. It is
      characterized by a complex crosstalk between endothelial cell activation and the
      activation of plasma cascades. Vasculoprotective pharmacological intervention to
      prevent I/R injury might be an option to prolong the time window between limb
      amputation and successful replantation. We used C1-easterase inhibitor (C1-INH)
      in this study because of its known inhibitory effects on the activation of the
      complement, coagulation and kinin cascades. Forelimbs of 8 large white pigs were
      amputated, subjected to ischemia, and then reperfused with autologous whole
      blood. All limbs were exposed to 9h of cold ischemia at 4 degrees C. After 2h of
      cold ischemia the limbs were either perfused with of C1-INH (1U/ml in
      hydroxyethyl starch, n=8) or hydroxyethyl starch alone (n=7). After completion of
      the 9-h ischemia period, all limbs were ex vivo perfused with heparinized
      autologous whole blood for 12h using a pediatric heart lung machine to simulate
      in vivo revascularization. Our results show that I/R injury in the control group
      led to a significant elevation of tissue deposition of IgG and IgM, complement
      C3b/c, C5b-9 and MBL. Also, activation of the kinin system was significantly
      increased, namely bradykinin in plasma, and expression of bradykinin receptors 1
      and 2 in tissue. In addition, markers for endothelial integrity like expression
      of CD31, VE-cadherin and heparan sulfate proteoglycans were decreased in
      reperfused tissue. Limb I/R injury also led to activation of the coagulation
      cascade with a significant elevation of fibrin and thrombin deposition and
      increased fibrinogen-like protein-2 expression. C1-INH treated limbs showed much
      less activation of plasma cascades and better protection of endothelial integrity
      compared to the reperfused control limbs. In conclusion, the use of the
      cytoprotective drug C1-INH significantly reduced I/R injury by protecting the
      vascular endothelium as well as the muscle tissue from deposition of
      immunoglobulins, complement and fibrin.

PMID- 28641142
TI  - Optical, electrical and ferromagnetic studies of ZnO:Fe diluted magnetic
      semiconductor nanoparticles for spintronic applications.
AB  - In the present investigation, diluted magnetic semiconductor (Zn1-xFexO)
      nanoparticles with different doping concentrations (x=0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, and
      0.08) were successfully synthesized by sol-gel auto-combustion method. The
      crystal structure, morphology, optical, electrical and magnetic properties of the
      prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron
      microscope (SEM), energy dispersive analysis using x-rays (EDAX), ultraviolet
      visible spectrophotometer, fluorescence spectroscope (FS), vibrating sample
      magnetometer (VSM) and broad band dielectric spectrometer (BDS). XRD results
      reveal that all the samples possess hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with
      good crystalline quality. The absence of impurity phases divulge that Fe ions are
      well incorporated into the ZnO crystal lattice. The substitutional incorporation
      of Fe3+ at Zn sites is reflected in optical absorption spectra of the samples.
      Flouorescence spectra of the samples show a strong near-band edge related UV
      emission as well as defect related visible emissions. The semiconducting behavior
      of the samples has been confirmed through electrical conductivity measurements.
      Magnetic measurements indicated that all the samples possess ferromagnetism at
      room temperature.

PMID- 28641141
TI  - RAG2 involves the Igkappa locus demethylation during B cell development.
AB  - The genes encoding the immunoglobulin kappa light chain are assembled during B
      cell development by V(D)J recombination. For efficient rearrangement, the Igkappa
      locus must undergo a series of epigenetic changes. One such epigenetic mark is
      DNA methylation. The mechanism that the Igkappa locus is selectively demethylated
      at the pre-B cell stage has not previously been characterized. Here, we employed
      bisulfite DNA-modification assays to analyze the methylation status of the
      Igkappa locus in primary pre-B cells from RAG-deficient mice with pre-rearranged
      Igh knock-in allele. We observed that the Igkappa locus was hypermethylated in
      RAG2-deficient pre-B cells but hypomethylated in RAG1-deficient pre-B cells,
      indicating that wild-type (WT) RAG2 involves the Igkappa locus demethylation in a
      RAG1-independent manner prior to rearrangement. We generated a series of RAG2
      mutants between residue 350 and 383. We showed that these mutants mediated the
      Igkappa rearrangement but failed to regulate the Igkappa gene demethylation. We
      further analyzed that these mutants could increase RAG recombinase activity in
      vivo. We conclude that residues 350-383 region are responsible for endogenous
      Igkappa locus demethylation at pre-B cells. We propose that WT RAG2 has an
      intrinsic function to regulate the Igkappa locus demethylation.

PMID- 28641143
TI  - Spectroscopic and thermodynamic studies of light harvesting perylenediimide
      derivative - zinc porphyrin complex in aqueous media.
AB  - Self-assembly of perylene derivative such as N,N'-bis(2(trimethylammonium iodide)
      ethylene)perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxyldiimide (TAIPDI) can produce one
      dimensional form (1D) in an aqueous media. The ability of one-dimensional TAIPDI
      to form light harvesting complex with water-soluble zinc porphyrin (ZnTPPS4) via
      the pi-pi and electrostatic interactions has been described. Owing to electronic
      interactions between the pi-systems, the complex formation is accompanied by
      pronounced absorption spectral changes in the UV/Vis absorption bands. The
      formation constant of the ZnTPPS4-TAIPDI complex has been determined as 2.60*104M
      1 suggests a moderately stable complex. The steady-state fluorescence
      measurements exhibited fluorescence quenching of both the singlet TAIPDI and
      ZnTPPS4 because of the electron transfer process from the electron-donating
      ZnTPPS4 to the electron-accepting TAIPDI. Based on the picosecond time-resolved
      fluorescence, the rate and quantum yield of the electron transfer were found to
      be 2.47*1010s-1 and 0.99, respectively, indicating fast and efficient electron
      transfer. The thermodynamic parameters of the complex formation have been
      determined from the stopped-flow measurements. The interaction between ZnTPPS4
      and TAIPDI occurs in two steps, a fast and reversible step followed by a slow and
      irreversible one. The activation parameters for the complex formation
      (DeltaH#=22+/-5kJmol-1 and DeltaS#=-123+/-18JK-1mol-1), (DeltaH#=133+/-4kJmol-1
      and DeltaS#=167+/-13Jmol-1K-1) were determined from variable temperature studies
      for the "on" and the "off" of the first step and DeltaS#=246+/-37.89Jmol-1K-1 and
      DeltaH#=130+/-11kJmol-1 for the second step. The negative and positive DeltaS#
      values found for the interaction reactions are consistent with an associative
      interaction for the first step followed by dissociative mechanism for both the
      "off" and the second step.

PMID- 28641144
TI  - Impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Torulaspora delbrueckii starter cultures
      on cocoa beans fermentation.
AB  - Aim of this work was to study the impact of mixed cultures of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae and Torulaspora delbrueckii and T. delbrueckii monoculture on the
      fermentation process conducted on two different cocoa hybrids, PS1319 and SJ02,
      in Bahia, Brazil. This was performed throughout studying physico-chemical changes
      during the fermentation process and analyzing volatile compounds and sensory
      analysis of chocolates. (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting was used to type isolates at
      strain level allowing to assess the implantation of the starter cultures added.
      Resulted clusters were composed by T. delbrueckii strains isolated during the
      first 24h of fermentation. On the contrary, S. cerevisiae, the most strongly
      fermenting ethanol-tolerant species, took over the fermentation at a second
      stage. Quantification data of T. delbrueckii during spontaneous fermentation
      confirm the attitude of this species of not being so commonly involved in this
      process. This study also showed that the inoculum influenced the PS1319 hybrid
      end-product quality, changing analytic profile and sensory perception of
      chocolates. No big influences were recorded for SJ02 hybrid, but this may be
      improved. In combination with S. cerevisiae, T. delbrueckii had a positive
      influence on the analytical profile of chocolates. The application of starter
      cultures did change the aroma profile of the resulting chocolate as determined by
      GC-MS; in some case the differences observed had a significantly impact on the
      consumer perception of the chocolates.

PMID- 28641145
TI  - Lack of association between deletion polymorphism of BIM gene and in vitro drug
      sensitivity in B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - A deletion polymorphism in the BIM gene was identified as an intrinsic mechanism
      for resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor in chronic myeloid leukemia patients
      in East Asia. BIM is also involved in the responses to glucocorticoid and
      chemotherapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), suggesting a possible
      association between deletion polymorphism of BIM and the chemosensitivity of ALL.
      Thus, we analyzed 72 B-cell precursor (BCP)-ALL cell lines established from
      Japanese patients. Indeed, higher BIM gene expression was associated with good in
      vitro sensitivities to glucocorticoid and chemotherapeutic agents used in
      induction therapy. We also analyzed the methylation status of the BIM gene
      promoter by next generation sequencing of genome bisulfite PCR products, since
      genetic polymorphism could be insignificant when epigenetically inactivated.
      Hypermethylation of the BIM gene promoter was associated with lower BIM gene
      expression and poorer sensitivity to vincristine. Of note, however, the
      prevalence of a deletion polymorphism was not associated with the BIM gene
      expression level or drug sensitivities in BCP-ALL cell lines, in which the BIM
      gene was unmethylated. These observations suggest that an association of a
      deletion polymorphism of BIM and the response to induction therapy in BCP-ALL may
      be clinically minimal.

PMID- 28641146
TI  - Early development and predictors of morphological awareness: Disentangling the
      impact of decoding skills and phonological awareness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Morphological Awareness (MA) has been demonstrated to be influential
      on the reading outcomes of children and adults. Yet, little is known regarding
      MA's early development. AIM: The aim of this study is to better understand MA at
      different stages of development and its association with Phonological Awareness
      (PA) and reading. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In a longitudinal design the
      development of MA was explored in a group of pre-reading children with a family
      risk of dyslexia and age-matched controls from kindergarten up to and including
      grade 2. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: MA deficits were observed in the group with
      literacy difficulties at all time points. PA was only found to make a significant
      contribution to MA development at the early stages of formal reading instruction.
      While first-grade decoding skills were found to contribute significantly to MA in
      second grade. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence supporting a bidirectional relation was found
      and supports the need for adequate MA intervention and explicit instruction for
      "at risk" children in the early stages of literacy instruction.

PMID- 28641147
TI  - Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among women firefighters: An examination of
      associated features and comparison of pre-career and career prevalence rates.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women protective service workers die by suicide at a higher rate than
      women workers in other occupational groups. However, no study has examined rates
      and correlates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among women firefighters,
      despite the potential for these data to inform suicide screening, prevention, and
      intervention initiatives. The purpose of this study is to describe and compare
      pre-career and career rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and identify their
      sociodemographic and occupational correlates among women firefighters. METHODS:
      Data were obtained from 313 current U.S. women firefighters who completed a web
      based survey (mean age = 37.30y, SD = 9.70y, 92.7% White). RESULTS: Pre-career
      rates of suicide ideation, plans, attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)
      were found to be 28.4%, 10.2%, 5.8%, and 11.2%, respectively. Career rates of
      suicide ideation, plans, attempts, and NSSI were found to be 37.7%, 10.9%, 3.5%,
      and 9.3%, respectively. Pre-career rates of suicide ideation (OR = 4.760, 95% CI
      = 2.820-8.034, p < 0.001), plans (OR = 4.867, 95% CI = 2.067-11.463, p < 0.001),
      attempts (OR = 7.175, 95% CI = 1.726-29.828, p = 0.007), and NSSI (OR = 9.676,
      95% CI = 4.130-22.670, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with career
      suicidality. With few exceptions, neither sociodemographic characteristics nor
      firefighter experiences were associated with career suicidal symptoms.
      LIMITATIONS: Study limitations include a cross-sectional design and convenience
      sample recruitment strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Women firefighters report elevated
      rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Suicidal symptoms occurring prior to
      one's tenure as a firefighter-and not solely an aspect of firefighter career
      experiences-should be considered in suicide risk screening, prevention, and
      intervention initiatives. Studies examining modifiable suicide risk factors and
      correlates (e.g., psychiatric symptoms, workplace harassment) are needed.

PMID- 28641148
TI  - Non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts in a New Zealand birth cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts are related, but
      distinct behaviors. The primary aim of the current study was to identify factors
      that distinguish those with different lifetime histories of self-injury. A
      secondary aim was to test whether lifetime history of self-injury at age 26
      predicted current suicide ideation at age 32. METHODS: Participants were 26 year
      olds from a large birth cohort with a lifetime history of no self-injury (n =
      466), a lifetime history of NSSI (n = 191), or a lifetime history of NSSI and a
      suicide attempt (NSSI+SA; n = 52). They were compared on a history of psychiatric
      disorders, 12-month suicide ideation, lifetime history of childhood sexual abuse,
      and lifetime exposure to suicide. RESULTS: An anxiety disorder, a substance
      dependence disorder, suicide ideation, and a history of childhood sexual abuse
      distinguished the NSSI+SA and NSSI only groups. Longitudinal results demonstrated
      that a history of NSSI predicted future suicide ideation after adjusting for
      other selected risk factors. LIMITATIONS: The majority of analyses are cross
      sectional which limits inferences about causality. The retrospective self-report
      for lifetime behavior could be subject to reporting biases. CONCLUSIONS: Adults
      with a history of NSSI and adults with a history of NSSI and a suicide attempt
      are clinically distinct groups that are both at risk of future suicide ideation.
      Identifying and treating NSSI could be a key preventive factor in reducing
      subsequent suicide risk.

PMID- 28641149
TI  - Thyroid autoimmunity in bipolar disorder: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence points to the pathophysiological relevance
      between immune dysfunction and mood disorders. High rates of thyroid dysfunction
      have been found in patients with bipolar disorder (BD), compared to the general
      population. A systematic review of the relationship between BD and thyroid
      autoimmunity was performed. METHODS: Pubmed, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases were
      searched up till January 28th, 2017. This review has been conducted according to
      the PRISMA statements. Observational studies clearly reporting data among BD
      patients and the frequency of autoimmune thyroid pathologies were included.
      RESULTS: 11 original studies met inclusion criteria out of 340 titles first
      returned from the global search. There is evidence of increased prevalence of
      circulating thyroid autoantibodies in depressed and mixed BD patients, while
      there is no evidence showing a positive relationship between BD and specific
      autoimmune thyroid diseases. There is a controversy about the influence of
      lithium exposure on circulating thyroid autoantibodies, even if most of studies
      seem not to support this association. A study conducted on bipolar twins suggests
      that autoimmune thyroiditis is related to the genetic vulnerability to develop BD
      rather than to the disease process itself. Females are more likely to develop
      thyroid autoimmunity. LIMITATIONS: The samples, study design and outcomes were
      heterogeneous. CONCLUSION: Thyroid autoimmunity has been suggested to be an
      independent risk factor for bipolar disorder with no clear association with
      lithium exposure and it might serve as an endophenotype for BD.

PMID- 28641150
TI  - Polyamine and tyramine involvement in NaCl-induced improvement of Cd resistance
      in the halophyte Inula chrithmoides L.
AB  - The aim of the present work was to analyze the impact of salinity on the plant
      response to Cd toxicity in the Mediterranean halophyte species Inula crithmoides.
      For this purpose, cuttings were cultivated hydroponically during 21d in the
      presence of 0, 25 or 50MUM CdCl2 combined or not with 0, 100, 200 and 400mM NaCl.
      The obtained data demonstrated that, in the absence of Cd, NaCl strongly
      increased plant growth (the maximal dry weight being observed at 100mM) and
      enhanced the Na+/K+ ratio in the shoot. Cd alone strongly affected plant growth
      in this halophyte. However, in Cd-treated plants, NaCl protected Inula
      crithmoides from Cd toxicity and contributed to reduce Cd absorption and
      translocation. Small aliphatic polyamine (putrescine, spermidine, spermine)
      increased in response to both NaCl and CdCl2, the highest concentration in plants
      being observed when both agents are present in the medium. The recorded increase
      preferentially concerned the polyamine bound fraction, which might be related to
      their involvement in the protection of endogenous cellular structures. The
      aromatic monoamine tyramine also strongly increased in response to Cd toxicity
      and its putative role is discussed in relation to conjugation processes. Salinity
      and Cd increased ammonium/nitrate ratio in leaves and roots and the involvement
      of stress-induced modification of N nutrition on polyamine oversynthesis is also
      discussed.

PMID- 28641151
TI  - alpha-TIP aquaporin distribution and size tonoplast variation in storage cells of
      Vicia faba cotyledons at seed maturation and germination stages.
AB  - Vacuoles have been shown to undergo deep modifications in relation to plant
      developmental stages and in the maintaining the cellular homeostasis. In this
      context, we studied the variations of the vacuolar membrane size and alpha-TIP
      aquaporin distribution at early and advanced seed stages of maturation,
      germination and embryo growth in Vicia faba cotyledon storage cells.

PMID- 28641152
TI  - Urea-induced ROS accelerate senescence in endothelial progenitor cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The pathogenic events responsible for the reduction of
      endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) number and function seen in patients with
      chronic renal failure (CRF) are poorly understood. Here we investigate the
      hypothesis that increased concentrations of urea associated with CRF increase ROS
      production directly in EPCs, causing abnormalities associated with coronary
      artery disease risk. METHODS: Human EPCs were isolated from peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells of healthy donors and cultured in the presence or absence of 20
      mmol/L urea. RESULTS: Urea at concentrations seen in CRF induced ROS production
      in cultured EPCs. Urea-induced ROS reduced the number of endothelial cell colony
      forming units, uptake and binding of Dil-Ac-LDL and lectin-1, and the ability to
      differentiate into CD31- and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2
      positive cells. Moreover, urea-induced ROS generation accelerated the onset of
      EPC senescence, leading to a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP).
      Normalization of mitochondrial ROS production prevented each of these effects of
      urea. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that urea itself causes both reduced EPC
      number and increased EPC dysfunction, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of
      cardiovascular disease in CRF patients.

PMID- 28641154
TI  - Serum albumin-adjusted glycated albumin as a better indicator of glycemic control
      in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with short duration of hemodialysis.
AB  - AIMS: Serum albumin-adjusted glycated albumin (adjusted GA) is reportedly a
      better predictor of mortality than GA in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus
      (T2DM) on hemodialysis (HD). We compared how accurately GA and adjusted GA
      reflected glycemic control in these patients. METHODS: We enrolled 31 patients
      with T2DM on HD. They were divided into two groups according to duration of HD:
      <=6months (short HD group, N=16) and >6months (long HD group, N=15). GA or
      adjusted GA and parameters of glycemic control obtained by continuous glucose
      monitoring were measured, and the correlations between these were analyzed.
      RESULTS: GA and adjusted GA were significantly correlated with mean glucose
      levels (r=0.400, P=0.025 and r=0.508, P=0.0037) in all patients. Similar results
      were obtained in the long HD group (GA: r=0.554, P=0.032; adjusted GA: r=0.604,
      P=0.017). However, in the short HD group, adjusted GA (r=0.502, P=0.047) but not
      GA (r=0.340, P=0.20) was significantly correlated with mean glucose levels.
      CONCLUSIONS: Adjusted GA may be a better indicator than GA for evaluating
      glycemic control in T2DM patients with short duration of HD.

PMID- 28641153
TI  - Lipoprotein(a) and coronary atheroma progression rates during long-term high
      intensity statin therapy: Insights from SATURN.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-like
      particle that associates with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). We
      examined relationships between Lp(a) measurements and changes in coronary
      atheroma volume following long-term maximally-intensive statin therapy in
      coronary artery disease patients. METHODS: Study of coronary atheroma by
      intravascular ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin Versus Atorvastatin (SATURN)
      used serial intravascular ultrasound measures of coronary atheroma volume in
      patients treated with rosuvastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 80 mg for 24 months.
      Baseline and follow-up Lp(a) levels were measured in 915 of the 1039 SATURN
      participants, and were correlated with changes in percent atheroma volume
      (DeltaPAV). RESULTS: Mean age was 57.7 +/- 8.6 years, 74% were men, 96% were
      Caucasian, with statin use prior to study enrolment occurring in 59.3% of
      participants. Baseline [median (IQR)] LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and measured Lp(a)
      levels (mg/dL) were 114 (99, 137) and 17.4 (7.6, 52.9) respectively; follow-up
      measures were 60 (47, 77), and 16.5 (6.7, 57.7) (change from baseline: p < 0.001,
      p = 0.31 respectively). At baseline, there were 676 patients with Lp(a) levels
      <50 mg/dL [median Lp(a) of 10.9 mg/dL], and 239 patients with Lp(a) levels >= 50
      mg/dL [median Lp(a) of 83.2 mg/dL]. Quartiles of baseline and follow-up Lp(a) did
      not associate with DeltaPAV. Irrespective of the achieved LDL-C (<vs. >=70
      mg/dL), neither baseline nor on-treatment (<vs. >=median) Lp(a) levels
      significantly associated with DeltaPAV. No significant differences were observed
      in DeltaPAV in Lp(a) risers versus non-risers, nor in those patients with
      baseline or on-treatment Lp(a) levels <vs. > 50 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: In coronary
      artery disease patients prescribed long-term maximally intensive statin therapy
      with low on-treatment LDL-C levels, measured Lp(a) levels (predominantly below
      the 50 mg/dL threshold) do not associate with coronary atheroma progression.
      Alternative biomarkers may thus associate with residual cardiovascular risk in
      such patients.

PMID- 28641155
TI  - Depression and cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between depression and incident cancer
      risk. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The Cochrane
      Library, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases were searched to identify
      studies. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa
      Scale. Risk ratios (RRs) were used to measure effect size. A random-effects model
      was applied to synthesize the associations between depression and cancer risk. A
      forest plot was produced to visually assess RRs and 95% confidence intervals
      (CIs). Heterogeneity across studies was assessed using the I-squared statistic. A
      funnel plot was generated to assess potential publication bias, and Egger's
      regression was applied to test the symmetry of the funnel plot. RESULTS: In
      total, 1,469,179 participants and 89,716 incident cases of cancer from 25 studies
      were included. Depression was significantly associated with overall cancer risk
      (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.09-1.22) and with liver cancer (RR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01
      1.43) and lung cancer (RR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.04-1.72). Subgroup analysis of
      studies in North America resulted in a significant summary relative risk (RR =
      1.30, 95% CI: 1.15-1.48). No significant associations were found for breast,
      prostate, or colorectal/colon cancer. The average Newcastle Ottawa score was 7.56
      for all included studies. CONCLUSION: Our findings showed a small and positive
      association between depression and the overall occurrence risk of cancer, as well
      as liver cancer and lung cancer risks. However, multinational and larger sample
      studies are required to further research and support these associations.
      Moreover, confounding factors such as cigarette smoking and alcohol use/abuse
      should be considered in future studies.

PMID- 28641156
TI  - Mild C(sp3)-H functionalization of dihydrosanguinarine and dihydrochelerythrine
      for development of highly cytotoxic derivatives.
AB  - A series of C(6)-substituted dihydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines were synthesized by
      mild copper-catalyzed C(sp3)-H functionalization of dihydrosanguinarine (2) and
      dihydrochelerythrine (3) with certain nucleophiles selected to enhance
      cytotoxicity against human breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer cell lines. We
      also investigated the cytotoxicity of our previously reported C(6)-functionalized
      N-methyl-5,6-dihydrobenzo[c]phenanthridines 1a-1e to perform structure-activity
      relationship (SAR) studies. Among the target compounds, five beta-aminomalonates
      (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, and 3b), one alpha-aminophosphonate (2c), and one nitroalkyl
      derivative (2h) exhibited half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in
      the range of 0.6-8.2 MUM. Derivatives 1b, 2b and 2h showed the lowest IC50
      values, with 2b being the most potent with values comparable to those of the
      positive control doxorubicin. On the basis of their IC50 values, derivatives 1a,
      1b, 2a, 2b, 2h, and 3b were selected to evaluate the apoptotic PC-3 cell death at
      10 MUM by flow cytometry using propidium iodide and fluorescein isothiocyanate
      conjugated Annexin V dual staining. The results indicated that the cytotoxic
      activity of the tested compounds in PC-3 cells is due to the induction of
      apoptosis, with 1a and 2h being the most active (55% of early apoptosis
      induction). Our preliminary SAR study showed that the incorporation of specific
      malonic esters, dialkyl phosphites and nitro alkanes on scaffolds 1-3
      significantly enhanced their cytotoxic properties. Moreover, it appears that the
      electron donating 7,8-methylenedioxy group allowed derivatives of 2 to exhibit
      higher cytotoxicity than derivatives of 1 and 3. The present results suggest that
      derivatives 2b and 2h may be considered as potential lead compounds for the
      development of new anticancer agents.

PMID- 28641157
TI  - Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationship studies of a novel focused
      library of 2,3,4-substituted oxazolidines with antiproliferative activity against
      cancer cell lines.
AB  - In the present work we describe the synthesis and antiproliferative evaluation of
      a focused library of 30 novel oxazolidines designed by modification of N
      substituent, by ring variation, by alkyl variation or by extension of the
      structure. It was noted that carbamate and N,O-aminal groups were essential for
      activity. In general, replacement of the phenyl ring with pyridinyl was not
      tolerated. However, the introduction of a second phenyl ring with an appropriate
      spacer at the 3- or 4-position of the first phenyl ring generally enhanced the
      cytotoxic profile. Among all the prepared compounds, 24 was the most potent
      compound found in this class, being active on four of five cancer cell lines and
      it was 5-fold and 10-fold more potent than the lead compounds against HL60 and
      JURKAT cells, respectively. In addition, it showed relevant activity against MCF
      7 and HCT-116 cells, which were resistant to lead. Moreover, 24 showed little
      antiproliferative activity against VERO, indicating low toxicity to normal cells.
      Thus, this compound has the potential to be developed as an anticancer agent.

PMID- 28641158
TI  - Determinants of cortisol during pregnancy - The ABCD cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psychosocial stress during pregnancy has been proposed as a major
      contributor of glucocorticoid-mediated programming of the fetal hypothalamic
      pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, with later adverse health consequences. However,
      evidence linking maternal stress to maternal cortisol values during pregnancy is
      inconclusive. A possible explanation for this is that other maternal factors
      overshadow any potential effects of stress on cortisol levels. We studied a large
      cohort of pregnant women with extensive data on pregnancy characteristics to
      determine the respective contributions of biological, environmental and
      psychosocial stress factors to cortisol levels in pregnancy. METHODS: We used
      data from 3039 women from the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development-study
      cohort. Serum cortisol was measured in blood, collected at the first prenatal
      visit, at different gestational ages (median=91days, range=40-256days), and at
      various time points during the day (median=11:45h, range=08:00-18:30h). We
      assessed associations between maternal serum cortisol in pregnancy and biological
      factors, lifestyle factors and stress factors, including depression, anxiety,
      pregnancy-related anxiety, work stress, parenting stress and fatigue. RESULTS: In
      multivariable analysis, variables that were associated with higher cortisol
      levels in pregnancy were lower maternal age [1.5nmol/l, 95%CI (0.6-2.4)], being
      nulliparous [21.5 nmol/l (15.9-27.1)], lower pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI)
      [1.3nmol/l (0.3-2.4)], higher C-reactive protein (CRP) [1.0nmol/l (0.4-1.5)],
      carrying a female fetus [9.2nmol/l (1.8-16.5)], non-smoking [14.2nmol/l (0.6
      27.7)], sufficient sleep [8.5nmol/l (0.9-16.1)], and being unemployed [12.7nmol/l
      (2.2-23.2)]. None of the psychosocial stressors was significantly associated with
      serum cortisol levels in pregnancy. A total of 32% of all variance in cortisol
      was explained by gestational age, maternal age, time of day, parity, pre
      pregnancy BMI, CRP, fetal sex, smoking behavior, self-reported sleep sufficiency,
      and employment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that maternal cortisol during
      pregnancy is mainly affected by biological and lifestyle factors, but not by
      psychosocial factors. We suggest that psychosocial stress in pregnancy might
      program the fetus through other mechanisms than through altering maternal
      cortisol levels.

PMID- 28641159
TI  - A model to calculate the progression of the centre of pressure under the foot
      during gait analysis.
AB  - Pedobarography and the centre of pressure (COP) progression is useful to
      understand foot function. Pedobarography is often unavailable in gait
      laboratories or completed asynchronously to kinematic and kinetic data
      collection. This paper presents a model that allows calculation of COP
      progression synchronously using force plate data. The model is an adjunct to Plug
      In-Gait and was applied to 49 typically developing children to create reference
      COP data. COP progressions were noted to spend 8% of stance behind the ankle
      joint centre, traverse lateral of the longitudinal axis of the foot through the
      midfoot for 76% of stance and finishing past the second metatarsal head on the
      medial side for 16% of stance. It is hoped the model will bridge the information
      gap for gait laboratories lacking pedobarography during foot assessments and will
      open up the possibility of retrospective research into COP progression based
      indices on kinematic data.

PMID- 28641160
TI  - Effects of hip joint centre mislocation on gait kinematics of children with
      cerebral palsy calculated using patient-specific direct and inverse kinematic
      models.
AB  - Joint kinematics can be calculated by Direct Kinematics (DK), which is used in
      most clinical gait laboratories, or Inverse Kinematics (IK), which is mainly used
      for musculoskeletal research. In both approaches, joint centre locations are
      required to compute joint angles. The hip joint centre (HJC) in DK models can be
      estimated using predictive or functional methods, while in IK models can be
      obtained by scaling generic models. The aim of the current study was to
      systematically investigate the impact of HJC location errors on lower limb joint
      kinematics of a clinical population using DK and IK approaches. Subject-specific
      kinematic models of eight children with cerebral palsy were built from magnetic
      resonance images and used as reference models. HJC was then perturbed in 6mm
      steps within a 60mm cubic grid, and kinematic waveforms were calculated for the
      reference and perturbed models. HJC perturbations affected only hip and knee
      joint kinematics in a DK framework, but all joint angles were affected when using
      IK. In the DK model, joint constraints increased the sensitivity of joint range
      of-motion to HJC location errors. Mean joint angle offsets larger than 5 degrees 
      were observed for both approaches (DK and IK), which were larger than previously
      reported for healthy adults. In the absence of medical images to identify the
      HJC, predictive or functional methods with small errors in anterior-posterior and
      medial-lateral directions and scaling procedures minimizing HJC location errors
      in the anterior-posterior direction should be chosen to minimize the impact on
      joint kinematics.

PMID- 28641161
TI  - Postural control in blind individuals: A systematic review.
AB  - Postural control (PC) requires the interaction of the three sensory systems for a
      good maintenance of the balance, and in blind people, lack of visual input can
      harm your PC. Thus the objective is to perform a literature review concerning
      role of sight in the maintenance of PC and the adaptation of brain structures
      when vision is absent. Studies were searched from Pubmed, and EMBASE that
      included individuals with congenital blindness. Articles studying person with
      acquired blindness or low vision was excluded from this review. 26 out of 322
      articles were selected for review, and we found that 1) blind individuals exhibit
      PC deficits and that is compensated by the intensification of the remaining
      systems; 2) Neuroplastic adaptation occurs throughout the entire cerebral cortex;
      and 3) Sensorimotor stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation seem
      to be a rehabilitation strategy. According to this review, the findings suggest
      that improved remaining sensations in the presence of adaptations and
      neuroplasticity, does not translate into better postural control performance.
      Regarding rehabilitation strategies, more studies are needed to show which
      therapeutic modality best contributes to postural control.

PMID- 28641162
TI  - Triterpenoids and sterols from the grains of Echinochloa utilis Ohwi & Yabuno and
      their cytotoxic activity.
AB  - Two new tetracyclic triterpenoids, echinochlorins C (1) and D (2), and
      sawamilletin (3) with new spectroscopic data were isolated from Echinochloa
      utilis Ohwi & Yabuno grains, along with one known triterpenoid (4) and eight
      sterols (5-12). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analyses
      (IR, UV, MS, and NMR). These compounds were tested in vitro cytotoxic activities
      against the human tumor-cell lines (HeLa, HL-60, and MCF-7). Compounds 6 and 8
      displayed potential cytotoxic activity against HeLa, with IC50 values of 3.1+/
      0.9 and 3.2+/-0.8MUM, respectively. This finding indicated that tetracyclic
      triterpenoids isolated from E. utilis may have potential beneficial effects for
      the treatment of cancer.

PMID- 28641163
TI  - 6-shogaol induces autophagic cell death then triggered apoptosis in colorectal
      adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells.
AB  - 6-shogaol is a phytochemical of dietary ginger, we found that 6-shogaol could
      induced both autophagic and apoptotic death in human colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29)
      cells. Results of this study showed that 6-shogal induced cell cycle arrest,
      autophagy, and apoptosis in HT-29 cells in a time sequence. After 6h, 6-shogal
      induced apparent G2/M arrest, then the HT-29 cells formed numerous autophagosomes
      in each phase of the cell cycle. After 18h, increases in acidic vesicles and LAMP
      1 (Lysosome-associated membrane proteins 1) showed that 6-shogaol had caused
      autophagic cell death. After 24h, cell shrinkage and Caspase-3/7 activities
      rising, suggesting that apoptotic cell death had increased. And after 48h, the
      result of TUNEL assay indicated the highest occurrence of apoptosis upon 6
      shogaol treatment. It appeared that apoptosis is triggered by autophagy in 6
      shogaol treated HT-29 cells, the damage of autophagic cell death initiated
      apoptosis program.

PMID- 28641164
TI  - Protective effects of flavonoids against Alzheimer's disease-related neural
      dysfunctions.
AB  - Senile ages of human life is mostly associated with developmental of several
      neurological complicated conditions including decreased cognition and reasoning,
      increased memory loss and impaired language performance. Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      is the most prevalent neural disorder associated with dementia, consisting of
      about 70% of dementia reported cases. Failure of currently approved chemical anti
      AD therapeutic agents has once again brought up the idea of administering
      naturally occurring compounds as effective alternative and/or complementary
      regimens in AD treatment. Polyphenol structured neuroprotecting agents are group
      of biologically active compounds abundantly found in plants with significant
      protecting effects against neural injuries and degeneration. As a subclass of
      this family, Flavonoids are potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and signalling
      pathways modulatory agents. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and mitogen
      activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways are both affected by Flavonoids.
      Regulation of pro-survival transcription factors and induction of specific genes
      expression in hippocampus are other important anti AD therapeutic activities of
      Flavonoids. These agents are also capable of inhibiting specific enzymes involved
      in phosphorylation of tau proteins including beta-secretases, cyclin dependent
      kinase 5 and glycogen synthase. Other significant anti AD effects of Flavonoids
      include neural rehabilitation and lost cognitive performance recovery. In this
      review, first we briefly describe the pathophysiology and important pathways
      involved in pathology of AD and then describe the most important mechanisms
      through which Flavonoids demonstrate their significant neuroprotective effects in
      AD therapy.

PMID- 28641165
TI  - Identifying seizure clusters in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.
AB  - The present study explored how seizure clusters may be defined for those with
      psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), a topic for which there is a paucity of
      literature. The sample was drawn from a multisite randomized clinical trial for
      PNES; seizure data are from participants' seizure diaries. Three possible cluster
      definitions were examined: 1) common clinical definition, where >=3 seizures in a
      day is considered a cluster, along with two novel statistical definitions, where
      >=3 seizures in a day are considered a cluster if the observed number of seizures
      statistically exceeds what would be expected relative to a patient's: 1) average
      seizure rate prior to the trial, 2) observed seizure rate for the previous seven
      days. Prevalence of clusters was 62-68% depending on cluster definition used, and
      occurrence rate of clusters was 6-19% depending on cluster definition. Based on
      these data, clusters seem to be common in patients with PNES, and more research
      is needed to identify if clusters are related to triggers and outcomes.

PMID- 28641166
TI  - Care coordination at a pediatric accountable care organization (ACO): A
      qualitative analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Care coordinators may help manage care for children with chronic
      illness. Their role in pediatric epilepsy care is understudied. We aimed to
      qualitatively describe the content of a care coordination intervention for
      children with epilepsy. METHODS: We conducted nine semi-structured interviews and
      one focus group with care coordinators at a pediatric accountable care
      organization (ACO) in Ohio. The care coordinators used a modified version of a
      published care coordination checklist for children with epilepsy (Patel AD,
      2014). We analyzed transcripts using thematic analysis. We focused on (1) the
      content of the intervention; and (2) perceptions of facilitators and barriers to
      improve outcomes, with an emphasis on epilepsy specific facilitators and
      barriers. RESULTS: Care coordinators interacted with children and families in
      multiple contexts (phone calls, physician visits, home visits), and included
      relationship building (developing rapport and trust between families and the
      health system), communication (transmission of information between the child,
      family, physician, and other care providers), and service (help with housing,
      transportation, scheduling, liaison with community resources, etc.). Facilitators
      and barriers of care coordination included factors related to parents,
      physicians, health system, payers, and community. Epilepsy-specific barriers
      included stigma (felt & enacted) and the anxiety associated with clinical
      uncertainty. Epilepsy related facilitators included a seizure action plan,
      written educational materials, and an epilepsy specific care coordination
      checklist. CONCLUSION: In addition to facilitators and barriers common to many
      care coordination programs, pediatric epilepsy care coordinators should be
      particularly aware of epilepsy stigma and clinical uncertainty. A care
      coordination checklist and epilepsy focused educational materials written to
      accommodate people with low health literacy may provide additional benefit.
      Further research is required to understand the effect of care coordination on
      costs, use of health services, seizure control, and quality of life for children
      with epilepsy.

PMID- 28641167
TI  - Exploring the role of knowledge of condition and psycho-social profiles of young
      people with epilepsy during transition.
AB  - Transitioning from paediatric to adult care can be a particularly challenging
      time for young people with epilepsy and research has shown that there are a range
      of factors which may influence a young person's ability to successfully cope with
      this difficult time. The following study aimed to explore the psychosocial
      characteristics of this transitioning population, as well as investigate how
      knowledgeable the young person and their parent/carer are of their own condition
      throughout transition. Young people with epilepsy were recruited from two
      specialist epilepsy clinics in the North West and allocated to one of three
      groups; Group 1 pre-transition, Group 2 transitioning, and Group 3 post
      transition. Results found that the young person's knowledge increased
      significantly throughout transition, whilst parent/carer's knowledge decreased.
      In addition, anxiety was found to be significantly lower in Group 2
      (transitioning group) compared to Group 1 (pre-transition) and Group 3 (post
      transition) and a number of significant gender differences were also identified
      across the groups. The study highlights the importance of considering all
      relevant psychosocial factors, such as anxiety, gender and the degree of
      knowledge the individual holds of their own condition during the transition
      process in order to develop psycho-educational programmes and transition
      pathways.

PMID- 28641168
TI  - Aicardi syndrome and cognitive abilities: A report of five cases.
AB  - Aicardi syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder with agenesis of corpus
      callosum, chorioretinal lacunae, and infantile spasms as the main features. The
      outcome is in general severe, with poor cognitive development and difficult-to
      treat epilepsy. In this study, we assessed the level of cognitive function of
      five girls with Aicardi syndrome, using normed population based tests and
      questionnaires. Their cognitive abilities varied from mild to profound
      intellectual disabilities. The more severe the epilepsy, the poorer were the
      cognitive skills. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that
      systematically applies validated cognitive assessment tools to study patients
      with this syndrome. Knowledge about cognitive functioning is crucial for
      providing optimal special education and finding appropriate alternative
      communication with parents and caregivers.

PMID- 28641169
TI  - Association between switching antiepileptic drug products and healthcare
      utilization: A systematic review.
AB  - AIMS: There is ongoing concern whether switching between different antiepileptic
      drug (AED) products may compromise patient care. We systematically reviewed
      changes in healthcare utilization following AED switch. METHODS: We searched
      MEDLINE and EMBASE databases (1980-October 2016) for studies that assessed the
      effect of AED switching in patients with epilepsy on outpatient visits, emergency
      room visits, hospitalization and hospital stay duration. RESULTS: A total of 14
      articles met the inclusion criteria. All were retrospective studies. Four
      provided findings for specific AEDs only (lamotrigine, topiramate, phenytoin and
      divalproex), 9 presented pooled findings from multiple AEDs, and 1 study provided
      both specific (lamotrigine, topiramate, oxcarbazepine, and levetiracetam) and
      pooled findings. Three studies found an association between a switch of
      topiramate and an increase in healthcare utilization. Another three studies found
      that a brand-to-generic lamotrigine switch was not associated with an increased
      risk of emergently treated events (ambulance use, ER visits or hospitalization).
      The outcomes of the pooled AED switch studies were inconsistent; 5 studies
      reported an increased healthcare utilization while 5 studies did not. CONCLUSION:
      Studies that have examined the association between an AED switch and a change in
      healthcare utilization report conflicting findings. Factors that may explain
      these inconsistent outcomes include inter-study differences in the type of
      analysis undertaken (pooled vs individual AED data), the covariates used for data
      adjustment, and the type of switch examined. Future medical claim database
      studies employing a prospective design are encouraged to address these and other
      factors in order to enhance inter-study comparability and extrapolation of
      findings.

PMID- 28641170
TI  - Efficacy and safety of eslicarbazepine acetate monotherapy for partial-onset
      seizures: Experience from a multicenter, observational study.
AB  - Eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL, AptiomTM) is a once-daily anticonvulsant, approved
      as adjunctive treatment of partial-onset seizures (POS). Historical-controlled
      trials investigating the use of ESL as monotherapy have demonstrated a favorable
      efficacy and tolerability profile in patients with POS. This prospective, non
      interventional study recruited POS patients in 17 hospitals in Spain. After a 3
      month baseline period, ESL therapy was initiated as 400mg QD and up-titrated to
      an optimal maintenance dose based on clinical response and tolerance. The
      incidence of seizures was assessed via seizure calendars and the nature and
      severity of adverse events (AEs) were also recorded. A total of 117 patients
      (aged 9-87years) enrolled in the study and were treated with ESL at either
      400mg/day (3.4% patients), 800mg/day (61% patients), 1200mg/day (27.1% patients)
      or 1600mg/day (8.5% patients). At 3months, 82.0% (n=72) of patients achieved a
      >=50% reduction in seizure frequency, compared to 79.7% (n=67) of patients at
      6months and 83.0% (n=49) at 12months. Patients who suffered secondary generalized
      tonic-clonic (SGTC) seizures had seizure-free rates of 71% (n=27), 69.6% (n=29),
      and 72.7% (n=16) at 3, 6, and 12months, respectively. Overall, 18 patients
      (15.3%) reported AEs of instability and dizziness (n=9), somnolence (n=3), mild
      hyponatremia (n=3), headache (n=1), hypertriglyceridemia (n=1), and allergic
      reaction (n=1), which caused ESL discontinuation of ESL treatment. ESL is
      effective and well tolerated as monotherapy for patients with POS, which supports
      previous findings. Early use is supported by its frequent use as monotherapy in
      this study and lack of severe side effects.

PMID- 28641171
TI  - Electromyographic analysis of rotator cuff muscles in patients with rotator cuff
      tendinopathy: A systematic review.
AB  - The shoulder is inherently an unstable joint which heavily relies on the
      neuromuscular activation of the rotator cuff (RC) complex for stability during
      movement. Currently, there is no consensus regarding how the activity of RC
      muscles is affected among individuals with a RC tendinopathy (RCTe). This study
      reviewed the evidence of studies comparing the electromyographic (EMG) activity
      of any RC muscle of shoulders with a symptomatic RCTe to asymptomatic shoulders.
      Eight databases were searched. Data from 343 participants (201 symptomatic and
      209 asymptomatic shoulders) were analyzed from 10 out of 402 included studies.
      Strong evidence for the infraspinatus and supraspinatus during isometric
      contractions and limited evidence for the supraspinatus and infraspinatus during
      isokinetic contractions suggest that the muscular activity is not altered among
      individuals with a RCTe during these types of contraction. Very limited evidence
      indicates reduced muscle activity for the infraspinatus and subscapularis in the
      presence of a RCTe during isotonic contractions, and no alterations for the
      supraspinatus or teres minor were identified. Lastly, conflicting to moderate
      evidence suggests alterations in RC muscle activity during unrestrained movements
      and swimming. These findings indicate that EMG deficits associated with a RCTe
      can best be appreciated during unrestrained movements.

PMID- 28641172
TI  - The impact of speed and time on gait dynamics.
AB  - To determine the effects of speed on gait previous studies have examined young
      adults walking at different speeds; however, the small number of strides may have
      influenced the results. The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate
      and long-term impact of continuous slow walking on the mean, variability and
      structure of stride-to-stride measures. Fourteen young adults walked at a
      constant pace on a treadmill at three speeds (preferred walking speed (PWS), 90%
      and 80% PWS) for 30 min each. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were computed over
      six successive 5-min intervals. Walking slower significantly decreased stride
      length, while stride period and width increased. Additionally, stride period and
      width variability increased. Signal regularity of stride width increased and
      decreased in stride period. Persistence of stride period and width increased
      significantly at slower speeds. While several measures changed during 30min of
      walking, only stride period variability and signal regularity revealed a
      significant speed and time interaction. Healthy young adults walking at slower
      than preferred speeds demonstrated greater persistence and signal regularity of
      stride period while spatiotemporal changes such as increased stride width and
      period variability arose. These results suggest that different control processes
      are involved in adapting to the slower speeds.

PMID- 28641173
TI  - Population dynamics of electrogenic microbial communities in microbial fuel cells
      started with three different inoculum sources.
AB  - Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are one of the bioelectrochemical systems that
      exploit microorganisms as biocatalysts to degrade organic matters and recover
      energy as electric power. Here, we explored how the established electrogenic
      microbial communities were influenced by three different inoculum sources;
      anaerobic sludge of the wastewater plant, rice paddy field soil, and coastal
      lagoon sediment. We periodically characterized both electricity generation with
      sucrose consumption and 16S rRNA-basis microbial community composition. The
      electrochemical features of MFCs were slightly different among three inocula, and
      the lagoon sediment-inoculated MFC showed the highest performance in terms of the
      treatment time. Meanwhile, although the inoculated microbial communities were
      highly diverse and quite different, only twelve genera affiliated with delta
      Proteobacteria, gamma-Proteobacteria, Bacilli, Clostridia/Negativicutes or
      Bacteroidetes were abundantly enriched in all MFC anode communities. Within them,
      several fermentative genera were clearly different due to the inocula, while the
      inocula-specific phylotypes were identified in an electrogenic genus Geobacter.
      The relative abundances of phylotypes closely-related to Geobacter
      metallireducens were increased in later stages of all the sucrose-fed MFCs. These
      results indicate that key microbial members for the functional electrogenic
      community widely exist in natural ecosystems, but the community members
      presenting in inoculum sources affected the MFC performances.

PMID- 28641174
TI  - New insights into the oleate flotation response of feldspar particles of
      different sizes: Anisotropic adsorption model.
AB  - The anisotropic adsorption of sodium oleate (NaOL) on feldspar surfaces was
      investigated to elucidate the different flotation properties of feldspar
      particles of four different size ranges. Microflotation experiments showed that
      the feldspar flotation recovery of particles with sizes spanning different ranges
      decreased in the order 0-19>19-38>45-75>38-45MUm. Zeta potential and FTIR
      measurements showed that NaOL was chemically adsorbed on the Al sites of the
      feldspar surface. The anisotropic surface energies and broken bond densities
      estimated by density functional theory calculations showed that, although
      feldspar mostly exposed (010) and (001) surfaces, only the (001) surfaces
      contained the Al sites needed for NaOL adsorption. The interaction energies
      calculated by molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the more favorable NaOL
      adsorption on (001) than (010) surfaces, which may represent the main cause for
      the anisotropic NaOL adsorption on feldspar particles of different sizes. SEM
      measurements showed that the main exposed surfaces on coarse and fine feldspar
      particles were the side (010) and basal (001) ones, respectively. A higher
      fraction of Al-rich (001) surfaces is exposed on fine feldspar particles,
      resulting in better floatability compared with coarse particles. XPS and
      adsorption measurements confirmed that the Al content on the feldspar surface
      varied with the particle size, explaining the different NaOL flotation of
      feldspar particles of different sizes. Therefore, the present results suggest
      that coarsely ground ore should be used for the separation of feldspar gangue
      minerals. Further improvements in the flotation separation of feldspar from
      associated valuable minerals can be achieved through selective comminution or
      grinding processes favoring the exposure of (010) surfaces.

PMID- 28641175
TI  - Atmospheric dust deposition on soils around an abandoned fluorite mine (Hammam
      Zriba, NE Tunisia).
AB  - The present study focuses on the eolian dispersion and dust deposition, of major
      and trace elements in soils in a semi-arid climate, around an old fluorite (CaF2)
      and barite (BaSO4) mine, located in Hammam Zriba in Northern Tunisia. Ore
      deposits from this site contain a high amount of metal sulphides constituting
      heavy metal pollution in the surrounding environment. Samples of waste from the
      surface of mine tailings and agricultural topsoil samples in the vicinity of the
      mine were collected. The soil samples and a control sample from unpolluted area,
      were taken in the direction of prevailing northwest and west winds. Chemical
      analysis of these solids was performed using both X-ray fluorescence and X-ray
      diffraction. To determine the transfer from mine wastes to the soils, soluble
      fraction was performed by inductively coupled plasma and ionic chromatography.
      The fine grained size fraction of the un-restored tailings, still contained
      significant levels of barium, strontium, sulphur, fluorine, zinc and lead with
      mean percentages (wt%) of 30 (calculated as BaO), 13 (as SrO), 10 (as SO3), 4
      (F), 2 (Zn) and 1.2 (Pb). Also, high concentrations of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As)
      and mercury (Hg) were found with an averages of 36, 24 and 1.2mgkg-1,
      respectively. As a result of the eolian erosion of the tailings and their
      subsequent wind transport, the concentrations of Ba, Sr, S, F, Zn and Pb were
      extremely high in the soils near to the tailings dumps, with 5%, 4%, 7%, 1%, 0.8%
      and 0.2%, respectively. Concentration of major pollutants decreases with
      distance, but they were high even in the farthest samples. Same spatial
      distribution was observed for Cd, As and Hg. While, the other elements follow
      different spatial patterns. The leaching test revealed that most elements in the
      mining wastes, except for the anions, had a low solubility despite their high
      bulk concentrations. According the 2003/33/CE Decision Threshold, some of these
      tailings samples were considered as hazardous. Furthermore, other waste samples,
      considered non hazardous, were not inert. In contrast, the SO42-, Ba, Pb and Sb
      leachable contents measured in most of the soil samples were relatively high,
      exceeding the inert threshold for landfill disposal of wastes.

PMID- 28641176
TI  - Epilepsy and Pregnancy: For healthy pregnancies and happy outcomes. Suggestions
      for service improvements from the Multispecialty UK Epilepsy Mortality Group.
AB  - Between 2009 and 2012 there were 26 epilepsy-related deaths in the UK of women
      who were pregnant or in the first post-partum year. The number of pregnancy
      related deaths in women with epilepsy (WWE) has been increasing. Expert
      assessment suggests that most epilepsy-related deaths in pregnancy were
      preventable and attributable to poor seizure control. While prevention of
      seizures during pregnancy is important, a balance must be struck between seizure
      control and the teratogenic potential of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). A range of
      professional guidance on the management of epilepsy in pregnancy has previously
      been issued, but little attention has been paid to how optimal care can be
      delivered to WWE by a range of healthcare professionals. We summarise the
      findings of a multidisciplinary meeting with representation from a wide group of
      professional bodies. This focussed on the implementation of optimal pregnancy
      epilepsy care aiming to reduce mortality of epilepsy in mothers and reduce
      morbidity in babies exposed to AEDs in utero. We identify in particular -What
      stage to intervene - Golden Moments of opportunities for improving outcomes 
      Which Key Groups have a role in making change -When - 2020 vision of what these
      improvements aim to achieve. -How to monitor the success in this field We believe
      that the service improvement ideas developed for the UK may provide a template
      for similar initiatives in other countries.

PMID- 28641177
TI  - A 30-year history of MPAN case from Russia.
AB  - We present a patient with progressive spastic ataxia, with dystonia and anarthria
      undiagnosed until detailed genetic analysis revealed an MPAN mutation.
      Highlighting the worldwide MPAN distribution, a 30year history of absent
      diagnosis and the impact and cost saving of an early but detailed genetic
      analysis in complex progressive movement disorders, particularly the anarthric
      NBIA group.

PMID- 28641178
TI  - Stimulatory effect of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans DNA on
      proinflammatory cytokine expression by human gingival fibroblasts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: While different virulence factors have been reported of
      Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), there is little information about the
      stimulatory effect of its DNA. The main purpose of this study was to assess the
      inflammatory response of human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) stimulated with A.
      actinomycetemcomitans DNA. DESIGN: Cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-1alpha and TNF
      alpha were measured on the supernatant of HGFs activated with 10, 25, 50 and
      100MUg/ml DNA of Aa during 24h. Primary cultures of HGFs were infected with Aa
      and its DNA at different times and concentrations to compare its cytotoxic
      effect. Cell damage and adhesion of Aa to HGFs were evaluated under light
      microscopy and Scanning electron microscopy respectively. RESULTS: There was a
      statistical difference (p<0.05) in cytokine expression in HGFs activated by
      bacterial DNA with a dose dependent on IL-6 expression and a significantly
      elevated expression of IL-1alpha and TNF-alpha compared to Human DNA negative
      control. Substantial morphological alterations were observed after infection of
      A. actinomycetemcomitans in HGFs but not with bDNA exposure. Aggregatibacter
      actinomycetemcomitans showed a high rate of adhesion and cell damage to HGFs
      after 30min. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic DNA of A. actinomycetemcomitans could be a
      factor in the pathogenesis of periodontitis that might play a major role in the
      inflammatory response.

PMID- 28641179
TI  - Quantitative study of the proportion of the pore volume of human fluorotic enamel
      filled by resin infiltrant.
AB  - AIM: Capillarity theory predicts that the pore volume infiltrated by a liquid in
      a body with tubular capillaries is directly proportional to the capillary radius.
      The expected volume available for infiltration is the loosely bound water volume,
      which can be related to the capillary radii. We tested the hypothesis that the
      proportion of the pore volume infiltrated by resin infiltrant (Vratioresin) is
      correlated and agrees with the proportion of the pore volume with loosely bound
      water ( [Formula: see text] ). DESIGN: Seven human fluorotic third molars (4
      unerupted and 3 erupted; TF scores 4 to 7; fluoride content of inner coronal
      dentin ranged from 143 to 934MUg Fluoride/g) were prepared and resin infiltration
      was performed during 10min in fluorotic enamel ground sections. Penetration
      depths were measured (polarizing microscopy and CLSM) and mineral volume and non
      mineral volumes were measured at histological points (n=92) along transversal
      lines traced from the enamel surface to the enamel-dentin junction. RESULTS: No
      well-mineralized surface layer was found. Infiltration depths ranged from 250MUm
      to 900MUm. Vratioresin ranged from 1.8 to 17.7% (mean of 10.13%+/-4.1%), was
      lower than [Formula: see text] (p<0.00001 Hedge's g=1.51, 95% CI: 1.18/1.83), and
      correlated positively with [Formula: see text] (R=0.684; 95% CI: 0.557/0.780) and
      negatively with the air volume remained after infiltration (R=-0.79; 95% CI: 
      0.698/-0.780). [Formula: see text] exceeded Vratioresin in 5% (1/4 of [Formula:
      see text] ) on average. CONCLUSION: [Formula: see text] and Vratioresin
      correlated well, but lacked good agreement. Organic matter, firmly bound water
      and air remained in enamel pores after resin infiltration.

PMID- 28641180
TI  - Potential chemotherapeutic effects of diosgenin, zoledronic acid and
      epigallocatechin-3-gallate on PE/CA-PJ15 oral squamous cancer cell line.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the potential chemotherapeutic effects of Diosgenin,
      zoledronic acid and Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on oral squamous cell cancer
      (OSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell viability, migration, apoptosis and cell
      cycle evaluation assays were performed in order to assess the effects of
      different doses of Diosgenin, zoledronic acid and Epigallocatechin-3-gallate on
      the PE/CA-PJ15 cell line. RESULTS: Doses of 100MUM of diosgenin or zoledronic
      acid reduced cell viability significantly after 72h (p<0.001), as well as
      increasing apoptosis (p<0.05 and p<0.01 respectively). All three agents reduced
      cell migration and altered the cell cycle, each at a different phase of the
      cycle. CONCLUSION: while DG and ZA reduced cell viability, increased apoptosis,
      inhibited cell migration and modified the cell cycle in different ways, EGCG only
      modified the cell cycle and reduced cell migration. These agents present a
      potential chemotherapeutic effect on PE/CA-PJ15 OSSC cell line, which have to be
      further studied.

PMID- 28641181
TI  - The caveolae dress code: structure and signaling.
AB  - Over the past decade, interest in caveolae biology has peaked. These small bulb
      shaped plasma membrane invaginations of 50-80nm diameter present in most cell
      types have been upgraded from simple membrane structures to a more complex bona
      fide organelle. However, although caveolae are involved in several essential
      cellular functions and pathologies, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain
      poorly defined. Following the identification of caveolins and cavins as the main
      caveolae constituents, recent studies have brought new insight into their
      structural organization as a coat. In this review, we discuss how these new data
      on caveolae can be integrated in the context of their role in signaling and
      pathophysiology.

PMID- 28641182
TI  - Unraveling the complexities of the velocity dependency of E. coli retention and
      release parameters in saturated porous media.
AB  - Escherichia coli transport and release experiments were conducted to investigate
      the pore-water velocity (v) dependency of the sticking efficiency (alpha), the
      fraction of the solid surface area that contributed to retention (Sf), the
      percentage of injected cells that were irreversibly retained (Mirr), and cell
      release under different (10-300mM) ionic strength (IS) conditions. Values of
      alpha, Sf, and Mirr increased with increasing IS and decreasing v, but the
      dependency on v was greatest at intermediate IS (30 and 50mM). Following the
      retention phase, successive increases in v up to 100 or 150mday-1 and flow
      interruption of 24h produced negligible amounts of cell release. However,
      excavation of the sand from the columns in excess electrolyte solution resulted
      in the release of >80% of the retained bacteria. These observations were
      explained by: (i) extended interaction energy calculations on a heterogeneous
      sand collector; (ii) an increase in adhesive strength with the residence time;
      and (iii) torque balance consideration on rough surfaces. In particular, alpha,
      Sf, and Mirr increased with IS due to lower energy barriers and stronger primary
      minima. The values of alpha, Sf, and Mirr also increased with decreasing v
      because the adhesive strength increased with the residence time (e.g., an
      increased probability to diffuse over the energy barrier) and lower hydrodynamic
      forces diminished cell removal. The controlling influence of lever arms at
      microscopic roughness locations and grain-grain contacts were used to explain
      negligible cell removal with large increases in v and large amounts of cell
      recovery following sand excavation. Results reveal the underlying causes
      (interaction energy, torque balance, and residence time) of the velocity
      dependency of E. coli retention and release parameters (ksw, alpha, and Sf) that
      are not accounted for in colloid filtration theory.

PMID- 28641183
TI  - Size partitioning and mixing behavior of trace metals and dissolved organic
      matter in a South China estuary.
AB  - The Jiulong River estuary, located in the southeastern China, suffered from metal
      pollution due to industrial effluent releases. Mixing of effluent and estuarine
      water may have significantly affected the size distribution of trace metals and
      their environmental fate. In the present study, colloidal size distribution of
      organic matter and selected metals were quantified using asymmetric flow field
      flow fractionation (AF4) and ICP-MS. We demonstrated a dominance of dissolved
      metals in the 1-10kDa fraction, and metals such as Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Pb, Cd and Mn
      were mostly regulated by terrestrial fulvic acid. The larger inorganic colloids
      played a limited role, although Fe reduction was likely to affect the size
      partitioning of colloidal Mn. The holding pond represented a source of trace
      metals and chromophoric and humic-like dissolved organic matter to the estuary.
      Scavenging or removal behavior became evident following the intermittent mixing,
      and the small sized colloidal organic complexes were responsible for binding and
      stabilizing trace metals. Variations in particle size distributions indicated
      different sources, fates and geochemical controls of the metals. Our results
      highlighted the impacts of both natural and anthropogenic processes on the
      transformation of trace metals among phases in this dynamic estuary system.

PMID- 28641184
TI  - Estimation of U.S. sewer residence time distributions for national-scale risk
      assessment of down-the-drain chemicals.
AB  - Sewer residence time (the amount of time a given volume of wastewater resides in
      a sewer system prior to treatment) can have a significant influence on
      predictions of environmental fate and transport of wastewater constituents and
      corresponding risk assessment. In this study, a geographic information systems
      based approach for estimating the distribution of sewer residence times for the
      U.S. was developed using road networks as a spatial proxy for sewer networks. The
      suitability of the approach was evaluated using case study municipalities, and
      the approach was subsequently extrapolated to 3422 wastewater treatment
      facilities of varying size across the U.S. to estimate a national distribution of
      sewer residence times. The estimated national median residence time for the U.S.
      was 3.3h. Facilities serving smaller municipalities (<1 million gallons per day)
      had comparatively shorter sewer residence times to facilities serving larger
      municipalities, though the latter comprise a greater proportion of overall
      national wastewater volume. The results of this study provide an important data
      resource in combination with chemical in-sewer biodegradation data to enable
      probabilistic risk assessment of consumer product chemicals disposed of down the
      drain.

PMID- 28641185
TI  - Mechanistic understanding of low methylmercury bioaccessibility from crayfish
      (Procambarus clarkii) muscle tissue.
AB  - Recent research indicates that dietary exposure to mercury and other metals from
      crayfish consumption poses a human health concern, particularly in regions with
      high crayfish-consuming populations. To better understand consumption risk from
      methylmercury (MeHg), we quantified MeHg bioaccessibility in edible tail muscle
      of cooked red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, collected from seven cities in
      China), versus cooked fillet tissue of two finfish species: yellow croaker
      (Larimichthys polyactis) and snakehead (Channa argus). Results indicated that
      digestive solubilization rate (DSR) of MeHg in crayfish (7.8+/-3.9% for
      restaurant-crayfish and 9.8+/-0.8% for market-crayfish) was lower than the rate
      in yellow croaker (25.8+/-2.7%) and snakehead (26.2+/-4.7%) tissue, suggesting
      that relatively low MeHg bioaccessibility in crayfish may reduce dietary exposure
      to humans. Three possible mechanisms for the reduced MeHg DSR in crayfish tissue
      were examined: MeHg-Se interactions, MeHg subcellular fractionation, and Hg-amino
      acid binding. Selenium concentrations were comparable among the examined species,
      and no significant relationship was observed between tissue Se and MeHg DSR.
      Similarly, observed differences in subcellular fractionation of MeHg could not
      explain the species-specific MeHg DSR. Therefore, MeHg-Se interactions and MeHg
      subcellular fractionation do not explain the relatively low MeHg bioaccessibility
      in crayfish. Significantly higher cysteine and arginine content was found in
      crayfish than in the finfish. We suspect that the lower MeHg bioaccessibility of
      crayfish tail muscle may be attributed to the higher cysteine concentrations, and
      thus, stronger MeHg-protein binding in crayfish. These results support the
      interpretation that bioaccessibility differences will alter risk interpretations
      for MeHg, especially when comparing hazard across aquatic food types.

PMID- 28641186
TI  - Composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from periodically submerged soils
      in the Three Gorges Reservoir areas as determined by elemental and optical
      analysis, infrared spectroscopy, pyrolysis-GC-MS and thermally assisted
      hydrolysis and methylation.
AB  - Soil-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) has a major influence in
      biogeochemical processes related to contaminant dynamics and greenhouse gas
      emissions, due to its reactivity and its bridging role between the soil and
      aquatic systems. Within the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR, China) area, an
      extensive water-fluctuation zone periodically submerges the surrounding soils.
      Here we report a characterization study of soil-derived DOM across the TGR areas,
      using elemental and optical analysis, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), pyrolysis-GC
      MS (Py-GC-MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation (THM-GC-MS). The
      results showed that the soil DOM from the TGR area is a mixture of
      "allochthonous" (i.e., plant-derived/terrigenous) and "autochthonous" (i.e.,
      microbial) origins. The terrigenous DOM is composed primarily of phenolic and
      aliphatic structures from lignin and aliphatic biopolymers (i.e. cutin, suberin),
      respectively. Multivariate statistics differentiated between two fractions of the
      microbial DOM, i.e. chitin-derived, perhaps from fungi and arthropods in soil,
      and protein-derived, partially sourced from algal or aquatic organisms. Molecular
      proxies of source and degradation state were in good agreement with optical
      parameters such as SUVA254, the fluorescence index (FI) and the humification
      index (HIX). The combined use of elemental analysis, fluorescence spectroscopy,
      and Py-GC-MS provides rigorous and detailed DOM characterization, whereas THM-GC
      MS is useful for more precise but qualitative identification of the different
      phenolic (cinnamyl, p-hydroxyphenyl, guaiacyl, syringyl and tannin-derived) and
      aliphatic materials. With the multi-methodological approach used in this study,
      FTIR was the least informative, in part, because of the interference of inorganic
      matter in the soil DOM samples. The soil DOM from the TGR's water fluctuation
      zone exhibited considerable compositional diversity, mainly related to the
      balance between DOM source (microbial- or plant-derived), local vegetation and
      anthropogenic activities (e.g., agriculture). Finally, the relationship between
      DOM composition and its potential reactivity with substances of environmental
      concerns in the TGR area are also discussed.

PMID- 28641187
TI  - Multi-criteria Decision Support System (DSS) for optimal locations of Soil
      Aquifer Treatment (SAT) facilities.
AB  - Managed Aquifer Recharge is a wide-spread well-established groundwater
      engineering method which is largely seen as sound and sustainable solution to
      water scarcity hydrologically sensitive areas, such as the Circum Mediterranean.
      The process of site selection for the installation of a MAR facility is of
      paramount importance for the feasibility and effectiveness of the project itself,
      especially when the facility will include the use of waters of impaired quality
      as a recharge source, as in the case of Soil-Aquifer-Treatment systems. The main
      objective of this study is to present the developed framework of a multi-criteria
      Decision Support System (DSS) that integrates within a dynamic platform the main
      groundwater engineering parameters associated with MAR applications together with
      the general geographical features which determine the effectiveness of such a
      project. The proposed system will provide an advanced coupled DSS-GIS tool
      capable of handling local MAR-related issues -such as hydrogeology, topography,
      soil, climate etc., and spatially distributed variables -such as societal,
      economic, administrative, legislative etc., with special reference to Soil
      Aquifer-Treatment technologies.

PMID- 28641188
TI  - Risk assessment of triclosan released from sewage treatment plants in European
      rivers using a combination of risk quotient methodology and Monte Carlo
      simulation.
AB  - Iotan this study a probabilistic risk assessment was applied to investigate the
      environmental risks for the European aquatic environment associated with
      triclosan (TCS) occurrence in treated wastewater. The concentrations of TCS in
      effluents of European Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) were recorded through
      literature review, while toxicity data was collected for three groups of aquatic
      organisms (algae, Daphnia magna and fish). The ratio of Measured Environmental
      Concentration (MEC) and Predicted No Effect Concentration (PNEC), expressed as a
      Risk Quotient (RQ), was calculated for risk characterization, while Monte Carlo
      simulation was applied to quantify the associated uncertainty. TCS monitoring
      data was available for 349 STPs located in 15 out of the 50 European countries.
      Its mean concentrations in STPs effluents ranged between 2.2ngL-1 and 47,800ngL
      1. Higher TCS concentrations were observed in primarily treated wastewater;
      whereas no differences among countries or among secondary and tertiary effluents
      on the basis of the whole set of collected data were found. The 95th percentile
      of RQ for TCS was higher than 1 (in algae) for rivers with dilution factors (DFs)
      equal to or lower than 100, when the maximum concentration values were used,
      whereas the 95th percentile of RQ exceeded 1 for rivers with DFs up to 10, in
      cases where the calculations were based on mean concentration values. The
      probability that RQ exceeds 1 in rivers (for algae) ranged from 0.2% (DF=1000) to
      45% (DF=2), when calculations are based on mean concentration values. The
      corresponding probabilities in rivers with DFs equal to 2 for Daphnia magna and
      fish were 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively. We propose that TCS monitoring should be
      intensified, especially on smaller rivers, to verify the findings of this study
      for possible environmental risks.

PMID- 28641189
TI  - Qualitative and quantitative simulation of androgen receptor antagonists: A case
      study of polybrominated diphenyl ethers.
AB  - Recently, great attention has been paid to the identification and prediction of
      the androgen disrupting potencies of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
      However, few existing models can discriminate active and inactive compounds,
      which make the quantitative prediction process including the quantitative
      structure-activity relationship (QSAR) technique unreliable. In this study,
      different grouping methods were investigated and compared for qualitative
      identification, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations
      (MD). The results showed that qualitative identification based on MD, which is
      lab-independent, accurate and closer to the real transcriptional activation
      process, could separate 90.5% of active and inactive chemicals and was preferred.
      The 3D-QSAR models built as the quantitative simulation method showed r2 and q2
      values of 0.513 and 0.980, respectively. Together, a novel workflow combining
      qualitative identification and quantitative simulations was generated with
      processes including activeness discrimination and activity prediction. This
      workflow, for analyzing the antagonism of androgen receptor (AR) of PBDEs is not
      only allowing researchers to reduce their intense laboratory experiments but also
      assisting them in inspecting and adjusting their laboratory systems and results.

PMID- 28641190
TI  - Synchronous mucinous adenocarcinoma of the recto sigmoid revealed by and seeding
      an anal fistula. (A case report and review of the literature).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There are few cases of synchronous rectal adenocarcinoma revealed
      by an anal fistula. The diagnosis of synchronous mucinous adenocarcinoma of the
      recto sigmoid and anal canal remains difficult. The chronic anal fistula can be
      mistaken as the common manifestation of a benign perianal abscess or fistula.
      CASE PRESENTATION: We present a rare case of a Greek Caucasian 79year old male
      patient with anal fistula and a recurrent perianal abscess who subsequently was
      found to have developed synchronous rectosigmoid and perianal mucinous
      adenocarcinoma on biopsy. The histological exam revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma
      in two sites, representing two tumors, cells were immunopositive for cytokeratin
      20 and negative in cytokeratin 7. The patient underwent "laparoscopic
      extralevator abdominoperineal excision " with both lesions being resected. There
      is no recurrence after four years of follow up. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights
      the importance of high suspicion, further investigation and the need of biopsy in
      all anal fistulae.

PMID- 28641191
TI  - Early anastomotic stricture occurring after colectomy that responded well to
      Transanal decompression and local steroid therapy: A case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Anastomotic strictures occurring after colectomy are a most
      challenging postoperative complication for gastroenterological surgeons. Reports
      documenting anastomotic strictures developing in the early postoperative phase
      are scant, and no established treatment is available. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 78
      year-old man who had undergone a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy for lower colon
      cancer presented on postoperative day 12 because of abdominal pain and no bowel
      movement. Endoluminal decompression was performed with a transanal decompression
      tube, and local steroid treatment was administered by concurrent intralesional
      steroid injection (ILe-SI) and intraluminal steroid instillation (ILu- SI). The
      anastomotic stricture promptly improved. The patient recovered uneventfully, with
      no recurrence of anastomotic stricture. DISCUSSION: A transanal decompression
      tube should be inserted and placed in a cautious manner within a short period of
      time. ILe-SI in the large intestine requires an understanding of potential
      adverse events and complications, as well as fully informed consent from the
      patient. ILu-SI has been reported to be an effective treatment for the management
      of strictures in various regions. To the best of our knowledge, however, this is
      the first report to document the treatment of an anastomotic stricture of the
      colorectum by ILu-SI. CONCLUSION: Transanal decompression therapy combined with
      local steroid local treatment might promptly improve anastomotic strictures
      occurring after colectomy.

PMID- 28641192
TI  - Obstructive neonatal atrial myxoma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cardiac myxoma is a benign neoplasm representing the most common
      primary cardiac tumor in adults, however it is unusual in neonates. It is
      represented by an endocardial mass that occupies the cardiac chamber. Although
      the majority of myxomas are attached to the fossa ovalis of the interatrial
      septum, they also attach to the walls of the cardiac chambers and to valve
      leaflets surfaces. Approximately 75% of myxomas are found in the left atrium, 20%
      are located in the right atrium, and rarely in the ventricles. PRESENTATION OF
      CASE: We describe a rare case of neonatal cardiac myxoma arising from interatrial
      septum, causing significant mechanical obstruction to blood flow through
      tricuspid valve, in an otherwise normal newborn. The patient underwent successful
      excision of the myxoma with an uneventful recovery [1]. DISCUSSION: Cardiac
      tumors are rare in children, thus an understanding of the common types of benign
      and malignant paediatric cardiac tumors and their imaging features, is important
      because the epidemiology and tumor types differ from those encountered in adults.
      CONCLUSION: Large neonatal myxoma is exceptionally rare and even more infrequent
      is the surgical excision in the first day of life.

PMID- 28641193
TI  - Acute hemobilia from a pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery arising from the left
      hepatic artery: Case report and literature review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Hemobilia represents only 6% of all causes of upper
      gastrointestinal bleeding. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report a rare case of a
      bleeding pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery, due to a re-activation of a chronic
      cholecystitis, which arose with a mixed symptomatology: jaundices and
      hematemesis. DISCUSSION: The rarity of our patient is increased for some vascular
      anatomic variations detected by Computed Tomography that influenced the
      management of the disease. Our patient was treated by endovascular embolization
      of the pseudoaneurysm and subsequent cholecystectomy. CONCLUSION: About
      pseudoaneurysm of the cystic artery only few cases have been already reported and
      to date there are no guidelines for its management. We describe both diagnostic
      features and therapeutic strategies in comparison to the most recent literature.

PMID- 28641194
TI  - Use of a long distally fixed intramedullary stem to treat a periprosthetic
      femoral fracture following total hip arthroplasty using a thrust plate hip
      prosthesis: A case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The thrust plate hip prosthesis (TPP; Zimmer, Winterthur,
      Switzerland) is a hip prosthesis that is no longer in production. Few reports
      have focused on periprosthetic fractures following total hip arthroplasty (THA)
      with the use of a TPP. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We report a 57-year-old woman with a
      periprosthetic femoral fracture 13 years after THA with the use of a TPP. A plain
      radiograph showed a displaced subtrochanteric fracture of the right femur just
      below the distal tip of the lateral plate without implant loosening. She
      underwent revision surgery with a long distally fixed intramedullary stem in
      conjunction with a plate and cable system. Three months after surgery, bone union
      was confirmed using radiography and the patient was clinically asymptomatic.
      DISCUSSION: We encountered three major problems while planning surgical
      treatment, these being, discontinuation of the TPP system, loss of proximal
      femoral cancellous bone, and difficulties with the type of subtrochanteric
      fracture. After considering these problems, we planned revision surgery using a
      long distally fixed intramedullary stem in conjunction with a plate and cable
      system. CONCLUSION: This case shows that sufficient implant preparation based on
      precise preoperative planning is necessary to obtain good clinical results for
      the surgical treatment of periprosthetic femoral fractures following THA with the
      use of a TPP.

PMID- 28641195
TI  - Biotransformation in the zebrafish embryo -temporal gene transcription changes of
      cytochrome P450 enzymes and internal exposure dynamics of the AhR binding
      xenobiotic benz[a]anthracene.
AB  - Not much is known about the biotransformation capability of zebrafish (Danio
      rerio) embryos. For understanding possible toxicity differences to adult fish, it
      might be crucial to understand the biotransformation of chemicals in zebrafish
      embryos i.e. as part of toxicokinetics. The biotransformation capabilities were
      analysed for two different stages of zebrafish embryos in conjunction with the
      internal concentrations of a xenobiotic. Zebrafish embryos of the late
      cleavage/early blastula period (2-26 hpf) and the early pharyngula period (26-50
      hpf) were exposed for 24 h to the AhR binding compound benz[a]anthracene (BaA).
      Time dependent changes in cyp transcription (cyp1a, cyp1b1, cyp1c1 and cyp1c2) as
      well as concentration & time-dependent courses of BaA in the fish embryo and the
      exposure medium were analysed. Additionally, the CYP mediated formation of
      biotransformation products was investigated. We found correlations between
      transcriptional responses and the internal concentration for both exposure types.
      These correlations were depending on the start of the exposure i.e. the age of
      the exposed embryo. While no significant induction of the examined gene
      transcripts was observed in the first 12 h of exposure beginning in the blastula
      period a correlation was apparent when exposure started later i.e. in the
      pharyngula period. A significant induction of cyp1a was detected already after
      1.5 h of BaA exposure. Gene transcripts for cyp1b1, cyp1c1 and cyp1c2 showed
      expressions distinctly different from cyp1a and were, in general, less inducible
      by BaA in both exposure windows. The toxicokinetic analysis showed that the
      biotransformation capability was fivefold higher in the older fish embryos.
      Biotransformation products of phase I reactions were found between 32 hpf and 50
      hpf and were tentatively identified as benz[a]anthracene-phenol and
      benz[a]anthracene-dihydrodiol-epoxide. In conclusion, not only duration but also
      onset of exposure in relation to the developmental stage of zebrafish embryos is
      important in the analysis and interpretation of effects due to different
      biotransformation capabilities.

PMID- 28641196
TI  - C1-C2 alkyl aminiums in urban aerosols: Insights from ambient and fuel combustion
      emission measurements in the Yangtze River Delta region of China.
AB  - We measured low molar-mass alkyl aminiums (methylaminium, dimethylaminium,
      ethylaminium and diethylaminium) in urban aerosols in the Yangtze River Delta
      region of eastern China in August 2014 and from November 2015 to May 2016. After
      examining artifact formation on sample filters, methylaminium, dimethylaminium
      and ethylaminium concentrations were quantified. The three C1-C2 aminiums
      exhibited a unimodal size distribution that maximized between 0.56 and 1.0 MUm.
      Their concentrations in PM2.5 were 5.7 +/- 3.2 ng m-3, 7.9 +/- 5.4 ng m-3 and
      20.3 +/- 16.6 ng m-3, respectively, with higher concentrations during the daytime
      and in warm seasons. On new particle growth days, amine uptake to particles
      larger than 56 nm was barely enhanced. The molar ratios of individual
      aminium/NH4+ in PM2.5 were on the order of 10-4 and 10-3. Aminiums were thus far
      less to out-compete ammonium (NH4+) in neutralizing acidic species in particle
      sizes down to 56 nm. Abundant nitrate (NO3-/SO42- molar ratio = ~3) and its
      correlation to methylaminium and ethylaminium implied that nitrate might be more
      important aminium salt than sulfate in urban aerosols of this area. Direct
      measurement of particle-phase amine emission from coal and biomass burning showed
      that coal burning is an important atmospheric amine source, considering coal
      burning is top-ranked particulate matter source in China.

PMID- 28641197
TI  - Effects of organophosphorus flame retardant TDCPP on normal human corneal
      epithelial cells: Implications for human health.
AB  - Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) is one of the most detected
      organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) in the environment, especially in
      indoor dust. Continuous daily exposure to TDCPP-containing dust may adversely
      impact human cornea. However, its detrimental effects on human corneal epithelium
      are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the cell apoptosis in normal
      human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) after TDCPP exposure and elucidated the
      underlying molecular mechanisms. Our data indicated a dose-dependent decrease of
      cell viability after TDCPP exposure with LC50 at 202 MUg/mL. A concentration
      dependent apoptotic sign was observed in HCECs after exposing to >=2 MUg/mL
      TDCPP. Endoplasmic reticulum stress induction was evidenced by up-regulation of
      its biomarker genes (ATF-4, CHOP, BiP, and XBP1). Furthermore, alternation of Bcl
      2/Bax expression, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, cellular ATP content
      decrease, and caspase-3 and -9 activity increase were observed after exposing to
      2 or 20 MUg/mL TDCPP. Taken together, the data implicated the involvement of
      endoplasmic reticulum stress in TDCPP-induced HCEC apoptosis, probably mediated
      by mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Our findings showed TDCPP exposure induced
      toxicity to human cornea. Due to TDCPP's presence at high levels in indoor dust,
      further study is warranted to evaluate its health risk on human corneas.

PMID- 28641198
TI  - Combined computational-experimental approach to predict blood-brain barrier (BBB)
      permeation based on "green" salting-out thin layer chromatography supported by
      simple molecular descriptors.
AB  - The objective of this paper is to build QSRR/QSAR model for predicting the blood
      brain barrier (BBB) permeability. The obtained models are based on salting-out
      thin layer chromatography (SOTLC) constants and calculated molecular descriptors.
      Among chromatographic methods SOTLC was chosen, since the mobile phases are free
      of organic solvent. As consequences, there are less toxic, and have lower
      environmental impact compared to classical reserved phases liquid chromatography
      (RPLC). During the study three stationary phase silica gel, cellulose plates and
      neutral aluminum oxide were examined. The model set of solutes presents a wide
      range of log BB values, containing compounds which cross the BBB readily and
      molecules poorly distributed to the brain including drugs acting on the nervous
      system as well as peripheral acting drugs. Additionally, the comparison of three
      regression models: multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least-squares (PLS)
      and orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) were performed. The designed
      QSRR/QSAR models could be useful to predict BBB of systematically synthesized
      newly compounds in the drug development pipeline and are attractive alternatives
      of time-consuming and demanding directed methods for log BB measurement. The
      study also shown that among several regression techniques, significant
      differences can be obtained in models performance, measured by R2 and Q2, hence
      it is strongly suggested to evaluate all available options as MLR, PLS and OPLS.

PMID- 28641199
TI  - Influence of weight bearing visual feedback on movement symmetry during sit to
      stand task.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Weight-bearing asymmetry is common in individuals with hip
      osteoarthritis and after total hip arthroplasty. Including symmetry training to
      the rehabilitation programs may normalize movement strategies during dynamic
      tasks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate influences of real
      time visual feedback of weight distribution on the interlimb movement symmetry
      during the sit-to-stand task, before and after total hip arthroplasty, and to
      determine whether physical impairments affect the response to visual feedback.
      METHODS: Subjects before and after total hip arthroplasty participated in three-
      dimensional motion analysis. Subjects completed 3 trials of sit-to-stand task in
      two conditions; "without visual feedback" and "with visual feedback". Outcome
      measures were the interlimb symmetry of vertical ground reaction force, and joint
      kinematics and kinetics. Pain and strength of lower limbs were assessed.
      FINDINGS: Compared to "without visual feedback" condition, subjects moved with
      greater symmetry of vertical ground reaction force and joint kinetics when visual
      feedback was received. However, subjects continued to demonstrate interlimb
      difference for joint kinetics and vertical ground reaction force in the visual
      feedback condition. The increase in symmetry was not strongly influenced by
      physical impairments and subjects before and after total hip arthroplasty
      responded similarly to the feedback. INTERPRETATIONS: We concluded that in a
      single session, the visual feedback of weight bearing distribution had a positive
      immediate effect on movement symmetry during the sit-to-stand task. Future
      studies that assess long-term retention and functional benefits are warranted
      before visual feedback is incorporated in rehabilitation for this patient
      population.

PMID- 28641200
TI  - Severe hepatitis under combined immunotherapy: Resolution under corticosteroids
      plus anti-thymocyte immunoglobulins.

PMID- 28641201
TI  - Pelvic and hip kinematics during single-leg drop-landing are altered in sports
      participants with long-standing groin pain: A cross-sectional study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the differences in three
      dimensional pelvic and hip kinematics during a single-leg drop-landing task in
      active sports participants with long-standing groin pain compared to healthy
      matched controls. DESIGN: This was a descriptive study incorporating a cross
      sectional design. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Unit for Human Movement
      Analysis, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: The study sample
      was comprised of 20 male club level soccer, rugby, running and cycling
      participants between the ages of 18 and 55 years. Ten cases with long-standing
      groin pain and ten asymptomatic matched controls participated. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Three-dimensional pelvic and hip kinematics were captured with an
      optical motion capture system during a single-leg drop-landing task. RESULTS:
      Participants with groin pain landed with more downward lateral pelvic tilt (0.77
      degrees , p = 0.01, r = 0.35), hip abduction (2.05 degrees , p < 0.001. r =
      0.49), and hip external rotation (0.86 degrees , p = 0.03, r = 0.29) at initial
      contact and more pelvic internal rotation (1.06 degrees , p = 0.02, r = 0.30) at
      lowest vertical position than the healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Sports
      participants with long-standing groin pain have altered pelvic and hip kinematics
      during single-leg drop-landing compared to healthy controls. The kinematic
      differences may contribute towards the persistent nature of groin pain, although
      these strategies may also be present as a result of the presence or the
      expectation of pain.

PMID- 28641202
TI  - Pathological narcissism and maladaptive self-regulatory behaviours in a
      nationally representative sample of Canadian men.
AB  - Clinical observation has linked externalizing coping strategies such as substance
      overuse and aggressive behaviours with narcissistic personality dysfunction. This
      study examined the relationship between pathological narcissism and maladaptive
      self-regulatory behaviours among Canadian men. An online survey was distributed
      among a stratified, nationally representative sample of 1000 men from across
      Canada. The survey included brief self-report measures of pathological
      narcissism, maladaptive externalizing coping behaviours, and general
      psychological distress. After controlling for the effects of age and general
      psychological distress, pathological narcissism was found to be significantly
      associated with alcohol overuse and aggressive behaviour. Significant though
      modest interaction effects were found between pathological narcissism and age -
      with regards to drug use - and distress - with regards to risk-taking behaviour.
      The findings point to the need for attention to narcissistic dysfunction as a
      clinical and public health issue among men.

PMID- 28641203
TI  - Current trends in electrochemical sensing and biosensing of DNA methylation.
AB  - DNA methylation plays an important role in physiological and pathological
      processes. Several genetic diseases and most malignancies tend to be associated
      with aberrant DNA methylation. Among other analytical methods, electrochemical
      approaches have been successfully employed for characterisation of DNA
      methylation patterns that are essential for the diagnosis and treatment of
      particular diseases. This article discusses current trends in the electrochemical
      sensing and biosensing of DNA methylation. Particularly, it provides an overview
      of applied electrode materials, electrode modifications and biorecognition
      elements applications with an emphasis on strategies that form the core DNA
      methylation detection approaches. The three main strategies as (i) bisulfite
      treatment, (ii) cleavage by restriction endonucleases, and (iii) immuno/affinity
      reaction were described in greater detail. Additionally, the availability of the
      reviewed platforms for early cancer diagnosis and the approval of methylation
      inhibitors for anticancer therapy were discussed.

PMID- 28641204
TI  - Towards dosimetry for photodynamic diagnosis with the low-level dose of
      photosensitizer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Contemporary medicine does not concern the issue of dosimetry in
      photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) but follows the photosensitizer (PS) producers
      recommendation. Most preclinical and clinical PDD studies indicate a considerable
      variation in the possibility of visualization and treatment, as e.g. in case of
      cervix lesions. Although some of these variations can be caused by the different
      histological subtypes or various tumor geometries, the issue of varying PS
      concentration in the tumor tissue volume is definitely an important factor.
      Therefore, there is a need to establish the objective and systematic PDD
      dosimetry protocol regarding doses of light and photosensitizers. METHODS: Four
      different irradiation sources investigated in PDD (literature) were used for PS
      excitation. The PS luminescence was examined by means of the non-imaging
      (spectroscopic) and imaging (wide- and narrow-field of view) techniques. The
      methodology for low-level intensity photoluminescence (PL) characterization and
      dedicated image processing algorithm for PS luminescence images analysis were
      proposed. Further, HeLa cells' cultures penetration by PS was studied by a
      confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Reducing the PS dose with the choice of proper
      photoexcitation conditions decreases the PDD procedure costs and the side
      effects, not affecting the diagnostic efficiency. We determined in vitro the
      minimum incubation time and photosensitizer concentration of Photolon for
      diagnostic purposes, for which the Photolon PL can still be observed. It was
      demonstrated that quantification of PS concentration, choice of proper
      photoexcitation source, appropriate adjustment of light dose and PS penetration
      of cancer cells may improve the low-level luminescence photodynamic diagnostics
      performance. CONCLUSIONS: Practical effectiveness of the PDD strongly depends on
      irradiation source parameters (bandwidth, maximum intensity, half-width) and
      their optimization is the main conditioning factor for low-level intensity and
      low-cost PDD.

PMID- 28641205
TI  - Muscilage characterization, biochemical and enzymatic activities of laser
      irradiated Lagenaria siceraria seedlings.
AB  - Laser stimulation effect on L. siceraria seed mucilage, biochemicals and
      enzymatic activities during early growth stages were investigated. The laser
      density power of 1mW/cm2 for 3 and 5min treatments were performed and various
      responses i.e., seedlings mucilage, biochemical and enzymatic activities were
      studied. Laser treatment of L. siceraria seeds enhanced the biochemical as well
      as the enzymatic activities. TPC (total phenolic contents),TFC (total flavonoids
      contents), TSS (total soluble sugar), reducing sugar, proline contents, total
      soluble protein and nitrogen contents were recorded higher in laser treated
      groups versus control. Mucilage from L. siceraria seed coat was also
      characterized. The pre-sowing seeds were treated with laser radiation for 3 and
      5min. TPC, TFC, proline contents, total soluble protein and nitrogenous compounds
      contents, ascorbic acid contents were recorded higher at 3min. The laser
      irradiation effect on TSS, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA) was
      insignificant versus control. The SOD (superoxide dismutase) and POD
      (peroxidase), AMY (amylase), CAT (catalase) activities were recorded higher for
      5min laser treatment. Results revealed that He-Ne continuous wave-laser pre
      sowing seed irradiation affected the seed coat mucilage, biochemical and
      enzymatic activities positively and this treatment could possibly be used to
      enhance the L. siceraria productivity. Future study will be focused on growth at
      later stages and yield characteristics of L. siceraria.

PMID- 28641206
TI  - Efficacy of surgical laser therapy in the management of oral pigmented lesions: A
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral pigmentation, especially in the gingiva poses esthetic problems.
      Laser therapy has been widely used for cosmetic therapy in dentistry. The aim of
      the present study was to systematically review the efficacy of surgical laser
      therapy (SLT) in the management of oral pigmented lesions (OPL). MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The addressed focused question was "Is SLT effective in the management
      of OPL?" Databases (MEDLINE via PubMed; EMBASE; Cochrane Central Register of
      Controlled Trials and Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register databases) were
      searched from 1970 up to and including February 2017. RESULTS: Ten studies were
      included. The reported number of OPL ranged between 8 and 140. Oral pigmented
      sites included, gingiva, buccal and labial mucosa, alveolar mucosa and lips.
      Lasers used in the studies included Q-switched alexandrite, Neodymium-doped
      yttrium aluminium garnet, diode, Erbium: yttrium aluminium garnet and carbon
      dioxide laser. Laser wavelength, power output and number of irradiations were 635
      10,600nm, 1-10W and 1 to 9 times, respectively. The follow up period ranged from
      6 to 24months. All studies reported SLT to be effective in the treatment of OPL.
      In five studies, recurrence of OPL occurred which ranged from 21.4% to 45%.
      CONCLUSIONS: Lasers are effective in the management of OPL including physiologic
      gingival pigmentation, smokers' melanosis and pigmentation in Laugier-Hunziker
      syndrome. Different laser types (CO2, Er:YAG and Diode) showed comparable
      outcomes in the treatment of OPL.

PMID- 28641207
TI  - ROS and calcium signaling mediated pathways involved in stress responses of the
      marine microalgae Dunaliella salina to enhanced UV-B radiation.
AB  - UV-B ray has been addressed to trigger common metabolic responses on marine
      microalgae, however, the upstream events responsible for these changes in marine
      microalgae are poorly understood. In the present study, a species of marine green
      microalgae Dunaliella salina was exposed to a series of enhanced UV-B radiation
      ranging from 0.25 to 1.00 KJ.m-2 per day. The role of ROS and calcium signaling
      in the D. salina responses to UV-B was discussed. Results showed that enhanced UV
      B radiation markedly decreased the cell density in a dose-dependent manner, but
      the contents of protein and glycerol that were essential for cell growth
      increased. It suggested that it was cell division instead of cell growth that UV
      B exerted negative effects on. The subcellular damages on nuclei and plasmalemma
      further evidenced the hypothesis. The nutrient absorption was affected with UV-B
      exposure, and the inhibition on PO43- uptake was more serious compared to NO3-
      uptake. UV-B radiation promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation and
      thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) contents, decreased the redox
      status and altered the antioxidant enzyme activities. The addition of the ROS
      scavenger and the glutathione biosynthesis precursor N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC)
      alleviated the stress degree, implying ROS-mediated pathway was involved in the
      stress response to UV-B radiation. Transient increase in Ca2+-ATPase was
      triggered simultaneously with UV-B exposure. Meanwhile, the addition of an
      intracellular free calcium chelator aggravated the damage of cell division, but
      exogenous calcium and ion channel blocker applications did not, inferring that
      endogenously initiated calcium signaling played roles in response to UV-B. Cross
      talk analysis showed a relatively clear relationship between ROS inhibition and
      Ca2+-ATPase suppression, and a relation between Ca2+ inhibition and GPx activity
      change was also observed. It was thus presumed that ROS-coupled calcium signaling
      via the glutathione cycle was involved in the response of marine microalgae to UV
      B stimuli.

PMID- 28641208
TI  - An associative account of the development of word learning.
AB  - Word learning is a notoriously difficult induction problem because meaning is
      underdetermined by positive examples. How do children solve this problem? Some
      have argued that word learning is achieved by means of inference: young word
      learners rely on a number of assumptions that reduce the overall hypothesis space
      by favoring some meanings over others. However, these approaches have difficulty
      explaining how words are learned from conversations or text, without pointing or
      explicit instruction. In this research, we propose an associative mechanism that
      can account for such learning. In a series of experiments, 4-year-olds and adults
      were presented with sets of words that included a single nonsense word (e.g.
      dax). Some lists were taxonomic (i.,e., all items were members of a given
      category), some were associative (i.e., all items were associates of a given
      category, but not members), and some were mixed. Participants were asked to
      indicate whether the nonsense word was an animal or an artifact. Adults exhibited
      evidence of learning when lists consisted of either associatively or
      taxonomically related items. In contrast, children exhibited evidence of word
      learning only when lists consisted of associatively related items. These results
      present challenges to several extant models of word learning, and a new model
      based on the distinction between syntagmatic and paradigmatic associations is
      proposed.

PMID- 28641209
TI  - Adsorption of NO2 molecules on armchair phosphorene nanosheet for nano sensor
      applications - A first-principles study.
AB  - The electronic and NO2 adsorption properties of hydrogenated armchair phosphorene
      nanosheet device is investigated through density functional theory (DFT) and non
      equilibrium Green's function method (NEGF). The armchair phosphorene nanosheet is
      used for the detection of NO2 gas in phosphorene molecular device. The DOS
      spectrum demonstrates the change in peak maxima due to transfer of electrons
      between NO2 gas and phosphorene base material. The change in the peak amplitude
      is observed along the valance band as well as in the conduction band in the
      transmission spectrum of phosphorene device. I-V characteristics support the
      change in the current upon adsorption of NO2 gas molecule on phosphorene
      molecular device. Using formation energy, structural stability of phosphorene
      nanosheet has been studied. The adsorption properties of NO2 on phosphorene
      nanosheet have also been investigated with the help of adsorption energy,
      Mulliken charge and Bader charge analysis. In order to ascertain the selectivity
      of NO2 gas along phosphorene molecular device in the ambient condition, the
      adsorption behavior of O2 and CO2 is also studied. The findings of the present
      work confirm that phosphorene molecular device can be used as a NO2 gas sensor
      and also the influence of Al substitution in phosphorene nanosheet device is
      explored and reported.

PMID- 28641210
TI  - Comparative analysis of polyspecificity of the endogenous tRNA synthetase of
      different expression host towards photocrosslinking amino acids using an in
      silico approach.
AB  - Photo-induced covalent crosslinking has emerged as the powerful strategy for
      analyzing and characterizing the protein-protein interaction and mapping protein
      3D conformations. In the last decades, a number of photocrosslinking amino acids
      have been reported but only a few have been efficiently utilized for
      photocrosslinking purposes. Recently, incorporation of diazirine containing
      photoactivatable analogs such as photo-methionine, photo-leucine, photo
      isoleucine and photo-lysine into target proteins were accomplished in live cells
      (Human A549cells, HEK 293) by depleting corresponding natural amino acid and
      supplementing these analogs in the medium. Likewise, incorporation of photo
      methionine and photo-leucine is also reported in E. coli. Incorporation of these
      unnatural amino acids were demonstrated only in a limited number species, thereby
      conventional methods have been utilized for the protein-protein interaction study
      in other species. With this in mind, we studied in silico analysis of
      polyspecificity of four endogenous tRNA synthetases (LeuRS, IleRS, MetRS, and
      LysRS) from six different species such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas
      fluorescens, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus
      oryzae and Homo sapiens towards its photocrosslinking amino acids. In addition,
      here we describe the active site similarity of different protein bio-factories.
      Based on the active site similarity and similar binding mode, we predicted that
      the endogenous tRNA synthetases of all the species are reactive to corresponding
      photoactivatable analogs. This is the first in silico study to demonstrate that
      the photocrosslinking unnatural amino acids are recognized by the endogenous tRNA
      synthetases of different protein expression biofactories.

PMID- 28641211
TI  - Specific interactions between androgen receptor and its ligand: ab initio
      molecular orbital calculations in water.
AB  - The Androgen Receptor (AR) is a family of nuclear receptor proteins and a ligand
      activated transcription factor. Since its abnormal activation can cause the
      progression of prostate cancer, numerous types of antagonists against AR have
      been developed as promising agents for treating prostate cancers. We here
      investigated the specific interactions between AR and several types of non
      steroid agents at an electronic level, using ab initio molecular simulations
      based on molecular mechanics and ab initio fragment molecular orbital (FMO)
      methods From the results obtained by FMO, we proposed novel agents as potent
      ligands against AR and investigated the binding properties between AR and these
      agents to confirm that some of them can bind more strongly with AR than the
      existing non-steroid agents and can be strongly effective ligands against AR.

PMID- 28641212
TI  - Association of gene polymorphisms of four components of renin-angiotensin
      aldosterone system and preeclampsia in South African black women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of the gene polymorphisms of:
      angiotensinogen (AGT), renin (REN), angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1R) and
      angiotensin II receptor 2 (AT2R), in the pathogenesis of PE in South African
      Black women. METHODOLOGY (STUDY DESIGN): 603 pregnant women; 246 normotensive and
      357 with PE (early-onset=187, late-onset=170), were recruited. Each study group
      was subdivided into HIV infected and uninfected groups. The distribution and
      frequencies of gene polymorphisms of AGT (M235T), REN (C-5312T), AT1R (A1166C)
      and AT2R (C3123A) were determined in purified DNA by Real Time Polymerase Chain
      Reaction. RESULTS: The distribution of T allele and TT genotype of AGT in PE were
      significantly higher than the normotensive group (95% vs 91%, OR 1.9, 95%CI 1.2
      3.1, p=0.0051; 90% vs 83%, OR 1.84, 95%CI 1.11-3.05, p=0.01) respectively. The
      distributions of genotypes of REN, AT1R and AT2R were similar in PE and
      normotensive groups. CONCLUSION: The T allele of AGT may play a role in the
      pathogenesis of PE. The genotypes of REN, AT1R and AT2R were not associated with
      the development of PE.

PMID- 28641213
TI  - Measurement properties of screening and diagnostic tools for autism spectrum
      adults of mean normal intelligence: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The autism spectrum (AS) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental variant
      associated with lifelong challenges. Despite the relevant importance of
      identifying AS in adults for epidemiological, public health, and quality of life
      issues, the measurement properties of the tools currently used to screen and
      diagnose adults without intellectual disabilities (ID) have not been assessed.
      OBJECTIVES: This systematic review addresses the accuracy, reliability, and
      validity of the reported AS screening and diagnostic tools used in adults without
      ID. METHODS: Electronic databases and bibliographies were searched, and
      identified papers evaluated against inclusion criteria. The PRISMA statement was
      used for reporting the review. We evaluated the quality of the papers using the
      COSMIN Checklist for psychometric data, and QUADAS-2 for diagnostic data. For the
      COSMIN assessment, evidence was considered to be strong when several
      methodologically good articles, or one excellent article, reported consistent
      evidence for or against a measurement property. For the QUADAS ratings, evidence
      was considered to be "satisfactory" if at least one study was rated with a low
      risk of bias and low concern about applicability. RESULTS: We included 38
      articles comprising 32 studies, five reviews, and one book chapter and assessed
      nine tools (three diagnostic and six screening, including eight of their short
      versions). Among screening tools, only AQ-50, AQ-S, and RAADS-R and RAADS-14 were
      found to provide satisfactory or intermediate values for their psychometric
      properties, supported by strong or moderate evidence. Nevertheless, risks of bias
      and concerns on the applicability of these tools limit the evidence on their
      diagnostic properties. We found that none of the gold standard diagnostic tools
      used for children had satisfactory measurement properties. CONCLUSION: There is
      limited evidence for the measurement properties of the screening and diagnostic
      tools used for AS adults with a mean normal range of measured intelligence. This
      may lessen the validity of conclusions and public health decisions on an
      important fraction of the adult autistic population. This not only justifies
      further validation studies of screening and diagnostic tools for autistic adults,
      but also supports the parallel use of self-reported information and clinical
      expertise with these instruments during the diagnostic process.

PMID- 28641215
TI  - Worry and cognitive control predict course trajectories of anxiety in older
      adults with late-life depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many older adults with depressive disorder manifest anxious distress.
      This longitudinal study examines the predictive value of worry as a maladaptive
      cognitive emotion regulation strategy, and resources necessary for successful
      emotion regulation (i.e., cognitive control and resting heart rate variability
      [HRV]) for the course of anxiety symptoms in depressed older adults. Moreover, it
      examines whether these emotion regulation variables moderate the impact of
      negative life events on severity of anxiety symptoms. METHODS: Data of 378
      depressed older adults (CIDI) between 60 and 93 years (of whom 144 [41%] had a
      comorbid anxiety disorder) from the Netherlands Study of Depression in Older
      Adults (NESDO) were used. Latent Growth Mixture Modeling was used to identify
      different course trajectories of six-months BAI scores. Univariable and
      multivariable longitudinal associations of worry, cognitive control and HRV with
      symptom course trajectories were assessed. RESULTS: We identified a course
      trajectory with low and improving symptoms (57.9%), a course trajectory with
      moderate and persistent symptoms (33.5%), and a course trajectory with severe and
      persistent anxiety symptoms (8.6%). Higher levels of worry and lower levels of
      cognitive control predicted persistent and severe levels of anxiety symptoms
      independent of presence of anxiety disorder. However, worry, cognitive control
      and HRV did not moderate the impact of negative life events on anxiety severity.
      CONCLUSIONS: Worry may be an important and malleable risk factor for persistence
      of anxiety symptoms in depressed older adults. Given the high prevalence of
      anxious depression in older adults, modifying worry may constitute a viable venue
      for alleviating anxiety levels.

PMID- 28641216
TI  - Psychoeducational groups for adults with ADHD and their significant others
      (PEGASUS): A pragmatic multicenter and randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility, efficacy, and effectiveness of PEGASUS, a
      group-based structured psychoeducation for adults with ADHD and their significant
      others. METHOD: A pragmatic parallel group add-on design multicenter randomized
      controlled trial was conducted, comparing an 8-session treatment with PEGASUS
      (allocated n=97; 48 with ADHD and 49 with significant others) to treatment as
      usual (TAU, allocated n=82; 39 with ADHD and 43 significant others). Participants
      (individuals with ADHD and significant others) were recruited from five
      psychiatric outpatient departments and block randomized to PEGASUS or TAU.
      Knowledge about ADHD was measured using the ADHD 20 scale pre- and post
      intervention and served as primary outcome. RESULTS: Knowledge about ADHD (d=0.97
      [95% CI: 0.61-1.31]) increased following PEGASUS participation compared to TAU.
      Improvements were also observed in secondary outcomes e.g. global life
      satisfaction (d=0.25 [95% CI: from -0.09 to 0.59]). Overall treatment
      satisfaction was good. Over 90% of the participants completed the program. Post
      intervention data was obtained from n=89 in PEGASUS group and n=70 in TAU group
      and analyses were conducted per protocol. No important adverse effects or side
      effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Group-based structured psychoeducation
      PEGASUS for adults with ADHD and their significant others is a feasible,
      efficacious, and effective treatment option to increase ADHD knowledge and
      general life satisfaction in psychiatric outpatient care.

PMID- 28641214
TI  - Motor system dysfunction in the schizophrenia diathesis: Neural systems to
      neurotransmitters.
AB  - Motor control is a ubiquitous aspect of human function, and from its earliest
      origins, abnormal motor control has been proposed as being central to
      schizophrenia. The neurobiological architecture of the motor system is well
      understood in primates and involves cortical and sub-cortical components
      including the primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, dorsal anterior
      cingulate cortex, the prefrontal cortex, the basal ganglia, and cerebellum.
      Notably all of these regions are associated in some manner to the pathophysiology
      of schizophrenia. At the molecular scale, both dopamine and gamma-Aminobutyric
      Acid (GABA) abnormalities have been associated with working memory dysfunction,
      but particularly relating to the basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortex
      respectively. As evidence from multiple scales (behavioral, regional and
      molecular) converges, here we provide a synthesis of the bio-behavioral relevance
      of motor dysfunction in schizophrenia, and its consistency across scales. We
      believe that the selective compendium we provide can supplement calls arguing for
      renewed interest in studying the motor system in schizophrenia. We believe that
      in addition to being a highly relevant target for the study of schizophrenia
      related pathways in the brain, such focus provides tractable behavioral probes
      for in vivo imaging studies in the illness. Our assessment is that the motor
      system is a highly valuable research domain for the study of schizophrenia.

PMID- 28641218
TI  - On the overlap of vital exhaustion and depression.

PMID- 28641217
TI  - The aggressor at the mirror: Psychiatric correlates of deliberate self-harm in
      male prison inmates.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) causes important concern in prison inmates
      as it worsens morbidity and increases the risk for suicide. The aim of the
      present study is to investigate the prevalence and correlates of DSH in a large
      sample of male prisoners. METHODS: A cross-sectional study evaluated male
      prisoners aged 18+ years. Current and lifetime psychiatric diagnoses were
      assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical
      Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM-IV Axis I and Axis II Disorders and with the
      Addiction Severity Index-Expanded Version. DSH was assessed with The Deliberate
      Self-Harm Inventory. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to
      identify independent correlates of lifetime DSH. RESULTS: Ninety-three of 526
      inmates (17.7%) reported at least 1 lifetime DSH behavior, and 58/93 (62.4%) of
      those reported a DSH act while in prison. After multivariable adjustment
      (sensitivity 41.9%, specificity 96.1%, area under the curve=0.854, 95% confidence
      interval CI=0.811-0.897, P<0.001), DSH was significantly associated with lifetime
      psychotic disorders (adjusted Odds Ratio aOR=6.227, 95% CI=2.183-17.762,
      P=0.001), borderline personality disorder (aOR=6.004, 95% CI=3.305-10.907,
      P<0.001), affective disorders (aOR=2.856, 95% CI=1.350-6.039, P=0.006) and misuse
      of multiple substances (aOR=2.024, 95% CI=1.111-3.687, P=0.021). CONCLUSIONS:
      Borderline personality disorder and misuse of multiple substances are established
      risk factors of DSH, but psychotic and affective disorders were also associated
      with DSH in male prison inmates. This points to possible DSH-related clinical sub
      groups, that bear specific treatment needs.

PMID- 28641220
TI  - Predicting semantic features in Chinese: Evidence from ERPs.
AB  - This article reports two ERP studies that exploited the classifier system of
      Mandarin Chinese to investigate semantic prediction. In Mandarin, in certain
      contexts, a noun has to be preceded by a classifier, which has to match the noun
      in semantically-defined features. In both experiments, an N400 effect was
      elicited in response to a classifier that mismatched an up-coming predictable
      noun, relative to a matching classifier. Among the mismatching classifiers, the
      N400 effect was graded, being smaller for classifiers that were semantically
      related to the predicted word, relative to classifiers that were semantically
      unrelated to the predicted word. Given that the classifier occurred before the
      predicted word, this result shows that fine-grained semantic features of nouns
      can be pre-activated in advance of bottom-up input. The studies thus extend
      previous findings based on a more restricted range of highly grammaticalized
      features such as gender or animacy in Indo-European languages (Szewczyk &
      Schriefers, 2013; Van Berkum, Brown, Zwitserlood, Kooijman, & Hagoort, 2005;
      Wicha, Bates, Moreno, & Kutas, 2003).

PMID- 28641221
TI  - A 'curse of knowledge' in the absence of knowledge? People misattribute fluency
      when judging how common knowledge is among their peers.
AB  - Knowledge can be a curse: Once we have acquired a particular item of knowledge it
      tends to bias, or contaminate, our ability to reason about a less informed
      perspective (referred to as the 'curse of knowledge' or 'hindsight bias'). The
      mechanisms underlying the curse of knowledge bias are a matter of great import
      and debate. We highlight two mechanisms that have been proposed to underlie this
      bias-inhibition and fluency misattribution. Explanations that involve inhibition
      argue that people have difficulty fully inhibiting or suppressing the content of
      their knowledge when trying to reason about a less informed perspective.
      Explanations that involve fluency misattribution focus on the feelings of fluency
      with which the information comes to mind and the tendency to misattribute the
      subjective feelings of fluency associated with familiar items to the objective
      ease or foreseeability of that information. Three experiments with a total of 359
      undergraduate students provide the first evidence that fluency misattribution
      processes are sufficient to induce the curse of knowledge bias. These results add
      to the literature on the many manifestations of the curse of knowledge bias and
      the many types of source misattributions, by revealing their role in people's
      judgements of how common, or widespread, one's knowledge is. The implications of
      these results for cognitive science and social cognition are discussed.

PMID- 28641219
TI  - Comparison of brand versus generic antiepileptic drug adverse event reporting
      rates in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System
      (FAERS).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Despite the cost saving role of generic anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs),
      debate exists as to whether generic substitution of branded AEDs may lead to
      therapeutic failure and increased toxicity. This study compared adverse event
      (AE) reporting rates for brand vs. authorized generic (AG) vs. generic AEDs.
      Since AGs are pharmaceutically identical to brand but perceived as generics, the
      generic vs. AG comparison minimized potential bias against generics. METHODS:
      Events reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting
      System between January 2004 to March 2015 with lamotrigine, carbamazepine, and
      oxcarbazepine listed as primary or secondary suspect were classified as brand,
      generic, or AG based on the manufacturer. Disproportionality analyses using the
      reporting odds ratio (ROR) assessed the relative rate of reporting of labeled AEs
      compared to reporting these events with all other drugs. The Breslow-Day
      statistic compared RORs across brand, AG, and other generics using a Bonferroni
      corrected P<0.01. RESULTS: A total of 27,150 events with lamotrigine, 13,950
      events with carbamazepine, and 5077 events with oxcarbazepine were reported, with
      generics accounting for 27%, 41%, and 32% of reports, respectively. Although RORs
      for the majority of known AEs were different between brand and generics for all
      three drugs of interest (Breslow-Day P<0.001), RORs generally were similar for AG
      and generic comparisons. Generic lamotrigine and carbamazepine were more commonly
      involved in reports of suicide or suicidal ideation compared with the respective
      AGs based on a multiple comparison-adjusted P<0.01. SIGNIFICANCE: Similar AED
      reporting rates were observed for the AG and generic comparisons for most
      outcomes and drugs, suggesting that brands and generics have similar reporting
      rates after accounting for generic perception biases. Disproportional suicide
      reporting was observed for generics compared with AGs and brand, although this
      finding needs further study.

PMID- 28641222
TI  - Theoretical evaluation on selective adsorption characteristics of alkali metal
      based sorbents for gaseous oxidized mercury.
AB  - Alkali metal-based sorbents are potential for oxidized mercury (Hg2+) selective
      adsorption but show hardly effect to elemental mercury (Hg0) in flue gas. Density
      functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the Hg0 and HgCl2 adsorption
      mechanism over alkali metal-based sorbents, including calcium oxide (CaO),
      magnesium oxide (MgO), potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium chloride (NaCl). Hg0
      was found to weakly interact with CaO (001), MgO (001), KCl (001) and NaCl (001)
      surfaces while HgCl2 was effectively adsorbed on top-O and top-Cl sites. Charge
      transfer and bond population were calculated to discuss the covalency and
      ionicity of HgCl2 bonding with the adsorption sites. The partial density of
      states (PDOS) analysis manifests that HgCl2 strongly interacts with surface sites
      through the orbital hybridizations between Hg and top O or Cl. Frontier molecular
      orbital (FMO) energy and Mulliken electronegativity are introduced as the
      quantitative criteria to evaluate the reactivity of mercury species and alkali
      metal-based sorbents. HgCl2 is identified as a Lewis acid and more reactive than
      Hg0. The Lewis basicity of the four alkali metal-based sorbents is predicted as
      the increasing order: NaCl < MgO < KCl < CaO, in consistence with the trend of
      HgCl2 adsorption energies.

PMID- 28641223
TI  - Paternal bisphenol a diet changes prefrontal cortex proteome and provokes
      behavioral dysfunction in male offspring.
AB  - Relatively little attention has been given paternal effects on next generation.
      Given that Bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous compound in maternal diet, may disrupt
      brain development and behavior, we hypothesized that paternal BPA diet (PBD)
      could affect offspring development. Prefrontal cortex (PFC), a vital brain
      region, is involved in emotion and social behavior. To test whether PBD could
      alter developing PFC, we carried out a proteomics approach for PFC in male
      juvenile offspring that responded to PBD (50 mg BPA/kg diet). We found that PBD
      altered the expressions of binding immunoglobulin protein (BIP), CCAAT/-enhancer
      binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2), which
      could reflect endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In addition, downregulation of
      myelinogenesis genes and myelin basic protein (MBP) could provoke myelin
      deficiency. Furthermore, PBD significantly increased anxiety-like behavior and
      impaired social behavior in male offspring. Taken together, these results
      revealed the alterations of ER stress and myelin destruction related molecules
      induced by PBD might be a potential mechanism for the behavior deficits in their
      male offspring. These findings remind us of the importance of paternal effects in
      the further environmental exposure research.

PMID- 28641224
TI  - Elemental copper nanoparticle toxicity to anaerobic ammonium oxidation and the
      influence of ethylene diamine-tetra acetic acid (EDTA) on copper toxicity.
AB  - Soluble ions released by elemental copper nanoparticles (Cu0 NP) are toxic to key
      microorganisms of wastewater treatment processes. However, their toxicity to
      anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) has not yet been studied. Chelating agents
      occurring in wastewater may decrease copper ions (Cu2+) concentration and
      consequently, decrease copper toxicity. This study evaluated Cu0 NP and CuCl2
      toxicity to anammox and the influence of ethylene diamine-tetra acetic acid
      (EDTA) on copper toxicity. Bioassays were supplemented with Cu0 NP or CuCl2 with
      and without EDTA. Anammox activities were used to calculate inhibition constants
      (Ki). Results showed that Cu0 NP are toxic to anammox. Ki constants with respect
      to added copper were 1.8- and 2.81-fold larger (less toxic) in EDTA-containing
      assays for Cu0 NP and CuCl2, respectively, compared to EDTA-free assays.
      Additionally, Ki constants calculated in EDTA-free assays with respect the
      measured dissolved copper concentration were 0.023 mM Cu0 NP and 0.014 mM CuCl2.
      The similarity of these Ki constants indicates that Cu0 NP toxicity to anammox is
      caused by the release of Cu2+. Finally, severe toxicity caused by 0.315 mM and
      Cu0 NP 0.118 mM CuCl2 was attenuated by 88-100% when 0.14 mM EDTA was supplied.
      Toxicity attenuation likely occurred because EDTA complexed Cu2+ ions, thus,
      decreasing their bioavailability. Overall, this study indicates that Cu0 NP and
      CuCl2 are toxic to anammox, and furthermore, that EDTA attenuates Cu0 NP and
      CuCl2 toxicity to anammox by complexing Cu2+ ions.

PMID- 28641225
TI  - Investigation of dissociation constants for individual and total naphthenic acids
      species using ultra performance liquid chromatography ion mobility time-of-flight
      mass spectrometry analysis.
AB  - Ultra-performance liquid chromatography ion mobility time-of-flight mass
      spectrometry (UPLC-IM-TOFMS) was utilized for the analysis of naphthenic acids
      (NAs) in fractions of pH-dependent sequential liquid-liquid extractions from oil
      sands process-affected water. Ion-mobility separation technique allowed the
      differentiation of OyS-NAs (2 <= y <= 4) from Ox-NAs (2 <= x <= 5) via drift time
      versus retention time separations. The results indicated that the addition of S
      atom to the O2-NA molecule led to a lower increase in the dissociation constant
      (pKa) compared to that caused by the addition of O atom. Because additional O is
      present as OH while the S atom is present as the CSC structure, the latter does
      not involve into the deprotonation process directly. The pKa value decreased
      along with increasing carbon number and |Z| number for O2-, O3-, O4-, and O2S-NA
      species, except for O5-, O3S-, and O4S-NA species, each of which are comprised of
      chemical structures with distinct functional groups. A calculation model was
      developed to estimate pKa values for individual and total NA species via
      nonlinear regression curve fitting, utilizing the relative abundances of detected
      NA species. pKa values were calculated as 3.9 for total NAs, 3.3 for O2-NAs, 4.4
      for O3-NAs, 7.3 for O4-NAs, and 4.1 for O2S-NAs. Knowledge of NAs pKa is
      crucially important for the comprehensive understanding of their potential
      transformation route and toxicity as well as for the development of water
      remediation applications. Both the ion-mobility separation technique and the new
      calculation model could be widely applied for the investigation of other
      complicated pollutants present in water and wastewater.

PMID- 28641226
TI  - Evaluation of trace element concentration in cancerous and non-cancerous tissues
      of human stomach.
AB  - Gastric cancer has a high mortality rate in west of Iran. Various environmental
      elements are proposed as cancer risk factors including trace elements. Trace
      elements can induce initiation or progression of carcinogenesis via oxidative
      stress and DNA injury. The aim of this study was to measure and compare some
      trace element concentration (Ca, Cu, Fe, As, Mg, Ni, Cd and Cr) in gastric cancer
      tissues and normal tissues. For this purpose, 35 patients with gastric cancer and
      30 without any cancer were biopsied. Biopsies were taken from cancerous tissue
      and non-cancerous tissue of gastric cancer patients and gastric tissue of normal
      patients. The analysis of trace elements was performed using Inductively coupled
      plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Data analysis was carried out using SPSS and
      STATA 12 software. The research found that the concentrations of Fe, Mg, and As
      were higher in cancerous tissues compared with non-cancerous tissues whereas Cr,
      Cu, Ca, and Ni concentrations were higher in non-cancerous tissues of cancerous
      patients. When comparisons were made for cancer and normal samples, copper was
      the only metal, which was significantly higher in cancerous samples (p < 0.05)
      and Cr mean concentration in normal tissues was significantly higher compared
      with cancerous tissues (P = 0.02). Chi-Square test showed that there was no
      significant relationship in the demographic information between cancerous and
      normal patients except for location with K2 = 7.604. Increased Cu and As
      concentration in gastric patients (both tissues) propose that these elements may
      have carcinogenic effects, although further study is suggested.

PMID- 28641227
TI  - Presence, distribution and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in
      rice-wheat continuous cropping soils close to five industrial parks of Suzhou,
      China.
AB  - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) accumulated in agricultural soils are
      likely to threaten human health and ecosystem though the food chain, therefore,
      it is worth to pay more attention to soil contamination by PAHs. In this study,
      the presence, distribution and risk assessment of 16 priority PAHs in rice-wheat
      continuous cropping soils close to industrial parks of Suzhou were firstly
      investigated. The concentrations of the total PAHs ranged from 125.99 ng/g to
      796.65 ng/g with an average of 352.94 ng/g. Phenanthrene (PHE), fluoranthene
      (FLT), benzo [a] anthracene (BaA) and pyrene (PYR) were the major PAHs in those
      soil samples. The highest level of PAHs was detected in the soils around Chemical
      plant and Steelworks, followed by Printed wire board, Electroplate Factory and
      Paper mill. The composition of PAHs in the soils around Chemical plant was
      dominated by 3-ring PAHs, however, the predominant compounds were 4, 5-ring PAHs
      in the soils around other four factories. Meanwhile, the concentration of the
      total PAHs in the soils close to the factories showed a higher level of PAHs in
      November (during rice harvest) than that in June (during wheat harvest).
      Different with other rings of PAHs, 3-ring PAHs in the soils around Chemical
      plant and Steelworks had a higher concentration in June. The results of principal
      component analysis and isomeric ratio analysis suggested that PAHs in the studied
      areas mainly originated from biomass, coal and petroleum combustion. The risk
      assessment indicated that higher carcinogenic risk was found in those sites
      closer to the industrial park.

PMID- 28641228
TI  - Relationships between past and present pesticide applications and pollution at a
      watershed outlet: The case of a horticultural catchment in Martinique, French
      West Indies.
AB  - The understanding of factors affecting pesticide transfers to catchment outlet is
      still at a very early stage in tropical context, and especially on tropical
      volcanic context. We performed on-farm pesticide use surveys during 87 weeks and
      monitored pesticides in water weekly during 67 weeks at the outlet of a small
      catchment in Martinique. We identified three types of pollution. First, we showed
      long-term chronic pollution by chlordecone, diuron and metolachlor resulting from
      horticultural practices applied 5-20 years ago (quantification frequency higher
      than 80%). Second, we showed peak pollution. High amounts of propiconazole and
      fosthiazate applied at low frequencies caused river pollution peaks for weeks
      following a single application. Low amounts of diquat and diazinon applied at low
      frequencies also caused pollution peaks. The high amounts of glyphosate applied
      at high frequency resulted into pollution peaks by glyphosate and
      aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in 6 and 20% of the weeks. Any intensification
      of their uses will result in higher pollution levels. Third, relatively low
      amounts of glufosinate-ammonium, difenoconazol, spinosad and metaldehyde were
      applied at high frequencies. Unexpectedly, such pesticides remained barely
      detected (<1.5%) or undetected in water samples. We showed that AMPA, fosthiazate
      and propiconazole have serious leaching potential. They might result in future
      chronic pollution of shallow aquifers alimenting surface water. We prove that to
      avoid the past errors and decrease the risk of long-term pollution of water
      resources, it is urgent to reduce or stop the use of pesticides with leaching
      potential by changing agricultural practices.

PMID- 28641229
TI  - Effects of short-term invasion of Spartina alterniflora and the subsequent
      restoration of native mangroves on the soil organic carbon, nitrogen and
      phosphorus stock.
AB  - The exotic cordgrass Spartina alterniflora has severely invaded the mangrove
      wetlands in southern China and ecological restoration using native mangroves was
      conducted in an attempt to control this invasive species. In this study, the
      contents and pools of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total
      phosphorus (TP) were quantified to investigate the invasive effects of S.
      alterniflora and then to evaluate whether the ecological restoration of native
      mangrove could reverse those effects. S. alterniflora only showed significantly
      higher organic carbon content in the surface 0-10 cm of soil than in the
      uninvaded mudflat. The high delta13C values in the surface soil of the invaded
      habitat demonstrated that S. alterniflora contributed 42.6-62.2% of the organic
      carbon. The SOC for invasive S. alterniflora and newly restored mangroves (4
      years and 14 years) was not enhanced in comparison to the unvegetated mudflat. S.
      alterniflora significantly increased the surface soil TN content, but decreased
      the available phosphorus content and TP density. The TN densities increased
      gradually with the mangrove restoration, while the TP densities were only
      slightly influenced. The results suggested that short-term invasion of S.
      alterniflora and subsequent mangrove restoration did not alter SOC or TN pool
      sizes, but S. alterniflora was shown to affect the potential carbon storage
      capacity produced by the mangroves in the Zhangjiang Estuary.

PMID- 28641230
TI  - Combining chemometric tools for assessing hazard sources and factors acting
      simultaneously in contaminated areas. Case study: "Mar Piccolo" Taranto (South
      Italy).
AB  - Almost all marine coastal ecosystems possess complex structural and dynamic
      characteristics, which are influenced by anthropogenic causes and natural
      processes as well. Revealing the impact of sources and factors controlling the
      spatial distributions of contaminants within highly polluted areas is a
      fundamental propaedeutic step of their quality evaluation. Combination of
      different pattern recognition techniques, applied to one of the most polluted
      Mediterranean coastal basin, resulted in a more reliable hazard assessment.
      PCA/CA and factorial ANOVA were exploited as complementary techniques for
      apprehending the impact of multi-sources and multi-factors acting simultaneously
      and leading to similarities or differences in the spatial contamination pattern.
      The combination of PCA/CA and factorial ANOVA allowed, on one hand to determine
      the main processes and factors controlling the contamination trend within
      different layers and different basins, and, on the other hand, to ascertain
      possible synergistic effects. This approach showed the significance of a
      spatially representative overview given by the combination of PCA-CA/ANOVA in
      inferring the historical anthropogenic sources loading on the area.

PMID- 28641231
TI  - Association between timing of intubation and outcome in critically ill patients:
      A secondary analysis of the ICON audit.
AB  - PURPOSE: The optimal timing of endotracheal intubation in critically ill patients
      requiring invasive mechanical ventilation remains undefined. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: In a secondary analysis of the large, prospective ICON database, we used
      a piecewise proportional hazards model to compare outcomes in patients who
      underwent intubation early (within two days after intensive care unit [ICU]
      admission) or later. RESULTS: After excluding 5340 patients already intubated on
      admission or with therapeutic limitation, 4729 patients were analyzed, of whom
      4074 never underwent intubation. Of the remaining 655 patients, 449 underwent
      intubation early and 206 later. Despite similar severity scores on ICU admission,
      unadjusted ICU (27.6 vs. 18.2%) and hospital (33.3 vs. 23.4%) mortality rates
      were higher in patients intubated later than in those intubated earlier, as were
      ICU (9 [5-16] vs. 4 [2-9] days) and hospital (24 [9-35] vs. 13 [7-24] days)
      lengths-of-stay (all p<0.001). After adjustment, the hazard for ICU and hospital
      death was significantly greater >10days after ICU admission for patients
      intubated late. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of critically ill patients
      requiring intubation, intubation >2days after admission was associated with
      increased mortality later in the hospital course.

PMID- 28641232
TI  - On the aquatic toxicity of substituted phenols to Chlorella vulgaris: QSTR with
      an extended novel data set and interspecies models.
AB  - This study provides for the first time the 96-h toxicity of 16 nitro- and methyl-
      substituted phenols to Chlorella vulgaris. Enabling the circulation of new
      ecotoxicity data has expanded the previously reported toxicity data set of 30
      phenols to C. vulgaris by our laboratory. In this respect, high quality, single
      source algal toxicity data, generated in the same laboratory according to a REACH
      (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of CHemicals) compatible
      endpoint, provided a sound basis to explore quantitative structure-toxicity
      relationship (QSTR), which can be used for regulatory purposes. Of the developed
      linear models on a new data set, the selected one was applied to a data set lack
      of toxicity values, and prediction ability of the model was discussed.
      Interspecies relations were sought related to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and
      Tetrahymena pyriformis. The developed models displayed decent predictivity, which
      can be used to predict the toxicity of untested phenols on C. vulgaris.

PMID- 28641233
TI  - Large eddy simulation and experimental study on vented gasoline-air mixture
      explosions in a semi-confined obstructed pipe.
AB  - In this work, LES simulation coupled with a TFC sub-grid combustion model has
      been performed in a semi-confined pipe (L/D=10, V=10L) in the presence of four
      hollow-square obstacles (BR=49.8%) with circular hollow cross-section, in order
      to study the premixed gasoline-air mixture explosions. The comparisons between
      simulated results and experimental results have been conducted. It was found that
      the simulated results were in good agreement with experimental data in terms of
      flame structures, flame locations and overpressure time histories. Moreover, the
      interaction between flame propagation process and obstacles, overpressure
      dynamics were analyzed. In addition, the effects of initial gasoline vapor
      concentration (lean (phi=1.3%), stoichiometric (phi=1.7%) and rich (phi=2.1%)),
      and the number of obstacles (from 1 to 4) were also investigated by experiments.
      Some of the experimental results have been compared with the literature data. It
      is found that the explosion parameters of gasoline-air mixtures (e.g. the maximum
      overpressure peaks, average overpressure growth rates, etc.) are different from
      some other fuels such as hydrogen, methane and LPG, etc.

PMID- 28641234
TI  - Improved boundary segmentation of skin lesions in high-frequency 3D ultrasound.
AB  - In this article, we propose a segmentation algorithm for skin lesions in 3D high
      frequency ultrasound images. The segmentation is done on melanoma and Basal-cell
      carcinoma tumors, the most common skin cancer types, and could be used for
      diagnosis and surgical excision planning in a clinical context. Compared with
      previously proposed algorithms, which tend to underestimate the size of the
      lesion, we propose two new boundary terms which provide significant improvements
      of the accuracy. The first is a probabilistic boundary expansion (PBE) term
      designed to broaden the segmented area at the boundaries, which uses the feature
      asymmetry criterion. The second is a curvature dependent regularization (CDR),
      which aims at overcoming the tendency of standard regularization to shrink
      segmented areas. On a clinical dataset of 12 patients annotated by a
      dermatologist, the proposed algorithm has a comparable Dice index but increases
      the sensitivity by 26%. The proposed algorithm improves the sensitivity for all
      lesions, and the obtained sensitivity is close to that of the intra-observer
      variability.

PMID- 28641235
TI  - Computer-aided training sensorimotor cortex functions in humans before the upper
      limb transplantation using virtual reality and sensory feedback.
AB  - One of the biggest problems of upper limb transplantation is lack of certainty as
      to whether a patient will be able to control voluntary movements of transplanted
      hands. Based on findings of the recent research on brain cortex plasticity, a
      premise can be drawn that mental training supported with visual and sensory
      feedback can cause structural and functional reorganization of the sensorimotor
      cortex, which leads to recovery of function associated with the control of
      movements performed by the upper limbs. In this study, authors - based on the
      above observations - propose the computer-aided training (CAT) system, which
      generating visual and sensory stimuli, should enhance the effectiveness of mental
      training applied to humans before upper limb transplantation. The basis for the
      concept of computer-aided training system is a virtual hand whose reaching and
      grasping movements the trained patient can observe on the VR headset screen
      (visual feedback) and whose contact with virtual objects the patient can feel as
      a touch (sensory feedback). The computer training system is composed of three
      main components: (1) the system generating 3D virtual world in which the patient
      sees the virtual limb from the perspective as if it were his/her own hand; (2)
      sensory feedback transforming information about the interaction of the virtual
      hand with the grasped object into mechanical vibration; (3) the therapist's panel
      for controlling the training course. Results of the case study demonstrate that
      mental training supported with visual and sensory stimuli generated by the
      computer system leads to a beneficial change of the brain activity related to
      motor control of the reaching in the patient with bilateral upper limb congenital
      transverse deficiency.

PMID- 28641236
TI  - Analytical evidences of the use of iron-gall ink as a pigment on miniature
      paintings.
AB  - Iron-gall ink (IGI) has been used by scribes for writing since at least the 4th
      century CE. Another typical use of this ink was for drawing: many Old Masters
      created beautiful sketches in brown-black hues. Despite its widespread use to
      draw lines, it seems like IGI was hardly used for painting as well. In fact, the
      number of identification on manuscripts is very low at present. This could be
      partially due to a lack of reliable diagnostic information. In this work we tried
      to better define the possibility of identifying IGI as a pigment on illuminate
      manuscripts, evaluating the pros and cons of three different techniques: UV
      visible diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry with optic fibres (FORS), Raman
      spectroscopy and XRF spectrometry. With concern to in situ non-invasive analysis,
      Raman spectroscopy has the best diagnostic power but FORS seems to provide the
      better compromise between selectivity and ease of application. Moreover, new
      analytical evidences was given on the particular use of IGI by ancient
      illuminators: a non-invasive and micro-invasive diagnostic survey on Western
      manuscripts datable in the range 6-16th centuries was carried out showing that,
      apart from its widespread use as an ink for writing and drawing, IGI was largely
      used as a pigment too. The large number of identification obtained allows us to
      hypothesise that this pigment was used all through medieval Europe up to at least
      the Renaissance, where its use is already documented in drawing. The occurrence
      of IGI in miniature paintings older than 6th century or more recent than 16th
      century cannot be excluded, as is its use beyond Europe; further measurements
      could instead widen the time range and the geographic area. Nevertheless, the
      present study allows shedding a new light on the use of this colourant all along
      the period of medieval and Renaissance miniature painting art.

PMID- 28641237
TI  - Tunable excited-state intramolecular proton transfer reactions with NH or OH as a
      proton donor: A theoretical investigation.
AB  - Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reactions occurring in the
      S1 state for five molecules, which possess five/six-membered ring intramolecular
      NH...N or OH...N hydrogen bonds bearing quinoline or 2-phenylpyridine moiety,
      have been described in detail by the time-dependent density functional theory (TD
      DFT) approach using the B3LYP hybrid functional. For the five molecules, the
      constrained potential energy profiles along the ESIPT reactions show that proton
      transfer is barrierless in molecules possessing six-membered ring intramolecular
      H-bonds, which is smoother than that with certain barriers in five-membered ring
      H-bonding systems. For the latter, chemical modification by a more strong acid
      group can lower the ESIPT barrier significantly, which harnesses the ESIPT
      reaction from a difficult type to a fast one. The energy barrier of the ESIPT
      reaction depends on the intensity of the intramolecular H-bond, which can be
      measured with the topological descriptors by topology analysis of the bond
      critical point (BCP) of the intramolecular H-bond. It is found that when the
      value of electron density rho(r) at BCP is bigger than 0.025a.u., the
      corresponding molecule might go through an ultrafast and barrierless ESIPT
      process, which opens a new scenario to explore the ESIPT reactions.

PMID- 28641238
TI  - Water-soluble fraction of petroleum induces genotoxicity and morphological
      effects in fat snook (Centropomus parallelus).
AB  - Petroleum hydrocarbons are one of the primary organic chemicals found in water
      bodies, and the water-soluble fraction of petroleum (WSFP) may be responsible for
      much of the toxic effects. In the present study, genotoxicity assays and
      histopathological analysis of the gills were analyzed for two experimental
      protocols: 1) Juvenile Centropomus parallelus were exposed to different
      concentrations of WFSP (0%, 25%, 50% and 75%) for 96h; 2) A second fish group was
      exposed to 50% WFSP for 168h followed by a post-exposure period for 168h in clean
      water (recovery). The total benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene (BTEX) and
      polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations at time 0 were 254MUgL-1 and
      4.72MUgL-1 in 25%; 552.9MUgL-1 and 9.36MUgL-1 in 50%; and 842.4MUgL-1 and
      9.97MUgL-1 in 75% WSFP, respectively. Based on the alkaline comet assay, the
      damage index (DI) values of fish exposed to 25% WSFP for 96h were significantly
      higher than those in the control group, and in the micronucleus test, the higher
      damage values were found in fish exposed to 75% WSFP. Furthermore, this last
      genotoxic test showed recovery after 168h. At all concentrations of WSFP, several
      histopathological changes were observed, and overall, most of these changes
      observed in the gills were classified as proliferative changes and represented a
      protective mechanism against pollutant uptake. Based on the recovery experiment,
      the damage was also significantly reduced after recovery. Our results showed that
      short-term exposure to WSFP compounds triggered cellular alterations in C.
      parallelus, but total recovery did not occur with time. Additionally, the
      different periods of exposure were not sufficient to induce severe gill damage in
      C. parallelus. Moreover, this fish demonstrated its usefulness as a sentinel
      species.

PMID- 28641240
TI  - Placing Sites on the Edge of Planar Silicon Microelectrodes Enhances Chronic
      Recording Functionality.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify the impact of using edge sites over center
      sites on a planar silicon microelectrode array. METHODS: We used custom-designed,
      silicon-substrate multisite microelectrode arrays with sites on the center, edge,
      and tip. We compared their single unit recording capability, noise level,
      impedance, and histology to identify the differences between each site location.
      Wide and narrow devices were used to evaluate if the differences are consistent
      and meet theoretical expectations. RESULTS: On the wide device, significantly
      more number of edge sites were functional than center sites over the course of 8
      weeks with generally higher signal-to-noise amplitude ratio. On the narrow
      device, edge sites also performed generally better than center sites, but the
      differences were not significant and smaller than wide devices. The data from the
      tip sites were inconclusive. CONCLUSION: Edge sites outperformed center sites in
      terms of single unit recording capability. This benefit decreased as the device
      gets narrower and the distance to center sites decreases. SIGNIFICANCE: We showed
      that a simple alteration to the site placement can greatly enhance the
      functionality of silicon microelectrodes. This study promotes the idea that not
      only the substrate but also the site architecture needs attention to lengthen the
      lifetime of neural implants.

PMID- 28641239
TI  - Automatic Recognition of fMRI-Derived Functional Networks Using 3-D Convolutional
      Neural Networks.
AB  - Current functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data modeling techniques,
      such as independent component analysis and sparse coding methods, can effectively
      reconstruct dozens or hundreds of concurrent interacting functional brain
      networks simultaneously from the whole brain fMRI signals. However, such
      reconstructed networks have no correspondences across different subjects. Thus,
      automatic, effective, and accurate classification and recognition of these large
      numbers of fMRI-derived functional brain networks are very important for
      subsequent steps of functional brain analysis in cognitive and clinical
      neuroscience applications. However, this task is still a challenging and open
      problem due to the tremendous variability of various types of functional brain
      networks and the presence of various sources of noises. In recognition of the
      fact that convolutional neural networks (CNN) has superior capability of
      representing spatial patterns with huge variability and dealing with large
      noises, in this paper, we design, apply, and evaluate a deep 3-D CNN framework
      for automatic, effective, and accurate classification and recognition of large
      number of functional brain networks reconstructed by sparse representation of
      whole-brain fMRI signals. Our extensive experimental results based on the Human
      Connectome Project fMRI data showed that the proposed deep 3-D CNN can
      effectively and robustly perform functional networks classification and
      recognition tasks, while maintaining a high tolerance for mistakenly labeled
      training instances. This study provides a new deep learning approach for modeling
      functional connectomes based on fMRI data.

PMID- 28641241
TI  - Influence of Shoulder Kinematic Estimate on Joint and Muscle Mechanics Predicted
      by Musculoskeletal Model.
AB  - GOAL: Little information is available in the existing literature regarding the
      influence of the scapular kinematic estimate method on musculoskeletal analysis.
      This study aimed to assess the propagation of errors due to the method used for
      scapular kinematics reconstruction in the workflow of musculoskeletal modeling
      (joint kinematics, joint torques, muscle force, and joint reaction force) in
      shoulder and upper-limb movements. METHODS: Two participants performed functional
      (arm elevation and rotation), daily life (eating and reaching pants pockets), and
      sports movements (a simulated throwing maneuver). Shoulder kinematics were
      obtained with five multibody kinematics methods: intracortical pins (Pins,
      reference method), International Society of Biomechanics (ISB), Jackson (Jack),
      Projection (Proj), and Ellipsoid (Ell) methods. For the five kinematics methods,
      joint torques, muscle forces, and glenohumeral joint reaction forces were
      computed with the Delft Shoulder and Elbow musculoskeletal model. RESULTS:
      Differences up to 30 degrees  in glenohumeral joint kinematics, compared to the
      Pins method, resulted in differences less than 3 N.m in joint torque estimation.
      However, these also resulted in differences up to 50 and 831 N in the muscle
      force and joint reaction force estimate, respectively, in comparison to the
      reference method (Pins). No method yielded the worst or best results in
      comparison to the Pins method but the differences were task-specific. CONCLUSION:
      We concluded that shoulder biomechanical studies based on skin markers should be
      completed with caution when assessing joint angles, muscle forces, and
      glenohumeral joint reaction forces, while researchers may be more confident with
      the evaluation of shoulder joint torques.

PMID- 28641242
TI  - Arrhythmia Mechanism and Scaling Effect on the Spectral Properties of
      Electroanatomical Maps With Manifold Harmonics.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Spatial and temporal processing of intracardiac electrograms
      provides relevant information to support the arrhythmia ablation during
      electrophysiological studies. Current cardiac navigation systems (CNS) and
      electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) build detailed 3-D electroanatomical maps
      (EAM), which represent the spatial anatomical distribution of bioelectrical
      features, such as activation time or voltage. OBJECTIVE: We present a principled
      methodology for spectral analysis of both EAM geometry and bioelectrical feature
      in CNS or ECGI, including their spectral representation, cutoff frequency, or
      spatial sampling rate (SSR). METHODS: Existing manifold harmonic techniques for
      spectral mesh analysis are adapted to account for a fourth dimension,
      corresponding to the EAM bioelectrical feature. Appropriate scaling is required
      to address different magnitudes and units. RESULTS: With our approach, simulated
      and real EAM showed strong SSR dependence on both the arrhythmia mechanism and
      the cardiac anatomical shape. For instance, high frequencies increased
      significantly the SSR because of the "early-meets-late" in flutter EAM, compared
      with the sinus rhythm. Besides, higher frequency components were obtained for the
      left atrium (more complex anatomy) than for the right atrium in sinus rhythm.
      CONCLUSION: The proposed manifold harmonics methodology opens the field toward
      new signal processing tools for principled EAM spatiofeature analysis in CNS and
      ECGI, and to an improved knowledge on arrhythmia mechanisms.

PMID- 28641243
TI  - eCurves: A Temporal Shape Encoding.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a framework for temporal shape analysis to capture
      the shape and changes of anatomical structures from three-dimensional+t(ime)
      medical scans. METHOD: We first encode the shape of a structure at each time
      point with the spectral signature, i.e., the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of
      the Laplace operator. We then expand it to capture morphing shapes by tracking
      the eigenmodes across time according to the similarity of their eigenfunctions.
      The similarity metric is motivated by the fact that small-shaped deformations
      lead to minor changes in the eigenfunctions. Following each eigenmode from the
      beginning to end results in a set of eigenmode curves representing the shape and
      its changes over time. RESULTS: We apply our encoding to a cardiac dataset
      consisting of series of segmentations outlining the right and left ventricles
      over time. We measure the accuracy of our encoding by training classifiers on
      discriminating healthy adults from patients that received reconstructive surgery
      for Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). The classifiers based on our encoding
      significantly surpass deformation-based encodings of the right ventricle, the
      structure most impacted by TOF. CONCLUSION: The strength of our framework lies in
      its simplicity: It only assumes pose invariance within a time series but does not
      assume point-to-point correspondence across time series or a (statistical or
      physical) model. In addition, it is easy to implement and only depends on a
      single parameter, i.e., the number of curves.

PMID- 28641245
TI  - Data Visualization with Structural Control of Global Cohort and Local Data
      Neighborhoods.
AB  - A typical objective of data visualization is to generate low-dimensional plots
      that maximally convey the information within the data. The visualization output
      should help the user not only identify the local neighborhood structure of
      individual samples, but also obtain a global view of the relative positioning and
      separation between cohorts. Here, we propose a novel visualization framework
      designed to satisfy these needs. By incorporating additional cohort positioning
      and discriminative constraints into local neighbor preservation models through
      the use of computed cohort prototypes, effective control over the arrangements
      and proximities of data cohorts can be obtained. We introduce various embedding
      and projection algorithms based on objective functions addressing the different
      visualization requirements. Their underlying models are optimized effectively
      using matrix manifold procedures to incorporate the problem constraints.
      Additionally, to facilitate large-scale applications, a matrix decomposition
      based model is also proposed to accelerate the computation. The improved
      capabilities of the new methods are demonstrated using various state-of-the-art
      dimensionality reduction algorithms. We present many qualitative and quantitative
      comparisons, on both synthetic problems and real-world tasks of complex text and
      image data, that show notable improvements over existing techniques.

PMID- 28641244
TI  - Computerized Lung Sound Screening for Pediatric Auscultation in Noisy Field
      Environments.
AB  - GOAL: Chest auscultations offer a non-invasive and low-cost tool for monitoring
      lung disease. However, they present many shortcomings, including inter-listener
      variability, subjectivity, and vulnerability to noise and distortions. This work
      proposes a computer-aided approach to process lung signals acquired in the field
      under adverse noisy conditions, by improving the signal quality and offering
      automated identification of abnormal auscultations indicative of respiratory
      pathologies. METHODS: The developed noise-suppression scheme eliminates ambient
      sounds, heart sounds, sensor artifacts, and crying contamination. The improved
      high-quality signal is then mapped onto a rich spectrotemporal feature space
      before being classified using a trained support-vector machine classifier.
      Individual signal frame decisions are then combined using an evaluation scheme,
      providing an overall patient-level decision for unseen patient records. RESULTS:
      All methods are evaluated on a large dataset with 1000 children enrolled, 1-59
      months old. The noise suppression scheme is shown to significantly improve signal
      quality, and the classification system achieves an accuracy of 86.7% in
      distinguishing normal from pathological sounds, far surpassing other state-of-the
      art methods. CONCLUSION: Computerized lung sound processing can benefit from the
      enforcement of advanced noise suppression. A fairly short processing window size
      (  s) combined with detailed spectrotemporal features is recommended, in order to
      capture transient adventitious events without highlighting sharp noise
      occurrences. SIGNIFICANCE: Unlike existing methodologies in the literature, the
      proposed work is not limited in scope or confined to laboratory settings: This
      work validates a practical method for fully automated chest sound processing
      applicable to realistic and noisy auscultation settings.

PMID- 28641246
TI  - Gracker: A Graph-Based Planar Object Tracker.
AB  - Matching-based algorithms have been commonly used in planar object tracking. They
      often model a planar object as a set of keypoints, and then find correspondences
      between keypoint sets via descriptor matching. In previous work, unary
      constraints on appearances or locations are usually used to guide the matching.
      However, these approaches rarely utilize structure information of the object, and
      are thus suffering from various perturbation factors. In this paper, we proposed
      a graph-based tracker, named Gracker, which is able to fully explore the
      structure information of the object to enhance tracking performance. We model a
      planar object as a graph, instead of a simple collection of keypoints, to
      represent its structure. Then, we reformulate tracking as a sequential graph
      matching process, which establishes keypoint correspondence in a geometric graph
      matching manner. For evaluation, we compare the proposed Gracker with state-of
      the-art planar object trackers on three benchmark datasets: two public ones and a
      newly collected one. Experimental results show that Gracker achieves robust
      tracking results against various environmental variations, and outperforms other
      algorithms in general on the datasets.

PMID- 28641247
TI  - Modeling Task fMRI Data Via Deep Convolutional Autoencoder.
AB  - Task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (tfMRI) has been widely used to
      study functional brain networks under task performance. Modeling tfMRI data is
      challenging due to at least two problems: the lack of the ground truth of
      underlying neural activity and the highly complex intrinsic structure of tfMRI
      data. To better understand brain networks based on fMRI data, data-driven
      approaches have been proposed, for instance, independent component analysis (ICA)
      and sparse dictionary learning (SDL). However, both ICA and SDL only build
      shallow models, and they are under the strong assumption that original fMRI
      signal could be linearly decomposed into time series components with their
      corresponding spatial maps. As growing evidence shows that human brain function
      is hierarchically organized, new approaches that can infer and model the
      hierarchical structure of brain networks are widely called for. Recently, deep
      convolutional neural network (CNN) has drawn much attention, in that deep CNN has
      proven to be a powerful method for learning high-level and mid-level abstractions
      from low-level raw data. Inspired by the power of deep CNN, in this paper, we
      developed a new neural network structure based on CNN, called deep convolutional
      auto-encoder (DCAE), in order to take the advantages of both data-driven approach
      and CNN's hierarchical feature abstraction ability for the purpose of learning
      mid-level and high-level features from complex, large-scale tfMRI time series in
      an unsupervised manner. The DCAE has been applied and tested on the publicly
      available human connectome project tfMRI data sets, and promising results are
      achieved.

PMID- 28641249
TI  - EIT Imaging Regularization Based on Spectral Graph Wavelets.
AB  - The objective of electrical impedance tomographic reconstruction is to identify
      the distribution of tissue conductivity from electrical boundary conditions. This
      is an ill-posed inverse problem usually solved under the finite-element method
      framework. In previous studies, standard sparse regularization was used for
      difference electrical impedance tomography to achieve a sparse solution. However,
      regarding elementwise sparsity, standard sparse regularization interferes with
      the smoothness of conductivity distribution between neighboring elements and is
      sensitive to noise. As an effect, the reconstructed images are spiky and depict a
      lack of smoothness. Such unexpected artifacts are not realistic and may lead to
      misinterpretation in clinical applications. To eliminate such artifacts, we
      present a novel sparse regularization method that uses spectral graph wavelet
      transforms. Single-scale or multiscale graph wavelet transforms are employed to
      introduce local smoothness on different scales into the reconstructed images. The
      proposed approach relies on viewing finite-element meshes as undirected graphs
      and applying wavelet transforms derived from spectral graph theory.
      Reconstruction results from simulations, a phantom experiment, and patient data
      suggest that our algorithm is more robust to noise and produces more reliable
      images.

PMID- 28641248
TI  - Method for Simulating Dose Reduction in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis.
AB  - This paper proposes a new method of simulating dose reduction in digital breast
      tomosynthesis, starting from a clinical image acquired with a standard radiation
      dose. It considers both signal-dependent quantum and signal-independent
      electronic noise. Furthermore, the method accounts for pixel crosstalk, which
      causes the noise to be frequency-dependent, thus increasing the simulation
      accuracy. For an objective assessment, simulated and real images were compared in
      terms of noise standard deviation, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and normalized
      noise power spectrum (NNPS). A two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) study
      investigated the similarity between the noise strength of low-dose simulated and
      real images. Six experienced medical physics specialists participated on the
      study, with a total of 2 160 readings. Objective assessment showed no relevant
      trends with the simulated noise. The relative error in the standard deviation of
      the simulated noise was less than 2% for every projection angle. The relative
      error of the SNR was less than 1.5%, and the NNPS of the simulated images had
      errors less than 2.5%. The 2-AFC human observer experiment yielded no
      statistically significant difference ( =0.84) in the perceived noise strength
      between simulated and real images. Furthermore, the observer study also allowed
      the estimation of a dose difference at which the observer perceived a just
      noticeable difference (JND) in noise levels. The estimated JND value indicated
      that a change of 17% in the current-time product was sufficient to cause a
      noticeable difference in noise levels. The observed high accuracy, along with the
      flexible calibration, make this method an attractive tool for clinical image
      based simulations of dose reduction.

PMID- 28641250
TI  - Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Inverse Problems in Imaging.
AB  - In this paper, we propose a novel deep convolutional neural network (CNN)-based
      algorithm for solving ill-posed inverse problems. Regularized iterative
      algorithms have emerged as the standard approach to ill-posed inverse problems in
      the past few decades. These methods produce excellent results, but can be
      challenging to deploy in practice due to factors including the high computational
      cost of the forward and adjoint operators and the difficulty of hyperparameter
      selection. The starting point of this paper is the observation that unrolled
      iterative methods have the form of a CNN (filtering followed by pointwise
      nonlinearity) when the normal operator (H*H, where H* is the adjoint of the
      forward imaging operator, H) of the forward model is a convolution. Based on this
      observation, we propose using direct inversion followed by a CNN to solve normal
      convolutional inverse problems. The direct inversion encapsulates the physical
      model of the system, but leads to artifacts when the problem is ill posed; the
      CNN combines multiresolution decomposition and residual learning in order to
      learn to remove these artifacts while preserving image structure. We demonstrate
      the performance of the proposed network in sparse-view reconstruction (down to 50
      views) on parallel beam X-ray computed tomography in synthetic phantoms as well
      as in real experimental sinograms. The proposed network outperforms total
      variation-regularized iterative reconstruction for the more realistic phantoms
      and requires less than a second to reconstruct a 512 * 512 image on the GPU.

PMID- 28641251
TI  - Robust Face Recognition With Kernelized Locality-Sensitive Group Sparsity
      Representation.
AB  - In this paper, a novel joint sparse representation method is proposed for robust
      face recognition. We embed both group sparsity and kernelized locality-sensitive
      constraints into the framework of sparse representation. The group sparsity
      constraint is designed to utilize the grouped structure information in the
      training data. The local similarity between test and training data is measured in
      the kernel space instead of the Euclidian space. As a result, the embedded
      nonlinear information can be effectively captured, leading to a more
      discriminative representation. We show that, by integrating the kernelized local
      sensitivity constraint and the group sparsity constraint, the embedded structure
      information can be better explored, and significant performance improvement can
      be achieved. On the one hand, experiments on the ORL, AR, extended Yale B, and
      LFW data sets verify the superiority of our method. On the other hand,
      experiments on two unconstrained data sets, the LFW and the IJB-A, show that the
      utilization of sparsity can improve recognition performance, especially on the
      data sets with large pose variation.

PMID- 28641252
TI  - An Embedded Marked Point Process Framework for Three-Level Object Population
      Analysis.
AB  - In this paper, we introduce a probabilistic approach for extracting the complex
      hierarchical object structures from the digital images used by various vision
      applications. The proposed framework extends conventional marked point process
      (MPP) models by: 1) admitting object-subobject ensembles in parent-child
      relationships; and 2) allowing corresponding objects to form coherent object
      groups, by a Bayesian segmentation of the population. Different from earlier,
      highly domain specific attempts on MPP generalization, the proposed model is
      defined at an abstract level, providing clear interfaces for applications in
      various domains. We also introduce a global optimization process for the multi
      layer framework for finding optimal entity configurations, considering the
      observed data, prior knowledge, and interactions between the neighboring and the
      hierarchically related objects. The proposed method is demonstrated in three
      different application areas: built in area analysis in remotely sensed images,
      traffic monitoring on airborne, and mobile laser scanning (Lidar) data and
      optical circuit inspection. A new benchmark database is published for the three
      test cases, and the model's performance is quantitatively evaluated.

PMID- 28641253
TI  - A Closed-Form Solution to Single Underwater Camera Calibration Using Triple
      Wavelength Dispersion and Its Application to Single Camera 3D Reconstruction.
AB  - In this paper, we present a new method to estimate the housing parameters of an
      underwater camera by making full use of triple wavelength dispersion. Our method
      is based on an important finding that there is a closed-form solution to the
      distance from the camera center to the refractive interface once the refractive
      normal is known. The correctness of this finding is mathematically proved in this
      paper. To the best of our knowledge, such a finding has not been studied or
      reported, and hence is never proved theoretically. As well, the refractive normal
      can be estimated by solving a set of linear equations using wavelength
      dispersion. Our method does not require any calibration target, such as a
      checkerboard pattern, which may be difficult to manipulate when the camera is
      deployed deep undersea. Extensive experiments have been carried out which include
      simulations to verify the correctness and robustness to noise of our method and
      real experiments. The results of real experiments show that our method works as
      expected. The accuracy of our results is evaluated against the ground truth in
      both simulated and real experiments. Finally, we also show how we can apply
      dispersion to compute the 3D shape of an object using one single camera.

PMID- 28641254
TI  - Sparse Image Reconstruction on the Sphere: Analysis and Synthesis.
AB  - We develop techniques to solve ill-posed inverse problems on the sphere by sparse
      regularization, exploiting sparsity in both axisymmetric and directional scale
      discretized wavelet space. Denoising, inpainting, and deconvolution problems and
      combinations thereof, are considered as examples. Inverse problems are solved in
      both the analysis and synthesis settings, with a number of different sampling
      schemes. The most effective approach is that with the most restricted solution
      space, which depends on the interplay between the adopted sampling scheme, the
      selection of the analysis/synthesis problem, and any weighting of the l1 norm
      appearing in the regularization problem. More efficient sampling schemes on the
      sphere improve reconstruction fidelity by restricting the solution-space and also
      by improving sparsity in wavelet space. We apply the technique to denoise Planck
      353-GHz observations, improving the ability to extract the structure of Galactic
      dust emission, which is important for studying Galactic magnetism.

PMID- 28641255
TI  - Piecewise Linear Approximation of Vector-Valued Images and Curves via Second
      Order Variational Model.
AB  - Variational models are known to work well for addressing image
      restoration/regularization problems. However, most of the methods proposed in the
      literature are defined for scalar inputs and are used on multiband images (such
      as RGB or multispectral imagery) by the composition of a simple band-wise
      processing. This involves suboptimal results and may introduce artifacts. Only in
      a few cases, variational models are extended to the case of vector-valued inputs.
      However, the known implementations are restricted to the first-order models,
      while the second-order models are never considered. Thus, typical problems of the
      first-order models, such as the staircasing effect cannot be overtaken. This
      paper considers a second-order functional model to function approximation with
      free discontinuities given by Blake-Zisserman (BZ) and proposes an efficient
      minimization algorithm in the case of vector-valued inputs. In the BZ model, the
      Hessian of the solution is penalized outside a set of finite length, therefore
      the solution is forced to be piecewise linear. Moreover, the model allows the
      formation of free discontinuities and free gradient discontinuities. The proposed
      algorithm is applied to difficult color image restoration/regularization problems
      and to piecewise linear approximation of curves in space.

PMID- 28641256
TI  - A Novel Fast Tensor-Based Preconditioner for Image Restoration.
AB  - Image restoration is one of the main parts of image processing. Mathematically,
      this problem can be modeled as a large-scale structured ill-posed linear system.
      Ill-posedness of this problem results in low-convergence rate of iterative
      solvers. For speeding up the convergence, preconditioning usually is used.
      Despite the existing preconditioners for image restoration, which are constructed
      based on approximations of the blurring matrix, in this paper, we propose a novel
      preconditioner with a different viewpoint. Here, we show that image restoration
      problem can be modeled as a tensor contractive linear equation. This modeling
      enables us to propose a new preconditioner based on an approximation of the
      blurring tensor operator. Due to the particular structure of the blurring tensor
      for zero boundaries, we show that the truncated higher order singular value
      decomposition of the blurring tensor is obtained very fast and so could be used
      as a preconditioner. Experimental results confirm the efficiency of this new
      preconditioner in image restoration and its outperformance in comparison with the
      other well-known preconditioners.

PMID- 28641257
TI  - Fast Segmentation From Blurred Data in 3D Fluorescence Microscopy.
AB  - We develop a fast algorithm for segmenting 3D images from linear measurements
      based on the Potts model (or piecewise constant Mumford-Shah model). To that end,
      we first derive suitable space discretizations of the 3D Potts model, which are
      capable of dealing with 3D images defined on non-cubic grids. Our discretization
      allows us to utilize a specific splitting approach, which results in decoupled
      subproblems of moderate size. The crucial point in the 3D setup is that the
      number of independent subproblems is so large that we can reasonably exploit the
      parallel processing capabilities of the graphics processing units (GPUs). Our GPU
      implementation is up to 18 times faster than the sequential CPU version. This
      allows to process even large volumes in acceptable runtimes. As a further
      contribution, we extend the algorithm in order to deal with non-negativity
      constraints. We demonstrate the efficiency of our method for combined image
      deconvolution and segmentation on simulated data and on real 3D wide field
      fluorescence microscopy data.

PMID- 28641258
TI  - Quality Assessment of Perceptual Crosstalk on Two-View Auto-Stereoscopic
      Displays.
AB  - Crosstalk is one of the most severe factors affecting the perceived quality of
      stereoscopic 3D images. It arises from a leakage of light intensity between
      multiple views, as in auto-stereoscopic displays. Well-known determinants of
      crosstalk include the co-location contrast and disparity of the left and right
      images, which have been dealt with in prior studies. However, when a natural
      stereo image that contains complex naturalistic spatial characteristics is viewed
      on an auto-stereoscopic display, other factors may also play an important role in
      the perception of crosstalk. Here, we describe a new way of predicting the
      perceived severity of crosstalk, which we call the Binocular Perceptual Crosstalk
      Predictor (BPCP). BPCP uses measurements of three complementary 3D image
      properties (texture, structural duplication, and binocular summation) in
      combination with two well-known factors (co-location contrast and disparity) to
      make predictions of crosstalk on two-view auto-stereoscopic displays. The new
      BPCP model includes two masking algorithms and a binocular pooling method. We
      explore a new masking phenomenon that we call duplicated structure masking, which
      arises from structural correlations between the original and distorted objects.
      We also utilize an advanced binocular summation model to develop a binocular
      pooling algorithm. Our experimental results indicate that BPCP achieves high
      correlations against subjective test results, improving upon those delivered by
      previous crosstalk prediction models.

PMID- 28641259
TI  - Face Hallucination Using Linear Models of Coupled Sparse Support.
AB  - Most face super-resolution methods assume that low- and high-resolution manifolds
      have similar local geometrical structure; hence, learn local models on the low
      resolution manifold (e.g., sparse or locally linear embedding models), which are
      then applied on the high-resolution manifold. However, the low-resolution
      manifold is distorted by the one-to-many relationship between low- and high
      resolution patches. This paper presents the Linear Model of Coupled Sparse
      Support (LM-CSS) method, which learns linear models based on the local
      geometrical structure on the high-resolution manifold rather than on the low
      resolution manifold. For this, in a first step, the low-resolution patch is used
      to derive a globally optimal estimate of the high-resolution patch. The
      approximated solution is shown to be close in the Euclidean space to the ground
      truth, but is generally smooth and lacks the texture details needed by the state
      of-the-art face recognizers. Unlike existing methods, the sparse support that
      best estimates the first approximated solution is found on the high-resolution
      manifold. The derived support is then used to extract the atoms from the coupled
      low- and high-resolution dictionaries that are most suitable to learn an up
      scaling function for every facial region. The proposed solution was also extended
      to compute face super-resolution of non-frontal images. Extensive experimental
      results conducted on a total of 1830 facial images show that the proposed method
      outperforms seven face super-resolution and a state-of-the-art cross-resolution
      face recognition method in terms of both quality and recognition.

PMID- 28641260
TI  - Nested Conjugate Gradient Algorithm With Nested Preconditioning for Non-Linear
      Image Restoration.
AB  - We develop a novel optimization algorithm, which we call nested non-linear
      conjugate gradient (CG) algorithm (NNCG), for image restoration based on
      quadratic data fitting and smooth non-quadratic regularization. The algorithm is
      constructed as a nesting of two conjugate gradient iterations. The outer
      iteration is constructed as a preconditioned non-linear CG algorithm; the
      preconditioning is performed by the inner CG iteration that is linear. The inner
      CG iteration, which performs preconditioning for outer CG iteration, itself is
      accelerated by an another FFT-based non-iterative preconditioner. We prove that
      the method converges to a stationary point for both convex and non-convex
      regularization functionals. We demonstrate experimentally that proposed method
      outperforms the well-known majorization-minimization method used for convex
      regularization, and a non-convex inertial-proximal method for non-convex
      regularization functional.

PMID- 28641261
TI  - Robust Web Image Annotation via Exploring Multi-Facet and Structural Knowledge.
AB  - Driven by the rapid development of Internet and digital technologies, we have
      witnessed the explosive growth of Web images in recent years. Seeing that labels
      can reflect the semantic contents of the images, automatic image annotation,
      which can further facilitate the procedure of image semantic indexing, retrieval,
      and other image management tasks, has become one of the most crucial research
      directions in multimedia. Most of the existing annotation methods, heavily rely
      on well-labeled training data (expensive to collect) and/or single view of visual
      features (insufficient representative power). In this paper, inspired by the
      promising advance of feature engineering (e.g., CNN feature and scale-invariant
      feature transform feature) and inexhaustible image data (associated with noisy
      and incomplete labels) on the Web, we propose an effective and robust scheme,
      termed robust multi-view semi-supervised learning (RMSL), for facilitating image
      annotation task. Specifically, we exploit both labeled images and unlabeled
      images to uncover the intrinsic data structural information. Meanwhile, to
      comprehensively describe an individual datum, we take advantage of the correlated
      and complemental information derived from multiple facets of image data (i.e.,
      multiple views or features). We devise a robust pairwise constraint on outcomes
      of different views to achieve annotation consistency. Furthermore, we integrate a
      robust classifier learning component via l2,p loss, which can provide effective
      noise identification power during the learning process. Finally, we devise an
      efficient iterative algorithm to solve the optimization problem in RMSL. We
      conduct comprehensive experiments on three different data sets, and the results
      illustrate that our proposed approach is promising for automatic image
      annotation.

PMID- 28641262
TI  - Scalable Multi-View Semi-Supervised Classification via Adaptive Regression.
AB  - With the advent of multi-view data, multi-view learning has become an important
      research direction in machine learning and image processing. Considering the
      difficulty of obtaining labeled data in many machine learning applications, we
      focus on the multi-view semi-supervised classification problem. In this paper, we
      propose an algorithm named multi-view semi-supervised classification via adaptive
      regression (MVAR) to address this problem. Specifically, regression-based loss
      functions with l2,1 matrix norm are adopted for each view and the final objective
      function is formulated as the linear weighted combination of all the loss
      functions. An efficient algorithm with proved convergence is developed to solve
      the non-smooth l2,1 -norm minimization problem. Regressing to class labels
      directly makes the proposed algorithm efficient in calculation and can be applied
      to large-scale data sets. The adaptively optimized weight coefficients balance
      the contributions of different views automatically, which makes the performance
      robust against the existence of low-quality views. With the learned projection
      matrices and bias vectors, predictions for out-of-sample data can be easily made.
      To validate the effectiveness of MVAR, comparisons are made with some benchmark
      methods on real-world data sets and in the scene classification scenario as well.
      The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.

PMID- 28641263
TI  - Radian: Visual Exploration of Traceroutes.
AB  - Several projects deploy probes in the Internet. Probes are systems that
      continuously perform traceroutes and other networking measurements (e.g., ping)
      towards selected targets. Measurements can be stored and analyzed to gain
      knowledge on several aspects of the Internet, but making sense of such data
      requires suitable methods and tools for exploration and visualization. We present
      Radian, a tool that allows to visualize traceroute paths at different levels of
      detail and to animate their evolution during a selected time interval. We also
      describe extensive tests of the tool using traceroutes performed by RIPE Atlas
      Internet probes.

PMID- 28641264
TI  - A Single-Channel EOG-Based Speller.
AB  - Electrooculography (EOG) signals, which can be used to infer the intentions of a
      user based on eye movements, are widely used in human-computer interface (HCI)
      systems. Most existing EOG-based HCI systems incorporate a limited number of
      commands because they generally associate different commands with a few different
      types of eye movements, such as looking up, down, left, or right. This paper
      presents a novel single-channel EOG-based HCI that allows users to spell
      asynchronously by only blinking. Forty buttons corresponding to 40 characters
      displayed to the user via a graphical user interface are intensified in a random
      order. To select a button, the user must blink his/her eyes in synchrony as the
      target button is flashed. Two data processing procedures, specifically support
      vector machine (SVM) classification and waveform detection, are combined to
      detect eye blinks. During detection, we simultaneously feed the feature vectors
      extracted from the ongoing EOG signal into the SVM classification and waveform
      detection modules. Decisions are made based on the results of the SVM
      classification and waveform detection. Three online experiments were conducted
      with eight healthy subjects. We achieved an average accuracy of 94.4% and a
      response time of 4.14 s for selecting a character in synchronous mode, as well as
      an average accuracy of 93.43% and a false positive rate of 0.03/min in the idle
      state in asynchronous mode. The experimental results, therefore, demonstrated the
      effectiveness of this single-channel EOG-based speller.

PMID- 28641265
TI  - A New Method for Neural Spike Alignment: The Centroid Filter.
AB  - Recordings made directly from the nervous system are a key tool in experimental
      electrophysiology and the development of bioelectronic medicines. Analysis of
      these recordings involves the identification of signals from individual neurons,
      a process known as spike sorting. A critical and limiting feature of spike
      sorting is the need to align individual spikes in time. However,
      electrophysiological recordings are made in extremely noisy environments that
      seriously limit the performance of the spike-alignment process. We present a new
      centroid-based method and demonstrate its effectiveness using deterministic
      models of nerve signals. We show that spike alignment in the presence of noise is
      possible with a 30 dB reduction in minimum SNR compared with the conventional
      methods. We present a mathematical analysis of the centroid method,
      characterizing its fundamental operation and performance. Furthermore, we show
      that the centroid method lends itself particularly well to hardware realization,
      and we present results from a low-power implementation that operates on an FPGA,
      consuming ten times less power than conventional techniques - an important
      property for implanted devices. Our centroid method enables the accurate
      alignment of spikes in sub-0 dB SNR recordings and has the potential to enable
      the analysis of spikes in a wider range of environments than has been previously
      possible. Our method thus has the potential to influence significantly the design
      of electrophysiological recording systems in the future.

PMID- 28641266
TI  - An Approach to Identifying Phenomena Accompanying Micro and Nanoparticles in
      Contact With Irregular Vessel Walls.
AB  - The objective of this paper is to present the method for determining the nature
      and values of the forces needed to set micro and nanoparticles sitting immobile
      at the blood vessel wall in motion. The problem was tackled in two ways.
      Microparticles were examined as objects coming into contact with the wall with
      the actual large arteriole-type vessel structure. The forces acting on
      microparticles 10, 30, and [Formula: see text] in diameter were determined: drag
      force FD , lift force FL , electrostatic force FE , and gravity force FG . Fluid
      structure interaction analysis was used to research the problem. However,
      nanoparticles were examined as objects coming into contact with the endothelial
      surface layer (ESL). Resistance forces during the movement of nanoparticles 20,
      50, and 100 nm in diameter in the ESL were determined. The same was done for
      aggregates of nanoparticles 50 nm in diameter. Local irregularities in wall
      surface are important for microparticles. Small irregularities with the small
      values of electrostatic force FE can effectively stop the particle. In the case
      of nanoparticles, the key is the interaction of the particle with ESL. The
      research methodology presented can be used to better understand the particle
      blood vessel wall interaction phenomena, leading to a more informed particle
      movement control. The new application of known calculation methods presented in
      this paper can be successfully used as an additional tool that simplifies
      planning and design of strategies for drug delivery by means of micro and
      nanoparticles.

PMID- 28641267
TI  - A CPU/MIC Collaborated Parallel Framework for GROMACS on Tianhe-2 Supercomputer.
AB  - Molecular Dynamics (MD) is the simulation of the dynamic behavior of atoms and
      molecules. As the most popular software for molecular dynamics, GROMACS cannot
      work on large-scale data because of limit computing resources. In this paper, we
      propose a CPU and Intel(r) Xeon Phi Many Integrated Core (MIC) collaborated
      parallel framework to accelerate GROMACS using the offload mode on a MIC
      coprocessor, with which the performance of GROMACS is improved significantly,
      especially with the utility of Tianhe-2 supercomputer. Furthermore, we optimize
      GROMACS so that it can run on both the CPU and MIC at the same time. In addition,
      we accelerate multi-node GROMACS so that it can be used in practice. Benchmarking
      on real data, our accelerated GROMACS performs very well and reduces computation
      time significantly. Source code: https://github.com/tianhe2/gromacs-mic.

PMID- 28641268
TI  - NewGOA: Predicting New GO Annotations of Proteins by Bi-Random Walks on a Hybrid
      Graph.
AB  - A remaining key challenge of modern biology is annotating the functional roles of
      proteins. Various computational models have been proposed for this challenge.
      Most of them assume the annotations of annotated proteins are complete. But in
      fact, many of them are incomplete. We proposed a method called NewGOA to predict
      new Gene Ontology (GO) annotations for incompletely annotated proteins and for
      completely un-annotated ones. NewGOA employs a hybrid graph, composed of two
      types of nodes (proteins and GO terms), to encode interactions between proteins,
      hierarchical relationships between terms and available annotations of proteins.
      To account for structural difference between GO terms subgraph and proteins
      subgraph, NewGOA applies a bi-random walks algorithm, which executes asynchronous
      random walks on the hybrid graph, to predict new GO annotations of proteins.
      Experimental study on archived GO annotations of two model species (H. Sapiens
      and S. cerevisiae) shows that NewGOA can more accurately and efficiently predict
      new annotations of proteins than other related methods. Experimental results also
      indicate the bi-random walks can explore and further exploit the structural
      difference between GO terms subgraph and proteins subgraph. The supplementary
      files and codes of NewGOA are available at:
      http://mlda.swu.edu.cn/codes.php?name=NewGOA.

PMID- 28641269
TI  - A Model-Based Tool for the Analysis and Design of Gene Regulatory Networks.
AB  - Computational and mathematical models have significantly contributed to the rapid
      progress in the study of gene regulatory networks (GRN), but researchers still
      lack a reliable model-based framework for computer-aided analysis and design.
      Such tool should both reveal the relation between network structure and dynamics
      and find parameter values and/or constraints that enable the simulated dynamics
      to reproduce specific behaviors. This paper addresses these issues and proposes a
      computational framework that facilitates network analysis or design. It follows a
      modeling cycle that alternates phases of hypothesis testing with parameter space
      refinement to ultimately propose a network that exhibits specified behaviors with
      the highest probability. Hypothesis testing is performed via qualitative
      simulation of GRNs modeled by a class of nonlinear and temporal multiscale ODEs,
      where regulation functions are expressed by steep sigmoid functions and
      incompletely known parameter values by order relations only. Parameter space
      refinement, grounded on a method that considers the intrinsic stochasticity of
      regulation by expressing network uncertainty with fluctuations in parameter
      values only, optimizes parameter stochastic values initialized by probability
      distributions with large variances. The power and ease of our framework is
      demonstrated by working out a benchmark synthetic network to get a synthetic
      oscillator.

PMID- 28641271
TI  - Joint Attributes and Event Analysis for Multimedia Event Detection.
AB  - Semantic attributes have been increasingly used the past few years for multimedia
      event detection (MED) with promising results. The motivation is that multimedia
      events generally consist of lower level components such as objects, scenes, and
      actions. By characterizing multimedia event videos with semantic attributes, one
      could exploit more informative cues for improved detection results. Much existing
      work obtains semantic attributes from images, which may be suboptimal for video
      analysis since these image-inferred attributes do not carry dynamic information
      that is essential for videos. To address this issue, we propose to learn semantic
      attributes from external videos using their semantic labels. We name them video
      attributes in this paper. In contrast with multimedia event videos, these
      external videos depict lower level contents such as objects, scenes, and actions.
      To harness video attributes, we propose an algorithm established on a correlation
      vector that correlates them to a target event. Consequently, we could incorporate
      video attributes latently as extra information into the event detector learnt
      from multimedia event videos in a joint framework. To validate our method, we
      perform experiments on the real-world large-scale TRECVID MED 2013 and 2014 data
      sets and compare our method with several state-of-the-art algorithms. The
      experiments show that our method is advantageous for MED.

PMID- 28641270
TI  - Force-Rate Cues Reduce Object Deformation Necessary to Discriminate Compliances
      Harder than the Skin.
AB  - Grasping and manipulating an object requires us to perceive its material
      compliance. Compliance is thought to be encoded by relationships of force,
      displacement, and contact area at the finger pad. Prior work suggests that
      objects must be sufficiently deformed to become discriminable, but the utility of
      time-dependent cues has not been fully explored. The studies herein find that the
      availability of force-rate cues improve compliance discriminability so as to
      require less deformation of stimulus and finger pad. In particular, we tested the
      impact of controlling force-rate and displacement-rate cues in passive touch
      psychophysical experiments. An ink-based method to mark the finger pad was used
      to measure contact area per stimulus, simultaneously with displacement and force.
      Compliances spanned a range harder and softer than the finger pad. The results
      indicated harder compliances were discriminable at lower peak forces when the
      stimulus control mode was displacement-rate (0.5 N) compared to force-rate (1.3
      N). That is, when displacement-rate was controlled to be equal between the two
      compliances, the resultant force-rate psychophysical cues could be more readily
      discriminated. In extending prior studies, while some magnitude of finger pad
      deformation may be sufficient for discriminability, temporal cues tied to force
      afford more efficient judgments.

PMID- 28641272
TI  - Aggregation Analysis for Competitive Multiagent Systems With Saddle Points via
      Switching Strategies.
AB  - This paper addresses the aggregation issues of competitive multiagent systems
      (CMASs) consisting of competitive agents with multimodes and saddle points. In
      such CMASs, due to existing mutual competitions, every agent is equipped with
      finite multimodes, and every mode in any agent is described as a second-order
      linear time-invariant (LTI) control system. When the origin is the same saddle
      point of all modes of agents, to investigate aggregation of the CMASs with
      switching strategies, we first use switched LTI systems with saddle points to
      formulate such CMASs. Then, two new stability concepts, called initial-state
      dependent (ISD) stability and initial-state-independent (ISI) stability, are
      defined for the CMASs. Based on these new stability concepts, a practical
      criterion of local/global ISI asymptotic aggregation is proposed for the CMASs. A
      local/global ISD/ISI asymptotical-stabilizing-control observed as distributed
      controls of multimodes, stabilizing-switching-paths, and a corresponding
      algorithm are all designed for local/global aggregation of such CMASs with
      switching delays. Finally, a numerical example illustrates the effectiveness and
      practicality of our new results.

PMID- 28641273
TI  - Learning and Recognition of Clothing Genres From Full-Body Images.
AB  - According to the theory of clothing design, the genres of clothes can be
      recognized based on a set of visually differentiable style elements, which
      exhibit salient features of visual appearance and reflect high-level fashion
      styles for better describing clothing genres. Instead of using less
      discriminative low-level features or ambiguous keywords to identify clothing
      genres, we proposed a novel approach for automatically classifying clothing
      genres based on the visually differentiable style elements. A set of style
      elements, that are crucial for recognizing specific visual styles of clothing
      genres, were identified based on the clothing design theory. In addition, the
      corresponding salient visual features of each style element were identified and
      formulated with variables that can be computationally derived with various
      computer vision algorithms. To evaluate the performance of our algorithm, a
      dataset containing 3250 full-body shots crawled from popular online stores was
      built. Recognition results show that our proposed algorithms achieved promising
      overall precision, recall, and -score of 88.76%, 88.53%, and 88.64% for
      recognizing upperwear genres, and 88.21%, 88.17%, and 88.19% for recognizing
      lowerwear genres, respectively. The effectiveness of each style element and its
      visual features on recognizing clothing genres was demonstrated through a set of
      experiments involving different sets of style elements or features. In summary,
      our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in
      clothing genre recognition.

PMID- 28641274
TI  - An Efficient Multiple Variants Coordination Framework for Differential Evolution.
AB  - Differential evolution (DE) is recognized as a simple but powerful algorithm in
      the family of evolutionary algorithms. Over the past two decades, many advanced
      DE variants with significantly improved performance have been proposed. However,
      the variants may only achieve the best performance on a certain type of
      functions. Moreover, a specific optimizer may not always be suitable for the
      whole optimization process. To overcome these weaknesses, this paper proposes a
      multiple variants coordination (MVC) framework with two mechanisms, namely, the
      multiple variants adaptive selecting mechanism and the multiple variants adaptive
      solutions preserving mechanisms (MV-APM). In MVC, the evolution process is
      divided into nonoverlap segments with equal numbers of generations. Each segment
      includes the learning generations (LGs) and executing generations (EGs). In LG,
      all the candidate DE optimizers are utilized independently. The best performing
      optimizer is determined and then utilized in EG in the same segment. Furthermore,
      MV-APM maintains the population by adaptively preserving promising solutions
      generated by multiple optimizers. Numerical experiments on the CEC2014 benchmark
      suit show that the proposed MVC framework can significantly improve the
      performance of the baseline algorithms and the resulted algorithm significantly
      outperform the start-of-the-art and up-to-date DEs. Moreover, as a general
      framework, MVC can also be applied to coordinate multiple improved DE variants to
      further enhance their performance.

PMID- 28641275
TI  - A case series of surgically diagnosed idiopathic aortitis in a Canadian centre: a
      retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Idiopathic aortitis became recognized relatively recently, and the
      body of knowledge concerning this condition is scarce. We aimed to determine the
      frequency of idiopathic aortitis in aortic specimens, the clinical, laboratory
      and radiologic characteristics at diagnosis and during follow-up, and the
      approach to investigation, treatment and monitoring taken by the treating
      physicians. METHODS: We identified cases of aortitis diagnosed on pathological
      specimens of the aorta between Jan. 1, 2003, and July 31, 2013, at The Ottawa
      Hospital by reviewing the hospital's pathology database. Charts of identified
      patients were reviewed, and data on patient demographic characteristics, clinical
      features, laboratory and imaging tests, treatment and outcomes were analyzed.
      RESULTS: A total of 684 aortic specimens were analyzed during the study period;
      47 cases of aortitis were identified, 32 of which were idiopathic. Twenty-one
      patients (66%) had complete imaging of branch vessels at baseline, 16 (76%) of
      whom had additional aortic or branch vessel lesions. Twelve patients (38%)
      received corticosteroids postoperatively. Over a mean follow-up period of 47.5
      months, among the 12 patients (38%) who had complete imaging of branch vessels at
      least once, new aortic or branch lesions were diagnosed in 5 (42%); 3/32 patients
      (9%) required additional vascular surgery; and a new systemic condition was
      diagnosed in 2/32 (6%). INTERPRETATION: Idiopathic aortitis is commonly
      discovered incidentally on examination of the pathological specimen following
      ascending aortic aneurysm repair. No guidelines exist for the investigation,
      treatment and follow-up of this condition, resulting in great variability of
      practice. Good-quality prospective studies are needed to address the many
      unanswered clinical questions regarding idiopathic aortitis and to allow
      formulation of more definitive recommendations.

PMID- 28641276
TI  - Atherosclerosis and the Hydrogen Sulfide Signaling Pathway - Therapeutic
      Approaches to Disease Prevention.
AB  - Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is now admitted as a third gasotransmitter together with
      nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO), albeit it was originally considered
      as a foul and poisonous gas. Endogenous H2S production in mammalian cells is
      counting on the three enzymes acting on cysteine. Involvement of H2S in various
      physiological and pathological processes has been extensively studied in the last
      fifteen years. Mounting evidence suggests that H2S is able to protect against
      atherosclerosis development and progression. Exogenous H2S supplement has
      salutary effects on atherogenesis, and reduction of the endogenous H2S level
      accelerates atherosclerosis. The anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms of H2S have been
      descried in different aspects, including endothelium preservation, antioxidative
      action, anti-inflammatory responses, vasorelaxation, regulation of ion channels,
      etc. However, further investigation is still needed to help us gain more insights
      into the fundamental underlying mechanisms, and that will allow us to design
      better therapeutic applications of H2S in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28641277
TI  - Association of the CFH Y402H Polymorphism with the 1-Year Response of Exudative
      AMD to Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Treatment in the Brazilian Population.
AB  - AIM: Evidence of the relationship between the polymorphism of the complement
      factor H (CFH) gene at position 402 (Y402H) and the response to the treatment of
      wet AMD is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the functional and
      morphological 1-year evolution of patients with exudative AMD treated with
      antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs with the CFH Y402H
      polymorphism in the Brazilian population. METHODS: Forty-six patients treated for
      wet AMD with bevacizumab or ranibizumab in a pro re nata regimen were included.
      The evolution of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal
      thickness (CRT), and the number of injections over 1 year of follow-up were
      correlated with CFH genotypes. RESULTS: The analysis of variance for the
      difference between the BCVA denoted as logMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of
      resolution) values showed an improvement at 1 year when compared to baseline (p =
      0.039). Profile contrast analysis showed that this difference was significant
      only in the group without the C allele (p = 0.049), without significance in
      patients presenting with the risk allele (p = 0.241). CRT showed a mean reduction
      at 1 year compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Significant differences in the
      profile contrast test were found in the group without the C allele (p < 0.001)
      and in patients with the risk allele (p = 0.002). No difference was found in the
      number of injections among the different groups (p = 0.787). CONCLUSIONS: The
      presence of the risk allele of the Y402H polymorphism in the CFH gene was related
      to a less favorable evolution over 1 year in this sample of the Brazilian
      population with exudative AMD who were being treated with anti-VEGF drugs. In
      agreement with similar previous studies, this study concludes that the CFH risk
      genotypes may affect the disease response to treatment.

PMID- 28641278
TI  - Astragaloside-IV Alleviates Heat-Induced Inflammation by Inhibiting Endoplasmic
      Reticulum Stress and Autophagy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thermal injury is the main cause of pulmonary disease in stroke after
      burn and can be life threatening. Heat-induced inflammation is an important
      factor that triggers a series of induces pathological changes. However, this
      mechanism underlying heat-induced inflammation in thermal inhalation injury
      remains unclear. Studies have revealed that astragaloside-IV (AS-IV), a natural
      compound extracted from Astragalus membranaceus, has protective effects in
      inflammatory diseases. Here, we investigated whether the protective effects of AS
      IV occur because of the suppression of heat-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
      stress and excessive autophagy Methods: AS-IV was administered to Wistar rats
      after thermal inhalation injury and 16HBE140-cells were treated with AS-IV. TNF
      alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 levels were determined by ELISA and real-time PCR. ER
      stress and autophagy were determined by western blot. Autophagic flux was
      measured by recording the fluorescence emission of the fusion protein mRFP-GFP
      LC3 by dynamic live-cell imaging. RESULTS: AS-IV had protective effects against
      heat-induced reactive oxygen species production and attenuated ER stress. AS IV
      alleviated heat-induced excessive autophagy in vitro and in vivo. Excessive
      autophagy was attenuated by the PERK inhibitor GSK2656157 and eIF2alpha siRNA,
      suggesting that heat stress-induced autophagy can activate the PERK-eIF2alpha
      pathway. Beclin 1 and Atg5 siRNAs inhibited the upregulation of the inflammatory
      cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 after heat exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, AS-IV
      may attenuate inflammatory responses by disrupting the crosstalk between
      autophagy and the PERK-eIF2alpha pathway and may be an ideal agent for treating
      inflammatory pulmonary diseases.

PMID- 28641280
TI  - 17th Quadrennial Meeting of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional
      Neurosurgery. Berlin, Germany, June 26-29, 2017: Abstracts.

PMID- 28641279
TI  - Editorial Board / Contents / Imprint.

PMID- 28641281
TI  - Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Clinical Study in 1,016
      Hematology/Oncology Patients.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Surveys state a widespread use of complementary and alternative
      medicine (CAM) in patients with malignant diseases. CAM methods might potentially
      interfere with the metabolization of tumor-specific therapy. However, there is
      little communication about CAM use in hematology/oncology patients between
      patients, CAM providers, and oncologists. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A self
      administered questionnaire was handed out to all patients attending to the
      hematology/oncology outpatient clinic of Regensburg University Hospital.
      Subsequently, a chart review of all CAM users was performed. RESULTS:
      Questionnaires of 1,016 patients were analyzed. Of these patients, 30% used CAM,
      preferably vitamins and micronutrients. Main information sources for CAM methods
      were physicians/nonmedical practitioners and friends/relatives. CAM therapies
      were provided mainly by licensed physicians (29%), followed by nonmedical
      practitioners (14%) and the patients themselves (13%). Although 62% of the CAM
      users agreed that the oncologist may know about their CAM therapy, a chart entry
      about CAM use was found only in 41%. CONCLUSION: CAM is frequently used by
      hematology/oncology patients. Systematic communication about CAM is essential to
      avoid possible drug interactions.

PMID- 28641282
TI  - Health-Related Genetic Direct-to-Consumer Tests in the German Setting: The
      Available Offer and the Potential Implications for a Solidarily Financed Health
      Care System.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The global genetic direct-to-consumer (DTC) market will reach a
      volume of USD 230 billion in 2018. The expenditures for this genetic analysis are
      borne by the customer, whereas consequential costs may arise for a solidarily
      financed system. In a first step, it is essential to gain an overview of the
      currently available offer in the German setting. METHODS: In April 2016, we
      conducted a systematic internet search in the Google search engine. In November
      2016, we updated the information of the webpages in terms of country, language,
      types of health-related tests, additional offer of non-health-related DTC test,
      information about sensitivity and specificity, certification and accreditation,
      costs as well as reference to German Act on Genetic Testing. RESULTS: Thirty-five
      webpages were included in the final overview. A plurality of different predictive
      analysis options was identified. Price information was not available for all
      offered genetic analyses. Costs for predictive analysis in one disease vary
      between EUR 90 and 990, for predictive package analysis between EUR 232.18 and
      375, and for genetic lifestyle analysis between EUR 84.55 and 570.20.
      CONCLUSIONS: Genetic results may lead to uncertainty and anxiety; therefore,
      subsequent costs for a solidarily financed system may arise. Genetic DTC tests
      may have an influence on different players on the micro-, meso- and macro-levels,
      which may have a cost-cutting or cost-increasing effect on health-care
      expenditures. The increased interest in genetic analysis as well as the
      possibility of worldwide internet-based access to genetic tests requires
      population-wide education.

PMID- 28641283
TI  - [Healing of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Report].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease leading
      to death within 3-5 years in most cases. New approaches to treating this disease
      are needed. Here, we report a successful therapy. CASE REPORT: In a 49-year-old
      male patient suffering from muscle weakness and fasciculations, progressive
      muscular atrophy, a variant of ALS, was diagnosed after extensive examinations
      ruling out other diseases. Due to supposed mercury exposure from residual
      amalgam, the patient's teeth were restored. Then, the patient received sodium 2,3
      dimercaptopropanesulfate (DMPS; overall 86 * 250 mg in 3 years) in combination
      with alpha-lipoic acid and followed by selenium. In addition, he took vitamins
      and micronutrients and kept a vegetarian diet. The excretion of metals was
      monitored in the urine. The success of the therapy was followed by scoring muscle
      weakness and fasciculations and finally by electromyography (EMG) of the affected
      muscles. First improvements occurred after the dental restorations. Two months
      after starting therapy with DMPS, the mercury level in the urine was increased
      (248.4 ug/g creatinine). After 1.5 years, EMG confirmed the absence of typical
      signs of ALS. In the course of 3 years, the patient recovered completely.
      CONCLUSIONS: The therapy described here is a promising approach to treating some
      kinds of motor neuron disease and merits further evaluation in rigorous trials.

PMID- 28641284
TI  - [Complementary Medicine: A Serious Option as We Are Facing the Problem of
      Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance].

PMID- 28641285
TI  - Role of Glycyrrhizin in the Reduction of Inflammation in Diabetic Kidney Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most debilitating
      complications of type 2 diabetes. Recent evidence suggests chronic inflammation
      to be one of the causal factors of DKD. The mechanisms entailed are not
      completely elucidated except that a variety of cytokines play a major role in
      this process. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a pro-inflammatory toll-like
      receptor-4 (TLR4)-binding cytokine that is involved in inflammation-associated
      gene expression. This investigation was designed to assess the involvement of
      HMGB1, TLR-4, and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB in the development of DKD and to
      evaluate that whether blocking HMGB1 by its natural inhibitor Glycyrrhizin (GLC)
      can reduce the progression of the disease. METHODS: Studies were carried out in 8
      10-weeks old Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) and lean, age- and gender-matched rats.
      At 10 weeks of age, ZDF rats as compared to controls, showed hyperglycemia,
      without proteinuria. After 8-10 weeks of the development of diabetes, ZDF animals
      that showed proteinuria were treated with GLC for 4 weeks. In addition, normal
      rat kidney (NRK-52E) cells with epithelial-like morphology were comparatively
      treated with GLC under hyperglycemic condition in vitro. RESULTS: Substantial
      increase in the expression of HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-kappaB in vivo and in vitro
      under hyperglycemic conditions was observed as compared to normoglycemic
      conditions. The overexpression of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-kappaB, and glomerular injury
      marker nestin was significantly ameliorated by GLC administration. CONCLUSION:
      Our findings suggest that hyperglycemia-induced HMGB1 activation in ZDF rats may
      contribute to the progression of DKD.

PMID- 28641286
TI  - Effect of Bexarotene on Platelet Activation and Apoptosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: The retinoid X receptor (RXRs) stimulator Bexarotene ((4-[1
      (3,5,5,8,8-pentamethyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)ethynyl] benzoic acid) is
      used for the treatment of several malignancies. Bexarotene is at least in part
      effective by stimulation of apoptosis of tumor cells. Moreover, Bexarotene
      triggers eryptosis, the suicidal death of erythrocytes. Similar to erythrocytes,
      blood platelets lack nuclei but are nevertheless able to enter an apoptosis-like
      phenotype, characterized by caspase activation, cell shrinkage and cell membrane
      scrambling with phospha-tidylserine translocation to the cell surface. Platelet
      apoptosis is triggered by increase of cytosolic Ca2+-activity ([Ca2+]i), which
      further leads to degranulation and integrin activation. Platelet activation and
      apoptosis could be elicited by thrombin or collagen related peptide (CRP). The
      present study explored whether treatment of platelets with bexarotene modifies
      platelet activation and apoptosis following exposure to thrombin or CRP. METHODS:
      Platelets isolated from wild-type mice were exposed for 30 minutes to bexarotene
      (6 ug/ml) without or with an additional treatment with thrombin (0.01 U/ml) or
      CRP (2 ug/ml or 5 ug/ml). Flow cytometry was employed to estimate cytosolic Ca2+
      activity ([Ca2+]i) from Fluo-3 fluorescence, platelet degranulation from P
      selectin abundance, integrin activation from alphaIIbbeta3 integrin abundance,
      caspase activity utilizing an Active Caspase-3 Staining kit, phosphatidylserine
      abundance from annexin-V-binding, and relative platelet volume from forward
      scatter. RESULTS: In the absence of thrombin or CRP, the administration of
      bexarotene slightly but significantly increased [Ca2+]i, but did not
      significantly modify P-selectin abundance, activated alphaIIbbeta3 integrin,
      annexin-V-binding, cell volume, or caspase activity. Exposure of platelets to
      thrombin or CRP was followed by significant increase of [Ca2+]i, P-selectin
      abundance, active alphaIIbbeta3 integrin, annexin-V-binding, and caspase
      activity. The effects of thrombin on [Ca2+]i, annexin-V-binding, cell volume, and
      caspase activity as well as the effects of CRP on [Ca2+]i, P-selectin abundance,
      activated alphaIIbbeta3 integrin, annexin-V-binding, cell volume, and caspase
      activity were significantly augmented in the presence of bexarotene. CONCLUSIONS:
      Bexarotene sensitizes blood platelets for thrombin and/or CRP induced activation
      and apoptosis.

PMID- 28641287
TI  - Chrysophanol Suppressed Glutamate-Induced Hippocampal Neuronal Cell Death via
      Regulation of Dynamin-Related Protein 1-Dependent Mitochondrial Fission.
AB  - Chrysophanic acid, or chrysophanol, is an anthraquinone found in Rheum palmatum,
      which was used in the preparation of oriental medicine in ancient China. The
      hippocampus plays a major role in controlling the activities of the short- and
      long-term memory. It is one of the major regions affected by excessive cell death
      in Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, neuronal cell-death modulation in the
      hippocampus is important for maintaining neuronal function. We investigated
      chrysophanol's effects on glutamate-induced hippocampal neuronal cell death.
      Chrysophanol reduced glutamate-induced cell death via suppression of proapoptotic
      factors and reactive oxygen species generation. Furthermore, it downregulated
      glutamate-induced mitochondrial fission by inhibiting dynamin-related protein 1
      (Drp1) dephosphorylation. Thus, chrysophanol suppressed hippocampal neuronal cell
      death via inhibition of Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission, and can be used as
      a therapeutic agent for treating neuronal cell death-mediated neurodegenerative
      diseases.

PMID- 28641288
TI  - The Crista Fenestra and Its Impact on the Surgical Approach to the Scala Tympani
      during Cochlear Implantation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to describe the dimensions of the crista
      fenestra and determine its presence by means of high-resolution computed
      tomography (CT) for the purpose of cochlear implantation via the round window
      approach. METHODS: A series of 10 adult human temporal bones underwent high
      resolution CT scanning and were further dissected for microscopic study of the
      round window niche. RESULTS: In all of the specimens, the round window membrane
      was fully visualized after the complete removal of bony overhangs. The crista
      fenestra was identified as a sharp bony crest located in the anterior and
      inferior borders of the niche; its area ranged from 0.28 to 0.80 mm2 (mean 0.51
      +/- 0.18). The proportion of the area occupied by the crista fenestra in the
      whole circumference of the round window ranged from 23 to 50% (mean 36%). We
      found a moderate positive correlation between the area of the niche and the
      dimensions of the crista fenestra (Spearman rho: 0.491). In every case, high
      resolution CT scanning was unable to determine the presence of the crista
      fenestra. CONCLUSION: The crista fenestra occupies a variable but expressive area
      within the bony round window niche. Narrower round window niches tended to house
      smaller crests. The presence of the crista fenestra is an important obstacle to
      adequate access to the scala tympani. Nevertheless, a high-resolution CT scan
      provides no additional preoperative information with regard to its presence for
      the purpose of surgical access to the scala tympani via the round window niche.

PMID- 28641289
TI  - Impact of Comorbid Irritable Bowel Syndrome on Treatment Outcome in Non-Erosive
      Reflux Disease on Long-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor in Japan.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) frequently coexists with non
      erosive reflux disease (NERD). Efficacy of long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
      treatment on NERD with or without IBS is controversial. The impact of comorbid
      IBS in NERD on quality of life (QOL) remains uncertain. We verified the
      hypothesis that NERD patients with IBS symptoms demonstrated poor responses to
      long-term PPI treatments, deteriorated QOL, and high frequency of psychological
      deviations in Japan. METHODS: In all, 141 NERD patients who had been taking PPIs
      for more than 6 months were enrolled and analyzed. Patient profiles were assessed
      by GerdQ, IBS Severity Index (IBSSI-J)/Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale
      (GSRS)/SF-8, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: IBS
      existed in 37 out of 141 NERD patients. Patients with IBS (the positive-IBS
      group) demonstrated significantly higher frequencies of extant reflux symptoms
      than those without IBS (64.9 vs. 40.4%). In the positive-IBS group, 40.5% were
      classified as middle grade by IBSSI-J. The SF-8 and GSRS scores in this group
      were significantly lower than those without IBS (the negative-IBS group).
      Prevalence of depression and anxiety by HADS in the positive-IBS group was
      significantly higher than that in the negative-IBS group. CONCLUSION: These
      results proved the hypothesis that considering comorbid IBS among NERD patients
      on long-term PPI seems recommended in Japan.

PMID- 28641290
TI  - Long-Term Follow-Up of Choroidal Neovascularization due to Angioid Streaks with
      pro re nata Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Treatment.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular
      endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs with a pro re nata (PRN) regimen for the
      treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to angioid streaks
      (AS). METHODS: This is a retrospective, multicenter, noncomparative case series
      of consecutive AS eyes affected by treatment-naive CNV. A complete ophthalmologic
      examination was performed every 30-45 days after the loading phase, including
      fluorescein angiography and/or optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: In all, 52
      eyes of 39 patients were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab
      and followed up for a mean of 33.8 months. The best corrected visual acuity at
      baseline was 20/40, and it deteriorated by an average of 6.8 ETDRS letters per
      year (p < 0.001). We performed an average of 5.1, 6.5, and 6.8 injections at the
      1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal anti-VEGF
      drugs in a PRN regimen with close monitoring appear to slow the progression of
      CNV in AS, but they do not prevent the affected eyes from progressive visual
      loss.

PMID- 28641291
TI  - Surgical Management of Patients with Neuroendocrine Neoplasms of the Appendix:
      Appendectomy or More.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Appendiceal neuroendocrine neoplasms (ANEN) are mostly indolent
      tumours treated effectively with simple appendectomy. However, controversy exists
      regarding the necessity of oncologic right hemicolectomy (RH) in patients with
      histologic features suggestive of more aggressive disease. We assess the effects
      of current guidelines in selecting the surgical strategy (appendectomy or RH) for
      the management of ANEN. Methods/Aims: This is a retrospective review of all ANEN
      cases treated over a 14-year period at 3 referral centres and their management
      according to consensus guidelines of the European and the North American
      Neuroendocrine Tumor Societies (ENETS and NANETS, respectively). The operation
      performed, the tumour stage and grade, the extent of residual disease, and the
      follow-up outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 14,850 patients who had
      appendectomies, 215 (1.45%) had histologically confirmed ANEN. Four patients had
      synchronous non-ANEN malignancies. One hundred and ninety-three patients had
      index appendectomy. Seventeen patients (7.9%) had lymph node metastases within
      the mesoappendix. Forty-nine patients underwent RH after appendectomy. The
      percentages of 30-day morbidity and mortality after RH were 2 and 0%,
      respectively. Twelve patients (24.5%) receiving completion RH were found to have
      lymph node metastases. Two patients had liver metastases, both of them
      synchronous. The median follow-up was 38.5 months (range 1-143). No patient
      developed disease recurrence. Five- and 10-year overall survival for all patients
      with ANEN as the only malignancy was both 99.05%. CONCLUSIONS: The current
      guidelines appear effective in identifying ANEN patients at risk of harbouring
      nodal disease, but they question the oncological relevance of ANEN lymph node
      metastases. RH might present an overtreatment for a number of patients with ANEN.

PMID- 28641292
TI  - The Incidence, Clinical Significance, and Treatment Effects of Depression in
      Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Recipients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Chronic heart failure (HF) is associated with significantly increased
      prevalence of depression. The aim of the study was to assess the incidence and
      clinical impact of depression as well as the effectiveness of depression
      treatment in HF patients. METHODS: A prospective interventional trial included
      285 consecutive cardiac resynchronization therapy recipients. Patients underwent
      a psychiatric examination at the time of implantation and then it was routinely
      repeated at 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure, and every 6 months
      thereafter. One hundred and thirty-five (47.4%) patients with depression were
      included in the depression group, whereas the control group was comprised of 150
      patients free of depression. Sixty-eight (50.4%) subjects received
      antidepressants (treated group), whereas the observational group had 67 (49.6%)
      depressed patients who refused to take antidepressants. RESULTS: Depression
      remission was achieved in 51 (75.0%) patients from the treated group. Long-term
      mortality and HF hospitalization rates were significantly higher in the
      depression group than in the control group (20.7 vs. 11.3% and 32.6 vs. 19.2%,
      respectively). However, remission from depression was associated with a 40%
      reduction in the relative risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE).
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HF and concomitant depression are at higher risk of
      MACE compared with those free of depression. Effective antidepressant treatment
      may significantly improve long-term outcomes in this population.

PMID- 28641293
TI  - Measuring Concurrent Polydrug Use in General Populations: A Critical Assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: Polydrug use is a complicated phenomenon that is measured in a
      wide variety of different ways. Using Finland as an example, we aimed to
      demonstrate how the prevalence and prevalence trends of concurrent polydrug use
      (CPU) varied in the general population based on the different measurements used.
      METHODS: Population-based Drug Surveys conducted every 4 years during 1998-2014
      were used. CPU was measured with different measurements: strict, medial and loose
      definition of CPU, which were based on different combinations of alcohol, illicit
      drugs, pharmaceutical drugs and cigarettes used during the last 12 months/30
      days. Logistic regression was used to estimate the p values for assessing trends.
      RESULTS: Depending on the measurements used, the prevalence of CPU in 2014 varied
      between 2.0 and 18.7%. Different definitions also produced contradictory trends
      of CPU: there was a modest increase in prevalence if it was measured with a
      medial (p < 0.001) or strict (p = 0.054) definition, but when measured with the
      loose definition (only measure that included smoking), there was a decrease in
      prevalence (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CPU varies greatly
      depending on the measurement used, as does the course of the prevalence trends.
      The concept of simultaneous polydrug use may capture the phenomenon better
      compared to the concept of CPU.

PMID- 28641294
TI  - The Impact of Gender on Tumour Stage in In-House Complications and Choice of
      Urinary Diversion: Results of the Austrian Cystectomy Registry.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Bladder cancer is characterized by gender-dependent
      disparities. To further address this issue, we analysed a prospective,
      multicentre cystectomy registry. METHODS: An online database was developed that
      included patient demographics, intra/perioperative data, surgical data and in
      house complications. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-eight patients (112 [24.5%]
      women and 346 [75.5%] men) were analysed. Men and women were comparable regarding
      age (mean 68 years), body mass index (mean 26.5) and the mean Charlson score
      (4.8). Women had more advanced tumour-stages (pT3/pT4; women: 57.1%; men: 48.1%).
      The rate of incontinent urinary diversion was higher in women (83.1%) than in men
      (60.2%) and in a multivariate analysis, the strongest predictors were M+ status
      (OR 11.2), female gender (OR 6.9) and age (OR 6.5). Women had a higher
      intraoperative blood transfusion rate. The overall rate of in-house complications
      was similar in both genders (men: 32.0%, women: 32.6%). Severe (Clavien-Dindo
      grade >2) medical (women: 6.3%; men: 5.2%) and surgical (women: 21.5%; men:
      14.4%) in-house complications, however, were more frequent in women. CONCLUSIONS:
      This multicentre registry demonstrates several gender-related differences in
      patients undergoing radical cystectomy. The higher transfusion rate, the rare use
      of orthotopic bladder substitutes and the higher in-house complication rate
      underline the higher complexity of this procedure in women.

PMID- 28641295
TI  - Diagnosis, Assessment, and Therapeutic Strategy for Colorectal Mixed
      Adenoneuroendocrine Carcinoma.
AB  - Colorectal mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC), which acts like an
      aggressive tumor, is a rare clinical manifestation on which only a limited amount
      of literature exists. Surgical resection by regional lymphadenectomy is
      considered as the only curative treatment for colorectal MANEC, and adjuvant
      chemotherapy or radiotherapy is recommended because of its high recurrence rate.
      Colorectal MANEC is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, when it is
      unresectable, and chemotherapy plays a central role in its treatment.
      Pathological confirmation of the target lesion component is critical for regimen
      selection. If the lesion comprises an adenocarcinomatous component, a regimen for
      colorectal adenocarcinoma should be administered. For lesions comprising mainly a
      neuroendocrine carcinomatous component, cisplatin combined with etoposide or
      irinotecan has proven to be clinically appropriate. Everolimus, a mechanistic
      target of rapamycin pathway inhibitor, also improves survival. Sunitinib malate,
      another molecular targeting agent, is effective for treating neuroendocrine
      carcinoma; however, the evidence on its effectiveness for treating
      gastrointestinal neuroendocrine carcinoma is insufficient.

PMID- 28641296
TI  - [Commentary on the Article 'Healing of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case
      Report' by Mangelsdorf et al.]

PMID- 28641297
TI  - Factor Analysis and Psychometric Properties of the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal
      Scale and the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale-Revised: Italian Version.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: We run Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the
      Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS) and of the MNWS-Revised (MNWS-R).
      Psychometric properties were also explored. METHODS: Adult Italian smokers, 366
      in all, were assessed via the MNWS-R together with rating scales measuring
      cigarette dependence, alcohol use, anxiety sensitivity and negative affect at
      baseline and after 3 months. RESULTS: The MNWS showed good psychometric
      properties (alpha = 0.85; rtt = 0.59) and a unidimensional factor structure. The
      2-factor model of MNWS-R had the best fit and the factors were labelled
      psychological symptoms (alpha = 0.86; rtt = 0.59) and associated somatic features
      (alpha = 0.64; rtt = 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: MNWS showed 1 factor; MNWS-R showed 2
      relatively dependent factors. The results need to be replicated in smokers in
      withdrawal.

PMID- 28641298
TI  - Generation of a DNA-Launched Reporter Replicon Based on Dengue Virus Type 2 as a
      Multipurpose Platform.
AB  - Dengue viruses (DENV) have become the most important arthropod-borne viruses,
      causing dengue and severe dengue fever in at least 50-100 million cases each
      year, mainly in tropical and subtropical countries. During recent years,
      important advances in the molecular biology concerning the life cycle of these
      viruses have allowed the manipulation and generation of recombinant viruses and
      replicons with multiple applications, mainly in viral biology and the screening
      of antiviral compounds. In the present study, we describe the construction of an
      enhanced green fluorescent protein-bearing DENV replicon under the control of the
      cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. Following a rational in silico design
      and cloning by standard molecular biology techniques, a reporter DENV-2 replicon
      and a replication-deficient mutant were constructed, and characterized by
      confocal microscopy and real-time RT-PCR. The results showed successful
      transcription, translation, and autonomous viral RNA replication of the DENV
      replicon from its DNA clone. This novel DENV replicon will allow the study of
      viral replication and testing of antiviral candidates without the need for in
      vitro transcription.

PMID- 28641299
TI  - Monocyte Subsets Are Differentially Lost from the Circulation during Acute
      Inflammation Induced by Human Experimental Endotoxemia.
AB  - Three human monocyte subsets are recognized with different functions in the
      immune system: CD14++/CD16- classical monocytes (CM), CD14++/CD16+ intermediate
      monocytes (IM) and CD14+/CD16++ non-classical monocytes (NCM). Increased IM and
      NCM percentages have been reported under inflammatory conditions, yet little is
      known about monocyte subsets at the onset of inflammation. The human endotoxemia
      model is uniquely capable of studying the first phases of acute inflammation
      induced by intravenous injection of 2 ng/kg bodyweight lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
      into healthy volunteers. After that, monocyte subset counts,
      activation/differentiation status and chemokine levels were studied over 24 h.
      The numbers of all subsets were decreased by >95% after LPS injection. CM numbers
      recovered first (3- 6 h), followed by IM (6-8 h) and NCM numbers (8-24 h).
      Similarly, increased monocyte counts were observed first in CM (8 h), followed by
      IM and NCM (24 h). Monocytes did not display a clear activated phenotype (minor
      increase in CD11b and CD38 expression). Plasma levels of CCL2, CCL4 and CX3CL1
      closely resembled the cell numbers of CM, IM and NCM, respectively. Our study
      provides critical insights into the earliest stages of acute inflammation and
      emphasizes the necessity to stain for different monocyte subsets when studying
      the role of monocytes in disease, as neither function nor kinetics of the subsets
      overlap.

PMID- 28641301
TI  - Fluoride in Dental Biofilm Varies across Intra-Oral Regions.
AB  - Information on differences in biofilm fluoride concentration across intra-oral
      regions may help explain the distribution of caries within the dentition. The aim
      of this cross-sectional study was to describe the fluoride concentration in
      saliva and in biofilm fluid and biofilm solids across 6 intra-oral regions.
      Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from 42 participants and biofilm
      harvested from the buccal sites in the 4 molar and 2 anterior regions. Samples
      were collected at least 1 h after use of fluoride dentifrice. No attempt was made
      to control the participants' food consumption or use of other topical agents.
      Centrifuged saliva, biofilm fluid, and biofilm solids were analysed for fluoride
      using a fluoride ion-selective electrode, adapted for microanalysis. Fluoride in
      biofilm varied across intra-oral regions. The mean biofilm fluid fluoride
      concentrations across the oral cavity ranged from 11.6 to 16.8 uM, being
      statistically significantly higher in the upper anterior region than in any other
      region. In all regions the fluoride concentration in biofilm fluid was higher
      than in saliva. For biofilm solids the fluoride concentration was highest in the
      lower anterior region (2,461 MUmol/kg) and lowest in the lower molar regions (388
      and 406 MUmol/kg, respectively). Within biofilm, the solids contained most of the
      fluoride (81 to >99%). The biofilm fluid fluoride concentration was significantly
      positively associated with salivary fluoride and only marginally associated with
      that of biofilm solids. In conclusion, this study has shown pronounced
      differences in fluoride distribution across intra-oral regions and compartments.
      This shows that the sampling site is a crucial factor for studies of biofilm
      fluoride.

PMID- 28641302
TI  - 7-Hexagon Multifocal Electroretinography for an Objective Functional Assessment
      of the Macula in 14 Seconds.
AB  - PURPOSE: We present the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) with a 7-hexagon
      array as an objective test of macular function that can be recorded in 14 s. We
      provide normal values and investigate its reproducibility and validity. METHODS:
      Healthy participants underwent mfERG testing according to International Society
      for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standards using the Espion
      Profile/D310 multifocal ERG system (Diagnosys, LLC, Lowell, MA, USA). One
      standard recording of a 61-hexagon array and 2 repeated recordings of a custom 7
      hexagon array were obtained. RESULTS: A total of 13 subjects (mean age 46.9
      years) were included. The median response densities were 12.5 nV/deg2 in the
      center and 5.2 nV/deg2 in the periphery. Intereye correlations were strong in
      both the center (rhoCenter = 0.821; p < 0.0001) and the periphery (rhoPeriphery =
      0.862; p < 0.0001). Intraeye correlations were even stronger: rhoCenter = 0.904
      with p < 0.0001 and rhoPeriphery = 0.955 with p < 0.0001. Bland-Altman plots
      demonstrated an acceptable retest mean difference in both the center and
      periphery, and narrow limits of agreement. We found strong correlations of the
      center (rhoCenter = 0.826; p < 0.0001) and periphery (rhoPeriphery = 0.848; p <
      0.0001), with recordings obtained by the 61-hexagon method. CONCLUSIONS: The 7
      hexagon mfERG provides reproducible results in agreement with results obtained
      according to the ISCEV standard.

PMID- 28641300
TI  - Prenatal Diagnosis of Dextrocardia with Complex Congenital Heart Disease Using
      Fetal Intelligent Navigation Echocardiography (FINE) and a Literature Review.
AB  - Fetal dextrocardia is a type of cardiac malposition where the major axis from
      base to apex points to the right side. This condition is usually associated with
      a wide spectrum of complex cardiac defects. As a result, dextrocardia is
      conceptually difficult to understand and diagnose on prenatal ultrasound. The
      advantage of four-dimensional sonography with spatiotemporal image correlation
      (STIC) is that this modality can facilitate fetal cardiac examination. A novel
      method known as fetal intelligent navigation echocardiography (FINE) allows
      automatic generation of nine standard fetal echocardiography views in normal
      hearts by applying intelligent navigation technology to STIC volume datasets. In
      fetuses with congenital heart disease, FINE is also able to demonstrate abnormal
      cardiac anatomy and relationships when there is normal cardiac axis and position.
      However, this technology has never been applied to cases of cardiac malposition.
      We report herein for the first time, a case of fetal dextrocardia and situs
      solitus with complex congenital heart disease in which the FINE method was
      invaluable in diagnosing multiple abnormalities and defining complex anatomic
      relationships. We also review the literature on prenatal sonographic diagnosis of
      dextrocardia (with an emphasis on situs solitus), as well as tricuspid atresia
      with its associated cardiac features.

PMID- 28641303
TI  - MicroRNA-122a Regulates Zonulin by Targeting EGFR in Intestinal Epithelial
      Dysfunction.
AB  - BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA (miR)-122a
      in regulating zonulin during the modulation of intestinal barrier. METHODS:
      Zonulin proteins and their target gene expression were analyzed in miR-122a
      overexpressing cell lines and in the target gene of epidermal growth factor
      receptor (EGFR). An mmu-miR-122a intestinal epithelial conditional transgenic
      (miR-122a-TG) mouse model was established to investigate EGFR and zonulin
      expression. MiR-122a was also detected in the clinical specimens of inflammatory
      bowel disease. RESULTS: EGFR was identified as a target gene of miR-122a. The
      expression level of miR-122a was positively correlated with that of zonulin. The
      expression level of zonulin was significantly increased, whereas the expression
      level of EGFR was significantly decreased in the miR-122a-TG mice and in the
      corresponding primary epithelial culture (P < 0.05). These results were
      consistent with the data of the clinical specimens. CONCLUSIONS: miR-122a could
      be a positive factor of zonulin by targeting EGFR, which increased the intestinal
      epithelial permeability in vivo and in vitro.

PMID- 28641304
TI  - Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Review of Recent Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the United States, hyperemesis gravidarum is the most common cause
      of hospitalization during the first half of pregnancy and is second only to
      preterm labor for hospitalizations in pregnancy overall. In approximately 0.3-3%
      of pregnancies, hyperemesis gravidarum is prevalent and this percentage varies on
      account of different diagnostic criteria and ethnic variation in study
      populations. Despite extensive research in this field, the mechanism of the
      disease is largely unknown. Although cases of mortality are rare, hyperemesis
      gravidarum has been associated with both maternal and fetal morbidity. The
      current mainstay of treatment relies heavily on supportive measures until
      improvement of symptoms as part of the natural course of hyperemesis gravidarum,
      which occurs with progression of gestational age. However, studies have reported
      that severe, refractory disease manifestations have led to serious adverse
      outcomes and to termination of pregnancies. SUMMARY: Despite extensive research
      in the field, the pathogenesis of hyperemesis gravidarum remains unknown. Recent
      literature points to a genetic predisposition in addition to previously studied
      factors such as infectious, psychiatric, and hormonal contributions. Maternal
      morbidity is common and includes psychological effects, financial burden,
      clinical complications from nutritional deficiencies, gastrointestinal trauma,
      and in rare cases, neurological damage. The effect of hyperemesis gravidarum on
      neonatal health is still debated in literature with conflicting results regarding
      outcomes of birth weight and prematurity. Available therapy options remain
      largely unchanged in the past several decades and focus on parenteral antiemetic
      medications, electrolyte repletion, and nutritional support. Most studies of
      therapeutic options do not consist of randomized control studies and cross-study
      analysis is difficult due to considerable variation of diagnostic criteria. Key
      Messages: Hyperemesis gravidarum carries a significant burden on maternal health
      and US health care. Most published research on pathogenesis is observational and
      suggests multifactorial associations with hyperemesis gravidarum. Precise,
      strictly defined criteria for clinical diagnosis are likely to benefit meta
      analyses of further research studies regarding pathogenesis as well as
      therapeutic options.

PMID- 28641305
TI  - Incidence of Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis in a Health Maintenance Organization in
      Buenos Aires, Argentina.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Different epidemiological studies, especially in Europe, have
      estimated the incidence density of myasthenia gravis (MG) to range between 1.7
      and 21.3/1,000,000/person-year; however, data from regions such as Latin America
      are scarce. This study is aimed at estimating the incidence and prevalence of
      acquired MG in Buenos Aires, Argentina. METHODS: The study population comprised
      of affiliates of the Italian Hospital Medical Care Program, a prepaid health
      maintenance organization located in Buenos Aires. The evaluation method for case
      detection included a retrospective search from January 1, 2006, through December
      31, 2012. RESULTS: Of the 60 cases identified, 36 (60%) were females. The median
      age at diagnosis was 69 years (IQR 51.5-79). The mean age at diagnosis was 63.3
      years (SD +/-20). A total of 28 patients (46.7%) had generalized MG and 32 had
      ocular MG (53.3%). Thirty five patients (58.3%) had acetylcholine receptor
      antibodies and 2 (3.3%) had muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase antibodies.
      The crude incidence density (ID) of MG was 61.33 per 1,000,000 person-years (95%
      CI 47.62-79.99). The adjusted ID for the Argentinean population was 38.8 per
      1,000,000 person-years (95% CI 27.09-50.51) and for the Buenos Aires population
      was 47.49 (95% CI 34.73-60.25). CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained are similar to
      those published for other geographical areas.

PMID- 28641306
TI  - A New Perspective on Isotretinoin Treatment of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A
      Retrospective Chart Review of Patient Outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a disease characterized by the
      development of painful, deep-seeded nodules and abscesses. Treatment guidelines
      include a combination of lifestyle, surgical, and medical interventions.
      Isotretinoin has not been included in the treatment guidelines due to the limited
      number of studies and conflicting reports of efficacy. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of
      this study is to evaluate the clinical response to isotretinoin in HS patients
      and to determine whether there is a particular patient population that may
      benefit more from this treatment. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was
      conducted on all HS patients treated with isotretinoin within the years of 2014
      2016. Sex, age, weight, history of acne, Hurley stage, and treatment dose and
      duration were extracted from patient charts. RESULTS: Of the 25 patients included
      in the study, 32% (8/25) had no response, 32% (8/26) showed partial response, and
      36% (9/25) demonstrated complete response to isotretinoin treatment. Complete
      response was seen only in Hurley stage I and II patients. Hurley III patients
      made up 50% of the non-responders. Those with any sort of treatment response were
      more likely to be female, younger, weigh less, and have a higher prevalence of
      acne compared to non-responders. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective chart
      review with a small sample size of 25 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should
      consider isotretinoin as a potential treatment for HS, as it may be beneficial in
      patients with mild and moderate disease and patients who are female, younger,
      weigh less, and have a personal history of acne.

PMID- 28641307
TI  - Human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 gene expression is associated with
      gemcitabine efficacy in advanced leiomyosarcoma and angiosarcoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The expression of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1
      (hENT1), the major gemcitabine transporter into cells, has been thoroughly
      investigated as a predictive marker of response to gemcitabine in pancreatic
      cancer and biliary tract cancers. Since gemcitabine is widely used in the
      treatment of leiomyosarcoma and angiosarcoma, we investigated the correlation
      between hENT1 expression and gemcitabine efficacy in these sarcoma subtypes.
      METHODS: We retrospectively identified 71 patients affected by advanced
      angiosarcoma (26) or leiomyosarcoma (45) treated within five Italian referral
      centres for sarcoma; among them, 49 patients (15 angiosarcoma, 34 leiomyosarcoma)
      were treated with gemcitabine. All tumour samples were analysed for hENT1
      expression by real-time PCR. Median 2-DeltaCt value was used as the cutoff to
      dichotomise patients into 'high' expression and 'low' expression groups. Kaplan
      Meier analysis was performed to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and
      overall survival (OS). RESULTS: We found a significant association between high
      hENT1 expression levels and favourable outcome in terms of PFS and OS compared to
      cases with low hENT1 expression in leiomyosarcoma treated with gemcitabine (PFS:
      6.8 vs 3.2 months, P=0.004; OS: 14.9 vs 8.5 months, P=0.007). In addition, hENT1
      overexpression correlated with a significant improvement in PFS (9.3 vs 4.5
      months; P=0.02) and OS (20.6 vs 10.8 months; P=0.001) in angiosarcoma patients
      treated with gemcitabine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that higher hENT1
      expression are associated to gemcitabine efficacy both in patients with advanced
      leiomyosarcoma and angiosarcoma.

PMID- 28641309
TI  - Sequential versus concurrent chemotherapy for adjuvant breast cancer: does dose
      intensity matter?

PMID- 28641308
TI  - Detection of phosphatidylserine-positive exosomes for the diagnosis of early
      stage malignancies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has been increasing interest in the detection of tumour
      exosomes in blood for cancer diagnostics. Most studies have focussed on miRNA and
      protein signatures that are surrogate markers for specific tumour types. Because
      tumour cells and tumour-derived exosomes display phosphatidylserine (PS) in their
      outer membrane leaflet, we developed a highly sensitive ELISA-based system that
      detects picogram amounts of exosomal phospholipid in plasma as a cancer
      biomarker. METHODS: This report describes the development of a highly specific
      and sensitive ELISA for the capture of PS-expressing tumour exosomes in the blood
      of tumour-bearing mice. To monitor the relationship between tumour burden and
      tumour exosome plasma concentrations, plasma from one transplantable breast
      cancer model (MDA-MB-231) and three genetic mouse models (MMTV-PyMT; breast and
      KIC and KPC; pancreatic) were screened for captured exosomal phospholipid.
      RESULTS: We show that quantitative assessment of PS-expressing tumour exosomes
      detected very early-stage malignancies before clinical evidence of disease in all
      four model systems. Tumour exosome levels showed significant increases by day 7
      after tumour implantation in the MDA-MB-231 model while palpable tumours appeared
      only after day 27. For the MMTV-PyMT and KIC models, tumour exosome levels
      increased significantly by day 49 (P?0.0002) and day 21 (P?0.001) while tumours
      developed only after days 60 and 40, respectively. For the KPC model, a
      significant increase in blood exosome levels was detected by day 70 (P=0.023)
      when only preinvasive lesions are microscopically detectable. CONCLUSIONS: These
      data indicate that blood PS exosome levels is a specific indicator of cancer and
      suggest that blood PS is a biomarker for early-stage malignancies.

PMID- 28641310
TI  - Potentiating the effects of radiotherapy in rectal cancer: the role of aspirin,
      statins and metformin as adjuncts to therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Complete tumour response (pCR) to neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy for
      rectal cancer is associated with a reduction in local recurrence and improved
      disease-free and overall survival, but is achieved in only 20-30% of patients.
      Drug repurposing for anti-cancer treatments is gaining momentum, but the
      potential of such drugs as adjuncts, to increase tumour response to chemo
      radiotherapy in rectal cancer, is only just beginning to be recognised. METHODS:
      A systematic literature search was conducted and all studies investigating the
      use of drugs to enhance response to neo-adjuvant radiation in rectal cancer were
      included. 2137 studies were identified and following review 12 studies were
      extracted for full text review, 9 studies were included in the final analysis.
      RESULTS: The use of statins or aspirin during neo-adjuvant therapy was associated
      with a significantly higher rate of tumour downstaging. Statins were identified
      as a significant predictor of pCR and aspirin users had a greater 5-year
      progression-free survival and overall survival. Metformin use was associated with
      a significantly higher overall and disease-free survival, in a subset of diabetic
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin, metformin and statins are associated with
      increased downstaging of rectal tumours and thus may have a role as adjuncts to
      neoadjuvant treatment, highlighting a clear need for prospective randomised
      controlled trials to determine their true impact on tumour response and overall
      survival.

PMID- 28641311
TI  - Characterisation of blood-derived exosomal hTERT mRNA secretion in cancer
      patients: a potential pan-cancer marker.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Telomerase (human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)) is
      considered a hallmark of cancer. The aim of our study was to evaluate the
      feasibility of the detection of hTERT transcripts in serum as a 'pan-cancer'
      diagnostic method. METHODS: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA levels
      were determined in serum and serum-derived exosomes from 133 patients with
      different malignancies and 45 healthy controls. In four patients hTERT mRNA
      levels were measured in different clinical stages. RESULTS: Human telomerase
      reverse transcriptase transcript was absent in all controls and was variably
      detected in 67.5% of patients with all cancer types. A correlation between hTERT
      transcript levels and the clinical course was found in several cases.
      CONCLUSIONS: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA levels may reflect the
      tumour burden and the clinical status of the patient. In patients with detectable
      levels, this assay may potentially serve as a diagnostic and follow-up 'pan
      cancer' marker. Owing to the large variety of patients and small sample size in
      each diagnosis, the statistical power is limited and will be explored further in
      larger groups.

PMID- 28641314
TI  - No additional prognostic value for MRE11 in squamous cell carcinomas of the anus
      treated with chemo-radiotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The majority of anal cancers (84-95%) are driven by infection with
      human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV-positive tumours show significantly better
      responses to chemo-radiotherapy when compared with HPV-negative tumours. HPV
      infection is linked to alterations in DNA damage response proteins, including
      MRE11. MRE11 is a potential predictive biomarker for response to radiotherapy in
      muscle-invasive bladder cancer and may hold predictive power in other cancers.
      METHODS: Using a previously reported cohort, we evaluated the levels of MRE11 in
      anal cancer and assessed its predictive value in this disease. RESULTS: We found
      no association between the level of MRE11 and relapse-free survival following
      chemo-radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: MRE11 has no predictive value in the analysis of
      relapse-free survival after chemo-radiotherapy in anal cancer and does not add to
      the prognostic value of p16 and tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte scores. Further
      investigation into the role of DNA repair proteins in anal cancer is required.

PMID- 28641313
TI  - Evaluation of serum microRNA biomarkers for gastric cancer based on blood and
      tissue pools profiling: the importance of miR-21 and miR-331.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High stability and disease-specific disarrangements suggest that
      microRNA molecules (miRNAs) present in body fluids are ideally suited for
      diagnostic applications, including gastric cancer (GC). However, the actual
      source of circulating miRNA biomarkers in GC has not been adequately evaluated,
      particularly in the Western populations that have some distinct characteristics
      compared with Asian patients. METHODS: Twenty treatment-naive patients with GC
      along with 20 cancer-free controls were recruited. miRCURY LNA miRNA microarrays
      were used for miRNA expression profiling in primary tumours and adjacent healthy
      mucosa. Differentially expressed serum miRNAs were identified with a high
      throughput TaqMan OpenArray technology in tumour-draining veins of the portal
      system, as well as peripheral blood of the patients and controls. RESULTS: Tissue
      profiling identified 108 sequences differentially expressed between primary
      tumours and adjacent mucosa (87 upregulated and 21 downregulated). Twenty miRNAs
      found in serum of GC patients showed expression levels higher than in controls.
      However, only seven of these molecules were overexpressed in primary tumours (miR
      130a, miR-331, miR-19a, miR-223, miR-106a, miR-21, and miR-374). Moreover,
      expression of miR-331 and miR-21 was significantly higher in the peripheral
      circulation compared to tumour-draining veins of the portal system. CONCLUSIONS:
      The results indicate that the majority of potential serum miRNA biomarkers may
      originate from tissues other than the primary tumour.

PMID- 28641315
TI  - Sequential vs concurrent epirubicin and docetaxel as adjuvant chemotherapy for
      high-risk, node-negative, early breast cancer: an interim analysis of a
      randomised phase III study from the Hellenic Oncology Research Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sequential anthracyclines and taxanes are standard adjuvant
      chemotherapy for patients with high-risk axillary node-positive breast cancer. We
      compared a sequential to a concurrent regimen in high-risk node-negative early
      breast cancer. METHODS: Patients were eligible if they had tumours >2 cm or T1c
      with two of the following characteristics: no oestrogen receptor (ER) and
      progesterone receptor (PR) expression, histological grade III, Ki67 >40% and
      vascular, lymphovascular or perineural invasion. They were randomised to receive
      four cycles of epirubicin 90 mg m-2 followed by four cycles of docetaxel 75 mg m
      2 (sequential regimen) or six cycles of epirubicin 75 mg m-2 plus docetaxel 75 mg
      m-2 (concurrent regimen). All chemotherapy cycles were administered every 21 days
      with G-CSF prophylaxis only for the concurrent arm. The primary endpoint was
      disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: Between 2001 and 2013, 658 women received
      the sequential (n=329) or the concurrent (n=329) regimen. The median age was 53
      years, 43.9% of the patients were premenopausal and of the tumours 44.2% were ?2
      cm, 52.7% histological grade 3 and 35.3% hormone receptor-negative. After a
      median follow-up of 70.5 months, there were 29 (8.8%) vs 42 (12.8%) disease
      relapses (P=0.102) and 11 (3.3%) vs 19 (5.8%) deaths (P=0.135), in the sequential
      and concurrent arm, respectively. The 5-year DFS rates were 92.6% vs 88.2% for
      sequential and concurrent arm, respectively (hazard ratio (HR): 1.591; 95%
      confidence interval (CI): 0.990-2.556; P=0.055). Toxicity included grade 2-4
      neutropenia in 54% vs 41% (P=0.001), febrile neutropenia 2.7% vs 6.1% (P=0.06),
      nausea/vomiting 18.5% vs 12.4% (P=0.03) of patients in the sequential and
      concurrent arm. There were no toxic deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential compared with
      the concurrent administration of anthracyclines and taxanes is associated with a
      non-significant but possibly clinically meaningful improvement in DFS. In the era
      of molecular selection of patients for adjuvant chemotherapy, this study offers
      valuable information for the optimal administration of anthracyclines and taxanes
      in patients with node-negative disease.

PMID- 28641312
TI  - Impact of novel miR-145-3p regulatory networks on survival in patients with
      castration-resistant prostate cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite recent advancements, metastatic castration-resistant prostate
      cancer (CRPC) is not considered curative. Novel approaches for identification of
      therapeutic targets of CRPC are needed. METHODS: Next-generation sequencing
      revealed 945-1248 miRNAs from each lethal mCRPC sample. We constructed miRNA
      expression signatures of CRPC by comparing the expression of miRNAs between CRPC
      and normal prostate tissue or hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC). Genome
      wide gene expression studies and in silico analyses were carried out to predict
      miRNA regulation and investigate the functional significance and clinical utility
      of the novel oncogenic pathways regulated by these miRNAs in prostate cancer
      (PCa). RESULTS: Based on the novel miRNA expression signature of CRPC, miR-145-5p
      and miR-145-3p were downregulated in CRPC. By focusing on miR-145-3p, which is a
      passenger strand and has not been well studied in previous reports, we showed
      that miR-145-3p targeted 4 key molecules, i.e., MELK, NCAPG, BUB1, and CDK1, in
      CPRC. These 4 genes significantly predicted survival in patients with PCa.
      CONCLUSIONS: Small RNA sequencing for lethal CRPC and in silico analyses provided
      novel therapeutic targets for CRPC.

PMID- 28641317
TI  - Reply to 'Comment on 'The impact of vitamin D pathway genetic variation and
      circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D on cancer outcome: systematic review and meta
      analysis''.

PMID- 28641316
TI  - A cancer geography paradox? Poorer cancer outcomes with longer travelling times
      to healthcare facilities despite prompter diagnosis and treatment: a data-linkage
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rurality and distance from cancer treatment centres have been shown
      to negatively impact cancer outcomes, but the mechanisms remain obscure. METHODS:
      We analysed the impact of travel time to key healthcare facilities and
      mainland/island residency on the cancer diagnostic pathway (treatment within 62
      days of referral, and within 31 days of diagnosis) and 1-year mortality using a
      data-linkage study with 12 339 patients. RESULTS: After controlling for important
      confounders, mainland patients with more than 60 min of travelling time to their
      cancer treatment centre ((OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.25-1.61) and island dwellers (OR
      1.32; 95% CI 1.09-1.59) were more likely to commence cancer treatment within 62
      days of general practitioner (GP) referral and within 31 days of their cancer
      diagnosis compared with those living within 15 min. Island-dweller patients were
      more likely to have their diagnosis and treatment started on the same or next day
      (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.31-2.25). Increased travelling time to a cancer treatment
      centre was associated with increased mortality to 1 year (30-59 min (HR 1.21; 95%
      CI 1.05-1.41), >60 min (HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.03-1.36), island dweller (HR 1.17; 95%
      CI 0.97-1.41). CONCLUSIONS: Island dwelling and greater mainland travel burden
      was associated with more rapid cancer diagnosis and treatment following GP
      referral even after adjustment for advanced disease; however, these patients also
      experienced a survival disadvantage compared with those living nearer. Cancer
      services may need to be better configured to suit the different needs of
      dispersed populations.

PMID- 28641318
TI  - Comment on 'The impact of vitamin D pathway genetic variation and circulating 25
      hydroxyvitamin D on cancer outcome: systematic review and meta-analysis'.

PMID- 28641320
TI  - Transcutaneous oximetry measurements of the leg: comparing different measuring
      equipment and establishing values in healthy young adults.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Transcutaneous oximetry measurement (TCOM) is a non-invasive method
      of determining oxygen tension at the skin level using heated electrodes. AIM: To
      compare TCOM values generated by different machines and to establish lower limb
      TCOM values in a cohort of healthy individuals younger than 40 years of age.
      METHOD: Sixteen healthy, non-smoking volunteers aged 18 to 39 years were
      recruited. TCOM was obtained at six locations on the lower leg and foot using
      three different Radiometer machines. Measurements were taken with subjects lying
      supine, breathing air. RESULTS: Except for one sensor site, there were no
      statistical differences in measurements obtained by the different TCOM machines.
      There was no statistical difference in measurements comparing left and right
      legs. Room air TCOM values for the different lower leg sites were (mean (SD) in
      mmHg): lateral leg 61.5 (9.2); lateral ankle 61.1 (9.7); medial ankle 59.1
      (10.8); foot, first and second toe 63.4 (10.6); foot, fifth toe 59.9 (13.2) and
      plantar foot 74.1 (8.8). The overall mean TCOM value for the lower limb was 61
      (10.8; 95% confidence intervals 60.05-62.0) mmHg. CONCLUSION: Lower-leg TCOM
      measurements using different Radiometer TCOM machines were comparable. Hypoxia
      has been defined as lower-leg TCOM values of less than 40 mmHg in non-diabetic
      patients and this is supported by our measurements. The majority (96.9%) of the
      lower leg TCOM values in healthy young adults are above the hypoxic threshold.

PMID- 28641319
TI  - Understanding scuba diving fatalities: carbon dioxide concentrations in intra
      cardiac gas.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Important developments in the diagnosis of scuba diving fatalities
      have been made thanks to forensic imaging tool improvements. Multi-detector
      computed tomography (MDCT) permits reliable interpretation of the overall gaseous
      distribution in the cadaver. However, due to post-mortem delay, the radiological
      interpretation is often doubtful because the distinction between gas related to
      the dive and post-mortem decomposition artifactual gases becomes less obvious.
      METHODS: We present six cases of fatal scuba diving showing gas in the heart and
      other vasculature. Carbon dioxide (CO2) in cardiac gas measured by gas
      chromatography coupled to thermal conductivity detection were employed to
      distinguish decomposition from embolism based on the detection of decomposition
      gases (hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and methane) and to confirm arterial gas
      embolism (AGE) or post-mortem offgasing diagnoses. A Radiological Alteration
      Index (RAI) was calculated from the scan. RESULTS: Based on the dive history, the
      intra-cadaveric gas was diagnosed as deriving from decomposition (one case,
      minimal RAI of 61), post-mortem decompression artifacts (two cases, intermediate
      RAI between 60 and 85) and barotrauma/AGE (three cases, maximal RAI between 85
      and 100), illustrating a large distribution inside the bodies. CONCLUSION: MDCT
      scans should be interpreted simultaneously with compositional analysis of intra
      cadaveric gases. Intra-cadaveric gas sampling and analysis may become useful
      tools for understanding and diagnosing scuba diving fatalities. In cases with
      short post-mortem delays, the CO2 concentration of the cardiac gas provides
      relevant information about the circumstances and cause of death when this
      parameter is interpreted in combination with the diving profile.

PMID- 28641321
TI  - Identifying and acting on potentially inappropriate care? Inadequacy of current
      hospital coding for this task.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Recent Australian attempts to facilitate disinvestment in
      healthcare, by identifying instances of 'inappropriate' care from large
      Government datasets, are subject to significant methodological flaws. Amongst
      other criticisms has been the fact that the Government datasets utilized for this
      purpose correlate poorly with datasets collected by relevant professional bodies.
      Government data derive from official hospital coding, collected retrospectively
      by clerical personnel, whilst professional body data derive from unit-specific
      databases, collected contemporaneously with care by clinical personnel. AIM:
      Assessment of accuracy of official hospital coding data for hyperbaric services
      in a tertiary referral hospital. METHODS: All official hyperbaric-relevant coding
      data submitted to the relevant Australian Government agencies by the Royal Hobart
      Hospital, Tasmania, Australia for financial year 2010-2011 were reviewed and
      compared against actual hyperbaric unit activity as determined by reference to
      original source documents. RESULTS: Hospital coding data contained one or more
      errors in diagnoses and/or procedures in 70% of patients treated with hyperbaric
      oxygen that year. Multiple discrete error types were identified, including (but
      not limited to): missing patients; missing treatments; 'additional' treatments;
      'additional' patients; incorrect procedure codes and incorrect diagnostic codes.
      Incidental observations of errors in surgical, anaesthetic and intensive care
      coding within this cohort suggest that the problems are not restricted to the
      specialty of hyperbaric medicine alone. Publications from other centres indicate
      that these problems are not unique to this institution or State. CONCLUSIONS:
      Current Government datasets are irretrievably compromised and not fit for
      purpose. Attempting to inform the healthcare policy debate by reference to these
      datasets is inappropriate. Urgent clinical engagement with hospital coding
      departments is warranted.

PMID- 28641322
TI  - Scuba diving and otology: a systematic review with recommendations on diagnosis,
      treatment and post-operative care.
AB  - Scuba diving is a popular recreational and professional activity with inherent
      risks. Complications related to barotrauma and decompression illness can pose
      significant morbidity to a diver's hearing and balance systems. The majority of
      dive-related injuries affect the head and neck, particularly the outer, middle
      and inner ear. Given the high incidence of otologic complications from diving, an
      evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and treatment of otic pathology is a
      necessity. We performed a systematic and comprehensive literature review
      including the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of otologic pathology
      related to diving. This included inner, middle, and outer ear anatomic subsites,
      as well as facial nerve complications, mal de debarquement syndrome, sea sickness
      and fitness to dive recommendations following otologic surgery. Sixty-two papers
      on diving and otologic pathology were included in the final analysis. We created
      a set of succinct evidence-based recommendations on each topic that should inform
      clinical decisions by otolaryngologists, dive medicine specialists and primary
      care providers when faced with diving-related patient pathology.

PMID- 28641323
TI  - Ischaemia-reperfusion injury and hyperbaric oxygen pathways: a review of cellular
      mechanisms.
AB  - Ischaemia-induced tissue injury has wide-ranging clinical implications including
      myocardial infarction, stroke, compartment syndrome, ischaemic renal failure and
      replantation and revascularization. However, the restoration of blood flow
      produces a 'second hit' phenomenon, the effect of which is greater than the
      initial ischaemic event and characterizes ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Some
      examples of potential settings of IR injury include: following thrombolytic
      therapy for stroke, invasive cardiovascular procedures, solid organ
      transplantation, and major trauma resuscitation. Pathophysiological events of IR
      injury are the result of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, microvascular
      vasoconstriction, and ultimately endothelial cell-neutrophil adhesion with
      subsequent neutrophil infiltration of the affected tissue. Initially thought to
      increase the amount of free radical oxygen in the system, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO)
      has demonstrated a protective effect on tissues by influencing the same
      mechanisms responsible for IR injury. Consequently, HBO has tremendous
      therapeutic value. We review the biochemical mechanisms of ischaemia-reperfusion
      injury and the effects of HBO following ischaemia-reperfusion.

PMID- 28641324
TI  - Treatment preferences for decompression illness amongst Singapore dive
      physicians.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Owing to the scarcity of randomized controlled trials to guide
      treatment for decompression illness (DCI), there are many unanswered questions
      about its management. Apart from reviews and expert opinion, surveys that report
      practice patterns provide information about useful management strategies. Hence,
      this study aimed to identify current treatment preferences for DCI amongst diving
      physicians in Singapore. METHODS: An anonymous web-based questionnaire was sent
      to known diving physicians in Singapore. The demographics of the respondents were
      captured. Respondents were asked about their preferred management for five
      different DCI scenarios. RESULTS: The response rate was 74% (17 of 23 responses).
      All respondents chose to recompress patients described in the five scenarios.
      Regarding the number of recompression sessions, "one additional session after no
      further improvement in signs and symptoms" was the most common end point of
      treatment across all the scenarios (47 of 85 responses). Analgesics would be used
      by five physicians, three would use lidocaine and two steroids as adjuvant
      therapies. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from the general agreement that recompression is
      indicated for DCI, there was no strong consensus regarding other aspects of
      management. This survey reinforces the need for robust RCTs to validate the
      existing recommendations for DCI treatment.

PMID- 28641325
TI  - Superior canal dehiscence syndrome associated with scuba diving.
AB  - A 28-year-old female diver presented with dizziness and difficulty clearing her
      left ear whilst scuba diving. Her pure-tone audiometry and tympanometry were
      normal. Testing of Eustachian tube function revealed tubal stenosis. Video
      oculography revealed a predominantly torsional nystagmus while the patient was in
      the lordotic position. Fistula signs were positive. High-resolution computed
      tomography (HRCT) of the temporal bone revealed a diagnosis of bilateral superior
      semicircular canal dehiscence (SCDS). Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic
      potential (cVEMP) testing showed that the amplitude of the cVEMP measured from
      her left ear was larger than that from the right. In electronystagmography (ENG),
      nose-pinched Valsalva manoeuvres caused eye movements to be mainly directed
      counterclockwise with a vertical component. Tullio phenomenon was also positive
      for both ears. SCDS patients tend to be misdiagnosed and misunderstood; common
      misdiagnoses in these cases are alternobaric vertigo (AV), inner ear barotrauma,
      and inner-ear decompression sickness. It is difficult to diagnose vertigo attacks
      after scuba diving as SCDS; however, when the patient develops sound- and/or
      pressure-induced vertical-torsional nystagmus, HRCT should be conducted to
      confirm a diagnosis of SCDS.

PMID- 28641326
TI  - A technical diving-related burns case: treatment in a remote location.
AB  - Injuries suffered as a result of a rebreather oxygen explosion and fire occurred
      to a diver on vacation in the island state of Chuuk, Micronesia. The medical and
      logistical management of the diver in a remote location are described. The
      mechanism of both the fire and the subsequent blast and burn injuries are
      discussed. Prevention of and preparation for such incidents are discussed in the
      context of the increasing frequency of dive and adventure travel to remote areas.

PMID- 28641327
TI  - Correction to Mathieu D, Marroni A, Kot J: Tenth European Consensus Conference on
      Hyperbaric Medicine: recommendations for accepted and non-accepted clinical
      indications and practice of hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Diving Hyperb Med. 2017
      Mar;47(1):24-32.
AB  - Consistent with the Committee on Publication Ethics guidelines, we the above
      authors are initiating a partial retraction and correction of our paper: Mathieu
      D, Marroni A, Kot J: Tenth European Consensus Conference on Hyperbaric Medicine:
      recommendations for accepted and non-accepted clinical indications and practice
      of hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Diving Hyperb Med. 2017 Mar;47(1):24-32. We wish
      to make the following statement: "Regardless of the strict process of editing and
      proof-reading of tables included in the above-mentioned publication, we received
      some comments from readers which showed us that imperfect layout of Table 1 and
      incorrect layout of Table 2 changed significantly the conclusions which could be
      drawn from them. Table 1 described the relation between strength of
      recommendations given by the Jury of the Consensus Conference and the level of
      evidence based on the GRADE system. There should be a clear and straight relation
      showing that Level 1 "strong recommendation" should be based on GRADE A "high
      level of evidence (LOE)", Level 2 "weak recommendation" should be based on GRADE
      B "moderate LOE", Level 3 "neutral recommendation" should be based on GRADE C
      "low LOE" and finally no recommendation should be given when only GRADE D "very
      low LOE" are present. Note that there is no change to the content of the table,
      but only visual representation of this relationship. Table 2 has been incorrectly
      printed. In fact, there is no GRADE A LOE. All X marks placed in the column A
      should be moved to the right, to GRADE B LOE. In the same way, all X marks placed
      in the column B should be moved to the right, to GRADE C LOE. We voluntarily
      retract these tables from the above-mentioned publication, expressing our regret
      for the situation."

PMID- 28641328
TI  - ECHM Consensus Conference and levels of evidence.
AB  - The ECHM Consensus Conference on indications for hyperbaric oxygen treatment
      (HBOT) was a welcome update of the evidence for HBOT use. However, clarification
      is requested in relation to how the GRADE system (Grades of Recommendation,
      Assessment, Development and Evaluation) was modified and how levels of evidence
      were applied in the case of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL).
      GRADE has a low kappa value for inter-observer agreement, so is modification
      valid? The original GRADE criteria, using consensus, grades evidence (defined as
      high, low and very low) and uses this to adjust the strength of recommendations.
      Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) score highly. The ECHM have modified the
      GRADE system without explanation, assigning grades as levels 1 to 4 and have
      asserted that RCTs which are double-blinded constitute level 1 or 2 evidence.
      This has important implications for HBOT research. The term double-blinded is not
      used in the abstract, which leads the reader to wonder; where do RCTs which are
      not double-blinded fit in? The ECHM, by including the term double blinded as a
      requirement for level 1 or 2, has lifted the evidence bar. Does this constitute a
      form of research "bracket creep"? Double-blinding is viewed by many to require a
      'sham' treatment in hyperbaric research. Many conditions require multiple doses
      requiring daily hospital attendance with associated costs of lost time from work
      and daily transport costs. Even with a crossover after the sham, a requirement of
      many ethics committees, the lost time for a patient is a considerable burden.
      Delaying HBOT until crossover in those randomised to the control group in a
      disease that has a narrow therapeutic temporal window, such as idiopathic sudden
      sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL), may affect the chance of recovery. Double
      blinding is logistically difficult with HBOT. A sham treatment may be achieved by
      using air instead of oxygen; however, this exposes the non-intervention group to
      a risk that the intervention group does not have, that of decompression sickness
      (DCS). This may be considered to be unethical. Researchers have used hypoxic air
      mixtures to compensate for the higher oxygen partial pressure at depth as the
      control, but this is complex and increases the nitrogen load (and thus the risk
      of DCS). RCTs which control by other methods should still be considered high
      level evidence (as the original GRADE system recognised). Many indications for
      HBOT have multiple therapies against which to compare, which could act as a
      control. The requirement for double-blinding to achieve level 1 or 2 evidence may
      hamper research; an unintended negative consequence. There is lack of consistency
      of definitions in relation to levels of evidence used by the ECHM. The authors
      state that for clinical research the levels of evidence are; levels A to F, which
      they defined. The ECHM jury used a grading scale of level 1 to 4. For ISSHL, this
      results in a recommendation to treat based on level B evidence. Is this the same
      as level 2 in their modified system? This is confusing. The authors have not
      explained why they modified the GRADE system which is itself non-validated. The
      lack of references to the publications which provide the foundation for the
      strength of the recommendations leaves the reader unable to determine the true
      strength of the evidence. The GRADE system has been criticised as it dissociates
      recommendations from the evidence that the recommendation is founded upon.
      Further, the application of the GRADE system has been questioned when strong
      recommendations are made with it as this may cause ethics committees to question
      whether equipoise exists, further hampering research. How do we present a well
      designed trial for ISSHL to an ethics committee when a strong recommendation has
      already been made despite the Cochrane review on ISSHL concluding there is a need
      for large, well designed RCTs in this area?

PMID- 28641329
TI  - ECHM Consensus Conference and levels of evidence - Reply.
AB  - Dr Sherlock asks for clarification on the approach adopted by the European
      Committee on Hyperbaric Medicine (ECHM) to assessing evidence for establishing
      indications for hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT). Firstly, regardless of the
      strict process of editing and proof-reading of tables included in the above
      mentioned publication, we received comments from some readers that identified
      imperfect layout of Table 1 and incorrect layout of Table 2 which significantly
      changed the conclusions to be drawn from them. This concerned both the details of
      the methodology used and description of the ECHM recommendations and associated
      levels of evidence. Therefore, those tables are republished in their correct
      forms in this issue, hoping that this will explain at least some of the doubts
      and misunderstandings. Both the Editor and ourselves apologise for these errors
      of publication. Secondly, in the ECHM Consensus Conference methodology, we scored
      the evidence for clinical studies requiring double-blind randomised controlled
      trials (RCT) as Level A and B when, at the same time, some scoring scales require
      simply 'RCT', as correctly pointed out by Dr Sherlock. Long experience in
      organising evidence based medicine (EBM) meetings and discussions has taught us
      that RCTs that are not double blinded are often criticised as having serious
      potential bias and so are denied as level A evidence. Although we acknowledge
      that double blinding a clinical study in HBOT is a source of difficulty, we chose
      a priori to consider only double-blinded RCTs in our grading scale to avoid
      endless discussions about this potential bias. We are well aware that doing so
      means that Level A evidence is a difficult target for the hyperbaric community.
      We agree that many evidence scoring systems have a low level of inter-observer
      agreement. This is why we treat the Consensus Conference as a valuable tool that
      provides a better opportunity for discussing the evidence than analysis by a
      small group of 'experts'. This is because the whole process is transparent and
      available to all participants' comments and input. The final process of voting by
      the audience after the general discussion thus truly reflects the position of the
      professional hyperbaric community in Europe on the issued recommendations. By
      these two mechanisms, the blind application of disputable evidence scoring
      systems may be avoided or, at least, decreased. Thirdly, the problem of 'sham'
      treatments in hyperbaric research has been raised. While this has been discussed
      many times in the past, hyperbaric research is not the sole field where such sham
      treatment raises some difficulty. Surgery is probably the best example where RCTs
      with control arms utilising sham surgical procedures (possibly including the
      administration of anaesthesia) are rare and can raise major ethical problems.
      Nevertheless, from an EBM viewpoint, the difficulty of designing a double-blind
      study is never taken into account during evaluation of clinical studies. Finally,
      Dr Sherlock pointed out her doubts on the recommendations issued by the ECHM on
      idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL). While there is no
      possibility to cite here the full experts' report on that issue presented during
      the conference, we understand that a detailed report from the Conference is being
      prepared for publication. In brief, the strength of evidence has been scored as
      Level B, in general agreement with the last Cochrane review and the UHMS
      Committee report. Based on this level of evidence, the Type 1 recommendation was
      issued with the agreement of the large majority of the Consensus Conference
      participants.

PMID- 28641330
TI  - Use of Shorter Intramedullary Guide for Ipsilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty
      following Prior Total Hip Arthroplasty.
AB  - Alignment after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) plays an important role with
      respect to patient satisfaction and implant survivorship. In patients undergoing
      ipsilateral TKA with prior total hip arthroplasty (THA), the femoral
      intramedullary (IM) guide cannot be fully inserted into the femoral canal because
      of the prior THA. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of
      femoral component alignment using a shorter IM guide during TKA in patients with
      an ipsilateral THA. We identified 42 patients undergoing ipsilateral TKA with the
      use of a short IM guide in the setting of a prior THA. A matched cohort group was
      identified from our total joint registry that included 42 patients who underwent
      primary TKA. The surgical goal was to achieve 5 degrees of valgus on the femoral
      side and 0 degree on the tibial side with an overall postoperative tibial-femoral
      angle of 5 degrees of valgus. Patients were evaluated clinically using Knee
      Society pain scores (KSSs), function scores, and with radiography. Both the
      tibial-femoral limb alignment and the femoral component alignment were compared
      using Student's t-test. There were no significant differences between the two
      groups with respect to sex, age, body mass index (BMI), pre- and postoperative
      KSSs. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups
      with respect to radiographic tibial-femoral limb alignment, 4.33 degrees of
      valgus in the short stem THA-TKA group versus 5.4 degrees of valgus in the TKA
      group (p < 0.04); however, this difference did not correlate to a difference in
      postoperative outcomes. An adequate tibial-femoral component alignment was
      achieved in patients undergoing ipsilateral TKA with prior THA using a shortened
      IM femoral guide.

PMID- 28641331
TI  - [Surgical Treatment of Pseudotumours of the Lung].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Pseudotumour of the lung is a collective term for various
      subentities. Some subgroups are considered to be intermediary malignant tumours.
      A pseudotumour is a rare condition, which makes it difficult to estimate its
      incidence and prevalence. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all surgically
      treated patients between 2008 and 2015 diagnosed with a pseudotumour of the lung.
      The primary endpoint of this study was to estimate the rates of local recurrence
      and metastasis. Secondary endpoints were to determine the nomenclature, medical
      history, treatment, and the perioperative course. RESULTS: Out of 27 patients (10
      females and 17 males) with a median age of 58 years, 19 patients (70%) had an
      inflammatory pseudotumour (IPT), and four patients (15%) had an inflammatory
      myofibroblastoma (IMT). Two patients had a pneumocytoma/histiocytoma. A
      preoperative pulmonary infection was present in 12 (44%) patients. The average
      tumour size was 2.1 cm (0.8 - 5.3 cm), with the lower pulmonary lobes being
      mostly affected (52%). One enucleation, 20 atypical wedge resections and six
      anatomical resections were performed. This was done in a minimally invasive
      procedure (VATS) in 48% of cases (13/27). R0 resection was achieved in 93% of
      cases (25/27). Complications occurred in seven (26%) patients. The difference
      between the duration of hospital stay (mean duration 8 days) after open resection
      and VATS was minimal (8.8 vs. 7.2 days). Patients were followed up over a period
      of 4 years, during which time only one patient developed a tumour recurrence,
      which led to the patient's death, although she had had a R0 resection of an IMT.
      CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of choice for pseudotumours of the lung is R0
      resection, preferably with VATS. Most patients have a benign course of disease,
      although relapses are possible in some cases, especially in IMT. Follow-up
      monitoring is necessary for IMT. The application of a uniform nomenclature and
      classification would be a sensible approach.

PMID- 28641332
TI  - Executive Dysfunctions Predict Self-Restricted Driving Habits in Elderly People
      with or without Alzheimer's Dementia.
AB  - Introduction The purpose of this study was to elucidate the impact of specific
      cognitive functions on self-restricted driving habits in healthy elderly drivers
      and patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's
      dementia (AD). Method Our study population included 35 cognitively healthy
      controls, 10 MCI patients, and 16 patients with AD. All participants completed a
      neuropsychological examination and a self-reported questionnaire assessing
      driving habits and patterns. Results In challenging driving conditions, patients
      with MCI or AD showed significantly more driving self-restriction than healthy
      subjects (effect size d=1.06, p=0.007). Ordinal regression analysis across the
      entire group revealed that deficits in executive functions and reaction had a
      higher impact on driving restriction (p=0.002) than deficits in memory functions
      (p=0.570). Additionally, our data showed that 40% of patients with mild to
      moderate AD still drive in challenging conditions. Discussion Our results
      illustrate that elderly individuals use self-imposed driving restrictions as
      compensatory strategies. These restrictions increase with cognitive decline
      mainly in the field of executive functions, but they do not change once patients
      convert from MCI to AD.

PMID- 28641333
TI  - Validation of Brain Angiotensin System Blockade as a Novel Drug Target in
      Pharmacological Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders.
AB  - Retreat in psychiatric drug development results in innovative medication decline
      that might be at least partially overcome by adjunct therapy. New evidence from
      clinical studies has shown a possible role for brain Renin-Angiotensin System
      (RAS) in both affective and psychotic disorders. Simultaneously, rapidly
      accumulating data from basic studies indicate effectiveness of central RAS
      blockade in much broader range of neuropsychiatric disease. Recent findings
      implicate brain RAS, especially Angiotensin II (Ang II), in neural
      pathophysiology of mental disorders through neuroendocrine modulation and effects
      on neurotransmitter release, mostly noradrenaline, acetylcholine and dopamine.
      The potential effects of angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibition and
      angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) blockade on treatment of mental disorders are
      a matter of considerable interest. This review describes involvement of brain RAS
      in pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders and an intriguing possibilities
      of improvement in pharmacological treatment outcome, where using angiotensin
      converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB), goes
      beyond blood pressure control.

PMID- 28641334
TI  - Ventral C1 Fracture Combined with Congenital Posterior Cleft: What to Do?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:  We present a treatment approach for a rare condition
      of patients with a ventral C1 fracture and a congenital cleft in the posterior
      arch (half-ring Jefferson fracture) with an intact transverse atlantal ligament.
      Our technique aims to achieve stability of the atlanto-occipital and atlantoaxial
      joints while preserving mobility of the upper cervical spine. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS:  Two male patients, 43 years and 29 years of age, respectively, were
      admitted to our hospital due to a fracture of the ventral arch of the atlas with
      no damage of the transverse atlantal ligament. Both men also presented a
      congenital cleft of the posterior arch. Initial conservative management with a
      halo-thoracic vest was performed in one case and failed. As a result, surgical
      treatment was performed in both cases using bilateral C1 mass screws and a
      transverse connector. RESULTS:  The patients showed no neurologic deficits on
      follow-up examination 4 weeks after surgery with a full range of head and neck
      motion. Computed tomography (CT) showed no dislocation of the implanted material
      with good dorsal alignment and a stable ventral fracture distance. Follow-up CT
      showed osseous stability in both cases with the beginning of bony ossification of
      the bone graft. CONCLUSION:  Isolated instable fractures of the ventral arch of
      the atlas with a congenital cleft of the posterior arch with no damage of the
      transverse atlantal ligament can be stabilized using bilateral C1 mass screws and
      a transverse connector preserving upper cervical spine mobility.

PMID- 28641335
TI  - Jumping Mechanography as a Complementary Testing Tool for Motor Function in
      Children with Hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy.

PMID- 28641337
TI  - [In process].

PMID- 28641336
TI  - Suppression of Forkhead Box Protein O1 (FOXO1) Transcription Factor May Promote
      Adrenocortical Tumorigenesis.
AB  - Despite recent comprehensive genetic analyses, molecular evidence for a
      pathophysiological continuum linking benign adrenocortical adenoma (ACA) and
      highly aggressive adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is still elusive. Using human
      tumor samples and the established ACC cell line SW-13, this study investigated
      potential regulatory roles for FOXO transcription factors, in modulating
      adrenocortical tumorigenesis. Adrenocortical tumor specimens (20 ACAs, 10 ACCs,
      and 9 normal adrenal tissue samples) obtained from 30 patients were analyzed for
      ubiquitously expressed FOXO transcription factors, FOXO1 and FOXO3 using qRT-PCR
      and immunohistochemistry. The SW-13 ACC cells were used to study the phenotypic
      effects of FOXO regulation in vitro. While FOXO3 expression remained unchanged in
      ACCs, FOXO1 expression was found to be significantly downregulated in 19/20 ACAs
      and 9/10 ACCs (p<0.0001 and p<0.05, respectively), suggesting a global role for
      FOXO1 suppression in promoting and maintaining adrenocortical dedifferentiation.
      Silencing of FOXO1 in SW-13 cells resulted in significant loss of viability
      (p<0.001) mediated by apoptosis as determined by quantitative Annexin V
      immunofluorescence analysis (p<0.01). FOXO1 silencing also augmented the
      migratory behavior of SW-13 cells (p<0.0001), suggesting distinct roles for FOXO1
      in promoting viability and controlled motility of adrenocortical cells.

PMID- 28641338
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641339
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641340
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641341
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641342
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641343
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641344
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641345
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641347
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641346
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641348
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641349
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641351
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641350
TI  - [Laparoscopic-assisted mobilisation and resection of a sacrococcygeal teratoma
      Altman type III].
AB  - Objective This video is a step-by-step illustration of the laparoscopic-assisted
      mobilisation and resection of a sacrococcygeal teratoma Altman type III.
      Indication Laparoscopic supralevatory tumour mobilisation is an established
      method in selected centres and can be the initial step in approaching
      sacrococcygeal teratomas with an intrapelvic portion, facilitating a complete
      (R0) resection. Method Laparoscopic surgery is performed in supine position with
      a 5 mm umbilical trocar, a 5 mm trocar in the right upper abdomen, and two 3 mm
      trocars in the left middle and lower abdomen. We use a 5 mm 45 degrees  optic and
      3 mm laparoscopic grasping forceps as well as Overholt clamps. For coagulation, a
      laparoscopic 5 mm diathermy Sealer (LigaSureTM, Covidien, Neustadt) is used.
      Conclusion In selected tumours, laparoscopic assisted tumour mobilisation enables
      surgeons to clearly identify and ligate the primary tumour-supplying vascular
      structures at the beginning of the operation, thereby avoiding the risk of major
      bleeding throughout the subsequent tumour mobilisation. The laparoscopic approach
      also allows an accurate dissection and mobilisation of the supralevatory tumour
      parts under direct vision. After repositioning the patient into the prone
      position, infralevatory preparation can be carried out safely and fast in the
      conventional sacral approach without any major risk of bleeding.

PMID- 28641352
TI  - [Do General Surgeons Feel Adequately Prepared for the Complex Questions
      Associated with the Handling of Multi-Resistant Pathogens? - Results of the MR2
      Survey].
AB  - Background At the present time, there is no evidence available as to the
      knowledge of general surgeons regarding multi-resistant pathogens (MRP) and the
      rational use of antibiotic medication (antibiotic stewardship/ABS) compared with
      physicians from other disciplines. Methods As part of the MR2 survey
      (Multiinstitutional Reconnaissance of practice with MultiResistant bacteria - a
      survey focussing on German hospitals), a questionnaire comprising 4 + 35 items
      was distributed to urologists, internists, gynaecologists and general surgeons in
      18 hospitals. Multivariate regression models were applied to assess the impact of
      each discipline affiliation on predefined endpoints. Results 456 evaluable
      surveys were analysed. The response rate of surgeons (156/330; 47%) and
      physicians from other disciplines (300/731; 41%) did not differ significantly.
      Based on their self-assessment, surgeons indicated a significantly lower
      certainty regarding the correct choice of dose, frequency and duration of
      antibiotic treatment (p = 0.005), the decision between intravenous or oral
      application (p = 0.005), as well as the accurate interpretation of
      microbiological reports (p = 0.023). Both surgeons and doctors from other
      disciplines rated their knowledge of ABS as limited. An insignificant difference
      was found between surgeons and non-surgeons regarding the knowledge of E. coli
      resistance against Ciprofloxacin in their own hospital (27.6 vs. 35.3% estimated
      the correct category; p = 0.114), with 64% of surgeons underestimating the local
      resistance rates. Both physician groups assumed that the frequent use of broad
      spectrum antibiotics is substantially responsible for the increase in MRP.
      However, in the given case study of a highly symptomatic female patient with
      uncomplicated urinary tract infection, both physician groups were almost equally
      likely to propose treatment with a broad-spectrum antibiotic (34.0 vs. 29.3%; p =
      0.331). Based on the results of the multivariate models, there were no
      significant differences between surgeons and non-surgeons with regard to both the
      attendance of training courses related to MRP/ABS over the past 12 months and the
      quality of discharge summaries in their hospitals regarding the correct listing
      of MRP. Conclusion In due consideration of the results of the MR2 survey,
      mandatory ABS programs should be implemented in hospitals, including regular
      training of physicians regardless of their discipline.

PMID- 28641353
TI  - [Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: Randomised Controlled Trials from 2000 to
      2015].
AB  - Background Negative pressure wound therapy is believed to promote wound healing.
      However, the results from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are inconsistent.
      Systematic reviews indicate unclear evidence, due in part to low-quality RCTs,
      calling for more RCTs of higher quality. Methods This study aimed to ascertain
      the number of RCTs as well as systematic reviews on RCTs published during the
      time period from 2000 to 2015. Various search strategies were used to identify
      studies in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google, references lists of retrieved
      articles, and institutions that issue evidence reports. The study also aimed to
      investigate the quality of included RCTs. It evaluated whether or not the
      randomisation methodology was comprehensibly described and conclusions were based
      on acceptable endpoints. Results The search for studies resulted in 456 different
      references, which included a total of 49 RCTs and 81 systematic reviews.
      Randomisation was comprehensibly described in 37% (18 out of 49 RCTs) and
      concealment of allocation in 10% (5?out of 49 RCTs). Conclusions were based on
      acceptable endpoints in 55% (27 out of 49 RCTs). A superior efficacy of NPWT
      versus standard was stated in 65% (32 out of 49 RCTs). In studies based on
      acceptable endpoints, this proportion was 16% (8 out of 49 RCTs). Systematic
      reviews repeatedly included identical study data. Conclusion The published
      literature, reviewed over a period of more than 16 years, contains more
      systematic reviews incorporating secondary data from other RCTs than actual RCTs
      reporting primary clinical data. Many RCTs seem to be of low quality, which
      considerably limits the validity of the corresponding conclusions. The ongoing
      production of potentially unreliable RCTs and redundant systematic reviews does
      not seem to provide convincing answers to crucial clinical research questions.
      Therefore, a change in strategy should be contemplated to observe individual
      characteristics of the respective persons and the wounds in question.

PMID- 28641354
TI  - [Acute Liver Failure, Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure, Hepatorenal Syndrome,
      Hepatopulmonary Syndrome and Portopulmonary Hypertension, Artificial Liver
      Support on the ICU].
AB  - Background Acute hepatic dysfunction in the form of acute liver failure (ALF) or
      acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a disease with a high risk of mortality
      and requires interdisciplinary intensive care. Aim This article explains the
      nomenclature, pathophysiology, prognosis and possible treatment options of ALF
      and ACLF, including the possibilities of extracorporeal liver support therapy at
      the point of liver transplantation (LTx). Method Narrative review with a
      selective literature review and representative case studies. Results/Corner
      Points ALF and ACLF may have several causes and are associated with high
      mortality. The causes of ALF must be accurately diagnosed because targeted
      treatment options are available. Both ALF and ACLF may require a liver
      transplantation for the patient's survival. For ALF and ACLF there are different
      criteria for decision-making on liver transplantation and graft allocation. For
      extracorporeal liver support therapy, two methods have been established (MARS
      [molecuar adsorbent recirculating system] and FPSA [fractionated plasma
      separation and adsorption] Prometheus(r)). Both approaches may have the potential
      to increase the probability of survival of patients with ALF or ACLF. In some
      cases they can be used for bridging to liver transplantation, in individual cases
      also for primary poison elimination, e.g. after Amatoxin ingestion. Both methods
      are not suitable for long-term therapy. Conclusion Acute liver failure (ALF) and
      acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) are serious diseases with a high risk of
      mortality. Affected patients should receive immediate interdisciplinary intensive
      care in a (tertiary) centre with the aim to clarify the cause of the disease as
      well as possible treatment options with respect to available extracorporeal liver
      support therapy and liver transplantation.

PMID- 28641356
TI  - [Tracheal Surgery].
AB  - Surgery of the trachea is a specialised field in which many disciplines work
      jointly due to the variety of indications and the extended topography. Not only
      because of its particular functional importance, but also because of its complex
      morphology, anatomy and physiology, this organ represents a special therapeutic
      challenge. A variety of diseases require surgical procedures of the trachea; the
      therapeutic strategy is influenced both by the disease itself as well as patient
      dependent parameters. Regardless of the nature of the underlying disorder, good
      results require a high level of expertise in airway management, a careful
      diagnosis and interventional planning as well as an experienced surgical team
      that masters extended operative techniques. An optimal treatment decision always
      requires a multidisciplinary assessment of the patient's individual situation by
      interventional pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, visceral surgeons, ENT (ear,
      nose and throat) surgeons and anaesthesiologists.

PMID- 28641357
TI  - [The German Thorax Registry: Implementation of an Established Tool of
      Perioperative Health Care Research].
AB  - The collection of clinical treatment data in registry databases is an important
      aspect of health services research. It allows for a critical evaluation of the
      safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of clinical treatment concepts in large
      patient populations. The findings of registry research represent real-world
      patients and treatment structures as they are not limited by strict inclusion
      criteria or unrealistic conditions as applied in prospective clinical trials. The
      implementation of the German Thorax Registry has enabled the collection and
      analysis of data on the interdisciplinary care (thoracic surgery,
      anaesthesiology, intensive care, pain management) of patients undergoing thoracic
      surgery. Under the auspices of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and
      Intensive Care Medicine and the German Society of Thoracic Surgery, a registry of
      the Hospital of the University Witten/Herdecke-Cologne, purely surgical at first,
      was expanded in close cooperation with the University Hospital of Freiburg. After
      a comprehensive data protection concept was drafted and a test phase completed,
      the German Thorax Registry was officially launched in January 2016. Most notably,
      participating hospitals profit from the registry's "benchmarking" services.
      "Benchmarking", i.e. the comparison of treatment quality between different
      hospitals, enables participants to identify individual profiles, strengths and
      weaknesses on a nation-wide level and follow their own progress over the course
      of several years. An online database for data entry and benchmarking is always
      accessible (www.thoraxregister.de). In October 2016, the spectrum of participants
      was expanded to include all hospitals performing at least 50 thoracic operations
      a year.

PMID- 28641358
TI  - [Pain Treatment After Thoracic Surgery].
AB  - The treatment of pain after thoracic surgery is a challenge and takes place in
      the individual clinics mostly according to clinic internal standards. It exists
      no currently valid S3 guideline for the treatment of acute perioperative and
      posttraumatic pain. For an effective pain treatment as well individual pain
      experience as the pain intensity of the various thoracic surgical procedures must
      be considered. Regular pain assessment with appropriate methods and their
      documentation form the basis for adequate and adapted pain therapy.There are a
      number of different pain therapy methods, non-medicamentous and drug-based
      methods, whose effectiveness is described in the literature partially different.
      For the treatment of acute postoperative pain after thoracic surgery, mainly drug
      related procedures are used, except for physiotherapy as a non-medicamentous
      method. Increasingly, alternative procedures for the peridural catheter as a
      therapeutic gold standard in the treatment of pain after thoracic surgery are
      used. Their application can be integrated into a therapeutic algorithm.

PMID- 28641359
TI  - [To have concern of prejudice to the authorized medical expert].
AB  - In civil and criminal court cases, the medical expert must follow certain (legal)
      regulations which in general are not conveyed as part of his/hers medical
      education. The medical experts should observe, that they are themselves not the
      investigators, but rather only aids to the court. Above and beyond that, the
      medical experts must conduct themselves in such a manner as to avoid at all times
      any appearance of prejudice during the course of the judicial proceedings.

PMID- 28641360
TI  - [Strategies on the treatment of nerve injuries accompanied by severe soft tissue
      damage - Consensus statement of the German-Speaking Society for Microsurgery of
      Peripheral Nerves and Vessels].
AB  - Nerve injuries with severe soft tissue damage are rare and demand a complex and
      individualized treatment approach, in order to limit medical and socioeconomic
      consequences. Since uniform systematic evidence so far is lacking, inconsistent
      therapy standards are implemented depending on individual experiences and
      background of respective microsurgeons.In order to provide best conditions for
      further healing, basic expert consensus statements were developed in a workshop
      on the 38th Annual Meeting of the German-speaking Community for Microsurgery of
      the Peripheral Nerves and Vessels (DAM).Statements were consented in regard of
      the aspects: timing of nerve and soft tissue repair, techniques of nerve repair,
      as well as rehabilitation and healing process control.

PMID- 28641361
TI  - Maternal Alcohol Use Disorder and Risk of Child Contact with the Justice System
      in Western Australia: A Population Cohort Record Linkage Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early contact with the justice system is associated with a multitude
      of negative outcomes across the life course. This includes an increased risk of
      ongoing justice contact, social disadvantage and marginalization, and mental
      health and substance use issues. Children whose mothers have an alcohol use
      disorder may be at risk of early justice system contact, and we sought to
      quantify this relationship in a Western Australian cohort. METHODS: This
      population cohort study made use of linked administrative data. Those in-scope
      for the study were women who had a birth recorded on the Midwives Notification
      System (1983 to 2007). The exposed cohort were mothers who had an alcohol-related
      diagnosis (ICD9/10), recorded on administrative data. This included mental and
      behavioral disorders which were alcohol related, diseases which could be entirely
      attributed to alcohol and other ICD alcohol codes. These women were considered to
      have an alcohol use disorder, which was a proxy for heavy drinking. The
      comparison cohort was frequency-matched sample with no alcohol-related diagnosis
      identified on administrative data sets. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential
      confounders, children whose mothers had a maternal alcohol use disorder had a
      significantly increased odds of justice contact when compared to those whose
      mothers had no diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] =
      1.60 to 1.99). Additional significant maternal factors associated with child
      justice contact included being Indigenous (OR = 5.14, 95% CI = 4.54 to 5.81), low
      maternal age, low socioeconomic status, being unmarried, and a history of a
      mental health problems. Significant child-level factors, which were associated
      with increased odds of justice contact, included being male, a mental health
      diagnosis, child protection contact, parity, and academic failure. CONCLUSIONS:
      Children who were exposed to a maternal alcohol use disorder had significantly
      increased odds of contact with the justice system. Additional risk was associated
      with being Indigenous and with markers of social disadvantage. These results
      suggest that prevention and early intervention services should span across
      agencies in an effort to reduce risk.

PMID- 28641362
TI  - Estimating the potential cost of a high dose immune tolerance induction (ITI)
      therapy relative to the cost of a combined therapy of a low dose ITI therapy with
      bypassing agent prophylaxis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The International Immune Tolerance Study (I-ITI) demonstrated
      comparable success rates between low (FVIII 50 IU/kg/TIW) and high dose (FVIII
      200 IU/kg/day) regimens. While costlier, the high dose ITI regimen achieved
      shorter time-to-treatment success with fewer bleeding episodes compared to the
      low dose ITI regimen. Adding bypassing agent prophylaxis (BAP) to a low dose ITI
      regimen may reduce bleeding while still being less costly than high dose ITI. AIM
      AND METHODS: An economic model was developed to compare high dose ITI to low dose
      ITI with BAP. All model inputs were derived from clinical trials. The I-ITI study
      indicated a median time to negative inhibitor titre of 4.6 and 9.2 months and
      average number of bleeds/patient of 4.2 and 9.9 for the high and low dose
      regimens respectively. Based on the BAP trials, aPCC (85 U/kg/TIW) and rFVIIa (90
      MUg/kg/day) achieved a 62% and 45% reduction in bleeding frequency respectively.
      Cost analysis was from a US third party payer perspective and limited to drug
      costs. One-way, two-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.
      RESULTS: Costs of low dose ITI with aPCC prophylaxis until negative inhibitor
      titre is achieved was 24.0% less compared to high dose ITI. Low dose ITI with
      rFVIIa prophylaxis cost 46.5% more compared to high dose ITI. Model results were
      robust in the majority of the sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: A low dose ITI
      regimen with aPCC prophylaxis may be cost saving compared to a high dose ITI
      regimen with the potential to reduce morbidity by lowering the risk for
      breakthrough bleeds.

PMID- 28641363
TI  - A phase III randomized controlled study on the efficacy and improved bowel
      function of prolonged-release (PR) oxycodone-naloxone (up to 160/80 mg daily) vs
      oxycodone PR.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oxycodone/naloxone (OXN PR) is a prolonged-release formulation
      containing oxycodone and naloxone in a 2:1 ratio. This study aimed to evaluate
      the tolerability and efficacy of doses up to OXN160/80 mg PR compared with
      oxycodone prolonged-release formulation (OxyPR) in a randomised controlled trial.
      METHODS: Two hundred and forty-three patients were randomised to treatment with
      OXN PR (n = 123) or OxyPR (n = 120) during the 5-week double-blind study.
      Measured were: opioid-induced constipation [bowel function index score (BFI)];
      analgesic efficacy (NRS 0-10); daily laxative rescue medication use; rescue
      medication use, and the number of complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs)
      per week. A subanalysis was conducted in cancer patients. RESULTS: Greater
      reductions in mean BFI scores were reported for the OXN PR group compared with
      OxyPR from Week 1 onwards; at Week 5 the mean change from baseline was -32.5
      versus -14.2. Average 24-h pain scores were low and remained stable in the range
      3-4 in both treatment groups. Analgesic rescue medication use was similar between
      the groups. Patients receiving OXN PR used significantly lower mean daily doses
      of laxative rescue medication than those receiving OxyPR (P = 0.006). The number
      of CSBM in the OXN PR group approximately doubled compared with a 25% decrease in
      the OxyPR group. Comparable results to the total study population were reported
      in the cancer patient subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: OXN PR in daily doses of up to
      160/80 mg significantly improves bowel function compared with equivalent doses of
      OxyPR while still providing comparable analgesic efficacy. SIGNIFICANCE:
      Effective analgesia can be achieved using oxycodone/naloxone PR up to 160/80 mg
      daily without compromising bowel function. A similar outcome was reported in
      cancer and non-cancer patients.

PMID- 28641364
TI  - Access to Coverage and Care for People with Preexisting Conditions: How Has it
      Changed Under the ACA?
AB  - ISSUE: Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), people with preexisting health
      conditions could be denied insurance coverage or charged higher rates. If the law
      is repealed, these protections could be diluted or lost altogether. GOALS: Assess
      the ACA's impact on coverage and access for people with preexisting conditions
      and compare their coverage gains with state high-risk-pool enrollment pre-ACA.
      METHODS: Analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for the
      period 2011-13 to 2015. KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Between 2013 and 2015, 16.5
      million nonelderly adults gained coverage following full ACA implementation. Of
      those, 2.6 million had preexisting conditions that could have otherwise precluded
      them from coverage because of discriminatory denials and pricing; 9.4 million had
      conditions that could have otherwise affected insurance cost. We found strong
      correlations between these coverage gains and access to care. Coverage and access
      gains for people with preexisting conditions were unrelated to the size or
      existence of the state high-risk pools that 35 states funded for such individuals
      pre-ACA. Our findings suggest that proposals to replace current protections for
      people with preexisting conditions with high-risk pools are unlikely to be
      sufficient to maintain the ACA's gains.

PMID- 28641366
TI  - Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Effectiveness Against Incident Genital Warts Among
      Female Health-Plan Enrollees, United States.
AB  - We examined the effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccination by dose number
      and spacing against incident genital warts in a cohort of 64,517 female health
      plan enrollees in the United States during 2006-2012. Eligible recipients were
      classified into groups by regimen: 0, 1, 2 (<6 months apart), 2 (>=6 months
      apart), or 3 doses. They were followed until a genital wart diagnosis, loss to
      follow-up, or the end of study. Propensity score weights were used to balance
      baseline differences across groups. To account for latent genital warts before
      vaccination, we applied 6- and 12-month buffer periods from last and first
      vaccine dose, respectively. Incidence rates and hazard ratios were calculated
      using Poisson regression and Cox models. The propensity score-weighted incidence
      rate per 100,000 person-years was 762 among unvaccinated participants. Using 6-
      and 12-month buffer periods, respectively, incidence rates were 641 and 257 for 1
      dose, 760 and 577 for the 2-dose (<6-month interval) regimen, 313 and 194 for the
      2-dose (>=6-month interval) regimen, and 199 and 162 among 3-dose vaccinees;
      vaccine effectiveness was 68% and 76% for the 2-dose (>=6-month interval) regimen
      and 77% and 80% in 3-dose vaccinees compared with unvaccinated participants.
      Vaccine effectiveness was not significant among vaccinees receiving 1-dose and 2
      dose (<6-month interval) regimens compared with unvaccinated participants. Our
      findings contribute to a better understanding of the real-world effectiveness of
      HPV vaccination.

PMID- 28641365
TI  - Ultrasonography-guided 14-gauge core biopsy of the breast: results of 7 years of
      experience.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study assessed the outcomes of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle
      biopsies (CNBs) of breast lesions with at least 2 years of follow-up to determine
      the false-negative rate and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CNB. METHODS:
      We retrospectively analyzed 13,254 consecutive US-guided 14-gauge CNBs for breast
      lesions. We excluded biopsies if non-malignant biopsy result was not confirmed by
      surgical excision or US-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy, or fewer than 2 years of
      follow-up data were available. A total of 4,186 biopsies were excluded, and 9,068
      breast masses from 7,039 women were included. The pathologic findings from each
      CNB were assessed using the standard diagnostic reference, defined based on the
      results of surgical excision, vacuum-assisted biopsy, or at least 2 years of long
      term imaging follow-up. The false-negative rate and underestimation rate were
      calculated. RESULTS: Of the 9,068 CNBs, benign pathology was found in 64.2%, high
      risk results in 3.5%, and malignant results in 32.3%. Of the 5,821 benign CNBs,
      an additional malignancy was found at excision in 63 lesions, leading to a false
      negative rate of 2.0% (63 of 3,067). The underestimation rate was 33.6% (111 of
      330) for ductal carcinoma in situ and 24.5% (79 of 322) for high-risk results at
      surgical excision. Most false-negative diagnoses (84.1%, 53 of 63) were
      recognized through imaging-histology correlations, and immediate rebiopsies were
      performed. Ten malignancies (15.9%, 10 of 63) had delayed diagnoses and showed
      progression in follow-up US imaging. CONCLUSION: US-guided 14-gauge CNB provided
      optimal diagnostic information. Imaging-histology correlations and appropriate
      imaging follow-up should be performed to avoid delayed diagnoses.

PMID- 28641367
TI  - Annual Crop-Yield Variation, Child Survival, and Nutrition Among Subsistence
      Farmers in Burkina Faso.
AB  - Whether year-to-year variation in crop yields affects the nutrition, health, and
      survival of subsistence-farming populations is relevant to the understanding of
      the potential impacts of climate change. However, the empirical evidence is
      limited. We examined the associations of child survival with interannual
      variation in food crop yield and middle-upper arm circumference (MUAC) in a
      subsistence-farming population of rural Burkina Faso. The study was of 44,616
      children aged <5 years included in the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance
      System, 1992-2012, whose survival was analyzed in relation to the food crop yield
      in the year of birth (which ranged from 65% to 120% of the period average) and,
      for a subset of 16,698 children, to MUAC, using shared-frailty Cox proportional
      hazards models. Survival was appreciably worse in children born in years with low
      yield (full-adjustment hazard ratio = 1.11 (95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.20)
      for a 90th- to 10th-centile decrease in annual crop yield) and in children with
      small MUAC (hazard ratio = 2.72 (95% confidence interval: 2.15, 3.44) for a 90th-
      to 10th-centile decrease in MUAC). These results suggest an adverse impact of
      variations in crop yields, which could increase under climate change.

PMID- 28641370
TI  - Reply: Trazodone to change the risk of neurodegeneration: bedside to bench.

PMID- 28641368
TI  - Glomerular Hyperfiltration in Obese African American Hypertensive Patients Is
      Associated With Elevated Urinary Mitochondrial-DNA Copy Number.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Glomerular hyperfiltration may contribute to the high incidence of
      renal disease in Obese African Americans essential hypertensive (ObAAEH)
      patients, but the precise mechanisms responsible for renal injury have not been
      elucidated. Mitochondria are important determinants of renal injury in
      hypertension, and increased levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the urine may
      indicate renal mitochondrial injury. We hypothesized that urine mtDNA copy
      numbers would be higher in ObAAEH compared to Caucasian essential hypertensive
      (CEH) patients. METHODS: We prospectively measured systemic, renal vein (RV),
      inferior vena cava (IVC), and urinary copy number of the mtDNA genes COX3 and ND1
      by quantitative-PCR in CEH and ObAAEH patients during constant sodium intake and
      antihypertensive regimens, and compared them with healthy volunteers (HV) (n = 23
      each). RESULTS: Blood pressure was similarly elevated in CEH and ObAAEH, while
      glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was higher and age lower in ObAAEH. Urinary (but
      not plasma) COX3 and ND1 were higher in CEH compared to HV, and further elevated
      in ObAAEH patients. COX3 and ND1 renal gradients (RV-IVC) were higher in ObAAEH
      vs. CEH, and their urinary levels directly correlated with GFR. In multivariate
      analysis, GFR remained the only predictor of elevated urinary COX3 and ND1
      levels. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary fragments of the mitochondrial genome are elevated
      in ObAAEH patients and correlate with glomerular hyperfiltration. A positive
      gradient across the kidney in ObAAEH suggests selective renal release. These
      results are consistent with mitochondrial injury that may aggravate renal damage
      and accelerate hypertension-related morbidity/mortality rates in ObAAEH.

PMID- 28641369
TI  - Markers of Inflammation and Incident Breast Cancer Risk in the Women's Health
      Study.
AB  - Chronic inflammation may be a risk factor for the development and progression of
      breast cancer, yet it is unknown which inflammatory biomarkers and pathways are
      especially relevant. The present study included 27,071 participants (mean age =
      54.5 years) in the Women's Health Study who were free of cancer and
      cardiovascular disease at enrollment (1992-1995), with baseline measures of 4
      inflammatory biomarkers: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, N
      acetyl side-chains of acute phase proteins, and soluble intercellular adhesion
      molecule-1. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to evaluate
      associations between baseline concentrations of biomarkers and incident breast
      cancer, and adjusted for baseline and time-varying factors such as age and body
      mass index. Self-reported invasive breast cancer was confirmed against medical
      records for 1,497 incident cases (90% postmenopausal). We observed different
      patterns of risk depending on the inflammatory biomarker. There was a significant
      direct association between fibrinogen and breast cancer risk (for quintile 5 vs.
      quintile 1, adjusted hazard ratio = 1.25, 95% confidence interval: 1.03, 1.51; P
      for trend = 0.01). In contrast, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 was
      inversely associated with breast cancer (for quintile 5 vs. quintile 1, adjusted
      hazard ratio = 0.79, 95% confidence interval: 0.66, 0.94; P for trend = 0.02). N
      acetyl side-chains of acute phase proteins and high-sensitivity C-reactive
      protein were not associated with breast cancer. The complex association of
      chronic inflammation and breast cancer may be considered when formulating anti
      inflammatory cancer prevention or intervention strategies.

PMID- 28641371
TI  - Effects of changes in leaf properties mediated by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on
      foliar absorption of Zn, Mn and Fe.
AB  - Background and Aims: Foliar fertilization to overcome nutritional deficiencies is
      becoming increasingly widespread. However, the processes of foliar nutrient
      absorption and translocation are poorly understood. The present study aimed to
      investigate how cuticular leaf properties affect the absorption of foliar-applied
      nutrients in leaf tissues. Methods: Given that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) can cause
      alterations in leaf properties, we applied 1 mm MeJA to sunflower (Helianthus
      annuus), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and soybean (Glycine max) to assess
      changes in leaf properties. Using traditionally analytical approaches and
      synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy, the effects of these changes on
      the absorption and translocation of foliar-applied Zn, Mn and Fe were examined.
      Key Results: The changes in leaf properties caused by the application of MeJA
      increased foliar absorption of Zn, Mn and Fe up to 3- to 5-fold in sunflower but
      decreased it by 0.5- to 0.9-fold in tomato, with no effect in soybean. These
      changes in the foliar absorption of nutrients could not be explained by changes
      in overall trichome density, which increased in both sunflower (86%) and tomato
      (76%) (with no change in soybean). Similarly, the changes could be not attributed
      to changes in stomatal density or cuticle composition, given that these
      properties remained constant. Rather, the changes in the foliar absorption of Zn,
      Mn and Fe were related to the thickness of the cuticle and epidermal cell wall.
      Finally, the subsequent translocation of the absorbed nutrients within the leaf
      tissues was limited (<1.3mm) irrespective of treatment. Conclusions: The present
      study highlights the potential importance of the combined thickness of the
      cuticle and epidermal cell wall in the absorption of foliar-applied nutrients.
      This information will assist in increasing the efficacy of foliar fertilization.

PMID- 28641372
TI  - Comparison of Sociodemographic and Health-Related Characteristics of UK Biobank
      Participants With Those of the General Population.
AB  - The UK Biobank cohort is a population-based cohort of 500,000 participants
      recruited in the United Kingdom (UK) between 2006 and 2010. Approximately 9.2
      million individuals aged 40-69 years who lived within 25 miles (40 km) of one of
      22 assessment centers in England, Wales, and Scotland were invited to enter the
      cohort, and 5.5% participated in the baseline assessment. The representativeness
      of the UK Biobank cohort was investigated by comparing demographic
      characteristics between nonresponders and responders. Sociodemographic, physical,
      lifestyle, and health-related characteristics of the cohort were compared with
      nationally representative data sources. UK Biobank participants were more likely
      to be older, to be female, and to live in less socioeconomically deprived areas
      than nonparticipants. Compared with the general population, participants were
      less likely to be obese, to smoke, and to drink alcohol on a daily basis and had
      fewer self-reported health conditions. At age 70-74 years, rates of all-cause
      mortality and total cancer incidence were 46.2% and 11.8% lower, respectively, in
      men and 55.5% and 18.1% lower, respectively, in women than in the general
      population of the same age. UK Biobank is not representative of the sampling
      population; there is evidence of a "healthy volunteer" selection bias.
      Nonetheless, valid assessment of exposure-disease relationships may be widely
      generalizable and does not require participants to be representative of the
      population at large.

PMID- 28641373
TI  - Estimating Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness With the Test-Negative Design Using
      Alternative Control Groups: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - One important assumption in case-control studies is that control selection should
      be independent of exposure. Nevertheless, it has been hypothesized that virus
      interference might lead to a correlation between receipt of influenza vaccination
      and increased risk of infection with other respiratory viruses. We investigated
      whether such a phenomenon might affect a study design commonly used to estimate
      influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). We searched publications in MEDLINE,
      PubMed, and Web of Science. We identified 12 studies using the test-negative
      design (2011-2017) that reported VE estimates separately derived by 3 alternative
      control groups: 1) all patients testing negative for influenza (FLU), VEFLU-; 2)
      patients who tested positive for other/another respiratory virus (ORV), VEORV+;
      and 3) patients who tested negative for all viruses in the panel (PAN), VEPAN-.
      These included VE estimates from 7 countries for all age groups from 2003/2004 to
      2013/2014. We observed no difference in vaccination coverage between the ORV
      positive and PAN-negative control groups. A total of 63 VEFLU- estimates, 62
      VEORV+ estimates, and 33 VEPAN- estimates were extracted. Pooled estimates of the
      difference in VE (DeltaVE) were very similar between groups. In meta-regression,
      no association was found between the selection of control group and VE estimates.
      In conclusion, we did not find any differences in VE estimates based on the
      choice of control group.

PMID- 28641374
TI  - Intergenerational Socioeconomic Mobility and Adult Depression: The CONSTANCES
      Study.
AB  - ABSTARCT: Using data from the nationally representative Consultants des Centres
      d'Examens de Sante (CONSTANCES) study in France (2012-2014; n = 67,057), we
      assessed the relationship between intergenerational socioeconomic mobility and
      adult depression (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale scores of
      >=16 in men or >=20 in women) and antidepressant use. Socioeconomic position was
      ascertained by occupational grade (childhood: maternal and paternal measures
      prior to age 15 years combined; adulthood: participant's own). We used logistic
      regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, parental history
      of psychiatric disorders and suicide, health behaviors, and chronic health
      problems. Compared with the reference group (persistently high socioeconomic
      circumstances), participants in other groups had elevated levels of depression
      (for upward mobility, multivariate odds ratios (OR) = 1.21; intermediate
      socioeconomic position, 1.28; downward mobility, 1.66; persistently low
      socioeconomic position, 1.82). Downward mobility and persistently low
      socioeconomic position were also associated with elevated odds of antidepressant
      use (for downward mobility, multivariate OR = 1.24; for persistently low
      socioeconomic position, 1.36). In supplementary analyses, the association of
      socioeconomic mobility with depression was stronger in women than in men and
      among younger participants (aged 18-29 years) than among older participants.
      Factors that contribute to depression risk and socioeconomic inequalities in this
      area appeared to be at play already in childhood; this should be acknowledged by
      clinicians and policymakers.

PMID- 28641375
TI  - Trazodone to change the risk of neurodegeneration: bedside to bench.

PMID- 28641376
TI  - Height, Weight, and Aerobic Fitness Level in Relation to the Risk of Atrial
      Fibrillation.
AB  - Tall stature and obesity have been associated with a higher risk of atrial
      fibrillation (AF), but there have been conflicting reports of the effects of
      aerobic fitness. We conducted a national cohort study to examine interactions
      between height or weight and level of aerobic fitness among 1,547,478 Swedish
      military conscripts during 1969-1997 (97%-98% of all 18-year-old men) in relation
      to AF identified from nationwide inpatient and outpatient diagnoses through 2012
      (maximal age, 62 years). Increased height, weight, and aerobic fitness level (but
      not muscular strength) at age 18 years were all associated with a higher AF risk
      in adulthood. Positive additive and multiplicative interactions were found
      between height or weight and aerobic fitness level (for the highest tertiles of
      height and aerobic fitness level vs. the lowest, relative excess risk = 0.51, 95%
      confidence interval (CI): 0.40, 0.62; ratio of hazard ratios = 1.50, 95% CI:
      1.34, 1.65). High aerobic fitness levels were associated with higher risk among
      men who were at least 186 cm (6 feet, 1 inch) tall but were protective among
      shorter men. Men with the combination of tall stature and high aerobic fitness
      level had the highest risk (for the highest tertiles vs. the lowest, adjusted
      hazard ratio = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.61, 1.80). These findings suggest important
      interactions between body size and aerobic fitness level in relation to AF and
      may help identify high-risk subgroups.

PMID- 28641378
TI  - Staff Perceptions of Key Factors Guiding Nursing Home Search and Selection Within
      the Veterans Health Administration.
AB  - Background and Objectives: Veterans enter nursing homes (NHs) for short-term
      postacute, rehabilitation, respite, or end-of-life care. They also enter NHs on a
      long-term basis due to frailty, disability, functional deficits, and cognitive
      impairment. Little is known about how a particular NH is chosen once the decision
      to enter a NH has been made. This study identified VA staff perceptions of the
      key factors influencing the search and selection of NHs within the Veterans
      Health Administration (VHA). Research Design and Methods: Data derived from 35
      semistructured interviews with discharge planning and contracting staff from 12
      Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs). Results: VA staff placed a premium on
      Veteran and family preferences in the NH selection process, though VA staff
      knowledge and familiarity with placement options established the general
      parameters within which NH placement decisions were made. Geographic proximity to
      Veterans' homes and families was a major factor in NH choice. Other key
      considerations included Veterans' specialty care needs (psychiatric, postacute,
      ventilator) and Veteran/facility demographics (age, race/ethnicity, Veteran
      status). VA staff tried to remain neutral in NH selection, thus instructing
      families to visit facilities and review publicly available quality data. VA staff
      report that amenities (private rooms, activities, smoking) and aesthetics
      (cleanliness, smell, layout, decor) often outweighed objective quality indicators
      in Veteran and family decision making. Discussion and Implications: Findings
      suggest that VAMCs facilitate Veteran and family decision making around NH
      selection. They also suggest that VAMCs endeavor to identify and recruit a
      broader array of higher quality NHs to better match the specific needs of
      Veterans and families to the choice set available.

PMID- 28641377
TI  - Paternal Care in Biparental Rodents: Intra- and Inter-individual Variation.
AB  - Parental care by fathers, although rare among mmmals, can be essential for the
      survival and normal development of offspring in biparental species. A growing
      body of research on biparental rodents has identified several developmental and
      experiential influences on paternal responsiveness. Some of these factors, such
      as pubertal maturation, interactions with pups, and cues from a pregnant mate,
      contribute to pronounced changes in paternal responsiveness across the course of
      the lifetime in individual males. Others, particularly intrauterine position
      during gestation and parental care received during postnatal development, can
      have long-term effects on paternal behavior and contribute to stable differences
      among individuals within a species. Focusing on five well-studied, biparental
      rodent species, we review the developmental and experiential factors that have
      been shown to influence paternal responsiveness, and consider their roles in
      generating both intra- and inter-individual variation. We also review hormones
      and neuropeptides that have been shown to modulate paternal care and discuss
      their potential contributions to behavioral differences within and between males.
      Finally, we discuss the possibility that vasopressinergic and possibly
      oxytocinergic signaling within the brain, modulated by gonadal steroid hormones,
      may represent the "final common pathway" mediating effects of developmental and
      experiential variables on intra- and inter-individual variation in paternal care.

PMID- 28641382
TI  - Metabolic arithmetic: do two wrongs make a right?

PMID- 28641381
TI  - Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with a persistent left superior
      vena cava.
AB  - Aims: A persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is the most common thoracic
      venous anomaly. This venous anomaly can impact the evaluation and treatment of
      supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVA). The aim of this study was to assess the
      proportion and characteristics of PLSVC in adult SVA patients. Methods and
      results: From July 2002 to July 2012, clinical and procedural data from databases
      of 10 cardiac electrophysiology laboratories in the Yeungnam region of the
      Republic of Korea were reviewed. Of 6662 adult SVA patients who underwent an EP
      study or catheter ablation of SVA during the 10-year study period, 18 patients
      had PLSVC (mean age 47.6 +/- 14.8 years, 10 men). The proportion of PLSVC in
      adult SVA patients was 0.27% (18/6662). SVA type and procedural outcomes of
      radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation in these patients were investigated and the
      results were as follows: successful slow pathway modification in six of seven
      patients with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), successful
      ablation of accessory pathway in three of four patients with atrioventricular
      reentrant tachycardia, and successful ablation of atrial tachycardia
      (cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent in two, septal macroreentry in one, focal from
      the PLSVC in one) in three of four patients. In one patient with junctional
      tachycardia, catheter ablation failed. In two patients with atrial fibrillation,
      catheter ablation was successful. Conclusion: Among adult SVA patients who
      underwent an EP study or RF catheter ablation during the 10-year study period,
      0.27% had PLSVC. The most common type of SVA was AVNRT. The success rate of
      catheter ablation was 82% in SVA patients with PLSVC. There were no procedure
      related complications.

PMID- 28641379
TI  - Clinical events preceding switching and discontinuation of oral anticoagulant
      treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation.
AB  - Aims: Switching between oral anticoagulants and treatment discontinuation are
      common events related to therapy with non-vitamin K antagonist oral
      anticoagulants (NOACs). However, knowledge on the reasons leading to these
      treatment changes is scarce. The aim of this study was to identify clinical
      events preceding anticoagulant switching and NOAC discontinuation during oral
      anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methods and results:
      We performed a nationwide register-based study including Danish atrial
      fibrillation patients initiating a NOAC between August 2011 and February 2016 (n
      = 50 623). We explored potential reasons leading to changes in anticoagulant
      treatment by identifying clinical events preceding switches from vitamin K
      antagonists (VKA) to NOAC, switches from NOAC to VKA, and discontinuations of
      NOACs. Among 23 531 anticoagulant users changing treatment, we identified 13 295
      switches from VKA to NOAC, 5206 switches from NOAC to VKA, and 8995
      discontinuations of NOACs. Approximately half of all treatment changes were
      preceded by a hospitalization. A relevant specific clinical event or procedure
      was identified prior to 18.3% of switches from VKA to NOAC, prior to 23.0% of
      switches from NOAC to VKA, and prior to 26.6% of discontinuations. Switches from
      VKA to NOAC were most often preceded by thromboembolic events (7.0%), whereas
      cardioversion was the most common specific event prior to a switch from NOAC to
      VKA (11.4%). Discontinuations were most often preceded by bleeding events (7.6%).
      Conclusion: For about one in five patients, treatment changes during
      anticoagulant therapy were preceded by a major clinical event. However, the
      majority of patients changed treatment for reasons not recorded in health
      registries.

PMID- 28641380
TI  - Cohort Profile: The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study (Health 2020).

PMID- 28641383
TI  - Neuroprotection in stroke: the importance of collaboration and reproducibility.
AB  - Acute ischaemic stroke accounts for 6.5 million deaths per year, and by 2030 will
      result in the annual loss of over 200 million disability-adjusted life years
      globally. There have been considerable recent advances in the gold standard of
      acute ischaemic stroke treatment, some aspects of which-aspirin to prevent
      recurrence, and treating patients in specialized stroke wards-are widely
      applicable. Recanalization of the occluded artery through thrombolysis and/or
      endovascular thrombectomy is restricted to only a small proportion of patients,
      due to contra-indications and the costs associated with establishing the
      infrastructure to deliver these treatments. The use of neuroprotective agents in
      stroke has been a notable failure of translation from medical research into
      clinical practice. Yet, with the advent of endovascular thrombectomy and the
      ability to investigate patients in much greater detail through advanced imaging
      modalities, neuroprotective agents can and should be re-examined as adjunct
      therapies to recanalization. In parallel, this requires appropriate planning on
      behalf of the preclinical stroke research community: there is a need to
      reinvestigate these therapies in a more collaborative manner, to enhance
      reproducibility through reduced attrition, improved reporting, and adopting an
      approach to target validation that more closely mimics clinical trials. This
      review will describe some of the novel strategies being used in stroke research,
      and focus on a few key examples of neuroprotective agents that are showing
      newfound promise in preclinical models of stroke therapy. Our primary aim is to
      give an overview of some of the challenges faced by preclinical stroke research,
      and suggest potential ways to improve translational success.

PMID- 28641385
TI  - Development of an electronic medical record-based child physical abuse alert
      system.
AB  - Objective: Physical abuse is a leading cause of pediatric morbidity and
      mortality. Physicians do not consistently screen for abuse, even in high-risk
      situations. Alerts in the electronic medical record may help improve screening
      rates, resulting in early identification and improved outcomes. Methods: Triggers
      to identify children < 2 years old at risk for physical abuse were coded into the
      electronic medical record at a freestanding pediatric hospital with a level 1
      trauma center. The system was run in "silent mode"; physicians were unaware of
      the system, but study personnel received data on children who triggered the alert
      system. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of
      the child abuse alert system for identifying physical abuse were calculated.
      Results: Thirty age-specific triggers were embedded into the electronic medical
      record. From October 21, 2014, through April 6, 2015, the system was in silent
      mode. All 226 children who triggered the alert system were considered subjects.
      Mean (SD) age was 9.1 (6.5) months. All triggers were activated at least once.
      Sensitivity was 96.8% (95% CI, 92.4-100.0%), specificity was 98.5% (95% CI,
      98.3.5-98.7), and positive and negative predictive values were 26.5% (95% CI,
      21.2-32.8%) and 99.9% (95% CI, 99.9-100.0%), respectively, for identifying
      children < 2 years old with possible, probable, or definite physical abuse.
      Discussion/Conclusion: Triggers embedded into the electronic medical record can
      identify young children with who need to be evaluated for physical abuse with
      high sensitivity and specificity.

PMID- 28641384
TI  - Acute Testosterone Deficiency Alters Adipose Tissue Fatty Acid Storage.
AB  - Context: Although the long-term effects of testosterone on adipose tissue lipid
      metabolism in men have been defined, the short-term regulation of these effects
      is not well understood. Objective: We examined the effects of acute testosterone
      withdrawal on subcutaneous abdominal and femoral adipose tissue fatty acid (FA)
      storage and cellular mechanisms. Design: This was a prospective, randomized
      trial. Setting: Mayo Clinic Clinical Research Unit. Patients or Participants:
      Thirty-two male volunteers ages 18 to 50 participated in these studies.
      Interventions: Volunteers were randomized to receive (1) no treatment (control),
      (2) injections (7.5 mg) of Lupron(r), or (3) Lupron and testosterone (L+T)
      replacement for 49 days, resulting in 4 weeks of sex steroid suppression in the
      Lupron group. Main Outcome Measures: We measured body composition, fat cell size,
      adipose tissue meal FA and direct free FA storage, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acyl
      coenzyme A synthetase (ACS), diacylglycerol acyltransferase activities, and CD36
      content. Results: Compared with control and L+T groups, acute testosterone
      deficiency resulted in greater femoral adipose tissue meal FA storage rates,
      fasting and fed LPL activity, and ACS activity. Conclusions: These results
      suggest that in men, testosterone plays a tonic role in restraining FA storage in
      femoral adipose tissue via suppression of LPL and ACS activities. FA storage
      mechanisms in men appear sensitive to short-term changes in testosterone
      concentrations.

PMID- 28641387
TI  - Imaging, superior mesenteric vein (SMV) sign and bowel ischaemia.

PMID- 28641386
TI  - The neurosteroid pregnenolone reverts microtubule derangement induced by the loss
      of a functional CDKL5-IQGAP1 complex.
AB  - CDKL5 is a protein kinase that plays a key role for neuronal functions as
      testified by the onset of complex neuronal dysfunctions in patients with genetic
      lesions in CDKL5. Here we identify a novel interactor of CDKL5, IQGAP1, a
      fundamental regulator of cell migration and polarity. In accordance with a
      functional role of this interaction, depletion of CDKL5 impairs cell migration
      and impedes the localization of IQGAP1 at the leading edge. Moreover, we
      demonstrate that CDKL5 is required for IQGAP1 to form a functional complex with
      its effectors, Rac1 and the microtubule plus end tracking protein CLIP170. These
      defects eventually impact on the microtubule association of CLIP170, thus
      deranging their dynamics. CLIP170 is a cellular target of the neurosteroid
      pregnenolone; by blocking CLIP170 in its active conformation, pregnenolone is
      capable of restoring the microtubule association of CLIP170 in CDKL5 deficient
      cells and rescuing morphological defects in neurons devoid of CDKL5. These
      findings provide novel insights into CDKL5 functions and pave the way for target
      specific therapeutic strategies for individuals affected with CDKL5-disorder.

PMID- 28641389
TI  - Acute tryptophan depletion: the first method validation in an avian species
      (Gallus gallus domesticus).
AB  - Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) is a valuable non-invasive nutritional tool in
      human and rodent research to study dysfunctions of the serotonergic system and
      related behavioral disorders. Serotonergic dysfunction is thought to be involved
      in the pathology of feather pecking behavior of laying hens, one of the most
      relevant welfare and production issues in modern intensive egg-production
      systems. ATD temporarily compromises the influx of tryptophan (TRP) across the
      blood brain barrier which reduces central availability of TRP, the substrate for
      serotonin (5-HT) synthesis. However, ATD has never before been developed and
      evaluated in birds. We hereby report that ATD in laying hens effectively depletes
      plasma levels of TRP to 50% of the baseline concentration, 4 hours after
      administration. Furthermore, ATD reduces the ratios of TRP towards aromatic amino
      acids (AAA) by 60% and the ratio of TRP towards large neutral amino acids (LNAA)
      by 70%, three hours after administration. Further studies will be needed to
      determine the effects of peripheral depletion on brain TRP and 5-HT levels in
      birds. However, our study showed for the first time in an avian species that ATD
      causes lowering of plasma TRP and the ratio in plasma of TRP towards other AAA or
      LNAA.

PMID- 28641388
TI  - Recognition of the Component Odors in Mixtures.
AB  - Natural olfactory stimuli are volatile-chemical mixtures in which relative
      perceptual saliencies determine which odor-components are identified. Odor
      identification also depends on rapid selective adaptation, as shown for 4 odor
      stimuli in an earlier experimental simulation of natural conditions. Adapt-test
      pairs of mixtures of water-soluble, distinct odor stimuli with chemical features
      in common were studied. Identification decreased for adapted components but
      increased for unadapted mixture-suppressed components, showing compound
      identities were retained, not degraded to individual molecular features. Four
      additional odor stimuli, 1 with 2 perceptible odor notes, and an added "water
      adapted" control tested whether this finding would generalize to other 4-compound
      sets. Selective adaptation of mixtures of the compounds (odors): 3 mM
      benzaldehyde (cherry), 5 mM maltol (caramel), 1 mM guaiacol (smoke), and 4 mM
      methyl anthranilate (grape-smoke) again reciprocally unmasked odors of mixture
      suppressed components in 2-, 3-, and 4-component mixtures with 2 exceptions. The
      cherry note of "benzaldehyde" (itself) and the shared note of "methyl
      anthranilate and guaiacol" (together) were more readily identified. The pervasive
      mixture-component dominance and dynamic perceptual salience may be mediated
      through peripheral adaptation and central mutual inhibition of neural responses.
      Originating in individual olfactory receptor variants, it limits odor
      identification and provides analytic properties for momentary recognition of a
      few remaining mixture-components.

PMID- 28641390
TI  - Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Incidence of Esophageal Cancer in the United
      States, 1992-2013.
AB  - Racial and ethnic disparities in the incidence of esophageal cancer have not been
      thoroughly characterized with quantitative health-disparity measures. Using data
      from 1992-2013 from 13 US cancer registries in the Surveillance, Epidemiology,
      and End Results database, we assessed such disparities according to histological
      type, based on a variety of disparity metrics. The age-standardized incidence
      rate of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was highest among black persons, while
      adenocarcinoma mainly affected white men. The rate of SCC decreased over time in
      all racial/ethnic groups, and this was most pronounced in black persons (by 5.7%
      per year among men and 5.0% among women). The adenocarcinoma rate rose among non
      Hispanic whites and among black men. Racial/ethnic disparities in the incidence
      of total esophageal cancer decreased over time, which was due mainly to reduced
      disparities in SCC. The 2 absolute disparity measures-range difference and
      between-group variance-for adenocarcinoma rose by 3.2% and 6.8% per year,
      respectively, in men and by 1.8% and 5.3% per year, respectively, in women. This
      study demonstrates decreased racial/ethnic disparities in the incidence of
      esophageal SCC over time in the United States, while disparities increased in
      adenocarcinoma incidence as measured on the absolute scale.

PMID- 28641391
TI  - A multicentre study to improve clinical interpretation of proteinase-3 and
      myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies.

PMID- 28641392
TI  - Association of Alcohol With Mortality After Traumatic Brain Injury.
AB  - Although alcohol exposure results in reduced mortality after traumatic brain
      injury (TBI) in animal models, clinical trials based on proposed mechanisms have
      been disappointing and have reported conflicting results. Methodological issues
      common to many of these clinical studies may have contributed to the spurious
      results. Our objective was to evaluate the association between blood alcohol
      concentration (BAC) and in-hospital mortality after TBI, and overcome
      methodological problems of prior studies. We conducted a retrospective cohort
      study on individuals treated for isolated TBI (n = 1,084) at the R Adams Cowley
      Shock Trauma Center (Baltimore, Maryland) from 1997 to 2012. We excluded
      individuals with injury to other body regions and examined multiple cutpoints of
      BAC. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. In adjusted logistic
      regression models, the upper level of each blood alcohol categorization from 0.10
      g/dL (odds ratio = 0.63, 95% confidence interval: 0.40, 0.97) through 0.30 g/dL
      (odds ratio = 0.25, 95% confidence interval: 0.08, 0.84) was associated with
      reduced risk of mortality after TBI compared with individuals with undetectable
      BAC. In sensitivity analyses among individuals without penetrating brain injuries
      (95% firearm-related) (n = 899), the protective association was eliminated. This
      study provides evidence that the observed protective association between BAC and
      in-hospital mortality after TBI resulted from bias introduced by inclusion of
      penetrating injuries.

PMID- 28641393
TI  - A technical review of subvalvular techniques for repair of ischaemic mitral
      regurgitation and their associated echocardiographic and survival outcomes.
AB  - Subvalvular techniques are gaining ground as adjunct procedures for addressing
      ischaemic mitral regurgitation. The aim of this study was to describe the
      different techniques and assess their results. A systematic review of the
      literature was performed. The end points of interest were recurrence of mitral
      regurgitation, cardiac events and early and late echocardiographic measurements.
      After initial screening, 450 articles were identified, of which 24 provided the
      best available evidence on the topic. The different subvalvular techniques had
      similar mortality rates when compared with the standard restrictive annuloplasty.
      Recurrence of mitral regurgitation was of lower degree and the remodelling
      process was better for these techniques. Reoperation rates were also quite low.
      The subvalvular techniques showed superiority, addressing more successfully the
      leaflet tethering. However, larger randomized studies are needed to confirm these
      early positive results.

PMID- 28641394
TI  - Reoperative analysis after mitral valve repair with glutaraldehyde-treated
      autologous pericardium.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We reviewed reoperations following mitral valve repair (MVR) that
      used glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardium for mitral regurgitation (MR)
      to analyse the durability and risk factors for reoperation. METHODS: We
      retrospectively analysed 144 patients (mean age 57.9 years) who underwent MVR
      using glutaraldehyde-treated pericardium from March 1992 to December 2011. A
      total of 19 reoperations were necessary during the follow-up period (mean 6.9
      years). The follow-up rate was 97.8%. RESULTS: At initial MVR, there were no
      differences in mitral leaflet augmentation applied to the anterior or posterior
      leaflets (P = 0.75 and P = 0.40) in both groups. Reoperations were required in 19
      patients, and the mean interval between initial and redo operations was 6.7
      years. Indications for reoperation included recurrent MR (n = 8), progressive
      mitral stenosis (n = 8) and recurrent infective endocarditis (n = 3). The rates
      of freedom from reoperation at 5, 10 and 15 years were 95.2 +/- 1.9%, 83.5 +/-
      4.8% and 66.9 +/- 8.5%, respectively. Four patients underwent redo MVR for
      recurrent MR, and the remaining 15 patients underwent mitral valve replacement.
      The freedom from reoperation rate in the group who underwent leaflet augmentation
      was statistically lower than that in the non-augmentation group (96.9 +/- 2.2% vs
      93.4 +/- 3.2% at 5 years and 89.7 +/- 4.5% vs 68.8 +/- 13.7% at 10 years; log
      rank, P = 0.008). Predictors of reoperation were absence of leaflet augmentation
      (P = 0.086, hazard ratio = 0.194) and persistent MR (P = 0.003, hazard ratio =
      5.759). CONCLUSIONS: We must regularly pay careful attention to implanted
      pericardium, especially when augmented, as it constitutes a risk factor for
      reoperations. In addition, secure MVR is mandatory to control persistent MR.

PMID- 28641395
TI  - Effect of in ovo injection of corticotropin-releasing hormone on the timing of
      hatching in broiler chickens.
AB  - In chicken embryos, intravenous injection of corticotropin-releasing hormone
      (CRH) causes the release of both corticosteroids and thyroid hormones. These
      hormones initiate and enhance the hatching process, raising the possibility that
      CRH treatment of the late chicken embryo could accelerate hatching and/or
      decrease the spread of hatching. We performed a series of exploratory tests to
      investigate whether in ovo delivery methods of CRH other than intravenous
      injection that are more practical in a commercial setting, affect hatching time
      in broilers. Corticotropin-releasing hormone was injected into the air cell,
      albumen, or amniotic fluid of broiler breeder eggs, in the last week of embryonic
      development. Average incubation duration was significantly decreased by 22 h when
      2 MUg of CRH was injected into the air cell on embryonic day 18 (E18) of Cobb
      eggs. Acceleration of hatching (but only by 8 h) was also seen for Ross chicks
      when CRH was injected daily into the albumen between E10 and E18. However,
      repeats of both experiments did not show consistent effects of CRH on hatching
      time; in most experiments performed, CRH did not affect hatching time. We
      speculate that the effectiveness of CRH uptake via these delivery methods and/or
      the duration and magnitude of the thyroxine and corticosterone response to CRH is
      not sufficient to have a substantial effect on hatching time. We therefore
      conclude that in ovo CRH treatment does not seem a feasible option as a practical
      tool to increase hatchery productivity or to investigate the effects of CRH
      agonists and antagonists on hatching.

PMID- 28641396
TI  - Geneticization in MIM/OMIM(r)? Exploring Historic and Epistemic Drivers of
      Contemporary Understandings of Genetic Disease.
AB  - Prior to the genomic sequencing era, the bible for those working in clinical
      genetics was McKusick's Mendelian Inheritance in Man (MIM), which appeared in
      multiple editions between the 1960s and the late 1990s. This catalogue was
      organized according to general patterns of inheritance and focused on phenotypes.
      Beginning in the mid-1980s, it was replaced by Online Mendelian Inheritance in
      Man (OMIM(r)), a continuously updated catalogue documenting molecular
      relationships between genetic variation and phenotypic expression. This paper
      explores this resource's evolution with attention to how disease is distinguished
      from clinically irrelevant variation and how phenotypic similarities are captured
      in cases where there is no obvious genotypic association. It is argued that
      hybrid compromises are encoded into OMIM(r); in addition to serving its key
      original purpose of being a diagnostic catalogue, it also began to record
      detectable variations in the genome even if they were not known to be associated
      with phenotypically visible disorders or even phenotypic variations. Although the
      impacts of geneticization have been well recognized, particularly in popular
      media, this example allows exploration of some of the historic, epistemic, and
      methodological causes that underlie tendencies toward disease geneticization in
      contemporary medicine, while highlighting that such gene-focused strategies may
      in fact be warranted in some contexts.

PMID- 28641397
TI  - Myocardial scar location as detected by cardiac magnetic resonance is associated
      with the outcome in heart failure patients undergoing surgical ventricular
      reconstruction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Post-infarction myocardial scar causes adverse left ventricular
      remodelling and negatively affects the prognosis. We sought to investigate
      whether scar extent and location obtained by cardiac magnetic resonance may
      affect the reverse remodelling and survival of heart failure patients undergoing
      surgical ventricular reconstruction. METHODS: From January 2011 to December 2015,
      151 consecutive patients with previous myocardial infarction and left ventricular
      remodelling underwent surgical ventricular reconstruction at our Institution, of
      which 88 (58%) patients had a preoperative protocol-standardized late gadolinium
      enhancement (LGE)-cardiac magnetic resonance examination during the week before
      surgery. We excluded 40 patients with devices (26%), 15 patients with irregular
      heart rhythm (permanent atrial fibrillation, 10% not included in the device
      group) or mixed contraindications (severe claustrophobia or presence of material
      magnetic resonance not compatible). Among the 145 survivors, 11 patients received
      an implantable cardioverter defibrillator after surgery (mostly for persistent
      low ejection fraction) and were excluded as well, yielding a total of 59 patients
      (48 men, aged 65 +/- 9 years) who repeated a protocol-standardized LGE-cardiac
      magnetic resonance examination even 6 months postoperatively and therefore
      represent the study population. Patients were grouped according to the presence
      of LGE in the antero-basal left ventricular segments (Group A) or the absence of
      LGE in the same segments (Group B). The postoperative left ventricular end
      systolic volume index was considered the primary end-point. RESULTS: After
      surgery, left ventricular end-systolic volume index and end-diastolic volume
      index significantly decreased (P < 0.001, for both), while diastolic sphericity
      index and ejection fraction significantly increased (P = 0.015 and P < 0.001,
      respectively). The presence of LGE in the antero-basal left ventricular segments
      (10 patients, Group A) was the only independent predictor of outcome (P = 0.02)
      at multivariate analysis, being the postoperative left ventricular end-systolic
      volume index significantly higher compared to that of patients of Group B (49
      patients) (78 +/- 26 ml/m2 vs 55 +/- 20 ml/m2, P = 0.003). Furthermore, patients
      with a postoperative left ventricular end-systolic volume index >60 ml/m2 showed
      a higher risk of cardiac events (hazard ratio = 3.67, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In
      patients undergoing surgical ventricular reconstruction, LGE scar location
      affects the left ventricular reverse remodelling, which in turn might limit the
      survival benefit.

PMID- 28641398
TI  - Pregnancy in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 28641399
TI  - CompAnnotate: a comparative approach to annotate base-pairing interactions in RNA
      3D structures.
AB  - The analysis of RNA tertiary structure is hindered by the fact that not too many
      structural data are available and a significant amount of them are in low
      resolution. Due to the atomic coordinate errors posed by the limitations of low
      resolution RNA three-dimensional structures, it becomes a critical challenge to
      extract key geometric characteristics of RNA, particularly, the interaction of
      bases. To address this issue, we have devised a comparative method, named
      CompAnnotate, that utilizes more precise structural information of high
      resolution homologs to annotate the base-pairing interactions in the low
      resolution structures, by aligning and making comparative geometric assessments.
      The benchmarking results show that our method can improve the annotations of the
      existing methods significantly. We have achieved different levels of improvements
      for various methods and datasets, including an example of significant sensitivity
      and precision enhancement from 28 to 57% and from 53 to 82%, respectively.

PMID- 28641401
TI  - Environmental stressors and cardiovascular disease: the evidence is growing.

PMID- 28641400
TI  - Cytosolic delivery of siRNA by ultra-high affinity dsRNA binding proteins.
AB  - Protein-based methods of siRNA delivery are capable of uniquely specific
      targeting, but are limited by technical challenges such as low potency or poor
      biophysical properties. Here, we engineered a series of ultra-high affinity siRNA
      binders based on the viral protein p19 and developed them into siRNA carriers
      targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Combined in trans with a
      previously described endosome-disrupting agent composed of the pore-forming
      protein Perfringolysin O (PFO), potent silencing was achieved in vitro with no
      detectable cytotoxicity. Despite concerns that excessively strong siRNA binding
      could prevent the discharge of siRNA from its carrier, higher affinity
      continually led to stronger silencing. We found that this improvement was due to
      both increased uptake of siRNA into the cell and improved pharmacodynamics inside
      the cell. Mathematical modeling predicted the existence of an affinity optimum
      that maximizes silencing, after which siRNA sequestration decreases potency. Our
      study characterizing the affinity dependence of silencing suggests that siRNA
      carrier affinity can significantly affect the intracellular fate of siRNA and may
      serve as a handle for improving the efficiency of delivery. The two-agent
      delivery system presented here possesses notable biophysical properties and
      potency, and provide a platform for the cytosolic delivery of nucleic acids.

PMID- 28641403
TI  - A molasses habitat-derived fungus Aspergillus tubingensis XG21 with high beta
      fructofuranosidase activity and its potential use for fructooligosaccharides
      production.
AB  - The industrial microorganisms used for fructooligosaccharides (FOS) synthesis are
      generally fermented with sucrose as carbon source to induce the production of
      beta-fructofuranosidase (FFase) having transfructosylation activity.
      Consequently, isolation of novel FFase producers from a sucrose-enriched biotope
      would help improve FOS productivity and reduce the process cost. Here, three
      fungi isolated from a unique sugarcane molasses habitat were found to possess
      FFase activity and one of them, XG21, exhibited a high capacity to synthesize
      FOS. Analysis of its morphological properties and ribosomal internal transcribed
      spacer (ITS) sequence allowed the taxonomic position to be assigned and it was
      thus identified as Aspergillus tubingensis XG21. It could utilize various
      potential carbon sources for vigorous growth, but only produced high-level FFase
      activity on sucrose. Furthermore, the transfructosylation ability and FOS
      synthesis were analyzed by TLC and HPLC. During the transfructosylation reaction,
      an increase in sucrose concentration led to the remarkable enhancement in FOS
      formation with the maximum content of up to 56.9% within 8 h. Finally, the
      sugarcane molasses was used to cultivate A. tubingensis XG21 and the optimal
      FFase activity reached up to 558.3 U/g, which was 88.9% higher than that with
      sucrose as carbon source. These results indicate that A. tubingensis XG21 can be
      considered as a new genetic resource adapted to cheaply available carbon sources
      for FOS production.

PMID- 28641402
TI  - EC-tagging allows cell type-specific RNA analysis.
AB  - Purification of cell type-specific RNAs remains a significant challenge. One
      solution involves biosynthetic tagging of target RNAs. RNA tagging via
      incorporation of 4-thiouracil (TU) in cells expressing transgenic uracil
      phosphoribosyltransferase (UPRT), a method known as TU-tagging, has been used in
      multiple systems but can have limited specificity due to endogenous pathways of
      TU incorporation. Here, we describe an alternative method that requires the
      activity of two enzymes: cytosine deaminase (CD) and UPRT. We found that the
      sequential activity of these enzymes converts 5-ethynylcytosine (EC) to 5
      ethynyluridine monophosphate that is subsequently incorporated into nascent RNAs.
      The ethynyl group allows efficient detection and purification of tagged RNAs. We
      show that 'EC-tagging' occurs in tissue culture cells and Drosophila engineered
      to express CD and UPRT. Additional control can be achieved through a split-CD
      approach in which functional CD is reconstituted from independently expressed
      fragments. We demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of EC-tagging by
      obtaining cell type-specific gene expression data from intact Drosophila larvae,
      including transcriptome measurements from a small population of central brain
      neurons. EC-tagging provides several advantages over existing techniques and
      should be broadly useful for investigating the role of differential RNA
      expression in cell identity, physiology and pathology.

PMID- 28641404
TI  - pH rather than nitrification and urease inhibitors determines the community of
      ammonia oxidizers in a vegetable soil.
AB  - Nitrification inhibitors and urease inhibitors, such as nitrapyrin and N-(n
      butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), can improve the efficiencies of nitrogen
      fertilizers in cropland. However, their effects on ammonia-oxidizing archaea
      (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) across different soil pH levels are
      still unclear. In the present work, vegetable soils at four pH levels were tested
      to determine the impacts of nitrification and urease inhibitors on the
      nitrification activities, abundances and diversities of ammonia oxidizers at
      different pHs by real-time PCR, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism
      (T-RFLP) and clone sequence analysis. The analyses of the abundance of ammonia
      oxidizers and net nitrification rate suggested that AOA was the dominate ammonia
      oxidizer and the key driver of nitrification in acidic soil. The relationships
      between pH and ammonia oxidizer abundance indicated that soil pH dominantly
      controlled the abundance of AOA but not that of AOB. The T-RFLP results suggested
      that soil pH could significantly affect the AOA and AOB community structure.
      Nitrapyrin decreased the net nitrification rate and inhibited the abundance of
      bacterial amoA genes in this vegetable soil, but exhibited no effect on that of
      the archaeal amoA genes. In contrast, NBPT just lagged the hydrolysis of urea and
      kept low NH4+-N levels in the soil at the early stage. It exhibited no or slight
      effects on the abundance and community structure of ammonia oxidizers. These
      results indicated that soil pH, rather than the application of urea, nitrapyrin
      and NBPT, was a critical factor influencing the abundance and community structure
      of AOA and AOB.

PMID- 28641405
TI  - Biotransformation of ferulic acid to protocatechuic acid by Corynebacterium
      glutamicum ATCC 21420 engineered to express vanillate O-demethylase.
AB  - Ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, FA) is a lignin-derived phenolic
      compound abundant in plant biomass. The utilization of FA and its conversion to
      valuable compounds is desired. Protocatechuic acid (3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid,
      PCA) is a precursor of polymers and plastics and a constituent of food. A
      microbial conversion system to produce PCA from FA was developed in this study
      using a PCA-producing strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum F (ATCC 21420). C.
      glutamicum strain F grown at 30  degrees C for 48 h utilized 2 mM each of FA and
      vanillic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid, VA) to produce PCA, which was
      secreted into the medium. FA may be catabolized by C. glutamicum through proposed
      (I) non-beta-oxidative, CoA-dependent or (II) beta-oxidative, CoA-dependent
      phenylpropanoid pathways. The conversion of VA to PCA is the last step in each
      pathway. Therefore, the vanillate O-demethylase gene (vanAB) from Corynebacterium
      efficiens NBRC 100395 was expressed in C. glutamicum F (designated strain FVan)
      cultured at 30  degrees C in AF medium containing FA. Strain C. glutamicum FVan
      converted 4.57 +/- 0.07 mM of FA into 2.87 +/- 0.01 mM PCA after 48 h with yields
      of 62.8% (mol/mol), and 6.91 mM (1064 mg/L) of PCA was produced from 16.0 mM of
      FA after 12 h of fed-batch biotransformation. Genomic analysis of C. glutamicum
      ATCC 21420 revealed that the PCA-utilization genes (pca cluster) were conserved
      in strain ATCC 21420 and that mutations were present in the PCA importer gene
      pcaK.

PMID- 28641406
TI  - Novel antimicrobial activities of a peptide derived from a Japanese soybean
      fermented food, Natto, against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis
      group strains.
AB  - We recently isolated a tumoricidal peptide from Natto, a Japanese traditional
      fermented food. In the present study, antimicrobial activity of the Natto peptide
      was examined. The peptide consisted of 45 amino acid residues, and its structure
      was predicted to be rich in alpha-helix. It excreted antimicrobial activity only
      against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis group (B. subtilis,
      Bacillus pumilus, and Bacillus licheniformis). Lesser antimicrobial activity was
      observed for Streptococcus species other than S. pneumoniae. Hemolysate or hemin
      was required for the antimicrobial activity of the peptide. The Natto peptide
      damages the cell membrane of B. subtilis. On the other hand, chain morphology was
      induced in S. pneumoniae, which is naturally diplococcus, during the early phases
      of the Natto peptide treatment; following that the cells were rapidly lysed. This
      suggested that the Natto peptide displayed a novel narrow spectrum of
      bactericidal activity and inhibited cell separation during cell division of S.
      pneumoniae.

PMID- 28641407
TI  - Efficacy of ezetimibe combined with atorvastatin in the treatment of carotid
      artery plaque in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with coronary
      heart disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ezetimibe
      combined with atorvastatin in treatment of carotid artery plaque in patients with
      type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS:
      A total of 100 patients with carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) confirmed by
      ultrasound and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and CHD were randomly
      assigned to atorvastatin group (atorvastatin 20 mg/day) or combined treatment
      group (ezetimibe 10 mg/day and atorvastatin 20 mg/day). All those patients were
      followed for 12 months. Serum lipid, ALT, AST, and CK were measured before and
      after treatment. Ultrasonography was used to evaluate the stability of carotid
      artery plaques. RESULTS: After 12 months of treatment, the level of TC, TG, LDL
      C, hs-CRP, FPG and HbA1c decreased in both groups compared with before treatment.
      TC, TG, LDL-C and hs-CRP in the combined treatment group were much lower than
      that in the atorvastatin group (P<0.05). The IMT and plaque area in the two
      groups were lower than that before the treatment (P<0.05). IMT and plaques area
      in the combined treatment group is much lower than that in the atorvastatin group
      after treatment. There was no significant difference in two groups on the level
      of ALT, AST, CK compared with baseline after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The effect
      of combined use of atorvastatin and ezetimibe was better than atorvastatin alone,
      which can effectively reduce the blood lipid levels in diabetic patients with CHD
      and improve plaque stability. Both treatment regimens were safe and well
      tolerated.

PMID- 28641408
TI  - Extended use of sulodexide, apixaban, rivaroxaban and dabigatran in venous
      thromboembolism: indirect comparison of clinical trials.

PMID- 28641409
TI  - Citric Acid Modulated Growth of Oriented Lead Perovskite Crystals for Efficient
      Solar Cells.
AB  - Solar cells made of lead perovskite crystals have attracted much attention for
      their high performance, but far less attention as a subject of crystal
      engineering. Here, we report that citric acid (CA) and chloride anion, working
      together, modulate crystal growth of CH3NH3PbI3, producing sub-mm-sized cuboid
      crystals-a morphology more suitable for close packing in a thin film than the
      commonly observed elongated dodecahedral morphology. By using a 15 wt % CA-doped
      precursor solution, we formed a single layer of large, flat, and oriented cuboid
      crystals with minimum crystal domain boundaries and maximum contact with
      neighboring layers, and fabricated an archetypal inverted-structured device of 4
      mm2 area, which showed, reproducibly and with little hysteresis, 16.75% power
      conversion efficiency (PCE), 26% higher than the PCE obtained for a
      polycrystalline film made without CA doping. Under weaker irradiation of a 1 cm2
      device, the PCE improved from 14.52% (one sun) to 20.4% (0.087 suns). Under
      illumination with white light emitting diode, a 10 wt % CA-doped device showed
      PCE of 28.1%, suggesting an advantage of PVK-SCs for indoor applications. Further
      studies on crystal growth modulation will be beneficial for manufacturing
      efficient and stable lead perovskite solar cells.

PMID- 28641410
TI  - Modeling Aquatic Toxicity through Chromatographic Systems.
AB  - Environmental risk assessment requires information about the toxicity of the
      growing number of chemical products coming from different origins that can
      contaminate water and become toxicants to aquatic species or other living beings
      via the trophic chain. Direct toxicity measurements using sensitive aquatic
      species can be carried out but they may become expensive and ethically
      questionable. Literature refers to the use of chromatographic measurements that
      correlate to the toxic effect of a compound over a specific aquatic species as an
      alternative to get toxicity information. In this work, we have studied the
      similarity in the response of the toxicity to different species and we have
      selected eight representative aquatic species (including tadpoles, fish, water
      fleas, protozoan, and bacteria) with known nonspecific toxicity to chemical
      substances. Next, we have selected four chromatographic systems offering good
      perspectives for surrogation of the eight selected aquatic systems, and thus
      prediction of toxicity from the chromatographic measurement. Then toxicity has
      been correlated to the chromatographic retention factor. Satisfactory correlation
      results have been obtained to emulate toxicity in five of the selected aquatic
      species through some of the chromatographic systems. Other aquatic species with
      similar characteristics to these five representative ones could also be emulated
      by using the same chromatographic systems. The final aim of this study is to
      model chemical products toxicity to aquatic species by means of chromatographic
      systems to reduce in vivo testing.

PMID- 28641411
TI  - Development of a Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
      Metabolomics Method with High Specificity for Metabolite Identification Using All
      Ion Fragmentation Acquisition.
AB  - High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based metabolomics approaches have made
      significant advances. However, metabolite identification is still a major
      challenge with significant bottleneck in translating metabolomics data into
      biological context. In the current study, a liquid chromatography (LC)-HRMS
      metabolomics method was developed using an all ion fragmentation (AIF)
      acquisition approach. To increase the specificity in metabolite annotation, four
      criteria were considered: (i) accurate mass (AM), (ii) retention time (RT), (iii)
      MS/MS spectrum, and (iv) product/precursor ion intensity ratios. We constructed
      an in-house mass spectral library of 408 metabolites containing AMRT and MS/MS
      spectra information at four collision energies. The percent relative standard
      deviations between ion ratios of a metabolite in an analytical standard vs sample
      matrix were used as an additional metric for establishing metabolite identity. A
      data processing method for targeted metabolite screening was then created,
      merging m/z, RT, MS/MS, and ion ratio information for each of the 413
      metabolites. In the data processing method, the precursor ion and product ion
      were considered as the quantifier and qualifier ion, respectively. We also
      included a scheme to distinguish coeluting isobaric compounds by selecting a
      specific product ion as the quantifier ion instead of the precursor ion. An
      advantage of the current AIF approach is the concurrent collection of full scan
      data, enabling identification of metabolites not included in the database. Our
      data acquisition strategy enables a simultaneous mixture of database-dependent
      targeted and nontargeted metabolomics in combination with improved accuracy in
      metabolite identification, increasing the quality of the biological information
      acquired in a metabolomics experiment.

PMID- 28641412
TI  - Anti-Perovskite Li-Battery Cathode Materials.
AB  - Through single-step solid-state reactions, a series of novel bichalcogenides with
      the general composition (Li2Fe)ChO (Ch = S, Se, Te) are successfully synthesized.
      (Li2Fe)ChO (Ch = S, Se) possess cubic anti-perovskite crystal structures, where
      Fe and Li are completely disordered on a common crystallographic site (3c).
      According to Goldschmidt calculations, Li+ and Fe2+ are too small for their
      common atomic position and exhibit large thermal displacements in the crystal
      structure models, implying high cation mobility. Both compounds (Li2Fe)ChO (Ch =
      S, Se) were tested as cathode materials against graphite anodes (single cells);
      They perform outstandingly at very high charge rates (270 mA g-1, 80 cycles) and,
      at a charge rate of 30 mA g-1, exhibit charge capacities of about 120 mA h g-1.
      Compared to highly optimized Li1-xCoO2 cathode materials, these novel anti
      perovskites are easily produced at cost reductions by up to 95% and, yet, possess
      a relative specific charge capacity of 75%. Moreover, these iron-based anti
      perovskites are comparatively friendly to the environment and (Li2Fe)ChO (Ch = S,
      Se) melt congruently; the latter is advantageous for manufacturing pure materials
      in large amounts.

PMID- 28641413
TI  - Cation Dynamics in Mixed-Cation (MA)x(FA)1-xPbI3 Hybrid Perovskites from Solid
      State NMR.
AB  - Mixed-cation organic lead halide perovskites attract unfaltering attention owing
      to their excellent photovoltaic properties. Currently, the best performing
      perovskite materials contain multiple cations and provide power conversion
      efficiencies up to around 22%. Here, we report the first quantitative, cation
      specific data on cation reorientation dynamics in hybrid mixed-cation
      formamidinium (FA)/methylammonium (MA) lead halide perovskites. We use 14N, 2H,
      13C, and 1H solid-state MAS NMR to elucidate cation reorientation dynamics,
      microscopic phase composition, and the MA/FA ratio, in (MA)x(FA)1-xPbI3 between
      100 and 330 K. The reorientation rates correlate in a striking manner with the
      carrier lifetimes previously reported for these materials and provide evidence of
      the polaronic nature of charge carriers in PV perovskites.

PMID- 28641416
TI  - Water-anion hydrogen bonding dynamics: Ultrafast IR experiments and simulations.
AB  - Many of water's remarkable properties arise from its tendency to form an
      intricate and robust hydrogen bond network. Understanding the dynamics that
      govern this network is fundamental to elucidating the behavior of pure water and
      water in biological and physical systems. In ultrafast nonlinear infrared
      experiments, the accessible time scales are limited by water's rapid vibrational
      relaxation (1.8 ps for dilute HOD in H2O), precluding interrogation of slow
      hydrogen bond evolution in non-bulk systems. Here, hydrogen bonding dynamics in
      bulk D2O were studied from the perspective of the much longer lived (36.2 ps) CN
      stretch mode of selenocyanate (SeCN-) using polarization selective pump-probe
      (PSPP) experiments, two-dimensional infrared (2D IR) vibrational echo
      spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations make use of the
      empirical frequency mapping approach, applied to SeCN- for the first time. The
      PSPP experiments and simulations show that the orientational correlation function
      decays via fast (2.0 ps) restricted angular diffusion (wobbling-in-a-cone) and
      complete orientational diffusive randomization (4.5 ps). Spectral diffusion,
      quantified in terms of the frequency-frequency correlation function, occurs on
      two time scales. The initial 0.6 ps time scale is attributed to small length and
      angle fluctuations of the hydrogen bonds between water and SeCN-. The second 1.4
      ps measured time scale, identical to that for HOD in bulk D2O, reports on the
      collective reorganization of the water hydrogen bond network around the anion.
      The experiments and simulations provide details of the anion-water hydrogen
      bonding and demonstrate that SeCN- is a reliable vibrational probe of the
      ultrafast spectroscopy of water.

PMID- 28641417
TI  - Spectral line shapes in linear absorption and two-dimensional spectroscopy with
      skewed frequency distributions.
AB  - The effect of Gaussian dynamics on the line shapes in linear absorption and two
      dimensional correlation spectroscopy is well understood as the second-order
      cumulant expansion provides exact spectra. Gaussian solvent dynamics can be well
      analyzed using slope line analysis of two-dimensional correlation spectra as a
      function of the waiting time between pump and probe fields. Non-Gaussian effects
      are not as well understood, even though these effects are common in nature. The
      interpretation of the spectra, thus far, relies on complex case to case analysis.
      We investigate spectra resulting from two physical mechanisms for non-Gaussian
      dynamics, one relying on the anharmonicity of the bath and the other on non
      linear couplings between bath coordinates. These results are compared with
      outcomes from a simpler log-normal dynamics model. We find that the skewed
      spectral line shapes in all cases can be analyzed in terms of the log-normal
      model, with a minimal number of free parameters. The effect of log-normal
      dynamics on the spectral line shapes is analyzed in terms of frequency
      correlation functions, maxline slope analysis, and anti-diagonal linewidths. A
      triangular line shape is a telltale signature of the skewness induced by log
      normal dynamics. We find that maxline slope analysis, as for Gaussian dynamics,
      is a good measure of the solvent dynamics for log-normal dynamics.

PMID- 28641418
TI  - Measuring the carrier dynamics of photocatalyst micrograins using the
      Christiansen effect.
AB  - The optical measurement of photocatalyst materials is subject to Mie scattering
      when the particle size is comparable to the wavelength of the probe light. A
      novel approach was developed to deal with this scattering problem in the
      transient spectroscopy of photocatalyst micrograins using the Christiansen effect
      because the probe light in the vicinity of the Christiansen frequency can be
      transmitted. Scattering theory was used to analyze the transient spectra of
      micrograins and estimate the extinction coefficient at the Christiansen
      frequency. The Drude-Lorentz model was used to calculate the complex refractive
      index considering the contributions from both phonons and free carriers. We found
      that the net photogenerated carrier density was linearly correlated with the
      absorbance at the Christiansen frequency. With the parameters obtained from Raman
      scattering measurements, the absolute net carrier density was also determined. We
      further demonstrated the versatility of this method by applying it to the
      photogenerated carrier dynamics of intrinsic 6H-SiC grains. The transient
      broadband mid-IR spectra were measured by the pump-probe technique, and the
      transient absolute net carrier density was estimated. The carrier relaxation
      dynamics was fitted with three components with lifetime constants that agreed
      well with those obtained for SiC by transient broadband THz conductivity
      spectroscopy. We predict that this method could be extended to other
      photocatalytic materials with suitable probe frequencies.

PMID- 28641419
TI  - Thermodynamic formulation of the barrier for heterogeneous pinned nucleation:
      Implication to the crossover scenarios associated with barrierless and
      homogeneous nucleation.
AB  - The effect of contact line pinning on nucleation is reported using continuum
      thermodynamics. Based on the principle of the free-energy maximization, closed
      form expressions in the dimensionless form for the free-energy of the three-phase
      metastable system and the thermodynamic barrier are formulated with respect to
      the system geometry and the substrate wettability. The condition of maximality
      limits the dynamic contact angle within the cluster-phase-phobic regime. The
      dimensionless nucleation barrier or the potency factor can be divided into two
      components related to the system geometry and the pinning effect. Depending on
      the relative value of the equilibrium and the critical dynamic contact angle, the
      contact line pinning can either have favorable or adverse effects. Associated
      pinning-depinning transition can also lead to the crossovers related to
      barrierless and homogeneous nucleation. Contact line tension is found to have a
      considerable effect during these transitional scenarios. Complete wetting
      transition associated with barrierless nucleation can take place due to the
      presence of tensile (negative) line tension. On the other hand, complete drying
      transition related to homogeneous nucleation can occur when line tension is
      compressive (positive) in nature. The pinning has a favorable effect only when
      the substrate wettability is within the cluster-phase-philic regime. There can be
      favorable, adverse, or no pinning effects when the substrate wettability is
      within the cluster-phase-phobic regime. Although the contact line is pinned, the
      minimum value of the potency factor is obtained when equilibrium and dynamic
      contact angles are equal.

PMID- 28641420
TI  - NH3 as unique non-classical content-former within clathrate hydrates.
AB  - High quality FTIR spectra of aerosols of NH3-THF and NH3-TMO binary clathrate
      hydrates (CHs) have been measured. Our recently developed all-vapor sub-second
      approach to clathrate-hydrate formation combined with computational studies has
      been used to identify vibrational spectroscopic signatures of NH3 within the gas
      hydrates. The present study shows that there are three distinct NH3 types,
      namely, classical small-cage NH3, nonclassical small-cage NH3, and NH3 within the
      hydrate network. The network ammonia does not directly trigger the non-classical
      CH structure. Rather, the ammonia within the network structure perturbs the water
      bonding, introducing orientational defects that are stabilized by small and/or
      large cage guest molecules through H-bonding. This unusual behavior of NH3 within
      CHs opens a possibility for catalytic action of NH3 during CH-formation.
      Furthermore, impacts over time of the small-cage NH3-replacement molecules CO2
      and CH4 on the structure and composition of the ternary CHs have been noted.

PMID- 28641421
TI  - Effective empirical corrections for basis set superposition error in the def2
      SVPD basis: gCP and DFT-C.
AB  - With the aim of mitigating the basis set error in density functional theory (DFT)
      calculations employing local basis sets, we herein develop two empirical
      corrections for basis set superposition error (BSSE) in the def2-SVPD basis, a
      basis which-when stripped of BSSE-is capable of providing near-complete-basis DFT
      results for non-covalent interactions. Specifically, we adapt the existing
      pairwise geometrical counterpoise (gCP) approach to the def2-SVPD basis, and we
      develop a beyond-pairwise approach, DFT-C, which we parameterize across a small
      set of intermolecular interactions. Both gCP and DFT-C are evaluated against the
      traditional Boys-Bernardi counterpoise correction across a set of 3402 non
      covalent binding energies and isomerization energies. We find that the DFT-C
      method represents a significant improvement over gCP, particularly for non
      covalently-interacting molecular clusters. Moreover, DFT-C is transferable among
      density functionals and can be combined with existing functionals-such as B97M-V
      to recover large-basis results at a fraction of the cost.

PMID- 28641423
TI  - Dynamics, magnetic properties, and electron binding energies of H2O2 in water.
AB  - Results for the magnetic properties and electron binding energies of H2O2 in
      liquid water are presented. The adopted methodology relies on the combination of
      Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics and electronic structure calculations. The
      Keal-Tozer functional was applied for predicting magnetic shieldings and H2O2
      intramolecular spin-spin coupling constants. Electron binding energies were
      calculated with electron propagator theory. In water, H2O2 is a better proton
      donor than proton acceptor, and the present results indicate that this feature is
      important for understanding magnetic properties in solution. In comparison with
      the gas-phase, H2O2 atoms are deshielded in water. For oxygen atoms, the
      deshielding is mainly determined by structural/conformational changes. Hydrogen
      bond interactions explain the deshielding of protons in water. The predicted
      chemical shift for the H2O2 protons in water (delta~11.8 ppm) is in good
      agreement with experimental information (delta=11.2 ppm). The two lowest electron
      binding energies of H2O2 in water (10.7+/-0.5 and 11.2+/-0.5 eV) are in
      reasonable agreement with experiment. In keeping with data from photoelectron
      spectroscopy, an ~1.6 eV red-shift of the two first ionisation energies relative
      to the gas-phase is observed in water. The strong dependence of magnetic
      properties on changes of the electronic density in the nuclei environment is
      illustrated by a correlation between the sigma(17O) magnetic shielding constant
      and the energy gap between the [2a] lowest valence and [1a] core orbitals of
      H2O2.

PMID- 28641422
TI  - Structure and mobility of water confined in AlPO4-54 nanotubes.
AB  - We performed molecular dynamics simulations of water confined within AlPO4-54
      nanotubes. AlPO4-54 is an artificial material made of AlO4 and of PO4 in
      tetrahedra arranged in a periodic structure forming pores of approximately 1.3 nm
      in diameter. This makes AlPO4-54 an excellent candidate for practical
      applications, such as for water filtration and desalination. In this work, the
      structural and dynamical properties of the confined water are analyzed for
      various temperatures and water loadings. We find that the water structure is
      controlled by the heterogeneity of the nanopore surface with the water molecules
      located preferentially next to the surface of oxygens of AlPO4-54; consequently,
      at very low densities, water forms helicoidal structures in string-like
      arrangements.

PMID- 28641425
TI  - First infrared investigations of OCS-H2O, OCS-(H2O)2, and (OCS)2-H2O complexes
      isolated in solid neon: Highlighting the presence of two isomers for OCS-H2O.
AB  - For the first time, complexes involving carbonyl sulfide (OCS) and water
      molecules are studied by FTIR in solid neon. Many new absorption bands close to
      the known fundamental modes for the monomers give evidence for at least three
      (OCS)n-(H2O)m complexes, noted n:m. With the help of theoretical calculations,
      two isomers of the 1:1 complex are clearly identified. Concentration effects
      combined with a detailed vibrational analysis allow for the identification of
      transitions for the 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1 complexes. Anharmonic coupling constants
      have been derived from the observations of overtones and combinations.

PMID- 28641424
TI  - The role of multivalency in the association kinetics of patchy particle
      complexes.
AB  - Association and dissociation of particles are elementary steps in many natural
      and technological relevant processes. For many such processes, the presence of
      multiple binding sites is essential. For instance, protein complexes and regular
      structures such as virus shells are formed from elementary building blocks with
      multiple binding sites. Here we address a fundamental question concerning the
      role of multivalency of binding sites in the association kinetics of such
      complexes. Using single replica transition interface sampling simulations, we
      investigate the influence of the multivalency on the binding kinetics and the
      association mechanism of patchy particles that form polyhedral clusters. When the
      individual bond strength is fixed, the kinetics naturally is very dependent on
      the multivalency, with dissociation rate constants exponentially decreasing with
      the number of bonds. In contrast, we find that when the total bond energy per
      particle is kept constant, association and dissociation rate constants turn out
      rather independent of multivalency, although of course still very dependent on
      the total energy. The association and dissociation mechanisms, however, depend on
      the presence and nature of the intermediate states. For instance, pathways that
      visit intermediate states are less prevalent for particles with five binding
      sites compared to the case of particles with only three bonds. The presence of
      intermediate states can lead to kinetic trapping and malformed aggregates. We
      discuss implications for natural forming complexes such as virus shells and for
      the design of artificial colloidal patchy particles.

PMID- 28641426
TI  - Assessment of two hybrid van der Waals density functionals for covalent and non
      covalent binding of molecules.
AB  - Two hybrid van der Waals density functionals (vdW-DFs) are developed using 25%
      Fock exchange with (i) the consistent-exchange vdW-DF-cx functional [K. Berland
      and P. Hyldgaard, Phys. Rev. B 89, 035412 (2014)] and (ii) with the vdW-DF2
      functional [K. Lee et al., Phys. Rev. B 82, 081101 (2010)]. The ability to
      describe covalent and non-covalent binding properties of molecules is assessed.
      For properties related to covalent binding, atomization energies (G2-1 set),
      molecular reaction energies (G2RC set), and ionization energies (G21IP set) are
      benchmarked against experimental reference values. We find that hybrid-vdW-DF-cx
      yields results that are rather similar to those of the standard non-empirical
      hybrid PBE0 [C. Adamo and V. Barone, J. Chem. Phys. 110, 6158 (1999)], with mean
      average deviations (MADs) of 4.9 and 5.0 kcal/mol for the G2-1 set, respectively.
      In this comparison, experimental reference values are used, back corrected by
      wavefunction-based quantum-chemistry calculations of zero-point energies. Hybrid
      vdW-DF2 follows somewhat different trends, showing on average significantly
      larger deviations from the reference energies, with a MAD of 14.5 kcal/mol for
      the G2-1 set. Non-covalent binding properties of molecules are assessed using the
      S22 benchmark set of non-covalently bonded dimers and the X40 set of dimers of
      small halogenated molecules, using wavefunction-based quantum chemistry results
      as references. For the S22 set, hybrid-vdW-DF-cx performs better than standard
      vdW-DF-cx for the mostly hydrogen-bonded systems, with MAD dropping from 0.6 to
      0.3 kcal/mol, but worse for purely dispersion-bonded systems, with MAD increasing
      from 0.2 to 0.6 kcal/mol. Hybrid-vdW-DF2 offers a slight improvement over
      standard vdW-DF2. Similar trends are found for the X40 set, with hybrid-vdW-DF-cx
      performing particularly well for binding energies involving the strongly polar
      hydrogen halides, but poorly for systems with tiny binding energies. Our study of
      the X40 set reveals the potential of mixing Fock exchange with vdW-DF, but also
      highlights shortcomings of the hybrids constructed here. The solid performance of
      hybrid-vdW-DF-cx for covalent-bonded systems, as well as the strengths and issues
      uncovered for non-covalently bonded systems, makes this study a good starting
      point for developing even more accurate hybrid vdW-DFs.

PMID- 28641427
TI  - A quantum-mechanical perspective on linear response theory within polarizable
      embedding.
AB  - We present a derivation of linear response theory within polarizable embedding
      starting from a rigorous quantum-mechanical treatment of a composite system. To
      this aim, two different subsystem decompositions (symmetric and nonsymmetric) of
      the linear response function are introduced and the pole structures as well as
      residues of the individual terms are discussed. In addition to providing a
      thorough justification for the descriptions used in polarizable embedding models,
      this theoretical analysis clarifies which form of the response function to use
      and highlights complications in separating out subsystem contributions to
      molecular properties. The basic features of the presented expressions and various
      approximate forms are illustrated by their application to a composite model
      system.

PMID- 28641428
TI  - Liquid-liquid phase transition in an ionic model of silica.
AB  - Recent equation of state calculations [E. Lascaris, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 125701
      (2016)] for an ionic model of silica suggest that it undergoes a density-driven,
      liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) similar to the controversial transition
      hypothesized to exist in deeply supercooled water. Here, we perform extensive
      free energy calculations to scrutinize the model's low-temperature phase behavior
      and confirm the existence of a first-order phase transition between two liquids
      with identical compositions but different densities. The low-density liquid (LDL)
      exhibits tetrahedral order, which is partially disrupted in the high-density
      liquid (HDL) by the intrusion of additional particles into the primary neighbor
      shell. Histogram reweighting methods are applied to locate conditions of HDL-LDL
      coexistence and the liquid spinodals that bound the two-phase region. Spontaneous
      liquid-liquid phase separation is also observed directly in large-scale molecular
      dynamics simulations performed inside the predicted two-phase region. Given its
      clear LLPT, we anticipate that this model may serve as a paradigm for
      understanding whether similar transitions occur in water and other tetrahedral
      liquids.

PMID- 28641429
TI  - Fluids in porous media. IV. Quench effect on chemical potential.
AB  - It appears to be a common sense to measure the crowdedness of a fluid system by
      the densities of the species constituting it. In the present work, we show that
      this ceases to be valid for confined fluids under some conditions. A quite
      thorough investigation is made for a hard sphere (HS) fluid adsorbed in a hard
      sphere matrix (a quench-annealed system) and its corresponding equilibrium binary
      mixture. When fluid particles are larger than matrix particles, the quench
      annealed system can appear much more crowded than its corresponding equilibrium
      binary mixture, i.e., having a much higher fluid chemical potential, even when
      the density of each species is strictly the same in both systems, respectively.
      We believe that the insight gained from this study should be useful for the
      design of functionalized porous materials.

PMID- 28641430
TI  - Water flow in carbon nanotubes: The effect of tube flexibility and thermostat.
AB  - Although the importance of temperature control in nonequilibrium molecular
      dynamics simulations is widely accepted, the consequences of the thermostatting
      approach in the case of strongly confined fluids are underappreciated. We show
      the strong influence of the thermostatting method on the water transport in
      carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by considering simulations in which the system
      temperature is controlled via the walls or via the fluid. Streaming velocities
      and mass flow rates are found to depend on the tube flexibility and on the
      thermostatting algorithm, with flow rates up to 20% larger when the walls are
      flexible. The larger flow rates in flexible CNTs are explained by a lower
      friction coefficient between water and the wall. Despite the lower friction, a
      larger solid-fluid interaction energy is found for flexible CNTs than for rigid
      ones. Furthermore, a comparison of thermostat schemes has shown that the
      Berendsen and Nose-Hoover thermostats result in very similar transport rates,
      while lower flow rates are found under the influence of the Langevin thermostat.
      These findings illustrate the significant influence of the thermostatting methods
      on the simulated confined fluid transport.

PMID- 28641431
TI  - Second order Moller-Plesset and coupled cluster singles and doubles methods with
      complex basis functions for resonances in electron-molecule scattering.
AB  - The method of complex basis functions is applied to molecular resonances at
      correlated levels of theory. Moller-Plesset perturbation theory at second order
      and equation-of-motion electron attachment coupled-cluster singles and doubles
      (EOM-EA-CCSD) methods based on a non-Hermitian self-consistent-field reference
      are used to compute accurate Siegert energies for shape resonances in small
      molecules including N2-, CO-, CO2-, and CH2O-. Analytic continuation of complex
      ??-trajectories is used to compute Siegert energies, and the ??-trajectories of
      energy differences are found to yield more consistent results than those of total
      energies. The ability of such methods to accurately compute complex potential
      energy surfaces is investigated, and the possibility of using EOM-EA-CCSD for
      Feshbach resonances is explored in the context of e-helium scattering.

PMID- 28641432
TI  - Local structure of dilute aqueous DMSO solutions, as seen from molecular dynamics
      simulations.
AB  - The information about the structure of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-water mixtures
      at relatively low DMSO mole fractions is an important step in order to understand
      their cryoprotective properties as well as the solvation process of proteins and
      amino acids. Classical MD simulations, using the potential model combination that
      best reproduces the free energy of mixing of these compounds, are used to analyze
      the local structure of DMSO-water mixtures at DMSO mole fractions below 0.2.
      Significant changes in the local structure of DMSO are observed around the DMSO
      mole fraction of 0.1. The array of evidence, based on the cluster and the metric
      and topological parameters of the Voronoi polyhedra distributions, indicates that
      these changes are associated with the simultaneous increase of the number of DMSO
      water and decrease of water-water hydrogen bonds with increasing DMSO
      concentration. The inversion between the dominance of these two types of H-bonds
      occurs around XDMSO = 0.1, above which the DMSO-DMSO interactions also start
      playing an important role. In other words, below the DMSO mole fraction of 0.1,
      DMSO molecules are mainly solvated by water molecules, while above it, their
      solvation shell consists of a mixture of water and DMSO. The trigonal,
      tetrahedral, and trigonal bipyramidal distributions of water shift to lower
      corresponding order parameter values indicating the loosening of these
      orientations. Adding DMSO does not affect the hydrogen bonding between a
      reference water molecule and its first neighbor hydrogen bonded water molecules,
      while it increases the bent hydrogen bond geometry involving the second ones. The
      close-packed local structure of the third, fourth, and fifth water neighbors also
      is reinforced. In accordance with previous theoretical and experimental data, the
      hydrogen bonding between water and the first, the second, and the third DMSO
      neighbors is stronger than that with its corresponding water neighbors. At a
      given DMSO mole fraction, the behavior of the intensity of the high orientational
      order parameter values indicates that water molecules are more ordered in the
      vicinity of the hydrophilic group while their structure is close-packed near the
      hydrophobic group of DMSO.

PMID- 28641433
TI  - Why are GGAs so accurate for reaction kinetics on surfaces? Systematic comparison
      of hybrid vs. nonhybrid DFT for representative reactions.
AB  - "Jacob's Ladder" of approximate exchange-correlation (XC) functionals in Kohn
      Sham density functional theory are widely accepted to have systematic errors in
      reaction barriers. The first-rung local spin-density approximation (LDA)
      typically predicts barriers below generalized gradient approximations, which in
      turn predict barriers below experiment and below fourth-rung hybrid functionals
      incorporating a fraction of exact exchange. We show that several reactions from
      previous literature reports, as well as new simulations of carbon-carbon coupling
      in the Fischer-Tropsch process, do not follow this conventional picture. We
      introduce the AB9 test set of nine abnormal reaction barriers, in which density
      gradient corrections and exact exchange admixture tend to lower rather than to
      raise predicted barriers. Comparisons of normal and abnormal reactions
      rationalize this phenomenon in terms of how density gradient and exact-exchange
      corrections stabilize transition states relative to reaction intermediates.
      Multireference diagnostics confirm that this behavior is not merely a consequence
      of multireference character. Benchmarks of the AB9 set, using the best available
      ab initio reference values, highlight the role of symmetry breaking and show
      surprisingly good performance from both the LDA and "Rung 3.5" functionals. This
      motivates benchmarks of the AB9 set in future XC functional development.

PMID- 28641434
TI  - First principles study of 2D layered organohalide tin perovskites.
AB  - This article describes the structure and the electronic properties of a series of
      layered perovskites of a general formula (A+)2(SnX4)-2 where X = I, Br and A+ is
      an organic cation, either formamidinium, 1-methylimidazolium, or
      phenylethylammonium. For each system, two conformations are considered, with
      eclipsed or staggered stacking of the adjacent inorganic layers. Geometry
      optimizations are performed at the density functional theory level with
      generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functional and semiempirical correction
      for dispersion energies; band profiles and bandgaps are computed including both
      spin orbit coupling (SOC) and correlation (GW) effects through an additive
      scheme. The theoretical procedures are validated by reproducing the experimental
      data of a well known 3D tin iodide perovskite. The results, combined with the
      calculations previously reported on PbI4 analogues, allow us to discuss the
      effect of cation, metal, and halide substitution in these systems and in
      particular to explore the possibility of changing the electronic bandgap as
      required by different applications. The balance of SOC and GW effects depends on
      the chemical nature of the studied perovskites and strongly influences the value
      of the simulated bandgap.

PMID- 28641435
TI  - Validating and implementing modified Filinov phase filtration in semiclassical
      dynamics.
AB  - The Mixed Quantum-Classical Initial Value Representation (MQC-IVR) is a recently
      introduced approximate semiclassical (SC) method for the calculation of real-time
      quantum correlation functions. MQC-IVR employs a modified Filinov filtration
      (MFF) scheme to control the overall phase of the SC integrand, extending the
      applicability of SC methods to complex systems while retaining their ability to
      accurately describe quantum coherence effects. Here, we address questions
      regarding the effectiveness of the MFF scheme in combination with SC dynamics.
      Previous work showed that this filtering scheme is of limited utility in the
      context of semiclassical wavepacket propagation, but we find that the MFF is
      extraordinarily powerful in the context of correlation functions. By examining
      trajectory phase and amplitude contributions to the real-time SC correlation
      function in a model system, we clearly demonstrate that the MFF serves to reduce
      noise by damping amplitude only in regions of highly oscillatory phase leading to
      a reduction in computational effort while retaining accuracy. Further, we
      introduce a novel and efficient MQC-IVR formulation that allows for linear
      scaling in computational cost with the total simulation length, a significant
      improvement over the more-than quadratic scaling exhibited by the original
      method.

PMID- 28641436
TI  - Doping as a means to probe the potential dependence of dopamine adsorption on
      carbon-based surfaces: A first-principles study.
AB  - In this work, we study the adsorption characteristics of dopamine (DA), ascorbic
      acid (AA), and dopaminequinone (DAox) on carbonaceous electrodes. Our goal is to
      obtain a better understanding of the adsorption behavior of these analytes in
      order to promote the development of new carbon-based electrode materials for
      sensitive and selective detection of dopamine in vivo. Here we employ density
      functional theory-based simulations to reach a level of detail that cannot be
      achieved experimentally. To get a broader understanding of carbonaceous surfaces
      with different morphological characteristics, we compare three materials:
      graphene, diamond, and amorphous carbon (a-C). Effects of solvation on adsorption
      characteristics are taken into account via a continuum solvent model. Potential
      changes that take place during electrochemical measurements, such as cyclic
      voltammetry, can also alter the adsorption behavior. In this study, we have
      utilized doping as an indirect method to simulate these changes by shifting the
      work function of the electrode material. We demonstrate that sp2- and sp3-rich
      materials, as well as a-C, respond markedly different to doping. Also the
      adsorption behavior of the molecules studied here differs depending on the
      surface material and the change in the surface potential. In all cases,
      adsorption is spontaneous, but covalent bonding is not detected in vacuum. The
      aqueous medium has a large effect on the adsorption behavior of DAox, which
      reaches its highest adsorption energy on diamond when the potential is shifted to
      more negative values. In all cases, inclusion of the solvent enhances the charge
      transfer between the slab and DAox. Largest differences in adsorption energy
      between DA and AA are obtained on graphene. Gaining better understanding of the
      behavior of the different forms of carbon when used as electrode materials
      provides a means to rationalize the observed complex phenomena taking place at
      the electrodes during electrochemical oxidation/reduction of these biomolecules.

PMID- 28641437
TI  - Structure and binding energy of the H2S dimer at the CCSD(T) complete basis set
      limit.
AB  - This study presents results for the binding energy and geometry of the H2S dimer
      which have been computed using Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2, MP4) and
      coupled cluster (CCSD, CCSD(T)) calculations with basis sets up to aug-cc-pV5Z.
      Estimates of De, EZPE, Do, and dimer geometry have been obtained at each level of
      theory by taking advantage of the systematic convergence behavior toward the
      complete basis set (CBS) limit. The CBS limit binding energy values of De are
      1.91 (MP2), 1.75 (MP4), 1.41 (CCSD), and 1.69 kcal/mol (CCSD[T]). The most
      accurate values for the equilibrium S-S distance rSS (without counterpoise
      correction) are 4.080 (MP2/aug-cc-pV5Z), 4.131 (MP4/aug-cc-pVQZ), 4.225 (CCSD/aug
      cc-pVQZ), and 4.146 A (CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVQZ). This study also evaluates the effect
      of counterpoise correction on the H2S dimer geometry and binding energy. As
      regards the structure of (H2S)2, MPn, CCSD, and CCSD(T) level values of rSS,
      obtained by performing geometry optimizations on the counterpoise-corrected
      potential energy surface, converge systematically to CBS limit values of 4.099
      (MP2), 4.146 (MP4), 4.233 (CCSD), and 4.167 A (CCSD(T)). The corresponding CBS
      limit values of the equilibrium binding energy De are 1.88 (MP2), 1.76 (MP4),
      1.41 (CCSD), and 1.69 kcal/mol (CCSD(T)), the latter in excellent agreement with
      the measured binding energy value of 1.68 +/- 0.02 kcal/mol reported by Ciaffoni
      et al. [Appl. Phys. B 92, 627 (2008)]. Combining CBS electronic binding energies
      De with EZPE predicted by CCSD(T) vibrational second-order perturbation theory
      calculations yields Do = 1.08 kcal/mol, which is around 0.6 kcal/mol smaller than
      the measured value of 1.7 +/- 0.3 kcal/mol. Overall, the results presented here
      demonstrate that the application of high level calculations, in particular
      CCSD(T), in combination with augmented correlation consistent basis sets provides
      valuable insight into the structure and energetics of the hydrogen sulfide dimer.

PMID- 28641438
TI  - Erratum: "Stochastic multi-reference perturbation theory with application to the
      linearized coupled cluster method" [J. Chem. Phys. 146, 044107 (2017)].

PMID- 28641439
TI  - High-pressure phase transition of alkali metal-transition metal deuteride
      Li2PdD2.
AB  - A combined theoretical and experimental study of lithium palladium deuteride
      (Li2PdD2) subjected to pressures up to 50 GPa reveals one structural phase
      transition near 10 GPa, detected by synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction, and
      metadynamics simulations. The ambient-pressure tetragonal phase of Li2PdD2
      transforms into a monoclinic C2/m phase that is distinct from all known
      structures of alkali metal-transition metal hydrides/deuterides. The structure of
      the high-pressure phase was characterized using ab initio computational
      techniques and from refinement of the powder x-ray diffraction data. In the high
      pressure phase, the PdD2 complexes lose molecular integrity and are fused to
      extended [PdD2]infinity chains. The discovered phase transition and new structure
      are relevant to the possible hydrogen storage application of Li2PdD2 and alkali
      metal-transition metal hydrides in general.

PMID- 28641440
TI  - Accurate excitation energies of molecules and oligomers from a semilocal density
      functional.
AB  - Excitation energy plays an important role in energy conversion, biological
      processes, and optical devices. In this work, we apply the Tao-Mo (TM)
      nonempirical meta-generalized gradient approximation and the combination TMTPSS
      (TMx + TPSSc), with TPSSc being the correlation part of the original TPSS (Tao
      Perdew-Staroverov-Scuseria) to study excitation energies of small molecules and
      oligomers. Our test set consists of 17 molecules with 134 total excited states,
      including singlet, triplet, valence, and Rydberg excited states. Our calculation
      shows that both the TMTPSS and TM functionals yield good overall performance,
      with mean absolute errors (MAEs) of 0.37 eV and 0.42 eV, respectively,
      outperforming commonly used semilocal functionals LSDA (MAE = 0.55 eV), PBE (MAE
      = 0.58 eV), and TPSS (MAE = 0.47 eV). In particular, TMTPSS can yield nearly the
      same accuracy of B3LYP (MAE = 0.36 eV), with lower computational cost. The
      accuracy for semilocal density functional theory continues to hold for conjugated
      oligomers, but they become less accurate than hybrid functionals, due to the
      insufficient nonlocality.

PMID- 28641441
TI  - The closo-Si12C12 molecule from cluster to crystal: Effects of hydrogenation and
      oligomerization on excited states.
AB  - Excited state properties of chain and cyclic oligomers of closo-Si12C12 moieties
      are calculated using time-dependent density functional theory methods.
      Ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared photo-absorption properties are described
      for oligomers that form by linking closo-Si12C12 monomer moieties through Si-Si
      bonds. Natural transition orbitals for electron and hole states of stationary
      state excitons in oligomers were compared to understand how exciton states are
      influenced by oligomer structure. Depending on the structure, some prominent
      excited states have large electron-hole charge separation while others do not;
      some exhibit exciton delocalization while others do not. With increasing oligomer
      length, the character of the transition between silicon and carbon regions tends
      to be maintained. And the extent of exciton delocalization and charge separation
      for an excitation is strongly influenced by the number and types of Si-Si links
      between oligomer units. We find that cyclic quadramers have spectroscopy
      properties akin to those of J-aggregates, including the tendency to collapse
      oligomer excitation transition energies into a narrow single peak. Hydrogenation
      influences some excited state distributions and energies. Phase behaviors reveal
      electron state or hole state equivalence in certain molecules that are
      differently hydrogenated, illustrating the potential for near-resonant exciton
      transfer between adjacent donor and acceptor species.

PMID- 28641442
TI  - Structural relaxation and thermal conductivity of high-pressure formed, high
      density di-n-butyl phthalate glass and pressure induced departures from
      equilibrium state.
AB  - We report a study of structural relaxation of high-density glasses of di-n-butyl
      phthalate (DBP) by measuring thermal conductivity, kappa, under conditions of
      pressure and temperature (p,T) designed to modify both the vibrational and
      configurational states of a glass. Various high-density glassy states of DBP were
      formed by (i) cooling the liquid under a fixed high p and partially
      depressurizing the glass, (ii) isothermal annealing of the depressurized glass,
      and (iii) pressurizing the glass formed by cooling the liquid under low p. At a
      given low p, kappa of the glass formed by cooling under high p is higher than
      that of the glass formed by cooling under low p, and the difference increases as
      glass formation p is increased. kappa of the glass formed under 1 GPa is ~20%
      higher at ambient p than kappa of the glass formed at ambient p. On heating at
      low p, kappa decreases until the glass to liquid transition range is reached.
      This is the opposite of the increase in kappa observed when a glass formed under
      a certain p is heated under the same p. At a given high p, kappa of the low
      density glass formed by cooling at low p is lower than that of the high-density
      glass formed by cooling at that high p. On heating at high p, kappa increases
      until the glass to liquid transition range is reached. The effects observed are
      due to a thermally assisted approach toward equilibrium at p different from the
      glass formation p. In all cases, the density, enthalpy, and entropy would change
      until the glasses become metastable liquids at a fixed p, thus qualitatively
      relating kappa to variation in these properties.

PMID- 28641443
TI  - Dissecting the accountability of parameterized and parameter-free single-hybrid
      and double-hybrid functionals for photophysical properties of TADF-based OLEDs.
AB  - Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on thermally activated delayed
      fluorescence (TADF) emitters are an attractive category of materials that have
      witnessed a booming development in recent years. In the present contribution, we
      scrutinize the accountability of parameterized and parameter-free single-hybrid
      (SH) and double-hybrid (DH) functionals through the two formalisms, full time
      dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and Tamm-Dancoff approximation
      (TDA), for the estimation of photophysical properties like absorption energy,
      emission energy, zero-zero transition energy, and singlet-triplet energy
      splitting of TADF molecules. According to our detailed analyses on the
      performance of SHs based on TD-DFT and TDA, the TDA-based parameter-free SH
      functionals, PBE0 and TPSS0, with one-third of exact-like exchange turned out to
      be the best performers in comparison to other functionals from various rungs to
      reproduce the experimental data of the benchmarked set. Such affordable SH
      approximations can thus be employed to predict and design the TADF molecules with
      low singlet-triplet energy gaps for OLED applications. From another perspective,
      considering this point that both the nonlocal exchange and correlation are
      essential for a more reliable description of large charge-transfer excited
      states, applicability of the functionals incorporating these terms, namely,
      parameterized and parameter-free DHs, has also been evaluated. Perusing the role
      of exact-like exchange, perturbative-like correlation, solvent effects, and other
      related factors, we find that the parameterized functionals B2pi-PLYP and B2GP
      PLYP and the parameter-free models PBE-CIDH and PBE-QIDH have respectable
      performance with respect to others. Lastly, besides the recommendation of
      reliable computational protocols for the purpose, hopefully this study can pave
      the way toward further developments of other SHs and DHs for theoretical
      explorations in the field of OLEDs technology.

PMID- 28641444
TI  - Toward Mentoring in Palliative Social Work: A Narrative Review of Mentoring
      Programs in Social Work.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mentoring by an experienced practitioner enhances professional well
      being, promotes resilience, and provides a means of addressing poor job
      satisfaction and high burnout rates among medical social workers. This is a
      crucial source of support for social workers working in fields with high risk of
      compassion fatigue and burnout like palliative care. Implementing such a program,
      however, is hindered by differences in understanding and application of mentoring
      practice. AIM: This narrative review of mentoring practice in social work seeks
      to identify key elements and common approaches within successful mentoring
      programs in social work that could be adapted to guide the design of new
      mentoring programs in medical social work. Methodology and Data Sources: A
      literature search of mentoring programs in social work between January 1, 2000,
      and December 31, 2015, using Pubmed, CINAHL, OVID, ERIC, Scopus, Cochrane and
      ScienceDirect databases, involving a senior experienced mentor and undergraduate
      and/or junior postgraduates, was carried out. A total of 1302 abstracts were
      retrieved, 22 full-text articles were analyzed, and 8 articles were included.
      RESULTS: Thematic analysis of the included articles revealed 7 themes pertaining
      to the mentoring process, outcomes and barriers, and the characteristics of
      mentoring relationships, mentors, mentees, and host organizations. DISCUSSION AND
      CONCLUSION: Common themes in prevailing mentoring practices help identify key
      elements for the design of an effective mentoring program in medical social work.
      We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings upon clinical
      practice in palliative care and on sustaining such a program.

PMID- 28641446
TI  - [Miscellaneous].

PMID- 28641445
TI  - Subcutaneous Botulinum Toxin Injection for Post-Thoracotomy Pain Syndrome in
      Palliative Care: A Case Report.
AB  - Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) is a traumatic neuropathy that can affect
      as many as 50% of patients undergoing thoracotomy. Patients are often refractory
      to conservative management and may require multiple analgesics for adequate pain
      control. Botulinum toxin, derived from Clostridium botulinum, has many uses in
      treating conditions involving spasticity, dystonia, chronic migraine, and a
      variety of pain disorders including neuropathies. Botulinum toxin type A
      injections may provide an alternative or adjunct to improve symptom management in
      patients with PTPS.

PMID- 28641448
TI  - Negative inotropism of terpenes on guinea pig left atrium: structure-activity
      relationships.
AB  - The aim of this work was to evaluate the pharmacological effect of seven
      structurally related terpenes on the contractility of cardiac muscle. The effect
      of terpenes was studied on isolated electrically driven guinea pig left atrium.
      From concentration-response curves for inotropic effect were determined the EC50
      and relative potency of such terpenes. Our results revealed that all terpenes,
      except phytol, showed ability to reduce the contractile response of guinea pig
      left atrium. Further, relative potency was directly related to the number of
      isoprene units and to the lipophilicity of the compounds. For example,
      sesquiterpenes farnesol and nerolidol showed higher relative potency when
      compared with the monoterpenes citronellol, geraniol and nerol. We can conclude
      that most of the evaluated terpenes showed a promising negative inotropism on the
      atrial muscle. Future studies are necessary to investigate their action
      mechanism.

PMID- 28641450
TI  - Musculoskeletal dysfunction in migraine patients.
AB  - Objective The aim of this project was to evaluate the prevalence and pattern of
      musculoskeletal dysfunctions in migraine patients using a rigorous methodological
      approach and validating an international consensus cluster of headache assessment
      tests. Methods A physiotherapist, blinded towards the diagnosis, examined 138
      migraine patients (frequent episodic and chronic), recruited at a specialised
      headache clinic, and 73 age and gender matched healthy controls following a
      standardised protocol. Eleven tests, previously identified in an international
      consensus procedure, were used to evaluate cervical and thoracic musculoskeletal
      dysfunctions. Results Primary analyses indicated statistically significant
      differences across groups for the total number of trigger points, flexion
      rotation test, thoracic screening, manual joint testing of the upper cervical
      spine, cranio-cervical flexion test, and reproduction and resolution. Ninety
      three percent of the assessed patients had at least three musculoskeletal
      dysfunctions. Post-hoc tests showed significant differences between episodic or
      chronic migraine patients and healthy controls, but not between migraine groups.
      Conclusions A standardised set of six physical examination tests showed a high
      prevalence of musculoskeletal dysfunctions in migraine patients. These
      dysfunctions support a reciprocal interaction between the trigeminal and the
      cervical systems as a trait symptom in migraine.

PMID- 28641449
TI  - The positive eating scale: relationship with objective health parameters and
      validity in Germany, the USA and India.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The prevailing focus regarding eating behaviour is on restriction,
      concern, worry and pathology. In contrast, the purpose of the present studies was
      to focus on a positive relationship with eating in non-clinical samples from
      Germany, the USA and India. DESIGN: In Study 1, the Positive Eating Scale (PES)
      was tested and validated in a large longitudinal sample (T1: N = 772; T2: N =
      510). In Study 2, the PES was tested in online samples from the USA, India and
      Germany (total N = 749). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health risk status was measured
      in Study 1 with objective health parameters (fasting serum glucose,
      triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood pressure, waist
      circumference, BMI). RESULTS: Study 1 revealed acceptable psychometric properties
      of the PES, internal consistency (alpha = .87), as well as test-retest
      reliability after six months (r = .67). Importantly, a positive relationship with
      eating was associated with decreased health risk factors six months later. In
      Study 2, the structure of the PES was confirmed for German, Indian and US
      American adults, suggesting validity across remarkably different eating
      environments. CONCLUSION: A positive relationship with eating might be a fruitful
      starting point for prevention and intervention programmes promoting physical and
      psychological health.

PMID- 28641451
TI  - Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality among migraineurs: A population-based
      study.
AB  - Background Sleep disturbances are closely related to migraine. Nevertheless,
      information regarding the impact of short sleep duration and poor sleep quality
      on the clinical presentation of migraine at population level is limited. Methods
      This study was a nationwide population-based survey on adults aged 19-69 years.
      Headache frequency (attacks/month) and intensity (visual analogue scale, 0-10)
      were documented. Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality were defined as
      average sleep duration <6 h/day and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score >5,
      respectively. The association of sleep parameters with headache frequency and
      intensity was analysed among migraineurs. Results Of 2695 participants, 143
      (5.3%) had migraine. Headache frequency was significantly higher among
      migraineurs with short sleep duration (2.0 [1.0-12.0] vs. 1.0 [0.3-4.0], p =
      0.048) and poor sleep quality (2.0 [0.6-4.7] vs. 1.0 [0.2-3.0], p = 0.009) than
      among those without. However, headache intensity was similar between migraineurs
      with short sleep duration and poor sleep quality. Multiple linear regression
      analyses revealed that short sleep duration was a significant contributing factor
      for headache frequency (beta = 0.210, p = 0.015). Conclusions Self-reported short
      sleep duration (<6 h per day) is associated with an increased headache frequency
      among migraineurs in a population-based setting.

PMID- 28641452
TI  - Anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities of Ixora brevifolia Benth.
      (Rubiaceae).
AB  - The crude extract and fractions from the branches of Ixora brevifolia, a tree
      found in the Brazilian Cerrado, were tested for anti-inflammatory and in vitro
      antiproliferative effects. The crude extract and n-hexane fraction exhibited
      significant inhibition of ear oedema in mice, while n-hexane-precipitated and
      chloroform fractions strongly inhibited the myeloperoxidase activity in ear
      tissue. The n-hexane and n-hexane-precipitated fractions showed strong growth
      inhibition for glioma cell line and the hydromethanolic fraction inhibited the
      growth of leukaemia cell line.

PMID- 28641454
TI  - Correction to: Ayurvedic college education, reifying biomedicine and the need for
      reflexivity.

PMID- 28641453
TI  - Accuracy of Limited-Montage Electroencephalography in Monitoring Postanoxic
      Comatose Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Continuous EEG (cEEG) monitoring may help to identify the small
      percentage of adults with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) who will regain
      consciousness if allowed sufficient time. However, the limited yield in this
      population has led some to question the cost-effectiveness cEEG monitoring in
      this population. We hypothesized that limited-montage cEEG could provide
      essentially the same neurophysiologic information at lower cost. In this proof of
      concept study, we aim to demonstrate the potentials of limited channel EEG in
      prognostication in postanoxic patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed cEEG
      data from cases monitored at our institution with conventional 21-channel EEG
      over a 6-month period. Twenty-eight cases were identified in which patients with
      HIE underwent cEEG for at least 24 hours. Gold-standard findings were determined
      by conventional visual analysis of the full cEEG, and 2 independent
      electroencephalographers scored the same data using only limited-montage (4
      channel) views. The sensitivity and specificity of limited-montage cEEG review
      were compared with conventional analysis. We also compared the relative costs of
      conventional and limited-montage EEG. RESULTS: Using 4-channel limited montage
      cEEG, reviewers were able to classify accurately background continuity (in 88%),
      background amplitude (in 81%), maximum background frequency (in 70%), periodic
      epileptiform discharges, including a seizure (in 92%) and sporadic discharges (in
      91%). All epileptiform features were detected with greater than 90% sensitivity
      and specificity. Eye movement artifact seen over bifrontal electrodes gave false
      positive detections of periodic epileptiform discharges in 31% of cases.
      CONCLUSIONS: Limited-channel continuous EEG monitoring can provide meaningful
      electrophysiological data that can be used for prognostication in postanoxic
      comatose patients. Limited channel EEG can be a cost-effective alternative to
      conventional EEG monitoring in post-anoxic comatose patients.

PMID- 28641455
TI  - Modulation of cisplatin cytotoxic activity against leiomyosarcoma cells by
      epigallocatechin-3-gallate.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect cisplatin in
      combination with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on leiomyosarcoma cells (LMS
      cells) in order to identify a less toxic but equally effective alternative.
      Assays for cell proliferation, colony formation efficiency, induction of
      apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were performed using the IC50 of cisplatin (8.6
      MUMU) as a reference value and a concentration of EGCG (30 MUMU) that caused a
      non-significant reduction in cell proliferation. Pre-treatment of cells with EGCG
      for 24 h before the addition of cisplatin increased cytotoxicity up to 8.5% (p <
      0.05) and the number of apoptotic cells by 40%. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate failed
      to alter S-phase cell cycle arrest induced by cisplatin and to modulate cisplatin
      effects on mitochondrial function. These results indicate that pre-treatment with
      EGCG could be used as an adjunctive therapy to maximise effectiveness of
      chemotherapy.

PMID- 28641456
TI  - A new antiviral pregnane from a gorgonian-derived Cladosporium sp. fungus.
AB  - A new pregnane, 3alpha-hydroxy-7-ene-6,20-dione (1), and five known steroids (2
      6), along with one known steroidal glycoside (7) were obtained from the fungus
      Cladosporium sp. WZ-2008-0042 cultured from a gorgonian Dichotella gemmacea
      collected from the South China Sea. The structure and absolute configuration of
      the new compound (1) were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic data and X
      ray diffraction data. The compound has a rare configuration of 3alpha-OH that is
      different from most of pregnanes. All of the isolated compounds were evaluated
      for their antiviral activities against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Among
      them, 1 exhibited potential antiviral activity with the IC50 value of 0.12 mM.

PMID- 28641457
TI  - Antiglioma pseurotin A from marine Bacillus sp. FS8D regulating tumour metabolic
      enzymes.
AB  - Pseurotin A was isolated from a culture of marine Bacillus sp. FS8D and showed to
      be active against the proliferation of four different glioma cells with IC50
      values of 0.51-29.3 MUM. It has been found that pseurotin A downregulated the
      expression of tumour glycolytic enzymes pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and lactate
      dehydrogenase 5 (LDH5) and upregulated the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase
      beta (PDHB), adenosine triphosphate synthase beta (ATPB) and cytochrome C (Cyto
      C), the important regulators for tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative
      phosphorylation. The data suggested that targeting multiple metabolic enzymes
      might be one of the antiglioma mechanisms of pseurotin A.

PMID- 28641459
TI  - A new ent-kaurane diterpene derivative from the stems of Eurya chinensis R.Br.
AB  - One new ent-kaurane diterpene derivative (1), along with four known diterpenes,
      was isolated from the stems of Eurya chinensis R.Br. The structure of the new
      compound was established by extensive analysis of mass spectrometric and 1D and
      2D NMR spectroscopic data. Compound 1 showed moderate anti-inflammatory
      activities with IC50 value of 8.12 MUM. This is the first example of diterpenoids
      with 4-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-hydroxyl-cyclohexanoyl substituent.

PMID- 28641460
TI  - Variability in strength of red yeast rice supplements purchased from mainstream
      retailers.
AB  - The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced manufacturing
      standards for dietary supplements, including red yeast rice, to assure their
      identity, purity, strength, and composition. One supplement commonly used to self
      treat high cholesterol, red yeast rice, may contain monacolin K, an ingredient
      identical to prescription lovastatin. We examined whether FDA's manufacturing
      standards led to standard concentrations of the statin monacolin K in red yeast
      rice supplements. We analyzed 28 brands of red yeast rice supplements by ultra
      high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-quadrupole time-of
      flight mass spectrometry for monacolin K content. Monacolin K was not detected in
      two brands. In the 26 brands that contained monacolin K, the quantity ranged more
      than 60-fold from 0.09 to 5.48 mg per 1200 mg of red yeast rice. Following the
      manufacturers' recommendations for daily servings, the quantity of monacolin K
      consumed per day would range more than 120-fold from 0.09 to 10.94 mg. Despite
      FDA manufacturing standards, strength and composition of red yeast rice
      supplements sold at mainstream retail stores in the United States remains
      unpredictable.

PMID- 28641461
TI  - The impact of data errors on the outcome of randomized clinical trials.
AB  - Background/aims Considerable human and financial resources are typically spent to
      ensure that data collected for clinical trials are free from errors. We
      investigated the impact of random and systematic errors on the outcome of
      randomized clinical trials. Methods We used individual patient data relating to
      response endpoints of interest in two published randomized clinical trials, one
      in ophthalmology and one in oncology. These randomized clinical trials enrolled
      1186 patients with age-related macular degeneration and 736 patients with
      metastatic colorectal cancer. The ophthalmology trial tested the benefit of
      pegaptanib for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and identified a
      statistically significant treatment benefit, whereas the oncology trial assessed
      the benefit of adding cetuximab to a regimen of capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and
      bevacizumab for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and failed to
      identify a statistically significant treatment difference. We simulated trial
      results by adding errors that were independent of the treatment group (random
      errors) and errors that favored one of the treatment groups (systematic errors).
      We added such errors to the data for the response endpoint of interest for
      increasing proportions of randomly selected patients. Results Random errors added
      to up to 50% of the cases produced only slightly inflated variance in the
      estimated treatment effect of both trials, with no qualitative change in the p
      value. In contrast, systematic errors produced bias even for very small
      proportions of patients with added errors. Conclusion A substantial amount of
      random errors is required before appreciable effects on the outcome of randomized
      clinical trials are noted. In contrast, even a small amount of systematic errors
      can severely bias the estimated treatment effects. Therefore, resources devoted
      to randomized clinical trials should be spent primarily on minimizing sources of
      systematic errors which can bias the analyses, rather than on random errors which
      result only in a small loss in power.

PMID- 28641462
TI  - Microbiological control and antibacterial action of a propolis-containing
      mouthwash and control of dental plaque in humans.
AB  - Propolis is a bee product with several biological properties. This study aimed at
      investigating a propolis-containing mouthwash, its organoleptic properties,
      microbial contamination and its antibacterial action in vitro. This mouthwash was
      assessed in vivo to control dental plaque in humans. The presence of
      microorganisms was analyzed and the minimum inhibitory concentration against
      Streptococcus mutans was determined. A comparative study was done in vivo using
      propolis, chlorhexidine, and propolis plus chlorhexidine in lower concentrations
      for 14 days. Dental plaque was analyzed by the Patient Hygiene Performance (PHP)
      index. The odontological product was yellow, cloudy, free of microbial
      contamination, and exerted an inhibitory action in vitro. Individuals who used a
      propolis-containing mouthwash for 14 consecutive days in combination or not to
      chlorhexidine showed a similar PHP index to chlorhexidine alone. The product
      exerted an antibacterial action in vitro and in vivo, exhibiting a positive
      action in the control of dental plaque.

PMID- 28641463
TI  - A new dimeric diarylpropane from Horsfieldia tetratepala.
AB  - Five compounds, including a new dimeric diarylpropane, were isolated from the
      petroleum ether extract of the twigs and leaves of Horsfieldia tetratepala. The
      structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis.
      Moreover, the antiproliferative activities of these compounds were tested on
      cancer cell lines, but none is active.

PMID- 28641464
TI  - Ultrasound-guided hydrodissection for assisting percutaneous microwave ablation
      of renal cell carcinomas adjacent to intestinal tracts: a preliminary clinical
      study.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the clinical application of
      hydrodissection under ultrasound (US) guidance for assisting percutaneous
      microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs)
      adjacent to the intestinal tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2014 to
      December 2016, clinical data from 24 patients with 25 RCCs were retrospectively
      analysed. Percutaneous MWA under the assistance of US-guided hydrodissection were
      performed to treat RCCs with a mean maximal diameter of 3.80 +/- 1.60 cm because
      the distance between the index tumour and the adjacent intestinal tracts were
      less than 0.5 cm on imaging. The separation success rate of the hydrodissection,
      technique efficacy rate of the MWA, local tumour progression (LTP),
      complications, and renal function including serum creatinine (Cr) and blood urea
      nitrogen (BUN) were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 28 sessions of hydrodissection
      and MWA procedures were performed (one procedure in 22 patients and two
      procedures in 3 patients), and the separation success rate was 100% (28/28). The
      technique efficacy rate was 100% (25/25), and no LTP occurred. One patient
      exhibited a major complication (4.2%). Minor complications in 5 patients (20.8%)
      and side effects in 12 patients (50.0%) occurred. Compared with the pre-MWA
      levels, there were no significant differences in serum Cr and BUN 1-day post-MWA
      and at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: US-guided hydrodissection assistance for
      percutaneous MWA could be a safe and effective alternative for selected patients
      with RCCs adjacent to the intestinal tracts and can achieve good local tumour
      control and renal function preservation.

PMID- 28641465
TI  - Initial evaluation of psychometric properties of a structured work task
      application for the Assessment of Work Performance in a constructed environment.
AB  - PURPOSE: The Swedish Social Insurance Administration has developed a new
      assessment tool for sickness insurance. This study is a part of the initial
      evaluation of the application, called the Assessment of Work Performance,
      Structured Activities, and focuses on evaluation of the psychometric properties
      of social validity, content validity, and utility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      was a qualitative study using semi-structured telephone interviews with
      occupational therapists. A convenience sample was used and participants who
      fulfilled inclusion criteria (n = 15) were interviewed. Data were analyzed using
      content analysis with a directed approach. RESULTS: The results indicate that the
      application provides valuable information and that it is socially valid.
      Assessors found work tasks suitable for a diverse group of clients and reported
      that clients accepted the assessments. Improvements were suggested, for example,
      expanding the application with more work tasks. CONCLUSION: The instrument has
      benefits; however, further development is desired. The use of a constructed
      environment in assessments may be a necessary option to supplement a real
      environment. But depending on organizational factors such as time and other
      resources, the participants had different opportunities to do so. Further
      evaluations regarding ecological validity are essential to ensure that
      assessments are fair and realistic when using constructed environments.
      Implications for rehabilitation This study indicates that assessment in a
      constructed environment can provide a secure and protected context for clients
      being assessed. Psychometric evaluations are a never-ending process and this
      assessment instrument needs further development. However, this initial evaluation
      provides guidance in development of the instrument but also what studies to give
      priority to. It is important to evaluate social validity in order to ensure that
      clients and assessors perceive assessment methods fair and meaningful. In this
      study, participants found the work tasks appropriate and usable when assessing
      their clients but client's perspective must also be included in following
      studies. This assessment instrument is the only activity-based assessment
      instrument within the Swedish Social Security Insurance. Psychometric evaluations
      are important since it affects so many individuals in Sweden.

PMID- 28641466
TI  - A model of lipid rearrangements during pore formation in the DPPC lipid bilayer.
AB  - CONTEXT: The molecular bases of pore formation in the lipid bilayer remain
      unclear, as do the exact characteristics of their sizes and distributions. To
      understand this process, numerous studies have been performed on model lipid
      membranes including cell-sized giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV). The effect of an
      electric field on DPPC GUV depends on the lipid membrane state: in the liquid
      crystalline phase the created pores have a cylinder-like shape, whereas in the
      gel phase a crack has been observed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to
      investigate the geometry of pores created in a lipid bilayer in gel and liquid
      crystalline phases in reference to literature experimental data. METHODS: A
      mathematical model of the pore in a DPPC lipid bilayer developed based on the law
      of conservation of mass and the assumption of constant volume of lipid molecules,
      independent of their conformation, allows for analysis of pore shape and
      accompanying molecular rearrangements. RESULTS: The membrane area occupied by the
      pore of a cylinder-like shape is greater than the membrane area occupied by lipid
      molecules creating the pore structure (before pore appearance). Creation of such
      pores requires more space, which can be achieved by conformational changes of
      lipid chains toward a more compact state. This process is impossible for a
      membrane in the most compact, gel phase. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: We show that
      the geometry of the pores formed in the lipid bilayer in the gel phase must be
      different from the cylinder shape formed in the lipid bilayer in a liquid
      crystalline state, confirming experimental studies. Furthermore, we characterize
      the occurrence of the 'buffer' zone surrounding pores in the liquid crystalline
      phase as a mechanism of separation of neighbouring pores.

PMID- 28641469
TI  - The effect of counselling on preconception lifestyle and awareness in Iranian
      women contemplating pregnancy: a randomized control trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the effect of counselling on
      preconception lifestyle and awareness about it in healthy women planning to get
      pregnant. METHODS: This study was conducted on 152 women aged 18-35 who planned
      to get pregnant within the next year. Using block randomization, the participants
      were assigned into a counselling and a control group (n = 76 per group). The
      intervention group attended six group counselling sessions, twice per week, over
      3 weeks. The preconception lifestyle questionnaire and preconception lifestyle
      awareness questionnaire were completed by the participants before the
      intervention and 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention. The repeated measure ANOVA
      was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The two groups were matching in terms of
      their sociodemographic characteristics and the baseline scores of preconception
      lifestyle and awareness about preconception lifestyle. The mean score of
      preconception lifestyle (adjusted mean difference = 0.17; 95% confidence interval
      = 0.13-0.21) and awareness about preconception lifestyle (7.8; 8.7-6.9) showed
      statistically significant improvements in the intervention group compared to the
      control group. CONCLUSIONS: Preconception lifestyle group counselling is
      associated with increased awareness and improved lifestyle in women planning to
      get pregnant.

PMID- 28641467
TI  - Green tea polyphenol EGCG causes anti-cancerous epigenetic modulations in acute
      promyelocytic leukemia cells.
AB  - Green tea (Camellia sinensis) catechin epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been
      shown to possess diverse anti-cancerous properties. We demonstrated EGCG ability
      to inhibit acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cell proliferation and cause
      apoptosis. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT
      qPCR) analysis revealed elevated expression of genes associated with cell cycle
      arrest and differentiation (p27, PCAF, C/EBPalpha, and C/EBPE). Furthermore, EGCG
      caused anti-cancerous epigenetic changes: downregulation of epigenetic modifiers
      DNMT1, HDAC1, HDAC2, and G9a was observed by RT-qPCR analysis. Reduced amount of
      H3K9me2 after treatment with EGCG confirmed G9a downregulation. Polycomb
      repressive complex 2 (PRC2) core components were also shown to be downregulated
      in gene and protein level. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis revealed
      that EGCG treatment enhanced hyperacetylated H4 and acetylated H3K14 histones
      binding to the promoter regions of p27, PCAF, C/EBPalpha, and C/EBPE and reduced
      binding effect to PRC2 core component genes EZH2, SUZ12, and EED. Our results
      indicate that EGCG, as cell proliferation inhibitor and epigenetic modifier,
      might be useful for APL treatment.

PMID- 28641468
TI  - Association between immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region mutational status
      and isolated favorable baseline genomic aberrations in chronic lymphocytic
      leukemia.
AB  - Immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IGHV) mutational status and karyotype
      abnormalities are important prognostic factors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
      (CLL). The goal was to assess the impact of IGHV in CLL patients with isolated
      favorable genetic aberrations (del13q, trisomy 12, or negative fluorescence in
      situ hybridization [FISH]). We studied 273 CLL patients with both IGHV mutational
      status and cytogenetic information: 145 with isolated del13q 49 with sole trisomy
      12 and 79 with negative FISH. After a median follow-up of 7.8 years, patients
      with del13q-unmutated IGHV had a shorter time to first treatment (TFT) (2.98 vs.
      17.44 years; p < .001) and shorter overall survival (10.45 years vs. not reached;
      p = .0026). Patients with negative FISH-unmutated IGHV had shorter TFT (p = .02)
      (3.10 vs. 9.75 years, p = .053). IGHV status did not influence clinical outcomes
      in trisomy 12 CLL. In conclusion, IGHV mutational status shows prognostic impact
      in CLL patients with good prognosis genomic features.

PMID- 28641470
TI  - Do psychosocial predictors affect the following days' cortisol awakening
      response? Expanding the temporal frame with which to explore morning cortisol.
AB  - Much of the extant cortisol awakening response (CAR) literature posits that CAR
      is an anticipatory response to perceived demands later that same day. However,
      expanding and switching the temporal order of cortisol and psychosocial
      influences may motivate more flexible approaches to understanding the dynamic
      relationship between mind and body, including cumulative strain on the HPA axis.
      This study was novel because we used two models to explore the effects of one
      day's emotion regulation and cortisol levels on cortisol and CAR the following
      day in 100 mildly stressed adults aged 50-81 years old, which contrasts with the
      more common CAR-anticipatory-response design. In the first model, High negative
      affect-variation on day 1 predicted a higher risk of having a flat CAR the next
      day, relative to the moderate-affect-variation group (RR = 10.10, p < .05). In
      the second model, higher bedtime cortisol on day 1 was positively associated with
      waking cortisol (beta = .293, p < .01) and flatter CAR slopes on day 2 (beta = 
      .422, p < .001). These results show that morning cortisol intercepts and slopes
      may be associated with previous days' affect variability and levels of bedtime
      cortisol. These results also suggest that anticipation of demands may extend to
      the previous day, rather than just the morning of the demand, indicating a
      broader temporal framework for the study of CAR.

PMID- 28641474
TI  - MYC gene rearrangement in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma does not confer a worse
      prognosis following dose-adjusted EPOCH-R.

PMID- 28641473
TI  - Co-targeting intracellular pH and essential amino acid uptake cooperates to
      induce cell death of T-ALL/LL cells.
AB  - Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to optimize their growth and
      proliferation in the host microenvironment. For this purpose, they enhance the
      uptake of extracellular nutrients and deal with the metabolic waste products
      through the overexpression of numerous membrane proteins including amino-acid
      transporters (LAT1) and acid-base regulating enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrases
      (CAs). Here we describe the anti-tumoral effects of a new class of CAXII
      inhibitors, the glycosyl coumarins on T-ALL/LL cells. These effects appeared to
      be mediated through inhibition of mTOR/Akt pathway and c-myc downregulation.
      Interestingly, we show that the combined targeting of amino acid fluxes and pH
      regulators provides a promising therapeutic strategy in the future of T-ALL/LL
      management.

PMID- 28641472
TI  - Long-term health-related quality of life in transplant-ineligible patients with
      newly diagnosed multiple myeloma receiving lenalidomide and dexamethasone.
AB  - The FIRST trial demonstrated that continuous therapy with lenalidomide and
      dexamethasone (Rd) prolongs overall survival (OS) and improves health-related
      quality of life (HRQoL) during the first 18 months of therapy in newly diagnosed
      multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients. However, patient-reported HRQoL data were not
      collected after 18 months. We therefore estimated HRQoL scores based on time
      varying data collected during progression-free follow-up after 18 months. During
      the initial 18 months of Rd, observed changes from baseline were within the 95%
      confidence interval of the predictive models at 33 of 35 time points across 7
      HRQoL scores. Predicted scores after 18 months of therapy showed that observed
      HRQoL improvements during therapy were maintained or improved. Therefore, the
      survival gain observed with Rd does not come at a cost of declining HRQoL during
      continuous therapy beyond 18 months, supporting long-term Rd as a standard of
      care for initial myeloma therapy.

PMID- 28641471
TI  - Evaluation of immunomodulatory effects of zearalenone in mice.
AB  - Zearalenone (ZEA) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium
      species. The toxicity of ZEA has been evaluated for reproductive and
      developmental effects; however, there is little evidence about its acute toxicity
      or general immunotoxicity. In the present study, immune regulatory functions were
      investigated in mice that had been exposed to ZEA (5 or 20 mg/kg BW) daily for 14
      days. Results showed that sub-populations of CD4+, CD8+ and CD11c+ cells in the
      spleen and CD4+, CD8+ and F4/80+ cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of ZEA
      (20 mg/kg)-exposed hosts were decreased compared to those in the control mice.
      However, CD19+ and CD11c+ cells were increased in the MLN of the ZEA mice and
      CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells were decreased in the spleen and MLN. There were
      differential changes in the immune cell populations of the small intestine of the
      ZEA mice as well, depending on small intestine location. In ex vivo experiments,
      ZEA treatments resulted in increased proliferative capacities of mitogen-induced
      splenocytes and MLN cells; such changes were paralleled by significant increases
      in interferon (IFN)-gamma production. With regard to serum isotypes, IgM levels
      were decreased and IgE levels were increased in the 20 mg/kg ZEA-treated mice.
      Mucosal IgA levels were decreased in the duodenum and vagina of these hosts.
      Serum analyzes also revealed that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha levels were
      decreased and interleukin (IL)-6 levels increased as a result of ZEA exposures.
      ZEA treatment also led to increased apoptosis in the spleen and Peyer's patches;
      these changes were associated with changes in the ratios of Bax:Bcl-2. Following
      priming with different TLR ligands, ZEA exposure led to differentially modulated
      TLR signaling and variable production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in
      RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Taken together, these results indicated that ZEA
      could alter the normal expression/function of different immune system components
      and this would likely lead to immunomodulation in situ.

PMID- 28641475
TI  - Care and not wealth is a predictor of wasting and stunting of 'The Coffee Kids'
      of Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The generation of cash from agricultural products is the mainstay of
      the livelihood of many households in developing countries. However, critics of
      cash cropping have highlighted its influence on dietary diversity and
      availability of food at the household level, eroding the potential for optimal
      child caring practices. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey was
      carried out in three randomly selected coffee-producing districts of Jimma Zone
      in southwest Ethiopia. The underlying causes of malnutrition, food access,
      hygiene and care were assessed using the household food insecurity access scale,
      morbidity reports and infant and young child feeding practice core indicators of
      the World Health Organization. Anthropometric data were converted into weight for
      age, height for age, body mass index for age and weight for height Z-scores to
      determine child nutritional outcomes. RESULTS: Prevalence of underweight,
      wasting, stunting and thinness were 14.2%, 9.1%, 24.1% and 9.9%, respectively.
      Multivariable logistic regression showed that children with suboptimal meal
      frequency were more than three times more likely to develop wasting (AOR = 3.3, p
      < 0.0001). Female children were twice as likely to develop wasting compared with
      males (AOR = 2.00, 4.1, p = 0.05). Children with suboptimal dietary diversity
      were almost four times as likely to develop stunting (AOR = 3.95, p < 0.0001).
      Those who were not exclusively breastfed during their first 6 months were almost
      five times as likely to develop stunting (AOR = 4.66, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS:
      The findings imply that in coffee-producing areas, child caring practices are
      stronger independent predictors of nutritional status than wealth or economic
      indicators alone.

PMID- 28641476
TI  - Direct medical costs of accidental falls for adults with transfemoral
      amputations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Active individuals with transfemoral amputations are provided a
      microprocessor-controlled knee with the belief that the prosthesis reduces their
      risk of falling. However, these prostheses are expensive and the cost
      effectiveness is unknown with regard to falls in the transfemoral amputation
      population. The direct medical costs of falls in adults with transfemoral
      amputations need to be determined in order to assess the incremental costs and
      benefits of microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees. OBJECTIVE: We describe
      the direct medical costs of falls in adults with a transfemoral amputation. STUDY
      DESIGN: This is a retrospective, population-based, cohort study of adults who
      underwent transfemoral amputations between 2000 and 2014. METHODS: A Bayesian
      structural time series approach was used to estimate cost differences between
      fallers and non-fallers. RESULTS: The mean 6-month direct medical costs of falls
      for six hospitalized adults with transfemoral amputations was US$25,652
      (US$10,468, US$38,872). The mean costs for the 10 adults admitted to the
      emergency department was US$18,091 (US$-7,820, US$57,368). CONCLUSION: Falls are
      expensive in adults with transfemoral amputations. The 6-month costs of falls
      resulting in hospitalization are similar to those reported in the elderly
      population who are also at an increased risk of falling. Clinical relevance
      Estimates of fall costs in adults with transfemoral amputations can provide
      policy makers with additional insight when determining whether or not to cover a
      prescription for microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees.

PMID- 28641478
TI  - Obituary: Dr Dimitri Tassiopoulos.

PMID- 28641477
TI  - Application of Whole Genome Sequencing Technology in the Investigation of Genetic
      Causes of Fetal, Perinatal, and Early Infant Death.
AB  - Death in the fetal, perinatal, and early infant age-group has a multitude of
      causes, a proportion of which is presumed to be genetic. Defining a specific
      genetic aberration leading to the death is problematic at this young age, due to
      limited phenotype-genotype correlation inherent in the underdeveloped phenotype,
      the inability to assess certain phenotypic traits after death, and the problems
      of dealing with rare disorders. In this study, our aim was to increase the yield
      of identification of a defined genetic cause of an early death. Therefore, we
      employed whole genome sequencing and bioinformatic filtering techniques as a
      comprehensive, unbiased genetic investigation into 16 fetal, perinatal, and early
      infant deaths, which had undergone a full autopsy. A likely genetic cause was
      identified in two cases (in genes; COL2A1 and RYR1) and a speculative genetic
      cause in a further six cases (in genes: ARHGAP35, BBS7, CASZ1, CRIM1, DHCR7,
      HADHB, HAPLN3, HSPG2, MYO18B, and SRGAP2). This investigation indicates that
      whole genome sequencing is a significantly enabling technology when determining
      genetic causes of early death.

PMID- 28641479
TI  - Norms and normalisation: understanding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
      queer youth, suicidality and help-seeking.
AB  - Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer transgender have
      elevated rates of suicidality. Despite the increased risk, there is a paucity of
      research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer help-seeking and
      suicidality. We report on a UK sequential exploratory, two-stage, mixed-method
      study. Stage 1 involved 29 online and face-to-face semi-structured interviews
      with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth aged 16-25 years old.
      Stage 2 utilised an online youth questionnaire employing a community-based
      sampling strategy (n = 789). Results indicated that participants only asked for
      help when they reached a crisis point because they were normalising their
      emotional distress. Those who self-harmed, had attempted or planned suicide or
      had experience of abuse related to their sexuality or gender were most likely to
      seek help. Results suggested that the reluctance to seek help was due to three
      interconnecting factors: negotiating sexuality, gender, mental health and age
      norms; being unable to talk about emotions; and coping and self-reliance.
      Policies aiming to prevent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth
      suicide recognise that norms and normalising processes connected to sexual
      orientation and gender identity are additional difficulties that youth have
      accessing mental health support.

PMID- 28641481
TI  - Septicaemia caused by Elizabethkingia-sp in a 'healthy' Sri Lankan man.

PMID- 28641480
TI  - How HIV patients construct liveable identities in a shame based culture: the case
      of Singapore.
AB  - This article interrogates the mainstream healthcare narrative that frames human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as a chronic disease, and triangulates it with the
      lived experiences of people with HIV in Singapore. It also examines how HIV
      patients reconstruct their identities after the diagnosis of HIV. Four HIV
      patients (two males and two females) were interviewed in depth by an experienced
      medical social worker. Findings revealed that even as the illness trajectory of
      HIV has shifted from a terminal condition to a chronic one, living with HIV
      continues to be fraught with difficulty as society, especially in the Asian
      context, perceives HIV with much fear and disapproval. The participants had an
      overwhelming sense of shame when they were initially diagnosed with HIV and they
      had to reconstruct a liveable identity by containing the shroud of shame,
      reinforcing their normative identities and constructing new ones. These
      strategies help them to keep their shame at bay. This paper also unpacks nuanced
      insights of shame experienced by Chinese HIV patients in an Asian city dominated
      by Confucian values.

PMID- 28641482
TI  - Insights into eukaryotic evolution from transmembrane domain lengths.
AB  - Biological membranes, comprised of proteins anchored by their trans-membrane
      domains (TMDs) creating a semi-permeable phase with lipid constituents, serve as
      'checkposts' for not only intracellular trafficking in eukaryotic cells but also
      for material transactions of all living cells with external environments.
      Hydropathy (or hydrophobicity) plots of 'bitopic' proteins (i.e. having single
      alpha-helical TMDs) are routinely utilized in biochemistry texts for predicting
      their TMDs. The number of amino acids (i.e. TMD length) embedded as alpha-helices
      may serve as indicators of thickness of biological membranes in which they reside
      under assumptions that are universally applied for fixing window sizes for
      identifying TMDs using hydropathy plots. In this work we explore variations in
      thickness of different eukaryotic biological membranes (reflected by TMD lengths
      of their resident proteins) over evolutionary time scales. Rigorous in silico
      analyses of over 23,000 non-redundant membrane proteins residing in different
      subcellular locations from over 200 genomes of fungi, plants, non-mammalian
      vertebrates and mammals, reveal that differences in plasma membrane and
      organellar TMD lengths have decreased over time (scales) of eukaryotic cellular
      evolution. While earlier work has indicated decreasing differences in TMD lengths
      with increasing 'perceived' organismal complexity, this work is the first report
      on TMD length variations as a function of evolutionary time of eukaryotic
      cellular systems. We report that differences in TMD lengths of bitopic proteins
      residing in plasma membranes and other intra-cellular locations have decreased
      with evolutionary time, suggesting better/more avenues of intracellular
      trafficking in the emergence of eukaryotic organisms.

PMID- 28641484
TI  - Protective effect of hesperetin against haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia
      and catalepsy in rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of hesperetin
      on haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy in Wistar male albino
      rats. METHODS: Haloperidol (1 mg/kg, ip) was administered for 21 successive days
      to induce orofacial dyskinesia and catalepsy. Hesperetin (50 and 100 mg/kg, po)
      was administered 10 min prior to the injection of haloperidol for 21 successive
      days. Vacuous chewing movements (VCMs), tongue protrusions, catalepsy, and
      locomotor activity scores were recorded on 7th, 14th, and 22nd day of drug
      treatment. After behavioral testing, animals were sacrificed and various
      biochemical parameters such as brain levels of dopamine, serotonin,
      malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione (GSH); and superoxide dismutase (SOD)
      and catalase activities were estimated. RESULTS: Chronic administration of
      haloperidol significantly increased VCMs, tongue protrusions, and catalepsy in
      rats. It also produced hypolocomotion in rats. Hesperetin significantly inhibited
      haloperidol-induced VCMs, tongue protrusions, and catalepsy. Haloperidol
      significantly increased brain levels of malondialdehyde, decreased brain GSH,
      SOD, and catalase activities; and also decreased brain dopamine and serotonin
      levels. Hesperetin significantly reversed haloperidol-induced increase in brain
      oxidative stress and decrease in brain dopamine and serotonin levels. DISCUSSION:
      Hesperetin significantly ameliorated haloperidol-induced orofacial dyskinesia and
      catalepsy possibly through alleviation of oxidative stress and increase in brain
      dopamine and serotonin levels. Thus, hesperetin may be explored further as a
      possible therapeutic agent for clinical management of neuroleptic drug-induced
      tardive dyskinesia.

PMID- 28641483
TI  - Good performance of platinum-based chemotherapy for high-grade
      gastroenteropancreatic and unknown primary neuroendocrine neoplasms.
AB  - To evaluate efficacy and safety of platinum and etoposide combination in the
      treatment of advanced gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) and unknown primary (CUP)
      neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC), we analysed the records of 21 consecutive
      patients treated with this regimen from 1999 to 2012. Objective responses were
      obtained in 11 patients (52%) and disease stability (DS) in 5 (24%). Median
      progression-free survival (PFS) was 7 months (95% CI, 5.33-8.66). Median overall
      survival (OS) was 16 months (95% CI, 14.97-17.03). Patients with limited liver
      disease had a significantly (p = 0.002) better PFS than patients with
      extrahepatic disease at diagnosis with 9 months (95% CI, 7.14-10.85) vs. 4 months
      (95% CI, 1.60-6.40). Two patients experienced durable complete response (30 and
      90 months). The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia (61%), anaemia
      (50%), nausea and vomiting (27%) and fatigue (22%). The platinum plus etoposide
      regimen has an acceptable toxicity profile and is effective in patients with GEP
      and CUP-NECs.

PMID- 28641485
TI  - Microarray-Based Gene Expression Analysis for Veterinary Pathologists: A Review.
AB  - High-throughput, genome-wide transcriptome analysis is now commonly used in all
      fields of life science research and is on the cusp of medical and veterinary
      diagnostic application. Transcriptomic methods such as microarrays and next
      generation sequencing generate enormous amounts of data. The pathogenetic
      expertise acquired from understanding of general pathology provides veterinary
      pathologists with a profound background, which is essential in translating
      transcriptomic data into meaningful biological knowledge, thereby leading to a
      better understanding of underlying disease mechanisms. The scientific literature
      concerning high-throughput data-mining techniques usually addresses
      mathematicians or computer scientists as the target audience. In contrast, the
      present review provides the reader with a clear and systematic basis from a
      veterinary pathologist's perspective. Therefore, the aims are (1) to introduce
      the reader to the necessary methodological background; (2) to introduce the
      sequential steps commonly performed in a microarray analysis including quality
      control, annotation, normalization, selection of differentially expressed genes,
      clustering, gene ontology and pathway analysis, analysis of manually selected
      genes, and biomarker discovery; and (3) to provide references to publically
      available and user-friendly software suites. In summary, the data analysis
      methods presented within this review will enable veterinary pathologists to
      analyze high-throughput transcriptome data obtained from their own experiments,
      supplemental data that accompany scientific publications, or public repositories
      in order to obtain a more in-depth insight into underlying disease mechanisms.

PMID- 28641486
TI  - Advances in meta-analysis methodologies contribute to advances in research
      accumulation: comments on Cheung & Hong and Johnson et al.

PMID- 28641487
TI  - MicroRNA-337 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer through
      directly targeting specificity protein 1.
AB  - Cervical cancer is the fourth most commonly occurring malignancy in females
      worldwide. Accumulated studies have demonstrated that the aberrant expression of
      microRNAs plays important roles in tumorigenesis and tumor development and
      potentially serves as therapeutic targets in various cancers including cervical
      cancer. Therefore, the identification of specific microRNAs contributed to
      cervical cancer formation and progression would provide critical clues for the
      treatments for patients with this disease. In this study, we aimed to detect
      microRNA-337 expression pattern and investigate the biological roles of microRNA
      337 in the regulation of the malignant phenotypes of cervical cancer and its
      underlying mechanisms. We found that microRNA-337 expression was significantly
      downregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. In addition, its
      aberrant expression levels were positively correlated with tumor size,
      International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, and lymph node
      metastasis of cervical cancer. The ectopic expression of microRNA-337 suppressed
      cell proliferation and invasion of cervical cancer in vitro. Furthermore,
      specificity protein 1 was identified as a direct target of microRNA-337 in
      cervical cancer. The expression of specificity protein 1 increased in cervical
      cancer tissues and negatively correlated with microRNA-337 expression level.
      Moreover, rescue experiments revealed that upregulation of specificity protein 1
      could rescue the effects of microRNA-337 on cervical cancer cells. Taken
      together, these findings collectively demonstrate that microRNA-337 exerts its
      tumor-suppressing roles in cervical cancer by directly targeting specificity
      protein 1, thereby indicating a potential novel potential therapeutic target for
      patients with cervical cancer.

PMID- 28641488
TI  - UCA1 involved in the metformin-regulated bladder cancer cell proliferation and
      glycolysis.
AB  - Despite great scientific advances have been achieved in cancer treatment in
      recent years, the death rate of bladder cancer has been staying at a high level.
      Metformin, a widely-used and low-cost diabetes medicine, might have the potential
      of anticancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of metformin on
      bladder cancer cells and to identify potential molecular targets and signaling
      pathways. Bladder cancer 5637 cells transfected with either pcDNA/UCA1 vector or
      pcDNA3.1 empty vector were treated with various doses of metformin for different
      periods of time, and then cell proliferation and glycolysis were assessed.
      Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting were applied
      to examine the expression of long non-coding RNA UCA1 and mammalian target of
      rapamycin-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway molecules. We
      found metformin inhibited bladder cancer cell proliferation in a dose- and time
      dependent manner. UCA1-overexpressed 5637 cells showed increased proliferation
      and glycolysis compared with control cells. Metformin downregulated both
      endogenous and exogenous UCA1 expression, leading to the inhibition of mammalian
      target of rapamycin-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3-hexokinase
      2 signaling pathway. Our study provided the first evidence that metformin
      inhibited proliferation and glycolysis in cancer cells through regulation of long
      non-coding RNA UCA1. The discovery also suggested the important roles of long non
      coding RNA in chemoprevention, which is a property of metformin.

PMID- 28641490
TI  - Preserved imitation in contrast to limited free application of comfortable hand
      actions in intellectually able young adults with an autism spectrum disorder.
AB  - Imitation problems are commonly reported in children with an autism spectrum
      disorder. However, it has not yet been determined whether imitation problems
      persist into young adulthood. In this study, we investigated imitation skills of
      20 intellectually able young adults with autism spectrum disorder relative to 19
      age-matched neurotypical adults. For this purpose, we used a bar-transport task,
      which evokes the application of the end-state comfort principle. Specifically, we
      examined whether young adults with autism spectrum disorder imitated the means
      end structure of a demonstrator's bar-transport action with and without
      application of the end-state comfort principle (imitation task). In addition, we
      examined whether participants spontaneously applied the end-state comfort
      principle during a similar bar-transport task (free execution task). Results
      revealed that young adults with autism spectrum disorder imitated the means-end
      structure of observed actions to the same degree as neurotypical adults ( p =
      0.428). In contrast, they applied the end-state comfort principle less often
      during free executed actions ( p = 0.035). Moreover, during these actions, they
      were slower to place the bar into the penholder ( p = 0.023), which contributed
      to the reduced efficiency of their performance. Findings suggest that imitation
      abilities of young adults with autism spectrum disorder are preserved and that
      observing others' actions might promote more efficient action planning in this
      population.

PMID- 28641489
TI  - Screening of several biological activities induced by different sesquiterpene
      lactones isolated from Centaurea behen L. and Rhaponticum repens (L.) Hidalgo.
AB  - This study aims to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxic, in vitro and in ovo anti
      angiogenic effects and antimicrobial activity of sesquiterpene lactones (SLs)
      from two plants Centaurea behen and Rhaponticum repens (L.). Five SLs, including
      cynaropicrin (1), 4beta,15-dehydro-3-dehydrosolstitialin A (2), aguerin B (3),
      janerin (4), cebellin E (5), and a flavone hispidulin (6) were isolated from C.
      behen (compounds 1-3) and R. repens (compounds 4-6). Cynaropicrin (1) and aguerin
      B (3) were characterised by strong cytotoxic activities against A2780 cells with
      IC50 values of 1.15 and 1.62 MUg mL-1, respectively, comparable to that of
      doxorubicin (IC50 = 1.17 MUg mL-1). The anti-angiogenic study showed the
      remarkable inhibitory effect of cynaropicrin (1) and aguerin B (3) on the
      proliferation and migration of HUVECs. In addition, cynaropycrin and aguerin B
      exhibited significant angio-inhibitory effects in CAM assay. These findings may
      be useful for the development of novel chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment
      of cancer.

PMID- 28641491
TI  - Nicotine and cigarette smoke modulate Nrf2-BDNF-dopaminergic signal and
      neurobehavioral disorders in adult rat cerebral cortex.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nicotine and cigarette smoking (CS) are associated with addiction
      behavior, drug-seeking, and abuse. However, the mechanisms that mediate this
      association especially, the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF),
      dopamine (DA), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling
      in the cerebral cortex, are not fully known. Therefore, we hypothesized that
      overexpression of BDNF and DA, and suppression of Nrf2 contribute to several
      pathological and behavioral alterations in adult cerebral cortex.
      Methodology/Principal Observations: We treated Wistar rats with different doses
      of oral nicotine and passive CS for 4-week (short-term) and 12-week (long-term)
      duration, where doses closely mimic the human smoking scenario. Our result showed
      dose-dependent association of anxiogenic and depressive behavior, and cognitive
      interference with neurodegeneration and DNA damage in the cerebral cortex upon
      exposure to nicotine/CS as compared to the control. Further, the results are
      linked to upregulation of oxidative stress, overexpression of BDNF, DA, and DA
      marker, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), with concomitant downregulation of ascorbate
      and Nrf2 expression in the exposed cerebral cortex when compared with the
      control. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Overall, our data strongly suggest that the
      intervention of DA and BDNF, and depletion of antioxidants are important factors
      during nicotine/CS-induced cerebral cortex pathological changes leading to
      neurobehavioral impairments, which could underpin the novel therapeutic
      approaches targeted at tobacco smoking/nicotine's neuropsychological disorders
      including cognition and drug addiction.

PMID- 28641492
TI  - The Economy and Suicide.

PMID- 28641494
TI  - Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire in people with schizophrenia:
      construct validity of the Portuguese versions.
AB  - PURPOSE: People with schizophrenia have low physical activity levels that can be
      explained by the restriction in motivation. The Behavioural Regulation in
      Exercise Questionnaire-2 is a 19-item scale commonly used to assess five
      different motivational subtypes for physical activity. However, there are limited
      psychometric analyses of this version in the schizophrenia context. Moreover,
      there is a lack of information related to the psychometric properties of version
      3 of this questionnaire, with 24 items and six different motivational subtypes.
      The aim of this study was to examine the construct validity of both Portuguese
      versions in people with schizophrenia. METHODS: A total of 118 persons with
      schizophrenia were included (30 women). Cronbach's alpha was used for internal
      consistency, Pearson's correlation for the retained motivation-types,
      confirmatory factor analysis for the structural validity of version 2 and
      exploratory factor analysis for the factor structure of version 3. RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of version 2 provided an adequate fit index for the
      structure of the five factors. Exploratory analyses suggested retaining 2 factors
      of version 3. The results of this study suggest that version 3 was an appropriate
      measure to assess controlled and autonomous motivation for physical activity in
      people with schizophrenia and support its use in clinical practice and research.
      Implications for Rehabilitation This study supports the need to identify the
      reasons why people with schizophrenia practice physical activity. For that
      purpose, it is important to use valid and cost-effective instruments. The
      Portuguese version of BREQ-2 confirmed a 5-factor model and showed adequate fit
      for the application in people with schizophrenia. However, the incremental
      indices values were lower than expected. The Portuguese version of BREQ-3 showed
      acceptable psychometric properties to assess controlled and autonomous motivation
      for physical activity in people with schizophrenia.

PMID- 28641495
TI  - Mixing local anaesthetics, corticosteroid, and ketorolac tromethamine leads to no
      extreme pH or precipitation.

PMID- 28641497
TI  - A Neuropsychiatric Analysis of the Cotard Delusion.
AB  - Cotard's syndrome, a condition in which the patient denies his or her own
      existence or the existence of body parts, is a rare illness that has been
      reported in association with several neuropsychiatric diagnoses. The majority of
      published literature on the topic is in the form of case reports, many of which
      are several years old. The authors evaluated associated diagnoses, neuroimaging,
      and treatments recorded in patients diagnosed with Cotard's syndrome at their
      institution. A search of the Mayo Clinic database for patients with mention of
      signs and symptoms associated with Cotard's in their records between 1996 and
      2016 was conducted. The electronic medical records of the identified patients
      were then reviewed for evidence of a true diagnosis of Cotard's. Clinical and
      neuroimaging data were also recorded for these patients. The search identified 18
      patients, 14 of whom had Cotard delusions. Two of the 14 were excluded due to
      them being under age 18. The resulting 12 patients had a median age of 52 years
      (range: 30-85 years). On neuroimaging, four patients exhibited frontal lobe
      changes, four demonstrated generalized volume loss, and five had ischemic
      changes; seven patients demonstrated right-sided or bilateral hemisphere lesions.
      Treatments included ECT, pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, psychotherapy,
      rehydration, and removal of offending drugs. To conclude, Cotard delusions occur
      in the context of a relatively wide spectrum of neurological, psychiatric, and
      medical disorders and present with various neural changes. Nondominant hemisphere
      lesions may play a role in the pathophysiology. A number of effective treatments
      are available.

PMID- 28641496
TI  - Guanfacine Attenuates Adverse Effects of Dronabinol (THC) on Working Memory in
      Adolescent-Onset Heavy Cannabis Users: A Pilot Study.
AB  - The cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) agonist Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the
      main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, adversely effects working memory
      performance in humans. The alpha2A-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist guanfacine improves
      working memory performance in humans. The authors aimed to determine the effects
      of short-term (6 days) treatment with guanfacine on adverse cognitive effects
      produced by THC. Employing a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design,
      the cognitive, subjective, and cardiovascular effects produced by oral THC (20
      mg) administration were determined twice in the same cannabis users: once after
      treatment with placebo and once after treatment with guanfacine (3 mg/day).
      Compared with performance at baseline, THC negatively affected accuracy on
      spatial working memory trials while participants were maintained on placebo
      (p=0.012) but not guanfacine (p=0.497); compared with placebo, accuracy was
      significantly (p=0.003, Cohen's d=-0.640) improved while individuals were treated
      with guanfacine. Similarly, compared with baseline, THC increased omission errors
      on an attentional task while participants were maintained on placebo (p=0.017)
      but not on guanfacine (p=0.709); compared with placebo, there were significantly
      (p=0.034, Cohen's d=0.838) fewer omissions while individuals were maintained on
      guanfacine. Although THC increased visual analog scores of subjective effects and
      heart rate, these increases were similar during treatment with placebo and
      guanfacine. THC did not significantly affect performance of a recognition memory
      task or blood pressure while individuals were maintained on either treatment.
      Although preliminary, these results suggest that guanfacine warrants further
      testing as a potential treatment for cannabis-induced cognitive deficits.

PMID- 28641498
TI  - Glucocorticoid Receptor Genetic Variants and Response to Fluoxetine in Major
      Depressive Disorder.
AB  - Hyperactivity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis is one of
      the main clinical findings in depression. The HPA axis is interrelated with
      glucocorticoid signaling via glucocorticoid receptors (GCRs). Thus, functional
      genetic variants on GCRs might influence therapeutic outcomes in depression. The
      aim of the present study was to investigate the association between three
      functional polymorphisms (rs41423247, rs6195, and rs6189/rs6190) on GCR and
      response to fluoxetine in a group of depressed patients. One hundred newly
      diagnosed patients completed 6 weeks of fluoxetine treatment. Response to
      treatment was defined as a 50% decrease in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
      score. Variants of rs41423247, rs6195, and rs6189/rs6190 polymorphisms were
      determined in extracted DNAs using PCR-RFLP method. Regarding rs41423247
      polymorphism, carriers of the CG and GG genotype responded significantly better
      to fluoxetine compared with CC carriers (p=0.008, OR=3.3, 95% CI=1.35-8.07).
      Moreover, the G allele of rs41423247 polymorphism was strongly associated with
      response to fluoxetine (p=0.032, OR=2.2, 95% CI=1.09-4.44). There was no
      significant association between different genotypes and alleles of rs6195,
      rs6189/rs6190 variants, and response to fluoxetine (p=0.213 and 0.99,
      respectively). In conclusion, rs41423247 polymorphism might be a predictor for
      better response to fluoxetine. These findings support the idea that some variants
      of the GCR might contribute to interindividual variability of response to
      antidepressants.

PMID- 28641499
TI  - A comprehensive model for heat-induced radio-sensitisation.
AB  - Combined radiotherapy (RT) and hyperthermia (HT) treatments may improve treatment
      outcome by heat induced radio-sensitisation. We propose an empirical cell
      survival model (AlphaR model) to describe this multimodality therapy. The model
      is motivated by the observation that heat induced radio-sensitisation may be
      explained by a reduction in the DNA damage repair capacity of heated cells. We
      assume that this repair is only possible up to a threshold level above which
      survival will decrease exponentially with dose. Experimental cell survival data
      from two cell lines (HCT116, Cal27) were considered along with that taken from
      the literature (baby hamster kidney [BHK] and Chinese hamster ovary cells [CHO])
      for HT and combined RT-HT. The AlphaR model was used to study the dependence of
      clonogenic survival on treatment temperature, and thermal dose R2 >= 0.95 for all
      fits). For HT survival curves (0-80 CEM43 at 43.5-57  degrees C), the number of
      free fit AlphaR model parameters could be reduced to two. Both parameters
      increased exponentially with temperature. We derived the relative biological
      effectiveness (RBE) or HT treatments at different temperatures, to provide an
      alternative description of thermal dose, based on our AlphaR model. For combined
      RT-HT, our analysis is restricted to the linear quadratic arm of the model. We
      show that, for the range used (20-80 CEM43, 0-12 Gy), thermal dose is a valid
      indicator of heat induced radio-sensitisation, and that the model parameters can
      be described as a function thereof. Overall, the proposed model provides a
      flexible framework for describing cell survival curves, and may contribute to
      better quantification of heat induced radio-sensitisation, and thermal dose in
      general.

PMID- 28641500
TI  - Levels of 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn in random urine are consistent with 24 h urine
      in healthy subjects and patients with renal disease.
AB  - Oxidatively generated damage to nucleic acids may play an important role in the
      pathophysiological processes of a variety of diseases. 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'
      deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dGsn) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxo-Gsn) are
      oxidatively generated products of DNA and RNA, respectively. Our previous studies
      have suggested that the amounts of 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn in urine were
      considerably higher than other body fluid or tissue. The aim of this study was to
      investigate whether 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn levels in random urine samples are
      consistent with those in 24 h urine samples in healthy subjects and patients with
      renal disease. A total of 16 healthy subjects and 104 renal disease patients were
      enrolled in this study, and their random and 24 h urine samples were collected.
      The levels of urinary 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn were quantified by LC-MS/MS and
      corrected by creatinine. Regardless of healthy subjects or renal disease
      patients, the levels of oxidised nucleosides in random urine samples were
      consistent with 24 h urine samples. Regardless of the age bracket, there is no
      significant difference between random samples and 24 h urine samples. In
      conclusion, 8-oxo-dGsn and 8-oxo-Gsn levels in random urine samples could replace
      those in 24 h urine samples, and were considered as the representative of the
      level of systemic oxidative stress for the whole day.

PMID- 28641501
TI  - Hematological Characterizations and Molecular Diagnostic Aspects of Hb Wiangpapao
      [alpha44(CE2)Pro->Ser (alpha1), CCG>TCG; HBA1: c.133C>T], a New alpha-Globin
      Variant Found in a Pregnant Thai Woman.
AB  - We report the hematological parameters and provide a rapid molecular analysis
      method for detection of Hb Wiangpapao [alpha44(CE2)Pro->Ser, CCG>TCG; HBA1:
      c.133C>T], a new alpha-globin variant found in a pregnant Thai woman. Her red
      cell indices were measured by an automated blood counter. The results were: red
      blood cell (RBC) count 4.03 * 1012/L, Hb 13.1 (g/dL), packed cell volume (PCV)
      0.39 L/L, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 97.0 fL, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (Hb)
      (MCH) 32.5 pg, mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC) 33.4 g/dL, and RBC
      distribution width (RDW) 9.4%. The Hb typing by high performance liquid
      chromatography (HPLC) showed 13.6% abnormal Hb at a retention time of 2.20 min.
      that was difficult to distinguish from Hb A. On the capillary electrophoresis
      (CE) electropherogram, this hemoglobinopathy peak did not separate from the Hb A
      peak. DNA sequencing showed a C>T transition at the first position of codon 44
      (CCG>TCG) of the alpha1-globin gene that led to a substitution of proline for
      serine. This mutation has not been recorded in the public databases. Therefore,
      we named it Hb Wiangpapao as it was first discovered in the Wiangpapao District,
      Chiang Rai, Thailand. The multiplex allele-specific polymerase chain reaction
      (ASPCR) for detection of Hb Wiangpapao was developed and revealed a 510 bp
      specifically amplified fragment. The better understanding of hematological
      characterizations and the newly developed multiplex ASPCR for diagnosis of Hb
      Wiangpapao are useful for genetic counseling and family education.

PMID- 28641502
TI  - Ordering theories: Typologies and conceptual frameworks for sociotechnical
      change.
AB  - What theories or concepts are most useful at explaining socio technical change?
      How can - or cannot - these be integrated? To provide an answer, this study
      presents the results from 35 semi-structured research interviews with social
      science experts who also shared more than two hundred articles, reports and books
      on the topic of the acceptance, adoption, use, or diffusion of technology. This
      material led to the identification of 96 theories and conceptual approaches
      spanning 22 identified disciplines. The article begins by explaining its research
      terms and methods before honing in on a combination of fourteen theories deemed
      most relevant and useful by the material. These are: Sociotechnical Transitions,
      Social Practice Theory, Discourse Theory, Domestication Theory, Large Technical
      Systems, Social Construction of Technology, Sociotechnical Imaginaries, Actor
      Network Theory, Social Justice Theory, Sociology of Expectations, Sustainable
      Development, Values Beliefs Norms Theory, Lifestyle Theory, and the Unified
      Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. It then positions these theories in
      terms of two distinct typologies. Theories can be placed into five general
      categories of being centered on agency, structure, meaning, relations or norms.
      They can also be classified based on their assumptions and goals rooted in
      functionalism, interpretivism, humanism or conflict. The article lays out tips
      for research methodology before concluding with insights about technology itself,
      analytical processes associated with technology, and the framing and
      communication of results. An interdisciplinary theoretical and conceptual
      inventory has much to offer students, analysts and scholars wanting to study
      technological change and society.

PMID- 28641503
TI  - Embolization of a large progressive symptomatic desmoid tumor in the rectus
      muscle of a female patient with multiple sclerosis: a case report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Desmoid tumors are benign tumors, yet can lead to significant
      morbidity due to aggressive local expansions. Treatment starts with a wait-and
      see policy, however, more aggressive treatments like broad margin resection
      surgery might be necessary in case of tumor progression. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We
      report the case of a 26-year-old female with a symptomatic desmoid tumor in the
      left rectus muscle. The initial wait-and-see policy led to an increase in tumor
      size and progression of symptoms. Computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a
      dominant arterial blood supply via a branch of the inferior epigastric artery. We
      then performed a super selective embolization of the dominant arterial blood
      supply, to avoid the need for broad margin resection. RESULTS: At three months
      follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      showed no residual tumor. At nine months follow-up, MRI scan reconfirmed the
      successful outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Embolization of a primary supplying vessel of a
      desmoid tumor is a viable treatment option. However, scientific evidence remains
      limited and further research is mandatory for inclusion in evidence based
      treatment algorithms.

PMID- 28641504
TI  - Nutrition and Health editorial.

PMID- 28641505
TI  - In Utero Exposure to Di( n-butyl)phthalate Induces Morphological and Biochemical
      Changes in Rats Postpuberty.
AB  - Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered di( n-butyl)phthalate (DBP;
      100 mg/kg/day) on gestation days (GD) 12 to 21. We investigated the male
      offspring and probed morphological alterations in Sertoli cells at 7, 9, 14, and
      17 weeks of age. Parameters assessed in this study included offspring number, sex
      ratios, body weights, testis weights, seminiferous tubule (ST) profile numbers
      and diameters, number of vimentin-labeled Sertoli cells, and both testosterone
      and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Testicular weight/body weight
      ratios and the numbers and diameters of ST in maximum transverse testicular
      sections were statistically similar at weeks 7 and 9; however, at weeks 14 and
      17, they were statistically different and displayed higher BrdU-positive Sertoli
      cells/Sertoli cell ratios in the DBP treatment group. Noteworthily, the serum FSH
      levels were higher and testicular testosterone levels were lower in the DBP
      treatment group. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to report that
      in utero DBP exposure significantly increased Sertoli cell numbers and their
      cellular proliferation from postpuberty to adulthood, with a significant decrease
      in testicular testosterone and an increase in FSH.

PMID- 28641506
TI  - Regulatory Forum Opinion Piece*: Imaging Applications in Toxicologic Pathology
      Recommendations for Use in Regulated Nonclinical Toxicity Studies.
AB  - Available imaging systems for use in preclinical toxicology studies increasingly
      show utility as important tools in the toxicologic pathologist's armamentarium,
      permit longitudinal evaluation of functional and morphological changes in
      tissues, and provide important information such as organ and lesion volume not
      obtained by conventional toxicology study parameters. Representative examples of
      practical imaging applications in toxicology research and preclinical studies are
      presented for ultrasound, positron emission tomography/single-photon emission
      computed tomography, optical, magnetic resonance imaging, and matrix-assisted
      laser desorption ionization-imaging mass spectrometry imaging. Some of the
      challenges for making imaging systems good laboratory practice-compliant for
      regulatory submission are presented. Use of imaging data on a case-by-case basis
      as part of safety evaluation in regulatory submissions is encouraged.

PMID- 28641508
TI  - Is Longevity a Heritable Trait? Evidence for Non-genomic Influence from an
      Extended Longevity Phenotype of Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although genetic variations are heritable, some quantitative traits
      like longevity may have non-genomic influence on heritability. Laboratory
      selected inbred strains of extended longevity phenotype of Drosophila offer an
      opportunity to study the inheritance of longevity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the
      study was to examine the heritability of longevity in an extended longevity
      phenotype of Drosophila melanogaster using reciprocal cross effects in F1 and F2
      generations. METHODS: Lifespan variations of virgin and mated flies in parent, F1
      and F2 generations were investigated using reciprocal crosses between normal and
      long lifespan lines of inbred population of D. melanogaster. Heterosis, narrow
      sense heritability, recombination loss, maternal effect and overdominance with
      respect to survivorship in virgin and mated flies were analyzed. RESULTS: Virgin
      flies lived longer than mated flies. There was no significant effect of mid
      parent heterosis, recombination loss and overdominance on variations in
      longevity, whereas, significant maternal effect and narrow-sense heritability
      were observed in mated and virgin flies, respectively. CONCLUSION: Absence of
      heterosis in our study population of Drosophila phenotypes could be due to the
      lack of genetic heterogeneity. The heritability of the longevity trait in an
      inbred extended longevity phenotype depends on the variations in genetic and
      environmental factors.

PMID- 28641507
TI  - The ACVP/STP Coalition for Veterinary Pathology Fellows Celebrates 32 New
      Training Positions.
AB  - Since its creation in 2004, the Coalition for Veterinary Pathology Fellows, a
      partnership between the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and the
      Society of Toxicologic Pathology, has established 32 new training positions
      backed by US$7.4 million in financial support from private sponsors.

PMID- 28641509
TI  - Brain Information Sharing During Visual Short-Term Memory Binding Yields a Memory
      Biomarker for Familial Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) as a disconnection syndrome which disrupts
      both brain information sharing and memory binding functions. The extent to which
      these two phenotypic expressions share pathophysiological mechanisms remains
      unknown. OBJECTIVE: To unveil the electrophysiological correlates of integrative
      memory impairments in AD towards new memory biomarkers for its prodromal stages.
      METHODS: Patients with 100% risk of familial AD (FAD) and healthy controls
      underwent assessment with the Visual Short-Term Memory binding test (VSTMBT)
      while we recorded their EEG. We applied a novel brain connectivity method
      (Weighted Symbolic Mutual Information) to EEG data. RESULTS: Patients showed
      significant deficits during the VSTMBT. A reduction of brain connectivity was
      observed during resting as well as during correct VSTM binding, particularly over
      frontal and posterior regions. An increase of connectivity was found during VSTM
      binding performance over central regions. While decreased connectivity was found
      in cases in more advanced stages of FAD, increased brain connectivity appeared in
      cases in earlier stages. Such altered patterns of task-related connectivity were
      found in 89% of the assessed patients. CONCLUSIONS: VSTM binding in the prodromal
      stages of FAD are associated to altered patterns of brain connectivity thus
      confirming the link between integrative memory deficits and impaired brain
      information sharing in prodromal FAD. While significant loss of brain
      connectivity seems to be a feature of the advanced stages of FAD increased brain
      connectivity characterizes its earlier stages. These findings are discussed in
      the light of recent proposals about the earliest pathophysiological mechanisms of
      AD and their clinical expression.

PMID- 28641510
TI  - Recent Advances on the Role of Neurogenesis in the Adult Brain: Therapeutic
      Potential in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Generation of nascent functional neurons from neural stem cells in
      the adult brain has recently become largely accepted by the neuroscience
      community. In adult mammals including humans, the process of neurogenesis has
      been well documented in two brain regions; the subventricular zone of the lateral
      ventricles and the subgranular zone in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.
      METHOD: Some evidence has indicated neurogenesis in other regions of the adult
      mammalian brain such as the neocortex, cerebellum, striatum, amygdala and
      hypothalamus. These discoveries question a long standing dogma on nervous system
      regeneration and provide medical science with potential new strategies to harness
      the process of neurogenesis for treating neurological disabilities and
      neurodegenerative diseases. CONCLUSION: In this current review, we address the
      most recent advances on the role of neurogenesis in the adult brain and
      therapeutic potential in the two most common neurodegenerative disorders,
      Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

PMID- 28641511
TI  - Microbial Lipase Mediated by Health Beneficial Modification of Cholesterol and
      Flavors in Food Products: A Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The tremendous need of lipase for varied applications in
      biotechnology increases its economical value in food and allied industries.
      Patents suggest that lipase has an impressive number of applications viz.
      enhancements of flavor in food products (Cheese, butter, alcoholic beverages,
      milk chocolate and diet control food stuffs), detergent industry in removing oil,
      grease stain, organic chemical processing, textile industry, oleochemical
      industry, cosmetic industry and also as therapeutic agents in pharmaceutical
      industries. OBJECTIVE: This communication extends the frontier of lipase
      catalyzed benefits to human body by lowering serum cholesterol and enhancement of
      flavor in different food products. METHODS: Among all, multiple innovations going
      on in the field of lipase applications are widening its scope in food industries
      consistently. Therefore, in the present work an effort has been made to explore
      the utilization of lipase in the field of food product enhancement. RESULTS:
      Supplementation of food products with lipase results in modification of its
      physical, chemical and biochemical properties by enhancing its therapeutic
      activity. CONCLUSION: Lipases are the most important enzymes used in food
      industries. They are utilized as industrial catalysts for lipid hydrolysis.
      Because of lipases hydrolysis nature it is widely exploited to catalyze lipids or
      fats in different food products and enhancement of food flavors.

PMID- 28641512
TI  - Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Based Approach to Explore the
      Dual Inhibitor Against HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase and Integrase.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HIV integrase (IN) and reverse transcriptase (RT) are key enzymes for
      the replication of HIV-1. DNA polymerase and ribonuclease H (RNase H) are the two
      catalytic domains of HIV-1 RT which are validated as drug targets because of
      their essence for replication. IN and RNase H domain of RT shares striking
      structural similarity; it contains conserved DDE triad (two aspartates and one
      glutamate) and a pair of divalent Mg2+/Mn2+ ions at their catalytic core domain.
      OBJECTIVE: To search for novel compounds with dual inhibition of IN and RNase H
      for the drug development against both wild and drug-resistant strains of HIV.
      METHODS: In the present work, attempts have been made to search compounds against
      both IN and the RNase H domain of RT. Using structure-based virtual screening
      approach; Asinex database of small molecules was screened against the viral IN.
      Top thirty ranked hits obtained, were further evaluated against RNase H domain of
      RT using Extra Precision (XP) mode of Glide docking. Furthermore, eleven common
      potential hits were observed which were subjected to the in-silico prediction of
      drug-likeness properties. Later on, molecular dynamics simulation was performed
      for the best common active hit (AS6), in the complex with selected enzymes.
      RESULT: In silico screening of Asinex database compounds against IN and RNase H
      resulted in total seven compounds namely AS3, AS5, AS6, AS15, AS17, AS18, and
      AS20 having dual inhibition activity. CONCLUSION: This study warrants the dual
      inhibition activity of AS6 against IN and RNase H confirms its anti-HIV activity.

PMID- 28641513
TI  - Antioxidant, Antigenotoxic and Cytotoxic Activity of Anthocephalus cadamba
      (Roxb.) Miq. Bark Fractions and their Phytochemical Analysis using UPLC-ESI-QTOF
      MS.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anthocephalus cadamba is used in traditional and folklore medicinal
      system. OBJECTIVES: In order to validate its traditional medicinal claim, the
      present study was designed to assess antioxidant, antigenotoxic and cytotoxic
      activity of fractions from Anthocephalus cadamba bark and to identify their
      active phytoconstituents. METHODS: The four fractions viz. hexane (HACB),
      chloroform (CACB), ethylacetate (EACB) and nbutanol (NACB) were fractionated from
      the crude methanol extract from bark of A. cadamba. All fractions were evaluated
      for antiradical efficacy using various in vitro antioxidant assays and for
      antigenotoxicity by SOS chromotest using E. coli PQ37 tester strain. Cytotoxic
      potential was checked using MTT assay. RESULTS: Among the four fractions, EACB
      and NACB exhibited promising radical quenching potential in DPPH, ABTS,
      superoxide anion radical scavenging and pBR322 plasmid DNA nicking assays. All
      the fractions were evaluated for genotoxic and antigenotoxic activity in SOS
      chromotest using E. coli PQ37 tester strain. Results revealed that fractions were
      non-genotoxic and have potential to suppress the genotoxicity induced by 4NQO (4
      nitroquinoline-1-oxide) and AFB1 (aflatoxin B1). NACB was found to inhibit the
      growth of colon (COLO 205) cancer cells with GI50 of 54.36 ug/ml. To identify
      bioactive principles in the active fractions, NACB and EACB were subjected to
      UPLC-electrospray-ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry which
      revealed the presence of 3beta-isodihyrocadambine-oxide, cadambine, phelasin A/B,
      3beta- dihydrocadambine and 3'-O-caffeoylsweroside like compounds. CONCLUSIONS:
      Overall results revealed that A. cadamba is a rich source of antioxidant,
      antigenotoxic and cytotoxic constituents which may find their significance in
      various food and pharmaceutical products.

PMID- 28641514
TI  - Clinically Relevant Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure: An Update.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute Heart Failure (AHF), owing to the difficulties in diagnosis,
      prognostic stratification and patient-related management, is still associated
      with unusually high morbidity and mortality. The advent of novel biomarkers apart
      from natriuretic peptides involved in myocardial injury, neuro-hormonal
      activation, and ventricular remodeling augurs immense hope in redefining the
      biomarker-based approach towards AHF. METHODS: A thorough review of the available
      literature including latest review articles from distinguished experts, textbook
      references and guidelines from leading cardiological societies worldwide as well
      as the latest trials, encompassing various biomarkers known in AHF was conducted.
      The most relevant ones were chosen as references for the current review article.
      RESULTS: Biomarkers such as midregional proatrial natriuretic peptide, soluble
      ST2, highly-sensitive troponin, and midregional proadrenomedullin are some such
      examples that have passed various stages of substantiation while there is an
      array of potential biomarkers innascent stages like osteopontin, CTGF, GDF-15 and
      TGF beta-1 awaiting further reiteration. Not only the diagnosis of AHF itself but
      the evaluation of co-morbidities using markers like PCT, hematologic markers or
      acute kidney injury markers like NGAL present a new perspective to the management
      of AHF. CONCLUSION: This review article outlines the current status of the most
      relevant cardiac biomarkers related to AHF.

PMID- 28641515
TI  - The Development of Stem Cell-Based Treatment for Liver Failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Liver failure is a devastating clinical syndrome with a persistently
      mortality rate despite advanced care. Orthotopic liver transplantation protected
      patients from hepatic failure. Yet, limitations including postoperative
      complications, high costs, and shortages of donor organs defect its application.
      The development of stem cell therapy complements the deficiencies of liver
      transplantation, due to the inherent ability of stem cells to proliferate and
      differentiate. OBJECTIVE: Understand the source of stem cells, as well as the
      advantages and disadvantages of stem cell therapy. METHOD: Based on published
      papers, we discussed the cell sources and therapeutic effect of stem cells. We
      also summarized the pros and cons, as well as optimization of stem cell-based
      treatment. Finally outlook future prospects of stem cell therapy. RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSION: Stem cells may be harvested from a variety of human tissues, and then
      used to promote the convalescence of hepatocellular function. The emergence of
      the co-cultured system, tissueengineered technology and genetic modfication has
      further enhanced the functionality of stem cells. However, the tumorigenicity,
      the low survival rate and the scarcity of long-term treatment effect are
      obstacles for the further development of stem cell therapy. In this review, we
      highlight current research findings and present the future prospects in the area
      of stem cell-based treatment for liver failure.

PMID- 28641516
TI  - Updated Regulatory Considerations for Nanomedicines.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nanomedicine is a branch which deals with medicinal products,
      devices, nonbiological complex drugs and antibody-nanoparticle conjugates and
      general health products that are manufactured using nanotechnology. OBJECTIVE:
      Nano-medicine provides the same efficacies as traditional medicines owing to
      their improved solubility and bioavailability with reduced dosages. However,
      there are currently safety concerns due to the difficulties related to
      nanomaterial characterization; this might be the reason for unawareness of such
      medicines among the patients. The absence of clear regulatory guidelines further
      complicates matters, as it makes the path to registering them with regulatory
      bodies difficult. However, some products have overcome these obstacles and have
      been registered. While there are many international initiatives to harmonize the
      regulatory requirements and helps the industry to determine the most important
      characteristics that influence in vivo product performance. CONCLUSION: This
      review focuses on the various types of nanopharmaceuticals, and developments
      process with strategies tailored to upcoming regulations may satisfy the
      patients' needs.

PMID- 28641517
TI  - The Case for Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors as a Target for Bronchodilator Therapy for
      beta-agonist Resistant Asthma.
AB  - Although beta2-receceptor agonists are powerful bronchodilators and are at the
      forefront of asthma symptom relief, patients who use them frequently develop
      partial resistance to them. This can be a particularly serious problem during
      severe attacks, where high dose beta2-agonist treatment is the front line
      therapy. Alternative bronchodilators are urgently needed. In this article we
      review the evidence for the bronchodilator effects of the cannabinoid CB1
      receptor tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and suggest that the mechanisms of action for
      these effects are sufficiently independent of the mechanisms of standard
      bronchodilators to warrant clinical investigation. Specifically, clinical trials
      testing the bronchodilator effects of THC in beta2 agonist resistant asthmatic
      patients would show whether THC could fill the role of rescue bronchodilator in
      cases of beta2 agonist resistance.

PMID- 28641518
TI  - GRP78 Influences Chemoresistance and Prognosis in Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Resistance to therapy is a major hindrance to patient survival in
      cancer, underscoring a critical need to elucidate the underlying mechanisms
      responsible for chemoresistance. Research has demonstrated that endoplasmic
      reticulum (ER) stress plays a significant role in allowing cells to survive
      conditions that would normally elicit cell death. Specifically, elevated
      expression of GRP78, the master regulator of the unfolded protein response (UPR),
      has been shown to induce chemoresistance and serves as a indictor of poor
      prognosis in patients. OBJECTIVE: Evaluating the expression of GRP78 and its
      downstream targets in a wide range of cancers may allow clinicians to predict
      resistance to a number of commonly used therapies. Moreover, understanding the
      mechanism(s) of action GRP78 uses to regulate chemoresistance will accelerate the
      development of more efficacious treatment strategies that target GRP78 to
      abrogate chemoresistance. RESULTS: This mini-review highlighted the roles of
      targets downstream of GRP78 and explored their mechanisms related to cellular
      survival. Furthermore, a summary of the connection between GRP78 expression and
      patient prognosis was provided. Lastly, strategies for targeting GRP78, in order
      to improve treatment efficacy, was explored. CONCLUSIONS: GRP78 maintains an
      important role in regulating signaling pathways that control cell survival and
      this review draws attention to its value as a prognostic marker and therapeutic
      target.

PMID- 28641519
TI  - Neural Stem Cells and Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model Rare CNS
      Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Despite the great effort spent over recent decades to
      unravel the pathological mechanisms underpinning the development of central
      nervous system disorders, most of them still remain unclear. In particular, the
      study of rare CNS diseases is hampered by the lack of postmortem samples and of
      reliable epidemiological studies, thus the setting of in vitro modeling systems
      appears essential to dissect the puzzle of genetic and environmental alterations
      affecting neural cells viability and functionality. The isolation and expansion
      in vitro of embryonic (ESC) and fetal neural stem cells (NSC) from human tissue
      have allowed the modeling of several neurological diseases "in a dish" and have
      also provided a novel platform to test potential therapeutic strategies in a pre
      clinical setting. In recent years, the development of induced pluripotent stem
      cell (iPS) technology has added enormous value to the aforementioned approach,
      thanks to their capability for generating diseaserelevant cell phenotypes in
      vitro and to their perspective use in autologous transplantation. However, while
      the potentiality of ESC, NSC and iPS has been widely sponsored, the pitfalls
      related to the available protocols for differentiation and the heterogeneity of
      lines deriving from different individuals have been poorly discussed. Here we
      present pro and contra of using ESC, NSC or iPS for modeling rare diseases like
      Lysosomal Storage disorders and Motor Neuron Diseases. CONCLUSION: In this view,
      the advent of gene editing technologies is a unique opportunity to standardize
      the data analysis in preclinical studies and to tailor clinical protocols for
      stem cell-mediated therapy.

PMID- 28641520
TI  - Try To Remember: Interplay Between Memory And Substance Use Disorder.
AB  - Memories associated with substance use disorders, or substance-associated cues
      increase the likelihood of craving and relapse during abstinence. There is
      growing consensus that manipulation of synaptic plasticity may reduce the
      strength of substance abuse-related memories. On the biological front, there are
      new insights that suggest memories associated with substance use disorder may
      follow unique neurobiological pathways that render them more accessible to
      pharmacological intervention. In parallel to this, research in neurochemistry has
      identified several potential candidate molecules that could influence the
      formation and maintenance of long-term memory. Drugs that target these molecules
      (blebbistatin, isradipine and zeta inhibitory peptide) have shown promise at the
      preclinical stage. In this review, we shall provide an overview of the evolving
      understanding on the biochemical mechanisms involved in memory formation and
      expound on the premise that substance use disorder is a learning disorder.

PMID- 28641521
TI  - LncRNA HOTAIR Polymorphisms Association with Cancer Susceptibility in Different
      Tumor Types.
AB  - Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) molecules
      affect gene and protein expression and generate genetic variability influencing
      the risk of tumor diseases. HOTAIR locates at the heart of the cell memory gene
      program and represents a prototype of long non coding RNA (LncRNA) due to its
      capacity to regulate in-trans a distant chromosome landscape. Aberrant expression
      of HOTAIR is frequently associated with pathogenesis and mostly with metastatic
      progression of several human cancers. Different polymorphisms, particularly
      present in intronic sequences, as well as in promoter regions of HOTAIR, are
      often associated with its aberrant expression, patient prognosis, and cancer
      susceptibility in different tumor phenotypes. In this minireview, we have
      summarized the main SNPs in HOTAIR sequence and their relation with cancer risk
      in several types of solid tumors.

PMID- 28641522
TI  - Advances on PPARgamma Research in the Emerging Era of Precision Medicine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) is a
      member of the nuclear receptor superfamily that functions as a ligand-inducible
      transcription factor. It regulates glucose and lipid metabolism, immunity, and
      cellular growth and differentiation. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are potent insulin
      sensitizers that function by activating PPARs, with a high specificity for
      PPARgamma. Due to their ability to preserve pancreatic beta cell function and
      reduce insulin resistance, TZDs have become one of the most prescribed classes of
      medications for type 2 diabetes (T2D) since their approval by the US Food and
      Drug Administration (FDA) and initial use in 1997. OBJECTIVE: However, adverse
      effects, including weight gain, bone loss, fluid retention, congestive heart
      failure, and risk to bladder cancer, have weakened the benefits of TZDs in T2D
      therapies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have a deeper understanding of
      regulatory mechanisms of PPARgamma expression and activity so that novel classes
      of PPARgamma-modulating therapeutics with fewer or weaker side effects can be
      developed. CONCLUSION: This article systematically reviews PPARgamma's mechanisms
      of action and multilayer regulations. In addition, novel classes of therapeutics
      modulating PPARgamma and new direction of research on genetic variants that
      affect PPARgamma function and antidiabetic drug response are highlighted, which
      sheds light on PPARgamma as a promising target for developing safer and precision
      medicine based therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 28641523
TI  - Radiosensitizing Effect of Electrochemotherapy: A Systematic Review of Protocols
      and Efficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a combination of electroporation (EP)
      and chemotherapy and has been reported as a potential radiosensitizing agent for
      radiation therapy. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to
      systematically review of the literature to evaluate the effectiveness of ECT in
      sensitization of tumors to ionization radiation. In addition, the clinical
      considerations and mechanisms of action of radiosensitizing effect are discussed.
      RESULTS: Nine studies were included in this review. Bleomycin and cisplatin
      showed radiosensitizing effects in combined protocols with EP. EP enhances the
      cytotoxicity of bleomycin and cisplatin by factor of 1000 and 100, respectively.
      The mechanism of action of these drugs is induction of single and double strand
      breaks in DNA molecule. Moreover, the two main mechanisms of EP are increasing
      drug uptake in the tumor cells and generating reactive oxygen species. A single
      session ECT before radiotherapy can significantly enhance the tumor response.
      CONCLUSION: ECT is effective for different cell lines and tumors with different
      levels of radiosensitivity. Our findings show that ECT can be further translated
      into the clinic and can be matched by singledose irradiation as well as in the
      fractionated regime.

PMID- 28641524
TI  - The Bio-Psycho-Social Dimension In Women's Sexual Desire: 'Argumentum Ad
      Novitatem'.
AB  - Sexual desire includes complex motivation and drive. In the context of biological
      and cognitive-emotive state art of science, it is often a neglected field in
      medicine. With regard to the treatment, study on women's sexual function received
      less attention compared to the men's sexuality. In the past, this endeavor was
      relatively not well disseminated in the scientific community. Recently, there was
      a revolutionized surge of drug targets available to treat women with low sexual
      desire. It is timely to review the relevant biological approach, especially in
      the context of pharmacotherapy to understand this interesting clinical entity
      which was modulated by numerous interactive psychosocial inter-play and factors.
      The complex inter-play between numerous dimensional factors lends insights to
      understand the neural mechanism, i.e. the rewards centre pathway and its
      interaction with external psychosocial stimulus, i.e. relationship and meaningful
      life events. The role of hormones i.e. oxytocin and testosterone regulation and
      neurotransmitters i.e. dopamine and serotonin modulation was pivotal as reflected
      by the introduction of a molecule of flibanserin, a full agonist of the 5-HT1A
      and partial agonist of D4 to treat pre-menopausal women with low sexual desire.
      Based on this fundamental scientific core knowledge, we suggest an outline of on
      know-how introduction for sex therapy (i.e. "inner-self" and "outer-self") where
      the role of partner is narrated and also highlighted on the use of
      pharmacological agent as an adjunct scope of therapy, i.e. phosphodiasterase-5
      (PDE-5) inhibitors and hormonal treatment in helping the patient with low sexual
      desire.

PMID- 28641525
TI  - 1,1'-Carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) Mediated Facile Synthesis, Structural
      Characterization, Antimicrobial Activity, and in-silico Studies of Coumarin- 3
      carboxamide Derivatives.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of a variety of antibacterial agents, re
      emergence of pathogenic bacteria is still a serious medical concern. So,
      identification of new, safer, and selective antibacterial agents is the key
      interest in the medicinal chemistry research. METHOD: To explore the
      antimicrobial activity of coumarin-3-carboxamides for a range of bacterial and
      fungal strains, twenty eight derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of
      coumarin-3-carboxylic acid with a variety of aniline derivatives in the presence
      of 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI). All compounds were structurally characterized
      by different spectroscopic techniques EI-MS, HREI-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and
      evaluated for antimicrobial activities (antibacterial and antifungal). RESULTS: A
      number of compounds showed good to weak antibacterial activity against various
      strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Amongst them, compound 28
      displayed noticeable inhibition against five strains of Gram-positive (Bacillus
      subtilis, Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis,
      and MRSA) and four strains of Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae,
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogene, and Shigella dysenteria). However,
      none of the compounds showed antifungal activity against tested fungi. MIC values
      were determined for most of the active compounds 2, 15, and 28 against particular
      bacterial cultures. In silico studies were performed on the most active compound
      28 in order to specify and verify the target for antibacterial activity of
      synthetic coumarin-3-carboxamide derivatives. The cytotoxicity of these compounds
      on mammalian cells is unknown yet but we are planning to carry out research on
      the cytotoxic aspect of these compounds in future. CONCLUSION: The newly
      identified compounds may serve as lead molecules for the future research
      regarding the identification of new antibacterial agents.

PMID- 28641526
TI  - Biology-Oriented Synthesis (BIOS) of Piperine Derivatives and their Comparative
      Analgesic and Antiinflammatory Activities.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Serious side effects such as gastric intestinal ulcer, bleeding etc.
      are associated with most of the antiinflammatory and analgesic drugs. So, there
      is a need to search novel, potent, and safer antiinflammatory and analgesic drug.
      METHOD: Based on "biology-oriented synthesis approach", piperine alkaloid was
      isolated from Piper nigrum L. and some derivatives of piperine having azomethine,
      sulfamoyl, propanoyl, acetamoyl and heterocyclic oxadiazole were synthesized. The
      structures of synthetic derivatives were confirmed by using different
      spectroscopic techniques such as 1H-, 13C-NMR, EI-MS, and IR. Melting points were
      also determined for all compounds. Piperine and its all the synthetic derivatives
      were subjected to comparative in vivo evaluation of analgesic and
      antiinflammatory activities at the oral dose of 6 mg/kg/day. Analgesic activity
      was evaluated by tail immersion, hot plate and acetic acid writhing methods.
      While, antiinflammatory activity was evaluated by carrageenan-induced paw
      inflammation. In silico studies of all synthetic compounds was also conducted on
      COX-2 and adenosine kinase enzymes. RESULTS: A number of derivatives showed
      enhanced antiinflammatory and analgesic activities as compared to piperine and
      standard drug diclofenac. CONCLUSION: The newly identified molecules may serve as
      lead for the future research in connection of potent and safer antiinflammatory
      and analgesic drug candidate.

PMID- 28641527
TI  - Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of C-2 Substituted 3Hthieno[ 2,3
      d]pyrimidin-4-one Derivatives as Novel FGFR1 Inhibitors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thienopyrimidinone is a newly designed, selective fibroblast growth
      factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) inhibitor with an excellent anticancer effect.
      OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study was to design and synthesize better
      FGFR1 inhibitors through modifications of the lead compound thienopyrimidinone.
      METHODS: In the present study, a series of C-2 substituted derivatives of
      thienopyrimidinone, namely L1-L16, were synthesized, and their inhibitory effects
      on FGFR1 were evaluated. The anti-proliferative activities of these compounds
      were assessed by MTT assay. RESULTS: Among the novel derivatives, L11 was found
      to exert remarkable FGFR1 inhibitory activity (79.93% at 10 uM) and anti
      proliferative activity, with IC50 values of 2.1, 2.5, and 3.5 .M in the FGFR1
      overexpressing cell lines, H460, HT-1197, and B16F10, respectively. CONCLUSION:
      Our newly synthesized thienopyrimidinone derivatives may be candidate FGFR1
      inhibitors for future development as novel anticancer agents.

PMID- 28641528
TI  - Drug Design, Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation of Substituted Benzofurans as
      Hsp90 Inhibitors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heat shock protein 90 is a molecular chaperone required for the
      stability and function of several client proteins that promote cancer cell growth
      and/or survival. Discovery of Hsp90 inhibitors has emerged as an attractive
      target of research in cancer therapeutics. Natural products like geldanamycin and
      radicicol are established Hsp90 inhibitors, but face limitations with toxicity
      and inactivity, by in vivo studies respectively. However, they lay the logical
      starting point for the design of novel synthetic or semi-synthetic congeners as
      Hsp90 inhibitors. OBJECTIVE: In this article, the structure based drug design of
      substituted 2-aryl/heteroarylidene-6- hydroxybenzofuran-3(2H)-one analogues to
      optimize and mimic the pharmacophoric interactions of the valid Hsp90 inhibitor
      radicicolis focused. METHOD: In silico docking study was performed by Surflex
      dock-Geom (SYBYL- X 1.2 drug discovery suite) and the designed ligands were
      chemically synthesized by conventional method using resorcinol and
      chlororesorcinol as starting materials. Two dimensional chemical similarity
      search was carried out to identify the chemical space of 'SY' series in
      comparison with reported Hsp90 inhibitors. The in vitro cell proliferation assay
      (resazurin reduction method) and proteomic investigation (DARTS) was carried out
      on whole cell lysate to evaluate anticancer activity. RESULTS: The chemical
      structures of all the synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H-NMR and Mass
      spectral analysis. The results of chemical similarity search show that SY series
      fit it in the chemical space defined by existing Hsp90 inhibitors. In vitro cell
      proliferation assay, against human melanoma and breast cancer cell lines,
      identified 'SY3' as the promising anticancer agent amongst the series.
      CONCLUSION: Docking studies, 2D chemical similarity search, resazurin reduction
      assay and qualitative proteomic analysis identify 'SY3'as a promising Hsp90
      inhibitor amongst the series.

PMID- 28641529
TI  - iRNA-2methyl: Identify RNA 2'-O-methylation Sites by Incorporating Sequence
      Coupled Effects into General PseKNC and Ensemble Classifier.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Being a kind of post-transcriptional modification (PTCM) in RNA, the
      2'-Omethylation modification occurs in the processes of life development and
      disease formation as well. Accordingly, from the angles of both basic research
      and drug development, we are facing a challenging problem: given an
      uncharacterized RNA sequence formed by many nucleotides of A (adenine), C
      (cytosine), G (guanine), and U (uracil), which one can be of 2-O'-methylation
      modification, and which one cannot? Unfortunately, so far no computational method
      whatsoever has been developed to address such a problem. METHOD: To fill this
      empty area, we propose a predictor called iRNA-2methyl. It is formed by
      incorporating a series of sequence-coupled factors into the general PseKNC
      (pseudo nucleotide composition), followed by fusing 12 basic random forest
      classifier into four ensemble predictors, with each aimed to identify the cases
      of A, C, G, and U along the RNA sequence concerned, respectively. RESULTS:
      Rigorous jackknife cross-validations have indicated that the success rates are
      very high (>93%). For the convenience of most experimental scientists, a user
      friendly web-server for iRNA-2methyl has been established at http://www.jci
      bioinfo.cn/iRNA-2methyl, by which users can easily obtain their desired results
      without the need to go through the complicated mathematical equations involved.
      CONCLUSION: The proposed predictor iRNA-2methyl will become a very useful
      bioinformatics tool for medicinal chemistry, helping to design effective drugs
      against the diseases related to the 2'-Omethylation modification.

PMID- 28641530
TI  - Method Development in Forensic Toxicology.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the field of forensic toxicology, the quality of analytical
      methods is of great importance to ensure the reliability of results and to avoid
      unjustified legal consequences. A key to high quality analytical methods is a
      thorough method development. METHODS: The presented article will provide an
      overview on the process of developing methods for forensic applications. RESULTS:
      This includes the definition of the method's purpose (e.g. qualitative vs
      quantitative) and the analytes to be included, choosing an appropriate sample
      matrix, setting up separation and detection systems as well as establishing a
      versatile sample preparation. CONCLUSION: Method development is concluded by an
      optimization process after which the new method is subject to method validation.

PMID- 28641531
TI  - Application of Alphaviral Vectors for Immunomodulation in Cancer Therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The lack of specific and efficient cancer therapies has influenced
      the development of novel approaches, such as immunotherapy, which from its
      original application of immunogenic protein delivery has developed into the use
      of more sophisticated recombinant gene delivery methods to achieve better safety
      and efficacy profiles. This approach involves viral and non-viral delivery
      systems. METHODS: Expression vectors have been engineered for alphaviruses,
      including Semliki Forest virus, Sindbis virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis
      virus. For immunotherapeutic applications, recombinant particles, RNA replicons
      and layered DNA vectors that express tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and
      cytokines have been studied in animal models and in a few clinical trials.
      RESULTS: Immunization studies with TAAs and cytokines have elicited strong
      antibody responses and vaccination has provided protection against challenges
      with tumor cells in mouse models. Furthermore, the combination of TAAs and
      cytokines, antibodies and growth factors and the co-administration of
      chemotherapeutics and bacteriabased adjuvants have enhanced immunogenicity.
      Intratumoral and systemic delivery of recombinant alphavirus particles has
      demonstrated significant tumor regression and prolonged survival rates in rodent
      tumor models. CONCLUSION: Alphavirus-based immunotherapy represents a rapid and
      efficient method for prophylactic and therapeutic applications in animal models.

PMID- 28641532
TI  - Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) as a New Potential Therapeutic Target for Insulin
      Resistance and Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The intake of animal products in food has been associated with both
      the development of insulin resistance and gastrointestinal cancers (GIC). Through
      the digestion of animal protein and other constituents of animal products, the
      commensal bacteria in the gut (the gut microbiota) forms metabolites that can
      contribute to the development of both insulin resistance and cancer.
      Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) is such a molecule and has recently drawn a lot of
      attention as it may be a risk factor for - and a link between - the gut
      microbiota and cardiovascular and renal disease. Further, TMAO is anticipated to
      have significance as a biomarker of - or even an independent risk factor for -
      other undesirable conditions, including insulin resistance and GIC. TMAO
      originates from a precursor, trimethylamine (TMA) that is a metabolite of various
      precursors; mainly choline and carnitine from ingested foods. METHODS: We review
      the literature on TMAO as a shared risk factor and/or pathway between insulin
      resistance and GIC risk and take the reader through the literature of
      interventions that could reduce formation of TMAO and thereby the risk of insulin
      resistance and GIC. The purpose of the work is to generate a hypothesis to be
      tested in preclinical and clinical studies. RESULTS: TMAO seems to be associated
      with both insulin resistance and GIC risk and also with atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular disease. One shared pathway is the formation of N-Nitroso
      compounds, a group of metabolites that can cause DNA-damage and epigenetic
      changes. Levels of TMAO can be reduced by limiting the dietary intake of certain
      foods, most importantly animal products. Further, certain drugs, namely Meldonium
      and 3,3-dimethyl- 1-butanol, may inhibit the formation of TMAO by inhibiting
      bacterial enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: The TMAO pathway and its metabolites are possibly
      involved in the development of two major health problems: insulin resistance and
      cancer. Within these pathways novel therapeutic targets may be identified.
      Further research is needed in order to verify existing or develop new
      pharmacological agents that modify these pathways and reduce the risk of insulin
      resistance and GIC.

PMID- 28641534
TI  - Interest of Single Hair Analysis to Document Drug Exposure: Literature Review and
      a Case Report Involving Zuclopenthixol.
AB  - The analysis of hair to detect drugs and drugs of abuse is performed in various
      contexts, including child protection cases, abstinence control programs, and
      workplace drug testing. This alternative matrix offers several advantages, such
      as a large detection window (months) and non-invasive collection. Segmental
      analysis of multiple hair strands for drugs and metabolites has been widely
      reported in the literature over the past three decades, whereas a review of the
      literature showed that there are only 26 articles that report the analysis of a
      single hair. They focus on two approaches: mass spectrometry imaging techniques,
      which improve the resolution of dating an intoxication or conventional methods,
      such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem
      mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Improved sensitivity of LC-MS/MS techniques allows
      the evaluation of drug content in segments of a single hair. However, the units
      used to express the results vary, and depend on the authors. Following a review
      of the literature, we present a case that illustrates drug analyses both in a
      strand of hair and a single hair. In this case of exposure of a child to
      zuclopenthixol (ZPT), the analysis of ZPT in a single segmented hair by LC-MS/MS
      strengthened the presumption of a single administration.

PMID- 28641536
TI  - Overview of Forensic Toxicology, Yesterday, Today and in the Future.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The scope of forensic toxicology has been tremendously expanded over
      the past 50 years. From two general sections forensic toxicology can be further
      classified into 8-9 sections. METHODS: The most outstanding improvement in
      forensic toxicology is the changes brought by instrumental development. The field
      of forensic toxicology was revolutionized by the development of immunoassay and
      benchtop GC-MS in the 1980's and LC-MS-MS in 2000's. Detection of trace amounts
      of analytes has allowed the use of new specimens such as hair and oral fluids,
      along with blood and urine. Over a longer period of time, continuous efforts have
      been made to efficiently extract and separate drug and poison from biological
      fluids. International endeavors to develop high quality standards and guidelines
      for drugs and poisons in biological specimens and to promote them in order to
      increase reliability of laboratories are also part of the recent advancement of
      forensic toxicology. Interpretation of postmortem toxicology encompasses various
      factors including postmortem redistribution and stability. RESULTS: Considering
      the recent trend, the interpretation of toxicological results should account for
      autopsy findings, crime scene information, and related medical history. The
      fields of forensic toxicology will continuously develop to improve analysis of
      target analytes from various specimens, quality assurance program, and results
      interpretation. In addition, the development of analytical techniques will also
      contribute further advancement of forensic toxicology. CONCLUSION: The societies
      of forensic toxicologists, such as TIAFT, will play an important role for the
      advancement of forensic toxicology by collaborating and sharing ideas between
      toxicologists from both developed and developing countries.

PMID- 28641535
TI  - HIV-1 Transcription Inhibitors Increase the Synthesis of Viral Non-Coding RNA
      that Contribute to Latency.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HIV-1 can be preserved in long-lived resting CD4+ T- and myeloid
      cells, forming a viral reservoir in tissues of the infected individuals. Infected
      patients primarily receive cART, which, to date, is the most efficient treatment
      against HIV/AIDS. However, the major problem in the eradication of HIV-1 from
      patients is the lack of therapeutic approaches to recognize the latent HIV-1
      provirus and to eliminate latently infected cells. RESULTS: In the current
      review, we describe the effect of HIV-1 transcriptional inhibitors CR8#13 and
      F07#13 using a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. We found that both of these
      compounds regulate p-TEFb in infected cells, and terminate transcription at two
      sites, either at the LTR or early gag regions. The resulting short transcripts
      are termed TAR and TAR-gag, respectively. These nascent RNAs are capable of
      binding to SWI/SNF components, including mSin3A/HDAC-1 complex and potentially
      serve as a scaffolding RNA. Both TAR and TAR-gag are detected as large complexes
      from treated infected cells when using chromatography. Both transcripts are non
      coding in T-cells and monocytes, and potentially recruit suppressive factors
      along with RNAbinding proteins to the DNA resulting in Transcriptional Gene
      Silencing (TGS). Finally, these compounds suppress activated virus when using a
      latent humanized mouse model. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these data implicate
      transcription inhibitors as regulators of the viral promoter through short non
      coding RNAs and chromatin remodeling factors. These RNAs give specificity toward
      either viral DNA and/or nascent mRNA when functioning as TGS.

PMID- 28641537
TI  - LSD Detection and Interpretation in Hair.
AB  - Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a powerful hallucinogen, active at very low
      dosages, with, as a direct consequence, potential difficulties to be detected and
      quantified in a clinical or forensic context, in body fluids and even more in
      hair. The aim of this work is to review literature data related to hair analysis
      of LSD with a particular focus on the main issues encountered in LSD detection in
      hair. Results of LSD investigation in hair remain difficult to interpret
      regarding the very sparse data available on LSD concentrations in hair (n=10).
      The possibility of pubic hair contamination by urine, as well as the lack of data
      about LSD incorporation and stability in pubic and head hair, further challenges
      the interpretation of negative or positive results. The absence of LSD in head
      hair should be carefully considered, as it does not formally exclude LSD
      consumption. In all cases of positive results, the interpretation of LSD
      concentrations in hair remains uncertain and it seems utopian to distinguish
      repeated intake from single exposure using LSD hair concentration values.
      Furthermore, a positive result in pubic hair cannot be used to formally prove
      repeated use of LSD, even in the case of a documented recent use of LSD.

PMID- 28641533
TI  - Role and Therapeutic Potential of Astrocytes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the progressive
      degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem, and motor cortex.
      The molecular mechanism underlying the progressive degeneration of motor neuron
      remains uncertain but involves a non-cell autonomous process. In acute injury or
      degenerative diseases astrocytes adopt a reactive phenotype known as
      astrogliosis. Astrogliosis is a complex remodeling of astrocyte biology and most
      likely represents a continuum of potential phenotypes that affect neuronal
      function and survival in an injury-specific manner. In ALS patients, reactive
      astrocytes surround both upper and lower degenerating motor neurons and play a
      key role in the pathology. It has become clear that astrocytes play a major role
      in ALS pathology. Through loss of normal function or acquired new
      characteristics, astrocytes are able to influence motor neuron fate and the
      progression of the disease. The use of different cell culture models indicates
      that ALS-astrocytes are able to induce motor neuron death by secreting a soluble
      factor(s). Here, we discuss several pathogenic mechanisms that have been proposed
      to explain astrocyte-mediated motor neuron death in ALS. In addition, examples of
      strategies that revert astrocyte-mediated motor neuron toxicity are reviewed to
      illustrate the therapeutic potential of astrocytes in ALS. Due to the central
      role played by astrocytes in ALS pathology, therapies aimed at modulating
      astrocyte biology may contribute to the development of integral therapeutic
      approaches to halt ALS progression.

PMID- 28641538
TI  - GLT-1 Upregulation as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Ischemic Brain Injury.
AB  - Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central
      nervous system, which plays an important role in many aspects of normal brain
      function such as neural development, motor functions, learning and memory etc.
      However, excessive accumulation of glutamate in the extracellular fluid will
      induce excitotoxicity which is considered to be a major mechanism of cell death
      in brain ischemia. There is no enzyme to decompose the glutamate in extracellular
      fluid, so extracellular glutamate homeostasis within the central nervous system
      is mainly regulated by the uptake activity of excitatory amino acid transporters.
      Among the five excitatory amino acid transporters, glial glutamate transporter-1
      (GLT-1) is responsible for 90% of total glutamate uptake. Thus, GLT-1 is
      essential for maintaining the appropriate level of extracellular glutamate, and
      then limiting excitotoxicity of glutamate in central nervous system. Therefore,
      the regulation of GLT-1 might be a potential therapeutic target for ischemic
      brain injury. This review summarizes recent advances including our findings in
      the methods or medicine that could protect neurons against brain ischemic injury
      via upregulation of GLT-1 and discuss the possible application of these
      strategies.

PMID- 28641540
TI  - Metallothionein is a Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Amyotrophic Lateral
      Sclerosis.
AB  - Lou Gehrig's disease, a synonym of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is an adult
      onset lethal neurodegenerative disorder. Irrespective of extensive efforts to
      elucidate the pathogenesis of the disease and searches for therapies, no
      favorable pharmacotherapeutic strategies have yet to be proposed. In a popular
      rodent model of ALS, G93A SOD1 strain of mouse, intracellular copper conditions
      were geared toward copper accumulation inside cells, resulting in an acceleration
      of oxidative stress and apoptotic process. Disruption of intracellular copper
      homeostasis was common to transgenic mice expressing human mutant SOD1s. In this
      review, the novel hypothesis that disruption of intracellular copper homeostasis
      could be involved in the development of the disease was introduced. Based upon
      the hypothesis, therapeutic outcomes of agents that are capable of correcting
      and/or modifying intracellular copper homeostasis are described. Administration
      of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, a selective intracellular copper chelator,
      delayed onset, slowed progression, and prolonged survival of a rodent model of
      the disease (G93A SOD1 mice). Metallothionein is a low molecular weight, cysteine
      rich, metal-binding cytoplasmic protein that has beneficial properties in
      detoxification of toxic heavy metals, homeostatic regulation of intracellular
      essential trace elements, including copper, antioxidant, and antiapoptotic roles.
      In animal experiments of the G93A SOD1 mice, an increase of metallothionein
      proteins by means of induction by exercise or dexamethasone, genetic
      overexpression, or intraperitoneal administration, all resulted in a preferable
      outcome. The therapeutic effects were not inferior to those of approved drugs for
      ALS in humans. These observations suggest that metallothionein could be worth
      investigating the therapeutic potential in clinical use.

PMID- 28641541
TI  - "Stress" is 80 Years Old: From Hans Selye Original Paper in 1936 to Recent
      Advances in GI Ulceration.
AB  - The first scientific publication on 'general adaption syndrome', or as we know
      today 'biologic stress' has been published in Nature in 1936 by the 29-year old
      Hans Selye. His results in that short publication that contained no references or
      illustrations, were based on experiments in rats that were exposed to severe
      insults/ stressors, but his idea about a 'nonspecific bodily response' originated
      from his observations of sick patients whom he had seen as a medical student and
      young clinician. Autopsy of stressed rats revealed three major, grossly visible
      changes: hyperemia and enlargement of the adrenals, atrophy of the thymus and
      lymph nodes as well as hemorrhagic gastric erosions/ulcers (the "stress triad").
      Based on this and additional observations, he concluded that the key master organ
      in stress reactions is the adrenal cortex (although he also accepted the limited
      and short lasting effect of catecholamines released from the adrenal medulla)
      which stimulated by an increased secretion of ACTH, secreted by the anterior
      pituitary gland. He thus identified the first molecular mediators of the stress
      reaction, i.e., steroids released from the adrenal cortex that we call today
      glucocorticoids, based on his classification and naming of steroids. At the end
      of a very productive life in experimental medicine, Selye recognized that under
      both unpleasant and demanding stressors as well as positive, rewarding stimuli
      adrenal cortex releases the same glucocorticoids and only certain brain
      structures may distinguish the stimuli under distress and eustress - terms he
      introduced in 1974, that also contained his last definition of stress: the
      nonspecific response of the body on any demand on it. After brief description of
      the history of stress research, the rest of this review is focused on one element
      of stress triad, i.e., gastroduodenal ulceration, especially its pathogenesis,
      prevention and treatment. Following a short description of acute
      gastroprotection, discovered by one of Selye's students, we discuss new molecular
      mediators of gastroduodenal ulceration like dopamine and new drugs that either
      only heal (very potently, on molar basis) or prevent and heal ulcers like
      sucralfate derivatives and the relatively new peptide BPC-157. We conclude that
      despite the extensive and multidisciplinary research on stress during the last 80
      years, a lot of basic and clinical research is needed to better understand the
      manifestations, central and peripheral molecular regulators of stress response,
      especially the modes of prevention/management of distress or its transformation
      into eustress and the treatment of stress-related diseases.

PMID- 28641542
TI  - Functional Nanoparticles and their Interactions with Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have become one of the most important cell sources
      for regenerative medicine. However, some mechanisms of MSC-based therapy are
      still not fully understood. The clinical outcome may be restricted by some MSC
      related obstacles such as the low survival rate, differentiation into undesired
      lineages and malignant transformation. In recent years, with the emergence of
      nanotechnology, various types of multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) have been
      designed, prepared and explored for bio-related applications. There is high
      potential of NPs in biomedical applications, attributed to the high capacity of
      cellular internalization in MSCs and their multiple functionalities. They can be
      used either as labeling agent to track MSCs for mechanism study or as gene/drug
      delivery carriers to regulate the cellular behavior and functions of MSCs.
      However, the application of NPs may be accompanied by some undesirable effects,
      as some NPs can induce cell death, inhibit cell proliferation or influence the
      differentiation of MSCs. Aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the
      interaction between NPs and MSCs, recent progress in the design and preparation
      of multifunctional NPs is summarized in this review, mechanisms of cellular
      internalization of the NPs are discussed, the main applications of
      multifunctional NPs in MSCs are highlighted and overview about cellular response
      of MSCs to different NPs is given. Future studies aiming on design and
      development of NPs with multifunctionality may open a new field of applying
      nanotechnology in stem cell-based therapy.

PMID- 28641539
TI  - Role of Host Factors on the Regulation of Tat-Mediated HIV-1 Transcription.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The viral transactivator Tat protein is a key modulator of HIV-1
      replication, as it regulates transcriptional elongation from the integrated
      proviral genome. Tat recruits the human transcription elongation factor b, and
      other host proteins, such as the super elongation complex, to activate the
      cellular RNA polymerase II, normally stalled shortly after transcription
      initiation at the HIV promoter. By means of a complex set of interactions with
      host cellular factors, Tat determines the fate of viral activity within the
      infected cell. The virus will either actively replicate to promote dissemination
      in blood and tissues, or become dormant mostly in memory CD4+ T cells, as part of
      a small but long-living latent reservoir, the main obstacle for HIV eradication.
      OBJECTIVE: In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of
      the multi-step mechanism that regulates Tat-mediated HIV-1 transcription and RNA
      polymerase II release, to promote viral transcription elongation. Early events of
      the human transcription elongation factor b release from the inhibitory 7SK small
      nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex and its recruitment to the HIV promoter will be
      discussed. Specific roles of the super elongation complex subunits during
      transcription elongation, and insight on recently identified cellular factors and
      mechanisms regulating HIV latency will be detailed. CONCLUSION: Understanding the
      complexity of HIV transcriptional regulation by host factors may open the door
      for development of novel strategies to eradicate the resilient latent reservoir.

PMID- 28641543
TI  - Zein-based Nanocarriers as Potential Natural Alternatives for Drug and Gene
      Delivery: Focus on Cancer Therapy.
AB  - Protein nanocarriers possess unique merits including minimal cytotoxicity,
      numerous renewable sources, and high drug-binding capability. In opposition to
      delivery carriers utilizing hydrophilic animal proteins, hydrophobic plant
      proteins (e.g, zein) have great tendency in fabricating controlled-release
      particulate carriers without additional chemical modification to stiffen them,
      which in turn evades the use of toxic chemical crosslinkers. Moreover, zein is
      related to a class of alcohol-soluble prolamins and generally recognized as safe
      (GRAS) carrier for drug delivery. Various techniques have been adopted to
      fabricate zein-based nanoparticulate systems including phase separation
      coacervation, spray-drying, supercritical anti-solvent approach, electrospinning
      and self-assembly. This manuscript reviews the recent advances in the zein-based
      colloidal nano-carrier systems such as nanospheres, nanocapsules, micelles and
      nanofibers with a special focus on their physicochemical characteristics and drug
      delivery applications.

PMID- 28641544
TI  - Post Mortem Redistribution of Drugs: Current State of Knowledge.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Drug concentrations obtained from post mortem samples do not
      necessarily reflect the concentrations at the time of death, and variations of
      concentration may be observed between different sites and/or different sampling
      times. These phenomena, collectively termed post mortem redistribution, concern
      numerous molecules (medications, drugs of abuse, gases, etc.) and can complicate
      the interpretation of toxicological analyses. METHODS: Literature review.
      RESULTS: The mechanisms that cause these phenomena are complex and often
      intricate. Certain organs, which concentrate the molecules before death, may
      release them very early in the vascular sector. The gastrointestinal tract,
      liver, lungs and myocardium are mainly concerned. Cell autolysis also plays a
      part in drug release. Furthermore, micro-organisms (mainly bacteria and yeasts)
      which colonize the organism during putrefaction may cause neoformation and/or the
      degradation of certain molecules. Lastly, it appears that the physicochemical and
      pharmacokinetic profile of xenobiotics, notably their lipophilic nature, their
      ionization state and their volume of distribution may be factors likely to
      influence redistribution phenomena. Some recommendations concerning anatomic
      sampling sites, sampling methods and sample storage make it possible to limit
      these phenomena.

PMID- 28641545
TI  - Role of Bradykinin in the Regulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase
      Expression by Cardiovascular Drugs.
AB  - NO produced by eNOS plays important roles in the cardiovascular system.
      Alterations in eNOS activity and expression occur in various cardiovascular
      disorders and eNOS constitutes a therapeutic target. In addition to
      posttranslational modifications of eNOS that affect eNOS activity,
      transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of eNOS expression also
      controls eNOS-derived NO production. Bradykinin is an important determinant of
      vascular function and participates in the regulation of eNOS activity and
      expression. A number of currently used drugs or investigational molecules
      targeting specific ion channels, enzymes or receptors, including dihydropyridine
      calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, statins, AT1
      receptor blockers and angiotensin-(1-7), increase eNOS expression and activity.
      In this context, activation of bradykinin B2 receptors appears to be a common
      step for these drugs to promote eNOS expression, which certainly contributes to
      their therapeutic actions.

PMID- 28641546
TI  - Targeting Astrocytes for Treating Neurological Disorders: Carbon Monoxide and
      Noradrenaline-Induced Increase in Lactate.
AB  - There are at least three reasons why brain astrocytes represent a new target for
      treating neurological disorders. First, although the human neocortex represents
      over 80% of brain mass, neurons are outnumbered by non-neuronal cells, including
      astrocytes, a neuroglial cell type. Second, as in neurons, vesicle-based release
      of transmitters is present in astrocytes, however with much slower kinetics than
      in neurons. Third, astrocytes contain glycogen, which can be transformed to L
      lactate in glycolysis. L-lactate is considered to be a fuel and a signalling
      molecule involved in cognition and neuroprotection. The mechanisms of
      neuroprotection are unclear but may be linked to carbon monoxide, a product of
      the heme oxygenase, an evolutionarily conserved cellular cytoprotectant.
      Increased levels of local carbon monoxide arising from heme oxygenase activity
      may increase L-lactate, but direct measurements of cytosolic L-lactate are
      lacking. A fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based nanosensor selective for
      L-lactate was used to monitor cytosolic levels of L-lactate while cultured
      astrocytes were exposed to carbon monoxide. The results revealed that in
      astrocytes exposed to carbon monoxide there is no significant increase in L
      lactate, however, when noradrenaline, a potent glycogenolytic agent, is applied,
      cytosolic levels of Llactate are increased, but strongly attenuated in astrocytes
      pretreated with carbon monoxide. These first measurements of carbon monoxide
      modulated L-lactate levels in astrocytes provide evidence that the L-lactate and
      heme oxygenase neuroprotective systems may interact. In conclusion, not only the
      abundance of astrocytes but their signalling capacity using vesicles and
      metabolites, such as L-lactate, are valid targets for neurological disorders.

PMID- 28641548
TI  - Pediatric Cutaneous Graft Versus Host Disease: A Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is a significant complication
      following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the pediatric population.
      The most common clinical manifestation of GVHD is in the skin. This article will
      present a review of key concepts related to pediatric cutaneous GVHD, including
      pathophysiology, clinical epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment options.
      OBJECTIVE: GVHD is an immune-mediated process characterized by an inflammatory
      immune response in acute GVHD and mixed inflammatory and fibrotic states in
      chronic GVHD. The clinical presentations of cutaneous GVHD are heterogeneous.
      METHOD: Acute cutaneous GVHD classically presents as an erythematous morbilliform
      eruption appearing within a few weeks after transplantation. Chronic cutaneous
      GVHD may manifest as poikiloderma, lichenoid lesions, or sclerodermatous changes.
      The sclerodermatous form of cutaneous GVHD is associated with substantial long
      term morbidity, including joint contractures, myalgias, and mobility restriction.
      RESULTS: First-line pharmacologic treatment options typically include
      corticosteroids and in some cases, calcineurin inhibitors. Biologics and
      immunotherapies are an active area of investigation for GVHD that is refractory
      to corticosteroid treatment. Non-pharmacologic treatment options that have shown
      benefit for cutaneous GVHD include extracorporeal photopheresis and phototherapy.
      CONCLUSION: Accurate diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous GVHD is essential to
      preventing and alleviating the long-term sequelae and morbidity associated with
      this condition.

PMID- 28641547
TI  - Recent Advances on the Role of microRNAs in both Insulin Resistance and Cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance is a pathological condition characterized by the
      failure of target cells to uptake and metabolize glucose in response to insulin.
      In particular, the elevated concentrations of glucose, insulin and free insulin
      growth factor-1, which result from insulin resistance, may generate a pro
      inflammatory and protumorigenic state. These alterations may underlie the
      increased risk to develop various types of cancer as well as the worse cancer
      prognosis observed in obese and diabetic patients. MicroRNAs are short molecules
      of noncoding endogenous RNA, which are involved in several physio-pathological
      conditions like glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, insulin signaling and
      resistance. MicroRNAs play also a crucial role in tumorigenesis, acting as
      oncomirs or tumor suppressors depending on the cell context. METHODS: Here, we
      recapitulate the role of certain microRNAs that are associated with both insulin
      resistance and cancer, and discuss their potential to be considered as
      therapeutic targets. RESULTS: Several studies have highlighted the action of
      diverse microRNAs in the aforementioned disorders. For instance, three microRNA
      clusters namely miR-103/107, miR-221/222 and miR-29 have been found to be
      upregulated in insulin resistance and certain types of cancer. These microRNAs
      have been shown to target genes like PTEN, Dicer and caveolins that are largely
      involved in important processes relevant to both insulin resistance and cancer.
      CONCLUSION: Certain microRNAs may represent potential drug targets common to both
      insulin resistance and cancer. In particular, the inhibition of miR-103/107, miR
      221/222 and miR-29 may be taken into account in novel pharmacological approaches
      aiming to treat these two disorders.

PMID- 28641549
TI  - Relevance of Cat and Dog Sensitization by Skin Prick Testing in Childhood Eczema
      and Asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Household animal dander has been implicated as aeroallergen in
      childhood atopic diseases. Many parents seek healthcare advice if household pet
      keeping may be detrimental in atopic eczema (AE), allergic rhinitis and asthma.
      AIM: We investigated if skin sensitization by cat/dog dander was associated with
      disease severity and quality of life in children with AE. METHODS: Demographics,
      skin prick test (SPT) results, disease severity (Nottingham eczema severity score
      NESS), Children Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI), blood IgE and eosinophil
      counts of a cohort of AE patients were reviewed. RESULTS: 325 AE patients
      followed at a pediatric dermatology clinic were evaluated. Personal history of
      asthma was lowest (20%) in the dog-dander-positive-group but highest (61%) in
      bothcat- and-dog-dander-positive group (p=0.007). Binomial logistic regression
      ascertained that catdander sensitization was associated with increasing age
      (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.056; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.006 to 1.109;
      p=0.029), dust-mite sensitization (aOR, 4.625; 95% CI, 1.444 to 14.815; p=0.010),
      food-allergen sensitization (aOR, 2.330; 95% CI, 1.259 to 4.310; p=0.007) and
      keeping-cat-ever (aOR, 7.325; 95% CI, 1.193 to 44.971; p=0.032); whereas
      dogdander sensitization was associated with dust-mite sensitization (aOR, 9.091;
      95% CI, 1.148 to 71.980; p=0.037), food-allergen sensitization (aOR, 3.568; 95%
      CI, 1.341 to 9.492; p=0.011) and keeping-dog-ever (aOR, 6.809; 95% CI, 2.179 to
      21.281; p=0.001). However, neither cat nor dog sensitization were associated with
      asthma, allergic rhinitis, parental or sibling atopic status, disease severity or
      quality of life. CONCLUSION: Physicians should advise parents that there is no
      direct correlation between AE severity, quality of life, asthma or allergic
      rhinitis with cutaneous sensitization to cats or dogs. Sensitized patients
      especially those with concomitant asthma and severe symptoms may consider non
      furry alternatives if they plan to have a pet. Highly sensitized individuals,
      especially those with asthma co-morbidity, may have to remove their pet for a
      trial period to determine if symptoms improve.

PMID- 28641550
TI  - Bier Spots - Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bier spots are asymptomatic white anemic macules with irregular shape
      located on the upper limbs and less often on the lower limbs and trunkus. They
      are observed predominantly in youg males and may be idiopathic or associated with
      other conditions. OBJECTIVE: We report two cases with Bier spots in which
      videodermatoscopy and nailfold capillaroscopy were performed. RESULTS: Patient 1
      was a 34-year-old otherwise healthy male who presented with white spots on his
      upper limbs for 10 years. Dermoscopy revealed marked narrowing of skin
      capillaries within the borders of white macules whereas capillaroscopy pattern
      was normal. Patient 2 was a 20-year-old female with symptoms of Raynaud's
      phenomenon who presented with white spots on the volar aspects of her hands for 2
      years. The capillaroscopy showed abnormal findings with presence of homogenous
      enlarged capillaries. CONCLUSION: Bier spots do not require any treatment. The
      associated conditions found should be monitored.

PMID- 28641551
TI  - Nailfold Capillaroscopy Within and Beyond the Scope of Connective Tissue
      Diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nailfold capillaroscopy is a noninvasive instrumental method for
      morphological analysis of the nutritive capillaries in the nailfold area. In
      rheumatology, it is a method of choice among instrumental modalities for
      differential diagnosis between primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in
      systemic rheumatic diseases. RP is a common diagnostic problem in rheumatology.
      Defining the proper diagnosis is a prerequisite for administration of the
      appropriate treatment. Thus, nailfold capillaroscopic examination is of crucial
      importance for the every-day practice of the rheumatologists and is currently
      gaining increasing attention. The most specific capillaroscopic changes are
      observed in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Due to the high prevalence of the
      capillaroscopic changes in this clinical entity and their early appearance, they
      could be used for early and very early diagnosis of the disease. More recently,
      "scleroderma" type capillaroscopic changes have been defined as diagnostic
      criterion in the new EULAR/ACR classification criteria for SSc together with the
      presence of scleroderma-related autoantibodies, RP, telangiectasia and other
      clinical signs. Capillaroscopic changes in other connective tissue diseases and
      in different rheumatic-like conditions like those in diabetes mellitus (e.g.,
      diabetic stiff-hand syndrome) and paraneoplastic syndromes associated with
      microvascular pathology should be interpreted properly in order to obtain precise
      diagnosis in the shortest possible differential diagnostic process.

PMID- 28641552
TI  - A Review of the Psychometric Properties and Use of the Rheumatoid Arthritis
      Quality of Life Questionnaire (RAQoL) in Clinical Research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) have been used in
      studies of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Most of these assess Health-Related Quality
      of Life (HRQL). The exception is the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life
      questionnaire (RAQoL). This scale measures the impact of RA and its treatment
      from the patient's perspective, making it suitable for determining the value
      patients gain from interventions. OBJECTIVE: This review collates literature
      reporting on the efficacy of the RAQoL as a measure of patient value in clinical
      studies. METHOD: A literature search was conducted to identify published articles
      reporting on the use of the RAQoL. Psychometric and clinical research studies
      were included in the review. RESULTS: Sixty-three full articles were identified.
      Psychometric analyses demonstrated that the RAQoL meets the requirements for
      internal consistency, reproducibility and construct validity. There is evidence
      to support the unidimensionality and responsiveness of the RAQoL. The measure has
      been used in a wide range of research studies including interventional,
      correlational and nonexperimental studies. Several studies found the RAQoL to be
      sensitive to change following interventions. CONCLUSION: The RAQoL has excellent
      psychometric properties and can detect the impact of both clinical and non
      clinical interventions. As a patient-centric measure of patient value, the RAQoL
      will also prove valuable in big data analytics and for use in outcomes-based
      reimbursement (OBR).

PMID- 28641553
TI  - Capillaroscopy in Routine Diagnostics: Potentials and Limitations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nailfold capillaroscopy is a safe and useful investigational tool
      that allows an early detection and a qualitative description of the microvascular
      abnormalities in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to scleroderma
      spectrum disorders. Nowadays, the role of capillaroscopy in the diagnosis of
      systemic sclerosis is well known. Capillaroscopy has been included in the new
      2013 classification criteria for systemic sclerosis and is considered a key
      investigation in the very early phases of the disease. CONCLUSION: Because of its
      potential value in monitoring disease progression and treatment response,
      nailfold capillaroscopy may also have a role in the management of overt systemic
      sclerosis. RESULTS: Its application in scleroderma-spectrum disorders in which a
      microvascular component is suspected may also provide new insights into their
      pathophysiology.

PMID- 28641554
TI  - Future of Spermatogonial Stem Cell Culture: Application of Nanofiber Scaffolds.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are unique in mammals because they
      can transmit genetic information from generation to generation and it is of
      significant importance. In testes, Sertoli cells, peritubular myoid cells, Leydig
      cells and other interstitial cells contribute to the spermatogonial stem cell
      "niche". So, creation of niche in an in vitro condition that mimics the in vivo
      environment is essential to maintain functional characteristic of SSCs.
      OBJECTIVE: In this review, we describe the impact of nanofiber scaffolds on the
      culture of SSCs derived from human-to-mouse. RESULTS: Nanofiber Matrices mimic
      the architecture and size scale of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). The
      scaffold provides more three-dimensional (3D), biomimicking and topographical
      signals to the cells and results in a more physiologically relevant cellular
      phenotype. Several investigators use different nanofiber scaffold-like carbon
      nanotubes (CNTs) scaffold, poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) nanofiber scaffold, 3D soft
      agar culture system, human serum albumin (HSA)/tri calcium phosphate
      nanoparticles (TCPNPs) and electrospun polyamide nanofiber for proliferation and
      maintenance of self-renewal activity of the SSCs. CONCLUSION: Application of
      nanofiber scaffolds for in vitro culture of the SSCs may produce spermatogonial
      stem cells that can be used in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering,
      assisted reproductive technology and in the treatment of infertility in pre
      pubertal cancer patients.

PMID- 28641555
TI  - Supervised Machine Learning Methods Applied to Predict Ligand- Binding Affinity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Calculation of ligand-binding affinity is an open problem in
      computational medicinal chemistry. The ability to computationally predict
      affinities has a beneficial impact in the early stages of drug development, since
      it allows a mathematical model to assess protein-ligand interactions. Due to the
      availability of structural and binding information, machine learning methods have
      been applied to generate scoring functions with good predictive power. OBJECTIVE:
      Our goal here is to review recent developments in the application of machine
      learning methods to predict ligand-binding affinity. METHOD: We focus our review
      on the application of computational methods to predict binding affinity for
      protein targets. In addition, we also describe the major available databases for
      experimental binding constants and protein structures. Furthermore, we explain
      the most successful methods to evaluate the predictive power of scoring
      functions. RESULTS: Association of structural information with ligand-binding
      affinity makes it possible to generate scoring functions targeted to a specific
      biological system. Through regression analysis, this data can be used as a base
      to generate mathematical models to predict ligandbinding affinities, such as
      inhibition constant, dissociation constant and binding energy. CONCLUSION:
      Experimental biophysical techniques were able to determine the structures of over
      120,000 macromolecules. Considering also the evolution of binding affinity
      information, we may say that we have a promising scenario for development of
      scoring functions, making use of machine learning techniques. Recent developments
      in this area indicate that building scoring functions targeted to the biological
      systems of interest shows superior predictive performance, when compared with
      other approaches.

PMID- 28641556
TI  - Pharmacogenetic and Pharmacokinetic Dose Individualization of the Taxane
      Chemotherapeutic Drugs Paclitaxel and Docetaxel.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The taxane drugs paclitaxel and docetaxel, widely used on cancer
      chemotherapy, are currently dosed mainly based on body-surface area. This
      approach is associated with wide interindividual variability in drug exposure,
      leading to suboptimal dosing for many patients. METHODS: The available evidence
      supporting dose individualization strategies for paclitaxel and docetaxel were
      reviewed, focusing mainly on the application of therapeutic drug monitoring by a
      priori pharmacogenetic data or a posteriori drug measurements in biological
      fluids. The PubMed database was searched, in the period of 1987-2017, using the
      keywords pharmacogenetics, metabolic genotyping, dose individualization,
      therapeutic drug monitoring, personalized medicine, taxanes paclitaxel and
      docetaxel, either alone or in combination. RESULTS: The current knowledge of
      pharmacology of the taxane drugs paclitaxel and docetaxel, mainly its
      pharmacokinetics and the proteins responsible for their biotransformation and
      transport, along with the genetic polymorphism responsible for variations in the
      activities of these proteins, opens new opportunities for dose selection for
      individual patients. CONCLUSION: Considering the relation between systemic
      exposure to these drug and clinical responses, a posteriori TDM, with measurement
      of drug concentrations in plasma of treated patients, is currently the most
      straightforward approaches for dose individualization of paclitaxel and
      docetaxel.

PMID- 28641557
TI  - Cyclic Dipeptides: Secondary Metabolites Isolated from Different Microorganisms
      with Diverse Biological Activities.
AB  - Cyclic dipeptides are the simplest peptide derivatives commonly found in nature.
      These chiral molecules are easily synthesized from readily available alpha-amino
      acids using a simple methodology. They are privileged structures with the ability
      to bind to a wide range of receptors and have a broad variety of biological and
      pharmacological activities. We will give a brief overview of their status giving
      and interesting reference list about the last works.

PMID- 28641558
TI  - Bis(2-aminoimidazolines) and Bisguanidines: Synthetic Approaches, Antiparasitic
      Activity and DNA Binding Properties.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parasitic diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the genus
      Trypanosoma and Plasmodium cause some of the deadliest and disabling human
      infections in tropical and subtropical areas. Diphenyl-based bis(2
      phenylimino)imidazolidines and bisguanidines are extremely potent antiparasitic
      agents against Trypanosoma brucei (etiological agent of African trypanosomiasis)
      and Plasmodium falciparum (etiological agent of severe malaria). Many of these
      compounds are also curative in mouse models of stage 1 African trypanosomiasis
      representing promising leads for the development of antitrypanosomal drugs. In
      addition, different classes of bis(2-iminoimidazolidines) and bisguanidines have
      been shown to have antimicrobial activity against other pathogens (e.g. bacteria,
      fungi, parasitic worms). Due to their structural and physicochemical properties,
      these dibasic compounds, which are dications at physiological pH, are prone to
      bind to the minor groove of DNA at AT-rich sites. In several cases, such
      interaction is thought to be responsible for their antimicrobial activity.
      RESULTS: In this review, we give a comprehensive view of the synthetic methods
      used to introduce the 2-aminoimidazoline scaffold in a molecule. Synthetic routes
      that give access to these cyclic guanidines (i.e. unsubstituted, 1-, 4-, and 5
      substituted 2-aminoimidazolines) are detailed. The in vitro and in vivo
      antiprotozoal activity of bis(2-aminoimidazolines) and bisguanidines against
      kinetoplastid parasites (T. brucei, T. cruzi, Leishmania), Plasmodium spp. and
      other pathogens (e.g. ESKAPE bacteria, Candida spp., M. tuberculosis, E.
      multilocularia) is also reviewed. Finally, the targets that are involved in the
      antimicrobial activity (e.g. DNA) or other biological activities (e.g. alpha
      adrenergic receptors, imidazoline binding sites, kinases) of this class of
      dicationic compounds are discussed.

PMID- 28641559
TI  - A Stepwise Approach for the Isolation and the Identification of Chemically
      Reactive Exofacial Protein Thiols.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The plasma membrane controls the selective internalization of
      (macro)molecules through different mechanisms, often relaying on specialized
      outward-facing carriers such as exofacial proteins thiols (EPTs). Although the
      interchange of critical thiols and disulphides between EPTs and exogenous cargoes
      is the first critical event, the identification of specific cell interactors
      remains to be thoroughly explored. Besides, it is likewise evident that only the
      relatively little suite of EPTs truly reactive can be considered theranostic
      targets. OBJECTIVE: We were aimed at developing a stepwise procedure for the
      isolation and identification of a subset of EPTs, that we named chemically
      reactive EPS, which are potential theranostic targets. METHOD: In the present
      study, EPTs that displayed permissive sulfhydryls on the surface of live cells in
      vitro underwent i) chemo-selective capture by means of thiolated
      superparamagnetic microbeads (isolation step), followed by ii) their prompt
      release via disulphide breakage through the addition of DTT reducing agent
      (elution step) and iii) analysis by means of SDS-PAGE and LCMS/ MS
      (identification step). RESULTS: In total cell lysates, most of the proteins
      recovered were intracellular. Conversely, this methodology allowed a 2.6-fold
      enrichment in chemically reactive EPTs recovered and identified, corresponding up
      to 37% of the total cellular proteins. The key element of our approach was the
      reversible chemo-selective capture through disulphide linkages between chemically
      reactive EPTs and free thiols on microbeads. CONCLUSION: We devised an enabling
      methodology to selectively pick up, recover and characterize chemically reactive
      EPTs.

PMID- 28641560
TI  - Functional and Catalytic Characterization of the Detoxifying Enzyme Haloalkane
      Dehalogenase from Rhizobium leguminosarum.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Haloalkane dehalogenases (EC 3.8.1.5, HLDs) are alpha/beta-hydrolases
      which catalyze the irreversible cleavage of carbon-halogen bonds of haloalkanes,
      producing an alcohol, a halide and a hydrogen ion. Haloalkanes are acutely toxic
      to animals and humans and their toxic effects are mainly observed in the liver,
      kidneys and central nervous system. OBJECTIVE: In the present work, the
      haloalkane dehalogenase from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii (DrlA) was
      characterized. METHOD: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis
      and enzyme activity assays revealed that the DrlA gene expression in R.
      leguminosarum bv. trifolii is induced by 1,2- dibromoethane (1,2-DBE) during the
      early exponential phase. The gene of the enzyme was isolated, cloned and
      expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3). RESULTS: Recombinant DrlA displays its high
      catalytic activity towards 1,2-DBE and the long-chain haloalkane 1-iodohexane.
      Limited activity was observed for other aliphatic and cyclic haloalkanes,
      indicating that the enzyme displays restricted substrate specificity, compared to
      other bacterial HLDs. Homology modelling and phylogenetic analysis suggested that
      the enzyme belongs to the HLD-II subfamily and shares the same overall fold and
      domain organization as other bacterial HLDs, however major variations were
      identified at the hydrophobic substrate-binding cavity, the cap domain and the
      entrance of the main tunnel that affect the size of the active site pocket and
      the substrate recognition mechanism. CONCLUSION: This work sheds new light on the
      environmental fate and toxicity of 1,2-DBE and provides new knowledge on the
      structure, function and diversity of HLDs for developing applications in
      toxicology.

PMID- 28641561
TI  - Induction of Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Mice by Multiepitope
      Vaccines Composing of Both T and B Lymphocyte Epitopes of MAGE-A3 which are
      Recombined into HBcAg.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Melanoma-associated antigen-A3 (MAGE-A3) is a tumor specific antigen
      and a potential candidate for cancer immunotherapy. We had screened three
      immunodominant multiepitopes of MAGE-A3, and identified these multiepitope
      peptides had significantly higher reactivity to serum samples from gastric cancer
      patients. However, the immune responses of three multiepitope peptides carried by
      HBcAg in mice have not been investigated. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this
      study was to analyze the humoral and cellular immune responses in mice induced by
      these three multiepitope vaccines of MAGE-A3. METHODS: Three multiepitopes of
      MAGE-A3 (MAGE-A3(EPI-1, or -2, or -3)) were respectively inserted at HBcAg major
      immunodominant region (HBcAg(MIR)) of the pET21a(+)/HBcAg(MIR) recombinant
      plasmid. These recombinant chimeras were identified by PCR, and transfected
      respectively into E. Coli Ressotta strain. The expression products of
      rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3(EPI-1, or -2, or -3) were purified respectively by Ni2+
      chelated affinity column, and then confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western-blot
      analysis.Purified three rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3 multiepitopes were administrated
      respectively into BALB/c (H-2Kd) mice by intradermal injection. The production of
      rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3(EPI-1, or -2, or -3) specific IgG in serum from immunized
      mice were measured by ELISA. Spleen cells from all immunized mice were harvested
      after one week of last immunization for lymphocyte proliferation assay and
      cytotoxic T-lymphocyte assay. RESULTS: PCR and Sequencing analysis showed the
      presence of the required gene fragment in pET21a(+)/ HBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3(EPI-1, or
      -2, or -3) recombinant plasmid. Purified rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3(EPI-1, or -2, or -3)
      could be probed specifically by McAb of 6*his-tag. ELISA analysis indicated that
      serum from immunized mice with rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3(EPI-1, -2, or -3) proteins
      could be discerned specifically by complete MAGE-A3 protein, and high level of
      antibodies in immune serum were obtained, and all antibody titers could reach
      above 1:1600. The splenocytes from groups of rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3(EPI-1,-2, or 
      3), stimulated respectively with corresponding peptides showed the higher
      proliferative responses comparing with control groups of HBcAg(MIR) or PBS
      (p<0.05, respectively). Splenocytes from mice immunized with rHBcAg(MIR)/MAGE-A3
      (EPI-1, or -2, or -3) could killed target cells effectively, and there were
      significant difference of CTL activities compared with control groups of
      HBcAg(MIR), or PBS (p<0.05, respectively) at any ratio of effector : target.
      CONCLUSION: Our results indicated MIR in HBcAg presenting platform could present
      MAGE-A3 multiepitopes efficiently and induced significant humoral or cellular
      immunity. The immune strategy based on multiepitopeimmunization could have
      potential for preventing or controlling MAGE-A3 associated malignant disease.

PMID- 28641562
TI  - Structural Characterization of Amyloid beta17-42 Dimer by Potential of Mean Force
      Analysis: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent experiments with Amyloid beta1-42 peptide have indicated that
      the initial dimerization of Abeta1-42 monomers to form amyloid dimers stand out
      as a key event in the generation of toxic oligomers. However, the structural
      characterization of Abeta1-42 dimer at the atomistic level and the dimerization
      mechanism by which Abeta1-42 peptides co-aggregate still remains not clear.
      OBJECTIVE: In the present study, the process of Abeta17-42 peptide dimerization
      which is known to play an important role in the plaque formation in Alzheimer's
      disease was evaluated in terms of potential of mean force. METHODS: The Abeta17
      42 dimer was constructed using PatchDock server. We have used molecular dynamics
      (MD) simulation with the umbrella sampling methodology to compute the Potential
      of Mean Force for the dimerization of Abeta17-42. The global minima structure at
      the minimum distance of separation was isolated from the calculated free energy
      profile and the interactions involved in the formation of the dimer structure
      were examined. Protein-protein interfaces and the residueresidue interactions
      vital for generation of the dimer complexes were also evaluated. RESULTS: The
      simulation results elucidated the interaction between the monomeric units to be
      governed primarily by the hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds. The resultant Abeta17
      42 dimer was found to have an increased beta-strands propensity at the
      hydrophobic regions encompassing the CHC region. Furthermore, specific
      hydrophobic residues were found to play a vital role in the formation of the
      dimer complex. CONCLUSION: From the results we may therefore conclude hydrophobic
      region encompassing the CHC region to be crucial in dimerization process. The
      findings from this study provide detailed information for the complex process of
      early events of Abeta aggregation.

PMID- 28641563
TI  - Pentapeptide Prosequence Enhances Expression and Structure Folding of Recombinant
      Thermomyces lanuginosus Lipase in Pichia pastoris.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Propeptides of lipases have been demonstrated to influence many
      properties of their mature proteins as intramolecular chaperones. However, the
      working mechanism of propeptides may be different. OBJECTIVES: The main objective
      of this study was to determine the role of pentapeptide prosequence of
      Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL) through its effect on the recombinant
      expression of TLL in P. pastoris, and explore the possible function mechanism
      with its hydrophobicity. METHODS: We have synthesized a codon-optimized TLL gene
      coTLL with a Kex2 cleavage site "- KREAEA-" directly after the propeptide "SPIRR
      ", and obtained expression vector pP-kTL through cloning it into pPIC9K. TL gene
      without the propeptide and pTL gene with a propeptide directed linked to mature
      TLL lipase, were also amplified and cloned into pPIC9K to obtain the expression
      vector pP-TL and pP-pTL. pTL-P and pTL-VP gene variants with mutation in
      pentapeptide prosequence of TLL were obtained used the site-directed mutation
      with the pP-pTL plasmid as the template. The recombinant proteins were expressed
      in P. pastoris GS115. Lipase activity was determined by a spectrophotometric
      method previously reported using para-nitrophenyl palmitate (pNPP) as the
      substrate and the thermostability of lipases of TLL was analyzed by incubating at
      different temperatures (70 degrees C and 80 degrees C) for 5h and molecular
      dynamics simulation. RESULTS: The average lipase activity of recombinant strains
      GS-pTL reached 434.32 U/mL, higher than that of GS-TL 377.71 U/mL. The
      fermentation result of the recombinant strains with modified propeptide showed
      that the extracellular lipase activity of GS-pTL-VP variant reached 483.29 U/mL,
      increasing by 11.27% compared with that of GS-pTL (434.32 U/mL). Further analysis
      performed on the lipase stabilities with propeptide variants by molecular
      dynamics simulation showed that the RMSD of variant pTL-VP was similar to that of
      pTL. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the propeptide "SPIRR-" sequence is
      beneficial for enhancing TLL expression. In addition, the function of TLL
      propeptide was identified to be related to its hydrophobicity, implying that
      propeptide might play a role in assisting the formation of the hydrophobic
      protein core and accelerate the protein folding process. This work inspired us to
      attach more emphasis on the propeptide of other lipases for improving their
      recombinant expression, structure folding and enzymatic properties.

PMID- 28641564
TI  - Investigation on the Interaction of Pseudomonas syringae Effector AvrPto with
      AtRabE1d GTPase.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The tomato bacterial speck is a worldwide disease. It is caused by
      the infection of pathogenic Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato which delivers the
      effector AvrPto into the host cells via the type III secretion system. AvrPto
      interacts with a Rab8 subfamily protein in the GTP-bound form and participates in
      the response to pathogen infection, but the pathogenic mechanism involved remains
      elusive. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to investigate on the
      interrelationship of AvrPto with AtRabE1d and Pto, which would allow us to have a
      deeper understanding of the pathogen mechanism of bacterial speck mediated by
      avirulent AvrPto and provides theoretic support for the prevention and cure of
      tomato bacterial speck disease. METHODS: AvrPto8-159 and AtRabE1d13-185Q74L
      proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli expression system, purified via
      nickel affinity chromatography and size exclusion chromatography, and identified
      by SDS-PAGE. The interaction of AvrPto8-159 with AtRabE1d13-185Q74L was confirmed
      in vitro based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer. In addition, the
      affinity of AvrPto8-159 with AtRabE1d13-185Q74L:GTP was determined using the
      fluorescence polarization based equilibrium titration. The comparison of the
      complex structural model of AtRabE1d with AvrPto, which was docked and refined by
      Patchdock and FireDock softwares. RESULTS: AvrPto8-159 and AtRabE1d13-185Q74L can
      be expressed and purified well in E.coli. FRET between AvrPto8-159 with GFP-tag
      and mantGTP-load AtRabE1d13-185Q74L was observed slightly in vitro for the first
      time. On the other hand, deploying DsRed of AtRabE1d13-185Q74L as FRET partner
      with GFP, AvrPto was shown to interact with AtRabE1d more significantly with
      increasing concentrations of DsRed-AtRabE1d13-185Q74L. The equilibrium
      dissociation constant of AvrPto8-159 with AtRabE1d13-185Q74L:GTP was determined
      to be 13.5 MUM. CONCLUSION: This work reports preparation and interaction of
      AvrPto8-159 with AtRabE1d13- 185Q74L. AvrPto8-159 exhibited medium affinity with
      AtRabE1d13-185Q74L based on the fluorescence polarization. From the structural
      model of the complex AvrPto:AtRabE1d, AvrPto interacted with AtRabE1d and Pto
      proteins with completely different biding sites.

PMID- 28641565
TI  - D-Amino Acid Analogues of the Antimicrobial Peptide CDT Exhibit Anti- Cancer
      Properties in A549, a Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Line.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The importance of the antitumor activity of some antimicrobial
      peptides (AMPs) is being increasingly recognized. The antimicrobial peptide,
      tachyplesin, has been shown to exhibit anticancer properties and a linear,
      cysteine deleted analogue (CDT), was found to retain its antibacterial function.
      OBJECTIVES: The objective was to test CDT and related analogues against normal
      mammalian, bacterial, and cancer cells to determine their effectiveness and then
      utilize specific assays to determine a possible mechanism of action. METHODS: We
      used sequence reversal and D-amino acids to synthesize four CDT analogues by
      solid phase peptide synthesis. A number of assays were used including liposome
      dye-leakage, antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative
      bacterial strains, hemolytic assays, methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT), and
      apoptosis to examine their effectiveness as both AMPs and anti-cancer peptides
      (ACPs). We then tested the analogues for their ability to inhibit proliferation
      of the human lung cancer cell line, A549. RESULTS: We found that D-CDT exhibited
      the best bactericidal properties of those tested and was not damaging to red
      blood cells. Both D-CDT and reverse D-CDT showed a dose-dependent reduction of
      cell viability. However, D-CDT was most effective with an IC50 of 9.814 MUM, a
      value 9-fold lower than that calculated for reverse D-CDT (90.16 MUM). Apoptosis
      does not appear to be a mechanism by which D-CDT exerts its anticancer properties
      since > 100 MUM was required to increase activation of caspase 3. Moreover, the
      ERK1/2 pathway is also unlikely since only a modest (20%) decrease of activity
      was observed with > 100 MUM D-CDT. However, D-CDT was found to operate via a
      hyaluronan (HA)-dependent mechanism as pretreatment of the cells with
      hyaluronidase decreased the cytotoxic effects of D-CDT on A549 cells and
      increased its IC50 29-fold to 283.9 MUM. CONCLUSION: D-CDT is both an effective
      AMP and ACP, and likely exerts its anticancer effects through both membranolytic
      as well as an HA-mediated mechanism.

PMID- 28641566
TI  - Is it Possible to Treat Osteosarcoma Using Oligonucleotides Confined into
      Controlled Release Drug Delivery Systems?
AB  - PURPOSE: The present study aimed to analyze the researches that are at the
      experimental phase concerning osteosarcoma treatment. The researches included
      drug delivery systems which allow controlled release and imbue small interfering
      /micro- ribonucleic acid. METHODS: Without any language preference, we searched
      US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Embase, OVID,
      Cochrane Library database of clinical trials from 1843 to May 25, 2016 and traced
      all the references of incorporated documents. The data were evaluated using
      descriptive statistics and the results are shown as frequency (%). RESULTS: We
      haven't encountered any drug delivery system in which Small interfering
      ribonucleic acid/ micro ribonucleic acid oligonucleotides were embedded
      successfully against osteosarcoma. There has been only one research in which
      hairpin-ribonucleic acid was embedded. CONCLUSION: It was considered that drug
      delivery system enabling controlled oligonucleotide release in the treatment
      period of osteosarcoma was not projected for the clinical use. However, it cannot
      be neglected that the mentioned experimental studies with regard to osteosarcoma
      treatment establish the basis of target therapies. The method in question looks
      promising regarding effective treatment of osteosarcoma in the future.

PMID- 28641567
TI  - Contribution and Value of Biomarkers in Acute Aortic Syndromes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute aortic syndromes, being mostly underdiagnosed due to unspecific
      symptoms, are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis carried out
      by transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance
      imaging. However, there are lots of biochemical assays being investigated, but
      none of them used reliably to identify acute aortic syndromes. Biomarkers could
      accelerate the diagnostic time with cost effective way and could get place in
      definitive diagnostic algorithm of acute aortic syndrome. This review aims to
      identify contribution and value of biomarkers in acute aortic syndromes. METHODS:
      We searched the contribution and value of biomarkers such as D - Dimer, Smooth
      muscle myosin heavy chain (sm - MHC), Calponin, and Soluble elastin fragments
      (sELAF) in acute aortic syndromes at the literature. RESULTS: Twenty two actual
      papers were included in this review for searching the contribution and value of
      biomarkers in the acute aortic syndromes. CONCLUSION: Biomarkers accelerate the
      diagnosis and direct patients to imaging modalities with a risk classification.
      Plenty of biomarkers have been investigated so far but none of them were used in
      clinical routine. Currently none of the biomarkers can reliably identify acute
      aortic syndromes. Each of them has some limitation in term of sensitivity or
      specificity. Although, there is no single biomarker that can be safely used but a
      combination of the assays may increase the sensitivities and specificities.

PMID- 28641568
TI  - An Expanding Role of Biomarkers in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease which may
      cause or result from multiple cardiopulmonary disorders. The disease has complex
      pathophysiological mechanisms and involves many systematic, cellular and
      molecular changes. Therefore, it is crucial to find out underlying mechanisms and
      detect biomarkers to achieve early and proper diagnosis, evaluating disease
      severity, for follow-up and monitor response to treatment. Many biomarkers for
      PAH have been investigated but yet no such biomarker has been found specific and
      easily accessible to use for the patients. This review aims to identify an
      expanding role of biomarkers in PAH. METHOD: We searched an expanding role of
      biomarkers such as asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), von Willebrand factor
      (vWF) and endothelin for PAH in the literature. RESULTS: Thirty-four actual
      papers were included in this review for searching an expanding role of biomarkers
      in the PAH. CONCLUSION: The search for a proper biomarker for PAH patients is an
      ongoing process. Currently we do not have a PAH-specific, easily accesible, low
      priced biomarker for PAH patients. One of the reasons of that is that PAH has a
      complex etiology and the diesase eventually alters multiple systems. So far, only
      BNP/NT-proBNP has been mainly approved and widely used for risk assesment in
      patients with PAH. Ongoing studies, development in the technology and
      understanding the underlying mechanisms in the pathophysiology of PAH, will
      eventually lead us to find proper biomarker(s), for PAH, which will also improve
      patient outcomes and decrease treatment costs in PAH.

PMID- 28641569
TI  - A Review on Defects of Dendritic Cells in Common Variable Immunodeficiency.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most
      important primary disorder that is associated with clinical complications
      including recurrent infections, malignancy and autoimmune diseases. The genetic
      cause of CVID is mostly unknown and only a few genetic causes are identified. The
      various options are proposed for determining the etiology of CVID patients, such
      as T- and B-cell defects, Toll-like receptors (TLRs) impairments, altered
      cytokine production as well as blemished dendritic cells (DCs). The patients with
      CVID show a reduction in number and frequency of DCs in blood, an altered
      expression of cell surface molecules, and defective activation through toll-like
      receptors (TLRs). Also loss of IFNalpha has a critical role in B-cell impairments
      of CVID patients. The aim of this review is to collect under one umbrella, all
      the recent knowledge about DCs defects of CVID patients. METHODS: This review
      covers basic information about physiology of DCs followed by reports of DCs
      situation in CVID. CONCLUSION: According to the results of researches assessing
      DCs frequency and function in CVID, the roll of DCs in the pathogenesis of CVID
      cannot be ruled out. The article is expected to encourage the researchers to do
      comprehensive researches about complex connections between DCs and other immune
      cells in CVID.

PMID- 28641571
TI  - Erratum to: Long-lasting effect of obesity on skeletal muscle transcriptome.

PMID- 28641570
TI  - 1h Post-load Blood Glucose in the Identification of Proatherogenic
      Cardiometabolic Profile in Obesity.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: Current data show that 1h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
      blood glucose (1h-BG) might identify persons at increased risk of developing type
      2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases more precisely than fasting blood glucose
      (FBG) and 2h OGTT blood glucose (2h-BG). The aim of study was to determine
      whether is justified to use 1h-BG over traditional blood glucose measurements, in
      cardiometabolic profiling of obese individuals. METHOD: Cross-sectional study
      enrolled 60 obese individuals without previous history of diabetes and other
      cardiometabolic disorders. Anthropometrical, ultrasound and laboratory
      examinations were conducted. RESULTS: All three parameters significantly directly
      correlated with age, body mass index, waist circumference, erythrocyte
      sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, triglycerides and glycated hemoglobin.
      FBG and 1h-BG significantly directly correlated with alanine transaminase,
      gammaglutamyltransferase and total cholesterol. FBG significantly directly
      correlated with fibrinogen and aspartate transaminase, 1h-BG with systolic blood
      pressure and 2h-BG with diastolic blood pressure. None of parameters
      significantly correlated with gender, total white blood cell count, uric acid, 25
      hydroxyvitamin D, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein
      cholesterol, serum adiponectin and albuminuria. Differences in correlation
      coefficients were not statistically significant. Individuals with 1h-BG >8.6
      mmol/l had much more proatherogenic cardiometabolic profile, as well as higher
      incidence of dysglycemia, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and non-alcoholic fatty liver
      disease (NAFLD) than ones with 1h-BG <8.6 mmol/l, but all differences were driven
      by the average value of glycemia. There were no statistically significant
      differences in ability of predicting MetS, NAFLD and pathologically increased
      carotid artery intima media thickness among analyzed glucose metabolism
      parameters. CONCLUSION: 1h-BG is not superior to FBG and 2h-BG in the
      identification of proatherogenic cardiometabolic profile in obesity.

PMID- 28641572
TI  - A child with hypertension and ambiguous genitalia - an uncommon variant of
      congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Deficiency in 11beta-hydroxylase as a cause of congenital adrenal
      hyperplasia is uncommon. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of
      hypertension with virilization in any prepubescent child. CASE PRESENTATION: A 12
      year-old Asian boy from eastern Nepal presented with pain in his abdomen and
      hypertension. He was raised as a male but had absent testicles since birth and
      had precocious puberty. Plasma testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and
      luteinizing hormone were below baseline level. Basal 17-hydroxyprogesterone was
      elevated. Magnetic resonance imaging of his pelvis showed presence of Mullerian
      structures and karyotyping revealed 46,XX genotype. A clinical diagnosis of
      11beta-hydroxylase deficiency was made in view of hypertension with severe
      virilization in a 46,XX individual. Our patient's legal guardian was unwilling
      for our patient to change gender and because our patient is underage, the
      condition was well explained to his parents. He was managed with steroids and
      antihypertensive drugs. He was on regular follow-up; after 2 years there was no
      hypertension but he developed true puberty with functional ovaries. He was
      prescribed leuprolide (gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue), letrozole
      (aromatase inhibitor), and a continuation of antihypertensive drugs. CONCLUSIONS:
      This case highlights the importance of a thorough physical examination of the
      external genitalia at birth and appropriate referral, and addresses issues in the
      management of such a disorder. Ethical issues pertaining to consent and who is
      entitled to give it should be clear so that the affected individual will have
      optimal psychological development and quality of life.

PMID- 28641573
TI  - Ancient water bottle use and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure among
      California Indians: a prehistoric health risk assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the main toxic compounds
      in natural bitumen, a fossil material used by modern and ancient societies around
      the world. The adverse health effects of PAHs on modern humans are well
      established, but their health impacts on past populations are unclear. It has
      previously been suggested that a prehistoric health decline among the native
      people living on the California Channel Islands may have been related to PAH
      exposure. Here, we assess the potential health risks of PAH exposure from the use
      and manufacture of bitumen-coated water bottles by ancient California Indian
      societies. METHODS: We replicated prehistoric bitumen-coated water bottles with
      traditional materials and techniques of California Indians, based on ethnographic
      and archaeological evidence. In order to estimate PAH exposure related to water
      bottle manufacture and use, we conducted controlled experiments to measure PAH
      contamination 1) in air during the manufacturing process and 2) in water and
      olive oil stored in a completed bottle for varying periods of time. Samples were
      analyzed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for concentrations of
      the 16 PAHs identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as
      priority pollutants. RESULTS: Eight PAHs were detected in concentrations of 1-10
      MUg/m3 in air during bottle production and 50-900 ng/L in water after 2 months of
      storage, ranging from two-ring (naphthalene and methylnaphthalene) to four-ring
      (fluoranthene) molecules. All 16 PAHs analyzed were detected in olive oil after 2
      days (2 to 35 MUg/kg), 2 weeks (3 to 66 MUg/kg), and 2 months (5 to 140 MUg/kg)
      of storage. CONCLUSIONS: For ancient California Indians, water stored in bitumen
      coated water bottles was not a significant source of PAH exposure, but production
      of such bottles could have resulted in harmful airborne PAH exposure.

PMID- 28641574
TI  - Intermittent low platelet counts hampering diagnosis of X-linked thrombocytopenia
      in children: report of two unrelated cases and a novel mutation in the gene
      coding for the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia can occur in different circumstances during
      childhood and although immune thrombocytopenia is its most frequent cause, it is
      important to consider other conditions, especially when there is a persistent or
      recurrent low platelet count. We report two cases of intermittent
      thrombocytopenia, previously misdiagnosed as immune thrombocytopenia. CASES
      PRESENTATION: Both cases described were boys who presented with an intermittent
      pattern of thrombocytopenia, with a persistently low mean platelet volume. In
      both patients, peripheral blood smear revealed small platelets and flow cytometry
      showed low expression of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) in leucocytes.
      Molecular analysis of the first case identified a mutation in exon 2 of the gene
      coding for WASP, leading to a p.Thr45Met amino acid change and confirming the
      diagnosis of X-linked thrombocytopenia. In the second case, a novel missense
      mutation in exon 2 of the gene coding for WASP was detected, which resulted in a
      p.Pro58Leu amino acid change. CONCLUSION: These two rare presentations of
      thrombocytopenia highlight the importance of evaluating the peripheral blood
      smear in the presence of recurrent or persistent thrombocytopenia and show that
      failing to do so can lead to misdiagnoses. Since thrombocytopenia may be found in
      pediatric outpatient clinic, increased awareness among general pediatricians will
      help to improve the differential diagnosis of this condition.

PMID- 28641575
TI  - Phylogenetic and paleobotanical evidence for late Miocene diversification of the
      Tertiary subtropical lineage of ivies (Hedera L., Araliaceae).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hedera (ivies) is one of the few temperate genera of the primarily
      tropical Asian Palmate group of the Araliaceae, which extends its range out of
      Asia to Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Phylogenetic and phylogeographic
      results suggested Asia as the center of origin and the western Mediterranean
      region as one of the secondary centers of diversification. The bird-dispersed
      fleshy fruits of ivies suggest frequent dispersal over long distances (e.g.
      Macaronesian archipelagos), although reducing the impact of geographic barriers
      to gene flow in mainland species. Genetic isolation associated with geographic
      barriers and independent polyploidization events have been postulated as the main
      driving forces of diversification. In this study we aim to evaluate past and
      present diversification patterns in Hedera within a geographic and temporal
      framework to clarify the biogeographic history of the genus. RESULTS:
      Phylogenetic (biogeographic, time divergence and diversification) and
      phylogeographic (coalescence) analyses using four DNA regions (nrITS, trnH-psbA,
      trnT-trnL, rpl32) revealed a complex spatial pattern of lineage divergence.
      Scarce geographic limitation to gene flow and limited diversification are
      observed during the early-mid Miocene, followed by a diversification rate
      increase related to geographic divergence from the Tortonian/Messinian. Genetic
      and palaeobotanical evidence points the origin of the Hedera clade in Asia,
      followed by a gradual E-W Asian extinction and the progressive E-W Mediterranean
      colonization. The temporal framework for the E Asia - W Mediterranean westward
      colonization herein reported is congruent with the fossil record. Subsequent
      range expansion in Europe and back colonization to Asia is also inferred. Uneven
      diversification among geographic areas occurred from the Tortonian/Messinian
      onwards with limited diversification in the newly colonized European and Asian
      regions. Eastern and western Mediterranean regions acted as refugia for Miocene
      and post-Miocene lineages, with a similar role as consecutive centers of
      centrifugal dispersal (including islands) and speciation. CONCLUSIONS: The
      Miocene Asian extinction and European survival of Hedera question the general
      pattern of Tertiary regional extinction of temperate angiosperms in Europe while
      they survived in Asia. The Tortonian/Messinian diversification increase of ivies
      in the Mediterranean challenges the idea that this aridity period was responsible
      for the extinction of the Mediterranean subtropical Tertiary flora. Differential
      responses of Hedera to geographic barriers throughout its evolutionary history,
      linked to spatial isolation related to historical geologic and climatic
      constraints may have shaped diversification of ivies in concert with recurrent
      polyploidy.

PMID- 28641576
TI  - Euthanasia for people with psychiatric disorders or dementia in Belgium: analysis
      of officially reported cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Euthanasia for people who are not terminally ill, such as those
      suffering from psychiatric disorders or dementia, is legal in Belgium under
      strict conditions but remains a controversial practice. As yet, the prevalence of
      euthanasia for people with psychiatric disorders or dementia has not been studied
      and little is known about the characteristics of the practice. This study aims to
      report on the trends in prevalence and number of euthanasia cases with a
      psychiatric disorder or dementia diagnosis in Belgium and demographic, clinical
      and decision-making characteristics of these cases. METHODS: We analysed the
      anonymous databases of euthanasia cases reported to the Federal Control and
      Evaluation Committee Euthanasia from the implementation of the euthanasia law in
      Belgium in 2002 until the end of 2013. The databases we received provided the
      information on all euthanasia cases as registered by the Committee from the
      official registration forms. Only those with one or more psychiatric disorders or
      dementia and no physical disease were included in the analysis. RESULTS: We
      identified 179 reported euthanasia cases with a psychiatric disorder or dementia
      as the sole diagnosis. These consisted of mood disorders (N = 83), dementia (N =
      62), other psychiatric disorders (N = 22) and mood disorders accompanied by
      another psychiatric disorder (N = 12). The proportion of euthanasia cases with a
      psychiatric disorder or dementia diagnosis was 0.5% of all cases reported in the
      period 2002-2007, increasing from 2008 onwards to 3.0% of all cases reported in
      2013. The increase in the absolute number of cases is particularly evident in
      cases with a mood disorder diagnosis. The majority of cases concerned women
      (58.1% in dementia to 77.1% in mood disorders). All cases were judged to have met
      the legal requirements by the Committee. CONCLUSIONS: While euthanasia on the
      grounds of unbearable suffering caused by a psychiatric disorder or dementia
      remains a comparatively limited practice in Belgium, its prevalence has risen
      since 2008. If, as this study suggests, people with psychiatric conditions or
      dementia are increasingly seeking access to euthanasia, the development of
      practice guidelines is all the more desirable if physicians are to respond
      adequately to these highly delicate requests.

PMID- 28641577
TI  - A case report of septic shock syndrome caused by S. pneumoniae in an
      immunocompromised patient despite of vaccination.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of septic shock syndrome
      caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in a patient who had undergone splenectomy due
      to an autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), which is characterized as a
      dysfunction of immunoregulation. Although the patient was vaccinated with a
      conjugated polysaccharide vaccine after the splenectomy, he was still susceptible
      to S. pneumoniae infection, because the isolated serovar (24F), a serovar long
      thought to be apathogenic, is not covered by any vaccine currently approved,
      neither a conjugated nor an unconjugated polysaccharide one. CONCLUSIONS: This
      case demonstrates that, due to presence of different serovars, also infections
      with bacteria against which patients are vaccinated have to be considered as
      differential diagnosis. Although vaccine development has extended the coverage of
      S. pneumoniae from 7 to 23 serovars within recent years, there is still demand
      for novel vaccines which can provide broader protection also against so-thought
      "apathogenic" strains, especially for groups at high risk.

PMID- 28641579
TI  - LPS alters the immuno-phenotype of glioma and glioma stem-like cells and induces
      in vivo antitumor immunity via TLR4.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined the ability of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to affect
      glioma and glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) in vitro and to induce antitumor
      immunity in vivo and the role of TLR4 in these processes. METHODS: Using RT-PCR
      and immunohistochemistry, we examined the expression of TLR4 in 34 glioblastoma
      clinical samples. Using real time-PCR, western blot and ELISA analyses, the
      effect of LPS stimulation on the expression of immune related molecules was
      evaluated in RG2 and U87 GSCs. Control or LPS-pretreated RG2 GSCs were
      intracranially or subcutaneously implanted into wild-type or nude Fisher 344
      rats. Histopathological examinations were used to assess tumor progression and
      immune infiltration and Kaplan-Meier analyses to compare survival times of the
      animal models. RESULTS: TLR4 was highly expressed in glioblastoma clinical
      samples. In vitro LPS stimulation for 6 h significantly altered expression of
      immune related molecules in RG2 and U87 GSCs. However, prolonged LPS stimulation
      diminished this effect. Rats inoculated intracranially with LPS-pretreated RG2
      GSCs survived significantly longer than rats inoculated with control RG2 GSCs. In
      vivo, LPS-pretreated RG2 GSCs expressed higher levels of MHC molecules, CXCL10
      and TNF-alpha and recruited more CD8+ lymphocytes. However, intratumoral LPS
      treatment was not equally beneficial. Furthermore, the in vitro and in vivo
      effects of LPS stimulation appeared to be largely TLR4-dependent. CONCLUSION: LPS
      pretreatment promotes the recognition and eradication of tumor GSCs in vivo when
      the immune function of the tumor-bearing host is intact. In addition, our data
      indicate a complex relationship between bacterial infection and glioma prognosis.

PMID- 28641578
TI  - Methylome analysis of extreme chemoresponsive patients identifies novel markers
      of platinum sensitivity in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite an early response to platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced
      stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the majority of patients will
      relapse with drug-resistant disease. Aberrant epigenetic alterations like DNA
      methylation are common in HGSOC. Differences in DNA methylation are associated
      with chemoresponse in these patients. The objective of this study was to identify
      and validate novel epigenetic markers of chemoresponse using genome-wide analysis
      of DNA methylation in extreme chemoresponsive HGSOC patients. METHODS: Genome
      wide next-generation sequencing was performed on methylation-enriched tumor DNA
      of two HGSOC patient groups with residual disease, extreme responders (>=18
      months progression-free survival (PFS), n = 8) and non-responders (<=6 months
      PFS, n = 10) to platinum-based chemotherapy. DNA methylation and expression data
      of the same patients were integrated to create a gene list. Genes were validated
      on an independent cohort of extreme responders (n = 21) and non-responders (n =
      31) using pyrosequencing and qRT-PCR. In silico validation was performed using
      publicly available DNA methylation (n = 91) and expression (n = 208) datasets of
      unselected advanced stage HGSOC patients. Functional validation of FZD10 on
      chemosensitivity was carried out in ovarian cancer cell lines using siRNA
      mediated silencing. RESULTS: Integrated genome-wide methylome and expression
      analysis identified 45 significantly differentially methylated and expressed
      genes between two chemoresponse groups. Four genes FZD10, FAM83A, MYO18B, and MKX
      were successfully validated in an external set of extreme chemoresponsive HGSOC
      patients. High FZD10 and MKX methylation were related with extreme responders and
      high FAM83A and MYO18B methylation with non-responders. In publicly available
      advanced stage HGSOC datasets, FZD10 and MKX methylation levels were associated
      with PFS. High FZD10 methylation was strongly associated with improved PFS in
      univariate analysis (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.27-0.71; P = 0.001) and
      multivariate analysis (HR = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.23-0.65; P = 0.003). Consistently,
      low FZD10 expression was associated with improved PFS (HR = 1.36; 95% CI, 0.99
      1.88; P = 0.058). FZD10 silencing caused significant sensitization towards
      cisplatin treatment in survival assays and apoptosis assays. CONCLUSIONS: By
      applying genome-wide integrated methylome analysis on extreme chemoresponsive
      HGSOC patients, we identified novel clinically relevant, epigenetically-regulated
      markers of platinum-sensitivity in HGSOC patients. The clinical potential of
      these markers in predictive and therapeutic approaches has to be further
      validated in prospective studies.

PMID- 28641583
TI  - PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF INFERTILITY IN TURKEY: EVIDENCE FROM DEMOGRAPHIC
      AND HEALTH SURVEYS, 1993-2013.
AB  - SummaryThe inability to have children affects couples worldwide and causes
      emotional and psychological distress in both men and women. Turkey is a country
      that lays particular emphasis on the issue of infertility, especially after
      experiencing a dramatic fertility decline over the last two decades. This study
      aimed to understand the changes in the prevalence of infertility in Turkey using
      three different approaches: the DHS Approach, the Constructed Approach and the
      Current Duration Approach. Furthermore, the factors contributing to elevated
      risks of infertility as derived from the Constructed Approach were investigated
      using four different logistic regression models. The data came from the 1993,
      1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted by the
      Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies. The findings of the
      Constructed and Current Duration Approaches suggested that the prevalence of
      infertility decreased markedly from 1993 to 2013 in Turkey. This decline was the
      result of improvements in maternal health care services in Turkey, as well as an
      increase in the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), from 1.9% in 2008
      to 4.1% in 2013. The results of the final logistic regression model suggested
      that the risk of infertility was significantly higher among women aged between 35
      and 49 (p<0.01), uneducated women (p<0.01), women whose age at first marriage was
      over 30 (p<0.01), women defined as overweight (p<0.05) and women whose age at
      menarche was less than 12 years (p<0.05). This is the first nationwide study to
      examine the prevalence of infertility and its socio-demographic risk factors in
      Turkey, a developing country; previous studies have established these risk
      factors mainly in developed countries.

PMID- 28641580
TI  - Marked regional endothelial dysfunction in mottled skin area in patients with
      severe infections.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mottling around the knee, reflecting a reduced skin blood flow, is
      predictive of mortality in patients with septic shock. However, the causative
      pathophysiology of mottling remains unknown. We hypothesized that the cutaneous
      hypoperfusion observed in the mottled area is related to regional endothelial
      dysfunction. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study in a medical
      ICU in a tertiary teaching hospital. Consecutive adult patients with sepsis
      admitted to ICU were included. After resuscitation, endothelium-dependent
      vasodilation in the skin circulation was measured before and after iontophoresis
      of acetylcholine (Ach) in the forearm and the knee area. We analyzed the patterns
      of induced vasodilatation according to the presence or absence of mottling and
      vital status at 14 days. RESULTS: We evaluated 37 septic patients, including 11
      without and 26 with septic shock. Overall 14-day mortality was 22%. Ten patients
      had mottling around the knee (10/37, 27%). In the knee area, the increased skin
      blood flow following iontophoresis of Ach was lower in patients with mottled skin
      as compared to patients without mottled skin (area under curve (AUC) 3280 (2643
      6440) vs. 7980 (4233-19,707), both P < 0.05). In the forearm area, the increased
      skin blood flow following iontophoresis of Ach was similar in patients with and
      without mottled skin. Among patients with septic shock, the increased skin blood
      flow following iontophoresis of Ach in the knee area was significantly lower in
      non-survivors as compared to survivors at 14 days (AUC 3256 (2600-4426) vs. 7704
      (4539-15,011), P < 0.01). In patients with septic shock, the increased skin blood
      flow in the forearm area following iontophoresis of Ach was similar in survivors
      and non-survivors at 14 days. CONCLUSION: Mottling is associated with regional
      endothelial dysfunction in patients with septic shock. Endothelial dysfunction in
      the knee skin area was more pronounced in non-survivors than in survivors.

PMID- 28641581
TI  - Thyrotoxic and pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thyrotoxic crisis and pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis are rare,
      life-threatening, emergency endocrine diseases with various clinical
      manifestations. Here we report a case of a patient who simultaneously developed
      thyrotoxic crisis and pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis and required intensive
      cardiovascular management. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old Asian man experienced
      nausea and vomiting, and subsequently developed dyspnea and cold sweats while
      farming. His serum free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, and thyrotropin
      receptor antibody levels were elevated at 2.9 ng/dL, 7.2 pg/dL, and 4.7 IU/L,
      respectively. Serum thyrotropin levels were suppressed at less than 0.01 MUIU/mL.
      Thyroid echography demonstrated no thyroid swelling (23 * 43 mm). A whole body
      computed tomography was performed for systemic evaluation. This revealed
      exophthalmos and a mass of size 57 * 64 mm in the anterior pararenal space. Based
      on these findings, we made an initial diagnosis of thyrotoxic crisis secondary to
      exacerbation of Grave's hyperthyroidism. Treatment was begun with an iodine agent
      at a dose of 36 mg/day, thiamazole at a dose of 30 mg/day, and hydrocortisone at
      a dose of 300 mg daily for 3 consecutive days. To control tachycardia, continuous
      intravenously administered propranolol and diltiazem infusions were given. At the
      same time, small doses of doxazosin and carvedilol were used for both alpha and
      beta adrenergic blockade. On hospital day 5, his blood pressure and serum
      catecholamine concentrations (adrenalin 42,365 pg/mL, dopamine 6409 pg/mL,
      noradrenalin 72,212 pg/mL) were still high despite higher beta blocker and
      calcium channel blocker doses. These findings contributed to the diagnosis of
      pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis with simultaneous thyrotoxic crisis. We
      increased the doses of doxazosin and carvedilol, which stabilized his hemodynamic
      status. On hospital day 16, metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy showed high
      accumulation in the right adrenal gland tumor. After retroperitoneal laparoscopic
      adrenalectomy on hospital day 33, his condition stabilized. He was discharged on
      hospital day 58. CONCLUSIONS: Since he required more intensive cardiovascular
      management for thyrotoxic crisis, beta blockade was increased under intensive
      care unit monitoring even though initial alpha blockade is recommended in
      pheochromocytoma. When these crises occur simultaneously, cardiovascular
      management can be very challenging.

PMID- 28641584
TI  - Crotoxin stimulates an M1 activation profile in murine macrophages during
      Leishmania amazonensis infection.
AB  - American tegumentary leishmaniasis is caused by different species of Leishmania.
      This protozoan employs several mechanisms to subvert the microbicidal activity of
      macrophages and, given the limited efficacy of current therapies, the development
      of alternative treatments is essential. Animal venoms are known to exhibit a
      variety of pharmacological activities, including antiparasitic effects. Crotoxin
      (CTX) is the main component of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, and it has
      several biological effects. Nevertheless, there is no report of CTX activity
      during macrophage - Leishmania interactions. Thus, the main objective of this
      study was to evaluate whether CTX has a role in macrophage M1 polarization during
      Leishmania infection murine macrophages, Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and
      L. amazonensis-infected macrophages were challenged with CTX. MTT [3
      (4,5dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrasodium bromide] toxicity assays were
      performed on murine macrophages, and no damage was observed in these cells.
      Promastigotes, however, were affected by treatment with CTX (IC50 = 22.86 ug mL
      1) as were intracellular amastigotes. Macrophages treated with CTX also
      demonstrated increased reactive oxygen species production. After they were
      infected with Leishmania, macrophages exhibited an increase in nitric oxide
      production that converged into an M1 activation profile, as suggested by their
      elevated production of the cytokines interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor
      alpha and changes in their morphology. CTX was able to reverse the L. amazonensis
      mediated inhibition of macrophage immune responses and is capable of polarizing
      macrophages to the M1 profile, which is associated with a better prognosis for
      cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment.

PMID- 28641582
TI  - A multicentre randomised controlled trial of levetiracetam versus phenytoin for
      convulsive status epilepticus in children (protocol): Convulsive Status
      Epilepticus Paediatric Trial (ConSEPT) - a PREDICT study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is the most common life
      threatening childhood neurological emergency. Despite this, there is a lack of
      high quality evidence supporting medication use after first line benzodiazepines,
      with current treatment protocols based solely on non-experimental evidence and
      expert opinion. The current standard of care, phenytoin, is only 60% effective,
      and associated with considerable adverse effects. A newer anti-convulsant,
      levetiracetam, can be given faster, is potentially more efficacious, with a more
      tolerable side effect profile. The primary aim of the study presented in this
      protocol is to determine whether intravenous (IV) levetiracetam or IV phenytoin
      is the better second line treatment for the emergency management of CSE in
      children. METHODS/DESIGN: 200 children aged between 3 months and 16 years
      presenting to 13 emergency departments in Australia and New Zealand with CSE,
      that has failed to stop with first line benzodiazepines, will be enrolled into
      this multicentre open randomised controlled trial. Participants will be
      randomised to 40 mg/kg IV levetiracetam infusion over 5 min or 20 mg/kg IV
      phenytoin infusion over 20 min. The primary outcome for the study is clinical
      cessation of seizure activity five minutes following the completion of the
      infusion of the study medication. Blinded confirmation of the primary outcome
      will occur with the primary outcome assessment being video recorded and assessed
      by a primary outcome assessment team blinded to treatment allocation. Secondary
      outcomes include: Clinical cessation of seizure activity at two hours; Time to
      clinical seizure cessation; Need for rapid sequence induction; Intensive care
      unit (ICU) admission; Serious adverse events; Length of Hospital/ICU stay; Health
      care costs; Seizure status/death at one-month post discharge. DISCUSSION: This
      paper presents the background, rationale, and design for a randomised controlled
      trial comparing levetiracetam to phenytoin in children presenting with CSE in
      whom benzodiazepines have failed. This study will provide the first high quality
      evidence for management of paediatric CSE post first-line benzodiazepines. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Prospectively registered with the Australian and New Zealand
      Clinical Trial Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12615000129583 (11/2/2015). UTN U1111-1144
      5272. ConSEPT protocol version 4 (12/12/2014).

PMID- 28641585
TI  - Cancer-bereaved siblings' positive and negative memories and experiences of
      illness and death: A nationwide follow-up.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to explore bereaved siblings' positive and negative
      memories and experiences of their brother's or sister's illness and death.
      METHOD: In our nationwide Swedish study, 174 of 240 (73%) bereaved siblings
      participated, and 70% responded to two open-ended statements, which focused on
      siblings' positive and negative memories and experiences of illness and death.
      The data were analyzed using systematic text condensation. RESULTS: The bereaved
      siblings' responses were categorized into four different themes: (1) endurance
      versus vulnerability, (2) family cohesion versus family conflicts, (3) growth
      versus stagnation, and (4) professional support versus lack of professional
      support. The first theme expressed endurance as the influence that the ill
      siblings' strong willpower, good mood, and stamina in their difficult situation
      had on healthy siblings, whereas vulnerability was expressed as the feeling of
      emptiness and loneliness involved with having an ill and dying sibling. In the
      second theme, family cohesion was expressed as the bonds being strengthened
      between family members, whereas family conflicts often led siblings to feel
      invisible and unacknowledged. In the third theme, most siblings expressed the
      feeling that they grew as individuals in the process of their brother's or
      sister's illness and death, whereas others experienced stagnation because of the
      physical and mental distress they bore throughout this time, often feeling
      forgotten. In the last theme-professional support-most siblings perceived
      physicians and staff at the hospital as being warm, kind, and honest, while some
      siblings had negative experiences. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The study shows that
      bereaved siblings can have positive memories and experiences. The significance of
      the positive buffering effect on bereaved siblings' own endurance, personal
      growth, family cohesion, and social support should be noted. This knowledge can
      be valuable in showing healthcare professionals the importance of supporting the
      siblings of children with cancer throughout the cancer trajectory and afterwards
      into bereavement.

PMID- 28641586
TI  - Access, Education and Policy Awareness: Predictors of Influenza Vaccine
      Acceptance Among VHA Healthcare Workers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE To identify predictors of influenza vaccine acceptance among VHA
      healthcare workers (HCWs), with emphasis on modifiable factors related to
      promotion campaigns. DESIGN Survey. SETTING National single-payer healthcare
      system with 140 hospitals and 321,000 HCWs. PARTICIPANTS National voluntary
      sample of HCWs in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. METHODS We
      invited a random sample of 5% of all VHA HCWs to participate. An 18-item intranet
      based survey inquired about occupation, vaccination status, employer policy, and
      local campaign efforts. RESULTS The response rate was 17.4%. Of 2,502 initial
      respondents, 2,406 (96.2%) provided usable data. This sample includes respondents
      from all 140 VA hospitals. Self-reported influenza vaccination rates were highest
      among physicians (95.6%) and licensed independent providers (88.3%). Nonclinical
      staff (80.7%) reported vaccine uptake similar to other certified but nonlicensed
      providers (81.2%). The strongest predictor of vaccine acceptance among VHA HCWs
      was individual awareness of organizational policy. Vaccine acceptance was also
      higher among HCWs who reported more options for access to vaccination and among
      those in facilities with more education activities. CONCLUSIONS Influenza vaccine
      acceptance varied significantly by employee awareness of employer policy and on
      site access to vaccine. Employer-sponsored activities to increase access continue
      to show positive returns across occupations. Local influenza campaign efforts to
      educate HCWs may have reached saturation in this target group. These results
      suggest that focused communications to increase HCW awareness and understanding
      of employer policy can drive further increase in influenza vaccination
      acceptance. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:970-975.

PMID- 28641587
TI  - Existential isolation.

PMID- 28641588
TI  - HEALTH TECHNOLOGY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: REAL-WORLD EVIDENCE FOR PUBLIC
      HEALTHCARE SUSTAINABILITY.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Health technology financing is often based on randomized controlled
      trials (RCTs), which are often the same ones used for licensing. Because they are
      designed to show the best possible results, typically Phase III studies are
      conducted under ideal and highly controlled conditions. Consequently, it is not
      surprising that technologies do not always perform in real life in the same way
      as controlled conditions. Because financing (and price paid) decisions can be
      made with overestimated results, health authorities need to ask whether health
      systems achieve the results they expect when they choose to pay for a technology.
      The optimal way to answer this question is to assess the performance of financed
      technologies in real-world settings. Health technology performance assessment
      (HTpA) refers to the systematic evaluation of the properties, effects, and/or
      impact of a health intervention or health technology in the real world to provide
      information for investment/disinvestment decisions and clinical guideline
      updates. The objective is to describe the development and principal aspects of
      the Guideline for HTpA commissioned by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. METHODS:
      Our methods used include extensive literature review, refinement with experts
      across countries, and public consultation. RESULTS: A comprehensive guideline was
      developed, which has been adopted by the Brazilian government. CONCLUSION: We
      believe the guideline, with its particular focus on disinvestment, along with the
      creation of a specific program for HTpA, will allow the institutionalization and
      continuous improvement of the scientific methods to use real-world evidence to
      optimize available resources not only in Brazil but across countries.

PMID- 28641589
TI  - Modality-Dependent or Modality-Independent Processing in Mental Arithmetic:
      Evidence From Unimpaired Auditory Multiplication for a Patient With Left
      Frontotemporal Stroke.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Mental arithmetic is essential to daily life. Researchers have
      explored the mechanisms that underlie mental arithmetic. Whether mental
      arithmetic fact retrieval is dependent on surface modality or knowledge format is
      still highly debated. Chinese individuals typically use a procedure strategy for
      addition; and they typically use a rote verbal strategy for multiplication. This
      provides a way to examine the effect of surface modality on different arithmetic
      operations. METHODS: We used a series of neuropsychological tests (i.e., general
      cognitive, language processing, numerical processing, addition, and
      multiplication in visual and auditory conditions) for a patient who had
      experienced a left frontotemporal stroke. RESULTS: The patient had language
      production impairment; but preserved verbal processing concerning basic numerical
      abilities. Moreover, the patient had preserved multiplication in the auditory
      presentation rather than in the visual presentation. The patient suffered from
      impairments in an addition task, regardless of visual or auditory presentation.
      CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that mental multiplication could be
      characterized as a form of modality-dependent processing, which was accessed
      through auditory input. The learning strategy of multiplication table recitation
      could shape the verbal memory of multiplication leading to persistence of the
      auditory module. (JINS, 2017, 23, 692-699).

PMID- 28641590
TI  - Measles elimination and immunisation: national surveillance trends in Japan, 2008
      2015.
AB  - Measles elimination relies on vaccination programmes. In Japan, a major outbreak
      started in 2007. In response, 5-year two-dose catch-up vaccination programme was
      initiated in April 2008 for children 13-16-years-old. In this study, we analysed
      the epidemic curves, incidence rates for each age group, virus genotype,
      vaccination coverage and ratio of measles gelatin particle agglutination (PA)
      antibody using surveillance data for 2008-2015. Monthly case counts markedly
      decreased as vaccination coverage increased. D5, which is the endemic virus type,
      disappeared after 2011, with the following epidemic caused by imported viruses.
      Most cases were confirmed to have a no-dose or single-dose vaccination status.
      Although the incidence rate among all age groups ?5-years-old decreased during
      the study period, for children <5-years-old, the incidence rate remained
      relatively high and increased in 2014. The ratio of PA antibody (?1:128 titres)
      increased for the majority of age groups, but with a decrease for specific age
      groups: the 0-5 months and the 2-4, 14, 19 and most of the 26-55- and the 60-year
      old groups (-1 to -9%). This seems to be the result of higher vaccination
      coverage, which would result in decreasing natural immunity booster along with
      decreasing passive immunity in infants whose mothers did not have the natural
      immunity booster. The 20-29- and 30-39-year-old age groups had higher number of
      cases, suggesting that vaccination within these age groups might be important for
      eliminating imported viruses.

PMID- 28641591
TI  - Foucault Retires to the Gym: Understanding Embodied Aging in the Third Age.
AB  - In light of recent social pressures leading to a reimagining of the "Third Age"
      as a time of constant activity rather than repose and relaxation, this article
      explores the pressure on individuals to age "successfully" by engaging in
      physical activity in later life. Through semi-structured interviews with 15
      retired or semi-retired gym-goers (eight women and seven men), the article
      examines how this call to increased activity impacts the ways active mid-life and
      older adults understand themselves and others. Drawing on Foucault's
      understandings of the productive nature of power, we argue that those who
      perceive themselves as successfully heeding the call to active aging position
      themselves in contrast to inactive peers. Within a neoliberal framework, these
      participants self-identify as morally responsible citizens who, as a result of
      engagement in fitness activities, are authorized to survey and discipline the
      bodies of those "others" who will not or cannot engage in regular exercise.

PMID- 28641592
TI  - CONCEPTUALIZATIONS OF THE SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE WITHIN ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS: A
      SYSTEMATIC REVIEW.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate how the societal perspective
      is conceptualized in economic evaluations and to assess how intersectoral costs
      and benefits (ICBs), that is, the costs and benefits pertaining to sectors
      outside the healthcare sector, impact their results. METHODS: Based on a search
      in July 2015 using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsychINFO, a systematic literature
      review was performed for economic evaluations which were conducted from a
      societal perspective. Conceptualizations were assessed in NVivo version 11 using
      conventional and directed content analysis. Trial-based evaluations in the fields
      of musculoskeletal and mental disorders were analyzed further, focusing on the
      way ICBs impact the results of economic evaluations. RESULTS: A total of 107
      studies were assessed, of which 74 (69.1 percent) provided conceptualizations of
      the societal perspective. These varied in types of costs included and in
      descriptions of cost bearers. Labor productivity costs were included in seventy
      two studies (67.3 percent), while only thirty-eight studies (35.5 percent)
      included other ICBs, most of which entailed informal care and/or social care
      costs. ICBs within the educational and criminal justice sectors were each
      included five times. Most of the trial-based evaluations analyzed further (n = 21
      of 28) reported productivity costs. In nine, these took up more than 50 percent
      of total costs. In several studies, criminal justice and informal care costs were
      also important. CONCLUSIONS: There is great variety in the way the societal
      perspective is conceptualized and interpreted within economic evaluations. Use of
      the term "societal perspective" is often related to including merely productivity
      costs, while other ICBs could be relevant as well.

PMID- 28641593
TI  - Preliminary Evidence for an Association Between the Composition of the Gut
      Microbiome and Cognitive Function in Neurologically Healthy Older Adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome is implicated in numerous human
      health conditions. Animal studies have linked microbiome disruption to changes in
      cognitive functioning, although no study has examined this possibility in
      neurologically healthy older adults. METHODS: Participants were 43 community
      dwelling older adults (50-85 years) that completed a brief cognitive test battery
      and provided stool samples for gut microbiome sequencing. Participants
      performing>=1 SD below normative performance on two or more tests were compared
      to persons with one or fewer impaired scores. RESULTS: Mann Whitney U tests
      revealed different distributions of Bacteroidetes (p=.01), Firmicutes (p=.02),
      Proteobacteria (p=.04), and Verrucomicrobia (p=.003) between Intact and Impaired
      groups. These phyla were significantly correlated with cognitive test
      performances, particularly Verrucomicrobia and attention/executive function
      measures. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings suggest that composition of the gut
      microbiome is associated with cognitive test performance in neurologically
      healthy older adults. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and
      explore possible mechanisms. (JINS, 2017, 23, 700-705).

PMID- 28641594
TI  - Relationship between abdominal obesity and alcohol drinking pattern in normal
      weight, middle-aged adults: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination
      Survey 2008-2013.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Abdominal obesity is associated with obesity-related health risks
      regardless of body weight. The present study aimed to determine whether alcohol
      drinking pattern is associated with abdominal obesity in normal-weight, middle
      aged adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using complex sampling design
      analyses. SETTING: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey,
      which was conducted from 2008 to 2013. SUBJECTS: Normal-weight participants aged
      40-69 years with BMI of 18.5-25.0 kg/m2 (n 11 289, 4491 men and 6798 women) were
      included. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference >=90 cm for men or
      >=85 cm for women. Alcohol drinking pattern was assessed by self-report on
      questionnaires. RESULTS: Among 11 289 normal-weight participants, 7.9 % (n 379)
      of men and 7.6 % (n 609) of women had abdominal obesity. Both men and women who
      consumed a higher quantity of alcohol per drinking occasion had higher odds (OR;
      95 % CI) for abdominal obesity compared with individuals who consumed fewer than
      2 drinks (1.86; 1.04, 3.32 for >=10 drinks/typical occasion in men; and 3.28;
      1.13, 9.46 in women). Men who binge drink every day had higher odds for abdominal
      obesity (2.10; 1.21, 3.63). In both sexes, frequency of alcohol drinking was not
      associated with normal-weight abdominal obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed
      that the amount of alcohol drinking per occasion influenced abdominal obesity in
      normal-weight, middle-aged individuals that may have impacted obesity-related
      health risks. Healthy alcohol drinking habits need to be controlled for
      prevention of abdominal obesity even among persons with normal weight.

PMID- 28641595
TI  - Swiss Stained-Glass Panels: An Analytical Study.
AB  - The history and iconography of Swiss stained glass dating between the 16th and
      18th centuries are well studied. However, the chemical and morphological
      characteristics of the glass and glass paints, particularly the nature of the raw
      materials, the provenance of the glass, and the technology used to produce it are
      less well understood. In this paper, we studied two sets of samples from stained
      glass panels attributed to Switzerland, which date from the 16th to 17th
      centuries: the first set comes from Pena National Palace collection, the second
      from Vitrocentre Romont. The aims were to identify the materials used in the
      production of the glass, to find out more about their production origin and to
      characterize the glass paints. Both glass and the glass paints were analysed by
      particle-induced X-ray emission; the paints were additionally analysed by
      scanning electron microscopy-electron-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS).
      The results show that the glass from both sets was probably produced in the same
      region and that wood ash was used as a fluxing agent. Different recipes have been
      used to make the blue enamels. However, the cobalt ore used as a coloring agent
      in all of the blue enamels came from the mining district in Schneeberg, Germany.

PMID- 28641596
TI  - Types and prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing
      Enterobacteriaceae in poultry.
AB  - For several billion years, bacteria have developed mechanisms to resist
      antibacterial substances. In modern time, antibiotics are frequently used in
      veterinary and human medicine for prevention and treatment of diseases, globally
      still also for their growth promoting effects as feed additives. This complex
      situation has evolved in accelerating development and prevalence of multi-drug
      resistant bacteria in livestock and people. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase
      (ESBL) producing bacteria are resistant to a wide range of beta-lactam
      antibiotics. They are currently considered as one of the main threats for the
      treatment of infections in humans and animals. In livestock and animal products,
      poultry and poultry products show the highest prevalence of ESBL-producers with
      CTX-M-1, TEM-52 and SHV-12 being the most common ESBL-types in poultry.
      Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. are the bacteria in poultry, which carry
      ESBL-genes most frequently. ESBL-producing bacteria are present at every level of
      the poultry production pyramid and can be detected even in the meconium of newly
      hatched chicks. The environment close to poultry barns shows high prevalence
      rates of these bacteria and contributes to an ongoing infection pressure with
      further ESBL-types. Probiotics have been shown to successfully reduce ESBL
      producers in chicken, as well as ESBL-gene transfer. Other feed additives, such
      as zinc and copper, increase the prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria when fed
      to animals. To our best knowledge, this is the first publication presenting a
      comparative overview of the prevalence of ESBL-types using data from different
      countries. To reduce the hazard for public health from poultry carrying high
      numbers of ESBL-producers, preventive measurements must include the surrounding
      environment and avoidance of antibiotic usage at all levels of the production
      pyramid. The first results, of the research on the impact of feed additives on
      the spread of ESBL-genes, indicate the diet as a further, possible magnitude of
      influence.

PMID- 28641597
TI  - Self-regulation as a predictor of patterns of change in externalizing behaviors
      from infancy to adolescence.
AB  - We examined associations between specific self-regulatory mechanisms and
      externalizing behavior patterns from ages 2 to 15 (N = 443). The relation between
      multiple self-regulatory indicators across multiple domains (i.e., physiological,
      attentional, emotional, and behavioral) at age 2 and at age 5 and group
      membership in four distinct externalizing trajectories was examined. By examining
      each of these self-regulatory processes in combination with one another, and
      therefore accounting for their shared variance, we aimed to better understand
      which specific self-regulatory skills were associated most strongly with
      externalizing behavioral patterns. Findings suggest that behavioral inhibitory
      control and emotion regulation are particularly important in distinguishing
      between children who show normative declines in externalizing behaviors across
      early childhood and those who demonstrate high levels through adolescence.

PMID- 28641598
TI  - Progress towards elimination of trans-fatty acids in foods commonly consumed in
      four Latin American cities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess progress towards the elimination of trans-fatty acids (TFA)
      in foods after the 2008 Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recommendation of
      virtual elimination of TFA in Latin America. DESIGN: A descriptive, comparative
      analysis of foods that were likely to contain TFA and were commonly consumed in
      four cities in Latin America. SETTING: San Jose (Costa Rica), Mexico City
      (Mexico), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina). SUBJECTS: Foods from
      each city were sampled in 2011; TFA content was analysed using GC. TFA of
      selected foods was also monitored in 2016. RESULTS: In 2011-2016, there was a
      significant decrease in the content of TFA in the sampled foods across all sites,
      particularly in Buenos Aires (from 12.6-34.8 % range in 2011-2012 to nearly 0 %
      in 2015-2016). All sample products met the recommended levels of TFA content set
      by the PAHO. TFA were replaced with a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fats.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate a virtual elimination of TFA from major food
      sources in the cities studied. This could be due to a combination of factors,
      including recommendations by national and global public health authorities,
      voluntary and/or mandatory food reformulation made by the food industry.

PMID- 28641599
TI  - Association between level of exposure to death and dying and professional quality
      of life among palliative care workers.
AB  - : ABSTRACTBackground:Exposure to the death and dying of others is an anxiety
      provoking condition that can contribute to psychological stress. However, the
      results of empirical studies that evaluated work-related outcomes among
      physicians and nurses with repeated exposure to dying patients are not
      consistent. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate whether a high level of exposure
      to death and dying (LED) can increase the risk for poor professional quality of
      life (ProQoL) in most healthcare workers, but it can also improve ProQoL in a
      subset of healthcare workers with specific characteristics. METHOD: We employed a
      cross-sectional survey designed to better understand the role of LED as a
      predictor of ProQoL among healthcare workers. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:
      Comparison of physicians and nurses with high LED (home-based palliative care
      units) with a matched group of physicians and nurses with low LED (primary care
      units) and evaluation of possible interaction effects among LED, death anxiety
      (DA), and engagement as predictors of ProQoL. RESULTS: The final sample included
      110 questionnaires from the high-LED group (response rate = 39%) and 131 from the
      low-LED (response rate = 24%) group. Workers with high LED reported an increased
      level of compassion satisfaction (CS) and low to moderate levels of burnout (BU)
      and secondary traumatic stress (STS), with no significant differences with
      respect to other healthcare providers. Although levels of CS, STS, and BU did not
      differ between groups, a univariate MANOVA revealed that the interaction effect
      of LED * Engagement reduced levels of CS and that the interaction effect of LED *
      DA increased STS among workers with high LED. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: LED was
      significantly correlated with ProQoL among healthcare workers with high LED due
      to the reported interaction effect. These findings imply, for the first time,
      that there is a possible correlation between engagement and the risk for poor
      ProQoL among workers with high LED. Further research is essential to gain a
      better understanding of this issue.

PMID- 28641600
TI  - The influence of food consumption and socio-economic factors on the relationship
      between zinc and iron intake and status in a healthy population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine Zn and Fe nutritional status of a healthy population by
      means of anthropometric, dietary and biochemical measurements and to investigate
      the relationship of usual Zn and Fe dietary intakes to Zn and Fe status. In
      addition, to examine the impact of food choices and socio-economic factors on Fe
      and Zn dietary intakes and status with the aim to identify groups at risk of
      dietary deficiency and suggest factors that may influence the status of these
      nutrients. DESIGN: Food consumption was assessed by 24 h recall questionnaires.
      Twenty biochemical parameters were measured, of which Hb, haematocrit,
      erythrocyte count and plasma concentrations of Fe and Zn were directly related to
      Fe and Zn nutrition. The prevalence of study participants with inadequate
      micronutrient intakes was calculated using the Estimated Average Requirement cut
      point method. SETTING: Serbia, Europe. SUBJECTS: Apparently healthy adults (25-65
      years of age). RESULTS: Mean daily Zn and Fe intakes were 9.1 mg and 11.6 mg for
      males and 7.3 mg and 9.4 mg for females, respectively. Five per cent of the study
      population had inadequate dietary Fe intake and 15-25 % had inadequate Zn intake.
      Lower Hb concentrations were measured in women with lower Zn intakes. No
      differences in Fe and Zn intakes and status among various socio-economic groups
      were observed, except for Fe intake between the low-income and affluent groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Regular follow-ups are needed to ensure that potential deficiencies
      of Zn and Fe do get recognized and addressed in a timely manner.

PMID- 28641601
TI  - The impact of traumatic stress on Pavlovian biases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Disturbances in Pavlovian valuation systems are reported to follow
      traumatic stress exposure. However, motivated decisions are also guided by
      instrumental mechanisms, but to date the effect of traumatic stress on these
      instrumental systems remain poorly investigated. Here, we examine whether a
      single episode of severe traumatic stress influences flexible instrumental
      decisions through an impact on a Pavlovian system. METHODS: Twenty-six survivors
      of the 2011 Norwegian terror attack and 30 matched control subjects performed an
      instrumental learning task in which Pavlovian and instrumental associations
      promoted congruent or conflicting responses. We used reinforcement learning
      models to infer how traumatic stress affected learning and decision-making. Based
      on the importance of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) for cognitive
      control, we also investigated if individual concentrations of Glx (=glutamate +
      glutamine) in dACC predicted the Pavlovian bias of choice. RESULTS: Survivors of
      traumatic stress expressed a greater Pavlovian interference with instrumental
      action selection and had significantly lower levels of Glx in the dACC. Across
      subjects, the degree of Pavlovian interference was negatively associated with
      dACC Glx concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing traumatic stress appears to
      render instrumental decisions less flexible by increasing the susceptibility to
      Pavlovian influences. An observed association between prefrontal glutamatergic
      levels and this Pavlovian bias provides novel insight into the neurochemical
      basis of decision-making, and suggests a mechanism by which traumatic stress can
      impair flexible instrumental behaviours.

PMID- 28641602
TI  - Milk replacers supplemented with either L-arginine or L-carnitine potentially
      improve muscle maturation of early reared low birth weight piglets from
      hyperprolific sows.
AB  - As a result of the selection for genotypes with greater sow prolificacy, litter
      size increased and, concomitantly, average litter birth weight and early
      postnatal survival rates of low birth weight (L-BtW) offspring decreased. This
      study compared the impact of l-carnitine (CAR) and l-arginine (ARG) supplemented
      with a milk replacer and fed to L-BtW piglets born from large litters from days 7
      to 28 of age on growth performance, carcass composition, organ and Semitendinosus
      muscle (STM) development. A total of 30 female and castrated Swiss Large White
      piglets weaned at 7 days of age were assigned to three milk replacer diets
      containing either no supplement (CON), CAR (0.40 g/piglet per day) or ARG (1.08
      g/kg BW per day). Piglets were kept in pairs in rescue decks (0.54 m2). They were
      weighed daily and daily allowance of both, feed and ARG, was adjusted
      accordingly. Thus, feed allowance depended on growth. Each day, the milk replacer
      was prepared with water (1:4). Feed (allowance: 60 g dry matter/kg BW per day)
      was offered daily in six equal rations. Feed intake and feed efficiency was
      assessed for the pairs and apparent total tract-energy and -protein digestibility
      was determined from days 21 to 28 of age. On day 28, piglets were euthanized,
      blood samples were collected and the whole STM and organs were weighed. In STM,
      the size and metabolic properties of myofibers were determined. No difference in
      growth performance was found between dietary treatments, but piglets from the CAR
      group tended (P<0.10) to grow faster during the 1st experimental week and consume
      more feed from days 14 to 21 as compared with piglets of the CON group. A setback
      in growth in the last week in the CAR group coincided with the lower (P<0.05)
      energy and protein digestibility. Dietary treatments had no effect on STM and
      organ weight and myofiber size. Compared with the other groups, there were trends
      (P<0.10) for blood serum urea and glucose level to be greater in CAR and for non
      esterified fatty acid level to be greater in ARG piglets. The greater (P<0.05)
      ratio of lactate dehydrogenase to either citrate synthase or beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA
      dehydrogenase indicated that the relative importance of the glycolytic compared
      with the oxidative pathway was greater in STM of CAR and ARG compared with CON
      piglets. These results suggest that ARG and CAR supplements were beneficial for
      muscle maturation whereas findings on phenotypic traits were rather unsystematic.

PMID- 28641604
TI  - Prevalence and genetic diversity of blood parasite mixed infections in Spanish
      terrapins, Mauremys leprosa.
AB  - Blood parasites such as haemogregarines and haemosporidians have been identified
      in almost all groups of vertebrates and may cause serious damages to their hosts.
      However, very little is known about biodiversity of these parasites and their
      effects on some groups of reptiles such as terrapins. Moreover, the information
      on virulence from blood parasites mixed infection is largely unknown in reptiles.
      With this aim, we investigated for the first time the prevalence and genetic
      diversity of blood parasites from one genus of haemoparasitic aplicomplexan
      (Hepatozoon) in two populations of Spanish terrapins (Mauremys leprosa), a semi
      aquatic turtle from southwestern Europe with a vulnerable conservation status. We
      also examined the association between mixed blood parasite infection and
      indicators of health of terrapins (body condition, haematocrit values and immune
      response). Blood parasite infection with Hepatozoon spp was detected in 46.4% of
      140 examined terrapins. The prevalence of blood parasites infection differed
      between populations. We found two different lineages of blood parasite, which
      have not been found in previous studies. Of the turtles with infection, 5.7%
      harboured mixed infection by the two lineages. There was no difference in body
      condition between uninfected, single-infected and mixed-infected turtles, but
      mixed-infected individuals had the lowest values of haematocrit, thus revealing
      the negative effects of blood parasite mixed infections. Immune response varied
      among terrapins with different infection status, where mixed infected individuals
      had higher immune response than uninfected or single-infected terrapins.

PMID- 28641603
TI  - Molecular detection of Sarcocystis lutrae in the European badger (Meles meles) in
      Scotland.
AB  - Neck samples from 54 badgers and 32 tongue samples of the same badgers (Meles
      meles), collected in the Lothians and Borders regions of Scotland, were tested
      using polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) directed against the 18S ribosomal DNA
      and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region of protozoan parasites of the
      family Sarcocystidae. Positive results were obtained from 36/54 (67%) neck and
      24/32 (75%) tongue samples using an 18S rDNA PCR. A 468 base pair consensus
      sequence that was generated from the 18S rDNA PCR amplicons (KX229728) showed
      100% identity to Sarcocystis lutrae. The ITS1 PCR results revealed that 12/20
      (60%) neck and 10/20 (50%) tongue samples were positive for Sarcocystidae DNA. A
      1074 bp consensus sequence was generated from the ITS1 PCR amplicons (KX431307)
      and showed 100% identity to S. lutrae. Multiple sequence alignments and
      phylogenetic analysis support the finding that the rDNA found in badgers is
      identical to that of S. lutrae. This parasite has not been previously reported in
      badgers or in the UK. Sarcocystis lutrae has previously only been detected in
      tongue, skeletal muscle and diaphragm samples of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra)
      in Norway and potentially in the Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus).

PMID- 28641605
TI  - State-dependent parasitism by a facultative parasite of fruit flies.
AB  - Parasites can evolve phenotypically plastic strategies for transmission such that
      a single genotype can give rise to a range of phenotypes depending on the
      environmental condition. State-dependent plasticity in particular can arise from
      individual differences in the parasite's internal state or the condition of the
      host. Facultative parasites serve as ideal model systems for investigating state
      dependent plasticity because individuals can exhibit two life history strategies
      (free-living or parasitic) depending on the environment. Here, we experimentally
      show that the ectoparasitic mite Macrocheles subbadius is more likely to
      parasitize a fruit fly host if the female mite is mated; furthermore, the
      propensity to infect increased with the level of starvation experienced by the
      mite. Host condition also played an important role; hosts infected with moderate
      mite loads were more likely to gain additional infections in pairwise choice
      tests than uninfected flies. We also found that mites preferentially infected
      flies subjected to mechanical injury over uninjured flies. These results suggest
      that a facultative parasite's propensity to infect a host (i.e. switch from a
      free-living strategy) depends on both the parasite's internal state and host
      condition. Parasites often live in highly variable and changing environments, an
      infection strategy that is plastic is likely to be adaptive.

PMID- 28641606
TI  - Solving the challenge of the blood-brain barrier to treat infections caused by
      Trypanosoma evansi: evaluation of nerolidol-loaded nanospheres in mice.
AB  - Despite significant advances in therapies against Trypanosoma evansi, its
      effective elimination from the central nervous system (CNS) remains a difficult
      task. The incapacity of trypanocidal drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB)
      after systemic administrations makes the brain the main refuge area for T.
      evansi. Nanotechnology is showing great potential to improve drug efficacy, such
      as nerolidol-loaded nanospheres (N-NS). Thus, the aim of this study was to
      investigate whether the treatment with N-NS was able to cross the BBB and to
      eliminate T. evansi from the CNS. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed
      that N-NS can cross the BBB of T. evansi-infected mice, while free nerolidol (F
      N) neither the trypanocidal drug diminazene aceturate (D.A.) were not detected in
      the brain tissue. Polymerase chain reaction revealed that 100% of the animals
      treated with N-NS were negatives for T. evansi in the brain tissue, while all
      infected animals treated with F-N or D.A. were positives. Thus, we concluded that
      nanotechnology improves the therapeutic efficacy of nerolidol, and enables the
      transport of its active principle through the BBB. In summary, N-NS treatment can
      eliminate the parasite from the CNS, and possesses potential to treat infected
      animals.

PMID- 28641607
TI  - The use of nesiritide in patients with critical cardiac disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the use of nesiritide in children with critical CHD,
      pulmonary congestion, and inadequate urine output despite undergoing conventional
      diuretic therapy. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 11 patients
      with critical CHD, comprising 18 infusions, each of which occurred during
      separate hospitalisations. Haemodynamic parameters were assessed, and the stage
      of acute kidney injury was determined before and throughout the duration of
      therapy using a standardised definition of acute kidney injury - The Kidney
      Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Patients Children with critical CHD,
      pulmonary congestion, and inadequate urinary output despite undergoing diuretic
      therapy were included. Measurements and main results The use of nesiritide was
      associated with a significant decrease in the maximum and minimum heart rate
      values and with a trend towards a significant decrease in maximum systolic blood
      pressure and maximum and minimum central venous pressures. Urine output increased
      but was not significant. Serum creatinine levels decreased significantly during
      the course of therapy (-0.26 mg/dl [-0.50, 0.0], p=0.02), and the number of
      patients who experienced a decrease in the stage of acute kidney injury of 2 or
      more - where a change in the stage of acute kidney disease of 2 or more was
      possible, that is, baseline stage >1 - was highly significant (five of 12
      patients, 42%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Nesiritide had a favourable impact on
      haemodynamics, and its use was not associated with deterioration of renal
      function in patients with critical CHD.

PMID- 28641608
TI  - HOSPITAL-BASED HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN BRAZIL: AN OVERVIEW OF THE INITIAL
      EXPERIENCES.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Hospital-based health technology assessment (HTA) has become
      increasingly important in Brazil due to its strategic importance to promote
      adoption, incorporation, dissemination, and disinvestment of technologies. A
      strategy to foster hospital-based HTA was implemented in 2009 by creating
      hospital-based HTA nuclei (NATS) at university hospitals and other strategic
      hospitals. METHODS: Between 2011 and 2012, we interviewed board members in twenty
      three NATS located in all geographic regions of Brazil to assess their general
      characteristics, scientific output, and challenges. RESULTS: Of the total, 65
      percent of the NATS belonged to teaching institutions, with 44 percent associated
      with federal universities. The bulk of their output was in the form of mini-HTA
      reports. Centers in the Southeast and South of Brazil had the highest production
      compared with other regions. Lack of expertise and low levels of advanced
      training were identified as limiting factors in the majority of centers.
      CONCLUSIONS: The experience of the initial twenty-three NATS could be considered
      positive and has led to the creation of new ones around Brazil. Regional
      disparities in workload, production, and technical training should be targeted by
      new policies toward hospital-based HTA in Brazil. The limits and possibilities
      for intensifying the strategy relate to continuous investment in priority
      studies, which simultaneously, allow professionals who work in hospitals to
      receive continued education and produce relevant HTA work in a timely manner.

PMID- 28641609
TI  - A systematic review of the psychometric properties, usability and clinical
      impacts of mobile mood-monitoring applications in young people.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mobile mood-monitoring applications are increasingly used by mental
      health providers, widely advocated within research, and a potentially effective
      method to engage young people. However, little is known about their efficacy and
      usability in young populations. METHOD: A systematic review addressing three
      research questions focused on young people: (1) what are the psychometric
      properties of mobile mood-monitoring applications; (2) what is their usability;
      and (3) what are their positive and negative clinical impacts? Findings were
      synthesised narratively, study quality assessed and compared with evidence from
      adult studies. RESULTS: We reviewed 25 articles. Studies on the psychometric
      properties of mobile mood-monitoring applications were sparse, but indicate
      questionable to excellent internal consistency, moderate concurrent validity and
      good usability. Participation rates ranged from 30% to 99% across studies, and
      appeared to be affected by methodological factors (e.g. payments) and individual
      characteristics (e.g. IQ score). Mobile mood-monitoring applications are
      positively perceived by youth, may reduce depressive symptoms by increasing
      emotional awareness, and could aid in the detection of mental health and
      substance use problems. There was very limited evidence on potential negative
      impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for the use of mood-monitoring applications in
      youth is promising but limited due to a lack of high-quality studies. Future work
      should explicate the effects of mobile mood-monitoring applications on effective
      self-regulation, clinical outcomes across disorders and young people's engagement
      with mental health services. Potential negative impacts in this population should
      also be investigated, as the adult literature suggests that application use could
      potentially increase negativity and depression symptoms.

PMID- 28641610
TI  - [Biological Characteristics of Microvesicles Secreted by Human Peripheral Blood
      Hematopoietic Stem Cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of microvesicles(MV) isolated from human
      peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells(PB-HSC) on immune regulation and
      hematopoiesis. METHODS: PB-HSCs were separated by density-gradient centrifugation
      and cultrued. The supernatants of PB-HSC at 48 h were harvested for isolation and
      purification of MV by using ultracentrifugation. The electron microscopy was used
      to observe the morphology of MV. The protein level in MV was quantified through
      bicinchoninic acid(BCA) protein assay. Flow cytometry was used to detect the
      immunophenotype of MV. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PB-MNC) were
      isolated from healthy donor and treated with isolated MV. After being co-cultured
      for 12 h, confocal microscopy was used to observe the action mode of MV on PB
      MNC. After being co-cultured for 48 h, the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN
      gamma and TNF-alpha were detected by ELISA. Flow cytometry was used to detect the
      changes of T cell subsets and the activation of T cell subsets as well as
      intracellular cytokine staining after co-culture for 48 h. The methylcellulose
      was used to assess the hematopoiesis-supportive function of MV as well as co
      cultured supernatants. RESULTS: The eletron microscopy revealed that MV were
      elliptical membrane vesicles. The protein amount in MV ranges from 29 to 110 ug.
      Flow cytometry showed that MV expressed mix markers on the surface, especially
      highly expressed MV specific marker CD63(85.86%) and hematopoietic stem cell
      marker CD34(33.52%). After being co-cultured for 12 h, confocal microscopy showed
      that MV were merged with PB-MNC. After being co-cultured for 48 h, ELISA showed
      that the secretion of cytokines IL-6,IL-8, IL-10 as well as TNF-alpha was
      increased while the level of IL-2 and IFN-gamma was not changed much. The results
      of flow cytometry showed that there was no significant change in T cell subsets
      and T cell activation. Staining of intracellular factor showed that IL-8 was
      increased significantly in CD11c+ cells. The colony-forming experiments revealed
      that MV and the co-cultured supernatants could facilitate the colony formation.
      CONCLUSION: MV isolated from PB-HSC have immune-regulatery function and can
      prornote hematopoiesis.

PMID- 28641611
TI  - [DMSO Promotes Hematopoietic Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells in
      vitro].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in the hematopoietic
      differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). METHODS: The role of DMSO
      in hematopoietic differentiation of hESC was investigated by using a established
      stepwise hematopoietic differentiation system from hESC, immunofluorescouse assay
      and flow cytometry. Furthermore, the window phase of DMSO action was explored by
      adding it to the different stage of hematopoietic differentiation. RESULTS:
      Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry analysis showed that DMSO significantly
      promoted the generation of CD43+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC). The flow
      cytometry demonstrated that DMSO profoundly promoted the generation of APLNR+
      lateral plate mesoderm cells and CD31+CD34+ hemogenic endothelium progenitors
      (HEP). The addition of DMSO in the window phase of lateral plate mesoderm cell
      generation could markedly improve the generation of hematopoietic progenitor
      cells. CONCLUSION: DMSO promotes hematopoietic differentiation of hESC through
      enhancing the generation of APLNR positive lateral plate mesoderm cells. The
      addition of DMSO in the window phase of lateral plate mesoderm cell generation
      can significantly improve the generation of hematopoietic progenitor cells.

PMID- 28641612
TI  - [Expression and Significance of HIF-1alpha in Erythropoiesis of Secondary Iron
      Overload Disease after Irradiation Damage].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1alpha(HIF-1alpha)
      of iron-overloaded in irradiated mice and its effect on erythropoiesis. METHODS:
      Twenty mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Ctrl (control group), IR
      (irradiation group), IO (irradiation + iron overload group), and RAPA (rapamycin
      treatment group). The iron overload model was verified. The CFU-E (colony forming
      unit-erythroid) and BFU-E(burst colony forming unit-erythroid) were cultured;
      flow cytometry was used to detect the ratios of early stage (Ter119+CD71-) to
      late stage (Ter119+CD71+) of primitive erythroblasts; RT-PCR was used to detect
      the mRNA expression of HIF-1alpha and its related signal molecules in bone marrow
      cells. RESULTS: The expression of HIF-1alpha in IR and IO group was significantly
      higher than that in Ctrl group, and that in IO group was significantly higher
      than IR group (P<0.05). The ratio of late stage primitive erythroblasts, the
      number of CFU-E and BFU-E in both IR and IO group were lower than those in Ctrl
      group, and those in IO group were significantly lower than those in IR group
      (P<0.05). Compared with Ctrl group, the expression of HIF-1alpha related signal
      pathway molecules in both IR and IO group was significantly decreased (P<0.05).
      Compared with IO group, the expression of HIF-1alpha and its related signal
      molecules in RAPA(mTOR inhibitor) group was decreased significantly (P<0.05), the
      number of BFU-E was increased significantly(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Irradiation
      induces the increase of HIF-1alpha and the decrease of the ability of
      hematopoietic colony formation and the ratio of late stage primitive
      erythroblasts. Iron overload can aggravate the injury. mTOR inhibitor rapamycin
      can partially alleviate the injury, suggesting that iron overload can lead to
      injury of erythropoiesis through HIF-1alpha.

PMID- 28641613
TI  - [Prostaglandin E2 Receptor 4 Agonist Promotes Human CD34+ Cell Proliferation in
      vitro by Activating Wnt/beta-Catenin Signaling Pathway].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential signaling pathway that regulates the
      proliferation of human CD34+ cells stimulated by prostaglandin E2 receptor 4
      agonist (EP4A) in vitro. METHODS: Twenty samples of peripheral blood containing
      stem cells were collected from the G-CSF mobilized healthy donors in our
      department of hematology. Human CD34+ cells were isolated by magnetic activated
      cell sorting (MACS) microbeads kit. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay was used
      to determine the optimal concentration and time of EP4A to promote human CD34+
      cell proliferation in vitro. Under the optimal condition, quantitative real-time
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect mRNA level of beta
      catenin, and Western blot was used to assay protein expression of beta-catenin
      and P-GSK-3beta in human CD34+ cells treated with EP4A. RESULTS: Culturing with
      10 umol/L EP4A for 72 h, it was found that EP4A promoted human CD34+ cell
      proliferation significantly, and the proliferation rate of human CD34+ cells was
      1.36 times higher than that of the control(P=0.002). Under the optimal condition,
      it was also found that EP4A enhanced the beta-catenin expression at both mRNA and
      protein levels, and up-regulated phosphorylation of GSK-3beta in human CD34+
      cells, but these effects could be inhibited by the EP4A antagonist EP4AA.
      CONCLUSION: EP4A can enhance human CD34+ cell proliferation in vitro by
      activating Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.

PMID- 28641615
TI  - [Expression and Asymmetric Division of Numb in Leukemia Cell K562 Line].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of asymmetric division in leukemia cells
      through detection of expression and asymmetric division of Numb in differentiated
      and undifferentiated K562 cells. METHODS: Firstly, Hemin was used to induce K562
      cell differentiation, and the expression of Numb was detected by the real-time
      quantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometry. After K562 cells were synchronized by
      nocodazole, the Numb protein was labeled by immunohistochemical staining,
      followed by the determination of the terminally differentiated cells through
      confocal microscopy. The fluorescence intensity was calculated by Image J
      software, and the cell division pattern was analyzed on the basis of the
      fluorescence intensities of Numb in 2 divided daughter cells. RESULTS: Compared
      with the undifferentiated K562 cells, the level of Numb mRNA expression increased
      2.3 times (P<0.001). The ratio of Numb positive cells was(67.37+/-5.01)% in
      differentiated K562 cells, while that was (43.97+/-5.72)% in undifferentiated
      K562 cells (P<0.01). Compared with undifferentiated K562 cells, the ratio of
      cells with asymmetric division in differentiated K562 cells increased 18.3%, the
      percentage of cells with symmetry self-renewal reduced 49.7%(P<0.001) and that
      with symmetry differentiation increased 32%(P<0.001). CONCLUSION: In
      differentiated K562 cells, expression of Numb and proportion of cells with
      asymmetric division were higher than that in undifferentiated cells. With the
      differentiation of leukemia cells, the proportion of cells with asymmetrical
      division increases, and the proportion of cells with symmetrical self-renewal
      decreases. The stemness of leukemia cells is maintained mainly through the
      symmetrical self-renewal.

PMID- 28641614
TI  - [Effect of MicroRNA-214 on Migration of Cord Blood CD34+ Cells Induced by Bone
      Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible effect of MicroRNA-214 (miR-214) on
      migration of umbilical cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells
      induced by BM-MSC. METHODS: After transfection of the inhibitor or mimic of miR
      214, the cultured supernatant of BM-MSC were collected respectively. The
      expression of miR-214 in BM-MSC was detected by real time quantitative PCR, the
      effect of supernatant on CD34+ cell migration was evaluated by chemotaxis assays.
      The levels of chemokine(SDF-1) secreted by BM-MSC in the supernatant were
      detected by ELISA. RESULTS: The cultured supernatant of BM-MSC could promote the
      migration of CD34+ cells. Compared with the group without transfection or
      negative control(NC) group, the transfection with miR-214 mimic could promote the
      migration of CD34+ cells (P<0.01), while the migration rate in miR-214 inhibitor
      groups decreased significantly (P<0.01). Further study found that the
      concentration of SDF-1 was not changed notably in all groups (P>0.05), as
      compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: miR-214 signalings may indirectly
      increase the migration of CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells by modulating
      BM-MSC functions, which may not significantly correlate with the chemokine SDF-1
      secreted by BM-MSC.

PMID- 28641616
TI  - [Effect of LPXN Overexpression on the Proliferation, Adhesion and Invasion of THP
      1 Cells and Its Mechamisms].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of LPXN overexpression on the proliferation,
      adhesion and invasion of THP-1 cells and its possible mechanism. METHODS: A THP-1
      cell line with stable overexpression of LPXN was constucted by using a lentivirus
      method, CCK-8 was used to detect the proliferation of cells, adhesion test was
      used to evaluate adhesion ablity of cells to Fn. Transwell assay was used to
      detect the change of invasion capability. Western blot was used to detect
      expression of LPXN, ERK, pERK and integrin alpha4, alpha5, beta1, the Gelatin
      zymography was applied to detect activity of MMP2/MMP9 secreted by the THP-1
      cells. RESULTS: Successful establishment of THP-1 cells with LPXN overexpression
      (THP-1 LPXN) was confirmed with Western blot. THP-1 LPXN cells were shown to
      proliferate faster than the control THP-1 vector cells. Adhesion to Fn and
      expression of ERK, integrin alpha4, alpha5 and beta1 in the THP-1 LPXN cells were
      higher than that in the control cells. Invasion across matrigel and enhanced
      activity of MMP2 could be detected both in the THP-1 LPXN cells as compared with
      the control cells. CONCLUSION: Ectopically ovexpression of LPXN may promote
      proliferation of THP-1 cells through up-regulation of ERK; promote adhesion of
      THP-1 cells through up-regulating the integrin alpha4/beta1 as well as integrin
      alpha5/beta1 complex; promote invasion of THP-1 cells through activating MMP2.

PMID- 28641617
TI  - [Biological Characteristics and Therapeutic Efficacy of 103 Patients with Acute
      Erythroleukemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biological characteristics and therapeutic
      efficacyt of acute erythroleukemia (AEL,AML-M6). METHODS: Blood cell count, liver
      function, lactate dehydrogenase level, coagulation, morphology, immunology, cell
      genetics and molecular biology were retrospectively analyzed in 103 cases of
      acute erythroleukemia patients admitted in our department from May 2016 to June
      2009. The therapeutic efficacy was observed by means of remission rate, relapse
      rate, relapse-free survival and overall survival. RESULTS: The medians of white
      blood cells, granulocyte, hemoglobin and platelet were 3.04*109/L, 0.67*109/L, 66
      g/L, and 45*109/L,respectively. Nucleated red blood cells were found in the
      peripheral blood smears from 71.1% of AEL patients. None of the patients showed
      abnormal coagulation function. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that CD13
      (93.5%),CD117(89.1%), HLA-DR(87.0%), and CD34 (80.0%) were highly expressed in
      AEL, and lymphoid antigens of CD4 (42.9%) and CD7(28.9%) were expressed in
      partial patients. Karyotype analysis in 82 patients showed 52.4% (43/82) normal
      karyotype, 41.5% (34/82) abnormal karyotype, and 6.1% (5/82) failed tests. In the
      34 cases with abnormal karyotype, there were 14(41.2%) cases with simple
      chromosomal abnomality and 20(58.8%) cases with complex karyotype. The positive
      rate of fusion gene accounted for 16.7% in 60 patients, and the gene mutations
      accounted for 77.8% in 27 patients. Among 103 cases of AEL, 81 cases were treated
      with chemotherapy, but 66 cases can be used for therapeutic analysis, as a
      results the total complete remission rate derived from 2 courses of treatment was
      45.5% (30/66). The relapse rate was 36.7% (11/30), and the median relapse time
      was 15.5 months (6.2-50 months). The median survival time of 66 patients for
      therapeutic analysis was 29 months. The median survival time of CR patients was
      very significantly longer than that of the non-CR patients(P=0.001). The 5 year
      survival rate of CR patients was 65%, the median time of relapse-free survival
      (RFS) was 46.2 months and 3-years RFS was 58%. CONCLUSION: AEL is characterized
      by the highly expressed CD34 antigen, and complex karyotype. Although AEL has
      lower CR rate and poor prognosis, CR patients can achieve long-term survival and
      have good quality of life.

PMID- 28641618
TI  - [Clinical and Cytogenetic Characteristics of Two AML Patients with High-level MLL
      Expression].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and cytogenetic characteristics of high
      level mixed-lineage leukaemia (MLL) gene amplification in patients with acute
      myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: The clinical and cytogenetic data of 2 AML
      patients with high-level MLL amplification from January 2010 to August 2016 were
      analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The two AML cases were in middle-aged
      population. They were diagnosed as FAB subtype M5b and M2a respectively. Both of
      them had complex karyotypes with the aberrations of chromosome 11. One case was
      confirmed as MLL-PTD involving exons 2-9 by RT-PCR and sequencing. The other case
      without MLL-PTD was further analyzed by CytoScan HD analysis. The CMA results
      showed partial gain of 11q accompanied with partial loss in 11q, deletion of
      regions in 3p, 3q, 4q, 5q, 7q, 8q, 10p, 10q, 12p and 18q, as well as gain of 4p.
      CONCLUSION: The co-existence of -5/5q-, -7/7q- and highly complex karyotype may
      accelerate the poor prognosis. Thus how those cytogenetic abnormalities
      influencing the disease prognosis need to be further explored.

PMID- 28641619
TI  - [Correlation between Dynamic Change of IL-32 Level and Disease Development in
      Acute Leukemia Patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between dynamic change of IL-32 level
      and disease development in the patients with acute leukemia(AL) and to explore
      its clinical significance. METHODS: The serum IL-32 levels and IL-32 mRNA
      expression in 82 cases of AL and 30 healthy persons were measured by ELISA and
      real-time PCR. RESULTS: Compared with healthy persons, the serum IL-32 protein
      level and IL-32 mRNA expression in AL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) and
      acute non-lymphocytic leukemia(ANLL) groups all were significantly
      higher(P<0.05). The serum level of IL-32 protein and mRNA expression in newly
      diagnosed, PR and relapsed ALL and ANLL groups were all higher than those in the
      control group(P<0.05), and the serum protein level of IL-32 in relapsed ALL and
      ANLL groups were higher than that in other stage group(P<0.05). The serum levels
      of IL-32 protein and mRNA were not significantly different between CR and control
      group(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The IL-32 in the peripheral blood of patients with AL
      has been found to be closely related with the occurrence and development of
      disease, therefore, monitoring the dynamic changes of serum IL-32 level would
      contribute to the clinical judgment of the severity, the IL-32 levels can be used
      as indicators for the therapeutic efficacy for AL.

PMID- 28641620
TI  - [Role of Microparticles Derived from Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells in
      Coagulopathy].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of microparticle (MP) derived from acute
      promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells and tissue factor (TF) carried by the MP in
      hypercoagulable state, and the effect of treatment with cytotoxic
      chemotherapy/differentiating agents on procoagulant activity (PCA) of these MP.
      METHODS: Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNC) were extracted from 5 APL patients
      and 5 sex- and age- matched patients with iron deficiency anemia as controls. The
      cells were cultured in vitro for 48 h, then MP-rich culture medium and MP-free
      culture medium were harvested and MP was further obtained from certain volume of
      MP-rich culture medium. Subsequently, TF expression on MP was measured by ELISA.
      PCA of MP-rich culture medium or MP-free culture medium was assessed with
      thrombin generation assay. The role of TF on MP-related PCA was evaluated using
      anti-human TF antibody. In addition, APL cells were treated with all-trans
      retinoic acid (ATRA), arsenic trioxide (ATO) or daunorubicin (DNR) for 48 h, then
      MP-rich culture medium were harvested and the PCA was determined. RESULTS: No TF
      expression was found in the MP released from bone marrow MNC in control group,
      whereas the obvious TF expression was found in the MP originated from BMMNC of
      APL. MP from both APL and control BM-MNC had obvious PCA. However, compared with
      the MP derived from control MNC, the MP from APL BM-MNC induced significantly
      higher PCA. TF played a crucial role in the PCA of APL BM-MNC derived MP, while
      played no role in that of MP from control MNCs. DNR-treating APL BM-MNC resulted
      in an increase in the PCA of MP, whereas ATO or ATRA exposure lead to exactly the
      opposite results. CONCLUSION: MP derived from APL BM-MNC posseses obvious PCA. TF
      plays a crucial role in the MP-related PCA. The PCA of MP increases after
      treating APL BM-MNC with chemotherapy agent DNR and decreases following exposure
      of APL BM-MNC to differentiating agents ATRA or ATO.

PMID- 28641621
TI  - [Effect of Down-Regulatory Nucleostemin Expression on Autophagy Activities in p53
      Null HL-60 Leukemia Cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Based on previous microarry and bioinformatic analysis results, to
      investigate the effect of nucleostemin(NS) expression down-regulation on
      autophagy activity in p53 null HL-60 leukemia cells, so as to provide evidence
      for studying mechanisms of p53-independent signal pathway of NS in details.
      METHODS: The autophagy activity of HL-60 cells after down-regulation of NS
      expression was detected with acidine orange staining, Western blot and
      transmission electron mcrioscope technique. RESULTS: The expression level of NS
      in test groups was lower than that in blank control and negative control groups
      after HL-60 cells were readily transinfected by lentivirus. The result of acidine
      orange staining showed that the number of acid vesicular organelle in test
      groups(22.4+/-0.76)% was higher than that in blank control groups(3.1+/-0.28)%
      and negative control groups(6.2+/-0.64)% (P<0.05). Western blot showed that the
      ratio of LC3II/LC3I in test groups(1.537+/-0.072) was higher than that in blank
      control and negative control groups (1.010+/-0.039) and (0.608+/-0.008). The
      result of transmission electron mcrioscopy also showed that the number of
      autophagosomes in test group(8.7+/-3.1) was higher than that in the blank control
      and negative control groups(4.2+/-1.2) and (2.3+/-0.5). CONCLUSION: Autophagy
      activty can be enhanced after the level of NS was down regulated. The change
      indicates the signaling transductions screened by bioinformatic analysis may be
      one of p53-independent pathway of NS, which lays a foundation for contineously
      studying key points of p53-independent signal pathway of NS.

PMID- 28641622
TI  - [Variation of LNK Gene in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the mutation and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of
      LNK gene between chronic myeloid leukemia(CML) and control groups, and to explore
      the relationship between LNK gene variation and the occurrence of CML. METHODS: A
      total of 36 patients with CML were selected, 46 healthy persons were used as
      normal controls. DNA was extracted from bone marrow and peripheral blood,
      BCR/ABL1 fusion gene was detected by Q-PCR. The whole exon of LNK gene was
      amplified by PCR. The amplified sequences included the Rs3184504 (C/T) and
      Rs78894077 (A/C/G/T) affecting the expression of amino acids in LNK gene, and the
      Rs7973120 (A/T) unaffecting the expression of the amino acids. The mutations and
      SNP of LNK gene were analyzed by DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Thirty-six cases of CML
      had BCR/ABL1 mutation, while no mutation was found in the control group. One case
      of CML had LNK heterozygous mutation (A300V), and the mutation rate was 2.8%, no
      mutation was seen in normal control group. Rs3184504: C/T allele frequency was
      50%/50% in the control group, 94.4%/5.6% in the CML group, and the C allele in
      CML group was significantly higher than that in the control group; CC genotype
      accounted for 94.4% (P<0.01). Rs78894077: C/T allele in the control group was
      9.8%/90.2%, in CML group was 16.7%/83.3%, the difference was not statistically
      significant(P>0.05); but CC genotype in CML group was very statistically
      significant higher than that in control group(P<0.01). Rs7973120: A/T allele
      frequency was 10.9%/89.1% in the control group, 25%/75% in the CML group, the LNK
      A allele in CML group was very significantly higher than that in control group
      (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: CML patients have been confirmed to have LNK mutation; the
      SNPs of LNK are related with the development of CML, and the most CML patients
      carry the LNK Rs3184504 C allele and the Rs7973120 A allele.

PMID- 28641623
TI  - [Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Therapeutic Efficacy in 61 Adult
      Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and curative effect in 61
      adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: The clinical
      data of 61 patients (>=15 years old) with ALL enrolled from January 2010 to
      December 2014 were studied retrospectively. The relationship between clinical
      characteristics and curative effect was analyzed. The univariate and multivariate
      analyses related with the overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS)
      were conducted by using the method of COX regression analysis. RESULTS: Forty
      four patients obtained complete remission (CR) in all 61 cases. The total CR rate
      was 72.13%. Age of onset, WBC count at first visit, CNS involvement or not,
      status of myeloid antigen expression and Ph chromosome condition were the
      important factors affecting the CR rate (P<0.05). The 2 years OS rate of all the
      61 cases was 28.13%, the median OS time was 11 months (95% CI 9.58-12.42). The 2
      years OS rate and DFS rate of the 44 patients in CR were 39.57% and 34.29%
      respectively. As showed by univariate analysis, the age of onset, WBC count at
      first visit, whether achieved CR or not after induction chemotherapy, and whether
      accepted consolidation therapy or allo-HSCT therapy after CR were factors
      affecting the prognosis of adult ALL patients. The result of multivariate
      analysis showed that the older age (P=0.001), induction chemotherapy did not
      achieve CR (P=0.018) and patients did not received consolidation after
      CR(P=0.005) , all these were independent risk factors for DFS. CONCLUSION: The CR
      rate after induction chemotherapy is high in adult ALL patients, but the OS rate
      is low. To achieve CR and to maintain consolidation treatment after CR may be
      helpful to improve the long-term survival.

PMID- 28641624
TI  - [Relationship between Peripheral Blood White Blood Cell Count and Early Death
      Rate in Patients with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between peripheral white blood cell
      count and early death rate of the patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia
      (APL). METHODS: Through retrospective study, the relationship of early death rate
      in 116 cases newly diagnosed APL patients with maximum of peripheral blood white
      blood cell count should be analyzed before and after induction therapy as well as
      in the whole course of disease during the past 8 years. RESULTS: There was a
      close relationship between the peripheral white blood cell count and the early
      death rate in APL patients. Peripheral blood white blood cell count in the early
      died patients was significantly higher than that of the survival patients
      (P<0.05). ROC analysis showed that the highest risk threshold of peripheral white
      cell count was 70*109/L (P<0.05) before treatment, while the highest risk
      threshold after treatment and in the whole course of disease were
      96.4*109/L(P<0.05) and 91.5*109/L(P<0.01) respectively. The dealth rate of
      patients with highest risk threshold was significantly increased (P<0.05).
      CONCLUSION: The highest peripheral blood white blood cell count closely relates
      with the early death rate of patients at different time points in the whole
      course of disease. Control of peripheral white blood cell count may effectively
      reduce the early death rate of APL patients.

PMID- 28641625
TI  - [Effect of GSTP1 and MTHFR Gene Polymorphism on Side Effects of HD-MTX in ALL
      Children].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To Study the effect of C677T and MTHFR gene polymorphism on side
      effects of HD-MTX in ALL children. METHODS: The gene polymorphism of C677T A303G
      and MTHFR C677T were detected by PCR in 98 ALL children from January 2014 to
      January 2016. The side effects during HD-MTX therapy were observed, and the
      relationship among GSTP1, MTHFR gene polymorphism and incidence of side effect of
      HD-MTX were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 98 ALL children, the gene variation was
      observed in 61 ALL children (62.24%). Polymorphism study on C677T A303G showed
      that the gene frequency of A was 84.69%, while that of G was 15.31%; for
      polymorphism of MTHFR C677T, gene frequency of C was 66.33%, and that of T was
      33.67%. Seven patients(7.14%) experienced with bone marrow supression, 23
      patients(23.47%) with liver function damage, 15 patients(15.31%) with renal
      function damage, 48 patients(48.98%) with gastrointestinal reactions and 46
      patients(46.94%) with mucosal lesions. After adjustment of sex, age, risk
      stratification and dosage of MTX, the gene polymorphism had no significant
      relationship with bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal reactions and mucosal
      lesions(P>0.05). However, the number of the mutant genes had statistically
      significant relationship with liver and renal function damage(P<0.05).
      CONCLUSION: The risk of side effects during HD-MTX therapy increases in ALL
      children with combined mutation of MTHFR and C677T.

PMID- 28641626
TI  - [Clinical Significance of Minimal Residual Disease in Risk Stratification and
      Prognosis of Childhood B-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical significance of monitoring the level of minimal
      residual disease (MRD) at different time point in the risk stratification and
      prognosis of Childhood B-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. METHODS: Three
      hundred and eighty cases of children's B-ALL from Augest 2008 to January 2013 in
      our hospital were enrolled in this study. MRD levels were detected at day 15, day
      33 and week 12 after initial chemotherapy. The event-free survival(EFS) and
      overall survival (OS) were measured on the basis of MRD levels at different
      stages of chemotherapy and were compared by Kaplan Meier analyses. RESULTS: The
      patient's age, initial white blood cell count, chromosome, MLL, BCR/ABL,
      pretreatment reaction, bone marrow MRD at days 33 were closely related with the 5
      year EFS rate. Multiparameter flow cytometry showed the marked MRD and unmarked
      MRD were not significantly different between their 5-year EFS rate(P>0.05), and
      the every immune phenotype was also no significantly different between the 5-year
      EFS rate(P>0.05). The children with MRD>=10-2 at day 15(P<0.01), MRD>=10-3 at day
      33 (P<0.01) and MRD>=10-3 on week 12(P<0.01) have a decreased 5-year EFS rate and
      overall survival, which related with poor prognosis obviously. The 5-year EFS
      rates at the MRD<10-4(negative), 10-4-10-3, 10-3-10-2 and >=10-2 at day 33 were
      86.6+/-2.7%, 77.5+/-4.9%, 70.1+/-8.0%, and 44.8+/-9.9%(P<0.01) with significant
      difference respectively; the 5-year OS rate was 89.5+/-2.7%, 80+/-4.9%, 76.0+/
      7.8%, and 53.2+/-10.1% with statistically significant difference(P<0. 01).
      CONCLUSION: The MRD>=10-2 at day 33 is a high risk factor for significant
      reduction of the 5-year EFS rate and the 5-year OS rate of children with B-ALL.
      Thus, dynamic monitoring the MRD level can predict relapse of B-ALL after
      remission.

PMID- 28641627
TI  - [Mechanism of Apoptosis for Resveratrol-mediated Reversing the Drug-resistance of
      AML HL-60/ADR cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of apoptosis for resvertrol-mediated
      reversing the drug-resistance of AML HL-60/ADR cells. METHODS: The HL-60/ADR
      cells were divided into 4 groups: control group, adriamycin (ADR)-treated group,
      resveratrol(Res)-treated group and ADR+Res-treated group. The inhibitory rate of
      cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 method. The auto-fluorescence intensity
      of intracellular ADR and the apoptotic rate of HL-60/ADR cells were detected by
      flow cytometry. The mRNA expression levels of multidrug-resistance associated
      protein-1(MRP1), anti-apoptotic gene BCL-2 and pro-apoptotic gene BAX were
      analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. The protein expression
      levels of MRP1, BCL-2 and BAX were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The maximal
      inhibition rates of cell proliferation were 44%, 61%, 76% and 81%, respectively
      in different concentration of Res (25, 50, 100, 200 umol/L) and with
      concentration-dependent manner(r=0.876, P<0.05). Compared with ADR group (IC50:
      8.534+/-1.111 umol/L), the half inhibitory concentration (IC50) of HL-60/ADR
      cells [(1.591+/-0.373) umol/L] decreased significantly in ADR+Res group(P<0.05).
      The auto-fluorescence intensity of ADR in HL-60/ADR cells of ADR+Res group
      increased significantly (P<0.05). The apoptotic rate of HL-60/ADR cells in Res or
      ADR+Res group increased significantly (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of
      MRP1 and Bcl-2 in Res or ADR+Res groups decreased and BAX increased significantly
      (P<0.05). The protein expression levels of MRP1 and BCL-2 were decreased, BAX
      increased significantly in Res or ADR+Res group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Resveratrol
      shows the effect of reversing the drug resisitance of HL-60/ADR cells in acute
      myeloid leukemia, possibly via promoting the apoptosis of HL-60/ADR cells and
      inhibiting the expression of MRP1, which may be related with the inhibition of
      BCL-2 expression and the promotion of BAX expression.

PMID- 28641628
TI  - [Mechanisms of Astragalus Polysaccharids Synergized with Doxorubicin against Drug
      Resistance in HL-60/A Cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the synergistic anti-tumor mechanism of astragalus
      polysaccharids(APS) combined with doxorubicin in HL-60/A cells. METHODS: The
      phenotype of HL-60/A was identified by using RT-PCR, Wester blot and CCK-8, the
      antitumor effect of astragalus polysaccharids combined with doxorubicin on HL
      60/A cells was detected by CCK-8, the apoptosis of HL-60/A after treating with
      different drugs was detected by Annexin-V, the caspase casade activation was
      detected by Wester blot, the effect of astragalus polysaccharids on expression
      and function of multidrug resistance protein (MRP) was detected by using real
      time quantitative PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: HL-60/A cells displayed obvious
      characteristics of resistance to doxorubicin, whose resistance were about 27
      times that of its sensitive cell line HL-60. In addition, it was further found
      that astragalus polysaccharids could obviously increase the cell growth
      inhibition, induce cell apoptosis and caspase cascade activation, decrease the
      expression of MRP and increase the drug concentration in HL-60/A when combined
      with doxorubicin. CONCLUSION: Astragalus polysaccharids combined with doxorubicin
      can effectively overcome the drug resistance of HL-60/A. The mechanism may be
      associated with decreasing the expression of MRP, inhibiting drug efflux and
      increasing the intracellular drug concentration, then inducing HL-60/A cell
      apoptosis.

PMID- 28641629
TI  - [Ratio of Primary Bone Marrow Cells after Induction Chemothrapy for Two Weeks in
      the Patients with Ph- ALL and Its Influence on Complete Remission and Overall
      Progrosis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of bone marrow blasts ratio after
      induction chemotherapy for 2 weeks in patients with Ph- ALL, and it's influence
      on complete remission (CR) and overall prognosis. METHODS: A total of 172
      patients with Ph- ALL in our hospital from March 2012 to February 2016 were
      selected. The bone marrow blast ratio was analyzed by the receiver-operating
      characteristic curve (ROC) in patients after induction chemotherapy for 2 weeks,
      at same time its influence on CR and overall prognosis of Ph- ALL patients was
      evaluated. RESULTS: The cutoff value of CR was 0.075, its area under ROC was
      0.763; the comparison of area under ROC with Az=0.5 showed statistically
      significant difference, therefore 172 patients with Ph- ALL were grouped
      according to bone marrow blast ratio after induction chemotherapy for 2 weeks:
      104 cases (60.5%) with bone marrow blast ratio <0.075, 68 cases (39.5%) with bone
      marrow blast ratio >=0.075. The Ph- ALL patinets with bone marrow blast ratio
      <0.075 who achieved CR and finally achieved CR after induction chemotherapy for 4
      weeks acconnted for 89 (85.6%) and 99(95.2%) respectively, which were
      significantly higher than those in Ph- ALL patients with bone marrow blast
      ratio>=0.075, [29(42.6%) and 52 (76.5%)](P<0.05). In addition, the influencing
      factor clinically reducing the OS and DFS rate of patients and enhancing the
      ralapse rate of patients were mainly chemotherapy, the failure of induction
      chemotherapy (patients did not achieve CR after induction therapy for 4 weeks),
      the bone marrow blast ratio>=0.075 after induction treatment for 2 weeks, and
      CNSL at diagnosis and so on, while the enhaced WBC count at diagnosis was poor
      factor affecting the DFS rate of patients. CONCLUSION: After induction
      chemotherapy for 2 weeks, the elevated bone marrow blast ratio in Ph- ALL
      patients will be infavourable to CR, and the overall prognosis is poor.

PMID- 28641630
TI  - [SDF-1alpha/CXCR4 Mediated Drug Resistance Can be Reversed by Ibrutinib in Acute
      Lymphoblastic Leukemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Ibrutinib on the chemoresistance mediated by
      SDF-1alpha/CXCR4 axis in ALL cells. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used to detect
      the apoptosis of cell line and expression of surface membrane CXCR4, Western blot
      was used to determine the expression level of CXCR4, ERK and Bcl-xL proteins,
      qPCR was used to assay the mRNA level of CXCR4. RESULTS: Ibrutinib enhanced the
      apoptosis induced by adriamycin(ADR) (17.100+/-4.3% to 28.133+/-3.16%); Ibrutinib
      inhibited the phosphorylation of CXCR4 induced by SDF-1alpha and with
      concentration- and time- dependent manner (r24h=-0.99659, r48h=-0.99764, r=
      0.99980). Ibrutinib inhibited the expression and activity of CXCR4 downstream
      signaling molecules pERK and BCL-xL. CONCLUSION: Ibrutinib can enhance the
      sensitivity of SUP-B15 to ADR, reverse SDF-1alpha/CXCR4-mediated chemoresistance
      in Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. This mechanism of ibrutinib may be
      assosiated with inhibiting CXCR4/ERK/BCL-xL.

PMID- 28641631
TI  - [Characteristics and Prognostic Significance of Cytogenetic Abnormalities in
      Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients with Bone Marrow Involvement].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cytogenetic abnormalitis in patients with diffuse
      large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL) patients with bone marrow involvement and their
      influence on prognosis. METHODS: Conventional karyotyping was performed on bone
      marrow specimens in 47 DLBCL patients with histologically confirmed bone marrow
      involvement(BMI). The karyotyping results of bone marrow, the characteristics and
      clinical effect of chromosomal abnormalities were analysed. RESULTS: In 47 DLBCL
      cases with BMI, the chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 25(53%) cases.
      Among them, complex karyotype was more frequent, being noted in 19(40%) patients.
      The most frequently involved chromosomes were chromosome 1 and 18(both 26%),
      others were chromosome 3(23%), 6(19%), 7, 8 and 14(13%). Among all karyotype
      changes, the most common numerical aberrations, in decreasing order of incidence,
      were trisomy 3(13%), trisomy 5, trisomy 7, trisomy 12, trisomy 18 and loss of
      21(6%,each), and the most predominant structural aberrations, in decreasing order
      of incidence, were 1q+(17%), 1p+, 6q-, 8q+, 14q+, 18p+, 18q+ and aberrations
      involving band 2p21-p23 (6%,each). The prognostic impact analysis of both
      clinical features and cytogenetic aberrations revealed that IPI>=3 (P=0.03) or
      the presence of chromosomal abnormalities (P=0.005) were significantly related
      with poor progression free survival(PFS), and IPI>=3 (P=0.024), lactate
      dehydrogenase(LDH)>= three times of the upper limit of normal (P=0.027) and the
      presence of chromosomal abnormalities (P=0.001) predominantly related with poor
      overall survival(OS). In multivariate analysis, the presence of chromosomal
      abnormalities was the only independently adverse factor for PFS(P=0.037, HR
      2.323) and OS(P=0.015, HR 2.833). The analysis of prognostic effects of specific
      chromosomal aberrations showed that patients with specific cytogenetic
      abnormalities of 1q+, 8q+, +12, 12q+, 18p+ and aberrations involving band 2p21-23
      had significantly poor PFS, and patients with specific cytogenetic abnormalities
      of 1q+, +3, +5, +7, 8q+, +12, 12q+ and aberrations involving band 2p21-23 had
      significantly poor OS. When the above mentioned specific chromosomal aberrations
      were analyzed with clinical covariate, the presence of chromosomal aberration of
      8q+ (P=0.022, HR 2.701) and IPI>=3 (P=0.043, HR 2.949) were independently poor
      prognostic factors for PFS, and 1q+ (P=0.032, HR 2.973) was the independently
      poor prognostic factor for OS. CONCLUSION: In DLBCL patients with BMI, the
      presence of chromosomal abnormalities is the only independently poor factor for
      PFS and OS, and among them, the specific cytogenetic aberrations of 8q+ or 1q+
      have an independently poor prognostic impact on PFS or OS, respectively, which
      need to be further studied.

PMID- 28641632
TI  - [Clinical Efficacy of EPOCH+/-R Followed by DICE+/-R Regimen for Primary Breast
      Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of EPOCH+/-R followed by
      DICE+/-R regimen for primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. METHODS: Forty
      three patients with primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were admitted in
      our hosptial from January 2000 to April 2016. Among them 24 patients were treated
      with CHOP+/-R regimen, 19 patients were treated with EPOCH+/-R followed by DICE+/
      R regimen. The clinical efficacy, survival rate and adverse effects were observed
      and compared between them. RESULTS: The complete rate in EPOCH+/-R followed by
      DICE+/-R regimen group was higher than that in the CHOP+/-R group (84.2% vs
      70.8%), and the relapsed rate was lower in EPOCH+/-R followed by DICE+/-R regimen
      group than that in the CHOP+/-R group (6.25% vs 35.3%). Progression-free survival
      (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of 5 years after diagnosis in the EPOCH+/-R
      followed by DICE+/-R group were significantly higher as compared with that in
      CHOP+/-R group (PFS, 75% vs 47.4%, P=0.035; OS, 73.3% vs 45.2%, P= 0.043).
      Treatment-related hematologic adverse events were more serious in the EPOCH+/-R
      followed by DICE+/-R group(63.2% vs 25%). However, these adverse events were
      controlled and no treatment-related deaths were observed. Multivariate analysis
      showed that age (P=0.008; 95% CI, 0.026 to 0.579), radiotherapy (P=0.045; 95% CI,
      1.028 to 14.719) and LDH level (P=0.007; 95% CI, 0.017 to 0.531) were independent
      prognostic factors for 5 year overall survival. CONCLUSION: EPOCH+/-R followed by
      DICE+/-R regimen is an effective and safe treatment regimen for PB-DLBCL.
      Prognostic factors for survival are age, LDH level and radiotherapy.

PMID- 28641633
TI  - [Change of NK Cell Number in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Mantle Cell
      Lymphoma and Its Clinical Significance].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of peripheral blood NK cell
      number change in patients with mantle cell lymphoma. METHODS: Eight-four patients
      with mantle cell lymphoma treated in our hospital from November 2003 to November
      2011 were studied, the venous blood was collected from all patients and detected
      with flow cytometry. The age, sex, pathologic type, B-symptoms, clinical stage,
      absolute NK count(ANKC), hemoglobin(Hb), lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) and beta2
      microglobulin(beta2-MG) levels, bone marrow involuement(BMI) and the
      international prognostic index of mantle cell lymphoma(MIPI) were recorded. All
      patients were followed up. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in ANKC
      among different age, sex, B symptom, Ann Arbor stages, Hb, LDH and beta2-MG
      levels, BMI and MIPI of patients with MCL(P>0.05). The sensitivity and
      specificity of ANKC were 76.6% and 73.8%, respectively. The optimal throshold of
      ANKC was 0.10*109/L and AUC was 0.798(95% CI: 0.689-0.902)(P<0.01). The 3 year
      PFS rate in patients with ANKC>=0.10*109/L was higher than that in patients with
      ANKC<0.10*109/L(68.2% vs 32.10%)(P<0.01). The 3 year-OS rate in patients with
      ANKC>=0.10*109/L was significantly higher than that in patients with
      ANKC<0.10*109/L (85.1% vs 43.8%)(P<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that the
      independent predictors of PFS and OS in patients with MCL were ANKC and
      MIPI(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The ANKC in peripheral blood has an important value for
      judging the prognosis of patients with MCL and can be used as an important index
      to judge the disease status of patients with MCL.

PMID- 28641634
TI  - [Significance of Simultaneous Analysis of Bone Marrow Smear and Bone Marrow
      Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Lymphoma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of bone marrow smear combined with biopsy in the
      diagnosis of lymphoma. METHODS: Clinical data of 50 cases of lymphoma from our
      hospital were analyzed retrospectively, and the results of the bone marrow smear
      and the bone marrow biopsy were compared simultaneously. RESULTS: The decision
      for the degree of bone marrow hyperplasia in bone marrow biopsy slice was
      superior to that in smear, and the active or highly active hyperplasia of
      nucleated cells were observed in all the bone marrow biopsies; the lymphomatic
      cells were observed in bone marrow smear of the 12 patients(24%), but the bone
      marrow biopsies showed a higher detection rate of lymphomatic cells 44% in 22
      patients(P<0.05); The hyperplasia of bone marrow fibrous tissue, mainly mild to
      moderate, were the common in cases with bone marrow involvement and the severity
      of bone marrow fibrosis positively correlated with the number of lymphomatic
      cells. CONCLUSION: Biopsy combined with aspiration can improve the accuracy of
      diagnosis in lymphoma with bone marrow involvement.

PMID- 28641635
TI  - [Application of miR-182 for Determination of Glucocorticoid-Resistant Patients
      with Lymphoid Malignancy].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To validate the clinical relationship between miR-182 and
      glucocorticoid-resistance in patients with lymphoid malignancy. METHODS: Real
      time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR) was employed to detect the expression of miR-182
      in lymphoma patients (68 cases, the specimens indluded bone marrow of 20 cases,
      and plasma of 48 cases), multiple myeloma patients (24 cases, the specimens
      included bone marrow of 14 cases and plasma of 10 cases), ALL patients (3 cases,
      specimen was plasma of 3 cases) and non-lymphotic system disorder patients (18
      cases, specimens included bone marrow of 8 cases and plasma of 10 cases).
      RESULTS: The expression of miR-182 in refractory lymphoblastic tumor patients was
      significantly higher than that in initial treatment group (P<0.05); the
      expression of miR-182 in initial treatment patients was not significantly
      different from the controls. The expression level of miR-182 in plasma of
      lymphoid malignancy patient significantly correlated with their used dosage of
      corticosteroids (P<0.05). When the expression level of miR-182 in bone marrow
      cells was 10.09, its sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis were 100% and
      88.2% respectively; when the expression level of miR-182 in plasma was 1.393, its
      sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of glucocorticoid resistance of
      lymphoblastic tumor cells were 90.9% and 51.3% respectively. CONCLUSION: The
      expression of miR-182 in lymphoblastic tumor with glucocorticoid resistance is
      significantly up-regulated, suggesting that the glucocorticoid resistance of
      lymphoblastic tumor is related with the over-expression of miR-182. The miR-182
      is expected as a new biomarker for the diagnosis of glucocorticoid resistant
      lymphoblastic tumor.

PMID- 28641636
TI  - [Short and Long Term Clinical Efficacy of IMRT and CRT for Treatment of Patients
      with ENKTL].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the short and long term clinical efficacy for treatment of
      patients with extranodal nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma(ENKTL) by intensity
      modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) and conventional radiotheraphy(CRT). METHODS: Sixty
      three cases of early ENKTL were divided into the IMRT group of (33 cases) and CRT
      group(30 cases). The short effects, overall survival(OS) of 3 years, progression
      free survival(PFS) of 3 years, acute radiation injury and late adverse reactions
      to radiation were compared between 2 group. RESULTS: The rate of overall response
      rate(ORR) were not significantly between the 2 groups(P>0.05); the OS of 3 years
      and PFS of 3 years were not different significantly between the 2 groups(P>0.05);
      the OS of 3 years and PFS of 3 years were not different significantly between the
      chemotherapy and non-chemotherapy group(P>0.05); the incidence and severity of
      oral mucosa reaction, myelosuppression, skin reaction and dry mouth were not
      significantly different between the 2 groups(P>0.05); the incidence of late dry
      mouth and swallowing obstruction feeling in the IMRT group were significantly
      lower than those in CRT group (P<0.05); the rate of late hearing loss, visual
      loss and mouth openin restriction were not different between the 2
      groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The short and long term clinical efficacy of IMRT and
      CRT for the patients with ENKTL is the same; however, the adverse radiation
      reactions of IMRT are lower, showing a positive significance for improvment of
      prognosis improving.

PMID- 28641637
TI  - [Clinical Efficacy and Safety of CMOD Regimen as the First Treatment for Aged New
      diagnosed Patients with Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of CMOD regimen as the
      first treatment for the aged new-diagnosed patients with peripheral T-cell
      lymphoma. METHODS: Seventy-six patients diagnosed as peripheral T cell lymphoma
      according to chemotherapy were divided into the 2 group: A and B groups. The
      patients in A group received CMOD regimen (38 cases) and the patients in B group
      received CHOP regiment (38 cases). The clinical efficacy, PFS (progression-free
      survival), OS and the adverse reactions in the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS:
      The total effeciency rate was not statistically different between CMOD(64.52%)
      and CHOP groups (58.06%) (P>0.05). The adverse reactions in 2 groups were as
      follows: myelosuppression, mucositis, gastrointestinal reactions, fever, liver
      dysfunction, neurotoxicity, and alopecia etc. The incidence of alopecia and the
      grade III and IV of neutropenia in the CMOD group (34.21%, 13.16%) were
      statistically significantly lower than those in the CHOP group (84.21%, 34.21%)
      (P<0.05). The progression-free survival and 1-year overall survival of
      observation group (10.98+/-2.23 months, 14.43+/-2.48 months) were significantly
      higher than those in the CHOP group(8.31+/-2.62 months, 10.93+/-2.07 months)
      (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical efficacy of CMOD regimen has been confirmed to
      be equivalent with CHOP regimen for the aged new-diagnosed patients with
      peripheral T-cell lymphoma. This regimen can prolong the progression-free
      survival and overall survival to some extent and reduce the incidence of hair
      loss and neutropenia, which may be applied to the clinical practice.

PMID- 28641638
TI  - [Change of Plasma Interleukin-17 Level in Patients with Extranodal NK/T-Cell
      Lymphoma and Its Clinical Significance].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of interleukin-17 (IL-17)
      level in patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma(ENKTL). METHODS: Eighty
      patients with nasal ENKTL who received radiotherapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy
      combined with chemotherapy from January 2011 to January 2012 were enrolled in the
      study. Eighty healthy volunteers were selected as the controls (control group).
      About 5 ml of peripheral blood was collected from all patients and controls. IL
      17 level was determined by ELISA. The age, sex, ECOG score, B symptoms, LDH
      level, lymph node involvment, Ann Arbor stage, IPI, KPI, peripheral blood
      lymphocyte and lymph node metastasis, number of lymphocytes and monocytes in
      peripheral blood were recorded. All patients were followed up for 3 year
      progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The average
      IL-17 level in patients with ENKTL was 6.48 pg/ml and the average concentration
      of IL-17 in control group was 0.56 pg/ml (P<0.01). The level of IL-17 in patients
      with B-symptoms and lymph node involvement was significantly higher than that in
      the control group. The differences in IL-17 level were not statistically
      significant among patients with different age, sex, ECOG, LDH, Ann Arbor stage,
      IPI, KPI, lymphocyte count and monocyte cell count. The sensitivity and
      specificity of IL-17 were 74.5% and 73.7% respectively, and the optimal threshold
      was 3.49 pg/ml and AUC was 0.799 (95% CI: 0.688-0.909) (P<0.01). The PFS and OS
      were longer in the patients with IL-17<=3.49 pg/ml and longer in the patients
      without lymph node involvement and Ann Arbor I. Multivariate analysis showed that
      independent predictors of PFS and OS in patients with ENKTL were plasma IL-17
      levels and age (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: ENKTL patients with different clinical
      characteristics have different levels of IL-17, the different level of IL-17 has
      different effects on prognosis of patients with ENKTL.

PMID- 28641639
TI  - [Clinical Features and Response to Treatment in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma
      Patients with Deletion 17P].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical features and response to therapies in
      multiple myeloma (MM) patients with del (17p). METHODS: A total of 122 newly
      diagnosed MM patients hospitalized in the Department of Hematology of Peking
      University Third Hospital between October 2012 and September 2016 were analyzed
      retrospectively. The fluorescent in situ hybridization(FISH) and G-binding
      staining were used for detection of cytogenetic abnormalities. These MM patients
      with del (17p) were divided into non-bortezomib chemotherapy (VAD or CHOP) group
      and bortezomib chemotherapy (PAD or PCD) group. Response criteria was according
      to IMWG criteria, including complete remission (CR), very good partial remission
      (VGPR), partial remission (PR), stable disease (SD), overall response rate (ORR)
      was defined as CR+VGPR+PR. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to evaluate overall
      survival (OS) and progressive free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Cytogenetic
      abnormalities were detected in 60 patients, and the frequency of del(17p) was
      10.7% (13 of the 122 patients). For the 13 MM patients with del(17p), median age
      was 59 years old, male vs female ratio was 8:5, 7 patients were found to have
      soft tissue plasmacytoma at the time of diagnosis, and IgG accounted for 61.5%
      (8/13). The frequency of coexisting other cytogenetic abnormalities was 53.8%
      (7/13); del(13q14) (D13S319 and/or RB1) accounted for 30.8%(4/13), and gain
      (1q21) 23.1%(3/13), 13 patients were able to be evaluated for the response, ORR
      were 33.3%(2/6) vs 100.0%(7/7), VGPR 0% vs 57.1%, PR 33.3% vs 42.9%, PD 50.0% vs
      0% in non-bortezomib chemotherapy and bortezomib groups, respectively (P=0.042).
      4 patients received 50 Gy radiotherapy for soft tissue plasmacytoma, no responses
      were observed. With a median follow up of 14(2.0-40)months, median PFS and OS
      time were 6(95% CI0.9-11.1) months and 21(95% CI9.0-33.0) months, respectively.
      Median OS in bortezomib groups was significant longer than that in the non
      bortezomib groups, not reachable vs 10.8(95%CI3.4-16.6) months (P=0.017).
      CONCLUSION: MM with del(17p) shows high frequency of soft tissue plasmacytoma,
      and high prevalence of coexisting gain(1q21) and del(13q14). These patients are
      not sensitive to non-bortezomib chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and has a poor
      survival. Bortezomib are able to improve the outcome of these MM patients.

PMID- 28641640
TI  - [Application of CD138 Immunomagnetic Sorting Myeloma Cells Combined with
      Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization for Detecting Cytogenetic Abnormalities of
      Multiple Myeloma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficiency of direct fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (D-FISH) versus FISH on CD138 immunomagnetic sorting myeloma cells
      (MACS-FISH) to detect the cytogenetic abnormalities of multiple myeloma. METHODS:
      Thirty-one patients with multiple myeloma (MM) were detected by D-FISH and MACS
      FISH, using 5 probes, including 1q21, D13S319, RB1, IgH, P53. The IgH
      rearrangement positive patients were further examined by 3 IgH rearrangement
      subtype FISH probes including IgH/FGFR3, IgH/MAF and IgH/CCND1. RESULTS:
      Metaphase karyotyping revealed cytogenetic abnormalities in 5 cases (16.1%),
      clonal aberrations were detected in 13 cases(41.9%) by D-FISH, while 25
      case(80.6%) with clonal aberrations by MACS-FISH. The results between these 2
      FISH methods were significantly different (P=0.042). The detection frequency of
      clonal aberration by each probes of D-FISH was 22.6%,25.8%,29%,38.7% and 9.7%
      respectively for 1q21 amplification, D13S319 deletion,RB1 deletion, IgH
      rearrangement and P53 deletion, compared with 48.4%,45.2%,48.4%,67.7% and 16.1%
      respectively by MACS-FISH. The 2 FISH methods were well consistent when the
      percentage of plasma cells was >=20% in bone marrow smears. When the percentage
      of plasma cells was<20% in bone marrow smears, the difference between these 2
      methods was very statistically significant (P=0.00). CONCLUSION: MACS-FISH can
      obviously improve the detection efficiency of cytogenetic abnormalities in
      patients with MM. Conventional cytogenetics combined with MACS-FISH is an ideal
      efficient method to detect the cytogenetic abnormalities in MM patients, and
      should be applied widely, especially for those patients with the plasma cells
      <20% in bone marrow smears.

PMID- 28641641
TI  - [Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7 Gene in Multiple
      Myeloma Cell Line and Methylation Regulation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of insulin-like growth factor binding
      protein 7 (IGFBP7 ) gene in multiple myeloma cell line U266, and study the effect
      of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dc) on proliferation of U266 cells. METHODS:
      multiple myeloma cell line U266 was cultured in vitro. The bone marrow
      mononuclear cells from healthy persons(N-BMMNC) were collected and used as normal
      controls. The IGFBP7 mRNA expression of U266 cells and N-BMMNC were detected by
      real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, the DNA methylation status of the IGFBP7
      CpG island was measured by using methylation-specific PCR(MSP). The different
      concentrations of 5-aza-dc (5 umol/L, 10 umol/L, 20 umol/L) were used to treat
      U266 cells for 48 hours, the RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the
      effect of IGFBP7 mRNA and protein expressions, the cell growth curve and Annexin
      V/PI were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS: As compared with normal BMMNC, the
      lower expression of IGFBP7 gene was found in U266 cells, the obvious
      hypermethylation of the CpG island in the IGFBP7 promoter was observed. After
      treatment of U266 treating with different concentrations of 5-aza-dc, the IGFBP7
      mRNA expression was up-regulated dose-dependently(P<0.05), the U266 cells grew
      slowly and apoptosis rates were enhanced dose-dependently. CONCLUSION: As the
      hypermethylalion of CpG island in IGFBP7 promoter is a frequent event in lower
      expression of IGFBP7 gene in U226 cells, the 5-aza-dc can up-regulate the
      expression of IGFBP7 , and can inhibit cell proliferation through induction of
      cell apoptosis and arrest of cell cycle.

PMID- 28641642
TI  - [Clinical Efficacy of Cellular Immuotherapy Combined with Bortezomib for the
      Treatment of Patients with Multiple Myeloma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical efficacy of cellular immunotherapy combined with
      bortezomib for treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. METHODS: A total of
      76 patients with multiple myeloma in our hospital from October 2012 to October
      2013 were selected and randomly divided into 2 groups: the patients in 1 group
      (38 cases) were treated with cellular immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy
      including bortezomib (combined therapy group), the patients in other group(38
      cases) were treated with only chemotherapy including bortezomib(single
      chemotherapy as control group). The treatment remission rate, the expression
      changes of immunophenotype, progression-free survival(PFS) and adverse reactions
      were compared in the 2 groups. RESULTS: The total remission rate of combined
      therapy group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05);
      the positive rates of CD38+, CD56+ and CD138+ in combined therapy group were all
      significantly lower than those in control group, and the CD19+ was significantly
      higher (P<0.05). The PFS rates of 1, 2 and 3 years in the combined therapy group
      were all significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The
      incidence of fatigue, rash, peripheral neuropathy, anemia and granulocyte
      deficiency in the combined therapy group was all significantly lower than that in
      the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Cellular immunotherapy combined with
      bortezomib can significantly improve the remission rate, prolong survival, and
      significantly decrease adverse event rate of multiple myeloma patients.

PMID- 28641643
TI  - [Change of Plasma Interleukin-16 Level in Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Its
      Clinical Significance].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of plasma IL-16 level in patients with
      multiple myeloma(MM) and its clinical significance. METHODS: Sixty-two patients
      with multiple myeloma were admitted in our hospital from June 2008 to June 2015.
      Forty healthy volunteers were selected as control group. The peripheral blood of
      all the patients and healthy volunteers were collected before the treatment of
      patients. The levels of IL-16, Cys-C, LDH and beta2-MG were measured. ROC curve
      was used to analyze the optimal IL-16 thresholds in MM patients. Kaplan-Meier
      method was used to analyze the factors affecting overall survival. RESULTS: The
      levels of IL-16, Cys-C, LDH and beta2-MG in the MM group were significantly
      higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of IL-16, Cys-C, LDH
      and beta2-MG in patients with different ISS were significantly different
      (P<0.05). The levels of IL-16, Cys-C, LDH and beta2-MG in ISS III groups were
      higher than those in ISS I and ISS II groups(P<0.05). When the IL-16
      concentration was 171.26 ng/L, the AUC was 0.787 (P<0.01), and the sensitivity
      and specificity were 82.25% and 75.80%, respectively, when the IL-16 threshold
      was predicted by ROC curve analysis. The 3-year overall survival rates of
      patients with IL-16<=171.26 ng/L and IL-16>171.26 ng/L were 91.93% and 51.61%,
      respectively (P<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that the changes of IL-16
      levels were significantly related with overall survival (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The
      level of IL-16 in peripheral blood of patients with multiple myeloma has been
      cofirmed to be significantly elevated, and the elevated IL-16 is closely related
      with the prognosis.

PMID- 28641644
TI  - [Clinical Significance of Mean Platelet Volume Determination in Multiple
      Myeloma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of mean platelet volume(MPV)
      in patients with multiple myeloma(MM). METHODS: The clinical data of 198 patients
      with MM admitted in our hospital from March 2008 to March 2015 were collected and
      analyzed. The clinical data included the Ig type, hemoglobin level, platelet
      count, creatinine, calciumion albumin, beta2-MG, LDH, plasmocytes in bone marrow,
      MPV, complications such as diabetes, a history of venous thromboembolism (VTE)
      and arterial events such as coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease,
      thrombosis and blood clotting. All patients were divided into low MPV group
      (<=8.50 fl) and high MPV group (>8.50 fl). The biochemical parameters and
      prognosis of the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: When MPV was 8.50 fl, the
      higest sensitivety and specificity were 55.56% and 80.00% respectively. The area
      under curve (AUC) was 0.656 (95% CI: 0.515-0.797), the IgA type, creatinine level
      and IgH rearrangement in MM patients were related with MPV. The ratio of IgA and
      IgH rearrangements in patients with low MPV was higher than that in patients with
      high MPV, and the ratio of patients with creatinine >176.8 umol/L was lower than
      that of patients with high MPV (P<0.05). The age, sex, ECOG PS, complications,
      ISS stage, hemoglobin level, platelet count, calcium ion, albumin, beta2
      microglobulin, lactate dehydrogenase and bone marrow plasma cell ratio were not
      statistically significantly different between the 2 groups. Patients with low MPV
      had a shorter OS (P=0.039) than those with higher MPV. Univariate analysis showed
      that MPV, BM plasma cell ratio and age>60 years correleted with OS. Multivariate
      analysis showed that the low MPV and BM plasma cell ratio were correlated with
      shorter OS (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The low MPV is correlated with poor prognosis in
      patients with MM and may serve as an important indicator for disease progression
      and prognosis of patients with MM.

PMID- 28641645
TI  - [Subtype and Functional Biomarker Changes of NK Cells in Peripheral Blood of
      Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the subtype and functional biomarker expression changes of
      natural kill cells(NK) in peripheral blood of patients with myelodysplastic
      syndrome(MDS) and normal people, so as to evaluate the relationships between
      these changes and hematopoietic functions and to explore the role of NK cells in
      the pathogenesis of MDS. METHODS: The quantity of NK cells and the expression of
      biomarkers(NKp30,NKp46,NKG2A) on NK cells were detected by flow cytometry in 35
      MDS patients from 2015 to 2016 in our hospital and 34 normal controls. The
      correlation between these changes and hematopoietic functions, including the
      percentages of neutrophil(ANC), hemoglobin in peripheral blood and the
      hematopoietic function in bone marrow(CD34+%) were evaluated. RESULTS: The
      percentage and quantity of NK cells and CD56dim NK cells in MDS patients were
      significantly lower than those in normal controls(P<0.05); the percentage of
      CD56bright NK cells was higher than that in controls. The percentage of CD56dim
      NK cells in NK cells of MDS patients was significantly lower than that of
      controls; the percentage of CD56bright NK cells in NK cells of MDS patients was
      significantly higher than that of controls. The expression of NKp30 and NKp46 of
      MDS patients was significantly lower than that of controls. In MDS group, the
      percentage of NK cells and CD56dim NK cells of peripheral blood lymphocytes in
      high risk MDS group was significantly lower than that in low risk MDS group. The
      percentage of NK and CD56dim NK cells negatively correlated with that of CD34+%
      in bone marrow, but positively correlated with ANC and Hb. The CD34+% in bone
      marrow negatively correlated with expression of NKp46, but positively correlated
      with expression of NKG2A. CONCLUSION: The decrease of NK number and function may
      cause the immune surveillance and lead to disease progression.

PMID- 28641646
TI  - [Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Outcome of 125 Chinese Young Patients
      with Essential Thrombocythemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of
      Chinese young patients (<=40 years) with essential thrombocythemia(ET), and to
      develop a thrombosis predicting model specific for young patients with ET, so as
      to provide a new evidence for risk stratification and treatment. METHODS: Medical
      records of 125 Chinese young patients with newly diagnosed of ET were
      retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 32 (18-40)
      years old, with 37 males and 88 females. During follow-up, 18 patients (14.4%)
      experienced major thrombotic events. JAK2 V617F (HR=8.895, P=0.001), history of
      thrombosis (HR=8.001, P<0.001) and WBC>=12.0*109/L (HR=5.225, P=0.002) were
      independent risk factors for thrombosis. The incidence of thrombosis and risk
      factors in young patients were different from that in general ET population, so a
      thrombosis predicting model specific for young patients with ET was developed. In
      this model, JAK2 V617F (score 2), history of thrombosis (score 2) and
      WBC>=12.0*109/L (score 1) were used to divide the patients into low risk (score
      0), intermediate risk (score 1-2) and high risk (score>=3) groups. These 3 groups
      exhibited significantly different thrombosis-free survival (chi2=32.223,
      P<0.001). Antiplatelet treatment could prevent the occurrence of thrombosis
      (HR=0.081, P<0.001), while cytoreductive agents significantly decreased the risk
      of thrombosis only in intermediate and high risk groups (14.3% vs 36.4%,
      chi2=4.416, P=0.036). Seven patients (5.6%) evolved to myelofibrosis, and one of
      them finally progressed in to acute leukemia. The only risk factor for evolution
      was WBC>=15.0*109/L (chi2=5.434, P=0.020). Neither antiplatelet treatment nor
      cytoreductive agents could prevent disease progression. CONCLUSION: The incidence
      of thrombosis and risk factors in young patients with ET are different from that
      in general ET population. The thrombosis-predicting model specific for young
      patients with ET is useful for guiding therapeutic decisions.

PMID- 28641647
TI  - [Clinical Significance of Serum Thrombopoietin Levels in Patients with Aplastic
      Anaemia].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical significance of thrombopoietin (TPO) level in
      diagnosis of pateints with aplastic anaemia (AA). METHODS: The TPO levels in sera
      from 54 AA patients and 119 healthy controls were examined. A total of 92 samples
      were collected from AA patients including 43 samples harvested at diagnosis, 23
      samples in the cytopenic period after treatment, and 26 samples of patients in
      partial (n=10) or complete remission (n=16) following immunosuppressive
      treatment. Serum TPO levels were assessed by a sandwich-antibody ELISA that
      utilized a polyclonal rabbit antiserum for both capture and signal. RESULTS:
      Serum samples from normal donors revealed a mean TPO level of 95.3+/-54.0 pg/ml,
      the mean TPO levels in AA sera collected at diagnosis and before onset of
      treatment were 2728+/-1074 pg/ml (P<0.001) compared with normal controls; mean
      platelet count at that time: 27*109/L). Serum TPO levels of AA patients in
      partial or complete remission after immunosuppressive treatment were
      significantly lower than TPO levels at diagnosis (P<0.001). However, despite
      normal platelet counts (mean 167*109/L), TPO levels remained significantly
      elevated in complete remission (mean TPO 1009+/-6590 pg/ml (P<0.001) compared
      with normal controls. There was a significant negative correlation between serum
      TPO levels and platelet counts in AA patients (coefficient of correlation r=
      0.70, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: TPO levels are highly elevated in sera of patients
      with AA. Thrombopoietin did not return to normal levels in remission, indicating
      normal platelet count in remission of AA needs sustained high level of TPO.

PMID- 28641648
TI  - [Change of Thrombelastography in Children's DIC and Analysis of Its Sensitivity
      and Specificity for Diagnosis of DIC].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of thrombelastography index changes on
      its sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of disseminated intravascular
      coagulation (DIC) in children. METHODS: A total of 149 children with DIC in our
      hospital from June 2013 to June 2016 were selected in DIC group, while 106 cases
      of non-DIC, including healthy children and children with diseases easily confused
      with DIC, were selected as non-DIC(control) group. The thrombelastography, D
      dimer, coagulation functions including prothrombintime (PT), activated partial
      thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB) and fibin degradation product (FDP),
      congental coagulation disorders and platelet count were detected in DIC and non
      DIC groups; the statistics of data was performed and the sensitivity and
      specificity of thromelastraphy indexes such as R time, alpha angle MA value and A
      value were evaluated; the relationship of DIC with indexes was analyzed.
      Moreover, the result difference of thromelastography and routine coagulation
      function test was compared at diagnosis of DIC. RESULTS: According to statistical
      analysis of clinical data in 2 groups, the average R time in non-DIC group was
      significantly less than that in DIC group (P<0.05); the average alpha angle in
      non-DIC group was larger than that in DIC group (P<0.05), both the MA and A
      values in the non-DIC group were significantly higher than those in DIC group
      (P<0.05). The specificity of routine coagulation function test for diagnosis of
      DIC was as follow: PT-27.2%, APTT-42.2%, international normalized ratio(INR)
      47.9%, FIB-44.4%, FDP-42.7% and D-dimer-68.3%, which were significantly lower
      than that of R time,alpha angle and MA value for diagnosis of DIC (85.1%, 74.1%
      and 73%). The alpha angle and MA value of healthy children were greater than
      those of children with severe liver disease(P<0.05). while the average R time of
      healthy children was less than that of children with severe liver
      disease(P<0.05), but the difference of A value between them did not statistically
      significant (P>0.05) . The average R time of healthy children was less than that
      of children with congenital coagulation disorders (P<0.05). but there was no
      significant differences in alpha angle MA and Avalues between them. CONCLUSION:
      As compared with routine coagulation function test, the thrombelastography shows
      more high specificity for diagnosis of DIC, and can more precisely diagnose the
      DIC; moreover, the thrombelastography combined with roatime coagulation function
      test can more early find and diagnose the DIC in children, therefore it can
      improve the survival rate of children with DIC.

PMID- 28641649
TI  - [Hemostatic Effect of Spleen-invigorating, Qi-replenishing and Blood-containing
      Formula on Simvastatin-induced Zebrafish Hemorrhage Model].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hemostatic effect of spleen-invigorating, qi
      replenishing and blood-containing formula on simvastatin-induced zebrafish
      hemorrhage model, and to compare with the effect of clearing heat and cooling
      blood formula. METHODS: Zebrafishes from breed A B line were treated with 0.5
      umol/L simvastatin for 24 hours to establish zebrafishes hemorrhage model. Under
      strict blinded experimental conditions, the above mentioned zebrafishes were then
      treated with experimental drug of different concentrations at the maximum non
      lethal dose. The intervention effect of spleen-invigorating, qi-replenishing and
      blood-containing formula was comprehensively assessed by examining the main
      observational parameters, such as bleeding reduction rate and hemostasis rate
      while referring to additional parameters, such as blood flow, improvement rate of
      blood flow, velocity of movement, improvement rate of motion, which are
      characteristics of spleen qi deficiency. RESULTS: When the hemostatic effect of
      experimental drug B1 at the concentrations of 500 and 1 000 ug/ml, zebrafish
      bleeding rates were 30% and 15%, the hemostatic rate was 60% and 80%,
      respectively; when the experimental drug B2 at concentration of 500 and 1 000
      ug/ml, Zebrafish bleeding rates were 45% and 40%, the hemostatic rate was 40% and
      47%, respectively, showing that experimental drug B1 was superior to B2 in terms
      of decreasing bleeding rate and improving hemostatic effect in zebrafish. In the
      equal concentration, the experimental drug B1 was superior to B2 in terms of
      increasing and improving the blood flow of hemorrhagic zebrafish. Promotion and
      improvement of motion: in equal concentration, experimental drug B1 was superior
      to B2 in terms of promoting the motion velocity and increasing the improving rate
      of motion in zebrafish. CONCLUSION: The spleen-invigorating, qi-replenishing and
      blood-containing formula displays a good hemostatic effect on simvastatin-induced
      hemorrhage of zebrafish. It also boosts the blood flow and motion velocity in
      hemorrhagic zebrafish, therefore, providing an experimental basis for the
      treatment of syndrome of spleen failing to control blood by spleen-invigorating,
      qi-replenishing and blood-containing formula.

PMID- 28641650
TI  - [Changes of Thrombopoietin Levels in Patients with Acute Inflammatory Disease and
      Its Significance].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of TPO levels in patients with acute
      inflammatory response disease of different etiologies. METHODS: In the case 
      control study, 65 patients with acute inflammatory response disease were enrolled
      in the case group (15 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 15 patients with
      acute cerebral infarction, 25 patients with acute trauma and 10 patients with
      acute pneumonia), and 42 healthy subjects were selected as the control group. The
      levels of TPO in peripheral blood and blood cell counts between the case group
      and the control group were compared by Student's t test for examing whether the
      level of TPO in acute inflammation states was higher than that in healthy people.
      And, by using Kruskal-Wallis H test and Nemenyi test, subsequent subgroup
      compaison was performed to assess whether there was a difference in TPO levels
      under the condition of inflammation of different etiologies and at different
      levels. RESULTS: Compared with the control group,serum TPO levels in case group
      were significantly higher (181.11+/-35.38 vs 96.13+/-9.7 pg/ml)(P<0.001), and the
      white blood cell count in case group (9.64+/-3.43)*109/L was higher than that in
      control group(7.35+/-1.49)*109/L(P<0.001), but the platelet count in the case
      group was not statistically different from that in the control group (P=0.313).
      In the further subgroup analysis, it was found that changes in TPO level were
      different in different levels of inflammation. The level of TPO in patients with
      inflammatory disease of high level(acute trauma, acute pneumonia) was greatly
      higher than that in patients with inflammatory disease of low level(acute
      myocardial infarction, acute cerebral infarction) (P<0.05), and there was no
      statistically significant difference in platelet count among subgroups.
      CONCLUSION: In acute inflammation states, the increase of serum TPO levels does
      not correlate with platelet counts, but correlates with inflammation levels, and
      TPO may act as an acute response protein to protect the body.

PMID- 28641651
TI  - [Effect of Infusion of Recipient Spleen Cells at Different Time after Murine
      Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation on Graft Versus Host
      Disease].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of infusing G-CSF mobilized recipient spleen
      cells at different time after haploidentical stem cell transplantation(HSCT) on
      graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in mice and its possible mechanism. METHODS:
      Forty mice after HSCT were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=10): GVHD positive
      control group (control group), 1st d recipient cell infusion group after
      transplantation (+1 d group), 4th d recipient cell infusion group after
      transplantation(+4 d group), 7th d recipient cell infusion group after
      transplantation(+7 d group). The mice in control group were injected the normal
      saline of same equivalent with experimental group which were given the same
      amount of G-CSF-mobilized recipient spleen cells. The general manifestation and
      pathological change of GVHD were observed. The expression changes of CD3+CD4+,
      CD3+CD8+ cell subsets and FasL in peripheral blood were detected by flow
      cytometry. RESULTS: The incidence of GVHD was significantly decreased in +4 d
      group and the median survival time was longer than 60 days, which was
      significantly higher than that of control group (24 d), +1 d group (21 d), +7 d
      group (28 d). (P<0.01, P<0.01, P<0.01). The Fasl expression of peripheral blood T
      lymphocytes in +4 d group were significantly lower than that in the other 3
      groups(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The +4 d infusion of G-CSF mobilized recipient spleen
      cells on 4th day after haploidentical HSC transplantation can inhibit the
      expression of FasL in donor T lymphocytes, and significantly reduce the incidence
      of GVHD.

PMID- 28641652
TI  - [Significance of Monitoring Minimal Residual Disease by Flow Cytometry in Acute
      Leukemia Patients Underwent Nonmyeloablative Allo-HSCT].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of dynamically monitoring minimal residual
      disease (MRD) by flow cytometry before and after non-myeloablative allo-HSCT
      (NST) for prediction of acute leukemia(AL) relapse after transplantation.
      METHODS: The clinical data of 51 AL patients underwent NST were analyzed
      retrospectively in Department of Hematology of Affiliated Hospital of Academy of
      Military Medical Sciences from January 2011 to December 2015. All AL patients
      achieved the morphologic complete remission of bone marrow before
      transplantation. The bone marrow samples were collected for monitoring of MRD
      within 35 days before transplant, every month till 3 months after transplant,
      every 3 months till 24 months after transplant, and then every 6 months after 2
      years of transplant. According to the MRD cutoff value of 0.2%, the AL patients
      were divided into high level MRD group (18 cases) which was defined as MRD>=0.2%
      after transplantantion at least for 1 time, and low level MRD group (33 cases)
      which was defined as MRD<0.2% after transplant all the time. 2 year cumulative
      relapse rate in 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: Two-year relapse rates were 6.1%
      and 50% in low-level MRD group and high-level MRD group post
      NST(P=0.001)respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that the risk of
      relapse in high level MRD group was 5.84 times of low level MRD group(P=0.036).
      MRD>=0.2% post transplant was an independent risk factor for leukemia relapse
      post NST. The mortality rate was 81.8% and 46.3%(P<0.05) in relapse and non
      relapse groups respectively. CONCLUSION: Dynamically monitoring MRD by FCM is a
      crucial tool for early relapse estimation of acute leukemia in adult patients
      after allogeneic nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
      MRD>=0.2% after transplant can be used as a early valuable evidence for
      predicting relapse and guiding active medical intervention.

PMID- 28641653
TI  - [Risk Factors and Therapeutic Outcome of Intestinal Acute Graft Versus Host
      Disease in Acute Leukemia Patients after Haploidentical Peripheral Hematopoietic
      Stem Cell Transplantation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors and therapeutic outcome of acute graft
      versus host disease (aGVHD) in patients with acute leukemia after haploidentical
      peripheral hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS: The clinical data of
      19 cases of acute leukemia underwent haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell
      transplanttion during January 2010 and December 2010 were retrospectively
      analyzed. The effects of patients sex, donor-recipient sex difference, donor age,
      conditioning regimen, dosage of anti-thymocyte globulin(ATG), mononuclear cell
      and CD34+ cell counts on the intestinal aGVHD were analyzed by Logistic
      regression. RESULTS: Intestinal aGVHD occurred in 5 cases with 1 case at stage II
      3 cases at stage III and 1 case at stage IV on the 7th, 22th, 27th, 70th and
      154th day after transplantation, respectively. Single factor analysis showed that
      the patient's sex, donor-recipient sex difference, donor age, dosage of ATG,
      mononuclear cell and CD34+ cell counts were not related with the occurrence of
      the intestinal aGVHD, and the conditoning regimen was the risk factor for the
      intestinal aGVHD. 2 cases among 5 cases with intestinal aGVHD were treated with
      methylprednisolone at dosage of 1 mg/kg per day, 1 case was treated with
      methylprednisolone therapy combined with tacrolimus. 2 cases of
      methylprednisolone-resistance were treated with CD25 monoclonal antibody.
      Intestinal aGVHD of all patients was improved after the above-mentioned
      treatment. CONCLUSION: Conditioning regimen of haploidentical peipheral
      hematopoieitc stem cell transplantaion has effects on the intestinal aGVHD, which
      needs to be confirmed by further research.

PMID- 28641654
TI  - [Efficacy and Safety of Posaconazoleon for Primary Antifungal Prophylaxis against
      Invasive Fungal Disease in Patients with Stem Cell Transplantation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and clinical safety of posaconazoleon
      primary antifungal prophylaxis against invasive fungal disease (IFD) in patients
      with stem cell transplantation. METHODS: At the start from preconditioning
      regimen, 45 patients without IFD were administered with posaconazoleon until
      neutrophils greater than 0.5*109/L, 35 patients treated with micafungin were
      enrolled in control group. The incidence, risk factors of IFD and side effects of
      medicines were evaluated. RESULTS: Of the total 80 patients, 13(16%) had IFD
      within 100 days after allo-HSCT. The overall survival was significantly different
      between patients with or without IFD by Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis
      (P<0.05). Out of the 45 cases in posaconazoleon group, IFD occurred in 4 cases
      (9%). In contrast, the incidence of IFD in control group was 26%(9 out of 35)
      (P<0.05). The risk factors of IFD and side effects were not significantly
      different between 2 groups(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The primary prevention efficancy
      of IFD by posaconazoleon after allo-HSCT is much better than that of micafungin
      with well tolerability and satisfactory efficacy.

PMID- 28641655
TI  - [IL-1beta-Treated Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhances Osteogenetic
      Potential via NF-kappaB Pathway].
AB  - : Obsjective:To investigate the effects of differentaction time of IL-1beta on
      the osteogenic capacity of bone marrow mensenchymal cells(BMMSC) and the role of
      nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB) pathway. METHODS: BMMSC isolated from normal donors
      was treated with IL-1beta for 1 or 7 days, respectively. Alkaline phosphatase
      (ALP) and alizarin red(AR) stainings were used to detect the osteogenic
      differentiation potential of BMMSC. The mRNA expression of EphB4, IGF-1 and OPG
      in BMMSC was measured by real-time PCR. The immunohistochemistry was employed to
      measure the expression of bone morphgenetic protein-2(BMP-2) and p-Smad1/5/8 in
      BMMSC. Furthermore, the Western blot was used for the detection of ikappaBalpha
      and phospho-ikappaBalpha (p-ikBalpha) in IL-1beta-treated BMMSC. And the results
      of IL-1beta-treated BMMSC were compared with control group. RESULTS: Compared
      with control group, the osteogenetic potential of IL-1beta-treated BMMSC was
      enhanced, but the pro-osteogenic differentiation effect of IL-1beta was
      remarkedly inhibited in the presence of NF-kB pathway inhibitor PDTC. The total
      ikBalpha level of IL-1beta-treated BMMSC was lower (P<0.05), and phospho
      ikappaBalpha (p-ikappaBalpha) level was higher (P<0.05). Besides, BMP-2
      expression was higher (P<0.05) in the IL-1beta-treated BMMSC, however, p
      Smad1/5/8 protien level was not significantly different among IL-1beta-treated
      for 1 d, 7 d and control groups (P<0.05). And the mRNA expression levels of IGF
      1, EphB4 and OPG in BMMSC were up-regulated after IL-1beta treatment (P<0.05). In
      addition, the osteoblastogenesis of BMMSC treated with IL-1beta for 7 days was
      significantly different from those treated only for 1 day. CONCLUSION: Prolonging
      IL-1beta treatment can enhance the osteogenetic differentiation of BMMSC more
      significantly. And this osteogenetic alteration of BMMSC occurs via its NF-kappaB
      pathway, but not via BMP-2/Smad pathway.

PMID- 28641656
TI  - [Effect of Human Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on the
      Proliferation and Apoptosis of Leukemic Cells and Its Mechanism].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of human umbilical cord blood-derived
      mesenchymal stem cells(HUCMSC) on the leukemic cell line HL-60 and acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia cell line Jurkat as well as the role of CXCL12/CXCR4.
      METHODS: HL-60 cells and Jurkat cells were co-cultured with human umbilical cord
      blood mesenchymal stem cell (HUCMSC), and the model was treated with G-CSF,
      AMD3100 and their combination. The cell viability and cell cycle were measured by
      Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), the apoptosis and the cell-cycle analysis were
      assessed by flow cytometry with the Annexin V/PI double staining. The expression
      of surface CXCR4 protein and total CXCR4 protein of leukemic cells were detected
      by flow cytometry and Western blot respectively. RESULTS: HUCMSC could decrease
      the viability of HL-60 cells and Jurkat cells, as well as the percentage of
      apoptotic cells, they could also increase the number of G0/G1 cells, while G-CSF
      and AMD3100 could reduce the proliferation of HL-60 cells and Jurkat cells in
      HUCMSC co-culture model, destructed the anti-apoptotic effect of HUCMSC on HL-60
      cells and Jurkat cells, and the combination of 2 drugs resulted in a synergistic
      effect. The G-CSF could reduce the expression of surface CXCR4 protein and total
      CXCR4 protein in leukemic cells, while AMD3100 could only decrease the expression
      of surface CXCR4 protein of leukemia cell membrane, having no effect on the
      expression of CXCR4 protein in cytoplasm. CONCLUSION: Human umbilical cord blood
      mesenchymal stem cells can inhibit the proliferation and apoptosis of acute
      leukemia cells and increase the number of G0/G1 phase cells in leukemic cells.
      The AMD3100 can decrease the expression of surface CXCR4 protein in leukemia
      cells, G-CSF can decrease expression of total CXCR4 protein as well as membrane
      CXCR4 protein. Both of them can block the CXCL12/CXCR4 signal axis, weakening the
      relationship between leukemia cells and microenvironment. And on the basic of
      HUCMSC influenced leukemia cells' growth and proliferation, the cell viability
      will be weakened, its apoptosis will be promoted, and the percentage of G0/G1
      phase cells in leukemia cells will be decreased.

PMID- 28641657
TI  - [Affected Factors of Separating Erythrocytes by Discontinuous of Density Gradient
      Centrifugation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the affected factors of the separation of red blood cells by
      discontinuous density gradient method, and to establish the optimal operating
      conditions of percoll for the separation of erythrocytes. METHODS: The osmolality
      of different ratio of Percoll and 1.5 mol/L NaCl were 9:1, 10:1, 11:1, 12:1, 13:1
      ratio, was detected respectively. The isotonic osmolality ratio was selected as
      optimum stock isotonic Percoll solution(SIP). Evaluation criteria: All the
      different density cells were separated sufficiently by centrifugation, there is
      little red cell retention and entrainment phenomena. The separation efficacy of
      different red cell suspension concentration, different centrifugal force,
      different centrifugal speed, different temperature and different time were
      compared. RESULTS: The separation efficacy of red cell suspension concentration
      which not exceed 50% was better than above 50%, efficacy of 4 000*g was superior
      to 3 000*g and 2 000*g, 2-8 centrifugal acceleration and deceleration centrifugal
      could obtain the satisfactory efficacy, the 4  degrees C layered effect was more
      stable than room temperature, the separation effect of 20 min was better than 15
      min and 10 min. CONCLUSION: Percoll and 1.5 mol/L NaCl 12:1 to 11:1 can be used
      as stock isotonic percoll solution, preferentially selected 4  degrees C as
      centrifugal conditions. When conditions of separation was satisfied, the
      centrifugal acceleration and deceleration is 2-8, the optimal centrifugal effect
      can be obtained with the decrease of erythrocyte suspension concentration, with
      centrifugation time prolonging and centrifugal force increasing.

PMID- 28641658
TI  - [Effects of Different Storage Time and Temperature on Coagulation Function of
      Fresh Frozen Plasma after Thawing].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the coagulation function changes of fresh frozen plasma
      storaged at different storage time and temperature after thawing. METHODS: Forty
      unit of fresh frozen plasma were collected, and thawed at 37  degrees C for 25
      minutes. Each unit was divided into 2 halves: one was stored at (4+/-2) degrees C
      for 72 hours and the other one was stored at (25+/-2)  degrees C for 72 hours. At
      the time point of 0, 4, 24, 48 and 72 h, thromboela-stogram TEG was measured for
      all samples. At the the same time, factors V,VII,VIII and IX, APTT and PT were
      also measured for all the samples. Blood culture for all the samples was used to
      discover aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. RESULTS: All the samples could form a
      stable blood clot after thawing for 72 h, and the blood culture results of all
      samples were negative. Significant changes were observed in ACT and TMA between 0
      h and other test time, but there was no difference between 4  degrees C and 25 
      degrees C. The activity of factor V was significantly different between 4 
      degrees C and 25  degrees C after storing for 48 and 72 hours, which was reduced
      faster at 25  degrees C. CONCLUSION: Although part of the coagulation factor
      activity were attenuated after fresh frozen plasma being thawed and stored for 72
      hours at different temperature, but all samples can form stable blood clots.
      Fresh frozen plasma stored for more than 72 hrs after thawing can be used to
      supplement the coagulation factors to patient.

PMID- 28641659
TI  - [Experimental Study on Neonatal ABO or RhD Compatible Blood Transfusion].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of neonatal ABO or Rh(D)
      by using compatible blood transfusion through retrospective analysis of data from
      cases received compatible blood transfusion and type matched blood transfusion.
      METHODS: The clinical data of 26 cases of neonatal compatible blood transfusion
      in Chinese Nanchang area from January 2014 to October 2016 were collected, and 26
      cases of neonatal type-matched blood transfusion were selected according to ratio
      of 1:1 cases. The efficiency and safety index of 26 patients compatible blood
      transfusion were compared with that of type-matched blood transfusion. The
      efficiency indexes included: patients' basic characteristics, red blood cell
      (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb) level, hematocrit (Hct), and the safety indexes
      contain Hb level and indirect bilirubin (IBiL) value before and after blood
      transfusion, irregular antibody screening, direct antiglobulin test (DAT) results
      and the adverse reactions of blood transfusion. RESULTS: The age, sex, days of
      hospitalization between compatible blood transfusion and type matched blood
      transfusion were not statistically significantly different (P>0.05). The Hb level
      before transfusion, blood transfusion volume and the increase of Hb, Hct and RBC
      were not statistically significantly different between two groups (P>0.05). The
      values of Hb, Hct and RBC in 2 groups significantly increased at the day 1 after
      blood transfusion (P<0.05). No blood transfusion adverse reaction occurred in 2
      groups. The IBiL value significantly decreased in compatible blood transfusion
      patients at the day 1 after blood transfusion (P<0.05). No new irregular
      antibodies had been detected after transfusion in all patients, and the others'
      DAT and screening for irregular antibodies were negative except 22 patients with
      neonatal hemolysis. The values of Hb and IBiL statistically significantly
      differenence were not in 12 patients between 1d, 3d, 7d after blood transfusion
      (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The efficiency and safety between compatible blood
      transfusion and type matched blood transfusion are the same in neonatal blood
      transfusion. Compatible blood transfusion is a safe and effective in clinical
      blood transfusion.

PMID- 28641660
TI  - [Comparison of Laboratory Indexes and Therapeutic Efficacy between Two Kinds of
      Different RBC Transfusion in AIHA Patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of 2 kinds of red blood cells (RBC) on the
      laboratorial indexes and therapeutic efficacy of patients with autoimmune
      hemolytic anemia (AIHA). METHODS: The clinical data of 120 patients with AIHA
      from June 2015 to June 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. These 120 patients
      were divided into A goup and B group. The patients in A group (60 cases) were
      infused with washed RBC, while the patients in B group (60 cases) were infused
      with WBC-deplated RBC. The changes of laboratotial indexes, clinical symptoms and
      incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups before treatment and at 24 hourse
      after treatment as well as the therapeutic efficacy and improvement status of
      clinical symptoms were compared. RESULTS: The RBC count and Hb level in 2 groups
      after treating for 1 day were significantly higher than those before treatment
      (P<0.01), while the TBIL level and reticulocyte (Ret) count were significantly
      lower than those before treatment (P<0.01). However, the RBC, Hb, TBIL levels and
      Ret count in 2 groups before and after treatment showed no statistical difference
      (P>0.05); the improvement of clinical symptoms, complex therapeutic efficacy and
      incidence of adverse reactions in 2 groups after treatment also showed no
      significantly difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Both washed and leukocyte-deplated
      RBC can alleviate the anemia in patients with AIHA in short-time, but the
      leucocyte-deplated RBC is more expensive, suggesting that the wased RBC is more
      practical for treatment of AIHA patients.

PMID- 28641661
TI  - [Clinical and Pathologic Features of Myeloid Sarcoma].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinicopathologic features, differential diagnosis and
      therapy of myeloid sarcoma. METHODS: The clinical data including clinical
      manifestations, laboratorial tests, histopathologicical examination,
      immunohistochemistry and clinical prognosis of 10 patients with myeloid sarcoma
      were analyzed retrospectively. Among 10 patients, 5 male and 5 female, aged 23 to
      71 years old (median = 36 years). RESULTS: 2 cases of myeloid sarcoma were
      secondary from chronic myeloid leukemia, and 1 cases of myeloid sarcoma occurred
      after the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation due to acute myeloid
      leukemia, and the others lacked the anamnesis of malignancies. The neoplasms
      occurred at bone, brain, skin, breast, epididymis, uterine cervix, small
      intestine, ovary and lymph nodes. Microscopically, the tumor cells were round or
      oval, which infiltrated diffusely or arranged in single-file. The cytoplasm was
      scarce and immature eosinophils were scattered. The nuclei were round, oval or
      focally irregular, and the mitosis was visible. The neoplasms were positive for
      MPO, CD34, CD43, CD45, CD99 and CD117 by immunohistochemical staining. 4 patients
      progressed into acute myeloid leukemia from 2 to 10 months after the diagnosis of
      myeloid sarcoma. All of them achieved complete remission after inductive
      chemotherapy, but 3 patients relapsed from 3 to 12 months after remission and
      only survived for 14 to 23 months. 4 patients were treated by using chemotherapy
      before bone marrow abnormality, and with the disease-free survival for 1 to 48
      months. CONCLUSION: Myeloid sarcoma needs to be distinguished from lymphoblastic
      lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasms and
      so on. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma are dependent
      on the pathological and immunohisto-chemical features. The chemotherapy and
      allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation of acute myeloid leukemia are
      the main methods for treatment of myeloid sarcoma.

PMID- 28641662
TI  - [Effect of PDK1 on Neutrophil Differentiation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To knock out PDK1 by using Vav-Cre and observe the effects of PDK1
      knock out on the ratio, number and differentiation of neutrophil. METHODS: The
      PDK1 expression level of Vav-Cre;PDK1lox/lox mouse in the bone marrow cells was
      analyzed by RT-PCR. The effect of PDK1 on hematopoietic progenitor was observed
      by CFU-C assay, and the effect of PDK1 on the ratio and number of neutrophil was
      detected by flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: The RNA expression level of bone
      marrow cells of Vav-Cre;PDK1lox/lox mouse was dramatically lower than that of the
      control mouse. The number of functional GMP was lower in Vav-Cre;PDK1lox/lox
      mouse in contrast to controls. The percentage and number of neutrophil were
      lower, but the percentage of premyelocyte/myelocytes was more than 2 times in Vav
      Cre;PDK1lox/lox group compared with control groups. CONCLUSION: PDK1 affects the
      process of the differention of hematopoietic stem cells to GMP, the neutrophil
      differention and maturation.

PMID- 28641663
TI  - [Expression Changes of Hepcidin and Ferroportin 1 in Murine Model of Iron
      Overload].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of hepcidin and ferropotin 1 expression in
      murine model of iron overload. METHODS: The murine model of iron overload was
      established, C57BL/6 mice were injected with iron dextran intraperitoneally (10
      mg) every 3 days for 4 weeks. Blood routine, serum ferritin and pathological
      sections were tested at the appointed time-point respectively (before iron
      injection, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment of iron injection). The serum
      hepcidin was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent method. The expression of
      ferroportin 1 in bone marrow cells was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot,
      respectively. The labile iron pool of bone marrow cells was measured by flow
      cytometry. RESULTS: The absolute number and percentage of reticulocytes in the
      iron-overloaded mice were significantly decreased along with the increase of iron
      injection times (r=-0.938, r=-0.947), while no significant change was found in
      the number of white blood cells, hemoglobin level and platelet count. The level
      of serum ferritin was increased along with increase of iron injection time
      (r=0.894). Iron overload was found in pathological sections of different organs.
      Furthermore, serum hepcidin was increased along with increase of iron injection
      time (r=0.957). RT-PCR and Western blot analyses showed that the expressions of
      ferroportin 1 at mRNA and protein level were increased in the murine model of
      iron overload (P<0.05). Labile iron pool in bone marrow cells was also found to
      be increased in the murine model of iron overload(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The
      expressions of hepcidin and ferroportin 1 are increase in a murine model of iron
      overload, which may be contributed to the suppression effect on erythropoiesis in
      bone marrow.

PMID- 28641664
TI  - [Research Progress of Cell Immunotherapy in Treatment of Hematological
      Malignancies-Review].
AB  - Cell immunotherapy, as an important mean of tumor therapy, infuses a large number
      of immune effector cells amplified in vitro to the patients, resulting in the
      anti-tumor effect. There have been a series techniques of cell immunotherapy,
      including T lymphocyte therapy, dendritic cell-based immune cell therapy, natural
      killer cell therapy, gamma delta T cell therapy and so on. The preparation and
      culture conditions, anti-tumor mechanism, target cells etc of these immune cells
      are not the same, the each with its advantages and disadvantages. Many clinical
      studies have showed that the patients with a variety of tumors including
      hematological malignancies, who adopted cell immuno-therapy, had the prolonged
      survival, an improved quality of life, and with the less adverse reactions. This
      review summarizes the available data on the characteristics of different cell
      immunotherapies and their application in hematological malignancies.

PMID- 28641665
TI  - [Research Progress of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK Signaling Pathways in Leukemia-Review].
AB  - Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway plays an important role in the occurrence and
      development of leukemia. Using the inhibitors of key signaling components in the
      signaling pathway is new strategy for the treatment of leukemia. In recent years,
      the screening of these inhibitors and their in vitro and in vivo researches have
      become a hot spot in the field of treatment. In vivo and in vitro experiments and
      early clinical studies have shown that these inhibitors have good effect and
      application prospects in the treatment of leukemia. This review focuses on the
      recent advances of the role of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in the
      occurence, development and treatment of leukemia.

PMID- 28641666
TI  - [Rare Blood Group and its Progress of Research in Transfusion Medicine -Review].
AB  - As one of key factors for transfusion reaction, rare blood group has attached
      lots of attention for a long time. The proportion of the people population with
      rare blood group is actually low, however, the improper disposition caused by
      human error always leads to severe medical accident, showing its undoubted
      importance in transfusion medicine. Recently, more research about rare blood
      group are reported. Therefore, this review summarizes the development of this
      aspect, including mainly rare blood group, the detection of blood group
      phenotype, and the way of transfusion for rare blood group.

PMID- 28641667
TI  - [Research Progress on Genetic Factors and Hemophilia A Clotting Factor Inhibitor
      Review].
AB  - Hemophilia A (Hemophilia A, HA) is an X-linked recessive hereditary coagulation
      function disorder, the deficiency and dysfunction of blood coagulation were
      caused by the mutations of gene encoding clotting factor VIII. The treatment of
      hemophilia A still depends on the replacement therapy with blood coagulation
      factor. However, the repeated infusion of clotting factor will produce the
      neutralizing antibody against FVIII, then resulting in one of the serious
      complications. The reports on the incidence of inhibitor are different at home
      and abroad. Due to diverse factors, the inhibitors of hemophilia A clotting
      factor mainly can be divided into genetic and environmental factors, In this
      review, the inhibitors of hemophilia A clotting factor and their risk factors are
      briefly summarized.

PMID- 28641668
TI  - [Clinical Significance and Detection Techniques of Minimal Residual Disease in
      Multiple Myeloma-Review].
AB  - The outcomes for the patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have been improved
      substantially in both progression-free survival and overall survival in the past
      decade. Many patients are now achieving a complete response to treatments.
      Extensive data indicate that the information about minimal residual disease (MRD)
      can be used potentially as a biomarker to evaluate the efficacy of different
      treatment strategies instead of overall survival. Consequently, highly sensitive
      assays have been already used in progress for detection of MRD in the patients
      with MM, such as multiparameter flow cytometry, polymerase chain reaction(PCR),
      next-generation sequencing and positron emission tomography/computed tomography.
      This review presents an overview of the clinical significance of MRD in patients
      with MM and charactemitics of four detection techniques for MRD.

PMID- 28641669
TI  - Effect of Biological and Mass Transfer Parameter Uncertainty on N2O Emission
      Estimates from WRRFs.
AB  - This research used the detailed activated sludge model (ASM) to investigate the
      effect of parameter uncertainty on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from biological
      wastewater treatment systems. Monte Carlo simulations accounted for uncertainty
      in the values of the microbial growth parameters and in the volumetric mass
      transfer coefficient for dissolved oxygen (kLaDO), and the results show that the
      detailed ASM predicted N2O emission of less than 4% (typically 1%) of the total
      influent <inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
      xlink:href="00580-ilm01.gif"/> loading. Uncertainties in kLaDO were further
      investigated in experiments, which showed that lower values of kLaDO generated
      higher soluble N2O levels. The detailed ASM likely requires revision to account
      for abiotic reactions and other factors that cause higher levels of N2O emission.

PMID- 28641670
TI  - Novel Stokesian Metrics that Quantify Collision Efficiency, Floc Strength, and
      Discrete Settling Behavior.
AB  - Novel parameters were developed to predict the effluent quality and settling
      behavior in clarifiers that cannot conventionally be achieved using either the
      conventional flux theory or overflow rates. Simple batch experiments based on the
      critical settling velocity (CSV) selection were used as the basis for the
      development of three novel parameters: intrinsic settling classes (ISC),
      threshold of flocculation/flocculation limitation (TOF/alpha), and floc strength.
      ISC was proven to accurately (+/-2%) determine the granule fraction and discrete
      particle distribution. TOF quantified the minimum solids concentration needed to
      form large flocs and was directly linked to collision efficiency. In hybrid
      systems, an exponential fitting on a CSV matrix was proposed to quantify the
      collision efficiency of flocs (alpha). Shear studies were conducted to quantify
      floc strength. The methods were applied to a wide spectrum of sludge types to
      show the broad applicability and sensitivity of the novel methods.

PMID- 28641671
TI  - Occurrence of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria in the Consumer End of a Water
      Distribution System.
AB  - In this study, mixed species biofilm formation including sulphate-reducing
      bacteria (SRB) on polypropylene surface and bacteriology of network water were
      investigated in a model water distribution system during a nine-month period.
      Water and biofilm samples were analyzed for the enumeration of aerobic
      heterotrophic bacteria (AHB), anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria (ANHB) and SRB.
      The number of live/dead bacteria was also analyzed by epifluorescence microscopy.
      In addition, extracellular polysaccharide substances (EPS) extraction,
      carbohydrate analysis and scanning electron microscope observation were
      performed. A biofilm with heterogeneous structure formed on the polypropylene
      surface of the model water distribution system. Live/dead staining data indicated
      that biofilm matured in the first month. It was observed that especially AHB
      entered into a viable but not culturable state because of the temperature
      decrease. It was also noted that temperature is an important environmental factor
      especially for planktonic SRB. The quantity of carbohydrate significantly
      decreased according to the temperature.

PMID- 28641672
TI  - Determination of Five Alternative Antifouling Agents Found Along the Korean
      Coasts.
AB  - Since the ban of tri-butyl tin, other various alternative antifouling agents
      have been used. In this study, the contamination levels from these antifouling
      agents were examined in the main harbors in Korea. The sampled harbors were
      classified into four types and the levels of contamination from the antifouling
      agents were analyzed. The highest degree of contamination was found in the big
      harbors, followed by the fishing harbors, harbors near agricultural areas, and
      military and coast guard harbors. In addition, an increase in the number of ships
      that entered the ports significantly influenced the contamination by the
      antifouling agents. Correlation analysis was conducted to characterize the
      alternative antifouling agents. The results revealed strong correlations between
      the dichlofluanid and chlorothalonil, and between the chlorothalonil and TCMTB,
      because unlike Irgarol 1051 and SEA-NINE 211, which are used only as antifouling
      agents, chlorothalonil, dichlofluanid, and TCMTB are also used in agriculture.

PMID- 28641673
TI  - Renewable Modified Cellulose Bearing Chelating Schiff Base for Adsorptive Removal
      of Heavy Metal Ions and Antibacterial Action.
AB  - A novel approach toward chemically modified cellulose bearing active chelating
      Schiff base with hydroxyl group (Cell-Hy) was synthesized. The modified cellulose
      was examined for its heavy metal ion uptake potential from aqueous solution. The
      chemical and structural features of the adsorbent were characterized by Fourier
      transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), solid state 13C-NMR, Scanning Electron
      Microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) observations.
      The experimental conditions and adsorption parameters, including pH, initial
      metal ion concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and contact time were
      optimized for the removal of Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions. Kinetic parameters,
      equilibrium adsorption capacities, and correlation coefficients for pseudo-first
      order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were carried out.
      The data obtained from the adsorption of Cu(II) and Pb(II) onto Cell-Hy were
      subjected to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Thermodynamic parameters
      have also been evaluated. The antibacterial activity of modified cellulose was
      tested toward specific bacterial species.

PMID- 28641674
TI  - Removal of Organic Matter and Etodolac from Pharmaceutical Industry Wastewater by
      PAC Adsorption.
AB  - The removal of organic matter and etodolac (an anti-inflammatory
      pharmaceutical) from a real process wastewater by using powdered activated carbon
      (PAC) adsorption before and after Fenton oxidation has been studied. The
      wastewater sample is collected from the final stage of chemical synthesis of a
      pharmaceutical (etodolac). Fenton oxidation resulted with decrease in chemical
      oxygen demand (84% removal) and etodolac concentration was reduced to 0.7 mg L-1.
      Optimum adsorption equilibrium conditions were found as t = 16 hours, and m = 10
      g L-1. The Freundlich model showed the best fit for the adsorption of both
      wastewater with R2 values of 0.89 and 0.99. Lower pseudo-second-order rate
      constant (k2) (0.067 < 2.62) obtained from the adsorption of raw wastewater with
      higher organic matter concentration confirms the chemisorption of the adsorbates
      onto the PAC. Pore surface mass diffusion with R2 value of 0.92 was found as rate
      controlling step for adsorption process with Fenton pre-treated wastewater.

PMID- 28641675
TI  - The Application of Solar Cells in the Electrokinetic Remediation of Metal
      Contaminated Sediments.
AB  - In this study, solar cells were used to generate an electric field for the
      electrokinetic remediation of metal contaminated sediment (Nickel, Cadmium,
      Zinc). For determination of metals mobility, bioavailability and potential
      toxicity, sequential extraction procedure, simultaneously extracted metals (SEM)
      and acid-volatile sulphide ratios (AVS) were performed before, during and after
      treatment.After 21 days of treatment, 63% Ni, 82% Cd and 58% Zn was removed from
      the anode region. The application of the electric field changed the chemical
      composition of the sediments. The risk assessment analysis based on pseudo total
      metals content, the risk assessment code and the relationship between SEM and
      AVS, indicates that a simple singular approach for risk assessment analysis and
      evaluation of the quality of sediments is not enough.

PMID- 28641677
TI  - Education Research.

PMID- 28641678
TI  - Cognitive Deterioration in Moderate and Severe Hypobaric Hypoxia Conditions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypoxia continues to present risks in military aviation. Hypoxia
      symptoms include sensory and cognitive effects; of these, it is important to
      identify which components of operator performance are most vulnerable to hypoxia
      induced decline in order to determine which sensory modality is most effective
      for alerting an impaired aviator of an imminent hypoxic episode. METHODS: A study
      was performed in a hypobaric chamber to characterize deterioration of cognitive
      performance under moderate (MH) and severe (SH) hypoxia conditions, culminating
      in subjects' inability to perform tasks. Subjects operated a synthetic
      workstation, performing multiple simultaneous tasks during hypobaric exposures
      equivalent to 5486 m (18,000 ft) MH and 7620 m (25,000 ft) SH ascents.
      Performance was compared across baseline, altitude exposure, and recovery periods
      within MH vs. SH altitude profiles. Ascents lasted until at least one of a list
      of termination criteria was met, at which point the chamber was returned to
      ground level pressure and the subject resumed workstation performance during
      recovery. RESULTS: SH conditions generated greater deficits than MH conditions,
      and these more severe effects hastened the termination of exposures (5 vs. 18 min
      mean duration, respectively). Workstation performance collapsed rapidly on SH
      exposure, with Mathematics and Auditory Monitoring tasks proving vulnerable to
      breakdown. In MH exposures, these tasks exhibited impaired accuracy (declining
      11% and 9%, respectively) and speed, with declines in Auditory Monitoring
      lingering into recovery. DISCUSSION: The relative robustness of memory and visual
      monitoring vs. the vulnerability of mathematical and auditory processing suggest
      that care should be taken designing purely auditory cockpit hypoxia warning
      alerts.Beer JMA, Shender BS, Chauvin D, Dart TS, Fischer J. Cognitive
      deterioration in moderate and severe hypobaric hypoxia conditions. Aerosp Med Hum
      Perform. 2017; 88(7):617-626.

PMID- 28641679
TI  - Normobaric Hypoxia and Submaximal Exercise Effects on Running Memory and Mood
      State in Women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An acute bout of exercise can improve cognitive function in normoxic
      and hypoxic conditions. However, limited research supports the improvement of
      cognitive function and mood state in women. The purpose of this study was to
      examine the effects of hypoxia and exercise on working memory and mood state in
      women. METHODS: There were 15 healthy women (age = 22 +/- 2 yr) who completed the
      Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics-4th Edition (ANAM), including the
      Running Memory Continuous Performance Task (RMCPT) and Total Mood Disturbance
      (TMD) in normoxia (21% O2), at rest in normoxia and hypoxia (12.5% O2), and
      during cycling exercise at 60% and 40% Vo2max in hypoxia. RESULTS: RMCPT was not
      significantly impaired at 30 (100.3 +/- 17.2) and 60 (96.6 +/- 17.3) min rest in
      hypoxia compared to baseline in normoxia (97.0 +/- 17.0). However, RMCPT was
      significantly improved during exercise (106.7 +/- 20.8) at 60% Vo2max compared to
      60 min rest in hypoxia. Following 30 (-89.4 +/- 48.3) and 60 min of exposure to
      hypoxia (-79.8 +/- 55.9) at rest, TMD was impaired compared with baseline (-107.1
      +/- 46.2). TMD was significantly improved during exercise (-108.5 +/- 42.7) at
      40% Vo2max compared with 30 min rest in hypoxia. Also, RMCPT was significantly
      improved during exercise (104.0 +/- 19.1) at 60% Vo2max compared to 60 min rest
      in hypoxia (96.6 +/- 17.3). DISCUSSION: Hypoxia and an acute bout of exercise
      partially influence RMCPT and TMD. Furthermore, a moderate-intensity bout of
      exercise (60%) may be a more potent stimulant for improving cognitive function
      than low-intensity (40%) exercise. The present data should be considered by
      aeromedical personnel performing cognitive tasks in hypoxia.Seo Y, Gerhart HD,
      Stavres J, Fennell C, Draper S, Glickman EL. Normobaric hypoxia and submaximal
      exercise effects on running memory and mood state in women. Aerosp Med Hum
      Perform. 2017; 88(7):627-632.

PMID- 28641681
TI  - The Effects of Training on Anxiety and Task Performance in Simulated Suborbital
      Spaceflight.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In commercial spaceflight, anxiety could become mission-impacting,
      causing negative experiences or endangering the flight itself. We studied
      layperson response to four varied-length training programs (ranging from 1 h-2 d
      of preparation) prior to centrifuge simulation of launch and re-entry
      acceleration profiles expected during suborbital spaceflight. We examined subject
      task execution, evaluating performance in high-stress conditions. We sought to
      identify any trends in demographics, hemodynamics, or similar factors in subjects
      with the highest anxiety or poorest tolerance of the experience. METHODS:
      Volunteers participated in one of four centrifuge training programs of varied
      complexity and duration, culminating in two simulated suborbital spaceflights. At
      most, subjects underwent seven centrifuge runs over 2 d, including two +Gz runs
      (peak +3.5 Gz, Run 2) and two +Gx runs (peak +6.0 Gx, Run 4) followed by three
      runs approximating suborbital spaceflight profiles (combined +Gx and +Gz, peak
      +6.0 Gx and +4.0 Gz). Two cohorts also received dedicated anxiety-mitigation
      training. Subjects were evaluated on their performance on various tasks,
      including a simulated emergency. RESULTS: Participating in 2-7 centrifuge
      exposures were 148 subjects (105 men, 43 women, age range 19-72 yr, mean 39.4 +/-
      13.2 yr, body mass index range 17.3-38.1, mean 25.1 +/- 3.7). There were 10
      subjects who withdrew or limited their G exposure; history of motion sickness was
      associated with opting out. Shorter length training programs were associated with
      elevated hemodynamic responses. Single-directional G training did not
      significantly improve tolerance. DISCUSSION: Training programs appear best when
      high fidelity and sequential exposures may improve tolerance of
      physical/psychological flight stressors. The studied variables did not predict
      anxiety-related responses to these centrifuge profiles.Blue RS, Bonato F, Seaton
      K, Bubka A, Vardiman JL, Mathers C, Castleberry TL, Vanderploeg JM. The effects
      of training on anxiety and task performance in simulated suborbital spaceflight.
      Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(7):641-650.

PMID- 28641680
TI  - Ophthalmological Evaluation of Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training During
      70-Day Bed Rest.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We evaluated ophthalmic changes in healthy individuals who
      underwent integrated resistance and aerobic training (iRAT) during 70-d 6 degrees
      head-down tilt (HDT) bed rest (BR). METHODS: Participants were selected using
      NASA standard screening procedures. Standardized NASA BR conditions were
      implemented. Subjects were randomly assigned to the iRAT protocol or no exercise
      during HDTBR. Weekly ophthalmic examinations were performed in the sitting
      (pre/post-BR only) and HDT (BR only) positions. Mixed-effects linear models
      compared pre- and post-HDTBR intraocular pressure (IOP), Spectralis OCT
      circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness, and peripapillary
      retinal thickness observations between groups. RESULTS: Six controls and nine
      exercisers completed the study. There was an overall effect of BR on our
      outcomes. Except Goldmann IOP (mean pre/post difference in controls and
      exercisers: -0.47 mmHg vs. +1.14 mmHg), the magnitude of changes from baseline
      was not significantly different between groups. There was a +1.38 mmHg and a
      +1.63 mmHg iCare IOP increase during BR in controls and exercisers, respectively.
      Spectralis OCT detected a +1.33 MUm average cpRNFL thickness increase in both
      groups, and a +9.77 MUm and a +6.65 MUm peripapillary retinal thickening post-BR
      in controls and exercisers, respectively. Modified Amsler grid, red dot test,
      confrontational visual field, color vision, and stereoscopic fundus photography
      were unremarkable. CONCLUSIONS: HDTBR for 70 d induced peripapillary retinal
      thickening and cpRNFL thickening without visible signs of optic disc edema. The
      magnitude of such changes was not different between controls and exercisers. A
      slight IOP increase during BR subsided post-BR. Further study should evaluate
      whether different physical exercise paradigms may prevent/mitigate the risk of
      space-related visual impairment.Taibbi G, Cromwell RL, Zanello SB, Yarbough PO,
      Ploutz-Snyder RJ, Godley BF, Vizzeri G. Ophthalmological evaluation of integrated
      resistance and aerobic training during 70-day bed rest. Aerosp Med Hum Perform.
      2017; 88(7):633-640.

PMID- 28641682
TI  - Health Effects of Airline Cabin Environments in Simulated 8-Hour Flights.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Commercial air travel is usually without health incidents. However,
      there is a view that cabin environments may be detrimental to health, especially
      flights of 8 h or more. Concerns have been raised about deep vein thrombosis,
      upper respiratory tract infections, altitude sickness, and toxins from the
      engines. METHODS: Passenger cabin simulators were used to achieve a comparative
      observational study with 8-h flights at pressures equivalent to terrestrial
      altitudes of ground, 4000, 6000, and 8000 ft. Biomarkers of thrombosis (D-Dimer),
      inflammation (interleukin-6), and respiratory dysfunction (FEV1) and oxygen
      saturation (Spo2) were measured, as well as pulse and blood pressure. The
      wellbeing of the passengers was also monitored. RESULTS: During 36 flights, 1260
      healthy subjects [626 women (F) and 634 men (M) (mean age = 43, SD = 16)] were
      assessed. Additionally, 72 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (F
      = 32, M = 40, mean age = 48, SD = 17) and 74 with heart failure (F = 50, M = 24,
      mean age = 54, SD = 14) contributed to 11 flights. Additionally, 76 normal
      controls were observed while engaged in a usual day's work (F = 38, M = 38, mean
      age = 39, SD = 15). There were no health-significant changes in D-Dimer,
      interleukin-6, or FEV1. Spo2 varied as expected, with lowest values at 8000 ft
      and in patients with cardiopulmonary disease. The only differences from the
      controls were the loss of the normal diurnal variations in interleukin-6 and D
      Dimer. DISCUSSION: This very large, comparative, controlled study provides much
      reassurance for the traveling public, who use airline flights of up to 8 h. We
      did not show evidence of the development of venous thrombosis, inflammation,
      respiratory embarrassment, nor passenger distress. No significant symptoms or
      adverse effects were reported.Ideal Cabin Environment (ICE) Research Consortium
      of the European Community 6th Framework Programme. Health effects of airline
      cabin environments in simulated 8-hour flights. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017;
      88(7):651-656.

PMID- 28641683
TI  - A Review of General Aviation Safety (1984-2017).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: General aviation includes all civilian aviation apart from
      operations involving paid passenger transport. Unfortunately, this category of
      aviation holds a lackluster safety record, accounting for 94% of civil aviation
      fatalities. In 2014, of 1143 general aviation accidents, 20% were fatal compared
      with 0 of 29 airline mishaps in the United States. Herein, research findings over
      the past 30 yr will be reviewed. Accident risk factors (e.g., adverse weather,
      geographical region, post-impact fire, gender differences) will be discussed. The
      review will also summarize the development and implementation of stringent
      crashworthiness designs with multi-axis dynamic testing and head-injury
      protection and its impact on mitigating occupant injury severity. The benefits
      and drawbacks of new technology and human factor considerations associated with
      increased general aviation automation will be debated. Data on the safety of the
      aging general aviation population and increased drug usage will also be
      described. Finally, areas in which general aviation occupant survival could be
      improved and injury severity mitigated will be discussed with the view of
      equipping aircraft with 1) crash-resistant fuel tanks to reduce post-impact
      conflagration; 2) after-market ballistic parachutes for older aircraft; and 3)
      current generation electronic locator beacons to hasten site access by first
      responders.Boyd DD. A review of general aviation safety (1984-2017). Aerosp Med
      Hum Perform. 2017; 88(7):657-664.

PMID- 28641685
TI  - Distortion of Prospective Time Production Underwater.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The few prior studies of time perception underwater have reached
      contradictory conclusions as to how, and if, time perception becomes distorted
      when submerged. The current paper expands upon this limited data by describing
      two studies of prospective time production in scuba divers. METHODS: Study 1 (N =
      32) compared performance on a 30-s interval time production task in deep water
      (35 m-42 m/~115-138 ft) with a shallow water control (3-12 m/~10-39 ft). Using
      the same task, study 2 (N = 31) tested performance at the surface and at a range
      of depths underwater (1 m/3 ft; 11 m/36 ft; 20 m/66 ft; 30 m/98 ft; 40 m/131 ft).
      RESULTS: Study 1 revealed time production to be significantly longer in deep
      water compared to shallow water. In study 2 time production at the surface was
      not significantly different from that at 1 m, but productions at 11-40 m were
      significantly longer than at both 1 m and on the surface. Time productions
      between 11-40 m did not differ significantly. DISCUSSION: It was concluded that
      divers judge less time to have passed underwater than is objectively the case
      from a depth of 11 m, but that this effect does not deteriorate significantly
      once past 11 m. The cause of this distortion of time perception underwater was
      suggested to be the action of gas narcosis.Hobbs MB, Kneller W. Distortion of
      prospective time production underwater. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(7):677
      681.

PMID- 28641686
TI  - A Case Study of Human Roll Tilt Perception in Hypogravity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased gravito-inertial acceleration, or hypergravity, such as
      produced in a centrifuge or in an aircraft coordinated turn, causes humans to
      systematically overestimate their roll tilt in the dark. This is known as the "G
      excess" illusion. We have previously modified a mathematical observer model of
      dynamic orientation perception to replicate these illusory tilt perceptions. This
      modified model also made a novel, previously untested, prediction that humans
      would underestimate acute roll tilt in reduced gravitational environments
      (hypogravity). CASE REPORT: In the current study, we used aircraft parabolic
      flight to test this prediction in a single subject. Roll tilt perception was
      reported using a subjective visual vertical task in which the subject aligned an
      illuminated line, presented in a head mounted display, with their perceived
      direction of down. The same subject made reports during hypogravity parabolas
      (0.165 G and 0.38 G, corresponding to lunar and Martian gravity, respectively),
      hypergravity maneuvers (1.6 G during a pull out maneuver and 1.2 G during a
      coordinated turn), and 1-G control conditions (both on the ground and in straight
      and level flight). As hypothesized, the subject significantly underestimated roll
      tilt in the hypogravity environments by approximately 40% compared to 1-G reports
      while overestimating roll tilt in the hypergravity environments. DISCUSSION: The
      amount of underestimation observed was quantitatively consistent with that
      predicted a priori by the modified observer model. We propose the term "G
      shortage" illusion for the underestimation of roll tilt in hypogravity. This
      illusion may have implications for aircraft pilots and astronauts.Clark TK, Young
      LR. A case study of human roll tilt perception in hypogravity. Aerosp Med Hum
      Perform. 2017; 88(7):682-687.

PMID- 28641687
TI  - Preparing Safety Cases for Operating Outside Prescriptive Fatigue Risk Management
      Regulations.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Transport operators seeking to operate outside prescriptive fatigue
      management regulations are typically required to present a safety case justifying
      how they will manage the associated risk. This paper details a method for
      constructing a successful safety case. METHODS: The method includes four
      elements: 1) scope (prescriptive rules and operations affected); 2) risk
      assessment; 3) risk mitigation strategies; and 4) monitoring ongoing risk. A
      successful safety case illustrates this method. It enables landing pilots in 3
      pilot crews to choose the second or third in-flight rest break, rather than the
      regulatory requirement to take the third break. Scope was defined using a month
      of scheduled flights that would be covered (N = 4151). These were analyzed in the
      risk assessment using existing literature on factors affecting fatigue to
      estimate the maximum time awake at top of descent and sleep opportunities in each
      break. Additionally, limited data collected before the new regulations showed
      that pilots flying at landing chose the third break on only 6% of flights.
      RESULTS: A prospective survey comparing subjective reports (N = 280) of sleep in
      the second vs. third break and fatigue and sleepiness ratings at top of descent
      confirmed that the third break is not consistently superior. The safety case also
      summarized established systems for fatigue monitoring, risk assessment and hazard
      identification, and multiple fatigue mitigation strategies that are in place.
      DISCUSSION: Other successful safety cases have used this method. The evidence
      required depends on the expected level of risk and should evolve as experience
      with fatigue risk management systems builds.Gander P, Mangie J, Wu L, van den
      Berg M, Signal L, Phillips A. Preparing safety cases for operating outside
      prescriptive fatigue risk management regulations. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017;
      88(7):688-696.

PMID- 28641688
TI  - You're the Flight Surgeon.
AB  - Mitchell AL. You're the flight surgeon: aviator with myocardial ischemia. Aerosp
      Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(7):697-700.

PMID- 28641689
TI  - You're the Flight Surgeon.
AB  - Solana NM. You're the flight surgeon: black spot poison ivy. Aerosp Med Hum
      Perform. 2017; 88(7):700-702.

PMID- 28641684
TI  - Novel Indications for Commonly Used Medications as Radiation Protectants in
      Spaceflight.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In the space environment, the traditional radioprotective principles
      of time, distance, and shielding become difficult to implement. Additionally, the
      complex radiation environment inherent in space, the chronic exposure timeframe,
      and the presence of numerous confounding variables complicate the process of
      creating appropriate risk models for astronaut exposure. Pharmaceutical options
      hold tremendous promise to attenuate acute and late effects of radiation exposure
      in the astronaut population. Pharmaceuticals currently approved for other
      indications may also offer radiation protection, modulation, or mitigation
      properties along with a well-established safety profile. Currently there are only
      three agents which have been clinically approved to be employed for radiation
      exposure, and these only for very narrow indications. This review identifies a
      number of agents currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
      (FDA) which could warrant further investigation for use in astronauts.
      Specifically, we examine preclinical and clinical evidence for statins,
      nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), angiotensin converting enzyme
      inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), metformin, calcium
      channel blockers, beta adrenergic receptor blockers, fingolimod, N
      acetylcysteine, and pentoxifylline as potential radiation
      countermeasures.McLaughlin MF, Donoviel DB, Jones JA. Novel indications for
      commonly used medications as radiation protectants in spaceflight. Aerosp Med Hum
      Perform. 2017; 88(7):665-676.

PMID- 28641690
TI  - The Lockheed XC-35 and Harry Armstrong, M.D.: Development of the First Practical
      Pressurized Cabin Airplane.

PMID- 28641691
TI  - This Month in Aerospace Medicine History.

PMID- 28641692
TI  - AsMA Annual Award Winners.

PMID- 28641693
TI  - [Evidence and Practice of Enhanced Lung Recovery after Surgery ?in Patients
      Undergoing Lung Surgery].
AB  - The clinic application pathway is a variant of the enhanced recovery after
      surgery (ERAS), which based disease and team. What are the published evidence is
      conducive to enhanced lung recovery after surgery (ELRAS) in clinical
      implementation. This article mainly from the perioperative management can adopt
      the measures and methods were retrospectively analyzed. The measures of education
      and assessment of the risk factors and prevention is emphasized in preoperative.
      The minimally invasive surgery and process optimization is adopted by surgeon.
      Postoperative focus on symptom management, such as pain is the first attention.

PMID- 28641694
TI  - [MiR-133b Affect the Proliferation and Drug Sensitivity in A549 Lung Cancer Stem
      Cells by Targeting PKM2].
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has been proven that miR-133b could inhibit cancer cell growth,
      the expression level of miR-133b was significant reduction in lung cancer tissue
      and serum of patients, and increase the radiation sensitivity of squamous cell
      carcinoma by targeting PKM2, but the exist mechanisms is not clear. The aim of
      this study is to explore the effect of miR-133b on proliferation in A549 lung
      cancer stem cells and drug sensitivity in DDP, and to explore the relationship
      between miR-133b and PKM2 gene, as well as the effect of cancer stem cells.
      METHODS: Using miRBase and miRNAMap database to sequence comparison miR-133b and
      PKM2 gene. Using immune magnetic separation method to select the CD133+/CD34+
      lung cancer stem cells from A549 cells, and using flow cytometry to detect the
      purity. The expression of miR-133b mRNA was detected by real-time fluorescence
      quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation was detected by CCK8 assay. 15
      MUg/mL DDP was treated to cells which was transfected with miR-133b, and
      apoptosis was detected by flow Cytometry at 0 h, 12 h, 24 h, 72 h. The expression
      of PKM2 protein was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Gene binding site report
      that PKM2 gene may be the target gene of miR-133b; the results of flow cytometry
      showed that the purity of CD133+/CD34+ stem cells was (92.15+/-4.27)%. qRT-PCR
      results showed that compared with the control group, after overexpression of miR
      133b, miR-133b was up-regulated and miR-133b was down regulated after miR-133b
      inhibition (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, cell proliferation of miR
      133b mimics group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), PKM2 protein levels were
      significantly lower (P<0.05); and cell proliferation of the miR-133b inhibitor
      group and PKM2 level was increased (P<0.05). The apoptosis of miR-133b mimics
      group was significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.05) after DDP
      treatment with 12 h. The expression of PKM2 protein in miR-133b mimics+DDP group
      was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      Overexpression of miR-133b can inhibit the growth and proliferation of lung
      cancer stem cells by down regulating PKM2, and can enhance the sensitivity of
      lung cancer stem cells to DDP.

PMID- 28641695
TI  - [Relationship between EGFR Mutations and Pathological Classification and
      ?Specimen of Lung Adenocarcinoma].
AB  - BACKGROUND: With the development of genetic mutations and targeted drugs,
      accurate therapy of lung adenocarcinoma attracts much more attention, and more
      research is focued on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). It is unclear
      whether the result of EGFR mutation and pathology type is consistent with
      different specimens. In our study, by comparing the relationship between EGFR
      mutations and pathological classification of lung adenocarcinoma in surgical
      resection of specimen and biopsy specimen, to discuss the relationship between
      EGFR mutations and pathological classification of and the influence of specimen
      type on EGFR gene detection. METHODS: A total of 163 cases of surgical resection
      of sample of lung adenocarcinoma (pulmonary resection and pulmonary lobectomy)
      and 173 cases of biopsy specimen [mucosa biopsy, needle biopsy of lung, and
      endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA)]
      were performed by gene sequencing method and amplification refractory mutation
      system (ARMS) and the majority of the type was confirmed (lepidic, acinar,
      papillary, micropapillary, solid) according to the classification of lung
      adenocarcinoma in 2015 World Health Organization (WHO). The statistics was used
      in surgical and biopsy sample respectively. RESULTS: The gene mutation of EGFR in
      surgical and biopsy sample of lung adenocarcinoma was 62.58% (102/163) and 65.9%
      (114/173) respectively, and no significant difference was found (P>0.05). The
      mutation of EGFR in female was predominant both of the two groups (P<0.05). The
      mutation rate of EGFR over the age of 60 was significantly lower than that below
      60 in surgical specimen, while it was not related to age in biopsy sample. The
      constituent ratio of pathology type was different in the two groups (chi2=8.04,
      P<0.05). Among 102 cases of lung adenocarcinoma in surgical specimen, the acinar
      took up the highest proportion (54.9%), followed by the lepidic (23.53%) and the
      papillary (17.65%). The solid adenocarcinoma accounted for the minimal percentage
      (3.9%). The mutation of 19 and 21 exon alone was most common. The mutation rate
      of 21 exon in the lepidic was higher than that in the acinar and papillary
      (P<0.05), but the mutation rate of 19 exon in the papillary was higher than that
      in the lepidic (P<0.05). There was no significant difference of 19 and 21 exon in
      the acinar and papillary. Among 114 cases of lung adenocarcinoma in the biopsy
      specimen, the most percentage was the acinar (48.25%), the lepidic was secondly,
      and the papillary, micropapillary and solid adenocarcinoma was the minimal. The
      exon mutation of 19 and 21 exon alone was most common, while no obvious
      difference of 19 and 21 exon was found in different pathology classifications
      (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The mutation rate of EGFR of lung adenocarcinoma in
      surgical resected specimen and biopsy specimen was not found difference, which
      was related to sex, and the female was predominant. The mutation rate of surgical
      specimen was higher in the young, while that of biopsy specimen was not related
      to the age. Apparent difference of the pathology type proportion was found in the
      two groups. The mutation of 19 and 21 exon alone was most common. The mutation of
      EGFR in surgical specimens was related to pathology types. The percentage of the
      lepidic adenocarcinoma was highest in the mutation of 21 exon alone. Among the
      mutation of 19 exon alone, the papillary was predominant. There was no obvious
      relationship between the mutation of 19 and 21 exon alone and pathology type in
      biopsy sample.

PMID- 28641696
TI  - [Validation of the Mandarin Chinese Version of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire
      in Patients Undergoing Lung Resection for Patients with Lung Disease].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Mandarin Chinese version of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire
      (LCQ-MC) is a symptom specific questionnaire designed to assess the impact of
      cough severity, a major symptom of postoperative patients undergoing lung
      resection is cough. The aim of this study is to validate the LCQ-MC in patients
      with lung operation. METHODS: Totally 121 patients undergone the lung operation
      of single medical team, from September 2015 to April 2016 in the Thoracic Surgery
      Department of West China hospital Sichuan University, were investigated by LCQ-MC
      before and after operation. We analyzed and calculated the preoperative and
      postoperative scores of LCQ-MC and Cronbach alpha. RESULTS: 1The mean LCQ-MC
      score in preoperative (19.57+/-1.73) was significant higher than postoperative
      (17.71+/-2.72) (P=0.041). 2The Cronbach alpha in preoperative (0.87) and
      postoperative (0.89) was significant higher than 0.7. 3The preoperative scores of
      LCQ-MC (19.31+/-1.84) was significantly lower in postoperative cough group than
      in without postoperative cough group (19.97+/-1.46) (P=0.038). The postoperative
      scores of LCQ-MC (16.67+/-2.91) was significantly lower in postoperative cough
      group than in without postoperative cough group (19.30+/-1.32) (P=0.001). 4There
      was no statistical difference (P=0.936) between postoperative LCQ-MC score
      (17.75+/-2.51) in lobectomy group and non-lobectomy group (17.79+/-3.04).
      CONCLUSIONS: The LCQ-MC can assess the condition of cough after thoracoscopic
      surgery in patients with pulmonary disease.?.

PMID- 28641697
TI  - [Clinical Value of Cell Block in the Diagnosis of Malignant Pleural Effusion].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is due tumor which arises from the
      mesothelium or metastases from tumor origniating other sites. Generally, the
      prognosis of MPE is poor, in the premise of reducing the pain of patients, as
      soon as possible make clear the property of pleural effusion and cause of the
      disesease, rightly and quickly, providing effective information for subsequent
      treatment. METHODS: The cell block of 103 patients by using natural sedimentation
      or plasma coagulation method combined with HE staining and immunohistochemical
      staining method maked clear diagnosis and compared with other methods. RESULTS:
      90 patients were diagnosed by cell block section from 103 patients who had MPE
      (diagnostic rate 87.4%); 32 cases were diagnosed by cell block section only, 74
      cases pointed out that the pathological type , 23 cases even pointed out the
      primary lesions; 71 cases examined other invasive methods at the same time, the
      diagnostic rate was 87.3% and 81.7%; the detection rate of cell block section and
      cytological smear in detecting malignant tumor cells was 86.7%and 44.0%
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cell block can not only increase the diagnosis, in
      contrast to cytological smear, and own the same diagnostic rate compared with
      other invasive methods, but also can confirm pathological type and primary
      lesion; especially, for other invasive methods, cell block method is a preferable
      complementary method, and that cell block method maybe the only way for some
      patients.

PMID- 28641698
TI  - [Expression of Serum LncRNA HOTAIR in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer ?and Its
      Clinical Significance].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The expression of long noncoding RNA HOX antisense RNA (HOTAIR) is
      abnormal in a variety of tumors. The aim of this study is to explore the serum
      levels and clinical significance of HOTAIR in patients with non-small cell lung
      cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The serum levels of HOTAIR were detected by real-time
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 64 NSCLC patients and 64 normal
      controls. The relationships between the serum levels of HOTAIR and clinical
      pathological parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with normal controls,
      the serum levels of HOTAIR in patients with NSCLC increased significantly
      (P<0.01). The serum levels of HOTAIR were correlated with tumor size, tumor-node
      metastasis (TNM) stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), but not with age,
      gender, smoking, differentiation and histology (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The serum
      levels of HOTAIR in patients with NSCLC are significantly higher, and HOTAIR may
      be involved in the pathogenesis of NSCLC.

PMID- 28641699
TI  - [Quantitative Imaging Assessment of Tumor Response to Chemoradiation ?in Lung
      Cancer].
AB  - Precision medicine demands accurate assessment of tumor response to therapies
      with the purpose of timely optimization or adjustment of the given treatment
      regimens. Chemoradiation remains the standard of care in advanced lung cancers
      and imaging-based noninvasive response evaluation could improve therapeutic
      efficacy and reduce treatment-related severe side effects. In this review, we
      overviewed the applications and pitfalls of major imaging modalities in response
      evaluation in lung cancer from a quantitative perspective. The development of
      radiomics will provide more precise information for treatment predicting,
      evaluation and prognosis.

PMID- 28641700
TI  - [Molecular Imaging in vivo Detection of EGFR Mutations in Non-small Cell Lung
      Cancer].
AB  - An ever increasing number of drugs directed as epidermal growth factor receptor
      tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) bring a new revolution for non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy, and many large scales of studies show that only
      people with EGFR-sensitive mutation can benefit from these drugs. The main method
      of EGFR mutation detection is to analyze the DNA sequence of EGFR, which can be
      the lung cancer tissue, pleural fluid tumor cells, circulating tumor cells and
      peripheral blood free DNA obtained by surgery or puncture, the biggest drawback
      is that the heterogeneity of EGFR mutation cannot be analyzed. However, with the
      development of molecular imaging, the development of EGFR-targeted molecular
      probes based on positron emission computed tomography-computed tomography (PET
      CT) has made it possible to reveal the EGFR mutations in lung cancer tissues in
      vivo, and can detect the heterogeneity of EGFR mutations. This article reviews
      all the results and progress of molecular probes targeting EGFR mutations.

PMID- 28641702
TI  - [Prospect and Current Situation of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ?in First-line
      Treatment in Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients].
AB  - With the breakthroughs achieved of programmed death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 inhibitors
      monotherapy as first-line and second-line treatment in advanced non-small cell
      lung cancer (NSCLC), the treatment strategy is gradually evolving and optimizing.
      Immune combination therapy expands the benefit population and improves the
      curative effect. A series of randomized phase III trials are ongoing. In this
      review, we discuss the prospect and current situation of immune checkpoint
      inhibitors in first-line treatment in advanced NSCLC patients.

PMID- 28641701
TI  - [Recent Advances and Future Strategies for Small Cell Lung Cancer].
AB  - Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a malignant tumor with a very high mortality
      rate. The current standard of care includes surgery, chemotherapy and
      radiotherapy. The clinical benefit of therapies was disappointing. Recently, many
      clinical trials about target therapy and immunotherapy are processing. This
      review will focus on current therapy and future research direction of SCLC.

PMID- 28641704
TI  - Understanding the factors that make public participation effective in health
      policy and planning: a realist synthesis.
AB  - Although researchers argue for the importance of involving the public in
      developing health policy, there has been little focus on central research
      questions - such as what techniques of public participation work, in what
      circumstances, and why. This paper presents a realist synthesis which identifies
      and explains the underlying mechanisms and specific contextual factors that lead
      to effective public participation in health policy and planning. Peer-reviewed,
      English language literature was searched, which resulted in 77 articles for
      review and synthesis. This synthesis uncovered the underlying mechanism of
      'political commitment' that generates public participation effectiveness. The
      other three possible underlying mechanisms, namely: 'partnership synergy',
      'inclusiveness' and 'deliberativeness', were found to potentially provide further
      explanation on public participation effectiveness for health policy and planning.
      The findings of this review provide evidence that can be useful to health
      practitioners and decision-makers to actively involve the public when drafting
      public health policies and programs and, more importantly, guide them in deciding
      which strategies to best employ for which contexts.

PMID- 28641705
TI  - Citizen participation in health services co-production: a roadmap for navigating
      participation types and outcomes.
AB  - Primary healthcare managers are required to include citizens in service co-design
      and co-production. Health policy guidance appears deceptively simple and largely
      outlines how people could participate in a range of health services activities.
      Policy tends to neglect outcomes assessment, and a multidisciplinary academic
      literature corpus is large and complex to navigate for practical, time-poor
      managers. In this paper, we set out to provide a summary 'map' of key concepts in
      participation to assist managers in aligning participants, activities, expected
      outcomes and outcome indicators, and to consider contextual factors that could
      affect participation processes and outcomes. The intention is a practical tool
      for planning and evaluation of participation. The map is built drawing on policy
      guidance, literature and authors' experiences of implementing and researching
      health services participation.

PMID- 28641703
TI  - A randomised controlled trial to assess the cost-effectiveness of intensive
      versus no scheduled follow-up in patients who have undergone resection for
      colorectal cancer with curative intent.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intensive follow-up after surgery for colorectal cancer is common
      practice but lacks a firm evidence base. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether or not
      augmenting symptomatic follow-up in primary care with two intensive methods of
      follow-up [monitoring of blood carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and
      scheduled imaging] is effective and cost-effective in detecting the recurrence of
      colorectal cancer treatable surgically with curative intent. DESIGN: Randomised
      controlled open-label trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four
      groups: (1) minimum follow-up (n = 301), (2) CEA testing only (n = 300), (3)
      computerised tomography (CT) only (n = 299) or (4) CEA testing and CT (n = 302).
      Blood CEA was measured every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months for 3
      years; CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis were performed every 6 months
      for 2 years and then annually for 3 years. Those in the minimum and CEA testing
      only arms had a single CT scan at 12-18 months. The groups were minimised on
      adjuvant chemotherapy, gender and age group (three strata). SETTING: Thirty-nine
      NHS hospitals in England with access to high-volume services offering surgical
      treatment of metastatic recurrence. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1202 participants
      who had undergone curative treatment for Dukes' stage A to C colorectal cancer
      with no residual disease. Adjuvant treatment was completed if indicated. There
      was no evidence of metastatic disease on axial imaging and the post-operative
      blood CEA level was <= 10 ug/l. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome Surgical
      treatment of recurrence with curative intent. Secondary outcomes Time to
      detection of recurrence, survival after treatment of recurrence, overall survival
      and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. RESULTS: Detection of recurrence
      During 5 years of scheduled follow-up, cancer recurrence was detected in 203
      (16.9%) participants. The proportion of participants with recurrence surgically
      treated with curative intent was 6.3% (76/1202), with little difference according
      to Dukes' staging (stage A, 5.1%; stage B, 7.4%; stage C, 5.6%; p = 0.56). The
      proportion was two to three times higher in each of the three more intensive arms
      (7.5% overall) than in the minimum follow-up arm (2.7%) (difference 4.8%; p =
      0.003). Surgical treatment of recurrence with curative intent was 2.7% (8/301) in
      the minimum follow-up group, 6.3% (19/300) in the CEA testing group, 9.4%
      (28/299) in the CT group and 7.0% (21/302) in the CEA testing and CT group.
      Surgical treatment of recurrence with curative intent was two to three times
      higher in each of the three more intensive follow-up groups than in the minimum
      follow-up group; adjusted odds ratios (ORs) compared with minimum follow-up were
      as follows: CEA testing group, OR 2.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to
      5.65; CT group, OR 3.69, 95% CI 1.63 to 8.38; and CEA testing and CT group, OR
      2.78, 95% CI 1.19 to 6.49. Survival A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis confirmed no
      significant difference between arms (log-rank p = 0.45). The baseline-adjusted
      Cox proportional hazards ratio comparing the minimum and intensive arms was 0.87
      (95% CI 0.67 to 1.15). These CIs suggest a maximum survival benefit from
      intensive follow-up of 3.8%. Cost-effectiveness The incremental cost per patient
      treated surgically with curative intent compared with minimum follow-up was
      L40,131 with CEA testing, L43,392 with CT and L85,151 with CEA testing and CT.
      The lack of differential impact on survival resulted in little difference in
      QALYs saved between arms. The additional cost per QALY gained of moving from
      minimum follow-up to CEA testing was L25,951 and for CT was L246,107. When
      compared with minimum follow-up, combined CEA testing and CT was more costly and
      generated fewer QALYs, resulting in a negative incremental cost-effectiveness
      ratio (-L208,347) and a dominated policy. LIMITATIONS: Although this is the
      largest trial undertaken at the time of writing, it has insufficient power to
      assess whether or not the improvement in detecting treatable recurrence achieved
      by intensive follow-up leads to a reduction in overall mortality. CONCLUSIONS:
      Rigorous staging to detect residual disease is important before embarking on
      follow-up. The benefit of intensive follow-up in detecting surgically treatable
      recurrence is independent of stage. The survival benefit from intensive follow-up
      is unlikely to exceed 4% in absolute terms and harm cannot be absolutely
      excluded. A longer time horizon is required to ascertain whether or not intensive
      follow-up is an efficient use of scarce health-care resources. Translational
      analyses are under way, utilising tumour tissue collected from Follow-up After
      Colorectal Surgery trial participants, with the aim of identifying potentially
      prognostic biomarkers that may guide follow-up in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN41458548. FUNDING: This project was funded by the
      National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment
      programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21,
      No. 32. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

PMID- 28641707
TI  - Analysis of transmitted HIV drug resistance from 2005 to 2015 in Victoria,
      Australia: a comparison of the old and the new.
AB  - : Background Baseline genotyping is part of standard-of-care treatment. It
      reveals that transmitted drug resistance (TDR) continues to be important for the
      management of HIV infection. Attention is typically focused on determining
      whether resistance to the protease inhibitors (PI) and reverse transcriptase
      inhibitors (RTI) occurs. However, the increasing use of integrase inhibitors
      (INIs) raises a concern that TDR to this class of antiretroviral drug may also
      occur. METHODS: PI and RTI drug resistance genotyping was performed on blood
      samples collected between 2005 and 2015 from 772 treatment-naive Victorian
      patients infected with HIV within the previous 12 months. Integrase genotyping
      was performed on 461 of the 485 patient samples collected between 2010 and 2015.
      RESULTS: In the period 2005-10, 39 of 343 patients (11.4%) had at least one PI-
      or RTI-associated mutation, compared with 34 of 429 (7.9%) during the period 2011
      15. Compared with 2005-10, during 2011-15 there was a significant decline in the
      prevalence of the non-nucleoside-associated mutation K103N and the nucleoside
      associated mutations at codons M41 and T215. One patient was detected with a
      major INI resistance mutation, namely G118R. However, this mutation is rare and
      its effect on susceptibility is unclear. A small number of patients (n=12) was
      infected with HIV containing accessory resistance mutations in the integrase
      gene. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of transmitted resistance to INIs is consistent with
      a low level of resistance to this class of drugs in the treated population.
      However, continued surveillance in the newly infected population is warranted as
      the use of INIs increases.

PMID- 28641706
TI  - Delayed onset of puberty in male offspring from bisphenol A-treated dams is
      followed by the modulation of gene expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary
      testis axis in adulthood.
AB  - Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic endocrine-disrupting chemical of high prevalence
      in the environment, which may affect the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary
      testis (HPT) axis in adult rats. The aim of the present study was to evaluate
      whether exposure to BPA during hypothalamic sexual differentiation at doses below
      the reproductive no observable adverse effect level of the World Health
      Organization causes changes in the regulation of the HPT axis. For this, 0.5 or
      5mgkg-1 BPA was injected subcutaneously to the mothers from gestational day 18 to
      postnatal day (PND) 5. In adulthood (PND90), the mRNA expression of genes related
      to HPT axis was evaluated in hypothalamus, pituitary and testis. Hypothalamic
      expression of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (Gnrh) and estrogen receptor 2
      (Esr2) mRNA was increased in both BPA-treated groups compared to control group.
      In the pituitary, follicle stimulating hormone beta subunit (Fshb) and androgen
      receptor (Ar) mRNA expression was increased compared to control group in rats
      treated with 0.5mgkg-1 of BPA, whereas estrogen receptor 1 (Esr1) mRNA expression
      was only increased in the group treated with 5mgkg-1of BPA, compared to control
      group. In the testis, there was increased expression of FSH receptor (Fshr) and
      inhibin beta B subunit (Inhbb) transcripts only in rats treated with 0.5mgkg-1 of
      BPA. Serum testosterone and LH concentrations were increased in the group treated
      with 5mgkg-1of BPA. The results of the present study demonstrate for the first
      time that perinatal exposure to low doses of BPA during the critical period of
      hypothalamic sexual differentiation modifies the activity of the HPT axis in the
      offspring, with consequences for later life in adult rats.

PMID- 28641708
TI  - Rates of advertised condomless sex in the online profiles of private sex workers:
      a cross-sectional study.
AB  - This study aimed to assess the level of condomless sex advertised online by
      private sex workers (PSW) in Sydney. In 2015, 750 online profiles of PSW,
      including 339 female, 53 male and 39 transgender PSWs, were reviewed. It was
      found that PSWs advertise protected anal and vaginal sex. However, 50% of female
      PSW advertised condomless oral sex. Age less than 25 years was associated with
      advertised condomless oral sex (odds ratio 1.56; 95% confidence interval 1.03
      2.37; P=0.037). Online platforms are widely used for advertising, especially by
      female PSWs. Levels of condom use advertised reflect that of other studies of sex
      workers in Sydney.

PMID- 28641710
TI  - AJMS - 10 Years of Growth.

PMID- 28641709
TI  - ?

PMID- 28641711
TI  - A New Beginning.

PMID- 28641712
TI  - Wireless: The Life and Death of Guglielmo Marconi.
AB  - With little training in physics, Guglielmo Marconi developed the invention that
      stunned the world by wirelessly connecting ships and continents. Ten years before
      his death, he sustained a myocardial infarction followed by unmistakable angina
      pectoris. His personality and unhappy family life limited his ability to cope
      with his disease and to deal with Italy's most respected physicians. But their
      descriptions of his diagnosis and management are surprisingly few. Poor record
      keeping, intentional news suppression of his failing health or limited medical
      opportunities could be the reason for this lack of information. He died in 1937
      when the value of electrocardiograms and X-rays were recognized (he had neither),
      but therapeutic options were severely limited. To gain insight into his care, we
      compared contemporary Italian understanding of coronary heart disease to British
      and American teachings. When he died of an acute coronary syndrome, heart failure
      and dysrhythmias, he was attended only by medical staff, but by none of his large
      family.

PMID- 28641713
TI  - Assessment Tools for Use During Anesthesia-Centric Pediatric Advanced Life
      Support Training and Evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pediatric perioperative cardiac arrests are rare events that require
      rapid, skilled and coordinated efforts to optimize outcomes. We developed an
      assessment tool for assessing clinician performance during perioperative critical
      events termed Anesthesia-centric Pediatric Advanced Life Support (A-PALS). Here,
      we describe the development and evaluation of the A-PALS scoring instrument.
      METHODS: A group of raters scored videos of a perioperative team managing
      simulated events representing a range of scenarios and competency. We assessed
      agreement with the reference standard grading, as well as interrater and
      intrarater reliability. RESULTS: Overall, raters agreed with the reference
      standard 86.2% of the time. Rater scores concerning scenarios that depicted
      highly competent performance correlated better with the reference standard than
      scores from scenarios that depicted low clinical competence (P < 0.0001).
      Agreement with the reference standard was significantly (P < 0.0001) associated
      with scenario type, item category, level of competency displayed in the scenario,
      correct versus incorrect actions and whether the action was performed versus not
      performed. Kappa values were significantly (P < 0.0001) higher for highly
      competent performances as compared to lesser competent performances (good: mean =
      0.83 [standard deviation = 0.07] versus poor: mean = 0.61 [standard deviation =
      0.14]). The intraclass correlation coefficient (interrater reliability) was 0.97
      for the raters' composite scores on correct actions and 0.98 for their composite
      scores on incorrect actions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the
      validity of the A-PALS scoring instrument and demonstrates that the scoring
      instrument can provide reliable scores, although clinician performance affects
      reliability.

PMID- 28641714
TI  - Hepatitis C Treatment in Patients With Porphyria Cutanea Tarda.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common susceptibility factor
      for porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). Experience on HCV treatment in patients with
      PCT is limited. Recently, HCV treatment has improved with direct-acting
      antivirals (DAA). We review our experience on HCV treatment in patients with PCT
      with older and newer regimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart
      review was conducted. HCV treatment was attempted 22 times in 13 patients with
      PCT (5 attempts in 1, 2 in 5 and 1 in the other 7 patients). RESULTS: Before
      starting HCV treatment, PCT was in complete remission in 16, partial remission in
      2, unknown status in 2 and active in 2 instances. PCT relapsed during therapy 6
      times (all interferon-based regimens and 2 including telaprevir), 4 requiring
      treatment interruption. Treatment was interrupted for reasons other than PCT
      relapse in 2 patients treated with interferon-based regimens. To prevent PCT
      recurrence, hydroxychloroquine was continued during HCV therapy 6 times (3
      interferon regimens, 2 ribavirin regimens without interferon and 1 DAA alone).
      Twelve patients achieved sustained viral response, 3 with interferon regimens and
      9 with DAA. Two patients with active PCT were treated with DAA, with reduction of
      plasma porphyrins in 1 and normalization in the other at the end of HCV therapy.
      CONCLUSIONS: HCV treatment regimens including interferon or ribavirin may
      precipitate PCT relapse. Hydroxychloroquine may be useful to prevent such
      relapses. In this limited experience, DAA were not associated with PCT relapse.
      Studies are needed to examine DAA as a primary PCT treatment in HCV-infected
      patients.

PMID- 28641715
TI  - Urinary Tract Infections Due to Nontyphoidal Salmonella.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We sought to establish the characteristics of symptomatic
      nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) urinary tract infection (UTI) without concomitant
      gastroenteritis (GE) as a separate clinical entity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      conducted a retrospective cohort single-center study and reviewed all cases of
      NTS bacteriuria between 1995 and 2016. Patients were assigned to a group
      according to their clinical presentation, namely, symptomatic NTS UTI without GE,
      GE with NTS bacteriuria or isolated asymptomatic NTS bacteriuria. We compared the
      characteristics of patients in the NTS UTI group to those of the latter 2 groups.
      RESULTS: NTS bacteriuria was found in 77 patients, of which 61 had records
      available for review. Twenty-one patients (including 17 adults) presented with
      NTS UTI, 30 patients presented with features of GE with NTS bacteriuria and 10
      patients had asymptomatic NTS bacteriuria. NTS UTI was not significantly
      associated with older age, male sex, diabetes, immunosuppressive states or
      urologic abnormalities. There was a significant difference in the proportion of
      patients with an underlying urologic malignancy in the NTS UTI group (4 of 17
      patients [23.5%]) as compared to those in the other groups (0 of 24 patients), P
      = 0.023. CONCLUSIONS: A unique group of patients with symptomatic NTS UTI without
      GE was identified. A significant association with urologic malignancies was
      demonstrated in patients with NTS UTI compared to those with GE and NTS
      bacteriuria or asymptomatic NTS bacteriuria.

PMID- 28641716
TI  - The Effects of Pleural Plaques on Longitudinal Lung Function in Vermiculite
      Miners of Libby, Montana.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to assess associations of pleural plaques
      (PP) and longitudinal lung function in vermiculite miners of Libby, Montana who
      are occupationally exposed to asbestos. High-resolution computed tomography
      (HRCT) was used to identify asbestos-related findings in former Libby vermiculite
      miners. We investigated annual lung function decline in miners with PP only and
      compared them to miners with normal HRCT findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HRCTs
      from 128 miners were categorized into the following 4 diagnostic groups: (1)
      normal computed tomography scan (n = 9); (2) PP only (n = 72); (3) PP and
      interstitial fibrosis (n = 26) and (4) additional HRCT abnormalities (n = 21)
      such as rounded atelectasis, diffuse pleural thickening, pleural effusions or
      pulmonary nodules or tumor >1cm in diameter. Random intercept and slope linear
      mixed-effect regression models identified differences in lung function decline
      between miners with asbestos-associated outcomes and those with normal HRCT.
      Models were adjusted for follow-up time, body mass index, smoking status, latent
      exposure period and employment years. Interactions for smoking status with age
      and smoking status with pleural plaque severity were examined. RESULTS: Miners
      with PP only did not have an accelerated decline in lung function between 40 and
      80 years. Miners with PP and additional HRCT abnormalities displayed
      significantly accelerated declines in forced expiratory volume in 1 second and
      diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (P = 0.05 and P < 0.01,
      respectively). Plaque severity did not affect lung function decline. However,
      smokers with extensive plaques displayed accelerated loss in diffusing capacity
      of the lungs for carbon monoxide and forced expiratory volume in 1 second when
      compared to nonsmoking miners with mild plaque formation. CONCLUSIONS: PP alone
      did not significantly affect lung function decline in vermiculite miners of
      Libby, Montana.

PMID- 28641717
TI  - Soluble CD14 Subtype-A New Biomarker in Predicting the Outcome of Critically Ill
      Septic Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We evaluated the role of presepsin (soluble CD14 subtype, sCD14-ST)
      in predicting the outcome of critically ill septic patients in parallel with
      procalcitonin and C-reactive protein. METHODS: This study was an observational,
      prospective study that enrolled 58 surgical and medical intensive care unit
      patients with suspected sepsis. All studied subjects were retrospectively
      stratified into survivors and nonsurvivors based on 28 days survival and
      according to microbiological results in blood culture positive and negative
      groups. Plasma and serum samples from each patient were collected at admission (T
      0), after 24-48 hours (T-1) and after 7 days (T-2). Statistics were obtained
      using Student's t test and ANOVA, as well as Bonferroni post hoc test. Receiver
      operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Presepsin
      levels were significantly higher at T-0 (P = 0.0007), at T-1 (P < 0.0001) and at
      T-2 (P < 0.0001) in nonsurvivors versus survivors at the same time point.
      Presepsin concentrations were significantly increased at T-0 (P = 0.0073), T1 (P
      = 0.0111) and T2 (P = 0.0167) in patients with positive blood cultures in
      comparison to patients with negative cultures at the same time. For all time
      periods evaluated, presepsin data from nonsurviving and surviving individuals
      were subjected to ROC analysis that demonstrated an excellent accuracy and
      significant area under the ROC curve (P < 0.0001). Results of multivariate
      analysis indicated presepsin as a predictive independent variable among prognosis
      markers at T-0 (P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Presepsin revealed an optimal prognostic
      performance in patients with severe sepsis and provided interesting diagnostic
      value. Prediction of outcome in critically ill patients is crucial to optimize
      management decisions and level of treatment.

PMID- 28641718
TI  - Alterations in Lipid Profile, Zinc and Copper Levels and Superoxide Dismutase
      Activities in Normal Pregnancy and Preeclampsia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased oxidative stress (OS) and lipid peroxidation may be
      involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE). We conducted a case-control
      study to evaluate the levels of plasma lipids and trace elements as well as
      activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in PE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study
      consisted of 100 patients who had been diagnosed with PE and 100 normotensive
      pregnant women who underwent medical checkups that served as the control group.
      Lipid profile, zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels and SOD activities were measured
      in the plasma of all subjects. RESULTS: Our results showed that the plasma levels
      of triglycerides and SOD activity were significantly elevated and the levels of
      Zn and Cu were significantly reduced in patients with PE compared with healthy
      controls. Increased levels of SOD may indicate antioxidant protective mechanisms
      against OS in PE-complicated pregnancies. This finding may suggest an involvement
      of OS in the pathophysiology of PE. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a
      significant negative correlation between SOD activity and levels of trace
      elements. Furthermore, we suggest that higher triglyceride levels and SOD
      activity combined with lower Zn and Cu levels may be associated with an increased
      risk of PE.

PMID- 28641719
TI  - Surfactant Protein D Inhibits Interleukin-12p40 Production by Macrophages Through
      the SIRPalpha/ROCK/ERK Signaling Pathway.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Interleukin (IL)-12 has a pivotal profibrotic role in the development
      of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Medical research trials based on IPF
      registry databases have actively recruited patients. Surfactant protein D (SP-D)
      is a useful biomarker in patients with IPF. SP-D binds to signal regulatory
      protein alpha (SIRPalpha), which acts as an inhibitory receptor, and this SP
      D/SIRPalpha interaction may have an anti-inflammatory effect. Accordingly, the
      inhibitory effect of SP-D on IL-12p40 production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
      stimulated macrophages was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human granulocyte
      macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-stimulated macrophages (day 9 of
      culture) was used to investigate IL-12p40 production after stimulation with SP-D.
      RESULTS: GM-CSF was found to upregulate SIRPalpha expression by macrophages.
      PD98059 (an extracellular signal-regulated kinase [ERK] inhibitor) blunted
      induction of SIRPalpha expression by GM-CSF. SP-D significantly attenuated IL
      12p40 production by macrophages after stimulation with LPS. Silencing of
      SIRPalpha/beta/gamma significantly reversed this inhibitory effect of SP-D. In
      contrast, neither SB023580 (a p38alpha/beta MAPK inhibitor) nor BIRB796 (a
      p38gamma/delta MAPK inhibitor) attenuated the inhibitory effect of SP-D on LPS
      stimulated production of IL-12p40. Silencing of SHP also had no influence on this
      effect of SP-D. Interestingly, a Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor
      (Y-27632) abolished the inhibition of LPS-stimulated IL-12p40 production by SP-D,
      whereas silencing of ERK 2 significantly blunted this effect of Y-27632.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that SP-D inhibits LPS-stimulated production
      of IL-12p40 via the SIRPalpha/ROCK/ERK signaling pathway.

PMID- 28641720
TI  - Fenofibrate Attenuates Hypertension in Goldblatt Hypertensive Rats: Role of 20
      Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid in the Nonclipped Kidney.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is vast evidence that the renin-angiotensin system is not the
      sole determinant of blood pressure (BP) elevation in human renovascular
      hypertension or the relevant experimental models. This study tested the
      hypothesis that kidney deficiency of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE), a
      product of cytochrome P450 (CYP)-dependent omega-hydroxylase pathway of
      arachidonic acid metabolism, is important in the pathophysiology of the
      maintenance phase of 2-kidney, 1-clip (2K1C) Goldblatt hypertension. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: In 2K1C Goldblatt rats with established hypertension, angiotensin
      II, angiotensin 1-7, 20-HETE concentrations and gene expression of CYP4A1 enzyme
      (responsible for 20-HETE formation) of the nonclipped kidney were determined. We
      examined if 14 days' administration of fenofibrate, a lipid-lowering drug, would
      increase CYP4A1 gene expression and renal 20-HETE formation, and if increased 20
      HETE concentrations in the nonclipped kidney would decrease BP (telemetric
      measurements). RESULTS: CYP4A1 gene expression, 20-HETE and angiotensin 1-7
      concentrations were lower and angiotensin II levels were higher in the nonclipped
      kidney of 2K1C rats than in sham-operated rats. Fenofibrate increased CYP4A1 gene
      expression and 20-HETE concentration in the nonclipped kidney and significantly
      decreased BP in 2K1C rats but did not restore it to normotensive range. The
      treatment did not change BP in sham-operated rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      suggest that alterations in the RAS and CYP-dependent omega-hydroxylase
      metabolites of arachidonic acid in the nonclipped kidneys are both important in
      the pathophysiology of the maintenance phase of 2K1C Goldblatt hypertension.
      Therefore, fenofibrate treatment effectively attenuated hypertension, probably
      via stimulation of 20-HETE formation in the nonclipped kidney.

PMID- 28641722
TI  - Novel Findings in HIV, Immune Reconstitution Disease and Strongyloides
      stercoralis Infection.
AB  - We report the successful treatment of an HIV-infected patient with progressive
      strongyloidiasis as a component of immune reconstitution disease and a review of
      the literature on this topic. In our experience, pre- and post-antiretroviral
      therapy intestinal biopsies support a novel mechanism of immune reconstitution
      disease to Strongyloides stercoralis. We conclude that extended, dual
      antihelminthic therapy and temporary discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy
      may be effective in similar patients.

PMID- 28641723
TI  - Left Main Coronary Artery Thrombosis With Acute Myocardial Infarction: A
      Management Dilemma.
AB  - Left main coronary artery (LMCA) thrombosis with acute myocardial infarction is a
      rare condition with very high mortality. The low incidence of this condition and
      exclusion of patients with LMCA thrombosis from clinical trials prevent the
      development of optimal management strategy in these patients. Therefore, there
      are no clear-cut guidelines describing an evidence-based approach for this
      condition. We describe a patient with LMCA thrombosis presenting with acute
      myocardial infarction, who was found to have hypercoagulable state related to
      homocysteinemia on further work-up. This case highlights the challenges faced
      during the management of this rare condition due to lack of clear-cut guidelines
      describing an evidence-based approach.

PMID- 28641724
TI  - Methemoglobinemia Caused by Indoxacarb Poisoning.

PMID- 28641725
TI  - Burkholderia cepacia-Associated Hemorrhagic Pericardial Effusion.

PMID- 28641726
TI  - Recurrence of Cytomegalovirus Viremia Causing Gastrointestinal Tract Bleeding at
      Different Sites in an Immuno-competent Patient.

PMID- 28641727
TI  - Metastatic Hepatoid Carcinoma of the Pancreas: First Description of Treatment
      With Capecitabine and Temozolomide.

PMID- 28641721
TI  - Effective Self-Management Interventions for Patients With Lupus: Potential Impact
      of Peer Mentoring.
AB  - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with significant mortality,
      morbidity and cost for the individual patient and society. In the United States,
      African Americans (AAs) have 3-4 times greater prevalence of lupus, risk of
      developing lupus at an earlier age and lupus-related disease activity, organ
      damage and mortality compared with whites. Evidence-based self-management
      interventions that incorporate both social support and health education have
      reduced pain, improved function and delayed disability among patients with lupus.
      However, AAs and women are still disproportionately affected by lupus. This
      article presents the argument that peer mentoring may be an especially effective
      intervention approach for AA women with SLE. SLE peers with a track record of
      success in lupus management and have a personal perspective that clinicians often
      lack. This commonality and credibility can establish trust, increase
      communication and, in turn, decrease disparities in healthcare outcomes.

PMID- 28641728
TI  - Ocular Manifestations of Blood Dyscrasias.

PMID- 28641729
TI  - Dextrocardia With Situs Inversus and Levo-Transposition of Great Vessels.

PMID- 28641730
TI  - Benign-Appearing Pheochromocytoma With Late Recurrence.

PMID- 28641731
TI  - Renal Infarction due to Renal Artery Dissection: A Diagnostic Challenge.

PMID- 28641732
TI  - Rehabilitation of symptomatic atraumatic degenerative rotator cuff tears: A
      clinical commentary on assessment and management.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Clinical Commentary. INTRODUCTION: Atraumatic rotator cuff (RC)
      disease, is one of the most common cause of shoulder pain, which encompasses a
      continuum from tendinopathy to full thickness cuff tears. Extrinsic, intrinsic
      and environmental factors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of this
      disorder, affecting the clinical presentation of symptoms including pain and
      irritability. Successful rehabilitation of symptomatic atraumatic degenerative
      rotator cuff (SADRC) tears must address the underlying mechanisms causing
      dysfunction and correct modifiable factors. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of
      this paper is to review the shoulder complex anatomy, introduce atraumatic
      degenerative RC pathology, differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic
      degenerative RC tears, propose an assessment and introduce the Rotator Cuff
      Protocol 1 (RCP1) designed by the clinical reasoning of one of the lead authors
      (LW) as a rehabilitation management approach for those clients who present with
      SADRC tears. METHODS/RESULTS/DISCUSSION: N/A for clinical commentary.
      CONCLUSIONS: The ability to identify SADRC tears should consider shoulder
      anatomy, extrinsic, intrinsic and environmental factors, and the consideration
      for the natural history of atraumatic partial and full thickness tears in the
      general population. A thorough clinical history and examination, which includes
      shoulder symptom modification tests, allows the examiner to determine at what
      phase the patient may start their exercise program. The RCP1 is a program that
      has been used clinically by many therapists and clients over the years and
      research is underway to test this protocol in atraumatic rotator cuff disease
      including SADRC tears. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

PMID- 28641733
TI  - Rotator cuff tendon surgery and postoperative therapy.

PMID- 28641734
TI  - Acute proximal humeral fractures in adults.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Clinical commentary. INTRODUCTION: Proximal humeral fractures (PHF)
      are the third most common fracture in the elderly with an increased incidence
      expected in the coming years with the aging population, causing an important
      burden to the healthcare system. The management of PHF is challenging due to its
      complexity and the wide variety of fractures and treatment options. PURPOSE: The
      objective of this clinical commentary is to update the available evidence on
      clinical presentation, classification, imaging, medical treatment, and
      rehabilitation of acute PHF. METHODS/RESULTS/DISCUSSION: N/A for clinical
      commentary. CONCLUSIONS: The first step to a successful management of PHF is the
      clinical and radiographic examination of the shoulder, which enables the
      physician to classify the fracture and choose the appropriate treatment option.
      The Neer and OA classifications are commonly used and are based on the
      identification of the fractured parts of the humerus, as well as the displacement
      of the fragments. In case of non-displaced or minimally displaced fractures, a
      conservative treatment, consisting of initial immobilization and a rehabilitation
      program will be chosen. Displaced or unstable fractures will be managed
      operatively. Different surgical options exist and will vary according to the
      fracture type, patient's age, and functional needs, followed by rehabilitation.
      LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

PMID- 28641735
TI  - Anatomical and biomechanical framework for shoulder arthroplasty rehabilitation.
AB  - This article provides an anatomical and biomechanical framework for the
      postoperative management and progression of treatment for shoulder arthroplasty.
      The clinical relevance of normal shoulder anatomy, biomechanics, and
      pathomechanics related to this surgery is emphasized to provide the reader with
      an understanding of the rationale for treatment. We review the rehabilitation
      implications of surgical indications and technique for both traditional total
      shoulder arthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty procedures with an
      emphasis on biomechanical considerations. Relevant factors that affect
      rehabilitation outcomes are discussed along with supporting evidence from the
      literature. Principles to guide and progress treatment are highlighted with a
      discussion on return to sports with the ultimate objective of providing a
      comprehensive approach for successful rehabilitation.

PMID- 28641736
TI  - A comprehensive rehabilitation program for posterior instability of the shoulder.
AB  - Posterior shoulder instability is recognised as being less prevalent than
      anterior instability, however the diagnosis of this pathology is easily
      overlooked or missed and this may contribute to an underestimation of prevalence.
      Recently, there has been increasing recognition of this condition and
      consequently a greater requirement for knowledge of diagnostic procedures and
      treatment directions. Currently there is limited research into the conservative
      management of posterior instability, although it is recommended as first-line
      treatment prior to surgical review, particularly in those with an atraumatic
      instability mechanism. The aim of this paper is to outline a comprehensive
      rehabilitation program for the conservative management of posterior instability
      with a focus on scapular and humeral head control. The information provided
      includes extensive written information, flowcharts, figures and a table of
      management parameters that will provide therapists with adequate detail to
      replicate the program in the clinical setting.

PMID- 28641737
TI  - Exploring experiences, barriers, and enablers to home- and class-based exercise
      in rotator cuff tendinopathy: A qualitative study.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative study. INTRODUCTION: Adherence is paramount to the
      successful outcome of exercise-based treatment. PURPOSE OF STUDY: The barriers
      and enablers to adherence to a home- and class-based exercise program were
      explored in this qualitative study. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were
      carried out to establish common themes relating to the participants' experiences
      during a year-long randomized controlled trial. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: Twelve
      participants were interviewed. The main enablers to exercise were highlighted as
      equipment, perceived benefit from the exercises, and longer and more intensive
      monitoring. Barriers included the lack of motivation, lack of equipment, and
      pain. CONCLUSIONS: Implications for practice are incorporating enablers and
      addressing barriers including self-discharge from classes; the importance of
      longer term follow-up and the benefits of adopting exercise into a well
      established routine may provide potential benefits. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.

PMID- 28641738
TI  - Shoulder proprioception: How is it measured and is it reliable? A systematic
      review.
AB  - STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. INTRODUCTION: Constituents of proprioception
      include our awareness of the position (joint position sense [JPS]) and motion
      (kinesthesia) of our limbs in space. Proprioceptive deficits are associated with
      musculoskeletal disorders but remain a challenge to quantify, particularly at the
      shoulder. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To report the psychometric values of validity,
      reliability, and responsiveness for shoulder JPS and/or kinesthesia protocols.
      METHODS: A review of 5 databases was conducted from inception to July 2016 for
      studies reporting a psychometric property of a shoulder proprioception protocol.
      The included studies were evaluated using the QualSyst checklist and COSMIN 4
      point scale. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were included, yielding 407 participants
      and 553 evaluated shoulders (n). The included studies support excellent
      methodological scores using the QualSyst checklist (88.1 +/- 9.9%) and good
      psychometric scores with the COSMIN for reliability (71.1%) and moderate-to-low
      quality score (50%) for criterion validity. Weighted average intraclass
      correlation coefficients (ICCs) for intrarater reliability were highest for
      passive JPS and kinesthesia, ICC = 0.92 +/- 0.07 (n = 214) and ICC = 0.92 +/-
      0.04 (n = 74), respectively. The most reliable movement and tool are internal
      rotation at 90 degrees  of abduction, ICC = 0.88 +/- 0.01 (n = 53), and the
      dynamometer, ICC = 0.92 +/- 0.88 (n = 225). Only 2 studies quantify an aspect of
      validity and no responsiveness indices were reported among the included studies.
      CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the included studies, the evaluation of
      shoulder proprioception is most reliable when using a passive protocol with an
      isokinetic dynamometer for internal rotation at 90 degrees  of shoulder
      abduction. Standardized protocols addressing the psychometric properties of
      shoulder proprioception measures are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1a:
      systematic review.

PMID- 28641739
TI  - Writing for Publication: Your Obligation to the Profession.

PMID- 28641740
TI  - The Power of Language Nutrition for Children's Brain Development, Health, and
      Future Academic Achievement.
AB  - Language Nutrition, a term created to describe language exposure that is rich in
      quality and quantity and delivered in the context of social interactions, is
      crucial for a child's development and is strongly associated with his/her future
      literacy, academic achievement, and health. However, significant differences in
      children's early language environments contribute to disparities in their
      educational and health trajectories. Interventions, including book distribution
      programs, coaching parents to enrich their child's language environment, and
      public awareness campaigns, have all been shown to positively influence a child's
      access to language-rich interactions. Incorporating Language Nutrition coaching
      and literacy promotion into pediatrics is a promising platform for building the
      capacity of parents to provide language exposure to their children. By teaching
      parents both how and why to treat their child as a conversational partner and by
      modeling such interactions, pediatric health care providers can help parents set
      their children on a pathway toward literacy, educational success, and health.

PMID- 28641741
TI  - Editorial changes.

PMID- 28641742
TI  - The Good and Bad News About New Drugs for Treating Alopecia Areata.

PMID- 28641743
TI  - Professor Joaquin Pinol Aguade: An Important Figure in Dermatology.

PMID- 28641744
TI  - Polygenic risk score and heritability estimates reveals a genetic relationship
      between ASD and OCD.
AB  - Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both
      highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders that conceivably share genetic risk
      factors. However, the underlying genetic determinants remain largely unknown. In
      this work, the authors describe a combined genome-wide association study (GWAS)
      of ASD and OCD. The OCD dataset includes 2998 individuals in nuclear families.
      The ASD dataset includes 6898 individuals in case-parents trios. GWAS summary
      statistics were examined for potential enrichment of functional variants
      associated with gene expression levels in brain regions. The top ranked SNP is
      rs4785741 (chromosome 16) with P value=6.9*10-7 in our re-analysis. Polygenic
      risk score analyses were conducted to investigate the genetic relationship within
      and across the two disorders. These analyses identified a significant polygenic
      component of ASD, predicting 0.11% of the phenotypic variance in an independent
      OCD data set. In addition, we examined the genomic architecture of ASD and OCD by
      estimating heritability on different chromosomes and different allele
      frequencies, analyzing genome-wide common variant data by using the Genome-wide
      Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) program. The estimated global heritability of OCD
      is 0.427 (se=0.093) and 0.174 (se=0.053) for ASD in these imputed data.

PMID- 28641745
TI  - Long-term stability of an injection-molded zirconia bone-level implant: A testing
      protocol considering aging kinetics and dynamic fatigue.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Separately addressing the fatigue resistance (ISO 14801, evaluation of
      final product) and aging behavior (ISO 13356, standardized sample) of oral
      implants made from yttria-stabilized zirconia proved to be insufficient in
      verifying their long-term stability, since (1) implant processing is known to
      significantly influence transformation kinetics and (2) aging, up from a certain
      level, is liable to decrease fatigue resistance. Therefore, the aim of this
      investigation was to apply a new testing protocol considering environmental
      conditions adequately inducing aging during dynamic fatigue. METHODS: Zirconia
      implants were dynamically loaded (107 cycles), hydrothermally aged (85 degrees ,
      60 days) or subjected to both treatments simultaneously. Subsequent, monoclinic
      intensity ratios (Xm) were obtained by locally resolved X-ray microdiffraction
      (MU-XRD2). Transformation propagation was monitored at cross-sections by MU-Raman
      spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, implants were
      statically loaded to fracture. Linear regression models (fracture load) and mixed
      models (Xm) were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: All treatments resulted
      in increased fracture load (p<=0.005), indicating the formation of transformation
      induced compressive stresses around surface defects during all treatment
      modalities. However, only hydrothermal and combinational treatment were found to
      increase Xm (p<0.001). No change in Xm was observed for solely dynamically loaded
      samples (p>=0.524). Depending on the variable observed, a monoclinic layer
      thickness of 1-2MUm (SEM) or 6-8MUm (Raman spectroscopy) was measured at surfaces
      exposed to water during treatments. SIGNIFICANCE: Hydrothermal aging was
      successfully induced during dynamic fatigue. Therefore, the presented setup might
      serve as reference protocol for ensuring pre-clinically long-term reliability of
      zirconia oral implants.

PMID- 28641746
TI  - Special issue: "At the Intersection of DNA Replication and Genome Maintenance:
      from Mechanisms to Therapy".

PMID- 28641747
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28641748
TI  - Abnormal lung development in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
AB  - The outcomes of patients diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)
      have recently improved. However, mortality and morbidity remain high, and this is
      primarily caused by the abnormal lung development resulting in pulmonary
      hypoplasia and persistent pulmonary hypertension. The pathogenesis of CDH is
      poorly understood, despite the identification of certain candidate genes
      disrupting normal diaphragm and lung morphogenesis in animal models of CDH.
      Defects within the lung mesenchyme and interstitium contribute to disturbed
      distal lung development. Frequently, a disturbance in the development of the
      pleuroperitoneal folds (PPFs) leads to the incomplete formation of the diaphragm
      and subsequent herniation. Most candidate genes identified in animal models have
      so far revealed relatively few strong associations in human CDH cases. CDH is
      likely a highly polygenic disease, and future studies will need to reconcile how
      disturbances in the expression of multiple genes cause the disease. Herein, we
      summarize the available literature on abnormal lung development associated with
      CDH.

PMID- 28641749
TI  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: The role of multi-institutional collaboration
      and patient registries in supporting best practice.
AB  - Among congenital malformations, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is
      distinguished by its relatively low occurrence rate, need for resource intensive,
      integrated multidisciplinary care, and widespread variation in practice and
      outcome. Although randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold
      standard for generating evidence, they are poorly suited to the study of a
      condition like CDH due to challenges in illness severity adjustment,
      unpredictability in clinical course and the impact limitations of studying a
      single intervention at a time. An alternative to RCTs for comparative
      effectiveness research for CDH is the patient registry, which aggregates multi
      institutional condition-specific patient level data into a large CDH-specific
      database for the dual purposes of collaborative research and quality improvement
      across participating sites. This article discusses patient registries from the
      perspective of structure, data collection and management, and privacy protection
      that guide the use of registry data to support collaborative, multidisciplinary
      research. Two CDH-specific registries are described as illustrative examples of
      the "value proposition" of registries in improving the evidence basis for best
      practices for CDH.

PMID- 28641750
TI  - Predicting outcomes in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
AB  - Identification of CDH infant populations at high risk for mortality postnatally
      may help to develop targeted care strategies, guide discussions surrounding
      palliation and contribute to standardizing reporting and benchmarking, so that
      care strategies at different centers can be compared. Clinical prediction rules
      are evidence-based tools that combine multiple predictors to estimate the
      probability that a particular outcome in an individual patient will occur. In
      CDH, a suitable clinical prediction rule can stratify high- and low-risk
      populations and provide the ability to tailor management strategies based on
      severity. The ideal prediction tool for infants born with CDH would be validated
      in a large population, generalizable, easily applied in a clinical setting and
      would clearly discriminate patients at the highest and lowest risk of death. To
      date, 4 postnatal major clinical prediction rules have been published and
      validated in the North American CDH population. These models contain variables
      such as birth weight, Apgar score, blood gases, as well as measures of pulmonary
      hypertension, and associated anomalies. In an era of standardized care plans and
      population-based strategies, the appropriate selection and application of a
      generalizable tool to provide an opportunity for benchmarking, policy creation,
      and centralizing the care of high-risk populations. A well-designed clinical
      prediction tool remains the most practical and expedient way to achieve these
      goals.

PMID- 28641751
TI  - Fetal imaging and therapy for CDH-Current status.
AB  - In congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), herniation of the abdominal organs into
      the fetal chest causes pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension, the main
      causes of neonatal mortality. As antenatal ultrasound screening improves, the
      risk of postnatal death can now be better predicted, allowing for the
      identification of fetuses that might most benefit from a prenatal intervention.
      Fetoscopic tracheal occlusion is being evaluated in a large international
      randomized controlled trial. We present the antenatal imaging approaches that can
      help identify fetuses that might benefit from antenatal therapy, and review the
      evolution of fetal surgery for CDH to date.

PMID- 28641752
TI  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia-associated pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a complex entity wherein a diaphragmatic
      defect allows intrathoracic herniation of intra-abdominal contents and both
      pulmonary parenchymal and vascular development are stifled. Pulmonary pathology
      and pathophysiology, including pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension,
      are hallmarks of CDH and are associated with disease severity. Pulmonary
      hypertension (PH) is sustained, supranormal pulmonary arterial pressure, and
      among patients with CDH (CDH-PH), is driven by hypoplastic pulmonary vasculature,
      including alterations at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels, along with
      pathophysiologic pulmonary vasoreactivity. This review addresses the basic
      mechanisms, altered anatomy, definition, diagnosis, and management of CDH-PH.
      Further, emerging therapies targeting CDH-PH and PH are explored.

PMID- 28641753
TI  - Cardiac dysfunction in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: Pathophysiology, clinical
      assessment, and management.
AB  - Cardiac dysfunction is an important consequence of pulmonary hypertension in
      congenital diaphragmatic hernia and a determinant of disease severity. Increased
      afterload leads to right ventricular dilatation and diastolic dysfunction. Septal
      displacement and dysfunction impair left ventricular function, which may also be
      compromised by fetal hypoplasia. Biventricular failure contributes to systemic
      hypotension and hypoperfusion. Early and regular echocardiographic assessment of
      cardiac function and pulmonary artery pressure can guide therapeutic decision
      making, including choice and timing of pulmonary vasodilators, cardiotropes,
      ECMO, and surgery.

PMID- 28641754
TI  - Ventilation modalities in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
AB  - Neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia are among the more complex patients
      to support with mechanical ventilation. They have particular features that add to
      the difficulties already present in the neonatal patient. A ventilation strategy
      tailored to the patient's underlying physiology rather than mode of ventilation
      is a crucial issue for clinicians treating these delicate patients.

PMID- 28641755
TI  - ECMO in CDH: Is there a role?
AB  - Despite wide use and decades of experience, survival of congenital diaphragmatic
      hernia (CDH) patients treated with extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO),
      as reported by the extra-corporeal life support organization (ELSO), remains
      unchanged at 50%. High-survival rates both with and without utilizing ECMO have
      been reported, fueling questions about the utility of ECMO support in this
      difficult population. This review looks at data from the Congenital Diaphragmatic
      Hernia Study Group and individual center reports, to evaluate the role of ECMO in
      CDH, focusing on defining the patients most likely to benefit, and discussing how
      those benefits can best be achieved. These data show that ECMO improves survival
      in those CDH patients who are most severely affected, but potential complications
      of ECMO delivery outweigh benefit in patients with less severely affected.
      Improved results can be expected by minimizing ECMO complications, and by
      improving rates of CDH repair in patients that require ECMO.

PMID- 28641756
TI  - Regenerative medicine solutions in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
AB  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) remains a major challenge and associated
      mortality is still significant. Patients have benefited from current therapeutic
      options, but most severe cases are still associated to poor outcome. Regenerative
      medicine is emerging as a valid option in many diseases and clinical trials are
      currently happening for various conditions in children and adults. We report here
      the advancement in the field which will help both in the understanding of further
      CDH development and in offering new treatment options for the difficult
      situations such as repair of large diaphragmatic defects and lung hypoplasia. The
      authors believe that advancements in regenerative medicine may lead to increase
      of CDH patients' survival.

PMID- 28641757
TI  - Long-term follow-up of congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
AB  - Increased survival of patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia has created a
      unique cohort of children, adolescent, and adult survivors with complex medical
      and surgical needs. Disease-specific morbidities offer the opportunity for
      multiple disciplines to unite together to provide long-term comprehensive follow
      up, as well as an opportunity for research regarding late outcomes. These
      children can exhibit impaired pulmonary function, altered neurodevelopmental
      outcomes, nutritional insufficiency, musculoskeletal changes, and specialized
      surgical needs that benefit from regular monitoring and intervention,
      particularly in patients with increased disease severity. Below we aim to
      characterize the specific challenges that these survivors face as well as present
      an algorithm for a multidisciplinary long-term follow-up program.

PMID- 28641759
TI  - Evaluation of a methodology to validate National Death Index retrieval results
      among a cohort of U.S. service members.
AB  - PURPOSE: Accurate knowledge of the vital status of individuals is critical to the
      validity of mortality research. National Death Index (NDI) and NDI-Plus are
      comprehensive epidemiological resources for mortality ascertainment and cause of
      death data that require additional user validation. Currently, there is a gap in
      methods to guide validation of NDI search results rendered for active duty
      service members. The purpose of this research was to adapt and evaluate the CDC
      National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) algorithm for mortality
      ascertainment in a large military cohort. METHODS: We adapted and applied the
      NPCR algorithm to a cohort of 7088 service members on active duty at the time of
      death at some point between 2001 and 2009. We evaluated NDI validity and NDI-Plus
      diagnostic agreement against the Department of Defense's Armed Forces Medical
      Examiner System (AFMES). RESULTS: The overall sensitivity of the NDI to AFMES
      records after the application of the NPCR algorithm was 97.1%. Diagnostic
      estimates of measurement agreement between the NDI-Plus and the AFMES cause of
      death groups were high. CONCLUSIONS: The NDI and NDI-Plus can be successfully
      used with the NPCR algorithm to identify mortality and cause of death among
      active duty military cohort members who die in the United States.

PMID- 28641760
TI  - Heeding the call for less casual causal inferences: the utility of realized
      (quantitative) causal effects.

PMID- 28641758
TI  - Maternal intake of fried foods and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.
AB  - PURPOSE: We examined the relationship of maternal periconceptional (i.e., before
      conception and early pregnancy) intake of fried foods with gestational diabetes
      mellitus (GDM) risk. METHODS: In a prospective birth cohort in Seattle and
      Tacoma, Washington State, USA, we assessed maternal periconceptional fried food
      intake using a food frequency questionnaire among 3414 participants. We used
      multivariable generalized linear regression models to derive estimates of
      relative risks (RRs; and 95% confidence intervals, 95% CIs) of GDM in relation to
      the intake of different types of fried foods (i.e., fried fish, fried chicken,
      fried potatoes, chips, and donuts). RESULTS: A total of 169 GDM incident cases
      were identified in this cohort (4.96%). Compared with no fried fish intake, fried
      fish intake >1 servings/month was associated with 68% higher GDM risk (adjusted
      RR and 95% CI; 1.68 [1.16, 2.45]; Ptrend = .019). After adjusting for
      confounders, the RRs (95% CI) of GDM relative to fried chicken intake were 1.0,
      1.44 (0.98, 2.09), and 1.81 (1.22, 2.70) for none, <=1 and > 1 servings/month
      intake of fried chicken, respectively (Ptrend = .002). Dietary intake of fried
      potatoes, snack chips or donuts was not significantly associated with higher GDM
      risk. Limitations of our study include the lack of information about frying
      methods and the intake of fried foods at home and away from home. CONCLUSIONS:
      Regular intake of fried fish and fried chicken are associated with elevated GDM
      risk.

PMID- 28641761
TI  - Editorial overview: Cell regulation: 1000 Flavors including chocolate and chili
      peppers.

PMID- 28641762
TI  - Laparoscopic versus robotic surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma: the first 46
      consecutive cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma has a growing incidence worldwide, and
      represents a leading cause of death in patients with cirrhosis. Nowadays,
      minimally invasive approaches are spreading in every field of surgery and in
      liver surgery as well. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed
      demographics, clinical, and pathologic characteristics and short-term outcomes of
      patients who had undergone minimally invasive resections for hepatocellular
      carcinoma at our institution between June 2012 and May 2016. RESULTS: No
      significant differences in demographics and comorbidities were found between
      patients in the laparoscopic (n = 24) and robotic (n = 22) groups, except for the
      rates of cirrhotic patients (91.7% and 68.2%, respectively, P = 0.046).
      Perioperative data analysis showed that the operative time (mean, 211 and 318
      min, respectively, P < 0.001) was the only parameter in favor of laparoscopy.
      Conversely, robotic-assisted resections were related to less Clavien I-II
      postoperative complications (22 cases versus 13 cases; P = 0.03). As regards
      resection margins, the two groups were similar with no statistically significant
      differences in rates of disease-free resection margins. CONCLUSIONS: A modern
      hepatobiliary center should offer both open and minimally invasive approaches to
      liver disease to provide the best care for each patient, according to the
      individual comorbidities, risk factors, and personal quality of life
      expectations. Our results show that the robotic approach is a reliable tool for
      accurate oncologic surgery, comparable to the laparoscopic approach. Robotic
      surgery also allows the surgeon to safely approach liver segments that are
      difficult to resect in laparoscopy, namely segments I-VII-VIII.

PMID- 28641763
TI  - Retraction notice to "Downregulation of miR-204 expression correlates with poor
      clinical outcome of glioma patients" [Hum Pathol 2017; 63: 46-52].

PMID- 28641764
TI  - Are static and functional balance abilities related in individuals with Multiple
      Sclerosis?
AB  - BACKGROUND: In people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), balance assessment is
      essential in estimating the risk of falls, monitoring disease progression and
      verifying the effectiveness of rehabilitative treatment. Clinical tools and
      instrumental techniques are available for testing static and dynamic balance, but
      the relationship between such abilities is still not clear. Having information
      about this link would be important in properly planning the type and number of
      tests to administer. METHODS: One hundred and six pwMS (Expanded Disability
      Status Scale, EDSS 0-6.5) stratified in three sub-groups (Class 1 EDSS 0-1.5,
      Class 2 EDSS 2-4 and Class 3 EDSS 4.5-6.5) and 42 healthy controls (HC)
      participated in the study. All underwent static posturography and instrumented
      Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) performed using a wearable inertial sensor. Raw data were
      processed to extract postural sway features, overall duration of TUG and its main
      sub-phases (i.e. sit-to-stand, 180 degrees  turns and stand-to-sit). RESULTS: All
      sway parameters of pwMS of Classes 2 and 3, as well as total TUG duration and
      time necessary to perform 180 degrees  turns, were found significantly higher
      than HC and Class 1 participants. However, poor correlations were found between
      sway and TUG parameters. When pwMS are grouped, small/moderate correlations (in
      the range 0.20-0.41) were found between all sway parameters and total TUG
      duration. CONCLUSIONS: Static and dynamic balance in pwMS appear scarcely
      correlated, although both worsen as disability increases. This implies that they
      should be separately assessed using specific tests to have a complete view of
      postural control performance in MS.

PMID- 28641765
TI  - Investigation of the prognostic value of adipokines in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adipokines may be involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as
      other inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to analyze the value of serum
      adipokine levels as biomarkers in determining the clinical progression of MS.
      METHODS: A total of 90 subjects including 40 healthy individuals and 50 MS
      patients [24 with classical clinical course of MS (C-MS), 26 with benign MS (B
      MS)] were recruited for this study. The levels of serum adipokines and
      inflammatory mediators were measured using immunoassay methods. RESULTS: The
      levels of adiponectin, MCP-1, TNF-alpha and IL-6 were significantly higher in C
      MS patients compared with B-MS patients and healthy controls. Only adiponectin
      and MCP-1 levels remained significantly high after Bonferroni correction.
      Adiponectin, MCP-1 and TNF-alpha levels showed a modest correlation with expanded
      disability status scale (EDSS) scores, which disappeared after Bonferroni
      correction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the potential role of adipokines in
      pathogenesis and clinical progression of MS. Adiponectin and MCP-1 might
      potentially serve as prognostic biomarkers in MS.

PMID- 28641766
TI  - Amyloid PET in pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis is a rare form of demyelinating
      disease of the central nervous system. Positron emission tomography (PET) using
      amyloid-tracers has also been suggested as a marker of damage in white matter
      lesions in multiple sclerosis due to the nonspecific uptake of these tracers in
      white matter. METHOD: We present the case of a 59 year-old woman with a
      pathological-confirmed pseudotumoral multiple sclerosis, who was studied with the
      amyloid tracer 18F-florbetaben. The patient had developed word-finding
      difficulties and right hemianopia twelve years ago. In that time, MRI showed a
      lesion on the left hemisphere with an infiltrating aspect in frontotemporal
      lobes. Brain biopsy showed demyelinating areas and inflammation. During the
      following years, two new clinical relapses occurred. RESULTS: 18F-florbetaben PET
      showed lower uptake in the white matter lesion visualized in the CT and MRI
      images. Decreased tracer uptake was also observed in a larger area of the left
      hemisphere beyond the lesions observed on MRI or CT. White matter lesion volume
      on FLAIR was 44.2mL, and tracer uptake change between damaged white matter and
      normal appearing white matter was - 40.5%. Standardized uptake value was inferior
      in the pseudotumoral lesion than in the other white matter lesions. CONCLUSION:
      We report the findings of amyloid PET in a patient with pseudotumoral multiple
      sclerosis. This case provides further evidence on the role of amyloid PET in the
      assessment of white matter and demyelinating diseases.

PMID- 28641768
TI  - Disease reactivation following fingolimod withdrawal in multiple sclerosis: Two
      case reports.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe multiple sclerosis reactivation following second line
      treatment withdrawal, defined "rebound syndrome", is becoming a prominent issue
      to consider when deciding to discontinue a treatment. In particular disease
      recurrence after cessation of fingolimod is actually poorly characterized as to
      date, only case reports and small case series have been described. CASE
      PRESENTATION: We herewith describe 2 cases of severe disease reactivation
      associated to a high number of brain gadolinium enhancing lesions at magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) despite high dose steroid treatment, observed a few weeks
      after cessation of fingolimod administration, causing a substantial and
      persistent worsening of patient disability that required long term
      hospitalization. The severity of the neurological symptom worsening and of the
      brain lesion largely exceeded the disease activity observed during treatment.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our patients developed a rebound syndrome after ceasing fingolimod
      treatment, defined as the development of severe neurological symptoms and
      multiple new or enhancing lesions exceeding previous activity. Further analysis
      are needed to identify patients at greatest risk of a rebound syndrome.

PMID- 28641767
TI  - Prehistoric enemies within: The contribution of human endogenous retroviruses to
      neurological diseases. Meeting report: "Second International Workshop on Human
      Endogenous Retroviruses and Disease", Washington DC, March 13th and 14th 2017.
AB  - The Second International Workshop on Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Disease,
      Washington DC, March 13-14 2017 brought together international basic and clinical
      scientists investigating the involvement of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs)
      in complex human diseases.

PMID- 28641769
TI  - Reduction of PK11195 uptake observed in multiple sclerosis lesions after
      natalizumab initiation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to longitudinally analyze the uptake of
      [11C]PK11195-PET in multiple sclerosis patients after 3 and 6 months of
      natalizumab treatment. METHODS: Eighteen MS patients, starting treatment with
      monocloncal anti-VLA-4, were enrolled in a longitudinal PK-PET study. PK uptake
      was quantified by volume of distribution (VT) calculation using image-derived
      input function at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Pharmacokinetic quantification was
      done using a segmented MRI, and selected areas included white matter, gadolinium
      enhancing lesions, non-enhancing lesions, cortical grey matter and thalamus. VTs
      of lesions were calculated in reference to each patient's white matter (VT
      ratio=VTr), to consider physiologic variability. RESULTS: Test-retest variability
      was stable for healthy control (HC). Quantification of PK uptake was completed in
      18 patients, and baseline uptake was compared to 6-month uptake. After the start
      of natalizumab VTr significantly decreased in 13 individual enhancing lesions
      present within 5 patients (p=0.001). Moreover, VTr of the sum of non-enhancing
      lesions showed a moderate decrease (p=0.03). No longitudinal changes were
      detected in normal appearing white matter, the thalamus and cortical grey matter.
      CONCLUSION: A reduction in PK11195 uptake was observed in both enhancing and
      chronic lesions after the start of natalizumab. PK11195 PET can be used as tool
      to assess the longitudinal change in MS lesions.

PMID- 28641770
TI  - Does vagotomy protect against multiple sclerosis?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between vagotomy and multiple sclerosis.
      METHODS: We conducted a matched cohort study of all patients who underwent
      truncal or super-selective vagotomy and a comparison cohort, by linking Danish
      population-based medical registries (1977-1995). Hazard ratios (HRs) for multiple
      sclerosis, adjusting for potential confounders were computed by means of Cox
      regression analysis. RESULTS: Median age of multiple sclerosis onset corresponded
      to late onset multiple sclerosis. No association with multiple sclerosis was
      observed for truncal vagotomy (0-37 year adjusted HR=0.91, 95% confidence
      interval [CI]: 0.48-1.74) or super-selective vagotomy (0-37 year adjusted
      HR=1.28, 95% CI: 0.79-2.09) compared with the general population. INTERPRETATION:
      We found no association between vagotomy and later risk of late onset multiple
      sclerosis.

PMID- 28641771
TI  - Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Is it related to cytokines and hypothalamic
      pituitary-adrenal axis?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common symptom of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that
      diminishes the quality of life of patients, but its exact mechanism remains
      poorly understood. There is not a generally adopted scale to determine MS
      fatigue. Studies that investigated physiopathology of fatigue symptom have shown
      dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis. In the current study,
      we aimed to compare the results obtained with two separate scales, namely the
      Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Neurological Fatigue Index-Multiple
      Sclerosis (NFI-MS), and assess the relationship between fatigue and serum IL
      1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-35, IL-2, IL-10, ACTH, cortisol, alpha-MSH, beta-MSH, gamma
      MSH and CLIP (Corticotropinlike intermediate lobe peptide) in MS patients
      categorized as fatigued and non-fatigued on the basis of FSS scores. METHODS: For
      the study, a total of 54 (29 females, 25 males) patients diagnosed with RRMS
      including 26 with fatigue symptom (48.1%), and 26 healthy controls (13 females,
      13 males) were enrolled. A FSS score >=36 was considered as cut-off score to
      separate fatigued patients from nonfatigued patients. RESULTS: A significant
      positive correlation was determined between FSS score and NFI-MS scale, NFI-MS 1,
      NFI-MS 2, NFI-MS 3 and NFI-MS 4 scores. IL-1beta, IL-10 and TNF-alpha levels did
      not differ between patient and control groups. IL-35 and IL-2 levels were
      significantly higher among MS patients (p<0.01). However, no difference was
      observed between fatigued and nonfatigued patients in the cytokines and HPA
      parameters studied. ACTH, cortisol and alpha-MSH were significantly higher in MS
      group (p=0.02, p<0.01 and p<0.01, respectively). CLIP level was significantly low
      in MS patient group (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: NFI-MS scale is equally sensitive as
      FSS scale for assessment of MS fatigue; thus, it may also be widely used to
      evaluate that symptom. Generally HPA axis is hyperactive in MS patients, but it
      is not correlated with fatigue in our study. For the first time, levels of CLIP
      (a type of melanocortin) are studied, and determined to be lower among MS
      patients. Elevated levels of IL-35 and IL-2 suggest that these cytokines may have
      a prominent role in MS pathophysiology and can be investigated as potential
      targets for development of novel therapies.

PMID- 28641772
TI  - Susac Syndrome: A differential diagnosis of white matter lesions.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Susac Syndrome is an autoimmune endotheliopathy affecting
      capillaries and precapillary arterioles of the brain, inner ear and retina. The
      classic symptom triad includes visual disturbances, hypoacusia, and
      encephalopathy, but is rarely fully manifest at onset. The syndrome typically
      follows an active fluctuating monophasic course. Typical imaging findings on
      brain magnetic resonance show central fiber microischemias/microinfarctions of
      the corpus callosum known as "snow balls", as well as lineal infarcts and upper
      callosal fiber involvement. Fluorescein angiography and tonal audiometry are
      important tools to confirm diagnosis, even in patients who are asymptomatic for
      visual or auditory disturbances. We describe 8 patients with Susac Syndrome
      treated at our center and compare findings to those of other published case
      series. METHODS: Eight adults with Susac Syndrome diagnosed between January 2007
      and August 2016 at our center, in Buenos Aires, Argentina are described. Magnetic
      Brain Resonance, fluorescein angiography, tonal audiometry, a complete serologic
      battery and lumbar puncture were performed to all patients. RESULTS: The majority
      of patients were males, and average age at diagnosis was 37.5 years (range: 22-52
      yrs). Two patients presented full clinical triad at onset, while the remaining
      developed visual and/or auditory disturbances later during the course of disease.
      All cases manifested varied neurological symptoms including pyramidal and/or
      sensory tract symptoms, amnesic disorders, ataxia and vertigo. Psychiatric
      manifestations such as disinhibition, aggressive behavior, paranoid ideation and
      hallucinations were also present. Seven patients suffered at least one relapse.
      Typical central corpus callosum fiber ischemias/infarcts, also known as snowball
      lesions were visible in all patients. Spokes, icicles, periventricular lesions
      and internal capsule "string of beads" patterns were observed on diffusion
      weighted images. Four cases presented fornix microischemias/microinfarctions, 5
      juxtacortical involvement and 3 infratentorial infarcts. Leptomeningeal
      involvement was evident in only 1 patient after rabies vaccination. Fluorescein
      angiography was abnormal in 7 cases. Tonal audiometry revealed unilateral
      hypoacusia in 5 patients, 3 with low frequency hearing loss. Immunosuppressive
      treatment was indicated in all cases. Patient follow up ranged between 6 months
      and 9 years, only 1 patient was lost to follow up after three years. CONCLUSION:
      Susac Syndrome is probably both underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Early and
      aggressive immunosuppressive treatment is indicated in order to prevent potential
      disabilities.

PMID- 28641773
TI  - Incidence of tonic spasms as the initial presentation of pediatric multiple
      sclerosis in Slovenia.
AB  - Tonic spasms (TS) are involuntary movement patterns that can present in patients
      with multiple sclerosis (MS). They have been first described decades ago, but are
      frequently missed and misdiagnosed, particularly in the pediatric MS patients and
      if appearing ahead of hallmark neurological signs and symptoms of MS. Slovenia is
      a country with the population of about 2 million people. In the years from 1992
      to 2016, we have treated 57 sequential pediatric patients with MS at our
      hospital, which is the only tertiary medical institution for treating children
      with MS in the country. We present the only two MS patients, a 17-year-old girl
      and a 14-year-old boy, whose first manifestation of MS were TS. This allowed us
      to estimate the incidence of TS in pediatric MS patients in Slovenia.

PMID- 28641774
TI  - Membranous nephropathy with Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
AB  - Membranous nephropathy (MN) accompanying Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
      (NMOSD) has rarely been described previously. We recently presented a 45-year-old
      Chinese male presenting with recurrent lower extremity pitting edema, or eyelid
      edema, proteinuria and hyperlipidemia. especially intractable hiccup and
      vomiting, painful tonic spasm (PTS) as the revealing symptom of a demyelinating
      disorder of central nervous system. The kindey biopsy specimen showed MN stage 2.
      Serological testing revealed antibodies AQP4, MRI head and spine revealed medulla
      oblongata and C1-C2 cervical vertebra lesions. Treatment with methylprednisolone,
      cyclophosphamide, azathioprine resulted in consistent clinical improvement.

PMID- 28641775
TI  - Is Toxoplasma gondii infection protective against multiple sclerosis risk?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections may play a protective role in neurodegenative
      diseases. OBJECTiVE: To determine the association between Toxoplasma gondii (T.
      gondii) infection and Multiple Sclerosis (MS). METHODS: One hundred fifteen
      patients with MS were included in the study. Sixty age and gender-matched healthy
      subjects were recruited as controls. Subjects were assessed for clinical and
      demographic parameters. The presence of specific IgG antibodies against T. gondii
      microorganism was searched by using an enzyme immunoassay test in the sera of the
      subjects. RESULTS: T. gondii seropositivity was found to be lower in MS patients
      than in healthy controls (33.9% vs. 55%, p=0.007). Mean age and disease duration
      of the patients were 41.15+/-11.20 (18-74) and 1.90+/-1.44 (0-6) years,
      respectively. MS patients with a high IgG titer had lower expanded disability
      status scale (EDSS) scores (p=0.001) and lower annualized relapse rates (ARR)
      (p=0.005). There was no significant association between T. gondii seropositivity
      and disease duration (p=0.598). Female MS patients tended to have higher T.
      gondii seropositivity than males although the difference did not reach
      statistical significance (p=0.192). We found a negative correlation between T.
      gondii seropositivity and both EDSS scores (r=-0.322, p<0.001) and ARR (r=-0.263,
      p=0.004). CONCLUSiON: We found a negative association between T. gondii infection
      and the presence of MS. Furthermore, parasite infected MS patients had
      experienced fewer relapses with lower disability scores supporting the hypothesis
      of immunomodulatory effects of parasitic infections in autoimmune diseases.
      Further studies are required to establish the protective role of parasitic
      infections in MS.

PMID- 28641776
TI  - The 'Field Hypothesis': rebound activity after stopping disease-modifying
      therapies.

PMID- 28641777
TI  - Role of PARL-PINK1-Parkin pathway in adipocyte differentiation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Adipogenesis determines the number of adipocytes which is increased
      when individuals become obese. Mitochondria undergo remarkable morphological and
      functional changes during adipogenesis. PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) is pivotal
      to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis in neural cells. The present study aimed at
      investigating effects of PINK1 on adipogenesis and energy metabolism. METHODS:
      Expression of presenilin associated rhomboid-like protein (PARL), PINK1 and
      Parkin, as well as the interaction among these proteins was temporally examined
      during adipogenesis. In addition, the alterations of mitochondrial mass and the
      energy metabolism were also analyzed. RESULTS: Adipogenic process can be
      dissected into 3 stages according to the participation of PARL-PINK1-Parkin
      system. (1) When pre-adipocytes are switched to differentiation, f-PINK1 is
      subjected to PARL cleavage to generate s-PINK1 at the early stage of
      differentiation (0-4day). Mitochondrial mass is increased for generating ambient
      energy to meet the demands for cellular remodeling. (2) At the second stage (5
      6day), s-PINK1 persistently accumulates in mitochondria and translocates into
      cytoplasm to mediate Parkin degradation. Mitochondria are fragmented to reduce
      their mass. (3) At the late stage (7-8day), only residual autophagy activity is
      remained when excess mitochondria have been eliminated. This mitochondria
      clearance maintains energy consumption of mature adipocytes at the minimal levels
      for storing energy. PARL silencing aborts adipogenesis by inhibiting PPARgamma
      expression and the finely-orchestrated events. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal
      the sequential adipogenic events directed by PARL-PINK1-Parkin system, add more
      evidence supporting the convergence of pathogenesis leading to neurodegenerative
      and metabolic diseases, and provide substantial information for developing novel
      therapeutic strategies by manipulating adipogenesis.

PMID- 28641778
TI  - Clinical presentations, metabolic abnormalities and end-organ complications in
      patients with familial partial lipodystrophy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Familial partial lipodystrophy (FPLD) is a rare genetic disorder
      characterized by partial lack of subcutaneous fat. METHODS: This multicenter
      prospective observational study included data from 56 subjects with FPLD (18
      independent Turkish families). Thirty healthy controls were enrolled for
      comparison. RESULTS: Pathogenic variants of the LMNA gene were determined in nine
      families. Of those, typical exon 8 codon 482 pathogenic variants were identified
      in four families. Analysis of the LMNA gene also revealed exon 1 codon 47, exon 5
      codon 306, exon 6 codon 349, exon 9 codon 528, and exon 11 codon 582 pathogenic
      variants. Analysis of the PPARG gene revealed exon 3 p.Y151C pathogenic variant
      in two families and exon 7 p.H477L pathogenic variant in one family. A non
      pathogenic exon 5 p.R215Q variant of the LMNB2 gene was detected in another
      family. Five other families harbored no mutation in any of the genes sequenced.
      MRI studies showed slightly different fat distribution patterns among subjects
      with different point mutations, though it was strikingly different in subjects
      with LMNA p.R349W pathogenic variant. Subjects with pathogenic variants of the
      PPARG gene were associated with less prominent fat loss and relatively higher
      levels of leptin compared to those with pathogenic variants in the LMNA gene.
      Various metabolic abnormalities associated with insulin resistance were detected
      in all subjects. End-organ complications were observed. CONCLUSION: We have
      identified various pathogenic variants scattered throughout the LMNA and PPARG
      genes in Turkish patients with FPLD. Phenotypic heterogeneity is remarkable in
      patients with LMNA pathogenic variants related to the site of missense mutations.
      FPLD, caused by pathogenic variants either in LMNA or PPARG is associated with
      metabolic abnormalities associated with insulin resistance that lead to increased
      morbidity.

PMID- 28641780
TI  - Associations of maternal prenatal smoking with umbilical cord blood hormones: the
      Project Viva cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with low fetal growth
      and adverse cardiometabolic health in offspring. However, hormonal pathways
      underlying these associations are unclear. Therefore, we examined maternal
      smoking habits and umbilical cord blood hormone profiles in a large, prospective
      cohort. METHODS: We studied 978 mother/infant pairs in Project Viva, a Boston
      area cohort recruited 1999-2002. We categorized mothers as early pregnancy
      smokers, former smokers, or never smokers. Outcomes were cord blood
      concentrations of IGF-1, IGF-2, IGFBP-3, leptin, adiponectin, insulin, and C
      peptide. We used linear regression models adjusted for maternal pre-pregnancy
      body mass index (BMI), race/ethnicity, parity, education, and infant sex. We
      conducted analyses in the full cohort and stratified by infant sex. RESULTS:
      Thirteen percent of women were early pregnancy smokers, 20% former smokers, and
      68% never smokers. Infants of early pregnancy smokers had lower IGF-1 adjusted
      for IGFBP-3 [-5.2ng/mL (95% CI: -8.6, -1.7)], with more pronounced associations
      in girls [-10.7ng/mL (95% CI: -18.5, -2.9) vs. -4.0ng/mL (95% CI: -8.4, 0.4) for
      boys]. Early pregnancy smoking was not associated with cord blood hormones other
      than IGF-1. Infants of former smokers had a cord blood hormone profile similar to
      infants of never smokers. CONCLUSIONS: As compared to mothers who never smoked,
      early pregnancy smokers had infants with lower cord blood IGF-1 which could prime
      adverse metabolic outcomes. This provides further reason to support smoking
      cessation programs in women of reproductive age.

PMID- 28641781
TI  - Pregnancy to postpartum transition of serum metabolites in women with gestational
      diabetes.
AB  - CONTEXT: Gestational diabetes is commonly linked to development of type 2
      diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There is a need to characterize metabolic changes
      associated with gestational diabetes in order to find novel biomarkers for T2DM.
      OBJECTIVE: To find potential pathophysiological mechanisms and markers for
      progression from gestational diabetes mellitus to T2DM by studying the metabolic
      transition from pregnancy to postpartum. DESIGN: The metabolic transition profile
      from pregnancy to postpartum was characterized in 56 women by mass spectrometry
      based metabolomics; 11 women had gestational diabetes mellitus, 24 had normal
      glucose tolerance, and 21 were normoglycaemic but at increased risk for
      gestational diabetes mellitus. Fasting serum samples collected during trimester 3
      (gestational week 32+/-0.6) and postpartum (10.5+/-0.4months) were compared in
      diagnosis-specific multivariate models (orthogonal partial least squares
      analysis). Clinical measurements (e.g., insulin, glucose, lipid levels) were
      compared and models of insulin sensitivity and resistance were calculated for the
      same time period. RESULTS: Women with gestational diabetes had significantly
      increased postpartum levels of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine,
      isoleucine, and valine, and their circulating lipids did not return to normal
      levels after pregnancy. The increase in BCAAs occurred postpartum since the BCAAs
      did not differ during pregnancy, as compared to normoglycemic women. CONCLUSIONS:
      Postpartum levels of specific BCAAs, notably valine, are related to gestational
      diabetes during pregnancy.

PMID- 28641782
TI  - High prevalence of apolipoprotein B dyslipoproteinemias in non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease: The lifelines cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major adverse consequence of non
      alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The association of NAFLD with various
      apolipoprotein B (apoB) dyslipoproteinemias is unclear. We determined the
      prevalence of specific apoB dyslipoproteinemias in subjects with suspected NAFLD.
      METHODS: This study was conducted among 22,865 fasting adults living in the
      northern part of the Netherlands (Lifelines Cohort Study). Six apoB
      dyslipoproteinemias were defined using an algorithm derived from apoB, total
      cholesterol and triglycerides. NAFLD was defined as Fatty Liver Index (FLI) >=60.
      Advanced hepatic fibrosis was defined as NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) >=0.676.
      RESULTS: 4790 participants (20.9%) had an FLI>=60. NAFLD subjects were older,
      more likely to be men, more obese and more often had diabetes and metabolic
      syndrome (P<0.001 for each). Among NAFLD subjects, any apoB dyslipoproteinemia
      was present in 61.5% vs. 16.5% in subjects without NAFLD (P<0.001). Elevated
      chylomicrons were not observed in NAFLD. In univariate analysis, NAFLD was
      associated with a higher prevalence of each apoB dyslipoproteinemia vs. subjects
      with an FLI<60 (P<0.001), except for low density lipoprotein (LDL)
      dyslipoproteinemia. Additionally, each apoB dyslipoproteinemia was independently
      associated with NAFLD in age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression analysis,
      including the apoB dyslipoproteinemias together (P<0.001). The prevalence of apoB
      dyslipoproteinemias was not altered in subjects with NFS >=0.676. CONCLUSIONS:
      NAFLD rather than advanced hepatic fibrosis is independently associated with
      increased prevalence of chylomicrons+very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL)
      remnants, VLDL, LDL and VLDL+LDL dyslipoproteinemias. ApoB dyslipoproteinemias
      may contribute to increased CVD risk associated with NAFLD.

PMID- 28641783
TI  - Abnormal levels of adipokines in adolescent offspring of women with type 1
      diabetes - Results from the EPICOM study.
AB  - AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: To investigate long-term consequences of diabetes during
      pregnancy, we determined adiponectin and leptin levels in adolescents born by
      women with type 1 diabetic (T1D) or non-diabetic mothers, and determined
      associations between adiponectin and leptin levels in adolescence and the
      magnitude of intrauterine hyperglycemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We measured
      serum adiponectin and leptin and calculated leptin to adiponectin ratio (LAR) in
      271 offspring of T1D women (index offspring) (13-20years), and 297 matched
      control offspring. Anthropometry included total body fat (TBF) by dual-energy X
      ray absorptiometry and an oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Adiponectin
      levels were lower in index females (-8.0% (95% CI; -13.9, -1.6)), but not in
      index males (0.4% (95% CI; -7.3, 8.6)). Leptin levels were approximately 30%
      higher in index than control offspring, irrespective of gender. In males, this
      was seen despite similar TBF in index and control offspring. LAR was increased in
      index offspring (both males and females) compared with control offspring. There
      were no association between offspring adiponectin and maternal HbA1c levels in
      pregnancy. Leptin and LAR seemed to be associated with third trimester HbA1c
      levels in females in unadjusted, but not adjusted analyses. CONCLUSION: Male and
      female offspring of women with T1D demonstrated increased serum leptin and LAR,
      whereas serum adiponectin was reduced in females only. These results suggest that
      abnormal regulation of adipokines is a consequence of being born to mothers with
      T1D. No direct association between maternal glycemic control and adiponectin and
      leptin levels or LAR in the adolescence was found. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
      NUMBER: NCT01559181.

PMID- 28641784
TI  - Ultrasonographic fatty liver indicator detects mild steatosis and correlates with
      metabolic/histological parameters in various liver diseases.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty liver is a common feature of different types of liver
      diseases. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography for diagnosing fatty
      liver are variable. A semi-quantitative ultrasound score, i.e., the
      ultrasonographic fatty liver indicator (US-FLI), is closely associated with
      metabolic/histological variables in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver
      disease (NAFLD). The main aims of this study were to assess the diagnostic
      performance of US-FLI in detecting varying degrees of histological steatosis, and
      to examine the association of US-FLI with metabolic/histological parameters in
      352 biopsied patients with various chronic liver diseases (173 with hepatitis C
      [HCV], 23 with hepatitis B [HBV], 123 with NAFLD and 33 with other etiologies).
      RESULTS: US-FLI accurately detected mild steatosis (minimum amount 10% on
      histology) with a cut-off value >=2 (sensitivity 90.1%, specificity 90%),
      moderate steatosis (>=30%) with a cut-off value >=3 (sensitivity 86.4%,
      specificity 92.5%) and severe steatosis (>66%) with a cut-off value >=5
      (sensitivity 88.5%, specificity 87%). US-FLI was correlated with steatosis
      percentage in each liver disease group as well as with lobular inflammation,
      ballooning, portal fibrosis, grading and staging in patients with NAFLD or HCV.
      US-FLI was also correlated with waist circumference, body mass index and insulin
      resistance both in the whole sample and in each liver disease group. CONCLUSIONS:
      US-FLI accurately identifies histological severity and is correlated with
      metabolic parameters in patients with various steatogenic liver diseases. US-FLI
      is an easy and versatile tool for the screening of steatosis and the metabolic
      health of these patients.

PMID- 28641779
TI  - Macrophage functions in lean and obese adipose tissue.
AB  - Interactions between macrophages and adipocytes influence both metabolism and
      inflammation. Obesity-induced changes to macrophages and adipocytes lead to
      chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. This paper reviews the various
      functions of macrophages in lean and obese adipose tissue and how obesity alters
      adipose tissue macrophage phenotypes. Metabolic disease and insulin resistance
      shift the balance between numerous pro- and anti-inflammatory regulators of
      macrophages and create a feed-forward loop of increasing inflammatory macrophage
      activation and worsening adipocyte dysfunction. This ultimately leads to adipose
      tissue fibrosis and diabetes. The molecular mechanisms underlying these processes
      have therapeutic implications for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.

PMID- 28641785
TI  - Acute detachment of hexokinase II from mitochondria modestly increases oxygen
      consumption of the intact mouse heart.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Cardiac hexokinase II (HKII) can translocate between cytosol and
      mitochondria and change its cellular expression with pathologies such as ischemia
      reperfusion, diabetes and heart failure. The cardiac metabolic consequences of
      these changes are unknown. Here we measured energy substrate utilization in
      cytosol and mitochondria using stabile isotopes and oxygen consumption of the
      intact perfused heart for 1) an acute decrease in mitochondrial HKII (mtHKII),
      and 2) a chronic decrease in total cellular HKII. METHODS/RESULTS: We first
      examined effects of 200nM TAT (Trans-Activator of Transcription)-HKII peptide
      treatment, which was previously shown to acutely decrease mtHKII by ~30%. In
      Langendorff-perfused hearts TAT-HKII resulted in a modest, but significant,
      increased oxygen consumption, while cardiac performance was unchanged. At the
      metabolic level, there was a nonsignificant (p=0.076) ~40% decrease in glucose
      contribution to pyruvate and lactate formation through glycolysis and to
      mitochondrial citrate synthase flux (6.6+/-1.1 vs. 11.2+/-2.2%), and an 35%
      increase in tissue pyruvate (27+/-2 vs. 20+/-2pmol/mg; p=0.033). Secondly, we
      compared WT and HKII+/- hearts (50% chronic decrease in total HKII). RNA
      sequencing revealed no differential gene expression between WT and HKII+/- hearts
      indicating an absence of metabolic reprogramming at the transcriptional level.
      Langendorff-perfused hearts showed no significant differences in glycolysis
      (0.34+/-0.03MUmol/min), glucose contribution to citrate synthase flux (35+/
      2.3%), palmitate contribution to citrate synthase flux (20+/-1.1%), oxygen
      consumption or mechanical performance between WT and HKII+/- hearts. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results indicate that acute albeit not chronic changes in mitochondrial
      HKII modestly affect cardiac oxygen consumption and energy substrate metabolism.

PMID- 28641786
TI  - Association of apolipoprotein-CIII (apoC-III), endothelium-dependent vasodilation
      and peripheral neuropathy in a multi-ethnic population with type 2 diabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of Type
      2 diabetes (T2D). Apart from hyperglycemia, its pathogenesis is poorly
      understood. Apolipoprotein-CIII (apoC-III) associated with triglyceride
      metabolism, is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Its role in DPN is not
      well-established. We studied the associations of apoC-III, endothelial function
      and DPN. METHODS: In patients with T2D, anthropometric data, fasting blood, and
      urine were collected for biochemistry and urine albumin/creatinine measurements
      (uACR). Endothelial function assessments were performed by laser Doppler
      flowmetry/imaging. DPN was considered present if there was an abnormal finding in
      monofilament (<=8 of 10 points) or neurothesiometer testing>=25V on either foot.
      Plasma apoC-III was assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: Monofilament and neurothesiometer
      readings were measured in 1981 patients, mean age 57.4+/-10.8 years old. DPN
      prevalence was 10.8% (n=214). Patients with DPN compared to those without, were
      significantly older (p<0.0001), with longer duration of T2D (p<0.0001), had
      higher BMI (p=0.006), higher glucose (p=0.015) and HbA1c (p<0.0001), Systolic
      blood pressure (SBP) (p<0.0001), lower eGFR (p<0.0001), higher urine ACR
      (p<0.0001), poorer endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation
      (both p<0.0001), higher VCAM-1 (p<0.0001) and higher apoC-III [285.3 (195.2
      405.6) vs 242.9(165.0-344.0) MUg/ml]. After adjustment, log transformed apoC-III,
      remained independently associated with the presence of DPN (B=0.965, SE=0.397,
      p=0.015). CONCLUSION: Plasma apoC-III is higher in patients with DPN. Apart from
      its known association with lipids and macrovascular complications, this study
      suggests its association with DPN. Whether regulating apoC-III metabolism may be
      an important new therapeutic approach to managing dyslipidemia and microvascular
      complications in T2D remains to be proven in future mechanistic and clinical
      studies.

PMID- 28641787
TI  - Social jet-lag potentiates obesity and metabolic syndrome when combined with
      cafeteria diet in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Modern lifestyle promotes shifted sleep onset and shifted
      wake up time between weekdays and weekends, producing a condition termed "social
      jet lag." Disrupted sleep promotes increased appetite for carbohydrate and fat
      rich food, which in long term leads to overweight, obesity and metabolic
      syndrome. In order to mimic the human situation we produced an experimental model
      of social-jet lag (Sj-l). With this model, we explored the link between shifted
      sleep time with consumption of a cafeteria diet (CafD) and the development of
      obesity and metabolic syndrome. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The first experiment was
      designed to create and confirm the model of Sj-l. Rats (n=8-10/group) were
      exposed to a shifted sleep time protocol achieved by placing the rats in slow
      rotating wheels from Monday to Friday during the first 4h of the light period,
      while on weekends they were left undisturbed. The second experiment (n=8
      12/group) explored the combined effect of Sj-l with the opportunity to ingest
      CafD. All protocols lasted 12weeks. We evaluated the development of overweight
      and indicators of metabolic syndrome. The statistical significance for all
      variables was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: Sj-l alone did not affect body weight gain
      but induced significant changes in cholesterol in metabolic variables
      representing a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. Daily restricted access to
      CafD in the day or night induced glucose intolerance and only CafD during the day
      led to overweight. Sj-l combined with CafD induced overconsumption of the diet,
      potentiated body weight gain (16%) and promoted 5 of the criteria for metabolic
      syndrome including high insulin and dislipidemia. CONCLUSION: Present data
      provide an experimental model of social-jet lag that combined with
      overconsumption of CafD, and maximized the development of obesity and metabolic
      syndrome. Importantly, access to CafD during the night did not lead to overweight
      nor metabolic syndrome.

PMID- 28641788
TI  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A sign of systemic disease.
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of liver
      disease and leading cause of cirrhosis in the United States and developed
      countries. NAFLD is closely associated with obesity, insulin resistance and
      metabolic syndrome, significantly contributing to the exacerbation of the latter.
      Although NAFLD represents the hepatic component of metabolic syndrome, it can
      also be found in patients prior to their presentation with other manifestations
      of the syndrome. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is complex and closely intertwined
      with insulin resistance and obesity. Several mechanisms are undoubtedly involved
      in its pathogenesis and progression. In this review, we bring together the
      current understanding of the pathogenesis that makes NAFLD a systemic disease.

PMID- 28641789
TI  - Lipodystrophy: Time for a global registry and randomized clinical trials to
      assess efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of established and novel
      medications.

PMID- 28641791
TI  - Low-Hanging Fruit for a Healthy Old Age.

PMID- 28641790
TI  - Ideal Cardiovascular Health, Mortality, and Vascular Events in Elderly Subjects:
      The Three-City Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The benefit of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) on health-related
      outcomes in middle-aged patients is firmly established. In the growing elderly
      population, the high prevalence of comorbidities and medications for chronic
      diseases may offset such benefit. OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed the association
      of ideal CVH with mortality, incident coronary heart disease, and stroke events
      in elderly individuals from the community. METHODS: Between 1999 and 2001, 9,294
      men and women, noninstitutionalized and aged 65 years and over were examined, and
      thereafter followed up for the occurrence of vascular events and mortality within
      the Three-City Study. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by Cox proportional
      hazard model and compared subjects with 3 to 4 and subjects with 5 to 7 ideal
      metrics with those with 0 to 2 ideal metrics, respectively. RESULTS: The mean age
      was 73.8 +/- 5.3 years, and 36.7% were men. Only 5% of the participants had >=5
      metrics at the ideal level. After a median follow-up of 10.9 years and 8.6 years,
      respectively 1,987 deaths and 680 adjudicated coronary heart disease or stroke
      events had occurred. In multivariate analysis, the risk of mortality and of
      vascular events decreased across the categories of ideal metrics. In particular,
      in subjects with >=5 metrics at the ideal level (compared with those with <=2),
      there was a 29% (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55 to
      0.90) decreased risk of all-cause mortality and 67% (HR: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.19 to
      0.57) for coronary heart disease and stroke combined (p for trend <0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: Even in the elderly, higher CVH status is highly beneficial
      regarding mortality and vascular event risks.

PMID- 28641793
TI  - Acute Heart Failure: One Syndrome or Many?

PMID- 28641792
TI  - Hospitalization for Recently Diagnosed Versus Worsening Chronic Heart Failure:
      From the ASCEND-HF Trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is unclear how patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (HF)
      who are long-term chronic HF survivors differ from those with more recent HF
      diagnoses. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of HF
      chronicity on acute HF patient profiles and outcomes. METHODS: The ASCEND-HF
      (Acute Study of Clinical Effectiveness of Nesiritide in Decompensated Heart
      Failure) trial randomized 7,141 hospitalized patients with acute HF with reduced
      or preserved ejection fraction (EF) to receive nesiritide or placebo in addition
      to standard care. The present analysis compared patients according to duration of
      HF diagnosis before index hospitalization by using pre-specified cutoffs (0 to 1
      month [i.e., "recently diagnosed"], >1 to 12 months, >12 to 60 months, and >60
      months). RESULTS: Overall, 5,741 (80.4%) patients had documentation of duration
      of HF diagnosis (recently diagnosed, n = 1,536; >1 to 12 months, n = 1,020; >12
      to 60 months, n = 1,653; and >60 months, n = 1,532). Across HF duration groups,
      mean age ranged from 64 to 66 years, and mean ejection fraction ranged from 29%
      to 32%. Compared with patients with longer HF duration, recently diagnosed
      patients were more likely to be women with nonischemic HF etiology, higher
      baseline blood pressure, better baseline renal function, and fewer comorbidities.
      After adjustment, compared with recently diagnosed patients, patients with longer
      HF duration were associated with more persistent dyspnea at 24 h (>1 to 12
      months, odds ratio [OR]: 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97 to 1.48; >12 to
      60 months, OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.62; and >60 months, OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.08
      to 1.60) and increased 180-day mortality (>1 to 12 months, hazard ratio [HR]:
      1.89; 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.65; >12 to 60 months, HR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.33 to 2.48; and
      >60 months, HR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.47 to 2.77). The influence of HF duration on
      mortality was potentially more pronounced among female patients (interaction p =
      0.05), but did not differ according to age, race, prior ischemic heart disease,
      or ejection fraction (all interactions, p >= 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: In this acute HF
      trial, patient profile differed according to duration of the HF diagnosis. A
      diagnosis of HF for <=1 month before hospitalization was independently associated
      with greater early dyspnea relief and improved post-discharge survival compared
      to patients with chronic HF diagnoses. The distinction between de novo or
      recently diagnosed HF and worsening chronic HF should be considered in the design
      of future acute HF trials. (A Study Testing the Effectiveness of Nesiritide in
      Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure; NCT00475852).

PMID- 28641795
TI  - Door-to-Furosemide Therapy in the ED: New Quality Metric or Just a Piece of the
      Puzzle?

PMID- 28641794
TI  - Time-to-Furosemide Treatment and Mortality in Patients Hospitalized With Acute
      Heart Failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute heart failure (AHF) is a life-threatening disease requiring
      urgent treatment, including a recommendation for immediate initiation of loop
      diuretics. OBJECTIVES: The authors prospectively evaluated the association
      between time-to-diuretic treatment and clinical outcome. METHODS: REALITY-AHF
      (Registry Focused on Very Early Presentation and Treatment in Emergency
      Department of Acute Heart Failure) was a prospective, multicenter, observational
      cohort study that primarily aimed to assess the association between time to loop
      diuretic treatment and clinical outcome in patients with AHF admitted through the
      emergency department (ED). Door-to-furosemide (D2F) time was defined as the time
      from patient arrival at the ED to the first intravenous furosemide injection.
      Patients with a D2F time <60 min were pre-defined as the early treatment group.
      Primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among 1,291 AHF
      patients treated with intravenous furosemide within 24 h of ED arrival, the
      median D2F time was 90 min (IQR: 36 to 186 min), and 481 patients (37.3%) were
      categorized as the early treatment group. These patients were more likely to
      arrive by ambulance and had more signs of congestion compared with the nonearly
      treatment group. In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the early
      treatment group (2.3% vs. 6.0% in the nonearly treatment group; p = 0.002). In
      multivariate analysis, earlier treatment remained significantly associated with
      lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio: 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.20 to
      0.76; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective multicenter, observational
      cohort study of patients presenting at the ED for AHF, early treatment with
      intravenous loop diuretics was associated with lower in-hospital mortality.
      (Registry focused on very early presentation and treatment in emergency
      department of acute heart failure syndrome; UMIN000014105).

PMID- 28641796
TI  - Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation for Refractory Ventricular Arrhythmias.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) has been shown to reduce the
      burden of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks in small series of
      patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and recurrent ventricular
      tachyarrhythmias (VT). OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the value of CSD and the
      characteristics associated with outcomes in this population. METHODS: Patients
      with SHD who underwent CSD for refractory VT or VT storm at 5 international
      centers were analyzed by the International Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation
      Collaborative Group. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate freedom from ICD
      shock, heart transplantation, and death. Cox proportional hazards models were
      used to analyze variables associated with ICD shock recurrence and mortality
      after CSD. RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2016, 121 patients (age 55 +/- 13 years, 26%
      female, mean ejection fraction of 30 +/- 13%) underwent left or bilateral CSD.
      One-year freedom from sustained VT/ICD shock and ICD shock, transplant, and death
      were 58% and 50%, respectively. CSD reduced the burden of ICD shocks from a mean
      of 18 +/- 30 (median 10) in the year before study entry to 2.0 +/- 4.3 (median 0)
      at a median follow-up of 1.1 years (p < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, pre
      procedure New York Heart Association functional class III and IV heart failure
      and longer VT cycle lengths were associated with recurrent ICD shocks, whereas
      advanced New York Heart Association functional class, longer VT cycle lengths,
      and a left-sided-only procedure predicted the combined endpoint of sustained
      VT/ICD shock recurrence, death, and transplantation. Of the 120 patients taking
      antiarrhythmic medications before CSD, 39 (32%) no longer required them at follow
      up. CONCLUSIONS: CSD decreased sustained VT and ICD shock recurrence in patients
      with refractory VT. Characteristics independently associated with recurrence and
      mortality were advanced heart failure, VT cycle length, and a left-sided-only
      procedure.

PMID- 28641797
TI  - Sympathetic Denervation to Treat Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia: Do We Have
      the Nerve?

PMID- 28641799
TI  - The Continued Search for Physiological Pacing: Where Are We Now?
AB  - Cardiac pacing is an effective treatment for patients with bradycardia due to
      sinus node dysfunction or atrioventricular block. Despite decades of
      technological advances, the optimal ventricular pacing site to mimic normal human
      ventricular physiology and best hemodynamic response remains elusive. Beginning
      with atrial synchronous right ventricular (RV) apical pacing, the search has
      continued through alternate RV pacing sites, minimizing RV pacing, biventricular
      pacing, left ventricular (LV) pacing, and His-bundle pacing. Understanding the
      deleterious effects of long-term RV apical pacing in vulnerable populations has
      created tremendous interest in alternate pacing options. This paper reviews the
      current status of available pacing options, with particular focus on His-bundle
      pacing. Permanent His-bundle pacing has emerged as the leading candidate for
      physiological pacing because it provides nearly normal electrical activation of
      both ventricles and thereby avoids ventricular dyssynchrony. Synchronized LV
      pacing, multisite LV pacing, and LV endocardial pacing offer promise as novel
      pacing options in select patients.

PMID- 28641800
TI  - Effect of Changes in Visa Policies and Procedures on Fellows-in-Training and
      Early Career Cardiologists.

PMID- 28641801
TI  - Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation Without
      Defibrillation Testing.

PMID- 28641802
TI  - Impact of Changes in Consensus Diagnostic Recommendations on the
      Echocardiographic Prevalence of Diastolic Dysfunction.

PMID- 28641803
TI  - History Repeating?: The Logics of History.

PMID- 28641804
TI  - Reply: History Repeating? The Logics of History.

PMID- 28641805
TI  - The Feasibility of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement for Patients With
      Symptomatic Mitral Regurgitation.

PMID- 28641798
TI  - HIV-1-Associated Atherosclerosis: Unraveling the Missing Link.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-associated
      complications, is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in the post-antiretroviral therapy era. HIV
      alone accelerates atherosclerosis. Antiretroviral therapy; HIV-associated
      comorbidities, such as dyslipidemia, drug abuse, and opportunistic infections;
      and lifestyle are risk factors for HIV-associated atherosclerosis. However, our
      current understanding of HIV-associated atherogenesis is very limited and has
      largely been obtained from clinical observation. There is a pressing need to
      experimentally unravel the missing link between HIV and atherosclerosis.
      Understanding these mechanisms will help to better develop and design novel
      therapeutic interventions for the treatment of HIV-associated cardiovascular
      disease. HIV mainly infects T cells and macrophages resulting in the induction of
      oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, the formation of the inflammasome,
      and the dysregulation of autophagy. These mechanisms may contribute to HIV
      associated atherogenesis. In this review, we will summarize our current
      understanding and propose potential mechanisms of HIV-associated atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28641806
TI  - Reply: The Feasibility of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement for Patients
      With Symptomatic Mitral Regurgitation.

PMID- 28641807
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28641808
TI  - Effect of ZIKA virus on adult eyes.

PMID- 28641809
TI  - Re-emerging infectious diseases from the past: Hysteria or real risk?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Work on human remains and old biological samples is a potential
      source of contamination by conventional or atypical infectious agents. Similarly,
      current and future environmental changes are a source of resurgence of ancient
      epidemic diseases. To what extent are anthropologists sorcerer apprentices
      (especially those working on ancient samples, i.e. paleo-anthropologists)? Are
      ancient skeletons, palaeosols and museum objects with a biological component at
      risk for current populations? Unless there are unfounded fears and undue risk...
      What can be learned from the recent scientific literature and the common sense of
      the researchers? METHODS: We have attempted to compile data from the literature
      and from our personal experience in the fields of anthropology, clinical medicine
      and epidemiology, in order to grasp the reality of the risk to the human
      population. RESULTS: It appears that the risk is real, but extremely limited.
      Specific and simple protective measures must be taken in terms of overall and
      individual health, both in the field and in the laboratory. CONCLUSION: These
      data are important for the internist, due to the possibility of atypical
      infections, both in specialized workers and in populations at risk (environmental
      context).

PMID- 28641810
TI  - More than 3 hours and less than 3 years old. Safety of anesthetic procedures in
      children under 3 years of age, subject to surgeries of more than 3 hours.

PMID- 28641811
TI  - Tension pneumocephalus following suboccipital sitting craniotomy in the pediatric
      population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sitting craniotomy often results in entrapment of air in fluid-filled
      intracranial cavities. Gas under pressure exerts a deleterious effect on adjacent
      nervous tissue, resulting in clinical deterioration. AIM OF STUDY: To assess the
      incidence of tension pneumocephalus (TP) and to define risk factors associated
      therewith. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Analysis included 100 consecutive patients (57
      boys, 43 girls, mean age 9.7 y) undergoing suboccipital sitting craniotomy since
      2012 to 2014. RESULTS: In our material (n=100) TP was seen in 7 cases,
      asymptomatic pneumocephalus (AP) in 77 and no pneumocephalus (NP) in 16. Tumor
      types encountered were typical for pediatric population. In the TP group (n=7)
      the ratio of low-grade to high-grade tumors was 5:2, in the AP group (n=77) 2:1
      and in the NP group (n=16) 1:1. Preoperative hydrocephalus was present in 21
      cases (21%, mean incidence), thereof 3 in the TP group (3/7; 42.8%), 12 in AP
      group (12/77; 15.5%) and 6 in the NP group (6/16; 37.5%). All TP patients
      received an emergency external drainage, thereof 4 required a permanent
      ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (57.1%), while AP and NP patients combined (n=93)
      required a permanent shunt in 4 cases only (4.3%). TP-associated morbidity (n=2)
      consisted in a significant deterioration of neurological condition. CONCLUSIONS:
      TP is a relatively rare but potentially serious complication of suboccipital
      sitting craniotomy. Risk factors for TP are low-grade tumor and pre-existing long
      standing hydrocephalus. TP requires emergency decompression by temporary external
      drainage. TP patients significantly more often require a permanent CSF shunt.

PMID- 28641812
TI  - Continuum-based models and concepts for the transport of nanoparticles in
      saturated porous media: A state-of-the-science review.
AB  - Environmental applications of nanoparticles (NP) increasingly result in
      widespread NP distribution within porous media where they are subject to various
      concurrent transport mechanisms including irreversible deposition,
      attachment/detachment (equilibrium or kinetic), agglomeration, physical
      straining, site-blocking, ripening, and size exclusion. Fundamental research in
      NP transport is typically conducted at small scale, and theoretical mechanistic
      modeling of particle transport in porous media faces challenges when considering
      the simultaneous effects of transport mechanisms. Continuum modeling approaches,
      in contrast, are scalable across various scales ranging from column experiments
      to aquifer. They have also been able to successfully describe the simultaneous
      occurrence of various transport mechanisms of NP in porous media such as
      blocking/straining or agglomeration/deposition/detachment. However, the diversity
      of model equations developed by different authors and the lack of effective
      approaches for their validation present obstacles to the successful robust
      application of these models for describing or predicting NP transport phenomena.
      This review aims to describe consistently all the important NP transport
      mechanisms along with their representative mathematical continuum models as found
      in the current scientific literature. Detailed characterizations of each
      transport phenomenon in regards to their manifestation in the column experiment
      outcomes, i.e., breakthrough curve (BTC) and residual concentration profile
      (RCP), are presented to facilitate future interpretations of BTCs and RCPs. The
      review highlights two NP transport mechanisms, agglomeration and size exclusion,
      which are potentially of great importance in controlling the fate and transport
      of NP in the subsurface media yet have been widely neglected in many existing
      modeling studies. A critical limitation of the continuum modeling approach is the
      number of parameters used upon application to larger scales and when a series of
      transport mechanisms are involved. We investigate the use of simplifying
      assumptions, such as the equilibrium assumption, in modeling the
      attachment/detachment mechanisms within a continuum modelling framework. While
      acknowledging criticisms about the use of this assumption for NP deposition on a
      mechanistic (process) basis, we found that its use as a description of dynamic
      deposition behavior in a continuum model yields broadly similar results to those
      arising from a kinetic model. Furthermore, we show that in two dimensional (2-D)
      continuum models the modeling efficiency based on the Akaike information
      criterion (AIC) is enhanced for equilibrium vs kinetic with no significant
      reduction in model performance. This is because fewer parameters are needed for
      the equilibrium model compared to the kinetic model. Two major transport regimes
      are identified in the transport of NP within porous media. The first regime is
      characterized by higher particle-surface attachment affinity than particle
      particle attachment affinity, and operative transport mechanisms of
      physicochemical filtration, blocking, and physical retention. The second regime
      is characterized by the domination of particle-particle attachment tendency over
      particle-surface affinity. In this regime although physicochemical filtration as
      well as straining may still be operative, ripening is predominant together with
      agglomeration and further subsequent retention. In both regimes careful
      assessment of NP fate and transport is necessary since certain combinations of
      concurrent transport phenomena leading to large migration distances are possible
      in either case.

PMID- 28641813
TI  - Sensors and bioassays powered by upconverting materials.
AB  - In recent years, considerable efforts have been done to better understand the
      peculiar emission properties of upconverting materials due to their widespread
      applications in different and important technological fields such as upconversion
      based photoactivated cancer therapies, photoactivated drug-delivery, magnetic
      resonance imaging contrast agents, bioimaging. However, one of the most promising
      applications of upconverting materials concerns the field of sensing, due to
      their unique emission properties. In fact, the minimal autofluorescence,
      blinking, photo-bleaching, and high photostability makes them an excellent
      alternative to organic dyes or quantum dots. This article reviews the state-of
      the-art, design, and sensing strategies of upconversion-based sensing platforms,
      with special attention to upconverting nanoparticles, as well as how the
      incorporation of these materials into pre-existing diagnostic tests and bioassays
      have improved their capabilities for the detection of different kinds of
      analytes.

PMID- 28641814
TI  - An interferometric technique to study capillary waves.
AB  - We describe a new interferometric technique to study gas-liquid and liquid-liquid
      interfaces. Bubbles and drops are subjected to an alternating electric field
      which excites capillary oscillations at the interface, if charged. Bubble or drop
      deformation is detected by the change of the internal optical path of a laser
      beam crossing perpendicular to the oscillation axis. Due to the closed geometry,
      a discrete spectrum of stationary oscillation frequencies (normal modes) is
      excited. The interferometric nature of the measurement and the resonant nature of
      the oscillation modes concur in allowing for high sensitivity, in the sub
      nanometric region. We present a detailed description of the experimental setup
      and examples of applications of the technique to the study of both gas-liquid and
      liquid-liquid interfaces, either naked or with adsorbed surfactant monolayers,
      for bubbles and drops with diameter~1mm. In particular, the resonance frequencies
      and the width of the resonance peaks depend on the surface tension and the
      viscous dampening, respectively. We show that, by this new technique, properties
      of the interface can be accessed with confidence at the sub-nanometer scale, and
      surface phenomena, like the monolayer phase transition or the peculiarities of
      adsorption/desorption processes, can be unraveled in concentration regimes which
      are too low for existing methods.

PMID- 28641815
TI  - Impulsive stabilization of fractional differential systems.
AB  - This paper investigates the impulsive stabilization problem of fractional
      differential systems (FDSs in short). Both the global exponential stability and
      ultimate boundedness criteria are established using Lyapunov functions, algebraic
      inequality techniques and boundedness of Mittag-Leffler functions. It is shown
      that unstable and unbounded FDSs can be stable and bounded respectively under
      impulsive control. Examples and simulations are also provided to demonstrate the
      effectiveness of the derived theoretical results.

PMID- 28641817
TI  - [Preventing violence in schizophrenia with cognitive remediation].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The association between schizophrenia and violence represents an
      important issue in psychiatry. Often highly publicized, violent acts raise the
      question of their detection, prevention, management and treatment. There is no
      single, direct and exclusive link between aggressiveness and the underlying
      psychiatric disorder. On the contrary, the processes underlying this violence are
      multiple and interlinked. In addition to static and dynamic risk factors,
      cognitive deficits play an important role in the genesis and maintenance of
      violent and aggressive behavior. METHODS: Using recent data from the
      international literature and the main databases, we first clarify the role played
      by cognitive deficits in the violence of patients with schizophrenia. We then
      evaluate the place of psychosocial interventions such as cognitive remediation
      and social cognitive training in managing the violent and aggressive behavior of
      these patients. RESULTS: Executive functions and working memory are the most
      studied neurocognitive functions in the field of violence in schizophrenia.
      Impulsivity, lack of cognitive flexibility, lack of adaptation and inhibition of
      automatic motor responses, and altered anger regulation may explain this
      relationship. Three main components of social cognition are associated with
      violent behaviors in schizophrenia: (1) the recognition of facial emotions
      through the inoperability of systems of "emotional monitoring", violent
      inhibition and recognition of informative facial zones; (2) the theory of the
      mind through the erroneous interpretation of the intentions of others; (3) the
      attributional style through the preferentially aggressive over interpretation of
      social situations and weak capacities of introspection. Overall, cognitive biases
      inhibit response in a socially acceptable manner and increase the risk of
      responding impulsively and aggressively to a stressful or provocative situation.
      In this context, we studied the place held by psychosocial interventions in the
      management of the violent and aggressive behaviors of these patients. Various
      cognitive remediation programs have shown their feasibility in people with
      schizophrenia and neurocognitive deficits with a history of violence as well as
      their effectiveness in reducing violence, mainly by reducing impulsivity.
      Similarly, specific programs dedicated to social cognitive training such as
      Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT), Reasoning and Rehabilitation
      Mental Health Program (R&R2 MHP) and Metacognitive Training (MCT) have shown
      their positive impact on the control and reduction of global aggressive attitudes
      and on the numbers of physical and verbal aggressive incidents in schizophrenia.
      The improvement of social cognition would be achieved through the amendment of
      interpersonal relationships and social functioning. These interventions are
      effective at different stages of disease progression, in patients with varied
      profiles, on violent attitudes in general and on the number of verbal and
      physical attacks, whether for in-patients or out-patients. Beneficial effects can
      last up to 12months after termination of the study program. The interest of these
      interventions is preventive if the subject never entered in a violent register or
      curative in case of a personal history of violence. This type of care can be
      considered from a symptomatic point of view by limiting downstream the heavy
      consequences of such acts, but also etiologically by acting on one of the causes
      of violent behavior. Compliance with the eligibility criteria, carrying out a
      prior functional analysis and confirmation of the major impulsive part of the
      patient's violence are prerequisites for the use of these programs. Similarly,
      the early introduction of such therapies, their repetition over time and the
      integration of the patient into a comprehensive process of psychosocial
      rehabilitation will ensure the best chance of success. CONCLUSIONS: Some
      cognitive impairments appear to have their place in the genesis, progression and
      maintenance of violent acts of individuals with schizophrenia. Their management
      thus opens new therapeutic perspectives such as cognitive remediation, still
      rarely used in this aim, to complement the action of the traditional care tools.
      However, further therapeutic trials are needed before considering cognitive
      remediation and social cognitive training as central care modalities in the
      therapeutic control of violence in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28641816
TI  - [Association between the violence in the community and the aggressive behaviors
      of psychotics during their hospitalizations].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Violence is a common issue in psychiatry and has multiple
      determiners. The aim of this study is to assess the psychotic inpatients'
      violence in association with the violence of the neighborhood from which the
      patients are drawn and to estimate the impact of this environmental factor with
      regard to other factors. METHOD: A prospective multicenter study was led in nine
      French cities. Eligible patients were psychotic involuntary patients hospitalized
      in the cities' psychiatric wards. During their treatments, any kind of aggressive
      behavior by the patients has been reported by the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS).
      RESULTS: From June 2010 to May 2011, 95 patients have been included. Seventy-nine
      per cent of the patients were violent during their hospitalizations. In a
      bivariate analysis, inpatient violence was significantly associated with
      different factors: male gender, patient violence history, substance abuse, manic
      or mixed disorder, the symptoms severity measured by the BPRS, the insight degree
      and the city crime rate. In a multivariate analysis, the only significant factors
      associated with the patients' violence were substance abuse, the symptoms
      severity and the crime rates from the different patients' cities. CONCLUSION:
      These results suggest that violence within the psychotic patients' neighborhood
      could represent a risk of violence during their treatments.

PMID- 28641818
TI  - The role of Kruppel-like factor 14 in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
AB  - The Kruppel-like factor (KLF) family, as the SP/XKLF transcription factors, plays
      important roles in regulating the expression of genes required for the proper
      execution of important biological and pathological processes. Recent studies have
      demonstrated that KLF14, a member of the KLF family, participates in the
      initiation and progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). From
      the molecular function aspect, this review focuses on the impact of KLF14
      mediated regulation in major atherosclerosis-related diseases and pathological
      processes, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia,
      inflammation, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cell proliferation and
      differentiation. This review was designed to help understand the roles of KLF14
      in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and define KLF14 as a potential disease
      biomarker and a novel therapeutic target in CVD.

PMID- 28641820
TI  - Using Twitter to Amplify Your Presence During Radiology Meetings.

PMID- 28641819
TI  - Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging of carotid vasa vasorum in relation to
      coronary and cerebrovascular events.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DCE-MRI) provides a
      noninvasive approach to the functional status of carotid adventitial vasa
      vasorum. Contrast extravasation rate, or Ktrans, derived from kinetic modeling of
      adventitial enhancement, has been correlated with plaque neovascularization and
      inflammation. This study sought to clarify the clinical implications of Ktrans by
      evaluating its relationship with documented cardiovascular events (CVE). METHODS:
      Seventy patients with carotid plaque at clinical ultrasound examination were
      recruited and imaged with a previously-described bright-blood DCE-MRI protocol
      (spatial resolution: 0.55 * 0.58 mm2; time resolution: 18 s). Patients were
      classified by the presence of documented coronary and/or cerebrovascular events.
      Adventitial Ktrans was estimated via kinetic modeling of outer wall enhancement
      as captured by DCE-MRI. RESULTS: After excluding six patients with insufficient
      image quality, 64 patients (66 +/- 12 years, 51 male) had DCE-MRI measurements.
      Patients with documented CVE showed significantly higher adventitial Ktrans than
      those without (0.056 +/- 0.024 versus 0.034 +/- 0.008 min-1, p < 0.001), whereas
      comparable measurements were seen among the subgroups with CVE (p > 0.05): 0.054
      +/- 0.027 min-1 in patients with coronary events alone, 0.056 +/- 0.018 min-1 in
      patients with cerebrovascular events alone, and 0.069 +/- 0.022 min-1 in patients
      with both. Carotid adventitial Ktrans was negatively correlated with time since
      clinical event (Spearman's rho = -0.40, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with
      documented CVE demonstrated increased rate of contrast extravasation from carotid
      adventitial vasa vasorum on DCE-MRI irrespective of the territory of events.
      Systemic factors implicated in the pathophysiology of acute atherothrombotic
      events may influence the functional status of adventitial vasa vasorum.

PMID- 28641821
TI  - Insurance coverage among women diagnosed with a gynecologic malignancy before and
      after implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) included
      provisions to expand insurance coverage by expanding Medicaid eligibility,
      providing subsidies of private coverage and enforcing an individual mandate. The
      objective of this study is to examine the impact of the ACA on insurance rates
      among women diagnosed with a gynecologic malignancy. METHODS: Using Surveillance,
      Epidemiology, and End Results 18 registries database, women newly diagnosed with
      cervical, uterine or ovarian cancer between 2008 and 2014 were identified.
      Insurance rates were examined before and after the passage of the ACA (2011) as
      well as before (January 2011-December 2013) versus after (January 2014-December
      2014) Medicaid expansion to examine the impact of specific provisions. Rates of
      insurance were then compared between states that elected for expansion of
      Medicaid in 2014 vs. those states that had not. RESULTS: Among 181,866 diagnosed
      with cervical, uterine or ovarian cancer, there was a significant increase in
      patients enrolled in Medicaid after 2011. Between 2011 and 2014, there was a
      significant decrease in the rates of uninsured for all cancer types (p=0.001).
      Uninsured rates decreased by 50% for those diagnosed with uterine and ovarian
      cancer (6% to 3% and 8% to 4% respectively, p<=0.001), and by 25% in cervical
      cancer (8.9% to 6.7%, p=0.001) after January 2014. Decreases in the rate of the
      uninsured and associated increases in insurance coverage were only observed in
      states which expanded Medicaid coverage (p<=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Affordable
      Care Act resulted in expanded insurance coverage for women diagnosed with a
      gynecologic cancer, however, the impact was significantly increased in states
      which increased their Medicaid eligibility in 2014.

PMID- 28641823
TI  - Comments regarding: Cooper LF, Stanford C, Feine J, McGuire M. Prospective
      assessment of CAD-CAM zirconia abutment and lithium disilicate crown
      restorations: 2.4 year results. J Prosthet Dent 2016;116:33-9.

PMID- 28641822
TI  - Interim rehabilitation of occlusal vertical dimension using a double-crown
      retained removable dental prosthesis with polyetheretherketone framework.
AB  - Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a polymeric material that has recently been
      introduced in dentistry and can be used as framework material for fixed and
      removable dental prostheses. This clinical report describes the fabrication of a
      double-crown-retained prosthesis with a PEEK framework in a patient with a
      substantially diminished occlusal vertical dimension. The insertion of the
      removable dental prosthesis with a PEEK framework resulted in the functional and
      esthetic rehabilitation of the patient; however, removable dental prostheses
      fabricated from PEEK should currently be regarded as interim restorations because
      of the limited available scientific evidence.

PMID- 28641824
TI  - A Newly Discovered Manuscript of Charles T. Jackson, MD: "History of the
      Patenting of the Application of Sulphuric Ether for the Production of
      Insensibility".
AB  - In 2016, the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, Schaumburg, IL, acquired an
      unpublished 11-page manuscript written by Charles Thomas Jackson, MD, (1805
      1880). The undated manuscript, now fully transcribed, provides Jackson's
      perspective of the first 6 weeks of the ether discovery, from early October 1846
      to mid-November 1846. It chronicles Jackson's observations and discussions
      pertaining to United States Patent No. 4848, granted to him and William Thomas
      Green Morton, MD, (1819-1868). Jackson's manuscript did not yield new information
      on the discovery of surgical etherization or the subsequent dispute between him
      and Morton. The manuscript may, nevertheless, be one of the earliest documents on
      etherization known to have been written by Jackson.

PMID- 28641825
TI  - 'Yours Sincerely, Barney': Ralph Waters, Barindra Sircar, and the Training of an
      International Anesthesiologist.
AB  - In 1936, Ralph Milton Waters accepted a proposal to train an Indian physician who
      could return home and become the first native anesthesiologist in the
      subcontinent. Waters founded the United States' first anesthesiology residency in
      1927 and in 1937 welcomed Barindra Sircar, MBBS, to the University of Wisconsin
      in Madison. Sircar trained with Waters for two years and did further training
      with Robert Macintosh and Ivan Magill. He became one of the first specialty
      trained anesthesiologists in India and founded the Indian Society of
      Anaesthesiologists. Fifty-six letters between Sircar and Waters are preserved in
      the University of Wisconsin archives. The men corresponded until at least 1949,
      when Waters retired and the archive ends. Sircar's letters were always signed
      with the nickname he received as a resident: "Yours Sincerely, Barney."

PMID- 28641826
TI  - The Chemical History of Morphine: An 8000-year Journey, from Resin to de-novo
      Synthesis.
AB  - Evidence of human use of opium dates back as far as the sixth millennium BCE.
      Ancient societies through the Renaissance period created a variety of opium
      products, proliferating its common use and subsequent addiction. Because the
      active moiety was not known at this time, the potency of these opium concoctions
      could neither be predicted nor controlled. The first step in identifying opium's
      active ingredient, morphine, was its chemical isolation in the early 1800s by
      Wilhelm Serturner. The subsequent elucidation of morphine's chemical formula and
      Sir Robert Robinson's derivation of morphine's structural formula, which won him
      the 1947 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, round out 150 years of the incremental
      advances in our chemical understanding of morphine. Nevertheless, our attempts to
      synthesize morphine, despite our advanced knowledge in synthetic chemistry, are
      still no match for the plant-based extraction of morphine from the poppy plant.
      The status quo remains problematic socially, economically, and politically; the
      relationships between the countries laboriously growing poppy plants to extract
      morphine and those countries importing these painkillers are unstable at best. In
      this study, we contrast the cumulative scientific discoveries that have led to
      our current chemical knowledge of morphine with the centuries-old natural method
      of morphine production that still dominates the opioid market today.

PMID- 28641827
TI  - Isoflurane and the Coronary Steal Controversy of the 1980s: Origin, Resolution,
      and Legacy.
AB  - Isoflurane was introduced for general clinical use in North America in 1981.
      Shortly thereafter, in 1983, a study suggested that the anesthetic was a potent
      coronary vasodilator that could cause coronary steal and myocardial ischemia in
      patients with coronary artery disease. Myocardial ischemia results from small
      vessel dilation which leads to increased blood flow to well-perfused myocardium
      and decreased blood flow to myocardium with borderline perfusion. This action of
      isoflurane raised concerns and threatened its use. By the early 1990s, these
      concerns were resolved by carefully performed clinical and experimental studies
      demonstrating no evidence of adverse cardiac changes during isoflurane
      administration as long as hemodynamic variables were tightly controlled. Indeed,
      the controversy sparked by the 1983 study led to a chain of experimental studies
      that ultimately demonstrated ironically that isoflurane has a preconditioning,
      cardioprotective effect. This chapter in anesthesia history underscores the
      importance of allowing the passage of time before assessing the clinical and
      scientific impact of a research finding.

PMID- 28641828
TI  - From Picking to Massaging: Analgesia From Mexican Mustang Liniment.

PMID- 28641829
TI  - "Dr. Townsend's Oxygenated Air" and "Oxygen" as a Cure for Chronic Disease.

PMID- 28641830
TI  - Morphine Zwitterion.

PMID- 28641831
TI  - Two components of the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria for malnutrition are
      independent predictors of lung function in hospitalized patients with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Low fat free mass index (FFMI) is a component of the ESPEN
      diagnosis criteria of malnutrition, that only when accompanied with weight loss
      is considered to be a determinant of malnutrition. Our aims were to assess the
      prevalence of malnutrition in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) applying the ESPEN criteria, and to examine the ability of different
      components of the criteria to predict COPD severity, length of stay (LOS),
      hospital readmissions within 30 days and mortality. METHODS: Subjects were COPD
      patients (n = 121) admitted to Landspitali University Hospital from March 2015 to
      March 2016. Patients were screened for nutritional risk using Icelandic screening
      tool (ISS) and NRS-2002. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance
      analysis (BIA). Lung function was measured by spirometry. RESULTS: The prevalence
      of malnutrition according to the ESPEN criteria was 21%. The association between
      nutritional assessment, applying different components of the ESPEN criteria, and
      COPD severity was highly significant, with the highest risk being associated with
      low FFMI OR (95% CI) 4.77 (2.03, 11.20; p < 0.001). There was a trend towards
      higher risk of hospitalization for >7 days in subjects with low FFMI (OR 2.46 95%
      CI 0.92, 6.59; p = 0.074) and increased risk of 6 and 9 months' mortality (OR
      2.72 95% CI 0.88, 8.39, P = 0.082 and OR 2.72 95% CI 0.94, 7.87, P = 0.065,
      respectively) in subjects diagnosed as malnourished by the ESPEN criteria.
      CONCLUSION: This study describes the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized
      COPD patients using the ESPEN criteria from 2015. Our findings suggest that FFMI
      could be used independently of weight loss for the diagnosis of malnutrition in
      COPD patients, although there remain some problems associated with its
      measurement in the clinical setting.

PMID- 28641832
TI  - Ionic liquid based vortex assisted liquid-liquid microextraction combined with
      liquid chromatography mass spectrometry for the determination of bisphenols in
      thermal papers with the aid of response surface methodology.
AB  - A sensitive, rapid and efficient ionic liquid-based vortex assisted liquid-liquid
      microextraction (IL-VALLME) with Liquid Chromatography Mass spectrometry (LC
      MS/MS) method is proposed for the determination of bisphenols in thermal paper.
      Extraction factors were systematically optimized by response surface methodology.
      Experimental factors showing significant effects on the analytical responses were
      evaluated using design of experiment. The limit of detection for Bisphenol-A
      (BPA) and Bisphenol-S (BPS) in thermal paper were 1.25 and 0.93MUgkg-1
      respectively. The dynamic linearity range for BPA was between 4 and 100MUgkg-1
      and the determination of coefficient (R2) was 0.996. The values of the same
      parameters were 3-100MUgkg-1 and 0.998 for BPS. The extraction recoveries of BPA
      and BPS in thermal paper were 101% and 99%. Percent relative standard deviation
      (% RSD) for matrix effect and matrix match effects were not more than 10%, for
      both bisphenols. The proposed method uses a statistical approach for the analysis
      of bisphenols in environmental samples, and is easy, rapid, requires minimum
      organic solvents and efficient.

PMID- 28641833
TI  - Glyoxal and methylglyoxal as urinary markers of diabetes. Determination using a
      dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure combined with gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry.
AB  - Glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are alpha-oxoaldehydes that can be used as
      urinary diabetes markers. In this study, their levels were measured using a
      sample preparation procedure based on salting-out assisted liquid-liquid
      extraction (SALLE) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined
      with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effect of the
      derivatization reaction with 2,3-diaminonaphthalene, the addition of acetonitrile
      and sodium chloride to urine, and the DLLME step using the acetonitrile extract
      as dispersant solvent and carbon tetrachloride as extractant solvent were
      carefully optimized. Quantification was performed by the internal standard
      method, using 5-bromo-2-chloroanisole. The intraday and interday precisions were
      lower than 6%. Limits of detection were 0.12 and 0.06ngmL-1, and enrichment
      factors 140 and 130 for GO and MGO, respectively. The concentrations of these
      alpha-oxoaldehydes in urine were between 0.9 and 35.8ngg-1 levels (creatinine
      adjusted). A statistical comparison of the analyte contents of urine samples from
      non-diabetic and diabetic patients pointed to significant differences (P=0.046,
      24 subjects investigated), particularly regarding MGO, which was higher in
      diabetic patients. The novelty of this study compared with previous procedures
      lies in the treatment of the urine sample by SALLE based on the addition of
      acetonitrile and sodium chloride to the urine. The DLLME procedure is performed
      with a sedimented drop of the extractant solvent, without a surfactant reagent,
      and using acetonitrile as dispersant solvent. Separation of the analytes was
      performed using GC-MS detection, being the analytes unequivocal identified. The
      proposed procedure is the first microextraction method applied to the analysis of
      urine samples from diabetic and non-diabetic patients that allows a clear
      differentiation between both groups using a simple analysis.

PMID- 28641834
TI  - Establishment and molecular modeling study of maltodextrin-based synergistic
      enantioseparation systems with two new hydroxy acid chiral ionic liquids as
      additives in capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - Discovering more superior performance of ionic liquids for the separation science
      has triggered increasing interest. In this work, two new Hydroxy acid-based
      chiral ionic liquids (CILs) (tertramethylammonium-d-pantothenate (TMA-d-PAN),
      tertramethylammonium-d-quinate (TMA-d-QUI)) were designed and first used as
      additives to establish the maltodextrin-based synergistic systems for
      enantioseparation in capillary electrophoresis (CE). Compared to traditional
      single maltodextrin chiral separation system, significantly improved separations
      of all tested drugs in the CIL/Maltodextrin synergistic systems were obtained.
      Some parameters (CIL concentration, maltodextrin concentration, buffer pH, and
      applied voltage) in the TMA-d-PAN/Maltodextrin synergistic system have been
      examined and optimized for analytes. The molecular docking software AutoDock was
      applied to simulate the recognition process and surmise feasible resolution
      mechanism in the Maltodextrin/CILs synergistic systems, which has certain guiding
      value.

PMID- 28641835
TI  - Rapid purification of diastereoisomers from Piper kadsura using supercritical
      fluid chromatography with chiral stationary phases.
AB  - Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with chiral stationary phases (CSPs) is
      an advanced solution for the separation of achiral compounds in Piper kadsura.
      Analogues and stereoisomers are abundant in natural products, but there are
      obstacles in separation using conventional method. In this paper, four lignan
      diastereoisomers, (-)-Galbelgin, (-)-Ganschisandrin, Galgravin and (-)
      Veraguensin, from Piper kadsura were separated and purified by chiral SFC.
      Purification strategy was designed, considering of the compound enrichment,
      sample purity and purification throughput. Two-step achiral purification method
      on chiral preparative columns with stacked automated injections was developed.
      Unconventional mobile phase modifier dichloromethane (DCM) was applied to improve
      the sample solubility. Four diastereoisomers was prepared at the respective
      weight of 103.1mg, 10.0mg, 152.3mg and 178.6mg from 710mg extract with the purity
      of greater than 98%.

PMID- 28641836
TI  - Late outcomes of pulmonary embolism: The post-PE syndrome.
AB  - The post-Pulmonary Embolism (post-PE) syndrome is being increasingly recognized
      as a long-term consequence of PE. Its most severe manifestation, chronic
      thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), affects a small proportion of PE
      survivors. However, many more with less severe post-PE syndrome have reduced
      quality of life and functional capacity. The pathophysiology is incompletely
      understood, but involves unresolved pulmonary artery thrombi, right ventricular
      damage, and abnormal gas exchange. Treatment has only been established for CTEPH,
      and further studies are required to determine how less severe forms of the post
      PE syndrome should be treated and if preventive strategies can reduce its
      incidence.

PMID- 28641837
TI  - Corrigendum to "Metaphyseal locking plate as an external fixator for open tibial
      fracture: Clinical outcomes and biomechanical assessment" [Injury 48/2 (2017) 501
      505].

PMID- 28641839
TI  - The Prematurely Stopped Clinical Trial: An Unfinished Symphony.

PMID- 28641841
TI  - DAPT Duration After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation: No News Is Good News.

PMID- 28641840
TI  - 6- Versus 24-Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Implantation of Drug-Eluting
      Stents in Patients Nonresistant to Aspirin: Final Results of the ITALIC Trial (Is
      There a Life for DES After Discontinuation of Clopidogrel).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that 6-month dual
      antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is noninferior to 24-month DAPT in aspirin-sensitive
      patients. BACKGROUND: The ITALIC (Is There a Life for DES After Discontinuation
      of Clopidogrel) trial showed that rates of bleeding and thrombotic events at 1
      year were much the same with 6 versus 12 months of DAPT after percutaneous
      coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stents. In this report,
      2-year follow-up is presented. METHODS: In a multicenter randomized study,
      patients with confirmed nonresistance to aspirin undergoing drug-eluting stent
      implantation were allocated to 6 or 24 months of DAPT. The primary endpoint was a
      composite of death, myocardial infarction, urgent target vessel
      revascularization, stroke, and major bleeding at 12 months post-percutaneous
      coronary intervention. The secondary endpoints comprised the same composite
      endpoint at 24 months and each individual component. RESULTS: Overall, 2,031
      patients from 70 centers were screened; 926 were randomized to 6-month and 924 to
      24-month DAPT. Noninferiority was demonstrated for 6- versus 12-month DAPT, with
      an absolute risk difference of 0.11% (95% confidence interval: -1.04% to 1.26%; p
      = 0.0002). At 2 years, the composite endpoint was unchanged, at 3.5% for 6 months
      and 3.7% for 24 months (p = 0.79), and rates of myocardial infarction (1.3% vs.
      1.0%; p = 0.51), stroke (0.6% vs. 0.8%; p = 0.77), and target vessel
      revascularization (1.0% vs. 0.3%; p = 0.09) were likewise similar. There was a
      trend toward higher mortality with longer DAPT (2.2% vs. 1.2%; p = 0.11). Four
      patients (0.4%) in the 24-month group and none in the 6-month group had major
      bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Two-year outcomes in the ITALIC trial confirmed the 1-year
      results and showed that patients receiving 6-month DAPT after percutaneous
      coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stent have similar
      outcomes to those receiving 24-month DAPT.

PMID- 28641843
TI  - Bioresorbable Scaffold: Balancing Risks to Promissory Benefits?

PMID- 28641842
TI  - Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Patients Treated With Everolimus-Eluting
      Bioresorbable Stents in Routine Practice: 2-Year Results of the ISAR-ABSORB
      Registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to report clinical outcomes in patients
      treated in routine practice 2 years after everolimus-eluting bioresorbable stent
      (BRS) implantation. BACKGROUND: Long-term results in patients undergoing BRS
      implantation in routine clinical practice are sparse, and existing evidence from
      randomized trials considers mostly selected patients. METHODS: The ISAR-ABSORB
      registry enrolled consecutive patients undergoing BRS implantation in routine
      clinical practice at 2 high-volume centers in Germany. Angiographic follow-up was
      scheduled after 6 to 8 months and clinical follow-up to 24 months. The primary
      endpoint was the composite of death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion
      revascularization, and secondary endpoints included individual components of the
      primary endpoint and definite stent thrombosis. Event rates were calculated using
      the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 419 patients were included. The mean
      age was 66.6 +/- 10.9 years, 31.5% had diabetes, and 39.0% presented with acute
      coronary syndrome. Forty-nine percent of lesions were considered complex
      (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association type B2 or C), and
      13.1% were bifurcation lesions. The mean reference vessel diameter was 2.89 +/-
      0.46 mm. At 2 years, the primary endpoint had occurred in 21.6% of patients:
      death in 6.3%, myocardial infarction in 3.9%, target lesion revascularization in
      16.0%, and definite stent thrombosis in 3.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term follow-up of
      patients treated with BRS in routine practice showed higher event rates than
      expected. Future studies are required to determine the impact of changes in
      implantation technique and to define the optimal duration of dual antiplatelet
      therapy in these patients.

PMID- 28641845
TI  - New Insights Into an Old Problem.

PMID- 28641844
TI  - The In Vivo Morphology of Post-Infarct Ventricular Septal Defect and the
      Implications for Closure.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to define the dynamic in vivo morphology of
      post-infarct ventricular septal defect (PIVSD), which has not been previously
      described in living patients. BACKGROUND: PIVSD is a devastating complication of
      acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: The anatomic features of PIVSD, as
      demonstrated by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, were
      retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Thirty-two PIVSDs were assessed, 16 left
      coronary artery and 16 right coronary artery PIVSDs. PIVSDs were large (mean
      maximum dimension 26.5 +/- 11.5 mm, mean area 5.2 +/- 4.2 cm2) and oval (mean
      eccentricity index 1.7 +/- 0.5), with thin margins (diastolic mean thickness 5 mm
      from the edge of the PIVSD 6.4 +/- 3.0mm), and only 22% of PIVSDs were entirely
      confined to the septum. The defects could be larger in diastole or systole. The
      stem of the largest available Amplatzer occluder stem (St. Jude Medical, St.
      Paul, Minnesota) filled only 50% of defects. Patients with small defects may
      survive without closure. Without closure, those with large defects die. If
      accepted for closure, PIVSD size and coronary territory did not predict survival
      >1 year (overall 60%). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first detailed anatomic
      description of PIVSD in living patients. Defects may be larger in systole or
      diastole, meaning that single-phase measurement is unsuitable. Its complex nature
      means that the most commonly available occluder device is frequently unsuitable.
      Successful closure leads to prolonged survival and should be attempted where
      possible. This study may lead to improved patient selection, closure techniques,
      and device design.

PMID- 28641838
TI  - Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for 6 Versus 18 Months After Biodegradable Polymer Drug
      Eluting Stent Implantation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The NIPPON (Nobori Dual Antiplatelet Therapy as Appropriate Duration)
      study was a multicenter randomized investigation of the noninferiority of short
      term versus long-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with
      implantation of the Nobori drug-eluting stent (DES) (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan), which
      has a biodegradable abluminal coating. BACKGROUND: The optimum duration of DAPT
      for patients with a biodegradable polymer-coated DES is unclear. METHODS: The
      subjects were 3,773 patients with stable or acute coronary syndromes undergoing
      Nobori stent implantation. They were randomized 1:1 to receive DAPT for 6 or 18
      months. The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical and cerebrovascular events
      (NACCE) (all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and major bleeding)
      from 6 to 18 months after stenting. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed in
      3,307 patients who were followed for at least 6 months. RESULTS: NACCE occurred
      in 34 patients (2.1%) receiving short-term DAPT and 24 patients (1.5%) receiving
      long-term DAPT (difference 0.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5 to 0.3).
      Because the lower limit of the 95% CI was inside the specified margin of -2%,
      noninferiority of short-term DAPT was confirmed. Mortality was 1.0% with short
      term DAPT versus 0.4% with long-term DAPT, whereas myocardial infarction was 0.2%
      versus 0.1%, and major bleeding was 0.7% versus 0.7%, respectively. The estimated
      probability of NACCE was lower in the long-term DAPT group (hazard ratio: 1.44,
      95% CI: 0.86 to 2.43). CONCLUSIONS: Six months of DAPT was not inferior to 18
      months of DAPT following implantation of a DES with a biodegradable abluminal
      coating. However, this result needs to be interpreted with caution given the open
      label design and wide noninferiority margin of the present study. (Nobori Dual
      Antiplatelet Therapy as Appropriate Duration [NIPPON]; NCT01514227).

PMID- 28641847
TI  - LOTUS Valve: Increasing the Pace of Device Iterations.

PMID- 28641846
TI  - Conduction Abnormalities and Permanent Pacemaker Implantation After Transcatheter
      Aortic Valve Replacement Using the Repositionable LOTUS Device: The United
      Kingdom Experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The authors report the incidence of pacemaker implantation up to
      hospital discharge and the factors influencing pacing rate following implantation
      of the LOTUS bioprosthesis (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) in the
      United Kingdom. BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is
      associated with a significant need for permanent pacemaker implantation. Pacing
      rates vary according to the device used. The REPRISE II (Repositionable
      Percutaneous Replacement of Stenotic Aortic Valve Through Implantation of Lotus
      Valve System) trial reported a pacing rate of 29% at 30 days after implantation
      of the LOTUS device. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively on 228 patients
      who had the LOTUS device implanted between March 2013 and February 2015 across 10
      centers in the United Kingdom. Twenty-seven patients (12%) had pacemakers
      implanted pre-procedure and were excluded from the analysis. RESULTS: Patients
      were aged 81.2 +/- 7.7 years; 50.7% were male. The mean pre-procedural QRS
      duration was 101.7 +/- 20.4 ms. More than one-half of the cohort (n = 111, 55%)
      developed new left bundle branch block (LBBB) following the procedure. Permanent
      pacemakers were implanted in 64 patients (32%) with a median time to insertion of
      3.0 +/- 3.4 days. Chief indications for pacing were atrioventricular (AV) block
      (n = 46, 72%), or LBBB with 1st degree AV block (n = 11, 17%). Amongst those who
      received a pacemaker following TAVR the pre-procedural electrocardiogram findings
      included: No conduction disturbance (n = 41, 64%); 1st degree AV block (n = 10,
      16%); right bundle branch block (n = 6, 9%) and LBBB (n = 5, 8%). LBBB (but not
      permanent pacemaker) occurred more frequently in patients who had balloon aortic
      valvuloplasty before TAVR (odds ratio [OR]: 1.25; p = 0.03). Pre-procedural
      conduction abnormality (composite of 1st degree AV block, hemiblock, right bundle
      branch block, LBBB) was independently associated with the need for permanent
      pacemaker (OR: 2.54; p = 0.048). The absence of aortic valve calcification was
      also associated with a higher pacing rate (OR: 0.55; p = 0.031). Multivariate
      regression analysis did not show an independent association between depth of
      implant, valve oversizing, balloon post-dilatation, and the need for pacing post
      procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Following implantation of the repositionable LOTUS valve,
      55% of patients developed LBBB and 32% of patients required a pacemaker during
      their index hospital admission. Patients with pre-procedural conduction
      disturbance and non-calcified aortic valves were more likely to need pacing. No
      other anatomic features were identified with increased pacing requirement with
      the LOTUS device.

PMID- 28641849
TI  - Embolic Protection Devices in the Spotlight.

PMID- 28641848
TI  - The Use of Embolic Protection Devices Is Associated With a Lower Stroke and Death
      Rate After Carotid Stenting.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the association between
      intraprocedural and periprocedural variables and in-hospital stroke or death rate
      after carotid artery stenting. BACKGROUND: In Germany, all open surgical and
      endovascular procedures on the extracranial carotid artery must be documented in
      a statutory nationwide quality assurance database. METHODS: A total of 13,086
      carotid artery stenting procedures for asymptomatic (63.9%) or symptomatic
      carotid stenosis (mean age 69.7 years, 69.7% men) between 2009 and 2014 were
      recorded. The following variables were analyzed: stent design, stent material,
      neurophysiological monitoring, periprocedural antiplatelet medication, and use of
      an embolic protection device. The primary outcome was in-hospital stroke or
      death. Major stroke or death, any stroke, and death, all until discharge, were
      secondary outcomes. Adjusted relative risks (RRs) were assessed using multilevel
      multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: The primary outcome occurred in 2.4%
      of the population (1.7% in asymptomatic and 3.7% in symptomatic patients). The
      multivariable analysis showed an independent association between the use of an
      embolic protection device and lower in-hospital rates of stroke or death
      (adjusted RR: 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50 to 0.85), major stroke or
      death (adjusted RR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.84), and stroke (adjusted RR: 0.57;
      95% CI: 0.43 to 0.77). Regarding the occurrence of in-hospital death, there was
      no significant association (adjusted RR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.46 to 1.35). None of the
      outcomes was associated with stent design, stent material, neurophysiological
      monitoring, or antiplatelet medication. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an embolic
      protection device was independently associated with lower in-hospital risk for
      stroke or death, major stroke or death, and stroke.

PMID- 28641850
TI  - Anomalous Origin of Left Main Coronary Artery From Innominate Artery.

PMID- 28641851
TI  - Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Outcomes in Very Elderly Patients From a
      Single Large-Volume Tertiary Care Center, Specifically Focusing on Nonagenarians.

PMID- 28641852
TI  - Bioresorbable Everolimus-Eluting Vascular Scaffold for Long Coronary Lesions: A
      Subanalysis of the International, Multicenter GHOST-EU (Gauging coronary Healing
      with bioresorbable Scaffolding plaTforms in EUrope) Registry.

PMID- 28641853
TI  - Reply: Bioresorbable Everolimus-Eluting Vascular Scaffold for Long Coronary
      Lesions: A Subanalysis of the International, Multicenter GHOST-EU (Gauging
      coronary Healing with bioresorbable Scaffolding plaTforms in EUrope) Registry.

PMID- 28641854
TI  - Permanent Pacemaker Implantation Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve
      Replacement.

PMID- 28641855
TI  - Reply: Permanent Pacemaker Implantation Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve
      Replacement.

PMID- 28641856
TI  - Change: Out With the Old, In With the New.

PMID- 28641857
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28641858
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28641859
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28641860
TI  - Noninvasive blood potassium measurement using signal-processed, single-lead ecg
      acquired from a handheld smartphone.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We have previously used a 12-lead, signal-processed ECG to calculate
      blood potassium levels. We now assess the feasibility of doing so with a
      smartphone-enabled single lead, to permit remote monitoring. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Twenty-one hemodialysis patients held a smartphone equipped with
      inexpensive FDA-approved electrodes for three 2min intervals during hemodialysis.
      Individualized potassium estimation models were generated for each patient. ECG
      calculated potassium values were compared to blood potassium results at
      subsequent visits to evaluate the accuracy of the potassium estimation models.
      RESULTS: The mean absolute error between the estimated potassium and blood
      potassium 0.38+/-0.32 mEq/L (9% of average potassium level) decreasing to 0.6
      mEq/L using predictors of poor signal. CONCLUSIONS: A single-lead ECG acquired
      using electrodes attached to a smartphone device can be processed to calculate
      the serum potassium with an error of 9% in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
      SUMMARY: A single-lead ECG acquired using electrodes attached to a smartphone can
      be processed to calculate the serum potassium in patients undergoing hemodialysis
      remotely.

PMID- 28641861
TI  - Permanent His Bundle Pacing in Intra-Hisian Conduction Block: Mechanistic
      Insights.
AB  - We are reporting a patient with discrete intra-His conduction block and describe
      a refined technique of permanent His bundle pacing assuring reliable ventricular
      capture. Meticulous mapping of the site of block with lead placement distal to
      the site of block and non-selective His bundle pacing with local myocardial
      capture as an additional safety back up appears to be the technique of choice.

PMID- 28641862
TI  - Perioperative beta blockers and statins for noncardiac surgery patients with
      coronary stents.
AB  - IMPORTANCE: Recent publications report that perioperative initiation of statin
      therapy is associated with improved outcomes particularly among patients with
      increased cardiac risk. However, findings on associations with beta blocker (BB)
      initiation are mixed. OBJECTIVE: This study examines associations between
      perioperative statin and BB use in a national sample of patients with cardiac
      stents. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: VA Medical Centers
      nationwide. PARTICIPANTS: We identified Veterans Affairs (VA) patients undergoing
      non-cardiac surgery in the within two years after stent placement between October
      2002 and September 2011 with BB and/or statin prescriptions within one year prior
      to surgery. Using VA inpatient data we identified major adverse cardiac or
      cerebrovascular events (MACCE) within 30 days of surgery. General usage patterns
      and percent of days covered by medication were calculated as additional markers
      of medication use. Adjusted logistic regression was used to examine associations
      between medication use and 30-day postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: 23,537
      patients underwent surgery within 2 years following stent placement, of whom
      20,566 (88.6%) had prescriptions for beta blockers and statins within 365 days
      prior to surgery. Of those, 13,501 (65.6%) used both BB and statins prior to
      surgery, while 2626 (12.8%) used only BB, 2346 (11.4%) used only statins, and
      2093 (10.2%) used neither. In fully adjusted models, the only significant
      association was between perioperative statin use and decreased mortality (OR
      0.65, 95% CI 0.48-0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that maintaining statin
      therapy perioperatively is associated with reduced 30 day mortality in stented
      patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery who have previously been prescribed both
      beta blockers and statins.

PMID- 28641863
TI  - A comparison of different heat maintenance methods implemented during a simulated
      half-time period in professional Rugby Union players.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In thermoneutral conditions, half-time is associated with reductions
      in body temperature that acutely impair performance. This laboratory-based study
      compared active, passive, and combined methods of half-time heat maintenance.
      DESIGN: Randomised, counterbalanced, cross-over. METHODS: After a standardised
      warm-up (WU) and 15min of rest, professional Rugby Union players (n=20) completed
      a repeated sprint test (RSSA1). Throughout a simulated half-time (temperature:
      20.5+/-0.3 degrees C; humidity: 53+/-5%), players then rested (Control) or wore a
      survival jacket (Passive) for 15min, or performed a 7min rewarm-up after either
      8min of rest (Active), or 8min of wearing a survival jacket (Combined). A second
      RSSA (RSSA2) followed. Core temperature (Tcore) and peak power output (PPO;
      during countermovement jumps; CMJ) were measured at baseline, post-RSSA1, pre
      RSSA2. RESULTS: All half-time interventions attenuated reductions in Tcore
      (0.62+/-0.28 degrees C) observed in Control (Passive: -0.23+/-0.09 degrees C;
      Active: -0.17+/-0.09 degrees C; Combined: -0.03+/-0.10 degrees C, all p<0.001)
      but Combined preserved Tcore the most (p<0.001). All half-time interventions
      attenuated the 385+/-137W reduction in Control PPO (Passive: -213+/-79W; Active: 
      83+/-72W; Combined: +10+/-52W; all p<0.001); with best PPO maintenance in
      Combined (p<=0.001). The fastest sprints occurred in RSSA2 in Combined (6.74+/
      0.21s; p<0.001) but Passive (6.82+/-0.04s) and Active (6.80+/-0.05s) sprints were
      0.4% (p=0.011) and 0.8% (p=0.002) quicker than Control (6.85+/-0.04s),
      respectively. CONCLUSIONS: While the efficacy of passive and active heat
      maintenance methods was supported throughout a simulated half-time, a combined
      approach to attenuating heat losses appeared the most beneficial for Tcore and
      subsequent PPO and sprint performance in professional Rugby Union players.

PMID- 28641864
TI  - [On site-screening for Chagas disease supported by a community intervention: can
      it improve accessibility for diagnosis and treatment?]

PMID- 28641865
TI  - Influence of baseline MELD score in the efficacy of treatment of hepatitis C with
      simeprevir and sofosbuvir.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: There are few published studies on predictors of response to
      treatment with sofosbuvir and simeprevir in HCV patients. OBJECTIVE: The
      objective of the study was to analyse possible predictors of response to
      simeprevir (SMV) and sofosbuvir (SOF) in patients infected with hepatitis C
      genotypes 1 or 4. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective observational cohort study in
      12 hospitals. The primary efficacy endpoint was SVR rate 12 weeks after end of
      treatment (SVR12). RESULTS: 204 patients (62.3% male, mean age 55 years) were
      included: 186 (91.2%) genotype 1 (60.3% 1b 25% 1a) and 18 (8.8%) genotype 4. 132
      (64.7%) cirrhotic (87.9% Child A), 33 (16.2%) F3, 31 (15.2%) F2, 8 (3.9%) F0-1.
      80.8% MELD<10. 93 (45.6%) naive. Ribavirin was added in 68 (33.3%). Mean baseline
      viral load 2,151,549 IU/ml (SD: 2,391,840). Treatment duration 12 weeks in 93.1%.
      4 discontinued therapy: suicide, psychotic attack, hyperbilirubinaemia and liver
      cancer recurrence. 190 (93.1%) achieved SVR12. There were no differences in SVR12
      depending on the genotype, treatment duration, ribavirin use, prior therapy,
      viral load (VL) or baseline platelets. In univariate analysis, undetectable VL at
      4 weeks (p=0.042), absence of cirrhosis (p=0.021), baseline albumin >= 4g/dl
      (p=0.001) and MELD<10 (p<0.0001) were associated with higher SVR12. In
      multivariate analysis, only baseline MELD score <10 patients had higher SVR12
      (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of simeprevir and sofosbuvir in patients
      infected with genotype 1 and 4 hepatitis C is highly effective. It is a safe
      therapy, especially in patients without ribavirin. This combination was more
      effective in patients with a MELD score below 10.

PMID- 28641866
TI  - T-bet expressing B cells - Novel target for autoimmune therapies?
AB  - Autoimmune diseases affect more than 23.5million Americans. Traditional therapies
      for autoimmune diseases involve immunosuppressive drugs that globally dampen
      immune responses or target and kill large populations of normal immune cells.
      Both approaches lead to severe dysfunction of the immune system increasing the
      risk of infections and cancer. Therefore, a more targeted approach, modulating
      only the pathogenic autoimmune response, would be tremendously beneficial for
      autoimmune patients. However, only some novel targets involved in pathogenic
      autoimmune response have been discovered and it is likely that more remain,
      currently unknown. Here we review the data that have recently been described
      about T-bet+ B cells (also known as ABCs). Some data suggest that this B cell
      subset includes cells that are pathogenic in autoimmune responses. Therefore
      procedures that target these cells might be useful in autoimmune therapies.

PMID- 28641867
TI  - Motivational pathways of occupational and organizational turnover intention among
      newly registered nurses in Canada.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Staff turnover is a major issue for health care systems. In a time of
      labor shortage, it is critical to understand the motivational factors that
      underlie turnover intention in newly licensed nurses. PURPOSE: To examine whether
      different forms of motivation (the reasons for which nurses engage in their work)
      predict intention to quit the occupation and organization through distinct forms
      (affective and continuance) and targets (occupation and organization) of
      commitment. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected from a sample of 572
      French-Canadian newly registered nurses working in public health care in the
      province of Quebec, Canada. The hypothesized model was tested by structural
      equation modeling. FINDINGS: Autonomous motivation (nurses accomplish their work
      primarily out of a sense of pleasure and satisfaction or because they personally
      endorse the importance or value of their work) negatively predicts intention to
      quit the profession and organization through target-specific affective
      commitment. However, although controlled motivation (nurses accomplish their work
      mainly because of internal or external pressure) is positively associated with
      continuance commitment to the occupation and organization, it directly predicts,
      positively so, intention to quit the occupation and organization. CONCLUSION:
      These results highlight the complexity of the motivational processes at play in
      the turnover intention of novice nurses, revealing distinct forms of commitment
      that explain how motivation quality is related simultaneously to intention to
      quit the occupation and organization. Health care organizations are advised to
      promote autonomous over controlled motivation to retain newly recruited nurses
      and sustain the future of the nursing workforce.

PMID- 28641868
TI  - Quality of articles published in predatory nursing journals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Predatory journals exist in nursing and lack the safeguards of
      traditional publishing practices. PURPOSE: To examine the quality of articles
      published in predatory nursing journals. METHOD: Randomly selected articles (n =
      358) were reviewed for structural content and eight quality indicators. FINDINGS:
      Two-thirds (67.4%) of the articles were published between 2014 and 2016,
      demonstrating the acceleration of publications in predatory nursing journals. The
      majority (75.9%) of the articles were research reports. Most followed the IMRAD
      presentation of a research report but contained errors, or the study was not
      pertinent to the nursing discipline. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing research published in
      predatory journals may appear legitimate by conforming to an expected structure.
      However, a lack of quality is apparent, representing inadequate peer review and
      editorial processes. Poor quality research erodes the scholarly nursing
      literature.

PMID- 28641869
TI  - Ischemic enteritis with unusual presentation.

PMID- 28641870
TI  - Antibiotic activity and concentrations in clinical samples from patients with
      chronic bacterial prostatitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) is the most common urological
      disease in patients younger than 50 years, whose long-standing symptoms could be
      related to an inappropriate therapeutic regimen. The objective was to analyse the
      sensitivity of microorganisms isolated from patients with CBP and measure the
      weekly antibiotic concentrations in serum, semen and urine. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      For the antibiotic sensitivity study, 60 clinical isolates were included between
      January 2013 and December 2014 from semen samples from patients with
      microbiologically confirmed CBP. Broth microdilution was performed on the
      samples. For the antibiotic concentration study from January to May 2014, urine,
      blood and semen samples were collected weekly, over 4 weeks of treatment from 8
      patients with positive cultures for CBP. The concentrations were measured using
      ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry
      (UHPLC-MS/MS). RESULTS: The antibiotics fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin had the
      highest activity (95.2% in both cases). The mean antibiotic concentrations in
      semen during the 4 weeks studied were as follows: 1.68mg/L, 8.30mg/L, 2.61mg/L,
      0.33mg/L and 2.90mg/L, respectively, for patients 1 to 5, who were treated with
      levofloxacin; 1.625mg/L for patient 6, who was treated with ciprofloxacin;
      2.67mg/L for patient 7, who was treated with ampicillin; and 1.05mg/L for patient
      8, who was treated with doxycycline. Higher concentrations were obtained in the
      urine samples than in serum and semen, the latter 2 of which were comparable.
      CONCLUSIONS: Fosfomycin is proposed as the primary alternative to the empiric
      treatment of CBP due to its high in vitro activity. The antibiotic concentration
      in semen was higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration against the
      aetiological agent, although microbiological negativisation was not always
      correlated with a favourable clinical outcome.

PMID- 28641872
TI  - Analysis of historical articles published in Actas Urologicas Espanolas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: On the 40th anniversary of the edition of Actas Urologicas Espanolas,
      we assess the articles on history to determine the proportion represented,
      analysing the study subjects and their relevance, getting to know the authors,
      the main study centres and the interest that the studies offer for understanding
      the specialty. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We extracted as many subjects of historic
      content from the journal as were published between January 1976 and December
      2016. RESULT: There were 103 historical studies representing 3% of the total
      number of articles, with a mean of 2.57 articles published annually, written by
      127 separate urologists. As first author, there were 59 articles, and as
      coauthors, there were 68. The main activity came from 21 of the main university
      hospitals in Spain, and 43 of the articles were personal articles signed by a
      single individual. Their content mainly covers the facts of Spanish urology from
      the Renaissance to the 20th century, with special emphasis on the profile of
      Spanish specialists. Data on 22 of these specialists are provided in 37 articles.
      The evolution of diagnostic and treatment procedures, both medical and surgical,
      are well reflected, as are a number of diseases. CONCLUSION: Most of the studies
      are personal works of historical research and represent 3% of the total number of
      articles. As a whole, the quality is high, and the articles provide data with
      interesting details and useful reviews, giving them considerable value, as well
      as forming a precious compendium for the understanding of the history of Spanish
      urology. These articles are highly recommended reading.

PMID- 28641871
TI  - The Patient's Comorbidity Burden Correlates with the Erectile Dysfunction
      Severity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential relationship between erectile dysfunction
      (ED), low testosterone levels, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study on patients referred to the andrology unit in
      7 Spanish centers. The ED was diagnosed and graded using the International Index
      of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score. Total testosterone, the prevalence of each
      comorbidity, and the CCI were compared between patients with different grades of
      ED. Besides, the correlation between total testosterone and the CCI score, the
      influence of each comorbidity, and the ED severity on the CCI was assessed in a
      multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The study included 430 men with a mean age
      of 61 years. The mean CCI was 3.5, and mean total testosterone 15.2 nmol/L; 389
      (91%) subjects had some grade of ED: 97 (23%) mild, 149 (35%) mild-to-moderate,
      86 (20%) moderate, and 57 (13%) severe. The increase in ED severity was
      significantly associated with a decrease in total testosterone (P=.002), and an
      increase in the CCI score (P<.001). Testosterone levels were significantly lower
      in patients with obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and
      hypertriglyceridemia (P<.05). However, only the prevalence of diabetes and
      hypertension was significantly associated with the severity of ED. The
      multivariate analysis including variables related to all assessed comorbidities,
      total testosterone levels, and the DE severity significantly predicted the CCI
      score (P<.001, R2=.426). The severity of ED significantly contributed to this
      model (P=.011), but total testosterone did not (P=.204). CONCLUSIONS: The CCI is
      significantly associated with the ED severity, but it shows a weak correlation
      with the testosterone levels.

PMID- 28641873
TI  - Targeting DNA repair for precision radiotherapy: Balancing the therapeutic ratio.
AB  - Genomic instability is underpinned by defects in the DNA damage response and DNA
      repair pathways. Subsequent clonal selection and adaption can lead to a mutator
      phenotype and tumor aggression. Importantly, tumor cell sensitivity to
      chemotherapy and radiotherapy can depend highly on the cellular capacity to
      repair DNA damage within and between tumor types. Annotation of functional
      defects in DNA damage response and DNA repair function may allow for the
      development of novel prognostic biomarkers. This information could also be used
      to predict therapeutic response, including predicting responses following
      inhibition of DNA repair. Herein, we highlight the increasing potential for
      annotating and targeting DNA repair defects in patients undergoing precision
      radiotherapy.

PMID- 28641874
TI  - PRIMA, non nocere.

PMID- 28641876
TI  - What are the health research needs for the Sendai Framework?

PMID- 28641875
TI  - Prevention of incisional hernia with prophylactic onlay and sublay mesh
      reinforcement versus primary suture only in midline laparotomies (PRIMA): 2-year
      follow-up of a multicentre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Incisional hernia is a frequent long-term complication after
      abdominal surgery, with a prevalence greater than 30% in high-risk groups. The
      aim of the PRIMA trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of mesh reinforcement in
      high-risk patients, to prevent incisional hernia. METHODS: We did a multicentre,
      double-blind, randomised controlled trial at 11 hospitals in Austria, Germany,
      and the Netherlands. We included patients aged 18 years or older who were
      undergoing elective midline laparotomy and had either an abdominal aortic
      aneurysm or a body-mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m2 or higher. We randomly assigned
      participants using a computer-generated randomisation sequence to one of three
      treatment groups: primary suture; onlay mesh reinforcement; or sublay mesh
      reinforcement. The primary endpoint was incidence of incisional hernia during 2
      years of follow-up, analysed by intention to treat. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs)
      were estimated by logistic regression. This trial is registered at
      ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00761475. FINDINGS: Between March, 2009, and
      December, 2012, 498 patients were enrolled to the study, of whom 18 were excluded
      before randomisation. Therefore, we included 480 patients in the primary
      analysis: 107 were assigned primary suture only, 188 were allocated onlay mesh
      reinforcement, and 185 were assigned sublay mesh reinforcement. 92 patients were
      identified with an incisional hernia, 33 (30%) who were allocated primary suture
      only, 25 (13%) who were assigned onlay mesh reinforcement, and 34 (18%) who were
      assigned sublay mesh reinforcement (onlay mesh reinforcement vs primary suture,
      OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.20-0.69; p=0.0016; sublay mesh reinforcement vs primary suture,
      0.55, 0.30-1.00; p=0.05). Seromas were more frequent in patients allocated onlay
      mesh reinforcement (34 of 188) than in those assigned primary suture (five of
      107; p=0.002) or sublay mesh reinforcement (13 of 185; p=0.002). The incidence of
      wound infection did not differ between treatment groups (14 of 107 primary
      suture; 25 of 188 onlay mesh reinforcement; and 19 of 185 sublay mesh
      reinforcement). INTERPRETATION: A significant reduction in incidence of
      incisional hernia was achieved with onlay mesh reinforcement compared with sublay
      mesh reinforcement and primary suture only. Onlay mesh reinforcement has the
      potential to become the standard treatment for high-risk patients undergoing
      midline laparotomy. FUNDING: Baxter; B Braun Surgical SA.

PMID- 28641877
TI  - [Update on cutaneous dirofilariasis].
AB  - Dirofilariasis is a worldwide zoonotic infection that rarely affects humans and
      is caused by filarial nematodes of the genus Diroflaria transmitted by
      mosquitoes. Cutaneous dirofilariasis, due to D. repens, presents as inflammatory
      lesions that develop into subcutaneous nodules. These clinical symptoms may be
      consistent with Wells' cellulitis. Diagnosis of dirofilariasis involves
      demonstration of the presence of the nematode during skin biopsy and
      identification of the worm through macroscopic, histological and PCR analysis.
      Surgical resection of the nodule remains the gold standard treatment. The number
      of cases of human cutaneous dirofilariasis has increased in the recent years and
      the disease must not be misdiagnosed.

PMID- 28641878
TI  - Diagnosis and Management of Pleural Transudates.
AB  - Various clinical trials have been published on the optimal clinical management of
      patients with pleural exudates, particularly those caused by malignant tumors,
      while little information is available on the diagnosis and treatment of pleural
      transudates. The etiology of pleural transudates is wide and heterogeneous, and
      they can be caused by rare diseases, sometimes constituting a diagnostic
      challenge. Analysis of the pleural fluid can be a useful procedure for
      establishing diagnosis. Treatment should target not only the underlying disease,
      but also management of the pleural effusion itself. In cases refractory to
      medical treatment, invasive procedures will be necessary, for example therapeutic
      thoracentesis, pleurodesis with talc, or insertion of an indwelling pleural
      catheter. Little evidence is currently available and no firm recommendations have
      been made to establish when to perform an invasive procedure, or to determine the
      safest, most efficient approach in each case. This article aims to describe the
      spectrum of diseases that cause pleural transudate, to review the diagnostic
      contribution of pleural fluid analysis, and to highlight the lack of evidence on
      the efficacy of invasive procedures in the management and control of pleural
      effusion in these patients.

PMID- 28641880
TI  - High effectiveness of repeated levosimendan cycles in a patient with advanced
      heart failure.

PMID- 28641879
TI  - Mycobacterium xenopi and squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

PMID- 28641881
TI  - Peripheral blood regulatory T cell counts as a predictive biomarker for the
      outcome of kidney transplant: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Circulating regulatory T cells could become a suitable
      biomarker for kidney recipients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the
      effect of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors on regulatory T cell
      numbers, and the clinical interest of this effect. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Systematic review of published and unpublished studies. Worldwide databases or
      repositories. Randomised controlled trials and cohort studies comparing
      regulatory T cell counts and rejection episodes between patients with and without
      mTOR inhibitors were searched. Correlation of regulatory T cells-glomerular
      filtration rate might be supplied. Co-dependency regulatory T cells-mTOR
      inhibitors efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: Five trials and 9 studies were
      included. Clinical differences made it difficult to obtain quantitative estimates
      of the effect of immunosuppression on regulatory T cell numbers. Nevertheless, we
      found that there are higher regulatory T cell numbers under treatment with
      sirolimus or everolimus. Rejection episodes were similar under calcineurin
      inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors despite different regulatory T cell numbers.
      Pooled correlation regulatory T cells-glomerular filtration rate was,
      prospectively 0.114 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.062-0.406), and
      retrospectively 0.13 (95% CI 0.0-0.361). There is direct evidence although of low
      level (biomarker-stratified randomisation) on the co-dependency regulatory T
      cells-mTOR inhibitors efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Regulatory T cells counts may be
      associated with better outcomes under treatment with mTOR inhibitors (anti
      rejection efficacy), considering that there is a relationship between these cells
      and kidney graft function. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42016046285).

PMID- 28641883
TI  - Petroleum oil removal by immobilized bacterial cells on polyurethane foam under
      different temperature conditions.
AB  - In this work, a mixed biofilm composed by Pseudomonas monteilii P26 and Gordonia
      sp. H19 was formed using polyurethane foam (PUF) as immobilization support, for
      crude oil removal from artificial sea water. Fresh immobilized cells and
      immobilized cells that were stored at 4 degrees C for two months before use were
      assessed. The oil removal assays were carried out at microcosm scale at 4, 15 and
      30 degrees C. A viability loss of P. monteilii P26 was observed after the
      storage. The highest removal value (75%) was obtained at 30 degrees C after 7days
      using fresh immobilized cells on PUF. Enhanced oil bioremoval was obtained at 4
      degrees C and 15 degrees C with the previously stored immobilized cells compared
      to the fresh immobilized cells. Crude oil sorption on the different systems was
      responsible for the removal of 22-33% oil at the different temperatures. In
      conclusion, an economic tool for petroleum bioremediation is proposed.

PMID- 28641882
TI  - Ferredoxin-dependent bilin reductases in eukaryotic algae: Ubiquity and
      diversity.
AB  - Linear tetrapyrroles (bilins) are produced from heme by heme oxygenase, usually
      forming biliverdin IXalpha (BV). Fungi and bacteria use BV as chromophore for
      phytochrome photoreceptors. Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms use BV as a
      substrate for ferredoxin-dependent bilin reductases (FDBRs), enzymes that produce
      diverse reduced bilins used as light-harvesting pigments in phycobiliproteins and
      as photoactive photoreceptor chromophores. Bilin biosynthesis is essential for
      phototrophic growth in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii despite the absence of
      phytochromes or phycobiliproteins in this organism, raising the possibility that
      bilins are more generally required for phototrophic growth by algae. We here
      leverage the recent expansion in available algal transcriptomes, cyanobacterial
      genomes, and environmental metagenomes to analyze the distribution and
      diversification of FDBRs. With the possible exception of euglenids, FDBRs are
      present in all photosynthetic eukaryotic lineages. Phylogenetic analysis
      demonstrates that algal FDBRs belong to the three previously recognized FDBR
      lineages. Our studies provide new insights into FDBR evolution and
      diversification.

PMID- 28641884
TI  - Oxidative stress profiles in brain point out a higher susceptibility of fish to
      waterborne divalent mercury compared to dietary organic mercury.
AB  - This study examines, for the first time, the neurotoxicity of Hg(II) and MeHg in
      fish (Diplodus sargus) in a time-course comparative perspective and considering
      realistic exposure levels and routes. Both forms followed an identical time
      variation pattern of accumulation in the brain, but dietary MeHg was more
      efficiently transported to the brain. MeHg was substantially eliminated from the
      brain in 28days of depuration, which did not occur for Hg(II). Moreover, Hg(II)
      displayed a high neurotoxicity potential, as unveiled by the poor activation of
      brain antioxidant defenses and recurrent oxidative damage (as protein oxidation),
      while the opposite was recorded upon MeHg exposure. These results highlight the
      need to include Hg(II) in future environmental health assessment plans,
      preventing an underestimation of the risk for wild fish populations, which has
      probably been occurring due to the long-standing idea of the higher toxicity of
      MeHg in comparison with inorganic Hg forms.

PMID- 28641885
TI  - Remote sensing and water quality indicators in the Korean West coast: Spatio
      temporal structures of MODIS-derived chlorophyll-a and total suspended solids.
AB  - The Yellow Sea is a shallow marginal sea with a large tidal range. In this study,
      ten areas located along the western coast of the Korean Peninsula are
      investigated with respect to remotely sensed water quality indicators derived
      from NASA MODIS aboard of the satellite Aqua. We found that there was a strong
      seasonal trend with spatial heterogeneity. In specific, a strong six-month phase
      lag was found between chlorophyll-a and total suspended solid owing to their
      inversed seasonality, which could be explained by different dynamics and
      environmental settings. Chlorophyll-a concentration seemed to be dominantly
      influenced by temperature, while total suspended solid was largely governed by
      local tidal forcing and bottom topography. This study demonstrated the potential
      and applicability of satellite products in coastal management, and highlighted
      find that remote-sensing would be a promising tool in resolving orthogonality of
      large spatio-temporal scale variabilities when combining with proper time series
      analyses.

PMID- 28641886
TI  - Genome-wide expression in veterans with schizophrenia further validates the
      immune hypothesis for schizophrenia.
AB  - This study aimed to test whether a dysregulation of gene expression may be the
      underlying cause of previously reported elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines
      in veterans with schizophrenia. We performed a genome-wide expression analysis in
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells from veterans with schizophrenia and controls,
      and our results show that 167 genes and putative loci were differently expressed
      between groups. These genes were enriched primarily for pathways related to
      inflammatory mechanisms and formed networks related to cell death and survival,
      immune cell trafficking, among others, which is in line with previous reports and
      further validates the inflammatory hypothesis of schizophrenia.

PMID- 28641887
TI  - Central serotonergic function in patients with predominantly negative symptoms of
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 28641889
TI  - WITHDRAWN: Mut Res special section "Protein modifications in DNA repair and
      cancer".

PMID- 28641888
TI  - Oral vaccination of wildlife against rabies: Differences among host species in
      vaccine uptake efficiency.
AB  - Oral vaccination using attenuated and recombinant rabies vaccines has been proven
      a powerful tool to combat rabies in wildlife. However, clear differences have
      been observed in vaccine titers needed to induce a protective immune response
      against rabies after oral vaccination in different reservoir species. The
      mechanisms contributing to the observed resistance against oral rabies
      vaccination in some species are not completely understood. Hence, the
      immunogenicity of the vaccine virus strain, SPBN GASGAS, was investigated in a
      species considered to be susceptible to oral rabies vaccination (red fox) and a
      species refractory to this route of administration (striped skunk). Additionally,
      the dissemination of the vaccine virus in the oral cavity was analyzed for these
      two species. It was shown that the palatine tonsils play a critical role in
      vaccine virus uptake. Main differences could be observed in palatine tonsil
      infection between both species, revealing a locally restricted dissemination of
      infected cells in foxes. The absence of virus infected cells in palatine tonsils
      of skunks suggests a less efficient uptake of or infection by vaccine virus which
      may lead to a reduced response to oral vaccination. Understanding the mechanisms
      of oral resistance to rabies virus vaccine absorption and primary replication may
      lead to the development of novel strategies to enhance vaccine efficacy in
      problematic species like the striped skunk.

PMID- 28641890
TI  - A comparative research of different ensemble surrogate models based on set pair
      analysis for the DNAPL-contaminated aquifer remediation strategy optimization.
AB  - Surrogate-based simulation-optimization technique is an effective approach for
      optimizing the surfactant enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR) strategy for
      clearing DNAPLs. The performance of the surrogate model, which is used to replace
      the simulation model for the aim of reducing computation burden, is the key of
      corresponding researches. However, previous researches are generally based on a
      stand-alone surrogate model, and rarely make efforts to improve the approximation
      accuracy of the surrogate model to the simulation model sufficiently by combining
      various methods. In this regard, we present set pair analysis (SPA) as a new
      method to build ensemble surrogate (ES) model, and conducted a comparative
      research to select a better ES modeling pattern for the SEAR strategy
      optimization problems. Surrogate models were developed using radial basis
      function artificial neural network (RBFANN), support vector regression (SVR), and
      Kriging. One ES model is assembling RBFANN model, SVR model, and Kriging model
      using set pair weights according their performance, and the other is assembling
      several Kriging (the best surrogate modeling method of three) models built with
      different training sample datasets. Finally, an optimization model, in which the
      ES model was embedded, was established to obtain the optimal remediation
      strategy. The results showed the residuals of the outputs between the best ES
      model and simulation model for 100 testing samples were lower than 1.5%. Using an
      ES model instead of the simulation model was critical for considerably reducing
      the computation time of simulation-optimization process and maintaining high
      computation accuracy simultaneously.

PMID- 28641891
TI  - Inter-arm systolic blood pressure differences, relations with future vascular
      events and mortality in patients with and without manifest vascular disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inter-arm systolic blood pressure difference (SBPD) is an easily
      obtained patient characteristic which relates to vascular disease. We aimed to
      identify determinants of large inter-arm SBPD and to investigate the relation
      between inter-arm SBPD and vascular events in patients with and without manifest
      vascular disease. METHODS: In a cohort of 7344 patients with manifest vascular
      disease or vascular risk factors alone enrolled in the Second Manifestations of
      ARTerial disease (SMART) study, single bilateral non-simultaneous blood pressure
      measurements were performed. Logistic and Cox regression was used to identify
      determinants of large inter-arm SBPD (>=15mmHg) and to investigate the relation
      between inter-arm SBPD and vascular events (composite of non-fatal myocardial
      infarction, stroke, and vascular mortality) and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: In
      all patients the median inter-arm SBPD was 7mmHg (IQR 3-11) and 1182 (16%)
      patients had inter-arm SBPD >=15mmHg. Higher age, higher systolic blood pressure,
      diabetes mellitus, peripheral artery disease, carotid artery stenosis, higher
      carotid intima-media thickness, and lower ankle-brachial indices were related to
      large inter-arm SBPD (>=15mmHg). Each 5mmHg increase in inter-arm SBPD was
      related to a 12% higher risk of vascular events in patients without manifest
      vascular disease (HR 1.12; 95% CI 1.00-1.27), whereas no relation was apparent in
      patients with manifest vascular disease (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.93-1.04, interaction p
      value 0.036). Inter-arm SBPD was not related to all-cause mortality (HR 1.05; 95%
      CI 0.93-1.19). CONCLUSIONS: Inter-arm SBPD relates to a higher risk of vascular
      events in patients without manifest vascular disease, whereas this relation is
      not apparent in patients with manifest vascular disease.

PMID- 28641892
TI  - Fighting fake medicines: First quality evaluation of cardiac drugs in Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The growing menace of poor quality and falsified drugs constitutes a
      major hazard, compromising healthcare and patient outcomes. Efforts to assess
      drug standards worldwide have almost exclusively focused on anti-microbial drugs;
      with no study to date on cardiovascular drugs. Our study aims to assess quality
      of seven routinely used cardiovascular medications (anticoagulants,
      antihypertensives and statins) in ten Sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS:
      Drugs were prospectively collected using standardized methods between 2012 and
      2014 from licensed (random pharmacies) and unlicensed (street-markets) places of
      sale in Africa. We developed a validated reversed-phase liquid chromatography
      with tandem mass spectrometry method to accurately quantify the active ingredient
      in a certified public laboratory. Three quality categories were defined based on
      the ratio of the measured to the expected dosage of the active ingredient: A
      (good quality): 95% to 105%, B (low quality): 85 to 94.99% or 105.01 to 115%, C
      (very low quality): <85% or >115%. RESULTS: All expected medicines (n=3468
      samples) were collected in Benin, Burkina-Faso, Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic
      Republic of Congo, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Niger, Togo and Senegal.
      Out of the 1530 samples randomly tested, poor quality (types B and C) was
      identified in 249 (16.3%) samples. The prevalence of poor quality was
      significantly increased in certain specific drugs (amlodipine 29% and captopril
      26%), in generic versions (23%) and in drugs produced in Asia (35%). The
      proportion of poor quality reached 50% when drugs produced in Asia were sold in
      street-markets. CONCLUSION: In this first study assessing the quality of
      cardiovascular drugs in Africa, we found a significant proportion of poor quality
      drugs. This requires continued monitoring strategies.

PMID- 28641893
TI  - Recent development of transition metal complexes with in vivo antitumor activity.
AB  - The often severe side effects displayed by currently used platinum and ruthenium
      complexes have motivated researchers to design and develop transition metal-based
      anti-tumor agents with reduced toxicity. Distinct from organic anti-tumor drugs,
      transition metal complexes possess several properties that render them as
      promising scaffolds for anti-cancer drug discovery. While a vast number of metal
      complexes have been synthesized and reported to be promising and potent in vitro
      anticancer active compounds, fewer have shown efficacy in in vivo models. The
      demonstration of in vivo potency is an essential step for lead candidates for
      clinical trials. In this review, we highlight examples of transition metal-based
      complexes that have shown in vivo anti-tumor activities that have been described
      in recent years.

PMID- 28641895
TI  - Placebo pills provided without deception may help to reduce pain and disability
      in people with chronic low back pain [synopsis].

PMID- 28641894
TI  - Carbon assimilation and losses during an ocean acidification mesocosm experiment,
      with special reference to algal blooms.
AB  - A mesocosm experiment was conducted in Wuyuan Bay (Xiamen), China, to investigate
      the effects of elevated pCO2 on bloom formation by phytoplankton species
      previously studied in laboratory-based ocean acidification experiments, to
      determine if the indoor-grown species performed similarly in mesocosms under more
      realistic environmental conditions. We measured biomass, primary productivity and
      particulate organic carbon (POC) as well as particulate organic nitrogen (PON).
      Phaeodactylum tricornutum outcompeted Thalassiosira weissflogii and Emiliania
      huxleyi, comprising more than 99% of the final biomass. Mainly through a capacity
      to tolerate nutrient-limited situations, P. tricornutum showed a powerful
      sustained presence during the plateau phase of growth. Significant differences
      between high and low CO2 treatments were found in cell concentration, cumulative
      primary productivity and POC in the plateau phase but not during the exponential
      phase of growth. Compared to the low pCO2 (LC) treatment, POC increased by 45.8
      101.9% in the high pCO2 (HC) treated cells during the bloom period. Furthermore,
      respiratory carbon losses of gross primary productivity were found to comprise 39
      64% for the LC and 31-41% for the HC mesocosms (daytime C fixation) in phase II.
      Our results suggest that the duration and characteristics of a diatom bloom can
      be affected by elevated pCO2. Effects of elevated pCO2 observed in the laboratory
      cannot be reliably extrapolated to large scale mesocosms with multiple
      influencing factors, especially during intense algal blooms.

PMID- 28641896
TI  - There's an app for that! iOrtho+ Special Tests and Manual Techniques is a useful
      resource for students and recently graduated physiotherapists.

PMID- 28641897
TI  - Erratum to "Development of an instrument for community-level health related
      social capital among Japanese older people: The JAGES project" [J Epidemiol 27
      (5) (2017) 221-227].

PMID- 28641898
TI  - Sclerosing odontogenic carcinoma: current diagnostic and management
      considerations concerning a most unusual neoplasm.
AB  - Sclerosing odontogenic carcinoma (SOC) is a primary intraosseous carcinoma of the
      jaws that has been listed as a separate entity for the first time in the latest
      version of the World Health Organization classification of Head and Neck Tumours
      (2017). The aim of this study was to analyse and interpret the existing
      literature on SOC in the context of a clinical case treated in the authors'
      department. A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed in
      accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, yielding nine cases of SOC reported so
      far. In summary, characteristic clinical and radiological features of SOC include
      asymptomatic swelling, location predominantly in the mandible, tumour primarily
      lytic in appearance, presence of cortical bone destruction, and lack of
      metastatic spread. Due to the rarity of the disease, close collaboration between
      oral/maxillofacial surgeons and pathologists is crucial to avoid misdiagnosis.
      With complete excision, no recurrence of SOC should be expected.

PMID- 28641900
TI  - Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint with intracranial
      extension-report of two cases.
AB  - Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint is a rare condition, and
      only 10 cases with intracranial extension have been reported in the literature.
      Two cases of synovial chondromatosis with intracranial extension, followed up for
      3 to 9 years, are reported here. The surgical treatment modality is described for
      each case.

PMID- 28641899
TI  - Obstructive sleep apnoea in craniofacial microsomia: analysis of 755 patients.
AB  - A retrospective cohort study was set up to analyse the prevalence and treatment
      of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in relation to the severity of the deformity in
      patients with craniofacial microsomia (CFM). This study included a population of
      755 patients with CFM from three craniofacial centres. Medical charts were
      reviewed for severity of the deformity, types of breathing difficulty, age at
      which breathing difficulty first presented, treatment for OSA, and treatment
      outcome. In total, 133 patients (17.6%) were diagnosed with OSA. Patients with
      Pruzansky IIB/III classification or bilateral craniofacial microsomia were
      significantly more often diagnosed with OSA than unilaterally affected patients
      of Pruzansky I/IIA classification. The initial treatment of OSA consisted of
      adenotonsillectomy, tracheotomy, or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation.
      Thirty-seven patients received more than one treatment (range 1-3). In this
      study, the prevalence of OSA in patients with CFM was higher than the prevalence
      in the healthy population described in the literature. Although several treatment
      modalities are available for the treatment of OSA in patients with CFM, treatment
      should be individualized and based on clinical symptoms, the severity of the
      deformity, and comorbidities.

PMID- 28641901
TI  - Putting evaluation capacity building in context: Reflections on the Ontario Brain
      Institute's Evaluation Support Program.
AB  - This article, in three parts, reflects on the content of the six articles
      included in the forum. It begins with a description of the Evaluation Support
      Program, emphasizing its key attributes. Next, it raises two points regarding ECB
      theory: (1) the need to become clearer about the concepts and terms used to
      describe and study this phenomenon, and (2) the potential value of social science
      theory to understand ECB and improve its practice. The article concludes with
      practical ideas for improving ECB: (1) framing it as an educative act, which
      assigns the evaluator the critical role of evaluation teacher/coach; and (2) the
      importance of never assuming that an ECB effort begins in unchartered territory,
      but rather that it builds on people's knowledge, skills, attitudes, and previous
      experiences.

PMID- 28641902
TI  - [Hodgkin's disease as a cause of fever of unknown origin in the elderly].

PMID- 28641903
TI  - [Effectiveness of physical exercise on fitness in frail older adults: A
      systematic review of randomised trials].
AB  - Performing exercise to maintain a good physical condition is crucial to improve
      and prevent frailty in older adults. The aim of this review was to assess the
      beneficial effects of physical exercise on fitness in frail older adults. A
      thorough literature search of randomised clinical trials (RCT) in the last 15
      years was performed on different electronic databases. The methodological
      assessment of studies was obtained using the PEDro scale. Ten RCT were included,
      providing a final sample of 1,130 individuals. Scores on the PEDro scale ranged
      from 5 to 8/10. Multicomponent training programs seem to be the best strategy to
      improve fitness outcomes. Further studies should be performed in order to
      optimise the design of supervised exercise programs, and further research is
      needed in hospital and institutionalised settings.

PMID- 28641904
TI  - [Relevance of transjugular liver biopsy in acute liver failure in the elderly].

PMID- 28641905
TI  - High Gpx1 expression predicts poor survival in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Several studies have demonstrated that abnormal glutathione
      peroxidases 1 (Gpx1) expression can influence the biological behavior of
      malignant cells. However, the roles of Gpx1 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
      (LSCC) remain unknown. The purpose of this study is to analyze the Gpx1
      expression and prognostic significance in LSCC patients. METHODS: Gpx1 mRNA
      levels in laryngeal tissues were determined by qRT-PCR. Meanwhile, We examined
      the expression levels of Gpx1 protein in 140 primary tumor tissues and 28 cases
      of normal tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis on tissue microarrays
      (TMA). RESULTS: Our results revealed that the frequency of high Gpx1 was
      significantly higher in cancer tissue compared to normal surgical margins; Gpx1
      expression correlated with clinical features and overall survival (OS). Gpx1
      overexpression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.023)
      and TNM stage (P=0.008); Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that patients with
      high Gpx1 expression had worse prognoses than patients with low Gpx1 expression;
      By multivariate analysis, we revealed that high Gpx1 expression level (HR 2.101,
      95%CI 1.011-4.367; P=0.047) was an independent prognostic factor of survival in
      LSCC patients. CONCLUSION: We speculate that Gpx1 can be applied to predict the
      prognosis in LSCC patients.

PMID- 28641906
TI  - Pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis of cannabinoids: A critical review.
AB  - Cannabis products have recently regained much attention due to the high
      pharmacological potential of their cannabinoid content. In this review, the most
      widely used sample preparation strategies for the extraction of cannabinoids are
      described for the specific application to either plant materials or biological
      matrices. Several analytical techniques are described pointing out their
      respective advantages and drawbacks. In particular, chromatographic methods, such
      as TLC, GC and HPLC, are discussed and compared in terms of selectivity and
      sensitivity. Various detection methods are also presented based on the specific
      aim of the cannabinoids analysis. Lastly, critical considerations are mentioned
      with the aim to deliver useful suggestions for the selection of the optimal and
      most suitable method of analysis of cannabinoids in either biomedical or cannabis
      derived samples.

PMID- 28641907
TI  - Is fusion superior to non-fusion for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst
      fracture? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and
      safety between patients with thoracolumbar burst fracture who underwent posterior
      fixation alone (non-fusion) and supplemented with fusion. METHODS: A
      comprehensive search of related literature was performed in PubMed, Embase and
      the Cochrane library. Clinical outcomes (LBOS and VAS), surgical outcomes
      (operation time, blood loss, hospital stay and perioperative complications), and
      radiographic outcomes (kyphotic angle, decreased vertebral body height and
      segmental motion) were assessed in the meta-analysis. Data analysis was conducted
      with RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: Five RCTs and three retrospective studies
      including a total of 445 cases were identified. We found that there was no
      significant difference in terms of LBOS, VAS, implant-related complications,
      kyphotic and VBH parameters. However, there was a significant difference
      regarding blood loss, operation time, segmental motion and donor site pain
      between fusion and non-fusion. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrated that
      posterior fixation alone could achieve satisfactory clinical and radiological
      results in treating thoracolumbar burst fracture. Moreover, posterior fixation
      without fusion was superior to additional fusion with less blood loss, shorter
      operation time, better segmental motion and lower donor site pain.

PMID- 28641908
TI  - The Uncertain Economics of Insurance Enabling More Emergency Department Visits.

PMID- 28641909
TI  - Effect of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion on Emergency Department
      Visits: Evidence From State-Level Emergency Department Databases.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: We assess whether the expansion of Medicaid under the Patient
      Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) results in changes in emergency
      department (ED) visits or ED payer mix. We also test whether the size of the
      change in ED visits depends on the change in the size of the Medicaid population.
      METHODS: Using all-capture, longitudinal, state data from the Agency for
      Healthcare Research and Quality's Fast Stats program, we implemented a difference
      in-difference analysis, which compared changes in ED visits per capita and the
      share of ED visits by payer (Medicaid, uninsured, and private insurance) in 14
      states that did and 11 states that did not expand Medicaid in 2014. Analyses
      controlled for state-level demographic and economic characteristics. RESULTS: We
      found that total ED use per 1,000 population increased by 2.5 visits more in
      Medicaid expansion states than in nonexpansion states after 2014 (95% confidence
      interval [CI] 1.1 to 3.9). Among the visit types that could be measured,
      increases in ED visits were largest for injury-related visits and for states with
      the largest changes in Medicaid enrollment. Compared with nonexpansion states, in
      expansion states the share of ED visits covered by Medicaid increased 8.8
      percentage points (95% CI 5.0 to 12.6), whereas the uninsured share decreased by
      5.3 percentage points (95% CI -1.7 to -8.9). CONCLUSION: The ACA's Medicaid
      expansion has resulted in changes in payer mix. Contrary to other studies of the
      ACA's effect on ED visits, our study found that the expansion also increased use
      of the ED, consistent with polls of emergency physicians.

PMID- 28641910
TI  - Dependence of Boiling Histotripsy Treatment Efficiency on HIFU Frequency and
      Focal Pressure Levels.
AB  - Boiling histotripsy (BH) is a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)-based
      method of mechanical tissue fractionation that utilizes millisecond-long bursts
      of HIFU shock waves to cause boiling at the focus in milliseconds. The subsequent
      interaction of the incoming shocks with the vapor bubble mechanically lyses
      surrounding tissue and cells. The acoustic parameter space for BH has been
      investigated previously and an inverse dependence between the HIFU frequency and
      the dimensions of a BH lesion has been observed. The primary goal of the present
      study was to investigate in more detail the ablation rate and reliability of BH
      in the frequency range relevant to treatment of deep abdominal tissue targets (1
      2 MHz). The second goal was to investigate the effect of focal peak pressure
      levels and shock amplitude on BH lesion formation, given a constant duty factor,
      a constant ratio of the pulse duration to the time to reach boiling and a
      constant number of BH pulses. A custom-built 12-element sector array HIFU
      transducer with F-number = 1.05 was used in all experiments. BH pulses at 5
      different frequencies (1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.7 and 1.9 MHz) were delivered to optically
      transparent polyacrylamide gel phantoms and ex vivo bovine liver and myocardium
      tissue to observe cavitation and boiling bubble activity with high-speed
      photography and B-mode ultrasound imaging, correspondingly. In gel phantoms, a
      cavitation bubble cloud was shown to form prefocally and to shield the focus in
      all exposures at 1 and 1.2 MHz and in the highest amplitude exposures at 1.5-1.7
      MHz; shielding was not observed at 1.9 MHz. In ex vivo tissue, this shielding
      effect was observed in 25% of exposures when peak negative in situ pressure
      exceeded 10.2 MPa at 1 MHz and 14.5 MPa at 1.5 MHz. When shielding occurred, the
      exposures resulted in mild tissue disruption in the prefocal region, but not
      liquefaction. The dimensions of liquefied lesions followed the inverse
      proportionality trend with frequency; consequently, the frequency range of 1.2
      1.5 MHz appeared to be preferable for BH exposures in terms of the compromise
      between the ablation rate and reliability. The lesion size was independent of the
      duration of the BH pulses (or the total "HIFU on" time), provided that the number
      of pulses was constant and boiling was induced within each pulse. Thus, the use
      of shorter (1 ms vs. 10 ms), higher amplitude BH pulses allowed up to 10-fold
      reduction in treatment time for a given duty factor.

PMID- 28641911
TI  - Image Fusion of Real-Time Ultrasonography with Computed Tomography: Factors
      Affecting the Registration Error and Motion of Focal Hepatic Lesions.
AB  - Factors affecting the registration error (RE) and motion of focal hepatic lesions
      (FHLs) in image fusion of real-time ultrasonography (US) with computed tomography
      (CT) images were prospectively assessed by focusing on respiratory movement and
      FHL location. Real-time US and pre-acquired CT images at end-inspiration were
      fused with FHLs for 103 patients. Three-dimensional US data containing FHLs were
      obtained during end-inspiratory/expiratory phases. Multivariate analysis revealed
      that diaphragm motion (p < 0.001), chronic liver disease (p = 0.02) and the
      absolute difference in distance between the FHL and the central portal vein (CPV)
      during respiration (p = 0.03) were the independent factors that revealed the
      maximum effect on RE. In contrast, diaphragm motion (p < 0.001) and distance
      between the FHL and CPV at inspiration (p = 0.036) revealed the maximum effect on
      FHL motion. In conclusion, RE and FHL motion are affected by the degree of
      respiratory movement and the location of the FHL. Therefore, image fusion with CT
      images should be used with caution if the degree of respiratory motion is
      significant or if the FHL is located at the periphery of the liver.

PMID- 28641912
TI  - A 2-Year Holistic Health and Stress Intervention: Results of an RCT in Clergy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This study sought to determine the effect of a 2-year,
      multicomponent health intervention (Spirited Life) targeting metabolic syndrome
      and stress simultaneously. DESIGN: An RCT using a three-cohort multiple baseline
      design was conducted in 2010-2014. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Participants were United
      Methodist clergy in North Carolina, U.S., in 2010, invited based on occupational
      status. Of invited 1,745 clergy, 1,114 consented, provided baseline data, and
      were randomly assigned to immediate intervention (n=395), 1-year waitlist
      (n=283), or 2-year waitlist (n=436) cohorts for a 48-month trial duration.
      INTERVENTION: The 2-year intervention consisted of personal goal setting and
      encouragement to engage in monthly health coaching, an online weight loss
      intervention, a small grant, and three workshops delivering stress management and
      theological content supporting healthy behaviors. Participants were not blinded
      to intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Trial outcomes were metabolic syndrome
      (primary) and self-reported stress and depressive symptoms (secondary).
      Intervention effects were estimated in 2016 in an intention-to-treat framework
      using generalized estimating equations with adjustment for baseline level of the
      outcome and follow-up time points. Log-link Poisson generalized estimating
      equations with robust SEs was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for binary
      outcomes; mean differences were used for continuous/score outcomes. RESULTS:
      Baseline prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 50.9% and depression was 11.4%. The
      12-month intervention effect showed a benefit for metabolic syndrome (PR=0.86,
      95% CI=0.79, 0.94, p<0.001). This benefit was sustained at 24 months of
      intervention (PR=0.88; 95% CI=0.78, 1.00, p=0.04). There was no significant
      effect on depression or stress scores. CONCLUSIONS: The Spirited Life
      intervention improved metabolic syndrome prevalence in a population of U.S.
      Christian clergy and sustained improvements during 24 months of intervention.
      These findings offer support for long-duration behavior change interventions and
      population-level interventions that allow participants to set their own health
      goals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov
      NCT01564719.

PMID- 28641913
TI  - A five year review of paediatric burns and social deprivation: Is there a link?
AB  - AIM: To establish if there is a correlation between burn incidence and social
      deprivation in order to formulate a more effective burns prevention strategy.
      METHODS: A quantitative retrospective review of International Burn Injury
      Database (IBID) was carried out over a period from 2006 to 2011 to obtain data
      for children referred to our burns centre in West Midlands. Social deprivation
      scores for geographical areas were obtained from Office of National Statistics
      (ONS). Statistical analysis was carried out using Graphpad Prism. RESULTS: 1688
      children were reviewed at our burns centre. Statistical analysis using Pearson
      correlation coefficient showed a slight association between social deprivation
      and increasing burn incidence r2=0.1268, 95% confidence interval 0.018-0.219, p
      value<0.0001. There was a slight male preponderance (58%). The most common
      mechanism of injury was scalding (61%). The most commonly affected age group were
      1-2 year olds (38%). There were statistically significant differences in the
      ethnicity of children with significantly more children from Asian and African
      backgrounds being referred compared to Caucasian children. We found that
      appropriate first aid was administered in 67% of cases overall. We did not find a
      statistically significant link between first aid provision and social deprivation
      score. DISCUSSION: There was only a slight positive correlation between social
      deprivation and burn incidence. However, there did not seem to be any change in
      mechanism of burn in the most deprived groups compared to overall pattern, nor
      was there a significant difference in appropriate first aid provision.
      CONCLUSION: It would seem that dissemination of burn prevention strategies and
      first aid advice need to be improved across all geographical areas as this was
      uniformly lacking and the increased burn incidence in more socially deprived
      groups, although present, was not statistically significant.

PMID- 28641914
TI  - Interactive home telehealth and burns: A pilot study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to review our experience incorporating
      Interactive Home Telehealth (IHT) visits into follow-up burn care. METHODS: A
      retrospective review of all burn patients participating in IHT encounters over
      the course of 15 months was performed. Connections were established through
      secure video conferencing and call-routing software. Patients connected with a
      personal computer or tablet and providers connected with a desktop computer with
      a high-definition web camera. In some cases, high-definition digital images were
      emailed to the provider prior to the virtual consultation. For each patient, the
      following was collected: (1) patient and injury demographics (diagnosis,
      prognosis, and clinical management), (2) total number of encounters, (3) service
      for each encounter (burn, psychiatry, and rehabilitation), (4) length of visit,
      including travel distance and time saved and, (5) complications, including re
      admissions and connectivity issues. RESULTS: 52 virtual encounters were performed
      with 31 patients during the first year of the pilot project from March 2015 to
      June 2016. Mean age of the participant was 44 years (range 18-83 years). Mean
      total burn surface area of the participant was 12% (range 1-80%). Average
      roundtrip travel distance saved was 188 miles (range 4-822 miles). Average round
      trip travel time saved was 201min (range 20-564min). There were no unplanned re
      admissions and no complications. Five connectivity issues were reported, none of
      which prevented completion of the visit. CONCLUSIONS: Interactive Home Telehealth
      is a safe and feasible modality for delivering follow-up care to burn patients.
      Burn care providers benefit from the potential to improve outpatient clinic
      utilization. Patients benefit from improved access to multiple members of their
      specialized burn care team, as well as cost-reductions for patient travel
      expenses. Future studies are needed to ensure patient and provider satisfaction
      and to further validate the significance, cost-effectiveness and safety.

PMID- 28641916
TI  - Methylated spirit burns following traditional hair dressing practice.
AB  - Methylated spirit burns have been reported following domestic uses such as
      igniting fondues. It has also been used as an accelerant for self-immolation. We
      report the first documented case of severe methylated spirit burns sustained
      during traditional hair dressing. Increased awareness on the dangers of
      methylated spirit as well as making it less readily available for domestic use is
      warranted.

PMID- 28641915
TI  - The antimicrobial spectrum of Xeroform(r).
AB  - INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Xeroform(r) is a petrolatum-based fine mesh gauze
      containing 3% bismuth tribromophenate. Bismuth, similar to other metals, has
      antimicrobial properties. Xeroform(r) has been used for decades in burn and
      plastic surgery as a donor site dressing and as a covering for wounds or partial
      thickness burns. Despite this, the antimicrobial spectrum of Xeroform(r) remains
      largely unknown. We examined the in-vitro efficacy of Xeroform(r) against common
      burn pathogens using zone-of-inhibition methodology in a commercial research
      facility. METHODS/DESIGN: Pure strains of 15 common burn pathogens including
      Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Methicillin-sensitive
      Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
      Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Vancomycin resistant
      Enterococcus, Acinetobacter baumennii, Klebsiella pneumonia, Extended spectrum
      beta-lactamase producing Klebsiella, Beta hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes,
      Proteus mirabilis, Serratia marcescens, and Salmonella enterica ssp. Enterica
      were inoculated at a strength of 106-1010 CFU/ml onto appropriate agar plates. A
      sterile 1 in2 Xeroform(r) square was placed in the center of each plate, and the
      Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) was measured following 18-24h of incubation at 37
      degrees C. A second bismuth pharmaceutical (bismuth subsalicylate, Pepto
      Bismol(r)) was then tested using the same methodology against the same strains of
      MRSA, MSSA, E. coli, K. pneumonia and S. marcescens. Finally, 3% w/v bismuth
      tribromophenate in glycerol suspension was tested against 13 burn pathogens for
      antimicrobial activity independent of the Xeroform(r) dressing by measure of Zone
      of Inhibition. RESULTS/FINDINGS: For Xeroform(r), none of the fifteen pathogens
      had a measurable zone of inhibition on any plate. Bismuth subsalicylate showed a
      zone of inhibition for MSSA in 3 plates (mean of 47.2mm), in one of three plates
      for MRSA (13.8mm), and in one of three plates for S. marcesens (89.6mm). There
      was no zone of inhibition seen for K. pneumonia or E. coli. Bismuth
      tribromophenate, when not bound to Xeroform(r) showed activity against 12 of 13
      pathogens. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: While bismuth subsalicylate, and bismuth
      tribromophenate unbound to Xeroform(r) demonstrate antimicrobial activity, it
      appears that Xeroform(r) dressings do not. The utility of Xeroform(r) in burn
      medicine may relate more to use as an impervious dressing than to antimicrobial
      effect. Donor sites are clean surgical wounds and clean partial thickness burns
      may have minimal colonization present. In such circumstances, an inactive and
      impervious dressing may be all that is necessary to promote wound healing.

PMID- 28641917
TI  - Complications in tissue expansion: A logistic regression analysis for risk
      factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tissue expansion is frequently used in reconstructive surgery.
      Although the surgical procedure is typically considered simple, reported
      complication rates of tissue expansions exceed 40%. There is little evidence
      concerning risk factors for complications in tissue expansion in body regions
      other than breast. The aim was to determine risk factors for complications in non
      breast tissue expansion. METHODS: 34 patients treated with subcutaneous tissue
      expanders between 2005 and 2014 were analyzed. Demographic data, body-mass index
      (BMI), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), treatment indications, expansion site,
      previous expansion therapies in the same body region, smoking history, as well as
      expander characteristics (shape, volume, and filling mechanism) were ascertained.
      Complications were assessed and ranked according to severity based on the Clavien
      Dindo classification. Binary logistic regression analysis adjusted for clinical
      characteristics was used. A p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
      RESULTS: Complications were observed in 26 out of 71 expanders analyzed (36.6%),
      of whom 10 led to therapy failure. Expanders used in the limbs, female gender,
      and high expander volume turned out as significant risk factors. Patients with
      both a high MAP and low BMI developed tissue necrosis significantly more often
      (p=0.002). The use of tissue expansion after a burn was not associated with an
      increased risk for complications. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study revealing
      female gender and low BMI as risk factors in tissue expander surgery. Thus,
      careful patient selection is mandatory to avoid complications in tissue
      expansion. Burn patients do not develop complications more often.

PMID- 28641918
TI  - Resistance of mice to Leptospira infection and correlation with chemokine
      response.
AB  - Leptospirosis is globally widespread neglected disease, affecting most mammalian
      species. Clinical signs can be confused with other diseases which make the
      diagnosis and treatment difficult. Chemokines and cytokines are known for their
      role in the inflammatory and immune response to infections. The profile
      determination of chemokines' expressions in the course of infection may elucidate
      the defense mechanisms of the host and support the search for effective treatment
      strategies. We investigated the mechanisms of innate immunity through the
      comparison of chemokines induced during infection with L. interrogans in mice
      with different levels of susceptibility. We used lung and spleen tissues samples
      of mice from C3H/HeJ, C3H/HePas and Balb/c, respectively sensitive, intermediate
      susceptibility and resistant to the pathogen. The inoculation of L. interrogans
      in C3H/HeJ mice led a comparatively smaller change in chemokines expression in
      both spleen and lung tissues. In samples from spleens and lungs of C3H/HePas and
      Balb/c the higher increases occurred on CXCL9, CXCL16, CXCL5, CCL8 and CCL5 in
      Balb/c. Given the same genetic background, the differences in the responses of
      C3H/HePas compared to C3H/HeJ mice strongly suggest the role of chemokines for
      the survival of parental strain. Therefore, the greatest increase in CXC
      chemokines appears to be efficient to induce migration of cells to the secondary
      lymphoid organs and affected tissues, which is important to control infection.
      Overall, CXC chemokines are important for the activation and attraction of T cell
      and may influence the course and control of the infection in resistant Balb/c
      mice.

PMID- 28641919
TI  - Prevalence of Candida africana and Candida dubliniensis, in vulvovaginal
      candidiasis: First Turkish Candida africana isolates from vulvovaginal
      candidiasis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Candida africana and C. dubliniensis are closely related species of
      C. albicans. Current phenotypic methods are not suitable to accurately
      distinguish all the species belonging to the C. albicans complex. Several
      molecular-based methods have recently been designed for discriminating among
      closely related Candida species. The aim of this study was to establish the
      prevalence of C. dubliniensis and C. africana in vulvovaginal samples with
      phenotypic and genotypic methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We re-examined 376
      vulvovaginal C. albicans complex isolates. All the isolates were identified with
      morphological features and HWP1 gene polymorphisms. ITS and D1/D2 sequencing,
      carbohydrate assimilation, MALDI-TOF MS profiles and antifungal susceptibilities
      were evaluated for C. africana and C. dubliniensis isolates. RESULTS: Of the 376
      isolates, three C. africana and three C. dubliniensis isolates (0.8% and 0.8%
      prevalence, respectively) were identified by molecular methods (HPW1, ITS and
      D1/D2) Phenotypically, C. africana differed from C. albicans and C. dubliniensis
      by formation of no/rare pseudohyphae, absence of chlamydospores and, the
      development of turquoise green colonies on CHROMagar. MALDI-TOF MS and API ID 32C
      could not revealed C. africana isolates. C. africana and C. dubliniensis isolates
      showed very low MIC values for all the tested antifungals. DISCUSSION: This first
      report of C. africana from Turkey provides additional data for epidemiological,
      phenotypic features and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. This study also
      highlights the importance of using genotypic methods in combination with
      phenotypic methods.

PMID- 28641920
TI  - [Ortographic standarization].

PMID- 28641921
TI  - Genome-wide association and interaction studies of CSF T-tau/Abeta42 ratio in
      ADNI cohort.
AB  - The pathogenic relevance in Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents a decrease of
      cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-beta42 (Abeta42) burden and an increase in
      cerebrospinal fluid total tau (T-tau) levels. In this work, we performed genome
      wide association study (GWAS) and genome-wide interaction study of T-tau/Abeta42
      ratio as an AD imaging quantitative trait on 843 subjects and 563,980 single
      nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ADNI cohort. We aim to identify not only SNPs
      with significant main effects but also SNPs with interaction effects to help
      explain "missing heritability". Linear regression method was used to detect SNP
      SNP interactions among SNPs with uncorrected p-value <=0.01 from the GWAS. Age,
      gender, and diagnosis were considered as covariates in both studies. The GWAS
      results replicated the previously reported AD-related genes APOE, APOC1, and
      TOMM40, as well as identified 14 novel genes, which showed genome-wide
      statistical significance. Genome-wide interaction study revealed 7 pairs of SNPs
      meeting the cell-size criteria and with bonferroni-corrected p-value <=0.05. As
      we expect, these interaction pairs all had marginal main effects but explained a
      relatively high-level variance of T-tau/Abeta42, demonstrating their potential
      association with AD pathology.

PMID- 28641922
TI  - Diffusion weighted imaging and time in acute ischemic stroke, is there any
      relation?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) is useful for patient
      selection during the first 6hours after stroke onset. The main aim of this study
      was to investigate the relationship between the time from stroke symptom onset
      and stroke volume assessed using DWI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 203
      patients with anterior circulation stroke who were admitted to Montpellier's
      Stroke Unit and for whom a DWI ASPECT score (DWI-ASPECTS) was obtained during the
      first 6hours from symptom onset. Patients were classified according to the number
      of hours after the onset of symptoms that DWI was performed. Two experienced
      neuroradiologists independently calculated the DWI-ASPECTS, which was classified
      by the size of the stroke volume in three groups: 0-3, 4-6 and 7-10. RESULTS: No
      relationship was found between temporal groups and the DWI-ASPECTS. The number of
      patients who reached each of the 3 classified stroke volumes was not different
      between the temporal groups. CONCLUSION: There is no correlation in our findings
      between the time of stroke symptom onset and the DWI-ASPECT score during the
      first 6hours from stroke onset.

PMID- 28641923
TI  - Rhodobacteraceae on the marine brown alga Fucus spiralis are abundant and show
      physiological adaptation to an epiphytic lifestyle.
AB  - Macroalgae harbour specific microbial communities on their surface that have
      functions related to host health and defence. In this study, the bacterial
      biofilm of the marine brown alga Fucus spiralis was investigated using 16S rRNA
      gene amplicon-based analysis and isolation of bacteria. Rhodobacteraceae
      (Alphaproteobacteria) were the predominant family constituting 23% of the
      epibacterial community. At the genus level, Sulfitobacter, Loktanella,
      Octadecabacter and a previously undescribed cluster were most abundant, and
      together they comprised 89% of the Rhodobacteraceae. Supported by a specific PCR
      approach, 23 different Rhodobacteraceae-affiliated strains were isolated from the
      surface of F. spiralis, which belonged to 12 established and three new genera.
      For seven strains, closely related sequences were detected in the 16S rRNA gene
      dataset. Growth experiments with substrates known to be produced by Fucus spp.
      showed that all of them were consumed by at least three strains, and vitamin B12
      was produced by 70% of the isolates. Since growth of F. spiralis depends on B12
      supplementation, bacteria may provide the alga with this vitamin. Most strains
      produced siderophores, which can enhance algal growth under iron-deficient
      conditions. Inhibiting properties against other bacteria were only observed when
      F. spiralis material was present in the medium. Thus, the physiological
      properties of the isolates indicated adaption to an epiphytic lifestyle.

PMID- 28641924
TI  - Random survival forest with space extensions for censored data.
AB  - Prediction capability of a classifier usually improves when it is built from an
      extended variable space by adding new variables from randomly combination of two
      or more original variables. However, its usefulness in survival analysis of
      censored time-to-event data is yet to be verified. In this research, we
      investigate the plausibility of space extension technique, originally proposed
      for classification purpose, to survival analysis. By combing random subspace,
      bagging and extended space techniques, we develop a random survival forest with
      space extensions algorithm. According to statistical analysis results, we show
      that the proposed model outperforms or at least comparable to popular survival
      models such as random survival forest, rotation survival forest, Cox proportional
      hazard and boosting survival models on well-known benchmark datasets.

PMID- 28641925
TI  - Safety, pharmacokinetics and sialic acid production after oral administration of
      N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) to subjects with GNE myopathy.
AB  - GNE myopathy is a rare, autosomal recessive, inborn error of sialic acid
      metabolism, caused by mutations in GNE, the gene encoding UDP-N-acetyl
      glucosamine-2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase. The disease manifests as an
      adult-onset myopathy characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness and
      atrophy. There is no medical therapy available for this debilitating disease.
      Hyposialylation of muscle glycoproteins likely contributes to the pathophysiology
      of this disease. N-acetyl-D-mannosamine (ManNAc), an uncharged monosaccharide and
      the first committed precursor in the sialic acid biosynthetic pathway, is a
      therapeutic candidate that prevents muscle weakness in the mouse model of GNE
      myopathy. We conducted a first-in-human, randomized, placebo-controlled, double
      blind, single-ascending dose study to evaluate safety and pharmacokinetics of
      ManNAc in GNE myopathy subjects. Single doses of 3 and 6g of oral ManNAc were
      safe and well tolerated; 10g was associated with diarrhea likely due to
      unabsorbed ManNAc. Oral ManNAc was absorbed rapidly and exhibited a short half
      life (~2.4h). Following administration of a single dose of ManNAc, there was a
      significant and sustained increase in plasma unconjugated free sialic acid
      (Neu5Ac) (Tmax of 8-11h). Neu5Ac levels remained above baseline 48h post-dose in
      subjects who received a dose of 6 or 10g. Given that Neu5Ac is known to have a
      short half-life, the prolonged elevation of Neu5Ac after a single dose of ManNAc
      suggests that intracellular biosynthesis of sialic acid was restored in subjects
      with GNE myopathy, including those homozygous for mutations in the kinase domain.
      Simulated plasma concentration-time profiles support a dosing regimen of 6g twice
      daily for future clinical trials.

PMID- 28641927
TI  - From Prokaryotes to Cancer: Glutamine Flux in Multicellular Units.
AB  - Bacteria in nature reside in organized communities, termed biofilms, which are
      composed of multiple individual cells adhering to each other. Similarly, tumors
      are a multicellular mass with distinct cellular phenotypes. Both tumors and
      biofilms are considered to be an active interphase between unicellular and
      multicellular life states. Because both of these units depend on glutamine for
      growth and survival, we review here glutamine flux within them as a readout for
      intra- and inter-commensal metabolism. We suggest that the difference between
      glutamine fluxes in these cellular communities lies mainly in their global
      multicellular metabolic organization. Both the differences and similarities
      described here should be taken into account when considering glutamine-targeting
      therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28641926
TI  - Targeting the GM-CSF receptor for the treatment of CNS autoimmunity.
AB  - In multiple sclerosis (MS), there is a growing interest in inhibiting the pro
      inflammatory effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM
      CSF). We sought to evaluate the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms
      of GM-CSF receptor alpha (Ralpha) blockade in animal models of MS. We show that
      GM-CSF signaling inhibition at peak of chronic experimental autoimmune
      encephalomyelitis (EAE) results in amelioration of disease progression.
      Similarly, GM-CSF Ralpha blockade in relapsing-remitting (RR)-EAE model prevented
      disease relapses and inhibited T cell responses specific for both the inducing
      and spread myelin peptides, while reducing activation of mDCs and inflammatory
      monocytes. In situ immunostaining of lesions from human secondary progressive MS
      (SPMS), but not primary progressive MS patients shows extensive recruitment of GM
      CSF Ralpha+ myeloid cells. Collectively, this study reveals a pivotal role of GM
      CSF in disease relapses and the benefit of GM-CSF Ralpha blockade as a potential
      novel therapeutic approach for treatment of RRMS and SPMS.

PMID- 28641929
TI  - Initiation and Engagement with Methadone Treatment among Pregnant and Postpartum
      Women.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of experiences and
      challenges with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and obstetrical care among
      pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in a methadone maintenance program.
      RESEARCH DESIGN: The study featured a grounded theory approach including two
      focus groups with pregnant and postpartum methadone users at a methadone
      maintenance clinic in Worcester, Massachusetts. Two research team members
      conducted and recorded focus groups, which took approximately 45 minutes to 1
      hour. Grounded theory was used to guide data analysis and open coding, where
      transcripts were reviewed line by line to create code definitions as concepts
      emerged inductively from the data. RESULTS: Five emergent themes were derived
      from the data: 1) guilt, coupled with fear of negative outcomes for their infant,
      dictates women's MMT treatment decisions; 2) finding obstetricians with
      experience treating pregnant women using methadone can be a challenge; 3)
      methadone clinic physicians are instrumental in helping women find the right
      methadone dose during pregnancy; 4) some women had strong preferences for
      methadone over buprenorphine; and 5) women face substantial substance abuse
      treatment challenges after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Women experience substantial
      challenges engaging in MMT during the perinatal period. Additional challenges
      arise from finding obstetrical providers who have experience with MMT and are
      willing to care for pregnant women. This study may provide a starting point for
      future interventions seeking to improve care coordination between substance abuse
      treatment and prenatal care programs.

PMID- 28641931
TI  - Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus is a serious human pathogen with remarkable adaptive
      powers. Antibiotic-resistant clones rapidly emerge mainly by acquisition of
      antibiotic-resistance genes from other S. aureus strains or even from other
      genera. Transfer is mediated by a diverse complement of mobile genetic elements
      and occurs primarily by conjugation or bacteriophage transduction, with the
      latter traditionally being perceived as the primary route. Recent work on
      conjugation and transduction suggests that transfer by these mechanisms may be
      more extensive than previously thought, in terms of the range of plasmids that
      can be transferred by conjugation and the efficiency with which transduction
      occurs. Here, we review the main routes of antibiotic resistance gene transfer in
      S. aureus in the context of its biology as a human commensal and a life
      threatening pathogen.

PMID- 28641928
TI  - BmpR1A is a major type 1 BMP receptor for BMP-Smad signaling during skull
      development.
AB  - Craniosynostosis is caused by premature fusion of one or more sutures in an
      infant skull, resulting in abnormal facial features. The molecular and cellular
      mechanisms by which genetic mutations cause craniosynostosis are incompletely
      characterized, and many of the causative genes for diverse types of syndromic
      craniosynostosis have not yet been identified. We previously demonstrated that
      augmentation of BMP signaling mediated by a constitutively active BMP type IA
      receptor (ca-BmpR1A) in neural crest cells (ca1A hereafter) causes
      craniosynostosis and superimposition of heterozygous null mutation of Bmpr1a
      rescues premature suture fusion (ca1A;1aH hereafter). In this study, we
      superimposed heterozygous null mutations of the other two BMP type I receptors,
      Bmpr1b and Acvr1 (ca1A;1bH and ca1A;AcH respectively hereafter) to further
      dissect involvement of BMP-Smad signaling. Unlike caA1;1aH, ca1A;1bH and ca1A;AcH
      did not restore the craniosynostosis phenotypes. In our in vivo study, Smad
      dependent BMP signaling was decreased to normal levels in mut;1aH mice. However,
      BMP receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads; pSmad1/5/9 hereafter) levels were
      comparable between ca1A, ca1A;1bH and ca1A;AcH mice, and elevated compared to
      control mice. Bmpr1a, Bmpr1b and Acvr1 null cells were used to examine potential
      mechanisms underlying the differences in ability of heterozygosity for Bmpr1a vs.
      Bmpr1b or Acvr1 to rescue the mut phenotype. pSmad1/5/9 level was undetectable in
      Bmpr1a homozygous null cells while pSmad1/5/9 levels did not decrease in Bmpr1b
      or Acvr1 homozygous null cells. Taken together, our study indicates that
      different levels of expression and subsequent activation of Smad signaling
      differentially contribute each BMP type I receptor to BMP-Smad signaling and
      craniofacial development. These results also suggest differential involvement of
      each type 1 receptor in pathogenesis of syndromic craniosynostoses.

PMID- 28641930
TI  - The Role of the Fungal Cell Wall in the Infection of Plants.
AB  - The polysaccharide-rich wall, which envelopes the fungal cell, is pivotal to the
      maintenance of cellular integrity and for the protection of the cell from
      external aggressors - such as environmental fluxes and during host infection.
      This review considers the commonalities in the composition of the wall across the
      fungal kingdom, addresses how little is known about the assembly of the
      polysaccharide matrix, and considers changes in the wall of plant-pathogenic
      fungi during on and in planta growth, following the elucidation of infection
      structures requiring cell wall alterations. It highlights what is known about the
      phytopathogenic fungal wall and what needs to be discovered.

PMID- 28641932
TI  - Myositis ossificans in elbow mimicking soft tissue sarcoma: Similar clinical and
      radiological findings.

PMID- 28641933
TI  - The role of sleep in regulating structural plasticity and synaptic strength:
      Implications for memory and cognitive function.
AB  - Dendritic spines are the major sites of synaptic transmission in the central
      nervous system. Alterations in the strength of synaptic connections directly
      affect the neuronal communication, which is crucial for brain function as well as
      the processing and storage of information. Sleep and sleep loss bidirectionally
      alter structural plasticity, by affecting spine numbers and morphology, which
      ultimately can affect the functional output of the brain in terms of alertness,
      cognition, and mood. Experimental data from studies in rodents suggest that sleep
      deprivation may impact structural plasticity in different ways. One of the
      current views, referred to as the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis, suggests that
      wake promotes synaptic potentiation whereas sleep facilitates synaptic
      downscaling. On the other hand, several studies have now shown that sleep
      deprivation can reduce spine density and attenuate synaptic efficacy in the
      hippocampus. These data are the basis for the view that sleep promotes
      hippocampal structural plasticity critical for memory formation. Altogether, the
      impact of sleep and sleep loss may vary between regions of the brain. A better
      understanding of the role that sleep plays in regulating structural plasticity
      may ultimately lead to novel therapeutic approaches for brain disorders that are
      accompanied by sleep disturbances and sleep loss.

PMID- 28641934
TI  - Radiology Resident Education: In Defense of the Socratic Method.

PMID- 28641935
TI  - Fatty Acid-Modified Gapmer Antisense Oligonucleotide and Serum Albumin Constructs
      for Pharmacokinetic Modulation.
AB  - Delivery technologies are required for realizing the clinical potential of
      molecular medicines. This work presents an alternative technology to
      preformulated delivery systems by harnessing the natural transport properties of
      serum albumin using endogenous binding of gapmer antisense oligonucleotides
      (ASOs)/albumin constructs. We show by an electrophoretic mobility assay that
      fatty acid-modified gapmer and human serum albumin (HSA) can self-assemble into
      constructs that offer favorable pharmacokinetics. The interaction was dependent
      on fatty acid type (either palmitic or myristic acid), number, and position
      within the gapmer ASO sequence, as well as phosphorothioate (PS) backbone
      modifications. Binding correlated with increased blood circulation in mice (t1/2
      increased from 23 to 49 min for phosphodiester [PO] gapmer ASOs and from 28 to 66
      min for PS gapmer ASOs with 2* palmitic acid modification). Furthermore, a shift
      toward a broader biodistribution was detected for PS compared with PO gapmer
      ASOs. Inclusion of 2* palmitoyl to the ASOs shifted the biodistribution to
      resemble that of natural albumin. This work, therefore, presents a novel strategy
      based on the proposed endogenous assembly of gapmer ASOs/albumin constructs for
      increased circulatory half-life and modulation of the biodistribution of gapmer
      ASOs that offers tunable pharmacokinetics based on the gapmer modification
      design.

PMID- 28641937
TI  - Learning disability in a son and premature ovarian failure as clinical pointers
      to identify a premutation on the X chromosome in a female with long-standing
      tremor.

PMID- 28641936
TI  - Combined vaginoplasty technique for male-to-female sex reassignment surgery:
      Operative approach and outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several therapy options exist for male-to-female (MTF) transgenders
      desiring sex reassignment. Surgery includes numerous different procedures. Of
      those, vaginoplasty is predominant and aims at providing attractive esthetics and
      fully functional genitals. This study aimed to present the surgical results of
      our modified combined vaginoplasty technique in a consecutive patient cohort.
      METHODS: We included 40 MTF transgender patients who underwent a two-stage sex
      reassignment surgery (SRS) in an observational prospective study between
      September 2012 and January 2014. Demographic characteristics, medical and
      surgical history, operative details, and outcomes after surgery were documented.
      Postoperatively, 23 patients received a pelvic examination following the
      standardized protocol. RESULTS: Measured vaginal depth was 11.77-14.99 cm
      depending on the size of the dilator used (25-40 mm). Vaginal, clitoral, and
      labial sensitivities were intact and favorable in all examined patients. Nineteen
      women (47.5%) opted for breast augmentations to achieve a feminine cosmesis,
      making it the most common nongenital operation. Complications were mostly minor
      and temporary. Severe adverse events, such as wound infections (n = 3), colon
      injuries (3), short (1) or narrow (1) vaginas, or partial clitoral necroses (1),
      were rare and immediately addressed by the surgical team. No vaginal construction
      was lost, and no secondary reconstructive approaches were required. CONCLUSION:
      Satisfactory physical results and favorable low rates of complications endorse
      our combined technique for MTF SRS. These findings, however, need to be confirmed
      by other research groups as well. Therefore, in our opinion, MTF SRS remains an
      evolving area of development, whose research is aiming to establish a state-of
      the-art surgical technique.

PMID- 28641938
TI  - Administration of a leptin antagonist during the neonatal leptin surge induces
      alterations in the redox and inflammatory state in peripubertal /adolescent rats.
AB  - The importance of the neonatal leptin surge in rodents in neurodevelopmental
      processes has aroused curiosity in its implication in other physiological
      systems. Given the role of leptin in neuro-immune interactions, we hypothesized
      that the neonatal leptin surge could have an effect on the oxidative and
      inflammatory stress situations of both systems. We blocked the neonatal leptin
      surge by a leptin antagonist and measured several parameters of oxidative and
      inflammatory stress in the spleen, hypothalamus and adipose tissue of
      peripubertal/adolescent rats. The treated rats showed lower activity of several
      antioxidant enzymes in the spleen and their leukocytes released lower levels of
      mitogen-stimulated IL-10 and IL-13 and higher levels of TNF-alpha. In conclusion,
      the neonatal leptin surge may have a key role in the establishment of adequate
      redox and inflammatory states in the immune system, which is important for the
      generation of adequate immune responses and to obtain and maintain good health.

PMID- 28641939
TI  - Low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase expression as a prognostic
      factor for men with metastatic hormone-naive prostate cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have demonstrated that up-front docetaxel combined
      with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) prolongs survival in some patients with
      metastatic hormone-naive prostate cancer (mHNPC). However, new biomarkers for
      selecting personalized treatment strategies for mHNPC are warranted. We evaluated
      the value of low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP)
      expression as a prognosticator in men with mHNPC. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total
      of 48 men with mHNPC diagnosed from 2003 to 2009 were enrolled in this study.
      Prostate cancer tissues obtained by needle biopsies were immunohistochemically
      stained for LMW-PTP. Correlations between LMW-PTP expression and
      clinicopathological characteristics were then assessed. RESULTS: At the time of
      analysis, 29 (60.4%) patients were alive, whereas 15 (31.3%) and 4 (8.3%) died of
      prostate cancer and nonprostate cancer, respectively. Of these, 29 (60.4%) had
      low LMW-PTP expression and 19 (39.6%) had high expression. Median overall
      survival (OS) for patients with high LMW-PTP expression was not reached and that
      for patients with low LMW-PTP expression was 23.8 months. High LMW-PTP expression
      was significantly correlated with a shorter OS compared with low LMW-PTP
      expression (P = 0.01). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that Gleason score
      (>=8 vs.<=7; HR = 5.8, 95% CI: 1.3-26.5, P = 0.02) and LMW-PTP expression (high
      vs. low; HR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.0-7.2, P = 0.04) were independent prognostic factors
      for OS. CONCLUSIONS: LMW-PTP is a potential biomarker to predict OS in patients
      with mHNPC.

PMID- 28641940
TI  - Dormant origins as a built-in safeguard in eukaryotic DNA replication against
      genome instability and disease development.
AB  - DNA replication is a prerequisite for cell proliferation, yet it can be
      increasingly challenging for a eukaryotic cell to faithfully duplicate its genome
      as its size and complexity expands. Dormant origins now emerge as a key component
      for cells to successfully accomplish such a demanding but essential task. In this
      perspective, we will first provide an overview of the fundamental processes
      eukaryotic cells have developed to regulate origin licensing and firing. With a
      special focus on mammalian systems, we will then highlight the role of dormant
      origins in preventing replication-associated genome instability and their
      functional interplay with proteins involved in the DNA damage repair response for
      tumor suppression. Lastly, deficiencies in the origin licensing machinery will be
      discussed in relation to their influence on stem cell maintenance and human
      diseases.

PMID- 28641941
TI  - Role of recombination and replication fork restart in repeat instability.
AB  - Eukaryotic genomes contain many repetitive DNA sequences that exhibit size
      instability. Some repeat elements have the added complication of being able to
      form secondary structures, such as hairpin loops, slipped DNA, triplex DNA or G
      quadruplexes. Especially when repeat sequences are long, these DNA structures can
      form a significant impediment to DNA replication and repair, leading to DNA
      nicks, gaps, and breaks. In turn, repair or replication fork restart attempts
      within the repeat DNA can lead to addition or removal of repeat elements, which
      can sometimes lead to disease. One important DNA repair mechanism to maintain
      genomic integrity is recombination. Though early studies dismissed recombination
      as a mechanism driving repeat expansion and instability, recent results indicate
      that mitotic recombination is a key pathway operating within repetitive DNA. The
      action is two-fold: first, it is an important mechanism to repair nicks, gaps,
      breaks, or stalled forks to prevent chromosome fragility and protect cell health;
      second, recombination can cause repeat expansions or contractions, which can be
      deleterious. In this review, we summarize recent developments that illuminate the
      role of recombination in maintaining genome stability at DNA repeats.

PMID- 28641944
TI  - Effect of antimony-oxide on the shielding properties of some sodium-boro-silicate
      glasses.
AB  - Some sodium-silicate-boro-antimonate glasses having the molecular composition
      [(20) Na2O - (20) SiO2 - (60-x) B2O3 - (x) Sb2O3 (where x takes the values 0, 5
      ... or 20)] have been prepared by the melt quenching method. The melting and
      annealing temperatures were 1500 and 650K respectively. The amorphous nature of
      the prepared samples was confirmed by using X-ray diffraction analysis. Both the
      experimental and empirical density and molar volume values showed gradual
      increase with increasing Sb2O3 content. The empirical densities showed higher
      values than those obtained experimentally, while the empirical molar volume
      values appeared lower than those obtained experimentally, which confirm the
      amorphous nature and randomness character of the studied samples. The
      experimentally obtained shielding parameters were approximately coincident with
      those obtained theoretically by applying WinXCom program. At low gamma-ray
      energies (0.356 and 0.662MeV) Sb2O3 has approximately no effect on the total Mass
      Attenuation Coefficient, while at high energies it acts to increase the total
      Mass Attenuation Coefficient gradually. The obtained Half Value Layer and Mean
      Free Path values showed gradual decrease as Sb2O3 was gradually increased. Also,
      the Total Mass Attenuation Coefficient values obtained between about 0.8 and
      3.0MeV gamma-ray energy showed a slight decrease, as gamma-ray photon energy
      increased. This may be due to the differences between the Attenuation
      Coefficients of both antimony and boron oxides at various gamma-ray photon
      energies. However, it can be stated that the addition of Sb2O3 into sodium-boro
      silicate glasses increases the gamma-ray Attenuation Coefficient and the best
      sample is that contains 20 mol% of Sb2O3, which is operating well at 0.356 and
      0.662MeV gamma-ray.

PMID- 28641942
TI  - The Top1 paradox: Friend and foe of the eukaryotic genome.
AB  - Topoisomerases manage the torsional stress associated with the separation of DNA
      strands during transcription and DNA replication. Eukaryotic Topoisomerase I
      (Top1) is a Type IB enzyme that nicks and rejoins only one strand of duplex DNA,
      and it is especially important during transcription. By resolving transcription
      associated torsional stress, Top1 reduces the accumulation of genome
      destabilizing R-loops and non-B DNA structures. The DNA nicking activity of Top1,
      however, can also initiate genome instability in the form of illegitimate
      recombination, homologous recombination and mutagenesis. In this review, we focus
      on the diverse, and often opposing, roles of Top1 in regulating eukaryotic genome
      stability.

PMID- 28641946
TI  - He who rests, rusts.

PMID- 28641945
TI  - Surveillance after positive colonoscopy based on adenoma characteristics.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with adenomatous polyps are at increased risk for developing
      colorectal cancer based on the characteristics and number of polyps, but less is
      known about the individual and combined contribution of these factors. This study
      aimed to better characterize the risk of advanced adenoma and cancer in patients
      with positive baseline colonoscopy. METHODS: Patients who had polyps at baseline
      colonoscopy were included in this retrospective cohort study (N=1165) and were
      categorized into 6 groups: (1) 1-2 non-advanced adenomas (NAA's), (2) >=3 NAA's,
      (3) advanced tubular adenoma, (4) small tubulovillous adenoma (TVA), (5) large
      TVA and (6) multiple advanced adenomas (MAA's). Findings at surveillance
      colonoscopy were documented in each group. RESULTS: The combined incidence of
      advanced adenoma,  >=3 NAA's, and colorectal cancer at surveillance colonoscopy
      was significantly higher in the baseline large TVA (29.2%) than small TVA groups
      (13.5%, P<0.001), as well as in the MAA's group (44.1%) compared with large TVA
      group (P=0.02). The incidence of colorectal cancer, however, was not
      significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The size of the polyp
      and the number of advanced lesions are more important than its histology for
      predicting the risk of high-risk metachronous lesions at follow-up.

PMID- 28641943
TI  - Template-switching during replication fork repair in bacteria.
AB  - Replication forks frequently are challenged by lesions on the DNA template,
      replication-impeding DNA secondary structures, tightly bound proteins or
      nucleotide pool imbalance. Studies in bacteria have suggested that under these
      circumstances the fork may leave behind single-strand DNA gaps that are
      subsequently filled by homologous recombination, translesion DNA synthesis or
      template-switching repair synthesis. This review focuses on the template
      switching pathways and how the mechanisms of these processes have been deduced
      from biochemical and genetic studies. I discuss how template-switching can
      contribute significantly to genetic instability, including mutational hotspots
      and frequent genetic rearrangements, and how template-switching may be elicited
      by replication fork damage.

PMID- 28641947
TI  - Effectiveness of human spermatozoa biomarkers as indicators of structural damage
      during cryopreservation.
AB  - Human spermatozoa cryopreservation techniques are used to maintain and protect
      male fertility in cases such as infertility and malignancy treatments. However,
      during cryopreservation, the spermatozoa's metabolic rate is reduced and they
      undergo dramatic functional and structural changes owing to exposure to
      cryoprotectants and freezing-thawing procedures. While the effects of
      cryopreservation on cells are documented, to date the induced cryodamage on
      structural and/or functional sperm biomarkers is not well established at
      multivariate scale. To address this question, we performed basic sperm analysis,
      sperm DNA fragmentation assessment, spontaneous acrosome reaction measurement,
      and cytoskeleton evaluation after thawing samples from subjects with normal and
      low-quality semen. A cryodamage rate was used to determine the effects of the
      freeze-thaw process on spermatozoa. In addition, a Principal Component Analysis
      (PCA) was used for data reduction and to evaluate sperm-specific patterns during
      the cryopreservation process. We found that the vitality, progressive motility
      and sperm count from low-quality samples after cryopreservation show higher
      damage rates (>=40%) than in normal sperm samples. However, cytoskeleton, DNA,
      tail and mid-piece and acrosome display the highest cryodamage rates (~50-99%)
      and are equally susceptible to cryopreservation-induced damage in both low- and
      normal-quality semen samples. Overall, the evaluation of these parameters
      provides meaningful information about different aspects of sperm functionality
      after cryopreservation.

PMID- 28641948
TI  - Optimally capturing latency dynamics in models of tuberculosis transmission.
AB  - Although different structures are used in modern tuberculosis (TB) models to
      simulate TB latency, it remains unclear whether they are all capable of
      reproducing the particular activation dynamics empirically observed. We aimed to
      determine which of these structures replicate the dynamics of progression
      accurately. We reviewed 88 TB-modelling articles and classified them according to
      the latency structure employed. We then fitted these different models to the
      activation dynamics observed from 1352 infected contacts diagnosed in Victoria
      (Australia) and Amsterdam (Netherlands) to obtain parameter estimates. Six
      different model structures were identified, of which only those incorporating two
      latency compartments were capable of reproducing the activation dynamics
      empirically observed. We found important differences in parameter estimates by
      age. We also observed marked differences between our estimates and the parameter
      values used in many previous models. In particular, when two successive latency
      phases are considered, the first period should have a duration that is much
      shorter than that used in previous studies. In conclusion, structures
      incorporating two latency compartments and age-stratification should be employed
      to accurately replicate the dynamics of TB latency. We provide a catalogue of
      parameter values and an approach to parameter estimation from empiric data for
      calibration of future TB-models.

PMID- 28641949
TI  - Reduced protein expressions of cytomembrane GABAARbeta3 at different postnatal
      developmental stages of rats exposed prenatally to valproic acid.
AB  - Decreased inhibition plays an extremely important role in pathogenesis of autism
      spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, we aimed to determine whether expression
      levels of the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor beta3 subunit
      (GABAARbeta3), K+-Cl- cotransporter 2 (KCC2), and Na+-K+-Cl- cotransporter 1
      (NKCC1) related to inhibition transmission are changed in a sodium valproate
      induced rat model of ASD. Decreased expression levels of membrane GABAARbeta3 (m
      GABAARbeta3) and KCC2 as well as increased endocytosis of GABAARs were found in
      the model group. However, there were no significant differences in expression of
      total GABAARbeta3 and NKCC1 between the control and model groups. In addition, we
      observed growth retardation, impaired spatial memory, limited exploration,
      increased anxiety, and reduced sociability in the model group. These results
      suggest alterations in m-GABAARbeta3 levels, KCC2 levels, and trafficking of
      GABAARs in rats prenatally exposed to valproic acid and advance our understanding
      of the pathogenesis of ASD.

PMID- 28641950
TI  - Cholinergic signaling plasticity maintains viscerosensory responses during
      Aspiculuris tetraptera infection in mice small intestine.
AB  - Intestinal parasites alter gastrointestinal (GI) functions like the cholinergic
      function. Aspiculuris tetraptera is a pinworm frequently observed in laboratory
      facilities, which infests the mice cecum and proximal colon. However, little is
      known about the impact of this infection on the GI sensitivity. Here, we
      investigated possible changes in spontaneous mesenteric nerve activity and on the
      mechanosensitivity function of worm-free regions of naturally infected mice with
      A. tetraptera. Infection increased the basal firing of mesenteric afferent nerves
      in jejunum. Our findings indicate that nicotinic but not muscarinic receptors,
      similarly affect spontaneous nerve firing in control and infected animals; these
      axons are mainly vagal. No difference between groups was observed on spontaneous
      activity after nicotinic receptor inhibition. However, and contrary to the
      control group, during infection, the muscarinic signaling was shown to be
      elevated during mechanosensory experiments. In conclusion, we showed for the
      first time that alterations induced by infection of the basal afferent activity
      were independent of the cholinergic function but changes in mechanosensitivity
      were mediated by muscarinic, but not nicotinic, receptors and specifically by
      high threshold nerve fibers (activated above 20mmHg), known to play a role in
      nociception. These plastic changes within the muscarinic signaling would function
      as a compensatory mechanism to maintain a full mechanosensory response and the
      excitability of nociceptors during infection. These changes indicate that pinworm
      colonic infection can target other tissues away from the colon.

PMID- 28641951
TI  - Necrotizing fasciitis attended in the Emergency Department in a tertiary
      Hospital: Evaluation of the LRINEC scale.
AB  - AIM: To describe mortality and complications of patients seen in the emergency
      room, diagnosed with necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) and the correlation
      of such complications with the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing
      fasciitis scale (LRINEC). METHODS: Retrospective observational study including
      patients with a diagnosis of NSTI in the emergency room of a tertiary hospital
      over 7 years. The results are shown as median, interquartile range and absolute
      range for quantitative variables. In the case of qualitative variables, the
      results are shown as absolute and relative frequency. The comparison between the
      categories of the LRINEC scale was performed through a post-hoc comparison from a
      non-parametric ANOVA analysis. Comparisons between LRINEC groups in the
      qualitative variables were performed using Fisher's Exact test. RESULTS: 24
      patients with a mean age of 51.9 years were identified. The LRINEC scale was used
      on 21 patients: in 10, the value indicated low risk (<6), in 4 it indicated
      intermediate risk (6 or 7) and in 7 it indicated high risk (>=8). The amputation
      rate in patients with low, intermediate and high risk was 10%, 25% and 66%
      respectively with a mortality of 4.2%. There was an increase in hospital stay
      between the low and high level of the scale (p=0,007). CONCLUSIONS: In general, a
      change in the prognosis between the medium and high levels of the LRINEC scale
      could not be recorded, but was recorded in hospital stay between the low and the
      high level, practically tripling the median of days of hospital stay.

PMID- 28641953
TI  - Is it necessary a scale to evaluate the posttraumatic psychiatric sequelae?

PMID- 28641952
TI  - The effect of tissue-segmented attenuation maps on PET quantification with a
      special focus on large arteries.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Accuracy on quantitative PET image analysis relies on the correct
      application of attenuation correction which is one of the major challenges for
      PET/MRI that remains to be solved. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the
      effect of MRI-based attenuation maps and the use of flexible coils on the
      quantitative accuracy of PET images with a special focus on large arteries.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: PET/CT data from eight oncologic patients was used. PET
      data was reconstructed using attenuation maps with different level of detail
      emulating several approaches available on current PET/MRI scanners. PET images
      obtained with CT-based and MRI-based attenuation maps were compared to evaluate
      the quantitative biases obtained. The quantitative effect produced by flexible
      MRI receiver coils on the attenuation maps was also studied. RESULTS: The use of
      simpler attenuation maps produced increased biases between PET data reconstructed
      with CT-based and MRI-based attenuation maps for fat, non-fat soft-tissues and
      bone. Biases in lung were very high due to the large heterogeneity and inter
      patient variability of the lung. The quantification on large arteries had small
      deviations except for the case when flexible coils were used. The TBR provided
      smaller biases in all cases as it cancelled out the similar deviations obtained
      for arteries and reference veins. CONCLUSIONS: Simplified attenuation maps used
      on PET/MRI significantly increase the quantitative variability of PET images
      especially on lungs and bones. The quantification of PET images acquired with
      PET/MRI scanners applied to studies of atherosclerosis has small deviations,
      especially when the TBR is considered.

PMID- 28641954
TI  - Interventional rheumatology: the competence of Brazilian rheumatologists.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Describe Brazilian rheumatologists's competence in interventional
      rheumatology; assess the association between this ability and demographic and
      training variables. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 500 Brazilian
      rheumatologists. Participants were assessed by self-administered questionnaire
      consisting of demographics, training, practice in office and knowledge in
      interventional rheumatology data. RESULTS: 463 participants had their data
      analyzed. The mean age was 40.2 years (+/-11.2). 70% had performed periarticular
      injections and 78% had performed intra-articular injections. The sample was
      divided into three groups: non-interventionist, little interventionist and very
      interventionist. The non-interventionist group showed (p<0.001-0.04) higher mean
      age, lower proportion of university bond, lower training history, higher
      proportion of graduates in the Southeast country, and higher proportion of
      graduates in the 1980s to 1989. The very interventionist group showed higher
      (p<0.001-0.018) proportion of adult rheumatologists, higher proportion of
      university bond, longer training time with greater practice of complex
      procedures, and higher proportion of graduates, trained and with private practice
      in the South country. Variables most associated with the very interventionist
      subgroup are performing axial intra-articular injections (OR: 7.4, p<0.001),
      synovial biopsy (OR: 5.75, p=0.043), image-guided IAI (OR: 4.16, p<0.001),
      viscosupplementation (OR=3.41, p<0.001), joint lavage (OR=3.22, p=0.019),
      salivary gland biopsy (OR=2.16, p=0.034) and over 6-month training (OR: 2.16,
      p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Performing more complex invasive procedures and over 6
      month training in interventional rheumatology were variables associated with
      enhanced interventional profile.

PMID- 28641955
TI  - Molecular identification of novel phlebovirus sequences in European ticks.
AB  - In recent years the number of newly described tick-borne phleboviruses has been
      steadily growing. Some of these novel viruses are highly pathogenic in humans,
      e.g. the Heartland and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus. We
      aimed to analyse ticks sampled across Europe to investigate the diversity of
      phleboviruses using a comprehensive PCR-based screening approach. A total of 4387
      ticks were collected from the vegetation in regions of France, Belgium, Germany,
      Sweden, and Estonia, respectively. Ticks were pooled and 22/979 pools tested
      positive using a PCR targeting the large (L) segment of phleboviruses.
      Phylogenetic analysis of a 500-bp fragment of the L segment showed a distinct
      novel clade provisionally named Glabbeek/Osterholz group (Belgium and Germany).
      In addition, sequences from ticks sampled in France clustered together with the
      recently described Antigone virus from Greece and AnLuc from Portugal. Our
      results extend the current diversity of phleboviruses in Europe. Future research
      should address the ecological processes driving the occurrence of phleboviruses
      and the impact of these novel phleboviruses for public health.

PMID- 28641956
TI  - Antibacterial efficacy of nisin, bacteriophage P100 and sodium lactate against
      Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat sliced pork ham.
AB  - The effectiveness of bacteriophage P100, nisin and sodium lactate, individually
      and in combination, in inhibiting Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat pork ham
      slices was assessed. The antimicrobials were applied to the surfaces of ready-to
      eat pork ham slices, which were inoculated with a mixture of L. monocytogenes.
      Among the individual antimicrobial treatments, bacteriophage P100 was the most
      effective, decreasing L. monocytogenes to undetectable levels at zero and 72h
      post-infection. Sodium lactate was the least effective treatment. Treatment with
      nisin at zeroh significantly reduced initial cell density (p<0.05). However, this
      pattern was not observed at 72h of storage. A significant difference (p<0.05)
      existed between the results of separate bacteriophage and nisin treatments after
      refrigerated storage, but not immediately upon inoculation of the bacteria. The
      results showed that the use of bacteriophage P100 is the method of choice for the
      control of bacteria.

PMID- 28641957
TI  - Kindler syndrome complicated by invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the palate.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Kindler syndrome is a very rare, autosomal recessive genodermatosis
      characterized by skin fragility and photosensitivity in infancy with progressive
      poikiloderma. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a young woman with a history of
      Kindler syndrome predominantly characterized by extensive involvement of the
      oropharyngeal mucosa. The patient presented with an ulcerative lesion of the
      palate. Computed tomography and biopsy concluded on unresectable invasive
      squamous cell carcinoma of the hard palate. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was
      proposed, but the patient died after the first course of chemotherapy in a
      context of severe gastrointestinal mucositis and generalized sepsis. DISCUSSION:
      Mucosal manifestations of Kindler syndrome have been described in the literature,
      but very few cases of malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma have
      been reported, although it is a very well known, long-term complication of this
      disease. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of Kindler syndrome
      complicated by invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the hard palate.

PMID- 28641959
TI  - [Author's reply].

PMID- 28641958
TI  - [An earlier diagnosis of depression].
AB  - Data of the last decade indicate that, in the Western world and also in Spain, an
      important part of general practicioners' consultations are related to mental
      health, but depression is consistently underdiagnosed. Causes are lack of time
      and back-up, as well as lack of specific training. In Spain, there is no national
      health service primary care database with actualized clinical information as to
      mental health. There is evident clinical interest in a more agile diagnostic,
      resulting from a recollection of data from voluntary selective screening and
      continuing evaluation of adult depression along the model used by other National
      Health Systems.

PMID- 28641960
TI  - [Involuntary commitment of the psychiatric patient: legal regulations and
      critical aspects].
AB  - Traditionally, medical care received by psychiatric patients involved their
      separation from the society through their isolation in closed institutions,
      thereby setting a stigmatising trend on the sick, and by extension on mental
      illness, a practice that somehow has remained until now. The profound changes in
      the field of psychiatry have been important and are reflected in the therapeutic
      field, as well as in the legislative one, and have contributed to establish
      changes concerning the social opinion about psychiatric patients. The purpose of
      this article is to review, from the critical perspective, the current legislative
      framework concerning the situation of involuntary psychiatric commitment as a
      therapeutic measure in the psychiatric patient, as well as the legal medical
      practice which indicates the lack of legal skills and ethical and professional
      conduct arising in the field of primary care.

PMID- 28641961
TI  - Wnt5a and its signaling pathway in angiogenesis.
AB  - Wnt5a, a secreted glycoprotein, belongs to the noncanonical Wnt family involved
      in a wide range of organism development and tissue homeostasis. Wnt5a and its
      signaling pathway can regulate fundamental cellular processes, including
      specification of cell fate, proliferation, and survival. Accumulating evidence
      indicates that Wnt5a exhibits dual effects on angiogenesis. The formation of new
      blood vessels derives from pre-existing vessels via canonical and non-canonical
      Wnt pathways, depending on cell types, receptors, downstream effectors, and
      microenvironment. Given that the regulation of angiogenesis has been implicated
      in many diseases, such as cancer, neovascular eye diseases, and cardiovascular
      diseases, these findings suggest that Wnt5a may be a potential target for the
      treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases.

PMID- 28641962
TI  - Flat-detector CT angiography in the evaluation of neuro-Behcet disease.

PMID- 28641964
TI  - Metal nanoparticles in dermatology and cosmetology: Interactions with human skin
      cells.
AB  - Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing branch of science, which studies control
      of phenomena and materials sized below 100 nm. Nanotechnology is applicable in
      many areas of life and medicine including skin care and personal hygiene. The
      nanoparticles (NPs) of metals and metal oxides are increasingly used in
      dermatology and cosmetology, especially in prevention and treatment of bacterial
      and fungal infections, in protection against the harmful effects of the sun and
      in preparations reducing the visibility of scars by accelerating the repair
      processes of skin cells. NPs may also be used for skin care and dermatological
      treatments to improve the quality of life of patients. Nanodermatology and
      nanocosmetology offer effective, safe, fast-acting product formulations, thus
      minimizing the side effects of the products used so far. The unique properties of
      NPs: high surface area relative to the size as well as the ability to penetrate
      biological membranes and barriers greatly reduces systemic dose thus potential
      side effects and toxicity. Recent studies show very promising clinical potential
      of NPs to serve as controlled release and delivery systems for drugs/active
      substances. In addition, NPs can be used in diagnostic imaging of skin diseases.
      However, NPs may also carry a risk of cytotoxicity and side effects. The present
      review focuses on the use of metal and metal oxide NPs in dermatology and
      cosmetology and their interactions with skin cells.

PMID- 28641963
TI  - Modulation of the heart's electrical properties by the anticonvulsant drug
      retigabine.
AB  - Retigabine, currently used as antiepileptic drug, has a wide range of potential
      medical uses. Administration of the drug in patients can lead to QT interval
      prolongation in the electrocardiogram and to cardiac arrhythmias in rare cases.
      This suggests that the drug may perturb the electrical properties of the heart,
      and the underlying mechanisms were investigated here. Effects of retigabine on
      currents through human cardiac ion channels, heterologously expressed in tsA-201
      cells, were studied in whole-cell patch-clamp experiments. In addition, the
      drug's impact on the cardiac action potential was tested. This was done using
      ventricular cardiomyocytes isolated from Langendorff-perfused guinea pig hearts
      and cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Further, to
      unravel potential indirect effects of retigabine on the heart which might involve
      the autonomic nervous system, membrane potential and noradrenaline release from
      sympathetic ganglionic neurons were measured in the absence and presence of the
      drug. Retigabine significantly inhibited currents through hKv11.1 potassium,
      hNav1.5 sodium, as well as hCav1.2 calcium channels, but only in supra
      therapeutic concentrations. In a similar concentration range, the drug shortened
      the action potential in both guinea pig and human cardiomyocytes. Therapeutic
      concentrations of retigabine, on the other hand, were sufficient to inhibit the
      activity of sympathetic ganglionic neurons. We conclude that retigabine- induced
      QT interval prolongation, and the reported cases of cardiac arrhythmias after
      application of the drug in a typical daily dose range, cannot be explained by a
      direct modulatory effect on cardiac ion channels. They are rather mediated by
      indirect actions at the level of the autonomic nervous system.

PMID- 28641965
TI  - Animal models of psychoactive drug use and addiction - Present problems and
      future needs for translational approaches.
AB  - Drug addiction is a psychiatric disorder based on a dysfunction of the brain. It
      frequently develops from a controlled drug consumption and drug
      instrumentalization (DI). Thereby, DI is the use of a drug to improve specific
      non-drug related behaviors, beyond the drug's direct positive or negative
      reinforcing effects. Currently available pharmacotherapies for drug addiction
      show low effect size and rather limited long-term efficacy, which suggests that
      current theories on addiction are still insufficient in how they capture the
      phenomenon and how they allow predictions for highly efficient treatments. This
      opinion review attempts a critical analysis of some aspects of current addiction
      neuroscience using animal models. As a result, (1) animal models that cover
      previously neglected types of drug memories in controlled drug use are suggested.
      (2) Animal models for drug instrumentalization are warranted. Animal models of
      drug addiction should consider that addiction develops predominantly in
      individuals with mental and/or environmental challenges. It is suggested (3) to
      preferentially use animal models with similar mental and environmental challenges
      to model the transition of controlled to compulsive drug use. (4) Animal models
      should in the future also capture the important aspect of the motivation to self
      medicate in order to ameliorate a negative emotional/physical state. Potential
      pharmaco-treatments of addiction, in order to later achieve compliance in humans,
      should be tested for their systemic self-administration in order to self-medicate
      a drug-induced aversive state. This may allow a better understanding of the
      fundamental differences between an organism that shows controlled psychoactive
      drug consumption as an integral part of a 'normal' behavioral repertoire and one
      in a pathological condition with compulsive drug abuse.

PMID- 28641966
TI  - No Clinical Difference Comparing General, Regional, and Combination Anesthesia in
      Hip Arthroplasty: A Multicenter Cohort-Study Regarding Perioperative Pain
      Management and Patient Satisfaction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Steadily increasing numbers of hip arthroplasties are reported in the
      past years. Different types of anesthetic methods for surgery itself as well as
      pain management programs have been established. It is one of the main goals to
      reduce postoperative pain levels and guarantee better and faster mobilization in
      the postoperative period. The present study aims to compare the use of general
      and regional spinal anesthesia and their combination regarding perioperative pain
      management and patient satisfaction. METHODS: All patients included in the
      present study had undergone primary hip arthroplasty. Parameters were analyzed on
      the first postoperative day within the scope of the "Quality Improvement in
      Postoperative Pain Management" project, which is conducted nationwide in 49
      orthopedic departments at the time of data evaluation. RESULTS: From 2009-2015,
      18,118 patients underwent primary hip arthroplasty and have been evaluated.
      Demographic and general patient data were homogenous. The need for opioids was
      significantly higher in patients where general and combination anesthesia was
      applied (P < .001, respectively). Pain scores and pain management satisfaction
      were significantly better in regional and combination anesthesia (P < .001,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: We were able to show a highly significant advantage in
      the use of regional or the combination of regional and general anesthesia in
      comparison with general anesthesia alone in hip arthroplasty regarding patients'
      satisfaction and the requirement of opioid pain medication, although maybe below
      clinical relevance.

PMID- 28641967
TI  - Fluoroscopically Guided Acetabular Component Positioning: Does It Reduce the Risk
      of Malpositioning in Obese Patients?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obesity has been described as an independent risk factor for
      acetabular component malpositioning. The purpose of this study was to determine
      if this could be overcome by use of fluoroscopic navigation in total hip
      arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: The first, postoperative, standing, anteroposterior
      pelvis radiographs from 1599 consecutive patients who underwent fluoroscopic
      guided THAs via anterior approach during a six-year period were obtained. We
      retrospectively reviewed this prospectively collected data. Inclination and
      anteversion were measured as described by Barrack et al. Intraoperative target
      ranges for inclination and anteversion angles were 30 degrees -50 degrees  and 5
      degrees -25 degrees . Patients were divided into 3 cohorts by body mass index,
      nonobese (<30 kg/m2) obese (between 30 and 40 kg/m2) and morbidly obese (>40
      kg/m2), looking for significant differences in acetabular component positioning.
      RESULTS: Of the 1599 patients, 1065 were nonobese, 506 obese, and 28 morbidly
      obese. Overall, average inclination was 37.7 degrees  and anteversion was 16.3
      degrees . Regarding inclination, 95.0% of cups were positioned in the safe zone,
      95.7% for anteversion, and 91.2% for both inclination and anteversion. Analysis
      of each cohort individually revealed an average inclination of 37.5 degrees  in
      the nonobese, 37.9 degrees  in the obese, and 39.9 degrees  in the morbidly obese
      patients. For anteversion, each group's averages were 16.1 degrees , 16.5 degrees
      , and 16.0 degrees , respectively. There was no significant relationship between
      a patient's body mass index and cup position for inclination (P = .867),
      anteversion (P = .673), or both inclination and anteversion (P = .624).
      CONCLUSION: Fluoroscopy is a useful tool for achieving a targeted acetabular
      component orientation in direct anterior THA, irrespective of patient BMI.

PMID- 28641968
TI  - Femoral Nerve Catheters Improve Home Disposition and Pain in Hip Fracture
      Patients Treated With Total Hip Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Opioids have been the mainstay of treatment in the physiologically
      young geriatric hip fracture patient undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).
      However opioid-related side effects increase morbidity. Regional anesthesia may
      provide better analgesia, while decreasing opioid-related side effects. The goal
      of this study was to examine the effect of perioperative continuous femoral nerve
      blockade with regards to pain scores, opioid-related side effects and
      posthospital disposition in hip fracture patients undergoing THA. METHODS: Twenty
      nine consecutive geriatric hip fracture patients (22 women/7 men) underwent THA.
      Average follow-up was 8.3 months (6 weeks-39 months). Fifteen patients were
      treated with standard analgesia (SA). Fourteen patients received an ultrasound
      guided insertion of a femoral nerve catheter after radiographic confirmation of a
      hip fracture. All complications and readmissions that occurred within 6 weeks of
      surgery were noted. RESULTS: Continuous femoral nerve catheter (CFNC) patients
      were discharged home more frequently than SA patients (43% for CFNC vs 7% for SA;
      P = .023). CFNC patients reported lower average pain scores preoperatively (P <
      .0001), on postoperative day 1 (P = .005) and postoperative day 2 (P = .037).
      Preoperatively, CFNC patients required 61% less morphine equivalent (P = .007).
      CFNC patients had a lower rate of opioid-related side effects compared with SA
      patients (7% vs 47%; P = .035). CONCLUSION: CFNC patients were discharged to home
      more frequently. Use of a CFNC decreased daily average patient-reported pain
      scores, preoperative opioid usage, and opioid-related side effects after THA for
      hip fracture. Based on these data, we recommend routine use of perioperative CFNC
      in hip fracture patients undergoing THA.

PMID- 28641969
TI  - Determining 3D Kinematics of the Hip Using Video Fluoroscopy: Guidelines for
      Balancing Radiation Dose and Registration Accuracy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Video fluoroscopy is a technique currently used to retrieve the in
      vivo three-dimensional kinematics of human joints during activities of daily
      living. Minimization of the radiation dose absorbed by the subject during the
      measurement is a priority and has not been thoroughly addressed so far. This
      issue is critical for the motion analysis of the hip joint, because of the
      proximity of the gonads. The aims of this study were to determine the x-ray
      voltage and the irradiation angle that minimize the effective dose and to achieve
      the best compromise between delivered dose and accuracy in motion retrieval.
      METHODS: Effective dose for a fluoroscopic study of the hip was estimated by
      means of Monte Carlo simulations and dosimetry measurements. Accuracy in pose
      retrieval for the different viewing angles was evaluated by registration of
      simulated radiographs of a hip prosthesis during a prescribed virtual motion.
      RESULTS: Absorbed dose can be minimized to about one-sixth of the maximum
      estimated values by irradiating at the optimal angle of 45 degrees  from the
      posterior side and by operating at 80 kV. At this angle, accuracy in retrieval of
      internal-external rotation is poorer compared with the other viewing angles.
      CONCLUSION: The irradiation angle that minimizes the delivered dose does not
      necessarily correspond to the optimal angle for the accuracy in pose retrieval,
      for all rotations. For some applications, single-plane fluoroscopy may be a valid
      lower dose alternative to the dual-plane methods, despite their better accuracy.

PMID- 28641970
TI  - The Interaction of Caseload and Usage in Determining Outcomes of Unicompartmental
      Knee Arthroplasty: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Outcomes after unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) are variable
      and influenced by caseload (UKA/y) and usage (percentage of knee arthroplasty
      that are UKA), which relates to indications. This meta-analysis assesses the
      relative importance of these factors. METHODS: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and
      Web of Science (ISI) were searched for consecutive series of cemented Phase 3
      Oxford medial UKA. The primary outcome was revision rate/100 observed component
      years (% pa) with subgroup analysis based on caseload and usage. RESULTS: Forty
      six studies (12,520 knees) with an annual revision-rate ranging from 0% to 4.35%
      pa, mean 1.21% pa (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1.47), were identified. In
      series with mean follow-up of 10-years, the revision-rate was 0.63% pa (95% CI,
      0.46-0.83), equating to a 94% (95% CI, 92%-95%) 10-year survival. Aseptic
      loosening, lateral arthritis, bearing dislocation, and unexplained pain were the
      predominant failure mechanisms with revision for patellofemoral problems and
      polyethylene wear exceedingly rare. The lowest revision-rates were achieved with
      caseload >24 UKA/y (0.88% pa; 95% CI, 0.63-1.61) and usage >30% (0.69% pa; 95%
      CI, 0.50-0.90). Usage was more important than caseload; with high usage (>=20%),
      the revision-rate was low, whether the caseload was high (>12 UKA/y) or low (<=12
      UKA/y; (0.94% pa; 95% CI, 0.69-1.23 and 0.85% pa; 95% CI, 0.65-1.08),
      respectively); with low usage (<20%), the revision-rate was high, whether the
      caseload was high or low (1.58% pa; 95% CI, 0.57-3.05 and 1.76% pa; 95% CI, 1.21
      2.41, respectively). CONCLUSION: To achieve optimum results, surgeons, whether
      high or low caseload, should adhere to the recommended indications such that
      >=20%, or ideally >30% of their knee arthroplasties are UKA. If they do this,
      then they can expect to achieve results similar to those of the long-term series,
      which all had high usage (>20%) and an average 10-year survival of 94%.

PMID- 28641971
TI  - Comorbidities Have a Greater Impact Than Age Alone in the Outcomes of
      Octogenarian Total Knee Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increasing age and various comorbidities are known risk factors for
      complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but data on the impact of
      total comorbidity burden is scarce. We investigated the effect of age and total
      comorbidity burden on outcomes after primary TKA in octogenarians (OGs). METHODS:
      A matched-pair comparison study was conducted using prospectively collected TKA
      registry data in a large tertiary institution. Between 2006 and 2011, consecutive
      OGs undergoing primary unilateral TKA, with minimum 2-year follow-up, were
      matched 1:1 with younger controls based on demographic and surgical variables. We
      compared the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), complication rate, length of stay
      (LOS), 30-day readmission, and 2-year reoperation rate. Multivariate analysis was
      performed to determine the effects of age and CCI on each outcome. RESULTS: There
      were 209 OGs and 209 controls. OGs were significantly older (mean age 82.1 vs
      66.1 years, P < .001) and had higher CCI. OGs had longer mean LOS (6.3 vs 5.4
      days, P = .001), and a trend for more complications and readmissions. The
      complication rate increased from 7.5% for CCI = 0, to 33.3% for CCI >=3 (P =
      .005). The LOS increased from 5.4 days for CCI = 0, to 9.6 days for CCI >=3 (P <
      .001). Multivariate analysis showed that higher CCI was an independent risk
      factor for complications and longer LOS, whereas age was not. CONCLUSION:
      Comorbidity burden has a greater impact than age alone on TKA outcomes in OGs.
      Well-selected OGs remain good candidates for TKA.

PMID- 28641972
TI  - Equal Primary Fixation of Resurfacing Stem, but Inferior Cup Fixation With
      Anterolateral vs Posterior Surgical Approach. A 2-Year Blinded Randomized
      Radiostereometric and Dual-energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Study of Metal-on-Metal
      Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The anterolateral (AntLat) surgical approach may spare the blood
      supply to the femoral head and improve the accuracy of cup positioning in metal
      on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty. Thereby, potentially lessen complications
      such as avascular head necrosis, femoral neck narrowing and fracture, improve
      implant fixation, and lessen periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD) loss.
      METHODS: Between November 2008 and January 2012, a randomized clinical trial was
      performed at Aarhus University Hospital. A total of 49 patients (28 males) were
      allocated to metal-on-metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty by the AntLat (n = 25)
      or the posterior (Post; n = 24) surgical approach. Patients were followed with
      radiostereometric analysis, measurements of periprosthetic BMD, clinical outcome
      scores of Harris hip score and visual analogue scale, serum metal ions, and
      conventional radiographs. RESULTS: At 3 months, cups in the AntLat group had
      higher total translations of mean 1.00 +/- 0.70 mm vs mean 0.64 +/- 0.45 mm in
      the post group (P = .04), and higher total rotations of mean 2.44 degrees  +/-
      1.36 degrees  vs mean 1.39 degrees  +/- 1.17 degrees  in the Post group (P =
      .002). All migrations of cup and stem were similar at 1 and 2 years postoperative
      (P > .07). At 1 year, periprosthetic BMD since postoperative at the medial side
      of the stem was reduced to mean 98.45% +/- 8.57% in the AntLat group, and
      increased to mean 105.57% +/- 11.07% in the Post group (P = .02), but
      measurements were comparable at 2 years (P = .05). CONCLUSION: Cups inserted by
      the AntLat approach migrated more until 3 months postoperative. This illustrates
      a less good primary cup fixation with the AntLat approach; however, all cups were
      well-fixed after 3 months' follow-up indicating a good secondary fixation.

PMID- 28641973
TI  - Changes in Hip, Knee, and Ankle Coronal Alignments After Total Hip Arthroplasty
      With Transverse Femoral Shortening Osteotomy for Unilateral Crowe Type IV
      Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate changes in lower extremity coronal alignment in
      patients with unilateral Crowe type IV developmental dysplasia of the hip who
      underwent total hip arthroplasty with transverse femoral shortening osteotomy.
      METHODS: We reviewed the preoperative and 1-year postoperative full-length lower
      extremity radiographs of 25 patients. Femoral offset (FO), mechanical hip-knee
      ankle angle, anatomical axis, mechanical axis deviation (MAD), mechanical lateral
      proximal femoral angle, anatomical medial proximal femoral angle, mechanical
      lateral distal femoral angle, anatomical lateral distal femoral angle, knee joint
      line congruency angle, mechanical medial proximal tibial angle, mechanical
      lateral distal tibial angle, ankle joint line orientation angle, tibial plafond
      talus angle, extremity length, and pelvic obliquity were measured on both the
      operative and nonoperative sides. RESULTS: Postoperatively, there were
      significant changes in FO (P = .001), hip-knee-ankle angle (P = .004), MAD (P =
      .016), mechanical lateral proximal femoral angle (P = .001), anatomical medial
      proximal femoral angle (P = .012), mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (P =
      .043), and ankle joint line orientation angle (P = .012) on the operative side.
      Only MAD (P = .035) changed significantly on the nonoperative side. CONCLUSION:
      Modification of FO and reconstruction of hip joint anatomy led to neutralization
      of knee and ankle valgus alignment. Effects on the nonoperative side were
      minimal.

PMID- 28641974
TI  - Prostate Cancer Local Recurrence Detected With Both 18F-Fluciclovine and PSMA
      targeted 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT.
AB  - We present the case of a 79-year-old man with an elevated postprostatectomy
      prostate-specific antigen level who was sequentially imaged with positron
      emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using 18F-fluciclovine followed
      by PSMA-targeted 18F-DCFPyL. Although both imaging tests successfully identified
      the same pelvic recurrence, each radiotracer had its relative merits. This case
      highlights the differences between these two PET radiotracers, which are
      increasingly being used to image men with recurrent prostate cancer.

PMID- 28641975
TI  - Engendering drug problems: Materialising gender in the DUDIT and other screening
      and diagnostic 'apparatuses'.
AB  - It is widely accepted that alcohol and other drug consumption is profoundly
      gendered. Just where this gendering is occurring, however, remains the subject of
      debate. We contend that one important and overlooked site where the gendering of
      substance consumption and addiction is taking place is through AOD research
      itself: in particular, through the addiction screening and diagnostic tools
      designed to measure and track substance consumption and problems within
      populations. These tools establish key criteria and set numerical threshold
      scores for the identification of problems. In many of these tools, separate
      threshold scores for women and men are established or recommended. Drawing on
      Karen Barad's concept of post-humanist performativity, in this article we examine
      the ways in which gender itself is being materialised by these apparatuses of
      measurement. We focus primarily on the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test
      (DUDIT) tool as an exemplar of gendering processes that operate across addiction
      tools more broadly. We consider gendering processes operating through tools
      questions themselves and we also examine the quantification and legitimation
      processes used in establishing gender difference and the implications these have
      for women. We find tools rely on and reproduce narrow and marginalising
      assumptions about women as essentially fragile and vulnerable and simultaneously
      reinforce normative expectations that women sacrifice pleasure. The seemingly
      objective and neutral quantification processes operating in tools naturalise
      gender as they enact it.

PMID- 28641976
TI  - National surveillance of surgical site infection: response to Lamagni et al.

PMID- 28641977
TI  - A novel fluorescent probe reveals starvation controls the commitment of amyloid
      precursor protein to the lysosome.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease is the most important cause of dementia but there is no
      therapy that has been demonstrated to stop or slow disease progression. Amyloid
      precursor protein (APP) is the source of amyloid-beta (Abeta), which aggregates
      in Alzheimer's disease to form toxic oligomeric species. The endo-lysosomal
      system can clear APP and Abeta from the cell if these molecular species are
      trafficked through to the lysosome. Currently, there are no easy methods
      available for the analysis of lysosomal APP trafficking. We therefore generated a
      fusion protein (tandem-fluorescent, or tf-APP) that allows detection of changes
      in APP trafficking using accessible techniques such as flow cytometry. This
      permits rapid analysis or screening of genes and compounds that alter APP
      processing in the cell. Using our novel molecular probe, we determined that
      starvation induces trafficking of APP and APP-carboxy-terminal fragments (APP
      CTFs) to the degradative endo-lysosomal network. In line with this finding,
      suppression of mTOR signalling using AZD8055 also strongly induced trafficking of
      APP to the endo-lysosomal system. Remarkably, activation of mTOR signalling via
      RHEB over-expression inhibited the starvation-induced autophagy but did not
      affect trafficking of tf-APP. These results show tf-APP can be used to determine
      how APP is trafficked through the lysosomal system of the cell. This molecular
      probe is therefore useful for determining the molecular mechanism behind the
      commitment of APP to the degradative pathway or for screening compounds that can
      induce this effect. This is important as clearance of APP and APP-CTF provides an
      important potential therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28641978
TI  - ANGPTL4 T266M variant is associated with reduced cancer invasiveness.
AB  - Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a secretory protein that can be cleaved to form
      an N-terminal and a C-terminal protein. Studies performed thus far have linked
      ANGPTL4 to several cancer-related and metabolic processes. Notably, several point
      mutations in the C-terminal ANGPTL4 (cANGPTL4) have been reported, although no
      studies have been performed that ascribed these mutations to cancer-related and
      metabolic processes. In this study, we compared the characteristics of tumors
      with and without wild-type (wt) cANGPTL4 and tumors with cANGPTL4 bearing the
      T266M mutation (T266M cANGPTL4). We found that T266M cANGPTL4 bound to integrin
      alpha5beta1 with a reduced affinity compared to wt, leading to weaker activation
      of downstream signaling molecules. The mutant tumors exhibited impaired
      proliferation, anoikis resistance, and migratory capability and had reduced
      adenylate energy charge. Further investigations also revealed that cANGPTL4
      regulated the expression of Glut2. These findings may explain the differences in
      the tumor characteristics and energy metabolism observed with the cANGPTL4 T266M
      mutation compared to tumors without the mutation.

PMID- 28641980
TI  - Cardiomyocyte specific overexpression of a 37 amino acid domain of regulator of G
      protein signalling 2 inhibits cardiac hypertrophy and improves function in
      response to pressure overload in mice.
AB  - Regulator of G protein signalling 2 (RGS2) is known to play a protective role in
      maladaptive cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure via its ability to inhibit Gq-
      and Gs- mediated GPCR signalling. We previously demonstrated that RGS2 can also
      inhibit protein translation and can thereby attenuate cell growth. This G protein
      independent inhibitory effect has been mapped to a 37 amino acid domain (RGS2eb)
      within RGS2 that binds to eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B). When expressed
      in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, RGS2eb attenuates both protein synthesis and
      hypertrophy induced by Gq- and Gs- activating agents. In the current study, we
      investigated the potential cardioprotective role of RGS2eb by determining whether
      RGS2eb transgenic (RGS2eb TG) mice with cardiomyocyte specific overexpression of
      RGS2eb show resistance to the development of hypertrophy in comparison to wild
      type (WT) controls. Using transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in a pressure
      overload hypertrophy model, we demonstrated that cardiac hypertrophy was
      inhibited in RGS2eb TG mice compared to WT controls following four weeks of TAC.
      Expression of the hypertrophic markers atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and beta
      myosin heavy chain (MHC-beta) was also reduced in RGS2eb TG compared to WT TAC
      animals. Furthermore, cardiac function in RGS2eb TG TAC mice was significantly
      improved compared to WT TAC mice. Notably, cardiomyocyte cell size was
      significantly decreased in TG compared to WT TAC mice. These results suggest that
      RGS2 may limit pathological cardiac hypertrophy at least in part via the function
      of its eIF2B-binding domain.

PMID- 28641981
TI  - US emergency department visits for adults with abdominal and pelvic pain (2007
      13): Trends in demographics, resource utilization and medication usage.

PMID- 28641982
TI  - Temporal artery and axillary thermometry comparison with rectal thermometry in
      children presenting to the ED.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accurate temperature readings, often obtained rectally, are an
      important part of the initial evaluation of pediatric patients in the Emergency
      Department. Temporal artery thermometry (TAT) is one way to noninvasively measure
      temperature. We sought to compare the accuracy of axillary and temporal artery
      temperatures compared to rectal. METHODS: This prospective study included
      children age 0-36months presenting to the Emergency Department of a large
      military treatment facility. Rectal, axillary, and temporal artery temperatures
      were obtained. Test characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV) were
      reported. The effect of cutoff values 99.9 degrees F, 100.4 degrees F, and 102.2
      degrees F on test characteristics were also evaluated. RESULTS: The sensitivities
      of axillary and temporal artery thermometry to detect rectal fever is 11.5% and
      61.5% respectively. Cutoff values did not significantly alter test
      characteristics. In this study, temporal artery thermometry was 0.2 degrees C
      lower than rectal temperature, axillary measurement was 0.9 degrees C below the
      reference standard. Mean temperature difference in the febrile group between TAT
      and rectal thermometry was >0.5 degrees C compared with a mean temperature
      difference 0.05 degrees C in afebrile patients. CONCLUSION: The findings of our
      study do not support using axillary thermometry to screen pediatric patients for
      fever in the emergency department. TAT cannot be recommended as a rectal
      thermometry replacement where height and duration of fever are used in pediatric
      disease prediction models. TAT may have a role in screening for fever in the
      appropriate pediatric patient population like primary orthopedic or trauma
      presentations where the balance between device precision, data capture and
      patient comfort may favor use of TAT.

PMID- 28641983
TI  - Patient preference to participate in shared decision making for performing a CT
      scan in the emergency department.

PMID- 28641979
TI  - Sexual dimorphism in the fetal cardiac response to maternal nutrient restriction.
AB  - Poor maternal nutrition causes intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR); however,
      its effects on fetal cardiac development are unclear. We have developed a baboon
      model of moderate maternal undernutrition, leading to IUGR. We hypothesized that
      the IUGR affects fetal cardiac structure and metabolism. Six control pregnant
      baboons ate ad-libitum (CTRL)) or 70% CTRL from 0.16 of gestation (G). Fetuses
      were euthanized at C-section at 0.9G under general anesthesia. Male but not
      female IUGR fetuses showed left ventricular fibrosis inversely correlated with
      birth weight. Expression of extracellular matrix protein TSP-1 was increased
      (p<0.05) in male IUGR. Expression of cardiac fibrotic markers TGFbeta, SMAD3 and
      ALK-1 were downregulated in male IUGRs with no difference in females. Autophagy
      was present in male IUGR evidenced by upregulation of ATG7 expression and
      lipidation LC3B. Global miRNA expression profiling revealed 56 annotated and
      novel cardiac miRNAs exclusively dysregulated in female IUGR, and 38 cardiac
      miRNAs were exclusively dysregulated in males (p<0.05). Fifteen (CTRL) and 23
      (IUGR) miRNAs, were differentially expressed between males and females (p<0.05)
      suggesting sexual dimorphism, which can be at least partially explained by
      differential expression of upstream transcription factors (e.g. HNF4alpha, and
      NFkappaB p50). Lipidomics analysis of fetal cardiac tissue exhibited a net
      increase in diacylglycerol and plasmalogens and a decrease in triglycerides and
      phosphatidylcholines. In summary, IUGR resulting from decreased maternal
      nutrition is associated with sex-dependent dysregulations in cardiac structure,
      miRNA expression, and lipid metabolism. If these changes persist postnatally,
      they may program offspring for higher later life cardiac risk.

PMID- 28641984
TI  - Bi-objective approach for placing ground and air ambulance base and helipad
      locations in order to optimize EMS response.
AB  - Shortening the travel time of patient transfer has clinical implications for many
      conditions such as cardiac arrest, trauma, stroke and STEMI. As resources are
      often limited precise calculations are needed. In this paper we consider the
      location problem for both ground and aerial emergency medical services. Given the
      uncertainty of when patients are in need of prompt medical attention we consider
      these demand points to be uncertain. We consider various ways in which ground and
      helicopter ambulances can work together to make the whole process go faster. We
      develop a mathematical model that minimizes travel time and maximizes service
      level. We use a compromising programming method to solve this bi-objective
      mathematical model. For numerical experiments we apply our model to a case study
      in Lorestan, Iran, using geographical and population data, and the location of
      the actual hospital based in the capital of the province. Results show that low
      accessibility locations are the main focus of the proposed problem and with
      mathematical modeling access to a hospital is vastly improved. We also found out
      that once the budget reaches a certain point which suffices for building certain
      ambulance bases more investments does not necessarily result in less travel time.

PMID- 28641985
TI  - Single-step colony assay for screening antibody libraries.
AB  - We describe a method, single-step colony assay, for simple and rapid screening of
      single-chain Fv fragment (scFv) libraries. Colonies of Escherichia coli
      expressing the scFv library are formed on a hydrophilic filter that is positioned
      in contact with a membrane coated with an antigen. scFv expression is triggered
      upon treatment of colonies with an induction reagent, following which scFvs are
      secreted from the cells and diffused to the antigen-coated membrane. scFvs that
      exhibit binding affinity for the antigen are captured by the membrane-immobilized
      antigen. Lastly, detection of scFv binding of the antigen on the membrane allows
      identification of the clones on the filter that express antigen-specific scFvs.
      We tested this methodology by using an anti-rabbit IgG scFv, scFv(A10B), and a
      rat immune scFv library. Experiments conducted using scFv(A10B) revealed that
      this method improves scFv expression during the colony assay. By using our method
      to screen an immune library of 3*103 scFv clones, we established several clones
      exhibiting affinity for the antigen. Moreover, we tested 7 other antigens,
      including peptides, and successfully identified positive clones. We believe that
      this simple procedure and controlled scFv expression of the single-step colony
      assay could make the antibody screening both rapid and reliable and lead to
      successful isolation of positive clones from antibody libraries.

PMID- 28641987
TI  - Food deprivation in F0 generation and hypercaloric diet in F1 generation reduce
      F2 generation astrogliosis in several brain areas after immune challenge.
AB  - AIMS: The effects of maternal food restriction during gestation in F0 generation
      followed by hypercaloric diet (HD) during puberty in F1 generation (F1HD) were
      investigated on astrocyte behavior of F2 generation. Also, the astrocyte
      behavior, after an immune challenge, was examined by the immunohistochemical
      expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in several brain areas.
      METHODS: The body weight gain (BW) during development and in postnatal day (PND)
      90-95, the retroperitoneal fat weight (RPF), and the size of larger and smaller
      adipocytes in the F1 generation were assessed to observe the effects of HD in
      female rats. The BW, RPF weight and size of smaller and larger adipocytes was
      also measured to evaluate the transgenerational effects of F0 and F1 diets on F2
      generation, treated or not with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). KEY FINDINGS: The F1HD
      group exhibited a higher BW gain than the F1 treated with normocaloric diet (ND,
      group F1ND), from weaning to PND65. In the frontal/parietal cortex, nucleus
      accumbens, hypothalamic arcuate/periventricular nuclei, molecular/granular layers
      of the cerebellum areas, excepting the pons, GFAP expression was greater in F1HD
      group relative to F1ND group. A reduced GFAP expression was observed in both
      groups born from F1 generation fed with HD (groups F2HDS and F2HDLPS) in relation
      to F2 generation born from dams fed with ND (groups F2NDS and F2NDLPS),
      independently of LPS challenge. SIGNIFICANCE: These data show an attenuation of
      LPS effect on GFAP expression, probably by a transgenerational effect of both
      maternal food deprivation in F0 generation and HD in F1 generation.

PMID- 28641986
TI  - Novel spectrophotometric technique for rapid determination of extractable PHA
      using Sudan black dye.
AB  - Classical techniques employed to determine the amount of extractable
      poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s (PHAs) from cells, are laborious and destructive. Sudan
      black staining is commonly used in the laboratory to investigate the presence of
      intracellular PHA. The aim of the present study was to develop a low-cost
      alternative technique to achieve a quick determination of extractable
      intracellular PHA. This methodology employs a basic laboratory spectroscopy
      equipment and Sudan black dye for spectra determination. The correlation between
      the content of PHA in cell samples taken directly from the culture flask and its
      spectra was determined using partial least square regression analysis and simple
      linear regression analysis. The best fit obtained for calibration correlation
      analysis (R2=0.944, RSE: 1.24%), together with the good extractable PHA
      predictions (RSE=0.51%) demonstrate that the proposed methodology constitutes a
      fast way with high potential for the determination of extractable PHA. Based on
      its simplicity and flexibility, its application would be suitable in routine
      monitoring and rapid quantification in large-scale processes involving PHA
      metabolism.

PMID- 28641989
TI  - The value of physicians' affect-oriented communication for patients' recall of
      information.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to discuss experimental research
      investigating the effect of physicians' affect-oriented communication on
      patients' recall of information provided during medical consultations, with a
      special focus on the mediating role of emotional stress in that relation. METHODS
      & RESULTS: A search of experimental research literature was conducted, resulting
      in six research articles experimentally investigating the relations of interest,
      all using a video-vignettes design. A summary of results is provided and
      discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The research reviewed in this paper provides evidence for
      the causal and mostly positive influence of several forms of affect-oriented
      communication on patients' recall of medical information. Results indicate that
      reducing emotional stress may not be the underlying mechanism through which
      physicians' communication influences patients' recall. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The
      obtained insights will help educators to teach evidence-based medical
      communication skills and to scientifically validate the importance of these
      skills for patients' recall of information. Advancing physicians' communication
      skills with evidence-based training will contribute to the professionalism that
      is the hallmark of good quality of care.

PMID- 28641988
TI  - Wavy multistratified amacrine cells in the monkey retina contain immunoreactive
      secretoneurin.
AB  - The goals of this study were to describe the morphology, neurotransmitter content
      and synaptic connections of neurons in primate retinas that contain the
      neuropeptide secretoneurin. Amacrine cells were labeled with antibodies to
      secretoneurin in macaque and baboon retinas. Their processes formed three
      distinct plexuses in the inner plexiform layer: one in the outermost stratum, one
      in the center and one in the innermost stratum. In light microscopic double
      immunolabeling experiments, GABA was colocalized with secretoneurin in these
      cells, but glycine transporter 1 and Substance P were not. ON bipolar cell axon
      terminals labeled with antibody to the cholecystokinin precursor, G6-gly, have ON
      responses to stimulation of short wavelength sensitive (S) cones. Axons of these
      bipolar cells made contacts with amacrine cell dendrites containing
      secretoneurin. Secretoneurin-IR amacrine cells also made contacts with retinal
      ganglion cell dendrites labeled with antibody to the photopigment melanopsin,
      which have OFF responses to stimulation of S cones. Using electron microscopic
      immunolabeling, 436 synapses from macaque retina were analyzed. Axons from
      bipolar cells were identified by their characteristic synaptic ribbons; their
      synaptic densities were asymmetric like those of excitatory synapses in the
      brain. Amacrine cells made and received conventional synapses with symmetric
      synaptic densities, like those of inhibitory synapses in the brain. Ganglion cell
      dendrites were identified by their absence of presynaptic specializations; they
      received inputs from both amacrine cells and bipolar cells. The majority of
      inputs to the secretoneurin-IR amacrine cells were from other amacrine cells, but
      they also received 21% of their input from bipolar cells. They directed most of
      their output, 54%, to amacrine cells, but there were many synapses onto bipolar
      cell axons and ganglion cell dendrites, as well. The synaptic connections were
      very similar in the three plexuses with one notable exception; output synapses to
      bipolar cells were significantly less common in the innermost one, where the S-ON
      bipolar cells terminate. Taken together, these findings suggest that the
      secretoneurin-IR amacrine cells in primates receive excitatory input from S-ON
      bipolar cells and, in turn, inhibit intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion
      cells.

PMID- 28641990
TI  - Do negative emotions expressed during follow-up consultations with adolescent
      survivors of childhood cancer reflect late effects?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore whether negative emotions expressed by adolescent cancer
      survivors during follow-up consultations were associated with potential late
      effects (persisting disease or treatment-related health problems). METHODS: We
      video-recorded 66 follow-up consultations between 10 pediatricians and 66
      adolescent survivors of leukemia, lymphoma or stem-cell transplantations. In
      transcripts of the recordings, we identified utterances coded as both 1)
      expressions of negative emotions (VR-CoDES), and 2) late effect-related
      discussions. Principles of thematic content analysis were used to investigate
      associations between the two. RESULTS: Of the 66 video-recorded consultations, 22
      consultations contained 56 (49%) utterances coded as both emotional concerns and
      discussions of potential late effects. Negative emotions were most commonly
      associated with late effects such as fatigue ("I'm struggling with not having
      energy"), psychosocial distress ("When I touch this (scar) I become nauseous"),
      pain ("I'm wondering how long I am going to have this pain?"), and treatment
      related effects on physical appearance ("Am I growing?"). CONCLUSIONS: Negative
      emotions expressed by adolescent cancer survivors during follow-up consultations
      were frequently associated with potential late effects. These late effects were
      not the medically most serious ones, but reflected issues affecting the
      adolescents' daily life. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Eliciting and exploring patients'
      emotional concerns serve as means to obtain clinically relevant information
      regarding potential late effect and to provide emotional support.

PMID- 28641991
TI  - Vitality training-A mindfulness- and acceptance-based intervention for chronic
      pain.
AB  - Chronic non-malign pain has a substantial impact on all parts of an individual's
      life. Mindfulness- and acceptance- based interventions are increasingly offered
      to help people manage their pain and strengthening their health promoting
      resources. In this paper, we present a mindfulness- and acceptance-based
      intervention, the Vitality Training Programme (VTP), to mitigating pain and
      accompanying symptoms and increasing pain coping abilities. Based on a clinical
      case presentation, we discuss how the VTP can help individuals to live a better
      life with pain. The VTP has been evaluated in two randomised controlled trials
      and two qualitative studies. Existing evidence is presented. Finally, based on a
      recently published theoretical model, we present some possible common explanatory
      mechanisms across various mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions that
      might also apply to the VTP.

PMID- 28641992
TI  - Filling in memory gaps through emotional communication; promising pathways in
      caring for persons with dementia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore in what way emotional communication can enhance the memory
      of people with (different types of) dementia. METHODS: Relevant studies published
      after 2000 were searched using the terms: dementia, positive, words,
      communication, recall, and memory. Papers were included that reported results of
      studies with people with dementia that investigated memory effects of
      communication with either an emotionally valent content or context. RESULTS:
      Twelve papers grouped under four prevailing themes (pictures, facial emotions,
      stories and words) are described. The studies provide mixed results: in some
      studies negative emotional information enhances memory in older people with
      dementia, in other studies positive emotional information is helpful or hardly
      any effect is found. CONCLUSION: Emotional communication seems to enhance memory
      in people with dementia. None of the studies described focused on the association
      between personally relevant, emotionally valent information and memory, so
      further research is needed. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Caregivers in dementia care
      should realize that 1) the information they provide might carry an emotional
      valence, and 2) this valence might influence the extent to which people with
      dementia remember information.

PMID- 28641993
TI  - Peer-review for selection of oral presentations for conferences: Are we reliable?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Although peer-review for journal submission, grant-applications and
      conference submissions has been called 'a counter- stone of science', and even
      'the gold standard for evaluating scientific merit', publications on this topic
      remain scares. Research that has investigated peer-review reveals several issues
      and criticisms concerning bias, poor quality review, unreliability and
      inefficiency. The most important weakness of the peer review process is the
      inconsistency between reviewers leading to inadequate inter-rater reliability.
      AIM OF THE PAPER: To report the reliability of ratings for a large international
      conference and to suggest possible solutions to overcome the problem. METHODS: In
      2016 during the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare,
      organized by EACH: International Association for Communication in Healthcare, a
      calibration exercise was proposed and feedback was reported back to the
      participants of the exercise. RESULTS: Most abstracts, as well as most peer
      reviewers, receive and give scores around the median. Contrary to the general
      assumption that there are high and low scorers, in this group only 3 peer
      reviewers could be identified with a high mean, while 7 has a low mean score.
      Only 2 reviewers gave only high ratings (4 and 5). Of the eight abstracts
      included in this exercise, only one abstract received a high mean score and one a
      low mean score. Nevertheless, both these abstracts received both low and high
      scores; all other abstracts received all possible scores. DISCUSSION: Peer-review
      of submissions for conferences are, in accordance with the literature,
      unreliable. New and creative methods will be needed to give the participants of a
      conference what they really deserve: a more reliable selection of the best
      abstracts. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: More raters per abstract improves the inter
      rater reliability; training of reviewers could be helpful; providing feedback to
      reviewers can lead to less inter-rater disagreement; fostering negative peer
      review (rejecting the inappropriate submissions) rather than a positive
      (accepting the best) could be fruitful for selecting abstracts for conferences.

PMID- 28641994
TI  - Emotions in communication skills training - experiences from general practice to
      Porsche maintenance.
AB  - The emphasis on skills in communication training of physicians has gained
      momentum over the last 30 years. Furthermore, a specific focus on skills to
      address emotions has been suggested and more recently supported by empirical
      studies. In this paper we use the Expanded Four Habits Model to illustrate how a
      structured consultation model supplemented with specific skills to address
      emotions is considered useful in medical and non-medical settings. The primacy of
      emotions in different types of professional encounters is discussed in relation
      to education and practice.

PMID- 28641995
TI  - Acetylator Status Impacts Amifampridine Phosphate (FirdapseTM) Pharmacokinetics
      and Exposure to a Greater Extent Than Renal Function.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate safety, tolerability, and
      pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of amifampridine phosphate (FirdapseTM) and its
      major inactive 3-N-acetyl metabolite in renally impaired and healthy individuals
      with slow acetylator (SA) and rapid acetylator (RA) phenotypes. METHODS: This was
      a Phase I, multicenter, open-label study of the PK properties and safety profile
      of amifampridine phosphate in individuals with normal, mild, moderate, or
      severely impaired renal function. Amifampridine phosphate was given as a single
      10 mg (base equivalent) dose, and the plasma and urine PK properties of
      amifampridine and its 3-N-acetyl metabolite were determined. The safety profile
      was evaluated by monitoring adverse events (AEs), clinical laboratory tests, and
      physical examinations. FINDINGS: Amifampridine clearance was predominantly
      metabolic through N-acetylation, regardless of renal function in both acetylator
      phenotypes. In individuals with normal renal function, mean renal clearance
      represented approximately 3% and 18% of the total clearance of amifampridine in
      RA and SA, respectively. Large differences in amifampridine exposure were
      observed between acetylation phenotypes across renal function levels. Mean
      amifampridine exposure values of AUC0-infinity and Cmax were up to 8.8-fold
      higher in the SA group compared with the RA group across renal function levels.
      By comparison, mean AUC0-infinity was less affected by renal function within an
      acetylator group, only 2- to 3-fold higher in individuals with severe renal
      impairment (RI) compared with those with normal renal function. Exposure to
      amifampridine in the SA group with normal renal function was higher (AUC0
      infinity, approximately 1.8-fold; Cmax, approximately 4.1-fold) than the RA group
      with severe RI. Exposure to the inactive 3-N-acetyl metabolite was higher than
      amifampridine in both acetylator groups, independent of renal function level. The
      metabolite is cleared by renal excretion, and exposure was clearly dependent on
      renal function with 4.0- to 6.8-fold increases in AUC0-infinity from normal to
      severe RI. No new tolerability findings were observed. IMPLICATIONS: A single
      dose of 10 mg of amifampridine phosphate was well tolerated, independent of renal
      function and acetylator status. The results indicate that the PK profile of
      amifampridine is affected by metabolic acetylator phenotype to a greater extent
      than by renal function level, supporting FirdapseTM administration in individuals
      with RI in line with current labeling recommendations. Amifampridine should be
      dosed to effect per the individual patient need, altering administration
      frequency and dose in normal through severe RI. The therapeutic dose of
      amifampridine phosphate should be tailored to the individual patient needs by
      gradual dose titration up to the present maximum recommended dose (60-80 mg/day)
      or until dose-limiting AEs intervene to avoid overdosing and underdosing. EudraCT
      identifier: 2013-005349-35.

PMID- 28641996
TI  - Impact of Paliperidone Palmitate Versus Oral Atypical Antipsychotics on Health
      Care Resource Use and Costs in Veterans With Schizophrenia and Comorbid Substance
      Abuse.
AB  - PURPOSE: Almost half of all patients diagnosed with schizophrenia have a history
      of substance abuse (SA). However, data on treatment of schizophrenia with
      paliperidone palmitate (PP) among patients with comorbid SA are limited. The
      objective of this study was to compare all-cause and SA-related health care
      resource utilization and costs in veterans with schizophrenia and co-occurring SA
      who were treated with PP versus oral atypical antipsychotics (OAAs). METHODS:
      Veterans Health Administration electronic health record data were used to conduct
      a retrospective longitudinal study in veterans with schizophrenia who initiated
      PP or OAA between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2016, had >=12 months of
      enrollment before treatment initiation (baseline), were diagnosed with SA, and
      had >=1 Global Assessment of Functioning score during baseline. Differences in
      baseline characteristics were adjusted for using inverse probability of treatment
      weighting. Adjusted cost differences and incidence rate ratios (IRR) for the
      association between PP versus OAA and all-cause and SA-related health care costs
      and health care resource utilization in the 12 months after treatment initiation
      were estimated with corresponding 95% CIs using weighted linear and Poisson
      regression models, respectively. FINDINGS: Of 6872 veterans in the study, 1684
      (25%) and 5188 (75%) were treated with PP and OAA, respectively. After
      adjustment, PP was associated with fewer all-cause inpatient (IRR = 0.88; 95% CI,
      0.85 to 0.90), mental health-related inpatient (IRR = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.85 to
      0.91), and long-term care stays (IRR = 0.53; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.64), but more
      frequent mental health intensive case management visits (IRR = 1.51; 95% CI, 1.49
      to 1.53) compared with OAA (all P < 0.001). Similarly, PP was associated with
      significantly lower rates of SA-related inpatient stays (IRR = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.77
      to 0.83), mental health stays (IRR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.88), long-term care
      stays (IRR = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.32), and outpatient visits (IRR = 0.78; 95%
      CI, 0.77 to 0.79) than OAA (all P < 0.001). Relative to OAA, patients treated
      with PP also had lower mean annual all-cause (cost difference = -$10,473; 95% CI,
      -$17,827 to -$3491) and SA-related (cost difference = -$8457; 95% CI, -$12,710 to
      -$3638) medical costs (all P < 0.001). IMPLICATIONS: PP was associated with
      significant total medical cost savings resulting from fewer hospitalizations and
      lower rates of SA-related health care resource utilization compared with OAA in
      patients with schizophrenia and comorbid SA. Thus, PP appears to be a valuable
      treatment option for patients in this subpopulation.

PMID- 28641997
TI  - Uterine Artery Embolization and Surgical Methods for the Treatment of Symptomatic
      Uterine Leiomyomas: A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis Followed by Indirect
      Treatment Comparison.
AB  - PURPOSE: There is significant discussion and uncertainty about the optimal
      management of symptomatic uterine leiomyomas (SULs). Nonsurgical procedures such
      as uterine artery embolization (UAE) have been developed. The goal of this study
      was to conduct a meta-analysis and an indirect treatment comparison to examine
      the comparative efficacy and safety of the surgical procedures to treat SULs
      compared with UAE. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Lilacs, and the Cochrane Central
      Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched from inception to February
      2016. Ten randomized controlled trials comparing UAE versus hysterectomy,
      myomectomy, and laparoscopic occlusion of the uterine arteries in patients with
      SUL published in a peer-reviewed journal were included. Two reviewers
      independently selected studies, assessed quality, and extracted data.
      Discrepancies were resolved through consensus. FINDINGS: Data from 986 patients
      submitted to UEA (n = 527) or surgery (n = 459) were analyzed. UAE had a lower
      risk of major complications (risk ratio [RR], 0.45 [95% CI, 0.22-0.95]; P =
      0.04)and a higher risk of minor complications (RR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.32-2.06]; P <
      0.00001); UAE had a higher risk of re-intervention up to 2 years (RR, 3.74 [95%
      CI, 1.76-7.96]; P = 0.0006) and up to 5 years (RR, 5.01 [95% CI, 1.37-18.39]; P =
      0.02); UAE had a similar risk of follicle-stimulating hormone levels >40 IU/L
      after 6 months (RR, 1.76 [95% CI, 0.24-12.95]; P = 0.58)and of recommending the
      procedure to another patient up to 5 years after treatment (RR, 1.00 [95% CI,
      0.87-1.14]; P = 0.94). The indirect comparison between myomectomy and
      hysterectomy found that the 2 procedures were similar in the studied outcomes.
      IMPLICATIONS: Compared with surgery, UAE had lower rates of major complications
      with an increased risk of re-intervention up to 2 and 5 years after the first
      procedure. UAE compared with surgery had a similar risk of ovarian failure and
      similar recommendation of the procedure to another patient. However, the number
      of trials was limited, and there was a high risk of bias in at least 2 domains.
      None of the trials blinded the participants and personnel or the outcome
      assessment. PROSPERO identifier: CRD42015026319.

PMID- 28641998
TI  - Construction of a hepatitis B virus neutralizing chimeric monoclonal antibody
      recognizing escape mutants of the viral surface antigen (HBsAg).
AB  - Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global burden on the health-care system
      and is considered as the tenth leading cause of death in the world. Over 248
      million patients are currently suffering from chronic HBV infection worldwide and
      annual mortality rate of this infection is 686000. The "a" determinant is a
      hydrophilic region present in all antigenic subtypes of hepatitis B surface
      antigen (HBsAg), and antibodies against this region can neutralize the virus and
      are protective against all subtypes. We have recently generated a murine anti-HBs
      monoclonal antibody (4G4), which can neutralize HBV infection in HepaRG cells and
      recognize most of the escape mutant forms of HBsAg. Here, we describe the
      production and characterization of the chimeric human-murine antibody 4G4 (c
      4G4). Variable region genes of heavy and light chains of the m-4G4 were cloned
      and fused to constant regions of human kappa and IgG1 by splice overlap extension
      (SOE) PCR. The chimeric antibody was expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO)-K1
      cells and purified from culture supernatant. Competition ELISA proved that both
      antibodies bind the same epitope within HBsAg. Antigen-binding studies using
      ELISA and Western blot showed that c-4G4 has retained the affinity and
      specificity of the parental murine antibody, and displayed a similar pattern of
      reactivity to 13 escape mutant forms of HBsAg. Both, the parental and c-4G4
      showed a comparably high HBV neutralization capacity in cell culture even at the
      lowest concentration (0.6MUg/ml). Due to the ability of c-4G4 to recognize most
      of the sub-genotypes and escape mutants of HBsAg, this antibody either alone or
      in combination with other anti-HBs antibodies could be considered as a potent
      alternative for Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) as an HBV infection
      prophylactic or for passive immunotherapy against HBV infection.

PMID- 28642000
TI  - Initial experience with the HeartMate percutaneous heart pump in circulatory
      failure.

PMID- 28641999
TI  - Effect of pharmacist care on medication adherence and cardiovascular outcomes
      among patients post-acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The impact of collaborative and multidisciplinary health care on the
      outcomes of care in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is well
      established in the literature. However, there is lack of high quality evidence on
      the role of pharmacist care in this setting. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review
      aimed to evaluate the impact of pharmacist care on patient outcomes (readmission,
      mortality, emergency visits, and medication adherence) in patients with ACS at or
      post-discharge. METHODS: The following electronic databases and search engines
      were searched from their inception to September 2016: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane
      Central Register of Controlled Trials, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, Campbell
      Library, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Health System
      Evidence, Global Health Database, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Practice
      Database, Academic Search Complete, ProQuest, PROSPERO, and Google Scholar.
      Studies were included if they evaluated the impact of pharmacist's care (compared
      with no pharmacist's care or usual care) on the outcomes of rehospitalization,
      mortality, and medication adherence in patients post-ACS discharge. Comparison of
      the outcomes with relevant statistics was summarized and reported. RESULTS: A
      total of 17 studies [13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and four non
      randomized clinical studies] involving 8391 patients were included in the review.
      The studies were of variable quality (poor to good quality) or risk of bias
      (moderate to critical risk). The nature and intensity of pharmacist interventions
      varied among the studies including medication reconciliation, medication therapy
      management, discharge medication counseling, motivational interviewing, and post
      discharge face-to-face or telephone follow-up. Pharmacist-delivered interventions
      significantly improved medication adherence in four out of 12 studies. However,
      these did not translate to significant improvements in the rates of readmissions,
      hospitalizations, emergency visits, and mortality among ACS patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacist care of patients discharged after ACS admission was not
      associated with significant improvement in medication adherence or reductions in
      readmissions, emergency visits, and mortality. Future studies should use well
      designed RCTs to assess the short- and long-terms effects of pharmacist
      interventions in ACS patients.

PMID- 28642001
TI  - Regarding mechanical circulatory support in adults with congenital heart disease:
      Is it time to lower the threshold for use?

PMID- 28642002
TI  - Development of Geriatric Mental Health Learning Objectives for Medical Students:
      A Response to the Institute of Medicine 2012 Report.
AB  - America is aging as the population of older adults increases. The shortage of
      geriatric mental health specialists means that most geriatric mental healthcare
      will be provided by physicians who do not have specialty training in geriatrics.
      The Institute of Medicine Report of 2012 highlighted the urgent need for
      development of national competencies and curricula in geriatric mental health for
      all clinicians. Virtually all physicians can expect to treat older patients with
      mental health symptoms, yet currently there are no widely accepted learning
      objectives in geriatric mental health specific for medical students. The authors
      describe the development of a set of such learning objectives that all medical
      students should achieve by graduation. The iterative process included initial
      drafting by content experts from five medical schools with input and feedback
      from a wider group of geriatric psychiatrists, geriatricians, internists, and
      medical educators. The final document builds upon previously published work and
      includes specific knowledge, attitudes and skills in six key domains: Normal
      Aging, Mental Health Assessment of the Geriatric Patient, Psychopharmacology,
      Delirium, Depression, and Dementia. These objectives address a pressing need,
      providing a framework for national standards and curriculum development.

PMID- 28642003
TI  - Strabismus and binocular diplopia due to advanced glaucomatous visual field loss.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe a small series of patients with glaucoma whose strabismus
      and binocular diplopia were due to advanced visual field loss and inability to
      maintain sensory and motor fusion. METHODS: This study is an observational case
      series of 3 patients with binocular diplopia, associated with variable
      strabismus, which was due to advanced visual field loss. RESULTS: Specific
      characteristics of the strabismus associated with advanced glaucomatous visual
      field loss were a subjective floating second image and marked variability of the
      prism and alternate cover measurements. Measured hypertropia changed in magnitude
      over a few seconds or a few minutes (even in 1 patient to a hypotropia), which
      distinguishes this specific type of strabismus from other types of comitant or
      incomitant strabismus associated with glaucoma. Although visual acuity was 20/400
      or better in both eyes in all patients, there was advanced visual field loss in
      at least one eye. All patients responded poorly to prism, but their symptoms
      improved with a Bangerter filter applied to the spectacle lens or a MIN occlusion
      lens to further blur the worse-seeing eye. CONCLUSIONS: Variable strabismus
      associated with advanced glaucomatous visual field loss appears to be a distinct
      clinical entity that should be distinguished from other types of strabismus
      associated with glaucoma. Management of this specific type of strabismus is
      limited by inadequate visual field to fuse, analogous to hemifield slide, and
      therefore prism and/or strabismus surgery is unlikely to be successful. Primary
      treatment options include optical blur with Bangerter filters or a MIN occlusion
      lens although some patients prefer to ignore the second image.

PMID- 28642004
TI  - Removal of Entrapped Transoesophageal Echocardiography Probe Under the Guidance
      of Fluoroscopic Imaging.

PMID- 28642005
TI  - Expression, purification, and crystallization of type 1 isocitrate dehydrogenase
      from Trypanosoma brucei brucei.
AB  - Isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) are metabolic enzymes that catalyze the
      oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate. Depending on the
      electron acceptor and subcellular localization, these enzymes are classified as
      NADP+-dependent IDH1 in the cytosol or peroxisomes, NADP+-dependent IDH2 and NAD+
      dependent IDH3 in mitochondria. Trypanosoma brucei is a protozoan parasite that
      causes African sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana disease in animals. Here,
      for the first time, a putative glycosomal T. brucei type 1 IDH (TbIDH1) was
      expressed in Escherichia coli and purified for crystallographic study.
      Surprisingly, the putative NADP+-dependent TbIDH1 has higher activity with NAD+
      compared with NADP+ as electron acceptor, a unique characteristic among known
      eukaryotic IDHs which encouraged us to crystallize TbIDH1 for future biochemical
      and structural studies. Methods of expression and purification of large amounts
      of recombinant TbIDH1 with improved solubility to facilitate protein
      crystallization are presented.

PMID- 28642006
TI  - Exoenzyme activity and possibility identification of Candida dubliniensis among
      Candida albicans species isolated from vaginal candidiasis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) or vaginal candidiasis is a common
      fungal infection of the genitals causing inflammation, irritation, itching, and
      vaginal discharge. Common yeast infections are caused by the yeast species C.
      albicans. However, there are other species of Candida such as C. dubliniensis
      which are considered as the causative agents of this infection. Hydrolytic
      enzymes such as proteinase and coagulase are known as virulence factors. The aim
      of this study was the molecular confirmation and differentiation of C.
      dubliniensis among C. albicans strains isolated from women with vulvovaginal
      candidiasis by PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and the
      evaluation of proteinase and coagulase activities. METHODS: A total of 100 C.
      albicans strains isolated from women with vulvovaginal candidiasis referred to
      Shiraz medical clinics were enrolled in the study. All the isolates were
      primarily identified by conventional methods. PCR-RFLP method was used for the
      confirmation and identification of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. Moreover, in
      vitro proteinase and coagulase activities of these isolates were evaluated using
      bovine serum albumin media and classical rabbit plasma tube test. RESULTS: As a
      result, PCR-RFLP identified 100% of the isolates as C. albicans, and no C.
      dubliniensis could be identified in this study. 84% of the isolates showed
      proteinase activity, whereas coagulase activity was only detected in 5% of the
      isolates. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that C. dubliniensis plays no role in
      vaginal candidiasis in Iranian patients. Proteinase production could be an
      essential virulence factor in C. albicans pathogenicity, but coagulase activity
      has less potential in this matter.

PMID- 28642007
TI  - Which fractionation of radiotherapy is best for limited-stage small-cell lung
      cancer?

PMID- 28642009
TI  - Mice in the early stage of liver steatosis caused by a high fat diet are
      resistant to thioacetamide-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress.
AB  - Lipogenesis is stimulated in the liver by an unfolded protein response (UPR) to
      endoplasmic reticulum stress under a variety of pathological conditions and
      results in the accumulation of lipids in hepatocytes. Assuming that UPR is a
      protective mechanism against stress, we hypothesized that the accumulated lipids
      might have a beneficial function. We prepared mice with fatty livers by feeding
      two types of high-calorie diets; a lard-rich high-calorie diet (LHD) or a
      menhaden oil-containing high-calorie diet (MHD), for two weeks and treated them,
      as well as control diet (CD)-fed mice, with thioacetamide (TAA), a liver
      toxicant. When a lethal dose (500mg/kg) of TAA was administered, the LHD-fed mice
      and the MHD-fed mice survived longer than those fed with CD. The accumulated
      lipids appeared to be associated with protecting the liver against TAA toxicity
      (200mg/kg). Consistently, lipid-loaded Hepa 1-6 cells showed a partial resistance
      to hydrogen peroxide toxicity compared to those cultured in conventional media.
      In conclusion, while sustained steatosis impairs liver function and leads to
      hazardous conditions, lipids that transiently accumulate as the result of UPR or
      other stimuli may exert a beneficial function in the liver at least partly
      through scavenging reactive oxygen species.

PMID- 28642008
TI  - Concurrent once-daily versus twice-daily chemoradiotherapy in patients with
      limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (CONVERT): an open-label, phase 3,
      randomised, superiority trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard of care in limited-stage
      small-cell lung cancer, but the optimal radiotherapy schedule and dose remains
      controversial. The aim of this study was to establish a standard
      chemoradiotherapy treatment regimen in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.
      METHODS: The CONVERT trial was an open-label, phase 3, randomised superiority
      trial. We enrolled adult patients (aged >=18 years) who had cytologically or
      histologically confirmed limited-stage small-cell lung cancer, Eastern
      Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, and adequate pulmonary
      function. Patients were recruited from 73 centres in eight countries. Patients
      were randomly assigned to receive either 45 Gy radiotherapy in 30 twice-daily
      fractions of 1.5 Gy over 19 days, or 66 Gy in 33 once-daily fractions of 2 Gy
      over 45 days, starting on day 22 after commencing cisplatin-etoposide
      chemotherapy (given as four to six cycles every 3 weeks in both groups). The
      allocation method used was minimisation with a random element, stratified by
      institution, planned number of chemotherapy cycles, and performance status.
      Treatment group assignments were not masked. The primary endpoint was overall
      survival, defined as time from randomisation until death from any cause, analysed
      by modified intention-to-treat. A 12% higher overall survival at 2 years in the
      once-daily group versus the twice-daily group was considered to be clinically
      significant to show superiority of the once-daily regimen. The study is
      registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00433563) and is currently in follow-up.
      FINDINGS: Between April 7, 2008, and Nov 29, 2013, 547 patients were enrolled and
      randomly assigned to receive twice-daily concurrent chemoradiotherapy (274
      patients) or once-daily concurrent chemoradiotherapy (273 patients). Four
      patients (one in the twice-daily group and three in the once-daily group) did not
      return their case report forms and were lost to follow-up; these patients were
      not included in our analyses. At a median follow-up of 45 months (IQR 35-58),
      median overall survival was 30 months (95% CI 24-34) in the twice-daily group
      versus 25 months (21-31) in the once-daily group (hazard ratio for death in the
      once daily group 1.18 [95% CI 0.95-1.45]; p=0.14). 2-year overall survival was
      56% (95% CI 50-62) in the twice-daily group and 51% (45-57) in the once-daily
      group (absolute difference between the treatment groups 5.3% [95% CI -3.2% to
      13.7%]). The most common grade 3-4 adverse event in patients evaluated for
      chemotherapy toxicity was neutropenia (197 [74%] of 266 patients in the twice
      daily group vs 170 [65%] of 263 in the once-daily group). Most toxicities were
      similar between the groups, except there was significantly more grade 4
      neutropenia with twice-daily radiotherapy (129 [49%] vs 101 [38%]; p=0.05). In
      patients assessed for radiotherapy toxicity, was no difference in grade 3-4
      oesophagitis between the groups (47 [19%] of 254 patients in the twice-daily
      group vs 47 [19%] of 246 in the once-daily group; p=0.85) and grade 3-4 radiation
      pneumonitis (4 [3%] of 254 vs 4 [2%] of 246; p=0.70). 11 patients died from
      treatment-related causes (three in the twice-daily group and eight in the once
      daily group). INTERPRETATION: Survival outcomes did not differ between twice
      daily and once-daily concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with limited-stage
      small-cell lung cancer, and toxicity was similar and lower than expected with
      both regimens. Since the trial was designed to show superiority of once-daily
      radiotherapy and was not powered to show equivalence, the implication is that
      twice-daily radiotherapy should continue to be considered the standard of care in
      this setting. FUNDING: Cancer Research UK (Clinical Trials Awards and Advisory
      Committee), French Ministry of Health, Canadian Cancer Society Research
      Institute, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (Cancer
      Research Fund, Lung Cancer, and Radiation Oncology Groups).

PMID- 28642011
TI  - Comparison of Indian Council for Medical Research and Lunar Databases for
      Categorization of Male Bone Mineral Density.
AB  - The mainstay of diagnosis of osteoporosis is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
      (DXA) scan measuring areal bone mineral density (BMD) (g/cm2). The aim of the
      present study was to compare the Indian Council of Medical Research database
      (ICMRD) and the Lunar ethnic reference database of DXA scans in the diagnosis of
      osteoporosis in male patients. In this retrospective study, all male patients who
      underwent a DXA scan were included. The areal BMD (g/cm2) was measured at either
      the lumbar spine (L1-L4) or the total hip using the Lunar DXA machine (software
      version 8.50) manufactured by GE Medical Systems (Shanghai, China). The Indian
      Council of Medical Research published a reference data for BMD in the Indian
      population derived from the population-based study conducted in healthy Indian
      individuals, which was used to analyze the BMD result by Lunar DXA scan. The 2
      results were compared for various values using statistical software SPSS for
      Windows (version 16; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). A total 238 male patients with a
      mean age of 57.2 yr (standard deviation +/-15.9) were included. Overall, 26.4%
      (66/250) and 2.8% (7/250) of the subjects were classified in the osteoporosis
      group according to the Lunar database and the ICMRD, respectively. Out of the 250
      sites of the DXA scan, 28.8% (19/66) and 60.0% (40/66) of the cases classified as
      osteoporosis by the Lunar database were reclassified as normal and osteopenia by
      ICMRD, respectively. In conclusion, the Indian Council of Medical Research data
      underestimated the degree of osteoporosis in male subjects that might result in
      deferring of treatment. In view of the discrepancy, the decision on the treatment
      of osteoporosis should be based on the multiple fracture risk factors and less
      reliably on the BMD T-score.

PMID- 28642010
TI  - Magnetic nanogels as dual triggered anticancer drug delivery: Toxicity evaluation
      on isolated rat liver mitochondria.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate bio-safety of magnetic chitosan nanogels as dual
      triggered drug carrier for doxorubicin through analysis of mitochondrial
      function. In the present study, chitosan/TPP nanogels containing magnetite
      nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared according to the ionotropic gelation method as
      novel pH-sensitive magnetic nanogels. The NPs showed outstanding entrapment
      efficiency for doxorubicin (76.6%) with a sustained and high extent of drug
      release in the acidic media (pH=5-7) compared to the neutral media. Various
      mitochondrial functional parameters including complex II activity, MDA amount,
      GSH level, membrane potential collapse, swelling, apoptosis and release of
      cytochrome c were used to investigate the bio-safety of the nanogels. The
      findings revealed that the extent of mitochondrial dysfunction of doxorubicin
      were in the order of free doxorubicin>doxorubicin loaded magnetic
      nanogels=>doxorubicin loaded Nanogels. The results also revealed that the
      nanogels and the magnetite nanogels seem to possess promising capability as a
      safe carrier in comparison of the toxic potential effect of free doxorubicin.

PMID- 28642012
TI  - Evaluation of a Device Combining an Inferior Vena Cava Filter and a Central
      Venous Catheter for Preventing Pulmonary Embolism Among Critically Ill Trauma
      Patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of a novel device that combines an
      inferior vena cava (IVC) filter and central venous catheter (CVC) for prevention
      of pulmonary embolism (PE) in critically ill patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In
      a multicenter, prospective, single-arm clinical trial, the device was inserted at
      the bedside without fluoroscopy and subsequently retrieved before transfer from
      the intensive care unit (ICU). The primary efficacy endpoint was freedom from
      clinically significant PE or fatal PE 72 hours after device removal or discharge,
      whichever occurred first. Secondary endpoints were incidence of acute proximal
      deep venous thrombosis (DVT), catheter-related thrombosis, catheter-related
      bloodstream infections, major bleeding events, and clinically significant
      thrombus (occupying > 25% of volume of filter) detected by cavography before
      retrieval. RESULTS: The device was placed in 163 critically ill patients with
      contraindications to anticoagulation; 151 (93%) were critically ill trauma
      patients, 129 (85%) had head or spine trauma, and 102 (79%) had intracranial
      bleeding. The primary efficacy endpoint was achieved for all 163 (100%) patients
      (95% confidence interval [CI], 97.8%-100%, P < .01). Diagnosis of new or
      worsening acute proximal DVT was time dependent with 11 (7%) occurring during the
      first 7 days. There were no (0%) catheter-related bloodstream infections. There
      were 5 (3.1%) major bleeding events. Significant thrombus in the IVC filter
      occurred in 14 (8.6%) patients. Prophylactic anticoagulation was not initiated
      for a mean of 5.5 days +/- 4.3 after ICU admission. CONCLUSIONS: This novel
      device prevented clinically significant and fatal PE among critically ill trauma
      patients with low risk of complications.

PMID- 28642014
TI  - Acute hemodynamic effects of intravenous adenosine in patients with associated
      pulmonary arterial hypertension: Comparison with intravenous epoprostenol.
AB  - Exogenous intravenous (IV) adenosine and epoprostenol are effective vasodilator
      agents, causing a substantial reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance in
      patients affected by idiopathic pulmonary arteriolar hypertension (PAH). Their
      action, in patients with PAH associated with other pathological conditions, is
      not well defined. In the present paper the authors retrospectively analyzed the
      acute hemodynamic effects of intravenous adenosine and epoprostenol in 30
      consecutive patients (mean age: 58 +/- 15 years; 21 females, and 9 males)
      affected by PAH associated with other pathological conditions, as determined by
      changes from baseline in systemic and pulmonary hemodynamic parameters. Acute IV
      administration of adenosine decreased pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI)
      by 3 Wood U/m2 (- 20%) compared to baseline (p = 0.02). We noted a slight, not
      significant, decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) of 4 mmHg. Cardiac
      index (CI) increased by 0.5 L/min/m2 (15% increase respect to baseline; p =
      0.03). The heart rate and mean systemic blood pressure (BP) did not change
      significantly. Acute IV administration of epoprostenol decreased PVRI by 6 mmHg (
      40%) respect to baseline (p < 0.0001). CI increased by 1.4 L/min/m2 (p <
      0.0001); while mPAP decreased by 5 mmHg (nearly 10%) (p = 0.04). This decrease of
      mPAP was accompanied by a mean BP decrease of 11 mmHg compared to baseline (p =
      0.003). Our results indicates that, in patients with PAH associated with other
      pathological conditions, adenosine is predominantly a positive inotropic agent;
      and epoprostenol a potent vasodilator of both pulmonary and systemic vessels, and
      a strong positive inotropic agent.

PMID- 28642015
TI  - Convergent and unidirectional evolution of extremely long aedeagi in the largest
      feather mite genus, Proctophyllodes (Acari: Proctophyllodidae): Evidence from
      comparative molecular and morphological phylogenetics.
AB  - Proctophyllodid feather mites (400+ species) are permanent (full-time) symbionts
      commonly occurring on passerine birds. Phenotypic evolution of these mites
      appears to be greatly influenced by characters related to reproduction (>87.5% of
      a total of 32 taxonomically important discrete characters) and male genitalic
      characters (21.9%). Because sexual selection could the major evolutionary driver
      in this system, we test the theoretical expectation that genitalic or sexually
      dimorphic characters should evolve more rapidly and divergently then other
      characters. We inferred a time-calibrated molecular phylogeny (6 genes, 8571 nt
      aligned, no missing data) for 133 taxa of proctophyllodid mites and 40 outgroups.
      Comparisons of the average number of character state changes inferred on 10,696
      Bayesian stationary trees indicate that male genitalic or sexually dimorphic
      characters do not evolve significantly faster than other characters (p=0.537 and
      p=0.819, respectively). However, among the male genitalic characters, a trait
      related to the relative length of the aedeagus experienced extremely fast rates
      of evolution and was detected as a statistical outlier. In this character, the
      transitions between short, long, and several intermediate states occurred in both
      directions. In contrast, the evolution of extremely long aedeagi (nearly as long
      as the body) occurred unidirectionally and irreversibly. This surprising result
      may be due to constraints imposed by the female spermathecal canal, which, in
      species where males have extremely long aedeagi, is also very long and may impede
      pumping sperm by short aedeagi. In proctophyllodid mites, extremely long aedeagi
      evolved independently five times in five different monophyletic lineages. Several
      of these lineages were lumped together by taxonomists to form easy-to-distinguish
      but apparently artificial species-groups. Male genitalic characters, thus, can
      introduce false synapomorphies that could affect morphology-based phylogenetic
      inference. For the most species-rich genus, Proctophyllodes, we develop a
      predictive classification of species-groups that reconciles molecular and
      morphological data.

PMID- 28642013
TI  - Identifying mechanisms driving formation of granuloma-associated fibrosis during
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
AB  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is a
      pulmonary pathogen of major global concern. A key feature of Mtb infection in
      primates is the formation of granulomas, dense cellular structures surrounding
      infected lung tissue. These structures serve as the main site of host-pathogen
      interaction in TB, and thus to effectively treat TB we must clarify mechanisms of
      granuloma formation and their function in disease. Fibrotic granulomas are
      associated with both good and bad disease outcomes. Fibrosis can serve to isolate
      infected tissue from healthy tissue, but it can also cause difficulty breathing
      as it leaves scars. Little is known about fibrosis in TB, and data from non-human
      primates is just beginning to clarify the picture. This work focuses on
      constructing a hybrid multi-scale model of fibrotic granuloma formation, in order
      to identify mechanisms driving development of fibrosis in Mtb infected lungs. We
      combine dynamics of molecular, cellular, and tissue scale models from previously
      published studies to characterize the formation of two common sub-types of
      fibrotic granulomas: peripherally fibrotic, with a cuff of collagen surrounding
      granulomas, and centrally fibrotic, with collagen throughout granulomas.
      Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, along with large simulation sets, enable us
      to identify mechanisms differentiating centrally versus peripherally fibrotic
      granulomas. These findings suggest that heterogeneous cytokine environments exist
      within granulomas and may be responsible for driving tissue scale morphologies.
      Using this model we are primed to better understand the complex structure of
      granulomas, a necessity for developing successful treatments for TB.

PMID- 28642016
TI  - Electrospun vascular scaffold for cellularized small diameter blood vessels: A
      preclinical large animal study.
AB  - : The strategy of vascular tissue engineering is to create a vascular substitute
      by combining autologous vascular cells with a tubular-shaped biodegradable
      scaffold. We have previously developed a novel electrospun bilayered vascular
      scaffold that provides proper biological and biomechanical properties as well as
      structural configuration. In this study, we investigated the clinical feasibility
      of a cellularized vascular scaffold in a preclinical large animal model. We
      fabricated the cellularized vascular construct with autologous endothelial
      progenitor cell (EPC)-derived endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells
      (SMCs) followed by a pulsatile bioreactor preconditioning. This fully
      cellularized vascular construct was tested in a sheep carotid arterial
      interposition model. After preconditioning, confluent and mature EC and SMC
      layers in the scaffold were achieved. The cellularized constructs sustained the
      structural integrity with a high degree of graft patency without eliciting an
      inflammatory response over the course of the 6-month period in sheep. Moreover,
      the matured EC coverage on the lumen and a thick smooth muscle layer were formed
      at 6months after transplantation. We demonstrated that electrospun bilayered
      vascular scaffolds in conjunction with autologous vascular cells may be a
      clinically applicable alternative to traditional prosthetic vascular graft
      substitutes. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates the utility of
      tissue engineering to provide platform technologies for rehabilitation of
      patients recovering from severe, devastating cardiovascular diseases. The long
      term goal is to provide alternatives to vascular grafting using bioengineered
      blood vessels derived from an autologous cell source with a functionalized
      vascular scaffold. This novel bilayered vascular construct for engineering blood
      vessels is designed to offer "off-the-shelf" availability for clinical
      translation.

PMID- 28642017
TI  - Patterns of Care and Temporal Trends in Ischemic Stroke Management: A Brazilian
      Perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Demonstration of an improvement process of quality
      indicators in stroke care is essential to obtain certification as a primary
      stroke center (PSC). Our aim was to evaluate factors that influence temporal
      trends in quality indicators of ischemic stroke (IS) in a Brazilian hospital.
      METHODS: We evaluated patients discharged with IS from a tertiary hospital from
      January 2009 to December 2013. Ten predefined performance measures selected by
      the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke program were assessed. We also compared 5
      quality indicators available from a secondary community hospital for the first
      year of the series to those found in the tertiary hospital. RESULTS: We evaluated
      551 patients at the tertiary stroke center (median age 77.0 years [interquartile
      range 64.0-84.0]; 58.4% were men). The quality indicators that improved with time
      were the use of cholesterol-lowering therapy (P = .02) and stroke education (P =
      .04). The median composite perfect care did not consistently improve throughout
      the period (P = .13). After a multivariable adjustment, only thrombolytic
      treatment (odds ratio [OR] 2.06, P < .01), dyslipidemia (OR 2.03, P < .01), and
      discharge in a Joint Commission International's (JCI) visit year (OR 1.8, P <
      .01) remained as predictors of a perfect care index of 85% or higher. The quality
      indicators with worse performance (anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation and
      cholesterol reduction) were similar in the tertiary and secondary community
      hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant improvement in some quality
      indicators across the years in a PSC located in Latin America. The overall
      perfect care measure did not improve and was influenced by being discharged in a
      JCI visit year, having dyslipidemia, and having undergone thrombolytic treatment.

PMID- 28642018
TI  - Clinical Study of 27 Patients with Medial Medullary Infarction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Medial medullary infarction (MMI) is a rare ischemic stroke.
      Frequency of each neurological finding in MMI was different in each study.
      METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of patients with
      cerebral infarction who were admitted between March 1998 and October 2015.
      Patients in our study were diagnosed as having MMI by magnetic resonance image
      examination. RESULTS: Of 2727 patients with ischemic stroke, 27 patients (20
      males and 7 females) had MMI. The MMI was complicated by infarcts located in the
      pons (n = 6), cerebellum (n = 2), and lateral medulla (n = 1). One patient had
      bilateral MMI. Large-artery atherosclerosis was the most common etiology. Motor
      weakness of the extremities was the most common neurological finding. Diminished
      contralateral superficial sensation was more common than diminished contralateral
      vibratory sensation, and these 2 types of sensory disturbance were often
      complicated. The patients with large MMI significantly more often accompanied
      diminished touch (P = .003), pain (P = .017), and vibratory (P = .019) sensation.
      Facial weakness was shown more common contralateral to the infarcts than
      ipsilateral (n = 8 contralateral, n = 1 ipsilateral). Lingual palsy was also more
      common contralateral to the lesions (n = 3 contralateral, n = 1 ipsilateral). One
      patient alone fulfilled the classical Dejerine triad. CONCLUSIONS: In MMI, motor
      weakness of extremities was commonly shown, and complication of diminished
      sensations indicated the large infarcts. As for facial weakness and lingual
      palsy, the supranuclear type was more prominent than the infranuclear type.

PMID- 28642019
TI  - Re: Declan G. Murphy, Christopher J. Sweeney, Bertrand Tombal. "Gotta Catch 'em
      All" or Do We? Pokemet Approach to Metastatic Prostate Cancer. Eur Urol 2017;72:1
      3.

PMID- 28642020
TI  - Reply to Saeid Safiri and Erfan Ayubi's Letter to the Editor re: Nicholas J.
      Giacalone, William U. Shipley, Rebecca H. Clayman, et al. Long-term Outcomes
      After Bladder-preserving Tri-modality Therapy for Patients with Muscle-invasive
      Bladder Cancer: An Updated Analysis of the Massachusetts General Hospital
      Experience. Eur Urol 2017;71:952-60. Methodological Issues to Avoid
      Misinterpretation.

PMID- 28642021
TI  - Reply to Lorenzo Marconi, Steven MacLennan, Thomas B.L. Lam, et al's Letter to
      the Editor re: Maria Carmen Mir, Ithaar Derweesh, Francesco Porpiglia, Homayoun
      Zargar, Alexandre Mottrie, Riccardo Autorino. Partial Nephrectomy Versus Radical
      Nephrectomy for Clinical T1b and T2 Renal Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta
      analysis of Comparative Studies. Eur Urol 2017;71:606-17.

PMID- 28642022
TI  - Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Family Portrait.

PMID- 28642023
TI  - Reply to Isabel Heidegger, Renate Pichler, and Andreas Pircher's Letter to the
      Editor re: Erik Bovinder Ylitalo, Elin Thysell, Emma Jernberg, et al. Subgroups
      of Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases Defined Through an
      Inverse Relationship Between Androgen Receptor Activity and Immune Response. Eur
      Urol 2017;71:776-87.

PMID- 28642024
TI  - rTMS with a two-coil array: Safety and efficacy for treatment resistant major
      depressive disorder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Therapeutic repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) has
      emerged as a standard of care for individuals with major depressive disorder
      (MDD) who do not benefit from, or are unable to tolerate, antidepressant
      pharmacotherapy. Depth of stimulation is limited with currently approved figure
      eight coils and larger coils capable of deeper penetration may be associated with
      loss of stimulation focality and undesired recruitment of motor cortex. A second
      generation 2-coil array rTMS system was designed to target converging brain
      pathways for potentially deeper prefrontal cortex stimulation. METHODS: A
      randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial examined the safety and efficacy
      of an investigational 2-coil rTMS device. Antidepressant treatment-resistant or
      treatment-intolerant MDD patients (n = 92) received 20 daily rTMS treatments with
      coil centers positioned over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and
      dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). 10 Hz stimulation (maximum summated power
      for both coils <= 120% motor threshold) was delivered. Primary efficacy endpoint
      was change in HAMD-24 score from baseline to the conclusion of treatments.
      RESULTS: Data from n = 75 (per-protocol sample) showed significantly greater
      improvement (mean HAMD-24 change) over time for the active (n = 38) versus sham
      (n = 37) group after 20 sessions (F = 7.174; p = 0.008) and also at the one-month
      follow-up (F = 6.748; p = 0.010). Response rates were 55.3% (active) versus 32.4%
      (sham) (p = 0.063); remission rates were 26.3% versus 18.9% (p > 0.05). Other
      secondary outcomes were generally supportive. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirmed
      safety and acute efficacy of the 2-coil rTMS device. Despite modest sample size,
      primary outcome was clinically and statistically significant, and the effect size
      was comparable with those reported for regulatory trials with FDA-cleared
      devices.

PMID- 28642025
TI  - Total Laparoscopic Resection Surgery for a Cervical Carcinoma that Recurred in
      the Pelvic Sidewall After Radical Hysterectomy and Adjuvant Concurrent
      Chemoradiotherapy.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To show total laparoscopic resection of a cervical carcinoma
      that recurred at the left pelvic sidewall after radical hysterectomy and
      concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). DESIGN: A step-by-step demonstration of the
      technique in a surgical video, including the strategy for achieving complete
      surgical resection with negative margins (R0 resection) (Canadian Task Force
      Classification III). SETTING: For high-risk cervical carcinoma, radical
      hysterectomy and adjuvant CCRT is the standard treatment, but even this
      multimodal therapy cannot prevent recurrence. When the recurrent mass is
      localized in the pelvic cavity, R0 resection offers the most promise; however,
      for laterally recurring cervical carcinoma, the resectability rate is low, owing
      mainly to severe adhesion and fibrosis, and thus the morbidity and mortality
      rates are high. Because laparoscopy optimizes visualization and provides for
      meticulous dissection, laparoscopic surgery can be advantageous over open surgery
      for resection of cervical carcinoma recurring at the pelvic sidewall after
      radical hysterectomy and adjuvant CCRT. INTERVENTIONS: A 48-year-old woman with
      stage IB2 cervical adenocarcinoma had undergone radical hysterectomy, bilateral
      salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy, and, because lymph node metastasis
      was found in the removed lymph nodes, adjuvant CCRT. At 6 months after completion
      of this multimodal therapy, a recurrent mass was detected at the left pelvic
      sidewall. The mass involved the left ureter, bladder, left internal iliac
      vessels, and endopelvic fascia, and left renal function was unrecoverable. Tumor
      excision and left nephroureterectomy were performed laparoscopically. The total
      operating time was 608 minutes, blood loss volume was 250 mL, and blood
      transfusion was not required. Complete tumor clearance (R0 resection) was
      achieved by resection of the left internal iliac vessels, left internal obturator
      muscle, left pubococcygeal muscle, left ureter, and bladder. There were no
      postoperative complications. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained
      through our local Ethics Committee in Cancer Institute hospital. CONCLUSION:
      Complete laparoscopic resection surgery for recurrent cervical carcinoma at the
      pelvic sidewall after radical hysterectomy and adjuvant CCRT is technically
      feasible. The good visualization and meticulous dissection provided during
      laparoscopic surgery make the approach advantageous for the management of
      laterally recurrent cervical carcinoma.

PMID- 28642026
TI  - Laparoscopic Resection of Pelvic Sidewall Recurrent Cervical Cancer: Feasibility
      Does Not Always Equate with Clinical Indication.

PMID- 28642027
TI  - [Monitoring devices and their alarms: incident reports suggest problems with
      device knowledge].
AB  - Missing or false device alarms pose a risk in clinical practice. Publications
      from the United States suggest that alarm errors are not only caused by technical
      issues but to a considerable degree result from user-device interaction problems.
      To safely operate a medical device, users have to thoroughly understand both
      device behavior and device functioning. They also need to foresee the exact
      consequences of their interactions with the device. This can be challenging,
      especially if a device has multiple functions, is applied in various use contexts
      or networked with other devices - as is often the case with patient monitors. In
      this case, human error in operating a device may not necessarily be detected, but
      is experienced as device failure. If medical device failures occur in German
      hospitals that are associated with a risk to the patient, the user, or other
      persons, they have to be reported to the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical
      Devices (Bundesinstitut fur Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM). In the
      present study, we analyzed reports to the BfArM (received between 01/2009 and
      12/2015) about loss or failure of the alarm function of patient monitors. It was
      found that the perceived 'faulty' behavior of the device was the device's
      intended behavior in almost half of these reports. Hence, the person who detected
      this fault was not sufficiently acquainted with the device and/or its
      configuration. Examples of knowledge deficits related to various aspects of
      device knowledge. Further studies are needed to find out whether these findings
      are suggestive of more general knowledge deficits among clinical staff and to
      explore the underlying reasons.

PMID- 28642028
TI  - Discovery of novel 5-oxa-2,6-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-6-ene derivatives as potent,
      selective, and orally available somatostatin receptor subtype 5 (SSTR5)
      antagonists for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Somatostatin receptor subtype 5 (SSTR5) has emerged as a novel attractive drug
      target for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Starting from N-benzyl azetidine derivatives
      1 and 2 as in-house hit compounds, we explored the introduction of a carboxyl
      group into the terminal benzene of 1 to enhance SSTR5 antagonistic activity by
      the combination of the substituents at the 3-position of the isoxazoline.
      Incorporation of a carboxyl group at the 4-position of the benzene ring resulted
      in a significant enhancement in potency, however, the 4-benzoic acid derivative
      10c exhibited moderate human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) inhibitory
      activity. A subsequent optimization study revealed that replacement of the 4
      benzoic acid with an isonipecotic acid dramatically reduced hERG inhibition (5.6%
      inhibition at 30MUM) by eliminating pi-related interaction with hERG K+ channel,
      which resulted in the identification of 1-(2-((2,6-diethoxy-4'-fluorobiphenyl-4
      yl)methyl)-5-oxa-2,6-diazaspiro[3.4]oct-6-en-7-yl)piperidin-4-carboxylic acid 25a
      (hSSTR5/mSSTR5 IC50=9.6/57nM). Oral administration of 25a in high-fat diet fed
      C57BL/6J mice augmented insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner and
      lowered blood glucose concentration.

PMID- 28642029
TI  - Azobenzene-containing photoswitchable proteasome inhibitors with selective
      activity and cellular toxicity.
AB  - A series of azobenzene-containing peptidic boronate esters was prepared and the
      activity of the thermally adapted states (TAS), enriched in trans isomer, and the
      photostationary states (PSS), enriched in cis isomer, for each compound were
      evaluated against beta5 and beta1 proteasome subunits. Compounds with a
      sterically demanding phenyl-substituted azobenzene at P2 (4c), and a less
      sterically demanding unsubstituted azobenzene at the N-terminus (5a), showed the
      greatest difference in activity between the two states. In both cases, the more
      active trans-enriched TAS had activity comparable to bortezomib and delanzomib.
      Furthermore, cis-enriched 4c inhibited tumor growth in both breast and colorectal
      carcinoma cell lines. Significantly, the initial trans-enriched TAS of 4c was not
      cytotoxic against the non-malignant MCF-10A cells.

PMID- 28642030
TI  - Cyclic MOG35-55 ameliorates clinical and neuropathological features of
      experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
AB  - EAE is induced to susceptible mice using linear peptides of myelin proteins of
      the central nervous system. Specific peptide motifs within the peptide-binding
      groove of the MHC peptide-complex determines the affinity of the peptide in each
      animal and the consequent T-cell receptor recognition and activation of the cell.
      Altered peptide ligand (APL) vaccination is a novel approach based on an effort
      to induce T-cell tolerance or alter cytokine profile from pro-inflammatory to
      anti-inflammatory. In the present study we synthesized the MOG35-55 peptide and
      altered its 3-dimensional conformation to make it a cyclic one (c-MOG35-55). EAE
      was induced in C57BL/6 mice and pathology was studied on acute and chronic phase
      of the disease. Our data indicates that c-MOG35-55 peptide alone induces a mild
      transient acute phase without chronic axonopathy. Administration of the c-MOG35
      55 peptide at a 1:1 ratio during disease induction significantly ameliorates
      clinical disease and underlying pathology, such as demyelination and axonopathy
      in the acute and chronic phases. Binding and structural studies revealed milder
      interactions between the c-MOG35-55 and mouse or human MHC class II alleles (H2
      IAb and HLA-DR2). Collectively, we provide data supporting for the first time the
      concept that the cyclic modification of an established encephalitogenic peptide
      ameliorates the clinical outcomes and underlying pathological processes of EAE.
      Such a cyclic modification of linear peptides could provide a novel treatment
      approach for future, patient-selective, immunomodulative treatments of multiple
      sclerosis.

PMID- 28642031
TI  - Clustering of MS2 spectra using unsupervised methods to aid the identification of
      secondary metabolites from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important opportunistic pathogen that produces a
      large arsenal of small molecule virulence factors and quorum sensing signal
      molecules. The annotation of these secondary metabolites in untargeted, mass
      spectrometry-based metabolomics is difficult, as many of them cannot be found in
      common metabolite databases, and as manual annotation is tedious. We therefore
      developed an algorithm named CluMSID that uses cosine similarities of product ion
      spectra and neutral loss patterns in combination with unsupervised clustering
      methods such as multidimensional scaling, density based clustering and
      hierarchical clustering to group structurally similar compounds and hence
      facilitate their annotation. The use of this tool allowed us to find clusters for
      several classes of primary and secondary metabolites, and helped identifying
      spectral similarities that would have gone unnoticed in standard untargeted
      metabolomics data analysis workflows. CluMSID enabled the annotation of 27
      previously undescribed members of the canonical classes of alkyl quinolone quorum
      sensing signal molecules and provided evidence for the postulation of a new
      putative alkyl quinolone class. The CluMSID script written in R is open source
      and can be used by anyone in the metabolomics and natural product research
      community.

PMID- 28642032
TI  - Apoptosis and Necroptosis as Host Defense Strategies to Prevent Viral Infection.
AB  - Antiviral transcriptional responses and regulated cell death are crucial
      components of the host response to virus infection. However, in contrast to the
      signaling pathways that promote antiviral transcription, those that initiate cell
      death following virus infection are less understood. Several recent studies have
      identified pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the mammalian innate immune
      system that activate cell death pathways. These same receptors also have
      established roles in the induction of antiviral gene expression. In this review
      we discuss the mechanisms by which PRRs can serve dual roles as initiators of
      inflammatory gene expression and as inducers of apoptosis and necroptosis
      following virus infection.

PMID- 28642033
TI  - ATG4B inhibitors with a benzotropolone core structure block autophagy and augment
      efficiency of chemotherapy in mice.
AB  - Autophagy is a cell survival mechanism hijacked by advanced tumors to endure a
      rough microenvironment. Late autophagy inhibitors such as (hydroxy)chloroquine
      have been used clinically to halt tumor progression with modest success. However,
      given the toxic nature of these compounds and their lack of specificity, novel
      targets should be considered. We recently identified a benzotropolone derivative
      that significantly inhibited the essential autophagy protein ATG4B. Therefore, we
      synthesized and tested additional benzotropolone compounds to identify a
      promising ATG4B inhibitor that impairs autophagy both in vitro and in vivo. A
      compound library containing 27 molecules with a benzotropolone backbone was
      synthesized and screened for inhibition of recombinant ATG4B. Depending on the
      benzotropolone compound, inhibition of recombinant ATG4B ranged from 3 to 82%.
      Active compounds were evaluated in cellular assays to confirm inhibition of ATG4B
      and suppression of autophagy. Seven compounds inhibited processing of the
      autophagy protein LC3 and autophagosome formation. Compound UAMC-2526 was
      selected for further in vivo use because of its fair plasma stability. This
      compound abolished autophagy both in nutrient-deprived GFP-LC3 mice and in CD1-/-
      Foxn1nu mice bearing HT29 colorectal tumor xenografts. Moreover, addition of UAMC
      2526 to the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin significantly improved inhibition of
      tumor growth. Our data indicate that suppression of autophagy via ATG4B
      inhibition is a feasible strategy to augment existing chemotherapy efficacy and
      to halt tumor progression.

PMID- 28642034
TI  - Cyclooxygenase-2 promotes pulmonary intravascular macrophage accumulation by
      exacerbating BMP signaling in rat experimental hepatopulmonary syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: One central factor in hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS)
      pathogenesis is intravascular accumulation of activated macrophages in small
      pulmonary arteries. However, molecular mechanism underlying the macrophage
      accumulation in HPS is unknown. In this study, we aimed to explore whether
      elevated COX-2 induces the Bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2)/Crossveinless-2 (CV
      2) imbalance and then activation of BMP signaling pathway promotes the macrophage
      accumulation in Common Bile Duct Ligation (CBDL) rat lung. METHODS: The COX
      2/PGE2 signaling activation, the BMP-2/CV-2 imbalance and the activation of Smad1
      were evaluated in CBDL rat lung and in cultured pulmonary microvascular
      endothelial cells (PMVECs) under the HPS serum stimulation. The effects of
      Parecoxib (COX-2 inhibitor), BMP-2 and CV-2 recombinant proteins on 4-week CBDL
      rat lung were determined, respectively. RESULTS: The COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway
      was activated in CBDL rat lung in vivo and PMVECs in vitro, which was due to the
      activation of NF-kappaB P65. The inhibition of COX-2 by Parecoxib reduced
      macrophage accumulation, decreased lung angiogenesis and improved HPS. Meanwhile,
      the CBDL rat lung secreted more BMP-2 but less CV-2, and the imbalance between
      BMP-2 and CV-2 exacerbated the BMP signaling activation thus promoting the
      macrophage accumulation and lung angiogenesis. The BMP-2/CV-2 imbalance is
      dependent on the COX-2/PGE2 signaling pathway, and thus the effects of this
      imbalance can be reversed by adminstration of Parecoxib. CONCLUSION: Our findings
      indicate that inhibition of COX-2 by parecoxib can improve the HPS through the
      repression of BMP signaling and macrophage accumulation.

PMID- 28642035
TI  - Improving the efficacy of hormone therapy in breast cancer: The role of
      cholesterol metabolism in SERM-mediated autophagy, cell differentiation and
      death.
AB  - Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common female cancers in the world, with
      estrogen receptor (ER)-positive BC the most frequent subtype. Tamoxifen (Tam) is
      an effective drug that competitively binds to the ER and is routinely used for
      the treatment of ER-positive BC. However, a number of ER-positive BC do not
      respond to Tam treatment and acquired resistance is often observed, constituting
      a major challenge for extending patient life expectancy. The mechanisms
      responsible for these treatment failures remain unclear, indicating the
      requirement for other targets and better predictors for patient response to Tam.
      One of Tam's off-targets of interest is the microsomal antiestrogen binding site
      (AEBS), a multiproteic complex made up of the cholesterol-5,6-epoxide hydrolase
      (ChEH) enzymes that are involved in the late stages of cholesterol biosynthesis.
      Tam and other selective ER modulators stimulate oxidative stress and inhibit the
      ChEH subunits at pharmacological doses, triggering the production and
      accumulation of cholesterol-5,6-epoxide metabolites responsible for BC cell
      differentiation and death. However, inhibition of the cholesterogenic activity of
      the AEBS subunits also induces the accumulation of sterol precursors, which
      triggers a survival autophagy to impair Tam's efficacy. Altogether, these studies
      have highlighted the involvement of cholesterol metabolism in the pharmacology of
      Tam that has provided new clues on how to improve its therapeutic efficacy in
      both BC and other cancers as well as offering a new rationale for developing more
      efficient drugs for BC treatment.

PMID- 28642036
TI  - Transcription factor decoy technology: A therapeutic update.
AB  - Targeting transcription factors represents one possibility to interfere with a
      known activated regulatory pathway that promotes disease. Double-stranded
      transcription factor decoy (TFD) oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) are therapeutic drug
      candidates, which are able to specifically target and neutralize key
      transcription factors involved in the pathogenesis of a given disease. These
      short double-stranded TFD molecules mimic the consensus DNA binding site of a
      specific transcription factor in the promoter region of its target genes.
      Therefore, it is possible to exploit this nucleic acid-based drug class for the
      treatment of diseases caused by aberrant expression of such target genes the
      products of which are involved in disease initiation and progression. This
      research update focuses firstly on the mechanism of action of TFD molecules. Long
      term effects of such ODNs depend on their stability and the efficiency by which
      they are delivered to the target tissue and taken up by their target cells. Hence
      structural modifications like e.g., single-stranded TFD molecules hybridising to
      itself to form an intramolecular hairpin molecule or circular ODNs assuming a
      dumbbell configuration, intended to enhance both stability and efficacy, are
      addressed. Also specific drug delivery methods like ultrasound-targeted
      microbubble destruction with TFD ODN-coated microbubbles or adeno-associated
      viral (AAV) vectors for tissue-specific transduction and long-term TFD molecule
      expression in non-dividing cells will be discussed. Finally, current therapeutic
      applications of TFD ODN will be summarized.

PMID- 28642037
TI  - Testosterone regulates 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation and epididymal fat
      accumulation in mice through modulating macrophage polarization.
AB  - Low testosterone levels are strongly related to obesity in males. The balance
      between the classically M1 and alternatively M2 polarized macrophages also plays
      a critical role in obesity. It is not clear whether testosterone regulates
      macrophage polarization and then affects adipocyte differentiation. In this
      report, we demonstrate that testosterone strengthens interleukin (IL) -4-induced
      M2 polarization and inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced M1 polarization,
      but has no direct effect on adipocyte differentiation. Cellular signaling studies
      indicate that testosterone regulates macrophage polarization through the
      inhibitory regulative G-protein (Galphai) mainly, rather than via androgen
      receptors, and phosphorylation of Akt. Moreover, testosterone inhibits pre
      adipocyte differentiation induced by M1 macrophage medium. Lowering of serum
      testosterone in mice by injecting a luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) peptide
      increases epididymal white adipose tissue. Testosterone supplementation reverses
      this effect. Therefore, our findings indicate that testosterone inhibits pre
      adipocyte differentiation by switching macrophages to M2 polarization through the
      Galphai and Akt signaling pathways.

PMID- 28642038
TI  - Functional characterization of 21 allelic variants of dihydropyrimidinase.
AB  - Dihydropyrimidinase (DHP, EC 3.5.2.2), encoded by the gene DPYS, is the second
      enzyme in the catabolic pathway of pyrimidine and of fluoropyrimidine drugs such
      as 5-fluorouracil, which are commonly used in anticancer treatment; DHP catalyzes
      the hydrolytic ring opening of dihydrouracil and dihydro-5-fluorouracil. DPYS
      mutations are known to contribute to interindividual variations in the toxicity
      of fluoropyrimidine drugs, but the functional characterization of DHP allelic
      variants remains inadequate. In this study, in vitro analysis was performed on 22
      allelic variants of DHP by transiently expressing wild-type DHP and 21 DHP
      variants in 293FT cells and characterizing their enzymatic activities by using
      dihydrouracil and dihydro-5-fluorouracil as substrates. DHP expression levels and
      oligomeric forms were determined using immunoblotting and blue native PAGE,
      respectively, and the stability of the DHP variants was assessed by examining the
      proteins in variant-transfected cells treated with cycloheximide or bortezomib.
      Moreover, three kinetic parameters, Km, Vmax, and intrinsic clearance (Vmax/Km),
      for the hydrolysis of dihydrouracil and dihydro-5-fluorouracil were determined.
      We found that 5/21 variants showed significantly decreased intrinsic clearance as
      compared to wild-type DHP, and that 9/21 variants were expressed at low levels
      and were inactive due to proteasome-mediated degradation. The band patterns
      observed in the immunoblotting of blue native gels corresponded to DHP activity,
      and, notably, 18/21 DHP variants exhibited decreased or null enzymatic activity
      and these variants also showed a drastically reduced ability to form large
      oligomers. Thus, detection of DPYS genetic polymorphisms might facilitate the
      prediction severe adverse effects of fluoropyrimidine-based treatments.

PMID- 28642039
TI  - Development and validation of a screening instrument to identify cardiometabolic
      predictors of mortality in older individuals with cancer: Secondary analysis of
      the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ALSA).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify significant
      cardiometabolic predictors of mortality among older cancer survivors and develop
      and validate a screening instrument to assess individual risk of mortality.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study used collected data from the
      ALSA. Cox proportional hazards model was used to derive the risk equation for
      mortality that could be evaluated at 10years. Measures of discrimination and
      calibration were calculated in the validation cohort. RESULTS: The equation was
      developed using 294 cancer survivors and validated in 127 different cancer
      survivors. Significant cardiometabolic predictors of mortality included in the
      final model are age, sex, history of cerebrovascular disease, non-adherence to
      exercise guidelines (150min moderate activity per week), and smoking.
      Discrimination and calibration were acceptable with minimal differences in C
      statistics (0.0442, 95% CI: -0.0149 to 0.103) and adjusted R2 values (0.0407, 95%
      CI: -0.181 to 0.0998) between the development and validation cohorts,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: We have developed and validated the first screening
      tool to predict cardiometabolic risk of mortality in older cancer survivors and
      defined centile values for risk classification. Further validation and research
      on the usability and usefulness of the tool in clinical practice are recommended
      in order to target cancer survivors for interventions. Cost effectiveness of such
      an approach should also be examined.

PMID- 28642040
TI  - Global geriatric oncology: Achievements and challenges.
AB  - The aging of the population is a global challenge. The number of older adults is
      rapidly growing, leading to an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable
      diseases associated with aging, such as cancer. Worldwide, older adults account
      for approximately half of all cancer cases, and this proportion is projected to
      increase globally. Furthermore, the majority of older adults live in less
      developed regions, where health systems are generally ill-equipped to provide
      care for complex chronic conditions. Worldwide, there is paucity of geriatric
      training, and most of the oncology workforce lacks the skills and knowledge to
      provide comprehensive care for older patients. Various initiatives aimed at
      providing adequate clinical care for older adults, increasing the geriatric
      skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals, and developing geriatric
      oncology research, have been successfully implemented. However, most developments
      in geriatric oncology have taken place in high-income countries, and there are
      still large inequalities in the availability of clinical, educational, and
      research initiatives across different regions of the world. This article provides
      an overview of geriatric oncology initiatives in Asia, Europe, Australia and New
      Zealand, Latin America, and the United States and Canada. Understanding the
      achievements and challenges of geriatric oncology around the world, and fostering
      international collaboration in research and training are essential for improving
      the care of all older adults with cancer.

PMID- 28642041
TI  - Interaction of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes and
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine at the air/water interface: Thermodynamic and
      rheological study.
AB  - Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) derivatives containing open
      silsesquioxane cage bear great potential for biomedical applications and
      therefore their lateral interactions with phospholipids, major biomembranes and
      drug vehicles constituent, should be studied in detail. That is why the
      properties of surface films by two POSS-derivatives, POSS-polyethylene glycol
      (POSS-PEG) and POSS-perfluoroalkyl (POSS-OFP), pure and in presence of 1,2
      dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) were studied using Langmuir
      surface balance. Side chains of opposite nature (PEG is hydrophilic; OFP is
      hydrophobic) were selected, so that to evaluate their impact on polymers' surface
      properties. Two types of measurements were performed: (i) the miscibility of POSS
      derivatives with DPPC was evaluated via thermodynamic analysis of the surface
      pressure (pi)-area (A) isotherms and (ii) the dilatational rheology of selected
      POSS-polymer containing films was studied by the stress relaxation method.
      Fourier transformation analysis of the relaxation transients allows to access
      films' dynamic interfacial properties in broad frequency range (10-5-1Hz). Film
      morphology was monitored with Brewster Angle Microscopy. PEG moiety enabled POSS
      PEG to stably incorporate in DPPC films, modifying their equilibrium and dynamic
      properties. In contrast OFP chains excluded from interactions with other
      molecules and diminished PEG-OFP amphiphilicity. Therefore at high packing
      densities (pi>=25mN/m) PEG-OFP was expelled from the air/water interface in
      DPPC/PEG-OFP mixtures, and the binary films equilibrium and dynamic surface
      properties were determined primarily by DPPC. Thus the choice of POSS side chains
      can play key role in biomedical applications depending on whether strong or weak
      incorporation of POSS-polymers in lipid environment is aimed for.

PMID- 28642042
TI  - Changes in membrane biophysical properties induced by the
      Budesonide/Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin complex.
AB  - Budesonide (BUD), a poorly soluble anti-inflammatory drug, is used to treat
      patients suffering from asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
      Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD), a biocompatible cyclodextrin known to
      interact with cholesterol, is used as a drug-solubilizing agent in pharmaceutical
      formulations. Budesonide administered as an inclusion complex within HPbetaCD
      (BUD:HPbetaCD) required a quarter of the nominal dose of the suspension
      formulation and significantly reduced neutrophil-induced inflammation in a COPD
      mouse model exceeding the effect of each molecule administered individually. This
      suggests the role of lipid domains enriched in cholesterol for inflammatory
      signaling activation. In this context, we investigated the effect of BUD:HPbetaCD
      on the biophysical properties of membrane lipids. On cellular models (A549, lung
      epithelial cells), BUD:HPbetaCD extracted cholesterol similarly to HPbetaCD. On
      large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), by using the fluorescent probes
      diphenylhexatriene (DPH) and calcein, we demonstrated an increase in membrane
      fluidity and permeability induced by BUD:HPbetaCD in vesicles containing
      cholesterol. On giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and lipid monolayers,
      BUD:HPbetaCD induced the disruption of cholesterol-enriched raft-like liquid
      ordered domains as well as changes in lipid packing and lipid desorption from the
      cholesterol monolayers, respectively. Except for membrane fluidity, all these
      effects were enhanced when HPbetaCD was complexed with budesonide as compared
      with HPbetaCD. Since cholesterol-enriched domains have been linked to membrane
      signaling including pathways involved in inflammation processes, we hypothesized
      the effects of BUD:HPbetaCD could be partly mediated by changes in the
      biophysical properties of cholesterol-enriched domains.

PMID- 28642043
TI  - Mitochondrial Cx43, an important component of cardiac preconditioning.
AB  - Connexin 43 (Cx43) forms gap junction channels that are essential for the
      propagation of electrical depolarization in cardiomyocytes, but also with
      important roles in the pathophysiology of reperfusion injury. However, more
      recent studies have shown that Cx43 has also important functions independent from
      intercellular communication between adjacent cardiomyocytes. Some of these
      actions have been related to the presence of Cx43 in the mitochondria of these
      cells (mitoCx43). The functions of mitoCx43 have not been completely elucidated,
      but there is strong evidence indicating that mitoCx43 modulates mitochondrial
      respiration at respiratory complex I, production of radical oxygen species and
      ATP synthesis. These functions of mitoCx43 modulate mitochondrial and cellular
      tolerance to reperfusion after prolonged ischemia and are necessary for the
      cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning. In the present review
      article we discuss available knowledge on these functions of mitoCx43 in relation
      to reperfusion injury, the molecular mechanisms involved and explore the
      possibility that mitoCx43 may constitute a new pharmacological target in patients
      with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This article is part of
      a Special Issue entitled: Gap Junction Proteins edited by Jean Claude Herve.

PMID- 28642044
TI  - Crossregulation between the insertion of Hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine)
      into lipid membranes and their rheology and lateral structure.
AB  - Hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC, miltefosine) is an alkylphospholipid used
      clinically for the topical treatment of cancer and against leishmaniasis. The
      mechanism of action of HePC, not yet elucidated, involves its insertion into the
      plasma membrane, affecting lipid homeostasis. It has also been proposed that HePC
      directly affects lipid raft stability and function in cell membranes. The present
      work deals with two main questions in the understanding of the action of HePC:
      the bases for membrane selectivity and as a membrane perturbator agent. We
      explored the interaction of HePC with lipid monolayers and bilayer vesicles,
      combining monolayer penetration experiments, Brewster angle microscopy and
      differential scanning calorimetry. Several membrane compositions were tested to
      explore different rheological conditions, phase states and lateral structures.
      Additionally, the kinetics between the soluble and the membrane form of HePC was
      explored. Our results showed an increase in elasticity induced by HePC
      incorporation in all the membranes studied. Differential incorporation was found
      for membranes in different phase states, supporting a preferential partitioning
      and a higher dynamic kinetics of HePC incorporation into fluid membranes in
      comparison with condensed or liquid-ordered ones. This effect resulted in phase
      equilibrium displacement in phospholipids and membranes containing liquid-ordered
      domains. The presence of cholesterol or ergosterol induced a fast incorporation
      and slow desorption of HePC from sterol-containing monolayers, favoring a long
      residence period within the membrane. This contributes to a better understanding
      of the HePC regulation of membrane-mediated events and lipid homeostasis.

PMID- 28642045
TI  - Mutations on FtsZ lateral helix H3 that disrupt cell viability hamper
      reorganization of polymers on lipid surfaces.
AB  - FtsZ filaments localize at the middle of the bacterial cell and participate in
      the formation of a contractile ring responsible for cell division. Previous
      studies demonstrated that the highly conserved negative charge of glutamate 83
      and the positive charge of arginine 85 located in the lateral helix H3 bend of
      Escherichia coli FtsZ are required for in vivo cell division. In order to
      understand how these lateral mutations impair the formation of a contractile
      ring,we extend previous in vitro characterization of these mutants in solution to
      study their behavior on lipid modified surfaces. We study their interaction with
      ZipAand look at their reorganization on the surface. We found that the dynamic
      bundling capacity of the mutant proteins is deficient, and this impairment
      increases the more the composition and spatial arrangement of the reconstituted
      system resembles the situation inside the cell: mutant proteins completely fail
      to reorganize to form higher order aggregates when bound to an E.coli lipid
      surface through oriented ZipA.We conclude that these surface lateral point
      mutations affect the dynamic reorganization of FtsZ filaments into bundles on the
      cell membrane, suggesting that this event is relevant for generating force and
      completing bacterial division.

PMID- 28642047
TI  - Erectile Dysfunction in Young Men-A Review of the Prevalence and Risk Factors.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an important health concern that can
      significantly affect a man's psychosocial well-being. ED has traditionally been
      considered a disease of old age; however, contemporary evidence suggests a
      growing incidence of ED in men younger than 40 years. The process of achieving an
      erection is multifaceted; there are many potential mechanisms that can be
      disrupted. It is critical to identify the specific causes of ED before proceeding
      with potentially costly and invasive therapeutic options. Advances in diagnostic
      and treatment modalities offer opportunities to identify and manage young men
      with ED. AIM: To provide an update on the prevalence and risk factors of ED in
      young men and to provide a framework to guide clinicians in identifying and
      managing the affected young man. METHODS: Comprehensive review of the literature
      pertaining to ED in young men. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ED in young men was
      assessed by outlining the prevalence according to recent epidemiologic studies.
      The pathophysiology, diagnostic considerations, risk factors, and etiologies were
      reviewed. RESULTS: Large multinational studies have estimated the prevalence of
      ED in young men to be as high as 30%. Several studies have stratified the
      etiologies of ED into psychogenic and organic causes. Psychogenic etiologies of
      ED include depression, anxiety, and partner-related difficulties. These patients
      tend to experience sudden onset of symptoms, with decreased libido and good
      quality of spontaneous or self-stimulated erections. Organic etiologies include
      vasculogenic, endocrinologic, neurogenic, iatrogenic, and structural components.
      These patients usually experience gradual onset of symptoms and a low to normal
      libido. Conservative treatments such as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors
      continue to be the mainstay treatment. CONCLUSIONS: ED in young men is an
      increasingly common condition. A careful diagnostic evaluation should focus on
      the identification of any underlying etiology to ensure appropriate management of
      patients. Nguyen HMT, Gabrielson AT, Hellstrom WJG. Erectile Dysfunction in Young
      Men-A Review of the Prevalence and Risk Factors. Sex Med Rev 2017;5:508-520.

PMID- 28642046
TI  - Prostate-specific antigen percentage: An early predictive tool after iodine-125
      interstitial brachytherapy for prostate cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: After interstitial prostate iodine-125 brachytherapy (BT), prostate
      specific antigen (PSA) evolution in time could predict overall biochemical
      relapse, but, considering the single patient, it is influenced by the
      presentation PSA amount and by the prostatic volume. It is also challenging to
      differentiate a PSA bounce from a biochemical relapse. PURPOSE: To determine the
      usefulness of PSA percentage (PP) defined as the rate between PSA presented by a
      patient at time "t" and the PSA that the same patient had presented at the time
      of diagnosis (t0) assumed as 100% in predicting biochemical relapse and in
      differentiating them from PSA Bounces. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We included 721
      patients from Milan S. Raffaele Turro (399) and Lucca Campo di Marte (then S.
      Luca) Hospital (322). The mean age of patients was 66.5 years (range, 50-79).
      Mean followup was 150 months (range, 24-180). For each patient, PSA was recorded
      before and after iodine-125 BT, and PPs were calculated. Cox regression model,
      relative operating characteristic curves, and Kaplan-Meier regression model were
      elaborated, and a cutoff of 20% was defined. RESULTS: We observed that PP >20% is
      an independent variable highly associated with relapse risk (p < 0.0001) with a
      sensitivity of 79.7%, a specificity of 82%, and an hazard ratio of 12.1, since
      the 6 months of followup. A PSA increase above the nadir should be because of
      bounce (sensitivity and specificity of 81.4%, p < 0.0001) if patient had
      experienced at 6 months a PP <20%. CONCLUSIONS: PP might represent an early and
      useful tool, predictive of clinical outcome in patients after BT for prostate
      cancer.

PMID- 28642048
TI  - Sexual Consequences of Post-SSRI Syndrome.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sexual dysfunctions are well-known side effects of selective
      serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use. Altered libido, erectile dysfunction,
      vaginal dryness, ejaculatory disorders, and orgasmic problems are frequently
      reported by patients treated with SSRIs. Moreover, these antidepressant-emergent
      sexual dysfunctions do not always resolve after discontinuation of the medication
      and can persist indefinitely. These complaints are termed post-SSRI sexual
      dysfunctions (PSSD). AIM: To examine the existence of this clinical entity,
      possible theoretical mechanisms, possible risk factors, and possible treatment
      modalities. METHODS: Through literature research and clinical experience, the
      available information about PSSD is reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Summary of
      the current literature with insights into possible causes and management options.
      RESULTS: There are some indications that antidepressant-emergent sexual
      dysfunctions do not always resolve after discontinuation of the medication and
      can persist indefinitely in some individuals. Although some or all sexual side
      effects that start with the use of SSRIs might continue after stopping the
      medication, other sexual complaints can develop. Decreased capacity to experience
      sexual pleasure is the most frequent characteristic of this syndrome. CONCLUSION:
      The research and understanding of PSSD remain limited and not well understood;
      however, the data support the existence of PSSD, which can have a substantial
      effect on the quality of life of these patients. More research is warranted to
      show the cause and possible mechanisms of PSSD that could lead to the correct
      diagnosis and treatment. Reisman Y. Sexual Consequences of Post-SSRI Syndrome.
      Sex Med Rev 2017;5:429-433.

PMID- 28642049
TI  - Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence: How Common and Bothersome Is It Really?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The implications of post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI)
      on quality of life pose a matter of great concern for urologists and patients
      alike. Efforts to mitigate this devastating complication have met with varying
      degrees of success and the literature has shown a discrepancy between patient-
      and surgeon-reported outcomes. AIM: To describe the multifactorial physiology of
      PPI, its evaluation, and its effect on health-related quality of life and sexual
      function and to review preoperative predictive factors for PPI and explore the
      disparity between patient- and surgeon-reported outcomes. METHODS: We selected a
      representative sample of principal studies addressing these topics pertaining to
      PPI. The search was executed by a relevant term search on PubMed from 1994 to the
      present. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main topics of consideration in this review
      are pathophysiology, predictors and prevalence, and methods of evaluating PPI. We
      also report on findings on the role of PPI in sexual activity, surgical methods
      to prevent PPI, and variability in methods of outcome reporting. RESULTS: The
      application of various measures to prevent PPI has had variable success and
      efforts to further refine and widely implement improvements have been complicated
      by the heterogeneity in measurements used to report and compare outcomes.
      CONCLUSION: Patient age, incontinence definitions, and preoperative baseline
      incontinence make collecting and interpreting urinary function data after radical
      prostatectomy challenging. Confusion in the literature is compounded by the
      discrepancy between patient- and surgeon-reported outcomes. On a patient
      physician level, there is the issue of potentially under-counseling patients
      during preoperative discussions on the profound impact of PPI on quality of life
      in general and on sexual function and satisfaction in particular. Trofimenko V,
      Myers JB, Brant WO. Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence: How Common and Bothersome Is
      It Really? Sex Med Rev 2017;5:536-543.

PMID- 28642050
TI  - The Drosophila Thioester containing Protein-4 participates in the induction of
      the cellular immune response to the pathogen Photorhabdus.
AB  - The function of thioester-containing proteins (TEPs) in the immune defense of the
      fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is yet mostly unexplored. Recently, we showed
      the involvement of TEP4 in the activation of humoral and phenoloxidase immune
      responses of Drosophila against the pathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus luminescens
      and Photorhabdus asymbiotica. Here, we investigated the participation of Tep4 in
      the cellular defense of Drosophila against the two pathogens. We report
      significantly lower numbers of live and dead plasmatocytes in the tep4 mutants
      compared to control flies in response to Photorhabdus infection. We also find
      fewer crystal cells in the control flies than in tep4 mutants upon infection with
      Photorhabdus. Our results further suggest that Drosophila hemocytes constitute a
      major source for the transcript levels of Tep4 in flies infected by Photorhabdus.
      Finally, we show that Tep4 participates in the phagocytic function in Drosophila
      adult flies. Collectively our data support the protective role for TEP4 in the
      cellular immune response of Drosophila against the entomopathogen Photorhabdus.

PMID- 28642051
TI  - A revisited concept: Contact inhibition of growth. From cell biology to
      malignancy.
AB  - In cell biology, contact inhibition refers to two different but closely related
      phenomena, contact inhibition of locomotion and contact inhibition of
      proliferation, exhibited by fibroblasts when in contact with one another. Normal
      fibroblasts migrate across the surface of a culture dish until they make contact
      with a neighboring cell. Further cell migration is then inhibited, and normal
      cells adhere to each other, forming an orderly array of cells on the culture dish
      surface. Tumor cells, in contrast, continue moving after contact with their
      neighbors, migrating over adjacent cells, and growing in disordered, multilayered
      patterns. Not only the movement but also the proliferation of many normal cells
      is inhibited by cell-cell contact, and cancer cells are characteristically
      insensitive to such contact inhibition.

PMID- 28642052
TI  - Impact of planetary ball mills on corn stover characteristics and enzymatic
      digestibility depending on grinding ball properties.
AB  - The impact of planetary mill pretreatment on corn stover size, crystallinity, and
      enzyme digestibility was investigated based on the grinding ball properties in an
      effort to reduce energy consumption. Alumina, zirconia, and steel balls were
      used, of which steel balls had the highest specific gravity but the lowest
      surface roughness while alumina balls had the lowest specific gravity and the
      highest roughness. The planetary mill pretreatment effectively reduced the size
      and crystallinity of the corn stover for all the ball types. Steel balls showed
      the highest size reduction effect in short milling time such as a 20min and
      alumina balls were effective at improving the surface area of the corn stover in
      a 60min milling time. The use of alumina balls resulted in the highest enzyme
      digestibility with a glucose yield of 91.9% when the milling time was 60min.

PMID- 28642053
TI  - From low-cost substrates to Single Cell Oils synthesized by oleaginous yeasts.
AB  - As new feedstock for biofuels, microbial oils have received worldwide attentions
      due to their environmentally-friendly characters. Microbial oil production based
      on low-cost raw materials is significantly attractive to the current biodiesel
      refinery industry. In terms of SCOs production, oleaginous yeast has numerous
      advantages over bacteria, molds and microalgae based on their high growth rate
      and lipid yield. Numerous efforts have been made on the competitive lipid
      production combining the use of cheap raw materials as substrates by yeasts. In
      this paper, we provided an overview of lipid metabolism in yeast cells. New
      advances using oleaginous yeast as a cell factory for high-value lipid production
      from various low-cost substrates are also reviewed, and the enhanced strategies
      based on synergistic effects of oleaginous yeast and microalgae in co-culture are
      discussed in details.

PMID- 28642054
TI  - Development of a Tailored Thyroid Gland Phantom for Fine-Needle Aspiration
      Cytology by Three-Dimensional Printing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a challenging and risky
      procedure for inexperienced clinicians to perform because of the proximity of the
      thyroid to the jugular veins, carotid arteries, and trachea. A phantom model for
      transfixion practice would help train clinicians in FNAC. OBJECTIVE: To fabricate
      a tailored phantom with consideration for authenticity of size, touch, feel, and
      ultrasonographic (US) characteristics. METHODS: A three-dimensional (3D) digital
      model of the human neck was reconstructed from computed tomography data of a
      subject. This model was used to create 3D-printed templates for various organs
      that require US visualization. The templates were injected with polymers that
      provided similar degrees of ultrasound permeability as the corresponding organs.
      For fabrication of each organ, the respective molds of organs, blood vessels,
      thyroid gland, and tumor were injected with the material. The fabricated
      components were then removed from the templates and colored. Individual
      components were then positioned in the neck mold, and agar gel was poured in. The
      complete phantom was then removed from the mold. Thereafter, 45 medical doctors
      and students performed ultrasound-guided FNAC using the phantom, following which
      they were queried regarding the value of the phantom. RESULTS: The structure, US
      characteristics, and elasticity of the phantom were similar to those of the human
      subject. In the survey, all 45 participants replied that they found the phantom
      useful for FNAC training, and 30 medical students professed increased interest in
      thyroid diseases after using the phantom. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully fabricated
      a tailored thyroid gland phantom for transfixion practice. As most of the phantom
      parts are injected in molds fabricated using a 3D printer, they can be easily
      reproduced once the molds are fabricated. This phantom is expected to serve as an
      effective and fully tailored training model for practicing thyroid gland
      transfixion.

PMID- 28642055
TI  - Korean translation and validation of the WHOQOL-DIS for people with spinal cord
      injury and stroke: Methodological issues.

PMID- 28642056
TI  - Can Stem Cells Ameliorate the Pancreatic Damage Induced by Streptozotocin in
      Rats?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stem cell therapy holds great promise for the repair of injured
      tissues and organs, and it is one of the most promising therapies for diabetes
      mellitus. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to elucidate the
      antidiabetic effect of both mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and insulin-producing
      cells (IPCs) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: MSCs were derived from bone marrow of male albino rats. MSCs were
      characterized morphologically and by Cluster of differentiation (CD-ve34) and
      (CD+ve105). They were then differentiated into IPCs, and both MSCs and IPCs were
      infused independently into tail veins of rats with STZ-induced diabetes. RESULTS:
      MSC and IPC therapy significantly improved the body weight and serum insulin,
      alpha-amylase, adiponectin, creatinine, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol,
      interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, liver L-malonaldehyde and glycogen
      levels in the STZ-induced diabetes model. CONCLUSIONS: Bone marrow-derived MSCs
      have the capacity to differentiate into IPCs capable of controlling the blood
      glucose level in rats with STZ-induced diabetes. Furthermore, treatment with MSCs
      and IPCs can improve aberrant biochemical parameters in an STZ-induced diabetes
      model.

PMID- 28642057
TI  - Novel multifunctional dental cement to prevent enamel demineralization near
      orthodontic brackets.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: White spot lesions due to biofilm acid-induced enamel
      demineralization are prevalent in orthodontic treatments. The aim of this study
      was to develop a novel bioactive multifunctional cement with protein-repellent,
      antibacterial and remineralizing capabilities, and investigate the effects on
      enamel hardness and lesion depth in vitro for the first time. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), dimethylaminohexadecyl
      methacrylate (DMAHDM), and nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP)
      were incorporated into a resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI). Extracted human
      premolars had brackets bonded via four groups: (1) Transbond XT (TB), (2) RMGI
      (GC Ortho LC), (3) RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM, (4) RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM+NACP. Demineralization
      was induced via a dental plaque microcosm biofilm model. Samples were tested
      using polarized light microscopy (PLM) for lesion depth. Enamel hardness was
      tested for different groups. RESULTS: Incorporating MPC, DMAHDM and NACP did not
      affect enamel bond strength. "RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM+NACP" group had the least lesion
      depth in enamel (p<0.05). Groups with NACP had the highest enamel hardness
      (p<0.05). Mineral loss (DeltaS) in enamel for NACP group was about one third that
      for RMGI control. "RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM" had greater effect on demineralization
      inhibition, compared to RMGI and TB controls. "RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM+NACP" was more
      effective in protecting enamel prisms from dissolution by biofilm acids, compared
      to RMGI and TB control groups. CONCLUSION: The Novel "RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM+NACP"
      cement substantially reduced enamel demineralization adjacent to orthodontic
      brackets, yielding much less lesion depth and greater enamel hardness under
      biofilm acid attacks than commercial controls. The clinical significance is that
      the novel multi-agent (RMGI+MPC+DMAHDM+NACP) method is promising for a wide range
      of preventive and restorative applications to combat caries.

PMID- 28642058
TI  - Ex vivo investigation on the postoperative integrity of the apical constriction
      after the sole use of electronic working length determination.
AB  - AIM: The present study investigated the accuracy of root canal preparation with
      regard to the integrity of the apical constriction (AC) using two different
      working length determination approaches: (1) the electronic method of working
      length determination (EWLD), and (2) the radiologic "gold standard" method (GS).
      METHODOLOGY: Simulation models were constructed by arranging extracted human
      teeth by means of silicon bolstered gingiva masks, along with a conductive medium
      (alginate). Electronic working length determination (group 1; EWLD) and
      radiologic plus initial electronic working length determination for posterior
      comparability (group 2; GS) preceded manual root canal preparation of teeth in
      both groups. Master cones were inserted according to working lengths obtained
      from the group specific method. Subsequently, root apices (n=36) were
      longitudinally sectioned using a diamond-coated bur. The distance between the
      achieved apical endpoint of the endodontic preparation and the apical
      constriction (AC) was measured using digital photography. Then, distances between
      radiologically identified apical endpoints and AC (GS-AC) were compared with the
      corresponding distances EWLD-AC. Moreover, the postoperative status of the AC was
      examined with regard to both preparation approaches. RESULTS: Differences between
      distances GS-AC and EWLD-AC were not statistically significant (p >0.401) (Mann
      Whitney-U). Among EWLD samples, 83% of the master cones exhibiting tugback at
      final insertion terminated close to the apical constriction (+/-0.5 mm), and no
      impairment of the minor diameter's integrity was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The sole
      use of EWLD allowed for a high accuracy of measurements and granted precise
      preparation of the apical regions.

PMID- 28642059
TI  - New trends on obesity and NAFLD in Asia.
AB  - Traditionally, obesity and its related diseases have been considered a problem in
      Western countries. However, in the past two decades, urbanisation in many Asian
      countries has led to a sedentary lifestyle and overnutrition, setting the stage
      for the epidemic of obesity. This article reviews the epidemiological trend of
      obesity in Asia, with special emphasis on the emerging condition of non-alcoholic
      fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Currently, the population prevalence of NAFLD in
      Asia is around 25%, like many Western countries. While hepatocellular carcinoma
      and end-stage liver disease secondary to NAFLD remain uncommon, a rising trend
      has emerged. Around 8-19% of Asians with body mass indexes less than 25kg/m2 are
      also found to have NAFLD, a condition often described as "lean" or "non-obese"
      NAFLD. Although this condition is generally less severe than that in more obese
      patients, steatohepatitis and fibrotic disease are well recognized. Central
      adiposity, insulin resistance and weight gain are major risk factors, and genetic
      predisposition, such as the PNPLA3 polymorphism appears to be more important in
      the development of NAFLD in the non-obese population. Lifestyle modification
      remains the cornerstone of management for obesity and NAFLD, but few patients can
      achieve adequate weight reduction and even fewer can maintain the weight in the
      long run. While pharmacological agents have entered phase III development for
      steatohepatitis, Asian patients are under-represented in most drug trials. Future
      studies should define the optimal management of obesity and NAFLD in Asia.

PMID- 28642060
TI  - Microsurgically Assisted Inguinal Hernia Repair and Simultaneous Male Fertility
      Procedures: Rationale, Technique and Outcomes.
AB  - PURPOSE: Inguinal herniorrhaphy is the most common general surgical procedure. It
      is associated with frequent complications such as recurrence in 2.0% to 14.1% of
      cases with mesh as well as postoperative hematoma in 4.5% of cases, reduced
      sensation in 0% to 42.8%, chronic postoperative pain in 5.1%, vasal injury in
      0.1% to 0.53% and infection in 3% to 6%. Drawing on our experience with the
      operating microscope for varicocelectomy, vasectomy reversal and repair of
      iatrogenic vasal obstruction from hernia repair, we applied the operating
      microscope for inguinal hernia repair. This study describes the rationale,
      technique and outcomes of microsurgically assisted inguinal hernia repair.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 291 microsurgically assisted inguinal hernia
      repairs were performed in 253 men by the same urologist (MG). Simultaneous
      microsurgical varicocelectomy or other testicular procedures were performed in
      83% of cases. All were open repairs through an inguinal incision with the vas
      deferens, ilioinguinal nerve, genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve, and
      spermatic vasculature identified and preserved. Median followup was 8.6 months.
      Outcomes were assessed by examination, pain reporting and pathology reports.
      RESULTS: Chronic postoperative pain, sensory loss, infection, hematoma, vasal
      injury and recurrence were assessed. The incidence of hematoma was 0.85%. No
      recurrent hernia, chronic postoperative pain, sensory loss, infection or vasal
      injury was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Using an operating microscope the complications
      of inguinal hernia repair, such as vasal obstruction, testicular atrophy,
      recurrence, infection, hematoma, chronic postoperative pain and loss of
      sensation, are minimized. Microsurgically assisted hernia repair is a promising
      technique, especially when performed by a urologist who simultaneously performs
      microsurgical varicocelectomy or procedures involving spermatic cord structures
      or the testis.

PMID- 28642061
TI  - The basic reproduction number of vector-borne plant virus epidemics.
AB  - The basic reproduction number R0 is a key parameter in plant disease
      epidemiology, which largely determines whether or not an epidemic will occur in a
      plant population. The next generation matrix approach to deriving and calculating
      the basic reproduction number of a plant virus epidemic is described. The
      approach is illustrated through a series of examples of increasing complexity,
      ranging from the simplest case of one vector transmitting one virus to a single
      host, to the case of multiple vectors, to combined horizontal (vector) and
      vertical (seed) transmission, and where vector control using insecticides is
      practised. The importance of parameters representing host and vector population
      dynamics and their interaction in the absence of disease is stressed, and the
      constraints these place on the calculation of the basic reproduction number.
      Finally, mention is made of further elaborations to the approach that could prove
      useful in plant virus epidemiology.

PMID- 28642062
TI  - LRH-1 senses signaling from phosphatidylcholine to regulate the expansion growth
      of digestive organs via synergy with Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in zebrafish.
AB  - Liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH-1) is an orphan nuclear receptor that is critical
      for the growth and proliferation of cancer cells and other biological processes,
      including lipid transportation and metabolism, sexual determination and
      steroidogenesis. However, because homozygous lrh-1-/- mice die in utero, the
      regulatory mechanisms involved in embryonic development mediated by this receptor
      are poorly understood. In the present study, we performed transcription activator
      like effector nuclease (TALEN)-mediated loss-of-function assays, taking advantage
      of zebrafish external fertilization, to investigate the function of lrh-1. The
      digestive organs were affected by lrh-1 depletion as a result of cell-cycle
      arrest (at the checkpoint of G1 to S phase), but not cell apoptosis. Biochemical
      analysis revealed that LRH-1 augments the transcriptional activity of beta
      catenin 1 and 2 via physical interactions. Screening the specific ligand(s)
      sensed by LRH-1 during organogenesis revealed that phosphatidylcholine (PC), a
      potential ligand, is the upstream target of LRH-1 during endoderm development.
      These data provide evidence for the crosstalk between the PC/LRH-1 and Wnt/beta
      catenin signaling pathways during the expansion growth of endoderm organs.

PMID- 28642063
TI  - Differential gene network analysis from single cell RNA-seq.

PMID- 28642064
TI  - The genetic basis of deafness in populations of African descent.
AB  - Hearing loss is the most common sensorineural disorder worldwide and is
      associated with more than 1000 mutations in more than 90 genes. While mutations
      in genes such as GJB2 (gap-junction protein beta 2) and GJB6 (gap-junction
      protein beta 6) are highly prevalent in Caucasian, Asian, and Middle Eastern
      populations, they are rare in both native African populations and those of
      African descent. The objective of this paper is to review the current knowledge
      regarding the epidemiology and genetics of hearing loss in African populations
      with a focus on native sub-Saharan African populations. Environmental etiologies
      related to poor access to healthcare and perinatal care account for the majority
      of cases. Syndromic etiologies including Waardenburg, Pendred and Usher syndromes
      are uncommon causes of hearing loss in these populations. Of the non-syndromic
      causes, common mutations in GJB2 and GJB6 are rarely implicated in populations of
      African descent. Recent use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has identified
      several candidate deafness genes in African populations from Nigeria and South
      Africa that are unique when compared to common causative mutations worldwide.
      Researchers also recently described a dominant mutation in MYO3a in an African
      American family with non-syndromic hearing loss. The use of NGS and specialized
      panels will aid in identifying rare and novel mutations in a more cost- and time
      effective manner. The identification of common hearing loss mutations in
      indigenous African populations will pave the way for translation into genetic
      deafness research in populations of African descent worldwide.

PMID- 28642066
TI  - Dying for a Cause: Regulated Necrosis of Tissue-Resident Macrophages upon
      Infection.

PMID- 28642065
TI  - Severe and resistant hypertension in an older woman with claudication.
AB  - Coarctation of the aorta is an uncommon cause of treatment-resistant hypertension
      in adults. It is typically detected and treated in infancy or childhood with
      surgical or endovascular procedures. Most cases of recurrence of coarctation
      after repair occur in childhood or early adulthood; recurrence in older persons
      (>70 years) has rarely been reported. A 73-year-old woman was referred to us for
      the management of treatment-resistant hypertension accompanied by symptoms of
      claudication and headaches, which had resulted in multiple emergency room visits.
      Of note, 58 years earlier, a graft from the left subclavian artery had been used
      to bypass an aortic coarctation. During a hospitalization for severe hypertension
      accompanied by acute kidney injury and heart failure, diagnostic angiography
      revealed a complete thrombotic occlusion of the left subclavian-artery-to
      descending-aorta bypass graft and a tight coarctation in the descending thoracic
      aorta. Balloon angioplasty and stenting across the coarctation was only
      transiently effective; subsequently, an ascending-to-descending graft was placed
      distal to the coarctation, and within a few days, the blood pressure levels and
      claudication improved markedly. This case demonstrates that hypertension
      specialists should suspect the possibility of recurrence of a coarctation in
      older patients who present with resistant hypertension and have a remote history
      of coarctation repair. Although such late recurrences are not common, as
      illustrated in our patient, surgical intervention may contribute to significant
      improvement in blood pressure control and prevent future complications.

PMID- 28642067
TI  - Caloric restriction protects livers from ischemia/reperfusion damage by
      preventing Ca2+-induced mitochondrial permeability transition.
AB  - Caloric restriction (CR) promotes lifespan extension and protects against many
      pathological conditions, including ischemia/reperfusion injury to the brain,
      heart and kidney. In the liver, ischemia/reperfusion damage is related to
      excessive mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation, leading to the mitochondrial
      permeability transition. Indeed, liver mitochondria isolated from animals
      maintained on CR for 4 months were protected against permeability transition and
      capable of taking up Ca2+ at faster rates and in larger quantities. These changes
      were not related to modifications in mitochondrial respiratory activity, but
      rather to a higher proportion of ATP relative to ADP in CR liver mitochondria.
      Accordingly, both depletion of mitochondrial adenine nucleotides and loading
      mitochondria with exogenous ATP abolished the differences between CR and ad
      libitum (AL) fed groups. The prevention against permeability transition promoted
      by CR strongly protected against in vivo liver damage induced by
      ischemia/reperfusion. Overall, our results show that CR strongly protects the
      liver against ischemia/reperfusion and uncover a mechanism for this protection,
      through a yet undescribed diet-induced change in liver mitochondrial Ca2+
      handling related to elevated intramitochondrial ATP.

PMID- 28642068
TI  - Chloramphenicol decreases CB1 receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens and
      prefrontal cortex and prevents amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference
      in rats.
AB  - Drug dependence seems to involve a learning and memory process. Since learning
      and memory depend on protein synthesis, drug dependence may depend on protein
      synthesis, too. Drug-induced reward is a crucial effect for the development of
      drug-dependence. We used chloramphenicol (CAP, a protein synthesis inhibitor), to
      evaluate its effects on amphetamine (amph)-seeking behavior, on CB1R expression
      and on protein synthesis in general, in specific areas of the brain. Two groups
      of Wistar adult male rats were subjected to amph-induced conditioned place
      preference (CPP). Rats in group 1 received amph and were kept in the chamber for
      30min. Once this period elapsed, they received a subcutaneous injection of saline
      (veh) and were returned to their home-cage. Rats in group 2 were also treated
      with amph but received CAP (150mg/kgsc) instead of saline. Once CPP was evaluated
      rats were sacrificed and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the nucleus accumbens
      (NAcc) and the hippocampus (Hipp) were isolated and prepared for CB1R Western
      blot analysis. A vivarium reared group of rats was added as a non-experimentally
      manipulated control group. Results indicate that group 1 developed CPP while
      increasing CB1R expression in the NAcc. Group 2 did not develop CPP, had lower
      CB1R expression in the PFC and lacked the CB1R increase in the NAcc observed in
      the amph+veh group. These results support the notion that among the underlying
      mechanisms for amph-seeking reward is an increase in CB1R, further supporting an
      interaction between dopamine/endocannabinoids in CPP learning.

PMID- 28642069
TI  - Chronic choline supplementation improves cognitive and motor performance via
      modulating oxidative and neurochemical status in rats.
AB  - Choline, an essential nutrient, accounts for multiple functions in the body and
      brain. While its beneficial effects on healthy adults are not clear, choline
      supplementation is important during pregnancy for brain development, in elderly
      patients for support of cognitive performance and in patients with neurological
      disorders to reduce memory deficits. Thus, the aim of this study is to
      investigate whether choline administration in healthy adult rats beneficially
      impacts cognitive and locomotor performance, and associated oxidative and
      neurochemical outcomes. Two groups, control and choline, received tap water and
      choline bitartrate, respectively at the dose equivalent to adequate intake for
      five weeks. Food intake and body weight were monitored daily. Behavioral analysis
      comprising assessment of cognitive performance (by novel object recognition,
      passive avoidance and Morris Water Maze test) and locomotor performance (by Open
      field, Kondziela's inverted screen and beam walking test) were performed.
      Following testing, rats were decapitated and brain samples were collected for
      estimation of acetylcholine, redox profile and monoamine measurements. The
      results showed that chronic choline administration significantly improves
      cognitive and locomotor performance accompanied by a reduction in oxidative
      stress, enhanced cholinergic neurotransmission and monoamine levels in the brain
      of healthy adult rats. Hence, chronic choline intake was found to improve
      behavioral, oxidative and neurochemical outcomes in the normal population, so it
      can be suggested that choline tablets can be used as a safe and effective
      supplement for improving the neurological health of normal individuals and that
      they might also be beneficial in preventing cognitive and motor disorders later
      in life.

PMID- 28642070
TI  - Conceptualising compensation in neurodevelopmental disorders: Reflections from
      autism spectrum disorder.
AB  - Within research into neurodevelopmental disorders, little is known about the
      mechanisms underpinning changes in symptom severity across development. When the
      behavioural presentation of a condition improves/symptoms lessen, this may be
      because core underlying atypicalities in cognition/neural function have
      ameliorated. An alternative possibility is 'compensation'; that the behavioural
      presentation appears improved, despite persisting deficits at cognitive and/or
      neurobiological levels. There is, however, currently no agreed technical
      definition of compensation or its behavioural, cognitive and neural
      characteristics. Furthermore, its workings in neurodevelopmental disorders have
      not been studied directly. Here, we review current evidence for compensation in
      neurodevelopmental disorders, using Autism Spectrum Disorder as an example, in
      order to move towards a better conceptualisation of the construct. We propose a
      transdiagnostic framework, where compensation represents the processes
      responsible for an observed mismatch between behaviour and underlying cognition
      in a neurodevelopmental disorder, at any point in development. Further, we
      explore potential cognitive and neural mechanisms driving compensation and
      discuss the broader relevance of the concept within research and clinical
      settings.

PMID- 28642071
TI  - The link between motor and cognitive development in children born preterm and/or
      with low birth weight: A review of current evidence.
AB  - The current review focuses on evidence for a link between early motor development
      and later cognitive skills in children born preterm or with Low Birth Weight
      (LBW). Studies with term born children consistently show such a link. Motor and
      cognitive impairments or delays are often seen in children born preterm or with
      LBW throughout childhood and studies have established a cross-sectional
      association between the two. However, it is not yet clear if, and if so, how,
      motor and cognitive skills are longitudinally interrelated in these children.
      Longitudinal studies with this population including measures of motor development
      during the first year of life and cognitive measures at later measurement points
      were included. The 17 studies included usually show a link between level and/or
      quality of motor development during the first year of life and later cognitive
      skills in children born preterm and/or with LBW. However, given the small number
      of studies, and a possible effect of early interaction between motor and
      cognitive skills affecting this relation, more work is clearly needed.

PMID- 28642072
TI  - Recombinant Human Thrombopoietin Promotes Platelet Engraftment and Improves
      Prognosis of Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes and Aplastic Anemia after
      Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.
AB  - Poor platelet graft function (PPGF) is a significant complication after
      allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). However, no
      optimal treatment has been recommended. This study investigated aspects of
      platelet recovery after allo-HSCT, including prognostic value and the effect of
      recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO). We retrospectively analyzed 275
      patients who received allo-HSCT in our center. Of them, 135 (49.1%) patients had
      good platelet graft function (GPGF) and 140 (50.9%) had PPGF. The latter included
      59 (21.5%) patients with primary PPGF and 81 (29.4%) with secondary PPGF.
      Multivariate analysis showed that male gender (P = .024), lower CD34+ cell count
      (P = .04), and no use of rhTPO (P <.001) were associated with PPGF. The 3-year
      overall survival rate of patients with PPGF (58%) was significantly less than
      that of patients with GPGF (82%; P <.001). We further analyzed the effect of
      rhTPO on prognosis of patients after allo-HSCT. Although no advantage was
      apparent when analyzing the entire cohort, for patients with myelodysplastic
      syndromes and aplastic anemia, rhTPO was associated with a significant survival
      advantage (P = .014).

PMID- 28642073
TI  - Synthesis of biogenic Ag@Pd Core-shell nanoparticles having anti-cancer/anti
      microbial functions.
AB  - Biogenic Ag@Pd core-shell nanoparticles were greenly synthesized within two plant
      extracts aiming at enhanced anticancer/bactericidal functions. These functions
      were verified for the two Pd@Ag biogenic core-shell nanoparticles (BCSnp) with
      constant Pd to several Ag contents. BCSnp were synthesized within two extracts of
      Almond nuts and Black Berry fruits, four samples each, through simple, low cost
      and echo friendly microwave route. The BCSnp Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) was
      detected via UV/visible spectrophotometer. Their morphology was assessed using
      High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope and Field Emission Scanning
      Electron Microscope supplemented with EDAX. Particle size/zeta potential of the
      achieved nanoparticles was measured. The active reducing groups were depicted by
      FTIR while XRD assessed nanoparticles crystallinity. The enhanced particle size
      distribution as proved by UV and band gap energies, imparted better functionality
      by the Almond extract compared to the berry one due to its protein content.
      Cytotoxicity against human breast cancer (MCF7) and liver cancer (HEPG2) cell
      lines were followed and compared to the normal Wish cells. The antimicrobial
      impact against gram-negative (G-veo) E. coli, gram-positive (G+ve) S. aureus
      bacteria and mycotic strain C. albicans species were verified and compared to
      antibiotics. A significant inhibition of cancer cell growth of MCF 7 and HEPG2
      compared to Wish normal cells and doxorubicin is assessed. A discriminative
      effect was recorded for G-ve compared to G+ve, along with Mycotic strain C.
      albicans is achieved. The obtained BCSnp are proposed for cancer therapy and
      bactericidal applications with improved efficiency applying the nanomedicine
      approach. Tailorable properties can be obtained by tuning the individual
      structures.

PMID- 28642074
TI  - Comment on "Serum uric acid is associated with better executive function in men
      but not in women: Baseline assessment of the ELSA-Brasil study".

PMID- 28642075
TI  - Greenhouse gas emissions from different municipal solid waste management
      scenarios in China: Based on carbon and energy flow analysis.
AB  - Waste management is a major source of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
      many opportunities exist to reduce these emissions. To identify the GHG emissions
      from waste management in China, the characteristics of MSW and the current and
      future treatment management strategies, five typical management scenarios were
      modeled by EaseTech software following the principles of life cycle inventory and
      analyzed based on the carbon and energy flows. Due to the high organic fraction
      (50-70%) and moisture content (>50%) of Chinese municipal solid waste (MSW), the
      net GHG emissions in waste management had a significant difference from the
      developed countries. It was found that the poor landfill gas (LFG) collection
      efficiency and low carbon storage resulted landfilling with flaring and
      landfilling with biogas recovery scenarios were the largest GHG emissions (192
      and 117 kgCO2-Eq/t, respectively). In contrast, incineration had the best energy
      recovery rate (19%), and, by grid emissions substitution, led to a substantial
      decrease in net GHG emissions (-124 kgCO2-Eq/t). Due to the high energy
      consumption in operation, the unavoidable leakage of CH4 and N2O in treatment,
      and the further release of CH4 in disposing of the digested residue or composted
      product, the scenarios with biological treatment of the organic fractions after
      sorting, such as composting or anaerobic digestion (AD), did not lead to the
      outstanding GHG reductions (emissions of 32 and -36 kgCO2-Eq/t, respectively) as
      expected.

PMID- 28642076
TI  - The effect of initial organic load of the kitchen waste on the production of VFA
      and H2 in dark fermentation.
AB  - Dark fermentation of kitchen wastes was studied in batch bioreactors, with no pH
      adjustment, to evaluate the effect of the initial organic load on the process
      performance in terms of volatile fatty acids and H2 production. Initial organic
      load of the kitchen wastes ranged from 4.1 to 48.2gVS/L. Acetic and butyric acids
      were produced in the largest amount. At the initial organic load of 48.2KWgVS/L
      the highest concentration of volatile fatty acids was 9.81g/L. The maximum
      production yield of H2 (76.1mL/gVS) was found for the initial organic load of
      kitchen wastes at 14.3gVS/L. The carbon balance calculation showed that the
      maximum CO2 yield of 0.34 gC/gC was attained in the bioreactor with the initial
      organic load of 14.3gVS/L. The microbiological analysis revealed that the
      predominant microorganisms in the dark fermentation process were Bacteroidetes,
      Firmicutes, Spirochaetes and WWE1 at phyla level.

PMID- 28642077
TI  - Recovery of tin from metal powders of waste printed circuit boards.
AB  - To avoid the adverse effects of tin on the smelting process used to recover
      copper from metal powders of waste printed circuit boards, an effective process
      is proposed that selectively extracts tin and its associated metals. That impacts
      of alkaline pressure oxidation leaching parameters on metal conversion were
      systematically investigated. The results showed that Sn, Pb, Al and small amounts
      of Zn in the metal powders were leached out, leaving copper residue. By
      optimizing the conditions, leaching recovery of 98.2%, 77.6%, 78.3 and 6.8% for
      Sn, Pb, Al and Zn, respectively, were achieved. Subsequently, more than 99.9% of
      Pb and Zn in the leaching solution were removed as a mixture of PbS-ZnS in the
      purification process, which can be used as a raw material in Pb smelting.
      Approximately 86.2% of Sn in the purified solution was recovered by
      electrowinning, and the purity of the cathode tin was over 99.8%.

PMID- 28642078
TI  - Experimental tests on commercial Sweet Product Residue (SPR) as a suitable feed
      for anaerobic bioenergy (H2+CH4) production.
AB  - Food stores can find themselves in the position of having to dispose of different
      types of products, such as snacks, confectionery, prepackaged food, drinks and
      others, Sweet Product Residue (SPR), which presents a great opportunity to
      produce energy through Anaerobic Digestion (AD), due to its high sugar,
      carbohidrate and fat contents. In order to valorise SPR, this paper takes into
      consideration the all necessary treatments; owing the fact that the refuses are
      constitute by an organic part and packaging (plastic, paper and their
      combinations), a pretreatment able to remove the latter is necessary. SPR refuse
      was initially subjected to novel pretreatment approach: extrusion at 200atm to
      remove the packaging, and a Basic Pre-treatment (BP) then tested through a Two
      Stage AD (TSAD) process, for H2 and CH4 productions. The experimental results
      were analysed considering three parameters: Efficiency (xi), which takes into
      account the quantity of the energy produced as hydrogen plus methane that the
      bioreaction is able to extract; Efficacy (eta), which takes into account the
      efficiency of the actual test, compared with that obtained from a reference test
      carried out with glucose; Energy Sustainability Index (ESI), which takes into
      account the total amount of energy produced as H2 plus CH4, and the amount of
      energy consumed to pre-treat the refuse. The effectiveness of the extrusion
      process in removing the packaging was very high: about 80% of the organic part
      present in the SPR was recovered. The obtained results have pointed out that SPR
      is suitable for energy valorization process: xi=50%, eta=0.67 and ESI=24.4,
      without the need of basic pre-treatment.

PMID- 28642079
TI  - Common and distinct brain networks underlying panic and social anxiety disorders.
AB  - Although panic disorder (PD) and phobic disorders are independent anxiety
      disorders with distinct sets of diagnostic criteria, there is a high level of
      overlap between them in terms of pathogenesis and neural underpinnings.
      Functional connectivity research using resting-state functional magnetic
      resonance imaging (rsfMRI) shows great potential in identifying the similarities
      and differences between PD and phobias. Understanding common and distinct
      networks between PD and phobic disorders is critical for identifying both
      specific and general neural characteristics of these disorders. We review recent
      rsfMRI studies and explore the clinical relevance of resting-state functional
      connectivity (rsFC) in PD and phobias. Although findings differ between studies,
      there are some meaningful, consistent findings. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and
      PD share common default mode network alterations. Alterations within the
      sensorimotor network are observed primarily in PD. Increased connectivity in the
      salience network is consistently reported in SAD. This review supports hypotheses
      that PD and phobic disorders share common rsFC abnormalities and that the
      different clinical phenotypes between the disorders come from distinct brain
      functional network alterations.

PMID- 28642082
TI  - Clinical trial of the effects of vitamin D supplementation on psychological
      symptoms and metabolic profiles in maintenance methadone treatment patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with some complications
      including nonspecific musculoskeletal pain and periodontal disease in maintenance
      methadone treatment (MMT) patients. This study was designed to determine the
      effect of vitamin D supplementation on psychological symptoms and metabolic
      profiles in MMT patients. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo
      controlled, clinical trial was carried out among 68 MMT patients. Participants
      were randomly allocated to receive either 50,000IU vitamin D supplements (n=34)
      or placebo (n=34) every 2weeks for 12weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at
      baseline and post-intervention to evaluate relevant variables. RESULTS: After the
      12-week intervention, serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels significantly increased in
      the intervention group compared with the placebo group (+8.1+/-4.9 vs. -0.4+/
      3.0, P<0.001). In addition, vitamin D supplementation significantly improved
      Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (-1.5+/-2.2 vs. -0.2+/-2.3, P=0.02) and Beck
      Depression Inventory (-4.8+/-7.3 vs. -1.5+/-6.1, P=0.04) compared with the
      placebo. Patients who received vitamin D supplements had significantly decreased
      fasting plasma glucose (-7.5+/-10.6 vs. +0.3+/-10.7mg/dL, P=0.004), serum insulin
      levels (-3.6+/-5.3 vs. -0.9+/-3.5 MUIU/mL, P=0.01), homeostasis model of
      assessment-insulin resistance (-1.0+/-1.3 vs. -0.2+/-0.7, P=0.003), serum
      triglycerides (-9.6+/-30.8 vs. +15.6+/-30.2mg/dL, P=0.001), total- (-8.7+/-20.9
      vs. +11.0+/-27.4mg/dL, P=0.001) and LDL-cholesterol (-11.1+/-17.9 vs. +5.9+/
      27.5mg/dL, P=0.004) compared with the placebo. Additionally, vitamin D intake
      resulted in a significant decrease in serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (
      2.2+/-4.2 vs. +2.0+/-3.7mg/L, P<0.001), and significant increases plasma total
      antioxidant capacity (+26.2+/-99.8 vs. -86.3+/-127.5mmol/L, P<0.001) and
      glutathione levels (+292.3+/-172.4 vs. +48.9+/-208.9MUmol/L, P<0.001) compared
      with the placebo. There was no significant effect of vitamin D supplementation on
      serum HDL-cholesterol, and other markers of insulin metabolism, inflammation and
      oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Totally, taking 50,000IU vitamin D supplement
      every 2weeks for 12weeks in MMT patients had beneficial effects on psychological
      symptoms and few metabolic profiles.

PMID- 28642081
TI  - Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) impairs encoding but not retrieval of verbal
      information.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cannabis and agonists of the brain cannabinoid receptor (CB1R)
      produce acute memory impairments in humans. However, the extent to which
      cannabinoids impair the component processes of encoding and retrieval has not
      been established in humans. The objective of this analysis was to determine
      whether the administration of Delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal
      psychoactive constituent of cannabis, impairs encoding and/or retrieval of verbal
      information. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy subjects were recruited from the
      community. Subjects were administered the Rey-Auditory Verbal Learning Test
      (RAVLT) either before administration of THC (experiment #1) (n=38) or while under
      the influence of THC (experiment #2) (n=57). Immediate and delayed recall on the
      RAVLT was compared. Subjects received intravenous THC, in a placebo-controlled,
      double-blind, randomized manner at doses known to produce behavioral and
      subjective effects consistent with cannabis intoxication. RESULTS: Total
      immediate recall, short delayed recall, and long delayed recall were reduced in a
      statistically significant manner only when the RAVLT was administered to subjects
      while they were under the influence of THC (experiment #2) and not when the RAVLT
      was administered prior. CONCLUSIONS: THC acutely interferes with encoding of
      verbal memory without interfering with retrieval. These data suggest that
      learning information prior to the use of cannabis or cannabinoids is not likely
      to disrupt recall of that information. Future studies will be necessary to
      determine whether THC impairs encoding of non-verbal information, to what extent
      THC impairs memory consolidation, and the role of other cannabinoids in the
      memory-impairing effects of cannabis. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION: Cannabinoids,
      Neural Synchrony, and Information Processing (THC-Gamma)
      http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00708994 NCT00708994 Pharmacogenetics
      of Cannabinoid Response http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00678730
      NCT00678730.

PMID- 28642083
TI  - Colorectal surgery and enhanced recovery: Impact of a simulation-based care
      pathway training curriculum.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim was to determine whether a simulation-based care pathway
      approach (CPA) curriculum could improve compliance for enhanced recovery programs
      (ERP), and residents' participation in laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LCS).
      Indeed, trainee surgeons have limited access to LCS as primary operator, and ERP
      have improved patients' outcomes in colorectal surgery (CS). METHODS: All
      residents of our department were trained in a simulation-based CPA: perioperative
      training consisted in virtual patients built according to guidelines in both ERP
      and CS, whilst intraoperative training involved a virtual reality simulator
      curriculum. Twenty consecutive patients undergoing CS were prospectively included
      before (n=10) and after (n=10) the training. All demographic and perioperative
      data were prospectively collected, including compliance for ERP. Residents'
      participation as primary operator in LCS was measured. RESULTS: Five residents
      (PGY 4-7) were enrolled. None had performed LCS as primary operator. Overall
      satisfaction and usefulness were both rated 4.5/5, usefulness of pre-, post- and
      intraoperative training was rated 5/5, 4.5/5 and 4/5, respectively. Residents'
      participation in LCS significantly improved after the training (0% (0-100) vs.
      82.5% (10-100); P=0.006). Pre- and intraoperative data were comparable between
      groups. Postoperative morbidity was also comparable. Compliance for ERP improved
      at Day 2 in post-training patients (3 (30%) vs. 8 (80%); P=0.035). Length of stay
      was not modified. CONCLUSIONS: A simulated CPA curriculum to training in LCS and
      ERP was correctly implemented. It seemed to improve compliance for ERP, and
      promoted residents participation as primary operator without adversely altering
      patients' outcomes.

PMID- 28642084
TI  - Floating stoma and abdominal negative-pressure therapy.

PMID- 28642085
TI  - Comparison of glutathione levels measured using optimized monochlorobimane assay
      with those from ortho-phthalaldehyde assay in intact cells.
AB  - Fluorometric glutathione assays have been generally preferred for their high
      specificity and sensitivity. An additional advantage offered by fluorescent
      bimane dyes is their ability to penetrate inside the cell. Their ability to react
      with glutathione within intact cells is frequently useful in flow cytometry and
      microscopy. Hence, the aims of our study were to use monochlorobimane for
      optimizing a spectrofluorometric glutathione assay in cells and then to compare
      that assay with the frequently used ortho-phthalaldehyde assay. We used
      glutathione-depleting agents (e.g., cisplatin and diethylmalonate) to induce cell
      impairment. For glutathione assessment, monochlorobimane (40MUM) was added to
      cells and fluorescence was detected at 394/490nm. In addition to the regularly
      used calculation of glutathione levels from fluorescence change after 60min, we
      used an optimized calculation from the linear part of the fluorescence curve
      after 10min of measurement. We found that 10min treatment of cells with
      monochlorobimane is sufficient for evaluating cellular glutathione concentration
      and provides results entirely comparable with those from the standard ortho
      phthalaldehyde assay. In contrast, the results obtained by the standardly used
      evaluation after 60min of monochlorobimane treatment provided higher glutathione
      values. We conclude that measuring glutathione using monochlorobimane with the
      here-described optimized evaluation of fluorescence signal could be a simple and
      useful method for routine and rapid assessment of glutathione within intact cells
      in large numbers of samples.

PMID- 28642080
TI  - Impact of juvenile chronic stress on adult cortico-accumbal function:
      Implications for cognition and addiction.
AB  - Repeated exposure to stress during childhood is associated with increased risk
      for neuropsychiatric illness, substance use disorders and other behavioral
      problems in adulthood. However, it is not clear how chronic childhood stress can
      lead to emergence of such a wide range of symptoms and disorders in later life.
      One possible explanation lies in stress-induced disruption to the development of
      specific brain regions associated with executive function and reward processing,
      deficits in which are common to the disorders promoted by childhood stress.
      Evidence of aberrations in prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens function
      following repeated exposure of juvenile (pre- and adolescent) organisms to a
      variety of different stressors would account not only for the similarity in
      symptoms across the wide range of childhood stress-associated mental illnesses,
      but also their persistence into adulthood in the absence of further stress.
      Therefore, the goal of this review is to evaluate the current knowledge regarding
      disruption to executive function and reward processing in adult animals or humans
      exposed to chronic stress over the juvenile period, and the underlying
      neurobiology, with particular emphasis on the prefrontal cortex and nucleus
      accumbens. First, the role of these brain regions in mediating executive function
      and reward processing is highlighted. Second, the neurobehavioral development of
      these systems is discussed to illustrate how juvenile stress may exert long
      lasting effects on prefrontal cortex-accumbal activity and related behavioral
      functions. Finally, a critical review of current animal and human findings is
      presented, which strongly supports the supposition that exposure to chronic
      stress (particularly social aggression and isolation in animal studies) in the
      juvenile period produces impairments in executive function in adulthood,
      especially in working memory and inhibitory control. Chronic juvenile stress also
      results in aberrations to reward processing and seeking, with increased
      sensitivity to drugs of abuse particularly noted in animal models, which is in
      line with greater incidence of substance use disorders seen in clinical studies.
      These consequences are potentially mediated by monoamine and glutamatergic
      dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, providing
      translatable therapeutic targets. However, the predominant use of male subjects
      and social-based stressors in preclinical studies points to a clear need for
      determining how both sex differences and stressor heterogeneity may
      differentially contribute to stress-induced changes to substrates mediating
      executive function and reward processing, before the impact of chronic juvenile
      stress in promoting adult psychopathology can be fully understood.

PMID- 28642086
TI  - Geographical outcome disparities in infection occurrence after colorectal
      surgery: An analysis of 58,096 colorectal surgical procedures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite improved surgical practices and in-hospital surveillance
      systems, surgical site infections remain a major public health problem worldwide
      and often require readmission to hospital. The aim was to apply an advance and
      innovative spatial analysis approach to identify spatial pattern and clustering
      (hotspots) of surgical site infection rate (CSIR), and quantifying disparities
      across communities. METHODS: We used the Admitted Patient Data Collection for
      patients aged 18 years and over who underwent colorectal surgery in a public
      hospital between 2002 and 2013 in the Australian State of New South Wales (NSW).
      The colorectal surgical infection rate (CSIR) was computed. We assessed
      geographical variation and clustering in CSIR patterning to demonstrate spatial
      pattern and clustering across communities in NSW, Australia. RESULTS: There were
      58,096 colorectal surgical procedures conducted in NSW from 2002 to 2013. The
      overall occurrence of CSIR was 9.64% (95%CI 9.40-9.88%). We found significant
      clusters of both high and low CSIR in outer regional and remote areas of NSW.
      CONCLUSION: Use of advanced spatial analyses allows identification of
      hotspots/clusters of adverse events that can help policy makers and clinicians
      better understand national patterns and initiate research to address
      disparities/geographical variation, and clustering of adverse events after
      surgery.

PMID- 28642088
TI  - Effect of pre-emptive pregabalin on pain management in patients undergoing
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pre-emptive pregabalin might be beneficial to the patients undergoing
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, the results remained controversial. We
      conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the effect of
      pregabalin on pain management of patients undergoing laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy. METHODS: PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane
      library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials
      (RCTs) assessing the effect of pregabalin versus placebo on laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy were included. Two investigators independently searched articles,
      extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcome
      was pain scores Meta-analysis was performed using random-effect model. RESULTS:
      Six RCTs involving 434 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall,
      compared with control intervention, pregabalin intervention was found to
      significantly reduce the pain scores (Std. mean difference = -0.57; 95% CI = 
      0.85 to -0.29; P < 0.0001) and postoperative fentanyl consumption (Std. mean
      difference = -1.74; 95% CI = -2.31 to -1.16; P < 0.00001), improve Ramsay
      Sedation score (Std. mean difference = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.46 to 1.60; P = 0.0004),
      but demonstrated no influence on nausea and vomiting (RR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.57 to
      1.19; P = 0.30), as well as headache (RR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.55 to 1.64; P =
      0.86). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to control intervention, pregabalin intervention was
      found to significantly reduce the pain scores and postoperative fentanyl
      consumption, and improve Ramsay Sedation score in patients undergoing
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but had no influence on nausea and vomiting, as
      well as headache.

PMID- 28642087
TI  - Contemporary prevalence, in-hospital outcomes, and prognostic determinants of
      triple valve surgery: National database review involving 5,234 patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Triple valve surgery (TVS) remains a challenging procedure with
      limited existing literature. We aim to evaluate the prevalence, in-hospital
      outcomes, and prognostic determinants of TVS in the current era. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: We reviewed the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2003 to 2012
      and included all patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) combined
      with mitral valve replacement (MVR) or repair (MVRep) and tricuspid valve
      replacement (TVR) or repair (TVRep). Logistic regression analysis was used to
      identify independent predictors of in-hospital mortality and propensity score
      matching was adopted to compare groups receiving different operations. RESULTS:
      Overall, 5234 patients were included. In-hospital mortality was 13.9%. Major
      adverse events occurred in 42.9% of the cases (44.9%, 40.3%, 44.4% and 74.2% in
      the AVR + MVR + TVR, AVR + MVR + TVRep, AVR + MVRep + TVRep and AVR + MVRep + TVR
      groups respectively, p < 0.05 for all intergroup comparisons). In-hospital
      mortality in the AVR + MVR + TVR, AVR + MVR + TVRep, AVR + MVRep + TVRep and AVR
      + MVRep + TVR groups was 19.9%, 13.3%, 12.9% and 0% respectively (p < 0.05 for
      all intergroup comparisons). At regression analysis, age, reoperation, and
      urgent/emergent operation were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.
      Patients submitted to tricuspid valve repair and mitral and tricuspid repair had
      a 62% and 63% mortality risk reduction (OR:0.380, CI:0.19-0.76 p = 0.006 and
      OR:0.37, CI:0.18-0.78 p = 0.009 respectively). In the propensity matched
      comparisons, in-hospital mortality was statistically similar (p = 0.08 for AVR +
      MVR + TVR vs. AVR + MVR + TVRep comparison and p = 0.06 for AVR + MVR + TVR vs.
      AVR + MVRep + TVRep comparison). CONCLUSIONS: TVS is associated with significant
      in-hospital mortality and morbidity. The use of valve repair strategies for the
      mitral and tricuspid valves can positively impact postoperative outcomes.

PMID- 28642089
TI  - Involvement of MAPK, Akt/GSK-3beta and AMPK/mTOR signaling pathways in protection
      of remote glial cells from axotomy-induced necrosis and apoptosis in the isolated
      crayfish stretch receptor.
AB  - Severe mechanical nerve injury such as axotomy can lead to neuron degeneration
      and death of surrounding glial cells. We showed that axotomy not only
      mechanically injures glial cells at the cutting location, but also induces
      necrosis or apoptosis of satellite glial cells remote from the transection site.
      Therefore, axon integrity is necessary for survival of surrounding glial cells.
      We used the crayfish stretch receptor that consists of a single mechanoreceptor
      neuron enveloped by satellite glial cells as a simple, but informative model
      object in the study of the role of various signaling proteins in axotomy-induced
      death of remote glial cells. After axon transection, stretch receptors were
      isolated and incubated in saline in the presence or without specific inhibitors
      of various signaling proteins. Inhibition of MEK1/2, p38, Akt, GSK-3beta and mTOR
      increased axotomy-induced apoptosis of remote glial cells, whereas inhibition of
      ERK1/2 and GSK-3beta enhanced necrosis. This suggests the involvement of these
      signaling proteins in protective, antiapoptotic and antinecrotic processes in the
      remote satellite glia surrounding the axotomized mechanoreceptor neuron.

PMID- 28642090
TI  - Vaginal Sacral Colpopexy: A Natural Orifice Approach to a Gold Standard
      Procedure.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: A transvaginal approach to sacral colpopexy has a natural appeal
      to those interested in minimally invasive pelvic reconstructive surgery.
      Development of an effective technique has been frustrated because of the
      technical difficulty of confining the dissection and placement of mesh to the
      retroperitoneal space. The objective of this prospective study is to describe the
      technique and report the outcomes of a transvaginal, retroperitoneal sacral
      colpopexy. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force Design
      classification II-2). SETTING: Urogynecology of Southern Alabama private
      practice. PATIENTS: Women with stage 2 or greater apical prolapse. INTERVENTIONS:
      Surgical repair of apical prolapse using vaginal sacral colpopexy. MEASUREMENTS
      AND RESULTS: Over a 1-year period, 15 posthysterectomy patients with stage 2 or
      greater vaginal prolapse were recruited and consented to vaginal sacral
      colpopexy. Primary outcome was success of the repair, with success defined as a
      combination of objective and subjective parameters using pelvic organ prolapse
      quantification measures, and quality of life questionnaires. Secondary outcomes
      were complications and operating time. One case converted to a native tissue
      repair. The vaginal sacral colpopexy was completed in the remaining 14. Eleven
      patients have been followed for 1 year or longer. Two patients did not return
      after their 6-week examination because of chronic illness. They were contacted by
      telephone over 2 years after the surgery and expressed total satisfaction with
      the operation and the outcome. One patient was seen at 3 months and was noted to
      have an excellent anatomic result; however, a pelvic organ prolapse
      quantification evaluation was not done. She has been totally lost to further
      follow-up. There was 1 mechanical failure in which the titanium tacks securing
      the apex to the anterior longitudinal ligament dislodged and a second case with a
      stage 2 posterior compartment defect. One incidental cystotomy, and 1 incidental
      proctotomy occurred. These were both small, remote from the site of the vaginal
      mesh, and did not prevent completion of the procedure. There were no mesh-related
      complications. Mean operating time was 123 minutes. CONCLUSION: In this small
      pilot study, a transvaginal retroperitoneal sacral colpopexy is described and is
      demonstrated to be feasible and safe. Based on the experience gained, changes in
      technique have been implemented to prevent future mechanical tack failures.
      Assuming that these changes will be successful in preventing apical recurrence
      due to dislodgement of mesh from the anterior longitudinal ligament, a larger
      study is planned to determine efficacy. Inherent advantages of the transvaginal
      approach are discussed, including a favorable morbidity profile, full access to
      all compartments, short operating times, and decreased costs.

PMID- 28642091
TI  - A "See and Treat" Office Procedure for Retained Products of Conception Removal
      After Normal Vaginal Delivery Using Manual Vacuum Aspiration: Preliminary
      Efficacy and Reproductive Outcomes.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and reproductive outcomes of an
      ultrasound-guided manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) procedure with the widely
      accepted operative hysteroscopic (OH) procedure in the removal of retained
      products of conception (RPOCs) after normal vaginal delivery. DESIGN: A
      retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: A
      university-affiliated tertiary medical center. PATIENTS: Eighty-six patients
      after normal vaginal delivery diagnosed with RPOCs from 2005 through 2015. This
      study was approved by the local institutional review board. INTERVENTIONS:
      Treatment with either MVA or OH for patients diagnosed with RPOCs. MEASUREMENTS
      AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 86 patients, 23 underwent remnant removal by ultrasound
      guided MVA using a 6- to 7-mm catheter in a "see and treat" office procedure.
      Sixty-three patients underwent remnant removal using the OH procedure. Follow-up
      included sonographic examination 3 to 5 weeks after the procedure and long-term
      follow-up on complications and reproductive outcomes. Successful remnant
      evacuation and the overall complications rates were similar when comparing the
      MVA group and the OH group (95.7% vs 96.8% and 4.3% vs 4.7%, respectively).
      Conception rates and miscarriage rates were comparable in the MVA and OH groups
      (78.6% vs 72.2% and 9.1% vs 14.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Preliminary results
      from 23 patients suggest that MVA is an efficient procedure with low complication
      rates and satisfactory reproductive outcomes. It does not require anesthesia or
      operating room facilities, allowing an immediate and inexpensive "see and treat"
      option for RPOCs. Further larger controlled trials are required.

PMID- 28642092
TI  - Chemokine CCL17 is expressed by dendritic cells in the CNS during experimental
      autoimmune encephalomyelitis and promotes pathogenesis of disease.
AB  - The CC chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17) and its cognate CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4)
      are known to control leukocyte migration, maintenance of TH17 cells, and
      regulatory T cell (Treg) expansion in vivo. In this study we characterized the
      expression and functional role of CCL17 in the pathogenesis of experimental
      autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Using a CCL17/EGFP reporter mouse model, we
      could show that CCL17 expression in the CNS can be found in a subset of classical
      dendritic cells (DCs) that immigrate into the CNS during the effector phase of
      MOG-induced EAE. CCL17 deficient (CCL17-/-) mice exhibited an ameliorated disease
      course upon MOG-immunization, associated with reduced immigration of IL-17
      producing CD4+ T cells and peripheral DCs into the CNS. CCL17-/- DCs further
      showed equivalent MHC class II and costimulatory molecule expression and an
      equivalent capacity to secrete IL-23 and induce myelin-reactive TH17 cells when
      compared to wildtype DCs. In contrast, their transmigration in an in vitro model
      of the blood-brain barrier was markedly impaired. In addition, peripheral Treg
      cells were enhanced in CCL17-/- mice at peak of disease pointing towards an
      immunoregulatory function of CCL17 in EAE. Our study identifies CCL17 as a unique
      modulator of EAE pathogenesis regulating DC trafficking as well as peripheral
      Treg cell expansion in EAE. Thus, CCL17 operates at distinct levels and on
      different cell subsets during immune response in EAE, a property harboring
      therapeutic potential for the treatment of CNS autoimmunity.

PMID- 28642093
TI  - Functional characterization of 3-ketosteroid 9alpha-hydroxylases in Rhodococcus
      ruber strain chol-4.
AB  - The 3-Ketosteroid-9alpha-Hydroxylase, also known as KshAB [androsta-1,4-diene
      3,17-dione, NADH:oxygen oxidoreductase (9alpha-hydroxylating); EC 1.14.13.142)],
      is a key enzyme in the general scheme of the bacterial steroid catabolism in
      combination with a 3-ketosteroid-Delta1-dehydrogenase activity (KstD), being both
      responsible of the steroid nucleus (rings A/B) breakage. KshAB initiates the
      opening of the steroid ring by the 9alpha-hydroxylation of the C9 carbon of 4-ene
      3-oxosteroids (e.g. AD) or 1,4-diene-3-oxosteroids (e.g. ADD), transforming them
      into 9alpha-hydroxy-4-androsten-3,17-dione (9OHAD) or 9alpha-hydroxy-1,4
      androstadiene-3,17-dione (9OHADD), respectively. The redundancy of these enzymes
      in the actinobacterial genomes results in a serious difficulty for metabolic
      engineering this catabolic pathway to obtain intermediates of industrial
      interest. In this work, we have identified three homologous kshA genes and one
      kshB gen in different genomic regions of R. ruber strain Chol-4. We present a set
      of data that helps to understand their specific roles in this strain, including:
      i) description of the KshAB enzymes ii) construction and characterization of
      DeltakshB and single, double and triple DeltakshA mutants in R. ruber iii) growth
      studies of the above strains on different substrates and iv) genetic
      complementation and biotransformation assays with those strains. Our results show
      that KshA2 isoform is needed for the degradation of steroid substrates with short
      side chain, while KshA3 works on those molecules with longer side chains. KshA1
      is a more versatile enzyme related to the cholic acid catabolism, although it
      also collaborates with KshA2 or KshA3 activities in the catabolism of steroids.
      Accordingly to what it is described for other Rhodococcus strains, our results
      also suggest that the side chain degradation is KshAB-independent.

PMID- 28642094
TI  - Investigation of the component in Artemisia annua L. leading to enhanced
      antiplasmodial potency of artemisinin via regulation of its metabolism.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The chemical matrix of the herb Artemisia annua
      L. (A. annua), from which artemisinin (QHS) is isolated, can enhance both the
      bioavailability and efficacy of QHS. However, the exact mechanism of this
      synergism remains unknown. The biotransformation of QHS and potential "enzyme
      inhibitors" in plant matrix could be of great importance in understanding the
      improved efficacy of QHS in A. annua, which has been limited to the synergism
      with flavonoid components. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the component in A.
      annua extracts (MAE) leading to enhanced antiplasmodial potency of QHS via
      regulation of its metabolism. The efficacy of QHS in combination with the
      synergistic component was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The total MAE
      extract and its three MAE fractions (MAE-I eluted using 3% methanol, MAE-II
      eluted using 50% methanol and MAE-III eluted using 85% methanol) were obtained
      from dry plant materials and prepared after lyophilization. The pharmacokinetic
      profiles of QHS and its major phase I metabolite monohydroxylated artemisinin
      (QHS-M) were investigated in healthy rats after a single oral administration of
      QHS in each MAE extract. Major components isolated from the target MAE fraction
      were evaluated for their enzyme inhibition. The antimalarial activity of QHS in
      combination with the potential synergistic component against Plasmodium
      falciparum was studied in vivo (murine Plasmodium yoelii). The recrudescence and
      survival time of infected mice were also recorded after drug treatment. RESULTS:
      Compared to pure QHS, a 2-fold increase in QHS exposure (AUC and Cmax) was found
      in healthy rats after a single oral dose of QHS in the total MAE extract or its
      fraction MAE-III. In addition, metabolic biotransformation of QHS to the
      metabolite QHS-M (mediated by CYP3A) was inhibited by MAE or MAE-III. Among nine
      major components isolated from MAE-III (five sesquiterpenenes, three flavonoids
      and one phenolic acid), only arteannuin B (AB) showed an inhibition of CYP3A4
      (IC50 1.2MUM). The synergism between QHS and AB was supported using in vivo
      antiplasmodial assay and a pharmacokinetic study in mice. Unfortunately, the
      synergism cannot reduce the rate of recrudescence. CONCLUSIONS: AB was one of
      main contributors in A. annua leading to enhanced antiplasmodial potency of QHS
      via regulation of its metabolism. The final recrudescence indicated the careful
      use of A. annua for malaria treatment unless additional contributing components
      or antiplasmodial mechanism were found.

PMID- 28642095
TI  - Ginsenoside Rg1 alleviates corticosterone-induced dysfunction of gap junctions in
      astrocytes.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), one of the major bioactive
      ingredients of Panax ginseng C. A. Mey, has neuroprotective effects in animal
      models of depression, but the mechanism underlying these effects is still largely
      unknown AIM OF THE STUDY: Gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC)
      dysfunction is a potentially novel pathogenic mechanism for depression. Thus, we
      investigated that whether antidepressant-like effects of Rg1 were related to
      GJIC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary rat prefrontal cortical and hippocampal
      astrocytes cultures were treated with 50MUM CORT for 24h to induce gap junction
      damage. Rg1 (0.1, 1, or 10MUM) or fluoxetine (1MUM) was added 1h prior to CORT
      treatment. A scrape loading and dye transfer assay was performed to identify the
      functional capacity of gap junctions. Western blot was used to detect the
      expression and phosphorylation of connexin43 (Cx43), the major component of gap
      junctions. RESULTS: Treatment of primary astrocytes with CORT for 24h inhibited
      GJIC, decreased total Cx43 expression, and increased the phosphorylation of Cx43
      at serine368 in a dose-dependent manner. Pre-treatment with 1MUM and 10MUM Rg1
      significantly improved GJIC in CORT-treated astrocytes from the prefrontal cortex
      and hippocampus, respectively, and this was accompanied by upregulation of Cx43
      expression and downregulation of Cx43 phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: These findings
      provide the first evidence indicating that Rg1 can alleviate CORT-induced gap
      junction dysfunction, which may have clinical significance in the treatment of
      depression.

PMID- 28642096
TI  - Pine needle extract prevents hippocampal memory impairment in acute restraint
      stress mouse model.
AB  - ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Pinus densiflora leaf has been traditionally
      used to treat mental health disorders as a traditional Chinese medicine. Here we
      examined the ethnopharmacological relevance of pine needle on memory impairment
      caused by stress. AIM OF THE STUDY: To elucidate the possible modulatory actions
      of 30% ethanolic pine needle extract (PNE) on stress-induced hippocampal
      excitotoxicity, we adopted an acute restraint stress mouse model. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Mice were orally administered with PNE (25, 50, or 100mg/kg) or ascorbic
      acid (100mg/kg) for 9 days, and were then subjected to restraint stress (6h/day)
      for 3 days (from experimental day 7-9). To evaluate spatial cognitive and memory
      function, the Morris water maze was performed during experimental days 5-9.
      RESULTS: Restraint stress induced the memory impairment (the prolonged escape
      latency and cumulative path-length, and reduced time spent in the target
      quadrant), and these effects were significantly prevented by PNE treatment. The
      levels of corticosterone and its receptor in the sera/hippocampus were increased
      by restraint stress, which was normalized by PNE treatment. Restraint stress
      elicited the hippocampal excitotoxicity, the inflammatory response and oxidative
      injury as demonstrated by the increased glutamate levels, altered levels of tumor
      necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and imbalanced oxidant-antioxidant balance
      biomarkers. Two immunohistochemistry activities against glial fibrillary acidic
      protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes and neuronal nuclei (NeuN)-positive neurons
      supported the finding of excitotoxicity especially in the cornu ammonis (CA)3
      region of the hippocampus. Those alterations were notably attenuated by
      administration of PNE. CONCLUSIONS: The above findings showed that PNE has
      pharmacological properties that modulate the hippocampal excitotoxicity-derived
      memory impairment under severe stress conditions.

PMID- 28642097
TI  - Are two-dimensional measured frontal plane angles related to three-dimensional
      measured kinematic profiles during running?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the temporal relationship between two-dimensional
      measured frontal plane joint angles and three-dimensional measured kinematic
      profiles during the stance phase of running, and to assess the intra- and
      intertester reliability of the two-dimensional angles. DESIGN: Observational
      study. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen injury-free elite
      athletes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Contralateral pelvic drop (CPD), femoral
      adduction (FA), hip adduction (HA) and knee valgus (KV) were measured at the
      deepest landing position during midstance with two-dimensional video analysis
      during running. CPD, HA and knee abduction were measured continuously during the
      entire stance phase through three-dimensional motion analysis. One-dimensional
      statistical parametric mapping was used to examine the temporal relationships
      between the two-dimensional angles and three-dimensional kinematic profiles. In
      addition, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess
      the intra- and intertester reliability of the two-dimensional angles. RESULTS:
      Two-dimensional CPD, FA and HA were significantly related to the three
      dimensional HA kinematic profile. Two-dimensional CPD was significantly related
      to the three-dimensional CPD kinematic profile. No significant relationship was
      found between two-dimensional KV and three-dimensional knee abduction. Excellent
      intra- and intertester reliability was found for the two-dimensional angles (ICC
      0.90-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support implementing two-dimensional
      video analysis to evaluate CPD and HA during running.

PMID- 28642099
TI  - Developmental cardiovascular physiology of the olive ridley sea turtle
      (Lepidochelys olivacea).
AB  - Our understanding of reptilian cardiovascular development and regulation has
      increased substantially for two species the American alligator (Alligator
      mississippiensis) and the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) during the
      past two decades. However, what we know about cardiovascular maturation in many
      other species remains poorly understood or unknown. Embryonic sea turtles have
      been studied to understand the maturation of metabolic function, but these
      studies have not addressed the cardiovascular system. Although prior studies have
      been pivotal in characterizing development, and factors that influence it, the
      development of cardiovascular function, which supplies metabolic function, is
      unknown in sea turtles. During our investigation we focused on quantifying how
      cardiovascular morphological and functional parameters change, to provide basic
      knowledge of development in the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea).
      Embryonic mass, as well as mass of the heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and brain
      increased during turtle embryo development. Although heart rate was constant
      during this developmental period, arterial pressure approximately doubled.
      Further, while embryonic olive ridley sea turtles lacked cholinergic tone on
      heart rate, there was a pronounced beta adrenergic tone on heart rate that
      decreased in strength at 90% of incubation. This beta adrenergic tone may be
      partially originating from the sympathetic nervous system at 90% of incubation,
      with the majority originating from circulating catecholamines. Data indicates
      that olive ridley sea turtles share traits of embryonic functional cardiovascular
      maturation with the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) but not the
      common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina).

PMID- 28642098
TI  - Quantifying left atrial structure and function using single-plane tissue-tracking
      cardiac magnetic resonance.
AB  - PURPOSE: Left atrial (LA) structure and function are important markers of adverse
      cardiovascular outcomes. Tissue-tracking cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)
      accurately quantifies LA volume, strain, and strain rate based on biplane long
      axis imaging. We aimed to assess the accuracy of the LA indices quantification
      from single-plane tissue-tracking CMR. METHODS: We included 388 subjects (mean
      age 57+/-13, male 70%) whose cine CMR images in sinus rhythm were available in
      both four-chamber and two-chamber views: 162 patients from the Prospective
      Observational Study of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (PROSE-ICD) Study,
      208 patients from atrial fibrillation cohort, and 18 healthy volunteers. The
      group was divided into the training set (n=291) and the test set (n=97). In the
      training set, we compared the LA indices derived from biplane imaging and single
      plane imaging (a four-chamber view), and developed regression equations. In the
      test set, we used the regression equations to estimate the LA indices from the
      single-plane imaging, and quantified the accuracy of the estimation against the
      LA indices from the biplane. RESULTS: In the training set, all the LA indices
      from the single-plane imaging tended to be systematically underestimated compared
      with those from the biplane imaging, however, the correlation coefficient was
      high (r2=0.73-0.90, p<0.001). In the test set, LA volumetric indices showed
      excellent reproducibility (intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC): 0.91-0.92)
      with relatively low variability (16.3-22.3%); For LA strain and strain rate
      indices, reproducibility was excellent (ICC: 0.81-0.93), however, the variability
      was slightly higher than that of volumetric indices (21.7-25.4%). CONCLUSIONS: LA
      volumetric indices measured from single-plane tissue-tracking CMR are highly
      accurate and reproducible with reference to those derived from the standard
      biplane imaging. The reproducibility of LA strain and strain rate indices from
      single-plane tissue-tracking CMR is excellent but the variability is higher than
      that of the volumetric indices.

PMID- 28642100
TI  - JCL roundtable: Future of the lipid laboratory: Using the laboratory to manage
      the patient (part 2).
AB  - The measurement of cholesterol and triglycerides as indicators of metabolic
      disorders and most particularly of vascular disease risk has been of growing
      importance to physicians and epidemiologists over the past century. This was
      refocused on the lipoproteins, the specific packages in blood that carry these
      lipids, by John Gofman, MD, PhD, and Don Fredrickson, MD, more than 50 years ago.
      We continue to learn about the metabolism of these large molecular structures and
      their relationship to arteriosclerosis as new genetic and interventional studies
      are published. The clinical laboratory has evolved to provide more focused
      information with measures that can help us assess risk and target our therapy
      more effectively. In this roundtable discussion, I had the opportunity to talk
      with physicians who consider lipoprotein management to be central features of
      their practice every day. They personally care for patients with metabolic
      disorders in which the lipoproteins have caused disease or are predicted to do
      so. They are well-versed on the way that science is leading us in our field. I
      believe that you will learn from their view of current needs regarding
      lipoprotein measures and the changes that may derive from ongoing scientific
      studies in our field.

PMID- 28642101
TI  - Introduction of fluorine to phenyl group of 4-(2-pyrimidinylamino)benzamides
      leading to a series of potent hedgehog signaling pathway inhibitors.
AB  - In present study, a novel series of fluorine containing 4-(2
      pyrimidinylamino)benzamide analogues were designed and synthesized. The hedgehog
      (Hh) signaling inhibitory activities for these compounds were evaluated by a
      luciferase reporter method. The preliminary SAR was discussed and many compounds
      showed potent Hh signaling inhibitory activities. Compound 15h displayed the most
      potent inhibitory activity, with an IC50 of 0.050nM. This paper finds the
      introduction of fluorine to the 4-(2-pyrimidinylamino)benzamide scaffold can lead
      to a novel series of potent Hh signaling pathway inhibitors.

PMID- 28642102
TI  - Varic acid analogues from fungus as PTP1B inhibitors: Biological evaluation and
      structure-activity relationships.
AB  - Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors as potential therapies for
      diabetes and obesity have attracted much attention in recent years. Six varic
      acid analogues were isolated from two strains of fungi and evaluated for PTP1B
      inhibition activities. The structure-activity relationships were also
      characterized and predicted by molecular modeling. Further kinetic studies
      indicated the reversible and competitive inhibition manner of varic acid
      analogues. Trivaric acid showed insulin-sensitizing effect not only in vitro but
      also in vivo, representing a promising lead compound for further optimization.

PMID- 28642103
TI  - Chimeric analogs of human beta-defensin 1 and theta-defensin disrupt pre
      established bacterial biofilms.
AB  - Antibiofilm activity of several human defensin analogs that have the ability to
      kill planktonic bacteria, against pre-established biofilms of Escherichia coli
      MG1655 and Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8530 were examined. Linear and linear fatty
      acylated analogs did not show any activity while disulfide constrained analogs
      disrupted pre-established S. aureus biofilms. Chimeric analogs of human beta
      defensin 1 and theta-defensin, hBTD-1 and [d]hBTD-1 were highly active against S.
      aureus biofilms. Among the analogs tested, only the d-enantiomer [d]hBTD-1 showed
      activity against E. coli biofilm. Our study provides insights into the structural
      requirements for the eradication of pre-established biofilms in defensin analogs.

PMID- 28642105
TI  - Crotalaria (Monocrotaline) Pulmonary Hypertension: The Fiftieth Anniversary.

PMID- 28642104
TI  - Design, synthesis and SAR of a novel series of heterocyclic phenylpropanoic acids
      as GPR120 agonists.
AB  - A novel series of 5-membered heterocycle-containing phenylpropanoic acid
      derivatives was discovered as potent GPR120 agonists with low clearance, high
      oral bioavailability and in vivo antidiabetic activity in rodents.

PMID- 28642106
TI  - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Adult Respiratory Failure: 2017 Update.
AB  - The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for respiratory failure in
      adults is growing rapidly, driven in large part by advances in technology, which
      have made ECMO devices easier to implement and safer and more efficient.
      Accompanying this increase in use is a nearly exponential increase in ECMO
      related literature. However, the great majority of the literature is composed of
      retrospective observational data, often in the form of single-center studies with
      relatively small numbers of subjects. The overall lack of high-quality data,
      including prospective randomized trials, makes it difficult to justify the rate
      at which ECMO use is increasing and calls attention to the need for more
      rigorously designed studies. Nonetheless, given its ability to support patients
      with severe gas exchange impairment and the potential for it to minimize the
      deleterious effects of invasive mechanical ventilation, there appears to be a
      legitimate role for ECMO in severe respiratory failure in adults.

PMID- 28642107
TI  - Venous Thrombosis After Electrophysiology Procedures: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Femoral venous access for catheter introduction represents the
      cornerstone of electrophysiology (EP) procedures. Limited data are available
      regarding postprocedure VTE. The aim of this systematic review is to determine
      the incidence of DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) associated with femoral vein
      catheterization during EP procedures. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted
      for studies documenting the incidence of DVT and PE after EP procedures. Studies
      were classified as atrial fibrillation (AF) or non-AF ablation procedures.
      RESULTS: Two thousand eight-hundred sixty-four studies were evaluated, 16 of
      which were included in the analysis. The incidence of DVT after AF and non-AF
      ablations reached as high as 0.33% and 2.38%, respectively, with a pooled
      incidence of 0% (95% CI, 0%-0.0003%) and 0.24% (95% CI, 0.08%-0.39%),
      respectively. The incidence of PE was 0.29% after AF ablation and ranged from 0%
      to 1.67% for non-AF procedures; the pooled incidence after non-AF ablations was
      0.12% (95% CI, 0%-0.25%). Asymptomatic DVT was documented in up to 21.2% of
      patients. Hematomas occurred in 1.05% of AF ablations (95% CI, 0.30%-1.8%) and
      0.3% of non-AF ablations (95% CI, 0.09%-0.51%). CONCLUSIONS: A lower incidence of
      symptomatic DVT and PE was observed after AF ablations as opposed to non-AF
      ablations, likely due to the use of routine periprocedural anticoagulation.
      Asymptomatic DVTs appear to be common, although their significance is unclear.
      Future studies are required to weigh the risk of hematoma against the risk of VTE
      associated with the use of prophylactic anticoagulation after non-AF ablation
      procedures.

PMID- 28642108
TI  - Investing in New Technology in Pulmonary Medicine: Navigating the Tortuous Path
      to Success.
AB  - The introduction of new technologies offers the promise to advance medicine. This
      occurs alongside improved efforts to control costs of health care by hospital
      administrators, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) pivot to
      value programs, and commercial payers' efforts to reduce reimbursement. These
      trends present a challenge for the pulmonologist, among others, who must navigate
      increasingly complex and highly scrutinized evaluation processes used to secure
      new technology (NT). Health-care providers are turning toward value assessments
      while simultaneously tasked with the mission of offering state of the art
      technologies and services. Pulmonologists desiring NT are thus faced with
      increased scrutiny in their evaluation of costs and clinical data to support
      investments. Consideration of this scrutiny and further evidence to temper the
      evaluation will improve the likelihood of adoption and patient access to
      clinically impactful technology. The identification of this evidence may provide
      a comprehensive view of the clinical and economic benefits of such technologies
      to both administrators and pulmonary clinicians. It is imperative that all
      parties involved in the decision process work collaboratively to deploy value
      added and clinically impactful technologies. Although a physician group might
      invest in such NT, the capital required often leads such decisions to a larger
      organization such as a hospital, health-care system, or privately owned entity.
      This article aims to provide a framework for pulmonary clinicians to better
      understand the processes that purchasers use to evaluate NT, the pressures that
      influence their consideration, and what resources may be leveraged toward
      success.

PMID- 28642109
TI  - Neoaortic Xenoprosthetic Grafts for Treatment of Mycotic Aneurysms and Infected
      Aortic Grafts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is no international consensus regarding the optimum management
      of infected aortae (mycotic aneurysms, infected aortic grafts). Neoaortoiliac
      reconstruction has advantages over extra-anatomical bypass grafting; however, the
      use of autologous vein is associated with venous hypertension and compartment
      syndrome, alternatively cadaveric homografts are associated with high rates of
      perianastomotic hemorrhage, limb occlusion, and pseudoaneurysm. Arterial repair
      using xenoprosthetic patches is associated with lower infection rates compared to
      the use of prosthetic material. The aim of this case series and literature review
      is to report the use of xenoprosthetic bovine biomaterial for neoaortic repair of
      mycotic aneurysmal disease and infected aortic grafts. METHODS: Patients with
      evidence of infected aortic grafts or mycotic aneurysms who were suitable for
      open aortic surgery were included. Following removal of the graft/excision of the
      aneurysmal sac, a 10 * 16 cm XenoSure Biologic Surgical Patch (LeMaitre, Germany)
      was rolled into a tube, or bifurcated tube graft, and secured with prolene
      sutures. Proximal and distal anastomoses were conducted as per standard aortic
      anastomoses. Patients were continued on long-term antibiotics and surveyed with
      computerized tomography at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Six patients
      underwent bovine aortic repair between 2013 and 2015: an infected Dacron aortobi
      iliac graft causing iliac pseudoaneurysm, an infected Dacron aortic graft from
      open repair later relined with endovascular stent graft, a mycotic iliac
      aneurysm, and 3 mycotic aortic aneurysms. All were treated with bovine
      reconstructed aortic grafts or patches. Patients had a median age of 69.5 years
      (range 67-75), with perioperative and 30-day mortality of 0%. Median follow-up
      was 13 months (range 2-23). Postoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography
      revealed no evidence of infection at the operative site in all patients. Freedom
      from reinfection and reintervention was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Xenoprosthetic
      (bovine) neoaortic grafts are an alternative method to treat infected aortae with
      excellent short-term freedom from infection and reintervention. Optimum duration
      of postoperative antibiotic therapy remains undetermined. Further cases and
      longer follow-up are required to determine the true efficacy of this technique.

PMID- 28642111
TI  - Response to Editorial, who can be a legitimate author on an article?

PMID- 28642110
TI  - PEDF plus DHA modulate inflammation and stimulate nerve regeneration after HSV-1
      infection.
AB  - Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection leads to impaired corneal sensation
      and, in severe cases, to corneal ulceration, melting and perforation. Here, we
      explore the potential therapeutic action of pigment epithelial-derived factor
      (PEDF) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on corneal inflammation and nerve
      regeneration following HSV-1 infection. Rabbits inoculated with 100,000 PFU/eye
      of HSV-1 strain 17Syn+ were treated with PEDF + DHA or vehicle. PEDF + DHA
      treatment resulted in a biphasic immune response with stronger infiltration of
      CD4+T cells, neutrophils and macrophages at 7-days post-treatment (p.t.) that was
      significantly decreased by 14 days, compared to the vehicle-treated group.
      Screening of 14 immune-related genes by q-PCR showed that treatment induced
      higher expression of IFN-gamma and CCL20 and inhibition of IL-18 by 7 days in the
      cornea. PEDF + DHA-treated animals developed less dendritic corneal lesions,
      opacity and neovascularization. Corneal nerve density increased at 12-weeks p.t.
      with functional recovery of corneal sensation. Treatment with PEDF + DHA that was
      postponed by 3 weeks also showed increased nerve density when compared to
      vehicle. Our data demonstrate that PEDF + DHA promotes resolution of the
      inflammatory response to the virus and, most importantly, induces regeneration of
      damaged corneal nerves vital for maintaining ocular surface homeostasis.

PMID- 28642112
TI  - Breastfeeding during pregnancy: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The consequences of breastfeeding during pregnancy (BDP) have not
      been clearly established. Available studies have addressed isolated aspects of
      this issue using different methodologies, often resulting in contradictory
      results. To our knowledge, no systematic review has assessed and compared these
      studies, making it difficult to obtain a clear picture of the consequences of
      BDP. AIM: To review and summarise all the scientific evidence relating to BDP,
      and determine whether this evidence is sufficient to establish clear implications
      for the mother, breastmilk, breastfed child, current pregnancy, and ultimately,
      the newborn. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the English and Spanish
      literature published between 1990 and 2015 using Cinahl, PubMed, IME, CUIDEN,
      Cochrane Library, Web of Science and PyscINFO. FINDINGS: 3278 publications were
      identified from databases, their titles and abstracts were checked to ensure the
      studies were related to the subject and met the selection criteria. Only 19
      studies met all requirements and were included in the review. CONCLUSIONS AND
      IMPLICATIONS: Data suggest that BDP does not affect the way pregnancies end or
      even birth weights. However, several questions remain unanswered. Specifically,
      it is unclear how BDP affects maternal nutritional status in developed countries,
      the growth and health of breastfed siblings, the composition of breastmilk, or
      the growth of the newborn after delivery. Further studies of BDP are needed with
      larger samples, adequate methodology and proper control of the main confounders.

PMID- 28642113
TI  - Paralog-divergent Features May Help Reduce Off-target Effects of Drugs: Hints
      from Glucagon Subfamily Analysis.
AB  - Side effects from targeted drugs remain a serious concern. One reason is the
      nonselective binding of a drug to unintended proteins such as its paralogs, which
      are highly homologous in sequences and have similar structures and drug-binding
      pockets. To identify targetable differences between paralogs, we analyzed two
      types (type-I and type-II) of functional divergence between two paralogs in the
      known target protein receptor family G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) at the
      amino acid level. Paralogous protein receptors in glucagon-like subfamily,
      glucagon receptor (GCGR) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), exhibit
      divergence in ligands and are clinically validated drug targets for type 2
      diabetes. Our data showed that type-II amino acids were significantly enriched in
      the binding sites of antagonist MK-0893 to GCGR, which had a radical shift in
      physicochemical properties between GCGR and GLP-1R. We also examined the role of
      type-I amino acids between GCGR and GLP-1R. The divergent features between GCGR
      and GLP-1R paralogs may be helpful in their discrimination, thus enabling the
      identification of binding sites to reduce undesirable side effects and increase
      the target specificity of drugs.

PMID- 28642114
TI  - beta-d-glucan from Antrodia Camphorata ameliorates LPS-induced inflammation and
      ROS production in human hepatocytes.
AB  - A water soluble Antrodia Camphorata polysaccharide was composed of beta-d-glucan,
      coded as ACP1. ACP1 was derived from cultured Antrodia Camphorata powder, which
      was extracted, separated and purified by DEAE-52 column and Sephadex G-100
      chromatography. The molecular weight of ACP1 was 1.72*104Da, and ACP1 consisted
      of glucose and galactose in the mole ratio of 2.21:1. Structural identification
      by FTIR, GC-MS and NMR, inferred that ACP1 consisted of ->1,3)-linked-beta-d-Glcp
      (6->, ->3)-linked-beta-d-Glcp-(1->, and ->6)-linked-alpha-d-Galp-(1->, with
      terminal beta-d-Glcp and beta-d-Galp. The anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation
      effects of ACP1 were examined in LPS-treated L02 cells in this study. The results
      demonstrated that ACP1 not only attenuated ROS production, but also decreased
      expressions of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. Furthermore, ACP1 reduced the proteins
      expression of NOX1, NOX2 and NOX4, as well as phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and
      Akt. The results suggested ACP1 was very likely to alleviate oxidation and
      inflammation via the suppression of NADPH oxidase activation and inhibition of
      ERK, p38 and Akt signaling pathways.

PMID- 28642116
TI  - Contrast-induced nephropathy: Basic concepts, pathophysiological implications and
      prevention strategies.
AB  - Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is reversible acute renal failure observed
      following administration of iodinated contrast media (CM) during angiographic or
      other medical procedures such as urography. There are various mechanisms through
      which CM develop their nephrotoxic effects, including oxidative stress and
      apoptosis. CIN is a real-life, albeit not very rare, entity. Exact
      pathophysiology remains obscure and no standard diagnostic criteria apply. The
      Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria was recently employed but its
      incidence/clinical significance warrants further clarification based on recent
      methodological advancements, because most published studies to date were
      contaminated by bias. The current study is a comprehensive review conducted to
      provide an overview of the basic concepts of CIN and summarize recent knowledge
      on its pathophysiology and the evidence supporting potential prevention
      strategies. CIN is expected to increase morbidity, hospital stay and mortality,
      while all patients scheduled to receive CM should undergo risk assessment for CIN
      and high-risk patients may be considered candidates for prevention strategies.
      The value of using compounds with antioxidant properties other than sodium
      bicarbonate, remains controversial, warranting further clinical investigation.

PMID- 28642115
TI  - Anti-TNFalpha therapy in inflammatory lung diseases.
AB  - Increased levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha have been linked to a
      number of pulmonary inflammatory diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease (COPD), acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress
      syndrome (ARDS), sarcoidosis, and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). TNFalpha
      plays multiple roles in disease pathology by inducing an accumulation of
      inflammatory cells, stimulating the generation of inflammatory mediators, and
      causing oxidative and nitrosative stress, airway hyperresponsiveness and tissue
      remodeling. TNFalpha-targeting biologics, therefore, present a potentially highly
      efficacious treatment option. This review summarizes current knowledge on the
      role of TNFalpha in pulmonary disease pathologies, with a focus on the
      therapeutic potential of TNFalpha-targeting agents in treating inflammatory lung
      diseases.

PMID- 28642118
TI  - Current state of the art for cardiac arrhythmia gene therapy.
AB  - Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Currently
      available therapeutic options lack sufficient efficacy and safety. Gene therapy
      has been proposed for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. This review will discuss
      the current state of development for arrhythmia gene therapy. So far, all
      published studies are short-term, proof-of-concept animal studies. Potential
      replacement of cardiac pacemakers has been shown for combination gene therapy
      using the HCN2 gene and either the gene for adenylate cyclase, the skeletal
      muscle isoform of the sodium channel, or a dominant negative mutant of the
      potassium channel responsible for resting membrane potential. Atrial fibrillation
      has been prevented by gene transfer of either a dominant negative mutant of a
      repolarizing potassium channel, a gap junction, or an siRNA directed against
      caspase 3. Inherited arrhythmia syndromes have been corrected by replacement of
      the causative genes. Post-infarct ventricular tachycardia has been reduced by
      gene therapy with the skeletal muscle sodium channel and connexins and eliminated
      with the dominant negative mutant of the potassium channel responsible for
      resting membrane potential. These ideas show considerable promise. Long-term
      efficacy and safety studies are required to see if they can become viable
      therapies.

PMID- 28642117
TI  - Soluble epoxide hydrolase as a therapeutic target for pain, inflammatory and
      neurodegenerative diseases.
AB  - Eicosanoids are biologically active lipid signaling molecules derived from
      polyunsaturated fatty acids. Many of the actions of eicosanoid metabolites formed
      by cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes have been characterized, however, the
      epoxy-fatty acids (EpFAs) formed by cytochrome P450 enzymes are newly described
      by comparison. The EpFA metabolites modulate a diverse set of physiologic
      functions that include inflammation and nociception among others. Regulation of
      EpFAs occurs primarily via release, biosynthesis and enzymatic transformation by
      the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Targeting sEH with small molecule inhibitors
      has enabled observation of the biological activity of the EpFAs in vivo in animal
      models, greatly contributing to the overall understanding of their role in the
      inflammatory response. Their role in modulating inflammation has been
      demonstrated in disease models including cardiovascular pathology and
      inflammatory pain, but extends to neuroinflammation and neuroinflammatory
      disease. Moreover, while EpFAs demonstrate activity against inflammatory pain,
      interestingly, this action extends to blocking chronic neuropathic pain as well.
      This review outlines the role of modulating sEH and the biological action of
      EpFAs in models of pain and inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 28642120
TI  - Transfusion challenges in hematology oncology and hematopoietic stem cell
      transplant - Literature review and local experience.
AB  - Transfusion medicine plays a vital role in the supportive care of patients
      receiving therapy for hematology, oncology and hematopoietic stem cell
      transplants (HSCT). With advances in therapy with more intensive chemotherapy or
      radiotherapy, patients usually develop cytopenias and need frequent transfusion
      support with packed red blood cells, granulocyte transfusion or platelets to
      support them until they recover from the effect of therapy. HSCT poses unique
      challenges for transfusion medicine, since transplant recipients may require
      substantial transfusion support due to cytopenias associated with toxic
      medications, decreased marrow reserve, infection or their malignancy. Transfusion
      support has many complications, mainly immune mediated and infectious
      complications. Jehovah's Witness patients deny transfusions of blood products as
      a therapeutic option and, consequently, management of their disease with
      chemotherapy and stem cell transplant after myeloablative therapy is quite
      challenging. This review describes the challenges of transfusion support in
      managing hemato-oncology and stem cell transplant patients and highlights a local
      experience in transplanting two Jehovah's Witness patients.

PMID- 28642119
TI  - Targeting inflammation for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease.
AB  - Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease with a
      wide spectrum of manifestations including simple steatosis to steatohepatitis,
      cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver injury in ALD is caused by chronic
      inflammation, which has been actively investigated as a therapeutic target for
      the treatment of ALD for over the last four decades. In this review, we summarize
      a wide variety of inflammatory mediators that have been shown to contribute to
      the pathogenesis of ALD, and discuss the therapeutic potential of these mediators
      for the treatment of ALD.

PMID- 28642121
TI  - Transfusion and alternatives therapeutic support for oncology patients with
      hematological problems: "Are we doing more harm than benefit"?

PMID- 28642122
TI  - Identifying modifiers of Huntington's disease progression.

PMID- 28642123
TI  - Multiple sclerosis tremor: are technical advances enough?

PMID- 28642125
TI  - Safety and efficacy of dual-lead thalamic deep brain stimulation for patients
      with treatment-refractory multiple sclerosis tremor: a single-centre, randomised,
      single-blind, pilot trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Efficacy in previous studies of surgical treatments of refractory
      multiple sclerosis tremor using lesioning or deep brain stimulation (DBS) has
      been variable. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy
      of dual-lead thalamic DBS (one targeting the ventralis intermedius-ventralis
      oralis posterior nucleus border [the VIM lead] and one targeting the ventralis
      oralis anterior-ventralis oralis posterior border [the VO lead]) for the
      treatment of multiple sclerosis tremor. METHODS: We did a single centre, single
      blind, prospective, randomised pilot trial at the University of Florida Center
      for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration clinic (Gainesville, FL, USA). We
      recruited adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis tremor
      refractory to previous medical therapy. Before surgery to implant both leads, we
      randomly assigned patients (1:1) to receive 3 months of optimised single-lead DBS
      either VIM or VO. We did the randomisation with a computer-generated sequence,
      using three blocks of four patients, and independent members of the Center did
      the assignment. Patients and all clinicians other than the DBS programming nurse
      were masked to the choice of lead. Patients underwent surgery 1 month after their
      baseline visit for implantation of the dual lead DBS system. A pulse generator
      and two extension cables were implanted in a second surgery 3-4 weeks later.
      Patients then received an initial 3-month period of continuous stimulation of
      either the VIM or VO lead followed by blinded safety assessment of their tremor
      with the Tolosa-Fahn-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (TRS) during optimised VIM or VO
      lead stimulation at the end of the 3 months. After this visit, both leads were
      activated in all patients for an additional 3 months, and optimally programmed
      during serial visits as dictated by a prespecified programming algorithm. At the
      6-month follow-up visit, TRS score was measured, and mood and psychological
      batteries were administered under four stimulation conditions: VIM on, VO on,
      both on, and both off (the order of testing was chosen by a computer-generated
      random sequence, assigned by independent members of the centre, and enacted by an
      unmasked DBS programming nurse). Each of four stimulation settings were tested
      over 4 consecutive days, with stimulation settings held constant for at least 12
      h before testing. The primary outcome was change in mean total TRS score at the 6
      month postoperative assessment with both leads activated, compared with the
      preoperative baseline mean TRS score. Analysis was by intention to treat. Safety
      was analysed in all patients who received the surgical implantation except in one
      patient who discontinued before the safety assessment. This trial is registered
      with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00954421. FINDINGS: Between Jan 16, 2007, and
      Dec 17, 2013, we enrolled 12 patients who were randomly assigned either to 3
      initial months of VIM-only or VO-only stimulation. One patient from the VO-only
      group developed an infection necessitating DBS explantation, and was excluded
      from the assessment of the primary outcome. Compared with the mean baseline TRS
      score of 57.0 (SD 10.2), the mean score at 6 months decreased to 40.1 (17.6), 
      29.6% reduction; t=-0.28, p=0.03. Three of 11 patients did not respond to
      surgical intervention. One patient died suddenly 2 years after surgery, but this
      was judged to be unrelated to DBS implantation. Serious adverse events included a
      superficial wound infection in one patient that resolved with antibiotic therapy,
      and transient altered mental status and late multiple sclerosis exacerbation in
      another patient. The most common non-serious adverse events were headache and
      fatigue. INTERPRETATION: Dual lead thalamic DBS might be a safe and effective
      option for improving severe, refractory multiple sclerosis tremor. Larger studies
      are necessary to show whether this technique is widely applicable, safe in the
      long-term, and effective in treating multiple sclerosis tremor or other severe
      tremor disorders. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health, the Cathy Donnellan,
      Albert E Einstein, and Birdie W Einstein Fund, and the William Merz
      Professorship.

PMID- 28642126
TI  - Molecular and hydrodynamic properties of human epidermal growth factor receptor
      HER2 extracellular domain and its homodimer: Experiments and multi-scale
      simulations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In a broad range of human carcinomas gene amplification leads to HER2
      overexpression, which has been proposed to cause spontaneous dimerization and
      activation in the absence of ligand. This makes HER2 attractive as a therapeutic
      target. However, the HER2 homodimerization mechanism remains unexplored. It has
      been suggested that the "back-to-back" homodimer does not form in solution.
      Notwithstanding, very recently the crystal structure of the HER2 extracellular
      domain homodimer formed with a "back-to-head" interaction has been resolved. We
      intend to explore the existence of such interactions. METHODS: A combination of
      experiments, molecular dynamics and hydrodynamic modeling were used to monitor
      the transport properties of HER2 in solution. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: We have
      detected the HER2 extracellular domain homodimer in solution. The results show a
      high degree of molecular flexibility, which ultimately leads to quite higher
      values of the intrinsic viscosity and lower values of diffusion coefficient than
      those corresponding to globular proteins. This flexibility obeys to the open
      conformation of the receptor and to the large fluctuations of the different
      domains. We also report that for obtaining the correct hydrodynamic constants
      from the modeling one must consider the glycosylation of the systems. GENERAL
      SIGNIFICANCE: Conformational features of epidermal growth factor receptors
      regulate their hydrodynamic properties and control their activity. It is
      essential to understand the dynamics of these systems and the role of the
      specific domains involved. To find biophysical correlations between dynamics and
      macroscopic transport properties is of general interest for researches working in
      this area. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Biochemistry of
      Synthetic Biology - Recent Developments" Guest Editor: Dr. Ilka Heinemann and Dr.
      Patrick O'Donoghue.

PMID- 28642127
TI  - Exploiting sequence and stability information for directing nanobody stability
      engineering.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Variable domains of camelid heavy-chain antibodies, commonly named
      nanobodies, have high biotechnological potential. In view of their broad range of
      applications in research, diagnostics and therapy, engineering their stability is
      of particular interest. One important aspect is the improvement of
      thermostability, because it can have immediate effects on conformational
      stability, protease resistance and aggregation propensity of the protein.
      METHODS: We analyzed the sequences and thermostabilities of 78 purified nanobody
      binders. From this data, potentially stabilizing amino acid variations were
      identified and studied experimentally. RESULTS: Some mutations improved the
      stability of nanobodies by up to 6.1 degrees C, with an average of 2.3 degrees C
      across eight modified nanobodies. The stabilizing mechanism involves an
      improvement of both conformational stability and aggregation behavior, explaining
      the variable degree of stabilization in individual molecules. In some instances,
      variations predicted to be stabilizing actually led to thermal destabilization of
      the proteins. The reasons for this contradiction between prediction and
      experiment were investigated. CONCLUSIONS: The results reveal a mutational
      strategy to improve the biophysical behavior of nanobody binders and indicate a
      species-specificity of nanobody architecture. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study
      illustrates the potential and limitations of engineering nanobody thermostability
      by merging sequence information with stability data, an aspect that is becoming
      increasingly important with the recent development of high-throughput biophysical
      methods.

PMID- 28642128
TI  - Immunomodulation of Parkinson's disease using Mucuna pruriens (Mp).
AB  - Immune control is associated with nigrostriatal neuroprotection for Parkinson's
      disease (PD); though its direct cause and effect relationships have not yet been
      realized and modulating the immune system for therapeutic gain has been openly
      discussed. While the pathobiology of PD remains in study, neuroinflammation is
      thought to speed nigrostriatal degeneration. The neuroinflammatory cascade
      associated with PD begins with aggregation of misfolded or post-translationally
      modified alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn). Such aggregation results in neuronal cell
      death and the presence of chronically activated glia (microglia and astroglia),
      leading to the production of proinflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, and enzymes such as
      nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and cyclooxygenase-2
      (COX-2). These changes in the glial phenotype can affect the central nervous
      system (CNS) microenvironment by producing a pro-inflammatory milieu that speeds
      PD pathogenesis. Mucuna pruriens (Mp) is the most popular drug in Ayurveda, the
      Indian system of medicine. Several reports have suggested that it possesses
      analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, anti-epileptic and anti-microbial
      activities. Mp contain L-DOPA and ursolic acid which has an anti-inflammatory
      property. There are very few literatures which show the immunomodulatory activity
      of Mp in PD, several researchers have tried to work on the immunomodulatory
      activity of Mp in some other diseases. The results of several studies show that
      Mp modulate the immune components like TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-lambda, IL-1beta,
      iNOS and IL-2 in the CNS. It also modulates the activity of the transcription
      factor NF-kB which plays an important role in the progression of the PD. Thus, by
      altering these cytokines or transcription factors, Mp protects or prevents the
      progression of PD. Thus in this review we try to explore the immunomodulatory
      activity of Mp in PD.

PMID- 28642129
TI  - Fucoxanthin inhibits profibrotic protein expression in vitro and attenuates
      bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in vivo.
AB  - Pulmonary fibrosis, a potentially fatal disease, results from acute and chronic
      interstitial lung diseases. Fucoxanthin (Fx), a carotenoid found in brown
      seaweed, shows a wide range of pharmacological activities. In this study, we
      investigated the antifibrotic effects of fucoxanthin and their underlying
      molecular mechanisms in transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)-stimulated
      human pulmonary fibroblasts (HPFs). Thus, the effects of Fx on TGF-beta1-induced
      expression of fibrotic factors, such as alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA),
      type 1 collagen, fibronectin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in HPFs were
      investigated. We performed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and a
      western blot analysis to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the antifibrotic
      effects of Fx in TGF-beta1-stimulated cells. The contractile activity of HPFs was
      measured using a collagen gel contraction assay. We also investigated the effects
      of Fx on inflammation and fibrosis in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis
      mouse model. We observed that Fx inhibited the TGF-beta1-induced expression of
      alpha-SMA, type 1 collagen, fibronectin, and IL-6 in HPFs. Similarly, markedly
      inhibition of TGF-beta1-induced phosphorylation of p-38 mitogen-activated protein
      kinase (MAPK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and Smad2/Smad3
      (Smad2/3) was observed after Fx treatment. Collagen contraction also
      significantly decreased on fucoxanthin treatment. Intraperitoneal injection of Fx
      (10mg/kg) in mice inhibited BLM-induced lung fibrosis and type I collagen protein
      expression. Overall, our findings suggest that Fx may be effective in the
      treatment of pulmonary fibrosis owing to its potent antifibrotic activity.

PMID- 28642130
TI  - mir-155 expression is downregulated in kidney transplant patients with human
      cytomegalovirus infection.
AB  - MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that control expression of target genes
      through inhibiting protein translation or inducing degradation of mRNA
      transcripts of target genes. According to the latest update, 2578 unique mature
      miRNAs are currently annotated in the human genome and participate in the
      regulation of multiple events, such as cellular proliferation or apoptosis.
      Herpesvirus family comprehends many viruses able to control and modulate host
      cell processes permitting the survival by a latency phase after primary
      infection. Recently has been attested that Human Cytomegalovirus, which belongs
      to Herpesvirus family, can alter human miRNAs expression in vitro, and, in
      particular, downregulate mir-155 expression. In this study 20 kidney transplant
      patients positive to Human Cytomegalovirus infection and 11 negative were
      enrolled. The patients' positive to Human Cytomegalovirus infections have been
      subdivided into two groups: one group including patients with a low viral load
      and one including patients with a high viral load. The mir-155 expression profile
      has been evaluated by a stem-loop Real Time PCR in all these conditions to
      observe differences among the groups and compare the results obtained with the
      literature. The comparison between kidney transplant patients negative to Human
      Cytomegalovirus infection and patients with a high viral load showed a not
      significant difference in terms of mir-155 expression. However, considering low
      viral load group or the group including both high and low viral load patients,
      mir-155 expression levels decreased significantly. Considering this data
      together, it is possible confirm data published before and assert that Human
      Cytomegalovirus is responsible of mir-155 downregulation.

PMID- 28642131
TI  - miR-217 suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis in cardiac myxoma by
      targeting Interleukin-6.
AB  - Cardiac myxoma (CM) is a prevalent primary cardiac tumor. miR-217 plays a vital
      role in tumorigenesis of various cancers, however, its role and underlying
      molecular mechanism in human CM remain poorly understood. Here, we reported that
      the expression of miR-217 was downregulated in CM tissues and inversely
      correlated with the expression of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA. Gain-of-function
      analysis indicated that overexpression of miR-217 inhibited the proliferation and
      promoted the apoptosis of the primary CM cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed
      that IL-6 was a direct target gene of miR-217, which is confirmed by the dual
      luciferase assays. Moreover, downregulation of IL-6 by small interference RNA
      (siRNA) mimicked the tumor-suppressive effects of miR-217 in CM. Furthermore,
      rescue experiments pointed out that restoration of IL-6 expression abrogated the
      anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect induced by miR-217 overexpression in
      CM cells. Taken together, we validated that miR-217 could act as a tumor
      suppressor in CM by directly targeting 3'UTR of IL-6 gene, indicating that
      manipulation of miR-217 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for CM patients.

PMID- 28642133
TI  - S-allylmercaptocysteine suppresses the growth of human gastric cancer xenografts
      through induction of apoptosis and regulation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling
      pathways.
AB  - Gastric cancer remains as a common lethal malignancy worldwide. Developing novel
      anti-gastric cancer drugs with minimal side effects is necessary to address this
      public health issue. S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), one of the water-soluble
      organosulfur garlic derivatives, has been demonstrated as a suppressive agent
      against tumors. In this study, we examined the effect of SAMC on human gastric
      carcinoma growth in vivo and explored the underlying mechanism. Human gastric
      cancer SGC-7901 cells were inoculated subcutaneously in BALB/c nude mice. When
      xenograft tumors reached about 100 mm3, mice were treated with SAMC for 30 days.
      We observed that SAMC administration in mice effectively delayed the growth of
      SGC-7901 xenografts without signs of toxicity. TUNEL staining confirmed that the
      tumors from SAMC-treated mice exhibited a markedly higher apoptotic index.
      Mechanistic studies suggested that this activity may arise from its effects on
      the caspase activation and modulation of MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways.
      Taken together, these data support development of SAMC as a potential agent for
      gastric cancer therapy.

PMID- 28642132
TI  - Unphosphorylated STAT3 regulates the antiproliferative, antiviral, and gene
      inducing actions of type I interferons.
AB  - Type I interferon (IFNalpha/beta) induces antiviral and antiproliferative
      responses in cells through the induction of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Although
      the roles of IFN-activated STAT1 and STAT2 in the IFN response are well
      described, the function of STAT3 is poorly characterized. We investigated the
      role of STAT3 in the biological response to IFNalpha/beta in mouse embryonic
      fibroblasts (MEFs) with a germ line deletion of STAT3. These STAT3 knockout
      (STAT3-KO) MEFs were reconstituted with STAT3 or the F705-STAT3 mutant
      (unphosphorylated STAT3) where the canonical Y705 tyrosine phosphorylation site
      was mutated. We show that both STAT3 and unphosphorylated STAT3 expression
      enhance the sensitivity of MEFs to the antiviral, antiproliferative and gene
      inducing actions of IFN. By chromatin immunoprecipitation assays,
      unphosphorylated STAT3 appears to bind, albeit weakly, to select gene promoters
      to enhance their expression. These results suggest that unphosphorylated STAT3
      plays an important role in the IFN response pathway.

PMID- 28642135
TI  - LIGHT is increased in patients with coronary disease and regulates inflammatory
      response and lipid metabolism in oxLDL-induced THP-1 macrophages.
AB  - Inflammation is critical for the progression of hyperlipidemia. Although the
      exact mechanism through which inflammation affects hyperlipidemia is not very
      clear, evidence suggests that the tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14
      (TNFSF14/LIGHT)LIGHT might regulate lipid metabolism. In this study we
      investigated the expression of LIGHT in patients with different stages of
      coronary disease. The expression of lipid metabolism-related enzymes and
      inflammation-related proteins were further explored in oxidized low-density
      lipoproteins (oxLDL)-induced THP-1 macrophages. We found that LIGHT is highly
      expressed and companied with severe inflammations in patients with coronary
      disease. LIGHT significantly enhanced inflammation response in oxLDL-induced THP
      1 macrophages. We further demonstrated that LIGHT markedly decreased the levels
      of lipolytic genes and increased the expressions of lipogenic genes in oxLDL
      induced THP-1 macrophages. In addition, our results showed that LIGHT exerts its
      pro-inflammatory and pro-lipogenesis roles through activating nuclear factor
      kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway. Taken together our study has demonstrated
      that LIGHT NF-kappaB-dependently exacerbates inflammation response and promotes
      lipid accumulation, and provided a new potential target for treatment of
      hyperlipidemia-related disease.

PMID- 28642134
TI  - Mitochondrial potassium channels in cell death.
AB  - Mitochondria are intracellular organelles involved in several processes from
      bioenergetics to cell death. In the latest years, ion channels are arising as new
      possible targets in controlling several cellular functions. The discovery that
      several plasma membrane located ion channels have intracellular counterparts, has
      now implemented this consideration and the number of studies enforcing the
      understanding of their role in different metabolic pathways. In this review, we
      will discuss the recent updates in the field, focusing our attention on the
      involvement of potassium channels during mitochondrial mediated apoptotic cell
      death. Since mitochondria are one of the key organelles involved in this process,
      it is not surprising that potassium channels located in their inner membrane
      could be involved in modulating mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS production,
      and respiratory chain complexes functions. Eventually, these events lead to
      changes in the mitochondrial fitness that prelude to the cytochrome c release and
      apoptosis. In this scenario, both the inhibition and the activation of
      mitochondrial potassium channels could cause cell death, and their targeting
      could be a novel pharmacological way to treat different human diseases.

PMID- 28642136
TI  - A novel hepatitis B virus-derived cis-acting sequence that enhances expression of
      transgenes delivered by plasmid vectors in eukaryote cell culture systems.
AB  - We tested the effectiveness of a novel 13-bp hepatitis B virus (HBV)-derived cis
      acting element (CAE) (ACCTCGACAAGGC), called the DT2 CAE, in augmenting transgene
      expression delivered by plasmid vectors in eukaryotic cells. The addition of the
      DT2 CAE just upstream of the start codon of several different target proteins
      (luciferase, EGFP, LHB, HBsAg, and MIF) in DNA plasmid constructs enhanced their
      translation in a posttranscriptional manner, irrespective of cell type (cell
      lines or primary cells) or promoter (CMV or HBV preS1 promoters), suggesting its
      feasibility for enhanced protein production in eukaryotic cell systems. In
      conclusion, a novel HBV-derived DT2 CAE could be used effectively for enhanced
      protein production in eukaryotic cell culture systems.

PMID- 28642137
TI  - Overexpression cdc42 attenuates isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity in developmental
      brain of rats.
AB  - Nowadays many children receive operations with general anesthesia. Isoflurane is
      a commonly-used general anesthetic. Numbers of studies demonstrated that
      isoflurane induced neurotoxicity and neurobehavioral deficiency in young rats,
      however, the underlying mechanism remained unknown. Cell division cycle 42
      (cdc42) played an important role in regulating synaptic vesicle trafficking and
      actin dynamics in neuron, which closely linked to synaptic plasticity and
      dendritic spine formation. Meanwhile, cdc42 also involved in many
      neurodegenerative diseases. However, whether cdc42 provided a protective role in
      isoflurane induced synaptogenesis dysfunction still unknown. As the upstream of
      cdc42, calcium/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) interacts with ion
      channels such as VDCCs and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), which closely
      associated with neuroapoptosis and cognitive deficiency in developing brain. The
      phosphorylation of CaMKIIalpha at Thr 286 plays an important role in introduction
      and maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP). Therefore, we investigated the
      effect of isoflurane on cdc42 and its upstream Calcium/Calmodulin-dependent
      protein kinase II (CaMKII) and its downstream p21 activated kinase 3 (PAK3), then
      determined whether CaMKIIalpha/cdc42/PAK3 signaling pathway was involved in
      neurotoxicity and cognitive deficiency induced by isoflurane. Our study found
      that isoflurane induced neurotoxicity and resulted in cognitive impairment in
      young rats through suppressed CaMKIIalpha/cdc42/PAK3 signaling pathway. Cdc42
      over-expression could reverse neurotoxicity and improve cognitive impairment
      induced by isoflurane.

PMID- 28642138
TI  - Molecular cloning of chicken TET family genes and role of chicken TET1 in
      erythropoiesis.
AB  - Ten-eleven translocation (TET) methylcytosine dioxygenase has potential as an
      active eraser to regulate the genomic DNA methylation status. We herein cloned
      chicken TET (cTET) family genes, and confirmed their functions. Quantitative
      reverse-transcription PCR showed that cTET1 was strongly expressed in
      erythrocytes throughout development. This cTET1 expression pattern, together with
      the results of methylated or hydroxymethylated DNA immunoprecipitation, suggests
      that cTET1 contributes to demethylation around the promoter region of the
      definitive-type beta-globin gene betaAlpha in erythroid cells. The knockdown of
      cTET1 in T2ECs chicken erythroid progenitor cells suppressed the induction of
      betaAlpha expression under differentiation conditions. These results suggest that
      cTET1 plays an important role in erythroid cell differentiation.

PMID- 28642139
TI  - Clinical characteristics and epidemiology of sepsis in the neonatal intensive
      care unit in the era of multi-drug resistant organisms: A retrospective review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) remains one of the
      most significant causes of morbidity and mortality, especially for preterm
      newborns. Multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) are emerging as important
      pathogens that cause neonatal sepsis in NICU. Therefore, studying the
      epidemiology, clinical features, and outcome caused by MDROs vs. non-MDROs, and
      identifying risk factors that may predispose patients to sepsis by MDROs are
      important. METHODS: Episodes of blood culture-proven sepsis (age: 0-90 days) in
      the NICU at our institution from January 2012 to December 2015 were
      retrospectively reviewed. Collected data included demographics, signs at time of
      sepsis, laboratory values, microbiologic results, and final outcome. We compared
      clinical and laboratory data and final outcome for patients with sepsis due to
      MDROs vs. non-MDROs. Multivariate analysis was performed on variables with a P
      value of <0.05 from univariate analysis. RESULTS: Sixty-eight episodes of sepsis
      (ages 0-54 days, median 7 days; 34 female; 81% premature) were caused by Gram
      negative bacteria (n = 42; 62%), Gram-positive bacteria (n = 21; 31%), or Candida
      (n = 5; 7%). The most common organisms that were isolated were Acinetobacter
      baumannii (27%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (22%), coagulase-negative staphylococcus
      (CoNS) (18%), group B streptococcus (10%), and Escherichia coli (6%). Compared
      with non-MDROs (n = 16; 31%, excluding CoNS and Candida), MDROs (n = 35; 69%)
      were associated with higher mortality (P = 0.002) and more delay in providing
      targeted antimicrobial therapy (P = 0.002) (based on antimicrobial susceptibility
      tests). Sepsis due to the most resistant organisms (A. baumannii and K.
      pneumoniae Carbapenemase [KPC]-producing bacteria, n = 20; 39%) was associated
      with higher mortality (P = 0.001) and significantly associated with exposure to
      carbapenem and vancomycin before onset of sepsis (cases exposed = 13/20; 65%, P <
      0.001). CONCLUSION: MDROs are the most common cause of sepsis at our NICU and are
      associated with higher mortality compared with non-MDROs. Previous exposure to
      carbapenem and vancomycin was associated with sepsis caused by the most resistant
      organisms.

PMID- 28642140
TI  - Emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolated from patients in a
      university hospital in Saudi Arabia. Epidemiology, clinical profiles and
      outcomes.
AB  - Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have been steadily spreading worldwide
      during the last decade. Nine patients were identified prospectively and were
      followed during their hospitalization course to identify the epidemiology,
      clinical profiles and outcomes. These patients had one or more cultures positive
      for a CRE isolate, contributing to a total of eleven positive cultures from
      various sites without including duplicates of isolates obtained from the same
      site. Isolates from these patients included five Klebseilla pneumoniae, three
      Escherichia coli, and one Enterobacter aerogenes. Five isolates were grown from
      blood cultures, three from wound cultures, one from urine cultures, one from
      respiratory cultures and one from an abscess collection. Five survived the
      hospital course. The other five patients died due to severe sepsis, septic shock
      or multi-organ failure. Of the nine isolates of CRE identified for which
      molecular analysis were available, four K. pneumonia were confirmed as blaNDM and
      one as OXA-48. For the purpose of controlling the spread of CRE in our
      institution, we recommend considering active surveillance cultures and screening
      patients transferred from other hospitals or coming from highly endemic settings
      at admission for these organisms.

PMID- 28642141
TI  - Added diagnostic value and impact on antimicrobial therapy of 16S rRNA PCR and
      amplicon sequencing on resected heart valves in infective endocarditis: a
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: For adequate management and therapy of infective endocarditis (IE),
      identification of the causative pathogen is crucial but molecular testing results
      are not currently included in diagnostic criteria. The added diagnostic value and
      impact on antimicrobial therapy of 16S rRNA PCR and amplicon sequencing (16S rRNA
      PCR) performed on excised heart valves from patients with IE was evaluated
      alongside the effect of pre-operative antibiotics on the performance of blood
      culture (BC), valve culture (VC) and 16S rRNA PCR. METHODS: All patients
      undergoing valve surgery for definite or possible IE, according to modified Duke
      Criteria, were prospectively included from July 2013 up to and including June
      2016. RESULTS: In all, 127 patients were included. Sensitivity for detecting the
      causative micro-organism in 120 post-operative definite IE patients was 26% for
      VC and 87% for BC and 16S rRNA PCR. 16S rRNA PCR, VC and BC were equally
      sensitive for different valve types and causative pathogens. In 27 (21%) definite
      IE patients, 16S rRNA PCR clarified discrepant culture results or was the only
      method identifying the causative pathogen. In 12 (10%) post-operative definite IE
      cases, molecular testing results influenced antimicrobial therapy. CONCLUSIONS:
      The very good performance characteristics, added diagnostic value and impact on
      antimicrobial therapy of molecular testing of heart valves should support the
      incorporation of molecular testing in diagnostic criteria and guidelines for IE.

PMID- 28642143
TI  - Biofilm formation by Microsporum canis.

PMID- 28642142
TI  - Epidemiology and outcomes of bloodstream infections in 177 severe burn patients
      from an industrial disaster: a multicentre retrospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the characteristics of bloodstream infections (BSIs) and
      to evaluate the impact of BSIs on mortality in severe burn patients. METHODS: A
      retrospective observational study was conducted in 20 tertiary hospitals. A total
      of 185 patients who experienced a massive dust explosion in eastern China were
      included. RESULTS: After exclusion, 177 patients were analysed. The median total
      body surface area (TBSA) burned was 95% (interquartile range 85%-98%). Inhalation
      injuries occurred in 97.2%. The overall 90-day mortality was 35% (62/177). During
      the study period, 120 (67.8%) patients developed 253 episodes of BSI with 323
      unique causative pathogens. Sixty-six episodes were polymicrobial infections.
      Catheter-related BSIs (CRBSIs) accounted for 41.5% of the episodes. Acinetobacter
      baumannii (19.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.9%) and Candida (12.7%) were the
      most common organisms. Antimicrobial resistance was found in 63.5% of the
      isolates, particularly in Gram-negative bacteria. Patients who developed BSIs had
      a greater illness severity at admission to the intensive care unit, and worse
      outcomes. After adjusting for demographics, severity of illness and treatment
      characteristics in a multivariate logistic model, there was a trend toward BSI
      increasing the risk of 90-day mortality (adjusted OR 3.4; 95% CI 0.9-12.9;
      p=0.069). In subgroup analyses, CRBSIs (adjusted OR 5.7; 95% CI 1.3-24.9; p=0.021
      versus no BSI) and polymicrobial BSIs (adjusted OR 6.1; 95% CI 1.3-28.1; p=0.020
      versus no BSI) had greater risk of 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A strikingly
      high rate of BSIs was observed in severe burn patients. Gram-negative organisms
      and fungi were the leading causes. CRBSIs and polymicrobial BSIs were associated
      with high mortality.

PMID- 28642144
TI  - Performance of Aspergillus PCR in cerebrospinal fluid for the diagnosis of
      cerebral aspergillosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cerebral aspergillosis is a rare but often fatal form of invasive
      aspergillosis that remains difficult to diagnose. The literature has shown the
      value of Aspergillus PCR in blood-derived samples for the diagnosis of invasive
      aspergillosis but provides far less information for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in
      cerebral aspergillosis. Here, we evaluated the usefulness of an Aspergillus PCR
      assay performed on CSF for the diagnosis of cerebral aspergillosis. METHODS: This
      retrospective study involved 72 patients with suspected cerebral aspergillosis
      for a total of 88 CSF samples in whom CSF Aspergillus PCR was performed. RESULTS:
      Seventeen patients had proven/probable invasive aspergillosis according to the
      European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group
      criteria, including 12 cases of proven/probable cerebral aspergillosis.
      Aspergillus PCR in CSF was positive in nine of the twelve patients with cerebral
      aspergillosis, i.e. 75% sensitivity. In contrast, CSF culture was positive for
      Aspergillus in only two patients. In the non-cerebral aspergillosis group (60
      patients), PCR was positive in one patient, i.e. 98.3% specificity. In this
      particular population of high-risk patients with suspicion of cerebral
      aspergillosis, the disease incidence was 16.7%. Therefore, the positive and
      negative predictive values of PCR were 90% and 95.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION:
      The results of this study indicate that Aspergillus PCR in CSF is an interesting
      tool that may eliminate the need for cerebral biopsy in patients with suspected
      cerebral aspergillosis.

PMID- 28642145
TI  - New and improved? A review of novel antibiotics for Gram-positive bacteria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The number of antibiotics in the pipeline targeting Gram-positive
      pathogens has increased in recent years. AIMS: This narrative review aims to
      provide a summary of existing evidence on efficacy, microbiological spectrum and
      safety of novel systemic antibiotics that have either recently been licensed or
      completed phase III trials, and possess activity predominantly against Gram
      positive organisms. SOURCES: A review of the published literature via the MEDLINE
      database was performed. In addition, ongoing trials were identified through a
      search of the clinical trial registration platform clinicaltrials.gov, and when
      necessary, pharmaceutical companies responsible for the development of the drug
      were contacted for further information. CONTENT: Data on development,
      microbiological spectrum, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties, clinical
      efficacy, safety and cost are presented for the new cephalosporins ceftaroline
      and ceftobiprole; the lipoglycopeptides dalbavancin, oritavancin and telavancin;
      the fluoroquinolones delafloxacin, nemonoxacin and zabofloxacin; the
      dihydrofolate-reductase inhibitor iclaprim; the pleuromutilin lefamulin; and the
      tetracycline omadacycline. IMPLICATIONS: Although promising, these new
      antibiotics have so far been tested in non-severe infections whose treatment is
      generally uncomplicated and whose aetiologies were not predominantly multidrug
      resistant pathogens. None of the new antibiotics have shown superiority to
      standard care, and none have been investigated for patient-relevant outcomes.
      Safety and pharmacokinetic data continue to be lacking. How these new drugs are
      to be integrated into the current armamentarium remains to be established.

PMID- 28642146
TI  - Is antimicrobial stewardship cost-effective? A narrative review of the evidence.
AB  - AIMS: This narrative review aimed to collate recent evidence on the cost
      effectiveness and cost-benefit of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes, to
      address the question 'is AMS cost-effective?', while providing resources and
      guidance for future research in this area. SOURCES: PubMed was searched for
      studies assessing the cost-effectiveness, cost-utility or cost-benefit of AMS
      interventions in humans, published from January 2000 to March 2017, with no
      setting inclusion/exclusion criteria specified. Reference lists of retrieved
      reviews were searched for additional articles. CONTENT: Recent evidence on the
      cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of AMS is described, studies suggest
      persuasive and structural AMS interventions may provide health economic benefits
      to the hospital setting. However, overall, cost-effectiveness evidence for AMS is
      severely limited, especially for the community setting. Recommendations for
      future research in this area are therefore provided, including discussion of
      appropriate health economic methodological choice. IMPLICATIONS: Health systems
      have a finite and decreasing resource, decision makers currently do not have
      necessary evidence to assess whether AMS programmes provide sufficient benefits.
      Although the evidence-base of the cost-effectiveness of AMS is increasing, it
      remains inadequate for investment decision-making. Robust health economics
      research needs to be completed to enhance the generalizability and usability of
      cost-effectiveness results.

PMID- 28642147
TI  - The role of tigecycline in the management of Clostridium difficile infection: a
      retrospective cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the outcomes of patients with C.difficile
      infection (CDI) treated either with tigecycline associated with vancomycin, or
      with vancomycin alone. METHODS: This single-centre retrospective cohort study
      included all adults hospitalized from September 2014 through August 2015 for
      symptomatic, incident CDI confirmed by polymerase chain reaction for C. difficile
      toxin in stools. The primary outcome was the rate of favourable outcome, defined
      as a composite of clinical response (resolution of symptoms without need for
      additional CDI therapy) and achieving discharge without CDI-related surgery or
      intensive care; a secondary outcome was CDI recurrence. We constructed a non
      parsimonious logistic regression model to calculate a propensity score (PS) for
      those receiving tigecycline. RESULTS: In all, 266 patients were included: 62
      patients received both vancomycin and tigecycline, and 204 patients received
      vancomycin alone. The patients from the two groups were similar regarding
      demographics and comorbidities but patients in the tigecycline group had a more
      severe CDI. A favourable outcome in the tigecycline group versus the vancomycin
      group was found in 50/62 (81%) versus 193/204 (95%). We matched patients
      receiving tigecycline or not according to the PS and 86 patients (43 pairs) could
      be matched. The OR for favourable outcome with tigecycline in the matched
      analysis was 0.92 (95% CI 0.60-1.44; p 0.74). The rate of CDI recurrences was
      8/62 (13%) in the tigecycline group versus 39/204 (19%) in the vancomycin group
      (p 0.2). CONCLUSION: Adding tigecycline to CDI standard therapy did not increase
      the clinical cure nor reduce the rate of CDI recurrences.

PMID- 28642148
TI  - Biological activity of glatiramer acetate on Treg and anti-inflammatory monocytes
      persists for more than 10years in responder multiple sclerosis patients.
AB  - Glatiramer acetate (GA) is a widely used treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS),
      with incompletely defined mechanism of action. Short-term studies suggested its
      involvement in the modulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines and regulatory T
      cells (Treg), while long-term effect is still unknown. To investigate this
      aspect, we analyzed by flow-cytometry peripheral-blood Treg, natural killer (NK),
      CD4 and CD8 T-cells and anti-inflammatory CD14+CD163+ monocytes from 37 healthy
      donor and 90 RRMS patients divided in untreated, treated with GA for 12months and
      from 34 to 192months. While NK, CD4 and CD8 T-cells did not show any significant
      differences among groups over time, we demonstrated that GA increased the anti
      inflammatory monocytes and restored the Treg level in both GA-treated groups.
      Both these effects are a characteristic of responder patients and are observed
      not just in short-term but even after as long as a decade of GA treatment.

PMID- 28642149
TI  - Activated mGluR5 protects BV2 cells against OGD/R induced cytotoxicity by
      modulating BDNF-TrkB pathway.
AB  - Activated Metabotropic glutamate receptors 5(mGluR5) exhibits protective effects
      against ischemic brain damage, but the underlying mechanisms are not clearly
      known. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as a valuable member of
      neurotrophic factor family, exerts its protection by combining with its high
      affinity receptor tyrosine protein kinase B (TrkB). To investigate the role of
      activated mGluR5 against oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)/reoxygenation (R)
      mediated cytotoxicity, the cell viability, apoptosis, the release of inflammatory
      cytokines and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were evaluated in BV2
      cells (Microglia cell line) with or without OGD/R exposure. Our data show that
      CHPG (the selective mGluR5 agonist) pretreatment, as an mGluR5 agonist, protected
      BV2 cells against OGD/R-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis, the release of
      inflammatory cytokines, and the accumulation of ROS. However, these effects were
      significantly reversed by the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP pretreatment. Our data also
      show that the expressions of BDNF and TrkB were significantly decreased in BV2
      cells with OGD/R exposure. CHPG pretreatment significantly enhanced the
      expressions of BDNF and TrkB in BV2 cells with OGD/R exposure. However, the
      increased expressions were significantly abrogated by MPEP pretreatment. In
      addition, inhibition of BDNF/TrKB pathway by K252a also attenuated the protective
      effects of activated mGluR5 against OGD/R-induced cytotoxicity, apoptosis and the
      release of inflammatory cytokines. Morever, pretreatment with exogenous BDNF
      protected BV2 cells against OGD/R induced apoptosis and release of inflammatory
      cytokines. These data suggested that BDNF/TrKB pathway may be involved in
      regulating activated mGluR5' protective effects against OGD/R induced
      cytotoxicity in BV2 cells.

PMID- 28642150
TI  - Inter-limb transfer of kinematic adaptation in individuals with motor
      difficulties.
AB  - A previous study suggested that adults with greater motor difficulties
      demonstrated less adaptation under a regular error feedback schedule (gain=1:1)
      but reached a similar level of adaptation compared to controls when feedback was
      enhanced (gain=1:2). In light of these findings, the present study examined inter
      limb transfer after adults adapted to visuomotor distortions with their dominant
      hand on either regular or enhanced feedback schedules. Results revealed that
      successful transfer related to the magnitude of adaptation with their dominant
      hand regardless of the individuals' motor abilities on the regular feedback
      schedule. When the feedback was enhanced, the transfer was not related to either
      the adaptation of the dominant hand or individuals' motor abilities. We argue
      that a stable internal model is essential for inter-limb transfer in kinematic
      adaptation.

PMID- 28642124
TI  - Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease
      progression: a genome-wide association study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the
      huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in
      genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to
      define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure
      of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this
      progression measure. METHODS: We generated a progression score on the basis of
      principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in
      motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD
      cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008-11).
      We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously
      genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY
      study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003-13). We did
      a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD
      participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these
      results was undertaken. FINDINGS: Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging
      scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use
      of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The
      TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other
      (r=0.674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0.315; REGISTRY, r=0.234). The meta
      analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant
      signal (p=1.12 * 10-10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and
      MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD
      (MSH3 p=2.94 * 10-8DHFR p=8.37 * 10-7 MTRNR2L2 p=2.15 * 10-9) and to a lesser
      extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9.36 * 10-4DHFR p=8.45 * 10-4MTRNR2L2 p=1.20 * 10-3).
      The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was
      genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1.58 * 10-8), and encodes an
      aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele
      at this SNP was associated with a 0.4 units per year (95% CI 0.16-0.66) reduction
      in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS)
      Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0.12 units per year (95% CI 0.06-0.18) in
      the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations
      remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. INTERPRETATION: The
      multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional
      variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in
      only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive
      reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or
      both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse
      models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic
      investigation. FUNDING: The European Commission FP7 NeurOmics project; CHDI
      Foundation; the Medical Research Council UK; the Brain Research Trust; and the
      Guarantors of Brain.

PMID- 28642151
TI  - The role of the LB structural loop and its interactions with the PDZ domain of
      the human HtrA3 protease.
AB  - Human HtrA3 protease is a proapoptotic protein, involved in embryo implantation
      and oncogenesis. In stress conditions the protease is activated by removal of its
      N-terminal domain. The activated form, DeltaN-HtrA3L is a homotrimer composed of
      the protease (PD) and PDZ domains. The LB structural loop of the PD is longer by
      six amino acid residues than its counterparts of other human HtrA proteins and
      interacts with the PDZ in a way not observed in other known HtrA structures. By
      size exclusion chromatography of the DeltaN-HtrA3L mutated variants we found that
      removal of the additional LB loop residues caused a complete loss of the proper
      trimeric structure while impairing their interactions with the PDZ domain
      decreased the amount of the trimers. This indicates that the LB loop participates
      in stabilization of the DeltaN-HtrA3L oligomer structure and suggests involvement
      of the LB-PDZ interactions in the stabilization. Removal of the additional LB
      loop residues impaired the DeltaN-HtrA3L activity against the peptide and protein
      substrates, including the antiapoptotic XIAP protein, while a decrease in the LB
      PDZ interaction caused a diminished efficiency of the peptide cleavage. These
      results indicate that the additional LB residues are important for the DeltaN
      HtrA3L proteolytic activity. Furthermore, a monomeric form of the DeltaN-HtrA3L
      is proteolytically inactive. In conclusion, our results suggest that the expanded
      LB loop promotes the DeltaN-HtrA3L activity by stabilizing the protease native
      trimeric structure.

PMID- 28642152
TI  - G-quadruplex dynamics.
AB  - G-quadruplexes (GQs) are four-stranded nucleic acid secondary structures formed
      by guanosine (G)-rich DNA and RNA sequences. It is becoming increasingly clear
      that cellular processes including gene expression and mRNA translation are
      regulated by GQs. GQ structures have been extensively characterized, however
      little attention to date has been paid to their conformational dynamics, despite
      the fact that many biological GQ sequences populate multiple structures of
      similar free energies, leading to an ensemble of exchanging conformations. The
      impact of these dynamics on biological function is currently not well understood.
      Recently, structural dynamics have been demonstrated to entropically stabilize GQ
      ensembles, potentially modulating gene expression. Transient, low-populated
      states in GQ ensembles may additionally regulate nucleic acid interactions and
      function. This review will underscore the interplay of GQ dynamics and biological
      function, focusing on several dynamic processes for biological GQs and the
      characterization of GQ dynamics by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
      in conjunction with other biophysical techniques. This article is part of a
      Special Issue entitled: Biophysics in Canada, edited by Lewis Kay, John
      Baenziger, Albert Berghuis and Peter Tieleman.

PMID- 28642153
TI  - Characterization of the differential coregulator binding signatures of the
      Retinoic Acid Receptor subtypes upon (ant)agonist action.
AB  - Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha (RARalpha/NR1B1), Retinoic Acid Receptor beta
      (RARbeta/NR1B2) and Retinoic Acid Receptor gamma (RARgamma/NR1B3) are
      transcription factors regulating gene expression in response to retinoids. Within
      the RAR genomic pathways, binding of RARs to coregulators is a key intermediate
      regulatory phase. However, ligand-dependent interactions between the wide variety
      of coregulators that may be present in a cell and the different RAR subtypes are
      largely unknown. The aim of this study is to characterize the coregulator binding
      profiles of RARs in the presence of the pan-agonist all-trans-Retinoic Acid
      (AtRA); the subtype-selective agonists Am80 (RARalpha), CD2314 (RARbeta) and
      BMS961 (RARgamma); and the antagonist Ro415253. To this end, we used a microarray
      assay for coregulator-nuclear receptor interactions to assess RAR binding to 154
      motifs belonging to >60 coregulators. The results revealed a high number of
      ligand-dependent RAR-coregulator interactions among all RAR variants, including
      many binding events not yet described in literature. Next, this work confirmed a
      greater ligand-independent activity of RARbeta compared to the other RAR subtypes
      based on both higher basal and lower ligand-driven coregulator binding. Further,
      several coregulator motifs showed selective binding to a specific RAR subtype.
      Next, this work showed that subtype-selective agonists can be successfully
      discriminated by using coregulator binding assays. Finally this study
      demonstrated the possible applications of a coregulator binding assay as a tool
      to discriminate between agonistic/antagonistic actions of ligands. The RAR
      coregulator interactions found will be of use to direct further studies to better
      understand the mechanisms driving the eventual actions of retinoids.

PMID- 28642155
TI  - Uptake and desorption of hydrophilic compounds from human stratum corneum.
AB  - Small, polar compounds, both ionic and uncharged, partition into human stratum
      corneum immersed in aqueous solutions to an extent comparable to the water volume
      fraction of the tissue, then desorb in two phases. The fast phase has a time
      constant on the order of a few minutes, whereas the slow phase occurs over many
      hours. A physical model for this behavior involving a combination of tranverse
      diffusion through the tissue and lateral diffusion and exchange with skin
      appendages is presented. This concept is probed using excised human stratum
      corneum exposed to aqueous solutions of radiolabeled sodium chloride, tetraethyl
      ammonium bromide and mannitol, plus previously published data on six other
      compounds of varying molecular size and polarity. The fast phase desorption
      process becomes unimportant for lipophilic compounds. Slow phase desorption rates
      are size-selective, with larger species desorbing much more slowly than smaller
      ones. Interpreting the size-selectivity in terms of smooth cylindrical pores
      using the centerline approximation leads to an optimum pore radius of about 8
      12A, depending on the model chosen.

PMID- 28642156
TI  - TGFbeta/SMAD/microRNA-486-3p Signaling Axis Mediates Keratin 17 Expression and
      Keratinocyte Hyperproliferation in Psoriasis.
AB  - Keratin 17 (K17) is strongly expressed in psoriatic lesions but not healthy skin,
      and plays a crucial role in disease pathogenesis. The mechanism of aberrant K17
      expression in psoriasis has not been fully elucidated. MicroRNAs are short,
      single-stranded, noncoding RNAs that play important roles in regulating gene
      expression. Psoriasis exhibits a specific microRNA expression profile distinct
      from that of healthy skin. In this study, we showed that miR-486-3p was markedly
      reduced in psoriatic epidermis and negatively correlated with the psoriasis area
      and severity index score. Its expression repressed K17 protein expression and
      decreased proliferation in a keratinocyte cell line overexpressing K17 (LV K17)
      compared with controls. Our data indicated that miR-486-3p was regulated by a
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta)/SMAD pathway and possibly mediated the
      downregulation of K17 protein in TGFbeta-treated keratinocytes. Finally, the
      decreased expression of TGFbeta receptor I in psoriatic epidermis inactivated the
      TGFbeta/SMAD pathway, leading to K17 overexpression and cell proliferation.
      Collectively, our findings demonstrated that a TGFbeta/SMAD/miR-486-3p signaling
      axis in keratinocytes regulated K17 expression and cell proliferation. We
      conclude that the loss of miR-486-3p in psoriatic epidermis leads to K17 protein
      overexpression and contributes to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Overexpression
      of miR-486-3p may therefore be a therapeutic option for psoriasis.

PMID- 28642157
TI  - Genome comparisons of two Taiwanese community-associated methicillin-resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus ST59 clones support the multi-origin theory of CA-MRSA.
AB  - Sequence type (ST) 59 is an epidemic lineage of community-associated methicillin
      resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in Asia. Two ST59 clones are prevalent
      in Taiwan: the Taiwan clone (TW) causes severe infections, whereas the Asian
      Pacific clone (AP) is usually commensal. In this study, we sequenced the genome
      and transcriptome of the representative strains of these two clones and found
      their differences to focus on three mobile genetic elements: TW carries SCCmec
      Type VT, Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL)-encoding prophage PhiSa2, whereas AP
      carries SCCmec Type IV and staphylokinase (SAK)-encoding prophage PhiSa3. The
      anti-virulent role of SAK was confirmed using murine skin and bloodstream
      infection models. PhiSa3 usually integrates into the hlb gene, but in AP was
      found to be integrated at the genomic island nuSabeta. The mutation of the attB
      site "TGTATCCAAACTGG" to "TGTATCCGAATTGG" led to a failure in the integration of
      PhiSa3 in hlb, prompting atypical integration at other sites. The sak gene
      possessed remarkably different patterns of distribution among the different STs
      of S. aureus. We conclude that the atypical integration of PhiSa3 may help S.
      aureus adapt to the human host habitat and that the subsequent loss of PhiSa3
      contributes toward the development of a virulent CA-MRSA lineage for wider
      horizontal transmission.

PMID- 28642154
TI  - A boosting skin vaccination with dissolving microneedle patch encapsulating M2e
      vaccine broadens the protective efficacy of conventional influenza vaccines.
AB  - The biodegradable microneedle patch (MNP) is a novel technology for vaccine
      delivery that could improve the immunogenicity of vaccines. To broaden the
      protective efficiency of conventional influenza vaccines, a new 4M2e-tFliC fusion
      protein construct containing M2e sequences from different subtypes was generated.
      Purified fusion protein was encapsulate into MNPs with a biocompatible polymer
      for use as a boosting vaccine. The results demonstrated that mice receiving a
      conventional inactivated vaccine followed by a skin-applied dissolving 4M2e-tFliC
      MNP boost could better maintain the humoral antibody response than that by the
      conventional vaccine-prime alone. Compared with an intramuscular injection boost,
      mice receiving the MNP boost showed significantly enhanced cellular immune
      responses, hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) titers, and neutralization titers.
      Increased frequency of antigen-specific plasma cells and long-lived bone marrow
      plasma cells was detected in the MNP boosted group as well, indicating that skin
      vaccination with 4M2e-tFliC facilitated a long-term antibody-mediated immunity.
      The 4M2e-tFliC MNP-boosted group also possessed enhanced protection against high
      lethal dose challenges against homologous A/PR/8/34 and A/Aichi/2/68 viruses and
      protection for a majority of immunized mice against a heterologous
      A/California/07/2009 H1N1 virus. High levels of M2e specific immune responses
      were observed in the 4M2e-tFliC MNP-boosted group as well. These results
      demonstrate that a skin-applied 4M2e-tFliC MNP boosting immunization to seasonal
      vaccine recipients may be a rapid approach for increasing the protective efficacy
      of seasonal vaccines in response to a significant drift seen in circulating
      viruses. The results also provide a new perspective for future exploration of
      universal influenza vaccines.

PMID- 28642158
TI  - Genetic diversity of environmental Vibrio cholerae O1 strains isolated in
      Northern Vietnam.
AB  - Cholera epidemics have been recorded periodically in Vietnam during the seventh
      cholera pandemic. Since cholera is a water-borne disease, systematic monitoring
      of environmental waters for Vibrio cholerae presence is important for predicting
      and preventing cholera epidemics. We conducted monitoring, isolation, and genetic
      characterization of V. cholerae strains in Nam Dinh province of Northern Vietnam
      from Jul 2013 to Feb 2015. In this study, four V. cholerae O1 strains were
      detected and isolated from 110 analyzed water samples (3.6%); however, none of
      them carried the cholera toxin gene, ctxA, in their genomes. Whole genome
      sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the four O1 isolates were
      separated into two independent clusters, and one of them diverged from a common
      ancestor with pandemic strains. The analysis of pathogenicity islands (CTX
      prophage, VPI-I, VPI-II, VSP-I, and VSP-II) indicated that one strain
      (VNND_2014Jun_6SS) harbored an unknown prophage-like sequence with high homology
      to vibriophage KSF-1 phi and VCY phi, identified from Bangladesh and the USA,
      respectively, while the other three strains carried tcpA gene with a distinct
      sequence demonstrating a separate clonal lineage. These results suggest that the
      aquatic environment can harbor highly divergent V. cholera strains and serve as a
      reservoir for multiple V. cholerae virulence-associated genes which may be
      exchanged via mobile genetic elements. Therefore, continuous monitoring and
      genetic characterization of V. cholerae strains in the environment should
      contribute to the early detection of the sources of infection and prevention of
      cholera outbreaks as well as to understanding the natural ecology and evolution
      of V. cholerae.

PMID- 28642159
TI  - Identification and comparison of RCMV ALL 03 open reading frame (ORF) among
      several different strains of cytomegalovirus worldwide.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rat cytomegalovirus ALL-03 (Malaysian strain) which was isolated from
      a placenta and uterus of a house rat, Rattus rattus diardii has the ability to
      cross the placenta and infecting the fetus. To further elucidate the pathogenesis
      of the Malaysian strain of Rat Cytomegalovirus ALL-03 (RCMV ALL-03), detailed
      analysis on the viral genome sequence is crucial. METHODS: Genome sequencing of
      RCMV ALL-03 was carried out in order to identify the open reading frame (ORF),
      homology comparison of ORF with other strains of CMV, phylogenetic analysis,
      classifying ORF with its corresponding conserved genes, and determination of
      functional proteins and grouping of gene families in order to obtain fundamental
      knowledge of the genome. RESULTS: The present study revealed a total of 123
      Coding DNA sequences (CDS) from RCMV ALL-03 with 37 conserved ORF domains as with
      all herpesvirus genomes. All the CDS possess similar function with RCMV-England
      followed by RCMV-Berlin, RCMV-Maastricht, and Human CMV. The phylogenetic
      analysis of RCMV ALL-03 based on conserving genes of herpes virus showed that the
      Malaysian RCMV isolate is closest to RCMV-English and RCMV-Berlin strains, with
      99% and 97% homology, respectively. Similarly, it also demonstrated an
      evolutionary relationship between RCMV ALL-03 and other strains of herpesviruses
      from all the three subfamilies. Interestingly, betaherpesvirus subfamily, which
      has been shown to be more closely related with gammaherpesviruses as compared to
      alphaherpesviruses, shares some of the functional ORFs. In addition, the
      arrangement of gene blocks for RCMV ALL-03, which was conserved among herpesvirus
      family members was also observed in the RCMV ALL-03 genome. CONCLUSION: Genomic
      analysis of RCMV ALL-03 provided an overall picture of the whole genome
      organization and it served as a good platform for further understanding on the
      divergence in the family of Herpesviridae.

PMID- 28642160
TI  - A novel missense variant (Gln220Arg) of GNB4 encoding guanine nucleotide-binding
      protein, subunit beta-4 in a Japanese family with autosomal dominant motor and
      sensory neuropathy.
AB  - Dominant intermediate Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease F (CMTDIF) is an autosomal
      dominant hereditary form of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) caused by
      variations in the guanine nucleotide-binding protein, subunit beta-4 gene (GNB4).
      We examined two Japanese familial cases with CMT. Case 1 was a 49-year-old male
      whose chief complaint was slowly progressive gait disturbance and limb
      dysesthesia that appeared at the age of 47. On neurological examination, he
      showed hyporeflexia or areflexia, distal limb muscle weakness, and distal sensory
      impairment with lower dominancy. Nerve conduction studies demonstrated
      demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy with reduced action potentials in the lower
      limbs. Case 2 was an 80-year-old man, Case 1's father, who reported difficulty in
      riding a bicycle at the age of 76. On neurological examination, he showed
      areflexia in the upper and lower limbs. Distal sensory impairment in the lower
      limbs was also observed. Nerve conduction studies revealed mainly axonal
      involvement. Exome sequencing identified a novel heterozygous nonsynonymous
      variant (NM_021629.3:c.659T > C [p.Gln220Arg]) in GNB4 exon 8, which is known to
      be responsible for CMT. Sanger sequencing confirmed that both patients are
      heterozygous for the variation, which causes an amino acid substitution,
      Gln220Arg, in the highly conserved region of the WD40 domain of GNB4. The
      frequency of this variant in the Exome Aggregation Consortium Database was
      0.000008247, and we confirmed its absence in 502 Japanese control subjects. We
      conclude that this novel GNB4 variant is causative for CMTDIF in these patients,
      who represent the first record of the disease in the Japanese population.

PMID- 28642161
TI  - Digenic inheritance of mutations in the cardiac troponin (TNNT2) and cardiac beta
      myosin heavy chain (MYH7) as the cause of severe dilated cardiomyopathy.
AB  - Familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by ventricular dilation
      and depressed myocardial performance. It is a genetically heterogeneous disorder
      associated with mutations in over 60 genes. We carried out whole exome sequencing
      in combination with cardiomyopathy-related gene-filtering on two affected family
      members to identify the possible causative mutation in a consanguineous Iranian
      family with DCM. Two novel variants in cardiomyopathy-related genes were
      identified: c.247 A > C; p.N83H in the Troponin T Type 2 gene (TNNT2) and c.2863G
      > A; p.D955N in the Myosin Heavy Polypeptide 7 gene (MYH7). Sanger sequencing and
      co-segregation analysis in the remaining family members supported the coexistence
      of these digenic mutations in affected members of the family. Carriers of either
      variant alone were asymptomatic. In summary, we find that digenic inheritance of
      two novel variants in DCM related genes is associated with a severe form of DCM.
      Exome sequencing has been shown to be very useful in identifying pathogenic
      mutations in cardiomyopathy families, and this report emphasizes the importance
      of comprehensive screening of DCM related genes, even after the identification of
      a single disease-causing mutation.

PMID- 28642163
TI  - Perianal structures in myrmecophilous subterranean aphids (Insecta: Hemiptera:
      Aphididae) - Comparative morphology of trophobiotic organ with its first
      description in Lachninae.
AB  - Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light stereoscopic microscopy (LSM) were
      used for the first time to elucidate the external morphology of the so called
      "trophobiotic organ" on the end of abdomen of apterous viviparous females of six
      aphid species (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae), representatives of the
      myrmecophilous, subterranean aphids from the subfamilies Anoeciinae (Anoecia
      furcata), Eriosomatinae (Forda formicaria, Geoica utricularia, Tetraneura ulmi),
      and Lachninae (Protrama flavescens, Trama troglodytes). We examined and compared
      the external morphology in the parthenogenetic generation living on roots of
      deciduous plants. FE-SEM images based on HMDS preparation techniques revealed
      great similarity of perianal structures even between not closely related groups.
      Rectangular, vertically positioned anal plate, extremely shortened cauda and
      setae around the anus seem to be common features of these aphids. However, some
      differences in the number and length of setae, their arrangement and inclination
      of anal plate may be observed. The discussion focuses on the adaptive importance
      of such modifications, with respect to underground life mode and myrmecophily,
      but with reservations concerning living in galls by representatives of
      Eriosomatinae, which is hypothesized to be a factor driving the development of
      such modifications of perianal structures in this group of aphids.

PMID- 28642162
TI  - NGS panel analysis in 24 ectopia lentis patients; a clinically relevant test with
      a high diagnostic yield.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several genetic causes of ectopia lentis (EL), with or without
      systemic features, are known. The differentiation between syndromic and isolated
      EL is crucial for further treatment, surveillance and counseling of patients and
      their relatives. Next generation sequencing (NGS) is a powerful tool enabling the
      simultaneous, highly-sensitive analysis of multiple target genes. OBJECTIVE: The
      aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of our NGS panel in EL
      patients. Furthermore, we provide an overview of currently described mutations in
      ADAMTSL4, the main gene involved in isolated EL. METHODS: A NGS gene panel was
      analysed in 24 patients with EL. RESULTS: A genetic diagnosis was confirmed in 16
      patients (67%). Of these, four (25%) had a heterozygous FBN1 mutation, 12 (75%)
      were homozygous or compound heterozygous for ADAMTSL4 mutations. The known
      European ADAMTSL4 founder mutation c.767_786del was most frequently detected.
      CONCLUSION: The diagnostic yield of our NGS panel was high. Causative mutations
      were exclusively identified in ADAMTSL4 and FBN1. With this approach the risk of
      misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can be reduced. The value and clinical
      implications of establishing a genetic diagnosis in patients with EL is
      corroborated by the description of two patients with an unexpected underlying
      genetic condition.

PMID- 28642164
TI  - Joint loading and proximal tibia subchondral trabecular bone microarchitecture
      differ with walking gait patterns in end-stage knee osteoarthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To (1) stratify patient subgroups according to their distinct walking
      gait patterns in end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA); (2) compare measures of
      joint loading and proximal tibia subchondral trabecular bone (STB)
      microarchitecture among these gait subgroups. DESIGN: Twenty-five knee OA
      patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) had pre-operative gait
      analysis. Following surgery, excised tibial plateaus were micro-CT-scanned and
      STB microarchitecture analysed in four tibial condylar regions of interest. Peak
      knee moments were input to k-means cluster analysis, to identify subgroups with
      homogeneous gait patterns. Joint loading and STB microarchitecture parameters
      were compared among gait subgroups (Kruskal-Wallis, Bonferroni-corrected Mann
      Whitney U tests). RESULTS: Three gait subgroups were revealed: biphasics (n = 7),
      flexors (n = 9), counter-rotators (n = 9). Peak knee adduction moment (KAM) and
      KAM impulse were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in biphasics than in flexors and
      counter-rotators (KAM = -0.65, -0.40 and -0.21 Nm/kg, respectively), suggesting a
      higher medial-to-lateral tibiofemoral load ratio in biphasics. Interestingly, STB
      medial-to-lateral bone volume fraction (BV/TV) ratio was also significantly
      higher (more than double) in biphasics and flexors than in counter-rotators
      (2.24, 2.00 and 1.00, respectively), whereas in biphasics it was only 10% higher
      than in flexors and not significantly so. CONCLUSIONS: Within the confines of the
      limited sample size, data suggests that different mechanisms between the biphasic
      and flexor gait subroups may generate comparable loads upon the tibial plateau
      and corresponding bony responses, despite significantly lower KAM indices in
      flexors. Hence, in flexor gait OA patients, conservative treatments designed to
      reduce KAM, may not be appropriate. Understanding joint loading among walking
      gait patterns and relationships to bone microarchitecture may aid at
      identifying/improving management of persons at risk for developing knee OA.

PMID- 28642165
TI  - Can the way pigs are handled alter behavioural and physiological measures of
      affective state?
AB  - Research on human-animal relationship in animal production has been mainly
      focused on its effect on stress, productivity and meat quality. Only few studies
      have assessed its effects on the animals' affective state. In the present study,
      the influence of positive and negative handling (pH and NH, respectively) on
      affective state and fear as assessed by the cognitive bias test, the novel object
      test and the defence cascade test was studied in 56 pigs. Serum, saliva and hair
      were sampled during the study for the analysis of cortisol concentration. Results
      showed no differences between pH and NH pigs in the behavioural tests, which may
      be either due to the lack of previous handling effect on the test results, the
      lack of validity or the low sensitivity of these tests or a combination of them.
      Moreover, no differences were found in cortisol concentrations between handling
      groups. However, correlations between tests were found (p<0.05) suggesting that
      there are individual factors such as the fear level, the motivation or the coping
      style, that have a similar effect on the response to these tests. Moreover, pigs
      who were more fearful had higher (r=0.37; p=0.014) levels of serum cortisol at
      slaughter.

PMID- 28642166
TI  - Frontal Alpha Oscillations and Attentional Control: A Virtual Reality
      Neurofeedback Study.
AB  - Two competing views about alpha oscillations suggest that cortical alpha reflect
      either cortical inactivity or cortical processing efficiency. We investigated the
      role of alpha oscillations in attentional control, as measured with a Stroop
      task. We used neurofeedback to train 22 participants to increase their level of
      alpha amplitude. Based on the conflict/control loop theory, we selected to train
      prefrontal alpha and focus on the Gratton effect as an index of deployment of
      attentional control. We expected an increase or a decrease in the Gratton effect
      with increase in neural learning depending on whether frontal alpha oscillations
      reflect cortical idling or enhanced processing efficiency, respectively. In order
      to induce variability in neural learning beyond natural occurring individual
      differences, we provided half of the participants with feedback on alpha
      amplitude in a 3-dimensional (3D) virtual reality environment and the other half
      received feedback in a 2D environment. Our results showed variable neural
      learning rates, with larger rates in the 3D compared to the 2D group,
      corroborating prior evidence of individual differences in EEG-based learning and
      the influence of a virtual environment. Regression analyses revealed a
      significant association between the learning rate and changes on deployment of
      attentional control, with larger learning rates being associated with larger
      decreases in the Gratton effect. This association was not modulated by feedback
      medium. The study supports the view of frontal alpha oscillations being
      associated with efficient neurocognitive processing and demonstrates the utility
      of neurofeedback training in addressing theoretical questions in the non
      neurofeedback literature.

PMID- 28642168
TI  - The posterior parietal cortex as integrative hub for whisker sensorimotor
      information.
AB  - Our daily life consists of a continuous interplay between incoming sensory
      information and outgoing motor plans. Particularly during goal-directed behavior
      and active exploration of the sensory environment, brain circuits are merging
      sensory and motor signals. This is referred to as sensorimotor integration and is
      relevant for locomotion, vision or tactile exploration. The somatosensory
      (tactile) system is an attractive modality to study sensorimotor integration in
      health and disease, motivated by the need for revolutionary technology that
      builds upon conceptual understanding of sensorimotor integration, such as brain
      machine-interfaces and neuro-prosthetics. In this perspective, we focus on the
      rat whisker system and put forward the posterior parietal cortex as a potential
      circuit where sensorimotor integration could occur during active somatosensation.

PMID- 28642167
TI  - Mice lacking Gpr37 exhibit decreased expression of the myelin-associated
      glycoprotein MAG and increased susceptibility to demyelination.
AB  - GPR37 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor that is predominantly expressed in
      the brain and found at particularly high levels in oligodendrocytes. GPR37 has
      been shown to exert effects on oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination
      during development, but the molecular basis of these actions is incompletely
      understood and moreover nothing is known about the potential role(s) of this
      receptor under demyelinating conditions. To shed light on the fundamental biology
      of GPR37, we performed proteomic studies comparing protein expression levels in
      the brains of mice lacking GPR37 and its close relative GPR37-like 1 (GPR37L1).
      These studies revealed that one of the proteins most sharply decreased in the
      brains of Gpr37/Gpr37L1 double knockout mice is the myelin-associated
      glycoprotein MAG. Follow-up Western blot studies confirmed this finding and
      demonstrated that genetic deletion of Gpr37, but not Gpr37L1, results in
      strikingly decreased brain expression of MAG. Further in vitro studies
      demonstrated that GPR37 and MAG form a complex when expressed together in cells.
      As loss of MAG has previously been shown to result in increased susceptibility to
      brain insults, we additionally assessed Gpr37-knockout (Gpr37-/-) vs. wild-type
      mice in the cuprizone model of demyelination. These studies revealed that Gpr37-/
      mice exhibit dramatically increased loss of myelin in response to cuprizone, yet
      do not show any increased loss of oligodendrocyte precursor cells or mature
      oligodendrocytes. These findings reveal that loss of GPR37 alters oligodendrocyte
      physiology and increases susceptibility to demyelination, indicating that GPR37
      could be a potential drug target for the treatment of demyelinating diseases such
      as multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 28642169
TI  - A novel method to quantify base substitution mutations at the 10-6 per bp level
      in DNA samples.
AB  - Somatic base substitution mutations of frequencies at the 10-6/bp level are
      expected to be present in many biomedical samples, such as tissues exposed to
      carcinogenic factors and exhausted stem cells. However, measurement of such rare
      mutations has been very difficult in human DNA samples. Here, we invented the use
      of 100 copies of genomic DNA as a template for amplicon deep sequencing so that a
      real mutation in a single DNA molecule would be detected at a variant allele
      frequency of 1% while sequencing errors have less frequency. In addition, we
      selected 15,552 error-resistant base positions whose mutation frequency was
      expected to reflect that of base positions that can drive carcinogenesis or
      potentially even of the entire genome. The validity of the method was first
      confirmed by the successful detection of mutations premixed at the frequency of
      0.1%. Second, increasing mutation frequencies (4-60 * 10-6/bp) were successfully
      detected in cells treated with increasing doses of one of two mutagens, and their
      signature mutations were detected. The ratio of non-synonymous mutations to
      synonymous mutations time-dependently decreased after treatment with a mutagen,
      supporting the neutral theory of molecular evolution for somatic mutations.
      Importantly, gastric mucosae exposed to Helicobacter pylori infection was shown
      to have significantly higher mutation frequency than those without. These results
      demonstrated that our new method can be used to measure rare base substitution
      mutations at the 10-6/bp level, and is now ready for a wide range of
      applications.

PMID- 28642170
TI  - lncRNA DANCR promotes tumor progression and cancer stemness features in
      osteosarcoma by upregulating AXL via miR-33a-5p inhibition.
AB  - lncRNAs regulate the initiation and progression of osteosarcoma, although the
      mechanism by which this occurs remains unknown. The present study shows that over
      expression of the lncRNA DANCR increased osteosarcoma cell proliferation,
      migration, and invasion in vitro, as well as promoted xenograft tumor growth and
      lung metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, DANCR promoted osteosarcoma progression
      by mediating cancer stem cells (CSCs) features. Moreover, pull-down assays and
      luciferase reporter assays indicated that DANCR upregulated expression of the
      receptor tyrosine kinase AXL by competitively binding to miR-33a-5p. Furthermore,
      DANCR enhanced the expression of proteins downstream of the AXL-Akt pathway.
      DANCR was consistently significantly increased in osteosarcoma tissues, and its
      expression was positively correlated with tumor size and metastasis as an
      independent poor prognostic factor. Furthermore, both in patient tumors and
      xenograft tumors, DANCR expression was positively related to AXL and negatively
      related to miR-33a-5p. Taken together, our results suggest that DANCR is a
      crucial upregulator of osteosarcoma and an independent predictor of prognosis.
      DANCR increases CSCs function by upregulating AXL via competitively binding to
      miR-33a-5p, and this function is sequentially performed through the PI3K-Akt
      signaling pathway.

PMID- 28642171
TI  - Macrophage migration inhibitory factor promotes osteosarcoma growth and lung
      metastasis through activating the RAS/MAPK pathway.
AB  - Emerging evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment plays a critical role
      in osteosarcoma (OS) development. Thus, cytokine immunotherapy could be a novel
      strategy for OS treatment. In this study, we explored the role of macrophage
      migration inhibitory factor (MIF), an important cytokine in OS progression, and
      investigated the anti-tumour effects of targeting MIF in OS. The results showed
      that MIF significantly increased in the tissue and serum samples of OS patients
      and was associated with tumour size, pulmonary metastasis and the survival rate
      of OS patients. We verified a positive correlation between MIF and p-ERK1/2 in OS
      patients. The in vitro results indicated that MIF could activate the RAS/MAPK
      pathway in a time- and dose-dependent manner, thereby promoting cell
      proliferation and migration. Furthermore, shRNA targeting MIF significantly
      inhibited tumour growth and lung metastasis in a mouse xenograft model and
      orthotopic model of OS. Additionally, inhibition of MIF significantly enhanced
      the sensitivity of OS cells to cisplatin and doxorubicin. Our findings suggest
      that immunotherapy targeting MIF to block the RAS/MAPK kinase cascade may
      represent a feasible and promising approach for OS treatment.

PMID- 28642172
TI  - EGFR T790M ctDNA testing platforms and their role as companion diagnostics:
      Correlation with clinical outcomes to EGFR-TKIs.
AB  - Somatic mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) predict clinical
      response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
      and is a promising target for personalised medicine. EGFR mutations have
      prognostic value. Initially patients respond well to tyrosine kinase inhibitors
      but finally they would develop resistance and about 50% of this resistance can be
      attributed to the emergence of EGFR resistant mutation, T790M. This necessitates
      the need for genetic testing for clinical management of patients. Molecular
      testing has become the standard of care in patients with NSCLCs based on the
      recommendations of standard guidelines. Though there are several platforms for
      EGFR mutation detection, highly sensitive platforms for clinical applicability as
      companion diagnostics for ctDNA based testing are emerging. Due to the dynamic
      changes in the T790M mutation during tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment,
      real-time monitoring of these genetic alterations is mandate for planning
      treatment strategies. With the advent of third generation TKIs that potentially
      target T790M, improvement in clinical outcome is documented in patients with
      NSCLCs. Managing these outcomes with appropriate companion diagnostics using
      ctDNA in early detection of these genetic alterations will improve patient care.

PMID- 28642173
TI  - Protein functional effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs) in lung cancer.
AB  - PIWI-interacting RNA Likes (piR-Ls) were recently reported to regulate functions
      of their target phospho-Proteins (p-Proteins) in somatic lung cells. However, the
      mechanism underlying this functionality remains unclear. piR-Ls interact with
      their targets through direct binding but do not follow base-pairing rules, known
      to have important roles at levels of transcription, RNA processing and
      translation for small non-coding RNA (sncRNA). These observations imply a
      fundamentally different type of sncRNA with behavior that causes a molecular
      response in their target p-Proteins. Furthermore, the interaction of piR-Ls with
      their targets regulates the functional efficacy of target p-Proteins. In
      addition, except for writers (kinase) and erasers (phosphatase), the functional
      efficacy of p-Proteins on their readers still remains unknown. It is reasonable
      to consider the existence of protein functional effector sncRNAs (pfeRNAs), which
      were identified by deep sequencing the immunoprecipitation products of antibodies
      targeting phosphorylated residues in proteins, as well as by functional analysis.
      pfeRNAs harbor unique features in size distribution, 3' terminal modification,
      shared core sequences, and functional manner, and could be new players in lung
      physiological and pathological conditions.

PMID- 28642174
TI  - Increased Levels of Soluble Cluster of Differentiation 40 Ligand, Matrix
      Metalloproteinase 9, and Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 Are Associated with Carotid
      Plaque Vulnerability in Patients with Ischemic Cerebrovascular Disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to examine the correlation between
      the level of serum inflammatory markers and the stability of carotid plaques in
      patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and to assess the ability of each
      inflammatory marker to identify vulnerable carotid plaques. METHODS: For the
      early identification of vulnerable carotid plaques, 65 patients with carotid
      plaques were divided into a stable plaque group (n = 21) and an unstable plaque
      group (n = 44) according to magnetic resonance imaging characteristics. The
      unstable plaque group was divided into an unstable unruptured plaque group (n =
      29) and an unstable ruptured plaque group (n = 15) according to whether the
      fibrous cap was ruptured. The levels of serum soluble cluster of differentiation
      40 ligand (sCD40L), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and MMP-2 were measured by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The levels of serum sCD40L and MMP-9
      in the unstable plaque group, the unstable unruptured plaque group and the
      ruptured plaque group were significantly higher than those in the stable plaque
      group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the MMP-2 level between
      the stable plaque group and unstable plaque group (P = 0.056). The MMP-2 levels
      in the stable plaque group, unstable unruptured plaque group, and ruptured plaque
      group were not different (P = 0.095). The carotid plaques and the positive rate
      of MMP-9 of >=84.09 ng/mL were statistically significant, suggesting increased
      vulnerability. CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of sCD40L and MMP-9 are associated with
      the stability of carotid plaques. Higher levels of serum sCD40L and MMP-9 may
      suggest that the plaques are vulnerable or have ruptured.

PMID- 28642175
TI  - Subventricular Zone Involvement Characterized by Diffusion Tensor Imaging in
      Glioblastoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Glioblastomas have a poor prognosis, possibly because of a
      subpopulation of therapy-resistant stem cells within the heterogeneous
      glioblastoma. Because the subventricular zone is the main source of neural stem
      cells, we aimed at characterizing the subventricular zone using diffusion tensor
      imaging (DTI) to show subventricular zone involvement in glioblastoma. METHODS:
      We prospectively included 93 patients with primary glioblastomas who underwent
      preoperative DTI. The nonenhancing high fluid-attenuated inversion recovery
      (FLAIR) signal was used to describe the infiltrative tumor margin. We used a 5-mm
      margin surrounding the lateral ventricles to define the subventricular zone. The
      subventricular zone with high FLAIR was compared with the subventricular zone
      without high FLAIR, control high FLAIR outside the subventricular zone and
      control contralateral normal-appearing white matter. Normalized DTI parameters
      were calculated and compared between the different regions. RESULTS: The
      subventricular zone with high FLAIR showed increased isotropic p values compared
      with the subventricular zone without high FLAIR (t126 = 3.9; P < 0.001) and
      control regions (t179 = 1.9; P = 0.046). Anisotropic q and fractional anisotropy
      values were lower in regions with high FLAIR compared with the subventricular
      zone without high FLAIR (t181 = 11.6, P < 0.001 and t184 =12.4, P < 0.001,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: DTI data showed that the subventricular zone is
      involved in glioblastoma with increased isotropic p values in the subventricular
      zone with high FLAIR, indicating tumor infiltration.

PMID- 28642176
TI  - Microsurgical Bypass Training Rat Model: Part 2-Anastomosis Configurations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mastery of microsurgical anastomosis is key to achieving good
      outcomes in cerebrovascular bypass procedures. Animal models (especially rodents)
      provide an optimal preclinical bypass training platform. However, the existing
      models for practicing different anastomosis configurations have several
      limitations. OBJECTIVE: We sought to optimize the use of the rat's abdominal
      aorta and common iliac arteries (CIA) for practicing the 3 main anastomosis
      configurations commonly used in cerebrovascular surgery. METHODS: Thirteen male
      Sprague-Dawley rats underwent inhalant anesthesia. The abdominal aorta and the
      CIAs were exposed. The distances between the major branches of the aorta were
      measured to find the optimal location for an end-to-end anastomosis. Also, the
      feasibility of performing side-to-side and end-to-side anastomoses between the
      CIAs was assessed. RESULTS: All bypass configurations could be performed between
      the left renal artery and the CIA bifurcation. The longest segments of the aorta
      without major branches were 1) between the left renal and left iliolumbar
      arteries (16.9 mm +/- 4.6), and 2) between the right iliolumbar artery and the
      aortic bifurcation (9.7 mm +/- 4.7). The CIAs could be juxtaposed for an average
      length of 7.6 mm +/- 1.3, for a side-to-side anastomosis. The left CIA could be
      successfully reimplanted on to the right CIA at an average distance of 9.1 mm +/-
      1.6 from the aortic bifurcation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that rat's
      abdominal aorta and CIAs may be effectively used for all the anastomosis
      configurations used in cerebral revascularization procedures. We also provide
      technical nuances and anatomic descriptions to plan for practicing each bypass
      configuration.

PMID- 28642177
TI  - Protective Functions of PJ34, a Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitor, Are
      Related to Down-Regulation of Calpain and Nuclear Factor-kappaB in a Mouse Model
      of Traumatic Brain Injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), calpain, and nuclear factor
      kappaB (NF-kappaB) are reported to participate in inflammatory reactions in
      pathologic conditions and are involved in traumatic brain injury. The objective
      of this study was to investigate whether PARP participates in inflammation
      related to calpain and NF-kappaB in a mouse model of controlled cortical impact
      (CCI). METHODS: PJ34 (10 mg/kg), a selective PARP inhibitor, was administered
      intraperitoneally 5 minutes and 8 hours after experimental CCI. We then performed
      a histopathologic analysis, and we measured calpain activity and protein levels
      in all animals. The cytosolic, mitochondria, and nuclear fractions were prepared
      and used to determine the levels of PARP, calpastatin, NF-kappaB p65, inhibitory
      kappaB-alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, intracellular
      adhesion molecule-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2. We
      then measured blood-brain barrier disruption using electron microscopy at 6 and
      24 hours after CCI. RESULTS: Treatment with PJ34 markedly reduced the extent of
      both cerebral contusion and edema, improved neurologic scores, and attenuated
      blood-brain barrier damage resulting from CCI. Our data showed that the cytosolic
      and nuclear fractions of calpain and NF-kappaB were up-regulated in the injured
      cortex and that these changes were reversed by PJ34. Moreover, PJ34 significantly
      enhanced the calpastatin and inhibitory-kappaB levels and decreased the levels of
      inflammatory mediators. CONCLUSIONS: PARP inhibition by PJ34 suppresses the
      overactivation of calpain and the production of inflammatory factors that are
      caused by NF-kappaB activation and attenuates neuronal cell death in a mouse
      model of CCI.

PMID- 28642178
TI  - Neurologic Outcome After Decompressive Craniectomy: Predictors of Outcome in
      Different Pathologic Conditions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) has been proposed as a lifesaving
      treatment in patients with elevated intracranial pressure, but its effectiveness
      on reaching a favorable neurologic outcome remains unclear. We identified
      predictors of outcome in a large, single-center cohort of patients undergoing DC
      for different pathologic conditions. METHODS: This retrospective study included
      all patients undergoing DC from 2006 to 2014. The 1-year outcome, assessed using
      the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), was dichotomized into favorable (GOS 4-5) and
      unfavorable (GOS 1-3) outcome. Predictors of outcome were identified by analyzing
      patient characteristics. RESULTS: DC was performed in 204 patients for ischemic
      stroke (n = 57), traumatic brain injury (n = 50), aneurysmal subarachnoid
      hemorrhage (aSAH) (n = 44), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (n = 29), cerebral
      venous thrombosis (CVT) (n = 14), or other indications (n = 10). Overall, 69
      (34%) patients survived favorably, 39 (19%) survived unfavorably, and 96 (47%)
      died. Higher age, poor Glasgow Coma Scale score, intubated status before DC,
      bilateral absence of pupillary light reflexes, DC for aSAH, and additional
      surgeries after DC (excluding cranioplasty) were significant predictors of
      unfavorable outcome. When patients were sorted for pathologic conditions and
      predictors of outcome, favorable outcome rates differed remarkably, ranging from
      91% for CVT patients undergoing uncomplicated DC to 0% for aSAH patients
      undergoing DC for secondary infarction or ICH patients with unilateral or
      bilateral abnormal pupillary light reflexes upon admission. CONCLUSIONS: Long
      term neurologic outcome after DC differed remarkably among subpopulations of
      patients, with favorable outcome rates ranging from 0% to >90%.

PMID- 28642179
TI  - Analysis of Outcomes of Multidisciplinary Management of Gliosarcoma: A Single
      Center Study, 2000-2013.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gliosarcoma is a rare tumor of the central nervous system with a
      reported incidence of ~2%-8% of all gliomas. We reviewed the outcomes of patients
      treated at our institution over a 14-year period from 2000 to 2013 to
      characterize overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival as well as to
      elucidate the additive effect of chemoradiotherapy. METHODS: From January 1, 2000
      to December 31, 2013, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical notes of all
      patients treated at our institution with a histopathologic diagnosis of
      gliosarcoma. This review yielded 21 patients whose clinicoradiologic data were
      analyzed with respect to age, sex, ethnicity, preoperative/postoperative Glasgow
      Coma Scale and Karnofsky Performance Scale, location, extent of resection,
      methylguanine DNA methyl transferase methylation status, and administration of
      adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: The median age was 58 years (range, 40-80 years) with
      a male preponderance (1.6:1). Tumor location was mainly temporal (n = 6) but also
      parietal (n = 5), frontal (n = 4), multilobar (n = 4), and cerebellar (n = 1).
      Surgical resection was deemed to be total in 15 patients and subtotal in 6
      patients. Methylguanine DNA methyl transferase methylation status was available
      for only 5 patients, with a methylation rate of 60% (3/5) and no impact on
      survival. Nine patients received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy (OS, 7.9
      months), 7 received radiotherapy only (OS, 5.7 months), and 5 patients received
      no adjuvant therapy (OS, 1.4 months). The overall median survival was 5.7 months
      (range, 1-21.5 months) and median progression-free survival was 5 months (range,
      1.4-12.4 months). CONCLUSIONS: Despite an overall poor prognosis, a multimodality
      approach aiming for complete resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy
      appears to be associated with better outcomes.

PMID- 28642180
TI  - Obese (Body Mass Index >30) Patients Have Greater Functional Improvement and
      Reach Equivalent Outcomes at 12 Months Following Decompression Surgery for
      Symptomatic Lumbar Stenosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effect of obesity on 12-month functional outcomes after
      surgery for lumbar stenosis in adult patients. METHODS: Data were collected on
      patients treated with lumbar laminectomy for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis
      as part of an observational registry and analyzed using a retrospective cohort
      study design. Patients with body mass index (BMI) >30 were compared with patients
      with BMI <30 with respect to baseline, 3-month, and 12-month functional status,
      adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: There were 101 patients. At
      baseline, patients with BMI >30 had significantly more back pain (P < 0.001),
      more leg pain (P < 0.001), lower EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D)
      scores (P < 0.001), and higher Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores (P <
      0.001). Both low- and high-BMI groups had significant improvement in back pain,
      leg pain, EQ-5D scores, and ODI scores after decompression (all P < 0.001). At 3
      months postoperatively, high-BMI patients continued to report greater leg pain (P
      = 0.063) and higher ODI score (P = 0.064) relative to low-BMI patients. By 12
      months, there was no difference between low- and high-BMI patients in back pain
      (P = 0.929), leg pain (P = 0.638), EQ-5D score (P = 0.733), or ODI score (P =
      0.214). CONCLUSIONS: The difference between low- and high-BMI patients trended
      toward significance for leg pain and ODI score at 3 months, but this difference
      disappeared by 12 months. This suggests that obese patients with symptomatic
      lumbar spinal stenosis may require longer to recover after decompression but can
      expect to reach equivalent outcomes of similarly treated patients with BMI <30.

PMID- 28642182
TI  - The Effect of Morbid Obesity on Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Prognosis in the United
      States.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The association between obesity and nontraumatic subarachnoid
      hemorrhage (SAH) patient outcome is unclear. The aim of this study was to
      determine the impact of morbid obesity (body mass index >=40 kg/m2) on
      nontraumatic SAH outcomes. METHODS: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we
      identified hospitalized, nontraumatic SAH patients who received their diagnoses
      from 2008 to 2013 and tested the effect of obesity on their mortality and
      clinical outcomes. Odds ratios were estimated with a mixed effects linear
      logistic model with adjustment for hospital clustering. All statistical testing
      was 2-sided, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Out of 224,561 discharged
      patients with a diagnosis of nontraumatic SAH, 4714 (2.10%) were defined as
      morbidly obese. Patients with morbid obesity were younger (54.3 +/- 0.44 vs. 59.5
      +/- 0.08 years; P < 0.001) and had longer length of stay (LOS) (13 +/- 0.46 vs.
      11.5 +/- 0.06 days; P = 0.002). Morbid obesity was associated with significantly
      higher hospital costs (P < 0.001) and charges (P < 0.001). The risk of acute
      respiratory failure was higher in morbidly obese patients (odds ratio [OR] 1.49,
      95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-1.71, P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis of
      hospital mortality, obesity had a negative impact on mortality (OR 0.83, 95% CI:
      0.74-0.92, P < 0.001). Overall, in-hospital mortality was associated with age,
      morbid obesity, LOS, clipping and coiling, and acute respiratory failure but not
      the symptomatic vasospasm. CONCLUSIONS: Morbid obesity is associated with
      increased LOS, hospital costs and charges and with acute respiratory failure.
      However, it is also associated with a decrease in hospital mortality.

PMID- 28642181
TI  - Surgical Outcome of Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma with Empty Sella
      Using a New Classification.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate outcomes and identified risk factors affecting cure and
      intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak after transsphenoidal surgery using a new
      classification for growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma associated with
      empty sella. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 51 patients enrolled
      from January 2010 to June 2016 were categorized into 3 groups using a new
      classification scheme: grade A, whole tumor occupation area beneath a horizontal
      line drawn along the lowest level of empty sella; grade B, tumor occupation area
      that crossed the horizontal line on 1 side; and grade C, tumor occupation area
      that crossed the horizontal line on 2 sides. Clinical data were collected and
      analyzed. RESULTS: Cure rate for grade A patients (88.24%; 15/17) was
      significantly higher than cure rate for grade B (55.00%; 11/20) and grade C
      (50.00%; 7/14) patients. Occurrence of cerebrospinal fluid leaks in grade C
      patients (35.71%; 5/14) was higher than in grade A patients (5.88%; 1/17).
      Logistic regression analysis indicated that risk factors affecting cure included
      large maximum tumor diameter (P = 0.009, odds ratio [OR] = 1.222), high
      preoperative fasting growth hormone level (P = 0.031, OR = 1.088), and high
      classification (P = 0.017, OR = 4.485). Risk factor affecting intraoperative
      cerebrospinal fluid leak was high classification (P = 0.039, OR = 3.580).
      CONCLUSIONS: Transsphenoidal surgery is the current optimal treatment strategy.
      Empty sella increases the difficulty of surgery with a higher incidence of
      complications. The new classification scheme was better for predicting the
      surgical outcome for this disease.

PMID- 28642183
TI  - Giant Bicompartmental Cystic Tentorial Schwannoma Mimicking a Meningioma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracranial schwannomas most commonly arise from the
      vestibulocochlear nerve and less frequently from trigeminal, facial, and
      hypoglossal nerves. Intracranial schwannomas unrelated to cranial nerves are very
      rare; only approximately 50 cases have been reported in the literature. Tentorial
      schwannoma (TS) is even rarer, with only 13 cases reported to date. We present a
      rare case of giant TS. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 21-year-old man presented with
      generalized headache and dizziness for the past 6 months and worsening of
      symptoms for the past 2 months. On evaluation, he was found to have a cystic
      lesion arising from the right tentorium with multiple internal septa and fluid
      levels, with both supratentorial and infratentorial extension. The presence of a
      dural tail sign and tentorial origin led us to make a preoperative diagnosis of
      tentorial meningioma. The patient underwent complete excision, and a diagnosis of
      TS was made based on histopathologic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: TSs are extremely
      rare. Knowledge of radiologic and morphologic features can be helpful in making a
      preoperative diagnosis. The dural tail sign, which is considered a characteristic
      feature of meningioma, is commonly seen in TS as well, and thus TS should always
      be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions arising from the
      tentorium.

PMID- 28642184
TI  - Use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in microsurgery.
AB  - Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is currently used for its property to improve tissue
      regeneration and wound healing. Platelet derived growth factors are involved in
      tissue regeneration and new vessels formation that could improve a free flap
      survival. Nevertheless to validate the use of regenerative medicine in
      microsurgery further large and robust human clinical trials are needed.

PMID- 28642185
TI  - Place of 3D printing in facial epithesis.
AB  - Facial rehabilitation from facial epithets is part of the facial surgeon's
      therapeutic arsenal. The primary technique requires taking imprints on the
      patient, which has major drawbacks such as discomfort and difficulties for
      precisely recording anatomical surfaces. In this paper, we present a technical
      improvement in the design of facial epithesis, introducing application of a 3D
      printing technology. By exploiting digital data in DICOM format, it is possible
      to produce a digital copy of an epithesis. Based on this copy a model can be
      printed and then used to support the final prosthesis.

PMID- 28642186
TI  - Mandibular anterior segmental subapical osteotomy for incisor axis correction.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Mandibular incisor axis correction can be challenging in non
      extraction orthodontic treatment planning. Mandibular anterior segmental
      subapical osteotomy (MASSO) is a surgical approach, which can be used to
      reposition incisor axis, improve occlusal function and enhance the soft tissue
      profile. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients, mean age 22.6 years (16-39, SD=6.69),
      were treated for MASSO for correction of Class II dentoskeletal deformity, in
      addition to other orthognathic procedures. Retrospective analysis was performed
      on lateral cephalogram measurements, at the end of presurgical orthodontics and 6
      months after completion of post-surgical orthodontics. RESULTS: Mandibular
      incisor axis was corrected from a presurgical incisor to mandibular plane angle
      group mean of 109 degrees  (94-122, SD=7.97) to 95 degrees  (88-105, SD=3.79).
      Patients were followed for an average of 31 months after treatment completion,
      with no detected dentoskeletal complication or relapse. CONCLUSION: MASSO is an
      efficient and safe surgical procedure for incisor axis correction.

PMID- 28642187
TI  - Cheiloplasty associated to a palatal obturator in a preterm infant with a cleft
      lip and palate.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Preterm infants are commonly treated by non-invasive ventilation
      (NIV) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), which are associated
      with fewer complications than nasotracheal intubation. In preterm infants with a
      cleft lip and palate, this method of respiratory management is difficult or
      impossible to perform because of air leakage through the cleft defect. CASE: We
      report a male infant who was born at 29 weeks of gestation with a left complete
      unilateral cleft lip and palate. Birth weight was 900 grammes. Because of the
      cleft, we have any problems to ventile this infant. We decide to close the cleft
      prematurely on day 17 after multidisciplinary discussion. DISCUSSION: NIV cannot
      be performed with the usual equipment in very premature infants with a cleft lip
      and palate because of air leakage through the cleft defect. Very few studies
      report pre term infant with cleft lip and palate and his difficulties of
      ventilation. This is the first case reported to perform cheiloplasty on a 900g
      preterm infant.

PMID- 28642188
TI  - Costal graft as a support for bone regeneration after mandibular juvenile
      ossifying fibroma resection: An unusual case report.
AB  - Spontaneous regeneration of bone tissue after mandibular resection is rare in
      adults, although it does often take place in children. Periosteum conservation
      appears to play a major role in this healing process. We here report regarding a
      5-year-old boy who exhibited a large mandibular trabecular juvenile ossifying
      fibroma. The lesion was treated by mandibulectomy, with careful preservation of
      the periosteal layer and immediate reconstruction with a costal graft by an
      intraoral approach. Monitoring over the course of a year revealed spontaneous
      mandibular regeneration, and it allowed for a series of measurements of the graft
      to be made. During this follow-up period, the mandibular height increased from
      41.5% to 75.2% (P=0.0008) of the height of the unaffected mandibular height,
      while the width grew from 34.4% to 82.8% (P=0.0078) of the width of the healthy
      side, thus demonstrating the importance of a conservative approach regarding the
      periosteum in such situations. The costal graft acted as a support for bone
      regeneration by immobilizing the remaining bone fragments and by preventing soft
      tissue prolapse.

PMID- 28642189
TI  - How to produce pre-shaped rigid arch bars using low-cost 3D printing technology -
      A technical note.
AB  - Numerous oral and maxillofacial procedures in dentate patients begin with the
      fixation of occlusions. While several techniques exist to perform mandibulo
      maxillary fixation, many surgeons use arch bars in common practice. In cases of
      severe craniofacial traumas or jaw malformations, such as temporomandibular joint
      ankylosis, it may be impossible to use rigid arch bars. This technical note
      reports on the development of a technique to produce pre-shaped rigid arch bars
      using 3D printing technology. We take the case of a patient who presents Le Fort
      1, Le Fort 2 and Le Fort 3 fractures as well as a central palatine disjunction,
      an angular mandibular fracture and bilateral zygomatic fractures. We specify the
      indications and limitations of this technique.

PMID- 28642190
TI  - Complications associated with surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion without
      pterygomaxillary separation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this retrospective clinical study was to evaluate
      the surgical complications associated with the surgically assisted rapid palatal
      expansion (SARPE) which does not involve pterygomaxillary separation (PMS).
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 40 (25 females, 15 males) skeletally mature
      patients, who had the diagnosis of maxillary transverse maxillary deficiency
      (TMD), were treated surgically under local or general anesthesia. The mean follow
      up time was 6 months. RESULTS: Recorded perioperative and postoperative
      complications were discussed within the current literature. No serious
      complications were observed intraoperatively. Eight patients (20%) showed
      postoperative complications including neurosensory deficits, maxillary sinus
      infection, epistaxis, fistula formation and incisional dehiscence. DISCUSSION:
      Neurosensory deficits were the most common findings. The present findings suggest
      that minor complications were observed associated with SARPE without PMS. The
      technique may be performed safely also under local anesthesia.

PMID- 28642191
TI  - New aspects in free flap surgery: Mini-perforator flaps and extracorporeal flap
      perfusion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The scope of microvascular tissue transfer in the Head and Neck
      reaches from coverage of simple soft tissue defects to complex 3-D
      reconstructions using multiple or chimeric flaps. This paper summarises the
      presentation given at the Congress of the French Society of Oral and
      Maxillofacial Surgery in Marseille 2017. It was the aim of our work to add
      further elements to this wide spectrum of reconstructive possibilities. METHODS:
      For patients with small intraoral soft tissue defects in whom the use of a radial
      forearm flap would not be justified because of its donor site morbidity, but who
      nevertheless would take a benefit from a small free flap, we used mini-perforator
      flaps from the lower leg. These flaps were raised with negligible morbidity.
      Moreover, for patients necessarily needing a free flap, but having vessel
      depleted, irradiated necks, we have developed a first idea of extracorporeal flap
      perfusion to make microvascular anastomoses unnecessary. RESULTS: Using donor
      sites from the lower leg, mini-soleus and medial sural perforator flaps were
      raised to cover defects of 2*3 to 2*4cm at the anterior floor of the mouth or
      lateral tongue. The success rate was 91%, and despite their small size, the flaps
      helped to maintain the mobility of the tongue. The donor site morbidity was
      minimal. After extensive experimental work on small animals and human tissue,
      four flaps could successfully be transferred so far by means of extracorporeal
      perfusion. In these patients, autonomisation took place between 5 and 12 days.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although microvascular tissue transfer already allows for
      reconstruction in almost any possible defect constellation, mini-perforator flaps
      and machine-perfused transplants seem to represent new aspects of free flap
      surgery, being useful extensions of the reconstructive surgeon's armament.

PMID- 28642192
TI  - Applications of 3D orbital computer-assisted surgery (CAS).
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the present report is to describe the indications
      for use of 3D orbital computer-assisted surgery (CAS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We
      analyzed the clinical and radiological data of all patients with orbital
      deformities treated using intra-operative navigation and CAD/CAM techniques at
      the Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve, Switzerland, between 2009 and 2016. We
      recorded age and gender, orbital deformity, technical and surgical procedure and
      postoperative complications. RESULTS: One hundred and three patients were
      included. Mean age was 39.5years (range, 5 to 84years) and 85 (87.5%) were men.
      Of the 103 patients, 96 had intra-operative navigation (34 for primary and 3 for
      secondary orbito-zygomatic fractures, 15 for Le Fort fractures, 16 for orbital
      floor fractures, 10 for combined orbital floor and medial wall fractures, 7 for
      orbital medial wall fractures, 3 for NOE (naso-orbito-ethmoidal) fractures, 2 for
      isolated comminuted zygomatic arch fractures, 1 for enophthalmos, 3 for TMJ
      ankylosis and 2 for fibrous dysplasia bone recontouring), 8 patients had CAD/CAM
      PEEK-PSI for correction of residual orbital bone contour following
      craniomaxillofacial trauma, and 1 patient had CAD/CAM surgical splints and
      cutting guides for correction of orbital hypertelorism. Two patient (1.9%)
      required revision surgery for readjustment of an orbital mesh. The 1-year follow
      up examination showed stable cosmetic and dimensional results in all patients.
      CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the application of 3D orbital CAS with
      regards to intra-operative navigation and CAD/CAM techniques allowed for a
      successful outcome in the patients presented in this series.

PMID- 28642193
TI  - Unusual X-RAY finding after mandibular reconstruction.

PMID- 28642196
TI  - GDF5 significantly augments the bone formation induced by an injectable, PLGA
      fiber-reinforced, brushite-forming cement in a sheep defect model of lumbar
      osteopenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Biodegradable calcium phosphate cement (CPC) represents a
      promising option for the surgical treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures.
      Because of augmented local bone catabolism, however, additional targeted delivery
      of bone morphogenetic proteins with the CPC may be needed to promote rapid and
      complete bone regeneration. PURPOSE: In the present study, an injectable, poly(l
      lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) fiber-reinforced, brushite-forming cement (CPC)
      containing the bone morphogenetic protein GDF5 was tested in a sheep lumbar
      osteopenia model. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This is a prospective experimental animal
      study. METHODS: Defined bone defects (diameter 5 mm) were placed in aged,
      osteopenic female sheep. Defects were treated with fiber-reinforced CPC alone
      (L4; CPC+fibers) or with CPC containing different dosages of GDF5 (L5;
      CPC+fibers+GDF5; 1, 5, 100, and 500 ug GDF5; n=5 or 6 each). The results were
      compared with those of untouched controls (L1). Three and 9 months postoperation,
      structural and functional effects of the CPC (+/-GDF5) were assessed ex vivo by
      measuring (1) bone mineral density (BMD); (2) bone structure, that is, bone
      volume/total volume (assessed by micro-computed tomography and histomorphometry),
      trabecular thickness, and trabecular number; (3) bone formation, that is, osteoid
      volume/bone volume, osteoid surface/bone surface, osteoid thickness, mineralized
      surface/bone surface, mineral apposition rate, and bone formation rate/bone
      surface; (4) bone resorption, that is, eroded surface/bone surface; and (5)
      compressive strength. RESULTS: Compared with untouched controls (L1), both
      CPC+fibers (L4) and CPC+fibers+GDF5 (L5) numerically or significantly improved
      all parameters of bone formation, bone resorption, and bone structure. These
      significant effects were observed both at 3 and 9 months, but for some parameters
      they were less pronounced at 9 months. Compared with CPC without GDF5, additional
      significant effects of CPC with GDF5 were demonstrated for BMD and parameters of
      bone formation and structure (bone volume/total volume, trabecular thickness, and
      trabecular number, as well as mineralized surface/bone surface). The GDF5 effects
      were dose-dependent (predominantly in the 5-100 ug range) at 3 and 9 months.
      CONCLUSIONS: GDF5 significantly enhanced the bone formation induced by a PLGA
      fiber-reinforced CPC in sheep lumbar osteopenia. The results indicated that a
      local dose as low as <=100 ug GDF5 may be sufficient to augment middle to long
      term bone formation. The novel CPC+GDF5 combination may thus qualify as an
      alternative to the bioinert, supraphysiologically stiff poly(methyl methacrylate)
      cement currently applied for vertebroplasty/kyphoplasty of osteoporotic vertebral
      fractures.

PMID- 28642197
TI  - Risk of Hepatocellular Cancer in HCV Patients Treated With Direct-Acting
      Antiviral Agents.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The risk of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) after sustained
      virological response (SVR) with direct-acting antivirals (DAA) is unclear. Our
      aim was to examine the risk and determinants of HCC in patients cured with DAA.
      METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of hepatitis C virus patients
      who were treated with DAA in any of the 129 Veterans Health Administration
      hospitals between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. We calculated the annual
      incidence rates of HCC by SVR. We used Cox regression models to compare the risk
      of HCC in patients with vs those without SVR and to identify factors associated
      with incident HCC among patients with SVR. We reviewed a sample of HCC patients
      for tumor size and stage at diagnosis. RESULTS: Among 22,500 patients treated
      with DAA (19,518 with SVR; 2982 without SVR), the mean (standard deviation) age
      was 61.6 (6.1) years, and 39.0% had cirrhosis. There were 271 new cases of HCC,
      including 183 in patients with SVR. Compared with patients without SVR, those
      with SVR had a significantly reduced risk of HCC (0.90 vs 3.45 HCC/100 person
      years; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.28, 95% CI=0.22-0.36). Patients with cirrhosis
      had the highest annual incidence of HCC after SVR (1.82 vs 0.34/100 person-years
      in patients without cirrhosis; adjusted hazard ratio, 4.73. 95% CI, 3.34-6.68).
      Most (>44.8%) HCC were classified as stage I. Maximum size of the largest lesion
      was <=5 cm in over 75% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients treated with DAA,
      SVR was associated with a considerable reduction in the risk of HCC. We did not
      find any evidence to suggest that DAAs promote HCC. However, in patients with
      SVR, the absolute risk of HCC remained high in patients with established
      cirrhosis. These patients should be considered for ongoing HCC surveillance.

PMID- 28642194
TI  - Breaking fat: The regulation and mechanisms of lipophagy.
AB  - Lipophagy is defined as the autophagic degradation of intracellular lipid
      droplets (LDs). While the field of lipophagy research is relatively young, an
      expansion of research in this area over the past several years has greatly
      advanced our understanding of lipophagy. Since its original characterization in
      fasted liver, the contribution of lipophagy is now recognized in various
      organisms, cell types, metabolic states and disease models. Moreover, recent
      studies provide exciting new insights into the underlying mechanisms of lipophagy
      induction as well as the consequences of lipophagy on cell metabolism and
      signaling. This review summarizes recent work focusing on LDs and lipophagy as
      well as highlighting challenges and future directions of research as our
      understanding of lipophagy continues to grow and evolve. This article is part of
      a Special Issue entitled: Recent Advances in Lipid Droplet Biology edited by
      Rosalind Coleman and Matthijs Hesselink.

PMID- 28642199
TI  - Chemical profile and anti-leishmanial activity of three Ecuadorian propolis
      samples from Quito, Guayaquil and Cotacachi regions.
AB  - Three propolis samples were collected from different regions of Ecuador (Quito,
      Guayaquil and Cotacachi) and their methanolic extracts were prepared. Preliminary
      information supplied by TLC and NMR data, allowed us to define two main types of
      propolis: Cotacachi propoli sample (CPS), rich in flavonoids and Quito and
      Guayaquil samples (QPS and GPS) containing triterpenic alcohols and acetyl
      triterpenes as the main constituents. Two different approaches based on RP-HPLC
      preparative procedure and NMR structural determination (CPS) and GC-MS analysis
      (QPS and GPS) were successfully used for the chemical characterization of their
      major compounds. All three propolis extracts were able to inhibit Leishmania
      amazonensis growth but propolis sample rich in flavonoids was the most active
      (IC50=17.1+/-1.7MUg/mL). In the literature this is the first study on propolis
      from Ecuador.

PMID- 28642198
TI  - Treatment of Intestinal Fibrosis in Experimental Inflammatory Bowel Disease by
      the Pleiotropic Actions of a Local Rho Kinase Inhibitor.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intestinal fibrosis resulting in (sub)obstruction is a common
      complication of Crohn's disease (CD). Rho kinases (ROCKs) play multiple roles in
      TGFbeta-induced myofibroblast activation that could be therapeutic targets.
      Because systemic ROCK inhibition causes cardiovascular side effects, we evaluated
      the effects of a locally acting ROCK inhibitor (AMA0825) on intestinal fibrosis.
      METHODS: Fibrosis was assessed in mouse models using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)
      and adoptive T-cell transfer. The in vitro and ex vivo effects of AMA0825 were
      studied in different cell types and in CD biopsy cultures. RESULTS: ROCK is
      expressed in fibroblastic, epithelial, endothelial, and muscle cells of the human
      intestinal tract and is activated in inflamed and fibrotic tissue. Prophylactic
      treatment with AMA0825 inhibited myofibroblast accumulation, expression of pro
      fibrotic factors, and accumulation of fibrotic tissue without affecting clinical
      disease activity and histologic inflammation in 2 models of fibrosis. ROCK
      inhibition reversed established fibrosis in a chronic DSS model and impeded ex
      vivo pro-fibrotic protein secretion from stenotic CD biopsies. AMA0825 reduced
      TGFbeta1-induced activation of myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF) and
      p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), down-regulating matrix
      metalloproteinases, collagen, and IL6 secretion from fibroblasts. In these cells,
      ROCK inhibition potentiated autophagy, which was required for the observed
      reduction in collagen and IL6 production. AMA0825 did not affect pro-inflammatory
      cytokine secretion from other ROCK-positive cell types, corroborating the
      selective in vivo effect on fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Local ROCK inhibition prevents
      and reverses intestinal fibrosis by diminishing MRTF and p38 MAPK activation and
      increasing autophagy in fibroblasts. Overall, our results show that local ROCK
      inhibition is promising for counteracting fibrosis as an add-on therapy for CD.

PMID- 28642200
TI  - Enhancement of solubility and dissolution rate of baicalein, wogonin and oroxylin
      A extracted from Radix scutellariae.
AB  - Baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A are three major hydrophobic components in the
      extract of Radix scutellariae with wide spectrum of pharmacological applications.
      The purpose of this study was to enhance the solubility, dissolution rate and
      stability of baicalein, wogonin and oroxylin A by solid dispersion (SD)
      technique. SD of the extract with various polymers was prepared to select the
      best carrier. Solubility study, chemical stability study and dissolution study
      were performed to characterize the SD. The solubility of all three components,
      after forming solid dispersion with povidone K-30 (PVP K-30) was significantly
      increased in pH 6.8 medium at room temperature. Stability study conducted for
      80days elucidated that the SD in powder state was fairly stable without the aid
      of Vitamin C (VC). VC was required as antioxidant to impart stability to
      baicalein in aqueous medium. The dissolution test of the SD of three components,
      admixed with VC at the weight ratio of 1:6 (Radix scutellariae extract: VC, w/w)
      exhibited faster dissolution rate with 100% release of all components.
      Pharmacokinetic study of baicalein solid dispersion revealed that AUC and Cmax
      significantly increased by solid dispersion preparation. Thus, the current
      developed method, being simple, economical and effective, can be useful for the
      production of soluble dosage forms of the extract of Radix scutellariae in
      commercial scale.

PMID- 28642201
TI  - Combination of coenzyme Q10-loaded liposomes with ultrasound targeted
      microbubbles destruction (UTMD) for early theranostics of diabetic nephropathy.
AB  - Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common and lethal microvascular
      complications of diabetes. This study aimed to explore whether coenzymeQ10
      (CoQ10) as an antioxidant combined with ultrasound-targeted microbubble
      destruction (UTMD) could reverse the progress of early diabetic nephropathy (DN).
      CoQ10 has great potential to treat early DN. However, the clinical application of
      CoQ10 has been limited because of its low aqueous solubility and non-specific
      distribution. Therefore, CoQ10-loaded liposomes (CoQ10-lip) were prepared and
      combined with ultrasound microbubbles for the early theranostics of DN. CoQ10-lip
      exhibited a good round morphology with a diameter of 183+/-1.7nm and a negative
      zeta potential of -25.3mV, which was capable of prolonging the release of the
      encapsulated CoQ10. The early DN rat models were induced by streptozotocin (STZ)
      and confirmed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and 24-h urinary albumin.
      After the administration of CoQ10-lip combined with the UTMD technique to rats
      with early DN, the morphology and function of the kidney were evaluated by
      ultrasonography, histological and molecular analyses. The renal hemodynamics were
      significantly improved, moreover, 24-h urinary protein, and oxidative stress
      indexes were modulated after treatment with CoQ10-lip+UTMD indicating recovery of
      renal function. An elevated level of Nphs2 protein and reduced caspase 3 level
      indicated the preservation of podocytes and inhibition of cell apoptosis after
      CoQ10-lip+UTMD treatment. The molecular mechanism was associated with the
      upregulation of Bcl-2 and the downregulation of Bax. Moreover, the combination of
      CoQ10-lip and ultrasound microbubbles demonstrated a better protective effect on
      the damaged kidney than the other groups (free CoQ10 or CoQ10-lip+/- UTMD).
      Conclusively, CoQ10-lip in combination with ultrasound microbubbles might be a
      potential strategy to reverse the progress of early DN.

PMID- 28642195
TI  - How lipid droplets "TAG" along: Glycerolipid synthetic enzymes and lipid storage.
AB  - Triacylglycerols (TAG) serve as the predominant form of energy storage in
      mammalian cells, and TAG synthesis influences conditions such as obesity, fatty
      liver, and insulin resistance. In most tissues, the glycerol 3-phosphate pathway
      enzymes are responsible for TAG synthesis, and the regulation and function of
      these enzymes is therefore important for metabolic homeostasis. Here we review
      the sites and regulation of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT),
      acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (AGPAT), lipin phosphatidic acid
      phosphatase (PAP), and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) enzyme action. We
      highlight the critical roles that these enzymes play in human health by reviewing
      Mendelian disorders that result from mutation in the corresponding genes. We also
      summarize the valuable insights that genetically engineered mouse models have
      provided into the cellular and physiological roles of GPATs, AGPATs, lipins and
      DGATs. Finally, we comment on the status and feasibility of therapeutic
      approaches to metabolic disease that target enzymes of the glycerol 3-phosphate
      pathway. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Recent Advances in
      Lipid Droplet Biology edited by Rosalind Coleman and Matthijs Hesselink.

PMID- 28642202
TI  - Engineering of multifunctional temperature-sensitive liposomes for synergistic
      photothermal, photodynamic, and chemotherapeutic effects.
AB  - Heterogeneity of cancer cells and drug resistance require multiple therapeutic
      approaches for comprehensive treatment. In this study, temperature-sensitive
      liposomes containing anti-cancer agent tanespimycin (17-AAG) and photosensitizer
      IR 820 were developed for combination of phototherapy and chemotherapy. The
      temperature-sensitive liposomes composed of DPPC, cholesterol, DSPE-PEG, 17-AAG,
      and IR 820 (LP-AI) at weight ratio of 35/15/3/2/2 were formulated as a thin film
      using extrusion and evaluated for particle size, morphology and drug release
      profile. Furthermore, the anticancer effect of combined therapy was examined in
      vitro and in vivo in SCC-7 and MCF-7 cell lines. As a result, LP-AI was prepared
      at particle size of 166.7+/-1.3nm, PDI of 0.153+/-0.012, and zeta-potential of 
      32.6+/-0.8mV. After NIR irradiation (660 and 808nm laser), LP-AI could generate
      heat and ROS and enhance drug release from nanoparticles which were useful to
      kill the cancer cells. These were confirmed by in vitro cytotoxicity as well as
      in vivo effective ablation of tumors. In conclusion, fast drug release and
      enhanced treatment efficacy of LP-AI indicate the potential of integrating photo-
      and chemotherapy for synergistic anti-cancer effects.

PMID- 28642203
TI  - Developments of Polysorbate (Tween) based microemulsions: Preclinical drug
      delivery, toxicity and antimicrobial applications.
AB  - The present review deals with the progress of Polysorbates (Tween) based
      microemulsions in drug delivery. PEGylated Sorbitan Fatty Acid Esters
      (Tweens/Polysorbates) are one of the most used non-ionic surfactants.
      Particularly, Polysorbates based microemulsion has been widely used for enhancing
      solubilization of poorly soluble drugs. This article deals with underlying the
      preclinical factors which affect the solubilization efficacy of Tween
      formulations, implication of pharmaceutically accepted vectors in terms of
      absorption, bioavailability, biological fate and potential toxicity.
      Antimicrobial activity of Tween microemulsion formulations has also been
      addressed emphasising the role of Tween. The review contains comprehensive
      knowledge/literature related to physicochemical parameters and biological fate of
      different Polysorbates and takes into account all the parameters and observations
      that make Tween a very convenient and safe choice for the use as pharmaceutical
      excipient for microemulsion formulations.

PMID- 28642204
TI  - Co-delivery of paclitaxel and anti-survivin siRNA via redox-sensitive
      oligopeptide liposomes for the synergistic treatment of breast cancer and
      metastasis.
AB  - The overexpression of survivin in breast cancer cells is an important factor of
      paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in breast cancer. To overcome PTX resistance and
      improve the antitumor effect of PTX, we developed a novel liposome-based
      nanosystem (PTX/siRNA/SS-L), composed of a redox-sensitive cationic oligopeptide
      lipid (LHSSG2C14) with a proton sponge effect, natural soybean
      phosphatidylcholine (SPC), and cholesterol for co-delivery of PTX and anti
      survivin siRNA, which could specifically downregulate survivin overexpression.
      PTX/siRNA/SS-L exhibited high encapsulation efficiency and rapid redox-responsive
      release of both PTX and siRNA. Moreover, in vitro studies on the 4T1 breast
      cancer cells revealed that PTX/siRNA/SS-L offered significant advantages over
      other experimental groups, such as higher cellular uptake, successful
      endolysosomal escape, reduced survivin expression, the lowest cell viability and
      wound healing rate, as well as the highest apoptosis rate. In particular, in vivo
      evaluation of 4T1 tumor-bearing mice showed that PTX/siRNA/SS-L had lower
      toxicity and induced a synergistic inhibitory effect on tumor growth and
      pulmonary metastasis. Collectively, the collaboration of anti-survivin siRNA and
      PTX via redox-sensitive oligopeptide liposomes provides a promising strategy for
      the treatment of breast cancer and metastasis.

PMID- 28642205
TI  - Radial Endoscopic Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Chronic Schistosomiasis in the
      Colorectum.

PMID- 28642206
TI  - Obesity and Risk of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Comparison of
      Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Conventionally-Derived Anthropometric
      Measures.

PMID- 28642207
TI  - Arabidopsis thaliana sucrose phosphate synthase (sps) genes are expressed
      differentially in organs and tissues, and their transcription is regulated by
      osmotic stress.
AB  - Sucrose is synthesized from UDP-Glc and Fru-6-phosphate via the activity of
      sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) enzymes, which produce Suc-6-phosphate. Suc-6
      phosphate is rapidly dephosphorylated by phosphatases to produce Suc and
      inorganic phosphate. Arabidopsis has four sps genes encoding SPS enzymes. Of
      these enzymes, AtSPS1F and AtSPS2F have been grouped with other dicotyledonous
      SPS enzymes, while AtSPS3F and AtSPS4F are included in groups with both
      dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous SPS enzymes. In this work, we generated
      Arabidopsis thaliana transformants containing the promoter region of each sps
      gene fused to gfp::uidA reporter genes. A detailed characterization of expression
      conferred by the sps promoters in organs and tissues was performed. We observed
      expression of AtSPS1F, AtSPS2F and AtSPS3F in the columella roots of the plants
      that support sucrose synthesis. Hence, these findings support the idea that
      sucrose synthesis occurs in the columella cells, and suggests that sucrose has a
      role in this tissue. In addition, the expression of AtSPS4F was identified in
      embryos and suggests its participation in this developmental stage. Quantitative
      transcriptional analysis of A. thaliana plants grown in media with different
      osmotic potential showed that AtSPS2F and AtSPS4F respond to osmotic stress.

PMID- 28642208
TI  - Assessing the efficacy of imagery-enhanced cognitive behavioral group therapy for
      social anxiety disorder: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT) is effective for social anxiety disorder
      (SAD), but a substantial proportion of patients do not typically achieve
      normative functioning. Cognitive behavioral models of SAD emphasize negative self
      imagery as an important maintaining factor, and evidence suggests that imagery is
      a powerful cognitive mode for facilitating affective change. This study will
      compare two group CBGT interventions, one that predominantly uses verbally-based
      strategies (VB-CBGT) and another that predominantly uses imagery-enhanced
      strategies (IE-CBGT), in terms of (a) efficacy, (b) mechanisms of change, and (c)
      cost-effectiveness. This study is a parallel groups (two-arm) single-blind
      randomized controlled trial. A minimum of 96 patients with SAD will be recruited
      within a public outpatient community mental health clinic in Perth, Australia.
      The primary outcomes will be self-reported symptom severity, caseness (SAD
      present: yes/no) based on a structured diagnostic interview, and clinician-rated
      severity and life impact. Secondary outcomes and mechanism measures include blind
      observer-rated use of safety behaviors, physiological activity (heart rate
      variability and skin conductance level) during a standardized speech task,
      negative self-beliefs, imagery suppression, fear of negative and positive
      evaluation, repetitive negative thinking, anxiety, depression, self
      consciousness, use of safety behaviors, and the EQ-5D-5L and TiC-P for the health
      economic analysis. Homework completion, group cohesion, and working alliance will
      also be monitored. The outcomes of this trial will inform clinicians as to
      whether integrating imagery-based strategies in cognitive behavior therapy for
      SAD is likely to improve outcomes. Common and distinct mechanisms of change might
      be identified, along with relative cost-effectiveness of each intervention.

PMID- 28642209
TI  - Acceptability and feasibility of a randomized clinical trial of oral naltrexone
      vs. placebo for women living with HIV infection: Study design challenges and
      pilot study results.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women living with HIV/AIDS who drink alcohol are at increased risk
      for adverse health outcomes, but there is little evidence on best methods for
      reducing alcohol consumption in this population. We conducted a pilot study to
      determine the acceptability and feasibility of conducting a larger randomized
      clinical trial of naltrexone vs. placebo to reduce alcohol consumption in women
      living with HIV/AIDS. METHODS: We designed the trial with input from community
      and scientific review. Women with HIV who reported current hazardous drinking (>7
      drinks/week or >=4 drinks per occasion) were randomly assigned to daily oral
      naltrexone (50mg) or placebo for 4months. We evaluated willingness to enroll,
      adherence to study medication, treatment side effects, and drinking and HIV
      related outcomes. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2012, 17 women enrolled (mean age
      49years, 94% African American). Study participation was higher among women
      recruited from an existing HIV cohort study compared to women recruited from an
      outpatient HIV clinic. Participants took 73% of their study medication; 82%
      completed the final assessment (7-months). Among all participants, mean alcohol
      consumption declined substantially from baseline to month 4 (39.2 vs. 12.8
      drinks/week, p<0.01) with continued reduction maintained at 7-months. Drinking
      reductions were similar in both naltrexone and placebo groups. CONCLUSIONS: A
      pharmacologic alcohol intervention was acceptable and feasible in women with HIV,
      with reduced alcohol consumption noted in women assigned to both treatment and
      placebo groups. However, several recruitment challenges were identified that
      should be addressed to enhance recruitment in future alcohol treatment trials.

PMID- 28642210
TI  - Rationale and Design for a Randomized Comparison of Efficacy and Safety between
      Aspirin and Clopidogrel in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with Low Stroke Risk:
      CESAC-AF trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of thromboembolic stroke.
      An oral anticoagulant should be administrated to prevent stroke in patients with
      moderate stroke risk (ie, CHA2DS2-VASc score>2). If the stroke risk is low (i.e.
      the score=1), however, antiplatelet agent such as aspirin is widely used. Aspirin
      can cause peptic ulcer disease (PUD) while its alternative, clopidogrel,
      theoretically does not. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the efficacy and safety between
      aspirin and clopidogrel, a multicenter randomized controlled trial was designed
      in AF patients with low stroke risk. METHODS: According to sample size estimation
      based on previous literature, a total of 1560 AF patients with low stroke risk
      will be randomly assigned into 4 different groups dependent upon initial
      esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) results: two mono-antiplatelet treatment groups
      with either aspirin 100mg or clopidogrel 75mg for 1year; two antiplatelet agent
      and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) combination groups. Follow-up EGD will be
      performed at 1year. RESULTS: The clinical follow-up will be performed for 1year
      after enrollment. The primary efficacy endpoint is to compare the annual stroke
      rate between aspirin and clopidogrel treatment groups. The primary safety
      endpoint is to compare the prevalence of drug-induced gastrointestinal (GI) and
      intracranial hemorrhage and upper-GI response including PUD based on EGD after
      1year. CONCLUSIONS: This trial will determine whether clopidogrel is noninferior
      in stroke prevention and superior in reduction of GI events including PUD to
      aspirin in AF patients with low stroke risk. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02960126).

PMID- 28642212
TI  - Filtering Entities to Optimize Identification of Adverse Drug Reaction From
      Social Media: How Can the Number of Words Between Entities in the Messages Help?
AB  - BACKGROUND: With the increasing popularity of Web 2.0 applications, social media
      has made it possible for individuals to post messages on adverse drug reactions.
      In such online conversations, patients discuss their symptoms, medical history,
      and diseases. These disorders may correspond to adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or
      any other medical condition. Therefore, methods must be developed to distinguish
      between false positives and true ADR declarations. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this
      study was to investigate a method for filtering out disorder terms that did not
      correspond to adverse events by using the distance (as number of words) between
      the drug term and the disorder or symptom term in the post. We hypothesized that
      the shorter the distance between the disorder name and the drug, the higher the
      probability to be an ADR. METHODS: We analyzed a corpus of 648 messages
      corresponding to a total of 1654 (drug and disorder) pairs from 5 French forums
      using Gaussian mixture models and an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm .
      RESULTS: The distribution of the distances between the drug term and the disorder
      term enabled the filtering of 50.03% (733/1465) of the disorders that were not
      ADRs. Our filtering strategy achieved a precision of 95.8% and a recall of 50.0%.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that such distance between terms can be used for
      identifying false positives, thereby improving ADR detection in social media.

PMID- 28642213
TI  - Development of a Web-Based Intervention for Addressing Distress in Caregivers of
      Patients Receiving Stem Cell Transplants: Formative Evaluation With Qualitative
      Interviews and Focus Groups
AB  - BACKGROUND: Caregivers of cancer patients experience significant burden and
      distress including depression and anxiety. We previously demonstrated the
      efficacy of an eight session, in-person, one-on-one stress management
      intervention to reduce distress in caregivers of patients receiving allogeneic
      hematopoietic stem cell transplants (allo-HSCT). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this
      study was to adapt and enhance the in-person caregiver stress management
      intervention to a mobilized website (eg, tablet, smartphone, or computer-based)
      for self-delivery in order to enhance dissemination to caregiver populations most
      in need. METHODS: We used an established approach for development of a mhealth
      intervention, completing the first two research and evaluation steps: Step One:
      Formative Research (eg, expert and stakeholder review from patients, caregivers,
      and palliative care experts) and Step Two: Pretesting (eg, Focus Groups and
      Individual Interviews with caregivers of patients with autologous HSCT (auto
      HSCT). Step one included feedback elicited for a mock-up version of Pep-Pal
      session one from caregiver, patients and clinician stakeholders from a
      multidisciplinary palliative care team (N=9 caregivers and patient stakeholders
      and N=20 palliative care experts). Step two included two focus groups (N=6
      caregivers) and individual interviews (N=9 caregivers) regarding Pep-Pal's look
      and feel, content, acceptability, and potential usability/feasibility. Focus
      groups and individual interviews were audio-recorded. In addition, individual
      interviews were transcribed, and applied thematic analysis was conducted in order
      to gain an in-depth understanding to inform the development and refinement of the
      mobilized caregiver stress management intervention, Pep-Pal (PsychoEducation and
      skills for Patient caregivers). RESULTS: Overall, results were favorable. Pep-Pal
      was deemed acceptable for caregivers of patients receiving an auto-HSCT. The
      refined Pep-Pal program consisted of 9 sessions (Introduction to Stress, Stress
      and the Mind Body Connection, How Thoughts Can Lead to Stress, Coping with
      Stress, Strategies for Maintaining Energy and Stamina, Coping with Uncertainty,
      Managing Changing Relationships and Communicating Needs, Getting the Support You
      Need, and Improving Intimacy) delivered via video instruction through a mobilized
      website. CONCLUSIONS: Feedback from stakeholder groups, focus groups, and
      individual interviews provided valuable feedback in key areas that was integrated
      into the development of Pep-Pal with the goal of enhancing dissemination,
      engagement, acceptability, and usability.

PMID- 28642215
TI  - What Motivates Young Adults to Talk About Physical Activity on Social Network
      Sites?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electronic word-of-mouth on social network sites has been used
      successfully in marketing. In social marketing, electronic word-of-mouth about
      products as health behaviors has the potential to be more effective and reach
      more young adults than health education through traditional mass media. However,
      little is known about what motivates people to actively initiate electronic word
      of-mouth about health behaviors on their personal pages or profiles on social
      network sites, thus potentially reaching all their contacts on those sites.
      OBJECTIVE: This study filled the gap by applying a marketing theoretical model to
      explore the factors associated with electronic word-of-mouth on social network
      sites about leisure-time physical activity. METHODS: A Web survey link was sent
      to undergraduate students at one of the Midwestern universities and 439 of them
      completed the survey. RESULTS: The average age of the 439 participants was 19
      years (SD=1 year, range: 18-24). Results suggested that emotional engagement with
      leisure-time physical activity (ie, affective involvement in leisure-time
      physical activity) predicted providing relevant opinions or information on social
      network sites. Social network site users who perceived stronger ties with all
      their contacts were more likely to provide and seek leisure-time physical
      activity opinions and information. People who provided leisure-time physical
      activity opinions and information were more likely to seek opinions and
      information, and people who forwarded information about leisure-time physical
      activity were more likely to chat about it. CONCLUSIONS: This study shed light on
      the application of the electronic word-of-mouth theoretical framework in
      promoting health behaviors. The findings can also guide the development of future
      social marketing interventions using social network sites to promote leisure-time
      physical activity.

PMID- 28642211
TI  - The INtegrating DEPrEssioN and Diabetes treatmENT (INDEPENDENT) study: Design and
      methods to address mental healthcare gaps in India.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Depression and diabetes are highly prevalent worldwide and often co
      exist, worsening outcomes for each condition. Barriers to diagnosis and treatment
      are exacerbated in low and middle-income countries with limited health
      infrastructure and access to mental health treatment. The INtegrating DEPrEssioN
      and Diabetes treatmENT (INDEPENDENT) study tests the sustained effectiveness and
      cost-effectiveness of a multi-component care model for individuals with poorly
      controlled diabetes and depression in diabetes clinics in India. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Adults with diabetes, depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire
      9 score>=10), and >=1 poorly-controlled cardiometabolic indicator (either
      HbA1c>=8.0%, SBP>=140mmHg, and/or LDL>=130mg/dl) were enrolled and randomized to
      the intervention or usual care. The intervention combined collaborative care,
      decision-support, and population health management. The primary outcome is the
      between-arm difference in the proportion of participants achieving combined
      depression response (>=50% reduction in Symptom Checklist score from baseline)
      AND one or more of: >=0.5% reduction in HbA1c, >=5mmHg reduction in SBP, or
      >=10mg/dl reduction in LDL-c at 24months (12-month intervention; 12-month
      observational follow-up). Other outcomes include control of individual
      parameters, patient-centered measures (i.e. treatment satisfaction), and cost
      effectiveness. RESULTS: The study trained seven care coordinators. Participant
      recruitment is complete - 940 adults were screened, with 483 eligible, and 404
      randomized (196 to intervention; 208 to usual care). Randomization was balanced
      across clinic sites. CONCLUSIONS: The INDEPENDENT model aims to increase access
      to mental health care and improve depression and cardiometabolic disease outcomes
      among complex patients with diabetes by leveraging the care provided in diabetes
      clinics in India (clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT02022111).

PMID- 28642214
TI  - Dupuytren Disease: Is There Enough Comprehensive Patient Information on the
      Internet?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dupuytren disease is a chronic nonmalign fibroproliferative disorder
      that causes finger contractures via proliferation of new tissue under the
      glabrous skin of the hand, resulting in multiple functional limitations for the
      patient. As many surgical therapy options exist, patients suffering from this
      condition actively search for information in their environment before consulting
      a health professional. OBJECTIVE: As little is known about the quality of Web
      based patient information, the aim of this study was to conduct its systematic
      evaluation using a validated tool. METHODS: A total of 118 websites were
      included, and qualitative and quantitative assessment was performed using the
      modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. This standardized
      and reproducible tool consists of 36 items to assess available information in
      three categories: contents, identification, and structure data. Scientific data
      with restricted access, duplicates, and irrelevant websites were not included.
      RESULTS: Only 32 websites addressed more than 19 items, and the scores did not
      significantly differ among the website developers. The median number of items
      from the EQIP tool was 16, with the top websites addressing 28 out of 36 items.
      The quality of the newly developed websites did not increase with passing time.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed several shortcomings in the quality of Web-based
      information available for patients suffering from Dupuytren disease. In the world
      of continuously growing and instantly available Web-based information, it is the
      health providers' negligence of the last two decades that there are very few good
      quality, informative, and educative websites that could be recommended to
      patients.

PMID- 28642216
TI  - What Predicts Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior Among Egyptian Adults? A
      Cross-Sectional Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Over the last decade, the Internet has become an important source of
      health-related information for a wide range of users worldwide. Yet, little is
      known about the personal characteristics of Egyptian Internet users who search
      for online health information (OHI). OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to
      identify the personal characteristics of Egyptian OHI seekers and to determine
      any associations between their personal characteristics and their health
      information-seeking behavior. METHODS: This cross-sectional questionnaire study
      was conducted from June to October 2015. A Web-based questionnaire was sent to
      Egyptian users aged 18 years and older (N=1400) of a popular Arabic-language
      health information website. The questionnaire included (1) demographic
      characteristics; (2) self-reported general health status; and (3) OHI-seeking
      behavior that included frequency of use, different topics sought, and self
      reported impact of obtained OHI on health behaviors. Data were analyzed using
      descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 490
      participants completed the electronic questionnaire with a response rate
      equivalent to 35.0% (490/1400). Regarding personal characteristics, 57.1%
      (280/490) of participants were females, 63.4% (311/490) had a university level
      qualification, and 37.1% (182/490) had a chronic health problem. The most
      commonly sought OHI by the participants was nutrition-related. Results of the
      multiple regression analysis showed that 31.0% of the variance in frequency of
      seeking OHI among Egyptian adults can be predicted by personal characteristics.
      Participants who sought OHI more frequently were likely to be female, of younger
      age, had higher education levels, and good self-reported general health.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide insights into personal characteristics and OHI
      seeking behaviors of Egyptian OHI users. This will contribute to better recognize
      their needs, highlight ways to increase the availability of appropriate OHI, and
      may lead to the provision of tools allowing Egyptian OHI users to navigate to the
      highest-quality health information.

PMID- 28642217
TI  - An Interactive, Mobile-Based Tool for Personal Social Network Data Collection and
      Visualization Among a Geographically Isolated and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged
      Population: Early-Stage Feasibility Study With Qualitative User Feedback.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Personal social networks have a profound impact on our health, yet
      collecting personal network data for use in health communication, behavior
      change, or translation and dissemination interventions has proved challenging.
      Recent advances in social network data collection software have reduced the
      burden of network studies on researchers and respondents alike, yet little
      testing has occurred to discover whether these methods are: (1) acceptable to a
      variety of target populations, including those who may have limited experience
      with technology or limited literacy; and (2) practical in the field, specifically
      in areas that are geographically and technologically disconnected, such as rural
      Appalachian Kentucky. OBJECTIVE: We explored the early-stage feasibility
      (Acceptability, Demand, Implementation, and Practicality) of using innovative,
      interactive, tablet-based network data collection and visualization software
      (OpenEddi) in field collection of personal network data in Appalachian Kentucky.
      METHODS: A total of 168 rural Appalachian women who had previously participated
      in a study on the use of a self-collected vaginal swab (SCVS) for human
      papillomavirus testing were recruited by community-based nurse interviewers
      between September 2013 and August 2014. Participants completed egocentric network
      surveys via OpenEddi, which captured social and communication network influences
      on participation in, and recruitment to, the SCVS study. After study completion,
      we conducted a qualitative group interview with four nurse interviewers and two
      participants in the network study. Using this qualitative data, and quantitative
      data from the network study, we applied guidelines from Bowen et al to assess
      feasibility in four areas of early-stage development of OpenEddi: Acceptability,
      Demand, Implementation, and Practicality. Basic descriptive network statistics
      (size, edges, density) were analyzed using RStudio. RESULTS: OpenEddi was
      perceived as fun, novel, and superior to other data collection methods or tools.
      Respondents enjoyed the social network survey component, and visualizing social
      networks produced thoughtful responses from participants about leveraging or
      changing network content and structure for specific health-promoting purposes.
      Areas for improved literacy and functionality of the tool were identified.
      However, technical issues led to substantial (50%) data loss, limiting the
      success of its implementation from a researcher's perspective, and hindering
      practicality in the field. CONCLUSIONS: OpenEddi is a promising data collection
      tool for use in geographically isolated and socioeconomically disadvantaged
      populations. Future development will mitigate technical problems, improve
      usability and literacy, and test new methods of data collection. These changes
      will support goals for use of this tool in the delivery of network-based health
      communication and social support interventions to socioeconomically disadvantaged
      populations.

PMID- 28642219
TI  - Controls on cosmetic treatments are "completely inadequate," report warns.

PMID- 28642218
TI  - The Effectiveness of Information Technology-Supported Shared Care for Patients
      With Chronic Disease: A Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In patients with chronic disease, many health care professionals are
      involved during treatment and follow-up. This leads to fragmentation that in turn
      may lead to suboptimal care. Shared care is a means to improve the integration of
      care delivered by various providers, specifically primary care physicians (PCPs)
      and specialty care professionals, for patients with chronic disease. The use of
      information technology (IT) in this field seems promising. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was
      to systematically review the literature regarding the effectiveness of IT
      supported shared care interventions in chronic disease in terms of provider or
      professional, process, health or clinical and financial outcomes. Additionally,
      our aim was to provide an inventory of the IT applications' characteristics that
      support such interventions. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE were searched
      from 2006 to 2015 to identify relevant studies using search terms related to
      shared care, chronic disease, and IT. Eligible studies were in the English
      language, and the randomized controlled trials (RCTs), controlled trials, or
      single group pre-post studies used reported on the effects of IT-supported shared
      care in patients with chronic disease and cancer. The interventions had to
      involve providers from both primary and specialty health care. Intervention and
      IT characteristics and effectiveness-in terms of provider or professional
      (proximal), process (intermediate), health or clinical and financial (distal)
      outcomes-were extracted. Risk of bias of (cluster) RCTs was assessed using the
      Cochrane tool. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 4167 results. Thirteen
      publications were used, including 11 (cluster) RCTs, a controlled trial, and a
      pre-post feasibility study. Four main categories of IT applications were
      identified: (1) electronic decision support tools, (2) electronic platform with a
      call-center, (3) electronic health records, and (4) electronic communication
      applications. Positive effects were found for decision support-based
      interventions on financial and health outcomes, such as physical activity.
      Electronic health record use improved PCP visits and reduced rehospitalization.
      Electronic platform use resulted in fewer readmissions and better clinical
      outcomes-for example, in terms of body mass index (BMI) and dyspnea. The use of
      electronic communication applications using text-based information transfer
      between professionals had a positive effect on the number of PCPs contacting
      hospitals, PCPs' satisfaction, and confidence. CONCLUSIONS: IT-supported shared
      care can improve proximal outcomes, such as confidence and satisfaction of PCPs,
      especially in using electronic communication applications. Positive effects on
      intermediate and distal outcomes were also reported but were mixed. Surprisingly,
      few studies were found that substantiated these anticipated benefits. Studies
      showed a large heterogeneity in the included populations, outcome measures, and
      IT applications used. Therefore, a firm conclusion cannot be drawn. As IT
      applications are developed and implemented rapidly, evidence is needed to test
      the specific added value of IT in shared care interventions. This is expected to
      require innovative research methods.

PMID- 28642222
TI  - Risk factors for head injury events in professional rugby union: a video analysis
      of 464 head injury events to inform proposed injury prevention strategies.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The tackle is responsible for the majority of head injuries during
      rugby union. In order to address head injury risk, risk factors during the tackle
      must first be identified. This study analysed tackle characteristics in the
      professional game in order to inform potential interventions. METHODS: 464
      tackles resulting in a head injury assessment (HIA) were analysed in detail, with
      tackle type, direction, speed, acceleration, nature of head contact and player
      body position the characteristics of interest. RESULTS: Propensity to cause an
      HIA was significantly greater for active shoulder tackles, front-on tackles, high
      speeder tackles and an accelerating tackler. Head contact between a tackler's
      head and ball carrier's head or shoulder was significantly more likely to cause
      an HIA than contact below the level of the shoulder (incident rate ratio (IRR)
      4.25, 95%-CI 3.38 to 5.35). The tackler experiences the majority (78%) of HIAs
      when head-to-head contact occurs. An upright tackler was 1.5 times more likely to
      experience an HIA than a bent at the waist tackler (IRR 1.44, 95% CI 1.18 to
      1.76). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that energy transfer in the tackle is a
      risk factor for head injury, since direction, type and speed all influence HIA
      propensity. The study provides evidence that body position and the height of
      tackles should be a focus for interventions, since lowering height and adopting a
      bent at the waist body position is associated with reduced risk for both tacklers
      and ball carriers. To this end, World Rugby has implemented law change based on
      the present data.

PMID- 28642220
TI  - Low Pulse Pressure After Acute Ischemic Stroke is Associated With Unfavorable
      Outcomes: The Taiwan Stroke Registry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pulse pressure (PP) is related to cardiac function, arterial
      stiffness, fluid status, and vascular events. This study aimed to explore the
      prognostic role of PP upon admission in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS)
      based on a nation-wide stroke registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated the
      association between PP upon admission and outcomes 3 months after a stroke in
      patients who had an AIS registered in the Taiwan Stroke Registry, including 56
      academic and community hospitals between 2006 and 2013. Three months after the
      stroke, unfavorable outcomes were defined using a modified Rankin scale of 3 to
      6. Of 33 530 patients (female, 40.6%; mean age, 68.8+/-13.3 years) who had an
      AIS, PP upon admission had a reverse J-curve association with an unfavorable
      outcome. After adjusting for clinical variables, including AIS subtypes, initial
      National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and systolic and diastolic blood
      pressure upon admission, a PP of <50 mm Hg was associated with unfavorable
      outcomes (P<0.0001). Compared with patients with a PP of 50 to 69 mm Hg, the odds
      ratios for unfavorable outcomes were 1.24 (95% CI, 1.14-1.36) with a PP of 30 to
      49 mm Hg and 1.85 (95% CI, 1.50-2.28) with a PP of <30 mm Hg. Moreover, the
      prognostic impact of PP upon admission was similar across all AIS subtypes.
      CONCLUSIONS: Low PP upon admission was associated with unfavorable patient
      outcomes in AIS.

PMID- 28642223
TI  - Performing high-level sport is strongly associated with urinary incontinence in
      elite athletes: a comparative study of 372 elite female athletes and 372
      controls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in female
      elite athletes compared with controls and to investigate potential risk factors
      for UI among elite athletes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 372
      elite athletes (athletes group, AG) and 372 age-matched controls (control group,
      CG). The median age was low (19 years) and the vast majority were nulliparous.
      Potential risk factors, including clinical, demographic and sports practice
      characteristics, were collected by using a questionnaire. The International
      Consultation on Urinary Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence-Short
      Form was applied to estimate the prevalence of UI. OR with 95% CIs were used to
      estimate the association with UI. The final model was adjusted for constipation,
      family history of UI and history of urinary infection. RESULTS: The prevalence of
      UI was 29.6% and 13.4% in AG and CG, respectively (p<0.001). The following
      prevalences were obtained: AG: 19.6% and CG: 3.5% (p<0.001) for stress UI, AG:
      3.8% and CG: 5.4% (p=0.292) for urgency UI and AG: 5.9% and CG: 0.8% (p<0.001)
      for mixed UI. After adjustment, performing high-level sport (adjusted (adj)
      OR=3.31; 95% CI 2.20 to 4.97), family history of UI (adj OR=1.54; 95% CI 1.04 to
      2.29), history of urinary infection (adj OR=1.53; 95% CI 1.05 to 2.23) and
      constipation (adj OR=1.79; 95% CI 1.07 to 2.98) were associated with UI.
      CONCLUSION: The prevalence of UI among Portuguese female elite athletes is high
      and the odds of UI were three times higher than in controls. Also, constipation,
      family history of UI and history of urinary infections were significantly
      associated with UI.

PMID- 28642221
TI  - Exercise and pregnancy in recreational and elite athletes: 2016/17 evidence
      summary from the IOC Expert Group Meeting, Lausanne. Part 3-exercise in the
      postpartum period.

PMID- 28642224
TI  - The Bangkok Declaration on Physical Activity for Global Health and Sustainable
      Development.

PMID- 28642225
TI  - Blood flow restriction training: a novel approach to augment clinical
      rehabilitation: how to do it.

PMID- 28642227
TI  - Correction: Whole-Genome Sequencing of Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.

PMID- 28642226
TI  - Measuring patient-reported outcomes (PROs/PROMs) in people with Achilles
      tendinopathy: how useful is the VISA-A?

PMID- 28642228
TI  - Global Is Local: July at a Teaching Hospital in Texas.

PMID- 28642229
TI  - Evolutionary dynamics of the kinetochore network in eukaryotes as revealed by
      comparative genomics.
AB  - During eukaryotic cell division, the sister chromatids of duplicated chromosomes
      are pulled apart by microtubules, which connect via kinetochores. The kinetochore
      is a multiprotein structure that links centromeres to microtubules, and that
      emits molecular signals in order to safeguard the equal distribution of
      duplicated chromosomes over daughter cells. Although microtubule-mediated
      chromosome segregation is evolutionary conserved, kinetochore compositions seem
      to have diverged. To systematically inventory kinetochore diversity and to
      reconstruct its evolution, we determined orthologs of 70 kinetochore proteins in
      90 phylogenetically diverse eukaryotes. The resulting ortholog sets imply that
      the last eukaryotic common ancestor (LECA) possessed a complex kinetochore and
      highlight that current-day kinetochores differ substantially. These kinetochores
      diverged through gene loss, duplication, and, less frequently, invention and
      displacement. Various kinetochore components co-evolved with one another, albeit
      in different manners. These co-evolutionary patterns improve our understanding of
      kinetochore function and evolution, which we illustrated with the RZZ complex,
      TRIP13, the MCC, and some nuclear pore proteins. The extensive diversity of
      kinetochore compositions in eukaryotes poses numerous questions regarding
      evolutionary flexibility of essential cellular functions.

PMID- 28642231
TI  - Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Community-Dwelling Adult Cancer Survivors in the
      United States: 1999-2012.
AB  - Background: Little is known about the prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure
      (SHSe) among cancer survivors. We sought to determine the prevalence, trends, and
      correlates of SHSe among nonsmoking adult cancer survivors in the United
      States.Methods: Interview and serum cotinine data for nonsmoking adults, age 20
      years and older, with a history of cancer (N = 686) were obtained from
      consecutive two-year cross-sectional cycles of the National Health and Nutrition
      Examination Survey from 1999 to 2012. SHSe was defined as serum cotinine 0.05-10
      ng/mL among nonsmokers. We calculated and trended the prevalence of SHSe among
      nonsmoking cancer survivors. Multivariable logistic regression was used to
      examine the associations of SHSe with sociodemographic, smoking, and clinical
      characteristics. Survey weights were applied in estimating prevalence rates,
      adjusted ORs, and confidence intervals (CI).Results: The weighted aggregate SHSe
      and self-reported indoor SHSe prevalence rates over the study period were 28.26%
      (95% CI: 24.97%-31.55%) and 4.53% (95% CI: 3.48%-5.57%), respectively. SHS
      exposure declined from 39.61% (95% CI: 27.88%-51.34%) in 1999/2000 to 15.68% (95%
      CI: 9.38%-21.98%) in 2011/2012 (Ptrend < 0.001). Age >= 60 years was protective
      against SHSe, while being black, having less than high school education, poverty,
      and a smoking-related cancer history were associated with higher odds of
      SHSe.Conclusions: Fortunately, SHSe among nonsmoking cancer survivors in the
      United States is on the decline, although certain subgroups remain
      disproportionately burdened.Impact: These findings highlight clinical and public
      health imperatives to target socioeconomically disadvantaged nonsmoking cancer
      survivors to reduce their SHSe. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(8); 1296
      305. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28642232
TI  - A Single Amino Acid Residue at Transmembrane Domain 4 of the alpha Subunit
      Influences Carisoprodol Direct Gating Efficacy at GABAA Receptors.
AB  - The muscle relaxant carisoprodol has recently been controlled at the federal
      level as a Schedule IV drug due to its high abuse potential and consequences of
      misuse, such as withdrawal syndrome, delusions, seizures, and even death. Recent
      work has shown that carisoprodol can directly gate and allosterically modulate
      the type A GABA (GABAA) receptor. These actions are subunit-dependent; compared
      with other GABAA receptors, carisoprodol has nominal direct gating effects in
      alpha3beta2gamma2 receptors. Here, using site-directed mutagenesis and whole-cell
      patch-clamp electrophysiology in transiently transfected human embryonic kidney
      293 cells, we examined the role of GABAA receptor alpha subunit transmembrane
      domain 4 (TM4) amino acids in direct gating and allosteric modulatory actions of
      carisoprodol. Mutation of alpha3 valine at position 440 to leucine (present in
      the equivalent position in the alpha1 subunit) significantly increased the direct
      gating effects of carisoprodol without affecting its allosteric modulatory
      effects. The corresponding reverse mutation, alpha1(L415V), decreased
      carisoprodol direct gating potency and efficacy. Analysis of a series of amino
      acid mutations at the 415 position demonstrated that amino acid volume correlated
      positively with carisoprodol efficacy, whereas polarity inversely correlated with
      carisoprodol efficacy. We conclude that alpha1(415) of TM4 is involved in the
      direct gating, but not allosteric modulatory, actions of carisoprodol. In
      addition, the orientation of alkyl or hydroxyl groups at this position influences
      direct gating effects. These findings support the likelihood that the direct
      gating and allosteric modulatory effects of carisoprodol are mediated via
      distinct binding sites.

PMID- 28642233
TI  - Sembragiline: A Novel, Selective Monoamine Oxidase Type B Inhibitor for the
      Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.
AB  - Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Increased MAO-B
      expression in astroglia has been observed adjacent to amyloid plaques in AD
      patient brains. This phenomenon is hypothesized to lead to increased production
      of hydrogen peroxide and reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby contributing to
      AD pathology. Therefore, reduction of ROS-induced oxidative stress via inhibition
      of MAO-B activity may delay the progression of the disease. In the present study
      we report the pharmacological properties of sembragiline, a novel selective MAO-B
      inhibitor specifically developed for the treatment of AD, and on its effect on
      ROS-mediated neuronal injury and astrogliosis in MAO-B transgenic animals.
      Sembragiline showed potent and long-lasting MAO-B-selective inhibition and did
      not inhibit MAO-A at doses where full inhibition of MAO-B was observed. Such
      selectivity should translate into a favorable clinical safety profile. Indeed,
      sembragiline neither induced the serotonin syndrome when administered together
      with the serotonin precursor l-5-hydroxytryptophan in combination with
      antidepressants such as fluoxetine, nor potentiated the pressor effect of
      tyramine. Additionally, in experiments using a transgenic animal model
      conditionally overexpressing MAO-B in astroglia, sembragiline protected against
      neuronal loss and reduced both ROS formation and reactive astrogliosis. Taken
      together, these findings warrant further investigation of the potential
      therapeutic benefit of MAO-B inhibitors in patients with AD and other neurologic
      disorders.

PMID- 28642234
TI  - Reconfiguration of DNA molecular arrays driven by information relay.
AB  - Information relay at the molecular level is an essential phenomenon in numerous
      chemical and biological processes, such as intricate signaling cascades. One key
      challenge in synthetic molecular self-assembly is to construct artificial
      structures that imitate these complex behaviors in controllable systems. We
      demonstrated prescribed, long-range information relay in an artificial molecular
      array assembled from modular DNA structural units. The dynamic DNA molecular
      array exhibits transformations with programmable initiation, propagation, and
      regulation. The transformation of the array can be initiated at selected units
      and then propagated, without addition of extra triggers, to neighboring units and
      eventually the entire array. The specific information pathways by which this
      transformation occurs can be controlled by altering the design of individual
      units and the arrays.

PMID- 28642236
TI  - Knee pain in a 15 year old boy.

PMID- 28642235
TI  - Atomic-layered Au clusters on alpha-MoC as catalysts for the low-temperature
      water-gas shift reaction.
AB  - The water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (where carbon monoxide plus water yields
      dihydrogen and carbon dioxide) is an essential process for hydrogen generation
      and carbon monoxide removal in various energy-related chemical operations. This
      equilibrium-limited reaction is favored at a low working temperature. Potential
      application in fuel cells also requires a WGS catalyst to be highly active,
      stable, and energy-efficient and to match the working temperature of on-site
      hydrogen generation and consumption units. We synthesized layered gold (Au)
      clusters on a molybdenum carbide (alpha-MoC) substrate to create an interfacial
      catalyst system for the ultralow-temperature WGS reaction. Water was activated
      over alpha-MoC at 303 kelvin, whereas carbon monoxide adsorbed on adjacent Au
      sites was apt to react with surface hydroxyl groups formed from water splitting,
      leading to a high WGS activity at low temperatures.

PMID- 28642230
TI  - A Review of Pulmonary Toxicity of Electronic Cigarettes in the Context of
      Smoking: A Focus on Inflammation.
AB  - The use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) is increasing rapidly, but their
      effects on lung toxicity are largely unknown. Smoking is a well-established cause
      of lung cancer and respiratory disease, in part through inflammation. It is
      plausible that e-cig use might affect similar inflammatory pathways. E-cigs are
      used by some smokers as an aid for quitting or smoking reduction, and by never
      smokers (e.g., adolescents and young adults). The relative effects for impacting
      disease risk may differ for these groups. Cell culture and experimental animal
      data indicate that e-cigs have the potential for inducing inflammation, albeit
      much less than smoking. Human studies show that e-cig use in smokers is
      associated with substantial reductions in blood or urinary biomarkers of tobacco
      toxicants when completely switching and somewhat for dual use. However, the
      extent to which these biomarkers are surrogates for potential lung toxicity
      remains unclear. The FDA now has regulatory authority over e-cigs and can
      regulate product and e-liquid design features, such as nicotine content and
      delivery, voltage, e-liquid formulations, and flavors. All of these factors may
      impact pulmonary toxicity. This review summarizes current data on pulmonary
      inflammation related to both smoking and e-cig use, with a focus on human lung
      biomarkers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(8); 1175-91. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28642237
TI  - Mediator 1 Is Atherosclerosis Protective by Regulating Macrophage Polarization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: MED1 (mediator 1) interacts with transcription factors to regulate
      transcriptional machinery. The role of MED1 in macrophage biology and the
      relevant disease state remains to be investigated. APPROACH AND RESULTS: To study
      the molecular mechanism by which MED1 regulates the M1/M2 phenotype switch of
      macrophage and the effect on atherosclerosis, we generated MED1/apolipoprotein E
      (ApoE) double-deficient (MED1DeltaMac/ApoE-/-) mice and found that
      atherosclerosis was greater in MED1DeltaMac/ApoE-/- mice than in MED1fl/fl/ApoE-/
      littermates. The gene expression of M1 markers was increased and that of M2
      markers decreased in both aortic wall and peritoneal macrophages from
      MED1DeltaMac/ApoE-/- mice, whereas MED1 overexpression rectified the changes in
      M1/M2 expression. Moreover, LDLR (low-density lipoprotein receptor)-deficient
      mice received bone marrow from MED1DeltaMac mice showed greater atherosclerosis.
      Mechanistically, MED1 ablation decreased the binding of PPARgamma (peroxisome
      proliferator-activated receptor gamma) and enrichment of H3K4me1 and H3K27ac to
      upstream region of M2 marker genes. Furthermore, interleukin 4 induction of
      PPARgamma and MED1 increased the binding of PPARgamma or MED1 to the PPAR
      response elements of M2 marker genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that MED1 is
      required for the PPARgamma-mediated M2 phenotype switch, with M2 marker genes
      induced but M1 marker genes suppressed. MED1 in macrophages has an
      antiatherosclerotic role via PPARgamma-regulated transactivation.

PMID- 28642241
TI  - Give a voice to the voiceless.

PMID- 28642239
TI  - A Novel Single-Domain Antibody Against von Willebrand Factor A1 Domain Resolves
      Leukocyte Recruitment and Vascular Leakage During Inflammation-Brief Report.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: von Willebrand factor (VWF) is crucial to hemostasis, but also plays a
      role in inflammatory processes. Unfortunately, no proper monoclonal antibodies to
      study VWF function in mice are currently available. We therefore aimed to
      generate single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) recognizing murine VWF and blocking its
      function in vivo. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Llama-derived sdAbs recognizing both
      human and murine VWF were isolated via phage display technology. One of them
      (designated KB-VWF-006) recognized the VWF A1 domain with picomolar affinity.
      This sdAb avidity was strongly enhanced via dimerization using a triple Ala
      linker (KB-VWF-006bi). When administered in vivo to wild-type mice, KB-VWF-006bi
      dose dependently induced bleeding in a tail clip model. In 2 distinct models of
      inflammation, KB-VWF-006bi efficiently interfered with leukocyte recruitment and
      vascular leakage. CONCLUSIONS: KB-VWF-006bi is an sdAb recognizing the A1 domain
      of human VWF and murine VWF that interferes with VWF-platelet interactions in
      vivo. By using this sdAb, we now also show that the A1 domain is pertinent to the
      participation of VWF in the inflammatory response.

PMID- 28642242
TI  - Specific expression and function of the Six3 optix in Drosophila serially
      homologous organs.
AB  - Organ size and pattern results from the integration of two positional information
      systems. One global information system, encoded by the Hox genes, links organ
      type with position along the main body axis. Within specific organs, local
      information is conveyed by signaling molecules that regulate organ growth and
      pattern. The mesothoracic (T2) wing and the metathoracic (T3) haltere of
      Drosophila represent a paradigmatic example of this coordination. The Hox gene
      Ultrabithorax (Ubx), expressed in the developing T3, selects haltere identity by,
      among other processes, modulating the production and signaling efficiency of Dpp,
      a BMP2-like molecule that acts as a major regulator of size and pattern. However,
      the mechanisms of the Hox-signal integration in this well-studied system are
      incomplete. Here, we have investigated this issue by studying the expression and
      function of the Six3 transcription factor optix during Drosophila wing and
      haltere development. We find that in both organs, Dpp defines the expression
      domain of optix through repression, and that the specific position of this domain
      in wing and haltere seems to reflect the differential signaling profile among
      these organs. We show that optix expression in wing and haltere primordia is
      conserved beyond Drosophila in other higher diptera. In Drosophila, optix is
      necessary for the growth of wing and haltere. In the wing, optix is required for
      the growth of the most anterior/proximal region (the 'marginal cell') and for the
      correct formation of sensory structures along the proximal anterior wing margin;
      the halteres of optix mutants are also significantly reduced. In addition, in the
      haltere, optix is necessary for the suppression of sensory bristles.

PMID- 28642238
TI  - Ager Deletion Enhances Ischemic Muscle Inflammation, Angiogenesis, and Blood Flow
      Recovery in Diabetic Mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Diabetic subjects are at higher risk of ischemic peripheral vascular
      disease. We tested the hypothesis that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and
      their receptor (RAGE) block angiogenesis and blood flow recovery after hindlimb
      ischemia induced by femoral artery ligation through modulation of
      immune/inflammatory mechanisms. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Wild-type mice rendered
      diabetic with streptozotocin and subjected to unilateral femoral artery ligation
      displayed increased accumulation and expression of AGEs and RAGE in ischemic
      muscle. In diabetic wild-type mice, femoral artery ligation attenuated
      angiogenesis and impaired blood flow recovery, in parallel with reduced
      macrophage content in ischemic muscle and suppression of early inflammatory gene
      expression, including Ccl2 (chemokine [C-C motif] ligand-2) and Egr1 (early
      growth response gene-1) versus nondiabetic mice. Deletion of Ager (gene encoding
      RAGE) or transgenic expression of Glo1 (reduces AGEs) restored adaptive
      inflammation, angiogenesis, and blood flow recovery in diabetic mice. In diabetes
      mellitus, deletion of Ager increased circulating Ly6Chi monocytes and augmented
      macrophage infiltration into ischemic muscle tissue after femoral artery
      ligation. In vitro, macrophages grown in high glucose display inflammation that
      is skewed to expression of tissue damage versus tissue repair gene expression.
      Further, macrophages grown in high versus low glucose demonstrate blunted
      macrophage-endothelial cell interactions. In both settings, these adverse effects
      of high glucose were reversed by Ager deletion in macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings indicate that RAGE attenuates adaptive inflammation in hindlimb
      ischemia; underscore microenvironment-specific functions for RAGE in inflammation
      in tissue repair versus damage; and illustrate that AGE/RAGE antagonism may fill
      a critical gap in diabetic peripheral vascular disease.

PMID- 28642243
TI  - Anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoarthritis effects of tectorigenin.
AB  - Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common and dynamic disease of the joints, including the
      articular cartilage, underlying bones and synovium. In particular, OA is
      considered as the degeneration of the cartilage. Tectorigenin (Tec) is known to
      affect many biological processes; however, its effects on articular chondrocytes
      remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the effects of Tec on articular
      cartilage. In vitro, Tec inhibited the expression levels of type X collagen,
      cyclooxigenase-2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-13, but enhanced the
      expression of Runx1, type II collagen and aggrecan in the presence of IL-1beta.
      Meanwhile, Tec inhibited apoptosis through the Bax/Bcl-2/caspase-3 pathway,
      upregulating p-Bad, downregulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activating caspase-3
      compared with IL-1beta treatment only. Moreover, this process was partially
      regulated by NF-kappaB P65. In vivo, the chondroprotective effects of Tec were
      assessed by establishing a model of surgically induced OA. Tec-treated joints
      exhibited fewer osteoarthritic changes than saline-treated joints. Meanwhile, 1.5
      MUg/kg Tec treatment produced a greater protective effect than 0.75 MUg/kg Tec.
      The Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scoring system,
      employed to assess histopathological grading of the models, as well
      immunohistochemistry for Aggrecan Neoepitope and MMP-3, further confirmed the
      results. In conclusion, this study showed that Tec plays a chondroprotective role
      in the OA process by preventing articular cartilage degeneration and chondrocyte
      apoptosis via the NF-kappaB P65 pathway.

PMID- 28642244
TI  - Investigation of protein synthesis in Drosophila larvae using puromycin
      labelling.
AB  - Translational control of gene expression is an important regulator of growth,
      homeostasis and aging in Drosophila The ability to measure changes in protein
      synthesis in response to genetic and environmental cues is therefore important in
      studying these processes. Here we describe a simple and cost-effective approach
      to assay protein synthesis in Drosophila larval cells and tissues. The method is
      based on the incorporation of puromycin into nascent peptide chains. Using an ex
      vivo approach, we label newly synthesized peptides in larvae with puromycin and
      then measure levels of new protein synthesis using an anti-puromycin antibody. We
      show that this method can detect changes in protein synthesis in specific cells
      and tissues in the larvae, either by immunostaining or western blotting. We find
      that the assay reliably detects changes in protein synthesis induced by two known
      stimulators of mRNA translation - the nutrient/TORC1 kinase pathway and the
      transcription factor dMyc. We also use the assay to describe how protein
      synthesis changes through larval development and in response to two environmental
      stressors - hypoxia and heat shock. We propose that this puromycin-labelling
      assay is a simple but robust method to detect protein synthesis changes at the
      levels of cells, tissues or whole body in Drosophila.

PMID- 28642245
TI  - A reporter mouse model for in vivo tracing and in vitro molecular studies of
      melanocytic lineage cells and their diseases.
AB  - Alterations in melanocytic lineage cells give rise to a plethora of distinct
      human diseases, including neurocristopathies, cutaneous pigmentation disorders,
      loss of vision and hearing, and melanoma. Understanding the ontogeny and biology
      of melanocytic cells, as well as how they interact with their surrounding
      environment, are key steps in the development of therapies for diseases that
      involve this cell lineage. Efforts to culture and characterize primary
      melanocytes from normal or genetically engineered mouse models have at times
      yielded contrasting observations. This is due, in part, to differences in the
      conditions used to isolate, purify and culture these cells in individual studies.
      By breeding ROSAmT/mG and Tyr::CreERT2 mice, we generated animals in which
      melanocytic lineage cells are identified through expression of green fluorescent
      protein. We also used defined conditions to systematically investigate the
      proliferation and migration responses of primary melanocytes on various
      extracellular matrix (ECM) substrates. Under our culture conditions, mouse
      melanocytes exhibit doubling times in the range of 10 days, and retain
      exponential proliferative capacity for 50-60 days. In culture, these melanocytes
      showed distinct responses to different ECM substrates. Specifically, laminin-332
      promoted cell spreading, formation of dendrites, random motility and directional
      migration. In contrast, low or intermediate concentrations of collagen I promoted
      adhesion and acquisition of a bipolar morphology, and interfered with melanocyte
      forward movements. Our systematic evaluation of primary melanocyte responses
      emphasizes the importance of clearly defining culture conditions for these cells.
      This, in turn, is essential for the interpretation of melanocyte responses to
      extracellular cues and to understand the molecular basis of disorders involving
      the melanocytic cell lineage.

PMID- 28642247
TI  - Clinical benefit of the FIFA 11 programme for the prevention of hamstring and
      lateral ankle ligament injuries among amateur soccer players.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyse the relationship between the implementation of 'the 11'
      protocol during the regular season in a men's amateur soccer team and the rate of
      hamstring and lateral ankle ligament (LAL) injuries, and to estimate the clinical
      benefit of the programme according to the type of injury and the position field.
      METHODS: This cohort study was conducted in two different men's amateur soccer
      teams. During two seasons, the exposed group (43 players) performed 'the 11'
      protocol twice a week, and the unexposed group (43 players) performed the regular
      training programme. All players trained three times per week for 1.5 hours per
      day. Data collection was performed for every 1000 hours of play. RESULTS: 18
      hamstring injuries (injury rate (IR) of 2.26 injuries/1000 training+competition
      hours) and 15 LAL injuries (IR of 1.88 injuries/1000) were registered in the
      exposed group. In the unexposed group, there were 25 LAL injuries (IR of 3.14
      injuries/1000) and 35 hamstring injuries (IR of 4.39 injuries/1000). The number
      needed to treat to prevent one new case was 3.9 in LAL injuries, 3.31 in biceps
      femoris injuries and 10.7 in recurrent hamstring injuries. CONCLUSIONS: 'The 11'
      programme reduced the incidence of hamstring and LAL injuries in amateur players.
      According to the field position, the programme was effective for defenders and
      midfielders. In accordance with the type of injury, the exposed group had a lower
      risk of LAL, biceps femoris and hamstring injuries compared with those in the
      unexposed group.

PMID- 28642246
TI  - Modulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Controls CD4+ T-cell Activation and
      Antitumor Function.
AB  - The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an energy-sensing organelle with intimate ties
      to programming cell activation and metabolic fate. T-cell receptor (TCR)
      activation represents a form of acute cell stress and induces mobilization of ER
      Ca2+ stores. The role of the ER in programming T-cell activation and metabolic
      fate remains largely undefined. Gp96 is an ER protein with functions as a
      molecular chaperone and Ca2+ buffering protein. We hypothesized that the ER
      stress response may be important for CD4+ T-cell activation and that gp96 may be
      integral to this process. To test our hypothesis, we utilized genetic deletion of
      the gp96 gene Hsp90b1 in a CD4+ T cell-specific manner. We show that gp96
      deficient CD4+ T cells cannot undergo activation-induced glycolysis due to
      defective Ca2+ mobilization upon TCR engagement. We found that activating naive
      CD4+ T cells while inhibiting ER Ca2+ exchange, through pharmacological blockade
      of the ER Ca2+ channel inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), led to a reduction
      in cytosolic Ca2+ content and generated a pool of CD62Lhigh/CD44low CD4+ T cells
      compared with wild-type (WT) matched controls. In vivo IP3R-inhibited CD4+ T
      cells exhibited elevated tumor control above WT T cells. Together, these data
      show that ER-modulated cytosolic Ca2+ plays a role in defining CD4+ T-cell
      phenotype and function. Factors associated with the ER stress response are
      suitable targets for T cell-based immunotherapies. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(8); 666
      75. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28642249
TI  - UNC Cancer Center Director to Lead NCI.
AB  - President Donald Trump has selected Norman "Ned" Sharpless, MD, director of the
      University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, to lead the
      NCI. The news was met with widespread approval among cancer researchers, who view
      Sharpless as a strong communicator who can ably represent the needs of the cancer
      community in the face of proposed funding cuts.

PMID- 28642248
TI  - Evaluation of a community-based safe firearm and ammunition storage intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Safe firearm storage practices are associated with a lower risk of
      unintentional and self-inflicted firearm injuries among household members, though
      many firearms remain unlocked and/or loaded. OBJECTIVES: Conduct a preliminary
      evaluation of a community-based firearm safety intervention and assess
      participants' preferences for firearm locking devices and their comfort with
      potential firearm safety counsellors. DESIGN/METHODS: Baseline event and follow
      up surveys among adult participants to assess changes in firearm storage
      practices, including whether all household firearms were stored locked, all were
      unloaded, all ammunition was locked, and a composite measure assessing whether
      all firearms were locked and unloaded and all ammunition was stored locked.
      RESULTS: A total of 206 out of 415 participants completed both surveys and were
      included. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents preferred the firearm lock box rather than a
      trigger lock. At follow-up, a significantly greater proportion reported that all
      household firearms were locked (+13.7%) and unloaded (+8.5%) and a non
      significantly greater proportion reported that all ammunition was locked (+6.3%).
      A significantly greater proportion reported practising all three safe firearm and
      ammunition storage practices at follow-up (+12.6%). A majority reported they
      would be comfortable or very comfortable discussing firearm safety with various
      safety counsellors, though women were less likely to do so than men. CONCLUSION:
      This intervention that included distribution of a free, participant-selected
      locking device improved safe firearm storage practices among participants.
      Differences in participant preferences for devices and safety counsellors suggest
      that a 'one size fits all' approach may be inadequate in affecting population
      level storage practices.

PMID- 28642250
TI  - Widespread Genomic Testing Deemed Feasible.
AB  - Although comprehensive genomic screening has not yet become routine when treating
      patients with cancer, widespread testing in those with advanced, refractory
      disease is feasible, according to the ongoing ProfiLER study. The study also
      found that patients who subsequently received a treatment matched to the genetic
      changes in their tumor lived longer than those who lacked a so-called actionable
      mutation.

PMID- 28642252
TI  - Queen's speech promises change on mental health but ignores wider NHS problems.

PMID- 28642251
TI  - Physical activity, cognitive decline, and risk of dementia: 28 year follow-up of
      Whitehall II cohort study.
AB  - Objective To test the hypotheses that physical activity in midlife is not
      associated with a reduced risk of dementia and that the preclinical phase of
      dementia is characterised by a decline in physical activity.Design Prospective
      cohort study with a mean follow-up of 27 years.Setting Civil service departments
      in London (Whitehall II study).Participants 10 308 participants aged 35-55 years
      at study inception (1985-88). Exposures included time spent in mild, moderate to
      vigorous, and total physical activity assessed seven times between 1985 and 2013
      and categorised as "recommended" if duration of moderate to vigorous physical
      activity was 2.5 hours/week or more.Main outcome measures A battery of cognitive
      tests was administered up to four times from 1997 to 2013, and incident dementia
      cases (n=329) were identified through linkage to hospital, mental health
      services, and mortality registers until 2015.Results Mixed effects models showed
      no association between physical activity and subsequent 15 year cognitive
      decline. Similarly, Cox regression showed no association between physical
      activity and risk of dementia over an average 27 year follow-up (hazard ratio in
      the "recommended" physical activity category 1.00, 95% confidence interval 0.80
      to 1.24). For trajectories of hours/week of total, mild, and moderate to vigorous
      physical activity in people with dementia compared with those without dementia
      (all others), no differences were observed between 28 and 10 years before
      diagnosis of dementia. However, physical activity in people with dementia began
      to decline up to nine years before diagnosis (difference in moderate to vigorous
      physical activity -0.39 hours/week; P=0.05), and the difference became more
      pronounced (-1.03 hours/week; P=0.005) at diagnosis.Conclusion This study found
      no evidence of a neuroprotective effect of physical activity. Previous findings
      showing a lower risk of dementia in physically active people may be attributable
      to reverse causation-that is, due to a decline in physical activity levels in the
      preclinical phase of dementia.

PMID- 28642253
TI  - Military-related sexual assault in Canada: a cross-sectional survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most research on military-related sexual assault is based on the
      United States military and has important limitations, such as low response rates.
      We sought to estimate the lifetime prevalence of sexual assault, assess its
      relation to military service and identify the circumstances, correlates and
      associations with mental disorders of military-related sexual assault among
      Canadian military personnel. METHODS: We used the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental
      Health Survey, a cross-sectional representative survey of Canadian Regular Force
      personnel (n = 6696). The sample was weighted to be representative of the entire
      Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force population in 2012 (n = 67 776), as per
      Statistics Canada requirements. We assessed lifetime trauma exposure and past
      year mental disorders using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. We
      defined lifetime military-related sexual assault as forced sexual activity or
      unwanted sexual touching that occurred on deployment or in another military
      workplace, or was perpetrated by Department of National Defence or Canadian Armed
      Forces personnel. We defined all other sexual assault as non-military-related
      sexual assault. RESULTS: Self-reported sexual assault was more prevalent among
      women (non-military-related sexual assault 24.2%, military-related sexual assault
      15.5%) than men (5.9% and 0.8%, respectively). About a quarter of women with
      military-related sexual assault reported experiencing at least 1 event on
      deployment. After covariates were controlled for, military-related sexual assault
      was independently associated with any lifetime and any past-year mental disorder
      (adjusted odds ratio 2.9 and 3.0, respectively) and lifetime and past-year
      posttraumatic stress disorder (adjusted odds ratio 4.3 and 4.1, respectively).
      INTERPRETATION: Canadian military women are at increased risk for sexual assault
      and military-related sexual assault relative to their male counterparts.
      Deployment may be a period of elevated risk for military-related sexual assault,
      and women who reported military-related sexual assault are more likely to have
      experienced mental disorders, especially posttraumatic stress disorder.

PMID- 28642254
TI  - Redox regulation of a guard cell SNF1-related protein kinase in Brassica napus,
      an oilseed crop.
AB  - Kinase-mediated phosphorylation is a pivotal regulatory process in stomatal
      responses to stresses. Through a redox proteomics study, a sucrose non-fermenting
      1-related protein kinase (SnRK2.4) was identified to be redox-regulated in
      Brassica napus guard cells upon abscisic acid treatment. There are six genes
      encoding SnRK2.4 paralogs in B. napus Here, we show that recombinant BnSnRK2.4-1C
      exhibited autophosphorylation activity and preferentially phosphorylated the N
      terminal region of B. napus slow anion channel (BnSLAC1-NT) over generic
      substrates. The in vitro activity of BnSnRK2.4-1C requires the presence of
      manganese (Mn2+). Phosphorylation sites of autophosphorylated BnSnRK2.4-1C were
      mapped, including serine and threonine residues in the activation loop. In vitro
      BnSnRK2.4-1C autophosphorylation activity was inhibited by oxidants such as H2O2
      and recovered by active thioredoxin isoforms, indicating redox regulation of
      BnSnRK2.4-1C. Thiol-specific isotope tagging followed by mass spectrometry
      analysis revealed specific cysteine residues responsive to oxidant treatments.
      The in vivo activity of BnSnRK2.4-1C is inhibited by 15 min of H2O2 treatment.
      Taken together, these data indicate that BnSnRK2.4-1C, an SnRK preferentially
      expressed in guard cells, is redox-regulated with potential roles in guard cell
      signal transduction.

PMID- 28642256
TI  - Revision for prosthetic joint infection following hip arthroplasty: Evidence from
      the National Joint Registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We used the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern
      Ireland and the Isle of Man (NJR) to investigate the risk of revision due to
      prosthetic joint infection (PJI) for patients undergoing primary and revision hip
      arthroplasty, the changes in risk over time, and the overall burden created by
      PJI. METHODS: We analysed revision total hip arthroplasties (THAs) performed due
      to a diagnosis of PJI and the linked index procedures recorded in the NJR between
      2003 and 2014. The cohort analysed consisted of 623 253 index primary hip
      arthroplasties, 63 222 index revision hip arthroplasties and 7585 revision THAs
      performed due to a diagnosis of PJI. The prevalence, cumulative incidence
      functions and the burden of PJI (total procedures) were calculated. Overall
      linear trends were investigated with log-linear regression. RESULTS: We
      demonstrated a prevalence of revision THA due to prosthetic joint infection of
      0.4/100 procedures following primary and 1.6/100 procedures following revision
      hip arthroplasty. The prevalence of revision due to PJI in the three months
      following primary hip arthroplasty has risen 2.3-fold (95% confidence interval
      (CI) 1.3 to 4.1) between 2005 and 2013, and 3.0-fold (95% CI 1.1 to 8.5)
      following revision hip arthroplasty. Over 1000 procedures are performed annually
      as a consequence of hip PJI, an increase of 2.6-fold between 2005 and 2013.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although the risk of revision due to PJI following hip arthroplasty
      is low, it is rising and, coupled with the established and further predicted
      increased incidence of both primary and revision hip arthroplasty, this
      represents a growing and substantial treatment burden.Cite this article: E.
      Lenguerrand, M. R. Whitehouse, A. D. Beswick, S. A. Jones, M. L. Porter, A. W.
      Blom. Revision for prosthetic joint infection following hip arthroplasty:
      Evidence from the National Joint Registry. Bone Joint Res 2017;6:391-398. DOI:
      10.1302/2046-3758.66.BJR-2017-0003.R1.

PMID- 28642259
TI  - Staff experiences and perceptions of working with in-patients who are suicidal:
      qualitative analysis.
AB  - BackgroundSuicidal behaviour is frequent in psychiatric in-patients and much
      staff time and resources are devoted to assessing and managing suicide risk.
      However, little is known about staff experiences of working with in-patients who
      are suicidal.AimsTo investigate staff experiences of working with in-patients who
      are suicidal.MethodQualitative study guided by thematic analysis of semi
      structured interviews with mental health staff with experience of psychiatric in
      patient care.ResultsTwenty staff participated. All had encountered in-patient
      suicide deaths or attempts. Three key themes were identified: (a) experiences of
      suicidality, (b) conceptualising suicidality and (c) talking about
      suicide.ConclusionsSuicidal behaviour in psychiatric wards has a large impact on
      staff feelings, practice and behaviour. Staff felt inadequately equipped to deal
      with such behaviours, with detrimental consequences for patients and themselves.
      Organisational support is lacking. Training and support should extend beyond risk
      assessment to improving staff skills in developing therapeutic interactions with
      in-patients who are suicidal.

PMID- 28642257
TI  - Interaction between the FTO gene, body mass index and depression: meta-analysis
      of 13701 individuals.
AB  - BackgroundDepression and obesity are highly prevalent, and major impacts on
      public health frequently co-occur. Recently, we reported that having depression
      moderates the effect of the FTO gene, suggesting its implication in the
      association between depression and obesity.AimsTo confirm these findings by
      investigating the FTO polymorphism rs9939609 in new cohorts, and subsequently in
      a meta-analysis.MethodThe sample consists of 6902 individuals with depression and
      6799 controls from three replication cohorts and two original discovery cohorts.
      Linear regression models were performed to test for association between rs9939609
      and body mass index (BMI), and for the interaction between rs9939609 and
      depression status for an effect on BMI. Fixed and random effects meta-analyses
      were performed using METASOFT.ResultsIn the replication cohorts, we observed a
      significant interaction between FTO, BMI and depression with fixed effects meta
      analysis (beta = 0.12, P = 2.7 * 10-4) and with the Han/Eskin random effects
      method (P = 1.4 * 10-7) but not with traditional random effects (beta = 0.1, P =
      0.35). When combined with the discovery cohorts, random effects meta-analysis
      also supports the interaction (beta = 0.12, P = 0.027) being highly significant
      based on the Han/Eskin model (P = 6.9 * 10-8). On average, carriers of the risk
      allele who have depression have a 2.2% higher BMI for each risk allele, over and
      above the main effect of FTOConclusionsThis meta-analysis provides additional
      support for a significant interaction between FTO, depression and BMI, indicating
      that depression increases the effect of FTO on BMI. The findings provide a useful
      starting point in understanding the biological mechanism involved in the
      association between obesity and depression.

PMID- 28642258
TI  - Ethnicity and long-term course and outcome of psychotic disorders in a UK sample:
      the AESOP-10 study.
AB  - BackgroundThe incidence of psychotic disorders is elevated in some minority
      ethnic populations. However, we know little about the outcome of psychoses in
      these populations.AimsTo investigate patterns and determinants of long-term
      course and outcome of psychoses by ethnic group following a first
      episode.MethodAESOP-10 is a 10-year follow-up of an ethnically diverse cohort of
      532 individuals with first-episode psychosis identified in the UK. Information
      was collected, at baseline, on clinical presentation and neurodevelopmental and
      social factors and, at follow-up, on course and outcome.ResultsThere was evidence
      that, compared with White British, Black Caribbean patients experienced worse
      clinical, social and service use outcomes and Black African patients experienced
      worse social and service use outcomes. There was evidence that baseline social
      disadvantage contributed to these disparities.ConclusionsThese findings suggest
      ethnic disparities in the incidence of psychoses extend, for some groups, to
      worse outcomes in multiple domains.

PMID- 28642260
TI  - Cigarette smoke disrupts monolayer integrity by altering epithelial cell-cell
      adhesion and cortical tension.
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and
      mortality. Cigarette smoke (CS) drives disease development and progression. The
      epithelial barrier is damaged by CS with increased monolayer permeability.
      However, the molecular changes that cause this barrier disruption and the
      interaction between adhesion proteins and the cytoskeleton are not well defined.
      We hypothesized that CS alters monolayer integrity by increasing cell
      contractility and decreasing cell adhesion in epithelia. Normal human airway
      epithelial cells and primary COPD epithelial cells were exposed to air or CS, and
      changes measured in protein levels. We measured the cortical tension of
      individual cells and the stiffness of cells in a monolayer. We confirmed that the
      changes in acute and subacute in vitro smoke exposure reflect protein changes
      seen in cell monolayers and tissue sections from COPD patients. Epithelial cells
      exposed to repetitive CS and those derived from COPD patients have increased
      monolayer permeability. E-cadherin and beta-catenin were reduced in smoke exposed
      cells as well as in lung tissue sections from patients with COPD. Moreover,
      repetitive CS caused increased tension in individual cells and cells in a
      monolayer, which corresponded with increased polymerized actin without changes in
      myosin IIA and IIB total abundance. Repetitive CS exposure impacts the adhesive
      intercellular junctions and the tension of epithelial cells by increased actin
      polymer levels, to further destabilize cell adhesion. Similar changes are seen in
      epithelial cells from COPD patients indicating that these findings likely
      contribute to COPD pathology.

PMID- 28642264
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28642261
TI  - Transforming growth factor-beta stimulates Smad1/5 signaling in pulmonary artery
      smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts of the newborn mouse through ALK1.
AB  - The intracellular signaling mechanisms through which TGF-beta regulates pulmonary
      development are incompletely understood. Canonical TGF-beta signaling involves
      Smad2/3 phosphorylation, Smad2/3.Smad4 complex formation and nuclear
      localization, and gene regulation. Here, we show that physiologically relevant
      TGF-beta1 levels also stimulate Smad1/5 phosphorylation, which is typically a
      mediator of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, in mouse pup pulmonary
      artery smooth muscle cells (mPASMC) and lung fibroblasts and other interstitial
      lung cell lines. This cross-talk mechanism likely has in vivo relevance because
      mixed Smad1/5/8.Smad2/3 complexes, which are indicative of TGF-beta-stimulated
      Smad1/5 activation, were detected in the developing mouse lung using a proximity
      ligation assay. Although mixed Smad complexes have been shown not to transduce
      nuclear signaling, we determined that TGF-beta stimulates nuclear localization of
      phosphorylated Smad1/5 and induces the expression of prototypical BMP-regulated
      genes in the mPASMC. Small-molecule kinase inhibitor studies suggested that TGF
      beta-regulated Smad1/5 phosphorylation in these cells is mediated by TGF-beta
      type I receptors, not BMP-type I receptors, but possibly the accessory activin
      like kinase (ALK1) receptor. Although work by others suggested that ALK1 is
      expressed exclusively in endothelial cells in the vasculature, we detected ALK1
      mRNA and protein expression in mPASMC in vitro and in mouse pup lungs. Moreover,
      using an antimurine ALK1 antibody and mPASMC, we determined that ALK1 regulates
      Smad1/5 phosphorylation by TGF-beta. Together, these studies characterize an
      accessory TGF-beta-stimulated BMP R-Smad signaling mechanism in interstitial
      cells of the developing lung. They also indicate the importance of considering
      alternate Smad pathways in studies directed at determining how TGF-beta regulates
      newborn lung development.

PMID- 28642263
TI  - Volumetric Analysis from a Harmonized Multisite Brain MRI Study of a Single
      Subject with Multiple Sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: MR imaging can be used to measure structural changes in
      the brains of individuals with multiple sclerosis and is essential for diagnosis,
      longitudinal monitoring, and therapy evaluation. The North American Imaging in
      Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative steering committee developed a uniform high
      resolution 3T MR imaging protocol relevant to the quantification of cerebral
      lesions and atrophy and implemented it at 7 sites across the United States. To
      assess intersite variability in scan data, we imaged a volunteer with relapsing
      remitting MS with a scan-rescan at each site. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All imaging
      was acquired on Siemens scanners (4 Skyra, 2 Tim Trio, and 1 Verio). Expert
      segmentations were manually obtained for T1-hypointense and T2 (FLAIR)
      hyperintense lesions. Several automated lesion-detection and whole-brain,
      cortical, and deep gray matter volumetric pipelines were applied. Statistical
      analyses were conducted to assess variability across sites, as well as systematic
      biases in the volumetric measurements that were site-related. RESULTS: Systematic
      biases due to site differences in expert-traced lesion measurements were
      significant (P < .01 for both T1 and T2 lesion volumes), with site explaining
      >90% of the variation (range, 13.0-16.4 mL in T1 and 15.9-20.1 mL in T2) in
      lesion volumes. Site also explained >80% of the variation in most automated
      volumetric measurements. Output measures clustered according to scanner models,
      with similar results from the Skyra versus the other 2 units. CONCLUSIONS: Even
      in multicenter studies with consistent scanner field strength and manufacturer
      after protocol harmonization, systematic differences can lead to severe biases in
      volumetric analyses.

PMID- 28642265
TI  - The Initial Area Under the Curve Derived from Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
      Improves Prognosis Prediction in Glioblastoma with Unmethylated MGMT Promoter.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although perfusion and permeability MR parameters have
      known to have prognostic value, they have reproducibility issues. Our aim was to
      evaluate whether the initial area under the time-to-signal intensity curve (IAUC)
      derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging can improve prognosis
      prediction in patients with glioblastoma with known MGMT status. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: We retrospectively examined 88 patients with glioblastoma who underwent
      preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging. The means of IAUC values at 30
      and 60 seconds (IAUC30mean and IAUC60mean) were extracted from enhancing tumors.
      The prognostic values of IAUC parameters for overall survival and progression
      free survival were assessed with log-rank tests, according to the MGMT status.
      Multivariate overall survival and progression-free survival models before and
      after adding the IAUC parameters as covariates were explored by net
      reclassification improvement after receiver operating characteristic analysis for
      1.5-year overall survival and 1-year progression-free survival and by random
      survival forest. RESULTS: High IAUC parameters were associated with worse overall
      survival and progression-free survival in the unmethylated MGMT group, but not in
      the methylated group. In the unmethylated MGMT group, 1.5-year overall survival
      and 1-year progression-free survival prediction improved significantly after
      adding IAUC parameters (overall survival area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curve, 0.86; progression-free survival area under the receiver
      operating characteristic curve, 0.74-0.76) to the model with other prognostic
      factors (overall survival area under the receiver operating characteristic curve,
      0.81; progression-free survival area under the receiver operating characteristic
      curve, 0.69; P < .05 for all) except in the case of IAUC60mean for 1-year
      progression-free survival prediction (P = .059). Random survival forest models
      indicated that the IAUC parameters were the second or most important predictors
      in the unmethylated MGMT group, except in the case of the IAUC60mean for
      progression-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: IAUC can be a useful prognostic imaging
      biomarker in patients with glioblastoma with known MGMT status, improving
      prediction of glioblastoma prognosis with the unmethylated MGMT promoter status.

PMID- 28642267
TI  - Coregistration and Fusion: An Easy and Reliable Method for Identifying Cranial
      Nerve IV on MRI.

PMID- 28642266
TI  - T1 Signal Measurements in Pediatric Brain: Findings after Multiple Exposures to
      Gadobenate Dimeglumine for Imaging of Nonneurologic Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Signal intensity increases possibly suggestive of
      gadolinium retention have recently been reported on unenhanced T1-weighted images
      of the pediatric brain following multiple exposures to gadolinium-based MR
      contrast agents. Our aim was to determine whether T1 signal changes suggestive of
      gadolinium deposition occur in the brains of pediatric nonneurologic patients
      after multiple exposures to gadobenate dimeglumine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty
      four nonneurologic patients (group 1; 17 males/17 females; mean age, 7.18 years)
      who received between 5 and 15 injections (mean, 7.8 injections) of 0.05 mmol/kg
      of gadobenate during a mean of 2.24 years were compared with 24 control patients
      (group 2; 16 males/8 females; mean age, 8.78 years) who had never received
      gadolinium-based contrast agents. Exposure to gadobenate was for diagnosis and
      therapy monitoring. Five blinded readers independently determined the signal
      intensity at ROIs in the dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, pons, and thalamus on
      unenhanced T1-weighted spin-echo images from both groups. Unpaired t tests were
      used to compare signal-intensity values and dentate nucleus-pons and globus
      pallidus-thalamus signal-intensity ratios between groups 1 and 2. RESULTS: Mean
      signal-intensity values in the dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, pons, and
      thalamus of gadobenate-exposed patients ranged from 366.4 to 389.2, 360.5 to
      392.9, 370.5 to 374.9, and 356.9 to 371.0, respectively. Corresponding values in
      gadolinium-based contrast agent-naive subjects were not significantly different
      (P > .05). Similarly, no significant differences were noted by any reader for
      comparisons of the dentate nucleus-pons signal-intensity ratios. One reader noted
      a difference in the mean globus pallidus-thalamus signal-intensity ratios (1.06
      +/- 0.006 versus 1.02 +/- 0.009, P = .002), but this reflected nonsignificantly
      higher T1 signal in the thalamus of control subjects. The number of exposures and
      the interval between the first and last exposures did not influence signal
      intensity values. CONCLUSIONS: Signal-intensity increases potentially indicative
      of gadolinium deposition are not seen in pediatric nonneurologic patients after
      multiple exposures to low-dose gadobenate.

PMID- 28642262
TI  - Arterial stiffness induces remodeling phenotypes in pulmonary artery smooth
      muscle cells via YAP/TAZ-mediated repression of cyclooxygenase-2.
AB  - Pulmonary arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for mortality in
      pulmonary hypertension (PH) and plays a critical role in PH pathophysiology. Our
      laboratory has recently demonstrated arterial stiffening early in experimental
      PH, along with evidence for a mechanobiological feedback loop by which arterial
      stiffening promotes further cellular remodeling behaviors (Liu F, Haeger CM,
      Dieffenbach PB, Sicard D, Chrobak I, Coronata AM, Suarez Velandia MM, Vitali S,
      Colas RA, Norris PC, Marinkovic A, Liu X, Ma J, Rose CD, Lee SJ, Comhair SA,
      Erzurum SC, McDonald JD, Serhan CN, Walsh SR, Tschumperlin DJ, Fredenburgh LE.
      JCI Insight 1: e86987, 2016). Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin
      signaling have been implicated in stiffness-mediated regulation, with
      prostaglandin activity inversely correlated to matrix stiffness and remodeling
      behaviors in vitro, as well as to disease progression in rodent PH models. The
      mechanism by which mechanical signaling translates to reduced COX-2 activity in
      pulmonary vascular cells is unknown. The present work investigated the
      transcriptional regulators Yes-associated protein (YAP) and WW domain-containing
      transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1, a.k.a., TAZ), which are known drivers of
      downstream mechanical signaling, in mediating stiffness-induced changes in COX-2
      and prostaglandin activity in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). We
      found that YAP/TAZ activity is increased in PAH PASMCs and experimental PH and is
      necessary for the development of stiffness-dependent remodeling phenotypes.
      Knockdown of YAP and TAZ markedly induces COX-2 expression and downstream
      prostaglandin production by approximately threefold, whereas overexpression of
      YAP or TAZ reduces COX-2 expression and prostaglandin production to near
      undetectable levels. Together, our findings demonstrate a stiffness-dependent
      YAP/TAZ-mediated positive feedback loop that drives remodeling phenotypes in
      PASMCs via reduced COX-2 and prostaglandin activity. The ability to interrupt
      this critical mechanobiological feedback loop and enhance local prostaglandin
      activity via manipulation of YAP/TAZ signaling presents a highly attractive novel
      strategy for the treatment of PH.

PMID- 28642268
TI  - Fall in rate of stillbirth drives down perinatal mortality.

PMID- 28642269
TI  - Discussing human papilloma virus vaccination.

PMID- 28642270
TI  - Heritable Micro-environmental Variance Covaries with Fitness in an Outbred
      Population of Drosophila serrata.
AB  - The genetic basis of stochastic variation within a defined environment, and the
      consequences of such micro-environmental variance for fitness are poorly
      understood . Using a multigenerational breeding design in Drosophila serrata, we
      demonstrated that the micro-environmental variance in a set of morphological wing
      traits in a randomly mating population had significant additive genetic variance
      in most single wing traits. Although heritability was generally low (<1%),
      coefficients of additive genetic variance were of a magnitude typical of other
      morphological traits, indicating that the micro-environmental variance is an
      evolvable trait. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that the micro-environmental
      variance in wings was genetically correlated among single traits, indicating that
      common mechanisms of environmental buffering exist for this functionally related
      set of traits. In addition, through the dominance genetic covariance between the
      major axes of micro-environmental variance and fitness, we demonstrated that
      micro-environmental variance shares a genetic basis with fitness, and that the
      pattern of selection is suggestive of variance-reducing selection acting on micro
      environmental variance.

PMID- 28642271
TI  - Powerful Genetic Association Analysis for Common or Rare Variants with High
      Dimensional Structured Traits.
AB  - Many genetic association studies collect a wide range of complex traits. As these
      traits may be correlated and share a common genetic mechanism, joint analysis can
      be statistically more powerful and biologically more meaningful. However, most
      existing tests for multiple traits cannot be used for high-dimensional and
      possibly structured traits, such as network-structured transcriptomic pathway
      expressions. To overcome potential limitations, in this article we propose the
      dual kernel-based association test (DKAT) for testing the association between
      multiple traits and multiple genetic variants, both common and rare. In DKAT, two
      individual kernels are used to describe the phenotypic and genotypic similarity,
      respectively, between pairwise subjects. Using kernels allows for capturing
      structure while accommodating dimensionality. Then, the association between
      traits and genetic variants is summarized by a coefficient which measures the
      association between two kernel matrices. Finally, DKAT evaluates the hypothesis
      of nonassociation with an analytical P-value calculation without any
      computationally expensive resampling procedures. By collapsing information in
      both traits and genetic variants using kernels, the proposed DKAT is shown to
      have a correct type-I error rate and higher power than other existing methods in
      both simulation studies and application to a study of genetic regulation of
      pathway gene expressions.

PMID- 28642273
TI  - Authors' reply to Dib.

PMID- 28642274
TI  - Managing adults with diabetes in hospital during an acute illness.

PMID- 28642272
TI  - Networks Underpinning Symbiosis Revealed Through Cross-Species eQTL Mapping.
AB  - Organisms engage in extensive cross-species molecular dialog, yet the underlying
      molecular actors are known for only a few interactions. Many techniques have been
      designed to uncover genes involved in signaling between organisms. Typically,
      these focus on only one of the partners. We developed an expression quantitative
      trait locus (eQTL) mapping-based approach to identify cause-and-effect
      relationships between genes from two partners engaged in an interspecific
      interaction. We demonstrated the approach by assaying expression of 98 isogenic
      plants (Medicago truncatula), each inoculated with a genetically distinct line of
      the diploid parasitic nematode Meloidogyne hapla With this design, systematic
      differences in gene expression across host plants could be mapped to genetic
      polymorphisms of their infecting parasites. The effects of parasite genotypes on
      plant gene expression were often substantial, with up to 90-fold (P = 3.2 * 10
      52) changes in expression levels caused by individual parasite loci. Mapped loci
      included a number of pleiotropic sites, including one 87-kb parasite locus that
      modulated expression of >60 host genes. The 213 host genes identified were
      substantially enriched for transcription factors. We distilled higher-order
      connections between polymorphisms and genes from both species via network
      inference. To replicate our results and test whether effects were conserved
      across a broader host range, we performed a confirmatory experiment using M.
      hapla-infected tomato. This revealed that homologous genes were similarly
      affected. Finally, to validate the broader utility of cross-species eQTL mapping,
      we applied the strategy to data from a Salmonella infection study, successfully
      identifying polymorphisms in the human genome affecting bacterial expression.

PMID- 28642275
TI  - Focus on sharing individual patient data distracts from other ways of improving
      trial transparency.

PMID- 28642276
TI  - Dedifferentiation, Proliferation, and Redifferentiation of Adult Mammalian
      Cardiomyocytes After Ischemic Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adult mammalian hearts have a limited ability to generate new
      cardiomyocytes. Proliferation of existing adult cardiomyocytes (ACMs) is a
      potential source of new cardiomyocytes. Understanding the fundamental biology of
      ACM proliferation could be of great clinical significance for treating myocardial
      infarction (MI). We aim to understand the process and regulation of ACM
      proliferation and its role in new cardiomyocyte formation of post-MI mouse
      hearts. METHODS: beta-Actin-green fluorescent protein transgenic mice and fate
      mapping Myh6-MerCreMer-tdTomato/lacZ mice were used to trace the fate of ACMs. In
      a coculture system with neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, ACM proliferation was
      documented with clear evidence of cytokinesis observed with time-lapse imaging.
      Cardiomyocyte proliferation in the adult mouse post-MI heart was detected by cell
      cycle markers and 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine incorporation analysis.
      Echocardiography was used to measure cardiac function, and histology was
      performed to determine infarction size. RESULTS: In vitro, mononucleated and
      bi/multinucleated ACMs were able to proliferate at a similar rate (7.0%) in the
      coculture. Dedifferentiation proceeded ACM proliferation, which was followed by
      redifferentiation. Redifferentiation was essential to endow the daughter cells
      with cardiomyocyte contractile function. Intercellular propagation of Ca2+ from
      contracting neonatal rat ventricular myocytes into ACM daughter cells was
      required to activate the Ca2+-dependent calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T
      cell signaling pathway to induce ACM redifferentiation. The properties of
      neonatal rat ventricular myocyte Ca2+ transients influenced the rate of ACM
      redifferentiation. Hypoxia impaired the function of gap junctions by
      dephosphorylating its component protein connexin 43, the major mediator of
      intercellular Ca2+ propagation between cardiomyocytes, thereby impairing ACM
      redifferentiation. In vivo, ACM proliferation was found primarily in the MI
      border zone. An ischemia-resistant connexin 43 mutant enhanced the
      redifferentiation of ACM-derived new cardiomyocytes after MI and improved cardiac
      function. CONCLUSIONS: Mature ACMs can reenter the cell cycle and form new
      cardiomyocytes through a 3-step process: dedifferentiation, proliferation, and
      redifferentiation. Intercellular Ca2+ signal from neighboring functioning
      cardiomyocytes through gap junctions induces the redifferentiation process. This
      novel mechanism contributes to new cardiomyocyte formation in post-MI hearts in
      mammals.

PMID- 28642278
TI  - Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis synovial fluids stimulate prolactin
      production by macrophages.
AB  - Prolactin (PRL) is a neuroendocrine hormone that can promote inflammation. We
      examined the synovial tissue and fluid levels of PRL in patients with
      inflammatory arthritis, PRL expression in differentiated Mphis from patients with
      arthritis and from healthy donors, and the effects of different stimuli on PRL
      production by Mphis. PRL levels were measured in paired synovial fluid (SF) and
      peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 19), psoriatic
      arthritis (PsA, n = 11), and gout (n = 11). Synovial-tissue PRL mRNA expression
      was measured by quantitative PCR in patients with RA (n = 25), PsA (n = 11), and
      gout (n = 12) and in Mphis differentiated in SF of patients with RA, PsA, other
      subtypes of spondyloarthritis (SpA), and gout. Synovial-tissue PRL mRNA
      expression correlated significantly with clinical disease parameters in patients
      with RA and PsA, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, r = 0.424; P =
      0.049) and disease activity score evaluated in 28 joints (DAS28, r = 0.729; P =
      0.017). Synovial-tissue PRL expression was similar in RA, PsA, and gout. PRL mRNA
      expression was detected in monocyte-derived Mphis from patients with RA and was
      significantly higher (P <= 0.01) in Mphis differentiated in pooled SF from
      patients with RA and PsA compared with SpA or gout. PRL production by Mphi
      differentiation in the SF from patients with RA was not further regulated by
      stimulation with CD40L, IgG, LPS, or TNF. PRL is produced locally in the synovium
      of patients with inflammatory arthritis. The production of PRL by Mphis was
      increased by unknown components of RA and PsA SF, where it could contribute to
      disease progression.

PMID- 28642277
TI  - Adipose tissue macrophages develop from bone marrow-independent progenitors in
      Xenopus laevis and mouse.
AB  - ATMs have a metabolic impact in mammals as they contribute to metabolically
      harmful AT inflammation. The control of the ATM number may have therapeutic
      potential; however, information on ATM ontogeny is scarce. Whereas it is thought
      that ATMs develop from circulating monocytes, various tissue-resident Mphis are
      capable of self-renewal and develop from BM-independent progenitors without a
      monocyte intermediate. Here, we show that amphibian AT contains self-renewing
      ATMs that populate the AT before the establishment of BM hematopoiesis. Xenopus
      ATMs develop from progenitors of aVBI. In the mouse, a significant amount of ATM
      develops from the yolk sac, the mammalian equivalent of aVBI. In summary, this
      study provides evidence for a prenatal origin of ATMs and shows that the study of
      amphibian ATMs can enhance the understanding of the role of the prenatal
      environment in ATM development.

PMID- 28642279
TI  - Role of MyD88 signaling in the imiquimod-induced mouse model of psoriasis: focus
      on innate myeloid cells.
AB  - Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease associated with deregulated activation of
      immune cells and keratinocytes. In this study, we used the imiquimod (IMQ)
      induced mouse model of psoriasis to dissect better the contribution of
      hematopoietic and skin-resident stromal cells to psoriasis development. The
      comparison of disease development in mice carrying the hematopoietic cell
      specific deletion of MyD88 (Myd88fl/flVav-cre+ mice) with mice carrying the total
      MyD88 deficiency (Myd88-/- mice), we show that the progression of skin and
      systemic inflammation, as well as of epidermal thickening, was completely
      dependent on MyD88 expression in hematopoietic cells. However, both Myd88-/-
      mouse strains developed some degree of epidermal thickening during the initial
      stages of IMQ-induced psoriasis, even in the absence of hematopoietic cell
      activation and infiltration into the skin, suggesting a contribution of MyD88
      independent mechanisms in skin-resident stromal cells. With the use of
      conditional knockout mouse strains lacking MyD88 in distinct lineages of myeloid
      cells (Myd88fl/flLysM-cre+ and Myd88fl/flMRP8-cre+ mice), we report that MyD88
      signaling in monocytes and Mphi, but not in neutrophils, plays an important role
      in disease propagation and exacerbation by modulating their ability to sustain
      gammadelta T cell effector functions via IL-1beta and IL-23 production. Overall,
      these findings add new insights into the specific contribution of skin-resident
      stromal vs. hematopoietic cells to disease initiation and progression in the IMQ
      induced mouse model of psoriasis and uncover a potential novel pathogenic role
      for monocytes/Mphi to psoriasis development.

PMID- 28642280
TI  - Granulocytes as modulators of dendritic cell function.
AB  - Effector T cell development is directly driven by APCs, in particular, by antigen
      primed dendritic cells (DCs). Depending on the pathogenic stimulus and the
      microenvironment, DCs induce proliferation and polarization of naive CD4+ T cells
      into different effector subsets, such as Th1, Th2, Th17, or regulatory T cells
      (Tregs). During inflammation, DCs are found in close proximity to other innate
      immune cells, including all granulocyte subtypes, which potentially influence the
      immunomodulatory capacities of DCs. Neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils are
      rapidly recruited into infected tissues where their main function is to eliminate
      invading pathogens. Mast cells are tissue-resident granulocytes that also
      contribute to host defense against pathogens but have, thus far, primarily been
      associated with their detrimental roles in allergic diseases. Although
      granulocytes have always been considered essential in innate immunity, their
      ability to influence the development of adaptive immunity has long been
      overlooked. This view is now changing, as multiple studies showed significant
      modulating effects of granulocytes on key players of adaptive immunity, including
      DCs and lymphocytes. Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells regulate
      recruitment and activation of DCs through the release of mediators or via direct
      cell-cell contact, thereby influencing antigen-specific T cell responses. In this
      review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the impact of granulocytes on
      DC functioning and the subsequent putative consequences of this cross-talk on T
      cell proliferation and polarization. Together, this overview underscores the
      importance of granulocyte-DC communication to establish optimal immune responses.

PMID- 28642284
TI  - Excitation of GABAergic Neurons in the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis
      Triggers Immediate Transition from Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep to Wakefulness in
      Mice.
AB  - Emotionally salient situations usually trigger arousal along with autonomic and
      neuroendocrine reactions. To determine whether the extended amygdala plays a role
      in sleep-wakefulness regulation, we examined the effects of optogenetic and
      pharmacogenetic excitation of GABAergic neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria
      terminalis (GABABNST neurons). Acute optogenetic excitation of these cells during
      nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep resulted in an immediate state transition to
      wakefulness, whereas stimulation during REM sleep showed no effect on sleep
      wakefulness states in male mice. An anterograde tracing study suggested GABABNST
      neurons send axonal projections to several brain regions implicated in arousal,
      including the preoptic area, lateral hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray, deep
      mesencephalic nucleus, and parabrachial nucleus. A dual orexin receptor
      antagonist, DORA-22, did not affect the optogenetic transition from NREM sleep to
      wakefulness. Chemogenetic excitation of GABABNST neurons evoked a sustained
      wakefulness state, but this arousal effect was markedly attenuated by DORA-22.
      These observations suggest that GABABNST neurons play an important role in
      transition from NREM sleep to wakefulness without the function of orexin neurons,
      but prolonged excitation of these cells mobilizes the orexin system to sustain
      wakefulness.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We examined the role of the bed nucleus of the
      stria terminalis (BNST) in the regulation of wakefulness. Optogenetic excitation
      of GABAergic neurons in the BNST (GABABNST neurons) during nonrapid eye movement
      (NREM) sleep in mice resulted in immediate transition to a wakefulness state
      without function of orexins. Prolonged excitation of GABABNST neurons by a
      chemogenetic method evoked a longer-lasting, sustained wakefulness state, which
      was abolished by preadministration of a dual orexin receptor antagonist, DORA-22.
      This study revealed a role of the BNST GABAergic system in sleep-wakefulness
      control, especially in shifting animals' behavioral states from NREM sleep to
      wakefulness, and provides an important insight into the pathophysiology of
      insomnia and the role of orexin in arousal regulation.

PMID- 28642282
TI  - Kappa Opioid Receptors Mediate Heterosynaptic Suppression of Hippocampal Inputs
      in the Rat Ventral Striatum.
AB  - Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) are highly enriched within the ventral striatum
      (VS) and are thought to modulate striatal neurotransmission. This includes
      presynaptic inhibition of local glutamatergic release from excitatory inputs to
      the VS. However, it is not known which inputs drive this modulation and what
      impact they have on the local circuit dynamics within the VS. Individual medium
      spiny neurons (MSNs) within the VS serve as a site of convergence for
      glutamatergic inputs arising from the PFC and limbic regions, such as the
      hippocampus (HP). Recent data suggest that competition can arise between these
      inputs with robust cortical activation leading to a reduction in ongoing HP
      evoked MSN responses. Here, we investigated the contribution of KOR signaling in
      PFC-driven heterosynaptic suppression of HP inputs onto MSNs using whole-cell
      patch-clamp recordings in slices from adult rats. Optogenetically evoked HP EPSPs
      were greatly attenuated after a short latency (50 ms) following burst-like PFC
      electrical stimulation, and the magnitude of this suppression was partially
      reversed following blockade of GABAARs (GABA Type A receptors), but not GABABRs
      (GABA Type B receptors). A similar reduction in suppression was observed in the
      presence of the KOR antagonist, norBNI. Combined blockade of local GABAARs and
      KORs resulted in complete blockade of PFC-induced heterosynaptic suppression of
      less salient HP inputs. These findings highlight a mechanism by which strong,
      transient PFC activity can take precedence over other excitatory inputs to the
      VS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Emerging evidence suggests that kappa opioid receptor
      (KOR) activation can selectively modulate striatal glutamatergic inputs onto
      medium spiny neurons (MSNs). In this study, we found that robust cortical
      stimulation leads to a reduction in ongoing hippocampal-evoked MSNs responses
      through the combined recruitment of local inhibitory mechanisms and activation of
      presynaptic KORs in the ventral striatum (VS). These processes are likely to
      facilitate the efficient transfer of cortical information through the VS during
      critical decision making by dampening competing information from less salient
      excitatory inputs. These data provide a novel mechanism through which VS
      information processing could influence decision making, a function thought to
      occur primarily in the PFC.

PMID- 28642281
TI  - Utility of Genomic Analysis In Circulating Tumor DNA from Patients with Carcinoma
      of Unknown Primary.
AB  - Carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) is a rare and difficult-to-treat malignancy,
      the management of which might be improved by the identification of actionable
      driver mutations. We interrogated 54 to 70 genes in 442 patients with CUP using
      targeted clinical-grade, next-generation sequencing of circulating tumor DNA
      (ctDNA). Overall, 80% of patients exhibited ctDNA alterations; 66% (290/442) >=1
      characterized alteration(s), excluding variants of unknown significance. TP53
      associated genes were most commonly altered [37.8% (167/442)], followed by genes
      involved in the MAPK pathway [31.2% (138/442)], PI3K signaling [18.1% (80/442)],
      and the cell-cycle machinery [10.4% (46/442)]. Among 290 patients harboring
      characterized alterations, distinct genomic profiles were observed in 87.9%
      (255/290) of CUP cases, with 99.7% (289/290) exhibiting potentially targetable
      alterations. An illustrative patient with dynamic changes in ctDNA content during
      therapy and a responder given a checkpoint inhibitor-based regimen because of a
      mismatch repair gene anomaly are presented. Our results demonstrate that ctDNA
      evaluation is feasible in CUP and that most patients harbor a unique somatic
      profile with pharmacologically actionable alterations, justifying the inclusion
      of noninvasive liquid biopsies in next-generation clinical trials. Cancer Res;
      77(16); 4238-46. (c)2017 AACR.

PMID- 28642283
TI  - Selective Inhibition of Trigeminovascular Neurons by Fremanezumab: A Humanized
      Monoclonal Anti-CGRP Antibody.
AB  - A large body of evidence supports an important role for calcitonin gene-related
      peptide (CGRP) in migraine pathophysiology. This evidence gave rise to a global
      effort to develop a new generation of therapeutics that inhibit the interaction
      of CGRP with its receptor in migraineurs. Recently, a new class of such drugs,
      humanized anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies (CGRP-mAbs), were found to be effective
      in reducing the frequency of migraine. The purpose of this study was to better
      understand how the CGRP-mAb fremanezumab (TEV-48125) modulates meningeal sensory
      pathways. To answer this question, we used single-unit recording to determine the
      effects of fremanezumab (30 mg/kg, IV) and its isotype control Ab on spontaneous
      and evoked activity in naive and cortical spreading depression (CSD)-sensitized
      trigeminovascular neurons in the spinal trigeminal nucleus of anesthetized male
      and female rats. The study demonstrates that, in both sexes, fremanezumab
      inhibited naive high-threshold (HT) neurons, but not wide-dynamic range
      trigeminovascular neurons, and that the inhibitory effects on the neurons were
      limited to their activation from the intracranial dura but not facial skin or
      cornea. In addition, when given sufficient time, fremanezumab prevents the
      activation and sensitization of HT neurons by CSD. Mechanistically, these
      findings suggest that HT neurons play a critical role in the initiation of the
      perception of headache and the development of cutaneous allodynia and central
      sensitization. Clinically, the findings may help to explain the therapeutic
      benefit of CGRP-mAb in reducing headaches of intracranial origin such as migraine
      with aura and why this therapeutic approach may not be effective for every
      migraine patient.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)
      monoclonal antibodies (CGRP-mAbs) are capable of preventing migraine. However,
      their mechanism of action is unknown. In the current study, we show that, if
      given enough time, a CGRP-mAb can prevent the activation and sensitization of
      high-threshold (central) trigeminovascular neurons by cortical spreading
      depression, but not their activation from the skin or cornea, suggesting a
      potential explanation for selectivity to migraine headache, but not other pains,
      and a predominantly peripheral site of action.

PMID- 28642285
TI  - State-Dependent TMS Reveals Representation of Affective Body Movements in the
      Anterior Intraparietal Cortex.
AB  - In humans, recognition of others' actions involves a cortical network that
      comprises, among other cortical regions, the posterior superior temporal sulcus
      (pSTS), where biological motion is coded and the anterior intraparietal sulcus
      (aIPS), where movement information is elaborated in terms of meaningful goal
      directed actions. This action observation system (AOS) is thought to encode
      neutral voluntary actions, and possibly some aspects of affective motor
      repertoire, but the role of the AOS' areas in processing affective kinematic
      information has never been examined. Here we investigated whether the AOS plays a
      role in representing dynamic emotional bodily expressions. In the first
      experiment, we assessed behavioral adaptation effects of observed affective
      movements. Participants watched series of happy or fearful whole-body point-light
      displays (PLDs) as adapters and were then asked to perform an explicit
      categorization of the emotion expressed in test PLDs. Participants were slower
      when categorizing any of the two emotions as long as it was congruent with the
      emotion in the adapter sequence. We interpreted this effect as adaptation to the
      emotional content of PLDs. In the second experiment, we combined this paradigm
      with TMS applied over either the right aIPS, pSTS, and the right half of the
      occipital pole (corresponding to Brodmann's area 17 and serving as control) to
      examine the neural locus of the adaptation effect. TMS over the aIPS (but not
      over the other sites) reversed the behavioral cost of adaptation, specifically
      for fearful contents. This demonstrates that aIPS contains an explicit
      representation of affective body movements.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In humans, a
      network of areas, the action observation system, encodes voluntary actions.
      However, the role of these brain regions in processing affective kinematic
      information has not been investigated. Here we demonstrate that the aIPS contains
      a representation of affective body movements. First, in a behavioral experiment,
      we found an adaptation after-effect for emotional PLDs, indicating the existence
      of a neural representation selective for affective information in biological
      motion. To examine the neural locus of this effect, we then combined the
      adaptation paradigm with TMS. Stimulation of the aIPS (but not over pSTS and
      control site) reversed the behavioral cost of adaptation, specifically for
      fearful contents, demonstrating that aIPS contains a representation of affective
      body movements.

PMID- 28642286
TI  - Brain regions important for recovery after severe post-stroke upper limb paresis.
AB  - Background The ability to predict outcome after stroke is clinically important
      for planning treatment and for stratification in restorative clinical trials. In
      relation to the upper limbs, the main predictor of outcome is initial severity,
      with patients who present with mild to moderate impairment regaining about 70% of
      their initial impairment by 3 months post-stroke. However, in those with severe
      presentations, this proportional recovery applies in only about half, with the
      other half experiencing poor recovery. The reasons for this failure to recover
      are not established although the extent of corticospinal tract damage is
      suggested to be a contributory factor. In this study, we investigated 30 patients
      with chronic stroke who had presented with severe upper limb impairment and asked
      whether it was possible to differentiate those with a subsequent good or poor
      recovery of the upper limb based solely on a T1-weighted structural brain scan.
      Methods A support vector machine approach using voxel-wise lesion likelihood
      values was used to show that it was possible to classify patients as good or poor
      recoverers with variable accuracy depending on which brain regions were used to
      perform the classification. Results While considering damage within a
      corticospinal tract mask resulted in 73% classification accuracy, using other
      (non-corticospinal tract) motor areas provided 87% accuracy, and combining both
      resulted in 90% accuracy. Conclusion This proof of concept approach highlights
      the relative importance of different anatomical structures in supporting post
      stroke upper limb motor recovery and points towards methodologies that might be
      used to stratify patients in future restorative clinical trials.

PMID- 28642287
TI  - Genetic screening in sporadic ALS and FTD.
AB  - The increasing complexity of the genetic landscape in amyotrophic lateral
      sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) presents a significant resource
      and physician training challenge. At least 10% of those diagnosed with ALS or FTD
      are known to carry an autosomal dominant genetic mutation. There is no consensus
      on what constitutes a positive family history, and ascertainment is unreliable
      for many reasons. However, symptomatic individuals often wish to understand as
      much as possible about the cause of their disease, and to share this knowledge
      with their family. While the right of an individual not to know is a key aspect
      of patient autonomy, and despite the absence of definitive therapy, many newly
      diagnosed individuals are likely to elect for genetic testing if offered. It is
      incumbent on the practitioner to ensure that they are adequately informed,
      counselled and supported in this decision.

PMID- 28642289
TI  - Age-related reduction of myocardial metabolic efficiency: Is it time to routinely
      measure myocardial metabolism to monitor cardiac health?

PMID- 28642288
TI  - Ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging assessing inflammation after
      myocardial infarction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Macrophages play a central role in the cellular inflammatory response
      to myocardial infarction (MI) and predict subsequent clinical outcomes. We aimed
      to assess temporal changes in cellular inflammation and tissue oedema in patients
      with acute MI using ultrasmallsuperparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO)
      enhanced MRI. METHODS: Thirty-one patients were recruited following acute MI and
      followed up for 3 months with repeated T2 and USPIO-enhanced T2*-mapping MRI.
      Regions of interest were categorised into infarct, peri-infarct and remote
      myocardial zones, and compared with control tissues. RESULTS: Following a single
      dose, USPIO enhancement was detected in the myocardium until 24 hours (p<0.0001).
      Histology confirmed colocalisation of iron and macrophages within the infarcted,
      but not the non-infarcted, myocardium. Following repeated doses, USPIO uptake in
      the infarct zone peaked at days 2-3, and greater USPIO uptake was detected in the
      infarct zone compared with remote myocardium until days 10-16 (p<0.05). In
      contrast, T2-defined myocardial oedema peaked at days 3-9 and remained increased
      in the infarct zone throughout the 3-month follow-up period (p<0.01). CONCLUSION:
      Myocardial macrophage activity can be detected using USPIO-enhanced MRI in the
      first 2 weeks following acute MI. This observed pattern of cellular inflammation
      is distinct, and provides complementary information to the more prolonged
      myocardial oedema detectable using T2 mapping. This imaging technique holds
      promise as a non-invasive method of assessing and monitoring myocardial cellular
      inflammation with potential application to diagnosis, risk stratification and
      assessment of novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic interventions. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION NUMBER: Trial registration number: 14663. Registered on UK Clinical
      Research Network (http://public.ukcrn.org.uk) and also ClinicalTrials.gov
      (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02319278?term=DECIFER&rank=2).

PMID- 28642291
TI  - Elderly patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: a call for
      action.

PMID- 28642290
TI  - Coronary events complicating infective endocarditis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are a rare complication of infective
      endocarditis (IE). Only case reports and small studies have been published to
      date. We report the largest series of ACS in IE. The aim of our study was to
      describe the incidence and mechanisms of ACS associated with IE, to assess their
      prognostic impact and to describe their management. METHODS: In a bicentre
      prospective observational cohort study, all patients with a definite diagnosis of
      IE were prospectively included. The incidence, mechanism and prognosis of
      patients with ACS were studied. RESULTS: Among 1210 consecutive patients with
      definite IE, 26 patients (2.2%) developed an ACS. Twenty-three patients (88%) had
      a coronary embolism. Two patients had coronary compression by an abscess or a
      pseudoaneurysm and one patient had an obstruction of his bioprosthesis and left
      coronary ostium by a large vegetation. Nineteen (73%) patients with ACS developed
      heart failure and this complication was 2.5 times more frequent than in patients
      without ACS (p<0.0001). In the ACS population, mortality rate was twice than the
      population without ACS. CONCLUSIONS: ACS is a rare complication of IE but is
      associated with an increased risk of heart failure and high mortality rate.

PMID- 28642292
TI  - Frequency and magnitude of intermittent hypoxia modulate endothelial wound
      healing in a cell culture model of sleep apnea.
AB  - Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has been implicated in the cardiovascular consequences
      of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, the lack of suitable experimental
      systems has precluded assessment as to whether IH is detrimental, protective, or
      both for the endothelium. The aim of the work was to determine the effects of
      frequency and amplitude of IH oxygenation swings on aortic endothelial wound
      healing. Monolayers of human primary endothelial cells were wounded and subjected
      to constant oxygenation (1%, 4%, 13%, or 20% O2) or IH at different frequencies
      (0.6, 6, or 60 cycles/h) and magnitude ranges (13-4% O2 or 20-1% O2), using a
      novel well-controlled system, with wound healing being measured after 24 h. Cell
      monolayer repair was similar at 20% O2 and 13% O2, but was considerably increased
      (approximately twofold) in constant hypoxia at 4% O2 The magnitude and frequency
      of IH considerably modulated wound healing. Cycles ranging 13-4% O2 at the lowest
      frequency (0.6 cycles/h) accelerated endothelial wound healing by 102%. However,
      for IH exposures consisting of 20% to 1% O2 oscillations, wound closure was
      reduced compared with oscillation in the 13-4% range (by 74% and 44% at 6
      cycles/h and 0.6 cycles/h, respectively). High-frequency IH patterns simulating
      severe OSA (60 cycles/h) did not significantly modify endothelial wound closure,
      regardless of the oxygenation cycle amplitude. In conclusion, the frequency and
      magnitude of hypoxia cycling in IH markedly alter wound healing responses and
      emerge as key factors determining how cells will respond in OSA.NEW & NOTEWORTHY
      Intermittent hypoxia (IH) induces cardiovascular consequences in obstructive
      sleep apnea (OSA) patients. However, the vast array of frequencies and severities
      of IH previously employed in OSA-related experimental studies has led to
      controversial results on the effects of IH. By employing an optimized IH
      experimental system here, we provide evidence that the frequency and magnitude of
      IH markedly alter human aortic endothelial wound healing, emerging as key factors
      determining how cells respond in OSA.

PMID- 28642293
TI  - Random squat/stand maneuvers: a novel approach for assessment of dynamic cerebral
      autoregulation?
AB  - Squat/stand maneuvers (SSM) have been used to assess dynamic cerebral
      autoregulation (dCA), but always at a fixed frequency (FF). This study aimed to
      assess the use of random-frequency (RF) SSMs as a stimulus for measuring dCA and
      determine the reproducibility of FF and RFSSMs. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers
      [19 male, mean age 23.0 (4.9) yr] completed the study; 11 returned for a repeat
      visit (median 45 days). Heart rate, beat-to-beat blood pressure, middle cerebral
      artery (MCA) blood flow velocity, end-tidal CO2, and angle of the squat movement
      were measured. Subjects underwent four recordings: 5 min sitting, 5 min standing,
      FFSSMs (0.05Hz), and RFSSMs. Subjects were asked to rate the degree of exertion
      experienced while performing these maneuvers. Twenty-nine subjects completed the
      protocol; nine data sets were deemed unsuitable for further analysis. Mean ARI of
      6.21 (1.04) while standing was significantly greater than during the SSMs (P <
      0.01), with mean (SD) ARI during the FF and RFSSMs being 5.16 (1.43) and 5.37
      (1.21), respectively. However, no significant difference was found between the
      ARI estimates from the two SSMs (P = 0.856) or for each of the four recordings
      between the two visits (P = 0.645). RFSSMs were found to be significantly less
      tiring than FFSSMs (P < 0.01). In conclusion, RFSSMs are an effective and
      noninvasive method of assessing dCA. There is no difference in the ARI estimates
      in comparison with FFSSMs. Although FFSSMs have been well tolerated previously,
      RFSSMs are preferred by healthy subjects and thus may be better tolerated by a
      patient population in a clinical setting.NEW & NOTEWORTHY RFSSMs provided
      comparable estimates of autoregulatory indices to FFSSMs. Instead of point
      estimates at the driven frequency, RFSSMs generate a broader power spectrum of
      changes in arterial blood pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity, allowing
      direct comparison with spontaneous fluctuations through transfer function
      analysis. Moreover, random-frequency SSMs are preferred by participants. They are
      a novel tool by which larger blood pressure oscillations can be elicited for the
      reliable measurement of dynamic cerebral autoregulation.

PMID- 28642296
TI  - An unusual appearance on cranial computed tomography.

PMID- 28642294
TI  - Depletion of MHC class II invariant chain peptide or gamma-delta T-cells
      ameliorates experimental preeclampsia.
AB  - Excessive innate immune system activation and inflammation during pregnancy can
      lead to organ injury and dysfunction and preeclampsia (PE); however, the
      molecular mechanisms involved are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that Toll
      like receptor (TLR) activation induces major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
      class II invariant chain peptide (CLIP) expression on immune cells, makes them
      pro-inflammatory, and are necessary to cause PE-like features in mice. Treatment
      with VG1177, a competitive antagonist peptide for CLIP in the groove of MHC class
      II, was able to both prevent and treat PE-like features in mice. We then
      determined that gamma-delta T cells are critical for the development of PE-like
      features in mice since gamma-delta T-cell knockout mice, like CLIP deficient
      mice, are resistant to developing PE-like features. Placentas from women with PE
      exhibit significantly increased levels of gamma-delta T cells. These preclinical
      data demonstrate that CLIP expression and activated gamma-delta T cells are
      responsible for the development of immunologic PE-like features and that
      temporarily antagonizing CLIP and/or gamma-delta T cells may be a therapeutic
      strategy for PE.

PMID- 28642298
TI  - Does acid-base equilibrium correlate with remnant liver volume during stepwise
      liver resection?
AB  - Small for size and flow syndrome (SFSF) is one of the most challenging
      complications following extended hepatectomy (EH). After EH, hepatic artery flow
      decreases and portal vein flow increases per 100 g of remnant liver volume (RLV).
      This causes hypoxia followed by metabolic acidosis. A correlation between
      acidosis and posthepatectomy liver failure has been postulated but not studied
      systematically in a large animal model or clinical setting. In our study, we
      performed stepwise liver resections on nine pigs to defined SFSF limits as
      follows: step 1: segment II/III resection, step 2: segment IV resection, step 3:
      segment V/VIII resection (RLV: 75, 50, and 25%, respectively). Blood gas values
      were measured before and after each step using four catheters inserted into the
      carotid artery, internal jugular vein, hepatic artery, and portal vein. The pH,
      [Formula: see text], and base excess (BE) decreased, but [Formula: see text]
      values increased after 75% resection in the portal and jugular veins. EH
      correlated with reduced BE in the hepatic artery. Pco2 values increased after 75%
      resection in the jugular vein. In contrast, arterial Po2 increased after every
      resection, whereas the venous Po2 decreased slightly. There were differences in
      venous [Formula: see text], BE in the hepatic artery, and Pco2 in the jugular
      vein after 75% liver resection. Because 75% resection is the limit for SFSF,
      these noninvasive blood evaluations may be used to predict SFSF. Further studies
      with long-term follow-up are required to validate this correlation.NEW &
      NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to evaluate acid-base parameters in major
      central and hepatic vessels during stepwise liver resection. The pH, [Formula:
      see text], and base excess (BE) decreased, but [Formula: see text] values
      increased after 75% resection in the portal and jugular veins. Extended
      hepatectomy correlated with reduced BE in the hepatic artery. Because 75%
      resection is the limit for small for size and flow syndrome (SFSF), postresection
      blood gas evaluations may be used to predict SFSF.

PMID- 28642299
TI  - Dysfunctional neutrophil effector organelle mobilization and microbicidal protein
      release in alcohol-related cirrhosis.
AB  - Patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis (ALD) are prone to infection. Circulating
      neutrophils in ALD are dysfunctional and predict development of sepsis, organ
      dysfunction, and survival. Neutrophil granules are important effector organelles
      containing a toxic array of microbicidal proteins, whose controlled release is
      required to kill microorganisms while minimizing inflammation and damage to host
      tissue. We investigated the role of these granular responses in contributing to
      immune disarray in ALD. Neutrophil granular content and mobilization were
      measured by flow cytometric quantitation of cell-surface/intracellular markers,
      [secretory vesicles (CD11b), secondary granules (CD66b), and primary granules
      (CD63; myeloperoxidase)] before and after bacterial stimulation in 29 patients
      with ALD cirrhosis (15 abstinent; 14 actively drinking) compared with healthy
      controls (HC). ImageStream Flow Cytometry characterized localization of granule
      subsets within the intracellular and cell-surface compartments. The plasma
      cytokine environment was analyzed using ELISA/cytokine bead array. Circulating
      neutrophils were primed in the resting state with upregulated surface expression
      of CD11b (P = 0.0001) in a cytokine milieu rich in IL-8 (P < 0.001) and
      lactoferrin (P = 0.035). Neutrophils showed exaggerated mobilization to the cell
      surface of primary granules at baseline (P = 0.001) and in response to N-formyl-l
      methionyl-l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine (P = 0.009) and Escherichia coli (P = 0.0003)
      in ALD. There was no deficit in granule content or mobilization to the cell
      membrane in any granule subset observed. Paradoxically, active alcohol
      consumption abrogated the hyperresponsive neutrophil granular responses compared
      with their abstinent counterparts. Neutrophils are preprimed at baseline with
      augmented effector organelle mobilization in response to bacterial stimulation;
      neutrophil degranulation is not a mechanism leading to innate immunoparesis in
      ALD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neutrophil granule release is dysregulated in patients with
      alcohol-related cirrhosis (ALD) with augmented effector organelle mobilization
      and microbiocidal protein release. Neutrophil granules are upregulated in ALD at
      baseline and demonstrate augmented responses to bacterial challenge. The granular
      responses in ALD did not contribute to the observed functional deficit in innate
      immunity but rather were dysregulated and hyperresponsive, which may induce
      bystander damage to host tissue. Paradoxically, active alcohol consumption
      abrogated the excessive neutrophil granular responses to bacterial stimulus
      compared with their abstinent counterparts.

PMID- 28642301
TI  - The specific Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor acalabrutinib (ACP-196) shows
      favorable in vitro activity against chronic lymphocytic leukemia B cells with
      CD20 antibodies.

PMID- 28642300
TI  - Center-level variation in accuracy of adverse event reporting in a clinical trial
      for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the Children's Oncology
      Group.

PMID- 28642302
TI  - Residual erythropoiesis protects against myocardial hemosiderosis in transfusion
      dependent thalassemia by lowering labile plasma iron via transient generation of
      apotransferrin.
AB  - Cardiosiderosis is a leading cause of mortality in transfusion-dependent
      thalassemias. Plasma non-transferrin-bound iron and its redox-active component,
      labile plasma iron, are key sources of iron loading in cardiosiderosis. Risk
      factors were identified in 73 patients with or without cardiosiderosis. Soluble
      transferrin receptor-1 levels were significantly lower in patients with
      cardiosiderosis (odds ratio 21). This risk increased when transfusion-iron
      loading rates exceeded the erythroid transferrin uptake rate (derived from
      soluble transferrin receptor-1) by >0.21 mg/kg/day (odds ratio 48). Labile plasma
      iron was >3-fold higher when this uptake rate threshold was exceeded, but non
      transferrin-bound iron and transferrin saturation were comparable. The risk of
      cardiosiderosis was decreased in patients with low liver iron, ferritin and
      labile plasma iron, or high bilirubin, reticulocyte counts or hepcidin. We
      hypothesized that high erythroid transferrin uptake rate decreases
      cardiosiderosis through increased erythroid re-generation of apotransferrin. To
      test this, iron uptake and intracellular reactive oxygen species were examined in
      HL-1 cardiomyocytes under conditions modeling transferrin effects on non
      transferrin-bound iron speciation with ferric citrate. Intracellular iron and
      reactive oxygen species increased with ferric citrate concentrations especially
      when iron-to-citrate ratios exceeded 1:100, i.e. conditions favoring kinetically
      labile monoferric rather than oligomer species. Excess iron-binding equivalents
      of apotransferrin inhibited iron uptake and decreased both intracellular reactive
      oxygen species and labile plasma iron under conditions favoring monoferric
      species. In conclusion, high transferrin iron utilization, relative to the
      transfusion-iron load rate, decreases the risk of cardiosiderosis. A putative
      mechanism is the transient re-generation of apotransferrin by an active erythron,
      rapidly binding labile plasma iron-detectable ferric monocitrate species.

PMID- 28642304
TI  - "Clinical and inflammatory characteristics of the European U-BIOPRED adult severe
      asthma cohort." Dominick E. Shaw, Ana R. Sousa, Stephen J. Fowler, Louise J.
      Fleming, Graham Roberts, Julie Corfield, Ioannis Pandis, Aruna T. Bansal,
      Elisabeth H. Bel, Charles Auffray, Chris H. Compton, Hans Bisgaard, Enrica
      Bucchioni, Massimo Caruso, Pascal Chanez, Barbro Dahlen, Sven-Erik Dahlen, Kerry
      Dyson, Urs Frey, Thomas Geiser, Maria Gerhardsson de Verdier, David Gibeon, Yi-ke
      Guo, Simone Hashimoto, Gunilla Hedlin, Elizabeth Jeyasingham, Pieter-Paul W.
      Hekking, Tim Higenbottam, Ildiko Horvath, Alan J. Knox, Norbert Krug, Veit J.
      Erpenbeck, Lars X. Larsson, Nikos Lazarinis, John G. Matthews, Roelinde
      Middelveld, Paolo Montuschi, Jacek Musial, David Myles, Laurie Pahus, Thomas
      Sandstrom, Wolfgang Seibold, Florian Singer, Karin Strandberg, Jorgen Vestbo,
      Nadja Vissing, Christophe von Garnier, Ian M. Adcock, Scott Wagers, Anthony Rowe,
      Peter Howarth, Ariane H. Wagener, Ratko Djukanovic, Peter J. Sterk and Kian Fan
      Chung on behalf of the U-BIOPRED Study Group. Eur Respir J 2015; 46: 1308-1321.

PMID- 28642303
TI  - Molecular analysis of myelodysplastic syndrome with isolated deletion of the long
      arm of chromosome 5 reveals a specific spectrum of molecular mutations with
      prognostic impact: a study on 123 patients and 27 genes.
AB  - The only cytogenetic aberration defining a myelodysplastic syndrome subtype is
      the deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5, which, along with morphological
      features, leads to the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome with isolated
      deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5. These patients show a good prognosis
      and respond to treatment such as lenalidomide, but some cases progress to acute
      myeloid leukemia; however, the molecular mutation pattern is rarely
      characterized. Therefore, we investigated a large cohort of 123 myelodysplastic
      syndrome patients with isolated deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5,
      diagnosed following the World Health Organization classifications 2008 and 2016,
      by sequencing 27 genes. A great proportion of patients showed no or only one
      mutation. Only seven genes showed mutation frequencies >5% (SF3B1, DNMT3A, TP53,
      TET2, CSNK1A1, ASXL1, JAK2). However, the pattern of recurrently mutated genes
      was comparable to other myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes by comparison to a
      reference cohort, except that of TP53 which was significantly more often mutated
      in myelodysplastic syndrome with isolated deletion of the long arm of chromosome
      5. As expected, SF3B1 was frequently mutated and correlated with ring sider
      oblasts, while JAK2 mutations correlated with elevated platelet counts.
      Surprisingly, SF3B1 mutations led to significantly worse prognosis within cases
      with isolated deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5, but showed a comparable
      outcome to other myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes with SF3B1 mutation. However,
      addressing genetic stability in follow-up cases might suggest different genetic
      mechanisms for progression to secondary acute myeloid leukemia compared to
      overall myelodysplastic syndrome patients.

PMID- 28642305
TI  - "The burden of severe asthma in childhood and adolescence: results from the
      paediatric U-BIOPRED cohorts." Louise Fleming, Clare Murray, Aruna T. Bansal,
      Simone Hashimoto, Hans Bisgaard, Andrew Bush, Urs Frey, Gunilla Hedlin, Florian
      Singer, Wim M. van Aalderen, Nadja H. Vissing, Zaraquiza Zolkipli, Anna Selby,
      Stephen Fowler, Dominick Shaw, Kian Fan Chung, Ana R. Sousa, Scott Wagers, Julie
      Corfield, Ioannis Pandis, Anthony Rowe, Elena Formaggio, Peter J. Sterk and
      Graham Roberts on behalf of the U-BIOPRED Study Group. Eur Respir J 2015; 46:
      1322-1333.

PMID- 28642306
TI  - "Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Chronic
      Obstructive Lung Disease 2017 Report: GOLD Executive Summary." Claus F.
      Vogelmeier, Gerard J. Criner, Fernando J. Martinez, Antonio Anzueto, Peter J.
      Barnes, Jean Bourbeau, Bartolome R. Celli, Rongchang Chen, Marc Decramer,
      Leonardo M. Fabbri, Peter Frith, David M.G. Halpin, M. Victorina Lopez Varela,
      Masaharu Nishimura, Nicolas Roche, Roberto Rodriguez-Roisin, Don D. Sin, Dave
      Singh, Robert Stockley, Jorgen Vestbo, Jadwiga A. Wedzicha and Alvar Agusti. Eur
      Respir J 2017; 49: 1700214.

PMID- 28642307
TI  - Urban green and grey space in relation to respiratory health in children.
AB  - We assessed the effect of three different indices of urban built environment on
      allergic and respiratory conditions.This study involved 2472 children
      participating in the ongoing INMA birth cohort located in two bio-geographic
      regions (Euro-Siberian and Mediterranean) in Spain. Residential surrounding built
      environment was characterised as 1) residential surrounding greenness based on
      satellite-derived normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), 2) residential
      proximity to green spaces and 3) residential surrounding greyness based on urban
      land use patterns. Information on wheezing, bronchitis, asthma and allergic
      rhinitis up to age 4 years was obtained from parent-completed questionnaires.
      Logistic regression and generalised estimating equation modelling were
      performed.Among children from the Euro-Siberian region, higher residential
      surrounding greenness and higher proximity to green spaces were negatively
      associated with wheezing. In the Mediterranean region, higher residential
      proximity to green spaces was associated with a reduced risk for bronchitis. A
      higher amount of residential surrounding greyness was found to increase the risk
      for bronchitis in this region.Associations between indices of urban residential
      greenness and greyness with respiratory diseases differ by region. The pathways
      underlying these associations require further exploration.

PMID- 28642308
TI  - Predicting risk of undiagnosed COPD: development and validation of the TargetCOPD
      score.
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is greatly underdiagnosed worldwide
      and more efficient methods of case-finding are required. We developed and
      externally validated a risk score to identify undiagnosed COPD using primary care
      records.We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of a pragmatic cluster
      randomised controlled case-finding trial in the West Midlands, UK. Participants
      aged 40-79 years with no prior diagnosis of COPD received a postal or
      opportunistic screening questionnaire. Those reporting chronic respiratory
      symptoms were assessed with spirometry. COPD was defined as presence of relevant
      symptoms with a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital
      capacity ratio below the lower limit of normal. A risk score was developed using
      logistic regression with variables available from electronic health records for
      2398 participants who returned a postal questionnaire. This was externally
      validated among 1097 participants who returned an opportunistic questionnaire to
      derive the c-statistic, and the sensitivity and specificity of cut-points.A risk
      score containing age, smoking status, dyspnoea, prescriptions of salbutamol and
      prescriptions of antibiotics discriminated between patients with and without
      undiagnosed COPD (c-statistic 0.74, 95% CI 0.68-0.80). A cut-point of >=7.5%
      predicted risk had a sensitivity of 68.8% (95% CI 57.3-78.9%) and a specificity
      of 68.8% (95% CI 65.8.1-71.6%).A novel risk score using routine data from primary
      care electronic health records can identify patients at high risk for undiagnosed
      symptomatic COPD. This score could be integrated with clinical information
      systems to help primary care clinicians target patients for case-finding.

PMID- 28642309
TI  - Long-term volume-targeted pressure-controlled ventilation: sense or nonsense?
AB  - The technology underlying the development of novel ventilatory modes for long
      term noninvasive ventilation of patients with chronic hypercapnia is continuously
      evolving. Volume-targeted pressure-controlled ventilation is a hybrid ventilation
      mode designed to combine the advantages of conventional ventilation modes, while
      avoiding their drawbacks. However, manufacturers have created different names and
      have patented algorithms and set-up variables, which can result in confusion for
      physicians and respiratory therapists. In addition, clear evidence for the
      superiority of this novel mode has not yet been established. These factors have
      most likely hindered more widespread use of this mode in clinical practice. The
      current review presents the rationale, working principles, characteristics and
      set-up recommendations associated with volume-targeted modes. In addition, it
      summarises the clinical and laboratory studies that have challenged this mode.

PMID- 28642311
TI  - Run-in bias in randomised trials: the case of COPD medications.

PMID- 28642312
TI  - The Finnish Allergy Programme 2008-2018 works.

PMID- 28642310
TI  - Metabolomics analysis identifies sex-associated metabotypes of oxidative stress
      and the autotaxin-lysoPA axis in COPD.
AB  - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease and a
      leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The aim of this study was to
      investigate the sex dependency of circulating metabolic profiles in COPD.Serum
      from healthy never-smokers (healthy), smokers with normal lung function
      (smokers), and smokers with COPD (COPD; Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive
      Lung Disease stages I-II/A-B) from the Karolinska COSMIC cohort (n=116) was
      analysed using our nontargeted liquid chromatography-high resolution mass
      spectrometry metabolomics platform.Pathway analyses revealed that several altered
      metabolites are involved in oxidative stress. Supervised multivariate modelling
      showed significant classification of smokers from COPD (p=2.8*10-7). Sex
      stratification indicated that the separation was driven by females (p=2.4*10-7)
      relative to males (p=4.0*10-4). Significantly altered metabolites were confirmed
      quantitatively using targeted metabolomics. Multivariate modelling of targeted
      metabolomics data confirmed enhanced metabolic dysregulation in females with COPD
      (p=3.0*10-3) relative to males (p=0.10). The autotaxin products lysoPA (16:0) and
      lysoPA (18:2) correlated with lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s) in
      males with COPD (r=0.86; p<0.0001), but not females (r=0.44; p=0.15), potentially
      related to observed dysregulation of the miR-29 family in the lung.These findings
      highlight the role of oxidative stress in COPD, and suggest that sex-enhanced
      dysregulation in oxidative stress, and potentially the autotaxin-lysoPA axis, are
      associated with disease mechanisms and/or prevalence.

PMID- 28642313
TI  - Prescription opioid use in advanced COPD: benefits, perils and controversies.

PMID- 28642314
TI  - Green living environment protects against allergy, or does it?

PMID- 28642315
TI  - Aclidinium bromide improves symptoms and sleep quality in COPD: a pilot study.

PMID- 28642316
TI  - Predictors of long-term smoking cessation in patients with COPD: results from a
      randomised controlled trial.

PMID- 28642320
TI  - Meet the First Authors.

PMID- 28642317
TI  - Prescription opioid use in advanced COPD: benefits, perils and controversies.

PMID- 28642321
TI  - Macrophage Heterogeneity Complicates Reversal of Calcification in Cardiovascular
      Tissues.

PMID- 28642322
TI  - Plaque Erosion: New Insights From the Road Less Travelled.

PMID- 28642323
TI  - Immune Modulation of Cardiac Arrhythmias.

PMID- 28642324
TI  - Direct Stimulation of Cardiogenesis: A New Paradigm for Treating Heart Disease.

PMID- 28642326
TI  - Correction to: It's 10 pm; Do You Know Where Your Data Are? Data Provenance,
      Curation, and Storage.

PMID- 28642325
TI  - Impact of VA Research on Health Care for All: Contributions Over Nine Decades and
      Counting.

PMID- 28642327
TI  - Declining histone acetyltransferase GCN5 represses BMSC-mediated angiogenesis
      during osteoporosis.
AB  - Angiogenesis is disrupted in age-related and postmenopausal osteoporosis.
      However, the mechanisms of the disorder remain elusive. We confirmed in this
      study that, in accordance with the decrease of H-type vessels, the proangiogenic
      potential of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) declined during
      osteoporosis. Screening of the histone acetyltransferase family revealed that
      GCN5 decreased in BMSCs derived from osteoporotic femur. Further analysis
      identified that GCN5 plays important roles in regulating the proangiogenic
      potential of BMSCs. GCN5 promoted BMSC-mediated angiogenesis by enhancing H3K9ac
      levels on the promoter of Vegf The decrease of GCN5 in osteoporotic BMSCs led to
      the decline of proangiogenic capacity. Accordingly, overexpression of GCN5
      enhanced the proangiogenic potency of osteoporotic BMSCs. Furthermore, recovering
      GCN5 expression in vivo by lentiviral expression vector significantly attenuated
      the loss of angiogenesis in ovariectomized mouse femurs. Our study results
      revealed an epigenetic mechanism controlling BMSC-mediated angiogenesis and
      provided a novel therapeutic target for osteoporosis treatment.-Jing, H., Liao,
      L., Su, X., Shuai, Y. Zhang, X., Deng, Z., Jin, Y. Declining histone
      acetyltransferase GCN5 represses BMSC-mediated angiogenesis during osteoporosis.

PMID- 28642328
TI  - Leukocyte diversity in resolving and nonresolving mechanisms of cardiac
      remodeling.
AB  - In response to myocardial infarction (MI), time-dependent leukocyte infiltration
      is critical to program the acute inflammatory response. Post-MI leukocyte
      density, residence time in the infarcted area, and exit from the infarcted injury
      predict resolving or nonresolving inflammation. Overactive or unresolved
      inflammation is the primary determinant in heart failure pathology post-MI. Here,
      our review describes supporting evidence that the acute inflammatory response
      also guides the generation of healing and regenerative mediators after cardiac
      damage. Time-dependent leukocyte density and diversity and the magnitude of
      myocardial injury is responsible for the resolving and nonresolving pathway in
      myocardial healing. Post MI, the diversity of leukocytes, such as neutrophils,
      macrophages, and lymphocytes, has been explored that regulate the clearance of
      deceased cardiomyocytes by using the classic and reparative pathways. Among the
      innovative factors and intermediates that have been recognized as essential in
      acute the self-healing and clearance mechanism, we highlight specialized
      proresolving mediators as the emerging factor for post-MI reparative mechanisms
      translational leukocyte modifiers, such as aging, the source of leukocytes, and
      the milieu around the leukocytes. In the clinical setting, it is possible that
      leukocyte diversity is more prominent as a result of risk factors, such as
      obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Pharmacologic agents are critical modifiers
      of leukocyte diversity in healing mechanisms that may impair or stimulate the
      clearance mechanism. Future research is needed, with a focused approach to
      understand the molecular targets, cellular effectors, and receptors. A clear
      understanding of resolving and nonresolving inflammation in myocardial healing
      will help to develop novel targets with major emphasis on the resolution of
      inflammation in heart failure pathology.-Tourki, B., Halade, G. Leukocyte
      diversity in resolving and nonresolving mechanisms of cardiac remodeling.

PMID- 28642331
TI  - Diagnosis and risk stratification of Barrett's dysplasia by flow cytometric DNA
      analysis of paraffin-embedded tissue.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus (BO) can be
      challenging, and reliable ancillary techniques are not available. This study
      examines if DNA content abnormality detected by flow cytometry can serve as a
      diagnostic marker of dysplasia and facilitate risk stratification of low-grade
      dysplasia (LGD) and indefinite for dysplasia (IND) patients using formalin-fixed
      paraffin-embedded (FFPE) BO samples with varying degrees of dysplasia. DESIGN:
      DNA flow cytometry was performed on 80 FFPE BO samples with high-grade dysplasia
      (HGD), 38 LGD, 21 IND and 14 negative for dysplasia (ND). Three to four 60-micron
      thick sections were cut from each tissue block, and the area of interest was
      manually dissected. RESULTS: DNA content abnormality was identified in 76 HGD
      (95%), 8 LGD (21.1%), 2 IND (9.5%) and 0 ND samples. As a diagnostic marker of
      HGD, the estimated sensitivity and specificity of DNA content abnormality were
      95% and 85%, respectively. For patients with DNA content abnormality detected at
      baseline LGD or IND, the univariate HRs for subsequent detection of HGD or
      oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) were 7.0 and 20.0, respectively (p =<0.001).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the promise of DNA flow cytometry using FFPE
      tissue in the diagnosis and risk stratification of dysplasia in BO. The presence
      of DNA content abnormality correlates with increasing levels of dysplasia, as 95%
      of HGD samples showed DNA content abnormality. DNA flow cytometry also identifies
      a subset of patients with LGD and IND who are at higher risk for subsequent
      detection of HGD or OAC.

PMID- 28642330
TI  - Effects of Intensive BP Control in CKD.
AB  - The appropriate target for BP in patients with CKD and hypertension remains
      uncertain. We report prespecified subgroup analyses of outcomes in participants
      with baseline CKD in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial. We randomly
      assigned participants to a systolic BP target of <120 mm Hg (intensive group;
      n=1330) or <140 mm Hg (standard group; n=1316). After a median follow-up of 3.3
      years, the primary composite cardiovascular outcome occurred in 112 intensive
      group and 131 standard group CKD participants (hazard ratio [HR], 0.81; 95%
      confidence interval [95% CI], 0.63 to 1.05). The intensive group also had a lower
      rate of all-cause death (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.99). Treatment effects did
      not differ between participants with and without CKD (P values for interactions
      >=0.30). The prespecified main kidney outcome, defined as the composite of >=50%
      decrease in eGFR from baseline or ESRD, occurred in 15 intensive group and 16
      standard group participants (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.44 to 1.83). After the initial 6
      months, the intensive group had a slightly higher rate of change in eGFR (-0.47
      versus -0.32 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year; P<0.03). The overall rate of serious
      adverse events did not differ between treatment groups, although some specific
      adverse events occurred more often in the intensive group. Thus, among patients
      with CKD and hypertension without diabetes, targeting an SBP<120 mm Hg compared
      with <140 mm Hg reduced rates of major cardiovascular events and all-cause death
      without evidence of effect modifications by CKD or deleterious effect on the main
      kidney outcome.

PMID- 28642329
TI  - Experimental and Computational Insight Into Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Paracrine
      Signaling and Heterocellular Coupling Effects on Cardiac Contractility and
      Arrhythmogenicity.
AB  - RATIONALE: Myocardial delivery of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is an
      emerging therapy for treating the failing heart. However, the relative effects of
      hMSC-mediated heterocellular coupling (HC) and paracrine signaling (PS) on human
      cardiac contractility and arrhythmogenicity remain unresolved. OBJECTIVE: The
      objective is to better understand hMSC PS and HC effects on human cardiac
      contractility and arrhythmogenicity by integrating experimental and computational
      approaches. METHODS AND RESULTS: Extending our previous hMSC-cardiomyocyte HC
      computational model, we incorporated experimentally calibrated hMSC PS effects on
      cardiomyocyte L-type calcium channel/sarcoendoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase
      activity and cardiac tissue fibrosis. Excitation-contraction simulations of hMSC
      PS-only and combined HC+PS effects on human cardiomyocytes were representative of
      human engineered cardiac tissue (hECT) contractile function measurements under
      matched experimental treatments. Model simulations and hECTs both demonstrated
      that hMSC-mediated effects were most pronounced under PS-only conditions, where
      developed force increased ~4-fold compared with non-hMSC-supplemented controls
      during physiological 1-Hz pacing. Simulations predicted contractility of isolated
      healthy and ischemic adult human cardiomyocytes would be minimally sensitive to
      hMSC HC, driven primarily by PS. Dominance of hMSC PS was also revealed in
      simulations of fibrotic cardiac tissue, where hMSC PS protected from potential
      proarrhythmic effects of HC at various levels of engraftment. Finally, to study
      the nature of the hMSC paracrine effects on contractility, proteomic analysis of
      hECT/hMSC conditioned media predicted activation of PI3K/Akt signaling, a
      recognized target of both soluble and exosomal fractions of the hMSC secretome.
      Treating hECTs with exosome-enriched, but not exosome-depleted, fractions of the
      hMSC secretome recapitulated the effects observed with hMSC conditioned media on
      hECT-developed force and expression of calcium-handling genes (eg, SERCA2a, L
      type calcium channel). CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, this integrated experimental
      and computational study helps unravel relative hMSC PS and HC effects on human
      cardiac contractility and arrhythmogenicity, and provides novel insight into the
      role of exosomes in hMSC paracrine-mediated effects on contractility.

PMID- 28642332
TI  - Morphine worsens the severity and prevents pancreatic regeneration in mouse
      models of acute pancreatitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Opioids such as morphine are widely used for the management of pain
      associated with acute pancreatitis. Interestingly, opioids are also known to
      affect the immune system and modulate inflammatory pathways in non-pancreatic
      diseases. However, the impact of morphine on the progression of acute
      pancreatitis has never been evaluated. In the current study, we evaluated the
      impact of morphine on the progression and severity of acute pancreatitis.
      METHODS: Effect of morphine treatment on acute pancreatitis in caerulein, L
      arginine and ethanol-palmitoleic acid models was evaluated after induction of the
      disease. Inflammatory response, gut permeability and bacterial translocation were
      compared. Experiments were repeated in mu (u) opioid receptor knockout mice
      (MORKO) and in wild-type mice in the presence of opioid receptor antagonist
      naltrexone to evaluate the role of u-opioid receptors in morphine's effect on
      acute pancreatitis. Effect of morphine treatment on pathways activated during
      pancreatic regeneration like sonic Hedgehog and activation of embryonic
      transcription factors like pdx-1 and ptf-1 were measured by immunofluorescence
      and quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Histological data show that treatment with
      morphine after induction of acute pancreatitis exacerbates the disease with
      increased pancreatic neutrophilic infiltration and necrosis in all three models
      of acute pancreatitis. Morphine also exacerbated acute pancreatitis-induced gut
      permeabilisation and bacteraemia. These effects were antagonised in the MORKO
      mice or in the presence of naltrexone suggesting that morphine's effect on
      severity of acute pancreatitis are mediated through the u-opioid receptors.
      Morphine treatment delayed macrophage infiltration, sonic Hedgehog pathway
      activation and expression of pdx-1 and ptf-1. CONCLUSION: Morphine treatment
      worsens the severity of acute pancreatitis and delays resolution and
      regeneration. Considering our results, the safety of morphine for analgesia
      during acute pancreatitis should be re-evaluated in future human studies.

PMID- 28642333
TI  - Patients' and providers' perceptions of the preventability of hospital
      readmission: a prospective, observational study in four European countries.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Because of fundamental differences in healthcare systems, US
      readmission data cannot be extrapolated to the European setting: To investigate
      the opinions of readmitted patients, their carers, nurses and physicians on
      predictability and preventability of readmissions and using majority consensus to
      determine contributing factors that could potentially foresee (preventable)
      readmissions. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. Readmitted patients, their
      carers, and treating professionals were surveyed during readmission to assess the
      discharge process and the predictability and preventability of the readmission.
      Cohen's Kappa measured pairwise agreement of considering readmission as
      predictable/preventable by patients, carers and professionals. Subsequently,
      multivariable logistic regressionidentified factors associated with
      predictability/preventability. SETTING: 15 hospitals in four European countries
      PARTICIPANTS: 1398 medical patients readmitted unscheduled within 30 days MAIN
      OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: (1) Agreement between the interviewed groups on
      considering readmissions likely predictable or preventable;(2) Factors
      distinguishing predictable from non-predictable and preventable from non
      preventable readmissions. RESULTS: The majority deemed 27.8% readmissions
      potentially predictable and 14.4% potentially preventable. The consensus on
      predictability and preventability was poor, especially between patients and
      professionals (kappas ranged from 0.105 to 0.173). The interviewed selected
      different factors as potentially associated with predictability and
      preventability. When a patient reported that he was ready for discharge during
      index admission, the readmission was deemed less likely by the majority
      (predictability: OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.40 to 0.75; preventability: OR 0.35; 95% CI
      0.24 to 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: There is no consensus between readmitted patients,
      their carers and treating professionals about predictability and preventability
      of readmissions, nor associated risk factors. A readmitted patient reporting not
      feeling ready for discharge at index admission was strongly associated with
      preventability/predictability. Therefore, healthcare workers should question
      patients' readiness to go home timely before discharge.

PMID- 28642334
TI  - ALK Fusion Detection in Circulating Free DNA: Finding an Important Needle in the
      Haystack.

PMID- 28642335
TI  - Carcinoid Syndrome and Costs of Care During the First Year After Diagnosis of
      Neuroendocrine Tumors Among Elderly Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) can secrete hormonal peptides that lead
      to additional symptom burdens. However, it is largely unknown whether and to what
      extent the additional symptom burdens translate into higher costs of care. This
      study aimed to examine the cost pattern of elderly NET patients during the first
      year of diagnosis, taking into account of the carcinoid syndrome status. METHODS:
      We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare data to identify
      elderly NET patients diagnosed between January 2003 and December 2011. Patients
      who had at least two claims indicative of carcinoid syndrome during the 3 months
      before and after the NET diagnosis were considered to have carcinoid syndrome. We
      adopted a payer's perspective and quantified economic outcomes using the
      following three measures: (a) total Medicare reimbursement amount, (b) inpatient
      amount, and (c) outpatient amount. We used a generalized linear model (GLM) to
      examine the association between syndrome and costs. RESULTS: Our study cohort
      included 6,749 elderly NET well-differentiated and moderately differentiated
      patients. Of these patients, 5,633 (83%) were alive 1 year after diagnosis with
      continuous enrollment, and 1,116 (17%) died within 1 year. The multivariable GLM
      showed significant association between the syndrome and higher total, inpatient,
      and outpatient costs among the group who survived the whole year; the association
      was insignificant among the group who died within the first year of diagnosis.
      CONCLUSION: This population-based study showed that NET patients with carcinoid
      syndrome incurred higher costs of care especially among those who survived the
      first year of diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This is the first population
      based study that examines the health care costs associated with carcinoid
      syndrome among neuroendocrine tumor patients. Among patients alive throughout the
      first year, the unadjusted analyses showed that total median monthly costs were
      above $1,000 higher ($3,801 vs. $2,481) for patients with carcinoid syndrome
      compared with patients without. A significant association was found between
      carcinoid syndrome and higher total inpatient and outpatient costs among the
      group that survived the whole year even after controlling for clinical factors,
      treatment received, and demographics and neighborhood socioeconomic status; the
      association was insignificant among the group that died within the first year of
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28642337
TI  - Is all ALS genetic?

PMID- 28642336
TI  - The evolving genetic risk for sporadic ALS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the genetic risk conferred by known amyotrophic lateral
      sclerosis (ALS)-associated genes to the pathogenesis of sporadic ALS (SALS) using
      variant allele frequencies combined with predicted variant pathogenicity.
      METHODS: Whole exome sequencing and repeat expansion PCR of C9orf72 and ATXN2
      were performed on 87 patients of European ancestry with SALS seen at the
      University of Utah. DNA variants that change the protein coding sequence of 31
      ALS-associated genes were annotated to determine which were rare and deleterious
      as predicted by MetaSVM. The percentage of patients with SALS with a rare and
      deleterious variant or repeat expansion in an ALS-associated gene was calculated.
      An odds ratio analysis was performed comparing the burden of ALS-associated genes
      in patients with SALS vs 324 normal controls. RESULTS: Nineteen rare
      nonsynonymous variants in an ALS-associated gene, 2 of which were found in 2
      different individuals, were identified in 21 patients with SALS. Further, 5
      deleterious C9orf72 and 2 ATXN2 repeat expansions were identified. A total of
      17.2% of patients with SALS had a rare and deleterious variant or repeat
      expansion in an ALS-associated gene. The genetic burden of ALS-associated genes
      in patients with SALS as predicted by MetaSVM was significantly higher than in
      normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: Previous analyses have identified SALS-predisposing
      variants only in terms of their rarity in normal control populations. By
      incorporating variant pathogenicity as well as variant frequency, we demonstrated
      that the genetic risk contributed by these genes for SALS is substantially lower
      than previous estimates.

PMID- 28642338
TI  - Cellular distribution and function of ion channels involved in transport
      processes in rat tracheal epithelium.
AB  - Transport of water and electrolytes in airway epithelia involves chloride
      selective ion channels, which are controlled either by cytosolic Ca2+ or by cAMP
      The contributions of the two pathways to chloride transport differ among
      vertebrate species. Because rats are becoming more important as animal model for
      cystic fibrosis, we have examined how Ca2+- dependent and cAMP- dependent Cl-
      secretion is organized in the rat tracheal epithelium. We examined the expression
      of the Ca2+-gated Cl- channel anoctamin 1 (ANO1), the cystic fibrosis
      transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl- channel, the epithelial Na+
      channel ENaC, and the water channel aquaporin 5 (AQP5) in rat tracheal
      epithelium. The contribution of ANO1 channels to nucleotide-stimulated Cl-
      secretion was determined using the channel blocker Ani9 in short-circuit current
      recordings obtained from primary cultures of rat tracheal epithelial cells in
      Ussing chambers. We found that ANO1, CFTR and AQP5 proteins were expressed in
      nonciliated cells of the tracheal epithelium, whereas ENaC was expressed in
      ciliated cells. Among nonciliated cells, ANO1 occurred together with CFTR and
      Muc5b and, in addition, in a different cell type without CFTR and Muc5b.
      Bioelectrical studies with the ANO1-blocker Ani9 indicated that ANO1 mediated the
      secretory response to the nucleotide uridine-5'-triphosphate. Our data
      demonstrate that, in rat tracheal epithelium, Cl- secretion and Na+ absorption
      are routed through different cell types, and that ANO1 channels form the
      molecular basis of Ca2+-dependent Cl- secretion in this tissue. These
      characteristic features of Cl--dependent secretion reveal similarities and
      distinct differences to secretory processes in human airways.

PMID- 28642339
TI  - Establishment of a novel three-dimensional primary culture model for hippocampal
      neurogenesis.
AB  - New neurons are generated in the adult hippocampus throughout life and contribute
      to the functions of learning and memory. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which
      disrupted neurogenesis regulates central nervous system (CNS) disorders are not
      fully understood. Here, we established a novel 3D culture system of hippocampal
      neurogenesis using air liquid interface (ALI) culture and Matrigel culture from
      mouse hippocampus tissues. After isolated mouse hippocampus tissue fragments were
      seeded into ALI wells and cultured in stemness-stimulated media containing Wnt,
      EGF, Noggin and R-spondin for 7 days, small spheres gradually appeared in the
      tissues. To identify the cell components, immunohistochemical and
      immunofluorescence staining were performed. Expression of a mature neuronal cell
      marker, NeuN was observed in the tissues just after seeding. Expression of a
      neural stem cell marker, Nestin was observed in the tissues at day 7. To
      differentiate the Nestin-positive cells, they were passaged into Matrigel.
      Expression of Nestin but not an immature neuronal cell marker, doublecortin (DCX)
      was observed in the isolated cells. After 7 days of Matrigel culture, they showed
      the neurite outgrowth. Expression of Nestin was decreased compared with the one
      just after passaging, while DCX expression was increased. Western blotting
      analysis also showed Nestin expression was decreased, while expression of DCX, a
      neuronal cell marker, Tuj1 and a granule cell marker, Prox-1 was increased. Here,
      we establish the 3D culture of hippocampus tissues that might become a novel in
      vitro tool for monitoring the process of hippocampal neurogenesis. Our model
      might shed light into the mechanisms of pathogenesis of CNS disorders.

PMID- 28642340
TI  - Cardiovascular and cerebral hemodynamics during exercise and recovery in obese
      individuals as a function of their fitness status.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare cardiovascular hemodynamics and cerebral
      oxygenation/perfusion (COP) during and after maximal incremental exercise in
      obese individuals according to their aerobic fitness versus age-matched healthy
      controls (AMHC). Fifty-four middle-aged obese (OB) and 16 AMHC were recruited.
      Maximal cardiopulmonary function (gas exchange analysis), cardiac hemodynamics
      (impedance cardiography), and left frontal COP (near-infrared spectroscopy: NIRS)
      were measured continuously during a maximal incremental ergocycle test. During
      recovery, reoxygenation/perfusion rate (ROPR: oxyhemoglobin: DeltaO2Hb,
      deoxyhemoglobin: DeltaHHb and total hemoglobin: DeltatHb; with NIRS) was also
      measured. Obese participants (OB, n = 54) were divided into two groups according
      to the median VO2 peak: the low-fit obese (LF-OB, n = 27) and the high-fit obese
      (HF-OB, n = 27). During exercise, end tidal pressure of CO2 (PETCO2), and COP
      (DeltaO2Hb, DeltaHHb and DeltatHb) did not differ between groups (OB, LF-OB, HF
      OB, AMHC). During recovery, PETCO2 and ROPR (DeltaO2Hb, DeltaHHb and DeltatHb)
      were similar between the groups (OB, LF-OB, HF-OB, AMHC). During exercise and
      recovery, cardiac index was lower (P < 0.05) in LF-OB versus the other two groups
      (HF-OB, AMHC). As well, systolic blood pressure was higher during exercise in the
      OB, LF-OB and HF-OB groups versus AMHC (P < 0.05). When compared to AMHC, obese
      individuals (OB, LF-OB, HF-OB) have a similar cerebral vasoreactivity by CO2 and
      cerebral hemodynamics during exercise and recovery, but a higher systolic blood
      pressure during exercise. Higher fitness in obese subjects (HF-OB) seems to
      preserve their cardiopulmonary and cardiac function during exercise and recovery.

PMID- 28642341
TI  - Use of intraoperative local field potential spectral analysis to differentiate
      basal ganglia structures in Parkinson's disease patients.
AB  - Identification of brain structures traversed during implantation of deep brain
      stimulating (DBS) electrodes into the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) for the
      treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently relies on subjective
      correspondence between kinesthetic response and multiunit activity. However,
      recent work suggests that local field potentials (LFP) could be used as a more
      robust signal to objectively differentiate subcortical structures. The goal of
      this study was to analyze the spectral properties of LFP collected during STN-DBS
      in order to objectively identify commonly traversed brain regions and improve our
      understanding of aberrant oscillations in the PD-related pathophysiological
      cortico-basal ganglia network. In 21 PD patients, LFP were collected and analyzed
      during STN-DBS implantation surgery. Spectral power for delta-, theta-, alpha-,
      low-beta-, and high-beta-frequency bands was assessed at multiple depths
      throughout the subcortical structures traversed on the trajectory to the ventral
      border of STN. Similar to previous findings, beta-band oscillations had an
      increased magnitude within the borders of the motor-related area of STN, however,
      across several subjects, we also observed increased high-beta magnitude within
      the borders of thalamus. Comparing across all patients using relative power, we
      observed a gradual increase in the magnitude of both low- and high-beta-frequency
      bands as the electrode descended from striatum to STN. These results were also
      compared with frequency bands below beta, and similar trends were observed. Our
      results suggest that LFP signals recorded during the implantation of a DBS
      electrode evince distinct oscillatory signatures that distinguish subcortical
      structures.

PMID- 28642342
TI  - Survival of contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD)-associated treponemes on
      disposable gloves after handling CODD-affected feet.

PMID- 28642343
TI  - Differential distribution of vapA-positive Rhodococcus equi in affected and
      unaffected horse-breeding farms.

PMID- 28642344
TI  - A role for TET2 in parathyroid carcinoma.
AB  - Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is rarely caused by parathyroid carcinoma (PC,
      <1-5% of pHPT cases). The TET proteins oxidize the epigenetic mark 5
      methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) and inactivation by mutation or
      epigenetic deregulation of TET1 and TET2 play important roles in various cancers.
      Recently, we found that 5hmC was severely reduced in all of the analyzed PCs and
      with deranged expression of TET1 for the majority of PCs. Here, we have examined
      the expression of the TET2 protein in 15 5hmC-negative PCs from patients who had
      local invasion or metastases. Cell growth and cell migratory roles for TET2 as
      well as epigenetic deregulated expression were addressed. Immunohistochemistry
      revealed very low/undetectable expression of TET2 in all PCs and verified for two
      PCs that were available for western blotting analysis. Knockdown of TET2 in the
      parathyroid cell line sHPT-1 resulted in increased cell growth and increased cell
      migration. DNA sequencing of TET2 in PCs revealed two common variants and no
      obvious inactivating mutations. Quantitative bisulfite pyrosequencing analysis of
      the TET2 promoter CpG island revealed higher CpG methylation level in the PCs
      compared to that in normal tissues and treatment of a PC primary cell culture
      with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine caused increased
      expression of the methylated TET2 gene. Hence, the data suggest that deregulated
      expression of TET2 by DNA hypermethylation may contribute to the aberrantly low
      level of 5hmC in PCs and further that TET2 plays a cell growth and cell migratory
      regulatory role and may constitute a parathyroid tumor suppressor gene.

PMID- 28642346
TI  - Detergent-induced self-assembly and controllable photosensitizer activity of
      diester phenylene ethynylenes.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy, in which malignant tissue is killed by targeted light
      exposure following administration of a photosensitizer, can be a valuable
      treatment modality but currently relies on passive transport and local
      irradiation to avoid off-target oxidation. We present a system of excited-state
      control for truly local delivery of singlet oxygen. An anionic phenylene
      ethynylene oligomer is initially quenched by water, producing minimal
      fluorescence and no measurable singlet oxygen generation. When presented with a
      binding partner, in this case an oppositely charged surfactant, changes in
      solvent microenvironment result in fluorescence unquenching, restoration of
      intersystem crossing to the triplet state, and singlet oxygen generation, as
      assayed by transient absorption spectroscopy and chemical trapping. This
      solvation-controlled photosensitizer model has possible applications as a
      theranostic agent for, for example, amyloid diseases.

PMID- 28642345
TI  - Evolution of nonspectral rhodopsin function at high altitudes.
AB  - High-altitude environments present a range of biochemical and physiological
      challenges for organisms through decreases in oxygen, pressure, and temperature
      relative to lowland habitats. Protein-level adaptations to hypoxic high-altitude
      conditions have been identified in multiple terrestrial endotherms; however,
      comparable adaptations in aquatic ectotherms, such as fishes, have not been as
      extensively characterized. In enzyme proteins, cold adaptation is attained
      through functional trade-offs between stability and activity, often mediated by
      substitutions outside the active site. Little is known whether signaling proteins
      [e.g., G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)] exhibit natural variation in response
      to cold temperatures. Rhodopsin (RH1), the temperature-sensitive visual pigment
      mediating dim-light vision, offers an opportunity to enhance our understanding of
      thermal adaptation in a model GPCR. Here, we investigate the evolution of
      rhodopsin function in an Andean mountain catfish system spanning a range of
      elevations. Using molecular evolutionary analyses and site-directed mutagenesis
      experiments, we provide evidence for cold adaptation in RH1. We find that unique
      amino acid substitutions occur at sites under positive selection in high-altitude
      catfishes, located at opposite ends of the RH1 intramolecular hydrogen-bonding
      network. Natural high-altitude variants introduced into these sites via
      mutagenesis have limited effects on spectral tuning, yet decrease the stability
      of dark-state and light-activated rhodopsin, accelerating the decay of ligand
      bound forms. As found in cold-adapted enzymes, this phenotype likely compensates
      for a cold-induced decrease in kinetic rates-properties of rhodopsin that mediate
      rod sensitivity and visual performance. Our results support a role for natural
      variation in enhancing the performance of GPCRs in response to cold temperatures.

PMID- 28642347
TI  - Counteracting dysfunction of regulatory T cells in organ transplantation.

PMID- 28642350
TI  - Utility of AIMS65 score in predicting mortality in patients presenting with upper
      gastrointestinal bleeding.

PMID- 28642348
TI  - Confined in-fiber solidification and structural control of silicon and silicon
      germanium microparticles.
AB  - Crystallization of microdroplets of molten alloys could, in principle, present a
      number of possible morphological outcomes, depending on the symmetry of the
      propagating solidification front and its velocity, such as axial or spherically
      symmetric species segregation. However, because of thermal or constitutional
      supercooling, resulting droplets often only display dendritic morphologies. Here
      we report on the crystallization of alloyed droplets of controlled micrometer
      dimensions comprising silicon and germanium, leading to a number of surprising
      outcomes. We first produce an array of silicon-germanium particles embedded in
      silica, through capillary breakup of an alloy-core silica-cladding fiber. Heating
      and subsequent controlled cooling of individual particles with a two-wavelength
      laser setup allows us to realize two different morphologies, the first being a
      silicon-germanium compositionally segregated Janus particle oriented with respect
      to the illumination axis and the second being a sphere made of dendrites of
      germanium in silicon. Gigapascal-level compressive stresses are measured within
      pure silicon solidified in silica as a direct consequence of volume-constrained
      solidification of a material undergoing anomalous expansion. The ability to
      generate microspheres with controlled morphology and unusual stresses could pave
      the way toward advanced integrated in-fiber electronic or optoelectronic devices.

PMID- 28642351
TI  - Is psychiatry becoming more coercive?

PMID- 28642352
TI  - Management of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations: A Scientific Statement for
      Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke
      Association.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this statement is to review the current data and to make
      suggestions for the diagnosis and management of both ruptured and unruptured
      brain arteriovenous malformations. METHODS: The writing group met in person and
      by teleconference to establish search terms and to discuss narrative text and
      suggestions. Authors performed their own literature searches of PubMed, Medline,
      or Embase, specific to their allocated section, through the end of January 2015.
      Prerelease review of the draft statement was performed by expert peer reviewers
      and by the members of the Stroke Council Scientific Oversight Committee and
      Stroke Council Leadership Committee. RESULTS: The focus of the scientific
      statement was subdivided into epidemiology; diagnosis; natural history;
      treatment, including the roles of surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, and
      embolization; and management of ruptured and unruptured brain arteriovenous
      malformations. Areas requiring more evidence were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Brain
      arteriovenous malformations are a relatively uncommon but important cause of
      hemorrhagic stroke, especially in young adults. This statement describes the
      current knowledge of the natural history and treatment of patients with ruptured
      and unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations, suggestions for management, and
      implications for future research.

PMID- 28642354
TI  - Looking up for AML in Down syndrome.

PMID- 28642353
TI  - When 'Sanctity of Life' and 'Self-Determination' clash: Briggs versus Briggs
      [2016] EWCOP 53 - implications for policy and practice.
AB  - In a landmark judgment in the English Court of Protection, the judge (Charles J)
      found it to be in the best interests of a minimally conscious patient for
      clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH) to be withdrawn, with the
      inevitable consequence that the patient would die. In making this judgment, it
      was accepted that the patient's level of consciousness - if CANH were continued
      and rehabilitation provided - might improve, and that he might become capable of
      expressing emotions and making simple choices. The decision to withdraw treatment
      relied on a best interests decision, which gave great weight to the patient's
      past wishes, feelings, values and beliefs, and brought a 'holistic' approach to
      understanding what this particular patient would have wanted. We draw on our own
      experience of supporting families, advocating for patients and training
      healthcare professionals in similar situations to consider the implications of
      the published judgment for policy and practice with patients in prolonged
      disorders of consciousness and their families.

PMID- 28642355
TI  - Down syndrome and AML: where do we go from here?

PMID- 28642356
TI  - Equal opportunity CAR T cells.

PMID- 28642357
TI  - Human megakaryocytes: finding the root.

PMID- 28642358
TI  - EPCR: a novel marker of cultured cord blood HSCs.

PMID- 28642359
TI  - Activated kinases in ALL: time to act.

PMID- 28642360
TI  - Now I cuss less about ICUS.

PMID- 28642361
TI  - Acute monoblastic leukemia presenting with striking periorbital and periauricular
      infiltration.

PMID- 28642362
TI  - Regulation of RhoA by STAT3 coordinates glial scar formation.
AB  - Understanding how the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of
      transcription-3 (STAT3) controls glial scar formation may have important clinical
      implications. We show that astrocytic STAT3 is associated with greater amounts of
      secreted MMP2, a crucial protease in scar formation. Moreover, we report that
      STAT3 inhibits the small GTPase RhoA and thereby controls actomyosin tonus,
      adhesion turnover, and migration of reactive astrocytes, as well as corralling of
      leukocytes in vitro. The inhibition of RhoA by STAT3 involves ezrin, the
      phosphorylation of which is reduced in STAT3-CKO astrocytes. Reduction of
      phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) levels in STAT3-CKO rescues reactive
      astrocytes dynamics in vitro. By specific targeting of lesion-proximal, reactive
      astrocytes in Nestin-Cre mice, we show that reduction of PTEN rescues glial scar
      formation in Nestin-Stat3+/- mice. These findings reveal novel intracellular
      signaling mechanisms underlying the contribution of reactive astrocyte dynamics
      to glial scar formation.

PMID- 28642363
TI  - Nuclear phosphorylated Dicer processes double-stranded RNA in response to DNA
      damage.
AB  - The endoribonuclease Dicer is a key component of the human RNA interference
      pathway and is known for its role in cytoplasmic microRNA production. Recent
      findings suggest that noncanonical Dicer generates small noncoding RNA to mediate
      the DNA damage response (DDR). Here, we show that human Dicer is phosphorylated
      in the platform-Piwi/Argonaute/Zwille-connector helix cassette (S1016) upon
      induction of DNA damage. Phosphorylated Dicer (p-Dicer) accumulates in the
      nucleus and is recruited to DNA double-strand breaks. We further demonstrate that
      turnover of damage-induced nuclear, double-stranded (ds) RNA requires additional
      phosphorylation of carboxy-terminal Dicer residues (S1728 and S1852). DNA damage
      induced nuclear Dicer accumulation is conserved in mammals. Dicer depletion
      causes endogenous DNA damage and delays the DDR by impaired recruitment of repair
      factors MDC1 and 53BP1. Collectively, we place Dicer within the context of the
      DDR by demonstrating a DNA damage-inducible phosphoswitch that causes localized
      processing of nuclear dsRNA by p-Dicer to promote DNA repair.

PMID- 28642364
TI  - The Accuracy and Bias of Single-Step Genomic Prediction for Populations Under
      Selection.
AB  - In single-step analyses, missing genotypes are explicitly or implicitly imputed,
      and this requires centering the observed genotypes using the means of the
      unselected founders. If genotypes are only available for selected individuals,
      centering on the unselected founder mean is not straightforward. Here, computer
      simulation is used to study an alternative analysis that does not require
      centering genotypes but fits the mean [Formula: see text] of unselected
      individuals as a fixed effect. Starting with observed diplotypes from 721 cattle,
      a five-generation population was simulated with sire selection to produce 40,000
      individuals with phenotypes, of which the 1000 sires had genotypes. The next
      generation of 8000 genotyped individuals was used for validation. Evaluations
      were undertaken with (J) or without (N) [Formula: see text] when marker
      covariates were not centered; and with (JC) or without (C) [Formula: see text]
      when all observed and imputed marker covariates were centered. Centering did not
      influence accuracy of genomic prediction, but fitting [Formula: see text] did.
      Accuracies were improved when the panel comprised only quantitative trait loci
      (QTL); models JC and J had accuracies of 99.4%, whereas models C and N had
      accuracies of 90.2%. When only markers were in the panel, the 4 models had
      accuracies of 80.4%. In panels that included QTL, fitting [Formula: see text] in
      the model improved accuracy, but had little impact when the panel contained only
      markers. In populations undergoing selection, fitting [Formula: see text] in the
      model is recommended to avoid bias and reduction in prediction accuracy due to
      selection.

PMID- 28642365
TI  - Phenotypic Diagnosis of Lineage and Differentiation During Sake Yeast Breeding.
AB  - Sake yeast was developed exclusively in Japan. Its diversification during
      breeding remains largely uncharacterized. To evaluate the breeding processes of
      the sake lineage, we thoroughly investigated the phenotypes and differentiation
      of 27 sake yeast strains using high-dimensional, single-cell, morphological
      phenotyping. Although the genetic diversity of the sake yeast lineage is
      relatively low, its morphological diversity has expanded substantially compared
      to that of the Saccharomycescerevisiae species as a whole. Evaluation of the
      different types of breeding processes showed that the generation of hybrids
      (crossbreeding) has more profound effects on cell morphology than the isolation
      of mutants (mutation breeding). Analysis of phenotypic robustness revealed that
      some sake yeast strains are more morphologically heterogeneous, possibly due to
      impairment of cellular network hubs. This study provides a new perspective for
      studying yeast breeding genetics and micro-organism breeding strategies.

PMID- 28642366
TI  - Saccharomyces cerevisiae Red1 protein exhibits nonhomologous DNA end-joining
      activity and potentiates Hop1-promoted pairing of double-stranded DNA.
AB  - Elucidation of the function of synaptonemal complex (SC) in Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae has mainly focused on in vivo analysis of recombination-defective
      meiotic mutants. Consequently, significant gaps remain in the mechanistic
      understanding of the activities of various SC proteins and the functional
      relationships among them. S. cerevisiae Hop1 and Red1 are essential structural
      components of the SC axial/lateral elements. Previous studies have demonstrated
      that Hop1 is a structure-selective DNA-binding protein exhibiting high affinity
      for the Holliday junction and promoting DNA bridging, condensation, and pairing
      between double-stranded DNA molecules. However, the exact mode of action of Red1
      remains unclear, although it is known to interact with Hop1 and to suppress the
      spore viability defects of hop1 mutant alleles. Here, we report the purification
      and functional characterization of the full-length Red1 protein. Our results
      revealed that Red1 forms a stable complex with Hop1 in vitro and provided
      quantitative insights into their physical interactions. Mechanistically, Red1
      preferentially associated with the Holliday junction and 3-way junction rather
      than with single- or double-stranded DNA with overhangs. Although Hop1 and Red1
      exhibited similar binding affinities toward several DNA substrates, the two
      proteins displayed some significant differences. Notably, Red1, by itself, lacked
      DNA-pairing ability; however, it potentiated Hop1-promoted intermolecular pairing
      between double-stranded DNA molecules. Moreover, Red1 exhibited nonhomologous DNA
      end-joining activity, thus revealing an unexpected role for Red1 in recombination
      based DNA repair. Collectively, this study presents the first direct insights
      into Red1's mode of action and into the mechanism underlying its role in
      chromosome synapsis and recombination.

PMID- 28642367
TI  - The activities of the C-terminal regions of the formin protein disheveled
      associated activator of morphogenesis (DAAM) in actin dynamics.
AB  - Disheveled-associated activator of morphogenesis (DAAM) is a diaphanous-related
      formin protein essential for the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics in
      diverse biological processes. The conserved formin homology 1 and 2 (FH1-FH2)
      domains of DAAM catalyze actin nucleation and processively mediate filament
      elongation. These activities are indirectly regulated by the N- and C-terminal
      regions flanking the FH1-FH2 domains. Recently, the C-terminal diaphanous
      autoregulatory domain (DAD) and the C terminus (CT) of formins have also been
      shown to regulate actin assembly by directly interacting with actin. Here, to
      better understand the biological activities of DAAM, we studied the role of DAD
      CT regions of Drosophila DAAM in its interaction with actin with in vitro
      biochemical and in vivo genetic approaches. We found that the DAD-CT region binds
      actin in vitro and that its main actin-binding element is the CT region, which
      does not influence actin dynamics on its own. However, we also found that it can
      tune the nucleating activity and the filament end-interaction properties of DAAM
      in an FH2 domain-dependent manner. We also demonstrate that DAD-CT makes the FH2
      domain more efficient in antagonizing with capping protein. Consistently, in vivo
      data suggested that the CT region contributes to DAAM-mediated filopodia
      formation and dynamics in primary neurons. In conclusion, our results demonstrate
      that the CT region of DAAM plays an important role in actin assembly regulation
      in a biological context.

PMID- 28642368
TI  - The influence of disulfide bonds on the mechanical stability of proteins is
      context dependent.
AB  - Disulfide bonds play a crucial role in proteins, modulating their stability and
      constraining their conformational dynamics. A particularly important case is that
      of proteins that need to withstand forces arising from their normal biological
      function and that are often disulfide bonded. However, the influence of
      disulfides on the overall mechanical stability of proteins is poorly understood.
      Here, we used single-molecule force spectroscopy (smFS) to study the role of
      disulfide bonds in different mechanical proteins in terms of their unfolding
      forces. For this purpose, we chose the pilus protein FimG from Gram-negative
      bacteria and a disulfide-bonded variant of the I91 human cardiac titin
      polyprotein. Our results show that disulfide bonds can alter the mechanical
      stability of proteins in different ways depending on the properties of the
      system. Specifically, disulfide-bonded FimG undergoes a 30% increase in its
      mechanical stability compared with its reduced counterpart, whereas the unfolding
      force of I91 domains experiences a decrease of 15% relative to the WT form. Using
      a coarse-grained simulation model, we rationalized that the increase in
      mechanical stability of FimG is due to a shift in the mechanical unfolding
      pathway. The simple topology-based explanation suggests a neutral effect in the
      case of titin. In summary, our results indicate that disulfide bonds in proteins
      act in a context-dependent manner rather than simply as mechanical lockers,
      underscoring the importance of considering disulfide bonds both computationally
      and experimentally when studying the mechanical properties of proteins.

PMID- 28642369
TI  - Replisome-mediated translesion synthesis by a cellular replicase.
AB  - Genome integrity relies on the ability of the replisome to navigate ubiquitous
      DNA damage during DNA replication. The Escherichia coli replisome transiently
      stalls at leading-strand template lesions and can either reinitiate replication
      downstream of the lesion or recruit specialized DNA polymerases that can bypass
      the lesion via translesion synthesis. Previous results had suggested that the E.
      coli replicase might play a role in lesion bypass, but this possibility has not
      been tested in reconstituted DNA replication systems. We report here that the DNA
      polymerase III holoenzyme in a stalled E. coli replisome can directly bypass a
      single cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer or abasic site by translesion synthesis in
      the absence of specialized translesion synthesis polymerases. Bypass efficiency
      was proportional to deoxynucleotide concentrations equivalent to those found in
      vivo and was dependent on the frequency of primer synthesis downstream of the
      lesion. Translesion synthesis came at the expense of lesion-skipping replication
      restart. Replication of a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer was accurate, whereas
      replication of an abasic site resulted in mainly -1 frameshifts. Lesion bypass
      was accompanied by an increase in base substitution frequency for the base
      preceding the lesion. These findings suggest that DNA damage at the replication
      fork can be replicated directly by the replisome without the need to activate
      error-prone pathways.

PMID- 28642370
TI  - In vitro cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1) activation by neuroactive compounds.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1, cholesterol 24-hydroxylase) is the enzyme
      responsible for the majority of cholesterol elimination from the brain.
      Previously, we found that the anti-HIV drug efavirenz (EFV) can pharmacologically
      activate CYP46A1 in mice. Herein, we investigated whether CYP46A1 could also be
      activated by endogenous compounds, including major neurotransmitters. In vitro
      experiments with purified recombinant CYP46A1 indicated that CYP46A1 is activated
      by l-glutamate (l-Glu), l-aspartate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and acetylcholine,
      with l-Glu eliciting the highest increase (3-fold) in CYP46A1-mediated
      cholesterol 24-hydroxylation. We also found that l-Glu and other activating
      neurotransmitters bind to the same site on the CYP46A1 surface, which differs
      from the EFV-binding site. The other principal differences between EFV and l-Glu
      in CYP46A1 activation include an apparent lack of l-Glu binding to the P450
      active site and different pathways of signal transduction from the allosteric
      site to the active site. EFV and l-Glu similarly increased the CYP46A1 kcat, the
      rate of the "fast" phase of the enzyme reduction by the redox partner NADPH
      cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase, and the amount of P450 reduced. Spectral
      titrations with cholesterol, in the presence of EFV or l-Glu, suggest that water
      displacement from the heme iron can be affected in activator-bound CYP46A1.
      Moreover, EFV and l-Glu synergistically activated CYP46A1. Collectively, our in
      vitro data, along with those from previous cell culture and in vivo studies by
      others, suggest that l-Glu-induced CYP46A1 activation is of physiological
      relevance.

PMID- 28642372
TI  - The Highland Health Advocates: a preliminary evaluation of a novel programme
      addressing the social needs of emergency department patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Patients commonly come to the emergency department (ED) with social
      needs. To address this, we created the Highland Health Advocates (HHA), an ED
      based help desk and medical-legal partnership using undergraduate volunteers to
      help patients navigate public resources and provide onsite legal and social work
      referrals. We were able to provide these services in English and Spanish. We
      aimed to determine the social needs of the patients who presented to our ED and
      the potential impact of the programme in resolving those needs and connecting
      them to a 'medical home' (defined as a consistent, primary source of medical care
      such as a primary care doctor or clinic). METHODS: ED patients at a US safety net
      hospital were enrolled in a 1:2 ratio in a quasi-experiment comparing those who
      received intervention from the HHA during a limited access rollout with controls
      who received usual care on days with no help desk. We collected a baseline social
      needs evaluation, with follow-up assessments at 1 and 6 months. Primary outcomes
      were linkages for the primary identified need and to a medical home within 1
      month. Other outcomes at 6 months included whether a patient (1) felt helped; 2)
      had a decreased number of ED visits; (3) had the primary identified need met; (4)
      had a primary doctor; and (5) had a change in self-reported health status.
      RESULTS: We enrolled 459 subjects (intervention=154, control=305). Housing (41%),
      employment (23%) and inability to pay bills (22%) were participants' top
      identified needs. At baseline, 32% reported the ED as their medical home, with
      the intervention cohort having higher ED utilisation (>1 ED visit in the prior
      month: 49% vs 24%). At 1 month, 185 (40%) subjects were reached for follow-up,
      with more HHA subjects linked to a resource (59% vs 37%) and a medical home (92%
      vs 76%). At 6 months, 75% of subjects felt HHA was helpful and more subjects in
      the HHA group had a doctor (93% v 69%). No difference was found in ED
      utilisation, primary need resolution or self-reported health status. CONCLUSIONS:
      Health-related social needs are common in this US safety net ED. Our help desk is
      one possible model for addressing social needs.

PMID- 28642373
TI  - Failure of falls risk screening tools to predict outcome: a prospective cohort
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the Falls Risk for Older Persons-Community Setting
      Screening Tool (FROP Com Screen) with the Two-Item Screening Tool in older adults
      presenting to the ED. METHODS: A prospective cohort study, comparing the efficacy
      of the two falls risk assessment tools by applying them simultaneously in a
      sample of hospital ED presentations. RESULTS: Two hundred and one patients over
      65 years old were recruited. Thirty-six per cent reported falls in the 6-month
      follow-up period. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was
      0.57 (95% CI 0.48 to 0.66) for the FROP Com Screen and 0.54 (95% CI 0.45 to 0.63)
      for the Two-Item Screening Tool. FROP Com Screen had a sensitivity of 39% (95% CI
      0.27 to 0.51) and a specificity of 70% (95% CI 0.61 to 0.78), while the Two-Item
      Screening Tool had a sensitivity of 48% (95% CI 0.36 to 0.60) and a specificity
      of 57% (95% CI 0.47 to 0.66). CONCLUSION: Both tools have limited predictive
      ability in the ED setting.

PMID- 28642374
TI  - Behavioral Patterns in Adolescents Born at 23 to 25 Weeks of Gestation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examined mental health outcomes in extremely preterm
      children (EPT) born at 23 to 25 weeks of gestation between 1992 and 1998 at 2
      Swedish tertiary care centers that offered regional and active perinatal care to
      all live-born EPT infants. METHODS: We assessed 132 (98%) of the 134 EPT
      survivors at 10 to 15 years of age alongside term-born controls. Behavioral and
      emotional problems were evaluated by using Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist
      and Teacher Report Form and Conners' Parent and Teacher scales for attention
      deficit/hyperactivity disorder. RESULTS: Parents and teachers reported
      significantly more problems with internalizing behaviors as well as attention,
      social, and thought problems in EPT children than in controls, even when those
      with major neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) were excluded. Multivariate
      analysis of covariance of the behavioral problems reported by parents and
      teachers revealed no interactions, but significant main effects emerged for group
      status (EPT versus control) and sex, with all effect sizes being medium to large
      and accounting for 8% to 14% of the variance. Compared with the controls, EPT
      children without NDDs had significantly increased rates of >=90th percentile for
      total Conners' attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder problem scores (parents:
      40% vs 15%, odds ratio: 3.7, P < .001) (teachers: 24% vs 9%, odds ratio: 3.3, P =
      .005). The corresponding rates were higher in the total population. CONCLUSIONS:
      EPT children with or without NDDs had behavioral problems characterized by a
      higher risk for anxiety and attention, social, and thought problems. These
      findings further strengthen the proposition that a preterm behavioral phenotype
      is recognizable in adolescents born EPT.

PMID- 28642371
TI  - Electrostatic interactions between the CTX phage minor coat protein and the
      bacterial host receptor TolA drive the pathogenic conversion of Vibrio cholerae.
AB  - Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments and converts to a
      pathogen upon infection by a filamentous phage, CTXPhi, that transmits the
      cholera toxin-encoding genes. This toxigenic conversion of V. cholerae has
      evident implication in both genome plasticity and epidemic risk, but the early
      stages of the infection have not been thoroughly studied. CTXPhi transit across
      the bacterial periplasm requires binding between the minor coat protein named
      pIII and a bacterial inner-membrane receptor, TolA, which is part of the
      conserved Tol-Pal molecular motor. To gain insight into the TolA-pIII complex, we
      developed a bacterial two-hybrid approach, named Oxi-BTH, suited for studying the
      interactions between disulfide bond-folded proteins in the bacterial cytoplasm of
      an Escherichia coli reporter strain. We found that two of the four disulfide
      bonds of pIII are required for its interaction with TolA. By combining Oxi-BTH
      assays, NMR, and genetic studies, we also demonstrate that two intermolecular
      salt bridges between TolA and pIII provide the driving forces of the complex
      interaction. Moreover, we show that TolA residue Arg-325 involved in one of the
      two salt bridges is critical for proper functioning of the Tol-Pal system. Our
      results imply that to prevent host evasion, CTXPhi uses an infection strategy
      that targets a highly conserved protein of Gram-negative bacteria essential for
      the fitness of V. cholerae in its natural environment.

PMID- 28642376
TI  - Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus sp. Strain CDB3, an Arsenic-Resistant Soil
      Bacterium Isolated from Cattle Dip Sites.
AB  - Bacillus sp. strain CDB3, isolated from cattle dip sites in Australia, is highly
      resistant to arsenic. It contains 22 arsenic resistance (ars) genes, of which 17
      are organized in 3 ars clusters. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
      CDB3, which will assist us in understanding the overall ars mechanism.

PMID- 28642375
TI  - Acquired Resistance to Corticotropin Therapy in Nephrotic Syndrome: Role of De
      Novo Neutralizing Antibody.
AB  - There is increasing evidence supporting the use of corticotropin as an
      alternative treatment of refractory proteinuric glomerulopathies. The efficacy of
      short-acting corticotropin, however, remains unknown and was tested here in an
      adolescent with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome caused by minimal change
      disease. After developing Cushing syndrome and recently being afflicted with
      severe cellulitis, the patient was weaned off all immunosuppressants, including
      corticosteroids. This resulted in a relapse of generalized anasarca, associated
      with massive proteinuria and hypoalbuminemia. Subsequently, mono-therapy with
      short-acting animal-derived natural corticotropin was initiated and resulted in a
      rapid response, marked by substantial diuresis, reduction in body weight, and
      partial remission of proteinuria. Ten days later, the patient developed mild skin
      rash and subcutaneous nodules at injection sites. A relapse followed despite
      doubling the dose of corticotropin, consistent with delayed-onset resistance to
      treatment. Immunoblot-based antibody assay revealed de novo formation of
      antibodies in the patient's serum that were reactive to the natural
      corticotropin. In cultured melanoma cells known to express abundant melanocortin
      receptors, addition of the patient's serum strikingly mitigated dendritogenesis
      and cell signaling triggered by natural corticotropin, denoting neutralizing
      properties of the newly formed antibodies. Collectively, short-acting natural
      corticotropin seems effective in steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. De novo
      formation of neutralizing antibodies is likely responsible for acquired
      resistance to corticotropin therapy. The proof of concept protocols established
      in this study to examine the anticorticotropin neutralizing antibodies may aid in
      determining the cause of resistance to corticotropin therapy in future studies.

PMID- 28642377
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of the Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Acidianus
      manzaensis YN-25.
AB  - The complete genome of Acidianus manzaensis YN-25 consists of a chromosome of
      2,687,463 bp, with a G+C content of 30.62% and 2,746 coding DNA sequences. This
      archaeon contains a series of specific genes involved in the oxidation of
      elemental sulfur and reduced inorganic sulfur compounds.

PMID- 28642379
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus lutrae ATCC 700373, a Potential
      Pathogen Isolated from Deceased Otters.
AB  - Despite their relevance to human health, not all staphylococcal species have been
      characterized. As such, the potential zoonotic threats posed by uninvestigated
      species and their contribution to the staphylococcal pangenome are unclear. Here,
      we report the complete genome sequence of Staphylococcus lutrae ATCC 700373, a
      coagulase-positive species isolated from deceased otters.

PMID- 28642378
TI  - New Genome Sequence of an Echinaceapurpurea Endophyte, Arthrobacter sp. Strain
      EpSL27, Able To Inhibit Human-Opportunistic Pathogens.
AB  - We announce here the draft genome sequence of Arthrobacter sp. strain EpSL27,
      isolated from the stem and leaves of the medicinal plant Echinacea purpurea and
      able to inhibit human-pathogenic bacterial strains. The genome sequencing of this
      strain may lead to the identification of genes involved in the production of
      antimicrobial molecules.

PMID- 28642380
TI  - Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus paralicheniformis MDJK30, a Plant Growth
      Promoting Rhizobacterium with Antifungal Activity.
AB  - Bacillus paralicheniformis MDJK30 was isolated from the rhizosphere of a peony.
      It could control the pathogen of peony root rot. Here, we report the complete
      genome sequence of B. paralicheniformis MDJK30. Eleven secondary metabolism gene
      clusters were predicted.

PMID- 28642383
TI  - Anniversaries for particle physics.

PMID- 28642384
TI  - News at a glance.

PMID- 28642382
TI  - A global brain state underlies C. elegans sleep behavior.
AB  - How the brain effectively switches between and maintains global states, such as
      sleep and wakefulness, is not yet understood. We used brainwide functional
      imaging at single-cell resolution to show that during the developmental stage of
      lethargus, the Caenorhabditis elegans brain is predisposed to global quiescence,
      characterized by systemic down-regulation of neuronal activity. Only a few
      specific neurons are exempt from this effect. In the absence of external arousing
      cues, this quiescent brain state arises by the convergence of neuronal activities
      toward a fixed-point attractor embedded in an otherwise dynamic neural state
      space. We observed efficient spontaneous and sensory-evoked exits from
      quiescence. Our data support the hypothesis that during global states such as
      sleep, neuronal networks are drawn to a baseline mode and can be effectively
      reactivated by signaling from arousing circuits.

PMID- 28642385
TI  - Drowned wildebeest provide ecological feast.

PMID- 28642381
TI  - Chemical transformation of xenobiotics by the human gut microbiota.
AB  - The human gut microbiota makes key contributions to the metabolism of ingested
      compounds (xenobiotics), transforming hundreds of dietary components, industrial
      chemicals, and pharmaceuticals into metabolites with altered activities,
      toxicities, and lifetimes within the body. The chemistry of gut microbial
      xenobiotic metabolism is often distinct from that of host enzymes. Despite their
      important consequences for human biology, the gut microbes, genes, and enzymes
      involved in xenobiotic metabolism are poorly understood. Linking these microbial
      transformations to enzymes and elucidating their biological effects is
      undoubtedly challenging. However, recent studies demonstrate that integrating
      traditional and emerging technologies can enable progress toward this goal.
      Ultimately, a molecular understanding of gut microbial xenobiotic metabolism will
      guide personalized medicine and nutrition, inform toxicology risk assessment, and
      improve drug discovery and development.

PMID- 28642386
TI  - A division of labor in cells' protein factories.

PMID- 28642387
TI  - Texas signals support for unproven stem cell therapies.

PMID- 28642388
TI  - East Africa turmoil imperils giraffes.

PMID- 28642389
TI  - New haul of distant worlds casts doubt on Planet Nine.

PMID- 28642390
TI  - Tallying the tropical toll on trees from lightning.

PMID- 28642391
TI  - A top mathematician joins the Macron revolution.

PMID- 28642392
TI  - The footprints of giants.

PMID- 28642393
TI  - Trial balloons.

PMID- 28642394
TI  - Fast exoskeleton optimization.

PMID- 28642395
TI  - Ambient quantum optomechanics.

PMID- 28642397
TI  - The most perfect thing, explained.

PMID- 28642396
TI  - Building chromosomes without bricks.

PMID- 28642398
TI  - Locked and loaded for apoptosis.

PMID- 28642399
TI  - Brains, environments, and policy responses to addiction.

PMID- 28642400
TI  - Human nature.

PMID- 28642401
TI  - Imagine this.

PMID- 28642402
TI  - Benefits of trees in tropical cities.

PMID- 28642403
TI  - Time to codify scientific integrity.

PMID- 28642404
TI  - A nod to public open access infrastructures.

PMID- 28642405
TI  - Understanding the formation of spicules.

PMID- 28642406
TI  - Lnc-ing fibroblasts to cardiac fibrosis.

PMID- 28642407
TI  - Quantum effects in ambient conditions.

PMID- 28642409
TI  - The influence of flying.

PMID- 28642408
TI  - How to make a protein-based nanocontainer.

PMID- 28642410
TI  - Instant tough bonding of hydrogels.

PMID- 28642411
TI  - PKA-activation mechanism revised.

PMID- 28642412
TI  - Optimum human input.

PMID- 28642413
TI  - One person's meat is another's poison.

PMID- 28642414
TI  - Broadening the immune spectrum.

PMID- 28642415
TI  - Neuronal basis of lethargy in worms.

PMID- 28642416
TI  - Packaging without nucleosomes.

PMID- 28642417
TI  - Resonant systems with high bandwidth.

PMID- 28642418
TI  - Sulfur's balancing act in cytochrome c.

PMID- 28642419
TI  - Lithium gets a new ground state.

PMID- 28642420
TI  - Kiss-and-run or a full commitment?

PMID- 28642421
TI  - Of mice and men's microglia.

PMID- 28642423
TI  - Timing the life cycle of molecular clouds.

PMID- 28642422
TI  - Trifluoromethylation via broken C-F bonds.

PMID- 28642424
TI  - How much does a virus cost?

PMID- 28642425
TI  - Balanced diets can prevent binge-like eating.

PMID- 28642426
TI  - Monitoring inflammation from within.

PMID- 28642427
TI  - Small RNA retunes photosynthesis.

PMID- 28642428
TI  - Nailing down the elusive statistics.

PMID- 28642429
TI  - Experimentation on the Tube.

PMID- 28642430
TI  - Avian egg shape: Form, function, and evolution.
AB  - Avian egg shape is generally explained as an adaptation to life history, yet we
      currently lack a global synthesis of how egg-shape differences arise and evolve.
      Here, we apply morphometric, mechanistic, and macroevolutionary analyses to the
      egg shapes of 1400 bird species. We characterize egg-shape diversity in terms of
      two biologically relevant variables, asymmetry and ellipticity, allowing us to
      quantify the observed morphologies in a two-dimensional morphospace. We then
      propose a simple mechanical model that explains the observed egg-shape diversity
      based on geometric and material properties of the egg membrane. Finally, using
      phylogenetic models, we show that egg shape correlates with flight ability on
      broad taxonomic scales, suggesting that adaptations for flight may have been
      critical drivers of egg-shape variation in birds.

PMID- 28642431
TI  - Quantum and isotope effects in lithium metal.
AB  - The crystal structure of elements at zero pressure and temperature is the most
      fundamental information in condensed matter physics. For decades it has been
      believed that lithium, the simplest metallic element, has a complicated ground
      state crystal structure. Using synchrotron x-ray diffraction in diamond anvil
      cells and multiscale simulations with density functional theory and molecular
      dynamics, we show that the previously accepted martensitic ground state is
      metastable. The actual ground state is face-centered cubic (fcc). We find that
      isotopes of lithium, under similar thermal paths, exhibit a considerable
      difference in martensitic transition temperature. Lithium exhibits nuclear
      quantum mechanical effects, serving as a metallic intermediate between helium,
      with its quantum effect-dominated structures, and the higher-mass elements. By
      disentangling the quantum kinetic complexities, we prove that fcc lithium is the
      ground state, and we synthesize it by decompression.

PMID- 28642432
TI  - Breaking Lorentz reciprocity to overcome the time-bandwidth limit in physics and
      engineering.
AB  - A century-old tenet in physics and engineering asserts that any type of system,
      having bandwidth Deltaomega, can interact with a wave over only a constrained
      time period Deltat inversely proportional to the bandwidth (Deltat.Deltaomega ~
      2pi). This law severely limits the generic capabilities of all types of resonant
      and wave-guiding systems in photonics, cavity quantum electrodynamics and
      optomechanics, acoustics, continuum mechanics, and atomic and optical physics but
      is thought to be completely fundamental, arising from basic Fourier reciprocity.
      We propose that this "fundamental" limit can be overcome in systems where Lorentz
      reciprocity is broken. As a system becomes more asymmetric in its transport
      properties, the degree to which the limit can be surpassed becomes greater. By
      way of example, we theoretically demonstrate how, in an astutely designed
      magnetized semiconductor heterostructure, the above limit can be exceeded by
      orders of magnitude by using realistic material parameters. Our findings revise
      prevailing paradigms for linear, time-invariant resonant systems, challenging the
      doctrine that high-quality resonances must invariably be narrowband and providing
      the possibility of developing devices with unprecedentedly high time-bandwidth
      performance.

PMID- 28642433
TI  - Quantum correlations from a room-temperature optomechanical cavity.
AB  - The act of position measurement alters the motion of an object being measured.
      This quantum measurement backaction is typically much smaller than the thermal
      motion of a room-temperature object and thus difficult to observe. By shining
      laser light through a nanomechanical beam, we measure the beam's thermally driven
      vibrations and perturb its motion with optical force fluctuations at a level
      dictated by the Heisenberg measurement-disturbance uncertainty relation. We
      demonstrate a cross-correlation technique to distinguish optically driven motion
      from thermally driven motion, observing this quantum backaction signature up to
      room temperature. We use the scale of the quantum correlations, which is
      determined by fundamental constants, to gauge the size of thermal motion,
      demonstrating a path toward absolute thermometry with quantum mechanically
      calibrated ticks.

PMID- 28642434
TI  - On the generation of solar spicules and Alfvenic waves.
AB  - In the lower solar atmosphere, the chromosphere is permeated by jets known as
      spicules, in which plasma is propelled at speeds of 50 to 150 kilometers per
      second into the corona. The origin of the spicules is poorly understood, although
      they are expected to play a role in heating the million-degree corona and are
      associated with Alfvenic waves that help drive the solar wind. We compare
      magnetohydrodynamic simulations of spicules with observations from the Interface
      Region Imaging Spectrograph and the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. Spicules are
      shown to occur when magnetic tension is amplified and transported upward through
      interactions between ions and neutrals or ambipolar diffusion. The tension is
      impulsively released to drive flows, heat plasma (through ambipolar diffusion),
      and generate Alfvenic waves.

PMID- 28642435
TI  - A catalytic fluoride-rebound mechanism for C(sp3)-CF3 bond formation.
AB  - The biological properties of trifluoromethyl compounds have led to their ubiquity
      in pharmaceuticals, yet their chemical properties have made their preparation a
      substantial challenge, necessitating innovative chemical solutions. We report the
      serendipitous discovery of a borane-catalyzed formal C(sp3)-CF3 reductive
      elimination from Au(III) that accesses these compounds by a distinct mechanism
      proceeding via fluoride abstraction, migratory insertion, and C-F reductive
      elimination to achieve a net C-C bond construction. The parent
      bis(trifluoromethyl)Au(III) complexes tolerate a surprising breadth of synthetic
      protocols, enabling the synthesis of complex organic derivatives without cleavage
      of the Au-C bond. This feature, combined with the "fluoride-rebound" mechanism,
      was translated into a protocol for the synthesis of 18F-radiolabeled aliphatic
      CF3-containing compounds, enabling the preparation of potential tracers for use
      in positron emission tomography.

PMID- 28642437
TI  - Human-in-the-loop optimization of exoskeleton assistance during walking.
AB  - Exoskeletons and active prostheses promise to enhance human mobility, but few
      have succeeded. Optimizing device characteristics on the basis of measured human
      performance could lead to improved designs. We have developed a method for
      identifying the exoskeleton assistance that minimizes human energy cost during
      walking. Optimized torque patterns from an exoskeleton worn on one ankle reduced
      metabolic energy consumption by 24.2 +/- 7.4% compared to no torque. The approach
      was effective with exoskeletons worn on one or both ankles, during a variety of
      walking conditions, during running, and when optimizing muscle activity. Finding
      a good generic assistance pattern, customizing it to individual needs, and
      helping users learn to take advantage of the device all contributed to improved
      economy. Optimization methods with these features can substantially improve
      performance.

PMID- 28642436
TI  - Metalloprotein entatic control of ligand-metal bonds quantified by ultrafast x
      ray spectroscopy.
AB  - The multifunctional protein cytochrome c (cyt c) plays key roles in electron
      transport and apoptosis, switching function by modulating bonding between a heme
      iron and the sulfur in a methionine residue. This Fe-S(Met) bond is too weak to
      persist in the absence of protein constraints. We ruptured the bond in ferrous
      cyt c using an optical laser pulse and monitored the bond reformation within the
      protein active site using ultrafast x-ray pulses from an x-ray free-electron
      laser, determining that the Fe-S(Met) bond enthalpy is ~4 kcal/mol stronger than
      in the absence of protein constraints. The 4 kcal/mol is comparable with
      calculations of stabilization effects in other systems, demonstrating how
      biological systems use an entatic state for modest yet accessible energetics to
      modulate chemical function.

PMID- 28642441
TI  - My lessons in mentorship.

PMID- 28642438
TI  - Local protein kinase A action proceeds through intact holoenzymes.
AB  - Hormones can transmit signals through adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) to
      precise intracellular locations. The fidelity of these responses relies on the
      activation of localized protein kinase A (PKA) holoenzymes. Association of PKA
      regulatory type II (RII) subunits with A-kinase-anchoring proteins (AKAPs)
      confers location, and catalytic (C) subunits phosphorylate substrates. Single
      particle electron microscopy demonstrated that AKAP79 constrains RII-C
      subassemblies within 150 to 250 angstroms of its targets. Native mass
      spectrometry established that these macromolecular assemblies incorporated
      stoichiometric amounts of cAMP. Chemical-biology- and live cell-imaging
      techniques revealed that catalytically active PKA holoenzymes remained intact
      within the cytoplasm. These findings indicate that the parameters of anchored PKA
      holoenzyme action are much more restricted than originally anticipated.

PMID- 28642439
TI  - Assembly principles and structure of a 6.5-MDa bacterial microcompartment shell.
AB  - Many bacteria contain primitive organelles composed entirely of protein. These
      bacterial microcompartments share a common architecture of an enzymatic core
      encapsulated in a selectively permeable protein shell; prominent examples include
      the carboxysome for CO2 fixation and catabolic microcompartments found in many
      pathogenic microbes. The shell sequesters enzymatic reactions from the cytosol,
      analogous to the lipid-based membrane of eukaryotic organelles. Despite available
      structural information for single building blocks, the principles of shell
      assembly have remained elusive. We present the crystal structure of an intact
      shell from Haliangium ochraceum, revealing the basic principles of bacterial
      microcompartment shell construction. Given the conservation among shell proteins
      of all bacterial microcompartments, these principles apply to functionally
      diverse organelles and can inform the design and engineering of shells with new
      functionalities.

PMID- 28642442
TI  - Triplet pregnancy with fetal reduction: experience in Hong Kong.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Triplet and higher-order multiple pregnancies are well known to be
      associated with increased adverse outcomes. This study reviewed the perinatal
      outcomes in women with a triplet pregnancy who underwent fetal reduction versus
      expectant management at a university hospital in Hong Kong. METHODS: This was a
      retrospective review of triplet pregnancies at Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong
      Kong from 1 January 2008 to 30 September 2014. Women carrying a triplet pregnancy
      were classified as having had expectant management, fetal reduction to twins, or
      fetal reduction to a singleton. Maternal and pregnancy characteristics were
      compared. Outcome measures included fetal loss, gestational age at delivery,
      birth weight, neonatal survival rate, neonatal death, neonatal complications, and
      need for and length of neonatal intensive care unit stay. RESULTS: A total of 52
      triplet pregnancies were identified. One pregnancy that was lost to follow-up and
      one that was terminated were excluded. The majority of pregnancies (84%) were the
      result of assisted reproductive technology. Fetal reduction was performed in 26
      (52%) pregnancies, of which 22 were reduced to twins and four to a singleton. The
      mean gestations at delivery were 32.6, 35.2, and 39.6 weeks in the expectant
      management, fetal reduction to twins, and fetal reduction to a singleton groups,
      respectively. Significantly more pregnancies with expectant management resulted
      in a preterm birth. All pregnancies with fetal reduction to a singleton resulted
      in a term birth. A higher mean birth weight, lower neonatal death rate, and
      reduced need for admission to and length of stay in the neonatal intensive care
      unit were observed in the fetal reduction groups. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 50%
      of women with a triplet pregnancy in Hong Kong elected to undergo fetal
      reduction. This was associated with a significant reduction in extreme preterm
      delivery and associated morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 28642447
TI  - T315I+ tyrosine-kinase independent CML cells resistance.

PMID- 28642452
TI  - Laparoscopic treatment of colo-colic intussusception secondary to a lipomatous
      polyp.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Colo-colic intussusception is extremely rare in adults and few
      cases have been described secondary to a lypomatous polyp. CASE REPORT: We
      present the case of a 50-year old man with chronic abdominal pain who was
      diagnosed a colo-colic intussusception secondary to a lipoma of the left colon.
      The patient underwent laparoscopic resection of the splenic flexure without
      reduction, which occurred spontaneously after induction of the pneumoperitoneum,
      and final histology confirmed a submucosal lipoma with no evidence of malignancy.
      CONCLUSION: The traditional treatment of choice for adult intussusception is
      bowel resection without reduction. More recently, however, preoperative reduction
      of the invaginated bowel segment has been reconsidered in order to: 1) avoid
      emergency surgery, 2) allow radical surgery for cancer, and 3) reduce the extent
      of the intestinal resection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case
      of adult colonic intussusception secondary to a lipoma treated by laparoscopy.
      KEY WORDS: Colon, Intussusception, Laparoscopy, Lipoma.

PMID- 28642451
TI  - IL-10 Plays a Pivotal Role in Tamoxifen-Induced Spasmolytic Polypeptide
      Expressing Metaplasia in Gastric Mucosa.
AB  - Background/Aims: Gastric cancer evolves in the pathologic mucosal milieu, and its
      development is characterized by both the loss of acid-secreting parietal cells
      and mucosal cell metaplasia, called spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia
      (SPEM). Cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-10, IL-1beta, and IL-6, play a key
      role in gastric carcinogenesis. However, changes in the cytokine profile of SPEM
      have not been evaluated. Methods: To induce SPEM in mouse stomachs, C57BL/6 mice
      were intraperitoneally injected with tamoxifen and sacrificed at 3, 10, and 21
      days after treatment. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and a multiplex bead array were
      used to measure cytokines in the stomachs of tamoxifen-treated/control mice.
      Results: The administration of tamoxifen led to the rapid development and
      histological normalization of SPEM 3 and 10 days after administration,
      respectively. RNA-seq revealed that the expression of IL-10 was decreased 3 days
      after tamoxifen administration. The multiplex assay identified a significant
      decline in IL-10 levels 3 days after tamoxifen treatment (58.38+/-34.44 pg/mL vs
      94.09+/-4.98 pg/mL, p=0.031), which normalized at 10 and 21 days after tamoxifen
      treatment. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed that IL-10 expression was
      markedly decreased at the time of SPEM development and subsequently returned to
      normal, accompanied by a reversal in histologic changes. Conclusions: IL-10 may
      play a pivotal role in the tamoxifen-induced acute development of gastric SPEM.

PMID- 28642453
TI  - Cystatin C-Based Equation Does Not Accurately Estimate the Glomerular Filtration
      in Japanese Living Kidney Donors.
AB  - BACKGROUND Precise evaluation of a living donor's renal function is necessary to
      ensure adequate residual kidney function after donor nephrectomy. Our aim was to
      evaluate the feasibility of estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using
      serum cystatin-C prior to kidney transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS Using the
      equations of the Japanese Society of Nephrology, we calculated the GFR using
      serum creatinine (eGFRcre) and cystatin C levels (eGFRcys) for 83 living kidney
      donors evaluated between March 2010 and March 2016. We compared eGFRcys and
      eGFRcre values against the creatinine clearance rate (CCr). RESULTS The study
      population included 27 males and 56 females. The mean eGFRcys, eGFRcre, and CCr
      were, 91.4+/-16.3 mL/min/1.73 m2 (range, 59.9-128.9 mL/min/1.73 m2), 81.5+/-14.2
      mL/min/1.73 m2 (range, 55.4-117.5 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 108.4+/-21.6 mL/min/1.73 m2
      (range, 63.7-168.7 mL/min/1.73 m2), respectively. eGFRcys was significantly lower
      than CCr (p<0.001). The correlation coefficient between eGFRcys and CCr values
      was 0.466, and the mean difference between the two values was -17.0 (15.7%), with
      a root mean square error of 19.2. Thus, eGFRcre was significantly lower than CCr
      (p<0.001). The correlation coefficient between eGFRcre and CCr values was 0.445,
      and the mean difference between the two values was -26.9 (24.8%), with a root
      mean square error of 19.5. CONCLUSIONS Although eGFRcys provided a better
      estimation of GFR than eGFRcre, eGFRcys still did not provide an accurate measure
      of kidney function in Japanese living kidney donors.

PMID- 28642454
TI  - Inclusion Body Myositis: A Case Presenting with Respiratory Failure and Autopsy
      Findings Leading to the Hypothesis of a Paraneoplastic Cause.
AB  - BACKGROUND Sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most common acquired
      myopathy seen in adults aged over 50 years, with a prevalence estimated at
      between 1 and 70 per million. Weakness of the diaphragm with loss of vital
      capacity is almost universal in IBM. This is almost always asymptomatic. When
      respiratory complications occur, they are most often due to aspiration.
      Respiratory failure due to diaphragmatic weakness is exceptionally rare,
      particularly as the presenting symptom of the disease. It is not currently
      considered to be a paraneoplastic syndrome. CASE REPORT Our patient presented
      with hypercarbic respiratory failure. This is the first such reported case
      without signs of weakness elsewhere of which we are aware. We suspected IBM based
      on her history of progressive weakness and findings on electromyography. There
      was a delay of 5 years in obtaining biopsy for confirmation, during which she
      presented with recurrent episodes of respiratory failure despite using non
      invasive ventilation. An autopsy revealed the presence of papillary thyroid
      carcinoma with spread to local lymph nodes. On the basis that these co
      morbidities are unlikely to have occurred by chance (we estimate 1*10-17), we
      hypothesize that IBM may be a paraneoplastic condition. We acknowledge that proof
      would require demonstrating a pathogenic antibody. CONCLUSIONS IBM should be
      considered in older patients (age >45) presenting with otherwise unexplained
      respiratory failure. A workup for possible malignancy in this setting appears
      reasonable.

PMID- 28642455
TI  - Diagnostic Value of Video-assisted Mediastinoscopy and Endobronchial Ultrasound
      guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration for Mediastinal Lymphadenectasis without
      Pulmonary Abnormalities.
AB  - BACKGROUND Mediastinal diseases are difficult to diagnose due to diverse origins
      and complex anatomical structure of the mediastinal tissues. The prospective
      study aimed to compare the diagnostic efficiency of video-assisted
      mediastinoscopy (VAM) and endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle
      aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) for mediastinal lesions without pulmonary abnormalities.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS We divided 100 mediastinal lymphadenectasis patients without
      pulmonary abnormalities into a VAM group and an EBUS group. The pathological
      results of each group were regarded as the endpoints. SPSS19.0 statistical
      software was used. RESULTS The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity
      of VAM were 96%, 97.4%, and 100%, respectively; those of EBUS-TBNA diagnosis were
      62%, 87.1%, and 100%, respectively. There was a statistically significant
      difference in the diagnostic sensitivity of benign mediastinal lesions between
      the 2 groups (P<0.01). Compared with the EBUS group (62%), the accuracy in the
      VAM group was significantly higher (96%) (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS We found that the
      diagnostic accuracy of VAM for mediastinal lymphadenectasis without pulmonary
      abnormalities is superior to that of EBUS. Therefore, for patients with
      mediastinal lymphadenectasis or mediastinal mass and without pulmonary
      abnormalities, mediastinoscopy is recommended as the first choice.

PMID- 28642456
TI  - Predicting conformational ensembles and genome-wide transcription factor binding
      sites from DNA sequences.
AB  - DNA shape is emerging as an important determinant of transcription factor binding
      beyond just the DNA sequence. The only tool for large scale DNA shape estimates,
      DNAshape was derived from Monte-Carlo simulations and predicts four broad and
      static DNA shape features, Propeller twist, Helical twist, Minor groove width and
      Roll. The contributions of other shape features e.g. Shift, Slide and Opening
      cannot be evaluated using DNAshape. Here, we report a novel method DynaSeq, which
      predicts molecular dynamics-derived ensembles of a more exhaustive set of DNA
      shape features. We compared the DNAshape and DynaSeq predictions for the common
      features and applied both to predict the genome-wide binding sites of 1312 TFs
      available from protein interaction quantification (PIQ) data. The results
      indicate a good agreement between the two methods for the common shape features
      and point to advantages in using DynaSeq. Predictive models employing ensembles
      from individual conformational parameters revealed that base-pair opening - known
      to be important in strand separation - was the best predictor of transcription
      factor-binding sites (TFBS) followed by features employed by DNAshape. Of note,
      TFBS could be predicted not only from the features at the target motif sites, but
      also from those as far as 200 nucleotides away from the motif.

PMID- 28642457
TI  - Human-mediated secondary contact of two tortoise lineages results in sex-biased
      introgression.
AB  - Human-mediated secondary contact of recently diverged taxa offers valuable
      opportunities for studying the evolutionary mechanisms involved in the
      establishment and maintenance of genetic boundaries between taxa. We used
      mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to examine a recently introduced
      population of the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca) of mixed origin in the
      Donana National Park (SW Spain). The earliest records of tortoises in Donana
      trace back to the 18th century, but several population reinforcements in the 20th
      century with animals from Morocco are well-documented. Consequently, different
      genetic lineages, which represent distinct subspecies, are thought to co-exist
      there. Our results confirmed the presence of distinct lineages by revealing that
      tortoises of the subspecies T. g. marokkensis were introduced into a local
      allochthonous T. g. graeca population. Unexpectedly, T. g. marokkensis haplotypes
      exclusively appeared in males, and admixture levels were statistically sex-biased
      toward males. The sex ratio of the population deviated from parity, with males
      being 2.36-fold more abundant than females. Our results indicated that population
      reinforcements had a strong effect on the genetic composition of this population
      and aggravated its sex ratio deviation. We predict that this sex-biased pattern
      of introgression is ephemeral and advocated to the near loss of T. g. marokkensis
      haplotypes.

PMID- 28642458
TI  - The structure and hardness of the highest boride of tungsten, a borophene-based
      compound.
AB  - Two-dimensional systems have strengthened their position as a key materials for
      novel applications. Very recently, boron joined the distinguished group of
      elements confirmed to possess 2D allotropes, named borophenes. In this work, we
      explore the stability and hardness of the highest borides of tungsten, which are
      built of borophenes separated by metal atoms. We show that the WB3+x compounds
      have Vickers hardnesses approaching 40 GPa only for small values of x. The
      insertion of extra boron atoms is, in general, detrimental to the hardness of WB3
      because it leads to the formation of quasi-planar boron sheets that are less
      tightly connected with the adjacent tungsten layers. Very high concentrations of
      boron (x ~ 1), give rise to a soft (Vickers hardness of ~8 GPa) and unstable hP20
      WB4 structure that can be considered to be built of quasi-planar boron alpha
      sheets separated by graphitic tungsten layers. By contrast, we show that the
      formation of tungsten vacancies leads to structures, e.g. W0.75B3+x , with
      Vickers hardnesses that are not only similar in value to the experimentally
      reported load-independent hardnesses greater than 20 GPa, but are also less
      sensitive to variations in the boron content.

PMID- 28642460
TI  - Standing wave effect and fractal structure in dislocation evolution.
AB  - Theoretical model required for the evolution of regular dislocation pattern
      should simultaneously take into account both static distribution and dynamic
      evolution of dislocation pattern. In principle, there exists a stable uniformly
      moving dislocation with both core and far field advancing at the same constant
      velocity, which suggests the existence of the traveling waves representing moving
      dislocation. Therefore, one new term "dislocation wave" is defined by
      simultaneously consisting of both an elastic wave and a dislocation in each
      wavefront. According to the standing wave effect, the edge dislocation segments
      capture mutually to form the periodic ladder structures at the nodes. These
      persistent slip band (PSB) ladders are not only self-organized but also self
      similar dislocation patterns. The fractal dimension further reveals the intrinsic
      nature of crack initiation and propagation along slip bands and deformation
      bands.

PMID- 28642459
TI  - Meta-analysis of Soy Consumption and Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk.
AB  - Soy consumption has received considerable attention for its potential role in
      reducing cancer incidence and mortality. However, its effects on gastrointestinal
      (GI) cancer are controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to
      evaluate the association between soy consumption and gastrointestinal cancer risk
      by searching for prospective studies in PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE and the
      reference lists of the included articles. The study-specific odds ratio (OR),
      relative risk (RR) or hazard ratio (HR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals
      (CIs) were pooled using either a fixed-effect or random-effect model. Twenty-two
      independent prospective studies were eligible for our meta-analysis, including 21
      cohort studies and one nested case-control study. Soy product consumption was
      inversely associated with the incidence of overall GI cancer (0.857; 95% CI:
      0.766, 0.959) and the gastric cancer subgroup (0.847; 95% CI: 0.722, 0.994) but
      not the colorectal cancer subgroup. After stratifying the results according to
      gender, an inverse association was observed between soy product intake and the
      incidence of GI cancer for females (0.711; 95% CI: 0.506, 0.999) but not for
      males.

PMID- 28642461
TI  - The CA19-9 and Sialyl-TRA Antigens Define Separate Subpopulations of Pancreatic
      Cancer Cells.
AB  - Molecular markers to detect subtypes of cancer cells could facilitate more
      effective treatment. We recently identified a carbohydrate antigen, named sTRA,
      that is as accurate a serological biomarker of pancreatic cancer as the cancer
      antigen CA19-9. We hypothesized that the cancer cells producing sTRA are a
      different subpopulation than those producing CA19-9. The sTRA glycan was
      significantly elevated in tumor tissue relative to adjacent pancreatic tissue in
      3 separate tissue microarrays covering 38 patients. The morphologies of the
      cancer cells varied in association with glycan expression. Cells with dual
      staining of both markers tended to be in well-to-moderately differentiated glands
      with nuclear polarization, but exclusive sTRA staining was present in small
      clusters of cells with poor differentiation and large vacuoles, or in small and
      ill-defined glands. Patients with higher dual-staining of CA19-9 and sTRA had
      statistically longer time-to-progression after surgery. Patients with short time
      to-progression (<2 years) had either low levels of the dual-stained cells or high
      levels of single-stained cells, and such patterns differentiated short from long
      time-to-progression with 90% (27/30) sensitivity and 80% (12/15) specificity. The
      sTRA and CA19-9 glycans define separate subpopulations of cancer cells and could
      together have value for classifying subtypes of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28642462
TI  - Metabolic changes in Medaka fish induced by cyanobacterial exposures in
      mesocosms: an integrative approach combining proteomic and metabolomic analyses.
AB  - Cyanobacterial blooms pose serious threats to aquatic organisms and strongly
      impact the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Due to their ability to produce a
      wide range of potentially bioactive secondary metabolites, so called cyanotoxins,
      cyanobacteria have been extensively studied in the past decades. Proteomic and
      metabolomic analyses provide a unique opportunity to evaluate the global response
      of hundreds of proteins and metabolites at a glance. In this study, we provide
      the first combined utilization of these methods targeted to identify the response
      of fish to bloom-forming cyanobacteria. Medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) were
      exposed for 96 hours either to a MC-producing or to a non-MC-producing strain of
      Microcystis aeruginosa and cellular, proteome and metabolome changes following
      exposure to cyanobacteria were characterized in the fish livers. The results
      suggest that a short-term exposure to cyanobacteria, producing or not MCs,
      induces sex-dependent molecular changes in medaka fish, without causing any
      cellular alterations. Globally, molecular entities involved in stress response,
      lipid metabolism and developmental processes exhibit the most contrasted changes
      following a cyanobacterial exposure. Moreover, it appears that proteomic and
      metabolomic analyses are useful tools to verify previous information and to
      additionally bring new horizons concerning molecular effects of cyanobacteria on
      fish.

PMID- 28642463
TI  - Acute loss of the hepatic endo-lysosomal system in vivo causes compensatory
      changes in iron homeostasis.
AB  - Liver cells communicate with the extracellular environment to take up nutrients
      via endocytosis. Iron uptake is essential for metabolic activities and cell
      homeostasis. Here, we investigated the role of the endocytic system for
      maintaining iron homeostasis. We specifically depleted the small GTPase Rab5 in
      the mouse liver, causing a transient loss of the entire endo-lysosomal system.
      Strikingly, endosome depletion led to a fast reduction of hepatic iron levels,
      which was preceded by an increased abundance of the iron exporter ferroportin.
      Compensatory changes in livers of Rab5-depleted mice include increased expression
      of transferrin receptor 1 as well as reduced expression of the iron-regulatory
      hormone hepcidin. Serum iron indices (serum iron, free iron binding capacity and
      total iron binding capacity) in Rab5-KD mice were increased, consistent with an
      elevated splenic and hepatic iron export. Our data emphasize the critical
      importance of the endosomal compartments in hepatocytes to maintain hepatic and
      systemic iron homeostasis in vivo. The short time period (between day four and
      five) upon which these changes occur underscore the fast dynamics of the liver
      iron pool.

PMID- 28642464
TI  - Serum C3 and Renal Outcome in Patients with Primary Focal Segmental
      Glomerulosclerosis.
AB  - The role of complement (C) in the pathogenesis or progression of focal segmental
      glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is uncertain. The present study assessed the
      relationship between serum C3, the baseline characteristics, and the progression
      of FSGS in the cohort and identified the clinical implications of serum C3 levels
      in patients with FSGS. Compared to the patients with C3 >= 85 mg/dL (N = 474),
      those with C3 < 85 mg/dL (N = 117) presented a higher level of serum creatinine,
      lower levels of eGFR, hemoglobin, proteinuria, triglyceride, cholesterol, IgA, as
      well as, severe tubulointerstitial injury (TI). Of the 221 patients with a mean
      follow-up of 53.3 months, the risk of reaching end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was
      significantly higher in patients with low serum C3 level (p < 0.001). An
      additional 40 patients with primary FSGS revealed a significant correlation
      between MAC and AP (p = 0.003), MAC and serum C3 (p = 0.018), and AP and serum C3
      (p = 0.028). Compared to patients with none-to-mild TI, those with moderate-to
      severe TI exhibited a lower level of serum C3 and AP, and a higher level of serum
      MAC. In conclusion, complement activation occurring in patients with FSGS is
      associated with clinical and histological severities. Low serum C3 was an
      independent risk factor for poor renal outcome in patients with FSGS.

PMID- 28642465
TI  - Structural basis for biologically relevant mechanical stiffening of a virus
      capsid by cavity-creating or spacefilling mutations.
AB  - Recent studies reveal that the mechanical properties of virus particles may have
      been shaped by evolution to facilitate virus survival. Manipulation of the
      mechanical behavior of virus capsids is leading to a better understanding of
      viral infection, and to the development of virus-based nanoparticles with
      improved mechanical properties for nanotechnological applications. In the minute
      virus of mice (MVM), deleterious mutations around capsid pores involved in
      infection-related translocation events invariably increased local mechanical
      stiffness and interfered with pore-associated dynamics. To provide atomic
      resolution insights into biologically relevant changes in virus capsid mechanics,
      we have determined by X-ray crystallography the structural effects of
      deleterious, mechanically stiffening mutations around the capsid pores. Data show
      that the cavity-creating N170A mutation at the pore wall does not induce any
      dramatic structural change around the pores, but instead generates subtle
      rearrangements that propagate throughout the capsid, resulting in a more compact,
      less flexible structure. Analysis of the spacefilling L172W mutation revealed the
      same relationship between increased stiffness and compacted capsid structure.
      Implications for understanding connections between virus mechanics, structure,
      dynamics and infectivity, and for engineering modified virus-based nanoparticles,
      are discussed.

PMID- 28642466
TI  - Cognitive and motor dual task gait training improve dual task gait performance
      after stroke - A randomized controlled pilot trial.
AB  - This study investigated effects of cognitive and motor dual task gait training on
      dual task gait performance in stroke. Participants (n = 28) were randomly
      assigned to cognitive dual task gait training (CDTT), motor dual task gait
      training (MDTT), or conventional physical therapy (CPT) group. Participants in
      CDTT or MDTT group practiced the cognitive or motor tasks respectively during
      walking. Participants in CPT group received strengthening, balance, and gait
      training. The intervention was 30 min/session, 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. Three
      test conditions to evaluate the training effects were single walking, walking
      while performing cognitive task (serial subtraction), and walking while
      performing motor task (tray-carrying). Parameters included gait speed, dual task
      cost of gait speed (DTC-speed), cadence, stride time, and stride length. After
      CDTT, cognitive-motor dual task gait performance (stride length and DTC-speed)
      was improved (p = 0.021; p = 0.015). After MDTT, motor dual task gait performance
      (gait speed, stride length, and DTC-speed) was improved (p = 0.008; p = 0.008; p
      = 0.008 respectively). It seems that CDTT improved cognitive dual task gait
      performance and MDTT improved motor dual task gait performance although such
      improvements did not reach significant group difference. Therefore, different
      types of dual task gait training can be adopted to enhance different dual task
      gait performance in stroke.

PMID- 28642467
TI  - Targeting Coronaviral Replication and Cellular JAK2 Mediated Dominant NF-kappaB
      Activation for Comprehensive and Ultimate Inhibition of Coronaviral Activity.
AB  - Tylophorine-based compounds exert broad spectral, potent inhibition of
      coronaviruses. NF-kappaB activation is a common pro-inflammatory response of host
      cells to viral infection. The aims of this study were to (i) find an effective
      combination treatment for coronaviral infections through targeting of the virus
      per se and cellular NF-kappaB activity; and (ii) to study the underling
      mechanisms. We found that tylophorine-based compounds target the TGEV viral RNA
      and effectively inhibit TGEV replication. NF-kappaB inhibition also leads to anti
      TGEV replication. NF-kappaB activation induced by TGEV infection was found to be
      associated with two convergent pathways, IKK-2_IkappaBalpha/p65 and JAK2 mediated
      p65 phosphorylation, in swine testicular cells. JAK2 inhibition either by CYT387
      (a JAK family inhibitor) or by silencing JAK2-expression revealed a dominant JAK2
      mediated p65 phosphorylation pathway for NF-kappaB activation and resulted in NF
      kappaB inhibition, which overrode the IkappaBalpha regulation via the IKK-2.
      Finally, tylophorine-based compounds work cooperatively with CYT387 to impart
      comprehensive anti-TGEV activities. The combination treatment, wherein a
      tylophorine compound targets TGEV and a JAK2 inhibitor blocks the alternative
      dominant NF-kappaB activation mediated by JAK2, is more effective and
      comprehensive than either one alone and constitutes a feasible approach for the
      treatment of SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV.

PMID- 28642468
TI  - Metal vapor micro-jet controls material redistribution in laser powder bed fusion
      additive manufacturing.
AB  - The results of detailed experiments and finite element modeling of metal micro
      droplet motion associated with metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes are
      presented. Ultra high speed imaging of melt pool dynamics reveals that the
      dominant mechanism leading to micro-droplet ejection in a laser powder bed fusion
      AM is not from laser induced recoil pressure as is widely believed and found in
      laser welding processes, but rather from vapor driven entrainment of micro
      particles by an ambient gas flow. The physics of droplet ejection under strong
      evaporative flow is described using simulations of the laser powder bed
      interactions to elucidate the experimental results. Hydrodynamic drag analysis is
      used to augment the single phase flow model and explain the entrainment
      phenomenon for 316 L stainless steel and Ti-6Al-4V powder layers. The relevance
      of vapor driven entrainment of metal micro-particles to similar fluid dynamic
      studies in other fields of science will be discussed.

PMID- 28642470
TI  - Quantitative Proteomics Analysis Reveals Novel Targets of miR-21 in Zebrafish
      Embryos.
AB  - MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs which control gene expression by the
      suppression of translation or the degradation of mRNAs. Dre-miR-21 (miR-21) has
      been reported to impact cardiac valvulogenesis in zebrafish embryos. However, the
      target genes of miR-21 are still largely unknown. Here a tandem isobaric mass tag
      (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic strategy was employed to identify the global
      profile of miR-21-regulated proteins. A total of 251 proteins were dysregulated
      after miR-21 knockdown, suggesting that they may be regulated by miR-21.
      Bioinformatics analysis indicated that these differentially expressed proteins
      (DEPs) participate in various biological processes, suggesting that miR-21 may be
      involved in diverse cellular pathways. Sixteen DEPs were also predicted to be miR
      21 targets by at least two algorithms, and several candidate target genes were
      selected for further luciferase reporter analysis. The results showed that genes
      encoding tropomyosin 1 (tpm1) and poly(rC) binding protein 2 (pcbp2) are direct
      miR-21 targets. Taken together, our results not only reveal a large number of
      novel miR-21 regulated proteins that possess pleiotropic functions, but also
      provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of miR-21 regulation of
      zebrafish cardiac valvulogenesis and embryonic development.

PMID- 28642471
TI  - Multi-layered NiOy/NbOx/NiOy fast drift-free threshold switch with high Ion/Ioff
      ratio for selector application.
AB  - NbO2 has the potential for a variety of electronic applications due to its
      electrically induced insulator-to-metal transition (IMT) characteristic. In this
      study, we find that the IMT behavior of NbO2 follows the field-induced nucleation
      by investigating the delay time dependency at various voltages and temperatures.
      Based on the investigation, we reveal that the origin of leakage current in NbOx
      is partly due to insufficient Schottky barrier height originating from interface
      defects between the electrodes and NbOx layer. The leakage current problem can be
      addressed by inserting thin NiOy barrier layers. The NiOy inserted NbOx device is
      drift-free and exhibits high Ion/Ioff ratio (>5400), fast switching speed (<2
      ns), and high operating temperature (>453 K) characteristics which are highly
      suitable to selector application for x-point memory arrays. We show that NbOx
      device with NiOx interlayers in series with resistive random access memory
      (ReRAM) device demonstrates improved readout margin (>29 word lines) suitable for
      x-point memory array application.

PMID- 28642469
TI  - Tracing the epidemic history of HIV-1 CRF01_AE clusters using near-complete
      genome sequences.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has a number of circulating recombinant forms
      that are the product of recombination between different HIV subtypes. The first
      circulating recombinant form of HIV-1 to be identified was CRF01_AE, which
      originated in Central Africa and is now most prevalent in Southeast and East
      Asia. In this study, we investigated the timescale, evolutionary history, and
      population genetics of the HIV-1 CRF01_AE strains primarily responsible for the
      epidemic in Asia. A further aim of our study was to define and standardize the
      nomenclature and provide well-characterized reference sequences for the
      phylogenetic transmission clusters of CRF01_AE. We analysed a data set of 334
      near-complete genome sequences from various risk groups, sampled between 1990 and
      2011 from nine countries. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences were performed
      using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Our study confirms that the
      diversity of HIV-1 CRF01_AE originated in Central Africa in the mid-1970s, was
      introduced into Thailand between 1979 and 1982, and began expanding there shortly
      afterwards (1982-1984). Subsequently, multiple clusters significantly contributed
      to China's HIV epidemic. A Bayesian skyline plot revealed the rapid expansion of
      CRF01_AE in China around 1999-2000. We identified at least eight different
      clusters of HIV-1 CRF01_AE formed by rapid expansion into different risk groups
      and geographic regions in China since the late 1980s.

PMID- 28642472
TI  - Ambient effects on electrical characteristics of CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 field
      effect transistors.
AB  - Monolayer materials are sensitive to their environment because all of the atoms
      are at their surface. We investigate how exposure to the environment affects the
      electrical properties of CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 by monitoring electrical
      parameters of MoS2 field-effect transistors as their environment is changed from
      atmosphere to high vacuum. The mobility increases and contact resistance
      decreases simultaneously as either the pressure is reduced or the sample is
      annealed in vacuum. We see a previously unobserved, non-monotonic change in
      threshold voltage with decreasing pressure. This result could be explained by
      charge transfer on the MoS2 channel and Schottky contact formation due to
      adsorbates at the interface between the gold contacts and MoS2. Additionally,
      from our electrical measurements it is plausible to infer that at room
      temperature and pressure water and oxygen molecules adsorbed on the surface act
      as interface traps and scattering centers with a density of several 1012 cm-2 eV
      1, degrading the electrical properties of monolayer MoS2.

PMID- 28642473
TI  - Predicting effects on oxaliplatin clearance: in vitro, kinetic and clinical
      studies of calcium- and magnesium-mediated oxaliplatin degradation.
AB  - This study evaluated the impact of calcium and magnesium on the in vitro
      degradation and in vivo clearance of oxaliplatin. Intact oxaliplatin and
      Pt(DACH)Cl2 were measured in incubation solutions by HPLC-UV. A clinical study
      determined changes in plasma concentrations of calcium and magnesium in cancer
      patients and their impact on oxaliplatin clearance. Kinetic analyses modelled
      oxaliplatin degradation reactions in vitro and contributions to oxaliplatin
      clearance in vivo. Calcium and magnesium accelerated oxaliplatin degradation to
      Pt(DACH)Cl2 in chloride-containing solutions in vitro. Kinetic models based on
      calcium and magnesium binding to a monochloro-monooxalato ring-opened anionic
      oxaliplatin intermediate fitted the in vitro degradation time-course data. In
      cancer patients, calcium and magnesium plasma concentrations varied and were
      increased by giving calcium gluconate and magnesium sulfate infusions, but did
      not alter or correlate with oxaliplatin clearance. The intrinsic in vitro
      clearance of oxaliplatin attributed to chloride-, calcium- and magnesium-mediated
      degradation predicted contributions of <2.5% to the total in vivo clearance of
      oxaliplatin. In conclusion, calcium and magnesium accelerate the in vitro
      degradation of oxaliplatin by binding to a monochloro-monooxalato ring-opened
      anionic intermediate. Kinetic analysis of in vitro oxaliplatin stability data can
      be used for in vitro prediction of potential effects on oxaliplatin clearance in
      vivo.

PMID- 28642474
TI  - Comparing DNA enrichment of proliferating cells following administration of
      different stable isotopes of heavy water.
AB  - Deuterated water (2H2O) is a label commonly used for safe quantitative
      measurement of deuterium enrichment into DNA of proliferating cells. More
      recently, it has been used for labeling proteins and other biomolecules. Our in
      vitro - in vivo research reports important stable isotopic labeling enrichment
      differences into the DNA nucleosides and their isotopologues (e.g. deoxyadenosine
      (dA) M + 1, dA M + 2, dA M + 3), as well as tumor cell proliferation effects for
      various forms of commercially available stable heavy water (2H2O, H218O, and
      2H218O). Using an in vitro mouse thymus tumor cell line, we determined that H218O
      provides superior DNA labeling enrichment quantitation, as measured by GC
      positive chemical ionization (PCI)-MS/MS. In addition, at higher but
      physiologically relevant doses, both 2H218O and 2H2O down modulated mouse thymus
      tumor cell proliferation, whereas H218O water had no observable effects on cell
      proliferation. The in vivo labeling studies, where normal mouse bone marrow cells
      (i.e. high turnover) were evaluated post labeling, demonstrated DNA enrichments
      concordant with measurements from the in vitro studies. Our research also reports
      a headspace-GC-NCI-MS method, which rapidly and quantitatively measures stable
      heavy water levels in total body water.

PMID- 28642475
TI  - A novel bZIP protein, Gsb1, is required for oxidative stress response, mating,
      and virulence in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.
AB  - The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes life-threatening
      meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals, normally faces diverse
      stresses in the human host. Here, we report that a novel, basic, leucine-zipper
      (bZIP) protein, designated Gsb1 (general stress-related bZIP protein 1), is
      required for its normal growth and diverse stress responses. C. neoformans
      gsb1Delta mutants grew slowly even under non-stressed conditions and showed
      increased sensitivity to high or low temperatures. The hypersensitivity of
      gsb1Delta to oxidative and nitrosative stresses was reversed by addition of a ROS
      scavenger. RNA-Seq analysis during normal growth revealed increased expression of
      a number of genes involved in mitochondrial respiration and cell cycle, but
      decreased expression of several genes involved in the mating-pheromone-responsive
      MAPK signaling pathway. Accordingly, gsb1Delta showed defective mating and
      abnormal cell-cycle progression. Reflecting these pleiotropic phenotypes,
      gsb1Delta exhibited attenuated virulence in a murine model of cryptococcosis.
      Moreover, RNA-Seq analysis under oxidative stress revealed that several genes
      involved in ROS defense, cell-wall remodeling, and protein glycosylation were
      highly induced in the wild-type strain but not in gsb1Delta. Gsb1 localized
      exclusively in the nucleus in response to oxidative stress. In conclusion, Gsb1
      is a key transcription factor modulating growth, stress responses,
      differentiation, and virulence in C. neoformans.

PMID- 28642476
TI  - Prevention of long-term memory loss after retrieval by an endogenous CaMKII
      inhibitor.
AB  - CaMK2N1 and CaMK2N2 are endogenous inhibitors of calcium/calmodulin-dependent
      protein kinase II (CaMKII), a key synaptic signaling molecule for learning and
      memory. Here, we investigated the learning and memory function of CaMK2N1 by
      knocking-down its expression in dorsal hippocampus of mice. We found that reduced
      CaMK2N1 expression does not affect contextual fear long-term memory (LTM)
      formation. However, we show that it impairs maintenance of established LTM, but
      only if retrieval occurs. CaMK2N1 knockdown prevents a decrease of threonine-286
      (T286) autophosphorylation of alphaCaMKII and increases GluA1 levels in
      hippocampal synapses after retrieval of contextual fear LTM. CaMK2N1 knockdown
      can also increase CaMK2N2 expression, but we show that such increased expression
      does not affect LTM after retrieval. We also found that substantial
      overexpression of CaMK2N2 in dorsal hippocampus impairs LTM formation, but not
      LTM maintenance, suggesting that CaMKII activity is not required for LTM storage.
      Taken together, we propose a specific function for CaMK2N1; enabling LTM
      maintenance after retrieval by inhibiting T286 autophosphorylation of
      alphaCaMKII.

PMID- 28642477
TI  - Probing ultrafast pipi*/npi* internal conversion in organic chromophores via K
      edge resonant absorption.
AB  - Many photoinduced processes including photosynthesis and human vision happen in
      organic molecules and involve coupled femtosecond dynamics of nuclei and
      electrons. Organic molecules with heteroatoms often possess an important excited
      state relaxation channel from an optically allowed pipi* to a dark npi* state.
      The pipi*/npi* internal conversion is difficult to investigate, as most
      spectroscopic methods are not exclusively sensitive to changes in the excited
      state electronic structure. Here, we report achieving the required sensitivity by
      exploiting the element and site specificity of near-edge soft X-ray absorption
      spectroscopy. As a hole forms in the n orbital during pipi*/npi* internal
      conversion, the absorption spectrum at the heteroatom K-edge exhibits an
      additional resonance. We demonstrate the concept using the nucleobase thymine at
      the oxygen K-edge, and unambiguously show that pipi*/npi* internal conversion
      takes place within (60 +/- 30) fs. High-level-coupled cluster calculations
      confirm the method's impressive electronic structure sensitivity for excited
      state investigations.Many photo-induced processes such as photosynthesis occur in
      organic molecules, but their femtosecond excited-state dynamics are difficult to
      track. Here, the authors exploit the element and site selectivity of soft X-ray
      absorption to sensitively follow the ultrafast pipi*/npi* electronic relaxation
      of hetero-organic molecules.

PMID- 28642478
TI  - A novel plant E3 ligase stabilizes Escherichia coli heat shock factor sigma32.
AB  - The heat shock response is crucial for organisms against heat-damaged proteins
      and maintaining homeostasis at a high temperature. Heterologous expression of
      eukaryotic molecular chaperones protects Escherichia coli from heat stress. Here
      we report that expression of the plant E3 ligase BnTR1 significantly increases
      the thermotolerance of E. coli. Different from eukaryotic chaperones, BnTR1
      expression induces the accumulation of heat shock factor sigma32 and heat shock
      proteins. The active site of BnTR1 in E. coli is the zinc fingers of the RING
      domain, which interacts with DnaK resulting in stabilizing sigma32. Our findings
      indicate the expression of BnTR1 confers thermoprotective effects on E. coli
      cells, and it may provide useful clues to engineer thermophilic bacterial
      strains.

PMID- 28642479
TI  - A genetically enhanced sterile insect technique against the fruit fly, Bactrocera
      dorsalis (Hendel) by feeding adult double-stranded RNAs.
AB  - RNAi based sterile insect technique (SIT) is an authentic insect management
      approach but requires proper target genes. During this study, spermless males
      were developed by interfering with germ cell differentiation and azoospermia
      related genes. Data demonstrates significant reductions in the target genes
      expressions (boul, zpg, dsx M , fzo and gas8) after oral dsRNAs administration.
      Knock down of target genes significantly affected the reproductive ability of
      males and reduced egg-hatching as compared to the control group. Furthermore,
      different combinations of selected gene dsRNAs (boul + zpg, boul + dsx M and zpg
      + dsx M ) were made, which resulted up to 85.40% of male sterility. The most
      effective combination was selected to prepare different concentrations of dsRNA,
      250, 500, 750 and 1000 ng/MUl, that caused 18.97%, 38.68%, 58.02% and 85.40% male
      sterility, respectively. Subsequently, 1000 ng/MUl of the same combination of ds
      RNAs was used against differently aged adult flies (1, 5, 7, 10 days) which lead
      to 85.40%, 31.42%, 21.76% and 9.90% male sterility, respectively. SIT developed
      in this study showed that, boul + zpg combination of dsRNA feeding for 6 hours
      significantly reduced the number of spermatozoa and viability of sperm in 1-day
      old B. dorsalis flies. In short, this study provides an effective SIT technique
      for long-term B. dorsalis management.

PMID- 28642480
TI  - Haralick texture features from apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) MRI images
      depend on imaging and pre-processing parameters.
AB  - In recent years, texture analysis of medical images has become increasingly
      popular in studies investigating diagnosis, classification and treatment response
      assessment of cancerous disease. Despite numerous applications in oncology and
      medical imaging in general, there is no consensus regarding texture analysis
      workflow, or reporting of parameter settings crucial for replication of results.
      The aim of this study was to assess how sensitive Haralick texture features of
      apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) MR images are to changes in five parameters
      related to image acquisition and pre-processing: noise, resolution, how the ADC
      map is constructed, the choice of quantization method, and the number of gray
      levels in the quantized image. We found that noise, resolution, choice of
      quantization method and the number of gray levels in the quantized images had a
      significant influence on most texture features, and that the effect size varied
      between different features. Different methods for constructing the ADC maps did
      not have an impact on any texture feature. Based on our results, we recommend
      using images with similar resolutions and noise levels, using one quantization
      method, and the same number of gray levels in all quantized images, to make
      meaningful comparisons of texture feature results between different subjects.

PMID- 28642481
TI  - Deterministic radiative coupling of two semiconductor quantum dots to the optical
      mode of a photonic crystal nanocavity.
AB  - A system of two site-controlled semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is
      deterministically integrated with a photonic crystal membrane nano-cavity. The
      two QDs are identified via their reproducible emission spectral features, and
      their coupling to the fundamental cavity mode is established by emission co
      polarization and cavity feeding features. A theoretical model accounting for
      phonon interaction and pure dephasing reproduces the observed results and permits
      extraction of the light-matter coupling constant for this system. The
      demonstrated approach offers a platform for scaling up the integration of QD
      systems and nano-photonic elements for integrated quantum photonics applications.

PMID- 28642482
TI  - Moving Bragg grating solitons in a semilinear dual-core system with dispersive
      reflectivity.
AB  - The existence, stability and collision dynamics of moving Bragg grating solitons
      in a semilinear dual-core system where one core has the Kerr nonlinearity and is
      equipped with a Bragg grating with dispersive reflectivity, and the other core is
      linear are investigated. It is found that moving soliton solutions exist as a
      continuous family of solutions in the upper and lower gaps of the system's linear
      spectrum. The stability of the moving solitons are investigated by means of
      systematic numerical stability analysis, and the effect and interplay of various
      parameters on soliton stability are analyzed. We have also systematically
      investigated the characteristics of collisions of counter-propagating solitons.
      In-phase collisions can lead to a variety of outcomes such as passage of solitons
      through each other with increased, reduced or unchanged velocities, asymmetric
      separation of solitons, merger of solitons into a quiescent one, formation of
      three solitons (one quiescent and two moving ones) and destruction of both
      solitons. The outcome regions of in-phase collisions are identified in the plane
      of dispersive reflectivity versus frequency. The effects of coupling coefficient,
      relative group velocity in the linear core, soliton velocity and dispersive
      reflectivity and the initial phase difference on the outcomes of collisions are
      studied.

PMID- 28642483
TI  - Masking of a circadian behavior in larval zebrafish involves the thalamo-habenula
      pathway.
AB  - Changes in illumination can rapidly influence behavior that is normally
      controlled by the circadian clock. This effect is termed masking. In mice,
      masking requires melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells that detect blue
      light and project to the thalamus. It is not known whether masking is wavelength
      dependent in other vertebrates, nor is it known whether the thalamus is also
      involved or how it influences masking. Here, we address these questions in
      zebrafish. We find that diel vertical migration, a circadian behavior in larval
      zebrafish, is effectively triggered by blue, but not by red light. Two-photon
      calcium imaging reveals that a thalamic nucleus and a downstream structure, the
      habenula, have a sustained response to blue but not to red light. Lesioning the
      habenula reduces light-evoked climbing. These data suggest that the thalamo
      habenula pathway is involved in the ability of blue light to influence a
      circadian behavior.

PMID- 28642484
TI  - miR-100-5p inhibition induces apoptosis in dormant prostate cancer cells and
      prevents the emergence of castration-resistant prostate cancer.
AB  - Carcinoma of the prostate is the most common cancer in men. Treatment of
      aggressive prostate cancer involves a regiment of radical prostectomy, radiation
      therapy, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. Despite significant improvements in
      the last decade, the treatment of prostate cancer remains unsatisfactory, because
      a significant fraction of prostate cancers develop resistance to multiple
      treatments and become incurable. This prompts an urgent need to investigate the
      molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of therapy-induced resistance of
      prostate cancer either in the form of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)
      or transdifferentiated neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). By analyzing micro
      RNA expression profiles in a set of patient-derived prostate cancer xenograft
      tumor lines, we identified miR-100-5p as one of the key molecular components in
      the initiation and evolution of androgen ablation therapy resistance in prostate
      cancer. In vitro results showed that miR-100-5p is required for hormone
      independent survival and proliferation of prostate cancer cells post androgen
      ablation. In Silico target predictions revealed that miR-100-5p target genes are
      involved in key aspects of cancer progression, and are associated with clinical
      outcome. Our results suggest that mir-100-5p is a possible therapeutic target
      involved in prostate cancer progression and relapse post androgen ablation
      therapy.

PMID- 28642485
TI  - Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Treatment Can Ameliorate Microvascular Leakage Caused by
      Combined Alcohol Intoxication and Hemorrhagic Shock.
AB  - Fluid resuscitation following hemorrhagic shock is often problematic, with
      development of prolonged hypotension and edema. In addition, many trauma patients
      are also intoxicated, which generally worsens outcomes. We directly investigated
      how alcohol intoxication impacts hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation-induced
      microvascular leakage using a rat model with intravital microscopic imaging. We
      also tested the hypothesis that an endothelial barrier-protective bioactive
      lipid, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), could ameliorate the microvascular leakage
      following alcohol intoxication plus hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation. Our
      results show that alcohol intoxication exacerbated hemorrhagic shock and
      resuscitation-induced hypotension and microvascular leakage. We next found that
      S1P effectively could reverse alcohol-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction
      using both cultured endothelial cell monolayer and in vivo models. Lastly, we
      observed that S1P administration ameliorated hypotension and microvascular
      leakage following combined alcohol intoxication and hemorrhagic shock, in a dose
      related manner. These findings suggest the viability of using agonists that can
      improve microvascular barrier function to ameliorate trauma-induced hypotension,
      offering a novel therapeutic opportunity for potentially improving clinical
      outcomes in patients with multi-hit injuries.

PMID- 28642486
TI  - npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine broadens its focus to include global
      respiratory health, tobacco control and implementation science.

PMID- 28642488
TI  - Biomimetic Molecular Signaling using DNA Walkers on Microparticles.
AB  - We report the release of catalytic DNA walkers from hydrogel microparticles and
      the detection of those walkers by substrate-coated microparticles. This might be
      considered a synthetic biology analog of molecular signal release and reception.
      One type of particles was coated with components of a DNA one-step strand
      displacement (OSD) reaction to release the walker. A second type of particle was
      coated with substrate (or "track") for the molecular walker. We distinguish these
      particle types using fluorescence barcoding: we synthesized and distinguished
      multiple particle types with multicolor fluorescence microscopy and automated
      image analysis software. This represents a step toward amplified, multiplex, and
      microscopically localized detection based on DNA nanotechnology.

PMID- 28642487
TI  - Hypoxia is a Key Driver of Alternative Splicing in Human Breast Cancer Cells.
AB  - Adaptation to hypoxia, a hallmark feature of many tumors, is an important driver
      of cancer cell survival, proliferation and the development of resistance to
      chemotherapy. Hypoxia-induced stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs)
      leads to transcriptional activation of a network of hypoxia target genes involved
      in angiogenesis, cell growth, glycolysis, DNA damage repair and apoptosis.
      Although the transcriptional targets of hypoxia have been characterized, the
      alternative splicing of transcripts that occurs during hypoxia and the roles they
      play in oncogenesis are much less understood. To identify and quantify hypoxia
      induced alternative splicing events in human cancer cells, we performed whole
      transcriptome RNA-Seq in breast cancer cells that are known to provide robust
      transcriptional response to hypoxia. We found 2005 and 1684 alternative splicing
      events including intron retention, exon skipping and alternative first exon usage
      that were regulated by acute and chronic hypoxia where intron retention was the
      most dominant type of hypoxia-induced alternative splicing. Many of these genes
      are involved in cellular metabolism, transcriptional regulation, actin
      cytoskeleton organisation, cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion,
      suggesting they may modulate or be involved in additional features of tumorigenic
      development that extend beyond the known functions of canonical full-length
      transcripts.

PMID- 28642489
TI  - Post-exposure treatment of non-human primates lethally infected with Ebola virus
      with EBOTAb, a purified ovine IgG product.
AB  - Despite sporadic outbreaks of Ebola virus (EBOV) over the last 4 decades and the
      recent public health emergency in West Africa, there are still no approved
      vaccines or therapeutics for the treatment of acute EBOV disease (EVD). In
      response to the 2014 outbreak, an ovine immunoglobulin therapy was developed,
      termed EBOTAb. After promising results in the guinea pig model of EBOV infection,
      EBOTAb was tested in the cynomolgus macaque non-human primate model of lethal
      EBOV infection. To ensure stringent therapeutic testing conditions to replicate
      likely clinical usage, EBOTAb was first delivered 1, 2 or 3 days post-challenge
      with a lethal dose of EBOV. Results showed a protective effect of EBOTAb given
      post-exposurally, with survival rates decreasing with increasing time after
      challenge. Viremia results demonstrated that EBOTAb resulted in a decreased
      circulation of EBOV in the bloodstream. Additionally, assay of liver enzymes and
      histology analysis of local tissues identified differences between EBOTAb-treated
      and untreated groups. The results presented demonstrate that EBOTAb conferred
      protection against EBOV when given post-exposure and should be explored and
      developed further as a potential intervention strategy for future outbreaks,
      which are likely to occur.

PMID- 28642490
TI  - Relationship between Kellgren-Lawrence score and 3D kinematic gait analysis of
      patients with medial knee osteoarthritis using a new gait system.
AB  - Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is reported to have characteristic kinematics during
      walking. However, the relationship between Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) score and the
      3D kinematic gait of patients with medial KOA remains unclear. Here, ninety-seven
      patients with medial KOA and thirty-eight asymptomatic participants were
      involved. Patients with medial KOA were divided into early, moderate, and severe
      KOA based on the K/L score. Through kinematic gait analysis, we found a
      relationship between K/L score and 3D kinematic gait for patients. All KOA knees
      had a significantly reduced range of motion. As the K/L score was increasing, the
      knee flexion at the heel strike and 50% of the stance phase increased while the
      peak knee flexion in the swing phase decreased. In addition, the adduction and
      femoral rotation increased internally at the heel strike, 50% of the stance
      phase, and maximum angle of the swing phase. Femoral translation increased
      anteriorly and distally at the heel strike and 50% of the stance phase. The
      severe group had more medial translation than the asymptomatic groups.
      Significant alterations of three-dimensional joint kinematics were identified in
      subjects suffering various severities in Chinese patients. This study provides an
      important reference for the treatment options, therapy assessment, and
      rehabilitation of KOA.

PMID- 28642491
TI  - A cross-species approach to identify transcriptional regulators exemplified for
      Dnajc22 and Hnf4a.
AB  - There is an enormous need to make better use of the ever increasing wealth of
      publicly available genomic information and to utilize the tremendous progress in
      computational approaches in the life sciences. Transcriptional regulation of
      protein-coding genes is a major mechanism of controlling cellular functions.
      However, the myriad of transcription factors potentially controlling
      transcription of any given gene makes it often difficult to quickly identify the
      biological relevant transcription factors. Here, we report on the identification
      of Hnf4a as a major transcription factor of the so far unstudied DnaJ heat shock
      protein family (Hsp40) member C22 (Dnajc22). We propose an approach utilizing
      recent advances in computational biology and the wealth of publicly available
      genomic information guiding the identification of potential transcription factor
      candidates together with wet-lab experiments validating computational models.
      More specifically, the combined use of co-expression analyses based on self
      organizing maps with sequence-based transcription factor binding prediction led
      to the identification of Hnf4a as the potential transcriptional regulator for
      Dnajc22 which was further corroborated using publicly available datasets on
      Hnf4a. Following this procedure, we determined its functional binding site in the
      murine Dnajc22 locus using ChIP-qPCR and luciferase assays and verified this
      regulatory loop in fruitfly, zebrafish, and humans.

PMID- 28642493
TI  - Diffusional-displacive transformation enables formation of long-period stacking
      order in magnesium.
AB  - Mg is the most important lightweight engineering alloy enabling future weight
      reduced and fuel-saving engineering solutions. Yet, Mg is soft. Long-period
      stacking ordered (LPSO) structures in Mg alloys have unique crystal structures,
      characterized by both complex chemical and stacking order. They are essential for
      strengthening of Mg alloys. The formation mechanism of these LPSO structures is
      still under discussion. Here we report that Y/Zn enriched Guinier-Preston (GP)
      zones observed in a lean Mg-Y-Zn model alloy are precursors of early stage LPSO
      structures. We provide evidence of a new type of phase transformation mechanism
      which comprises the diffusional formation of Y/Zn enriched GP zones and their
      subsequent shear transformation into LPSO building blocks. The mechanism
      constitutes a new type of coupled diffusional-displacive phase formation sequence
      which may also be applicable to other alloy systems.

PMID- 28642492
TI  - Segregation of glutamatergic and cholinergic transmission at the mixed motoneuron
      Renshaw cell synapse.
AB  - In neonatal mice motoneurons excite Renshaw cells by releasing both acetylcholine
      (ACh) and glutamate. These two neurotransmitters activate two types of nicotinic
      receptors (nAChRs) ( the homomeric alpha7 receptors and the heteromeric
      alpha*beta* receptors) as well as the two types of glutamate receptors (GluRs)
      (AMPARs and NMDARs). Using paired recordings, we confirm that a single motoneuron
      can release both transmitters on a single post-synaptic Renshaw cell. We then
      show that co-transmission is preserved in adult animals. Kinetic analysis of
      miniature EPSCs revealed quantal release of mixed events associating AMPARs and
      NMDARs, as well as alpha7 and alpha*beta* nAChRs, but no evidence was found for
      mEPSCs associating nAChRs with GluRs. Bayesian Quantal Analysis (BQA) of evoked
      EPSCs showed that the number of functional contacts on a single Renshaw cell is
      more than halved when the nicotinic receptors are blocked, confirming that the
      two neurotransmitters systems are segregated. Our observations can be explained
      if ACh and glutamate are released from common vesicles onto spatially segregated
      post-synaptic receptors clusters, but a pre-synaptic segregation of cholinergic
      and glutamatergic release sites is also possible.

PMID- 28642494
TI  - Proteome profiling reveals novel biomarkers to identify complicated parapneumonic
      effusions.
AB  - Patients with pneumonia and parapneumonic effusion (PPE) have elevated mortality
      and a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to discover novel biomarkers to
      help distinguish between uncomplicated PPE (UPPE) and complicated PPE (CPPE).
      Using an iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics, we identified 766 proteins in
      pleural effusions from PPE patients. In total, 45 of these proteins were
      quantified as upregulated proteins in CPPE. Four novel upregulated candidates
      (BPI, NGAL, AZU1, and calprotectin) were selected and further verified using
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) on 220 patients with pleural
      effusions due to different causes. The pleural fluid levels of BPI, NGAL, AZU1,
      and calprotectin were significantly elevated in patients with CPPE. Among these
      four biomarkers, BPI had the best diagnostic value for CPPE, with an AUC value of
      0.966, a sensitivity of 97%, and a specificity of 91.4%. A logistic regression
      analysis demonstrated a strong association between BPI levels > 10 ng/ml and CPPE
      (odds ratio = 341.3). Furthermore, the combination of pleural fluid BPI levels
      with LDH levels improved the sensitivity and specificity to 100% and 91.4%,
      respectively. Thus, our findings provided a comprehensive effusion proteome data
      set for PPE biomarker discovery and revealed novel biomarkers for the diagnosis
      of CPPE.

PMID- 28642495
TI  - Rapid response to climate change in a marginal sea.
AB  - The Mediterranean Sea is a mid-latitude marginal sea, particularly responsive to
      climate change as reported by recent studies. The Sicily Channel is a choke point
      separating the sea in two main basins, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the
      Western Mediterranean Sea. Here, we report and analyse a long-term record (1993
      2016) of the thermohaline properties of the Intermediate Water that crosses the
      Sicily Channel, showing increasing temperature and salinity trends much stronger
      than those observed at intermediate depths in the global ocean. We investigate
      the causes of the observed trends and in particular determine the role of a
      changing climate over the Eastern Mediterranean, where the Intermediate Water is
      formed. The long-term Sicily record reveals how fast the response to climate
      change can be in a marginal sea like the Mediterranean Sea compared to the global
      ocean, and demonstrates the essential role of long time series in the ocean.

PMID- 28642496
TI  - Nitrogen enrichment impacts on boreal litter decomposition are driven by changes
      in soil microbiota rather than litter quality.
AB  - In nitrogen (N) limited boreal forests, N enrichment can impact litter
      decomposition by affecting litter quality and by changing the soil environment
      where litter decomposes. We investigated the importance of litter quality and
      soil factors on litter decomposition using a 2-year reciprocal transplant
      experiment for Picea abies needle litter, derived from plots subjected to 17
      years of N addition, including control, low and high N treatments (ambient, 12.5
      and 50 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively). Our data show that changes in soil factors
      were the main pathway through which N impacted litter decomposition, with rates
      reduced by ~15% when placed in high N relative to control plots, regardless of
      litter origin. Litter decomposition was correlated to soil microbiota, with Picea
      abies litter decomposition positively correlated with gram negative and fungal
      functional groups. Our results suggest that previous findings of increase soil C
      accumulation in response to N deposition is likely to occur as a result of
      changes in soil microbiota rather than altered litter quality.

PMID- 28642497
TI  - Interactive effects of plant neighbourhood and ontogeny on insect herbivory and
      plant defensive traits.
AB  - Plant ontogenetic stage and features of surrounding plant neighbourhoods can
      strongly influence herbivory and defences on focal plants. However, the effects
      of both factors have been assessed independently in previous studies. Here we
      tested for the independent and interactive effects of neighbourhood type (low vs.
      high frequency of our focal plant species in heterospecific stands) and ontogeny
      on leaf herbivory, physical traits and chemical defences of the English oak
      Quercus robur. We further tested whether plant traits were associated with
      neighbourhood and ontogenetic effects on herbivory. We found that leaf herbivory
      decreased in stands with a low frequency of Q. robur, and that saplings received
      less herbivory than adult trees. Interestingly, we also found interactive effects
      of these factors where a difference in damage between saplings and adult trees
      was only observed in stands with a high frequency of Q. robur. We also found
      strong ontogenetic differences in leaf traits where saplings had more defended
      leaves than adult trees, and this difference in turn explained ontogenetic
      differences in herbivory. Plant trait variation did not explain the neighbourhood
      effect on herbivory. This study builds towards a better understanding of the
      concurrent effects of plant individual- and community-level characteristics
      influencing plant-herbivore interactions.

PMID- 28642498
TI  - Uptake and metabolism of arginine impact Plasmodium development in the liver.
AB  - Prior to infecting erythrocytes and causing malaria symptoms, Plasmodium
      parasites undergo an obligatory phase of invasion and extensive replication
      inside their mammalian host's liver cells that depends on the parasite's ability
      to obtain the nutrients it requires for its intra-hepatic growth and
      multiplication. Here, we show that L-arginine (Arg) uptake through the host
      cell's SLC7A2-encoded transporters is essential for the parasite's development
      and maturation in the liver. Our data suggest that the Arg that is taken up is
      primarily metabolized by the arginase pathway to produce the polyamines required
      for Plasmodium growth. Although the parasite may hijack the host's biosynthesis
      pathway, it relies mainly upon its own arginase-AdoMetDC/ODC pathway to acquire
      the polyamines it needs to develop. These results identify for the first time a
      pivotal role for Arg-dependent polyamine production during Plasmodium's hepatic
      development and pave the way to the exploitation of strategies to impact liver
      infection by the malaria parasite through the modulation of Arg uptake and
      polyamine synthesis.

PMID- 28642499
TI  - Comprehensive analysis and reinterpretation of Cenozoic mesofossils reveals
      ancient origin of the snapping claw of alpheid shrimps.
AB  - Alpheid snapping shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea: Alpheidae) constitute one of the
      model groups for inferences aimed at understanding the evolution of complex
      structural, behavioural, and ecological traits among benthic marine
      invertebrates. Despite being a super-diverse taxon with a broad geographical
      distribution, the alpheid fossil record is still poorly known. However, data
      presented herein show that the strongly calcified fingertips of alpheid snapping
      claws are not uncommon in the fossil record and should be considered a novel type
      of mesofossil. The Cenozoic remains analysed here represent a compelling
      structural match with extant species of Alpheus. Based on the presence of several
      distinct snapping claw-fingertip morphotypes, the major radiation of Alpheus
      lineages is estimated to have occurred as early as 18 mya. In addition, the
      oldest fossil record of alpheids in general can now be confirmed for the Late
      Oligocene (27-28 mya), thus providing a novel minimum age for the entire group as
      well as the first reliable calibration point for deep phylogenetic inferences.

PMID- 28642500
TI  - Genome-wide mapping of DNase I hypersensitive sites reveals chromatin
      accessibility changes in Arabidopsis euchromatin and heterochromatin regions
      under extended darkness.
AB  - Light, as the energy source in photosynthesis, is essential for plant growth and
      development. Extended darkness causes dramatic gene expression changes. In this
      study, we applied DNase-seq (DNase I hypersensitive site sequencing) to study
      changes of chromatin accessibility in euchromatic and heterochromatic regions
      under extended darkness in Arabidopsis. We generated 27 Gb DNase-seq and 67.6 Gb
      RNA-seq data to investigate chromatin accessibility changes and global gene
      expression under extended darkness and control condition in Arabidopsis. We found
      that ~40% DHSs (DNaseI hypersensitive sites) were diminished under darkness. In
      non-TE regions, the majority of DHS-changed genes were DHS-diminished under
      darkness. A total of 519 down-regulated genes were associated with diminished
      DHSs under darkness, mainly involved in photosynthesis process and retrograde
      signaling, and were regulated by chloroplast maintenance master regulators such
      as GLK1. In TE regions, approximately half of the DHS-changed TEs were DHS
      increased under darkness and were primarily associated with the LTR/Gypsy
      retrotransposons in the heterochromatin flanking the centromeres. In contrast,
      DHS-diminished TEs under darkness were enriched in Copia, LINE, and MuDR
      dispersed across chromosomes. Together, our results indicated that extended
      darkness resulted in more increased chromatin compaction in euchromatin and
      decompaction in heterochromatin, thus further leading to gene expression changes
      in Arabidopsis.

PMID- 28642501
TI  - Influence of Fermi arc states and double Weyl node on tunneling in a Dirac
      semimetal.
AB  - Most theoretical studies of tunneling in Dirac and the closely related Weyl
      semimetals have modeled these materials as single Weyl nodes described by the
      three-dimensional Dirac equation [Formula: see text]. The influence of scattering
      between the different valleys centered around different Weyl nodes, and the Fermi
      arc states which connect these nodes are hence not evident from these studies. In
      this work we study the tunneling in a thin film system of the Dirac semimetal
      Na3Bi consisting of a central segment with a gate potential, sandwiched between
      identical semi-infinite source and drain segments. The model Hamiltonian we use
      for Na3Bi gives, for each spin, two Weyl nodes separated in k-space symmetrically
      about k z  = 0. The presence of a top and bottom surface in the thin film
      geometry results in the appearance of Fermi arc states and energy subbands. We
      show that (for each spin) the presence of two Weyl nodes and the Fermi arc states
      results in enhanced transmission oscillations, and finite transmission even when
      the energy falls within the bulk band gap in the central segment respectively.
      These features are not captured in single Weyl node models.

PMID- 28642502
TI  - Quasi-stabilized hydration layers on muscovite mica under a thin water film grown
      from humid air.
AB  - The interfaces between solids and water films in air play fundamental roles in
      physicochemical phenomena, biological functions, and nano-fabrication. Though the
      properties of the interfaces have been considered to be irrelevant to the water
      film thickness, we found distinctive mechanical features of the interface between
      a cleaved muscovite mica surface and a thin water film grown in humid air,
      dissimilar to those in bulk water, using frequency-modulation atomic force
      microscopy. The thin water film grew with quasi-stabilized hydration networks of
      water molecules, tightly bound each other at the interface, to a thickness of ~2
      nm at near-saturating humidity. Consequently, defective structures of the
      hydration networks persisted vertically through the hydration layers at the
      interface, and K+ ions on the cleaved surface remained without dissolution into
      the water film. The results provide atomistic insights into thin water films in
      regard to epitaxial-like growth from vapour and the motion of water molecules and
      ions therein.

PMID- 28642503
TI  - Special feature: Team Up volunteering initiative: Smile Project.

PMID- 28642506
TI  - Learning from good practice: a review of current oral health promotion materials
      for parents of young children.
AB  - Objectives To examine the quality of UK-based oral health promotion materials
      (OHPM) for parents of young children aged 0-5 years old.Data sources OHPM were
      obtained via email request to dental public health consultants and oral health
      promotion teams in the UK, structured web-based searches or collected from oral
      health events.Data selection Materials were included if: they were freely
      available; they were in English; they were parent facing and included oral health
      advice aimed at children aged 0-5-years-old.Data extraction Quality assessment
      was based on: whether the oral health messages were consistent with Public Health
      England's Delivering better oral health guidance, and what barriers to good oral
      health were addressed by the OHPM using the Theoretical Domains Framework
      (TDF).Data synthesis A wide range of printed and digital OHPM were identified (n
      = 111). However, only one piece of material covered all 16 guidance points
      identified in Public Health England's Delivering better oral health (mean 6, SD
      4), and one other material addressed all 12 domains of the TDF (mean 6, SD
      2).Conclusions Although there were examples of high quality, further development
      is required to ensure OHPM are clear, consistent and address a wider range of
      barriers to good oral health behaviours.

PMID- 28642507
TI  - Mishandled elevators.

PMID- 28642508
TI  - Withholding treatment: what, whom and why?
AB  - Should a dentist triage the care of a patient who has sustained dental trauma,
      before treating a patient in pain because of dental neglect?

PMID- 28642509
TI  - In our opinion.
AB  - The misleading statements made in the British Dental Journal in the December 2016
      issue relating to dental age assessment are assessed for inaccuracies and
      negligent omission of the issue of Child Protection. It is emphasised that there
      is a need for the approach of objective knowledge viz. not influenced by personal
      feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. The article by the
      Chair of the Education, Ethics, and Team Working Group implies that
      unsatisfactory consent procedures are followed. The DARLInG (Dental Age Research
      London Information Group) have followed a carefully prescribed procedure that
      fulfils all the requirements of the advice given by the Consent Committee at
      King's College Hospital. In addition, the active support in the form of
      independent support workers and lawyers assisted by interpreters is described.
      The issue of the lawful use of ionising radiation is described with correct
      information about where this information can be obtained. The seriously
      misleading statements made by the Chair of the Education, Ethics and Education
      Working Group are identified. An unacceptable oversight is the failure of the BDA
      representatives to draw attention to the need for child protection. The potential
      benefit of dental age estimation in terms of appropriately providing support for
      asylum seekers is described.The failure of the BDA Ethics group to be up to date
      with recent research which shows a high level of certainty in assigning age
      disputed subjects to above (or below) the 18-year threshold is discussed and the
      importance of this in reliably determining, in an objective way, the age status
      of asylum seekers. The incorrect and salacious use of the term 'X-rated' is
      highlighted and a formal request for its withdrawal has been made.

PMID- 28642513
TI  - Birmingham showcases dental research.

PMID- 28642511
TI  - The Mental Capacity Act 2005: Considerations for obtaining consent for dental
      treatment.
AB  - The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides a legal framework within which specific
      decisions must be made when an individual lacks the mental capacity to make such
      decisions for themselves. With an increasingly aged, medically complex and in
      some cases socially isolated population presenting for dental care, dentists need
      to have a sound understanding of the appropriate management of patients who lack
      capacity to consent to treatment when they present in the dental setting.
      Patients with acute symptoms requiring urgent care and un-befriended patients
      present additional complexities. In these situations a lack of familiarity with
      how best to proceed and confusion in the interpretation of relevant guidance,
      combined with the working time pressures experienced in dental practice may
      further delay the timely dental management of vulnerable patients. We will
      present and discuss the treatment of three patients who were found to lack the
      mental capacity necessary to make decisions about their dental care and
      illustrate how their differing situations determined the appropriate management
      for each.

PMID- 28642516
TI  - Oral health management of patients at risk of medication-related osteonecrosis of
      the jaw.
AB  - The dentist should not be alarmist about the risk for the patient of developing
      medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ).

PMID- 28642515
TI  - Dental radiography: Plain film radiographs.

PMID- 28642519
TI  - Comment on the paper entitled 'Arginine and caries prevention: A systematic
      review'.
AB  - 'The Colgate-Palmolive Company is extremely proud of the clinical program ...
      addition of 1.5% arginine to fluoride toothpaste.'

PMID- 28642517
TI  - Green dentistry: the art and science of sustainable practice.
AB  - Dentistry is highly energy and resource intensive with significant environmental
      impact. Factors inherent in the profession such as enormous electricity demands
      of electronic dental equipment, voluminous water requirements, environmental
      effects of biomaterials (before, during and after clinical use), the use of
      radiation and the generation of hazardous waste involving mercury, lead etc have
      contributed towards this. With rising temperatures across the world due to global
      warming, efforts are being made worldwide to mitigate the effects of
      environmental damage by resorting to sustainability concepts and green solutions
      in a myriad of ways. In such a scenario, a professional obligation and social
      responsibility of dentists makes it imperative to transform the practice of
      dentistry from a hazardous to a sustainable one, by adopting environmental
      friendly measures or 'green dentistry'. The NHS in the UK has been proactive in
      implementing sustainability in healthcare by setting targets, developing guidance
      papers, initiating steering groups to develop measures and implementing actions
      through its Sustainable Development Unit (SDU). Such sustainable frameworks,
      specific to dentistry, are not yet available and even the scientific literature
      is devoid of studies in this field although anecdotal narratives abound. Hence
      this paper attempts to present a comprehensive evaluation of the existing
      healthcare sustainability principles, for their parallel application in the field
      of dentistry and lays out a blueprint for integrating the two main underlying
      principles of sustainability - resource use efficiency and eliminating or
      minimising pollution - in the day-to-day practice. The article also highlights
      the importance of social values, community care, engaging stakeholders, economic
      benefits, developing policy and providing leadership in converting the concept of
      green dentistry into a practised reality.

PMID- 28642527
TI  - Dental CHAMPs record rap to promote oral health.

PMID- 28642521
TI  - Knowledge of and attitudes to sports drinks of adolescents living in South Wales,
      UK.
AB  - Background The UK sports drinks market has a turnover in excess of L200 million.
      Adolescents consume 15.6% of total energy as free sugars, much higher than the
      recommended 5%. Sugar sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, account for
      30% of total free sugar intake for those aged 11-18 years.Objective To
      investigate children's knowledge and attitudes surrounding sports drinks.Method
      One hundred and eighty-three self-complete questionnaires were distributed to
      four schools in South Wales. Children aged 12-14 were recruited to take part.
      Questions focussed on knowledge of who sports drinks are aimed at; the role of
      sports drinks in physical activity; and the possible detrimental effects to oral
      health. Recognition of brand logo and sports ambassadors and the relationship of
      knowledge to respondents' consumption of sports drinks were assessed.Results
      There was an 87% (160) response rate and 89.4% (143) claimed to drink sports
      drinks. 45.9% thought that sports drinks were aimed at everyone; approximately a
      third (50) viewed teenagers as the target group. Over two thirds recognised the
      brand logos, yet less than a third could identify brand ambassadors. About half
      were aware that dental erosion may result from consumption and approximately two
      thirds knew that they were linked to dental caries and energy provision. Despite
      this the majority claimed to drink them. As previously reported most of those
      drinking sports drinks did so because of the taste.Conclusion Whilst most of the
      respondents had some understanding of the detrimental effects on health the
      majority of them were drinking them regularly despite this knowledge. Work is
      therefore needed at a macro level, with soft drink manufacturers, to consider
      marketing and reformulation of products for adolescent consumers who appear to
      enjoy them.

PMID- 28642528
TI  - UK dentists urged to see children by age one.

PMID- 28642530
TI  - Oral health: Concrete example of altruism.

PMID- 28642529
TI  - OMFS: Rare condition.

PMID- 28642532
TI  - Oral Reconstruction Foundation Research Award.

PMID- 28642534
TI  - We are what others eat.

PMID- 28642538
TI  - Pathway National Inclusion Dentistry Network.

PMID- 28642531
TI  - Evidence summary: The relationship between oral diseases and diabetes.
AB  - Introduction This paper is the third of four rapid reviews undertaken to explore
      the relationships between oral health and general medical conditions in order to
      support teams within Public Health England, health practitioners and
      policymakers.Aims This review aimed to explore the nature of the association
      between poor oral health and diabetes when found in the same individuals or
      populations, having reviewed the most contemporary evidence in the field.Methods
      The reviews were undertaken by four groups each comprising consultant clinicians
      from medicine and dentistry, trainees, public health and academics. The
      methodology involved a streamlined rapid review process and synthesis of the
      findings.Results The results identified a number of systematic reviews of low to
      high quality suggesting that diabetes is associated with periodontal disease,
      tooth loss, and oral cancer in particular, and that the management of oral
      diseases, most notably periodontal care, has a short-term beneficial influence on
      metabolic outcomes related to diabetes; however, there is no evidence that this
      is sustained over the long-term and reduces the prevalence of the long-term
      complications.Conclusion Current evidence, of mixed quality, suggests a number of
      associations between oral diseases and diabetes mellitus (diabetes). Further high
      quality research is required in this field.

PMID- 28642539
TI  - BOS launches new resource for National Smile Month.

PMID- 28642540
TI  - Dental education: Potentially damaging disconnect.

PMID- 28642541
TI  - Can UK undergraduate dental programmes provide training in non-surgical facial
      aesthetics?
AB  - Aim Recently, more and more dentists have found themselves engaging in the
      delivery of non-surgical facial aesthetics (NSFA) as part of their regular
      practice routine. NSFA is a growing field in aesthetic medicine that is practised
      by a range of clinicians including doctors, dentists and registered prescriber
      nurses and is an industry estimated to be worth over L3 billion in the UK alone.
      In the past few years, several public scandals in aesthetic medicine have
      prompted reactions by several bodies including the Government and Royal Colleges.
      With Health Education England (HEE) having recently released standards in
      education, it is clear that a shift in attitude towards training is imminent.
      With a large volume of dentists making up this NSFA workforce it is reasonable to
      consider the stance of undergraduate training and the relevance of the existing
      knowledge within dentistry in the context of the HEE standards.Method All dental
      schools in the UK were contacted to establish the range of subjects taught within
      the curriculum, with particular reference to those relevant to NSFA. The two
      largest aesthetic pharmacies were contacted regarding numbers of registered
      dentists they serve.Results Twelve out of 16 dental schools responded. Two-thirds
      of responding dental schools do not cover NSFA in their curricula. However, many
      dental schools cover related subjects including: facial anatomy/material
      science/neuromuscular junction physiology (100%), anatomy of the aging face
      (66%), pharmacology of botulinum toxin (25%) and ethical-legal implications of
      aesthetic dentistry/NSFA (50%/42% respectively).Conclusion Dentists are well
      placed to deliver NSFA given their background in relevant subjects and surgical
      training. With the emergence and growth of such a large multi-disciplinary field
      it is crucial that dentistry is not left behind. Just as most dental schools have
      embraced the evolution of cosmetic dentistry and implantology, it would be
      prudent to consider that training standards around NSFA are reflected in both
      undergraduate curricula and appropriate post-graduate clinical training for
      dentistry.

PMID- 28642542
TI  - The highly rearranged mitochondrial genomes of the crabs Maja crispata and Maja
      squinado (Majidae) and gene order evolution in Brachyura.
AB  - We sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of the spider crabs Maja crispata and Maja
      squinado (Majidae, Brachyura). Both genomes contain the whole set of 37 genes
      characteristic of Bilaterian genomes, encoded on both alpha- and beta-strands.
      Both species exhibit the same gene order, which is unique among known animal
      genomes. In particular, all the genes located on the beta-strand form a single
      block. This gene order was analysed together with the other nine gene orders
      known for the Brachyura. Our study confirms that the most widespread gene order
      (BraGO) represents the plesiomorphic condition for Brachyura and was established
      at the onset of this clade. All other gene orders are the result of
      transformational pathways originating from BraGO. The different gene orders
      exhibit variable levels of genes rearrangements, which involve only tRNAs or all
      types of genes. Local homoplastic arrangements were identified, while complete
      gene orders remain unique and represent signatures that can have a diagnostic
      value. Brachyura appear to be a hot-spot of gene order diversity within the
      phylum Arthropoda. Our analysis, allowed to track, for the first time, the fully
      evolutionary pathways producing the Brachyuran gene orders. This goal was
      achieved by coupling sophisticated bioinformatic tools with phylogenetic
      analysis.

PMID- 28642543
TI  - Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Asthma: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - This study evaluates the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and
      asthma. Literature search was carried out in several electronic databases and
      random effects meta-analyses were performed to obtain pooled estimates of the
      prevalence of OSA, OSA risk and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in asthma
      patients and pooled odds ratios of the prevalence between asthma and non-asthma
      patients. In adult asthma patients, the prevalence [95% confidence interval] of
      OSA, OSA risk, and SDB was 49.50 [36.39, 62.60] %, 27.50 [19.31, 35.69] %, and
      19.65 [14.84, 24.46] % respectively. The odds of having OSA, OS risk and SDB by
      the asthma patients were 2.64 [1.76, 3.52], 3.73 [2.90, 4.57] and 1.73 [1.11,
      2.36] times higher (p < 0.00001 for all) in asthma than in non-asthma patients,
      respectively. Adult asthma patients with OSA had significantly higher BMI in
      comparison with asthma patients without OSA. This study reveals that the
      prevalence of OSA in asthma patients is considerably higher; even higher than OSA
      risk and SDB. Sleep studies should be performed in asthma patients with symptoms
      suggestive of OSA/OSA risk/SDB.

PMID- 28642544
TI  - Resistin promotes the abnormal Type I collagen phenotype of subchondral bone in
      obese patients with end stage hip osteoarthritis.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adiposity on the
      architecture and composition of hip OA subchondral bone, and to examine the
      pathological role of adipokines. Femoral heads were collected from normal-weight
      or over-weight/obese patients with hip OA. Structural parameters of subchondral
      bone were determined by MicroCT and type I collagen alpha1/alpha2 ratio was
      determined by SDS PAGE and by qRT-PCR in ex-vivo bone explants. The serum
      concentration of adipokines was determined by Luminex. The effect of resistin on
      primary OA osteoblasts was determined by analysis of Wnt pathway signal
      transduction, bone nodule formation, and osteoblast metabolic activity.
      Subchondral bone from over-weight/obese hip OA patients exhibited reduced
      trabecular thickness, increased bone surface/bone volume ratio, and an increase
      in the Type I collagen alpha1/alpha2, compared to normal-weight hip OA patients.
      The serum concentration of resistin was higher in overweight/obese OA patients,
      compared to normal-weight OA patients. Stimulation of normal-weight bone explant
      with recombinant resistin increased the Type I collagen alpha1/alpha2 ratio.
      Stimulation of primary OA osteoblasts with recombinant resistin increased Wnt
      signalling activation, osteoblast metabolic activity, and bone nodule formation.
      Increased adiposity in hip OA patients is associated with altered subchondral
      bone architecture and type I collagen composition.

PMID- 28642545
TI  - High-throughput Screening of Small Molecule Inhibitors of the Streptococcus
      Quorum-sensing Signal Pathway.
AB  - The main components of the quorum-sensing system are expected to be favorable
      targets for drug development to combat various chronic infectious diseases. ComA
      of Streptococcus is an ATP-binding cassette transporter containing a peptidase
      domain (PEP), which is essential for the quorum-sensing signal production. Using
      high-throughput screening, we found a potent small molecule that suppressed the
      S. mutans quorum-sensing pathway through inhibition of PEP activity. The compound
      effectively attenuated the biofilm formation and competence development of S.
      mutans without inhibiting cell growth. The kinetic and structural studies with
      this molecule and a related compound unexpectedly revealed an allosteric site of
      PEP. This relatively hydrophobic site is thought to undergo large structural
      changes during the catalytic process. These compounds inhibit PEP activity by
      binding to and suppressing the structural changes of this site. These results
      showed that PEP is a good target for inhibitors of the Streptococcus quorum
      sensing system.

PMID- 28642546
TI  - SLC4A11 depletion impairs NRF2 mediated antioxidant signaling and increases
      reactive oxygen species in human corneal endothelial cells during oxidative
      stress.
AB  - Corneal endothelial dystrophy is a progressive disease with gradual loss of
      vision and characterized by degeneration and dysfunction of corneal endothelial
      cells. Mutations in SLC4A11, a Na+ dependent OH- transporter, cause congenital
      hereditary endothelial dystrophy (CHED) and Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy
      (FECD), the two most common forms of endothelial degeneration. Along with genetic
      factors, oxidative stress plays a role in pathogenesis of several corneal
      diseases. In this study we looked into the role of SLC4A11 in antioxidant stress
      response in human corneal endothelial cells (HCEnC). We found increased
      expression of SLC4A11 in presence of oxidative stress. Depletion of SLC4A11 using
      targeted siRNA, caused an increase in reactive oxygen species, cytochrome c,
      lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, and reduced cell viability during
      oxidative stress. Moreover, SLC4A11 was found to be necessary for NRF2 mediated
      antioxidant gene expression in HCEnC. On the other hand, over expression of
      SLC4A11 reduces reactive oxygen species levels and increases cell viability.
      Lastly, CHED tissue specimens show evidence of oxidative stress and reduced
      expression of NRF2. In conclusion, our data suggests a possible role of SLC4A11
      in regulating oxidative stress, and might be responsible for both the etiology
      and treatment of corneal endothelial dystrophy.

PMID- 28642547
TI  - Human age and skin physiology shape diversity and abundance of Archaea on skin.
AB  - The human skin microbiome acts as an important barrier protecting our body from
      pathogens and other environmental influences. Recent investigations have provided
      evidence that Archaea are a constant but highly variable component of the human
      skin microbiome, yet factors that determine their abundance changes are unknown.
      Here, we tested the hypothesis that the abundance of archaea on human skin is
      influenced by human age and skin physiology by quantitative PCR of 51 different
      skin samples taken from human subjects of various age. Our results reveal that
      archaea are more abundant in human subjects either older than 60 years or younger
      than 12 years as compared to middle-aged human subjects. These results, together
      with results obtained from spectroscopy analysis, allowed us gain first insights
      into a potential link of lower sebum levels and lipid content and thus reduced
      skin moisture with an increase in archaeal signatures. Amplicon sequencing of
      selected samples revealed the prevalence of specific eury- and mainly
      thaumarchaeal taxa, represented by a core archaeome of the human skin.

PMID- 28642548
TI  - Hemodynamics of speech production: An fNIRS investigation of children who
      stutter.
AB  - Stuttering affects nearly 1% of the population worldwide and often has life
      altering negative consequences, including poorer mental health and emotional well
      being, and reduced educational and employment achievements. Over two decades of
      neuroimaging research reveals clear anatomical and physiological differences in
      the speech neural networks of adults who stutter. However, there have been few
      neurophysiological investigations of speech production in children who stutter.
      Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we examined hemodynamic
      responses over neural regions integral to fluent speech production including
      inferior frontal gyrus, premotor cortex, and superior temporal gyrus during a
      picture description task. Thirty-two children (16 stuttering and 16 controls)
      aged 7-11 years participated in the study. We found distinctly different speech
      related hemodynamic responses in the group of children who stutter compared to
      the control group. Whereas controls showed significant activation over left
      dorsal inferior frontal gyrus and left premotor cortex, children who stutter
      exhibited deactivation over these left hemisphere regions. This investigation of
      neural activation during natural, connected speech production in children who
      stutter demonstrates that in childhood stuttering, atypical functional
      organization for speech production is present and suggests promise for the use of
      fNIRS during natural speech production in future research with typical and
      atypical child populations.

PMID- 28642549
TI  - Focal Adhesion Kinase Regulates Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Liver
      Fibrosis.
AB  - Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of liver fibrosis is important
      to develop effective therapy. Herein, we show that focal-adhesion-kinse (FAK)
      plays a key role in promoting hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation in vitro
      and liver fibrosis progression in vivo. FAK activation is associated with
      increased expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and collagen in
      fibrotic live tissues. Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) induces FAK
      activation in a time and dose dependent manner. FAK activation precedes the alpha
      SMA expression in HSCs. Inhibition of FAK activation blocks the alpha-SMA and
      collagen expression, and inhibits the formation of stress fibers in TGF-beta1
      treated HSCs. Furthermore, inhibition of FAK activation significantly reduces HSC
      migration and small GTPase activation, and induces apoptotic signaling in TGF
      beta1 treated HSCs. Importantly, FAK inhibitor attenuates liver fibrosis in vivo
      and significantly reduces collagen and alpha-SMA expression in an animal model of
      liver fibrosis. These data demonstrate that FAK plays an essential role in HSC
      activation and liver fibrosis progression, and FAK signaling pathway could be a
      potential target for liver fibrosis.

PMID- 28642550
TI  - Cytokines regulate complement receptor immunoglobulin expression and phagocytosis
      of Candida albicans in human macrophages: A control point in anti-microbial
      immunity.
AB  - Complement Receptor Immunoglobulin (CRIg), selectively expressed by macrophages,
      plays an important role in innate immunity by promoting phagocytosis of bacteria.
      Thus modulation of CRIg on macrophages by cytokines can be an important mechanism
      by which cytokines regulate anti-microbial immunity. The effects of the
      cytokines, tumor necrosis factor, transforming growth factor-beta1, interferon
      gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13, IL-10, IL-1beta, IL-6, lymphotoxin-alpha,
      macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and GM-CSF on CRIg expression were
      examined in human macrophages. We demonstrated that cytokines regulated the CRIg
      expression on macrophages during their development from monocytes in culture at
      the transcriptional level using qPCR and protein by Western blotting. Both CRIg
      spliced forms (Long and Short), were similarly regulated by cytokines. Direct
      addition of cytokines to matured CRIg+ macrophages also changed CRIg mRNA
      expression, suggesting that cytokines control macrophage function via CRIg, at
      two checkpoints. Interestingly the classical complement receptors, CR3 and CR4
      were differentially regulated by cytokines. The changes in CRIg but not CR3/CR4
      mRNA expression correlated with ability to phagocytose Candida albicans by
      macrophages. These findings suggest that CRIg is likely to be a control point in
      infection and immunity through which cytokines can mediate their effects, and is
      differentially regulated from CR3 and CR4 by cytokines.

PMID- 28642551
TI  - Aesthetic preformed crowns for primary teeth.
AB  - Data sourcesMedline, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, US National
      Institutes of Health Trials Register and the World Health Organization
      International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.Study selectionEnglish language
      randomised clinical trials comparing APCs with conventional restorative
      techniques for primary teeth.Data extraction and synthesisStudy selection and
      data abstraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. Risk of bias was
      assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Study characteristics and results
      were described qualitatively. Meta-analysis was not conducted.ResultsSeven
      studies were included, six reported on primary molars and one on primary
      incisors. There was great variety in the design of the RCTs, however, all
      compared pre-veneered stainless steel crowns (SSCs) with other crowns or two
      different pre-veneered SSCs. The risk of bias in all studies was high with
      significantly different outcome measures used.ConclusionsSSCs cannot be replaced
      by APCs for restoring decayed primary molar teeth due to the insufficient quality
      of evidence available. After a follow-up of only six months, zircon crowns gave
      significantly better results than the others regarding gingival health and crown
      fractures. Due to the small number of RCTs on this topic and their risk of bias,
      future RCTs should be carried out in primary teeth.

PMID- 28642552
TI  - Trial finds better haemostasis with aluminium chloride during periapical surgery.
AB  - DesignRandomised controlled trial in a university setting.InterventionPatients
      were randomised to epinephrine impregnated gauze or aluminium chloride for
      periapical surgery involving a single tooth with a periapical area of
      <10mm.Outcome measureHaemorrhage control.ResultsOne hundred and twenty patients
      were randomised, with 98 being allocated. Forty-eight patients in the epinephrine
      group and 51 in the aluminium chloride group were analysed. Adequate haemostasis
      was achieved in 25 (52.1%) of the epinephrine group and 37 (72.5%) of the
      aluminium chloride group, a statistically significant difference.ConclusionsThe
      outcome showed better efficacy of haemostasis in the aluminium chloride group
      than in the gauze impregnated epinephrine group. The analysis of the patients and
      tooth-dependent variables showed no relationship with the effectiveness of
      haemostasis.

PMID- 28642553
TI  - Effect of essential oil mouthwashes on plaque and gingivitis.
AB  - Data sourcesMedline, Embase, LILACS and Scopus database.Study selectionStudies
      were screened independently by three reviewers. Randomised controlled trials with
      a minimum of six months follow-up of daily use of essential oils-containing (EO)
      mouthwashes compared with placebo, flossing or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as
      adjuncts to mechanical plaque control were considered.Data extraction and
      synthesisData were abstracted by two reviewers and study quality assessed using
      the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Dental plaque was summarised using the Turesky
      modification of the Quigley-Hein Index (QHI), gingivitis using three indices; the
      Gingival Index (GI) by Loe and Silness, the Modified Gingival Index (MGI) and
      bleeding upon probing. Mean and standard deviations were reported and meta
      analysis conducted. Sources of effect modification were investigated using meta
      regression.ResultsSixteen trials were included involving 4016 patients in total.
      Study quality was considered to be moderate to low. Compared with placebo meta
      analysis of 14 studies showed statistically significant differences in favour of
      EO mouthwashes for plaque and gingival indices. Meta-analysis of four studies
      also demonstrated statistically lower levels of plaque and gingivitis for EO
      mouthwashes compared with cetylpyridium chloride (CPC). Meta-regression indicated
      that heterogeneity observed in plaque scores was mainly explained by the
      percentage of males in a trial and supervision of the mouthwash use.ConclusionsIn
      patients with gingivitis, EO-containing mouthwashes are more efficacious for the
      reduction of plaque and gingival inflammation than mechanical plaque control
      either alone (placebo) or in combination with mouthwashes with CPC. The expected
      benefits may be clinically relevant and may be also observed in the interproximal
      area.

PMID- 28642554
TI  - Delivery of information to orthodontic patients using social media.
AB  - DesignRandomised controlled trial in a hospital setting.InterventionBoth groups
      were given standard verbal and written information for patients receiving
      orthodontic treatment. In addition, patients in the intervention group received e
      mails asking them to view a specifically designed YouTube unlisted video
      accessible through a web link in the e-mail. All patients were administered with
      a baseline questionnaire at bond-up which was repeated at six weeks.Outcome
      measureChange in question score from baseline.ResultsSixty-seven patients were
      randomised (control = 34; intervention = 34). Seven patients were lost to follow
      up; four in the control and three in intervention group. In all the participants
      watched the video 90 times. Participants in the intervention group scored, on
      average, almost one point higher on the second questionnaire than did those in
      the control group (95% CI for the difference, 0.305-1.602; P = 0.005). Ethnicity
      had a statistically significant effect on improvement in knowledge, but sex did
      not.ConclusionsPresenting audiovisual information through the YouTube web site to
      orthodontic patients resulted in a significant improvement in patient knowledge.
      Supplementation of verbal and written patient information with audiovisual
      information via the internet is therefore worthy of consideration.

PMID- 28642555
TI  - Chlorhexidine mouthwash plaque levels and gingival health.
AB  - Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health's Trials Register; Cochrane Central Register of
      Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Medline; clinicaltrials.gov and the World Health
      Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. There were no
      language or date restrictions on searches.Study selectionRandomised controlled
      trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of chlorhexidine mouthrinse used as an
      adjunct to mechanical oral hygiene procedures for at least four weeks on
      gingivitis in children and adults.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers
      independently abstracted data and assessed risk of bias. Mean and standardised
      mean differences were used for continuous outcomes and risk ratios for
      dichotomous outcomes. Meta-analysis was carried out where studies of similar
      comparisons reported the same outcomes at the same time interval.ResultsFifty-one
      RCTs involving a total of 5,345 patients were included. Only one study was at low
      risk of bias, the other 50 were at high risk. For patients with mild gingivitis
      (gingival index [GI] 0 to 3 scale) four to six weeks' use of chlorhexidine
      mouthrinse reduced gingivitis by 0.21 (95% CI; 0.11 to 0.31) with a similar
      effect at six months. There were insufficient data to assess the effect on
      patients with moderate or severe gingival inflammation. For plaque there was a
      larger effect in favour of chlorhexidine mouthrinse at four to six weeks, SMD
      (standardised mean difference) = -1.45 (95% CI; -1.90 to -1.00), with a similarly
      large reduction at six months. A large increase in extrinsic tooth staining was
      seen with chlorhexidine use at four to six weeks, SMD = 1.07 (95%CI; 0.80 to
      1.34) and seven to twelve weeks and six months. A range of other adverse effects
      were reported including taste disturbance/alteration, oral mucosa symptoms
      including soreness, irritation, mild desquamation and mucosal
      ulceration/erosions, and a general burning sensation or a burning tongue or
      both.ConclusionsThere is high quality evidence from studies that reported the Loe
      and Silness Gingival Index of a reduction in gingivitis in individuals with mild
      gingival inflammation on average (mean score of 1 on the 0 to 3 GI scale) that
      was not considered to be clinically relevant. There is high quality evidence of a
      large reduction in dental plaque with chlorhexidine mouthrinse used as an adjunct
      to mechanical oral hygiene procedures for four to six weeks and six months. There
      is no evidence that one concentration of chlorhexidine rinse is more effective
      than another. There is insufficient evidence to determine the reduction in
      gingivitis associated with chlorhexidine mouthrinse use in individuals with mean
      GI scores of 1.1 to 3 indicating moderate or severe levels of gingival
      inflammation. Rinsing with chlorhexidine mouthrinse for four weeks or longer
      causes extrinsic tooth staining. In addition, other adverse effects such as
      calculus build up, transient taste disturbance and effects on the oral mucosa
      were reported in the included studies.

PMID- 28642556
TI  - The PROCESS of CARE.

PMID- 28642557
TI  - Smokeless tobacco - a substantial risk for oral potentially malignant disorders
      in South Asia.
AB  - Data sourcesMedline, the Science Citation Index (SCI) via Web of Science, Scopus,
      CINAHL, Global Index Medicus, Google Scholar and SLT-related reports of the
      International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Cancer Institute of
      the United States.Study selectionObservational studies on the use of SLT and the
      risk of developing OPMDs in South Asian Populations.Data extraction and
      synthesisDuplicate selection of studies was undertaken with two reviewers
      undertaking data abstraction and quality assessment independently. Risk and odds
      ratios were extracted or calculated for studies where possible. Meta odds ratios
      (mOR) were calculated using a random effects analysis.ResultsFifteen papers
      reporting 18 studies were included. The majority (12) were from India. All the
      studies were case-control designs. MOR for any OPMD with the use of any SLT
      product was 15.5 (95% CI; 9.9-24.2). Risk was higher in women; mOR = 22.2 (95%
      CI, 9.1-54.1) than men; mOR = 8.7 (95% CI, 2.1-34.8). Betel quid with tobacco
      carried the highest risk for OPMD, mOR = 16.1 (95% CI, 7.8-33.5).ConclusionsThe
      findings of our study point towards a strong association between some forms of
      OPMDs and SLT use in South Asia. The risk estimates are high, irrespective of
      controlling for confounders such as smoking and alcohol or stratification by sex,
      country or source of controls. There is also an exposure-response relationship
      between OPMDs and SLT use.

PMID- 28642558
TI  - No differences in longevity of direct and indirect composite restorations.
AB  - Data sourcesMedline, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, Latin American and
      Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), Brazilian Library of Dentistry (BBO),
      clinicaltrials.gov and SIGLE databases.Study selectionOnly randomised clinical
      trials were considered that compared direct vs indirect composite restorations,
      with or without cusp involvement, having a follow-up period of two years or
      greater.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers selected studies for
      inclusion, abstracted data and assessed risk of bias. A fixed effects meta
      analysis was conducted.ResultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria with six
      contributing to the meta-analysis. There was no statistically significant
      difference in clinical longevity for direct and indirect resin composite
      restorations; relative risk (RR) = 1.494 (95% CI; 0.893-2.500, p = 0.126).
      Comparing molars and premolars restored with DRC and IRC at three years there was
      no significant difference; RR = 0.716 (95% CI; 0.177-2.888, p =
      0.638).ConclusionsThe results of the review indicate that there is no
      statistically significant difference in failure rate of direct resin composites
      vs indirect resin composites. Longitudinal studies on today's improved materials
      should, however, be considered for further review.

PMID- 28642559
TI  - Little evidence to support or refute interventions for the management of burning
      mouth syndrome.
AB  - Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health's Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of
      Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline Ovid, Embase Ovid, US National Institutes of
      Health Ongoing Trials Register (ClinicalTrials.gov) and the World Health
      Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Handsearch of the
      proceedings from the British Society for Oral Medicine (BSOM), British Society
      for Dental Research (BSDR) and the International Association for Dental Research
      (IADR).Study selectionAll included studies were randomised placebo controlled
      trials comparing a treatment to placebo with no language or year of publication
      restrictions. Symptom relief and changes in quality of life were considered
      primary outcomes.Data extraction and synthesisTeams of two authors independently
      screened for inclusion, extracted data using an ad-hoc tool and assessed the risk
      of bias using the Cochrane's tool. Outcomes were analysed for <3 months (short
      term) and >=3 to <=6 months (long term). For single studies with multiple
      interventions, the number of participants in the control group was adjusted to
      half before combining the results. For crossover studies without washout periods,
      the first period was analysed. RRs (risk ratios) and 85% confidence intervals
      were calculated for dichotomous outcomes and MDs (mean differences) and 95%
      confidence intervals for continuous data.ResultsA total of 23 studies
      encompassing 1121 patients were included. One study was considered as having
      overall low risk of bias, four unclear and the rest as high risk of bias. The
      interventions were grouped into: antidepressants and antipsychotics,
      anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, cholinergics, dietary supplements,
      electromagnetic radiation, physical barriers, psychological therapies and topical
      treatments. Short-term symptom relief was demonstrated by: energy waves (one
      study, 58 participants) MD -30.36, 95% CI -44.22 to -16.50, physical barriers
      (one study, 50 participants) MD -1.1 95% CI -2.14 to 0.06, the anticonvulsant
      gabapentin (one study, 100 participants) RR 4.00, 95% CI 2.09 to 7.67 and topical
      benzodiazepine (two studies, 111 participants) MD -1.89 95% CI -2.19 to -1.59.
      Long term symptom relief was achieved with topical benzodiazepine (one study, 66
      participants) MD -1.39 95% CI -1.96 to 0.83ConclusionsFrom studies mostly
      classified as high risk of bias, there is insufficient evidence to support or
      refute the use of any particular intervention for the management of BMS.

PMID- 28642562
TI  - What is the methodological quality of published dental implant guidelines?
AB  - Data sourcesSix implant dentistry journals with impact factors (2014) assigned by
      Journal Citation Reports (Clinical Oral Implants Research, Clinical Implant
      Dentistry and Related Research, European Journal of Oral Implants, The
      International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants, Journal of Oral
      Implantology, and Implant Dentistry) and the Medline database.Study selectionTwo
      reviewers independently selected guidelines published between May 2009 and
      February 2016.Data evaluationFollowing training four reviewers independently
      applied the Agree II tool (http://www.agreetrust.org/) to the selected guidelines
      with disagreements being resolved by discussion. Scores for the six domains of
      the AGREE II tool were presented as median percentages of the maximum possible
      with their respective interquartile ranges (IQR). Domain scores were divided into
      consensus guidelines, and consensus guidelines with systematic
      reviews.ResultsTwenty-seven consensus guidelines were included, with 19
      contributing to the comparisons between groups. Twenty-six guidelines were
      developed after meetings in Europe, with the European Association of
      Osseointergration developing the most guidelines (n=9). The number of authors for
      the guidelines varied from 2-27 (median, 9). For consensus guidelines only domain
      four scored highest. Guidelines with systematic review scored higher for all
      domains with the exception of domain five (Table 1).ConclusionsThere is room to
      improve the quality of consensus guidelines published in highly ranked implant
      dentistry journals. Clinicians' and researchers' development of consensus
      guidelines to improve clinical treatment with dental implants is laudable.
      However, as for primary and secondary research, these guidelines should adhere to
      high and transparent standards. The AGREE II instrument can be used as a
      reference for the development of high-quality guidelines to provide unbiased and
      adequate clinical recommendations to clinicians working with dental implants.

PMID- 28642563
TI  - Root canal treatment outcomes not affected by increasing age of patient.
AB  - Data sourcesMedline, Cochrane CENTRAL databases; most recent two years of seven
      journals: (Acta Odontologica Scandinavica; Community Dentistry and Oral
      Epidemiology; Gerodontology; International Endodontic Journal; Journal of
      Endodontics; Journal of Oral Rehabilitation; and Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine,
      Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology).Study selectionTooth-based
      longitudinal prospective and retrospective studies, published in English from
      January 1950 to August 2013, assessing outcomes of NSRCT in adults with permanent
      teeth.Data extraction and synthesisStudies were independently selected and
      reviewed by two reviewers. Standardised items were extracted and compiled into a
      table of evidence. Study quality was assessed by the Wong Scale-Revised and those
      that scored less than 18 were excluded. Due to the high heterogeneity in
      reporting, meta-analysis was not conducted. All of the success criteria were
      implicitly based upon the presence or absence of apical pathology, and each
      individual study made internal comparisons of success using the same
      criteria.ResultsOf the twenty four studies selected, involving more than 17,430
      teeth, nine were prospective and fifteen were retrospective studies. The overall
      mean study quality rating was 23(SD = 3) on the 27-point Wong Scale-Revised.
      Since the majority of the papers did not report raw numbers, and due to the
      heterogeneity in reporting, meta-analysis was not performed. In summary, eight
      prospective and fourteen retrospective studies reported no difference in
      outcomes, principally success which was defined by the absence of apical disease,
      with age. One prospective and one retrospective study reported an improvement in
      success with increasing age.ConclusionsThe moderate evidence indicated that
      increased patient age does not decrease the success of NSRCT.

PMID- 28642564
TI  - Remineralisation and arresting caries in children with topical fluorides.
AB  - Data sourcesThe Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase and the ISI Web of Science.Study
      selectionEnglish language clinical trials in children with outcome measures
      including the remineralisation or arresting effect of caries by professional
      fluoride treatment were considered.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers
      screened the studies and assessed risk of bias. Random effects meta-analysis was
      conducted.ResultsSeventeen studies were included, ten focused on
      remineralisation, seven on arresting carious lesions. Meta-analysis of four
      studies using 5% fluoride varnish found a 63.6% (95% CI; 36.0% - 91.2%)
      remineralisation of early enamel caries. For five studies using 38% silver
      diamine fluoride solution meta-analysis found 65.9% (95% CI; 41.2% - 90.7%) of
      caries arrested.ConclusionsProfessionally applied 5% sodium fluoride varnish
      shows the capability to remineralise early enamel caries in children. Silver
      diamine fluoride solution at 38% is effective in arresting active dentine caries.
      Because the number of clinical trials that studied the arresting effect of dental
      caries is limited, more clinical trials should be performed.

PMID- 28642565
TI  - No evidence available on best therapies for postextraction haemorrhage.
AB  - Data sourcesThe review searched for published and ongoing trials in several
      databases with no restrictions on language or date of publication which included
      the Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials, Central Register of Controlled Trials,
      Medline, CINAHL, Embase, WHO Clinical Trials Registry Platform and clinical
      trial.gov.Study selectionRandomised clinical trials were considered that
      evaluated any intervention compared with another or with placebo for treating
      postoperative bleeding (PEB), post extraction. The primary outcome measures
      sought were: bleeding, amount of blood loss and cessation time required to
      control bleeding. The secondary outcomes: patient reported outcomes, such as pain
      or discomfort and adverse events.Data extraction and synthesisThree pairs of
      review authors independently screened the records.ResultsThe search strategy
      identified 1526 articles and abstracts. After removal of duplicates, 943 records
      were screened. Thirty-four full texts were examined. No trials met the inclusion
      criteria for the review.ConclusionsWe were unable to identify any reports of
      randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effects of different
      interventions for the treatment of post-extraction bleeding. In view of the lack
      of reliable evidence on this topic, clinicians must use their clinical experience
      to determine the most appropriate means of treating this condition, depending on
      patient-related factors. There is a need for well designed and appropriately
      conducted clinical trials on this topic, which conform to the CONSORT statement
      (www.consort-statement.org/).

PMID- 28642567
TI  - Mouthguard use may reduce dentofacial injuries in field hockey players.
AB  - Data sourcesPubMed, Embase, OvidSP, Web of Science, Cochrane and CINAHL databases
      were searched up to February 2015 with no language restrictions.Study
      selectionTwo review authors independently assessed tiles and abstracts of the
      retrieved case-control, cohorts and cross-sectional studies. For the studies to
      have been included in the meta-analysis, they must have included the total number
      of hockey players reporting at least one dentofacial injury, the total number of
      these injuries compared with other types of injuries and quantitative data on
      characteristics of dentofacial injuries. Recreational and competitive elite level
      were included.Data extraction and synthesisThe included studies fell into three
      categories, related to dentofacial injury, mouthguard use or both, and their
      quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A random effects
      model was used to calculate the overall effect size when appropriate; if not,
      then pooled prevalence was reported. Binary variables were used in order to
      express the results as Mantel-Haenszel pooled prevalence odds ratios (OR) with
      95% confidence intervals (CI) and a p-value of the overall effect. To compare the
      between-studies differences, a chi2 test was used. The heterogeneity across the
      studies was evaluated using the I2.ResultsEleven studies were included: six
      related to dentofacial injury, one related to mouthguard use and four to both.
      The numbers of field hockey players who presented at least one dentofacial injury
      was 12.7% (95% CI 8.5% to 17.0%) and 45.2% (95% CI 39.3% to 51.0%) in
      junior/senior players and elite players, respectively. There were no significant
      differences with respect to sex. After 2000, 84.5% (95% CI 69.3% to 99.7%) of
      players regularly wore mouthguards, whereas only 31.4% (95% CI 22.7% to 40.1%)
      wore mouthguards previous to 2000. The mouthguards were commonly depicted as
      unnecessary and uncomfortable by players.ConclusionsDentofacial trauma poses a
      serious problem in field hockey, but a considerable number of players still do
      not regularly wear mouthguards. The likelihood is that if mouthguard usage were
      higher, fewer dentofacial injuries would occur during field hockey games and in
      training.Source of fundingNone declared.

PMID- 28642568
TI  - Treatment for bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.
AB  - Data sourcesCochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, CENTRAL, Medline, Embase,
      CancerLit, CINAHL, AMED, clinicaltrials.gov and the WHO International Trial
      Registry Platform. The reviewers searched six grey literature sites and contacted
      authors, researchers and pharmaceutical companies.Study selectionRandomised
      controlled trials for the treatment of BRONJ comparing interventions with other
      treatment or placebo were included in any setting with no age restriction.Data
      extraction and synthesisIndependently, two reviewers selected studies for
      inclusion, risk of bias and data extraction. The main outcome was healing.
      Secondary outcomes were pain improvement and quality of life.ResultsOne RCT with
      49 patients met the inclusion criteria comparing the addition of hyperbaric
      oxygen therapy to standard of care alone. Changes in the lesion size and number
      were assessed at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months. Pain was assessed weekly while quality
      of life was assessed at baseline and six months. Improvement, as measured by the
      decrease in the size or number of lesions, achieved a RR 1.94, CI 95% (1.01 to
      3.74) at three months. No other measure of this outcome was statistically
      significant. Pain changes and quality of life could not be numerically
      analysed.ConclusionsThe authors concluded that there is insufficient evidence to
      support a particular regimen for the treatment of BRONJ.

PMID- 28642569
TI  - No evidence that bonding is needed for amalgam restorations.
AB  - Data sourcesRelevant databases were searched for the review such as the Cochrane
      Oral Health Group Trials Register, Medline, EMBASE, clinical trials.gov, WHO
      International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.Study selectionRandomised
      controlled trials comparing adhesively bonded versus non-bonded class I and II
      amalgam restorations in permanent molars and premolars.Data extraction and
      synthesisTwo reviewers independently screened papers and extracted
      data.ResultsOne trial with 31 patients who received 113 restorations was
      included. At two years, 50 out of 53 restorations in the non-bonded group
      survived and 55 of 60 restorations survived with five unaccounted for at follow
      up. Post insertion sensitivity was not statistically significant at baseline and
      for the two-year follow-up. No fractures or differences in the marginal
      adaptation were reported.ConclusionsThere is no evidence either to claim or to
      refute a difference in survival between bonded and non-bonded amalgam
      restorations. In view of the lack of evidence on the additional benefit of
      adhesively bonding amalgam in comparison with non-bonded amalgam, it is important
      that clinicians be mindful of the additional costs that may be incurred.

PMID- 28642570
TI  - Thermal stability and topological protection of skyrmions in nanotracks.
AB  - Magnetic skyrmions are hailed as a potential technology for data storage and
      other data processing devices. However, their stability against thermal
      fluctuations is an open question that must be answered before skyrmion-based
      devices can be designed. In this work, we study paths in the energy landscape via
      which the transition between the skyrmion and the uniform state can occur in
      interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya finite-sized systems. We find three mechanisms
      the system can take in the process of skyrmion nucleation or destruction and
      identify that the transition facilitated by the boundary has a significantly
      lower energy barrier than the other energy paths. This clearly demonstrates the
      lack of the skyrmion topological protection in finite-sized magnetic systems.
      Overall, the energy barriers of the system under investigation are too small for
      storage applications at room temperature, but research into device materials,
      geometry and design may be able to address this.

PMID- 28642571
TI  - Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling of cyadox against Clostridium
      perfringens in swine.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity of cyadox against
      Clostridium perfringens in swine and optimize the dosage regimen using ex vivo
      pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modeling. After oral administration, the
      ileum fluid of pigs containing the free cyadox was collected by implanted
      ultrafiltration probes. The Tmax, AUC24h, and CL/F of free cyadox in the ileum
      fluid were 1.96 h, 106.40 MUg/h/mL, and 0.27 L/kg/h, respectively. Cyadox
      displayed a concentration-dependent killing action against C. perfrignens. The
      minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of cyadox against 60 clinical isolates
      ranged from 0.5 to 8 MUg/mL, with MIC50 and MIC90 values of 2 and 4 MUg/mL,
      respectively. The MIC was 2 MUg/mL against the pathogenic C. perfrignens isolate
      CPFK122995 in both broth and ileum fluid. According to the inhibitory sigmoid
      Emax modeling, the AUC24h/MIC ratios of ileum fluid required to achieve the
      bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and virtual bacterial elimination effects were
      26.72, 39.54, and 50.69 h, respectively. Monte Carlo simulations for the 90%
      target attainment rate (TAR) predicted daily doses of 29.30, 42.56, and 54.50
      mg/kg over 24 h to achieve bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and elimination actions,
      respectively. The results of this study suggest that cyadox is a promising
      antibacterial agent for the treatment of C. perfringens infections, and can be
      used to inform its clinical use.

PMID- 28642572
TI  - Disrupted pursuit compensation during self-motion perception in early Alzheimer's
      disease.
AB  - Our perception of the world is remarkably stable despite of distorted retinal
      input due to frequent eye movements. It is considered that the brain uses
      corollary discharge, efference copies of signals sent from motor to visual
      regions, to compensate for distortions and stabilize visual perception. In this
      study, we tested whether patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have impaired
      corollary discharge functions as evidenced by reduced compensation during the
      perception of optic flow that mimics self-motion in the environment. We asked a
      group of early-stage AD patients and age-matched healthy controls to indicate the
      perceived direction of self-motion based on optic flow while tracking a moving
      target with smooth pursuit eye movement, or keeping eye fixation at a stationary
      target. We first replicated the previous findings that healthy participants were
      able to compensate for distorted optic flow in the presence of eye movements, as
      indicated by similar performance of self-motion perception between pursuit and
      fixation conditions. In stark contrast, AD patients showed impaired self-motion
      perception when the optic flow was distorted by eye movements. Our results
      suggest that early-stage AD pathology is associated with disrupted eye movement
      compensation during self-motion perception.

PMID- 28642573
TI  - Characterisation of Plasmodium falciparum populations selected on the human
      endothelial receptors P-selectin, E-selectin, CD9 and CD151.
AB  - The ability of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum to evade the immune system and
      be sequestered within human small blood vessels is responsible for severe forms
      of malaria. The sequestration depends on the interaction between human
      endothelial receptors and P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1)
      exposed on the surface of the infected erythrocytes (IEs). In this study, the
      transcriptomes of parasite populations enriched for parasites that bind to human
      P-selectin, E-selectin, CD9 and CD151 receptors were analysed. IT4_var02 and
      IT4_var07 were specifically expressed in IT4 parasite populations enriched for P
      selectin-binding parasites; eight var genes (IT4_var02/07/09/13/17/41/44/64) were
      specifically expressed in isolate populations enriched for CD9-binding parasites.
      Interestingly, IT4 parasite populations enriched for E-selectin- and CD151
      binding parasites showed identical expression profiles to those of a parasite
      population exposed to wild-type CHO-745 cells. The same phenomenon was observed
      for the 3D7 isolate population enriched for binding to P-selectin, E-selectin,
      CD9 and CD151. This implies that the corresponding ligands for these receptors
      have either weak binding capacity or do not exist on the IE surface.
      Conclusively, this work expanded our understanding of P. falciparum adhesive
      interactions, through the identification of var transcripts that are enriched
      within the selected parasite populations.

PMID- 28642574
TI  - Replication of Gout/Urate Concentrations GWAS Susceptibility Loci Associated with
      Gout in a Han Chinese Population.
AB  - Gout is a chronic disease resulting from elevated serum urate (SU). Previous
      genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified dozens of susceptibility
      loci for SU/gout, but few have been conducted for Chinese descent. Here, we try
      to extensively investigate whether these loci contribute to gout risk in Han
      Chinese. A total of 2255 variants in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with GWAS
      identified SU/gout associated variants were analyzed in a Han Chinese cohort of
      1255 gout patients and 1848 controls. Cumulative genetic risk score analysis was
      performed to assess the cumulative effect of multiple "risk" variants on gout
      incidence. 23 variants (41%) of LD pruned variants set (n = 56) showed nominal
      association with gout in our sample (p < 0.05). Some of the previously reported
      gout associated loci (except ALDH16A1), including ABCG2, SLC2A9, GCKR, ALDH2 and
      CNIH2, were replicated. Cumulative genetic risk score analyses showed that the
      risk of gout increased for individuals with the growing number (>=8) of the risk
      alleles on gout associated loci. Most of the gout associated loci identified in
      previous GWAS were confirmed in an independent Chinese cohort, and the SU
      associated loci also confer susceptibility to gout. These findings provide
      important information of the genetic association of gout.

PMID- 28642575
TI  - Reactive astrocytes function as phagocytes after brain ischemia via ABCA1
      mediated pathway.
AB  - Astrocytes become reactive following various brain insults; however, the
      functions of reactive astrocytes are poorly understood. Here, we show that
      reactive astrocytes function as phagocytes after transient ischemic injury and
      appear in a limited spatiotemporal pattern. Following transient brain ischemia,
      phagocytic astrocytes are observed within the ischemic penumbra region during the
      later stage of ischemia. However, phagocytic microglia are mainly observed within
      the ischemic core region during the earlier stage of ischemia. Phagocytic
      astrocytes upregulate ABCA1 and its pathway molecules, MEGF10 and GULP1, which
      are required for phagocytosis, and upregulation of ABCA1 alone is sufficient for
      enhancement of phagocytosis in vitro. Disrupting ABCA1 in reactive astrocytes
      result in fewer phagocytic inclusions after ischemia. Together, these findings
      suggest that astrocytes are transformed into a phagocytic phenotype as a result
      of increase in ABCA1 and its pathway molecules and contribute to remodeling of
      damaged tissues and penumbra networks.Astrocytic phagocytosis has been shown to
      play a role in synaptic pruning during development, but whether adult astrocytes
      possess phagocytic ability is unclear. Here the authors show that following brain
      ischemia, reactive astrocytes become phagocytic and engulf debris via the ABCA1
      pathway.

PMID- 28642576
TI  - Upregulation of miR-223 in the rat liver inhibits proliferation of hepatocytes
      under simulated microgravity.
AB  - Long-term spaceflight affects numerous organ systems in the body, including
      metabolic dysfunction. Recently, ample evidence has demonstrated that the liver
      is a vulnerable organ during spaceflight. However, the changes in hepatocyte
      proliferation and cell cycle control under microgravity remain largely
      unexplored. In the present study, we first confirmed that the serum levels of
      aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase,
      biochemical markers of liver function, were altered in rats under tail suspension
      (TS) conditions to simulate microgravity, as shown in previous reports. Next, we
      demonstrated that the cell proliferation activity, determined by Ki67, PCNA and
      PH3, was significantly decreased at the different TS time points (TS for 14, 28
      and 42 days) compared with that in the control group. Consistently, the positive
      cell cycle regulators Ccna2, Ccnd1, Cdk1, Cdk2 and cyclin D3 were also
      significantly decreased in the TS groups as shown by quantitative real-time PCR
      and western blotting analysis. Subsequent analysis revealed that the aberrant
      hepatocyte proliferation inhibition under simulated microgravity was associated
      with the upregulation of miR-223 in the liver. We further found that miR-223
      inhibited the proliferation of Hepa1-6 cells and identified CDK2 and CUL1 as its
      direct targets. In addition, the decreased expression of CDK2 and CUL1 was
      negatively correlated with the level of p27 in vitro and in vivo, which may have
      been responsible for retarding hepatocyte proliferation. Collectively, these data
      indicate that upregulation of miR-223 was associated with the inhibition of liver
      cell growth and reveal the role of miR-223 in rat hepatocyte proliferation
      disorders and the pathophysiological process under simulated microgravity.

PMID- 28642578
TI  - Human endothelial cells secrete neurotropic factors to direct axonal growth of
      peripheral nerves.
AB  - Understanding how nerves spontaneously innervate tissues or regenerate small
      injuries is critical to enhance material-based interventions to regenerate large
      scale, traumatic injuries. During embryogenesis, neural and vascular tissues form
      interconnected, complex networks as a result of signaling between these tissue
      types. Here, we report that human endothelial cells (HUVECs) secrete brain
      derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which significantly stimulated axonal growth
      from chicken or rat dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). HUVEC-conditioned medium was
      sufficient to enhance axonal growth, demonstrating that direct cell-cell contact
      was not required. When BDNF was neutralized, there was a significant reduction in
      axonal growth when incubated in HUVEC-conditioned medium and in direct co-culture
      with HUVECs. These data show that HUVECs secrete neurotrophic factors that
      significantly enhance axonal growth, and can inform future in vivo studies to
      direct or pattern the angiogenic response in regenerating tissues to encourage re
      innervation.

PMID- 28642577
TI  - Effects of chronic alcohol exposure on ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute kidney
      injury in mice: the role of beta-arrestin 2 and glycogen synthase kinase 3.
AB  - Little is known about the effects of chronic alcohol intake on the outcome of
      acute kidney injury (AKI). Hence, we examined the effects of chronic alcohol
      intake on the development of renal fibrosis following AKI in an animal model of
      bilateral renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. We first found that chronic
      alcohol exposure exacerbated bilateral IR-induced renal fibrosis and renal
      function impairment. This phenomenon was associated with increased bilateral IR
      induced extracellular matrix deposition and an increased myofibroblast population
      as well as increased bilateral IR-induced expression of fibrosis-related genes in
      the kidneys. To explore the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, we showed that
      chronic alcohol exposure enhanced beta-arrestin 2 (Arrb2) expression and Akt and
      glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3)beta activation in the kidneys. Importantly,
      pharmacological GSK3 inhibition alleviated bilateral IR-induced renal fibrosis
      and renal function impairment. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Arrb2-/- mice
      exhibited resistance to IR-induced renal fibrosis and renal function impairment
      following chronic alcohol exposure, and these effects were associated with
      attenuated GSK3beta activation in the kidneys. Taken together, our results
      suggest that chronic alcohol exposure may potentiate AKI via beta-arrestin
      2/Akt/GSK3beta-mediated signaling in the kidney.

PMID- 28642579
TI  - Regulation of glycolysis in brown adipocytes by HIF-1alpha.
AB  - Brown adipose tissue takes up large amounts of glucose during cold exposure in
      mice and humans. Here we report an induction of glucose transporter 1 expression
      and increased expression of several glycolytic enzymes in brown adipose tissue
      from cold-exposed mice. Accordingly, these genes were also induced after beta
      adrenergic activation of cultured brown adipocytes, concomitant with accumulation
      of hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) protein levels. HIF-1alpha
      accumulation was dependent on uncoupling protein 1 and generation of
      mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Expression of key glycolytic enzymes was
      reduced after knockdown of HIF-1alpha in mature brown adipocytes. Glucose
      consumption, lactate export and glycolytic capacity were reduced in brown
      adipocytes depleted of Hif-1alpha. Finally, we observed a decreased beta
      adrenergically induced oxygen consumption in Hif-1alpha knockdown adipocytes
      cultured in medium with glucose as the only exogenously added fuel. These data
      suggest that HIF-1alpha-dependent regulation of glycolysis is necessary for
      maximum glucose metabolism in brown adipocytes.

PMID- 28642581
TI  - Molecular methods to detect Spodoptera frugiperda in Ghana, and implications for
      monitoring the spread of invasive species in developing countries.
AB  - Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous
      pest indigenous throughout the Americas, which recently appeared in Africa, first
      reported from Sao Tome, Nigeria, Benin and Togo in 2016, and which we now report
      from Ghana. This species is recognised to comprise two morphologically identical
      but genetically distinct strains or species in the Americas, and we found both to
      be present in Ghana. We discuss possible routes of entry to Africa, of which the
      likeliest is adults and/or egg masses transported on direct commercial flights
      between the Americas and West Africa, followed by dispersal by adult flight
      within Africa. Identification of Lepidoptera is normally based on the markings
      and morphology of adults, and not on the larvae which actually cause the damage,
      and therefore larvae have to be reared through to adult for authoritative
      identification. We confirmed that the use of DNA barcoding allowed unequivocal
      identification of this new pest from Ghana based on the larvae alone. As
      authenticated barcodes for vouchered specimens of more pests become available,
      this approach has the potential to become a valuable in-country tool to support
      national capability in rapid and reliable pest diagnosis and identification.

PMID- 28642580
TI  - A snake venom group IIA PLA2 with immunomodulatory activity induces formation of
      lipid droplets containing 15-d-PGJ2 in macrophages.
AB  - Crotoxin B (CB) is a catalytically active group IIA sPLA2 from Crotalus durissus
      terrificus snake venom. In contrast to most GIIA sPLA2s, CB exhibits anti
      inflammatory effects, including the ability to inhibit leukocyte functions. Lipid
      droplets (LDs) are lipid-rich organelles associated with inflammation and
      recognized as a site for the synthesis of inflammatory lipid mediators. Here, the
      ability of CB to induce formation of LDs and the mechanisms involved in this
      effect were investigated in isolated macrophages. The profile of CB-induced 15-d
      PGJ2 (15-Deoxy-Delta-12,14-prostaglandin J2) production and involvement of LDs in
      15-d-PGJ2 biosynthesis were also investigated. Stimulation of murine macrophages
      with CB induced increased number of LDs and release of 15-d-PGJ2. LDs induced by
      CB were associated to PLIN2 recruitment and expression and required activation of
      PKC, PI3K, MEK1/2, JNK, iPLA2 and PLD. Both 15-d-PGJ2 and COX-1 were found in CB
      induced LDs indicating that LDs contribute to the inhibitory effects of CB by
      acting as platform for synthesis of 15-d-PGJ2, a pro-resolving lipid mediator.
      Together, our data indicate that an immunomodulatory GIIA sPLA2 can directly
      induce LD formation and production of a pro-resolving mediator in an inflammatory
      cell and afford new insights into the roles of LDs in resolution of inflammatory
      processes.

PMID- 28642582
TI  - Plasmonic opals: observation of a collective molecular exciton mode beyond the
      strong coupling.
AB  - Achieving and controlling strong light-matter interactions in many-body systems
      is of paramount importance both for fundamental understanding and potential
      applications. In this paper we demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically
      how to manipulate strong coupling between the Bragg-plasmon mode supported by an
      organo-metallic array and molecular excitons in the form of J-aggregates
      dispersed on the hybrid structure. We observe experimentally the transition from
      a conventional strong coupling regime exhibiting the usual upper and lower
      polaritonic branches to a more complex regime, where a third nondispersive mode
      is seen, as the concentration of J-aggregates is increased. The numerical
      simulations confirm the presence of the third resonance. We attribute its
      physical nature to collective molecule-molecule interactions leading to a
      collective electromagnetic response. A simple analytical model is proposed to
      explain the physics of the third mode. The nonlinear dependence on molecular
      parameters followed from the model are confirmed in a set of rigorous numerical
      studies. It is shown that at the energy of the collective mode molecules
      oscillate completely out of phase with the incident radiation acting as an
      effictive thin metal layer.

PMID- 28642583
TI  - SOX2 is required for inner ear neurogenesis.
AB  - Neurons of the cochleovestibular ganglion (CVG) transmit hearing and balance
      information to the brain. During development, a select population of early otic
      progenitors express NEUROG1, delaminate from the otocyst, and coalesce to form
      the neurons that innervate all inner ear sensory regions. At present, the
      selection process that determines which otic progenitors activate NEUROG1 and
      adopt a neuroblast fate is incompletely understood. The transcription factor SOX2
      has been implicated in otic neurogenesis, but its requirement in the
      specification of the CVG neurons has not been established. Here we tested SOX2's
      requirement during inner ear neuronal specification using a conditional deletion
      paradigm in the mouse. SOX2 deficiency at otocyst stages caused a near-absence of
      NEUROG1-expressing neuroblasts, increased cell death in the neurosensory
      epithelium, and significantly reduced the CVG volume. Interestingly, a milder
      decrease in neurogenesis was observed in heterozygotes, indicating SOX2 levels
      are important. Moreover, fate-mapping experiments revealed that the timing of
      SOX2 expression did not parallel the established vestibular-then-auditory
      sequence. These results demonstrate that SOX2 is required for the initial events
      in otic neuronal specification including expression of NEUROG1, although fate
      mapping results suggest SOX2 may be required as a competence factor rather than a
      direct initiator of the neural fate.

PMID- 28642584
TI  - Molecular switching system using glycosylphosphatidylinositol to select cells
      highly expressing recombinant proteins.
AB  - Although many pharmaceutical proteins are produced in mammalian cells, there
      remains a challenge to select cell lines that express recombinant proteins with
      high productivity. Since most biopharmaceutical proteins are secreted by cells
      into the medium, it is difficult to select cell lines that produce large amounts
      of the target protein. To address this issue, a new protein expression system
      using the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor was developed. PGAP2 is
      involved in processing GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) during transport. In PGAP2
      mutant cells, most GPI-APs are secreted into the medium. Here, we established a
      HEK293 cell line where endogenous PGAP2 was knocked out and exogenous PGAP2 was
      inserted with a piggyBac transposon in the genome. Using these cells, human
      lysosomal acid lipase (LIPA) and alpha-galactosidase A (GLA) were expressed as
      GPI-anchored forms (LIPA-GPI and GLA-GPI) and cells expressing high levels of
      LIPA-GPI or GLA-GPI on the cell surface were enriched. Removal of the PGAP2 gene
      by piggyBac transposase or FLP recombinase converted LIPA-GPI and GLA-GPI from
      membrane-bound to the secreted forms. Thus, cells expressing LIPA or GLA in large
      amounts could be enriched using this approach. The GPI-based molecular switching
      system is an efficient approach to isolate cells expressing recombinant proteins
      with high productivity.

PMID- 28642585
TI  - How Postmortem Redistribution of MDMA in Acute Alcohol-MDMA Combined-Use Rats
      Change under Effects of Alcohol.
AB  - MDMA is often taken recreationally with alcohol as combined-use. The objective
      was to determine MDMA postmortem redistribution (PMR) and corresponding effects
      in combined-style under different storage conditions. Steps were 20%-mixture of
      alcohol-water for initial 4 weeks to Group-A&B and intragastric infusions of MDMA
      (150 mg/kg) to Group-A later; in the same time, drinking pure water to Group-C&D
      first and then MDMA-fed to Group-C. The sacrificed rats were kept under different
      conditions for 10-d, during which the body fluids and tissues were collected on
      15 continuous time-points and then detected. The MDMA concentrations were quite
      different along with postmortem interval (PMI) went by; the area under
      concentration-PMI curve significantly increased with combined-alcohol in
      comparison to MDMA alone, while that significantly decreased by lowering
      preservation temperature, allied with corresponding humidity. Combined-alcohol
      could exacerbate PMR of MDMA, as concentrations of combined-use rats' samples
      were quite higher than mono-MDMA ones under any conditions, while different for
      body fluids and tissues; meanwhile lowering storage temperature could alleviate
      effects of alcohol. The study implies that in case of combined-use, the changes
      of concentrations are probably effected by some combined component, especially
      when come to identification of toxic level or even death.

PMID- 28642587
TI  - Systematic comparison of two whole-genome amplification methods for targeted next
      generation sequencing using frozen and FFPE normal and cancer tissues.
AB  - Sequencing key cancer-driver genes using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE)
      cancer tissues is becoming the standard for identifying the best treatment
      regimen. However, about 25% of all samples are rejected for genetic analyses for
      reasons that include too little tissue to extract enough high quality DNA. One
      way to overcome this is to do whole-genome amplification (WGA) in clinical
      samples, but only limited studies have tested different WGA methods in FFPE
      cancer specimens using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS). We therefore
      tested the two most commonly used WGA methods, multiple displacement
      amplification (MDA-Qiagen REPLI-g kit) and the hybrid or modified PCR-based
      method (Sigma/Rubicon Genomics Inc. GenomePlex kit) in FFPE normal and tumor
      tissue specimens. For the normalized copy number analysis, the FFPE process
      caused none or very minimal bias. Variations in copy number were minimal in
      samples amplified using the GenomePlex kit, but they were statistically
      significantly higher in samples amplified using the REPLI-g kit. The pattern was
      similar for variant allele frequencies across the samples, which was minimal for
      the GenomePlex kit but highly variable for the REPLI-g kit. These findings
      suggest that each WGA method should be tested thoroughly before using it for
      clinical cancer samples.

PMID- 28642586
TI  - Lateral habenula regulation of emotional hyperthermia: mediation via the
      medullary raphe.
AB  - The lateral habenula (LHb) has an important role in the behavioural response to
      salient, usually aversive, events. We previously demonstrated that activation of
      neurons in the LHb increases brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and
      constricts the cutaneous vascular bed, indicating that the LHb contributes to the
      central control of sympathetic outflow to thermoregulatory effector organs. We
      have now investigated whether the LHb mediates BAT thermogenesis elicited by
      emotional stress, and whether the LHb modulates thermoregulatory sympathetic
      outflow via the rostral medullary raphe, a key integrative lower brainstem
      sympathetic control centre. In conscious animals, lesioning the LHb attenuated
      emotional BAT thermogenesis, suggesting that the LHb is part of the central
      circuitry mediating emotional hyperthermia. In anesthetized animals, inhibition
      of neurons in the rostral medullary raphe reversed BAT thermogenesis and
      cutaneous vasoconstriction elicited by activation of neurons in the LHb,
      indicating that the LHb-induced autonomic responses are mediated through
      activation of the rostral medullary raphe neurons. The latency to activate BAT
      sympathetic discharge from electrical stimulation of the LHb was substantially
      greater than the corresponding latency after stimulation of the medullary raphe,
      suggesting that the neuronal pathway connecting those two nuclei is quite
      indirect.

PMID- 28642589
TI  - Multiple origins and a narrow genepool characterise the African tea germplasm:
      concordant patterns revealed by nuclear and plastid DNA markers.
AB  - Despite the highly economic value of tea in Africa, its genetic and geographic
      origins remain largely unexplored. Here we address this by collecting 439 samples
      across 11 countries in Africa and Asia to investigate the origin and genepool
      composition of African tea based on 23 nuclear microsatellites loci (nSSRs) and
      three cpDNA intergenic spacer regions. Our results indicated that the African tea
      represents a potpourri originating from multiple introductions over time. The
      nSSR analysis revealed that the majority (79%) of tea accessions collected in
      Africa belong to Indian Assam tea which have likely originated from India and/or
      Sri Lanka. The patterns of nSSR variation also showed that Chinese Assam tea is
      genetically distinct from Indian Assam tea, and has rarely been used in African
      tea breeding efforts since only 4% of the African tea accessions possessed this
      genotype. We found a total of 22 cpDNA haplotypes, which grouped into three main
      geographic clades that were concordant with the distribution of microsatellite
      genotypes. Several private cpDNA haplotypes were identified in Chinese Assam tea
      in Southern Yunnan province of China. Therefore Chinese Assam tea will be
      important for the enrichment of African tea gene pools. Our results is a useful
      guide in future tea breeding programmes in Africa.

PMID- 28642588
TI  - Epigenetic targeting drugs potentiate chemotherapeutic effects in solid tumor
      therapy.
AB  - Epigenetic therapy is a novel tumor therapeutic method and refers to the
      targeting of the aberrant epigenetic modifications presumably at cancer-related
      genes by chemicals which are epigenetic targeting drugs (ETDs). Not like in
      treating hematopoietic cancer, the clinical trials investigating the potential
      use of ETDs in the solid tumor is not encouraging. Instead, the curative effects
      of ETD delivered together with DNA targeting chemo drugs (DTDs) are quite
      promising according to our meta-analysis. To investigate the synergistic
      mechanism of ETD and DTD drug combination, the therapeutic effect was studied
      using both cell lines and mouse engrafted tumors. Mechanically we show that HDAC
      inhibitors and DNMT inhibitors are capable of increasing the chromatin
      accessibility to cisplatin (CP) and doxorubicin (Dox) through chromatin
      decompaction globally. Consequently, the combination of ETD and DTD enhances the
      DTD induced DNA damage and cell death. Engrafted tumors in SCID mice also show
      increased sensitivity to irradiation (IR) or CP when the tumors were pretreated
      by ETDs. Given the limited therapeutic effect of ETD alone, these results
      strongly suggest that the combination of DTD, including irradiation, and ETD
      treatment is a very promising choice in clinical solid tumor therapy.

PMID- 28642590
TI  - Toughening Fe-based Amorphous Coatings by Reinforcement of Amorphous Carbon.
AB  - Toughening of Fe-based amorphous coatings meanwhile maintaining a good corrosion
      resistance remains challenging. This work reports a novel approach to improve the
      toughness of a FeCrMoCBY amorphous coating through in-situ formation of amorphous
      carbon reinforcement without reducing the corrosion resistance. The Fe-based
      composite coating was prepared by high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying
      using a pre-mixed Fe-based amorphous/nylon-11 polymer feedstock powders. The
      nylon-11 powders were in-situ carbonized to amorphous carbon phase during thermal
      spraying process, which homogeneously distributed in the amorphous matrix leading
      to significant enhancement of toughness of the coating. The mechanical
      properties, including hardness, impact resistance, bending and fatigue strength,
      were extensively studied by using a series of mechanical testing techniques. The
      results revealed that the composite coating reinforced by amorphous carbon phase
      exhibited enhanced impact resistance and nearly twice-higher fatigue strength
      than that of the monolithic amorphous coating. The enhancement of impact
      toughness and fatigue properties is owed to the dumping effect of the soft
      amorphous carbon phase, which alleviated stress concentration and decreased crack
      propagation driving force.

PMID- 28642591
TI  - Donor and recipient age, gender and ABO incompatibility regardless of donor
      source: validated criteria for donor selection for haematopoietic transplants.
AB  - Prior data indicate similar outcomes after transplants from human leukocyte
      antigen (HLA)-haplotype-matched relatives, HLA-identical siblings and HLA-matched
      unrelated donors. We used our prospective data set to answer a clinically
      important question: who is the best donor for a person with acute leukaemia
      transplanted in first complete remission. Patients were randomly divided into
      training (n=611) and validation (n=588) sets. A total of 1199 consecutive
      subjects received a transplant from an HLA-haplotype-matched relative using
      granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and anti-thymocyte globulin (n=685) or an
      HLA-identical sibling (n=514); 3-year leukaemia-free survivals (LFSs) were 75 and
      74% (P=0.95), respectively. The multivariate model identified three major risk
      factors for transplant-related mortality (TRM): older donor/recipient age, female
      to-male transplants and donor-recipient ABO major-mismatch transplants. A risk
      score was developed based on these three features. TRMs were 8%, 15% and 31% for
      subjects with scores of 0-1, 2 and 3, respectively, (P<0.001). Three-year LFSs
      were 78%, 74% and 58%, respectively, (P=0.003). The risk score was validated in
      an independent cohort. In conclusion, our data confirm donor source is not
      significantly correlated with transplant outcomes. Selection of the best donor
      needs to consider donor-recipient age, matching for gender and ABO
      incompatibility among persons with acute leukaemia receiving related transplants
      under our transplant modality.

PMID- 28642592
TI  - Integrative network analysis identifies novel drivers of pathogenesis and
      progression in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
AB  - Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable malignancy of bone marrow plasma cells
      characterized by wide clinical and molecular heterogeneity. In this study we
      applied an integrative network biology approach to molecular and clinical data
      measured from 450 patients with newly diagnosed MM from the MMRF (Multiple
      Myeloma Research Foundation) CoMMpass study. A novel network model of myeloma
      (MMNet) was constructed, revealing complex molecular disease patterns and novel
      associations between clinical traits and genomic markers. Genomic alterations and
      groups of coexpressed genes correlate with disease stage, tumor clonality and
      early progression. We validated CDC42BPA and CLEC11A as novel regulators and
      candidate therapeutic targets of MMSET-related myeloma. We then used MMNet to
      discover novel genes associated with high-risk myeloma and identified a novel
      four-gene prognostic signature. We identified new patient classes defined by
      network features and enriched for clinically relevant genetic events, pathways
      and deregulated genes. Finally, we demonstrated the ability of deep sequencing
      techniques to detect relevant structural rearrangements, providing evidence that
      encourages wider use of such technologies in clinical practice. An integrative
      network analysis of CoMMpass data identified new insights into multiple myeloma
      disease biology and provided improved molecular features for diagnosing and
      stratifying patients, as well as additional molecular targets for therapeutic
      alternatives.

PMID- 28642593
TI  - Transforming growth factor-beta1 regulates the nascent hematopoietic stem cell
      niche by promoting gluconeogenesis.
AB  - The understanding of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) emergence is important to
      generate HSCs from pluripotent precursors. However, integrated signaling network
      that regulates the niche of nascent HSCs remains unclear. Herein, we uncovered a
      novel role of TGF-beta1 in the metabolic niche of HSC emergence using the tgf
      beta1b-/- zebrafish. Our findings first showed that Tgf-beta1 transcripts were
      enriched in the nascent HSCs. Loss of tgf-beta1b caused a decrease of nascent
      HSCs within the aorta-gonad-mesonephros. Moreover, tgf-beta1b+ cells were runx1+
      HSCs and underwent an endothelial-to-hematopoietic-transition process. Although
      the autocrine of Tgf-beta1 in HSCs rather than endothelial cells was highly
      demanded to regulate HSC generation, we found that tgf-beta1b promoted HSC
      emergence through the endothelial c-Jun N-terminal kinase/c-Jun signaling.
      Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing data showed that tgf-beta1b/c-Jun
      targeted g6pc3 of FoxO signaling to promote gluconeogenesis and maintain a high
      glucose level in the niche. Furthermore, loss of tgf-beta1b increased the
      endoplasmic-reticulum stress and oxidative stress by disturbing metabolic
      homeostasis. Adding a low dose of TGF-beta1 protein could promote the
      differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells towards HSCs in vitro. Altogether,
      our study provided insights into a new feature of TGF-beta1 in the regulation of
      glucose metabolism and nascent HSC niche, which may contribute to therapies of
      hematological malignancies.

PMID- 28642594
TI  - Differential effects on gene transcription and hematopoietic differentiation
      correlate with GATA2 mutant disease phenotypes.
AB  - Heterozygous GATA2 mutations underlie an array of complex hematopoietic and
      lymphatic diseases. Analysis of the literature reporting three recurrent GATA2
      germline (g) mutations (gT354M, gR396Q and gR398W) revealed different phenotype
      tendencies. Although all three mutants differentially predispose to myeloid
      malignancies, there was no difference in leukemia-free survival for GATA2
      patients. Despite intense interest, the molecular pathogenesis of GATA2 mutation
      is poorly understood. We functionally characterized a GATA2 mutant allelic series
      representing major disease phenotypes caused by germline and somatic (s)
      mutations in zinc finger 2 (ZF2). All GATA2 mutants, except for sL359V, displayed
      reduced DNA-binding affinity and transactivation compared with wild type (WT),
      which could be attributed to mutations of arginines critical for DNA binding or
      amino acids required for ZF2 domain structural integrity. Two GATA2 mutants
      (gT354M and gC373R) bound the key hematopoietic differentiation factor PU.1 more
      strongly than WT potentially perturbing differentiation via sequestration of
      PU.1. Unlike WT, all mutants failed to suppress colony formation and some mutants
      skewed cell fate to granulocytes, consistent with the monocytopenia phenotype
      seen in GATA2-related immunodeficiency disorders. These findings implicate
      perturbations of GATA2 function shaping the course of development of myeloid
      malignancy subtypes and strengthen complete or nearly complete haploinsufficiency
      for predisposition to lymphedema.

PMID- 28642595
TI  - 3D Bayesian cluster analysis of super-resolution data reveals LAT recruitment to
      the T cell synapse.
AB  - Single-molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM) allows the localisation of
      fluorophores with a precision of 10-30 nm, revealing the cell's nanoscale
      architecture at the molecular level. Recently, SMLM has been extended to 3D,
      providing a unique insight into cellular machinery. Although cluster analysis
      techniques have been developed for 2D SMLM data sets, few have been applied to
      3D. This lack of quantification tools can be explained by the relative novelty of
      imaging techniques such as interferometric photo-activated localisation
      microscopy (iPALM). Also, existing methods that could be extended to 3D SMLM are
      usually subject to user defined analysis parameters, which remains a major
      drawback. Here, we present a new open source cluster analysis method for 3D SMLM
      data, free of user definable parameters, relying on a model-based Bayesian
      approach which takes full account of the individual localisation precisions in
      all three dimensions. The accuracy and reliability of the method is validated
      using simulated data sets. This tool is then deployed on novel experimental data
      as a proof of concept, illustrating the recruitment of LAT to the T-cell
      immunological synapse in data acquired by iPALM providing ~10 nm isotropic
      resolution.

PMID- 28642596
TI  - SGBS cells as a model of human adipocyte browning: A comprehensive comparative
      study with primary human white subcutaneous adipocytes.
AB  - The Simpson Golabi Behmel Syndrome (SGBS) pre-adipocyte cell strain is widely
      considered to be a representative in vitro model of human white pre-adipocytes. A
      recent study suggested that SGBS adipocytes exhibit an unexpected transient brown
      phenotype. Here, we comprehensively examined key differences between SGBS
      adipocytes and primary human white subcutaneous (PHWSC) adipocytes. RNA-Seq
      analysis revealed that extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and
      metabolic pathways were the top two KEGG pathways significantly enriched in SGBS
      adipocytes, which included positively enriched mitochondrial respiration and
      oxidation pathways. Compared to PHWSC adipocytes, SGBS adipocytes showed not only
      greater induction of adipogenic gene expression during differentiation but also
      increased levels of UCP1 mRNA and protein expression. Functionally, SGBS
      adipocytes displayed higher ISO-induced basal leak respiration and overall oxygen
      consumption rate, along with increased triglyceride accumulation and insulin
      stimulated glucose uptake. In conclusion, we confirmed that SGBS adipocytes,
      which are considered of white adipose tissue origin can shift towards a
      brown/beige adipocyte phenotype. These differences indicate SGBS cells may help
      to identify mechanisms leading to browning, and inform our understanding for the
      use of SGBS vis-a-vis primary human subcutaneous adipocytes as a human white
      adipocyte model, guiding the selection of appropriate cell models in future
      metabolic research.

PMID- 28642598
TI  - Leukaemia: Unravelling the heterogeneity of cancer stem cells.

PMID- 28642597
TI  - A single amino acid polymorphism in the glycosyltransferase CpsK defines four
      Streptococcus suis serotypes.
AB  - The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) is the major virulence factor of the emerging
      zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis. CPS differences are also the basis for
      serological differentiation of the species into 29 serotypes. Serotypes 2 and
      1/2, which possess identical gene content in their cps loci, express CPSs that
      differ only by substitution of galactose (Gal) by N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)
      in the CPS side chain. The same sugar substitution differentiates the CPS of
      serotypes 14 and 1, whose cps loci are also identical in gene content. Here,
      using mutagenesis, CPS structural analysis, and protein structure modeling, we
      report that a single amino acid polymorphism in the glycosyltransferase CpsK
      defines the enzyme substrate predilection for Gal or GalNAc and therefore
      determines CPS composition, structure, and strain serotype. We also show that the
      different CPS structures have similar antiphagocytic properties and that serotype
      switching has limited impact on the virulence of S. suis.

PMID- 28642599
TI  - Targeted therapies: Expanding the use of PARP inhibitors.

PMID- 28642600
TI  - Cancer models: Tailored mouse models.

PMID- 28642601
TI  - Cancer Models: Modeling clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28642602
TI  - Tumour immunology: LAP targeting reduces tolerogenic cells in cancer.

PMID- 28642605
TI  - Immunotherapy: Macrophages steal the show.

PMID- 28642607
TI  - Tumour metabolism: Losing that remaining fat.

PMID- 28642603
TI  - Imaging of anticancer drug action in single cells.
AB  - Imaging is widely used in anticancer drug development, typically for whole-body
      tracking of labelled drugs to different organs or to assess drug efficacy through
      volumetric measurements. However, increasing attention has been drawn to
      pharmacology at the single-cell level. Diverse cell types, including cancer
      associated immune cells, physicochemical features of the tumour microenvironment
      and heterogeneous cell behaviour all affect drug delivery, response and
      resistance. This Review summarizes developments in the imaging of in vivo
      anticancer drug action, with a focus on microscopy approaches at the single-cell
      level and translational lessons for the clinic.

PMID- 28642606
TI  - Transposable elements in cancer.
AB  - Transposable elements give rise to interspersed repeats, sequences that comprise
      most of our genomes. These mobile DNAs have been historically underappreciated -
      both because they have been presumed to be unimportant, and because their high
      copy number and variability pose unique technical challenges. Neither impediment
      now seems steadfast. Interest in the human mobilome has never been greater, and
      methods enabling its study are maturing at a fast pace. This Review describes the
      activity of transposable elements in human cancers, particularly long
      interspersed element-1 (LINE-1). LINE-1 sequences are self-propagating, protein
      coding retrotransposons, and their activity results in somatically acquired
      insertions in cancer genomes. Altered expression of transposable elements and
      animation of genomic LINE-1 sequences appear to be hallmarks of cancer, and can
      be responsible for driving mutations in tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28642608
TI  - Ocean acidification as a driver of community simplification via the collapse of
      higher-order and rise of lower-order consumers.
AB  - Increasing oceanic uptake of CO2 is predicted to drive ecological change as both
      a resource (i.e. CO2 enrichment on primary producers) and stressor (i.e. lower pH
      on consumers). We use the natural ecological complexity of a CO2 vent (i.e. a
      seagrass system) to assess the potential validity of conceptual models developed
      from laboratory and mesocosm research. Our observations suggest that the stressor
      effect of CO2 enrichment combined with its resource-effect drives simplified food
      web structure of lower trophic diversity and shorter length. The transfer of CO2
      enrichment from plants to herbivores through consumption (apparent resource
      effect) was not compensated by predation, because carnivores failed to contain
      herbivore outbreaks. Instead, these higher-order consumers collapsed (apparent
      stressor-effect on carnivores) suggesting limited trophic propagation to predator
      populations. The dominance of primary producers and their lower-order consumers
      along with the loss of carnivores reflects the duality of intensifying ocean
      acidification acting both as resource-effect (i.e. bottom-up control) and
      stressor-effect (i.e. top-down control) to simplify community and trophic
      structure and function. This shifting balance between the propagation of resource
      enrichment and its consumption across trophic levels provides new insights into
      how the trophic dynamics might stabilize against or propagate future
      environmental change.

PMID- 28642610
TI  - The multiple sclerosis market.

PMID- 28642604
TI  - Turning the tide in myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms.
AB  - Myelodysplastic syndromes/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) are aggressive
      myeloid malignancies recognized as a distinct category owing to their unique
      combination of dysplastic and proliferative features. Although current
      classification schemes still emphasize morphology and exclusionary criteria,
      disease-defining somatic mutations and/or germline predisposition alleles are
      increasingly incorporated into diagnostic algorithms. The developing picture
      suggests that phenotypes are driven mostly by epigenetic mechanisms that reflect
      a complex interplay between genotype, physiological processes such as ageing and
      interactions between malignant haematopoietic cells and the stromal
      microenvironment of the bone marrow. Despite the rapid accumulation of genetic
      knowledge, therapies have remained nonspecific and largely inefficient. In this
      Review, we discuss the pathogenesis of MDS/MPN, focusing on the relationship
      between genotype and phenotype and the molecular underpinnings of epigenetic
      dysregulation. Starting with the limitations of current therapies, we also
      explore how the available mechanistic data may be harnessed to inform strategies
      to develop rational and more effective treatments, and which gaps in our
      knowledge need to be filled to translate biological understanding into clinical
      progress.

PMID- 28642609
TI  - Microbial Signatures Associated with Oropharyngeal and Oral Squamous Cell
      Carcinomas.
AB  - The microbiome is fundamentally one of the most unique organs in the human body.
      Dysbiosis can result in critical inflammatory responses and result in
      pathogenesis contributing to neoplastic events. We used a pan-pathogen array
      technology (PathoChip) coupled with next-generation sequencing to establish
      microbial signatures unique to human oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell
      carcinomas (OCSCC/OPSCC). Signatures for DNA and RNA viruses including oncogenic
      viruses, gram positive and negative bacteria, fungi and parasites were detected.
      Cluster and topological analyses identified 2 distinct groups of microbial
      signatures related to OCSCCs/OPSCCs. Results were validated by probe capture next
      generation sequencing; the data from which also provided a comprehensive map of
      integration sites and chromosomal hotspots for micro-organism genomic insertions.
      Identification of these microbial signatures and their integration sites may
      provide biomarkers for OCSCC/OPSCC diagnosis and prognosis as well as novel
      avenues for study of their potential role in OCSCCs/OPSCCs.

PMID- 28642611
TI  - Engineered Newcastle disease virus expressing the F and G proteins of AMPV-C
      confers protection against challenges in turkeys.
AB  - Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) infects the respiratory and reproductive tracts of
      domestic poultry, resulting in substantial economic losses for producers. Live
      attenuated vaccines appear to be the most effective in countries where the
      disease is prevalent. However, reversion to virulence has been demonstrated in
      several studies. Therefore, the development of a stable and safe next generation
      vaccine against the AMPV disease is needed. In the present study, we generated a
      recombinant Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vectoring the fusion (F) protein and
      glycoprotein (G) genes of AMPV subtype-C (AMPV-C) as a bivalent vaccine candidate
      using reverse genetics technology. The recombinant virus, rLS/AMPV-C F&G, was
      slightly attenuated in vivo, yet maintained similar characteristics in vitro when
      compared to the parental LaSota virus. Vaccination of turkeys with rLS/AMPV-C F&G
      induced both AMPV-C and NDV-specific antibody responses, and provided significant
      protection against pathogenic AMPV-C challenge and complete protection against
      velogenic NDV challenge. These results suggest that the rLS/AMPV-C F&G
      recombinant virus is a safe and effective bivalent vaccine candidate and that the
      expression of both F and G proteins of AMPV-C induces a protective response
      against the AMPV-C disease.

PMID- 28642612
TI  - Active removal of waste dye pollutants using Ta3N5/W18O49 nanocomposite fibres.
AB  - A scalable solvothermal technique is reported for the synthesis of a
      photocatalytic composite material consisting of orthorhombic Ta3N5 nanoparticles
      and WOx<=3 nanowires. Through X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron
      spectroscopy, the as-grown tungsten(VI) sub-oxide was identified as monoclinic
      W18O49. The composite material catalysed the degradation of Rhodamine B at over
      double the rate of the Ta3N5 nanoparticles alone under illumination by white
      light, and continued to exhibit superior catalytic properties following recycling
      of the catalysts. Moreover, strong molecular adsorption of the dye to the W18O49
      component of the composite resulted in near-complete decolourisation of the
      solution prior to light exposure. The radical species involved within the
      photocatalytic mechanisms were also explored through use of scavenger reagents.
      Our research demonstrates the exciting potential of this novel photocatalyst for
      the degradation of organic contaminants, and to the authors' knowledge the
      material has not been investigated previously. In addition, the simplicity of the
      synthesis process indicates that the material is a viable candidate for the scale
      up and removal of dye pollutants on a wider scale.

PMID- 28642613
TI  - Protecting visual short-term memory during maintenance: Attentional modulation of
      target and distractor representations.
AB  - In the presence of distraction, attentional filtering is a key predictor of
      efficient information storage in visual short-term memory (VSTM). Yet, the role
      of attention in distractor filtering, and the extent to which attentional
      filtering continues to protect information during post-perceptual stages of VSTM,
      remains largely unknown. In the current study, we investigated the role of
      spatial attention in distractor filtering during VSTM encoding and maintenance.
      Participants performed a change detection task with varying distractor load.
      Attentional deployment to target and distractor locations was tracked
      continuously by means of Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs). Analyses
      revealed that attention strongly modulated the amplitude of the second harmonic
      SSVEP response, with larger amplitudes at target compared to distractor
      locations. These attentional modulations commenced during encoding, and remained
      present during maintenance. Furthermore, the amount of attention paid to
      distractor locations was directly related to behavioral distractor costs:
      Individuals who paid more attention to target compared to distractor locations
      during VSTM maintenance generally suffered less from the presence of distractors.
      Together, these findings support an important role of spatial attention in
      distractor filtering at multiple stages of VSTM, and highlight the usefulness of
      SSVEPs in continuously tracking attention to multiple locations during VSTM.

PMID- 28642614
TI  - Ultrasound-mediated piezoelectric differentiation of neuron-like PC12 cells on
      PVDF membranes.
AB  - Electrical and/or electromechanical stimulation has been shown to play a
      significant role in regenerating various functionalities in soft tissues, such as
      tendons, muscles, and nerves. In this work, we investigate the piezoelectric
      polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a potential substrate for wireless
      neuronal differentiation. Piezoelectric PVDF enables generation of electrical
      charges on its surface upon acoustic stimulation, inducing neuritogenesis of PC12
      cells. We demonstrate that the effect of pure piezoelectric stimulation on
      neurite generation in PC12 cells is comparable to the ones induced by neuronal
      growth factor (NGF). In inhibitor experiments, our results indicate that dynamic
      stimulation of PVDF by ultrasonic (US) waves activates calcium channels, thus
      inducing the generation of neurites via a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)
      dependent pathway. This mechanism is independent from the well-studied NGF
      induced mitogen-activated protein kinases/extracellular signal-regulated kinases
      (MAPK/ERK) pathway. The use of US, in combination with piezoelectric polymers, is
      advantageous since focused power transmission can occur deep into biological
      tissues, which holds great promise for the development of non-invasive
      neuroregenerative devices.

PMID- 28642615
TI  - The Bethe-Slater curve revisited; new insights from electronic structure theory.
AB  - The Bethe-Slater (BS) curve describes the relation between the exchange coupling
      and interatomic distance. Based on a simple argument of orbital overlaps, it
      successfully predicts the transition from antiferromagnetism to ferromagnetism,
      when traversing the 3d series. In a previous article [Phys. Rev. Lett. 116,
      217202 (2016)] we reported that the dominant nearestneighbour (NN) interaction
      for 3d metals in the bcc structure indeed follows the BS curve, but the trends
      through the series showed a richer underlying physics than was initially assumed.
      The orbital decomposition of the inter-site exchange couplings revealed that
      various orbitals contribute to the exchange interactions in a highly non-trivial
      and sometimes competitive way. In this communication we perform a deeper analysis
      by comparing 3d metals in the bcc and fcc structures. We find that there is no
      coupling between the E g orbitals of one atom and T 2g orbitals of its NNs, for
      both cubic phases. We demonstrate that these couplings are forbidden by symmetry
      and formulate a general rule allowing to predict when a similar situation is
      going to happen. In gamma-Fe, as in alpha-Fe, we find a strong competition in the
      symmetry-resolved orbital contributions and analyse the differences between the
      high-spin and low-spin solutions.

PMID- 28642616
TI  - Modulational instability of coupled ring waveguides with linear gain and
      nonlinear loss.
AB  - We consider a nanostructure of two coupled ring waveguides with constant linear
      gain and nonlinear absorption - the system that can be implemented in various
      settings including polariton condensates, optical waveguides or atomic Bose
      Einstein condensates. It is found that, depending on the parameters, this simple
      configuration allows for observing several complex nonlinear phenomena, which
      include spontaneous symmetry breaking, modulational instability leading to
      generation of stable circular flows with various vorticities, stable
      inhomogeneous states with interesting structure of currents flowing between
      rings, as well as dynamical regimes having signatures of chaotic behavior.

PMID- 28642617
TI  - Podoplanin enhances lung cancer cell growth in vivo by inducing platelet
      aggregation.
AB  - Podoplanin/Aggrus, known as a platelet aggregation-inducing factor, is frequently
      overexpressed in lung squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC) and glioblastomas among
      other tumours, and its expression has been reported to be correlated with poor
      prognosis. However, the contribution of podoplanin to malignant progression has
      been elusive. Here we demonstrate that in podoplanin-positive LSCC cells, their
      growth was abrogated by podoplanin knockout in vivo but not in vitro. Conversely,
      ectopic expression of podoplanin promoted cell growth in vivo and facilitated
      intratumoral platelet activation. Consistently, LSCC cells evoked podoplanin
      mediated platelet aggregation (PMPA), and the releasates from platelets during
      PMPA promoted the growth of LSCC cells in vitro. Phospho-receptor-tyrosine-kinase
      array analysis revealed that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
      phosphorylation of LSCC cells was responsible for the growth promotion induced by
      platelet releasates. Treatment with an antiplatelet agent or podoplanin
      neutralizing antibody depressed the growth of an LSCC tumour xenograft via
      suppression of EGFR phosphorylation. These results suggested that podoplanin in
      LSCC enhanced cell growth by inducing PMPA in vivo and contributed to malignant
      progression.

PMID- 28642618
TI  - Physalins V-IX, 16,24-cyclo-13,14-seco withanolides from Physalis angulata and
      their antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities.
AB  - Five new physalins, including a novel 1,10-seco one, physalin V (1), a
      tricarboxylic acid cycle one, physalin VIII (5), a rare 11,15-cyclo one, physalin
      IX (6), and two new ones, physalins VI (2) and VII (4) were isolated from stems
      and leaves of Physalis angulata together with eleven known analogues (3 and 7
      16). Their structures were established by MS, IR, UV, and NMR spectroscopic
      analysis, together with the X-ray diffraction analysis of neophysalin, physalin P
      (12), and the structure of physalin D1 (3) has been revised here. These isolated
      compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against human
      cancer cells (C4-2B, 22Rv1, 786-O, A-498, ACHN, and A375-S2) and inhibitory
      effects on nitric oxide production. Compounds 9 and 10 showed antiproliferative
      activities against all tested human cancer cells with IC50 values of 0.24-3.17
      MUM. Compounds 1, 3, 4, 9, 10, 13, 14, and 16 exhibited inhibitory activities
      against NO production. The IC50 values of compounds 9, 10, 13, and 16 were
      between 0.32 and 4.03 MUM, while compounds 1, 3, 4, and 14 had IC50 values of
      12.83-34.19 MUM. Herein, plausible biosynthetic pathways for rare structures 1
      and 6 and structure-activity relationships on the inhibition of NO production for
      all isolated compounds are discussed.

PMID- 28642619
TI  - Understanding the Unusual Response to High Pressure in KBe2BO3F2.
AB  - Strong anisotropic compression with pressure on the remarkable non-linear optical
      material KBe2BO3F2 has been observed with the linear compression coefficient
      along the c axis found to be about 40 times larger than that along the a axis. An
      unusual non-monotonic pressure response was observed for the a lattice parameter.
      The derived bulk modulus of 31 +/- 1 GPa indicates that KBe2BO3F2 is a very soft
      oxide material yet with stable structure up to 45 GPa. A combination of high
      pressure synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction, high-pressure Raman spectroscopy,
      and Density Functional Theory calculations points to the mechanism for the
      unusual pressure response being due to the competition between the K-F bond
      length and K-F-K bond angle and the coupling between the stretching and twisting
      vibration modes.

PMID- 28642620
TI  - Pomalidomide, bortezomib and low-dose dexamethasone in lenalidomide-refractory
      and proteasome inhibitor-exposed myeloma.
AB  - This phase 1 dose-escalation study evaluated pomalidomide, bortezomib
      (subcutaneous (SC) or intravenous (IV)) and low-dose dexamethasone (LoDEX) in
      lenalidomide-refractory and proteasome inhibitor-exposed relapsed or relapsed and
      refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). In 21-day cycles, patients received
      pomalidomide (1-4 mg days 1-14), bortezomib (1-1.3 mg/m2 days 1, 4, 8 and 11 for
      cycles 1-8; days 1 and 8 for cycle ?9) and LoDEX. Primary endpoint was to
      determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Thirty-four patients enrolled: 12
      during escalation, 10 in the MTD IV bortezomib cohort and 12 in the MTD SC
      bortezomib cohort. Patients received a median of 2 prior lines of therapy; 97%
      bortezomib exposed. With no dose-limiting toxicities, MTD was defined as the
      maximum planned dose: pomalidomide 4 mg, bortezomib 1.3 mg/m2 and LoDEX. All
      patients discontinued treatment by data cutoff (2 April 2015). The most common
      grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events were neutropenia (44%) and
      thrombocytopenia (26%), which occurred more frequently with IV than SC
      bortezomib. No grade 3/4 peripheral neuropathy or deep vein thrombosis was
      reported. Overall response rate was 65%. Median duration of response was 7.4
      months. Pomalidomide, bortezomib and LoDEX was well tolerated and effective in
      lenalidomide-refractory and bortezomib-exposed patients with RRMM.

PMID- 28642621
TI  - Variants of the ABCA3 gene might contribute to susceptibility to interstitial
      lung diseases in the Chinese population.
AB  - ATP-binding cassette A3 (ABCA3) is a phospholipid carrier that is mainly
      expressed in the alveolar epithelium. Biallelic mutations of ABCA3 has been
      associated with fatal respiratory distress syndrome and interstitial lung disease
      (ILD) in children. However, whether variations in ABCA3 have a role in the
      development of adult ILD, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), remains
      to be addressed. In this study, we screened for germline variants of ABCA3 by
      exons-sequencing in 30 patients with sporadic IPF and in 30 matched healthy
      controls. Eleven missense variants, predominantly in heterozygous, were found in
      13 of these patients, but only two missenses in 2 healthy controls. We then
      selected four of the detected missense variants (p.L39V, p.S828F, p.V968M and
      p.G1205R) to performed cohort analysis in 1,024 ILD patients, containing 250 IPF
      and 774 connective tissue disease-ILD (CTD-ILD) patients, and 1,054 healthy
      individuals. Our results showed that the allele frequency of p.G1205R, but not
      p.L39V, was significantly higher in ILD patients than in healthy controls.
      However, no additional subject carrying the variant p.S828F or p.V968M was
      detected in the cohort analysis. These results indicate that the heterozygous
      ABCA3 gene variants may contribute to susceptibility to diseases in the Chinese
      population.

PMID- 28642622
TI  - Self-assembled Cubic Boron Nitride Nanodots.
AB  - One of the low-dimensional Boron Nitride (BN) forms, namely, cubic-BN (c-BN)
      nanodots (NDs), offers a variety of novel opportunities in battery, biology, deep
      ultraviolet light emitting diodes, sensors, filters, and other optoelectronic
      applications. To date, the attempts towards producing c-BN NDs were mainly
      performed under extreme high-temperature/high-pressure conditions and resulted in
      c-BN NDs with micrometer sizes, mixture of different BN phases, and containing
      process-related impurities/contaminants. To enhance device performance for those
      applications by taking advantage of size effect, pure, sub-100 nm c-BN NDs are
      necessary. In this paper, we report self-assembled growth of c-BN NDs on cobalt
      and nickel substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that
      the nucleation, formation, and morphological properties of c-BN NDs can be
      closely correlated with the nature of substrate including catalysis effect,
      lattice-mismatch-induced strain, and roughness, and growth conditions, in
      particular, growth time and growth temperature. The mean lateral size of c-BN NDs
      on cobalt scales from 175 nm to 77 nm with the growth time. The growth mechanism
      of c-BN NDs on metal substrates is concluded to be Volmer-Weber (VW) mode. A
      simplified two-dimensional numerical modeling shows that the elastic strain
      energy plays a key role in determining the total formation energy of c-BN NDs on
      metals.

PMID- 28642623
TI  - Predicting long-term mortality in hospitalized elderly patients using the new
      ESPEN definition.
AB  - The European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) recently
      published new diagnostic criteria for malnutrition. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate whether malnutrition by the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria can predict
      long-term mortality in elderly inpatients. We conducted a prospective study in
      the acute geriatric wards. Malnutrition was defined according to the new ESPEN
      criteria and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), respectively. The survival
      status was determined by telephone interviews at 3-years. A total of 437 elderly
      adults were included. According to the new ESPEN criteria, 66 participants
      (15.1%) were malnourished. According to the MNA, 45 participants (10.3%) were
      identified as malnourished. The 3-year all-cause mortality was 41.7% in
      participants with malnutrition defined by the ESPEN criteria and 15.3% in
      participants without malnutrition (p < 0.001). After adjusting for relevant
      confounders, malnutrition defined by the ESPEN criteria was a significant
      predictor of 3-year all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 2.98, 95% confidence
      interval [CI] 1.87-4.86). However, malnutrition defined by the MNA was not a
      significant predictor of 3-year all-cause mortality (HR 1.67, 95% CI 0.89-2.31).
      In conclusion, the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria for malnutrition are reliable in
      predicting 3-year all-cause mortality among elderly inpatients.

PMID- 28642624
TI  - Whole Exome Sequencing to Identify Genetic Variants Associated with Raised
      Atherosclerotic Lesions in Young Persons.
AB  - We investigated the influence of genetic variants on atherosclerosis using whole
      exome sequencing in cases and controls from the autopsy study "Pathobiological
      Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY)". We identified a PDAY case group
      with the highest total amounts of raised lesions (n = 359) for comparisons with a
      control group with no detectable raised lesions (n = 626). In addition to the
      standard exome capture, we included genome-wide proximal promoter regions that
      contain sequences that regulate gene expression. Our statistical analyses
      included single variant analysis for common variants (MAF > 0.01) and rare
      variant analysis for low frequency and rare variants (MAF < 0.05). In addition,
      we investigated known CAD genes previously identified by meta-analysis of GWAS
      studies. We did not identify individual common variants that reached exome-wide
      significance using single variant analysis. In analysis limited to 60 CAD genes,
      we detected strong associations with COL4A2/COL4A1 that also previously showed
      associations with myocardial infarction and arterial stiffness, as well as
      coronary artery calcification. Likewise, rare variant analysis did not identify
      genes that reached exome-wide significance. Among the 60 CAD genes, the strongest
      association was with NBEAL1 that was also identified in gene-based analysis of
      whole exome sequencing for early onset myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28642625
TI  - Testing the environmental filtering concept in global drylands.
AB  - 1. The environmental filtering hypothesis predicts that the abiotic environment
      selects species with similar trait values within communities. Testing this
      hypothesis along multiple - and interacting - gradients of climate and soil
      variables constitutes a great opportunity to better understand and predict the
      responses of plant communities to ongoing environmental changes. 2. Based on two
      key plant traits, maximum plant height and specific leaf area (SLA), we assessed
      the filtering effects of climate (mean annual temperature and precipitation,
      precipitation seasonality), soil characteristics (soil pH, sand content and total
      phosphorus) and all potential interactions on the functional structure and
      diversity of 124 dryland communities spread over the globe. The functional
      structure and diversity of dryland communities were quantified using the mean,
      variance, skewness and kurtosis of plant trait distributions. 3. The models
      accurately explained the observed variations in functional trait diversity across
      the 124 communities studied. All models included interactions among factors, i.e.
      climate - climate (9% of explanatory power), climate - soil (24% of explanatory
      power) and soil - soil interactions (5% of explanatory power). Precipitation
      seasonality was the main driver of maximum plant height, and interacted with mean
      annual temperature and precipitation. Soil pH mediated the filtering effects of
      climate and sand content on SLA. Our results also revealed that communities
      characterized by a low variance can also exhibit low kurtosis values, indicating
      that functionally contrasting species can co-occur even in communities with
      narrow ranges of trait values. 4. Synthesis We identified the particular set of
      conditions under which the environmental filtering hypothesis operates in
      drylands worldwide. Our findings also indicate that species with functionally
      contrasting strategies can still co-occur locally, even under prevailing
      environmental filtering. Interactions between sources of environmental stress
      should be therefore included in global trait-based studies, as this will help to
      further anticipate where the effects of environmental filtering will impact plant
      trait diversity under climate change.

PMID- 28642626
TI  - A marginal cure rate proportional hazards model for spatial survival data.
AB  - Dental studies often produce spatially referenced multivariate time-to-event
      data, such as the time until tooth loss due to periodontal disease. These data
      are used to identify risk factors that are associated with tooth loss, and to
      predict outcomes for an individual patient.The rate of spatial referencing can
      vary with various tooth locations. In addition, these event time data are heavily
      censored, mostly because a certain proportion of teeth in the population are not
      expected to experience failure and can be considered 'cured'. We assume a
      proportional hazards model with a surviving fraction to model these clustered
      correlated data and account for dependence between nearby teeth by using spatial
      frailties which are modelled as linear combinations of positive stable random
      effects. This model permits predictions (conditioned on spatial frailties) that
      account for the survival status of nearby teeth and simultaneously preserves the
      proportional hazards relationship marginally over the random effects for the
      susceptible teeth, allowing for interpretable estimates of the effects of risk
      factors on tooth loss. We explore the potential of this model via simulation
      studies and application to a real data set obtained from a private periodontal
      practice, and we illustrate its advantages over other competing models to
      identify important risk factors for tooth loss and to predict the remaining
      lifespan of a patient's teeth.

PMID- 28642627
TI  - Allenyl esters as quenching agents for ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts.
AB  - In the attempt to synthesize substituted allenyl esters through a metathesis
      coupling of unsubstituted allenyl esters and alkenes using a variety of ruthenium
      catalysts, it was discovered that allenyl esters themselves cleanly arrested the
      activity of the catalysts. Further studies suggests possible utility of allene
      esters as general quenching agents for metathesis reactions. To explore this
      idea, several representative olefin metathesis reactions, including ring closing,
      were successfully terminated by the addition of simple allenyl esters for more
      convenient purification.

PMID- 28642629
TI  - Improved brain tumor segmentation by utilizing tumor growth model in longitudinal
      brain MRI.
AB  - In this work, we propose a novel method to improve texture based tumor
      segmentation by fusing cell density patterns that are generated from tumor growth
      modeling. In order to model tumor growth, we solve the reaction-diffusion
      equation by using Lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM). Computational tumor growth
      modeling obtains the cell density distribution that potentially indicates the
      predicted tissue locations in the brain over time. The density patterns is then
      considered as novel features along with other texture (such as fractal, and
      multifractal Brownian motion (mBm)), and intensity features in MRI for improved
      brain tumor segmentation. We evaluate the proposed method with about one hundred
      longitudinal MRI scans from five patients obtained from public BRATS 2015 data
      set, validated by the ground truth. The result shows significant improvement of
      complete tumor segmentation using ANOVA analysis for five patients in
      longitudinal MR images.

PMID- 28642628
TI  - Particulate Air Pollution from Wildfires in the Western US under Climate Change.
AB  - Wildfire can impose a direct impact on human health under climate change. While
      the potential impacts of climate change on wildfires and resulting air pollution
      have been studied, it is not known who will be most affected by the growing
      threat of wildfires. Identifying communities that will be most affected will
      inform development of fire management strategies and disaster preparedness
      programs. We estimate levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) directly
      attributable to wildfires in 561 western US counties during fire seasons for the
      present-day (2004-2009) and future (2046-2051), using a fire prediction model and
      GEOS-Chem, a 3-D global chemical transport model. Future estimates are obtained
      under a scenario of moderately increasing greenhouse gases by mid-century. We
      create a new term "Smoke Wave," defined as >=2 consecutive days with high
      wildfire-specific PM2.5, to describe episodes of high air pollution from
      wildfires. We develop an interactive map to demonstrate the counties likely to
      suffer from future high wildfire pollution events. For 2004-2009, on days
      exceeding regulatory PM2.5 standards, wildfires contributed an average of 71.3%
      of total PM2.5. Under future climate change, we estimate that more than 82
      million individuals will experience a 57% and 31% increase in the frequency and
      intensity, respectively, of Smoke Waves. Northern California, Western Oregon and
      the Great Plains are likely to suffer the highest exposure to widlfire smoke in
      the future. Results point to the potential health impacts of increasing wildfire
      activity on large numbers of people in a warming climate and the need to
      establish or modify US wildfire management and evacuation programs in high-risk
      regions. The study also adds to the growing literature arguing that extreme
      events in a changing climate could have significant consequences for human
      health.

PMID- 28642630
TI  - Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Older Adults Participating in
      Kentucky's Congregate Meal Site Program.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine if the amount and variety of fruits
      and vegetables consumed increased among community-dwelling older adults
      participating in Kentucky's congregate meal site program following a series of
      five nutrition education lessons. A convenience sample of older adults attending
      senior centers (n=35), two intervention (n=19) and two control (n=16) centers,
      participated in this quasi-experimental pilot study. Following the intervention
      there was a significant increase in actual fruit and vegetable intake in the
      intervention group (p<0.05) as assessed by plate waste measurements of the
      congregate lunch meal. In addition, from pre- to post-intervention, a trend
      towards increased self-reported intake in the variety of fruit and vegetables was
      observed among the intervention group. As well, a significant increase in the
      number of days intervention participants self-reported consuming at least 4.5
      cups of fruits and vegetables in the last seven days (2.44+/-2.09 days to 4.28+/
      1.99 days (p=0.004)) was observed; and knowledge pertaining to phytochemicals
      increased (p<0.05). The phytochemical index (PI) score of the lunch meal, taking
      into account that the older adults consumption of meal components, including
      phytochemical-rich foods, was 26.9. Overall, study results indicated that a short
      theory-based nutrition education program offered to community-dwelling older
      adults was linked to an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption and
      phytochemical knowledge.

PMID- 28642631
TI  - School climate: perceptual differences between students, parents, and school
      staff.
AB  - Research suggests that school climate can have a great impact on student,
      teacher, and school outcomes. However, it is often assessed as a summary measure,
      without taking into account multiple perspectives (student, teacher, parent) or
      examining subdimensions within the broader construct. In this study, we assessed
      school climate from the perspective of students, staff, and parents within a
      large, urban school district using multilevel modeling techniques to examine
      within- and between-school variance. After adjusting for school-level demographic
      characteristics, students reported worse perceptions of safety and connectedness
      compared to both parent and staff ratings (all p < 0.05). Parents gave the lowest
      ratings of parental involvement, and staff gave the lowest ratings of academic
      emphasis (ps < 0.05). Findings demonstrate the importance of considering the type
      of informant when evaluating climate ratings within a school. Understanding how
      perceptions differ between informants can inform interventions to improve
      perceptions and prevent adverse outcomes.

PMID- 28642632
TI  - MCL Plays an Anti-Inflammatory Role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Induced Immune
      Response by Inhibiting NF-kappaB and NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation.
AB  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a significant menace to global health as
      it induces granulomatous lung lesions and systemic inflammatory responses during
      active tuberculosis (TB). Micheliolide (MCL), a sesquiterpene lactone, was
      recently reported to have a function of relieving LPS-induced inflammatory
      response, but the regulative role of MCL on the immunopathology of TB still
      remains unknown. In this experiment, we examined the inhibitory effect of MCL on
      Mtb-induced inflammatory response in mouse macrophage-like cell line Raw264.7 by
      downregulating the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and NLRP3
      inflammasome. Evidences showed that MCL decreased the secretion of Mtb-induced
      inflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta and TNF-alpha) in a dose-dependent manner.
      Meanwhile, MCL dramatically suppressed Mtb-induced activation of iNOS and COX2 as
      well as subsequent production of NO. Furthermore, MCL inhibited Mtb-induced
      phosphorylation of Akt (Ser 473) in Raw264.7. According to our results, MCL plays
      an important role in modulating Mtb-induced inflammatory response through
      PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB pathway and subsequently downregulating the activation of
      NLRP3 inflammasome. Therefore, MCL may represent as a potential drug candidate in
      the adjuvant treatment of TB by regulating host immune response.

PMID- 28642634
TI  - Analysis of MAP kinase MPK4/MEKK1/MKK genes of Carica papaya L. comparative to
      other plant homologues.
AB  - Mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MPK4) interacts with the (Mitogen-activated
      protein kinase kinase kinase 1) MEKK1/ Mitogenactivated protein kinase kinase 1
      (MKK1)/ Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2 (MKK2) complex to affect its
      function in plant development or against pathogen attacks. The KEGG (Kyoto
      Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) network analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana
      revealed close interactions between those four genes in the same plant-pathogen
      interaction pathway, which warrants further study of these genes due to their
      evolutionary conservation in different plant species. Through targeting the
      signature sequence in MPK4 of papaya using orthologs from Arabidopsis, the
      predicted sequence of MPK4 was studied using a comparative in silico approach
      between different plant species and the MAP cascade complex of MEKK1/MKK1/MKK2.
      This paper reported that MPK4 was highly conserved in papaya with 93% identical
      across more than 500 bases compared in each species predicted. Slight variations
      found in the MEKK1/MKK1/MKK2 complex nevertheless still illustrated sequence
      similarities between most of the species. Localization of each gene in the
      cascade network was also predicted, potentiating future functional verification
      of these genes interactions using knock out or/and gene silencing tactics.

PMID- 28642635
TI  - Virtual screening following rational drug design based approach for introducing
      new anti amyloid beta aggregation agent.
AB  - Amyloid beta (Abeta) sheets aggregations is the main reason of Alzheimer disease.
      The interacting areas between monomers are residue number 38 to 42. Inhibition of
      interaction between Abeta molecules prevents plaque formation. In the present
      study, we have performed a high-throughput virtual screening among ZINC database
      and top 1000 hits were checked again regarding binding affinity by AutoDock
      software. Top 4 successive second step screening hits was considered for drug
      design purpose against aggregation site of Abeta molecules. The toxicity and
      pharmacological properties of new designed ligands was assessed by PROTOX and
      FAFdrugs3 webservers. Several steps of modifications performed in the structures
      of hit#1 and hit#2 and finally new designed ligand based on hit 1, 1-RD-3 (3-[(Z)
      6-Hydroxy-4-{[5-(2-methoxyethyl)-6-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl]methyl}-1
      methyl-3-hexenyloxy]tetrahydro-2Hpyran- 4-ol) and a designed ligand based on hit
      2, 2-RD-2 (6-(Hydroxymethyl)-4-{5-hydroxy-6-methyl-4-[(3-
      methylcyclohexyl)methyl]tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy}tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2,3,5
      triol) could successfully pass pharmacological filters. The LD50 of 37000 mg/kg
      for 1-RD-3 and 2000 mg/kg for 2-RD-2 indicates that the designed ligands can be
      considered as new candidates for anti Abeta aggregation to treat Alzheimer's
      disease. Interestingly, after performing several modification steps still a
      considerable binding affinity of -9.3 kcal/mol for 1-RD-3 and -9.8 kcal/mol for 2
      RD-2 still remained. Theoretically, the new designed molecules can reduce the
      deposition of Abeta in the cerebral cortex and as the results the Alzheimer
      symptoms could be decreased.

PMID- 28642633
TI  - Proteases Revisited: Roles and Therapeutic Implications in Fibrosis.
AB  - Proteases target many substrates, triggering changes in distinct biological
      processes correlated with cell migration, EMT/EndMT and fibrosis. Extracellular
      protease activity, demonstrated by secreted and membrane-bound protease forms,
      leads to ECM degradation, activation of other proteases (i.e., proteolysis of
      nonactive zymogens), decomposition of cell-cell junctions, release of sequestered
      growth factors (TGF-beta and VEGF), activation of signal proteins and receptors,
      degradation of inflammatory inhibitors or inflammation-related proteins, and
      changes in cell mechanosensing and motility. Intracellular proteases, mainly
      caspases and cathepsins, modulate lysosome activity and signal transduction
      pathways. Herein, we discuss the current knowledge on the multidimensional impact
      of proteases on the development of fibrosis.

PMID- 28642636
TI  - Nucleotide composition determines the role of translational efficiency in human
      genes.
AB  - The basic sequence features were analysed that influence gene expression via
      codon usage bias of the selected forty coding sequences of Homo sapiens in a
      simple prokaryotic model i.e. E. coli K-12 genome. The prime objective was to
      elucidate the interrelationships among tRNA gene copy numbers, synonymous codons,
      amino acids and translational efficiency using tRNA adaptation index. It was
      evident from RSCU scores and principal component analysis, that only those
      preferred codons were used by the isoacceptor tRNAs that had G and C base at
      their third codon position. Relationship between tRNA adaptation index and amino
      acids, revealed that valine, arginine, serine and isoleucine showed significant
      positive correlation with gene expression. Therefore, it could be inferred that
      GC content in these genes might have the major role in shaping the codon bias and
      affecting the translational efficiency of the coding sequences.

PMID- 28642637
TI  - VARIABLE SELECTION FOR HIGH DIMENSIONAL MULTIVARIATE OUTCOMES.
AB  - We consider variable selection for high-dimensional multivariate regression using
      penalized likelihoods when the number of outcomes and the number of covariates
      might be large. To account for within-subject correlation, we consider variable
      selection when a working precision matrix is used and when the precision matrix
      is jointly estimated using a two-stage procedure. We show that under suitable
      regularity conditions, penalized regression coefficient estimators are consistent
      for model selection for an arbitrary working precision matrix, and have the
      oracle properties and are efficient when the true precision matrix is used or
      when it is consistently estimated using sparse regression. We develop an
      efficient computation procedure for estimating regression coefficients using the
      coordinate descent algorithm in conjunction with sparse precision matrix
      estimation using the graphical LASSO (GLASSO) algorithm. We develop the Bayesian
      Information Criterion (BIC) for estimating the tuning parameter and show that BIC
      is consistent for model selection. We evaluate finite sample performance for the
      proposed method using simulation studies and illustrate its application using the
      type II diabetes gene expression pathway data.

PMID- 28642638
TI  - Laparoscopic Surgery for Focal Adenomyosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: For conservative surgical treatment of focal uterine
      adenomyosis, laparoscopic adenomyomectomy has been increasingly performed, so
      that reassessment to determine the safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic
      surgical technique in a larger number of cases and reevaluation for
      reproducibility for laparoscopic adenomyomectomy is needed. We evaluate the
      clinical outcomes of laparoscopic adenomyomectomy with transient occlusion of
      uterine arteries (TOUA) for focal uterine adenomyosis performed by a single
      surgeon at a single institute. METHODS: Patients (N = 105) with symptomatic focal
      uterine adenomyosis underwent laparoscopic adenomyomectomy with TOUA by a single
      surgeon at Ulsan University Hospital from May 1, 2011, through September 30,
      2016. Surgical outcomes included operative time; intraoperative injury to blood
      vessels, nerves, and pelvic organs; and intraoperative blood loss. We assessed
      the degree of improvement in dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia and relapsing or
      remnant adenomyosis lesion by ultrasonography at the 7-momth follow-up after the
      operation. Then, all patients were followed up at 6-month intervals at the
      outpatient clinic. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 41.98 +/- 4.73 years. The
      mean TOUA and operative times were 4.46 +/- 2.68 and 75.14 +/- 20.56 min,
      respectively. The mean estimated blood loss was 148.19 +/- 101.69 mL. No
      conversion to laparotomy or major complications occurred. At the 7-month follow
      up, complete remission of dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia had occurred in 93.02% and
      76.92% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adenomyomectomy with
      TOUA is a safe and effective surgical treatment modality for women with
      symptomatic focal uterine adenomyosis who want to preserve fertility.

PMID- 28642639
TI  - Foregut Duplication Cysts in Children.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Duplications of the alimentary tract are rare
      anomalies. We report our experience with foregut duplication cysts including
      their clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities, and surgical management.
      METHODS: We report a 20-year retrospective review of all foregut duplication
      cysts managed at our institution. RESULTS: Twelve patients with 13 foregut
      duplication cysts were identified. The ages of the children at the time of
      surgery ranged from infancy to adolescence, with a mean age of 7.2 years. Half of
      the patients presented with abdominal pain and vomiting, and the remaining either
      had respiratory distress or were asymptomatic. All resections were performed
      electively. Two of the 11 patients had other congenital anomalies, including a
      congenital pulmonary airway malformation and coarctation of the aorta. One
      patient had prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography. Nine patients underwent
      complete successful excision with no complications. Three patients whose symptoms
      resolved during hospitalization remained under observation because of parental
      preference. CONCLUSIONS: Foregut malformation in children may present with a
      variety of symptoms or can be found incidentally. The decision and timing of
      surgery is based on the clinical presentation. Surgical intervention in
      asymptomatic patients should be based on a thorough discussion with the parents.

PMID- 28642640
TI  - Same-Day Discharge for Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy has provided advantages of decreased
      postoperative pain and length of stay when compared to the open approach. We
      provide our results of same-day discharge for laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.
      CASE PRESENTATION: We examined the safety and efficacy of same-day discharge for
      laparoscopic donor nephrectomy in a retrospective cohort analysis. This
      institutional review board-approved study began in July 2015, when all
      consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy were offered
      same-day discharge. Experimental and control groups were analyzed for differences
      in sex, age, body mass index, surgery time, estimated blood loss, procedure,
      complications, length of stay, and distance lived from hospital. Statistical
      analyses were completed with Mann-Whitney U or Fisher's exact test, as
      appropriate. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: Eight patients underwent laparoscopic donor
      nephrectomy during the study period. Of the 8 donors, 4 were discharged on the
      same day as surgery. The other 4 were discharged the following day. No
      significant differences were found between the 2 groups with respect to the
      aforementioned variables. At a median follow-up of 206 days, no complications
      have been reported. DISCUSSION: The results of our pilot study revealed that same
      day discharge is safe and feasible, could have a significant impact on patient
      satisfaction and healthcare costs, and warrants further study.

PMID- 28642642
TI  - Access to and Payment for Office-Based Buprenorphine Treatment in Ohio.
AB  - IMPORTANCE: Office-based opiate agonist therapy has dramatically expanded access
      to medication-assisted treatment over the past decade but has also led to
      increased buprenorphine diversion. OBJECTIVE: Our study sought to characterize
      physicians who participate in office-based therapy (OBT) to assess patient access
      to OBT in Ohio 10 years after its introduction. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS:
      Cross-sectional telephone survey of Drug Addiction Treatment Act-waivered
      physicians in Ohio listed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).
      MAIN OUTCOMES: This study sought to determine what proportion of eligible
      physicians are actively prescribing buprenorphine, whether they accept insurance
      for OBT, and whether they accept insurance for non-OBT services. In addition, we
      evaluated what physician characteristics predicted those primary outcomes. We
      hypothesized that a significant minority of eligible physicians are not active
      prescribers of buprenorphine. In addition, we expected that a significant
      minority of OBT prescribers do not accept insurance, further restricting patient
      access. We further hypothesized that a large subset of OBT prescribers accept
      insurance in their regular practices but do not take insurance for OBT. RESULTS:
      Of the 466 listed physicians, 327 (70.2%) practice representatives were reached
      for interview. Thirty-three physicians were excluded, with a true response rate
      of 75.5%. In total, 80.7% of providers reached were active OBT prescribers. Of
      these, 52.7% accepted insurance for OBT, 20.8% accepted insurance for non-OBT
      services but not for OBT, and 26.5% did not accept insurance for any services.
      Practices who did not accept insurance were more likely among dedicated addiction
      clinics located outside of Ohio's 6 major cities. Practices who normally accepted
      insurance but did not for OBT services were more likely in urban locations and
      were not associated with dedicated addiction practices. Neither business practice
      was associated with physician specialty. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Access to OBT
      in Ohio is far lower than what the 466 listed physicians suggests. Nearly 1 in 5
      of those physicians are not active OBT prescribers, and 1 in 2 active prescribers
      do not accept insurance for OBT. Further research is needed to determine whether
      practices who do not accept insurance provide care consistent with CSAT
      guidelines and whether such practice patterns contribute to buprenorphine
      diversion.

PMID- 28642641
TI  - Inequality in Human Capital and Endogenous Credit Constraints.
AB  - This paper investigates the determinants of inequality in human capital with an
      emphasis on the role of the credit constraints. We develop and estimate a model
      in which individuals face uninsured human capital risks and invest in education,
      acquire work experience, accumulate assets and smooth consumption. Agents can
      borrow from the private lending market and from government student loan programs.
      The private market credit limit is explicitly derived by extending the natural
      borrowing limit of Aiyagari (1994) to incorporate endogenous labor supply, human
      capital accumulation, psychic costs of working, and age. We quantify the effects
      of cognitive ability, noncognitive ability, parental education, and parental
      wealth on educational attainment, wages, and consumption. We conduct
      counterfactual experiments with respect to tuition subsidies and enhanced student
      loan limits and evaluate their effects on educational attainment and inequality.
      We compare the performance of our model with an influential ad hoc model in the
      literature with education-specific fixed loan limits. We find evidence of
      substantial life cycle credit constraints that affect human capital accumulation
      and inequality. The constrained fall into two groups: those who are permanently
      poor over their lifetimes and a group of well-endowed individuals with rising
      high levels of acquired skills who are constrained early in their life cycles.
      Equalizing cognitive and noncognitive ability has dramatic effects on inequality.
      Equalizing parental backgrounds has much weaker effects. Tuition costs have weak
      effects on inequality.

PMID- 28642643
TI  - TOMOGRAPHIC MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE CRANIUM AND ITS CORRELATION WITH CRANIAL
      HALO USE IN ADULTS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate using tomographic study the thickness of the cranial board
      at the insertions points of the cranial halo pins in adults. METHODS: This is a
      retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of Computed Tomography (CT)
      scans of adult patients' crania. The study included adults between 20 and 50
      years without cranial abnormalities. We excluded any exam with cranial
      abnormalities. RESULTS: We analyzed 50 CT scans, including 27 men and 23 women,
      at the original insertion points and alternative points (1 and 2 cm above the
      frontal and parietal bones). The average values were 7.4333 mm in the frontal
      bone and 6.0290 mm in the parietal bone. CONCLUSION: There was no statistically
      significant difference between the classical and alternative points, making room
      for alternative fixings and safer introduction of the pins, if necessary. Level
      of Evidence II, Retrospective Study.

PMID- 28642644
TI  - ROLE OF DIFFERENT HORMONES IN THE PATHOGENESIS AND SEVERITY OF ADOLESCENT
      IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hormonal profile of patients with adolescent
      idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and its relationship to the severity of the curvature
      and quality of life . METHOD: Patients with scoliosis (Cobb angle above 10
      degrees ), of both genders, diagnosed after 10 years of age were included,
      excluding those who presented other condition that could lead to scoliosis. Serum
      levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), cortisol and gastrin were correlated with
      Cobb angle and quality of life, measured by the SRS-30 questionnaire . RESULTS:
      The levels of 25-OHD decreased in 97% of patients. There was an inverse
      relationship between gastrin levels and quality of life (p = 0.016). Moreover,
      there was an inverse correlation between the value of Cobb angle and quality of
      life (p = 0.036). There were no changes in cortisol levels. There was no
      correlation between Cobb angle and any of the hormones measured . CONCLUSION: The
      patients had levels of 25-OHD diminished, strengthening the hypothesis of its
      involvement in the development of AIS. This study also suggests that increased
      gastrin levels may be associated with a worse quality of life in patients with
      AIS. Level of Evidence II, Diagnostic Study.

PMID- 28642645
TI  - PARQVE: PROJECT ARTHRITIS RECOVERING QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION: TWO-YEAR
      RESULTS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a multi-professional educational program in
      patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) . METHODS: Prospective randomized
      controlled trial with 195 KOA patients. One group was submitted to two-day
      lectures and received educational material about KOA (Class group), and the
      control group received the educational material only. Patients were evaluated at
      baseline, twelve and 24 months. At evaluation, patients answered pain and
      functional questionnaires (WOMAC, Lequesne, VAS and SF-36); reported the
      intensity of exercise per week; measured the body fat percentage, weight and
      height to estimate body mass index (BMI); and performed Timed Up & Go (TUG) and
      Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand (FTSST) tests . RESULTS: The groups presented similar
      results in all time points with respect to pain (VAS and WOMAC pain), WOMAC, BMI
      and body fat percentage (p>0.05). The Class group exhibited improved function
      according to the Lequesne questionnaire, whereas the control group worsened
      (p=0.02) during follow-up (p<0.02). TUG (p=0.01) and FTSST (p<0.001) improved in
      the Class group. A higher percentage of patients in the Class group performed
      regular physical activity (p=0.045) . CONCLUSIONS: The educational program with
      classes improved the consistency of physical activity and the subjective and
      objective function of patients with KOA. Level of evidence IA, Prospective
      Randomized Controlled Trial.

PMID- 28642646
TI  - INTENSITY, DURATION AND TYPE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIRED TO IMPROVE FUNCTION IN
      KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of physical activity intensity, type and
      duration in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) . METHODS: A retrospective
      study of 195 KOA patients who were followed for two years after receiving
      educational material about KOA with or without attending classes. The patients
      were evaluated at baseline and 24 months. At the evaluations, the patients
      answered questionnaires pertaining to pain and function (WOMAC, Lequesne, VAS and
      SF-36); reported the intensity, duration and type of exercise performed per week;
      and performed the Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Five Times Sit-to-Stand (FTSST) tests .
      RESULTS: Increased age affected improvements in the TUG results (p=0.017). The
      type, intensity and duration of physical activity did not correlate with pain,
      function or quality of life improvements (p>0.05), but the TUG results were on
      average 4 seconds faster among the patients who practiced intense physical
      activity and/or exercised for more than 180 minutes per week and/or performed
      isolated weight training or swam compared with those who remained sedentary after
      2 years (p=0.01; p<0.001; p=0.01; p=0.04, respectively) . CONCLUSIONS: Patients
      with KOA should aim for intense physical activity and/or more than 180 minutes of
      exercise per week and/or weight training (bodybuilding) for relevant pain
      reduction and functional improvement. Level of Evidence II, Retrospective Study.

PMID- 28642647
TI  - COMPARISON BETWEEN RENDERING 3D-CT AND TRANSPARENT 3D-CT IN ACL TUNNEL
      POSITIONING.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the transparent 3D computed tomography (CT) image protocol
      against conventional 3D-CT image-rendering protocol to assess femoral tunnel
      position in anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions . METHODS:
      Eight knee CT scans from cadavers were analyzed by image rendering 3D-CT
      protocol, using Rhinoceros(r) software. The central point of the ACL tunnel was
      set using the sagittal plane. Same CT scans were analyzed using transparent 3D-CT
      measurement protocol with OsiriX(r) software. Central point of the ACL tunnel was
      set using sagittal, coronal and axial planes. The grid system described by
      Bernard and Hertel was used to compare tunnel positions between protocols, using
      height and length parameters . RESULTS: There was a significant difference
      between measurements using image rendering 3D-CT and transparent 3D-CT protocol
      for height (23.8 +/- 7.9mm and 33.0 +/- 5.0mm, respectively; p=0.017) and no
      differences for length (18.6 +/- 4.2mm and 18.3 +/- 4.5mm, respectively; p=0.560)
      . CONCLUSION: Height in transparent CT protocol was different and length was the
      same as compared to 3D-CT rendering protocol in Bernard and Hertel method for
      tunnel measurements. Level of Evidence II, Descriptive Laboratory Study.

PMID- 28642648
TI  - MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SCAPULA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS IN BRISTOW-LATARJET
      PROCEDURE.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess which of two procedures, Bristow or Latarjet, is
      anatomically the most appropriate for the general population . METHODS: One
      thousand one hundred and thirty two shoulders were evaluated by an observer who
      measured the following coracoid process parameters - length, angle and minimum
      thickness - through Computed Tomography (CT) analysis. Statistical analysis was
      carried out by ANOVA and Bland-Altman tests . RESULTS: The mean length, angle and
      minimum thickness of the coracoid were 27.0 +/- 3.80 mm; 103.54 +/- 14.03 degrees
      ; and 9.16 +/- 6.38 mm, respectively. Gender differences were statistically
      significant . CONCLUSION: According to this image-based anatomic study, the
      coracoid process dimensions do not influence the choice between Bristow or
      Latarjet procedures. Level of Evidence III, Therapeutic Studies - Investigating
      the Results of Treatment.

PMID- 28642649
TI  - ALLOGENEIC PLATELET-RICH PLASMA FOR ROTATOR CUFF REPAIR.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of allogeneic platelet-rich
      plasma (PRP) in rotator cuff repair . METHODS: Seventeen patients with a full
      thickness rotator cuff tear were included. Ten patients underwent arthroscopic
      rotator cuff repair with allogeneic, and seven patients with autologous PRP.
      Three PRP gels in a volume 3 ml each were applied between the torn end and the
      greater tuberosity. Clinical outcomes were assessed preoperatively and at a
      minimum of 2 years after surgery. Structural outcomes were evaluated with the
      presence of retear and the change of the cross-sectional area (ACT) of the
      supraspinatus . RESULTS: Allogeneic PRP did not cause any adverse events during
      the follow-up period. There was no significant difference in the clinical outcome
      measures between the two groups (all p > 0.05). The retear rate was 33.3% and
      25.0% in the allogeneic group and autologous group, respectively (p = 0.764). The
      change between the one-year postoperative and immediately postoperative ACT was
      not also significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.373) . CONCLUSION:
      Allogeneic PRP in arthroscopic rotator cuff did not cause any local or general
      complications and that has the efficacy comparable to autologous PRP with respect
      to the clinical and structural outcomes. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective
      Comparative Study.

PMID- 28642650
TI  - EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON LISFRANC INJURIES.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of patients with Lisfranc injuries and
      their associated fractures . METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis on 42
      patients with Lisfranc injuries hospitalized at Instituto de Ortopedia e
      Traumatologia do Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade
      de Sao Paulo, between 2006 and 2010. Parameters on patient profile, risk factors,
      fracture characteristics, data on treatment and acute complications were analyzed
      . RESULTS: Analysis of 42 cases showed that in our sample, men were more affected
      than women, with a ratio of 4.25:1. The most frequent trauma mechanism was car
      accident, followed by motorcycle accident. The most frequent type of injury was
      isolated lesion type B of Quenu and Kuss classification, representing 50% of
      cases. The most common fracture on the sample was the second metatarsal bone,
      with 16 cases, followed by cuboid bone fracture. Among the 42 cases, 17% had
      exposed fractures and 33 patients presented other associated fractures. The mean
      time elapsed between the trauma and definitive treatment was 6.7 days, while the
      mean length of hospital stay was 13.8 days. Six patients presented acute
      postoperative complications . CONCLUSION: Lisfranc injuries are more common in
      men undergoing automobile trauma. The prevalence of associated fractures is a
      frequent finding and the hospital stay may be longstanding. Level of Evidence IV,
      Case Series.

PMID- 28642652
TI  - DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF POSTERIOR INTEROSSEOUS NERVE ENTRAPMENT: SYSTEMATIC
      REVIEW.
AB  - Compressive syndromes of the radial nerve have different presentations. There is
      no consensus on diagnostic and therapeutic methods. The aim of this review is to
      summarize such methods. Eletronic searches related terms, held in databases (1980
      2016): Pubmed (via Medline), Lilacs (via Scielo) and Google Scholar. Through pre
      defined protocol, we identified relevant studies. We excluded case reports.
      Aspects of diagnosis and treatment were synthesized for analysis and tables.
      Quantitative analyzes were followed by their dispersion variables. Fourteen
      studies were included. All studies were considered as level IV evidence. Most
      studies consider aspects of clinical history and provocative maneuvers. There is
      no consensus on the use of electromyography, and methods are heterogeneous.
      Studies have shown that surgical treatment (muscle release and neurolysis) has
      variable success rate, ranging from 20 to 96.5%. Some studies applied self
      reported scores, though the heterogeneity of the population does not allow
      inferential analyzes on the subject. few complications reported. Most studies
      consider the diagnosis of compressive radial nerve syndromes essentially
      clinical. The most common treatment was combined muscle release and neurolysis,
      with heterogeneous results. There is a need for comparative studies . Level of
      Evidence III, Systematic Review.

PMID- 28642651
TI  - BIMALLEOLAR ANKLE FRACTURE: A SIMPLE FRACTURE?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency of deltoid ligament injury in bimalleolar
      supination-external rotation type fractures and whether there is a correlation
      between the size of the fractured medial malleolus and deltoid ligament injury .
      METHODS: Twenty six consecutive patients underwent magnetic resonance exams after
      clinical and radiographic diagnosis of bimalleolar supination-external rotation
      type ankle fractures . RESULTS: Thirteen patients (50%) presented deltoid
      ligament injury associated to bimalleolar ankle fracture. Partial injury was
      present in seven (26.9%) patients and total injury in six (23.1%). Regarding
      medial fragment size, the average was 2.88 cm in the absence of deltoid ligament
      injury. Partial injuries presented 1.93 cm and total 2.1 cm on average .
      CONCLUSION: Deltoid ligament injury was present in 50% of bimalleolar ankle
      fractures. Smaller medial malleolus fragments, especially concerning the anterior
      colliculus, presented greater association with partial deltoid ligament injuries.
      Level of Evidence IV, Cross Sectional Study.

PMID- 28642653
TI  - CLINICAL APPLICATION OF A DRILL GUIDE TEMPLATE FOR PEDICLE SCREW PLACEMENT IN
      SEVERE SCOLIOSIS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy and the effect of drill guide template for
      pedicle screw placement in severe scoliosis. METHOD: Eight patients with rigid
      scoliosis were enrolled, five males and three females, ranging from nine to 23
      years old. A three-dimensional CT scan of the spine was performed and saved as a
      DICOM file type. The multi-level template was designed by Mimics software and
      manufactured according to the part of the most severe deformity. The drill
      template was placed on the corresponding vertebral surface. Pedicle screws were
      carefully inserted across the trajectory of the template. Postoperatively, the
      positions of the pedicle screws were evaluated by CT scan and graded for
      validation. RESULTS: No spinal cord injury or nerve damage occurred. All patients
      had satisfactory outcomes. The abnormalities and the measures observed during
      operation were the same as those found in the preoperative period. The position
      of the pedicle screws was accurate, according to the postoperative X-ray and CT
      scan. The rate of scoliosis correction was 60%. Compared with controls, surgery
      time, blood loss and radiation were significantly lower. CONCLUSION: With the
      application of multi-level template, the placement of pedicle screws shows high
      accuracy in scoliosis with shorter surgical time, less blood loss and less
      radiation exposure. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

PMID- 28642654
TI  - QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF EXPERIMENTAL BONE REGENERATION USING INDENTATION
      TESTS.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the macroindentation test can be applied to
      quantitatively assess bone regeneration. METHODS: A 3.2 mm diameter transverse
      monocortical defect was created on the medial aspect of both proximal metaphyses
      of the tibia of male Unib-WH rats. For the macroindentation tests, we used 5.00
      mm diameter indenters with a 3.2 mm tip. Defect testing was performed 1 to 12
      weeks following the surgical procedures to compare the hardness of the newly
      developed tissue over the 12-week study period. Additional histological,
      morphological and physical/chemical data were obtained by optical and electronic
      microscopy, Raman, and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS). RESULTS: The
      mean indentation forces increased in a time-dependent manner from 4 to 12 weeks
      (p<0.001). Tests performed with the 5.0 mm diameter tip were not able to measure
      the indentation forces in the first week after the procedure. Moreover, in the
      second postoperative week indentation forces and the newly formed tissue within
      the spinal canal were greater than those measured in the fourth and eighth weeks.
      CONCLUSIONS: The macroindentation test can be used to quantitatively assess bone
      regeneration in experimental studies. The choice of indenter tip diameter should
      consider the study design. Level of Evidence II, Diagnostic Studies.

PMID- 28642655
TI  - THE INFLUENCE OF PASSIVE TOBACCO EXPOSURE AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON BONE TISSUE OF
      YOUNG RATS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of passive
      smoking during pregnancy and associated with swimming on bone area growth, bone
      mineral density (BMD), and bone mineral content (BMC). METHODS: The offspring was
      grouped by control matrices (G1) and passive smokers (G2). The offspring was
      regrouped in eight subgroups, with exposure to smoking (2x/day) and physical
      exercise (1 session/day), respecting the group of matrices in: sedentary control
      (G1CS and G2CS), swimming control (G1CN and G2CN), sedentary passive smoker (G1FS
      and G2FS), and passive smoker swimmer (G1FN and G2FN). The area, BMD and BMC were
      measured by the tibia and femur and analyzed by densitometer. The results were
      analyzed by One-Way ANOVA test with Tukey post-test, with a significance level of
      5%. RESULTS: In the tibia BMC study, a better rate was observed in G2CN group
      when compared to G1CS, G1CN and G1FN (p <= 0.023). When assessing BMD in the
      femur, a higher density ratio was observed in G1FS group when compared to G2CS,
      G2CN, G2FS and G2FN (p<0.008). In the tibia study, the animals of the G1FS group
      had higher rates when compared to G2CS and G2FN groups (p<=0.007). CONCLUSIONS:
      The model of male offspring exposed to passive smoking during fetal development
      showed a strong decrease in the analyzed parameters. Level of Evidence I,
      Randomized High Quality Clinical Trial With or Without Statistically Significant
      Difference, But Narrow Confidence Intervals.

PMID- 28642656
TI  - LOCAL PERIARTICULAR ANALGESIA IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of infiltration of periarticular analgesic agents
      intraoperatively in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with regard to benefits,
      reduction of pain, opioid consumption, improvement of range of motion and early
      ambulation. METHODS: To analyze the benefits of periarticular drug infiltration,
      the patients submitted to TKA were evaluated, being separated into two groups.
      One group received the local periarticular infiltration protocol containing 0.5%
      bupivacaine (400mg/20ml), 1/1000 epinephrine (0.3ml), triamcinolone hexacetonide
      (20mg/1ml), clonidine (150mcg/1ml) and 20 ml of saline (0.9% SS) and, the other
      group underwent conventional intravenous analgesia. The results were compared and
      the variables analyzed were age, sex, BMI, comorbidities, postoperative
      complications, pain, functional capacity, range of motion, transfusion and rescue
      opioids for analgesia. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 68 years and
      most were female and presented involvement of the left knee. Postoperatively,
      patients who had received periarticular infiltration showed improvement of pain
      as well as functional capacity. CONCLUSION: The analysis of data obtained
      demonstrated that the periarticular infiltration of analgesic agents is
      significantly effective for pain control and functional recovery. Level of
      Evidence II, Prospective Comparative Study.

PMID- 28642657
TI  - NEGATIVE-PRESSURE WOUND THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF COMPLEX INJURIES AFTER TOTAL
      KNEE ARTHROPLASTY.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present an experience with negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT)
      in the treatment of surgical wounds in patients treated for infections after
      total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with or without dehiscence and prophylaxis in
      wounds considered at risk of healing problems. METHODS: We prospectively
      evaluated patients with TKA infection with or without surgical wound dehiscence
      and patients with risk factors for infection or surgical wound complications
      treated with Pico(r) device for NPWT in addition to standard treatment of
      infection or dehiscence in our institution. We considered as an initial favorable
      outcome the resolution of the infectious process and the closure of the surgical
      wound dehiscences in the treated cases and the good progression of the wound
      without complicating events in the prophylactic cases. RESULTS: We evaluated 10
      patients who used Pico(r) in our service. All patients had a favorable outcome
      according to established criteria. No complications were identified regarding the
      use of the NPWT device. The mean follow-up of the patients after the use of the
      device was 10.5 months. CONCLUSION: The NPWT can be safely used in wound
      infections and complications following TKA with promising results. Long-term
      randomized prospective studies should be conducted to prove its effectiveness.
      Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642658
TI  - STUDY OF THE ANTEROLATERAL LIGAMENT OF THE KNEE IN FORMALIN-EMBEDDED CADAVERS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To verify the incidence and characterize morphologically the
      anterolateral ligament of the knee (ALL) in cadaveric samples of the collection
      of the Laboratory of Anatomy of the Department of Morphology of the Universidade
      Federal do Espirito Santo. METHODS: Dissections and cross sections were performed
      for mesoscopic analysis of the anterolateral region of 15 knees preserved in 4%
      formalin solution in order to identify the ALL. RESULTS: After dissection of the
      skin and subcutaneous tissue of the knee anterolateral region, it was possible to
      identify the iliotibial tract (ITT), the patellar ligament and the femoral biceps
      tendon. The ITT was removed from the Gerdy tubercle and the following structures
      were visualized: knee joint capsule, fibular collateral ligament and popliteal
      tendon. However, the ALL was not identified in any of the samples. CONCLUSIONS:
      The ALL could not be identified in any of the specimens studied, either through
      dissection or mesoscopic analysis. Level of Evidence III, Diagnosis Studies -
      Investigation of an Exam for Diagnosis.

PMID- 28642659
TI  - SPORTS INJURIES AMONG AMATEUR ATHLETES AT A BRAZILIAN UNIVERSITY.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To obtain information on the incidence and nature of sports injuries
      at a Brazilian university. METHOD: Data from 396 student amateur athletes (61%
      male) playing 15 different sports during the 2013 season were retrospectively
      evaluated. Subjects completed the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury
      Surveillance System questionnaire at the conclusion of the 2013 sports season.
      Injuries that resulted in at least one day of time lost were included. Exposure
      was defined as one student amateur athlete participating in one practice or game
      and is expressed as an athlete-exposure (A-E). RESULTS: Injury rates were
      significantly greater in games (13.13 injuries per 1000 A-Es, 95% CI = 10.3-15)
      than in practices (4.47 injuries per 1000 A-Es, 95% CI = 3.9-5.1). The mechanisms
      that accounted for the most injuries in games and practices were player contact
      (52.9%) and non-contact (54.5%), respectively. Ankle ligament sprains were the
      most common injury (18.2% of all reported injuries). A relatively high incidence
      of anterior cruciate ligament injury was also observed (0.16 injuries per 1000 A
      Es). CONCLUSION: Brazilian student amateur athletes are at great risk of
      sustaining non-contact injuries such as ankle sprains and anterior cruciate
      ligament injuries. Level III of Evidence, Study of non consecutive patients;
      without consistently applied reference ''gold'' standard.

PMID- 28642660
TI  - BONE FRAGILITY, FRACTURE RISK AND TRAUMA:A COMPLICATED TRIANGLE IN CHILDREN.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether association between bone fragility and risk of
      fracture depends on the trauma level. METHOD: All participants along with their
      mothers underwent DXA scan and body measurements. The subjects answered a self
      report questionnaire about their physical activities and the precipitating
      causes. The questionnaire results were associated with DXA performed at the
      baseline visit. RESULTS: A total 374 children with available DXA scan and
      complete follow-up of 5 years were included in the final analysis. Of the 374
      children, 53 (14.2%) had one fracture, and 11 (20.7%) had more than one fracture.
      Based on the modified Landin classification, the trauma level was determined. Of
      the 53 (14.2%) children who had one fracture, 39 (73.6%) were classified, namely
      19 (48.7%) with mild trauma, 16 (41%) with moderate trauma and four (10.2%) with
      severe trauma. Trauma level could not be assigned to 14 (26.4%) children due to
      limited information. Children without fractures had significantly higher values
      in all bone parameters compared to those with fractures caused by mild trauma.
      CONCLUSION: Subjects with mild trauma fractures had an inversely proportional
      ratio between bone fragility parameters and fracture risk compared with subjects
      without fractures. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642661
TI  - CUSTOMIZED GUIDE FOR FEMORAL COMPONENT POSITIONING IN HIP RESURFACING
      ARTHROPLASTY.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To prove the accuracy of a customized guide developed according to our
      method. METHODS: This customized guide was developed from a three-dimensional
      model of proximal femur reconstructed using computed tomography data. Based on
      the new technique, the position of the guide pin insertion was selected and
      adjusted using the reference of the anatomical femoral neck axis. The customized
      guide consists of a hemispheric covering designed to fit the posterior part of
      the femoral neck. The performance of the customized guide was tested in eight
      patients scheduled for total hip arthroplasty. The stability of the customized
      guide was assessed by orthopedic surgeons. An intraoperative image intensifier
      was used to assess the accuracy. RESULTS: The customized guide was stabilized
      with full contact and was fixed in place in all patients. The mean angular
      deviations in relation to the what was planned in anteroposterior and lateral hip
      radiographs were 0.5o +/- 1.8o in valgus and 1.0o +/- 2.4o in retroversion,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: From this pilot test, the authors suggest that the
      proposed technique could be applied as a customized guide to the positioning
      device for hip resurfacing arthroplasty with acceptable accuracy and user
      friendly interface. Level of Evidence IV, Cases Series.

PMID- 28642662
TI  - FEMORAL NECK FRACTURES GARDEN I AND II: EVALUATION OF THE DEVIATION IN LATERAL
      VIEW.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the rate of deviation in the lateral radiographic
      incidence in patients with femoral neck fracture classified as non-diverted in
      the anteroposterior view (Garden I and II). METHODS: Nineteen selected patients
      with femoral neck fractures classified as Garden I and II were retrospectively
      evaluated, estimating the degree of deviation in the lateral view. RESULTS:
      Fifteen cases (79%) presented deviations in lateral view, with a mean of 18.6
      degrees (+/-15.5). CONCLUSION: Most fractures of the femoral neck classified as
      Garden I and II present some degree of posterior deviation in the X-ray lateral
      view. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

PMID- 28642663
TI  - Weber C ankle fractures with tibiofibular diastasis: syndesmosis-only fixation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate syndesmosis-only fixation in Weber C ankle fractures with
      tibiofibular diastasis and to assess the need for additional fibular fixation.
      METHODS: Twenty-one patients with Weber C ankle fractures and tibiofibular
      diastasis were followed for at least 24 months after treatment. In treatment of
      the Weber C fractures, only a syndesmosis screw was used through a mini open
      lateral incision if the syndesmosis could be anatomically reduced and fibular
      length and rotation could be restored. At follow-up, anteroposterior tibiofibular
      distance, lateral fibular distance, medial mortise distance and fracture healing
      were compared and patients were clinically evaluated using the Olerud and
      Molander ankle scale scoring system. RESULTS: The average duration of follow-up
      was 49 months and the decreases in anteroposterior tibiofibular distance and
      lateral fibular distance were statistically significant. At the last follow-up
      the average clinical score was 86. Ankle mortise was reduced at follow-up in all
      cases except one, which resulted in a late diastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Syndesmosis
      only fixation can be an effective method of treating Weber type-C lateral
      malleolar fractures with syndesmosis disruption in cases where intraoperative
      fibular length can be restored and anatomical syndesmosis reduction can be
      achieved. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642664
TI  - Surgical treatment results for dupuytren's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present the results of our cases of Dupuytren's disease treated
      with regional selective fasciectomy in light of the literature. METHODS: Patients
      diagnosed with Dupuytren's contracture and surgically treated with regional
      selective fasciectomy at our institution with adequate follow-up data were
      included in the study. All patients were routinely followed after surgery to
      assess results and complications. QuickDASH scoring was used to evaluate the
      patients and recurrences and complications were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-one
      hands of 19 patients (13 males, 6 females) who underwent surgery and received
      adequate follow-up were retrospectively evaluated. Mean patient age was 65.8
      (range: 41 to 86) and the mean follow-up period was 48.2 months (range: 24 to
      86). Fourteen (66.6%) hands had excellent results, five (23%) hands had good
      results and two (9.4%) had fair results. The mean QuickDASH score for the
      patients at the final follow-up was 6.58 (range: 0 to 20.4). CONCLUSION: Our
      study results demonstrated that regional selective fasciectomy is a reliable and
      efficient method to treat Dupuytren's disease with low rates of complications and
      recurrence and the technique can be considered the gold standard. Level of
      Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642665
TI  - Osteoporosis in brazilian patients awaiting knee arthroplasty.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of
      osteoporosis and osteopenia prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in female
      patients. As a secondary objective, we evaluated the incidence of hip fractures,
      types of drugs to treat osteoporosis and serum vitamin D levels. METHOD: This is
      a transversal, descriptive and observational study which evaluated 60 women above
      age 55 prior to total knee replacement. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 71.4 years.
      Osteoporosis was present in 16.7% of the sample and osteopenia in 15%. In the
      patients with osteoporosis, femur fracture (20%) was most frequent. Most of the
      group with osteopenia did not take any medication to treat this condition
      (55.6%), while most patients with osteoporosis took alendronate (30%) and 30% did
      not take any medication. CONCLUSION: The female population awaiting total knee
      replacement should be considered at risk for osteoporosis, confirming recent
      findings in the literature. Level of Evidence III, Control Case Study.

PMID- 28642666
TI  - Shoulder disorders in an outpatient clinic: an epidemiological study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe shoulder disorders in patients evaluated by two shoulder
      and elbow surgeons. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed patients
      evaluated by two authors, excluding acute fractures and dislocations and patients
      with symptoms not involving the shoulder. Age and sex distribution was determined
      for the different diagnoses. RESULTS: We evaluated 1001 patients. Mean age was
      51.43+/-15.15 years and 51.0% were female. Disorders of the rotator cuff occurred
      in 64.3% (41.2% tendinopathy, 11.0% partial tears and 12.2% full-thickness
      tears). Adhesive capsulitis occurred in 13.5% of cases and glenohumeral
      instability in 8.1%. Rotator cuff disorders were more common in women, with a
      peak between 50 and 59 years for tendinopathy and partial tears and between 60
      and 69 years for full-thickness tears. Glenohumeral instability was more frequent
      in men, with a peak between 30 and 39 years. CONCLUSION: The most frequent
      diagnosis was rotator cuff tendinopathy, followed by adhesive capsulitis, full
      thickness rotator cuff tears, partial rotator cuff tears and glenohumeral
      instability. Rotator cuff lesions were more common in women, with a peak between
      60 and 69 years for full-thickness tears. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642667
TI  - Surgical treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation using the endobutton.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of 23 patients
      diagnosed with acute type III acromioclavicular dislocation treated with the
      Endobutton. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with a diagnosis of type III
      acromioclavicular dislocation were treated surgically. RESULTS: Twenty-one
      patients were male (91.3%) and 2 (8.7%) were female. The dominant side was
      affected in 15 patients (65.21%) and the non-dominant side in 8 patients
      (34.79%). All patients were operated on by the same surgical team within 4 weeks
      of the trauma. According to the UCLA score, 14 patients (60.86%) presented
      excellent results, 7 patients (30.43%) had good results and 2 patients (8.69%)
      had regular results. CONCLUSION: The technique was effective in treating acute
      type III dislocations with a high degree of patient satisfaction. Level of
      Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642668
TI  - Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: surgical treatment and quality of life.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of
      perioperative factors and their impact on clinical and functional outcomes in
      Brazilian patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS: We
      performed a prospective study with 49 consecutive AIS patients who underwent
      spine fusion and had a minimum 2 year follow-up. Clinical and radiographic data
      were correlated to SRS-30 scores in order to predict postoperative results.
      RESULTS: There was a negative association between patient age at the time of
      surgery and back pain. We also observed higher scores in the "satisfaction"
      domain in patients who underwent surgery after 15 years of age (p < 0.05). The
      average SRS-30 "mental health" score was significantly higher in males than in
      females (p= 0.035). Patients treated with braces had worse results than those who
      did not use them (p= 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior spine fusion led to
      improvement of all domains of the SRS-30 questionnaire. Clinical results were
      influenced by age, sex and the use of braces prior to surgery. There was no
      correlation between curve correction and presence of perioperative complications.
      Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642669
TI  - Concordance for curve type in idiopathic scoliosis among family members.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the concordance for the curve pattern, side and levels of
      the superior apical vertebrae, apex and inferior apical vertebrae of curves in
      patients and their relatives with idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: Concordance
      according to the Lenke classification for curve pattern, side and levels of the
      superior apical vertebrae, apex and inferior apical vertebrae were evaluated
      comparative and prospectively in 243 pairs of patients and respective relatives
      with idiopathic scoliosis. RESULTS: The family concordance for the curve pattern
      and side was 51.4% (125 pairs). Among these pairs, the concordance of the levels
      of the vertebrae was 91.2% (114 pairs). The concordance rate for the curve
      pattern and side between parents/children was 51.6% and between siblings was
      50.0% (p-value= 0.411). The concordance rates of the levels of vertebrae were
      86.8% and 95.1%, respectively (p-value = 0.219). CONCLUSION: Curve shape in
      idiopathic scoliosis is related to family and degree of kinship, since the data
      showed a high concordance for the curve pattern, side and levels of the apical
      vertebrae and apex between patients and relatives with this deformity. The
      concordance was higher in those with a closer degree of kinship. Level of
      Evidence II, Lesser Quality Prospective Study.

PMID- 28642670
TI  - Ginkgo Biloba improves bone formation during fracture healing: an experimental
      study in rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) is a plant extract obtained from the
      leaves of the G. biloba tree. The aim of this study was to assess the
      histological and radiological effects of G. biloba extract on fracture healing in
      an experimental fracture model using rat femurs. METHODS: Forty-eight female
      Sprague-Dawley rats (weight: 195-252 g; age: 20 weeks) were used in the study.
      The rats were randomly divided into six groups (n=8). A transverse fracture was
      made in the middle of the right femur of each rat and fixed with a Kirschner
      wire. The G. biloba groups received 60 mg/kg oral G. biloba extract once daily.
      No medication was given to the control groups. On days 7, 21 and 35, both sets of
      femurs were evaluated radiologically and histopathologically. RESULTS:
      Histological evaluation revealed that the G. biloba groups had significant
      differences at 21 and 35 days (p<0.05). The G. biloba group showed a significant
      difference in terms of bone formation on day 21 when compared to the control
      group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that the use of G. biloba
      extract accelerated fracture healing. Both radiological and histological
      differences were detected, but the histological differences were more remarkable.
      Level of Evidence I, High Quality Randomized Trial.

PMID- 28642672
TI  - Multifocal osteonecrosis secondary to occupational exposure to aluminum.
AB  - Multifocal osteonecrosis is a rare disease; chronic use of corticosteroids is
      considered the main risk factor. Patients with chronic renal failure can develop
      aluminum toxicity, which can lead to osteomalacia and encephalopathy. An
      association between osteonecrosis and aluminum toxicity has been reported among
      patients with dialytic renal insufficiency. Occupational exposure to aluminum
      rarely causes lung disease and no cases of bone lesions resulting from exposure
      to this metal have been reported. In this manuscript, we describe a novel case of
      a patient with multifocal osteonecrosis associated with chronic occupational
      exposure to aluminum. Level of Evidence IV, Case Report.

PMID- 28642671
TI  - Subchondral raft construction with locking plates for the treatment of Schatzker
      type II fractures.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the functional and radiological results of Schatzker type
      II fractures treated via subchondral raft screws combined with locking plates.
      METHODS: Twenty-four individuals were enrolled in this study between 2010 and
      2014. The depressed joint line was elevated and the defect was filled with
      allograft. Next, two or three subchondral screws were placed in combination with
      a locking plate. At the last follow-up, clinical and radiological data were
      recorded. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 21.4 months (12-39). The mean
      Knee Society Score (KSS) and Rasmussen clinical scores were 91.5 (range, 77-100)
      and 16.75 (range, 14-18), respectively. The mean Rasmussen radiological score was
      27.9 (range, 24-30) during the follow-up. There was no statistically significant
      difference between injured and non-injured sides with respect to the mechanical
      axis, the proximal medial tibial angle, and tibial slope. In addition, arthritis
      showed no difference on the non-injured side, although follow-up was short.
      CONCLUSIONS: The periarticular raft construction combined with the locking plate
      helps surgeon to maintain the anatomic line of the joint and the mechanical axis
      obtained during the surgery. Secondary arthritis seems to be major complication
      after fractures of the tibial plateau, although the functional results were
      satisfactory. Level of Evidence IV, Case Series.

PMID- 28642673
TI  - WaveformECG: A Platform for Visualizing, Annotating, and Analyzing ECG Data.
AB  - The electrocardiogram (ECG) is the most commonly collected data in cardiovascular
      research because of the ease with which it can be measured and because changes in
      ECG waveforms reflect underlying aspects of heart disease. Accessed through a
      browser, WaveformECG is an open source platform supporting interactive analysis,
      visualization, and annotation of ECGs.

PMID- 28642674
TI  - AN AUTOMATIC 3D CT/PET SEGMENTATION FRAMEWORK FOR BONE MARROW PROLIFERATION
      ASSESSMENT.
AB  - Clinical assessment of bone marrow is limited by an inability to evaluate the
      marrow space comprehensively and dynamically and there is no current method for
      automatically assessing hematopoietic activity within the medullary space.
      Evaluating the hematopoietic space in its entirety could be applicable in blood
      disorders, malignancies, infections, and medication toxicity. In this paper, we
      introduce a CT/PET 3D automatic framework for measurement of the hematopoietic
      compartment proliferation within osseous sites. We first perform a full-body bone
      structure segmentation using 3D graph-cut on the CT volume. The vertebrae are
      segmented by detecting the discs between adjacent vertebrae. Finally, we register
      the bone marrow CT volume with its corresponding PET volume and capture the
      spinal bone marrow volume. The proposed framework was tested on 17 patients,
      achieving an average accuracy of 86.37% and a worst case accuracy of 82.3% in
      automatically extracting the aggregate volume of the spinal marrow cavities.

PMID- 28642675
TI  - Role of Minimally Invasive Surgery in the Reoperative Abdomen or Pelvis.
AB  - Laparoscopy has become widely accepted as the preferred surgical approach in the
      management of benign and malignant colorectal diseases. Once considered a
      relative contraindication in patients with prior abdominal surgery (PAS), as
      surgeons have continued to gain expertise in advanced laparoscopy, minimally
      invasive approaches have been increasingly incorporated in the reoperative
      abdomen and pelvis. Although earlier studies have described conversion rates,
      most contemporary series evaluating the impact of PAS in laparoscopic colorectal
      resection have reported equivalent conversion and morbidity rates between
      reoperative and non-reoperative cases, and series evaluating the impact of
      laparoscopy in reoperative cases have demonstrated improved short-term outcomes
      with laparoscopy. The data overall highlight the importance of case selection,
      careful preoperative preparation and planning, and the critical role of surgeons'
      expertise in advanced laparoscopic techniques. Challenges to the widespread
      adoption of minimally invasive techniques in reoperative colorectal cases include
      the longer learning curve and longer operative time. However, with the steady
      increase in adoption of minimally invasive techniques worldwide, minimally
      invasive surgery (MIS) is likely to continue to be applied in the management of
      increasingly complex reoperative colorectal cases in an effort to improve patient
      outcomes. In the hands of experienced MIS surgeons and in carefully selected
      cases, laparoscopy is both safe and efficacious for reoperative procedures in the
      abdomen and pelvis, with measurable short-term benefits.

PMID- 28642677
TI  - A novel workflow combining plaque imaging, plaque and plasma proteomics
      identifies biomarkers of human coronary atherosclerotic plaque disruption.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic plaque rupture is the culprit event which underpins
      most acute vascular syndromes such as acute myocardial infarction. Novel
      biomarkers of plaque rupture could improve biological understanding and clinical
      management of patients presenting with possible acute vascular syndromes but such
      biomarker(s) remain elusive. Investigation of biomarkers in the context of de
      novo plaque rupture in humans is confounded by the inability to attribute the
      plaque rupture as the source of biomarker release, as plaque ruptures are
      typically associated with prompt down-stream events of myocardial necrosis and
      systemic inflammation. METHODS: We developed a novel approach to identify
      potential biomarkers of plaque rupture by integrating plaque imaging, using
      optical coherence tomography, with both plaque and plasma proteomic analysis in a
      human model of angioplasty-induced plaque disruption. RESULTS: We compared two
      pairs of coronary plaque debris, captured by a FilterWire Device, and their
      corresponding control samples and found matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) to be
      significantly enriched in plaque. Plaque contents, as defined by optical
      coherence tomography, affect the systemic changes of MMP9. Disruption of lipid
      rich plaque led to prompt elevation of plasma MMP9, whereas disruption of non
      lipid-rich plaque resulted in delayed elevation of plasma MMP9. Systemic MMP9
      elevation is independent of the associated myocardial necrosis and systemic
      inflammation (measured by Troponin I and C-reactive protein, respectively). This
      information guided the selection of a subset of subjects of for further label
      free proteomics analysis by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC
      MS/MS). We discovered five novel, plaque-enriched proteins (lipopolysaccharide
      binding protein, Annexin A5, eukaryotic translocation initiation factor, syntaxin
      11, cytochrome B5 reductase 3) to be significantly elevated in systemic
      circulation at 5 min after plaque disruption. CONCLUSION: This novel approach for
      biomarker discovery in human coronary artery plaque disruption can identify new
      biomarkers related to human coronary artery plaque composition and disruption.

PMID- 28642678
TI  - A Cold-Blooded View on Adult Neurogenesis.
AB  - During brain development, highly complex and interconnected neural circuits are
      established. This intricate wiring needs to be robust to faithfully perform adult
      brain function throughout life, but at the same time offer room for plasticity to
      integrate new information. In the mammalian brain, adult-born neurons are
      produced in restricted niches harboring neural stem cells. In the fruit fly
      Drosophila, low-level adult neurogenesis arising from a dispersed population of
      neural progenitors has recently been detected in the optic lobes. Strikingly,
      these normally quiescent neural stem cells proliferate upon brain injury and
      produce new neurons for brain regeneration. Here, we review adult neurogenesis in
      crustaceans and insects and highlight that neurogenesis in the visual system is
      prominent in arthropods, but its role and underlying mechanisms are unclear.
      Moreover, we discuss how the study of damage-responsive progenitor cells in
      Drosophila may help to understand robust regenerative neurogenesis and open new
      avenues to enhance brain repair after injury or stroke in humans.

PMID- 28642679
TI  - Assessment of Ipsilateral Efferent Effects in Human via ECochG.
AB  - Development of electrophysiological means to assess the medial olivocochlear
      (MOC) system in humans is important to further our understanding of the function
      of that system and for the refinement and validation of psychoacoustical and
      otoacoustic emission methods which are thought to probe the MOC. Based on
      measurements in anesthetized animals it has been hypothesized that the MOC-reflex
      (MOCR) can enhance the response to signals in noise, and several lines of
      evidence support such a role in humans. A difficulty in these studies is the
      isolation of efferent effects. Efferent activation can be triggered by acoustic
      stimulation of the contralateral or ipsilateral ear, but ipsilateral stimulation
      is thought to be more effective. However, ipsilateral stimulation complicates
      interpretation of effects since these sounds can affect the perception of other
      ipsilateral sounds by mechanisms not involving olivocochlear efferents. We
      assessed the ipsilaterally evoked MOCR in human using a transtympanic procedure
      to record mass-potentials from the cochlear promontory or the niche of the round
      window. Averaged compound action potential (CAP) responses to masked probe tones
      of 4 kHz with and without a precursor (designed to activate the MOCR but not the
      stapedius reflex) were extracted with a polarity alternating paradigm. The masker
      was either a simultaneous narrow band noise masker or a short (20-ms) tonal ON-
      or OFF-frequency forward masker. The subjects were screened for normal hearing
      (audiogram, tympanogram, threshold stapedius reflex) and psychoacoustically
      tested for the presence of a precursor effect. We observed a clear reduction of
      CAP amplitude by the precursor, for different masking conditions. Even without an
      MOCR, this is expected because the precursor will affect the response to
      subsequent stimuli via neural adaptation. To determine whether the precursor also
      activated the efferent system, we measured the CAP over a range of masker levels,
      with or without precursor, and for different types of masker. The results show
      CAP reduction consistent with the type of gain reduction caused by the MOCR.
      These results generally support psychoacoustical paradigms designed to probe the
      efferent system as indeed activating the MOCR system, but not all observations
      are consistent with this mechanism.

PMID- 28642680
TI  - Weight Bearing Over-ground Stepping in an Exoskeleton with Non-invasive Spinal
      Cord Neuromodulation after Motor Complete Paraplegia.
AB  - We asked whether coordinated voluntary movement of the lower limbs could be
      regained in an individual having been completely paralyzed (>4 year) and
      completely absent of vision (>15 year) using two novel strategies-transcutaneous
      electrical spinal cord stimulation at selected sites over the spine as well as
      pharmacological neuromodulation by buspirone. We also asked whether these
      neuromodulatory strategies could facilitate stepping assisted by an exoskeleton
      (EKSO, EKSO Bionics, CA) that is designed so that the subject can voluntarily
      complement the work being performed by the exoskeleton. We found that spinal cord
      stimulation and drug enhanced the level of effort that the subject could generate
      while stepping in the exoskeleton. In addition, stimulation improved the
      coordination patterns of the lower limb muscles resulting in a more continuous,
      smooth stepping motion in the exoskeleton along with changes in autonomic
      functions including cardiovascular and thermoregulation. Based on these data from
      this case study it appears that there is considerable potential for positive
      synergistic effects after complete paralysis by combining the over-ground step
      training in an exoskeleton, combined with transcutaneous electrical spinal cord
      stimulation either without or with pharmacological modulation.

PMID- 28642681
TI  - gamma1-Containing GABA-A Receptors Cluster at Synapses Where they Mediate Slower
      Synaptic Currents than gamma2-Containing GABA-A Receptors.
AB  - GABA-A receptors (GABAARs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels that are
      assembled mainly from alpha (alpha1-6), beta (beta1-3) and gamma (gamma1-3)
      subunits. Although GABAARs containing gamma2L subunits mediate most of the
      inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain, significant expression of gamma1
      subunits is seen in the amygdala, pallidum and substantia nigra. However, the
      location and function of gamma1-containing GABAARs in these regions remains
      unclear. In "artificial" synapses, where the subunit composition of postsynaptic
      receptors is specifically controlled, gamma1 incorporation slows the synaptic
      current decay rate without affecting channel deactivation, suggesting that gamma1
      containing receptors are not clustered and therefore activated by diffuse
      neurotransmitter. However, we show that gamma1-containing receptors are localized
      at neuronal synapses and form clusters in both synaptic and extrasynaptic
      regions. In addition, they exhibit rapid membrane diffusion and a higher
      frequency of exchange between synaptic and perisynaptic populations compared to
      gamma2L-containing GABAARs. A point mutation in the large intracellular domain
      and a pharmacological analysis reveal that when a single non-conserved gamma2L
      residue is mutated to its gamma1 counterpart (T349L), the synaptic current decay
      is slowed from gamma2L- to gamma1-like without changing the clustering or
      diffusion properties of the receptors. In addition, previous fast perfusion and
      single channel kinetic experiments revealed no difference in the intrinsic
      closing rates of gamma2L- and gamma1-containing receptors when expressed in
      HEK293 cells. These observations together with Monte Carlo simulations of
      synaptic function confirm that decreased clustering does not control gamma1
      containing GABAAR kinetics. Rather, they suggest that gamma1- and gamma2L
      containing receptors exhibit differential synaptic current decay rates due to
      differential gating dynamics when localized at the synapse.

PMID- 28642676
TI  - International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise.
AB  - The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) provides an objective and
      critical review related to the intake of protein for healthy, exercising
      individuals. Based on the current available literature, the position of the
      Society is as follows:An acute exercise stimulus, particularly resistance
      exercise, and protein ingestion both stimulate muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and
      are synergistic when protein consumption occurs before or after resistance
      exercise.For building muscle mass and for maintaining muscle mass through a
      positive muscle protein balance, an overall daily protein intake in the range of
      1.4-2.0 g protein/kg body weight/day (g/kg/d) is sufficient for most exercising
      individuals, a value that falls in line within the Acceptable Macronutrient
      Distribution Range published by the Institute of Medicine for protein.Higher
      protein intakes (2.3-3.1 g/kg/d) may be needed to maximize the retention of lean
      body mass in resistance-trained subjects during hypocaloric periods.There is
      novel evidence that suggests higher protein intakes (>3.0 g/kg/d) may have
      positive effects on body composition in resistance-trained individuals (i.e.,
      promote loss of fat mass).Recommendations regarding the optimal protein intake
      per serving for athletes to maximize MPS are mixed and are dependent upon age and
      recent resistance exercise stimuli. General recommendations are 0.25 g of a high
      quality protein per kg of body weight, or an absolute dose of 20-40 g.Acute
      protein doses should strive to contain 700-3000 mg of leucine and/or a higher
      relative leucine content, in addition to a balanced array of the essential amino
      acids (EAAs).These protein doses should ideally be evenly distributed, every 3-4
      h, across the day.The optimal time period during which to ingest protein is
      likely a matter of individual tolerance, since benefits are derived from pre- or
      post-workout ingestion; however, the anabolic effect of exercise is long-lasting
      (at least 24 h), but likely diminishes with increasing time post-exercise.While
      it is possible for physically active individuals to obtain their daily protein
      requirements through the consumption of whole foods, supplementation is a
      practical way of ensuring intake of adequate protein quality and quantity, while
      minimizing caloric intake, particularly for athletes who typically complete high
      volumes of training. Rapidly digested proteins that contain high proportions of
      essential amino acids (EAAs) and adequate leucine, are most effective in
      stimulating MPS. Different types and quality of protein can affect amino acid
      bioavailability following protein supplementation. Athletes should consider
      focusing on whole food sources of protein that contain all of the EAAs (i.e., it
      is the EAAs that are required to stimulate MPS). Endurance athletes should focus
      on achieving adequate carbohydrate intake to promote optimal performance; the
      addition of protein may help to offset muscle damage and promote recovery. Pre
      sleep casein protein intake (30-40 g) provides increases in overnight MPS and
      metabolic rate without influencing lipolysis.

PMID- 28642682
TI  - Neuritin Inhibits Notch Signaling through Interacted with Neuralized to Promote
      the Neurite Growth.
AB  - Neuritin plays a key role in neural development and regeneration by promoting
      neurite outgrowth and synapse maturation. However, the mechanism of neuritin in
      modulating neurite growth has not been elucidated. Here, using yeast two-hybrid
      we screened and discovered the interaction of neuritin and neuralized (NEURL1),
      which is an important regulator that can activate Notch signaling through
      promoting endocytosis of Notch ligand. And then we identified the interaction of
      neuritin and neuralized by co-immunoprecipitation (IP) assays, and clarified that
      neuritin and NEURL1 were co-localized on the cell membrane of SH-SY5Y cells.
      Moreover, neuritin significantly suppressed Notch ligand Jagged1 (JAG1)
      endocytosis promoted by NEURL1, and then inhibited the activation of Notch
      receptor Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and decreased the expression of
      downstream gene hairy and enhancer of split-1 (HES1). Importantly, the effect of
      neuritin on inhibiting Notch signaling was rescued by NEURL1, which indicated
      that neuritin is an upstream and negative regulator of NEURL1 to inhibit Notch
      signaling through interaction with NEURL1. Notably, recombinant neuritin restored
      the retraction of neurites caused by activation of Notch, and neurite growth
      stimulated by neuritin was partially blocked by NEURL1. These findings establish
      neuritin as an upstream and negative regulator of NEURL1 that inhibits Notch
      signaling to promote neurite growth. This mechanism connects neuritin with Notch
      signaling, and provides a valuable foundation for further investigation of
      neuritin's role in neurodevelopment and neural plasticity.

PMID- 28642683
TI  - Object Phobia and Altered RhoA Signaling in Amygdala of Mice Lacking RICH2.
AB  - RICH2 knockout (RICH2 KO) mice exhibit neophobia in the novel object test. To
      gain further insight into their anxiety-related phenotype, we subjected these
      mice to additional behavioral tests to elucidate whether the behavioral
      abnormality in these mice is a consequence of reduced exploratory motivation, and
      whether the neophobia is linked specifically to objects or also present for other
      modalities. RICH2 KO mice engage in normal exploration in a novel environment,
      suggesting that the anxiety-related phenotype is not due to reduced exploratory
      drive. Increased fear response was not observed using novel olfactory cues, but
      restricted to objects. Given that the amygdala is an important brain region
      mediating anxiety-related behaviors and a prime target for anxiety-related
      therapeutics, and RICH2 is a Rho-GTPase activating protein (GAP) regulating
      synaptic spine plasticity via small GTPases, we analyzed spine formation,
      morphology and receptor composition in amygdala. We found disinhibition of RhoA
      in the amygdala of RICH2 KO mice, along with a decreased ability for actin
      polymerization and a reduction in mature spines. However, we detected increased
      neuronal activation in the amygdala evidenced by c-fos labeling. Thus, we
      conclude that despite unaltered baseline activity, RICH2 KO mice show heightened
      amygdala response after exposure to objects, which, however, does not result in
      homeostatic strengthening of excitatory synapses.

PMID- 28642684
TI  - Ferulic Acid Improves Functional Recovery after Acute Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
      by Inducing Hypoxia to Inhibit microRNA-590 and Elevate Vascular Endothelial
      Growth Factor Expressions.
AB  - Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the leading cause of paralysis, disability and even
      death in severe cases, and neural stem cells (NSCs) transplant has been employed
      for repairing SCI. Ferulic acid (FA) is able to promote neurogenesis in various
      stem cell therapies. We aimed to investigate the effect of FA on NSC transplant
      therapy, and the underlying mechanism, in improving functional recovery in SCI
      rat model. A rat model of SCI was established, which then received transplant of
      NSCs with or without FA pre-treatment. Functional recovery of the SCI rats was
      then evaluated, in terms of spinal cord water content, myeloperoxidase activity
      and behavioral assessments. Effect of FA in inducing hypoxia in NSCs was also
      assessed, followed by identifying the hypoxic regulated microRNA and the
      subsequent target gene. Transplant of FA pre-treated NSCs improved functional
      recovery of SCI rats to a more significant extent than NSCs without FA pre
      treatment. The beneficial effects of FA in repairing SCI was mediated by inducing
      hypoxia in NSCs, which in turn inhibited microRNA-590 to elevate vascular
      endothelial growth factor expression. Our findings support the clinical potential
      of FA in improving efficacy of NSC transplant therapy for treatment of SCI.

PMID- 28642685
TI  - Rab Interacting Molecules 2 and 3 Directly Interact with the Pore-Forming CaV1.3
      Ca2+ Channel Subunit and Promote Its Membrane Expression.
AB  - Rab interacting molecules (RIMs) are multi-domain proteins that positively
      regulate the number of Ca2+ channels at the presynaptic active zone (AZ). Several
      molecular mechanisms have been demonstrated for RIM-binding to components of the
      presynaptic Ca2+ channel complex, the key signaling element at the AZ. Here, we
      report an interaction of the C2B domain of RIM2alpha and RIM3gamma with the C
      terminus of the pore-forming alpha-subunit of CaV1.3 channels (CaV1.3alpha1),
      which mediate stimulus-secretion coupling at the ribbon synapses of cochlear
      inner hair cells (IHCs). Co-expressing full-length RIM2alpha with a Ca2+ channel
      complex closely resembling that of IHCs (CaV1.3alpha1-CaVbeta2a) in HEK293 cells
      doubled the Ca2+-current and shifted the voltage-dependence of Ca2+ channel
      activation by approximately +3 mV. Co-expression of the short RIM isoform
      RIM3gamma increased the CaV1.3alpha1-CaVbeta2a-mediated Ca2+-influx in HEK293
      cells, but disruption of RIM3gamma in mice left Ca2+-influx in IHCs and hearing
      intact. In conclusion, we propose that RIM2alpha and RIM3gamma directly interact
      with the C-terminus of the pore-forming subunit of CaV1.3 Ca2+ channels and
      positively regulate their plasma membrane expression in HEK293 cells.

PMID- 28642686
TI  - Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS) Shapes the Processing of Rapidly
      Changing Auditory Information.
AB  - Neural oscillations in the gamma range are the dominant rhythmic activation
      pattern in the human auditory cortex. These gamma oscillations are functionally
      relevant for the processing of rapidly changing acoustic information in both
      speech and non-speech sounds. Accordingly, there is a tight link between the
      temporal resolution ability of the auditory system and inherent neural gamma
      oscillations. Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) has been demonstrated
      to specifically increase gamma oscillation in the human auditory cortex. However,
      neither the physiological mechanisms of tRNS nor the behavioral consequences of
      this intervention are completely understood. In the present study we stimulated
      the human auditory cortex bilaterally with tRNS while EEG was continuously
      measured. Modulations in the participants' temporal and spectral resolution
      ability were investigated by means of a gap detection task and a pitch
      discrimination task. Compared to sham, auditory tRNS increased the detection rate
      for near-threshold stimuli in the temporal domain only, while no such effect was
      present for the discrimination of spectral features. Behavioral findings were
      paralleled by reduced peak latencies of the P50 and N1 component of the auditory
      event-related potentials (ERP) indicating an impact on early sensory processing.
      The facilitating effect of tRNS was limited to the processing of near-threshold
      stimuli while stimuli clearly below and above the individual perception threshold
      were not affected by tRNS. This non-linear relationship between the signal-to
      noise level of the presented stimuli and the effect of stimulation further
      qualifies stochastic resonance (SR) as the underlying mechanism of tRNS on
      auditory processing. Our results demonstrate a tRNS related improvement in
      acoustic perception of time critical auditory information and, thus, provide
      further indices that auditory tRNS can amplify the resonance frequency of the
      auditory system.

PMID- 28642687
TI  - Is SIRT6 Activity Neuroprotective and How Does It Differ from SIRT1 in This
      Regard?

PMID- 28642688
TI  - Lower Functional Connectivity of the Periaqueductal Gray Is Related to Negative
      Affect and Clinical Manifestations of Fibromyalgia.
AB  - Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome is characterized by chronic widespread pain, muscle
      tenderness and emotional distress. Previous studies found reduced endogenous pain
      modulation in FM. This deficiency of pain modulation may be related to the
      attributes of chronic pain and other clinical symptoms experienced in patients
      with FM. Thus, we tested whether there is a link between the clinical symptoms of
      FM and functional connectivity (FC) of the periaqueductal gray (PAG), a key node
      of pain modulation. We acquired resting state 3T functional MRI (rsfMRI) data
      from 23 female patients with FM and 16 age- and sex- matched healthy controls
      (HC) and assessed FM symptoms with the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Fibromyalgia
      Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Pain
      Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). We found that patients with FM exhibit statistically
      significant disruptions in PAG FC, particularly with brain regions implicated in
      negative affect, self-awareness and saliency. Specifically, we found that,
      compared to HCs, the FM patients had stronger PAG FC with the lingual gyrus and
      hippocampus but weaker PAG FC with regions associated with motor/executive
      functions, the salience (SN) and default mode networks (DMN). The attenuated PAG
      FC was also negatively correlated with FIQ scores, and positively correlated with
      the magnification subscale of the PCS. These alterations were correlated with
      emotional and behavioral symptoms of FM. Our study implicates the PAG as a site
      of dysfunction contributing to the clinical manifestations and pain in FM.

PMID- 28642691
TI  - MRI Overestimates Excitotoxic Amygdala Lesion Damage in Rhesus Monkeys.
AB  - Selective, fiber-sparing excitotoxic lesions are a state-of-the-art tool for
      determining the causal contributions of different brain areas to behavior. For
      nonhuman primates especially, it is advantageous to keep subjects with high
      quality lesions alive and contributing to science for many years. However, this
      requires the ability to estimate lesion extent accurately. Previous research has
      shown that in vivo T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accurately
      estimates damage following selective ibotenic acid lesions of the hippocampus.
      Here, we show that the same does not apply to lesions of the amygdala. Across 19
      hemispheres from 13 rhesus monkeys, MRI assessment consistently overestimated
      amygdala damage as assessed by microscopic examination of Nissl-stained
      histological material. Two outliers suggested a linear relation for lower damage
      levels, and values of unintended amygdala damage from a previous study fell
      directly on that regression line, demonstrating that T2 hypersignal accurately
      predicts damage levels below 50%. For unintended damage, MRI estimates correlated
      with histological assessment for entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex and
      hippocampus, though MRI significantly overestimated the extent of that damage in
      all structures. Nevertheless, ibotenic acid injections routinely produced
      extensive intentional amygdala damage with minimal unintended damage to
      surrounding structures, validating the general success of the technique. The
      field will benefit from more research into in vivo lesion assessment techniques,
      and additional evaluation of the accuracy of MRI assessment in different brain
      areas. For now, in vivo MRI assessment of ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala
      can be used to confirm successful injections, but MRI estimates of lesion extent
      should be interpreted with caution.

PMID- 28642690
TI  - Autonomy in Depressive Patients Undergoing DBS-Treatment: Informed Consent,
      Freedom of Will and DBS' Potential to Restore It.
AB  - According to the World Health Organization, depression is one of the most common
      and most disabling psychiatric disorders, affecting at any given time
      approximately 325 million people worldwide. As there is strong evidence that
      depressive disorders are associated with a dynamic dysregulation of neural
      circuits involved in emotional processing, recently several attempts have been
      made to intervene directly in these circuits via deep brain stimulation (DBS) in
      patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). Given the
      promising results of most of these studies, the rising medical interest in this
      new treatment correlates with a growing sensitivity to ethical questions. One of
      the most crucial concerns is that DBS might interfere with patients' ability to
      make autonomous decisions. Thus, the goal of this article is to evaluate the
      impact DBS presumably has on the capacity to decide and act autonomously in
      patients with MDD in the light of the autonomy-undermining effects depression has
      itself. Following the chronological order of the procedure, special attention
      will first be paid to depression's effects on patients' capacity to make use of
      their free will in giving valid Informed Consent. We suggest that while the
      majority of patients with MDD appear capable of autonomous choices, as it is
      required for Informed Consent, they might still be unable to effectively act
      according to their own will whenever acting includes significant personal effort.
      In reducing disabling depressive symptoms like anhedonia and decrease of energy,
      DBS for treatment resistant MDD thus rather seems to be an opportunity to
      substantially increase autonomy than a threat to it.

PMID- 28642689
TI  - Integrating Neural Circuits Controlling Female Sexual Behavior.
AB  - The hypothalamus is most often associated with innate behaviors such as is
      hunger, thirst and sex. While the expression of these behaviors important for
      survival of the individual or the species is nested within the hypothalamus, the
      desire (i.e., motivation) for them is centered within the mesolimbic reward
      circuitry. In this review, we will use female sexual behavior as a model to
      examine the interaction of these circuits. We will examine the evidence for a
      hypothalamic circuit that regulates consummatory aspects of reproductive
      behavior, i.e., lordosis behavior, a measure of sexual receptivity that involves
      estradiol membrane-initiated signaling in the arcuate nucleus (ARH), activating
      beta-endorphin projections to the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), which in turn
      modulate ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH) activity-the common output from
      the hypothalamus. Estradiol modulates not only a series of neuropeptides,
      transmitters and receptors but induces dendritic spines that are for estrogenic
      induction of lordosis behavior. Simultaneously, in the nucleus accumbens of the
      mesolimbic system, the mating experience produces long term changes in dopamine
      signaling and structure. Sexual experience sensitizes the response of nucleus
      accumbens neurons to dopamine signaling through the induction of a long lasting
      early immediate gene. While estrogen alone increases spines in the ARH, sexual
      experience increases dendritic spine density in the nucleus accumbens. These two
      circuits appear to converge onto the medial preoptic area where there is a
      reciprocal influence of motivational circuits on consummatory behavior and vice
      versa. While it has not been formally demonstrated in the human, such circuitry
      is generally highly conserved and thus, understanding the anatomy, neurochemistry
      and physiology can provide useful insight into the motivation for sexual behavior
      and other innate behaviors in humans.

PMID- 28642692
TI  - Beyond Neuronal Activity Markers: Select Immediate Early Genes in Striatal Neuron
      Subtypes Functionally Mediate Psychostimulant Addiction.
AB  - Immediate early genes (IEGs) were traditionally used as markers of neuronal
      activity in striatum in response to stimuli including drugs of abuse such as
      psychostimulants. Early studies using these neuronal activity markers led to
      important insights in striatal neuron subtype responsiveness to psychostimulants.
      Such studies have helped identify striatum as a critical brain center for
      motivational, reinforcement and habitual behaviors in psychostimulant addiction.
      While the use of IEGs as neuronal activity markers in response to
      psychostimulants and other stimuli persists today, the functional role and
      implications of these IEGs has often been neglected. Nonetheless, there is a
      subset of research that investigates the functional role of IEGs in molecular,
      cellular and behavioral alterations by psychostimulants through striatal medium
      spiny neuron (MSN) subtypes, the two projection neuron subtypes in striatum. This
      review article will address and highlight the studies that provide a functional
      mechanism by which IEGs mediate psychostimulant molecular, cellular and
      behavioral plasticity through MSN subtypes. Insight into the functional role of
      IEGs in striatal MSN subtypes could provide improved understanding into addiction
      and neuropsychiatric diseases affecting striatum, such as affective disorders and
      compulsive disorders characterized by dysfunctional motivation and habitual
      behavior.

PMID- 28642693
TI  - Exposure to Unsolvable Anagrams Impairs Performance on the Iowa Gambling Task.
AB  - Recent research indicates that external manipulations, such as stress or mood
      induction, can affect decision-making abilities. In the current study, we
      investigated whether the exposure to an unsolvable task affected subsequent
      performance on the Iowa Gambling Task. Participants were randomly assigned to a
      condition in which they were exposed to unsolvable anagrams (n = 20), or a
      condition in which they worked on solvable anagrams (n = 22). Afterwards, all
      participants played the Iowa Gambling Task, a prominent task that measures
      decision making under uncertain conditions with no explicit rules for gains and
      losses. In this task, it is essential to process feedback from previous
      decisions. The results demonstrated that participants who worked on unsolvable
      anagrams made more disadvantageous decisions on the Iowa Gambling Task than the
      other participants. In addition, a significant gender effect was observed: Males
      who worked on unsolvable anagrams made a more disadvantageous decisions than the
      other male participants. Females who worked on unsolvable anagrams also made more
      disadvantageous decision than the other female participants, but differences were
      small and not significant. We conclude that the exposure to unsolvable anagrams
      induced the experience of uncontrollability which can elicit stress and learned
      helplessness. Stress and learned helplessness might have reduced the ability to
      learn from the given feedback, particularly in male participants. We assume that
      in real life, uncontrollable challenges that last longer than a single
      experimental manipulation can affect decision making severely, at least in males.

PMID- 28642694
TI  - Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobility Type: Impact of Somatosensory Orthoses on
      Postural Control (A Pilot Study).
AB  - Elhers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is the clinical manifestation of connective tissue
      disorders, and comprises several clinical forms with no specific symptoms and
      selective medical examinations which result in a delay in diagnosis of about 10
      years. The EDS hypermobility type (hEDS) is characterized by generalized joint
      hypermobility, variable skin hyperextensibility and impaired proprioception.
      Since somatosensory processing and multisensory integration are crucial for both
      perception and action, we put forth the hypothesis that somatosensory deficits in
      hEDS patients may lead, among other clinical symptoms, to misperception of
      verticality and postural instability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was
      twofold: (i) to assess the impact of somatosensory deficit on subjective visual
      vertical (SVV) and postural stability; and (ii) to quantify the effect of wearing
      somatosensory orthoses (i.e., compressive garments and insoles) on postural
      stability. Six hEDS patients and six age- and gender-matched controls underwent a
      SVV (sitting, standing, lying on the right side) evaluation and a postural
      control evaluation on a force platform (Synapsys), with or without visual
      information (eyes open (EO)/eyes closed (EC)). These two latter conditions
      performed either without orthoses, or with compression garments (CG), or insoles,
      or both. Results showed that patients did not exhibit a substantial perceived
      tilt of the visual vertical in the direction of the body tilt (Aubert effect) as
      did the control subjects. Interestingly, such differential effects were only
      apparent when the rod was initially positioned to the left of the vertical axis
      (opposite the longitudinal body axis). In addition, patients showed greater
      postural instability (sway area) than the controls. The removal of vision
      exacerbated this instability, especially in the mediolateral (ML) direction. The
      wearing of orthoses improved postural stability, especially in the eyes-closed
      condition, with a particularly marked effect in the anteroposterior (AP)
      direction. Hence, this study suggests that hEDS is associated with changes in the
      relative contributions of somatosensory and vestibular inputs to verticality
      perception. Moreover, postural control impairment was offset, at least partially,
      by wearing somatosensory orthoses.

PMID- 28642695
TI  - Concealed Around-the-Ear EEG Captures Cognitive Processing in a Visual Simon
      Task.
AB  - In theory, miniaturized systems such as the around-the-ear electrode arrays
      (cEEGrids) enable mobile monitoring of the electroencephalogram (EEG) in a
      variety of real life situations without interfering with the natural setting.
      However, the research benefit of such cEEGrid recordings critically depends on
      their validity. To investigate whether visual and motor processing are reflected
      in the cEEGrid-EEG, a direct comparison of EEG that was concurrently recorded
      with the cEEGrids and with a high-density cap setup was conducted. Thirteen
      participants performed a classic Simon task in which letters were presented
      laterally and a lateralized choice response was executed. N1, P1 and P300 event
      related potential (ERP) waveforms were extracted from cEEGrid-EEG: they were
      found to be strongly correlated with corresponding waveforms extracted from cap
      EEG but with lower signal strength and lower signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). Event
      related lateralizations (ERLs) recorded at posterior scalp sites were well
      reflected in middle cEEGrid pairs. Moreover, the effect size of the Simon
      correspondence effect on the extracted ERLs was similar between the two systems.
      However, lateralizations at central cap sites were less well reflected in the
      cEEGrid-EEG indicating a difficulty in capturing motor response preparation and
      execution. These results show that well-described visual and cognitive ERPs and
      ERLs can be measured using the cEEGrids, while motor-related cortical potentials
      are not well captured. This study further demonstrates the potential and possible
      limitations of unobtrusive cEEGrid-EEG recordings.

PMID- 28642696
TI  - How Accumulated Real Life Stress Experience and Cognitive Speed Interact on
      Decision-Making Processes.
AB  - Rationale: Advances in neurocomputational modeling suggest that valuation systems
      for goal-directed (deliberative) on one side, and habitual (automatic) decision
      making on the other side may rely on distinct computational strategies for
      reinforcement learning, namely model-free vs. model-based learning. As a key
      theoretical difference, the model-based system strongly demands cognitive
      functions to plan actions prospectively based on an internal cognitive model of
      the environment, whereas valuation in the model-free system relies on rather
      simple learning rules from operant conditioning to retrospectively associate
      actions with their outcomes and is thus cognitively less demanding. Acute stress
      reactivity is known to impair model-based but not model-free choice behavior,
      with higher working memory capacity protecting the model-based system from acute
      stress. However, it is not clear which impact accumulated real life stress has on
      model-free and model-based decision systems and how this influence interacts with
      cognitive abilities. Methods: We used a sequential decision-making task
      distinguishing relative contributions of both learning strategies to choice
      behavior, the Social Readjustment Rating Scale questionnaire to assess
      accumulated real life stress, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test to test
      cognitive speed in 95 healthy subjects. Results: Individuals reporting high
      stress exposure who had low cognitive speed showed reduced model-based but
      increased model-free behavioral control. In contrast, subjects exposed to
      accumulated real life stress with high cognitive speed displayed increased model
      based performance but reduced model-free control. Conclusion: These findings
      suggest that accumulated real life stress exposure can enhance reliance on
      cognitive speed for model-based computations, which may ultimately protect the
      model-based system from the detrimental influences of accumulated real life
      stress. The combination of accumulated real life stress exposure and slower
      information processing capacities, however, might favor model-free strategies.
      Thus, the valence and preference of either system strongly depends on stressful
      experiences and individual cognitive capacities.

PMID- 28642698
TI  - Enhanced Working Memory Binding by Direct Electrical Stimulation of the Parietal
      Cortex.
AB  - Recent works evince the critical role of visual short-term memory (STM) binding
      deficits as a clinical and preclinical marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These
      studies suggest a potential role of posterior brain regions in both the
      neurocognitive deficits of Alzheimer's patients and STM binding in general.
      Thereupon, we surmised that stimulation of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC)
      might be a successful approach to tackle working memory deficits in this
      condition, especially at early stages. To date, no causal evidence exists of the
      role of the parietal cortex in STM binding. A unique approach to assess this
      issue is afforded by single-subject direct intracranial electrical stimulation of
      specific brain regions during a relevant cognitive task. Electrical stimulation
      has been used both for clinical purposes and to causally probe brain mechanisms.
      Previous evidence of electrical currents spreading through white matter along
      well defined functional circuits indicates that visual working memory mechanisms
      are subserved by a specific widely distributed network. Here, we stimulated the
      parietal cortex of a subject with intracranial electrodes as he performed the
      visual STM task. We compared the ensuing results to those from a non-stimulated
      condition and to the performance of a matched control group. In brief, direct
      stimulation of the parietal cortex induced a selective improvement in STM. These
      results, together with previous studies, provide very preliminary but promising
      ground to examine behavioral changes upon parietal stimulation in AD. We discuss
      our results regarding: (a) the usefulness of the task to target prodromal stages
      of AD; (b) the role of a posterior network in STM binding and in AD; and

PMID- 28642700
TI  - Pricing and Reimbursement of Biosimilars in Central and Eastern European
      Countries.
AB  - Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the requirements for the
      reimbursement of biosimilars and to compare the reimbursement status, market
      share, and reimbursement costs of biosimilars in selected Central and Eastern
      European (CEE) countries. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted
      between November 2016 and January 2017 among experts from the following CEE
      countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
      Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. The requirements for the pricing and
      reimbursement of biosimilars were reviewed for each country. Data on the extent
      of reimbursement of biologic drugs (separately for original products and
      biosimilars) in the years 2014 and 2015 were also collected for each country,
      along with data on the total pharmaceutical and total public health care budgets.
      Results: Our survey revealed that no specific criteria were applied for the
      pricing and reimbursement of biosimilars in the selected CEE countries; the price
      of biosimilars was usually reduced compared with original drugs and specific
      price discounts were common. Substitution and interchangeability were generally
      allowed, although in most countries they were at the discretion of the physician
      after a clinical assessment. Original biologic drugs and the corresponding
      biosimilars were usually in the same homogeneous group, and internal reference
      pricing was usually employed. The reimbursement rate of biosimilars in the
      majority of the countries was the same and amounted to 100%. Generally, the
      higher shares of expenditures were shown for the reimbursement of original drugs
      than for biosimilars, except for filgrastim, somatropin, and epoetin (alfa and
      zeta). The shares of expenditures on the reimbursement of biosimilar products
      ranged from 8.0% in Estonia in 2014 to 32.4% in Lithuania in 2015, and generally
      increased in 2015. The share of expenditures on reimbursement of biosimilars in
      the total pharmaceutical budget differed between the countries, with the highest
      observed value for Slovakia and Hungary and the lowest-for Croatia. Conclusions:
      The requirements for the pricing and reimbursement of biosimilar products as well
      as the access of patients to biologic treatment do not differ significantly
      between the considered CEE countries. Biosimilar drugs significantly influence
      the reimbursement systems of these countries, and the expenditure on the
      reimbursement of biosimilars is increasing as they are becoming more accessible
      to patients.

PMID- 28642701
TI  - The Market of Biopharmaceutical Medicines: A Snapshot of a Diverse Industrial
      Landscape.
AB  - Background: Biopharmaceutical medicines represent a growing share of the global
      pharmaceutical market, and with many of these biopharmaceutical products facing
      loss of exclusivity rights, also biosimilars may now enter the biopharmaceutical
      market. Objectives: This study aims to identify and document which investment and
      development strategies are adopted by industrial players in the global
      biopharmaceutical market. Methods: A descriptive analysis was undertaken of the
      investment and development strategies of the top 25 pharmaceutical companies
      according to 2015 worldwide prescription drug sales. Strategies were documented
      by collecting data on manufacturing plans, development programs, acquisition and
      collaboration agreements, the portfolio and pipeline of biosimilar, originator
      and next-generation biopharmaceutical products. Data were extracted from publicly
      available sources. Results: Various investment and development strategies can be
      identified in the global biopharmaceutical market: (a) development of originator
      biopharmaceuticals, (b) investment in biotechnology, (c) development of next
      generation biopharmaceuticals, (d) development of biosimilars, (e) investment in
      emerging countries, and (f) collaboration between companies. In the top 25
      pharmaceutical companies almost every company invests in originator
      biopharmaceuticals and in biotechnology in general, but only half of them
      develops next-generation biopharmaceuticals. Furthermore, only half of them
      invest in development of biosimilars. The companies' biosimilar pipeline is
      mainly focused on development of biosimilar monoclonal antibodies and to some
      extent on biosimilar insulins. A common strategy is collaboration between
      companies and investment in emerging countries. Conclusions: A snapshot of
      investment and development strategies used by industrial players in the global
      biopharmaceutical market shows that all top 25 pharmaceutical companies are
      engaged in the biopharmaceutical market and that this industrial landscape is
      diverse. Companies do not focus on a single strategy, but are involved in
      multiple investment and development strategies. A common strategy to market
      biopharmaceuticals is collaboration between companies. These collaborations can
      as well be used to gain access in regions the company has less experience with.
      With patents expiring for some of the highest selling monoclonal antibodies, this
      snapshot highlights the interest of companies to invest in the development of
      these molecules and/or enter into collaborations to create access to these
      molecules.

PMID- 28642699
TI  - Cerebral Blood Flow and Amyloid-beta Interact to Affect Memory Performance in
      Cognitively Normal Older Adults.
AB  - Cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations and amyloid-beta (Abeta) accumulation have
      been independently linked to cognitive deficits in older adults at risk for
      dementia. Less is known about how CBF and Abeta may interact to affect cognition
      in cognitively normal older adults. Therefore, we examined potential statistical
      interactions between CBF and Abeta status in regions typically affected in
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) within a sample of older adults from the Alzheimer's
      Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study. Sixty-two cognitively normal
      participants (mean age = 72 years) underwent neuroimaging and memory testing.
      Arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify CBF and
      florbetapir PET amyloid imaging was used to measure Abeta deposition. Abeta
      status (i.e., positivity versus negativity) was determined based on established
      cutoffs (Landau et al., 2013). The Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test was used to
      assess memory. Linear regression models adjusted for age, education, and sex,
      demonstrated significant interactions between CBF and Abeta status on memory
      performance. Among Abeta positive older adults, there were significant negative
      associations between higher CBF in hippocampus, posterior cingulate, and
      precuneus and poorer memory performance. In contrast, among Abeta negative older
      adults, there were no significant associations between CBF and cognition. Our
      findings extend previous CBF studies of dementia risk by reporting interactions
      between Abeta status and CBF on memory performance in a sample of well
      characterized, cognitively normal older adults. Results suggest that differential
      CBF-cognition associations can be identified in healthy, asymptomatic Abeta
      positive older adults relative to Abeta negative individuals. Associations
      between higherCBF and poorer memory among Abeta positive older adults may reflect
      a cellular and/or vascular compensatory response to pathologic processes whereby
      higher CBF is needed to maintain normal memory abilities. Findings indicate that
      CBF and its associations with cognition may have utility as a reliable marker of
      brain function early in the AD process when interventions are likely to be
      beneficial.

PMID- 28642697
TI  - Targeting Microglial Activation States as a Therapeutic Avenue in Parkinson's
      Disease.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive disorder characterized
      neuropathologically by loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra,
      intracellular proteinaceous inclusions, reduction of dopaminergic terminals in
      the striatum, and increased neuroinflammatory cells. The consequent reduction of
      dopamine in the basal ganglia results in the classical parkinsonian motor
      phenotype. A growing body of evidence suggest that neuroinflammation mediated by
      microglia, the resident macrophage-like immune cells in the brain, play a
      contributory role in PD pathogenesis. Microglia participate in both physiological
      and pathological conditions. In the former, microglia restore the integrity of
      the central nervous system and, in the latter, they promote disease progression.
      Microglia acquire different activation states to modulate these cellular
      functions. Upon activation to the M1 phenotype, microglia elaborate pro
      inflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic molecules promoting inflammation and
      cytotoxic responses. In contrast, when adopting the M2 phenotype microglia
      secrete anti-inflammatory gene products and trophic factors that promote repair,
      regeneration, and restore homeostasis. Relatively little is known about the
      different microglial activation states in PD and a better understanding is
      essential for developing putative neuroprotective agents. Targeting microglial
      activation states by suppressing their deleterious pro-inflammatory neurotoxicity
      and/or simultaneously enhancing their beneficial anti-inflammatory protective
      functions appear as a valid therapeutic approach for PD treatment. In this
      review, we summarize microglial functions and, their dual neurotoxic and
      neuroprotective role in PD. We also review molecules that modulate microglial
      activation states as a therapeutic option for PD treatment.

PMID- 28642702
TI  - Amorpha fruticosa - A Noxious Invasive Alien Plant in Europe or a Medicinal Plant
      against Metabolic Disease?
AB  - Amorpha fruticosa L. (Fabaceae) is a shrub native to North America which has been
      cultivated mainly for its ornamental features, honey plant value and protective
      properties against soil erosion. It is registered amongst the most noxious
      invasive species in Europe. However, a growing body of scientific literature also
      points to the therapeutic potential of its chemical constituents. Due to the fact
      that A. fruticosa is an aggressive invasive species, it can provide an abundant
      and cheap resource of plant chemical constituents which can be utilized for
      therapeutic purposes. Additionally, exploitation of the biomass for medicinal use
      might contribute to relieving the destructive impact of this species on natural
      habitats. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary and
      systematize the state-of-the-art in the knowledge of the phytochemical
      composition and the potential of A. fruticosa in disease treatment and
      prevention, with especial emphasis on diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Also
      reviewed are aspects related to potential toxicity of A. fruticosa which has not
      yet been systematically evaluated in human subjects.

PMID- 28642703
TI  - Different Regulation of Interleukin-1 Production and Activity in Monocytes and
      Macrophages: Innate Memory as an Endogenous Mechanism of IL-1 Inhibition.
AB  - Production and activity of interleukin (IL)-1beta are kept under strict control
      in our body, because of its powerful inflammation-promoting capacity. Control of
      IL-1beta production and activity allows IL-1 to exert its defensive activities
      without causing extensive tissue damage. Monocytes are the major producers of IL
      1beta during inflammation, but they are also able to produce significant amounts
      of IL-1 inhibitors such as IL-1Ra and the soluble form of the decoy receptor IL
      1R2, in an auto-regulatory feedback loop. Here, we investigated how innate immune
      memory could modulate production and activity of IL-1beta by human primary
      monocytes and monocyte-derived tissue-like/deactivated macrophages in vitro.
      Cells were exposed to Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive
      (Lactobacillus acidophilus) bacteria for 24 h, then allowed to rest, and then re
      challenged with the same stimuli. The presence of biologically active IL-1beta in
      cell supernatants was calculated as the ratio between free IL-1beta (i.e., the
      cytokine that is not bound/inhibited by sIL-1R2) and its receptor antagonist IL
      1Ra. As expected, we observed that the responsiveness of tissue-like/deactivated
      macrophages to bacterial stimuli was lower than that of monocytes. After resting
      and re-stimulation, a memory effect was evident for the production of
      inflammatory cytokines, whereas production of alarm signals (chemokines) was
      minimally affected. We observed a high variability in the innate memory response
      among individual donors. This is expected since innate memory largely depends on
      the previous history of exposure or infections, which is different in different
      subjects. Overall, innate memory appeared to limit the amount of active IL-1beta
      produced by macrophages in response to a bacterial challenge, while enhancing the
      responsiveness of monocytes. The functional re-programming of mononuclear
      phagocytes through modulation of innate memory may provide innovative approaches
      in the management of inflammatory diseases, as well as in the design of new
      immunization strategies. In this respect, the interindividual variability in
      innate memory suggests the need of a personalized assessment.

PMID- 28642704
TI  - Quercetin, a Lead Compound against Type 2 Diabetes Ameliorates Glucose Uptake via
      AMPK Pathway in Skeletal Muscle Cell Line.
AB  - Herein we investigated the molecular mechanism of action of the citrus flavonoid,
      quercetin in skeletal muscle cells (L6 myotubes). Taking advantage of protein
      kinase inhibitors, we proved that the effect of quercetin on 2-NBDG uptake in L6
      myotubes was not through insulin signaling pathway, but through adenosine
      monophosphate kinase (AMPK) pathway and its downstream target p38 MAPK. An
      increase in the cellular AMP to ATP ratio on pretreatment may account for AMPK
      activation which was coupled with a transient change in mitochondrial membrane
      potential. In addition, quercetin triggered a rise in intracellular calcium
      suggesting that calcium-calmodulin mediated protein kinase (CaMKK) may also be
      involved. Quercetin shared a similar mechanism with the well-known drug
      metformin, highlighting it as a promising compound for the management of type 2
      diabetes. The AMPK signaling pathway could contribute to correction of insulin
      resistance through bypassing the insulin-regulated system for GLUT4
      translocation.

PMID- 28642706
TI  - Toll-Like Receptor 4 Modulates Small Intestine Neuromuscular Function through
      Nitrergic and Purinergic Pathways.
AB  - Objective: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a pivotal role in the homeostatic
      microflora-host crosstalk. TLR4-mediated modulation of both motility and enteric
      neuronal survival has been reported mainly for colon with limited information on
      the role of TLR4 in tuning structural and functional integrity of enteric nervous
      system (ENS) and in controlling small bowel motility. Methods: Male TLR4 knockout
      (TLR4-/-, 9 +/- 1 weeks old) and sex- and age-matched wild-type (WT) C57BL/6J
      mice were used for the experiments. Alterations in ENS morphology and
      neurochemical code were assessed by immunohistochemistry whereas neuromuscular
      function was evaluated by isometric mechanical activity of ileal preparations
      following receptor and non-receptor-mediated stimuli and by gastrointestinal
      transit. Results: The absence of TLR4 induced gliosis and reduced the total
      number of neurons, mainly nNOS+ neurons, in ileal myenteric plexus. Furthermore,
      a lower cholinergic excitatory response with an increased inhibitory
      neurotransmission was found together with a delayed gastrointestinal transit.
      These changes were dependent on increased ileal non-adrenergic non-cholinergic
      (NANC) relaxations mediated by a complex neuronal-glia signaling constituted by
      P2X7 and P2Y1 receptors, and NO produced by nNOS and iNOS. Conclusion: We provide
      novel evidence that TLR4 signaling is involved in the fine-tuning of P2 receptors
      controlling ileal contractility, ENS cell distribution, and inhibitory NANC
      neurotransmission via the combined action of NO and adenosine-5'-triphosphate
      (ATP). For the first time, this study implicates TLR4 at regulating the crosstalk
      between glia and neurons in small intestine and helps to define its role in
      gastrointestinal motor abnormalities during dysbiosis.

PMID- 28642705
TI  - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Insights into the Therapeutic Approach with Inositols.
AB  - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hormonal abnormalities that
      cause menstrual irregularity and reduce ovulation rate and fertility, associated
      to insulin resistance. Myo-inositol (cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, MI)
      and D-chiro-inositol (cis-1,2,4-trans-3,5,6-cyclohexanehexol, DCI) represent
      promising treatments for PCOS, having shown some therapeutic benefits without
      substantial side effects. Because the use of inositols for treating PCOS is
      widespread, a deep understanding of this treatment option is needed, both in
      terms of potential mechanisms and efficacy. This review summarizes the current
      knowledge on the biological effects of MI and DCI and the results obtained from
      relevant intervention studies with inositols in PCOS. Based on the published
      results, both MI and DCI represent potential valid therapeutic approaches for the
      treatment of insulin resistance and its associated metabolic and reproductive
      disorders, such as those occurring in women affected by PCOS. Furthermore, the
      combination MI/DCI seems also effective and might be even superior to either
      inositol species alone. However, based on available data, a particular MI:DCI
      ratio to be administered to PCOS patients cannot be established. Further studies
      are then necessary to understand the real contents of MI or DCI uptaken by the
      ovary following oral administration in order to identify optimal doses and/or
      combination ratios.

PMID- 28642707
TI  - Tetrandrine, an Activator of Autophagy, Induces Autophagic Cell Death via PKC
      alpha Inhibition and mTOR-Dependent Mechanisms.
AB  - Emerging evidence suggests the therapeutic role of autophagic modulators in
      cancer therapy. This study aims to identify novel traditional Chinese medicinal
      herbs as potential anti-tumor agents through autophagic induction, which finally
      lead to autophagy mediated-cell death in apoptosis-resistant cancer cells. Using
      bioactivity-guided purification, we identified tetrandrine (Tet) from herbal
      plant, Radix stephaniae tetrandrae, as an inducer of autophagy. Across a number
      of cancer cell lines, we found that breast cancer cells treated with tetrandrine
      show an increase autophagic flux and formation of autophagosomes. In addition,
      tetrandrine induces cell death in a panel of apoptosis-resistant cell lines that
      are deficient for caspase 3, caspase 7, caspase 3 and 7, or Bax-Bak respectively.
      We also showed that tetrandrine-induced cell death is independent of necrotic
      cell death. Mechanistically, tetrandrine induces autophagy that depends on mTOR
      inactivation. Furthermore, tetrandrine induces autophagy in a calcium/calmodulin
      dependent protein kinase kinase-beta (CaMKK-beta), 5' AMP-activated protein
      kinase (AMPK) independent manner. Finally, by kinase profiling against 300 WT
      kinases and computational molecular docking analysis, we showed that tetrandrine
      is a novel PKC-alpha inhibitor, which lead to autophagic induction through PKC
      alpha inactivation. This study provides detailed insights into the novel
      cytotoxic mechanism of an anti-tumor compound originated from the herbal plant,
      which may be useful in promoting autophagy mediated- cell death in cancer cell
      that is resistant to apoptosis.

PMID- 28642708
TI  - Myricitrin Protects Cardiomyocytes from Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury: Involvement
      of Heat Shock Protein 90.
AB  - Modulation of oxidative stress is therapeutically effective in
      ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Myricitrin, a naturally occurring phenolic
      compound, is a potent antioxidant. However, little is known about its effect on
      I/R injury to cardiac myocytes. The present study was performed to investigate
      the potential protective effect of myricitrin against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)
      induced H9c2 cardiomyocyte injury and its underlying mechanisms. Myricitrin
      pretreatment improved cardiomyocyte viability, inhibited ROS generation,
      maintained the mitochondrial membrane potential, reduced apoptotic
      cardiomyocytes, decreased the caspase-3 activity, upregulated antiapoptotic
      proteins and downregulated proapoptotic proteins during H/R injury. Moreover, the
      potential targets of myricitrin was predicted using Discovery Studio software,
      and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) was identified as the main disease-related
      target. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that 17-AAG, a pharmacologic
      inhibitor of Hsp90, significantly blocked the myricitrin-induced cardioprotective
      effect demonstrated by increased apoptosis and ROS generation. These results
      suggested that myricitrin provides protection to H9c2 cardiomyocytes against H/R
      induced oxidative stress and apoptosis, most likely via increased expression of
      Hsp90.

PMID- 28642710
TI  - Tacrolimus Updated Guidelines through popPK Modeling: How to Benefit More from
      CYP3A Pre-emptive Genotyping Prior to Kidney Transplantation.
AB  - Tacrolimus (Tac) is a profoundly effective immunosuppressant that reduces the
      risk of rejection after solid organ transplantation. However, its use is hampered
      by its narrow therapeutic window along with its highly variable pharmacological
      (pharmacokinetic [PK] and pharmacodynamic [PD]) profile. Part of this variability
      is explained by genetic polymorphisms affecting the metabolic pathway. The
      integration of CYP3A4 and CY3A5 genotype in tacrolimus population-based PK
      (PopPK) modeling approaches has been proven to accurately predict the dose
      requirement to reach the therapeutic window. The objective of the present study
      was to develop an accurate PopPK model in a cohort of 59 kidney transplant
      patients to deliver this information to clinicians in a clear and actionable
      manner. We conducted a non-parametric non-linear effects PopPK modeling analysis
      in Pmetrics(r). Patients were genotyped for the CYP3A4*22 and CYP3A5*3 alleles
      and were classified into 3 different categories [poor-metabolizers (PM),
      Intermediate-metabolizers (IM) or extensive-metabolizers (EM)]. A one-compartment
      model with double gamma absorption route described very accurately the tacrolimus
      PK. In covariate analysis, only CYP3A genotype was retained in the final model
      (Delta-2LL = -73). Our model estimated that tacrolimus concentrations were 33%
      IC95%[20-26%], 41% IC95%[36-45%] lower in CYP3A IM and EM when compared to PM,
      respectively. Virtually, we proved that defining different starting doses for PM,
      IM and EM would be beneficial by ensuring better probability of target
      concentrations attainment allowing us to define new dosage recommendations
      according to patient CYP3A genetic profile.

PMID- 28642711
TI  - Weekly Time Course of Neuro-Muscular Adaptation to Intensive Strength Training.
AB  - Detailed description of the time course of muscular adaptation is rarely found in
      literature. Thus, models of muscular adaptation are difficult to validate since
      no detailed data of adaptation are available. In this article, as an initial step
      toward a detailed description and analysis of muscular adaptation, we provide a
      case report of 8 weeks of intense strength training with two active, male
      participants. Muscular adaptations were analyzed on a morphological level with
      MRI scans of the right quadriceps muscle and the calculation of muscle volume, on
      a voluntary strength level by isometric voluntary contractions with doublet
      stimulation (interpolated twitch technique) and on a non-voluntary level by
      resting twitch torques. Further, training volume and isokinetic power were
      closely monitored during the training phase. Data were analyzed weekly for 1 week
      prior to training, pre-training, 8 weeks of training and 2 weeks of detraining
      (no strength training). Results show a very individual adaptation to the intense
      strength training protocol. While training volume and isokinetic power increased
      linearly during the training phase, resting twitch parameters decreased for both
      participants after the first week of training and stayed below baseline until de
      training. Voluntary activation level showed an increase in the first 4 weeks of
      training, while maximum voluntary contraction showed only little increase
      compared to baseline. Muscle volume increased for both subjects. Especially
      training status seemed to influence the acute reaction to intense strength
      training. Fatigue had a major influence on performance and could only be overcome
      by one participant. The results give a first detailed insight into muscular
      adaptation to intense strength training on various levels, providing a basis of
      data for a validation of muscle fatigue and adaptation models.

PMID- 28642709
TI  - New Frontiers in the Pathobiology and Treatment of Cancer Regimen-Related Mucosal
      Injury.
AB  - Mucositis is a common complication of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted
      agents. It often affects compliance to anticancer therapies as it frequently
      causes schedule delays, interruptions or discontinuations of treatment. Moreover,
      the economic impact related to the management of mucositis is topical and several
      estimations of additional hospital costs due to this clinical condition have been
      recently reported. The ability to determine risk factors for mucositis, to early
      detect its onset, to assess correctly the degree of this toxicity and to plan its
      multidisciplinary management are all key elements to guarantee the quality of
      life of patients and to avoid useless dose reduction or interruption of
      treatment. The pathogenesis of mucositis is multifactorial and it is classily
      subdivided into oral and gastrointestinal mucositis according to its anatomic
      presentation. Treatment and patients' related factors might help in predicting
      the frequency and the potential degree of symptoms onset. Here we discuss about
      clinical presentation and pathogenesis of mucositis in relation to different
      kinds of treatments. Moreover, we focus on therapeutic and prevention strategies,
      describing past and present management according to international guidelines and
      the most promising new data about agents potentially able to further improve the
      treatment of mucositis in the next future.

PMID- 28642712
TI  - Investigations into the Sarcomeric Protein and Ca2+-Regulation Abnormalities
      Underlying Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Cats (Felix catus).
AB  - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common single gene inherited
      cardiomyopathy. In cats (Felix catus) HCM is even more prevalent and affects 16%
      of the outbred population and up to 26% in pedigree breeds such as Maine Coon and
      Ragdoll. Homozygous MYBPC3 mutations have been identified in these breeds but the
      mutations in other cats are unknown. At the clinical and physiological level
      feline HCM is closely analogous to human HCM but little is known about the
      primary causative mechanism. Most identified HCM causing mutations are in the
      genes coding for proteins of the sarcomere. We therefore investigated contractile
      and regulatory proteins in left ventricular tissue from 25 cats, 18 diagnosed
      with HCM, including a Ragdoll cat with a homozygous MYBPC3 R820W, and 7 non-HCM
      cats in comparison with human HCM (from septal myectomy) and donor heart tissue.
      Myofibrillar protein expression was normal except that we observed 20-44% MyBP-C
      haploinsufficiency in 5 of the HCM cats. Troponin extracted from 8 HCM and 5 non
      HCM cat hearts was incorporated into thin filaments and studied by in vitro
      motility assay. All HCM cat hearts had a higher (2.06 +/- 0.13 fold) Ca2+
      sensitivity than non-HCM cats and, in all the HCM cats, Ca2+-sensitivity was not
      modulated by troponin I phosphorylation. We were able to restore modulation of
      Ca2+-sensitivity by replacing troponin T with wild-type protein or by adding 100
      MUM Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG). These fundamental regulatory
      characteristics closely mimic those seen in human HCM indicating a common
      molecular mechanism that is independent of the causative mutation. Thus, the HCM
      cat is a potentially useful large animal model.

PMID- 28642713
TI  - Benefits of Substituting Sitting with Standing and Walking in Free-Living
      Conditions for Cardiometabolic Risk Markers, Cognition and Mood in Overweight
      Adults.
AB  - Background: We investigated whether substituting sitting with standing and self
      perceived light walking in free-living conditions would improve cardiometabolic
      risk factors, mood, and cognition in overweight/obese adults. Methods: In a
      randomized, cross-over study, 24 (m/f: 13/11) sedentary overweight/obese
      participants (64 +/- 7 years, BMI 29 +/- 2 kg/m2) followed two activity regimens
      of each 4 days in free-living conditions: "Sit": sitting 13.5 h/day, standing 1.4
      h/day, self-perceived light-intensity walking 0.7 h/day; for "SitLess" these
      activities lasted 7.6, 4.0, and 4.3 h/day, respectively. Meals were standardized
      and physical activity was assessed by accelerometry (activPAL). Insulin
      sensitivity (expressed as Matsuda-index based on an oral glucose tolerance test),
      circulating lipids, blood pressure, mood (pleasantness and arousal), and
      cognition were assessed on the morning after the activity regimens. Quality of
      life and sleep were assessed on the last day of the activity regimens. Results:
      We observed that AUC (0-190 min) for insulin decreased by 20% after SitLess vs.
      Sit [10,125 (656) vs. 12,633 (818); p = 0.006]. Insulin sensitivity improved by
      16% after SitLess vs. Sit [Matsuda-index, mean (SEM): 6.45 (0.25) vs. 5.58 (0.25)
      respectively; p = 0.007]. Fasting triglycerides, non-HDL-cholesterol, and
      apolipoprotein B decreased by 32, 7, and 4% respectively, whereas HDL-cholesterol
      increased by 7% after SitLess vs. Sit (all p < 0.01). Diastolic blood pressure
      was lower after SitLess vs. Sit (p < 0.05). Pleasantness (as one marker of mood
      status) after the oral glucose tolerance test was higher after SitLess vs. Sit (p
      < 0.05). There was no significant difference between regimens for cognition,
      quality of life and sleep. Conclusions: Reducing sitting time in free-living
      conditions markedly improved insulin sensitivity, circulating lipids, and
      diastolic blood pressure. Substituting sitting with standing and self-perceived
      light walking is an effective strategy to improve cardiometabolic risk factors in
      overweight/obese subjects.

PMID- 28642715
TI  - Elastin-Like Protein, with Statherin Derived Peptide, Controls Fluorapatite
      Formation and Morphology.
AB  - The process of enamel biomineralization is multi-step, complex and mediated by
      organic molecules. The lack of cells in mature enamel leaves it unable to
      regenerate and hence novel ways of growing enamel-like structures are currently
      being investigated. Recently, elastin-like protein (ELP) with the analog N
      terminal sequence of statherin (STNA15-ELP) has been used to regenerate
      mineralized tissue. Here, the STNA15-ELP has been mineralized in constrained and
      unconstrained conditions in a fluoridated solution. We demonstrate that the
      control of STNA15-ELP delivery to the mineralizing solution can form layered
      ordered fluorapatite mineral, via a brushite precursor. We propose that the use
      of a constrained STNA15-ELP system can lead to the development of novel,
      bioinspired enamel therapeutics.

PMID- 28642714
TI  - Comparative Effectiveness of Acupuncture and Antiarrhythmic Drugs for the
      Prevention of Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of
      Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - Introduction and Objectives: This study was designed to systematically evaluate
      the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for arrhythmia compared to existing
      drug therapy. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified
      through searches of the MEDLINE, CNKI, Embase, and Cochrane databases (1970
      through 2016) and hand searches of cross-references from original articles and
      reviews. Clinical trials that randomized arrhythmia patients to acupuncture
      therapy vs. conventional drugs, sham acupuncture, or bed rest were included for
      analysis. Results: A total of 13 trials with 797 patients met the criteria for
      analysis. The results of the meta-analysis showed no statistically significant
      difference between acupuncture and conventional treatment for paroxysmal
      supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) (n = 203; RR, 1.18; 95% CI 0.78-1.79; I2 =
      80%; P = 0.44). However, in the ventricular premature beat (VPB) group, it showed
      a significant benefit of acupuncture plus oral administration of anti-arrhythmic
      drug (AAD) on response rates compared with the oral administration of AAD (n =
      286; RR, 1.15; 95% CI 1.05-1.27; I2 = 0%; P = 0.002). Finally, when compared with
      the sinus tachycardia (ST) cases without any treatment, acupuncture has benefited
      these patients (n = 120; MD, 18.80, 95% CI 12.68-24.92; I2 = 81%; P < 0.00001).
      Conclusions: In summary, our meta-analysis demonstrates that clinical efficacy of
      acupuncture is not less than AAD for PSVT. Furthermore, in sub-group analysis,
      acupuncture with or without AAD, shows a clear benefit in treating VPB and ST.
      However, more definitive RCTs are warranted to guide clinical practice.

PMID- 28642716
TI  - Effects of Acute Hypoxia and Reoxygenation on Physiological and Immune Responses
      and Redox Balance of Wuchang Bream (Megalobrama amblycephala Yih, 1955).
AB  - To study Megalobrama amblycephala adaption to water hypoxia, the changes in
      physiological levels, innate immune responses, redox balance of M.amblycephala
      during hypoxia were investigated in the present study. When M. amblycephala were
      exposed to different dissolved oxygen (DO) including control (DO: 5.5 mg/L) and
      acute hypoxia (DO: 3.5 and 1.0 mg/L, respectively), hemoglobin (Hb),
      methemoglobin (MetHb), glucose, Na+, succinatedehydrogenase (SDH), lactate,
      interferon alpha (IFNalpha), and lysozyme (LYZ), except hepatic glycogen and
      albumin gradually increased with the decrease of DO level. When M. amblycephala
      were exposed to different hypoxia time including 0.5 and 6 h (DO: 3.5 mg/L), and
      then reoxygenation for 24 h after 6 h hypoxia, Hb, MetHb, glucose, lactate, and
      IFNalpha, except Na+, SDH, hepatic glycogen, albumin, and LYZ increased with the
      extension of hypoxia time, while the above investigated indexes (except albumin,
      IFNalpha, and LYZ) decreased after reoxygenation. On the other hand, the liver
      SOD, CAT, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and total ROS were all remained at lower
      levels under hypoxia stress. Finally, Hif-1alpha protein in the liver, spleen,
      and gill were increased with the decrease of oxygen concentration and
      prolongation of hypoxia time. Interestingly, one Hsp70 isoforms mediated by
      internal ribozyme entry site (IRES) named junior Hsp70 was only detected in
      liver, spleen and gill. Taken together, these results suggest that hypoxia
      affects M. amblycephala physiology and reduces liver oxidative stress. Hypoxia
      reoxygenation stimulates M. amblycephala immune parameter expressions, while
      Hsp70 response to hypoxia is tissue-specific.

PMID- 28642719
TI  - Commentary: LACTB is a tumour suppressor that modulates lipid metabolism and cell
      state.

PMID- 28642717
TI  - The Lactate Minimum Test: Concept, Methodological Aspects and Insights for Future
      Investigations in Human and Animal Models.
AB  - In 1993, Uwe Tegtbur proposed a useful physiological protocol named the lactate
      minimum test (LMT). This test consists of three distinct phases. Firstly,
      subjects must perform high intensity efforts to induce hyperlactatemia (phase 1).
      Subsequently, 8 min of recovery are allowed for transposition of lactate from
      myocytes (for instance) to the bloodstream (phase 2). Right after the recovery,
      subjects are submitted to an incremental test until exhaustion (phase 3). The
      blood lactate concentration is expected to fall during the first stages of the
      incremental test and as the intensity increases in subsequent stages, to rise
      again forming a "U" shaped blood lactate kinetic. The minimum point of this
      curve, named the lactate minimum intensity (LMI), provides an estimation of the
      intensity that represents the balance between the appearance and clearance of
      arterial blood lactate, known as the maximal lactate steady state intensity
      (iMLSS). Furthermore, in addition to the iMLSS estimation, studies have also
      determined anaerobic parameters (e.g., peak, mean, and minimum force/power)
      during phase 1 and also the maximum oxygen consumption in phase 3; therefore, the
      LMT is considered a robust physiological protocol. Although, encouraging reports
      have been published in both human and animal models, there are still some
      controversies regarding three main factors: (1) the influence of methodological
      aspects on the LMT parameters; (2) LMT effectiveness for monitoring training
      effects; and (3) the LMI as a valid iMLSS estimator. Therefore, the aim of this
      review is to provide a balanced discussion between scientific evidence of the
      aforementioned issues, and insights for future investigations are suggested. In
      summary, further analyses is necessary to determine whether these factors are
      worthy, since the LMT is relevant in several contexts of health sciences.

PMID- 28642718
TI  - Irinotecan-Induced Gastrointestinal Dysfunction Is Associated with Enteric
      Neuropathy, but Increased Numbers of Cholinergic Myenteric Neurons.
AB  - Gastrointestinal dysfunction is a common side-effect of chemotherapy leading to
      dose reductions and treatment delays. These side-effects may persist up to 10
      years post-treatment. A topoisomerase I inhibitor, irinotecan (IRI), commonly
      used for the treatment of colorectal cancer, is associated with severe acute and
      delayed-onset diarrhea. The long-term effects of IRI may be due to damage to
      enteric neurons innervating the gastrointestinal tract and controlling its
      functions. Balb/c mice received intraperitoneal injections of IRI (30 mg/kg-1) 3
      times a week for 14 days, sham-treated mice received sterile water (vehicle)
      injections. In vivo analysis of gastrointestinal transit via serial x-ray
      imaging, facal water content, assessment of gross morphological damage and
      immunohistochemical analysis of myenteric neurons were performed at 3, 7 and 14
      days following the first injection and at 7 days post-treatment. Ex vivo colonic
      motility was analyzed at 14 days following the first injection and 7 days post
      treatment. Mucosal damage and inflammation were found following both short and
      long-term treatment with IRI. IRI-induced neuronal loss and increases in the
      number and proportion of ChAT-IR neurons and the density of VAChT-IR fibers were
      associated with changes in colonic motility, gastrointestinal transit and fecal
      water content. These changes persisted in post-treatment mice. Taken together
      this work has demonstrated for the first time that IRI-induced inflammation,
      neuronal loss and altered cholinergic expression is associated with the
      development of IRI-induced long-term gastrointestinal dysfunction and diarrhea.

PMID- 28642720
TI  - Depressive Symptomatology among Norwegian Adolescent Boys and Girls: The Patient
      Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Psychometric Properties and Correlates.
AB  - This study explored the potential contribution of the Diagnostic and Statistical
      Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)-based Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item
      (PHQ-9) instrument to the developmental epidemiology research in Norway, by
      examining depressive symptoms in a school sample of adolescents (N = 846). The
      average PHQ-9 scores were 6.89 (SD = 5.13) for girls, and 4.57 (SD = 3.98) for
      boys; 8.5% of girls and 2.6% of boys were classified into the originally proposed
      categories indicative of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD; PHQ-9 scores >= 15).
      Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed a single-factor
      structure for the PHQ-9 with solid psychometric properties and high internal
      consistency for both genders. However, even though configural equality was
      observed, there was no evidence for metric or scalar equality across genders,
      warranting further investigation of measurement equivalence for the current
      Norwegian version of the PHQ-9. We observed no major associations between the PHQ
      9 scores and adolescent religion or immigrant background. Further, school grade,
      not living together with both biological parents, and diagnosed chronic illness
      were differently associated with elevated depressive symptoms for boys and girls.
      Finally, high residential instability, perceived low SES, school dissatisfaction,
      lack of close friendships, history of suicide attempts and self-harm, and
      elevated emotional problems were all significantly and consistently associated
      with greater depression for both genders. Overall, the PHQ-9 appears to be a
      promising research tool, potentially offering clinically-relevant classification
      of adolescent self-reported depressive symptomatology in addition to the symptom
      severity captured by continuous scores. Nevertheless, further investigation
      concerning the observed measurement non-equivalence, as well as the comprehensive
      validation and comparison against the gold standard is required before the PHQ-9
      is to be used for diagnostic screening in Norway.

PMID- 28642721
TI  - Simulation Theory Applied to Direct Systematic Observation.
AB  - Observational studies entail making several decisions before data collection,
      such as the observational design to use, the sampling of sessions within the
      observational period, the need for time sampling within the observation sessions,
      as well as the observation recording procedures to use. The focus of the present
      article is on observational recording procedures different from continuous
      recording (i.e., momentary time sampling, partial and whole interval recording).
      The main aim is to develop an online software application, constructed using R
      and the Shiny package, on the basis of simulations using the alternating renewal
      process (a model implemented in the ARPobservation package). The application
      offers graphical representations that can be useful to both university students
      constructing knowledge on Observational Methodology and to applied researchers
      planning to use discontinuous recording in their studies, because it helps
      identifying the conditions (e.g., interval length, average duration of the
      behavior of interest) in which the prevalence of the target behavior is expected
      to be estimated with less bias or no bias and with more efficiency. The
      estimation of frequency is another topic covered.

PMID- 28642722
TI  - Revision of AUDIT Consumption Items to Improve the Screening of Youth Binge
      Drinking.
AB  - This study analyzes the appropriateness of an improved version of one of the most
      frequently used instruments for the screening of high-risk alcohol consumption.
      This adaptation was created in accordance with certain limitations recognized by
      other researchers and in an attempt to adjust the content and scales of some
      items to a more consensual definition of binge drinking. After revising items 2
      and 3, the areas under the ROC curves of the AUDIT and of different abbreviated
      versions were calculated. A total of 906 minors (468 females) between the ages of
      15 and 17 were evaluated. Stratified sampling was conducted on a population of
      high school students in the city of Valencia (Spain). One school was randomly
      chosen from each of the city's 16 school districts. Information was collected on
      sociodemographic aspects, consumption patterns and the AUDIT containing the
      improved items. The percentage of underage BD reached 36%, regardless of gender
      or age. BD groups have been differentiated by different intensity levels, both in
      males and females. Upon comparing the effectiveness of the distinct versions of
      the AUDIT, it is recommended that researchers and clinics use the combination of
      the revised items 2 and 3 to ensure a more precise identification of underage BD.
      A cut-off point of 5 for this test would permit identification of 94% of the
      underage BD and would notably reduce false positives.

PMID- 28642723
TI  - When the Heat Is On: The Effect of Temperature on Voter Behavior in Presidential
      Elections.
AB  - Hot temperatures lead to heightened arousal. According to excitation transfer
      theory, arousal can increase both antisocial and prosocial behavior, depending on
      the context. Although many studies have shown that hot temperatures can increase
      antisocial behavior, very few studies have investigated the relationship between
      temperature and prosocial behavior. One important prosocial behavior is voting.
      We analyzed state-level data from the United States presidential elections (N =
      761). Consistent with excitation transfer theory, which proposes that heat
      induced arousal can transfer to other activities and strengthen those activities,
      changes in temperature and voter turnout were positively related. Moreover, a
      positive change in temperature was related to a positive change in votes for the
      incumbent party. These findings add to the literature on the importance of non
      ideological and non-rational factors that influence voting behavior.

PMID- 28642726
TI  - Urban Legends and Paranormal Beliefs: The Role of Reality Testing and Schizotypy.
AB  - Recent research suggests that unconventional beliefs are locatable within a
      generic anomalous belief category. This notion derives from the observation that
      apparently dissimilar beliefs share fundamental, core characteristics (i.e.,
      contradiction of orthodox scientific understanding of the universe and defiance
      of conventional understanding of reality). The present paper assessed the
      supposition that anomalous beliefs were conceptually similar and explicable via
      common psychological processes by comparing relationships between discrete
      beliefs [endorsement of urban legends (ULs) and belief in the paranormal] and
      cognitive-perceptual personality measures [proneness to reality testing (RT) and
      schizotypy]. A sample of 222 volunteers, recruited via convenience sampling, took
      part in the study. Participants completed a series of self-report measures (Urban
      Legends Questionnaire, Reality Testing subscale of the Inventory of Personality
      Organization, Revised Paranormal Belief Scale and the Schizotypal Personality
      Questionnaire Brief). Preliminary analysis revealed positive correlations between
      measures. Within schizotypy, the cognitive-perceptual factor was most strongly
      associated with anomalistic beliefs; disorganized and interpersonal produced only
      weak and negligible correlations respectively. Further investigation indicated
      complex relationships between RT, the cognitive-perceptual factor of schizotypy
      and anomalistic beliefs. Specifically, proneness to RT deficits explained a
      greater amount of variance in ULs, whilst schizotypy accounted for more variance
      in belief in the paranormal. Consideration of partial correlations supported
      these conclusions. The relationship between RT and ULs remained significant after
      controlling for the cognitive-perceptual factor. Contrastingly, the association
      between the cognitive-perceptual factor and ULs controlling for RT was non
      significant. In the case of belief in the paranormal, controlling for proneness
      to RT reduced correlation size, but relationships remained significant. This
      study demonstrated that anomalistic beliefs vary in nature and composition.
      Findings indicated that generalized views of anomalistic beliefs provide only
      limited insight into the complex nature of belief.

PMID- 28642725
TI  - Pigeons and the Ambiguous-Cue Problem: A Riddle that Remains Unsolved.
AB  - The ambiguous-cue task is composed of two-choice simultaneous discriminations
      involving three stimuli: positive (P), ambiguous (A), and negative (N). Two
      different trial types are presented: PA and NA. The ambiguous cue (A) served as
      an S- in PA trials, but as an S+ in NA trials. When using this procedure, it is
      typical to observe a less accurate performance in PA trials than in NA trials.
      This is called the ambiguous-cue effect. Recently, it was reported in starlings
      that the ambiguous-cue effect decreases when the stimuli are presented on an
      angled (120 degrees ) panel. The hypothesis is that the angled panel facilitates
      that the two cues from each discrimination are perceived as a compound,
      precluding value transfer via a second-order conditioning mechanism. In this
      experiment, we used pigeons and a flat panel. Nevertheless, our data were quite
      similar to the previous data in starlings. We conclude that the form of the panel
      cannot explain the ambiguous-cue effect. Several alternatives to be explored in
      future experiments are suggested. The riddle of the ambiguous-cue problem still
      remains unsolved.

PMID- 28642724
TI  - I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Learning Dynamics and Effects of Feedback Type and
      Monetary Incentive in a Paired Associate Deterministic Learning Task.
AB  - Effective functioning in a complex environment requires adjusting of behavior
      according to changing situational demands. To do so, organisms must learn new,
      more adaptive behaviors by extracting the necessary information from externally
      provided feedback. Not surprisingly, feedback-guided learning has been
      extensively studied using multiple research paradigms. The purpose of the present
      study was to test the newly designed Paired Associate Deterministic Learning task
      (PADL), in which participants were presented with either positive or negative
      deterministic feedback. Moreover, we manipulated the level of motivation in the
      learning process by comparing blocks with strictly cognitive, informative
      feedback to blocks where participants were additionally motivated by anticipated
      monetary reward or loss. Our results proved the PADL to be a useful tool not only
      for studying the learning process in a deterministic environment, but also, due
      to the varying task conditions, for assessing differences in learning patterns.
      Particularly, we show that the learning process itself is influenced by
      manipulating both the type of feedback information and the motivational
      significance associated with the expected monetary reward.

PMID- 28642727
TI  - "Learning Science Is About Facts and Language Learning Is About Being Discursive"
      An Empirical Investigation of Students' Disciplinary Beliefs in the Context of
      Argumentation.
AB  - Argumentation is considered crucial in numerous disciplines in schools and
      universities because it constitutes an important proficiency in peoples' daily
      and professional lives. However, it is unclear whether argumentation is
      understood and practiced in comparable ways across disciplines. This study
      consequently examined empirically how students perceive argumentation in science
      and (first) language lessons. Specifically, we investigated students' beliefs
      about the relevance of discourse and the role of facts. Data from 3,258 high
      school students from 85 German secondary schools were analyzed with multigroup
      multilevel structural equation modeling in order to disentangle whether or not
      differences in argumentation across disciplines exist and the extent to which
      variation in students' beliefs can be explained by gender and school track.
      Results showed that students perceived the role of facts as highly relevant for
      science lessons, whereas discursive characteristics were considered significantly
      less important. In turn, discourse played a central role in language lessons,
      which was believed to require less knowledge of facts. These differences were
      independent of students' gender. In contrast, school track predicted the
      differences in beliefs significantly. Our findings lend evidence on the existence
      of disciplinary school cultures in argumentation that may be the result of
      differences in teachers' school-track-specific classroom practice and education.
      Implications in terms of a teacher's role in establishing norms for scientific
      argumentation as well as the impact of students' beliefs on their learning
      outcomes are discussed.

PMID- 28642728
TI  - Theory, the Final Frontier? A Corpus-Based Analysis of the Role of Theory in
      Psychological Articles.
AB  - Contemporary psychology regards itself as an empirical science, at least in most
      of its subfields. Theory building and development are often considered critical
      to the sciences, but the extent to which psychology can be cast in this way is
      under debate. According to those advocating a strong role of theory, studies
      should be designed to test hypotheses derived from theories (theory-driven) and
      ideally should yield findings that stimulate hypothesis formation and theory
      building (theory-generating). The alternative position values empirical findings
      over theories as the lasting legacy of science. To investigate which role theory
      actually plays in current research practice, we analyse references to theory in
      the complete set of 2,046 articles accepted for publication in Frontiers of
      Psychology in 2015. This sample of articles, while not representative in the
      strictest sense, covers a broad range of sub-disciplines, both basic and applied,
      and a broad range of article types, including research articles, reviews,
      hypothesis & theory, and commentaries. For the titles, keyword lists, and
      abstracts in this sample, we conducted a text search for terms related to
      empiricism and theory, assessed the frequency and scope of usage for six theory
      related terms, and analyzed their distribution over different article types and
      subsections of the journal. The results indicate substantially lower frequencies
      of theoretical than empirical terms, with references to a specific (named) theory
      in less than 10% of the sample and references to any of even the most frequently
      mentioned theories in less than 0.5% of the sample. In conclusion, we discuss
      possible limitations of our study and the prospect of theoretical advancement.

PMID- 28642730
TI  - "I Can't Get No Satisfaction": Measuring Student Satisfaction in the Age of a
      Consumerist Higher Education.

PMID- 28642729
TI  - Inconsistent Effects of Parietal alpha-tACS on Pseudoneglect across Two
      Experiments: A Failed Internal Replication.
AB  - Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is being investigated as an
      experimental and clinical interventional technique in human participants. While
      promising, important limitations have been identified, including weak effect
      sizes and high inter- and intra-individual variability of outcomes. Here, we
      compared two "inhibitory" tES-techniques with supposedly different mechanisms of
      action as to their effects on performance in a visuospatial attention task, and
      report on a direct replication attempt. In two experiments, 2 * 20 healthy
      participants underwent tES in three separate sessions testing different protocols
      (10 min stimulation each) with a montage targeting right parietal cortex (right
      parietal-left frontal, electrode-sizes: 3cm * 3cm-7 cm * 5 cm), while performing
      a perceptual line bisection (landmark) task. The tES-protocols were compared as
      to their ability to modulate pseudoneglect (thought to be under right hemispheric
      control). In experiment 1, sham-tES was compared to transcranial alternating
      current stimulation at alpha frequency (10 Hz; alpha-tACS) (expected to entrain
      "inhibitory" alpha oscillations) and to cathodal transcranial direct current
      stimulation (c-tDCS) (shown to suppress neuronal spiking activity). In experiment
      2, we attempted to replicate the findings of experiment 1, and establish
      frequency-specificity by adding a 45 Hz-tACS condition to alpha-tACS and sham. In
      experiment 1, right parietal alpha-tACS led to the expected changes in spatial
      attention bias, namely a rightward shift in subjective midpoint estimation
      (relative to sham). However, this was not confirmed in experiment 2 and in the
      complete sample. Right parietal c-tDCS and 45 Hz-tACS had no effect. These
      results highlight the importance of replication studies, adequate statistical
      power and optimizing tES-interventions for establishing the robustness and
      reliability of electrical stimulation effects, and best practice.

PMID- 28642731
TI  - Efficacy of Drug Interventions for Chemotherapy-Induced Chronic Peripheral
      Neurotoxicity: A Network Meta-analysis.
AB  - Peripheral neurotoxicity is a disturbing issue for cancer patients who are
      treated with chemotherapy. Several medications have been developed for preventing
      chemotherapy-induced chronic neurotoxicity (CICNT) however; their relative
      efficacies have not yet been studied. In this study, we conducted a network meta
      analysis to give intervention recommendations. The literature was searched in a
      variety of databases and eligible studies were chosen based on predefined
      criteria. Data extraction and statistical analysis was performed, and the results
      are displayed using the odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% credible intervals
      (CrI) with respect to overall and severe neurotoxicity. The medications were
      ranked according to their surface under cumulative ranking curve values. The
      consistency of direct and indirect evidence was also evaluated. We found that
      patients with amifostine or vitamin E (VE) treatment exhibited a lower risk of
      overall neurotoxicity compared to those using the placebo (amifostine: OR = 0.10,
      95% CrI: 0.02-0.46; VE: OR = 0.08, 95% CrI: 0.01-0.99). In regard to preventing
      severe neurotoxicity, glutathione and amifostine treatment appeared to be
      significantly more effective than the placebo (glutathione: OR = 0.19, 95% CrI:
      0.04-0.64; amifostine: OR = 0.12, 95% CrI: 0.02-0.48). In summary, amifostine,
      VE, and glutathione treatment is considered to be effective in lowering the risk
      of CICNT. However, further studies which consider safety are required.

PMID- 28642732
TI  - Autonomic Function Impairment and Brain Perfusion Deficit in Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Autonomic disorders have been recognized as important Parkinson's
      disease (PD) components. Some vulnerable structures are related to the central
      autonomic network and have also been linked to autonomic function alterations.
      The aims of the study are to evaluate the severity of the autonomic dysfunction
      and the cortical hypoperfusion using arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI. And then,
      possible relationships of significant between-group differences in perfusion
      pattern to clinical variables and autonomic functions were examined to determine
      the pharmaceutical effects of dopaminergic treatment on cerebral blood flow (CBF)
      in patients with PD. METHODS: Brain ASL MRI was carried out in 20 patients with
      PD (6 men and 14 women, mean age: 63.3 +/- 6.4 years) and 22 sex- and age-matched
      healthy volunteers to assess whole-brain CBF and the effects of dopaminergic
      therapy on perfusion. All subjects underwent a standardized evaluation of
      cardiovagal and adrenergic function including a deep breathing, Valsalva
      maneuver, and 5-min head-up tilt test. Perfusion MRI data were acquired on a 3.0
      T scanner with a pulsed continuous ASL technique. The CBF, autonomic parameters,
      and clinical data were analyzed after adjusting for age and sex. RESULTS:
      Patients exhibited a decline in autonomic function (rapid heart rate in response
      to deep breathing, low baroreflex sensitivity, high systolic and diastolic
      pressure, and altered tilting test response), widespread low CBF, and robust
      response to dopaminergic therapy. Lower perfusion in the middle frontal gyrus was
      associated with increased clinical disease severity (Unified Parkinson's Disease
      Rating Scale I score, P < 0.001). Lower perfusion in autonomic control areas,
      such as the frontal lobe and insula, were significantly associated with autonomic
      impairment (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that PD is a progressive
      neurodegenerative disorder that changes the perfusion of central nervous system
      and is associated with variable autonomic dysfunctions. Neuronal loss and
      sympathetic activation may explain the interaction between cortical autonomic
      region perfusion and cardiovascular autonomic function.

PMID- 28642733
TI  - A Case of Pulmonary Carcinoid Tumor with a Superimposed Aspergilloma Presenting
      As a Covert Ectopic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Syndrome.
AB  - Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome is a challenging diagnosis
      only responsible for approximately 10% of Cushing syndrome cases. It has been
      associated with a variety of benign and malignant tumors including a carcinoid
      tumor accompanied by aspergilloma in our case that was significantly difficult to
      be detected. We report a patient over 70 years old with uncontrolled hypertension
      and hypokalemia presenting with generalized edema. Laboratory results revealed
      ACTH-dependent Cushing syndrome, but imaging studies did not show any discrete
      lesions secreting ACTH. The petrosal to peripheral ACTH gradient resulted in no
      evidence of pituitary adenoma. As the only lesion suspicious for ectopic ACTH
      secretion was a right lower round cystic lesion that did not appear to be a
      carcinoid tumor on computed tomography scan of the chest, the patient underwent
      video-assisted thoracic surgical resection to provide a definitive diagnosis. The
      final diagnosis was a small ectopic ACTH-secreting carcinoid tumor with unusual
      superimposed aspergilloma in the periphery of the lung. Postoperatively, the
      abnormal endocrine levels were normalized, and all of the clinical symptoms and
      signs were ameliorated. This is an informative case of ectopic ACTH syndrome
      (EAS) that was the cause of hypokalemia, hypertension, metabolic alkalosis, and
      hypercortisolism despite its poorly specific cushingoid morphology and uncommon
      imaging findings. Therefore, we recommend that clinicians investigate any
      possible lesion as a potential source of EAS.

PMID- 28642734
TI  - The Short-Stature Homeobox-Containing Gene (shox/SHOX) Is Required for the
      Regulation of Cell Proliferation and Bone Differentiation in Zebrafish Embryo and
      Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
AB  - The short-stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) was originally discovered as
      one of genes responsible for idiopathic short-stature syndromes in humans.
      Previous studies in animal models have shown the evolutionarily conserved link
      between this gene and skeletal formation in early embryogenesis. Here, we
      characterized developmental roles of shox/SHOX in zebrafish embryos and human
      mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) using loss-of-function approaches. Morpholino
      oligo-mediated knockdown of zebrafish shox markedly hindered cell proliferation
      in the anterior region of the pharyngula embryos, which was accompanied by
      reduction in the dlx2 expression at mesenchymal core sites for future pharyngeal
      bones. In addition, the impaired shox expression transiently increased expression
      levels of skeletal differentiation genes in early larval stage. In cell culture
      studies, we found that hMSCs expressed SHOX; the siRNA-mediated blockade of SHOX
      expression significantly blunted cell proliferation in undifferentiated hMSCs but
      the loss of SHOX expression did augment the expressions of subsets of early
      osteogenic genes during early osteoblast differentiation. These data suggest that
      shox/SHOX maintains the population of embryonic bone progenitor cells by keeping
      its proliferative status and by repressing the onset of early osteogenic gene
      expression. The current study for the first time shows cellular and developmental
      responses caused by shox/SHOX deficiency in zebrafish embryos and hMSCs, and it
      expands our understanding of the role of this gene in early stages of skeletal
      growth.

PMID- 28642735
TI  - Functional and Compositional Stability of Bacterial Metacommunities in Response
      to Salinity Changes.
AB  - Disturbances and environmental change are important factors determining the
      diversity, composition, and functioning of communities. However, knowledge about
      how natural bacterial communities are affected by such perturbations is still
      sparse. We performed a whole ecosystem manipulation experiment with freshwater
      rock pools where we applied salinity disturbances of different intensities. The
      aim was to test how the compositional and functional resistance and resilience of
      bacterial communities, alpha- and beta-diversity and the relative importance of
      stochastic and deterministic community assembly processes changed along a
      disturbance intensity gradient. We found that bacterial communities were
      functionally resistant to all salinity levels (3, 6, and 12 psu) and
      compositionally resistant to a salinity increase to 3 psu and resilient to
      increases of 6 and 12 psu. Increasing salinities had no effect on local richness
      and evenness, beta-diversity and the proportion of deterministically vs.
      stochastically assembled communities. Our results show a high functional and
      compositional stability of bacterial communities to salinity changes of different
      intensities both at local and regional scales, which possibly reflects long-term
      adaptation to environmental conditions in the study system.

PMID- 28642736
TI  - Identification of an Efflux Transporter LmrB Regulating Stress Response and
      Extracellular Polysaccharide Synthesis in Streptococcus mutans.
AB  - Efflux transporters have been implicated in regulating bacterial virulence
      properties such as resistance to antibiotics, biofilm formation and colonization.
      The pathogenicity of Streptococcus mutans, the primary etiologic agent of human
      dental caries, relies on the bacterium's ability to form biofilms on tooth
      surface. However, the studies on efflux transporters in S. mutans are scare and
      the function of these transporters remained to be clarified. In this study, we
      identified an efflux transporter (LmrB) in S. mutans through cloning the lmrB
      gene into Escherichia coli. Introducing lmrB into E. coli conferred a multidrug
      resistant phenotype and resulted in higher EtBr efflux activity which could be
      suppressed by efflux inhibitor. To explore whether LmrB was involved in S. mutans
      virulence properties regulation, we constructed the lmrB inactivation mutant and
      examined the phenotypes of the mutant. It was found that LmrB deficiency resulted
      in increased IPS storage and prolonged acid production. Enhanced biofilm
      formation characterized by increased extracellular polysaccharides (EPS)
      production and elevated resistance to hydrogen peroxide and antimicrobials were
      also observed in lmrB mutant. To gain a better understanding of the global role
      of LmrB, a transcriptome analysis was performed using lmrB mutant strain. The
      expression of 107 genes was up- or down-regulated in the lmrB mutant compared
      with the wild type. Notably, expression of genes in several genomic islands was
      differentially modulated, such as stress-related GroELS and scnRK, sugar
      metabolism associated glg operons and msmREFGK transporter. The results presented
      here indicate that LmrB plays a vital global role in the regulation of several
      important virulence properties in S. mutans.

PMID- 28642737
TI  - Pheno- and Genotyping of Hopanoid Production in Acidobacteria.
AB  - Hopanoids are pentacyclic triterpenoid lipids synthesized by different bacterial
      groups. Methylated hopanoids were believed to be exclusively synthesized by
      cyanobacteria and aerobic methanotrophs until the genes encoding for the
      methylation at the C-2 and C-3 position (hpnP and hpnR) were found to be
      widespread in the bacterial domain, invalidating their use as specific
      biomarkers. These genes have been detected in the genome of the Acidobacterium
      "Ca. Koribacter versatilis," but our knowledge of the synthesis of hopanoids and
      the presence of genes of their biosynthetic pathway in other member of the
      Acidobacteria is limited. We analyzed 38 different strains of seven Acidobacteria
      subdivisions (SDs 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 23) for the presence of C30 hopenes and
      C30+ bacteriohopane polyols (BHPs) using the Rohmer reaction. BHPs and/or C30
      hopenes were detected in all strains of SD1 and SD3 but not in SD4 (excepting
      Chloracidobacterium thermophilum), 6, 8, 10, and 23. This is in good agreement
      with the presence of genes required for hopanoid biosynthesis in the 31 available
      whole genomes of cultivated Acidobacteria. All genomes encode the enzymes
      involved in the non-mevalonate pathway ultimately leading to farnesyl diphosphate
      but only SD1 and 3 Acidobacteria and C. thermophilum encode all three enzymes
      required for the synthesis of squalene, its cyclization (shc), and addition and
      modification of the extended side chain (hpnG, hpnH, hpnI, hpnJ, hpnO). In almost
      all strains, only tetrafunctionalized BHPs were detected; three strains contained
      variable relative abundances (up to 45%) of pentafunctionalized BHPs. Only "Ca.
      K. versatilis" contained methylated hopanoids (i.e., 2,3-dimethyl
      bishomohopanol), although in low (<10%) amounts. These genes are not present in
      any other Acidobacterium, consistent with the absence of methylated BHPs in the
      other examined strains. These data are in agreement with the scattered occurrence
      of methylated BHPs in other bacterial phyla such as the Alpha-, Beta-, and
      Gammaproteobacteria and the Cyanobacteria, limiting their biomarker potential.
      Metagenomes of Acidobacteria were also examined for the presence of genes
      required for hopanoid biosynthesis. The complete pathway for BHP biosynthesis was
      evident in SD2 Acidobacteria and a group phylogenetically related to SD1 and SD3,
      in line with the limited occurrence of BHPs in acidobacterial cultures.

PMID- 28642738
TI  - Distinct Bacterial Communities Associated with Massive and Branching
      Scleractinian Corals and Potential Linkages to Coral Susceptibility to Thermal or
      Cold Stress.
AB  - It is well known that different coral species have different tolerances to
      thermal or cold stress, which is presumed to be related to the density of
      Symbiodinium. However, the intrinsic factors between stress-tolerant
      characteristics and coral-associated bacteria are rarely studied. In this study,
      16 massive coral and 9 branching coral colonies from 6 families, 10 genera, and
      18 species were collected at the same time and location (Xinyi Reef) in the South
      China Sea to investigate the bacterial communities. The results of an alpha
      diversity analysis showed that bacterial diversities associated with massive
      corals were generally higher than those with branching corals at different
      taxonomic levels (phylum, class, order, and so on). In addition, hierarchical
      clustering tree and PCoA analyses showed that coral species were clustered into
      two large groups according to the similarity of bacterial communities. Group I
      consisted of massive Goniastrea, Plesiastrea, Leptastrea, Platygyra, Echinopora,
      Porites, and Leptoria, and group II consisted of branching Acropora and
      Pocillopora. These findings suggested that both massive corals and branching
      corals have their own preference for the choice of associated bacteria, which may
      be involved in observed differences in thermal/cold tolerances. Further analysis
      found that 55 bacterial phyla, including 43 formally described phyla and 12
      candidate phyla, were detected in these coral species. Among them, 52 phyla were
      recovered from the massive coral group, and 46 phyla were recovered from the
      branching coral group. Formally described coral pathogens have not been detected
      in these coral species, suggesting that they are less likely to be threatened by
      disease in this geographic area. This study highlights a clear relationship
      between the high complexity of bacterial community associated with coral,
      skeletal morphology of coral and potentially tolerances to thermal or cold
      stress.

PMID- 28642739
TI  - Genetic Variability of Koi Herpesvirus In vitro-A Natural Event?
AB  - Worldwide koi herpesvirus (KHV) causes high mortalities in Cyprinus carpio L.
      aquaculture. So far, it is unknown how the different variants of KHV have
      developed and how they spread in the fish, but also in the environmental water
      bodies. Therefore, a phylogenetic method based on variable number of tandem
      repeats (VNTR) was improved to gain deeper insights into the phylogeny of KHV and
      its possible worldwide distribution. Moreover, a VNTR-3 qPCR was designed which
      allows fast virus typing. This study presents a useful method for molecular
      tracing of diverse KHV types, variants, and lineages.

PMID- 28642740
TI  - Multigenerational Influences of the Fut2 Gene on the Dynamics of the Gut
      Microbiota in Mice.
AB  - The FUT2 gene encodes an alpha-1,2-fucosyltransferase responsible for the
      expression of ABO histo-blood-group antigens on mucosal surfaces and bodily
      secretions. Individuals who carry at least one functional allele are known as
      "secretors," whereas those homozygous for loss-of-function mutations are known as
      "non-secretors." Non-secretor individuals are more susceptible to chronic
      inflammatory disorders such as Crohn's Disease, which may be mediated by
      alterations in the microbiota. Here, we investigated the dynamics of microbial
      community assembly with respect to genotype using a Fut2-deficient mouse model,
      taking the genotype of the maternal lineage over two generations into account. We
      found strong differences in community assembly of microbial communities over
      time, depending on the Fut2 genotype of the host and that of their progenitors.
      By applying network analyses, we further identified patterns of specialization
      and stabilization over time, which are influenced by the host and parental
      genotype during the process of community development. We also show genotype- and
      breeding-dependent patterns of community susceptibility to disturbance in a novel
      in silico approach integrating ecological- and network analysis. Our results
      indicate that it may be important to investigate the influence of Fut2 genotype
      in a familial context in order to fully understand its role in the etiology of
      chronic inflammatory disorders.

PMID- 28642741
TI  - The Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert, an Extremely Dry and Carbon Deprived
      Habitat of Potential Interest for the Field of Carbon Science.
AB  - The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest and oldest desert on Earth, also
      considered one of the best Mars analog models. Here, several heterotrophic
      microbial communities have been discovered in its driest regions, with the ones
      present in the soil subsurface being one of the most interesting due to its
      existence in a habitat with almost no water available and almost undetectable
      organic carbon sources. Our recent discovery of the driest site of the Atacama
      known to date (and the heterotrophic microbial species that are able to survive
      in this site) reaffirms the opportunity to better characterize the physiological
      and molecular mechanisms that these species use to detect, mobilize, incorporate
      and use carbon under these extremely harsh conditions. Here we summarize what has
      been reported up to date on the organic carbon concentrations in different sites
      of the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert, proposing that due to the meager
      amounts of carbon and extremely dry conditions, the microbial communities of the
      hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert may be of interest for the field of carbon
      science.

PMID- 28642742
TI  - Microbial Resources and Enological Significance: Opportunities and Benefits.
AB  - Among the innovative trends in the wine sector, the continuous exploration of
      enological properties associated with wine microbial resources represents a
      cornerstone driver of quality improvement. Since the advent of starter cultures
      technology, the attention has been focused on intraspecific biodiversity within
      the primary species responsible for alcoholic fermentation (Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae) and, subsequently, for the so-called 'malolactic fermentation'
      (Oenococcus oeni). However, in the last decade, a relevant number of studies
      proposed the enological exploitation of an increasing number of species (e.g.,
      non-Saccharomyces yeasts) associated with spontaneous fermentation in wine. These
      new species/strains may provide technological solutions to specific problems
      and/or improve sensory characteristics, such as complexity, mouth-feel and
      flavors. This review offers an overview of the available information on the
      enological/protechnological significance of microbial resources associated with
      winemaking, summarizing the opportunities and the benefits associated with the
      enological exploitation of this microbial potential. We discuss proposed
      solutions to improve quality and safety of wines (e.g., alternative starter
      cultures, multistrains starter cultures) and future perspectives.

PMID- 28642743
TI  - HIV-1 Nef Signaling in Intestinal Mucosa Epithelium Suggests the Existence of an
      Active Inter-kingdom Crosstalk Mediated by Exosomes.
AB  - The human intestinal mucosal surface represents the first defense against
      pathogens and regulates the immune response through the combination of epithelial
      cell (EC) functions and immunological factors. ECs act as sensors of luminal
      stimuli and interact with the immune cells through signal-transduction pathways,
      thus representing the first barrier that HIV-1 virus encounters during infection.
      In particular, the HIV-1 Nef protein plays a crucial role in viral invasion and
      replication. Nef is expressed early during viral infection and interacts with
      numerous cellular proteins as a scaffold/adaptor. Nef is localized primarily to
      cellular membranes and affects several signaling cascades in infected cells
      modulating the expression of cell surface receptors critical for HIV-1 infection
      and transmission, also accompanied by the production of specific cytokines and
      progressive depletion of CD4+ T cells. At the intestinal level, Nef contributes
      to affect the mucosal barrier by increasing epithelial permeability, that results
      in the translocation of microbial antigens and consequently in immune system
      activation. However, the pathological role of Nef in mucosal dysfunction has not
      been fully elucidated. Interestingly, Nef is secreted also within exosomes and
      contributes to regulate the intercellular communication exploiting the vesicular
      trafficking machinery of the host. This can be considered as a potential inter
      kingdom communication pathway between virus and humans, where viral Nef
      contributes to modulate and post-transcriptionally regulate the host gene
      expression and immune response. In this mini-review we discuss the effects of HIV
      1 Nef protein on intestinal epithelium and propose the existence of an inter
      kingdom communication process mediated by exosomes.

PMID- 28642744
TI  - Unexpected Dominance of Elusive Acidobacteria in Early Industrial Soft Coal
      Slags.
AB  - Acid mine drainage (AMD) and mine tailing environments are well-characterized
      ecosystems known to be dominated by organisms involved in iron- and sulfur
      cycling. Here we examined the microbiology of industrial soft coal slags that
      originate from alum leaching, an ecosystem distantly related to AMD environments.
      Our study involved geochemical analyses, bacterial community profiling, and
      shotgun metagenomics. The slags still contained high amounts of alum constituents
      (aluminum, sulfur), which mediated direct and indirect effects on bacterial
      community structure. Bacterial groups typically found in AMD systems and mine
      tailings were not present. Instead, the soft coal slags were dominated by
      uncharacterized groups of Acidobacteria (DA052 [subdivision 2], KF-JG30-18
      [subdivision 13]), Actinobacteria (TM214), Alphaproteobacteria (DA111), and
      Chloroflexi (JG37-AG-4), which have previously been detected primarily in
      peatlands and uranium waste piles. Shotgun metagenomics allowed us to reconstruct
      13 high-quality Acidobacteria draft genomes, of which two genomes could be
      directly linked to dominating groups (DA052, KF-JG30-18) by recovered 16S rRNA
      gene sequences. Comparative genomics revealed broad carbon utilization
      capabilities for these two groups of elusive Acidobacteria, including
      polysaccharide breakdown (cellulose, xylan) and the competence to metabolize C1
      compounds (ribulose monophosphate pathway) and lignin derivatives (dye
      decolorizing peroxidases). Equipped with a broad range of efflux systems for
      metal cations and xenobiotics, DA052 and KF-JG30-18 may have a competitive
      advantage over other bacterial groups in this unique habitat.

PMID- 28642746
TI  - Virucidal Activity of Fogged Chlorine Dioxide- and Hydrogen Peroxide-Based
      Disinfectants against Human Norovirus and Its Surrogate, Feline Calicivirus, on
      Hard-to-Reach Surfaces.
AB  - Human norovirus (NoV) is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses in the United
      States. Norovirus is shed in high numbers in the feces and vomitous of infected
      individuals. Contact surfaces contaminated with bodily fluids harboring
      infectious virus particles serve as vehicles for pathogen transmission.
      Environmental stability of NoV and its resistance to many conventional
      disinfectants necessitate effective inactivation strategies to control the spread
      of virus. We investigated the efficacy of two commercial disinfectants, hydrogen
      peroxide (7.5%) and a chlorine dioxide (0.2%)-surfactant-based product using a
      fogging delivery system against human NoV GI.6 and GII.4 Sydney strains as well
      as the cultivable surrogate, feline calicivirus (FCV) dried on stainless steel
      coupons. Log10 reductions in human NoV and FCV were calculated utilizing RNase RT
      qPCR and infectivity (plaque) assay, respectively. An improved antiviral activity
      of hydrogen peroxide as a function of disinfectant formulation concentration in
      the atmosphere was observed against both GII.4 and FCV. At 12.4 ml/m3, hydrogen
      peroxide achieved a respective 2.5 +/- 0.1 and 2.7 +/- 0.3 log10 reduction in
      GI.6 and GII.4 NoV genome copies, and a 4.3 +/- 0.1 log10 reduction in infectious
      FCV within 5 min. At the same disinfectant formulation concentration, chlorine
      dioxide-surfactant-based product resulted in a respective 1.7 +/- 0.2, 0.6 +/-
      0.0, and 2.4 +/- 0.2 log10 reduction in GI.6, GII.4, and FCV within 10 min;
      however, increasing the disinfectant formulation concentration to 15.9 ml/m3
      negatively impacted its efficacy. Fogging uniformly delivered the disinfectants
      throughout the room, and effectively decontaminated viruses on hard-to-reach
      surfaces. Hydrogen peroxide delivered by fog showed promising virucidal activity
      against FCV by meeting the United States EPA 4-log10 reduction criteria for an
      anti-noroviral disinfectant; however, fogged chlorine dioxide-surfactant-based
      product did not achieve a 4-log10 inactivation. Future investigation aimed at
      optimizing decontamination practices is warranted.

PMID- 28642745
TI  - Structure of O-Antigen and Hybrid Biosynthetic Locus in Burkholderia cenocepacia
      Clonal Variants Recovered from a Cystic Fibrosis Patient.
AB  - Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic pathogen associated with chronic
      lung infections and increased risk of death in patients with cystic fibrosis
      (CF). In this work, we investigated the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of clinical
      variants of B. cenocepacia that were collected from a CF patient over a period of
      3.5 years, from the onset of infection until death by necrotizing pneumonia
      (cepacia syndrome). We report the chemical structure of the LPS molecule of
      various sequential isolates and the identification of a novel hybrid O-antigen
      (OAg) biosynthetic cluster. The OAg repeating unit of the LPS from IST439, the
      initial isolate, is a [->2)-beta-D-Ribf-(1->4)-alpha-D-GalpNAc-(1->]
      disaccharide, which was not previously described in B. cenocepacia. The IST439
      OAg biosynthetic gene cluster contains 7 of 23 genes that are closely homologous
      to genes found in B. multivorans, another member of the Burkholderia cepacia
      complex. None of the subsequent isolates expressed OAg. Genomic sequencing of
      these isolates enabled the identification of mutations within the OAg cluster,
      but none of these mutations could be associated with the loss of OAg. This study
      provides support to the notion that OAg LPS modifications are an important factor
      in the adaptation of B. cenocepacia to chronic infection and that the
      heterogeneity of OAgs relates to variation within the OAg gene cluster,
      indicating that the gene cluster might have been assembled through multiple
      horizontal transmission events.

PMID- 28642747
TI  - Propionibacterium freudenreichii Surface Protein SlpB Is Involved in Adhesion to
      Intestinal HT-29 Cells.
AB  - Propionibacterium freudenreichii is a beneficial bacterium traditionally used as
      a cheese ripening starter and more recently for its probiotic abilities based on
      the release of beneficial metabolites. In addition to these metabolites (short
      chain fatty acids, vitamins, and bifidogenic factor), P. freudenreichii revealed
      an immunomodulatory effect confirmed in vivo by the ability to protect mice from
      induced acute colitis. This effect is, however, highly strain-dependent. Local
      action of metabolites and of immunomodulatory molecules is favored by the ability
      of probiotics to adhere to the host cells. This property depends on key surface
      compounds, still poorly characterized in propionibacteria. In the present study,
      we showed different adhesion rates to cultured human intestinal cells, among
      strains of P. freudenreichii. The most adhesive one was P. freudenreichii CIRM
      BIA 129, which is known to expose surface-layer proteins. We evidenced here the
      involvement of these proteins in adhesion to cultured human colon cells. We then
      aimed at deciphering the mechanisms involved in adhesion. Adhesion was inhibited
      by antibodies raised against SlpB, one of the surface-layer proteins in P.
      freudenreichii CIRM-BIA 129. Inactivation of the corresponding gene suppressed
      adhesion, further evidencing the key role of slpB product in cell adhesion. This
      work confirms the various functions fulfilled by surface-layer proteins,
      including probiotic/host interactions. It opens new perspectives for the
      understanding of probiotic determinants in propionibacteria, and for the
      selection of the most efficient strains within the P. freudenreichii species.

PMID- 28642748
TI  - Helicobacter, Hygiene, Atopy, and Asthma.
AB  - The hygiene hypothesis links environmental and microbial exposures in early life
      to the prevalence of atopy, allergy, and asthma. Helicobacter pylori infection is
      typically acquired in childhood and acquisition of the infection is associated
      with poor household hygiene. Some population surveys have shown an inverse
      association between H. pylori infection and atopy, allergy, and asthma leading to
      the suggestion that H. pylori infection may be protective against disease; others
      consider it simply a biomarker for poor household hygiene. We review the relevant
      surveys, cohort studies, meta-analyses, and studies testing the protective
      hypothesis. Overall, the results of surveys and cohort studies are inconsistent,
      whereas meta-analyses show a significant but weak inverse correlation. In
      contrast, studies directly testing the protection hypothesis in relation to
      asthma in populations with poor hygiene and low H. pylori prevalence failed to
      confirm a protective effect. H. pylori is a major cause of human disease
      including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric malignancies. H. pylori
      infections most likely serve as a biomarker for poor hygienic conditions in
      childhood. We conclude that while synergistic interactions between environmental
      factors in childhood are important determinants of the pathogenesis of atopy,
      allergy, and asthma; H. pylori is inversely related to good hygiene and thus it's
      presence serves as a biomarker rather than for a specific prevention role for H.
      pylori or H. pylori antigens.

PMID- 28642749
TI  - RNA-Seq Reveals Enhanced Sugar Metabolism in Streptococcus mutans Co-cultured
      with Candida albicans within Mixed-Species Biofilms.
AB  - Early childhood caries (ECC), which can lead to rampant tooth-decay that is
      painful and costly to treat, is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases
      affecting children worldwide. Previous studies support that interactions between
      Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans are associated with the pathogenesis of
      ECC. The presence of Candida enhances S. mutans growth, fitness and accumulation
      within biofilms in vitro, although the molecular basis for these behaviors is
      undefined. Using an established co-cultivation biofilm model and RNA-Seq, we
      investigated how C. albicans influences the transcriptome of S. mutans. The
      presence of C. albicans dramatically altered gene expression in S. mutans in the
      dual-species biofilm, resulting in 393 genes differentially expressed, compared
      to mono-species biofilms of S. mutans. By Gene Ontology analysis, the majority of
      up-regulated genes were related to carbohydrate transport and metabolic/catabolic
      processes. KEGG pathway impact analysis showed elevated pyruvate and galactose
      metabolism, suggesting that co-cultivation with C. albicans influences
      carbohydrate utilization by S. mutans. Analysis of metabolites confirmed the
      increases in carbohydrate metabolism, with elevated amounts of formate in the
      culture medium of co-cultured biofilms. Moreover, co-cultivation with C. albicans
      altered transcription of S. mutans signal transduction (comC and ciaRH) genes
      associated with fitness and virulence. Interestingly, the expression of genes for
      mutacins (bacteriocins) and CRISPR were down-regulated. Collectively, the data
      provide a comprehensive insight into S. mutans transcriptomic changes induced by
      C. albicans, and offer novel insights into how bacterial-fungal interactions may
      enhance the severity of dental caries.

PMID- 28642750
TI  - Non-pylori Helicobacters (NHPHs) Induce Shifts in Gastric Microbiota in
      Helicobacter pylori-Infected Patients.
AB  - To explore the effects of gastric non-H. pylori Helicobacter species(NHPH) on the
      structure and potential function of gastric microbiota, we employed 16S rRNA gene
      sequencing on 164 gastric biopsy specimens from NHPH (H. suis, H. felis, H.
      salomonis) /H. pylori coinfection individuals, H. pylori monoinfection
      individuals and healthy controls. The results demonstrated that marked structural
      and functional variations between H. pylori mono- and coinfection samples (HPHS,
      HPHF, HPHM). The changes in bacterial structure induced by NHPH are mainly
      attributed to their ability of gastric acid secretion inhibition as well as
      bacterial chemotaxis. Both the HPHS and HPHF groups showed significant increases
      in phylotype richness and significant decreases in beta diversity, but this trend
      was not found in HPHM group. Regarding the top five phyla and top thirty-five
      genera, the HPHS and HPHF groups had similar variation trends in relative
      abundance. The increased relative abundance levels of the genera Vibrio,
      Pseudoalteromonas, Photobacterium, and Clostridium were associated with increases
      in predicted signal transduction/metabolic pathways among the three coinfection
      groups. The relative abundance levels of bacteria involved in the formation of N
      nitroso compounds were significantly decreased in the HPHS and HPHF groups (e.g.,
      Streptococcus, Neisseria, Haemophilus, Veillonella, Clostridium, etc.). The
      significantly decreased relative abundance levels of the phyla Firmicutes and
      Bacteroidetes in the HPHS and HPHF groups were associated with the observed
      increases in predicted lipid metabolism pathways. The results in this study
      implied that NHPH can arouse the variation of structure and function of gastric
      microbiota, which may pave the way to further research on the pathogenesis of
      gastric diseases.

PMID- 28642751
TI  - In vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Chlorquinaldol against Microorganisms
      Responsible for Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: Comparative Evaluation with
      Gentamicin and Fusidic Acid.
AB  - Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are a major therapeutic challenge for
      clinicians. The emergence of pathogens with decreased susceptibility to available
      therapies has become an emerging problem often associated with treatment failure.
      Hence, there is an urgent need for novel broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. The
      purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of chlorquinaldol as an
      alternative approach to currently used topical antibiotics for the treatment of
      skin and soft tissue infections. The activity of chlorquinaldol was investigated
      against a collection of bacterial isolates responsible for skin infections,
      including strains resistant to fusidic acid and gentamicin. After determination
      of MIC and MBC, time-kill experiments were carried out by counting colonies grown
      after 0, 3, 6, 9, 24, and 48 h of incubation with concentrations equal to 1/4*,
      1/2*, 1*, 2*, and 4* MIC of chlorquinaldol, gentamicin, or fusidic acid.
      Staphylococci resulted the Gram-positives most sensitive to chlorquinaldol, with
      MIC-values ranging from 0.016 to 0.5 mg/L. A lower activity was observed against
      Gram-negative bacteria, with 77% of the isolates being inhibited at
      concentrations ranging from 128 to 512 mg/L. Generally, in time-kill studies,
      chlorquinaldol showed a bactericidal activity at the higher concentrations (2*,
      4* MIC) after 24-48 h of incubation. In conclusion, chlorquinaldol may represent
      a valuable alternative to conventional topical antibiotics for the treatment of
      skin and soft tissue infections.

PMID- 28642754
TI  - Editorial: Spores and Spore Formers.

PMID- 28642752
TI  - A Comprehensive Epidemiological Research for Clinical Vibrio parahaemolyticus in
      Shanghai.
AB  - Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the most important pathogen for seafood-borne
      gastroenteritis in Shanghai and the rest of the world. A total of 42 V.
      parahaemolyticus strains were isolated from 1900 fecal specimens collected from
      patients in Shanghai hospital presenting from January 2014 to December 2015. All
      isolates were evaluated for potential virulence factors [tdh, trh, and type three
      secretion system (T3SS) genes], typed using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and
      screened for antimicrobial resistance phenotype and genotype. And for the first
      time, the relationship between virulence, genetic diversity and antimicrobial
      resistance of these isolates were identified. The results showed that 37 isolates
      carried the tdh gene (88.1%) and only seven isolates were positive for the trh
      gene. The T3SS1 and T3SS2 genes were detected in all strains and only trh
      positive isolates are also containing the T3SS2beta genes. MLST analysis of the
      42 Shanghai isolates identified 20 sequence types (STs) with 16 novel STs and
      that these clinical V. parahaemolyticus strains showed high degrees of genetic
      diversity. All isolates expressed high levels of resistance against Ampicillin
      (100.0%), Streptomycin (100.0%), Cephazolin (92.9%), Kanamycin (92.8%) and
      Amikacin (90.5%), and eight out of 38 resistance genes (SHV, tet(B), strA, qnrA,
      gryA, qnrB, sulI, sulII) were detected in at least two isolates. This study
      confirms that antimicrobial resistance of clinical V. parahaemolyticus isolates
      is greater than those of environmental isolates. Furthermore, no clear
      correlation between antimicrobial resistance and virulence or genetic diversity
      was found in this study. These results add to epidemiological data of clinical V.
      parahaemolyticus isolates in Shanghai and highlight the need for additional
      mechanistic studies, especially antimicrobial resistance, to reduce the burden of
      disease caused by this pathogen in China.

PMID- 28642753
TI  - SuhB Regulates the Motile-Sessile Switch in Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the
      Gac/Rsm Pathway and c-di-GMP Signaling.
AB  - Many Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence traits that contribute to human infections
      are accepted as being associated with its environmental lifestyle. Therefore,
      identifying the molecular mechanisms that govern the lifestyle choice is of high
      significance. We previously reported that a mutation in suhB results in a
      decrease in swimming motility and increased biofilm formation compared to the
      wild-type strain. Yet, little is known about how this occurs. In this study, we
      demonstrated that SuhB inversely regulates motility and biofilm formation through
      the GacA-RsmY/Z-RsmA cascade. Mutations in gacA or the two small RNAs rsmY/rsmZ,
      or overproduction of the RsmA protein essentially rescued the motility defect of
      the suhB mutant. Additionally, we identified a c-di-GMP mediated mechanism for
      SuhB regulation of motility and biofilm formation. We showed that the DeltasuhB
      mutant displayed elevated levels of c-di-GMP, and the DeltasuhB motility and
      biofilm phenotypes could be switched by artificially decreasing c-di-GMP levels.
      Further experiments led to the identification of the diguanylate cyclase GcbA
      responsible for regulating the c-di-GMP concentration in DeltasuhB and hence the
      switch between planktonic and surface-associated growth. Together, our results
      demonstrate a novel mechanism for SuhB regulation of the lifestyle transition via
      the Gac/Rsm and c-di-GMP signaling networks in P. aeruginosa.

PMID- 28642755
TI  - Vaginal and Uterine Bacterial Communities in Postpartum Lactating Cows.
AB  - Reproductive inefficiency in cattle has major impacts on overall productivity of
      cattle operations, increasing cost of production, and impacting the
      sustainability of the cattle enterprise. Decreased reproductive success and
      associated disease states have been correlated with the presence of specific
      microbes and microbial community profiles, yet details of the relationship
      between microbial communities and host physiology are not well known. The present
      study profiles and compares the microbial communities in the bovine uterus and
      vagina using 16S rRNA sequencing of the V1-V3 hypervariable region at the time of
      artificial insemination. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between the vaginal
      and uterine communities were observed at the level of alpha-diversity metrics,
      including Chao1, Shannon's Diversity Index, and observed OTU. Greater clustering
      of vaginal OTU was apparent in principal coordinate analysis compared to uterine
      OTU, despite greater diversity in the vaginal community in both weighted and
      unweighted UniFrac distance matrices (p < 0.05). There was a significantly
      greater relative abundance of unassigned taxa in the uterus (p = 0.008),
      otherwise there were few differences between the overall community profiles. Both
      vaginal and uterine communities were dominated by Firmicutes, although the
      relative abundance of rRNA sequences corresponding to species in this phylum was
      significantly (p = 0.007) lower in the uterine community. Additional differences
      were observed at the genus level, specifically in abundances within Clostridium
      (p = 0.009), Anaerofustis (p = 0.018), Atopobium (p = 0.035), Oscillospira (p =
      0.035), 5-7N15 (p = 0.035), Mycoplasma (p = 0.035), Odoribacter (p = 0.042), and
      within the families Clostridiaceae (p = 0.006), Alcaligenaceae (p = 0.021), and
      Ruminococcaceae (p = 0.021). Overall, the comparison revealed differences and
      commonalities among bovine reproductive organs, which may be influenced by host
      physiology. The increased abundance of unassigned taxa found in the uterus may
      play a significant biological role in the reproductive status of the animal. The
      study represents an initial dataset for comparing bacterial communities prior to
      establishment of pregnancy.

PMID- 28642756
TI  - High Prevalence of Macrolide-resistance and Molecular Characterization of
      Streptococcus pyogenes Isolates Circulating in China from 2009 to 2016.
AB  - Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A Streptococcus, is a pathogen responsible for a
      wide range of clinical manifestations, from mild skin and soft tissue infections
      and pharyngitis to severe diseases. Its epidemiological characteristics should be
      comprehensively under surveillance for regulating the national prevention and
      treatment practice. Herein, a total of 140 S. pyogenes, including 38 invasive and
      102 noninvasive isolates, were collected from infected patients in 10 tertiary
      general hospitals from 7 cities/provinces in China during the years 2009-2016.
      All strains were characterized by classical and molecular techniques for its emm
      types/subtypes, virulent factors and antibiotic resistance profiling. Of 140
      isolates, 15 distinct emm types and 31 subtypes were detected, dominated by emm12
      (60 isolates, 42.9%), emm1(43, 30.7%), and emm89 (10, 7.1%), and 8 new emm
      variant subtypes were identified. All strains, invasive or not, harbored the
      superantigenic genes, speB and slo. The other virulence genes, smeZ, speF, and
      speC accounted for 96.4, 91.4, and 87.1% of collected isolates, respectively.
      Further multilocus sequence typing (MLST) placed all strains into 22 individual
      sequence types (STs), including 4 newly-identified STs (11, 7.9%). All isolates
      were phenotypically susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, cefotaxime, and
      vancomycin, whereas 131(93.5%), 132(94.2%), and 121(86.4%) were resistant to
      erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline, respectively. Our study highlights
      high genotypic diversity and high prevalence of macrolide resistance of S.
      pyogenes among clinical isolates circulating in China.

PMID- 28642758
TI  - Time and Antigen-Stimulation History Influence Memory CD8 T Cell Bystander
      Responses.
AB  - Memory CD8 T cells can be activated and induced to produce cytokines and increase
      stores of cytolytic proteins not only in response to cognate antigen (Ag) but
      also in response to inflammatory cytokines (bystander responses). Importantly,
      bystander memory CD8 T cell functions have been shown to be dependent upon memory
      CD8 T cell fitness, since exhausted CD8 T cells have diminished capacity to
      respond to inflammatory cues. While it is known that memory CD8 T cell functional
      abilities, including ability to produce cytokines in response to cognate Ag,
      change with time after initial Ag encounter and upon multiple Ag stimulations
      (e.g., primary vs. tertiary CD8 T cell responses), it is unknown if bystander
      memory CD8 T cell responses are influenced by time or by Ag-exposure history.
      Here, we examined time and Ag-stimulation history-dependent alterations in virus
      specific memory CD8 T cell bystander functions in response to inflammatory
      cytokines and unrelated bacterial infection. We found that expression of cytokine
      receptors and ability to produce IFN-gamma following heterologous infection or
      incubation with inflammatory cytokines decreases with time following initial Ag
      encounter and increases with additional Ag encounters, suggesting that the
      ability to sense inflammation and respond with bystander cytokine production is
      dependent on age and Ag-stimulation history of memory CD8 T cells. These data
      shed further light on the regulation of memory CD8 T cell effector functions and
      have important implications for the development of vaccines designed to elicit
      protective memory CD8 T cells.

PMID- 28642757
TI  - The Fungal Pathogen Candida glabrata Does Not Depend on Surface Ferric Reductases
      for Iron Acquisition.
AB  - Iron acquisition is a crucial virulence determinant for many bacteria and fungi,
      including the opportunistic fungal pathogens Candida albicans and C. glabrata.
      While the diverse strategies used by C. albicans for obtaining iron from the host
      are well-described, much less is known about the acquisition of this
      micronutrient from host sources by C. glabrata - a distant relative of C.
      albicans with closer evolutionary ties to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which
      nonetheless causes severe clinical symptoms in humans. Here we show that C.
      glabrata is much more restricted than C. albicans in using host iron sources,
      lacking, for example, the ability to grow on transferrin and hemin/hemoglobin.
      Instead, C. glabrata is able to use ferritin and non-protein-bound iron (FeCl3)
      as iron sources in a pH-dependent manner. As in other fungal pathogens, iron
      dependent growth requires the reductive high affinity (HA) iron uptake system.
      Typically highly conserved, this uptake mechanism normally relies on initial
      ferric reduction by cell-surface ferric reductases. The C. glabrata genome
      contains only three such putative ferric reductases, which were found to be
      dispensable for iron-dependent growth. In addition and in contrast to C. albicans
      and S. cerevisiae, we also detected no surface ferric reductase activity in C.
      glabrata. Instead, extracellular ferric reduction was found in this and the two
      other fungal species, which was largely dependent on an excreted low-molecular
      weight, non-protein ferric reductant. We therefore propose an iron acquisition
      strategy of C. glabrata which differs from other pathogenic fungi, such as C.
      albicans, in that it depends on a limited set of host iron sources and that it
      lacks the need for surface ferric reductases. Extracellular ferric reduction by a
      secreted molecule possibly compensates for the loss of surface ferric reductase
      activity in the HA iron uptake system.

PMID- 28642759
TI  - Biodistribution and Efficacy of Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
      Following Intranodal Administration in Experimental Colitis.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a large potential in cell therapy for
      treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, thanks to their
      immunomodulatory properties. The encouraging results in animal models have
      initiated the translation of MSC therapy to clinical trials. In cell therapy
      protocols with MSCs, administered intravenously, several studies have shown that
      a small proportion of infused MSCs can traffic to the draining lymph nodes (LNs).
      This is accompanied with an increase of different types of regulatory immune
      cells in the LNs, suggesting the importance of migration of MSCs to the LNs in
      order to contribute to immunomodulatory response. Intranodal (IN), also referred
      as intralymphatic, injection of cells, like dendritic cells, is being proposed in
      the clinic for the treatment of cancer and allergy, showing that this route of
      administration is clinically safe and efficient. In this study, we investigated,
      for the first time, the biodistribution and the efficacy of Luciferase+ adipose
      derived MSCs (Luci-eASCs), infused through the inguinal LNs (iLNs), in normal
      mice and in inflamed mice with colitis. Most of the Luci-eASCs remain in the iLNs
      and in the adipose tissue surrounding the inguinal LNs. A small proportion of
      Luci-eASCs can migrate to other locations within the lymphatic system and to
      other tissues and organs, having a preferential migration toward the intestine in
      colitic mice. Our results show that the infused Luci-eASCs protected 58% of the
      mice against induced colitis. Importantly, a correlation between the response to
      eASC treatment and a higher accumulation of eASCs in popliteal, parathymic,
      parathyroid, and mesenteric LNs were found. Altogether, these results suggest
      that IN administration of eASCs is feasible and may represent an effective
      strategy for cell therapy protocols with human adipose-derived MSCs in the clinic
      for the treatment of immune-mediated disorders.

PMID- 28642761
TI  - Overexpression of BdMATE Gene Improves Aluminum Tolerance in Setaria viridis.
AB  - Acidic soils are distributed worldwide, predominantly in tropical and subtropical
      areas, reaching around 50% of the arable soil. This type of soil strongly reduces
      crop production, mainly because of the presence of aluminum, which has its
      solubility increased at low pH levels. A well-known physiological mechanism used
      by plants to cope with Al stress involves activation of membrane transporters
      responsible for organic acid anions secretion from the root apex to the
      rhizosphere, which chelate Al, preventing its absorption by roots. In sorghum, a
      membrane transporter gene belonging to multidrug and toxic compound extrusion
      (MATE) family was identified and characterized as an aluminum-activated citrate
      transporter gene responsible for Al tolerance in this crop. Setaria viridis is an
      emerging model for C4 species and it is an important model to validate some genes
      for further C4 crops transformation, such as sugarcane, maize, and wheat. In the
      present work, Setaria viridis was used as a model plant to overexpress a newly
      identified MATE gene from Brachypodium distachyon (BdMATE), closely related to
      SbMATE, for aluminum tolerance assays. Transgenic S. viridis plants
      overexpressing a BdMATE presented an improved Al tolerance phenotype,
      characterized by sustained root growth and exclusion of aluminum from the root
      apex in transgenic plants, as confirmed by hematoxylin assay. In addition,
      transgenic plants showed higher root citrate exudation into the rhizosphere,
      suggesting that Al tolerance improvement in these plants could be related to the
      chelation of the metal by the organic acid anion. These results suggest that
      BdMATE gene can be used to transform C4 crops of economic importance with
      improved aluminum tolerance.

PMID- 28642762
TI  - Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Augments Arsenic Tolerance in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
      by Strengthening Antioxidant Defense System and Thiol Metabolism.
AB  - Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) can help plants to tolerate arsenic (As) toxicity.
      However, plant responses are found to vary with the host plant and the AM fungal
      species. The present study compares the efficacy of two AM fungi Rhizoglomus
      intraradices (M1) and Glomus etunicatum (M2) in amelioration of As stress in
      wheat (Triticum aestivum L. var. HD-2967). Mycorrhizal (M) and non-mycorrhizal
      (NM) wheat plants were subjected to four levels of As (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg As
      kg-1 soil). Although As additions had variable effects on the percentage of root
      colonized by the two fungal inoculants, each mycobiont conferred benefits to the
      host plant. Mycorrhizal plants continued to display better growth than NM plants.
      Formation of AM helped the host plant to overcome As-induced P deficiency and
      maintained favorable P:As ratio. Inoculation of AMF had variable effects on the
      distribution of As in plant tissues. While As translocation factor decreased in
      low As (25 mg kg-1 soil), it increased under high As (50 and 100 mg As kg-1
      soil). Further As translocation to grain was reduced (As grain:shoot ratio) in M
      plants compared with NM plants. Arsenic-induced oxidative stress (generation of
      H2O2 and lipid peroxidation) in plants reduced significantly by AMF inoculation.
      The alleviation potential of AM was more evident with increase in severity of As
      stress. Colonization of AMF resulted in higher activities of the antioxidant
      enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and guaiacol peroxidase). It increased
      the concentrations of the antioxidant molecules (carotenoids, proline, and alpha
      tocopherol) than their NM counterparts at high As addition level. Comparatively
      higher activities of enzymes of glutathione-ascorbate cycle in M plants led to
      higher ascorbate:dehydroascorbate (AsA:DHA) and glutathione:glutathione
      disulphide (GSH:GSSG) ratios. Inoculation by AMF also augmented the glyoxalase
      system by increasing the activities of both glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II
      enzymes. Mycorrhizal colonization increased concentrations of cysteine,
      glutathione, non-protein thiols, and activity of glutathione-S-transferase that
      facilitated sequestration of As into non-toxic complexes. The study reveals
      multifarious role of AMF in alleviation of As toxicity.

PMID- 28642760
TI  - Interleukin-6 in Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: Its Possible Importance
      for Immunoregulation and As a Therapeutic Target.
AB  - Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is associated with a high risk of treatment
      related mortality mainly caused by infections and graft-versus-host disease
      (GVHD). GVHD is characterized by severe immune dysregulation and impaired
      regeneration of different tissues, i.e., epithelial barriers and the liver. The
      balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine influences the risk of GVHD.
      Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine that previously has been associated with pro
      inflammatory effects. However, more recent evidence from various autoimmune
      diseases (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis) has shown that
      the IL-6 activity is more complex with important effects also on tissue
      homeostasis, regeneration, and metabolism. This review summarizes the current
      understanding of how pro-inflammatory IL-6 effects exerted during the
      peritransplant period shapes T-cell polarization with enhancement of Th17
      differentiation and suppression of regulatory T cells, and in addition we also
      review and discuss the results from trials exploring non-selective IL-6
      inhibition in prophylaxis and treatment of GVHD. Emerging evidence suggests that
      the molecular strategy for targeting of IL-6-initiated intracellular signaling is
      important for the effect on GVHD. It will therefore be important to further
      characterize the role of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of GVHD to clarify whether
      combined IL-6 inhibition of both trans- (i.e., binding of the soluble IL-6/IL-6
      receptor complex to cell surface gp130) and cis-signaling (i.e., IL-6 ligation of
      the IL-6 receptor/gp130 complex) or selective inhibition of trans-signaling
      should be tried in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of GVHD in allotransplant
      patients.

PMID- 28642763
TI  - Rootstock Sub-Optimal Temperature Tolerance Determines Transcriptomic Responses
      after Long-Term Root Cooling in Rootstocks and Scions of Grafted Tomato Plants.
AB  - Grafting of elite cultivars onto tolerant rootstocks is an advanced strategy to
      increase tomato tolerance to sub-optimal temperature. However, a detailed
      understanding of adaptive mechanisms to sub-optimal temperature in rootstocks and
      scions of grafting combinations on a physiological and molecular level is
      lacking. Here, the commercial cultivar Kommeet was grafted either onto
      'Moneymaker' (sensitive) or onto the line accession LA 1777 of Solanum
      habrochaites (tolerant). Grafted plants were grown in NFT-system at either
      optimal (25 degrees C) or sub-optimal (15 degrees C) temperatures in the root
      environment with optimal air temperature (25 degrees C) for 22 days. Grafting
      onto the differently tolerant rootstocks caused differences in shoot fresh and
      dry weight, total leaf area and dry matter content of roots, in stomatal
      conductance and intercellular CO2 and guaiacol peroxidase activity but not in net
      photosynthesis, sugar, starch and amino acid content, lipid peroxidation and
      antioxidant enzyme activity. In leaves, comparative transcriptome analysis
      identified 361 differentially expressed genes (DEG) responding to sub-optimal
      root temperature when 'Kommeet' was grafted onto the sensitive but no when
      grafted onto the tolerant rootstock. 1509 and 2036 DEG responding to sub-optimal
      temperature were identified in LA 1777 and 'Moneymaker' rootstocks, respectively.
      In tolerant rootstocks down-regulated genes were enriched in main stress
      responsive functional categories and up-regulated genes in cellulose synthesis
      suggesting that cellulose synthesis may be one of the main adaptation mechanisms
      to long-term sub-optimal temperature. Down-regulated genes of the sensitive
      rootstock showed a similar response, but functional categories of up-regulated
      genes pointed to induced stress responses. Rootstocks of the sensitive cultivar
      Moneymaker showed in addition an enrichment of up-regulated genes in the
      functional categories fatty acid desaturation, phenylpropanoids, biotic stress,
      cytochrome P450 and protein degradation, indicating that the sensitive cultivar
      showed more transcriptional adaptation to low temperature than the tolerant
      cultivar that did not show these changes. Mainly defense-related genes were
      highly differentially expressed between the tolerant and sensitive rootstock
      genotypes under sub-optimal temperature in the root environment. These results
      provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of long-term sub-optimal
      temperature tolerance of tomato.

PMID- 28642764
TI  - Xylella fastidiosa: Host Range and Advance in Molecular Identification
      Techniques.
AB  - In the never ending struggle against plant pathogenic bacteria, a major goal is
      the early identification and classification of infecting microorganisms. Xylella
      fastidiosa, a Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the family Xanthmonadaceae, is
      no exception as this pathogen showed a broad range of vectors and host plants,
      many of which may carry the pathogen for a long time without showing any symptom.
      Till the last years, most of the diseases caused by X. fastidiosa have been
      reported from North and South America, but recently a widespread infection of
      olive quick decline syndrome caused by this fastidious pathogen appeared in
      Apulia (south-eastern Italy), and several cases of X. fastidiosa infection have
      been reported in other European Countries. At least five different subspecies of
      X. fastidiosa have been reported and classified: fastidiosa, multiplex, pauca,
      sandyi, and tashke. A sixth subspecies (morus) has been recently proposed.
      Therefore, it is vital to develop fast and reliable methods that allow the
      pathogen detection during the very early stages of infection, in order to prevent
      further spreading of this dangerous bacterium. To this purpose, the classical
      immunological methods such as ELISA and immunofluorescence are not always
      sensitive enough. However, PCR-based methods exploiting specific primers for the
      amplification of target regions of genomic DNA have been developed and are
      becoming a powerful tool for the detection and identification of many species of
      bacteria. The aim of this review is to illustrate the application of the most
      commonly used PCR approaches to X. fastidiosa study, ranging from classical PCR,
      to several PCR-based detection methods: random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD),
      quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), nested-PCR (N-PCR), immunocapture PCR (IC
      PCR), short sequence repeats (SSRs, also called VNTR), single nucleotide
      polymorphisms (SNPs) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Amplification and
      sequence analysis of specific targets is also mentioned. The fast progresses
      achieved during the last years in the DNA-based classification of this pathogen
      are described and discussed and specific primers designed for the different
      methods are listed, in order to provide a concise and useful tool to all the
      researchers working in the field.

PMID- 28642766
TI  - High Throughput Screening Method for Identifying Potential Agonists and
      Antagonists of Arabidopsis thaliana Cytokinin Receptor CRE1/AHK4.
AB  - The CRE1/AHK4 cytokinin receptor is an important component of plants' hormone
      signaling systems, and compounds that can alter its activity have potential
      utility for studying the receptor's functions and/or developing new plant growth
      regulators. A high throughput method was developed for screening compounds with
      agonist or antagonist properties toward the CRE1/AHK4 cytokinin receptor in a
      single experiment using the Nanodrop II liquid handling system and 384-well
      plates. Potential ligands are screened directly, using a reporter system in which
      receptor signaling activity triggers expression of beta-galactosidase in
      Escherichia coli. This enzyme generates a fluorescent product from a non
      fluorescent substrate, allowing the agonistic/antagonistic behavior of tested
      compounds to be assayed in relation to that of an internal standard (here the
      natural ligand, trans-zeatin). The method includes a robust control procedure to
      determine false positive or false negative effects of the tested compounds
      arising from their fluorescent or fluorescent-quenching properties. The presented
      method enables robust, automated screening of large libraries of compounds for
      ability to activate or inhibit the Arabidopsis thaliana cytokinin receptor
      CRE1/AHK4.

PMID- 28642765
TI  - Genome-Wide Identification of AP2/ERF Transcription Factors in Cauliflower and
      Expression Profiling of the ERF Family under Salt and Drought Stresses.
AB  - The AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) comprise one of the largest gene
      superfamilies in plants. These TFs perform vital roles in plant growth,
      development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, 171
      AP2/ERF TFs were identified in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis),
      one of the most important horticultural crops in Brassica. Among these TFs, 15,
      9, and 1 TFs were classified into the AP2, RAV, and Soloist family, respectively.
      The other 146 TFs belong to ERF family, which were further divided into the ERF
      and DREB subfamilies. The ERF subfamily contained 91 TFs, while the DREB
      subfamily contained 55 TFs. Phylogenetic analysis results indicated that the
      AP2/ERF TFs can be classified into 13 groups, in which 25 conserved motifs were
      confirmed. Some motifs were group- or subgroup- specific, implying that they are
      significant to the functions of the AP2/ERF TFs of these clades. In addition, 35
      AP2/ERF TFs from the 13 groups were selected randomly and then used for
      expression pattern analysis under salt and drought stresses. The majority of
      these AP2/ERF TFs exhibited positive responses to these stress conditions. In
      specific, Bra-botrytis-ERF054a, Bra-botrytis-ERF056, and Bra-botrytis-CRF2a
      demonstrated rapid responses. By contrast, six AP2/ERF TFs were showed to delay
      responses to both stresses. The AP2/ERF TFs exhibiting specific expression
      patterns under salt or drought stresses were also confirmed. Further functional
      analysis indicated that ectopic overexpression of Bra-botrytis-ERF056 could
      increase tolerance to both salt and drought treatments. These findings provide
      new insights into the AP2/ERF TFs present in cauliflower, and offer candidate
      AP2/ERF TFs for further studies on their roles in salt and drought stress
      tolerance.

PMID- 28642768
TI  - Silicon Transporters and Effects of Silicon Amendments in Strawberry under High
      Tunnel and Field Conditions.
AB  - Together with longer production periods, the commercial transition to day-neutral
      strawberry (Fragaria * ananassa) varieties has favored the development of
      diseases such as powdery mildew (Podosphaera aphanis) that thrives in late summer
      early fall. In an attempt to find alternative solutions to fungicides currently
      employed to curb the disease, we wanted to investigate the potential of silicon
      (Si) amendments that have been associated with prophylactic properties against
      powdery mildews. To this end, our first objective was to determine if strawberry
      was a Si-competent species following the recent characterization of the
      properties of Si transporters that plants must carry to uptake silicic acid.
      Based on genomic data, we were able to conclude that strawberry contained both
      functional influx (Lsi1) and efflux (Lsi2) transporters for Si uptake.
      Subsequently commercial experiments under high tunnel and field conditions were
      conducted with different Si fertilization regimes: constant soluble Si feeding in
      high tunnel, and bi-weekly soluble Si feeding or three concentrations of calcium
      silicate fertilization in the field. Results from high tunnel experiments showed
      that strawberry could accumulate as much as 3% Si on a dry-weight basis, the
      highest concentration ever reported for this species. All six tested cultivars
      contained roughly the same concentration, thereby confirming the limited genetic
      variability, also observed in other species, associated with the trait. Silicon
      fertilization under high tunnel led to a significant reduction of powdery mildew
      severity in both years and on all cultivars, and a significant increase in yield
      of marketable fruits reaching as much as 300% with cv. Monterey. By contrast, Si
      fertilization under field conditions in soils deficient in plant available Si,
      either in soluble or solid form, did not result in significant accumulation of Si
      in plants, regardless of the cultivars, year or concentrations. Our results have
      thus provided both genotypic and phenotypic proof that strawberry can greatly
      benefit from Si fertilization, but have also highlighted the importance of
      validating the fertilization regime to ensure that Si is properly absorbed and/or
      available to the plant.

PMID- 28642767
TI  - Silicon-mediated Improvement in Plant Salinity Tolerance: The Role of Aquaporins.
AB  - Silicon (Si) is an abundant and differentially distributed element in soils that
      is believed to have important biological functions. However, the benefits of Si
      and its essentiality in plants are controversial due to differences among species
      in their ability to take up this element. Despite this, there is a consensus that
      the application of Si improves the water status of plants under abiotic stress
      conditions. Hence, plants treated with Si are able to maintain a high stomatal
      conductance and transpiration rate under salt stress, suggesting that a reduction
      in Na+ uptake occurs due to deposition of Si in the root. In addition, root
      hydraulic conductivity increases when Si is applied. As a result, a Si-mediated
      upregulation of aquaporin (PIP) gene expression is observed in relation to
      increased root hydraulic conductivity and water uptake. Aquaporins of the
      subclass nodulin 26-like intrinsic proteins are further involved in allowing Si
      entry into the cell. Therefore, on the basis of available published results and
      recent developments, we propose a model to explain how Si absorption alleviates
      stress in plants grown under saline conditions through the conjugated action of
      different aquaporins.

PMID- 28642769
TI  - Histone Acetylation Modifications Affect Tissue-Dependent Expression of Poplar
      Homologs of C4 Photosynthetic Enzyme Genes.
AB  - Histone modifications play important roles in regulating the expression of C4
      photosynthetic genes. Given that all enzymes required for the C4 photosynthesis
      pathway are present in C3 plants, it has been hypothesized that this expression
      regulatory mechanism has been conserved. However, the relationship between
      histone modification and the expression of homologs of C4 photosynthetic enzyme
      genes has not been well determined in C3 plants. In the present study, we cloned
      nine hybrid poplar (Populus simonii * Populus nigra) homologs of maize (Zea mays)
      C4 photosynthetic enzyme genes, carbonic anhydrase (CA), pyruvate orthophosphate
      dikinase (PPDK), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK), and phosphoenolpyruvate
      carboxylase (PEPC), and investigated the correlation between the expression
      levels of these genes and the levels of promoter histone acetylation
      modifications in four vegetative tissues. We found that poplar homologs of C4
      homologous genes had tissue-dependent expression patterns that were mostly well
      correlated with the level of histone acetylation modification (H3K9ac and H4K5ac)
      determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Treatment with the histone
      deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A further confirmed the role of histone
      acetylation in the regulation of the nine target genes. Collectively, these
      results suggest that both H3K9ac and H4K5ac positively regulate the tissue
      dependent expression pattern of the PsnCAs, PsnPPDKs, PsnPCKs, and PsnPEPCs genes
      and that this regulatory mechanism seems to be conserved among the C3 and C4
      species. Our findings provide new insight that will aid efforts to modify the
      expression pattern of these homologs of C4 genes to engineer C4 plants from C3
      plants.

PMID- 28642770
TI  - Interplay between Carotenoids, Abscisic Acid and Jasmonate Guides the Compatible
      Rice-Meloidogyne graminicola Interaction.
AB  - In this study, we have characterized the role of carotenoids and chlorophyll in
      the compatible interaction between the sedentary root knot nematode (RKN)
      Meloidogyne graminicola and the monocot model plant rice (Oryza sativa). Previous
      transcriptome data showed a differential expression of carotenoid and chlorophyll
      biosynthesis genes in nematode-induced giant cells and gall tissue. Metabolite
      measurement showed that galls indeed accumulate chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids,
      as well as the hormone abscisic acid (ABA). When ABA was externally applied on
      rice plants, or when ABA-biosynthesis was inhibited, a significant increase in
      gall formation and nematode development was found, showing the complex role of
      ABA in this interaction. ABA application suppressed jasmonic acid (JA) levels in
      the plants, while ABA-biosynthesis inhibition lead to increased JA levels
      confirming an antagonism between ABA and JA in rice roots. In addition, combined
      applications of ABA and JA showed that the ABA-effect can overcome JA-induced
      defense. Based on these observations, we hypothesized that the accumulation of
      chlorophyll and carotenoid precursors would be beneficial to nematode infection.
      Indeed, when chemically blocking the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway at different
      steps, which leads to differential accumulation of carotenoids and chlorophyll in
      the plants, a positive and clear link between accumulation of carotenoids and
      chlorophyll and rice susceptibility to RKN was detected.

PMID- 28642771
TI  - Transcriptomic Analysis of Avocado Hass (Persea americana Mill) in the
      Interaction System Fruit-Chitosan-Colletotrichum.
AB  - Avocado (Persea americana) is one of the most important crops in Mexico as it is
      the main producer, consumer, and exporter of avocado fruit in the world. However,
      successful avocado commercialization is often reduced by large postharvest losses
      due to Colletotrichum sp., the causal agent of anthracnose. Chitosan is known to
      have a direct antifungal effect and acts also as an elicitor capable of
      stimulating a defense response in plants. However, there is little information
      regarding the genes that are either activated or repressed in fruits treated with
      chitosan. The aim of this study was to identify by RNA-seq the genes
      differentially regulated by the action of low molecular weight chitosan in the
      avocado-chitosan-Colletotrichum interaction system. The samples for RNA-seq were
      obtained from fruits treated with chitosan, fruits inoculated with Colletotrichum
      and fruits both treated with chitosan and inoculated with the fungus. Non-treated
      and non-inoculated fruits were also analyzed. Expression profiles showed that in
      short times, the fruit-chitosan system presented a greater number of
      differentially expressed genes, compared to the fruit-pathogen system. Gene
      Ontology analysis of differentially expressed genes showed a large number of
      metabolic processes regulated by chitosan, including those preventing the spread
      of Colletotrichum. It was also found that there is a high correlation between the
      expression of genes in silico and qPCR of several genes involved in different
      metabolic pathways.

PMID- 28642772
TI  - Assessment of Five Chilling Tolerance Traits and GWAS Mapping in Rice Using the
      USDA Mini-Core Collection.
AB  - Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is often exposed to cool temperatures during spring
      planting in temperate climates. A better understanding of genetic pathways
      regulating chilling tolerance will enable breeders to develop varieties with
      improved tolerance during germination and young seedling stages. To dissect
      chilling tolerance, five assays were developed; one assay for the germination
      stage, one assay for the germination and seedling stage, and three for the
      seedling stage. Based on these assays, five chilling tolerance indices were
      calculated and assessed using 202 O. sativa accessions from the Rice Mini-Core
      (RMC) collection. Significant differences between RMC accessions made the five
      indices suitable for genome-wide association study (GWAS) based quantitative
      trait loci (QTL) mapping. For young seedling stage indices, japonica and indica
      subspecies clustered into chilling tolerant and chilling sensitive accessions,
      respectively, while both subspecies had similar low temperature germinability
      distributions. Indica subspecies were shown to have chilling acclimation
      potential. GWAS mapping uncovered 48 QTL at 39 chromosome regions distributed
      across all 12 rice chromosomes. Interestingly, there was no overlap between the
      germination and seedling stage QTL. Also, 18 QTL and 32 QTL were in regions
      discovered in previously reported bi-parental and GWAS based QTL mapping studies,
      respectively. Two novel low temperature seedling survivability (LTSS)-QTL, qLTSS3
      4 and qLTSS4-1, were not in a previously reported QTL region. QTL with strong
      effect alleles identified in this study will be useful for marker assisted
      breeding efforts to improve chilling tolerance in rice cultivars and enhance gene
      discovery for chilling tolerance.

PMID- 28642773
TI  - Infestation of Broad Bean (Vicia faba) by the Green Stink Bug (Nezara viridula)
      Decreases Shoot Abscisic Acid Contents under Well-Watered and Drought Conditions.
AB  - The response of broad bean (Vicia faba) plants to water stress alone and in
      combination with green stink bug (Nezara viridula) infestation was investigated
      through measurement of: (1) leaf gas exchange; (2) plant hormone titres of
      abscisic acid (ABA) and its metabolites, and of salicylic acid (SA); and (3)
      hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content. Furthermore, we evaluated the effects of
      experimentally water-stressed broad-bean plants on N. viridula performance in
      terms of adult host-plant preference, and nymph growth and survival. Water stress
      significantly reduced both photosynthesis (A) and stomatal conductance (gs ),
      while infestation by the green stink bug had no effects on photosynthesis but
      significantly altered partitioning of ABA between roots and shoots. Leaf ABA was
      decreased and root ABA increased as a result of herbivore attack, under both well
      watered and water-deprived conditions. Water stress significantly impacted on SA
      content in leaves, but not on H2O2. However, infestation of N. viridula greatly
      increased both SA and H2O2 contents in leaves and roots, which suggests that
      endogenous SA and H2O2 have roles in plant responses to herbivore infestation. No
      significant differences were seen for green stink bug choice between well-watered
      and water-stressed plants. However, for green stink bug nymphs, plant water
      stress promoted significantly lower weight increases and significantly higher
      mortality, which indicates that highly water-stressed host plants are less
      suitable for N. viridula infestation. In conclusion two important findings
      emerged: (i) association of water stress with herbivore infestation largely
      changes plant response in terms of phytohormone contents; but (ii) water stress
      does not affect the preference of the infesting insects, although their
      performance was impaired.

PMID- 28642774
TI  - Increasing Provasculature Complexity in the Arabidopsis Embryo May Increase Total
      Iron Content in Seeds: A Hypothesis.
AB  - Anemia due to iron deficiency is a worldwide issue, affecting mainly children and
      women. Seed iron is a major source of this micronutrient for feeding, however, in
      most crops these levels are too low to meet daily needs. Thus, increasing iron
      allocation and its storage in seeds can represent an important step to enhance
      iron provision for humans and animals. Our knowledge on seed iron homeostasis is
      mainly based on studies performed in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, where
      iron accumulates in endodermis cells surrounding the embryo provasculature. It
      has been reported that cotyledon provasculature pattern complexity can be
      modified, thus we hypothesize that changes in the complexity of embryo vein
      patterns may affect total iron content in Arabidopsis seeds. This approach could
      be used as basis to develop strategies aimed to biofortify seeds.

PMID- 28642775
TI  - Ectopic Expression of the Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) R2R3-MYB
      Transcription Factor Gene, MaAN2, Induces Anthocyanin Accumulation in Tobacco.
AB  - Anthocyanins are responsible for the different colors of ornamental plants. Grape
      hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum), a monocot plant with bulbous flowers, is popular
      for its fascinating blue color. In the present study, we functionally
      characterized an R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene MaAN2 from M. armeniacum. Our
      results indicated that MaAN2 participates in controlling anthocyanin
      biosynthesis. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis suggested that MaAN2
      belonged to the R2R3-MYB family AN2 subgroup. The anthocyanin accumulation of
      grape hyacinth flowers was positively correlated with the expression of MaAN2.
      And the transcriptional expression of MaAN2 was also consistent with that of M.
      armeniacum dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (MaDFR) and M. armeniacum anthocyanidin
      synthase (MaANS) in flowers. A dual luciferase transient expression assay
      indicated that when MaAN2 was co-inflitrated with Arabidopsis thaliana
      TRANSPARENT TESTA8 (AtTT8), it strongly activated the promoters of MaDFR and
      MaANS, but not the promoters of M. armeniacum chalcone synthase (MaCHS), M.
      armeniacum chalcone isomerase (MaCHI), and M. armeniacum flavanone 3-hydroxylase
      (MaF3H). Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay confirmed that MaAN2
      interacted with AtTT8 in vivo. The ectopic expression of MaAN2 in Nicotiana
      tabacum resulted in obvious red coloration of the leaves and much redder flowers.
      Almost all anthocyanin biosynthetic genes were remarkably upregulated in the
      leaves and flowers of the transgenic tobacco, and NtAn1a and NtAn1b (two basic
      helix-loop-helix anthocyanin regulatory genes) were highly expressed in the
      transformed leaves, compared to the empty vector transformants. Collectively, our
      results suggest that MaAN2 plays a role in anthocyanin biosynthesis.

PMID- 28642776
TI  - Regulation Involved in Colonization of Intercellular Spaces of Host Plants in
      Ralstonia solanacearum.
AB  - A soil-borne bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum invading plant roots first
      colonizes the intercellular spaces of the root, and eventually enters xylem
      vessels, where it replicates at high levels leading to wilting symptoms. After
      invasion into intercellular spaces, R. solanacearum strain OE1-1 attaches to host
      cells and expression of the hrp genes encoding components of the type III
      secretion system (T3SS). OE1-1 then constructs T3SS and secrets effectors into
      host cells, inducing expression of the host gene encoding phosphatidic acid
      phosphatase. This leads to suppressing plant innate immunity. Then, OE1-1 grows
      on host cells, inducing quorum sensing (QS). The QS contributes to regulation of
      OE1-1 colonization of intercellular spaces including mushroom-type biofilm
      formation on host cells, leading to its virulence. R. solanacearum strains AW1
      and K60 produce methyl 3-hydroxypalmitate (3-OH PAME) as a QS signal. The
      methyltransferase PhcB synthesizes 3-OH PAME. When 3-OH PAME reaches a threshold
      level, it increases the ability of the histidine kinase PhcS to phosphorylate the
      response regulator PhcR. This results in elevated levels of functional PhcA, the
      global virulence regulator. On the other hand, strains OE1-1 and GMI1000 produce
      methyl 3-hydroxymyristate (3-OH MAME) as a QS signal. Among R. solanacearum
      strains, the deduced PhcB and PhcS amino acid sequences are related to the
      production of QS signals. R. solanacearum produces aryl-furanone secondary
      metabolites, ralfuranones, which are extracellularly secreted and required for
      its virulence, dependent on the QS. Interestingly, ralfuranones affect the QS
      feedback loop. Taken together, integrated signaling via ralfuranones influences
      the QS, contributing to pathogen virulence.

PMID- 28642778
TI  - Characterization of Salt-Induced Epigenetic Segregation by Genome-Wide Loss of
      Heterozygosity and its Association with Salt Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).
AB  - In a breeding effort to develop salt tolerant (ST) rice varieties by designed QTL
      pyramiding, large numbers of progenies derived from four crosses between salt- or
      drought- tolerant BC2F5 IR64 introgression lines, were subjected to severe salt
      stress, resulting in 422 ST plants. The progeny testing of the selected F3 lines
      under more severe salt stress resulted in identification of 16 promising
      homozygous lines with high levels of ST. Genetic characterization of the 422 ST
      F3 progeny and 318 random F2 plants from the same four crosses using 105
      segregating SSR markers lead to three interesting discoveries: (1) salt stress
      can induce genome-wide epigenetic segregation (ES) characterized by complete loss
      of heterozygosity (LOH) and nearly complete loss of an allele (LOA) in the F3
      progenies of four rice populations in a single generation; (2) ~25% of the stress
      induced ES loci were transgenerational and inherited from their salt- and drought
      selected parents; and (3) the salt-induced LOH and LOA loci (regions) appeared
      to contain genes/alleles associated with ST and/or drought tolerance. 32 genomic
      regions that showed one or more types of salt-induced ES in the random and salt
      selected progenies from these crosses. The same or different types of ES were
      detected with two large genomic regions on chromosomes 1 and 6 where more and the
      strongest ES were found across different populations. 14 genomic regions were
      found where the salt-induced ES regions were overlapping with QTL affecting ST
      related traits. The discovery of the three types of salt-induced ES showed
      several interesting characteristics and had important implications in evolution
      and future breeding for developing stress-resilient rice and crops.

PMID- 28642777
TI  - Transcriptome Analysis of Genes Associated with the Artemisinin Biosynthesis by
      Jasmonic Acid Treatment under the Light in Artemisia annua.
AB  - Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide extracted from a traditional
      Chinese medicinal plant Artemisia annua. Artemisinin-based combination therapies
      (ACTs) are recommended as the best treatment of malaria by the World Health
      Organization (WHO). Both the phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) and light promote
      artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua. Interestingly, we found that the increase
      of artemisinin biosynthesis by JA was dependent on light. However, the
      relationship between the two signal pathways mediated by JA and light remains
      unclear. Here, we collected the A. annua seedlings of 24 h continuous light
      (Light), 24 h dark treatment (Dark), 4 h MeJA treatment under the continuous
      light conditions (Light-MeJA-4h) and 4 h MeJA treatment under the dark conditions
      (Dark-MeJA-4h) and performed the transcriptome sequencing using Illumina HiSeq
      4000 System. A total of 266.7 million clean data were produced and assembled into
      185,653 unigenes, with an average length of 537 bp. Among them, 59,490 unigenes
      were annotated and classified based on the public information. Differential
      expression analyses were performed between Light and Dark, Light and Light-MeJA
      4h, Dark and Dark-MeJA-4h, Light-MeJA-4h, and Dark-MeJA-4h, respectively.
      Furthermore, transcription factor (TF) analysis revealed that 1588 TFs were
      identified and divided into 55 TF families, with 284 TFs down-regulated in the
      Dark relative to Light and 96 TFs up-regulated in the Light-MeJA-4h relative to
      Light. 8 TFs were selected as candidates for regulating the artemisinin
      biosynthesis and one of them was validated to be involved in artemisinin
      transcriptional regulation by Dual-Luciferase (Dual-LUC) assay. The transcriptome
      data shown in our study offered a comprehensive transcriptional expression
      pattern influenced by the MeJA and light in A. annua seedling, which will serve
      as a valuable resource for further studies on transcriptional regulation
      mechanisms underlying artemisinin biosynthesis.

PMID- 28642779
TI  - Mitigating Groundwater Depletion in North China Plain with Cropping System that
      Alternate Deep and Shallow Rooted Crops.
AB  - In the North China Plain, groundwater tables have been dropping at unsustainable
      rates of 1 m per year due to irrigation of a double cropping system of winter
      wheat and summer maize. To reverse the trend, we examined whether alternative
      crop rotations could save water. Moisture contents were measured weekly at 20 cm
      intervals in the top 180 cm of soil as part of a 12-year field experiment with
      four crop rotations: sweet potato-> cotton-> sweet potato-> winter wheat-summer
      maize (SpCSpWS, 4-year cycle); peanuts -> winter wheat-summer maize (PWS, 2-year
      cycle); ryegrass-cotton-> peanuts-> winter wheat-summer maize (RCPWS, 3-year
      cycle); and winter wheat-summer maize (WS, each year). We found that, compared to
      WS, the SpCSpWS annual evapotranspiration was 28% lower, PWS was 19% lower and
      RCPWS was 14% lower. The yield per unit of water evaporated improved for wheat
      within any alternative rotation compared to WS, increasing up to 19%. Average
      soil moisture contents at the sowing date of wheat in the SpCSpWS, PWS, and RCPWS
      rotations were 7, 4, and 10% higher than WS, respectively. The advantage of
      alternative rotations was that a deep rooted crop of winter wheat reaching down
      to 180 cm followed shallow rooted crops (sweet potato and peanut drawing soil
      moisture from 0 to 120 cm). They benefited from the sequencing and vertical
      complementarity of soil moisture extraction. Thus, replacing the traditional crop
      rotation with cropping system that involves rotating with annual shallow rooted
      crops is promising for reducing groundwater depletion in the North China Plain.

PMID- 28642780
TI  - RRP42, a Subunit of Exosome, Plays an Important Role in Female Gametophytes
      Development and Mesophyll Cell Morphogenesis in Arabidopsis.
AB  - The exosome complex plays a central and essential role in RNA metabolism.
      However, current research on functions of exosome subunit in plants is limited.
      Here, we used an egg cell-specific promoter-controlled CRISPR/Cas9 system to
      knock out RRP42 which encodes a core subunit of the Arabidopsis exosome and
      presented evidence that RRP42 is essential for the development of female
      gametophytes. Next, we designed three different amiRNAs targeting RRP42. The
      rrp42 knock-down mutants mainly displayed variegated and serrated leaves,
      especially in cauline leaves. The internal anatomy of cauline leaves displayed
      irregularly shaped palisade cells and a reduced density of mesophyll cells.
      Interestingly, we detected highly accumulated mRNAs that encode xyloglucan
      endotransglucosylase/hydrolases (XTHs) and expansins (EXPAs) during later growth
      stages in rrp42 knock-down mutants. The mRNA decay kinetics analysis for XTH19,
      EXPA10, and EXPA11 revealed that RRP42 had a role in the decay of these mRNAs in
      the cytoplasm. RRP42 is localized to both the nucleus and cytoplasm, and RRP42 is
      preferentially expressed in cauline leaves during later growth stages.
      Altogether, our results demonstrate that RRP42 is essential for the development
      of female gametophytes and plays an important role in mesophyll cell
      morphogenesis.

PMID- 28642781
TI  - Effects of Nitrogen Supply on Water Stress and Recovery Mechanisms in Kentucky
      Bluegrass Plants.
AB  - Non-irrigated crops in temperate and irrigated crops in arid regions are exposed
      to an incessant series of drought stress and re-watering. Hence, quick and
      efficient recuperation from drought stress may be amongst the key determinants of
      plant drought adjustment. Efficient nitrogen (N) nutrition has the capability to
      assuage water stress in crops by sustaining metabolic activities even at reduced
      tissue water potential. This study was designed to understand the potential of
      proper nutrition management by studying the morphological and physiological
      attributes, and assimilation of nitrogen in Kentucky bluegrass under drought
      stress. In present study, one heterogeneous habitat and four treatments
      homogenous habitats each with four replications were examined during field trial.
      Drought stress resulted in a significant reduction in the nitrogen content of
      both mother and first ramets, maximum radius, above and below ground mass, number
      of ramets per plot, leaf water contents and water potential and increased the
      carbon content and the C:N ratio in both homogenous and heterogeneous plots
      compared to well-watered and nutritional conditions. Observation using electron
      microscopy showed that drought stress shrunk the vessel diameter, circumference
      and xylem area, but increased the sieve diameter, and phloem area in the leaf
      crosscutting structure of Kentucky bluegrass, first, second, and third ramet
      leaf. Thus, it can be concluded that water stress markedly reduced all the
      important traits of Kentucky bluegrass, however, proper nutritional management
      treatment resulted in the best compensatory performance under drought assuaging
      its adversity up to some extent and may be considered in formulating good
      feasible and cost-effective practices for the environmental circumstances related
      to those of this study.

PMID- 28642782
TI  - Genes of ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN Family Show Different Expression Profiles and
      Overexpression of ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN 5 Modulates Fatty Acid Composition and
      Enhances Salt Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.
AB  - Acyl carrier proteins (ACPs) are a group of small acidic proteins functioning as
      important cofactors in the de novo synthesis of fatty acids. In Arabidopsis, ACPs
      are encoded by a small gene family comprising five plastid members, AtACP1 to
      AtACP5, and three mitochondrial members. The biological functions and the
      transcriptional responses to abiotic stresses of most AtACPs have yet to be
      elucidated. The present study extends previous findings and provides new
      knowledge on the function of ACPs by examining the responses of AtACP-encoding
      genes to several abiotic stresses and, in particular, the role of AtACP5 in the
      adaptation to salt stress. Phylogenetic analysis showed that AtACP1, AtACP2,
      AtACP3, and AtACP5 can be classified into one group and separated from a group
      comprising AtACP4 and ACP homologs from related species. Quantitative RT-PCR
      analysis revealed that the expression of AtACP1, AtACP2, and AtACP3 was induced
      by drought. Both iron deficiency and nitrogen starvation resulted in down
      regulation of AtACP4. The most pronounced response was observed for AtACP5, the
      expression of which was dramatically decreased by salt stress. Knock-out of
      AtACP5 showed increased sensitivity to NaCl stress, whereas transgenic lines
      overexpressing AtACP5 displayed increased salt tolerance relative to the wild
      type. Overexpression of AtACP5 further led to an altered composition of fatty
      acids, mainly a decrease of oleic acid (C18:1) and an increase of palmitic acid
      (C16:0), and to a lower Na+/K+ ratio when compared to the salt stressed wild
      type. The comprehensive transcriptional information on the small plastid AtACP
      gene family in response to various abiotic stresses and the further investigation
      of the AtACP5 indicate that AtACP5 might be critical for salt tolerance through
      alterations of the composition of fatty acids and, subsequently, the Na+/K+
      ratio.

PMID- 28642783
TI  - IbOr Regulates Photosynthesis under Heat Stress by Stabilizing IbPsbP in
      Sweetpotato.
AB  - The Orange (Or) protein regulates carotenoid biosynthesis and environmental
      stress in plants. Previously, we reported that overexpression of the sweetpotato
      [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] Or gene (IbOr) in transgenic Arabidopsis (referred to
      as IbOr-OX/At) increased the efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) and chlorophyll
      content after heat shock. However, little is known about the role of IbOr in PSII
      mediated protection against abiotic stress. In this study, comparative proteomics
      revealed that expression of PsbP (an extrinsic subunit of PSII) is up-regulated
      in heat-treated IbOr-OX/At plants. We then identified and functionally
      characterized the PsbP-like gene (IbPsbP) from sweetpotato. IbPsbP is
      predominantly localized in chloroplast, and its transcripts are tissue
      specifically expressed and up-regulated in response to abiotic stress. In
      addition, IbOr interacts with IbPsbP and protects it from heat-induced
      denaturation, consistent with the observation that transgenic sweetpotato
      overexpressing IbOr maintained higher PSII efficiency and chlorophyll content
      upon exposure to heat stress. These results indicate that IbOr can protect plants
      from environmental stress not only by controlling carotenoid biosynthesis but
      also by directly stabilizing PSII.

PMID- 28642784
TI  - Novel Miscanthus Germplasm-Based Value Chains: A Life Cycle Assessment.
AB  - In recent years, considerable progress has been made in miscanthus research:
      improvement of management practices, breeding of new genotypes, especially for
      marginal conditions, and development of novel utilization options. The purpose of
      the current study was a holistic analysis of the environmental performance of
      such novel miscanthus-based value chains. In addition, the relevance of the
      analyzed environmental impact categories was assessed. A Life Cycle Assessment
      was conducted to analyse the environmental performance of the miscanthus-based
      value chains in 18 impact categories. In order to include the substitution of a
      reference product, a system expansion approach was used. In addition, a
      normalization step was applied. This allowed the relevance of these impact
      categories to be evaluated for each utilization pathway. The miscanthus was
      cultivated on six sites in Europe (Aberystwyth, Adana, Moscow, Potash, Stuttgart
      and Wageningen) and the biomass was utilized in the following six pathways: (1)
      small-scale combustion (heat)-chips; (2) small-scale combustion (heat)-pellets;
      (3) large-scale combustion (CHP)-biomass baled for transport and storage; (4)
      large-scale combustion (CHP)-pellets; (5) medium-scale biogas plant-ensiled
      miscanthus biomass; and (6) large-scale production of insulation material. Thus,
      in total, the environmental performance of 36 site * pathway combinations was
      assessed. The comparatively high normalized results of human toxicity, marine,
      and freshwater ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication indicate the relevance
      of these impact categories in the assessment of miscanthus-based value chains.
      Differences between the six sites can almost entirely be attributed to variations
      in biomass yield. However, the environmental performance of the utilization
      pathways analyzed varied widely. The largest differences were shown for
      freshwater and marine ecotoxicity, and freshwater eutrophication. The production
      of insulation material had the lowest impact on the environment, with net
      benefits in all impact categories expect three (marine eutrophication, human
      toxicity, agricultural land occupation). This performance can be explained by the
      multiple use of the biomass, first as material and subsequently as an energy
      carrier, and by the substitution of an emission-intensive reference product. The
      results of this study emphasize the importance of assessing all environmental
      impacts when selecting appropriate utilization pathways.

PMID- 28642785
TI  - Potassium Starvation Limits Soybean Growth More than the Photosynthetic Processes
      across CO2 Levels.
AB  - Elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) often enhances plant photosynthesis, growth, and
      productivity. However, under nutrient-limited conditions the beneficial effects
      of high CO2 are often diminished. To evaluate the combined effects of potassium
      (K) deficiency and eCO2 on soybean photosynthesis, growth, biomass partitioning,
      and yields, plants were grown under controlled environment conditions with an
      adequate (control, 5.0 mM) and two deficient (0.50 and 0.02 mM) levels of K under
      ambient CO2 (aCO2; 400 MUmol mol-1) and eCO2 (800 MUmol mol-1). Results showed
      that K deficiency limited soybean growth traits more than photosynthetic
      processes. An ~54% reduction in leaf K concentration under 0.5 mM K vs. the
      control caused about 45% less leaf area, biomass, and yield without decreasing
      photosynthetic rate (Pnet). In fact, the steady photochemical quenching,
      efficiency, and quantum yield of photosystem II, chlorophyll concentration
      (TChl), and stomatal conductance under 0.5 mM K supported the stable Pnet.
      Biomass decline was primarily attributed to the reduced plant size and leaf area,
      and decreased pod numbers and seed yield in K-deficient plants. Under severe K
      deficiency (0.02 mM K), photosynthetic processes declined concomitantly with
      growth and productivity. Increased specific leaf weight, biomass partitioning to
      the leaves, decreased photochemical quenching and TChl, and smaller plant size to
      reduce the nutrient demands appeared to be the means by which plants adjusted to
      the severe K starvation. Increased K utilization efficiency indicated the ability
      of K-deficient plants to better utilize the tissue-available K for biomass
      accumulation, except under severe K starvation. The enhancement of soybean growth
      by eCO2 was dependent on the levels of K, leading to a K * CO2 interaction for
      traits such as leaf area, biomass, and yield. A lack of eCO2-mediated growth and
      photosynthesis stimulation under severe K deficiency underscored the importance
      of optimum K fertilization for maximum crop productivity under eCO2. Thus, eCO2
      compensated, at least partially, for the reduced soybean growth and seed yield
      under 0.5 mM K supply, but severe K deficiency completely suppressed the eCO2
      enhanced seed yield.

PMID- 28642787
TI  - Mutational Signatures Are Critical for Proper Estimation of Purifying Selection
      Pressures in Cancer Somatic Mutation Data When Using the dN/dS Metric.
AB  - Large cancer genome sequencing initiatives have led to the identification of
      cancer driver genes based on signals of positive selection in somatic mutation
      data. Additionally, the identification of purifying (negative) selection has the
      potential to identify essential genes that may be of therapeutic interest. The
      most widely used way of quantifying selection pressures in protein-coding genes
      is the dN/dS metric, which compares non-synonymous to synonymous substitution
      rates. In this study, we examine whether and how this metric is influenced by the
      mutational processes that have been active during tumor evolution. We use exome
      sequencing data from six different cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas
      (TCGA) and demonstrate that dN/dS in its basic form, where uniform base
      substitution probabilities are assumed, is in fact strongly biased by these
      mutational processes. This is particularly true in malignant melanoma, where the
      mutational signature is characterized by a high amount of UV-induced cytosine to
      thymine mutations at dipyrimidine dinucleotides. This increases the likelihood of
      random synonymous mutations occurring in hydrophobic amino acid codons, leading
      to reduced dN/dS ratios in genes encoding membrane proteins and falsely
      suggesting purifying selection in these genes. When this effect is corrected for
      by taking mutational signature-derived substitution probabilities into account,
      purifying selection was found to be limited and similar in all cancer types
      studied. Our results demonstrate that it is crucial to take mutational signatures
      into account when applying the dN/dS metric to cancer somatic mutation data.

PMID- 28642788
TI  - Comparison between Intestinal Behcet's Disease and Crohn's Disease in
      Characteristics of Symptom, Endoscopy, and Radiology.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate different parameters in differentiating intestinal BD from CD.
      METHODS: The medical records of inpatients with intestinal BD and CD were
      retrospectively reviewed. The univariate value of different parameters was
      analyzed, respectively. A differentiation model was established by pooling all
      valuable parameters together. Diagnostic efficacy was evaluated, and a receiver
      operating curve (ROC) was plotted. RESULTS: Forty-two BD patients and ninety
      seven CD patients were reviewed. Demographic and clinical parameters that showed
      significant value included diarrhea, fever, perianal disease, oral ulcers,
      genital ulcers, skin lesions, and musculoskeletal lesions. Endoscopic parameters
      reaching clinical significance included multiple-site lesions, lesions confined
      to the ileocecal region, longitudinal ulcers, round or oval ulcers, punch-out
      ulcers, ulcers with discrete margin, ulcer size > 2 cm, stricture of bowel, and
      anorectal involvement. Radiologic parameters aiding the differentiation included
      involvement segments <= 3, asymmetrical pattern of involvement, intraluminal
      pseudopolyp formation, target sign, stricture with proximal dilation, comb sign,
      and fistula. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value,
      and negative predictive value of the differentiation model were 90.5%, 93.8%,
      92.8%, 86.4%, and 95.8%, respectively. The cutoff value was 0.5 while the area
      under the ROC curve was 0.981. CONCLUSION: The differentiation model that
      integrated the various parameters together may yield a high diagnostic efficacy
      in the differential diagnosis between intestinal BD and CD.

PMID- 28642786
TI  - Signatures of Selection for Environmental Adaptation and Zebu * Taurine Hybrid
      Fitness in East African Shorthorn Zebu.
AB  - The East African Shorthorn Zebu (EASZ) cattle are ancient hybrid between Asian
      zebu * African taurine cattle preferred by local farmers due to their
      adaptability to the African environment. The genetic controls of these
      adaptabilities are not clearly understood yet. Here, we genotyped 92 EASZ samples
      from Kenya (KEASZ) with more than 770,000 SNPs and sequenced the genome of a pool
      of 10 KEASZ. We observe an even admixed autosomal zebu * taurine genomic
      structure in the population. A total of 101 and 165 candidate regions of positive
      selection, based on genome-wide SNP analyses (meta-SS, Rsb, iHS, and DeltaAF) and
      pooled heterozygosity (Hp) full genome sequence analysis, are identified, in
      which 35 regions are shared between them. A total of 142 functional variants, one
      novel, have been detected within these regions, in which 30 and 26 were
      classified as of zebu and African taurine origins, respectively. High density
      genome-wide SNP analysis of zebu * taurine admixed cattle populations from Uganda
      and Nigeria show that 25 of these regions are shared between KEASZ and Uganda
      cattle, and seven regions are shared across the KEASZ, Uganda, and Nigeria
      cattle. The identification of common candidate regions allows us to fine map 18
      regions. These regions intersect with genes and QTL associated with reproduction
      and environmental stress (e.g., immunity and heat stress) suggesting that the
      genome of the zebu * taurine admixed cattle has been uniquely selected to
      maximize hybrid fitness both in terms of reproduction and survivability.

PMID- 28642789
TI  - Androgen Receptor Localizes to Plasma Membrane by Binding to Caveolin-1 in Mouse
      Sertoli Cells.
AB  - The nonclassical androgen signaling pathway translates signals into alterations
      in cellular function within minutes, and this action is proposed to be mediated
      by an androgen receptor (AR) localized to the plasma membrane. This study was
      designed to determine the mechanism underlying the membrane association of
      androgen receptor in TM4 cells, a mouse Sertoli cell line. Western blot analysis
      indicated testosterone-induced AR translocation to the cell membrane. Data from
      coimmunoprecipitation indicated that AR is associated with caveolin-1, and
      testosterone enhanced this association. Knockdown of caveolin-1 by shRNA
      decreased the amount of AR localized to membrane fraction and prevented AR
      membrane trafficking after being exposed to testosterone at physiological
      concentration. The palmitoylation inhibitor 2-bromopalmitate decreased AR
      membrane localization in basal condition and completely blocked testosterone
      induced AR translocation to membrane fraction. These data suggested that AR
      localized to membrane fraction by binding with caveolin-1 through palmitoylation
      of the cysteine residue. This study provided a new evidence for AR membrane
      localization and its application for clarifying the nonclassical signaling
      pathway of androgens.

PMID- 28642790
TI  - Therapeutic Outcomes of Patients with Multifocal Papillary Thyroid
      Microcarcinomas and Larger Tumors.
AB  - A retrospective review of 626 patients with multifocal papillary thyroid
      carcinoma (PTC) including 147 patients (23.5%) with multifocal papillary thyroid
      microcarcinoma (PTMC) from a total of 2,536 patients with PTC who visited the
      Chang Gung Medical Center in Linkou, Taiwan, was performed. A comparison of the
      clinical features between 626 multifocal and 1,910 solitary PTC cases showed that
      patients in the multifocal PTC group were older and had a smaller mean tumor
      size, a more advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and a higher percentage
      of nonremission status compared to patients in the solitary PTC group. Of the 626
      patients with multifocal PTC, the group with larger tumors showed a more advanced
      TNM stage, a higher percentage of lymph node metastasis and soft tissue invasion,
      and a higher nonremission rate compared to the multifocal PTMC group. Of the 626
      patients with multifocal PTC, 25 patients (4%) died during a mean follow-up
      period of 7.1 +/- 5.3 years. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed a significantly
      lower survival rate associated with multifocal PTMC compared to that with
      solitary PTMC.

PMID- 28642791
TI  - Efficacy and Safety of Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Polidocanol Sclerotherapy
      in Benign Cystic Thyroid Nodules: Preliminary Results.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous polidocanol
      injection (PPI) in treating cystic thyroid nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      total of 158 cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules (>80% cystic
      component) in 143 patients were evaluated. 114 patients with compressive symptoms
      or aesthetic complaints were offered PPI. 44 individuals without compressive
      symptoms and aesthetic complaints who were only followed up clinically were used
      as the control group. The efficacy and safety of PPI were evaluated for 1 month,
      3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: In the PPI
      group, the mean baseline volume of 15.6 +/- 18.9 cm3 reduced at the 1-month
      follow-up to 5.1 +/- 5.6 cm3 (p < 0.001) and 0.6 +/- 0.9 (p < 0.001), and nodules
      shrunk according to the time after PPI (p < 0.001). A complete response (if >=70%
      decrease) to PPI at the 12-month follow-up occurred in 100% of the cystic or
      predominant cystic nodules. None of the nodules recurred at the 12-month follow
      up after PPI. The side effects were mild. Twenty patients (17.5%) developed mild
      localized pain, and fourteen cases (12.3%) experienced mild or moderate fever
      after PPI. CONCLUSIONS: PPI is a safe and effective alternative to treat benign
      cystic or predominant cystic thyroid nodules.

PMID- 28642793
TI  - Repair of Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Thrombosed Infrarenal Component:
      A Modified Hybrid Technique without Aortic Cross Clamping.
AB  - The authors report the successful repair of a Crawford type III thoracoabdominal
      aortic aneurysm (TAAA) with a thrombosed infrarenal component using a modified
      hybrid technique without aortic clamping in a high-risk patient. A 64-year-old
      male with a history of hypertension, diabetes, and severe chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease presented with acute on chronic backache and bilateral short
      distance claudication. A computerized tomography scan demonstrated a large,
      nonleaking Crawford type III TAAA with thrombosed infrarenal component of the
      aneurysm. In addition, both common iliac arteries were occluded with the chronic
      thrombus. A single-stage, modified hybrid procedure involving an aortobifemoral
      bypass without aortic clamping, debranching of right renal, superior mesenteric,
      and celiac arteries as well as an endovascular repair of the thoracic aneurysm
      was performed. Unfortunately, despite a technically sound repair, the patient
      died postoperatively from a massive pulmonary embolism. TAAA with a thrombosed
      infrarenal aorta and bilateral common iliac arteries can be repaired using a
      single-stage modified hybrid procedure without aortic clamping in high-risk
      patients who cannot tolerate thoracotomy and aortic cross clamping.

PMID- 28642792
TI  - Infection Control Measures in Private Dental Clinics in Lebanon.
AB  - PURPOSE: Evaluate infection control knowledge, attitude, and practice in Lebanese
      private dental clinics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey including 46 questions
      related to routine safety procedures was sent to 1150 Lebanese dentists between
      July 1st and 2nd, 2015. The study sample was selected from the database of
      registered dentists based on a proportional random sampling ensuring equitable
      representation of the 5 geographic regions of Lebanon. A subset of 29 questions
      was used to generate an overall score of compliance (excellent, good, fair, and
      poor). Comparisons according to gender, type, region, and years of practice were
      performed. RESULTS: 417 dentists returned the completed questionnaires. 96%
      expressed concern about infection transmission, 90.6% were vaccinated against
      Hepatitis B, and 61.8% asked routinely about patients medical history. Only 43%
      used protective eyewear. Although most dentists (65%) used autoclaves, dry heat
      was still used. Significant correlations were found between gender and use of
      personal protective equipment. Less compliance was shown by clinicians with fewer
      years of experience. In the overall compliance questionnaire, the mean percentage
      of correct answers was roughly 54% with <5% of the practitioners scoring
      "excellent." Conclusions. The study found inadequacy of compliance in private
      Lebanese dental clinics necessitating improved educational training and sustained
      monitoring by regulatory bodies.

PMID- 28642794
TI  - Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Have a Heterogenic Cytokine
      Secretion Profile.
AB  - Mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue (ASC) have immune regulatory
      function, which makes them interesting candidates for cellular therapy. ASC
      cultures are however heterogeneous in phenotype. It is unclear whether all ASC
      contribute equally to immunomodulatory processes. ASC are also responsive to
      cytokine stimulation, which may affect the ratio between more and less potent ASC
      populations. In the present study, we determined IL-6 receptor (CD126 and CD130
      subunits) and IFN-gamma receptor (CD119) expression on ASC by flow cytometry. The
      production of IL-6 and IFN-gamma was measured by ELISA and the frequency of IL-6
      and IFN-gamma secreting cells by ELISPOT. The results showed that ASC did not
      express CD126, and only 10-20% of ASC expressed CD130 on their surface, whereas
      18-31% of ASC expressed CD119. ASC produced high levels of IL-6 and 100% of ASC
      were capable of secreting IL-6. Stimulation by IFN-gamma or TGF-beta had no
      effect on IL-6 secretion by ASC. IFN-gamma was produced by only 1.4% of ASC, and
      TGF-beta significantly increased the frequency to 2.7%. These results demonstrate
      that ASC cultures are heterogeneous in their cytokine secretion and receptor
      expression profiles. This knowledge can be employed for selection of potent,
      cytokine-producing, or responsive ASC subsets for cellular immunotherapy.

PMID- 28642795
TI  - Why Do the Youths in Northeast India Use Tobacco?
AB  - This study is an assessment of the influence of parent's tobacco use on
      prospective tobacco use trajectories among young offspring. The study is based on
      unit level data from District Level Household and Facility Survey-4 (2012-2013)
      comprising 27,706 youths in 15-24 years' age group from northeastern states of
      India and used multilevel regression to identify the potential risk factors of
      tobacco consumption. The likelihood of using tobacco was found to be 3.4 and 1.14
      times more, respectively, for the youths coresiding with mothers who use tobacco
      and fathers who use tobacco, in comparison to youths staying with parents not
      taking tobacco. The significant effect of peers on tobacco consumption among
      youths was also observed. School-going youths had significantly lower risk of
      tobacco use. The estimated likelihood of a young person from a household to use
      any tobacco, use smokeless tobacco, and smoke was found to be 28, 12, and 17
      percent, respectively. There is an urgent need to extend National Tobacco Control
      Programme (NTCP) to the community level involving civil societies and young and
      adult generations for spreading awareness about the health hazards of tobacco
      use, providing support and facilitating quitting tobacco use.

PMID- 28642796
TI  - Riverbed Sediments as Reservoirs of Multiple Vibrio cholerae Virulence-Associated
      Genes: A Potential Trigger for Cholera Outbreaks in Developing Countries.
AB  - Africa remains the most cholera stricken continent in the world as many people
      lacking access to safe drinking water rely mostly on polluted rivers as their
      main water sources. However, studies in these countries investigating the
      presence of Vibrio cholerae in aquatic environments have paid little attention to
      bed sediments. Also, information on the presence of virulence-associated genes
      (VAGs) in environmental ctx-negative V. cholerae strains in this region is
      lacking. Thus, we investigated the presence of V. cholerae VAGs in water and
      riverbed sediment of the Apies River, South Africa. Altogether, 120 samples (60
      water and 60 sediment samples) collected from ten sites on the river (January and
      February 2014) were analysed using PCR. Of the 120 samples, 37 sediment and 31
      water samples were positive for at least one of the genes investigated. The
      haemolysin gene (hlyA) was the most isolated gene. The cholera toxin (ctxAB) and
      non-O1 heat-stable (stn/sto) genes were not detected. Genes were frequently
      detected at sites influenced by human activities. Thus, identification of V.
      cholerae VAGs in sediments suggests the possible presence of V. cholerae and
      identifies sediments of the Apies River as a reservoir for potentially pathogenic
      V. cholerae with possible public health implications.

PMID- 28642797
TI  - Water and Sanitation Hygiene Practices for Under-Five Children among Households
      of Sugali Tribe of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increased mortality is associated with poor household water,
      sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) practices. The objective was to study the WaSH
      practices for under-five children among households of Sugali Tribe, Chittoor
      district, Andhra Pradesh, India. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study
      was conducted in four mandals in 2012. A total of 500 households with under-five
      children were identified. Data was collected from mothers/caregivers. A summary
      WaSH score was generated from four specific indices, water, sanitation, hygiene,
      and hand washing practices, and determinants were identified. RESULTS: Of the
      total households, 69% reported doing nothing at home to make the water safe for
      drinking. Over 90% of the households reported storing water in a utensil covered
      with a lid and retrieving water by dipping glass in the vessels. Open defecation
      was a commonly reported practice (84.8%). About three-fifths of the study's
      households reported using water and soap for cleaning dirty hands and one-third
      (37.4%) reported using water and soap after defecation. The median WaSH score was
      15. In the hierarchical stepwise multiple linear regression, only socioeconomic
      variables were significantly associated with WaSH score. CONCLUSION: WaSH related
      practices were generally poor in people of the Sugali Tribe in Andhra Pradesh,
      India.

PMID- 28642798
TI  - Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Total Glucosides of Paeony for Primary Sjogren's
      Syndrome: A Systematic Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of total glucosides of
      paeony (TGP) for primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: Eight electronic
      databases were searched from their inception to July 2016. Clinical randomized
      controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The study quality was evaluated according
      to the standard suggested in the Cochrane Handbook. RevMan 5.1 was used for
      statistical analysis. RESULTS: Seven RCTs involving 443 patients were included.
      The results showed that TGP combined with an immunosuppressant (IS) showed
      greater efficacy for improving the saliva flow test of pSS compared to
      immunosuppressant alone (WMD -6.88, 95% CI -9.02 to -4.74, and P < 0.00001). And
      the same trend favouring TGP-IS dual combination was found in Schirmer test (WMD
      1.63, 95% CI 0.26 to 3.01, and P = 0.02), ESR (WMD 7.33, 95% CI -10.08 to -4.59,
      and P < 0.00001), CRP (WMD -6.00, 95% CI -7.17 to -4.83, and P < 0.00001), IgM
      (WMD = -0.42, 95% CI -0.70 to 0.13, and P = 0.004), and IgG (WMD -3.22, 95% CI 
      4.32 to -2.12, and P < 0.00001) analysis. However, TGP did not affect IgA (WMD
      0.53, 95% CI -1.34 to -0.29, and P = 0.20). The adverse events manifested no
      significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The TGP-IS
      combination is superior to IS alone in the treatment of pSS. However, due to the
      low quality of included studies, high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the
      beneficial effects of TGP.

PMID- 28642800
TI  - The Current Status of Quality of Reporting in Acupuncture Treatment Case Reports:
      An Analysis of the Core Journal in Korea.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the overall quality of case
      reports concerning acupuncture treatment in Korea. METHODS: We selected a
      representative Korean journal and retrieved eligible case reports on acupuncture
      treatment published from 2009 to 2015. We assessed the quality of reporting based
      on CAse REport (CARE) and STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical
      Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guideline checklists. RESULTS: A total of 93
      eligible case reports of acupuncture treatment were identified among the 107
      articles screened. Overall quality of reporting in the case reports was generally
      acceptable (75.4% on CARE, 67.7% on STRICTA), but several crucial items remained
      substantially underreported. CONCLUSIONS: Endorsement of the CARE and STRICTA
      guidelines is needed to improve the completeness of reporting. Our findings will
      be helpful in developing a more appropriate reporting guideline for case reports
      in acupuncture treatment.

PMID- 28642801
TI  - Differences in the Tongue Features of Primary Dysmenorrhea Patients and Controls
      over a Normal Menstrual Cycle.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to investigate the relationships between
      tongue features and the existence of menstrual pain and to provide basic
      information regarding the changes in tongue features during a menstrual cycle.
      METHODS: This study was conducted at the Kyung Hee University Medical Center.
      Forty-eight eligible participants aged 20 to 29 years were enrolled and assigned
      to two groups according to their visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. Group A
      included 24 females suffering from primary dysmenorrhea (PD) caused by qi
      stagnation and blood stasis syndrome with VAS >= 4. In contrast, Group B included
      24 females with few premenstrual symptoms and VAS < 4. All participants completed
      four visits (menses-follicular-luteal-menses phases), and the tongue images were
      taken by using a computerized tongue image analysis system (CTIS). RESULTS: The
      results revealed that the tongue coating color value and the tongue coating
      thickness in the PD group during the menstrual phase were significantly lower
      than those of the control group (P = 0.031 and P = 0.029, resp.). CONCLUSIONS:
      These results suggest that the tongue features obtained from the CTIS may serve
      as a supplementary means for the differentiation of syndromes and the evaluation
      of therapeutic effect and prognosis in PD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was
      registered with Clinical Research Information Service, registration number
      KCT0001604, registered on 27 August 2015.

PMID- 28642802
TI  - pERK-dependent defective TCR-mediated activation of CD4+ T cells in end-stage
      renal disease patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have an impaired immune
      response with a prematurely aged T-cell system. Mitogen-activated protein kinases
      (MAPKs) including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38, regulate
      diverse cellular programs by transferring extracellular signals into an
      intracellular response. T cell receptor (TCR)-induced phosphorylation of ERK
      (pERK) may show an age-associated decline, which can be reversed by inhibiting
      dual specific phosphatase (DUSP) 6, a cytoplasmic phosphatase with substrate
      specificity to dephosphorylate pERK. The aim of this study was to assess whether
      ESRD affects TCR-mediated signaling and explore possibilities for intervening in
      ESRD-associated defective T-cell mediated immunity. RESULTS: An age-associated
      decline in TCR-induced pERK-levels was observed in the different CD4+ (P < 0.05),
      but not CD8+, T-cell subsets from healthy individuals (HI). Interestingly, pERK
      levels of CD4+ T-cell subsets from young ESRD patients were in between young and
      elderly HI. A differentiation-associated decline in TCR-induced ERK and p38
      phosphorylation was observed in T cells, although TCR-induced p38 phosphorylation
      was not significantly affected by age and/or ESRD. Frequencies of TCR-induced
      CD69-expressing CD4+ T cells declined with age and were positively associated
      with pERK. In addition, an age-associated tendency of increased expression of
      DUSP6 was observed in CD4+ T cells of HI and DUSP6 expression in young ESRD
      patients was similar to old HI. Inhibition of DUSP6 significantly increased TCR
      induced pERK-levels of CD4+ T cells in young and elderly ESRD patients, and
      elderly HI. CONCLUSIONS: TCR-mediated phosphorylation of ERK is affected in young
      ESRD patients consistent with the concept of premature immunological T cell
      ageing. Inhibition of DUSP6 specific for pERK might be a potential intervention
      enhancing T-cell mediated immunity in ESRD patients.

PMID- 28642804
TI  - Defining an Optimal Cut-Point Value in ROC Analysis: An Alternative Approach.
AB  - ROC curve analysis is often applied to measure the diagnostic accuracy of a
      biomarker. The analysis results in two gains: diagnostic accuracy of the
      biomarker and the optimal cut-point value. There are many methods proposed in the
      literature to obtain the optimal cut-point value. In this study, a new approach,
      alternative to these methods, is proposed. The proposed approach is based on the
      value of the area under the ROC curve. This method defines the optimal cut-point
      value as the value whose sensitivity and specificity are the closest to the value
      of the area under the ROC curve and the absolute value of the difference between
      the sensitivity and specificity values is minimum. This approach is very
      practical. In this study, the results of the proposed method are compared with
      those of the standard approaches, by using simulated data with different
      distribution and homogeneity conditions as well as a real data. According to the
      simulation results, the use of the proposed method is advised for finding the
      true cut-point.

PMID- 28642805
TI  - A simple method for HPLC retention time prediction: linear calibration using two
      reference substances.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Analysis of related substances in pharmaceutical chemicals and multi
      components in traditional Chinese medicines needs bulk of reference substances to
      identify the chromatographic peaks accurately. But the reference substances are
      costly. Thus, the relative retention (RR) method has been widely adopted in
      pharmacopoeias and literatures for characterizing HPLC behaviors of those
      reference substances unavailable. The problem is it is difficult to reproduce the
      RR on different columns due to the error between measured retention time (tR) and
      predicted tR in some cases. Therefore, it is useful to develop an alternative and
      simple method for prediction of tR accurately. METHODS: In the present study,
      based on the thermodynamic theory of HPLC, a method named linear calibration
      using two reference substances (LCTRS) was proposed. The method includes three
      steps, procedure of two points prediction, procedure of validation by multiple
      points regression and sequential matching. The tR of compounds on a HPLC column
      can be calculated by standard retention time and linear relationship. RESULTS:
      The method was validated in two medicines on 30 columns. CONCLUSION: It was
      demonstrated that, LCTRS method is simple, but more accurate and more robust on
      different HPLC columns than RR method. Hence quality standards using LCTRS method
      are easy to reproduce in different laboratories with lower cost of reference
      substances.

PMID- 28642803
TI  - Transcriptomic profiles of aging in naive and memory CD4+ cells from mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: CD4+ T cells can be broadly divided into naive and memory subsets,
      each of which are differentially impaired by the aging process. It is unclear if
      and how these differences are reflected at the transcriptomic level. We performed
      microarray profiling on RNA derived from naive (CD44low) and memory (CD44high)
      CD4+ T cells derived from young (2-3 month) and old (28 month) mice, in order to
      better understand the mechanisms of age-related functional alterations in both
      subsets. We also performed follow-up bioinformatic analyses in order to determine
      the functional consequences of gene expression changes in both of these subsets,
      and identify regulatory factors potentially responsible for these changes.
      RESULTS: We found 185 and 328 genes differentially expressed (FDR <= 0.05) in
      young vs. old naive and memory cells, respectively, with 50 genes differentially
      expressed in both subsets. Functional annotation analyses highlighted an increase
      in genes involved in apoptosis specific to aged naive cells. Both subsets shared
      age-related increases in inflammatory signaling genes, along with a decrease in
      oxidative phosphorylation genes. Cis-regulatory analyses revealed enrichment of
      multiple transcription factor binding sites near genes with age-associated
      expression, in particular NF-kappaB and several forkhead box transcription
      factors. Enhancer associated histone modifications were enriched near genes down
      regulated in naive cells. Comparison of our results with previous mouse and human
      datasets indicates few overlapping genes overall, but suggest consistent up
      regulation of Casp1 and Il1r2, and down-regulation of Foxp1 in both mouse and
      human CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS: The transcriptomes of naive and memory CD4+ T
      cells are distinctly affected by the aging process. However, both subsets exhibit
      a common increase inflammatory genes and decrease in oxidative phosphorylation
      genes. NF-kappaB, forkhead box, and Myc transcription factors are implicated as
      upstream regulators of these gene expression changes in both subsets, with
      enhancer histone modifications potentially driving unique changes unique to naive
      cells. Finally we conclude that there is little overlap in age-related gene
      expression changes between humans and mice; however, age-related alterations in a
      small subset of genes may be conserved.

PMID- 28642807
TI  - Precision Education Initiative: Moving Towards Personalized Education.

PMID- 28642799
TI  - Extraoral Taste Receptor Discovery: New Light on Ayurvedic Pharmacology.
AB  - More and more research studies are revealing unexpectedly important roles of
      taste for health and pathogenesis of various diseases. Only recently it has been
      shown that taste receptors have many extraoral locations (e.g., stomach,
      intestines, liver, pancreas, respiratory system, heart, brain, kidney, urinary
      bladder, pancreas, adipose tissue, testis, and ovary), being part of a large
      diffuse chemosensory system. The functional implications of these taste receptors
      widely dispersed in various organs or tissues shed a new light on several
      concepts used in ayurvedic pharmacology (dravyaguna vijnana), such as taste
      (rasa), postdigestive effect (vipaka), qualities (guna), and energetic nature
      (virya). This review summarizes the significance of extraoral taste receptors and
      transient receptor potential (TRP) channels for ayurvedic pharmacology, as well
      as the biological activities of various types of phytochemical tastants from an
      ayurvedic perspective. The relative importance of taste (rasa), postdigestive
      effect (vipaka), and energetic nature (virya) as ethnopharmacological descriptors
      within Ayurveda boundaries will also be discussed.

PMID- 28642806
TI  - The efficacy of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (green tea) in the treatment of
      Alzheimer's disease: an overview of pre-clinical studies and translational
      perspectives in clinical practice.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form
      of dementia characterized by cognitive and memory impairment. One of the
      mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of AD, is the oxidative stress being
      involved in AD's development and progression. In addition, several studies proved
      that chronic viral infections, mainly induced by Human herpesvirus 1 (HHV-1),
      Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Human herpesvirus 2 (HHV-2), and Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
      could be responsible for AD's neuropathology. Despite the large amount of data
      regarding the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a very limited number of
      therapeutic drugs and/or pharmacological approaches, have been developed so far.
      It is important to underline that, in recent years, natural compounds, due their
      antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties have been largely studied and
      identified as promising agents for the prevention and treatment of
      neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. The ester of epigallocatechin and
      gallic acid, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG), is the main and most
      significantly bioactive polyphenol found in solid green tea extract. Several
      studies showed that this compound has important anti-inflammatory and
      antiatherogenic properties as well as protective effects against neuronal damage
      and brain edema. To date, many studies regarding the potential effects of EGCG in
      AD's treatment have been reported in literature. The purpose of this review is to
      summarize the in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical studies on the use of EGCG in the
      prevention and the treatment of AD as well as to offer new insights for
      translational perspectives into clinical practice.

PMID- 28642808
TI  - Increasing Social Integration for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
AB  - Increasing numbers of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are
      entering postsecondary education; however, many report feeling lonely and
      isolated. These difficulties with socialization have been found to impact
      students' academic success, involvement within the university, and overall well
      being. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess, within the context of
      a multiple-baseline across participants design, whether a structured social
      planning intervention would increase social integration for college students with
      ASD. The intervention consisted of weekly meetings to plan social activities
      around the student with ASD's interests, improve organizational skills, and
      target specific social skills. Additionally, each participant had a peer mentor
      for support during the social activities. The results showed that following
      intervention all participants increased their number of community-based social
      events, extracurricular activities, and peer interactions. Furthermore,
      participants improved in their academic performance and satisfaction with their
      college experience. Results are discussed in regards to developing specialized
      programs to assist college students with ASD.

PMID- 28642809
TI  - Corrigendum to "Plant-Derived Antioxidants in Disease Prevention".
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/1920208.].

PMID- 28642810
TI  - Association of the Composite Inflammatory Biomarker GlycA, with Exercise-Induced
      Changes in Body Habitus in Men and Women with Prediabetes.
AB  - GlycA is a new composite measure of systemic inflammation and a predictor of many
      inflammatory diseases. GlycA is the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
      derived signal arising from glucosamine residues on acute-phase proteins. This
      study aimed to evaluate how exercise-based lifestyle interventions modulate GlycA
      in persons at risk for type 2 diabetes. GlycA, fitness, and body habitus were
      measured in 169 sedentary adults (45-75 years) with prediabetes randomly assigned
      to one of four six-month exercise-based lifestyle interventions. Interventions
      included exercise prescription based on the amount (energy expenditure (kcal/kg
      weight/week (KKW)) and intensity (%VO2peak). The groups were (1) low
      amount/moderate-intensity (10KKW/50%) exercise; (2) high-amount/moderate
      intensity (16KKW/50%) exercise; (3) high-amount/vigorous-intensity (16KKW/75%)
      exercise; and (4) a Clinical Lifestyle (combined diet plus low-amount/moderate
      intensity exercise) intervention. Six months of exercise training and/or diet
      reduced GlycA (mean Delta: -6.8 +/- 29.2 MUmol/L; p = 0.006) and increased
      VO2peak (mean Delta: 1.98 +/- 2.6 mL/kg/min; p < 0.001). Further, visceral (mean
      Delta: -21.1 +/- 36.6 cm2) and subcutaneous fat (mean Delta: -24.3 +/- 41.0 cm2)
      were reduced, while liver density (mean Delta: +2.3 +/- 6.5HU) increased, all p <
      0.001. When including individuals in all four interventions, GlycA reductions
      were associated with reductions in visceral adiposity (p < 0.03). Exercise-based
      lifestyle interventions reduced GlycA concentrations through mechanisms related
      to exercise-induced modulations of visceral adiposity. This trial is registered
      with Clinical Trial Registration Number NCT00962962.

PMID- 28642813
TI  - Corrigendum to "Association of Nuclear Factor-Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2,
      Thioredoxin Interacting Protein, and Heme Oxygenase-1 Gene Polymorphisms with
      Diabetes and Obesity in Mexican Patients".
AB  - [This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/7367641.].

PMID- 28642812
TI  - The Antioxidant Machinery of Young and Senescent Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial
      Cells and Their Microvesicles.
AB  - We examine the antioxidant role of young and senescent human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVECs) and their microvesicles (MVs). Proteomic and Western
      blot studies have shown young HUVECs to have a complete and well-developed
      antioxidant system. Their MVs also contain antioxidant molecules, though of a
      smaller and more specific range, specialized in the degradation of hydrogen
      peroxide and the superoxide anion via the thioredoxin-peroxiredoxin system.
      Senescence was shown to be associated with a large increase in the size of the
      antioxidant machinery in both HUVECs and their MVs. These responses might help
      HUVECs and their MVs deal with the more oxidising conditions found in older
      cells. Functional analysis confirmed the antioxidant machinery of the MVs to be
      active and to increase in size with senescence. No glutathione or nonpeptide
      antioxidant (ascorbic acid and vitamin E) activity was detected in the MVs.
      Endothelial cells and MVs seem to adapt to higher ROS concentrations in
      senescence by increasing their antioxidant machinery, although this is not enough
      to recover completely from the senescence-induced ROS increase. Moreover, MVs
      could be involved in the regulation of the blood plasma redox status by
      functioning as ROS scavengers.

PMID- 28642811
TI  - Actinidia chinensis Planch. Improves the Indices of Antioxidant and Anti
      Inflammation Status of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Activating Keap1 and Nrf2 via
      the Upregulation of MicroRNA-424.
AB  - The fruit juice of Actinidia chinensis Planch. has antioxidant and anti
      inflammation properties on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the
      molecular mechanism was unclear. The patients took the juice and the serum level
      of antioxidant miR-424, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), erythroid
      derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2), and biochemical indices were measured. The juice
      increased the levels of serum microRNA-424, Keap1, and Nrf2 and reduced the
      levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta and IL-6 in T2DM patients. The levels of SOD
      and GSH were higher while the levels of ALT and AST were lower in the patients
      consuming the juice when compared to the patients without taking the juice. The
      Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that the serum levels of miR-424 were
      positively related to Keap1 and Nrf2 levels while Keap1 and Nrf2 levels were
      positively related to the levels of SOD and GSH and negatively related to IL-1
      beta and IL-6. Thus, FJACP improves the indices of antioxidant and anti
      inflammation status by activating Keap1 and Nrf2 via the upregulation of miR-424
      in the patients with T2DM. This trial is registered with ChiCTR-ONC-17011087 on
      04/07/2017.

PMID- 28642814
TI  - LC-QTOF-MS Analysis and Activity Profiles of Popular Antioxidant Dietary
      Supplements in Terms of Quality Control.
AB  - The dietary supplements with claimed antioxidant activity constitute a
      substantial part of the dietary supplement market. In this study, we performed
      the LC-QTOF-MS analysis and investigated the activity profiles of popular
      antioxidant dietary supplements from different chemical groups in terms of
      quality control. The commonly used antioxidant tests and statistical analysis
      revealed that substantial part of the results was comparable if 1 g sample was
      considered, but while comparing single and daily doses, significant differences
      in antioxidant values were noticed in all assays. The best antioxidant activity
      was obtained in ORAC assay (from 142 to 13814 MUM of Trolox equivalents per 1 g
      of sample), and the strongest correlation occurred between TPC and ORAC. The LC
      QTOF-MS analysis revealed that catechins were present in samples having the best
      antioxidant activity and that dietary supplements showing the weakest activity
      contained very small amount of any chemical constituents.

PMID- 28642816
TI  - Safe and effective administration of T-VEC in a patient with heart
      transplantation and recurrent locally advanced melanoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy plays a key role in the treatment of metastatic
      melanoma. Patients with autoimmune conditions and/or on immunosuppressive therapy
      due to orthotropic transplants, however, are systematically excluded from
      clinical trials. Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is the first oncolytic virus to
      be approved by the FDA for cancer therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first
      report of T-VEC being administered in the setting of an organ transplant
      recipient. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we present the case of a patient with
      recurrent locally advanced cutaneous melanoma receiving salvage T-VEC therapy in
      the setting of orthotropic heart transplantation. After 5 cycles of therapy, no
      evidence of graft rejection has been observed to date, and the patient achieved a
      complete remission, and is currently off therapy. CONCLUSION: This case advocates
      for further investigation on the safety and efficacy of immunotherapeutic
      approaches, such as T-VEC, in solid organ transplant recipients.

PMID- 28580126
TI  - Early embryo mortality in natural human reproduction: What the data say.
AB  - How many human embryos die between fertilisation and birth under natural
      conditions? It is widely accepted that natural human embryo mortality is high,
      particularly during the first weeks after fertilisation, with total prenatal
      losses of 70% and higher frequently claimed. However, the first external sign of
      pregnancy occurs two weeks after fertilisation with a missed menstrual period,
      and establishing the fate of embryos before this is challenging. Calculations are
      additionally hampered by a lack of data on the efficiency of fertilisation under
      natural conditions. Four distinct sources are used to justify quantitative claims
      regarding embryo loss: (i) a hypothesis published by Roberts & Lowe in TheLancet 
      is widely cited but has no practical quantitative value; (ii) life table analyses
      give consistent assessments of clinical pregnancy loss, but cannot illuminate
      losses at earlier stages of development; (iii) studies that measure human
      chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) reveal losses in the second week of development and
      beyond, but not before; and (iv) the classic studies of Hertig and Rock offer the
      only direct insight into the fate of human embryos from fertilisation under
      natural conditions. Re-examination of Hertig's data demonstrates that his
      estimates for fertilisation rate and early embryo loss are highly imprecise and
      casts doubt on the validity of his numerical analysis. A recent re-analysis of
      hCG study data concluded that approximately 40-60% of embryos may be lost between
      fertilisation and birth, although this will vary substantially between individual
      women. In conclusion, natural human embryo mortality is lower than often claimed
      and widely accepted. Estimates for total prenatal mortality of 70% or higher are
      exaggerated and not supported by the available data.

PMID- 28642817
TI  - Cerebral vasculitis mimicking intracranial metastatic progression of lung cancer
      during PD-1 blockade.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Stimulation of the immune system by targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway
      can result in activation of anti-tumor immunity. Besides its clinical benefit
      immune checkpoint therapy leads to significant immune-related adverse events
      (irAEs). Some rare irAEs are not well described yet but are critical in patient
      management. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we describe a case of autoimmune cerebral
      vasculitis/encephalitis after PD-1 inhibitor treatment for metastatic
      adenocarcinoma of the lung. Upon PD-1 blockade, the patient developed cerebral
      lesions, while having disease stabilization of extracranial metastases. Imaging
      suggested that the patient had new progressing brain metastases. Despite
      stereotactic irradiation the lesions progressed further. The largest lesion
      became symptomatic and had to be surgically resected. On examination, cerebral
      vasculitis was detected but not evidence of metastatic lung cancer. Analysis of
      the patient's serum revealed the presence of antinuclear antibodies that were
      already present before starting PD-1 blockade. In addition, we also found anti
      vascular endothelial antibodies in the serum. CONCLUSION: This finding suggests
      that the patient had preformed autoantibodies and the checkpoint inhibitor
      induced a clinically relevant autoimmune disease. Taken together, encephalitic
      lesions in patients under PD-1/PD-L1 blockade can mimic metastatic brain lesions
      and this rare irAE has to be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients
      treated with immunotherapy.

PMID- 28642818
TI  - Nivolumab as salvage treatment in a patient with HIV-related relapsed/refractory
      Hodgkin lymphoma and liver failure with encephalopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We report the first case to our knowledge of a patient with
      relapsed/refractory classical hodgkin lymphoma and liver failure with
      encephalopathy along with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome infection, successfully treated with nivolumab without major side
      effects and encouraging prolonged disease control. CASE PRESENTATION: In December
      2015, at the time of the patient's progression from his Hodgkin lymphoma after
      fourth line treatment, he developed persistent fevers, abdominal distension,
      jaundice and worsening of his liver function tests. Magnetic resonance imaging of
      abdomen/pelvis demonstrated hepatomegaly with innumerable new liver lesions,
      splenomegaly with multiple splenic nodules and several new mediastinal,
      intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. In accordance with the
      patient's wishes before admission, and after agreement with the family, nivolumab
      (3 mg/kg every 2 weeks) was given. Of note, antiretroviral therapy was on hold
      due to liver function tests, his viral load was undectable and cluster of
      differentiation 4 counts were 103/uL at the time of nivolumab administration. One
      week after the first dose of nivolumab both his hepatic encephalopathy and
      constitutional symptoms started to improve, and after 2 doses, (January 2016) his
      LFTs were almost back to normal. After 5 months of nivolumab treatment (10
      doses), restaging (computerized tomography scans of neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis)
      done on May 2016 showed resolution of hepatosplenomegaly with two residual small
      hepatic lesions, heterogeneous spleen with no splenic lesions, and stable non
      enlarged retroperitoneal lymph nodes without intraabdominal lymphadenopathy;
      consistent with partial response. CONCLUSIONS: We report a case of a patient with
      human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -related
      relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma and acute liver failure with
      encephalopathy successfully treated with nivolumab after failing all standard
      therapeutic options. Unlike classic cytotoxic chemotherapy, which relies on
      preserved organ function to ameliorate potential severe side effects (i.e.
      myelosuppression), elimination of monoclonal antibodies is fairly independent of
      baseline renal and hepatic function since they are usually metabolized by
      circulating phagocytes and/or by their target antigen-expressing cell.

PMID- 28642819
TI  - Adoptive cell therapy using PD-1+ myeloma-reactive T cells eliminates established
      myeloma in mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) with cancer antigen-reactive T cells
      following lymphodepletive pre-conditioning has emerged as a potentially curative
      therapy for patients with advanced cancers. However, identification and
      enrichment of appropriate T cell subsets for cancer eradication remains a major
      challenge for hematologic cancers. METHODS: PD-1+ and PD-1- T cell subsets from
      myeloma-bearing mice were sorted and analyzed for myeloma reactivity in vitro. In
      addition, the T cells were activated and expanded in culture and given to
      syngeneic myeloma-bearing mice as ACT. RESULTS: Myeloma-reactive T cells were
      enriched in the PD-1+ cell subset. Similar results were also observed in a mouse
      AML model. PD-1+ T cells from myeloma-bearing mice were found to be functional,
      they could be activated and expanded ex vivo, and they maintained their anti
      myeloma reactivity after expansion. Adoptive transfer of ex vivo-expanded PD-1+ T
      cells together with a PD-L1 blocking antibody eliminated established myeloma in
      Rag-deficient mice. Both CD8 and CD4 T cell subsets were important for
      eradicating myeloma. Adoptively transferred PD-1+ T cells persisted in recipient
      mice and were able to mount an adaptive memory immune response. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results demonstrate that PD-1 is a biomarker for functional myeloma
      specific T cells, and that activated and expanded PD-1+ T cells can be effective
      as ACT for myeloma. Furthermore, this strategy could be useful for treating other
      hematologic cancers.

PMID- 28642820
TI  - Intratumorally injected pro-inflammatory allogeneic dendritic cells as immune
      enhancers: a first-in-human study in unfavourable risk patients with metastatic
      renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accumulating pre-clinical data indicate that the efficient induction
      of antigen-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cells characterizing viral infections is
      caused by cross-priming where initially infected DCs produce an unique set of
      inflammatory factors that recruit and activate non-infected bystander DCs. Our DC
      based immunotherapy concept is guided by such bystander view and accordingly, we
      have developed a cellular adjuvant consisting of pre-activated allogeneic DCs
      producing high levels of DC-recruiting and DC-activating factors. This concept
      doesn't require MHC-compatibility between injected cells and the patient and
      therefore introduces the possibility of using pre-produced and freeze-stored DCs
      from healthy blood donors as an off- the-shelf immune enhancer. The use of MHC
      incompatible allogeneic DCs will further induce a local rejection process at the
      injection site that is expected to further enhance recruitment and maturation of
      endogenous bystander DCs. METHODS: Twelve intermediate and poor risk patients
      with newly diagnosed metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) where included in a
      phase I/II study. Pro-inflammatory allogeneic DCs were produced from a
      leukapheresis product collected from one healthy blood donor and subsequently
      deep-frozen. A dose of 5-20 * 106 DCs (INTUVAX) was injected into the renal tumor
      twice with 2 weeks interval before planned nephrectomy and subsequent standard of
      care. RESULTS: No INTUVAX-related severe adverse events were observed. A massive
      infiltration of CD8+ T cells was found in 5 out of 12 removed kidney tumors. No
      objective tumor response was observed and 6 out of 11 evaluable patients have
      subsequently received additional treatment with standard tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors (TKI). Three of these 6 patients experienced an objective tumor
      response including one sunitinib-treated patient who responded with a complete
      and durable regression of 4 brain metastases. Median overall survival (mOS) is
      still not reached (currently 42.5 months) but has already passed historical mOS
      in patients with unfavourable risk mRCC on standard TKI therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      findings indicate that intratumoral administration of proinflammatory allogeneic
      DCs induces an anti-tumor immune response that may prolong survival in
      unfavourable risk mRCC-patients given subsequent standard of care. A randomized,
      multi-center, phase II mRCC trial (MERECA) with INTUVAX in conjuction with
      sunitinib has been initiated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier:
      NCT01525017.

PMID- 28642822
TI  - The effect of concentrated growth factors in the treatment of periodontal
      intrabony defects.
AB  - AIM: To investigate the effect of concentrated growth factors (CGFs) in human
      intrabony defect treatment. METHODS: Thirty-one intrabony defects were randomly
      treated with CGFs + bovine porous bone mineral (BPBM) or BPBM alone. Probing
      depth, clinical attachment level and hard tissue fill were evaluated at baseline
      and 1 year post surgery. RESULTS: No differences in any of the investigated
      parameters were observed at baseline. At 1 year post therapy, both groups showed
      significant improvement in clinical parameters (p < 0.001). CGFs + BPBM was more
      effective than BPBM alone at decreasing probing depth (4.2 +/- 1.3 mm vs 3.0 +/-
      1.6 mm) and clinical attachment level gain (3.7 +/- 1.3 mm vs 2.4 +/- 1.1 mm; p
      <= 0.05). A favorable increase of hard tissue fill was noted in CGFs + BPBM group
      compared with BPBM group (p > 0.05). The contents of growth factors in CGFs were
      statistically higher than those in platelet poor plasma (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION:
      Addition of CGFs significantly improved clinical effectiveness of BPBM for
      intrabony defect treatment.

PMID- 28642823
TI  - Visualization of changes in the foveal avascular zone in both observed and
      treated diabetic macular edema using optical coherence tomography angiography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central vision loss in diabetic retinopathy is commonly related to
      diabetic macular edema (DME). The objective of this study was to describe changes
      between consecutive visits on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of
      the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in eyes with DME. METHODS: 20 eyes from 14
      patients with DME were imaged on 2 successive clinic visits separated by at least
      1 month. The mean interval between visits was 3.2 months. The only intervention
      used was intravitreal anti-VEGF in 11 eyes; the others were observed over time
      without treatment. Two different readers measured FAZ area using a pseudo
      automated tool in comparison to a manual tracing tool. Qualitative changes in the
      appearance of the vasculature surrounding the FAZ were also recorded. The retinal
      capillary plexus was segmented into deep and superficial plexuses, and FAZ
      measurements were done on the superficial, deep, and summated plexuses. RESULTS:
      Pseudo-automated and manual measurements of FAZ area decreased significantly (p <
      0.05) between visits in the deep, superficial, and summated plexuses. Qualitative
      analysis of vasculature surrounding the FAZ showed that most of the vascular
      changes (65%) over time were visible in the deep plexus, compared to 30 and 20%
      in the superficial and summated plexuses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The most
      significant differences in FAZ size over time were in the summated plexus (p <
      0.001), while changes in FAZ appearance were most prominent in the deep plexus.
      Absolute decrease in FAZ size over visits was largest in the deep plexus. Our
      results demonstrate that OCTA can effectively be used to measure FAZ area in
      patients with DME, visualize qualitative changes in retinal vasculature, and
      visualize the segmentation levels at which these changes can be best appreciated.
      However, larger studies are needed to evaluate the reproducibility of manual and
      pseudo-automated measuring techniques.

PMID- 28642821
TI  - Late-onset dementia: a mosaic of prototypical pathologies modifiable by diet and
      lifestyle.
AB  - Idiopathic late-onset dementia (ILOD) describes impairments of memory, reasoning
      and/or social abilities in the elderly that compromise their daily functioning.
      Dementia occurs in several major prototypical neurodegenerative disorders that
      are currently defined by neuropathological criteria, most notably Alzheimer's
      disease (AD), Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and hippocampal
      sclerosis of aging (HSA). However, people who die with ILOD commonly exhibit
      mixed pathologies that vary within and between brain regions. Indeed, many
      patients diagnosed with probable AD exhibit only modest amounts of disease
      defining amyloid beta-peptide plaques and p-Tau tangles, and may have features of
      FTD (TDP-43 inclusions), Parkinson's disease (alpha-synuclein accumulation), HSA
      and vascular lesions. Here I argue that this 'mosaic neuropathological landscape'
      is the result of commonalities in aging-related processes that render neurons
      vulnerable to the entire spectrum of ILODs. In this view, all ILODs involve
      deficits in neuronal energy metabolism, neurotrophic signaling and adaptive
      cellular stress responses, and associated dysregulation of neuronal calcium
      handling and autophagy. While this mosaic of neuropathologies and underlying
      mechanisms poses major hurdles for development of disease-specific therapeutic
      interventions, it also suggests that certain interventions would be beneficial
      for all ILODs. Indeed, emerging evidence suggests that the brain can be protected
      against ILOD by lifelong intermittent physiological challenges including
      exercise, energy restriction and intellectual endeavors; these interventions
      enhance cellular stress resistance and facilitate neuroplasticity. There is also
      therapeutic potential for interventions that bolster neuronal bioenergetics
      and/or activate one or more adaptive cellular stress response pathways in brain
      cells. A wider appreciation that all ILODs share age-related cellular and
      molecular alterations upstream of aggregated protein lesions, and that these
      upstream events can be mitigated, may lead to implementation of novel
      intervention strategies aimed at reversing the rising tide of ILODs.

PMID- 28642824
TI  - Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci That Determine Plasma Total-Cholesterol
      and Triglyceride Concentrations in DDD/Sgn and C57BL/6J Inbred Mice.
AB  - DDD/Sgn mice have significantly higher plasma lipid concentrations than C57BL/6J
      mice. In the present study, we performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping
      for plasma total-cholesterol (CHO) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations in
      reciprocal F2 male intercross populations between the two strains. By single-QTL
      scans, we identified four significant QTL on chromosomes (Chrs) 1, 5, 17, and 19
      for CHO and two significant QTL on Chrs 1 and 12 for TG. By including cross
      direction as an interactive covariate, we identified separate significant QTL on
      Chr 17 for CHO but none for TG. When the large phenotypic effect of QTL on Chr 1
      was controlled by composite interval mapping, we identified three additional
      significant QTL on Chrs 3, 4, and 9 for CHO but none for TG. QTL on Chr 19 was a
      novel QTL for CHO and the allelic effect of this QTL significantly differed
      between males and females. Whole-exome sequence analysis in DDD/Sgn mice
      suggested that Apoa2 and Acads were the plausible candidate genes underlying CHO
      QTL on Chrs 1 and 5, respectively. Thus, we identified a multifactorial basis for
      plasma lipid concentrations in male mice. These findings will provide insight
      into the genetic mechanisms of plasma lipid metabolism.

PMID- 28642825
TI  - Initial Development of the Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention Parental Self
      Efficacy Scale: A Pilot Study.
AB  - Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) is an effective treatment for
      children with autism. However, it is known that some parents struggle to fully
      implement the program, and providers are not always able to identify the
      specifics of each family's individualized challenges. The purpose of this pilot
      study was to begin the process of developing a new instrument, the EIBI Parental
      Self-Efficacy (EPSE) Scale, to help providers better assess and assist parents in
      regard to EIBI implementation. The methodology included four phases: scale
      construction, expert review, pretest administration, and a large sample pilot
      study (N = 192). The final 29-item EPSE Scale contained strong reliability
      properties (Cronbach's alpha = .900). Factor analysis established five subscales:
      Family Well-Being, Preparing for Successful Sessions, Team Participation, Not
      Giving Up, and Working with your Child. Following this pilot study, future
      research is recommended to refine and validate the EPSE Scale as a useful
      clinical tool for EIBI providers.

PMID- 28642826
TI  - Elucidation of the Role of Lectin-Like oxLDL Receptor-1 in the Metabolic
      Responses of Macrophages to Human oxLDL.
AB  - Atherogenesis is the narrowing of arteries due to plaque build-up that results in
      cardiovascular disease that can lead to death. The macrophage lectin-like
      oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), also called the oxidized low-density lipoprotein
      receptor 1 (OLR1), is currently thought to aid in atherosclerotic disease
      progression; therefore metabolic studies have potential to both provide
      mechanistic validation for the role of LOX-1 in disease progression and provide
      valuable information regarding biomarker strategies and clinical imaging. One
      such mechanistic study is the upregulation of LOX-1 by methylated bacterial DNA
      and deoxy-cytidylate-phosphate-deoxy-guanylate-DNA (CpG)-DNA exposure. CpG-DNA is
      known to promote oxidative burst responses in macrophages, due to its direct
      binding to toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) leading to the initiation of an NF-kappaB
      mediated immune response. In addition to the upregulation of macrophage LOX-1
      expression, these studies have also examined the macrophage metabolic response to
      murine LOX-1/OLR1 antibody exposure. Our data suggests the antibody exposure
      effectively blocks LOX-1 dependent oxLDL metabolic activation of the macrophage,
      which was quantified using the multianalyte microphysiometer (MAMP). Using the
      MAMP to examine metabolic fluctuations during various types of oxLDL exposure,
      LOX-1 upregulation and inhibition provide valuable information regarding the role
      of LOX-1 in macrophage activation of oxidative burst.

PMID- 28642827
TI  - Vertical and Transverse Management with Transpalatal Arches in an Adult with
      Class III Malocclusion.
AB  - The transpalatal arch might be one of the most common intraoral auxiliary fixed
      appliances used in orthodontics in order to provide dental anchorage. The aim of
      the present case report is to describe a case in which an adult patient with a
      tendency to class III, palatal compression, and bilateral posterior crossbite was
      treated with double transpalatal bars in order to control the torque of both the
      first and the second molars. Double transpalatal arches on both first and second
      maxillary molars are a successful appliance in order to control the posterior
      sectors and improve the torsion of the molars. They allow the professional to
      gain overbite instead of losing it as may happen with other techniques and avoid
      enlarging of Wilson curve, obtaining a more stable occlusion without the need for
      extra help from bone anchorage.

PMID- 28642828
TI  - Surgical Orthodontic Treatment of a Patient Affected by Type 1 Myotonic Dystrophy
      (Steinert Syndrome).
AB  - Myotonic dystrophy, or Steinert's disease, is the most common form of muscular
      dystrophy that occurs in adults. This multisystemic form involves the skeletal
      muscles but affects also the eye, the endocrine system, the central nervous
      system, and the cardiac system. The weakness of the facial muscles causes a
      characteristic facial appearance frequently associated with malocclusions. Young
      people with myotonic dystrophy, who also have severe malocclusions, have bad oral
      functions such as chewing, breathing, and phonation. We present a case report of
      a 15-year-old boy with anterior open bite, upper and lower dental crowding,
      bilateral crossbite, and constriction of the upper jaw with a high and narrow
      palate. The patient's need was to improve his quality of life. Because of the
      severity of skeletal malocclusion, it was necessary to schedule a combined
      orthodontic and surgical therapy in order to achieve the highest aesthetic and
      functional result. Although therapy caused an improvement in patient's quality of
      life, the clinical management of the case was hard. The article shows a balance
      between costs and benefits of a therapy that challenges the nature of the main
      problem of the patient, and it is useful to identify the most appropriate course
      of treatment for similar cases.

PMID- 28642829
TI  - A Case of "Late" Postsurgical Hypoparathyroidism.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Postsurgical hypoparathyroidism normally occurs a short time after
      thyroid surgery in form of two clinical syndromes of different etiology and
      prognosis. The first is transitory and might spontaneously recover within a few
      weeks or months. The second is permanent and needs a definitive treatment. Only
      few cases of hypoparathyroidism clinically evident after many years from surgery
      have been reported. CASE REPORT: A case of hypoparathyroidism clinically evident
      only three and a half years after surgery is reported. Our findings and review of
      a few cases reported by medical literature suggest the existence of a third form
      of postsurgical hypoparathyroidism, characterized by a late beginning.

PMID- 28642830
TI  - A Rare Case of Esophageal Adenocarcinoma with Urinary Bladder Metastasis.
AB  - Metastatic esophageal adenocarcinoma to the urinary bladder is extremely rare. We
      describe a previously healthy 49-year-old female with recent diagnosis of
      adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction with metastatic disease to the
      liver. Biopsy was positive for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) by
      Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). She received six cycles of Cisplatin,
      5-Fluorouracil, and Herceptin and subsequently developed symptomatic anemia and
      hematuria. Cystoscopy with retroflexion was performed and she received a
      transurethral resection of bladder tumor with fulguration. Pathology of the
      bladder tumor revealed similar morphology to her liver metastasis and
      immunohistochemical stains were consistent with metastatic esophageal cancer.
      Three weeks after being diagnosed with metachronous urinary bladder metastasis
      from esophageal adenocarcinoma primary, she expired. She only received her first
      cycle of palliative chemotherapy with Ramucirumab and Paclitaxel.

PMID- 28642831
TI  - Treatment of Hypochondriasis in Two Schizophrenia Patients Using Clozapine.
AB  - Hypochondriasis (HYPO), an obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder, is frequent in
      patients with schizophrenia (SCH) (20%), especially among those treated with
      clozapine (36.7%). Treatment options for OCS/OCD in patients under clozapine
      (CLZ) include combining clozapine with amisulpride/aripiprazole or a mood
      stabilizer, augmenting clozapine with a serotoninergic reuptake inhibitor, adding
      cognitive behavioural therapy, and gradually reducing dosage. No treatments have
      been proposed for HYPO in patients using clozapine so we examine these options in
      2 cases and report the results. Among treatments delivered, only dosage reduction
      adequately worked. We recommend caution when thinking about escalating treatment
      and suggest trying it only when alternative interventions were not successful and
      weighing risk and benefits of this therapeutic strategy. Further research is
      needed to confirm the hypothesis that CLZ treatment induces hypochondriac
      symptoms, to investigate the prevalence of the phenomenon, and, mostly, to
      identify possible treatment strategies.

PMID- 28642832
TI  - Internal Jugular Venous Pseudoaneurysm in a Patient with Heart Failure and Severe
      Tricuspid Regurgitation.
AB  - The differential diagnosis of a lateral neck mass includes a number of possible
      etiologies. While jugular venous aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms are rare entities,
      they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a pulsatile lateral
      neck mass. We present a case of an idiopathic jugular venous pseudoaneurysm and
      its association with worsening tricuspid regurgitation in a patient with heart
      failure with preserved ejection fraction.

PMID- 28642835
TI  - Differential Carbonyl Stress Expression in the Intervertebral Disc between
      Singular- and Persistent-Mechanical Injuries.
AB  - Low back pain is a significant public health problem worldwide. Intervertebral
      disc degeneration is most significant known risk factor for low back pain. Yet
      the mechanisms of degeneration remain relatively unknown. Carbonyl stress and
      oxidation have been implicated in cartilage and fibrocartilage degeneration. Here
      we investigate the role of oxidative stress and carbonyl production in the
      intervertebral disc after mechanical injury using an in vitro organ model of the
      mouse functional spine unit. We use a single-stab insult to model mild injury,
      and the three-stab insult to model severe trauma. Our results indicate that mild
      injury increases the carbonyl response that may be required for tissue repair,
      while severe trauma tempers this response and rapidly accelerates degeneration.

PMID- 28642834
TI  - Binge Drinking and Depression: The Influence of Romantic Partners in Young
      Adulthood.
AB  - Although research shows that spouses influence each other's health behaviors and
      psychological well-being, we know little about whether these patterns extend to
      young people in nonmarital as well as marital relationships. We use the National
      Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to consider how a romantic
      partner's binge drinking and depression influence the respondent's binge drinking
      and depression within 1,111 young adult couples and explore whether these
      processes are moderated by gender. We find that partners' binge drinking is
      associated with increased odds of binge drinking for respondents, and partners'
      depression is associated with increased odds of depression for respondents.
      Further, depression among men is associated with reduced odds of binge drinking
      among their female partners. Findings suggest that processes of partner influence
      begin even in young adulthood with implications for cumulative effects on
      lifelong health behaviors and mental health.

PMID- 28642833
TI  - Creating a Biomarker Panel for Early Detection of Chemotherapy Related Cardiac
      Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Patients.
AB  - Cardiotoxicity is an important issue for breast cancer patients receiving
      anthracycline-trastuzumab therapy in the adjuvant setting. Studies show that 3
      36% of patients receiving anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab experience
      chemotherapy related cardiac dysfunction (CRCD) and approximately 17% of patients
      must stop chemotherapy due to the consequences of CRCD. There is currently no
      standardized, clinically verified way to detect CRCD early, but common practices
      include serial echocardiography and troponin measurements, which can be timely,
      costly, and not always available in areas where health care resources are scarce.
      Furthermore, detection of CRCD, before there is any echocardiographic evidence of
      dysfunction or clinical symptoms present, would allow maximal benefit of
      chemotherapy and minimize cardiac complications. Creating a panel of serum
      biomarkers would allow for more specificity and sensitivity in the early
      detection of CRCD, which would be easy to implement and cost effective in places
      with limited health care. Based on a review of the literature, we propose
      creating a biomarker panel consisting of topoisomerase 2beta, serum troponin T/I,
      myeloperoxidase, NT-proBNP, miR-208b, miR-34a, and miR-150 in breast cancer
      patients receiving anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab to detect CRCD before any
      signs of overt cardiotoxicity are apparent.

PMID- 28642836
TI  - Cultural neuroscience and global mental health: addressing grand challenges.
AB  - Mental, neurological and substance-use (MNS) disorders comprise approximately 13%
      of the global burden of disease. The Grand Challenges in Global Mental Health
      Initiative has recently identified research priorities for the next decade to
      address prevention and treatment of MNS disorders. One main research priority is
      to identify the root causes, risks and protective factors associated with global
      mental health. Recent advances in cultural neuroscience have identified
      theoretical, methodological, and empirical methods of identifying biomarkers
      associated with mental health disorders across nations. Here we review empirical
      research in cultural neuroscience that address meeting the grand challenges in
      global mental health.

PMID- 28642837
TI  - Environmental influences in the etiology of colorectal cancer: the premise of
      metabolomics.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review we discuss how environmental exposures
      predominate the etiology of colorectal cancer (CRC). With CRC being a
      personalized disease influenced by genes and environment, our goal was to explore
      the role metabolomics can play in identifying exposures, assessing the interplay
      between co-exposures, and the development of personalized therapeutic
      interventions. RECENT FINDINGS: Approximately 10 % of CRC cases can be explained
      by germ-line mutations, whereas the prevailing majority are caused by an
      initiating exposure event occurring decades prior to diagnosis. Recent research
      has shown that dietary metabolites are linked to a procarcinogenic or protective
      environment in the colon which is modulated by the microbiome. In addition,
      excessive alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of CRC and is dependent on
      diet (folate), the response of microbiome, and genetic polymorphisms within the
      folate and alcohol metabolic pathways. Metabolomics can not only be used to
      identify this modulation of host metabolism, which could affect the progression
      of the tumors but also response to targeted therapeutics. SUMMARY: This review
      highlights the current understanding of the multifaceted etiology and mechanisms
      of CRC development but also highlights where the field of metabolomics can
      contribute to a greater understanding of environmental exposure in CRC.

PMID- 28642838
TI  - Adaptive pathways and emerging strategies overcoming treatment resistance in
      castration resistant prostate cancer.
AB  - The therapies available for prostate cancer patients whom progress from hormone
      sensitive to castration resistant prostate cancer include both systemic drugs,
      including docetaxel and cabazitaxel, and drugs that inhibit androgen signaling
      such as enzalutamide and abiraterone. Unfortunately, it is estimated that up to
      30% of patients have primary resistance to these treatments and over time even
      those who initially respond to therapy will eventually develop resistance and
      their disease will continue to progress regardless of the presence of the drug.
      Determining the mechanisms involved in the development of resistance to these
      therapies has been the area of intense study and several adaptive pathways have
      been uncovered. Androgen receptor (AR) mutations, expression of AR-V7 (or other
      constitutively active androgen receptor variants), intracrine androgen production
      and overexpression of androgen synthesis enzymes such as Aldo-Keto Reductase
      Family 1, Member C3 (AKR1C3) are among the many mechanisms associated with
      resistance to anti-androgens. In regards to the taxanes, one of the key
      contributors to drug resistance is increased drug efflux through ATP Binding
      Cassette Subfamily B Member 1 (ABCB1). Targeting these resistance mechanisms
      using different strategies has led to various levels of success in overcoming
      resistance to current therapies. For instance, targeting AR-V7 with niclosamide
      or AKR1C3 with indomethacin can improve enzalutamide and abiraterone treatment.
      ABCB1 transport activity can be inhibited by the dietary constituent apigenin and
      antiandrogens such as bicalutamide which in turn improves response to docetaxel.
      A more thorough understanding of how drug resistance develops will lead to
      improved treatment strategies. This review will cover the current knowledge of
      resistance mechanisms to castration resistant prostate cancer therapies and
      methods that have been identified which may improve treatment response.

PMID- 28642839
TI  - The Mitochondrial Complex(I)ty of Cancer.
AB  - Recent evidence highlights that the cancer cell energy requirements vary greatly
      from normal cells and that cancer cells exhibit different metabolic phenotypes
      with variable participation of both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation.
      NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I) is the largest complex of the
      mitochondrial electron transport chain and contributes about 40% of the proton
      motive force required for mitochondrial ATP synthesis. In addition, Complex I
      plays an essential role in biosynthesis and redox control during proliferation,
      resistance to cell death, and metastasis of cancer cells. Although knowledge
      about the structure and assembly of Complex I is increasing, information about
      the role of Complex I subunits in tumorigenesis is scarce and contradictory.
      Several small molecule inhibitors of Complex I have been described as selective
      anticancer agents; however, pharmacologic and genetic interventions on Complex I
      have also shown pro-tumorigenic actions, involving different cellular signaling.
      Here, we discuss the role of Complex I in tumorigenesis, focusing on the specific
      participation of Complex I subunits in proliferation and metastasis of cancer
      cells.

PMID- 28642840
TI  - Cytolethal Distending Toxin Enhances Radiosensitivity in Prostate Cancer Cells by
      Regulating Autophagy.
AB  - Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) produced by Campylobacter jejuni contains three
      subunits: CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC. Among these three toxin subunits, CdtB is the
      toxic moiety of CDT with DNase I activity, resulting in DNA double-strand breaks
      (DSB) and, consequently, cell cycle arrest at the G2/M stage and apoptosis.
      Radiation therapy is an effective modality for the treatment of localized
      prostate cancer (PCa). However, patients often develop radioresistance. Owing to
      its particular biochemical properties, we previously employed CdtB as a
      therapeutic agent for sensitizing radioresistant PCa cells to ionizing radiation
      (IR). In this study, we further demonstrated that CDT suppresses the IR-induced
      autophagy pathway in PCa cells by attenuating c-Myc expression and therefore
      sensitizes PCa cells to radiation. We further showed that CDT prevents the
      formation of autophagosomes via decreased high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)
      expression and the inhibition of acidic vesicular organelle (AVO) formation,
      which are associated with enhanced radiosensitivity in PCa cells. The results of
      this study reveal the detailed mechanism of CDT for the treatment of
      radioresistant PCa.

PMID- 28642841
TI  - Strain- and Dose-Dependent Reduction of Toxoplasma gondii Burden in Pigs Is
      Associated with Interferon-Gamma Production by CD8+ Lymphocytes in a Heterologous
      Challenge Model.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide prevalent parasite of humans and animals. The
      global infection burden exceeds yearly one million disability-adjusted life years
      (DALY's) in infected individuals. Therefore, effective preventive measures should
      be taken to decrease the risk of infection in humans. Although human
      toxoplasmosis is predominantly foodborne by ingestion of tissue cysts in meat
      from domestic animals such as pigs, the incidence risk is difficult to estimate
      due to the lack of screening of animals for infection and insights in location
      and persistence of the parasite in the tissues. Hence, experimental infections in
      pigs can provide more information on the risk for zoonosis based on the parasite
      burden in meat products intended for human consumption and on the immune
      responses induced by infection. In the present study, homo- and heterologous
      infection experiments with two distinct T. gondii strains (IPB-LR and IPB-Gangji)
      were performed. The humoral and cellular immune responses, the presence of viable
      parasites and the parasite load in edible meat samples were evaluated. In
      homologous infection experiments the parasite persistence was clearly strain
      dependent and inversely correlated with the infection dose. The results strongly
      indicate a change in the amount of parasite DNA and viable cysts in porcine
      tissues over time. Heterologous challenge infections demonstrated that IPB-G
      strain could considerably reduce the parasite burden in the subsequent IPB-LR
      infection. A strong, however, not protective humoral response was observed
      against GRA7 and TLA antigens upon inoculation with both strains. The in vitro
      IFN-gamma production by TLA-stimulated PBMCs was correlated with the infection
      dose and predominantly brought about by CD3+CD4-CD8alphabright T-lymphocytes. The
      described adaptive cellular and humoral immune responses in pigs are in line with
      the induced or natural infections in mice and humans. Previous studies
      underscored the heterogeneity of T. gondii strains and the corresponding
      virulence factors. These findings suggest the potential of the IPB-G strain to
      elicit a partially protective immune response and to reduce the parasite burden
      upon a challenge infection. The IPB-G strain could be used as a promising tool in
      limiting the number of viable parasites in edible tissues and, hence, in lowering
      the risk for human toxoplasmosis.

PMID- 28642842
TI  - The Tick Microbiome: Why Non-pathogenic Microorganisms Matter in Tick Biology and
      Pathogen Transmission.
AB  - Ticks are among the most important vectors of pathogens affecting humans and
      other animals worldwide. They do not only carry pathogens however, as a diverse
      group of commensal and symbiotic microorganisms are also present in ticks. Unlike
      pathogens, their biology and their effect on ticks remain largely unexplored, and
      are in fact often neglected. Nonetheless, they can confer multiple detrimental,
      neutral, or beneficial effects to their tick hosts, and can play various roles in
      fitness, nutritional adaptation, development, reproduction, defense against
      environmental stress, and immunity. Non-pathogenic microorganisms may also play a
      role in driving transmission of tick-borne pathogens (TBP), with many potential
      implications for both human and animal health. In addition, the genetic proximity
      of some pathogens to mutualistic symbionts hosted by ticks is evident when
      studying phylogenies of several bacterial genera. The best examples are found
      within members of the Rickettsia, Francisella, and Coxiella genera: while in
      medical and veterinary research these bacteria are traditionally recognized as
      highly virulent vertebrate pathogens, it is now clear to evolutionary ecologists
      that many (if not most) Coxiella, Francisella, and Rickettsia bacteria are
      actually non-pathogenic microorganisms exhibiting alternative lifestyles as
      mutualistic ticks symbionts. Consequently, ticks represent a compelling yet
      challenging system in which to study microbiomes and microbial interactions, and
      to investigate the composition, functional, and ecological implications of
      bacterial communities. Ultimately, deciphering the relationships between tick
      microorganisms as well as tick symbiont interactions will garner invaluable
      information, which may aid in the future development of arthropod pest and vector
      borne pathogen transmission control strategies.

PMID- 28642843
TI  - The Impact of Genome Region of Difference 4 (RD4) on Mycobacterial Virulence and
      BCG Efficacy.
AB  - Comparative genome analyses have revealed a number of regions of difference (RD)
      among mycobacterial species. The functional consequences of most of these genome
      variations have not been studied. RD4, which encompasses Rv1506c-Rv1516c of
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) H37Rv, is absent in the closely related
      Mycobacterium bovis and M. bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG). On the other
      hand, we previously found that Mycobacterium marinum has an extended RD4 which
      includes a number of genes involved in the biosynthesis of lipooligosaccharides
      (LOSs). As such, there appears to be a gradual decay of RD4 in mycobacterial
      genomes in the order of M. marinum, M. tb, and M. bovis (including BCG). To
      understand the potential effect of RD4 on mycobacterial virulence, in this study,
      we cloned the entire (Rv1501-1516c) and partial (Rv1501-1508c) RD4 into an
      integrating vector. These constructs were introduced to M. bovis BCG and M.
      marinum and the virulence of the RD4 knock-in strains were evaluated in the SCID
      mice and zebrafish infection models, respectively. BCG containing the entire RD4
      exhibited similar levels of virulence to the parental strain but BCG containing
      partial RD4 (Rv1501-Rv1508c) was more attenuated. Similarly, zebrafish infection
      experiments showed that addition of partial RD4 also appeared to attenuate the
      virulence of M. marinum. However, M. marinum containing entire RD4 was more
      virulent than the wild type strain. Interestingly, BCG strains containing the
      entire or partial RD4 exhibited better protection of zebrafish against M. marinum
      challenge than the parental BCG. Taken together, our data suggest that RD4 plays
      a role in mycobacterial virulence and that RD4 knock-in BCG strains confer
      improved protection. Our study has provided new insights into the biological
      function of RD4 and evolution of mycobacterial genomes.

PMID- 28642844
TI  - Role of Bacterioferritin & Ferritin in M. tuberculosis Pathogenesis and Drug
      Resistance: A Future Perspective by Interactomic Approach.
AB  - Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, one of the most successful
      and deadliest human pathogen. Aminoglycosides resistance leads to emergence of
      extremely drug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Iron is crucial for the
      biological functions of the cells. Iron assimilation, storage and their
      utilization is not only involved in pathogenesis but also in emergence of drug
      resistance strains. We previously reported that iron storing proteins
      (bacterioferritin and ferritin) were found to be overexpressed in aminoglycosides
      resistant isolates. In this study we performed the STRING analysis of
      bacterioferritin & ferritin proteins and predicted their interactive partners
      [ferrochelatase (hemH), Rv1877 (hypothetical protein/probable conserved integral
      membrane protein), uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (hemE) trigger factor (tig),
      transcriptional regulatory protein (MT3948), hypothetical protein (MT1928), glnA3
      (glutamine synthetase), molecular chaperone GroEL (groEL1 & hsp65), and
      hypothetical protein (MT3947)]. We suggested that interactive partners of
      bacterioferritin and ferritin are directly or indirectly involved in M.
      tuberculosis growth, homeostasis, iron assimilation, virulence, resistance, and
      stresses.

PMID- 28642846
TI  - Decreased Fitness and Virulence in ST10 Escherichia coli Harboring blaNDM-5 and
      mcr-1 against a ST4981 Strain with blaNDM-5.
AB  - Although coexistence of blaNDM-5 and mcr-1 in Escherichia coli has been reported,
      little is known about the fitness and virulence of such strains. Three carbapenem
      resistant Escherichia coli (GZ1, GZ2, and GZ3) successively isolated from one
      patient in 2015 were investigated for microbiological fitness and virulence. GZ1
      and GZ2 were also resistant to colistin. To verify the association between
      plasmids and fitness, growth kinetics of the transconjugants were performed. We
      also analyzed genomic sequences of GZ2 and GZ3 using PacBio sequencing. GZ1 and
      GZ2 (ST10) co-harbored blaNDM-5 and mcr-1, while GZ3 (ST4981) carried only blaNDM
      5. GZ3 demonstrated significantly more rapid growth (P < 0.001) and overgrew GZ2
      with a competitive index of 1.0157 (4 h) and 2.5207 (24 h). Increased resistance
      to serum killing and mice mortality was also identified in GZ3. While GZ2 had
      four plasmids (IncI2, IncX3, IncHI2, IncFII), GZ3 possessed one plasmid (IncFII).
      The genetic contexts of blaNDM-5 in GZ2 and GZ3 were identical but inserted into
      different backbones, IncX3 (102,512 bp) and IncFII (91,451 bp), respectively. The
      growth was not statistically different between the transconjugants with mcr-1 or
      blaNDM-5 plasmid and recipient (P = 0.6238). Whole genome sequence analysis
      revealed that 28 virulence genes were specific to GZ3, potentially contributing
      to increased virulence of GZ3. Decreased fitness and virulence in a mcr-1 and
      blaNDM-5 co-harboring ST10 E. coli was found alongside a ST4981 strain with only
      blaNDM-5. Acquisition of mcr-1 or blaNDM-5 plasmid did not lead to considerable
      fitness costs, indicating the potential for dissemination of mcr-1 and blaNDM-5
      in Enterobacteriaceae.

PMID- 28642845
TI  - Metabolic Adaptations of Uropathogenic E. coli in the Urinary Tract.
AB  - Escherichia coli ordinarily resides in the lower gastrointestinal tract in
      humans, but some strains, known as Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), are also adapted
      to the relatively harsh environment of the urinary tract. Infections of the
      urine, bladder and kidneys by UPEC may lead to potentially fatal bloodstream
      infections. To survive this range of conditions, UPEC strains must have broad and
      flexible metabolic capabilities and efficiently utilize scarce essential
      nutrients. Whole-organism (or "omics") methods have recently provided significant
      advances in our understanding of the importance of metabolic adaptation in the
      success of UPECs. Here we describe the nutritional and metabolic requirements for
      UPEC infection in these environments, and focus on particular metabolic responses
      and adaptations of UPEC that appear to be essential for survival in the urinary
      tract.

PMID- 28642847
TI  - Heat-Labile Enterotoxin-Induced PERK-CHOP Pathway Activation Causes Intestinal
      Epithelial Cell Apoptosis.
AB  - Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a leading cause of diarrhea among
      children and travelers in developing countries, and heat-labile enterotoxin (LT)
      is one of the most important virulence factors. The pathogenesis of and virulence
      factors associated with ETEC have been well-characterized; however, the extent to
      which ETEC damages host cells remains unclear. In this study, we found that LT
      could induce decreases in intestinal epithelial cell viability and induce
      apoptosis in a dose- and time- dependent manner in both HCT-8 and Caco-2 cells.
      We analyzed the expression profiles of apoptosis-related proteins via protein
      array technology and found that Bax, p-p53(S46), cleaved caspase-3, and
      TNFRI/TNFRSF1A expression levels were significantly up-regulated in wild-type
      ETEC- but not in DeltaLT ETEC-infected HCT-8 cells. Bax is essential for
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-triggered apoptosis, and our RNAi experiments
      showed that the PERK-eIF2-CHOP pathway and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are also
      main participants in this process. LT-induced ROS generation was decreased in
      CHOP-knockdown HCT-8 cells compared to that in control cells. Moreover,
      pretreatment with the ROS inhibitor NAC down-regulated GRP78, CHOP, Bim, and
      cleaved caspase-3 expression, resulting in a reduction in the apoptosis rate from
      36.2 to 20.3% in LT-treated HCT-8 cells. Furthermore, ROS inhibition also
      attenuated LT-induced apoptosis in the small intestinal mucosa in the ETEC
      inoculation mouse model.

PMID- 28642848
TI  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (GAPDH)
      Functions as a Receptor for Human Lactoferrin.
AB  - Iron is crucial for the survival of living cells, particularly the human pathogen
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) which uses multiple strategies to acquire and
      store iron. M.tb synthesizes high affinity iron chelators (siderophores), these
      extract iron from host iron carrier proteins such as transferrin (Tf) and
      lactoferrin (Lf). Recent studies have revealed that M.tb may also relocate
      several housekeeping proteins to the cell surface for capture and internalization
      of host iron carrier protein transferrin. One of the identified receptors is the
      glycolytic enzyme Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). This
      conserved multifunctional protein has been identified as a virulence factor in
      several other bacterial species. Considering the close structural and functional
      homology between the two major human iron carrier proteins (Tf and Lf) and the
      fact that Lf is abundantly present in lung fluid (unlike Tf which is present in
      plasma), we evaluated whether GAPDH also functions as a dual receptor for Lf. The
      current study demonstrates that human Lf is sequestered at the bacterial surface
      by GAPDH. The affinity of Lf-GAPDH (31.7 +/- 1.68 nM) is higher as compared to Tf
      GAPDH (160 +/- 24 nM). Two GAPDH mutants were analyzed for their enzymatic
      activity and interaction with Lf. Lastly, the present computational studies offer
      the first significant insights for the 3D structure of monomers and assembled
      tetramer with the associated co-factor NAD+. Sequence analysis and structural
      modeling identified the surface exposed, evolutionarily conserved and functional
      residues and predicted the effect of mutagenesis on GAPDH.

PMID- 28642849
TI  - AIM2 Co-immunization with VP1 Is Associated with Increased Memory CD8 T Cells and
      Mounts Long Lasting Protection against Coxsackievirus B3 Challenge.
AB  - The recurrent Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection is the most important cause of
      intractable myocarditis which often leads to chronic myocarditis and even dilated
      cardiomyopathy. Therefore, enhanced DNA vaccines capable of memory CD8 T cells
      are essential for long-lasting immunological protection against CVB3 infection.
      In this study, absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) was used as an adjuvant to enhance the
      induction of memory CD8 T cells elicited by VP1 (viral capsid protein 1) vaccine.
      Mice were intramuscularly injected with 50 MUg AIM2 plasmid and equal amount of
      VP1 plasmid (pAIM2/pVP1) vaccine 4 times at 2 week-intervals. We observed that
      the protection of pAIM2/pVP1 vaccine against CVB3 challenge was evidenced by
      significantly improved cardiac function, reduced myocardial injuries, and
      increased survival rate when compared with immunization with pVP1. Co
      immunization with pAIM2/pVP1 robustly augmented T lymphocytes proliferation and
      CVB3-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. Importantly, 16 weeks after the
      last immunization, pAIM2/pVP1 co-immunization significantly enhanced the
      expression of Bcl-6, SOCS3, and Sca-1 which are critical for memory CD8 T cells
      as compared with pVP1 immunization. Notably, CD8 T cells that are likely vaccine
      induced memory T cells were responsible for the protective efficacy of pAIM2/pVP1
      vaccine by abolition of a CD8 T cell immune response following a lethal dose of
      CVB3 infection. Our results indicate that AIM2-adjuvanted vaccine could be a
      potential and promising approach to promote a long-lasting protection against
      CVB3-induced myocarditis.

PMID- 28642850
TI  - Transcriptional Network Controlling Endochondral Ossification.
AB  - Endochondral ossification is the fundamental process of skeletal development in
      vertebrates. Chondrocytes undergo sequential steps of differentiation, including
      mesenchymal condensation, proliferation, hypertrophy, and mineralization. These
      steps, which are required for the morphological and functional changes in
      differentiating chondrocytes, are strictly regulated by a complex transcriptional
      network. Biochemical and mice genetic studies identified chondrogenic
      transcription factors critical for endochondral ossification. The transcription
      factor sex-determining region Y (SRY)-box 9 (Sox9) is essential for early
      chondrogenesis, and impaired Sox9 function causes severe chondrodysplasia in
      humans and mice. In addition, recent genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation
      sequencing studies revealed the precise regulatory mechanism of Sox9 during early
      chondrogenesis. Runt-related transcription factor 2 promotes chondrocyte
      hypertrophy and terminal differentiation. Interestingly, endoplasmic reticulum
      (ER) stress-related transcription factors have recently emerged as novel
      regulators of chondrocyte differentiation. Here we review the transcriptional
      mechanisms that regulate endochondral ossification, with a focus on Sox9.

PMID- 28642851
TI  - Sarcopenia: Neurological Point of View.
AB  - Sarcopenia is an age-related geriatric syndrome which is characterized by the
      gradual loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, and muscle quality. There are a lot
      of neurologic insults on sarcopenia at various levels from the brain to the
      neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) to generate a volitional task. Dopaminergic
      downregulation, inadequate motor programming and motor coordination impairment
      lead to decline of supraspinal drive. Motor unit reorganization and inflammatory
      changes in motor neuron decrease conduction velocity and amplitude of compound
      muscle action potential. Furthermore, NMJ remodeling and age related
      neurophysiological alterations may contribute to neuromuscular impairment.
      Sarcopenia is an age-associated, lifelong process which links to multiple
      etiological factors. Although not all the causes are completely understood, we
      suggest that compromised nervous system function may be one of the important
      contributors to the sarcopenia.

PMID- 28642852
TI  - Fracture Preventing Effects of Maxmarvil(r) Tablets (Alendronate 5 mg +
      Calcitriol 0.5 ug) in Patients with Osteoporosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this prospective, open-label, observational study was
      to assess the fracture preventing effect of Maxmarvil(r) tablets (alendronate 5
      mg + calcitriol 0.5 ug) in patients with osteoporosis and to evaluate the change
      in bone mineral density (BMD) at the minimum 1-year follow-up. METHODS: In this
      multicenter observational study, 691 patients with osteoporosis (aged 50 years or
      older) were treated with alendronate 5 mg + calcitriol 0.5 ug/day during their
      normal course of care. Patients were assessed at baseline and at 6 and 12 months.
      Baseline characteristics (including age, gender, concomitant disease, and
      baseline fractures) were evaluated. RESULTS: From among the 848 participants, 149
      individuals were lost to follow-up at the time of the study and 8 people had
      died. The 691 participants (54 men and 637 women) finished the follow-up study
      and completed the questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 71.5 years
      (range, 50-92 years; mean age, 72.3 years for men and 71.4 years for women).
      Osteoporotic fracture occurred in 19 patients (2.7%). BMD of the lumbar spine and
      hip was improved by 5% and 1.5% at the latest follow-up. At the latest follow-up,
      24 patients (3.5%) complained of drug-related complications such as dyspepsia,
      constipation, and nausea. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective observational study
      demonstrated that alendronate 5 mg + calcitriol 0.5 ug/day had a preventive
      effect on osteoporotic fracture and it increased the BMD of the lumbar spine by
      5% at the latest follow-up.

PMID- 28642853
TI  - Paget's Disease: Skeletal Manifestations and Effect of Bisphosphonates.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paget's disease of bone leads to change in the shape and size of the
      bone and results in reduced bone strength, leading to the complications of
      deformity, arthritis, and fracture. Due to unknown reasons, Paget's disease is
      rare in Asian descendants. We report the cases of Paget's disease who visited our
      institute for 15 years and reviewed the literatures. METHODS: We retrospectively
      reviewed the medical records and radiograms of 8 patients (6 female and 2 male)
      who were diagnosed as Paget's disease of bone. Diagnosis was confirmed by typical
      radiological feature in the involved skeletons and/or pathologic findings.
      RESULTS: Pelvis, skull and spine were three most frequently involved bones. All
      involved bones in our cases showed changes in shape and trabecular pattern which
      resulted in bowing of lower extremity, secondary osteoarthritis, compression
      fracture of spine and enlargement of skull. Mean follow time was 4.71 years and
      all patient were treated bisphosphonate (BP). Use of BP controlled the level of
      serum alkaline phosphatase level effectively. CONCLUSIONS: We have reviewed eight
      patients who were previously diagnosed as Paget's disease of bone in our
      institute. We could identify typical radiologic and clinical findings such as
      bowing deformity of long bone, secondary osteoarthritis, compression fracture and
      osteomyelitis of mandible that deteriorated the quality of their living.

PMID- 28642854
TI  - Measurement Uncertainty in Spine Bone Mineral Density by Dual Energy X-ray
      Absorptiometry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to calculate the measurement
      uncertainty of the process of bone mineral density (BMD) analysis using dual
      energy X-ray absorptiometry with traceability. METHODS: Between March 2015 and
      October 2016, among healthy participants in their 20s and 30s, the study included
      those who had not taken calcium, vitamin D supplements and steroids and were
      without a history of osteoporosis, osteopenia and diseases related to
      osteoporosis. Relational expression of the model was established based on Guide
      to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurements and Eurachem and the uncertainty
      from each factor was evaluated. RESULTS: The combined standard uncertainty was
      0.015, while the expanded uncertainty was 0.0298. The factor-specific standard
      uncertainties that occurred in the process of measuring BMD were 0.72% for the
      calibration curve, 0.9% for the internal quality control (IQC) using Aluminum
      Spine Phantom, 0.58% for European Spine Phantom (ESP), and 0.9% for the inspector
      precision (IP). CONCLUSIONS: The combined standard uncertainty of the spine BMD
      corrected with ESP was 0.015 when measured at one time and targeting one
      participant. The uncertainties of the accuracy of the IQC and the IP were higher
      than that of the other factors. Therefore, there will be a need for establishment
      of protocols to lower these uncertainties.

PMID- 28642855
TI  - Knowledge on Osteoporosis among Nurses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It is crystal clear how important healthcare providers are well-aware
      of reasonable knowledge on osteoporosis, because they are at the forefront of
      such management. However, no study has been yet assessed in the knowledge on
      osteoporosis among healthcare providers particularly in nurse. Therefore, we
      evaluated the knowledge on osteoporosis of nurses. METHODS: In April 2017, 67
      nurses were evaluated using a modified Facts on Osteoporosis Quiz (FOOQ).
      RESULTS: Although nurses grasped some points of osteoporosis, their knowledge was
      insufficient concerning effects of weight, physical exercise and calcium intake
      during adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge on osteoporosis was
      evaluated in nurses, and the effect of weight, physical exercise, and calcium
      intake during adolescence should be focused in an educational program on
      osteoporosis for nurses.

PMID- 28642856
TI  - Longitudinal Change in Trabecular Bone Score during and after Treatment of
      Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Korean Women.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal changes of
      trabecular bone score (TBS) during and after bisphosphonate (BP) treatment in
      postmenopausal Korean women with osteoporosis. METHODS: We analyzed 191 patients
      who took BP and underwent bone mineral density (BMD) test for the period from
      January 2010 to December 2015. The mean follow up period during treatment and
      after treatment was 22.8 months and 18 months, respectively. The TBS and BMD
      values were evaluated by the percent changes relative to the baseline. RESULTS:
      In 191 patients, who treated with BPs, L-spine BMD increased 3.65+/-0.5% and TBS
      increased 0.26+/-0.4% from baseline during first 1 year. At 2 to 4 years, the
      changes of BMD and TBS from baseline gradually increased up to 9.3+/-3.25% and
      2.69+/-0.98% and both results showed statistically significant correlation. In 86
      patients who stopped BPs, L-spine BMD decreased -0.54+/-1.07% and TBS increased
      0.33+/-1.96% from baseline during 3 years follow up period. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar
      spine TBS increase over time with BPs treatment although the changes were less
      than that of BMD. Also, it preserve for years after stopping treatment, as the
      changes of lumbar spine BMD. The results of BMD and TBS showed significant
      correlation during treatment but not during drug withdrawal.

PMID- 28642857
TI  - Healthcare Costs of Osteoporotic Fracture in Korea: Information from the National
      Health Insurance Claims Database, 2008-2011.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study estimated healthcare costs of osteoporotic
      fractures including spine, hip, distal radius and humerus in Koreans over 50
      years of age using national claims data. METHODS: Korea National Health Insurance
      data between 2008 and 2011 was searched for all claims records of outpatient
      visits or hospital admissions of patients >=50-year-of-age. Osteoporosis-related
      fractures were identified using certain the International Classification of
      Diseases, Tenth Revision codes and site-specific physician claims for procedures
      in a patient age cut-off value of 50 years. The healthcare costs included acute
      phase costs accounting for emergency medical care given immediately after
      fracture, costs due to further hospitalization and surgical procedures,
      physiotherapy sessions according to the site of the fracture, and outpatient
      visits in the year after discharge. RESULTS: The total estimated healthcare costs
      of osteoporotic fractures in 2011 was $722 million. From 2008 to 2011, the total
      number and healthcare costs of osteoporotic fractures increased 28.9% (from
      127,070 to 163,823) and 31.6% (from $549 million to $722 million), respectively.
      The portion of national health care expenditure was ranged from 2.3% in 2008 to
      2.2% in 2011. The mean healthcare cost of osteoporotic fractures per person
      increased 2.1% from $4,321 in 2008 to $4,410 in 2011.The mean healthcare costs
      were highest for hip fractures followed by spine, humerus, and distal radius
      fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Total Healthcare costs of osteoporotic fractures in South
      Koreans >=50-year-of-age increased between 2008 and 2011. This trend will likely
      continue, which is an important health problem in the elderly population and
      economically.

PMID- 28642858
TI  - Pathological Fracture of Femoral Neck Leading to a Diagnosis of Wilson's Disease:
      A Case Report and Review of Literature.
AB  - Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare inherited disorder of copper metabolism. It
      chiefly has hepatic, neurological and ophthalmic manifestations. Although
      osteoporosis, rickets and early arthritis are common features of WD, they are
      under-recognized. Musculoskeletal manifestations very rarely lead to diagnosis of
      the disease. Here we present a case of a 12-year-old girl who presented with a 3
      month-old pathological fracture of neck of femur. WD was diagnosed on
      investigating the cause of the pathological fracture, which was managed by
      performing a conventional McMurray's intertrochanteric osteotomy. At 6 months
      follow up, fracture had united and patient was able to ambulate with support. WD
      can be a rare cause of pathological fracture. A high index of suspicion must be
      maintained in patients of pathological fracture presenting with associated
      neuropsychiatric or hepatic manifestations.

PMID- 28642859
TI  - Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm and Allergy.
AB  - Sport is an essential part of childhood, with precious and acknowledged positive
      health effects but the impact of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB)
      significantly reduces participation in physical activity. It is important to
      recognize EIB, differentiating EIB with or without asthma if the transient
      narrowing of the airways after exercise is associated with asthmatic symptoms or
      not, in the way to select the most appropriate treatment among the many treatment
      options available today. Therapy is prescribed based on symptoms severity but
      diagnosis of EIB is established by changes in lung function provoked by exercise
      evaluating by direct and indirect tests. Sometimes, in younger children it is
      difficult to obtain the registration of difference between the preexercise forced
      expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) value and the lowest FEV1 value
      recorded within 30 min after exercise, defined as the gold standard, but
      interrupter resistance, in association with spirometry, has been showed to be a
      valid alternative in preschool age. Atopy is the main risk factor, as
      demonstrated by epidemiologic data showing that among the estimated pediatric
      population with EIB up to 40% of them have allergic rhinitis and 30% of these
      patients may develop adult asthma, according with atopic march. Adopting the
      right treatment and prevention, selecting sports with no marked hyperventilation
      and excessive cooling of the airways, children with EIB can be able to take part
      in physical activity like all others.

PMID- 28642860
TI  - Ataxia Telangiectasia-Mutated (ATM)Polymorphisms and Risk of Lung Cancer in a
      Chinese Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) gene has a key role in DNA
      repair including activation and stabilization of p53, which implicates the
      importance of ATM polymorphisms in the development of cancer. This study aims to
      investigate the association of two ATM single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
      with lung cancer, as well as their potential interaction with p53 gene and other
      known risk factors of lung cancer. METHODS: A population-based case-control study
      was conducted in Taiyuan city, China with 399 cases and 466 controls matched on
      the distribution of age and sex of cases. The two ATM gene SNPs, ATMrs227060 and
      ATMrs228589 as well as p53 gene SNP, p53rs1042522 were genotyped using Sequenom
      platform. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate crude
      and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Adjusted
      models controlled for age, sex, and smoking status. RESULTS: The study showed
      that TT genotype of ATMrs227060 (aOR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.06-2.35) and AA genotype
      of ATMrs228589 were significantly associated with lung cancer (aOR = 1.50, 95%
      CI: 1.08-2.08) in a recessive model. Additionally, carrying variant genotypes of
      ATMrs227060 (TT), ATMrs228589 (AA), and p53rs1042522 (CC) concomitantly was
      associated with much higher risk (aOR = 3.68, 95% CI: 1.43-9.45) of lung cancer
      than carrying variant genotypes of any one of the above three SNPs. We also found
      multiplicative and additive interaction between tea drinking and ATMrs227060 in
      association with lung cancer. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that ATM gene
      variants might be associated with development of lung cancer in Chinese
      population. These results need to be validated in larger and different population
      samples.

PMID- 28642861
TI  - Reported Systems Changes and Sustainability Perceptions of Three State
      Departments of Health Implementing Multi-Faceted Evidence-Based Fall Prevention
      Efforts.
AB  - Although the concepts of systems change and sustainability are not new, little is
      known about the factors associated with systems change sustaining multi-state,
      multi-level fall prevention efforts. This exploratory study focuses on three
      State Departments of Health (DOH) that were awarded 5-year funding from the
      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to simultaneously implement four
      separate yet related evidence-based fall prevention initiatives at the clinical,
      community, and policy level. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in
      partnerships and collaborative activities that occurred to accomplish project
      goals (examining changes in the context of "before funding" and "after funding
      was received"). Additionally, this study explored changes in State DOH
      perceptions about action related to sustainability indicators in the context of
      "during funding" and "after funding ends." Findings from this study document the
      partnership and activity changes necessary to achieve defined fall prevention
      goals after funding is received, and that the importance of sustainability
      indicator documentation is seen as relevant during funding, but less so after the
      funding ends. Findings from this study have practice and research implications
      that can inform future funded efforts in terms of sector and stakeholder
      engagement necessary for initiating, implementing, and sustaining community- and
      clinical-based fall prevention interventions.

PMID- 28642862
TI  - Fabrication of CMC-g-PAM Superporous Polymer Monoliths via Eco-Friendly Pickering
      MIPEs for Superior Adsorption of Methyl Violet and Methylene Blue.
AB  - A series of superporous carboxymethylcellulose-graft
      poly(acrylamide)/palygorskite (CMC-g-PAM/Pal) polymer monoliths presenting
      interconnected pore structure and excellent adsorption properties were prepared
      by one-step free-radical grafting polymerization reaction of CMC and acrylamide
      (AM) in the oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering-medium internal phase emulsions
      (Pickering-MIPEs) composed of non-toxic edible oil as a dispersion phase and
      natural Pal nanorods as stabilizers. The effects of Pal dosage, AM dosage, and co
      surfactant Tween-20 (T-20) on the pore structures of the monoliths were studied.
      It was revealed that the well-defined pores were formed when the dosages of Pal
      and T-20 are 9-14 and 3%, respectively. The porous monolith can rapidly adsorb
      1,585 mg/g of methyl violet (MV) and 1,625 mg/g of methylene blue (MB). After the
      monolith was regenerated by adsorption-desorption process for five times, the
      adsorption capacities still reached 92.1% (for MV) and 93.5% (for MB) of the
      initial maximum adsorption capacities. The adsorption process was fitted with
      Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second-order adsorption kinetic
      model very well, which indicate that mono-layer chemical adsorption mainly
      contribute to the high-capacity adsorption for dyes. The superporous polymer
      monolith prepared from eco-friendly Pickering-MIPEs shows good adsorption
      capacity and fast adsorption rate, which is potential adsorbent for the
      decontamination of dye-containing wastewater.

PMID- 28642863
TI  - Friends-Enemies: Endogenous Retroviruses Are Major Transcriptional Regulators of
      Human DNA.
AB  - Endogenous retroviruses are mobile genetic elements hardly distinguishable from
      infectious, or "exogenous," retroviruses at the time of insertion in the host
      DNA. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are not rare. They gave rise to
      multiple families of closely related mobile elements that occupy ~8% of the human
      genome. Together, they shape genomic regulatory landscape by providing at least
      ~320,000 human transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located on ~110,000
      individual HERV elements. The HERVs host as many as 155,000 mapped DNaseI
      hypersensitivity sites, which denote loci active in the regulation of gene
      expression or chromatin structure. The contemporary view of the HERVs
      evolutionary dynamics suggests that at the early stages after insertion, the HERV
      is treated by the host cells as a foreign genetic element, and is likely to be
      suppressed by the targeted methylation and mutations. However, at the later
      stages, when significant number of mutations has been already accumulated and
      when the retroviral genes are broken, the regulatory potential of a HERV may be
      released and recruited to modify the genomic balance of transcription factor
      binding sites. This process goes together with further accumulation and selection
      of mutations, which reshape the regulatory landscape of the human DNA. However,
      developmental reprogramming, stress or pathological conditions like cancer,
      inflammation and infectious diseases, can remove the blocks limiting expression
      and HERV-mediated host gene regulation. This, in turn, can dramatically alter the
      gene expression equilibrium and shift it to a newer state, thus further
      amplifying instability and exacerbating the stressful situation.

PMID- 28642864
TI  - The Effects of Fasting and Massive Diarrhea on Absorption of Enteral Vancomycin
      in Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Observational Study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Although vancomycin (VCM) is not absorbed from healthy intestinal
      mucosa, elevations in the serum VCM concentrations have been reported in some
      cases. The aims of this study are to evaluate the necessity of therapeutic drug
      monitoring (TDM) during enteral VCM administration in critically ill patients.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 19 patients
      admitted to our intensive care unit who were treated with enteral VCM from
      December 2006 to January 2014. Clinical factors were compared between two groups:
      Group E whose serum concentrations were detectable, and Group N whose
      concentrations were below the detection limit of the VCM assay. RESULTS: Group E
      comprises 7 patients, and Group N comprises 12 patients. The fasting duration in
      Group E was significantly longer compared with that in Group N (17 vs. 8 days, p
      = 0.023). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the serum VCM
      concentrations and the fasting duration (r = 0.79, p < 0.0001), and the amount of
      diarrhea (r = 0.46, p = 0.046). No difference was observed in the amount of
      diarrhea at the time of TDM (Group E; 1,850 mL vs. Group N; 210 mL, p = 0.055)
      and in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment subscore for the renal system at
      the time of TDM (Group E; 4.0 vs. Group N; 1.5, p = 0.068). CONCLUSION: Long
      durations of fasting and massive diarrhea were associated with elevations in the
      serum VCM concentrations, which suggested that TDM might be necessary during
      enteral VCM administration in critically ill patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN
      Clinical Trials Registry identifier UMIN000016955.

PMID- 28642866
TI  - Evaluation of Serum for Pathophysiological Effects of Prolonged Low Salinity
      Water Exposure in Displaced Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).
AB  - We conducted a retrospective study of serum biochemistry and hematologic findings
      from displaced, out-of-habitat bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) exposed
      to various low salinity environments in waters along the southern United States
      including southeastern Atlantic and northern Gulf of Mexico. Serum sodium,
      chloride, and calculated osmolality were significantly lower and below reference
      ranges in displaced animals compared to free-ranging case control animals. This
      suggests clinical hyponatremia, hypochloremia, and hypo-osmolality due to an
      uptake of low saline water from the environment. In addition, significant
      differences were found in other serum chemistry variables, although none were
      outside of normal reference ranges for non-controlled free-ranging animals.
      Multiple linear regressions demonstrated the degree of salinity had a greater
      pathophysiologic response than the duration of fresh water exposure. The Na/Cl
      ratio and bicarbonate were the only variables that were significantly modulated
      by exposure duration. These findings suggest that the degree of salinity is a
      critical factor when assessing and managing care for dolphins chronically exposed
      to low salinity water. Results from this study indicate that changes in various
      biochemical parameters can be used to determine fresh water exposure and aid in
      determining the treatment for animals recovered from low salinity waters.

PMID- 28642865
TI  - Spinal Muscular Atrophy: From Defective Chaperoning of snRNP Assembly to
      Neuromuscular Dysfunction.
AB  - Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder that results from
      decreased levels of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMN is part of a
      multiprotein complex that also includes Gemins 2-8 and Unrip. The SMN-Gemins
      complex cooperates with the protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) complex,
      whose constituents include WD45, PRMT5 and pICln. Both complexes function as
      molecular chaperones, interacting with and assisting in the assembly of an Sm
      protein core onto small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) to generate small nuclear
      ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), which are the operating components of the
      spliceosome. Molecular and structural studies have refined our knowledge of the
      key events taking place within the crowded environment of cells and the numerous
      precautions undertaken to ensure the faithful assembly of snRNPs. Nonetheless, it
      remains unclear whether a loss of chaperoning in snRNP assembly, considered as a
      "housekeeping" activity, is responsible for the selective neuromuscular phenotype
      in SMA. This review thus shines light on in vivo studies that point toward
      disturbances in snRNP assembly and the consequential transcriptome abnormalities
      as the primary drivers of the progressive neuromuscular degeneration underpinning
      the disease. Disruption of U1 snRNP or snRNP assembly factors other than SMN
      induces phenotypes that mirror aspects of SMN deficiency, and splicing defects,
      described in numerous SMA models, can lead to a DNA damage and stress response
      that compromises the survival of the motor system. Restoring the correct
      chaperoning of snRNP assembly is therefore predicted to enhance the benefit of
      SMA therapeutic modalities based on augmenting SMN expression.

PMID- 28642867
TI  - Evaluation of the Effect of a Single Intra-articular Injection of Allogeneic
      Neonatal Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Compared to Oral Non-Steroidal Anti
      inflammatory Treatment on the Postoperative Musculoskeletal Status and Gait of
      Dogs over a 6-Month Period after Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy: A Pilot
      Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Compare the clinical and pressure walkway gait evolution of dogs after
      a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for a cranial cruciate ligament
      rupture (CrCLR) and treatment with either a 1-month course of non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or a single postoperative intra-articular (IA)
      injection of allogeneic neonatal mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). STUDY DESIGN:
      Prospective, double-blinded, randomized, controlled, monocentric clinical study.
      ANIMALS: Sixteen client-owned dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dogs with unilateral
      CrCLR confirmed by arthroscopy were included. Allogeneic neonatal canine MSCs
      were obtained from fetal adnexa retrieved after C-section performed on healthy
      pregnant bitches. The dogs were randomly allocated to either the "MSCs group,"
      receiving an IA injection of MSCs after TPLO, followed by placebo for 1 month, or
      the "NSAIDs group," receiving IA equivalent volume of MSCs vehicle after TPLO,
      followed by oral NSAID for 1 month. One of the three blinded evaluators assessed
      the dogs in each group before and after surgery (1, 3, and 6 months). Clinical
      score and gait and bone healing process were assessed. The data were
      statistically compared between the two groups for pre- and postoperative
      evaluations. RESULTS: Fourteen dogs (nine in the MSCs group, five in the NSAIDs
      group) completed the present study. No significant difference was observed
      between the groups preoperatively. No local or systemic adverse effect was
      observed after MSCs injection at any time point considered. At 1 month after
      surgery, bone healing scores were significantly higher in the MSCs group. At 1,
      3, and 6 months after surgery, no significant difference was observed between the
      two groups for clinical scores and gait evaluation. CONCLUSION: A single IA
      injection of allogeneic neonatal MSCs could be a safe and valuable postoperative
      alternative to NSAIDs for dogs requiring TPLO surgery, particularly for dogs
      intolerant to this class of drugs.

PMID- 28642868
TI  - An Exploration of Gene-Gene Interactions and Their Effects on Hypertension.
AB  - Hypertension tends to perpetuate in families and the heritability of hypertension
      is estimated to be around 20-60%. So far, the main proportion of this
      heritability has not been found by single-locus genome-wide association studies.
      Therefore, the current study explored gene-gene interactions that have the
      potential to partially fill in the missing heritability. A two-stage discovery
      confirmatory analysis was carried out in the Framingham Heart Study cohorts. The
      first stage was an exhaustive pairwise search performed in 2320 early-onset
      hypertensive cases with matched normotensive controls from the offspring cohort.
      Then, identified gene-gene interactions were assessed in an independent set of
      694 subjects from the original cohort. Four unique gene-gene interactions were
      found to be related to hypertension. Three detected genes were recognized by
      previous studies, and the other 5 loci/genes (MAN1A1, LMO3, NPAP1/SNRPN, DNAL4,
      and RNA5SP455/KRT8P5) were novel findings, which had no strong main effect on
      hypertension and could not be easily identified by single-locus genome-wide
      studies. Also, by including the identified gene-gene interactions, more variance
      was explained in hypertension. Overall, our study provides evidence that the
      genome-wide gene-gene interaction analysis has the possibility to identify new
      susceptibility genes, which can provide more insights into the genetic background
      of blood pressure regulation.

PMID- 28642869
TI  - Detection of MicroRNA in Hepatic Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in
      Hepatitis C Genotype-4 in Egyptian Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Egypt, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is
      13.8% of whole population and about 80% of the patients with hepatocellular
      carcinoma have underling hepatitis C. AIM: This study was designed to assess the
      diagnostic value of plasma miR-122 and miR-21 in patients with CHC, genotype-4,
      to detect fibrosis progression versus noninvasive indices and their diagnostic
      value in detection of early stages of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
      METHODOLOGY: A prospective study that included 180 patients, divided into 3
      groups: healthy controls (group I), CHC patients (group II), and hepatitis C
      patients with HCC (group III); all cases were subjected to thorough clinical,
      radiological, and laboratory investigations. Selected biomarkers were evaluated
      and correlated with degree of liver damage. Results revealed that miR-122
      followed by miR-21 had the highest efficiency in prediction of liver cell damage.
      Also, miR-21 was strongly correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor
      (VEGF) and alpha fetoprotein (alpha-FP) in HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma miR
      122 and miR-21 had strong correlation with degree fibrosis in HCV genotype-4
      patients; consequently they can be considered as potential biomarker for early
      detection of hepatic fibrosis. Moreover, miR-21 can be used as a potential
      biomarker, for early detection of HCC combined with VEGF and alpha-FP.

PMID- 28642870
TI  - Imaging and Management of Incidental Renal Lesions.
AB  - The increased use of imaging modalities in the last years has led to a greater
      incidence in depicting abdominal incidental lesions. In particular,
      "incidentalomas" of the kidney are discovered in asymptomatic patients or
      patients who suffer from diseases not directly related to the kidneys. The aim of
      this paper is to provide the radiologist with a useful guide to recognize and
      classify the main incidental renal findings with the purpose of establishing the
      correct management. First we describe the so-called "pseudotumors" which are
      important to recognize in order to avoid a misdiagnosis. Afterwards we categorize
      true renal lesions into cystic and solid types, reporting radiological signs
      helpful in differentiating between benign and malignant nature.

PMID- 28642871
TI  - Promoting Mental Health in Italian Middle and High School: A Pilot Study.
AB  - AIM: In Italy, a handbook has been developed based on the principles of
      cooperative learning, life skills, self-effectiveness, and problem-solving at
      high school level. Early studies have shown the handbook's effectiveness. It has
      been hypothesized that the revised handbook could be more effective in middle
      schools. METHOD: The study design is a "pre- and posttest" that compares the
      results obtained from 91 students of the high schools with those of the 38
      students from middle schools. The assessment was made through "self-reporting"
      questionnaires of (a) learning skills including problem-solving and (b) perceived
      self-efficacy in managing emotions, dysfunctional beliefs, and unhealthy
      behaviours (i.e., drinking/smoking). RESULTS: Significant improvements were
      observed in both groups with the exceptions of perceived self-efficacy in
      managing emotions. The improvement of dysfunctional beliefs and the learning of
      problem-solving skills were better in middle schools. CONCLUSION: The results
      confirm the authors' hypothesis that the use of this approach is much more
      promising in middle school.

PMID- 28642872
TI  - Chronic Expanding Hematoma in the Extremities: A Clinical Problem of Adhesion to
      the Surrounding Tissues.
AB  - Chronic expanding hematoma is characterized by continuous growth of a blood
      collection. We analyzed the clinical features of 7 patients with chronic
      expanding hematomas in the extremities, with an average age of 65.6 years. All
      lesions occurred in the lower extremities, with 4 seen in the thigh and 3 in the
      knee region. Six patients had subcutaneous hematomas, while 1 was deep-seated in
      the thigh. The magnetic resonance features of the lesion were compatible with
      those of a standard hematoma. A low signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted
      imaging at the pseudocapsule was also characteristic. Cystic features were seen
      in 5 of 7 patients. All lesions were resected together with their pseudocapsule.
      In the subcutaneous lesions, it was necessary to resect adherent fascia, with or
      without involved skin. In the deep-seated thigh lesion, the common peroneal nerve
      was completely adherent to the pseudocapsule, a phenomenon from absence of the
      common peroneal nerve which appeared after resection. Chronic expanding hematomas
      of the extremities are predominantly located in the subcutaneous tissue of the
      lower extremity. The surrounding pseudocapsule is adherent to the adjacent
      tissues, and clinicians must be aware of this, especially when resecting a deep
      seated lesion.

PMID- 28642873
TI  - Serum Amyloid A Induces a Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype Switch through
      the p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway.
AB  - Atherosclerosis is an important pathological condition which is accompanied by a
      vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype switch toward a synthetic phenotype.
      As an acute-phase protein, Serum Amyloid A (SAA) is thought to have a close
      relationship to atherosclerosis development. However, no study has investigated
      the direct effect of SAA on the VSMC phenotype switch, as well as the underlying
      mechanisms. The purpose of our study was to explore the effect of SAA on the VSMC
      phenotype switch and the potential mechanisms involved. In our study, we found
      that SAA induced the VSMC phenotype switch which reduced expression of the smooth
      muscle cell (SMC) marker and enhanced expression of the matrix synthesis related
      marker. The proliferative ability of VSMCs was also increased by SAA treatment.
      Furthermore, our research found that SAA activated the ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK
      signaling pathways. Finally, by applying the ERK1/2 and p38 inhibitors, U0126 and
      SB203580, we demonstrated that the SAA-induced VSMC phenotype switch was p38
      dependent. Taken together, these results indicated that SAA may play an important
      role in promoting the VSMC phenotype switch through the p38 MAPK signaling
      pathway.

PMID- 28642874
TI  - Combination Treatment with PPARgamma Ligand and Its Specific Inhibitor GW9662
      Downregulates BIS and 14-3-3 Gamma, Inhibiting Stem-Like Properties in
      Glioblastoma Cells.
AB  - PPARgamma is a nuclear receptor that regulates differentiation and proliferation
      and is highly expressed in many cancer cells. Its synthetic ligands, such as
      rosiglitazone and ciglitazone, and its inhibitor GW9662, were shown to induce
      cellular differentiation, inhibit proliferation, and lead to apoptosis.
      Glioblastoma is a common brain tumor with poor survival prospects. Recently,
      glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) have been examined as a potential target for
      anticancer therapy; however, little is known about the combined effect of various
      agents on GSCs. In this study, we found that cotreatment with PPARgamma ligands
      and GW9662 inhibited stem-like properties in GSC-like spheres, which
      significantly express SOX2. In addition, this treatment decreased the activation
      of STAT3 and AKT and decreased the amounts of 14-3-3 gamma and BIS proteins.
      Moreover, combined administration of small-interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection
      with PPARgamma ligands induced downregulation of SOX2 and MMP2 activity together
      with inhibition of sphere-forming activity regardless of poly(ADP-ribose)
      polymerase (PARP) cleavage. Taken together, our findings suggest that a
      combination therapy using PPARgamma ligands and its inhibitor could be a
      potential therapeutic strategy targeting GSCs.

PMID- 28642876
TI  - Magnetic Separation Methods for the Detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp.
      paratuberculosis in Various Types of Matrices: A Review.
AB  - The main reasons to improve the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp.
      paratuberculosis (MAP) are animal health and monitoring of MAP entering the food
      chain via meat, milk, and/or dairy products. Different approaches can be used for
      the detection of MAP, but the use of magnetic separation especially in
      conjunction with PCR as an end-point detection method has risen in past years.
      However, the extraction of DNA which is a crucial step prior to PCR detection can
      be complicated due to the presence of inhibitory substances. Magnetic separation
      methods involving either antibodies or peptides represent a powerful tool for
      selective separation of target bacteria from other nontarget microorganisms and
      inhibitory sample components. These methods enable the concentration of pathogens
      present in the initial matrix into smaller volume and facilitate the isolation of
      sufficient quantities of pure DNA. The purpose of this review was to summarize
      the methods based on the magnetic separation approach that are currently
      available for the detection of MAP in a broad range of matrices.

PMID- 28642875
TI  - Rapid Elimination of Blood Alcohol Using Erythrocytes: Mathematical Modeling and
      In Vitro Study.
AB  - Erythrocytes (RBCs) loaded with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde
      dehydrogenase (ALD) can metabolize plasma ethanol and acetaldehyde but with low
      efficiency. We investigated the rate-limiting factors in ethanol oxidation by
      these enzymes loaded into RBCs. Mathematical modeling and in vitro experiments on
      human RBCs loaded simultaneously with ADH and ALD (by hypoosmotic dialysis) were
      performed. The simulation showed that the rate of nicotinamide-adenine
      dinucleotide (NAD+) generation in RBC glycolysis, but not the activities of the
      loaded enzymes, is the rate-limiting step in external ethanol oxidation. The rate
      of oxidation could be increased if RBCs are supplemented by NAD+ and pyruvate.
      Our experimental data verified this theoretical conclusion. RBCs loaded with the
      complete system of ADH, ALD, NAD+, and pyruvate metabolized ethanol 20-40 times
      faster than reported in previous studies. The one-step procedure of hypoosmotic
      dialysis is the optimal method to encapsulate ADH and ALD in RBCs after cell
      recovery, encapsulation yield, osmotic resistance, and RBC-indexes. Consequently,
      transfusion of the RBCs loaded with the complete metabolic system, including ADH,
      ALD, pyruvate, and NAD+ in the patients with alcohol intoxication, may be a
      promising method for rapid detoxification of blood alcohol based on metabolism.

PMID- 28642877
TI  - The Effect of Sodium Valproate on the Glioblastoma U87 Cell Line Tumor
      Development on the Chicken Embryo Chorioallantoic Membrane and on EZH2 and p53
      Expression.
AB  - Literature data support evidences that glioblastoma (GBM) patients experience
      prolonged survival due to sodium valproate (NaVP) treatment. The study assessed
      the human GBM cell U87 xenograft studied in the chicken embryo chorioallantoic
      membrane (CAM) model evaluating NaVP effect on tumor. Three groups of tumors
      (each n = 10) were studied: nontreated, treated with 4 mM, and treated with 8 mM
      of NaVP. The majority of tumors without NaVP treatment during tumor growth
      destroyed the chorionic epithelium, invaded the mesenchyme, and induced
      angiogenesis. Incidence of tumor formation on CAM without invasion into the
      mesenchyme was higher when U87 cells were treated with NaVP; the effect
      significantly increased with NaVP concentration. Treatment with 8 mM of NaVP did
      not show clear dynamics of tumor growth during 5 days; at the same time, the
      angiogenesis failed. With a strong staining of EZH2, p53 in tumors without NaVP
      treatment was found, and NaVP significantly decreased the expression of EZH2- and
      p53-positive cells; the effect was significantly higher at its 8 mM
      concentration. NaVP has a function in blocking the growth, invasion, and
      angiogenesis of tumor in the CAM model; tumor growth interferes with EZH2 and p53
      molecular pathways, supporting the NaVP potential in GBM therapy.

PMID- 28642879
TI  - Aortic Arch Calcification as a Predictor of Repeated Arteriovenous Fistula
      Failure within 1-Year in Hemodialysis Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to identify the factors associated with
      repeated arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure within 1-year, especially the impact
      of aortic arch calcification (AAC) on patency of AVF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      retrospectively assessed chest radiography in hemodialysis patients who had
      undergone initial AVF. The extent of AAC was categorized into four grades (0-3).
      The association between AAC grade, other clinical variables, and repeated failure
      of AVF was then analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: This
      study included 284 patients (158 males, mean age 61.7 +/- 13.1 years). Patients
      with higher AAC grade were older, had more frequently diabetes mellitus and
      cardiovascular disease, had lower diastolic blood pressure, and had higher
      corrected calcium and lower intact parathyroid hormone levels. In multivariate
      analysis, the presence of higher AAC grade (odds ratio (95% confidence interval):
      2.98 (1.43-6.23); p = 0.004), lower mean corrected calcium (p = 0.017), and mean
      serum albumin level (p = 0.008) were associated with repeated failure of AVF.
      CONCLUSIONS: The presence of higher AAC grade, lower mean corrected calcium and
      mean serum albumin level were independently associated with repeated AVF failure
      within 1 year in hemodialysis patients.

PMID- 28642880
TI  - Longitudinal Patterns of Stability and Change in Tenacious Goal Pursuit and
      Flexible Goal Adjustment among Older People over a 9-Year Period.
AB  - Using the dual-process model of assimilative-tenacity (TGP) and accommodative
      flexibility (FGA), the study aims to identify trajectories of TGP and FGA over
      five time points within a 9-year period, explore the relationships between the
      trajectories of TGP and FGA, and explore if participants from distinct TGP and
      FGA trajectories differed in indicators of well-being and depression. Latent
      class growth analysis was used in a five-wave longitudinal design among an older
      population of 747 participants over 65 years. Results highlight (1) emergence of
      four trajectories for flexibility (low and increasing, moderate and increasing,
      moderately high and stable, and high and stable trajectories) and three
      trajectories for tenacity (low and stable, moderate and stable, and high and
      decreasing trajectories), (2) that older people belonging to particular
      trajectories of FGA are not more likely to belong to particular trajectories of
      TGP, and (3) that participants from the high and decreasing TGP and high or
      moderately high and stable FGA trajectories were characterized by high score of
      perceived health, satisfaction with life, and self-esteem and low score of
      depression moods. These results highlight that the heterogeneity in longitudinal
      TGP and FGA scores throughout the life span needs to be accounted for in future
      research.

PMID- 28642878
TI  - The Complexity of Zoonotic Filariasis Episystem and Its Consequences: A
      Multidisciplinary View.
AB  - Vector-borne transmitted helminthic zoonosis affects the health and economy of
      both developing and developed countries. The concept of episystem includes the
      set of biological, environmental, and epidemiological elements of these diseases
      in defined geographic and temporal scales. Dirofilariasis caused by different
      species of the genus Dirofilaria is a disease affecting domestic and wild canines
      and felines and man, transmitted by different species of culicid mosquitoes. This
      complexity is increased because Dirofilaria species harbor intracellular symbiont
      Wolbachia bacteriae, which play a key role in the embryogenesis and development
      of dirofilariae and in the inflammatory pathology of the disease. In addition,
      the vector transmission makes the dirofilariasis susceptible to the influence of
      the climate and its variations. The present review addresses the analysis of
      dirofilariasis from the point of view of the episystem, analyzing the complex
      network of interactions established between biological components, climate, and
      factors related to human activity, as well as the different problems they pose.
      The progress of knowledge on human and animal dirofilariasis is largely due to
      the multidisciplinary approach. Nevertheless, different aspects of the disease
      need to continue being investigated and cooperation between countries and
      specialists involved should be intensified.

PMID- 28642881
TI  - Combining Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio to Predict
      Brain Metastasis of Resected Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients.
AB  - We aimed to evaluate the role of pretreatment carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and
      platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in predicting brain metastasis after radical
      surgery for lung adenocarcinoma patients. The records of 103 patients with
      completely resected lung adenocarcinoma between 2013 and 2014 were reviewed.
      Clinicopathologic characteristics of these patients were assessed in the Cox
      proportional hazards regression model. Brain metastasis occurred in 12 patients
      (11.6%). On univariate analysis, N2 stage (P = 0.013), stage III (P = 0.016),
      increased CEA level (P = 0.006), and higher PLR value (P = 0.020) before
      treatment were associated with an increased risk of developing brain metastasis.
      In multivariate model analysis, CEA above 5.2 ng/mL (P = 0.014) and PLR >= 120 (P
      = 0.036) remained as the risk factors for brain metastasis. The combination of
      CEA and PLR was superior to CEA or PLR alone in predicting brain metastasis
      according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis (area
      under ROC curve, AUC 0.872 versus 0.784 versus 0.704). Pretreatment CEA and PLR
      are independent and significant risk factors for occurrence of brain metastasis
      in resected lung adenocarcinoma patients. Combining these two factors may improve
      the predictability of brain metastasis.

PMID- 28642883
TI  - Genetic Polymorphisms of Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen 4 in Primary Biliary
      Cholangitis: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIM: The connection between gene polymorphisms of cytotoxic T
      lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is
      still vague and blurred. The purpose of this study is to precisely estimate the
      association of the polymorphisms of CTLA4 with the risk of PBC by using a meta
      analysis. METHODS: PubMed and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure
      (CNKI) database were used to search correlative literatures, and the documents
      which were about the relationships between the polymorphisms of CTLA4 (rs231775,
      rs231725, rs3087243, and rs5742909) and PBC were collected as of June 2016. The
      strength of correlation based on odds ratios (ORs) and its 95% confidence
      intervals (95%CIs) was computed by STATA. RESULTS: Generally, in rs231775, a
      significant risk was found in G allele, the value of OR was 1.32, and its 95%CI
      was 1.19 to 1.47. The same situation was found in A allele of rs231725, the value
      of OR was 1.33, and its 95%CI was 1.22 to 1.45. As genotypic level, different
      genotypic models were also found to have obvious relevance with PBC in rs231775
      and rs231725. No obvious connections were found in other SNPs. CONCLUSION: This
      study indicated that the polymorphisms of rs231775 and rs231725 would be the risk
      factors of PBC.

PMID- 28642882
TI  - Tumor-Related Exosomes Contribute to Tumor-Promoting Microenvironment: An
      Immunological Perspective.
AB  - Exosomes are a kind of cell-released membrane-form structures which contain
      proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These vesicular organelles play a key role
      in intercellular communication. Numerous experiments demonstrated that tumor
      related exosomes (TEXs) can induce immune surveillance in the microenvironment in
      vivo and in vitro. They can interfere with the maturation of DC cells, impair NK
      cell activation, induce myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and educate macrophages
      into protumor phenotype. They can also selectively induce effector T cell
      apoptosis via Fas/FasL interaction and enhance regulatory T cell proliferation
      and function by releasing TGF-beta. In this review, we focus on the TEX-induced
      immunosuppression and microenvironment change. Based on the truth that TEXs play
      crucial roles in suppressing the immune system, studies on modification of
      exosomes as immunotherapy strategies will also be discussed.

PMID- 28642884
TI  - Cxcl8b and Cxcr2 Regulate Neutrophil Migration through Bloodstream in Zebrafish.
AB  - Neutrophils play an essential role during an inflammatory response, which is
      dependent on their rapid recruitment from the bone marrow to the vasculature.
      However, there is no information about the molecular signals that regulate
      neutrophil entry to circulation during an inflammatory process in humans. This is
      mainly due to the lack of a suitable model of study that contains similar set of
      molecules and that allows in vivo analyses. In this study, we used the zebrafish
      to assess the role of Cxcl8a, Cxcl8b, and Cxcr2 in neutrophil migration to blood
      circulation after injury. Using Tg(BACmpx:GFP)i114 transgenic embryos and two
      damage models (severe and mild), we developed in vivo lack of function assays. We
      found that the transcription levels of cxcl8a, cxcl8b, and cxcr2 were upregulated
      in the severe damage model. In contrast, only cxcr2 and cxcl8a mRNA levels were
      increased during mild damage. After knocking down Cxcl8a, neutrophil quantity
      decreased at the injury site, while Cxcl8b decreased neutrophils in circulation.
      When inhibiting Cxcr2, we observed a decrease in neutrophil entry to the
      bloodstream. In conclusion, we identified different functions for both Cxcl8
      paralogues, being the Cxcl8b/Cxcr2 axis that regulates neutrophil entry to the
      bloodstream, while Cxcl8a/Cxcr2 regulates the migration to the affected area.

PMID- 28642886
TI  - Making a Difference in Malawi and Zambia Through Health Education and Public
      Health Best Practices.
AB  - A 2-year U.S. Department of State-funded project* was conducted with the purpose
      of engaging health professionals from Malawi and Zambia who are actively involved
      in health care and health education for marginalized populations to develop,
      implement, and evaluate health education and public health
      interventions/programs. Twenty-six health professionals from Malawi and Zambia,
      referred to as Global Health Fellows, participated in the 2-year program, of
      which the main training component was conducted in the United States. Fellows
      were exposed to health education and public health best practices and developed
      an action plan to address a health problem of concern in their respective
      communities/countries. After completion of the program, Fellows received $300 to
      implement their action plans. Teams of Americans involved in the training program
      participated in follow-up visits to Malawi and Zambia to observe real-time
      progress on Fellows' respective action plans. The project was successful in
      creating an educational experience focused on health education best practices as
      well as implementation of action plans to address selected health problems in
      Malawi and Zambia.

PMID- 28642885
TI  - Neuroanatomical correlates of familial risk-for-depression and
      religiosity/spirituality.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine potential neural substrates that underlie the interplay
      between religiosity/spirituality and risk-for-depression. A new wave of data from
      a longitudinal, three generation study of individuals at high risk for depression
      is presented. In addition to providing new longitudinal data, we extend previous
      findings by employing additional (surface-based) methods for examining cortical
      volume. MEASURES PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
      were collected on 106 second and third generation family members at high or low
      risk for major depression defined by the presence or absence of depression in the
      first generation. Religiosity/spirituality measures were collected at the same
      time as the MRI scans and comprised self-report ratings of personal
      religious/spiritual (R/S) importance and frequency of religious attendance.
      Analyses were carried out with Freesurfer. Interactive effects of
      religiosity/spirituality and risk-for-depression were examined on measures of
      cortical thickness and cortical surface area. RESULTS: A high degree of belief in
      the importance of religion/spirituality was associated with both a thicker cortex
      and a larger pial surface area in persons at high risk for familial depression.
      No significant association was found between cortical regions and religious
      attendance in either risk group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results support
      previous findings of an association between R/S importance and cortical thickness
      in individuals at high risk for depression, and extend the findings to include an
      association between R/S importance and greater pial surface area. Moreover, the
      findings suggest these cortical changes may confer protective benefits to
      religious/spiritual individuals at high risk for depression.

PMID- 28642887
TI  - Dynamic regulation of serum aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists in MS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Several factors influence the clinical course of autoimmune
      inflammatory diseases such as MS and inflammatory bowel disease. Only recently,
      the complex interaction between the gut microbiome, dietary factors, and
      metabolism has started to be appreciated with regard to its potential to modulate
      acute and chronic inflammation. One of the molecular sensors that mediates the
      effects of these environmental signals on the immune response is the aryl
      hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a ligand-activated transcription factor with key
      functions in immune cells. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the levels of AHR
      agonists in serum samples from patients with MS and healthy controls in a case
      control study. RESULTS: We detected a global decrease of circulating AHR agonists
      in relapsing-remitting MS patients as compared to controls. However, during acute
      CNS inflammation in clinically isolated syndrome or active MS, we measured
      increased AHR agonistic activity. Moreover, AHR ligand levels in patients with
      benign MS with relatively mild clinical impairment despite longstanding disease
      were unaltered as compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these
      data suggest that AHR agonists in serum are dynamically modulated during the
      course of MS. These findings may guide the development of biomarkers to monitor
      disease activity as well as the design of novel therapeutic interventions for MS.

PMID- 28642888
TI  - Aquaporin-4 antibodies in patients treated with natalizumab for suspected MS.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate (1) the frequency of aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-ab)
      seropositive cases among patients treated with natalizumab (NAT) and previously
      diagnosed with MS (MSNAT) in a nationwide cohort, (2) the clinical course of NAT
      treated AQP4-ab-seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)
      patients (NMONAT), (3) AQP4-ab titers in NMONAT and AQP4-ab-seropositive NMOSD
      treated with other immunotherapies (NMOIT), and (4) immune mechanisms influencing
      disease activity in NMONAT. METHODS: MSNAT serum samples were retrospectively
      screened with a cell-based assay for AQP4-IgG and titers determined by ELISA. The
      annualized relapse rate (ARR) and disability progression were assessed. Serum
      levels of proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1beta, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL
      10, IL-17, IL-21, and interferon [IFN]-gamma) and the chemokine CXCL-10 of NMONAT
      patients identified in this (n = 4) and a previous study (n = 5) were measured by
      cytometric bead array and ELISA. RESULTS: Of the 1,183 MSNAT patients (851
      female, median 9 NAT infusions), only 4 (0.33%; 3 female, 1 male) had AQP4-IgG.
      Of these, 2 fulfilled the 2006 NMO criteria and all met the 2015 NMOSD criteria.
      The ARR was higher in NMONAT vs MSNAT (p = 0.0182). All 4 NMONAT patients had
      relapses and 2 had an increase of disability. AQP4-ab titers were higher in
      NMONAT (n = 9) vs NMOIT (n = 13; p = 0.0059). IL-8, IL-1beta, and IFN-gamma serum
      levels were significantly higher, and CXCL-10 was significantly lower in NMONAT
      vs NMOIT. CONCLUSIONS: Misdiagnosis of NMOSD with MS is rare. NAT was not able to
      control disease activity in NMONAT patients, who had higher serum levels of AQP4
      IgG and proinflammatory cytokines than patients with NMOSD treated with other
      immunotherapies.

PMID- 28642889
TI  - ANCA-associated vasculitis predominantly presenting with severe myalgias.

PMID- 28642890
TI  - Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity may serve as a surrogate marker for MS disease
      activity.

PMID- 28642892
TI  - Dacrystic seizures-a cry for help.

PMID- 28642891
TI  - Safety/tolerability of the anti-semaphorin 4D Antibody VX15/2503 in a randomized
      phase 1 trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and
      pharmacodynamics (PD) of VX15/2503 in a randomized, single-dose, dose-escalation,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolling adult patients with MS. METHODS:
      Single IV doses of VX15/2503 or placebo were administered. Ten patients each were
      randomized (4:1 randomization ratio) into 5 ascending dose cohorts of 1, 3, 6,
      10, or 20 mg/kg. Safety, immunogenicity, PK/PD, MRI, ECG, and lymphocyte subset
      levels were evaluated. A Dose Escalation Safety Committee (DESC) approved each
      dose escalation. RESULTS: VX15/2503 was well tolerated, and all participants
      completed the study. Antibody treatment-related adverse events were primarily
      grade 1 or 2 and included urinary tract infection (12.5%) and muscle weakness,
      contusion, and insomnia (each 7.5%). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed,
      and no maximum tolerated dose was determined. One subject (20 mg/kg) experienced
      disease relapse 3 months before study entry and exhibited a grade 3 (nonserious)
      increase in brain lesions by day 29, possibly related to VX15/2503. Twenty-nine
      patients exhibited human anti-humanized antibody responses; 5 with titer >=100.
      No anti-VX15/2503 antibody responses were fully neutralizing. VX15/2503 Cmax,
      area under the time-concentration curve, and mean half-life increased with dose
      level; at 20 mg/kg, the T1/2 was 20 days. Cellular SEMA4D saturation occurred at
      serum antibody concentrations <=0.3 MUg/mL, resulting in decreased cSEMA4D
      expression. At 20 mg/kg, cSEMA4D saturation persisted for >=155 days. Total
      sSEMA4D levels increased with dose level and declined with antibody clearance.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results support the continued investigation of VX15/2503 in
      neurodegenerative diseases. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01764737.
      CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III evidence that anti
      semaphorin 4D antibody VX15/2503 at various doses was safe and well tolerated vs
      placebo, although an increase in treatment-emergent adverse events in the
      treatment group could not be excluded (risk difference -0.7%, 95% CI -28.0% to
      32.7%).

PMID- 28642893
TI  - Effectiveness of different irrigation protocols on calcium hydroxide removal from
      simulated immature teeth after apexification.
AB  - Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of different irrigation solutions and
      ultrasonic activation of the irrigation solutions on the removal of calcium
      hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) from the simulated immature root canals after apexification.
      Materials and methods: One-hundred and one single-rooted teeth were used. The
      root canals were shaped with ProTaper rotary files up to F5. Simulation of roots
      with immature apices was carried out using size 4 Unicore drills. An injectable
      Ca(OH)2 was injected into each root canal, and packed to the working length.
      Then, cotton pellets were placed over canal orifices, and apical and coronal
      parts of the roots were sealed with resin-modified glass ionomer cement, and
      light cured. Specimens were stored in distilled water for 3 months at 37 degrees
      C. After 3 months, the temporary coronal seal was removed and the samples were
      randomly divided into: (a) saline (n = 20), (b) ultrasonic activation of saline
      (n = 20), (c) sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) (n = 20), (d) ultrasonic activation of
      NaOCl (n = 15), (e) chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) (n = 20) and one positive
      control group (n = 3) and one negative control group (n = 3). The amount of
      remaining Ca(OH)2 on the canal walls was measured under stereomicroscope with 30*
      magnification. Comparisons between groups were made by the non-parametric Kruskal
      Wallis test and Dunn post-test at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results:
      There were no significant differences among the saline, ultrasonic activation of
      saline, NaOCl, ultrasonic activation of NaOCl and CHX (p > 0.05) groups.
      Conclusions: Irrigation solutions and ultrasonic activation of the irrigation
      solutions could not completely remove Ca(OH)2 from the simulated immature root
      canals.

PMID- 28642894
TI  - The effect of short fiber composite base on microleakage and load-bearing
      capacity of posterior restorations.
AB  - Objectives: To determine the marginal microleakage of Class II restorations made
      with different composite base materials and the static load-bearing capacity of
      direct composite onlay restorations. Methods: Class II cavities were prepared in
      40 extracted molars. They were divided into five groups (n = 8/group) depending
      on composite base material used (everX Posterior, SDR, Tetric EvoFlow). After
      Class II restorations were completed, specimens were sectioned mid-sagitally. For
      each group, sectioned restorations were immersed in dye. Specimens were viewed
      under a stereo-microscope and the percentage of cavity leakage was calculated.
      Ten groups of onlay restorations were fabricated (n = 8/group); groups were made
      with composite base materials (everX Posterior, SDR, Tetric EvoFlow, Gradia
      Direct LoFlo) and covered by 1 mm layer of conventional (Tetric N-Ceram) or bulk
      fill (Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill) composites. Groups made only from conventional,
      bulk fill and short fiber composites were used as control. Specimens were
      statically loaded until fracture. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (p = 0.05).
      Results: Microleakage of restorations made of plain conventional composite or
      short fiber composite base material showed statistically (p < 0.05) lower values
      compared to other groups. ANOVA revealed that onlay restorations made from short
      fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) as base or plain restoration had statistically
      significant higher load-bearing capacity (1593 N) (p < 0.05) than other
      restorations. Conclusion: Restorations combining base of short FRC and surface
      layer of conventional composite displayed promising performance related to
      microleakage and load-bearing capacity.

PMID- 28642895
TI  - Effects of six different preventive treatments on the shear bond strength of
      orthodontic brackets: in vitro study.
AB  - Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of six different
      prophylactic agents on shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic brackets.
      Materials and methods: One hundred twenty-six freshly extracted mandibular bovine
      incisors were used. Teeth were randomly divided into 7 equal groups (18 per
      group) as follows: group-1 served as control with no pre-treatment; group-2
      enamel treated with fluoride varnish (Fluor Protector, Ivoclar Vivadent); group-3
      containing casein-phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium-phosphate (CPP-ACP) paste (GC
      Tooth Mousse, RECALDENTTM); group-4 with ozone (HealOzone, Kavo); group-5 with
      glycine powder (Perio Flow, EMS); group-6 with hydroxyapatite powder 99.5%
      (Coswell S.p.A.); group-7 with a toothpaste made of hydroxyapatite nanocrystals
      (BioRepair(r) Plus, Coswell S.p.A). Brackets were all bonded using the same
      technique with transbond XT (3 M Unitek, Monrovia, CA). All the bonded specimens
      were stored for 24 h in deionized water (37  degrees C) and subjected to thermal
      cycling for 1000 cycles. The SBS was measured with an Instron Universal Testing
      machine and the adhesive remnant was assessed with the adhesive remnant index
      (ARI) using a stereomicroscope at 10* magnification. Results: Statistical
      differences (ANOVA) were found among the seven investigated groups (F = 12.226, p
      < 0.001). SBS of groups 2, 5 and 6 were significantly lower than the control
      group (p < 0.05). ARI scores (chi-square test) were correlated with the
      differences of SBS values. Conclusion: CPP-ACP paste, ozone or BioRepair(r) did
      not compromise on bracket bond strength. Fluoride, glycine or hydroxyapatite
      significantly decreased the SBS; only the fluoride group showed significant
      clinically low (<6 MPa) SBS values.

PMID- 28642896
TI  - Effect of various intracanal medicaments on the bond strength of self-adhesive
      resin cement to root canal dentin.
AB  - Objective: It has been shown that the irrigating solutions and medicament used
      during root canal treatment may affect the bonding strength. The aim of this
      study was to evaluate the effect of triple antibiotic paste (TAP), double
      antibiotic paste (DAP) and calcium hydroxide (CH) on the bond strength to root
      dentin of self-adhesive resin cement. Materials and methods: Forty-eight single
      rooted human teeth were prepared and randomly divided into one control and three
      experimental groups (dressing with TAP, DAP or CH). After removal of intracanal
      dressing, post-spaces were created and fiber posts cemented to the root canal
      using a self-adhesive resin cement. A push-out test was performed. The data
      obtained from the push-out test were analyzed using analysis of variance and
      Bonferroni post hoc tests (p = 0.05). Results: TAP decreased the bond strength of
      self-adhesive resin cement bond strength to root dentin compared to the control
      group (p = 0.012), while CH and DAP did not influence this (p > 0.05). The
      majority of specimens exhibited adhesive failures. Conclusions: TAP decreased the
      bond strength of self-adhesive to the root dentin compared to the control group.

PMID- 28642897
TI  - Influence of peak oral temperatures on veneer-core interface stress state.
AB  - Objective: There is a growing interest for the use of Y-TZP zirconia as core
      material in veneered all-ceramic prostheses. The objective of this study was to
      evaluate the influence of CET on the stress distribution of a porcelain layered
      to zirconia core single crowns by finite elements analysis. Material and methods:
      CET of eight different porcelains was considered during the analysis. Results:
      Results of this study indicated that the mismatch in CET between the veneering
      porcelain and the Y-TZP zirconia core has to be minimum (0.5-1 MUm/mK) so as to
      decrease the growing of residual stresses which could bring chipping.
      Conclusions: The stress state due to temperature variation should be carefully
      taken into consideration while studying the effect of mechanical load on zirconia
      core crown by FEA. The interfacial stress state can be increased by temperature
      variation up to 20% with respect to the relative failure parameter (interface
      strength in this case). This means that stress due to mechanical load combined to
      temperature variation-induced stress can lead porcelain veneer-zirconia core
      interfaces to failure.

PMID- 28642898
TI  - Efficacy of whitening oral rinses and dentifrices on color stability of bleached
      teeth.
AB  - Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of whitening toothpastes and
      mouthrinses on the color stability of teeth bleached with 16% carbamide peroxide
      (CP) after immersion in coffee solution. Materials and methods: Specimens
      obtained from bovine incisors were bleached with 16% CP for 14 days. After
      bleaching, the specimens were stained in coffee solution for 24 h and randomly
      divided into eight groups according to the following products (n = 10): distilled
      water (control group, DW), Scope White mouthrinse (SW), Crest 3D White mouthrinse
      (CWR), Crest 3D White toothpaste (CWT), Crest 3D White toothpaste and Crest 3D
      White mouthrinse (CWT + CWR), Listerine Whitening toothpaste (LWT), Listerine
      Whitening mouthrinse (LWR), and Listerine Whitening mouthrinse and Listerine
      Whitening toothpaste (LWR + LWT). Color measurements were conducted using a
      spectrophotometer. The data were assessed by analysis of variance for repeated
      measures and Tukey's multiple comparison test (p < 0.05). Results: Immersion in
      coffee solution after bleaching caused perceptible staining on tooth specimens
      (DeltaE > 3.46). The whitening effect of CWR on teeth stained after bleaching was
      significantly greater than that in the other groups (p < 0.001). Tooth whitening
      (DeltaE) in each group showed no significant difference from 6 to 12 weeks (p >
      0.05). The combination of mouthrinse and toothpaste did not increase the degree
      of tooth whitening. Conclusion: Whitening mouthrinse and toothpaste had similar
      effects on the control group in terms of whitening of teeth stained after
      bleaching. Nevertheless, Crest 3D White mouthrinse produced the greatest recovery
      whitening effect among all the products tested.

PMID- 28642899
TI  - Fracture of porcelain-veneered gold-alloy and zirconia molar crowns using a
      modified test set-up.
AB  - Objective: The main aim of this study was to compare fracture load and fracture
      mode of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) and metal
      ceramic (MC) molar crowns using a modified test set-up to produce fractures
      similar to those seen in vivo, i.e. fractures of the veneering material rather
      than complete fractures. Materials and methods: 13 high-noble-alloy MC and 13 Y
      TZP molar crowns veneered with porcelain were manufactured. The crowns were
      artificially aged before final load to fracture. Load was applied using a 7 mm
      diameter steel ball exerting force on the cusps with stresses directed toward the
      core-veneer interface. Fracture surface analysis was performed using light- and
      scanning electron microscopy. Results: The test design produced fractures of the
      veneering material rather than complete fractures. MC crowns withstood
      significantly (p > 0.001) higher loads (mean 2155 N) than Y-TZP (mean 1505 N)
      crowns, yet both endure loads sufficient for predictable clinical use. Fracture
      mode differed between MC and Y-TZP. MC crowns exhibited fractures involving the
      core-veneer interface but without core exposure. One Y-TZP crown suffered a
      complete fracture, all others except one displayed fractures of the veneering
      material involving the core-veneer interface with core exposure. Conclusions: The
      test set-up produces fractures similar to those found in vivo and may be useful
      to evaluate the core-veneer interface of different material systems, both metals
      and ceramics. The study confirms suggestions from previous studies of a weaker
      core-veneer bond for Y-TZP compared to MC crowns.

PMID- 28642900
TI  - The effects of sintering temperature and duration on the flexural strength and
      grain size of zirconia.
AB  - Objective: This study investigated the effect of different sintering temperatures
      and times on the flexural strength and grain size of zirconia. Material and
      methods: Zirconia specimens (In-Coris ZI, In-Coris TZI, 120 samples) were
      prepared in a partially sintered state. Subsequently, the specimens were randomly
      divided into three groups and sintered at different final sintering temperatures
      and for various durations: 1510  degrees C for 120 min, 1540  degrees C for 25
      min and 1580  degrees C for 10 min. Three-point flexural strength (for 120
      samples, 20 samples per group) was measured according to the ISO 6872: 2008
      standards. The grain sizes were imaged by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and
      the phase transitions were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The data were
      analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Duncan tests (p < 0.05). Results: The highest
      flexural strength was observed in ZI and TZI samples sintered at 1580  degrees C
      for 10 min. The differences between the ZI samples sintered at 1510  degrees C
      for 120 min and those sintered at 1540  degrees C for 25 min were statistically
      insignificant. Also, TZI samples sintered at 1510  degrees C for 120 min and
      those sintered at 1540  degrees C for 25 min also did not show any statistically
      significant differences. There were no visible differences in the grain sizes
      between the ZI and TZI specimens. The XRD patterns indicated similar crystalline
      structure for both materials subjected to the three different procedures.
      Conclusions: The results of this study showed that experimented high sintering
      temperature and short sintering time combination increases the flexural strength
      of zirconia.

PMID- 28642901
TI  - Antibacterial activity of gold-titanates on Gram-positive cariogenic bacteria.
AB  - Objective: Gram-positive cariogenic bacteria are etiological agents in dental
      caries; therefore, strategies to inhibit these bacteria to reduce the incident of
      this disease have intensified. In this study, we investigated antibacterial
      activities of titanates and gold-titanates against Lactobacillus casei (Lc) and
      Streptococcus mutans (Sm). Materials and methods: Monosodium titanate (MST),
      nanomonosodium titanate (nMST) and amorphous peroxo-titanate (APT), which are
      inorganic compounds with high-binding affinity for specific metal ions, were
      used. Total bacterial proteins were measured to represent bacterial cell mass
      after 24 h incubation with gold-titanates. We further examined the effect of nMST
      Au(III) concentrations (10,200,400 mg/L) on Lc and Sm cell viability over time
      via Live/Dead fluorescent staining and colony forming units (CFUs). Transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM) was used to determine specific locations on the
      bacterial cells affected by the nMST-Au(III). Results: We found all gold
      titanates and APT alone reduced bacterial protein for Lc (p value <0.001) while
      only MST-Au(III) and nMST-Au(III) affected Sm growth (p value <0.001). Overall,
      nMST-Au(III) showed the most effectiveness against both Lc and Sm at 400 mg/L.
      The Live/Dead staining showed all concentrations of nMST-Au(III) affected Lc
      growth but only 200 and 400 mg/L nMST-Au(III) interrupted Sm growth. The growth
      curves based on CFUs/mL showed all nMST-Au(III) concentrations affected growth of
      both Lc and Sm. TEM images showed nMST-Au(III) attached to Lc and Sm cell wall
      and were internalized into both cells.Conclusions: nMST-Au(III) demonstrated
      potential antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive cariogenic bacteria. These
      results support further development of nMST-Au(III) as a potential novel material
      to prevent dental caries.

PMID- 28642902
TI  - Visible light cure characteristics of a cycloaliphatic polyester dimethacrylate
      alternative oligomer to bisGMA.
AB  - Objective: The goal of this study was to characterize the light curing
      characteristics of a new oligomer PEM-665 designed to be used as an alternative
      monomer to BisGMA. Materials and methods: PEM-665 (P) and BisGMA (B) solutions
      were prepared with triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (T) diluent in different
      weight proportions (70/30 and 50/50). Solutions containing 70% P and 30% T were
      designated as 70PT, 70%B and 30%T as 70BT, 50%P and 50%T as 50PT and 50%B and
      50%T as 50BT. The initiators were CQ (EDMAB was used as amine accelerator for CQ)
      and DPO in 1% concentration. Eight solutions were prepared in a factorial design:
      70PT/DPO; 70PT/CQ; 50PT/DPO; 50PT/CQ; 70BT/DPO; 70BT/CQ; 50BT/DPO; 50BT/CQ. BISCO
      VIP visible light was used to cure the monomer solutions using 30 s exposure time
      and 400 W power setting. TA Instruments Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC
      2910) was used to determine the heat of cure (J/g) during polymerization at 37 
      degrees C, from which molar heat of cure (kJ/mole) and %Conversion values were
      estimated. Results: Range of mean values as a function monomer selections were:
      heat of cure (J/g): 161.7 for 70PT/DPO system to 198.6 for 50BT/CQ system; molar
      heat of cure (kJ/mole): 67.3 for 70BT/DPO to 78.86 for 50PT/CQ; % conversion:
      59.9 for 70BT/DPO to 70.3 for 50PT/CQ. Analysis of variance and Tukey HSD
      pairwise contrast showed statistically significant differences between %
      conversion means of PEM and BisGMA mixtures, with PEM mixtures showing
      significantly higher mean values. Conclusions: The results suggest that PEM-665
      is a promising candidate material for dental polymer applications.

PMID- 28642903
TI  - Microhardness evaluation of silorane and methacrylate composites submitted to
      erosion and abrasion processes.
AB  - Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the Knoop hardness number (KHN)
      of methacrylate (MC) and silorane (SC) composites after being submitted to
      erosion and abrasion processes. Material and methods: Forty samples were made
      with each composite: MC and SC. The samples were divided into eight groups (n =
      10) according to the type of composite (G1-G4, MC; G5-G8, SC) and the beverages
      involved in the erosion process (G1 and G5 - Control (C), without erosion, with
      abrasion; G2 and G6 - Orange Juice (OJ), abrasion; G3 and G7 - Smirnoff Ice(r)
      (SI), abrasion; G4 and G8 - Gatorade(r) (GA), abrasion). The KHN test was
      performed 24 h after the last cycle of erosion/abrasion. Results: The MC groups
      showed smaller KHN values for the SI group (p < 0.05) when compared to the
      Control and OJ groups; however, for the SC groups, no differences were found (p >
      0.05). Conclusion: Methacrylate composite when submitted to acidic beverages
      erosive challenge combined with abrasive process might alter its surface
      microhardness. However, the beverages used in the present study were not able to
      interfere in silorane composite surface microhardness.

PMID- 28642904
TI  - In vitro element release and biological aspects of base-metal alloys for metal
      ceramic applications.
AB  - Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the release of element
      from, and the biological response in vitro to, cobalt-chromium alloys and other
      base-metal alloys used for the fabrication of metal-ceramic restorations.
      Material and methods: Eighteen different alloys were investigated. Nine cobalt
      chromium alloys, three nickel-chromium alloys, two cobalt-chromium-iron alloys,
      one palladium-silver alloy, one high-noble gold alloy, titanium grade II and one
      type III copper-aluminium alloy. Pure copper served as positive control. The
      specimens were prepared according to the ISO standards for biological and
      corrosion testing. Passive leaching of elements was measured by using Inductively
      Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after incubation in cell culture
      media, MEM, for 3 days. Corrosion testing was carried out in 0.9% sodium chloride
      (NaCl) and 1% lactic acid for 7 days, and the element release was measured by
      Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The
      biological response from the extract solutions was measured though MTT
      cytotoxicity testing and the Hen's egg test-chorio-allantoic membrane (HET-CAM)
      technique for irritationt. Results: The corrosion test showed similar element
      release from base-metal alloys compared to noble alloys such as gold. Apart from
      the high-copper alloy, all alloys expressed low element release in the immersion
      test, no cytotoxic effect in the MTT test, and were rated non-irritant in the HET
      CAM test. Conclusions: Minimal biological response was observed for all the
      alloys tested, with the exception of the high-copper alloy.

PMID- 28642905
TI  - Bond durability of contemporary adhesive systems to pulp chamber dentin.
AB  - Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term bond strengths of
      dentin adhesive systems, which include one-step self-etch adhesive systems
      (Optibond All-in-one, Kerr; Adper Prompt L-POP, 3 M ESPE), a three-step etch-and
      rinse adhesive (Optibond FL, Kerr) and two-step self-etch adhesive (AdheSE Bond,
      Ivoclar), applied to pulp chamber dentin surfaces after 12-month water storage by
      using microtensile bond strength (uTBS) test. Materials and methods: Dentin
      adhesive systems were applied to unprepared pulp chamber dentin surfaces
      according to manufacturer's directions, respectively (n = 5). After applying
      adhesive systems, composite buildups were done incrementally. Bond strengths to
      pulp chamber dentin surfaces were determined using uTBS test after water storage
      for 24 h and 12 month. Kruskal-Wallis analysis and Mann-Whitney U-test for
      pairwise comparisons were used to determine statistical differences in uTBS
      between the groups at a significance level of 5%. Results: There were no
      significant differences in uTBS between storage periods for tested adhesives
      regardless adhesive class. Conclusion: Bond durability of tested adhesive
      systems, including one-bottle self-etch adhesives with pulp chamber dentin
      surfaces, may be considered stable after 12-month water storage. Therefore, one
      step self-etch, also called "user-friendly" adhesives may perform and traditional
      three-step etch-and-rinse adhesives in the long-term when used for bonding to
      pulp chamber dentin surfaces.

PMID- 28642906
TI  - Reinforcing effect of glass fiber-reinforced composite reinforcement on flexural
      strength at proportional limit of a repaired denture base resin.
AB  - Objective: This study evaluated the reinforcing effect of glass fiber-reinforced
      composite (FRC) reinforcement on flexural strength at the proportional limit (FS
      PL) of a repaired denture base resin. Materials and methods: Repaired denture
      base resins reinforced with metal and with FRC reinforcement, and that without
      reinforcement were tested. The ultimate flexural strength, the FS-PL and the
      elastic modulus of repaired denture base resins were tested. The joint efficiency
      (times) of the repaired denture base resins on the intact denture base resin was
      evaluated. Results: The repaired denture base resins reinforced with metal
      reinforcement and with FRC reinforcement had significantly higher ultimate
      flexural strength than the repaired denture base resin without reinforcement (p <
      0.05) and were not significantly different from each other (p > 0.05). The FS-PL
      of a repaired denture base resin reinforced with the FRC reinforcement was
      similar to that with the metal reinforcement (p > 0.05), and these were
      significantly higher than the FS-PL of a repaired denture base resin without
      reinforcement (p < 0.05). The elastic modulus of the repaired denture base resin
      reinforced with the FRC reinforcement was significantly lower than that with
      metal reinforcement (p < 0.05) and was significantly higher than that without
      reinforcement (p < 0.05). The joint efficiency of the FRC reinforced specimen was
      0.98. Conclusion: The FRC reinforcement had a reinforcing effect on the FS-PL of
      a repaired denture base resin.

PMID- 28642907
TI  - Flexural strengths of reinforced denture base resins subjected to long-term water
      immersion.
AB  - Objective This study evaluated the flexural strengths of reinforced denture base
      resins subjected to long-term water immersion. Materials and methods Acrylic
      denture base resin reinforced with metal wire or glass fiber-reinforced composite
      (FRC), and without reinforcement were tested. Bar-shaped specimens were
      fabricated. Half of the specimens were stored in 37  degrees C distilled water
      for 50 hours (h), the other half were stored in 37  degrees C distilled water for
      180 days (d) before testing. Ten specimens were fabricated per group for each
      reinforcement/water immersion period combination. The ultimate flexural strength
      and flexural strength at the proportional limit of reinforced denture base resin
      were tested. Results The 180 d bulk specimen possessed significantly lower
      ultimate flexural strength compared with the 50 h bulk specimen (p < 0.05). The
      ultimate flexural strength of the 50 h metal, 50 h FRC, 180 d metal and the 180 d
      FRC reinforcement specimens were not significantly different from each other (p >
      0.05). The 180 d bulk specimen had a significantly lower flexural strength at the
      proportional limit compared to the 50 h bulk specimen. The 180 d reinforced
      specimens of metal and FRC were not significantly different from each of the 50 h
      specimens. Conclusion The flexural strengths of a reinforced denture base resin
      did not change after long-term water immersion.

PMID- 28642908
TI  - Methodologies for measuring the setting times of mineral trioxide aggregate and
      Portland cement products used in dentistry.
AB  - Objective The current standard used to measure setting time for Mineral Trioxide
      Aggregate (MTA) involves indentation testing with arbitrary weights. This study
      compared indentation testing against rheological measurements and assessed the
      influences of particle size and the inclusion of bismuth oxide on the setting
      time of experimental MTA and Portland cement (PC). Material and methods Two PCs
      (P1 and P2) of different particle sizes were produced using the same clinker.
      From these two PCs, two experimental MTAs (M1 and M2) were created with the
      addition of bismuth oxide. Particle size distributions were assessed using laser
      diffraction analysis. Indentation setting time tests were performed in accordance
      to the Gillmore needle test. Elastic modulus was assessed using a strain
      controlled rheometer at 1 rad s-1 and an applied strain of 0.01%. Results P1, P2,
      M1 and M2 cements had median particle sizes of 6.1, 12.5, 6.5 and 13.0 MUm,
      respectively. Using indentation testing, final setting times were ranked P1 < M1
      < P2 < M2. The ranking of the final setting time corresponded with the
      rheological assessment of time required to reach 95% of the elastic modulus
      plateau. Conclusions The time to reach 95% elastic modulus plateau of 9.3 min
      corresponds to a time close to the point where the material can be overlaid with
      another restorative material to give a final restoration. The 95% plateau value
      for elastic modulus may be a more useful parameter for determining how the
      setting reaction of PC and MTA cements progress over time.

PMID- 28642909
TI  - Wear resistance of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins.
AB  - Objective This study investigated the wear resistance of injection-molded
      thermoplastic denture base resins using nanoindentation instrument. Materials and
      methods Six injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins (two polyamides,
      two polyesters, one polycarbonate, one polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA]) and a PMMA
      conventional heat-polymerized denture-based polymer control were tested. Elastic
      modulus, hardness, wear depth, and roughness were calculated using a
      nanoindentation instrument. Results Elastic modulus and hardness of the injection
      molded thermoplastic denture base resins were significantly lower than those of
      the PMMA conventional heat-polymerized denture-based polymer. Wear depth of
      polycarbonate and PMMA conventional heat-polymerized denture-based polymer were
      significantly higher than that of other injection-molded thermoplastic denture
      base resins. The roughness of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins
      was significantly more than that of PMMA conventional heat-polymerized denture
      based polymer after testing. Conclusions Wear resistance of injection-molded
      thermoplastic denture base was low compared to PMMA conventional heat-polymerized
      denture-based polymers.

PMID- 28642910
TI  - Influence of abutment design on retention of metal copings cemented to implants.
AB  - Objective The study evaluated the influence of abutment design on the retention
      of implant-cemented metal copings. Material and methods Two abutments of the same
      system with the same indications, height and the total occlusal convergence, but
      of different designs were evaluated. Ten RN synOcta abutments (Straumann,
      Waltham, MA) and ten RN titanium solid abutments (Straumann, Waltham, MA) were
      tightened to 35 Ncm on 20 implant analogs previously placed in resin blocks.
      Twenty plastic burnout copings were waxed, included, cast and machined by a
      single operator. Coping was inspected for surface irregularities using a
      stereomicroscope at 10x magnification, and then, they were cemented (Temp Bond
      NE, Kerr, Romulus, MI) with 5 kg load for 10 min. The samples were stored for 24
      h in room temperature and 100% humidity and then subjected to pull-out test at a
      crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The load required to dislodge each coping was
      recorded (kgf) and and mean values for each group statistically calculated. Means
      and standard deviations of loads at failure were analyzed using Student's t-test.
      Results The mean load required to dislodge the copings showed by synOcta
      abutments (11.19 kgf) was statiscally higher than s solid abutments (10.18 kgf).
      Conclusions: It was concluded that the abutment design influenced significantly
      the retention of metal copings.

PMID- 28642911
TI  - A retrospective multicenter study comparing metal-ceramic and composite single
      crowns performed in public general dentistry: 5-year results.
AB  - Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the 5-year survival
      and complication rate of metal-ceramic (MC) and composite single crowns performed
      within Public Dental Service, general dentistry, in three Swedish counties and
      with patients' gender, tooth position, root canal treatment and the presence of a
      post-and-core taken into account. Methods Data were collected from dental records
      of 600 patients who had received either an MC (n = 300) or a composite (n = 300)
      crown on a premolar or molar tooth in the year 2005 and where 5 years of follow
      up data were available. Status at treatment completion and at follow-up was
      recorded, together with any history of intervention during the follow-up period.
      Results The 5-year survival rate for MC crowns was higher than for composite
      crowns (93% versus 70%; p < 0.001). This difference was stable, irrespective of
      the county, patients' gender or tooth position. No gender difference in survival
      rate was seen for MC crowns, while the survival of composite crowns was
      significantly higher among women than among men (75% versus 65%; p < 0.05). For
      MC crowns, there was a tendency toward a lower survival rate for endodontically
      treated teeth without a post-and-core (83%) as compared to those provided with a
      post-and-core (93%) and to vital teeth (94%). Surviving composite crowns had
      recordings of significantly more complications than MC crowns (p < 0.001).
      Conclusion On premolars and molars, MC crowns have a better medium-term prognosis
      and fewer complications than composite crowns.

PMID- 28642912
TI  - Influence of 10% sodium ascorbate gel application time on composite bond strength
      to bleached enamel.
AB  - Objective To analyze bond strength to bleached enamel following application of
      10% sodium ascorbate gel. Material and methods Forty third molars were allocated
      into five groups (n = 8): GP - unbleached specimens restored with composite
      resin; GN - specimens restored immediately after bleaching; and G15; G30 and G60
      (test groups) - bleached specimens treated with 10% sodium ascorbate gel for 15,
      30 and 60 min before restoration. The teeth were sectioned and the buccal and
      lingual faces were restored. After storage in distilled water (37  degrees C/24
      h), sticks of +/-0.8 mm2 were tested in tensile (0.5 mm/min). Fractures were
      observed and classified. Data (in MPa) were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey
      tests (alpha = 0.05). Results No differences were found among GP (26 +/- 6.0),
      G15 (23 +/- 7.3), G30 (25 +/- 6.1) and G60 (25 +/- 5.1), with GN (15 +/- 5.5)
      showing the lowest bond strength (p < 0.0001). Conclusion The application of 10%
      sodium ascorbate gel for 15 min after bleaching with 37.5% hydrogen peroxide
      restored the bonding to enamel.

PMID- 28642913
TI  - The effect of petroleum jelly, light-cured varnish and different storage media on
      the flexural strength of glass ionomer dental cements.
AB  - This study determined the influence of coating with either petroleum jelly or
      light-cured varnish and storage medium on the flexural strength of glass-ionomer
      cements (GIC). The flexural strength of two glass-ionomer cements (Fuji Equia Fil
      and Ketac Molar Aplicap) was measured. Specimens (2 * 2 * 25 mm) were prepared in
      three groups: uncoated, coated with petroleum jelly, or coated with light-cured
      varnish (EquiaCoat) cured for 20 s using a cure lamp (Bluephase G2, Ivoclar
      Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein). Specimens were stored for 1 week at 37  degrees
      C in water, artificial saliva or 20 mmol dm-3 lactic acid, then flexural strength
      was determined in 3-pont bend. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc
      test (p < 0.05). In addition, the mold was filled with water and the temperature
      change caused by the cure lamp was measured with a thermocouple. For both
      materials, storage in water gave the lowest flexural strength. It was slightly
      higher in either saliva or lactic acid, and was improved by coating in petroleum
      jelly. Specimens coated with light-cured varnish, that also involved heating with
      a cure lamp, gave the highest flexural strength. The heating effect of the lamp
      was demonstrated by the temperature rise in the water in the mold after light
      exposure from 21.9 (+/- 1.0)  degrees C to 26.8 (+/- 1.0)  degrees C. hence,
      sealing of GIC from aqueous media improves flexural strength. The cure lamp
      emitted heat, which may enhance the flexural strength of specimens coated with
      light-cured varnish.

PMID- 28642914
TI  - Antimicrobial properties and dental pulp stem cell cytotoxicity using
      carboxymethyl cellulose-silver nanoparticles deposited on titanium plates.
AB  - Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial properties and dental pulp stem cells
      (DPSCs) cytotoxicity of synthesized carboxymethyl cellulose-silver nanoparticles
      impregnated on titanium plates. Material and methods: The antibacterial effect of
      silver nanoparticles in a carboxymethyl cellulose matrix impregnated on titanium
      plates (Ti-AgNPs) in three concentrations: 16%, 50% and 100% was determined by
      adding these to bacterial cultures of Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas
      gingivalis. The Ti-AgNPs cytotoxicity on DPSCs was determined using a
      fluorimetric cytotoxicity assay with 0.12% chlorhexidine as a positive control.
      Results: Silver nanoparticles in all concentrations were antimicrobial, with
      concentrations of 50% and 100% being more cytotoxic with 4% cell viability.
      Silver nanoparticles 16% had a cell viability of 95%, being less cytotoxic than
      0.12% chlorhexidine. Conclusions: Silver nanoparticles are a promising structure
      because of their antimicrobial properties. These have high cell viability at a
      concentration of 16%, and are less toxic than chlorhexidine.

PMID- 28642915
TI  - Pre-treating dentin with chlorhexadine and CPP-ACP: self-etching and universal
      adhesive systems.
AB  - Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of pre-treating
      dentin with chlorhexidine, at concentrations of 0.2% and 2%, and remineralizing
      paste containing CPP-ACP (MI Paste - GC) on the bond strength of adhesive
      systems. Material and methods: In total, 80 slides of dentin were used. These
      slides were 2 mm thick and were obtained from bovine incisors. Standard cavities
      were created using diamond bur number 3131. In the control groups, a Scotchbond
      Universal Adhesive (SUA) self-etching adhesive system of 3M ESPE and a Clearfil
      SE Bond (CSE) adhesive system of Kuraray were applied, following the
      manufacturer's instructions. In the other groups, dentin was pretreated with
      chlorhexidine (0.2% and 2%) for 1 min and with MI Paste for 3 min. The cavities
      were restored with Z350 XT resin (3M ESPE). After 24 h of storage, the push-out
      test was applied at a speed of 0.5 mm/min. Results: The different dentin
      pretreatment techniques did not affect the intra-adhesive bond strength. There
      was a difference between treatment with MI Paste and chlorhexidine 0.2% in favor
      of the SUA, with values of 15.22 and 20.25 Mpa, respectively. Conclusions: The
      different pretreatment methods did not alter the immediate bond strength to
      dentin. Differences were only recorded when comparing the adhesives.

PMID- 28642916
TI  - The antioxidant effect of Beackea frutescence microemulsions dietary supplements
      on skin absorption studies.
AB  - Objective: To study the effect of two different microemulsions containing Beackea
      frutescence supplements composed of nerolidool, selenium and vitamin E on
      absorption effect related to skin health and skin aging. Materials and methods: A
      total of 39 volunteers with normal and healthy skin were divided into three
      groups (n = 13) and supplemented for a period of 12 weeks. Group 1 received a
      mixture of lutein (3 mg/day), lycopene (3 mg/day), alpha-tocopherol (10 mg/day),
      selenium (75 MUg/day) and beta-nerolidool (4.8 mg/day) and Group 2 was
      supplemented with a mixture of beta-nerolidool (4.8 mg/day), lycopene (6 mg/day),
      selenium (75 MUg/day) and alpha-tocopherol (10 mg/day). Group 3 was the placebo
      control. Wrinkling, smoothness, scaling and roughness of the skin were determined
      by Surface Evaluation of Living Skin (Visioscan). Results: Upon supplementation,
      serum levels of selected nerolidool increased in both groups. Skin thickness and
      density were determined by ultrasound measurements. A significant increase for
      both parameters was determined in the serum groups. Roughness and scaling were
      improved by the supplementation with antioxidant micronutrients. In the placebo
      group, no changes were found for any of the parameters.
      Conclusion:Beackeafrutescence microemulsion supplements have shown significant
      change in the texture of human skin as well as scaling, wrinkling, smoothness and
      roughness were improved by the supplementation.

PMID- 28642917
TI  - A new era considering inorganic trace elements and biological activity of dental
      biomaterials (angiogenic activity).

PMID- 28642918
TI  - Color stability of esthetic restorative materials: a spectrophotometric analysis.
AB  - Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the color stability of
      different restorative materials (one microfilled composite, one nanofilled
      composite, one nanohybrid composite and one Ormocer-based composite) after
      exposure to different staining solutions (coffee, coca-cola and red wine).
      Material and methods: All materials were polymerized into silicon rings (2 mm *6
      mm *8 mm) to obtain specimens identical in size. Thirty cylindrical specimens of
      each material were prepared. They were immersed in staining solutions over a 28
      day test period. A colorimetric evaluation according to the CIE L*a*b* system was
      performed by a blind trained operator at 7, 14, 21, 28 days of the staining
      process. The Shapiro-Wilk test and Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA were applied to assess
      significant differences among restorative materials. The paired t-test was
      applied to test which CIE L*a*b* parameters significantly changed after immersion
      in staining solutions. Results: All restorative materials showed clinically
      perceptible color differences after immersion in coffee. L* and b* values showed
      the highest variability. Coca cola and red wine did not influence the color
      stability for all restorative materials except for Filtek Supreme XTE.
      Conclusions: Coffee caused a significant color change in all types of tested
      composite resins. Filtek Supreme XTE demonstrated alone a staining susceptibility
      to red wine; no other significant differences among the materials were
      demonstrated. Long-term exposure to some food dyes (coffee in particular) can
      significantly affect the color stability of modern esthetic restorative materials
      regardless of materials' different composition.

PMID- 28642919
TI  - Correlation between antioxidant activity and bonding strength on bleached enamel.
AB  - Objective: This study used the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH)
      method to evaluate the percentage of antioxidant activity (%AA) of green tea (GT)
      and sodium ascorbate (SA) gel in three concentrations (10%, 20% and 30%), and the
      influence of these concentrations on the microshear bond strength (MU-SBT) values
      of bleached enamel, using 10% carbamide peroxide (CP). Materials and methods:
      Eighty intact third molars were selected to perform the MU-SBT test, and were
      randomly divided into eight experimental groups: G1: positive control - no
      treatment; G2: negative control - bleached with CP; G3: PC +10% GT; G4: PC +20%
      GT; G5: PC +30% GT; G6: PC +10% SA; G7: PC +20% SA and G8: PC +30% SA. After
      applying the treatments, adhesive procedures were performed using Single Bond 2
      and Filtek Z350XT. After 24 h, the samples were tested in a universal testing
      machine until fracture. The %AA was assessed in triplicate by DDPH method using a
      UV-VIS spectrophotometer. Results: In the MU-SBT, ANOVA revealed no significant
      difference between the antioxidants evaluated (p = .625), but did reveal
      significant effects of the concentrations studied (p = .007). A negative
      correlation was observed between MU-SBT and solution concentrations. The values
      of %AA were from 90.58 to 96.75. Conclusions: The reverse results occurred in MU
      SBT values, only when the antioxidants were used in a 10% concentration and, %AA
      did not influence MU-SBT.

PMID- 28642920
TI  - Elastic, viscoelastic and viscoplastic contributions to compliance during
      deformation under stress in prosthodontic temporization materials.
AB  - Purpose: The goal of this investigation was to characterize the compliance
      properties in selected polymers used for temporary (provisional crown and bridge)
      applications. Method: Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)- and polyethyl methacrylate
      (PEMA)-based JET and TRIM II were investigated along with two bisacryl composite
      resins (LUXATEMP and PROTEMP 3 GARANT). Rectangular samples of the resins were
      subjected to creep-recovery tests in a dynamic mechanical analyzer at and near
      the oral temperature (27  degrees C, 37  degrees C and 47  degrees C). The
      instantaneous (elastic), and time-dependent viscoelastic, and viscoplastic
      compliance profiles of the materials were determined and analyzed as a function
      of materials and temperature. Results: Highly significant (p = 0.0001)
      differences among means of elastic, viscoelastic and viscoplastic compliance
      values were found as a function of materials. TRIM II showed an order of
      magnitude higher viscoplastic deformation than the other three materials
      (LUXATEMP, PROTEMP 3 GARANT and JET). Conclusions: The results indicate that PEMA
      is susceptible to significantly greater elastic, viscoelastic, and more
      importantly to viscoplastic compliant behavior compared with bisacryl composite
      and PMMA provisional crown and bridge materials. This indicates high-dimensional
      instability and poor stiffness and resiliency in PEMA appliances vis-a-vis those
      of PMMA and bisacryl composites.

PMID- 28642921
TI  - Fracture behavior of single-structure fiber-reinforced composite restorations.
AB  - Objective: The applications of single-structure fiber-reinforced composite (FRC)
      in restorative dentistry have not been well reported. This study aimed to clarify
      the static mechanical properties of anterior crown restorations prepared using
      two types of single-structure FRC. Materials and methods: An experimental crown
      restoration was designed for an upper anterior incisor. The restorations were
      made from IPS Empress CAD for CEREC (Emp), IPS e.max(r) CAD (eMx), experimental
      single-structure all-FRC (a-FRC), FiltekTM Supreme XTE (XTE), and commercially
      available single-structure short-FRC (everX PosteriorTM) (n = 8 for each
      material) (s-FRC). The a-FRC restorations were prepared from an experimental FRC
      blank using a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) device. A
      fracture test was performed to assess the fracture load, toughness, and failure
      mode. The fracture loads were vertically applied on the restorations. The surface
      micromorphology of the FRC restorations was observed by scanning electron
      microscopy (SEM). The data were analyzed by analysis of variance (p = .05)
      followed by Tukey's test. Results: s-FRC showed the highest mean fracture load
      (1145.0 +/- 89.6 N) and toughness (26.2 +/- 5.8 Ncm) among all the groups tested.
      With regard to the micromorphology of the prosthetic surface, local crushing of
      the fiberglass was observed in s-FRC, whereas chopped fiberglass was observed in
      a-FRC. Conclusions: The restorations made of short-FRC showed a higher load
      bearing capacity than those made of the experimental all-FRC blanks for CAD/CAM.
      The brittle-like fractures were exhibited in the recent dental esthetic
      materials, while local crushing fractures were shown for single-structure FRC
      restorations.

PMID- 28642922
TI  - Universal cements: dual activated and chemically activated.
AB  - Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the bond strength of
      universal cements cured either dually or chemically only. Methods: Three cements
      were assessed using different types of application: dual activated (DA) or
      chemically activated (CA). In total 80 dentin blocks were used, obtained through
      the enamel wear of the lingual and buccal surfaces of bovine incisors. Standard
      cone-shaped cavity preparations were created using diamond burs. Subsequently,
      indirect restoration blocks were designed with Filtek Z350 (3M ESPE) composite
      resin. The teeth were divided into two groups (DA and CA) and then subdivided
      into four subgroups (n = 10) prior to cementation with the respective products:
      Duo-Link (Bisco); RelyX Ultimate (3M ESPE); Nexus 3 (Kerr) and conventional RelyX
      ARC (3M ESPE) as the control. The cementation in the PA group was applied
      following the manufacturer's instructions. The CA group was cemented in a
      darkroom to avoid exposure to light. They were stored in distilled water at 37 
      degrees C for 24 h and submitted to the push-out test. Data were analyzed by two
      way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test (p < .05). Results: The greatest bond
      strength results were obtained for photoactivated universal cements. Conclusion:
      Chemical activation is not sufficient to ensure acceptable bond strength.

PMID- 28642923
TI  - The influence of particle size and curing conditions on testing mineral trioxide
      aggregate cement.
AB  - Objectives: To assess the effects on curing conditions (dry versus submerged
      curing) and particle size on the compressive strength (CS) and flexural strength
      (FS) of set MTA cement. Materials and methods: Two different Portland cements
      were created, P1 and P2, with P1 < P2 in particle size. These were then used to
      create two experimental MTA products, M1 and M2, with M1 < M2 in particle size.
      Particle size analysis was performed according to ISO 13320. The particle size at
      the 90th percentile (i.e. the larger particles) was P1: 15.2 MUm, P2: 29.1 MUm,
      M1: 16.5 MUm, and M2: 37.1 MUm. M2 was cured exposed to air, or submerged in
      fluids of pH 5.0, 7.2 (PBS), or 7.5 for 1 week. CS and FS of the set cement were
      determined using a modified ISO 9917-1 and ISO 4049 methods, respectively. P1,
      P2, M1 and M2 were cured in PBS at physiological pH (7.2) and likewise tested for
      CS and FS. Results: Curing under dry conditions gave a significantly lower CS
      than when cured in PBS. There was a trend for lower FS for dry versus wet curing.
      However, this did not reach statistical significance. Cements with smaller
      particle sizes showed greater CS and FS at 1 day than those with larger particle
      sizes. However, this advantage was lost over the following 1-3 weeks.
      Conclusions: Experiments that test the properties of MTA should cure the MTA
      under wet conditions and at physiological pH.

PMID- 28642924
TI  - Influence of niobium pentoxide addition on the properties of glass ionomer
      cements.
AB  - Objective: To determine the influence of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) addition on
      the physical and chemical properties of glass ionomer cements (GICs). Materials
      and methods: Five, 10 or 20 wt.% of Nb2O5 were incorporated into commercial GICs
      (Maxxion R, Vitro Molar, Vitro Fil R) and one group of each GIC remained without
      Nb2O5 (control groups). The GICs were evaluated by Knoop hardness, compressive
      strength, acid erosion, particle size and radiopacity. Data were analyzed by two
      way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. Results: The addition of 10% and 20% reduced
      the microhardness of two GICs (p < .05). Compressive strength showed no
      difference among groups (p > .05). Nb2O5 did not influence Maxxion R and Vitro
      Fil R regarding the acid erosion test (p > .05). Vitro Molar increased its acid
      erosion with 10% of Nb2O5 (p < .05). Maxxion R presented 15.78 MUm, while Vitro
      Molar and Vitro Fil R showed 5.14 MUm and 6.18 MUm, respectively. As the Nb2O5
      concentration increased, the radiopacity increased for all groups. Vitro Molar
      and Vitro Fil R did not present significant difference to at least 1 mm aluminum
      (p > .05). Conclusion: The addition of 5 wt.% Nb2O5 did not affect the tested
      physical and chemical properties of the GICs and improved the radiopacity of one
      of the cements. These materials are therefore suitable for further testing of
      biomimetic remineralization properties.

PMID- 28642925
TI  - The effect of gelatinase production of Enterococcus faecalis on adhesion to
      dentin after irrigation with various endodontic irrigants.
AB  - Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the gelatinase
      production ability of Enterococcus faecalis provides any advantage on adhesion of
      this bacterium to dentin treated with various irrigants and their combinations.
      Materials and methods: Standardized dentin discs were randomly divided into five
      groups (n = 20): group 1: 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), group 2: 2%
      chlorhexidine (CHX), group 3: NaOCl + Saline + CHX, group 4: NaOCl + EDTA +
      NaOCl, group 5: QMix. After incubation of dentin discs with irrigants, each group
      was divided into two subgroups (n = 10) according to the bacterial strains used;
      a gelatinase-producing and a gelatinase-deficient strain of E. faecalis. After
      incubation of the discs with the bacterial suspensions aerobically for 48 h, XTT
      assay was conducted for bacterial adherence evaluation. Data were statistically
      analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's HSD tests (p = .05). Results: Gelatinase-producing
      E. faecalis adhered to dentin was significantly more than gelatinase-deficient E.
      faecalis in all test groups (p < .05). Adherence to CHX-treated dentin was lower
      than to the surfaces treated with other irrigants, alone or in combination (p <
      .05). These differences were significant except for comparisons with QMix for
      gelatinase-producing bacteria (p < .05). Conclusions: Gelatinase production of E.
      faecalis may be an important factor for bacterial adhesion. The addition of CHX
      to the irrigation regimen resulted in fewer adhered bacteria to dentin. QMix was
      not as effective as CHX in terms of bacterial adhesion prevention.

PMID- 28642926
TI  - The combined effect of food-simulating solutions, brushing and staining on color
      stability of composite resins.
AB  - Objective: This study evaluated the effect of food-simulating media associated
      with brushing and coffee staining on color stability of different composite
      resins. Materials and methods: Eighty specimens were prepared for each composite:
      Grandio SO (Voco), Amaris (Voco), Filtek Z350XT (3M/ESPE), Filtek P90 (3M/ESPE).
      They were divided into four groups according to food-simulating media for 7 days:
      artificial saliva (control), heptane, citric acid and ethanol. The composite
      surface was submitted to 10,950 brushing cycles (200 g load) in an automatic
      toothbrushing machine. The specimens were darkened with coffee solution at 37 
      degrees C for 24 h. After each treatment, color measurements were assessed by
      spectrophotometry, using CIE L*a*b* system. The overall color change (DeltaE) was
      determined for each specimen at baseline (C1) and after the treatments (food
      simulating media immersion/C2, brushing/C3 and dye solution/C4). Data were
      analyzed by two-way repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey's tests (p < .05). Results:
      The results of RM-ANOVA showed significant differences for composites (p = .001),
      time (p = .001) and chemical degradation (p = .002). The mean of DeltaE for
      composites were: Z350XT (5.39)a, Amaris (3.89)b, Grandio (3.75)bc, P90 (3.36)c.
      According to food-simulating media: heptane (4.41)a, citric acid (4.24)a, ethanol
      (4.02)ab, artificial saliva (3.76)b. For the treatments: dye solution (4.53)a,
      brushing (4.26)a, after food-simulating media (3.52)b. Conclusions: The composite
      resin Filtek Z350XT showed significantly higher staining than all other composite
      resin tested. The immersion in heptane and citric acid produced the highest color
      alteration than other food-simulating media. The exposure of samples to brushing
      protocols and darkening in coffee solution resulted in significant color
      alteration of the composite resins.

PMID- 28642927
TI  - The effect of grinding and/or airborne-particle abrasion on the bond strength
      between zirconia and veneering porcelain: a systematic review.
AB  - Objective: The aim of the study was to make an inventory of current literature on
      the bond strength between zirconia and veneering porcelain after surface
      treatment of zirconia by grinding with diamond bur and/or with airborne-particle
      abrasion. Material and methods: The literature search for the present review was
      made following recommended guidelines using acknowledged methodology on how to do
      a systematic review. The electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, and
      Science Direct were used in the present study. Results: Twelve studies were
      selected. Test methods used in the original studies included shear bond strength
      (SBS) test, tensile bond strength test, and micro-tensile bond strength test. The
      majority of studies used SBS. Results showed a large variation within each
      surface treatment of zirconia, using different grain size, blasting time, and
      pressure. Conclusions: Airborne-particle abrasion might improve the bond strength
      and can therefore be considered a feasible surface treatment for zirconia that is
      to be bonded. Grinding has been recommended as a surface treatment for zirconia
      to improve the bond strength; however, this recommendation cannot be verified. A
      standardized test method and surface treatment are required to be able to compare
      the results from different studies and draw further conclusions.

PMID- 28642928
TI  - Effect of curing and silanizing on composite repair bond strength using an
      improved micro-tensile test method.
AB  - Objectives: To evaluate the micro-tensile repair bond strength between aged and
      new composite, using silane and adhesives that were cured or left uncured when
      new composite was placed. Methods: Eighty Filtek Supreme XLT composite blocks and
      four control blocks were stored in water for two weeks and thermo-cycled.
      Sandpaper ground, etched and rinsed specimens were divided into two experimental
      groups: A, no further treatment and B, the surface was coated with bis-silane.
      Each group was divided into subgroups: (1) Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose, (2)
      Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose adhesive, (3) Adper Scotchbond Universal, (4)
      Clearfil SE Bond and (5) One Step Plus. For each adhesive group, the adhesive was
      (a) cured according to manufacturer's instructions or (b) not cured before
      repair. The substrate blocks were repaired with Filtek Supreme XLT. After aging,
      they were serially sectioned, producing 1.1 * 1.1 mm square test rods. The rods
      were prepared for tensile testing and tensile strength calculated at fracture.
      Type of fracture was examined under microscope. Results: Leaving the adhesive
      uncured prior to composite repair placement increased the mean tensile values
      statistically significant for all adhesives tested, with or without silane
      pretreatment. Silane surface treatment improved significantly (p < 0.001) tensile
      strength values for all adhesives, both for the cured and uncured groups. The
      mean strength of the control composite was higher than the strongest repair
      strength (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Application of freshly made silane and a thin
      bonding layer, rendered higher tensile bond strength. Not curing the adhesive
      before composite placement increased the tensile bond strength.

PMID- 28642929
TI  - Influence of dentin pretreatment on bond strength of universal adhesives.
AB  - Objective: The purpose of the present study was to compare bond strength of
      different universal adhesives under three different testing conditions: when no
      pretreatment was applied, after 37% phosphoric acid etching and after glycine
      application. Materials and methods: One hundred and fifty bovine permanent
      mandibular incisors were used as a substitute for human teeth. Five different
      universal adhesives were tested: Futurabond M+, Scotchbond Universal, Clearfil
      Universal Bond, G-Premio BOND, Peak Universal Bond. The adhesive systems were
      applied following each manufacturer's instructions. The teeth were randomly
      assigned to three different dentin surface pretreatments: no pretreatment agent
      (control), 37% phosphoric acid etching, glycine pretreatment. The specimens were
      placed in a universal testing machine in order to measure and compare bond
      strength values. Results: The Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and the Mann
      Whitney test were applied to assess significant differences among the groups.
      Dentin pretreatments provided different bond strength values for the adhesives
      tested, while similar values were registered in groups without dentin
      pretreatment. Conclusions: In the present report, dentin surface pretreatment did
      not provide significant differences in shear bond strength values of almost all
      groups. Acid pretreatment lowered bond strength values of Futurabond and Peak
      Universal Adhesives, whereas glycine pretreatment increased bond strength values
      of G Praemio Bond adhesive system.

PMID- 28642930
TI  - A novel etching technique for surface treatment of zirconia ceramics to improve
      adhesion of resin-based luting cements.
AB  - Objectives: Bonding of zirconia crowns and bridges to abutments is important, not
      only bonding of the thin resin layer to the abutment, but also bonding to the
      zirconia ceramic is crucial. Both mechanical and chemical adhesion are desired.
      Mechanical retention of dental porcelain achieved by etching with moderately
      concentrated hydrofluoric acid is not possible with zirconia ceramics. The
      purpose of this study was to show that etching is possible with relative low
      melting fluoride compounds such as ammonium hydrogen difluoride and potassium
      hydrogen difluoride. Materials and methods: Before melting, the fluorides can be
      introduced as powders or as aqueous slurries to the contact surfaces of the
      zirconia. After melting, the yttria-stabilized zirconia surface revealed a
      surface similar to an HF-etched dental feldspathic porcelain surface. Shear bond
      testing (n = 10) was performed with zirconia attached to zirconia with the Duo
      Link composite luting cement (Bisco) after treatment of the etched zirconia
      surfaces with Bis-Silane (Bisco) and the Porcelain Bonding Resin (Bisco).
      Results: Values for adhesive strength (mean +/- standard deviation) after melt
      etching of the surfaces with initially dry powders were for K[FHF], (31.2 +/-
      7.5) MPa and for NH4[FHF] (31.0 +/- 11.8) MPa. When initially aqueous slurries
      were applied, the values were for K[FHF] (42.7 +/- 12.7) MPa and for NH4[FHF]
      (40.3 +/- 10.0) MPa. Conclusion: Good adhesion to zirconia can be achieved by a
      procedure including etching with selected melted fluoride compounds.

PMID- 28642931
TI  - Water sorption and solubility of polyamide denture base materials.
AB  - Purpose: Some patients experience adverse reactions to poly(methyl methacrylate)
      based (PMMA) dentures. Polyamide (PA) as an alternative to PMMA has, however, not
      been well documented with regard to water sorption and water solubility. The aim
      of this in vitro study was to measure water sorption and water solubility of two
      PA materials compared with PMMA, and to evaluate the major components released
      from the PA materials and the effect on hardness of the materials. Methods: Ten
      discs (40.0 mm diameter, 2.0 mm thick) of each material (PA: Valplast and
      Breflex; PMMA: SR Ivocap HIP) were prepared according to manufacturers'
      recommendations. The specimens were tested for water sorption and water
      solubility, according to a modification of ISO 20795-1:2008. Released substances
      were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results: There
      were statistically significant differences among the materials regarding water
      sorption, water solubility and time to water saturation. Breflex had the highest
      water sorption (30.4 MUg/mm3), followed by PMMA-material (25.8 MUg/mm3) and
      Valplast (13.6 MUg/mm3). Both PA materials had statistically significant lower
      water solubility than the PMMA. Both PA had a net increase in weight. Analysis by
      GC/MS identified release of the compound 12-aminododecanolactam from the material
      Valplast. No release was found from the Breflex material. Conclusions: The PA
      denture materials show differences in water sorption and solubility, but within
      the limits of the standard requirements. The PA showed a net increase in weight
      after long-term water sorption. The clinical implications of the findings are not
      elucidated.

PMID- 28642932
TI  - Bilingualism, Mind, and Brain.
AB  - The use of two or more languages is common in most of the world. Yet, until
      recently, bilingualism was considered to be a complicating factor for language
      processing, cognition, and the brain. The past 20 years have witnessed an upsurge
      of research on bilingualism to examine language acquisition and processing, their
      cognitive and neural bases, and the consequences that bilingualism holds for
      cognition and the brain over the life span. Contrary to the view that
      bilingualism complicates the language system, this new research demonstrates that
      all of the languages that are known and used become part of the same language
      system. The interactions that arise when two languages are in play have
      consequences for the mind and the brain and, indeed, for language processing
      itself, but those consequences are not additive. Thus, bilingualism helps reveal
      the fundamental architecture and mechanisms of language processing that are
      otherwise hidden in monolingual speakers.

PMID- 28642933
TI  - Dissociation of Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease effects with imaging.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Down Syndrome (DS) adults experience accumulation of Alzheimer's
      disease (AD)-like amyloid plaques and tangles and a high incidence of dementia
      and could provide an enriched population to study AD-targeted treatments.
      However, to evaluate effects of therapeutic intervention, it is necessary to
      dissociate the contributions of DS and AD from overall phenotype. Imaging
      biomarkers offer the potential to characterize and stratify patients who will
      worsen clinically but have yielded mixed findings in DS subjects. METHODS: We
      evaluated 18F fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET), florbetapir
      PET, and structural magnetic resonance (sMR) image data from 12 nondemented DS
      adults using advanced multivariate machine learning methods. RESULTS: Our results
      showed distinctive patterns of glucose metabolism and brain volume enabling
      dissociation of DS and AD effects. AD-like pattern expression corresponded to
      amyloid burden and clinical measures. DISCUSSION: These findings lay groundwork
      to enable AD clinical trials with characterization and disease-specific tracking
      of DS adults.

PMID- 28642934
TI  - Evaluation of the Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of Phragmanthera
      capitata (Sprengel) Balle (Loranthaceae), a Mistletoe Growing on Rubber Tree,
      Using the Dilution Techniques.
AB  - The alarming increase in multidrug resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to
      conventional drugs in recent years has prompted the search for new leads in
      alternative remedies in natural products. Hence, this study was aimed at
      evaluating the antimicrobial properties of Phragmanthera capitata, a parasitic
      mistletoe growing on rubber trees. The in vitro antimicrobial activities of the
      acetone, methanol, ethanol, and aqueous extracts were investigated using five
      gram-negative and five gram-positive bacteria and four fungi. A 96-well resazurin
      broth and agar dilution techniques were used for the determination of the Minimum
      Inhibitory and Bactericidal Concentrations. The antibacterial activity of the
      organic extracts had comparative effects on all the bacteria with a MIC of 1.25
      to 5 mg/mL and MBC of 2.5 to 10 mg/mL. However, the acetone extract showed higher
      bactericidal effect while the aqueous extract was not active. The organic solvent
      extracts also showed antifungal activities on two of the fungi with a MIC of 1.25
      mg/mL to 10 mg/mL. However, the aqueous extract had the highest activity
      inhibiting all the fungi with a MIC of <=0.3125 to 1.25 mg/mL. The study supports
      the ethnomedicinal claims of P. capitata as a remedy for the diseases/infections
      caused by these organisms.

PMID- 28642935
TI  - Complete mitochondrial genomes of the North American collared lemmings
      Dicrostonyx groenlandicus Traill, 1823 and Dicrostonyx hudsonius Pallas, 1778
      (Rodentia: Arvicolinae).
AB  - The complete mitochondrial genomes of two species of the North American collared
      lemmings were obtained by using PCR amplification and capillary sequencing
      (GenBank accession nos. KX712239 and KX683880). The collared lemming
      mitochondrial genomes are 16,341 and 16,338 base pairs long and show the gene
      order, contents and gene strand asymmetry typical for mammals. The mitogenome
      sequences provide an important genomic resource for the collared lemmings, which
      are model study species in Arctic genetic diversity and biogeographic history.

PMID- 28642936
TI  - Young Genes are Highly Disordered as Predicted by the Preadaptation Hypothesis of
      De Novo Gene Birth.
AB  - The phenomenon of de novo gene birth from junk DNA is surprising, because random
      polypeptides are expected to be toxic. There are two conflicting views about how
      de novo gene birth is nevertheless possible: the continuum hypothesis invokes a
      gradual gene birth process, while the preadaptation hypothesis predicts that
      young genes will show extreme levels of gene-like traits. We show that intrinsic
      structural disorder conforms to the predictions of the preadaptation hypothesis
      and falsifies the continuum hypothesis, with all genes having higher levels than
      translated junk DNA, but young genes having the highest level of all. Results are
      robust to homology detection bias, to the non-independence of multiple members of
      the same gene family, and to the false positive annotation of protein-coding
      genes.

PMID- 28642937
TI  - What is the Optimal Management Strategy for Multifocal and Hereditary Kidney
      Cancer?

PMID- 28642938
TI  - Correlation-Weighted Sparse Group Representation for Brain Network Construction
      in MCI Classification.
AB  - Analysis of brain functional connectivity network (BFCN) has shown great
      potential in understanding brain functions and identifying biomarkers for
      neurological and psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and its early
      stage, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In all these applications, the accurate
      construction of biologically meaningful brain network is critical. Due to the
      sparse nature of the brain network, sparse learning has been widely used for
      complex BFCN construction. However, the conventional l1-norm penalty in the
      sparse learning equally penalizes each edge (or link) of the brain network, which
      ignores the link strength and could remove strong links in the brain network.
      Besides, the conventional sparse regularization often overlooks group structure
      in the brain network, i.e., a set of links (or connections) sharing similar
      attribute. To address these issues, we propose to construct BFCN by integrating
      both link strength and group structure information. Specifically, a novel
      correlation-weighted sparse group constraint is devised to account for and
      balance among (1) sparsity, (2) link strength, and (3) group structure, in a
      unified framework. The proposed method is applied to MCI classification using the
      resting-state fMRI from ADNI-2 dataset. Experimental results show that our method
      is effective in modeling human brain connectomics, as demonstrated by superior
      MCI classification accuracy of 81.8%. Moreover, our method is promising for its
      capability in modeling more biologically meaningful sparse brain networks, which
      will benefit both basic and clinical neuroscience studies.

PMID- 28642939
TI  - Intra-tumor heterogeneity in head and neck cancer and its clinical implications.
AB  - The presence of heritable differences among cancer cells within a tumor, called
      intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity, has long been suspected of playing a role in
      poor responses to therapy. Research over the past decade has documented the
      existence of such heterogeneity within tumors of individual patients and
      documented its potential clinical significance. The research methods for
      identifying this heterogeneity were not, however, readily adaptable to widespread
      clinical application. After a brief review of this background, we describe the
      development of a measure of intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity, based on whole
      exome sequencing of individual tumor samples, that could be applied to biopsy
      specimens in a clinical setting. This measure has now been used in head and neck
      squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to document, for the first time, a relation of
      high intra-tumor genetic heterogeneity to shorter overall survival in a large,
      multi-institutional study. The implications of heterogeneity for research and
      clinical care thus now need to be addressed.

PMID- 28642940
TI  - Mass spectrometry imaging for clinical research - latest developments,
      applications, and current limitations.
AB  - Mass spectrometry is being used in many clinical research areas ranging from
      toxicology to personalized medicine. Of all the mass spectrometry techniques,
      mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), in particular, has continuously grown towards
      clinical acceptance. Significant technological and methodological improvements
      have contributed to enhance the performance of MSI recently, pushing the limits
      of throughput, spatial resolution, and sensitivity. This has stimulated the
      spread of MSI usage across various biomedical research areas such as oncology,
      neurological disorders, cardiology, and rheumatology, just to name a few. After
      highlighting the latest major developments and applications touching all aspects
      of translational research (i.e. from early pre-clinical to clinical research), we
      will discuss the present challenges in translational research performed with MSI:
      data management and analysis, molecular coverage and identification capabilities,
      and finally, reproducibility across multiple research centers, which is the
      largest remaining obstacle in moving MSI towards clinical routine.

PMID- 28642941
TI  - An enantioselective cascade for simultaneous generation of five quaternary
      stereocenters from fully substituted enones.
AB  - A highly enantioselective cascade reaction for the generation of five quaternary
      stereocenters in one-pot operation is reported for the first time in the history
      of organic synthesis. Cinchona-alkaloid derived hydrogen-bonding catalyst
      furnished structurally complex cascade products from simple substrates in
      excellent yields and stereoselectivities.

PMID- 28642942
TI  - Photoredox-catalysed chloro-, bromo- and trifluoromethylthio-trifluoromethylation
      of unactivated alkenes with sodium triflinate.
AB  - A mild and transition-metal-free protocol is herein presented for chloro-, bromo-
      and trifluoromethylthiotrifluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes. The easy
      handling Langlois reagent, as well as N-halophthalimide and N
      trifluoromethylthiosaccharin, is used in this method. In the presence of an
      organic photoredox catalyst N-methyl-9-mesityl acridinium, a broad range of
      desired products were afforded in satisfactory yields upon visible-light
      irradiation via a radical process.

PMID- 28642943
TI  - Aqueous dispersions of nanostructures formed through the self-assembly of
      iminolipids with exchangeable hydrophobic termini.
AB  - The addition of amines to an aldehyde surfactant, which was designed to be
      analogous to didodecyldimethylammonium bromide, gave exchangeable "iminolipids"
      that self-assembled to give stable aqueous dispersions of nano-sized vesicles.
      For example, sonication of suspensions of the n-hexylamine-derived iminolipid
      gave vesicles 50 to 200 nm in diameter that could encapsulate a water-soluble
      dye. The iminolipids could undergo dynamic exchange with added amines, and the
      resulting equilibrium constants (Krel) were quantified by 1H NMR spectroscopy. In
      the absence of lipid self-assembly, in CDCl3, the assayed primary amines gave
      very similar Krel values. However in D2O the value of Krel generally increased
      with increasing amine hydrophobicity, consistent with partitioning into a self
      assembled bilayer. Amines with aromatic groups showed significantly higher values
      of Krel in D2O compared to similarly hydrophobic alkylamines, suggesting that pi
      pi interactions favor lipid self-assembly. Given this synergistic relationship,
      pi-rich pyrenyliminolipids were created and used to exfoliate graphite, leading
      to aqueous dispersions of graphene flakes that were stable over several months.

PMID- 28642944
TI  - Magnetic circular dichroism of UCl6- in the ligand-to-metal charge-transfer
      spectral region.
AB  - We present a combined ab initio theoretical and experimental study of the
      magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrum of the octahedral UCl6- complex ion in
      the UV-Vis spectral region. The ground state is an orbitally non-degenerate
      doublet E5/2u and the MCD is a -term spectrum caused by spin-orbit coupling.
      Calculations of the electronic spectrum at various levels of theory indicate that
      differential dynamic electron correlation has a strong influence on the energies
      of the dipole-allowed transitions and the envelope of the MCD spectrum. The
      experimentally observed bands are assigned to dipole-allowed ligand-to-metal
      charge transfer into the 5f shell, and 5f to 6d transitions. Charge transfer
      excitations into the U 6d shell appear at much higher energies. The MCD-allowed
      transitions can be assigned via their signs of the -terms: Under Oh double group
      symmetry, E5/2u -> E5/2g transitions have negative -terms whereas E5/2u -> F3/2g
      transitions have positive -terms if the ground state g-factor is negative, as it
      is the case for UCl6-.

PMID- 28642951
TI  - Intermix of metal nanoparticles-single wall carbon nanotubes.
AB  - Using physical mixtures of Pd/SWNTs (Pd nanoparticles on single-walled carbon
      nanotubes) and Pt/SWNTs, the composites show electro-catalytic properties
      comparable to the corresponding alloys: electron exchange readily occurs between
      the two metal nanoparticles via SWNT support at long ranges without direct atomic
      contact, which is responsible for the tunable alloy-like properties.

PMID- 28642952
TI  - Solventless mechanochemical preparation of novel magnetic bioconjugates.
AB  - A solventless mechanochemical approach was employed to obtain a bioconjugate (BSA
      DA-Fe2O3) based on bovine serum albumin (BSA) and dopamine (DA) coated iron oxide
      magnetic nanoparticles. UV-vis measurements of the obtained material showed a
      distinctive peak at 280 nm which, together with the presence of N on the surface
      of the nanomaterial (a band at 400 eV in the XPS spectrum) and zeta potential
      measurements, confirmed the successful immobilization of the protein.
      Additionally, the presence of two bands at 1652 and 1545 cm-1 in the FT-IR
      spectra of both BSA and BSA-DA-Fe2O3 and steady-state fluorescence analysis
      validated that the protein preserved its native-like structure after the
      mechanochemical milling process. Also the functionalized MNPs preserved their
      magnetic properties as have been demonstrated by their magnetic susceptibility
      value.

PMID- 28642953
TI  - Crack-tips enriched platinum-copper superlattice nanoflakes as highly efficient
      anode electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells.
AB  - We have developed "crack-tips" and "superlattice" enriched Pt-Cu nanoflakes
      (NFs), benefiting from the synergetic effects of "crack-tips" and "superlattice
      crystals"; the Pt-Cu NFs exhibit 4 times higher mass activity, 6 times higher
      specific activity and 6 times higher stability than those of the commercial Pt/C
      catalyst, respectively. Meanwhile, the Pt-Cu NFs show more enhanced CO tolerance
      than the commercial Pt/C catalyst.

PMID- 28642954
TI  - Transition-metal-free synthesis of beta-trifluoromethylated enamines with
      trifluoromethanesulfinate.
AB  - We have developed a transition-metal free trifluoromethylation protocol between
      enamines and CF3SO2Na. A wide range of beta-trifluoromethyl substituted enamines
      were delivered in moderate to high yields with only E-configurations.

PMID- 28642955
TI  - Generation of highly luminescent micro rings by optical irradiation.
AB  - We report a serendipitous discovery of light-induced generation of a circular
      microstructure on a glass surface. The microstructure has a ring shape with
      notable photophysical properties such as highly bright luminescence and strong
      resistance to photobleaching. We investigated the formation process as well as
      the luminescence properties of the micro ring to understand the origin of this
      peculiar phenomenon.

PMID- 28642956
TI  - CO adsorption, oxidation and carbonate formation mechanisms on Fe3O4 surfaces.
AB  - By means of density functional theory calculations that account for the on-site
      Coulomb interaction via a Hubbard term (DFT+U), we systematically investigated CO
      adsorption on Fe3O4 surfaces at different coverages. It has been found that more
      than one CO can coadsorb on one surface iron atom on both Fetet1 and Feoct2
      terminations of Fe3O4(111). The uncapped oxygen atom is the active site for CO
      oxidation on both Fetet1 and Feoct2 terminations of Fe3O4(111). For Fe3O4(110),
      two CO molecules prefer to coadsorb on one surface iron atom on the A layer; CO
      prefers to adsorb at the bridge site of the surface octahedral iron atoms at low
      coverage, while CO prefers to adsorb at the surface tetrahedral iron atom at high
      coverage on the B layer. It has been found that the surface oxygen atom which is
      not coordinated to the tetrahedral iron atom is the active site for CO oxidation
      on the B termination of Fe3O4(001). On the Fe3O4 surfaces, the formation of
      carbonate has been found to be very stable thermodynamically, which agrees well
      with experiments. The adsorption mechanism has been analyzed on the basis of
      projected density of states (PDOS).

PMID- 28642957
TI  - Superacid-promoted synthesis of highly porous hypercrosslinked polycarbazoles for
      efficient CO2 capture.
AB  - A superacid-promoted "knitting" strategy has been developed for the generation of
      a novel family of hypercrosslinked nanoporous polycarbazoles for efficient CO2
      capture. Using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, a Bronsted superacid, we
      demonstrate the facile and rapid synthesis of highly porous polycarbazoles with
      BET surface areas as high as 1688 m2 g-1, and capable of adsorbing 3.5 mmol g-1
      of CO2 at 298 K and 1 bar. This impressive result bestows the material with the
      highest CO2 uptake capacity for all nanoporous carbazolic polymers and ranks
      among the best by known porous organic polymers under this condition. This
      innovative approach affords a metal-free alternative to Friedel-Crafts
      alkylation, and may open up new possibilities for the rational design and
      synthesis of new hypercrosslinked nanoporous organic networks for carbon capture.

PMID- 28642958
TI  - Phosphorylation of a full length amyloid-beta peptide modulates its amyloid
      aggregation, cell binding and neurotoxic properties.
AB  - Amyloid beta peptide (Abeta) is the major protein component of the amyloid
      plaques that are present in the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.
      Abeta42 peptide is a known neurotoxic agent that binds to neurons and, under
      specific aggregation conditions, triggers cell death. Abeta peptide can undergo
      specific amino acid posttranslational modifications, such as phosphorylation,
      that are important for modulating its proteolytic degradation, aggregation,
      binding to lipid membranes and neurotoxic functions. Peptides phosphorylated at
      serine 8 in full-length Abeta42 (pAbeta42) were synthesised and compared to
      native Abeta42 peptide. Their secondary structures, aggregation properties and
      interactions with plasma membranes of primary cortical neurons were investigated.
      The results revealed that pAbeta42 has increased beta-sheet formation with rapid
      amyloid formation in a synthetic lipid environment, which was associated with
      increased cellular binding but concomitant diminished neurotoxicity. Our data
      support the notion that phosphorylation of Abeta42 promotes the formation of
      amyloid plaques in the brain, which lack the neurotoxic properties associated
      with oligomeric species causing pathogenesis in AD.

PMID- 28642945
TI  - Nonribosomal peptide synthetase biosynthetic clusters of ESKAPE pathogens.
AB  - Covering: up to 2017.Natural products are important secondary metabolites
      produced by bacterial and fungal species that play important roles in cellular
      growth and signaling, nutrient acquisition, intra- and interspecies
      communication, and virulence. A subset of natural products is produced by
      nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), a family of large, modular enzymes that
      function in an assembly line fashion. Because of the pharmaceutical activity of
      many NRPS products, much effort has gone into the exploration of their
      biosynthetic pathways and the diverse products they make. Many interesting NRPS
      pathways have been identified and characterized from both terrestrial and marine
      bacterial sources. Recently, several NRPS pathways in human commensal bacterial
      species have been identified that produce molecules with antibiotic activity,
      suggesting another source of interesting NRPS pathways may be the commensal and
      pathogenic bacteria that live on the human body. The ESKAPE pathogens
      (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae,
      Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) have been
      identified as a significant cause of human bacterial infections that are
      frequently multidrug resistant. The emerging resistance profile of these
      organisms has prompted calls from multiple international agencies to identify
      novel antibacterial targets and develop new approaches to treat infections from
      ESKAPE pathogens. Each of these species contains several NRPS biosynthetic gene
      clusters. While some have been well characterized and produce known natural
      products with important biological roles in microbial physiology, others have yet
      to be investigated. This review catalogs the NRPS pathways of ESKAPE pathogens.
      The exploration of novel NRPS products may lead to a better understanding of the
      chemical communication used by human pathogens and potentially to the discovery
      of novel therapeutic approaches.

PMID- 28642959
TI  - Progress in obstetrics and gynaecology - evidence-based practices and practice
      based evidence reviews.

PMID- 28642960
TI  - Comment on: Teaching metacognition in clinical decision-making using a novel
      mnemonic checklist: an exploratory study.

PMID- 28642961
TI  - Female sexual dysfunction with combined oral contraceptive use.
AB  - Combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs) remain one of the most popular forms of
      contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancy in women. While it is known that COCs
      can cause sexual dysfunction in women, there is currently no recommendation to
      screen for sexual function before and after initiation of COCs. We propose that,
      based on the evidence available, assessment of sexual function should be done at
      initiation of COCs, as well as at regular intervals thereafter. This would allow
      COC-related sexual dysfunction to be managed early, such as by switching the
      patient to newer-generation COCs or other forms of contraception.

PMID- 28642962
TI  - Authors' reply.

PMID- 28642963
TI  - Clinics in diagnostic imaging (178). Wunderlich syndrome and pseudoaneurysm.
AB  - Wunderlich syndrome is a rare entity characterised by spontaneous retroperitoneal
      haemorrhage with renal origin. We present a case of Wunderlich syndrome secondary
      to clotting dyscrasia in a 64-year-old woman. The patient experienced a second
      Wunderlich haemorrhagic event with metachronous pseudoaneurysm formation, which
      was likely secondary to the large subcapsular haematoma stripping the renal
      capsule and tearing the cortical arteries. Selective pseudoaneurysm embolisations
      were successfully performed on both occasions. This clinical entity, its imaging
      differential diagnoses and management are discussed.

PMID- 28642964
TI  - Metastasis of breast cancer cells to the bone, lung, and lymph nodes promotes
      resistance to ionizing radiation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metastasis represents the leading cause of breast cancer deaths,
      necessitating strategies for its treatment. Although radiotherapy is employed for
      both primary and metastatic breast cancers, the difference in their ionizing
      radiation response remains incompletely understood. This study is the first to
      compare the radioresponse of a breast cancer cell line with its metastatic
      variants and report that such metastatic variants are more radioresistant.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A luciferase expressing cell line was established from
      human basal-like breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-231 and underwent in vivo
      selections, whereby a cycle of inoculations into the left cardiac ventricle or
      the mammary fat pad of athymic nude mice, isolation of metastases to the bone,
      lung and lymph nodes visualized with bioluminescence imaging, and expansion of
      obtained cells was repeated twice or three times. The established metastatic cell
      lines were assessed for cell proliferation, wound healing, invasion, clonogenic
      survival, and apoptosis. RESULTS: The established metastatic cell lines possessed
      an increased proliferative potential in vivo and were more chemotactic, invasive,
      and resistant to X-ray-induced clonogenic inactivation and apoptosis in vitro.
      CONCLUSION: Breast cancer metastasis to the bone, lung, and lymph nodes promotes
      radioresistance.

PMID- 28642967
TI  - Strategies for Characterization of Enzymatic Nucleic Acids.
AB  - Practical application of enzymatic nucleic acids has received more attention in
      recent years. Understanding the mechanism of catalysis and availability of
      information on potentials and limitations of these enzymes expands their
      application scope. A general approach for characterization of functional
      macromolecules including enzymatic nucleic acids is to perturb a specific set of
      condition and to follow the perturbation effect by biophysical and biochemical
      methods. This chapter reviews several perturbation strategies for functional
      nucleic acids, including deletion, mutation, and modifications of backbone and
      nucleobases, and consequent kinetic analysis, spectroscopic investigations, and
      probing assays. In addition to single point mutation and modifications, different
      combinatorial approaches for perturbation interference analysis provide reliable
      high amounts of data in a time-effective manner. The chapter compares various
      combinatorial perturbation interference analysis methods, that is, combinatorial
      mutation interference analysis (CoMA), nucleotide analogue interference mapping
      for RNA and DNA (NAIM and dNAIM), chemical and enzymatic combinatorial nucleoside
      deletion scanning (NDS), and dimethyl sulfate interference (DMSi).

PMID- 28642966
TI  - Procedural sedation and analgesia for pediatric shock wave lithotripsy: a 10 year
      experience of single institution.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate anesthesia practice for pediatric
      extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) according to the age groups and
      discuss the anesthetic management of these patients. Pediatric patients treated
      with ESWL because of urolithiasis under anesthesia in our department between
      December 2007 and January 2017 were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 251
      patients were divided into two groups as Group PS: preschool children (<6 years)
      and Group S: school children (>=6 years). Groups were compared according to
      ketamine and midazolam doses, extra anesthetic agent requirement, duration of
      procedure, procedural and postprocedural complications due to anesthesia, as well
      as mean number of sessions and calculus diameter. A total of 408 sessions of ESWL
      were applied to 251 children included in the study. Overall, mean age of the
      patients was 4.5 +/- 3.2 years (7 months-14 years). In school children (Group S),
      mean ketamine and midazolam doses were significantly higher than the preschool
      group (p < 0.01 and p = 0.04, respectively). There was no statistically
      significant difference in additional anesthetic agent requirement (p = 0.35) as
      well as mean number of SWL sessions (p = 0.23), duration of anesthesia (p =
      0.93), stone size (p = 0.20), and stone laterality (p = 0.71) in both preschool
      and school children. No severe complications were observed in both groups. In
      pediatric ESWL patients, ketamine-midazolam combination is an effective and
      safety choice for outpatient anesthesia. Appropriate dose adjustment in a
      monitorized and well-equipped setting is essential.

PMID- 28642968
TI  - Enhancing the enzymatic saccharification of bamboo shoot shell by sequential
      biological pretreatment with Galactomyces sp. CCZU11-1 and deep eutectic solvent
      extraction.
AB  - In this study, sequential biological pretreatment (BP) with Galactomyces sp.
      CCZU11-1 at 30  degrees C for 3 days and deep eutectic solvent (DES) choline
      chloride: oxalic acid (ChCl:OA, 1 mol/2 mol) extraction at 120  degrees C for 1.5
      h was used for pretreating BSS. It was found that combination pretreatment could
      effectively remove xylan and lignin for enhancing enzymatic saccharification. The
      reducing sugars and glucose from the hydrolysis of 100 g/L pretreated BSS with
      complexed cellulases of Galactomyces sp. CCZU11-1 were obtained in the yields of
      81.0% and 74.1%, respectively. The BSS-hydrolyzates had no inhibitory effects on
      the lipid-accumulating microorganism Bacillus sp. CCZU11-1, and the cell mass and
      TAG accumulation were 4.8 g CDW/L and 2.2 g TAG/L, respectively. Fatty acids
      including palmitic acid (C16:0; 25.3%), palmitoleic acid (C16:1; 24.4%), stearic
      acid (C18:0; 15.1%), and oleic acid (C18:1; 21.6%) were accumulated in cells.
      Clearly, this combination pretreatment has high potential application in future.

PMID- 28642969
TI  - Diverse metabolic effects of O-GlcNAcylation in the pancreas but limited effects
      in insulin-sensitive organs in mice.
AB  - AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: O-GlcNAcylation is characterised by the addition of N
      acetylglucosamine to various proteins by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and serves in
      sensing intracellular nutrients by modulating various cellular processes.
      Although it has been speculated that O-GlcNAcylation is associated with glucose
      metabolism, its exact role in whole body glucose metabolism has not been fully
      elucidated. Here, we investigated whether loss of O-GlcNAcylation globally and in
      specific organs affected glucose metabolism in mammals under physiological
      conditions. METHODS: Tamoxifen-inducible global Ogt-knockout (Ogt-KO) mice were
      generated by crossbreeding Ogt-flox mice with R26-Cre-ERT2 mice. Liver, skeletal
      muscle, adipose tissue and pancreatic beta cell-specific Ogt-KO mice were
      generated by crossbreeding Ogt-flox mice with Alb-Cre, Mlc1f-Cre, Adipoq-Cre and
      Pdx1 PB-CreERTM mice, respectively. Glucose metabolism was evaluated by i.p.
      glucose and insulin tolerance tests. RESULTS: Tamoxifen-inducible global Ogt-KO
      mice exhibited a lethal phenotype from 4 weeks post injection, suggesting that O
      GlcNAcylation is essential for survival in adult mice. Tissue-specific Ogt
      deletion from insulin-sensitive organs, including liver, skeletal muscle and
      adipose tissue, had little impact on glucose metabolism under physiological
      conditions. However, pancreatic beta cell-specific Ogt-KO mice displayed
      transient hypoglycaemia (Ogt-flox 5.46 +/- 0.41 vs Ogt-betaKO 3.88 +/- 0.26
      mmol/l) associated with about twofold higher insulin secretion and accelerated
      adiposity, followed by subsequent hyperglycaemia (Ogt-flox 6.34 +/- 0.32 vs Ogt
      betaKO 26.4 +/- 2.37 mmol/l) with insulin depletion accompanied by beta cell
      apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These findings suggest that O
      GlcNAcylation has little effect on glucose metabolism in insulin-sensitive
      tissues but plays a crucial role in pancreatic beta cell function and survival
      under physiological conditions. Our results provide novel insight into O-GlcNAc
      biology and physiology in glucose metabolism.

PMID- 28642965
TI  - Erratum to: Development of a Unifying Target and Consensus Indicators for Global
      Surgical Systems Strengthening: Proposed by the Global Alliance for Surgery,
      Obstetric, Trauma, and Anaesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance).

PMID- 28642970
TI  - Abilities of Co-cultures of Brown-Rot Fungus Fomitopsis pinicola and Bacillus
      subtilis on Biodegradation of DDT.
AB  - DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane) is one of the pesticides that
      are hazardous for the environment and human health. Effective environmental
      friendly treatment using co-cultures of fungi and bacteria is needed. In this
      study, the bacteria Bacillus subtilis at various volumes of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 mL
      (1 mL ~ 6.7 * 108 CFU) were mixed into 10 mL of the brown-rot fungus Fomitopsis
      pinicola culture for degrading DDT during a 7-days incubation period. DDT was
      degraded by approximately 42% by F. pinicola during the 7-days incubation period.
      The addition of 10 mL of B. subtilis into F. pinicola culture showed the highest
      DDT degradation of approximately 86% during the 7-days incubation period. DDD
      (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane), DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4
      chlorophenyl)ethylene), and DDMU (1-chloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene) were
      detected as metabolic products from DDT degradation by co-cultures of F. pinicola
      and B. subtilis. Transformation pathway was proposed in which DDT was transformed
      into three pathways as follows: (1) dechlorination to DDD, (2)
      dehydrochlorination to DDE, and (3) formation of DDMU.

PMID- 28642971
TI  - High Diversity of Bacterial Communities in Developmental Stages of Bactrocera
      carambolae (Insecta: Tephritidae) Revealed by Illumina MiSeq Sequencing of 16S
      rRNA Gene.
AB  - Bactrocera carambolae is a highly polyphagous fruit pest of agricultural
      importance. This study reports the bacterial communities associated with the
      developmental stages of B. carambolae. The microbiota of the developmental stages
      were investigated by targeted 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) sequencing using the
      Illumina MiSeq. At 97% similarity, there were 19 bacterial phyla and unassigned
      bacteria, comprising 39 classes, 86 orders, 159 families and 311 genera. The
      bacterial composition varied among the specimens of developmental stage and
      across developmental stages as well as exuviae. Four phyla of bacteria (with
      relative abundance of >=1% in at least one specimen)-Actinobacteria,
      Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria-were recovered from the larva, pupa,
      adult stages and exuviae. Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum in all the
      developmental stages as well as the exuviae. Enterobacteriaceae (Proteobacteria)
      was the predominant family in the adult flies while the family [Weeksellaceae]
      (Bacteroidetes) was predominant in the larval and pupal stages. Among the genera
      occurring in more than one developmental stage of B. carambolae, Erwinia was more
      abundant in the larval stage, Halomonas more abundant in adult female,
      Stenotrophomonas more abundant in adult male, and Chryseobacterium more abundant
      in the larval and pupal stages. The results indicate transmission of bacteria
      OTUs from immatures to the newly emerged adults, and from exuviae to the
      environment.

PMID- 28642972
TI  - Does contrast between eggshell ground and spot coloration affect egg rejection?
AB  - Obligate avian brood parasitic species impose the costs of incubating foreign
      eggs and raising young upon their unrelated hosts. The most common host defence
      is the rejection of parasitic eggs from the nest. Both egg colours and spot
      patterns influence egg rejection decisions in many host species, yet no studies
      have explicitly examined the role of variation in spot coloration. We studied the
      American robin Turdus migratorius, a blue-green unspotted egg-laying host of the
      brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater, a brood parasite that lays non-mimetic
      spotted eggs. We examined host responses to model eggs with variable spot
      coloration against a constant robin-mimetic ground colour to identify patterns of
      rejection associated with perceived contrast between spot and ground colours. By
      using avian visual modelling, we found that robins were more likely to reject
      eggs whose spots had greater chromatic (hue) but not achromatic (brightness)
      contrast. Therefore, egg rejection decision rules in the American robin may
      depend on the colour contrast between parasite eggshell spot and host ground
      coloration. Our study also suggests that egg recognition in relation to spot
      coloration, like ground colour recognition, is tuned to the natural variation of
      avian eggshell spot colours but not to unnatural spot colours.

PMID- 28642973
TI  - Estimating the magnitude of morphoscapes: how to measure the morphological
      component of biodiversity in relation to habitats using geometric morphometrics.
AB  - Ecological indicators are currently developed to account for the different facets
      of loss of biological diversity due to direct or indirect effects of human
      activities. Most ecological indicators include species richness as a metric.
      Others, such as functional traits and phylogenetic diversity, account for
      differences in species, even when species richness is the same. Here, we describe
      and apply a different indicator, called morphoscape dimension, accounting for
      morphological variability across habitats in a geographical region. We use the
      case of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in four different habitats in the
      Po Plain in Northern Italy to exemplify how to quantify the magnitude of the
      morphological space (i.e. the dimension of the morphoscape) occupied by the
      species in each habitat using geometric morphometrics. To this aim, we employed a
      variety of metrics of morphological disparity related to univariate size, and
      more complex multivariate shape and form. Our 'proof of concept' suggests that
      metrics assessing size and form might largely tend to simply mirror the
      information provided by species richness, whereas shape morphoscape disparity may
      be able to account for non-trivial differences in species traits amongst
      habitats. This is indicated by the woodland morphoscape being on average bigger
      than that of crops, the most species-rich habitat, despite having almost 20% less
      species. We conclude suggesting that the analysis of morphoscape dimension has
      the potential to become a new additional and complimentary tool in the hands of
      conservation biologists and ecologists to explore and quantify habitat complexity
      and inform decisions on management and conservation based on a wide set of
      ecological indicators.

PMID- 28642974
TI  - Abdominal aortic calcification and the risk of bone fractures: a meta-analysis of
      prospective cohort studies.
AB  - The relationship between abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) and bone fracture
      has been examined by some observational studies, but the results remain
      discordant. Therefore, we aimed to assess the link between them by conducting a
      meta-analysis of prospective studies. Relevant studies were identified by
      searching PubMed and EMBASE databases until the end of December 2016. Summary
      relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between
      AAC and fracture risk were estimated with fixed- or random- effects models. Seven
      prospective studies were included in the final analysis. The summarized RRs of
      any type of fractures for the highest compared with the lowest category of AAC
      were 1.64 (95% CI 1.30-2.07, P = 0.000) with mild heterogeneity (I 2 = 30.1%, P =
      0.188). Subgroup analysis showed that the association between AAC and fracture
      was not significantly modified by gender and follow-up length. Risks were similar
      when analyses were restricted to the studies with adjustment for bone mineral
      density (BMD) (RR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.31-2.38, P = 0.000, I 2 = 49.1%). For the
      specific type of fracture, severe AAC was significantly related with hip fracture
      (RR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.22-2.20, P = 0.001, n = 5), but not with vertebral (RR =
      1.45, 95% CI 0.81-2.58, P = 0.213, n = 3) or non-vertebral fracture (RR = 1.35,
      95% CI 0.96-1.88, P = 0.081, n = 3). There was no evidence of publication bias.
      Our findings demonstrated that AAC was significantly and independently associated
      with a higher fracture risk, especially for hip fracture.

PMID- 28642975
TI  - Association of bone metabolism markers with coronary atherosclerosis and coronary
      artery disease in postmenopausal women.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate the association of bone metabolism markers with
      coronary atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) in postmenopausal
      women. Based on the findings of coronary angiography, 111 women with CAD and 116
      women without CAD were recruited. Serum calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone
      (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), osteocalcin, N-terminal propeptide of type I
      procollagen (P1NP) and C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen
      (CTX) were measured. The Gensini score was used to assess the severity of
      coronary atherosclerosis. Compared with women with serum calcium <=2.29 mmol/L,
      women with serum calcium >2.29 mmol/L had a 2.63-fold increased risk of CAD after
      adjusting for multiple cardiovascular risks, PTH and 25OHD [odds ratio (OR) =
      2.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35-6.28]. In the fully adjusted model plus
      PTH and 25OHD, the risk of CAD increased 1.87-fold with every 1-SD increment of
      serum calcium (OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.21-2.88). To further analyze the potential
      strong confounding effect of albumin, the absolute levels of calcium were
      replaced by their albumin-corrected values in the regression model. Compared with
      women with albumin-corrected calcium <=2.27 mmol/L, women with albumin-corrected
      calcium >2.27 mmol/L had a 2.36-fold increased risk of CAD in the fully adjusted
      model plus PTH and 25OHD (OR = 2.36, 95% CI 1.13-4.92). The risk of coronary
      atherosclerosis as defined by Gensini score >0 increased 1.73-fold with every 1
      SD increment of serum calcium in the fully adjusted model plus PTH and 25OHD (OR
      = 1.73, 95% CI 1.09-2.73). However, albumin-corrected calcium was not associated
      with coronary atherosclerosis either as a categorical variable or as a continuous
      variable in all models. No significant association of PTH, 25OHD, osteocalcin,
      CTX and P1NP with CAD or coronary atherosclerosis was found in this study. Higher
      serum calcium levels were independently associated with CAD in postmenopausal
      women.

PMID- 28642976
TI  - Prognostic role of a new risk index for the prediction of 30-day cardiovascular
      mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: the Age-Mean Arterial
      Pressure Index (AMAPI).
AB  - Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third cause of cardiovascular (CV)
      mortality. We evaluated a new risk index, named Age-Mean Arterial Pressure Index
      (AMAPI), to predict 30-day CV mortality in patients with acute PE. Data of 209
      patients (44.0% male and 56.0% female, mean age 70.58 +/- 14.14 years) with
      confirmed acute PE were retrospectively analysed. AMAPI was calculated as the
      ratio between age and mean arterial pressure (MAP), which was defined as
      [systolic blood pressure + (2 * diastolic blood pressure)]/3. To test AMAPI
      accuracy, a comparison with shock index (SI) and simplified pulmonary embolism
      severity index (sPESI) was performed. Patients were divided in two groups
      according their hemodynamic stability, or not, at admission. 30-day mortality
      rate, in all cases for CV events, was 10.5% (n = 22). Hemodynamically unstable
      patients had a higher AMAPI compare to those without hypotension at admission
      (1.28 +/- 0.39 vs 0.78 +/- 0.27, p < 0.0001). Receiving operative curve analyses
      (ROC) found the optimal cut-off for AMAPI in hemodynamically stable and unstable
      patients >=0.9 and >=0.92, respectively. In both groups, patients with an AMAPI
      over the cut-off were significantly older, hypotensive (both systolic and
      diastolic blood pressure), with a higher SI and lower MAP. In hemodynamically
      stable patients, 30-day CV mortality risk prediction was improved adding AMAPI
      >=0.9 to both SI and sPESI (net reclassification improvement-NRI-of 14.2%, p =
      0.0006 and 11.5%, p = 0.0002, respectively). In hemodynamically unstable patients
      NRI was 19.2%, p = 0.006. Mantel-Cox analysis revealed a statistical significant
      difference in the distribution of survival between hemodynamically stable
      patients with an AMAPI index >=0.9 compared to those with an AMAPI <0.89 [log
      rank (Mantel-Cox) p < 0.0001] and in hemodynamically unstable patients with an
      AMAPI >=0.92 [log rank (Mantel-Cox) p = 0.001]. AMAPI >=0.90 and >=0.92 predict
      30-day CV mortality in hemodynamically stable and unstable patients with acute
      PE.

PMID- 28642978
TI  - Ectopic delivery of miR-200c diminishes hepatitis C virus infectivity through
      transcriptional and translational repression of Occludin.
AB  - Occludin (OCLN) is an essential factor for HCV entry through interacting with
      other surface receptors. The aim of this study was to investigate the epigenetic
      regulation of Occludin expression and to study its impact on viral infectivity.
      microRNAs expression was assessed using qRT-PCR, while OCLN protein expression
      was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Viral
      infectivity was assessed by measuring viral-load using qRT-PCR. In silico
      analysis predicted that miR-200c targeted the OCLN 3'UTR, which was further
      experimentally confirmed. miR-122 was previously validated to target the 3'UTR of
      OCLN and was used as a control. We report a significant down-regulation of miR
      200c in liver tissues of HCV-infected patients. Ectopic expression of both miR
      122 and miR-200c in Huh7 cells reduced OCLN mRNA and protein levels. Viral
      infectivity was significantly reduced by miR-200c but enhanced by miR-122. This
      work sheds light on miR-200c as a novel regulator of HCV infectivity through the
      regulation of OCLN.

PMID- 28642977
TI  - Molecular characteristics and prevalence of small ruminant lentiviruses in goats
      in Japan.
AB  - Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs), which comprise caprine arthritis
      encephalitis virus (CAEV) and maedi-visna virus (MVV), are prevalent in goats and
      sheep worldwide, including in Japan. However, little is known about the molecular
      characteristics of goat lentiviruses in Japan. In this study, a molecular and
      phylogenetic analysis of the long gag region was performed. The phylogenic tree
      demonstrated that all samples belonged to SRLV subtype B1. Two clusters were
      identified, with one cluster distinct from previously reported strains of subtype
      B1. In addition, several alterations in the amino acid sequence were detected in
      immunodominant epitopes of the gag region. To gain a deeper understanding of the
      genetic diversity of SRLVs in Japan, it will be necessary to increase the sample
      size and conduct a broader survey. The present report is important for
      establishing baseline information on the prevalence of SRLV in Japan and
      providing data to develop a new, more sensitive diagnostic test for effective
      control of SRLV.

PMID- 28642980
TI  - [Unsuitable guideline recommendations for psychotherapeutic treatment of manias].

PMID- 28642981
TI  - [Mental health as a global challenge : Research, care and participation].

PMID- 28642979
TI  - [Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Reduction of the load to the medial compartment in patients with
      medial knee osteoarthritis and varus malalignment. Unloading of the
      posterolateral complex in varus deformity with complex ligamentous laxity.
      INDICATIONS: Medial knee osteoarthritis and varus malalignment with largely
      intact lateral and patellofemoral joint aspect. Complex ligament insufficiency
      combined with varus deformity. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Substantially impaired range of
      motion. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Medial skin incision on the proximal lower leg.
      Preparation of the pes anserinus. Marking of the osteotomy from the deepest point
      of the medial metaphysis laterally ascending. Biplane osteotomy, carefully
      protecting the posterior neurovascular structures, with ventral completion
      proximal or distal to the tibial tuberosity, depending on concomitant
      pathologies. Angular-stable plate fixation. POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: In general,
      early weight bearing is possible when angular-stable plate fixation is used.
      Often concomitant pathologies such as accompanying cartilage regenerative therapy
      necessitate longer unloading. Range of motion does not need to be restricted
      following stand-alone osteotomy. Orthoses are recommended regularly. RESULTS:
      Under the correct indication, the medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (OW
      HTO) technique can achieve good results with high patient satisfaction, despite a
      relatively high statistical complication rate, provided that a standardized
      surgical technique is used. There is a tendency for a poorer outcome in patients
      with a body mass index above 30 and higher stages of osteoarthritis.

PMID- 28642982
TI  - [Healthcare models for traumatized refugees in Germany].
AB  - People with a migration background are a risk group for psychiatric disorders.
      Innovative, transnational and sustainable projects are necessary to ensure
      adequate care for refugees and asylum seekers. Selected projects of the
      University of Munich, the Charite Berlin and the University of Konstanz show
      promising approaches in addition to other initiatives.

PMID- 28642983
TI  - [Hebephrenia - a viable psychopathological construct?]
AB  - Ewald Hecker was the first psychiatrist to describe the disease entity of
      hebephrenia in some detail, focusing mainly on disturbances of affect. Later Emil
      Kraepelin and Eugen Bleuler saw hebephrenia as a subtype of dementia praecox or
      schizophrenia. Willy Mayer-Gross and Karl Leonhard characterized hebephrenia with
      highly differentiated psychopathological descriptions, whereas this construct
      only played a minor role in the works of Klaus Conrad and Kurt Schneider. The
      International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) lists hebephrenia as a subtype
      of schizophrenia but in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
      (DSM-5) no subtypes of schizophrenia are mentioned and the concept of hebephrenia
      is thus lost. Hebephrenia can be seen as an ideal type describing a
      psychopathological course pattern. This construct can be useful to conceptualize
      a group of disorders of affect which otherwise escape description, especially
      since these psychopathological alterations of affect are difficult to
      operationalize. To have a viable concept of these disorders is relevant for the
      prognosis and therapy planning. If the concept of hebephrenia is abolished,
      important psychopathological knowledge might be lost for future generations of
      psychiatrists.

PMID- 28642984
TI  - Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation after skull base surgery.

PMID- 28642985
TI  - Focus on brain injury.

PMID- 28642986
TI  - Viridiuvalis adhaerens gen. et sp. nov., a novel colony-forming
      chlorarachniophyte.
AB  - A new chlorarachniophyte, Viridiuvalis adhaerens gen. et sp. nov. was isolated
      from the mucus on a coral reef from Zanpa Beach, Okinawa, Japan. The main
      vegetative stage of V. adhaerens consisted of unicellular coccoid cells with cell
      walls, although sarcinoid colonies and uniflagellate zoospores were also
      observed. V. adhaerens had chloroplasts with nucleomorphs and pyrenoids that were
      completely embedded in the chloroplast. A deep plate-like invagination of the
      periplastidal compartment (PPC) almost partitioned the pyrenoid and chloroplast
      components, which were surrounded by two membranes. The nucleomorph was
      positioned in the base of the invagination of the PPC. Molecular phylogenetic
      analyses using rRNA genes showed that V. adhaerens branched as a sister lineage
      of the Amorphochlora clade. The sarcinoid colony, pyrenoid embedded in the
      chloroplast, and nucleomorph located at the base of the deep invagination of the
      PPC have not been reported in other chlorarachniophytes. Based on these
      morphological and ultrastructural characteristics and the results of the
      molecular phylogenetic analyses, we propose V. adhaerens as a new genus and
      species of chlorarachniophyte.

PMID- 28642987
TI  - Chromosome number and genome size variation in Colocasia (Araceae) from China.
AB  - Chromosome number and genome size are important cytological characters that
      significantly influence various organismal traits. We investigated chromosome
      number and genome size variation in 73 accessions belonging to four Colocasia
      species from China. Five different chromosome counts (2n = 26, 28, 38, 42, and
      56) were found, the largest one representing a new record in Colocasia. The basic
      chromosome numbers are x = 13, 14, and 19, corresponding to 2x, 3x, and 4x
      cytotypes. Yunnan Province, China is considered the center of Colocasia polyploid
      origin. The 2C values in our accessions ranged from 3.29 pg in C. gigantea to
      12.51 pg in C. esculenta. All species exhibit inter- and intraspecific
      chromosomal variation. Differences in DNA content among the Colocasia species
      seem to have occurred by chromosomal gain under similar habitats.
      Polyploidization also obviously contributes to 2C value variation.

PMID- 28642988
TI  - Development of Pulmonary Hypertension During Treatment with Diazoxide: A Case
      Series and Literature Review.
AB  - Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is the most common cause of persistent
      hypoglycemia in infancy. The mainstay of medical management for CHI is diazoxide.
      Diazoxide inhibits insulin release from the pancreas, but also causes smooth
      muscle relaxation and fluid retention so it is typically given with
      chlorothiazide. In July 2015, the FDA issued a drug safety communication warning
      that pulmonary hypertension (PH) had been reported in 11 infants being treated
      with diazoxide and that the PH resolved with withdrawal of diazoxide. All three
      of the cases in our hospital were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit
      (NICU) for hypoglycemia. All patients received thorough radiologic and laboratory
      evaluations related to their diagnosis of CHI. All initially improved when
      diazoxide was initiated. Case 1 and case 3 were discharged from the NICU on
      diazoxide and chlorothiazide. Case 2 developed pulmonary hypertension while still
      in the NICU days after an increase in diazoxide dosing. Case 1 presented to the
      emergency room in respiratory distress shortly after discharge from the NICU with
      evidence of PH and heart failure. Case 3 presented to the emergency room after 2
      weeks at home due to a home blood glucose reading that was low and developed PH
      and heart failure while an inpatient. Discontinuation of diazoxide led to
      resolution of all three patients' PH within approximately one week. The
      experience of our hospital indicates that pulmonary hypertension may be more
      common than previously thought in infants taking diazoxide. It is unclear if
      these symptoms develop slowly over time or if there is some other, as yet
      undescribed, trigger for the pulmonary hypertension. Our hospital's experience
      adds to the body of evidence and suggests these infants may benefit from more
      surveillance with echocardiography.

PMID- 28642990
TI  - How Health Humanities Will Save the Life of the Humanities.
AB  - In the last decade, the humanities have been shrinking in number of students,
      percent of faculty, and in number of degrees awarded. Humanities students also
      earn lower salaries than their STEM-prepared peers. At the same time, the health
      humanities have been in ascendance over the last fifteen years. The number of
      majors, minors and certificates has increased 266% in that time frame, attracting
      large numbers of students and preparing future patients, lay caregivers, and
      health care providers to interact with a complicated and dehumanized medical
      system. In 1982, British philosopher and educator Stephen Toulmin declared that
      medicine saved philosophy from irrelevance and possibly extinction. I propose
      that the health humanities can serve a similar function to stave off the decline
      of the broader humanities. The health humanities can (1) model an applied
      approach for the broader humanities to attract student interest; (2) develop
      students' capacity for critical reading, writing and reflection about health and
      medicine in society, practice, and their own lives and (3) inoculate all students
      against the influence of medicine, whether through preparing pre-health students
      to navigate the hidden medical curriculum or preparing future patients to
      navigate the health care system.

PMID- 28642991
TI  - Extensive Overlap of Tropical Rainforest Bacterial Endophytes between Soil, Plant
      Parts, and Plant Species.
AB  - The extent to which distinct bacterial endophyte communities occur between
      different plant organs and species is poorly known and has implications for
      bioprospecting efforts. Using the V3 region of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA
      (rRNA) gene, we investigated the diversity patterns of bacterial endophyte
      communities of three rainforest plant species, comparing leaf, stem, and root
      endophytes plus rhizosphere soil community. There was extensive overlap in
      bacterial communities between plant organs, between replicate plants of the same
      species, between plant species, and between plant organ and rhizosphere soil,
      with no consistent clustering by compartment or host plant species. The non
      metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis highlighted an extensively
      overlapping bacterial community structure, and the beta-nearest taxon index
      (betaNTI) analysis revealed dominance of stochastic processes in community
      assembly, suggesting that bacterial endophyte operational taxonomic units (OTUs)
      were randomly distributed among plant species and organs and rhizosphere soil.
      Percentage turnover of OTUs within pairs of samples was similar both for plant
      individuals of the same species and of different species at around 80-90%. Our
      results suggest that sampling extra individuals, extra plant organs, extra
      species, or use of rhizosphere soil, might be about equally effective for
      obtaining new OTUs for culture. These observations suggest that the plant
      endophyte community may be much more diverse, but less predictable, than would be
      expected from culturing efforts alone.

PMID- 28642992
TI  - Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance (PMQR) Genes and Class 1 Integrons in
      Quinolone-Resistant Marine Bacteria and Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli
      from an Aquacultural Area.
AB  - Antimicrobial usage in aquaculture selects for antimicrobial-resistant
      microorganisms in the marine environment. The relevance of this selection to
      terrestrial animal and human health is unclear. Quinolone-resistance genes qnrA,
      qnrB, and qnrS were chromosomally located in four randomly chosen quinolone
      resistant marine bacteria isolated from an aquacultural area with heavy quinolone
      usage. In quinolone-resistant uropathogenic clinical isolates of Escherichia coli
      from a coastal area bordering the same aquacultural region, qnrA was
      chromosomally located in two E. coli isolates, while qnrB and qnrS were located
      in small molecular weight plasmids in two other E. coli isolates. Three quinolone
      resistant marine bacteria and three quinolone-resistant E. coli contained class 1
      integrons but without physical association with PMQR genes. In both marine
      bacteria and uropathogenic E. coli, class 1 integrons had similar co-linear
      structures, identical gene cassettes, and similarities in their flanking regions.
      In a Marinobacter sp. marine isolate and in one E. coli clinical isolate,
      sequences immediately upstream of the qnrS gene were homologous to comparable
      sequences of numerous plasmid-located qnrS genes while downstream sequences were
      different. The observed commonality of quinolone resistance genes and integrons
      suggests that aquacultural use of antimicrobials might facilitate horizontal gene
      transfer between bacteria in diverse ecological locations.

PMID- 28642993
TI  - Impact of left ventricular longitudinal functional mechanics on the progression
      of diastolic function in diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction and longitudinal systolic dysfunction
      were identified in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). This study's aim was to
      investigate the impact of LV longitudinal systolic function on LV diastolic
      function in DM patients with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF). We studied
      177 DM patients with preserved LVEF (all >=50%), and 82 age-, gender- and LVEF
      matched healthy volunteers as control. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) was
      defined as the average peak strain of 18 segments from standard apical views, GLS
      <18% as subclinical LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD), and LV dispersion as the
      standard deviation of time-to-peak strain from the same views. For DM patients
      with LVSD (n = 74), E/A and E' were lower, and E/E' and isovolumic relaxation
      time (IVRT) were greater than for DM patients without LVSD (n = 103) and normal
      controls (n = 82). Moreover, these parameters were lower for DM patients without
      LVSD than for normal controls. Multivariate analysis revealed that GLS was a
      strong determinative factor for E' and E/E' (beta = 0.30, p < 0.001 and beta = 
      0.25, p < 0.001, respectively), as was LV dispersion for E-wave deceleration time
      and IVRT (beta = 0.21, p = 0.002 and beta = 0.30, p < 0.001, respectively)
      independently of age. For normal subjects, however, only age was associated with
      all LV diastolic parameters. In conclusions, in contrast to age-related LV
      diastolic dysfunction in normal subjects, in DM patients with preserved LVEF, LV
      diastolic function was associated with LV longitudinal systolic function and LV
      dispersion independently of age. Our findings have obvious clinical implications
      for the management of DM patients.

PMID- 28642994
TI  - Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging to assess myocardial fibrosis in
      valvular heart disease.
AB  - The left ventricular (LV) remodeling process associated with significant valvular
      heart disease (VHD) is characterized by an increase of myocardial interstitial
      space with deposition of collagen and loss of myofibers. These changes occur
      before LV systolic function deteriorates or the patient develops symptoms.
      Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) permits assessment of reactive fibrosis,
      with the use of T1 mapping techniques, and replacement fibrosis, with the use of
      late gadolinium contrast enhancement. In addition, functional consequences of
      these structural changes can be evaluated with myocardial tagging and feature
      tracking CMR, which assess the active deformation (strain) of the LV myocardium.
      Several studies have demonstrated that CMR techniques may be more sensitive than
      the conventional measures (LV ejection fraction or LV dimensions) to detect these
      structural and functional changes in patients with severe left-sided VHD and have
      shown that myocardial fibrosis may not be reversible after valve surgery. More
      important, the presence of myocardial fibrosis has been associated with lesser
      improvement in clinical symptoms and recovery of LV systolic function. Whether
      assessment of myocardial fibrosis may better select the patients with severe left
      sided VHD who may benefit from surgery in terms of LV function and clinical
      symptoms improvement needs to be demonstrated in prospective studies. The present
      review article summarizes the current status of CMR techniques to assess
      myocardial fibrosis and appraises the current evidence on the use of these
      techniques for risk stratification of patients with severe aortic stenosis or
      regurgitation and mitral regurgitation.

PMID- 28642995
TI  - Accuracy and reproducibility of fast fractional flow reserve computation from
      invasive coronary angiography.
AB  - Fractional flow reserve (FFR) guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is
      associated with favourable outcome compared with revascularization based on
      angiographic stenosis severity alone. The feasibility of the new image-based
      quantitative flow ratio (QFR) assessed from 3D quantitative coronary angiography
      (QCA) and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count using three
      different flow models has been reported recently. The aim of the current study
      was to assess the accuracy, and in particular, the reproducibility of these three
      QFR techniques when compared with invasive FFR. QFR was derived (1) from
      adenosine induced hyperaemic coronary angiography images (adenosine-flow QFR
      [aQFR]), (2) from non-hyperemic images (contrast-flow QFR [cQFR]) and (3) using a
      fixed empiric hyperaemic flow [fixed-flow QFR (fQFR)]. The three QFR values were
      calculated in 17 patients who prospectively underwent invasive FFR measurement in
      20 vessels. Two independent observers performed the QFR analyses. Mean
      difference, standard deviation and 95% limits of agreement (LOA) between invasive
      FFR and aQFR, cQFR and fQFR for observer 1 were: 0.01 +/- 0.04 (95% LOA: -0.07;
      0.10), 0.01 +/- 0.05 (95% LOA: -0.08; 0.10), 0.01 +/- 0.04 (95% LOA: -0.06; 0.08)
      and for observer 2: 0.00 +/- 0.03 (95% LOA: -0.06; 0.07), -0.01 +/- 0.03 (95%
      LOA: -0.07; 0.05), 0.00 +/- 0.03 (95% LOA: -0.06; 0.05). Values between the 2
      observers were (to assess reproducibility) for aQFR: 0.01 +/- 0.04 (95% LOA: 
      0.07; 0.09), for cQFR: 0.02 +/- 0.04 (95% LOA: -0.06; 0.09) and for fQFR: 0.01 +/
      0.05 (95% LOA: -0.07; 0.10). In a small number of patients we showed good
      accuracy of three QFR techniques (aQFR, cQFR and fQFR) to predict invasive FFR.
      Furthermore, good inter-observer agreement of the QFR values was observed between
      two independent observers.

PMID- 28642996
TI  - Central conduction abnormalities in patients receiving levodopa-carbidopa
      intestinal gel infusion.
AB  - In recent years, several studies have reported a relatively high frequency of
      polyneuropathy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), in particular, in
      patients receiving levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) infusion. In spite of
      the several patients investigated with nerve conduction studies, no study has
      prospectively explored a possible central nervous system involvement of patients
      receiving LCIG infusion. We prospectively evaluated eight PD patients receiving
      LCIG infusion, who underwent neurophysiological evaluations with nerve conduction
      studies, visual, somatosensory and motor evoked potentials before LCIG infusion,
      and 1 and 6 months after. At 6 months follow-up, we found significant reduction
      in sural nerve SNAP amplitude, increase of central sensory conduction time N22
      P40, and increases of central motor conduction time recorded from I dorsal
      interosseous and tibialis anterior. In PD patients with LCIG infusion, we found a
      subclinical neurophysiological impairment of both peripheral and central nervous
      system.

PMID- 28642998
TI  - Plastic bronchitis: a rare complication of long-term haemodialysis catheter
      placement in a child.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite peritoneal dialysis being the preferred mode of renal
      replacement therapy in neonates and infants, long-term haemodialysis may be
      necessary in a minority of patients with its attendant risks. CASE
      DIAGNOSIS/TREATMENT: This case identifies plastic bronchitis as a rare yet
      serious complication of long-term large bore vascular access when a vessel
      sparing approach is not possible. CONCLUSIONS: An appropriately sized catheter
      should be used for the dialytic therapy required and to optimize access survival.

PMID- 28642999
TI  - Continually improving standards of care: The UK Renal Registry as a translational
      public health tool.
AB  - A disease registry uses observational study methods to collect defined data on
      patients with a particular condition for a predetermined purpose. By providing
      comprehensive standardised data on patients with kidney disease, renal registries
      aim to provide a 'real world' representation of practice patterns, treatment and
      patient outcomes that may not be captured accurately by other methods, including
      randomised controlled trials. Additionally, using registries to measure
      variations in outcomes and audit care against standards is crucial to
      understanding how to improve quality of care for patients in an efficacious and
      cost-effective manner. Registries also have the potential to be a powerful
      scientific tool that can monitor and support the translational process between
      research and routine clinical practice, although their limitations must be borne
      in mind. In this review, we describe the role of the UK Renal Registry as a tool
      to support translational research. We describe its involvement across each stage
      of the translational pathway: from hypothesis generation, study design and data
      collection, to reporting of long-term outcomes and quality improvement
      initiatives. Furthermore we explore how this role may bring about improvements in
      care for adults and children with kidney disease.

PMID- 28643000
TI  - Interaction of the interleukin 8 protein with a sodium dodecyl sulfate micelle: A
      computer simulation study.
AB  - Molecular simulations were carried out to study the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
      surfactant with the interleukin 8 (IL8) protein as a model to investigate the
      influence of amphiphilic molecules on proteins. Simulations for an SDS micelle
      with an IL8 protein show that both aggregates, which were initially separated,
      eventually approach each other to form a single complex. The results showed that
      the protein was attached to the SDS micelle by the charged positive amino acids
      whereas less contacts were observed for the negatively charged amino acids.
      Structural protein properties, such as amino acid contacts and pair correlation
      functions were conducted between the micelle and the protein groups and they
      showed greater interactions between the surfactant headgroups and the positively
      charged residues in the protein. Moreover, hydrogen bonds were also calculated
      between both structures and a greater number of bonds among the SDS headgroups
      and the charged positive amino acids in the protein was found. Graphical Abstract
      Attachment of the interleukin 8 protein with a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
      micelle is given by the charged positive amino acids as indicated by the
      interaction of those amino acids with the SDS headgroups.

PMID- 28642997
TI  - PD-1 and cancer: molecular mechanisms and polymorphisms.
AB  - The programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) is expressed by activated T cells that
      act as an immunoregulatory molecule, and are responsible for the negative
      regulation of T cell activation and peripheral tolerance. The PD-1 gene also
      encodes an inhibitory cell surface receptor involved in the regulation of T cell
      functions during immune responses/tolerance. Beyond potent inhibitory effects on
      T cells, PD-1 also has a role in regulating B cell and monocyte responses. An
      overexpression of PD-1 has been reported to contribute to immune system avoidance
      in different cancers. In particular, PD-1 over-expression influences tumor
      specific T cell immunity in a cancer microenvironment. Blocking the PD-1/PD-1
      ligand (PD-L1) pathway could potentially augment endogenous antitumor responses.
      Along these lines, the use of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors has been applied in clinical
      trials against diverse forms of cancer. It was believed that antibodies targeting
      PD-1/PD-L1 might synergize with other treatments that enhance endogenous
      antitumor immunity by blocking inhibitory receptor-ligand interactions. However,
      in all cases, the host genetic status (as well as that of the tumor) is likely to
      have an impact on the expected outcomes. Various investigations have evaluated
      the association between PD-1 polymorphisms and the risk of various types of
      cancer. Frequently studied PD-1 polymorphisms, PD-1.1 (rs36084323), PD-1.3
      (rs11568821), PD-1.5 (rs2227981), PD-1.9 (rs2227982), and PD-1 rs7421861, and
      their associations in the risk of susceptibility to different types of cancer are
      mentioned in this review, as are studies highlighting the significance of
      conducting genetic association studies in different ethnic populations.

PMID- 28643001
TI  - Prediction of self-assemblies of sodium dodecyl sulfate and fragrance additives
      using coarse-grained force fields.
AB  - Coarse-grained force field (CGFF) methods were applied to study the self-assembly
      of sodium dodecyl sulfate with fragrance additives. The CGFF parameters were
      parameterized and validated using experimental and all-atom simulation data.
      Direct molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to characterize the
      initial aggregation, partitioning of fragrances, and chemical potentials of the
      surfactant and fragrance molecules in aggregates of different sizes. The
      equilibrium critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) and micelle size
      distributions, which could not be obtained by direct simulation, were predicted
      using the calculated chemical potentials in combination with a thermodynamic
      model. The predicted partitioning of fragrances, CMCs, micelle sizes, and micelle
      structures agree well with previously reported experimental data. Graphical
      abstract Enhancement of micelle size distribution using thermodynamic model.

PMID- 28643002
TI  - Genotoxicity testing of different surface-functionalized SiO2, ZrO2 and silver
      nanomaterials in 3D human bronchial models.
AB  - Inhalation is considered a critical uptake route for NMs, demanding for sound
      toxicity testing using relevant test systems. This study investigates
      cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in EpiAirwayTM 3D human bronchial models using 16
      well-characterized NMs, including surface-functionalized 15 nm SiO2 (4 variants),
      10 nm ZrO2 (4), and nanosilver (3), ZnO NM-110, TiO2 NM-105, BaSO4 NM-220, and
      two AlOOH NMs. Cytotoxicity was assessed by LDH and ATP assays and genotoxicity
      by the alkaline comet assay. For 9 NMs, uptake was investigated using inductively
      coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Most NMs were neither cytotoxic nor
      genotoxic in vitro. ZnO displayed a dose-dependent genotoxicity between 10 and 25
      ug/cm2. Ag.50.citrate was genotoxic at 50 ug/cm2. A marginal but still
      significant genotoxic response was observed for SiO2.unmodified, SiO2.phosphate
      and ZrO2.TODS at 50 ug/cm2. For all NMs for which uptake in the 3D models could
      be assessed, the amount taken up was below 5% of the applied mass doses and was
      furthermore dose dependent. For in vivo comparison, published in vivo
      genotoxicity data were used and in addition, at the beginning of this study, two
      NMs were randomly selected for short-term (5-day) rat inhalation studies with
      subsequent comet and micronucleus assays in lung and bone marrow cells,
      respectively, i.e., ZrO2.acrylate and SiO2.amino. Both substances were not
      genotoxic neither in vivo nor in vitro. EpiAirwayTM 3D models appear useful for
      NM in vitro testing. Using 16 different NMs, this study confirms that
      genotoxicity is mainly determined by chemical composition of the core material.

PMID- 28643003
TI  - Recent developments in solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based molecular
      biology.
AB  - Visualizing post-translational modifications, conformations, and interaction
      surfaces of protein structures at atomic resolution underpins the development of
      novel therapeutics to combat disease. As computational resources expand, in
      silico calculations coupled with experimentally derived structures and functional
      assays have led to an explosion in structure-based drug design (SBDD) with
      several compounds in clinical trials. It is increasingly clear that "hidden"
      transition-state structures along activation trajectories can be harnessed to
      develop novel classes of allosteric inhibitors. The goal of this mini-review is
      to empower the clinical researcher with a general knowledge of the strengths and
      weaknesses of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in molecular
      medicine. Although NMR can determine protein structures at atomic resolution, its
      unrivaled strength lies in sensing subtle changes in a nuclei's chemical
      environment as a result of intrinsic conformational dynamics, solution
      conditions, and binding interactions. These can be recorded at atomic resolution,
      without explicit structure determination, and then incorporated with static
      structures or molecular dynamics simulations to produce a complete biological
      picture.

PMID- 28643004
TI  - Effectiveness and safety of apixaban therapy in daily-care patients with atrial
      fibrillation: results from the Dresden NOAC Registry.
AB  - The effectiveness and safety of apixaban for stroke prevention in atrial
      fibrillation (SPAF) demonstrated in ARISTOTLE needs to be confirmed in daily
      care. To evaluate effectiveness and safety of apixaban therapy in SPAF patients
      in daily care, we used data from an ongoing, prospective, non-interventional
      registry of more than 3000 patients on novel oral anticoagulants in daily care.
      Between 1 December 2012 and 31 August 2015, 514 patients receiving apixaban were
      enrolled. During a mean follow-up of 803.5 +/- 228.9 days, the combined endpoint
      of stroke/transient ischaemic attack/systemic embolism occurred at a rate of
      2.4/100 patient-years in the intention-to-treat analysis (95% confidence interval
      [CI] 1.5-3.5) and at 1.8/100 patient-years (95% CI 1.0-2.8) in the on-treatment
      analysis (events within 3 days after last intake). On-treatment rates were
      numerically lower for patients selected for 5 mg apixaban (n = 404) twice daily
      [BID] compared with the 110 patients selected for 2.5 mg BID [1.6 (95% CI 0.8 to
      2.7) vs. 2.6/100 patient-years (95% CI 0.8-6.1)]. On treatment, major bleeding
      occurred at a rate of 2.8/100 patient-years and significantly more often in
      patients receiving the 2.5 mg BID dose compared with the 5 mg BID dose (5.3 vs.
      2.2/100 patient-years). Apixaban treatment discontinuation occurred in a total of
      122 patients during follow-up (12.5/100 patient-years in Kaplan-Meier analysis).
      Our data contribute to the confirmation of effectiveness and relative safety of
      apixaban in daily-care patients. Furthermore, apixaban discontinuation rates were
      considerably lower than those reported for vitamin K antagonists.

PMID- 28643005
TI  - Surgical outcomes of 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy with short-term postoperative
      tamponade of perfluorocarbon liquid for repair of giant retinal tears.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the use of 27-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with
      short-term tamponade of perfluorocarbon liquid (PFCL) for repair of giant retinal
      tears (GRT). METHODS: Retrospective case series study. Consecutive patients with
      GRT were treated with 27-gauge PPV and short-term tamponade of PFCL for 7-10
      days. PFCL was completely removed with a secondary surgery. RESULTS: Twenty-three
      eyes of 23 patients were included. All the patients achieved primary anatomic
      success. Preoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA
      was 1.59 +/- 0.58 (Snellen 20/778). Five (21.7%), nine (39.1%), eleven (47.8%)
      and fifteen (65.2%) eyes experienced vision improvement at the Month-1, Month-3,
      Month-6 and final follow-ups, respectively. The final logMAR BCVA was 0.84 +/-
      0.51 (Snellen 20/138), being statistically better than the preoperative one (P <
      0.001). Surgical complications included foreign body response (n = 7), transient
      elevated intraocular pressure (n = 5), cataract formation/deterioration (n = 11)
      and posterior capsule opacity (n = 16). CONCLUSIONS: 27-Gauge PPV with short-term
      tamponade of PFCL is safe and effective for the repair of GRT. Side effects of
      the surgery mainly included foreign body response, transient elevated intraocular
      pressure, cataract formation/deterioration and posterior capsule opacity.

PMID- 28643006
TI  - Complications of Fat Transfer for Breast Augmentation.
AB  - Autologous fat grafting is quite common for breast augmentations as well as for
      reconstructive breast surgery. Coleman has described the surgical technique of
      fat grafting. Fat is harvested, and after centrifugation and refinement, blunt
      infiltration cannulas are used to place the fat through small incisions. The
      grafted tissue is placed in small aliquots with each withdrawal of the cannula.
      In order to achieve an aesthetically pleasing contour of the breast, the fat
      should be layered into different levels from the chest wall to the skin. However,
      autogenous lipotransfer if not performed lege artis might lead to complications
      such as fat necrosis, calcification, formation of encapsulated fatty masses
      (cystic lesions), lymphadenopathy, disfigurement of breast contouring,
      hypersensitive breasts, itchy nipples. A 36-year old female patient, presented
      with multiple palpable cystic lesions, disrupted breast contouring, asymmetry,
      hypersensation and pain during examination, 6 months after autologous fat
      grafting for breast augmentation elsewhere. The patient had ultrasound and MRI
      screening, which revealed the multiple bilateral cysts formation in the breast
      tissue. Surgical removal of the large lesions was performed, and specimens were
      sent for pathology and cytology consideration and screening. A few months after
      surgical removal of these lesions and after symptoms subsided, breast
      augmentation was performed with silicone implants. An aesthetically pleasing
      result together with relief of the patient's initial symptomatology was achieved.
      Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence
      to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings,
      please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors
      www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28643008
TI  - Correction of Rhytides, Peau d'Orange, and Thin Dermis of the Face by
      Neocollagenesis Using Novel Collagen Stimulating Slurry Protocol.
AB  - : We reviewed 200 patient records from 2009 to 2015 of individuals who presented
      at the authors offices for facial wrinkle reduction and who on physical
      examination had rhytides, peau d'orange, or thin dermis and underwent novel
      adipose slurry injections. The patients were evaluated at week 2, 1, 3 and 6
      months revealing an 80, 60 and 40% improvement in rhytides and dermis density,
      respectively. We present the protocol and description of a reasonable alternative
      or adjunct to manufactured fillers that is comprised of autologous adipose, stem
      cells, and growth factor slurry. The slurry is easily produced and injected at
      the bedside in the office setting, and has remarkable and reproducible positive
      outcomes in skin tone, color, texture, and rhytides as judged by both patient and
      physician. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a
      level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based
      Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online
      Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28643007
TI  - The Role of Lipofilling After Breast Reconstruction: Evaluation of Outcomes and
      Patient Satisfaction with BREAST-Q.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to measure patient satisfaction using the
      BREAST-Q reconstruction module in patients selected for lipofilling procedures
      after implant breast reconstructions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy patients who
      underwent breast reconstruction with or without delayed lipofilling were enrolled
      between 2011 and 2015, and they completed BREAST-Q surveys. We administered the
      questionnaire electronically 6 months and 1 year after surgery. We divided
      patients into two groups. In group A, we included patients (46) who underwent
      secondary lipofilling almost 1 year after implant-based breast reconstruction; in
      group B (24), patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction without
      any lipofilling procedure. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive
      and summary statistics to identify a central tendency between the two groups.
      RESULTS: All patients answered the postoperative BREAST-Q reconstruction module.
      The mean age of the patients was 41 years. Eleven of the 70 patients underwent a
      bilateral mastectomy. The mean follow-up was 2.5 years. The average amount of fat
      graft injected was 110 cc. In group A, there were two patients who had a
      complication: 1 infection and 1 intraoperative implant rupture. The average
      number of lipofilling procedures was 2.2. After further analysis of the
      questionnaire, we observed that patients in group A obtained significantly better
      postoperative results than patients from group B (control) regarding the
      following items: the ability to wear more fitted clothing; the reconstructed
      breast softness; symmetry (breasts of equal size relative to the other);
      reconstructed breast look and touch; amount of implant rippling perceived by the
      patients; and psychosocial well-being and physical well-being: chest and upper
      body. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are encouraging regarding the use of autologous
      fat grafting to improve cosmetic outcomes and to reduce postoperative pain after
      breast reconstruction. This is the first study that applied BREAST-Q to breast
      lipofilling to demonstrate better outcomes achieved by patients who underwent
      secondary lipostructures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that
      authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of
      these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or
      the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28643009
TI  - Patient Satisfaction and Its Influencing Factors of Microtia Reconstruction Using
      Autologous Cartilage.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate patient perceptions of and
      satisfaction with surgical outcomes of microtia reconstruction using autologous
      cartilage. It also analyzes associations between patient background
      characteristics and their evaluation. METHODS: Lobule-type microtia patients who
      had received first-stage surgery were interviewed using a questionnaire, which
      included assessment of nine auricle substructures, superior and inferior parts
      and overall impression. Answers were recorded on a five-point Likert-style scale.
      Satisfaction rate and average scores were used to compare satisfaction with
      different substructures. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to
      analyze the impact of background characteristics such as gender, age, side and
      body mass index (BMI) on satisfaction, measured as the total scores for different
      parts. RESULTS: The highest level of satisfaction was seen for the helix and the
      lowest for the tragus. The average score for the helix was significantly higher
      than for the concha (p < 0.05), tragus (p < 0.05), anti-tragus (p < 0.05),
      incisura (p < 0.05) and lobe (p < 0.05). The overall satisfaction was
      significantly correlated with work on the inferior part (rho = 0.63, p < 0.05).
      Satisfaction from children under 12 years old was significantly higher than from
      children above 12 years old for superior structures and overall evaluation (p <
      0.05). Left-sided microtia patients showed significantly higher satisfaction for
      inferior structures and overall evaluation than right-sided patients (p < 0.05).
      Overweight and obese patients were less satisfied with the tragus-incisura-anti
      tragus complex compared with the rest (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Microtia patients
      were most satisfied with the helix and least satisfied with the tragus. Overall
      patient satisfaction was more dependent on inferior structures; the
      characteristics of younger age (<12 years), proper BMI (under overweight or
      obese) and left-sided microtia were linked with higher ratings. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
      IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each
      article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please
      refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors
      www.springer.com/00266 .

PMID- 28643010
TI  - Discussion: Nonsurgical Facial Rejuvenation-Outcomes and Safety of Neuromodulator
      and Soft-Tissue Filler Procedures Performed in a Resident Cosmetic Clinic.

PMID- 28643012
TI  - Clinical Outcomes in pT4 Tongue Carcinoma are Worse Than in pT3 Disease: How
      Extrinsic Muscle Invasion Should be Considered?

PMID- 28643013
TI  - Preoperative Measurement of the Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicts
      Patient Survival in Non-Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Prior to Nephrectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) by measurement of serum C
      reactive protein and albumin levels has been shown to provide prognostic value in
      various cancer types. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether
      preoperative assessment of the mGPS predicts patient survival outcome in renal
      cell carcinoma (RCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinicopathological and follow-up
      data in 219 RCC patients, all of whom underwent curative or non-curative
      nephrectomy, were collected. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival
      (CSS) after nephrectomy were evaluated, and univariate and multivariate analyses
      were conducted to assess the predictive value of the variables, including the
      mGPS. RESULTS: During the median follow-up of 57 months, 53 patients (24.2%) were
      deceased within 22 months of the median OS. The 5-year OS rate from nephrectomy
      was 85.9 and 18.8% in non-metastatic (n = 195) and metastatic (n = 24) patients,
      respectively. Increasing mGPS was associated with shorter OS in non-metastatic
      patients (2-year OS rate of 98.2% in mGPS0, 73.3% in mGPS1, and 44.4% in mGPS2;
      hazard ratio [HR] 9.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.88-20.13, p < 0.001),
      whereas no significant difference in OS according to the mGPS was seen in
      metastatic patients (HR 2.01, 95% CI 0.79-5.16, p = 0.137). On multivariate
      analysis, the mGPS remained as an independent predictor for OS (HR 5.24, 95% CI
      1.39-19.77, p = 0.015) and CSS (HR 4.69, 95% CI 1.13-20.96, p = 0.034) in non
      metastatic RCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: The mGPS appeared to be a reliable,
      preoperatively defined predictive marker with widely standardized protocol in non
      metastatic RCC, and should therefore be considered in treatment decision making
      for RCC patients.

PMID- 28643011
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors for cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction after
      pelvic reconstructive surgery: a national, multi-institutional, surgical database
      study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: There is limited data available regarding the risk
      for perioperative cardiac morbidity following pelvic reconstructive surgery
      (PRS). We sought to determine the incidence of cardiac arrest and myocardial
      infarction within 30 days of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery and determine
      which factors may contribute to an increased risk of these complications.
      METHODS: Using the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement
      Program (NSQIP) database, we identified patients who underwent PRS procedures
      between 2010 to 2015 using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Patient
      demographics and clinical and surgical factors were obtained. Patients who
      experienced myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest (MICA) were compared with
      patients without these complications. Differences between groups were calculated
      using the chi-square and Student's t test. Stepwise backward multivariate
      logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with acute cardiac
      morbidity. RESULTS: A total of 46, 367 women were identified. The incidence of
      MICA was 0.11% and of death was 0.01% for the entire cohorot. Age >70 years
      [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.56-5.73],
      length of stay >1 day (aOR = 3.34, 95% CI 1.70-6.40), dependent functional status
      (aOR = 5.99 95% CI 1.95-16.32), hypertension (aOR = 2.86, 95% CI 1.36-6.04),
      American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class 3 (aOR = 2.01, 95% CI 1.10
      3.64), and inpatient status (aOR = 4.35, 95% CI 1.78-10.49). CONCLUSION: The rate
      of MICA is low following PRS. Additional studies are necessary to determine
      whether more extensive preoperative cardiac evaluation is warranted in this
      patient population.

PMID- 28643014
TI  - Neuron navigator-2 and cyclin D2 are new candidate prognostic markers in uterine
      sarcoma.
AB  - The objective of this study was to validate the diagnostic and clinical role of
      four protein products of genes previously found to be differentially expressed in
      uterine low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LG-ESS) compared to uterine
      leiomyosarcoma (LMS). Protein expression by immunohistochemistry of transgelin
      (TGLN), neuron navigator-2 (NAV2), fatty acid binding protein-3 (FABP3), and
      cyclin D2 (CCND2) was analyzed in 305 uterine sarcomas (231 LMS, 74 LG-ESS).
      Expression was analyzed for association with clinicopathologic parameters and
      survival. TGLN (p < 0.001), NAV2 (p < 0.001), and FABP3 (p = 0.005) were
      overexpressed in LMS compared to LG-ESS, whereas nuclear CCND2 (p < 0.001) was
      overexpressed in LG-ESS. NAV2 expression was associated with shorter overall
      survival in patients with LMS (p = 0.037), whereas nuclear CCND2 expression in LG
      ESS was significantly related to longer survival (p = 0.012) in univariate
      analysis. Nuclear CCND2 expression was an independent prognosticator in Cox
      multivariate analysis (p = 0.023). In conclusion, TGLN, FABP3, NAV2, and nuclear
      CCND2 aid in differentiating LG-ESS from LMS. NAV2 and CCND2 are novel candidate
      prognostic markers in LMS and LG-ESS, respectively.

PMID- 28643015
TI  - The role of screening MRI in the era of next generation sequencing and moderate
      risk genetic mutations.
AB  - With the advent of next-generation sequencing, the ability to rapidly analyze
      numerous genes simultaneously has led to the creation of large cancer gene
      panels. Some of these genes, like BRCA1 and BRCA2, have been heavily researched
      and have well-established management guidelines. Other more newly established
      genes, like ATM, CHEK2, and PALB2, have previously had less robust research
      surrounding them which has limited the ability to create accurate risk estimates.
      With their inclusion on gene panels, there has been more pressure to produce
      management guidelines for patients discovered to carry pathogenic variants in
      these genes. For known high-risk genes, it is recommended for breast magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) and mammogram to be offered annually. This combination
      has been proven to be more effective at detecting breast cancer than mammography
      alone, with a combined sensitivity of 94% (Leach et al. in Lancet 365(9473):1769
      1778, 2005). Women with a lifetime risk of breast cancer of 20% and higher have
      been recommended to have both breast MRI and mammography performed (Saslow et al.
      in CA Cancer J Clin 57(2):75-89, 2007). For women with pathogenic variants
      detected in moderate risk genes with lifetime breast cancer risks of at least
      20%, breast MRI should be offered as part of their management. For more newly
      discovered genes with suspected associated risks at or above 20%, the use of
      breast MRI should be considered for their management as well.

PMID- 28643016
TI  - Screening for Lynch syndrome in young Saudi colorectal cancer patients using
      microsatellite instability testing and next generation sequencing.
AB  - Individuals with Lynch syndrome (LS) have germline variants in DNA mismatch
      repair (MMR) genes that confer a greatly increased risk of colorectal cancer
      (CRC), often at a young age. Identification of these individuals has been shown
      to increase their survival through improved surveillance. We previously
      identified 33 high risk cases for LS in the Saudi population by screening for
      microsatellite instability (MSI) in the tumor DNA of 284 young CRC patients. The
      aim of the present study was to identify MMR gene variants in this cohort of
      patients. Peripheral blood DNA was obtained from 13 individuals who were at high
      risk of LS due to positive MSI status and young age (<60 years at diagnosis).
      Next generation sequencing, Sanger sequencing and Multiplex Ligation-dependent
      Probe Amplification were used to screen for germline variants in the MLH1, MSH2,
      MSH6 and PMS2 MMR genes. These were cross-referenced against several variant
      databases, including the International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary
      Tumors Incorporated database. Variants with pathogenic or likely pathogenic
      significance were identified in 8 of the 13 high risk cases (62%), comprising 4
      in MLH1 and 4 in MSH2. All carriers had a positive family history for CRC or
      endometrial cancer. Next generation sequencing is an effective strategy for
      identifying young CRC patients who are at high risk of LS because of positive MSI
      status. We estimate that 7% of CRC patients aged <60 years in Saudi Arabia are
      due to LS, potentially involving around 50 new cases per year.

PMID- 28643017
TI  - Safety and efficacy of daratumumab in Japanese patients with relapsed or
      refractory multiple myeloma: a multicenter, phase 1, dose-escalation study.
AB  - Safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of daratumumab as a monotherapy were
      investigated in Japanese patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM).
      This multicenter, dose-escalation study included patients (age >=20 years) with
      >=2 prior therapies. Daratumumab was administered intravenously: 8 mg/kg (n = 4)
      and 16 mg/kg (n = 5). The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints
      included objective response, overall response rate (ORR), progression-free
      survival (PFS), PK, and immunogenicity. Daratumumab was well-tolerated. Eight
      patients experienced Grade >=3 adverse event (AE). Four serious AEs were observed
      in three patients; no AEs leading to death. Infusion-related reactions occurred
      in four (44%) patients and were Grade 1 or 2. Mean (SD) cumulative dose of
      daratumumab was 132.3 (108.5) mg/kg. Median duration of follow-up was 10.5 months
      (range 2.3, 16.4) for 8 mg/kg cohort and 9.9 months (range 1.7, 13.2) for 16
      mg/kg cohort. The ORR (44%) comprised 1 and 3 partial responses in 8 and 16 mg/kg
      cohorts, respectively. The median PFS was 6 months for 8 mg/kg cohort, 9.5 months
      for 16 mg/kg cohort. Daratumumab serum exposure was increased with increasing
      dose. Antibodies against daratumumab were not observed. Daratumumab was safe and
      well-tolerated in Japanese patients with relapsed /refractory MM.

PMID- 28643019
TI  - Antibody-based therapies for the treatment of brain metastases from HER2-positive
      breast cancer: time to rethink the importance of the BBB?

PMID- 28643018
TI  - Heterogeneity of GATA2-related myeloid neoplasms.
AB  - The GATA2 gene codes for a master hematopoietic transcription factor that is
      essential for the proliferation and maintenance of hematopoietic stem and
      progenitor cells. Heterozygous germline mutations in GATA2 have been initially
      associated with several clinical entities that are now collectively defined as
      GATA2 deficiency. Despite pleiotropic clinical manifestations, the high
      propensity for the development of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) constitutes the
      most common clinical denominator of this major MDS predisposition syndrome. The
      immunological phenotypes can be variable and mostly include deficiency of
      monocytes and/or B cells. Thus far, nearly 380 GATA2-deficient patients had been
      reported, with a roughly estimated prevalence of myeloid neoplasia of at least
      75%. The most common abnormal karyotypes associated with GATA2-related MDS are
      monosomy 7, der(1;7) and trisomy 8. The overall clinical penetrance seems to be
      nearly complete for this transcriptopathy disorder. The high-risk MDS subtypes
      and karyotypes, and the underlying immunodeficiency guide decision-making toward
      timely stem cell transplantation.

PMID- 28643020
TI  - Association between lifestyle, menstrual/reproductive history, and histological
      factors and risk of breast cancer in women biopsied for benign breast disease.
AB  - PURPOSE: Women with benign breast disease (BBD) have an increased risk of
      subsequent breast cancer. However, whether conventional breast cancer risk
      factors influence risk of breast cancer among women with BBD is unclear. In this
      study, we investigated the associations of lifestyle, menstrual/reproductive, and
      histological factors with risk of breast cancer among women biopsied for BBD.
      METHODS: We conducted a case-control study, nested within a cohort of 15,395
      women biopsied for BBD at Kaiser Permanente Northwest between 1971 and 2006.
      Cases were women who developed a subsequent invasive breast cancer during follow
      up; controls were individually matched to cases on age at BBD diagnosis. A total
      of 526 case-control pairs were included in the study. We calculated crude and
      multivariable OR and 95% CI for the associations between lifestyle,
      menstrual/reproductive, and histological factors and breast cancer risk using
      conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Compared to premenopausal women,
      postmenopausal women had reduced risk of subsequent breast cancer (OR 0.60; 95%
      CI 0.39-0.94), whereas women who ever used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had
      increased risk (OR 3.61; 95% CI 1.68-7.75), as did women whose BBD lesion showed
      atypical hyperplasia (OR 5.56; 95% CI 2.05-15.06). Smoking, BMI, early menarche,
      multiparity (>=4), history of oophorectomy, and extent of lobular involution were
      not associated with risk of breast cancer. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that
      use of HRT and having atypical hyperplasia are associated with increased risk of
      breast cancer among women with BBD, while postmenopausal women with BBD have a
      reduced risk.

PMID- 28643021
TI  - The effect of 14-3-3zeta expression on tamoxifen resistance and breast cancer
      recurrence: a Danish population-based study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Overexpression of 14-3-3zeta has been linked to breast cancer recurrence
      in several studies, including studies assessing its effect on tamoxifen
      resistance. The study was performed to estimate the effect of 14-3-3zeta and
      differentiate potential prognostic or predictive utility. METHODS: A case-control
      study, nested in a population of 11,251 females residing on the Jutland Peninsula
      of Denmark, was performed. Participants were aged 35-69, diagnosed with stage I,
      II, or III breast cancer between 1985 and 2001, and registered with the Danish
      Breast Cancer Cooperative Group. We identified 541 recurrent breast cancer cases
      with estrogen receptor-positive disease treated with tamoxifen for at least 1
      year (ER+/TAM+) and 300 cases with estrogen receptor-negative disease never
      treated with tamoxifen (ER-/TAM-). We matched cases to controls on ER/TAM status,
      date of surgery, menopausal status, stage, and county. 14-3-3zeta expression was
      assessed using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. We computed the odds
      ratio (OR) associating 14-3-3zeta expression with breast cancer recurrence
      adjusting for confounding using logistic regression. A quantitative bias analysis
      was performed to account for bias due to expression assay methods. RESULTS:
      Associations for cytoplasmic and nuclear 14-3-3zeta staining above the 50th
      percentile were near null in both ER+/TAM+ and ER-/TAM- patients. When examining
      combined 14-3-3zeta staining, the association increased in the ER+/TAM+ group
      (adjusted OR 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05, 1.99). A nearly twofold
      increase in odds of recurrence was observed in above the 75th percentile staining
      of combined 14-3-3zeta, both for ER+/TAM+ patients (adjusted OR 1.93, 95% CI
      1.15, 3.24) and ER-/TAM- patients (adjusted OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.03, 3.62),
      indicating potential prognostic utility. CONCLUSION: Evidence is lacking to
      conclude that 14-3-3zeta is a useful marker of tamoxifen resistance; however, 14
      3-3zeta expression is a potentially useful prognostic marker of breast cancer
      recurrence. Independent utility beyond established prognostic markers needs to be
      determined.

PMID- 28643022
TI  - Androgen receptor expression and breast cancer mortality in a population-based
      prospective cohort.
AB  - PURPOSE: The increase in clinical trials with androgen receptor (AR)-targeting
      drugs emphasizes the need of clarifying the role of AR expression in different
      breast cancer subtypes. AR confers good prognosis in estrogen receptor positive
      (ER+) breast cancer, but its role in ER-negative (ER-) breast cancer is unclear.
      The aim of this study was to elaborate on previous findings of a differential
      prognostic role for AR depending on ER status, using breast cancer mortality
      (BCM) as endpoint, in a population-based cohort from the Malmo Diet and Cancer
      Study. METHODS: Immunohistochemical AR expression was assessed in 910 women with
      invasive breast cancer diagnosed 1991-2010, supplemented with clinicopathological
      information, vital status, and cause of death, with the last follow-up in
      December 2014 (median 10 years). Survival analyses according to AR status and
      AR/ER combinations were performed. RESULTS: AR expression was available for 671
      tumors. AR+ (n = 573, 85%) was associated with favorable established tumor
      markers and lower BCM in univariable analysis, especially during the first 5
      years following diagnosis [HR 0.4; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.2-0.7].
      Multivariable analysis for short-term follow-up indicated higher BCM among
      patients with AR+ER- tumors (HR 3.5; 95% CI 1.4-9.1) than other AR and ER
      combinations. CONCLUSIONS: AR expression added prognostic information to ER
      expression with respect to short-term prognosis. The worst prognosis was seen for
      patients with AR+/ER- tumors in short-term follow-up, supporting the pre
      specified hypothesis. However, larger cohorts are needed for further
      characterization of the role of AR expression in ER- breast cancer.

PMID- 28643024
TI  - Automatic seed picking for brachytherapy postimplant validation with 3D CT
      images.
AB  - PURPOSE: Postimplant validation is an indispensable part in the brachytherapy
      technique. It provides the necessary feedback to ensure the quality of operation.
      The ability to pick implanted seed relates directly to the accuracy of
      validation. To address it, an automatic approach is proposed for picking
      implanted brachytherapy seeds in 3D CT images. METHODS: In order to pick seed
      configuration (location and orientation) efficiently, the approach starts with
      the segmentation of seed from CT images using a thresholding filter which based
      on gray-level histogram. Through the process of filtering and denoising, the
      touching seed and single seed are classified. The true novelty of this approach
      is found in the application of the canny edge detection and improved concave
      points matching algorithm to separate touching seeds. Through the computation of
      image moments, the seed configuration can be determined efficiently. Finally, two
      different experiments are designed to verify the performance of the proposed
      approach: (1) physical phantom with 60 model seeds, and (2) patient data with 16
      cases. RESULTS: Through assessment of validated results by a medical physicist,
      the proposed method exhibited promising results. Experiment on phantom
      demonstrates that the error of seed location and orientation is within ([Formula:
      see text]) mm and ([Formula: see text])[Formula: see text], respectively. In
      addition, the most seed location and orientation error is controlled within 0.8
      mm and 3.5[Formula: see text] in all cases, respectively. The average process
      time of seed picking is 8.7 s per 100 seeds. CONCLUSIONS: In this paper, an
      automatic, efficient and robust approach, performed on CT images, is proposed to
      determine the implanted seed location as well as orientation in a 3D workspace.
      Through the experiments with phantom and patient data, this approach also
      successfully exhibits good performance.

PMID- 28643023
TI  - Variable aromatase inhibitor plasma concentrations do not correlate with
      circulating estrogen concentrations in post-menopausal breast cancer patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aromatase inhibitors (AI) exemestane (EXE), letrozole (LET), and
      anastrozole suppress estrogen biosynthesis, and are effective treatments for
      estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. Prior work suggests that
      anastrozole blood concentrations are associated with the magnitude of estrogen
      suppression. The objective of this study was to determine whether the magnitude
      of estrogen suppression, as determined by plasma estradiol (E2) concentrations,
      in EXE or LET treated patients is associated with plasma AI concentrations.
      METHODS: Five hundred post-menopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer were
      enrolled in the prospective Exemestane and Letrozole Pharmacogenetic (ELPh) Study
      conducted by the COnsortium on BReast cancer phArmacogomics (COBRA) and randomly
      assigned to either drug. Estrogen concentrations were measured at baseline and
      after 3 months of AI treatment and drug concentrations were measured after 1 or 3
      months. EXE or LET concentrations were compared with 3-month E2 concentration or
      the change from baseline to 3 months using several complementary statistical
      procedures. RESULTS: Four-hundred patients with on-treatment E2 and AI
      concentrations were evaluable (EXE n = 200, LET n = 200). Thirty (7.6%) patients
      (EXE n = 13, LET n = 17) had 3-month E2 concentrations above the lower limit of
      quantification (LLOQ) (median: 4.75; range: 1.42-63.8 pg/mL). EXE and LET
      concentrations were not associated with on-treatment E2 concentrations or changes
      in E2 concentrations from baseline (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Steady-state
      plasma AI concentrations do not explain variability in E2 suppression in post
      menopausal women receiving EXE or LET therapy, in contrast with prior evidence in
      anastrozole treated patients.

PMID- 28643025
TI  - Effects of bariatric surgery on pelvic floor disorders in obese women: a meta
      analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Obesity is an established risk factor for pelvic floor disorders (PFD)
      but the effects of bariatric surgery on PFD are uncertain. This meta-analysis was
      conducted to evaluate the effects of bariatric surgery on PFD in obese women.
      METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, CNKI and CBM databases
      up to October 2016 was performed, and studies reporting pre-operative and post
      operative outcomes in obese women undergoing bariatric surgery were included. The
      Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), the Pelvic Floor Incontinence
      Questionnaire (PFIQ-7), the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual
      Questionnaire, Female Sexual Function Index and the International Consultation on
      Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence short form score were used for
      evaluating pelvic floor dysfunction after bariatric surgery. RESULTS: Eleven
      cohort studies were finally included. Pooled results revealed that bariatric
      surgery was associated with a significant improvement in PFD for obese women on
      the whole [PFDI-20: SMD = 0.89, 95% CI (0.44, 1.34), P < 0.001; PFIQ-7: SMD =
      1.23, 95% CI (0.17, 2.29), P = 0.023]. In the subscale analysis, there was
      significant improvement in urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
      However, no significant improvement was found in fecal incontinence and sexual
      function. CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery is associated with significant
      improvement in urinary incontinence, and has a benefit on pelvic organ prolapse
      for obese women. However, there is no significant improvement in fecal
      incontinence and sexual function. Further multi-center, large-scale and longer
      term randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results.

PMID- 28643026
TI  - Predictive model of urinary tract infection after surgical treatment for women
      with endometrial cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to identify risk factors associated with
      postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) following hysterectomy-based
      surgical staging in women with endometrial cancer. METHODS: This is a
      retrospective study utilizing an institutional database (2008-2016) of stage I-IV
      endometrial cancer cases that underwent hysterectomy-based surgery. UTIs
      occurring within a 30-day time period after surgery were examined and correlated
      to patient clinico-pathological demographics. RESULTS: UTIs were observed in 44
      (6.4%, 95% confidence interval 4.6-8.2) out of 687 cases subsequent to the
      diagnosis of endometrial cancer. UTI cases were significantly associated with
      obesity, advanced stage, prolonged operative time, hysterectomy type, pelvic
      lymphadenectomy, non-beta-lactam antibiotics, and intraoperative urinary tract
      injury (all, p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, three independent risk factors
      were identified for UTIs: prolonged operative time [odds ratio (OR) 3.36, 95% CI
      1.65-6.87, p = 0.001], modified-radical/radical hysterectomy (OR 5.35, 95% CI
      1.56-18.4, p = 0.008), and an absence of perioperative beta-lactam antibiotics
      use (OR 3.50, 95% CI 1.46-8.38, p = 0.005). In a predictive model of UTI, the
      presence of multiple risk factors was associated with significantly increased
      risk of UTI: 4.1% for the group with no risk factors, 7.3-12.5% (OR 1.85-3.37)
      for single risk factor group, and 30.0-30.8% (OR 10.1-10.5) for two risk factor
      group. CONCLUSION: Urinary tract infections are common in women following
      surgical treatment for women with endometrial cancer with risk factors being a
      prolonged surgical time, radical hysterectomy, and non-guideline perioperative
      anti-microbial agent use. Consideration of prophylactic anti-microbial agent use
      in a high-risk group of postoperative urinary tract infection merits further
      investigation.

PMID- 28643027
TI  - Melanoma arising in an ovarian cystic teratoma: a systematic review of
      presentation, treatment, and outcomes.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the clinical presentation, treatment modalities, and outcome
      of primary melanomas arising in ovarian cystic teratomas (OCT). METHODS: A
      systematic review on PubMed/MEDLINE was performed on June 5, 2017, to gather data
      on patients with primary melanomas arising in OCTs. No systematic reviews were
      identified. Consequently, only case reports and case series of individuals were
      analyzed. A total of 37 articles met our inclusion criteria, totaling 41 unique
      patients. RESULTS: The average age of diagnosis was 51.5 years. In total, 24% of
      patients were found to have metastatic disease. In total, 56.7% of patients
      eventually died of their disease, with an average time from diagnosis to death of
      9.3 months. Disease recurrence was common, occurring in 65% of patients. The
      mainstay of treatment was surgical in 100% of the cases. Adjuvant chemotherapy,
      immunotherapy, and radiation were also used with varying degrees of efficacy.
      CONCLUSIONS: Malignant melanoma arising in OCT is a rare disease with poor
      prognosis. The current mainstay treatment is surgical. Potential benefits of
      targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy remain to be determined. A
      limitation of this study is that these melanomas have only been published in case
      reports.

PMID- 28643028
TI  - Polycystic ovary syndrome, adipose tissue and metabolic syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder
      that affects women of reproductive age and is characterized by ovulatory
      dysfunction and/or androgen excess or polycystic ovaries. Women with PCOS present
      a number of systemic symptoms in addition to those related to the reproductive
      system. It has been associated with functional derangements in adipose tissue,
      metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of cardiovascular
      disease (CVD). METHODS: A detailed literature search on Pubmed was done for
      articles about PCOS, adipokines, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.
      Original articles, reviews, and meta-analysis were included. RESULTS: PCOS women
      are prone to visceral fat hypertrophy in the presence of androgen excess and the
      presence of these conditions is related to insulin resistance and worsens the PCO
      phenotype. Disturbed secretion of many adipocyte-derived substances (adipokines)
      is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and contributes to insulin
      resistance. Abdominal obesity and insulin resistance stimulate ovarian and
      adrenal androgen production, and may further increase abdominal obesity and
      inflammation, thus creating a vicious cycle. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of
      metabolic disorders mainly related to insulin resistance and CVD risk factors in
      women with PCOS highlight the need for early lifestyle changes for reducing
      metabolic risks in these patients.

PMID- 28643029
TI  - Impact of preventable risk factors on stroke in the EPICOR study: does gender
      matter?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The effect of modifiable stroke risk factors in terms of prevented
      cases remains unclear due to sex-specific disease rate and risk factors
      prevalence. Our aim was to estimate their impact on stroke by gender through
      population-attributable fraction (PAF), preventive fraction (PF) and their
      combination in EPIC-Italian cohort. METHODS: 43,976 participants, age 34-75, and
      free of cardiovascular disease at baseline (1993-1998) were followed up for
      almost 11 years. Adjusted hazard ratios and PAF were estimated using Cox models.
      RESULTS: We identified 386 cases. In males, the burden for stroke was 17% (95% CI
      4-28%) for smoking and 14% (95% CI 5-22%) for alcohol consumption. In females,
      hypertension was carrying the biggest burden with 18% (95% CI 9-26%) followed by
      smoking 15% (95% CI 7-22%). Their combination was 46% (95% CI 32-58%) in males
      and 48% (95% CI 35-59%) in females. PF for current smokers was gender unequal
      [males 21% (95% CI 15-27%) females 9% (95% CI 1-17%)]. CONCLUSIONS: Half of
      strokes are attributable to potentially modifiable factors. The proportion of
      prevented cases is gender unbalanced, encouraging sex-specific intervention.

PMID- 28643030
TI  - Hospital electronic prescribing system implementation impact on discharge
      information communication and prescribing errors: a before and after study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The study aimed to test the hypothesis that hospital electronic
      prescribing and medicine administration system (HEPMA) implementation impacted
      patient discharge letter quality, nature and frequency of prescribing errors.
      METHOD: A quasi experimental before and after retrospective case note review was
      conducted in one United Kingdom district general hospital. The total sample size
      was 318 (random samples of 159 before and after implementation), calculated to
      achieve a 10% error reduction with a power of 80% and p < 0.05. Adult patients
      discharged after >=24-h inpatient stay were assessed for discharge information
      documentation quality using a modified validated discharge document template.
      Prescribing errors were classified as medicine omissions, commissions, incorrect
      dose/frequency/duration, drug interactions, therapeutic duplications or
      missing/inaccurate allergy information. Post-implementation assessments were
      undertaken 4 months following HEPMA implementation. Error severity was determined
      by a multidisciplinary panel consensus using the Medications at Transitions and
      Clinical Handoffs (MATCH) study validated scoring system. RESULTS: There were no
      statistically significant differences in patient demographics between the pre-
      and post-implementation groups. Discharge information documentation quality
      improved; allergy documentation increased from 11 to 159/159 (p < 0.0001). The
      number of patients with prescribing errors reduced significantly from 158 to
      37/159 (p < 0.001). Prescribing error category incidence identified in pre
      implementation patients was reduced (e.g. omission incidence from 66 to 18/159 (p
      < 0.001)), although a new error type (sociotechnical [errors caused by the
      system]) was identified post-implementation (n = 8 patients). Post-implementation
      prescribing errors severity rating identified 8/37 as likely to cause potential
      patient harm. CONCLUSION: HEPMA implementation was associated with improved
      discharge documentation quality, statistically significant prescribing error
      reduction and prescribing error type alteration. There remains a need to be alert
      for potential prescribing errors.

PMID- 28643031
TI  - Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) prediction rules in
      identifying high risk children with mild traumatic brain injury.
AB  - PURPOSE: Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) traumatic
      brain injury (TBI) prognostic rules is a scoring system for prediction of the
      need for computed tomography (CT) scanning in children with mild TBI. However,
      its validation has not been assessed in developing countries. Therefore, the
      present study was designed to assess the value of PECARN rule in identification
      of children with clinically important TBI (ciTBI). METHOD: In this prospective
      cross-sectional study, 594 children (mean age: 7.9 +/- 5.3 years; 79.3% boys)
      with mild TBI brought to emergency ward of two healthcare centers in Tehran, Iran
      were assessed. PECARN checklist was filled for all patients and children were
      divided to three groups of low, intermediate and high risks. Patients were
      followed for 2 weeks by phone to assess their ciTBI status. At the end,
      discrimination power, calibration and overall performance of PECARN rule were
      assessed. RESULTS: PECARN had a sensitivity and specificity of 92.3 and 40.6%,
      respectively, in predicting ciTBI in children under 2 years and 100.0 and 57.8%,
      respectively, in individuals between the ages of 2 and 18. PECARN rule had a
      proper calibration in prediction of ciTBI and CT scan findings. Brier score
      (overall performance) of PECARN rule in predicting ciTBI in children under 2 and
      2-18 years were 1.5 and 1.2, respectively. CONCLUSION: PECARN prediction rule has
      a proper validity in the prediction of ciTBI. Therefor it can be used for
      screening and identification of high risk children with mild TBI.

PMID- 28643032
TI  - Fall from heights: does height really matter?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fall from heights is high energy injuries and constitutes a
      fraction of all fall-related trauma evaluations while bearing an increase in
      morbidity and mortality. We hypothesize that despite advancements in trauma care,
      the overall survivability has not improved in this subset of trauma patients.
      METHODS: All adult trauma patients treated after sustaining a fall from heights
      during a 40-month period were retrospectively reviewed. Admission demographics,
      clinical data, fall height (ft), injury patterns, ISS, GCS, length of stay, and
      mortality were reviewed. RESULTS: 116 patients sustained a fall from heights,
      90.4% accidental. A mean age of 37+/- 14.7 years, 86% male, and a fall height of
      19 +/- 10 ft were encountered. Admission GCS was 13 +/- 2 with ISS 10 +/- 11.
      Overall LOS was 6.6 +/- 14.9 days and an ICU LOS of 2.8 +/- 8.9 days. Falls >= 25
      ft.(16%) had lower GCS 10.4 +/- 5.8, increased ISS 22.6 +/- 13.8, a fall height
      37.9 +/- 13.1 ft and associated increased mortality (p < 0.001). Mortality was
      5.2%, a mean distance fallen of 39 +/- 22 ft. and an ISS of 31.5 +/-16.5. Brain
      injury was the leading cause of death, 50% with open skull fractures. CONCLUSION:
      Level of height fallen is a good predictor of overall outcome and survival.
      Despite advances in trauma care, death rates remain unchanged. Safety awareness
      and injury prevention programs are needed to reduce the risk of high-level falls.

PMID- 28643033
TI  - The Role of Sensory Perception, Emotionality and Lifeworld in Auditory Word
      Processing: Evidence from Congenital Blindness and Synesthesia.
AB  - Although it has been established that human beings process concrete and abstract
      words differently, it is still a matter of debate what factors contribute to this
      difference. Since concrete concepts are closely tied to sensory perception,
      perceptual experience seems to play an important role in their processing. The
      present study investigated the processing of nouns during an auditory lexical
      decision task. Participants came from three populations differing in their visual
      perceptual experience: congenitally blind persons, word-color synesthetes, and
      sighted non-synesthetes. Specifically, three features with potential relevance to
      concreteness were manipulated: sensory perception, emotionality, and Husserlian
      lifeworld, a concept related to the inner versus the outer world of the self. In
      addition to a classical concreteness effect, our results revealed a significant
      effect of lifeworld: words that are closely linked to the internal states of
      humans were processed faster than words referring to the outside world. When
      lifeworld was introduced as predictor, there was no effect of emotionality.
      Concerning participants' perceptual experience, an interaction between
      participant group and item characteristics was found: the effects of both
      concreteness and lifeworld were more pronounced for blind compared to sighted
      participants. We will discuss the results in the context of embodied semantics,
      and we will propose an approach to concreteness based on the individual's bodily
      experience and the relatedness of a given concept to the self.

PMID- 28643034
TI  - Assessing internet-based information used to aid patient decision-making about
      surgery for perianal Crohn's fistula.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Decision-making in perianal Crohn's fistula (pCD) is preference
      sensitive. Patients use the internet to access healthcare information. The aim of
      this study was to assess the online information and patient decision aids
      relating to surgery for pCD. METHODS: A search of GoogleTM and the Decision Aids
      Library Inventory (DALI) was performed using a predefined search strategy.
      Patient-focussed sources providing information about pCD surgery were included in
      the analysis. Written health information was assessed using the International
      Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) and DISCERN criteria. The readability of
      the source content was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid score. RESULTS: Of the
      201 sources found, 187 were excluded, leaving 14 sources for analysis. Three
      sources were dedicated to pCD, and six sources mentioned pCD-specific outcomes.
      The most common surgical intervention reported was seton insertion (n = 13). The
      least common surgical intervention reported was proctectomy (n = 1). The mean
      IPDAS and DISCERN scores were 4.43 +/- 1.65 out of 12 (range = 2-8) and 2.93 +/-
      0.73 out of 5 (range = 1-5), respectively. The mean reading ease was US college
      standard. CONCLUSIONS: We found no patient decision aids relating to surgery for
      pCD. The online sources relating to surgery for pCD are few, and their quality is
      poor, as seen in the low IPDAS and DISCERN scores. Less than half of the sources
      mentioned pCD-specific outcomes, and three sources were solely dedicated to
      providing information on pCD. Healthcare professionals should look to create a
      patient tool to assist decision-making in pCD.

PMID- 28643035
TI  - Clinical and Imaging Presentation of a Patient with Beta-Propeller Protein
      Associated Neurodegeneration, a Rare and Sporadic form of Neurodegeneration with
      Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA).
AB  - Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is a heterogeneous group of
      inherited neurologic disorders with iron accumulation in the basal ganglia, which
      share magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics, histopathologic and
      clinical features. According to the affected basal nuclei, clinical features
      include extrapyramidal movement disorders and varying degrees of intellectual
      disability status. The most common NBIA subtype is caused by pathogenic variants
      in PANK2. The hallmark of MR imaging in patients with PANK2 mutations is an eye
      of-the-tiger sign in the globus pallidus. We report a 33-year-old female with a
      rare subtype of NBIA, called beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration
      (BPAN) with a hitherto unknown missense variant in WDR45. She presented with
      BPAN's particular biphasic course of neurological symptoms and with a dominant
      iron accumulation in the midbrain that enclosed a spotty T2-hyperintensity.

PMID- 28643036
TI  - Nasoethmoid-nasoorbital encephalocele presenting with orbital pulsation.

PMID- 28643037
TI  - Pediatric spondylolysis/spinal stenosis and disc herniation: national trends in
      decompression and discectomy surgery evaluated through the Kids' Inpatient
      Database.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe national trends in spinal
      decompression without fusion and discectomy procedures in the US pediatric
      inpatient population. METHODS: The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) was queried for
      pediatric patients with primary diagnoses of spinal spondylolysis/stenosis or
      disc herniation and having undergone spinal decompression without fusion or
      discectomy over more than a decade (2000 to 2012). The primary (indirect)
      outcomes of interest were in-hospital complication rates, length of stay (LOS),
      total costs, and discharge dispositions. RESULTS: A total of 7315 patients,
      comprised of pediatric spinal spondylolysis/stenosis (n = 287, 3.92%) and
      pediatric disc herniation (n = 7028, 96.1%) patients, were included in the study.
      During the years 2000 to 2012, diagnoses of pediatric spondylolysis/spinal
      stenosis increased from 61 to 90 diagnoses per 3-year period, while diagnoses of
      pediatric disc herniation decreased from 2133 to 1335 diagnoses per 3-year
      period. Spinal decompression was associated with higher in-hospital complication
      rates (18.1 vs 5.3%, p < 0.0001), longer hospital stays (5 vs 1.69 days, p <
      0.0001), higher mean total charges ($49,186 vs $19,057, p < 0.0001), and higher
      non-routine discharge rates (12.3 vs 2.5%, p < 0.0001) versus discectomy.
      CONCLUSIONS: Spinal decompression is associated with longer hospital stays, more
      complications, higher costs, and more non-routine discharges when compared to
      discectomy. The data supports the disparate nature of these disease processes and
      elucidates basic clinical trends in uncommon spinal disorders affecting children.

PMID- 28643038
TI  - Prevalence of cerebral cavernous malformations associated with developmental
      venous anomalies increases with age.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that the prevalence of cerebral
      cavernous malformation (CCM) associated with developmental venous anomalies
      (DVAs) increases with age, we studied the age-related prevalence of DVA
      associated CCM among patients with DVAs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with
      DVAs on contrast-enhanced MRI exams performed over a 2-year period were included
      in this study. A single neuroradiologist reviewed all imaging exams for the
      presence of CCMs. Baseline demographic data collected included age, gender,
      presence of CNS neoplasm, history of cranial radiation, and history of seizure.
      Patients were divided into age groups based on decade of life. Cochran-Armitage
      trend tests were performed to determine if increasing age was associated with CCM
      prevalence. RESULTS: A total of 1689 patients with DVAs identified on contrast
      enhanced MRI were included. Of these patients, 116 (6.9%) had a cavernous
      malformation associated with the DVA. There was a significant positive
      association between age and the prevalence of DVA-associated CCM (P = 0.002). The
      prevalence of DVA-associated CCM was 0.8% for the 0-10 age group, 1.6% for the 11
      20 age group, 7.5% for the 21-30 age group, 9.5% for the 31-40 age group, 6.1%
      for the 41-50 age group, 6.3% for the 51-60 age group, 7.4% for the 61-70 age
      group, and 11.6% for the >70 age group (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study
      demonstrated an age-related increase in prevalence of DVA-associated cavernous
      malformations among patients with DVAs. These findings suggest that DVA
      associated cavernous malformations are acquired lesions.

PMID- 28643039
TI  - Primary intraventricular meningiomas in children-experience of two cases with
      review of literature.
AB  - Meningiomas are rare in the pediatric age group, more so in the intraventricular
      location. They arise in the lateral ventricles from the arachnoid cells contained
      within the choroid plexus, in the third ventricle from the velum interpositum and
      in the fourth ventricle from the choroids. These tumors are usually large and
      have an aggressive behaviour. Surgical management of intra-ventricular
      meningiomas is challenging because of their deep location, large size at
      presentation and increased vascularity. The authors report two such cases who
      presented with symptoms of raised intra cranial pressure and on evaluation were
      found to have associated hydrocephalus. Both these patients underwent surgical
      excision of the tumour by frontal transcortical approach and histopathology
      report confirmed transitional meningioma in them. Only twenty seven cases of
      intraventricular meningiomas in children have been reported till date. Their
      definitive treatment is surgery alone and total excision of the tumor is
      curative. Possibility of neurofibromatosis as a differential should also be
      considered in their management.

PMID- 28643041
TI  - Skull fracture with effacement of the superior sagittal sinus following drone
      impact: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, raises safety
      concerns as they become increasingly common for commercial, personal, and
      recreational use. Collisions between drones and people may result in serious
      injuries. CASE REPORT: A 13-year-old male presented with a comminuted depressed
      skull fracture causing effacement of the superior sagittal sinus secondary to a
      racing drone impact. The patient experienced a brief loss of consciousness and
      reported lower extremity numbness and weakness after the accident. Imaging
      studies revealed bone fragments crossing the superior sagittal sinus with a
      short, focal segment of blood flow interruption. Neurosurgical intervention was
      deferred given the patient's improving neurological deficits, and the patient was
      treated conservatively. He was discharged home in stable condition. CONCLUSION:
      Drones may represent a hazard when operated inappropriately due to their capacity
      to fly at high speeds and altitudes. Impacts from drones can carry enough force
      to cause skull fractures and significant head injuries. The rising popularity of
      drones likely translates to an increased incidence of drone-related injuries.
      Thus, clinicians should be aware of this growing trend.

PMID- 28643040
TI  - Management of an unusual, recurrent neurenteric cyst in an infant: case report
      and review of the literature.
AB  - PURPOSE: Neurenteric cysts are rare congenital remnants formed by a failure of
      separation between endoderm and ectoderm in utero. METHODS: We describe a case of
      a 7-month-old male with a large cervical neurenteric cyst presenting with
      intermittent neck stiffness and irritability. RESULTS: This cyst was resected,
      recurred, and required repeat surgery. The patient's postoperative course
      included aseptic meningitis and hydrocephalus requiring ventriculoperitoneal
      shunt and later management of tethered cord, necessitating detethering.
      CONCLUSION: Unique features of this case include the presence of intermittent
      pain symptoms, which may be attributable to cyst filling and emptying.
      Hydrocephalus is an uncommon finding that may be secondary to aseptic meningitis
      from cyst rupture. Tethered cord is also an unusual entity that can accompany
      this diagnosis, warranting additional imaging work-up and monitoring.

PMID- 28643042
TI  - OCT in Alzheimer's disease: thinning of the RNFL and superior hemiretina.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and internal macular
      layer thinning have been demonstrated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) with optical
      coherence tomography (OCT) studies. The purpose of this study is to compare the
      pRNFL thickness and overall retinal thickness (RT) in AD patients with non-AD
      patients, using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and
      determine the sectors most characteristically affected in AD. METHODS: A cross
      sectional study was performed to determine the pRNFL and overall macular RT
      thicknesses in AD and non-AD patients, attending a tertiary hospital center. For
      pRNFL, the global and six peripapillary quadrants were calculated, and for
      overall RT values, the nine Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS)
      areas were used. A multiple regression analysis was applied to assess the effects
      of disease, age, gender, spherical equivalent, visual acuity, intraocular
      pressure, axial length and blood pressure on pRNFL and overall macular RT.
      RESULTS: A total of 202 subjects, including 50 eyes of 50 patients with mild AD
      (mean age 73.10; SD = 5.36 years) and 152 eyes of 152 patients without AD (mean
      age 71.03; SD = 4.62 years). After Bonferroni correction, the pRNFL was
      significantly thinner for the AD group globally and in the temporal superior
      quadrant (10.76 MUm and 20.09 MUm mean decrease, respectively). The RT thickness
      was also decreased in superior sectors S3 and S6 (mean thinning of 9.92 MUm and
      11.65 MUm, respectively). Spearman's correlation coefficient showed a direct
      association between pRNFL in the temporal superior quadrant and RT in superior S6
      and S3 sectors (rS = 0.41; p < 0.001 and rS = 0.28; p < 0.001, respectively).
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AD showed a significant thickness reduction in global
      and temporal superior quadrants in pRNFL and in superior pericentral and
      peripheral sectors of RT. These findings may reflect a peripapillary and retinal
      changes characteristic of AD, suggesting the importance of SD-OCT as a potential
      adjuvant in early diagnosis of AD. Further studies are needed to understand which
      retinal layers and macular sectors are more useful as potential ocular biomarker
      over time in AD.

PMID- 28643043
TI  - 18F-Florbetaben PET beta-amyloid binding expressed in Centiloids.
AB  - PURPOSE: The Centiloid (CL) method enables quantitative values from Abeta-amyloid
      (Abeta) imaging to be expressed in a universal unit providing pathological,
      diagnostic and prognostic thresholds in clinical practice and research and
      allowing integration of multiple tracers and methods. The method was developed
      for 11C-PiB scans with zero CL set as the average in young normal subjects and
      100 CL the average in subjects with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). The method
      allows derivation of equations to convert the uptake value of any tracer into the
      same standard CL units but first requires head-to-head comparison with 11C-PiB
      results. We derived the equation to express 18F-florbetaben (FBB) binding in CL
      units. METHODS: Paired PiB and FBB PET scans were obtained in 35 subjects.
      including ten young normal subjects aged under 45 years (33 +/- 8 years). FBB
      images were acquired from 90 to 110 min after injection. Spatially normalized
      images were analysed using the standard CL method (SPM8 coregistration of PET
      data to MRI data and the MNI-152 atlas) and standard CL regions (cortex and whole
      cerebellum downloaded from http://www.gaain.org ). RESULTS: FBB binding was
      strongly correlated with PiB binding (R 2 = 0.96, SUVRFBB = 0.61 * SUVRPiB +
      0.39). The equation to derive CL values from FBB SUVR was CL units = 153.4 *
      SUVRFBB - 154.9. The CL value in the young normal subjects was -1.08 +/- 6.81 for
      FBB scans compared to -0.32 +/- 3.48 for PiB scans, giving a variance ratio of
      1.96 (SDFBB CL/SDPiB CL). CONCLUSIONS: 18F-FBB binding is strongly correlated
      with PiB binding and FBB results can now be expressed in CL units.

PMID- 28643044
TI  - PD-1 signaling and inhibition in AML and MDS.
AB  - Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are clinically
      and molecularly heterogeneous clonal myeloid disorders with a poor prognosis
      especially in the relapsed refractory setting and in patients above the age of
      60. While allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a
      potentially curative approach, high relapse, morbidity, and mortality rates
      necessitate the development of alternative therapies. Immune checkpoint
      inhibitors unmask tumoral immune tolerance and have demonstrated efficacy in the
      treatment of chemotherapy-resistant hematologic and solid malignancies. The
      rationale for the investigation of those agents in AML and MDS is supported by an
      observed increased expression of programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) and
      ligand 1 (PD-L1) in the hematopoietic microenvironment of AML and MDS, and its
      association with low TP53 and a poor prognosis. Early clinical experience in
      combination with a hypomethylating agent has shown encouraging responses;
      however, larger clinical trials are needed to determine the role of checkpoint
      inhibition in myeloid malignancies.

PMID- 28643046
TI  - Clinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of combined bipolar radiofrequency
      and optical energies vs. optical energy alone for the treatment of aging hands.
AB  - Different treatment modalities are used for the treatment and esthetic
      improvement of aging hands. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a
      novel technology, which combines bipolar radio frequency (RF) and optical
      energies for the cosmetic treatment of aging hands. The objective of the study
      was to assess the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and patient satisfaction of
      combined bipolar radiofrequency and optical energies vs. optical energy alone for
      the treatment of aging hands. Thirteen female patients with solar lentigines on
      the back of the hands were enrolled. Participants received three treatments:
      combined RF and intense pulsed light (IPL) on one hand and IPL treatment alone on
      the other. Standardized clinical photographs were taken, and patient and
      investigator improvement assessment (Global Esthetic Improvement (GAI) scale),
      patient satisfaction, and tolerability were evaluated. At the 1 and 3 months
      follow-up, skin laxity and pigmentation, investigator and patient improvement
      assessments, and satisfaction were significantly better in the hand treated with
      combined bipolar RF and IPL. This study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of
      combining RF and optical energies for the esthetic improvement of aging hands.
      Combined RF and IPL treatment was more efficient than IPL alone in improving skin
      pigmentation, skin laxity, and texture.

PMID- 28643045
TI  - Validation of a mathematical model for laser-induced thermotherapy in liver
      tissue.
AB  - The purpose of the study was to develop a simulation approach for laser-induced
      thermotherapy (LITT) that is based on mathematical models for radiation
      transport, heat transport, and tissue damage. The LITT ablation was applied to ex
      vivo pig liver tissue. Experiments were repeated with different laser powers,
      i.e., 22-34 W, and flow rates of the cooling water in the applicator system,
      i.e., 47-92 ml/min. During the procedure, the temperature was measured in the
      liver sample at different distances to the applicator as well as in the cooling
      circuit using a fiber optic thermometer. For validation, the simulation results
      were compared with the results of the laser ablation experiments in the ex vivo
      pig liver samples. The simulated and measured temperature curves presented a
      relatively good agreement. The Bland-Altman plot showed an average of temperature
      differences of -0.13 ?C and 95%-limits-of-agreement of +/-7.11 ?C. The standard
      deviation amounted to +/-3.63 ?C. The accuracy of the developed simulation is
      comparable with the accuracy of the MR thermometry reported in other clinical
      studies. The simulation showed a significant potential for the application in
      treatment planning.

PMID- 28643047
TI  - Trace Elements in Pleural Effusion Correlates with Smokers with Lung Cancer.
AB  - Smoking leads to the presence of various elements, including toxic metals and
      metalloids, in tissues and fluids, thus contributing to cancer risk. This study
      assessed the concentrations of 14 elements (Ag, Al, As, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn,
      Mo, Pb, Sn, V, and Zn) and biochemical parameters (glucose, lactate
      dehydrogenase, and total protein) in the pleural effusion (PE) of patients with
      lung cancer. The potential association of these parameters with smoking was
      assessed. Total of 48 patients with lung cancer (26 non-smokers and 22 smokers)
      received thoracocentesis for PE removal. Analysis results revealed that among the
      biochemical parameters, only the glucose concentration was significantly higher
      in current smokers than in non-smokers; the other parameters showed no
      significant difference. The concentration of Zn in the PE was significantly lower
      in all smokers (10 former and 12 current smokers) than in non-smokers, but the
      other elements did not differ significantly between the two groups and smoker
      subgroups. Simultaneously, Zn correlated negatively with glucose concentrations
      in all smokers, positively with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration in
      current smoker, and positively with total protein (TP) concentrations in non
      smokers. This is for the first time the relation between Zn and certain
      biochemical parameters in PE was found, the observation requiring further studies
      to explain the potential interactions between this element and glucose, LDH, and
      TP concentrations.

PMID- 28643048
TI  - Association of gastrointestinal events with quality of life and treatment
      satisfaction in osteoporosis patients: results from the Medication Use Patterns,
      Treatment Satisfaction, and Inadequate Control of Osteoporosis Study (MUSIC OS).
AB  - : The purpose of this study was to assess the association of GI events with HRQoL
      and treatment satisfaction. The effect of baseline GI events persisted through 1
      year of follow-up, as indicated by lower EQ-5D, OPAQ-SV, and treatment
      satisfaction scores among patients with vs without baseline GI events. The
      presence of GI events is an independent predictor of decreased HRQoL and
      treatment satisfaction in patients being treated for osteoporosis. INTRODUCTION:
      The goal of this study was to assess the association of gastrointestinal (GI)
      events with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and treatment satisfaction in
      patients being treated for osteoporosis. METHODS: MUSIC OS was a multinational,
      prospective, observational study examining the impact of GI events on
      osteoporosis management in postmenopausal women. In this analysis, HRQoL and
      treatment satisfaction were assessed at baseline, 6, and 12 months and compared
      between patients with and without GI events. Covariate-adjusted scores were
      calculated using multivariate least-squares regression analysis, and differences
      between the mean scores of patients with and without baseline and post-baseline
      GI events were determined. RESULTS: Among the 2959 patients in the analysis,
      unadjusted scores at each time point were lower (i.e., worse) for patients with
      GI events than patients without GI events. In adjusted analyses, the effect of
      baseline GI events persisted through 1 year of follow-up, as indicated by lower
      EQ-5D and OPAQ-SV scores at 12 months among patients with vs without baseline GI
      events (-0.04 for the EQ-5D utility score, -5.07 for the EQ-5D visual analog
      scale, -3.35 for OPAQ physical function, -4.60 for OPAQ emotional status, and 
      8.50 for OPAQ back pain; P <= 0.001 for all values). Decrements in month 12
      treatment satisfaction scores were -6.46 for patients with baseline GI events and
      -7.88 for patients with post-baseline GI events. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of GI
      events is an independent predictor of decreased HRQoL and treatment satisfaction
      in patients being treated for osteoporosis.

PMID- 28643050
TI  - Application of transoral continuous intraoperative neuromonitoring in natural
      orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery for thyroid disease: a preliminary study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The novel concept of continuous intraoperative neuromonitoring (Cont
      IONM) through stimulation of the vagal nerve has been used in thyroidectomies to
      prevent imminent injury of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). This article
      reports on this technology and the results of using transoral Cont-IONM in
      natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery for thyroid disease. METHODS:
      Cont-IONM of the RLN was achieved through automatic cyclical stimulation of the
      vagal nerve using a C2 monitor and delta stimulating electrode. During the
      operation, three vestibular incisions were made, and the stimulating electrode
      was transorally inserted, with its cable line lying outside the trocar. The vagal
      nerve was gently dissected, looped, and then enveloped by the electrode cuff.
      Electromyography (EMG) of the vocalis muscle was performed, and the alarm was set
      to activate when the EMG amplitude reduced by 50% and latency was prolonged by
      10%. Demographic data and outcome variables, including incremental time required
      to achieve Cont-IONM, were obtained. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients (28 nerves
      at risk) undergoing a transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach were
      enrolled in this study. All Cont-IONM procedures were successfully completed. In
      all patients, the stimulation was set at 0.7 milliamps every 1 s, and Cont-IONM
      use was unassociated with any untoward neural, cardiovascular, or
      gastrointestinal sequelae. On average, the ipsilateral Cont-IONM procedure
      required 10.33 +/- 2.57 min to complete. Except for one instance, no significant
      problems occurred with electrode displacement. In one patient, a combined EMG
      event occurred, which improved after releasing the thyroid retractor, and the
      patient had no vocal cord paralysis postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Cont-IONM is
      feasible and safe to use during transoral endoscopic thyroidectomies and may
      assist in the early detection of adverse EMG changes, thereby preventing
      paralysis of the RLNs.

PMID- 28643049
TI  - Clozapine in Reducing Aggression and Violence in Forensic Populations.
AB  - Popular media often portray people with a mental illness as being aggressive,
      violent, and incarcerated as a result of their behavior. Despite exaggeration in
      the media, risks for some aggressive behaviors are in fact higher in individuals
      with schizophrenia. This is often the case with influence of comorbid substance
      use disorders. It is essential that mental health professionals are aware of
      treatments that may help with attenuating and treating behaviors that contribute
      to violence, aggression and incarceration. This paper reviews violence and
      incarceration in individuals with schizophrenia as well as recommendations,
      guidelines and benefits for the use of clozapine in this population. Clozapine
      remains one of the most underutilized evidence-based medications available in the
      psychiatric arena in the United States. It is a viable and recommended option in
      the forensic population and it may be helpful on the path to recovery as well as
      bring substantial savings to the criminal justice system.

PMID- 28643052
TI  - The spaced learning concept significantly improves training for laparoscopic
      suturing: a pilot randomized controlled study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Spaced learning has been shown to be effective in various areas like
      traditional knowledge or motor skill acquisition. To evaluate the impact of
      implementation of the spaced learning concept in laparoscopic training was the
      aim of this study. METHODS: To evaluate the effectiveness of spaced learning,
      subjects were asked to perform four surgeon's square knots on a bowel model prior
      and post 3 h of hands-on training. All subjects were medical students and novice
      in laparoscopic suturing. Total time, knot stability (evaluated via tensiometer),
      suture accuracy, knot quality (Muresan score), and laparoscopic performance (Munz
      checklist) were assessed. Moreover, motivation was accessed using Questionnaire
      on Current Motivation. RESULTS: Twenty students were included in the study; after
      simple randomization, ten were trained using "spaced learning" concept and ten
      conservatively. Both groups had comparable baseline characteristics and improved
      after training significantly regarding all aspects assessed in this study.
      Subjects that trained via spaced learning were superior in terms of suture
      performance, knot quality, and suture strength. Ultimately, spaced learning
      significantly decreased anxiety and impression of challenge compared to controls.
      CONCLUSION: The spaced learning concept is very suitable for complex motor skill
      acquisition like laparoscopic suturing and knot tying. It significantly improves
      laparoscopic performance and knot quality as shown by the knot score and suture
      strength. Thus, we recommend to incorporate spaced learning into training courses
      and surgical programs.

PMID- 28643051
TI  - Long-term outcomes by a transanal approach to total mesorectal excision for
      rectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The challenge of performing a good total mesorectal excision (TME)
      dissection, particularly in the distal 1/3 of the rectum, has spurred interest in
      new techniques. Robotic surgery is advocated by some, and more recently, a "new"
      approach, the transanal total mesorectal excision, has been popularized to
      address this problem. While great interest in this technique exists, little long
      term outcome data are available. We have been utilizing a transanal abdominal
      transanal approach to TME in order to facilitate the distal dissection, and here,
      we provide our long-term outcomes using this approach in the management of rectal
      cancer. METHODS: From a prospectively maintained rectal cancer database, we
      identified 373 consecutive rectal cancers treated with sphincter preservation
      surgery through a combined transanal and abdominal approach to TME.
      Perioperative, pathological, and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Three
      hundred and seventy-three patients with rectal cancer underwent a transanally
      initiated TME with mean follow-up of 5.5 years. 91% of cancers were in the distal
      rectum. 68.9% were men and 53.2% of cancers were tethered or fixed on
      presentation. 97.7% received neoadjuvant radiotherapy (mean 5405 cGy, 5
      fluorouracil based); average time from completion of neoadjuvant therapy to
      surgery was 11 weeks. 180 and 193 patients underwent completion of their
      operation through open and laparoscopic abdominal approaches. 96% of TME
      specimens were complete/near complete, 94% had a negative circumferential
      resection margin, and 98.6% had a negative distal margin. Perioperative morbidity
      and mortality rates were 13.4 and 0.3%. Overall local recurrence (LR), DM, and
      Kaplan-Meier 5-year actuarial survival were 7.4, 19.5, and 90%, respectively.
      CONCLUSION: This is the first report of long-term data using a transanal approach
      to TME supporting this approach for rectal cancer. Our data with 5-year follow-up
      show that adequate distal and circumferential margins with very good-quality TME
      specimens, and a low risk for LR with excellent overall survival can be achieved
      using this technique. Our long-term results support the promising reports of
      early experiences in the literature.

PMID- 28643053
TI  - Incidence, natural course, and characteristics of postlaparoscopic shoulder pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the incidence, natural course, and specific
      characteristics of postlaparoscopic shoulder pain (PLSP). METHODS: The
      prospective study included 105 patients undergoing laparoscopy for benign
      gynecologic diseases. The intensity of pain, and the identification of the pain
      site, was assessed 24- and 48-h after surgery, using a visual analogue scale. The
      description and intensity of PLSP, its aggravating and relieving factors, and the
      response to analgesics were assessed over a 1-week period using a self-reported
      questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 105 patients, 84 (80%) experienced PLSP. PLSP along
      with wound pain peaked one day after surgery, gradually subsided, and were not
      reported by the seventh day after surgery. Of the 84 patients experiencing PLSP,
      77 (91.7%) had aggravating and relieving factors, which included position change
      (48.8%) and rest (42.9%), respectively. Analgesics provided significantly less
      pain relief for PLSP (32.7 +/- 32.2%), when compared to relief of wound pain
      (68.0 +/- 16.2%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: PLSP, identified in 80% of our
      patients, resolved in most patients within the first week after laparoscopy.
      Since PLSP is less responsive to analgesics, when compared to wound pain,
      surgeons should pay attention to the prevention of PLSP among patients undergoing
      laparoscopy.

PMID- 28643054
TI  - A structured, extended training program to facilitate adoption of new techniques
      for practicing surgeons.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been shown to have
      significant benefits when compared to open inguinal hernia repair, yet remains
      underutilized in the United States. The traditional model of short, hands-on,
      cognitive courses to enhance the adoption of new techniques fails to lead to
      significant levels of practice implementation for most surgeons. We hypothesized
      that a comprehensive program would facilitate the adoption of laparoscopic
      inguinal hernia repair (TEP) for practicing surgeons. METHODS: A team of experts
      in simulation, coaching, and hernia care created a comprehensive training program
      to facilitate the adoption of TEP. Three surgeons who routinely performed open
      inguinal hernia repair with greater than 50 cases annually were recruited to
      participate in the program. Coaches were selected based on their procedural
      expertise and underwent formal training in surgical coaching. Participants were
      required to evaluate all aspects of the educational program and were surveyed out
      to one year following completion of the program to assess for sustained adoption
      of TEP. RESULTS: All three participants successfully completed the first three
      steps of the seven-step program. Two participants completed the full course,
      while the third dropped out of the program due to time constraints and low case
      volume. Participant surgeons rated Orientation (4.7/5), GlovesOn training (5/5),
      and Preceptored Cases (5/5) as highly important training activities that
      contributed to advancing their knowledge and technical performance of the TEP
      procedure. At one year, both participants were performing TEPs for "most of their
      cases" and were confident in their ability to perform the procedure. The total
      cost of the program including all travel, personal coaching, and simulation was
      $8638.60 per participant. DISCUSSION: Our comprehensive educational program led
      to full and sustained adoption of TEP for those who completed the course. Time
      constraints, travel costs, and case volume are major considerations for
      successful completion; however, the program is feasible, acceptable, and
      affordable.

PMID- 28643055
TI  - Open versus laparoscopic rectal cancer resection and risk of subsequent
      incisional hernia repair and paracolostomy hernia repair: a nationwide population
      based cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of incisional hernia repair (IHR) and
      paracolostomy hernia repair (PHR) following open and laparoscopic rectal cancer
      resection with curative intent. BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic rectal cancer resection
      has been implemented to varying degrees around the world. IHR and PHR following
      open and laparoscopic rectal cancer resection have only been sparingly evaluated.
      METHODS: Patients who underwent rectal cancer resection were identified in the
      Danish Colorectal Cancer Group's database. To identify IHR and PHR following
      rectal cancer resection, we linked data to the Danish Ventral Hernia Database.
      The absolute risk of IHR and PHR was estimated as cumulative incidence
      proportions, treating death as competing risk. We used Cox proportional hazard
      regression analysis with multivariable adjustment to compute hazard ratios (HRs)
      comparing open and laparoscopic approach. RESULTS: The 5-year risk of IHR was
      4.1% among patients undergoing open resection (n = 3090) and 3.2% among those
      undergoing laparoscopic resection (n = 3099), corresponding to a risk difference
      of 0.9% (95% CI 0.0-2.0, P = 0.057). Laparoscopic rectal resection was not
      associated with lower risk of IHR (adjusted HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.67-1.31, P =
      0.709). A total of 2577 patients had a colostomy at rectal cancer resection and
      the 5-year risk of PHR was 2.1% after open surgery compared with 6.7% after
      laparoscopic surgery, corresponding to a risk difference of -4.6% (95% CI -6.4 to
      -2.7, P < 0.001). Laparoscopic surgery was associated with increased risk of PHR
      (adjusted HR 2.56, 95% CI 1.53-4.29, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We observed no
      association between surgical approach of rectal cancer resection and subsequent
      IHR. Laparoscopic surgery was associated with increased risk of PHR.

PMID- 28643056
TI  - Deep neuromuscular blockade improves surgical conditions during low-pressure
      pneumoperitoneum laparoscopic donor nephrectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence indicates that low-pressure pneumoperitoneum (PNP) reduces
      postoperative pain and analgesic consumption. A lower insufflation pressure may
      hamper visibility and working space. The aim of the study is to investigate
      whether deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) improves surgical conditions during low
      pressure PNP. METHODS: This study was a blinded randomized controlled multicenter
      trial. 34 kidney donors scheduled for laparoscopic donor nephrectomy randomly
      received low-pressure PNP (6 mmHg) with either deep (PTC 1-5) or moderate NMB
      (TOF 0-1). In case of insufficient surgical conditions, the insufflation pressure
      was increased stepwise. Surgical conditions were rated by the Leiden-Surgical
      Rating Scale (L-SRS) ranging from 1 (extremely poor) to 5 (optimal). RESULTS:
      Mean surgical conditions were significantly better for patients allocated to a
      deep NMB (SRS 4.5 versus 4.0; p < 0.01). The final insufflation pressure was 7.7
      mmHg in patients with deep NMB as compared to 9.1 mmHg with moderate NMB (p =
      0.19). The cumulative opiate consumption during the first 48 h was significantly
      lower in patients receiving deep NMB, while postoperative pain scores were
      similar. In four patients allocated to a moderate NMB, a significant
      intraoperative complication occurred, and in two of these patients a conversion
      to an open procedure was required. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that deep NMB
      facilitates the use of low-pressure PNP during laparoscopic donor nephrectomy by
      improving the quality of the surgical field. The relatively high incidence of
      intraoperative complications indicates that the use of low pressure with moderate
      NMB may compromise safety during LDN. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT
      02602964.

PMID- 28643057
TI  - Single-incision laparoscopic common bile duct exploration in 101 consecutive
      patients: choledochotomy, transcystic, and transfistulous approaches.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery for choledocholithiasis is still evolving. Only
      a few reports of single-incision laparoscopic common bile duct exploration
      (LCBDE) have been published. METHODS: One hundred and one consecutive patients
      underwent single-incision LCBDE (SILCBDE) by one surgeon with straight
      instruments during a 42-month period. RESULTS: Choledochotomies were performed on
      61 patients (60.4%). The success rate of intrahepatic duct exploration was 68.0%
      (17/25) for patients undergoing transcystic choledochoscopic bile duct
      explorations following longitudinal cystic ductotomies. The ductal clearance rate
      was 100%. Eighteen procedures (17.8%) were converted, including one open surgery.
      Nineteen patients (18.8%) experienced 26 episodes of complications; the majority
      (19 episodes) were classified as Clavien-Dindo grade I. Excluding those patients
      with Mirizzi syndrome (McSherry type II), multivariate logistic regressions
      showed that patients who were older or had complicated cholecystitis had higher
      procedure conversion rates and that higher modified APACHE II scores, higher
      white blood cell counts, and longer operative times were independent risk factors
      for complications. Based on operative times, 20 successful SILCBDEs were needed
      to get through the learning phase. A higher transcystic approach rate (46.5 vs.
      8.3%; P < 0.01) and a shorter operative time (207 +/- 62 vs. 259 +/- 66 min; P <
      0.01) were observed in the experienced phase. Compared with our early series of
      multi-incision LCBDE, the SILCBDE group had a higher bile duct stone clearance
      rate (100 vs. 94.4%; P < 0.05) and a higher proportion of patients with
      concomitant acute cholecystitis (59.6 vs. 22.2%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LCBDE
      with a 100% ductal clearance rate is possible following an algorithm for various
      approaches. SILCBDE is feasible under a low threshold for procedure conversion. A
      transcystic approach should be tried first if indicated, and a longitudinal
      cystic ductotomy to the cystocholedochal junction is beneficial. Prospective,
      randomized trials comparing single-incision and multi-incision LCBDE are
      anticipated.

PMID- 28643058
TI  - Prospective, randomized comparison of the use of FloShield Air System(r) versus
      the reference technique (water + povidone-iodine solution) during gynecologic
      endoscopic surgery to evaluate the operative lens vision quality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The FloShield Air System(r) is a new device for laparoscopic surgery
      that utilizes a continuous dry CO2 gas flow over the scope to defog the lens and
      protect it from condensation, debris and smoke. We set out to compare the
      performance and efficiency of the device in terms of operative lens vision
      quality (OLVQ) with the reference technique (water + povidone-iodine (PVI)
      solution) during gynecologic laparoscopic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      conducted a single-center randomized prospective study between March and June
      2016 (Trials Database Registration NCT02702531) including 53 patients undergoing
      gynecologic laparoscopic surgery with water + PVI solution and 51 patients who
      underwent surgical procedures with the FloShield Air System. The primary outcome
      measure was the number of laparoscope removals during surgery. Secondary outcome
      measures were the time to clean, assessment of the quality of vision, the
      correlation between the laparoscopic surgical complexity and outcomes, and cost
      effectiveness. RESULTS: Overall, the mean patient age was 43.2 years (range 22
      86) and body mass index 24.8 (range 16.8-42.7). The mean number of endoscope
      removals during surgery was 7.0 (range 0-37) in the water + PVI solution arm and
      2.8 (range 0-12) in the FloShield Air System(r) arm. The number of removals was
      significantly lower in the FloShield arm (p < 0.001). No difference in time to
      clean, quality of vision, level of laparoscopic procedure complexity, or cost was
      observed between the groups. CONSLUSIONS: The FloShield Air System(r) resulted in
      fewer laparoscopic lens removals than the water + PVI solution solution, but that
      there was no difference in quality of vision, cleaning time or cost, especially
      for the more complex surgery.

PMID- 28643059
TI  - The learning effect of using stereoscopic vision in the early phase of
      laparoscopic surgical training for novices.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently to improve depth perception, the performance of three
      dimensional (3D) laparoscopic surgeries has increased. However, the effects of
      laparoscopic training using 3D are still unclear. This study aimed to clarify the
      effects of using a 3D monitor among novices in the early phase of training.
      METHODS: Participants were 40 novices who had never performed laparoscopic
      surgery (20 medical students and 20 junior residents). Three laparoscopic phantom
      tasks (task 1: touching markers on a flat disk with a rod; task 2: straight rod
      transfer through a single loop; and task 3: curved rod transfer through two
      loops) in the training box were performed ten times, respectively. Performances
      were recorded by an optical position tracker. The participants were randomly
      divided into two groups: one group performed each task five times initially under
      a 2D system (2D start group), and the other group performed each task five times
      under a 3D system (3D start group). Both groups then performed the same task five
      times. After the trial, we evaluated the performance scores (operative time, path
      length of forceps, and technical errors) and the learning curves for both groups.
      RESULTS: Scores for all tasks performed under the 3D system were significantly
      better than scores for tasks using the 2D system. Scores for each task in the 2D
      start group improved after switching to the 3D system. However, scores for each
      task in the 3D start group were worse after switching to the 2D system,
      especially scores related to technical errors. CONCLUSIONS: The stereoscopic
      vision improved laparoscopic surgical techniques of novices from the early phase
      of training. However, the performance of novices trained only by 3D worsened by
      changing to the 2D environment.

PMID- 28643060
TI  - SAGES Technology and Value Assessment Committee safety and effectiveness analysis
      on immunofluorescence in the operating room for biliary visualization and
      perfusion assessment.

PMID- 28643061
TI  - Reoperation for recurrent hepatolithiasis: laparotomy versus laparoscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy has been proposed for the management of recurrent
      hepatolithiasis, but no comparative study of its relative efficacy versus
      laparotomy has been performed, and the patient selection criteria for laparoscopy
      are not clear. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of
      laparoscopy versus laparotomy for repeated hepatolithiasis and to highlight how
      to select patients best suited for laparoscopy. METHODS: We performed a cohort
      study of 94 patients who underwent laparotomy or laparoscopy for recurrent
      hepatolithiasis between January 2010 and May 2014. The clinical data of 53
      patients who underwent open biliary exploration (laparotomy group) and 41
      patients who underwent laparoscopic biliary exploration (laparoscopy group) for
      recurrent hepatolithiasis were retrospectively analyzed and compared. RESULTS:
      Intestinal adhesions to the porta hepatis occurred in 62 (66%) patients. There
      was no difference in operating time between the two groups. In comparing the
      laparoscopic group versus the laparotomy group, the intraoperative blood loss was
      less (P = .001), the incidence of postoperative ascites (9.8 vs. 30.2%, P = .016)
      and/or pleural effusion (7.3 vs. 28.3%, P = .010) was lower, and the stone
      clearance rates were comparable. Wound morbidity appeared peculiarly in 15
      (28.3%) patients among the laparotomy group. The postoperative hospital stay in
      the laparoscopy group was shorter than that in the laparotomy group (P = .000).
      CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is a safe and effective treatment for recurrent
      hepatolithiasis patients who are scheduled for bile duct exploration.

PMID- 28643062
TI  - Loss of Medicaid insurance after successful bariatric surgery: an unintended
      outcome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery leads to dramatic weight loss and improved overall
      health, which may affect insurance status for certain patients. Traditional
      Medicaid provides coverage for children, pregnant women, and disabled adults,
      while expanded Medicaid provides insurance coverage to all adults with incomes up
      to 138% of the federal poverty level. We hypothesized that successful bariatric
      surgery would lead to improved health status but an unintended loss of Medicaid
      coverage. METHODS: All patients who underwent bariatric surgery at a single
      institution in a non-expansion state from 1985 through 2015 were identified using
      a prospectively collected database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were
      used to identify differences in patients who lost Medicaid coverage after
      bariatric surgery. RESULTS: Over the 30-year study period, 3487 patients
      underwent bariatric surgery, with 373 (10.7%) having Medicaid coverage at the
      time of surgery. This cohort of patients had a median age of 37 years and a
      preoperative Body Mass Index (BMI) of 54 kg/m2. At one-year follow-up, 155
      (41.6%) patients lost Medicaid coverage, of which 76 (49.0%) had no coverage. The
      preoperative prevalence of diabetes (32.3 vs. 44.0%, p = 0.02), age (36 vs. 38
      years, p = 0.01), and BMI (53 vs. 55 kg/m2, p = 0.04) were significantly lower in
      patients who no longer qualified for Medicaid after bariatric surgery.
      Multivariate regression demonstrated that for every 10 point increase in BMI (OR
      0.755, p = 0.01), a patient was 25% less likely to lose their coverage at one
      year. CONCLUSIONS: Successful surgery in a state not expanding Medicaid resulted
      in over 40% of patients losing Medicaid coverage postoperatively, with half of
      those patients returning for follow-up with no insurance coverage at all. This
      barrier to care has major implications in patients undergoing bariatric surgery,
      which requires life-long follow-up and nutrition screening.

PMID- 28643063
TI  - Intraoperative identification and analysis of lymph nodes at laparoscopic
      colorectal cancer surgery using fluorescence imaging combined with rapid OSNA
      pathological assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Standard surgical practice for colorectal cancer involves resection
      of the primary lesion and all draining lymph nodes. Accurate intraoperative
      assessment of nodal status could allow stratified resectional extent. One-step
      nucleic acid (OSNA) can provide a rapid method of interrogating nodal tissue,
      whilst near-infrared (NIR) laparoscopy together with indocyanine green (ICG) can
      identify relevant nodal tissue intraoperatively. METHODS: ICG was administered
      around the tumour endoscopically prior to the operation. Fluorescent nodes
      identified by NIR were marked and submitted for whole-node OSNA analysis. Further
      fresh lymph nodes dissected from the standard resection specimen were examined
      and analysed by both conventional histology and OSNA. In addition, the status of
      the fluorescent nodes was compared to that of non-ICG nodes to assess their
      predictive value. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were recruited with a total final
      lymph node count of 287. 78 fresh lymph nodes were identified on fresh dissection
      for both histological and OSNA assessment with an analytical concordance rate of
      98.7% (77/78). OSNA sensitivity was 1 (0.81-1, 95% CI) and specificity 0.98 (0.91
      1, 95% CI). Six patients had a total of nine nodes identified intraoperatively by
      ICG fluorescence. Of these nine nodes, one was positive for metastasis on OSNA.
      OSNA analysis of the ICG-labelled node matched the final histological nodal stage
      in 3/6 patients (two being N0 and one N1). The final pathological nodal stage of
      the other three was N1 or N2, while the ICG nodes were negative. CONCLUSION: OSNA
      is highly concordant with standard histology, although only a minority of nodes
      identifiable by full pathological analysis were found for OSNA on fresh
      dissection. OSNA can be combined with NIR and ICG lymphatic mapping to provide
      intraoperative assessment of nodal tissue in patients with colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28643064
TI  - Study of self-expandable metallic stent placement intraluminal 125I seed strands
      brachytherapy of malignant biliary obstruction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of self-expandable metallic stent
      placement combined with or without intraluminal 125I seed strands brachytherapy
      in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. METHODS: Participants were
      randomly assigned to receive treatment with a self-expandable metallic stent
      (SEMS) placement combined with intraluminal 125I seed strands brachytherapy
      (brachytherapy group) or a SEMS without brachytherapy (control group). The
      outcomes were measured in terms of technical success, clinical success, stent
      patency, complications related to the procedure, and patient survival. A P value
      of less than 0.05 indicated a significant difference. Results There were no
      significant differences in technical and clinical success between brachytherapy
      and control group (100 vs. 100%-100 vs. 93.3%). During the median 273.4 +/- 154.6
      days follow-up time, the median stent patency time in the brachytherapy group was
      longer than those in the control group (368.0 +/- 42.4 vs. 220.0 +/- 34.8 days),
      and the duration of survival in the brachytherapy groups was higher than those in
      the control group (355.0 +/- 71.5 vs. 209.0 +/- 17.2 days). There were no
      significant differences in the complications between the two groups. Conclusions
      SEMS placement combined with intraluminal 125I seed strands brachytherapy are
      feasible and effective for malignant biliary obstruction, and seems to prolong
      the stent patency and survival time.

PMID- 28643065
TI  - Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer is safe and effective.
AB  - PURPOSE: To compare the short-term and oncologic outcomes of patients with
      pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) undergoing laparoscopic distal
      pancreatectomy (LDP) and open distal pancreatectomy (ODP). METHODS: Consecutive
      cases of distal pancreatectomy (DP) (n = 422) were reviewed at a single high
      volume institution over a 10-year period (2005-2014). Inclusion criteria
      consisted of any patient with PDAC by surgical pathology. Ninety-day outcomes
      were monitored through a prospectively maintained pancreatic resection database.
      The Social Security Death Index was used for 5-year survival. Two-way statistical
      analyses were used to compare categories; variance was reported with standard
      error of the mean; * indicates P value <0.05. RESULTS: Seventy-nine patients
      underwent DP for PDAC. Thirty-three underwent LDP and 46 ODP. There were no
      statistical differences in demographics, BMI, and ASA classification.
      Intraoperative and surgical pathology variables were comparable for LDP versus
      ODP: operative time (3.9 +/- 0.2 vs. 4.2 +/- 0.2 h), duct size, gland texture,
      stump closure, tumor size (3.3 +/- 0.3 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.4 cm), lymph node harvest
      (14.5 +/- 1.1 vs. 17.5 +/- 1.2), tumor stage (see table), and negative surgical
      margins (77 vs. 87%). Patients who underwent LDP experienced lower blood loss
      (310 +/- 68 vs. 597 +/- 95 ml; P = 0.016*) and required fewer transfusions (0 vs.
      13; P = 0.0008*). Patients who underwent LDP had fewer positive lymph nodes (0.8
      +/- 0.2 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.3; P = 0.04*) and a lower incidence of type C pancreatic
      fistula (0 vs. 13%; P = 0.03*). Median follow-up for all patients was 11.4
      months. Long-term oncologic outcomes revealed similar outcomes including distant
      or local recurrence (30 vs. 52%; P = 0.05) and median survival (18 vs. 15
      months), as well as 1-year (73 vs. 59%), 3-year (22 vs. 21%), and 5-year (20 vs.
      15%) survival for LDP and ODP, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this
      series suggest that LDP is a safe surgical approach that is comparable from an
      oncologic standpoint to ODP for the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28643067
TI  - SAGES endoluminal treatments for GERD.

PMID- 28643066
TI  - Solving the surgeon ergonomic crisis with surgical exosuit.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The widespread adoption of laparoscopic surgery has put new
      physical demands on the surgeon leading to increased musculoskeletal disorders
      and injuries. Shoulder, back, and neck pains are among the most common complaints
      experienced by laparoscopic surgeons. Here, we evaluate the feasibility and
      efficacy of a non-intrusive progressive arm support exosuit worn by surgeons
      under the sterile gown to reduce pain and fatigue during surgery. METHODS AND
      PROCEDURES: This is a prospective randomized crossover study approved by the
      Internal Review Board (IRB). The study involves three phases of testing. In each
      phase, general surgery residents or attendings were randomized to wearing the
      surgical exosuit at the beginning or at the crossover point. The first phase
      tests for surgeon manual dexterity wearing the device using the Minnesota
      Dexterity test, the Purdue Pegboard test, and the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic
      Surgery (FLS) modules. The second phase tests the effect of the device on
      shoulder pain and fatigue while operating the laparoscopic camera. The third
      phase rates surgeon experience in the operating room between case-matched
      operating days. RESULTS: Twenty subjects were recruited for this study. Surgeons
      had the similar dexterity scores and FLS times whether or not they wore the
      exosuit (p value ranges 0.15-0.84). All exosuit surgeons completed 15 min of
      holding laparoscopic camera compared to three non-exosuit surgeons (p < 0.02).
      Exosuit surgeons experienced significantly less fatigue at all time periods and
      arm pain (3.11 vs 5.88, p = 0.019) at 10 min. Surgeons wearing the exosuit during
      an operation experienced significant decrease in shoulder pain and 85% of
      surgeons reported some form of pain reduction at the end of the operative day.
      CONCLUSION: The progressive arm support exosuit can be a minimally intrusive
      device that laparoscopic surgeons wear to reduce pain and fatigue of surgery
      without significantly interfering with operative skills or manual dexterity.

PMID- 28643068
TI  - Effects of barbed suture during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy on
      postoperative tissue damage and longitudinal changes in lower urinary tract
      outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the postoperative tissue damage and longitudinal changes in
      functional and patient-reported outcomes after vesicourethral anastomosis with
      barbed suture and nonbarbed suture in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical
      prostatectomy (RARP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study
      involving 88 consecutive patients who underwent RARP. These patients were
      categorized into the barbed suture group (n = 50) and the nonbarbed suture group
      (n = 38). Urethral and periurethral damages determined by magnetic resonance
      imaging at nine months after RARP were compared using generalized linear models.
      The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) index,
      uroflowmetry, and the 1-h pad test were measured at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 9,
      and 12 months after RARP. The findings were analyzed using mixed-effects models.
      Confounding was adjusted for using propensity score covariate adjustment.
      RESULTS: The likelihood of having Grade 2/3 urethral and periurethral damages was
      greater in the barbed suture group than in the nonbarbed suture group (adjusted
      risk ratios: 2.98 and 3.85, respectively). IPSS, QOL index, and urinary leakage
      transiently increased at one month after RARP in both groups. QOL index was
      higher in the barbed suture group than in the nonbarbed suture group at 1, 9, and
      12 months (P = 0.023, P = 0.025, and P = 0.011, respectively). The barbed suture
      group had significantly more cases of urinary incontinence than the nonbarbed
      suture group at 3 months (P = 0.041). Other outcomes were comparable between the
      two groups at all time points. CONCLUSIONS: This cohort study showed that, after
      RARP, barbed sutures during VUA induced more severe tissue damage as determined
      by MRI and greater transient aggravation of QOL and continence function than
      nonbarbed sutures. The present findings suggest that using nonbarbed sutures
      during VUA may facilitate earlier acquisition of urinary QOL and urinary
      continence.

PMID- 28643069
TI  - Lessons learned from a phase II clinical trial of laparoscopic HIPEC for gastric
      cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Over the last two decades, intraperitoneal chemotherapy has been
      found to have activity for select subgroups of patients with carcinomatosis from
      colon, ovarian, appendiceal, and recently, gastric origins. However, there is
      little data to support an aggressive surgical approach of cytoreduction
      (debulking) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion with chemotherapy (HIPEC)
      for patients with gastric cancer and positive cytology or carcinomatosis. The
      morbidity and mortality rates of cytoreduction and HIPEC, in combination with
      gastrectomy, are significant and the survival rates of this approach may not
      extend beyond that of treatment with systemic chemotherapy. The objective of this
      clinical trial, therefore, was to perform HIPEC in a neoadjuvant fashion via a
      minimally invasive approach without cytoreduction for patients with gastric
      cancer and positive cytology or low volume carcinomatosis. Patients found to have
      resolution of all extra-gastric disease are then candidates for gastrectomy.
      METHODS: Patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma and positive
      peritoneal cytology or radiologically-occult carcinomatosis that have completed
      treatment with systemic chemotherapy were offered participation in the study.
      RESULTS: We have performed 38 laparoscopic HIPEC procedures in 19 patients.
      Laparoscopic HIPEC consists of Mitomycin C 30 mg and Cisplatin 200 mg in 3-7 L of
      infusate circulated using an extracorporeal circulation device at a flow rate of
      700-1500 mL/minute for 60 min. The Laparoscopic HIPEC procedure may be performed
      up to five times. In this video, we sought to present the surgical technique
      refined during our development and completion of this Phase II clinical trial
      (NCT02092298). CONCLUSION: The purpose of this presentation is to (1) demonstrate
      the technique of laparoscopic HIPEC and (2) review the surgical lessons learned
      from performing multiple HIPEC procedures prior to attempted gastrectomy.

PMID- 28643070
TI  - Laparoscopic revision of Billroth II with Braun anastomosis into Roux-en-Y
      anatomy in a patient with intestinal malrotation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Various reconstructions of the gastro-intestinal tract have been
      described in the past after distal gastrectomy. Among these, a Billroth II (BII)
      anastomosis can be performed with the addition of the Omega entero-enterostomy
      that may theoretically reduce the alkaline reflux. Given the significant
      complications associated with this procedure such as biliary reflux, marginal
      ulceration, and afferent loop syndrome, a revision into a Roux-en-Y anatomy is
      generally recommended. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A 73-year-old healthy male was
      referred to our foregut surgery service for treatment of severe biliary
      gastritis. The patient previously underwent an open distal gastrectomy with a BII
      reconstruction followed by a Braun-type entero-enterostomy 6 months later. His
      main complaint was worsening daily biliary reflux with constant regurgitations,
      which were non-responsive to medical treatment. The preoperative endoscopy
      confirmed the diagnosis of severe biliary gastritis secondary to alkaline reflux.
      The distance between the gastro-jejunostomy and the Braun anastomosis was also
      measured with a pediatric colonoscope and the length of the efferent limb was
      estimated to be 80 cm. RESULTS: Identification of the afferent and efferent limb
      was complicated by the patient's incomplete intestinal malrotation with the angle
      of Treitz being present in the right hypochondrium. Intra-operative gastroscopy
      enabled visualization of the jejuno-jejunostomy and ensured correct
      interpretation of the anatomy. Subsequently, resection of the afferent limb
      completed the revision into a Roux-en-Y anatomy. The patient recovered well after
      the surgery and was discharged home on post-operative day 2. At 6 months follow
      up, the patient's reflux symptoms have completely disappeared. CONCLUSION: BII
      reconstruction with or without Braun entero-enterostomy is a classic historical
      option following distal gastrectomy. Surgical revision of a BII into a Roux-en-Y
      anatomy is a good solution for severe biliary reflux and other long-term
      complications. Intra-operative endoscopy is a great adjunct to laparoscopic
      exploration in case of complex surgical procedures.

PMID- 28643071
TI  - Forgotten biliary stents: ignorance is not bliss.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endoscopic biliary stenting is a common procedure in routine
      gastroenterology practice. Plastic stents are the most common type of stents used
      and are indicated mainly for short-term biliary drainage. Prolonged indwelling
      plastic stents can result in disastrous complications. METHODS: We conducted a
      retrospective analysis of patients who presented with complications of forgotten
      biliary stents in a tertiary care hospital during January 2010 to October 2016.
      All patients were managed either by endoscopic or surgical means. Details of
      these patients were obtained from departmental patient database, endoscopy
      records, and surgical register. RESULTS: A total of 21 cases of retained biliary
      stents were managed in the study period and their outcome was analyzed. The
      median age was 47 years (range 17-70 years) and 17 (80.9%) patients were female.
      Primary indication of biliary stenting was stone disease in 76.2% (n = 16), while
      benign biliary stricture accounted for 19% of cases (n = 4). Mean duration at
      presentation to hospital after ERCP stenting was 3.53 years (range 1-14 years),
      with cholangitis being the most common presentation (66.67%). Definitive
      endoscopic treatment for forgotten stent and its associated complication was
      possible only in five patients (23.8%); in remaining 16 (76.2%) cases, surgical
      exploration was required. Despite life-threatening complications and major
      surgical interventions, no mortality was recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Instances of
      forgotten biliary stents presenting with serious complications are not uncommon
      in Indian setup. Patients either ignore advice for timely stent removal or are
      unaware of the presence of endoprosthesis or need for removal. Adequate patient
      counseling, information, and proper documentation are essential to avoid this
      condition.

PMID- 28643073
TI  - Endoscopic resection of giant fibrovascular esophageal polyps.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Giant fibrovascular esophageal polyps are rare benign intraluminal
      tumors that originate from the submucosa of the cervical esophagus [Owens et al.
      (JAMA 103: 838-842, 1994), Totten et al. (JAMA 25:606-622, 1953)]. Due to their
      indolent course, these tumors tend to reach enormous proportions before patients
      develop symptoms. Accurately diagnosing these tumors is difficult, as endoscopy
      may miss 25% of these lesions because these polyps exhibit normal intact
      esophageal mucosa [Levine et al. (JAMA 166: 781-787, 1996)]. METHODS: Surgical
      resection has been the treatment of choice. We present a video that illustrates
      the feasibility of an endoscopic approach. TECHNIQUE/CASE: A 62-year-old man
      presented to our clinic with a pedunculated esophageal mass. During this time, he
      developed progressive dysphagia to solid foods. A complete workup confirmed the
      presence of a giant polyp and endoscopic resection under general anesthesia was
      planned. Using an endoscopic snare-technique, a 16 cm * 3 cm polyp was amputated
      and retracted out of the oropharynx. Upon repeat endoscopy a second 7 cm * 3 cm
      polyp was discovered originating proximal to the larger polyp. Again, removal of
      this polyp was attempted using a snare-technique. Following amputation of the
      polyp, a broad-based component of the polyp remained. Given its proximal location
      in the esophagus, we were able to use a snare to pull the broad base of the
      remaining polyp into the oropharynx and remove it at its origin. Postoperative
      endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound confirmed that the polyps were completely
      removed and the muscular resection bed was hemostatic. Clinically, the patient's
      symptoms resolved and he encountered no adverse sequela as a result of the
      operation. CONCLUSION: Giant fibrovascular esophageal polyps are rare benign
      intraluminal tumors that can lead to obstructive symptoms. Surgical resection is
      the treatment of choice, and may be possible with an endoscopic approach. An
      endoscopic snare technique can be used to resect these lesions while minimizing
      patient morbidity.

PMID- 28643074
TI  - Erratum to: Minimally invasive resection of adrenal masses in infants and
      children: results of a European multi-center survey.

PMID- 28643075
TI  - A standardized comparison of peri-operative complications after minimally
      invasive esophagectomy: Ivor Lewis versus McKeown.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While our institutional approach to esophageal resection for cancer
      has traditionally favored a minimally invasive (MI) 3-hole, McKeown esophagectomy
      (MIE 3-hole) during the last five years several factors has determined a shift in
      our practice with an increasing number of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis (MIE IL)
      resections being performed. We compared peri-operative outcomes of the two
      procedures, hypothesizing that MIE IL would be less morbid in the peri-operative
      setting compared to MIE 3-hole. METHODS: Our institution's IRB-approved
      esophageal database was queried to identify all patients who underwent totally MI
      esophagectomy (MIE IL vs. MIE 3-hole) from June 2011 to May 2016. Patient
      demographics, preoperative and peri-operative data, as well as post-operative
      complications were compared between the two groups. Post-operative complications
      were analyzed using the Clavien-Dindo classification system. RESULTS: There were
      110 patients who underwent totally MI esophagectomy (MIE IL n = 49 [45%], MIE 3
      hole n = 61 [55%]). The majority of patients were men (n = 91, 83%) with a median
      age of 62.5 (range 31-83). Preoperative risk stratifiers such as ECOG score, ASA,
      and Charlson Comorbidity Index were not significantly different between groups.
      Anastomotic leak rate was 2.0% in the MIE IL group compared to 6.6% in the MIE 3
      hole group (p = 0.379). The rate of serious (Clavien-Dindo 3, 4, or 5) post
      operative complications was significantly less in the MIE IL group (34.7 vs.
      59.0%, p = 0.013). Serious pulmonary complications were not significantly
      different (16.3 vs. 26.2%, p = 0.251) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In
      this cohort, totally MIE IL showed significantly less severe peri-operative
      morbidity than MIE 3-hole, but similar rates of serious pulmonary complications
      and anastomotic leaks. These findings confirm the safety of minimally invasive
      Ivor Lewis esophagectomies for esophageal cancer when oncologically and
      clinically appropriate. Minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy remains a
      satisfactory and appropriate option when clinically indicated.

PMID- 28643072
TI  - SAGES guidelines for the use of laparoscopy during pregnancy.

PMID- 28643076
TI  - Scintigraphic peritoneography reveals a non-uniform 99mTc-Pertechnetat aerosol
      distribution pattern for Pressurized Intra-Peritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy
      (PIPAC) in a swine model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although recent data are contradictory, it is still claimed that
      Pressurized Intra-Peritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC) would deliver an
      aerosol which distributes homogeneously throughout the entire abdominal cavity.
      METHODS: 99mTc-Pertechnetat was administered in four postmortem swine using
      either PIPAC or liquid intra-peritoneal chemotherapy (IPC). The animals were
      examined by planar scintigraphy and SPECT/CT. Planar distribution images were
      divided into four regions of interest (ROIs: right/left upper and lower abdominal
      quadrant). SPECT/CT slices were scanned for areas of intense nuclide accumulation
      ("hot spots"). The percentage of relative distribution for planar scintigraphy
      was calculated by dividing the summed individual counts of each ROI by total
      counts measured in the entire abdominal cavity. The relative distribution of the
      "hot spots" was analyzed by dividing the counts of the local volume of interest
      (VOI) by the summed volume counts measured in the entire abdominal cavity.
      RESULTS: In all four animals, planar scintigraphy showed inhomogeneous nuclide
      distribution. After PIPAC only 8-10% of the delivered nuclide was detected in one
      ROI with a mean deviation of 40% and 74% from a uniform nuclide distribution
      pattern. In all animals, SPECT/CT revealed "hot spots" beneath the PIPAC
      Micropump, catheter tip, and in the cul-de-sac region which comprise about 25% of
      the total amount of delivered nuclide in 2.5% of the volume of the entire
      abdominal cavity. CONCLUSIONS: Our present data indicate that the intra-abdominal
      aerosol distribution pattern of PIPAC therapy is non-homogeneous and that the
      currently applied technology has still not overcome the problem of inhomogeneous
      drug distribution of IPC.

PMID- 28643077
TI  - CORR Insights(r): Free Vascularized Fibular Grafting Improves Vascularity
      Compared With Core Decompression in Femoral Head Osteonecrosis: A Randomized
      Clinical Trial.

PMID- 28643078
TI  - On Patient Safety: Is it Possible to Operate Too Much?

PMID- 28643080
TI  - Elaboration of the Reciprocal-Engagement Model of Genetic Counseling Practice: a
      Qualitative Investigation of Goals and Strategies.
AB  - As the genetic counseling field evolves, a comprehensive model of practice is
      critical. The Reciprocal-Engagement Model (REM) consists of 5 tenets and 17
      goals. Lacking in the REM, however, are well-articulated counselor strategies and
      behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to further elaborate and provide
      supporting evidence for the REM by identifying and mapping genetic counseling
      strategies to the REM goals. A secondary, qualitative analysis was conducted on
      data from two prior studies: 1) focus group results of genetic counseling
      outcomes (Redlinger-Grosse et al., Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2015); and 2)
      genetic counselors' examples of successful and unsuccessful genetic counseling
      sessions (Geiser et al. 2009). Using directed content analysis, 337 unique
      strategies were extracted from focus group data. A Q-sort of the 337 strategies
      yielded 15 broader strategy domains that were then mapped to the successful and
      unsuccessful session examples. Differing prevalence of strategy domains
      identified in successful sessions versus the prevalence of domains identified as
      lacking in unsuccessful sessions provide further support for the REM goals. The
      most prevalent domains for successful sessions were Information Giving and Use
      Psychosocial Skills and Strategies; and for unsuccessful sessions, Information
      Giving and Establish Working Alliance. Identified strategies support the REM's
      reciprocal nature, especially with regard to addressing patients' informational
      and psychosocial needs. Patients' contributions to success (or lack thereof) of
      sessions was also noted, supporting a REM tenet that individual characteristics
      and the counselor-patient relationship are central to processes and outcomes. The
      elaborated REM could be used as a framework for certain graduate curricular
      objectives, and REM components could also inform process and outcomes research
      studies to document and further characterize genetic counselor strategies.

PMID- 28643079
TI  - Similar Clinical Outcomes with Preoperative and Postoperative Start of
      Thromboprophylaxis in THA: A Register-based Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Elective THA is associated with a high risk of thromboembolic events.
      Although these events may be less common now than they were in the past, they can
      be serious, and most patients undergoing the procedure therefore still receive
      thromboprophylaxis. However, controversy remains regarding whether to begin
      thromboprophylaxis before THA or after to best balance the risks of clotting and
      bleeding. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We asked the following questions: (1) Is there a
      difference in bleeding events with pre- versus postoperative thromboprophylaxis?
      (2) Is there a difference in thromboembolic episodes after THA between the two
      regimens? (3) How do the two approaches of thromboprophylaxis influence
      mortality, readmissions, and other complications? METHODS: We used a population
      based followup design with predefined data based on international health
      codification to assess clinical effects of LMWH prophylaxis initiated before or
      after THA. We took data limited to primary THAs done in Norway between January 1,
      2008, and December 31, 2011, from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register and the
      National Patient Register to have necessary data elements to complete the study.
      The two registers were merged after identifying patients with their 11-digit
      personal identification number (Social Security number). We obtained data
      regarding demographics, administrative and surgical details, and episode
      histories for prophylaxis-related events within 180 days of surgery. A total of
      25,163 patients undergoing THA were included for analysis, and 9977(40%) versus
      15,186 (60%) patients received pre- and postoperative LMWH, respectively. We
      performed statistical adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics
      using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex,
      operation time, year of surgery, and American Society of Anesthesiologists class,
      we could not show major differences in bleeding events; (odds ratio [OR], 1.04;
      95% CI, 0.88-1.22; p = 0.660), thromboembolic episodes; (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.84
      1.27; p = 0.786), or other postoperative clinical complications; (OR, 0.86; 95%
      CI, 0.76-0.99; p = 0.034), with the two regimens. Six-month mortality was
      similar, (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.56-1.05; p = 0.093), and the readmission rate was
      higher in the preoperative group; (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.85-0.97; p = 0.016).
      CONCLUSIONS: The risk for postoperative complications seems to be comparable
      whether LMWH prophylaxis is initiated before or after THA. The postoperative
      approach reduces costs, decreases risks related to neuraxial anesthesia, and
      facilitates same-day admissions. Methods for individual risk assessment including
      laboratory tests would be feasible. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic
      study.

PMID- 28643081
TI  - Distraction osteogenesis reconstruction of large segmental bone defects after
      primary tumor resection: pitfalls and benefits.
AB  - Successful cure is achieved in almost 70% of patients with primary bone sarcomas
      with currently available therapies. Some soft tissue sarcomas require wide bone
      resection in order to achieve appropriate margins for cure of disease, and
      patients undergoing these procedures need durable reconstruction. Biological
      reconstruction has been shown to provide patients with superior long-term results
      over other alternatives. Distraction osteogenesis is well studied in the
      correction of deformities as well as in addressing some congenital
      musculoskeletal pathologies. The use of this technique in tumor settings has been
      avoided by many surgeons for a multitude of concerns, including infection risk,
      potential tumor activation, and uncertainty regarding the effect of systemic
      therapy on the callus regenerate. We review the use of this reconstruction
      technique using cases from our institutional experience to illustrate its
      incorporation into the successful management of orthopedic oncology patients.
      Distraction osteogenesis is an effective method for reconstructing even large
      bony defects and is safe in the setting of systemic therapy. This technique has
      the potential to address some of the common problems associated with orthopedic
      oncology resection, such as infection and leg length discrepancy.

PMID- 28643082
TI  - The Influence of Solar Power Plants on Microclimatic Conditions and the Biotic
      Community in Chilean Desert Environments.
AB  - The renewable energy sector is growing at a rapid pace in northern Chile and the
      solar energy potential is one of the best worldwide. Therefore, many types of
      solar power plant facilities are being built to take advantage of this renewable
      energy resource. Solar energy is considered a clean source of energy, but there
      are potential environmental effects of solar technology, such as landscape
      fragmentation, extinction of local biota, microclimate changes, among others. To
      be able to minimize environmental impacts of solar power plants, it is important
      to know what kind of environmental conditions solar power plants create. This
      study provides information about abiotic and biotic conditions in the vicinity of
      photovoltaic solar power plants. Herein, the influence of these power plants as
      drivers of new microclimate conditions and arthropods diversity composition in
      the Atacama Desert was evaluated. Microclimatic conditions between panel mounts
      was found to be more extreme than in the surrounding desert yet beneath the
      panels temperature is lower and relative humidity higher than outside the panel
      area. Arthropod species composition was altered in fixed-mount panel
      installations. In contrast, solar tracking technology showed less influence on
      microclimate and species composition between Sun and Shade in the power plant.
      Shady conditions provided a refuge for arthropod species in both installation
      types. For example, Dipterans were more abundant in the shade whereas Solifugaes
      were seldom present in the shade. The presented findings have relevance for the
      sustainable planning and construction of solar power plants.

PMID- 28643083
TI  - In focus in HCB.

PMID- 28643084
TI  - Influence of knockout of At4g20990 gene encoding alpha-CA4 on photosystem II
      light-harvesting antenna in plants grown under different light intensities and
      day lengths.
AB  - Effect of knockout of the At4g20990 gene encoding alpha-carbonic anhydrase 4
      (alpha-CA4) in Arabidopsis thaliana in plants grown in low light (LL, 80 MUmol
      photons m-2 s-1) or in high light (HL, 400 MUmol photons m-2 s-1) under long (LD,
      16 h) or short (SD, 8 h) day length was studied. In alpha-CA4 knockout plants,
      under all studied conditions, the non-photochemical quenching was lower; the
      decrease was more pronounced under HL. This pointed to alpha-CA4 implication in
      the processes leading to energy dissipation in PSII antenna. In this context the
      content of major antenna proteins Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 was lower in alpha-CA4
      knockouts than in wild-type (WT) plants under all growth conditions. The
      expression level of lhcb2 gene was also lower in mutants grown under LD, LL and
      HL in comparison to WT. At the same time, this level was higher in mutants grown
      under SD, LL and it was the same under SD, HL. Overall, the data showed that the
      knockout of the At4g20990 gene affected both the contents of proteins of PSII
      light-harvesting complex and the expression level of genes encoding these
      proteins, with peculiarities dependent on day length. These data together with
      the fact of a decrease of non-photochemical quenching of leaf chlorophyll a
      fluorescence in alpha-CA4-mut as compared with that in WT plants implied that
      alpha-CA4 participates in acclimation of photosynthetic apparatus to light
      intensity, possibly playing important role in the photoprotection. The role of
      this CA can be especially important in plants growing under high illumination
      conditions.

PMID- 28643085
TI  - Exogenous application of nitric oxide modulates osmolyte metabolism,
      antioxidants, enzymes of ascorbate-glutathione cycle and promotes growth under
      cadmium stress in tomato.
AB  - Experiments were carried out to investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in
      ameliorating the negative effects of cadmium stress in tomato seedlings. Plants
      treated with cadmium (CdCl2, 150 MUM) showed reduced growth, biomass yield,
      pigment content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and gas exchange parameters. Exogenous
      application of NO donor (sodium nitroprusside) with nutrient solution protected
      chlorophyll pigments, restored chlorophyll fluorescence and gas exchange
      parameters, and caused significant enhancements in growth and biomass yield.
      Cadmium triggered the synthesis of proline and glycine betaine; however,
      application of NO caused further enhancement of their accumulation, reflecting an
      obvious amelioration of the cadmium-induced decline in relative water content.
      Activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate
      peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase,
      dehydroascorbate reductase, and other enzymatic activities of ascorbate
      glutathione cycle were enhanced following the application of NO, as compared with
      those in untreated seedlings under control and cadmium stress conditions. NO
      increased the flavonoid and total phenol content in Cd-stressed tomato plants.
      Moreover, NO application restricted the uptake of cadmium and enhanced the
      accumulation of nutrients in different parts of tomato plants. On the basis of
      the findings of the present study, we propose that NO has a potential role as a
      growth promoter for tomato under cadmium stress.

PMID- 28643087
TI  - Antioxidant and antiapoptotic actions of selegiline protect against 3-NP-induced
      neurotoxicity in rats.
AB  - The present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of
      selegiline on 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)-induced neurotoxicity. Selegiline was
      intraperitoneally injected at doses 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, 3 days prior to and
      continued daily, 30 min before 3-NP administration. 3-NP (20 mg/kg, i.p.) was
      administered for four consecutive days. 3-NP-treated rats exhibited PPI deficits,
      locomotor hypoactivity, increased striatal and cortical lipid peroxidation, and
      reduced respective glutathione (GSH) levels as well as catalase and superoxide
      dismutase (SOD) activities. Changes in the level of the apoptotic regulatory gene
      expressions were demonstrated as increased striatal and cortical caspase-3 and
      Bax and decreased respective Bcl2. The two higher dose levels of selegiline (5
      and 10 mg/kg) significantly increased locomotor activity, improved prepulse
      inhibition (PPI), reduced striatal and cortical lipid peroxidation, caspase-3,
      and Bax, and increased GSH level, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities
      and Bcl2 expression. Selegiline at dose 2.5 mg/kg could only reverse some of the
      manifestations of 3-NP-induced neurotoxicity. Histological examination further
      affirmed the neuroprotective effect of the higher dose levels of selegiline
      against 3-NP-induced toxicity. Taken together, these results suggest that
      selegiline could attenuate 3-NP-induced neurotoxicity. This can be attributed to,
      at least partly, its antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects.

PMID- 28643086
TI  - Gallic and ellagic acids: two natural immunomodulator compounds solve infection
      of macrophages by Leishmania major.
AB  - Leishmaniasis is a complex of parasitic protozoan diseases caused by more than 20
      different species of parasites from Leishmania genus. Conventional treatments are
      high costly, and promote a sort of side effects. Besides, protozoan resistance to
      treatments has been reported. Natural products have been investigated as a source
      of new therapeutic alternatives, not only acting directly against the parasite
      but also being able to synergistically act on the host immune system in order to
      control parasitemia. Gallic acid (GA) and ellagic acid (EA) are plant-derived
      phenolic compounds which are able to induce antiinflammatory, gastroprotective,
      and anticarcinogenic activities. Therefore, the antileishmania, cytotoxic, and
      immunomodulatory activities of GA and EA were evaluated in this study. Both GA
      and EA were able to inhibit the growth of Leishmania major promastigotes
      (effective concentration (EC50) values 16.4 and 9.8 MUg/mL, respectively). The
      cytotoxicity against BALB/c murine macrophages for GA and EA was also assessed
      (CC50 values 126.6 and 23.8 MUg/mL, respectively). Interestingly, GA and EA also
      significantly reduced the infection and infectivity of macrophages infected by L.
      major (EC50 values 5.0 and 0.9 MUg/mL, respectively), with selectivity index
      higher than 20. Furthermore, both GA and EA induced high immunomodulatory
      activity evidenced by the increase of phagocytic capability, lysosomal volume,
      nitrite release, and intracellular calcium [Ca2+i] in macrophages. Further
      investigations are reinforced in order to evaluate the therapeutic effects of GA
      and EA in in vivo experimental infection model of leishmaniasis.

PMID- 28643088
TI  - Potential therapeutic applications of human anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)
      analogues in reproductive medicine.
AB  - Members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily are key
      regulators of various physiological processes. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) which
      is also commonly known as Mullerian-inhibiting substance (MIS) is a member of the
      TGF-beta superfamily and an important regulator of reproductive organ
      differentiation and ovarian follicular development. While AMH has been used for
      diagnostic purposes as a biomarker for over 15 years, new potential therapeutic
      applications of recombinant human AMH analogues are now emerging as pharmacologic
      agents in reproductive medicine. Therapeutic uses of AMH in gonadal tissue may
      provide a unique opportunity to address a broad range of reproductive themes,
      like contraception, ovulation induction, onset of menopause, and fertility
      preservation, as well as specific disease conditions, such as polycystic ovarian
      syndrome (PCOS) and cancers of the reproductive tract. This review explores the
      most promising therapeutic applications for a novel class of drugs known as AMH
      analogues with agonist and antagonist functions.

PMID- 28643089
TI  - Time-lapse observation and transcriptome analysis of a case with repeated
      multiple pronuclei after IVF/ICSI.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the cause of repeated
      multipronucleus (MPN) formation in zygotes in a patient after both in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). METHOD: This is
      a case study. A patient had unexplained primary infertility with recurring total
      MPN zygotes after IVF and ICSI cycles. Time-lapse monitoring of pronucleus
      formation was carried out. Embryos developed from MPN zygotes were analyzed by
      fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Single-cell RNA-seq analysis was used
      to identify gene expression profiles of the patient's oocyte and zygote, and
      these were compared to the data from oocytes and zygotes from donors with normal
      fertilization (patient, n = 1; donors, n = 4). Oocyte-specific genes with
      differential expression were selected by the Amazonia! DATABASE:  RESULTS: From
      time-lapse analysis, we observed the formation of multiple micronuclei near the
      site of the second polar body extrusion. These micronuclei migrated, expanded,
      and juxtaposed with the male pronucleus leading to a multipronucleus. None of
      these MPN zygotes could develop to the blastocyst stage, and FISH analysis
      revealed a chaotic chromosomal complement in the arrested embryos. RNA-seq
      analysis showed 113 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the patient and
      the donor oocytes and zygotes. Moreover, 25 of the 113 DEGs were unique or highly
      expressed in oocytes and early embryos. From 25 DEGs, three genes, DYNC2LI1,
      NEK2, and CCNH, which are involved in meiosis and the chromosome separation
      process, were further validated by real-time PCR. CONCLUSION: We identified
      several candidate genes affecting pronucleus formation as a new cause of
      infertility.

PMID- 28643090
TI  - Burrow Dusting or Oral Vaccination Prevents Plague-Associated Prairie Dog Colony
      Collapse.
AB  - Plague impacts prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.), the endangered black-footed ferret
      (Mustela nigripes) and other sensitive wildlife species. We compared efficacy of
      prophylactic treatments (burrow dusting with deltamethrin or oral vaccination
      with recombinant "sylvatic plague vaccine" [RCN-F1/V307]) to placebo treatment in
      black-tailed prairie dog (C. ludovicianus) colonies. Between 2013 and 2015, we
      measured prairie dog apparent survival, burrow activity and flea abundance on
      triplicate plots ("blocks") receiving dust, vaccine or placebo treatment.
      Epizootic plague affected all three blocks but emerged asynchronously. Dust plots
      had fewer fleas per burrow (P < 0.0001), and prairie dogs captured on dust plots
      had fewer fleas (P < 0.0001) than those on vaccine or placebo plots. Burrow
      activity and prairie dog density declined sharply in placebo plots when epizootic
      plague emerged. Patterns in corresponding dust and vaccine plots were less
      consistent and appeared strongly influenced by timing of treatment applications
      relative to plague emergence. Deltamethrin or oral vaccination enhanced apparent
      survival within two blocks. Applying insecticide or vaccine prior to epizootic
      emergence blunted effects of plague on prairie dog survival and abundance,
      thereby preventing colony collapse. Successful plague mitigation will likely
      entail strategic combined uses of burrow dusting and oral vaccination within
      large colonies or colony complexes.

PMID- 28643091
TI  - Sylvatic Plague Vaccine Partially Protects Prairie Dogs (Cynomys spp.) in Field
      Trials.
AB  - Sylvatic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, frequently afflicts prairie dogs
      (Cynomys spp.), causing population declines and local extirpations. We tested the
      effectiveness of bait-delivered sylvatic plague vaccine (SPV) in prairie dog
      colonies on 29 paired placebo and treatment plots (1-59 ha in size; average 16.9
      ha) in 7 western states from 2013 to 2015. We compared relative abundance (using
      catch per unit effort (CPUE) as an index) and apparent survival of prairie dogs
      on 26 of the 29 paired plots, 12 with confirmed or suspected plague (Y. pestis
      positive carcasses or fleas). Even though plague mortality occurred in prairie
      dogs on vaccine plots, SPV treatment had an overall positive effect on CPUE in
      all three years, regardless of plague status. Odds of capturing a unique animal
      were 1.10 (95% confidence interval [C.I.] 1.02-1.19) times higher per trap day on
      vaccine-treated plots than placebo plots in 2013, 1.47 (95% C.I. 1.41-1.52) times
      higher in 2014 and 1.19 (95% C.I. 1.13-1.25) times higher in 2015. On pairs where
      plague occurred, odds of apparent survival were 1.76 (95% Bayesian credible
      interval [B.C.I.] 1.28-2.43) times higher on vaccine plots than placebo plots for
      adults and 2.41 (95% B.C.I. 1.72-3.38) times higher for juveniles. Our results
      provide evidence that consumption of vaccine-laden baits can protect prairie dogs
      against plague; however, further evaluation and refinement are needed to optimize
      SPV use as a management tool.

PMID- 28643092
TI  - Application of CT texture analysis in predicting histopathological
      characteristics of gastric cancers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the application of computed tomography (CT) texture
      analysis in predicting histopathological features of gastric cancers. METHODS:
      Preoperative contrast-enhanced CT images and postoperative histopathological
      features of 107 patients (82 men, 25 women) with gastric cancers were
      retrospectively reviewed. CT texture analysis generated: (1) mean attenuation,
      (2) standard deviation, (3) max frequency, (4) mode, (5) minimum attenuation, (6)
      maximum attenuation, (7) the fifth, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles,
      and (8) entropy. Correlations between CT texture parameters and histopathological
      features were analysed. RESULTS: Mean attenuation, maximum attenuation, all
      percentiles and mode derived from portal venous CT images correlated
      significantly with differentiation degree and Lauren classification of gastric
      cancers (r, -0.231 ~ -0.324, 0.228 ~ 0.321, respectively). Standard deviation and
      entropy derived from arterial CT images also correlated significantly with Lauren
      classification of gastric cancers (r = -0.265, -0.222, respectively). In arterial
      phase analysis, standard deviation and entropy were significantly lower in
      gastric cancers with than those without vascular invasion; however, minimum
      attenuation was significantly higher in gastric cancers with than those without
      vascular invasion. CONCLUSION: CT texture analysis held great potential in
      predicting differentiation degree, Lauren classification and vascular invasion
      status of gastric cancers. KEY POINTS: * CT texture analysis is noninvasive and
      effective for gastric cancer. * Portal venous CT images correlated significantly
      with differentiation degree and Lauren classification. * Standard deviation,
      entropy and minimum attenuation in arterial phase reflect vascular invasion.

PMID- 28643093
TI  - The impact of trained radiographers as concurrent readers on performance and
      reading time of experienced radiologists in the UK Lung Cancer Screening (UKLS)
      trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare radiologists' performance reading CTs independently with
      their performance using radiographers as concurrent readers in lung cancer
      screening. METHODS: 369 consecutive baseline CTs performed for the UK Lung Cancer
      Screening (UKLS) trial were double-read by radiologists reading either
      independently or concurrently with a radiographer. In concurrent reading, the
      radiologist reviewed radiographer-identified nodules and then detected any
      additional nodules. Radiologists recorded their independent and concurrent
      reading times. For each radiologist, sensitivity, average false-positive
      detections (FPs) per case and mean reading times for each method were calculated.
      RESULTS: 694 nodules in 246/369 (66.7%) studies comprised the reference standard.
      Radiologists' mean sensitivity and average FPs per case both increased with
      concurrent reading compared to independent reading (90.8 +/- 5.6% vs. 77.5 +/-
      11.2%, and 0.60 +/- 0.53 vs. 0.33 +/- 0.20, respectively; p < 0.05 for 3/4 and
      2/4 radiologists, respectively). The mean reading times per case decreased from
      9.1 +/- 2.3 min with independent reading to 7.2 +/- 1.0 min with concurrent
      reading, decreasing significantly for 3/4 radiologists (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      The majority of radiologists demonstrated improved sensitivity, a small increase
      in FP detections and a statistically significantly reduced reading time using
      radiographers as concurrent readers. KEY POINTS: * Radiographers as concurrent
      readers could improve radiologists' sensitivity in lung nodule detection. * An
      increase in false-positive detections with radiographer-assisted concurrent
      reading occurred. * The false-positive detection rate was still lower than
      reported for computer-aided detection. * Concurrent reading with radiographers
      was also faster than single reading. * The time saved per case using concurrently
      reading radiographers was relatively modest.

PMID- 28643094
TI  - Accuracy and reading time for six strategies using digital breast tomosynthesis
      in women with mammographically negative dense breasts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare six strategies using digital breast tomosynthesis in women
      with mammographically negative dense breasts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a
      substudy of the 'ASTOUND' trial. 163 women who underwent tomosynthesis with
      synthetically reconstructed projection images (S-2D) inclusive of 13 (7.9%) cases
      diagnosed with breast cancer at histopathology after surgery were evaluated.
      Accuracy measures and screen-reading time of six reading strategies were
      assessed: (A) Single reading of S-2D alone, (B) single reading of tomosynthesis
      alone, (C) single reading of joint interpretation of tomosynthesis + S-2D, (D)
      double-reading of S-2D alone, (E) double reading of tomosynthesis alone, (F)
      double reading of joint interpretation of tomosynthesis + S-2D. RESULTS: The
      median age of the patients was 53 years (range, 36-88 years). The highest global
      accuracy was obtained with double reading of tomosynthesis + S2D (F) with an AUC
      of 0.979 (p<0.001) and a mean reading time of 154 s versus 34 s for the fastest
      strategy (single reading of S-2D alone). The AUCs for the other five strategies
      did not differ from each other. CONCLUSION: Double reading of tomosynthesis+ S2D
      had the best accuracy of six screen-reading strategies although it had the
      longest reading time. KEY POINTS: * Tomosynthesis acquisitions are progressively
      implemented with reconstructed synthesized 2D images * Double reading using S-2D
      plus tomosynthesis had the highest global accuracy (p<0.001). * Double reading of
      S-2D plus tomosynthesis increased reading time.

PMID- 28643097
TI  - [Anti-infective strategies in trauma surgery Part 2].

PMID- 28643095
TI  - [Local antibiotic therapy].
AB  - The treatment of superficial wound infections with local antibiotics is
      considered to be problematic as it is accompanied by an increased risk of
      resistance development and ineffectiveness in deeper regions. On the contrary,
      the local application of antibiotics is useful in arthroplasty and necessary if
      implants are utilized. The reason for this is the prevention of a rapid biofilm
      formation on foreign implants and a resulting infection may remain undiscovered
      until it becomes chronic. Apart from exogenous material, necrotic tissue (e. g.
      bone sequestra) provides suitable retreat areas for pathogens in the body.
      Because of the characteristics of bone and joint infections and an exceptional
      infection recurrence rate, a combined approach is required. Systemic antibiotic
      prophylaxis is able to reduce the number of pathogens acquired by perioperative
      contamination or hematogenic spread from another focus of infection; however,
      systemically applied antibiotics often fail to form an effective colonization
      barrier around the implant because their ability to penetrate the bone is
      relatively low. On the other hand, the high concentration of locally released
      antibiotics leads to an effective protection of the implant from bacteria in
      situ. Thus, for the treatment of implant-associated infections, systemic and
      local application of anti-infective agents is a reliable adjuvant measure that
      improves the therapeutic success. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is
      the most commonly used local drug carrier. Based on clinical and microbiological
      results, microbiologists and infectious disease experts together with the surgeon
      and pharmacist determine which anti-infective agents are indicated for systemic
      and local, PMMA cement-related application. Because there is no evident concept
      for the local application, unlike the recommendation for systemic use of anti
      infective agents, this review article describes which aspects should be taken
      into account.

PMID- 28643096
TI  - [Results of the pilot phase of the Age Trauma Registry DGU(r)].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Since 2014, hospitals with ortho-geriatric fracture centres could be
      certified as AltersTraumaZentrum DGU(r) in Germany. To measure the quality of
      treatment in these centres, a geriatric trauma registry (AltersTraumaRegister
      DGU(r)) was established. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to report the
      results of the pilot phase of the AltersTraumaRegister DGU(r) from the year 2015.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Included were 118 patients >70 years with hip fracture or
      implant-related femoral fractures. Apart from other parameters, the point of
      surgery, initiation of anti-osteoporotic treatment and the EQ-5D one week post
      surgery was measured. RESULTS: Surgery was performed in 87% of patients within 24
      h. Specific osteoporotic therapy could be increased from 4 to 63 patients. The EQ
      5D was strongly restricted to one week post-surgery. CONCLUSION: Based on the
      timing of surgery and anti-osteoporotic therapy, the treatment seems to be
      successful in the ortho-geriatric fracture centres. For a better evaluation of
      treatment quality in the AltersTraumaZentren DGU(r), implementation of follow-up
      examinations in the AltersTraumaRegister DGU(r) is essential.

PMID- 28643098
TI  - [Importance of wound irrigation solutions and fluids with antiseptic effects in
      therapy and prophylaxis : Update 2017].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Despite the use of modern antibiotics as well as complex
      perioperative, intraoperative and postoperative prophylactic measures, the rate
      of surgical site infections (SSI) could not be significantly reduced. The
      introduction of biocompatible antiseptic drugs with a high microbiocidal effect
      provided a successful alternative for infection prevention and therapy,
      particularly in a time of increasing occurrence of multi-drug resistant
      pathogens. Hence, questions about the risk-benefit ratio of antiseptic wound
      irrigation solutions, the prophylactic use of wound irrigation solutions for the
      reduction of SSI and the effect of negative pressure wound therapy combined with
      instillation (NPWTi) need to be answered. METHOD: Against the background of our
      own experiences with the use of antiseptic wound irrigation solutions, a
      literature analysis (e.g. computer-supported MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane
      database research as of April 2017) was performed. RESULTS: Antiseptic fluids can
      be used both prophylactically and therapeutically, in acute and chronic, clean,
      contaminated and infected wounds to reduce the posttraumatic and postoperative
      wound infection rates. The antiseptic solutions that are commonly used in
      orthopedic and trauma surgery (e.g. PVP-iodine, octenidine, polyhexanide, sodium
      hypochlorite/hypochlorous acid and acetic acid), have in common that no
      development of resistance has so far been shown and that when the
      contraindications are taken into account, the antiseptic effect can develop
      without any clinically significant local and systemic side effects. As a rule the
      biocompatibility index is higher than 1 for the substances mentioned. In
      addition, they show an antiseptic effect against biofilms and multi-drug
      resistant pathogens. These antiseptic solutions can also be used for NPWTi with
      some limitations for octenidine. CONCLUSION: As the basic equipment in trauma
      surgery, a selection of three different antiseptic wound irrigation solutions for
      the reduction of the rates of posttraumatic and SSI can be recommended. The use
      of antiseptics should be reviewed on an ongoing basis in the daily clinical
      routine and particular attention should be paid to unwanted effects in the course
      of the healing process. After application of 7-14 days, the indications for
      continuing the use of the antiseptic solutions must be carefully re-evaluated.

PMID- 28643099
TI  - [Beyond antibiotic therapy - Future antiinfective strategies - Update 2017].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The key elements in the therapy of surgical site infections (SSI) are
      surgical debridement and local and systemic antibiotic therapy; however, due to
      increasing antibiotic resistance, the development of additional therapeutic
      measures is of great interest for future trauma and orthopedic surgery. METHOD:
      Against the background of our own experimental and clinical experiences and on
      the basis of the current literature, possible future anti-infective strategies
      were elaborated. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Bacteriophages were discovered and
      clinically implemented approximately one century ago and have been used in
      Western Europe for about one decade. They are currently used mainly in patients
      with burn injuries. It is likely that bacteriophages will become of great
      importance in view of the increasing antibiotic multi-drug resistance; however,
      they will probably not entirely replace antibiotic drugs. A combined use of
      bacteriophages and antibiotics is likely to be a more reasonable efficient
      therapy. In addition, the clinical importance of antimicrobial peptides (AMP)
      also increases. Up to now the possible use of AMPs is still experimental;
      however, individual AMPs are already established in the routine therapy (e. g.
      colistin). Further diagnostic and therapeutic measures may include photodynamic
      therapy, ultraviolet (UV) light application and differentiated genome analysis as
      well as the individual metabolism situation (metabolomics) of the pathogen cell
      and the patient tissue.

PMID- 28643100
TI  - Perceived Devaluation and STI Testing Uptake among a Cohort of Street-Involved
      Youth in a Canadian Setting.
AB  - Perceived devaluation has been shown to have adverse effects on the mental and
      physical health outcomes of people who use drugs. However, the impact of
      perceived devaluation on sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing uptake
      among street-involved youth, who face multiple and intersecting stigmas due to
      their association with drug use and risky sexual practices, has not been fully
      characterized. Data were obtained between December 2013 and November 2014 from a
      cohort of street-involved youth who use illicit drugs aged 14-26 in Vancouver,
      British Columbia. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were constructed
      to assess the independent relationship between perceived devaluation and STI
      testing uptake. Among 300 street-involved youth, 87.0% reported a high perceived
      devaluation score at baseline. In the multivariable analysis, high perceived
      devaluation was negatively associated with STI testing uptake after adjustment
      for potential confounders (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.38, 95% Confidence Interval
      0.15-0.98). Perceived devaluation was high among street-involved youth in our
      sample and appears to have adverse effects on STI testing uptake. HIV prevention
      and care programs should be examined and improved to better meet the special
      needs of street-involved youth in non-stigmatizing ways.

PMID- 28643101
TI  - Cognitive performance correlates with the degree of dopaminergic degeneration in
      the associative part of the striatum in non-demented Parkinson's patients.
AB  - Parkinson's disease (PD) patients show cognitive deficits that are relevant in
      terms of prognosis and quality of life. Degeneration of striatal dopaminergic
      afferents proceeds from dorsal/caudal to anterior/ventral and is discussed to
      account for some of these symptoms. Treatment with dopamine (DA) has differential
      effects on cognitive dysfunctions, improving some and worsening others. We
      hypothesized that cognitive performance during the dopaminergic OFF state
      correlates with DAT availability in the associative striatum. 16 PD patients
      underwent motor and cognitive examination ON and OFF DA. Global cognition was
      measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test and executive
      functioning using a Stroop test. Nigrostriatal dopaminergic innervation was
      characterized with [123I]FP-CIT SPECT. A connectivity atlas of the striatum was
      used to assess DAT availability in functionally defined striatal subregions.
      Correlations between imaging data and behavioral data OFF medication were
      calculated. Correlations between DAT availability and MoCA performance in the
      dopaminergic OFF state was strongest in the associative part of the striatum (r =
      0.674, p = 0.004). MoCA test performance did not differ between the ON and the
      OFF state. There was no correlation of DAT availability with Stroop performance
      in the OFF state but performance was significantly better during the ON state.
      Not only motor but also cognitive dysfunctions in PD are associated with striatal
      dopaminergic depletion. Cognitive decline in non-demented PD patients goes along
      with nigrostriatal degeneration, most pronounced in the associative subdivision
      of the striatum. In addition, the present findings suggest that executive
      dysfunctions are ameliorated by DA whereas global cognition is not improved by
      dopaminergic medication.

PMID- 28643102
TI  - Post-operative rotator cuff integrity, based on Sugaya's classification, can
      reflect abduction muscle strength of the shoulder.
AB  - PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is common in structural and qualitative
      assessment of the rotator cuff post-operatively. Rotator cuff integrity has been
      thought to be associated with clinical outcome. The purpose of this study was to
      evaluate the inter-observer reliability of cuff integrity (Sugaya's
      classification) and assess the correlation between Sugaya's classification and
      the clinical outcome. It was hypothesized that Sugaya's classification would show
      good reliability and good correlation with the clinical outcome. METHODS: Post
      operative MR images were taken two years post-operatively, following arthroscopic
      rotator cuff repair. For assessment of inter-rater reliability, all radiographic
      evaluations for the supraspinatus muscle were done by two orthopaedic surgeons
      and one radiologist. Rotator cuff integrity was classified into five categories,
      according to Sugaya's classification. Fatty infiltration was graded into four
      categories, based on the Fuchs' classification grading system. Muscle hypotrophy
      was graded as four grades, according to the scale proposed by Warner. The
      clinical outcome was assessed according to the constant scoring system pre
      operatively and 2 years post-operatively. RESULTS: Of the sixty-two consecutive
      patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears, fifty-two patients were reviewed
      in this study. These subjects included twenty-three men and twenty-nine women,
      with an average age of fifty-seven years. In terms of the inter-rater reliability
      between orthopaedic surgeons, Sugaya's classification showed the highest
      agreement [ICC (2.1) = 0.82] for rotator cuff integrity. The grade of fatty
      infiltration and muscle atrophy demonstrated good agreement, respectively (0.722
      and 0.758). With regard to the inter-rater reliability between orthopaedic
      surgeon and radiologist, Sugaya's classification showed good reliability [ICC
      (2.1) = 0.70]. On the other hand, fatty infiltration and muscle hypotrophy
      classifications demonstrated fair and moderate agreement [ICC (2.1) = 0.39 and
      0.49]. Although no significant correlation was found between overall post
      operative constant score and Sugaya's classification, Sugaya's classification
      indicated significant correlation with the muscle strength score. CONCLUSIONS:
      Sugaya's classification showed repeatability and good agreement between the
      orthopaedist and radiologist, who are involved in the patient care for the
      rotator cuff tear. Common classification of rotator cuff integrity with good
      reliability will give appropriate information for clinicians to improve the
      patient care of the rotator cuff tear. This classification also would be helpful
      to predict the strength of arm abduction in the scapular plane. LEVEL OF
      EVIDENCE: IV.

PMID- 28643103
TI  - Patient age as a preoperative factor associated with tunnel enlargement following
      double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using hamstring tendon
      autografts.
AB  - PURPOSE: A few studies have detected associations of post-operative tunnel
      enlargement with sex, age, and the timing of anterior cruciate ligament
      reconstruction (ACLR). The aim of the present study was to investigate the
      correlation between post-operative tunnel enlargement following ACLR using
      hamstring tendon autografts and preoperative factors. The authors hypothesized
      that tunnel enlargement is associated with age in patients undergoing ACLR.
      METHODS: One hundred and six patients (male, n = 57; female, n = 49; mean age,
      26.9 years) who underwent double-bundle ACL reconstruction were included in the
      present study. The time between injury and surgery was 26.3 +/- 71.4 weeks.
      Computed tomographic scans of the operated knee were obtained at 2 weeks and 6
      months after surgery. The area of the tunnel aperture was measured for the
      femoral anteromedial tunnel (FAMT), femoral posterolateral tunnel (FPLT), tibial
      anteromedial tunnel (TAMT), and tibial posterolateral tunnel. The percentage of
      tunnel area enlargement was defined as the area at 2 weeks after ACLR subtracted
      from the area at 6 months after ACLR and then divided by the area at 2 weeks
      after ACLR. Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated for each factor.
      The patients were divided into two groups based on age. Patients aged <40 and
      >=40 years were assigned to Groups A and B, respectively. The differences in the
      outcomes and characteristics of the two groups were evaluated. RESULTS: The
      percentage of enlargement of the FAMT, FPLT, and TAMT was correlated with patient
      age (r = 0.31, p = 0.001; r = 0.24, p = 0.012; and r = 0.30, p = 0.002,
      respectively). In total, 87 and 19 knees were classified into Groups A and B,
      respectively, based on patient age. The percentage of enlargement of the FAMT was
      significantly higher in Group B than A (78 vs. 60%, respectively; p = 0.01). The
      percentage of enlargement of the TAMT was significantly higher in Group B than A
      (53 vs. 36%, respectively; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The percentage of enlargement
      of the FAMT and TAMT was associated with patient age. These findings suggest the
      need to consider the possibility of tunnel enlargement when double-bundle ACLR is
      performed for patients aged >40 years. Age was a preoperative factor associated
      with tunnel enlargement. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

PMID- 28643104
TI  - [Endovenous ablation versus open surgery for varicose veins : An attempt at an
      evaluation].
AB  - Open and endovenous surgery of varicose veins provides an excellent way to treat
      varicose veins. However, there are great differences in the how the techniques
      are performed. No matter which procedure is carried out, there are standards that
      should be observed. The state of the art of open venous surgery with radical
      crossectomy is well-known, but unfortunately is still not always performed
      correctly nowadays. The state of the art of endovenous surgery has unfortunately
      not yet been sufficiently documented, but should be based on open-surgical
      techniques. How the standard of both methods today is (or should be) is described
      in detail in this work. A recurrence definition which applies to both techniques,
      is set up.

PMID- 28643105
TI  - Differential role of GABAA receptors and neuroligin 2 for perisomatic GABAergic
      synapse formation in the hippocampus.
AB  - Perisomatic GABAergic synapses onto hippocampal pyramidal cells arise from two
      populations of basket cells with different neurochemical and functional
      properties. The presence of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in their
      postsynaptic density (PSD) distinguishes perisomatic synapses from GABAergic
      synapses on dendrites and the axon-initial segment. Targeted deletion of
      neuroligin 2 (NL2), a transmembrane protein interacting with presynaptic
      neurexin, has been reported to disrupt postsynaptic clustering of GABAA receptors
      (GABAAR) and their anchoring protein, gephyrin, at perisomatic synapses. In
      contrast, targeted deletion of Gabra2 disrupts perisomatic clustering of
      gephyrin, but not of alpha1-GABAAR, NL2, or dystrophin/dystroglycan.
      Unexpectedly, conditional deletion of Dag1, encoding dystroglycan, selectively
      prevents the formation of perisomatic GABAergic synapses from basket cells
      expressing cholecystokinin. Collectively, these observations suggest that
      multiple mechanisms regulate formation and molecular composition of the GABAergic
      PSD at perisomatic synapses. Here, we further explored this issue by
      investigating the effect of targeted deletion of Gabra1 and NL2 on the dystrophin
      glycoprotein complex and on perisomatic synapse formation, using
      immunofluorescence analysis with a battery of GABAergic pre- and postsynaptic
      markers. We show that the absence of alpha1-GABAAR increases GABAergic synapses
      containing the alpha2 subunit, without affecting the clustering of dystrophin and
      NL2; in contrast, the absence of NL2 produces highly variable effects
      postsynaptically, not restricted to perisomatic synapses and being more severe
      for the GABAAR subunits and gephyrin than dystrophin. Altogether, the results
      confirm the importance of NL2 as organizer of the GABAergic PSD and unravel
      distinct roles for alpha1- and alpha2-GABAARs in the formation of GABAergic
      circuits in close interaction with the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex.

PMID- 28643106
TI  - [New (and old) aspects of retroperitoneal fibrosis].
AB  - Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is an uncommon chronic inflammatory disease of the
      rear abdomen and it is commonly associated with the complication of uni- or
      bilateral hydronephrosis. Despite the rarity of this disease, multiple
      publications concerning etiology, diagnosis, therapy monitoring and both medical
      and surgical therapy have been published in recent years. Recent research has
      focused on asbestos exposure as a possible risk factor, the meaning of IgG4
      associated RPF, measuring disease activity using different radiological and
      nuclear medicine procedures, and new approaches to medical therapy. Goals of
      treatment were characterized as the correct diagnosis, preservation of renal
      function and freedom from stents, steroids and pain. On the basis of these goals,
      the most important insights and developments of the last 5 years regarding RPF
      are presented.

PMID- 28643107
TI  - [Microscopic hematuria : Reasonable and risk-adapted diagnostic evaluation].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Microscopic hematuria that is not explained by an obvious underlying
      condition is a frequent and often an incidental finding that commonly triggers
      urological or nephrological evaluation. Potential underlying conditions range
      from benign to severe malignant diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nonsystematic literature search was performed, focusing
      on potential urological and nephrological causes of hematuria. National and
      international guidelines were considered and diagnostic as well as follow-up
      strategies are discussed. We provide a recommendation for practices in the
      clinical evaluation of hematuria. RESULTS: The overall prevalence for microscopic
      hematuria is estimated at approximately 2%, whereas risk populations show an
      increase to around 30%. In 13-35% of patients presenting with microscopic
      hematuria, a medical or surgical intervention is required. Malignant tumors of
      the kidneys or urinary tract can be diagnosed in 2.6-4% of all patients and in up
      to 25.8% of at-risk populations. "Idiopathic microscopic hematuria" without an
      obvious underlying medical condition accounts for approximately 80% of patients
      with asymptomatic hematuria. After exclusion of nephrological diseases, standard
      diagnostic procedures by means of medical history, physical and laboratory
      examination as well as ultrasound of the kidneys and the urinary tract should be
      performed. In the presence of risk factors, an extended diagnostic work-up using
      cystoscopy, urinary cytology, and cross-sectional imaging of the upper urinary
      tract is indicated. CONCLUSION: Evidence-based strategies of a risk-adapted
      diagnostic evaluation for microscopic hematuria are not available. The
      development of reliable clinical and molecular markers offers great potential for
      the identification of patients at higher risk for harboring severe diseases.

PMID- 28643108
TI  - Integrated TK-TD modeling for drug-induced concurrent tachycardia and QT changes
      in beagle dogs.
AB  - Drug-induced cardiotoxicity, including tachycardia and QT prolongation, remains a
      major safety concern that needs to be identified and its risk mitigated in early
      stages of drug development. In the present study, an integrated toxicokinetic
      toxicodynamic (TK-TD) modeling approach within a nonlinear mixed-effect modeling
      framework is applied to investigate concurrent abnormal heart rate and QT changes
      in three beagle dogs, using a Novartis internal compound (NVS001) as the case
      example. By accounting for saturable drug absorption, circadian rhythms, drug
      effect tolerance, and nonlinear rate-dependency of QT interval, the dynamic TK-TD
      model captures the experimentally observed drug effects on heart rate and QT
      interval across a wide dosing range of NVS001 in beagle dogs. Further analyses
      reveal that the NVS001-induced QT prolongation observed in the low-dose groups is
      potentially caused by direct drug inhibition on the hERG channel, while the
      apparent QT shortening in the high-dose groups may be due to strong rate
      dependency of QT at high heart rates. This study also suggests that the TK-TD
      model can be used to identify direct drug effects on the non-rate-dependent QT
      component by dissociating QT changes from tachycardia and deriving a new QT
      correction method. The integrated TK-TD model presented here may serve as a novel
      quantitative framework for evaluating drug-induced concurrent changes in heart
      rate and QT to potentially facilitate preclinical and clinical safety studies.

PMID- 28643109
TI  - Racial differences in the effects of comorbidity on breast cancer-specific
      survival.
AB  - PURPOSE: In an effort to explain racial disparities in breast cancer survival,
      this study aimed to investigate how comorbidity affects breast cancer-specific
      mortality by race. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the
      Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare linked data including 68,090
      women 66+ years, who were diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in the United
      States from 1994 to 2004. Hospital and outpatient claims from the year prior to
      breast cancer diagnosis were used to identify comorbid conditions and patients
      were followed for survival through 2010. RESULTS: Competing risk survival
      analysis failed to demonstrate any negative comorbidity effects on breast cancer
      specific survival for black women. An increased breast cancer-specific mortality
      hazard was observed for white women who had diabetes without complication
      relative to white women without this condition after adjusting for age and year
      of diagnosis (hazard ratio: 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.13, 1.30). The
      Cochran-Armitage Test showed diabetes was associated with a later stage of
      diagnosis (p < 0.01) and a more aggressive tumor grade (p < 0.01) among white
      women in the study population. CONCLUSION: Race specific comorbidity effects do
      not explain breast cancer-specific survival disparities. However, the
      relationship between diabetes and breast cancer, including the role of aggressive
      tumor characteristics, warrants special attention.

PMID- 28643110
TI  - Refugee children's sandplay narratives in immigration detention in Canada.
AB  - Asylum seeking children arriving in Canada regularly face incarceration in medium
      security-style immigration detention centres. Research demonstrates the human
      cost of detaining migrant children and families and the psychiatric burden linked
      with such imprisonment. This study aims to understand the lived experiences of
      children aged 3-13 held in detention. Informed by a qualitative methodology of
      narrative inquiry, child participants created worlds in the sand and generated
      stories to express their subjective experience. Results suggest that children's
      sandplay confirms the traumatic nature of immigration detention while also
      revealing children's sometimes conflicting understanding of the meaning of
      detention and their own migration. The results are contextualized by a
      description of detention conditions and the psychiatric symptoms associated with
      immigration incarceration. The study highlights the need for more research
      examining the impact of immigration detention on children's mental health, while
      also underlining how refugee children's voices provide important direction for
      policy change.

PMID- 28643111
TI  - Thymic carcinoma initially presented with geographic destruction of scapula in a
      child.
AB  - As the conventional histopathologic examination of thymic carcinoma (TC) is
      nonspecific, immunohistochemical studies along with correlative radiographic
      investigations are needed for its correct diagnosis. TC commonly occurs in the
      late 5th to early 6th decades of life but is extremely rare in childhood. It may
      be incidentally detected from chest radiographs taken as routine or for other
      reasons. However, most patients present with symptoms such as chest pain, cough,
      shortness of breath, dysphagia and hoarseness, which are directly attributable to
      the mediastinal mass. Although TC frequently invades the neighboring organs,
      pleura and pericardium and metastasizes to the lymph nodes, liver and lung at the
      time of the first diagnosis, initial or late metastasis to the bone has been
      seldom reported in adults. Indeed, the English literature revealed no earlier
      report on initial bony metastasis in a child to date. We report a case of TC in a
      12-year-old boy who initially presented with scapular osteolysis masquerading as
      a primary bone tumor to emphasize the usefulness of combined imaging for staging
      and histologic studies, particularly for such an unexpected case.

PMID- 28643113
TI  - [Safety culture in orthopedics and trauma surgery : Course concept: interpersonal
      competence by the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma (DGOU) and Lufthansa
      Aviation Training].
AB  - Patient safety has become a central and measurable key factor in the routine
      daily medical practice. The human factor plays a decisive role in safety culture
      and has moved into focus regarding the reduction of treatment errors and
      undesired critical incidents. Nonetheless, the systematic training in
      communication and interpersonal competences has so far only played a minor role.
      The German Society of Orthopaedics and Trauma (DGOU) in cooperation with the
      Lufthansa Aviation Training initiated a course system for interpersonal
      competence. Several studies confirmed the reduction of critical incidents and
      costs after implementation of a regular and targeted human factor training. The
      interpersonal competence should be an essential component of specialist training
      within the framework of a 3-column model.

PMID- 28643112
TI  - A retrospective study of antibiotic de-escalation in patients with ventilator
      associated pneumonia in Malaysia.
AB  - Background Antibiotic de-escalation is an important strategy to conserve the
      effectiveness of broad-spectrum antibiotics. However, the outcome of this
      strategy for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has not been
      widely studied in developing countries. Objectives To evaluate the outcome on
      intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, 28 days mortality, and length of ICU stay
      among VAP patients who receive de-escalation therapy. Setting This study was
      conducted in an ICU of a Malaysian public hospital. Method The electronic medical
      records of patients who developed VAP in the ICU were retrieved and relevant data
      was collected. Records of antibiotic prescriptions were also reviewed to collect
      the details of changes to antibiotic therapy (de-escalation). Main outcome
      measure Impact of antibiotic de-escalation on mortality. Results The mean age of
      the 108 patients was 46.2 +/- 18.2 years; the majority being males (80%). The
      antibiotic de-escalation rate was about 30%. Out of this, 84% involved a change
      from broad to narrow-spectrum antibiotics and the remaining, withdrawal of one or
      more antibiotics. ICU mortality was 23% while 28 days mortality was 37%. There
      was no statistically significant difference in mortality rate, survival
      probability and the mean length of ICU stay between the de-escalation and the non
      de-escalation group. However, patients with Simplified Acute Physiology Score II
      of >=50 were significantly associated with ICU mortality and 28 days mortality.
      Conclusions In VAP patients, antibiotic de-escalation provides an opportunity to
      promote the judicious use of antibiotics without affecting the clinical outcomes.

PMID- 28643115
TI  - New ERP Methods Tailored Onto Single Subject Neuroanatomical Variability.
AB  - Gebodh and coworkers present an innovative method for strengthening the
      reliability with which event-related potential (ERP) components are recorded. By
      tailoring the experimental design to the neuroanatomical singularity of each
      observer, this method provides more robust and cleaner data.

PMID- 28643114
TI  - Synergistic cardioprotective effects of rAAV9-CyclinA2 combined with fibrin glue
      in rats after myocardial infarction.
AB  - The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of rAAV9-CyclinA2
      combined with fibrin glue (FG) in vivo in rats after myocardial infarction (MI).
      Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 6 groups (15 in each group):
      sham, MI, rAAV9-green fluorescent protein (GFP) + MI, rAAV9-CyclinA2 + MI, FG +
      MI, and rAAV9-CyclinA2 + FG + MI. Packed virus (5 * 1011vg/ml) in 150 ul of
      normal saline or FG was injected into the infarcted myocardium at five locations
      in rAAV9-GFP + MI, rAAV9-CyclinA2 + MI, and rAAV9-CyclinA2 + FG + MI groups. The
      sham, MI, and FG + MI groups were injected with an equal volume of normal saline
      or FG at the same sites. Five weeks after injection, echocardiography was
      performed to evaluate the left ventricular function. The expressions of CyclinA2,
      proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and phospho-histone-H3 (H3P), vascular
      density, and infarct area were assessed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry,
      immunofluorescence, and Masson staining. As a result, the combination of rAAV9
      CyclinA2 and FG increased ejection fraction and fractional shortening compared
      with FG or rAAV9-CyclinA2 alone. The expression level of CyclinA2 was
      significantly higher in the rAAV9-CyclinA2 + FG + MI group compared with the
      rAAV9-CyclinA2 + MI and FG + MI groups (70.1 +/- 1.86% vs. 14.74 +/- 2.02%, P <
      0.01; or vs. 50.13 +/- 3.80%; P < 0.01). A higher expression level of PCNA and
      H3P was found in the rAAV9-CyclinA2 + FG + MI group compared with other groups.
      Comparing with other experiment groups, collagen deposition and the infarct size
      significantly decreased in rAAV9-CyclinA2 + Fibrin + MI group. The vascular
      density was much higher in the rAAV9-CyclinA2 + FG + MI group compared with the
      rAAV9-CyclinA2 + MI group. We concluded that fibrin glue combined with rAAV9
      CyclinA2 was found to be effective in cardiac remodeling and improving myocardial
      protection.

PMID- 28643116
TI  - Express yourself: how PP2A-B55Pab1 helps TORC1 talk to TORC2.
AB  - The control of cell fate, growth and proliferation in response to nitrogen
      availability is a tightly controlled process, with the two TOR complexes (TORC1
      and TORC2) and their effectors playing a central role. PP2A-B55Pab1 has recently
      been shown to be a key element in this response in fission yeast, where it
      regulates cell cycle progression and sexual differentiation. Importantly, a
      recent study from our group has shown that PP2A-B55Pab1 acts as a mediator
      between the activities of the two TOR signaling modules, enabling a crosstalk
      that is required to engage in the differentiation program. In this review, we
      recapitulate the studies that have led to our current understanding of the
      interplay between TOR complexes. Moreover, we discuss several aspects of the
      response to nitrogen availability that still require further attention, and which
      will be important in the future to fully realize the implications of phosphatase
      activity in the context of TOR signaling.

PMID- 28643118
TI  - Comparison of photon organ and effective dose coefficients for PIMAL stylized
      phantom in bent positions in standard irradiation geometries.
AB  - Computational phantoms with articulated arms and legs have been constructed to
      enable the estimation of radiation dose in different postures. Through a
      graphical user interface, the Phantom wIth Moving Arms and Legs (PIMAL) version
      4.1.0 software can be employed to articulate the posture of a phantom and
      generate a corresponding input deck for the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP)
      radiation transport code. In this work, photon fluence-to-dose coefficients were
      computed using PIMAL to compare organ and effective doses for a stylized phantom
      in the standard upright position with those for phantoms in realistic work
      postures. The articulated phantoms represent working positions including fully
      and half bent torsos with extended arms for both the male and female reference
      adults. Dose coefficients are compared for both the upright and bent positions
      across monoenergetic photon energies: 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 MeV.
      Additionally, the organ doses are compared across the International Commission on
      Radiological Protection's standard external radiation exposure geometries: antero
      posterior, postero-anterior, left and right lateral, and isotropic (AP, PA, LLAT,
      RLAT, and ISO). For the AP and PA irradiation geometries, differences in organ
      doses compared to the upright phantom become more profound with increasing
      bending angles and have doses largely overestimated for all organs except the
      brain in AP and bladder in PA. In LLAT and RLAT irradiation geometries, energy
      deposition for organs is more likely to be underestimated compared to the upright
      phantom, with no overall change despite increased bending angle. The ISO source
      geometry did not cause a significant difference in absorbed organ dose between
      the different phantoms, regardless of position. Organ and effective fluence-to
      dose coefficients are tabulated. In the AP geometry, the effective dose at the 45
      degrees  bent position is overestimated compared to the upright phantom below 1
      MeV by as much as 27% and 82% in the 90 degrees  position. The effective dose in
      the 45 degrees  bent position was comparable to that in the 90 degrees  bent
      position for the LLAT and RLAT irradiation geometries. However, the upright
      phantom underestimates the effective dose to PIMAL in the LLAT and RLAT
      geometries by as much as 30% at 50 keV.

PMID- 28643117
TI  - Children's family experiences: development of the PROMIS(r) pediatric family
      relationships measures.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe the development of pediatric family relationships measures,
      with versions for child self-report (8-17 years) and parent-report for children 5
      17 years old. Measures were created for integration into the Patient Reported
      Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS(r)). METHODS: Semi-structured
      interviews with 10 experts, 24 children, and 8 parents were conducted to elicit
      and clarify essential elements of family relationships. A systematic literature
      review was conducted to identify item concepts representative of each element.
      The concepts were transformed into items that were iteratively revised based on
      cognitive interviews (n = 43 children) and item translatability review.
      Psychometric studies involving 2846 children and 2262 parents were conducted to
      further refine and validate the instruments. RESULTS: Qualitative procedures
      supported the development of content valid Family Relationships item banks. Final
      child- and parent-report item banks each contain 47 items. Unidimensional item
      banks were calibrated using IRT-modeling to estimate item parameters
      representative of the US population and to enable computerized adaptive test
      administration. Four- and eight-item short forms were constructed for standard
      fixed format administration. All instruments have strong internal consistency,
      retest-reliability, and provide precise estimates of various levels of family
      relationship quality. Preliminary evidence of the instruments' validity was
      provided by known-group comparisons and convergence with legacy measures.
      CONCLUSION: The PROMIS pediatric Family Relationships measures can be applied in
      research focused on determinants, outcomes, and the protective effects of
      children's subjective family relationship experiences.

PMID- 28643119
TI  - Home-based versus center-based aerobic exercise on cardiopulmonary performance,
      physical function, quality of life and quality of sleep of overweight patients
      with chronic kidney disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and obesity can
      decrease the patients' cardiopulmonary capacity, physical functioning and quality
      of life. The search for effective and practical alternative methods of exercise
      to engage patients in training programs is of great importance. Therefore, we
      aimed to compare the effects of home-based versus center-based aerobic exercise
      on the cardiopulmonary and functional capacities, quality of life and quality of
      sleep of overweight non-dialysis-dependent patients with CKD (NDD-CKD). METHODS:
      Forty sedentary overweight patients CKD stages 3 and 4 were randomly assigned to
      an exercise group [home-based group (n = 12) or center-based exercise group (n =
      13)] or to a control group (n = 15) that did not perform any exercise.
      Cardiopulmonary exercise test, functional capacity tests, quality of life,
      quality of sleep and clinical parameters were assessed at baseline, 12 and 24
      weeks. RESULTS: The VO2peak and all cardiopulmonary parameters evaluated were
      similarly improved (p < 0.05) after 12 and 24 weeks in both exercise groups. The
      functional capacity tests improved during the follow-up in the home-based group
      (p < 0.05) and reached values similar to those obtained in the center-based
      group. The benefits achieved in both exercise groups were also reflected in
      improvement of quality of life and sleep (p < 0.05). No differences were observed
      between the exercise groups, and no changes in any of the parameters investigated
      were found in the control group. CONCLUSION: Home-based aerobic training was as
      effective as center-based training in improving the physical and functional
      capabilities, quality of life and sleep in overweight NDD-CKD patients.

PMID- 28643121
TI  - A Study on the Expression of Genes Involved in Carotenoids and Anthocyanins
      During Ripening in Fruit Peel of Green, Yellow, and Red Colored Mango Cultivars.
AB  - Mango (Mangiferaindica L.) fruits are generally classified based on peel color
      into green, yellow, and red types. Mango peel turns from green to yellow or red
      or retain green colors during ripening. The carotenoids and anthocyanins are the
      important pigments responsible for the colors of fruits. In the present study,
      peels of different colored cultivars at three ripening stages were characterized
      for pigments, colors, and gene expression analysis. The yellow colored cultivar
      "Arka Anmol" showed higher carotenoid content, wherein beta-carotene followed by
      violaxanthin were the major carotenoid compounds that increased during ripening.
      The red colored cultivars were characterized with higher anthocyanins with
      cyanidin-3-O-monoglucosides and peonidin-3-O-glucosides as the major
      anthocyanins. The gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR showed the higher
      expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes viz. lycopene-beta-cyclase and
      violaxanthin-de-epoxidase in yellow colored cv. Arka Anmol, and the expression
      was found to increase during ripening. However, in red colored cv. "Janardhan
      Pasand," there is increased regulation of all anthocyanin biosynthetic genes
      including transcription factors MYB and basic helix loop. This indicated the
      regulation of the anthocyanins by these genes in red mango peel. The results
      showed that the accumulation pattern of particular pigments and higher expression
      of specific biosynthetic genes in mango peel impart different colors.

PMID- 28643120
TI  - The incidence of the nephrotic syndrome in childhood in Germany.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The incidence of childhood nephrotic syndrome (NS) in Germany is not
      well known. METHODS: An ESPED-based nationwide collection of epidemiological data
      of children in 2005 and 2006. RESULT: The mean age of NS at onset was 5.5 +/- 3.7
      years. The gender ratio of boys to girls was 1.8:1. The average length of stay
      was 15.5 +/- 11.2 days, with younger children remaining significantly longer in
      hospital. Steroid-resistance was more common in children >=8 years (p = 0.023).
      Focal-segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) was more common in children >10 years
      (p = 0.029). The ratio of males to females with FSGS was 1:1.9, thus the FSGS
      risk for girls at onset was 3.3-times greater. Considering the available data,
      the incidence of NS in Germany is 1.2/100,000 in the population <18 years, of
      which 1.0/100,000 are steroid-sensitive. CONCLUSION: Compared with international
      data, which primarily focused on regional and small populations, this is the
      largest study about the incidence of the childhood NS.

PMID- 28643122
TI  - Symbiotic performance and induction of systemic resistance against Cercospora
      sojina in soybean plants co-inoculated with Bacillus sp. CHEP5 and Bradyrhizobium
      japonicum E109.
AB  - Soybean is an economically very important crop throughout the word and
      particularly in Argentina. Soybean yield may be affected by many factors such as
      the lack of some essential nutrients or pathogens attack. In this work we
      demonstrated that the co-inoculation of the native biocontrol bacterium Bacillus
      sp. CHEP5 which induces resistance against Cercospora sojina in soybean and the
      nitrogen fixing strain Bradyrhizobium japonicum E109, was more effective in
      reducing frog leaf spot severity than the inoculation of the biocontrol agent
      alone. Probably, this is related with the increase in the ability to form biofilm
      when both bacteria are growing together. Furthermore, Bacillus sp. CHEP5
      inoculation did not affect Bradyrhizobium japonicum E109 symbiotic behavior and
      flavonoids composition of root exudates in pathogen challenged plants. These
      results suggest that co-inoculation of plants with rhizobia and biocontrol agents
      could be a strategy to improve soybean production in a sustainable system.

PMID- 28643123
TI  - Study of the interactions of dissolved organic matter with zinc ion and the
      impact of competitive metal ions (Ca2+ and Mg2+) by in situ absorbance.
AB  - The bioavailability and toxicity of zinc to aquatic life depend on dissolved
      organic matter (DOM), such as Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA), which plays an
      important role in the speciation of zinc. This study examined reactions of SRFA
      with zinc at different concentrations from pH 3.0 to 9.0, and competitive binding
      of calcium/magnesium and zinc to SRFA at pH 6.0, using in situ absorbance.
      Interactions of Zn2+ with SRFA chromophores were evidenced by the emergence of
      features in Zn-differential spectra. Among all Zn2+-SRFA systems, dominant peaks,
      located at 235, 275 and 385 nm, and the highest intensity at 235 nm indicated the
      replacement of protons by the bound Zn2+. The Zn2+ binding with SRFA could be
      quantified by calculating the changes of the slopes of Zn-differential log
      transformed absorbance in the wavelength range of 350-400 nm (denoted as DS350
      400) and by comparing the experimental data with predictions using the Non-Ideal
      Competitive Adsorption (NICA-Donnan) model. DS350-400 was correlated well with
      the bound Zn2+ concentrations predicted by NICA-Donnan model with or without Ca2+
      or Mg2+. Ca2+ and Mg2+ only affect intensity of the Zn-differential and Zn
      differential log-transformed absorbance, not shape. In situ absorbance can be
      used to gain further information about Men+-DOM interactions in the presence of
      various metals.

PMID- 28643124
TI  - [Solid pediatric tumors : A brief survey of the rarity cabinet].
AB  - Solid tumors in childhood are extremely rare entities, which are usually treated
      in specialized centers. Diagnosis and therapy are carried out according to a
      joint European protocol, whereby the pathological evaluation and therapy are
      carried out according to international guidelines. For the correct diagnosis
      and/or therapy of most tumors, analysis of specific genetic changes is mandatory;
      therefore, tumors have to be adequately sampled for parallel genetic analysis
      during the pathological work-up. A second opinion reference of the
      histopathological assessment is part of the international guidelines.
      Neuroblastomas, congenital mesoblastic nephromas and rhabdoid tumors are examples
      of solid tumors in childhood that are not restricted to one organ and occur
      exclusively during childhood.

PMID- 28643125
TI  - The role of PRMT1 in EGFR methylation and signaling in MDA-MB-468 triple-negative
      breast cancer cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is often overexpressed in
      triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, clinical studies have shown that
      therapies against EGFR are not effective in patients with TNBC. Recently, it has
      been reported that arginine 198/200 in EGFR extracellular domain is methylated by
      PRMT1 and that the methylation confers resistance to EGFR monoclonal antibody
      cetuximab in colorectal cancer cells. To explore a potential mechanism underlying
      intrinsic resistance to anti-EGFR therapy in TNBC, we investigated the role of
      PRMT1 in EGFR methylation and signaling in MDA-MB-468 (468) TNBC cells. METHODS:
      We knocked down PRMT1 in 468 cells by shRNA, and subjected the cell lysates to
      Western blot analysis to examine EGFR activation and its downstream molecules. We
      also evaluated cell proliferation and sphere formation of PRMT1-knockdown cells.
      Finally, we examined the effects of pan-PRMT inhibitor, AMI-1, on cetuximab by
      colony formation and soft agar assays. RESULTS: EGFR methylation and activity was
      significantly reduced in PRMT1-knockdown cells compared to the parental cells.
      Knockdown of PRMT1 also reduced cell proliferation and sphere formation.
      Moreover, AMI-1 sensitized 468 cells to cetuximab. CONCLUSION: The results
      indicate that PRMT1 is critical for EGFR activity in 468 cells. Our data also
      suggest that inhibition of PRMT1 sensitizes TNBC cells to cetuximab. Thus,
      inhibition of PRMT1 may be an effective therapeutic strategy to overcome
      intrinsic resistance to cetuximab in TNBC.

PMID- 28643126
TI  - Cancer Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cancers and the
      second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Only a small proportion
      of patients benefit from curative treatment and the prognosis is very poor for
      the majority of cases due to late presentation, resistance to chemotherapy and
      high recurrence rate. In recent years, progress in stem cell biology allowed us
      to explain that hierarchically organized cancer stem cells (CSCs) drive
      histological and functional heterogeneity of hematological malignancies and solid
      tumors. METHODS AND RESULTS: Also referred to as tumor-initiating cells, CSCs
      have been isolated from both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and
      primary tumors by using hepatic progenitor markers. Although there is still no
      consensus on cancer stem cell phenotype in HCC, single or combined use of CSC
      markers defines a minor population of tumor cells with the capacity of self
      renewing and the ability to recapitulate the original tumor heterogeneity.
      CONCLUSIONS: This review focuses on the biological features of CSCs and their
      potential as diagnostic/prognostic tools and therapeutic targets in HCC.

PMID- 28643128
TI  - Announcement (issue 7) July 2017.

PMID- 28643127
TI  - Preoperative evaluation of left common iliac vein in oblique lateral interbody
      fusion at L5-S1.
AB  - PURPOSE: Oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF) L5-S1 is essentially to perform
      an anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) in the lateral position. Because the
      surgical procedures are performed "obliquely" over the left common iliac vein
      (LCIV), ensuring that the vein is protected which is particularly important. We
      aimed to evaluate the configuration of LCIV and its risk of mobilization during
      anterior approach at L5-S1 segment. METHODS: This study involved 65 consecutive
      patients who underwent anterior lumbar fusion (ALIF, n = 39; OLIF, n = 26) at the
      L5-S1 segment. Three independent examiners evaluated the configuration of the
      LCIV at the L5-S1 disc on axial magnetic resonance images of the lumbar spine.
      The LCIV was categorized into three types according to the difficulty of
      mobilization: type I (no requirement for mobilization; LCIV runs laterally for
      more than two-thirds of the length of the left side of the L5-S1 disc), type II
      (easy mobilization; LCIV obstructs the L5-S1 disc space, but the perivascular
      adipose tissue is present under the LCIV), and type III (potentially difficult
      mobilization; no perivascular adipose tissue under the LCIV). The patient records
      were reviewed for vascular complications. RESULTS: There were 21 men and 44 women
      in this study, with a mean age of 63.4 years (range 19-83 years). Type I LCIV
      configuration was found in 32 (49.2%) patients, type II in 18 (27.7%), and type
      III in 15 (23.1%). There were 7 (10.8%) patients with LCIV injury (type I, n = 0;
      type II, n = 2; type III, n = 5) (P = 0.003). Intraobserver reliability for the
      LCIV classification ranged from substantial to excellent, and interobserver
      reliability ranged from moderate to excellent. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative
      evaluation for anterior approach to the L5-S1 segment should take account of the
      LCIV position, as well as the difficulty of its mobilization. The type III LCIV
      configuration showed a high rate of vascular injury.

PMID- 28643129
TI  - Magnetohydrodynamic Voltage Recorder for Comparing Peripheral Blood Flow.
AB  - Blood flow is a clinical metric for monitoring of cardiovascular diseases but
      current measurements methods are costly or uncomfortable for patients. It was
      shown that the interaction of the magnetic field (B 0) during MRI and blood flow
      in the body, through the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect, produce voltages (V
      MHD) observable through intra-MRI electrocardiography (ECG), which are correlated
      with regional blood flow. This study shows the reproducibility of V MHD outside
      the MRI and its application in a portable flow monitoring device. To recreate
      this interaction outside the MRI, a static neodymium magnet (0.4T) was placed in
      between two electrodes to induce the V MHD in a single lead ECG measurement. V
      MHD was extracted, and integrated over to obtain a stroke volume metric. A
      smartphone-enabled device utilizing this interaction was developed in order to
      create a more accessible method of obtaining blood flow measurements. The
      portable device displayed a <6% error compared to a commercial recorder, and was
      able to successfully record V MHD using the 0.4T magnet. Exercise stress testing
      showed a V MHD increase of 23% in healthy subjects, with an 81% increase in the
      athlete. The study demonstrates a new device utilizing MHD interactions with body
      circulation to obtain blood flow metrics.

PMID- 28643131
TI  - Strong Comma-Free Codes in Genetic Information.
AB  - Comma-free codes constitute a class of circular codes, which has been widely
      studied, in particular by Golomb et al. (Biologiske Meddelelser, Kongelige Danske
      Videnskabernes Selskab 23:1-34, 1958a, Can J Math 10:202-209, 1958b), Michel et
      al. (Comput Math Appl 55:989-996, 2008a, Theor Comput Sci 401:17-26, 2008b, Inf
      Comput 212:55-63, 2012), Michel and Pirillo (Int J Comb 2011:659567, 2011), and
      Fimmel and Strungmann (J Theor Biol 389:206-213, 2016). Based on a recent
      approach using graph theory to study circular codes Fimmel et al. (Philos Trans R
      Soc 374:20150058, 2016), a new class of circular codes, called strong comma-free
      codes, is identified. These codes detect a frameshift during the translation
      process immediately after a reading window of at most two nucleotides. We
      describe several combinatorial properties of strong comma-free codes:
      enumeration, maximality, self-complementarity and [Formula: see text]-property
      (comma-free property in all the three possible frames). These combinatorial
      results also highlight some new properties of the genetic code and its evolution.
      Each amino acid in the standard genetic code is coded by at least one strong
      comma-free code of size 1. There are 9 amino acids [Formula: see text] among 20
      such that for each amino acid from S, its synonymous trinucleotide set (excluding
      the necessary periodic trinucleotides [Formula: see text]) is a strong comma-free
      code. The primeval comma-free RNY code of Eigen and Schuster (Naturwissenschaften
      65:341-369, 1978) is a self-complementary [Formula: see text]-code of size 16.
      Furthermore, it is the union of two strong comma-free codes of size 8 which are
      complementary to each other.

PMID- 28643130
TI  - Retreatability of three calcium silicate-containing sealers and one epoxy resin
      based root canal sealer with four different root canal instruments.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to compare the retreatability of three
      calcium silicate-containing sealers (BioRoot RCS, MTA Fillapex, Endo C.P.M.) and
      an epoxy resin-based sealer (AH Plus) with different root canal instruments
      (Hedstrom files, Reciproc R40, Mtwo retreatment file R 25/.05 + Mtwo 40/.06, and
      F6 SkyTaper) concerning sealer remnants and retreatment time. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Root canals of 192 teeth were instrumented with Reciproc R40. All root
      canals were obturated using the single-cone technique with Reciproc R40 gutta
      percha and one of the sealers (n = 48 per sealer). Two months later, retreatment
      was performed using one of the mentioned instruments (n = 12 per instrument and
      sealer). The roots were split longitudinally, and both halves were investigated
      using light microscopy. The percentage of sealer remnants covering the root canal
      wall was evaluated using the software ImageJ. The time required for retreatment
      was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA and Student
      Newman-Keuls post hoc test. RESULTS: Regarding the percentage of root canal
      filling remnants as well as retreatment time, two-way ANOVA indicated that the
      results were significantly affected by the sealer (p < 0.001) and by the
      instrument used (p < 0.05). Overall, the use of AH Plus was associated with
      significantly more remnants compared to all other sealers (p < 0.001) and F6
      SkyTaper instruments allowed significantly faster retreatment than the other
      instruments (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The retreatability of calcium silicate
      containing sealers was better compared to AH Plus as less sealer remnants and
      shorter retreatment times were observed. Retreatment with engine-driven NiTi
      instruments was superior compared to hand instrumentation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE:
      Engine-driven NiTi instruments are better suited to remove root canal fillings
      than stainless steel Hedstrom files.

PMID- 28643132
TI  - Integrated Inflammatory Stress (ITIS) Model.
AB  - During the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the coupling
      between the acute inflammatory response and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal
      (HPA) axis. The inflammatory response is activated acutely by pathogen- or damage
      related molecular patterns, whereas the HPA axis maintains a long-term level of
      the stress hormone cortisol which is also anti-inflammatory. A new integrated
      model of the interaction between these two subsystems of the inflammatory system
      is proposed and coined the integrated inflammatory stress (ITIS) model. The
      coupling mechanisms describing the interactions between the subsystems in the
      ITIS model are formulated based on biological reasoning and its ability to
      describe clinical data. The ITIS model is calibrated and validated by simulating
      various scenarios related to endotoxin (LPS) exposure. The model is capable of
      reproducing human data of tumor necrosis factor alpha, adrenocorticotropic
      hormone (ACTH) and cortisol and suggests that repeated LPS injections lead to a
      deficient response. The ITIS model predicts that the most extensive response to
      an LPS injection in ACTH and cortisol concentrations is observed in the early
      hours of the day. A constant activation results in elevated levels of the
      variables in the model while a prolonged change of the oscillations in ACTH and
      cortisol concentrations is the most pronounced result of different LPS doses
      predicted by the model.

PMID- 28643134
TI  - Randomized Controlled Trial of a Volitional Help Sheet to Encourage Weight Loss
      in the Middle East.
AB  - In the Middle East, the prevalence of overweight/obesity is 80%; however, no
      studies have yet tested the efficacy of interventions to promote weight loss. The
      aim of the present study was to test the ability of implementation intentions
      formed using a volitional help sheet to support weight loss among people who were
      overweight/obese. Participants (N = 216) enrolling in a weight loss program in
      Kuwait were randomly allocated either to form implementation intentions using a
      volitional help sheet (intervention group) or to use the volitional help sheet to
      think about critical situations and appropriate responses but not form
      implementation intentions (control group). The main outcome measure was weight at
      6-month follow-up. Participants in the intervention condition lost significantly
      more weight (6.15 kg; -6.58% initial body weight) than those in the control
      condition (3.66 kg; -4.04% initial body weight), M diff = 2.55% initial body
      weight, SE diff = .92, t(214) = 2.76, p = .006, 95%CI = .73, 4.36, d = .38. The
      present study is the first to show that implementation intentions work beyond a
      Western context and that the volitional help sheet could be used in a variety of
      cultural contexts to enhance weight-loss programs.

PMID- 28643133
TI  - Children with Elevated Psychosocial Risk Load Benefit Most from a Family-Based
      Preventive Intervention: Exploratory Differential Analyses from the German
      "Strengthening Families Program 10-14" Adaptation Trial.
AB  - While the effectiveness of substance use prevention programs such as the
      Strengthening Families Program 10-14 (SFP) has been demonstrated in the USA,
      European SFP adaptations have not replicated these sizable effects. Following the
      rationale of the risk moderation hypothesis positing that elevated risk groups
      may benefit more from a preventive intervention than lower-risk groups, we
      reanalyzed evaluation data from a randomized controlled trial testing the adapted
      German version of SFP (SFP-D). We hypothesized a differential impact of risk
      status on intervention results. The study employed a minimal control condition.
      Of the N = 292 participating children, 73.5% qualified as at-risk because they
      lived in a deprived urban district, and 26.5% qualified as high risk because they
      additionally scored as "difficult" in the German Strengths and Difficulty
      Questionnaire (parents' reports using gender- and age-specific German norms).
      Outcomes were children's self-reports on substance use, mental health, family
      functioning, and quality of life. Data were analyzed with repeated measures
      linear mixed models and relative risk analyses. The high-risk group in the SFP-D
      condition achieved the best results compared with all other groups, especially in
      mental health and quality of life. Relative risk analyses on tobacco [alcohol]
      abstinence showed that an additional percentage of 29.8% [16.0%] of high-risk
      children in nonabstinent controls would have remained abstinent if they had
      participated in SFP-D. We conclude that risk load influences the impact of
      substance use prevention programs and discuss to what extent differential
      analyses can add value to prevention research.

PMID- 28643135
TI  - Preoperative tumor restaging and resectability assessment of gastric cancers
      after chemotherapy: diagnostic accuracy of MDCT using new staging criteria.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of preoperative MDCT for tumor
      restaging and determination of resectability in gastric cancers after
      chemotherapy using new staging criteria. METHODS: This retrospective study was
      approved by our institutional review board and the requirement for informed
      consent was waived. Thirty-seven patients with initially unresectable gastric
      cancers who had received chemotherapy followed by surgery were included. Two
      independent radiologists reviewed preoperative MDCT images to determine the TNM
      staging and rate the overall likelihood of resectability using a 5-point scale
      (5: definitely unresectable, 1: definitely resectable). New post-chemotherapy
      MDCT criteria do not use non-enhancing perigastric infiltrations, non-enhancing
      lymph nodes (LNs), and subtle remaining infiltrations after marked decrease in
      the size of distant metastases for T, N, and M upstaging, respectively.
      Discrepancies in TNM staging were resolved by a third reviewer. The diagnostic
      performances of MDCT were assessed using pathologic results or operation records
      as reference standards. RESULTS: For predicting resectability, the areas under
      the ROC curve were 0.885 and 0.882 (95% CIs 0.737-0.966 and 0.733-0.964) in
      reviewers 1 and 2, respectively, with substantial inter-reader agreement
      (weighted kappa = 0.689). Sensitivities and specificities of MDCT for tumor
      restaging on a consensus review were 80.0% (4/5) and 100% (29/29) for T4b, 35.3%
      (6/17) and 81.3% (13/16) for N-positive, and 63.6% (7/11) and 100% (26/26) for
      M1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For gastric cancers after chemotherapy, new MDCT
      criteria demonstrated high specificities for T4b and M-staging and good
      performances to predict resectability before conversion surgery.

PMID- 28643136
TI  - Assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis: comparison of shear wave
      elastography and transient elastography.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of shear wave elastography (SWE) and
      transient elastography (TE) in the evaluation of liver fibrosis in chronic
      hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) patients taking liver biopsy as gold standard.
      METHODS: Ethics committee approved this prospective cross-sectional study.
      Between October 2012 and December 2014, consecutive CHB/CHC patients fulfilling
      the inclusion criteria were included-age more than 18 years, informed written
      consent, willing and suitable for liver biopsy. SWE, TE, and biopsy were
      performed the same day. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) cut-offs for various
      stages of fibrosis were generated for SWE and TE. AUC, sensitivity, specificity,
      and positive/negative predictive values were estimated individually or in
      combination. RESULTS: CH patients (n = 240, CHB 172, CHC 68), 176 males, 64
      females, mean age 32.6 +/- 11.6 years were enrolled. Mean LSM of patients with no
      histological fibrosis (F0) was 5.0 +/- 0.7 and 5.1+1.4 kPa on SWE and TE,
      respectively. For differentiating F2 and F3-4 fibrosis on SWE, at 7.0 kPa cut
      off, the sensitivity was 81.3% and specificity 77.6%. For TE, at 8.3 kPa cut-off,
      sensitivity was 81.8% and specificity 83.1%. For F3 vs. F4, SWE sensitivity was
      83.3% and specificity 90.7%. At 14.8 kPa cut-off, TE showed similar sensitivity
      (83.3%) but specificity increased to 96.5%. Significant correlation between SWE
      and TE was observed (r = 0.33, p < 0.001). On combining SWE and TE, a drop in
      sensitivity with increased specificity for all stages of liver fibrosis occured.
      CONCLUSION: SWE is an accurate technique for evaluating liver fibrosis. SWE
      compares favorably with TE especially for predicting advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis.
      Combining SWE and TE further improves specificity.

PMID- 28643137
TI  - Radio-surgical and pathologic correlations of pelvic intravenous leiomyomatosis.
AB  - Intravenous leiomyomatosis has an unusual growth pattern characterized by
      proliferation of smooth muscle in uterine and systemic veins. Although
      histologically benign, this condition could eventually have a clinically
      aggressive course. At an early stage, the disease is often misdiagnosed on
      preoperative imaging because of its low prevalence, non-specific initial clinical
      manifestation, and poorly known radiological characteristics. An early, accurate
      diagnosis is needed for appropriate surgical management that could result in a
      good prognosis, reducing the risk of recurrence and morbidity. Magnetic resonance
      imaging is a particularly valuable technique for assessing intravenous
      leiomyomatosis preoperatively.

PMID- 28643138
TI  - Distinguishing gastric anisakiasis from non-anisakiasis using unenhanced computed
      tomography.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of unenhanced
      computed tomography (CT) for distinguishing gastric anisakiasis from non
      anisakiasis gastric conditions and the reproducibility of CT findings. METHODS:
      Fifty-six anisakiasis and 74 non-anisakiasis cases with gastric wall thickening
      on urgent observation using unenhanced CT were included. Using a kappa analysis,
      two radiologists independently assessed the reproducibility of CT findings,
      including "circumferential gastric wall thickening," "gastric wall thickening
      extending more than two segments," "bulky and low-density gastric wall
      thickening," "increase in peri-gastric fat density," and "ascites." An
      anisakiasis diagnostic score (ADS) was developed for this study and was used to
      quantitatively evaluate the CT findings. An anisakiasis diagnostic prediction
      (ADP) with an appropriate cutoff value was used to further evaluate the ADS. Two
      radiologists reassessed the findings in consensus to determine the sensitivity,
      specificity, and accuracy of the CT findings, including the ADP and ADS area
      under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: Considering reproducibility, a substantial
      agreement (0.6 < kappa < 0.8) was achieved for all findings except
      "circumferential gastric wall thickening" (kappa = 0.499), whereas for diagnostic
      performance, all findings except ascites were significantly more frequent among
      the anisakiasis cases. "Bulky and low-density gastric wall thickening" had the
      highest sensitivity (98%), whereas "gastric wall thickening extending more than
      two segments" had the highest specificity (80%). The ADP sensitivity,
      specificity, and accuracy were 91%, 84%, and 87%, respectively. The AUC was 0.902
      (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Unenhanced CT findings are useful for distinguishing
      anisakiasis from non-anisakiasis gastric conditions with sufficient
      reproducibility.

PMID- 28643140
TI  - Evidence-Based Metrics and Other Multidimensional Considerations in Promotion or
      Tenure Evaluations in Academic Psychiatry.

PMID- 28643141
TI  - Estimation of the effective yield properties of human trabecular bone using
      nonlinear micro-finite element analyses.
AB  - Micro-finite element ([Formula: see text]FE) analyses are often used to determine
      the apparent mechanical properties of trabecular bone volumes. Yet, these
      apparent properties depend strongly on the applied boundary conditions (BCs) for
      the limited size of volumes that can be obtained from human bones. To attenuate
      the influence of the BCs, we computed the yield properties of samples loaded via
      a surrounding layer of trabecular bone ("embedded configuration"). Thirteen cubic
      volumes (10.6 mm side length) were collected from [Formula: see text]CT
      reconstructions of human vertebrae and femora and converted into [Formula: see
      text]FE models. An isotropic elasto-plastic material model was chosen for bone
      tissue, and nonlinear [Formula: see text]FE analyses of six uniaxial, shear, and
      multi-axial load cases were simulated to determine the yield properties of a
      subregion (5.3 mm side length) of each volume. Three BCs were tested. Kinematic
      uniform BCs (KUBCs: each boundary node is constrained with uniform displacements)
      and periodicity-compatible mixed uniform BCs (PMUBCs: each boundary node is
      constrained with a uniform combination of displacements and tractions mimicking
      the periodic BCs for an orthotropic material) were directly applied to the
      subregions, while the embedded configuration was achieved by applying PMUBCs on
      the larger volumes instead. Yield stresses and strains, and element damage at
      yield were finally compared across BCs. Our findings indicate that yield strains
      do not depend on the BCs. However, KUBCs significantly overestimate yield
      stresses obtained in the embedded configuration (+43.1 +/- 27.9%). PMUBCs
      underestimate (-10.0 +/- 11.2%), but not significantly, yield stresses in the
      embedded situation. Similarly, KUBCs lead to higher damage levels than PMUBCs
      (+51.0 +/- 16.9%) and embedded configurations (+48.4 +/- 15.0%). PMUBCs are
      better suited for reproducing the loading conditions in subregions of the
      trabecular bone and deliver a fair estimation of their effective (asymptotic)
      yield properties.

PMID- 28643139
TI  - Cysteamine revisited: repair of arginine to cysteine mutations.
AB  - Cysteamine is a small aminothiol endogenously derived from coenzyme A
      degradation. For some decades, synthetic cysteamine has been employed for the
      treatment of cystinosis, and new uses of the drug continue to emerge. In this
      review, we discuss the role of cysteamine in cellular and extracellular
      homeostasis and focus on the potential use of aminothiols to reconstitute the
      function of proteins harboring arginine (Arg) to cysteine (Cys) mutations, via
      repair of the Cys residue into a moiety that introduces an amino group, as seen
      in basic amino acid residues Lys and Arg. Cysteamine has been utilized in vitro
      and ex vivo in four different genetic disorders, and thus provides "proof of
      principle" that aminothiols can modify Cys residues. Other aminothiols such as
      mercaptoethylguanidine (MEG) with closer structural resemblance to the
      guanidinium moiety of Arg are under examination for their predicted enhanced
      capacity to reconstitute loss of function. Although the use of aminothiols holds
      clinical potential, more studies are required to refine specificity and treatment
      design. The efficacy of aminothiols to target proteins may vary substantially
      depending on their specific extracellular and intracellular locations. Redox
      potential, pH, and specific aminothiol abundance in each physiological
      compartment are expected to influence the reactivity and turnover of cysteamine
      and analogous drugs. Upcoming research will require the use of suitable cell and
      animal models featuring Arg to Cys mutations. Since, in general, Arg to Cys
      changes comprise about 8% of missense mutations, repair of this specific mutation
      may provide promising avenues for many genetic diseases.

PMID- 28643143
TI  - Egg Parasitoid Complex of the Corn Leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong)
      (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), in Argentina.
AB  - The corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong), is the most important leafhopper
      pest of maize, Zea mays, in the Americas. A survey of the diversity of its egg
      parasitoids was carried out in northwestern Argentina. During summer from 2004 to
      2007, the samples were collected, using sentinel eggs of D. maidis on corn
      leaves, exposed in 48 cornfields. Sixteen species belonging to four families of
      Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) were identified. Among the parasitoid groups,
      Trichogrammatidae was the most represented family with eight species, followed by
      Mymaridae with six species. The mymarid Anagrus incarnatus Haliday and the
      trichogrammatid Pseudoligosita longifrangiata (Viggiani) were the most abundant
      and frequent parasitoids. The mean percentage of parasitism of D. maidis eggs was
      16.4% and varied greatly among the sites, ranging from 0 to 56.7%; generally, it
      was higher in Yungas and lower in Monte province sites. The species richness was
      higher in the localities within the Yungas, with 13 parasitoid species, of which
      two species were dominant, comprising 83.6% of the collected individuals. Monte
      was the province that showed the highest diversity index (H' = 1.62). In
      addition, we present information on the distribution, known host associations of
      each parasitoid species and an identification key to all species of egg
      parasitoids of D. maidis in Argentina.

PMID- 28643142
TI  - Temporal discounting of aversive consequences in rats.
AB  - Previous research has extensively evaluated the impact of delay on the value of
      positive reinforcers, but the study of its impact on the value of aversive
      consequences is scarce. The present study employed a modification of Evenden and
      Ryan's procedure (1996, Psychopharmacology, 128(2), 161-170) to obtain data on
      temporal discounting of an aversive consequence, with rats as experimental
      subjects. In the first phase of the procedure, rats chose between one-pellet and
      four-pellet alternatives; when subjects developed preference for the larger
      amount alternative, a shock was added to it, resulting in a loss of preference.
      In the first experimental condition, the delay to shock was progressively
      increased within each session from zero to 40 s (ascending delays), which
      resulted in a recovery of the preference for the larger-amount + shock
      alternative as the delay to shock was increased. In a subsequent condition
      (descending delays) the delay to shock was progressively decreased within each
      session, from 40 to 0 s. In both conditions, the preference for the smaller
      amount no-shock alternative was well described by a hyperbolic function. The
      order of presentation of the delays within the session, ascending or descending,
      did not alter the relationship between preference and delay to shock. The
      temporal discounting curve obtained in the present study could represent a
      baseline for analyzing the impact that diverse environmental and pharmacological
      variables have on the temporal discounting of aversive consequences.

PMID- 28643144
TI  - Evaluation of the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition staging system
      for gastric cancer patients after preoperative therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) recently released its
      8th edition staging system, which created a separate staging system for gastric
      cancer patients who have undergone preoperative therapy (ypStage). The objective
      of this retrospective study was to apply the new ypStage to patients who have
      undergone preoperative therapy and potentially curative gastrectomy. METHODS: We
      collected data from a prospectively maintained institutional database of gastric
      cancer patients who underwent potentially curative gastrectomy after preoperative
      therapy (1995-2015). Kaplan-Meier survival estimations and log-rank tests were
      performed to compare survival. Univariable and multivariable analyses were
      performed to determine risk factors for overall survival. RESULTS: A total of 354
      patients met our criteria. Most patients completed planned preoperative therapy
      (94%; 332/354) and received chemoradiation therapy (75%; 265/354). Although
      clinical stage (cStage) provided a poor discrimination of survival,
      postneoadjuvant pathological stage (ypStage) identified significant variation in
      survival (p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed the following factors were
      associated with survival after adjustment for ypStage: Asian race (HR 0.52; p =
      0.028), linitis plastica (HR 1.66; p = 0.037), and R1 resection (HR 1.91; p =
      0.016). Survival was not longer in ypT0N0 patients than in ypStage I patients (HR
      1.29; p = 0.377). CONCLUSIONS: The AJCC 8th edition staging system for gastric
      cancer demonstrated reasonable survival prediction by ypStage, but not cStage, in
      patients who had undergone preoperative therapy. ypT0N0 patients, although not
      defined in the 8th edition, may be considered for inclusion in the ypStage I
      group.

PMID- 28643146
TI  - Helicobacter pylori-induced modulation of the promoter methylation of Wnt
      antagonist genes in gastric carcinogenesis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the changes in the promoter
      methylation and gene expression of multiple Wnt antagonists between the chronic
      infection and eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in gastric
      carcinogenesis. METHODS: The levels of methylation and corresponding mRNA
      expression of seven Wnt antagonist genes (SFRP1, -2, -5, DKK1, -2, -3, WIF1) were
      compared among the patients with H. pylori-positive gastric cancers (GCs), and H.
      pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative controls, by quantitative MethyLight assay
      and real-time reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR),
      respectively. The changes of the methylation and expression levels of the genes
      were also compared between the H. pylori eradication and H. pylori-persistent
      groups 1 year after endoscopic resection of GCs. RESULTS: The methylation levels
      of SFRP and DKK family genes were significantly increased in the patients with H.
      pylori-positive GCs and followed by H. pylori-positive controls compared with H.
      pylori-negative controls (P < 0.001). SFRP1, -2, and DKK3 gene expression was
      stepwise downregulated from H. pylori-negative controls, H. pylori-positive
      controls, and to H. pylori-positive GCs (P < 0.05). Among the Wnt antagonists,
      only the degrees of methylation and downregulation of DKK3 were significantly
      reduced after H. pylori eradication (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Epigenetic silencing
      of SFRP and DKK family genes may facilitate the formation of an epigenetic field
      during H. pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis. The epigenetic field may not
      be reversed even after H. pylori eradication except by DKK3 methylation.

PMID- 28643147
TI  - The Perioperative Surgical Home: Improving the Value and Quality of Care in Total
      Joint Replacement.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The perioperative surgical home (PSH) is a patient-centered,
      physician-led, multidisciplinary care pathway developed to deliver value-based
      care based on shared decision-making. Physician and hospital reimbursement will
      be tied to providing quality care at lower cost, and the PSH model has been used
      in providing care to patients undergoing lower extremity arthroplasty. The
      purpose of this review is to discuss the rationale, definition, development,
      current state, and future direction of the PSH. RECENT FINDINGS: The PSH model
      guides the patient throughout the pre and perioperative process and into the
      postoperative phase. It has been shown in multiple studies to decrease length of
      stay, improve functional outcomes, allow more home discharges, and lower costs.
      There is no increase in complications or readmission rates. The PSH pathway is a
      safe and effective method of providing value-based care to patients undergoing
      hip and knee arthroplasty.

PMID- 28643145
TI  - The prognostic value of volume-based parameters using 18F-FDG PET/CT in gastric
      cancer according to HER2 status.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to find the clinical value of metastatic tumor burden
      evaluated with F18-FDG PET/CT in gastric cancer patients, considering the human
      epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. METHODS: We retrospectively
      reviewed 124 patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer at
      Yonsei Cancer Center between January 2006 and December 2014 who had undergone
      baseline FDG PET/CT before first-line chemotherapy. We measured the maximum
      standardized uptake value from the primary tumor (SUVmax) and whole-body (WB)
      PET/CT parameters, including WB SUVmax, WB SUVmean, WB metabolic tumor volume (WB
      MTV), and WB total lesion glycolysis (WB TLG), in all metabolically active
      metastatic lesions (SUV threshold >=2.5 or 40% isocontour for <=2.5), and we
      determined their association with patient survival outcomes. RESULTS: SUVmax was
      higher in HER2-positive gastric cancers (median 12.1, range 3.4-34.6) compared to
      HER-2 negative (7.4, 1.6-39.1, P < 0.001). Among all patients, WB TLG > 600,
      which is indicative of a high metastatic tumor burden, showed worse progression
      free survival (PFS) [hazard ratio (HR), 2.003; 95% CI, 1.300-3.086; P = 0.002]
      and overall survival (OS) (HR, 3.001; 95% CI, 1.950-4.618; P < 0.001) than did WB
      TLG <= 600. Among HER2-positive gastric cancer patients treated with trastuzumab,
      higher metabolic tumor burden predicted worse OS, but not PFS. CONCLUSIONS: HER2
      positive gastric cancers had higher SUVmax compared to HER2-negative gastric
      cancers. In both HER2-negative patients and -positive patients receiving
      trastuzumab, FDG PET/CT volume-based parameters may have a role in further
      stratifying the prognosis of stage IV gastric cancer.

PMID- 28643148
TI  - Mechanical challenges to the glomerulus and podocyte loss: evolution of a
      paradigm.
AB  - In this article, I shall outline some of the most important aspects of the
      evidentiary basis of the so-called Kriz model for the development of glomerular
      sclerosis, a model that we continue to modify to this day. In my mind, the most
      important findings include the fact that podocytes are generally post-mitotic
      cells, so that loss of a significant number for any cause leads to podocyte
      insufficiency. Another pivotal finding is that in many experimental models and in
      human disease, podocytes detach from the GBM as living cells. These facts,
      together with biomechanical deduction, have led to the ongoing evolution of the
      original Heidelberg model.

PMID- 28643149
TI  - Surface modification minimizes the toxicity of silver nanoparticles: an in vitro
      and in vivo study.
AB  - Currently toxicological research in Silver nanoparticle is a leading issue in
      medical science. The surface chemistry and physical dimensions of silver
      nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) play an important role in toxicity. The aim of this
      present study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of Ag-NPs as well
      as the alteration of toxicity profile due to surface functionalization (PEG and
      BSA) and the intracellular signaling pathways involved in nanoparticles mediated
      oxidative stress and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo system. Ag-NPs released
      excess Ag+ ions leads to activation of NADPH oxidase and helps in generating the
      reactive oxygen species (ROS). Silver nanoparticles elicit the production of
      excess amount of ROS results activation of TNF-alpha. Ag-NPs activates caspase-3
      and 9 which are the signature of mitochondrial pathway. Ag-NPs are responsible to
      decrease the antioxidant enzymes and imbalance the oxidative status into the
      cells but functionalization with BSA and PEG helps to protect the adverse effect
      of Ag-NPs on the cells. This study suggested that Ag-NPs are toxic to normal
      cells which directly lead with human health. Surface functionalization may open
      the gateway for further use of Ag-NPs in different area such as antimicrobial and
      anticancer therapy, industrial use or in biomedical sciences.

PMID- 28643150
TI  - Epigenetically controlled Six3 expression regulates glioblastoma cell
      proliferation and invasion alongside modulating the activation levels of WNT
      pathway members.
AB  - Glioma is the most common primary brain tumor in adults. Six3 is a human
      homologue of the highly conserved sine oculis gene family and essential
      transcription regulatory factor in process of eye and fetal forebrain
      development. However, little is known about the role of Six3 in human
      tumorigenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the methylation/expression
      of Six3 and reveal its function and action mechanism in glioma. Our results
      showed that Six3 was down-regulated in human glioma tissues and human glioma SHG
      44, U251, SF126 and U373-MG cells compared with the normal tissues. And the down
      regulation of Six3 was associated with the methylation of its promoter. Glioma
      U251 cells lacked endogenous Six3. Treatment with demethylating agent (5-aza-2'
      deoxycytidine) or exogenous expression of Six3 restored Six3 production and
      resulted in suppression of cell cycle G1/S transition, proliferation and invasion
      and down-regulation of the expression of Wnt1, p-GSK3-beta, beta-catenin and
      cyclin D1 in glioma U251 cells. However, knockdown of Six3 in SHG-44 cells, which
      have relative higher baseline level of Six3, resulted in an opposite action.
      These results demonstrate that Six3 silence or loss in glioma is induced by its
      promoter hypermethylation and Six3 down-regulation contributes to proliferation
      and invasion of glioma. And this process is involved in activation of Wnt/beta
      catenin pathway. Six3 play a suppressor role in the initiation and progression of
      human glioma and potentially serve as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of
      human glioma.

PMID- 28643152
TI  - The Impact of Speed of Play in Gambling on Psychological and Behavioural Factors:
      A Critical Review.
AB  - Conceptually, there is a common association between gambling games with fast
      speeds of play and problem gambling. This relationship however, is largely
      correlational in nature, which comes at the expense of carefully controlled
      empirical investigation. Research that does exist aimed towards investigating the
      impact of gambling speeds on psychological and behavioural factors, is in its
      relative infancy, and the research possesses disparate methodologies and
      variables of interest. The aims of the current review is therefore to evaluate
      and summarise the existing body of evidence relating to speed of play in
      gambling, as well as discuss how this evidence can be used to inform harm
      minimisation approaches aimed at facilitating self-control during gambling.
      Eleven studies were selected for review based on the inclusion criteria,
      comprising nine experimental and two qualitative studies (one self-report focus
      group study and one observational study). There was a consistent finding across
      studies that games with faster speeds of play were preferred and rated as more
      exciting for all gamblers, ranging from non-problem to problem gamblers. Of
      concern, was the repeated finding that fast games are particularly appealing to
      those suffering with a gambling problem. Behavioural results were more
      inconsistent across studies, though the general trend supports the notion that
      games with faster speeds of play encourage more wagers, longer game play, and
      caused players, particularly problem gamblers, to experience difficulty in
      ceasing gambling. The implications of these findings for gambling policy, harm
      minimisation approaches, and future research are discussed.

PMID- 28643151
TI  - Multi-institutional external validation of a novel glioblastoma prognostic
      nomogram incorporating MGMT methylation.
AB  - A recent nomogram for glioblastoma (GBM) was designed to incorporate
      methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status in trial patients
      receiving temozolomide. Since clinical trial patients are strictly selected,
      compared to the general population, we performed a multi-institutional, external,
      independent assessment of the nomogram. Consecutive adult patients with
      supratentorial GBM diagnosed between June 2007 and December 2014 who initiated
      TMZ-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and were not enrolled on RTOG 0525
      or 0825 were eligible. We collected age, gender, MGMT status, performance status,
      resection extent, race, and tumor site and Cox regression analysis of overall
      survival (OS) was conducted with the 1-year nomogram-predicted survival (NPS).
      The predictive accuracy was quantified by the concordance index (c-index) as well
      as by separating patients into quintile-groups of the population distribution of
      NPS and comparing mean NPS and observed OS. Of 514 patients with GBM, 309 had all
      nomogram factors. Median OS was 18.7 months. NPS and observed OS demonstrated a c
      index of 0.695. On univariate analysis, the NPS and all included factors except
      gender were significant. On multivariable analysis (MVA) the only significant
      factor for worse survival was lower NPS. When separated into quintile-groups of
      NPS, the observed survival was slightly better than the predicted survival for
      all but the worst prognostic group. Our multi-institutional cohort provides
      independent external validation of a novel GBM nomogram incorporating MGMT
      methylation status. No individual factor included in the nomogram retained
      significance on MVA after adjusting for NPS.

PMID- 28643155
TI  - Mind-wandering, how do I measure thee with probes? Let me count the ways.
AB  - In the past decade, a new field has formed to investigate the concept of mind
      wandering, or task-unrelated thought. The state of mind-wandering is typically
      contrasted with being on-task, or paying attention to the task at hand, and is
      related to decrements in performance on cognitive tasks. The most widely used
      method for collecting mind-wandering data-the probe-caught method-involves
      stopping participants during a task and asking them where their attention is
      directed. In this review, 145 studies from 105 articles published between 2005
      and 2015 were classified according to the framing and wording of the thought
      probe and response options. Five distinct methodologies were identified: neutral
      (in which counterbalancing was used to equally emphasize on-task and off-task
      states), dichotomous (say "yes" or "no" to one thought state), dichotomous
      (choose between two thought states), categorical, and scale. The review
      identifies at least 69 different methodological variants, catalogues the verbatim
      probes and response options used in each study, and suggests important
      considerations for future empirical work.

PMID- 28643154
TI  - Historical Trends and Chiral Signatures of Organochlorine Pesticides in Sediments
      of Qiandao Lake, China.
AB  - This study investigated the enantiomeric and depth profiles of organochlorine
      pesticides (OCPs) accumulated in the sediments of Qiandao Lake, China. OCP
      concentrations in sediments have increased gradually since the early 1960s, when
      extensive OCPs application in China began. Concentrations reached maximum levels
      after 1992, this timing corresponds with the emerging of the "new" usage of
      hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs). In
      addition, the degradation of chiral OCPs were enantioselective, resulting in
      enriched (-)-enantiomers for alpha-HCH and o, p'-DDD. However, both preferential
      depletions of (-) enantiomers and (+) enantiomers were observed for o, p'-DDT.
      This outcome was indicated by enantiomer fractions (EF) values either greater or
      less than 0.5.

PMID- 28643153
TI  - A 3E8.scFv.Cys-IR800 Conjugate Targeting TAG-72 in an Orthotopic Colorectal
      Cancer Model.
AB  - PURPOSE: Optical surgical navigation (OSN) will be a potent tool to help surgeons
      more accurately and efficiently remove tumors. The purpose of this study was to
      evaluate a novel humanized 3E8 antibody (3E8 MAb) fragment site-specifically
      conjugated with IR800, 3E8.scFv.Cys-IR800, as a potential OSN agent to target
      colorectal adenocarcinoma. PROCEDURES: An engineered single-chain variable
      fragment of 3E8 MAb (targeted to TAG-72), appending a C-terminal cysteine residue
      (3E8.scFv.Cys), was created and reacted with IRDye800-maleimide. 3E8.scFv.Cys
      IR800 identity and purity were verified by MALDI-TOF mass spectra and 800 nm
      detected size exclusion column HPLC. In vitro human colon adenocarcinoma LS-174 T
      cells binding and competition assay validated biological functionality. We
      further evaluated the imaging ability and receptor-specific binding of
      3E8.scFv.Cys-IR800 in an orthotopic LS-174 T mouse model. RESULTS: A 1:1 dye to
      protein conjugate was achieved at greater than 90 % HPLC purity. A 1 nmol dose of
      3E8.scFv.Cys-IR800 via intraperitoneal injection administration was sufficient to
      produce high tumor to background fluorescence contrast. Blocking competition
      studies both in vitro and in vivo using a different blocking protein,
      3E8DeltaCH2, demonstrated 3E8.scFv.Cys-IR800 binding specificity for TAG-72
      antigen. CONCLUSIONS: 3E8.scFv.Cys-IR800 shows properties useful in a clinically
      viable OSN agent for colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28643156
TI  - The role of variability in the property listing task.
AB  - It is generally believed that concepts can be characterized by their properties
      (or features). When investigating concepts encoded in language, researchers often
      ask subjects to produce lists of properties that describe them (i.e., the
      Property Listing Task, PLT). These lists are accumulated to produce Conceptual
      Property Norms (CPNs). CPNs contain frequency distributions of properties for
      individual concepts. It is widely believed that these distributions represent the
      underlying semantic structure of those concepts. Here, instead of focusing on the
      underlying semantic structure, we aim at characterizing the PLT. An often
      disregarded aspect of the PLT is that individuals show intersubject variability
      (i.e., they produce only partially overlapping lists). In our study we use a
      mathematical analysis of this intersubject variability to guide our inquiry. To
      this end, we resort to a set of publicly available norms that contain information
      about the specific properties that were informed at the individual subject level.
      Our results suggest that when an individual is performing the PLT, he or she
      generates a list of properties that is a mixture of general and distinctive
      properties, such that there is a non-linear tendency to produce more general than
      distinctive properties. Furthermore, the low generality properties are precisely
      those that tend not to be repeated across lists, accounting in this manner for
      part of the intersubject variability. In consequence, any manipulation that may
      affect the mixture of general and distinctive properties in lists is bound to
      change intersubject variability. We discuss why these results are important for
      researchers using the PLT.

PMID- 28643157
TI  - Effect of variance ratio on ANOVA robustness: Might 1.5 be the limit?
AB  - Inconsistencies in the research findings on F-test robustness to variance
      heterogeneity could be related to the lack of a standard criterion to assess
      robustness or to the different measures used to quantify heterogeneity. In the
      present paper we use Monte Carlo simulation to systematically examine the Type I
      error rate of F-test under heterogeneity. One-way, balanced, and unbalanced
      designs with monotonic patterns of variance were considered. Variance ratio (VR)
      was used as a measure of heterogeneity (1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2, 3, 5, and 9), the
      coefficient of sample size variation as a measure of inequality between group
      sizes (0.16, 0.33, and 0.50), and the correlation between variance and group size
      as an indicator of the pairing between them (1, .50, 0, -.50, and -1). Overall,
      the results suggest that in terms of Type I error a VR above 1.5 may be
      established as a rule of thumb for considering a potential threat to F-test
      robustness under heterogeneity with unequal sample sizes.

PMID- 28643158
TI  - Measuring working memory capacity in children using adaptive tasks: Example
      validation of an adaptive complex span.
AB  - Working memory tasks designed for children usually present trials in order of
      ascending difficulty, with testing discontinued when the child fails a particular
      level. Unfortunately, this procedure comes with a number of issues, such as
      decreased engagement from high-ability children, vulnerability of the scores to
      temporary mind-wandering, and large between-subjects variations in number of
      trials, testing time, and proactive interference. To circumvent these problems,
      the goal of the present study was to demonstrate the feasibility of assessing
      working memory using an adaptive testing procedure. The principle of adaptive
      testing is to dynamically adjust the level of difficulty as the task progresses
      to match the participant's ability. We used this method to develop an adaptive
      complex span task (the ACCES) comprising verbal and visuo-spatial subtests. The
      task presents a fixed number of trials to all participants, allows for partial
      credit scoring, and can be used with children regardless of ability level. The
      ACCES demonstrated satisfying psychometric properties in a sample of 268 children
      aged 8-13 years, confirming the feasibility of using adaptive tasks to measure
      working memory capacity in children. A free-to-use implementation of the ACCES is
      provided.

PMID- 28643159
TI  - PyMICE: APython library for analysis of IntelliCage data.
AB  - IntelliCage is an automated system for recording the behavior of a group of mice
      housed together. It produces rich, detailed behavioral data calling for new
      methods and software for their analysis. Here we present PyMICE, a free and open
      source library for analysis of IntelliCage data in the Python programming
      language. We describe the design and demonstrate the use of the library through a
      series of examples. PyMICE provides easy and intuitive access to IntelliCage
      data, and thus facilitates the possibility of using numerous other Python
      scientific libraries to form a complete data analysis workflow.

PMID- 28643160
TI  - Residual ground-water levels of the neonicotinoid thiacloprid perturb
      chemosensing of Caenorhabditis elegans.
AB  - This study investigated the neurological effects of residual ground-water levels
      of thiacloprid on the non-target organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Nematodes
      treated with thiacloprid showed a dose-dependent and significantly increased
      twitch response at concentrations above 50 ng mL-1 that disabled their forward
      locomotion in liquid culture. In comparison with untreated controls, 10 ng mL-1
      thiacloprid perturbed the chemosensory ability of C. elegans such that the
      nematodes no longer demonstrated positive chemotaxis towards a NaCl chemo
      attractant, reducing their chemotaxis index from +0.48 to near to zero. Nematodes
      also exhibited a locomotion characteristic of those devoid of chemo-attraction,
      making significantly more pirouetting turns of >=90 degrees  than the untreated
      controls. Compared to the untreated controls, expression of the endocytosis
      associated gene, Rab-10, was also increased in C. elegans that had developed to
      adulthood in the presence of 10 ng mL-1 thiacloprid, suggesting their active
      engagement in increased recycling of affected cellular components, such as their
      nAChRs. Thus, even residual, low levels of this less potent neonicotinoid that
      may be found in field ground-water had measurable effects on a beneficial soil
      organism which may have environmental and ecological implications that are
      currently poorly understood.

PMID- 28643162
TI  - Dental Caries: A Disease Which Needs Attention.
AB  - Dental caries is one of the most prevalent disease (about 50%) in children across
      the globe. If not treated in time, it can affect not only the mastication
      function but also the speech, smile and psychosocial environment and the quality
      of life of the child and the family. The treatment of dental diseases is very
      expensive in all countries and prevention is very simple and effective. The
      caries in children below 6 y is called early childhood caries (ECC). It is most
      commonly caused by milk bottle or mother's feed during night. The ECC spreads
      very fast and can cause severe pain, abscess, swelling, fever and psychological
      disturbances in children. The treatment of ECC requires multiple appointments and
      still the prognosis is not very promising in mutilated dentitions. A physician or
      pediatrician can easily identify early caries and habits of parents leading to
      caries and can counsel them for prevention and refer them to the specialist. Good
      oral hygiene, dietary modification with respect to use of sugar and sticky food
      and healthy diet can help in preventing this disease in children. The need of the
      time is to appraise all on the methods of dental caries prevention.

PMID- 28643161
TI  - Nonlinear biotic ligand model for assessing alleviation effects of Ca, Mg, and K
      on Cd toxicity to soybean roots.
AB  - Developing a nonlinear biotic ligand model (BLM) that considers the geometrical
      constraints for binding of different cations on biotic ligands will provide more
      reliable details about the hypothetical mechanism governing the alleviation of
      cadmium (Cd) toxicity by coexistent cations. Soybean seedlings under Cd stress
      produced by various activities of coexistent cations such as calcium (Ca2+),
      magnesium (Mg2+), and potassium (K+) were hydroponically assayed for Cd toxicity
      to soybean roots. The Cd2+ activity resulting in 50% reduction of root elongation
      (RE), EA 50, was used for assessing the Cd toxicity to the soybean seedling.
      Increasing Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ activities resulted in a significant alleviation of
      Cd toxicity to soybean roots. This alleviation was markedly higher with
      increasing Ca2+ and K+ levels than with increasing Mg2+ level. In addition, EA 50
      increased in nonlinear positive relationships with Ca2+ and Mg2+. The real data
      obtained from the soybean assay were thus used to develop the nonlinear BLM for
      Cd rhizotoxicity. Two parameters, competition equivalent and stability constant,
      indicated the profiles of the geometrical constraint and affinity of Ca2+, Mg2+,
      and K+ binding on the soybean root surface to alleviate Cd toxicity. Compared
      with the traditional linear BLM, the nonlinear BLM provided more precise
      predictions of relative root elongation (RRE) and EA 50. Therefore, adopting the
      nonlinear BLM approach will successfully improve the monitoring and assessment of
      heavy metal toxicity to terrestrial plants.

PMID- 28643163
TI  - Association Between Food Allergy and Childhood Asthma: So Close and Yet So Far!

PMID- 28643164
TI  - How to Keep a Child Healthy?
AB  - Keeping a child healthy is the most important priority of every parent. The child
      can be kept healthy by ensuring exclusive breastfeeding for first 6 mo of life,
      maintaining healthy weight throughout the childhood, providing adequate and
      balanced diet, promoting regular physical activity and adequate sleep, keeping a
      watch on all the parameters of development and referring the child to the
      specialist whenever deviation from normal is suspected. Proper and timely
      immunization as per the prevailing guidelines must be done to prevent serious
      infections. Stress should also be given on promoting oral as well as mental
      health besides other important general measures to improve the health of the
      child.

PMID- 28643165
TI  - Molecularly targeted therapies for p53-mutant cancers.
AB  - The tumor suppressor p53 is lost or mutated in approximately half of human
      cancers. Mutant p53 not only loses its anti-tumor transcriptional activity, but
      also often acquires oncogenic functions to promote tumor proliferation, invasion,
      and drug resistance. Traditional strategies have been taken to directly target
      p53 mutants through identifying small molecular compounds to deplete mutant p53,
      or to restore its tumor suppressive function. Accumulating evidence suggest that
      cancer cells with mutated p53 often exhibit specific functional dependencies on
      secondary genes or pathways to survive, providing alternative targets to
      indirectly treat p53-mutant cancers. Targeting these genes or pathways, critical
      for survival in the presence of p53 mutations, holds great promise for cancer
      treatment. In addition, mutant p53 often exhibits novel gain-of-functions to
      promote tumor growth and metastasis. Here, we review and discuss strategies
      targeting mutant p53, with focus on targeting the mutant p53 protein directly,
      and on the progress of identifying genes and pathways required in p53-mutant
      cells.

PMID- 28643169
TI  - In vitro enzymatic assays of photosynthetic bacterial 3-vinyl hydratases for
      bacteriochlorophyll biosyntheses.
AB  - A chlorosome is a large and efficient light-harvesting antenna system found in
      some photosynthetic bacteria. This system comprises self-aggregates of
      bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c, d, or e possessing a chiral 1-hydroxyethyl group at
      the 3-position, which plays a key role in the formation of the supramolecule.
      Biosynthesis of chlorosomal pigments involves stereoselective conversion of 3
      vinyl group to 3-(1-hydroxyethyl) group facilitated by a 3-vinyl hydratase. This
      3-vinyl hydration also occurs in BChl a biosynthesis, followed by oxidation that
      introduces an acetyl group at the 3-position. Herein, we present in vitro
      enzymatic assays of paralogous 3-vinyl hydratases derived from green sulfur
      bacteria, Chlorobaculum tepidum and Chlorobaculum limnaeum, the filamentous
      anoxygenic phototroph Chloroflexus aurantiacus, and the chloracidobacterium
      Chloracidobacterium thermophilum. All the hydratases showed hydration activities.
      The biosynthetic pathway of BChl a and other chlorosomal pigments is discussed
      considering the substrate specificity and stereoselectivity of the present
      hydratases.

PMID- 28643168
TI  - Self-aggregation of synthetic zinc methyl 20-substituted 3-hydroxymethyl
      pyropheophorbides as models of bacteriochlorophyll-c.
AB  - Zinc 3-hydroxymethyl-131-oxo-chlorins bearing a variety of primary alkyl groups
      at the 20-position were prepared as models of bacteriochlorophyll-c by chemical
      modification of naturally occurring chlorophyll-a. The synthetic chlorophyll-a
      derivatives self-aggregated in an aqueous Triton X-100 solution to afford large
      oligomers whose Soret and Qy bands were red-shifted and broadened, compared with
      the bands of their monomers in tetrahydrofuran. The oligomeric bands are similar
      to those of bacteriochlorophyll-c self-aggregates in chlorosomes, the main light
      harvesting antennae of photosynthetic green bacteria. The 20-alkylation led to
      bathochromic shifts of the visible Soret maxima in J-type self-aggregates of the
      synthetic models, while elongation of the 20-alkyl group decreased the
      chlorosomal Qy maxima due to an increase in steric hindrance. Considering the
      light-harvesting and energy-transferring processes in a chlorosome, the 20
      methylation in bacteriochlorophyll-c would be more suitable for efficient
      culturing of green bacteria than the 20-ethylation and propylation as well as the
      20-unsubstitution in bacteriochlorophyll-d.

PMID- 28643170
TI  - Predictors and incidence of orthostatic headache associated with lumbar drain
      placement following endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Orthostatic headache (OH) is a potential complication of lumbar
      drainage (LD) usage. The incidence and risk factors for OH with the use of lumbar
      drainage during endoscopic endonasal procedures have not been documented.
      OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of post-procedure OHs associated with
      placement of LD in patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal procedures. METHODS:
      We prospectively noted the placement of LDs in a consecutive series of endoscopic
      endonasal skull base surgeries. Charts were retrospectively reviewed, and
      patients were divided into two groups: those with OH and those without. The
      patient demographics, drain durations, imaging findings of intracranial
      hypotension, pathologies and need for a blood patch were compared between the two
      groups. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-nine patients were included in the study.
      Seven patients (2.8%) suffered post-dural puncture OH, which was mild to moderate
      and disappeared 2-8 days (median 3 days) after treatment. Blood patches were used
      in four patients. Significant predisposing factors were age (33.0 vs. 53.5, P =
      0.014) and a strong trend for female gender (85.7% vs. 47.9%, P = 0.062). BMI and
      drain duration were not significant. Postoperative intracranial hypotension was
      diagnosed radiographically in 43% of OH patients and in 5.4% of those without OH
      (P = 0.003). Four (1.6%) patients required treatment with an epidural blood
      patch. CONCLUSION: OH associated with intracranial hypotension in patients
      undergoing endoscopic endonasal procedures with LDs is an infrequent complication
      seen more commonly in young female patients. Radiographic signs of intracranial
      hypotension are a specific but not sensitive test for OH.

PMID- 28643167
TI  - Microbiome, probiotics and neurodegenerative diseases: deciphering the gut brain
      axis.
AB  - The gut microbiota is essential to health and has recently become a target for
      live bacterial cell biotherapies for various chronic diseases including metabolic
      syndrome, diabetes, obesity and neurodegenerative disease. Probiotic biotherapies
      are known to create a healthy gut environment by balancing bacterial populations
      and promoting their favorable metabolic action. The microbiota and its respective
      metabolites communicate to the host through a series of biochemical and
      functional links thereby affecting host homeostasis and health. In particular,
      the gastrointestinal tract communicates with the central nervous system through
      the gut-brain axis to support neuronal development and maintenance while gut
      dysbiosis manifests in neurological disease. There are three basic mechanisms
      that mediate the communication between the gut and the brain: direct neuronal
      communication, endocrine signaling mediators and the immune system. Together,
      these systems create a highly integrated molecular communication network that
      link systemic imbalances with the development of neurodegeneration including
      insulin regulation, fat metabolism, oxidative markers and immune signaling. Age
      is a common factor in the development of neurodegenerative disease and probiotics
      prevent many harmful effects of aging such as decreased neurotransmitter levels,
      chronic inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis-all factors that are proven
      aggravators of neurodegenerative disease. Indeed patients with Parkinson's and
      Alzheimer's diseases have a high rate of gastrointestinal comorbidities and it
      has be proposed by some the management of the gut microbiota may prevent or
      alleviate the symptoms of these chronic diseases.

PMID- 28643166
TI  - Structural disorder in plant proteins: where plasticity meets sessility.
AB  - Plants are sessile organisms. This intriguing nature provokes the question of how
      they survive despite the continual perturbations caused by their constantly
      changing environment. The large amount of knowledge accumulated to date
      demonstrates the fascinating dynamic and plastic mechanisms, which underpin the
      diverse strategies selected in plants in response to the fluctuating environment.
      This phenotypic plasticity requires an efficient integration of external cues to
      their growth and developmental programs that can only be achieved through the
      dynamic and interactive coordination of various signaling networks. Given the
      versatility of intrinsic structural disorder within proteins, this feature
      appears as one of the leading characters of such complex functional circuits,
      critical for plant adaptation and survival in their wild habitats. In this
      review, we present information of those intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs)
      from plants for which their high level of predicted structural disorder has been
      correlated with a particular function, or where there is experimental evidence
      linking this structural feature with its protein function. Using examples of
      plant IDPs involved in the control of cell cycle, metabolism, hormonal signaling
      and regulation of gene expression, development and responses to stress, we
      demonstrate the critical importance of IDPs throughout the life of the plant.

PMID- 28643171
TI  - Elimination of the negative component of the unipolar electrogram as a local
      procedural endpoint during paroxysmal atrial fibrillation catheter ablation using
      contact-force sensing: the UNIFORCE study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Elimination of the negative component of the unipolar atrial electrogram
      is a reliable indicator of the creation of a transmural lesion. Contact-force
      (CF) sensing technology has the potential to increase the durability of pulmonary
      vein isolation (PVI). In the present multicenter study, we assessed the 2-year
      sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance rate in patients with paroxysmal atrial
      fibrillation (PAF) after PVI guided by these two approaches. METHODS: Two hundred
      fifteen consecutive PAF patients (62.1 +/- 10.1 years, 65 women) were
      prospectively enrolled. All patients underwent PVI under CARTO guidance according
      to a systematic contiguous "point-by-point" approach, using radiofrequency
      energy, and a CF externally irrigated ablation catheter with the goal of at least
      10g (ideally 20g) of force. The ablation endpoint of each individual lesion was
      elimination of the negative component of the unipolar atrial signal. The
      procedural endpoint was PVI with bidirectional block. RESULTS: All PVs were
      successfully isolated. After 30 min of waiting time, 35 patients (16%) had PV
      reconnection and in all of them, the PVs were re-isolated. Two years after a
      single ablation procedure, 187 patients (87%) remained arrhythmia free, without
      anti-arrhythmic drugs. Of the 28 patients presenting with AF recurrence, 25 had
      PV reconnection and underwent repeat PVI while in the remaining 3 patients, all
      four PVs were isolated and extra-PV triggers were identified. There were six
      groin hematomas and one transient ischemic attack. CONCLUSIONS: Unipolar atrial
      signal analysis combined with CF sensing ensures a robust 2-year SR maintenance
      rate in the treatment of PAF. Clinical trial registration-URL:
      http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02520960.

PMID- 28643172
TI  - Associations of Work Stress, Supervisor Unfairness, and Supervisor Inability to
      Speak Spanish with Occupational Injury among Latino Farmworkers.
AB  - Little is known about how psychosocial work factors such as work stress,
      supervisor fairness, and language barriers affect risk of occupational injury
      among Latino farmworkers. This study attempts to address these questions. Surveys
      were administered via interviews to 225 Latino thoroughbred farmworkers.
      Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds
      ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of occupational injury in the past
      year in relation to occupational characteristics. Work stress (OR 6.70, 95% CI
      1.84-24.31), supervisor unfairness (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.14-9.73), longer tenure at
      farm (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.13-6.34), and supervisor inability to speak Spanish (OR
      2.29, 95% CI 1.05-5.00) were significantly associated with increased odds of
      occupational injury. Due to the associations between work stress, supervisor
      unfairness, supervisor inability to speak Spanish and injury, supervisor training
      to improve Spanish language ability and equitable management practices is
      merited. Future research is needed to understand the antecedents of work stress
      for Latino farmworkers.

PMID- 28643173
TI  - Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy for Small Cell Lung Cancer: There Is Hope.
AB  - Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a devastating and aggressive neuroendocrine
      carcinoma of the lung. It accounts for ~15% of lung cancer mortality and has had
      no improvement in standard treatment options for nearly 30 years. However, there
      is now hope for change with new therapies and modalities of therapy.
      Immunotherapies and checkpoint inhibitors are entering clinical practice,
      selected targeted therapies show promise, and "smart bomb"-based
      drug/radioconjugates have led to good response in early clinical trials.
      Additionally, new research insights into the genetics and tumor heterogeneity of
      SCLC alongside the availability of new tools such as patient-derived or
      circulating tumor cell xenografts offer the potential to shine light on this
      beshadowed cancer.

PMID- 28643174
TI  - Natural Language Processing for EHR-Based Pharmacovigilance: A Structured Review.
AB  - The goal of pharmacovigilance is to detect, monitor, characterize and prevent
      adverse drug events (ADEs) with pharmaceutical products. This article is a
      comprehensive structured review of recent advances in applying natural language
      processing (NLP) to electronic health record (EHR) narratives for
      pharmacovigilance. We review methods of varying complexity and problem focus,
      summarize the current state-of-the-art in methodology advancement, discuss
      limitations and point out several promising future directions. The ability to
      accurately capture both semantic and syntactic structures in clinical narratives
      becomes increasingly critical to enable efficient and accurate ADE detection.
      Significant progress has been made in algorithm development and resource
      construction since 2000. Since 2012, statistical analysis and machine learning
      methods have gained traction in automation of ADE mining from EHR narratives.
      Current state-of-the-art methods for NLP-based ADE detection from EHRs show
      promise regarding their integration into production pharmacovigilance systems. In
      addition, integrating multifaceted, heterogeneous data sources has shown promise
      in improving ADE detection and has become increasingly adopted. On the other
      hand, challenges and opportunities remain across the frontier of NLP application
      to EHR-based pharmacovigilance, including proper characterization of ADE context,
      differentiation between off- and on-label drug-use ADEs, recognition of the
      importance of polypharmacy-induced ADEs, better integration of heterogeneous data
      sources, creation of shared corpora, and organization of shared-task challenges
      to advance the state-of-the-art.

PMID- 28643175
TI  - [Clinical aspects of treatment with amiodarone].
AB  - Amiodarone has multiple and complex electrophysiological effects that render it a
      very effective antiarrhythmic drug for the treatment of both, supraventricular
      and ventricular arrhythmias. Proarrhythmic effects of amiodarone in patients with
      structural heart disease are rare. However, extracardiac adverse effects
      occurring in association with amiodarone treatment are frequent and feared. These
      adverse effects have usually been related to total amiodarone exposure (i. e.,
      dose and duration of treatment). Parallel to a more frequent use of lower
      amiodarone maintenance doses (100-200 mg/day), the incidence of severe unwanted
      extracardiac side effects has decreased. High-dose maintenance regiments (daily
      dose >=300 mg) are usually obsolete. This paper discusses recommendations
      regarding the monitoring of cardiac and extracardiac side effects of amiodarone.
      They need to be regarded by physicians using amiodarone to ensure long-term
      safety of amiodarone therapy.

PMID- 28643176
TI  - A Promising Tool in Retina Regeneration: Current Perspectives and Challenges When
      Using Mesenchymal Progenitor Stem Cells in Veterinary and Human Ophthalmological
      Applications.
AB  - Visual impairment is a common ailment of the current world population, with more
      exposure to CCD screens and fluorescent lighting, approximately 285 billion
      people suffer from this deficiency and 13% of those are considered clinically
      blind. More common causes for visual impairment include age-related macular
      degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy (Zhu et al. Molecular
      Medicine Reports, 2015; Kolb et al. 2007; Machalinska et al. Current Eye
      Research, 34(9),748-760, 2009) among a few. As cases of retinal and optic nerve
      diseases rise, it is vital to find a treatment, which has led to investigation of
      the therapeutic potential of various stem cells types (Bull et al. Investigative
      Opthalmology & Visual Science, 50(9), 4244, 2009; Bull et al. Investigative
      Opthalmology & Visual Science, 49(8), 3449, 2008; Yu et al. Biochemical and
      Biophysical Research Communications, 344(4), 1071-1079, 2006; Na et al. Graefe's
      Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 247(4), 503-514, 2008). In
      previous studies, some of the stem cell variants used include human Muller SCs
      and bone marrow derived SCs. Some of the regenerative potential characteristics
      of mesenchymal progenitor stem cells (MSCs) include their multilineage
      differentiation potential, their immunomodulatory effects, their high
      proliferative activity, they can be easily cultured in vitro, and finally their
      potential to synthesize and secrete membrane derived vesicles rich in growth
      factors, mRNA and miRNA which possibly aid in regulation of tissue damage
      regeneration. These facts alone, explain why MSCs are so widely used in clinical
      trials, 350 up to date (Switonski, Reproductive Biology, 14(1), 44-50, 2014).
      Animal studies have demonstrated that sub-retinal transplantation of MSCs delays
      retinal degeneration and preserves retinal function through trophic response
      (Inoue et al. Experimental Eye Research, 85(2), 234-241, 2007). Umbilical cord
      derived MSCs (UC/MSCs) have also been shown to contain neuroprotective features
      of ganglion cells in rat studies (Zwart et al. Experimental Neurology, 216(2),
      439-448, 2009). This review aims to present current MSC therapies in practice, as
      well as their retinal regeneration potential in animal models, and their
      innovative prospects for treatment of human retinal diseases.

PMID- 28643178
TI  - Economic Evaluation of Tobramycin Inhalation Powder for the Treatment of Chronic
      Pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic lung infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa occurs in
      approximately 50% of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). This infection further
      compromises lung function, and significantly contributes to the increased
      healthcare costs. OBJECTIVES: Inhaled tobramycin, used to manage P. aeruginosa
      infection in CF patients, is available as powder (tobramycin inhalation powder,
      TIP) and solution (tobramycin inhalation solution, TIS). Evidence suggests
      increased adherence with the use of TIP over TIS. Hence, this analysis aimed to
      evaluate the potential pharmacoeconomic benefit of increased adherence with TIP
      over TIS in the US setting. METHODS: A patient-level simulation model was
      developed to compare TIP with TIS. Both costs and benefits were predicted over a
      10-year time horizon from a payer's perspective, and were discounted annually at
      3%. All costs were presented in 2016 US dollars. RESULTS: TIP was associated with
      greater quality-adjusted life-years (by 0.27) and lower total costs (by
      US$36,168) as compared with TIS over a 10-year time horizon. TIP-treated patients
      experienced a decreased mean number of exacerbations than TIS-treated patients
      (39.24 vs 50.20). Furthermore, administration of TIP via the T-326 Inhaler was
      associated with significant cost savings per patient, because of the nebulizer
      required for administering TIS (by US$1596) and exacerbation costs (by
      US$76,531). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that TIP was dominant over
      TIS in 100% of the simulations. CONCLUSION: TIP is likely to be a more cost
      effective treatment than TIS, and therefore may reduce the economic burden of CF.

PMID- 28643179
TI  - Erratum to: Various Regulatory Modes for Circadian Rhythmicity and Sexual
      Dimorphism in the Non-Neuronal Cardiac Cholinergic System.

PMID- 28643177
TI  - Targeting DNA repair and replication stress in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
AB  - Approximately half of high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancers incur
      alterations in genes of homologous recombination (BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD51C, Fanconi
      anemia genes), and the rest incur alterations in other DNA repair pathways at
      high frequencies. Such cancer-specific gene alterations can confer selective
      sensitivity to DNA damaging agents such as cisplatin and carboplatin, topotecan,
      etoposide, doxorubicin, and gemcitabine. Originally presumed to inhibit DNA
      repair, PARP inhibitors that have recently been approved by the FDA for the
      treatment of advanced ovarian cancer also act as DNA damaging agents by inducing
      PARP-DNA complexes. These DNA damaging agents induce different types of DNA
      lesions that require various DNA repair genes for the repair, but commonly induce
      replication fork slowing or stalling, also referred to as replication stress.
      Replication stress activates DNA repair checkpoint proteins (ATR, CHK1), which
      prevent further DNA damage. Hence, targeting DNA repair genes or DNA repair
      checkpoint genes augments the anti-tumor activity of DNA damaging agents. This
      review describes the rational basis for using DNA repair and DNA repair
      checkpoint inhibitors as single agents. The review also presents the strategies
      combining these inhibitors with DNA damaging agents for ovarian cancer therapy
      based on specific gene alterations.

PMID- 28643180
TI  - First complete genome sequences of genogroup V, genotype 3 porcine sapoviruses:
      common 5'-terminal genomic feature of sapoviruses.
AB  - Sapoviruses (SaVs) are enteric viruses and have been detected in various mammals.
      They are divided into multiple genogroups and genotypes based on the entire major
      capsid protein (VP1) encoding region sequences. In this study, we determined the
      first complete genome sequences of two genogroup V, genotype 3 (GV.3) SaV strains
      detected from swine fecal samples, in combination with Illumina MiSeq sequencing
      of the libraries prepared from viral RNA and PCR products. The lengths of the
      viral genome (7494 nucleotides [nt] excluding polyA tail) and short 5'
      untranslated region (14 nt) as well as two predicted open reading frames are
      similar to those of other SaVs. The amino acid differences between the two
      porcine SaVs are most frequent in the central region of the VP1-encoding region.
      A stem-loop structure which was predicted in the first 41 nt of the 5'-terminal
      region of GV.3 SaVs and the other available complete genome sequences of SaVs may
      have a critical role in viral genome replication. Our study provides complete
      genome sequences of rarely reported GV.3 SaV strains and highlights the common 5'
      terminal genomic feature of SaVs detected from different mammalian species.

PMID- 28643181
TI  - Promoting acid resistance and nisin yield of Lactococcus lactis F44 by
      genetically increasing D-Asp amidation level inside cell wall.
AB  - Nisin fermentation by Lactococcus lactis requires a low pH to maintain a
      relatively higher nisin activity. However, the acidic environment will result in
      cell arrest, and eventually decrease the relative nisin production. Hence,
      constructing an acid-resistant L. lactis is crucial for nisin harvest in acidic
      nisin fermentation. In this paper, the first discovery of the relationship
      between D-Asp amidation-associated gene (asnH) and acid resistance was reported.
      Overexpression of asnH in L. lactis F44 (F44A) resulted in a sevenfold increase
      in survival capacity during acid shift (pH 3) and enhanced nisin desorption
      capacity compared to F44 (wild type), which subsequently contributed to higher
      nisin production, reaching 5346 IU/mL, 57.0% more than that of F44 in the fed
      batch fermentation. Furthermore, the engineered F44A showed a moderate increase
      in D-Asp amidation level (from 82 to 92%) compared to F44. The concomitant
      decrease of the negative charge inside the cell wall was detected by a newly
      developed method based on the nisin adsorption amount onto cell surface.
      Meanwhile, peptidoglycan cross-linkage increased from 36.8% (F44) to 41.9%
      (F44A), and intracellular pH can be better maintained by blocking extracellular
      H+ due to the maintenance of peptidoglycan integrity, which probably resulted
      from the action of inhibiting hydrolases activity. The inference was further
      supported by the acmC-overexpression strain F44C, which was characterized by
      uncontrolled peptidoglycan hydrolase activity. Our results provided a novel
      strategy for enhancing nisin yield through cell wall remodeling, which
      contributed to both continuous nisin synthesis and less nisin adsorption in
      acidic fermentation (dual enhancement).

PMID- 28643182
TI  - FvSTR1, a striatin orthologue in Fusarium virguliforme, is required for asexual
      development and virulence.
AB  - The soil-borne fungus Fusarium virguliforme causes sudden death syndrome (SDS),
      one of the most devastating diseases of soybean in North and South America.
      Despite the importance of SDS, a clear understanding of the fungal pathogenicity
      factors that affect the development of this disease is still lacking. We have
      identified FvSTR1, a F. virguliforme gene, which encodes a protein similar to a
      family of striatin proteins previously reported to regulate signalling pathways,
      cell differentiation, conidiation, sexual development, and virulence in
      filamentous fungi. Striatins are multi-domain proteins that serve as scaffolding
      units in the striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex in
      fungi and animals. To address the function of a striatin homologue in F.
      virguliforme, FvSTR1 was disrupted and functionally characterized using a gene
      knock out strategy. The resulting Fvstr1 mutants were largely impaired in
      conidiation and pigmentation, and displayed defective conidia and conidiophore
      morphology compared to the wild-type and ectopic transformants. Greenhouse
      virulence assays revealed that the disruption of FvSTR1 resulted in complete loss
      of virulence in F. virguliforme. Microtome studies using fluorescence microscopy
      showed that the Fvstr1 mutants were defective in their ability to colonize the
      vascular system. The Fvstr1 mutants also showed a reduced transcript level of
      genes involved in asexual reproduction and in the production of secondary
      metabolites. These results suggest that FvSTR1 has a critical role in asexual
      development and virulence in F. virguliforme.

PMID- 28643185
TI  - Keeping Disability in Mind: A Case Study in Implantable Brain-Computer Interface
      Research.
AB  - Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) research is an interdisciplinary area of study
      within Neural Engineering. Recent interest in end-user perspectives has led to an
      intersection with user-centered design (UCD). The goal of user-centered design is
      to reduce the translational gap between researchers and potential end users.
      However, while qualitative studies have been conducted with end users of BCI
      technology, little is known about individual BCI researchers' experience with and
      attitudes towards UCD. Given the scientific, financial, and ethical imperatives
      of UCD, we sought to gain a better understanding of practical and principled
      considerations for researchers who engage with end users. We conducted a
      qualitative interview case study with neural engineering researchers at a center
      dedicated to the creation of BCIs. Our analysis generated five themes common
      across interviews. The thematic analysis shows that participants identify
      multiple beneficiaries of their work, including other researchers, clinicians
      working with devices, device end users, and families and caregivers of device
      users. Participants value experience with device end users, and personal
      experience is the most meaningful type of interaction. They welcome (or even
      encourage) end-user input, but are skeptical of limited focus groups and case
      studies. They also recognize a tension between creating sophisticated devices and
      developing technology that will meet user needs. Finally, interviewees espouse
      functional, assistive goals for their technology, but describe uncertainty in
      what degree of function is "good enough" for individual end users. Based on these
      results, we offer preliminary recommendations for conducting future UCD studies
      in BCI and neural engineering.

PMID- 28643187
TI  - Suprasternal notch echocardiography: a potential alternative for the measurement
      of respiratory variation in aortic blood flow peak velocity in mechanically
      ventilated children.
AB  - We conducted a prospective, observational study to investigate the relationship
      between the respiratory variation in aortic blood flow peak velocity (DeltaVPeak)
      measured by echocardiography in the proximal ascending aorta from the
      suprasternal notch window and the DeltaVPeak measured at the level of the aortic
      annulus from the classical apical five-chamber view. We studied children aged
      from 1 to 10 years referred for surgery under general anesthesia with positive
      pressure ventilation, after induction of general anesthesia. Twenty-two children
      (mean age = 5 +/- 3 years) were recruited. There was a significant relationship
      between the DeltaVPeak recorded via the suprasternal notch view and the
      DeltaVPeak recorded via the apical five-chamber view (r = 0.62 [95% confidence
      interval 0.25-0.84], P = 0.003). The DeltaVPeak measured using the suprasternal
      notch route could be considered to predict fluid responsiveness in children under
      mechanical ventilation, notably when the access to the chest wall is limited
      during surgery.

PMID- 28643183
TI  - Dopaminergic Therapies for Non-motor Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - Apart from the typical motor symptoms, Parkinson's disease is characterized by a
      wide range of different non-motor symptoms, which are highly prevalent in all
      stages of the disease and have an incisive influence on quality of life.
      Moreover, their treatment continues to be challenging. In this review, we
      critically summarize the evidence for the impact of dopaminergic therapies on non
      motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. We performed a PubMed search to identify
      relevant clinical studies that investigated the response of non-motor symptoms to
      dopaminergic therapy. In the domain of neuropsychiatric disturbances, there is
      increasing evidence that dopamine agonists can ameliorate depression or anxiety.
      Other neuropsychiatric symptoms such as psychosis or impulse control disorders
      can also be worsened or even be induced by dopaminergic agents. For the treatment
      of sleep disturbances, it is essential to identify different subtypes of sleep
      pathologies. While there is for example profound evidence for the effectiveness
      of dopaminergic medication for the treatment of restless legs syndrome and sleep
      fragmentation, evidence for an improvement of rapid eye movement sleep behavior
      disorder is lacking. With regard to the broad spectrum of autonomic disturbances,
      response to dopaminergic treatment seems to differ largely, with on the one hand,
      some evidence for an improvement of sexual function or sweating with dopaminergic
      treatment, while on the other hand, constipation can be worsened. Finally, the
      analysis of sensory deficits reveals that some forms of pain, in particular
      fluctuation-dependent dystonic pain, can be well addressed by adapting the
      dopaminergic therapy, while no effect has been seen so far for hyposmia or visual
      deficits. Moreover, the occurrence of non-motor fluctuations is gaining increased
      attention, as they can be specifically addressed by a more continuous
      dopaminergic intake. Taken together, there is evidence of a good response of some
      (but not all) non-motor symptoms to dopaminergic therapy, which must be
      individually adapted to the special spectrum of symptoms.

PMID- 28643186
TI  - Current progress in host innate and adaptive immunity against hepatitis C virus
      infection.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects more than 170 million people worldwide and is the
      main cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
      Although the newly developed direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have transformed the
      treatment of HCV infection, controlling HCV infection on a global scale remains a
      challenge because of the high cost, low resistance barrier of DAAs and lack of
      HCV vaccine. The host immune responses associated with HCV infection, especially
      HCV-specific T cellular immunity, determine the outcome of HCV infection: either
      acute or chronic infection. It is important to fully interpret the
      immunopathogenesis of HCV infection and consequently to exploit effective
      strategies to eliminate HCV. Here, we review the current progress in HCV
      immunology, which will deepen our understanding of the spectrum of HCV infection
      and immunity in humans.

PMID- 28643188
TI  - Impact of appropriateness of empiric therapy on outcomes in community-onset
      bacteremia by extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and
      Klebisella pneumoniae definitively treated with carbapenems.
AB  - Despite a significant increase of bloodstream infection caused by extended
      spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in the community
      setting, information regarding clinical outcomes of inappropriate empiric therapy
      (IAT) in patients with those infections is limited. A multicenter-retrospective
      cohort study was conducted in four hospitals. A total of 249 adults were
      identified to have community-onset bacteremia caused by ESBL-producing
      Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and definitively treated with
      carbapenems. According to the appropriateness of empiric therapy, individuals
      were divided into an appropriate empiric therapy (AT) group (n = 106) and IAT
      group (n = 143). Patients who received AT showed more severe underlying
      conditions including underlying solid cancer, healthcare-association and
      intensive care unit (ICU) care, compared to the IAT group. Primary bacteremia was
      more commonly found in the AT group than in the IAT group, while urinary tract
      infection predominated more frequently in the IAT group than in the AT group.
      Multivariate analysis using propensity score analysis indicated that
      inappropriateness of empiric therapy was not an independent risk factor for 30
      day death. ICU care, respiratory tract infection and underlying liver, renal and
      connective tissue diseases were significantly associated with mortality. In
      patients with bloodstream infections caused by ESBL-producing E. coli and K.
      pneumoniae in the community-setting, delay in appropriate therapy was not
      associated with an increased rate of death if the patients were definitively
      treated with carbapenems.

PMID- 28643189
TI  - Cryogenic Vibrational Spectroscopy Provides Unique Fingerprints for Glycan
      Identification.
AB  - The structural characterization of glycans by mass spectrometry is particularly
      challenging. This is because of the high degree of isomerism in which glycans of
      the same mass can differ in their stereochemistry, attachment points, and degree
      of branching. Here we show that the addition of cryogenic vibrational
      spectroscopy to mass and mobility measurements allows one to uniquely identify
      and characterize these complex biopolymers. We investigate six disaccharide
      isomers that differ in their stereochemistry, attachment point of the glycosidic
      bond, and monosaccharide content, and demonstrate that we can identify each one
      unambiguously. Even disaccharides that differ by a single stereogenic center or
      in the monosaccharide sequence order show distinct vibrational fingerprints that
      would clearly allow their identification in a mixture, which is not possible by
      ion mobility spectrometry/mass spectrometry alone. Moreover, this technique can
      be applied to larger glycans, which we demonstrate by distinguishing isomeric
      branched and linear pentasaccharides. The creation of a database containing mass,
      collision cross section, and vibrational fingerprint measurements for glycan
      standards should allow unambiguous identification and characterization of these
      biopolymers in mixtures, providing an enabling technology for all fields of
      glycoscience. Graphical Abstract ?.

PMID- 28643190
TI  - Mitochondrial biogenesis and neural differentiation of human iPSC is modulated by
      idebenone in a developmental stage-dependent manner.
AB  - Idebenone, the synthetic analog of coenzyme Q10 can improve electron transport in
      mitochondria. Therefore, it is used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and
      other cognitive impairments. However, the mechanism of its action on
      neurodevelopment is still to be elucidated. Here we demonstrate that the cellular
      response of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) to idebenone depends on
      the stage of neural differentiation. When: neural stem cells (NSC), early neural
      progenitors (eNP) and advanced neural progenitors (NP) have been studied a
      significant stimulation of mitochondrial biogenesis was observed only at the eNP
      stage of development. This coexists with the enhancement of cell viability and
      increase in total cell number. In addition, we report novel idebenone properties
      in a possible regulation of neural stem cells fate decision: only eNP stage
      responded with up-regulation of both neuronal (MAP2), astrocytic (GFAP) markers,
      while at NSC and NP stages significant down-regulation of MAP2 expression was
      observed, promoting astrocyte differentiation. Thus, idebenone targets specific
      stages of hiPSC differentiation and may influence the neural stem cell fate
      decision.

PMID- 28643192
TI  - On the kinetics of body versus end evaporation and addition of supramolecular
      polymers.
AB  - The kinetics of the self-assembly of supramolecular polymers is dictated by how
      monomers, dimers, trimers etc., attach to and detach from each other. It is for
      this reasons that researchers have proposed a plethora of pathways to explain the
      kinetics of various self-assembling supramolecules, including sulfur, linear
      micelles, living polymers and protein fibrils. Recent observations hint at the
      importance of a hitherto ignored molecular aggregation pathway that we refer to
      as "body evaporation and addition". In this pathway, monomers can enter at or
      dissociate from any point along the backbone of the polymer. In this paper, we
      compare predictions for the well-established end evaporation and addition pathway
      with those that we obtained for the newly proposed body evaporation and addition
      model. We quantify the lag time, characteristic of nucleated reversible
      polymerisation, in terms of the time it takes to obtain half of the steady-state
      polymerised fraction and the apparent growth rate at that point, and obtain power
      laws for both as a function of the total monomer concentration. We find, perhaps
      not entirely unexpectedly, that the body evaporation and addition pathway speeds
      up the relaxation of the polymerised monomeric mass relative to that of the end
      evaporation and addition. However, the presence of the body evaporation and
      addition pathway does not affect the dependence of the lag time on the total
      monomer concentration and it remains the same as that for the case of end
      evaporation and addition. The scaling of the lag time with the forward rate is
      different for the two models, suggesting that they may be distinguished
      experimentally.

PMID- 28643191
TI  - Role of Obesity Variables in Detecting Hypertension in an Iranian Population.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: As the high incidence of hypertension has been in conjunction with
      dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity, many studies have suggested
      obesity as its underlying cause in diverse race and ethnic groups. AIM: The
      present study was designed to quantify the relationship between obesity variables
      and hypertension in Iranian population. A ROC curve analysis was also used to
      determine an optimal BMI cutoff for obesity with the aim of representing elevated
      incidence of hypertension in this population. METHODS: The study population
      comprised of apparently healthy men and women who participated in the Iranian
      Multi-centric Osteoporosis Studies (IMOS), a multi-centric cross-sectional study
      carried out in urban areas of five great cities (Tehran, Tabriz, Mashhad, Shiraz
      and Bushehr). The anthropometric (weight, height, waist and hip circumferences)
      and blood pressure measures were reported in some 5724 subjects. The influence of
      these factors on systolic and diastolic blood pressure was assessed based on a
      list-wise method. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the studied
      subjects anthropometric (weight classes (BMI), WC and HC, and WHR) and blood
      pressure variables; age, gender and weight, however, were the only factors
      significantly influencing SBP and DBP. Furthermore, BMI showed a significant
      impact on the overall risk of developing hypertension. CONCLUSION: General
      obesity rather than abdominal obesity is directly linked with higher blood
      pressure levels in Iranian population.

PMID- 28643194
TI  - Erratum to: Pitfalls in compressed sensing reconstruction and how to avoid them.

PMID- 28643193
TI  - Assessing cancer-specific anxiety in Chinese men with prostate cancer:
      psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Memorial Anxiety Scale for
      Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC).
AB  - PURPOSE: The Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer (MAX-PC) was developed to
      identify and assess cancer-specific anxiety among men with prostate cancer (PCa);
      however, there is no Chinese version. The aim of our study was to translate the
      English version of MAX-PC into Chinese and evaluate the psychometric properties
      of it. METHODS: The study cohort comprised 254 participants. Internal consistency
      including the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and item-total correlations were used
      to measure the reliability of the scale. Factor structure was analyzed by
      exploratory factor analysis and concurrent validity by comparing MAX-PC scores
      with anxiety subscale scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
      Divergent validity was assessed by correlating MAX-PC with HADS depression
      subscale, while discriminant ability by comparing differences in MAX-PC scores
      between different patient groups. RESULTS: The Chinese version of MAX-PC
      demonstrated good reliability; the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total and
      three subscales (prostate cancer anxiety, PSA anxiety, and fear of recurrence)
      being 0.94, 0.93, 0.82, and 0.85, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis
      supported the three-factor structure of the scale established in the original
      version. Despite the somewhat underperformed divergent validity, the scale
      demonstrated good concurrent validity with a strong correlation with the HADS
      anxiety subscale (r = 0.71, p < 0.01). Moreover, discriminant ability was
      demonstrated by ability to differentiate between disease stages. CONCLUSIONS: The
      MAX-PC Chinese version was confirmed to be a valid, reliable instrument and is
      thus appropriate for identifying and quantifying cancer-specific anxiety in
      Chinese PCa patients.

PMID- 28643195
TI  - A convenient immunochromatographic test strip for rapid detection of Scylla
      serrata reovirus.

PMID- 28643196
TI  - Genetic variants in cell death pathway genes and HBV-related hepatocellular
      carcinoma among a Chinese Han population.
AB  - Cell death pathway plays an important role in apoptosis, and corruption of this
      signaling pathway has been shown to participate in carcinogenesis. We aimed at
      determining whether genetic variants in CASP8, CASP10 and CFLAR influence the
      development and clinical outcomes of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related
      hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A hospital-based case-control study, including
      600 HCC cases and 600 HBsAg positive controls without HCC, was conducted to
      assess the relationship between 11 tagging SNPs in CASP8, CASP10 and CFLAR and
      HBV-related HCC risk and prognosis in a Chinese Han population. Among the 11
      polymorphisms, only CASP8 rs3834129 (-652 6N ins/del) modified HCC risk. Compared
      with CASP8 -652 insins genotype, the deldel (adjusted OR 0.717, 95% CI 0.553
      0.930) and insdel (adjusted OR 0.731, 95% CI 0.554-0.964) genotypes had a
      significantly decreased HCC risk. Furthermore, this polymorphism was
      significantly associated with decreased portal vein tumor thrombosis (adjusted OR
      0.554; P = 0.044) and reduced postoperative recurrence (adjusted OR 0.356; P <
      0.001) of resected HCC. In addition, the multivariate analysis showed that the 
      652 6N ins/del polymorphism was significantly associated with improved overall
      survival and recurrence-free survival of resected HCC patients. The expression
      levels of CASP8 in HCC tumor tissues were significantly lower than those in
      paracancerous liver tissues, although no significant association between -652 6N
      ins/del genotypes and the expression levels of CASP8 were observed in these
      tissues. These results suggest that the CASP8 -652 6N ins/del polymorphism may
      play a protective role in the development, progression, and survival of HBV
      related HCC among the Chinese Han population.

PMID- 28643197
TI  - AMPK is activated early in cerebellar granule cells undergoing apoptosis and
      influences VADC1 phosphorylation status and activity.
AB  - The neurodegeneration of cerebellar granule cells, after low potassium induced
      apoptosis, is known to be temporally divided into an early and a late phase.
      Voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC1) protein, changing from the closed
      inactive state to the active open state, is central to the switch between the
      early and late phase. It is also known that: (i) VDAC1 can undergo
      phosphorylation events and (ii) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the sensor
      of cellular stress, may have a role in neuronal homeostasis. In the view of this,
      the involvement of AMPK activation and its correlation with VDAC1 status and
      activity has been investigated in the course of cerebellar granule cells
      apoptosis. The results reported in this study show that an increased level of the
      phosphorylated, active, isoform of AMPK occurs in the early phase, peaks at 3 h
      and guarantees an increase in the phosphorylation status of VDCA1, resulting in a
      reduced activity of this latter. However this situation is transient in nature,
      since, in the late phase, AMPK activation decreases as well as the level of
      phosphorylated VDAC1. In a less phosphorylated status, VDAC1 fully recovers its
      gating activity and drives cells along the death route.

PMID- 28643199
TI  - Airway arteriovenous malformation in pregnancy.

PMID- 28643198
TI  - Urokinase plasminogen activator protects cardiac myocytes from oxidative damage
      and apoptosis via hOGG1 induction.
AB  - The role of uPA in tissue remodeling and cell migration is already well
      established. In addition, uPA was reported to stabilize p53, a key cell cycle
      control, DNA repair and apoptosis initiation protein. We aimed to determine the
      role of uPA-uPAR signaling towards cell survival or apoptosis in human adult
      cardiac myocytes (HACM). HACM were stimulated with uPA and DNA damage was
      inflicted by incubating cells with 200 uM H2O2. To analyze for apoptotic cells we
      applied TUNEL staining. Oxidative damage foci were analyzed by staining for 8
      oxoguanine base pairs. In vivo qPCR analysis from RNA extracted from failing
      human hearts demonstrated a close relation of uPA with apoptosis and the p53
      pathway. Furthermore, we observed a close correlation of uPA and p53 protein in
      homogenized tissue lysates. In vitro studies revealed that uPA preincubation
      protected HACM from oxidative damage induced cell death and reduced oxidative
      damage foci. uPA protection is independent of its catalytic activity, as the
      amino terminal fragment of uPA showed similar protection. A key enzyme for
      repairing oxidative DNA damage is the p53 target hOGG1. We found a significant
      increase of hOGG1 after pretreatment of HACM with uPA. Knockdown of hOGG1
      completely abrogated the protective effect of uPA. We conclude that uPA might
      have a tissue protective role in human hearts besides its role in tissue
      remodeling. Tissue protection is mediated by the DNA repair protein hOGG1. This
      might be beneficial during tissue remodeling and thus could be a target for
      therapeutic approaches in the diseased heart.

PMID- 28643200
TI  - Tracheal bronchus: an unusual cause of difficult ventilation.

PMID- 28643202
TI  - Specific IgM and Regulation of Antibody Responses.
AB  - Specific IgM, administered together with the antigen it recognizes, enhances
      primary antibody responses, formation of germinal centers, and priming for
      secondary antibody responses. The response to all epitopes on the antigen to
      which IgM binds is usually enhanced. IgM preferentially enhances responses to
      large antigens such as erythrocytes, malaria parasites, and keyhole limpet
      hemocyanine. In order for an effect to be seen, antigens must be administered in
      suboptimal concentrations and in close temporal relationship to the IgM.
      Enhancement is dependent on the ability of IgM to activate complement, but the
      lytic pathway is not required. Enhancement does not take place in mice lacking
      complement receptors 1 and 2 (CR1/2) suggesting that the role of IgM is to
      generate C3 split products, i.e., the ligands for CR1/2. In mice, these receptors
      are expressed on follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and B cells. Optimal IgM
      mediated enhancement requires that both cell types express CR1/2, but
      intermediate enhancement is seen when only FDCs express the receptors and low
      enhancement when only B cells express them. These observations imply that IgM
      mediated enhancement works through several, non-mutually exclusive, pathways.
      Marginal zone B cells can transport IgM-antigen-complement complexes, bound to
      CR1/2, from the marginal zone and deposit them onto FDCs. In addition, co
      crosslinking of the BCR and the CR2/CD19/CD81 co-receptor complex may enhance
      signaling to specific B cells, a mechanism likely to be involved in induction of
      early extrafollicular antibody responses.

PMID- 28643203
TI  - Nonhuman Primate Models of Ebola Virus Disease.
AB  - Ebola virus disease (EVD) in humans is associated with four ebolaviruses: Ebola
      virus (EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), and Tai Forest virus.
      To date, no documented cases of human disease have been associated with Reston
      virus. Here, we describe the nonhuman primate (NHP) models that currently serve
      as gold standards for testing ebolavirus vaccines and therapeutic agents and
      elucidating underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis. Although multiple models have
      been explored over the past 50 years, the predominance of published work has been
      performed in macaque models. This chapter will focus on the most commonly used
      models.

PMID- 28643204
TI  - Host Factors in Coronavirus Replication.
AB  - Coronaviruses are pathogens with a serious impact on human and animal health.
      They mostly cause enteric or respiratory disease, which can be severe and life
      threatening, e.g., in the case of the zoonotic coronaviruses causing severe acute
      respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in
      humans. Despite the economic and societal impact of such coronavirus infections,
      and the likelihood of future outbreaks of additional pathogenic coronaviruses,
      our options to prevent or treat coronavirus infections remain very limited. This
      highlights the importance of advancing our knowledge on the replication of these
      viruses and their interactions with the host. Compared to other +RNA viruses,
      coronaviruses have an exceptionally large genome and employ a complex genome
      expression strategy. Next to a role in basic virus replication or virus assembly,
      many of the coronavirus proteins expressed in the infected cell contribute to the
      coronavirus-host interplay. For example, by interacting with the host cell to
      create an optimal environment for coronavirus replication, by altering host gene
      expression or by counteracting the host's antiviral defenses. These coronavirus
      host interactions are key to viral pathogenesis and will ultimately determine the
      outcome of infection. Due to the complexity of the coronavirus proteome and
      replication cycle, our knowledge of host factors involved in coronavirus
      replication is still in an early stage compared to what is known for some other
      +RNA viruses. This review summarizes our current understanding of coronavirus
      host interactions at the level of the infected cell, with special attention for
      the assembly and function of the viral RNA-synthesising machinery and the evasion
      of cellular innate immune responses.

PMID- 28643205
TI  - Role of Host Genes in Influenza Virus Replication.
AB  - At every step of their replication cycle influenza viruses depend heavily on
      their host cells. The multifaceted interactions that occur between the virus and
      its host cell determine the outcome of the infection, including efficiency of
      progeny virus production, tropism, and pathogenicity. In order to understand
      viral disease and develop therapies for influenza it is therefore pertinent to
      study the intricate interplay between influenza viruses and their required host
      factors. Here, we review the current knowledge on host cell factors required by
      influenza virus at the different stages of the viral replication cycle. We also
      discuss the roles of host factors in zoonotic transmission of influenza viruses
      and their potential for developing novel antivirals.

PMID- 28643206
TI  - Right visual-field advantage in the attentional blink: Asymmetry in attentional
      gating across time and space.
AB  - When two targets are presented in a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP),
      recognition of the second target (T2) is usually reduced when presented 150-500
      ms after the first target, demonstrating an attentional blink (AB). Previous
      studies have shown a left visual-field (LVF) advantage in T2 recognition, when T2
      was embedded in one of two streams, demanding top-down attention for its
      recognition. Here, we explored the impact of bottom-up saliency on spatial
      asymmetry in the AB. When T2 was spatially shifted outside from the RSVP,
      creating an abrupt onset of T2, right T2s showed a right visual-field (RVF)
      advantage. In lag-1 trials, right T2s were not only better recognized, but also
      showed a low T1-T2 order error rate. In contrast, recognized left T2s exhibited
      high order error rate. Without abrupt onset, symmetrical AB was found and order
      error rate was similarly low in both sides. Follow-up experiments showed that,
      while RVF advantage was related to bottom-up saliency, order errors were affected
      by T1 mask. The discrepancy between LVF and RVF advantage in the AB could be
      resolved in terms of two mechanisms of attentional gating: top-down attentional
      gating, which is biased towards LVF, and bottom-up attentional gating, which is
      biased towards RVF.

PMID- 28643207
TI  - Parental Depressive Symptoms as a Predictor of Outcome in the Treatment of Child
      Depression.
AB  - Child depression is an impairing condition for which psychotherapies have shown
      modest effects. Parental depression is a risk factor for development of child
      depression and might also be negatively associated with child depression
      treatment outcomes. To explore this possibility, we analyzed data from a study in
      which children were treated for depression after parental depressive symptoms had
      been assessed at baseline. Among children treated for depression in a randomized
      controlled trial, we identified 31 who had child- and parent-report pre- and post
      treatment data on child symptoms and parent-report of pre-treatment parental
      depressive symptoms. Children were aged 8-13, 77% boys, and 52% Caucasian, 13%
      African-American, 6% Latino, and 29% multi-racial. Analyses focused on
      differences in trajectories of change (across weekly measurements), and post
      treatment symptoms among children whose parents did (n = 12) versus did not (n =
      19) have elevated depressive symptoms at baseline. Growth curve analyses showed
      markedly different trajectories of change for the two groups, by both child
      report (p = 0.03) and parent-report (p = 0.03) measures: children of parents with
      less severe depression showed steep symptom declines, but children of parents
      with more severe depression showed flat trajectories with little change in
      symptoms over time. ANCOVAs showed lower post-treatment child symptoms for
      children of parents with less severe depression versus parents with more severe
      depression (p = 0.05 by child report, p = 0.01 by parent report). Parental
      depressive symptoms predict child symptom trajectories and poorer child treatment
      response, and may need to be addressed in treatment.

PMID- 28643208
TI  - Visual outcomes after endoscopic endonasal pituitary adenoma resection: a
      systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - PURPOSE: Patients with pituitary adenomas often present with visual deficits.
      While the aim of endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) is to
      improve these deficits, permanent worsening is a possible outcome. The aim of
      this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of EETS for pituitary adenomas on
      visual outcomes. METHODS: A meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA
      guidelines. Pooled prevalence was calculated for complete recovery, improvement,
      and deterioration of visual field deficits, visual acuity and unspecified visual
      function in fixed- and random-effect models, including assessment of
      heterogeneity (I2) and publication bias (Begg's test). RESULTS: Out of 2636
      articles, 35 case series were included in the meta-analysis. Results are
      described for fixed-effect models. For patients with impaired visual acuity, only
      one study reported complete recovery (27.2%). Pooled prevalence for improvement
      was 67.5% (95% CI = 59.1-75.0%), but with considerable heterogeneity (I2: 86.0%),
      and 4.50% (95% CI = 1.80-10.8%) for patients experiencing deterioration. For
      patients with visual field deficits, the prevalence was 40.4% (95% CI = 34.8
      46.3%) for complete recovery, 80.8% (95% CI = 77.7-83.6%) for improvement, and
      2.3% (95% CI = 1.1-4.7%) for deterioration. For the unspecified visual outcomes,
      pooled prevalence of complete recovery was 32.9% (95% CI: 28.5-37.7%), but with
      considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 84.2%). The prevalence was 80.9% (95% CI = 77.9
      83.6) for improvement and 2.00% (95% CI = 1.10-3.40%) for deterioration. Random
      effect models yielded similar results. Publication bias was non-significant for
      all the outcomes. CONCLUSION: While visual deficits improved after EETS in the
      majority of patients, complete recovery was only achieved in less than half of
      the patients and some patients even suffered from visual deterioration.

PMID- 28643210
TI  - The "very rare" unusual sites venous thromboses.

PMID- 28643211
TI  - Do Energy Drink Consumers Study More?
AB  - The use and motivations for use of energy drinks (EDs) in college students has
      been documented in the literature. Many college students identify academic
      reasons, such as a need to study more, as a motivation for ED use. However,
      research has not determined if users who claim academic motivations actually
      study more than those who claim other motivations. A sample of 692 undergraduate
      students at a large, private university completed a paper survey that inquired
      about demographics, ED use, motivations for ED use, sleep quality, and average
      amount of time spent sleeping and studying per week. Descriptive statistics were
      used to analyze demographics, and analysis of variance was used to compare ED
      users with different motivations to amount of time spent sleeping and studying
      per week. Regression analysis was also used to determine if ED use could be
      predicted by any of the other variables. Increased ED consumption was predicted
      by being male (B = -0.394, p < .001) and having a decreased sleep quality (B =
      0.586, p < .001). Reported study hours by subjects who claimed academic reasons
      as motivation for ED use were not significantly different in comparison to ED
      users who claimed other motivations. In our sample, ED users who reported
      academic reasons as motivations for use did not report significantly more study
      hours per week when compared to those who claimed other motivations. This
      demonstrates a disconnect between reported motivations for energy drink use and
      outcomes that are expected to be associated with those motivations.

PMID- 28643209
TI  - High-Intensity Interval Training Interventions in Children and Adolescents: A
      Systematic Review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whilst there is increasing interest in the efficacy of high-intensity
      interval training in children and adolescents as a time-effective method of
      eliciting health benefits, there remains little consensus within the literature
      regarding the most effective means for delivering a high-intensity interval
      training intervention. Given the global health issues surrounding childhood
      obesity and associated health implications, the identification of effective
      intervention strategies is imperative. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to
      examine high-intensity interval training as a means of influencing key health
      parameters and to elucidate the most effective high-intensity interval training
      protocol. METHODS: Studies were included if they: (1) studied healthy children
      and/or adolescents (aged 5-18 years); (2) prescribed an intervention that was
      deemed high intensity; and (3) reported health-related outcome measures. RESULTS:
      A total of 2092 studies were initially retrieved from four databases. Studies
      that were deemed to meet the criteria were downloaded in their entirety and
      independently assessed for relevance by two authors using the pre-determined
      criteria. From this, 13 studies were deemed suitable. This review found that high
      intensity interval training in children and adolescents is a time-effective
      method of improving cardiovascular disease biomarkers, but evidence regarding
      other health-related measures is more equivocal. Running-based sessions, at an
      intensity of >90% heart rate maximum/100-130% maximal aerobic velocity, two to
      three times a week and with a minimum intervention duration of 7 weeks, elicit
      the greatest improvements in participant health. CONCLUSION: While high-intensity
      interval training improves cardiovascular disease biomarkers, and the evidence
      supports the effectiveness of running-based sessions, as outlined above, further
      recommendations as to optimal exercise duration and rest intervals remain
      ambiguous owing to the paucity of literature and the methodological limitations
      of studies presently available.

PMID- 28643212
TI  - The Role of Primary Health Care in Hepatitis B Testing and Management: A Case
      Study.
AB  - Hepatitis B is a complex disease requiring lifelong management. Infection is
      linked to birth in high prevalence regions including Africa and Asia. Best
      practice guidelines identify who to test for hepatitis B, however, a significant
      proportion of Australians with hepatitis B have not been diagnosed, and are
      subsequently at risk of serious morbidity and mortality. This study sought to
      address the gap between current and optimal hepatitis B testing in a primary care
      clinic with a likely high population of undiagnosed hepatitis B. Between
      September 2015 and December 2016, four interventions aimed at enhancing general
      practitioner testing practices were implemented: staff education, quality
      improvement and patient-triggered activities. Compared to the baseline (2014) the
      following parameters all increased in 2016: the number of patients tested (15
      tests per month in 2014, 24 tests per months in 2016), the correct ordering of
      the recommended tests (17% in 2014, 61% in 2016) and hepatitis B vaccine dose
      ordering (n = 35 in 2014, n = 110 in 2016). However, the proportion of patients
      born in Africa or Asia tested for hepatitis B did not increase. Distribution of a
      patient held-reminder led to the greatest number of tests being ordered (n = 54
      tests ordered in 1 month). Within a single primary care clinic situated in a high
      hepatitis B prevalence area, an intervention designed to improve adherence to
      hepatitis B testing guidelines, increased testing levels. A systematic approach
      can assist general practitioners to improve their understanding of hepatitis B
      testing and prioritise people most at risk.

PMID- 28643213
TI  - The difficult legacy of Turing's wager.
AB  - Describing the human brain in mathematical terms is an important ambition of
      neuroscience research, yet the challenges remain considerable. It was Alan
      Turing, writing in 1950, who first sought to demonstrate how time-consuming such
      an undertaking would be. Through analogy to the computer program, Turing argued
      that arriving at a complete mathematical description of the mind would take well
      over a thousand years. In this opinion piece, we argue that - despite seventy
      years of progress in the field - his arguments remain both prescient and
      persuasive.

PMID- 28643214
TI  - New generation devices for transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement
      are superior compared with last generation devices with respect to VARC-2
      outcome.
AB  - New generation devices for transcatheter aortic valve replacement have been
      optimized to improve clinical outcome. We compared procedural, in-hospital, 30
      days and 12 months outcome of the new generation repositionable Boston Lotus
      Valve and the balloon-expandable Edwards Sapien 3 valve with the last generation
      self-expandable Medtronic CoreValve and the balloon-expandable Edwards Sapien XT.
      Between 2010 and 2015 consecutive patients treated with the Medtronic CoreValve
      (N = 100), Edwards Sapien XT (N = 100), Edwards Sapien S3 (N = 100) and Boston
      Lotus device (N = 100) were enrolled. There was no moderate or severe AR with the
      new generation devices as compared with 11.5% with last generation devices (p <
      0.01). None or trace aortic regurgitation was lowest with the Lotus valve.
      Pacemaker implantation due to II degrees  or III degrees  atrioventricular block
      was comparable for the self-expandable CoreValve (21%) and the mechanically
      deployed Lotus Valve (23%) and lower for the Sapien 3 (15%) and XT valve (8%; p <
      0.01). Early safety endpoint at 30 days (21 vs. 9%, p < 0.01), major vascular
      complications (12 vs. 2.5%, p < 0.01), all-cause mortality (9.5 vs. 2%, p < 0.01)
      and rate of disabling and non-disabling stroke (7.5 vs. 3.5%, p < 0.01) were
      significantly lower with the new generation devices. In multivariate analyses,
      valve type was an independent predictor for 30 days early safety endpoint and 12
      months all-cause mortality. TAVR with the new generation Edwards Sapien 3 and
      Boston Lotus valves was associated with no moderate and severe aortic
      regurgitation, significantly lower major vascular complications and a significant
      improvement in 30 days and 12 months outcome.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02162069.

PMID- 28643215
TI  - Relationship between instantaneous wave-free ratio and fractional flow reserve in
      patients receiving hemodialysis.
AB  - Instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) is a vasodilator-free index and is reported
      to have a good correlation with fractional flow reserve (FFR). Hemodialysis
      patients exhibit left ventricular hypertrophy, reduced arterial compliance, and
      impaired microcirculation. Such a coronary flow condition in these patients may
      influence the relationship between iFR and FFR. This study assessed the impact of
      hemodialysis on the relationship between iFR and FFR. The study enrolled 196
      patients with 265 stenoses who underwent assessment via iFR, FFR assessment, and
      right heart catheterization. A good correlation between iFR and FFR was observed
      in hemodialysis patients. iFR in the hemodialysis group was significantly lower
      than in the non-hemodialysis group (0.81 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.86 +/- 0.13, p = 0.005),
      although no significant difference was found in FFR and percentage diameter
      stenosis. An iFR value of 0.84 was found to be equivalent to an FFR value of 0.8
      in hemodialysis patients, which was lower than the standard predictive iFR range
      for ischemia. Vasodilator-free assessment by iFR could be beneficial in
      evaluating intermediate coronary stenosis in patients receiving hemodialysis.
      However, the threshold for iFR abnormality needs adjustment in hemodialysis
      patients, and larger clinical trials are required to confirm the results in this
      specific subset.

PMID- 28643216
TI  - Spontaneous coronary artery dissection with a collateral vessel.

PMID- 28643217
TI  - Frustrated Patients and Fearful Physicians.

PMID- 28643218
TI  - Empagliflozin Improves Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in a Genetic Model
      of Type 2 Diabetes.
AB  - PURPOSE: Cardiovascular (CV) diseases in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) represent an
      enormous burden with high mortality and morbidity. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2
      (SGLT2) inhibitors have recently emerged as a new antidiabetic class that
      improves glucose control, as well as body weight and blood pressure with no
      increased risk of hypoglycemia. The first CV outcome study terminated with
      empagliflozin, a specific SGLT2 inhibitor, has shown a reduction in CV mortality
      and in heart failure hospitalization, suggesting a beneficial impact on cardiac
      function which remains to be demonstrated. This study was designed to examine the
      chronic effect of empagliflozin on left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic
      functions in a genetic model of T2DM, ob/ob mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cardiac
      phenotype was characterized by echocardiography, in vivo hemodynamics, histology,
      and molecular profiling. Our results demonstrate that empagliflozin significantly
      lowered HbA1c and slightly reduced body weight compared to vehicle treatment with
      no obvious changes in insulin levels. Empagliflozin also improved LV maximum
      pressure and in vivo indices of diastolic function. While systolic function was
      grossly not affected in both groups at steady state, response to dobutamine
      stimulation was significantly improved in the empagliflozin-treated group,
      suggesting amelioration of contractile reserve. This was paralleled by an
      increase in phospholamban (PLN) phosphorylation and increased SERCA2a/PLN ratio,
      indicative of enhanced SERCA2a function, further supporting improved cardiac
      relaxation and diastolic function. In addition, empagliflozin reconciled diabetes
      associated increase in MAPKs and dysregulated phosphorylation of IRS1 and Akt,
      leading to improvement in myocardial insulin sensitivity and glucose utilization.
      CONCLUSION: The data show that chronic treatment with empagliflozin improves
      diastolic function, preserves calcium handling and growth signaling pathways and
      attenuates myocardial insulin resistance in ob/ob mice, findings suggestive of a
      potential clinical utility for empagliflozin in the treatment of diastolic
      dysfunction.

PMID- 28643219
TI  - Triple Antithrombotic Therapy in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Undergoing PCI: a
      Fading Role.
AB  - Triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT), consisting of aspirin, a P2Y12 receptor
      antagonist and oral anticoagulant (OAC) medication has been considered as an
      'unavoidable' strategy for a 1-12 months for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients
      post acute coronary syndrome or percutaneous coronary angioplasty with stenting.
      However, TAT has rather poorly been adopted in real life practice, mainly because
      of an accompanying increased bleeding potential and lack of definitive results of
      randomized clinical trials. Several registries, meta-analyses and small
      randomized trials have so far provided the base of guidelines recommendations.
      Furthermore, in the recently published Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled,
      Multicenter Study Exploring Two Treatment Strategies of Rivaroxaban and a Dose
      Adjusted Oral Vitamin K Antagonist Treatment Strategy in Subjects with Atrial
      Fibrillation who Undergo Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PIONEER AF-PCI)
      trial involving 2124 patients, the primary safety endpoint of clinically
      significant bleeding was significantly reduced in the rivaroxaban low dose (15 mg
      daily) plus single P2Y12 receptor antagonist arm compared to TAT, with no
      difference in the secondary efficacy endpoint. Despite several limitations of the
      PIONEER AF-PCI trial, it appears that among patients who omit aspirin, there may
      be equivalent ischemic protection with dual therapy and no disadvantage for
      additional risk of thrombotic events.

PMID- 28643221
TI  - Post-exercise blood flow restriction attenuates hyperemia similarly in males and
      females.
AB  - PURPOSE: Our laboratory recently demonstrated that post-exercise blood flow
      restriction attenuated muscle hypertrophy only in females, which we hypothesized
      may be due to alterations in post-exercise blood flow. The aim of this study is
      to test our previous hypothesis that sex differences in blood flow would exist
      when employing the same protocol. METHODS: Twenty-two untrained individuals (12
      females; 10 males) performed two exercise sessions, each involving one set of
      elbow flexion exercise to volitional failure on the right arm. The experimental
      condition had blood flow restriction applied for a 3 min post-exercise period,
      whereas the control condition did not. Blood flow was measured using an
      ultrasound at the brachial artery and was taken 1 and 4 min post-exercise. This
      corresponded to 1 min post inflation and 1 min post deflation in the experimental
      condition. RESULTS: There were no differences in the alterations in blood flow
      between the control and experimental conditions when examined across sex.
      Increases in blood flow [mean (standard deviation)] were as follows: males 1 min
      [control 764 (577) %; experimental 113 (108) %], males 4 min [control 346 (313)
      %; experimental 449 (371) %], females 1 min [control 558 (367) %; experimental 87
      (105) %], and females 4 min [control 191 (183) %; experimental 328 (223) %].
      CONCLUSION: It does not appear that the sex-specific attenuation of muscle
      hypertrophy we observed previously can be attributed to different alterations in
      post-exercise blood flow. Future studies may wish to replicate our previous
      training study, or examine alternative mechanisms which may be sex specific.

PMID- 28643220
TI  - Denosumab: an Emerging Therapy in Pediatric Bone Disorders.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Denosumab is an inhibitor of receptor activator of nuclear
      factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), and has emerged as an important novel therapy for
      skeletal disorders. This article examines the use of denosumab in children.
      RECENT FINDINGS: Considerable safety and efficacy data exists for denosumab
      treatment of adults with osteoporosis, bone metastases, and giant cell tumors.
      Pediatric data is limited; however, evidence suggests denosumab may be beneficial
      in decreasing bone turnover, increasing bone density, and preventing growth of
      certain skeletal neoplasms in children. Denosumab's effect on bone turnover is
      rapidly reversible after drug discontinuation, representing a key difference from
      bisphosphonates. Rebound increased bone turnover has led to severe hypercalcemia
      in several pediatric patients. Denosumab is a promising therapy for pediatric
      skeletal disorders. At present, safety concerns related to rebounding bone
      turnover and mineral homeostasis impact use of denosumab in children. Research is
      needed to determine if and how these effects can be mitigated.

PMID- 28643222
TI  - Ridge preservation using an in situ hardening biphasic calcium phosphate (beta
      TCP/HA) bone graft substitute-a clinical, radiological, and histological study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Post-Extraction ridge preservation using bone graft substitutes is a
      conservative technique to maintain the width of the alveolar ridge. The objective
      of the present study was to evaluate an in situ hardening biphasic (HA/beta-TCP)
      bone graft substitutes for ridge preservation without primary wound closure or a
      dental membrane. METHODS: A total of 15 patients reported for tooth extraction
      were enrolled in this study. Implants were placed in average 5.2 +/- 2 months
      after socket grafting. At this visit, Cone Beam CT (CBCT) images and core
      biopsies were taken. Implant stability (ISQ) was assessed at the insertion as
      well as at the day of final restoration. RESULTS: CBCT data revealed 0.79 +/-
      0.73 mm ridge width reduction from grafting to implant placement.
      Histomorphometric analysis of core biopsy samples revealed in average 21.34 +/-
      9.14% of new bone in the grafted sites. Primary implant stability was high (ISQ
      levels 70.3 +/- 9.6) and further increased until final restoration. CONCLUSIONS:
      The results of this study show that grafting of intact post-extraction sockets
      using a biphasic in situ hardening bone graft substitute results in an effective
      preservation of the ridge contour and sufficient new bone formation in the
      grafted sites, which is imperative for successful implant placement.

PMID- 28643223
TI  - The effect of membrane exposure on lateral ridge augmentation: a case-controlled
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The effect of membrane exposure on guided bone regeneration (GBR) for
      lateral ridge augmentation has been poorly addressed. This case-controlled study
      aimed to investigate potential effect of membrane exposure lateral ridge
      augmentation and subsequent implant placement. METHODS: A total of 14 patients
      that did receive lateral ridge augmentation procedure using allogeneic cancellous
      graft particulate in combination with an alloplastic bioresorbable matrix barrier
      were retrospectively selected for this study. Bone width was measured at the
      crest with a digital caliper before bone augmentation and at the reopening for
      implant placement 4 months later for all patients. Cases where primary flap
      closure was achieved and the barrier did not expose throughout the time until
      implant placement were assigned to the control group (n = 7). Cases where primary
      closure could not be achieved or a barrier exposure happened within the first
      week following the initial surgery were assigned to the test group. RESULTS: The
      measured alveolar ridge width before surgery as well as after GBR procedure were
      not statistically significant different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Both
      groups showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in their mean alveolar ridge
      width 4 months after later augmentation procedure, from 3.4 +/- 1.2 to 6.0 +/-
      1.1 mm in the control group and from 3.6 +/- 1.0 to 5.0 +/- 1.4 mm in the test
      group. However, the mean alveolar ridge gain was significantly greater in the
      control group than in the test group (p < 0.05). Consequently, the reduction of
      the augmented alveolar ridge was significantly higher in the test group averaging
      to 4.7 mm than for the control group showing a loss of 3.1 mm after 4 months,
      respectively. However, in all 14 cases, successful implant placement was achieved
      after 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limit of this study, it can be concluded
      that early exposure of a bioresorbable matrix barrier during lateral ridge
      augmentation may compromise the results of the GBR procedure but may still result
      in a favorable alveolar ridge width gain that allows for the placement of dental
      implants.

PMID- 28643225
TI  - Using Illumina-Based Sequence Analysis to Guide Probiotic Candidate Selection and
      Isolation.
AB  - Selection for probiotic candidates by in vivo experimental trials is time and
      labor consuming; more informed strategy is needed to select successful probiotic
      candidates. The aim of the study was to elucidate the microbial taxa transmitted
      from maize seeds to seedlings during the germination process of maize and their
      probiotic effects. The bacterial and fungal taxa in kernel germs and sprouts were
      analyzed by Illumina-based sequencing. The sprouts contained more diverse fungi
      than those in germs. The bacterial species (OTUs) declined with the germination
      from germs to the sprouts. However, the endophytic fungal diversity increased
      during the germination process. Seed-borne dominant bacterial genera Bacillus,
      Halomonas, and Shewanella and dominant fungal genera Aspergillus were also
      detected in sprouts. The spore-forming bacteria BS3 isolated directly from
      sprouts could promote growth of maize seedling and resistance to F.
      verticillioides under F. verticillioides-infested soils. The results suggested
      that maize contained core bacterial and fungal taxa during the development from
      seeds to sprouts, and the core endophytes showed more intimate correlation with
      host plants than did other microbial taxa. Illumina-based sequence analysis is
      feasible to guide probiotic candidate selection and isolation.

PMID- 28643224
TI  - Establishment of a 3D cell culture model of primary bovine mammary epithelial
      cells extracted from fresh milk.
AB  - For the investigation of molecular processes underlying diseases of the bovine
      mammary gland, primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (pbMEC) are used. They are
      known to contribute to the innate immune system of the bovine mammary gland. The
      functionality of pbMEC depends on the maintenance of in vivo characteristics. So
      far, the optimization of pbMEC culture conditions was intended in a variety of
      experiments. For this purpose, most of the studies used stable cell lines or
      primary cells obtained from udder biopsies of slaughtered animals. By contrast,
      within our study, pbMEC of healthy and first lactating Brown Swiss cows were non
      invasively isolated from fresh milk. The non-invasively isolated pbMEC were
      cultivated on the extracellular matrix-like scaffold Matrigel(r). Further, they
      were challenged with different compositions of proliferation media, containing
      lactogenic hormones and/or the essential amino acid L-lysine. Changes in
      expression levels of genes coding for milk proteins and for components of the
      janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) and
      mTOR pathways were analyzed by RT-qPCR. The secreted proteins were analyzed by LC
      MS/MS measurements. We showed for the first time the establishment of a
      physiologically functional 3D cell culture model of pbMEC isolated from fresh
      milk. This represents a primary cell culture model system, based on non-invasive
      cell collection, that can be used to unravel physiological processes in an
      unbiased manner.

PMID- 28643226
TI  - Capsular Polysaccharides of Lactobacillus spp.: Theoretical and Practical Aspects
      of Simple Visualization Methods.
AB  - Lactobacillus strains can synthesize capsular polysaccharides (CPS), which are
      important substances in the dairy industry-they exhibit many important
      technological as well as health-promoting properties. Technological advancements
      have made it possible to detect bacterial capsules using costly and labor
      intensive methods, such as serological reactions, molecular genetic techniques,
      and electron microscopy. Light microscopy, which is the method of interest in
      this paper, is one of the most widely accessible and cheapest techniques. CPS may
      be observed under a light microscope after staining bacterial cells and the
      background with a basic die and an acidic die, respectively (negative-positive
      staining), with the capsules remaining transparent. The literature offers many
      polysaccharide staining methods, but due to the considerable structural diversity
      of CPS and possible dye-capsule interactions, a suitable staining technique
      should be carefully selected for each strain. The current study showed that not
      all methods adequately reveal Lactobacillus CPS, with the most effective ones
      being those proposed by Hiss and Maneval.

PMID- 28643227
TI  - Preparation and Characterization of Alginate Microparticles Containing a Model
      Protein for Oral Administration in Gnotobiotic European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus
      labrax) Larvae.
AB  - Aquaculture is the fastest growing animal production sector. However, the
      production of marine fish is still hampered by the high mortality rate in the
      first few weeks after hatching. Mortality in larvae is often caused by microbial
      infections. Today, the incorporation of immunostimulants into microparticles
      provides us new tools to enhance disease resistance in marine larviculture. In
      this study, we prepared alginate microparticles loaded with the model antigen
      fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated-bovine serum albumin. Optimum
      concentrations of alginate and CaCl2, the correct alginate viscosity and the
      appropriate preparatory conditions led to the creation of desirable
      microparticles with the correct size for oral feeding in gnotobiotic European sea
      bass larvae. The prepared alginate microparticles were stable in sea water and
      were successfully ingested by gnotobiotic sea bass larvae at day after hatching 7
      without causing any negative effects. Results suggest the suitability of this
      drug delivery system for targeting the innate immune system of fish larvae in
      order to enhance disease resistance and thus reduce mortality in larviculture.

PMID- 28643228
TI  - A urologic stethoscope? Urologist performed sonography using a pocket-size
      ultrasound device in the point-of-care setting.
AB  - PURPOSE: Ultrasound is commonly used in urology. Technical advances with reduced
      size and cost led to diffusion of small ultrasound devices to many clinical
      settings. Even so, most ultrasound studies are performed by non-urologists. We
      aimed to evaluate the utility of a pocket-size ultrasound device (VscanTM GE
      Healthcare) and the quality of urologist performed study. METHODS: Three
      consecutive studies were performed: (1) a urologist using the pocket ultrasound,
      (2) a sonographist using the pocket ultrasound, and (3) a sonographist using a
      standard ultrasound device. Thirty-six patients were evaluated with a basic
      urologic ultrasound study. An excepted deviation between studies was preset for
      numeric parameters and t test performed. Ordinal parameters were analyzed using
      Cohen's kappa coefficient. RESULTS: Kidney length, renal pelvis length, renal
      cyst diameter, post-void residual and prostate volume (transabdominal)
      differences were found to be insignificant when comparing a urologist pocket
      ultrasound study to a sonographist standard ultrasound study (P = 0.15; P = 0.21;
      P = 0.81; P = 0.32; P = 0.07, respectively). Hydronpehrosis evaluation (none,
      mild, moderate and severe) and the presence of ureteral jet signs conferred a
      high inter-observer agreement when comparing the above studies using the Cohen's
      kappa coefficient (K = 0.63; K = 0.62, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Urologist
      performed pocket ultrasound study is valid in evaluating the upper and lower
      urinary tract and is practical in many clinical scenarios. The urologic
      stethoscope is now becoming a reality within reach.

PMID- 28643229
TI  - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in a patient with lymphoma and
      presumptive hyper IgE syndrome.
AB  - We, herein, report a 23-year-old male with a rare inherited immunodeficiency
      disease, hyperimmunoglobulin IgE syndrome (HIES), who developed progressive
      multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) and lymphoma simultaneously. Primary
      immunodeficiency of the patient has remained undiagnosed until adulthood. PML is
      a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by John
      Cunningham virus. HIES is a rare, inherited immunodeficiency characterized by
      high serum levels of IgE, recurrent staphylococcal infection, eczema, and
      hypereosinophilia. PML may accompany primary immunodeficiency syndromes, but the
      association with HIES is exceedingly rare. We discuss the imaging findings,
      medical management, and a review of related literature on primary
      immunodeficiency cases complicating with PML.

PMID- 28643230
TI  - Crosstalk between M2 macrophages and glioma stem cells.
AB  - PURPOSE: Given its extremely poor prognosis, there is a pressing need for an
      improved understanding of the biology of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), including
      the roles of tumor subpopulations that may contribute to their growth rate and
      therapy resistance. The most malignant phenotypes of GBM have been ascribed to
      the presence of subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are resistant
      to chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation and which promote invasiveness
      and metastasis. The mechanisms by which the CSC state is obtained and by which it
      promotes tumor maintenance are only beginning to emerge. We hypothesize that M2
      polarized macrophages may affect CSC phenotypes via cell-cell communication.
      METHODS: We investigated the interplay between glioma CSCs and macrophages via co
      culture. The invasiveness of CSCs in the absence and presence of macrophages was
      assessed using collagen degradation and Transwell migration assays. The role of
      STAT3 as a CSC phenotypic mediator was assessed using siRNA-mediated gene
      silencing. RESULTS: We found that the levels of a M2 macrophage-specific secreted
      cytokine, TGF-beta1, were elevated in the presence of CSCs, regardless of whether
      the cells were plated as contacting or non-contacting co-cultures. In addition,
      we found that the co-culture resulted in enhanced expression of M2 markers in
      macrophages that were previously polarized to the M1 phenotype. siRNA-mediated
      STAT3 silencing was found to reduce the chemo-responsiveness and migratory
      abilities of the CSCs. Combination treatment of STAT3 siRNA and DNA alkylating
      agents was found to further abrogate CSC functions. CONCLUSIONS: Our data
      indicate that the co-culture of CSCs and macrophages results in bi-directional
      signaling that alters the phenotypes of both cell types. These results provide an
      explanation for recently observed effects of macrophages on GBM tumor cell
      growth, motility and therapeutic resistance, and suggest potential therapeutic
      strategies to disrupt the CSC phenotype by impairing its communication with
      macrophages.

PMID- 28643231
TI  - Demodex Blepharitis Treated with a Novel Dilute Povidone-Iodine and DMSO System:
      A Case Report.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Povidone-iodine aqueous solution is an antiseptic commonly used in
      ophthalmology for treatment of the ocular surface. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a
      well-known skin penetration enhancer that is scarcely utilized in ophthalmic drug
      formulations. We describe here a low-dose formulation of 0.25% PVP-I in a gel
      containing DMSO for the treatment of Demodex blepharitis. CASE REPORT: A 95-year
      old female presented with chronic blepharitis involving both the anterior and
      posterior eyelid margins. The anterior eyelid margins demonstrated pathognomonic
      features consistent with Demodex infection, and this diagnosis was confirmed with
      microscopy. Previous traditional therapies had been ineffective at controlling
      her signs and symptoms. CONCLUSION: The topical PVP-I/DMSO system was effective
      at treating the signs and symptoms of Demodex blepharitis. Further investigation
      of the novel agent is warranted.

PMID- 28643234
TI  - Body Mass Disorders in Healthy Short Children and in Children with Growth Hormone
      Deficiency.
AB  - The aim of the study was to determine the degree of adiposity and the incidence
      of body mass disorders, including abdominal obesity, in healthy short children
      and children with growth hormone deficiency. The study included 134 short
      children (height < 10th percentile) aged 7-15. In this cohort there were 63 (31
      boys and 32 girls) children without diagnosed hormonal disorders and 71 patients
      (35 boys and 36 girls) with growth hormone deficiency. Basic somatic features
      were assessed and the study participants were categorized according to the
      percentage of body fat (%FAT), body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-height ratio
      (WHtR). We found that there were no significant differences in %FAT and the
      incidence of body weight disorders depending on gender or diagnosis. %FAT deficit
      was observed in 12-21% of the participants and underweight in almost every fourth
      child. Overweight involved 3-14% of the participants and obesity was diagnosed in
      isolated cases (0-3%); both were considerably lower compared to the estimates
      based on %FAT. Using the cut-off points of WHtR, abdominal adiposity was observed
      in 3-15% of the participants. In conclusion, quite a large number of short
      children (between 25 and 50%) are characterized by abnormal body fat or body mass
      index values. The results indicate a limited usefulness of BMI in evaluating the
      incidence of overweight and obesity in children characterized by a height
      deficit.

PMID- 28643232
TI  - Caffeine Protects Against Anticonvulsant-Induced Neurotoxicity in the Developing
      Rat Brain.
AB  - Phenobarbital is the most commonly used drug for the treatment of neonatal
      seizures but may induce neurodegeneration in the developing brain. Methylxanthine
      caffeine is used for the treatment of apnea in newborn infants and appears to be
      neuroprotective, as shown by antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects in
      oxidative stress models in newborn rodents and reduced rates of cerebral palsy in
      human infants treated with caffeine. We hypothesized that caffeine may counteract
      the proapoptotic effects of phenobarbital in newborn rats. Postnatal day 4 (P4)
      rats received phenobarbital (50 mg/kg) +/- caffeine (10 mg/kg) for three
      consecutive days. Brains examined at 6, 12, and 24 h after last injection of
      phenobarbital showed a drastic increase of apoptotic cell death (TUNEL+), which
      was attenuated by co-treatment with caffeine at 6 and 24 h but not at 12 h.
      Phenobarbital also increased protein levels of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF)
      and cleaved caspase-3, which was reduced by caffeine co-administration at all
      time points investigated. RNA expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines
      TNFalpha, IFNgamma, and IL-1beta, but not IL-18, was upregulated by
      phenobarbital. Co-treatment with caffeine significantly decreased these
      upregulations at all time points investigated, while caffeine without
      phenobarbital resulted in increased expression of TNFalpha, IL-1beta, and IL-18,
      but not IFNgamma at 6 h. Downregulation of the adenosine A1 and A2a receptors,
      both of which bind caffeine, by 24 h of phenobarbital exposure was partly
      antagonized by caffeine. These results raise the possibility that the
      phenobarbital-induced adverse effects could be reduced by a co-treatment with
      caffeine.

PMID- 28643233
TI  - Assessing Environmental Exposure to beta-N-Methylamino-L-Alanine (BMAA) in
      Complex Sample Matrices: a Comparison of the Three Most Popular LC-MS/MS Methods.
AB  - beta-N-Methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is a naturally occurring non-protein amino
      acid produced by cyanobacteria, accumulated through natural food webs, found in
      mammalian brain tissues. Recent evidence indicates an association between BMAA
      and neurological disease. The accurate detection and quantification of BMAA in
      food and environmental samples are critical to understanding BMAA metabolism and
      limiting human exposure. To date, there have been more than 78 reports on BMAA in
      cyanobacteria and human samples, but different methods give conflicting data and
      divergent interpretations in the literature. The current work was designed to
      determine whether orthogonal chromatography and mass spectrometry methods give
      consistent data interpretation from a single sample matrix using the three most
      common analytical methods. The methods were recreated as precisely as possible
      from the literature with optimization of the mass spectrometry parameters
      specific to the instrument. Four sample matrices, cyanobacteria, human brain,
      blue crab, and Spirulina, were analyzed as 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl
      carbamate (AQC) derivatives, propyl chloroformate (PCF) derivatives separated by
      reverse phase chromatography, or underivatized extracts separated by HILIC
      chromatography. The three methods agreed on positive detection of BMAA in
      cyanobacteria and no detected BMAA in the sample of human brain matrix.
      Interpretation was less clear for a sample of blue crab which was strongly
      positive for BMAA by AQC and PCF but negative by HILIC and for four spirulina raw
      materials that were negative by PCF but positive by AQC and HILIC. Together,
      these data demonstrate that the methods gave different results and that the
      choices in interpretation of the methods determined whether BMAA was detected.
      Failure to detect BMAA cannot be considered proof of absence.

PMID- 28643235
TI  - Design and Evaluation of RGD-Modified Gemini Surfactant-Based Lipoplexes for
      Targeted Gene Therapy in Melanoma Model.
AB  - PURPOSE: We have developed and evaluated novel peptide-targeted gemini surfactant
      based lipoplexes designed for melanoma gene therapy. METHODS: Integrin receptor
      targeting peptide, cyclic-arginylglycylaspartic acid (cRGD), was either
      chemically coupled to a gemini surfactant backbone or physically co-formulated
      with lipoplexes. Several formulations and transfection techniques were developed.
      Transfection efficiency and cellular toxicity of the lipoplexes were evaluated in
      an in vitro human melanoma model. Physicochemical properties were examined using
      dynamic light scattering, zeta-potential, and small-angle X-ray scattering
      measurements. RESULTS: RGD-modified gemini surfactant based lipoplexes showed
      significant enhancement in gene transfection activity in A375 cell lines compared
      to the standard non-targeted formulation, especially when RGD was chemically
      conjugated to the gemini surfactant (RGD-G). The RGD had no effect on the cell
      toxicity profile of the lipoplex systems. Targeting specificity was confirmed by
      using an excess of free RGD and negative control peptide (RAD) and was
      demonstrated by using normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Physicochemical
      characterization showed that all nanoparticles were in the optimal size range for
      cellular uptake and there were no significant differences between RGD-modified
      and standard lipoplexes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate the potential of
      RGD-modified gemini surfactant-based lipoplexes for use in melanoma gene therapy
      as an alternative to conventional chemotherapy.

PMID- 28643236
TI  - Multi-Reservoir Phospholipid Shell Encapsulating Protamine Nanocapsules for Co
      Delivery of Letrozole and Celecoxib in Breast Cancer Therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: In the current work, we propose a combined delivery nanoplatform for
      letrozole (LTZ) and celecoxib (CXB). METHODS: Multi-reservoir nanocarriers were
      developed by enveloping protamine nanocapsules (PRM-NCs) within drug-phospholipid
      complex bilayer. RESULTS: Encapsulation of NCs within phospholipid bilayer was
      confirmed by both size increase from 109.7 to 179.8 nm and reduction of surface
      charge from +19.0 to +7.78 mV. The multi-compartmental core-shell structure
      enabled biphasic CXB release with initial fast release induced by complexation
      with phospholipid shell followed by prolonged release from oily core. Moreover,
      phospholipid coating provided protection for cationic PRM-NCs against interaction
      with RBCs and serum proteins enabling their systemic administration.
      Pharmacokinetic analysis demonstrated prolonged circulation and delayed clearance
      of both drugs after intravenous administration into rats. The superior anti-tumor
      efficacy of multi-reservoir NCs was manifested as powerful cytotoxicity against
      MCF-7 breast cancer cells and marked reduction in the mammary tumor volume in
      Ehrlich ascites bearing mice compared with free LTZ-CXB combination. Moreover,
      the NCs induced apoptotic caspase activation and marked inhibition of aromatase
      expression and angiogenic marker, VEGF as well as inhibition of both NFkappaB and
      TNFalpha. CONCLUSIONS: Multi-reservoir phospholipid shell coating PRM-NCs could
      serve as a promising nanocarrier for parenteral combined delivery of LTZ and CXB.

PMID- 28643237
TI  - Small Airway Absorption and Microdosimetry of Inhaled Corticosteroid Particles
      after Deposition.
AB  - PURPOSE: To predict the cellular-level epithelial absorbed dose from deposited
      inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) particles in a model of an expanding and contracting
      small airway segment for different particle forms. METHODS: A computational fluid
      dynamics (CFD)-based model of drug dissolution, absorption and clearance
      occurring in the surface liquid of a representative small airway generation (G13)
      was developed and used to evaluate epithelial dose for the same deposited drug
      mass of conventional microparticles, nanoaggregates and a true nanoaerosol. The
      ICS medications considered were budesonide (BD) and fluticasone propionate (FP).
      Within G13, total epithelial absorption efficiency (AE) and dose uniformity
      (microdosimetry) were evaluated. RESULTS: Conventional microparticles resulted in
      very poor AE of FP (0.37%) and highly nonuniform epithelial absorption, such that
      <5% of cells received drug. Nanoaggregates improved AE of FP by a factor of 57
      fold and improved dose delivery to reach approximately 40% of epithelial cells.
      True nanoaerosol resulted in near 100% AE for both drugs and more uniform drug
      delivery to all cells. CONCLUSIONS: Current ICS therapies are absorbed by
      respiratory epithelial cells in a highly nonuniform manner that may partially
      explain poor clinical performance in the small airways. Both nanoaggregates and
      nanoaerosols can significantly improve ICS absorption efficiency and uniformity.

PMID- 28643238
TI  - Characterization of the complex involved in regulating V-ATPase activity of the
      vacuolar and endosomal membrane.
AB  - Regulator of the H+-ATPase of the vacuolar and endosomal membranes (RAVE) is
      essential for the reversible assembly of H+-ATPase. RAVE primarily consists of
      three subunits: Rav1p, Rav2p and Skp1p. To characterize these subunits, in this
      study, four strains derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae BY4742 were constructed
      with a FLAG tag on the Rav1p and Rav2p subunits. Then, the corresponding RAVE
      containing complex was isolated by affinity purification. Western blot and MALDI
      TOF mass spectrometry analyses showed that the RAVE complex contains not only the
      known V1-ATPase subunits (Vma1p and Vma2p) but also a newly found Leu1p that
      interacts with the RAVE subunit. Furthermore, we constructed rav1-/rav2-/vma2
      /leu1-deficient recombinants by fusion PCR and homologous recombination and
      demonstrated that leu1 is indispensable in adjusting the microbial cell to
      adverse environments and that the function is similar to that of rav1/rav2 but
      significantly differs from that of vma2. Leu1p probably plays an important role
      in RAVE regulation of V-ATPase activity in conjunction with RAVE.

PMID- 28643239
TI  - Serum histones as biomarkers of the severity of heatstroke in dogs.
AB  - Heatstroke is associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, leading to
      multiple organ dysfunction and death. Currently, there is no specific treatment
      decreasing hyperthermia-induced inflammatory/hemostatic derangements. Emerging
      studies indicate that histones leaking from damaged cells into the extracellular
      space are toxic, pro-inflammatory, and pro-thrombotic. We therefore hypothesize
      that serum histones (sHs) are elevated during heatstroke and are associated with
      the severity of the disease. Sixteen dogs with heatstroke and seven healthy
      controls were included in the study. Median serum histones (sHs) upon admission
      in dogs with heatstroke were significantly higher (P = 0.043) compared to that in
      seven controls (13.2 vs. 7.3 ng/mL, respectively). sHs level was significantly
      higher among non-survivors and among dogs with severe hemostatic derangement (P =
      0.049, median 21.4 ng/mL vs. median 8.16 ng/mL and P = 0.038, 19.0 vs. 7.0 ng/mL,
      respectively). There were significant positive correlation between sHs and urea
      (r = 0.8, P = 0.02); total CO2 (r = 0.661, P = 0.05); CK (r = 0.678, P = 0.04);
      and prothrombin time (PT) 12 h post presentation (r = 0.888, P = 0.04). The
      significant positive correlation between sHs and other heatstroke severity
      biomarkers, and significant increase among severely affected dogs, implies its
      role in inflammation/oxidation/coagulation during heatstroke. sHs, unlike other
      prognostic and severity biomarkers in heatstroke, can be pharmacologically
      manipulated, offering a potential therapeutic target.

PMID- 28643240
TI  - PCSK9 Inhibitors: Treating the Right Patients in Daily Practice.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Monoclonal antibodies that inhibit proprotein convertase
      subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) have emerged as a novel approach to low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering. The potential role of PCSK9 inhibitors
      in clinical practice will be reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: Clinical trials have
      demonstrated that PCSK9 inhibitors produce robust LDL-C lowering when
      administered either as monotherapy or in combination with statins. This provides
      the opportunity to achieve effective lipid lowering in familial
      hypercholesterolemia, patients with either established atherosclerotic
      cardiovascular disease or high risk primary prevention and an important
      opportunity to treat patients with statin intolerance. The findings from plaque
      imaging and patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
      suggest that PCSK9 inhibition has favorable outcomes beyond improving lipid
      profiles, which has the opportunity to expand their use. PCSK9 inhibitors
      represent a new approach to achieving effective cardiovascular risk reduction in
      a broader number of patients. How these agents will be taken up in clinical
      practice remains to be determined.

PMID- 28643242
TI  - What Influences Linkage to Care After Home-Based HIV Counseling and Testing?
AB  - To maximize the benefits of test and treat strategies that utilize community
      based HIV testing, clients who test positive must link to care in a timely
      manner. However, linkage rates across the HIV treatment cascade are typically low
      and little is known about what might facilitate or hinder care-seeking behavior.
      This qualitative study was conducted within a home-based HIV counseling and
      testing (HBHCT) intervention in South Africa. In-depth interviews were conducted
      with 30 HBHCT clients who tested HIV positive to explore what influenced their
      care-seeking behavior. A set of field notes for 196 additional HBHCT clients who
      tested HIV positive at home were also reviewed and analyzed. Content analysis
      showed that linkage to care is influenced by a myriad of factors at the
      individual, relationship, community, and health system levels. These factors
      subtly interact and at times reinforce each other. While some factors such as
      belief in test results, coping ability, social support, and prior experiences
      with the health system affect clients' desire and motivation to seek care, others
      such as limited time and resources affect their agency to do so. To ensure that
      the benefits of community-based testing models are realized through timely
      linkage to care, programs and interventions must take into account and address
      clients' emotions, motivation levels, living situations, relationship dynamics,
      responsibilities, and personal resources.

PMID- 28643244
TI  - Durvalumab: First Global Approval.
AB  - Intravenous durvalumab (ImfinziTM; AstraZeneca) is a fully human monoclonal
      antibody that blocks programmed cell death ligand-1 binding to its receptors (PD
      1 and CD80), resulting in enhanced T-cell responses against cancer cells. The US
      FDA has granted durvalumab accelerated approval for the treatment of patients
      with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease
      progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, or within 12
      months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant platinum-containing chemotherapy. Durvalumab +/
      tremelimumab is under phase III clinical trials in urothelial carcinoma, non
      small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer and head and neck squamous cell
      carcinoma. The drug is also being evaluated in phase I or II clinical trials in a
      wide range of solid tumours and haematological malignancies. This article
      summarizes the milestones in the development of durvalumab leading to this first
      approval for urothelial carcinoma.

PMID- 28643243
TI  - Toward predictive biomarkers of response to kinase inhibitor therapies in
      differentiated thyroid cancer.

PMID- 28643245
TI  - Construction and Evaluation of Zinc Finger Nucleases.
AB  - Zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) are programmable nucleases that have opened the door
      to the genome editing era. The construction of ZFNs recognizing a target sequence
      of interest is laborious, and has not been widely used recently. However, key ZFN
      patents are expiring over the next 2-4 years, enabling a wide range of
      deployments for clinical and industrial applications. This article introduces a
      ZFN construction protocol that uses bacterial one-hybrid (B1H) selection and
      single-stranded annealing (SSA) assay.

PMID- 28643246
TI  - Current Overview of TALEN Construction Systems.
AB  - Transcription activator-like effector (TALE) nuclease (TALEN) is the second
      generation genome editing tool consisting of TALE protein containing customizable
      DNA-binding repeats and nuclease domain of FokI enzyme. Each DNA-binding repeat
      recognizes one base of double-strand DNA, and functional TALEN can be created by
      a simple modular assembly of these repeats. To easily and efficiently assemble
      the highly repetitive DNA-binding repeat arrays, various construction systems
      such as Golden Gate assembly, serial ligation, and ligation-independent cloning
      have been reported. In this chapter, we summarize the current situation of these
      systems and publically available reagents and protocols, enabling optimal
      selection of best suited systems for every researcher who wants to utilize TALENs
      in various research fields.

PMID- 28643247
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9.
AB  - CRISPR/Cas9 is a novel method that has become the most widely used genome editing
      technology around the world. Its widespread adoption is largely due to its
      simplicity and easy of use. Here, we introduce the construction of vectors and
      genome editing of the target gene in cells expressing the CRISPR/Cas9 system.

PMID- 28643241
TI  - Socio-demographic Characteristics, Sexual and Test-Seeking Behaviours Amongst Men
      Who have Sex with Both Men and Women: Results from a Bio-behavioural Survey in 13
      European Cities.
AB  - Within the MSM population, men who have sex with both men and women (MSMW) are
      identified as a high-risk group both worldwide and in Europe. In a multi-centred
      bio-behavioural cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess the relationship(s)
      between socio-demographic factors, stigma, sexual behavioural patterns, test
      seeking behaviour and sero-status amongst MSMW. A multi-level analysis was
      conducted to identify factors associated with being MSMW versus Men who have Sex
      with Men Only (MSMO). A total of 4901 MSM were enrolled across the 13 study
      sites. Participants were categorised as MSMW in the 12.64% of the cases. Factors
      such as educational status, perceived homonegativity, testing facilities
      knowledge and HIV testing lifetime seem to be relevant factors when
      characterising the MSMW group. The results highlight the vulnerability of MSMW
      and the wide spectrum of risky behavioural and psycho-social patterns,
      particularly in terms of HIV testing, 'outness', and perceived stigma.

PMID- 28643248
TI  - Computational Prediction of CRISPR/Cas9 Target Sites Reveals Potential Off-Target
      Risks in Human and Mouse.
AB  - The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR
      associated (Cas) system is a prominent genome engineering technology. In the
      CRISPR/Cas system, the RNA-guided endonuclease Cas protein introduces a DNA
      double-stranded break at the genome position recognized by a guide RNA (gRNA)
      based on complementary base-pairing of about 20-nucleotides in length. The 8- or
      12-mer gRNA sequence in the proximal region is especially important for target
      recognition, and the genes with sequence complementarity to such regions are
      often disrupted. To carry out target site-specific genome editing, we released
      the CRISPRdirect ( http://crispr.dbcls.jp /) website. This website allows us to
      select target site-specific gRNA sequences by performing exhaustive searches
      against entire genomic sequences. In this study, target site-specific gRNA
      sequences were designed for human, mouse, Drosophila melanogaster, and
      Caenorhabditis elegans. The calculation results revealed that at least five gRNA
      sequences, each of them having only one perfectly complementary site in the whole
      genome, could be designed for more than 95% of genes, regardless of the organism.
      Next, among those gRNAs, we selected gRNAs that did not have any other
      complementary site to the unique 12-mer proximal sequences to avoid possible off
      target effects. This computational prediction revealed that target site-specific
      gRNAs are selectable for the majority of genes in D. melanogaster and C. elegans.
      However, for >50% of genes in humans and mice, there are no target sites without
      possible off-target effects.

PMID- 28643249
TI  - Genome Editing of Mouse by Cytoplasmic Injection.
AB  - CRISPR/Cas enables rapid production of genome-edited animals. The Cas9/gRNA
      component can be introduced to fertilized eggs in several ways. Here, we provide
      an instructional guide for the generation of knockout mice by cytoplasmic
      injection using in vitro transcribed Cas9 and gRNA.

PMID- 28643250
TI  - Genome Editing in Mouse Zygotes and Embryonic Stem Cells by Introducing
      SgRNA/Cas9 Expressing Plasmids.
AB  - In mammalian cells, genome editing with the single guide RNA (sgRNA)/Cas9 complex
      allows for high targeting efficiency within a relatively short time frame with
      the added benefits of being low cost and easy to design. sgRNA/Cas9-mediated
      editing in mouse zygotes has accelerated the analysis of gene functions and the
      generation of mouse models of human diseases. Despite the benefits, this method
      still suffers from several problems, such as mosaicism in the founder generation
      which complicates genotyping and phenotypical analyses, and the low efficiency of
      more complicated genome editing. Thus, we recently established the system for
      genome editing in embryonic stem (ES) cells and its application for chimeric
      analysis in mice. In this section, we introduce the procedure for genome editing
      in mouse zygotes and ES cells.

PMID- 28643251
TI  - Genome Editing in Mouse and Rat by Electroporation.
AB  - Many knock-out/knock-in mouse and rat strains have been produced by genome
      editing techniques using engineered endonucleases, including zinc finger nuclease
      (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN), or clustered
      regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9. Microinjection of
      engineered endonucleases into pronuclear-stage embryos is required to produce
      genome-edited rodents and the development of easy, rapid, and high-efficiency
      methods that do not require special skills such as microinjection is needed. This
      chapter presents a new technique called Technique for Animal Knockout system by
      Electroporation (TAKE), which produces genome-edited rodents by direct
      introduction of engineered endonucleases into intact embryos using
      electroporation.

PMID- 28643252
TI  - Generation of Knock-in Mouse by Genome Editing.
AB  - Knock-in mice are useful for evaluating endogenous gene expressions and functions
      in vivo. Instead of the conventional gene-targeting method using embryonic stem
      cells, an exogenous DNA sequence can be inserted into the target locus in the
      zygote using genome editing technology. In this chapter, I describe the
      generation of epitope-tagged mice using engineered endonuclease and single
      stranded oligodeoxynucleotide through the mouse zygote as an example of how to
      generate a knock-in mouse by genome editing.

PMID- 28643253
TI  - Genome Editing of Rat.
AB  - Many genetically engineered rat strains have been produced for biomedical
      research. The simple and quick production of knock-out and knock-in rats is
      currently possible using genome editing techniques incorporating zinc finger
      nuclease (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN), or
      clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9. Genome
      edited animals have been produced by the introduction of endonucleases into
      embryos using conventional microinjection and a new electroporation method named
      Technique for Animal Knockout system by Electroporation (TAKE). This chapter
      introduces the latest protocols for producing genetically engineered rats using
      genome editing.

PMID- 28643254
TI  - Gene Targeting in Rabbits: Single-Step Generation of Knock-out Rabbits by
      Microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 Plasmids.
AB  - The development of genome editing technology has allowed gene disruptions to be
      achieved in various animal species and has been beneficial to many mammals. Gene
      disruption using pluripotent stem cells is difficult to achieve in rabbits, but
      thanks to advances in genome editing technology, a number of gene disruptions
      have been conducted. This paper describes a simple and easy method for carrying
      out gene disruptions in rabbits using CRISPR/Cas9 in which the gene to be
      disrupted is marked, the presence or absence of off-target candidates is checked,
      and a plasmid allowing simultaneous expression of Cas9 and sgRNA is constructed.
      Next, the cleaving activity of candidate sequences is investigated, and
      assessments are carried out to determine whether the target sequences can be cut.
      Female rabbits subjected to superovulation treatment are mated with male rabbits
      and fertilized eggs are collected, and then pronuclear injection of plasmid DNA
      is performed. The next day, the two-cell stage embryos are transplanted into
      pseudopregnant rabbits, and offspring are born within approximately 29-30 days.
      The genomic DNA of the offspring is then examined to check what types of genetic
      modifications have occurred. With the advent of CRISPR/Cas9, the accessibility of
      gene disruptions in rabbits has improved remarkably. This paper summarizes
      specifically how to carry out gene disruptions in rabbits.

PMID- 28643255
TI  - Genome Editing of Pig.
AB  - Pigs are important livestock for food and have been used in various biomedical
      studies, particularly translational research, as experimental animals because of
      their anatomical and physiological similarity to humans. The recent development
      of genome editing techniques, such as ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas9, has rapidly
      expanded the use of genome editing tools in a variety of animals, resulting in
      the relatively easy and efficient generation of gene knock-out pigs. In the past
      few years, there has been a sustained increase in reports describing the
      development of genetically modified pigs. This chapter introduces our workflow
      for establishing the genetically modified cells (nuclear donor cells) necessary
      to create gene knock-out pigs using somatic cell nuclear transfer and focuses on
      the actual generation of gene knock-out pigs using a cytoplasmic injection
      method.

PMID- 28643256
TI  - Genome Editing of Monkey.
AB  - Gene-modified monkey models would be particularly valuable in biomedical and
      neuroscience research. Virus-based transgenic and programmable nucleases-based
      site-specific gene editing methods (TALEN, CRISPR-cas9) enable the generation of
      gene-modified monkeys with gain or loss of function of specific genes. Here, we
      describe the generation of transgenic and knock-out (KO) monkeys with high
      efficiency by lentivirus and programmable nucleases.

PMID- 28643257
TI  - Genome Editing Mediated by Primordial Germ Cell in Chicken.
AB  - Rapid development of genome editing technology has facilitated the studies on
      exploring specific gene functions and establishment of model animals. In
      livestock, the technology has contributed to create high value in industry
      fields, e.g., enhancing productivity or acquiring the resistance against disease.
      Meanwhile, genome editing in avian species has been emphasized because of their
      applicable possibilities in terms of highly productive chickens, disease
      controlled avian lines, and development of novel biological models. Induction of
      exogenous gene using virus system or transposition in chicken primordial germ
      cells (PGCs) has been widely used for producing transgenic chicken, and recently
      developed programmable genome editing (PGE) technologies such as tale
      transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) and clustered regularly
      interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas9) are
      expected to maximize the applicable potentials of avian species. In this regard,
      this chapter will cover the methods for producing genome-edited chicken by
      piggyBac transposition and gene targeting technology, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas9.

PMID- 28643258
TI  - CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Targeted Knockin of Exogenous Reporter Genes in Zebrafish.
AB  - Genome editing technologies such as ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas9 efficiently
      induce DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) at a targeted genomic locus, often
      resulting in a frameshift-mediated target gene disruption. It remains difficult
      to perform targeted integration of exogenous genes by genome editing
      technologies. DSBs can be restored through DNA repair mechanisms, such as non
      homologous end joining (NHEJ), microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ), and
      homologous recombination (HR). It is well known that HR facilitates homology
      dependent integration of donor DNA template into a targeted locus. Recently, both
      NHEJ-mediated and MMEJ-mediated targeted integrations of exogenous genes have
      been developed in zebrafish. This chapter summarizes the application of
      CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in technology in zebrafish.

PMID- 28643259
TI  - Genome Editing of Medaka.
AB  - Medaka (Oryzias latipes), along with zebrafish (Danio rerio), is a useful
      experimental model fish. Here, we describe a simple method for generating medaka
      gene knock-out strains using an automated microchip electrophoresis system. We
      also describe a method for targeted gene knock-in using a plasmid carrying a
      sequence that does not cause off-target effects in medaka.

PMID- 28643260
TI  - A Simple Protocol for Loss-of-Function Analysis in Xenopus tropicalis Founders
      Using the CRISPR-Cas System.
AB  - Xenopus tropicalis is a versatile model organism for studying basic biology such
      as developmental biology and cell biology, and for biomedical research on human
      diseases. Current genome editing techniques enable researchers to easily perform
      gene targeting in various animals. Among them, gene knockout using the Clustered
      Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas)
      (CRISPR-Cas) system has recently become an indispensable strategy for loss-of
      function analysis in vivo. Because of its ease of use, time, and cost
      efficiencies, CRISPR-Cas has also been applied to X. tropicalis where the gene
      disruption is highly efficient. In this chapter, we introduce a simple CRISPR-Cas
      system protocol for gene disruption in X. tropicalis. Based on our protocol,
      researchers can generate knock-out phenotypes within the shortest of timeframes,
      a week, and analyze genes of interest in founder generation.

PMID- 28643261
TI  - Genome Editing of Silkworms.
AB  - Silkworm is a lepidopteran insect that has been used as a model for a wide
      variety of biological studies. The microinjection technique is available and it
      is possible to cause transgenesis as well as target gene disruption via the
      genome editing technique. TALEN-mediated knock-out is especially effective in
      this species. We also succeeded in the precise and efficient integration of a
      donor vector using the Precise Integration into Target Chromosome (PITCh) method.
      Here, we describe protocols for ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome
      editing as well as the PITCh technique in the silkworm. We consider that all of
      these techniques can contribute to the further promotion of various biological
      studies in the silkworm and other insect species.

PMID- 28643262
TI  - Genome Editing in the Cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus.
AB  - Hemimetabolous, or incompletely metamorphosing, insects are phylogenetically
      basal and include many beneficial and deleterious species. The cricket, Gryllus
      bimaculatus, is an emerging model for hemimetabolous insects, based on the
      success of RNA interference (RNAi)-based gene-functional analyses and transgenic
      technology. Taking advantage of genome editing technologies in this species would
      greatly promote functional genomics studies. Genome editing has proven to be an
      effective method for site-specific genome manipulation in various species. Here,
      we describe a protocol for genome editing including gene knockout and gene
      knockin in G. bimaculatus for functional genomics studies.

PMID- 28643263
TI  - Genome Editing of the Ascidian Ciona intestinalis with TALE Nuclease.
AB  - The ascidian Ciona intestinalis is an important model animal for studying
      developmental mechanisms for constructing the chordate body. Although molecular
      and embryological techniques for manipulating Ciona genes were developed a long
      time ago, recent achievements of genome editing in this animal have innovated
      functional analyses of genes in Ciona. Particularly, knockout of genes in the G0
      generation coupled with tissue-specific expression of TALENs enables us to
      rapidly address gene functions that were difficult using previous methods.

PMID- 28643264
TI  - Genome Editing of C. elegans.
AB  - Caenorhabditis elegans, a 1 mm long free-living nematode, is a traditional model
      animal for genetic investigations of various biological processes. Characteristic
      features that make C. elegans a powerful model of choice for eukaryotic genetic
      studies include its rapid life cycle, well-annotated genome, simple morphology,
      and transparency. Recently, genome editing technologies have been increasingly
      used in C. elegans, thereby facilitating their genetic analyses. Here, I
      introduce a protocol frequently used in C. elegans genome editing.

PMID- 28643265
TI  - Factors associated with high 24-month persistence with denosumab: results of a
      real-world, non-interventional study of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis in
      Germany, Austria, Greece, and Belgium.
AB  - : Persistence with osteoporosis therapy is vital for fracture prevention. This
      non-interventional study of postmenopausal women receiving denosumab in Germany,
      Austria, Greece, and Belgium found that persistence with denosumab remains
      consistently high after 24 months in patients at high risk of fracture. PURPOSE:
      Continued persistence with osteoporosis therapy is vital for fracture prevention.
      This non-interventional study of clinical practice evaluated medication-taking
      behavior of postmenopausal women receiving denosumab in Germany, Austria, Greece,
      and Belgium and factors influencing persistence. METHODS: Subcutaneous denosumab
      (60 mg every 6 months) was assigned according to prescribing information and
      local guidelines before and independently of enrollment; outcomes were recorded
      during routine practice for up to 24 months. Persistence was defined as receiving
      the subsequent injection within 6 months + 8 weeks of the previous injection and
      adherence as administration of subsequent injections within 6 months +/- 4 weeks
      of the previous injection. Medication coverage ratio (MCR) was calculated as the
      proportion of time a patient was covered by denosumab. Associations between pre
      specified baseline covariates and 24-month persistence were assessed using
      multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The 24-month analyses included 1479
      women (mean age 66.3-72.5 years) from 140 sites; persistence with denosumab was
      75.1-86.0%, adherence 62.9-70.1%, and mean MCR 87.4-92.4%. No covariate had a
      significant effect on persistence across all four countries. For three countries,
      a recent fall decreased persistence; patients were generally older with chronic
      medical conditions. In some countries, other covariates (e.g., older age,
      comorbidity, immobility, and prescribing reasons) decreased persistence. Adverse
      drug reactions were reported in 2.3-6.9% patients. CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-four-month
      persistence with denosumab is consistently high among postmenopausal women in
      Europe and may be influenced by patient characteristics. Further studies are
      needed to identify determinants of low persistence.

PMID- 28643266
TI  - Adherence to osteoporosis medicines in Estonia-a comprehensive 15-year
      retrospective prescriptions database study.
AB  - : Some patients do not take medicines as they are supposed to. Our research
      showed that in Estonia, one fifth of patients did not start treatment with
      osteoporosis medicines and only 20% used the medicines for at least 3 years as
      they should. This induces unnecessary costs to the healthcare system. PURPOSE:
      Medication non-adherence is the number one reason for not obtaining the expected
      clinical effect of medicines. With osteoporosis treatment, it has been shown that
      both implementation of treatment and persistence influence the risk of fractures
      significantly. Long-term adherence to medication in Estonia is to be determined
      with this study. METHODS: A 15-year retrospective study was carried out in order
      to establish initiation, implementation, and persistence of Estonian patients.
      All new users of osteoporosis medicines were analyzed for all prescriptions they
      received during the study period. Sufficient adherence to treatment was defined
      as a patient being dispensed 80% or more prescribed doses for at least 1 year.
      RESULTS: The study period was from 2001 to 2015. Patients (24,652) were included
      in the study. Of the patients, 93.7% (n = 23,091) were women and 6.3% (n = 1564)
      were men. Eighteen percent (4636) were dispensed only one prescription. Of the
      patients, 44.2% included in the study had medication possession ratio (MPR) >=80%
      over follow-up period; 8922 (36.2%) who were prescribed from 2001 to 2015
      persisted for 1 year with MPR >=80% and 19.8% persisted for 3 years. Forty
      percent of expenditure on osteoporosis medication was made for treatment courses
      with insufficient adherence. CONCLUSIONS: There is room for improvement in
      Estonia with medication adherence relating to all three aspects that determine
      adherence-initiation, implementation, and persistence. This means further efforts
      are to be made to educate patients and healthcare professionals on realizing the
      importance of good adherence.

PMID- 28643269
TI  - "Doing Difference" and Fast Food Consumption: Patterns Among a Sample of White
      and African American Emerging Adults.
AB  - Previous research has demonstrated that frequent consumption of fast food is
      linked to obesity and that trends in both are disparate across race and sex
      categories. Contextualizing race- and sex-related factors that structure fast
      food consumption in emerging adulthood is a much-needed contribution to social
      research. Specifically, this study uses the "doing difference" framework, to
      examine the frequency of fast food consumption in a sample of White and African
      American (18-25 years old). According to the framework, social inequalities are
      reproduced through dramaturgical performances of race, class, and gender. Results
      of this suggest that feminine gender orientation and education serve as
      protective factors, while African American race and male sex serve as risk
      factors. African American women emerged as especially high risk given their
      higher prevalence of traditionally masculine traits.

PMID- 28643268
TI  - Sexual Health in a Social and Cultural Context: a Qualitative Study of Young
      Latina Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women.
AB  - Previous research on sexual minority and Latina women suggests that Latina
      lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women may be at high risk for sexually
      associated and transmitted infections, but research on the sexual health and
      practices of this population is limited. This qualitative study explored the
      knowledge, attitudes, and values related to sexual health among a purposive
      sample of Latina LBQ women living in Seattle, WA. Latina LBQ women (N = 14) were
      recruited to participate in in-depth interviews about their sexual health through
      community organizations, flyers posted on college campuses, email and social
      media advertisements, and participant referrals. In-person semi-structured
      interviews were conducted and transcribed; transcripts were coded by two
      independent coders and reviewed for prominent themes. Four main themes emerged:
      1) Latina sexual minorities' sexual health is shaped by their social and cultural
      contexts, 2) they lack needed sexual health knowledge, 3) their sexual health
      behaviors vary depending on the relationship status and gender of their partners,
      and 4) they value taking responsibility for their own sexual health. Further
      research is needed to better understand sexual health among Latina LBQ women and
      to identify ways in which their values can be leveraged to promote positive
      sexual health outcomes.

PMID- 28643267
TI  - New insight into inter-organ crosstalk contributing to the pathogenesis of non
      alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
AB  - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic
      liver dysfunction and a significant global health problem with substantial rise
      in prevalence over the last decades. It is becoming increasingly clear that NALFD
      is not only predominantly a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, but also
      involves extra-hepatic organs and regulatory pathways. Therapeutic options are
      limited for the treatment of NAFLD. Accordingly, a better understanding of the
      pathogenesis of NAFLD is critical for gaining new insight into the regulatory
      network of NAFLD and for identifying new targets for the prevention and treatment
      of NAFLD. In this review, we emphasize on the current understanding of the inter
      organ crosstalk between the liver and peripheral organs that contributing to the
      pathogenesis of NAFLD.

PMID- 28643270
TI  - Ethnic Disparities of Perceived Safety Climate Among Construction Workers in
      Georgia, 2015.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Safety climate involves worker perception about the relative
      importance where they work and safety climate and has been shown to be a reliable
      predictor of safety-related outcomes. METHODS: The primary objective of this
      study is to investigate ethnic differences in perceived safety climate among
      construction workers. Surveys (n = 179) that included a 10-item safety climate
      scale were administered in Athens, Georgia (GA), at local construction sites and
      home improvement stores during June-August, 2015. RESULTS: The majority of
      respondents were carpenters or roofers (39%), followed by laborers (22%),
      painters and dry wall workers (14%), other skilled trades (14%), and supervisors
      (11%); 32% were Hispanic. Hispanic ethnicity (p < 0.0001), drinking two or more
      alcoholic beverages per day (p < 0.0001), working for a company that does not
      provide health insurance (p = 0.0022), and working for a company with fewer than
      ten employees (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with lower perceived
      safety climate scores. CONCLUSION: The lower perceived safety climate scores
      among Hispanic workers indicate that the perception of the importance of safety
      on the job site is lower among Hispanics construction workers than non-Hispanics
      construction workers.

PMID- 28643271
TI  - Demographic Predictors and Cancer Screening Among Asian Americans in Michigan:
      Role of Refugee Status.
AB  - Although the Asian American population has steadily increased since 1980s, there
      remains a paucity of literature on cancer screening utilization on this
      population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate preventive health and
      screening practices by examining demographic predictors of health and screening
      behaviors among 217 Asian Americans living in state of Michigan. Several
      demographic and acculturation-related factors were found to be associated with
      "ever screened" status in the bivariate analyses. This included the examination
      of the relationships among refugee status and cancer screening practices among
      Asian Americans. After adjusting for other demographic correlates, Asian
      Americans in the refugee group had lower screening rates in colorectal and breast
      cancer. Our findings emphasize the need for effective interventions to increase
      cancer screening rates in this vulnerable population.

PMID- 28643272
TI  - Prevalence and risk factors for low bone mineral density in ulcerative colitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been associated with increased
      risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis. Several risk factors contribute to this;
      however, studies evaluating their association have conflicting results. METHODS:
      We conducted a cross-sectional study with prospective enrollment of adult
      ulcerative colitis patients attending the Gastroenterology Department of Sawai
      Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur Rajasthan between June 2015 and December 2015.
      Demographic data including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), disease duration,
      type of disease, prior steroid use and vitamin D levels were recorded and
      compared with bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
      (DEXA). RESULTS: Of the 55 patients enrolled, 41 (74.5%) had abnormal BMD; out of
      this, 19 (34.5%) had osteopenia and 22 (40.0%) had osteoporosis. In univariate
      analysis, disease duration and history of steroid use were observed as
      statistically significant. However, on multivariate analysis, only duration of
      disease was found to be a significant independent predictor of low BMD. Age,
      gender, BMI, low levels of vitamin D and steroid usage were not associated with
      low BMD. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of low BMD is common in Indian ulcerative colitis
      patients. Prolonged disease duration appears to be the major risk factor.

PMID- 28643274
TI  - An Unexplained Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation-II in a Child with
      Neurohepatic Involvement, Hypercholesterolemia and Hypoceruloplasminemia.
AB  - We report on a 12-year-old adopted boy with psychomotor disability, absence
      seizures, and normal brain MRI. He showed increased (but initially, at 5 months,
      normal) serum cholesterol, increased alkaline phosphatases, transiently increased
      transaminases and hypoceruloplasminemia with normal serum and urinary copper.
      Blood levels of immunoglobulins, haptoglobin, antithrombin, and factor XI were
      normal. A type 2 serum transferrin isoelectrofocusing and hypoglycosylation of
      apoCIII pointed to a combined N- and O-glycosylation defect. Neither CDG panel
      analysis with 79 CDG-related genes, nor whole exome sequencing revealed the cause
      of this CDG. Whole genome sequencing was not performed since the biological
      parents of this adopted child were not available.

PMID- 28643273
TI  - Chronic constipation in Rome IV era: The Indian perspective.
AB  - Chronic constipation (CC) is a common problem in the community and in
      gastroenterology practice all over the world including India. After release of
      Rome IV guidelines in April 2016, there is increasing interest among
      gastroenterologists and physicians in India to look into special issues on CC in
      the Indian perspective. There are important differences in the bowel habit,
      definition, epidemiology, and pathophysiology including dietary factors and
      management of CC in India as compared to the West. As severity and frequency of
      abdominal pain, a symptom essential to diagnose constipation-predominant
      irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) rather than functional constipation (FC), is
      less common among Indian patients, FC is commoner than IBS-C in India. The
      pathophysiological mechanisms of CC may include slow colon transit, fecal
      evacuation disorder (FED), or a combination of these; though CC in a third to
      half of patients presenting to tertiary care facilities may result from these
      pathophysiological mechanisms, most patients presenting to primary care may have
      lifestyle and dietary issues. The current Rome IV algorithm dictates to explore
      the underlying physiological factors in the pathogenesis of functional
      gastrointestinal disorders including CC, which may translate to its personalized
      management. However, the availability of the methods to explore
      pathophysiological factors and manage CC caused by FED non-pharmacologically
      (using biofeedback) in India is limited. Though several pharmacological agents
      are available in India to manage CC, there are several unmet needs in its
      treatment. This review explores CC in India in relation to these issues, some of
      which are unique in the Indian perspective.

PMID- 28643275
TI  - Open-Label Single-Sequence Crossover Study Evaluating Pharmacokinetics, Efficacy,
      and Safety of Once-Daily Dosing of Nitisinone in Patients with Hereditary
      Tyrosinemia Type 1.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although nitisinone is successfully used to treat hereditary
      tyrosinemia type 1 (HT-1) with the recommended twice-daily dosing, data
      describing a long half-life motivate less frequent dosing. Therefore, in
      agreement with the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee at the European
      Medicines Agency, this study was performed to investigate the switch to once
      daily dosing. METHODS: This open-label, non-randomized, single-sequence crossover
      study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of once-daily compared
      to twice-daily dosing of nitisinone in patients with HT-1 (NCT02323529). Well
      controlled patients of <2, 2 to <12, 12 to <18, and >=18 years of age who were on
      twice-daily dosing were eligible for participation. Nitisinone and
      succinylacetone levels were determined from dry blood spots by tandem mass
      spectrometry. The primary endpoint was Cmin of nitisinone after >=4 weeks of
      treatment on each dosing regimen. Secondary objectives were evaluation of
      efficacy and safety during each dosing regimen. RESULTS: In total, 19 patients
      were enrolled and 17 included in the per-protocol analysis set. The mean (SD)
      nitisinone Cmin decreased by 23%, from 26.4 (10.2) to 21.2 (9.9) MUmol/L in dry
      blood spot samples (not equivalent to plasma concentrations), when patients
      switched from twice- to once-daily dosing. There was no apparent age- or
      bodyweight-related trend in the degree of Cmin decrease. No patient had
      quantifiable succinylacetone levels during the once-daily treatment period,
      indicating efficacious treatment. All adverse events were mild or moderate and
      judged unrelated to nitisinone. CONCLUSION: The switch to once-daily treatment
      with nitisinone appeared efficacious and safe in the treatment of patients with
      HT-1.

PMID- 28643276
TI  - A Rapid Two-Step Iduronate-2-Sulfatatse Enzymatic Activity Assay for MPSII
      Pharmacokinetic Assessment.
AB  - Clinical studies involving enzyme replacement therapies (ERTs) have increasingly
      utilized enzymatic activity assays to monitor efficacy and biofunction of the
      drug; as a result, these assays have become an important part of pharmacokinetic
      (PK) and pharmacodynamic assessments in ERT trials. This paper presents a two
      step enzymatic activity assay for iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) (EC 3.1.6.13) which
      we have optimized to fit in 1 day and to complete in less than 6 h. The rapid
      assay presented here is a significant improvement over the original two-step
      method with run time of 24 h which spanned 2 days. The resulting 1 day assay is
      efficient, robust, reproducible, and better suited for use in pharmacokinetic
      studies. The method was fully validated in accordance with regulatory agency
      guidelines so that it could be implemented in PK studies. Validation of the
      method required additional modifications to circumvent limitations surrounding
      the calculation of accuracy. This challenge was overcome by developing strategies
      to determine both the expected and the measured values of validation samples in
      activity units. Subsequently, the method was validated in accordance with the FDA
      guidance for the validation of quantitative ligand binding assays (LBAs). Results
      of method development and optimization with focus on evaluations aimed at
      reducing the total assay run time as well as a summary of method validation
      performance are presented in this publication.

PMID- 28643277
TI  - The role of solubility on the rejection of trace organics by nanofiltration
      membrane: exemplified with disinfection by-products.
AB  - Interactions of trace organic compounds (TOrCs) with polymeric nanofiltration
      (NF) membrane can affect their rejection. It is desirable to investigate whether
      solubility which depends on the free energy of interaction between these solutes
      and water correlates with rejection/adsorption and the potential to be
      incorporated in the partitioning terms of current NF model. A total of ten
      neutral disinfection by-products (DBPs) were selected as the model compounds for
      TOrCs to comprehensively investigate the role of solubility on rejection and
      adsorption. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the correlation between
      MW and rejection ratio was highly significant (r = 0.778, p = 0.008) and that
      between solubility and rejection ratio was moderately significant (r = -0.636, p
      = 0.48) in a cross-flow system. By fitting Freundlich equation from adsorption
      isotherm experiment, the adsorption affinity (K f) of DBPs was roughly correlated
      with their solubility with regard to the comparison of n value with 1. alpha was
      then introduced as a parameter of solute-membrane interaction from the
      perspective of partitioning term in the hydrodynamic model. Exponential
      relationship can be observed between the solubility and alpha, demonstrating the
      possibility of incorporating solubility into the partitioning terms in NF model
      to accurately predict the rejection of DBPs.

PMID- 28643279
TI  - Highly efficient biosorptive removal of lead from industrial effluent.
AB  - This study has been focused on the efficient removal of Pb (II) from contaminated
      waters by biosorption using plant derived material. Accordingly an indigenous
      shrub, Tinospora cordifolia has been identified as the most suitable biosorbent.
      The plant biomass was subjected to optimization of various parameters such as the
      pH, equilibrium time, dosage, concentration, temperature and the applicable
      adsorption models. The optimum pH identified was 4.0 with a contact time of 60
      min at room temperature (27 +/- 2  degrees C). The experimental data fitted well
      to adsorption isotherms and the uptake capacity of Pb (II) was found to be 20.83
      and 63.77 mg/g in batch mode and column mode, respectively. The high correlation
      factors obtained for Langmuir and Freundlich models indicated that both models
      were obeyed by the system. Kinetic study for adsorption of Pb (II) follow only
      pseudo second order rate of reaction. The accumulation of lead in biomass was
      confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron
      microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The FTIR analysis
      indicated the involvement of hydroxyl (-OH), alkenes (=CH) and carbonyl group (C
      = O) chelates in metal binding. The SEM and EDX analysis showed the structural
      changes and the filling of voids in the biomass thus, it indicated the metal
      binding mechanism. In elution studies, the 0.1 M Na2CO3 was found to be the best
      with about 71% elution of the adsorbed metal. The biomass was then used for the
      removal of Pb (II) in synthetic and real wastewater samples from a lead-acid
      battery industry. It is also noteworthy that even at a very high concentration of
      450 mg/L, the biomass was showing about 92% removal. The result is to establish
      the efficacy of T. cordifolia as a very good bioadsorbent for the Pb (II) removal
      from contaminated water.

PMID- 28643278
TI  - Health risks of environmental exposure to metals and herbicides in the Pardo
      River, Brazil.
AB  - Mixture of metals and herbicides in rivers may pose relevant risks for the health
      of surrounding communities. Humans may be exposed to river pollution through
      intake of contaminated water and fish, as well as irrigated agricultural
      products. The aim of this study was to assess the human health risks of
      environmental exposure to metals and herbicides through water and fish intake in
      the Pardo River. Metals (Al, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Mn, Hg, Ni, Tl, Sn, V, and
      Zn) were analyzed in river water and in edible fish. Herbicides (ametryn,
      atrazine, diuron, hexazinone, simazine, and tebuthiuron) were analyzed in river
      water. Seasonal variances were also studied. Aluminum, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn
      levels in river water were higher than the USEPA benchmarks. Non-carcinogenic
      risks due to pollutants mixture exposure were above the limit, and carcinogenic
      risks of As exposure were >10-6 in the sampling points during the rainy season.
      Metal levels in fish were lower than the Brazilian legislation and do not pose a
      threat to public health. Herbicides were detected in four sampling points, with
      atrazine concentrations (range 0.16-0.32 MUg/L) below the Brazilian standard (2.0
      MUg/L), but above the European Union standard (0.1 MUg/L). Considering the water
      supply needs of cities located in the Pardo River Basin and the persistence of
      metals and herbicides, the present study indicated that there was a seasonal
      influence on non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to human health, especially
      in the rainy season. Studies for water treatment plants implantation should
      consider the risks of exposure to persistent substances, in order to protect the
      population.

PMID- 28643280
TI  - Effect of oxidative stress from nanoscale TiO2 particles on a Physarum
      polycephalum macroplasmodium under dark conditions.
AB  - Information regarding the effect of nanoscale titanium dioxide particles (nTiO2)
      on the environment under dark conditions is scarce, and the effect of nTiO2 on
      fungi is largely unknown. Due to its huge size and high sensitivity to external
      stimuli, the slime mold fungi cell, Physarum polycephalum macroplasmodium, was
      utilized as a novel subject for the toxicity investigations in the present study,
      and oxidative stress from nTiO2 on the macroplasmodium was assessed under dark
      conditions. Short exposure (2-3 h) caused an intracellular reactive oxygen
      species (ROS) imbalance, and an anti-oxidative mechanism was activated from
      intermediate doses of nTiO2 (5-18 mg/mL). At long exposure times (~3 days),
      relatively low doses of nTiO2 (<=9 mg/mL) stimulated the growth of
      macroplasmodium and oxidative stress without DNA damage, whereas higher doses of
      nTiO2 (>=15 mg/mL) led to growth inhibition, significant DNA oxidative damage,
      and activation of the DNA single-strand repairing system. Although DNA oxidative
      damage was decreased to the same level as the control group by the
      supplementation of the anti-oxidant vitamin C, growth of the macroplasmodium
      failed to be completely restored. We inferred that nTiO2 induced a complicated
      toxicity effect on P. polycephalum in addition to DNA oxidative damage. Taken as
      a whole, the present study implied the probability of using P. polycephalum
      macroplasmodium for toxicity studies at the single-cell level, indicating that
      nTiO2 could induce oxidative stress or damage in P. polycephalum even under dark
      conditions and suggesting that the release of nTiO2 could lead to a growth
      imbalance of slime molds in the environment.

PMID- 28643281
TI  - Removal of the emerging contaminant bisphenol A by an ureasil-PEO hybrid
      membrane: experimental study and molecular dynamic simulation.
AB  - This work reports the use of a cross-linked ureasil-PEO hybrid matrix (designated
      PEO800) as an efficient adsorbent to retain the emerging contaminant bisphenol A
      (BPA) from an aqueous medium. The in-deep experimental and theoretical results
      provide information about the interactions between PEO800 and BPA. The in situ UV
      vis spectroscopy data and the pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich,
      and Morris-Webber intraparticle diffusion models allowed us to propose a three
      step mechanism for the adsorption of BPA onto PEO800. The results indicate that
      the pseudo-first-order kinetic model effectively describes the adsorption of BPA
      onto PEO800. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform
      infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the interaction of PEO800 with BPA,
      showing an alteration in the chemical environment of the polymer ether oxygen
      atoms present in the hybrid matrix. The molecular dynamic simulation provides
      further evidence that the BPA molecules interact preferentially with PEO. The
      amount of desorbed BPA depended on the pH and solvent used in the assays. This
      work provides new opportunities for using the hydrophilic ureasil-PEO matrix
      which has demonstrated its abilities in being a fast and easy alternative to
      successfully removing organic contaminants from aqueous mediums and therefore
      having potential applications in water remediation. Graphical abstract.

PMID- 28643282
TI  - Energy and exergy optimization of food waste pretreatment and incineration.
AB  - With the aim of upgrading current food waste (FW) management strategy, a novel FW
      hydrothermal pretreatment and air-drying incineration system is proposed and
      optimized from an energy and exergy perspective. Parameters considered include
      the extracted steam quality, the final moisture content of dehydrated FW, and the
      reactor thermal efficiency. Results show that optimal working condition can be
      obtained when the temperature and pressure of extracted steam are 159  degrees C
      and 0.17 MPa, the final moisture content of dehydrated FW is 10%, and the reactor
      thermal efficiency is 90%. Under such circumstance, the optimal steam energy and
      exergy increments reach 194.92 and 324.50 kJ/kg-FW, respectively. The novel
      system is then applied under the local conditions of Hangzhou, China. Results
      show that approximately 2.7 or 11.6% (from energy or exergy analysis perspective)
      of electricity can be additionally generated from 1 ton of MSW if the proposed
      novel FW system is implemented. Besides, comparisons between energy and exergy
      analysis are also discussed.

PMID- 28643283
TI  - Role of cation structure in the phytotoxicity of ionic liquids: growth inhibition
      and oxidative stress in spring barley and common radish.
AB  - The present study determines the influence of three ionic liquids (ILs)
      containing cations with diversified structure on the growth and development of
      spring barley seedlings and common radish leaves. Increasing amounts of 1-butyl-1
      methylpyrrolidinium hexafluorophosphate [Pyrrol][PF6], 1-butyl-1
      methylpiperidinium hexafluorophosphate [Piper][PF6], and 1-butyl-4
      methylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate [Pyrid][PF6] were added to the soil on which
      both plants were cultivated. The results of this studies showed that the applied
      ILs were highly toxic for plants, demonstrated by the inhibition of length of
      plant shoots and roots, decrease of fresh mass, and increase of dry weight
      content. Common radish turned out to be the plant with higher resistance to the
      used ILs. The differences in the cation structure did not influence phytotoxity
      of ILs for spring barley. Furthermore, all ILs led to a decrease of
      photosynthetic pigments, which was directly followed by decreased primary
      production in plants. Oxidative stress in plants occurred due to the presence of
      ILs in the soil, which was demonstrated by the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA)
      content, changes in the H2O2 level, and antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD). The changes in the
      chlorophyll contents and the increase of POD activity turned out to be the most
      significant oxidative stress biomarkers in spring barley and common radish. Both
      spring barley and radish exposed to ILs accumulated a large amount of fluoride
      ion.

PMID- 28643284
TI  - Hydroxyl radical-mediated degradation of diclofenac revisited: a computational
      approach to assessment of reaction mechanisms and by-products.
AB  - Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are based on the in situ production of
      hydroxyl radicals (*OH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in water upon
      irradiation of the sample by UV light, ultrasound, electromagnetic radiation,
      and/or the addition of ozone or a semiconductor. Diclofenac (DCF), one of the
      emerging organic contaminants (EOC), is of environmental concern due to its
      abundancy in water and is known to be subjected to AOPs. The current study uses
      density functional theory (DFT) to elucidate the mechanisms of the reactions
      between *OH and DCF leading to degradation by-products, P1-P9. The initial
      encounter of DCF with *OH is proposed to lead to either the abstraction of a
      hydrogen or the addition of the hydroxyl radical to the molecule. The results
      showed that OH addition radicals (R add) are both kinetically and
      thermodynamically favored over H abstraction radicals (R abs). The intermediate
      radicals give degradation by-products by subsequent reactions. The by-products P7
      and P8 are easily formed in agreement with experimental findings. Finally, acute
      toxicities at three trophic levels are estimated with the Ecological Structure
      Activity Relationships program. DCF and most of the by-products were found to be
      harmful to aquatic organisms, P9 being the only by-product that is not harmful at
      all three trophic levels.

PMID- 28643286
TI  - Identifying Primary Care Physicians Continuing Education Needs by Examining
      Clinical Practices, Attitudes, and Barriers to Screening Across Multiple Cancers.
AB  - Population-based cancer screening for cervical, breast, and colorectal cancers
      improves patient outcomes, yet screening rates remain low for some cancers.
      Despite studies investigating physician perceptions and practices for screening,
      many have focused on individual cancers and lack primary care physicians' (PCPs)
      realities around screening for multiple cancers. We surveyed 887 PCPs in British
      Columbia (BC) to examine practices, beliefs, barriers, and learning needs towards
      cancer screening across breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, as well as
      hereditary predisposition to cancer. Survey results identified differences in
      PCPs belief in the benefit of screening for recommended and non-recommended
      routine cancer screening, PCPs adherence to screening guidelines for some cancers
      and physician comfort and patient testing requests related to physician gender
      for gender sensitive tests. Further, across cancers, screening barriers included
      patients with multiple health concerns (41%), limited time to discuss screening
      (36%), and lack of physician financial compensation to discuss screening (23%).
      The study highlighted the need for more physician education on screening
      programs, referral criteria, follow-up processes, and screening guidelines.
      Conferences (73%), self-directed (46%), small group workshops (42%), hospital
      rounds (41%), and online CME/CPD (39%) were highly preferred (4+5) for learning
      about cancer screening. The results suggest a need to improve awareness and
      adherence to screening guidelines and recommended practices, as well as to
      provide educational opportunities which address knowledge and practice gaps for
      physicians.

PMID- 28643287
TI  - Oral Cancer Awareness Level Within the Dental Community: Results from a Large
      Scale Survey in Cairo.
AB  - The incidence of head and neck cancer was reported to be higher in more developed
      countries with an increase in incidence lately among younger age groups. The need
      for improvement of awareness of oral cancer and potentially malignant oral
      disorders is crucial. This study aims to identify the level of awareness of
      diagnostic and management protocols in the dental community. An English survey
      was arranged and sent via email to undergraduate students, postgraduate students,
      and faculty members at the dental school Cairo University. The questions focused
      on the early detection and level of awareness of oral cancer. Results were then
      analyzed to assess levels of awareness at the different education levels of the
      participants. Eight hundred sixty-eight responded out of the sent 5052 during the
      period between October 2015 and January 2016. The average results of the faculty
      staff members were higher than that of the student groups and participants with
      regular continuous assessment and knowledge refreshment achieved higher results.
      The results of this survey have pointed out areas of lack of awareness among the
      targeted population. The results have been brought up to the knowledge of policy
      makers to enable the improvement of level of awareness and assessment of risk
      factors for oral cancer.

PMID- 28643285
TI  - Skin Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
AB  - Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with its two main subtypes Crohn's disease and
      ulcerative colitis is not restricted to the gastrointestinal tract. Indeed, so
      called extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) are frequent and considerably affect
      morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of EIMs ranges from 6 to 47%. In up to
      one quarter of the patients, EIMs can present even before an IBD diagnosis is
      established. The pathophysiology of EIMs remains elusive, although data from
      clinical trials demonstrating anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) efficacy suggest a
      common pathogenic link between intestinal and extraintestinal disease activity.
      However, not all EIMs parallel intestinal disease. Skin lesions are usually
      classified based on their pathophysiological association with the underlying
      intestinal disease into four categories: (1) specific, (2) reactive, (3)
      associated, and (4) treatment-induced manifestations. Cutaneous manifestations
      include erythema nodosum (EN), pyoderma gangrenosum (PG), Sweet's syndrome, and
      oral lesions, with EN being the most commonly reported and PG showing the most
      debilitating disease course. Anti-TNF-induced skin reactions are a new, but
      increasingly recognized phenomenon, which can be eventually misinterpreted as
      psoriatic lesions. Medical treatment modalities are limited with topical and
      systemic steroids being the most frequently employed agents. If EIMs parallel
      intestinal disease activity, the therapeutic cornerstone usually is the
      management of underlying intestinal disease activity rather than direct treatment
      of the EIMs. However, increasing evidence for anti-TNF agents' efficacy in EIM
      management has changed the approach to complicating and debilitating disease
      courses. In the case of anti-TNF-induced lesions, topical steroids are usually
      sufficient and discontinuation of anti-TNF is seldom warranted. In this review,
      we summarize current knowledge on cutaneous EIMs, their diagnostic criteria and
      clinical presentation, natural history, pathogenesis, and treatment options.

PMID- 28643288
TI  - Inhibitory effect of FSLLRY-NH2 on inflammatory responses induced by hydrogen
      peroxide in HepG2 cells.
AB  - Proteinase activated receptor 2 (PAR2), which is localized in the GI tract, the
      respiratory system, and the kidney tubules is a G protein-coupled receptor
      associated with inflammation, metabolism, and disease. The aim of this study was
      to explore the role of PAR2 in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced HepG2 cells by
      using FSLLRY-NH2 a PAR2 antagonist. H2O2 treatment resulted in induction of PAR2
      in esophageal, gastric, and liver cells, with the most robust response being in
      HepG2 cells. Furthermore, this effect was dose-dependent in HepG2 cells.
      Treatment with H2O2 at concentrations above 400 MUM for 24 h also reduced HepG2
      cell viability. H2O2 treatment increased both the protein and mRNA levels of IL
      1beta, IL-8, and TNF-alpha, as well as those of SAPK/JNK. The increased levels of
      these pro-inflammatory genes and SAPK/JNK induced by H2O2 were attenuated in a
      dose-dependent manner when cells were co-treated with H2O2 and FSLLRY-NH2. In
      summary, the PAR2 antagonist peptide, FSLLRY-NH2, reduces the level of the pro
      inflammatory genes IL-8, IL-1beta, and TNF-alpha induced by H2O2, through the
      SAPK/JNK pathways in HepG2 cells. These data suggest that a PAR2 antagonist could
      be an anti-inflammatory agent in HepG2 cells.

PMID- 28643291
TI  - [More than expectorant: new scientific data on ambroxol in the context of the
      treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ambroxol has been established for decades in the treatment of acute
      and chronic respiratory diseases. In 2015, the European Medicines Agency
      reassessed the clinical benefit-risk ratio of the drug. OBJECTIVE: What new
      scientific data on ambroxol, which are relevant to the treatment of
      bronchopulmonary diseases, are available? METHOD: The review is based on a
      systematic literature research in medline with the search term "ambroxol" during
      the publication period 2006-2015. Non-relevant publications were excluded
      manually. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Ambroxol is still intensively researched. The
      traditional indication as an expectorant is confirmed. But there is also an ever
      better understanding of the various mechanisms of action as well as the ever more
      exact modeling of the structures under investigation. New fields of application
      are conceivable, e. g. in patients with severe pulmonary disease who undergo
      surgery or who are in intensive care, as an adjuvant in anti-infective therapies,
      especially in infections with biofilm-producing pathogens, or in rare diseases
      such as lysosomal storage diseases. However, final evidence of the clinical
      relevance in these fields of application is still missing.

PMID- 28643289
TI  - Recovery from eating disorder 1 year after start of treatment is related to
      better mentalization and strong reduction of sensitivity to others.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate whether recovery from an eating disorder is related to
      pre-treatment attachment and mentalization and/or to improvement of attachment
      and mentalization during treatment. METHOD: For a sample of 38 anorexia nervosa
      (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) patients receiving treatment the relations between
      attachment security, mentalization, comorbidity and recovery status after 12
      months (not recovered or recovered), and after 18 months (persistently ill,
      relapsed, newly recovered, or persistently recovered) were investigated.
      Attachment security and mentalization were assessed by the Adult Attachment
      Interview at the start of the treatment and after 12 months. Besides assessing co
      morbidity-for its effect on treatment outcome-we measured psycho-neuroticism and
      autonomy because of their established relations to both eating disorder symptoms
      and to attachment security. RESULTS: Recovery both at 12 months and at 18 months
      was related to higher levels of mentalization; for attachment, no significant
      differences were found between recovered and unrecovered patients. Patients who
      recovered from AN or BN also improved on co-morbid symptoms: whereas pre
      treatment symptom severity was similar, at 12 months recovered patients scored
      lower on co-morbid personality disorders, anxiety, depression, self-injurious
      behaviour and psycho-neuroticism than unrecovered patients. Improvement on
      autonomy (reduced sensitivity to others; greater capacity to manage new
      situations) in 1 year of treatment was significantly higher in recovered than in
      unrecovered patients. CONCLUSION: A focus on enhancing mentalization in eating
      disorder treatment might be useful to increase the chances of successful
      treatment. Improvement of autonomy might be the mechanism of change in recovering
      from AN or BN. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III cohort study.

PMID- 28643290
TI  - Does the eating disorder examination questionnaire global subscale adequately
      predict eating disorder psychopathology in the daily life of obese adults?
AB  - The eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-Q) Global score is a self
      report measure of global eating disorder (ED) psychopathology. This study used
      ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to evaluate the ecological validity of EDE
      Q Global scores among obese adults. Fifty obese adults completed the EDE-Q and 2
      weeks of EMA ratings prior to initiating eating episodes and subsequently after
      eating episodes. EMA items assessed behavioral symptoms [i.e., loss of control
      (LOC) eating and overeating] and cognitive symptoms (i.e., weight/shape concerns,
      eating concerns, and restraint). EDE-Q Global was associated with increased EMA
      weight/shape concerns and fear of LOC at pre-eating recordings. EDE-Q Global was
      associated with increased EMA post-episode weight/shape concerns, eating
      concerns, LOC eating, and overeating. There was no association between EDE-Q
      Global and EMA restraint. Results generally supported the ecological validity of
      EDE-Q Global scores. Future studies of ED psychopathology in obese adults may
      benefit from considering EDE-Q Restraint separately. Level of Evidence Level V,
      descriptive study.

PMID- 28643292
TI  - [Avanafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in practice. Non
      interventional study AVANTI].
AB  - OBJECTIVE AND METHOD: In the prospective, multicentric, non-interventional AVANTI
      study, the selection criteria for the PDE-5 inhibitor Avanafil were evaluated and
      it's acceptance in the treatment of patients with erectile dysfunction was
      investigated. Data from 1,804 probands with an average age of 58.0 years were
      analyzed. RESULTS: Doctors and patients most commonly referred to Avanafil as a
      fast-acting substance (70.6% and 78.6%, respectively). A favorable side-effect
      profile was more focused when the patient co-decided (62.7%) than if the doctor
      selected (48.4%). 41.2% of the physicians emphasized the potency, 56.7% of the
      patients preferred to receive a modern medicine. Doctors and patients assessed
      the drug as effective and well tolerated.

PMID- 28643293
TI  - [Why is a combination of basal insulin with a GLP-1 receptor agonist useful in
      many patients with type 2 diabetes?]
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2015, the combination of basal insulin and GLP-1 receptor agonist
      (RA) was incorporated into the guideline recommendations for type 2 diabetes as
      an option for the last escalation step. The two antidiabetics to be injected
      subcutaneously are complementary regarding their respective main effects and
      limitations. Basal insulin is predominantly active between meals and in the
      fasting state, whereas the main action of GLP-1 RA consists in preventing an
      excessive postprandial blood glucose increase. Moreover, GLP-1 RA is
      characterised by a low intrinsic risk of hypoglycaemia, body weight reduction and
      a positive impact on cardiovascular risk factors. Unlike GLP-1 RA, no upper dose
      limits are defined for basal insulin. However, initiation of insulin therapy is
      associated with disadvantages in terms of hypoglycaemia and weight increase.
      Therefore, patients achieving their treatment goals with GLP-1 RA alone are
      better treated without insulin. METHOD: In a review, study results on
      combinations of basal insulin and GLP-1-RA versus comparative therapies are
      presented. RESULTS: Most of the studies were carried out in patients pre-treated
      with basal insulin. The add-on of GLP-1 RA was commonly associated with
      significant reductions of body weight and also resulted in additional HbA1c
      reductions compared with an increase of the basal insulin dose. The add-on of a
      short acting insulin to an existing basal insulin therapy enabled similar HbA1c
      reductions to the add-on of a GLP-1 RA, but simultaneously increased the number
      of episodes of hypoglycaemia and might lead to more unfavourable body weight
      developments. A fixed combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide (IDegLira)
      showed an effective and rather steady blood glucose reduction in a 24-hour
      interval vs. basal insulin or GLP-1 RA alone. CONCLUSIONS: Combinations of basal
      insulin and a GLP-1 RA improve glycaemic control in many patients with type 2
      diabetes without any significant increase of the risk of hypoglycaemia and
      without weight gain, especially compared to a dose increase of the basal insulin
      or add-on of a short-acting insulin.

PMID- 28643294
TI  - [Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 influences the gut-associated immune system].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The impact of the intestinal microbiome is increasing steadily with
      regard to the immune function und the defense against pathogens. The medicinal
      yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 (S. boulardii) has been used as
      probiotic for the prevention and treatment of infectious diarrhea since more than
      50 years. Meta-analyses confirm the clinical efficacy of S. boulardii to treat
      diarrhea of various origins in children and adults. METHOD: This review article
      summarizes experimental studies on molecular and immunological mechanisms which
      explain the proven clinical efficacy of S. boulardii. Thereby the focus is on the
      gut-associated immune system. RESULTS: S. boulardii stimulates the release of
      immunoglobulins and cytokines and also induces the maturation of immune cells.
      This suggests that S. boulardii is capable of activating the unspecific immune
      system. In case of an infection, S. boulardii is able to bind pathogenic bacteria
      and to neutralize their toxins. Moreover, the medicinal yeast can attenuate the
      overreacting inflammatory immune response, by interfering with the signaling
      cascade, which is induced by the infection, and that way influences the innate
      and adaptive immune system. Thanks to these mechanisms the pathogens' potential
      of adhesion is lessened. Thus the intestinal epithelial layer is protected and
      diarrhea-induced fluid loss is reduced. CONCLUSION: The different molecular and
      immunological mechanisms investigated in the experimental studies prove the
      already confirmed very good clinical efficacy of S. boulardii in infectious
      diarrhea caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

PMID- 28643296
TI  - The first generation ABSORB BVS scaffold; to be or not to be?

PMID- 28643295
TI  - Fat suppression techniques for breast MRI: Dixon versus spectral fat saturation
      for 3D T1-weighted at 3 T.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare two fat suppression techniques used for 3D T1-weighted
      sequence in breast MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), namely Dixon versus spectral
      fat saturation (fat sat). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All breast MRI examinations
      performed in a Philips 3 T unit between March 2013 and October 2015 including
      either a Dixon or a fat sat sequence were retrospectively analyzed. The
      examinations were subjectively evaluated by two independent experienced readers
      in a scale of 5 for overall quality of fat suppression, homogeneity of fat
      suppression, definition of anatomic structures and focal lesions, diagnostic
      confidence for axillary and internal mammary regions and the presence of
      artifacts, 1 corresponding to excellent and 5 to non-diagnostic quality. Contrast
      to-noise-ratio (CNR) measurements for muscle and focal lesions were also
      performed. RESULTS: Overall 161 women (mean age 51.6 +/- 12.0 years) underwent
      189 MR examinations, 113 with the fat saturation and 76 with the Dixon sequence.
      Interobserver variability was good (kappa = 0.757). In all subjectively evaluated
      parameters, the Dixon sequence was superior to the fat sat (p < 0.05). Mean
      values of CNR for muscle and focal lesions were 9.98 (+/-4.2), 17.9 (+/-7.53) for
      the fat sat and 18.3 (+/-10.4) and 29.3 (+/-14.1) for the Dixon sequence,
      respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: 3D T1 Dixon sequence is superior to fat sat
      for dedicated breast MRI at 3 T, in terms of efficiency of fat suppression and
      image quality with the added advantage of optimal exploration of the axillary
      areas.

PMID- 28643297
TI  - Recommendations for the use of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds in percutaneous
      coronary interventions : 2017 revision.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To eliminate some of the potential late limitations of permanent
      metallic stents, the bioresorbable coronary stents or 'bioresorbable vascular
      scaffolds' (BVS) have been developed. METHODS: We reviewed all currently
      available clinical data on BVS implantation. RESULTS: Since the 2015 position
      statement on the appropriateness of BVS in percutaneous coronary interventions,
      several large randomised trials have been presented. These have demonstrated that
      achieving adequate 1 and 2 year outcomes with these first-generation BVS is not
      straightforward. These first adequately powered studies in non-complex lesions
      showed worse results if standard implantation techniques were used for these
      relatively thick scaffolds. Post-hoc analyses hypothesise that outcomes similar
      to current drug-eluting stents are still possible if aggressive lesion
      preparation, adequate sizing and high-pressure postdilatation are implemented
      rigorously. As long as this has not been confirmed in prospective studies the
      usage should be restricted to experienced centres with continuous outcome
      monitoring. For more complex lesions, results are even more disappointing and
      usage should be discouraged. When developed, newer generation scaffolds with
      thinner struts or faster resorption rates are expected to improve outcomes. In
      the meantime prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, beyond one year) is
      recommended in an individualised approach for patients treated with current
      generation BVS. CONCLUSION: The new 2017 recommendations downgrade and limit the
      use of the current BVS to experienced centres within dedicated registries using
      the updated implantation protocol and advise the prolonged usage of DAPT. In line
      with these recommendations the manufacturer does not supply devices to the
      hospitals without such registries in place.

PMID- 28643300
TI  - [Advantages and disadvantages of minimally invasive surgery in colorectal cancer
      surgery].
AB  - Since the emergence of minimally invasive technology twenty years ago, as a
      surgical concept and surgical technique for colorectal cancer surgery, its
      obvious advantages have been recognized. Laparoscopic technology, as one of the
      most important technology platform, has got a lot of evidence-based support for
      the oncological safety and effectiveness in colorectal cancer surgery
      Laparoscopic technique has advantages in terms of identification of anatomic
      plane and autonomic nerve, protection of pelvic structure, and fine dissection of
      vessels. But because of the limitation of laparoscopic technology there are still
      some deficiencies and shortcomings, including lack of touch and lack of stereo
      vision problems, in addition to the low rectal cancer, especially male, obese,
      narrow pelvis, larger tumors, it is difficult to get better view and manipulating
      triangle in laparoscopy. However, the emergence of a series of new minimally
      invasive technology platform is to make up for the defects and deficiencies. The
      robotic surgical system possesses advantages, such as stereo vision, higher
      magnification, manipulator wrist with high freedom degree, filtering of tremor
      and higher stability, but still has disadvantages, such as lack of haptic
      feedback, longer operation time, high operation cost and expensive price. 3D
      system of laparoscopic surgery has similar visual experience and feelings as
      robotic surgery in the 3D view, the same operating skills as 2D laparoscopy and a
      short learning curve. The price of 3D laparoscopy is also moderate, which makes
      the 3D laparoscopy more popular in China. Transanal total mesorectal excision
      (taTME) by changing the traditional laparoscopic pelvic surgery approach, may
      have certain advantages for male cases with narrow pelvic and patients with large
      tumor, and it is in accordance with the technical concept of natural orifice,
      with less minimally invasive and better cosmetics, which can be regarded as a
      supplemental technique of the traditional laparoscopic TME surgery for rectal
      carcinoma. However, this technology also has its own shortcomings, including
      difficulty getting a high ligation of vessels, difficulty exploring the abdominal
      cavity, and longer learning curve than laparoscopy. We believe that with the
      continuous progress and development of technology, continuous improvement and
      innovation of equipment platform, more organ functions will be protected in
      laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer without compromising the safety and
      oncological effectiveness.

PMID- 28643298
TI  - A comparison of clinical efficacy and economic value in Basalin- and Lantus
      treated patients with type 2 diabetes using continuous glucose monitoring system.
AB  - AIM: To determine the clinical non-inferiority of recombinant glargine-Basalin vs
      glargine-Lantus, in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using continuous
      glucose monitoring system (CGMS). METHODS: One hundred patients with T2DM were
      recruited. They were either regularly taking Basalin (Basalin group) or Lantus
      (Lantus group) (n = 50 each). CGMS was employed to real-time monitor blood
      glucose profile for 4 days (from day 1 to day 5). To exclude the effect of
      patient background, the study design was to have a blinded crossover from
      glargine-Basalin to glargine-Lantus on day 3, and vice versa. 24-hour mean blood
      glucose (24hMBG), 24-hour standard deviation of blood glucose (24hSDBG), 24-hour
      mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (24hMAGE), and number of glycemic excursion
      (NGE) every 24 h (24hNGE) were calculated for each glargine from 100 patients.
      RESULTS: No significant difference of 24hMBG, 24hSDBG, 24hMAGE, and 24hNGE (p >
      0.05 for all) was found between Basalin and Lantus treatments. The glucose area
      under the curve and time when blood glucose was below 3.9 mmol/L, between 3.9 and
      10.0 mmol/L, or above 10.0 mmol/L were similar between Basalin and Lantus
      treatment. The frequency of hypoglycemic episodes was also similar. However, the
      mean cost of Basalin was only 72% of Lantus's in one treatment course.
      CONCLUSION: Glargine-Basalin is non-inferior in clinical efficacy compared to
      glargine-Lantus. In view of the large difference in the cost of glargine-Basalin,
      it would be much more cost-effective for our patients.

PMID- 28643301
TI  - [Application of robotic surgical system in sphincter-preserving surgery for low
      rectal cancer].
AB  - Robotic surgical system has been widely applied in sphincter-preserving surgery
      for low rectal cancer with the advantages of clear 3D images and stably flexile
      manipulation. Its application principle includes radical resection of tumor and
      complete preservation of function. The main operation procedures of robotic
      surgical system in sphincter-preserving surgery for low rectal cancer are as
      follows: (1) Anterior resection of low rectal cancer: It is safe and feasible and
      has obvious advantages in observation of pelvic nerves, dissociation of presacral
      and sacral side, and high rate of sphincter-preserving, while the improvement of
      postoperative recovery and long-term survival needs to be verified by further
      large sample researches. (2) Per anus intersphincteric resection (ISR): It is
      mainly applied in T1 and T2 stage tumors with 2 cm distance from tumor low margin
      to anal edge after dissociation of mesorectum. The greater difficulty of
      manipulation is found in ISR, while robotic surgical system can complete the
      intersphincteric resection by transabdominal approach, but anal function may be
      affected with the possibility of feces spillage at night, so robotic ISR is now
      still in exploration stage. (3) Transanal everted pull-through resection (Welch
      resection): Associated application of this operation is rarely reported at home
      and abroad. Our department has completed 51 robotic procedures of Welch resection
      till March 2017. Welch resection is successfully performed in all the patients.
      The short-term clinical outcomes are quite satisfactory and long-term survival is
      followed up. We think that this procedure is safe and feasible under the strict
      mastering of indications. Owing to special manipulation advantages of quickly
      precise dissociation, cutting and anastomosis in small pelvic space, when
      compared to laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgical system has higher sphincter
      preserving rate for low rectal cancer, however, no other advantages are found. We
      believe that with the development of surgical instruments and ongoing of large
      sample studies, robotic surgical system will play a more important role in the
      treatment of low rectal cancer.

PMID- 28643299
TI  - The association between circulating fetuin-A levels and type 2 diabetes mellitus
      risk: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Fetuin-A is a liver-derived circulating protein that is
      associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. The objective of this systematic
      review and meta-analysis of published observational studies was to investigate
      mean levels of fetuin-A in T2D patients and the relationship between blood fetuin
      A levels and T2D risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Web
      of Science, and The Cochrane Library were systematically searched for potential
      relevant studies up to 1 December 2016. Natural logarithm-transformed estimate
      risks, standard mean differences on the basis of Hedges's adjusted g, and 95%
      confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for all eligible studies and were
      combined to measure the pooled data using random-effects model. RESULTS: A total
      of 32 studies including 27 case-control and 5 cohort studies were included in the
      current study. Fetuin-A levels in T2D patients were significantly higher than
      control groups [Hedges' g = 1.73, 95% CI (1.25-2.22), P < 0.001], with
      significant heterogeneity across studies (P < 0.001, I 2 = 98.46%). Findings from
      meta-analyses of cohort studies showed a statistically significant association
      between fetuin-A levels and T2D risk [rate ratio = 1.62, 95% CI (1.26-2.08), P <
      0.001], with no significant heterogeneity (P = 0.10, I 2 = 46.06%). CONCLUSION:
      We found a significant relationship between the fetuin-A levels with T2D risk.
      Although fetuin-A may be as a potential screening and prediction biomarker or a
      therapeutic target in T2D patients, further studies are required in this regard.

PMID- 28643302
TI  - [Comparison of robotic and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision].
AB  - Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) has been commonly applied in the
      operation of mid-low rectal cancer, but the conventional laparoscopic TME has the
      disadvantages of major operative difficulty and long learning-curve, due to its
      limitations of 2-dimension vision and common laparoscopic instruments. Robotic
      surgical system with high-qualified 3-dimenstion vision and flexible Endo Wrist
      instruments can overcome those limitations of conventional laparoscopy, and is
      useful for the TME that demands deep pelvic operation and flexible dissection in
      the space of distal rectum. Robotic TME has the advantages of shorter learning
      curve and lower conversion rate, and it can even be performed by the surgeon with
      little laparoscopic experience. But according to the current studies, the
      superiority of robotic TME over laparoscopic TME can not be confirmed. To confirm
      the efficacy of robotic surgery, more high-level evidences are needed. Currently,
      the biggest obstacle for the widespread use of robotic surgical system is its
      high expense. But there is an obvious advantage that is the more comfortable
      feeling of surgeon while performing robotic surgical system, compared with
      performing laparoscopic operation, and it is helpful for long-time complicated
      operation. It is confirmative that robotic operation is the results of science
      and technology development, and it is the direction of future development. With
      the expiration of patent right of Da Vinci robotic system, there will be more
      kinds of robotic surgical systems which will lead to the much lower operation
      expense and the widespread use. The young surgeons should master the laparoscopic
      TME, which will help them master robotic TME technique quickly.

PMID- 28643303
TI  - [Application of fascia-orientation of pelvic autonomic nerve preservation in
      rectal cancer surgery].
AB  - Rectal cancer has become the second most common gastrointestinal tumor in our
      country. With the development of comprehensive treatment, the long-term survival
      rate of patients with rectal cancer has greatly increased, meanwhile, higher
      postoperative quality of life is required. But the genitourinary dysfunction
      which is mainly caused by intraoperative pelvic autonomic nerve damage haunts
      postoperative rectal cancer patients. Traditional pelvic autonomic nerve
      protection technology born in the 1980s only improves urogenital function in a
      part of postoperative patients. In recent years, NOME(nerve-oriented mesorectal
      excision) was proposed, which needed to make pelvic autonomic never exposed.
      However, recovery of urinary function is not ideal due to difficulty identifying
      pelvic autonomic nerve and unavoidable damage on pelvic autonomic nerve. In
      clinical practice, we found that pelvic autonomic nerve can be divided into three
      parts: abdominal cavity, large pelvis, small pelvis. The pelvic autonomic nerve
      is closely related to the surrounding fascias in each part. The fascias are not
      only the protection of pelvic autonomic nerve, but also can be used as a good
      indicator of location of pelvic autonomic nerve. The relationship of pelvic
      autonomic nerve with Toldt fascia, presacral fascia, the lateral rectal
      ligaments, and the Denonvilliers fascia is discussed in this paper. Combined with
      the above theory, a new technology named FOPANP (fascia-orientation of pelvic
      autonomic nerve preservation) is proposed. In this technique, the fascia around
      the rectum is used as a guidance to select the appropriate plane in the
      operation, and the tumor can be removed without exposing the pelvic autonomic
      nerve. This technology has three advantages. First, it is not necessary to search
      and expose the pelvic autonomic nerve, so as to avoid secondary injury to it
      during the operation. Secondly, the pelvic fascias are natural barriers formed
      between the surgical plane and the pelvic autonomic nerve retained. They can
      avoid the stimulation of physical and chemical factors to pelvic autonomic nerve.
      Thirdly, because the fascias are easier to identify, and the texture is more
      tough, so the technology is easier to master.

PMID- 28643304
TI  - [Strategy and technique for simultaneous resection of rectal cancer and liver
      metastasis].
AB  - Rectal cancer with simultaneous liver metastasis is very common clinically. R0
      surgical resection both for the original and metastatic tumor can achieve much
      better long-term oncological results. The operation types include traditional
      open procedures for both rectal cancer and liver metastatic resection;
      combination of laparoscopic resection of the rectal cancer and open procedure
      resection of the liver metastatic lesion; traditional laparoscopic-assisted
      rectal and liver metastatic tumor resection with small abdominal incision and
      total laparoscopic natural orifice specimen extraction surgery(NOSES) without
      abdominal incision. Due to the complexity of rectal anatomy and treatment
      strategy, leading to the difference from colon cancer with liver metastasis, and
      due to the effect of laparoscopic treatment, especially the 3D laparoscopy,
      patient selection for simultaneous resection should be well planned and
      individualized by surgeons based on conditions of themselves and patients.

PMID- 28643305
TI  - [Interventional therapy of colorectal liver metastasis].
AB  - Colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) is one of the most difficult and key points in
      the treatment of colorectal cancer. Approximately 50% to 60% of patients
      diagnosed as colorectal cancer develops metastasis, and 80% to 90% of CRLM is
      unresectable. Surgical resection is the first-line treatment for CRLM, while it
      is only suitable for about 15% patients. Systemic chemotherapy can prolong the
      survival of CRLM patients, however, a part of CRLM patients are resistant to
      chemotherapy. With the development of technology and the update of clinical
      evidence, individual therapy with target drugs and multidisciplinary treatment
      (MDT) have became a tendency, and minimally invasive interventional therapy has
      gained more acceptance in the MDT mode of the treatment for CRLM. Basically, the
      interventional treatment for CRLM is divided into two groups: vascular
      intervention and local minimally invasive intervention. Vascular approaches
      encompass portal vein embolization (PVE), hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy
      (HAIC), transarterial chemoembo- lization (TACE), and transarterial
      radioembolization (TARE). Local minimally invasive intervention includes
      radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation(MWA), cryoablation (CRA), and
      irreversible electroporation (IRE). Thevefore intervention treatment is an
      important complement to the comprehensive therapy of CRLM.

PMID- 28643306
TI  - [Laparoscopy and endoscopy cooperative surgery for colorectal tumors].
AB  - Laparoscopy and endoscopy cooperative surgery (LECS) for colorectal tumors is not
      only a minimally invasive treatment, but also a safer therapy. It mainly includes
      laparoscopy-assisted colonoscopic resection and colonoscopy-assisted laparoscopic
      surgery. Laparoscopy-assisted colonoscopic procedure can make endoscopic
      resection more "aggressive". Performers can directly observe to ensure normal
      intestinal wall, and the intestinal defect can be directly repaired. If suspected
      malignant tumor can not be removed by colonoscopy, the laparoscopic surgery can
      be performed. Colonoscopy-assisted laparoscopic surgery can be assisted by
      endoscopy, including positioning lesion, ensuring anastomotic stenosis, and
      checking intraoperative bleeding. In case of acute bowel obstruction due to
      colorectal cancer, a self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) can be placed for
      drainage to avoid emergency surgery and colostomy. Then, laparoscopic radical
      surgery can be done. In conclusion, the LECS provides a new minimally invasive
      treatment for colorectal tumors. With the development of endoscopic and
      laparoscopic techniques and devices, LECS will have a wider range of
      applications.

PMID- 28643307
TI  - [Application of magnetic resonance in "non-operative treatment" strategy for
      rectal cancer].
AB  - The primary curative modality for localized rectal cancer is total mesorectal
      excision (TME). Local control rate of rectal cancer has been improved after
      neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and even pathological complete response (pCR) has
      been demonstrated in a significant minority. Patients who achieve pCR to
      neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy have an excellent prognosis compared with those
      without pCR. If the patients with complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation
      can be demonstrated by clinical findings and medical imaging (cCR), a non
      operative management (NOM) strategy may be pursued to preserve sphincter function
      and avoid complications induced by TME, which is a new tendency in the treatment
      of rectal cancer in recent years. Assisting diagnosis of cCR by iconography is
      the important element of NOM practice. Selected patients should be followed up
      with intensive surveillance. The curative strategy must be carried out once the
      recurrence is detected. Imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI), diffusion-weighted MRI, or proton emission tomography (PET), are limited
      in their ability to distinguish patients who have achieved cCR. Up to now, MRI,
      DW-MRI and 18F-FDG PET/CT before neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy are not accurate
      enough to predict cCR and safely select patients for organ-sparing strategies.
      However, depth of tumor infiltration, extramural vascular invasion,
      circumferential resection margin, and location of rectal cancer can be
      demonstrated by high resolution MRI as independent risk factors in prediction of
      long-term survival of patients, which is a necessary manner of stratification
      treatment for rectal cancer. Therefore, patients who are defined as early rectal
      cancer with low risk factors are selected as candidates for NOM in recent studies
      in order to pursue low rate of local recurrence and distant metastasis. High
      resolution MRI assessment of tumor regression grade (mrTRG) can be used to assess
      response of rectal cancer to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, which is associated
      with tumor burden. mrTRG is an imaging marker that indicates the difference in
      survival between good and poor responders and provides an opportunity for the
      multidisciplinary team to offer additional treatment options before planning
      definitive surgery. Functional imaging and even molecular imaging are needed in
      the future to screen suitable rectal cancer patients who are easier to achieve
      cCR from neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and to evaluate the efficacy of
      neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

PMID- 28643308
TI  - [Anatomical strategies of Henle trunk in laparoscopic right hemi-colectomy for
      right colon cancer].
AB  - The advancement of laparoscopic surgery serves as a trigger for better
      understanding of the vascular structure at the inferior border of the pancreas,
      especially Henle trunk. Henle trunk was first found as convergence to superior
      mesenteric vein (SMV) conjoined by sub-right colon vein (SRCV) and right
      gastroepiploic vein (RGEV), but decades later, anterior superior pancreatic
      duodenal vein (ASPDV) was described as another conjoint vein of Henle trunk.
      These tributaries are the basic elements of Henle trunk in early years' study. A
      proper surgical procedure for Henle trunk can significantly reduce the
      complications of radical right hemi-colectomy (Japanese D3 resection and European
      complete mesocolic excision, CME). There are four variations of Henle trunk
      according to the colic venous tributaries that consists the anatomic variations
      in transverse colon posterior space(TRCPS). These variations are like
      "fingerprint and pattern" of CME. The recognition and extension of the TRCS is
      the key to the dissection of Henle trunk in laparoscopic right hemi-colectomy.
      Our medical center proposed four feasible approaches for extension:(1) hybrid
      medial approach; (2) completely medial approach; (3)completely medial access by
      "page-turning" approach; (4) completely medial approach along RCV. Mostly, RCV
      ended in Henle trunk, and completely medial approach along RCV is efficient to
      identify the Henle trunk in CME. We suggest dissecting the inferior margin of
      pancreas along SMV in a bottom-to-top fashion, followed by the dissection of
      middle colic vessels to reveal the root of Henle trunk. And it's better to
      dissect Henle trunk by branch rather than at its root for safety. Here, we
      describe the anatomic characters of Henles trunk, the surgical approach and
      strategies of Henle trunk in laparoscopic surgery.

PMID- 28643309
TI  - [Comparison of clinicopathological features and prognosis between left-sided
      colon cancer and right-sided colon cancer].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinicopathological features and prognosis between left
      sided colon cancer (LC) and right-sided colon cancer (RC). METHODS:
      Clinicopathological and follow-up data of 2 174 colon carcinoma cases undergoing
      resection at Shanghai Changhai Hospital of The Second Military Medical University
      from January 2000 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with
      transverse colon cancer, overlapping position, unknown location, recurrent
      cancer, multiple primary cancer, concomitant malignant tumors, preoperative
      chemotherapy, local resection, incomplete clinical data and missed follow up were
      excluded. Finally, a total of 1 036 patients, whose primary tumors were radically
      removed, were enrolled, with 563 patients in LC group (including carcinoma in
      cecum, ascending colon and hepatic flexure) and 473 in RC group (including
      carcinoma in splenic flexure, descending colon and sigmoid colon). The
      clinicopathological features and survival, including median overall survival, 5
      year overall survival rate, tumor specific median overall survival, cancer
      specific 5-year overall survival rate, were compared between LC and RC groups.
      Tumor specific overall survival was defined as the period between operation date
      to the date of death caused by cancer progression. Multivariate Cox regression
      analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of survival. Propensity
      score matching was carried out to balance the clinicopathological factors between
      the two groups with the SAS 9.3, taking the following parameters into
      consideration (age, gender, gross appearance, tumor diameter, invasion depth,
      lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM stages, differentiation, CEA and
      CA199-9). Patients in RC group and LC group were matched according to the
      propensity scores and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of
      two groups were compared again. RESULTS: No significant differences were
      identified between the two groups in age, distant metastasis and serum CEA level.
      Compared with RC group, LC group had more male patients [60.9%(343/563) vs.
      51.0%(241/473), P=0.001], more ulcerative tumors [71.9% (405/563) vs.
      65.3%(309/473), P=0.006], better differentiation [well/moderately differentiated:
      87.5%(493/563) vs. 73.8%(349/473), P=0.000], lower infiltration depth [T1-2:
      17.1%(96/563) vs. 10.1%(48/473), P=0.001], higher lymph node metastasis rate [N0:
      53.3%(300/563) vs. 62.4%(295/473), P=0.013], lower TNM stage [stage I(:
      13.3%(75/563) vs. 7.8%(37/473), P=0.000], lower serum CA199 level [<37 kU/L:
      68.4% (385/563) vs. 62.6% (296/473), P=0.022] and smaller tumor diameter [<5.0
      cm: 55.1%(310/563) vs. 38.3%(181/473), P=0.000]. The median overall survival was
      82 months and 76 months in LC and RC groups, respectively, and the 5-year overall
      survival rate was 58.3% and 50.9%(P=0.038). The median tumor specific survival
      was 84 months and 78 months in LC and RC groups, respectively, and the 5-year
      tumor specific overall survival rate was 60.6% and 52.9% (P=0.031). Multivariate
      Cox regression analysis showed that tumor location (LC vs. RC) was not associated
      with overall survival (P=0.106) and tumor specific survival (P=0.091). After
      propensity score matching, no significant difference was found in
      clinicopathological factors and propensity score (0.458+/-0.129 vs. 0.459+/
      0.129, P=0.622) between LC and RC group. After matching, there was no significant
      difference in overall survival rate (54.0% vs. 51.7%, P=0.982) and tumor specific
      overall survival rate(56.4% vs. 53.1%, P=0.819) between two groups. CONCLUSION:
      Significant difference exists between RC and LC in clinicopathological factors,
      but not in survival.

PMID- 28643310
TI  - [Establishment of a prognostic nomogram to predict long-term survival in non
      metastatic colorectal cancer patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To establish a nomogram to predict long-term survival in non
      metastatic colorectal cancer patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was
      conducted in patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer who underwent radical
      surgery in the Department of Colorectal Surgery of Affiliated Union Hospital of
      Fujian Medical University between January 2000 and December 2014. Univariate and
      multivariate analyses on disease-free survival (DFS) were performed using the Cox
      proportional regression model. Based on the multivariate analysis results, a
      prognostic nomogram was formulated to predict the probability for DFS.
      Concordance index was applied in predictive evaluation of the nomogram and
      calibration curves were drawn to test the nomogram's prediction and actual
      observation of the 5-year DFS rate. The predictive ability of nomogram was
      compared with AJCC-7 staging system. RESULTS: A total of 2 641 patients were
      identified. The median age was 59.3 years old, and 60.3% of cases were men. The
      number of patients with TNM stage 0, I(, II( and III( was 96, 505, 923 and 1043,
      respectively. The most common tumor site was the rectum, accounting for 43.2%. A
      total of 413 (15.6%) patients underwent neoadjuvant treatment. The most common
      gross type of tumor was ulcerative type, accounting for 79.5%. The 3- and 5-year
      DFS rate was 85.8% and 79.8%, respectively. Based on the Cox proportional
      regression model, the following six factors were independently associated with
      reduced DFS rate and were selected for the nomogram: older age, higher pathologic
      T stage, higher pathologic N stage, higher preoperative serum CEA level,
      infiltrative gross type and perineural invasion. The results of the nomogram
      showed that the score of T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4 stage was 0, 2.2, 3.9, 4.1 and 6,
      respectively, and the score of N0, N1 and N2 was 0, 3.8 and 9.3, respectively.
      For gross type, the score of expanding type, ulcerative type and infiltrative
      type was 6, 9 and 10, respectively. The score of perineural invasion was 5.2.
      Higher scores were added to older age and higher CEA level. The total scores were
      calculated by taking the sum of the points from all predictors. Higher total
      score was associated with poor DFS. The prognostic nomogram differentiated well
      and showed a concordance index of 0.718, which was better than AJCC-7 staging
      system (concordance index=0.683). Also, the calibration of nomogram predictions
      was good. CONCLUSIONS: A nomogram based on 6 independently prognostic factors to
      predict long-term survival in non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients is
      established successfully. The nomogram can be conveniently used to facilitate the
      accurate individualized prediction of DFS rates in patients with non-metastatic
      colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28643311
TI  - [Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal carcinoma
      with preservation of the left colic artery].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic low anterior
      resection of rectal carcinoma with preservation of the left colic artery(LCA).
      METHODS: Clinicopathological and follow-up data of 322 cases with rectal
      carcinoma undergoing laparoscopic low anterior resection in Department of General
      Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from
      January 2007 to December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the
      different surgical methods of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA), cases were
      divided into the trial group (LCA preservation plus lymph nodes around IMA root
      dissection, 168 cases) and the control group(origin of IMA ligation, 154 cases).
      The 5-year rates of disease-free survival(DFS) and overall survival(OS) were
      compared between two groups. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant
      differences in the baseline data between the two groups. The follow-up rate was
      91.1%(153/168) during 5-60 months in the trial group, and 90.3%(139/154) during 6
      60 months in the control group. The number of patients who developed death, local
      recurrence and metastasis were 49(32.0%), 9(5.9%) and 62(40.5%) in the trial
      group, and 44(31.7%), 9(6.5%) and 52(37.4%) in the control group, respectively,
      without significant differences(all P>0.05). The 5-year DFS and OS rates were
      57.2% and 69.5% in the trial group, and 59.7% and 70.1% in the control group, and
      the differences were not significant between the two groups(all P>0.05). After
      stratification by TNM stage, the 5-year DFS rates of I( stage, II( stage and III(
      stage were 80.4%, 62.5% and 45.1% in the trial group, and 82.6%, 66.0% and 48.8%
      in the control group; the 5-year OS rates of I( stage, II( stage and III( stage
      were 90.2%, 76.2% and 56.7% in the trial group, and 94.4%, 74.3% and 60.5% in the
      control group, respectively, and the differences were not significant as well
      (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The long-term outcomes after laparoscopic low anterior
      resection of rectal carcinoma with preservation of LCA and dissection of lymph
      nodes around root of IMA are comparable with ligation at origin of IMA.

PMID- 28643312
TI  - [Comparison of short-term outcomes of transrectal specimen extraction during
      laparoscopic sigmoid radical resection versus conventional laparoscopically
      assisted procedure].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term outcomes between transrectal specimen
      extraction during laparoscopic sigmoid radical resection and conventional
      laparoscopy-assisted sigmoid radical resection. METHODS: Sixteen
      patients(transrectal specimen extraction group,4 females and 12 males), who were
      planned to undergo laparoscopically assisted sigmoid radical resection with
      BMI<28 kg/m2 and were evaluated as T1-T3 tumor by iconography without distant
      metastasis, were selected to undergo transrectal specimen extraction during
      laparoscopic sigmoid radical resection from December 2015 to April 2016 in the
      Department of Anorectal Surgery of Changhai Hospital. The procedure of specimen
      extraction was as follows: Perineal anal expansion was performed. The rectum was
      cut in rectal distal ligature within the abdominal cavity. Telescope cover was
      placed through Trocar hole in right low abdomen and rectal stump was pulled out
      of the body through the anus to form an access tunnel. Planned resected bowel was
      placed in the tunnel and the specimen was dissociated and removed completely from
      anus. Each patient in transrectal specimen extraction group was individually
      matched with two patients who underwent laparoscopically assisted sigmoid radical
      resection by gender, age, BMI and date of surgery. The perioperative outcomes and
      pathological evaluation of surgical specimen of two groups were retrospectively
      collected and compared. RESULTS: The differences of baseline data (gender, age,
      BMI, distance from tumor to anal verge measured by colonoscopy and clinical tumor
      category) between two groups were not significant (all P>0.05). Compared to
      laparoscopy-assisted group, transrectal specimen extraction group presented
      longer operation time [(140.6+/-8.3) minutes vs. (122.2+/-26.2) minutes, t=
      3.629, P=0.001], and more blood loss[(43.8+/-9.2) ml vs. (35.3+/-10.2) ml, t=
      2.795, P=0.008], but shorter time to first flatus [(43.1+/-8.3) hours vs. (52.0+/
      11.4) hours, t=2.756, P=0.008] and lower pain score at operative day and the
      first postoperative day (3.8+/-0.8 vs. 4.8+/-1.1, t=3.558, P=0.001; 2.6+/-0.6 vs.
      3.8+/-0.8, t=5.165, P=0.000). The case ratio of additional analgesia [6.3%(1/16)
      ns. 18.8%(6/32)], postoperative hospital stay [(6.8+/-3.4) days vs. (5.6+/-0.8)
      days] and postoperative morbidity of complication [12.5%(2/16) vs. 9.4%(3/32)]
      were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). Within
      postoperative 30-day follow-up, transrectal specimen extraction group had ileus
      in one patient and anastomotic leakage in one patient, and laparoscopy-assisted
      group had fat necrosis of assisted incision in two patients and gastric retention
      in one patient. There were also no significant differences in specimen
      length[(18.2+/-4.8) cm vs. (19.8+/-5.7) cm, P>0.05], tumor size [(4.0+/-1.2) cm
      vs. (4.4+/-1.5) cm, P>0.05] and number of harvested lymph node (14.6+/-2.6 vs.
      16.0+/-3.0, P>0.05] between two groups. During follow-up of 7-10(mean 9) months
      of transrectal specimen extraction group and 2-16 (mean 7) months of
      laparoscopically assisted group, no tumor local relapse and distant metastasis
      were found in the both groups. CONCLUSION: As compared to laparoscopy-assisted
      sigmoid radical resection, transrectal specimen extraction laparoscopic sigmoid
      radical resection has better short-term efficacy, meanwhile they have comparable
      oncologic clearance.

PMID- 28643313
TI  - [Anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic-assisted radical right hemicolectomy:
      reason analysis and management].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features, possible reasons and management of
      anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic-assisted radical right hemicolectomy.
      METHODS: Clinical data of 546 patients undergoing laparoscopic-assisted radical
      right hemicolectomy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from October 2010 to
      September 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The occurrence of anastomotic
      leakage and its countermeasures were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 546 patients,
      8(1.5%) cases developed anastomotic leakage, including 7 males and 1 female with
      mean age of (54.3+/-10.3) years. Six cases of ascending colon cancer, 1 case of
      phlegmon and 1 case of arterior-venous malformation were confirmed after
      operation. The incidence of anastomotic leakage after D3 and D2 lymphadenectomy
      was 2.1%(6/290) and 0.8%(2/256). The time from operation to the diagnosis of
      anastomotic leakage was (6.6+/-3.6) days. The clinical manifestation of
      anastomotic leakage were stool-like drainage in 7 patients, fever in 4 and
      abdominal pain in 3. Amylase and bilirubin in drainage of 4 patients increased
      obviously. All the 8 patients underwent secondary ileostomy, including 4 with
      laparoscopy and 4 with laparotomy. One patient suffered from respiratory failure
      after re-operation because of severe abdominal infection and was cured by
      ventilator support treatment. Another one had pelvic encapsulated effusion and
      was treated by puncture drainage. All the patients discharged from hospital
      smoothly. CONCLUSIONS: Anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic-assisted right
      hemicolectomy is a quite rare but serious complication, which may be associated
      with over-cleaning of lymph fatty tissues. Ileostomy should be the first choice
      of anastomotic leakage after laparoscopy-assisted right hemicolectomy and its
      efficacy is satisfactory.

PMID- 28643314
TI  - [Analysis of the common hemorrhage sites during laparoscopic rectal cancer
      surgery].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the common hemorrhage sites during laparoscopic rectal
      cancer surgery in order to take reasonable prevention and management. METHODS:
      Clinical data of 355 rectal cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic total
      mesorectal excision in Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital from January 2012 to
      December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Common bleeding sites, blood loss,
      and hemostasis time were recorded. According to the date of operation, patients
      were divided into 2012 group (91 cases), 2013 group (122 cases) and 2014
      group(142 cases). Hemorrhage rates were compared among three groups. RESULTS: No
      significant differences were observed in the baseline data among the three
      groups(all P>0.05). The location in the order of the hemorrhage rate from high to
      low was seminal vesicle tail (63.0%, 131/208), inferior mesenteric vessels
      (27.3%, 97/355), Toldt's space (24.2%, 86/355), lateral rectal ligaments (12.1%,
      43/355) and post-rectal spatial (8.2%, 29/355). According to the blood loss, post
      rectal spatial[(14.1+/-7.1) ml], inferior mesenteric vessels [(12.7+/-6.1) ml]
      and seminal vesicle tail [(12.4+/-6.5) ml] were ranked in top three. The
      hemostasis time of seminal vesicle tail [(11.5+/-6.6) minutes] and post rectal
      spatial [(10.3+/-7.8) minutes] was longer than the others. Compared with 2012
      group, shorter operative time [(205+/-50) minutes vs. (235+/-55) minutes,
      t=4.296, P=0.001], less blood loss [(35+/-19) ml vs. (81+/-24) ml, t=16.243,
      P=0.001] and lower hemorrhage rate [Toldt's space: 7.7%(11/142) vs. 39.6%(36/91),
      inferior mesenteric vessels: 9.2%(13/142) vs. 44.0%(40/91), post-rectal spatial:
      0.7%(1/142) vs. 15.4%(14/91), lateral rectal ligaments: 2.1%(3/142) vs.
      29.7%(27/91) and seminal vesicle tail: 50.6%(41/81) vs. 79.6%(43/54)] were found
      in 2014 group. The decline of hemorrhage rate in seminal vesicle tail was the
      slowest (chi2=11.792, P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The common hemorrhage sites during
      the laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery are inferior mesenteric vessels, Toldt's
      space, lateral rectal ligaments, post rectal spatial and seminal vesicle tail.
      Appropriate preventive measures can ameliorate the intraoperative bleeding
      significantly, however, more attention should be paid to the seminal vesicle tail
      during operation because of its higher hemorrhage rate, more blood loss and
      difficult hemostasis.

PMID- 28643315
TI  - [Technical advantages of nano carbon development combined with artery approach in
      lymph node sorting of rectal cancer].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the technical advantages of nano carbon development
      combined with artery approach in lymph node sorting of rectal cancer. METHODS:
      From December 2015 to June 2016, 70 patients with of rectal cancer in General
      Surgery Department of Henan Cancer Hospital were randomly divided into nano
      carbon development combined with artery approach group(artery approach group) and
      conventional group. Specimen of artery approach group was placed on the sorting
      table. Anatomy was performed from the root of inferior mesenteric artery to left
      colonic artery, sigmoid artery and superior rectal artery. Along the arterial
      vessel shape, the black-stained lymph nodes and non-stained lymph nodes (perhaps
      pink, pale yellow, white or pale brown) were examined carefully using visual and
      haptic combination method for identification of lymph node. From the root of
      inferior mesenteric artery, central lymph nodes were sorted. Along the vessel
      shape, vascular lymph nodes were sorted. Intestinal lymph nodes around the rectum
      were examined as well. Then, specimen was reversed on the sorting table and
      underwent sorting as above after the examination of obverse. The conventional
      group received routine method. The total number, the average harvested number,
      the number of positive lymph nodes and the number of patients with lymph nodes
      less than 12 were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Among 70 cases, 37 were
      male and 33 were female with the median age of 57(32-88) years old. Dixon
      resection was performed in 46 cases, and Miles resection in 24 cases. Total
      sorting lymph node was 1 105, including 641 of artery approach group and 464 of
      control group with significant difference (t=20.717, P=0.000). Lymph node sorting
      time of artery approach group was (12.6+/-3.9) minutes, which was shorter than
      (18.2+/-4.1) minutes of control group (t=12.464, P=0.000). In artery approach
      group, number of lymph node with diameter less than 5 mm was 142, sorting rate
      was 22.2%(142/641), of which 29 were positive(20.4%). In conventional group, 37
      lymph nodes with diameter less than 5 mm were found, and sorting rate was
      8.0%(37/464), of which 6 were positive(16.2%). Number of the first station of
      lymph node sorting in artery approach group and conventional group was 282(44%)
      and 169(36.4%); number of the second station lymph node sorting was 230(35.9%)
      and 180(38.8%); number of the third station lymph node sorting was 129(20.1%) and
      115(24.8%). CONCLUSION: The method of nano carbon development combined with
      artery approach in lymph node sorting of rectal cancer has some advantages, such
      as simple operation, more harvested lymph nodes, and more accurate pathological
      staging.

PMID- 28643316
TI  - [Endoscopic metallic stent followed by elective laparoscopic surgery for
      malignant colorectal obstruction].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of endoscopic metallic stent as a
      bridge to elective laparoscopic surgery in patients with malignant colorectal
      obstruction. METHODS: Clinical data of 63 patients with obstructive colorectal
      cancer who underwent endoscopic metallic stent insertion under radiologic
      monitoring at the Longyan First Hospital between June 2012 and August 2016 were
      analyzed retrospectively. After complete remission of the obstruction, all the
      patients received multi-disciplinary team (MDT) evaluation to make the further
      treatment strategy. The subsequent surgery included open and laparoscopic
      procedures, and the short-term efficacy of these two procedures was compared.
      RESULTS: There were 30 male and 33 female patients with age of 30 to 90 (mean 67)
      years, including 3 cases of ascending colon cancer, 4 cases of transverse colon
      cancer, 12 cases of descending colon cancer, 26 cases of sigmoid cancer, and 19
      cases of rectal cancer. Only one patient (1.6%) developed sigmoid perforation at
      3 hours after stent placement, and underwent emergency laparotomy with Hartmann
      procedure. The remaining 62 patients had bowel movements. After MDT evaluation,
      10 patients (16.1%) were treated with palliative chemotherapy because they were
      unfit for surgery or for diffuse distant metastases. A total of 52 patients
      underwent radical surgery after a mean interval from stent insertion of 10 days
      (7-20 days), including open (n=18, including two cases with conversion to open
      surgery) and laparoscopy (n=34). The baseline data between open and laparoscopy
      groups were similar (all P>0.05). Primary anastomosis was successfully performed
      in all the patients without preventive stoma. Compared to open group, laparoscopy
      group had faster bowel movement [(2.88+/-1.06) d vs. (4.05+/-2.43) d, P=0.022]
      and shorter postoperative hospital stay [(7.85+/-0.96) d vs. (9.82+/-4.41) d,
      P=0.002]. There were no statistically significant differences in operative time,
      intraoperative blood loss, number of harvested lymph node, and postoperative
      complication rate between two groups (all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic
      metallic stent placement can effectively remove malignant colorectal obstruction,
      and thus enables surgeons to perform an elective radical surgery, avoiding
      emergency surgery with stoma and unnecessary surgery for patients with distant
      metastasis. In the era of enhanced recovery after surgery, the endoscopic
      metallic stent placement combined with laparoscopic procedures, as a less
      invasive alternative, is effective and safe.

PMID- 28643317
TI  - [Effect of metformin on colorectal carcinoma in type 2 diabetes mellitus
      patients: a Markov model analysis].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention effect of metformin
      in comparison with that of other T2DM medications from a Markov model
      perspective. METHODS: Literature concerning CRC morbidity of T2DM patients with
      metformin or other diabetes medications treatment was reviewed in PubMed and
      Cochrane Library database from September 2010 to December 2016. INCLUSION
      CRITERIA: (1)enrolled population was adult patients with T2DM but without CRC;
      (2) any of the parameters applied in our model was reported; (3) randomized
      clinical trials (RCTs), quasi-randomized trials, prospective or retrospective
      cohort studies. With CRC morbidity as endpoint, parameters were extracted to
      construct Markov model to assess CRC morbidity and cumulative tumor-free survival
      in each group over 11 years' follow-up period. Finally, Monte Carlo analysis was
      performed to evaluate the influence of parameter instability on the model.
      RESULTS: Seven literatures were recruited and 10 000 patients were virtually
      allocated for each arm. In contrast with non-metformin group, T2DM patients
      treated with metformin had a lower rate of CRC(1.670% vs. 2.146%, P=0.016).
      Moreover, cumulative tumor-free survival of metformin group was, slightly but
      significantly, better than that of non-metformin group (10.908 years vs. 10.882
      years, P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: T2DM patients treated with metformin have a lower
      morbidity of CRC and a better cumulative tumor-free survival than those of non
      metformin group. Large scale RCTs are needed to illustrate the role of metformin
      in the prevention of CRC.

PMID- 28643318
TI  - [Experimental research of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin siRNA
      encapsulated by urocanic acid-coupled chitosan on colon cancer cells].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin
      (NGAL) knockdown by NGAL siRNA encapsulated with urocanic acid-modified chitosan
      nanoparticles (UAC) on the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of human colon
      cancer cells. METHODS: NGAL siRNA was encapsulated by UAC and chitosan (CTS)
      respectively, and then was transfected into human colon cancer cell lines HT29.
      The NGAL mRNA was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-QPCR). Relationships
      of NGAL gene silencing with the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of HT29
      cell were analyzed. RESULTS: Under the fluorescence microscope, the transfection
      efficiency of siRNA in UAC group was (37.52+/-7.17)%, which was significantly
      higher than (11.32+/-3.39)% in CTS group (t=6.102, P=0.005). Forty-eight hours
      after transfection, RT-QPCR examination showed that the level of NGAL mRNA
      expression was 0.350 in UAC group and 0.529 in CTS group with significant
      difference (t=-3.743, P=0.02), meanwhile both levels were significantly lower as
      compared to control group(F=163.538, P<0.001). Proliferation analysis revealed
      that after silencing NGAL gene, proliferation rate of UAC group and CTS group was
      slightly lower than control group, and no significant differences were found
      (F=9.520, P=0.438). However, migration assay demonstrated that the 24-hour
      migration rate of UAC group and CTS group was significantly lower than that of
      control group (F=6.756, P=0.029), meanwhile the migration rate of UAC group was
      slightly lower than that of CTS group [(77.90+/-7.14)% vs. (87.67+/-3.98)%, t=
      1.704, P=0.164]. Apoptosis detection revealed that the apoptosis rate in UAC
      group was significantly higher than that in CTS group and the control group 2
      days after transfection [(15.800+/-1.054)% vs. (12.900+/-0.656)%, (11.933+/
      1.914)%, F=7.004, P=0.027]. CONCLUSIONS: The encapsulated ability and
      transfection efficiency of chitosan modified by urocanic acid elevate
      significantly. Silencing NGAL gene by UAC carrier can down-regulate the
      expression of NGAL mRNA in HT29 colon cell line, inhibit their migration and
      facilitate their apoptosis.

PMID- 28643319
TI  - [Progress of the application of optical coherence tomography in gastrointestinal
      tumor surgery].
AB  - Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a real-time, cross-sectional optical
      imaging technology. It is analogous to ultrasonography, except that OCT uses
      light waves instead of sound waves, and can provide three-dimensional
      morphological images of living tissues with a micrometer resolution. Through the
      use of endoscopes, needles, catheters and laparoscopes, OCT has demonstrated
      tremendous imaging potential in tumor surgery. The current studies suggest that
      OCT has potential for clinical applications in the following fields of
      gastrointestinal tumor surgery: (1) Early tumor detection and diagnosis: OCT can
      distinguish differences between polyp tissue, normal tissue and malignant tissue.
      It could possibly identify premalignant lesions or conditions potentially
      predisposing to malignancy, such as gastric and intestinal metaplasia, gastritis
      associated with Helicobacter pylori, and early gastric cancer involving the
      mucosa or submucosa. In addition, OCT can differentiate between adenomatous
      polyps and hyperplastic polyps. (2) Optical biopsy of lymph nodes: As a high
      resolution, near-IR imaging modality, OCT is capable of visualizing microscopic
      features within tissue, distinguishing lymph node tissue from surrounding adipose
      tissue, revealing nodal structures such as germinal centers and intra-nodal
      vessels. Consequently, OCT has the ability to show changes in node
      microarchitecture during metastatic tumor infiltration. (3) Intraoperative
      guidance for real-time determination of surgical margins: In other tumors such as
      oral squamous cell carcinoma and breast cancer, it has been demonstrated that OCT
      can be used to rapidly scan large areas of tissue, to guide at the cellular level
      the surgical resection of neoplastic disease, and to scan tumor margins for the
      presence of residual disease, tumor foci, and potentially even metastasizing
      tumor cells. It implies that colorectal neoplasms surgeons can possibly use the
      laparoscopic OCT to detect the intestinal tumor margin and lymph nodes during
      operation in the future, so as to determine the appropriate range of bowel
      resection and lymph node dissection. At present, there are few reports about the
      intra-operative application of OCT in the field of gastrointestinal tumor
      surgery. Thus there is a tremendous opportunity for further research in this
      field.

PMID- 28643320
TI  - Revised protocol of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy in severe
      ARDS. Recommendations of the Veno-venous ECMO Expert Panel appointed in February
      2016 by the national consultant on anesthesiology and intensive care.
AB  - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has become well established technique
      of the treatment of severe acute respiratory failure (Veno-Venous ECMO) or
      circulatory failure (Veno-Arterial ECMO) which enables effective blood
      oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal for several weeks. Veno-Venous ECMO (V-V
      ECMO ) is a lifesaving treatment of patients in whom severe ARDS makes artificial
      lung ventilation unlikely to provide satisfactory blood oxygenation for
      preventing further vital organs damage and progression to death. The protocol
      below regards exclusively veno-venous ECMO treatment as a support for blood gas
      conditioning by means of extracorporeal circuit in adult patients with severe
      ARDS. V-V ECMO does not provide treatment for acutely and severely diseased
      lungs, but it enables patient to survive the critical phase of severe ARDS until
      recovery of lung function. Besides avoiding patients death from hypoxemia, this
      technique can also prevent further progression of the lung damage due to
      artificial ventilation. Recent experience of ECMO treatment since the outbreak of
      AH1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, along with technical progress and advancement
      in understanding pathophysiology of ventilator-induced lung injury, have
      contributed to significant improvement of the results of ECMO treatment. Putative
      factors related to increased survival include patients retrieval after connecting
      them to ECMO, and less intensive anticoagulation protocols. The aim of presenting
      this revised protocol was to improve the effects of ECMO treatment in patients
      with severe ARDS, to enhance ECMO accessibility for patients who might possibly
      benefit from this treatment, to reduce time until patient's connection to ECMO,
      and to avoid ECMO treatment in futile cases. The authors believe that this
      protocol, based on recent papers and their own experience, can provide help and
      advice both for the centers which develop V-V ECMO program, and for doctors who
      will refer their patients for the treatment in an ECMO center.

PMID- 28643321
TI  - Global end-diastolic volume could be more appropiate to reduce intraoperative
      bleeding than central venous pressure during major liver transection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central venous pressure often fails to identify the true value of
      cardiac preload. Our purpose is to investigate whether Global End-Diastolic
      Volume (GEDV) values can control hemodynamic parameters for the measurement of
      fluid volume, cardiac preload and blood loss during liver transection. METHODS:
      This was a prospective clinical study that included patients undergoing liver
      resection. All patients were monitored by means of PiCCO technology and 222
      hemodynamic measurements were performed in 74 patients. Fluid restriction was
      used. Transpulmonary thermodilutions were performed at different times of
      surgery, namely: 1. at the beginning of surgery; 2. before hepatectomy and after
      selective vascular exclusion (Time 1); 3. approximately half way through the
      liver transection (Time 2); and 4. after liver resection (Time 3). RESULTS: One
      hundred and twenty-nine of the 222 GEDV values were decreased (prevalence of
      hypovolemia of 58.1%). However, twenty two of the 222 CVP values were decreased
      (prevalence of 10.8%). Sensitivity of CVP with regard to volume depletion (GEDV >
      650 mL m-2) on the times (1, 2 and 3) were 16.28 (4.08-28.48, 95% CI), 18.18
      (5.65-30.75, 95% CI) and 21.43 (7.83-35.03, 95% CI), respectively. There was no
      correlation between CVP and GEDV. CONCLUSIONS: GEDV values may be more
      appropriate for monitoring cardiac preload during liver transection.

PMID- 28643322
TI  - Difficulties in funding of VA-ECMO therapy for patients with severe accidental
      hypothermia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Severe accidental hypothermia is defined as a core temperature below
      28 Celsius degrees. Within the last years, the issue of accidental hypothermia
      and accompanying cardiac arrest has been broadly discussed and European
      Resuscitation Council (ERC) Guidelines underline the importance of Extracorporeal
      Rewarming (ECR) in treatment of severely hypothermic victims. The study aimed to
      evaluate the actual costs of ECR with VA-ECMO and of further management in the
      Intensive Care Unit of patients admitted to the Severe Accidental Hypothermia
      Centre in Cracow, Poland. METHODS: We carried out the economic analysis of 31
      hypothermic adults in stage III-IV (Swiss Staging) treated with VA ECMO. Twenty
      nine individuals were further managed in the Intensive Care Unit. The actual
      treatment costs were evaluated based on current medication, equipment, and
      dressing pricing. The costs incurred by the John Paul II Hospital were then
      collated with the National Health Service (NHS) funding, assessed based on
      current financial contract. RESULTS: In most of the cases, the actual treatment
      cost was greater than the funding received by around 10000 PLN per patient. The
      positive financial balance was achieved in only 4 (14%) individuals; other 25
      cases (86%) showed a financial loss. CONCLUSION: Performed analysis clearly shows
      that hospitals undertaking ECR may experience financial loss due to
      implementation of effective treatment recommended by international guidelines.
      Thanks to new NHS funding policy since January 2017 such loss can be avoided,
      what shall encourage hospitals to perform this expensive, yet effective method of
      treatment.

PMID- 28643324
TI  - Factors predicting the identification of new organisms in follow-up blood
      cultures drawn during episodes of neutropenic sepsis.

PMID- 28643323
TI  - Favourable outcomes of poor prognosis diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients
      treated with dose-dense Rituximab, high-dose Methotrexate and six cycles of CHOP
      14 compared to first-line autologous transplantation.
AB  - The optimal therapeutic approach for young diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
      patients with high-intermediate and high-risk age-adjusted international
      prognostic index (aaIPI) remains unknown. Hereby we report a 10-year single
      centre study of 63 consecutively treated patients. To optimize outcome, two
      approaches were carried out: Cohort 1 patients received four cycles R-CHOP-21
      (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone over 21
      days) followed by first-line high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell
      support (HDCT-ASCT), resulting in 2-year progression-free (PFS) and overall
      survival (OS) of 60.6% and 67.9%. 39.4% of those patients were not transplanted
      upfront, mainly due to early progressive disease (24.2%). Cohort 2 patients
      received an early intensified protocol of six cycles of CHOP-14
      (cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone over 14 days) with
      dose-dense rituximab and high-dose methotrexate resulting in promising overall
      response- (93.3%) and complete remission (90%) rates and sustained survival (2
      year PFS and OS: 93.3%). In an intention-to-treat analysis, 2-year PFS (60.6% vs.
      93.3%, hazard ratio [HR] 7.2, P = 0.009) and OS (69.7% vs. 93.3%, HR 4.95, P =
      0.038) differed significantly, in favour of the early intensified protocol
      (Cohort 2). In a multivariate Cox-regression model, PFS (HR 8.12, 95% confidence
      interval [CI] 1.83-35.9, P = 0.006) and OS (HR 5.86, 95% CI 1.28-26.8, P = 0.02)
      remained superior for Cohort 2 when adjusted for aaIPI3 as the most important
      prognostic factor. Survival of young poor-prognosis DLBCL patients appears
      superior after early therapy intensification.

PMID- 28643325
TI  - Surface expression of anti-CD3scfv stimulates locoregional immunotherapy against
      hepatocellular carcinoma depending on the E1A-engineered human umbilical cord
      mesenchymal stem cells.
AB  - Tumor antigens is at the core of cancer immunotherapy, however, the ideal antigen
      selection is difficult especially in poorly immunogenic tumors. In this study, we
      designed a strategy to modify hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by surface
      expressing anti-CD3scfv within the tumor site strictly, which depended on the E1A
      engineered human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSC.E1A) delivery
      system. Subsequently, membrane-bound anti-CD3scfv actived the lymphocytes which
      lysed HCC cells bypassing the expression of antigens or MHC restriction. First,
      we constructed the anti-CD3scfv gene driven by human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
      promoter into an adenoviral vector and the E1A gene into the lentiviral vector.
      Our results showed that anti-CD3scfv could specifically express on the surface of
      HCC cells and activate the lymphocytes to kill target cells effectively in vitro.
      HUMSC infected by AdCD3scfv followed by LentiR.E1A could support the adenoviral
      replication and packaging in vitro 36 h after LentiR.E1A infection. Using a
      subcutaneous HepG2 xenograft model, we confirmed that AdCD3scfv and LentiR.E1A co
      transfected HUMSC could migrate selectively to the tumor site and produce
      considerable adenoviruses. The new generated AdCD3scfv infected and modified
      tumor cells successfully. Mice injected with the MSC.E1A.AdCD3scfv and
      lymphocytes significantly inhibited the tumor growth compared with control
      groups. Furthermore, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) could sensitize adenovirus infection
      at low MOI resulting in improved lymphocytes cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo.
      In summary, this study provides a promising strategy for solid tumor
      immunotherapy.

PMID- 28643326
TI  - Pseudo-grey platelet syndrome in a pregnant patient.

PMID- 28643327
TI  - Predictive factors for short- and long-term hearing preservation in cochlear
      implantation with conventional-length electrodes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The aims of this study were to investigate short- and long
      term rates of hearing preservation after cochlear implantation and identify
      factors that impact hearing preservation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review.
      METHODS: Patients undergoing cochlear implantation with conventional-length
      electrodes and air-conduction thresholds <=80 dB HL at 250 Hz preoperatively were
      included. Hearing preservation was defined as air-conduction thresholds <=80 dB
      HL at 250 Hz. RESULTS: The sample included 196 patients (225 implants). Overall,
      the rate of short-term hearing preservation was 38% (84/225), with 18% (33/188)
      of patients preserving hearing long term. Multivariate analysis showed better
      preoperative hearing was predictive of hearing preservation at short (odds ratio
      [OR]: 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-0.95, P < .001) and long-term
      follow-up (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.97, P < .001). Lateral wall electrodes and
      mid-scala electrodes had 3.4 (95% CI: 1.4-8.6, P = .009) and 5.6-times (95% CI:
      1.8-17.3, P = .003) higher odds of hearing preservation than perimodiolar arrays
      at short-term follow-up, respectively. Long-term data revealed better hearing
      preservation for lateral wall (OR: 7.6, 95% CI: 1.6-36.1, P = .01), but not mid
      scala (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 0.4-23.1, P = .28), when compared to perimodiolar
      electrodes. Round window/extended round window (RW/ERW) approaches were
      associated with higher rates of long-term hearing preservation (21%) than
      cochleostomy approaches (0%) (P = 0.002) on univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Better preoperative residual hearing, lateral wall electrodes, and RW/ERW
      approaches are predictive of higher rates of long-term functional hearing
      preservation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 128:482-489, 2018.

PMID- 28643329
TI  - Analgesic Plasma Concentrations of Oxycodone After Surgery for Breast Cancer
      Which Factors Matter?
AB  - We investigated factors affecting analgesic oxycodone concentrations after breast
      cancer surgery in 1,000 women. Preoperatively, we studied heat and cold pain
      sensitivities and anxiety scores. Postoperatively, rest and motion pain
      intensities were measured and intravenous oxycodone was administered until
      satisfactory analgesia. At this point, the mean oxycodone concentration
      (variation coefficient) was 33.3 ng/mL (66%) and it was 21.7 ng/mL (69%) when the
      patient requested oxycodone again. At both time points, the concentrations varied
      >100-fold between individuals. The analgesic oxycodone concentration was
      increased by 21.3% per motion pain intensity score on a 0-10 scale and by 22.3%
      if axillary clearance was performed instead of sentinel node biopsy (P < 0.001).
      Forty-seven women who were older and less anxious than others (P < 0.01) required
      no oxycodone. Anxiety, age, chronic pain, or preoperative pain sensitivity were
      not independently associated with the analgesic oxycodone concentration. CYP2D6
      and CYP3A genotypes did not affect analgesic concentration or duration of
      analgesia.

PMID- 28643328
TI  - Drug Repurposing by Simulating Flow Through Protein-Protein Interaction Networks.
AB  - As drug development is extremely expensive, the identification of novel
      indications for in-market drugs is financially attractive. Multiple algorithms
      are used to support such drug repurposing, but highly reliable methods combining
      simulation of intracellular networks and machine learning are currently not
      available. We developed an algorithm that simulates drug effects on the flow of
      information through protein-protein interaction networks, and used support vector
      machine to identify potentially effective drugs in our model disease, psoriasis.
      Using this method, we screened about 1,500 marketed and investigational
      substances, identified 51 drugs that were potentially effective, and selected
      three of them for experimental confirmation. All drugs inhibited tumor necrosis
      factor alpha-induced nuclear factor kappa B activity in vitro, suggesting they
      might be effective for treating psoriasis in humans. Additionally, these drugs
      significantly inhibited imiquimod-induced ear thickening and inflammation in the
      mouse model of the disease. All results suggest high prediction performance for
      the algorithm.

PMID- 28643331
TI  - Treatment With Antipsychotics in Pregnancy: Changes in Drug Disposition.
AB  - Although pregnancy is known to cause changes in drug pharmacokinetics, little is
      known about its impact on serum levels of antipsychotics. In this study we
      retrospectively assessed 201 routine serum antipsychotic therapeutic drug
      monitoring concentration measurements obtained from a total of 110 pregnancies in
      103 women, and 512 measurements from the same women before and after pregnancy.
      Serum concentrations in the third trimester were significantly lower than
      baseline for quetiapine (-76%; confidence interval (CI), -83%, -66%; P < 0.001)
      and aripiprazole (-52%; CI, -62%, -39%; P < 0.001), but not for olanzapine (-9%;
      CI, -28%, +14%; P = 0.40). For the remaining antipsychotics (perphenazine,
      haloperidol, ziprasidone, risperidone, and clozapine), our dataset was limited,
      but it indicates that concentrations may decline at least for perphenazine and
      possibly also for haloperidol. Even though the clinical consequence of the serum
      concentrations decline remains to be elucidated, our results warrant close
      clinical monitoring throughout pregnancy, preferentially supported by therapeutic
      drug monitoring.

PMID- 28643333
TI  - Allograft transmission of hepatitis C during the window period: Weighing the new
      risks and costs in the era of donor shortage.

PMID- 28643330
TI  - MUC1-C is a target in lenalidomide resistant multiple myeloma.
AB  - Lenalidomide (LEN) acts directly on multiple myeloma (MM) cells by inducing
      cereblon-mediated degradation of interferon regulatory factor 4, Ikaros (IKZF)1
      and IKZF3, transcription factors that are essential for MM cell survival. The
      mucin 1 (MUC1) C-terminal transmembrane subunit (MUC1-C) oncoprotein is
      aberrantly expressed by MM cells and protects against reactive oxygen species
      (ROS)-mediated MM cell death. The present studies demonstrate that targeting MUC1
      C with GO-203, a cell-penetrating peptide inhibitor of MUC1-C homodimerization,
      is more than additive with LEN in downregulating the WNT/beta-catenin pathway,
      suppressing MYC, and inducing late apoptosis/necrosis. We show that the GO
      203/LEN combination acts by synergistically increasing ROS and, in turn,
      suppressing beta-catenin. LEN resistance has been linked to activation of the
      WNT/beta-catenin->CD44 pathway. In this regard, our results further demonstrate
      that targeting MUC1-C is effective against LEN-resistant MM cells. Moreover, GO
      203 resensitized LEN-resistant MM cells to LEN treatment in association with
      suppression of beta-catenin and CD44. Targeting MUC1-C also resulted in
      downregulation of CD44 on the surface of primary MM cells. These findings, and
      the demonstration that expression of MUC1 and CD44 significantly correlate in
      microarrays from primary MM cells, provide support for combining GO-203 with LEN
      in the treatment of MM and in LEN-resistance.

PMID- 28643332
TI  - Integrative eQTL analysis of tumor and host omics data in individuals with
      bladder cancer.
AB  - Integrative analyses of several omics data are emerging. The data are usually
      generated from the same source material (i.e., tumor sample) representing one
      level of regulation. However, integrating different regulatory levels (i.e.,
      blood) with those from tumor may also reveal important knowledge about the human
      genetic architecture. To model this multilevel structure, an integrative
      expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis applying two-stage regression
      (2SR) was proposed. This approach first regressed tumor gene expression levels
      with tumor markers and the adjusted residuals from the previous model were then
      regressed with the germline genotypes measured in blood. Previously, we
      demonstrated that penalized regression methods in combination with a permutation
      based MaxT method (Global-LASSO) is a promising tool to fix some of the
      challenges that high-throughput omics data analysis imposes. Here, we assessed
      whether Global-LASSO can also be applied when tumor and blood omics data are
      integrated. We further compared our strategy with two 2SR-approaches, one using
      multiple linear regression (2SR-MLR) and other using LASSO (2SR-LASSO). We
      applied the three models to integrate genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic
      data from tumor tissue with blood germline genotypes from 181 individuals with
      bladder cancer included in the TCGA Consortium. Global-LASSO provided a larger
      list of eQTLs than the 2SR methods, identified a previously reported eQTLs in
      prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), and provided further clues on the complexity
      of APBEC3B loci, with a minimal false-positive rate not achieved by 2SR-MLR. It
      also represents an important contribution for omics integrative analysis because
      it is easy to apply and adaptable to any type of data.

PMID- 28643335
TI  - A Review of Hemolysis Prediction Models for Computational Fluid Dynamics.
AB  - Flow-induced hemolysis is a crucial issue for many biomedical applications; in
      particular, it is an essential issue for the development of blood-transporting
      devices such as left ventricular assist devices, and other types of blood pumps.
      In order to estimate red blood cell (RBC) damage in blood flows, many models have
      been proposed in the past. Most models have been validated by their respective
      authors. However, the accuracy and the validity range of these models remains
      unclear. In this work, the most established hemolysis models compatible with
      computational fluid dynamics of full-scale devices are described and assessed by
      comparing two selected reference experiments: a simple rheometric flow and a more
      complex hemodialytic flow through a needle. The quantitative comparisons show
      very large deviations concerning hemolysis predictions, depending on the model
      and model parameter. In light of the current results, two simple power-law models
      deliver the best compromise between computational efficiency and obtained
      accuracy. Finally, hemolysis has been computed in an axial blood pump. The
      reconstructed geometry of a HeartMate II shows that hemolysis occurs mainly at
      the tip and leading edge of the rotor blades, as well as at the leading edge of
      the diffusor vanes.

PMID- 28643334
TI  - Gastric cancer-derived exosomes promote peritoneal metastasis by destroying the
      mesothelial barrier.
AB  - An intact mesothelium serves as a protective barrier to inhibit peritoneal
      carcinomatosis. Cancer-derived exosomes can mediate directional tumor metastasis;
      however, little is known about whether gastric cancer-derived exosomes will
      destroy the mesothelial barrier and promote peritoneal dissemination. Here, we
      demonstrate that gastric cancer-derived exosomes facilitate peritoneal metastasis
      by causing mesothelial barrier disruption and peritoneal fibrosis. Injury of
      peritoneal mesothelial cells elicited by gastric cancer-derived exosomes is
      through concurrent apoptosis and mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT).
      Additionally, upregulation of p-ERK in peritoneal mesothelial cells is primarily
      responsible for the MMT while contributing little to apoptosis. Together, these
      data support the concept that exosomes play a crucial role in remodeling the
      premetastatic microenvironment and identify a novel mechanism for peritoneal
      metastasis of gastric carcinoma.

PMID- 28643336
TI  - Tokindo S. Okada.

PMID- 28643337
TI  - Preface to Vertebrate Brains: evolution, structures and functions.

PMID- 28643338
TI  - Tokindo S. Okada.

PMID- 28643340
TI  - Trans-endoscopic diode laser fenestration of equine conchae via contralateral
      nostril approach.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe and report preliminary outcomes of a contralateral trans
      nasal endoscopic laser fenestration of the conchae for endoscopic examination and
      treatment of paranasal sinuses in horses. STUDY DESIGN: Cadaveric experimental
      and prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: Normal cadaveric equine heads (n = 7)
      and equine patients (horses n = 7, donkey n = 1) diagnosed with sinusitis.
      METHODS: Ex vivo: a video-endoscope containing a diode laser fiber in the working
      canal was passed through the nostril and retroflexed in the nasopharynx toward
      the contralateral conchae. Ventral or dorsal conchae were fenestrated. Duration
      of surgery, laser energy, visualization quality, and feasibility of sinoscopy
      through the fenestrations were recorded. In vivo: sinus drainage, sinoscopy 24
      hours postoperatively, stoma persistence, and clinical results after 3 months
      were evaluated in 8 patients. RESULTS: Fenestrations were performed in 8 dorsal
      conchae (6 cadavers, 2 patients), 10 ventral conchae (5 cadavers, 5 patients),
      and 1 dorsal conchal bulla (1 patient). Visualization was good in 6 patients and
      affected by bleeding in 2 patients. Drainage through the fenestrations was
      observed in all patients. Trans-nasal sinoscopy was possible in all cadavers and
      in 6 out of 8 patients. Masses inside the sinuses precluded sinoscopy in 2
      patients. Stomata persisted until discharge of the patients (mean of 14 days).
      Clinical signs improved in 6/8 patients. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic approach
      reported here provides good visualization during the trans-endoscopic laser
      fenestration of the conchae. The fenestrations may allow a trans-nasal sinoscopic
      examination and treatment in selected cases of sinusitis in horses.

PMID- 28643339
TI  - Ruptured ventricular septum dissection into the right ventricle.

PMID- 28643341
TI  - In vivo attraction of myeloma cells by renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 28643342
TI  - Progress and policy implication of the Insurance Programs for Catastrophic
      Diseases in China.
AB  - The State Council encouraged the involvement of commercial insurance companies
      (CICs) in the development of the Insurance Program for Catastrophic Diseases
      (IPCD), yet its implementation has rarely been reported. We collected literature
      and policy documentation and conducted interviews in 10 cities with innovative
      IPCD policies to understand the details of the implementation of IPCD. IPCDs are
      operated at the prefectural level in 14 provinces, while in 4 municipalities and
      6 provinces, unified IPCDs have been implemented at higher levels. The
      contribution level varied from 5% to 10% of total Basic Medical Insurance (BMI)
      funds or CNY10-35 per beneficiary in 2015. IPCD provides an additional 50% to 70%
      reimbursement rate for the expenses not covered by BMI with various settings in
      different locations. Two models of CIC operation of IPCD have been identified
      according to the financial risks shared by CICs. Either the local department of
      Human Resources and Social Security or a third party performs assessments of the
      IPCD operation, service quality, and patients' satisfaction. A number of IPCDs
      have been observed to use 1% to 5% of the funds as a performance-based payment to
      the CIC(s). CIC involvement in operating the IPCD raises concerns regarding the
      security of the information of beneficiaries. Developing appropriate data sharing
      mechanisms between the local department of Human Resources and Social Security
      and CICs is still in progress. In conclusion, the IPCD relieves the financial
      burden on patients by providing further reimbursement, but its benefit package
      remains limited to the BMI reimbursable list. CICs play an important role in
      monitoring and supervising health service provision, yet their capacity for
      actuarial services or risk control is underdeveloped.

PMID- 28643344
TI  - Optimization and transferability of non-electrostatic repulsion in the
      polarizable density embedding model.
AB  - Embedding techniques in combination with response theory represent a successful
      approach to calculate molecular properties and excited states in large molecular
      systems such as solutions and proteins. Recently, the polarizable embedding model
      has been extended by introducing explicit electronic densities of the molecules
      in the nearest environment, resulting in the polarizable density embedding (PDE)
      model. This improvement provides a better description of the intermolecular
      interactions at short distances. However, the electronic densities of the
      environment molecules are calculated in isolation, which results in
      overestimation of the non-electrostatic repulsion, thereby requiring a scaling of
      this term. In this work, an optimal scaling factor for the non-electrostatic
      repulsion term is examined by comparing intermolecular interaction energies
      obtained with embedding techniques to reference interaction energies calculated
      on the basis of full quantum-mechanical calculations. The obtained optimal
      factors are used in PDE calculations of various ground- and excited-state
      properties of molecules embedded in solvents described as polarizable
      environments. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643343
TI  - Alpha/beta-hydrolases: A unique structural motif coordinates catalytic acid
      residue in 40 protein fold families.
AB  - The alpha/beta-hydrolases are a family of acid-base-nucleophile catalytic triad
      enzymes with a common fold, but using a wide variety of substrates, having
      different pH optima, catalyzing unique catalytic reactions and often showing
      improved chemical and thermo stability. The ABH enzymes are prime targets for
      protein engineering. Here, we have classified active sites from 51 representative
      members of 40 structural ABH fold families into eight distinct conserved
      geometries. We demonstrate the occurrence of a common structural motif, the
      catalytic acid zone, at the catalytic triad acid turn. We show that binding of an
      external ligand does not change the structure of the catalytic acid zone and both
      the ligand-free and ligand-bound forms of the protein belong to the same
      catalytic acid zone subgroup. We also show that the catalytic acid zone
      coordinates the position of the catalytic histidine loop directly above its
      plane, and consequently, fixes the catalytic histidine in a proper position near
      the catalytic acid. Finally, we demonstrate that the catalytic acid zone plays a
      key role in multi-subunit complex formation in ABH enzymes, and is involved in
      interactions with other proteins. As a result, we speculate that each of the
      catalytic triad residues has its own supporting structural scaffold, similar to
      the catalytic acid zone, described above, which together form the extended
      catalytic triad motif. Each scaffold coordinates the function of its respective
      catalytic residue, and can even compensate for the loss of protein function, if
      the catalytic amino acid is mutated.

PMID- 28643345
TI  - Mitochondrial dynamics in the regulation of neurogenesis: From development to the
      adult brain.
AB  - Mitochondria are classically known to be the cellular energy producers, but a
      renewed appreciation for these organelles has developed with the accumulating
      discoveries of additional functions. The importance of mitochondria within the
      brain has been long known, particularly given the high-energy demanding nature of
      neurons. The energy demands imposed by neurons require the well-orchestrated
      morphological adaptation and distribution of mitochondria. Recent studies now
      reveal the importance of mitochondrial dynamics not only in mature neurons but
      also during neural development, particularly during the process of neurogenesis
      and neural stem cell fate decisions. In this review, we will highlight the recent
      findings that illustrate the importance of mitochondrial dynamics in
      neurodevelopment and neural stem cell function. Developmental Dynamics 247:47-53,
      2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643346
TI  - Red blood cells free alpha-haemoglobin pool: a biomarker to monitor the beta
      thalassemia intermedia variability. The ALPHAPOOL study.
AB  - The severity of beta-thalassaemia (beta-thal) intermedia is mainly correlated to
      the degree of imbalanced alpha/non alpha-globin chain synthesis. The phenotypic
      diversity of beta-thal depends on this imbalance and reflects all possible
      combinations of alpha- and beta-globin genotypes, levels of fetal haemoglobin
      (HbF) and co-inheritance of other modulating factors. This study aimed to
      demonstrate the validity of a new surrogate of alpha/non alpha-globin
      biosynthetic ratio by measuring the soluble alpha-Hb pool in lysed red blood
      cells. Our results confirm that the alpha-Hb pool measurement allows a good
      discrimination between beta-thal intermedia patients, controls and alpha-thal
      patients (P < 0.003). Receiver operator characteristic analyses revealed an area
      under the curve of 0.978 for the alpha-Hb pool measurement at a threshold of 120
      ng free alpha-Hb/mg of total Hb/ml of haemolysate (ppm) with a sensitivity and
      specificity of 86% and 100%, respectively, to discriminate between beta-thal and
      not beta-thal subjects. Significant correlations were observed between the alpha
      Hb pool and biological parameters of beta-thal, the most significant association
      being observed with red cell hexokinase activity. This study indicates that the
      alpha-Hb pool could be a new marker for assistance in diagnostic orientation of
      beta-thal intermedia patients and may be clinically useful for monitoring the
      evolution of the disequilibrium of globin synthesis in response to treatments.

PMID- 28643347
TI  - Off-resonance based assessment of metallic wear debris near total hip
      arthroplasty.
AB  - PURPOSE: The presence of metallic debris near total hip arthroplasty can have a
      significant impact on longitudinal patient management. Methods for magnetic
      resonance imaging-based quantification of metallic debris near painful total hip
      replacements are described and applied to cohorts of symptomatic and control
      subject cases. METHODS: A combination of metal artifact reduction, off-resonance
      mapping, off-resonance background removal, and spatial clustering methods are
      utilized to quantify off-resonance signatures in cases of suspected metallosis.
      These methods are applied to a cohort of symptomatic hip arthroplasties composed
      of cobalt-chromium alloys. Magnetostatic simulations and theoretical principles
      are used to illuminate the potential sources of the measured off-resonance
      effects. Reported metrics from histological tissue assays extracted during
      surgical revision procedures are also correlated with the proposed magnetic
      resonance imaging-based quantification results. RESULTS: The presented methods
      identified quantifiable metallosis signatures in more than 70% of the symptomatic
      and none of the control cases. Preliminary correlations of the MR data with
      direct histological evaluation of retrieved tissue samples indicate that the
      observed off-resonance effect may be related to tissue necrosis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Magnetostatic simulations, theoretical principles, and preliminary histological
      trends suggest that disassociated cobalt is the source of the observed off
      resonance signature. Magn Reson Med 79:1628-1637, 2018. (c) 2017 International
      Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28643348
TI  - The construction of a panel of serum amino acids for the identification of early
      chronic kidney disease patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Serum creatinine, urea, and cystatin-c are standardly used for the
      evaluation of renal function in the clinic. However, some patients have chronic
      kidney disease but still retain kidney function; a conventional serum index in
      these patients can be completely normal. Serum amino acid levels can reflect
      subtle changes in metabolism and are closely related to renal function. Here, we
      investigated how amino acids change as renal impairment increases. METHODS:
      Subjects were divided into three groups by renal function glomerular filtration
      rate: healthy controls, patients with chronic kidney disease with normal kidney
      function, and patients with chronic kidney disease with decreased kidney function
      group. We identified 11 amino acids of interest using LC-MS/MS on MRM (+) mode.
      RESULTS: Statistical analysis indicated that alanine (ALA), valine (VAL), and
      tyrosine (TYR) decrease with renal function impairment, whereas phenylalanine
      (PHE) and citrulline (CIT) increase. We tried to construct a diagnostic model
      utilizing a combination of amino acids capable of identifying early chronic
      kidney disease patients. The accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of the
      combining predictors were 86.9%, 84.6%, and 90.9%, respectively, which is
      superior to the reported values for serum creatinine, urea, and cystatin-c.
      CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that serum amino acid levels may supply important
      information for the early detection of chronic kidney disease. We are the first
      to establish a diagnostic model utilizing serum levels of multiple amino acids
      for the diagnosis of patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease.

PMID- 28643349
TI  - A QM/MM study of the catalytic mechanism of SAM methyltransferase RlmN from
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - RlmN is a radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzyme that catalyzes the C2
      methylation of adenosine 2503 (A2503) in 23S rRNA and adenosine 37 (A37) in
      several Escherichia coli transfer RNAs (tRNA). The catalytic reaction of RlmN is
      distinctly different from that of typical SAM-dependent methyltransferases that
      employs an SN 2 mechanism, but follows a ping-pong mechanism which involves the
      intermediate methylation of a conserved cysteine residue. Recently, the x-ray
      structure of a key intermediate in the RlmN reaction has been reported, allowing
      us to perform combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics (QM/MM)
      calculations to delineate the reaction details of RlmN at atomic level. Starting
      from the Cross-Linked RlmN C118A-tRNA complex, the possible mechanisms for both
      the formation and the resolution of the cross-linked species (IM2) have been
      illuminated. On the basis of our calculations, IM2 is formed by the attack of the
      C355-based methylene radical on the sp2 -hybridized C2 of the adenosine ring,
      corresponding to energy barrier of 14.4 kcal/mol, and the resolution of IM2 is
      confirmed to follow a radical fragmentation mechanism. The cleavage of C'-S' bond
      of mC355-A37 cross-link is in concert with the deprotonation of C2 by C118
      residue, which is the rate-limiting step with an energy barrier of 17.4 kcal/mol.
      Moreover, the cleavage of C'-S' bond of IM2 can occur independently, that is, it
      does not require the loss of an electron of IM2 and the formation of disulfide
      bond between C355 and C118 as precondition. These findings would deepen the
      understanding of the catalysis of RlmN.

PMID- 28643350
TI  - Habitual sleep and kidney function in chronic kidney disease: the Chronic Renal
      Insufficiency Cohort study.
AB  - Physiological evidence suggests that sleep modulates kidney function. Our
      objective was to examine the cross-sectional association between kidney function
      and objectively-estimated habitual sleep duration, quality and timing in a cohort
      of patients with mild to moderate chronic kidney disease. This study involved two
      US clinical centers of the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study,
      including 432 participants in a CRIC ancillary sleep study. Habitual sleep
      duration, quality and timing were measured using wrist actigraphy for 5-7 days.
      Validated sleep questionnaires assessed subjective sleep quality, daytime
      sleepiness and risk of sleep apnea. Kidney function was assessed with the
      estimated glomerular filtration rate using the Chronic Kidney Disease
      Epidemiology Collaboration equation, and the urinary protein to creatinine ratio.
      Lower estimated glomerular filtration rate was associated with shorter sleep
      duration (-1.1 mL min-1  1.73 m-2 per hour less sleep, P = 0.03), greater sleep
      fragmentation (-2.6 mL min-1  1.73 m-2 per 10% higher fragmentation, P < 0.001)
      and later timing of sleep (-0.9 mL min-1  1.73 m-2 per hour later, P = 0.05).
      Higher protein to creatinine ratio was also associated with greater sleep
      fragmentation (approximately 28% higher per 10% higher fragmentation, P < 0.001).
      Subjective sleep quality, sleepiness and persistent snoring were not associated
      with estimated glomerular filtration rate or protein to creatinine ratio. Thus,
      worse objective sleep quality was associated with lower estimated glomerular
      filtration rate and higher protein to creatinine ratio. Shorter sleep duration
      and later sleep timing were also associated with lower estimated glomerular
      filtration rate. Physicians treating patients with chronic kidney disease should
      consider inquiring about sleep and possibly sending for clinical sleep
      assessment. Longitudinal and interventional trials are needed to understand
      causal direction.

PMID- 28643351
TI  - Quality specifications of routine clinical chemistry methods based on sigma
      metrics in performance evaluation.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Sigma metrics were applied to evaluate the performance of 20
      routine chemistry assays, and individual quality control criteria were
      established based on the sigma values of different assays. METHODS: Precisions
      were expressed as the average coefficient variations (CVs) of long-term two-level
      chemistry controls. The biases of the 20 assays were obtained from the results of
      trueness programs organized by National Center for Clinical Laboratories (NCCL,
      China) in 2016. Four different allowable total error (TEa) targets were chosen
      from biological variation (minimum, desirable, optimal), Clinical Laboratory
      Improvements Amendments (CLIA, US), Analytical Quality Specification for Routine
      Analytes in Clinical Chemistry (WS/T 403-2012, China) and the National
      Cholesterol Education Program (NECP). RESULTS: The sigma values from different
      TEa targets varied. The TEa targets for ALT, AMY, Ca, CHOL, CK, Crea, GGT, K,
      LDH, Mg, Na, TG, TP, UA and Urea were chosen from WS/T 403-2012; the targets for
      ALP, AST and GLU were chosen from CLIA; the target for K was chosen from
      desirable biological variation; and the targets for HDL and LDL were chosen from
      the NECP. Individual quality criteria were established based on different sigma
      values. CONCLUSIONS: Sigma metrics are an optimal tool to evaluate the
      performance of different assays. An assay with a high value could use a simple
      internal quality control rule, while an assay with a low value should be
      monitored strictly.

PMID- 28643352
TI  - Cesium's Off-the-Map Valence Orbital.
AB  - The Td -symmetric [CsO4 ]+ ion, featuring Cs in an oxidation state of 9, is
      computed to be a minimum. Cs uses outer core 5s and 5p orbitals to bind the
      oxygen atoms. The valence Cs 6s orbital lies too high to be involved in bonding,
      and contributes to Rydberg levels only. From a molecular orbital perspective, the
      bonding scheme is reminiscent of XeO4 : an octet of electrons to bind
      electronegative ligands, and no low-lying acceptor orbitals on the central atom.
      In this sense, Cs+ resembles hypervalent Xe.

PMID- 28643353
TI  - Multistructural microiteration technique for geometry optimization and reaction
      path calculation in large systems.
AB  - We propose a multistructural microiteration (MSM) method for geometry
      optimization and reaction path calculation in large systems. MSM is a simple
      extension of the geometrical microiteration technique. In conventional
      microiteration, the structure of the non-reaction-center (surrounding) part is
      optimized by fixing atoms in the reaction-center part before displacements of the
      reaction-center atoms. In this method, the surrounding part is described as the
      weighted sum of multiple surrounding structures that are independently optimized.
      Then, geometric displacements of the reaction-center atoms are performed in the
      mean field generated by the weighted sum of the surrounding parts. MSM was
      combined with the QM/MM-ONIOM method and applied to chemical reactions in aqueous
      solution or enzyme. In all three cases, MSM gave lower reaction energy profiles
      than the QM/MM-ONIOM-microiteration method over the entire reaction paths with
      comparable computational costs. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643355
TI  - Ultra-short echo time images quantify high liver iron.
AB  - PURPOSE: 1.5T gradient echo-based R2* estimates are standard-of-care for
      assessing liver iron concentration (LIC). Despite growing popularity of 3T, echo
      time (TE) limitations prevent 3T liver iron quantitation in the upper half of the
      clinical range (LIC ?20 mg/g). In this work, a 3D radial pulse sequence was
      assessed to double the dynamic range of 3T LIC estimates. THEORY AND METHODS: The
      minimum TE limits the dynamic range of pulse sequences to estimate R2*. 23
      chronically-transfused human volunteers were imaged with 1.5T Cartesian gradient
      echo (1.5T-GRE), 3T Cartesian gradient echo (3T-GRE), and 3T ultrashort TE radial
      (3T-UTE) pulse sequences; minimum TEs were 0.96, 0.76, and 0.19 ms, respectively.
      R2* was estimated with an exponential signal model, normalized to 1.5T
      equivalents, and converted to LIC. Bland-Altman analysis compared 3T-based
      estimates to 1.5T-GRE. RESULTS: LIC by 3T-GRE was unbiased versus 1.5T-GRE for
      LIC <= 25 mg/g (sd = 9.6%); 3T-GRE failed to quantify LIC > 25 mg/g. At high iron
      loads, 3T-UTE was unbiased (sd = 14.5%) compared to 1.5T-GRE. Further, 3T-UTE
      estimated LIC up to 50 mg/g, exceeding 1.5T-GRE limits. CONCLUSION: 3T-UTE
      imaging can reliably estimate high liver iron burdens. In conjunction with 3T
      GRE, 3T-UTE allows clinical LIC estimation across a wide range of liver iron
      loads. Magn Reson Med 79:1579-1585, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for
      Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28643354
TI  - Diffusion MRI microstructure models with in vivo human brain Connectome data:
      results from a multi-group comparison.
AB  - A large number of mathematical models have been proposed to describe the measured
      signal in diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However,
      model comparison to date focuses only on specific subclasses, e.g. compartment
      models or signal models, and little or no information is available in the
      literature on how performance varies among the different types of models. To
      address this deficiency, we organized the 'White Matter Modeling Challenge'
      during the International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI) 2015 conference.
      This competition aimed to compare a range of different kinds of models in their
      ability to explain a large range of measurable in vivo DW human brain data.
      Specifically, we assessed the ability of models to predict the DW signal
      accurately for new diffusion gradients and b values. We did not evaluate the
      accuracy of estimated model parameters, as a ground truth is hard to obtain. We
      used the Connectome scanner at the Massachusetts General Hospital, using gradient
      strengths of up to 300 mT/m and a broad set of diffusion times. We focused on
      assessing the DW signal prediction in two regions: the genu in the corpus
      callosum, where the fibres are relatively straight and parallel, and the fornix,
      where the configuration of fibres is more complex. The challenge participants had
      access to three-quarters of the dataset and their models were ranked on their
      ability to predict the remaining unseen quarter of the data. The challenge
      provided a unique opportunity for a quantitative comparison of diverse methods
      from multiple groups worldwide. The comparison of the challenge entries reveals
      interesting trends that could potentially influence the next generation of
      diffusion-based quantitative MRI techniques. The first is that signal models do
      not necessarily outperform tissue models; in fact, of those tested, tissue models
      rank highest on average. The second is that assuming a non-Gaussian (rather than
      purely Gaussian) noise model provides little improvement in prediction of unseen
      data, although it is possible that this may still have a beneficial effect on
      estimated parameter values. The third is that preprocessing the training data,
      here by omitting signal outliers, and using signal-predicting strategies, such as
      bootstrapping or cross-validation, could benefit the model fitting. The analysis
      in this study provides a benchmark for other models and the data remain available
      to build up a more complete comparison in the future.

PMID- 28643356
TI  - Bimagrumab improves body composition and insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant
      individuals.
AB  - AIM: To test the hypothesis that an improving body composition in insulin
      resistant individuals could enhance insulin sensitivity. METHODS: A total of 16
      people with a mean body mass index of 29.3 kg/m2 and insulin resistance, received
      a single dose of bimagrumab or placebo and were assessed at week 10 for insulin
      sensitivity, using a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp and an intravenous
      glucose tolerance test (IVGTT), and for body composition using dual energy X-ray
      absorptiometry and positron-emission tomography. RESULTS: Bimagrumab increased
      lean mass by 2.7% (P < .05) and reduced fat mass by 7.9% (P = .011) at week 10
      compared with placebo, and had a neutral effect on body weight. Bimagrumab
      reduced glycated haemoglobin by 0.21% at week 18 (P < .001) and improved insulin
      sensitivity by ~20% (according to the clamp) to ~40% (according to the IVGTT).
      CONCLUSION: Taking the observed changes together, and given that these occurred
      without accompanying dietary intervention and without any prescribed regular
      physical exercise, bimagrumab may offer a novel approach for the treatment of the
      metabolic complications of obesity.

PMID- 28643358
TI  - Maximizing functional axon repair in the injured central nervous system: Lessons
      from neuronal development.
AB  - The failure of damaged axons to regrow underlies disability in central nervous
      system injury and disease. Therapies that stimulate axon repair will be critical
      to restore function. Extensive axon regeneration can be induced by manipulation
      of oncogenes and tumor suppressors; however, it has been difficult to translate
      this into functional recovery in models of spinal cord injury. The current
      challenge is to maximize the functional integration of regenerating axons to
      recover motor and sensory behaviors. Insights into axonal growth and wiring
      during nervous system development are helping guide new approaches to boost
      regeneration and functional connectivity after injury in the mature nervous
      system. Here we discuss our current understanding of axonal behavior after injury
      and prospects for the development of drugs to optimize axon regeneration and
      functional recovery after CNS injury. Developmental Dynamics 247:18-23, 2018. (c)
      2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643357
TI  - NUT carcinoma in children and adults: A multicenter retrospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nuclear protein of the testis (NUT) carcinoma (formerly NUT midline
      carcinoma) is an aggressive tumor defined by the presence of NUT rearrangement
      with a poor prognosis. This rare cancer is underdiagnosed and poorly treated.
      OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to describe the clinical,
      radiologic, and biological features of NUT carcinoma. The secondary objective was
      to describe the various treatments and assess their efficacy. METHODS: This
      retrospective multicenter study was based on review of the medical records of
      children and adults with NUT carcinoma with specific rearrangement or positive
      anti-NUT nuclear staining (>50%). RESULTS: This series of 12 patients had a
      median age of 18.1 years (ranges: 12.3-49.7 years). The primary tumor was located
      in the chest in eight patients, the head and neck in three patients, and one
      patient had a multifocal tumor. Nine patients presented regional lymph node
      involvement and eight distant metastases. One-half of patients were initially
      misdiagnosed. Specific NUT antibody was positive in all cases tested. A transient
      response to chemotherapy was observed in four of 11 patients. Only two patients
      were treated by surgery and five received radiotherapy with curative intent. At
      the end of follow-up, only one patient was still in remission more than 12 years
      after the diagnosis. Median overall survival was 4.7 months (95% confidence
      interval [CI]: 2.1-17.7). CONCLUSION: NUT carcinoma is an aggressive disease
      refractory to conventional therapy. Early diagnosis by NUT-specific antibody
      immunostaining in cases of undifferentiated or poorly differentiated carcinoma to
      identify the specific rearrangement of NUT gene is useful to propose the optimal
      therapeutic strategy.

PMID- 28643359
TI  - An open 8-channel parallel transmission coil for static and dynamic 7T MRI of the
      knee and ankle joints at multiple postures.
AB  - PURPOSE: We present the initial in vivo imaging results of an open architecture
      eight-channel parallel transmission (pTx) transceive radiofrequency (RF) coil
      array that was designed and constructed for static and dynamic 7T MRI of the knee
      and ankle joints. METHODS: The pTx coil has a U-shaped dual-row configuration
      (200 mm overall length longitudinally) that allows static and dynamic imaging of
      the knee and ankle joints at various postures and during active movements. This
      coil structure, in combination with B1 shimming, allows flexible configuration of
      B1 transmit profiles, with good homogeneity over 120-mm regions of interest. This
      coil enabled high-resolution gradient echo (e.g., 3D dual-echo steady state
      [DESS] and 3D multiecho data image combination [MEDIC]) and turbo spin echo (TSE)
      imaging (e.g., with proton density weighting [PDw], PDw with fat saturation, and
      T1 and T2 weightings) with local RF energy absorption rates well below regulatory
      limits. RESULTS: High-resolution 2D and 3D image series (e.g., 0.3 mm in-plane
      resolution for TSE, 0.47 mm isotropic for DESS and MEDIC) were obtained from the
      knee and ankle joints with excellent tissue contrast. Dynamic imaging during
      continuous knee and ankle flexion-extension cycles were successfully acquired.
      CONCLUSION: The new open pTx coil array provides versatility for high-quality
      static and dynamic MRI of the knee and ankle joints at 7T. Magn Reson Med 79:1804
      1816, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28643360
TI  - A New Wrinkle in Oligoarylene Architecture.
AB  - Bowl me over! A breathtaking bowl-shaped oligoarylene has been created. The
      structure is analogous to that of corranulene, but instead of twenty sp2 
      hybridized carbon atoms, the new nanometer-sized molecule has been constructed
      using twenty 1,3,5-trisubstituted benzene rings.

PMID- 28643361
TI  - Screening for DEL phenotype in RhD negative Indians.
AB  - BACKGROUND: DEL phenotype represents a very weak form of D variant detected only
      by adsorption and elution technique. DEL phenotype individuals mistyped as RhD
      negative can lead to alloimmunization after transfusion or pregnancy. Molecular
      techniques have now been used to identify DEL variants. They are commonly
      encountered in the East Asian population with RHD(K409K) being the most frequent
      allele. RHD(M295I) is the most common DEL allele in Caucasians. As there is a
      paucity of data on DEL phenotype in the Indian population, the study aims to
      screen RhD negative individuals for two most common DEL mutations. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: EDTA blood was collected from 900 RhD negative individuals. Serological
      analysis included testing for the five major Rh antigens- C, c, D, E, and e by
      tube technique. Samples showing negative reaction for the presence of D antigen
      by Indirect Antiglobulin test were further tested for DEL phenotype by adsorption
      and elution technique. Molecular analysis involved DNA extraction and testing by
      PCR-SSP for RHD(K409K) and RHD(M295I) DEL alleles. RESULTS: Rh phenotyping showed
      153 Rh negative individuals with r'r, ten with r''r and 737 with rr phenotype.
      All the samples tested negative for RhD antigen by adsorption and elution method.
      The two common DEL mutations RHD(K409K) and RHD(M295I) were also not detected in
      the study population. CONCLUSION: The study population showed the absence of the
      two common DEL alleles, concluding the variant to be rare. A comprehensive study
      with a larger sample size to look for other DEL mutations should be performed.

PMID- 28643362
TI  - "Super-Reducing" Photocatalysis: Consecutive Energy and Electron Transfers with
      Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.
AB  - Donation welcome: Recent developments in visible-light photocatalysis allow the
      utilization of increasingly negative reduction potentials. Successive energy and
      electron transfer with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons enables the catalytic
      formation of strongly reducing arene radical anions, classical stoichiometric
      reagents for one-electron reduction in organic synthesis.

PMID- 28643363
TI  - Oral cancer screening practices of Canadian dental hygienists.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study investigates whether dental hygienists are routinely
      conducting oral cancer screenings (OCSs) as per their professional capability and
      responsibility. Factors that may mediate provision of OCSs, and ability to
      discuss sensitive topics with patients, are also examined. METHODS: A pretested
      online questionnaire was sent via national and provincial regulatory bodies to
      target practicing registered dental hygienists across Canada. Analysis was
      conducted using statistical software. RESULTS: Results of 256 surveys were
      analysed. Sixty-four per cent of dental hygienists listed an OCS as part of their
      regular process of care. Except for the initial examination, respondents were
      significantly more likely to report being responsible for the OCS than the
      dentist, P<.001. On average, intraoral components are inspected at higher
      frequencies (96%) than extraoral components (73%). Confidence in OCS technique
      was high (70%). The majority felt prepared by their education to conduct OCSs
      (60%), but those with a bachelor's degree felt more prepared than those with a
      diploma, P=.005. The average time to conduct an OCS is 4.09 minutes, with most
      agreeing there is sufficient time in an appointment (57%). Only 37% felt their
      education prepared them to discuss sensitive topics, level of education had no
      effect, P>.05. Only 43% of respondents felt confident in their human
      papillomavirus (HPV) knowledge and comfortable discussing HPV risk factors with
      patients. CONCLUSION: Dental hygienists in this study are regularly conducting
      OCSs; however, they lack comfort discussing sensitive topics such as transmission
      of oral HPV, and screenings may not be fully comprehensive.

PMID- 28643364
TI  - Development of clinical paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria in children with
      aplastic anaemia.
AB  - The clinical significance of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) in
      children with aplastic anaemia (AA) remains unclear. We retrospectively studied
      57 children with AA between 1992 and 2010. During the follow-up, five patients
      developed clinical PNH, in whom somatic PIGA mutations were detected by targeted
      sequencing. The 10-year probability of clinical PNH development was 10.2% (95%
      confidence interval, 3.6-20.7%). Furthermore, the detection of minor PNH clones
      by flow cytometry at AA diagnosis was a risk factor for the subsequent
      development of clinical PNH. These patients with PNH clones at AA diagnosis
      should undergo periodic monitoring for potential clinical PNH development.

PMID- 28643366
TI  - Inter-rater reliability of ultrasound measurements of acromion-greater tuberosity
      distance between experienced and novice raters in healthy people.

PMID- 28643367
TI  - Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Functional Giant Polymeric Vesicles Controlled by
      Oscillatory Chemistry.
AB  - We introduce a novel application of an oscillatory chemical reaction to the
      synthesis of block copolymers. The Belousov-Zhabotinsky (B-Z) reaction is coupled
      with the polymerization of an amphiphilic block copolymer. Radicals generated in
      the B-Z reaction initiate the polymerization between a polyethylene glycol (PEG)
      macroreversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer agent and butyl acrylate
      monomers. The attachment of a hydrophobic block on PEG leads to self-assembly and
      formation of spherical micelles. The nanoscale micelles transform into
      submicrometer vesicles and grow to giant vesicles as a consequence of the
      oscillatory behavior of the B-Z reaction. The one-pot synthesis of an amphiphilic
      di-block copolymer and retention of oscillatory behavior for the B-Z reaction
      with the formation of giant vesicles bring a new insight into possible pathways
      for the synthesis of active functional microreactors in the range from hundreds
      of nanometers to tens of micrometers.

PMID- 28643365
TI  - A multi-centre phase I trial of the PARP inhibitor olaparib in patients with
      relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, T-prolymphocytic leukaemia or mantle cell
      lymphoma.

PMID- 28643368
TI  - Cell lineage tracing in the retina: Could material transfer distort conclusions?
AB  - Recent studies reported the transfer of fluorescent labels between grafted and
      host cells after transplantation of photoreceptor precursor cells in the mouse
      retina. While clearly impacting the interpretation of transplantation studies in
      the retina, the potential impact of material transfer in other experimental
      paradigms using cell-specific labels remains uncertain. Here, we briefly review
      the evidence supporting material transfer in transplantation studies and discuss
      whether it might influence retinal cell lineage tracing experiments in
      developmental and regeneration studies. We also propose ways to control for the
      possible confounding occurrence of label exchange in such experiments.
      Developmental Dynamics 247:10-17, 2018. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643369
TI  - Postoperative pain and perceptions of recuperation after suture- and mesh-based
      apical sacrospinous ligament suspension.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of postoperative pain after suture- or mesh
      based sacrospinous ligament suspension (SSLS). METHODS: In a retrospective study,
      data were reviewed from patients who underwent suture- or mesh-based SSLS at a
      center in Skokie, IL, USA, between 2006 and 2011. The primary outcome was self
      reported postoperative pain scores (range 0-10) on the day of surgery (day 0) and
      1 day later (day 1). RESULTS: Overall, 90 women were included in the study: 66
      underwent mesh-based SSLS and 24 underwent suture-based SSLS. Day-0 mean pain
      score was 4.65 +/- 1.57 in the mesh group and 5.24 +/- 1.44 in the suture group
      (adjusted P=0.159). Day-1 mean pain score was 4.06 +/- 1.78 in the mesh group and
      4.31 +/- 1.21 in the suture group (adjusted P=0.596). CONCLUSION: Postoperative
      pain did not differ between patients undergoing suture-based and those undergoing
      mesh-based SSLS. These observations should be considered in preoperative
      counseling of patients.

PMID- 28643370
TI  - Developing a Natural History Progression Model for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
      Using the Six-Minute Walk Test.
AB  - The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is used as a clinical endpoint to evaluate drug
      efficacy in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) trials. A model was developed using
      digitized 6MWT data that estimated two slopes and two intercepts to characterize
      6MWT improvement during development and 6MWT decline. Mean baseline 6MWT was 362
      (+/-87) meters. The model predicted an improvement at a rate of 20 meters/year
      (95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.4-30) up until 10 years old (95% CI = 6.78
      13.1), and then a decline at a rate of 85 meters/year (95% CI = 72-98).
      Interpatient slope variability for improvement and decline were similar at 21.9
      percentage of coefficient of variation (%CV) and 23.3%CV, respectively. Model
      simulations using age demographics from a previous DMD natural history study
      could reasonably predict the trend in improvement and decline in the 6MWT. This
      model can be used to quantitate individual patient trajectories, identify
      prognostic factors for disease progression, and evaluate drug effect.

PMID- 28643371
TI  - Peer-reviewed articles on inclusive research: Do co-researchers with intellectual
      disabilities have a voice?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Inclusive research is increasingly common in intellectual
      disabilities research, but ways in which voice of co-researchers with
      intellectual disabilities is presented remain underexplored in the literature.
      MATERIALS AND METHOD: The authors conducted a literature review and analysis of
      peer-reviewed journal articles reporting on inclusive research. The aim was to
      explore the ways the voices of co-researchers with intellectual disabilities are
      represented in published peer-reviewed journal articles. RESULTS: The findings
      indicate that there are a wide range of ways in which inclusive research projects
      are reported in peer-reviewed journals. However, the experiences, views and
      opinions of co-researchers are often either absent or very selectively reported.
      CONCLUSIONS: The article concludes that although inclusive research has
      proliferated in the 21st century, more attention needs to be paid to the ways in
      which the voices of co-researchers with intellectual disabilities are heard in
      formal academic contexts. Guidelines for future practice are offered.

PMID- 28643373
TI  - Cytomegalovirus DNA is highly prevalent in the blood of patients with asthma and
      is associated with age and asthma traits.
AB  - Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG antibodies have been associated with inflammaging and
      immunosenescence. We aimed to assess the presence of CMV DNA in the blood of
      adult and elderly patients with bronchial asthma to establish potential
      association of CMV DNAemia with asthma and asthma characteristics. Eighty-five
      elderly asthmatics, 74 younger asthma patients, and 114 age-matched controls were
      recruited. The CMV DNA was detected using commercial artus assay in 10.7% of
      asthma patients, but was negative in all control individuals. The secondary assay
      identified CMV DNA in 41.5% of asthmatics and 13.3% of control subjects (P <
      .001). Presence of CMV DNA was associated with an increased risk of asthma and
      CMV DNA copy numbers correlated with some asthma traits, including respiratory
      parameters and exhaled breath nitric oxide. We conclude that CMV infection is
      associated with asthma and may contribute to the pathogenesis of asthmatic
      inflammation.

PMID- 28643375
TI  - Dried blood spot sampling of nilotinib in patients with chronic myeloid
      leukaemia: a comparison with venous blood sampling.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare nilotinib concentrations obtained by venous blood sampling
      and dried blood spot (DBS) in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). It
      was investigated how to predict nilotinib plasma levels on the basis of DBS.
      METHODS: Forty duplicate DBS and venous blood samples were collected from 20
      patients. Capillary blood was obtained by finger prick and spotted on DMPK-C
      Whatman sampling paper, simultaneously with venous blood sampling. Plasma
      concentrations were predicted from DBS concentrations using three methods: (1)
      individual and (2) mean haematocrit correction and (3) the bias between plasma
      and DBS concentrations. Results were compared using Deming regression and Bland
      Altman analysis. KEY FINDINGS: Nilotinib plasma concentrations ranged from 376 to
      2663 MUg/l. DBS concentrations ranged from 144 to 1518 MUg/l. The slope was 0.56
      (95% CI, 0.51 to 0.61) with an intercept of -41.68 MUg/l (95% CI, -93.78 to
      10.42). Mean differences between calculated and measured plasma concentrations
      were -14.3% (method 1), -14.0% (method 2) and -0.6% (method 3); differences were
      within 20% of the mean in 73%, 85% and 80% of the samples, respectively. The
      slopes were respectively 0.96 (95% CI, 0.86 to 1.06), 0.95 (95% CI, 0.86 to 1.03)
      and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.91 to 1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma concentrations of nilotinib
      could be predicted on the basis of DBS. DBS sampling to assess nilotinib
      concentrations in CML patients seems a suitable alternative for venous sampling.

PMID- 28643374
TI  - Population Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling of LY2510924 in Patients
      With Advanced Cancer.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of
      LY2510924, a potent peptide antagonist of the CXCR4 receptor, after subcutaneous
      administration in patients with advanced cancer forms and quantify LY2510924
      stimulatory effects on the mobilization of cells bearing the cluster of
      differentiation 34 (CD34) as an indirect reflection of the chemokine C-X-C motif
      ligand 12/CXCR4 axis inhibition. LY2510924 PK were best characterized by a two
      compartment model with first-order absorption and dose-dependent clearance
      predicting steady state after three daily doses and little accumulation
      (accumulation ratio <1.17). The dynamics of CD34+ cell counts were best
      characterized with a precursor model with reversible transfer from the precursor
      to the central compartment and LY2510924-driven stimulation of cell mobilization.
      Model-based simulations show that once-daily doses of 20 mg LY2510924 produce
      maximum CD34+ cell response and that peak effect typically occurs after three
      daily doses and slowly wanes over time.

PMID- 28643376
TI  - Effect of N-acetylcysteine on pain in daily life in patients with sickle cell
      disease: a randomised clinical trial.

PMID- 28643377
TI  - Randomized feasibility trial to improve hydroxyurea adherence in youth ages 10-18
      years through community health workers: The HABIT study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The main therapeutic intervention for sickle cell disease (SCD) is
      hydroxyurea (HU). The effect of HU is largely through dose-dependent induction of
      fetal hemoglobin (HbF). Poor HU adherence is common among adolescents. METHODS:
      Our 6-month, two-site pilot intervention trial, "HABIT," was led by culturally
      aligned community health workers (CHWs). CHWs performed support primarily through
      home visits, augmented by tailored text message reminders. Dyads of youth with
      SCD ages 10-18 years and a parent were enrolled. A customized HbF biomarker, the
      percentage decrease from each patients' highest historical HU-induced HbF,
      "Personal best," was used to qualify for enrollment and assess HU adherence. Two
      primary outcomes were as follows: (1) intervention feasibility and acceptability
      and (2) HU adherence measured in three ways: monthly percentage improvement
      toward HbF Personal best, proportion of days covered (PDC) by HU, and self
      report. RESULTS: Twenty-eight dyads were enrolled, of which 89% were retained.
      Feasibility and acceptability were excellent. Controlling for group assignment
      and month of intervention, the intervention group improved percentage decrease
      from Personal best by 2.3% per month during months 0-4 (P = 0.30), with similar
      improvement in adherence demonstrated using pharmacy records. Self-reported
      adherence did not correlate. Dyads viewed CHWs as supportive for learning about
      SCD and HU, living with SCD and making progress in coordinated self-management
      responsibility to support a daily HU habit. Most parents and youth appreciated
      text message HU reminders. CONCLUSIONS: The HABIT pilot intervention demonstrated
      feasibility and acceptability with promising effect toward improved medication
      adherence. Testing in a larger multisite intervention trial is warranted.

PMID- 28643378
TI  - Effects of weight-based ultrafiltration rate limits on intradialytic hypotension
      in hemodialysis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: High ultrafiltration (UF) rates can result in intradialytic
      hypotension and are associated with increased mortality. The effects of a weight
      based UF rate limit on intradialytic hypotension and the potential for unwanted
      fluid weight gain and hospitalizations for volume overload are unknown. METHODS:
      This retrospective cohort study examined 123 in-center hemodialysis patients at
      one facility who transitioned to 13 mL/kg/h maximum UF rates. Patients were
      studied for an 8 week UF rate limit exposure period and compared to the 8-week
      period immediately prior, during which the cohort served as its own historical
      control. The primary outcomes were frequency of intradialytic hypotension events
      and percentage of treatments with a hypotension event. FINDINGS: The delivered UF
      rate was lower during the exposure compared to the baseline period (mean UF rate
      7.90 +/- 4.45 mL/kg/h vs. 8.92 +/- 5.64 mL/kg/h; P = 0.0005). The risk of
      intradialytic hypotension was decreased during the exposure compared to baseline
      period (event rate per treatment 0.0569 vs. 0.0719, OR 0.78 [95% CI 0.62-1.00]; P
      = 0.0474), as was the risk of having a treatment with a hypotension event
      (percentage of treatments with event 5.2% vs. 6.8%, OR 0.75 [95% CI 0.58-0.96]; P
      = 0.0217). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that these findings were attributable
      to patients with high baseline UF rates. Statistically significant differences in
      all-cause or volume overload-related hospitalization were not observed during the
      exposure period. DISCUSSION: A weight-based UF rate limit of 13 mL/kg/h was
      associated with a decrease in the rate of intradialytic hypotension events among
      in-center hemodialysis patients.

PMID- 28643372
TI  - Fine-tuning PERK signaling for neuroprotection.
AB  - Protein translation and folding are tightly controlled processes in all cells, by
      proteostasis, an important component of which is the unfolded protein response
      (UPR). During periods of endoplasmic reticulum stress because of protein
      misfolding, the UPR activates a coordinated response in which the PERK branch
      activation restricts translation, while a variety of genes involved with protein
      folding, degradation, chaperone expression and stress responses are induced
      through signaling of the other branches. Chronic overactivation of the UPR,
      particularly the PERK branch, is observed in the brains of patients in a number
      of protein misfolding neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, and
      Parkinson's diseases and the tauopathies. Recently, numerous genetic and
      pharmacological studies in mice have demonstrated the effectiveness of inhibiting
      the UPR for eliciting therapeutic benefit and boosting memory. In particular,
      fine-tuning the level of PERK inhibition to provide neuroprotection without
      adverse side effects has emerged as a safe, effective approach. This includes the
      recent discovery of licensed drugs that can now be repurposed in clinical trials
      for new human treatments for dementia. This review provides an overview of the
      links between UPR overactivation and neurodegeneration in protein misfolding
      disorders. It discusses recent therapeutic approaches targeting this pathway,
      with a focus on treatments that fine-tune PERK signaling.

PMID- 28643379
TI  - Tuning the Inter-nanofibril Interaction To Regulate the Morphology and Function
      of Peptide/DNA Co-assembled Viral Mimics.
AB  - The ability to tune the inter-subunit interaction within the virus capsid may be
      critical to assembly and biological function. This process was extended here with
      peptide/DNA co-assembled viral mimics. The resulting co-assemblies, formed and
      stabilized by both peptide nanofibril-DNA and peptide nanofibril-nanofibril
      interactions, were tuned through hydrophobic packing interactions of the peptide
      sequences. By strengthening peptide side-chain complementarity and/or elongating
      the peptide chain (from 4 to 8 residues), we report strengthening the inter
      nanofibril interaction to create stable nanococoons that give high gene
      transfection efficacy.

PMID- 28643380
TI  - Microscopy visualisation confirms multi-species biofilms are ubiquitous in
      diabetic foot ulcers.
AB  - Increasing evidence within the literature has identified the presence of biofilms
      in chronic wounds and proposed that they contribute to delayed wound healing.
      This research aimed to investigate the presence of biofilm in diabetic foot
      ulcers (DFUs) using microscopy and molecular approaches and define if these are
      predominantly mono- or multi-species. Secondary objectives were to correlate
      wound observations against microscopy results in ascertaining if clinical cues
      are useful in detecting wound biofilm. DFU tissue specimens were obtained from 65
      subjects. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and peptide nucleic acid fluorescent
      in situ hybridisation (PNA-FISH) techniques with confocal laser scanning
      microscopy (CLSM) were used to visualise biofilm structures. Next-generation DNA
      sequencing was performed to explore the microbial diversity. Clinical cues that
      included the presence of slough, excessive exudate, a gel material on the wound
      bed that reforms quickly following debridement, poor granulation and pyocyanin
      were correlated to microscopy results. Of the 65 DFU specimens evaluated by
      microscopy, all were characterised as containing biofilm (100%, P < 0.001). The
      presence of both mono-species and multi-species biofilms within the same tissue
      sections were detected, even when DNA sequencing analysis of DFU specimens
      revealed diverse polymicrobial communities. No clinical correlations were
      identified to aid clinicians in identifying wound biofilm. Microscopy
      visualisation, when combined with molecular approaches, confirms biofilms are
      ubiquitous in DFUs and form either mono- or multi-species biofilms. Clinical cues
      to aid clinicians in detecting wound biofilm are not accurate for use in DFUs. A
      paradigm shift of managing DFUs needs to consider anti-biofilm strategies.

PMID- 28643381
TI  - Clinical association between chronic periodontitis and the leukocyte
      extravasation inhibitors developmental endothelial locus-1 and pentraxin-3.
AB  - This clinical study aimed to determine whether periodontal disease is associated
      with expression of developmental endothelial locus-1 (Del-1) and pentraxin-3 (PTX
      3), endogenous inhibitors of leukocyte extravasation in humans. Expression of
      DEL1, PTX3, interleukin-17A (IL17A), and lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1
      (LFA1) was determined, using RT-PCR and melting curve analysis, in biopsies of
      gingival tissues from 95 patients: 42 with moderate periodontitis; 40 with severe
      periodontitis; and 13 healthy controls. Relative expression of DEL1 and PTX3 was
      statistically significantly weaker in patients with periodontitis than in the
      control subjects. On the contrary, both IL17A and LFA1 showed statistically
      significant stronger expression in patients with periodontitis than in healthy
      controls. Correlation analysis, performed using Spearman's test, showed that
      expression of DEL1 was statistically significantly linked to periodontitis (rho =
      -0.103) and to age (rho = -0.134), but not to the gender of the patient, and that
      expression of PTX3 was significantly correlated with periodontitis (rho = 
      0.354). Expression of neutrophil extravasation inhibitors DEL1 and PTX3 show
      significant, but weak, association with the clinical manifestation of chronic
      periodontitis.

PMID- 28643382
TI  - Synthesis and biological evaluation of arginyl-diosgenin conjugate as a potential
      bone tissue engineering agent.
AB  - Water-soluble arginyl-diosgenin (Arg-DG) conjugate was designed, synthesized, and
      evaluated for a biological activity. The Arg-DG conjugate was characterized using
      FT-IR, 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, and HPLC-MS analyses, followed by a biological activity
      evaluation. Compared with DG, the Arg-DG conjugate showed a decreased
      cytotoxicity against L929 cells and an increased antiproliferative activity
      against hepatocellular cells. The safety of the Arg-DG conjugate was confirmed
      using the highly sensitive Alamar Blue assay, which indicated that it increased
      the cellular metabolic activity at suitable concentrations. The Arg-DG conjugate
      promoted an endothelial tube formation as well. Furthermore, the Arg-DG conjugate
      improved the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-induced osteoblastic
      differentiation with synergistic effects on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity
      and mineralization. These results suggest that the Arg-DG conjugate developed in
      this study has great potentials for biomedical applications such as bone tissue
      engineering.

PMID- 28643383
TI  - Multiecho pseudo-golden angle stack of stars thermometry with high spatial and
      temporal resolution using k-space weighted image contrast.
AB  - PURPOSE: Implement and evaluate a 3D MRI method to measure temperature changes
      with high spatial and temporal resolution and large field of view. METHODS: A
      multiecho pseudo-golden angle stack-of-stars (SOS) sequence with k-space weighted
      image contrast (KWIC) reconstruction was implemented to simultaneously measure
      multiple quantities, including temperature, initial signal magnitude M(0),
      transverse relaxation time ( T2*), and water/fat images. Respiration artifacts
      were corrected using self-navigation. KWIC artifacts were removed using a multi
      baseline library. The phases of the multiple echo images were combined to improve
      proton resonance frequency precision. Temperature precision was tested through in
      vivo breast imaging (N = 5 healthy volunteers) using both coronal and sagittal
      orientations and with focused ultrasound (FUS) heating in a pork phantom using a
      breast specific MR-guided FUS system. RESULTS: Temperature measurement precision
      was significantly improved after echo combination when compared with the no echo
      combination case (spatial average of the standard deviation through time of 0.3
      1.0 and 0.7-1.9 degrees C, respectively). Temperature measurement accuracy during
      heating was comparable to a 3D seg-EPI sequence. M(0) and T2* values showed
      temperature dependence during heating in pork adipose tissue. CONCLUSION: A self
      navigated 3D multiecho SOS sequence with dynamic KWIC reconstruction is a
      promising thermometry method that provides multiple temperature sensitive
      quantitative values. Magn Reson Med 79:1407-1419, 2018. (c) 2017 International
      Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28643384
TI  - Cytological features of medullary thyroid carcinoma in ascitic effusion.

PMID- 28643385
TI  - The effect of balloon valvuloplasty for bioprosthetic valve stenosis at pulmonary
      positions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Balloon dilatation of a bioprosthetic valve in the pulmonary position
      could be performed to delay valve replacement. We proposed to identify the long
      term effectiveness of such a procedure. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records
      of 49 patients who underwent balloon valvuloplasty between January 2000 and
      December 2015. The primary goal was to determine the time interval until the
      following surgical or catheter intervention. RESULTS: The mean age at
      bioprosthetic valve insertion was 5.7 years old, and the mean age for ballooning
      was 11.7 years. The mean interval after pulmonary valve replacement was 71.6
      months. The mean ratio of balloon size to valve size was 0.94. The pressure
      gradient through the pulmonary valve after balloon valvuloplasty was
      significantly improved (55.3 +/- 18.5 mm Hg vs 33.8 +/- 21.5 mm Hg, P < .001).
      There were no significant changes in pulmonary regurgitation and no serious
      adverse events. Patients had a mean freedom from re-intervention of 30.6 months
      after balloon valvuloplasty. The interval of freedom from re-intervention was
      affected only by the pressure gradient before balloon valvuloplasty and the
      patient age at insertion. The mean interval to re-intervention in patients with
      pressure gradients less than 48.5 mm Hg before ballooning was 46.0 months, which
      was significantly longer than for those with a higher gradient (18.7 months).
      CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of this process may depend on the pressure gradient
      before ballooning and the patient age at valve insertion. It is possible that
      earlier valvuloplasty at pressure gradient not over 48.5mm Hg may have a benefit
      to delaying re-operation.

PMID- 28643386
TI  - Risks and trends of red blood cell transfusion in obstetric patients: a
      retrospective study of 45,213 deliveries using administrative data.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transfusion data for obstetric patients are scarce. Identifying
      characteristics associated with red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) is of
      importance to better identify patients who would benefit from blood conservation
      strategies as the risk of alloimmunization from RBCT has the potential to affect
      the fetus and newborn. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective
      cohort study using hospital administrative data to identify trends and risk
      factors of RBCT in obstetric patients. Data were analyzed according to the mode
      of delivery. RESULTS: A total of 45,213 deliveries were captured between January
      1, 2007, and December 31, 2013. A higher proportion of patients undergoing
      cesarean sections (C/Ss) received an RBCT (2.3%) compared to other modes of
      delivery (0.7% for spontaneous vaginal delivery, 1.5% for instrumental delivery;
      p < 0.001). In addition, the risk of RBCT increased over the 7-year period for
      those patients undergoing C/S (relative risk [RR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval
      [CI], 1.14-2.15). An unavailable hemoglobin (Hb) level (RR, 12.94; 95% CI, 7.39
      22.66) and Hb level of 70 to 80 g/L (RR, 7.78; 95% CI = 5.21-11.60) were strongly
      associated with RBCT among women undergoing C/S. Earlier gestational age at
      induction increased the risk of RBCT across all modes of delivery. CONCLUSIONS:
      The higher frequency of RBCT for unknown and low Hb supports the need for
      predelivery patient blood management at the time of delivery. The additional risk
      factors associated with RBCT identified may be used to develop risk
      stratification tools by mode of delivery to assist in the identification of
      patients at the highest risk of requiring RBCT.

PMID- 28643387
TI  - Non-Gaussian diffusion imaging with a fractional order calculus model to predict
      response of gastrointestinal stromal tumor to second-line sunitinib therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To demonstrate the clinical value of a non-Gaussian diffusion model
      using fractional order calculus (FROC) for early prediction of the response of
      gastrointestinal stromal tumor to second-line sunitinib targeted therapy.
      METHODS: Fifteen patients underwent sunitinib treatment after imatinib
      resistance. Diffusion-weighted imaging with multiple b-values was performed
      before treatment (baseline) and 2 weeks (for early prediction of response) after
      initiating sunitinib treatment. Conventional MRI images at 12 weeks were used to
      determine the good and poor responders according to the modified Choi criteria
      for MRI. Diffusion coefficient D, fractional order parameter beta (which
      correlates to intravoxel tissue heterogeneity), and a microstructural quantity u
      were calculated using the FROC model. The FROC parameters and the longest
      diameter of the lesion, as well as their changes after 2 weeks of treatment, were
      compared between the good and poor responders. Additionally, the pretreatment
      FROC parameters were individually combined with the change in D (DeltaD) using a
      logistic regression model to evaluate response to sunitinib treatment with a
      receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Forty-two good-responding
      and 32 poor-responding lesions were identified. Significant differences were
      detected in pretreatment beta (0.67 versus 0.74, P = 0.011) and DeltaD (45.7%
      versus 12.4%, P = 0.001) between the two groups. The receiver operating
      characteristic analysis showed that DeltaD had a significantly higher predictive
      power than the tumor size change (area under the curve: 0.725 versus 0.580; 0.95
      confidence interval). When DeltaD was combined with pretreatment beta, the area
      under the curve improved to 0.843 with a predictive accuracy of 75.7% (56 of 74).
      CONCLUSIONS: The non-Gaussian FROC diffusion model showed clinical value in early
      prediction of gastrointestinal stromal tumor response to second-line sunitinib
      targeted therapy. The pretreatment FROC parameter beta can increase the
      predictive accuracy when combined with the change in diffusion coefficient during
      treatment. Magn Reson Med 79:1399-1406, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society for
      Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28643388
TI  - A Longitudinal Item Response Theory Model to Characterize Cognition Over Time in
      Elderly Subjects.
AB  - For drug development in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease,
      it is important to understand which cognitive domains carry the most information
      on the earliest signs of cognitive decline, and which subject characteristics are
      associated with a faster decline. A longitudinal Item Response Theory (IRT) model
      was developed for the Basel Study on the Elderly, in which the Consortium to
      Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease - Neuropsychological Assessment
      Battery (with additions) and the California Verbal Learning Test were measured on
      1,750 elderly subjects for up to 13.9 years. The model jointly captured the
      multifaceted nature of cognition and its longitudinal trajectory. The word list
      learning and delayed recall tasks carried the most information. Greater age at
      baseline, fewer years of education, and positive APOEE4 carrier status were
      associated with a faster cognitive decline. Longitudinal IRT modeling is a
      powerful approach for progressive diseases with multifaceted endpoints.

PMID- 28643389
TI  - Combined molecular modelling and 3D-QSAR study for understanding the inhibition
      of NQO1 by heterocyclic quinone derivatives.
AB  - A combination of three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship
      (3D-QSAR), and molecular modelling methods were used to understand the potent
      inhibitory NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) activity of a set of 52
      heterocyclic quinones. Molecular docking results indicated that some favourable
      interactions of key amino acid residues at the binding site of NQO1 with these
      quinones would be responsible for an improvement of the NQO1 activity of these
      compounds. The main interactions involved are hydrogen bond of the amino group of
      residue Tyr128, pi-stacking interactions with Phe106 and Phe178, and
      electrostatic interactions with flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADH) cofactor.
      Three models were prepared by 3D-QSAR analysis. The models derived from Model I
      and Model III, shown leave-one-out cross-validation correlation coefficients
      (q2LOO ) of .75 and .73 as well as conventional correlation coefficients (R2 ) of
      .93 and .95, respectively. In addition, the external predictive abilities of
      these models were evaluated using a test set, producing the predicted correlation
      coefficients (r2pred ) of .76 and .74, respectively. The good concordance between
      the docking results and 3D-QSAR contour maps provides helpful information about a
      rational modification of new molecules based in quinone scaffold, in order to
      design more potent NQO1 inhibitors, which would exhibit highly potent antitumor
      activity.

PMID- 28643390
TI  - Oral disorders, saliva secretion, and oral health-related quality of life in
      patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - Chemosensory function, burning sensations in the tongue (BST), halitosis, saliva
      secretion, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) were investigated in
      patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). In 31 patients with pSS and 33
      controls, olfactory and gustatory functions were evaluated. Self-reported
      complaints of dysgeusia, BST, and halitosis were recorded. Saliva secretion rates
      were measured and OHRQoL was assessed using the short-form Oral Health Impact
      Profile (OHIP-14). Patients had significantly lower olfactory (8.8 +/- 3.5 vs.
      10.7 +/- 1.2) and gustatory (18.9 +/- 7.1 vs. 25.4 +/- 4.3) scores than controls,
      and significantly more patients complained of dysgeusia (58.1% vs. 0%), BST
      (54.8% vs. 6.1%), and halitosis (41.9% vs. 0%). A significantly greater
      proportion of patients with pSS had ageusia (19% vs. 0%), hypogeusia (32% vs.
      12%), anosmia (13% vs. 0%), or hyposmia (29% vs. 9%). Significantly lower saliva
      secretion rates (ml min-1 ) were observed in patients with pSS for stimulated
      (0.62 +/- 0.40 vs. 1.57 +/- 0.71) and unstimulated (0.08 +/- 0.07 vs. 0.29 +/-
      0.17) saliva. The mean OHIP-14 score was significantly higher in patients with
      pSS (16.2 +/- 10.8 vs. 2.7 +/- 3.1) and was positively correlated with dysgeusia,
      BST, and halitosis. In conclusion, patients with pSS reported higher occurrence
      of dysgeusia, BST, and halitosis, and demonstrated relatively impaired
      chemosensory and salivary functions. The patients' poorer OHRQoL was associated
      with dysgeusia, BST, and halitosis.

PMID- 28643391
TI  - Fatal orthotopic liver transplant organ rejection induced by a checkpoint
      inhibitor in two patients with refractory, metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - Although checkpoint inhibitor therapies have demonstrated significant efficacy in
      many malignancies, they have not been well studied in patients with a history of
      solid organ transplant. We describe two patients with recurrent, refractory, and
      progressive advanced fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following
      orthotopic liver transplantation who received programmed cell death protein 1 (PD
      1) inhibitor, nivolumab, on a patient access, off-label basis. Both rapidly
      developed irreversible acute liver rejection shortly after starting therapy, and
      ultimately died. While checkpoint inhibitors clearly have tremendous potential as
      a targeted therapy, they should be avoided or used with extreme caution in the
      context of an organ transplant.

PMID- 28643392
TI  - Retroviruses and microtubule-associated motor proteins.
AB  - Retroviruses are obligate intracellular parasites of eukaryotic cells. After
      reverse transcription, the viral DNA contained in the preintegration complex is
      delivered to the nucleus of the host cell, where it integrates. Before reaching
      the nucleus, the incoming particle and the preintegration complex must travel
      throughout the cytoplasm. Likewise, the newly synthesized viral proteins and
      viral particles must transit the cytoplasm during exit. The cytoplasm is a
      crowded environment, and simple diffusion is difficult. Therefore, viruses have
      evolved to utilize the cellular mechanisms of movement through the cytoplasm,
      where microtubules are the roads, and the ATP-dependent motors dynein and kinesin
      are the vehicles for retrograde and anterograde trafficking. This review will
      focus on how different retroviruses (Mazon-Pfizer monkey virus, prototype foamy
      virus, bovine immunodeficiency virus, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and
      murine leukemia virus) have subjugated the microtubule-associated motor proteins
      for viral replication. Although there have been advances in our understanding of
      how retroviruses move along microtubules, the strategies are different among
      them. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanisms used by each retrovirus to
      functionally subvert microtubule motor proteins will provide important clues in
      the design of new antiretroviral drugs that can specifically disrupt
      intracellular viral trafficking.

PMID- 28643393
TI  - Review: Prevalence and dynamics of Helicobacter pylori infection during
      childhood.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Long-term persistent Helicobacter pylori infection has been
      associated with ulceropeptic disease and gastric cancer. Although H. pylori is
      predominantly acquired early in life, a clear understanding of infection dynamics
      during childhood has been obfuscated by the diversity of populations evaluated,
      study designs, and methods used. AIM: Update understanding of true prevalence of
      H. pylori infection during childhood, based on a critical analysis of the
      literature published in the past 5 years. METHODS: Comprehensive review and meta
      analysis of original studies published from 2011 to 2016. RESULTS: A MEDLINE(r)
      /PubMed(r) search on May 1, 2016, using the terms pylori and children, and
      subsequent exclusion, based on abstract review using predefined criteria,
      resulted in 261 citations. An Embase(r) search with the same criteria added an
      additional 8 citations. In healthy children, meta-analysis estimated an overall
      seroprevalence rate of 33% (95% CI: 27%-38%). Seven healthy cohort studies using
      noninvasive direct detection methods showed infection prevalence estimates
      ranging from 20% to 50% in children <=5 and 38% to 79% in children >5 years. The
      probability of infection persistence after a first positive sample ranged from
      49% to 95%. Model estimates of cross-sectional direct detection studies in
      asymptomatic children indicated a prevalence of 37% (95% CI: 30%-44%).
      Seroprevalence, but not direct detection rates increased with age; both decreased
      with increasing income. The model estimate based on cross-sectional studies in
      symptomatic children was 39% (95% CI: 35%-43%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of H.
      pylori infection varied widely in the studies included here; nevertheless, model
      estimates by detection type were similar, suggesting that overall, one-third of
      children worldwide are or have been infected. The few cohort and longitudinal
      studies available show variability, but most studies, show infection rates over
      30%. Rather surprisingly, overall infection prevalence in symptomatic children
      was only slightly higher, around 40%. Studies including only one positive stool
      sample should be interpreted with caution as spontaneous clearance can occur.

PMID- 28643394
TI  - Incorporating deep learning with convolutional neural networks and position
      specific scoring matrices for identifying electron transport proteins.
AB  - In several years, deep learning is a modern machine learning technique using in a
      variety of fields with state-of-the-art performance. Therefore, utilization of
      deep learning to enhance performance is also an important solution for current
      bioinformatics field. In this study, we try to use deep learning via
      convolutional neural networks and position specific scoring matrices to identify
      electron transport proteins, which is an important molecular function in
      transmembrane proteins. Our deep learning method can approach a precise model for
      identifying of electron transport proteins with achieved sensitivity of 80.3%,
      specificity of 94.4%, and accuracy of 92.3%, with MCC of 0.71 for independent
      dataset. The proposed technique can serve as a powerful tool for identifying
      electron transport proteins and can help biologists understand the function of
      the electron transport proteins. Moreover, this study provides a basis for
      further research that can enrich a field of applying deep learning in
      bioinformatics. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643396
TI  - FIGO's updated recommendations for misoprostol used alone in gynecology and
      obstetrics.

PMID- 28643397
TI  - Experimental Study on the Postmortem Redistribution of the Substituted
      Phenethylamine, 25B-NBOMe.
AB  - 2-(4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine (25B-NBOMe) is a
      substituted phenethylamine, which has become highly prevalent worldwide since
      2014. Recently, in an autopsy case involving fatal 25B-NBOMe intoxication, we
      found the postmortem increase of 25B-NBOMe concentration in the cardiac blood
      approximately 2 days after death. The aim of this study was to investigate the
      distribution of 25B-NBOMe and reproduce the postmortem redistribution using a rat
      model. Sprague-Dawley rats were killed 30 min after intraperitoneal injection of
      25B-NBOMe (0.5 mg/kg) and left for 0, 3, 6, 9, 15, or 24 h (six rats at each time
      point). Postmortem 25B-NBOMe concentrations in the cardiac blood increased by
      more than 10-fold at 6-h postmortem. 25B-NBOMe accumulated primarily in the lung.
      Moreover, this postmortem redistribution occurred even in rats that had died 1
      week following the 25B-NBOMe administration. These findings indicate that
      attention should be paid to sample collection and data interpretation in the
      toxicological analysis of 25B-NBOMe.

PMID- 28643398
TI  - Multiple Symmetric Lipomatosis.
AB  - A significant number of medicolegal deaths involve ethanol. Deaths may be related
      to the acute, intoxicating effects of ethanol, either in decedents or within
      persons responsible for causing the deaths of others. Additionally, deaths may be
      related to chronic alcoholism. A chronic alcoholic may display characteristic
      external features which allow an observer, such as a forensic pathologist or
      other physician, to conclude that he/she is probably an alcoholic. Herein, the
      authors report two decedents with a rare condition known as "multiple symmetric
      lipomatosis" (MSL), which has a strong correlation with chronic alcoholism.
      Identification of the peculiar features associated with MSL should prompt the
      forensic pathologist to consider chronic alcoholism as a probable diagnosis.

PMID- 28643395
TI  - Catalase ameliorates diabetes-induced cardiac injury through reduced p65/RelA-
      mediated transcription of BECN1.
AB  - Catalase is an antioxidative enzyme that converts hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )
      produced by superoxide dismutase from highly reactive superoxide (O2- ) to water
      and oxygen molecules. Although recent findings demonstrate that catalase,
      autophagy and the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) signalling pathway are
      centrally involved in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), the interplay between the
      three has not been fully characterized. Thus, the mechanism responsible for
      catalase-mediated protection against heart injury in diabetic mice was
      investigated in this study, as well as the role of NF-kappaB-p65 in the
      regulation of autophagic flux was investigated in this study. Western blot
      analysis revealed that catalase inhibited NF-kappaB activity and decreased LC3-II
      (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3) and beclin-1 (Atg6) expression.
      Furthermore, up-regulation of autophagy was detrimental for cardiac function in
      diabetic mice. Catalase overexpression reduced the level of NF-kappaB subunit in
      the nucleus, where it initiates autophagy through activation of the key autophagy
      gene BECN1. To evaluate the role of the NF-kappaB pathway in diabetes-induced
      autophagy, Bay11-7082, an NF-kappaB inhibitor, was injected into diabetic mice,
      which suppressed NF-kappaB and attenuated diabetes-induced autophagy and
      myocardial apoptosis. In agreement with the in vivo results, Bay11-7082 also
      inhibited high-glucose-induced activation of NF-kappaB and the up-regulation of
      LC3-II and beclin-1 expression in H9c2 cells. In addition, high-glucose-induced
      activation of autophagic flux and apoptosis were largely attenuated by p65 siRNA,
      suggesting that catalase ameliorates diabetes-induced autophagy, at least in part
      by increasing the activity of the NF-kappaB pathway and p65-mediated
      transcription of BECN1.

PMID- 28643399
TI  - Distributed health literacy among people living with type 2 diabetes in Portugal:
      Defining levels of awareness and support.
AB  - This study embraces a patient-centred and narrative-oriented notion of health
      literacy, exploring how social networks and personal experiences constitute
      distributed health literacy (DHL) by mapping out health literacy mediators of
      each individual and how they enable self-management skills and knowledge of
      health conditions. Semi-structured interviews with 26 patients with type 2
      diabetes were conducted in a Primary Care Center of Porto (Portugal) from October
      2014 to December 2015. Data were collected based on McGill Illness Narrative
      Interview (MINI). Following the grounded theory, interviews were analysed as case
      based and process-tracing-oriented. Three awareness narratives emerged: (i) a
      narrative of minimisation revealing minimal impact of diabetes in patients' lives
      and daily routines, resignation towards "inevitable" consequences of the
      diagnosis and dependence of a large network of health literacy mediators; (ii) a
      narrative of empathy, where patients tended to mention readjustments in their
      lives by following medical recommendations regarding medication without criticism
      and with few health literacy mediators; (iii) a narrative of disruption, with
      patients highlighting the huge impact of diabetes on their lives and their
      individual responsibility and autonomy with respect to the management of diabetes
      and the search for alternatives to medication, relying on a very restrictive
      network of mediators. Exploring meanings given to diagnosis, identifying health
      mediators and analysing the structure of social networks can contribute to
      understand the distributed nature of health literacy. Assessing DHL can assist
      health professionals and those providing care in the community in promoting
      health literacy and providing models for a more patient-centred health system.

PMID- 28643401
TI  - Novel navigation technique for the endodontic treatment of a molar with pulp
      canal calcification and apical pathology.
AB  - Apical periodontitis, the inflammation of periapical tissue, commonly requires
      root canal treatment to achieve apical healing. However, if it is accompanied by
      pulp canal calcification, the treatment becomes complicated, and locating the
      root canal can be challenging. This case report describes a novel approach for
      treating a molar with pulp canal calcification and apical pathology. Due to the
      risk of perforation during treatment, a digitally printed template was used to
      assist in accurately locating the root canal. After six months, the patient was
      asymptomatic and the periradicular radiolucency was gradually reducing in size.

PMID- 28643400
TI  - A study of regulatory policies and relevant issues concerning electronic
      cigarette use in Taiwan.
AB  - Recent technological innovations have increased the amount of tobacco products
      available to smokers. In particular, electronic cigarettes, sometimes call e
      cigarettes, have received substantial attention as their sales have rapidly
      increased. Electronic cigarettes were invented in China and now have become
      prevalent worldwide. Electronic cigarettes can be considered fashionable and come
      in numerous flavors; accordingly, many young adults and students have begun to
      use e-cigarettes. However, like traditional tobacco products, e-cigarettes have
      negative influences on human health. After e-cigarettes were introduced into
      Taiwan, they have not been effectively managed and regulated because of
      insufficient supporting measures. Related legislation in developed countries can
      serve as a reference for Taiwan. For this study, the development of e-cigarettes
      is described and a theoretical analysis was performed from the administration and
      legal perspectives. In addition to clarifying related problems and offering
      measures to prevent students from using e-cigarettes, we propose suggestions to
      help governments improve their strategies to protect students' health.

PMID- 28643402
TI  - Clinical findings in right ventricular noncompaction in hypoplastic left heart
      syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Noncompaction is a poorly understood form of cardiomyopathy that
      typically affects the left ventricle and may be associated with congenital heart
      disease. Right ventricular noncompaction (RVNC) may occur when the left ventricle
      is affected but is rarely seen in isolation. RVNC may have clinical significance
      affecting surgical and long-term outcomes. We describe the diagnosis and clinical
      course in three patients at our institution. METHODS: We performed a
      retrospective review of patients diagnosed with RVNC over a 12-month period at
      our institution and reviewed their imaging and clinical course. RESULTS: Three
      patients were identified. All had diagnosis of RVNC by echocardiography (echo)
      made on postnatal imaging which reviewed degree of trabeculation, and
      noncompaction-to-compaction ratio of the myocardium. Patient A was a neonate with
      hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who underwent a Norwood operation with
      Sano modification. Her postoperative course was notable for low-normal RV
      function. She returned with a pericardial effusion warranting immediate
      pericardiocentesis. She continued to have effusions, which were medically
      managed. She was subsequently found to have an RV apical pseudoaneurysm, which
      required surgical resection. Patient B was a neonate with HLHS who had a Norwood
      operation with Sano modification. She had low-normal RV function on echo. She
      required medical management for pericardial effusion. Patient C was a neonate
      with HLHS who also underwent a Norwood operation with Sano modification. His
      postoperative course was notable for elevated serum brain natriuretic peptide,
      which was treated with digoxin. CONCLUSION: RVNC is a rare diagnosis with limited
      known clinical impact. One of these patients had a very rare complication after
      pericardiocentesis (pseudoaneurysm) that may have been related to the RVNC. Our
      understanding of this disease process is limited and requires additional
      investigation, but emphasizes the importance of appropriate diagnosis to allow
      for timely follow-up and counseling for this unique population.

PMID- 28643403
TI  - Unusual Internal Electron Transfer in Conjugated Radical Polymers.
AB  - Nitroxide-containing organic radical polymers (ORPs) have captured attention for
      their high power and fast redox kinetics. Yet a major challenge is the polymer's
      aliphatic backbone, resulting in a low electronic conductivity. Recent attempts
      that replace the aliphatic backbone with a conjugated one have not met with
      success. The reason for this is not understood until now. We examine a family of
      polythiophenes bearing nitroxide radical groups, showing that while both species
      are electrochemically active, there exists an internal electron transfer
      mechanism that interferes with stabilization of the polymer's fully oxidized
      form. This finding directs the future design of conjugated radical polymers in
      energy storage and electronics, where careful attention to the redox potential of
      the backbone relative to the organic radical species is needed.

PMID- 28643404
TI  - Occurrence of late relapse of hepatitis C virus confirmed by molecular analysis
      after sustained virologic response to interferon-ribavirin-based therapy.
AB  - AIM: The optimal duration of follow-up for patients who achieve sustained
      virologic responses (SVR) has become an important issue. Reports on long-term
      follow-up of SVR have indicated that 99% of patients maintained SVR. However, the
      limitations of a majority of studies include small patient numbers, short study
      periods, and lack of molecular analysis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome. The
      present study sought to evaluate the late relapse rate in long-term follow-up of
      patients who achieved SVR, with molecular analysis of HCV. METHODS: A total of
      224 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were treated by interferon and
      ribavirin-based therapy and achieved SVR were enrolled. All patients were
      recommended for follow-up every 6 or 12 months. RESULTS: The mean follow-up
      period was 6.0 years (range, 1.0-13.6 years). Cumulative 5- and 10-year follow-up
      rates of the patients after SVR were 87.8% and 78.8%, respectively. Cumulative 5-
      and 10-year follow-up rates of serum HCV RNA after SVR were 85.5% and 52.6%,
      respectively. Two patients had detectable serum HCV RNA at 20 and 30 months,
      respectively, after SVR. Phylogenetic analyses of core, non-structural protein 3,
      and 5A regions of HCV strains from late relapse patients confirmed the same
      strain was present at baseline and late relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Two of 224 patients
      developed late relapse of HCV by the original strain, which was confirmed by
      direct sequencing analysis. Although few patients may develop late relapse, SVR
      achieved with interferon and ribavirin-based therapy is durable for prolonged
      periods.

PMID- 28643405
TI  - Reassessment of the Access Testosterone chemiluminescence assay and comparison
      with LC-MS method.
AB  - AIM OF THE STUDY: To reassess the imprecision and Limit of Quantitation, to
      evaluate the cross-reaction with dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), the
      accuracy toward liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and the reference
      interval of the Access Testosterone method, performed by DxI immunoassay platform
      (Beckman Coulter). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Imprecision was evaluated testing six
      pool samples assayed in 20 different run using two reagents lots. The cross
      reaction with DHEAS was studied both by a displacement curve and by spiking DHEAS
      standard in two serum samples with known amount of testosterone. The comparison
      with LC-MS was evaluated by Passing-Bablock analysis in 21 routine serum samples
      and 19 control samples from an External Quality Assurance (EQA) scheme. The
      reference interval was verified by an indirect estimation on 2445 male and 2838
      female outpatients. RESULTS: The imprecision study showed a coefficient of
      variation (CV) between 2.7% and 34.7% for serum pools from 16.3 and 0.27 nmol/L.
      The value of Limit of Quantitation at 20% CV was 0.53 nmol/L. The DHEAS showed a
      cross-reaction of 0.0074%. A comparison with LC-MS showed a trend toward a slight
      underestimation of immunoassay vs LC-MS (Passing-Bablock equations: DxI=
      0.24+0.906 LCMS in serum samples and DxI=-0.299+0.981 LCMS in EQA samples). The
      verification of reference interval showed a 2.5th-97.5th percentile distribution
      of 6.6-24.3 nmol/L for male over 14 years and <0.5-2.78 nmol/L for female
      subjects, in accord with the reference intervals reported by the manufacturer.
      CONCLUSIONS: The Access Testosterone method could be considered an adequately
      reliable tool for the testosterone measurement.

PMID- 28643406
TI  - Prussian Blue Nanocubes with an Open Framework Structure Coated with PEDOT as
      High-Capacity Cathodes for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.
AB  - It is shown that Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) can be a very competitive sulfur
      host for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Sulfur stored in the large interstitial
      sites of a PBA host can take advantage of reversible and efficient
      insertion/extraction of both Li+ and electrons, due to the well-trapped mobile
      dielectron redox centers in the well-defined host. It is demonstrated that Na2
      Fe[Fe(CN)6 ] has a large open framework, and as a cathode, it both stores sulfur
      and acts as a polysulfide diffusion inhibitor based on the Lewis acid-base
      bonding effect. The electrochemical testing shows that the S@Na2 Fe[Fe(CN)6
      ]@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) composite achieves excellent reversibility,
      good stability, and fast kinetics. Its outstanding electrochemical properties
      should be ascribed to the internal transport of Li+/e- , maximizing the
      utilization of sulfur. Moreover, the open metal centers serve as the Lewis acid
      sites with high affinity to the negatively charged polysulfide anions, reducing
      the diffusion of polysulfides out of the cathode and minimizing the shuttling
      effect. The fundamental basis of these exceptional performance characteristics is
      explored through a detailed analysis of the structural and electrochemical
      behavior of the material. It is believed that the PBAs will have a useful role in
      ensuring more effective and stable Li-S batteries.

PMID- 28643407
TI  - Childhood exposure to constricted living space: a possible environmental threat
      for myopia development.
AB  - PURPOSE: People in Hong Kong generally live in a densely populated area and their
      homes are smaller compared with most other cities worldwide. Interestingly, East
      Asian cities with high population densities seem to have higher myopia
      prevalence, but the association between them has not been established. This study
      investigated whether the crowded habitat in Hong Kong is associated with
      refractive error among children. METHODS: In total, 1075 subjects [Mean age
      (S.D.): 9.95 years (0.97), 586 boys] were recruited. Information such as
      demographics, living environment, parental education and ocular status were
      collected using parental questionnaires. The ocular axial length and refractive
      status of all subjects were measured by qualified personnel. RESULTS: Ocular
      axial length was found to be significantly longer among those living in districts
      with a higher population density (F2,1072  = 6.15, p = 0.002) and those living in
      a smaller home (F2,1072  = 3.16, p = 0.04). Axial lengths were the same among
      different types of housing (F3,1071  = 1.24, p = 0.29). Non-cycloplegic
      autorefraction suggested a more negative refractive error in those living in
      districts with a higher population density (F2,1072  = 7.88, p < 0.001) and those
      living in a smaller home (F2,1072  = 4.25, p = 0.02). After adjustment for other
      confounding covariates, the population density and home size also significantly
      predicted axial length and non-cycloplegic refractive error in the multiple
      linear regression model, while axial length and refractive error had no
      relationship with types of housing. CONCLUSIONS: Axial length in children and
      childhood refractive error were associated with high population density and small
      home size. A constricted living space may be an environmental threat for myopia
      development in children.

PMID- 28643408
TI  - The effect of concomitant fields in fast spin echo acquisition on asymmetric MRI
      gradient systems.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of the asymmetric gradient concomitant fields
      (CF) with zeroth and first-order spatial dependence on fast/turbo spin-echo
      acquisitions, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of their real-time
      compensation. METHODS: After briefly reviewing the CF produced by asymmetric
      gradients, the effects of the additional zeroth and first-order CFs on these
      systems are investigated using extended-phase graph simulations. Phantom and in
      vivo experiments are performed to corroborate the simulation. Experiments are
      performed before and after the real-time compensations using frequency tracking
      and gradient pre-emphasis to demonstrate their effectiveness in correcting the
      additional CFs. The interaction between the CFs and prescan-based correction to
      compensate for eddy currents is also investigated. RESULTS: It is demonstrated
      that, unlike the second-order CFs on conventional gradients, the additional
      zeroth/first-order CFs on asymmetric gradients cause substantial signal loss and
      dark banding in fast spin-echo acquisitions within a typical brain-scan field of
      view. They can confound the prescan correction for eddy currents and degrade
      image quality. Performing real-time compensation successfully eliminates the
      artifacts. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that the zeroth/first-order CFs specific
      to asymmetric gradients can cause substantial artifacts, including signal loss
      and dark bands for brain imaging. These effects can be corrected using real-time
      compensation. Magn Reson Med 79:1354-1364, 2018. (c) 2017 International Society
      for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

PMID- 28643409
TI  - Variability in hematology of white-spotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium
      plagiosum) in different living environments.
AB  - Elasmobranch hematology continues to reveal new peculiarities within this
      specialized field. This report compares total hematologic values from the same
      white-spotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) housed in different
      environments. We compared the hemograms one year apart, using a standardized Natt
      Herrick's technique. The total white blood cell (WBC) counts of the sharks were
      statistically different between the two time points (initial median total WBC
      count = 18,920 leukocytes/MUl, SD = 8,108; 1 year later total WBC count = 1,815
      leukocytes/MUl, SD = 1,309). The packed cell volumes were additionally found to
      be statistically different (19%, SD = 2.9 vs. 22%, SD = 2.0). Analysis revealed
      the only differences between the time points were the temperature and stocking
      densities at which these sharks were housed. This report emphasizes the need for
      a thorough understanding of the husbandry of an elasmobranch prior to
      interpretation of a hemogram and suggests that reference intervals should be
      created for each environment.

PMID- 28643410
TI  - Professor Jens Solver Schou 10 October 1929-8 March 2017.

PMID- 28643411
TI  - The BCPT 2016 prize to Jan Alexander, Norway.

PMID- 28643412
TI  - Rhodium(I)-Catalyzed Bridged [5+2] Cycloaddition of cis-Allene-vinylcyclopropanes
      to Synthesize the Bicyclo[4.3.1]decane Skeleton.
AB  - Previously reported was that cis-ene-vinylcyclopropanes (cis-ene-VCPs) underwent
      Rh-catalyzed [5+2] reaction to give 5,7-fused bicyclic products, where
      vinylcyclopropane (VCP) acts as five-carbon synthon. Unfortunately, this reaction
      had very limited scope. Replacing the 2pi component of cis-ene-VCPs to allene
      moiety, the corresponding cis-allene-VCPs did not undergo the expected normal
      [5+2] cycloaddition to give 5,7-fused bicyclic products. Instead, the challenging
      bicyclo[4.3.1]decane skeleton was obtained via an unprecedented bridged [5+2]
      cycloaddition. DFT calculations were applied to understand why this bridged [5+2]
      reaction is favored over the anticipated but not realized normal [5+2] reaction.

PMID- 28643414
TI  - Associating and Dissociating Nanodimer Analysis for Quantifying Ultrasmall
      Amounts of DNA.
AB  - The amplification- and enzyme-free quantification of DNA at ultralow
      concentrations, on the order of 10-1000 targets, is highly beneficial but
      extremely challenging. To address this challenge, true detection signals must be
      reliably discriminated from false or noise signals. Herein, we describe the
      development of associating and dissociating nanodimer analysis (ADNA) as a method
      that enables a maximum number of detection signals to be collected from true
      target-binding events while keeping nonspecific signals at a minimum level. In
      the ADNA assay for ultralow target concentrations, Au nanoprobes on a lipid
      micropattern were monitored and analyzed in situ, and newly defined dissociating
      dimers, which are eventually decoupled into monomers again, were incorporated
      into the detection results. Tens to thousands of DNA copies can be reliably
      quantified with excellent single-base-mismatch differentiation capability by this
      non-enzymatic, amplification-free ADNA method.

PMID- 28643413
TI  - Effects of sodium chloride on heat resistance, oxidative susceptibility,
      motility, biofilm and plaque formation of Burkholderia pseudomallei.
AB  - Burkholderia pseudomallei is an environmental saprophyte and the causative agent
      of melioidosis, a severe infectious disease prevalent in tropical areas,
      including southeast Asia and northern Australia. In Thailand, the highest
      incidence of melioidosis is in the northeast region, where saline soil and water
      are abundant. We hypothesized that B. pseudomallei develops an ability to thrive
      in saline conditions and gains a selective ecological advantage over other soil
      dwelling microorganisms. However, little is known about how an elevated NaCl
      concentration affects survival and adaptive changes in this pathogen. In this
      study, we examined the adaptive changes in six isolates of B. pseudomallei after
      growth in Luria-Bertani medium containing different concentrations of NaCl at 37
      degrees C for 6 hr. The bacteria were then investigated for resistance to heat at
      50 degrees C and killing by hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ). In addition, flagellar
      production, biofilm formation, and the plaque formation efficiency of B.
      pseudomallei after culture in saline conditions were observed. In response to
      exposure to 150 and 300 mmol L-1 NaCl, all B. pseudomallei isolates showed
      significantly increased thermal tolerance, oxidative resistance, and plaque
      forming efficiency. However, NaCl exposure notably decreased the number of B.
      pseudomallei flagella. Taken together, these results provide insight into the
      adaptations of B. pseudomallei that might be crucial for survival and persistence
      in the host and/or endemic environments with high salinity.

PMID- 28643415
TI  - Cultivation of human dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes on keratin
      coated silica bead substrates.
AB  - Human hair keratin is promising as a bioactive material platform for various
      biomedical applications. To explore its versatility further, human hair keratin
      was coated onto monolayers of silica beads to produce film-like substrates. This
      combination was hypothesized to provide a synergistic effect in improving the
      biochemical properties of the resultant composite. Atomic force microscopy
      analysis showed uniform coatings of keratin on the silica beads with a slight
      increase in the resulting surface roughness. Keratin-coated silica beads had
      higher surface energy and relatively lower negative charge than those of bare
      silica beads. To investigate cell response, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), and
      human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) were cultured on the substrates over 4 days.
      Results showed that keratin coatings significantly enhanced the metabolic
      activity of HDFs and encouraged cell spreading but did not exert any significant
      effects on HEKs. HDF expression of collagen I was significantly more intense on
      the keratin-coated compared to the bare silica substrates. Furthermore, HDF
      secretion of various cytokines suggested that keratin coatings triggered active
      cell responses related to wound healing. Collectively, our study demonstrated
      that human hair keratin-coated silica bead monolayers have the potential to
      modulate HDF behavior in culture and may be exploited further. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2789-2798, 2017.

PMID- 28643416
TI  - Influence of academic training in endodontics and implantology on decision-making
      in undergraduate students.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of academic training on decision-making in a
      group of undergraduates who have undergone training in endodontics and
      implantology. BASIC PROCEDURES: A single group of undergraduate dentistry
      students (n = 65) was given a survey consisting of 15 endodontic cases. Each case
      included periapical radiographs and clinical photographs. Students were asked to
      select one of the eight proposed treatments. In their 4th year, the students
      first responded to the survey after completing endodontics. One year later, after
      completing their studies in implantology, the same students completed the same
      survey again. MAIN FINDINGS: Under the conditions of this study, differences in
      undergraduate training significantly affected treatment decisions. PRINCIPAL
      CONCLUSIONS: Undergraduate decision-making was affected by academic training.

PMID- 28643418
TI  - Protein engineering of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 with higher
      interaction with Ca phosphate based scaffold used for osteogenesis.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to assess the recombinant bonemorphogenetic
      protein 2 (RHBMP-2) with higher substantively and solubility for use in calcium
      phosphate scaffolds for better release in differentiation of mesenchymal stem
      cells to osteoblast cells. Using bioinformatics tools, two mutations (p. L10D and
      p. S12E) were chosen and applied in BMP2 CDS sequence to increase interaction
      with calcium derived composite. The new recombinant mutated sequence (BMP2mut )
      was synthesized and then subcloned to expression vector pBV220. Experimental data
      regarded functional protein expression in E. coli. Since no modification was made
      in the active sites of proteins namely beta-sheets and alpha-helixes, not only
      was there any change in the specific activity occurred in the specific activity
      of the enzyme in comparison to its commercial counterpart, but also mesenchymal
      osteogenesis occurred more efficient on biphasic CaP scaffold model. As we
      hypothesized, use of negatively charged amino acids such as aspartate and
      glutamate in protein loops increased the interactions of BMP2-Ca2+ and resulted
      in its slower and more sustained released from CaP scaffolds compare to
      commercial RHBMP2. Our data suggested that new BMP2mut have greater
      osteoinductive capacity than RHBMP2 in the same time and dose than RHBMP2. (c)
      2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2799-2805, 2017.

PMID- 28643419
TI  - Positive and negative associations of individual social capital factors with
      health among community-dwelling older people.
AB  - AIM: Previous literature has found positive correlations between social capital
      and health in older adults, fewer studies have investigated the subdimension's
      effects of social capital on health. We aimed to determine the individual social
      capital subfactors in community-dwelling older adults in Japan, and to analyze
      the associations of these factors with physical and mental health. METHOD: We
      sent a self-administered questionnaire assessing their perception of social group
      activity as the individual social capital, and mental and physical health
      (measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36) to 4320 randomly selected
      older people. RESULTS: There were 1836 valid responses. We clarified that people
      who participated in any social activity group were in significantly better
      physical and mental health compared with the people who did not. By the factor
      analysis of the perception for the social group activity, we identified three
      components of the individual social capital aspect that we termed harmonious,
      hierarchic and diversity. Using multiple linear regression, we found the
      hierarchic aspect was significantly negatively associated with mental health,
      whereas the harmonious aspect was significantly positively associated with mental
      and physical health, and diversity was significantly positively associated with
      mental health. CONCLUSION: As the previous research literature on social capital
      has mainly emphasized its positive health consequences, the present findings
      provide a novel demonstration that some aspects of individual social capital can
      have negative associations with health outcomes in community-dwelling older
      people. For the practical application of promoting a healthier society, it is
      important to consider both the positive and negative sides of social capital.
      Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2427-2434.

PMID- 28643417
TI  - Congenital deafness affects deep layers in primary and secondary auditory cortex.
AB  - Congenital deafness leads to functional deficits in the auditory cortex for which
      early cochlear implantation can effectively compensate. Most of these deficits
      have been demonstrated functionally. Furthermore, the majority of previous
      studies on deafness have involved the primary auditory cortex; knowledge of
      higher-order areas is limited to effects of cross-modal reorganization. In this
      study, we compared the cortical cytoarchitecture of four cortical areas in adult
      hearing and congenitally deaf cats (CDCs): the primary auditory field A1, two
      secondary auditory fields, namely the dorsal zone and second auditory field (A2);
      and a reference visual association field (area 7) in the same section stained
      either using Nissl or SMI-32 antibodies. The general cytoarchitectonic pattern
      and the area-specific characteristics in the auditory cortex remained unchanged
      in animals with congenital deafness. Whereas area 7 did not differ between the
      groups investigated, all auditory fields were slightly thinner in CDCs, this
      being caused by reduced thickness of layers IV-VI. The study documents that,
      while the cytoarchitectonic patterns are in general independent of sensory
      experience, reduced layer thickness is observed in both primary and higher-order
      auditory fields in layer IV and infragranular layers. The study demonstrates
      differences in effects of congenital deafness between supragranular and other
      cortical layers, but similar dystrophic effects in all investigated auditory
      fields.

PMID- 28643421
TI  - Re: Epidermal skin grafting in vitiligo: a pilot study.

PMID- 28643420
TI  - Impact on survival of warfarin in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension
      receiving subcutaneous treprostinil.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Anticoagulation is a common treatment modality in patients with
      pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Further studies are needed to
      appropriately assess the risk/benefit ratio of anticoagulation, particularly in
      PAH patients receiving PAH-specific therapies. AIMS: We use observational long
      term data on PAH patients treated with subcutaneous (SQ) treprostinil from a
      large open-label study. Patients were followed for up to 4 years. The use of
      warfarin and bleeding events were recorded. RESULTS: At total of 860 patients
      (age [mean+/-SD] 46+/-15 years, 76% female, 83% Caucasian, 49% idiopathic PAH,
      and 76% New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class III) were included.
      All patients received SQ treprostinil (15% also other pulmonary hypertension [PH]
      therapies) and 590 (69%) received warfarin during the study. The proportions of
      women, African American, and idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH) patients
      were higher in the group receiving warfarin. A higher proportion of patients with
      congenital heart disease and portopulmonary hypertension did not receive
      warfarin. There were no differences in unadjusted long-term survival between PAH
      patients receiving warfarin or not (log-rank test, P value=.69), even when only
      considering idiopathic PAH (P=.32). In addition, no difference was found in
      adjusted long-term survival both in PAH (P=.84) and idiopathic PAH patients
      (P=.44) based on the use of warfarin. Furthermore, no survival difference based
      on the use of warfarin were noted between propensity score-matched PAH patients
      (P=.37). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term anticoagulation with warfarin was not associated
      with any significant effect on survival in PAH or idiopathic PAH patients treated
      with SQ treprostinil.

PMID- 28643422
TI  - Microglia-targeted stem cell therapies for Alzheimer disease: A preclinical data
      review.
AB  - Alzheimer disease (AD) is a severe, life-threatening illness characterized by
      gradual memory loss. The classic histological features of AD include
      extracellular formation of beta-amyloid plaques (Abeta), intracellular
      neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), and synaptic loss. Recently, accumulated evidence
      has confirmed the critical role of microglia in the development and exacerbation
      of AD. When Abeta forms deposits, microglia quickly respond to restore brain
      physiology by activating a series of repair mechanisms. However, prolonged
      microglial activation is considered detrimental and may aggravate AD progression.
      To date, there are no curative therapies for AD. The advent of stem cell
      transplantation offers novel strategies to treat AD in animal models.
      Furthermore, studies have reported that transplanted stem cells might ameliorate
      AD symptoms by regulating microglial functions, from detrimental to protective.
      This review focuses on the crucial functions of microglia in AD and examines the
      reactions of microglia to transplanted stem cells.

PMID- 28643423
TI  - Heterocorrole Conformations: Little Saddling, Much Ruffling.
AB  - 10-Heterocorrole complexes with oxygen, sulfur, and selenium at position 10 of
      the macrocycle and with the divalent ions of nickel, copper, and palladium were
      prepared and investigated. The focus was set on the size adaptation and matching
      mechanisms of cavity size versus ionic radius in corrole-type macrocycles. A full
      set of single-crystal X-ray analytical data revealed that in all but one case the
      N4 binding site of the ring-contracted tetrapyrrole was larger than necessary to
      bind the metal ion without deformation. In-plane size adaptation through M-N bond
      length elongation by 2.5-3.2 % was effective, as well as pronounced out-of-plane
      ruffling of the macrocycle for those compounds with a more severe size mismatch.
      Such ruffling had been excluded for corroles previously, but is apparently the
      most efficient mechanism to adapt to small central ions.

PMID- 28643424
TI  - MDM2 is implicated in high-glucose-induced podocyte mitotic catastrophe via
      Notch1 signalling.
AB  - Podocyte injury and depletion are essential events involved in the pathogenesis
      of diabetic nephropathy (DN). As a terminally differentiated cell, podocyte is
      restricted in 'post-mitosis' state and unable to regenerate. Re-entering mitotic
      phase will cause podocyte disastrous death which is defined as mitotic
      catastrophe (MC). Murine double minute 2 (MDM2), a cell cycle regulator, is
      widely expressed in renal resident cells including podocytes. Here, we explore
      whether MDM2 is involved in podocyte MC during hyperglycaemia. We found aberrant
      mitotic podocytes with multi-nucleation in DN patients. In vitro, cultured
      podocytes treated by high glucose (HG) also showed an up-regulation of mitotic
      markers and abnormal mitotic status, accompanied by elevated expression of MDM2.
      HG exposure forced podocytes to enter into S phase and bypass G2/M checkpoint
      with enhanced expression of Ki67, cyclin B1, Aurora B and p-H3. Genetic deletion
      of MDM2 partly reversed HG-induced mitotic phase re-entering of podocytes.
      Moreover, HG-induced podocyte injury was alleviated by MDM2 knocking down but not
      by nutlin-3a, an inhibitor of MDM2-p53 interaction. Interestingly, knocking down
      MDM2 or MDM2 overexpression showed inhibition or activation of Notch1 signalling,
      respectively. In addition, genetic silencing of Notch1 prevented HG-mediated
      podocyte MC. In conclusion, high glucose up-regulates MDM2 expression and leads
      to podocyte MC. Notch1 signalling is an essential downstream pathway of MDM2 in
      mediating HG-induced MC in podocytes.

PMID- 28643426
TI  - Cell-of-origin classification by gene expression and MYC-rearrangements in
      diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of children and adolescents.
AB  - We present the largest series of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in
      patients younger than 18 years analysed to date by gene expression profiling
      using Nanostring technology to identify molecular subtypes and fluorescent in
      situ hybridization for translocations of MYC. We show that the activated B cell
      like subtype of DLBCL is exceedingly rare in children and - in contrast to adults
      not associated with outcome. Furthermore, we review the current literature and
      demonstrate that MYC translocations are not more frequent in paediatric compared
      to adult DLBCL. A prognostic role of MYC in the paediatric age groups seems
      unlikely.

PMID- 28643425
TI  - Insulin degludec/liraglutide (IDegLira) was effective across a range of
      dysglycaemia and body mass index categories in the DUAL V randomized trial.
AB  - This study assessed the efficacy of insulin degludec/liraglutide (IDegLira) vs
      insulin glargine U100 (IGlar) across categories of baseline glycated haemoglobin
      (HbA1c; <=7.5%, >7.5% to <=8.5% and >8.5%), body mass index (BMI; <30, >=30 to
      <35 and >=35 kg/m2 ) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG; <7.2 and >=7.2 mmol/L) in
      patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) uncontrolled on basal insulin, using post hoc
      analyses of the DUAL V 26-week trial. With IDegLira, mean HbA1c was reduced
      across all baseline HbA1c (1.0%-2.5%), FPG (1.5%-1.9%) and BMI categories (1.8%
      1.9%), with significantly greater reductions compared with IGlar U100. For all
      HbA1c, FPG and BMI categories, IDegLira resulted in weight loss and IGlar U100 in
      weight gain; hypoglycaemia rates were lower for IDegLira vs IGlar U100. More
      patients achieved HbA1c <7% with IDegLira than IGlar U100 across all HbA1c (59%
      87% vs 31%-66%), FPG (71%-74% vs 40%-51%) and BMI categories (71%-73% vs 40%
      54%). IDegLira improved glycaemic control and induced weight loss in patients
      with T2D previously uncontrolled on basal insulin, across the categories of
      baseline HbA1c, FPG or BMI that were tested.

PMID- 28643427
TI  - Correlation Between Residual Volume of Male Patients After Uroflowmetry and
      Random Residual Volume.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to examine correlation between Post-void residual urine
      (PVR) after uroflowmetry and random PVR. METHODS: Male patients reporting to the
      Urology outpatient clinic with LUTS were selected. Patients' age, prostate
      volume, bladder capacity, voided volume, maximum flow rate, average flow rate,
      random PVR and PVR after uroflowmetry were recorded. We evaluated the
      correlations between these parameters. Also we assessed if there was a difference
      between random PVR and PVR after uroflowmetry. We divided PVR after uroflowmetry
      and random PVR into three groups: Group 1: 0-50 mL, Group 2: 51-100 mL and Group
      3: >100 mL. Also we divided the patients into two groups according to bladder
      capacity as Group 1: <=400 mL and Group 2: >400 mL. We compared these groups to
      determine whether a significant difference. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients
      applying to the urology outpatient clinic were assessed between 2013 and 2014.
      PVR after uroflowmetry was significantly higher than random PVR (P < 0.001). When
      we divided PVR after uroflowmetry and random PVR into three groups there was a
      significant difference between the groups (P = 0.02). When we divided the
      patients into two groups according to bladder capacity as Group 1: <=400 mL and
      Group 2: >400 mL, PVR after uroflowmetry was different, but random PVR was
      similar (P < 0.001, P = 0.72). CONCLUSIONS: PVR after uroflowmetry seems to be
      incorrectly high in patients whose bladder capacity is above 400 mL.

PMID- 28643428
TI  - Mechanical Circulatory Support in the Treatment of Advanced Heart Failure.
AB  - According to the Centers for Disease Control, heart failure (HF) remains a
      pervasive condition with high morbidity and mortality, affecting 5.8 million
      people in the United States and 23 million worldwide. For patients with
      refractory end-stage HF, heart transplantation is the "gold standard" for
      definitive treatment. However, the demand for heart transplantation has
      consistently exceeded the availability of donor hearts, with approximately 2331
      orthotopic heart transplantations performed in the United States in 2015 despite
      an estimated 100 000 to 250 000 patients with New York Heart Association class
      IIIB or IV symptoms that are refractory to medical treatment, making such
      patients potential transplant candidates. As such, the need for mechanical
      circulatory support (MCS) to treat patients with end-stage HF has become
      paramount. In this review, we focus on the history, advancements, and current use
      of durable MCS device therapy in the treatment of advanced heart failure.

PMID- 28643429
TI  - Advances and Challenges in Metal Sulfides/Selenides for Next-Generation
      Rechargeable Sodium-Ion Batteries.
AB  - Rechargeable sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), as the most promising alternative to
      commercial lithium-ion batteries, have received tremendous attention during the
      last decade. Among all the anode materials for SIBs, metal sulfides/selenides
      (MXs) have shown inspiring results because of their versatile material species
      and high theoretical capacity. They suffer from large volume expansion, however,
      which leads to bad cycling performance. Thus, methods such as carbon
      modification, nanosize design, electrolyte optimization, and cut-off voltage
      control are used to obtain enhanced performance. Here, recent progress on MXs is
      summarized in terms of arranging the crystal structure, synthesis methods,
      electrochemical performance, mechanisms, and kinetics. Challenges are presented
      and effective ways to solve the problems are proposed, and a perspective for
      future material design is also given. It is hoped that light is shed on the
      development of MXs to help finally find applications for next-generation
      rechargeable batteries.

PMID- 28643430
TI  - Platinum-containing regimens for metastatic breast cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies have reported high tumour response rates for platinum
      containing regimens in the treatment of women with metastatic breast cancer. Most
      of these studies were conducted prior to the 'intrinsic subtype' era, and did not
      specifically focus on metastatic triple-negative breast cancers (mTNBCs).
      OBJECTIVES: To identify and review the evidence from randomised trials comparing
      platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens with regimens not containing platinum
      in the management of women with metastatic breast cancer. SEARCH METHODS: For
      this review update, we searched the Cochrane Breast Cancer Group's Specialised
      Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, the World Health Organization's International
      Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov on 28 May 2015. We
      identified further potentially relevant studies from handsearching references of
      previous trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Prior to this review
      update, the most recent search for studies was conducted in May 2003 for the
      original 2004 review. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing platinum
      containing chemotherapy regimens with regimens not containing platinum in women
      with metastatic breast cancer. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two
      independent reviewers assessed studies for eligibility and quality, and extracted
      all relevant data from each study. Hazard ratios (HRs) were derived for time-to
      event outcomes, where possible, and fixed-effect models were used for meta
      analyses. Objective tumour response rates (OTRRs) and toxicities were analysed as
      binary (dichotomous) outcomes with risk ratios (RRs) used as measures of effects.
      Quality of life data were extracted where available. GRADE was used to rate the
      quality of evidence for survival and tumour response outcomes at the level of
      subgroups selected and unselected for mTNBC, and for toxicity outcomes based on
      combining data from selected and unselected populations. MAIN RESULTS: This
      update includes 15 new eligible treatment-comparisons from 12 studies. In total,
      28 treatment-comparisons, involving 4418 women, from 24 studies are now included
      in one or more meta-analyses. Of the 28 treatment-comparisons, 19 and 16 had
      published or provided extractable time-to-event data on overall survival (OS) or
      progression-free survival/time to progression (PFS/TTP), respectively. All 28
      treatment-comparisons provided OTRR data that could be included in meta-analyses.
      Most women recruited to the studies were not selected on the basis of mTNBC
      status.In a subgroup of three treatment-comparisons assessing women with mTNBC,
      platinum-containing regimens may have provided a survival benefit (HR 0.75, 95%
      CI 0.57 to 1.00; low-quality evidence). In women unselected for intrinsic
      subtypes such as mTNBC, there was little or no effect on survival (HR 1.01, 95%
      CI 0.92 to 1.12; high-quality evidence). This effect was similar to the combined
      analysis of survival data for both populations (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.07; I2
      =39%, 1868 deaths, 2922 women; 19 trials). The difference in treatment effects
      between mTNBC women compared with unselected women was of borderline statistical
      significance (P = 0.05).Data from three treatment-comparisons with mTNBC
      participants showed that platinum regimens may improve PFS/TTP (HR 0.59, 95% CI
      0.49 to 0.72; low-quality evidence). Thirteen treatment-comparisons of unselected
      metastatic participants showed that there was probably a small PFS/TTP benefit
      for platinum recipients, although the confidence interval included no difference
      (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.01; moderate-quality evidence). Combined analysis of
      data from an estimated 1772 women who progressed or died out of 2136 women
      selected or unselected for mTNBC indicated that platinum-containing regimens
      improved PFS/TTP (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.93). There was marked evidence of
      heterogeneity (P = 0.0004; I2 = 63%). The larger treatment benefit in mTNBC women
      compared with unselected women was statistically significant (P < 0.0001).There
      was low-quality evidence of better tumour response in both subgroups of women
      with mTNBC and unselected women (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.56; RR 1.11, 95% CI
      1.04 to 1.19, respectively). Combined analysis of both populations was closer to
      the effect in unselected women (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.22; 4130 women). There
      was considerable evidence of heterogeneity (P < 0.0001; I2 = 64%), which may
      reflect between-study differences and general difficulties in assessing response,
      as well as the varying potencies of the comparators.Compared with women receiving
      non-platinum regimens: rates of grade 3 and 4 nausea/vomiting were probably
      higher among women receiving cisplatin- (RR 2.65, 95% CI 2.10 to 3.34; 1731
      women; moderate-quality evidence) but the effect from carboplatin-containing
      regimens was less certain (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.26; 1441 women; moderate
      quality evidence); rates of grade 3 and 4 anaemia were higher among women
      receiving cisplatin- (RR 3.72, 95% CI 2.36 to 5.88; 1644 women; high-quality
      evidence) and carboplatin-containing regimens (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.70; 1441
      women; high-quality evidence); rates of grade 3 and 4 hair loss (RR 1.41, 95% CI
      1.26 to 1.58; 1452 women; high-quality evidence) and leukopenia (RR 1.38, 95% CI
      1.21 to 1.57; 3176 women; moderate-quality evidence) were higher among women
      receiving platinum-containing regimens (regardless of platinum agent). AUTHORS'
      CONCLUSIONS: In women with metastatic breast cancer who do not have triple
      negative disease, there is high-quality evidence of little or no survival benefit
      and excess toxicity from platinum-based regimens. There is preliminary low
      quality evidence of a moderate survival benefit from platinum-based regimens for
      women with mTNBC. Further randomised trials of platinum-based regimens in this
      subpopulation of women with metastatic breast cancer are required.

PMID- 28643431
TI  - A study of the origin of chloramphenicol isomers in honey.
AB  - Due to the unexpected detection of chloramphenicol isomer residues in honey, we
      have studied the hypothesis of unauthorized or unintended use of unregistered
      veterinary drug preparations. First, we have investigated honey samples in which
      a discrepancy was observed between the results of the immunological screening
      methods and the confirmatory liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC
      MS/MS) method. In all samples, previously identified to be contaminated with the
      banned antibiotic chloramphenicol according to LC-MS/MS only, the presence of
      dextramycin (SS-para isomer of chloramphenicol) was detected by chiral LC-MS/MS.
      The source of dextramycin in honey was investigated by studying the preparations
      utilized in apiaries from which the above non-compliant honey samples have been
      received. In all these preparations (beehive strips applied against the mite
      Varroa destructor) chloramphenicol was detected in the concentrations ranging
      from 33 to 34,400 MUg kg-1 . Chiral LC-MS/MS demonstrated the presence of
      chloramphenicol and dextramycin in different ratios, and it was concluded that
      these preparations can be the source of chloramphenicol and dextramycin residues
      in honey. These preparations were of foreign production and are not officially
      registered in accordance with current legislation.

PMID- 28643432
TI  - The penetration and phenotype modulation of smooth muscle cells on surface
      heparin modified poly(E-caprolactone) vascular scaffold.
AB  - The tubular porous poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold was fabricated by
      electrospinning. After then, the scaffold's surface was firstly eroded by
      hexyldiamine to endow amine group, and heparin was covalently grafted to the
      surface to get surface heparin modified scaffold (ShPCL scaffold). It was found
      that ShPCL scaffold can induce smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to penetrate the
      scaffold surface, while the SMCs cannot penetrate the surface of PCL scaffold.
      Subsequently, the rabbit SMCs were seeded on the ShPCL scaffold and cultured for
      14 days. It was found the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin in ShPCL
      scaffold maintained much higher level than that in culture plate, which implied
      the SMC differentiation in ShPCL scaffold. Furthermore, the immunefluorescence
      staining of the cross-sections of ShPCL scaffold exhibited the expression of
      calponin in ShPCL scaffold can be detected after 7 and 14 days, whereas the
      expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain can also be detected at 14 days.
      These results proved that penetrated SMCs preferably differentiated in to
      contractile phenotype. The successful SMC penetration and the contractile
      phenotype expression implied ShPCL scaffold is a suitable candidate for
      regenerating smooth muscle layer in vascular tissue engineering. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2806-2815, 2017.

PMID- 28643433
TI  - Electrochemical TERS Elucidates Potential-Induced Molecular Reorientation of
      Adenine/Au(111).
AB  - Electrochemical surface activity arises from the interaction and geometric
      arrangement of molecules at electrified interfaces. We present a novel
      electrochemical tip-enhanced Raman spectroscope that can access the vibrational
      fingerprint of less than 100 small, non-resonant molecules adsorbed at atomically
      flat Au electrodes to study their adsorption geometry and chemical reactivity as
      a function of the applied potential. Combining experimental and simulation data
      for adenine/Au(111), we conclude that protonated physisorbed adenine adopts a
      tilted orientation at low potentials, whereas it is vertically adsorbed around
      the potential of zero charge. Further potential increase induces adenine
      deprotonation and reorientation to a planar configuration. The extension of EC
      TERS to the study of adsorbate reorientation significantly broadens the
      applicability of this advanced spectroelectrochemical tool for the nanoscale
      characterization of a full range of electrochemical interfaces.

PMID- 28643434
TI  - Improved yield of minimal proportional sample volume platelet bacterial culture.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Reports of septic transfusion reactions (STRs) after transfusion of
      culture-negative platelets (PLTs) justify more effective prevention strategies.
      Pathogen reduction technologies or performance of additional point-of-issue
      testing are proposed strategies to enhance safety through Day 5 of storage. STUDY
      DESIGN AND METHODS: Trima leukoreduced apheresis PLTs (APs) were collected during
      two study periods (45 and 31 months) using standard procedures, with target
      settings adjusted during the second period to maintain split rate after increased
      culture volume. Primary testing for bacterial contamination was performed using
      BacT/ALERT 3D with sampling from the mother bag 24 to 36 hours after collection.
      Two culture approaches were compared: in Period A, an 8-mL sample in one aerobic
      culture bottle (CB), and in Period B a minimal proportional sample volume (PSV)
      of at least 3.8% of mother bag volume into one to three aerobic CBs (7-10 mL per
      bottle). RESULTS: In Periods A and B, 188,389 and 159,098 AP collections were
      tested, respectively. The true-positive (TP) rate in Period A was 0.90 per 10,000
      collections and in Period B was 1.83 per 10,000 (p < 0.05). In Period B, 12 of 29
      (41%) TP results had discrepant CB results (DCBRs; at least one of multiple
      bottles without growth). The false-positive rate in Period B, 15.05 per 10,000
      collections, was significantly higher than that of Period A, 3.66 per 10,000. One
      contaminated collection resulting in STR(s) was reported in each study period.
      Implementation of PSV was operationally successful and did not impact the AP
      split rate. CONCLUSION: Proportional sample volume improved the sensitivity of
      primary testing and identified collections that could have escaped detection had
      only a single bottle with 8- to 10-mL volume been used. PSV may represent another
      approach to enhanced PLT safety for 5-day storage without a requirement for
      secondary testing.

PMID- 28643435
TI  - Interventions for enhancing the distribution of dental professionals: a concise
      systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A spatially unequal distribution of dentists or dental care
      professionals (D/DCPs), such as therapists or hygienists, could reduce the
      quality of health services and increase health inequities. This review describes
      the interventions available to enhance this spatial distribution and
      systematically assesses their effectiveness. METHODS: Electronic databases
      (Cochrane CENTRAL, Medline, Embase, CINAHL) were searched and cross-referencing
      was performed using a standardised searching algorithm. Randomised and non
      randomised controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies and interrupted
      time series were included. Studies investigating a minimum of one of four
      interventions (educational, financial, regulatory and supportive) were included.
      The primary outcome was the spatial distribution of D/DCPs. Secondary outcomes
      were access, quality of services and equity or adverse effects. This review was
      registered (CRD42015026265). RESULTS: Of 4,885 articles identified, the full text
      of 201 was assessed and three (all investigating national policy interventions
      originally not aiming to change the distribution of D/DCPs) were included. In one
      Japanese study spanning 1980 to 2000, the unequal spatial distribution of
      dentists decreased alongside a general increase in the number of dentists. It
      remained unclear if these findings were associated. In a second Japanese study,
      an increase in the number of dentists was found in combination with a
      postgraduate training programme implemented in 2006, and this occurred alongside
      an increasingly unequal distribution of dentists, again without proof of cause
      and consequence. A third study from Taiwan found the introduction of a national
      universal-coverage health insurance to equalise the distribution of dentists,
      with statistical association between this equalisation and the introduction of
      the insurance. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of interventions to enhance the
      spatial distribution of D/DCPs remains unclear.

PMID- 28643437
TI  - Silibinin affects the pharmacokinetics of methadone in rats.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic effect of
      silibinin on methadone in rats. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, single dose of 100 mg/kg group,
      multiple doses of 100 mg/kg group, and multiple doses of 30 mg/kg group. A single
      dose of 6 mg/kg methadone was administrated to rats orally without or with
      silibinin. Plasma samples were collected via tail vein at different time points
      and concentrations of methadone and its metabolite, 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3
      diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP), were determined by ultra performance liquid
      chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Compared with the control
      group (without silibinin), both 30 and 100 mg/kg silibinin significantly
      increased the Cmax of methadone, but only 100 mg/kg silibinin significantly
      increased the AUC(0-t) of methadone and decreased its clearance. Pharmacokinetics
      parameters of EDDP were not altered by 30 mg/kg silibinin; its Tmax was decreased
      by 100 mg/kg silibinin and the Cmax was increased by single dose of 100 mg/kg
      silibinin. It is concluded that silibinin significantly altered the
      pharmacokinetics of methadone in rats by increasing the exposure of methadone.
      Further investigations in human should be conducted. Therapeutic drug monitoring
      of methadone in individuals undergoing methadone maintenance therapy is
      recommended when silibinin is concomitant.

PMID- 28643436
TI  - Emotional awareness and expression training improves irritable bowel syndrome: A
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current clinical guidelines identify several psychological treatments
      for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). IBS patients, however, have elevated trauma,
      life stress, relationship conflicts, and emotional avoidance, which few therapies
      directly target. We tested the effects of emotional awareness and expression
      training (EAET) compared to an evidence-based comparison condition-relaxation
      training-and a waitlist control condition. METHODS: Adults with IBS (N=106; 80%
      female, Mean age=36 years) were randomized to EAET, relaxation training, or
      waitlist control. Both EAET and relaxation training were administered in three,
      weekly, 50-minute, individual sessions. All patients completed the IBS Symptom
      Severity Scale (primary outcome), IBS Quality of Life, and Brief Symptom
      Inventory (anxiety, depressive, and hostility symptoms) at pretreatment and at 2
      weeks posttreatment and 10 weeks follow-up (primary endpoint). KEY RESULTS:
      Compared to waitlist controls, EAET, but not relaxation training, significantly
      reduced IBS symptom severity at 10-week follow-up. Both EAET and relaxation
      training improved quality of life at follow-up. Finally, EAET did not reduce
      psychological symptoms, whereas relaxation training reduced depressive symptoms
      at follow-up (and anxiety symptoms at posttreatment). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES:
      Brief emotional awareness and expression training that targeted trauma and
      emotional conflicts reduced somatic symptoms and improved quality of life in
      patients with IBS. This emotion-focused approach may be considered an additional
      treatment option for IBS, although research should compare EAET to a full
      cognitive-behavioral protocol and determine which patients are best suited for
      each approach. Registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01886027).

PMID- 28643439
TI  - A Simple and Effective Physical Characteristic Profiling Method for
      Methamphetamine Tablet Seized in China.
AB  - Methamphetamine (MA) tablet production confers chemical and physical properties.
      This study developed a simple and effective physical characteristic profiling
      method for MA tablets with capital letter "WY" logos, which realized the
      discrimination between linked and unlinked seizures. Seventeen signature
      distances extracted from the "WY" logo were explored as factors for multivariate
      analysis and demonstrated to be effective to represent the features of tablets in
      the drug intelligence perspective. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve
      was used to evaluate efficiency of different pretreatments and
      distance/correlation metrics, while "Standardization + Euclidean" and "Logarithm
      + Euclidean" algorithms outperformed the rest. Finally, hierarchical cluster
      analysis (HCA) was applied to the data set of 200 MA tablet seizures randomly
      selected from cases all around China in 2015, and 76% of them were classified
      into a group named after "WY-001." Moreover, the "WY-001" tablets occupied 51-80%
      tablet seizures from 2011 to 2015 in China, indicating the existence of a huge
      clandestine factory incessantly manufacturing MA tablets.

PMID- 28643438
TI  - Knockdown of Mtfp1 can minimize doxorubicin cardiotoxicity by inhibiting Dnm1l
      mediated mitochondrial fission.
AB  - The long-term usage of doxorubicin (DOX) is largely limited due to the
      development of severe cardiomyopathy. Many studies indicate that DOX-induced
      cardiac injury is related to reactive oxygen species generation and ultimate
      activation of apoptosis. The role of novel mitochondrial fission protein 1
      (Mtfp1) in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remains elusive. Here, we report the pro
      mitochondrial fission and pro-apoptotic roles of Mtfp1 in DOX-induced
      cardiotoxicity. DOX up-regulates the Mtfp1 expression in HL-1 cardiac myocytes.
      Knockdown of Mtfp1 prevents cardiac myocyte from undergoing mitochondrial
      fission, and subsequently reduces the DOX-induced apoptosis by preventing dynamin
      1-like (Dnm1l) accumulation in mitochondria. In contrast, when Mtfp1 is
      overexpressed, a suboptimal dose of DOX can induce a significant percentage of
      cells to undergo mitochondrial fission and apoptosis. These data suggest that
      knocking down of Mtfp1 can minimize the cardiomyocytes loss in DOX-induced
      cardiotoxicity. Thus, the regulation of Mtfp1 expression could be a novel
      therapeutic approach in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity.

PMID- 28643441
TI  - Coronary artery anomalies: A multidisciplinary approach to shape the landscape of
      a challenging problem.
AB  - Coronary artery anomalies, particularly anomalous aortic origin of a coronary
      artery with an interarterial course, are associated with sudden cardiac arrest or
      death in the young. There is paucity of data on risk stratification and
      longitudinal follow up is lacking in these patients. Collaboration and sharing of
      data among specialized centers might shed much needed light in this complex
      problem.

PMID- 28643440
TI  - Model Description Language (MDL): A Standard for Modeling and Simulation.

PMID- 28643442
TI  - The effect of collagen coating on titanium with nanotopography on in vitro
      osteogenesis.
AB  - Several studies have shown the positive effects of Ti either with nanotopography
      or coated with collagen on osteoblast differentiation. Thus, we hypothesized that
      the association of nanotopography with collagen may increase the in vitro
      osteogenesis on Ti surface. Ti discs with nanotopography with or without collagen
      coating were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force
      microscopy. Rat calvaria-derived osteoblastic cells were cultured on both Ti
      surfaces for up to 14 days and the following parameters were evaluated: cell
      proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, extracellular matrix
      mineralization, protein expression of bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteopontin
      (OPN), and gene expression of collagen type 1a (Coll1a), runt-related
      transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osterix (OSX), osteocalcin (OC), Ki67, Survivin,
      and Bcl2-associated X protein (BAX). Surface characterization evidenced that
      collagen coating did not alter the nanotopography. Collagen coating increased
      cell proliferation, ALP activity, extracellular matrix mineralization, and
      Coll1a, OSX, OC, and BAX gene expression. Also, OPN and BSP proteins were
      strongly detected in cultures grown on both Ti surfaces. In conclusion, our
      results showed that the combination of nanotopography with collagen coating
      stimulates the early, intermediate, and final events of the in vitro osteogenesis
      and may be considered a potential approach to promote osseointegration of Ti
      implants. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2783
      2788, 2017.

PMID- 28643443
TI  - National high-flow nasal cannula and bronchiolitis survey highlights need for
      further research and evidence-based guidelines.
AB  - AIM: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy provides noninvasive respiratory
      support for infant bronchiolitis and its use has increased following good
      clinical experiences. This national study describes HFNC use in Finland during a
      severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemic. METHODS: A questionnaire on
      using HFNC for infant bronchiolitis during the 2015-2016 RSV epidemic was sent to
      the head physicians of 18 Finnish children's hospitals providing inpatient care
      for infants: 17 hospitals answered, covering 77.5% of the infants born in Finland
      in 2015. RESULTS: Most (85%) HFNC was given on paediatric wards. The mean
      incidence for bronchiolitis treated with HFNC in infants under the age of one in
      15 of 17 hospitals was 3.8 per 1000 per year (range: 1.4-8.1): one hospital did
      not supply the relevant data and one supplied a figure of 34.1 due to a different
      treatment policy. Instructions on how to start and wean HFNC therapy were present
      in 71% and 61% of the hospitals, respectively, weighted to the population.
      Providing weaning instructions was associated with shorter weaning times.
      CONCLUSION: High-flow nasal cannula was actively used for infants with
      bronchiolitis, with no substantial overuse. Randomised controlled studies are
      needed before any evidence-based guidelines can be constructed for using HFNC in
      infant bronchiolitis.

PMID- 28643444
TI  - How Media Exposure Relates to Laypersons' Understanding of Psychopathy.
AB  - While conceptualization of psychopathy has evolved, so too has the public's
      relationship with psychology changed. Concurrently, portrayal of psychopaths has
      made several shifts, both through nonfiction sources and in popular film and
      television. Psychopathic villains of the mid-20th century have made space for a
      growing cast of protagonist psychopaths. This study examined whether a
      relationship existed between exposure to fictional psychopaths and how lay
      individuals conceptualize psychopathy. Specifically, this study explored
      conceptualization differences based on exposure to antagonist versus protagonist
      fictional psychopaths. Surveyed community participants supported earlier research
      suggesting mixed misunderstanding of psychopathy. Additionally, higher exposure
      to protagonist psychopaths was associated with higher endorsement of flattering
      distractor traits, reflecting a kind of romanticized psychopathy. These findings
      have legal, practical, and ethical implications, including the potential for
      biased jurors, confounded research about psychopathy's labeling effect, and
      questions about how psychologists should respond on an individual and systemic
      level.

PMID- 28643445
TI  - An Electrochemical Biosensor with Dual Signal Outputs: Toward Simultaneous
      Quantification of pH and O2 in the Brain upon Ischemia and in a Tumor during
      Cancer Starvation Therapy.
AB  - Herein, we develop a novel method for designing electrochemical biosensors with
      both current and potential signal outputs for the simultaneous determination of
      two species in a living system. Oxygen (O2 ) and pH, simple and very important
      species, are employed as model molecules. By designing and synthesizing a new
      molecule, Hemin-aminoferrocene (Hemin-Fc), we create a single electrochemical
      biosensor for simultaneous detection and ratiometric quantification of O2 and pH
      in the brain. The reduction peak current of the hemin group increases with the
      concentration of O2 from 1.3 to 200.6 MUm. Meanwhile, the peak potential
      positively shifts with decreasing pH from 8.0 to 5.5, resulting in the
      simultaneous determination of O2 and pH. The Fc group can serve as an internal
      reference for ratiometric biosensing because its current and potential signals
      remain almost constant with variations of O2 and pH. The developed biosensor has
      high temporal and spatial resolutions, as well as remarkable selectivity and
      accuracy, and is successfully applied in the real-time quantification of O2 and
      pH in the brain upon ischemia, as well as in tumor during cancer therapy.

PMID- 28643446
TI  - Artemisinin as an anticancer drug: Recent advances in target profiling and
      mechanisms of action.
AB  - Artemisinin and its derivatives (collectively termed as artemisinins) are among
      the most important and effective antimalarial drugs, with proven safety and
      efficacy in clinical use. Beyond their antimalarial effects, artemisinins have
      also been shown to possess selective anticancer properties, demonstrating
      cytotoxic effects against a wide range of cancer types both in vitro and in vivo.
      These effects appear to be mediated by artemisinin-induced changes in multiple
      signaling pathways, interfering simultaneously with multiple hallmarks of cancer.
      Great strides have been taken to characterize these pathways and to reveal their
      anticancer mechanisms of action of artemisinin. Moreover, encouraging data have
      also been obtained from a limited number of clinical trials to support their
      anticancer property. However, there are several key gaps in knowledge that
      continue to serve as significant barriers to the repurposing of artemisinins as
      effective anticancer agents. This review focuses on important and emerging
      aspects of this field, highlighting breakthroughs in unresolved questions as well
      as novel techniques and approaches that have been taken in recent studies. We
      discuss the mechanism of artemisinin activation in cancer, novel and significant
      findings with regards to artemisinin target proteins and pathways, new
      understandings in artemisinin-induced cell death mechanisms, as well as the
      practical issues of repurposing artemisinin. We believe these will be important
      topics in realizing the potential of artemisinin and its derivatives as safe and
      potent anticancer agents.

PMID- 28643447
TI  - Simultaneous mapping of metabolites and individual macromolecular components via
      ultra-short acquisition delay 1 H MRSI in the brain at 7T.
AB  - PURPOSE: Short-echo-time proton MR spectra at 7T feature nine to 10 distinct
      macromolecule (MM) resonances that overlap with the signals of metabolites.
      Typically, a metabolite-nulled in vivo MM spectrum is included in the
      quantification's prior knowledge to provide unbiased metabolite quantification.
      However, this MM model may fail if MMs are pathologically altered. In addition,
      information about the individual MM peaks is lost. In this study, we aimed to
      create an improved MM model by parameterization of the in vivo MM spectrum into
      individual components, and to use this new model to quantify free induction decay
      MR spectroscopic imaging (FID-MRSI) data. METHODS: The measured in vivo MM
      spectrum was parameterized using advanced method for accurate, robust, and
      efficient spectral fitting (AMARES) and Hankel-Lanczos singular value
      decomposition algorithms from which six different MM models were derived. Soft
      constraints were applied to avoid over-parameterization. All MM models were
      combined with simulated metabolite spectra to form complete basis sets. FID-MRSI
      data from 14 healthy volunteers were quantified via LCModel, and the results were
      compared between all basis sets. RESULTS: The MM model using nine individual
      AMARES-parameterized MM components with additional soft constraints achieved the
      most reliable results. Nine MMs and seven metabolites were mapped simultaneously
      over the whole slice. CONCLUSION: The proposed MM model may facilitate studies
      that involve patients with pathologically altered MMs. Magn Reson Med 79:1231
      1240, 2018. (c) 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance
      in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative
      Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in
      any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

PMID- 28643448
TI  - Postconditioning with metformin attenuates apoptotic events in cardiomyoblasts
      associated with ischemic reperfusion injury.
AB  - AIM: Ischemic postconditioning is considered as a potent method to combat
      ischemic reperfusion injury than preconditioning and rapid initiation of
      reperfusion with potent antioxidant compounds can be one of the most effective
      treatments to reduce the infarct size and behavioral deficits as a result of
      ischemic insult. The present study aims to determine the postconditioning effects
      of metformin in experimental ischemia. METHODS: H9C2 cells were subjected to
      experimental ischemia and reperfused with metformin. Viability, oxidative stress
      and apoptotic events were determined. RESULTS: Postconditioning with Metformin
      effectively maintained cell viability and membrane stability of H9C2
      cardiomyoblast cells from ischemic injury at a concentration of 2.5 ug/mL.
      Decrease in cell death was established viz fluorescent staining and Annexin V
      FITC flow cytometric analysis. In metformin treated ischemic cells the DNA
      fragmentation and comet length were significantly reduced (p=.0001) affirming
      antiapoptotic activity of metformin. There was an increase in protein carbonyl
      content and decrease in nitrate levels after ischemic injuries which were
      alleviated with metformin treatment. Wound closure was enhanced by metformin
      treatment. Metformin synchronized the apoptotic proteins such as FasL and
      antiapoptotic proteins such as Bcl2, Bcl-xL and p21 which can be attributed as
      the major mechanism of cardioprotection. CONCLUSIONS: The results envisage
      therapeutic potential of metformin at lower concentrations as an effective
      postischemic conditioning agent.

PMID- 28643449
TI  - Morphology of the tongue of Vermilingua (Xenarthra: Pilosa) and evolutionary
      considerations.
AB  - The tongue of anteaters (Xenarthra, Pilosa, Vermilingua) is a highly specialized
      for myrmecophagy. Here, we describe the topography and histology of the tongue,
      and compare it to that of other xenarthrans and other myrmecophagous eutherian
      mammals. The tongue of Vermilingua is long and slender, with an apical
      protuberance, which differs between Myrmecophagidae and Cyclopes didactylus. In
      the former, the rostral region is conical, and in the latter, it is
      dorsoventrally compressed, as observed in sloths. The tongue of Vermilingua has
      filiform and circumvallate papillae on the surface; foliate and fungiform
      papillae are absent. The filiform papillae of Myrmecophaga tridactyla are simple
      all over the tongue, differing from Tamandua tetradactyla and Cyclopes
      didactylus, which present composed filiform papillae in the rostral and middle
      regions. Histologically, the tongue has a peculiar organization of muscular and
      neurovascular tissues, differing from the usual mammalian pattern. However, the
      tongue structure is less divergent in Cyclopes. The presence of two circumvallate
      papillae is common to the three major clades of Xenarthra (Cingulata, Folivora
      and Vermilingua). In each group, the tongue may reflect functional features
      related to myrmecophagous (anteaters and some armadillos), omnivorous (remaining
      armadillos) and folivorous (sloths) feeding habits. The similarities between the
      tongues of Vermiligua and other non-xenarthran eutherian myrmecophagous mammals
      are somewhat general and, under close inspection, superficial, being an example
      of different lineages achieving the same morphofunctional adaptations through
      distinct evolutionary pathways.

PMID- 28643450
TI  - SCPP Genes and Their Relatives in Gar: Rapid Expansion of Mineralization Genes in
      Osteichthyans.
AB  - Gar is an actinopterygian that has bone, dentin, enameloid, and ganoin (enamel)
      in teeth and/or scales. Mineralization of these tissues involves genes encoding
      various secretory calcium-binding phosphoproteins (SCPPs) in osteichthyans, but
      no SCPP genes have been identified in chondrichthyans to date. In the gar genome,
      we identified 38 SCPP genes, seven of which encode "acidic-residue-rich" proteins
      and 31 encode "Pro/Gln (P/Q) rich" proteins. These gar SCPP genes constitute the
      largest known repertoire, including many newly identified P/Q-rich genes
      expressed in teeth and/or scales. Among gar SCPP genes, six acidic and three P/Q
      rich genes were identified as orthologs of sarcopterygian genes. The
      sarcopterygian orthologs of most of these acidic genes are involved in bone
      and/or dentin formation, and sarcopterygian orthologs of all three P/Q-rich genes
      participate in enamel formation. The finding of these genes in gar suggests that
      an elaborate SCPP gene-based genetic system for tissue mineralization was already
      present in stem osteichthyans. While SCPP genes have been thought to originate
      from ancient SPARCL1, SPARCL1L1 appears to be more closely related to these
      genes, because it established a structure similar to acidic SCPP genes probably
      in stem gnathostomes, perhaps at about the same time with the origin of tissue
      mineralization. Assuming enamel evolved in stem osteichthyans, all P/Q-rich SCPP
      genes likely arose within the osteichthyan lineage. Furthermore, the absence of
      acidic SCPP genes in chondrichthyans might be explained by the secondary loss of
      earliest acidic genes. It appears that many SCPP genes expanded rapidly in stem
      osteichthyans and in basal actinopterygians.

PMID- 28643451
TI  - Polyclonal and monoclonal B lymphocytes response in HCV-infected patients treated
      with direct-acting antiviral agents.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection can be associated with extrahepatic
      manifestations such as mixed cryoglobulinaemia and lymphoproliferative disorders
      that are endowed with increased rates of morbidity and all-cause mortality. In
      this study, we used flow cytometry to evaluate the effect of interferon-free
      antiviral treatment on peripheral blood lymphocytes in HCV-infected patients with
      or without associated lymphoproliferative disorders. Flow cytometry analysis of
      peripheral blood lymphocytes was performed at baseline and at the end of
      treatment. In HCV-infected patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, we
      evaluated immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain kappa/lambda ratio variations as a
      measure of monoclonal B-cell response to antiviral therapy. Healthy volunteers
      were enrolled as controls. A total of 29 patients were included, nine with and 20
      without lymphoproliferative disorders. Sustained virological response was
      achieved in 29 of 29 patients. We observed a significant reduction in the B-cell
      compartment (39% global reduction) in eight of nine HCV-infected patients with
      lymphoproliferative disorders after viral clearance. We recognized the same
      trend, even if less pronounced, in HCV-infected patients without
      lymphoproliferative disorders (9% global reduction). Among HCV-infected patients
      with lymphoproliferative disorders, three showed an improvement/normalization of
      the immunoglobulin light chain ratio, whereas in the remaining six patients
      monoclonal B cells persisted to be clonally restricted even 1 year after the end
      of treatment. Our data show that DAAs treatment can be effective in reducing the
      frequency of pathological B cells in the peripheral blood of HCV-infected
      patients affected by HCV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders; however,
      monoclonal populations can persist after viral eradication.

PMID- 28643452
TI  - Emerging Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials for Cancer Radiation Therapy.
AB  - Radiation therapy (RT) including external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and internal
      radioisotope therapy (RIT) has been widely used for clinical cancer treatment.
      However, owing to the low radiation absorption of tumors, high doses of ionizing
      radiations are often needed during RT, leading to severe damages to normal
      tissues adjacent to tumors. Meanwhile, the RT efficacies are limited by different
      mechanisms, among which the tumor hypoxia-associated radiation resistance is a
      well-known one, as there exists hypoxia inside most solid tumors while oxygen is
      essential to enhance radiation-induced DNA damages. With the development in
      nanotechnology, there have been great interests in using nanomedicine strategies
      to enhance radiation responses of tumors. Nanomaterials containing high-Z
      elements to absorb radiation rays (e.g. X-ray) can act as radio-sensitizers to
      deposit radiation energy within tumors and promote treatment efficacy. Nanoscale
      carriers are able to deliver therapeutic radioisotopes into tumors for internal
      RIT, or chemotherapeutic drugs for synergistically combined chemo-radiotherapy.
      As uncovered in recent studies, the tumor microenvironment could be modulated by
      various nanomedicine approaches to overcome hypoxia-associated radiation
      resistance. Herein, the authors will summarize the applications of nanomedicine
      for RT cancer treatment, and pay particular attention to the latest development
      of 'advanced materials' for enhanced cancer RT.

PMID- 28643453
TI  - Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Tumor Suppressor Fhit.
AB  - The tumor suppressor Fhit and its substrate diadenosine triphosphate (Ap3 A) are
      important factors in cancer development and progression. Fhit has Ap3 A hydrolase
      activity and cleaves Ap3 A into adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and adenosine
      diphosphate (ADP); this is believed to terminate Fhit-mediated signaling. How the
      catalytic activity of Fhit is regulated and how the Fhit?Ap3 A complex might
      exert its growth-suppressive function remain to be discovered. Small-molecule
      inhibitors of the enzymatic activity of Fhit would provide valuable tools for the
      elucidation of its tumor-suppressive functions. Here we describe the development
      of a high-throughput screen for the identification of such small-molecule
      inhibitors of Fhit. Two clusters of inhibitors that decreased the activity of
      Fhit by at least 90 % were identified. Several derivatives were synthesized and
      exhibited in vitro IC50 values in the nanomolar range.

PMID- 28643454
TI  - Polar zoobenthos blue carbon storage increases with sea ice losses, because
      across-shelf growth gains from longer algal blooms outweigh ice scour mortality
      in the shallows.
AB  - One of the major climate-forced global changes has been white to blue to green;
      losses of sea ice extent in time and space around Arctic and West Antarctic seas
      has increased open water and the duration (though not magnitude) of phytoplankton
      blooms. Blueing of the poles has increases potential for heat absorption for
      positive feedback but conversely the longer phytoplankton blooms have increased
      carbon export to storage and sequestration by shelf benthos. However, ice shelf
      collapses and glacier retreat can calve more icebergs, and the increased open
      water allows icebergs more opportunities to scour the seabed, reducing zoobenthic
      blue carbon capture and storage. Here the size and variability in benthic blue
      carbon in mega and macrobenthos was assessed in time and space at Ryder and
      Marguerite bays of the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). In particular the
      influence of the duration of primary productivity and ice scour are investigated
      from the shallows to typical shelf depths of 500 m. Ice scour frequency dominated
      influence on benthic blue carbon at 5 m, to comparable with phytoplankton
      duration by 25 m depth. At 500 m only phytoplankton duration was significant and
      influential. WAP zoobenthos was calculated to generate ~107 , 4.5 * 106 and 1.6 *
      106 tonnes per year (between 2002 and 2015) in terms of production,
      immobilization and sequestration of carbon respectively. Thus about 1% of annual
      primary productivity has sequestration potential at the end of the trophic
      cascade. Polar zoobenthic blue carbon capture and storage responses to sea ice
      losses, the largest negative feedback on climate change, has been underestimated
      despite some offsetting of gain by increased ice scouring with more open water.
      Equivalent survey of Arctic and sub-Antarctic shelves, for which new projects
      have started, should reveal the true extent of this feedback and how much its
      variability contributes to uncertainty in climate models.

PMID- 28643455
TI  - Pathways governing development of stem cell-derived pancreatic beta cells:
      lessons from embryogenesis.
AB  - The loss of functional beta cells leads to development of diabetes. Several
      studies have shown that beta cells are specified through several stages of
      progenitors during pancreas development, each stage defined by the expression of
      specific transcription factors (TFs). Understanding signalling pathways that
      control the differentiation and specification processes during embryogenesis will
      facilitate efforts to obtain functional beta cells in vitro. Our current
      knowledge of the mechanisms involved in pancreatic beta cell development and
      survival under normal or diabetic conditions has come largely from animal
      studies. However, there are marked differences in islet structure and
      physiological properties between humans and animals, and not all phenotypes of
      human diabetes can be recapitulated in animal models. Therefore, human
      pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and
      human induced PSCs (hiPSCs) offer a great opportunity for increasing our
      understanding of the pathways regulating human pancreatic beta-cell development
      and survival. Furthermore, hPSCs provide a renewable source of functional
      pancreatic beta cells for cell replacement therapy as well as disease modelling.
      Herein, we discuss the signalling pathways involved in the development of
      pancreatic beta cells during embryogenesis. Additionally, we describe how these
      pathways are manipulated in vitro to differentiate hPSCs into functional beta
      cells. Finally, we highlight the progress that has been made for the applications
      of those cells in treating and modelling diabetes.

PMID- 28643456
TI  - IRF6 expression in basal epithelium partially rescues Irf6 knockout mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mutations in IRF6, CHUK (IKKA), and RIPK4 can lead to a disease
      spectrum that includes cutaneous, limb, and craniofacial malformations. Loss of
      these alleles in the mouse leads to perinatal lethality and severe cutaneous,
      limb, and craniofacial defects also. Genetic rescue in the mouse has been shown
      for Ikka and Ripk4. RESULTS: Here, we show partial genetic rescue of Irf6
      knockout embryos using the KRT14 promoter to drive Irf6 expression in the basal
      epithelium. In contrast to Irf6 knockout embryos, rescue embryos survive the
      immediate perinatal period. Macroscopic examination reveals rescue of skin
      adhesions between the axial and appendicular skeleton. Unexpectedly, KRT14-driven
      Irf6 expression does not completely rescue orofacial clefting and adhesions
      between the palate and tongue, suggesting the importance of cell-autonomous IRF6
      expression in periderm. Like knockout embryos, Irf6 rescue embryos also have
      persistent esophageal adhesions, which likely contribute to postnatal demise.
      CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data suggest that targeted expression of IRF6 can
      significantly reduce disease severity, but that a minimum level of Irf6 in both
      periderm and basal epithelial cells is necessary for orofacial development.
      Therefore, homologous human and mouse phenotypes are observed for IRF6, IKKA, and
      RIPK4. In this work, we show that altering the expression level of IRF6
      dramatically modified this phenotype in utero. Developmental Dynamics 246:670
      681, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643457
TI  - Eradication of hepatitis C virus profoundly prolongs survival in hepatocellular
      carcinoma patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization.
AB  - Adjuvant pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment (PegIFN/RBV) reduces
      recurrence and prolongs survival in early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
      patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection receiving resection or
      ablation. However, the impact of antiviral therapy in intermediate and advanced
      stage of CHC-HCC patients is uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the
      impact PegIFN/RBV treatment on recurrence-free interval and survival in patients
      with HCC receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). From 2010 to 2013, 274
      CHC patients from a 1073 patient-based cohort composed of freshly diagnosed HCC
      and receiving TACE treatment the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical
      Center were recruited. Propensity score matching (PSM) (age, gender, AST to
      Platelet Ratio Index (APRI), tumour size, tumour number and Child-Turcotte-Pugh
      score) with the ratio 1:2 for patients with and without PegIFN/RBV treatment was
      performed. Statistics were performed with SPSS V.20 (IBM, USA). After matching,
      153 patients were analysed and 27 patients (17.6%) achieved sustained virologic
      response (SVR). The 2-year cumulative overall survival rate and recurrence-free
      survival rate among patients with SVR, non-SVR, and untreated were 85.2% vs 58.3%
      vs 69.6% (P=.001) and 73.3% vs 53.8% vs 58.5% (P=.013). By Cox regression
      analysis, non-SVR, untreated, increase CTP score and nonresponder to TACE were
      independent factors related to mortality. The SVR achieved by PegIFN/RBV
      treatment markedly improves survival and reduces tumour recurrence in CHC-HCC
      patients receiving TACE treatment after complete response.

PMID- 28643458
TI  - Treatment outcomes for Hodgkin lymphoma: First report from the Brazilian
      Prospective Registry.
AB  - Data about Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) in developing countries are scarce and suggest
      the existence of substantial disparities in healthcare and outcomes in large
      areas of the world. In 2009, a prospective registry of HL was implemented in
      Brazil. Web-based data were contributed by 20 institutions across the country
      participating in the Brazilian Prospective Hodgkin's Lymphoma Registry. The aim
      of this study was to present the clinical features and outcomes of newly
      diagnosed patients with HL aged 13 to 90 years. Multivariate Cox regression
      models were used to estimate progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) by
      clinical factors. A total of 674 patients with classical HL were analysed, with a
      median follow-up of 37 months. Median age was 30 years (13-90). The median time
      from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 6 months (0-60). Only 6% of patients
      had early favourable disease, while 65% had advanced disease. Stage IVB was
      present in 26% and a high-risk International Prognostic Score in 38%.
      Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine was used in 93%. The median
      dose of radiotherapy was 36 Gy for localized disease and 32 Gy for advanced
      disease. The 3 year PFS in early favourable, early unfavourable, and advanced
      disease were 95%, 88%, and 66%, respectively. High-risk International Prognostic
      Score, advanced disease, and age greater than or equal to 60 were independently
      associated with poorer PFS and OS; performance status greater than or equal to 2
      was also associated with a poorer OS. Poor-risk patients predominated. Radiation
      doses for localized disease appear higher than current recommendations. Outcomes
      appear inferior in developing countries than in developed countries. Delayed
      diagnosis is probably a major factor underlying these findings. Scattered reports
      from developing nations suggest that many aspects of standard care in developed
      countries remain unmet needs for populations living in developing countries. The
      present report contributes to this body of data, with a proper description of
      what is currently achieved in urban areas in Brazil.

PMID- 28643460
TI  - Periodic limb movement in sleep and sickle cell disease: a neglected association?
AB  - High frequency of periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) has been described
      among children with sickle cell disease (SCD), but there is little information
      about PLMS among adults with SCD. We aim to determine the frequency of PLMS among
      adults with SCD and to identify possible associations with iron status and
      haemolytic parameters. We analysed polysomnography on 99 adults: 74 with sickle
      cell anaemia (HbSS), 19 with HbSC (double heterozygosis HbS and HbC) and 6 with
      HbS-beta thalassaemia. Laboratory data were collected close to the time of the
      polysomnography examination. The prevalence of PLMS > 5/h was 70% and of PLMS >
      15/h 36%, in the total group of patients. No differences were observed regarding
      gender, use of hydroxyurea and iron parameters. Logistic regression showed an
      association between PLMS > 15/h and hemolytic parameters: absolute reticulocyte
      count (p = 0.03) and unconjugated bilirubin (p = 0.01). Our data suggest that
      PLMS may be associated with manifestations of greater severity in SCD.

PMID- 28643459
TI  - Construction of competitive endogenous RNA network reveals regulatory role of
      long non-coding RNAs in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Increasing epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its comorbidities
      makes it urgent to understand the pathogenesis and regulatory mechanism. However,
      little is known about the regulatory role of lncRNAs in diabetes. Here, we
      constructed a T2DM-related competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network (DMCN) to
      explore biological function of lncRNAs during the development of diabetes
      mellitus. This network contained 351 nodes including 98 mRNAs, 86 microRNAs and
      167 lncRNAs. Functional analysis showed that the mRNAs in DMCN were annotated
      into some diabetes-related pathways. Furthermore, mTOR-centred subnetwork was
      extracted and ncRNA-involved mTOR pathway was established. Finally, we validated
      that NEAT1 was potentially communicated with mTOR signalling target protein mLST8
      via the association with miR-181b. These findings provide significant insight
      into lncRNA regulatory network in T2DM.

PMID- 28643461
TI  - Single-Enzyme Biofuel Cells.
AB  - Herein, we demonstrate that the intramolecular electron transfer within a single
      enzyme molecule is an important alternative pathway that can be harnessed to
      generate electricity. By decoupling the redox reactions within a single type of
      enzyme (for example, Trametes versicolor laccase), we harvested electricity
      efficiently from unconventional fuels including recalcitrant pollutants (for
      example, bisphenol A and hydroquinone) in a single-laccase biofuel cell. The
      intramolecular electron-harnessing concept was further demonstrated with other
      enzymes, including power generation during CO2 bioconversion to formate catalyzed
      by formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii. The novel single-enzyme biofuel
      cell is shown to have potential for utilizing wastewater as a fuel as well as for
      generating energy while driving bioconversion of chemical feedstock from CO2 .

PMID- 28643462
TI  - Selenium-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots for Free-Radical Scavenging.
AB  - Heteroatom doping is an effective way to adjust the fluorescent properties of
      carbon quantum dots. However, selenium-doped carbon dots have rarely been
      reported, even though selenium has unique chemical properties such as redox
      responsive properties owing to its special electronegativity. Herein, a facile
      and high-output strategy to fabricate selenium-doped carbon quantum dots (Se
      CQDs) with green fluorescence (quantum yield 7.6 %) is developed through the
      hydrothermal treatment of selenocystine under mild conditions. Selenium
      heteroatoms endow the Se-CQDs with redox-dependent reversible fluorescence.
      Furthermore, free radicals such as . OH can be effectively scavenged by the Se
      CQDs. Once Se-CQDs are internalized into cells, harmful high levels of reactive
      oxygen species (ROS) in the cells are decreased. This property makes the Se-CQDs
      capable of protecting biosystems from oxidative stress.

PMID- 28643463
TI  - Effect of pH on dentin protease inactivation by carbodiimide.
AB  - A water-soluble crosslinking agent, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)
      carbodiimide (EDC), has been used as a pretreatment of acid-etched dentin to
      inactivate matrix-bound endogenous dentin proteases. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the effect of pH on the inactivation capacity of EDC. Demineralized
      dentin beams (1 * 2 * 6 mm) were divided into six groups (n = 8 per group). Then,
      EDC (0.3 M) was solubilized in distilled water with pH of 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, or 11.
      Control EDC was solubilized in 0.1 M 2-(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid (MES)
      buffer and its pH was adjusted to 6. The dentin beams were pretreated for 1 min
      with EDC at each pH or with EDC in MES buffer at pH 6.0 and then incubated in 1
      ml of simulated body fluid (pH 7.2) for 1, 3, 7, or 14 d. Untreated beams served
      as controls. At each study time-point, the dry mass of dentin beams was assessed
      and the incubation media were analyzed for carboxyterminal telopeptide of type-I
      collagen (ICTP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) using
      specific ELISAs. Data were subjected to repeat-measures anova. The results of the
      study indicated that specimens pretreated with EDC in MES buffer showed the
      lowest collagen degradation in terms of mass loss and release of telopeptides,
      while specimens pretreated in alkaline media showed the highest collagen
      degradation. This study indicates that the pH of the EDC solution plays an
      important role in the stability of dentin protease inactivation.

PMID- 28643464
TI  - Adiponectin Isoform Patterns in Ethnic-Specific ADIPOQ Mutation Carriers: The
      IRAS Family Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin is found in human serum in three groups of multimers (high
      molecular weight [HMW], medium molecular weight [MMW], and low molecular weight
      [LMW]). Two ethnic-specific variants in ADIPOQ, G45R (Hispanic-Americans) and
      R55C (African-Americans), were previously reported. Although carriers of both
      variants had mean adiponectin levels <= 20% of those of noncarriers, they were
      not clinically different from noncarriers. To compare carriers of both variants
      and noncarriers, relative quantification of adiponectin isoforms to total
      adiponectin was performed on serum samples. METHODS: The multimeric patterns of
      serum adiponectin in G45R carriers (n = 23), R55C carriers (n = 3), and Hispanic-
      and African-American noncarriers (n = 84 and 44, respectively) from the Insulin
      Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study were explored using native Western
      blotting and densitometry. RESULTS: Serum samples from carriers showed an absence
      of the HMW isoform and a marked reduction in the MMW isoform but an approximate
      twofold increase in the amount of the LMW isoform. Thus, individuals making only
      LMW adiponectin are metabolically normal. CONCLUSIONS: The results contrast with
      the proposed biological importance of the HMW multimer. This suggests that the
      LMW isoform may functionally compensate for some of the loss or reduction of the
      higher-order multimers in carriers of the G45R and R55C mutations.

PMID- 28643465
TI  - Severe hemolysis after plasma transfusion in a neonate with necrotizing
      enterocolitis, Clostridium perfringens infection, and red blood cell T
      polyagglutination.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen exposure (T
      activation) in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has occasionally been
      associated with posttransfusional intravascular hemolysis thought to be due to
      anti-T antibodies in the donor plasma. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We describe an
      infant with NEC and Clostridium perfringens infection complicated by severe
      hemolysis after plasma transfusion. After this case, infants with confirmed NEC
      were prospectively evaluated for T activation. We checked for hemolysis in
      patients with T activation receiving plasma-containing blood products. RESULTS:
      The infant had received 80 mL of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP). His RBCs displayed
      strong T activation, and agglutination was observed with four of six ABO
      compatible FFP units. A direct antiglobulin test was negative. IgM-class anti-T
      antibodies were present in small amounts (titer of 8) in the transfused FFP. Anti
      T antibodies from the blood donor were not hemolytic in vitro. In the prospective
      study, T activation was observed in three of 28 infants with NEC (11%). One
      infant presented moderate T activation and two infants presented very strong T
      activation but only moderate decreases in sialic acid expression on the RBC
      membrane. These three infants presented no signs of hemolysis after transfusion
      with unwashed blood products or FFP. CONCLUSION: Anti-T antibodies are unlikely
      to be the etiologic factor for the hemolytic reactions observed in infants with
      NEC and T activation. Massive RBC desialylation and the direct action of
      bacterial toxins are more probable causes. Strict avoidance of plasma-containing
      blood products does not seem justified in these infants.

PMID- 28643468
TI  - Eltrombopag use in a patient with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.
AB  - Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is an inherited X-linked disorder characterized by
      microthrombocytopenia, immunodeficiency, and eczema. Hematopoietic stem cell
      transplantation (HSCT) is the treatment of choice. Eltrombopag, a thrombopoietin
      receptor agonist, may be useful to prevent bleeding while awaiting HSCT. We
      present a case of a male with WAS, profound thrombocytopenia, and bleeding
      diathesis successfully managed with eltrombopag before HSCT. Eltrombopag was
      given for 32 weeks obtaining a stable platelet count without any platelet
      transfusion. The patient did not experience any bleeding symptom. Eltrombopag may
      be a suitable therapeutic option for patients with WAS and severe
      thrombocytopenia as "bridge" to definitive cure.

PMID- 28643467
TI  - A Core-Shell-Satellite Structured Fe3 O4 @g-C3 N4 -UCNPs-PEG for T1 /T2 -Weighted
      Dual-Modal MRI-Guided Photodynamic Therapy.
AB  - Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the specific tumor site plays the key
      role in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Herein, a multifunctional nanoplatform is
      designed by absorbing ultrasmall upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) on mesoporous
      graphitic-phase carbon nitride (g-C3 N4 ) coated superparamagnetic iron oxide
      nanospheres, then further modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG)molecules
      (abbreviated as Fe3 O4 @g-C3 N4 -UCNPs-PEG). The inert g-C3 N4 layer between Fe3
      O4 core and outer UCNPs can substantially depress the quenching effect of Fe3 O4
      on the upconversion emission. Upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, the
      UCNPs convert the energy to the photosensitizer (g-C3 N4 layer) through
      fluorescence resonance energy transfer process, thus producing a vast amount of
      ROS. In vitro experiment exhibits an obvious NIR-triggered cell inhibition due to
      the cellular uptake of nanoparticles and the effective PDT efficacy. Notably,
      this platform is responsive to magnetic field, which enables targeted delivery
      under the guidance of an external magnetic field and supervises the therapeutic
      effect by T1 /T2 -weighted dual-modal magnetic resonance imaging. Moreover, in
      vivo therapeutic effect reveals that the magnetism guided accumulation of Fe3 O4
      @g-C3 N4 -UCNPs-PEG can almost trigger a complete tumor inhibition without any
      perceived side effects. The experiments emphasize that the excellent prospect of
      Fe3 O4 @g-C3 N4 -UCNPs-PEG as a magnetic targeted platform for PDT application.

PMID- 28643466
TI  - Anemonin attenuates osteoarthritis progression through inhibiting the activation
      of IL-1beta/NF-kappaB pathway.
AB  - The osteoarthritis (OA) progression is now considered to be related to
      inflammation. Anemonin (ANE) is a small natural molecule extracted from various
      kinds of Chinese traditional herbs and has been shown to inhibiting inflammation
      response. In this study, we examined whether ANE could attenuate the progression
      of OA via suppression of IL-1beta/NF-kappaB pathway activation. Destabilization
      of the medial meniscus (DMM) was performed in 10-week-old male C57BL/6J mice. ANE
      was then intra-articularly injected into joint capsule for 8 and 12 weeks. Human
      articular chondrocytes and cartilage explants challenged with interleukin-1beta
      (IL-1beta) were treated with ANE. We found that ANE delayed articular cartilage
      degeneration in vitro and in vivo. In particular, proteoglycan loss and
      chondrocyte hypertrophy were significantly decreased in ANE -treated mice
      compared with vehicle-treated mice. ANE decreased the expressions of matrix
      metalloproteinase-13 (MMP13), A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with
      thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5), collagen X (Col X) while increasing Aggrecan
      level in murine with DMM surgery. ANE treatment also attenuated proteoglycan loss
      in human cartilage explants treated with IL-1beta ex vivo. ANE is a potent
      protective molecule for OA; it delays OA progression by suppressing ECM loss and
      chondrocyte hypertrophy partially by suppressing IL-1beta/NF-kappaB pathway
      activation.

PMID- 28643469
TI  - ATRA Signaling Regulates the Expression of COL9A1 through BMP2-WNT4-RUNX1 Pathway
      in Antler Chondrocytes.
AB  - Although all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is involved in the regulation of
      cartilage growth and development, its regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. Here,
      we showed that ATRA could induce the expression of COL9A1 in antler chondrocytes.
      Silencing of cellular retinoic acid binding protein 2 (CRABP2) could impede the
      ATRA-induced upregulation of COL9A1, whereas overexpression of CRABP2 presented
      the opposite effect. RARalpha agonist Am80 induced the expression of COL9A1,
      whereas treatment with RARalpha antagonist Ro 41-5253 or RXRalpha small
      interfering RNA (siRNA) caused an obvious blockage of ATRA on COL9A1. In antler
      chondrocytes, CYP26A1 and CYP26B1 weakened the sensitivity of ATRA to COL9A1.
      Simultaneously, Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) and WNT4 mediated the
      regulation of ATRA on COL9A1 expression. Knockdown of WNT4 could abrogate the
      inhibitory effect of BMP2 overexpression on COL9A1. Conversely, constitutive
      expression of WNT4 reversed the upregulation of COL9A1 elicited by BMP2 siRNA.
      Together these data indicated that WNT4 might act downstream of BMP2 to mediate
      the effect of ATRA on COL9A1 expression. Further analysis evidenced that
      attenuation of runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) could prevent the
      stimulation of ATRA on COL9A1 expression, while exogenous rRUNX1 further enhanced
      this effectiveness. Moreover, RUNX1 might serve as an intermediate to mediate the
      regulation of BMP2 and WNT4 on COL9A1 expression. Collectively, ATRA signaling
      might regulate the expression of COL9A1 through BMP2-WNT4-RUNX1 pathway.

PMID- 28643470
TI  - The association of hospital governance with innovation in Taiwan.
AB  - Hospitals in Taiwan are facing major changes and innovation is increasingly
      becoming a critical factor for remaining competitive. One determinant that can
      have a significant impact on innovation is hospital governance. However, there is
      limited prior research on the relationship between hospital governance and
      innovation. The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual framework to
      hypothesize the relationship between governance mechanisms and innovation and to
      empirically test the hypotheses in hospital organizations. We examine the
      relationship between governance mechanisms and innovation using data on 102
      hospitals in Taiwan from the Taiwan Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation
      and Quality Improvement. We model governance mechanisms using board structure,
      information transparency and strategic decision-making processes. For our
      modeling and data analysis we use measurement and structural models. We find that
      in hospital governance, information transparency and strategic decision making
      did impact innovation. However, governance structure did not. To facilitate
      innovation, hospital boards can increase information transparency and improve the
      decision-making process when considering strategic investments in innovative
      initiatives. To remain competitive, hospital boards need to develop and monitor
      indices that measure hospital innovation to ensure ongoing progress.

PMID- 28643471
TI  - Molecular Self-Assembly Fabrication and Carrier Dynamics of Stable and Efficient
      CH3 NH3 Pb(1-x) Snx I3 Perovskite Solar Cells.
AB  - The Sn-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) provide the possibility of swapping
      the Pb element toward developing toxic-free PSCs. Here, we innovatively employed
      a molecular self-assembly approach to obtain a series CH3 NH3 Pb(1-x) Snx I3
      (0<=x<=1) perovskite thin films with full coverage. The optimized planar CH3 NH3
      Pb0.75 Sn0.25 I3 PSC with inverted structure was consequently realized with a
      maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) over 14 %, which displayed a stabilized
      power output (SPO) over 12 % within 200 s at 0.6 V forward bias. Afterward, we
      investigated the factors that limited the efficiency improvement of hybrid Sn-Pb
      PSCs, and analyzed the possible reason of the hysteresis effect occurred even in
      the inverted structure cell. Particularly, the oxidation of hybrid Sn-Pb
      perovskite thin film was demonstrated to be the main reason that limited its
      further efficiency improvement. The imbalance of charge transport was
      intensified, which was associated with the increased hole defect-state density
      and decreased electron defect-state density after Sn was introduced. This study
      helps tackle the intractable issue regarding the toxic Pb in perovskite devices
      and is a step forward toward realizing lead-free PSCs with high stability and
      efficiency.

PMID- 28643472
TI  - Phosphaborenes: Accessible Reagents for the Synthesis of C-C/P-B Isosteres.
AB  - Formal exchange of C=C units with isoelectronic B=N or B=P units can provide
      access to molecules with unique electronic or chemical properties. Herein, we
      report the simple solution-phase generation of highly reactive phosphaborenes,
      RP=BR, and demonstrate their use for the introduction of P=B units into organic
      systems. Ring opening of a P-B-containing cyclobutene isostere provided access to
      unique 1,4-boraphosphabutadiene systems with conjugated main-group multiple
      bonds.

PMID- 28643474
TI  - Long-term failure of Amplatzer plugs in the treatment of aortic pathology.
AB  - We present two cases of Amplatzer(r) device deployment that exhibited long-term
      failure necessitating surgical correction. The first case illustrates
      recanalization of a ruptured Valsalva aneurysm with worsening aortic
      insufficiency after percutaneous repair with the Amplatzer Vascular Plugs and
      Amplatzer duct occluder, while the second case illustrates recanalization after
      deployment of the Amplatzer septal occluder in a patient with a pseudoaneursym in
      a bovine aorta after type I aortic dissection repair. These two cases illustrate
      the potential long-term complications and limitations in durability with these
      devices.

PMID- 28643473
TI  - Can the propensity of protein crystallization be increased by using systematic
      screening with metals?
AB  - Protein crystallization is one of the major bottlenecks in protein structure
      elucidation with new strategies being constantly developed to improve the chances
      of crystallization. Generally, well-ordered epitopes possessing complementary
      surface and capable of producing stable inter-protein interactions generate a
      regular three-dimensional arrangement of protein molecules which eventually
      results in a crystal lattice. Metals, when used for crystallization, with their
      various coordination numbers and geometries, can generate such epitopes mediating
      protein oligomerization and/or establish crystal contacts. Some examples of metal
      mediated oligomerization and crystallization together with our experience on
      metal-mediated crystallization of a putative rRNA methyltransferase from
      Sinorhizobium meliloti are presented. Analysis of crystal structures from protein
      data bank (PDB) using a non-redundant data set with a 90% identity cutoff,
      reveals that around 67% of proteins contain at least one metal ion, with ~14%
      containing combination of metal ions. Interestingly, metal containing conditions
      in most commercially available and popular crystallization kits generally contain
      only a single metal ion, with combinations of metals only in a very few
      conditions. Based on the results presented in this review, it appears that the
      crystallization screens need expansion with systematic screening of metal ions
      that could be crucial for stabilizing the protein structure or for establishing
      crystal contact and thereby aiding protein crystallization.

PMID- 28643475
TI  - Tailoring of physicochemical properties of nanocarriers for effective anti-cancer
      applications.
AB  - Nanotechnology has emerged strongly as a viable option to overcome the challenge
      of early diagnosis and effective drug delivery, for cancer treatment. Emerging
      research articles have expounded the advantages of using a specific type of
      nanomaterial-based system called as "nanocarriers," for anti-cancer therapy. The
      nanocarrier system is used as a transport unit for targeted drug delivery of the
      therapeutic drug moiety. In order for the nanocarriers to be effective for
      anticancer therapy, their physicochemical parameter needs to be tuned so that bio
      functionalisation can be achieved to (1) allow drugs being attached to the
      substrate and for their controlled release, (2) ensure the stability of the
      nanocarrier up to the point of delivery, and (3) clearance of the nanocarrier
      after the delivery. It is therefore envisaged that tailoring of the
      physicochemical properties of nanocarriers can greatly influence their reactivity
      and interaction in the biological milieu, and this is becoming an important
      parameter for increasing the efficacy of cancer therapy. This review emphasizes
      the importance of physicochemical properties of nanocarriers, and how they
      influence its usage as chemotherapeutic drug carriers. The goal of this review is
      to present a correlation between the physicochemical properties of the
      nanocarriers and its intended action, and how their design based on these
      properties can enhance their cancer combating abilities while minimizing damage
      to the healthy tissues. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part
      A: 105A: 2906-2928, 2017.

PMID- 28643476
TI  - Low leptin concentration may identify heart failure patients with central sleep
      apnea.
AB  - Low leptin concentration has been shown to be associated with central sleep apnea
      in heart failure patients. We hypothesized that low leptin concentration predicts
      central sleep apnea. Consecutive ambulatory New York Heart Association (NYHA)
      classes I-IV heart failure patients were studied prospectively, including
      measurement of serum leptin, echocardiography and polysomnography. Sleep apnea
      was defined by type (central/mixed/obstructive) and by apnea-hypopnea index >=5
      by polysomnography. Subjects were divided into four groups by polysomnography:
      (1) central sleep apnea, (2) mixed apnea, (3) no apnea and (4) obstructive sleep
      apnea. Fifty-six subjects were included. Eighteen subjects were diagnosed with
      central sleep apnea, 15 with mixed apnea, 12 with obstructive apnea and 11 with
      no sleep apnea. Leptin concentration was significantly lower in central sleep
      apnea compared to obstructive apnea (8 +/- 10.7 ng mL-1 versus 19.7 +/- 14.7 ng
      mL-1 , P ? 0.01) or no sleep apnea (8 +/- 10.7 ng mL-1 versus 17.1 +/- 8.4 ng mL
      1 , P ? 0.01). Logistic regression showed leptin to be associated independently
      with central sleep apnea [odds ratio (OR): 0.19; 95% confidence interval (CI):
      0.06-0.62; area under the curve (AUC): 0.80, P < 0.01]. For the detection of
      central sleep apnea, a cut-off value for leptin concentration 5 ng mL-1 yielded a
      sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 89%. In conclusion, a low leptin
      concentration may have utility for the screening of heart failure patients for
      central sleep apnea.

PMID- 28643477
TI  - Red wine polyphenols do not improve obesity-associated insulin resistance: A
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Preclinical studies have suggested that polyphenols extracted from red wine
      (RWPs) favourably affect insulin sensitivity, but there is controversy over
      whether RWPs exert similar effects in humans. The aim of the present study was to
      determine whether RWPs improve insulin sensitivity in obese volunteers. Obese
      (body mass index >30 kg/m2 ) volunteers were randomly allocated to RWPs 600 mg/d
      (n = 14) or matched placebo (n = 15) in a double-blind parallel-arm study for 8
      weeks. The participants were investigated at baseline and at the end of the
      study. Insulin sensitivity was determined using a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic
      clamp (M-value), a mixed-meal test (Matsuda index), and homeostatic model
      assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). RWPs elicited no significant changes
      in M-value (RWP group: median [interquartile range; IQR] baseline 3.0 [2.4; 3.6];
      end of study 3.3 [2.4; 4.8] vs placebo group: median [IQR] baseline 3.4 [2.8;
      4.4]; end of study 2.9 [2.8; 5.9] mg/kg/min; P = .65), in Matsuda index (RWP
      group: median [IQR] baseline 3.3 [2.2; 4.8]; end of study 3.6 [2.4; 4.8] vs
      placebo group: median [IQR] baseline 4.0 [3.0; 6.0]; end of study 4.0 [3.0; 5.2];
      P = .88), or in HOMA-IR. This study showed that 8 weeks of RWP supplementation
      did not improve insulin sensitivity in 29 obese volunteers. Our findings were not
      consistent with the hypothesis that RWPs ameliorate insulin resistance in human
      obesity.

PMID- 28643478
TI  - Critical role of TNF inhibition in combination therapy for elderly mice with
      atherosclerosis.
AB  - AIMS: We have previously shown that the combination of pravastatin and
      sarpogrelate is synergistically beneficial for atherosclerosis. In this study, we
      investigated whether the pravastatin-sarpogrelate combination was sufficient for
      treatment in an old mouse model of atherosclerosis or if additional intervention
      would be needed to address the newly included aging factor and its complex
      pathophysiological impact on the atherosclerogenic state. We added an anti-TNF
      biological to the combination treatment cocktail because of the known pathologic
      roles of TNF in the aging process. METHODS: Sixty-week-old low-density
      lipoprotein receptor knockout mice were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet and
      treated with the sarpogrelate and pravastatin combination, etanercept alone, or
      the triple combination. RESULTS: Although, etanercept alone did not significantly
      reduce aortic root and atherosclerotic plaque areas, the pravastatin-sarpogrelate
      combination, and pravastatin-sarpogrelate-etanercept triple therapy significantly
      reduced the plaque areas. Surprisingly, TNF inhibition was critically required to
      reduce the plaque areas of aortic roots and the expression of ICAM-1, MOMA-2, and
      TNF. More importantly, a lipid-lowering effect by pravastatin was observed only
      in the triple therapy group and not in the pravastatin and sarpogrelate
      combination group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that TNF-inhibitory
      intervention should be added to the conventional therapy as a novel strategy for
      treating the elderly patients with atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28643479
TI  - Adjuncts and alternatives in the time of antibiotic resistance and in-feed
      antibiotic bans.

PMID- 28643481
TI  - Let's talk about flux or the importance of (intracellular) reaction rates.

PMID- 28643480
TI  - Microbiome yarns: microbial forensics for auditing provenance in global food
      chains,,<sup/>.

PMID- 28643482
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28643483
TI  - Cell-Engineered Nanovesicle as a Surrogate Inducer of Contact-Dependent Stimuli.
AB  - Heterotypic interactions between cells are crucial in various biological
      phenomena. Particularly, stimuli that regulate embryonic stem cell (ESC) fate are
      often provided from neighboring cells. However, except for feeder cultures, no
      practical methods are identified that can provide ESCs with contact-dependent
      cell stimuli. To induce contact-dependent cell stimuli in the absence of living
      cells, a novel method that utilizes cell-engineered nanovesicles (CNVs) that are
      made by extruding living cells through microporous membranes is described.
      Protein compositions of CNVs are similar to their originating cells, as well as
      freely diffusible and precisely scalable. Treatment of CNVs produced from three
      different stromal cells successfully induces the same effect as feeder cultures.
      The results suggest that the effects of CNVs are mainly mediated by membrane
      associated components. The use of CNVs might constitute a novel and efficient
      tool for ESC research.

PMID- 28643484
TI  - International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189.
AB  - The College of American Pathologists (CAP) offers a suite of laboratory
      accreditation programs, including one specific to accreditation to the
      international organization for standardization (ISO) 15189 standard for quality
      management specific to medical laboratories. CAP leaders offer an overview of ISO
      15189 including its components, internal audits, occurrence management, document
      control, and risk management. The authors provide a comparison of its own ISO
      15189 program, CAP 15189, to the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program. The
      authors conclude with why laboratories should use ISO 15189.

PMID- 28643485
TI  - Accuracy Assessment of Five Equations Used for Estimating the Glomerular
      Filtration Rate in Korean Adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the performance of the five creatinine-based
      equations commonly used for estimates of the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR),
      namely, the creatinine-based Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration
      (CKD-EPIcr), Asian CKD-EPI, revised Lund-Malmo (revised LM), full age spectrum
      (FAS), and Korean FAS equations, in the Korean population. METHODS: A total of
      1,312 patients, aged 20 yr and above who underwent 51Cr-EDTA GFR measurements
      (mGFR), were enrolled. The bias (eGFR-mGFR) and precision (root mean square error
      [RMSE]) were calculated. The accuracy (P30) of four eGFR equations was compared
      to that of the CKD-EPIcr equation. P30 was defined as the percentage of patients
      whose eGFR was within+/-30% of the mGFR. RESULTS: The mean bias (mL.min-1.1.73 m
      2) of the five eGFR equation was as follows: CKD-EPIcr, -0.6; Asian CKD-EPI, 2.7;
      revised LM, -6.5; FAS, -2.5; and Korean FAS, -0.2. The bias of the Asian CKD-EPI,
      revised LM, and FAS equations showed a significant difference from zero
      (P<0.001). The RMSE values were as follows: CKD-EPIcr, 15.6; Asian CKD-EPI, 15.6;
      revised LM, 17.9; FAS, 16.3; and Korean FAS, 15.8. There were no significant
      differences in the P30 except for the Asian CKD-EPI equation: CKD-EPIcr, 76.6%;
      Asian CKD-EPI, 74.7%; revised LM, 75.8%; FAS, 76.0%; and Korean FAS, 75.8%.
      CONCLUSIONS: The CKD-EPIcr and Korean FAS equations showed equivalent analytical
      and clinical performances in the Korean adult population.

PMID- 28643486
TI  - Comparison of Intact PTH and Bio-Intact PTH Assays Among Non-Dialysis Dependent
      Chronic Kidney Disease Patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The third-generation bio-intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) (1-84)
      assay was designed to overcome problems associated with the detection of C
      terminal fragments by the second-generation intact PTH assay. The two assays have
      been compared primarily among dialysis populations. The present study evaluated
      the correlations and differences between these two PTH assays among patients with
      chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3 to 5 not yet on dialysis. METHODS: Blood
      samples were collected from 98 patients with CKD stages 3 to 5. PTH
      concentrations were measured simultaneously by using the second-generation - PTH
      intact-STAT and third-generation bio-intact 1-84 PTH assays. Other serum
      biomarkers of bone mineral disorders were also assessed. CKD stage was calculated
      by using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration (EPI) formula. RESULTS: Serum bio
      intact PTH concentrations were strongly correlated but significantly lower than
      the intact PTH concentrations (r=0.963, P<0.0001). This finding was consistent
      among CKD stages 3 to 5. PTH concentrations by both assays (intact and bio-intact
      PTH) positively correlated with urea (r=0.523, r=0.504; P=0.002, respectively),
      phosphorus (r=0.532, r=0.521; P<0.0001, respectively) and negatively correlated
      with blood calcium (r=-0.435, r=-0.476; P<0.0001, respectively), 25(OH) vitamin
      D, (r=-0.319, r=-0.353; respectively, P<0.0001) and the estimated glomerular
      filtration rate (r=-0.717, r=-0.688; P<0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among
      patients with CKD stages 3 to 5 not on dialysis, the bio-intact PTH assay
      detected significantly lower PTH concentrations compared with intact PTH assay.
      Additional studies that correlate the diagnosis and management of CKD mineral and
      bone disorders with bone histomorphometric findings are needed to determine
      whether bio-intact PTH assay results are better surrogate markers in these early
      stages of CKD.

PMID- 28643487
TI  - Proenkephalin, Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, and Estimated
      Glomerular Filtration Rates in Patients With Sepsis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Proenkephalin (PENK) has been suggested as a novel biomarker for
      kidney function. We investigated the diagnostic and prognostic utility of plasma
      PENK in comparison with neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and
      estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) in septic patients. METHODS: A total
      of 167 septic patients were enrolled: 99 with sepsis, 37 with septic shock, and
      31 with suspected sepsis. PENK and NGAL concentrations were measured and GFR was
      estimated by using the isotope dilution mass spectrometry traceable-Modification
      of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study and three Chronic Kidney Disease
      Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations: CKD-EPI(Cr), CDK-EPI(CysC), and
      CKD-EPI(Cr-CysC). The PENK, NGAL, and eGFR results were compared according to
      sepsis severity, presence or absence of acute kidney injury (AKI), and clinical
      outcomes. RESULTS: The PENK, NGAL, and eGFR results were significantly associated
      with sepsis severity and differed significantly between patients with and without
      AKI only in the sepsis group (all P<0.05). PENK was superior to NGAL in
      predicting AKI (P=0.022) and renal replacement therapy (RRT) (P=0.0085).
      Regardless of the variable GFR category by the different eGFR equations, PENK
      showed constant and significant associations with all eGFR equations. Unlike
      NGAL, PENK was not influenced by inflammation and predicted the 30-day mortality.
      CONCLUSIONS: PENK is a highly sensitive and objective biomarker of AKI and RRT
      and is useful for prognosis prediction in septic patients. With its diagnostic
      robustness and predictive power for survival, PENK constitutes a promising
      biomarker in critical care settings including sepsis.

PMID- 28643488
TI  - Multidrug Resistance Mechanisms of Carbapenem Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
      Strains Isolated in Chongqing, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is considered a
      serious global threat. However, little is known regarding the multidrug
      resistance (MDR) mechanisms of CRKP. This study investigated the phenotypes and
      MDR mechanisms of CRKP and identified their clonal characteristics. METHODS: PCR
      and sequencing were utilized to identify antibiotic resistance determinants.
      Integron gene cassette arrays were determined by restriction fragment length
      polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field
      gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were used for epidemiological analysis. Plasmids were
      typed by using a PCR-based replicon typing and analyzed by conjugation and
      transformation assays. RESULTS: Seventy-eight strains were identified as
      resistant to at least one carbapenem; these CRKP strains had a high prevalence
      rate (38.5%, 30/78) of carbapenemase producers. Additionally, most isolates
      harbored MDR genes, including Extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), AmpC,
      and quinolone and aminoglycoside resistance genes. Loss of porin genes was
      observed, and Class 1 integron was detected in 66.7% of the investigated
      isolates. PFGE and MLST results excluded the occurrence of clonal dissemination
      among these isolates. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of NDM-1 genes encoding
      carbapenem resistance determinants was demonstrated among the K. pneumoniae
      isolates. Importantly, this is the first report of bla(NDM-1) carriage in a K.
      pneumoniae ST1383 clone in China and of a MDR CRKP isolate co-harboring bla(NDM
      1), bla(KPC-2), bla(CTX-M), bla(SHV), acc(6')-Ib, rmtB, qnrB, and acc(6')-Ib-cr.

PMID- 28643489
TI  - Comparison of the Luminex xTAG Respiratory Viral Panel Fast v2 Assay With Anyplex
      II RV16 Detection Kit and AdvanSure RV Real-Time RT-PCR Assay for the Detection
      of Respiratory Viruses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The accurate and rapid identification of the causative viruses is
      important for the timely diagnosis and management of respiratory infections.
      Multiplex molecular diagnostic techniques have been widely adopted to detect
      respiratory viruses. We compared the results of a newly upgraded, multiplex,
      molecular bead-based respiratory viral panel (RVP) assay with the results of
      Anyplex II RV16 detection kit and AdvanSure RV real-time RT-PCR assay. METHODS:
      We tested 254 respiratory specimens and cultured viral strains using the Luminex
      xTAG RVP Fast v2 assay (Luminex Molecular Diagnostics, Canada) and Anyplex II
      RV16 detection kit and compared the results. Specimens showing discordant results
      between the two assays were tested with a AdvanSure RV real-time RT-PCR assay.
      RESULTS: Of the 254 respiratory specimens, there was total agreement in the
      results between the xTAG RVP Fast v2 assay and the other real-time PCR assay in
      94.1-100% of the specimens. The agreement levels were relatively low (94.1-97.6%)
      for specimens of adenovirus, coronavirus NL63, and parainfluenza type 3. In
      comparison to the other assay, the xTAG RVP Fast v2 assay detected a higher
      number of parainfluenza type 3 (4 cases) and metapneumovirus (9 cases).
      CONCLUSIONS: The xTAG RVP Fast v2 assay showed comparable capabilities compared
      with the other assays; it will be useful for identifying respiratory viral
      infections in patients with respiratory symptoms. Clinicians should be aware of
      the characteristics of the assays they use, since different assays show different
      detectability for each virus.

PMID- 28643490
TI  - Characterization of Extended-Spectrum beta-Lactamase Genes of Shigella flexneri
      Isolates With Fosfomycin Resistance From Patients in China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The emergence of fosfomycin resistance and extended-spectrum beta
      lactamase (ESBL) genes is a serious threat to public health and a new challenge
      in shigellosis treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify fosfomycin
      resistance and characterize beta-lactamase genes in fos-carrying isolates of
      Shigella flexneri from patients in China. METHODS: A total of 263 S. flexneri
      isolates were collected from 34 hospitals in the Anhui Province of China during
      September 2012-September 2015 and screened for fosA3, fosA, and fosC2 by PCR
      amplification and sequencing. The fos-carrying isolates were then screened for
      beta-lactamase genes. The clonal relationships between fosA3-carrying isolates,
      the transmissibility of fosfomycin resistance, replicon types of plasmids
      carrying fosfomycin resistance genes and other associated resistance genes were
      investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-five of the 263 isolates (9.5%) showed resistance
      to fosfomycin, and 18 (6.8%) were positive for fosA3. None of the isolates was
      positive for fosA or fosC2. Seventeen of the isolates carrying fosA3 (94%) were
      CTX-M producers (seven CTX-M-55, five CTX-M-14, and five CTX-M-123), while three
      (16.7%) were TEM producers (TEM-1).Sixteen (88.9%) fosA3-carrying isolates
      exhibited multi-drug resistance. The replicon types of the 13 fosA3-carrying
      plasmids were IncF (n=13), IncHI2 (n=3), IncIl-Ir (n=2), and IncN (n=1).
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that fosA3 could spread through plasmids in S.
      flexneri isolates, along with the bla(CTX-M) and bla(TEM), which facilitate its
      quick dispersal. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of CTX-M
      123-type ESBLs in S. flexneri isolates from patients in China.

PMID- 28643491
TI  - Association of Foxp3 Polymorphism With Allograft Outcome in Kidney
      Transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) is the most reliable marker for regulatory T
      cells, which play an important role in maintaining renal allograft tolerance.
      Recently, Foxp3 polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with graft
      outcome in kidney transplantation. We analyzed the association of Foxp3
      polymorphisms with renal allograft outcome. METHODS: Foxp3 polymorphisms
      (rs3761548 A/C, rs2280883 C/T, rs5902434 del/ATT, and rs2232365 A/G) were tested
      by PCR with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) in 231 adult kidney
      transplantation recipients from 1996-2004 at Seoul National University Hospital.
      RESULTS: Patients with the rs3761548 CC genotype showed better graft survival
      than those with the AC or AA genotype (log rank test, P=0.03). Patients with the
      rs3761548 CC genotype also showed a lower rate of recurrence of the original
      glomerular disease than those with the AC or AA genotype (P=0.01). The frequency
      of acute rejection (AR) in patients with the rs2280883 TT genotype was lower than
      that in patients with the rs2280883 CT or CC genotype (26.9% vs 53.3%, P=0.038).
      Patients with the rs2280883 TT genotype also showed better graft survival than
      those with the CT or CC genotype (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Foxp3 rs3761548 CC and
      rs2280883 TT genotypes were associated with superior graft outcome of kidney
      transplantation. Further studies involving a larger number of patients are
      needed.

PMID- 28643492
TI  - Human Papillomavirus Genotype Distribution Among 18,815 Women in 13 Korean Cities
      and Relationship With Cervical Cytology Findings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The prevalence and genotype distribution of Human papillomavirus
      (HPV) infection vary depending on geographical region and the immunity provided
      by vaccines. This study aimed to clarify the recent prevalence and genotype
      distribution of HPV according to age and cervical cytology findings in Korea.
      METHODS: This study included 18,815 health examinees that underwent cervical
      cytology and HPV genotyping tests at 16 centers of Korean Association of Health
      Promotion in 13 cities in Korea, between January 2014 and October 2015. HPV was
      genotyped by using multiplex PCR (Anyplex II HPV 28, Seegene, Korea), which
      detects 19 high-risk HPVs (HR-HPV) and nine low-risk HPVs (LR-HPV). RESULTS:
      Overall HPV prevalence was 27.8%, with 22.2% HR-HPV and 11.4% LR-HPV. The five
      most common carcinogens were HPV 52 (3.2%), 58 (2.7%), 16 (2.0%), 56 (1.9%), and
      51 (1.8%). The five most common HR-HPVs in normal cytology samples were HPV 53,
      68, 70, 52, and 58, while HPV 16, 52, 58, 33, and 31 were prevalent in high grade
      squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). In atypical squamous cells of
      undetermined significance (ASCUS), the prevalence of HR-HPV varied with age; it
      was highest in those aged <30 yr, declining to a minimum at age 50-59 yr, and
      then increasing in older women (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence and
      distribution of HR-HPV varied with age and cervical cytology findings. This
      information would be helpful in the development of cervical cancer prevention
      policies.

PMID- 28643493
TI  - Identification of viridans streptococci With Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption &
      Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry by an In-house Method and a
      Commercially Available System.
AB  - Two matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry
      (MALDI-TOF-MS)-based methods were compared for their ability to identify viridans
      streptococci. One approach employed a reference database and software developed
      in-house. All inhouse measurements were performed using an Autoflex II Instrument
      (Bruker Daltonics GmbH, Germany). The other system, a VITEK-MS (BioMerieux,
      France) was operated on the commercially available V2.0 Knowledge Base for
      Clinical Use database. Clinical isolates of viridans streptococci (n=184) were
      examined. Discrepant results were resolved by 16S rDNA sequencing. Species-level
      identification percentages were compared by a chi-square test. The in-house
      method correctly identified 179 (97%) and 175 (95%) isolates to the group and
      species level respectively. In comparison, the VITEK-MS system correctly
      identified 145 (79%) isolates to the group and species level. The difference
      between the two methods was statistically significant at both group and species
      levels. Using the Autoflex II instrument combined with an extraction method
      instead of whole cell analysis resulted in more reliable viridans streptococci
      identification. Our results suggest that combining extraction with powerful
      analysis software and the careful choice of well-identified strains included into
      the database was useful for identifying viridans streptococci species.

PMID- 28643494
TI  - Identification of Pathogenic Variants in the CHM Gene in Two Korean Patients With
      Choroideremia.
AB  - Choroideremia is a rare X-linked disorder causing progressive chorioretinal
      atrophy. Affected patients develop night blindness with progressive peripheral
      vision loss and eventual blindness. Herein, we report two Korean families with
      choroideremia. Multimodal imaging studies showed that the probands had
      progressive loss of visual field with characteristic chorioretinal atrophy, while
      electroretinography demonstrated nearly extinguished cone and rod responses
      compatible with choroideremia. Sanger sequencing of all coding exons and flanking
      intronic regions of the CHM gene revealed a novel small deletion at a splice site
      (c.184_189+3delTACCAGGTA) in one patient and a deletion of the entire exon 9 in
      the other. This is the first report on a molecular genetic diagnosis of
      choroideremia in Korean individuals. Molecular diagnosis of choroideremia should
      be widely adopted for proper diagnosis and the development of new treatment
      modalities including gene therapy.

PMID- 28643495
TI  - Hidden "Preleukemic Phase" of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Presenting Without
      Leukocytosis in the Peripheral Blood Unrelated to Chemotherapy in a Patient
      Diagnosed With Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma.

PMID- 28643496
TI  - WHIM Syndrome With a Novel CXCR4 Variant in a Korean Child.

PMID- 28643497
TI  - Correlation Between Bone Marrow Blasts Counts With Flow Cytometry and
      Morphological Analysis in Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

PMID- 28643498
TI  - Persistence of Group B Streptococcus in the Urogenital Area.

PMID- 28643499
TI  - Sputasol (Dithiothreitol 0.54%) Improves the Detection of Human Papillomaviruses
      Using the Cobas 4800 System.

PMID- 28643500
TI  - Multiple Brain Abscesses Caused by Nocardia asiatica in a Patient With Systemic
      Lupus Erythematosus: The First Case Report and Literature Review.

PMID- 28643501
TI  - Complete STK11 Deletion and Atypical Symptoms in Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome.

PMID- 28643502
TI  - Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: pathogenesis and potential therapeutic
      approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study sought to clarify the pathogenesis of idiopathic
      thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and make preliminary investigations regarding a
      therapeutic approach. METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to
      establish and analyze the standard curve for interferon (IFN) gamma, interleukin
      (IL) 4, and IL-17 in order to determine a measurement method for these cytokines.
      Subsequently, cellular levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-17 in the peripheral
      blood of patients in the treatment group (traditional Chinese medicine) was
      compared with those in the control group (Western-style care). An ITP mice model
      was also established and treated with different medications. RESULTS: Th1/Th2
      cell quantities in ITP patients were significantly higher than in healthy
      individuals (P<0.05). Furthermore, IL-17 secreted by Th17 cells was significantly
      higher in ITP patients than healthy individuals (P<0.01). A combination of
      traditional Chinese medicine and Western-style care yielded the best treatment
      effect for ITP mice, followed by Western medicine alone and then Chinese medicine
      alone. CONCLUSIONS: The experimental results suggested that Th17 cells may be
      more related to the pathogenesis of ITP, and that application of Western-style
      care supplemented by traditional Chinese medicine may yield a more optimal
      treatment for ITP.

PMID- 28643503
TI  - The use of morphokinetic as a predictor of implantation.
AB  - In recent years the increased efforts intended for improving future outcomes in
      the laboratory have focused mostly on the search of additional markers of embryo
      quality to add up present embryo selection criteria. Time-lapse system involves
      an alternative tool in assisted reproduction techniques, being able to improve
      the embryo selection from a dynamic and interactive approach while standard
      embryo assessment implies a subjective and static morphology evaluation and
      consequently reducing the information gained for embryo selection, time-lapse
      technology adds several morphokinetic parameters, providing additional input for
      embryo evaluation. This further information represents a challenge for a
      potential improvement in implantation rates and reproductive outcomes. This
      article focuses on the different time-lapse systems burgeoning on the market and
      the use of morphokinetics as a predictor of embryo implantation.

PMID- 28643505
TI  - A case of IgG4-related pseudotumor affecting ethmoid, orbit and anterior skull
      base.

PMID- 28643504
TI  - Direct common carotid artery puncture for acute thrombectomy against ischemic
      stroke.

PMID- 28643506
TI  - A meningeal fibrosarcoma on the same site of osteodural decompression: a pure
      coincidence?

PMID- 28643507
TI  - Yellow fever vaccine: WHO position on the use of fractional doses - June 2017.

PMID- 28643508
TI  - Global polio eradication: progress towards containment of poliovirus type 2,
      worldwide 2017.

PMID- 28643509
TI  - Secondary Copper Smelters as Sources of Chlorinated and Brominated Polycyclic
      Aromatic Hydrocarbons.
AB  - The generation of and extent to which chlorinated and brominated polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons (Cl/Br-PAHs) are formed and released from secondary copper
      smelters remain unknown. This field study, to our knowledge, is the first to
      identify secondary copper smelters as new sources of Cl/Br-PAHs. Mass
      concentrations of ?19Cl-PAHs and ?19Br-PAHs ranged from 5.8 to 271 ng Nm-3 and
      0.59 to 52.4 ng Nm-3, respectively. A comparison of Cl/Br-PAH concentrations in
      stack gas and fly ash from secondary copper smelters indicated that the use of
      scrap copper as raw material or the addition of coal or heavy oil as reductant
      may contribute to the elevated formation and emission of Cl/Br-PAHs. Congener
      profiles of Cl/Br-PAHs in stack gas and fly ash from secondary copper smelters
      were different with those of Cl/Br-PAHs from waste incinerations and other
      previously reported sources, thus could be used as possible fingerprints and
      source apportionments of environmental Cl/Br-PAHs. Atmospheric levels of Cl/Br
      PAHs in the workplace or smelter surroundings were determined and potential
      exposures were assessed. Although chlorination of PAHs was previously recognized
      as an important formation pathway of Cl/Br-PAHs, it was not verified to be the
      major formation pathway for Cl/Br-PAHs from secondary copper smelters in this
      study.

PMID- 28643510
TI  - Characterization of the Saffron Derivative Crocetin as an Inhibitor of Human
      Lactate Dehydrogenase 5 in the Antiglycolytic Approach against Cancer.
AB  - Inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) represents an innovative approach to
      tackle cancer because this peculiar glycolytic metabolism is characteristic of
      most invasive tumor cells. An investigation into the biological properties of
      saffron extracts led to the discover of their LDH-inhibition properties. In
      particular, the most important saffron components, crocetin, was found to inhibit
      LDH (IC50 = 54.9 +/- 4.7 MUM). This carotenoid was independently produced by
      chemical synthesis, and its LDH-inhibition properties manifested via its
      antiproliferative activity against two glycolytic cancer cell lines (A549 and
      HeLa, IC50 = 114.0 +/- 8.0 and 113.0 +/- 11.1 MUM, respectively). The results
      described in this article suggest that saffron may be a helpful alimentary
      component in the prevention of cancer that potentially contributes to the
      efficacy of approved cancer therapies.

PMID- 28643511
TI  - Exceptionally High Payload of the IR780 Iodide on Folic Acid-Functionalized
      Graphene Quantum Dots for Targeted Photothermal Therapy.
AB  - The IR780 iodide (IR780) is recognized as an effective theranostic agent for
      simultaneous near-infrared fluorescence imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT).
      However, the rigid chloro-cyclohexenyl ring makes IR780 insoluble in almost all
      pharmaceutically acceptable solvents, which inevitably limits its clinical
      application. We report folic acid (FA)-functionalized graphene quantum dots (GQDs
      FA) containing a large and intact sp2 domain with carboxyl groups around the
      edge. Such GQDs-FA possess exceptionally high loading capacity for IR780 via
      strong pi-pi stacking interactions, and the water solubility of IR780 is improved
      by over 2400-fold after loading onto GQDs-FA (IR780/GQDs-FA). IR780/GQDs-FA with
      an improved photostability, an enhanced tumor-targeting ability, and a high
      photothermal conversion efficiency of 87.9% were capable of producing sufficient
      hyperthermia to effectively kill cancer cells and completely eradicate tumors
      upon 808 nm laser irradiation. The present IR780/GQDs-FA may open up great
      opportunities for the effective PTT to treat cancer.

PMID- 28643512
TI  - Quantitatively Intrinsic Biomimetic Catalytic Activity of Nanocerias as Radical
      Scavengers and Their Ability against H2O2 and Doxorubicin-Induced Oxidative
      Stress.
AB  - Artificial enzymes as radical scavengers show great potentials in treatments of
      various diseases induced by oxidative stress. Herein, the quantitative analysis
      indicates that the intrinsic activity of nanocerias for the degradation of
      radicals is determined by the concentration of surface defects as well as their
      morphological features. The surface Ce3+ fraction of the CeO2 nanozymes with a
      similar morphology can be used as a descriptor to index their catalytic activity
      as radical scavengers. Defect-abundant porous nanorods of ceria (PN-CeO2) with a
      large surface area (141 m2/g) and high surface Ce3+ fraction (32.8%) deliver an
      excellent catalytic capability for the degradation of radicals, which is 15.5
      times higher than that of Trolox. Results indicate that PN-CeO2 not only provides
      more surface catalytic centers but also supplies the active site with higher
      activity. Oxidative stress induced by doxorubicin (Dox), an essential medicine
      for a wide range of tumors, was used as the model system to evaluate the radical
      degradation ability of PN-CeO2. Both in vitro cellar (H9c2 cells) and in vivo
      animal models revealed that PN-CeO2 did not affect the cell and rat growth and
      was able to alleviate the Dox-induced oxidative stress. Results suggest that the
      artificial PN-CeO2 nanozymes have potentials to function as an adjuvant medicine
      during tumor chemotherapy.

PMID- 28643513
TI  - Photochemical Cleavage of Benzylic C-O Bond Facilitated by an Ortho or Meta Amino
      Group.
AB  - The excited state meta effect, also known as the meta-ortho effect, results from
      selective electron transmission from an electron-donating group to the meta and
      ortho sites on an aromatic ring in its first excited singlet state. This effect
      facilitates photochemical cleavage of benzylic C-O or C-N bond to release the
      corresponding alcohol, carboxylic acid, or amine when an electron-donating amino
      group is at the meta position, as demonstrated in our recent work of using a 3
      diethylaminobenzyl (DEABn) group as an effective photolabile protecting group
      (PPG). Herein, we demonstrate that an ortho amino group can also facilitate
      benzylic C-O bond cleavage to release an alcohol or carboxylic acid. However, an
      amino group at the meta position results in a PPG with better overall chemical
      and photochemical properties.

PMID- 28643514
TI  - Nitroalkenes as Latent 1,2-Biselectrophiles - A Multicatalytic Approach for the
      Synthesis of 1,4-Diketones and Their Application in a Four-Step One-Pot Reaction
      to Polysubstituted Pyrroles.
AB  - An NHC-catalyzed nitro-Stetter/elimination/Stetter reaction sequence employs
      nitroalkenes as latent 1,2-dication synthons providing a novel access to highly
      useful symmetrical and unsymmetrical 2-aryl substituted 1,4-diketone building
      blocks from commercially available aldehyde precursors. For less activated
      (aliphatic) aldehydes, a cooperative catalytic strategy has been developed via
      the merger of NHC and H-bonding catalysis. To further showcase the versatility of
      our approach, a great variety of these unprecedented 1,4-diketones are used to
      efficiently synthesize polysubstituted pyrroles-including those with hetaryl
      substituents-in good to excellent yields in a multicatalytic metal-free, four
      step one-pot cascade reaction under mild, yet robust, conditions.

PMID- 28643515
TI  - Structures of Degradation Products and Degradation Pathways of Aflatoxin B1 by
      High-Voltage Atmospheric Cold Plasma (HVACP) Treatment.
AB  - High-voltage atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) is a novel nonthermal
      decontamination technology that has potential for use in the food industry. In
      this study, HVACP was applied to treat pure aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) powder on a glass
      slide. AFB1 was degraded by 76% using a 5 min HVACP treatment in air having 40%
      relative humidity. The degradation products of AFB1 were separated, and their
      molecular formulas were elucidated using liquid-chromatography time-of-flight
      mass spectrometry (HPLC-TOF-MS). Six main degradation products were observed. The
      structures of the degradation products were further clarified via orbitrap mass
      spectrometry by means of fragmentation of the parental ions. Two degradation
      pathways were proposed on the basis of the structure of the degradation products.
      Among the six degradation products, two were ozonolysis products of AFB1. The
      appearance of the other four degradation products indicates that AFB1 was
      degraded by other reactive species besides ozone that were generated during HVACP
      treatment. Reactive oxygen gas species are suggested as the major agents for
      aflatoxin degradation during HVACP treatment. Two degradation pathways of AFB1 by
      HVACP treatment were proposed. One pathway involves reactions in which H*, OH*,
      CHO* radicals are added. The other involves epoxidation by HO2* radicals and
      oxidation of AFB1by the combined effects of the oxidative species OH*, H2O2, and
      O3. According to the structure-bioactivity relationship of AFB1, the bioactivity
      of the AFB1 samples subjected to HVACP treatment is significantly reduced because
      of the disappearance of the C8?C9 double bond in the furofuran ring in all of the
      major degradation products as well as the modification of the lactone ring,
      cyclopentanone, and the methoxyl group.

PMID- 28643516
TI  - Untargeted Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography Coupled with High
      Resolution Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Rice Metabolome Using Multivariate Curve
      Resolution.
AB  - In this work, a new strategy for the chemometric analysis of two-dimensional
      liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC * LC-HRMS) data is
      proposed. This approach consists of a preliminary compression step along the mass
      spectrometry (MS) spectral dimension based on the selection of the regions of
      interest (ROI), followed by a further data compression along the chromatographic
      dimension by wavelet transforms. In a secondary step, the multivariate curve
      resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) method is applied to previously
      compressed data sets obtained in the simultaneous analysis of multiple LC * LC
      HRMS chromatographic runs from multiple samples. The feasibility of the proposed
      approach is demonstrated by its application to a large experimental data set
      obtained in the untargeted LC * LC-HRMS study of the effects of different
      environmental conditions (watering and harvesting time) on the metabolism of
      multiple rice samples. An untargeted chromatographic setup coupling two different
      liquid chromatography (LC) columns [hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography
      (HILIC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC)] together with an HRMS
      detector was developed and applied to analyze the metabolites extracted from rice
      samples at the different experimental conditions. In the case of the metabolomics
      study taken as example in this work, a total number of 154 metabolites from 15
      different families were properly resolved after the application of MCR-ALS. A
      total of 139 of these metabolites could be identified by their HRMS spectra.
      Statistical analysis of their concentration changes showed that both watering and
      harvest time experimental factors had significant effects on rice metabolism. The
      biochemical insight of the effects of watering and harvesting experimental
      factors on the changes in concentration of these detected metabolites in the
      investigated rice samples is attempted.

PMID- 28643517
TI  - Strategy for Comprehensive Profiling and Identification of Acidic
      Glycosphingolipids Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled
      with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.
AB  - Acidic glycosphingolipids (AGSLs), which mainly consist of ganglioside and
      sulfatide moieties, are highly concentrated in the central nervous system.
      Comprehensive profiling of AGSLs has historically been challenging because of
      their high complexity and the lack of standards. In this study, a novel strategy
      was developed to comprehensively profile AGSLs using ultra-high-performance
      liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Ganglioside
      isomers with different glycan chains such as GD1a/GD1b were completely separated
      on a C18 column for the first time to our knowledge, facilitated by the addition
      of formic acid in the mobile phase. A mathematical model was established to
      predict the retention times (RTs) of all theoretically possible AGSLs on the
      basis of the good logarithmic relationship between the ceramide carbon numbers of
      the AGSLs in the reference material and their RTs. A data set was created of 571
      theoretically possible AGSLs, including the ceramide carbon numbers, RTs, and
      high-resolution quasi-molecular ions. A novel fast identification strategy was
      established for global AGSL profiling by comparing the high-resolution quasi
      molecular ions and RTs of the tested peaks to those in the data set of 571 AGSLs.
      Using this strategy, 199 AGSL candidates were identified in rat brain tissue.
      MS/MS fragments were further collected for these 199 candidates to confirm their
      identity as AGSLs. This novel strategy was employed to profile AGSLs in brain
      tissue samples from control rats and model rats with bilateral common carotid
      artery (2-VO) cerebral ischemia. Forty AGSLs were significantly different between
      the control and model groups, and these differences were further interpreted.

PMID- 28643518
TI  - Mini C-Arm Fluoroscopy: Does Its Configuration Matter for Radiation Exposure to
      the Surgeon?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk of occupational radiation exposure to the surgeon associated
      with the use of a mini C-arm has yet to reach a wide consensus. Using a distal
      radius fracture surgery model, we tested the hypothesis that radiation exposure
      to the surgeon's critical body parts is independent of mini C-arm configuration.
      METHODS: An anthropomorphic mannequin (representing the upper body of a 60" male
      surgeon) was seated at a hand table as if operating on a volar-plated wrist
      Sawbone model. Thermoluminescent dosimeters measured radiation exposure to the
      surgeon's eyes, thyroid, chest, hand, and groin from a mini C-arm fluoroscopy
      unit in 3 commonly used configurations: vertical (source above table), inverted
      (source below table), and horizontal (with beam parallel to table surface). The
      fluoroscope scanned the wrist model for 15 continuous minutes in triplicate for
      each orientation. RESULTS: Radiation to the hand was significantly greatest in
      all mini C-arm positions compared with all other anatomic sites irrespective of C
      arm position. Hand radiation exposure was greatest in the horizontal position
      (2887.09 mrem), versus the vertical and inverted positions (59.79 mrem, 31.10
      mrem, P < .001). Eye radiation exposure was significantly greater in the inverted
      position (2.33 mrem) compared with the vertical (0.67 mrem, P = .024), and
      horizontal positions (0.33 mrem, P = .012). No significant difference in
      radiation exposure was found at the thyroid, chest, and groin sites, at each of
      the 3 C-arm configurations. CONCLUSIONS: The model's hand received almost 1000
      times more radiation exposure than all other anatomic sites with statistically
      greatest radiation exposure sustained in the horizontal position. Eye radiation
      exposure with the C-arm in the inverted position (below the table) was also
      significantly greater.

PMID- 28643519
TI  - Structural Changes in Poly(trimethylene adipate) and Poly(trimethylene succinate)
      During Melt Crystallization Studied Using In Situ Infrared Spectroscopy.
AB  - This paper investigates the structural changes occurring in poly(trimethylene
      adipate) (PTAd) and poly(trimethylene succinate) (PTSu) during melt
      crystallization using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and in situ Fourier
      transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Cooling thermograms revealed that PTAd
      had a faster crystallization rate than PTSu. Infrared (IR) bands of the two
      polyesters were assigned by correlating with the IR bands of polymers containing
      the trimethylene and the diacid segments. The bands at 1478, 1459, 1393, and 1364
      cm-1 in PTAd and 1475, 1459, 1393, and 1361 cm-1 in PTSu were designated to the
      CH2 of the trimethylene segment. Changes in the IR band absorbance intensities of
      the CH2 and the C-O-C groups were monitored with time during melt
      crystallization. Structural changes of the trimethylene and diacid segments of
      PTAd occurred synchronously, while in PTSu the two segments changed sequentially.
      Normalized band intensities showed a time lag between the trimethylene and
      succinic acid segments. The acid segment showed a faster change compared to the
      trimethylene segment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is shown to be a
      useful technique to study conformational changes during crystallization in
      polymers.

PMID- 28643520
TI  - Main Plant Extracts' Active Properties Effective on Scopolamine-Induced Memory
      Loss.
AB  - Alzheimer's disease leads to progressive cognitive function loss, which may
      impair both intellectual capacities and psychosocial aspects. Although the
      current knowledge points to a multifactorial character of Alzheimer's disease,
      the most issued pathological hypothesis remains the cholinergic theory. The main
      animal model used in cholinergic theory research is the scopolamine-induced
      memory loss model. Although, in some cases, a temporary symptomatic relief can be
      obtained through targeting the cholinergic or glutamatergic neurotransmitter
      systems, no current treatment is able to stop or slow cognitive impairment. Many
      potentially successful therapies are often blocked by the blood-brain barrier
      since it exhibits permeability only for several classes of active molecules.
      However, the plant extracts' active molecules are extremely diverse and
      heterogeneous regarding the biochemical structure. In this way, many active
      compounds constituting the recently tested plant extracts may exhibit the same
      general effect on acetylcholine pathway, but on different molecular ground, which
      can be successfully used in Alzheimer's disease adjuvant therapy.

PMID- 28643521
TI  - A Novel All-Inside Arthroscopic Technique for Radial-Sided Triangular
      Fibrocartilage Complex Tears: A Case Report and Review of Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) injuries are a known cause
      of ulnar-sided wrist pain. Wrist arthroscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis
      of these lesions and is becoming a more frequent method of treatment. Isolated
      radial-sided tears are uncommon and treatment of these lesions is controversial.
      There are few reports on repair techniques. Here we report on a novel
      arthroscopic, all-inside technique for traumatic radial-sided TFCC tears that
      resulted in full range of motion, significant improvement in pain, and ultimately
      return to sport. METHODS: This is a single case report describing an all-inside,
      arthroscopic repair of a radial-sided TFCC tear. The techniques and postoperative
      protocol are discussed. Clinical outcomes were reported at final follow-up of 3.5
      months. RESULTS: At final follow-up, our patient had full wrist range of motion,
      95% strength, occasional 1/10 pain, and returned to sport at her previous level
      of play. There were no complications. CONCLUSION: Although just a single case
      report, our patient had an excellent result based on modified Mayo wrist score.
      When comparing our result and the previous literature, this technique seems to be
      a valid method for addressing radial-sided TFCC tears.

PMID- 28643522
TI  - Should All Heart Failure Patients Be Treated With Sacubitril/Valsartan?

PMID- 28643523
TI  - Management of quadrigeminal arachnoid cyst associated with obstructive
      hydrocephalus: report on stereotactic ventricular - cystic stenting.
AB  - Quadrigeminal arachnoid cysts (QAC) are usually accompanied by a symptomatic
      obstructive hydrocephalus. Several endoscopic and surgical treatments exist;
      however, the critical location of these cysts further complicates treatment and
      usually more than one procedure is required. In this report, a 31 year old female
      with QAC and associated obstructive hydrocephalus was successfully treated with
      stereotactic placement of a permanent ventricular - cystic stent
      (intraventricualr - cystic catheterization) in single - session. Intraventricular
      - cystic stenting provides a long lasting communication between these two
      compartments, allowing persistent "physiologic" solution to this challenging
      condition.

PMID- 28643524
TI  - A Multicenter Analysis of Factors Associated With Apixaban-Related Bleeding in
      Hospitalized Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In 2014, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a
      labeling change for apixaban to include recommendations for patients with severe
      renal impairment and patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis
      (HD), though these recommendations are largely based on pharmacokinetic and
      pharmacodynamic data. OBJECTIVE: Identify variables associated with bleeding
      events in hospitalized patients with ESRD on HD receiving apixaban. METHODS: This
      retrospective, multicenter cohort study evaluated hospitalized patients with ESRD
      on HD receiving apixaban from January 1, 2013, through March 31, 2016.
      Correlational analysis and logistic regression were completed to identify factors
      associated with bleeding. RESULTS: A total of 114 adults were included in the
      analysis. The median length of stay (LOS) was 6.2 (interquartile range = 3.8
      11.9) days and bleeding events occurred in a total of 17 patients (15%). A weak
      correlation was identified for higher cumulative apixaban exposure, increased
      number of HD sessions while receiving apixaban, and increased hospital LOS ( P <
      0.05; correlation coefficient < 0.40). When controlling for confounders, logistic
      regression revealed that composite bleeding events were independently increased
      by continuation of outpatient apixaban (odds ratio = 13.07; 95% CI = 1.54-110.54;
      P = 0.018), increased total daily dose of apixaban (odds ratio = 1.72; 95% CI =
      1.20 to 2.48; P = 0.003), and total HD sessions while receiving apixaban (odds
      ratio = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.06-3.92; P = 0.033). CONCLUSION: The association between
      these factors and increased bleeding should prompt concern for long-term
      anticoagulation with apixaban in patients with ESRD receiving chronic HD.

PMID- 28643525
TI  - Folic acid conjugated nanoliposomes as promising carriers for targeted delivery
      of bleomycin.
AB  - Targeted drug delivery has received considerable attention due to its key role in
      improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing the side effects of anticancer drugs.
      Bleomycin (BLM) is an anticancer antibiotic with short half-life, low therapeutic
      and high side effects that limit its clinical applications. This study aims to
      evaluate the anticancer potential of folate-targeted liposomal bleomycin (FL-BLM)
      and its free-folate form (L-BLM) on two different cancer cell lines including
      human cervix carcinoma HeLa, and human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells. Furthermore,
      the effect of FL-BLM in induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest was studied
      by flow cytometry. FL-BLM was prepared by thin film hydration method and folic
      acid was conjugated to nanoliposomes by post insertion technique. Anticancer
      activity was evaluated by MTT assay. The cytotoxicity of FL-BLM against HeLa
      cells was significantly increased compared to L-BLM and conventional BLM. Flow
      cytometry and annexin-V analysis indicated that FL-BLM effectively induced
      apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in HeLa cells especially at G2/M phase. In
      addition, the uptake of FL-BLM by Hela cells was significantly increased as
      compared to the MCF-7 cells. Overall, our findings indicated that FL-BLM may be
      promising formulation for targeted drug delivery to folate receptor-positive
      tumour cells.

PMID- 28643526
TI  - Association between cotinine-verified smoking status and hypertension in 167,868
      Korean adults.
AB  - PURPOSE: Previous studies showed inconsistent results concerning the relationship
      between chronic smoking and blood pressure. Most of the studies involved self
      reported smoking status. This study was performed to evaluate the association of
      urinary cotinine or self-reported smoking status with hypertension and blood
      pressure in Korean adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among individuals enrolled in
      the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study and Kangbuk Samsung Cohort Study, 167,868
      participants (men, 55.7%; age, 37.5 +/- 6.9 years) between 2011 and 2013 who had
      urinary cotinine measurements were included. Individuals with urinary cotinine
      levels >=50 ng/mL were defined as cotinine-verified current smokers. RESULTS: The
      prevalence of hypertension and cotinine-verified current smokers in the overall
      population was 6.8% and 22.7%, respectively (10.0% in men and 2.8% in women for
      hypertension: 37.7% in men and 3.9% in women for cotinine-verified current
      smokers). In a multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass
      index, waist circumference, alcohol drinking, vigorous exercise, and diabetes,
      cotinine-verified current smoking was associated with lower prevalence of
      hypertension compared with cotinine-verified never smoking (OR[95% CI], 0.79
      [0.75, 0.84]). Log-transformed cotinine levels and unobserved smoking were
      negatively associated with hypertension, respectively (0.96 [0.96, 0.97] and 0.55
      [0.39, 0.79]). In a multivariate linear regression analysis, the cotinine
      verified current smoking was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic
      blood pressure (BP) (regression coefficient[95% CI], -1.23[-1.39, -1.07] for
      systolic BP and -0.71 [-0.84, -0.58] for diastolic BP). In subgroup analyses
      according to sex, the inverse associations between cotinine-verified current
      smoking and hypertension were observed only in men. CONCLUSIONS: This large
      observational study showed that cotinine-verified current smoking and unobserved
      smoking were inversely associated with hypertension in Korean adults, especially
      only in men.

PMID- 28643527
TI  - Supporting occupational therapists implementing a capacity-building model in
      schools: Appuyer les ergotherapeutes mettant en oeuvre un modele de renforcement
      des capacites dans les ecoles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adopting a new model of clinical practice is complex. Professional
      development programs based on best-practice principles may facilitate this
      process. PURPOSE: This paper describes the development and evaluation of a
      multifaceted professional development program designed to support school-based
      occupational therapists to deliver a capacity-building model of service. METHOD:
      Twenty-two therapists participated in the program; completed pre-post evaluations
      of knowledge, skills, and beliefs; evaluated specific components of the training
      program; and participated in focus groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using
      descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using a
      directed content analysis. FINDINGS: Therapists' perceptions of their knowledge
      and skills showed statistically significant change. Both training and mentorship
      were highly valued; however, having opportunities to build peer networks was
      considered essential. IMPLICATIONS: Multifaceted professional development
      programs designed using best-practice principles are an important mechanism for
      facilitating practice change. Including a process for peer support is advised.

PMID- 28643528
TI  - Modulating release of ranibizumab and aflibercept from thiolated chitosan-based
      hydrogels for potential treatment of ocular neovascularization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This paper describes the synthesis of thiolated chitosan-based
      hydrogels with varying degrees of crosslinking that has been utilized to modulate
      release kinetics of two clinically relevant FDA-approved anti-VEGF protein drugs,
      ranibizumab and aflibercept. These hydrogels have been fabricated into disc
      shaped structures for potential use as patches on ocular surface. METHODS:
      Protein conformational changes and aggregation after loading and release was
      evaluated by circular dichroism (CD), steady-state tryptophan fluorescence
      spectroscopy, electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Finally,
      the capacity of both released proteins to bind to VEGF was tested by ELISA and
      surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology. RESULTS: The study demonstrates the
      versatility of thiolated chitosan-based hydrogels for delivering proteins. The
      effect of various parameters of the hydrogel on protein release kinetics and
      mechanism of protein release was studied using the Korsmeyer-Peppas release
      model. Furthermore, we have studied the stability of released proteins in detail
      while comparing it with non-entrapped proteins under physiological conditions to
      understand the effect of formulation conditions on protein stability.
      CONCLUSIONS: The disc-shaped thiolated chitosan-based hydrogels provide a
      potentially useful platform to deliver ranibizumab and aflibercept for the
      treatments of ocular diseases such as wet AMD, DME and corneal
      neovascularization.

PMID- 28643529
TI  - Correlation between adenoma detection rate and novel quality indicators for
      screening colonoscopy. A proposal for quality measures tool kit.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is the most validated quality
      indicator for colonoscopy. Calculating ADR may not yield information in regards
      to advanced adenoma detection rate (advanced ADR). In addition, calculating ADR
      for individual endoscopists cannot distinguish between those who find only one
      versus more than one adenoma per colonoscopy. Several novel quality indictors
      were recently proposed to ensure adequate assessment of quality during
      colonoscopy. Our study aims to determine the correlation between ADR and novel
      quality indicators. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing
      screening colonoscopy in a university hospital setting. Patient characteristics
      and colonoscopy findings were combined and analyzed to calculate the correlation
      of ADR with novel quality indicators using Spearman's rank-order correlation were
      used. RESULTS: A total of 1433 patients out of 2116 patients met the inclusion
      criteria. There was a significant positive correlation between ADR correlated
      with [advanced-ADR-2, nonadvanced-ADR, adenoma per colonoscopy, Multiplicity
      detection rate and ADR-Plus] r = (0.82, 0.99, 0.99, 0.07 and 0.85), respectively.
      However, ADR did not correlate with advanced-ADR and adenomas per positive
      participant. CONCLUSION: Adding advanced-ADR and adenomas per positive
      participant to ADR may create a more comprehensive quality indicators tool kit,
      which is sensitive and difficult to game. Future studies are needed to
      investigate the impact of the tool kit on the interval cancers and adenoma
      missing rate.

PMID- 28643530
TI  - Assessment of local carotid stiffness in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid
      arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory disease
      associated with increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease. Arterial stiffness
      (AS) is an independent predictor of CV events. This study aimed to analyse local
      carotid AS parameters in seronegative and seropositive RA patients. DESIGN: Of
      347 consecutive RA patients, we selected specifically those who were free of
      established CV diseases and risk factors. As a result, 140 patients (126 women,
      52.2 +/- 10 years) and 140 healthy controls (122 women, 52.7 +/- 8.0 years) were
      enrolled into this study. The common carotid AS was evaluated using radio
      frequency echo-tracking system to determine the local carotid pulse wave velocity
      (cPWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Based on rheumatoid factor (RF)
      and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) positivity, RA patients were
      categorized into seronegative and seropositive subgroups. RESULTS: Carotid PWV
      was determined to be significantly higher in all patients and subgroups than
      controls (p < .001 for all). Although cIMT was similar between the patients,
      controls and seropositive subgroup, seronegative patients had significantly
      higher cIMT compared to controls (p = .035) and seropositive group (p = .010).
      Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between cPWV and age (r:
      0.603, p < .001), ESR (r: 0.297, p = .004), ACPA (r: 0.346, p = .001) and cIMT
      (r: 0.290, p = .005) in seropositive patients. CONCLUSIONS: RA per se is
      sufficient to cause arteriosclerosis in the absence of classical CV risk factors.
      However, arterial hypertrophy is only increased in seronegative patients but not
      in seropositive group.

PMID- 28643531
TI  - Difficult conversations: talking about cost in audiology consultations with older
      adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Financial cost is a barrier for many older adults in their decision to
      obtain hearing aids (HAs). This study aimed to examine conversations about the
      cost of HAs in detail within initial audiology appointments. DESIGN: Sixty-two
      initial audiology appointments were video-recorded. The data were analysed using
      conversation analysis. STUDY SAMPLE: Participants included 26 audiologists, 62
      older adults and 17 companions. RESULTS: Audiologists and clients displayed
      interactional difficulty during conversations about cost. Clients often had
      emotional responses to the cost of HAs, which were not attended to by
      audiologists. It was typical for audiologists to present one HA cost option at a
      time, which led to multiple rejections from clients which made the interactions
      difficult. Alternatively, when audiologists offered multiple cost options at once
      this led to a smoother interaction. CONCLUSIONS: Audiologists and clients were
      observed to have difficulty talking about HA costs. Offering clients multiple HA
      cost options at the same time can engage clients in the decision-making process
      and lead to a smoother interaction between audiologist and client in the
      management phase of appointments.

PMID- 28643532
TI  - Dermatomyositis with renal infarction: a case report and literature review.
AB  - Renal infarction is a rare clinical entity that is not easily detected by low
      sensitivity ultrasound. We herein report a case of dermatomyositis with renal
      infarction detected during corticosteroid therapy. The patient was followed up
      for 18 months. A woman who was clinically diagnosed with dermatomyositis
      complained of severe pain in the right flank of the low back and abdomen,
      accompanied by nausea and vomiting during corticosteroid therapy. Based on the
      findings of routine blood tests, abdominal X-ray radiography, and abdominal
      ultrasound, the patient was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis and treated with
      levofloxacin. However, her symptoms were not relieved. Abdominal contrast
      enhanced computed tomography revealed renal infarction. Clinicians should be
      alert to the occurrence of thrombosis, especially when it manifests as vasculitis
      in patients with rheumatic disease who complain of severe abdominal pain, because
      it may suggest the presence of renal infarction.

PMID- 28643534
TI  - Transplantation of mouse-induced pluripotent stem cells into the cochlea for the
      treatment of sensorineural hearing loss.
AB  - CONCLUSION: Mouse-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could differentiate into
      hair cell-like cells and spiral ganglion-like cells after transplantation into
      mouse cochleae, but it cannot improve the auditory brain response (ABR)
      thresholds in short term. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential of iPSCs for use
      as a source of transplants for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss
      (SNHL). METHODS: Establishing SNHL mice model, then injecting the iPSCs or equal
      volume DMEM basic medium into the cochleae, respectively. Immunofluorescence
      staining and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used
      to assess the survival, migration, differentiation of the transplanted iPSCs in
      cochleae and then recorded the ABR threshold in different time. Hematoxylin-eosin
      (HE) staining was used to observe the teratoma formation. RESULTS: Four weeks
      after transplantation, CM-Di1-labeled iPSCs could be found in the modiolus and
      Rosenthal's canal (RC), and some of them could expressed auditory hair cell
      markers or spiral ganglion neuron makers in group A, but not found in group B and
      C. As to the ABR threshold, no significance differences were found between pre-
      with postoperative in group A or B. In our study, no teratoma was observed in the
      cochleae.

PMID- 28643533
TI  - Evaluation of variation in coagulation among children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae
      pneumonia: a case-control study.
AB  - Objective Acute organ embolism in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia
      (MPP) has been reported, but changes in coagulation are unclear. This study aimed
      to investigate changes in coagulation in children with MPP. Methods A total of
      185 children with MMP (cases) and 117 healthy children (controls) were recruited.
      We measured prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT),
      thrombin time (TT), and plasma fibrinogen (FIB) and D-dimer levels. Results
      Plasma FIB (3.39 +/- 0.96 g/L vs 2.93 +/- 0.6 6g/L, t = 4.50) and D-dimer (326.45
      +/- 95.62mg/L vs 263.93 +/- 103.32mg/L, t=5.36) in MPP children were higher than
      controls and PT (9.54 +/- 4.97S vs 11.48 +/- 5.96S, t=3.05) and APTT (31.41 +/-
      12.01S vs 38.38 +/- 11.72S, t=4.95) were shorter than controls. FIB, D-dimer, PT,
      and APTT were not different between the high IgM-titre and low-titre groups. The
      areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves in cases and controls
      for plasma FIB and D-dimer levels were 0.654 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.593
      0.716, P = 0.031) and 0.682 (95% CI, 0.619-0.744, P = 0.032), respectively.
      Conclusions Children with MPP have a higher risk of blood coagulation and
      thrombosis. Controlling these problems should be considered as soon as possible.

PMID- 28643536
TI  - Correction to: Kokkinidis DG, et al. Emerging treatments for ulcerative colitis:
      a systematic review.

PMID- 28643535
TI  - Efficacy of platelets in bone healing: A systematic review on animal studies.
AB  - In presence of large bone defects, delayed bone union, non-union, fractures, and
      implant surgery, bone reconstruction may be necessary. Different strategies have
      been employed to enhance bone healing among which the use of autologous platelet
      concentrates. Due to the high content of platelets and platelet-derived bioactive
      molecules (e.g., growth factors, antimicrobial peptides), they are promising
      candidates to increase bone healing. However, a high heterogeneity of both
      preclinical and clinical studies resulted in contrasting results. Aim of the
      present systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of platelet concentrates
      in animal models of bone regeneration, considering the possible factors which
      might affect the outcome. An electronic search was performed on MEDLINE and
      SCOPUS databases. Animal studies with a minimum follow up of 2 weeks and a sample
      size of five subjects per group, using platelet concentrates for bone
      regeneration, were included. Articles underwent risk of bias assessment and
      further quality evaluation was done. Sixty studies performed on six animal
      species (rat, rabbit, dog, sheep, goat, and mini-pig) were included. The present
      part of the review considers only studies performed on rats and rabbits (35
      articles). The majority of the studies were considered at medium risk of bias.
      Animal species, healthy models, platelet, growth factors and leukocytes
      concentration, and type of bone defect seemed to influence the efficacy of
      platelet concentrates in bone healing. However, final conclusions were not be
      drawn, since only few included studies evaluated leukocyte, growth factor
      content, or presence of other bioactive molecules in platelet concentrates.
      Further studies with a standardized protocol including characterization of the
      final products will provide useful information for clinical application of
      platelet concentrates in bone surgery.

PMID- 28643538
TI  - Do methodological differences account for the current controversy on tissue
      factor expression in platelets?
AB  - Tissue factor (TF), the key activator of the blood coagulation cascade and of
      thrombus formation, is also expressed by circulating human platelets. Despite the
      documented in-depth characterization of platelet TF carried out in the past 15
      years, some authors still fail to identify TF in platelets, especially when
      assessment in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or washed platelets is carried out. This
      study aims to extend the characterization of the subset of TF-positive platelets
      in PRP from healthy subjects and to verify how different centrifugation forces,
      used to prepare the PRP, could affect the analysis of TF-positive platelets. Data
      indicate that large-size platelets express significantly higher amount of TF
      compared to small-size cells, in terms of both TF protein and TF mRNA. Upon
      stimulation, large platelets readily expose on the cell membrane TF, which is
      functionally active, i.e., able to generate factor Xa (FXa) as well as thrombin.
      By contrast, TF activity in small platelets is almost completely quenched by
      tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), becoming indeed detectable only after
      treatment with an anti-TFPI antibody. Our data highlight that particular
      attention must be paid to the preparation and collection of the PRP since such
      preanalytical variables may influence the platelet recovery and in turn affect
      subsequent analysis, whether it is flow cytometry, functional activity tests,
      proteome, or transcriptome analysis. Indeed, the TF-positive subset of large
      platelets can easily be lost if centrifugation protocols are not optimized, thus
      erroneously leading to a false-negative result.

PMID- 28643537
TI  - A diffusion weighted imaging study of basal ganglia in schizophrenia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies provided evidence of
      selective brain abnormalities in schizophrenia, both in cortical and subcortical
      structures. Basal ganglia are of particular interest, given not only the high
      concentration of dopaminergic neurons and receptors, but also for their crucial
      role in cognitive functions, commonly impaired in schizophrenia. To date, very
      few studies explored basal ganglia using diffusion imaging, which is sensitive to
      microstructural organization in brain tissues. The aim of our study is to explore
      basal ganglia structures with diffusion imaging in a sizeable sample of patients
      affected by schizophrenia and healthy controls. METHODS: We enrolled 52 subjects
      affected by schizophrenia according to DMS-IV-R criteria and 46 healthy controls.
      Diffusion weighted images were obtained using a 1.5 Tesla scanner and apparent
      diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were determined in axial and coronal sections
      at the level of basal ganglia. RESULTS: Patients affected by schizophrenia showed
      a significantly higher ADC compared to healthy controls in the left anterior
      lenticular nucleus (F = 3.9, p = .05). A significant positive correlation between
      right anterior lenticular nucleus and psychotropic dosages was found (r = 0.4, p
      = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence of lenticular nucleus
      microstructure alterations in schizophrenia, potentially sustaining cognitive and
      motor deficits in schizophrenia. Key points The basal ganglia structures was
      explored with diffusion imaging in a sizeable sample of patients affected by
      schizophrenia and healthy controls. Patients affected by schizophrenia showed a
      significantly higher ADC compared to healthy controls in the left anterior
      lenticular nucleus. Our study provides evidence of lenticular nucleus
      microstructure alterations in schizophrenia, potentially sustaining cognitive and
      motor deficits in schizophrenia.

PMID- 28643540
TI  - Correction to: Chen L, et al., Molecular mechanisms underlying the protective
      effects of hydrogen-saturated saline on noise-induced hearing loss.

PMID- 28643539
TI  - Prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and iron deficiency in a pediatric
      population with inflammatory bowel disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia in children with
      inflammatory bowel disease, although the real prevalence is unknown. Intravenous
      iron is suggested as the first line treatment. This study aims to determine the
      prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in children with inflammatory bowel disease
      followed in a Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit of a tertiary center and to
      evaluate this unit's experience with intravenous iron. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      retrospective cohort study was designed involving children with inflammatory
      bowel disease followed in that unit between January 2001 and April 2016.
      Laboratory results were collected at the moment of diagnosis, after one-year
      follow-up and prior each IV iron administration performed during the study
      period. Anemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria and
      the iron deficiency was defined using recent guidelines. RESULTS: Were studied 69
      patients 71% had CD and 29% UC. 50.7% were female. Mean patient age at diagnosis
      was 13.3 years (range 1--17 years). Prevalence of ID and IDA at diagnosis was
      76.8% and 43.5%, respectively. After one year follow-up, those values decreased
      to 68.1% (p = .182) and 21.7% (p = .002), respectively. Hemoglobin significantly
      increased (p < .001). Intravenous iron was administered to 92.8% of patients. No
      adverse reactions were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous iron is the first line
      in the treatment of Iron deficiency anemia in Inflammatory Bowel disease and it
      is safe and effective. Persistent anemia and iron deficiency are common.

PMID- 28643541
TI  - Effects of pH and concentration of sodium citrate anticoagulant on platelet
      aggregation measured by light transmission aggregometry induced by adenosine
      diphosphate.
AB  - The 2013 ISTH-SSC guidelines for the standardization of light transmission
      aggregometry (LTA) were largely based on expert consensus, as studies directly
      comparing LTA methodologies were lacking. We experimentally tested the cogency of
      ISTH-SSC recommendations pertaining to use of anticoagulant, in particular
      whether: (1) buffered citrate (BC) is preferable to unbuffered citrate (C); (2)
      the two recommended concentrations of sodium citrate (109 and 129 mM) are
      equivalent in terms of platelet aggregation (PA). Blood from 16 healthy
      volunteers was collected into BC and C (109 and 129 mM). PA was measured by LTA
      in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) stimulated by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (2 MUM)
      immediately after PRP preparation and up to 4 hr after blood collection; pH and
      platelet counts in PRP were measured in parallel. pH in PRP increased with time
      up to about 8 for all anticoagulants, although it was lower in BC than in C at
      all times. In BC, PA was lower at 45 min, but equivalent at all other times. PA
      was higher and more stable in sodium citrate 109 mM than in 129 mM at all times.
      The extent of PA did not change for up to 2 hr after blood collection, and
      subsequently dramatically decreased. In contrast with ISTH-SSC recommendations,
      (1) BC does not show advantages compared to C; (2) 109 mM citrate is preferable
      to 129 mM, because it better supports PA; and (3) LTA studies should be completed
      within 2 hr of blood collection, instead of the recommended 4 hr.

PMID- 28643542
TI  - Long-term stability of splinted anterior mandibular teeth during supportive
      periodontal therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to retrospectively assess the survival rate
      and stability of periodontally compromised and mobile anterior mandibular teeth
      after splinting in patients under supportive periodontal therapy (SPT). MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with splinted anterior mandibular teeth and SPT
      (>=1 visit/year) for 3-15 years were re-examined. Periodontal status, patient and
      tooth-related factors were assessed retrospectively before (baseline) and 3 years
      after splinting (n = 39 patients, 162 splinted teeth). For patients with splints
      inserted for more than 3 years, retrospective data after 5 (n = 30), 7 (n = 24),
      10 (n = 16), 12 (n = 8) and 15 years (n = 4) was included, if available. At
      baseline, splinted teeth included at least one tooth with increased mobility
      combined with clinical attachment loss (CAL) >= 5 mm and >=50% relative bone loss
      (RBL). Baseline RBL of splinted teeth was assessed for all patients. Change in
      RBL was assessed after 10 years, if available. RESULTS: No splinted tooth was
      lost within the first 3 years after splinting. One splinted tooth was lost 7
      years after baseline and one 12 years after baseline. After 3 years mean(SD)
      periodontal probing depth of splinted teeth decreased from 3.39(1.41) mm to
      2.12(0.37) mm and mean(SD) CAL from 5.61(1.66) mm to 5.09(1.67) mm and remained
      stable over the observation period. No change in RBL was observed over a 10-year
      period (p = .213). The survival rate of the splints until fracture or debonding
      was 74.4% after 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: Periodontally compromised splinted teeth
      show a high survival-rate and periodontal stability during SPT.

PMID- 28643543
TI  - Measuring Compassionate Care: Reliability and Validity of the Greek Version of a
      Compassionate Care Assessment Tool.
AB  - This study attempts to fill the gap regarding the adequacy of a compassionate
      care assessment tool by evaluating the tool for use with Greek patients. The
      Greek version of the compassionate care assessment tool was developed by using
      forward and backward translation. The reliability and validity of the measures
      were investigated in a sample of patients hospitalized in public hospitals in
      Athens. The internal consistency of the instrument was examined based on
      Cronbach's alpha coefficients, and the validity was evaluated by subjecting the
      items of the instrument to factor analysis. The reliability was found to be
      acceptable for the instrument as a whole and for each of its subscales.
      Explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis results were satisfactory,
      indicating the validity of the tool.

PMID- 28643544
TI  - Varicella-zoster meningovasculitis in a multiple sclerosis patient treated with
      natalizumab.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Natalizumab is associated with the occasional occurrence of
      progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). While natalizumab-associated
      PML is well described in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, herpes and other
      infections have rarely been reported. OBJECTIVE: To report a case of varicella
      zoster (VZV) meningovasculitis in a MS patient treated with natalizumab. METHODS:
      Case report. RESULTS: A 48-year-old woman diagnosed with MS in treatment with
      natalizumab (Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): 4.0). After 72 infusions,
      she complained of a holocraneal headache and a new unsteady gait with diplopia
      (EDSS: 5.0). A brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance (MR) scan showed a
      multifocal leptomeningeal enhancing nodular lesions and an angiography revealed
      irregularity of the proximal segments of cerebral arteries. Testing for VZV DNA
      by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was positive in cerebrospinal
      fluid. Treatment with endovenous acyclovir was started. After clinical
      improvement (EDSS: 4.5), treatment with natalizumab was restarted associated with
      oral acyclovir as prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: Neurologists should be aware of other
      possible neuroinfections besides PML in MS patients under natalizumab.

PMID- 28643546
TI  - Sexual Abuse Within Employment Settings: A Comparison of Work-Related, Intra- and
      Extra-Familial Child Molesters.
AB  - Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a serious problem not only in the community but also
      in institutional settings such as youth-serving organizations, churches, and
      schools. Although research has started to examine the problem of abuse in
      institutional settings, there remains a dearth of information about the nature
      and context of CSA in different employment settings, including those that do not
      specifically cater to children. In addition, research on the similarities and
      differences between perpetrators who work with children and other sex offenders
      is scarce. As such, the present study compared offenders on variables relating to
      financial/employment lifestyle stability, risk/dangerousness level, abuse
      opportunity, and victim selection. Data revealed that child abusers who worked
      with children tended to be better educated, were less likely to be married, had
      fewer nonsexual convictions, and were more likely to abuse male post-pubescent
      children compared with intra- and extra-familial offenders who did not work with
      children. Implications for future research, prevention of CSA, and clinical
      practice are discussed.

PMID- 28643545
TI  - Application of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging in
      the evaluation of primitive brain tumours.
AB  - Intravoxel incoherent motion is a potential non-invasive diagnostic tool in brain
      tumours, without any clear guidelines for its evaluation yet. In our study, we
      compare intravoxel incoherent motion with dynamic susceptibility contrast
      magnetic resonance imaging in the quantification of tumour tissue blood perfusion
      in 28 patients affected by brain tumours, highlighting the issues encountered
      during the acquisition set-up and post-processing steps. Intravoxel incoherent
      motion is a new imaging tool and an alternative technique to dynamic
      susceptibility contrast-magnetic resonance imaging which is of considerable
      interest at present. This is partly because it does not require the use of a
      contrast agent and relies on the intrinsic properties of motion in the
      capillaries of the spins. Compared to dynamic susceptibility contrast-magnetic
      resonance imaging, the intravoxel incoherent motion technique is also
      characterised by better resolution because the gadolinium-based contrast agent
      bolus used in the standard technique results in a variation by more than 50% of
      the signal coming from the brain. Finally, intravoxel incoherent motion is more
      sensitive to the incoherent motion that originates from small capillary vessels,
      while the dynamic susceptibility contrast signal is also contaminated by the
      input from larger arteries and veins, which may result in an overestimation of
      the blood volume. Although there are limitations due to the heterogeneity of the
      sample considered in our study, intravoxel incoherent motion has been shown to be
      an accurate noninvasive radiological biomarker, useful to distinguish between low
      and high grade glial tumours.

PMID- 28643548
TI  - Clinical commentary on "Varicella-zoster meningovasculitis in a multiple
      sclerosis patient treated with natalizumab".

PMID- 28643547
TI  - Rabies - epidemiology, pathogenesis, public health concerns and advances in
      diagnosis and control: a comprehensive review.
AB  - Rabies is a zoonotic, fatal and progressive neurological infection caused by
      rabies virus of the genus Lyssavirus and family Rhabdoviridae. It affects all
      warm-blooded animals and the disease is prevalent throughout the world and
      endemic in many countries except in Islands like Australia and Antarctica. Over
      60,000 peoples die every year due to rabies, while approximately 15 million
      people receive rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) annually. Bite of rabid
      animals and saliva of infected host are mainly responsible for transmission and
      wildlife like raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes are main reservoirs for rabies.
      The incubation period is highly variable from 2 weeks to 6 years (avg. 2-3
      months). Though severe neurologic signs and fatal outcome, neuropathological
      lesions are relatively mild. Rabies virus exploits various mechanisms to evade
      the host immune responses. Being a major zoonosis, precise and rapid diagnosis is
      important for early treatment and effective prevention and control measures.
      Traditional rapid Seller's staining and histopathological methods are still in
      use for diagnosis of rabies. Direct immunofluoroscent test (dFAT) is gold
      standard test and most commonly recommended for diagnosis of rabies in fresh
      brain tissues of dogs by both OIE and WHO. Mouse inoculation test (MIT) and
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are superior and used for routine diagnosis.
      Vaccination with live attenuated or inactivated viruses, DNA and recombinant
      vaccines can be done in endemic areas. This review describes in detail about
      epidemiology, transmission, pathogenesis, advances in diagnosis, vaccination and
      therapeutic approaches along with appropriate prevention and control strategies.

PMID- 28643549
TI  - Examination of the Psychometric Properties of the Geriatric Fear of Falling
      Measure Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the United States.
AB  - This current study investigated the construct validity and reliability of the
      Geriatric Fear of Falling Measure (GFFM) among community-dwelling older adults in
      the United States. Eighty-eight participants were assessed on the GFFM together
      with demographics, falls, and fear of falling and falls-efficacy measures at
      baseline and an 8-week follow-up visit. Cronbach's alpha, regression analyses,
      and correlation analyses were used to examine the psychometric properties of the
      GFFM. The results showed that the GFFM demonstrated good construct validity and
      reliability among community-dwelling older adults in the United States. Our
      findings provide evidence for the validity and reliability of the GFFM. Further
      study with a larger and diverse sample is needed to determine whether the GFFM
      has potential as a quick screening tool of fear of falling in clinical settings.

PMID- 28643550
TI  - Hip joint kinetics in the table tennis topspin forehand: relationship to racket
      velocity.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine hip joint kinetics during a table
      tennis topspin forehand, and to investigate the relationship between the relevant
      kinematic and kinetic variables and the racket horizontal and vertical velocities
      at ball impact. Eighteen male advanced table tennis players hit cross-court
      topspin forehands against backspin balls. The hip joint torque and force
      components around the pelvis coordinate system were determined using inverse
      dynamics. Furthermore, the work done on the pelvis by these components was also
      determined. The peak pelvis axial rotation velocity and the work done by the
      playing side hip pelvis axial rotation torque were positively related to the
      racket horizontal velocity at impact. The sum of the work done on the pelvis by
      the backward tilt torques and the upward joint forces was positively related to
      the racket vertical velocity at impact. The results suggest that the playing side
      hip pelvis axial rotation torque exertion is important for acquiring a high
      racket horizontal velocity at impact. The pelvis backward tilt torques and upward
      joint forces at both hip joints collectively contribute to the generation of the
      racket vertical velocity, and the mechanism for acquiring the vertical velocity
      may vary among players.

PMID- 28643551
TI  - Provider Advice About Weight Loss in a Primary Care Sample of Obese and
      Overweight Patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Primary care providers play an important role in obesity prevention
      and reduction by advising patients about weight loss strategies. This study
      examined receipt of provider advice to lose weight among primary care patients
      who were overweight and obese. METHODS: Observational study conducted among
      primary care patients (n = 282) who completed a survey that measured receipt of
      provider advice about weight loss/management, chronic health conditions,
      perceived weight status, and perceptions about shared decision making about
      weight loss/management. RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent of participants had been
      advised by their physician to lose weight. Participants who were obese were more
      likely than those who were overweight to report provider advice (odds ratio [OR]
      = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.25-4.34, P = .001). Similarly, participants who believed they
      were obese/overweight had a greater likelihood of reporting provider advice
      compared with those who did not believe they were obese/overweight (OR = 1.40,
      95% CI = 2.43-6.37, P = .0001). Shared decision making about weight
      loss/management was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting provider
      advice (OR = 3.30, 95% CI = 2.62-4.12, P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patient beliefs
      about their weight status and perceptions about shared decision-making are
      important to receiving provider advice about weight loss/management among primary
      care patients. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Continued efforts are needed to enhance
      provider advice about weight loss/management among obese/overweight patients.

PMID- 28643552
TI  - Drug-induced Physeal Abnormalities in Preclinical Toxicity Studies.
AB  - Most toxic physeal changes are characterized microscopically by altered
      chondrocyte development, proliferation, or maturation in the growth plate and
      eventually result in disordered appositional bone growth. Many therapeutic drugs
      directly or indirectly target proteins involved in chondrocytic differentiation
      and maturation pathways, so toxic physeal injury has become increasingly common
      in preclinical toxicologic pathology. While physeal dysplasia has been associated
      with several different drug classes including bisphosphonates, vascular
      endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitors, fibroblast growth factor receptor
      inhibitors, transforming growth factor beta receptor inhibitors, and vascular
      targeting agents, physeal changes often share similar morphologic features
      including thickening and disorganization of the hypertrophic layer, increased
      numbers of hypertrophic chondrocytes, altered mineralization of endochondral
      ossification, and/or increased thickness of subphyseal bone. Knowledge of genetic
      and nutritional diseases affecting bone growth has been important in helping to
      determine which specific target drugs may be affecting that could result in toxic
      physeal lesions. A pathophysiologic mechanism for most physeal toxicants has been
      determined in detail using a variety of investigative techniques. However, due to
      the signaling cross talk and the tight regulation required for chondrocyte
      maturation in the physis, several growth factor pathways are likely to be
      affected simultaneously with pharmacologic disruption of physeal homeostasis and
      inhibition of one factor necessary for chondrocyte function often affects others.

PMID- 28643553
TI  - Renal dysfunction and chronic kidney disease in ischemic stroke and transient
      ischemic attack: A population-based study.
AB  - Background and purpose The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (estimated
      glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 for >=3 months, chronic
      kidney disease (CKD)) in ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) is
      unknown, as estimates have been based on single-point estimates of renal
      function. Studies investigating the effect of renal dysfunction (eGFR < 60 mL/min
      per 1.73 m2, renal dysfunction) on post-stroke outcomes are limited to
      hospitalized cohorts and have provided conflicting results. Methods We
      investigated rates, determinants and outcomes of renal dysfunction in ischemic
      stroke and TIA in the North Dublin Population Stroke Study. We also investigate
      the persistence of renal dysfunction in 90-day survivors to determine the
      prevalence of CKD. Ascertainment included hot and cold pursuit using multiple
      overlapping sources. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival
      curves and Cox proportional hazards modeling. Results In 547 patients (ischemic
      stroke in 76.4%, TIA in 23.6%), the mean eGFR at presentation was 63.7
      mL/min/1.73 m2 (SD 22.1). Renal dysfunction was observed in 44.6% (244/547).
      Among 90-day survivors, 31.2% (139/446) met criteria for CKD. After adjusting for
      age and stroke severity, eGFR < 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 (hazard ratio 2.53, p = 0.01)
      independently predicted 28-day fatality but not at two years. Poor post-stroke
      functional outcome (Modified Rankin Scale 3-5) at two years was more common in
      those with renal dysfunction (52.5% vs. 20.6%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for
      age, stroke severity and pre-stroke disability, renal dysfunction (OR 2.17, p =
      0.04) predicted poor functional outcome. Conclusion Renal dysfunction and CKD are
      common in ischemic stroke and TIA. Renal dysfunction is associated with
      considerable post-stroke morbidity and mortality. Further studies are needed to
      investigate if modifiable mechanisms underlie these associations.

PMID- 28643554
TI  - Combined effects of physical inactivity and acute hyperglycemia on arterial
      distensibility.
AB  - Arterial distensibility, an independent predictor of cardiovascular events, is
      transiently increased with acute hyperglycemia (AHG) in healthy individuals.
      Whether this response interacts with physical inactivity remains unknown. We
      examined the effects of short-term bed rest (BR) on the response of carotid
      artery distensibility (CD) to AHG, and the influence of underlying changes in
      insulin resistance and blood volume. CD was assessed with ultrasonography before
      as well as 30 and 120 minutes following ingestion of 75 g of glucose prior to and
      after 3 days of BR in 15 healthy male volunteers. Plasma insulin/glucose
      concentrations and blood volumes were concomitantly determined. On day 4 of BR,
      blood volume was re-established to pre-BR levels by albumin infusion and CD and
      insulin/glucose concentrations were determined as in the previous experimental
      days. Basal CD was not affected by BR. AHG increased CD before and after BR but
      reached a higher peak increment after BR (12% vs 60% at 30 min OGTT, p=0.028). BR
      also increased the plasma insulin concentration during AHG ( p=0.007). In
      regression analyses, plasma insulin and glucose concentrations were positively
      correlated to CD, particularly after BR ( r=0.31, p<0.05). Restoration of the BR
      induced loss (5%) in blood volume did not affect the response of CD to AHG. In
      conclusion, short-term physical inactivity strongly accentuates the initial
      increase in CD in response to AHG in healthy individuals. This effect is
      associated with concomitant increases in circulating insulin concentration
      attributable to early insulin resistance.

PMID- 28643555
TI  - Unexpected detection of porcine rotavirus C strains carrying human origin VP6
      gene.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rotavirus C (RVC), a known etiological agent of diarrheal outbreaks,
      mainly inflicts swine population globally with sporadic incidence in human,
      cattle, ferret, mink and dog. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the presence of RVC in
      Indian swine population and characterization of its selected structural (VP6) and
      non-structural (NSP4 and NSP5) genes. METHODS: A total of 108 diarrheic samples
      from different regions of India were used. Isolated RNA was loaded onto
      polyacrylamide gel to screen for the presence of RVs through the identification
      of specific electrophoretic genomic migration pattern. To characterize the RVC
      strains, VP6 gene and NSP4 and NSP5 genes were amplified, sequenced and analyzed.
      RESULTS: Based on VP6 gene specific diagnostic RT-PCR, the presence of RVC was
      confirmed in 12.0% (13/108) piglet fecal specimens. The nucleotide sequence
      analysis of VP6 gene, encoding inner capsid protein, from selected porcine RVC
      (PoRVC) strains revealed more than 93% homologies to human RVC strains (HuRVC) of
      Eurasian origin. These strains were distant from hitherto reported PoRVCs and
      clustered with HuRVCs, owning I2 genotype. However, the two non-structural genes,
      i.e. NSP4 and NSP5, of these strains were found to be of swine type, signifying a
      re-assortment event that has occurred in the Indian swine population. CONCLUSION:
      The findings indicate the presence of human-like RVC in Indian pigs and division
      of RVC clade with I2 genotype into further sub-clades. To the best of our
      knowledge, this appears to be the first report of RVC in Indian swine population.
      Incidence of human-like RVC VP6 gene in swine supports its subsequent zoonotic
      prospective.

PMID- 28643556
TI  - Catalytic oxidation of toluene: comparative study over powder and monolithic
      manganese-nickel mixed oxide catalysts.
AB  - This paper is focused on development of the metal monolithic structure for total
      oxidation of toluene at low temperature. The well-adhered catalyst, based on the
      mixed oxides of manganese and nickel, is washcoated on the Al/Al2O3 plates as
      metallic support. For the comparison purposes, results observed for the manganese
      nickel mixed oxide supported on the metallic monolith are compared with those
      obtained using powder type of the same catalyst. Prepared manganese-nickel mixed
      oxides in both configurations show remarkable low-temperature activity for the
      toluene oxidation. The reaction temperature T50 corresponding to 50% of the
      toluene conversion is observed at temperatures of ca. 400-430 K for the powder
      catalyst and at ca. 450-490 K for the monolith configuration. The appropriate
      mathematical models, such as one-dimensional (1D) pseudo-homogeneous model of the
      fixed bed reactor and the 1D heterogeneous model of the metal monolith reactor,
      are applied to describe and compare catalytic performances of both reactors.
      Validation of the applied models is performed by comparing experimental data with
      theoretical predictions. The obtained results confirmed that the reaction over
      the monolithic structure is kinetically controlled, while in the case of the
      powder catalyst the reaction rate is influenced by the intraphase diffusion.

PMID- 28643557
TI  - Pooled sample testing for Bonamia ostreae: A tale of two SYBR Green real-time PCR
      assays.
AB  - Pooled testing of samples is a common laboratory practice to increase efficiency
      and reduce expenses. We investigated the efficacy of 2 published SYBR Green real
      time PCR assays when used to detect the haplosporidian parasite Bonamia ostreae
      in pooled samples of infected oyster tissue. Each PCR targets a different gene
      within the B. ostreae genome: the actin 1 gene or the 18S rRNA gene. Tissue
      homogenates (150 mg) of the New Zealand flat oyster Ostrea chilensis were spiked
      with ~1.5 * 103 purified B. ostreae cells to create experimental pools of 3, 5,
      and 10. Ten positive replicates of each pool size were assayed twice with each
      PCR and at 2 different amounts of DNA template. The PCR targeting the actin 1
      gene was unable to reproducibly detect B. ostreae in any pool size. Conversely,
      the 18S rRNA gene PCR could reproducibly detect B. ostreae in pools of up to 5.
      Using a general linear model, there was a significant difference in the number of
      pools that correctly detected B. ostreae between each PCR ( p < 0.01) and each
      pool size ( p < 0.01). It is likely that the single copy actin 1 gene is more
      likely to be diluted and not detected by pooling than the multi-copy 18S rRNA
      gene. Our study highlights that validation data are necessary for pooled sample
      testing because detection efficacy may not be comparable to individual sample
      testing.

PMID- 28643558
TI  - Influence of Anthropometric Characteristics in Patients With Her2-Positive Breast
      Cancer on Initial Plasma Concentrations of Trastuzumab.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Plasma concentrations of trastuzumab <20 ug/mL in patients with
      gastric cancer are associated with reduced progression-free and overall survival.
      In breast cancer treatment, this relationship has not yet been studied, but a
      suboptimal pharmacodynamic exposure to trastuzumab could be a reason for
      therapeutic failure of treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: The
      objective of the present study was to determine the proportion of nonmetastatic
      HER2-positive breast cancers that do not reach a minimum plasma concentration (
      Cmin) of 20 ug/mL after first drug administration, established as therapeutically
      effective in clinical trials. The secondary objective was to identify the
      physiological and anthropometric characteristics that determine interindividual
      pharmacokinetic variability. METHODS: Serum concentrations of trastuzumab were
      assessed by ELISA on day 1 of the second cycle before administration of the
      second dose ( Cmin). RESULTS: Of 19 patients included, 9 (47.4%) had a mean Cmin
      of 19.0 ug/mL (+/-12.1) after the first administration. Body mass index (BMI) and
      weight was the main variable that determined the achievement of therapeutic
      levels after the first administration. Thus, the proportion of patients reaching
      the target concentration was 89% when BMI was <=30 kg/m2 but only 11% when BMI
      was >30 kg/m2 ( P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The standard dose of 600 mg subcutaneous
      trastuzumab did not ensure adequate pharmacodynamic exposure from the first
      administration in 52% of patients, with weight and BMI being related to the
      plasma levels obtained.

PMID- 28643561
TI  - The Next Chapter: Co-Editor #3.

PMID- 28643559
TI  - Informing Healthcare Waiting Area Design Using Transparency Attributes: A
      Comparative Preference Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore people's visual preference for waiting
      areas in general hospital environments designed with transparency attributes that
      fully integrate nature. BACKGROUND: Waiting can be a tedious and frustrating
      experience among people seeking healthcare treatments and negatively affect their
      perception of the quality of care. Positive distractions and supportive designs
      have gained increasing attraction to improve people's waiting experience. Nature,
      which has shown therapeutic effects according to a growing amount of evidence,
      could be a distinguished positive distraction in waiting areas. Additionally, the
      theory of transparency was operationalized to indicate a spatial continuity
      between the external nature and the built interiors in general healthcare waiting
      area design. METHOD: A survey method was adopted in the study. Twenty-one images
      of general healthcare waiting areas depicting three design typologies were
      preselected following a strict procedure, including designs with (a) no window
      views, (b) limited window views to nature, and (c) transparent spaces with
      maximum natural views. Ninety-five student participants rated the images based on
      their visual preference using a Likert-type scale. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The
      results showed that transparent waiting areas were significantly preferred. A
      significant positive relationship existed between the level of transparency and
      people's preference scores. The factor analysis indicated additional supportive
      features that may affect people's preferences, including daylight, perceived
      warmth, noninstitutional furniture arrangement, visual orientation, and the use
      of natural materials for interior design. However, these tentative results need
      to be furthered tested with the real patient population as the next step of this
      study.

PMID- 28643560
TI  - Design Quality in the Context of Healthcare Environments: A Scoping Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We explored the concept of design quality in relation to healthcare
      environments. In addition, we present a taxonomy that illustrates the wide range
      of terms used in connection with design quality in healthcare. BACKGROUND: High
      quality physical environments can promote health and well-being. Developments in
      healthcare technology and methodology put high demands on the design quality of
      care environments, coupled with increasing expectations and demands from patients
      and staff that care environments be person centered, welcoming, and accessible
      while also supporting privacy and security. In addition, there are demands that
      decisions about the design of healthcare architecture be based on the best
      available information from credible research and the evaluation of existing
      building projects. METHOD: The basic principles of Arksey and O'Malley's model of
      scoping review design were used. Data were derived from literature searches in
      scientific databases. A total of 18 articles and books were found that referred
      to design quality in a healthcare context. RESULTS: Design quality of physical
      healthcare environments involves three different themes: (i) environmental
      sustainability and ecological values, (ii) social and cultural interactions and
      values, and (iii) resilience of the engineering and building construction. Design
      quality was clarified herein with a definition. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of what is
      considered design quality in relation to healthcare architecture could help to
      design healthcare environments based on evidence. To operationalize the concept,
      its definition must be clear and explicit and able to meet the complex needs of
      the stakeholders in a healthcare context, including patients, staff, and
      significant others.

PMID- 28643563
TI  - Evidence, Best Practice, and Intuition.

PMID- 28643565
TI  - Executive Summary of Key Concepts.

PMID- 28643564
TI  - The Power of Traditional Design Techniques: The Effects of Viewing a Japanese
      Garden on Individuals With Cognitive Impairment.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study is to examine how viewing a Japanese garden affects Japanese
      patients with dementia. BACKGROUND: In a previous study, authors explored the
      effect on individuals with Alzheimer's disease of viewing an indoor Japanese
      garden at a nursing home in the United States and reported that viewing the
      garden significantly reduced the heart rate, evoked short-term and long-term
      memories, and improved behavioral symptoms. However, it was unclear whether these
      effects were caused by the design of Japanese garden or unfamiliarity of the
      design to Caucasians. METHODS: We constructed a Japanese garden on the rooftop of
      a hospital in Japan and assessed with a total of 25 subjects on the following
      categories: (1) eye movement, (2) heart rate, and (3) behavior under four
      different conditions: (a) open view of the site before construction of the
      Japanese garden (the control space), (b) open view of the Japanese garden, (c)
      view of the Japanese garden through closed door, and (d) view of Japanese garden
      through closed door with the chrysanthemum scent. Findings/Results: Viewers' eyes
      scanned larger area while viewing the Japanese garden, and viewing the Japanese
      garden significantly reduced heart rate and improved behavioral symptoms than the
      control space. We also found that the effect of viewing the same Japanese garden
      differed across three conditions: the view through an open door, a closed door,
      and a closed door with added scent.

PMID- 28643566
TI  - Parable: When Will the Transition End?

PMID- 28643567
TI  - Exploring the Interface Between Healthcare Design and High-Reliability
      Organization Initiatives.

PMID- 28643568
TI  - Process Mining-Based Method of Designing and Optimizing the Layouts of Emergency
      Departments in Hospitals.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This article proposes an approach to help designers analyze complex
      care processes and identify the optimal layout of an emergency department (ED)
      considering several objectives simultaneously. These objectives include
      minimizing the distances traveled by patients, maximizing design preferences, and
      minimizing the relocation costs. BACKGROUND: Rising demand for healthcare
      services leads to increasing demand for new hospital buildings as well as
      renovating existing ones. Operations management techniques have been successfully
      applied in both manufacturing and service industries to design more efficient
      layouts. However, high complexity of healthcare processes makes it challenging to
      apply these techniques in healthcare environments. METHOD: Process mining
      techniques were applied to address the problem of complexity and to enhance
      healthcare process analysis. Process-related information, such as information
      about the clinical pathways, was extracted from the information system of an ED.
      A goal programming approach was then employed to find a single layout that would
      simultaneously satisfy several objectives. RESULTS: The layout identified using
      the proposed method improved the distances traveled by noncritical and critical
      patients by 42.2% and 47.6%, respectively, and minimized the relocation costs.
      CONCLUSION: This study has shown that an efficient placement of the clinical
      units yields remarkable improvements in the distances traveled by patients.

PMID- 28643569
TI  - Iron overload directly affecting the ovaries in a patient with Diamond-Blackfan
      anaemia: a case report.
AB  - Iron is a 'one-way' element and the primary point of regulation of body iron
      stores is at the level of intestinal iron absorption. Repeated blood transfusions
      for congenital anaemias bypass this regulatory checkpoint and inevitably lead to
      iron overload in the long-term. Iron overload causes multi-organ dysfunction of
      the heart, liver, pancreas and joints. It also causes reproductive toxicity
      primarily through its damaging effect on the anterior pituitary leading to
      hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Another less understood mechanism of reproductive
      toxicity is direct gonadal damage of excess free iron. In this article, we
      present the case of a 24-year-old woman with Diamond-Blackfan anaemia who
      presented to our unit seeking fertility assistance. The evaluation revealed a
      combination of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and reduced ovarian reserve along
      with evidence of severe iron overload. A literature search along with input from
      clinical experts has allowed us to counsel the patient to help her make an
      informed choice. A multi-disciplinary approach which would include initial
      optimization of pre-conceptional health with aggressive iron chelation therapy
      and subsequent ovulation induction with gonadotrophins has been planned, failing
      which, egg donation may be the only viable alternative.

PMID- 28643570
TI  - Home-based neurologic music therapy for arm hemiparesis following stroke: results
      from a pilot, feasibility randomized controlled trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate
      music therapy as a home-based intervention for arm hemiparesis in stroke. DESIGN:
      A pilot feasibility randomized controlled trial, with cross-over design.
      Randomization by statistician using computer-generated, random numbers concealed
      in opaque envelopes. SETTING: Participants' homes across Cambridgeshire, UK.
      SUBJECTS: Eleven people with stroke and arm hemiparesis, 3-60 months post stroke,
      following discharge from community rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Each
      participant engaged in therapeutic instrumental music performance in 12
      individual clinical contacts, twice weekly for six weeks. MAIN MEASURES:
      Feasibility was estimated by recruitment from three community stroke teams over a
      12-month period, attrition rates, completion of treatment and successful data
      collection. Structured interviews were conducted pre and post intervention to
      establish participant tolerance and preference. Action Research Arm Test and Nine
      hole Peg Test data were collected at weeks 1, 6, 9, 15 and 18, pre and post
      intervention by a blinded assessor. RESULTS: A total of 11 of 14 invited
      participants were recruited (intervention n = 6, waitlist n = 5). In total, 10
      completed treatment and data collection. CONCLUSION: It cannot be concluded
      whether a larger trial would be feasible due to unavailable data regarding a
      number of eligible patients screened. Adherence to treatment, retention and
      interview responses might suggest that the intervention was motivating for
      participants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT 02310438.

PMID- 28643571
TI  - Adaptation of the Activity Measure Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) from English to
      Mandarin using the dual-panel translation approach.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to translate and adapt the Activity Measure
      Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) from US English to Mandarin using the dual-panel method,
      and to assess its psychometric properties in an outpatient rehabilitation
      setting. METHODS: The AM-PAC outpatient short forms were translated using the
      dual-panel method. The translated AM-PAC was tested in 550 Chinese-speaking
      rehabilitation outpatients. Floor and ceiling effects were evaluated and internal
      consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Spearman correlation was used to
      assess the concurrent validity of the AM-PAC with the Barthel Index and the Mini
      Mental State Examination. Test-retest reliability was determined by administering
      the AM-PAC twice to 57 participants within a 2-7 day interval. RESULTS: Some
      ceiling effects (>20%) were observed in the Applied Cognition subscale. All
      subscales exhibited good internal consistency (alpha > 0.70). Supportive evidence
      for concurrent validity was found in strong correlations between Basic Mobility
      subscale and Barthel Index (r = 0.68), and Daily Activity subscale and Barthel
      Index (r = 0.70); and moderate correlations between Applied Cognition subscale
      and Mini-Mental State Examination (r = 0.50). Test-retest reliability for all
      subscales was high (intraclass correlation coefficient =0.89-0.98). CONCLUSIONS:
      The dual-panel approach was successfully used to translate the AM-PAC from
      English to Mandarin. Adequate reliability and validity in rehabilitation
      outpatients in Taiwan were established. Implications for Rehabilitation The dual
      panel method is a modern translation technique, which was successfully used to
      adapt the Activity Measure Post-Acute Care from English to Mandarin. The Mandarin
      version of Activity Measure Post-Acute Care demonstrates adequate internal
      consistency, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability in rehabilitation
      outpatients. The Activity Measure Post-Acute Care is superior to existing
      functional measures used to monitor activity performance for rehabilitation
      patients in Taiwan.

PMID- 28643572
TI  - Distinctive barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence among non-adherent
      adolescents living with HIV in Botswana.
AB  - Levels of adherence to HIV treatment are lower among adolescents compared with
      older and younger individuals receiving similar therapies. We purposely sampled
      the most and least adherent adolescents from a 300-adolescent longitudinal HIV
      treatment adherence study in Gaborone, Botswana. Multiple objective and
      subjective measures of adherence were available and study participants were
      selected based on sustained patterns of either excellent or poor adherence over a
      one-year period. Focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) were
      conducted with the adolescents and a subset of their caregivers with the goal of
      revealing barriers and facilitators of adherence. Focus groups were segregated by
      adherence classification of the participants. Following coding of transcripts,
      matrices were developed based on participants' adherence classifications in order
      to clarify differences in themes generated by individuals with different
      adherence characteristics. 47 adolescents and 25 adults were included. The non
      adherent adolescents were older than the adherent adolescents (median age 18
      years (IQR 16-19) vs. 14 years (IQR 12-15 years)), with median time on treatment
      near 10 years in both groups. Interference with daily activities, concerns about
      stigma and discrimination, side effects, denial of HIV status, and food
      insecurity arose as challenges to adherence among both those who were
      consistently adherent and those who were poorly-adherent to their medications.
      Low outcome expectancy, treatment fatigue, mental health and substance use
      problems, and mismatches between desired and received social support were
      discussed only among poorly adherent adolescents and their caregivers. Challenges
      raised only among adolescents and caregivers in the non-adherent groups are
      hypothesis-generating, identifying areas that may have a greater contribution to
      poor outcomes than challenges faced by both adherent and non-adherent
      adolescents. The contribution of these factors to poor outcomes should be
      explored in future studies.

PMID- 28643573
TI  - Correction to: Editorial: Siegfried Kasper. International Journal of Psychiatry
      in Clinical Practice, 2017, VOL. 21, NO. 2, P81.

PMID- 28643574
TI  - Stability and in vitro release behaviour of encapsulated omega fatty acid-rich
      oils in lentil protein isolate-based microcapsules.
AB  - The objective of this study was to investigate the use of a lentil protein
      isolate-based microcapsule design as a platform for entrapping different types of
      omega fatty acid-rich oil (e.g. canola, fish and flaxseed oils) and to
      characterise differences in the physical properties (e.g. moisture content, water
      activity, colour, wettability, particle size, surface oil and entrapment
      efficiency), storage stability and in vitro release behaviour of the entrapped
      oils. All microcapsules displayed similar physical properties regardless of the
      core material. Free fatty acid content, peroxide value, 2-thiobarbituric acid
      reactive substances and accelerated oxidation test were investigated between the
      free and encapsulated oils to determine protective effects from
      microencapsulation and found the wall material provided the greatest protective
      effect to the fish oils relative to the others. Based on an in vitro release
      assay, it was proposed that different intrinsic properties of fatty acids (e.g.
      polarity, conformation, chain length and number of double bonds) led to different
      release properties under simulated conditions. For instance, more encapsulated
      canola oil (~8.9%) was released within simulated gastric fluid, whereas more
      encapsulated fish oil (~73.4%) was released within simulated gastrointestinal
      fluids. Overall, the capsule design used in this study could be potentially used
      as a universal platform to deliver more healthy oils.

PMID- 28643575
TI  - Combined Rex-bypass shunt with pericardial devascularization alleviated
      prehepatic portal hypertension caused by cavernomatous transformation of portal
      vein.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of combined Rex-bypass shunt and pericardial
      devascularization on prehepatic portal hypertension secondary to cavernomatous
      transformation of portal vein (CTPV). METHODS: Forty-two patients aged from 3
      years to 49 years (divided into 3 groups), 26 cases male and 16 female, with
      prehepatic vascular hepertention were treated with Rex-bypass shunt combined with
      pericardial devascularization. In each patient, preoperative assessment included
      ultrasound and computed tomographic angiography of the portal vein and blood
      analysis. The procedure was Rex-bypass shunt (with or without graft), and
      patients with moderate or severe gastroesophageal varices required additional
      paraesophagogastric devascularization. Splenectomy or subtotal splenectomy was
      performed if combined hypersplenism co-existed. All data were analyzed
      retrospectively. RESULTS: No intraoperative death occurred, blood routine
      analysis improved (P < 0.05), the blood flow velocity (P < 0.05) and diameter (P
      < 0.05) of the left portal vein (LPV) significantly increased, the esophageal and
      gastric varices significantly relieved in 34 patients (P < 0.05), and better
      effects of earlier operations were demonstrated than the delayed ones (P < 0.05).
      During the period of follow-up from 6 to 64 months, the overall patency rate was
      85.7% and the younger the age the better of the effect. CONCLUSION: Rex-bypass
      shunt combined with pericardial devascularization is a safe and effective
      procedure for prehepatic portal hypertension caused by CTPV.

PMID- 28643576
TI  - Sensory organization test principally reflects utricular function.
AB  - CONCLUSION: Our study showed that sensory organization test (SOT) could
      principally reflect utricular function, and our cut-score of VEST ratio (the
      indicator of inputs from the vestibular system in balance performance) in SOT
      could help to screen patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction
      in non-fallers. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to know SOT reflects the function of which
      vestibular end organs and to assess the possibility of screening patients with
      peripheral vestibular dysfunction in non-fall population by means of SOT.
      METHODS: A total of 75 patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction
      underwent SOT, ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), cervical
      vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) and caloric tests. RESULTS:
      Regression model indicated that oVEMP, as an independent variable, exerted the
      greatest influence on VEST ratio, followed by age and cVEMP. There were no
      significant differences in VEST ratio among groups with different extents of
      peripheral vestibular involvement (p > .05). VEST ratio in the vestibular
      impairment groups was significantly lower than in the control group and
      significantly higher than in fall group (p < .01). VEST ratio in group with
      normal oVEMP was significantly higher than in group with abnormal oVEMP (p =
      .013). The cut-score between populations with functional and dysfunctional
      vestibule was 0.649.

PMID- 28643577
TI  - An assessment of advance relatives approach for brain death organ donation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Advance announcement of forthcoming brain death has developed to
      enable intensivists and organ procurement organisation coordinators to more
      appropriately, and separately from each other, explain to relatives brain death
      and the subsequent post-mortem organ donation opportunity. Research aim: The aim
      was to assess how potentially involved healthcare professionals perceived ethical
      issues surrounding the strategy of advance approach. RESEARCH DESIGN: A multi
      centre opinion survey using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was
      conducted in the six-member hospitals of the publicly funded East of France
      regional organ and tissue procurement network called 'Prelor'. PARTICIPANTS: The
      study population comprised 460 physicians and nurses in the Neurosurgical,
      Surgical and Medical Intensive Care Units, the Stroke Units and the Emergency
      Departments. Ethical considerations: The project was approved by the board of the
      Lorraine University Diploma in Medical Ethics and the Prelor Network
      administrators. MAIN FINDINGS: A slight majority of 53.5% of respondents had
      previously participated in an advance relatives approach: 83% of the physicians
      and 42% of the nurses. A majority of healthcare professionals (68%) think that
      the main justification for advance relatives approach is the comprehensive care
      of the dying patient and the research of his or her most likely opinion (74%).
      The misunderstanding of the related issues by relatives is an obstacle for 47% of
      healthcare professionals and 51% think that the answer given by the relatives
      regarding the most likely opinion of the person regarding post-mortem organ
      donation really corresponds to the person opinion in only 50% of the cases or
      less. CONCLUSION: Time given by advance approach should be employed to help and
      enable relatives to authentically bear the values and interests of the potential
      donor in the post-mortem organ donation discussion. Nurses' attendance of advance
      relatives approach seems necessary to enable them to optimally support the
      families facing death and post-mortem organ donation issues.

PMID- 28643579
TI  - Religious Participation and Biological Functioning in Mexico.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Although several studies suggest that religious involvement tends to
      favor healthy biological functioning, most of this work has been conducted in the
      United States. This study explores the association between religious
      participation and biological functioning in Mexico. METHOD: The data are drawn
      from two waves of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (2003-2012) to assess
      continuous and categorical biomarker specifications. RESULTS: Across
      specifications, religious participation in 2003 is associated with lower levels
      of waist-to-hip ratio, total cholesterol, pulse rate, and overall allostatic load
      in 2012. Respondents who increased their participation over the study period also
      exhibit a concurrent reduction in pulse rate. Depending on the specification,
      participation is also associated with lower levels of diastolic blood pressure
      and C-reactive protein. Participation is generally unrelated to body mass index,
      glycosylated hemoglobin, and systolic blood pressure. DISCUSSION: Our results
      confirm that religious participation is associated with healthier biological
      functioning in Mexico.

PMID- 28643580
TI  - Cyclophilins: Less Studied Proteins with Critical Roles in Pathogenesis.
AB  - Cyclophilins (EC 5.2.1.8) belong to a subgroup of proteins known as
      immunophilins, which also include FK506-binding proteins and parvulins. Members
      of the immunophilins have two main characteristic properties: (i) peptidyl-prolyl
      cis-trans isomerase activity and (ii) the ability to bind immunosuppressant
      molecules of fungal origin. Cyclophilins are some of the most conserved proteins
      present in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, and they have been implicated in diverse
      cellular processes and responses to multiple biotic and abiotic stresses.
      Cyclophilins have been exploited in humans and plants extensively, but they have
      only recently received attention in regard to phytopathogens. In Phellinus
      sulphurascens and species of the genus Leptosphaeria and Phytophthora, high
      expression of cyclophilins was found to be related to infection. Moreover, recent
      studies of cyclophilins in certain phytopathogens, such as Magnaporthe oryzae,
      Botrytis cinerea, Cryphonectria parasitica, and Puccinia triticina, demonstrated
      their roles as a pathogenicity factors. In addition to pathogenicity,
      cyclophilins have high affinity for the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A,
      which is a potent antifungal agent. Although cyclophilins are highly conserved in
      phytopathogens, because they have been less studied, their role remains largely
      unknown. In this review, we provide detailed information on the cyclophilins in
      several phytopathogens, including fungi and oomycetes, as well as their role in
      suppressing plant immunity.

PMID- 28643581
TI  - A White Paper on Global Wheat Health Based on Scenario Development and Analysis.
AB  - Scenario analysis constitutes a useful approach to synthesize knowledge and
      derive hypotheses in the case of complex systems that are documented with mainly
      qualitative or very diverse information. In this article, a framework for
      scenario analysis is designed and then, applied to global wheat health within a
      timeframe from today to 2050. Scenario analysis entails the choice of settings,
      the definition of scenarios of change, and the analysis of outcomes of these
      scenarios in the chosen settings. Three idealized agrosystems, representing a
      large fraction of the global diversity of wheat-based agrosystems, are
      considered, which represent the settings of the analysis. Several components of
      global changes are considered in their consequences on global wheat health:
      climate change and climate variability, nitrogen fertilizer use, tillage, crop
      rotation, pesticide use, and the deployment of host plant resistances. Each
      idealized agrosystem is associated with a scenario of change that considers
      first, a production situation and its dynamics, and second, the impacts of the
      evolving production situation on the evolution of crop health. Crop health is
      represented by six functional groups of wheat pathogens: the pathogens associated
      with Fusarium head blight; biotrophic fungi, Septoria-like fungi, necrotrophic
      fungi, soilborne pathogens, and insect-transmitted viruses. The analysis of
      scenario outcomes is conducted along a risk-analytical pattern, which involves
      risk probabilities represented by categorized probability levels of disease
      epidemics, and risk magnitudes represented by categorized levels of crop losses
      resulting from these levels of epidemics within each production situation. The
      results from this scenario analysis suggest an overall increase of risk
      probabilities and magnitudes in the three idealized agrosystems. Changes in risk
      probability or magnitude however vary with the agrosystem and the functional
      groups of pathogens. We discuss the effects of global changes on the six
      functional groups, in terms of their epidemiology and of the crop losses they
      cause. Scenario analysis enables qualitative analysis of complex systems, such as
      plant pathosystems that are evolving in response to global changes, including
      climate change and technology shifts. It also provides a useful framework for
      quantitative simulation modeling analysis for plant disease epidemiology.

PMID- 28643578
TI  - Coronary microvascular dysfunction in diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The significance, mechanisms and consequences of coronary microvascular
      dysfunction associated with diabetes mellitus are topics into which we have
      insufficient insight at this time. It is widely recognized that endothelial
      dysfunction that is caused by diabetes in various vascular beds contributes to a
      wide range of complications and exerts unfavorable effects on microcirculatory
      regulation. The coronary microcirculation is precisely regulated through a number
      of interconnected physiological processes with the purpose of matching local
      blood flow to myocardial metabolic demands. Dysregulation of this network might
      contribute to varying degrees of pathological consequences. This review discusses
      the most important findings regarding coronary microvascular dysfunction in
      diabetes from pre-clinical and clinical perspectives.

PMID- 28643582
TI  - Adverse Childhood Circumstances and Functional Status Throughout Adult Life.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We studied the association of childhood adversity with adult
      functional status. METHOD: With data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and
      the 2014 Childhood Retrospective Circumstances Study (1992-2013; N = 6,705;
      62,885 person-years), we estimated functional status transition probabilities
      associated with childhood adversity, with multinomial logistic Markov models
      adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education. Microsimulation then
      estimated functional status outcomes throughout adulthood for African American,
      Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White women and men. RESULTS: Adversity was
      significantly associated with functional status. Of White women without
      adversities, 2.3% had difficulty doing activities of daily living at age 30,
      compared with 8.2% with high adversity; comparable results were 3.7% and 8.7% for
      African Americans, 0.9% and 11.5% for Hispanics (all p < .01). Patterns were
      similar at other ages, for men, and when adjusted for midlife health conditions
      and health behavior. DISCUSSION: Childhood adversity may substantially increase
      functional impairment throughout adult life.

PMID- 28643583
TI  - Hemodynamic stability during laryngeal electromyography procedures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) is accepted as safe, with minimal
      side effects. However, patient hemodynamic stability, during these procedures,
      has not been reported. This study aimed to investigate the hemodynamics in
      patients undergoing LEMG and determine the risk factors for hemodynamic changes.
      METHODS: We recruited 89 consecutive patients who underwent LEMG. Baseline and
      postprocedural changes in vital signs were analyzed. RESULTS: Diastolic blood
      pressure (DBP) increased from 75.08 +/- 11.54 mmHg preprocedure to 77.4 +/- 11.91
      mmHg postprocedure (p = .006); pulse rate (PR) increased from 78.1 +/- 13.3 beats
      per minute preprocedure to 80.02 +/- 13.69 postprocedure (p = .027). Systolic
      blood pressure (SBP) and oxygen saturation were unchanged after the procedure.
      However, about 17% of patients experienced profound changes in vital signs of
      >20% above baseline during LEMG. The hemodynamic changes did not differ between
      sexes or between surgical and non-surgical etiologies of vocal fold paralysis.
      Two patients experienced profound but reversible near-syncope during the
      procedure. CONCLUSIONS: LEMG is a safe procedure with few immediate
      complications, though it may affect the patient's hemodynamic status by
      increasing DBP and PR. The hemodynamic monitoring is recommended so that timely
      intervention can be applied in case any warning sign occurs.

PMID- 28643584
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      of the Czech Republic.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome
      data have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and
      work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, in the
      societal perspective, in CZK 2015. RESULTS: A total of 747 patients (mean age 47
      years) participated; 86% were below retirement age and of these, 49% were
      employed. Employment was related to disease severity, and MS affected
      productivity at work for 82% of those working. Overall, 92% and 66% of patients
      experienced fatigue and cognitive difficulties as a problem. Mean utility and
      annual costs were 0.832 and 257,000CZK at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)
      0-3, 0.530 and 425,500CZK at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.141 and 489,000CZK at EDSS 7-9. The
      average cost of a relapse was estimated at 12,600CZK. CONCLUSION: This study
      provides current data on MS in the Czech Republic that are important for the
      development of health policies.

PMID- 28643585
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Portugal.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In order to assess the value of management strategies in multiple
      sclerosis (MS), outcome data have to be combined with cost data. This, in turn,
      requires that cost data be regularly updated. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study
      is part of a cross-sectional retrospective study in 16 countries collecting
      current data on resource consumption, work capacity and health-related quality of
      life (HRQoL). Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity; costs are
      estimated in the societal perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 535
      patients (mean age 48.5 years) participated; 92% were below retirement age and of
      these, 43% were employed. Employment was related to disease severity, and MS was
      felt to affect productivity at work by 72% of patients, most often through
      fatigue. Overall, 98% and 74% of patients felt that fatigue and cognition were a
      problem. Mean utility and costs were 0.756 and ?16,500 at the Expanded Disability
      Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.572 and ?28,700 at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.206 and ?34,400 at
      EDSS 7-9. The average cost of a relapse was estimated at ?2930. CONCLUSION: This
      study illustrates the burden of MS on Portuguese patients and provides current
      data that are important for the development of health policies.

PMID- 28643586
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Poland.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis
      (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have
      to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.
      OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective
      study in 16 European countries collecting current data on resource consumption,
      work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from
      the societal perspective, in 2015 Polish Zloty (PLN). RESULTS: A total of 411 MS
      patients (mean age = 40 years) participated in Poland; 94% were below retirement
      age, and of these, 59% were employed. Employment was related to disability, and
      MS affected productivity for 85% of those working. Overall, 97% and 71% of
      patients experienced fatigue and cognition as important problems, respectively.
      Mean utility and total annual costs were 0.686 and 48,700 PLN at Expanded
      Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.521 and 59,200 PLN at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.208
      and 81,600 PLN at EDSS 7-9, respectively. The average cost of a relapse was 3,900
      PLN. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the burden of MS on Polish patients and
      provides current data that are important for developing health policies.

PMID- 28643587
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for the United Kingdom.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome
      data have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and
      work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of disability, from
      the societal perspective, in EUR (2015). RESULTS: A total of 779 patients (mean
      age = 57 years) participated; 72% were below retirement age and of these, 36%
      were employed. Employment was related to disease severity, and MS affected
      productivity at work for 84% of patients. Overall, 96% and 72% of the patients
      experienced fatigue and cognition as a problem. Mean utility and annual costs
      were 0.735 and 11,400GBP at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) = 0-3, 0.534
      and 22,700GBP at EDSS = 4-6.5, and 0.135 and 36,500GBP at EDSS = 7-9. The mean
      cost of a relapse was estimated at 790GBP. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the
      burden of MS on UK patients and provides current data on MS that are important
      for development of health policies.

PMID- 28643588
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for France.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis (MS) -
      where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be
      combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.
      OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective
      study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and work capacity,
      health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for patients with
      MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, in the societal
      perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 491 patients (mean age 47 years)
      participated; 82% were below retirement age, and of these 56% were employed.
      Employment was related to disease severity, and MS affected productivity at work
      for 90% of patients. Overall, 95% and 67% of patients experienced fatigue and
      cognition as a problem, respectively. The mean utility and annual costs were
      0.735 and ?22,600 at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.500 and
      ?38,100 at EDSS 4-6.5, and 0.337 and ?48,100 at EDSS 7-9, respectively. The
      average cost of a relapse was estimated at ?2300. CONCLUSION: This study provides
      current data on MS in France that are important for developments of health
      policies and to estimate the value of current and future treatments.

PMID- 28643589
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Denmark.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To estimate the value of treatments in multiple sclerosis (MS) -
      where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be
      combined with cost data. This, in turn, requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting current data on resource
      consumption, work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent
      symptoms for patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of
      severity, from the societal perspective, in 2015 Danish Kronor (DKK). RESULTS: A
      total of 830 patients (mean age of 54 years) participated; 78% were below
      retirement age and of these, 43% were employed. Employment was related to disease
      severity, and MS was felt to affect productivity at work by 73% of patients, most
      often through fatigue. Overall, 95% and 65% of patients felt that fatigue and
      cognition, respectively, were a problem. Mean utility and costs were 0.770 and
      196,900DKK at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.619 and 287,300DKK
      at EDSS 4-6.5, and 0.302 and 533,250DKK at EDSS 7-9. The average cost of a
      relapse was estimated at 19,000DKK. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the burden
      of MS on Danish patients and provides current data that are important for the
      development of health policies.

PMID- 28643590
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Russia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In order to assess the value of management strategies in multiple
      sclerosis (MS), outcome data have to be combined with cost data. This, in turn,
      requires that cost data be regularly updated. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study
      is part of a cross-sectional retrospective study in 16 countries collecting
      current data on resource consumption, work capacity and health-related quality of
      life (HQoL). Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity; costs are
      estimated in the societal perspective, in RUB 2015. RESULTS: A total of 208
      patients (mean age: 38.5 years) participated in the Russian study; 97% were below
      retirement age, and of these, 49% were employed. MS was reported to affect
      productivity at work in 63% of patients. Overall, 87% and 41% of patients felt
      that fatigue and cognition were a problem. The mean utility and costs were 0.769
      and 578,000 RUB at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.509 and 826,000
      RUB at EDSS 4-6.5, and 0.071 and 1,013,000 RUB at EDSS 7-9. The average cost of a
      relapse was 33,000 RUB. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the burden of MS on
      Russian patients and provides current data that are important for developing
      health policies.

PMID- 28643591
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Hungary.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis (MS) -
      where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be
      combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.
      OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective
      study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption, work capacity,
      health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for patients with
      MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of disability, from the societal
      perspective, in HUF 2015. RESULTS: A total of 521 patients (mean age 47 years)
      participated; 85% were below retirement age, and of these, 47% were employed.
      Employment was related to disability and MS affected productivity at work for 82%
      of those working. Overall, 94% and 66% of patients experienced fatigue and
      cognitive difficulties as a problem, respectively. The mean utility and annual
      costs were 0.691 and 3,432,000HUF at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3,
      0.491 and 5,262,000HUF at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.076 and 6,235,000HUF at EDSS 7-9,
      respectively. The average cost of a relapse was estimated at 240,500HUF.
      CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the burden of MS on Hungarian patients and
      provides current data that are important for the development of health policies.

PMID- 28643592
TI  - The burden of multiple sclerosis 2015: Methods of data collection, assessment and
      analysis of costs, quality of life and symptoms.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: This article describes the methods used to perform this large
      European-wide burden-of-illness study on multiple sclerosis (MS) using individual
      patient data. METHODS: The study collected all MS-related resource consumption,
      workforce participation, prevalent disease symptoms and health-related quality of
      life (HRQoL). Patients were recruited by national patient associations and, after
      informed consent, completed a specific questionnaire either on-line or on paper.
      Analyses were performed by country as well as for the study overall. Costs were
      estimated from the societal perspective, using publicly available unit costs and
      reported in national currencies and in EUR 2015 adjusted for purchasing power
      parity. The results are reported by disease severity groups according to self
      assessed Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (mild, moderate, severe) and by
      EDSS point to highlight the development of costs as disability progresses.
      RESULTS: A total of 16,808 patients in 16 countries participated in the study:
      Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the
      Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United
      Kingdom. CONCLUSION: This study, endorsed by the European Platform of MS
      Societies, provides up-to-date information on costs and expands the previously
      available information on HRQoL and symptoms.

PMID- 28643594
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28643593
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Germany.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis (MS) -
      where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be
      combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.
      OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective
      study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and work capacity,
      health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for patients with
      MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from the societal
      perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 5475 patients (mean age 52 years)
      participated in Germany. In all, 84% were below retirement age, and of these, 51%
      were employed. Employment was related to disease severity, and MS affected
      productivity at work for 80% of patients. Overall, 96% and 78% of patients
      experienced fatigue and cognitive difficulties as a problem, respectively. The
      mean utility and total annual costs were 0.786 and 28,200? at Expanded Disability
      Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.586 and ?44,000 at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.273 and ?62,700 at
      EDSS 7-9, respectively. The mean cost of a relapse was estimated at ?2500.
      CONCLUSION: This study provides current health economic data on MS in Germany
      that are important for the development of health policies and for estimating the
      value of the current and future treatments.

PMID- 28643595
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for the Netherlands.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis (MS) -
      where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be
      combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.
      OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective
      study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and work capacity,
      health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for patients with
      MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from the societal
      perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 382 patients (mean age: 54 years)
      participated in the Netherlands; 81% were below retirement age and of these, 31%
      were employed. Employment was inversely related to disease severity, and MS
      affected productivity at work for 82% of patients. Overall, 96% and 73% of
      patients experienced fatigue and cognitive difficulties, respectively, as a
      problem. Mean utility and annual costs were 0.744 and ?23,100 at Expanded
      Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.595 and ?32,300 at EDSS 4-6.5, and 0.297
      and ?50,500 at EDSS 7-9. The mean cost of a relapse was estimated at ?3000.
      CONCLUSION: This study provides current data on MS in the Netherlands that are
      important for the development of health policies and to estimate the value of
      current and future treatments.

PMID- 28643596
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Switzerland.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To estimate the value of interventions in multiple sclerosis (MS) -
      where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome data have to be
      combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly updated.
      OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional retrospective
      study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and work capacity,
      health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for patients with
      MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from the societal
      perspective, in CHF 2015. RESULTS: A total of 721 patients (mean age 48 years)
      participated in Switzerland; 90% were below retirement age, and of these, 65%
      were employed. Employment was related to disease severity, and MS affected
      productivity at work for 69% of patients. Overall, 93% and 64% of patients
      experienced fatigue and cognition as a problem, respectively. The mean utility
      and annual costs were 0.799 and 29,600CHF at Expanded Disability Status Scale
      (EDSS) 0-3, 0.614 and 66,800CHF at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.348 and 110,800CHF at EDSS 7
      9, respectively. The mean cost of a relapse was estimated at 7600CHF. CONCLUSION:
      This study provides current data on MS in Switzerland that are important for
      development of health policies and to estimate the value of current and future
      treatments.

PMID- 28643597
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Spain.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed, outcome data
      have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption, work
      capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from
      the societal perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 462 patients (mean age
      43 years) participated in Spain; 96% were below retirement age and of these, 45%
      were employed. Employment was related to disability, and MS affected productivity
      at work for 72% of those working. Overall, 92% and 64% of patients experienced
      fatigue and cognitive difficulties as a problem, respectively. Mean utility and
      total annual costs were estimated at 0.772 and ?20,600 at Expanded Disability
      Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.486 and ?48,500 at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.182 and ?68,700 at
      EDSS 7-9, respectively. The mean cost of a relapse was ?2050. CONCLUSION: This
      study illustrates the burden of MS on Spanish patients and provides current data
      that are important for development of health policies.

PMID- 28643598
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Belgium.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome
      data have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and
      work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from
      the societal perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 1856 patients (mean
      age: 54 years) participated in Belgium; 66% were below retirement age, and of
      these, 44% were employed. Employment was related to disease severity, and MS
      affected productivity at work in 85% of the patients. Overall, 95% and 72% of the
      patients experienced fatigue and cognitive difficulties, respectively, as a
      problem. Mean utility and annual costs were 0.703 and ?26,400 at Expanded
      Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.478 and ?45,300 at EDSS 4-6.5, and 0.193
      and ?62,000 at EDSS 7-9. The mean cost of a relapse was estimated to be ?3000.
      CONCLUSION: This study provides current data on MS in Belgium that are important
      for development of health policies and for estimating the value of current and
      future treatments.

PMID- 28643599
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Austria.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome
      data have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and
      work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from
      the societal perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 516 patients (mean
      age, 53 years) participated in Austria; 72% were below retirement age, and of
      these, 46% were employed. Employment was related to disability, and MS affected
      productivity at work for 77% of those working. Overall, 94% and 67% of patients
      experienced fatigue and cognition as a problem. Mean utility and total annual
      costs were 0.778 and 25,100? at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3,
      0.579 and 44,100? at EDSS 4-6.5, and 0.244 and 73,800? at EDSS 7-9. The mean cost
      of a relapse was estimated at 2563?. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the
      burden of MS on Austrian patients and provides current data on MS that are
      important for development of health policies.

PMID- 28643600
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Italy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In order to estimate the value of interventions in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) - where lifetime costs and outcomes cannot be observed - outcome
      data have to be combined with costs. This requires that cost data be regularly
      updated. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross-sectional
      retrospective study in 16 countries collecting data on resource consumption and
      work capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and prevalent symptoms for
      patients with MS. Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity, from
      the societal perspective, in EUR 2015. RESULTS: A total of 1010 patients (mean
      age = 45 years) participated in Italy. In total, 94% were below retirement age,
      and of these, 56% were employed. Employment was related to disability, and MS
      affected productivity at work in 77% of the patients. Overall, 96% and 65% of the
      patients experienced fatigue and cognitive difficulties as a problem,
      respectively. Mean utility and total annual costs were 0.735 and ?22,900 at
      Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) of 0-3, 0.534 and ?40,100 at EDSS of 4
      6.5, and 0.135 and ?53,300 at EDSS of 7-9. The mean cost of a relapse was
      estimated to be ?2600. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the burden of MS on
      Italian patients and provides current data on MS that are important for the
      development of health policies.

PMID- 28643601
TI  - New insights into the burden and costs of multiple sclerosis in Europe: Results
      for Sweden.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To assess the value of management strategies in multiple sclerosis
      (MS), outcome data have to be combined with cost data. This requires that cost
      data be regularly updated. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This study is part of a cross
      sectional retrospective study in 16 countries collecting current data on resource
      consumption, work capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
      Descriptive analyses are presented by level of severity; costs are estimated in
      the societal perspective, in 2015 SEK. RESULTS: A total of 1864 patients (mean
      age 56 years) participated in Sweden; 74% were below retirement age, and of
      these, 55% were employed. MS was reported to affect productivity at work in 78%
      of patients. Overall, 94% and 72% of patients felt that fatigue and cognition
      were a problem, respectively. The mean utility and costs were 0.757 and
      244,000SEK at Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 0-3, 0.563 and 384,000SEK
      at EDSS 4-6.5 and 0.202 and 888,000SEK at EDSS 7-9, respectively. The average
      cost of a relapse was 36,900SEK. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the burden of
      MS on Swedish patients and provides current data that are important for the
      development of health policies.

PMID- 28643602
TI  - Acute-phase proteins in pregnant goats: a longitudinal study.
AB  - We documented changes in serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) concentration
      in goats during pregnancy, as measured by competitive ELISAs. Fifteen does
      (pregnant group) and 20 castrated males (control group) were enrolled in the
      study. Blood samples were collected on the same day from all 35 goats, 7 times
      throughout the study period: at mating, then once every month, during the week
      preceding kidding, and 1 mo after kidding. Baseline SAA and Hp concentrations at
      mating were identical in the 2 groups. In the pregnant group, SAA concentration
      rose significantly in the second month and remained elevated until the end of
      pregnancy, with the peak concentration at kidding. In the control group, SAA
      concentration remained unchanged compared to the baseline concentration
      throughout the study. SAA concentration was significantly higher in the pregnant
      than control group only at the end of the fourth month of pregnancy and at
      kidding. Hp concentration did not change during pregnancy or between groups. SAA
      concentration at kidding was affected only by parity of does - it was highest in
      does in the third and fourth pregnancy and gradually lower in older does.

PMID- 28643604
TI  - Long non-coding RNAs: New biomarkers for prognosis and diagnosis of colon cancer.
AB  - Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs has been found in many human cancers,
      including colorectal cancer that is still the third most prevalent cancer
      worldwide and related to poor prognosis; along with this, robust testimony has
      identified that long non-coding RNAs can take charge of tumor suppressor genes or
      oncogenes. This review summarizes nowadays research achievements on the character
      of long non-coding RNAs in the prognosis and diagnosis of colorectal cancer. On
      the basis of the results acquired in the last decade, some long non-coding RNAs
      are rising as biomarkers of colorectal cancer for prognosis, diagnosis, even
      prediction of therapeutic result, and have crucial effects in the regulation of
      colorectal cancer cell functions such as proliferation, invasion, apoptosis,
      metastasis, and drug resistant ability. Also, long non-coding RNAs, circulating
      in body fluids, could act as novel, affordable, lightly accessible, non-invasive
      detection tools for the personal health management of patients with colorectal
      cancer. Especially, circulating long non-coding RNA profiles may be demonstrating
      preferable prognostic and diagnostic capability and better accuracy than
      respective long non-coding RNAs in colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28643603
TI  - Stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy syndrome: Case report and
      review of the literature.
AB  - A 26-year-old female presented with vision loss accompanied by migraine-like
      headaches. A contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the brain was
      performed which revealed findings suggestive of stroke-like migraine attacks
      after radiation therapy (SMART) syndrome. SMART syndrome is a delayed
      complication of brain radiation characterized by neurologic symptoms including
      migraine-like headaches, seizures, and hemispheric impairment. The purpose of
      this article is to make the readers aware of this rare complication of brain
      irradiation. Appropriate diagnosis of SMART syndrome is essential to avoid
      invasive tests.

PMID- 28643606
TI  - Origin of low-molecular mass aldehydes as disinfection by-products in beverages.
AB  - A novel, simple and automatic method based on static headspace-gas chromatography
      mass spectrometry has been developed to determine 10 low-molecular mass aldehydes
      that can be found in beverages, coming from the treated water used in their
      production. These aldehydes are the most frequently found in treated water as
      water disinfection by-products, so they can be used as indicators of the addition
      of treated water to beverages. The study covered a large number of fruit juices
      and soft drinks. The presence of the whole array of analytes is related to the
      contact with treated water during beverage production, mainly by the addition of
      treated water as ingredient. In particular, propionaldehyde, valeraldehyde and
      benzaldehyde can be used as indicators of the addition of treated water in these
      kinds of beverages. Among the ten aldehydes, only formaldehyde and acetaldehyde
      are naturally present in all kinds of fruit, and their concentrations are related
      to stage of the ripening of the fruit.

PMID- 28643605
TI  - Novel Simulation Device for Targeting Tumors in Laparoscopic Ablation: A Learning
      Curve Study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: A novel 3-dimensional (3D) guidance system was developed to aid
      accurate needle placement during ablation. METHODS: Five novices and 5
      experienced hepatobiliary surgeons were recruited. Using an agar block with
      analog tumor, participants targeted under 4 conditions: in-line with the
      ultrasound plane using ultrasound, in-line using 3D guidance, 45 degrees  off
      axis using ultrasound, and off-axis using 3D guidance. Time to target the tumor,
      number of withdrawals, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task
      Load Index were collected. Initial and final parameters for each of the
      conditions were compared using a within-subjects paired t test. RESULTS: A
      significant reduction was seen in the number of required withdrawals in all
      situations when using the 3D guidance (0.75 vs 3.65 in-line and 0.25 vs 3.6 for
      off-axis). Mental workload was significantly lower when using 3D guidance
      compared with ultrasound both for novices (29.85 vs 41.03) and experts (31.98 vs
      44.57), P < .001 for both. The only difference in targeting time between first
      and last attempt was in the novice group during off-axis targeting using 3D
      guidance (115 vs 32.6 seconds, P = .03). CONCLUSION: Though 3D guidance appeared
      to decrease time to target, this was not statistically significant likely as a
      result of lack of power in our trial. Three-dimensional guidance did reduce the
      number of required withdrawals, potentially decreasing complications, as well as
      mental workload after proficiency was achieved. Furthermore, novices without
      experience in ultrasound were able to learn targeting with the 3D guidance system
      at a faster pace than targeting with ultrasound alone.

PMID- 28643607
TI  - Diabetes Self-management Training in a Virtual Environment.
AB  - Diabetes self-management training (DSMT) improves diabetes health outcomes.
      However, low numbers of patients receive DSMT. Using virtual environments (VEs)
      for DSMT is an innovative approach to removing barriers for patients. The purpose
      of this paper is to describe the experience of health professionals and diabetes
      educators establishing and teaching DSMT in a VE, Diabetes LIVE(c) (Learning in
      Virtual Environments), and the implications for future use of VEs in DSMT. It was
      found that providing DSMT in a VE preserves real-time interaction between
      patients and educators. To facilitate ongoing patient learning and engagement,
      the DSMT curriculum was expanded beyond the core content as "Above and Beyond"
      topics. Using a VE for DSMT presents challenges and opportunities. Challenges
      include overcoming technological barriers and improving comfort levels to orient
      educators and patients to the functionality of the VE. Opportunities include
      overcoming barriers to reaching patients, particularly given the diabetes
      epidemic and relatively small number of diabetes educators. Using a VE also
      affords a simulated community for experiential learning. VEs may become powerful
      tools for diabetes and other health educators to reach patients. Ongoing
      education and support are vital to successful self-management of chronic disease.

PMID- 28643609
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28643610
TI  - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for menopausal symptoms: Information for GPs
      and health professionals.

PMID- 28643611
TI  - Practice observed.

PMID- 28643612
TI  - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for menopausal symptoms. Information for women
      Myra Hunter and Melanie Smith in collaboration with the British Menopause
      Society.

PMID- 28643614
TI  - Consensus statement for non-hormonal-based treatments for menopausal symptoms.
AB  - Since the June 2014 consensus statement published in Post Reproductive Health we
      have had definitive guidelines on menopause treatment from the National Institute
      for Clinical Excellence in November 2015. These included robust and evidence
      based information about many non-estrogen based treatments, which are
      particularly useful for patients who do not wish to take hormone replacement
      therapy, or who have medical contraindications to hormonal therapy such as
      hormone dependent cancers. Whilst none of these therapies is as effective as
      hormones, we must be able to advise patients about them and recommend which
      treatments may be helpful for individual women.

PMID- 28643615
TI  - Migrant caregiving for family members with mild cognitive impairment: an
      ethnographic study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Migrant families caring for family members with mild cognitive
      impairment (MCI) face considerable socioeconomic burden and isolation. AIM: To
      examine the cultural needs, beliefs and health seeking behaviours of migrant
      Turkish family member caregivers. DESIGN: An ethnographic approach was used
      employing in depth interviews. METHODS: Turkish caregivers residing in Melbourne,
      Australia were purposively sampled. Ten participants undertook face-to-face
      interviews in Turkish and English, followed by coding, transcription and thematic
      analysis. RESULTS: Common themes were: (i) characteristics of MCI; (ii) care
      complicates our lives; (iii) beneficial coping strategies; (iv) adherence to
      cultural beliefs; (v) an uncertain future; (vi) interfacing with community health
      providers: need to understand Turkish culture (vii) need for long-term support.
      Migrant caregivers voiced undergoing considerable stress exacerbated by their
      cultural obligations. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing ethnically appropriate community
      support groups and advocating for a health workforce tier of representative
      migrant health care workers is recommended as a new role for community nurses.

PMID- 28643616
TI  - Advanced neuroimaging of carbon monoxide poisoning.
AB  - Carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation is nowadays the most common cause of fatal
      poisoning worldwide. CO binds to haemoglobin 230-270 times more avidly than
      oxygen, thus leading to formation of carboxyhaemoglobin with subsequent reduction
      of tissue oxygenation. Brain is mainly affected due to its high oxygen
      requirement. Up to two-thirds of patients who survive the acute phase of this
      pathology present a delayed leukoencephalopathy, usually in a period ranging from
      two to 40 days. White matter damage closely relates to long-term prognosis of
      these patients. On the other hand CO seems to play a fundamental role as a
      possible neuro-protective agent in ischaemic stroke. Diagnostic imaging, with
      computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, especially magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy, is very useful to depict the presence and extension of this
      pathology, in both acute and late phase. Nevertheless, a correlation of imaging
      studies with clinical history and laboratory data is fundamental to perform the
      correct diagnosis. The purpose of this article is to highlight the imaging
      features of brain CO poisoning in acute and late phase, describing a case report
      of a 56-year-old man found unconscious at home.

PMID- 28643617
TI  - Preselection statistics and Random Forest classification identify population
      informative single nucleotide polymorphisms in cosmopolitan and autochthonous
      cattle breeds.
AB  - Commercial single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have been recently
      developed for several species and can be used to identify informative markers to
      differentiate breeds or populations for several downstream applications. To
      identify the most discriminating genetic markers among thousands of genotyped
      SNPs, a few statistical approaches have been proposed. In this work, we compared
      several methods of SNPs preselection (Delta, F st and principal component
      analyses (PCA)) in addition to Random Forest classifications to analyse SNP data
      from six dairy cattle breeds, including cosmopolitan (Holstein, Brown and
      Simmental) and autochthonous Italian breeds raised in two different regions and
      subjected to limited or no breeding programmes (Cinisara, Modicana, raised only
      in Sicily and Reggiana, raised only in Emilia Romagna). From these
      classifications, two panels of 96 and 48 SNPs that contain the most discriminant
      SNPs were created for each preselection method. These panels were evaluated in
      terms of the ability to discriminate as a whole and breed-by-breed, as well as
      linkage disequilibrium within each panel. The obtained results showed that for
      the 48-SNP panel, the error rate increased mainly for autochthonous breeds,
      probably as a consequence of their admixed origin lower selection pressure and by
      ascertaining bias in the construction of the SNP chip. The 96-SNP panels were
      generally more able to discriminate all breeds. The panel derived by PCA-chrom
      (obtained by a preselection chromosome by chromosome) could identify informative
      SNPs that were particularly useful for the assignment of minor breeds that
      reached the lowest value of Out Of Bag error even in the Cinisara, whose value
      was quite high in all other panels. Moreover, this panel contained also the
      lowest number of SNPs in linkage disequilibrium. Several selected SNPs are
      located nearby genes affecting breed-specific phenotypic traits (coat colour and
      stature) or associated with production traits. In general, our results
      demonstrated the usefulness of Random Forest in combination to other reduction
      techniques to identify population informative SNPs.

PMID- 28643618
TI  - Heat-stabilised rice bran consumption by colorectal cancer survivors modulates
      stool metabolite profiles and metabolic networks: a randomised controlled trial.
AB  - Rice bran (RB) consumption has been shown to reduce colorectal cancer (CRC)
      growth in mice and modify the human stool microbiome. Changes in host and
      microbial metabolism induced by RB consumption was hypothesised to modulate the
      stool metabolite profile in favour of promoting gut health and inhibiting CRC
      growth. The objective was to integrate gut microbial metabolite profiles and
      identify metabolic pathway networks for CRC chemoprevention using non-targeted
      metabolomics. In all, nineteen CRC survivors participated in a parallel
      randomised controlled dietary intervention trial that included daily consumption
      of study-provided foods with heat-stabilised RB (30 g/d) or no additional
      ingredient (control). Stool samples were collected at baseline and 4 weeks and
      analysed using GC-MS and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS. Stool
      metabolomics revealed 93 significantly different metabolites in individuals
      consuming RB. A 264-fold increase in beta-hydroxyisovaleroylcarnitine and 18-fold
      increase in beta-hydroxyisovalerate exemplified changes in leucine, isoleucine
      and valine metabolism in the RB group. A total of thirty-nine stool metabolites
      were significantly different between RB and control groups, including increased
      hesperidin (28-fold) and narirutin (14-fold). Metabolic pathways impacted in the
      RB group over time included advanced glycation end products, steroids and bile
      acids. Fatty acid, leucine/valine and vitamin B6 metabolic pathways were
      increased in RB compared with control. There were 453 metabolites identified in
      the RB food metabolome, thirty-nine of which were identified in stool from RB
      consumers. RB consumption favourably modulated the stool metabolome of CRC
      survivors and these findings suggest the need for continued dietary CRC
      chemoprevention efforts.

PMID- 28643619
TI  - Dietary leucine supplementation alters energy metabolism and induces slow-to-fast
      transitions in longissimus dorsi muscle of weanling piglets.
AB  - Leucine plays an important role in promoting muscle protein synthesis and muscle
      remodelling. However, what percentage of leucine is appropriate in creep feed and
      what proteome profile alterations are caused by dietary leucine in the skeletal
      muscle of piglets remain elusive. In this case, we applied isobaric tags for
      relative and absolute quantitation to analyse the proteome profile of the
      longissimus dorsi muscles of weanling piglets fed a normal leucine diet (NL; 1.66
      % leucine) and a high-leucine diet (HL; 2.1 % leucine). We identified 157
      differentially expressed proteins between these two groups. Bioinformatics
      analysis of these proteins exhibited the suppression of oxidative phosphorylation
      and fatty acid beta-oxidation, as well as the activation of glycolysis, in the HL
      group. For further confirmation, we identified that SDHB, ATP5F1, ACADM and HADHB
      were significantly down-regulated (P<0.01, except ATP5F1, P<0.05), whereas the
      glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase was significantly up-regulated (P<0.05) in the
      HL group. We also show that enhanced muscle protein synthesis and the transition
      from slow-to-fast fibres are altered by leucine. Together, these results indicate
      that leucine may alter energy metabolism and promote slow-to-fast transitions in
      the skeletal muscle of weanling piglets.

PMID- 28643620
TI  - Adult dogs are capable of regulating calcium balance, with no adverse effects on
      health, when fed a high-calcium diet.
AB  - Although the implications of long-term high Ca intakes have been well documented
      in growing dogs, the health consequences of Ca excess in adult dogs remain to be
      established. To evaluate the impact of feeding a diet containing 7.1 g/4184 kJ
      (1000 kcal) Ca for 40 weeks on Ca balance and health parameters in adult dogs,
      eighteen neutered adult Labrador Retrievers, (nine males and nine females) aged
      2.5-7.4 years were randomised to one of two customised diets for 40 weeks. The
      diets were manufactured according to similar nutritional specifications, with the
      exception of Ca and P levels. The diets provided 1.7 and 7.1 g/4184 kJ (1000
      kcal) (200(SD26) and 881(SD145) mg/kg body weight0.75 per d, respectively) Ca,
      respectively, with a Ca:P ratio of 1.6. Clinical examinations, ultrasound scans,
      radiographs, health parameters, metabolic effects and mineral balance were
      recorded at baseline and at 8-week intervals throughout the study. Dogs in both
      groups were healthy throughout the trial without evidence of urinary, renal or
      orthopaedic disease. In addition, there were no clinically relevant changes in
      any of the measures made in either group (all P>0.05). The high-Ca diet resulted
      in a 3.3-fold increase in faecal Ca excretion (P0.05). Ca intakes of up to 7.1
      g/4184 kJ (1000 kcal) are well tolerated over a period of 40 weeks, with no
      adverse effects that could be attributed to the diet or to a high mineral intake.

PMID- 28643621
TI  - Linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid and enterolactone affect lipid oxidation and
      expression of lipid metabolism and antioxidant-related genes in hepatic tissue of
      dairy cows.
AB  - Although beneficial effects have been attributed to PUFA supplementation in high
      yielding dairy cows, diets rich in PUFA may also increase oxidative stress in
      tissues such as the liver. To fully exploit the health benefits of PUFA, we
      believe that the addition of natural antioxidants could help in preventing
      oxidative damage. Using an in vitro precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) tissue
      culture system, we investigated the effects of different linoleic acid (LA, n
      6):alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, n-3) ratios (LA:ALA ratio of 4, LA:ALA ratio of 15
      and LA:ALA ratio of 25) in the presence or absence of the antioxidant
      enterolactone (ENL) on (1) the mRNA abundance of genes with key roles in hepatic
      lipid metabolism, oxidative stress response and inflammatory processes, (2)
      oxidative damages to lipids and proteins and (3) superoxide dismutase activity in
      early-lactating dairy cows. The addition of LA and ALA to PCLS culture media
      increased oxidative damage to lipids as suggested by higher concentrations of
      thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and increased the expression of nuclear
      factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 target genes. The addition of ENL was
      effective in preventing lipid peroxidation caused by LA and ALA. Transcript
      abundance of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 and its
      lipogenic target genes acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, fatty acid synthase (FASN)
      and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) was decreased with LA and ALA, whereas ENL
      decreased FASN and SCD gene expression. Our results show that addition of LA and
      ALA to PCLS culture media lowers hepatic lipogenic gene expression and increases
      oxidative damages to lipids. On the other hand, addition of ENL prevents
      oxidative damages provoked by these PUFA.

PMID- 28643623
TI  - The Genomic Basis of Lactobacilli as Health-Promoting Organisms.
AB  - Lactobacilli occupy a unique position in human culture and scientific history.
      Like brewer's and baker's yeast, lactobacilli have been associated with food
      production and preservation for thousands of years. Lactobacillus species are
      used in mixed microbial cultures, such as the classical Lactobacillus
      bulgaricus/Streptococcus thermophilus inoculum for yogurt fermentation, or
      combinations of diverse lactobacilli/yeasts in kefir grains. The association of
      lactobacilli consumption with greater longevity and improved health formed the
      basis for developing lactobacilli as probiotics, whose market has exploded
      worldwide in the past 10 years. The decade that followed the determination of the
      first genome sequence of a food-associated species, Lactobacillus plantarum, saw
      the application to lactobacilli of a full range of functional genomics methods to
      identify the genes and gene products that govern their distinctive phenotypes and
      health associations. In this review, we will briefly remind the reader of the
      range of beneficial effects attributed to lactobacilli, and then explain the
      phylogenomic basis for the distribution of these traits across the genus.
      Recognizing the strain specificity of probiotic effects, we review studies of
      intraspecific genomic variation and their contributions to identifying probiotic
      traits. Finally we offer a perspective on classification of lactobacilli into new
      genera in a scheme that will make attributing probiotic properties to clades,
      taxa, and species more logical and more robust.

PMID- 28643624
TI  - Preclinical Efficacy Testing of New Drug Candidates.
AB  - This is a review of the preclinical efficacy testing of new antituberculosis drug
      candidates. It describes existing dynamic in vitro and in vivo models of
      antituberculosis chemotherapy and their utility in preclinical evaluations of
      promising new drugs and combination regimens, with an effort to highlight recent
      developments. Emphasis is given to the integration of quantitative
      pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses and the impact of lesion pathology on
      drug efficacy. Discussion also includes in vivo models of chemotherapy of latent
      tuberculosis infection.

PMID- 28643625
TI  - Microbial Interactions and Interventions in Colorectal Cancer.
AB  - Recently, several lines of evidence that indicate a strong link between the
      development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and aspects of the gut microbiota have
      become apparent. However, it remains unclear how changes in the gut microbiota
      might influence carcinogenesis or how regional organization of the gut might
      influence the microbiota. In this review, we discuss several leading theories
      that connect gut microbial dysbiosis with CRC and set this against a backdrop of
      what is known about proximal-distal gut physiology and the pathways of CRC
      development and progression. Finally, we discuss the potential for gut microbial
      modulation therapies, for example, probiotics, antibiotics, and others, to target
      and improve gut microbial dysbiosis as a strategy for the prevention or treatment
      of CRC.

PMID- 28643622
TI  - Lung Microbiota and Its Impact on the Mucosal Immune Phenotype.
AB  - The use of culture-independent techniques has allowed us to appreciate that the
      upper and lower respiratory tract contain a diverse community of microbes in
      health and disease. Research has only recently explored the effects of the
      microbiome on the host immune response. The exposure of the human body to the
      bacterial environment is an important factor for immunological development; thus,
      the interaction between the microbiome and its host is critical to understanding
      the pathogenesis of disease. In this article, we discuss the mechanisms that
      determine the composition of the airway microbiome and its effects on the host
      immune response. With the use of ecological principles, we have learned how the
      lower airways constitute a unique niche subjected to frequent microbial migration
      (e.g., through aspiration) and constant immunological pressure. The discussion
      will focus on the possible inflammatory pathways that are up- and downregulated
      when the immune system is challenged by dysbiosis. Identification of potential
      markers and microbial targets to address the modulation of inflammation in early
      disease, when changes may have the most effect, will be critical for future
      therapies.

PMID- 28643626
TI  - What Defines the "Kingdom" Fungi?
AB  - The application of environmental DNA techniques and increased genome sequencing
      of microbial diversity, combined with detailed study of cellular characters, has
      consistently led to the reexamination of our understanding of the tree of life.
      This has challenged many of the definitions of taxonomic groups, especially
      higher taxonomic ranks such as eukaryotic kingdoms. The Fungi is an example of a
      kingdom which, together with the features that define it and the taxa that are
      grouped within it, has been in a continual state of flux. In this article we aim
      to summarize multiple lines of data pertinent to understanding the early
      evolution and definition of the Fungi. These include ongoing cellular and genomic
      comparisons that, we will argue, have generally undermined all attempts to
      identify a synapomorphic trait that defines the Fungi. This article will also
      summarize ongoing work focusing on taxon discovery, combined with phylogenomic
      analysis, which has identified novel groups that lie proximate/adjacent to the
      fungal clade-wherever the boundary that defines the Fungi may be. Our hope is
      that, by summarizing these data in the form of a discussion, we can illustrate
      the ongoing efforts to understand what drove the evolutionary diversification of
      fungi.

PMID- 28643627
TI  - Bifidobacteria and Their Health-Promoting Effects.
AB  - Bifidobacteria are members of the intestinal microbiota of mammals and other
      animals, and some strains are able to exert health-promoting effects. The genus
      Bifidobacterium belongs to the Actinobacteria phylum. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes,
      and Actinobacteria constitute the most abundant phyla in the human intestinal
      microbiota, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes being predominant in adults, and
      Actinobacteria in breast-fed infants, where bifidobacteria can reach levels
      higher than 90% of the total bacterial population. They are among the first
      microbial colonizers of the intestines of newborns, and play key roles in the
      development of their physiology, including maturation of the immune system and
      use of dietary components. Indeed, some nutrients, such as human milk
      oligosaccharides, are important drivers of bifidobacterial development. Some
      Bifidobacterium strains are considered probiotic microorganisms because of their
      beneficial effects, and they have been included as bioactive ingredients in
      functional foods, mainly dairy products, as well as in food supplements and
      pharma products, alone, or together with, other microbes or microbial substrates.
      Well-documented scientific evidence of their activities is currently available
      for bifidobacteria-containing preparations in some intestinal and extraintestinal
      pathologies. In this review, we focus on the role of bifidobacteria as members of
      the human intestinal microbiota and their use as probiotics in the prevention and
      treatment of disease.

PMID- 28643629
TI  - Faecal immunochemical tests to triage patients with lower abdominal symptoms for
      suspected colorectal cancer referrals in primary care: a systematic review and
      cost-effectiveness analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in the UK.
      Presenting symptoms that can be associated with CRC usually have another
      explanation. Faecal immunochemical tests (FITs) detect blood that is not visible
      to the naked eye and may help to select patients who are likely to benefit from
      further investigation. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of FITs [OC-Sensor
      (Eiken Chemical Co./MAST Diagnostics, Tokyo, Japan), HM-JACKarc (Kyowa
      Medex/Alpha Laboratories Ltd, Tokyo, Japan), FOB Gold (Sentinel/Sysmex, Sentinel
      Diagnostics, Milan, Italy), RIDASCREEN Hb or RIDASCREEN Hb/Hp complex (R
      Biopharm, Darmstadt, Germany)] for primary care triage of people with low-risk
      symptoms. METHODS: Twenty-four resources were searched to March 2016. Review
      methods followed published guidelines. Summary estimates were calculated using a
      bivariate model or a random-effects logistic regression model. The cost
      effectiveness analysis considered long-term costs and quality-adjusted life-years
      (QALYs) that were associated with different faecal occult blood tests and direct
      colonoscopy referral. Modelling comprised a diagnostic decision model, a Markov
      model for long-term costs and QALYs that were associated with CRC treatment and
      progression, and a Markov model for QALYs that were associated with no CRC.
      RESULTS: We included 10 studies. Using a single sample and 10 ug Hb/g faeces
      threshold, sensitivity estimates for OC-Sensor [92.1%, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) 86.9% to 95.3%] and HM-JACKarc (100%, 95% CI 71.5% to 100%) indicated that
      both may be useful to rule out CRC. Specificity estimates were 85.8% (95% CI
      78.3% to 91.0%) and 76.6% (95% CI 72.6% to 80.3%). Triage using FITs could rule
      out CRC and avoid colonoscopy in approximately 75% of symptomatic patients. Data
      from our systematic review suggest that 22.5-93% of patients with a positive FIT
      and no CRC have other significant bowel pathologies. The results of the base-case
      analysis suggested minimal difference in QALYs between all of the strategies; no
      triage (referral straight to colonoscopy) is the most expensive. Faecal
      immunochemical testing was cost-effective (cheaper and more, or only slightly
      less, effective) compared with no triage. Faecal immunochemical testing was more
      effective and costly than guaiac faecal occult blood testing, but remained cost
      effective at a threshold incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of L30,000. The
      results of scenario analyses did not differ substantively from the base-case.
      Results were better for faecal immunochemical testing when accuracy of the guaiac
      faecal occult blood test (gFOBT) was based on studies that were more
      representative of the correct population. LIMITATIONS: Only one included study
      evaluated faecal immunochemical testing in primary care; however, all of the
      other studies evaluated faecal immunochemical testing at the point of referral.
      Further, validation data for the Faecal haemoglobin, Age and Sex Test (FAST)
      score, which includes faecal immunochemical testing, showed no significant
      difference in performance between primary and secondary care. There were
      insufficient data to adequately assess FOB Gold, RIDASCREEN Hb or RIDASCREEN
      Hb/Hp complex. No study compared FIT assays, or FIT assays versus gFOBT; all of
      the data included in this assessment refer to the clinical effectiveness of
      individual FIT methods and not their comparative effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS:
      Faecal immunochemical testing is likely to be a clinically effective and cost
      effective strategy for triaging people who are presenting, in primary care
      settings, with lower abdominal symptoms and who are at low risk for CRC. Further
      research is required to confirm the effectiveness of faecal immunochemical
      testing in primary care practice and to compare the performance of different FIT
      assays. STUDY REGISTRATION: This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42016037723.
      FUNDING: The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment
      programme.

PMID- 28643628
TI  - Real-Time Whole-Genome Sequencing for Surveillance of Listeria monocytogenes,
      France.
AB  - During 2015-2016, we evaluated the performance of whole-genome sequencing (WGS)
      as a routine typing tool. Its added value for microbiological and epidemiologic
      surveillance of listeriosis was compared with that for pulsed-field gel
      electrophoresis (PFGE), the current standard method. A total of 2,743 Listeria
      monocytogenes isolates collected as part of routine surveillance were
      characterized in parallel by PFGE and core genome multilocus sequence typing
      (cgMLST) extracted from WGS. We investigated PFGE and cgMLST clusters containing
      human isolates. Discrimination of isolates was significantly higher by cgMLST
      than by PFGE (p<0.001). cgMLST discriminated unrelated isolates that shared
      identical PFGE profiles and phylogenetically closely related isolates with
      distinct PFGE profiles. This procedure also refined epidemiologic investigations
      to include only phylogenetically closely related isolates, improved source
      identification, and facilitated epidemiologic investigations, enabling
      identification of more outbreaks at earlier stages. WGS-based typing should
      replace PFGE as the primary typing method for L. monocytogenes.

PMID- 28643630
TI  - Molecular phylogeny of 42 species of Culicoides (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) from
      three continents.
AB  - The genus Culicoides includes vectors of important animal diseases such as
      bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus (BTV and SBV). This genus includes 1300
      species classified in 32 subgenera and 38 unclassified species. However, the
      phylogenetic relationships between different subgenera of Culicoides have never
      been studied. Phylogenetic analyses of 42 species belonging to 12 subgenera and 8
      ungrouped species of genus Culicoides from Ecuador, France, Gabon, Madagascar and
      Tunisia were carried out using two molecular markers (28S rDNA D1 and D2 domains
      and COI mtDNA). Sequences were subjected to non-probabilistic (maximum parsimony)
      and probabilistic (Bayesian inference (BI)) approaches. The subgenera
      Monoculicoides, Culicoides, Haematomyidium, Hoffmania, Remmia and Avaritia
      (including the main vectors of bluetongue disease) were monophyletic, whereas the
      subgenus Oecacta was paraphyletic. Our study validates the subgenus Remmia (=
      Schultzei group) as a valid subgenus, outside of the subgenus Oecacta. In Europe,
      Culicoides obsoletus, Culicoides scoticus and Culicoides chiopterus should be
      part of the Obsoletus complex whereas Culicoides dewulfi should be excluded from
      this complex. Our study suggests that the current Culicoides classification needs
      to be revisited with modern tools.

PMID- 28643632
TI  - Severe Vaso-Occlusive Episodes Associated with Use of Systemic Corticosteroids in
      Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.
AB  - Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are occasionally prescribed systemic
      corticosteroids to treat steroid-responsive conditions. Additionally, use of
      systemic corticosteroids for sickle cell pain episodes and acute chest syndrome
      is under investigation. We report 4 patients with SCD who developed severe vaso
      occlusive events following the administration of systemic steroids. We also
      review similar cases from the literature and suggest measures for reducing the
      potential risk associated with use of systemic corticosteroids in this group of
      patients. We conclude that corticosteroids should be used with caution in
      patients with SCD.

PMID- 28643636
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643637
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643640
TI  - Oral mucosal diseases.

PMID- 28643631
TI  - The Anopheles gambiae 2La chromosome inversion is associated with susceptibility
      to Plasmodium falciparum in Africa.
AB  - Chromosome inversions suppress genetic recombination and establish co-adapted
      gene complexes, or supergenes. The 2La inversion is a widespread polymorphism in
      the Anopheles gambiae species complex, the major African mosquito vectors of
      human malaria. Here we show that alleles of the 2La inversion are associated with
      natural malaria infection levels in wild-captured vectors from West and East
      Africa. Mosquitoes carrying the more-susceptible allele (2L+a) are also
      behaviorally less likely to be found inside houses. Vector control tools that
      target indoor-resting mosquitoes, such as bednets and insecticides, are currently
      the cornerstone of malaria control in Africa. Populations with high levels of the
      2L+a allele may form reservoirs of persistent outdoor malaria transmission
      requiring novel measures for surveillance and control. The 2La inversion is a
      major and previously unappreciated component of the natural malaria transmission
      system in Africa, influencing both malaria susceptibility and vector behavior.

PMID- 28643641
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643642
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643643
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643645
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643646
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643647
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643648
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643649
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28643651
TI  - Correction.

PMID- 28643652
TI  - Meetings and Courses.

PMID- 28643653
TI  - Relevant Content.

PMID- 28643657
TI  - Impact of clinical and/or histological chorioamnionitis on neurodevelopmental
      outcomes in preterm infants: A literature review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of clinical and/or histological
      chorioamnionitis on neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants. METHODS: A
      review of the literature appeared in PubMed between 1997 and 2016 was conducted
      to examine the association between clinical and/or histological chorioamnionitis
      and neurologic impairment in the neonates (intraventricular hemorrhage,
      periventricular leukomalacia and white matter damage) and in infants (cerebral
      palsy and neurodevelopmental delay). RESULTS: The first meta-analysis published
      in 2000 observed that clinical chorioamnionitis was associated with cystic
      periventricular leukomalacia and cerebral palsy and that histologic
      chorioamnionitis was associated with periventricular leukomalacia only. A second
      meta-analysis in 2010 found that cerebral palsy was associated with both clinical
      and histological chorioamnionitis. But most recent studies over the last decade
      based on large cohorts found no effect of chorioamnionitis on neurological
      outcomes, even if they had several methodological limitations. CONCLUSION:
      According to the findings of the most recent studies, clinical or histological
      chorioamnionitis does not seem to be associated with neonatal white matter
      injuries, or with cerebral palsy. Further studies are needed to assess the impact
      of chorioamnionitis on long-term neurological development.

PMID- 28643658
TI  - Quality assessment of pelvic ultrasound for uterine myoma according to the CNGOF
      guidelines.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: French guidelines regarding the minimum criteria for gynaecological
      ultrasound were given in a recent report in 2016, by the French National College
      of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (CNGOF). An accurate report is essential for
      the optimal care of women, especially those presenting myomas. The goal of this
      study was to evaluate the quality of gynaecological ultrasound reports for women
      with type 0 to 2 uterine myomas, referring to the items contained in the French
      guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was
      conducted from reports of ultrasounds performed in private offices and in the
      gynaecologic department of a hospital, between June 2014 and June 2016 (before
      the report of CNGOF). These reports involved women who underwent hysteroscopic
      resection of myoma(s). A search of validated items was conducted for all of the
      reports, and the missing items were analysed. The different types of
      practitioners and between hospital and private medical offices were also compared
      with Chi-square tests. RESULTS: A total of 138 reports were analysed; 71 were
      performed in private offices and 67 were performed in the gynaecologic unit of
      the hospital. Many items were missing in the reports, with disparities between
      the type of institution (private offices or hospital) and the speciality of
      practitioners (radiologists or gynaecologists). Specific items regarding myomas,
      such as the International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO)
      classification or measurement of the posterior wall, were more often missing in
      reports from radiologists (89.7% and 79.5%, respectively) than in reports from
      gynaecologists (21.2% and 34.3%, respectively) (P<0.05). A significant difference
      was also observed for these data between private offices' reports and hospitals'
      reports. Items relative to ultrasound structures, such as the appearance of
      myomas or associated abdominal effusion, were more frequently missing in
      gynaecologists' reports (88.9% and 49.5%, respectively) compared to radiologists'
      reports (56.4% and 12.8%, respectively) (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Certain items are
      present in all the reports, while others are insufficiently mentioned. These
      inequalities can be explained in part by the type of practice; however, methods
      to overcome these difficulties must be developed. Information campaigns to
      educate professionals on the minimum reporting and training conducted jointly by
      radiologists and gynaecologist surgeons might improve reports and improve the
      care of women.

PMID- 28643659
TI  - [Cervical cancer screening in rural Madagascar: Feasibility, coverage and
      incidence].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the implementation of a cervical cancer screening strategy
      in rural Madagascar. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mobile unit, equipped with a cold
      coagulator, visited every six months the main health care centers in the
      Atsinanana area between 2013 and 2015. Cervical cancer screening was based on
      visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). The lesions suggestive of
      intraepithelial neoplasia and limited to the cervix were coagulated on the same
      day. Non-eligible patients for immediate treatment were referred for appropriate
      investigations. We assessed the feasibility and the coverage of the screening
      strategy and estimated the incidence of cervical cancer in the targeted
      population. RESULTS: One thousand five hundred and sixty-nine (18%) of 8959 women
      aged between 25 and 65 years old were screened. Three hundred and fifty-seven
      (23%) were VIA positive and 322 (21%) were eligible for immediate treatment. No
      serious adverse effects were observed among patients treated on the same day.
      Among the 35 patients not eligible for immediate treatment and referred to the
      hospital, 16 (46%) were lost to follow up. CONCLUSION: When a cervical cancer
      screening by HPV or cytology is not possible, VIA remains a feasible and
      acceptable option in a disadvantaged environment. The effectiveness of this
      approach is still limited by the problems of access to care for patients who are
      not eligible for immediate treatment.

PMID- 28643660
TI  - Glue mesh fixation: Feasibility, tolerance and complication assessment. Results
      24months after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.
AB  - AIM: This study aims to assess short- and mid-term feasibility, strength and
      tolerance of glue mesh fixation for laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, as well as
      postoperative quality of sexual activity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This original
      prospective clinical study was carried out in multiple university surgical
      centres between 2012 and 2013. Data were obtained during immediate postoperative
      hospitalisation, at 3 and at 24 months postoperatively. For a total of 42
      patients subjected to laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, bladder catheterization and
      hospitalisation times, pain score, early and late postoperative complications,
      prolapse staging according to POP-Q classification, and quality of sexual
      activity were registered. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 120minutes and
      patients were hospitalised for a mean of 3days. Four complications (9.52%)
      occurred on the immediate postoperative period, whilst 2 patients (4.76%)
      complained of pain on day 3 (VAS 1). At the end of the follow-up period (24
      months), one patient had a prosthetic exposure, 4 patients (9.52%) complained of
      stress urinary incontinence (10.81%). Simultaneously, 6 patients (14.29%)
      experienced dyschezia (2 improved, 1 similar, 1 de novo, 2 worsened), and there
      was no report of dyspareunia. All anterior and posterior floor prolapses were
      staged between 0 and 1. All superior floor prolapses were staged between 0 and 2.
      Concerning sexual impairment, there was no report of dyspareunia, urinary leaks
      or other problems associated with intercourse, and quality of sexual activity
      improved. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy with the use of glue
      fixation does not lead to increased mid-term morbidity, simultaneously allowing
      for significant prolapse improvement, and providing global patient satisfaction
      and overall quality of life.

PMID- 28643661
TI  - Impact of anaesthesia mode on evaluation of LEEP specimen dimensions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To study the influence of anaesthesia (local by cervical block vs.
      general or spinal anaesthesia) on height and volume of resection specimens in
      case of conization treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).
      METHODS: Prospective observational study of all patients who underwent a first
      treatment by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) for CIN. Height of
      fresh resection specimens was first measured by the operator and then by the
      pathologist after formaldehyde fixation. Volume of fresh specimens was measured
      in a measuring cylinder by fluid displacement. RESULTS: One hundred patients were
      included and 35% of LEEP were performed under local anaesthesia. There was a
      significant difference in height of specimens depending on anaesthesia mode:
      after fixation, the average height was 11.2mm in the general or spinal
      anaesthesia group vs. 8.8mm in the local anaesthesia group (P=0.002). There was
      also a difference in terms of volume depending on anaesthesia mode: 1.6mL in
      local anaesthesia group vs. 2.3mm in general and spinal anaesthesia group
      (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Anaesthesia mode has an impact on height and volume of
      LEEP specimens. In our experience, local anaesthesia could reduce LEEP specimen
      height.

PMID- 28643662
TI  - Evaluation of a new technique of prophylactic cervical cerclage simplified from
      the Shirodkar cerclage: A pilot study.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In terms of prophylactic cerclage, the simplest and most commonly
      used technique is the McDonald cervical cerclage. Cervico-isthmic cerclage
      techniques may have better results, but are more difficult to achieve. A
      simplified Shirodkar technique would have the advantage of being "cervical high"
      while remaining easy to achieve. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of high
      cervical cerclage, according to a simplified Shirodkar technique, with those of a
      classic McDonald cerclage, in the case of women at high risk of prematurity in an
      exploratory study. METHODS: A comparative, retrospective study of prophylactic
      cerclage was conducted according to one or the other technique performed in a
      university hospital from 2006 to 2013. Women were included only if they had a
      history of at least two late miscarriages and/or premature delivery before 33
      weeks. The primary outcome was the rate of delivery before 35 weeks. RESULTS: Our
      study involved 38 women: 24 in the McDonald cerclage group and 14 in the
      simplified Shirodkar cerclage group. The two groups were comparable for their
      obstetric and general characteristics. The percentage of preterm deliveries
      before 35 weeks was similar in both groups (7.1% and 25.0% in the Shirodkar and
      McDonald groups respectively; P=0.17). No significant difference was observed in
      the rate of surgical complications or hospitalizations during the pregnancies.
      CONCLUSION: In this study, we were unable to demonstrate an advantage to using
      the simplified Shirodkar technique - high cervical cerclage - compared with use
      of the McDonald technique - classical cerclage.

PMID- 28643663
TI  - Delivery outcomes of term pregnancy complicated by idiopathic polyhydramnios.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Polyhydramnios is associated with an increased risk of cesarean
      section. The aetiology of polyhydramnios and the characteristics of the labour
      may be confounding factors. The objective was to study the characteristics and
      mode of delivery in case of pregnancy complicated with idiopathic polyhydramnios.
      METHODS: This retrospective matched and controlled study included all pregnant
      women with idiopathic polyhydramnios (amniotic index>25cm or single deepest
      pocket>8cm) diagnosed at the 2nd or 3rd trimester and persistent at term delivery
      (>37weeks of pregnancy) in our institution. We excluded pregnancies in which the
      polyhydramnios could be explained by infection, gestational diabetes, congenital
      malformation, abnormal karyotype, placental anomalies, alloimmunization as well
      as pregnancies in which an amniocentesis for the purpose of diagnosis had not
      been performed. Data were gathered from a tertiary care university hospital
      register from 1998-2015. Cases of polyhydramnios were matched with the following
      two women who presented for labour management with spontaneous cephalic
      presentation, matching for delivery date, maternal age, parity, body mass index.
      The main outcome measure was the risk of cesarean section. Univariate and
      multivariate adjusted analysis were performed. RESULTS: We identified 108 women
      with idiopathic polyhydramnios and compared them with 216 matched women. Among
      them, 94 and 188 attempted a trial of labour. Maternal age, mean term delivery
      and birthweight were 31 years, 39+5weeks gestation and 3550 g. We did not observe
      differences in maternal characteristics, epidural analgesia and rate of abnormal
      fetal heart tracing. Induced labour and non-vertex presentations (forehead,
      bregma, face) were more frequent in the polyhydramnios group (respectively 57.9%
      versus 27.8%, P<0.05 and 7.8% versus 1%, P<0.05). Cesarean section rate was
      higher in the case of polyhydramnios in the overall population (45.4% versus 8%,
      P<0.05) and remained higher after exclusion of cases of induced labour and non
      vertex presentation (38.4% versus 3.8%, P<0.05). Amniotomy was more frequent in
      pregnancies with polyhydramnios (55.8% versus 39.1%, P<0.05). After adjustment
      for matching and confounding variables, polyhydramnios was found to be a risk
      factor for cesarean section (OR 21.02; CI 95% 8.004-55.215, P<0.01). CONCLUSION:
      Idiopathic polyhydramnios increased the risk of prolonged first stage of labour,
      non-vertex presentation and cesarean section.

PMID- 28643664
TI  - Intervention of the obstetrician during childbirth in a supposedly low-risk
      population and influence of parity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Compare obstetrician intervention and calling rates during labour and
      delivery between low-risk and high-risk women and study the influence of parity
      on these rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Descriptive retrospective study conducted
      on 227 patients in a university maternity unit (level 3 university hospital
      maternity unit) between 1st and 30th January 2014. The low- and high-risk
      populations were characterised according to the French National Authority for
      Health (HAS) and NICE guidelines. The obstetrician intervention criteria were:
      Caesarean section, instrumental vaginal delivery, artificial delivery/uterus
      examination and postpartum haemorrhage. The obstetrical team also had to call the
      obstetrician in case of foetal heart rate abnormalities, scalp blood pH
      measurement, third and/or fourth degree perineal tears, labour dystocia, or any
      other severe event occurring during labour or delivery. RESULTS: In univariate
      analysis, the obstetrician intervention rates were respectively 44.5% and 34.4%
      in the high- and low-risk groups (P=0.13). The obstetrician calling rates were
      similar between the two groups. Using logistic regression model including parity,
      the obstetrician intervention rate became significantly higher in the "high-risk"
      group (OR 2.044, 95% CI 1.129-3.703, P=0.018). In the low-risk population, the
      intervention rate was significantly increased for nulliparous women compared with
      multiparas (47.5% versus 9.7%, P<0.001, OR=8.2, CI 95% 2.2 to 46.9). CONCLUSION:
      One third of the women defined as low-risk patients appear to need an
      obstetrician intervention during labour and delivery, with a major influence of
      parity.

PMID- 28643665
TI  - Sonographic landmarks to differentiate "false labor" and "early true labor" as a
      possible new application of ultrasound in labor ward.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate discrimination of clinical parameters and ultrasound
      examination to differentiate "false labor" and "true labor". METHODS: In a
      prospective study during a period of 6 months, a total of 178 patients in term
      (37-41 weeks) consulting our obstetric unit for uterine contraction, were
      enrolled. Patients were examined separately by a midwife and a resident and
      separated into "true labor group" and "false labor group". The clinical
      characteristics of true versus false labor patients were compared. ROC curves
      were developed to determine an optimal cervical length and uterocervical angle
      for prediction of true labor. RESULTS: The prevalence of real labor was 57.3%.
      Patients who were in true labor had more painful and more frequent contractions.
      The "true labor" group had shorter cervical length and larger uterocervical
      angle. The optimal CL cut-off was 1.4mm with a specificity of 73% (RR 4.3,
      sensibility 63%, PPV 14%, NPV 95%). The optimal UCA cut off was 123 degrees  (RR
      6.7, sensitivity 50%, specificity of 83%, PPV 10%, NPV 96%). The best performance
      was demonstrated by combined testing, yielding LHR+ that rich 13. CONCLUSION: In
      this study, we reported a new application of ultrasound to identify false labor
      and avoid unnecessary hospitalization with obstetric and adverse economic
      impacts.

PMID- 28643666
TI  - French family physician experience concerning the outpatient care for women
      suffering from nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore thoughts and attitudes among French family physicians on
      the outpatient care for women suffering from nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
      (NVP). DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective study was conducted among family
      physicians who had taken care of pregnant women who gave birth in our hospital in
      1 year. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine French family physicians responded to a
      questionnaire assessing their experience about outpatient care for women
      suffering from NVP. Analysis were done according to the physicians' age, as the
      annual demographics data analysis from the French Medical Council. RESULTS: More
      than 89% of family physicians asked systematically the question concerning NVP
      (53/59), which were estimated as a frequent symptom (n=44, 74.6%). The intensity
      of NVP was assessed as mild in 28.8% (n=17), moderate in 62.7% (n=37), severe in
      6.8% (n=4) and unbearable in 1.7% (n=1). Physicians younger than 40 years
      questionned less frequently about NVP compared to those older than 40 or older
      than 60 years (66.7% vs. 90.5% vs. 95.5%, respectively; P=0.04). Severe and
      unbearable NVP were significantly estimated more frequent among younger
      physicians (33.3% vs. 6.8%; P=0.03). Treatments (sick leave, diet, drugs,
      homeopathy, acupuncture or psychotherapy) did not differ between groups.
      DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Outpatient care for women suffering from NVP may vary
      according to the physician. French family physicians played a key role in NVP.
      Younger family physician considered NVP as a frequent symptom which needed active
      management in severe forms.

PMID- 28643667
TI  - Can we perform a prenatal diagnosis of vasa previa to improve its obstetrical and
      neonatal outcomes?
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Vasa previa (VP) is defined as a condition in which the fetal blood
      vessels, unsupported by the placenta or the umbilical cord, run through the
      membranes of the lower uterine segment. It is associated with a high risk of
      stillbirth by exsanguination. This study aimed to assess the clinical context of
      diagnosis of VP in order to elaborate a strategy for its prenatal diagnosis and
      to improve its obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This
      historical cohort study covered the period from January 1, 2011 to December 31,
      2015. All women who gave birth at our obstetrics and gynecology department (level
      3 university hospital) and who had a VP were included. RESULTS: Eight cases of VP
      among 18,152 deliveries were observed (0.04%). Transvaginal sonography (TVS) with
      color Doppler allowed a prenatal diagnosis of VP in all cases. The mean
      gestational age at diagnosis was 26 weeks. Placental abnormalities were noted in
      7 cases (87.5%) as bipartita or low-lying placenta. In one case (12.5%), the
      placenta appeared normal while umbilical cord insertion was velamentous. In 2
      cases (25%), concomitant placental and cord abnormalities were objectified. The
      mean gestational age at delivery was 37+/-2.1 weeks. Seven deliveries (87.5%) had
      been by caesarean sections, except one, which occurred by vaginal route at 33
      weeks of gestation (twin pregnancy). No case of perinatal death was observed.
      DISCUSSION: Prenatal diagnosis of VP during screening ultrasounds appears easy to
      perform and can improve obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. For this purpose, TVS
      with color and pulsed Doppler remains essential, particularly when an anomaly of
      the umbilical cord insertion and/or placental location is diagnosed.

PMID- 28643668
TI  - How to perform a suture with a 5-mm trocar by laparoscopy?
AB  - During laparoscopy using only 5mm trocars, it may sometimes be necessary to
      perform a suture, which usually requires the use of a 10mm or 12mm trocar with a
      reducer. Thus, the 5-mm trocar has to be replaced by a larger diameter device. In
      order to avoid the trocar change in these situations, a trick that is easily
      realizable for performing one or more stitches is described. This technique can
      be used in various surgical specialties, whether it is gynecological, digestive
      or urological surgery.

PMID- 28643669
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643670
TI  - [Chronic myelogenous leukemia: monitoring and predictors of a favorable response
      to treatment with imatinib].
AB  - The expected five-year survival of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia
      patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors is over 90%. Little data is
      available regarding the results in the Argentinian population. This information
      might be of interest as generic imatinib is now available in the region. The aim
      of this study is to provide information on monitoring and the long-term treatment
      with imatinib outside of a controlled clinical trial, as well as to analyze the
      predictive effect of early responses to achieve molecular remission 4.0 (RM 4.0)
      and the detection of variables that may condition treatment failure. We included
      106 patients, who received imatinib 400 mg daily as first-line inhibitor for a
      median of 8.9 years (IQR 5.8-11.7) between June 2000 and December, 2015. Overall
      survival was 93%. At latest follow-up 74% of patients continues on initial
      imatinib. The achievement of response at targeted milestones (6, 12 months) was
      associated with increased failure-free survival: 87% vs. 56%, p = 0.007; 90% vs.
      69% p = 0.01 and was independently associated to RM 4.0: OR 5.6 (95% CI: 1.6
      19.0); OR 5.3 (95% CI: 1.4-21.0) p = 0.006. After long-term follow-up, imatinib
      provided high-rates of response and survival. The prognostic value of response at
      targeted milestones was confirmed. This study reinforces the importance of
      molecular monitoring under IS standardization at known timepoints and this must
      continue to be a target in Argentina.

PMID- 28643671
TI  - [Health literacy and diabetes control in patients attending a university
      outpatient clinic in Argentina].
AB  - Health literacy (HL) is a measure of a patient ability to read, understand and to
      take decisions on medical instructions. Patients with inadequate HL have poorer
      health outcomes than those with adequate HL. There is little information on HL
      levels in diabetic patients in Argentina. The aim of this study was to explore
      the association between HL and glycemic control in diabetic patients from a
      university hospital in Argentina. HL was assessed with the Short Assessment of
      Health Literacy for Spanish-speaking Adults (SAHLSA), glycemic control through
      glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c); 156 patients (58% women) took part in the
      study. Average SAHLSA score was 35 (range: 11-50). Patients with inadequate
      values of HL had HbA1c of 8.15% vs. 7.15% among those with adequate HL (p =
      0.0001). The multiple linear regression shows that inadequate HL was
      significantly associated with poorer glycemic control (beta = -0.05 IC 95% -0.07;
      -0.02, p < 0.001). Efforts should focus on developing interventions to improve
      glycemic control among patients with inadequate HL.

PMID- 28643672
TI  - Switch from agalsidase beta to agalsidase alfa in the enzyme replacement therapy
      of patients with Fabry disease in Latin America.
AB  - There are currently two available enzyme replacement therapies for Fabry disease
      and little information regarding efficacy and safety of switching therapies.
      Between 2009 and 2012 there was a worldwide shortage of agalsidase beta and
      patients on that enzyme were switched to agalsidase alfa. This retrospective
      observational study assessed a 2-year period of efficacy and safety in a
      population of Fabry patients, in Argentina (30 patients) and Venezuela (3
      patients), who switched therapies from algasidase beta to agalsidase alfa. Thirty
      three patients completed 24-months follow-up after the switch (age 32.4 +/- 2.0,
      range 10.0-55.9 years; male: female 23:10). Measures of renal function such as
      estimated glomerular filtration rate remained almost unchanged in 31 patients
      without end stage renal disease over the 2 years after switching and urine
      protein excretion continued stable. Cardiac functional parameters: left
      ventricular mass index, interventricular septum, left ventricular posterior wall
      showed no significant change from baseline in the 33 patients. Quality of life,
      pain and disease severity scores were mostly unchanged after 24-months and
      agalsidase alfa was generally well tolerated. Our findings showed there is no
      significant change in the efficacy measured through the renal or cardiac
      function, quality of life, pain, disease severity scoring and safety for at least
      2 years after switching from agalsidase beta to agalsidase alfa.

PMID- 28643673
TI  - [Allergy to drugs. Experience in 771 procedures].
AB  - Drug hypersensitivity reactions (RHD) are those that present clinically as
      allergic. They can or cannot involve an immunologic mechanism of lesion. They are
      frequent and, occasionally, life threatening. Patients with RHD repeat the
      reaction when they are re-exposed to the drug, limiting the therapeutic options
      and exposing them to more expensive and toxic drugs. It is difficult to identify
      the responsible drug when the reaction was not recent or when it occurred in the
      context of therapy with multiple drugs or confusing concurrent diseases. The
      diagnosis should be based on clinical history, followed by drug skin tests and
      drug provocation tests. We describe our experience in 771 procedures, 331
      cutaneous and 440 drug provocation tests, 11% of them were positive. Positive
      symptoms included generalized pruritus, rash, urticaria, angioedema, rhinitis,
      bronchospasm, nausea and anaphylaxis. All the patients with positive tests had a
      good response to treatment. It can therefore be concluded that drug tests
      undertaken on individuals with suspected drug allergy, performed by experienced
      personnel and in controlled settings, are useful and safe to confirm drug
      hypersensitivity.

PMID- 28643675
TI  - [STOP-BANG, a useful and easy tool for the screening of obstructive sleep apnea].
AB  - The STO-BANG questionnaire, S standing for snore, T tired, O observed apneas, P
      pressure (arterial hypertension), B BMI (body mass index > 35 kg/ m2), A age (>
      50 years old), N neck circumference (> 40 cm), G gender (male); is a simple tool
      that enables the detection of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
      (OSA). If the patient adds 3 or more points, it is considered to have a high
      probability of having this disease. Our goal was to evaluate the capacity of the
      STOP-BANG questionnaire and to compare it with the ability of a sleep trained
      pulmonologist in determining the probability of OSA. A retrospective analysis of
      327 patients suspected of having this condition was performed. One hundred and
      seventy-one were males (52.3%), 49.8 years old (37.9-61.7), BMI 38.7 kg/m2 (32.5
      46), neck circumference 44 cm (41-47.5), 311 snorers (95.1%), 232 with daytime
      sleepiness or usual tiredness (70.9%), 206 with observed apneas (63%), 169 with
      arterial hypertension (51.7%), normal polysomnography 42 (12.9%), mild 65
      (19.9%), moderate 59 (18%), severe 161 (49.2%). The STOP-BANG's sensibility and
      specificity, taking as a cut-off point a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) > or
      = to 15, was 99.1% and 14.0% respectively, area under curve (AUC) 0.755 (0.704
      0.800), the values for the PR actioner's ability were 89.1% and 58.9%
      respectively, AUC 0.550 (0.542-0.638). The STOP-BANG questionnaire is easy to
      implement as a screening tool.

PMID- 28643674
TI  - Microbiological and serological control of Escherichia coli O157: H7 in
      kindergarten staff in Buenos Aires city and suburban areas.
AB  - Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are implicated in
      the development of the life-threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Despite
      the magnitude of the social and economic problems caused by HUS, no licensed
      vaccine or effective therapy is currently available for human use. Prevention of
      STEC infections continues being the most important measure to reduce HUS
      incidence. This is especially true for Argentina where HUS incidence among
      children is extremely high and shows an endemic pattern. The aim of this work was
      to investigate serologically adult staff of kindergartens in Buenos Aires city
      and suburban areas in order to detect possible carriers, and to educate personnel
      about good practices to reduce HUS transmission. We also assessed the
      microbiological quality of water and meal samples from the same kindergartens. We
      tested 67 healthy adults, 13 water supplies and 6 meals belonging to 6 public
      kindergartens. We analysed hand swabs for isolation of STEC and serum samples for
      the presence of antibodies against Stx and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of O157
      serogroup. We identified 46 Stx2-positive individuals, but only 7 for O157 LPS.
      No presence of STEC pathogens was detected in hands of staff, water or meal
      samples.

PMID- 28643676
TI  - [Asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism in women].
AB  - Primary hyperparathyroidism may have different characteristics. One is the
      asymptomatic form. This is a mild variant of hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism,
      characterized by a calcemia not greater than 1 mg/dl above the upper limit of the
      method, a high intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), absence of renal stones, renal
      function impairement, and osteoporosis, less than 50 years of age, and less than
      400 mg/day calciuria. It is not a surgical entity, but its evolution may require
      it. Twenty-four postmenopausal women, all older than 50 years, with a diagnosis
      of asymptomatic hyperparathyroidism, were studied. Clinical manifestations,
      densitometric changes, biochemical parameters and bone remodeling were analyzed
      and the results were compared with the classic and normocalcemic variants of the
      disease. Diagnostic criteria were established and observed that only 2 (8.3%) of
      patients, during a follow up of 44 +/- 12 months, had need for a
      parathyroidectomy. In conclusion, the asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism is
      a benign disorder, of periodic clinical follow-up, which rarely may require
      surgery.

PMID- 28643677
TI  - Modulator effect of watercress against cyclophosphamide-induced oxidative stress
      in mice.
AB  - Watercress (Nasturtium officinale, Cruciferae; W. Aiton) is a vegetable widely
      consumed in our country, with nutritional and potentially chemopreventive
      properties. Previous reports from our laboratory demonstrated the protective
      effect of watercress juice against DNA damage induced by cyclophosphamide in
      vivo. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo effect of cress plant on the
      oxidative stress in mice. Animals were treated by gavage with different doses of
      watercress juice (0.5 and 1g/kg body weight) for 15 consecutive days before
      intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg body weight). After 24
      h, mice were killed by cervical dislocation. The effect of watercress was
      investigated by assessing the following oxidative stress biomarkers: catalase
      activity, superoxide dismutase activity, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione
      balance. Intake of watercress prior to cyclophosphamide administration enhanced
      superoxide dismutase activity in erythrocytes with no effect on catalase
      activity. In bone marrow and liver tissues, watercress juice counteracted the
      effect of cyclophosphamide. Glutathione balance rose by watercress
      supplementation and lipid oxidation diminished in all matrixes when compared to
      the respective control groups. Our results support the role of watercress as a
      diet component with promising properties to be used as health promoter or
      protective agent against oxidative damage.

PMID- 28643678
TI  - Prevalence of factors related to vascular calcifications in patients with chronic
      kidney disease on dialysis.
AB  - The main aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of vascular
      calcifications in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis in our
      population assessed by X-ray. The secondary objectives were to determine the
      cardiovascular risk factors associated with the presence of vascular
      calcifications and to evaluate the complementary use of the echocardiogram in a
      cross-sectional, observational, multicentric study. We included patients with
      chronic kidney disease on dialysis, age =18 years with at least 3 months of renal
      replacement therapy in 8 dialysis centres in Argentina. The degree of vascular
      calcification was determined using Adragao and Kauppila scores. The presence of
      valvular calcifications was established through a trans-thoracic doppler
      echocardiogram. Univariate and multivariate analysis were undertaken, considering
      the degree of vascular calcification as the dependent variable; 443 adult
      patients were evaluated at 8 centres across 5 provinces in Argentina. The
      prevalence of vascular calcifications by the X-rays was 63%, while 73% presented
      calcifications in hands and pelvis, with an Adragao score > 3, and 60% presented
      calcifications in the abdominal aorta with a Kauppila score > 4. The prevalence
      of valvular calcifications: 28%. We have shown a higher rate of vascular
      calcifications with the use of plain X-rays when compared to the prevalence of
      valvular calcifications obtained with echocardiograms. In this regard, valvular
      calcifications were present particularly in those patients with a severe level of
      radiological vascular calcification.

PMID- 28643679
TI  - Clinical and cerebrospinal fluid findings contribute to the early differentiation
      between infectious and noninfectious encephalitis.
AB  - Early recognition and prompt specific treatment are crucial factors influencing
      the outcome of patients with acute encephalitis. The aim of this study was to
      determine the main causes of acute encephalitis in our population and to find
      predictors that may lead to specific diagnosis. Adult patients admitted to our
      hospital with suspected diagnosis of encephalitis in the period 2006-2013 were
      included. One hundred and five medical records were analyzed. Eighty-two patients
      with infectious encephalitis were identified (78% of total cases), 53 (65%) men
      and 29 (35%) women, mean age 47.8 years. The most common microorganisms
      identified were: HSV-1 (11%), VZV (10%), HSV-2 (5%) and EBV (5%). Twenty-three
      patients (22% of the series) had non-infectious encephalitis. Headache (p <
      0.0001) and fever (p = 0.008) were more frequent in encephalitis of infectious
      origin. Protein levels and white blood cell counts in the cerebrospinal fluid
      were significantly higher in patients affected by infectious encephalitis than in
      those affected by noninfectious encephalitis (OR 95% CI 12.3 [2.9-51.7] and OR
      95% CI 7.4 [2-27], respectively). Identifying specific causal agents of acute
      encephalitis remains a major challenge. Cerebrospinal fluid markers, as well as
      specific clinical findings, may however contribute to initial differentiation
      between infectious and noninfectious causes.

PMID- 28643680
TI  - [Towards precision medicine in myeloma: new evidence and challenges].
AB  - In the last few years, next-generation sequencing studies have provided insights
      into the mutational landscape of multiple myeloma. The identification of
      actionable mutations might give a precious opportunity for exploring new targeted
      therapies. Thus, the implementation of promising precision medicine strategies
      seems to be closer than ever. Throughout this review we describe the main
      challenges that should to be dealt with in this new era, in order to achieve the
      main goal of precision medicine, namely matching patients with their right drug.
      In addition, we provide a review of the most significant preclinical and clinical
      studies supporting the implementation of precision medicine nowadays. Finally, we
      highlight the need of clinical trials to evaluate the security and efficacy of
      these targeted therapies, as well as to validate predictive biomarkers that may
      allow an appropriate best-candidate selection and improvement of myeloma
      patients' survival and quality of life.

PMID- 28643681
TI  - [Magnetic resonance neurography for the identification of pudendal neuralgia].
AB  - The pudendal nerve entrapment is an entity understudied by diagnosis imaging.
      Various causes are recognized in relation to difficult labors, rectal, perineal,
      urological and gynecological surgery, pelvic trauma fracture, bones tumors and
      compression by tumors or pelvic pseudotumors. Pudendal neuropathy should be
      clinically suspected, and confirmed by different methods such as
      electrofisiological testing: evoked potentials, terminal motor latency test and
      electromyogram, neuronal block and magnetic resonance imaging. The radiologist
      should be acquainted with the complex anatomy of the pelvic floor, particularly
      on the path of pudendal nerve studied by magnetic resonance imaging. High
      resolution magnetic resonance neurography should be used as a complementary
      diagnostic study along with clinical and electrophysiological examinations in
      patients with suspected pudendal nerve neuralgia.

PMID- 28643682
TI  - [Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome].

PMID- 28643683
TI  - [Synchysis scintillans (Cholesterolosis bulbi)].

PMID- 28643684
TI  - [Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Report of a case in Uruguay].
AB  - Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma belongs to the group of mature T-cell malignancies
      according to the WHO classification. It constitutes a rare entity and has a
      strong association with infection by human T-lymphotropic virus 1. In Uruguay,
      this viral infection is very infrequent and, to our knowledge, no case of adult T
      cell leukemia/lymphoma has been previously reported. We describe the case of a
      woman, immigrant from Peru, who presented with persistent lymphocytosis,
      intestinal parasitic diseases, and skin involvement. The diagnosis was delayed
      and the patient died before initiating oncological treatment. We therefore
      emphasize the relevance of an early clinical suspicion and serology for this
      virus, especially in patients coming from endemic countries like Peru.

PMID- 28643685
TI  - [Disseminated interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma].
AB  - A 70 year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 3-month history of
      abdominal pain, weight loss and night sweats. On physical examination, she
      presented with a 5 cm diameter abdominal mass extended from epigastrium to the
      left flank, and at least three bilateral supraclavicular adenopathies. A
      disseminated interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma was diagnosed through a
      biopsy of the abdominal mass. After that, a CHOP regime (cyclophosphamide,
      doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) was iniciated. She died after completion
      of the first cycle of treatment, six months after diagnosis.

PMID- 28643686
TI  - [Pachymeningitis associated with IgG4 disease].
AB  - Hypertrophic pachymeningitis is an infrequent disorder. It can be idiopathic or
      secondary to infectious, autoimmune or neoplastic disease. The recently described
      <IgG4-related disease> could be the origin of many cases considered cryptogenic.
      We present the case of a 60-year-old man, with a history of headache and
      episcleritis in both eyes, with partial response to corticoid therapy. The brain
      MR study with gadolinium showed enhancement and thickening of the dura mater,
      extending from lateral wall of left temporal and occipital lobes to ipsilateral
      tentorium. Meningeal biopsy showed fibrosis and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate,
      with more than 10 IgG4+ plasma cells per high power field. After treatment with
      rituximab there was clinical improvement accompanied by the virtual disappearance
      of the alterations detected in neuroimaging. Hypertrophic pachymeningitis as a
      manifestation of IgG4-related disease can be based on MRI findings if plasma IgG4
      are elevated.

PMID- 28643687
TI  - [The value of one autopsy].

PMID- 28643688
TI  - [Fictional models in the patient physician relationship].

PMID- 28643689
TI  - [Electronic nicotine release systems, the healthy evolution of smoking].

PMID- 28643690
TI  - [Autopsy, necessary participant in the art of healing].

PMID- 28643691
TI  - [On C virus hepatitis, HIV coinfection, diagnosis and treatment coverage].

PMID- 28643692
TI  - [More on diagnosis and treatment of C virus hepatitis].

PMID- 28643693
TI  - Generation mechanism of negative permittivity and Kramers-Kronig relations in
      BaTiO3/Y3Fe5O12 multiferroic composites.
AB  - Recently, negative parameters such as negative permittivity and negative
      permeability have been attracting extensive attention for their unique
      electromagnetic properties. Usually, negative permittivity is well achieved by
      plasma oscillation of free electrons in conductor-insulator composites or
      metamaterials, while some attention has been paid to attaining negative
      permittivity in ceramics to reduce dielectric loss. In this paper, negative
      permittivity in barium titanate and yttrium iron garnet composites are reported
      which was well fitted by the Lorentz model. Further, negative permittivity
      behavior was verified via Kramers-Kronig relations, and it revealed that the
      causal principle still valid for negative permittivity resulted from dielectric
      resonance. The interrelationships among negative permittivity, capacitive
      inductive transition and ac conductivity are discussed.

PMID- 28643694
TI  - Simultaneous maximum a posteriori longitudinal PET image reconstruction.
AB  - Positron emission tomography (PET) is frequently used to monitor functional
      changes that occur over extended time scales, for example in longitudinal
      oncology PET protocols that include routine clinical follow-up scans to assess
      the efficacy of a course of treatment. In these contexts PET datasets are
      currently reconstructed into images using single-dataset reconstruction methods.
      Inspired by recently proposed joint PET-MR reconstruction methods, we propose to
      reconstruct longitudinal datasets simultaneously by using a joint penalty term in
      order to exploit the high degree of similarity between longitudinal images. We
      achieved this by penalising voxel-wise differences between pairs of longitudinal
      PET images in a one-step-late maximum a posteriori (MAP) fashion, resulting in
      the MAP simultaneous longitudinal reconstruction (SLR) method. The proposed
      method reduced reconstruction errors and visually improved images relative to
      standard maximum likelihood expectation-maximisation (ML-EM) in simulated 2D
      longitudinal brain tumour scans. In reconstructions of split real 3D data with
      inserted simulated tumours, noise across images reconstructed with MAP-SLR was
      reduced to levels equivalent to doubling the number of detected counts when using
      ML-EM. Furthermore, quantification of tumour activities was largely preserved
      over a variety of longitudinal tumour changes, including changes in size and
      activity, with larger changes inducing larger biases relative to standard ML-EM
      reconstructions. Similar improvements were observed for a range of counts levels,
      demonstrating the robustness of the method when used with a single penalty
      strength. The results suggest that longitudinal regularisation is a simple but
      effective method of improving reconstructed PET images without using resolution
      degrading priors.

PMID- 28643695
TI  - Highly fluorescent and superparamagnetic nanosystem for biomedical applications.
AB  - This work reports on highly fluorescent and superparamagnetic bimodal
      nanoparticles (BNPs) obtained by a simple and efficient method as probes for
      fluorescence analysis and/or contrast agents for MRI. These promising BNPs with
      small dimensions (ca. 17 nm) consist of superparamagnetic iron oxide
      nanoparticles (SPIONs) covalently bound with CdTe quantum dots (ca. 3 nm). The
      chemical structure of the magnetic part of BNPs is predominantly magnetite, with
      minor goethite and maghemite contributions, as shown by Mossbauer spectroscopy,
      which is compatible with the x-ray diffraction data. Their size evaluation by
      different techniques showed that the SPION derivatization process, in order to
      produce the BNPs, does not lead to a large size increase. The BNPs saturation
      magnetization, when corrected for the organic content of the sample, is ca. 68
      emu g-1, which is only slightly reduced relative to the bare nanoparticles. This
      indicates that the SPION surface functionalization does not change considerably
      the magnetic properties. The BNP aqueous suspensions presented stability, high
      fluorescence, high relaxivity ratio (r 2/r 1 equal to 25) and labeled efficiently
      HeLa cells as can be seen by fluorescence analysis. These BNP properties point to
      their applications as fluorescent probes as well as negative T 2-weighted MRI
      contrast agents. Moreover, their potential magnetic response could also be used
      for fast bioseparation applications.

PMID- 28643696
TI  - Artificial synaptic characteristics with strong analog memristive switching in a
      Pt/CeO2/Pt structure.
AB  - Artificial synaptic potentiation and depression characteristics were demonstrated
      with Pt/CeO2/Pt devices exhibiting polarity-dependent analog memristive
      switching. The strong and sequential resistance change with its maximum to
      minimum ratio >105, imperatively essential for stable operation, as repeating
      voltage application, emulated the potentiation and depression motion of a synapse
      with variable synaptic weight. The synaptic weight change could be controlled by
      the amplitude, width, and number of repeated voltage pulses. The voltage polarity
      dependent and asymmetric current-voltage characteristics and consequential
      resistance change are thought to be due to local inhomogeneity of electrical and
      physical states of CeO2 such as charging at interface states, valence changes of
      Ce cations, and so on. These results revealed that the CeO2 layer could be a
      promising material for analog memristive switching elements with strong
      resistance change, as an artificial synapse in neuromorphic systems.

PMID- 28643697
TI  - On the relationship between topological and geometric defects.
AB  - The study of topology in solids is undergoing a renaissance following renewed
      interest in the properties of ferroic domain walls as well as recent discoveries
      regarding skyrmionic lattices. Each of these systems possess a property that is
      'protected' in a symmetry sense, and is defined rigorously using a branch of
      mathematics known as topology. In this article we review the formal definition of
      topological defects as they are classified in terms of homotopy theory, and
      discuss the precise symmetry-breaking conditions that lead to their formation. We
      distinguish topological defects from defects that arise from the details of the
      stacking or structure of the material but are not protected by symmetry, and we
      propose the term 'geometric defects' to describe the latter. We provide simple
      material examples of both topological and geometric defect types, and discuss the
      implications of the classification on the resulting material properties.

PMID- 28643698
TI  - Phonon limited electronic transport in Pb.
AB  - We present a fully ab initio based scheme to compute electronic transport
      properties, i.e. the electrical conductivity sigma and thermopower S, in the
      presence of electron-phonon interaction. We explicitly investigate the [Formula:
      see text] structure of the Eliashberg spectral function, the coupling strength,
      the linewidth and the relaxation time tau. We obtain a state-dependent tau and
      show its necessity to reproduce the increased thermopower for temperatures below
      the Debye temperature, without accounting for the phonon-drag effect. Despite the
      detailed investigations of various [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]
      dependencies, the presented scheme can be easily applied to more complicated
      systems.

PMID- 28643699
TI  - Nonequilibrium ferroelectric-ferroelastic 10 nm nanodomains: wrinkles, period
      doubling, and power-law relaxation.
AB  - Since the 1935 work of Landau-Lifshitz and of Kittel in 1946 all ferromagnetic,
      ferroelectric, and ferroelastic domains have been thought to be straight-sided
      with domain widths proportional to the square root of the sample thickness. We
      show in the present work that this is not true. We also discover period doubling
      domains predicted by Metaxas et al (2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 99 217208) and modeled
      by Wang and Zhao (2015 Sci. Rep. 5 8887). We examine non-equilibrium ferroic
      domain structures in perovskite oxides with respect to folding, wrinkling, and
      relaxation and suggest that structures are kinetically limited and in the viscous
      flow regime predicted by Metaxas et al in 2008 but never observed experimentally.
      Comparisons are made with liquid crystals and hydrodynamic instabilities,
      including chevrons, and fractional power-law relaxation. As Shin et al (2016 Soft
      Matter 12 3502) recently emphasized: 'An understanding of how these folds
      initiate, propagate, and interact with each other is still lacking'. Inside each
      ferroelastic domain are ferroelectric 90 degrees  nano-domains with 10 nm widths
      and periodicity in agreement with the 10 nm theoretical minima predicted by Feigl
      et al (2014 Nat. Commun. 5 4677). Evidence is presented for domain-width period
      doubling, which is common in polymer films but unknown in ferroic domains. A
      discussion of the folding-to-period doubling phase transition model of Wang and
      Zhao is included.

PMID- 28643700
TI  - A design of experiments approach to identify the influencing parameters that
      determine poly-D,L-lactic acid (PDLLA) electrospun scaffold morphologies.
AB  - Electrospun fibrous materials have increasing applications in regenerative
      medicine due to the similarity of fibre constructs to the morphology of certain
      extracellular matrices. Although experimentally the electrospinning method is
      relatively simple, at the theoretical level the interactions between process
      parameters and their influence on the fibre morphology is not yet fully
      understood. Here, we hypothesised that a design of experiments (DoE) model could
      determine combinations of process parameters that result in significant effects
      on poly-D,L-lactic acid (PDLLA) fibre morphology. The process parameters used in
      this study were applied voltage, needle-to-collector distance, flow rate and
      polymer concentration. Data obtained for mean fibre diameter, standard deviation
      (SD) of the fibre diameter (measure of fibre morphology) and presence of
      'beading' on the fibres (beads per MUm2) were evaluated as a measure of PDLLA
      fibre morphology. Uniform fibres occurred at SDs of <=500 nm, 'beads-on-string'
      morphologies were apparent between +/-500 and 1300 nm and large beads were
      observed at +/-1300-1800 nm respectively. Mean fibre diameter was significantly
      influenced by the applied voltage and interaction between flow rate and polymer
      concentration. Fibre morphology was mainly influenced by the polymer
      concentration, while bead distribution was significantly influenced by the
      polymer concentration as well as the flow rate. The resultant DoE model
      regression equations were tested and considered suitable for the prediction of
      parameters combinations needed for desired PDLLA fibre diameter and additionally
      provided information regarding the expected fibre morphology.

PMID- 28643701
TI  - Self-anti-reflective density-modulated thin films by HIPS technique.
AB  - A critical factor for an efficient light harvesting device is reduced reflectance
      in order to achieve high optical absorptance. In this regard, refractive index
      engineering becomes important to minimize reflectance. In this study, a new
      fabrication approach to obtain density-modulated CuIn x Ga(1-x)Se2 (CIGS) thin
      films with self-anti-reflective properties has been demonstrated. Density
      modulated CIGS samples were fabricated by utilizing high pressure sputtering
      (HIPS) at Ar gas pressure of 2.75 * 10-2 mbar along with conventional low
      pressure sputtering (LPS) at Ar gas pressure of 3.0 * 10-3 mbar. LPS produces
      conventional high density thin films while HIPS produces low density thin films
      with approximate porosities of ~15% due to a shadowing effect originating from
      the wide-spread angular atomic of HIPS. Higher pressure conditions lower the film
      density, which also leads to lower refractive index values. Density-modulated
      films that incorporate a HIPS layer at the side from which light enters
      demonstrate lower reflectance thus higher absorptance compared to conventional
      LPS films, although there is not any significant morphological difference between
      them. This result can be attributed to the self-anti-reflective property of the
      density-modulated samples, which was confirmed by the reduced refractive index
      calculated for HIPS layer via an envelope method. Therefore, HIPS, a simple and
      scalable approach, can provide enhanced optical absorptance in thin film
      materials and eliminate the need for conventional light trapping methods such as
      anti-reflective coatings of different materials or surface texturing.

PMID- 28643702
TI  - Surface magnetism of L10 CoPt alloy: first principles predictions.
AB  - We used the first-principles density functional theory (DFT) to predict the
      magnetic properties of (1 0 0), (0 0 1), (1 0 1), (1 1 0), and (1 1 1) surfaces
      of L10 ordered CoPt alloy. Our results indicate that bulk-terminated CoPt
      surfaces exhibit magnetic moment higher than that of bulk CoPt crystal and
      surface magnetic anisotropy favoring in-plane magnetization. Moreover, our DFT
      calculations predict that Pt prefers to segregate to the outermost layer of all
      these five CoPt surfaces with energy gain in the range of 0.05-0.47 eV for each
      segregated Pt atom. Comparing the structural and magnetic properties of the bulk
      terminated and Pt-segregated CoPt surfaces, we found that Pt surface segregation
      led to larger contraction relaxation, reduced magnetic moments (with the
      exception of (1 1 0) surface), smaller spin canting angles, and an out-of-plane
      contribution to the surface magnetic anisotropy energy of the CoPt surfaces.
      Furthermore, our electronic structure analysis suggests that the change in the
      density of [Formula: see text] minority spin states of surface Co atoms mainly
      underlies the observed phenomena related to the surface magnetism of L10 CoPt
      alloy.

PMID- 28643703
TI  - Ophthalmology residency training in India: Quo vadis?

PMID- 28643704
TI  - Publication ethics.

PMID- 28643705
TI  - Ophthalmology postgraduate training in India: Stirring up a hornet's nest.

PMID- 28643706
TI  - Orbital retinoblastoma: An update.
AB  - Orbital extension is a major cause of death in children with retinoblastoma in
      the developing countries. Delayed detection and inappropriate management
      contribute to poor outcome. Conventional treatment including primary orbital
      exenteration or chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone result in mortality as high as
      70%. The recent understanding on the role of sequential multimodal therapy with a
      combination of high-dose chemotherapy, followed by appropriate surgery,
      radiotherapy, and additional adjuvant chemotherapy has helped dramatically
      improve life salvage.

PMID- 28643707
TI  - Pre-Descemet's endothelial keratoplasty.
AB  - Endothelial keratoplasty (EK) has supplanted the penetrating keratoplasty
      procedure for corneal endothelial disorders. A review of literature on pre
      descemet's EK, that is, a latest iterant in EK is described along with our
      experiences.

PMID- 28643708
TI  - Residency evaluation and adherence design study: Young ophthalmologists'
      perception of their residency programs - Clinical and surgical skills.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Residency training is the basis of good clinical and surgical
      practice. PURPOSE: The aim is to know the demographics, training experience, and
      perception of young ophthalmologists to improve the present residency programs in
      India. SETTING: Young ophthalmologists trained in India. METHODS: A survey was
      conducted by the Academic and Research Committee of the All India Ophthalmology
      Society, in 2014-2016 of young ophthalmologists (those trained between 2002 and
      2012, with 2-10 years' postresidency experience) to gauge teaching of clinical
      and surgical skills during the postgraduate residency program. STATISTICAL
      ANALYSIS: Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. RESULTS: Of the
      1005 respondents, 531 fulfilled inclusion criteria. Average age was 32.6 years
      (standard deviation [SD] 4). On a scale of 0-10, clinical skills teaching was
      graded as (mean, SD): Slit lamp examination (7.2, SD 2.8), indirect
      ophthalmoscopy (6.2, SD 3.3), gonioscopy (5.7, SD 3.4), perimetry (6.2, SD 3.2),
      optical coherence tomography (4.6, SD 4), and orthoptic evaluation (4.3, SD 3.1).
      The mean (SD) and median of surgeries performed independently was intracapsular
      cataract extraction 3.0 (14.9), 0; extracapsular cataract extraction 39.9 (53.2),
      18; small incision cataract surgery 75.3 (64.4), 55; phacoemulsification 30
      (52.6), 1; pterygium excision 31.5 (43.5), 15; dacryocystectomy 20.3 (38.1), 4;
      dacryocystorhinostomy 11.7 (26.2), 2; chalazion 46.4 (48.3), 30; trabeculectomies
      4 (14.9), 0; strabismus correction 1.4 (4.9), 0; laser-assisted in situ
      Keratomileusis 1.5 (12.2), 0; retinal detachment 1.5 (12.5), 0; vitrectomy 3.0
      (17.0), 0; keratoplasty 5.2 (17.8), 0; eyelid surgery 8.6 (18.9), 2 and ocular
      emergencies 41.7 (52.4), 20. Observed and assisted surgeries were more common.
      However, the range of grading was 0-10 in all categories. CONCLUSION: Residency
      training in India varies considerably from program to program. Standardization is
      needed to assure all graduates are competent and render consistent quality of
      service.

PMID- 28643709
TI  - Comparison of central corneal thickness with four noncontact devices: An
      agreement analysis of swept-source technology.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the central corneal thickness
      (CCT) measurements of four noncontact devices in healthy eyes. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: In a sample of 45 healthy controls, CCT was measured using an optical
      biometer (IOLMaster 700) based on swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS
      OCT), high-resolution rotating Scheimpflug camera system (Pentacam HR), spectral
      domain OCT (SD-OCT) device with an anterior segment module (Spectralis), and
      noncontact pachymetry (NCP) device (Topcon TRK-2P). Agreement among the devices
      was analyzed using mean differences (i.e., bias) and Bland-Altman analysis with
      95% limits of agreement (LoA). RESULTS: Mean CCT measurements were 537.5 +/- 47.5
      MUm for SS-OCT optical biometer, 532.3 +/- 43.8 MUm for Scheimpflug system, 521.3
      +/- 44.7 MUm for SD-OCT device, and 518.0 +/- 43.1 MUm for NCP (P < 0.001). The
      SD-OCT device and NCP showed the closest agreement, with a bias of 2.6 MUm (95%
      LoA, -3.6-8.8 MUm), whereas the SS-OCT optical biometer and NCP showed the least
      agreement, with a bias of 18.7 MUm (95% LoA, -2.1-39.5 MUm). Bias was 16.1 MUm
      (95% LoA, -3.1-35.3 MUm) for SS-OCT optical biometer and SD-OCT, 5.1 MUm (95%
      LoA, -6.8-17.0 MUm) for SS-OCT optical biometer and Scheimpflug system, 10.9 MUm
      (95% LoA, -15.1-36.9 MUm) for SD-OCT device and Scheimpflug system, and 13.6 MUm
      (95% LoA, -5-32.2 MUm) for Scheimpflug system and NCP. CONCLUSIONS: SS-OCT
      optical biometer overestimates CCT measurements compared to Scheimpflug system,
      SD-OCT device, and NCP. Given mean differences and range variations in CCT
      measurements between devices, SS-OCT optical biometer and Scheimpflug system are
      interchangeable as are SD-OCT and NCP.

PMID- 28643710
TI  - Postoperative posterior capsular striae and the posterior capsular opacification
      in patients implanted with two types of intraocular lens material.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the incidence of postoperative posterior capsular striae (PCS)
      and its influence on posterior capsular opacification (PCO) in patients implanted
      with two types of lens material. SETTING: Tertiary eye care center in central
      rural India. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, observational, nonrandomized study.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 1247 patients having age-related
      cataract scheduled for removal by phacoemulsification technique and implantation
      of hydrophilic or hydrophobic intraocular lens (IOL). Demographic profile,
      nuclear grading, axial length, and IOL power were noted. Details of PCS were
      noted on the 1st postoperative day in patients with clear cornea. Postoperative
      follow-up was ensured to study the status of PCS and development of PCO. RESULTS:
      The overall incidence of PCS was 19.8% (247 out of 1247 eyes). Out of 1247
      patients, 641 patients (51.4%) had hydrophilic IOL implantation and 201 eyes had
      PCS (31.4%) and 606 patients (48.6%) had hydrophobic IOL implantation and 46 eyes
      had PCS (7.6%), P = 0.04. Three and more striae were seen in 119 eyes (119/641,
      18.6%) in hydrophilic group and 4 eyes (4/606, 0.66%) in hydrophobic group. Sixty
      two eyes (62/201, 30.9%) in hydrophilic group with multiple PCS were reported
      with persistent striae after 6 months of surgery. Two eyes in hydrophobic group
      had persistent striae even after 3 years of follow-up. Evaluation of PCO score of
      the hydrophilic group was 0.6 whereas of the hydrophobic group was 0.1 (P =
      0.04). Ten patients of the hydrophilic group only required neodymium-doped
      yttrium aluminum garnet (ND: YAG) laser capsulotomy. CONCLUSION: The incidence of
      PCS was higher in hydrophilic than hydrophobic IOLs. Multiple PCS persisting in
      patients beyond 6 months after operation should be followed up for early
      development of PCO, particularly in patients implanted with hydrophilic IOL.

PMID- 28643711
TI  - Glued intraocular lens implantation for eyes with inadequate capsular support:
      Analysis of the postoperative visual outcome.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study is to analyze the postoperative visual outcomes of
      fibrin glue-assisted, suture-less posterior chamber (PC) intraocular lens (IOL)
      implantation technique in eyes with inadequate capsule support at a tertiary eye
      care hospital in South India. SETTING AND DESIGN: This is a retrospective,
      nonrandomized case series. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study analyzes 94 eyes
      which underwent PC-IOL implantation by fibrin glue-assisted, suture-less
      technique. All patients who had IOL implants by the fibrin glue-assisted PC-IOL
      technique from August 2009 to January 2014 were included in the study. Intra- and
      post-operative complications were analyzed. The postoperative best spectacle
      corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) was evaluated and recorded at the end of 6
      months. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.1
      (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) using two sample paired t-test and
      independent t-test. RESULTS: A total of 94 eyes of 92 patients that underwent
      glued IOL implantation over a period of 5 years were analyzed. Out of 94 eyes, 77
      eyes (84.6%) maintained or improved on their preoperative BSCVA (P = 0.012).
      CONCLUSION: We conclude that glued IOL implantation is a feasible option in
      rehabilitating patients with aphakia without adequate capsular support.

PMID- 28643713
TI  - Tissue plasminogen activator-assisted vitrectomy for submacular hemorrhage due to
      age-related macular degeneration.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment efficacy of
      vitrectomy combined with subretinal recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r
      tPA) and factors affecting visual improvement in patients with submacular
      hemorrhage (SMH) due to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of 17 consecutive patients diagnosed with
      SMH secondary to nAMD were retrospectively reviewed. The initial surgical
      procedure involved a 23-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy, subretinal r-tPA
      application through a self-sealing inferior retinotomy, and sulfur hexafluoride
      gas for tamponade in all patients. The duration, size, and thickness of the
      hemorrhage and the pre- and post-operative visual acuity (VA) using a Snellen
      chart were recorded. VA was converted to logMAR for statistical analysis.
      RESULTS: The average duration and size of the SMH were 12.8 +/- 18.2 days and 8.6
      +/- 5.3 disc areas, respectively. The mean follow-up time was 16.9 +/- 4.7
      months. A statistically significant visual improvement was found when comparing
      initial VA with postoperative best-corrected VA (BCVA) and final BCVA (Wilcoxon
      rank test, P <= 0.01). There was no significant correlation between the size of
      the hemorrhage and postoperative BCVA and final BCVA (Spearman's rho test). There
      was no statistically significant correlation between the initial VA and
      postoperative BCVA and final BCVA (Spearman's rho test). There was no significant
      correlation between the duration of hemorrhage and postoperative BCVA and final
      BCVA (Spearman's rho test). The preoperative thickness of hemorrhage (747.5 +/-
      30 MUm) was not correlated with postoperative BCVA or final BCVA (Pearson's
      test). CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy combined with subretinal r-tPA injection and gas
      tamponade is an effective surgical intervention to preserve VA in selected
      patients with apparent SMH.

PMID- 28643714
TI  - Comparison of vitrectomized with nonvitrectomized eyes after subtenon injection
      of triamcinolone acetonide to treat diabetic macular edema: Retrospective
      comparative Analysis of an interventional case series.
AB  - PURPOSE: Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) is an alternative option for diabetic
      macular edema thanks to its cost-benefit ratio and unique delivery route. We
      performed this study to compare vitrectomized with nonvitrectomized eyes treated
      with subtenon TA injection for diabetic macular edema. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had undergone
      subtenon TA injection for diabetic macular edema treatment. The patients were
      divided into two groups: Vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized. Visual acuity and
      central subfield macular thickness (CSMT) were analyzed before injection, at 1
      and 3 months after injection. RESULTS: Visual acuity in vitrectomized group
      improved significantly at 1 month (P = 0.002), but this improvement regressed
      after 3 months. In the nonvitrectomized group, visual acuity did not improve
      significantly after 1 month, but it did after 3 months (P = 0.019). The CSMT
      decreased significantly in both groups at 1 and 3 months (P < 0.001). There were
      no significant differences between the groups at either 1 or 3 months with regard
      to either visual improvement or change in CSMT. CONCLUSION: Subtenon TA injection
      could be an alternative treatment option for diabetic macular edema, both in
      vitrectomized and in nonvitrectomized eyes. TA seems to take effect earlier and
      decay faster in vitrectomized eyes.

PMID- 28643712
TI  - Comparison of macular pigment optical density in patients with dry and wet age
      related macular degeneration.
AB  - AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the macular pigment optical density
      (MPOD) levels in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry
      AMD, and also in healthy controls. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This study was conducted
      at Department of Ophthalmology, and the study design was a prospective study.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients with wet AMD, 51 patients with dry
      AMD, and 50 controls were included in the study. All patients were naive to both
      previous lutein or zeaxanthin administration and any previous intravitreal
      injections. Fundus reflectance (VISUCAM 500, reflectance of a single 460 nm
      wavelength) was used to measure the MPOD levels. Three groups were compared
      regarding age, gender, serum lutein, and zeaxanthin concentrations as well as
      MPOD levels. RESULTS: Serum lutein and zeaxanthin levels were significantly
      higher in control group when compared with wet AMD (Group 1) and dry AMD (Group
      2) (P = 0.001 and P< 0.001, respectively). Mean MPOD was found to be similar in
      all of the three study subgroups (P = 0.630). However, maximum MPOD was
      significantly higher in control group when compared with Group 1 and 2 (P =
      0.003). There was no correlation between serum lutein or zeaxanthin
      concentrations and mean MPOD levels (P = 0.815, r = 0.014 and P = 0.461, r =
      0.043, respectively), but there was a weak correlation between serum zeaxanthin
      concentration and maximum MPOD level (P = 0.042, r = 0.124). Maximum MPOD level
      was found to be correlated with the level of AMD (Group 1, 2, and 3; r = 0.184, P
      = 0.041). CONCLUSION: Maximum MPOD level was found to be lower in patients with
      AMD when compared with control cases. Mean MPOD and maximum MPOD levels were
      similar in wet and dry AMD Groups. These results can be applied clinically
      keeping in mind that MPOD measurements with one wavelength reflectometry may not
      be completely reliable.

PMID- 28643715
TI  - Microstructure changes of occipital white matter are responsible for visual
      problems in the 3-4-year-old very low birth weight children.
AB  - PURPOSE: The main aim of the study was to evaluate which factors affect the long
      time visual function in preterm children, whether it is prematurity or
      retinopathy of prematurity or perhaps disturbances in the visual pathway.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-eight children with mean birth weight 1016 g (range
      520-1500 g) were evaluated at mean age 48 months (range 42-54 months). All
      children underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, visual evoked
      potentials (VEPs), and the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP). The
      MRI evaluation included diffusion tensor imaging and fractional anisotropy (FA),
      and colored orientation maps were calculated for each subject. Based on the
      results of the VEP evaluation, children were divided into two groups: A-abnormal
      results of VEP (n = 16) and B-normal VEP results (comparison group, n = 42).
      RESULTS: FA values of inferior left and right occipital white matter (OWM) were
      lower in the group of children with abnormal VEP compared to the comparison group
      (0.34 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.38 +/- 0.06; P = 0.047; 0.31 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.36 +/- 0.06; P =
      0.007, respectively). Furthermore, there were correlations between the latency (r
      = -0.35; P = 0.01) and amplitude (r = 0.31; P = 0.02) and FA in OWM. Children
      with abnormal VEP had lower DTVP scores as compared with children with normal VEP
      results (88 +/- 18 vs. 95 +/- 16 points, P = 0.048). Finally, a multivariate
      logistic regression revealed that FA of the inferior OWM was the only independent
      risk factor for the abnormal VEP (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Visual perception, VEPs,
      and white matter microstructural abnormalities in very low birth weight children
      at the age of 3-4 are significantly correlated.

PMID- 28643716
TI  - Prevalence of ocular morbidity in school going children in West Uttar Pradesh.
AB  - AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and to make a
      comparison between the ocular morbidity pattern in school going children of urban
      and rural areas of West Uttar Pradesh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A school-based
      cross-sectional study design was adopted to examine children aged 5-15 years in
      randomly selected urban and rural schools of West Uttar Pradesh from June 2012 to
      August 2014. An optometrist did the vision and refraction, and a detailed
      ophthalmic examination was done by an ophthalmologist. Children needing further
      assessment were referred to a higher center. Interpretation and analysis of the
      data were done using Epi Info Software and t-test. RESULTS: A total of 4838
      students (2271 males and 2567 females) were screened. The prevalence of ocular
      morbidity was 29.35% (28.65% urban, 30.05% rural). Refractive error (17.36%) was
      the major cause of ocular morbidity followed by convergence insufficiency
      (2.79%), blepharitis (2.11%), Vitamin A deficiency (2.09%), allergic
      conjunctivitis (1.92%), bacterial conjunctivitis (0.95%), amblyopia (0.41%), stye
      (0.31%) and squint (0.27%). There was an increase in ocular morbidity with age,
      especially in refractive error and convergence insufficiency. On comparing urban
      and rural schools, Vitamin A deficiency showed a significantly higher prevalence
      (P < 0.05%) in the rural (3.03%) as compared to the urban sector (1.15%). The
      prevalence of visual impairment was 4.9/1000 children, and prevalence of
      blindness was 0.62/1000 children. CONCLUSION: This study was the first of its
      kind in West Uttar Pradesh, reporting a considerable high prevalence (29.35%) of
      pediatric ocular morbidity, which was more in rural as compared to the urban
      sector. Since most of this morbidity is either preventable or treatable, school
      screening forms an effective method to reduce this load.

PMID- 28643717
TI  - Spectacles use in a rural population in the state of Telangana in South India.
AB  - CONTEXT: Uncorrected refractive errors are the leading cause of visual
      impairment. AIMS: To assess the prevalence and patterns of spectacles use among
      those aged >=40 years in the South Indian state of Telangana. SETTINGS AND
      DESIGN: This was a population-based, cross-sectional study, in which 6150 people
      were enumerated from 123 clusters in the two districts of Telangana state
      (Adilabad and Mahbubnagar) using a two-stage cluster random sampling methodology.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were visited in their households and
      presenting visual acuity (VA) was assessed in all cases followed by pinhole VA if
      presenting VA was worse than 6/12. A questionnaire was used to collect
      information on the current and previous spectacles use, type of spectacles, and
      details of the spectacles provider. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Stata statistical
      software version 12. RESULTS: Among 5881 participants examined, 53.7% were women,
      and 82% had no formal education. The prevalence of current spectacles use was
      28.8% (95% confidence interval: 27.6-30.0). On applying multiple logistic
      regression analysis, spectacles use was significantly associated with older age
      groups, female gender, higher levels of education, and residing in Adilabad
      district. Bifocals were the most commonly used type of spectacles (56.3%), and
      private eye clinics (70.3%) were the leading service providers. The spectacles
      coverage was 53.6%. CONCLUSIONS: We reported on prevalence and patterns of
      spectacles use using a large representative sample and a high response rate. More
      than half of those who may benefit from spectacles were using them, suggestive of
      a reasonable primary eye care coverage in the two districts studied.

PMID- 28643718
TI  - A rare case of idiopathic parafoveal telangiectasia associated with central
      serous chorioretinopathy.

PMID- 28643719
TI  - Alkaptonuria: A case report.
AB  - Alkaptonuria is a rare inborn error of metabolism with autosomal recessive
      inheritance with a mutation in homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase. It results in
      accumulation of homogentisic acid in connective tissues (ochronosis). Most common
      ocular manifestations are bluish-black discoloration of the conjunctiva, cornea,
      and sclera. In this case report, a 39-year-old Indian male patient with
      additional ocular features in the retina is described.

PMID- 28643720
TI  - Inferior subconjunctival dislocation of posterior chamber intraocular lens after
      blunt trauma.
AB  - Traumatic subconjunctival dislocation of the posterior chamber intraocular lens
      (PCIOL) is a rare and emergency condition. Here, we report an interesting
      variation of rare case of inferior subconjuctival dislocation of PCIOL in a 75
      year-old female patient following blunt trauma to her right eye with cow's head.
      All the previous literature with subconjuctival dislocation of PCIOL has reported
      the superior dislocation of intraocular lens. Inferior subconjunctival
      dislocation has never been reported in previous literature.

PMID- 28643721
TI  - Surgical treatment of Metarhizium anisopliae sclerokeratitis and endophthalmitis.
AB  - A 55-year-old nurse was referred with a 5-month history of right eye corneal
      abscess. The initial injury occurred when doing lawn work. The infection worsened
      despite multiple antibiotic, antiviral, and steroid treatments. Visual acuity was
      limited to hand motion. On examination, there was keratitis, ocular hypertension,
      and a secondary cataract. Corneal scrapings grew a filamentous fungus, identified
      as Metarhizium anisopliae (MA). Despite intensive antifungal treatment with
      topical, intravitreous, and systemic voriconazole, purulent corneal melting and
      scleritis with endophthalmitis rapidly appeared. An emergency surgical procedure
      including sclerocorneal transplantation, cataract surgery, a pars plana
      vitrectomy using temporary keratoprosthesis, and scleral crosslinking was
      necessary. One year after the surgery, there was no recurrence of infection.
      Functional outcome remained very poor. This is the first case of sclerokeratitis
      and endophthalmitis caused by MA ever reported. The infection was successfully
      treated with an aggressive combination of medical and surgical treatments.

PMID- 28643722
TI  - Endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans Var. Gattii
      mimicking choroidal tumor: From positron-emission tomography/computed tomography
      to histopathology.
AB  - A 60-year-old immunocompetent female with pneumonia history about 10 years ago
      suffered from blurred vision overall survival for 3 weeks. Common cold with
      headache and unintentional body weight loss was also noted recently. Choroidal
      detachment simulating choroidal tumor was observed in the temporal quadrant. The
      18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography/computed tomography
      (CT) scan showed focal, mild to moderate FDG uptake in the left lateral orbit,
      and an enhanced lesion was seen on the recent CT scan. The suspicious choroidal
      tumor became larger in a week. Phacoemulsification, vitrectomy, and retinal
      biopsies were performed. Histochemical study of the retinal specimens established
      the diagnosis of endogenous cryptococcal endophthalmitis. Vitreous culture
      yielded Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii. Systemic and topical voriconazole
      eliminated the infection. In the literature, endogenous endophthalmitis caused by
      C. neoformans var. gattii has not been reported in detail. The key to successful
      management lies in early diagnosis. If clinical improvement could not be achieved
      after conventional management and imaging studies have failed to yield a definite
      diagnosis, retinal biopsy can be considered.

PMID- 28643723
TI  - Management of a case of Candida albicans endogenous endophthalmitis with
      intravitreal caspofungin.
AB  - We report a case of Candida albicans endogenous endophthalmitis treated with
      intravitreal caspofungin. The patient was a known case of acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia on chemotherapy and presented to us with features suggestive of
      endogenous endophthalmitis. He was treated initially with intravenous (IV)
      caspofungin and intravitreal amphotericin B. Patients condition worsened after IV
      caspofungin was replaced by amphotericin B necessitating a core vitrectomy. The
      patient was given the option of off-label caspofungin intravitreal injection for
      which the patient consented. There was a gradual improvement in the clinical
      picture. The situation worsened after the injections were stopped necessitating a
      revitrectomy. The study demonstrates the clinical efficacy of intravitreal
      caspofungin for the first time in human eyes.

PMID- 28643724
TI  - Successful surgical management of bilateral epiretinal membrane in a child with
      only cafe-au-lait spots.
AB  - A 6-year-old boy diagnosed as anisometropic amblyopia, with only cafe-au-lait
      spots and a family history of neurofibromatosis, presented with decrease in
      vision in the both eyes. Dilated fundus examination showed epiretinal membrane in
      both eyes over the macula. He underwent successful surgical management of the
      epiretinal membrane.

PMID- 28643725
TI  - A 7-year-old female child of incontinentia pigmenti presenting with vitreous
      hemorrhage.
AB  - Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is a rare disease with multisystemic anomalies, which
      commonly presents just after birth. Here, we report a rare case of IP patient
      with vitreous hemorrhage in school-age children. Therefore, physicians have to be
      alert and evaluate IP patients at all ages. Regular ophthalmic follow-up is
      necessary, and fluorescein angiography should be performed if peripheral ischemia
      or neovascularization is suspected. The effect of peripheral laser ablation on
      peripheral retinal nonperfusion is not clear and merits further study.

PMID- 28643726
TI  - Exotropia in a pediatric patient with rhabdomyolysis caused by an insect sting.
AB  - Various ocular and systemic reactions have been associated with insect sting.
      However, insect stings have been rarely reported to cause exotropia and diplopia.
      We encountered exotropia in a 6-year-old child with rhabdomyolysis of the left
      lower extremities caused by an insect sting. Exotropia and diplopia developed
      within 1 day after the sting and improved completely 1 week after the onset of
      symptoms. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for the development of
      exotropia in patients with insect stings, which requires careful follow-up.

PMID- 28643727
TI  - Silodosin-associated intraoperative floppy iris syndrome.

PMID- 28643728
TI  - Regulation of various DNA repair pathways by E3 ubiquitin ligases.
AB  - DNA repair is the most important mechanism to maintain the normal cellular
      homeostasis. Owing to its complicated network, series of posttranslation
      modifications is required for proper function of the DNA repair proteins. One of
      such important posttranslation modifications is ubiquitination (attachment of
      ubiquitin). E3 ubiquitin ligases (UBLs) are a group of proteins that transfer
      ubiquitin from E2 conjugating enzymes to highly specific substrates such as DNA
      repair proteins. In this review, we have updated the role of different E3 UBL and
      how it regulates different DNA repair pathways.

PMID- 28643729
TI  - Differential diagnoses of elevated lesions of the upper lip: An overview.
AB  - This paper comes with a purpose to help the clinician as how to arrive at a
      logical differential diagnosis when an upper lip mass is encountered in day-to
      day practice. The labial mucosa is commonly traumatized. One must be aware of the
      type of structures contained in the mucosa of the area of a lesion as well as the
      patients habits since they may relate to a lesion presented for diagnosis. It
      also helps them to procure a sound knowledge of the lesions by describing the
      lesions according to their clinical appearance and to aid the clinician in
      arriving at a differential diagnosis by considering that certain lesions have a
      predilection for the upper lip. All clinically similar appearing lesions are
      discussed according to their relative frequency of occurrence. This paper covers
      only a minority of plethora of elevated lesions that may appear on the upper lip
      since almost any soft tissue lesion or neoplasm (benign and malignant) may occur
      here.

PMID- 28643730
TI  - An overview on small-field dosimetry in photon beam radiotherapy: Developments
      and challenges.
AB  - Small fields are more repeatedly used for radiation therapy as small segments in
      intensity-modulated radiotherapy or as in the form of independent fields in
      stereotactic radiosurgery and other novel equipment such as cyberknife and
      tomotherapy. Nevertheless, the application of small fields for radiotherapy of
      lung makes the dose calculation and planning inaccurate due to the existence of
      electronic disequilibrium and intrinsic deficiencies within most of the
      analytical dose calculation algorithms. The current review attempts to gather the
      information in this regard and focuses on the current progresses and retaining
      issues associated with this type of photon beams.

PMID- 28643731
TI  - Cardiotoxic effects of radiotherapy and strategies to reduce them in patients
      with breast cancer: An overview.
AB  - Cardiotoxicity of various anticancer therapies, including radiotherapy (RT), can
      lead to cardiovascular (CV) complications, and their severity depends on many
      factors, including the site of action, the applied dose, the method of
      administration, the presence of pre-existing CV diseases, or CV risk factors, the
      individual patient characteristics, and the current or previous use of
      antineoplastic therapies. Cardiotoxicity can occur immediately upon
      administration of the anticancer therapy or it may have a delayed onset (months
      or years after the treatment). For an oncology treatment team, it is essential
      that the patients with cancer are in their best cardiac condition before they
      initiate anticancer therapy, during remission, and after its termination, and
      thus, a collaboration with cardiologists is of utmost importance. This article
      reviews cardiotoxicity associated with RT, focusing on patients with breast
      cancer. In addition, it outlines the main management strategies to assess,
      monitor, reduce, or possibly prevent RT-induced cardiotoxicity, based on the
      current research evidence. Medline literature review relating to this subject was
      performed, using the electronic search for the keywords "radiotherapy" and
      "cardiotoxicity" on PubMed for inclusion of the previous publications, and
      further search of reference articles on the detection and management of radiation
      related heart disease in patients with breast cancer was conducted.

PMID- 28643732
TI  - Thrombocytosis in gynecological cancers.
AB  - Thrombocytosis has been suggested to be a poor prognostic indicator in
      malignancies. Studies have shown that thrombocytosis is associated with a poor
      prognosis in various gynecological malignancies such as carcinoma ovary, cervical
      cancer, and endometrial cancer. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of
      thrombocytosis on the prognosis of gynecological cancer. All the relevant data
      were retrieved by PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science, and then studies were
      chosen in this analysis of association between thrombocytosis and gynecological
      malignancy. Thrombocytosis is common in advanced disease in patients with ovarian
      cancer, endometrial cancer, and cervical cancer. Therefore, it may be a marker of
      tumor burden or biologically more aggressive disease. Thrombocytosis is bad
      prognostic factor and associated with poorer outcomes.

PMID- 28643733
TI  - A prospective randomized controlled study of cisplatin versus carboplatin-based
      regimen in advanced squamous nonsmall cell lung cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The use of cisplatin (Cis) versus carboplatin (Carb) in the treatment
      of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversial. The aim of the
      study was to compare the safety and efficacy of Cis versus Carb in squamous
      NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized, controlled, open-label
      study was conducted on advanced squamous NSCLC patients who were randomly
      assigned to receive Cis (40 mg/m 2 [day 1 and day 8]) or Carb (area under the
      curve = 5 [day 1]) combined with gemcitabine [Gem] (1000 mg/m 2 [day 1 and day
      8]) of a 3-week schedule for six cycles. Study objectives were a radiological
      response after three cycles and six cycles, 1-year progression-free survival
      (PFS), 1-year overall survival (OS), and quality of life (QOL) assessment using
      functional assessment of cancer therapy-lung at baseline, after three cycles, and
      after six cycles. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical analysis was done using
      Statistical Package for Social Science version 15. A P < 0.05 was considered
      statistically significant. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients were enrolled (Gem/Cis
      group [n = 36], Gem/Carb group [n = 35]). Response rates were comparable in both
      arms. Nonsignificant differences were found regarding 1-year PFS (P = 0.308) and
      1-year OS (P = 0.929) between the two groups. Neutropenia was significantly
      higher in Gem/Carb group, while vomiting and ototoxicity were significantly
      higher in Gem/Cis group. The effect on QOL was similar in both groups.
      CONCLUSION: Cis and Carb have similar efficacy, tolerability, and effect on QOL
      and both can be used as a first-line treatment of squamous NSCLC.

PMID- 28643734
TI  - The significance of serum leptin level in patients with early stage nonsmall cell
      lung cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUNDS: The serum leptin level (SLL) has been shown to increase in patients
      with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, available data regarding the
      relation between SLL and tumor subtypes, survival, cachexia, and tumor
      respectability in NSCLC are still under debate. The aim of this study is to
      evaluate SLL in NSCLC patients with and without cachexia. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      A total of 71 patients with early stage NSCLC were enrolled in this prospective
      study. SLL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationship
      between SLL and clinicopathological factors including histopathological subtypes,
      weight loss, overall survival, and tumor resectability were evaluated. RESULTS:
      Of the 71 patients, 57 (81%) were male with a mean age of 63.3 +/- 8.2 years. The
      rates of histological subtypes of NSCLC were as follows: Squamous cell carcinoma
      60.5%, adenocarcinoma 32%, and others 7.2%. Mean SLL was 12.9 +/- 38.4 pmol/mL.
      There was no distinctive difference between SLL, weight loss, and survival.
      However, when stratifying the groups according to the lung cancer histological
      subtypes, mean SLL was significantly higher in patients with adenocarcinoma than
      those with squamous cell subtype (26.9 +/- 6.2 pmol/mL vs. 5.1 +/- 9.1 pmol/mL, P
      = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: SLL might be beneficial as a useful biomarker in
      preclinical setting of NSCLC to guide detecting the lung cancer subtypes as well
      as monitoring the patients.

PMID- 28643735
TI  - Modeling of lung cancer risk due to radon exhalation of granite stone in dwelling
      houses.
AB  - AIMS: Due to increasing occurrences of lung cancer, radon exhalation rates, radon
      concentrations, and lung cancer risks in several types of commonly used granite
      stone, samples used for flooring in buildings, have been investigated. SUBJECTS
      AND METHODS: We measured the radon exhalation rates due to granite stones by
      means of an AlphaGUARD Model PQ2000 in a cube container with changeable floor by
      various granite stones. The lung cancer risk and percentage of lung cancer deaths
      (LCRn) due to those conditions were calculated using Darby's model. RESULTS: The
      radon exhalation rates ranged from 1.59 +/- 0.41 to 9.43 +/- 0.74 Bq/m 2/h. The
      radon concentrations in the standard room with poor and normal ventilation were
      calculated 20.10-71.09 Bq/m 3 and 16.12-47.01 Bq/m 3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      The estimated numbers of lung cancer deaths attributable to indoor radon due to
      granite stones in 2013 were 145 (3.33%) and 103 (2.37%) for poor and normal
      ventilation systems, respectively. According to our estimations, the values of
      3.33% and 2.37% of lung cancer deaths in 2013 are attributed to radon exhalation
      of granite stones with poor and normal ventilation systems, respectively.

PMID- 28643736
TI  - The pitfalls in cytology diagnosis of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine
      carcinoma of lung and their treatment response.
AB  - CONTEXT: Lung is the most common site of small cell carcinoma (SCLC) - a poorly
      differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (PDNEC). SCLC comprises 15-20% of the
      invasive cancers of the lung. AIM: This study was conducted to appraise the
      accuracy and pitfalls of the diagnosis of PDNEC on cytology along with treatment
      responses if available. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Retrospective study for 2 years
      yielded 21 cases on cytology. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Slides of fine-needle
      aspiration of lymph nodes, the tumor, bronchial brush, and bronchoalveolar lavage
      specimens were used. The histological correlation was obtained as were treatment
      responses. RESULTS: Eighteen SCLCs were confirmed on review. Of these, 13 initial
      reports were concordant and five, discordant. The rest three cases which
      initially reported as SCLC were found to be negative (2) and combined SCLC (1).
      One SCLC with concordant initial and reviewed diagnoses failed to confirm on
      histopathology. The patients, all heavy smokers, were predominantly males in the
      seventh to eighth decade age group. The sensitivity and specificity of reviewed
      diagnoses were better than that of the original. The difference between
      histopathology and cytology diagnoses (reviewed and original) was statistically
      insignificant. All patients were categorized as "extensive stage" by positron
      emission tomography-computerized tomography, and five were treated with etoposide
      and cisplatin with/without radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Age group (61-70) and gender
      (males) distribution were statistically significant. Intermediate variants of
      SCLC may be misdiagnosed as adenocarcinoma. Similarly, combined SCLC may be
      missed on cytology if the observer does not sustain a high index of suspicion.
      Unequivocal cytology diagnosis opposed to negative histopathology report demands
      repeat biopsy.

PMID- 28643737
TI  - Changes in pharyngeal constrictor volumes during head and neck radiation therapy:
      Implications for dose delivery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anatomical changes and
      associated dosimetric consequences to pharyngeal constrictor muscles (PCMs) that
      occur during head and neck (H and N) radiotherapy (RT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A
      cohort of 13 oropharyngeal cancer patients with daily cone beam computed
      tomography (CBCT) was retrospectively studied. On every 5th CBCT image, PCM was
      manually delineated by a radiation oncologist. The anterior-posterior PCM
      thickness was measured at the midline level of C3 vertebral body. Delivered dose
      to PCM was estimated by calculating dose on daily images and performing dose
      accumulation on corresponding planning CT images using a parameter-optimized B
      spline-based deformable image registration algorithm. The mean and maximum
      delivered dose (Dmean, Dmax) to PCM were determined and compared with the
      corresponding planned quantities. RESULTS: The average (+/-standard deviation)
      volume increase (DeltaV) and thickness increase (Deltat) over the course of 35
      total fractions were 54 +/- 33% (11.9 +/- 7.6 cc) and 63 +/- 39% (2.9 +/- 1.9
      mm), respectively. The resultant cumulative mean dose increase from planned dose
      to PCM (DeltaDmean) was 1.4 +/- 1.3% (0.9 +/- 0.8 Gy), while the maximum dose
      increase (DeltaDmax) was 0.0 +/- 1.6% (0.0 +/- 1.1 Gy). Patients who underwent
      adaptive replanning (n = 6) showed a smaller mean dose increase than those
      without (n = 7); 0.5 +/- 0.2% (0.3 +/- 0.1 Gy) versus 2.2 +/- 1.4% (1.4 +/- 0.9
      Gy). There were statistically significant (P = 0.001) strong correlations between
      DeltaDmean and Deltat (Pearson coefficient r = 0.78), as well as between
      DeltaDmean and DeltaV (r = 0.52). CONCLUSION: The patients underwent considerable
      anatomical changes to PCM during H and N RT. However, the resultant increase in
      dose to PCM was minor to moderate. PCM thickness measured at C3 level is a good
      predictor for the mean dose increase to PCM.

PMID- 28643738
TI  - Five versus ten fractions per week radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck
      cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT) is in use since a
      long time, but the invention of altered fractionation such as hyperfractionation
      has improved survival in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). AIMS: Our
      aim of this prospective randomized study is to compare conventional 5 fractions
      per week (CFRT) with hyperfractionation 10 fractions per week (hyperfractionated
      radiotherapy [HFRT]) in locally advanced head and neck cancer. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: The study period is from November 2013 to April 2015. Totally, 100
      patients with proven head and neck cancer were submitted to radiotherapy on
      theratron 780 (cobalt 60) machine. Fifty patients in each CFRT group and HFRT
      group randomized to receive radiotherapy following induction chemotherapy.
      Patients in CFRT group have received 66-70 Gy/33-35 fractions Monday to Friday,
      while HFRT group have received 70.4 Gy/64 fractions Monday to Friday. RESULTS:
      Our results show manageable toxicity profile of a combined therapy consisting of
      cisplatin and paclitaxel, followed by concomitant chemoradiotherapy in the form
      of either CFRT or HFRT with cisplatin as a radiosensitizer in both treatment
      groups. The overall response at the completion of radiotherapy was 95.7% in HFRT
      versus 89.5% in CFRT with 76.6% complete response in HFRT versus 64.6% in CFRT.
      CONCLUSIONS: After induction chemotherapy, HFRT seems to be more efficacious than
      CFRT in locally advanced HNSCC, by increasing significantly the probability of
      progression-free survival and locoregional control.

PMID- 28643739
TI  - Patterns of tobacco usage among subjects with potentially malignant oral lesions
      or conditions in Chennai city: A comparative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the patterns of tobacco usage among subjects with
      potentially malignant oral lesions or conditions through a comparative study
      design. METHODS: The study was carried out in a span of 2 months on a sample of
      120 subjects; 60 in case group (30 subjects with leukoplakia and oral submucous
      fibrosis [OSMF], respectively) and 60 subjects in control group (30 current
      smokers and current chewers, respectively), attending the tobacco cessation
      clinic at a private dental college hospital in Chennai city. Demographic data,
      details of tobacco usage, and Fagerstrom nicotine dependence scores (FNTD) were
      recorded in a prevalidated tobacco cessation intake form. RESULTS: Cases with
      leukoplakia had a higher mean FNTD score when compared to the control group (P =
      0.0001). The most common form of smokeless tobacco used by case (OSMF) subjects
      was found to be mawa (53%) significantly higher than the control group (P =
      0.05). Mean FNTD scores of mawa users were higher than other tobacco users in
      both case and control group. CONCLUSION: The current study has hence put forth
      the role of mawa form of tobacco in causation of OSMF at a time when
      implementation of tougher anti-tobacco laws is the talk of the town.

PMID- 28643740
TI  - Telomere length variation and expression analysis of shelterin complex genes
      during gallbladder carcinogenesis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Telomeres, which are bound with shelterin protein complex, play an
      important role in maintaining genomic stability and its dysfunction may lead to
      carcinogenesis. Here, we aimed to analyze whether shelterin complex gene
      expression and telomere length variation, play any role in gallbladder
      carcinogenesis. METHODS: Telomere length analysis was carried out by monochrome
      multiplex qPCR, whereas expression analysis of shelterin genes was carried out
      using RT-qPCR. Statistical analysis was carried out using SigmaPlot 11 software.
      RESULTS: We found significantly reduced telomere length in tumor tissues, and
      this reduction was seen in both, tumors with or without gallstones in comparison
      to adjacent non tumor and gallstone (chronic calculous cholecystitis: Inflamed)
      tissues. Inflamed tissues showed increased telomere length as compared to both
      adjacent non tumor and tumor tissues. Expression analysis of five shelterin genes
      showed significant downregulation of TERF1, POT1, and TINF2 genes in inflamed
      tissues as compared to non tumor and tumor tissues. POT1 was also found to be
      significantly upregulated in tumor tissues and specifically in tumor tissues with
      gallstones compared to inflamed tissues. CONCLUSION: This study, thus, suggests
      that, gallstone does not affect telomere length and even after having increased
      telomere length, decreased expression of some shelterin genes in inflamed tissue
      might cause telomeres to cap improperly, possibly leading to telomere dysfunction
      and further, gallbladder carcinogenesis. Also, increased expression of POT1 in
      tumor tissues with gallstones could act as a diagnostic marker in patients with
      gallstones.

PMID- 28643741
TI  - Prognostic and predictive markers of response to treatment in patients with
      locally advanced unresectable and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated
      with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel: Results of a retrospective analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies support the use of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in
      adults with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma
      although insufficient data are available on prognostic and predictive markers of
      response to treatment. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to identify
      treatment response markers in patients with locally advanced unresectable or
      metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an
      observational, retrospective, and multicenter study. Sociodemographic, clinical,
      and therapeutic data were collected. Cox regression models were applied to
      determine associations. RESULTS: In total, 39 patients were included; 23.1%
      presented locally advanced pancreatic cancer and 76.9% metastatic disease. They
      received a mean of 6 +/- 3 treatment cycles; 59% required dose reduction, 59%
      treatment delay, and 20.5% switched to a biweekly regimen. The overall response
      rate was 23% and the disease control rate was 81%. Median progression-free
      survival was 9 months and median overall survival (OS) was 15 months. A higher
      neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was significantly associated with lower OS. We
      reported Grades 1-4 nonhematological and hematological toxicities. CONCLUSION:
      NLR is a useful prognostic factor for OS in patients with locally advanced
      unresectable or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with gemcitabine and
      nab-paclitaxel. Moreover, we suggest that a biweekly regimen is an option for
      certain groups of patients.

PMID- 28643742
TI  - In vitro activity of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri against gastric cancer
      progression by downregulation of urokinase plasminogen activator/urokinase
      plasminogen activator receptor gene expression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer death, and
      most patients represent metastatic phenotype at the time of diagnosis. Urokinase
      plasminogen activator (uPA) system is well known for its critical roles in cancer
      cells invasion since uPA/uPA receptor (uPAR) overexpresses in several cancers.
      Subsequently, suppression of uPA/uPAR gene expression improves patients overall
      survival and prevents cancer progression. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current
      study was to investigate possible effects of live Lactobacillus reuteri as a
      probiotic in inhibition of GC cells proliferation and invasion. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Human gastric adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (AGS) cells were
      treated with different ratios of live L. reuteri and were incubated for 24, 48,
      and 72 h. Viability of cancer cells was measured with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)
      2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and the effects of L. reuteri on uPA/uPAR
      gene expression were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS:
      Our results showed that L. reuteri inhibits cell proliferation significantly in
      dose-dependent manner. Expressions of uPA and uPAR were downregulated followed by
      co-incubation of AGS cells and live L. reuteri compared to untreated-based line
      level. CONCLUSION: This study provides strong support in the role of L. reuteri
      in suppression of GC cell invasion by downregulation of pathways which is
      involved in extracellular matrix degradation such as uPA and uPAR.

PMID- 28643743
TI  - Dual association of serum interleukin-10 levels with colorectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is considered an immune modulator cytokine,
      showing both antitumor and pro-tumor characteristics. Its role in the
      pathogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer depends on microenvironmental
      milieu. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case-control study with 58 newly diagnosed
      colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and 30 healthy individuals was conducted to
      compare the serum IL-10 levels between patients and controls. Furthermore, the
      correlation of the cytokine levels with the pathological features and prognosis
      of the CRC was investigated. IL-10 levels in the sera of patients and controls
      were measured by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Mean serum IL-10
      levels were significantly lower in CRC patients than in controls (P = 0.04). CRC
      patients with worse prognosis at the time of diagnosis tend to have higher levels
      of circulating IL-10 than those with better prognosis (P = 0.008). Receiver
      operating characteristics curve analysis demonstrated that IL-10 levels in the
      sera of CRC patients can be used as a prognostic biomarker in CRC patients (area
      under the curve = 0.71; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated a dual
      association of serum IL-10 levels in the initiation and progression of CRC. While
      lower IL-10 levels were associated with higher risk of the disease, its higher
      levels were associated with a poorer prognosis.

PMID- 28643744
TI  - Correlation of serum intercellular adhesion molecule 1 and vascular endothelial
      growth factor with tumor grading and staging in breast cancer patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. There are
      several prognostic factors for this disease. The aim of this article is to
      explore the correlation of serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor
      (VEGF) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) with tumor, node, metastasis
      staging and grading of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum samples of 51
      patients with breast cancer were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      for the level of VEGF and ICAM1 preoperatively. After the operation,
      histopathologic specimens stained with hematoxylin and eosin were evaluated for
      tumor size, histopathologic subtype, grade, lymph node, vascular and lymphatic
      involvement. Then, the correlation of tumor stage and grade and serum level of
      markers was analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between serum
      level of markers with vascular invasions, lymph node involvement, and
      menstruation. There was a weak correlation between tumor size and serum level of
      ICAM1 with Pearson score correlation, but there was no significant correlation
      with VEGF. There was no significant correlation between tumor grading and staging
      with the level of markers. There was a significant correlation between the level
      of VEGF and ICAM1 and histologic type of tumors in invasive through in situ
      tumors. CONCLUSION: Levels of VEGF and ICAM1 can be used as a predictor of tumor
      invasion and also for target therapy.

PMID- 28643745
TI  - Adjuvant hypofractionated radiation in carcinoma breast - Photon versus Electron:
      Comparison of treatment outcome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breast cancer tissue is sensitive to hypofractionation. This is an
      analysis of patients treated with hypofractionated protocols since 2009, at our
      tertiary cancer center. METHODS: Details of breast cancer patients treated with
      adjuvant hypofractionated external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) from January
      2009 to December 2014 were retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: One thousand seven
      hundred and eighty patients received adjuvant EBRT during this period. Three
      hundred and eight were offered hypofractionated schedule. One hundred and eighty
      eight had modified radical mastectomy (MRM) and 120 had breast conservation
      surgery (BCS). Dose was 40 Gy in 15 fractions to chest wall/breast, and tumor bed
      boost of 10 Gy in 5 fractions, where indicated, using three-dimensional conformal
      radiotherapy (3DCRT). Electrons were used in 159 and photons in 149. Single en
      face electron field was used for chest wall in MRM patients, and tangential
      photon beams for the whole breast. Patients on follow-up were assessed for
      locoregional recurrence, chest wall, breast or ipsilateral upper limb edema,
      brachial neuralgia, local skeletal events, pulmonary and cardiac symptoms, and
      cosmetic results. Two developed chest wall recurrence, one each in electron and
      photon arms. No skeletal, cardiac, or pulmonary adverse events were recorded.
      About 13.6% had arm edema, which was staged according to the International
      Society of Lymphology lymphedema staging, as Stage I-7.8%, Stage II-3.9%, and
      Stage III-1.9%. Twenty-six treated with electrons had arm edema. Increased
      incidence of arm edema in MRM patients could be attributed to combined surgical
      and radiation morbidity. Five-year overall survival was 81.9%. CONCLUSION:
      Hypofractionation is an accepted cost-effective standard of care in adjuvant
      breast radiation. Single en face electron field is well tolerated, and 3DCRT
      planning ensures homogeneous chest wall coverage, respecting dose constraints to
      organs at risk.

PMID- 28643747
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma of scrotum: A rare in-field second malignancy in a previously
      irradiated carcinoma of prostate and review of literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Curative intent treatments for malignancies using radiation therapy
      while achieving longer disease-free survivals, may also lead to solid second
      malignancies, a dreaded late complication. Both in-field as well as out-field
      second malignancies are encountered and lead to diagnostic dilemma, and delay in
      treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Details of a case of rare, in-field, radiation
      induced leiomyosarcoma, a rare soft tissue sarcoma, in a treated case of high
      risk carcinoma of prostate, who presented to our tertiary care centre was
      retrieved and analysed. CONCLUSION: Increasingly sophisticated radiotherapy
      techniques, while providing state of the art treatment options, does increase the
      potential risk of radiation-induced second-malignancies. Respecting integral-dose
      carries priority, until further studies elucidates mechanism of tumorigenesis.

PMID- 28643746
TI  - Breast cancer screening practices amongst female tertiary health worker in Nnewi.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Breast cancer in Nigeria and other developing countries is
      characterized by late presentation and poor outcome due to ignorance,
      superstition, self-denial, fear of mastectomy, and unavailability of treatment
      facilities. The mortality of breast cancer in Western world is decreasing due to
      early detection and better management. OBJECTIVE: This study aims at accessing
      the knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast cancer screening among female
      tertiary health workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive
      study carried out using a structured, pretested, self-administered questionnaire
      to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of breast cancer and screening
      methods among female health workers. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents was
      31.70 +/- 7.62 years. The level of awareness of breast cancer screening methods
      was high: 158 (98.75%), 127 (79.4%), and 144 (90.0%) for breast self-examination
      (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE), and mammography, respectively. However,
      only 47 (35.9%), 36 (22.5%), and 3 (1.9%) correctly practiced BSE, CBE, and
      mammography, respectively. The level of education and occupation showed
      significant correlations with the knowledge and practice of breast cancer
      screening methods. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer screening still needs to be promoted
      to improve the attitude and practice among both health workers and general
      population.

PMID- 28643748
TI  - Diagnostic efficacy of free prostate-specific antigen/total prostate-specific
      antigen ratio for the diagnosis of prostate cancer in low concentration (<=4
      ng/ml) and intermediate levels of total prostate-specific antigen (4.01-10.0
      ng/ml).
AB  - AIM OF STUDY: Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a useful tumor biomarker
      for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. In this study, I aimed to compare the
      free/total PSA (fPSA%) with PSA alone for their usefulness in diagnosis for PCa.
      METHODS: The patients who underwent prostate biopsy between January 2010 and
      January 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Data were expressed as a mean +
      standard error and P < 0.05 as considered with statistical significance (Med Calc
      14.12-2014). The receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to
      study the sensitivity and specificity of fPSA and PSA and compared to each other
      in different PSA levels. RESULTS: There were 1055 patients in the study. The mean
      age of the patients was 64.2 + 7.5 and 66.3 + 6.4 years in Groups 1 and 2. The
      mean PSA and free/total PSA of the patients was 2.79 + 1 ng/ml, 0.2 + 0.08 and
      6.49 + 1.59 ng/ml and 0.19 + 0.09 in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. I found the
      optimal cutoff for fPSA% was <=18 and <=14 in Groups 1 and 2 with a sensitivity
      of 62-45% and specificity of 58-79%. There was a statistical significant
      difference for fPSA when comparing the area under curve in the PSA level of 4.01
      10 ng/ml (P = 0.0009). CONCLUSION: In this study, serum fPSA% has advantages for
      diagnosis of PCa when comparing PSA alone in different levels of PSA. These
      advantages are significant in PSA level of 4.01-10 ng/ml.

PMID- 28643749
TI  - Treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma: National protocol results of the Turkish
      Pediatric Oncology Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The national protocol aimed to improve the outcome of the high risk
      neuroblastoma patients by high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell rescue with
      intensive multimodal therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After the 6 induction
      chemotherapy cycles, patients without disease progression were nonrandomly (by
      physicians' and/or parent's choices) allocated into two treatment arms, which
      were designed to continue the conventional chemotherapy (CCT), or myeloablative
      therapy with autologous stem cell rescue (ASCR). RESULTS: Fifty-six percent (272
      patients) of patients was evaluated as high risk. Response rate to induction
      chemotherapy was 71%. Overall event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS)
      at 5 years were 28% and 36%, respectively. "As treated" analysis documented
      postinduction EFS of 41% in CCT arm (n = 138) and 29% in ASCR group (n = 47) (P =
      0.042); whereas, OS was 45% and 39%, respectively (P = 0.05). Thirty-one patients
      (11%) died of treatment-related complications. CONCLUSION: Survival rates of high
      risk neuroblastoma have improved in Turkey. Myeloablative chemotherapy with ASCR
      has not augmented the therapeutic end point in our country's circumstances. The
      adequate supportive care and the higher patients' compliance are attained, the
      better survival rates might be obtained in high-risk neuroblastoma patients
      received myeloablative chemotherapy and ASCR.

PMID- 28643751
TI  - Quick, efficient and effective patient-specific intensity-modulated radiation
      therapy quality assurance using log file and electronic portal imaging device.
AB  - AIM: The aim of work is to explore a quick, efficient, and effective patient
      specific intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) quality assurance (QA).
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Software tools were developed to extract and analyze the
      multi-leaf collimator (MLC) leaf positions (LPs) from electronic portal imaging
      device (EPID) images for Varian C-series machine and TrueBeam, to extract useful
      data from MLC log file of C-series linear accelerator (LINAC), to extract useful
      information from the trajectory log binary file of TrueBeam LINAC, to compare LPs
      derived from EPID images with log file/trajectory log data, and to analyze IMRT
      treatment files using the MATLAB programming language. The difference in LP
      determined from the trajectory log and EPID images was proposed for patient
      specific QA. RESULTS: It was found that the differences in LP for regular
      radiation fields generated using stationary leaves are <0.5 mm for all the field
      sizes while for regular radiation fields generated using the moving leaves are
      more but <2 mm. The differences in LPs for IMRT field were also determined and
      found to be <2 mm. CONCLUSIONS: The methodology demonstrated can be used for
      establishing the accuracy of trajectory log data and for independent routine IMRT
      QA by generating single number like gamma index to indicate pass or fail of an
      IMRT treatment plan. The QA indices such as numbers of occurrences of >=2 mm
      error in LPS are found more than 5% of total number of occurrences; the
      dosimetric review of planned treatment is advisable.

PMID- 28643750
TI  - Evaluation of clinical process in osteosarcoma patients treated with chemotherapy
      including cisplatin, adriamycin, ifosfamide, and etoposide and determination of
      the treatment sequels in a long-term 11-year follow-up.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding etoposide and
      ifosfamide chemotherapy drugs to treatment regimen of patients affected with
      osteosarcoma and to determine the clinical process and response to treatment
      during a follow-up period of 11 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with
      osteosarcoma participated in this study from July 2005 to 2016. Treatments were
      started based on the following schema and after initial examinations including
      biochemical profile, checking for lung metastasis by simple radiography, chest
      computed tomography scan, and bones scan. The initial chemotherapy which
      consisted of four cycles of cisplatin and adriamycin alternative with ifosfamide
      and etoposide was provided. Afterward, resection of the primary tumor and also
      the metastatic lesions was performed in patients with lung metastasis in case
      they had radiological evidence of response to the treatment. RESULTS: The mean of
      follow-up duration in this study was 50 months. Thirty-four patients did not have
      metastasis and six were metastatic. Of 34 patients, 18 had relapse and 16
      patients never had relapse. Five patients experienced only local relapse, nine
      had only systemic relapse, and two patients had simultaneous systemic and local
      relapses. Thirteen patients had died. The mean of overall survival in patients
      was 81 months. The mean of survival in patients with and without primary
      metastasis was 30 and 90 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Favorable response to
      the treatment was obtained with an appropriate multiple disciplinary works in the
      osteosarcomas of extremities, and there were no considerable side effects and
      sequels in the long-term follow-up of these treatments.

PMID- 28643752
TI  - Dosimetric characterization of optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter with
      therapeutic photon beams for use in clinical radiotherapy measurements.
AB  - AIM: The modern radiotherapy techniques impose new challenges for dosimetry
      systems with high precision and accuracy in in vivo and in phantom dosimetric
      measurements. The knowledge of the basic characterization of a dosimetric system
      before patient dose verification is crucial. This incites the investigation of
      the potential use of nanoDot optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (OSLD)
      for application in radiotherapy with therapeutic photon beams. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Measurements were carried out with nanoDot OSLDs to evaluate the
      dosimetric characteristics such as dose linearity, dependency on field size, dose
      rate, energy and source-to-surface distance (SSD), reproducibility, fading
      effect, reader stability, and signal depletion per read out with cobalt-60 (60
      Co) beam, 6 and 18 MV therapeutic photon beams. The data acquired with OSLDs were
      validated with ionization chamber data where applicable. RESULTS: Good dose
      linearity was observed for doses up to 300 cGy and above which supralinear
      behavior. The standard uncertainty with field size observed was 1.10% +/- 0.4%,
      1.09% +/- 0.34%, and 1.2% +/- 0.26% for 6 MV, 18 MV, and 60 Co beam,
      respectively. The maximum difference with dose rate was 1.3% +/- 0.4% for 6 MV
      and 1.4% +/- 0.4% for 18 MV photon beams. The largest variation in SSD was 1.5%
      +/- 1.2% for 60 Co, 1.5% +/- 0.9% for 6 MV, and 1.5% +/- 1.3% for 18 MV photon
      beams. The energy dependence of OSL response at 18 MV and 60 Co with 6 MV beam
      was 1.5% +/- 0.7% and 1.7% +/- 0.6%, respectively. In addition, good
      reproducibility, stability after the decay of transient signal, and predictable
      fading were observed. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study indicate the
      efficacy and suitability of nanoDot OSLD for dosimetric measurements in clinical
      radiotherapy.

PMID- 28643753
TI  - Dosimetric characteristic of physical wedge versus enhanced dynamic wedge based
      on Monte Carlo simulations.
AB  - AIM OF STUDY: Physical wedges (PWs) are widely used in radiotherapy to obtain
      tilted isodose curves, but they alter beam quality. Dynamic wedges (DWs) using
      moving collimator overcome this problem, but measuring their beam data is not
      simple. The main aim of this study is to obtain all dosimetric parameters of DWs
      produced by Varian 2100CD with Monte Carlo simulation and compare them to those
      from PWs. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: To simulate 6 MV photon beams equipped with PW
      and DW, BEAMnrc code was used. All dosimetric data were obtained with EDR2 films
      and two-dimensional diode array detector. RESULTS: Good agreement between
      simulated and measured dosimetric data for PW and DW fields was obtained. Our
      results showed that percentage depth dose and beam profiles at nonwedged
      direction for DWs are the same as open fields and can be used to each other.
      CONCLUSION: From Monte Carlo simulations, it can be concluded that DWs in spite
      of PW do not have effect on beam quality and are good options for treatment
      planning system which cannot consider hardening effect produced by PWs.
      Furthermore, BEAMnrc is a powerful code to acquire all date required by DWs.

PMID- 28643754
TI  - Awareness of cervical cancer and willingness to participate in screening program:
      Public health policy implications.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignancies among women in
      India. There is a high mortality as patients usually present at an advanced stage
      because of lack of awareness and nonexistent screening programs. AIM: This study
      was planned to find out awareness about cervical cancer among women and their
      willingness to utilize screening services in an urban resettlement colony of
      Delhi, India. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A community-based, cross-sectional study was
      carried out in a resettlement colony of North-West Delhi. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect information regarding
      different aspects of cervical cancer. Analysis was done using SPSS package (SPSS
      version 16 (UCMS and GTBH, Delhi, India)). RESULTS: A total of 373 women were
      included in the study. Mean age of study participants was 39.14 years. Two-third
      of the study population were illiterate. Half of the study population was aware
      of cervical cancer, and only one-fourth of population were willing to participate
      in a screening test. Willingness was higher among educated, ever user of family
      planning method and having knowledge about at least one risk factor, signs or
      symptoms, or possibility of early diagnosis of cancer cervix. CONCLUSIONS: The
      country's national program advocates for opportunistic and targeted screening of
      women. An understanding of the factors that influences womens' willingness to
      participate in screening program is essential for the success of such programs.
      Hence, this study emphasizes the need for dissemination of knowledge about
      various aspects of cancer cervix which is critical for uptake of any screening
      program in a developing country.

PMID- 28643755
TI  - Prognostic significance of tumor volume as determined on 3D ultrasound scan in
      uterine cervix cancer treated by radiotherapy.
AB  - AIMS: The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate prognostic significance of
      tumor volume determined by three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound scan in uterine
      cervix cancer patients treated by radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of
      67 patients of Stage IB2-IIIB were studied and analyzed. Cervical tumor volume
      was determined by 3D ultrasound scan. Two groups were made on the basis of volume
      on ultrasound scan (Group 1 <40 cc = 36 and Group 2 >40 cc = 31). Both groups
      received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and intracavitary radiation therapy
      (ICRT). Cisplatin 40 mg/m 2 every week was given concurrently with external
      irradiation. Tumor volumes were taken by 3D USG every week during EBRT, after
      each fraction of ICRT, and after 8 weeks of completion of treatment. Primary end
      point was disease-free survival (DFS), and secondary endpoints were 5-year
      survival and toxicities. RESULTS: After 2 months of completion of treatment, 1
      out of 36 patients of Group A was having residual and 7 out of 31 of Group B were
      having residual diseases (P = 0.034). DFS and 5-year survival were significantly
      different in the groups (log rank test P = 0.0014, hazard ratio (HR) =2.3622 95%
      confidence interval (CI) 1.3090-4.2625 and P = 0.0421, HR = 1.9274 95% CI 0.9998
      3.7156, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound is a cheap, simple, and useful in
      predicting the outcome of treatment and DFS based on the tumor volume.

PMID- 28643756
TI  - Is neuroglial antigen 2 a potential contributor to cilengitide response in
      glioblastoma?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Determining the expression levels of neuroglial antigen 2 (NG2) in
      glioma cell lines and to evaluate the potential contribution of NG2 to
      cilengitide response were aimed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endogenous expression
      level of NG2 was determined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase
      chain reaction and immunoblotting. Cilengitide responses of the cells were
      monitored to determine half maximal inhibitory concentration values. Whether the
      suppression of NG2 expression alters the response of A172 cells to cilengitide
      was examined. RESULTS: The effect of cilengitide on inducing apoptosis of the
      cells was determined by TUNEL staining. High mRNA and protein expression of NG2
      was detected in A172 and U-87MG cells, while T98G, M059K and M059J cells
      demonstrated low levels of NG2. A172, U-87MG and positive control MG-63 were
      relatively sensitive to cilengitide compared to T98G, M059K and M059J. MG-63,
      A172 and U-87MG were unexpectedly found to be more susceptible to cilengitide. In
      addition, NG2 knock-down showed no significant difference in cell death between
      small interfering RNA (siRNA)-transfected and cilengitide-treated groups. The
      results showed that cilengitide caused detachment and subsequently initiated
      apoptosis. Glioma cell lines express variable levels of NG2 and differ in their
      responses to cilengitide. Although increased numbers of apoptotic cells were
      found in untransfected cells compared to siRNA-transfected cells upon exposed to
      cilengitide, the difference was not documented to be significant between two
      groups. CONCLUSION: It may be proposed that the combination therapy of NG2
      suppression and cilengitide treatment showed no considerable effect on
      glioblastoma compared to cilengitide therapy alone. Response to therapy may be
      further improved by targeting other factors act in concert in this signaling
      pathway.

PMID- 28643757
TI  - Significance of expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins:
      Suppressor of cytokine signaling-1, suppressor of cytokine signaling-2, and
      suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 in papillary thyroid cancer.
AB  - PURPOSE: Uncontrolled cytokine signal transduction largely associated with
      oncogene activation, can have disastrous biological consequences. The suppressor
      of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins represent one of the mechanisms by which
      this rampant signaling can be dissipated. Thus, we aimed to study the expression
      of SOCS-1, SOCS-2, and SOCS-3 in patients having benign thyroid disease and
      papillary thyroid cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SOCS protein expression was
      studied in 45 patients with benign thyroid disease and in 83 papillary thyroid
      cancer patients by immunohistochemistry and their association with
      clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival in cancer patients were
      analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Expressions of SOCS proteins were
      significantly higher in papillary thyroid cancer than in patients having benign
      disease. SOCS-1 expression was predominantly higher in males (P = 0.004),
      unilateral tumors (P = 0.030), and noninflammatory conditions (P = 0.028). SOCS-1
      expression was also able to predict poor overall survival in subgroup of
      papillary thyroid cancer patients having larger tumor size (P = 0.013) and
      advanced stage disease (P = 0.033). Expression of SOCS-2 significantly correlated
      with tumor size (P = 0.017), extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.000), residual
      disease (P = 0.043), and treatment (P = 0.007), while preponderance of SOCS-3
      expression was observed in males (P = 0.030) and in patients having
      extrathyroidal extension (P = 0.011) and absence of metastasis (P = 0.032).
      CONCLUSION: Expression of the studied SOCS proteins may be a consequence of
      activation of Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription and
      other pathways supporting growth and survival of cancer cells that are sustained
      by several cytokines. Thus, SOCS-1, SOCS-2, and SOCS-3 proteins may directly or
      indirectly, have important roles in development and pathogenesis of papillary
      thyroid cancer.

PMID- 28643759
TI  - Overall treatment duration with multimodality treatment approach and outcome
      results in oral cavity carcinoma: A study from an institute from central India.
AB  - OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To see the different age groups, gender, sites, disease
      stage, treatment outcome of various oral cavity sites carcinoma by combined
      modalities and the overall treatment duration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of
      212 oral cavity carcinoma patients (169 males and 43 females) with complete
      records (from September 2009 to December 2012) were analyzed for age, sex,
      histopathology, associated medical illnesses, various subsites with disease
      stage, various treatment modalities with the duration and follow-up records for
      disease control as well as disease failure at local, nodal, local + nodal, and
      distant metastasis. RESULTS: The most common site in oral cavity cancer was
      buccal mucosa 81 (38.20%). 149 (69%) patients reported were in advanced Stages
      III and IV of the disease. The majority of patients 149 (70.28%) were given
      chemotherapy + radiotherapy postoperatively (S-CRT group). The mean follow-up for
      all patients was 41 months (range = 21-59 months). In terms of overall disease
      control and metastases-free survival, the best results were (80%) for Stage I in
      all oral cavity sites. Irrespective of disease stage best results (59.57%) were
      in alveolar ridge subsite of oral cavity carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Challenges are
      still lie ahead in treating head and neck carcinoma, as in spite of using
      multimodality treatment approach and biological and molecular research, the
      overall survival percentage has not changed much. In India as oral cavity
      carcinoma is in increasing trend in younger individuals massive health promotion
      and awareness programs targeting the risk population along with financial support
      for those already affected are required.

PMID- 28643758
TI  - Effects of EF-24, RAD001, and paclitaxel on the expression profiles of apoptotic
      and anti-apoptotic genes.
AB  - CONTEXT: Cancer cells exert differential responses to chemotherapeutics and
      inhibitors. To the best of our knowledge, a few or no research has been performed
      until now to determine the effect of EF-24 and RAD001 on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer
      cells with regard to mRNA expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes. AIMS:
      In this study, we aimed to investigate the mRNA expression levels of apoptotic
      (caspase 2 [CASP2], CASP8, and CASP9) and anti-apoptotic (B-cell lymphoma 2
      [BCL2] and BCL2-like protein 1 [BCL2L1]) genes after exposure to paclitaxel, EF
      24, and RAD001 in MDA-MB-231 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After treatment, 3
      (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used to
      measure cell viability. mRNA expressions were analyzed using quantitative real
      time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Decrease in cell viability ratios was
      seen in a dose-dependent manner for all chemicals. MDA-MB-231 cells responded
      slightly different to paclitaxel, EF-24, and RAD001 at the transcriptional level
      of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that
      response of these cells to paclitaxel, EF-24, and RAD001 was found different at
      the transcriptional level of apoptotic and antiapoptotic genes. Therefore,
      understanding transcriptional changes after these drug exposure may give us a
      change to figure out more realistic results of the apoptotic pathway inhibition.

PMID- 28643760
TI  - Validation of microsatellite instability histology scores with Bethesda
      guidelines in hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer.
AB  - AIMS: Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is a subgroup of
      colorectal cancer (CRC) which should be differentiated because of the high risk
      for additional cancers and risk evaluation for other family members, especially
      for CRC. It is not practical to perform genetic testing for all CRC patients;
      therefore, various prediction modalities, for example, Bethesda guideline (BG)
      were studied in the literature. We aimed to assess the association of
      microsatellite instability (MSI), histology scores, and BG for predicting HNPCC
      risk. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were collected from CRC patients between 2009
      and 2012. A total of 127 patients were retrospectively reviewed for BG status and
      the MSI scores, MsPath, and PathScore. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Definitive
      statistical methods (mean, standard deviation, median, frequency, and percentage)
      were used to evaluate the study data. Comparison used Student's t-test,
      Continuity (Yates) correction, Fisher-Freeman-Halton test, Pearson correlation,
      and receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. RESULTS: Patients who were
      detected as Bethesda-positive had significantly higher MsPath and PathScore
      scores (P = 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively). According to the cut-off value of
      2.8 and 2.9 for MsPath and PathScore, respectively, sensitivity, specificity,
      positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 90%, 43%,
      22.8%, 95.8%, and 50.4% for MsPath, and 55%, 83.2%, 37.9%, 90.8%, and 78.7% for
      PathScore, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The MSI scoring systems, MsPath, and
      PathScore, are reliable systems and effectively correlated with BG for predicting
      patients who need advanced analysis techniques because of the risk of HNPCC.

PMID- 28643761
TI  - The effects of gene therapy with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
      in the regression of tumor masses in fibrosarcoma mouse model.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Cytokine gene therapy is one of the cancer treatment strategies.
      Recently, granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as an
      important cytokine in activating dendritic cells and boosting the anti-tumor
      immune responses, has been utilized as an immunotherapeutic agent in cancer gene
      therapy. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the GM-CSF gene
      therapy effects in regression of tumor masses in fibrosarcoma mouse model.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of GM-CSF, WEHI
      164 tumor cells were transfected with murine GM-CSF plasmid. For cytokine
      production by transfected cells, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test was used.
      Fibrosarcoma mouse model established with transfected cells which were injected
      subcutaneously into Balb/c mice. Tumor sizes were measured by caliper. Mice were
      sacrificed and the tumors were extracted. The expression of GM-CSF was studied by
      real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunoblotting. The expression of
      Ki-67 (a tumor proliferative marker) in tumor masses was studied by
      immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: The group treated with GM-CSF indicated a
      decrease in tumor mass volume (P = 0.001). The results of western blotting and
      real-time PCR showed that GM-CSF expression increased in the group treated with
      GM-CSF (with a relative expression of 1.36). Immunohistochemical staining showed
      that Ki-67 expression has reduced in the group treated with GM-CSF. CONCLUSION:
      Monotherapy with GM-CSF has therapeutic effects on the regression of tumor masses
      in the fibrosarcoma mouse model.

PMID- 28643762
TI  - Serum butyrylcholinesterase and zinc in breast cancer.
AB  - CONTEXT: Even though, a large number of serological, molecular markers have been
      proposed for breast cancer screening, most of them lack specificity, sensitivity,
      prognostic value, and cost effectiveness. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and its
      genes are aberrantly expressed in a variety of human cancers. It has-been linked
      to tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, and cell differentiation. Zinc (Zn) is a
      cofactor for superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that protects cellular components
      against free radical-induced damage and carcinogenesis. Therefore, the aim of
      present study was to estimate and compare serum BChE and serum Zn levels in
      healthy controls and biopsy proven breast cancer patients before definitive
      therapy. AIMS: To estimate and compare serum BChE and serum Zn levels in healthy
      controls and biopsy proven breast cancer patients before definitive therapy.
      SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Serum BChE and Zn were estimated in 46 newly diagnosed
      (preoperative) female patients with breast cancer and 50 healthy female
      volunteers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Serum BChE and Zn were estimated by
      spectrophotometric method. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data was expressed as
      median and inter quartile range. Comparisons between different stages of cancer
      were done using Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in
      serum BChE and Zn in breast cancer patients compared to controls (P < 0.001).
      Serum BChE showed a significant increase and Zn was significantly decreased in
      different stages of breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Both BChE and Zn are inexpensive
      and can easily be analyzed and may play a role in the management of breast
      cancer.

PMID- 28643763
TI  - Bowen's disease: Two case reports of a giant and dwarf lesions.
AB  - Bowen's disease is a form of intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). It
      usually presents as a well-demarcated, slow growing erythematous patch, or plaque
      with a scaly or crusted surface. The size of the tumor varies from a few
      millimeters to several centimeters. The risk of progression into an invasive
      carcinoma is 3-5% in extragenital lesions and about 10% in genital lesions. We
      present two cases of Bowen's disease where the pattern, size, and perception of
      the disease between the patients varied. The two cases demonstrated two varying
      spectrum of the disease, one being a giant lesion and other a dwarf. One patient
      was more concerned about the lesion, whereas the other patient neglected the
      lesions, though widespread. High index of suspicion is required to diagnose such
      atypical presentations of Bowen's disease. As Bowen's disease has tendency to
      progress to SCC, it should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

PMID- 28643764
TI  - Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma: A rare case report with emphasis on
      differential diagnosis.
AB  - Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC) is a rare odontogenic malignancy with a
      female predilection, typically presenting as swelling in anterior region of
      mandible. CCOC was classified as a malignant neoplasm of odontogenic origin by
      the WHO in 2005 as it exhibits an aggressive growth pattern, local recurrence,
      and tendency of distant metastasis. Histologically, CCOC is characterized by
      sheets and islands of vacuolated/clear cells. Since clear cells are present in
      few odontogenic tumors, salivary gland neoplasms, and metastatic tumors to the
      jaws; presence of clear cells in a lesion of head and neck area poses a
      diagnostic challenge. Knowledge about the clinical course, histopathologic
      pattern, and immunoprofile of CCOC aids in differentiating it from other clear
      cell tumors. Herein, we present a case of CCOC in anterior mandibular region of
      60-year-old female patient with an emphasis on its differential diagnosis from
      other clear cell lesions of the jaws.

PMID- 28643765
TI  - Intrapancreatic mass: A rare cause.
AB  - We found a case of pancreatic extraintestinal gastrointestinal stroma tumor
      (pEGIST) in 2014. The patient, initially suspected to suffer from pancreatic
      adenocarcinoma, underwent open left hemipancreatectomy and en bloc splenectomy in
      May 2014. Postoperative histopathology showed the unexpected manifestation of a
      pEGIST. Recovery was well, and a 23-month follow-up was free from recurrency by
      now.

PMID- 28643766
TI  - Complexity of chromosomal rearrangements in Down syndrome leukemia.
AB  - Reports on imbalanced HSA21 gene expression and chromosomal rearrangements on
      leukemogenesis, drug sensitivity, and treatment outcome of leukemia in Down
      syndrome (DS) are limited. DS has been recognized as one of the most common
      leukemia-predisposing syndromes with unique clinical features, significant
      differences in treatment outcome and treatment-related toxicity profiles. Acute
      myeloid leukemia (AML), especially acute megakaryocytic leukemia, is reported
      with high cure rates presenting 80%-100% event-free survivals (EFSs); however,
      acute lymphoid leukemia indicates a worse prognosis in DS patients compared to
      non-DS children. Complex rearrangements are responsible for poor-to-very poor
      prognosis in all cases, irrespective of genetic predisposition or type of
      hematopoietic subunits affected. We report a 2-year-old female DS diagnosed with
      acute erythroleukemia (French-American-British: AML-M6) with highly complex
      chromosomal rearrangements in the bone marrow with 39 chromosomes. Parental
      consanguinity and genetic predisposition might be responsible for origin of
      multiple clones. Genetic instability and heterogeneity of complex clonal
      developments might cause poor prognosis. The case is a rare one with acute
      erythroleukemia in DS patient where too many rearrangements had masked
      identification of three 21s.

PMID- 28643767
TI  - Significant plasmacytosis in an early induction marrow of acute myeloid leukemia:
      Diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

PMID- 28643768
TI  - Adult rhabdomyosarcoma: Multimodality management and results.

PMID- 28643769
TI  - Oral cryotherapy for preventing chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: An effective
      but yet neglected strategy.

PMID- 28643770
TI  - Role of Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Monitoring in Evaluating Prognosis of Triple
      Negative Breast Cancer Patients in China.
AB  - BACKGROUND Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in females. This
      study investigated the role and utility of CTC monitoring in evaluating the
      prognosis of triple-negative breast cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS We
      enrolled 286 female triple-negative breast cancer patients who were diagnosed at
      and received radical resection surgery in our hospital. Peripheral venous blood
      samples were collected preoperatively and at 3 and 7 days postoperative, and the
      Cell Search system was used to detect CTC in peripheral blood. We analyzed the
      relationship between preoperative CTC level and clinical pathological
      characteristics of patients. Kaplan-Meier method was used to establish
      progression-free survival curves and overall survival curves, we used the log
      rank test to compare the survival rate, and we explored the effects of
      preoperative and postoperative CTC levels on patient survival. RESULTS Compared
      with preoperative levels, the average CTC content in peripheral blood of breast
      cancer patients was significantly increased at 3 days after surgery, and then
      decreased to the preoperative baseline level by 7 days after surgery. The 3-year
      overall survival rate and progression-free survival rate in patients with CTC
      >5/7.5 mL peripheral blood were significantly lower than in patients with CTC
      <5/7.5 mL peripheral blood detected preoperatively and at 3 and 7 days
      postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS Dynamic monitoring of preoperative and postoperative
      CTC levels can accurately predict recurrence and progression of disease, and is
      important in postoperative monitoring and prognosis evaluation.

PMID- 28643771
TI  - Dynamics of valence-shell electrons and nuclei probed by strong-field holography
      and rescattering.
AB  - Strong-field photoelectron holography and laser-induced electron diffraction
      (LIED) are two powerful emerging methods for probing the ultrafast dynamics of
      molecules. However, both of them have remained restricted to static systems and
      to nuclear dynamics induced by strong-field ionization. Here we extend these
      promising methods to image purely electronic valence-shell dynamics in molecules
      using photoelectron holography. In the same experiment, we use LIED and
      photoelectron holography simultaneously, to observe coupled electronic-rotational
      dynamics taking place on similar timescales. These results offer perspectives for
      imaging ultrafast dynamics of molecules on femtosecond to attosecond timescales.

PMID- 28643772
TI  - Cryptic indole hydroxylation by a non-canonical terpenoid cyclase parallels
      bacterial xenobiotic detoxification.
AB  - Terpenoid natural products comprise a wide range of molecular architectures that
      typically result from C-C bond formations catalysed by classical type I/II
      terpene cyclases. However, the molecular diversity of biologically active
      terpenoids is substantially increased by fully unrelated, non-canonical terpenoid
      cyclases. Their evolutionary origin has remained enigmatic. Here we report the in
      vitro reconstitution of an unusual flavin-dependent bacterial indoloterpenoid
      cyclase, XiaF, together with a designated flavoenzyme-reductase (XiaP) that
      mediates a key step in xiamycin biosynthesis. The crystal structure of XiaF with
      bound FADH2 (at 2.4 A resolution) and phylogenetic analyses reveal that XiaF is,
      surprisingly, most closely related to xenobiotic-degrading enzymes.
      Biotransformation assays show that XiaF is a designated indole hydroxylase that
      can be used for the production of indigo and indirubin. We unveil a cryptic
      hydroxylation step that sets the basis for terpenoid cyclization and suggest that
      the cyclase has evolved from xenobiotics detoxification enzymes.

PMID- 28643773
TI  - A Cdc42/RhoA regulatory circuit downstream of glycoprotein Ib guides
      transendothelial platelet biogenesis.
AB  - Blood platelets are produced by large bone marrow (BM) precursor cells,
      megakaryocytes (MKs), which extend cytoplasmic protrusions (proplatelets) into BM
      sinusoids. The molecular cues that control MK polarization towards sinusoids and
      limit transendothelial crossing to proplatelets remain unknown. Here, we show
      that the small GTPases Cdc42 and RhoA act as a regulatory circuit downstream of
      the MK-specific mechanoreceptor GPIb to coordinate polarized transendothelial
      platelet biogenesis. Functional deficiency of either GPIb or Cdc42 impairs
      transendothelial proplatelet formation. In the absence of RhoA, increased Cdc42
      activity and MK hyperpolarization triggers GPIb-dependent transmigration of
      entire MKs into BM sinusoids. These findings position Cdc42 (go-signal) and RhoA
      (stop-signal) at the centre of a molecular checkpoint downstream of GPIb that
      controls transendothelial platelet biogenesis. Our results may open new avenues
      for the treatment of platelet production disorders and help to explain the
      thrombocytopenia in patients with Bernard-Soulier syndrome, a bleeding disorder
      caused by defects in GPIb-IX-V.

PMID- 28643774
TI  - Insufficient antibody validation challenges oestrogen receptor beta research.
AB  - The discovery of oestrogen receptor beta (ERbeta/ESR2) was a landmark discovery.
      Its reported expression and homology with breast cancer pharmacological target
      ERalpha (ESR1) raised hopes for improved endocrine therapies. After 20 years of
      intense research, this has not materialized. We here perform a rigorous
      validation of 13 anti-ERbeta antibodies, using well-characterized controls and a
      panel of validation methods. We conclude that only one antibody, the rarely used
      monoclonal PPZ0506, specifically targets ERbeta in immunohistochemistry. Applying
      this antibody for protein expression profiling in 44 normal and 21 malignant
      human tissues, we detect ERbeta protein in testis, ovary, lymphoid cells,
      granulosa cell tumours, and a subset of malignant melanoma and thyroid cancers.
      We do not find evidence of expression in normal or cancerous human breast. This
      expression pattern aligns well with RNA-seq data, but contradicts a multitude of
      studies. Our study highlights how inadequately validated antibodies can lead an
      exciting field astray.

PMID- 28643775
TI  - Zika virus pathogenesis in rhesus macaques is unaffected by pre-existing immunity
      to dengue virus.
AB  - Zika virus (ZIKV) is a re-emerging virus that has recently spread into dengue
      virus (DENV) endemic regions and cross-reactive antibodies (Abs) could
      potentially affect ZIKV pathogenesis. Using DENV-immune serum, it has been shown
      in vitro that antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of ZIKV infection can occur.
      Here we study the effects of pre-existing DENV immunity on ZIKV infection in
      vivo. We infect two cohorts of rhesus macaques with ZIKV; one cohort has been
      exposed to DENV 2.8 years earlier and a second control cohort is naive to
      flaviviral infection. Our results, while confirming ADE in vitro, suggest that
      pre-existing DENV immunity does not result in more severe ZIKV disease. Rather
      our results show a reduction in the number of days of ZIKV viremia compared to
      naive macaques and that the previous exposure to DENV may result in modulation of
      the immune response without resulting in enhancement of ZIKV pathogenesis.

PMID- 28643776
TI  - Ezrin enhances line tension along transcellular tunnel edges via NMIIa driven
      actomyosin cable formation.
AB  - Transendothelial cell macroaperture (TEM) tunnels control endothelium barrier
      function and are triggered by several toxins from pathogenic bacteria that
      provoke vascular leakage. Cellular dewetting theory predicted that a line tension
      of uncharacterized origin works at TEM boundaries to limit their widening. Here,
      by conducting high-resolution microscopy approaches we unveil the presence of an
      actomyosin cable encircling TEMs. We develop a theoretical cellular dewetting
      framework to interpret TEM physical parameters that are quantitatively determined
      by laser ablation experiments. This establishes the critical role of ezrin and
      non-muscle myosin II (NMII) in the progressive implementation of line tension.
      Mechanistically, fluorescence-recovery-after-photobleaching experiments point for
      the upstream role of ezrin in stabilizing actin filaments at the edges of TEMs,
      thereby favouring their crosslinking by NMIIa. Collectively, our findings ascribe
      to ezrin and NMIIa a critical function of enhancing line tension at the cell
      boundary surrounding the TEMs by promoting the formation of an actomyosin ring.

PMID- 28643777
TI  - In situ targeted MRI detection of Helicobacter pylori with stable magnetic
      graphitic nanocapsules.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori infection is implicated in the aetiology of many diseases.
      Despite numerous studies, a painless, fast and direct method for the in situ
      detection of H. pylori remains a challenge, mainly due to the strong
      acidic/enzymatic environment of the gastric mucosa. Herein, we report the use of
      stable magnetic graphitic nanocapsules (MGNs), for in situ targeted magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) detection of H. pylori. Several layers of graphene as the
      shell effectively protect the magnetic core from corrosion while retaining the
      superior contrast effect for MRI in the gastric environment. Boronic-polyethylene
      glycol molecules were synthesized and modified on the MGN surface for targeted
      MRI detection. In a mouse model of H. pylori-induced infection, H. pylori was
      specifically detected through both T2-weighted MR imaging and Raman gastric
      mucosa imaging using functionalized MGNs. These results indicated that
      enhancement of MRI using MGNs may be a promising diagnostic and bioimaging
      platform for very harsh conditions.

PMID- 28643778
TI  - A decoherence-free subspace in a charge quadrupole qubit.
AB  - Quantum computing promises significant speed-up for certain types of
      computational problems. However, robust implementations of semiconducting qubits
      must overcome the effects of charge noise that currently limit coherence during
      gate operations. Here we describe a scheme for protecting solid-state qubits from
      uniform electric field fluctuations by generalizing the concept of a decoherence
      free subspace for spins, and we propose a specific physical implementation: a
      quadrupole charge qubit formed in a triple quantum dot. The unique design of the
      quadrupole qubit enables a particularly simple pulse sequence for suppressing the
      effects of noise during gate operations. Simulations yield gate fidelities 10
      1,000 times better than traditional charge qubits, depending on the magnitude of
      the environmental noise. Our results suggest that any qubit scheme employing
      Coulomb interactions (for example, encoded spin qubits or two-qubit gates) could
      benefit from such a quadrupolar design.

PMID- 28643780
TI  - Voltage controlled interfacial magnetism through platinum orbits.
AB  - Electric fields at interfaces exhibit useful phenomena, such as switching
      functions in transistors, through electron accumulations and/or electric dipole
      inductions. We find one potentially unique situation in a metal-dielectric
      interface in which the electric field is atomically inhomogeneous because of the
      strong electrostatic screening effect in metals. Such electric fields enable us
      to access electric quadrupoles of the electron shell. Here we show, by
      synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, electric field induction of magnetic
      dipole moments in a platinum monatomic layer placed on ferromagnetic iron. Our
      theoretical analysis indicates that electric quadrupole induction produces
      magnetic dipole moments and provides a large magnetic anisotropy change. In
      contrast with the inability of current designs to offer ultrahigh-density memory
      devices using electric-field-induced spin control, our findings enable a material
      design showing more than ten times larger anisotropy energy change for such a use
      and highlight a path in electric-field control of condensed matter.

PMID- 28643782
TI  - Group additivity-Pourbaix diagrams advocate thermodynamically stable nanoscale
      clusters in aqueous environments.
AB  - The characterization of water-based corrosion, geochemical, environmental and
      catalytic processes rely on the accurate depiction of stable phases in a water
      environment. The process is aided by Pourbaix diagrams, which map the equilibrium
      solid and solution phases under varying conditions of pH and electrochemical
      potential. Recently, metastable or possibly stable nanometric aqueous clusters
      have been proposed as intermediate species in non-classical nucleation processes.
      Herein, we describe a Group Additivity approach to obtain Pourbaix diagrams with
      full consideration of multimeric cluster speciation from computations.
      Comparisons with existing titration results from experiments yield excellent
      agreement. Applying this Group Additivity-Pourbaix approach to Group 13 elements,
      we arrive at a quantitative evaluation of cluster stability, as a function of pH
      and concentration, and present compelling support for not only metastable but
      also thermodynamically stable multimeric clusters in aqueous solutions.

PMID- 28643779
TI  - Drugging the 'undruggable' cancer targets.
AB  - The term 'undruggable' was coined to describe proteins that could not be targeted
      pharmacologically. However, progress is being made to 'drug' many of these
      targets, and therefore more appropriate terms might be 'difficult to drug' or
      'yet to be drugged'. Many desirable targets in cancer fall into this category,
      including the RAS and MYC oncogenes, and pharmacologically targeting these
      intractable proteins is now a key challenge in cancer research that requires
      innovation and the development of new technologies. In this Viewpoint article, we
      asked four scientists working in this field for their opinions on the most
      crucial advances, as well as the challenges and what the future holds for this
      important area of research.

PMID- 28643781
TI  - Recurrent mutation of IGF signalling genes and distinct patterns of genomic
      rearrangement in osteosarcoma.
AB  - Osteosarcoma is a primary malignancy of bone that affects children and adults.
      Here, we present the largest sequencing study of osteosarcoma to date, comprising
      112 childhood and adult tumours encompassing all major histological subtypes. A
      key finding of our study is the identification of mutations in insulin-like
      growth factor (IGF) signalling genes in 8/112 (7%) of cases. We validate this
      observation using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in an additional 87
      osteosarcomas, with IGF1 receptor (IGF1R) amplification observed in 14% of
      tumours. These findings may inform patient selection in future trials of IGF1R
      inhibitors in osteosarcoma. Analysing patterns of mutation, we identify distinct
      rearrangement profiles including a process characterized by chromothripsis and
      amplification. This process operates recurrently at discrete genomic regions and
      generates driver mutations. It may represent an age-independent mutational
      mechanism that contributes to the development of osteosarcoma in children and
      adults alike.

PMID- 28643783
TI  - Cdt1 stabilizes an open MCM ring for helicase loading.
AB  - ORC, Cdc6 and Cdt1 act together to load hexameric MCM, the motor of the
      eukaryotic replicative helicase, into double hexamers at replication origins.
      Here we show that Cdt1 interacts with MCM subunits Mcm2, 4 and 6, which both
      destabilizes the Mcm2-5 interface and inhibits MCM ATPase activity. Using X-ray
      crystallography, we show that Cdt1 contains two winged-helix domains in the C
      terminal half of the protein and a catalytically inactive dioxygenase-related N
      terminal domain, which is important for MCM loading, but not for subsequent
      replication. We used these structures together with single-particle electron
      microscopy to generate three-dimensional models of MCM complexes. These show that
      Cdt1 stabilizes MCM in a left-handed spiral open at the Mcm2-5 gate. We propose
      that Cdt1 acts as a brace, holding MCM open for DNA entry and bound to ATP until
      ORC-Cdc6 triggers ATP hydrolysis by MCM, promoting both Cdt1 ejection and MCM
      ring closure.

PMID- 28643784
TI  - Water scarcity hotspots travel downstream due to human interventions in the 20th
      and 21st century.
AB  - Water scarcity is rapidly increasing in many regions. In a novel, multi-model
      assessment, we examine how human interventions (HI: land use and land cover
      change, man-made reservoirs and human water use) affected monthly river water
      availability and water scarcity over the period 1971-2010. Here we show that HI
      drastically change the critical dimensions of water scarcity, aggravating water
      scarcity for 8.8% (7.4-16.5%) of the global population but alleviating it for
      another 8.3% (6.4-15.8%). Positive impacts of HI mostly occur upstream, whereas
      HI aggravate water scarcity downstream; HI cause water scarcity to travel
      downstream. Attribution of water scarcity changes to HI components is complex and
      varies among the hydrological models. Seasonal variation in impacts and dominant
      HI components is also substantial. A thorough consideration of the spatially and
      temporally varying interactions among HI components and of uncertainties is
      therefore crucial for the success of water scarcity adaptation by HI.

PMID- 28643786
TI  - A unified model of Hymenopteran preadaptations that trigger the evolutionary
      transition to eusociality.
AB  - Explaining the origin of eusociality, with strict division of labour between
      workers and reproductives, remains one of evolutionary biology's greatest
      challenges. Specific combinations of genetic, behavioural and demographic traits
      in Hymenoptera are thought to explain their relatively high frequency of
      eusociality, but quantitative models integrating such preadaptations are lacking.
      Here we use mathematical models to show that the joint evolution of helping
      behaviour and maternal sex ratio adjustment can synergistically trigger both a
      behavioural change from solitary to eusocial breeding, and a demographic change
      from a life cycle with two reproductive broods to a life cycle in which an
      unmated cohort of female workers precedes a final generation of dispersing
      reproductives. Specific suits of preadaptations are particularly favourable to
      the evolution of eusociality: lifetime monogamy, bivoltinism with male generation
      overlap, hibernation of mated females and haplodiploidy with maternal sex ratio
      adjustment. The joint effects of these preadaptations may explain the abundance
      of eusociality in the Hymenoptera and its virtual absence in other haplodiploid
      lineages.

PMID- 28643785
TI  - DNMT3A mutant transcript levels persist in remission and do not predict outcome
      in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
AB  - We investigated the prognostic impact of minimal residual disease (MRD)
      monitoring in acute myeloid leukemia patients harboring DNA methyltransferase 3A
      R882H/-R882C mutations (DNMT3Amut). MRD was determined by real-time quantitative
      PCR (RQ-PCR) in 1494 samples of 181 DNMT3Amut patients. At the time of diagnosis,
      DNMT3Amut transcript levels did not correlate with presenting clinical
      characteristics and concurrent gene mutations as well as the survival end points.
      In Cox regression analyses, bone marrow (BM) DNMT3Amut transcript levels (log10
      transformed continuous variable) were not associated with the rate of relapse or
      death. DNMT3Amut transcript levels were significantly higher in BM than in blood
      after induction I (P=0.01), induction II (P=0.05), consolidation I (P=0.004) and
      consolidation II (P=0.008). With regard to the clinically relevant MRD time
      points, after two cycles of induction and at the end of therapy, DNMT3Amut
      transcript levels had no impact on the end point remission duration and overall
      survival. Of note, only a minority of the patients achieved RQ-PCR negativity,
      whereas most had constantly high DNMT3Amut transcript levels, a finding which is
      consistent with the persistence of clonal hematopoiesis in hematological
      remission.

PMID- 28643787
TI  - Single-virus genomics reveals hidden cosmopolitan and abundant viruses.
AB  - Microbes drive ecosystems under constraints imposed by viruses. However, a lack
      of virus genome information hinders our ability to answer fundamental, biological
      questions concerning microbial communities. Here we apply single-virus genomics
      (SVGs) to assess whether portions of marine viral communities are missed by
      current techniques. The majority of the here-identified 44 viral single-amplified
      genomes (vSAGs) are more abundant in global ocean virome data sets than published
      metagenome-assembled viral genomes or isolates. This indicates that vSAGs likely
      best represent the dsDNA viral populations dominating the oceans. Species
      specific recruitment patterns and virome simulation data suggest that vSAGs are
      highly microdiverse and that microdiversity hinders the metagenomic assembly,
      which could explain why their genomes have not been identified before.
      Altogether, SVGs enable the discovery of some of the likely most abundant and
      ecologically relevant marine viral species, such as vSAG 37-F6, which were
      overlooked by other methodologies.

PMID- 28643788
TI  - Terahertz saturable absorbers from liquid phase exfoliation of graphite.
AB  - Saturable absorbers (SA) operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies can open new
      frontiers in the development of passively mode-locked THz micro-sources. Here we
      report the fabrication of THz SAs by transfer coating and inkjet printing single
      and few-layer graphene films prepared by liquid phase exfoliation of graphite.
      Open-aperture z-scan measurements with a 3.5 THz quantum cascade laser show a
      transparency modulation ~80%, almost one order of magnitude larger than that
      reported to date at THz frequencies. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy
      provides evidence of intraband-controlled absorption bleaching. These results
      pave the way to the integration of graphene-based SA with electrically pumped THz
      semiconductor micro-sources, with prospects for applications where excitation of
      specific transitions on short time scales is essential, such as time-of-flight
      tomography, coherent manipulation of quantum systems, time-resolved spectroscopy
      of gases, complex molecules and cold samples and ultra-high speed communications,
      providing unprecedented compactness and resolution.

PMID- 28643789
TI  - Tidal dynamics and mangrove carbon sequestration during the Oligo-Miocene in the
      South China Sea.
AB  - Modern mangroves are among the most carbon-rich biomes on Earth, but their long
      term (>=106 years) impact on the global carbon cycle is unknown. The extent,
      productivity and preservation of mangroves are controlled by the interplay of
      tectonics, global sea level and sedimentation, including tide, wave and fluvial
      processes. The impact of these processes on mangrove-bearing successions in the
      Oligo-Miocene of the South China Sea (SCS) is evaluated herein. Palaeogeographic
      reconstructions, palaeotidal modelling and facies analysis suggest that elevated
      tidal range and bed shear stress optimized mangrove development along tide
      influenced tropical coastlines. Preservation of mangrove organic carbon (OC) was
      promoted by high tectonic subsidence and fluvial sediment supply. Lithospheric
      storage of OC in peripheral SCS basins potentially exceeded 4,000 Gt (equivalent
      to 2,000 p.p.m. of atmospheric CO2). These results highlight the crucial impact
      of tectonic and oceanographic processes on mangrove OC sequestration within the
      global carbon cycle on geological timescales.

PMID- 28643790
TI  - Corrigendum: Muscle-specific CRISPR/Cas9 dystrophin gene editing ameliorates
      pathophysiology in a mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14454.

PMID- 28643791
TI  - EWSR1 fusion proteins mediate PAX7 expression in Ewing sarcoma.
AB  - PAX7 is a paired-box transcription factor that is required for the developmental
      specification of adult skeletal muscle progenitors in mice. We previously
      demonstrated PAX7 expression as a marker of skeletal muscle differentiation in
      rhabdomyosarcoma. Here, using analyses of published whole-genome gene expression
      microarray data, we identify PAX7 as a gene with significantly increased
      expression in Ewing sarcoma in comparison to CIC-DUX4 round cell sarcoma.
      Analysis of PAX7 in a large cohort of 103 Ewing sarcoma cases by
      immunohistochemistry revealed expression in 99.0% of cases (102/103). PAX7
      expression was noted in cases demonstrating three distinct Ewing sarcoma EWSR1
      translocations involving FLI1, ERG, and NFATc2. No PAX7 expression was observed
      in any of 27 cases of CIC-DUX4 sarcoma by immunohistochemistry (0%; 0/27).
      Exploring the mechanism of PAX7 expression in Ewing sarcoma using curated RNA-
      and ChIP-sequencing data, we demonstrate that the EWSR1 fusion protein is
      required for PAX7 expression in Ewing sarcoma and identify a candidate EWSR1-FLI1
      bound PAX7 enhancer that coincides with both a consensus GGAA repeat-containing
      binding site and a peak of regulatory H3K27 acetylation. Taken together, our
      findings provide mechanistic support for the utility of PAX7 immunohistochemistry
      in the diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma, while linking this sarcoma of uncertain
      histogenesis to a key transcriptional regulator of mammalian muscle progenitor
      cells.

PMID- 28643792
TI  - SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcoma: a distinctive clinicopathological entity with
      undifferentiated rhabdoid morphology and aggressive behavior.
AB  - A distinct subset of thoracic sarcomas with undifferentiated rhabdoid morphology
      and SMARCA4 inactivation has recently been described, and potential targeted
      therapy for SMARC-deficient tumors is emerging. We sought to validate the
      clinicopathological features of SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcomas.
      Clinicopathological information was gathered for 40 undifferentiated thoracic
      tumors with rhabdoid morphology (mediastinum (n=18), lung (n=14), pleura (n=8)).
      Thymic carcinomas (n=11) were used as a comparison group. Immunohistochemistry
      included BRG1 (SMARCA4), BRM (SMARCA2), INI-1 (SMARCB1), pan-cytokeratin, desmin,
      NUT, S-100 protein, TTF1, CD34, and SOX2. BRG1 loss was present in 12 of 40
      rhabdoid thoracic tumors (30%): 7 of 18 in mediastinum (39%), 2 of 8 in pleura
      (25%), and 3 of 14 in lung (21%). All BRG1-deficient tumors tested for BRM (n=8)
      showed concomitant loss. All thymic carcinomas showed retained BRG1 and INI-1.
      Morphologically, tumors with BRG1 loss showed sheets of monotonous ovoid cells
      with indistinct cell borders, abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and prominent
      nucleoli. Scattered areas with rhabdoid morphology (ie, eccentric nuclei, dense
      eosinophilic cytoplasm, discohesion) were present in all the cases. SMARCA4/BRG1
      deficient sarcomas showed rare cells positive for cytokeratin in 10 cases (83%).
      One showed rare TTF1-positive cells. All were negative for desmin, NUT, and S-100
      protein. CD34 was positive in three of five (60%) BRG1-deficient tumors tested.
      SOX2 was positive in all four BRG1-deficient tumors tested, and negative in all
      seven tested cases with retained BRG1. SMARCA4/BRG1-deficient sarcomas occurred
      at median age of 59 years (range 44-76) with male predominance (9:3) and had
      worse 2-year survival compared with BRG1-retained tumors (12.5% vs 64.4%,
      P=0.02). SMARCA4-deficient thoracic sarcomas can be identified based on their
      distinctive high-grade rhabdoid morphology, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by
      immunohistochemistry. Identification of these tumors is clinically relevant due
      to their aggressive behavior, poor prognosis, and potential targeted therapy.

PMID- 28643793
TI  - Genomic rearrangements in sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis: an evolving genetic
      story.
AB  - Sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis is a progressive pulmonary cystic disease
      resulting from the infiltration of smooth muscle-like lymphangioleiomyomatosis
      cells into the lung. The migratory/metastasizing properties of the
      lymphangioleiomyomatosis cell together with the presence of somatic mutations,
      primarily in the tuberous sclerosis complex gene (TSC2), lead many to consider
      this a low-grade malignancy. As malignant tumors characteristically accumulate
      somatic structural variations, which have not been well studied in sporadic
      lymphangioleiomyomatosis, we utilized mate pair sequencing to define structural
      variations within laser capture microdissected enriched lymphangioleiomyomatosis
      cell populations from five sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis patients.
      Lymphangioleiomyomatosis cells were confirmed in each tissue by hematoxylin eosin
      stain review and by HMB-45 immunohistochemistry in four cases. A mutation panel
      demonstrated characteristic TSC2 driver mutations in three cases. Genomic
      profiles demonstrated normal diploid coverage across all chromosomes, with no
      aneuploidy or detectable gains/losses of whole chromosomal arms typical of
      neoplastic diseases. However, somatic rearrangements and smaller deletions were
      validated in the two cases which lacked TSC2 driver mutations. Most
      significantly, one of these sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis cases contained two
      different size deletions encompassing the entire TSC1 locus. The detection of a
      homozygous deletion of TSC1 driving a predicted case of sporadic
      lymphangioleiomyomatosis, consistent with the common two-hit TSC2 mutation model,
      has never been reported for sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis. However, while no
      evidence of the hereditary tuberous sclerosis complex disease was reported for
      this patient, the potential for mosaicism and sub-clinical phenotype cannot be
      ruled out. Nevertheless, this study demonstrates that somatic structural
      rearrangements are present in lymphangioleiomyomatosis disease and provides a
      novel method of genomic characterization of sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis
      cells, aiding in defining cases with no detected mutations by conventional
      methodologies. These structural rearrangements could represent additional
      pathogenic mechanisms in sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis disease, potentially
      affecting response to therapy and adding to the complex genetic story of this
      rare disease.

PMID- 28643794
TI  - Enrichment of low-frequency functional variants revealed by whole-genome
      sequencing of multiple isolated European populations.
AB  - The genetic features of isolated populations can boost power in complex-trait
      association studies, and an in-depth understanding of how their genetic variation
      has been shaped by their demographic history can help leverage these advantageous
      characteristics. Here, we perform a comprehensive investigation using 3,059 newly
      generated low-depth whole-genome sequences from eight European isolates and two
      matched general populations, together with published data from the 1000 Genomes
      Project and UK10K. Sequencing data give deeper and richer insights into
      population demography and genetic characteristics than genotype-chip data,
      distinguishing related populations more effectively and allowing their functional
      variants to be studied more fully. We demonstrate relaxation of purifying
      selection in the isolates, leading to enrichment of rare and low-frequency
      functional variants, using novel statistics, DVxy and SVxy. We also develop an
      isolation-index (Isx) that predicts the overall level of such key genetic
      characteristics and can thus help guide population choice in future complex-trait
      association studies.

PMID- 28643796
TI  - Benchmarking cataract surgery outcomes in an ethnically diverse and diabetic
      population: final post-operative visual acuity and rates of post-operative
      cystoid macular oedema.
AB  - PurposeTo determine visual acuity and rates of post-operative cystoid macular
      oedema (CMO) in an ethnically diverse and predominantly diabetic
      population.MethodsThe study was undertaken over a one year period. Snellen visual
      acuity (VA) was measured pre and 4-8 weeks post-operatively and optical coherence
      topography (OCT) was performed at baseline and post-operatively. No eyes received
      prophylactic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prior to or after
      surgery.ResultsOut of 262 eyes, 59% were in the Black, Asian and minority ethnic
      group (BAME), 57% had a history of diabetes mellitus and 34% had pre-existing
      diabetic retinopathy. 76% of all eyes achieved 6/12 post-operative VA at the
      first postoperative review and the incidence of post-operative CMO within the
      study population was 7.6%. In patients with a history of diabetes mellitus the
      incidence of post-operative CMO was 10.7% compared to 3.5% in those without
      diabetes. This was found to be clinically significant (P=0.0297).ConclusionWe
      believe this is the first study to benchmark standards for care in this
      demographic of patients. A history of diabetes mellitus, irrespective of whether
      there is diabetic retinopathy or not, is an independent risk factor for the
      development of post-operative CMO in patients undergoing cataract surgery
      (P=0.0297). Ethnicity is not an independent risk factor for the development of
      post-operative CMO.

PMID- 28643795
TI  - The genomic landscape of tuberous sclerosis complex.
AB  - Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disease causing multisystem
      growth of benign tumours and other hamartomatous lesions, which leads to diverse
      and debilitating clinical symptoms. Patients are born with TSC1 or TSC2
      mutations, and somatic inactivation of wild-type alleles drives MTOR activation;
      however, second hits to TSC1/TSC2 are not always observed. Here, we present the
      genomic landscape of TSC hamartomas. We determine that TSC lesions contain a low
      somatic mutational burden relative to carcinomas, a subset feature large-scale
      chromosomal aberrations, and highly conserved molecular signatures for each type
      exist. Analysis of the molecular signatures coupled with computational approaches
      reveals unique aspects of cellular heterogeneity and cell origin. Using immune
      data sets, we identify significant neuroinflammation in TSC-associated brain
      tumours. Taken together, this molecular catalogue of TSC serves as a resource
      into the origin of these hamartomas and provides a framework that unifies genomic
      and transcriptomic dimensions for complex tumours.

PMID- 28643797
TI  - Deep sclerectomy for uveitic glaucoma: long-term outcomes.
AB  - PurposeTo report long-term outcomes of deep sclerectomy (DS) in eyes with raised
      intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucoma secondary to uveitis.Patients and
      methodsRetrospective consecutive case series of 43 eyes of 43 patients with
      uveitic glaucoma. Mitomycin C (MMC) 0.2-0.4 mg/ml was applied sub-conjunctivally
      prior to scleral flap dissection for 2-3 min in 35 eyes (81%). Combined
      phacoemulsification and DS was done in 4 cases (9%).ResultsMean follow-up was
      68.5+/-33.5 months. In total, 23 eyes (53.5%) had previous intraocular surgery.
      Pre-operative IOP was 33.6+/-12.0 mm Hg. Mean IOP at one, three and five years
      after surgery was 15.5+/-5.0 mm Hg, 16.9+/-6.7 mm Hg and 16.4+/-5.2 mm Hg,
      respectively.The probability of IOP <22 and <19 mm Hg was 69 and 62% at 3 years
      and 60 and 51% at 5 years, respectively. This included eyes that had undergone
      needle revision and/or laser goniopuncture within that period but had not needed
      glaucoma medication or further glaucoma procedures. The overall number of
      glaucoma medications decreased from 3.0+/-1.2 to 0.8+/-1.2 by last follow-up
      (P<0.001). Serious complications included hypotony with macular folds in two eyes
      and occlusion of the trabeculo-Descemet's membrane (TDM) by iris in two eyes.
      Recurrence of uveitis was observed in 16 eyes. Seven eyes (16.3%) had subsequent
      procedures including trabeculectomy with MMC in one eye, DS with MMC in two eyes
      and Baerveldt tube implantation in five eyes.ConclusionsDS is a safe and
      effective procedure to lower IOP in uveitic glaucoma. However, as with other
      glaucoma procedures, a significant proportion of patients will require another
      IOP-lowering procedure in the long-term.

PMID- 28643798
TI  - Topical administration of Esculetin as a potential therapy for experimental dry
      eye syndrome.
AB  - PurposeIn this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of topical
      Esculetin for dry eye rabbits through the ocular tests, inflammatory factor
      levels and specific phosphorylated protein expressions of ERK1/2 singnal
      pathway.Patients and methodsThirty-two healthy adult male New Zealand white
      rabbits were chosen for the study. DES models were established after removing of
      the main lacrimal gland, Harderian gland and nictitating membrane in the left
      eyes and randomly divided into group DES control, group CsA, group Esculetin and
      group Esculetin combined with CsA (C&E), meanwhile the right eyes served as group
      Normal control. Schirmer's I tests, fluorescein scores, goblet cell densities,
      inflammatory cytokines IL-1alpha,IL-1beta,TNF-alphalevels were observed by slit
      lamp microscope, conjunctival impression cytology and ELISA essay at week 0, 1,
      2, 4, 8. Phosphorylated-ERK1/2 expressions were detected in Western blot analysis
      at week 8.ResultsAfter induction of DES, aqueous tear production and goblet cell
      density were decreased, FL score was much higher in group DES control throughout
      the study (P<0.05). Both topical Esculetin and Esculetin combing CsA increased
      the SIT values (10+/-1 mm, 14+/-3 mm, P<0.05) and goblet cell densities (77+/
      12/HP, 92+/-12/HP, P<0.05), decreased FL scores (7.48+/-0.33, 5.09+/-0.24,
      P<0.05) at week 8. Alternations of IL-1alpha,IL-1beta,TNF-alphalevels had similar
      trend. In Western blot analysis, downregulations of p-ERK1/2 were observed in
      therapy groups when compared with group DES control and the most decreasing was
      found in group C&E (P<0.05).ConclusionTopical Esculetin improved DES symptoms,
      downregulated the inflammatory cytokine expressions, suppressed the ERK1/2
      pathway and enhanced the therapeutic effect of CsA.

PMID- 28643800
TI  - Striatal Dopamine D2/D3 Receptor Availability Varies Across Smoking Status.
AB  - To assess how tobacco smoking status affects baseline dopamine D2/D3 (D2R)
      receptor availability and methylphenidate-induced dopamine (DA) release, we
      retrospectively analyzed D2R availability measures of 8 current smokers, 10 ex
      smokers, and 18 nonsmokers who were scanned with positron emission tomography and
      [11C]raclopride, after administration of an injection of placebo or 0.5 mg/kg
      i.v. methylphenidate. There was a significant effect of smoking status on
      baseline striatal D2R availability; with current smokers showing lower striatal
      D2R availability compared with nonsmokers (caudate, putamen, and ventral
      striatum) and with ex-smokers (caudate and putamen). Baseline striatal D2R did
      not differ between nonsmokers and ex-smokers. The effect of smoking status on
      methylphenidate-induced DA release tended to be lower in smokers but the
      difference was not significant (p=0.08). For behavioral measures, current smokers
      showed significantly higher aggression scores compared with both nonsmokers and
      ex-smokers. These results suggest that with abstinence ex-smokers may recover
      from low striatal D2R availability and from increased behavioral aggression seen
      in active smokers. However, longitudinal studies are needed to assess this within
      abstaining smokers.

PMID- 28643801
TI  - January 2016 extensive summer melt in West Antarctica favoured by strong El Nino.
AB  - Over the past two decades the primary driver of mass loss from the West Antarctic
      Ice Sheet (WAIS) has been warm ocean water underneath coastal ice shelves, not a
      warmer atmosphere. Yet, surface melt occurs sporadically over low-lying areas of
      the WAIS and is not fully understood. Here we report on an episode of extensive
      and prolonged surface melting observed in the Ross Sea sector of the WAIS in
      January 2016. A comprehensive cloud and radiation experiment at the WAIS ice
      divide, downwind of the melt region, provided detailed insight into the physical
      processes at play during the event. The unusual extent and duration of the
      melting are linked to strong and sustained advection of warm marine air toward
      the area, likely favoured by the concurrent strong El Nino event. The increase in
      the number of extreme El Nino events projected for the twenty-first century could
      expose the WAIS to more frequent major melt events.

PMID- 28643799
TI  - Appropriateness of quality standards for meaningful intercentre comparisons of
      aflibercept service provision for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
AB  - PurposeReal-world data give different information on health-care delivery
      compared with randomised controlled trials. We aimed to evaluate the
      appropriateness of possible quality standards for intersite comparisons of
      outcomes of providing Aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular
      degeneration (nAMD) in clinical practice.Patients and methodsRetrospective data
      analysis from an electronic medical record. A consecutive series of treatment
      naive patients initiated on aflibercept for nAMD, in the UK from March 2013 to
      October 2015. Age, visual acuity (VA) at baseline and 1 year, and injection
      episodes were remotely extracted in an anonymised format.ResultsThe mean baseline
      VA was 54.3 letters, ranging from 51.3 to 58.1 between different centres, in 5620
      eyes taken from 12 centres. Out of these, 3360 were initiated on treatment more
      than a year before. The percentage with <35 letters at baseline was 19.9-3% and
      that with >70 letters was 24.8-10.7%. Eyes with >=70 letters at 1 year ranged
      from 20.2 to 42.9% and those with <35 ranged from 4.5 to 21.6% across different
      sites. Injection rates in 1 year varied from 5.5 to 8.6, and data available at 1
      year also varied from 82.3 to 46.4%.ConclusionsSignificant variation was found
      between sites attempting to provide the same therapeutic regime. For fair
      comparisons between sites, we recommend that both VA measures and process
      measures, such as injection numbers, retention rates, and discharge policies, are
      used. More work is required to explain the differences. Such real-world data are
      not generated in the same way as a randomised clinical trial, and maybe best used
      to help improve service provision.

PMID- 28643802
TI  - Optogenetic rewiring of thalamocortical circuits to restore function in the
      stroke injured brain.
AB  - To regain sensorimotor functions after stroke, surviving neural circuits must
      reorganize and form new connections. Although the thalamus is critical for
      processing and relaying sensory information to the cortex, little is known about
      how stroke affects the structure and function of these connections, or whether a
      therapeutic approach targeting these circuits can improve recovery. Here we
      reveal with in vivo calcium imaging that stroke in somatosensory cortex dampens
      the excitability of surviving thalamocortical circuits. Given this deficit, we
      hypothesized that chronic transcranial window optogenetic stimulation of
      thalamocortical axons could facilitate recovery. Using two-photon imaging, we
      show that optogenetic stimulation promotes the formation of new and stable
      thalamocortical synaptic boutons, without impacting axon branch dynamics.
      Stimulation also enhances the recovery of somatosensory cortical circuit function
      and forepaw sensorimotor abilities. These results demonstrate that an optogenetic
      approach can rewire thalamocortical circuits and restore function in the damaged
      brain.

PMID- 28643804
TI  - Diabetes: Why beta cells fail in T2DM.

PMID- 28643805
TI  - Parkinson disease: Plasma alpha-synuclein - a potential marker of cognitive
      impairment in Parkinson disease.

PMID- 28643806
TI  - Dementia: Persistent pain might be a harbinger of cognitive decline in older
      people.

PMID- 28643807
TI  - Infectious disease: Musashi-1 protein could mediate the effects of Zika virus on
      brain development.

PMID- 28643808
TI  - Parkinson disease: Deep brain stimulation - making the right connections.

PMID- 28643803
TI  - VHL deficiency augments anthracycline sensitivity of clear cell renal cell
      carcinomas by down-regulating ALDH2.
AB  - The von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is deficient in ~70% of clear-cell renal cell
      carcinomas (ccRCC), which contributes to the carcinogenesis and drug resistance
      of ccRCC. Here we show that VHL-deficient ccRCC cells present enhanced
      cytotoxicity of anthracyclines in a hypoxia-inducible factor-independent manner.
      By subtractive proteomic analysis coupling with RNAi or overexpression
      verification, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is found to be transcriptionally
      regulated by VHL and contributes to enhanced anthracyclines cytotoxicity in ccRCC
      cells. Furthermore, VHL regulates ALDH2 expression by directly binding the
      promoter of -130 bp to -160 bp to activate the transcription of hepatocyte
      nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF-4alpha). In addition, a positive correlation is found
      among the protein expressions of VHL, HNF-4alpha and ALDH2 in ccRCC samples.
      These findings will deepen our understanding of VHL function and shed light on
      precise treatment for ccRCC patients.

PMID- 28643810
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643811
TI  - [From mild cognitive impairment to dementia: what is the role of public health?]
AB  - Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a nosological entity proposed by Petersen in
      1999 with the objective of identifying an early stage of dementia. The new
      diagnostic criteria for dementia, both those promoted by the International
      Working Group (IWG) and those defined by the National Institute of Aging (NIA),
      subsequently introduced a new model that starts with a preclinical phase, then
      proceeds with a prodromal phase, and ends with a phase of dementia. The condition
      known as subjective cognitive disorder (SCD) is included between the preclinic
      and the prodromal phases. Most clinicians improperly consider MCI and SCD as
      diseases, and not as risk factors for dementia. This ambiguous scenario requires
      the application of a public-health standard. A diagnosis of either SCD or MCI
      comes with several uncertainties, raising issues pertaining to both the research
      setting and clinical practice. A large proportion of subjects with either SCD or
      MCI will never progress to dementia, and part of them may even revert to a normal
      cognitive profile. Thus, communicating of these diagnoses to a subject has
      ethical implications that cannot be underestimated. The frequency of these
      diagnoses in general population is starting to show the characteristics of both
      the phenomena of over-diagnosis, and consequently over-treatment. Moreover, the
      new criteria require the use of biomarkers, that are not yet validated for the
      use in clinical practice. No population studies are currently available performed
      based on the new diagnostic criteria for dementia. This means that future
      estimates will probably be more than twice the current ones, and will include
      also subjects that will not progress to dementia. This undefined framework, thus,
      urges the implementation of public-health programs aimed at both the primary and
      secondary prevention of dementias. Moreover, clinical trials on drugs in MCI
      currently use endpoints based on non-validated biomarkers, thus raising the issue
      of the external validity. A public guideline would thus be crucial to support
      clinicians in identifying all the possible causes that can determine a cognitive
      decline people that are mainly elder, with multiple comorbidities, and taking
      multiple medications. Moreover, the widespread use of neuro-psychological
      assessment tools in current clinical practice requires an accurate validation of
      these instruments.

PMID- 28643812
TI  - [Conscience clause in end-of-life care.]
AB  - The article proposes a critical reflection on issues that appeal to the
      conscience clause as part of end of life care can produce and what can guarantee
      freedom of conscience, self-determination of those involved and respect for the
      dignity of the sick person. After a philosophical and normative analysis, the
      article is organized on the basis of two important documents for discussion: a
      position paper of Societa Italiana di Anestesia Analgesia Rianimazione e Terapia
      Intensiva (SIAARTI) signed by several scientific societies "Grandi insufficienze
      d'organo end stage: cure intensive o cure palliative?" and the Design of Law
      currently being debated "Norme in materia di consenso informato e di disposizioni
      anticipate di trattamento". In particular, the conscience clause has been
      discussed in the light of advance care planning (ACP), which represents the
      instrument to guarantee the shared planning of care and the shared-decision
      making. In this context, recourse to the clause of conscience brings out critical
      ethical and deontological issues that the article discusses, using the position
      paper SIAARTI and the text of law currently being debated, both built on the
      assumptions of a shared care relationship, where patient has a key-role in
      medical decisions.

PMID- 28643813
TI  - [Polymyalgia rheumatica: diagnostic and therapeutic issues of an apparently
      straightforward disease.]
AB  - Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory disease characterized by aching
      and stiffness in the girdles, which affects typically people over 50 years old
      and could overlap with giant cell arteritis (GCA) in about 15-20% of cases.
      Although the diagnosis of PMR is usually considered straightforward, clinicians
      facing this disease should be aware of its atypical manifestations, which can
      hamper the correct identification of PMR and, conversely, should be aware of
      other diseases which may present with polymyalgic features. The aim of this
      review is to synthetize current knowledge about clinical presentations of PMR,
      the differential diagnoses, the relationship with cancer, the clues to the
      presence of a concomitant GCA, the role of ultrasonography at the onset and in
      the follow-up and, finally, treatment approaches. Besides evidence from the
      literature, this review will highlight some "tips&tricks" useful in everyday
      clinical practice. The awareness of the different presentations and pitfalls of
      PMR could improve patients' management and avoid complications consequent upon
      unrecognized diseases or, conversely, overtreatment.

PMID- 28643815
TI  - [Greater saphenous vein thrombosis and testosterone replacement therapy: an
      occasional association?]
AB  - We describe a case of greater saphenous vein thrombosis in a 50-year-old
      previously healthy man, occurred only 3 weeks after starting testosterone (T)
      replacement therapy (20 mg/day, gel) for hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. There
      were no clinical known risk factors for thrombosis. Laboratory assessment of
      thrombophilia, performed later, revealed only methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase
      (MTHFR) A1298C polymorphism. On the basis of other recently reported cases, we
      suppose a relationship between androgenic therapy and venous thrombosis. We
      suggest the same caution before starting T replacement therapy in male as in
      female administration of estrogens.

PMID- 28643814
TI  - [Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome: clinical predictors of late recovery.]
AB  - Patients affected by the outcomes of serious traumatic and/or non-traumatic brain
      injury may show progressive recovery characterized by a broad spectrum of
      clinical conditions, which are often not completely different, but of differing
      seriousness. The unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and minimally conscious
      state (MCS) are syndromes that may characterize progression from the coma state
      and may be temporary clinical conditions, or in some cases, the final outcome of
      acute brain injury. The eventual recovery of consciousness is a dynamic process,
      in constant progress following the acute event. It is undeniable, however, that
      depending on various clinical (including non-neurological) determinants, positive
      progress can be strongly affected. While it remains true that the longer the UWS
      lasts, the less likely the patient is to recover from it, observations of "late
      recovery" are becoming increasingly frequent in the literature. Accordingly, it
      is becoming increasingly important to identify those late clinical, non
      neurological complications, in particular during the intensive rehabilitation
      period, that can potentially affect the outcome. The aim of this study is to
      investigate late recovery from the UWS and MCS in a group of patients admitted to
      a neurorehabilitation program and to identify prognostic factors that may affect
      recovery, including late recovery, from the UWS. A retrospective cohort analysis
      without parallel cohort took place between January 2005 and January 2010, and
      involved 309 patients with severe brain injury outcomes (with initial GCS scores
      <= 8). With regard to patients emerging from the UWS after 36 months, univariate
      analysis revealed male gender, young age, a shorter duration of consciousness
      disorder and the absence of epileptic seizures to be the most important clinical
      characteristics for transition from UWS to MCS. The other variables considered
      were not significant: etiology of the coma, CRS-R score upon admittance to the
      ICU, infection by multidrug-resistant bacteria, and episodes of paroxysmal
      sympathetic hyperactivity.

PMID- 28643816
TI  - [Budd-Chiari syndrome and ulcerative colitis in an adolescent.]
AB  - In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) there is an increased incidence
      of thromboembolic events. We report a case of a female, age 14, with a 6 months
      history of diarrhea with occasional presence of red blood and with a very
      distended abdomen with evident ascites. The diagnosis was Budd-Chiari syndrome
      (BCS) in ulcerative colitis (UC). Therapy with subcutaneous low molecular weight
      heparin, methylprednisolone, mesalazine was started. Clinical and radiological
      features quickly improved. No thrombophilia abnormality nor other risk factor for
      thrombosis were detected. BCS is a rare condition caused by obstruction of the
      supra-hepatic veins and causes liver congestion, portal hypertension, ascites,
      esophageal varices, and in some cases, acute onset of severe liver failure. Only
      six pediatric cases of BCS with concurrent UC are reported. Of these, four had no
      thromboembolic risk factor. IBD should always be carefully evaluated as a
      possible underlying trigger of an acute thrombotic event.

PMID- 28643817
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643818
TI  - Serum microRNAs are altered in various stages of chronic kidney disease: a
      preliminary study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are innovative and informative blood-based
      biomarkers involved in numerous pathophysiological processes. In this study and
      based on our previous experimental data, we investigated miR-126, miR-143, miR
      145, miR-155 and miR-223 as potential circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis
      and prognosis of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The primary
      objective of this study was to assess the levels of miRNA expression at various
      stages of CKD. METHODS: RNA was extracted from serum, and RT-qPCR was performed
      for the five miRNAs and cel-miR-39 (internal control). RESULTS: Serum levels of
      miR-143, -145 and -223 were elevated in patients with CKD compared with healthy
      controls. They were further increased in chronic haemodialysis patients, but were
      below control levels in renal transplant recipients. In contrast, circulating
      levels of miR-126 and miR-155 levels, which were also elevated in CKD patients,
      were lower in the haemodialysis group and even lower in the transplant group.
      Four of the five miRNA species were correlated with estimated glomerular
      filtration rate, and three were correlated with circulating uraemic toxins.
      CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study suggests that specific miRNAs could be
      biomarkers for complications of CKD, justifying further studies to link changes
      of miRNA levels with outcomes in CKD patients.

PMID- 28643820
TI  - Does wealth make health? Cherchez la renal replacement therapy.
AB  - In this issue of CKJ, McQuarrie et al. have explored the relationship between
      socioeconomic status and outcomes among Scottish patients with a renal biopsy
      diagnosis of primary glomerulonephritis. Patients in the lower socioeconomic
      category had a twofold higher risk of death. No significant differences were
      observed on progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring renal
      replacement therapy (RRT), suggesting that overall medical management was
      appropriate for all socioeconomic categories. The findings are significant since
      they come from an ethnically homogeneous population with free access to
      healthcare; they also relate to a specific aetiology of chronic kidney disease
      (CKD) expected to be less dependent on unhealthy lifestyles than other more
      frequent aetiologies that dominate studies of CKD in general, such as diabetic or
      hypertensive nephropathy. A closer look at the data suggests that living in a
      high socioeconomic area is associated with lower mortality, rather than the other
      way round. Furthermore, the differences in mortality were most pronounced during
      the RRT stage of CKD, providing clues for further research. In this regard,
      Wilmink et al. and Nee et al. point to access to pre-ESRD nephrology care and to
      the best kidney transplantation options as modifiable factors to be studied in
      the realm of T3 translational research to improve CKD patient outcomes.

PMID- 28643819
TI  - Non-invasive approaches in the diagnosis of acute rejection in kidney transplant
      recipients, part II: omics analyses of urine and blood samples.
AB  - Kidney transplantation (KTx) represents the best available treatment for patients
      with end-stage renal disease. Still, the full benefits of KTx are undermined by
      acute rejection (AR). The diagnosis of AR ultimately relies on transplant needle
      biopsy. However, such an invasive procedure is associated with a significant risk
      of complications and is limited by sampling error and interobserver variability.
      In the present review, we summarize the current literature about non-invasive
      approaches for the diagnosis of AR in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs),
      including in vivo imaging, gene-expression profiling and omics analyses of blood
      and urine samples. Most imaging techniques, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound
      and magnetic resonance, exploit the fact that blood flow is significantly lowered
      in case of AR-induced inflammation. In addition, AR-associated recruitment of
      activated leucocytes may be detectable by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron
      emission tomography. In parallel, urine biomarkers, including CXCL9/CXCL10 or a
      three-gene signature of CD3epsilon, CXCL10 and 18S RNA levels, have been
      identified. None of these approaches has yet been adopted in the clinical follow
      up of KTRs, but standardization of analysis procedures may help assess
      reproducibility and comparative diagnostic yield in large, prospective,
      multicentre trials.

PMID- 28643822
TI  - [Preventive dentistry 6. Prevention of caries in frail older people].
AB  - Many older people have a bad oral health, with (root) caries a prevalent cause.
      Alarming results of research projects raise the question whether sufficient
      preventive measures are being taken to prevent the development and progress of
      (root) caries in frail older people. A review of the recent literature revealed
      that in frail older people and physically or cognitively impaired adults, daily
      use of a 5,000 ppm fluoride toothpaste and quarterly application of chlorhexidine
      or sodium fluoride can decrease by half the risk of root caries. In the
      Netherlands, toothpaste containing 5,000 ppm fluoride is not (yet) on the market.
      At the present time, only the advice brochure 'Prevention of root caries' is
      available. Another measure to prevent deterioration of oral health among frail
      older people is paying attention to frail older people who do not visit their
      dentist on a regular basis due to physical limitations and care dependency. When
      this is the case, it is necessary to intensify professional oral healthcare with
      instructions to personal caregivers and professional care providers in order to
      fight (root) caries.

PMID- 28643821
TI  - Non-invasive approaches in the diagnosis of acute rejection in kidney transplant
      recipients. Part I. In vivo imaging methods.
AB  - Kidney transplantation (KTx) represents the best available treatment for patients
      with end-stage renal disease. Still, full benefits of KTx are undermined by acute
      rejection (AR). The diagnosis of AR ultimately relies on transplant needle
      biopsy. However, such an invasive procedure is associated with a significant risk
      of complications and is limited by sampling error and interobserver variability.
      In the present review, we summarize the current literature about non-invasive
      approaches for the diagnosis of AR in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs),
      including in vivo imaging, gene expression profiling and omics analyses of blood
      and urine samples. Most imaging techniques, like contrast-enhanced ultrasound and
      magnetic resonance, exploit the fact that blood flow is significantly lowered in
      case of AR-induced inflammation. In addition, AR-associated recruitment of
      activated leukocytes may be detectable by 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron
      emission tomography. In parallel, urine biomarkers, including CXCL9/CXCL10 or a
      three-gene signature of CD3epsilon, IP-10 and 18S RNA levels, have been
      identified. None of these approaches has been adopted yet in the clinical follow
      up of KTRs, but standardization of procedures may help assess reproducibility and
      compare diagnostic yields in large prospective multicentric trials.

PMID- 28643823
TI  - [Chewing on bruxism. Diagnosis, imaging, epidemiology and aetiology].
AB  - Since the publication of a special issue on bruxism of the NTvT in July 2000,
      consensus has been reached on bruxism's definition as a repetitive masticatory
      muscle activity that is characterised by clenching and/or grinding while awake
      (awake bruxism) or during sleep (sleep bruxism). As yet, however, no consensus
      exists about the diagnosis of bruxism: sufficient evidence to establish the
      reliability and validity of the commonly used techniques (self-report, clinical
      examination, imaging, electromyography, polysomnography) has not yet been
      produced. Morphological factors are no longer considered important aetiological
      factors, while increasing evidence suggests aetiological roles for psychosocial,
      physiological, biological, and exogenous factors. This review paper is the first
      part of a diptych and is concerned with the definition, diagnostics, epidemiology
      and possible causes of this disorder. In the second part, that will be published
      in the next issue, associations of bruxism with other conditions will be
      discussed, along with its (purported) consequences and its management.

PMID- 28643824
TI  - [Perioral treatment options in cosmetic facial surgery].
AB  - The perioral region is unique and important in the face, both from a functional
      and an aesthetic point of view. There is a strong relationship between the
      perioral soft tissues, such as the lips and the corners of the mouth, and the
      underlying dentition and the jaws. Perioral ageing phenomena, such as depressed
      corners of the mouth, volume loss and wrinkles, can be improved, however, to a
      limited extent with intraoral treatment. These ageing phenomena can usually be
      treated more effectively with several extraoral treatment modalities that also
      enhance perioral aesthetics. The perioral cosmetic treatment options can be
      divided into various lifting procedures and volumising techniques. Considering
      that the dentist has to deal regularly with patients with perioral aesthetic
      wishes and also functional problems, it is important that one has knowledge of
      the different perioral treatment options, for both cosmetic and functional
      options.

PMID- 28643825
TI  - [A phd completed 10. Implant-supported removable partial -dentures in a Kennedy
      Class I-situation in the mandible].
AB  - Implant-supported removable partial dentures in the mandible often cause
      problems, which means that patients wear their dentures seldom if at all. A
      solution is to place implants that the dentures can be snapped onto. There is,
      however, no consensus about the best position of the implants in the mandible
      yet. In addition, it is worthwhile to balance the cost of treatment with its
      effectiveness. In a randomised cross-over clinical trial involving 30 patients
      with a shortened dental arch, the implant-supported removable partial denture in
      the mandible was evaluated based on the experience of the patient, mean time of
      wearing, chewing ability and the clinical and radiographic parameters in relation
      to 2 different implant positions: 2 in the pre-molar region or 2 in the molar
      region. The cost-effectiveness of both treatments was also evaluated. From the
      patient's point of view, the implant-supported removable partial dentures are
      best supported by implants placed in the molar region. The research also
      revealed, however, that significantly more bleeding occurred around implants
      placed in the molar region and from a clinical perspective placement in the pre
      molar region would have preference. The cost-effectiveness of the treatment with
      an implant-supported removable partial denture depends on the choice of outcome
      measurement and monetary threshold.

PMID- 28643826
TI  - Cationic silyldiazenido complexes of the Fe(diphosphine)2(N2) platform:
      structural and electronic models for an elusive first intermediate in N2
      fixation.
AB  - The first cationic Fe silyldiazenido complexes, [Fe(PP)2(NN-SiMe3)]+[BArF4]- (PP
      = dmpe/depe), have been synthesised and thoroughly characterised. Computational
      studies show the compounds to be useful structural and electronic surrogates for
      the more elusive [Fe(PP)2(NN-H)]+, which are postulated intermediates in the H+/e
      mediated fixation of N2 by Fe(PP)2(N2) species.

PMID- 28643827
TI  - Anti-oxidant and immune-modulatory properties of sulfated alginate derivatives on
      human chondrocytes and macrophages.
AB  - Degeneration of articular cartilage represents one of the most common causes of
      pain and disability in our aging society. Current treatments only address the
      symptoms of joint disease, but not their underlying causes which include
      oxidative stress and inflammation in cartilage and surrounding tissues. Sulfated
      biopolymers that mimic aspects of the native extracellular environment of
      cartilage are recently gaining interest as a means to slow the inflammatory
      events responsible for tissue degeneration. Here we show that the natural
      polysaccharide alginate and particularly its sulfated derivatives have potent
      anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-immunogenic properties in vitro. We
      found that these polymers exert a free radical scavenging activity in a sulfation
      dependent manner. In particular, the sulfation degree of substitution of alginate
      directly correlated with its ability to scavenge superoxide radicals and to
      chelate metal ions. We also studied the effect of sulfated alginate on the
      ability of IL-1beta to stimulate inflammatory genes in human chondrocytes and
      found decreased expression of the pro-inflammatory markers IL-6 and CXCL8, which
      inversely correlated with the sulfation degree. Moreover, in studies testing the
      ability of the alginates to modulate macrophage polarization, we found that they
      decreased both the gene expression and synthesis of the proinflammatory cytokine
      TNF-alpha in human THP-1 macrophages with M1-like phenotype in a sulfation
      dependent manner. To conclude, sulfated alginates effectively protect against
      oxidative stress and inflammation in vitro and are a promising biomaterial to be
      explored for treatment of osteoarthritis.

PMID- 28643828
TI  - Adaptability of the metal(iii,iv) 1,2,3-trioxobenzene rod secondary building unit
      for the production of chemically stable and catalytically active MOFs.
AB  - The use of a 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)porphyrin has yielded a
      new MOF based on M-1,2,3-trioxobenzene chains that can be made of M = Zr(iv) or
      RE(iii) (RE = rare earth), showing a very high and limited chemical stability,
      respectively. The robust metallated Zr-analogue, Co-MIL-173(Zr), has proven to be
      a heme-like heterogeneous catalyst suitable for aerobic oxidation of
      hydrocarbons.

PMID- 28643829
TI  - Efficient scavenging of Criegee intermediates on water by surface-active cis
      pinonic acid.
AB  - cis-Pinonic acid (CPA), the main product of the atmospheric oxidation of biogenic
      alpha-pinene emissions and a major component of secondary organic aerosol (SOA),
      is a potentially key species en route to extremely low volatility compounds.
      Here, we report that CPA is an exceptionally efficient scavenger of Criegee
      intermediates (CIs) on aqueous surfaces. Against expectations, millimolar CPA (a
      surface-active C10 keto-carboxylic acid possessing a rigid skeleton) is able to
      compete with 23 M bulk water for the CIs produced in the ozonolysis of
      sesquiterpene solutes by O3(g) on the surface of a water:acetonitrile solvent.
      The significance of this finding is that CPA reactions with sesquiterpene CIs on
      the surface of aqueous organic aerosols would directly generate C25 species. The
      finding that competitive reactions at the air-liquid interface depend on
      interfacial rather than bulk reactant concentrations should be incorporated in
      current chemical models dealing with SOA formation, growth and aging.

PMID- 28643832
TI  - Metasurface integrated high energy efficient and high linearly polarized
      InGaN/GaN light emitting diode.
AB  - We proposed and demonstrated an integrated high energy efficient and high
      linearly polarized InGaN/GaN green LED grown on (0001) oriented sapphire with
      combined metasurface polarizing converter and polarizer system. It is different
      from those conventional polarized light emissions generated with plasmonic
      metallic grating in which at least 50% high energy loss occurs inherently due to
      high reflection of the transverse electric (TE) component of an electric field. A
      reflecting metasurface, with a two dimensional elliptic metal cylinder array
      (EMCA) that functions as a half-wave plate, was integrated at the bottom of a LED
      such that the back-reflected TE component, that is otherwise lost by a
      dielectric/metal bi-layered wire grids (DMBiWG) polarizer on the top emitting
      surface of the LED, can be converted to desired transverse magnetic (TM)
      polarized emission after reflecting from the metasurface. This significantly
      enhances the polarized light emission efficiency. Experimental results show that
      extraction efficiency of the polarized emission can be increased by 40% on
      average in a wide angle of +/-60 degrees  compared to that with the naked bottom
      of sapphire substrate, or 20% compared to reflecting Al film on the bottom of a
      sapphire substrate. An extinction ratio (ER) of average value 20 dB within an
      angle of +/-60 degrees  can be simultaneously obtained directly from an InGaN/GaN
      LED. Our results show the possibility of simultaneously achieving a high degree
      of polarization and high polarization extraction efficiency at the integrated
      device level. This advances the field of GaN LED toward energy efficiency, multi
      functional applications in illumination, display, medicine, and light
      manipulation.

PMID- 28643833
TI  - Modelling critical Casimir force induced self-assembly experiments on patchy
      colloidal dumbbells.
AB  - Colloidal particles suspended in a binary liquid mixture can interact via solvent
      mediated interactions, known as critical Casimir forces. For anisotropic colloids
      this interaction becomes directional, which leads to rich phase behavior. While
      experimental imaging and particle tracking techniques allow determination of
      isotropic effective potentials via Boltzmann inversion, the modeling of effective
      interaction in anisotropic systems is non-trivial precisely because of this
      directionality. Here we extract effective interaction potentials for non
      spherical dumbbell particles from observed radial and angular distributions, by
      employing reference interaction site model (RISM) theory and direct Monte Carlo
      simulations. For colloidal dumbbell particles dispersed in a binary liquid
      mixture and interacting via induced critical Casimir forces, we determine the
      effective site-site potentials for a range of experimental temperatures. Using
      these potentials to simulate the system for strong Casimir forces, we reproduce
      the experimentally observed collapse, and provide a qualitative explanation for
      this behavior.

PMID- 28643834
TI  - Understanding the remarkable luminescence enhancement via SiO2 coating on
      TiO2:Eu3+ nanofibers.
AB  - TiO2:Eu3+ nanofibers diameters can be tuned by changing the mixed solvent ratio
      are synthesized via the electrospinning technique. Concentration quenching
      phenomena and the relationship of the PL intensity ratio I(5D0-7F2)/I(5D0-7F1)
      with the Eu doping concentration are discussed. Notably, the luminescence
      intensity is enhanced by about 7.8 fold by coating SiO2 gel layer on the
      TiO2:Eu3+ nanofibers, which is successfully performed via a sol-gel process
      followed by calcination. Furthermore, these fibers are characterized
      systematically via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
      transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
      (UV-vis DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and
      photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Additionally, their Judd-Ofelt and spectral
      parameters are calculated to investigate their local structures. The relatively
      low Omega2 value of the coated samples reveals a decrease in covalency in the Eu
      O bonds and an increase in the symmetric nature of Eu3+, which indicate that the
      perturbation effect of the crystal field in the solid system is larger than that
      of the uncoated samples. FT-IR analysis indicates the formation of Ti-O-Si bonds,
      which provide the ligand field in the interface between the TiO2:Eu3+ nanofibers
      and SiO2 layer and can repair the surface unsaturated bonds. This reduces the
      selection rules for radiative transitions, thereby the state of the Eu3+ ions is
      converted from dormant to activated. Moreover, the silica coating stabilizes the
      surface of the TiO2:Eu3+ nanofibers and eliminates the surface defects. Finally,
      a detailed mechanism is proposed to explain the luminescence enhancement
      behavior.

PMID- 28643835
TI  - Interaction of molecular nitrogen with free-electron-laser radiation.
AB  - We compute molecular continuum orbitals in the single center expansion scheme. We
      then employ these orbitals to obtain molecular Auger rates and single-photon
      ionization cross sections to study the interaction of N2 with Free-Electron-Laser
      (FEL) pulses. The nuclei are kept fixed. We formulate rate equations for the
      energetically allowed molecular and atomic transitions and we account for
      dissociation through additional terms in the rate equations. Solving these
      equations for different parameters of the FEL pulse, allows us to identify the
      most efficient parameters of the FEL pulse for obtaining the highest contribution
      of double core hole states (DCH) in the final atomic ion fragments. Finally we
      identify the contribution of DCH states in the electron spectra and show that the
      DCH state contribution is more easily identified in the photo-ionization rather
      than the Auger transitions.

PMID- 28643837
TI  - Density dependence of orientational order in one-patch particles.
AB  - Closely packed spherical patchy particles exhibit a range of orientationally
      ordered equilibrium structures depending on patch size and particle arrangement
      due to the existence of a sticky inter-patch interaction and rotational degrees
      of freedom. We experimentally study the packing density dependence of such
      ordering in particles with a thin deposited patch which imparts a shape
      anisotropy of a few percent in aspect ratio. These are confined between flat
      substrates with a chamber thickness of up to two particle layers. When the
      particles are tightly packed and almost in contact with each other, the
      anisotropic hard-body interaction dictates the orientational order. Thus, the
      order depends little on patch size, with rotational motion almost frozen. A small
      decrease in the density allows free rotational motion while translation is
      restricted to vibrational motion. This drastically changes the ordering
      mechanism, giving rise to a patch-size dependent equilibrium orientational order.
      Furthermore, within this density regime, we find yet another density-dependent
      transition within the tetragonal bilayer. This transition is reproduced by
      numerical simulation assuming no shape anisotropy, indicating that shape
      anisotropy is unnecessary for the transition and translational entropy
      significantly affects the equilibrium orientational order even in such a closely
      packed structure. Our study demonstrates the sensitivity of the ordering
      mechanism and the resulting order to the packing density, where the effect of
      such a tiny shape anisotropy is clearly observable owing to the patch opacity.
      The dependence of cluster structure in particle dispersions on patch size,
      confinement thickness and packing density is also reported.

PMID- 28643836
TI  - Host-guest driven ligand replacement on monodisperse inorganic nanoparticles.
AB  - We demonstrate that crown ether-assisted ligand replacement on Fe3O4 NPs using
      halide salts leads to quantitative stripping of an existing stabilizer shell with
      unprecedented (complete) efficiency; this allows subsequent re-grafting of
      functional ligands at maximal surface density. The mechanism of the anion-driven
      ligand replacement is elucidated by varying the halide salt and the versatility
      by varying the re-grafted ligand.

PMID- 28643838
TI  - Organics filled one-dimensional TiO2 nanowires array ultraviolet detector with
      enhanced photo-conductivity and dark-resistivity.
AB  - A heterojunction photo-conductive ultraviolet (UV) detector was developed based
      on TiO2 nanowires array (NWA) surrounded by N,N'-bis-(1-naphthalenyl)-N,N'-bis
      phenyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB). The novel and effective two-step
      method of static infusion and dynamic solution-cleaning was employed to fill NPB
      into TiO2 NWA gaps and simultaneously remove the unwelcomed top NPB layer. The
      device fabricated via the two-step method exhibited optimal performance compared
      to TiO2/NPB device with top NPB layer and TiO2 NWA device. In dark conditions,
      the TiO2/NPB heterojunction device without top NPB was found to possess the
      capacity of depleting majority carriers, thereby providing improved dark
      resistivity to limit the dark current (Id). Under UV illumination, the depleting
      effect could be eliminated by the dissociation and accumulation of photo
      generated carriers between pn heterojunction, leading to increased carrier
      density and photo-conductivity. It cleared up the high barrier due to the removal
      of top NPB layer, which was beneficial for hot electron transport than the device
      with top NPB layer under illumination, thereby achieving an enhanced light
      current (Il) to Id ratio of 1.67 * 104. A simple technology is provided to
      prepare organic-inorganic hybrid one-dimensional array heterostructure, which
      plays a remarkable role in the working of the UV detector, enhancing photo
      conductivity and dark-resistivity of the device.

PMID- 28643839
TI  - A visible-light-activated rhodium complex in enantioselective conjugate addition
      of alpha-amino radicals with Michael acceptors.
AB  - We report an efficient enantioselective conjugate addition of photogenerated
      alpha-amino radicals to Michael acceptors catalyzed by a newly prepared chiral-at
      metal rhodium complex. This protocol shows that a single Rh(iii) complex can
      serve not only as a Lewis acid but also as a photoredox catalyst to control the
      stereoselectivity during the bond formation.

PMID- 28643840
TI  - Synchronization of excitable cardiac cultures of different origin.
AB  - In the present work, we investigated the synchronization of electrical activity
      in cultured cardiac cells of different origin put in direct contact. In the first
      set of experiments synchronization was studied in the primary culture cells of
      neonatal rats taken at different developmental ages, and in the second - in the
      neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and HL-1 cells. The electrical excitation of cells
      was recorded using the calcium transient marker Fluor-4. In the confluent cell
      layers created with the aid of a specially devised mask, the excitation waves and
      their propagation between areas occupied by cells of different origin were
      observed. On the level of individual cells, their contact and synchronization was
      monitored with the aid of scanning fluorescence microscopy. It was found that
      populations of cultured cells of different origin are able to synchronize,
      suggesting the formation of electrical coupling between them. The results
      obtained may be considered as a proof of concept that implanted alien grafted
      cells are able to create electrical coupling with the host cardiac tissue.

PMID- 28643843
TI  - Perisylvian, including insular, childhood epilepsy: Presurgical workup and
      surgical outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report the presurgical workup, surgical procedures, and outcomes in
      a series of pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy involving the
      perisylvian/insular regions. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 16 pediatric
      patients affected by drug-resistant focal epilepsy involving perisylvian/insular
      regions, who consecutively underwent tailored resective surgery. All patients
      underwent a detailed presurgical workup, which included the analysis of the
      anatomoelectroclinical correlations with scalp electroencephalography (EEG)
      and/or with stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG), brain magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI), and comprehensive cognitive and neuropsychological evaluations.
      After surgery, all patients underwent serial clinical and laboratory evaluations.
      RESULTS: Focal motor seizures restricted to perioral area, associated with
      symptoms related to the surrounding areas (as auditory hallucinations, unpleasant
      paresthesia, fear, and epigastric sensation), characterized the ictal semiology
      in 75% of patients. In 50%, autonomic manifestations were present and in 56%
      subjective manifestations were reported. The 50% of the patients underwent SEEG
      with insular sampling to better define the epileptogenic zone. In all patients,
      the insular cortex was always part of the epileptogenic zone, and tailored
      resections also involved, with variable degree, the frontal, parietal, and
      temporal opercula. Preoperatively, the neuropsychological assessment revealed
      impairments in specific cognitive functions and mild or moderate cognitive
      compromise in 88% of the patients. Postoperatively, one patient had permanent
      slight hemiparesis. At the most recent follow-up (median 39 months), seizure
      outcome was satisfactory in 69% of patients: seven patients were completely
      seizure-free (Engel class Ia), two were free of disabling seizure (class Ic), and
      two had rare disabling seizures (class II). The cognitive functioning remained
      unchanged in 62%, and improved in 38%. SIGNIFICANCE: The assessment of
      perisylvian/insular epilepsy in children is particularly challenging. However,
      tailored resections based on a careful presurgical evaluation, including SEEG
      recording, may lead to a good seizure control and to a better overall outcome.

PMID- 28643844
TI  - Longitudinal Relations Among Positivity, Perceived Positive School Climate, and
      Prosocial Behavior in Colombian Adolescents.
AB  - Bidirectional relations among adolescents' positivity, perceived positive school
      climate, and prosocial behavior were examined in Colombian youth. Also, the role
      of a positive school climate in mediating the relation of positivity to prosocial
      behaviors was tested. Adolescents (N = 151; Mage of child in Wave 1 = 12.68, SD =
      1.06; 58.9% male) and their parents (N = 127) provided data in two waves (9
      months apart). A model of bidirectional relations between positivity and
      perceived positive school climate emerged. In addition, adolescents with higher
      levels of perceived positive school climate at age 12 showed higher levels of
      prosocial behaviors in the following year. Positive school climate related
      positivity to adolescents' prosocial behavior over time.

PMID- 28643845
TI  - On the advancement of therapeutic penality: therapeutic authority, personality
      science and the therapeutic community.
AB  - In this article I examine the advancement of therapeutic penality in the UK, a
      penal philosophy that reimagines prison policy, practices and environments
      utilising psychological knowledge. Adopting a historical approach, I show how
      modern therapeutic penality is linked to the emergence of personality science in
      the nineteenth century and the development of the democratic therapeutic
      community (DTC) model in the twentieth century. I outline how at the turn of the
      twenty-first century a catalytic event generated a moral panic that led the
      British government to mobilise psychological knowledge and technologies in an
      attempt to manage dangerous people with severe personality disorder. Tracing
      subsequent developments, I argue psychological ways of talking, thinking and
      acting have obtained unparalleled salience in domains of penality and, in turn,
      radically transformed the conditions of imprisonment.

PMID- 28643846
TI  - Feeding behaviour of generalist pests on Brassica juncea: implication for
      manipulation of glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway for enhanced resistance.
AB  - Differential accumulation of plant defence metabolites has been suggested to have
      important ecological consequence in the context of plant-insect interactions.
      Feeding of generalist pests on Brassica juncea showed a distinct pattern with
      selective exclusion of leaf margins which are high in glucosinolates. Molecular
      basis of this differential accumulation of glucosinolates could be explained
      based on differential expression profile of BjuMYB28 homologues, the major
      biosynthetic regulators of aliphatic glucosinolates, as evident from quantitative
      real-time PCR and promoter:GUS fusion studies in allotetraploid B. juncea.
      Constitutive overexpression of selected BjuMYB28 homologues enhanced accumulation
      of aliphatic glucosinolates in B. juncea. Performance of two generalist pests,
      Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura larvae, on transgenic B. juncea plants
      were poor compared to wild-type plants in a no-choice experiment. Correlation
      coefficient analysis suggested that weight gain of H. armigera larvae was
      negatively correlated with gluconapin (GNA) and glucobrassicanapin (GBN), whereas
      that of S. litura larvae was negatively correlated with GNA, GBN and sinigrin
      (SIN). Our study explains the significance and possible molecular basis of
      differential distribution of glucosinolates in B. juncea leaves and shows the
      potential of overexpressing BjuMYB28 for enhanced resistance of Brassica crops
      against the tested generalist pests.

PMID- 28643847
TI  - NCR1-deficiency diminishes the generation of protective murine cytomegalovirus
      antibodies by limiting follicular helper T-cell maturation.
AB  - NKp46/NCR1 is an activating NK-cell receptor implicated in the control of various
      viral and bacterial infections. Recent findings also suggest that it plays a role
      in shaping the adaptive immune response to pathogens. Using NCR1-deficient
      (NCR1gfp/gfp ) mice, we provide evidence for the role of NCR1 in antibody
      response to mouse cytomegalovirus infection (MCMV). The absence of NCR1 resulted
      in impaired maturation, function and NK-cell migration to regional lymph nodes.
      In addition, CD4+ T-cell activation and follicular helper T-cell (Tfh) generation
      were reduced, leading to inferior germinal center (GC) B-cell maturation. As a
      consequence, NCR1gfp/gfp mice produced lower amounts of MCMV-specific antibodies
      upon infection, which correlated with lower number of virus-specific antibody
      secreting cells in analyzed lymph nodes.

PMID- 28643848
TI  - The impact of alternative trait-scaling hypotheses for the maximum photosynthetic
      carboxylation rate (Vcmax ) on global gross primary production.
AB  - The maximum photosynthetic carboxylation rate (Vcmax ) is an influential plant
      trait that has multiple scaling hypotheses, which is a source of uncertainty in
      predictive understanding of global gross primary production (GPP). Four trait
      scaling hypotheses (plant functional type, nutrient limitation, environmental
      filtering, and plant plasticity) with nine specific implementations were used to
      predict global Vcmax distributions and their impact on global GPP in the
      Sheffield Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (SDGVM). Global GPP varied from 108.1
      to 128.2 PgC yr-1 , 65% of the range of a recent model intercomparison of global
      GPP. The variation in GPP propagated through to a 27% coefficient of variation in
      net biome productivity (NBP). All hypotheses produced global GPP that was highly
      correlated (r = 0.85-0.91) with three proxies of global GPP. Plant functional
      type-based nutrient limitation, underpinned by a core SDGVM hypothesis that plant
      nitrogen (N) status is inversely related to increasing costs of N acquisition
      with increasing soil carbon, adequately reproduced global GPP distributions.
      Further improvement could be achieved with accurate representation of water
      sensitivity and agriculture in SDGVM. Mismatch between environmental filtering
      (the most data-driven hypothesis) and GPP suggested that greater effort is needed
      understand Vcmax variation in the field, particularly in northern latitudes.

PMID- 28643849
TI  - Prevalence of exposure of heavy metals and their impact on health consequences.
AB  - Even in the current era of growing technology, the concentration of heavy metals
      present in drinking water is still not within the recommended limits as set by
      the regulatory authorities in different countries of the world. Drinking water
      contaminated with heavy metals namely; arsenic, cadmium, nickel, mercury,
      chromium, zinc, and lead is becoming a major health concern for public and health
      care professionals. Occupational exposure to heavy metals is known to occur by
      the utilization of these metals in various industrial processes and/or contents
      including color pigments and alloys. However, the predominant source resulting in
      measurable human exposure to heavy metals is the consumption of contaminated
      drinking water and the resulting health issues may include cardiovascular
      disorders, neuronal damage, renal injuries, and risk of cancer and diabetes. The
      general mechanism involved in heavy metal-induced toxicity is recognized to be
      the production of reactive oxygen species resulting oxidative damage and health
      related adverse effects. Thus utilization of heavy metal-contaminated water is
      resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates all over the world. Thereby,
      feeling the need to raise the concerns about contribution of different heavy
      metals in various health related issues, this article has discussed the global
      contamination of drinking water with heavy metals to assess the health hazards
      associated with consumption of heavy metal-contaminated water. A relationship
      between exposure limits and ultimate responses produced as well as the major
      organs affected have been reviewed. Acute and chronic poisoning symptoms and
      mechanisms responsible for such toxicities have also been discussed.

PMID- 28643850
TI  - The role of leadless single-chamber pacemakers in the treatment of vasovagal
      syncope.

PMID- 28643852
TI  - Therapeutic D2/3 receptor occupancies and response with low amisulpride blood
      concentrations in very late-onset schizophrenia-like psychosis (VLOSLP).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Antipsychotic drug sensitivity in very late-onset schizophrenia-like
      psychosis (VLOSLP) is well documented, but poorly understood. This study aimed to
      investigate blood drug concentration, D2/3 receptor occupancy and outcome in
      VLOSLP during open amisulpride prescribing, and compare this with Alzheimer's
      disease (AD). METHODS: Blood drug concentration, prolactin, symptoms and
      extrapyramidal side-effects (EPS) were serially assessed during dose titration.
      [18 F]fallypride imaging was used to quantify D2/3 receptor occupancy. Average
      steady-state amisulpride concentration (Caverage, ng/ml) was estimated by
      incorporating pharmacokinetic (PK) data into an existing population PK model (25
      AD participants, 20 healthy older people). RESULTS: Eight patients (target 20)
      were recruited (six women; 76 + - 6 years; six treatment compliant; five serially
      sampled; three with paired imaging data). Mean + - SD symptom reduction was 74 +/
      12% (50-100 mg/day; 92.5 + -39.4 ng/ml). Mild EPS emerged at 96 ng/ml (in AD,
      severe EPS, 50 mg/day, 60 ng/ml). In three participants, imaged during optimal
      treatment (50 mg/day; 41-70 ng/ml), caudate occupancy was 44-59% (58-74% in AD
      across a comparable Caverage). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the small sample size, our
      findings are highly relevant as they suggest that, as in AD, 50 mg/day
      amisulpride is associated with >40% occupancy and clinically relevant responses
      in VLOSLP. It was not possible to fully characterise concentration-occupancy
      relationships in VLOSLP, and it is thus unclear whether the greater
      susceptibility of those with AD to emergent EPS was accounted for by increased
      central drug access. Further investigation of age- and diagnosis-specific
      threshold sensitivities is warranted, to guide amisulpride prescribing in older
      people, and therapeutic drug monitoring studies offer a potentially informative
      future approach. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28643851
TI  - Fluorescent competitive aptasensor for detection of aflatoxin B1.
AB  - Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 ) is one of the most commonly found mycotoxins in food
      commodities, particularly cereals, oilseeds, spices and tree nuts. In the past
      decade, aptamers have come into limelight and emerged as a new biosensing element
      replacing antibodies in various detection formats. Herein we report a faster,
      more sensitive, high throughput method for the detection of AFB1 using AFB1 
      specific aptamers. The assay format was based on a competitive reaction of the
      fluorescent tagged aptamer specific to AFB1 with the aflatoxin conjugate. Under
      optimal conditions, a linear range of detection (50 ng to 50 pg) was achieved
      with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 pg/mL in the buffer system. Results of
      inter- and intra-assay revealed that the assay was repeatable with standard
      deviation in acceptable range. The assay was also validated in food samples such
      as dried red chilies, groundnut and whole pepper with recovery in the range of 92
      to 102% at 10 ng/mL and 100 pg/mL levels. The aptasensor assay was also compared
      with standard analytical method of HPLC and was found to be more sensitive. This
      detection technique has the potential to be developed into a biosensor platform
      for AFB1 detection.

PMID- 28643853
TI  - Qualitative Analysis of Polyphenols in Macroporous Resin Pretreated Pomegranate
      Husk Extract by HPLC-QTOF-MS.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) husk is a traditional herbal
      medicine abundant in phenolic compounds and plays some roles in the treatment of
      oxidative stress, bacterial and viral infection, diabetes mellitus, and acute and
      chronic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: Identification and determination of polyphenols
      in macroporous resin pretreated pomegranate husk extract by high performance
      liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass
      spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS). METHODS: The total polyphenols of pomegranate husk
      were prepared by ethanol extraction followed by pretreatment with HPD-300
      macroporous resin. The polyphenolic compounds were qualitatively analysed by HPLC
      QTOF-MS in negative electrospray ionisation (ESI) mode at different collision
      energy (CE) values. RESULTS: A total of 50 polyphenols were detected in the
      extract of pomegranate husk, including 35 hydrolysable tannins and 15 flavonoids
      with distinct retention time, fragmentation behaviours and characteristics, and
      the accurate mass-to-charge ratios at low, moderate and high CE values. Of these,
      we identified nine compounds for the first time in the pomegranate husk,
      including hexahydroxydiphenoyl-valoneoyl-glucoside (HHDP-valoneyl-glucoside),
      galloyl-O-punicalin, rutin, hyperoside, quercimeritrin, kaempferol-7-O-rhahmano
      glucoside, luteolin-3'-O-arabinoside, luteolin-3'-O-glucoside, and luteolin-4'-O
      glucoside. To validate the specificity and accuracy of mass spectrometry in the
      detection of polyphenols, as compared to the fragmentation pathways of granatin B
      in detail, including the HHDP-valoneyl- glucoside was first identified from
      pomegranate husk. CONCLUSION: The study provides evidence for the quality control
      and development of novel drugs based on polyphenols from the pomegranate husk.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28643854
TI  - Olfactory dysfunction in the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's
      disease: Morphological evaluations from the nose to the brain.
AB  - Olfactory dysfunction is among the signs of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and
      cognitive impairment. It has been demonstrated Abeta was associated with
      olfactory impairment observed in both transgenic mice and in AD patients. In this
      study, we evaluated amyloid deposition in the olfactory circuit of APP/PS1
      transgenic mouse model of AD, which showed olfactory dysfunction in olfactory
      behavior tests. We found amyloid depositions were widely distributed in the whole
      olfactory circuit. Moreover, we think these amyloid depositions contribute to
      neuronal atrophy, dendritic abnormalities, synapse loss and axonal degeneration.
      Therefore, there was a correlation between olfactory deficits and amyloid
      deposition. Our findings provide initial insights into the pathological basis of
      AD-related olfactory dysfunction.

PMID- 28643855
TI  - Support surfaces in the prevention of pressure ulcers in surgical patients: An
      integrative review.
AB  - AIM: To assess the scientific evidence about the types of support surfaces used
      in intraoperative surgical practice in the prevention of pressure ulcers due to
      surgical positioning. METHOD: This is an integrative literature review. The
      electronic databases Cochrane, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Lilacs, and CINAHL
      were used. The descriptors surgical patients, support surfaces, perioperative
      care, patient positioning, and pressure ulcer were used in the search strategy.
      Articles that addressed the use of support surfaces intraoperatively, published
      between 1990 and 2016, were selected. The PRISMA guidelines were used to
      structure the review. RESULTS: Of 18 evaluated studies, most were in English,
      followed by Portuguese and Spanish; most were performed by nurses. The most
      commonly cited support surfaces were viscoelastic polymer, micropulse mattresses,
      gel based mattresses, and foam devices. CONCLUSION: There are gaps in knowledge
      regarding the most efficient support surfaces and the specifications of the
      products used to prevent pressure ulcers due to surgical positioning.

PMID- 28643856
TI  - Coding in surgery: impact of a specialized coding proforma in hepato-pancreato
      biliary surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coding inaccuracies in surgery misrepresent the productivity of
      hospitals and outcome data of surgeons. The aim of this study was to audit the
      extent of coding inaccuracies in hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery and
      assess the financial impact of introducing a coding proforma. METHODS: Coding of
      patients who underwent elective HPB surgery over a 3-month period was audited.
      Codes were based on International Classification of Diseases 10 and Office of
      Population and Census Surveys-4 codes. A coding proforma was introduced and
      assessed. New human resource group codes were re-assigned and new tariffs
      calculated. A cost analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Prior to the
      introduction of the coding proforma, 42.0% of patients had the incorrect
      diagnosis and 48.5% had missing co-morbidities. In addition, 14.5% of primary
      procedures were incorrect and 37.6% had additional procedures that were not coded
      for at all. Following the introduction of the coding proforma, there was a 27.5%
      improvement in the accuracy of primary diagnosis (P < 0.001) and 21% improvement
      in co-morbidities (P = 0.002). There was a 7.2% improvement in the accuracy of
      coding primary procedures (P = not significant) and a 21% improvement in the
      accuracy of coding of additional procedures (P < 0.001). Financial loss as a
      result of coding inaccuracy over our 3-month study period was L56 073 with an
      estimated annual loss of L228 292. CONCLUSION: Coding in HPB surgery is prone to
      coding inaccuracies due to the complex nature of HPB surgery and the patient case
      mix. A specialized coding proforma completed 'in theatre' significantly improves
      the accuracy of coding and prevents loss of income.

PMID- 28643857
TI  - Ceria-Zirconia Nanoparticles as an Enhanced Multi-Antioxidant for Sepsis
      Treatment.
AB  - The two oxidation states of ceria nanoparticles, Ce3+ and Ce4+ , play a pivotal
      role in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). In particular, Ce3+ is largely
      responsible for removing O2- and . OH that are associated with inflammatory
      response and cell death. The synthesis is reported of 2 nm ceria-zirconia
      nanoparticles (CZ NPs) that possess a higher Ce3+ /Ce4+ ratio and faster
      conversion from Ce4+ to Ce3+ than those exhibited by ceria nanoparticles. The
      obtained Ce0.7 Zr0.3 O2 (7CZ) NPs greatly improve ROS scavenging performance,
      thus regulating inflammatory cells in a very low dose. Moreover, 7CZ NPs are
      demonstrated to be effective in reducing mortality and systemic inflammation in
      two representative sepsis models. These findings suggest that 7CZ NPs have the
      potential as a therapeutic nanomedicine for treating ROS-related inflammatory
      diseases.

PMID- 28643858
TI  - A case of an incidental primary adrenal lymphoma in a patient with newly
      diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 28643859
TI  - Gibberellic and kaurenoic hybrid strigolactone mimics for seed germination of
      parasitic weeds.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parasitic weeds are widespread and cause significant losses in
      important crops. Their germination requires the detection of crop-derived
      molecules such as strigolactones. Strigolactone mimics are germination-inducing
      molecules with the potential to apply a suicidal germination strategy for seed
      bank control of parasitic weeds. RESULTS: The D-ring, which is instrumental in
      the germination process of seeds of parasitic weeds, was attached to gibberellin
      (GA3 ) and kaurenoic acid as the scaffold. It was shown that indeed strigolactone
      mimics prepared from GA3 and kaurenoic acid are active as stimulants when a D
      ring is present; some of the mimics are as active as GR24. CONCLUSIONS: The
      starting molecules were plant hormones that had previous growth-regulating
      activity in other organisms and the products showed enhanced activity towards
      parasitic weeds. The information generated may contribute to a better
      understanding of the germination biochemistry of the weed species used. Further
      research is required in this area but it is clear that the results are promising.
      (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28643860
TI  - Subcutaneous defibrillators for dialysis patients.
AB  - Defibrillation can be successfully provided by the subcutaneous implantable
      cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) without the leads. In contrast, traditional ICDs
      require leads that can cause central venous stenosis, lead-induced endocarditis,
      and carry the risk of tricuspid regurgitation by valve adhesion, perforation,
      coaptation interference, or entanglement. Central venous stenosis, infection, and
      tricuspid regurgitation are all critically important considerations in
      hemodialysis patients. Recent reports are supporting the use of subcutaneous ICDs
      in renal patients maintained on long-term hemodialysis. This article provides the
      risks associated with leads of traditional defibrillators and raises awareness of
      the subcutaneous ICD and their benefits for hemodialysis patients.

PMID- 28643861
TI  - Challenges in the Development of Novel Cardiovascular Therapies.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease accounts for nearly one in three deaths globally, but few
      novel therapies have reached patients and clinicians in recent years. This
      translational report reviews trends in the development and approval of
      cardiovascular drugs and evaluates recent innovation in the field of
      cardiovascular disease therapeutics. New policies are needed to better support
      the development of safe and effective therapies with the greatest potential to
      improve patient health outcomes.

PMID- 28643862
TI  - Tumor angiogenesis revisited: Regulators and clinical implications.
AB  - Since Judah Folkman hypothesized in 1971 that angiogenesis is required for solid
      tumor growth, numerous studies have been conducted to unravel the angiogenesis
      process, analyze its role in primary tumor growth, metastasis and angiogenic
      diseases, and to develop inhibitors of proangiogenic factors. These studies have
      led in 2004 to the approval of the first antiangiogenic agent (bevacizumab, a
      humanized antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor) for the
      treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. This approval launched
      great expectations for the use of antiangiogenic therapy for malignant diseases.
      However, these expectations have not been met and, as knowledge of blood vessel
      formation accumulates, many of the original paradigms no longer hold. Therefore,
      the regulators and clinical implications of angiogenesis need to be revisited. In
      this review, we discuss recently identified angiogenesis mediators and pathways,
      new concepts that have emerged over the past 10 years, tumor resistance and
      toxicity associated with the use of currently available antiangiogenic treatment
      and potentially new targets and/or approaches for malignant and nonmalignant
      neovascular diseases.

PMID- 28643864
TI  - Hydroxyacetone: A Glycerol-Based Platform for Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation and
      Hydrodeoxygenation Processes.
AB  - Here, we propose the use of hydroxyacetone, a dehydration product of glycerol, as
      a platform for the electrocatalytic synthesis of acetone, 1,2-propanediol, and 2
      propanol. 11 non-noble metals were investigated as electrode materials in
      combination with three different electrolyte compositions toward the selectivity,
      Coulombic efficiency (CE), and reaction rates of the electrocatalytic
      hydrogenation (formation of 1,2-propanediol) and hydrodeoxygenation (formation of
      acetone and propanol) of hydroxyacetone. With a selectivity of 84.5 %, a reaction
      rate of 782 mmol h-1  m-2 and a CE of 32 % (for 0.09 m hydroxyacetone), iron
      electrodes, in a chloride electrolyte, yielded the best 1,2 propanediol
      formation. A further enhancement of the performance can be achieved upon
      increasing the educt concentration to 0.5 m, yielding a reaction rate of 2248.1
      mmol h-1  m-2 and a CE of 64.5 %. Acetone formation was optimal at copper and
      lead electrodes in chloride solution, with lead showing the lowest tendency of
      side product formation. 2-propanol formation can be achieved using a consecutive
      oxidation of the formed acetone (at iron electrodes). 1-propanol formation was
      observed only in traces.

PMID- 28643863
TI  - Design of Iron(II) Phthalocyanine-Derived Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts for
      High-Power-Density Microbial Fuel Cells.
AB  - Iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) deposited onto two different carbonaceous supports
      was synthesized through an unconventional pyrolysis-free method. The obtained
      materials were studied in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in neutral media
      through incorporation in an air-breathing cathode structure and tested in an
      operating microbial fuel cell (MFC) configuration. Rotating ring disk electrode
      (RRDE) analysis revealed high performances of the Fe-based catalysts compared
      with that of activated carbon (AC). The FePc supported on Black-Pearl carbon
      black [Fe-BP(N)] exhibits the highest performance in terms of its more positive
      onset potential, positive shift of the half-wave potential, and higher limiting
      current as well as the highest power density in the operating MFC of (243+/-7)
      MUW cm-2 , which was 33 % higher than that of FePc supported on nitrogen-doped
      carbon nanotubes (Fe-CNT(N); 182+/-5 MUW cm-2 ). The power density generated by
      Fe-BP(N) was 92 % higher than that of the MFC utilizing AC; therefore, the
      utilization of platinum group metal-free catalysts can boost the performances of
      MFCs significantly.

PMID- 28643865
TI  - Characterization and biological function of milk-derived miRNAs.
AB  - SCOPE: Breastfeeding is associated with reduced risk of infection, immune
      mediated disorders, obesity, and even cancer. Recently it was found that breast
      milk contains a variety of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the skim and fat layer that can
      be transferred to infants, and appear to play important roles in those biological
      functions. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study applied next generation sequencing and
      quantitative real-time PCR analysis to determine the miRNA expression profile of
      the skim and fat fraction of human, goat, and bovine milk as well as infant
      formulas. Human and mammalian milk were found to contain known advantageous
      miRNAs in exosomes and also in the fat layer. These miRNAs are highly conserved
      in human, bovine and goat milk. However, they were not detected in several infant
      formulas. Further, miRNAs present in milk were able to enter normal and tumor
      cells and affect their biological functions. Following incubation of milk derived
      human miRNA with normal and cancer cells, the expression of miRNA-148a was
      upregulated and the expression of the DNA methyltransferase1 target gene of miRNA
      148a was down regulated. CONCLUSION: These results reinforce previous findings on
      the importance of miRNA in breast milk. Future studies should concentrate on the
      addition of miRNA to infant formulas.

PMID- 28643866
TI  - Strategic communication related to academic performance: Evidence from China.
AB  - We examined a range of forms of strategic communication relevant to academic
      performance among 151 seventh- and eleventh-grade adolescents in China.
      Participants were asked to rate the frequency of their engagement of strategic
      communication and to evaluate the possible motives for each strategy. The most
      commonly adopted strategy was to give a vague response about one's own
      performance, and the predominant motives for strategic communication were the
      desires to outcompete others, to be prosocial, and to be modest. Males were more
      likely than females to focus on gaining social approval, and eleventh graders
      were more likely than seventh graders to focus on being prosocial and modest when
      engaging in strategic communication. These findings provide insight into the
      development of strategic communication beyond Western culture. Statement of
      contribution What is already known on this subject? Adolescents in the West often
      hide their effort to appear more competent or to gain social acceptance. Little
      is known about other communication strategies related to academic performance.
      Little is known about the development of these strategies in non-Western samples.
      What does this study add? We show that in China, as in Western cultures, children
      often engage in strategic communication. We demonstrate links between different
      forms of strategic communication and specific motives. We demonstrate that
      strategic communication can be motivated by outcompeting others, by being
      prosocial, and by being modest.

PMID- 28643867
TI  - Transfusion-transmitted CMV infection - current knowledge and future
      perspectives.
AB  - Transmission of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) via transfusion (TT-CMV) may still
      occur and remains a challenge in the treatment of immunocompromised CMV
      seronegative patients, e.g. after stem cell transplantation, and for low
      birthweight infants. Measures to reduce the risk of TT-CMV have been evaluated in
      clinical studies, including leucocyte depletion of cellular blood products and/or
      the selection of CMV-IgG-negative donations. Studies in large blood donor cohorts
      indicate that donations from newly CMV-IgG-positive donors should bear the
      highest risk for transmitting CMV infections because they contain the highest
      levels of CMV-DNA, and early CMV antibodies cannot neutralise CMV. Based on this
      knowledge, rational strategies to reduce the residual risk of TT-CMV using
      leucoreduced blood products could be designed. However, there is a lack of
      evidence that CMV is still transmitted by transfusion of leucoreduced units. In
      low birthweight infants, most (if not all) CMV infections are caused by breast
      milk feeding or congenital transmission rather than by transfusion of
      leucoreduced blood products. For other patients at risk, no definitive data exist
      about the relative importance of alternative transmission routes of CMV compared
      to blood transfusion. As a result, only the conduction of well-designed studies
      addressing strategies to prevent TT-CMV and the thorough examination of presumed
      cases of TT-CMV will achieve guidance for the best transfusion regimen in
      patients at risk.

PMID- 28643868
TI  - The potassium battery: a mobile energy source for transport processes in plant
      vascular tissues.
AB  - Contents 1049 I. 1049 II. 1050 III. 1050 IV. 1050 V. 1051 VI. 1051 VII. 1052
      VIII. 1052 1053 References 1053 SUMMARY: Plant roots absorb potassium ions from
      the soil and transport them in the xylem via the transpiration stream to the
      shoots. There, in source tissues where sufficient chemical energy (ATP) is
      available, K+ is loaded into the phloem and then transported with the phloem
      stream to other parts of the plant; in part, transport is also back to the roots.
      This, at first sight, futile cycling of K+ has been uncovered to be part of a
      sophisticated mechanism that (1) enables the shoot to communicate its nutrient
      demand to the root, (2) contributes to the K+ nutrition of transport phloem
      tissues and (3) transports energy stored in the K+ gradient between phloem
      cytosol and the apoplast. This potassium battery can be tapped by opening AKT2
      like potassium channels and then enables the ATP-independent energization of
      other transport processes, such as the reloading of sucrose. Insights into these
      mechanisms have only been possible by combining wet-lab and dry-lab experiments
      by means of computational cell biology modeling and simulations.

PMID- 28643870
TI  - Type III metacaspases: calcium-dependent activity proposes new function for the
      p10 domain.
AB  - Metacaspases are a subgroup of caspase homologues represented in bacteria, algae
      and plants. Although type I and type II metacaspases are present in plants,
      recently discovered and uncharacterized type III metacaspases can only be found
      in algae which have undergone secondary endosymbiosis. We analysed the expression
      levels of all 13 caspase homologues in the cryptophyte Guillardia theta in vivo
      and biochemically characterized its only type III metacaspase, GtMC2, in vitro.
      Type III metacaspase GtMC2 was shown to be an endopeptidase with a preference for
      basic amino acids in the P1 position, which exhibited specific N-terminal
      proteolytic cleavage for full catalytic efficiency. Autolytic processing, as well
      as the activity of the mature enzyme, required the presence of calcium ions in
      low millimolar concentrations. In GtMC2, two calcium-binding sites were
      identified, one with a dissociation constant at low and the other at high
      micromolar concentrations. We show high functional relatedness of type III
      metacaspases to type I metacaspases. Moreover, our data suggest that the low
      affinity calcium-binding site is located in the p10 domain, which contains a well
      conserved N-terminal region. This region can only be found in type I/II/III
      metacaspases, but is absent in calcium-independent caspase homologues.

PMID- 28643869
TI  - Mechanotransduction properties of the cytoplasmic tail of PECAM-1.
AB  - BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are a well-known cell
      system used in the study of mechanobiology. Using cultured ECs, we found that
      platelet EC adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1, CD31), a cell adhesion protein
      localised to regions of EC-EC contact, was rapidly tyrosine phosphorylated in ECs
      exposed to shear or cyclic stretch. Src-homology 2 domain-containing protein
      tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP2) binds phosphorylated PECAM-1 and activates the
      extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) signalling cascade, a known
      flow-activated signalling pathway. RESULTS: Although PECAM-1 tyrosine
      phosphorylation is characterised in ECs exposed to fluid shear stress, it is less
      well demonstrated in the cells stretched cyclically. Thus, we first show that
      PECAM-1 is tyrosine-phosphorylated in ECs cyclically stretched. We hypothesise
      that when an external force is applied to a monolayer of ECs, the force is
      directly transmitted to PECAM-1 which is then stretched and phosphorylation sites
      in its cytoplasmic domain are exposed and phosphorylated. This hypothesis
      requires the presence of any stretchable structure within the PECAM-1 cytoplasmic
      domain. Force spectroscopy measurements were performed with a construct
      containing cytoplasmic PECAM-1 domains inserted between I27 motifs, a recombinant
      string of the structural elements from titin. This strategy allowed us to
      identify the events in which a single molecule is being pulled and to detect the
      unravelling of the cytoplasmic domain of PECAM-1 by force. The response by PECAM
      1 to mechanical loading was heterogeneous but with magnitudes as high as or
      higher than the naturally force bearing I27 domains. CONCLUSIONS: The PECAM-1
      cytoplasmic domain has a structure that can be unfolded by externally applied
      force and this unfolding of PECAM-1 may be necessary for its phosphorylation, the
      first step of PECAM-1 mechanosignalling. SIGNIFICANCE: When EC monolayers are
      mechanically stimulated, the PECAM-1 found at EC contacts is phosphorylated. We
      have proposed that under these conditions, the cytoplasmic domain of PECAM-1 is
      unfolded, which then exposes a phosphorylation site, allowing it to be accessed.
      The stretch induced unfolding is essential to this model of PECAM-1
      mechanosignalling. In this study, we investigate whether the cytoplasmic domain
      of PECAM-1 has a stretchable structure, and the results are in line with our
      hypothesis.

PMID- 28643871
TI  - Colonic lipoma causing intussusception: a case for colonoscopic surveillance?

PMID- 28643874
TI  - 2,6-Bis(diazaboryl)pyridine: A Superbasic Sterically Demanding Pyridine Ligand.
AB  - Herein a convenient one-pot route to a sterically demanding superbasic pyridine
      is presented. Functionalization of the 2- and 6-positions with the strongly sigma
      donating boryl-groups shifts the calculated gas phase basicity of the pyridine
      nitrogen atom to 1012 kJ mol-1 , which outperforms the "proton sponge" 1,8
      bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene (996 kJ mol-1 ). The diazaboryl groups are oriented
      orthogonally to the pyridine ring and do not block the N-position, which
      resembles the geometry of commonly used N-heterocyclic carbenes. This allows the
      substituted pyridine to be used as a neutral N-donor ligand in coordination
      chemistry that is demonstrated herein with the Lewis adducts of haloboranes.
      Contrary to NHCs, which can form extraordinarily stable adducts, the pyridine
      ligand is intended to act as a weaker-coordinating alternative and could allow
      for alternative ligand chemistry.

PMID- 28643873
TI  - Increased expression of (immuno)proteasome subunits during epileptogenesis is
      attenuated by inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway reduces
      epileptogenesis in various epilepsy models, possibly by inhibition of
      inflammatory processes, which may include the proteasome system. To study the
      role of mTOR inhibition in the regulation of the proteasome system, we
      investigated (immuno)proteasome expression during epileptogenesis, as well as the
      effects of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. METHODS: The expression of constitutive
      (beta1, beta5) and immunoproteasome (beta1i, beta5i) subunits was investigated
      during epileptogenesis using immunohistochemistry in the electrical post-status
      epilepticus (SE) rat model for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). The effect of
      rapamycin was studied on (immuno)proteasome subunit expression in post-SE rats
      that were treated for 6 weeks. (Immuno)proteasome expression was validated in the
      brain tissue of patients who had SE or drug-resistant TLE and the effect of
      rapamycin was studied in primary human astrocyte cultures. RESULTS: In post-SE
      rats, increased (immuno)proteasome expression was detected throughout
      epileptogenesis in neurons and astrocytes within the hippocampus and piriform
      cortex and was most evident in rats that developed a progressive form of
      epilepsy. Rapamycin-treated post-SE rats had reduced (immuno)proteasome protein
      expression and a lower number of spontaneous seizures compared to vehicle-treated
      rats. (Immuno)proteasome expression was also increased in neurons and astrocytes
      within the human hippocampus after SE and in patients with drug-resistant TLE. In
      vitro studies using cultured human astrocytes showed that interleukin (IL)-1beta
      induced (immuno)proteasome gene expression could be attenuated by rapamycin.
      SIGNIFICANCE: Because dysregulation of the (immuno)proteasome system is observed
      before the occurrence of spontaneous seizures in rats, is associated with
      progression of epilepsy, and can be modulated via the mTOR pathway, it may
      represent an interesting novel target for drug treatment in epilepsy.

PMID- 28643872
TI  - Circulating microRNA as candidates for early embryonic viability in cattle.
AB  - Blood-borne extracellular vesicles (i.e., exosomes and microvesicles) carrying
      microRNAs (miRNAs) could make excellent biomarkers of disease and different
      physiologic states, including pregnancy status. We tested the hypothesis that
      circulating extracellular vesicle-derived miRNAs might differentiate the
      pregnancy status of cows that had maintained pregnancy to Day 30 from non
      pregnant cows or from those that exhibited embryonic mortality between Days 17
      and 30 of gestation. Cows were randomly assigned for artificial insemination with
      fertile semen (n = 36) or dead semen (n = 8; control group) on Day 0 (day of
      estrus). Blood was collected from all animals on Day 0 and on Days 17 and 24
      after artificial insemination. Cows receiving live sperm were retrospectively
      classified as pregnant on Day 30 (n = 17) or exhibiting embryonic mortality
      between Days 17 and 30 (n = 19). Extracellular vesicles from Day 17 and 24
      samples were isolated from serum using ultra-centrifugation, and their presence
      was confirmed by nanoparticle tracking and Western blot analyses (for CD81) prior
      to RNA extraction. MicroRNA sequencing was performed on pregnant, embryonic
      mortality, and control cows (n = 4 per day), for a total of 24 independent
      reactions. In total, 214 miRNAs were identified in serum, 40 of which were novel.
      Based on differential abundance parameters, we identified 32 differentially
      abundant loci, representing 27 differentially abundant mature miRNA. At Days 17
      and 24, specific miRNAs (e.g., miR-25, -16b, and -3596) were identified that
      differentiated the pregnancy status. In summary, we identified several
      circulating extracellular vesicles derived miRNAs that differ in abundance
      between embryonic mortality and pregnant cows.

PMID- 28643876
TI  - Editorial Comment to Retropubic tissue fixation system tensioned mini-sling
      carried out under local anesthesia cures stress urinary incontinence and
      intrinsic sphincter deficiency: 1-year data.

PMID- 28643875
TI  - Prediction of severe pre-eclampsia/HELLP syndrome by combination of sFlt-1, CT
      pro-ET-1 and blood pressure: exploratory study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of a combination of angiogenic and
      vasoactive biomarkers to predict the development of severe pre-eclampsia
      (PE)/HELLP syndrome in the third trimester. METHODS: Included were 215 women
      referred in the third trimester to an obstetric outpatient clinic with suspected
      PE (mean gestational age, 35 + 4 weeks), and 94 with normal pregnancy attending a
      midwife clinic. Cases were categorized as having subclinical PE, essential
      hypertension, gestational hypertension, moderate PE, and severe PE/HELLP
      syndrome. Blood samples were analyzed by immunoassay and groups were compared
      with respect to potential clinical and biochemical biomarkers, with the primary
      outcome being development of severe PE/HELLP syndrome within 1 week and within 2
      weeks of analysis. The most promising markers were also assessed in combination.
      RESULTS: In the patients presenting with mild to moderate symptoms of PE, the
      individual markers which performed best for the prediction of progression to
      severe PE/HELLP syndrome within 1 week and within 2 weeks of biomarker evaluation
      were C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-pro-ET-1) (area under the receiver-operating
      characteristics curve (AUC), 0.82 and 0.78, respectively), soluble fms-like
      tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) (AUC, 0.81 and 0.76), systolic blood pressure (AUC,
      0.80 and 0.68) and midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (AUC, 0.79 and
      0.77). The combination of biomarkers with the best performance was CT-pro-ET-1,
      sFlt-1 and systolic blood pressure, achieving an AUC of 0.94 for prediction of
      development of severe PE/HELLP syndrome within 1 week and an AUC of 0.83 for
      prediction of their development within 2 weeks of biomarker evaluation.
      CONCLUSIONS: The performance of CT-pro-ET-1 for prediction of the development of
      PE/HELLP syndrome in the third trimester was promising, especially in combination
      with sFlt-1 and systolic blood pressure. This was an exploratory study and our
      findings should be confirmed in further studies. Copyright (c) 2017 ISUOG.
      Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PMID- 28643877
TI  - Cerebral haemodynamic response to somatosensory stimulation in neonatal lambs.
AB  - KEY POINTS: Cerebral haemodynamic response to neural stimulation has been
      extensively studied in adults, but little is known about cerebral haemodynamic
      response in the fetal and neonatal brain. The present study describes the
      cerebral haemodynamic response measured by near infrared spectroscopy to
      somatosensory stimulation in newborn lambs, in comparison to recent findings in
      fetal sheep. The cerebral haemodynamic responses in the newborn lamb brain can
      involve an increase in oxyhaemoglobin (oxyHb), or a decrease of oxyHb suggestive
      of reduced perfusion and oxygenation. Positive correlations between changes in
      oxyHb and mean arterial blood pressure were found in newborn but not fetal sheep,
      which suggests the result is unlikely to be due to immature autoregulation alone.
      In contrast to adult studies, hypercapnia increased the changes in cerebral blood
      flow and oxyHb in most of the lambs in response to somatosensory stimulation.
      ABSTRACT: The neurovascular coupling response has been defined for the adult
      brain, but in the neonate non-invasive measurement of local cerebral perfusion
      using near infrared spectroscopy or blood oxygen level-dependent functional
      magnetic resonance imaging have yielded variable and inconsistent results,
      including negative responses suggesting decreased perfusion and localized tissue
      tissue hypoxia. Also, the impact of permissive hypercapnia (P aC O2 > 50 mmHg) in
      the management of neonates on cerebrovascular responses to somatosensory input is
      unknown. Using near infrared spectroscopy to measure changes in cerebral oxy- and
      deoxyhaemoglobin (DeltaoxyHb, DeltadeoxyHb) in eight anaesthetized newborn lambs,
      we studied the cerebral haemodynamic functional response to left median nerve
      stimulation using stimulus trains of 1.8, 4.8 and 7.8 s. Stimulation always
      produced a somatosensory evoked response, and superficial cortical perfusion
      measured by laser Doppler flowmetry predominantly increased following median
      nerve stimulation. However, with 1.8 s stimulation, oxyHb responses in the
      contralateral hemisphere were either positive (i.e. increased oxyHb), negative,
      or absent; and with 4.8 and 7.8 s stimulations, both positive and negative
      responses were observed. Hypercapnia increased baseline oxyHb and total Hb
      consistent with cerebral vasodilatation, and six of seven lambs tested showed
      increased Deltatotal Hb responses after the 7.8 s stimulation, among which four
      lambs also showed increased DeltaoxyHb responses. In two of three lambs, the
      negative DeltaoxyHb response became a positive pattern during hypercapnia. These
      results show that instead of functional hyperaemia, somatosensory stimulation can
      evoke negative (decreased oxyHb, total Hb) functional responses in the neonatal
      brain suggestive of decreased local perfusion and vasoconstriction, and that
      hypercapnia produces both baseline hyperperfusion and increased functional
      hyperaemia.

PMID- 28643878
TI  - Frameless stereotactic radiotherapy alone and combined with temozolomide for
      presumed canine gliomas.
AB  - We evaluated stereotactic volume modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) for canine
      gliomas, alone (radiotherapy [RT]) and in combination with temozolomide (RT +
      TMZ), compared with palliation. Overall and disease-specific survival times were
      estimated. Thirty dogs were palliated, 22 dogs were treated with RT and 20 with
      RT + TMZ. Complete and partial responses were observed in 63.2% and 90.9% of
      patients in the RT and RT + TMZ arms, respectively, that were alive at 1 year.
      Median survival in the palliation arm was 94 days (95% conformity index [CI]
      87/101). Median survivals of the RT arm (383 days, 95% CI 276/490) and RT+TMZ arm
      (420 days, 95% CI 280/560) were not significantly different (P = .61). Positive
      correlation with survival was found both for the ratio between target and brain
      (relative) volume of the tumour of <5% (P = .013) and for a clinical presentation
      with normal mentation (P = .032). VMAT is feasible and effective for canine brain
      gliomas. Combining this therapy with TMZ did not elicit any additional
      improvement in survival time.

PMID- 28643879
TI  - Inter-subject alignment of MEG datasets in a common representational space.
AB  - Pooling neural imaging data across subjects requires aligning recordings from
      different subjects. In magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings, sensors across
      subjects are poorly correlated both because of differences in the exact location
      of the sensors, and structural and functional differences in the brains. It is
      possible to achieve alignment by assuming that the same regions of different
      brains correspond across subjects. However, this relies on both the assumption
      that brain anatomy and function are well correlated, and the strong assumptions
      that go into solving the under-determined inverse problem given the high
      dimensional source space. In this article, we investigated an alternative method
      that bypasses source-localization. Instead, it analyzes the sensor recordings
      themselves and aligns their temporal signatures across subjects. We used a
      multivariate approach, multiset canonical correlation analysis (M-CCA), to
      transform individual subject data to a low-dimensional common representational
      space. We evaluated the robustness of this approach over a synthetic dataset, by
      examining the effect of different factors that add to the noise and individual
      differences in the data. On an MEG dataset, we demonstrated that M-CCA performs
      better than a method that assumes perfect sensor correspondence and a method that
      applies source localization. Last, we described how the standard M-CCA algorithm
      could be further improved with a regularization term that incorporates spatial
      sensor information. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4287-4301, 2017. (c) 2017 Wiley
      Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643880
TI  - Effects of discrete bioactive microbial volatiles on plants and fungi.
AB  - Plants live in association with microorganisms, which are well known as a rich
      source of specialized metabolites, including volatile compounds. The increasing
      numbers of described plant microbiomes allowed manifold phylogenetic tree
      deductions, but less emphasis is presently put on the metabolic capacities of
      plant-associated microorganisms. With the focus on small volatile metabolites we
      summarize (i) the knowledge of prominent bacteria of plant microbiomes; (ii)
      present the state-of-the-art of individual (discrete) microbial organic and
      inorganic volatiles affecting plants and fungi; and (iii) emphasize the high
      potential of microbial volatiles in mediating microbe-plant interactions. So far,
      94 discrete organic and five inorganic compounds were investigated, most of them
      trigger alterations of the growth, physiology and defence responses in plants and
      fungi but little is known about the specific molecular and cellular targets.
      Large overlaps in emission profiles of the emitters and receivers render specific
      volatile organic compound-mediated interactions highly unlikely for most
      bioactive mVOCs identified so far.

PMID- 28643881
TI  - Virucides in apiculture: persistence of surrogate enterovirus under simulated
      field conditions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Honeybee viruses have been recognized as being among the most
      important factors leading to colony losses worldwide. Colony food and faeces are
      regarded as possible sources of infectious viruses able to contaminate the
      environment and equipment of apiaries. Thus, methods for elimination of viruses
      are required. No cell culture assay for testing the effect of disinfectants on
      honeybee viruses is yet available. Therefore, surrogate virus was employed for
      testing of the efficacy of iodophor- and peracetic acid-based disinfectants in
      combination with six organic contaminants at +6  degrees C and +22  degrees C.
      Moreover, we evaluated the persistence of the surrogate in honey at +6  degrees
      C, +22  degrees C, and +50  degrees C. RESULTS: Iodophor-based disinfectant
      showed a maximum reduction of virus titre of 3.4 log10 . Peracetic acid reduced
      the titre (>=4 log10 ) only at 22  degrees C and without yeast extract/bovine
      serum albumin. After 25 days of incubation of the virus - honey mix, no decrease
      of virus titre was observed at +6  degrees C, whereas a significant reduction
      (3.5 log10 ) was found at +50  degrees C already after 1 day. CONCLUSIONS: Both
      tested disinfectants can serve as appropriate virucides in apiaries. The effect
      of peracetic acid significantly depended on temperature and organic contaminants.
      The iodophor-based disinfectant showed a stable antiviral effect at different
      temperatures and with different contaminants. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical
      Industry.

PMID- 28643882
TI  - The history and current status of glyphosate.
AB  - Glyphosate is the only herbicide to target the enzyme 5-enolpyruvyl-3-shikimate
      phosphate synthase (EPSPS). It is a high use rate, non-selective herbicide that
      translocates primarily to metabolic sinks, killing meristematic tissues away from
      the application site. Its phloem-mobile properties and slow action in killing
      weeds allow the herbicide to move throughout the plant to kill all meristems,
      making it effective for perennial weed control. Since commercialization in 1974,
      its use has grown to dominate the herbicide market. Much of its use is on
      transgenic, glyphosate-resistant crops (GRCs), which have been the dominant
      transgenic crops worldwide. GRCs with glyphosate provided the most effective and
      inexpensive weed management technology in history for a decade or more. However,
      as a consequence of the rapid increase in glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds, the
      effectiveness of glyphosate use in GRCs is declining. Critics have claimed that
      glyphosate-treated GRCs have altered mineral nutrition and increased
      susceptibility to plant pathogens because of glyphosate's ability to chelate
      divalent metal cations, but the complete resistance of GRCs to glyphosate
      indicates that chelating metal cations do not contribute to the herbicidal
      activity or significantly affect mineral nutrition. The rates of increases in
      yields of maize, soybean, and cotton in the USA have been unchanged after high
      adoption rates of GRCs. Glyphosate is toxic to some plant pathogens, and thereby
      can act as a fungicide in GRCs. Ultra-low doses of glyphosate stimulate plant
      growth in glyphosate-susceptible plants by unknown mechanisms. Despite rapid and
      widespread increases in GR weeds, glyphosate use has not decreased. However, as
      GR weeds increase, adoption of alternative technologies will eventually lead to
      decreased use. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in
      the public domain in the USA.

PMID- 28643883
TI  - Is ridge preservation/augmentation at periodontally compromised extraction
      sockets safe? A retrospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the safety of ridge
      preservation/augmentation procedures when performed at compromised extraction
      sockets. METHODS: Patients subject to ridge preservation/augmentation at
      periodontally compromised sockets at Seoul National University Dental Hospital
      (SNUDH) were evaluated in a chart review. Tooth extractions due to acute
      infection were not included in our study as chronically formed lesions are the
      only lesions that can be detected from radiographic images. If inflammatory
      symptoms persisted following ridge preservation/augmentation and antimicrobial
      and anti-inflammatory therapy, the patient was categorized as a re-infection case
      and implanted biomaterial removed. RESULTS: Of 10,060 patients subject to tooth
      extractions at SNUDH, 2011 through 2015, 297 cases meeting inclusion criteria
      were reviewed. The severity and type of lesions were not specific because
      extracting data was only done by radiographic images and chart records. The
      review identified eight patients exhibiting inflammatory symptoms that required
      additional antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapy. Within this group, re
      infection occurred in two patients requiring biomaterials removal. The final
      safety rate for the ridge preservation/augmentation was 99.3%. None of the
      demographic factors, systemic conditions or choice of biomaterial affected the
      safety of ridge preservation/augmentation. CONCLUSION: Alveolar ridge
      preservation/augmentation at periodontally compromised sockets appears safe
      following thorough removal of infectious source.

PMID- 28643885
TI  - The Direct Catalytic Oxidation of Methane to Methanol-A Critical Assessment.
AB  - Despite the large number of disparate approaches for the direct selective partial
      oxidation of methane, none of them has translated into an industrial process. The
      oxidation of methane to methanol is a difficult, but intriguing and rewarding,
      task as it has the potential to eliminate the prevalent natural gas flaring by
      providing novel routes to its valorization. This Review considers the synthesis
      of methanol and methanol derivatives from methane by homogeneous and
      heterogeneous pathways. By establishing the severe limitations related to the
      direct catalytic synthesis of methanol from methane, we highlight the vastly
      superior performance of systems which produce methanol derivatives or incorporate
      specific measures, such as the use of multicomponent catalysts to stabilize
      methanol. We thereby identify methanol protection as being indispensable for
      future research on homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis.

PMID- 28643886
TI  - Ileocolic intussusception from an inflammatory fibroid polyp: a rare cause of
      adult small bowel obstruction.

PMID- 28643884
TI  - Learning climate and feedback as predictors of dental students' self-determined
      motivation: The mediating role of basic psychological needs satisfaction.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to test the mediating role of the satisfaction of
      dental students' basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and
      relatedness on the association between learning climate, feedback and student
      motivation. The latter was based on the self-determination theory's concepts of
      differentiation of autonomous motivation, controlled motivation and amotivation.
      METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted where 924 students
      completed self-reported questionnaires measuring motivation, perception of the
      learning climate, feedback and basic psychological needs satisfaction.
      Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha scores and bivariate correlations were
      computed. Mediation of basic needs on each predictor-outcome association was
      tested based on a series of regression analyses. Finally, all variables were
      integrated into one structural equation model, controlling for the effects of
      age, gender and year of study. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha scores were acceptable
      (.655 to .905). Correlation analyses showed positive and significant associations
      between both an autonomy-supportive learning climate and the quantity and quality
      of feedback received, and students' autonomous motivation, which decreased and
      became negative when correlated with controlled motivation and amotivation,
      respectively. Regression analyses revealed that these associations were indirect
      and mediated by how these predictors satisfied students' basic psychological
      needs. These results were corroborated by the structural equation analysis, in
      which data fit the model well and regression paths were in the expected
      direction. CONCLUSION: An autonomy-supportive learning climate and the quantity
      and quality of feedback were positive predictors of students' autonomous
      motivation and negative predictors of amotivation. However, this was an indirect
      association mediated by the satisfaction of students' basic psychological needs.
      Consequently, supporting students' needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness
      might lead to optimal types of motivation, which has an important influence on
      dental education.

PMID- 28643887
TI  - Personality, dopamine, and Parkinson's disease: Insights from subthalamic
      stimulation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Subthalamic stimulation improves the motor and neuropsychiatric
      symptoms of Parkinson's disease. However, the impact of this treatment on impulse
      control and personality is the subject of heavy debate. The objective of this
      study was to investigate personality changes after subthalamic stimulation.
      METHODS: Using Cloninger's biosocial model, we assessed personality in 73
      Parkinson's disease patients before and 12 months after subthalamic stimulation
      accompanied by a drastic reduction in dopaminergic medication. Changes in
      psychobehavioral symptoms were measured using a battery of validated clinical
      scales (apathy, depression, anxiety, hyperemotionality, mania, psychosis,
      punding, and impulse control behaviors). RESULTS: One year after surgery, the
      harm avoidance personality domain total score increased compared with the
      baseline (+2.8; 34 patients; P < 0.001), as did 3 of its 4 subdomains:
      anticipatory worry (+0.7; 10 patients; P = 0.005), shyness (+0.6; 7 patients; P =
      0.03), and fatigability (+1.1; 10 patients; P = 0.0014). Evolution of the shyness
      personality trait correlated with the decrease in dopaminergic medication. Total
      scores in the other personality domains remained unchanged, except for
      extravagance, a subdomain of novelty seeking, and persistence, a subdomain of
      reward dependence, which both decreased following surgery (-0.3; 7 patients; and 
      0.6; 9 patients; P = 0.03 and P = 0.0019, respectively). Although apathy
      increased, other psychobehavioral symptoms, including impulse control behaviors
      and neuropsychiatric nonmotor fluctuations, improved. Depression and anhedonia
      remained stable. Scores in hypodopaminergia and neuropsychiatric nonmotor OFF
      correlated with harm avoidance. Scores in hyperdopaminergia and neuropsychiatric
      nonmotor ON correlated with novelty seeking. CONCLUSIONS: When subthalamic
      stimulation is applied in Parkinson's disease, significant changes in personality
      traits are observed, which may be related to postoperative tapering of
      dopaminergic treatment. (c) 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder
      Society.

PMID- 28643889
TI  - Reply to 'Letter to the Editor' regarding the article 'Should we treat severe
      vasovagal syncope with a pacemaker?'

PMID- 28643888
TI  - Combination of citrus polymethoxyflavones, green tea polyphenols, and Lychee
      extracts suppresses obesity and hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet induced obese
      mice.
AB  - SCOPE: SlimTrym(r) is a formulated product composed of citrus polymethoxyflavones
      (PMFs), green tea extract, and lychee extract. We investigated the effect of
      dietary SlimTrym(r) on diet-induced obesity and associated non-alcoholic fatty
      liver disease (NAFLD) in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a
      normal diet (ND), high fat diet (HFD) or HFD containing 0.1% or 0.5% SlimTrym(r)
      for 16 weeks. Dietary SlimTrym(r) significantly reduced weight gain and relative
      perigonadal, retroperitoneal, mesenteric fat weight as well as the size of
      adipocyte in HFD-fed mice. SlimTrym(r) supplementation also effectively
      diminished hepatic steatosis and the serum levels of glutamate oxaloacetate
      transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), triacylglycerol (TG),
      and total cholesterol (TCHO). Down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator
      activated receptor (PPAR)gamma, sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)
      1, and the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling by
      SlimTrym(r) in both adipose tissue and liver may be responsible for the observed
      anti-obesity effects. CONCLUSION: SlimTrym(r) supplementation potentially
      diminished diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis via regulating AMPK
      signaling and molecules involved in lipid metabolism.

PMID- 28643890
TI  - Anatomical Evaluation of the Thoracolumbar Nerves Related to the Transversus
      Abdominis Plane Block Technique in the Dog.
AB  - Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) is a fascial plane containing the thoracolumbar
      nerve branches that innervate the abdominal wall. Limited information is
      available on the anatomical organization of these nerve branches in the dog,
      which is of great importance for the success of the TAP block anaesthetic
      technique. The aim of this study was to describe the origin and conformation of
      thoracolumbar nerves running through the TAP in 20 hemi-abdominal walls of 10
      adult mongrel dog cadavers with an average body weight of 12.6 kg (range: 9.6
      15.6). The abdominal walls were dissected from superficial to deep direction, the
      skin and both obliquus externus abdominis and obliquus internus abdominis muscles
      were dissected and reflected dorsally to expose the transversus abdominis muscle
      and the thoracolumbar nerve branches located in this plane. The anatomical
      features of ventral nerve branches were described. The thoracic nerve branches:
      T7-T12 and costoabdominalis; and the lumbar nerve branches: iliohypogastricus
      cranialis, iliohypogastricus caudalis, ilioinguinalis and cutaneus femoris
      lateralis were identified in all the cadavers. Anatomical variations related to
      the presence or absence within the TAP of the T7, T8 and T9 nerve branches were
      found. These variations should be taken into account when planning the TAP block
      technique in dogs.

PMID- 28643891
TI  - Direct comparison of high-temporal-resolution CINE MRI with Doppler ultrasound
      for assessment of diastolic dysfunction in mice.
AB  - Diastolic dysfunction is a sensitive early indicator of heart failure and can
      provide additional data to conventional measures of systolic function.
      Transmitral Doppler ultrasound, which measures the one-dimensional flow of blood
      through the mitral valve, is currently the preferred method for the measurement
      of diastolic function, but the measurement of the left ventricular volume changes
      using high-temporal-resolution cinematic magnetic resonance imaging (CINE MRI) is
      an alternative approach which is emerging as a potentially more robust and user
      independent technique. Here, we investigated the performance of high-temporal
      resolution CINE MRI and compared it with ultrasound for the detection of
      diastolic dysfunction in a mouse model of myocardial infarction. An in-house,
      high-temporal-resolution, retrospectively gated CINE sequence was developed with
      a temporal resolution of 1 ms. Diastolic function in mice was assessed using a
      custom-made, open-source reconstruction package. Early (E) and late (A) left
      ventricular filling phases were easily identifiable, and these measurements were
      compared directly with high-frequency, pulsed-wave, Doppler ultrasound
      measurements of mitral valve inflow. A repeatability study established that high
      temporal-resolution CINE MRI and Doppler ultrasound showed comparable accuracy
      when measuring E/A in normal control mice. However, when applied in a mouse model
      of myocardial infarction, high-temporal-resolution CINE MRI indicated diastolic
      heart failure (E/A = 0.94 +/- 0.11), whereas ultrasound falsely detected normal
      cardiac function (E/A = 1.21 +/- 0.11). The addition of high-temporal-resolution
      CINE MRI to preclinical imaging studies enhances the library of sequences
      available to cardiac researchers and potentially identifies diastolic heart
      failure early in disease progression.

PMID- 28643893
TI  - Cutaneous angiosarcoma: a rare complication post-male breast cancer radiotherapy.

PMID- 28643892
TI  - Calcitriol exerts an anti-tumor effect in osteosarcoma by inducing the
      endoplasmic reticulum stress response.
AB  - Osteosarcoma is the most common type of primary bone tumor, and novel therapeutic
      approaches for this disease are urgently required. To identify effective agents,
      we screened a panel of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs in AXT
      cells, our newly established mouse osteosarcoma line, and identified calcitriol
      as a candidate compound with therapeutic efficacy for this disease. Calcitriol
      inhibited cell proliferation in AXT cells by blocking cell cycle progression.
      From a mechanistic standpoint, calcitriol induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
      stress, which was potentially responsible for downregulation of cyclin D1,
      activation of p38 MAPK, and intracellular production of reactive oxygen species
      (ROS). Knockdown of Atf4 or Ddit3 restored cell viability after calcitriol
      treatment, indicating that the ER stress response was indeed responsible for the
      anti-proliferative effect in AXT cells. Notably, the ER stress response was
      induced to a lesser extent in human osteosarcoma than in AXT cells, consistent
      with the weaker suppressive effect on cell growth in the human cells. Thus, the
      magnitude of ER stress induced by calcitriol might be an index of its anti
      osteosarcoma effect. Although mice treated with calcitriol exhibited weight loss
      and elevated serum calcium levels, a single dose was sufficient to decrease
      osteosarcoma tumor size in vivo. Our findings suggest that calcitriol holds
      therapeutic potential for treatment of osteosarcoma, assuming that techniques to
      diminish its toxicity could be established. In addition, our results show that
      calcitriol could still be safely administered to osteosarcoma patients for its
      original purposes, including treatment of osteoporosis.

PMID- 28643894
TI  - Do implicit and explicit belief processing share neural substrates?
AB  - Humans rely on their ability to infer another person's mental state to understand
      and predict others' behavior ("theory of mind," ToM). Multiple lines of research
      suggest that not only are humans able to consciously process another person's
      belief state, but also are able to do so implicitly. Here we explored how general
      implicit belief states are represented in the brain, compared to those substrates
      involved in explicit ToM processes. Previous work on this topic has yielded
      conflicting results, and thus, the extent to which the implicit and explicit ToM
      systems draw on common neural bases is unclear. Participants were presented with
      "Sally-Anne" type movies in which a protagonist was falsely led to believe a ball
      was in one location, only for a puppet to later move it to another location in
      their absence (false-belief condition). In other movies, the protagonist had
      their back turned the entire time the puppet moved the ball between the two
      locations, meaning that they had no opportunity to develop any pre-existing
      beliefs about the scenario (no-belief condition). Using a group of independently
      localized explicit ToM brain regions, we found greater activity for false-belief
      trials, relative to no-belief trials, in the right temporoparietal junction,
      right superior temporal sulcus, precuneus, and left middle prefrontal gyrus.
      These findings extend upon previous work on the neural bases of implicit ToM by
      showing substantial overlap between this system and the explicit ToM system,
      suggesting that both abilities might recruit a common set of mentalizing
      processes/functional brain regions. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4760-4772, 2017. (c) 2017
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID- 28643895
TI  - Light-Switchable Azobenzene-Containing Macromolecules: From UV to Near Infrared.
AB  - Azobenzene-containing macromolecules (azo-macromolecules) such as azobenzene
      containing polymers (azopolymers) and azobenzene-functionalized biomacromolecules
      are photoswitchable macromolecules. Trans-to-cis photoisomerization in
      conventional azo-macromolecules is induced by ultraviolet (UV) light. However, UV
      light cannot penetrate deeply into issue and has a very small fraction in
      sunlight. Therefore, conventional azo-macromolecules are problematic for
      biomedical and solar-energy-related applications. In this Feature Article, the
      strategies for constructing visible and near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive azo
      macromolecules are reviewed, and the potential applications of visible- and NIR
      light-responsive azo-macromolecules in biomedicine and solar energy conversion
      are highlighted. The remaining challenges in the field of photoswitchable azo
      macromolecules are discussed.

PMID- 28643896
TI  - The Cope Rearrangement of 1,5-Dimethylsemibullvalene-2(4)-d1 : Experimental
      Evidence for Heavy-Atom Tunneling.
AB  - As an experimental test of the theoretical prediction that heavy-atom tunneling
      is involved in the degenerate Cope rearrangement of semibullvalenes at cryogenic
      temperatures, monodeuterated 1,5-dimethylsemibullvalene isotopomers were prepared
      and investigated by IR spectroscopy using the matrix isolation technique. As
      predicted, the less thermodynamically stable isotopomer rearranges at cryogenic
      temperatures in the dark to the more stable one, while broadband IR irradiation
      above 2000 cm-1 results in an equilibration of the isotopomeric ratio. Since this
      reaction proceeds with a rate constant in the order of 10-4  s-1 despite an
      experimental barrier of Ea =4.8 kcal mol-1 and with only a shallow temperature
      dependence, the results are interpreted in terms of heavy-atom tunneling.

PMID- 28643897
TI  - A novel amino acid substitution Trp574Arg in acetolactate synthase (ALS) confers
      broad resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides in crabgrass (Digitaria
      sanguinalis).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is an annual monocotyledonous weed.
      In recent years, field applications of nicosulfuron have been ineffective in
      controlling crabgrass populations in Shandong Province, China. To investigate the
      mechanisms of resistance to nicosulfuron in crabgrass populations, the
      acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene fragment covering known resistance-confering
      mutation sites was amplified and sequenced. RESULTS: Dose-response experiments
      suggested that the resistant population SD13 (R) was highly resistant to
      nicosulfuron (resistance index R/S = 43.7) compared with the sensitive population
      SD22 (S). ALS gene sequencing revealed a Trp574Arg substitution in the SD13
      population, and no other known resistance-conferring mutations were found. In
      vitro ALS enzyme assays further confirmed that the SD13 population was resistant
      to all tested ALS-inhibiting herbicides. The resistance pattern experiments
      revealed that, compared with SD22, the SD13 population exhibited broad-spectrum
      resistance to nicosulfuron (43.7-fold), imazethapyr (11.4-fold) and flumetsulam
      (16.1-fold); however, it did not develop resistance to atrazine, mesotrione and
      topramezone. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that Trp574Arg substitution was
      the main reason for crabgrass resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. To our
      knowledge, this is the first report of Trp574Arg substitution in a weed species,
      and is the first report of target-site mechanisms of herbicide resistance for
      crabgrass. (c) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID- 28643898
TI  - Identification of cross-reactive B-cell epitopes between Bos d 9.0101(Bos Taurus)
      and Gly m 5.0101 (Glycine max) by epitope mapping MALDI-TOF MS.
AB  - Exposure to cow's milk constitutes one of the most common causes of food allergy.
      In addition, exposure to soy proteins has become relevant in a restricted
      proportion of milk allergic pediatric patients treated with soy formulae as a
      dairy substitute, because of the cross-allergenicity described between soy and
      milk proteins. We have previously identified several cross-reactive allergens
      between milk and soy that may explain this intolerance. The purpose of the
      present work was to identify epitopes in the purified alphaS1-casein and the
      recombinant soy allergen Gly m 5.0101 (Gly m 5) using an alpha-casein-specific
      monoclonal antibody (1D5 mAb) through two different approaches for epitope
      mapping, to understand cross-reactivity between milk and soy. The 1D5 mAb was
      immobilized onto magnetic beads, incubated with the peptide mixture previously
      obtained by enzymatic digestion of the allergens, and the captured peptides were
      identified by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. On a second approach, the peptide mixture
      was resolved by RP-HPLC and immunodominant peptides were identified by dot blot
      with the mAb. Finally, recognized peptides were sequenced by MALDI-TOF MS. This
      novel MS based approach led us to identify and characterize four peptides on
      alpha-casein and three peptides on Gly m 5 with a common core motif. Information
      obtained from these cross-reactive epitopes allows us to gain valuable insight
      into the molecular mechanisms of cross-reactivity, to further develop new and
      more effective vaccines for food allergy.

PMID- 28643900
TI  - Exploring perspectives of young onset dementia caregivers with high versus low
      unmet needs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study is part of the Research to Assess Policies and Strategies
      for Dementia in the Young project. Information about specific needs in young
      onset dementia (YOD) will provide the basis for the development of an e-health
      intervention to assist caregivers in coping with YOD in several European
      countries. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the issues caregivers of people
      with YOD face. METHODS: A qualitative content analysis method was used to analyse
      interviews with YOD caregivers. Quantitative data of the Needs in Young Onset
      Dementia study were used to select caregivers based on a ranking of unmet needs,
      to capture differences and similarities between caregivers that experienced high
      levels of unmet needs versus those with low levels of unmet needs. Needs were
      assessed with the Camberwell Assessment of Needs in the Elderly. RESULTS:
      Findings revealed the following themes: (i) acceptance; (ii) perception of the
      relationship; (iii) role adaptation; (iv) Availability of appropriate services;
      (v) social support; and (vi) awareness in the person with dementia and acceptance
      of help. Several factors seemed more apparent in the caregivers who experienced
      few unmet needs opposed to the caregivers who experienced more unmet needs.
      CONCLUSION: The current study provides an in-depth perspective on the caregiver's
      experiences and emphasizes specific themes that could be addressed in future
      interventions. This might contribute to a caring situation in which the caregiver
      experiences less unmet needs. Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28643899
TI  - Lack of adaptation during prolonged split-belt locomotion in the intact and
      spinal cat.
AB  - KEY POINTS: During split-belt locomotion in humans where one leg steps faster
      than the other, the symmetry of step lengths and double support periods of the
      slow and fast legs is gradually restored. When returning to tied-belt locomotion,
      there is an after-effect, with a reversal in the asymmetry observed in the early
      split-belt period, indicating that the new pattern was stored within the central
      nervous system. In this study, we investigated if intact and spinal-transected
      cats show a similar pattern of adaptation to split-belt locomotion by measuring
      kinematic variables and electromyography before, during and after 10 min of split
      belt locomotion. The results show that cats do not adapt to prolonged split-belt
      locomotion. Our results suggest an important physiological difference in how cats
      and humans respond to prolonged asymmetric locomotion. ABSTRACT: In humans, gait
      adapts to prolonged walking on a split-belt treadmill, where one leg steps faster
      than the other, by gradually restoring the symmetry of interlimb kinematic
      variables, such as double support periods and step lengths, and by reducing
      muscle activity (EMG, electromyography). The adaptation is also characterized by
      reversing the asymmetry of interlimb variables observed during the early split
      belt period when returning to tied-belt locomotion, termed an after-effect. To
      determine if cats adapt to prolonged split-belt locomotion and to assess if
      spinal locomotor circuits participate in the adaptation, we measured interlimb
      variables and EMG in intact and spinal-transected cats before, during and after
      10 min of split-belt locomotion. In spinal cats, only the hindlimbs performed
      stepping with the forelimbs stationary. In intact and spinal cats, step lengths
      and double support periods were, on average, symmetric, during tied-belt
      locomotion. They became asymmetric during split-belt locomotion and remained
      asymmetric throughout the split-belt period. Upon returning to tied-belt
      locomotion, symmetry was immediately restored. In intact cats, the mean EMG
      amplitude of hindlimb extensors increased during split-belt locomotion and
      remained increased throughout the split-belt period, whereas in spinal cats, EMG
      amplitude did not change. Therefore, the results indicate that the locomotor
      pattern of cats does not adapt to prolonged split-belt locomotion, suggesting an
      important physiological difference in the control of locomotion between cats and
      humans. We propose that restoring left-right symmetry is not required to maintain
      balance during prolonged asymmetric locomotion in the cat, a quadruped, as
      opposed to human bipedal locomotion.

PMID- 28643901
TI  - Ferric carboxymaltose in patients with restless legs syndrome and nonanemic iron
      deficiency: A randomized trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compromised iron status is important in restless legs syndrome
      pathophysiology. We compared the efficacy and tolerability of ferric
      carboxymaltose (single intravenous dose) versus placebo for restless legs
      syndrome treatment in iron-deficient nonanemic patients. METHODS: Patients with
      moderate to severe restless legs syndrome and serum ferritin < 75 MUg/L (or serum
      ferritin 75-300 MUg/L and transferrin saturation < 20%) were randomized to ferric
      carboxymaltose (1000 mg iron) or placebo. Mean change difference between ferric
      carboxymaltose and placebo in International Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Scale
      score from baseline to week 4 was the primary end point; week 12 was a secondary
      end point. RESULTS: Ferric carboxymaltose treatment (n = 59) led to
      nonsignificant improvement over placebo (n = 51) in International Restless Legs
      Syndrome Severity Scale score at week 4 (difference [95% confidence interval], 
      2.5 [-5.93 to 1.02], P = 0.163), reaching significance by week 12 (-4.66 [-8.59
      to -0.73], P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: In patients who responded to treatment,
      ferric carboxymaltose may require more time to stabilize restless legs syndrome
      than previously assumed. (c) 2017 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by
      Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement
      Disorder Society.

PMID- 28643902
TI  - Modulation of antitumor immunity contributes to the enhanced therapeutic efficacy
      of liposomal oxaliplatin in mouse model.
AB  - Immune modulation of the tumor microenvironment has been reported to participate
      in the therapeutic efficacy of many chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, we
      reported that liposomal encapsulation of oxaliplatin (l-OHP) within PEGylated
      liposomes conferred a superior antitumor efficacy to free l-OHP in murine
      colorectal carcinoma-bearing mice through permitting preferential accumulation of
      the encapsulated drug within tumor tissue. However, the contribution of the
      immune-modulatory properties of liposomal l-OHP and/or free l-OHP to the overall
      antitumor efficacy was not elucidated. In the present study, therefore, we
      investigated the effect of liposomal encapsulation of l-OHP within PEGylated
      liposomes on the antitumor immunity in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient
      mice. Liposomal l-OHP significantly suppressed the growth of tumors implanted in
      immunocompetent mice, but not in immunodeficient mice. In immunocompetent mice,
      liposomal l-OHP increased the tumor MHC-1 level and preserved antitumor immunity
      through decreasing the number of immune suppressor cells, including regulatory T
      cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and tumor-associated macrophages, which
      collectively suppress CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor cells killing. In contrast, free
      l-OHP ruined antitumor immunity. These results suggest that the antitumor
      efficacy of liposomal l-OHP is attributed, on the one hand, to its
      immunomodulatory effect on tumor immune microenvironment that is superior to that
      of free l-OHP, and on the other hand, to its direct cytotoxic effect on tumor
      cells.

PMID- 28643903
TI  - Resolving differences between animal models for expedited orthodontic tooth
      movement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To highlight differences in commonly used animal models of orthodontic
      tooth movement (OTM). METHODS: Narrative review. RESULTS: A critical review of
      the literature on animal models has become increasingly important in the last
      decade as methods to increase the rate of tooth movement have been intensely
      sought. We provide a review focusing on the rodent and canine models for
      expedited OTM and describe the challenges in extrapolation of the results to the
      clinical practice of orthodontics. We review and contrast the two (rodent,
      canine) most commonly used animal models for OTM. We then describe animal models
      to study bone adaptation, remodelling and modelling, which are keys events in
      describing and quantifying OTM. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the differences
      between animal models and their adaptation biology as it relates to OTM is key to
      make valid conclusions. The rodent model can be used to understand the initial
      phases of tooth movement. Unlike the dog model, the rodent model does not lend
      itself to understand prolonged adaptation in response to bodily tooth movement.
      Extrapolation of rate of tooth movement to humans is more challenging from rodent
      model data.

PMID- 28643904
TI  - PTH [1-34]-induced alterations predispose the mandibular condylar cartilage to
      mineralization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH [1-34])
      on the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) and subchondral bone in adult female
      mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two, 20-week-old female mice were used for in
      vivo experiments. The experimental mice (n=11) received daily intraperitoneal
      injections of PTH [1-34] for 3 weeks, while control mice (n=11) received
      intraperitoneal injections of 0.9% saline solution. Mice were euthanized and then
      micro-computed tomography (micro-CT); histology and immunostaining were carried
      out to assess the response. RESULTS: Intermittent PTH [1-34] led to early MCC
      breakdown and surface irregularities. Micro-CT analyses indicated that PTH [1-34]
      treatment led to increased bone volume fraction, tissue density and trabecular
      thickness, while decreasing the trabecular spacing. Histological analyses showed
      decreased proteoglycan secretion, increased bone turnover (TRAP staining) and
      increased mineralization. Furthermore, PTH [1-34] treatment showed increased
      apoptosis of the cells. Our immunohistochemistry showed increased expression of
      pSMAD158 in the MCC and subchondral bone with PTH administration, whereas
      sclerostin (SOST) expression was decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent PTH [1-34]
      results in early mineralization of the MCC, which may result in cartilage
      degeneration. Our results identified a novel mechanism by which PTH [1-34]
      induces alteration in the microarchitecture of the MCC and the subchondral bone.

PMID- 28643905
TI  - Diverse contribution of Col2a1-expressing cells to the craniofacial skeletal cell
      lineages.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Craniofacial skeletal development requires deliberate coordination of
      two distinct mechanisms of endochondral and intramembranous ossification. Col2a1
      expressing cells encompass growth-associated skeletal progenitors in endochondral
      bones of the limb. The objective of this study was to determine the contribution
      of Col2a1-expressing cells to the craniofacial skeletal cell lineages. We
      hypothesize that Col2a1-expressing progenitors significantly contribute to
      various modes of ossification associated with the craniofacial development.
      METHODS: Cellular fates of Col2a1-expressing cells were studied based on a cre
      loxP system using a Col2a1-cre transgene and an R26R-tdTomato reporter allele. We
      analysed three distinct locations of the craniofacial skeletal complex
      representing unique ossification mechanisms: the cranial base, the calvaria and
      the mandibular condyle. RESULTS: Col2a1-cre consistently marked a majority of
      skeletal cells in the cranial base. Interestingly, Col2a1-cre also marked a large
      number of osteoblasts and suture mesenchymal cells in the calvaria, in addition
      to chondrocytes in the underlying transient cartilage. In the mandibular condyle,
      Col2a1-cre marked chondrocytes and osteoblasts only during the growth phase.
      CONCLUSIONS: Col2a1 is expressed by progenitors of the skeletal lineage in
      canonical endochondral bone formation occurring in the cranial base. In contrast,
      other ossification mechanisms of the craniofacial complex utilize Col2a1
      expressing cells in a different manner, whereby Col2a1 may be expressed in more
      differentiated or transient cell types of the skeletal lineage.

PMID- 28643906
TI  - In vitro evaluation of surface properties of Pro Seal(r) and Opal(r) SealTM in
      preventing white spot lesions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the surface properties of two commercially available
      sealants (Pro Seal(r) (PS) and Opal(r) SealTM (OS)) in terms of fluoride(F)
      release, biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus and the
      ability to resist acid penetration. SETTING: University of Nebraska Medical
      Center. MATERIAL & METHODS: Discs of similar diameter and thickness were made
      from OS and PS. Discs were soaked in double-distilled water, and F released was
      measured with fluoride meter daily for 14 consecutive days, then at 21 and 28
      days. Biofilm formation was evaluated with Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli
      grown on sealant discs using confocal microscopy. Extracted human teeth (n=8)
      with sealant-coated buccal surfaces and untreated lingual surfaces were exposed
      to 0.1M lactic acid(pH=4.5) to test the acid penetration. After 1-4 weeks of
      exposure, teeth were subjected to microhardness testing and SEM microscopy.
      RESULTS: PS released significantly higher levels of F than OS. PS showed more S.
      mutans adherence than OS, whereas Lactobacillus did not show any differences in
      adherence. Both sealants protected enamel surfaces, showing statistically
      significant difference in the depth of acid penetration compared to their
      unsealed control sides. CONCLUSION: F release was adequate to aid in
      remineralization, although clinically it would not likely aid in preventing
      demineralization as there was no prolonged release of F by both sealants tested.
      S. mutans adherence to OS surface was less compared to PS surface, which could be
      of relevance in biofilm formation and white spot lesions. Both sealants protected
      enamel surfaces from acid penetration.

PMID- 28643907
TI  - Utilizing three-dimensional data in orthodontic practice and research.
AB  - The recent prevalence of three dimensional (3D) images of soft and hard tissues
      provides a wealth of new data from which the clinician can evaluate these
      changes. However, evaluating this new data presents new and significant
      challenges. Current approaches utilizing multi-dimensional data for the precise
      evaluation of changes related to treatment and growth sets are reviewed. The
      results of current validation studies exploring approaches to these problems are
      reviewed, including the registration of longitudinal data using maxillary and
      mandibular regions of reference. Challenges related to the consistent selection
      of points on complex three-dimensional structures are circumvented using an
      automated, shape analysis based approach. Imaging using these new modalities
      yields a tremendous amount of data. Analysis of large data sets from cross
      sectional studies with multiple variables are simplified using a principle
      components analysis, from which a reduced set of variables is constructed.
      Examples of this approach are presented. The use of advanced methods to process
      and interpret data from 3D imaging modalities highlights critical aspects of
      craniofacial growth and form.

PMID- 28643908
TI  - Jaw mechanics in dolichofacial and brachyfacial phenotypes: A longitudinal
      cephalometric-based study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine whether dolichofacial (Frankfort horizontal mandibular
      plane angle (FHMPA) >=30 degrees ) vs brachyfacial (FHMPA <=22 degrees )
      phenotypes differ in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) loads and whether these
      differences correlate longitudinally with mandibular ramus height (Condylion
      Gonion, Co-Go). SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Lateral and posteroanterior
      cephalographs from ten dolichofacial and ten brachyfacial individuals made at
      average ages of 6 (T1), 12 (T2) and 18 (T3) years and available online
      (http://www.aaoflegacycollection.org/aaof_home.html) were used. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Three-dimensional anatomical data were derived from cephalographs and
      used in numerical models to predict TMJ loads for a range of biting angles on
      incisors, canines and first molars. Two criteria were used to define clinically
      important between-group TMJ load differences: statistical significance was
      defined with a two-group t-test, and where differences were also >=20%. A
      statistical approach called response surface analysis was used to assess
      correlation between TMJ loads and its predictors considered in this study.
      RESULTS: The two phenotypes had significantly different FHMPA at all ages
      (P<.05). No differences in TMJ loads were found at T1. Ipsilateral and
      contralateral TMJ loads at T2 and T3 were significant and >=20% larger in
      dolichofacial than brachyfacial phenotypes for specific biting angles (all
      adjusted P<.05). Regression analysis indicated age and ramus height contribute
      53% of the variability in normalized values of TMJ loads. At higher ages,
      dolichofacial phenotypes had significantly higher TMJ loads which were correlated
      with shorter ramus heights compared to brachyfacial phenotypes. CONCLUSIONS:
      Craniofacial mechanics may explain, in part, mandibular growth differences
      between dolichofacial and brachyfacial phenotypes.

PMID- 28643909
TI  - The fate of Osterix-expressing mesenchymal cells in dental root formation and
      maintenance.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Osterix (Osx)-expressing mesenchymal cells are progenitors for tooth
      root forming cells. The aim of this study was to reveal the fates of Osx
      expressing cells during and after root formation using a lineage tracing
      experiment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To reveal the fates of Osx-expressing dental
      mesenchymal progenitors, we took advantage of tamoxifen-inducible Cre reporter
      system. Osx-creER; R26R-tdTomato mice received tamoxifen (0.1 mg/body) at
      postnatal day 3 (P3). In this system, Osx-expressing at P3 (Osx-P3) cells undergo
      recombination, and they and their descendants continue to express Tomato red
      fluorescence protein permanently. Mandibles were dissected at serial time points
      ranging from P4 to P116 to investigate how Osx-P3 cells participated in root
      formation. Tomato+ cells on frozen sections were imaged under fluorescence
      microscopy. RESULTS: Osx-P3 cells and their descendants differentiated into all
      kinds of cells that contributed to the root and periodontal tissues, such as
      odontoblasts, cementoblasts, alveolar bone osteoblasts and periodontal ligament
      (PDL) cells during root formation. Even after root formation was completed, they
      persisted in dental pulp and PDL to provide progenitor cells for odontoblasts and
      cementoblasts. CONCLUSION: Osx-expressing cells play important roles in the
      entire processes of tooth root formation; their progeny continue to contribute to
      maintenance of tooth root even after root formation is complete.

PMID- 28643910
TI  - Evaluation of the 3dMDface system as a tool for soft tissue analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry by
      comparing values obtained from direct anthropometry and the 3dMDface system. To
      achieve a more comprehensive evaluation of the reliability of 3dMD, both linear
      and surface measurements were examined. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: UCLA
      Section of Orthodontics. Mannequin head as model for anthropometric measurements.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: Image acquisition and analysis were carried out on a
      mannequin head using 16 anthropometric landmarks and 21 measured parameters for
      linear and surface distances. 3D images using 3dMDface system were made at 0, 1
      and 24 hours; 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Error magnitude statistics used include mean
      absolute difference, standard deviation of error, relative error magnitude and
      root mean square error. Intra-observer agreement for all measurements was
      attained. RESULTS: Overall mean errors were lower than 1.00 mm for both linear
      and surface parameter measurements, except in 5 of the 21 measurements. The three
      longest parameter distances showed increased variation compared to shorter
      distances. No systematic errors were observed for all performed paired t tests
      (P<.05). Agreement values between two observers ranged from 0.91 to 0.99.
      CONCLUSIONS: Measurements on a mannequin confirmed the accuracy of all landmarks
      and parameters analysed in this study using the 3dMDface system. Results
      indicated that 3dMDface system is an accurate tool for linear and surface
      measurements, with potentially broad-reaching applications in orthodontics,
      surgical treatment planning and treatment evaluation.

PMID- 28643911
TI  - Effects of cocoa-enriched diet on orofacial pain in a murine model.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate and discuss the effects of cocoa on orofacial pain.
      SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: The Department of Orthodontics at the University
      of Florida (UF). Male and female hairless rats (N=20/group) were tested.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats were tested using the Orofacial Pain Assessment
      Device (OPAD) before and after changing their food from the standard chow to a
      cocoa-enriched or control-equivalent diet. RESULTS: Male rats fed the cocoa diet
      had a significantly higher operant pain index when tested at 37 degrees C as
      compared to control diet-fed animals. Female rats on the cocoa diet had a
      significantly higher pain index when tested at 18 degrees C and 44 degrees C, as
      compared to animals fed the control diet. Capsaicin-induced pain was inhibited,
      with cocoa-diet male rats having a significantly higher pain index than control
      diet male rats and cocoa-diet female rats at both 37 degrees C and 44 degrees C.
      Cocoa-diet female rats had a significantly higher pain index at 44 degrees C than
      control-diet females. Mechanical sensitivity was affected following capsaicin
      cream, with a significantly decreased tolerated bottle distance in both cocoa-
      and control-diet animals, but there was no difference between cocoa- and control
      diet groups. CONCLUSION: Using the OPAD operant system, we demonstrated that a
      diet rich in cocoa was effective in inhibiting neurogenic inflammatory pain in
      rats. This has implications for the use of novel alternative therapies such as
      diet modification for pain control.

PMID- 28643912
TI  - Mouse models for the study of cranial base growth and anomalies.
AB  - The cranial base is a central and integral component of the cranioskeleton, yet
      little is known about its growth. Despite the dissimilarities between human and
      murine cranioskeletal form, mouse models are proving instrumental in studying
      craniofacial growth. The objectives of this review are to summarize recent
      findings from numerous mouse models that display growth defects in one or more
      cranial base synchondroses, with accompanying changes in chondrocyte cellular
      zones. Many of these models also display altered growth of the cranial vault
      and/or the facial region. FGFR, PTHrP, Ihh, BMP and Wnt/beta-catenin, as well as
      components of primary cilia, are the major genes and signalling pathways
      identified in cranial base synchondroses. Together, these models are helping to
      uncover specific genetic influences and signalling pathways operational at the
      cranial base synchondroses. Many of these genes are in common with those of
      importance in the cranial vault and the facial skeleton, emphasizing the
      molecular integration of growth between the cranial base and other cranial
      regions. Selected models are also being utilized in testing therapeutic agents to
      correct defective craniofacial and cranial base growth.

PMID- 28643913
TI  - Effect of exogenous retinoic acid on tooth movement and periodontium healing
      following tooth extraction in a rat model.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of isotretinoin on orthodontic tooth movement
      (OTM) and wound healing following exodontia. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION:
      Sixteen 40-day-old male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: (a) OTM and (b)
      tooth extraction (TE) of the upper 1st molar and OTM. The experimental animals
      were treated with isotretinoin (7.5 mg/kg) and the control animals with oil
      solution for 37 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The OTM and bone volume were
      evaluated by the micro-CT and the periodontium healing was assessed by
      immunohistochemistry for VEGF-C, COX-2 and IL-1beta. RESULTS: The animals of both
      groups submitted to the TE showed a statistically significant decrease in the
      bone volume percentage and increase in OTM. No significant difference of OTM and
      bone volume was observed between the control and experimental group. However, the
      alveolar bone of the isotretinoin group revealed more medullary spaces with
      inflammatory, hematopoietic cells, blood vessels and intense immunolabeling for
      VEGF-C. This group also showed faster gingival regeneration. No significant
      difference was observed in the COX-2 and IL-1beta labelings following TE between
      both groups. CONCLUSION: The isotretinoin did not affect the OTM nor did it cause
      an alteration in maxillary bone volume. This exogenous acid may contribute to the
      acceleration of gingival healing.

PMID- 28643914
TI  - The use of cell culture platforms to identify novel markers of bone and dentin
      resorption.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: 1) To test the hypothesis that there would be proteomic differences
      in the composition of exosomes isolated from osteoclasts and odontoclasts and 2)
      to determine the clinical usefulness of these in vitro biomarker candidates.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mouse bone marrow-derived precursors were cultured on
      either dentin or bone slices and allowed to mature and begin resorption. Exosomes
      were isolated from cell culture media and characterized by mass spectrometry. The
      proteomic data obtained from this in vitro study were compared with the data
      obtained from human samples in our previous work. RESULTS: There was a difference
      in the proteomic composition of exosomes from osteoclasts and odontoclasts. A
      total of 40 exosomal proteins were only present in osteoclast media, whereas six
      unique exosomal proteins were identified in odontoclast supernatants.
      Approximately 50% of exosomal proteins released by clastic cells in vitro can be
      found in oral fluids. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the mineralized matrix
      type plays a role in the final phenotypic characteristics of mouse clastic cells.
      Many in vitro biomarker candidates of bone and dentin resorption can also be
      found in human oral fluids, thus indicating that this approach may be a viable
      alternative in biomarker discovery.

PMID- 28643915
TI  - Preface to COAST 2016 innovators' workshop on personalized and precision
      orthodontic therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A second focused workshop explored how to transfer novel findings into
      clinical orthodontic practice. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Participants met in
      West Palm Beach (Florida, USA), on 9-11 September 2016 for the Consortium for
      Orthodontic Advances in Science and Technology 2016 Innovators' Workshop (COAST).
      Approximately 65 registered attendees considered and discussed information from
      27 to 34 speakers, 8 to 15 poster presenters and four lunch-hour focus group
      leaders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The innovators' workshops were organized according
      to five themed sessions. The aims of the discussion sessions were to identify the
      following: i) the strength and impact of the evidenced-based discoveries, ii)
      required steps to enable further development and iii) required steps to translate
      these new discoveries into orthodontic practice. RESULTS: The role of gene
      environment interactions that underlie complex craniofacial traits was the focus
      of several sessions. It was agreed that diverse approaches are called for, such
      as (i) large-scale collaborative efforts for future genetic studies of complex
      traits; (ii) deep genome sequencing to address the issues of isolated mutations;
      (iii) quantifying epigenetic-environmental variables in diverse areas myofascial
      pain, alveolar remodelling and mandibular growth. Common needs identified from
      the themed sessions were multiscale/multispecies modelling and experimentation
      using controlled and quantified mechanics and translation of the findings in bone
      biology between species. Panel discussions led to the consensus that a consortium
      approach to establish standards for intra-oral scanning and 3D imaging should be
      initiated. CONCLUSIONS: Current and emerging technologies still require supported
      research to translate new findings from the laboratory to orthodontic practice.

PMID- 28643916
TI  - A review of craniofacial and dental findings of the RASopathies.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The RASopathies are a group of syndromes that have in common germline
      mutations in genes that encode components of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein
      kinase (MAPK) pathway and have been a focus of study to understand the role of
      this pathway in development and disease. These syndromes include Noonan syndrome
      (NS), Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (NSML or LEOPARD syndrome),
      neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), Costello syndrome (CS), cardio-facio-cutaneous
      (CFC) syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1-like syndrome (NFLS or Legius syndrome)
      and capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome (CM-AVM). These
      disorders affect multiple systems, including the craniofacial complex. Although
      the craniofacial features have been well described and can aid in clinical
      diagnosis, the dental phenotypes have not been analysed in detail for each of the
      RASopathies. In this review, we summarize the clinical features of the
      RASopathies, highlighting the reported craniofacial and dental findings. METHODS:
      Review of the literature. RESULTS: Each of the RASopathies reviewed, caused by
      mutations in genes that encode different proteins in the Ras pathway, have unique
      and overlapping craniofacial and dental characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Careful
      description of craniofacial and dental features of the RASopathies can provide
      information for dental clinicians treating these individuals and can also give
      insight into the role of Ras signalling in craniofacial development.

PMID- 28643917
TI  - Estrogen receptor alpha mediates mandibular condylar cartilage growth in male
      mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In the appendicular skeleton, estrogen via ERalpha signalling has
      been shown to mediate endochondral growth plate fusion in both males and females.
      However, the role of ERalpha in mediating growth of the mandibular condylar
      cartilage is unknown. Thus, this study focuses on the characterization of the
      mandibular condylar cartilage phenotype in young and adult male ERalphaKO mice.
      SETTING: Columbia University Medical Center. MATERIAL AND METHODS: WT and
      ERalphaKO C57BL/6 male mice were sacrificed at 49 days or 9 months for phenotypic
      analysis. Changes to MCC thickness, cell number and cell density were measured
      using histomorphometric methods. Cartilage-specific gene expression and OARSI
      scores were investigated for 49-day and 9-month-old male ERalphaKO and WT mice.
      RESULTS: In young mice, a significant increase in the number of mandibular
      condylar cartilage cells and a significant decrease in the expression of Col10,
      Runx2 and DMP1 were observed in the male ERalphaKO mice compared to WT. In 9
      month-old mice, we found a similar increase in the number of cells but no change
      in osteoarthritic histological scoring in ERalphaKO mice compared to WT mice.
      CONCLUSION: In summary, estrogen plays a role in mediating mandibular condylar
      maturation in young male mice. However, according to this study, it does not play
      a role in mediating long-term growth or age-related mandibular condylar cartilage
      degeneration in males.

PMID- 28643918
TI  - Effect of cyclical forces on orthodontic tooth movement, from animals to humans.
AB  - Vibration as a non-invasive method is currently available for clinical use with
      the potential to accelerate the rate of tooth movement in orthodontics. The aim
      of this review was to evaluate the basic science and clinical literature on the
      effects of vibration on the axial and appendicular skeleton including the
      craniofacial bone. Vibration as a dynamic load consisting of high oscillatory
      forces of low magnitude has shown osteogenic and anti-catabolic effects on bone.
      These effects have been observed in the craniofacial skeleton including the
      alveolar bone as increases in sutural width and alveolar bone formation. Animal
      studies have shown conflicting results on vibration when superposed to
      orthodontic tooth movement. The effects range from increasing to decreasing the
      rate of tooth movement. Clinical studies in accelerating the rate of tooth
      movement have similar findings observed in animal studies. High-frequency
      oscillatory forces of low magnitude are able to affect bone formation and
      remodelling. These effects of vibration are primarily anabolic and anti-catabolic
      in bone, including the craniofacial skeleton and alveolar bone. The effect of
      vibration on accelerating the rate of orthodontic tooth movement is
      contradictory. Higher levels of evidence studies have not been able to show an
      acceleratory effect.

PMID- 28643919
TI  - Mechanobehaviour in dolichofacial and brachyfacial adolescents.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To test whether mechanobehaviour (temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
      loads, jaw muscle use) was different between facial types and correlated with
      ramus height (Condylion-Gonion, mm). SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: University of
      Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Orthodontic Clinic. Ten dolichofacial and ten
      brachyfacial adolescents (Sella-Nasion-Gonion-Gnathion (SN-GoGn) angles >=37
      degrees  and <=27 degrees , respectively) consented to participate. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Numerical models calculated TMJ loads for a range of static biting based
      on subjects' three-dimensional anatomy. Subjects were trained to record jaw
      muscle electromyography (EMG) over 2 days and 2 nights in their natural
      environments. Laboratory EMG/bite-force calibrations determined subject-specific
      EMG for 20 N bite-force (T20Nave ). Jaw muscle use via duty factors (DF=muscle
      activity duration/total recording time, %) was determined from day and night
      recordings for muscle-specific thresholds from >=5% to >=80%T20Nave . ANOVA and
      Tukey's HSD post hoc tests assessed for group differences in mechanobehaviour
      (TMJ loads, DFs). Regression modelling correlated subjects' normalized TMJ loads,
      DFs and ramus height. RESULTS: Dolichofacial compared to brachyfacial subjects
      produced significantly higher (P<.05) TMJ loads, where ipsilateral loads were
      >=20% larger for some biting angles, but had significantly less (all P<.05)
      masseter (day, night) and temporalis (night) DFs. Regression analysis showed a
      significant relationship amongst normalized TMJ loads, masseter DF and ramus
      height (R2 =.49). CONCLUSIONS: Mechanobehaviour showed significant differences
      between facial types and was correlated with ramus height.

PMID- 28643920
TI  - Analysis of polycaprolactone scaffolds fabricated via precision extrusion
      deposition for control of craniofacial tissue mineralization.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Recurrence of cranial bone fusion following surgical resection in
      craniosynostosis patients commonly requires additional surgical procedures.
      Surgical implantation of engineered 3D scaffolds that control tissue
      mineralization could be utilized to diminish recurrence of fusion. This study
      investigated the ability of composite scaffolds to control tissue mineralization
      when cultured in vitro. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Precision-engineered
      scaffolds with calvarial cells were cultured in vitro at the Department of
      Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, University of Michigan. MATERIAL & METHODS:
      Polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were fabricated using a novel precision
      extrusion deposition technique. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel was coated
      onto select scaffolds to inhibit mineralization. MC3T3E1(C4) calvarial cells were
      cultured with scaffolds in media containing ascorbate and phosphate to promote
      osteoblast differentiation and mineralization. Scaffolds were assayed for
      osteoblast differentiation by alkaline phosphatase assay. Scaffolds were assayed
      for mineralization by nano-computed tomography (nano-CT) and by von Kossa
      staining of histologic sections. RESULTS: MC3T3E1(C4) cells differentiated into
      osteoblasts and formed mineral when cultured on uncoated PCL scaffolds.
      MC3T3E1(C4) cells were significantly diminished in their ability to differentiate
      into osteoblasts when cultured on hydrogel-coated scaffold. CONCLUSION: Results
      of this study indicate that this novel printing technology can be used to
      fabricate 3D scaffolds to promote and inhibit tissue mineralization in a region
      specific manner. Future studies are needed to establish utility of such scaffolds
      in vivo.

PMID- 28643921
TI  - Whole-exome sequencing identified a variant in EFTUD2 gene in establishing a
      genetic diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Craniofacial anomalies are complex and have an overlapping phenotype.
      Mandibulofacial Dysostosis and Oculo-Auriculo-Vertebral Spectrum are conditions
      that share common craniofacial phenotype and present a challenge in arriving at a
      diagnosis. In this report, we present a case of female proband who was given a
      differential diagnosis of Treacher Collins syndrome or Hemifacial Microsomia
      without certainty. Prior genetic testing reported negative for 22q deletion and
      FGFR screenings. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the critical role
      of whole-exome sequencing in establishing a genetic diagnosis of the proband.
      SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: The participants were 141/2-year-old affected
      female proband/parent trio. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Proband/parent trio were
      enrolled in the study. Surgical tissue sample from the proband and parental blood
      samples were collected and prepared for whole-exome sequencing. Illumina HiSeq
      2500 instrument was used for sequencing (125 nucleotide reads/84X coverage).
      Analyses of variants were performed using custom-developed software, RUNES and
      VIKING. RESULTS: Variant analyses following whole-exome sequencing identified a
      heterozygous de novo pathogenic variant, c.259C>T (p.Gln87*), in EFTUD2
      (NM_004247.3) gene in the proband. Previous studies have reported that the
      variants in EFTUD2 gene were associated with Mandibulofacial Dysostosis with
      Microcephaly. CONCLUSION: Patients with facial asymmetry, micrognathia, choanal
      atresia and microcephaly should be analyzed for variants in EFTUD2 gene. Next
      generation sequencing techniques, such as whole-exome sequencing offer great
      promise to improve the understanding of etiologies of sporadic genetic diseases.

PMID- 28643922
TI  - Speed of human tooth movement in growers and non-growers: Selection of applied
      stress matters.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To test that the speed of tooth translation is not affected by stress
      magnitude and growth status. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Advanced Education
      Orthodontic clinics at the Universities of Nebraska Medical Center and Missouri
      Kansas City. Forty-six consenting subjects with orthodontic treatment plans
      involving maxillary first premolar extractions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      randomized split-mouth study used segmental mechanics with definitive posterior
      anchorage and individual vertical-loop maxillary canine retraction appliances and
      measured three-dimensional tooth movements. Height and cephalometric
      superimposition changes determined growing (G) and non-growing (NG) subjects.
      Subjects were appointed for 9-11 visits over 84 days for maxillary dental
      impressions to measure three-dimensional tooth movement and to ensure retraction
      forces were continuously applied via calibrated nitinol coil springs. Springs
      were custom selected to apply two different stresses of 4, 13, 26, 52 or 78 kPa
      to maxillary canines in each subject. Statistical analyses (alpha=0.050) included
      ANOVA, effect size (partial eta2 ) and Tukey's Honest Significant Difference
      (HSD) and two-group t tests. RESULTS: Distolateral translation speeds were
      0.034+/-0.015, 0.047+/-0.019, 0.066+/-0.025, 0.068+/-0.016 and 0.079+/-0.030 mm/d
      for 4, 13, 26, 52 and 78 kPa, respectively. Stress significantly affected speed
      and partial eta2 =0.376. Overall, more distopalatal rotation was shown by teeth
      moved by 78 kPa (18.03+/-9.50o) compared to other stresses (3.86+/-6.83o), and
      speeds were significantly higher (P=.001) in G (0.062+/-0.026 mm/d) than NG
      subjects (0.041+/-0.019 mm/d). CONCLUSIONS: Stress magnitude and growth status
      significantly affected the speed of tooth translation. Optimal applied stresses
      were 26-52 kPa, and overall speeds were 1.5-fold faster in G compared to NG
      subjects.

PMID- 28643923
TI  - Micro-anatomical responses in periodontal complexes of mice to calibrated
      orthodontic forces on the crown.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Correlating mechanical forces with quantifiable physical changes in
      the dentoalveolar complex. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Male 6-week C57BL/6
      mice (N=3), micro X-ray-computed tomography; post-analysis software to extract
      physical changes in periodontal ligament (PDL)-space. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Silicone-elastic bands were placed between maxillary molars for 1 week, with the
      contralateral side as internal control. Average displacements between crowns and
      roots, and changes in PDL-spaces were evaluated by registering X-ray tomograms of
      experimental and control hemi-maxillae. Histology illustrated mineral formation
      and resorption-related events within narrowed and widened volumes of the PDL
      space. RESULTS: 3D maps of changes in PDL-space between molars illustrated
      coronal and root displacements of 640 MUm and 180 MUm, respectively, compared to
      70 MUm in controls. Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) specimens exhibited an
      average net change of -20 MUm in narrowed and +30 MUm in widened PDL-spaces. Bone
      and cementum were affected by the force on molars, and primary cementum was more
      affected than secondary cementum. CONCLUSIONS: This novel approach illustrates
      the importance of 3D-imaging and analysing 3D alveolar socket subjected to OTM
      otherwise omitted by 2D micrographs. A measured force on the crown elicits a
      response related to narrowed and widened regions in the 3D complex. OTM that
      exceeds PDL-space can illicit biological responses that attempt to restore
      physiologic PDL-space via remodelling of the periodontium. Regenerated weaker
      bone due to aseptic inflammation caused by orthodontics could leave patients at a
      higher risk of bone loss or root resorption if they later develop periodontitis,
      a form of septic inflammation.

PMID- 28643925
TI  - A new cyte in orthodontics: Osteocytes in tooth movement.
AB  - Orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) relies on the orchestration of clinical and
      biologic events that include the application of clinical force followed by a
      cascade of cellular and molecular responses. Our understanding about OTM today
      has evolved from, and is largely based on historic studies. However, the advances
      in bone biology and clinical orthodontics today continue to pave the pathway
      towards an improved knowledge base, and state of the art therapeutics in OTM.
      Osteoblasts and osteoclasts have been the primary cells analyzed in OTM. However,
      the role of osteocytes, a cell previously thought to be static, should be
      considered in light of new findings in molecular biological research. Osteocytes
      are now known to be significant in controlling responses to mechanical forces and
      therefore may be central to both OTM and normal tooth eruption. In this review,
      we explore the biology of OTM by focusing specifically on the potential role of
      osteocytes. Evidence from recent studies reveal that osteocytes have a role in
      controlling the response to mechanical forces and OTM. We therefore propose that
      these findings and further research endeavours may shape the future of clinical
      applications-specifically enhanced outcomes in OTM.

PMID- 28643924
TI  - Exosomes: novel regulators of bone remodelling and potential therapeutic agents
      for orthodontics.
AB  - Recent studies suggest that exosomes are involved in intercellular communication
      required for the maintenance of healthy bone. Exosomes are small (30-150 nm in
      diameter) extracellular vesicles that are formed in multivesicular bodies and are
      released from cells as the multivesicular bodies fuse with the plasma membrane.
      Regulatory exosomes have the capacity to exert profound control over target
      cells. They can stimulate plasma membrane receptors and are also internalized by
      the target cell delivering proteins, lipids, small molecules and functional RNAs
      from the cell of origin. We and others have recently reported on regulatory
      exosomes from osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Key candidate molecules identified in
      exosome-based regulation of bone remodelling include receptor activator of
      nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), RANK-ligand (RANKL), ephrinA2, semaphorin 4D,
      microRNA-146a and microRNA- 214-3p. Exosomes will likely prove to be crucial
      elements in the communication networks integrating bone cells (osteoclasts,
      osteoblasts, osteocytes) and linking bone to other tissue. Exosomes collected
      from bone cells grown in culture may prove useful to augment bone remodelling
      associated with orthodontic force application or required for the repair of
      craniofacial bone. Various technologies allow exosomes to be engineered to
      improve their targeting and efficacy for therapeutic purposes. In summary,
      exosomes have emerged as important elements of the machinery for intercellular
      communication between bone cells. They hold great promise as therapeutic targets,
      biomarkers and therapeutic agents for orthodontists.

PMID- 28643927
TI  - CO2 low-level laser therapy has an early but not delayed pain effect during
      experimental tooth movement.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that the use of low-level laser therapy (LLLT)
      reduces elevated pain by controlling the release of neurochemicals during
      orthodontic tooth movement. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Department of
      Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Okayama University. Sixty-five Sprague
      Dawley rats were subjected to tooth movement and LLLT. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Adult Sprague Dawley rats were used in this study. Groups included day 0
      controls, irradiation only controls and with or without irradiation sacrificed at
      1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after tooth movement (n=5 each, total n=65). Tooth
      movement was achieved by insertion of an elastic module between molar teeth.
      Immunohistochemistry for CD-11b, GFAP and c-fos in the brain stem was performed.
      Stains were quantified by constructing a three-dimensional image using IMARIS,
      and counted using NEURON TRACER and WinROOF software. Two-way ANOVA followed by a
      Tukey's post hoc test (P<.05) was used for statistical comparison between groups.
      RESULTS: C-fos expression was significantly increased at one and three days after
      tooth movement. LLLT significantly diminished this increase in c-fos expression
      only at one day after tooth movement CD-b11 and GFAP expression also
      significantly increased after tooth movement. No significant change was observed
      for CD-11b and GFAP expression in the central nervous system upon LLLT.
      CONCLUSION: Low-level laser therapy may reduce early neurochemical markers but
      have no effect on delayed pain neurochemical markers after tooth movement.

PMID- 28643926
TI  - Fluid pressurization and tractional forces during TMJ disc loading: A biphasic
      finite element analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the ploughing mechanism associated with tractional
      force formation on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc surface. SETTING AND
      SAMPLE POPULATION: Ten left TMJ discs were harvested from 6- to 8-month-old male
      Yorkshire pigs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Confined compression tests characterized
      mechanical TMJ disc properties, which were incorporated into a biphasic finite
      element model (FEM). The FEM was established to investigate load carriage within
      the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the ploughing mechanism during tractional
      force formation by simulating previous in vitro plough experiments. RESULTS:
      Biphasic mechanical properties were determined in five TMJ disc regions
      (average+/-standard deviation for aggregate modulus: 0.077+/-0.040 MPa; hydraulic
      permeability: 0.88+/-0.37*10-3 mm4 /Ns). FE simulation results demonstrated that
      interstitial fluid pressurization is a dominant loading support mechanism in the
      TMJ disc. Increased contact load and duration led to increased solid ECM strain
      and stress within, and increased ploughing force on the surface of the disc.
      CONCLUSION: Sustained mechanical loading may play a role in load carriage within
      the ECM and ploughing force formation during stress-field translation at the
      condyle-disc interface. This study further elucidated the mechanism of ploughing
      on tractional force formation and provided a baseline for future analysis of TMJ
      mechanics, cartilage fatigue and early TMJ degeneration.

PMID- 28643928
TI  - Calvarial bone development and suture closure in Dicer-deficient mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether lack of Dicer during calvaria development would
      lead to dysmorphology of calvaria and suture closure in mice. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: A conditional Dicer deficient under Osx promoter mouse was employed in
      this study. The 4- and 10-week-old conditional Dicer-deficient mice control
      littermates and Osx-cre transgenic mice were studied for calvarial bone
      morphology and suture closure. Dry skull, microcomputed tomography (MUCT),
      histological and gene expression studies were investigated to evaluate the effect
      of Dicer deficiency on calvarial bone morphology and their related genes during
      calvaria development. RESULTS: The results elucidated that complete suture
      closure was observed in 10-week-old conditional Dicer-deficient mice while
      incomplete closure suture was observed in age-matched Osx-cre control mice. The
      MUCT and histological sections demonstrated complete fusion of posterior frontal
      suture and dysmorphic calvarial bones in Dicer deficient mice compared to the
      ones in their littermates and age-matched Osx-cre control mice. Gene expression
      study demonstrated significantly increased expression of suture and calvarial
      bone-related genes, that is Tgf-beta family, Bmp3, Msx2, Alx4, Runx2 and Osx in
      Dicer-deficient mice during suture closure time. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest
      mature miRNAs are important for suture closure and calvarial morphology during
      calvaria development.

PMID- 28643929
TI  - In silico and functional evaluation of PTH1R mutations found in patients with
      primary failure of eruption (PFE).
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The genetic basis of PFE (OMIM ID: 125350) was interrogated using
      molecular functional studies. PFE is a disorder that results in a poor prognosis
      in the eruption of teeth and by extension, in treatment with a continuous
      archwire. We tested the hypothesis that PTH1R mutations result in loss of
      function due to altered protein structure to determine (i) the fate of a
      functional PTH1R mutation and (ii) the resulting PTH1R protein structure of each
      functional mutation. METHODS: We used immunofluorescence assay of COS7 cells that
      were transfected with either the WT or 1092delG PTH1R mutation sequence to
      compare the fate of the expressed protein. We also performed in silico analysis
      of the WT PTH1R and four different functional PTH1R mutations RESULTS: Functional
      studies (IFA) showed a variation in expression between the WT and mutant PTH1R.
      Further, in silico analysis showed structural differences between WT and mutant
      PTH1R proteins, particularly in the regions of the 3rd intracellular loop and the
      6th transmembrane domain required for efficient PTH1R function. CONCLUSION: PTH1R
      mutations identified in PFE likely result from diminished function due to
      truncation of the protein, lack of efficient G-protein interactions and
      putatively attenuated signal transduction. By identifying the mode of protein
      dysfunction, scientist-clinicians are better prepared to recognize and thereby
      develop improved methods of treatment, starting at the molecular level.

PMID- 28643930
TI  - Moving towards precision orthodontics: An evolving paradigm shift in the planning
      and delivery of customized orthodontic therapy.
AB  - Advances in precision medicine portend similar progress in orthodontics and will
      be increasingly harnessed to achieve customized treatment approaches and enhance
      treatment efficiencies. Our goal is to provide a background on emerging advances
      in computer technologies and biomedicine and highlight their current and likely
      future applications to precision orthodontics. A review of orthodontically
      relevant technologies and advances in pertinent biological research was
      undertaken. Innovations in computer hardware and software, and 3D imaging
      technologies offer the ability for customized treatment and biomechanical
      planning that will be more fully realized within the next few decades. These
      technologies combined with 3D printing are already being applied to customized
      appliance fabrication such as aligners and retainers. The future prospects for
      custom fabrication of orthodontic brackets of appropriate material properties and
      smart devices are highly desirable and compelling goals. Within biomedicine, the
      fundamental understanding of cartilage growth and bone biology is currently being
      tested in animal models to modify mandibular growth and modulate tooth movement,
      respectively. Some of these discoveries will ultimately have clinical
      applications in orthodontics including for growth modification, accelerating
      orthodontic tooth movement, and enhancing anchorage or retention of teeth.
      Additional genomic and proteomic information will add to further customization of
      orthodontic diagnosis and treatments. Over the coming decades, precision
      orthodontics will continue to benefit from advances in many fields and will
      require the integration of advances in technology, and biomedical and clinical
      research to deliver optimal, efficient, safe, and reproducible personalized
      orthodontic treatment.

PMID- 28643931
TI  - Clinical effectiveness of late maxillary protraction in cleft lip and palate: A
      methods paper.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A prospective parallel cohort trial was conducted to compare outcomes
      of patients treated with maxillary protraction vs LeFort 1 maxillary advancement
      surgery. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: The primary site for the clinical trial
      is Children's Hospital Los Angeles; the satellite test site is Seattle Children's
      Hospital. All patients have isolated cleft lip and palate and a skeletal Class
      III malocclusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 50 patients, ages 11-14, will
      be recruited for the maxillary protraction cohort. The maxillary surgery cohort
      consists of 50 patients, ages 16-21, who will undergo LeFort 1 maxillary
      advancement surgery. Patients with additional medical or cognitive handicaps were
      excluded from the study. RESULTS: Current recruitment of patients is on track to
      complete the study within the proposed recruitment period. CONCLUSION: This
      observational trial is collecting information that will examine dental, skeletal,
      financial and quality-of-life issues from both research cohorts.

PMID- 28643932
TI  - Gene/environment interactions in craniosynostosis: A brief review.
AB  - It is suggested that craniosynostosis is caused by a heterogeneous set of effects
      including gene mutations, teratogenic exposure during critical periods of
      development and gene/environment interactions. Distinguishing between sufficient,
      additive and interactive effects is important to the study of gene/environment
      interactions and allows for segregation of environmental exposures effecting
      susceptible populations. Through the identification of sufficient and interactive
      effects, efforts in prevention of craniosynostosis may be successful. Here, we
      provide a brief review focusing on defining these categorized exposures and
      relevant literature that has interrogated gene/environment interactions for
      craniosynostosis.

PMID- 28643933
TI  - Oncologic doses of zoledronic acid induce site specific suppression of bone
      modelling in rice rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of zoledronic acid (ZOL) on cortical bone
      modelling and healing of extraction sockets in the jaw bones of a rodent model.
      We hypothesized ZOL suppresses both the bone formation in the modelling mode in
      the jaw bones and alters the extraction site healing. MATERIAL & METHODS: Rice
      rats were administered saline solution and two dose regimens of ZOL: 0.1 mg/kg,
      twice a week, for 4 weeks (n=17, saline=8 & ZOL=9) and a higher dose of 0.4
      mg/kg, weekly, for 9 weeks (n=30, saline=15 & ZOL=15). Two pairs of fluorochrome
      bone labels were administered. Extraction of maxillary teeth was performed in
      maxilla. Mineral apposition rate, mineralizing surface and bone formation rate
      (BFR) were quantified on periodontal (PDL), alveolar and basal bone surfaces, and
      in the trabecular bone of proximal tibia. Bone volume (BV) was evaluated at
      extraction sockets. Multivariate Gaussian models were used to account for
      repeated measurements, and analyzes were conducted in SAS V9.3. RESULTS: ZOL
      suppressed bone modelling (BFR/BS) at the PDL surfaces in the mandible (P<.05),
      but its effect was not significant at the periosteal surfaces of both jaws. BV
      for the healing sockets of ZOL treated animals was not significantly different
      (P=.07) compared to the saline group. ZOL suppressive effect was higher in the
      tibia compared to the jaws. CONCLUSION: ZOL severely suppresses coupled
      remodelling in the tibia, and the suppression of bone formation in the modelling
      mode in the jaws demonstrates the site specific effects of ZOL in rice rats.

PMID- 28643934
TI  - Comprehensive Insights into the Thermal Stability, Biodegradability, and
      Combustion Chemistry of Pyrrolidinium-Based Ionic Liquids.
AB  - The use of ionic liquids (ILs) as advanced electrolyte components in
      electrochemical energy-storage devices is one of the most appealing and emerging
      options. However, although ILs are hailed as safer and eco-friendly electrolytes,
      to overcome the limitations imposed by the highly volatile/combustible carbonate
      based electrolytes, full-scale and precise appraisal of their overall safety
      levels under abuse conditions still needs to be fully addressed. With the aim of
      providing this level of information on the thermal and chemical stabilities, as
      well as actual fire hazards, herein, a detailed investigation of the short- and
      long-term thermal stabilities, biodegradability, and combustion behavior of
      various pyrrolidinium-based ILs, with different alkyl chain lengths,
      counteranions, and cations, as well as the effect of doping with lithium salts,
      is described.

PMID- 28643935
TI  - Efficacy of self-adjusting file, XP-endo finisher and passive ultrasonic
      irrigation on the removal of calcium hydroxide paste from an artificial
      standardized groove.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of self-adjusting file
      (SAF), XP-endo finisher (XP), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) and
      conventional syringe and needle irrigation (SNI) in the removal of Ca(OH)2 from
      an artificial groove. Eighty mandibular incisors with single oval canals were
      prepared to size 40/0.04 and split longitudinally. A standardised groove was
      prepared in the apical third and filled with Ca(OH)2 . The root halves were
      reassembled and divided into two control groups (n = 4) and four experimental
      groups (n = 18) according to the removal methods used. The amount of residual
      Ca(OH)2 was evaluated using a four-grade scoring system. The differences among
      the groups were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test (P < 0.05). SAF, XP and
      PUI removed significantly more Ca(OH)2 than SNI (P < 0.001), although there were
      no significant differences among them (P = 0.209). None of the tested methods
      could completely clean Ca(OH)2 from the groove.

PMID- 28643936
TI  - Phenotypic Analysis of Organoids by Proteomics.
AB  - The development of 3D cell cultures into self-organizing organ-like structures
      named organoids provides a model that better reflects in vivo organ physiology
      and their functional properties. Organoids have been established from several
      organs, such as the intestine, prostate, brain, liver, kidney and pancreas. With
      recent advances in high-throughput and -omics profiling technologies, it is now
      possible to study the mechanisms of cellular organisation at the systems level.
      It is therefore not surprising that these methods are now used to characterize
      organoids at the transcriptomic, proteomic, chromatin state and transcription
      factor DNA-binding levels. These approaches can therefore provide a wealth of
      information regarding both the mechanisms involved in different diseases, and
      those involved in cell responses to different conditions, in a more in vivo
      setting. The authors provide an overview of the potential applications of
      quantitative mass spectrometry with organoid culture, and how the use of large
      scale proteome measurements is emerging in different organoid systems.

PMID- 28643937
TI  - Proinflammatory effects and mechanisms of calprotectin on human gingival
      fibroblasts.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Calprotectin (S100A8/A9) is a heterodimer of S100A8 and
      S100A9 and is associated with multiple inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's
      disease, rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. Levels of calprotectin are
      elevated in the gingival crevicular fluid of patients with periodontitis;
      however, the effects of calprotectin on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) remain
      unknown. This study investigated the proinflammatory activity of calprotectin on
      HGFs and the functional receptors and signaling pathways engaged by calprotectin.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: HGFs were stimulated by equimolar concentrations of S100A8
      and/or S100A9, and the expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were
      detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays. The calprotectin receptors were identified by pre
      incubating HGFs with the toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 inhibitor or the antibody
      targeting the advanced glycation end product receptor (RAGE). The involvement of
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) and signaling pathways were also investigated by
      treating HGFs with ROS inhibitor or specific pathway inhibitors, respectively.
      RESULTS: S100A9 and S100A8/A9 significantly upregulated IL-6 and IL-8 expression,
      which was inhibited upon treatment with the TLR4 inhibitor TAK242. Pretreatment
      with RAGE-blocking antibodies did not affect cytokine expression. Additionally,
      S100A9 promoted the production of IL-6 and IL-8 from HGFs via different signaling
      pathways. IL-6 expression was upregulated via the NF-kappaB, c-Jun amino-terminal
      kinase (JNK) 1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, and IL
      8 expression was upregulated via NF-kappaB, p38, JNK1/2 and extracellular
      regulated kinase 1/2 MAPK pathways. The release of both cytokines was dependent
      upon the production of ROS. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that calprotectin
      exerts proinflammatory effects on HGFs via the S100A9 subunit and TLR4-mediated
      NF-kappaB and MAPK signaling pathways.

PMID- 28643939
TI  - What are the benefits of being big?

PMID- 28643938
TI  - Oral application of a periodontal pathogen impacts SerpinE1 expression and
      pancreatic islet architecture in prediabetes.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological studies suggest a close association
      between periodontitis and prediabetes/insulin resistance (IR) but whether
      periodontitis causes prediabetes in humans is not known. Using various animal
      models, we have recently established that periodontitis can be an initiator of
      prediabetes, which is characterized by glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia and
      IR. In addition, our in vitro studies indicated that Porphyromonas gingivalis
      (Pg) induced insulin secretion in MIN6 beta cells and this induction was in part
      SerpinE1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, PAI1) dependent. However, the
      mechanism(s) by which periodontitis induces prediabetes is not known. As alpha
      and beta cells in pancreatic islets are the major modulators of glucose levels,
      we investigated whether experimental periodontitis by oral application of a
      periodontal pathogen caused molecular and/or cellular alterations in pancreatic
      islets and whether SerpinE1 was involved in this process. MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      We induced periodontitis in C57BL/6 mice by oral application of a periodontal
      pathogen, Pg, and determined changes that occurred in islets following 22 weeks
      of Pg application. Pancreatic islet architecture was determined by 2-D and 3-D
      immunofluorescence microscopy and SerpinE1 and its target, urokinase plasminogen
      activator (uPA), as well as insulin, glucagon and Pg/gingipain in islets were
      detected by immunofluorescence. The presence of apoptotic islet cells was
      determined by both histochemical and immunofluorescence TUNEL assays. To
      investigate further the direct effect of Pg on apoptosis and the involvement of
      SerpinE1 in this process, we used SerpinE1 knockdown and scrambled control clones
      of the MIN6 pancreatic beta-cell line. RESULTS: Pg/gingipain was detected in both
      the periodontium and pancreas in the experimental group. Islets from animals that
      were administered Pg orally (experimental group) developed significant changes in
      islet architecture, upregulation of SerpinE1, and increased beta-cell apoptosis
      compared with the control group. We also observed that exposure of MIN6 cells to
      Pg in vitro resulted in apoptosis. However, apoptosis was significantly reduced
      when SerpinE1 expression by MIN6 cells was knocked down. CONCLUSION: Oral
      application of the periodontal pathogen Pg to C57BL/6 mice induces periodontitis,
      translocation of Pg/gingipain to the pancreas and results in complex alterations
      in pancreatic islet morphology. SerpinE1 appears to be involved in this process.

PMID- 28643944
TI  - Directory of otolaryngologic societies: (Secretaries of the various societies are
      requested to keep this information up to date.).

PMID- 28643945
TI  - Athens-based meeting to discuss the paediatric virology crossroad in October
      2017.

PMID- 28643940
TI  - Proteomic profiling of extracellular vesicles secreted from Toxoplasma gondii.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii infects a wide range of hosts worldwide, including humans and
      domesticated animals causing toxoplasmosis disease. Recently, exosomes, small
      extracellular vesicles (EV) that contain nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids
      derived from their original cells were linked with disease protection. The effect
      of EVs derived from T. gondii on the immune response and its relevance in a
      physiological context is unknown. Here we disclose the first proteomic profiling
      of T. gondii EVs compared to EVs isolated from a human foreskin fibroblast
      infected cell line cultured in a vesicle-free medium. Our results reveal a broad
      range of canonical exosomes proteins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with
      the identifier PXD004895.

PMID- 28643946
TI  - Activated proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 regulates meiotic spindle assembly in
      the mouse oocyte.
AB  - Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2), a member of the protein tyrosine kinase
      family, plays an important role in various cellular processes. PYK2 can be
      phosphorylated on tyrosine 402 by diverse stimuli at the cell surface, and recent
      studies have shown that this activated form of PYK2 is enriched in oocytes and
      required for fertilization. However, the subcellular localization and functions
      of activated PYK2 in oocytes remain elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that
      the localization of p-PYK2 undergoes dynamic changes during in vitro maturation
      of mouse oocytes. The signal of p-PYK2 is initially dispersed in the cytoplasm,
      but begins to decorate organized microtubules after the germinal vesicle
      breakdown and localizes to spindle poles at metaphase. Our data further show that
      p-PYK2 colocalizes with gamma-tubulin from the germinal vesicle stage through the
      end of meiosis in mouse oocytes. Nocodazole treatment and washout experiments
      confirm that p-PYK2 associates with the oocyte spindle and spindle poles.
      Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of PYK2 activity dramatically alters the
      morphology of the bipolar spindle and prevents oocyte maturation. Together, these
      data suggest that activated PYK2 may function as a component of the microtubule
      organizing center to regulate spindle assembly during the meiotic process of
      mouse oocytes.

PMID- 28643947
TI  - Effect of TET1 regulating MGMT on chemotherapy resistance of oral squamous cell
      carcinoma stem cells.
AB  - The study was to evaluate the effect of ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1)
      regulating o6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in chemotherapy
      resistance of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) stem cells. OSCC stem cells
      were divided into the blank, negative control (NC), TET1-siRNA, TET1-siRNA + MGMT
      OE, and MGMT-OE groups. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), qRT
      PCR and Western blotting were conducted to detect the methylation status of MGMT,
      expressions of TET1, MGMT, ABCG2, and Oct-4. Cell proliferation, cisplatin
      chemosensitivity, and cell cycle and apoptosis, were detected using CCK8 and flow
      cytometry. A chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was employed for
      detecting the link between TET1 and MGMT gene promoters. In comparison to the NC
      group, the TET1-siRNA group exhibited increased levels of MGMT methylation, the
      number of apoptotic cells and cisplatin chemosensitivity consisting of varying
      concentrations, however, decreased levels of mRNA and protein expressions of TET1
      as well as MGMT, cell viability, the number of cells in the S phase, and protein
      expressions of ABCG2 and Oct-4 were all have diminished amounts. The TET1-siRNA +
      MGMT-OE and MGMT-OE groups had higher MGMT mRNA and protein expression, as well
      as increased protein expressions of ABCG2 and Oct-4, greater cell activity,
      higher number of cells in the S phase, decreased apoptotic rates in cells and
      decreased cisplatin chemosensitivity with different concentrations. Our study
      provided evidence that low-expression of TET1 in OSCC stem cells may stimulate
      MGMT promoter methylation, while inhibiting MGMT mRNA expression, this ultimately
      strengthens the sensitivity of OSCC stem cells in regards to chemotherapeutics.

PMID- 28643949
TI  - Role of surgery in delayed local treatment for INSS 4 neuroblastoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy,
      complications and outcomes of the following two surgical strategies for delayed
      local treatment for International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) 4
      neuroblastoma (NB): complete resection (CR; period A); and gross total
      resection/subtotal resection (GTR/STR) with local irradiation (period B).
      METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients with INSS 4 NB who received
      delayed local treatment (period A, n = 11; period B, n = 6). RESULTS: Eleven
      patients in period A received CR. Two patients underwent GTR and four patients
      underwent STR in period B. The amount of blood loss in period A was significantly
      greater than that in period B. Postoperative complications were observed in eight
      patients in period A (73%), but in only one patient in period B (17%; P < 0.01).
      Recurrence was observed in five patients in period A and in one patient in period
      B (45.4% vs 16.6%; P = n.s.). Distant metastasis at recurrence was observed in
      four patients in period A and in one patient in period B. CONCLUSIONS: Gross
      total resection/subtotal resection with local irradiation may be a safe and
      effective delayed local treatment for INSS 4 NB.

PMID- 28643948
TI  - Investigating the separate and interactive associations of trauma and depression
      on brain structure: implications for cognition and aging.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Trauma and depression are associated with brain structural
      alterations; their combined effects on these outcomes are unclear. We previously
      reported a negative effect of trauma, independent of depression, on verbal
      learning and memory; less is known about underlying structural associates. We
      investigated separate and interactive associations of trauma and depression on
      brain structure. METHODS: Adults aged 30-89 (N = 203) evaluated for depression
      (D+) and trauma history (T+) using structured clinical interviews were divided
      into 53 D+T+, 42 D+T-, 50 D-T+, and 58 D-T-. Multivariable linear regressions
      examined the separate and interactive associations of depression and trauma with
      prefrontal and temporal lobe cortical thickness composites and hippocampal
      volumes adjusting for age, sex, predicted verbal IQ, comorbid anxiety, and
      vascular risk. Significant results informed analyses of tract-based structural
      connectomic measures of efficiency and centrality. RESULTS: Trauma, independent
      of depression, was associated with greater left prefrontal cortex (PFC)
      thickness, in particular the medial orbitofrontal cortex and pars orbitalis. A
      trauma * depression interaction was observed for the right PFC in age-stratified
      analyses: Older D + T+ had reduced PFC thickness compared with older D - T+
      individuals. Regardless of age, trauma was associated with more left medial
      orbitofrontal cortex efficiency and less pars orbitalis centrality. In the T+
      group, left pars orbitalis cortical thickness and centrality negatively
      correlated with verbal learning. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma, independent of depression,
      associated with altered PFC characteristics, morphologically and in terms of
      structural network communication and influence. Additionally, findings suggest
      that there may be a combined effect of trauma and depression in older adults.
      Copyright (c) 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28643950
TI  - Atypical dyskeratosis congenita diagnosed using whole-exome sequencing.

PMID- 28643951
TI  - Magnetic graphene oxide modified by imidazole-based ionic liquids for the
      magnetic-based solid-phase extraction of polysaccharides from brown alga.
AB  - Magnetic graphene oxide was modified by four imidazole-based ionic liquids to
      synthesize materials for the extraction of polysaccharides by magnetic solid
      phase extraction. Fucoidan and laminarin were chosen as the representative
      polysaccharides owing to their excellent pharmaceutical value and availability.
      Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron
      microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis were applied to characterize the
      synthesized materials. Single-factor experiments showed that the extraction
      efficiency of polysaccharides was affected by the amount of ionic liquids for
      modification, solid-liquid ratio of brown alga and ethanol, the stirring time of
      brown alga and ionic liquid-modified magnetic graphene oxide materials, and
      amount of 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole chloride modified magnetic graphene oxide
      materials added to the brown alga sample solution. The results indicated that 1
      (3-aminopropyl)imidazole chloride modified magnetic graphene oxide possessed
      better extraction ability than graphene oxide, magnetic graphene oxide, and other
      three ionic-liquid-modified magnetic graphene oxide materials. The highest
      extraction recoveries of fucoidan and laminarin extracted by 1-(3
      aminopropyl)imidazole chloride modified magnetic graphene oxide were 93.3 and
      87.2%, respectively. In addition, solid materials could be separated and reused
      easily owing to their magnetic properties.

PMID- 28643952
TI  - Asn194Lys mutation in RVG29 peptide increases GFP transgene delivery by
      endocytosis to neuroblastoma and astrocyte cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A cell-penetrating peptide-based delivery system could target
      specific types of cells for therapeutic genes delivery. To increase the gene
      delivery efficiency into neuronal phenotype cells, we introduced an Asn194Lys
      mutation to RVG29 peptide derived from rabies virus glycoprotein and added a
      nuclear localization signal to enhance its nuclear import. METHODS: Mutant RVG or
      wild-type RVG peptide, a karyophilic peptide (KP) and a plasmid encoding green
      fluorescent protein (pGL) were bound by electrostatic charges to form four
      different kinds of RVG complexes. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the gene
      transfection efficiency into astrocytes, oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs),
      SH-SY5Y, HeLa and NIH/3T3 cells. The cellular uptake mechanism of RVG29 complexes
      was examined using endocytosis inhibitors. KEY FINDINGS: The mRVG29 peptide has
      the ability to enhance the nuclear import of plasmids. The Asn194Lys mutation in
      RVG29 peptide of the pGL-mRVG29 complex and the addition of KP to the pGL-RVG29
      KP complex increased the capacity to deliver DNA by endocytosis in astrocytes and
      SH-SY5Y cells. CONCLUSIONS: The complexes pGL-mRVG29 and pGL-RVG29-KP have
      specificity for transfecting astrocytes and SH-SY5Y cells. The karyophilic
      capacity of this new mRVG peptide render it promising candidate to act as gene
      delivery vector into the brain cells.

PMID- 28643953
TI  - The entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea rileyi impairs cellular immunity of its host
      Helicoverpa armigera.
AB  - In this study, we investigated the effect of the entomopathogenic fungus Nomuraea
      rileyi on Helicoverpa armigera cellular immune responses. Nomuraea rileyi
      infection had no effect on total hemocyte count (THC), but impaired hemocyte
      mediated phagocytosis, nodulation, and encapsulation responses. Nomuraea rileyi
      infection led to a significant reduction in hemocyte spreading. An in vitro assay
      revealed that plasma from N. rileyi infected H. armigera larvae suppressed the
      spreading ability of hemocytes from naive larvae. We infer that N. rileyi
      suppresses the cellular immune response of its host, possibly by secreting
      exogenous, cytotoxic compounds into the host's hemolymph.

PMID- 28643956
TI  - Unilateral pallidotomy for blepharospasm refractory to botulinum toxin
      injections.

PMID- 28643955
TI  - Diffusion tensor imaging of normal-appearing white matter in patients with
      neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The occult changes in normal-appearing white matter
      (NAWM) were investigated and compared amongst patients with neuromyelitis optica
      spectrum disorder (NMOSD), patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy
      controls (HCs) by applying tract-based spatial statistics to diffusion tensor
      imaging (DTI) data. METHODS: Diffusion tensor imaging was performed with a 3-T
      scanner in 93 patients with NMOSD, 53 patients with MS and 43 HCs. Voxel-wise
      statistical analyses of the DTI data were performed using tract-based spatial
      statistics. RESULTS: Compared to HCs, patients with NMOSD had significantly lower
      mean global fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity and radial
      diffusivity, and no significant differences in axial diffusivity in their NAWM.
      Patients with MS demonstrated significantly lower mean global fractional
      anisotropy and higher mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity
      in the NAWM than did patients with NMOSD and HCs. Compared to patients with
      NMOSD, patients with MS had NAWM damage that was more extensive, particularly in
      the inferior cerebellar peduncle, external capsule, cingulum, superior fronto
      occipital fasciculus and uncinate fasciculus. CONCLUSIONS: Using DTI, widespread
      occult damage was demonstrated in the NAWM of patients with NMOSD. However, the
      NAWM was less affected in patients with NMOSD than it was in patients with MS;
      specifically, the axonal injuries and diffusion abnormalities in the association
      fibers were more severe in patients with MS than they were in patients with
      NMOSD.

PMID- 28643957
TI  - Effectiveness of levetiracetam in an acetazolamide-unresponsive patient with
      episodic ataxia type 2 by a novel CACNA1A nonsense mutation.

PMID- 28643958
TI  - Insular cortex and QT correction interval: an effect of hemispheric
      lateralization?

PMID- 28643959
TI  - Riboflavin-responsive multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: delayed
      hypersensitivity reaction and efficacy of low-dose intermittent supplementation.

PMID- 28643960
TI  - Asymptomatic subcutaneous cervical mass due to Actinomyces odontolyticus
      infection in a pyriform sinus fistula.

PMID- 28643962
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643963
TI  - [Neuropathic component of low back pain].
AB  - Despite the advances in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of chronic
      low back pain, treatment remains challenging in clinical practice. In this
      article we are focusing on the neuropathic component of chronic low back pain.
      Indeed, depending on which diagnostic tools are used, 16-55% of patients
      suffering from chronic low back pain present a neuropathic component. We here
      expose the specific mechanisms of neuropathic pain, the diagnostic tools
      available for their detection as well as the specific treatment options.

PMID- 28643961
TI  - Bioelectroventing: an electrochemical-assisted bioremediation strategy for
      cleaning-up atrazine-polluted soils.
AB  - The absence of suitable terminal electron acceptors (TEA) in soil might limit the
      oxidative metabolism of environmental microbial populations. Bioelectroventing is
      a bioelectrochemical strategy that aims to enhance the biodegradation of a
      pollutant in the environment by overcoming the electron acceptor limitation and
      maximizing metabolic oxidation. Microbial electroremediating cells (MERCs) are
      devices that can perform such a bioelectroventing. We also report an overall
      profile of the 14 C-ATR metabolites and 14 C mass balance in response to the
      different treatments. The objective of this work was to use MERC principles,
      under different configurations, to stimulate soil bacteria to achieve the
      complete biodegradation of the herbicide 14 C-atrazine (ATR) to 14 CO2 in soils.
      Our study concludes that using electrodes at a positive potential [+600 mV
      (versus Ag/AgCl)] ATR mineralization was enhanced by 20-fold when compared to
      natural attenuation in electrode-free controls. Furthermore, ecotoxicological
      analysis of the soil after the bioelectroventing treatment revealed an effective
      clean-up in < 20 days. The impact of electrodes on soil bioremediation suggests a
      promising future for this emerging environmental technology.

PMID- 28643964
TI  - [Diagnosis and prognosis of low back pain: contribution and limitations of the
      clinical approach].
AB  - The label " non-specific " that applies to 85% of patients complaining of low
      back pain is an heterogeneous group including different phenotypes. The
      identification of the anatomic origin of pain is often impossible in a primary
      care encounter. However, the physician can identify several elements that are
      useful to establish some diagnosis, foresee the evolution and tailor therapeutic
      decisions.

PMID- 28643965
TI  - [A clinical tool to develop therapeutic goals with chronic low back pain
      patients].
AB  - When treating patients suffering from chronic low back pain, it is important to
      determine therapeutic objectives that are realistic, measurable and focused on
      the activities of everyday life. To help patients and therapists to elaborate
      these objectives, we developped a clinical tool made of a metric scale graduated
      from 0 to 10 and of a series of photographs. Within the framework of a semi
      structured interview, this tool is a help not only in the detection of relevant
      activities that may induce fear avoidance behaviours but also in the
      determination and negotiation of objectives that can be realised in the care
      process and are adapted to the patient's context of living.

PMID- 28643966
TI  - [What is the role of surgery in low back pain associated with Modic changes?]
AB  - Benign low back pain is frequent in the lucratively active population.
      Degenerative changes are considered the most frequent causes. The identification
      of pain generators remain challenging. Bone marrow lesions, Modic changes, are
      frequently associated with benign low back pain, mostly type 1. The etiology of
      Modic changes is unknown, both infectious and autoimmune mechanisms have been
      suggested. Despite the strong association of Modic changes with low back pain it
      is not clear whether lumbar surgery (lumbar fusion, total disc replacement) has
      any role in the management of these patients. We conclude that all available
      evidence in literature is inconclusive and future studies are needed addressing
      more precisely the question of minimal clinically important difference (MCID)
      while considering of all confounding factors influencing outcome.

PMID- 28643967
TI  - [Place of interdisciplinary treatments in chronic low back pain].
AB  - The treatment of chronic lumbar pain patients needs a global interdisciplinary
      approach when traditional conservative treatments do not fulfil their aims. One
      of the most efficient ways to proceed is using an interdisciplinary treatment
      program, including physiotherapeutic measures, occupational therapy and
      psychological support for 3 weeks. It is important that people in conflicts with
      insurances companies should be excluded from these treatments. It is also
      important that the reconditioning should continue over a long term to have a
      sustainable result.

PMID- 28643968
TI  - [Complementary medicine for low back pain : what is the scientific evidence ?]
AB  - Complementary medicines are frequently used by chronic pain patients. It is a
      challenge for the primary care physician to provide objective information based
      on the scientific literature. Meta-analyses have shown favourable effects of
      acupuncture, therapeutic massage and osteopathy for patients with acute low back
      pain. Concerning chronic low back pain, meta-analyses have shown positive results
      with acupuncture, osteopathy, yoga and tai-chi. Other therapies have shown
      positive effects, but further trials are necessary to fully validate them. This
      article reviews the literature supporting the most studied complementary
      medicines.

PMID- 28643970
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643969
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643971
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643972
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643973
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643974
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643975
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643976
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643977
TI  - [Multidisciplinary management of localized rectal cancer].
AB  - Rectal cancer remains a frequent pathology, with a good prognosis, according to a
      proper management. During the last decades, we have been confronted with
      important improvements, notably regarding the diagnosis and the treatment. In the
      era of highly specialized medicine, it is clear that the management must be
      multidisciplinary, incorporating not only the surgeon, the oncologist and the
      radiation oncologist, but also the radiologist, the gastroenterologist, and the
      pathologist. We aim to review the recent concepts and the future developments in
      the management of rectal cancer.

PMID- 28643978
TI  - [Diagnosis and management of gastro-esophageal junction tumor].
AB  - At the border between the esophagus and the stomach, gastro-esophageal junction
      tumors require a specific management that cannot be simplified to either of these
      two organs. Staging work-up with endoscopy, CT-Scan and PET-Scan, is essential
      because it will condition the choice of neo-adjuvant treatment. Surgery remains
      the only curative treatment and should be undergone in specialized center.

PMID- 28643979
TI  - [Acute pancreatitis : new aspects for the management].
AB  - Acute pancreatitis is a frequent disease, with a simple course in 80 % of the
      cases but a high morbidity and mortality in its severe form. Biliary origin and
      alcohol represent 80 % of the etiologies. Except endoscopic removal of gallstone
      for biliary origin, treatment remains symptomatic and focuses on fluid
      resuscitation, effective antalgia and adapted management of nutrition. This
      article focuses on the novelties introduced by the revision of the Classification
      of Atlanta in 2012 and details current guidelines for the management of the
      disease. The evolution of conservative treatment has allowed to reduce and
      postpone need for surgery and requires an interdisciplinary collaboration between
      surgeons, gastroenterologists, interventional radiologists and intensivists.

PMID- 28643980
TI  - [Hiatal hernia : current diagnostic and therapeutic management].
AB  - Hiatal hernia is a frequent pathology. Two types have been described : sliding
      hernia and paraesophageal hernia (PEH). The first one is the most frequent and is
      associated with reflux disease. Patients with PEH have a large variety of
      symptoms, such as chest pain, dyspnea, regurgitation, iterative pneumonia and
      iron-deficiency anemia. Operative management is necessary for sliding hernia with
      reflux disease and for symptomatic PEH, respectively. In patients with
      asymptomatic PEH, operative risk must be balanced with the risk of postoperative
      complications. No specific operative technique has been validated so far as
      surgical standard. Several technical details are important and technique has to
      be adapted according to the size and type of hernia, preoperative symptoms and
      patient's comorbidities.

PMID- 28643981
TI  - [Adrenal surgery : Multidisciplinarity is mandatory].
AB  - Adrenal tumours are rare and their management is challenging. Every patient
      presenting with adrenal mass or symptoms of hormones hypersecretion should be
      investigated. The two important questions to be answered are : 1. Is the tumour
      secreting ? Is the tumour malignant or not ? A complete endocrine work-up and a
      nativ CT-scan may usually answer these two questions but have to be interpreted
      by specialists in a multidisciplinary team setting. The decisions about
      managements of adrenal pathologies do follow international guidelines which are
      regularly updated. It is not recommended to perform diagnostic or surgical
      procedure before excluding pheochromocytoma or adrenocortical carcinoma which
      could have fatal outcome for the patient. Every adrenal mass has to be
      investigated and should not be made commonplace.

PMID- 28643983
TI  - [An underestimated cause of seizure in Europe].
AB  - Seizures are very common in the Emergency Department (ED). We present here a case
      of a young woman with neurocysticercosis ; a worldwide and nearly endemic cause
      of seizure in the southern hemisphere. Clinical manifestations are very different
      between patients from asymptomatic to life-threatening hydrocephalus. Diagnosis
      is based on a combination of clinical presentation, neuroimaging (CT and MRI)
      findings, history of exposure, and serologic testing.

PMID- 28643984
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643982
TI  - [Current surgical treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma : critical appraisal of
      current guidelines].
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management has evolved in the last decades.
      Current available treatments include interventional radiology like radiofrequency
      ablation, transarterial chemoembolization or Yttrium 90 radioembolization.
      Surgery, when possible, has been proven to be the most effective treatment in
      reducing the risk of long-term local recurrence. American and European societies
      (AASLD, EASL, respectively) guidelines for the management of HCC endorse The
      Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) treatment allocation system. One drawback of
      the BCLC system is its restrictiveness regarding surgical indications. This
      present article aims in reviewing the indications of surgical resection for HCC.

PMID- 28643985
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643986
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643987
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643988
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643989
TI  - ?

PMID- 28643990
TI  - Bcl-2 and Caspase-9 serum levels in children and adolescents with idiopathic
      epilepsy and active seizures.
AB  - BACKROUND: In the present study we investigated the levels of proapoptotic
      Caspase-9 and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in the sera of children and
      adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy and tried to relate the findings to the
      patients clinical parameters. METHODS: This retrospective study consisted of 118
      children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy, categorized according to type
      and number of seizures, duration of the disease and the control of seizures and
      30 age and sex matched controls. The relapse of seizures was taken into
      consideration. RESULTS: Mean serum level between Bcl-2 and Caspase-9 was
      significantly higher only in Bcl-2 patients, compared to controls (p<=0,0001) and
      (p=0,987) respectively. Significant difference in Bcl-2 level was found among the
      different types of focal seizures. Caspase-9 level was statistically different in
      patients with two or more seizures per month compared to those with one seizure
      per month (p=0,048). No correlation was found between Bcl-2 and Caspase-9 levels
      and age, gender, seizure frequency, total number of seizures and the duration of
      epilepsy. No significant difference was found in patients with and without drug
      treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Bcl-2 displays an association with apoptosis and
      highlights the potential of being a surrogate biomarker for active seizures and
      epilepsy. There is a significant difference in Bcl-2 serum level among the
      different types of focal seizures. Proapoptotic Caspase-9 cannot act as a marker
      of active seizures and epilepsy. Caspase-9 serum level is increased acutely in
      controlled cases after a single relapse.

PMID- 28643991
TI  - Sleep duration, quality of life and depression in adolescents: a school-based
      survey.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to assess the link between sleep
      duration, quality of life and depression in adolescents. The secondary objective
      was to study the sleeping behavior of a large sample of adolescents from
      different socioeconomic backgrounds. METHODS: Study subjects were high school
      students studying in or around Paris with a general, vocational or technological
      training background. A survey was conducted to evaluate the subject's perception
      of their own sleep, quality of life and depression. RESULTS: The survey analyzed
      855 students between 14 and 19 years of age, with equal numbers of males and
      females. The average sleep duration was 7 h 14 min +/- 1 h 20 min and was
      inversely correlated with age (r = -0.142, p<0.01). Students studying vocational
      subjects reported significantly more sleep than students studying technological
      subjects (p=0.02). Univariate analyses revealed a positive relationship between
      sleep duration and quality of life (r = 0.17, p<0.001) and an inverse
      relationship between sleep duration and depression (r = -0.5, p<0.001).
      Multivariate analyses identified depression, delayed sleep phase disorder, and
      medical condition as determinants of sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: This
      investigation of a large student cohort has confirmed that the average sleep
      duration in adolescents is far below what is recommended. Depression
      significantly influenced sleep duration. We recommend that a quantitative and
      qualitative evaluation of sleep should be made during the medical examination of
      any adolescent.

PMID- 28643992
TI  - Recent perspectives of molecular aberrations in pediatric high-grade glioma.
AB  - Paediatric high-grade glioma (HGG), including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma
      (DIPG) are highly aggressive tumours with no effective cures. Lack of
      understanding of the molecular biology of these tumours, in part due to lack of
      well-characterized pre-clinical models, is a great challenge in the development
      of novel therapies. Recent studies have shown that paediatric HGG short-term cell
      cultures retain many of the tumour characteristics in vivo and at present one of
      the best choices for in-vivo experimental studies. The present review article
      would put light on novel genetic and epigenetic changes in paediatric HGG that
      might, act as a gold standard potential biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets in
      near future.

PMID- 28643993
TI  - The impact of vitamin D supplementation on serum cathelicidin levels and the
      clinical course of atopic dermatitis in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cathelicidin has been correlated with the pathophysiology of atopic
      dermatitis (AD). An indirect correlation of vitamin D with the course of the
      disease has already been reported as it directly affects the levels of
      cathelicidin. The purpose of the present article is to investigate the impact of
      vitamin D supplementation on the course of AD. METHODS: We conducted a
      prospective observational study. The severity of AD was assessed with the
      clinical tool SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis) which is developed by the
      European Task Force on AD. RESULTS: Fifty children with AD were enrolled and
      stratified in two groups based on the severity of SCORAD. Children with severe AD
      (SCORAD index> 40) received higher doses of vitamin D in order to sufficiently
      reduce the disease (comparable index SCORAD children with mild atopic
      dermatitis). While the baseline SCORAD differed statistically significant level
      between the two groups of children with AD (p <.001) this difference disappeared
      at 20 (p = .649) days and remained statistically insignificant both at 45 days (p
      = .610), and at the end of the administration of treatment (p = .474) (Table).
      This effect was based on a significant downregulation of the severity of symptoms
      in the group of children that received 2400 IU of vitamin D. CONCLUSIONS: The
      findings of our study suggest that vitamin D may be accurately used in current
      clinical practice for the management of AD. However, the recommended dose should
      be titrated taking in mind the severity of the disease.

PMID- 28643994
TI  - The impact of valproic acid treatment on weight gain in pediatric patients with
      epilepsy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Valproic acid (VPA) is an antiepileptic drug, used for focal and
      generalized seizure. VPA treatment resulted in significant weight gain but there
      are no systematic data about the prevalence of this side effect. The aim of the
      study is to evaluate the weight gain of a paediatric population with epilepsy.
      METHODS: We enrolled 38 patients, 17 female and 21 male with a mean age of 8.2+/
      4.4 years. We evaluated data about height, weight and BMI at beginning of
      treatment and at 24, 36 and 48 months of follow-up. RESULTS: There is a
      statistical significant difference between the percentile value of weight and BMI
      at baseline and at 36 and 48 months of follow-up (P value <0.01) but there isn't
      statistical significant difference between the percentile value of height (P
      value 0.22 and 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: We believe that a nutritional support should
      be guaranteed to the pediatric patients with epilepsy that begin the VPA therapy.

PMID- 28643995
TI  - Contraception options and provision to adolescents.
AB  - Adolescent pregnancy is a significant cause of global morbidity and mortality.
      Adolescents who become pregnancy have lower educational attainment, are more
      likely to live in poverty, and have lower wellbeing. Increasing access to
      hormonal contraceptives and long acting reversible contraception is highly
      effective in reducing adolescent pregnancies. This narrative review covers key
      aspects of the provision of contraception to adolescents, including
      confidentiality, counseling, and data supporting expanded access to adolescents.
      We provide information for pediatric providers to start adolescent patients on
      contraceptives, including a detailed description of each method, including
      effectiveness, use, starting, side effects and benefits. Tools for counseling and
      prescribing are provided.

PMID- 28643996
TI  - Age-related outcome of patients after traumatic brain injury: a single-center
      observation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of the present study was to analyze clinical features of
      patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), their age-related outcomes and
      determinants of long-term outcome. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was
      conducted in a level I University Swiss trauma center. Consecutive patients with
      moderate to severe TBI admitted for more than 48 hours to the Intensive Care Unit
      (ICU) were included. Patients' and trauma characteristics, management during ICU
      stay, prognostic scores and long-term outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Hundred
      seventy-four patients (72% males, mean age 49 years) were divided in three age
      groups: young (<=39 years, N.=69, 39.7%), middle aged (40-64 years, N.=55,
      31.6%), and elderly (>=65 years, N.=50, 28.7%). In elderly patients, falls (62%)
      were the most common cause of TBI. Overall ICU mortality was 15% with no
      difference among age groups. Within six-months after TBI, 80% of elderly patients
      presented unfavorable outcomes. Age, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, use of
      anticoagulants and/or antiplatelet agents, abnormal pupillary reactivity, a high
      score in Marshall CT classification, and a higher glucose level were associated
      with unfavorable outcomes in a univariable logistic regression. In a
      multivariable logistic regression, age and abnormal pupillary reactivity were
      identified as independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes, while presence
      of epidural hematoma and higher hemoglobin levels were predictors for favorable
      outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Older patients are at higher risk for long-term
      unfavorable outcomes than younger patients. Use of anticoagulants and/or
      antiplatelet agents and lower hemoglobin levels during rescue phase are
      associated with unfavorable long-term outcomes. Fall prevention in the elderly
      should be a key target of intervention programs.

PMID- 28643997
TI  - Brain monitoring in adult and pediatric ECMO patients: the importance of early
      and late assessments.
AB  - Monitoring brain integrity and neurocognitive function is a new and important
      target for the management of a patient treated with extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation (ECMO), in particular because of the increasing awareness of cerebral
      abnormalities that may potentially occur in this setting. Continuous regular
      monitoring, as well as repeated assessment for cerebral complications has become
      an essential element of the ECMO patient management. Besides well-known
      complications, like bleeding, ischemic stroke, seizures, and brain hypoperfusion,
      other less defined yet relevant injury and clinical manifestations are
      increasingly reported and impacting on ECMO patient prognosis at short term.
      Furthermore, it is becoming more evident that neurologic complication may not
      occur only in the early phase. Indeed, other potential adverse events related to
      the long-term neurocognitive function have been also recently documented either
      in children or adult ECMO patients. Despite increasing awareness of these
      aspects, generally accepted protocols and clinical management strategies in this
      respect are still lacking. Current means to monitor brain perfusion or detecting
      ongoing cerebral tissue injury are rather limited, and most techniques provide
      indirect or post-insult recognition of irreversible tissue injury. Continuous
      monitoring of brain perfusion, serial assessment of brain-derived serum
      biomarkers, timely neuro-imaging, and post-discharge counselling for
      neurocognitive dysfunction, particularly in pediatric patients, are novel
      pathways focusing on neurologic assessment with important implications in daily
      practice to assess brain function and integrity not only during the ECMO-related
      hospitalization, but also at long-term to re-evaluate the neuropsychological
      integrity, although well designed studies will be necessary to elucidate the cost
      effectiveness of these management strategies.

PMID- 28643998
TI  - Survey in expert clinicians on the validity of automated calculation of optimal
      cerebral perfusion pressure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Optimal cerebral perfusion pressure (CPPopt) targeting in traumatic
      brain injury (TBI) patients constitutes an active and controversial area of
      research. It has been suggested that an autoregulation guided CPP therapy may
      improve TBI outcome. Prerequisites of a CPPopt intervention study would be
      objective criteria for the CPPopt detection. This study compared the agreement
      between automated and visual CPPopt detection. METHODS: Twenty-five clinicians
      from 18 centers worldwide, familiar with brain monitoring and using dedicated
      software, reviewed ten 4-hour CPPopt screenshots at 48 hours after ictus in
      selected TBI patients. Each screenshot displayed the trends of cerebral perfusion
      pressure (CPP), intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebrovascular pressure reactivity
      (PRx) as well as the "CPP-optimal" curve and its associated value (automated
      CPPopt). The main objective was to evaluate the agreement between expert
      clinicians as well as the agreement between the clinicians and automated CPPopt.
      RESULTS: Twenty-two clinicians responded to our call (88%). Three screenshots
      were judged as "CPPopt not determinable" by >45% of the clinicians. For the whole
      group, the consensus between automated CPPopt and clinicians' visual CPPopt was
      high. Three clinicians were identified as outliers. All clinicians recommended to
      modify CPP when patients differed >+/-5 mmHg from their CPPopt. The inter
      observer consensus was highest in cases with current CPP below the optimal value.
      CONCLUSIONS: The overall agreement between automated CPPopt and visual CPPopt
      identified by autoregulation experts was high, except for those cases when the
      curve was deemed by the clinicians not reliable enough to yield a trustworthy
      CPPopt.

PMID- 28643999
TI  - Dexmedetomidine and general anesthesia: a narrative literature review of its
      major indications for use in adults undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In Europe, dexmedetomidine has marketing approval only for sedation
      in intensive care units. However, its use during general anesthesia has been
      widely reported. The aim of this narrative review is to draw a picture of
      potential indications in anesthesia. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We searched in
      MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials using the
      keywords "Dexmedetomidine, Dexdor, Precedex and Dexdomitor." The research ended
      in December 2016. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported the use of
      dexmedetomidine in adults receiving general anesthesia. We excluded studies
      related to cardiac surgery and studies reporting the use of dexmedetomidine as an
      adjuvant of locoregional anesthesia. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Several potential uses
      for dexmedetomidine during general anesthesia are described, especially: awake
      fiber optic intubation, the sparing effect of dexmedetomidine on hypnotic and
      opioid drugs, prevention of postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting and
      shivering, improvement of postoperative sleep and postoperative recovery, opioid
      free anesthesia, use in craniotomy, endovascular stroke treatment and drug
      induced sleep endoscopy. A protective effect against cardiac complications, an
      anti-inflammatory effect, and side effects, particularly bradycardia, are also
      described. CONCLUSIONS: The properties of dexmedetomidine lead to its use for
      elective indications such as awake fiberoptic intubation and neurosurgical
      anesthesia. New topics are under debate. These subjects must be studied
      thoroughly because of their implication in the patients' surgical course. These
      advantages must be weighed against the major drawback of dexmedetomidine
      administration which is the potential for hemodynamic abnormalities.

PMID- 28644001
TI  - Evaluation of Multivalent Cation Insertion in Single- and Double-Layered
      Polymorphs of V2O5.
AB  - Multivalent intercalation batteries have the potential to circumvent several
      fundamental limitations of reigning Li-ion technologies. Such batteries will
      potentially deliver high volumetric energy densities, be safer to operate, and
      rely on materials that are much more abundant than Li in the Earth's crust. The
      design of intercalation cathodes for such batteries requires consideration of
      thermodynamic aspects such as structural distortions and energetics as well as
      kinetic aspects such as barriers to the diffusion of cations. The layered alpha
      V2O5 system is a canonical intercalation host for Li-ions but does not perform
      nearly as well for multivalent cation insertion. However, the rich V-O phase
      diagram provides access to numerous metastable polymorphs that hold much greater
      promise for multivalent cation intercalation. In this article, we explore
      multivalent cation insertion in three metastable polymorphs, gamma', delta', and
      rho' phases of V2O5, using density functional theory calculations. The
      calculations allow for evaluation of the influence of distinctive structural
      motifs in mediating multivalent cation insertion. In particular, we contrast the
      influence of single versus condensed double layers, planar versus puckered single
      layers, and the specific stacking sequence of the double layers. We demonstrate
      that metastable phases offer some specific advantages with respect to
      thermodynamically stable polymorphs in terms of a higher chemical potential
      difference (giving rise to a larger open-circuit voltage) and in providing access
      to diffusion pathways that are highly dependent on the specific structural motif.
      The three polymorphs are found to be especially promising for Ca-ion
      intercalation, which is particularly significant given the exceedingly sparse
      number of viable cathode materials for this chemistry. The findings here
      demonstrate the ability to define cation diffusion pathways within layered
      metastable polymorphs by alteration of the stacking sequence or the thickness of
      the layers.

PMID- 28644000
TI  - [Elimination in South-East Asia? The role of antimalarial drugs].
AB  - Artemisinin resistance in P. falciparum is spreading in South East Asia and
      threatens the recent progresses made in the fight against malaria. A race against
      time has started to eliminate P.falciparum in this region before it becomes
      resistant to all available treatments. Antimalarials have a central role in the
      current elimination programme in eastern Burma on the border with Thailand. The
      combination of artemether and lumefantrine is used in association with primaquine
      for the early treatment of clinical cases. The slowly eliminated dihydro
      artemisinin and piperaquine is the drug of choice in mass drug administration in
      the foci of high prevalence of sub-microscopic and asymptomatic infections.
      Initial results after 18 months of activities are promising: the participation of
      the population was excellent and there was a sharp reduction of P.falciparum
      incidence without evidence of worsening resistance.

PMID- 28644002
TI  - Understanding Photocharging Effects on Bismuth Vanadate.
AB  - Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) is a promising material for photoelectrochemical water
      oxidation. Recently, it has been shown that "photocharging" BiVO4 results in an
      improved water oxidation performance. However, the understanding of how BiVO4 is
      being improved has been lacking. Here we study the surface kinetics of BiVO4
      using intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and show that photocharging
      BiVO4 results in both surface and bulk improvements. This result sheds light on
      how the surface charge transfer and bulk charge transport of BiVO4 respond to
      illumination.

PMID- 28644003
TI  - Chemical Sensor Based Upon Stress-Induced Changes in the Permeability of a
      Magnetoelastic Wire.
AB  - We introduce a chemical sensing technology, named ChIMES (Chemical Identification
      through Magneto-Elastic Sensing), that can detect a broad range of targets and
      that has the capability of untethered communication through a metallic or
      nonmetallic barrier. These features enable many applications in which
      penetrations into the sampled environment are unwanted or infeasible because of
      health, safety, or environmental concerns, such as following the decomposition of
      a dangerous material in a sealed container. The sensing element is passive and
      consists of a target response material hard-coupled to a magnetoelastic wire.
      When the response material encounters a target, it expands, imposing mechanical
      stress on the wire and altering its magnetic permeability. Using a remote
      excitation-detection coil set, the changes in permeability are observed by
      switching the magnetic domains in the wire and measuring the modifications in the
      Faraday voltage as the stress is varied. Sensors with different response
      materials can be arrayed and interrogated individually. We describe the sensor
      and its associated instrumentation, compare the performance of several types of
      wire, and evaluate analytical metrics of single and arrayed ChIMES sensors
      against a suite of volatile organic compounds.

PMID- 28644005
TI  - From Electrochemistry to Electroluminescence: Development and Application in a
      Ratiometric Aptasensor for Aflatoxin B1.
AB  - Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), one of the most toxic chemical carcinogens, has been widely
      studied. It remains challenging to develop simple, accurate, and sensitive
      analytical methods for the detection of AFB1 in food matrixes. In this work, on
      the basis of a dual-signaling strategy, a ratiometric aptasensor was designed and
      verified for the accurate and sensitive detection of AFB1. The electrochemical
      method was first used as a model to verify the specific interaction between AFB1
      and the aptamer, in which ferrocene (Fc)-anchored and methylene blue (MB)
      anchored DNA sequences acted as dual signals. Consequently, the specific
      interaction between AFB1 and its aptamer was demonstrated by the "signal-on" mode
      of Fc and the "signal-off" mode of MB. Due to the simple dual-signaling mode, the
      electrochemical sensor was further extended to the construction of an
      electrochemiluminoscence (ECL) aptasensor. In the ECL system, dual ECL signals
      were produced from CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and luminol. Horseradish
      peroxidase-modified gold nanorods (HRP/Au NRs) acted as the quencher/enhancer and
      as such quenched the ECL signal of the QDs by ECL energy transfer and
      simultaneously catalyzed H2O2 to enhance the ECL of luminol. Owing to the self
      calibration by the internal reference, both of the ratiometric aptasensors
      exhibited accurate and sensitive analytical performance for AFB1 with a good
      linear range from 5.0 pM to 10 nM and detection limits of 0.43 and 0.12 pM (S/N =
      3), respectively. The aptasensors also exhibited good selectivity,
      reproducibility, and stability, revealing potential applications in food safety
      monitoring and environmental analysis.

PMID- 28644004
TI  - Intricate Effects of alpha-Amino and Lysine Modifications on Arginine Methylation
      of the N-Terminal Tail of Histone H4.
AB  - Chemical modifications of the DNA and nucleosomal histones tightly control the
      gene transcription program in eukaryotic cells. The "histone code" hypothesis
      proposes that the frequency, combination, and location of post-translational
      modifications (PTMs) of the core histones compose a complex network of epigenetic
      regulation. Currently, there are at least 23 different types and >450 histone
      PTMs that have been discovered, and the PTMs of lysine and arginine residues
      account for a crucial part of the histone code. Although significant progress has
      been achieved in recent years, the molecular basis for the histone code is far
      from being fully understood. In this study, we investigated how naturally
      occurring N-terminal acetylation and PTMs of histone H4 lysine-5 (H4K5) affect
      arginine-3 methylation catalyzed by both type I and type II PRMTs at the
      biochemical level. Our studies found that acylations of H4K5 resulted in
      decreased levels of arginine methylation by PRMT1, PRMT3, and PRMT8. In contrast,
      PRMT5 exhibits an increased rate of arginine methylation upon H4K5 acetylation,
      propionylation, and crotonylation, but not upon H4K5 methylation, butyrylation,
      or 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation. Methylation of H4K5 did not affect arginine
      methylation by PRMT1 or PRMT5. There was a small increase in the rate of arginine
      methylation by PRMT8. Strikingly, a marked increase in the rate of arginine
      methylation was observed for PRMT3. Finally, N-terminal acetylation reduced the
      rate of arginine methylation by PRMT3 but had little influence on PRMT1, -5, and 
      8 activity. These results together highlight the underlying mechanistic
      differences in substrate recognition among different PRMTs and pave the way for
      the elucidation of the complex interplay of histone modifications.

PMID- 28644007
TI  - Cyclotides as Tools in Chemical Biology.
AB  - Among the various molecules that plants produce for defense against pests and
      pathogens, cyclotides stand out as exceptionally stable and structurally unique.
      These ribosomally synthesized peptides are around 30 amino acids in size, and are
      stabilized by a head-to-tail cyclic peptide backbone and three disulfide bonds
      that form a cystine knot. They occur in certain plants of the Rubiaceae,
      Violaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae families, with an individual
      plant producing up to hundreds of different cyclotides. Aside from being
      exploitable as crop protection agents based on their natural pesticidal
      activities, cyclotides are amenable to repurposing by chemists for use as drug
      leads or as tools in chemical biology. Their macrocyclic peptide backbone and
      knotted arrangement of three disulfide bonds engenders cyclotides with resistance
      to proteolytic degradation, high temperatures, and chemical chaotropes.
      Furthermore, their small size makes them accessible to synthesis using solid
      phase peptide chemistry and so non-natural cyclotides can be designed and
      synthesized for a variety of applications. Our focus here is on cyclotides as
      tools in chemical biology, and there are four main areas of application that have
      appeared in the literature so far: (i) cyclotides as probes of membrane binding;
      (ii) cyclotides as probes of biosynthetic pathways for peptide cyclization; (iii)
      cyclotides as probes of protease specificity and function; and (iv) cyclotides as
      probes of receptor binding and specificity, with the potential for them to be
      developed as drug leads. The main methods used in these studies include solid
      phase peptide chemistry for synthesis and NMR spectroscopy for structural
      characterization, as well as a wide range of biochemical and biophysical
      techniques for probing intermolecular interactions. In addition, cyclotides have
      been examined in diverse biological assays, ranging from enzyme inhibition to
      cell penetration, intracellular targeting and cytotoxicity. The main finding to
      have emerged from studies over the past decade is that cyclotides are
      exceptionally stable under a variety of conditions (in assay buffers, biological
      fluids, membranes, and recombinant expression systems). Furthermore, they are
      structurally very well-defined and amenable to sequence substitutions that can
      introduce new desired biological activities, generally without compromising their
      exceptional stability. Both features contribute to their use as peptide-based
      frameworks in drug design. Finally, they occupy a size niche between traditional
      small-molecule drugs (<500 Da in molecular weight) and protein-based biologics
      (>5000 Da) and thus can probe receptors, membranes, and protein-protein
      interactions in different ways to what is possible with either small molecules or
      biologics. Overall, cyclotides are an exciting class of peptides that have great
      potential as ultrastable chemical biology probes in a variety of applications.
      They have the advantage of specificity (typical of proteins) combined with the
      synthetic accessibility of small molecules.

PMID- 28644006
TI  - Structure of the Forkhead Domain of FOXA2 Bound to a Complete DNA Consensus Site.
AB  - FOXA2, a member of the forkhead family of transcription factors, plays essential
      roles in liver development and bile acid homeostasis. In this study, we report a
      2.8 A co-crystal structure of the FOXA2 DNA-binding domain (FOXA2-DBD) bound to a
      DNA duplex containing a forkhead consensus binding site (GTAAACA). The FOXA2-DBD
      adopts the canonical winged-helix fold, with helix H3 and wing 1 regions mainly
      mediating the DNA recognition. Although the wing 2 region was not defined in the
      structure, isothermal titration calorimetry assays suggested that this region was
      required for optimal DNA binding. Structure comparison with the FOXA3-DBD bound
      to DNA revealed more major groove contacts and fewer minor groove contacts in the
      FOXA2 structure than in the FOXA3 structure. Structure comparison with the FOXO1
      DBD bound to DNA showed that different forkhead proteins could induce different
      DNA conformations upon binding to identical DNA sequences. Our findings provide
      the structural basis for FOXA2 protein binding to a consensus forkhead site and
      elucidate how members of the forkhead protein family bind different DNA sites.

PMID- 28644008
TI  - Influence of Tip and Substrate Properties and Nonsteady-State Effects on Nanogap
      Kinetic Measurements: Response to Comment on "Impact of Adsorption on Scanning
      Electrochemical Microscopy Voltammetry and Implications for Nanogap
      Measurements".

PMID- 28644009
TI  - Multi-harmonic Imaging in the Second Near-Infrared Window of Nanoparticle-Labeled
      Stem Cells as a Monitoring Tool in Tissue Depth.
AB  - In order to assess the therapeutic potential of cell-based strategies, it is of
      paramount importance to elaborate and validate tools for monitoring the behavior
      of injected cells in terms of tissue dissemination and engraftment properties.
      Here, we apply bismuth ferrite harmonic nanoparticles (BFO HNPs) to in vitro
      expanded human skeletal muscle-derived stem cells (hMuStem cells), an attractive
      therapeutic avenue for patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
      We demonstrate the possibility of stem cell labeling with HNPs. We also show that
      the simultaneous acquisition of second- and third-harmonic generation (SHG and
      THG) from BFO HNPs helps separate their response from tissue background, with a
      net increase in imaging selectivity, which could be particularly important in
      pathologic context that is defined by a highly remodelling tissue. We demonstrate
      the possibility of identifying <100 nm HNPs in depth of muscle tissue at more
      than 1 mm from the surface, taking full advantage of the extended imaging
      penetration depth allowed by multiphoton microscopy in the second near-infrared
      window (NIR-II). Based on this successful assessment, we monitor over 14 days any
      modification on proliferation and morphology features of hMuStem cells upon
      exposure to PEG-coated BFO HNPs at different concentrations, revealing their high
      biocompatibility. Successively, we succeed in detecting individual HNP-labeled
      hMuStem cells in skeletal muscle tissue after their intramuscular injection.

PMID- 28644010
TI  - Atomic Layer Deposition of an Indium Gallium Oxide Thin Film for Thin-Film
      Transistor Applications.
AB  - Indium gallium oxide (IGO) thin films were deposited via atomic layer deposition
      (ALD) using [1,1,1-trimethyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)silanaminato]indium (InCA-1) and
      trimethylgallium (TMGa) as indium and gallium precursors, respectively, and
      hydrogen peroxide as the reactant. To clearly understand the mechanism of
      multicomponent ALD growth of oxide semiconductor materials, several variations in
      the precursor-reactant deposition cycles were evaluated. Gallium could be doped
      into the oxide film at 200  degrees C when accompanied by an InCA-1 pulse, and no
      growth of gallium oxide was observed without the simultaneous deposition of
      indium oxide. Density functional theory calculations for the initial adsorption
      of the precursors revealed that chemisorption of TMGa was kinetically hindered on
      hydroxylated SiOx but was spontaneous on a hydroxylated InOx surface. Moreover,
      the atomic composition and electrical characteristics, such as carrier
      concentration and resistivity, of the ALD-IGO film were controllable by adjusting
      the deposition supercycles, composed of InO and GaO subcycles. Thus, ALD-IGO
      could be employed to fabricate active layers for thin-film transistors to realize
      an optimum mobility of 9.45 cm2/(V s), a threshold voltage of -1.57 V, and a
      subthreshold slope of 0.26 V/decade.

PMID- 28644011
TI  - Development of Silver-Nanoparticle-Decorated Emulsion-Templated Hierarchically
      Porous Poly(1-vinylimidazole) Beads for Water Treatment.
AB  - Water, the driver of nature, has always been polluted by the blind hurling of
      highly toxic contaminants, but human-friendly science has continuously been
      presenting better avenues to help solve these challenging issues. In this
      connection, the present study introduces novel nanocomposites composed of
      emulsion-templated hierarchically porous poly(1-vinylimidazole) beads loaded with
      the silver nanoparticles generated via an in situ approach. These nanocomposites
      have been thoroughly characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,
      thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and field emission scanning
      electron microscopy. The appropriate surface chemistry, good thermal stability,
      swelling behavior, porosity, and nanodimensions contributed to achieve very good
      performance in water treatment. Owing to their easier handling and separation,
      these novel nanocomposites are highly efficient to remove arsenic and eriochrome
      black T with decent adsorption capacities in addition to the inactivation and
      killing of Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram
      positive) bacteria.

PMID- 28644013
TI  - A Simple Approach to Prepare Carboxycellulose Nanofibers from Untreated Biomass.
AB  - A simple approach was developed to prepare carboxycellulose nanofibers directly
      from untreated biomass using nitric acid or nitric acid-sodium nitrite mixtures.
      Experiments indicated that this approach greatly reduced the need for
      multichemicals, and offered significant benefits in lowering the consumption of
      water and electric energy, when compared with conventional multiple-step
      processes at bench scale (e.g., TEMPO oxidation). Additionally, the effluent
      produced by this approach could be efficaciously neutralized using base to
      produce nitrogen-rich salts as fertilizers. TEM measurements of resulting
      nanofibers from different biomasses, possessed dimensions in the range of 190-370
      and 4-5 nm, having PDI = 0.29-0.38. These nanofibers exhibited lower
      crystallinity than untreated jute fibers as determined by TEM diffraction, WAXD
      and 13C CPMAS NMR (e.g., WAXD crystallinity index was ~35% for nanofibers vs 62%
      for jute). Nanofibers with low crystallinity were found to be effective for
      removal of heavy metal ions for drinking water purification.

PMID- 28644014
TI  - Three-Dimensional Localization of an Individual Fluorescent Molecule with
      Angstrom Precision.
AB  - Among imaging techniques, fluorescence microscopy is a unique method to
      noninvasively image individual molecules in whole cells. If the three-dimensional
      spatial precision is improved to the angstrom level, various molecular
      arrangements in the cell can be visualized on an individual basis. We have
      developed a cryogenic reflecting microscope with a numerical aperture of 0.99 and
      an imaging stability of 0.05 nm in standard deviation at a temperature of 1.8 K.
      The key optics to realize the cryogenic performances is the reflecting objective
      developed by our laboratory. With this cryogenic microscope, an individual
      fluorescent molecule (ATTO647N) at 1.8 K was localized with standard errors of
      0.53 nm (x), 0.31 nm (y), and 0.90 nm (z) when 106 fluorescence photons from the
      molecule were accumulated in 5 min.

PMID- 28644012
TI  - Sigma 2 Receptor/Tmem97 Agonists Produce Long Lasting Antineuropathic Pain
      Effects in Mice.
AB  - Neuropathic pain is an important medical problem with few effective treatments.
      The sigma 1 receptor (sigma1R) is known to be a potential target for neuropathic
      pain therapeutics, and antagonists for this receptor are effective in preclinical
      models and are currently in phase II clinical trials. Conversely, relatively
      little is known about sigma2R, which has recently been identified as
      transmembrane protein 97 (Tmem97). We generated a series of sigma1R and
      sigma2R/Tmem97 agonists and antagonists and tested them for efficacy in the mouse
      spared nerve injury (SNI) model. In agreement with previous reports, we find that
      sigma1R ligands given intrathecally (IT) produce relief of SNI-induced mechanical
      hypersensitivity. We also find that the putative sigma2R/Tmem97 agonists DKR
      1005, DKR-1051, and UKH-1114 (Ki ~ 46 nM) lead to relief of SNI-induced
      mechanical hypersensitivity, peaking at 48 h after dosing when given IT. This
      effect is blocked by the putative sigma2R/Tmem97 antagonist SAS-0132. Systemic
      administration of UKH-1114 (10 mg/kg) relieves SNI-induced mechanical
      hypersensitivity for 48 h with a peak magnitude of effect equivalent to 100 mg/kg
      gabapentin and without producing any motor impairment. Finally, we find that the
      TMEM97 gene is expressed in mouse and human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) including
      populations of neurons that are involved in pain; however, the gene is also
      likely expressed in non-neuronal cells that may contribute to the observed
      behavioral effects. Our results show robust antineuropathic pain effects of
      sigma1R and sigma2R/Tmem97 ligands, demonstrate that sigma2R/Tmem97 is a novel
      neuropathic pain target, and identify UKH-1114 as a lead molecule for further
      development.

PMID- 28644015
TI  - Photochromic Hydrazone Switches with Extremely Long Thermal Half-Lives.
AB  - A family of easily accessible light-activated hydrazone switches has been
      developed having thermal half-lives of up to 2700 years! Structure-property
      analysis shows that replacing the rotor pyridyl group of our typical hydrazone
      switch with a phenyl one leads to the long-lived negative photochromic compounds.
      The switching properties of the hydrazones in both toluene and DMSO were assessed
      offering insights into the kinetics and thermodynamics of the switching process.

PMID- 28644016
TI  - Color-Tunable and White-Light Luminescence in Lanthanide-Dicyanoaurate
      Coordination Polymers.
AB  - The new lanthanide-dicyanoaurate coordination polymers [nBu4N]2[Ln(NO3)4Au(CN)2]
      (Ln = Sm, Dy) and Sm[Au(CN)2]3.3H2O were prepared and structurally characterized
      and their luminescence spectra described. The emissions of solid-solutions of
      [nBu4N]2[Ln(NO3)4Au(CN)2] (Ln = Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, and Dy) were explored with an
      emphasis on their capacity for luminescent color tuning and white-light emission
      via the selection of composition, excitation wavelength, and temperature.
      Specifically, the binary solid-solutions [nBu4N]2[Ce0.4Dy0.6(NO3)4Au(CN)2] and
      [nBu4N]2[Sm0.75Tb0.25(NO3)4Au(CN)2], and the ternary solid-solutions
      [nBu4N]2[Ce0.2Sm0.6Tb0.2(NO3)4Au(CN)2] and
      [nBu4N]2[Ce0.33Eu0.17Tb0.5(NO3)4Au(CN)2], were prepared and examined in terms of
      suitability for color-tuning capacity. These results showcase that the emission
      from the [nBu4N]2[Ln(NO3)4Au(CN)2] framework has the capacity to be tuned to
      extremes corresponding to deep reds (CIE coordinates 0.65, 0.35), greens (0.28,
      0.63), and deep blue/violet (0.16, 0.06) as well as white (0.31, 0.33).
      Conversely, the emission of the Sm[Au(CN)2]3.3H2O framework, when doped with the
      green phosphor Tb(III), changes only slightly because of the predominantly Au(I)
      based emission and Sm(III) -> Au(I) energy transfer.

PMID- 28644017
TI  - Spectrally Undiscerned Isomers Might Lead to Erroneous Determination of Water
      Exchange Rates of paraCEST Eu(III) Agents.
AB  - We report a detailed study of the solution structure and water exchange rate of a
      Eu(III) complex with the cyclen-based ligand L1, containing (S)-2-(2-acetamido)-3
      (4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanoate pendant arms at positions 1 and 7 of the
      cyclen ring and acetylglycinate pendants at positions 4 and 10. The EuL1 complex
      was characterized by a combination of NMR and luminescence spectroscopy and
      density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The chemical exchange saturation
      transfer (CEST) spectra obtained at different temperatures and saturation powers
      present a CEST signal attributed to the coordinated water molecule. However, the
      spectra recorded at low temperatures (10  degrees C) and low saturation powers
      revealed the presence of two different species with coordinated water molecules
      having very similar chemical shifts. Determination of the water exchange rates of
      the coordinated water molecules was carried out by using the Bloch four-pool
      model that accounts for the presence of these isomers, and this model was
      compared to conventional methods for CEST quantification, namely the Omega plot
      and QUESP (quantification of exchange rate as a function of saturation power),
      which assume the presence of a single CEST active species. The results indicated
      that only the four-pool Bloch equations provide reasonable water exchange rates
      and activation parameters. Solution NMR studies and DFT calculations indicated
      that the two isomers present in solution correspond to the SS
      Delta(lambdalambdalambdalambda) and SS-Lambda(deltadeltadeltadelta) isomers,
      which present capped square-antiprismatic (SAP) coordination environments.
      Additional NMR studies on the EuL2 and EuL3 complexes, which present four (S)-2
      (2-acetamido)-3-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanoate or acetylglycinate pendant
      arms, respectively, confirm the results obtained for EuL1.

PMID- 28644018
TI  - Role of the Crystal Structure in Cation Exchange Reactions Involving Colloidal
      Cu2Se Nanocrystals.
AB  - Stoichiometric Cu2Se nanocrystals were synthesized in either cubic or hexagonal
      (metastable) crystal structures and used as the host material in cation exchange
      reactions with Pb2+ ions. Even if the final product of the exchange, in both
      cases, was rock-salt PbSe nanocrystals, we show here that the crystal structure
      of the starting nanocrystals has a strong influence on the exchange pathway. The
      exposure of cubic Cu2Se nanocrystals to Pb2+ cations led to the initial formation
      of PbSe unselectively on the overall surface of the host nanocrystals, generating
      Cu2Se@PbSe core@shell nanoheterostructures. The formation of such intermediates
      was attributed to the low diffusivity of Pb2+ ions inside the host lattice and to
      the absence of preferred entry points in cubic Cu2Se. On the other hand, in
      hexagonal Cu2Se nanocrystals, the entrance of Pb2+ ions generated PbSe stripes
      "sandwiched" in between hexagonal Cu2Se domains. These peculiar heterostructures
      formed as a consequence of the preferential diffusion of Pb2+ ions through
      specific (a, b) planes of the hexagonal Cu2Se structure, which are characterized
      by almost empty octahedral sites. Our findings suggest that the morphology of the
      nanoheterostructures, formed upon partial cation exchange reactions, is
      intimately connected not only to the NC host material, but also to its crystal
      structure.

PMID- 28644019
TI  - Metabolomics Analysis To Evaluate the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Polyphenols:
      Glabridin Reversed Metabolism Change Caused by LPS in RAW 264.7 Cells.
AB  - Inflammation has been shown to play a critical role in the development of many
      diseases. In this study, we used metabolomics to evaluate the inflammatory effect
      of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the anti-inflammatory effect of glabridin (GB, a
      polyphenol from Glycurrhiza glabra L. roots) in RAW 264.7 cells. Multivariate
      statistical analysis showed that in comparison with the LPS group, the metabolic
      profile of the GB group was more similar to that of the control group. LPS
      impacted the amino acid, energy, and lipid metabolisms in RAW 264.7 cells, and
      metabolic pathway analysis showed that GB reversed some of those LPS impacts.
      Metabolomics analysis provided us with a new perspective to better understand the
      inflammatory response and the anti-inflammatory effects of GB. Metabolic pathway
      analysis can be an effective tool to elucidate the mechanism of inflammation and
      to potentially find new anti-inflammatory agents.

PMID- 28644020
TI  - Underestimated Halogen Bonds Forming with Protein Backbone in Protein Data Bank.
AB  - Halogen bonds (XBs) are attracting increasing attention in biological systems.
      Protein Data Bank (PDB) archives experimentally determined XBs in biological
      macromolecules. However, no software for structure refinement in X-ray
      crystallography takes into account XBs, which might result in the weakening or
      even vanishing of experimentally determined XBs in PDB. In our previous study, we
      showed that side-chain XBs forming with protein side chains are underestimated in
      PDB on the basis of the phenomenon that the proportion of side-chain XBs to
      overall XBs decreases as structural resolution becomes lower and lower. However,
      whether the dominant backbone XBs forming with protein backbone are overlooked is
      still a mystery. Here, with the help of the ratio (RF) of the observed XBs'
      frequency of occurrence to their frequency expected at random, we demonstrated
      that backbone XBs are largely overlooked in PDB, too. Furthermore, three cases
      were discovered possessing backbone XBs in high resolution structures while
      losing the XBs in low resolution structures. In the last two cases, even at 1.80
      A resolution, the backbone XBs were lost, manifesting the urgent need to consider
      XBs in the refinement process during X-ray crystallography study.

PMID- 28644021
TI  - Synthesis of (-)-11-O-Debenzoyltashironin: Neurotrophic Sesquiterpenes Cause
      Hyperexcitation.
AB  - 11-O-Debenzoyltashironin (1) is a member of the neurotrophic sesquiterpenes,
      trace plant metabolites that enhance neurite outgrowth in cultured neurons. We
      report its synthesis in six steps from a butenolide heterodimer via its likely
      biosynthetic precursor, 3,6-dideoxy-10-hydroxypseudoanisatin, here identified as
      the chain tautomer of 1. Access to the tashironin chemotype fills a gap in a
      comparison set of convulsive and neurotrophic sesquiterpenes, which we
      hypothesized to share a common target. Here we show that both classes mutually
      hyperexcite rat cortical neurons, consistent with antagonism of inhibitory
      channels and a mechanism of depolarization-induced neurite outgrowth.

PMID- 28644022
TI  - Hot-Spot Residues to be Mutated Common in G Protein-Coupled Receptors of Class A:
      Identification of Thermostabilizing Mutations Followed by Determination of Three
      Dimensional Structures for Two Example Receptors.
AB  - G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are indispensable to life and also
      implicated in a number of diseases, construct important drug targets. For the
      efficient structure-guided drug design, however, their structural stabilities
      must be enhanced. An amino-acid mutation is known to possibly lead to the
      enhancement, but currently available experimental and theoretical methods for
      identifying stabilizing mutations suffer such drawbacks as the incapability of
      exploring the whole mutational space with minor effort and the unambiguous
      physical origin of the enhanced or lowered stability. In general, after the
      identification is successfully made for a GPCR, the whole procedure must be
      followed all over again for the identification for another GPCR. Here we report a
      theoretical strategy by which many different GPCRs can be considered at the same
      time. The strategy is illustrated for three GPCRs of Class A in the inactive
      state. We argue that a mutation of the residue at a position of NBW = 3.39 (NBW
      is the Ballesteros-Weinstein number), a hot-spot residue, leads to substantially
      higher stability for significantly many GPCRs of Class A in the inactive state.
      The most stabilizing mutations of the residues with NBW = 3.39 are then
      identified for two of the three GPCRs, using the improved version of our free
      energy function. These identifications are experimentally corroborated, which is
      followed by the determination of new three-dimensional (3D) structures for the
      two GPCRs. We expect that on the basis of the strategy, the 3D structures of many
      GPCRs of Class A can be solved for the first time in succession.

PMID- 28644023
TI  - Kinetics of Interlayer Expansion of a Layered Silicate Driven by Caffeine
      Intercalation in the Water Phase Using Transmission X-ray Diffraction.
AB  - The kinetics of caffeine uptake into the interlayer nanospace of silicate
      nanosheets modified with benzylammonium (BA) was evaluated by in situ monitoring
      the basal spacing in aqueous media using transmission X-ray diffraction. An
      interlayer spacing of 0.58 nm in water before caffeine uptake indicates a
      monomolecular layer of BA and a few water layers in each interlayer. The
      interlayer space expanded by 0.10 nm upon caffeine uptake (intercalation) and
      saturated even in the presence of excess caffeine. Time-course profiles of the
      interlayer spacing and the uptake amount after injection of caffeine into the
      water slurry were obtained. At the initial period, the plot for the basal spacing
      was located above that for the adsorbed amount, suggesting that the rate of the
      interlayer spacing change was faster than that to attain the adsorption
      equilibrium. A first-order kinetic simulation fitted to the profile also
      indicates that the basal spacing included a rapid expansion of 0.08 nm within a
      few minutes and a slow expansion of 0.02 nm over several hours. Regarding the
      slow component, the rate constant for the basal spacing was lower than that for
      the amount of caffeine adsorbed, meaning that a steady-state basal spacing is
      reached after the adsorption equilibrium.

PMID- 28644024
TI  - Direct Visible-Light-Excited Asymmetric Lewis Acid Catalysis of Intermolecular
      [2+2] Photocycloadditions.
AB  - A reaction design is reported in which a substrate-bound chiral Lewis acid
      complex absorbs visible light and generates an excited state that directly reacts
      with a cosubstrate in a highly stereocontrolled fashion. Specifically, a chiral
      rhodium complex catalyzes visible-light-activated intermolecular [2+2]
      cycloadditions, providing a wide range of cyclobutanes with up to >99% ee and up
      to >20:1 d.r. Noteworthy is the ability to create vicinal all-carbon-quaternary
      stereocenters including spiro centers in an intermolecular fashion.

PMID- 28644026
TI  - Pb0.65Mn2.85Ga3S8 and Pb0.72Mn2.84Ga2.95Se8: Two Quaternary Metal Chalcognides
      with Open-Tunnel-Framework Structures Displaying Intense Second Harmonic
      Generation Responses and Interesting Magnetic Properties.
AB  - By combining different nonlinear optical-active structural chromophores with
      transition metal Mn into a crystal structure, two novel quaternary metal
      chalcogenides Pb0.65Mn2.85Ga3S8 (1) and Pb0.72Mn2.84Ga2.95Se8 (2) were
      successfully synthesized. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural, and they represent
      a new structure type that crystallizes in the space group P6 (No. 174) in the
      hexagonal system. Their structures feature an interesting three-dimensional open
      tunnel framework composed of bridged infinite chains with Pb2+ cations filling in
      the biggest tunnels. Interestingly, both 1 and 2 demonstrate intense second
      harmonic generation responses at 2.09 MUm that is about 1.5 and 4.4 times,
      respectively, of that of the benchmark material AgGaS2. However, 1 and 2 possess
      different optical diffuse reflectance spectra: 1 displays an evident multiband
      absorption characteristic with two distinguishing absorption edges of 738 and 551
      nm, corresponding to two band gaps of 1.68 and 2.25 eV, respectively, while 2
      exhibits only one sharp edge, and the corresponding band gap was estimated to be
      1.65 eV. Moreover, apart from the considerable structural similarity between 1
      and 2, the dc temperature dependent susceptibility measurements indicate that
      compound 1 is paramagnetic, while compound 2 exhibits spin-glass-like behavior.

PMID- 28644025
TI  - A Mitochondria-Targeted Cryptocyanine-Based Photothermogenic Photosensitizer.
AB  - Cryptocyanine-based probes exhibit highly efficient photothermal conversion and
      represent a new class of photothermal agents for use in photothermal therapy
      (PTT). With the thermal susceptibility of mitochondria in mind, we have prepared
      a mitochondria-targeted, NIR-absorbing cryptocyanine probe (Mito-CCy) and
      evaluated its photophysical properties, photothermal conversion efficiency,
      biological compatibility, cytotoxicity, and mitochondrial localization in HeLa
      cells. Upon subjecting 0.5 mL of a PBS buffer solution (10 mM, pH 7.4, containing
      50% DMSO) of Mito-CCy (0.5 mM) to 730 nm laser irradiation at 2.3 W/cm2, the
      temperature of the solution increased by 13.5  degrees C within 5 min. In
      contrast, the corresponding cryptocyanine (CCy) lacking the triarylphosphonium
      group gave rise to only an ~3.4  degrees C increase in solution temperature under
      otherwise identical conditions. Mito-CCy also exhibited high cytotoxicity in HeLa
      cells when subject to photoirradiation. This light-induced cytotoxicity is
      attributed to the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced
      under conditions of local heating. ROS are known to interfere with the
      mitochondrial defense system and to trigger apoptosis. By targeting the
      mitochondria, the present sensitizer-based photothermogenic approach is rendered
      more effective. As such, the system reported here represents the vanguard of what
      might be a new generation of organelle-targeted photothermal therapeutics.

PMID- 28644027
TI  - Speckle-Visibility Spectroscopy of Depolarized Dynamic Light Scattering.
AB  - We show that the statistical analysis of photon counts in depolarized dynamic
      light scattering experiments allows for the accurate characterization of the
      rotational Brownian dynamics of particles. Unlike photon correlation
      spectroscopy, the technique is accurate even at low temporal resolution and
      enables discontinuous data acquisition, which offers several advantages. To
      demonstrate the usefulness of the method, we present a case study in which we
      analyze aqueous suspensions of tunicate cellulose nanocrystals and silica
      particles, and discuss aspects that are specific to particle sizing.

PMID- 28644028
TI  - Understanding the Effects of Genotype, Growing Year, and Breeding on Tunisian
      Durum Wheat Allergenicity. 1. The Baker's Asthma Case.
AB  - Baker's asthma is a serious airway disease triggered by wheat protein CM3 alpha
      amylase/trypsin inhibitor. The purpose of the present study was to investigate
      the impact of genotype and crop year on allergen CM3 alpha-amylase/trypsin
      inhibitor associated with baker's asthma. A historical series of Tunisian durum
      wheat (100 accessions), derived from three crop years, was used to compare the
      amount of CM3 from landraces to advanced cultivars. CM3 protein quantification
      was assessed after an enzymatic cleavage of the soluble protein extracts on a
      UPLC/ESI-MS system, using a marker peptide for its quantification. Combined data
      analysis of variance revealed an important effect of genotype, crop year, and
      their interaction. The CM3 allergenic proteins were found to significantly vary
      among studied genotypes, as confirmed by genetic variability, coefficient of
      variance, heritability, and genetic advance.

PMID- 28644029
TI  - A Tandem Oxidative Annulation Strategy for the Synthesis of Tetracyclic 3
      Spirooxindole Benzofuranones.
AB  - A simple and efficient method was developed for the construction of the
      medicinally important tetracyclic 3-spirooxindole benzofuranones. In this highly
      atom- and step-economical one-pot protocol, one quaternary carbon center, two new
      cycles, and four new bonds (C-C/C-O/C-N) were formed under simple ligand-free
      copper-catalyzed conditions through a novel tandem oxidative annulation strategy.

PMID- 28644031
TI  - Tris(cyclopentadienyl)lanthanide Complexes as Catalysts for Hydroboration
      Reaction toward Aldehydes and Ketones.
AB  - It was found that homoleptic cyclopentadienyl lanthanide complexes Cp3Ln (Ln = Y
      (1), Yb (2), Sm (3), Nd (4), La (5), Cp = cyclopentadienyl) can be employed as
      excellent catalysts for the hydroboration of various aldehydes and ketones toward
      pinacolborane. These robust lanthanide catalysts exhibited high reactivity with
      low catalyst loadings (0.01-1 mol %) under mild conditions and good functional
      group tolerability. These complexes also demonstrated uniquely carbonyl-selective
      hydroboration in the presence of alkenes and alkynes.

PMID- 28644032
TI  - Receptor and Microenvironment Dual-Recognizable Nanogel for Targeted Chemotherapy
      of Highly Metastatic Malignancy.
AB  - Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to the desired lesion sites is the
      main objective in malignancy treatment, especially in highly metastatic
      malignancies. However, extensive studies around the world on traditional
      targeting strategies of recognizing either overexpressed receptors or
      microenvironments in tumors show great limitations, owing to the off-target
      effect and tumor homogeneity. Integration of both receptor-mediated targeting
      (RMT) and environment-mediated targeting (EMT) enhances the tumor accumulation
      and subsequent cell uptake at the same time, which may avoid these limitations.
      Herein, a dual targeting nanogel of PMNG engineered with both phenylboronic acid
      (PBA) and morpholine (MP) was reported for not only RMT via specific recognition
      of sialyl (SA) epitopes but also EMT toward extracellular acidity. Further
      engineering the nanoparticles via loading doxorubicin (DOX) brought a novel dual
      targeting system, that is, PMNG/DOX. PMNG/DOX demonstrated a greater targeting
      effect to both primary and metastatic B16F10 melanoma than the single PBA
      modified nanogel (PNG) with only RMT in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, PMNG/DOX was
      also proved to be highly potent on inhibiting primary tumor growth as well as
      tumor metastasis on B16F10 melanoma-grafted mouse model. The results demonstrated
      the dual targeting design as a translational approach for drug delivery to highly
      metastatic tumor.

PMID- 28644030
TI  - A PLC-gamma1 Feedback Pathway Regulates Lck Substrate Phosphorylation at the T
      Cell Receptor and SLP-76 Complex.
AB  - Phospholipase C gamma 1 (PLC-gamma1) occupies a critically important position in
      the T-cell signaling pathway. While its functions as a regulator of both Ca2+
      signaling and PKC-family kinases are well characterized, PLC-gamma1's role in the
      regulation of early T-cell receptor signaling events is incompletely understood.
      Activation of the T-cell receptor leads to the formation of a signalosome complex
      between SLP-76, LAT, PLC-gamma1, Itk, and Vav1. Recent studies have revealed the
      existence of both positive and negative feedback pathways from SLP-76 to the
      apical kinase in the pathway, Lck. To determine if PLC-gamma1 contributes to the
      regulation of these feedback networks, we performed a quantitative
      phosphoproteomic analysis of PLC-gamma1-deficient T cells. These data revealed a
      previously unappreciated role for PLC-gamma1 in the positive regulation of Zap-70
      and T-cell receptor tyrosine phosphorylation. Conversely, PLC-gamma1 negatively
      regulated the phosphorylation of SLP-76-associated proteins, including previously
      established Lck substrate phosphorylation sites within this complex. While the
      positive and negative regulatory phosphorylation sites on Lck were largely
      unchanged, Tyr192 phosphorylation was elevated in Jgamma1. The data supports a
      model wherein Lck's targeting, but not its kinase activity, is altered by PLC
      gamma1, possibly through Lck Tyr192 phosphorylation and increased association of
      the kinase with protein scaffolds SLP-76 and TSAd.

PMID- 28644033
TI  - Direct-Indirect Nature of the Bandgap in Lead-Free Perovskite Nanocrystals.
AB  - With record efficiencies achieved in lead halide perovskite-based photovoltaics,
      urgency has shifted toward finding alternative materials that are stable and less
      toxic. Bismuth-based perovskite materials are currently one of the most promising
      candidates among those alternatives. However, the band structures of these
      materials, including the nature of the bandgaps, remain elusive due to extremely
      low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and scattering issues in their thin
      film form. Here, we reveal the specific nature of the material's electronic
      transitions by realizing monodisperse colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of hexagonal
      phase Cs3Bi2X9 perovskites, which afford well-resolved PL features.
      Interestingly, the PL profile exhibits a dual-spectral feature at room
      temperature with comparable intensities, based on which we propose an exciton
      recombination process involving both indirect and direct transitions
      simultaneously-an observation further supported by temperature-dependent and
      density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our findings provide experimental
      and theoretical insights into the nature of the bandgaps in bismuth halide
      materials-essential information for assessing their viability in solar cells and
      optoelectronics.

PMID- 28644034
TI  - Predicting the Oxygen-Binding Properties of Platinum Nanoparticle Ensembles by
      Combining High-Precision Electron Microscopy and Density Functional Theory.
AB  - Many studies of heterogeneous catalysis, both experimental and computational,
      make use of idealized structures such as extended surfaces or regular polyhedral
      nanoparticles. This simplification neglects the morphological diversity in real
      commercial oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts used in fuel-cell cathodes.
      Here we introduce an approach that combines 3D nanoparticle structures obtained
      from high-throughput high-precision electron microscopy with density functional
      theory. Discrepancies between experimental observations and
      cuboctahedral/truncated-octahedral particles are revealed and discussed using a
      range of widely used descriptors, such as electron-density, d-band centers, and
      generalized coordination numbers. We use this new approach to determine the
      optimum particle size for which both detrimental surface roughness and particle
      shape effects are minimized.

PMID- 28644035
TI  - Influence of a Basic Side Chain on the Properties of Hypoxia-Selective Nitro
      Analogues of the Duocarmycins: Demonstration of Substantial Anticancer Activity
      in Combination with Irradiation or Chemotherapy.
AB  - A new series of nitro analogues of the duocarmycins was prepared and evaluated
      for hypoxia-selective anticancer activity. The compounds incorporate 13 different
      amine-containing side chains designed to bind in the minor groove of DNA while
      spanning a wide range of base strength from pKa 9.64 to 5.24. The most favorable
      in vitro properties were associated with strongly basic side chains, but the
      greatest in vivo antitumor activity was found for compounds containing a weakly
      basic morpholine. This applies to single-agent activity and for activity in
      combination with irradiation or chemotherapy (gemcitabine or docetaxel). In
      combination with a single dose of gamma irradiation 50 at 42 MUmol/kg eliminated
      detectable clonogens in some SiHa cervical carcinoma xenografts, and in
      combination with gemcitabine using a well-tolerated multidose schedule, the same
      compound caused regression of all treated A2780 ovarian tumor xenografts. In the
      latter experiment, three of seven animals receiving the combination treatment
      were completely tumor free at day 100.

PMID- 28644036
TI  - Examining the Effect of Residual Amikacin on Sputum Culture for Nontuberculous
      Mycobacteria.

PMID- 28644037
TI  - Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines: A Comprehensive Update of Evidence and
      Recommendations.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cannabis use is common in North America, especially among young
      people, and is associated with a risk of various acute and chronic adverse health
      outcomes. Cannabis control regimes are evolving, for example toward a national
      legalization policy in Canada, with the aim to improve public health, and thus
      require evidence-based interventions. As cannabis-related health outcomes may be
      influenced by behaviors that are modifiable by the user, evidence-based Lower
      Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG)-akin to similar guidelines in other health
      fields-offer a valuable, targeted prevention tool to improve public health
      outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review, update, and quality-grade
      evidence on behavioral factors determining adverse health outcomes from cannabis
      that may be modifiable by the user, and translate this evidence into revised
      LRCUG as a public health intervention tool based on an expert consensus process.
      SEARCH METHODS: We used pertinent medical search terms and structured search
      strategies, to search MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library databases, and
      reference lists primarily for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and
      additional evidence on modifiable risk factors for adverse health outcomes from
      cannabis use. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included studies if they focused on
      potentially modifiable behavior-based factors for risks or harms for health from
      cannabis use, and excluded studies if cannabis use was assessed for therapeutic
      purposes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We screened the titles and abstracts of
      all studies identified by the search strategy and assessed the full texts of all
      potentially eligible studies for inclusion; 2 of the authors independently
      extracted the data of all studies included in this review. We created Preferred
      Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow-charts for each of
      the topical searches. Subsequently, we summarized the evidence by behavioral
      factor topic, quality-graded it by following standard (Grading of Recommendations
      Assessment, Development, and Evaluation; GRADE) criteria, and translated it into
      the LRCUG recommendations by the author expert collective on the basis of an
      iterative consensus process. MAIN RESULTS: For most recommendations, there was at
      least "substantial" (i.e., good-quality) evidence. We developed 10 major
      recommendations for lower-risk use: (1) the most effective way to avoid cannabis
      use-related health risks is abstinence, (2) avoid early age initiation of
      cannabis use (i.e., definitively before the age of 16 years), (3) choose low
      potency tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or balanced THC-to-cannabidiol (CBD)-ratio
      cannabis products, (4) abstain from using synthetic cannabinoids, (5) avoid
      combusted cannabis inhalation and give preference to nonsmoking use methods, (6)
      avoid deep or other risky inhalation practices, (7) avoid high-frequency (e.g.,
      daily or near-daily) cannabis use, (8) abstain from cannabis-impaired driving,
      (9) populations at higher risk for cannabis use-related health problems should
      avoid use altogether, and (10) avoid combining previously mentioned risk
      behaviors (e.g., early initiation and high-frequency use). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:
      Evidence indicates that a substantial extent of the risk of adverse health
      outcomes from cannabis use may be reduced by informed behavioral choices among
      users. The evidence-based LRCUG serve as a population-level education and
      intervention tool to inform such user choices toward improved public health
      outcomes. However, the LRCUG ought to be systematically communicated and
      supported by key regulation measures (e.g., cannabis product labeling, content
      regulation) to be effective. All of these measures are concretely possible under
      emerging legalization regimes, and should be actively implemented by regulatory
      authorities. The population-level impact of the LRCUG toward reducing cannabis
      use-related health risks should be evaluated. Public health implications.
      Cannabis control regimes are evolving, including legalization in North America,
      with uncertain impacts on public health. Evidence-based LRCUG offer a potentially
      valuable population-level tool to reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes from
      cannabis use among (especially young) users in legalization contexts, and hence
      to contribute to improved public health outcomes.

PMID- 28644038
TI  - Critical Review on the Analytical Techniques for the Determination of the Oldest
      Statin-Atorvastatin-in Bulk, Pharmaceutical Formulations and Biological Fluids.
AB  - Statins are a group of medicines that can help to lower the level of low-density
      lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol "bad cholesterol" in the blood. Having a high level
      of LDL cholesterol is potentially dangerous, as it can lead to a hardening and
      narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis) and cardiovascular disease (CVD),
      atorvastatin is one of the oldest member of the statin family and is used in the
      treatment of dyslipidemia and the prevention of CVD. Atorvastatin was first made
      in August 1985 and from 1996 to 2012 under the trade name Lipitor, atorvastatin
      became the world's best-selling drug. Numerous analytical methodologies are
      available for the quantification of atorvastatin and its content in
      pharmaceutical preparations and in biological fluids.

PMID- 28644041
TI  - Identifying the functional groups and the influence of synthetic chelators on Cd
      availability and microbial biomass carbon in Cd-contaminated soil.
AB  - Synthetic chelators play an important role in boosting the microbial biomass
      carbon (MBC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and heavy metal solubility in a
      contaminated soil toward a sustainability of environment for agricultural crops.
      Castor plant was grown under different levels of Cd contaminated soil (-Cd and
      +Cd) following adding three chelating agents, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
      (H4EDTA), nitriloacetic acid (H3 NTA), and NH4 citrate (ammonium citrate) to the
      soil at rates of 10, 15, and 25 mmol in 5 kg of soil per pot. The highest
      bioavailable Cd concentrations in soil and castor plant were obtained from NH4
      citrate and H4EDTA treatments in the contaminated soil. Fourier transform
      infrared (FTIR) analysis showed that NH4 citrate was the most effective chelator
      in Cd-contaminated soil. MBC and DOC contents were significantly increased and
      reached at 81.98-80.37 and 1.96-1.90 mg kg-1 respectively, in the (H3 NTA) and
      NH4 citrate treatments in Cd-contaminated soil. Further research is needed to
      investigate the use of chelators in the phytoextraction of Cd-contaminated soils
      under field conditions and whether it may be beneficial in accelerating the
      phytoextraction of Cd through hyperaccumulating plants.

PMID- 28644040
TI  - Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction Does Not Explain All Regional Perfusion
      Redistribution in Asthma.
AB  - RATIONALE: Regional hypoventilation in bronchoconstricted patients with asthma is
      spatially associated with reduced perfusion, which is proposed to result from
      hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). OBJECTIVES: To determine the role of
      HPV in the regional perfusion redistribution in bronchoconstricted patients with
      asthma. METHODS: Eight patients with asthma completed positron emission
      tomographic/computed tomographic lung imaging at baseline and after
      bronchoconstriction, breathing either room air or 80% oxygen (80% O2) on separate
      days. Relative perfusion, specific ventilation (sV), and gas fraction (Fgas) in
      the 25% of the lung with the lowest specific ventilation (sVlow) and the
      remaining lung (sVhigh) were quantified and compared. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: In the sVlow region, bronchoconstriction caused a significant decrease
      in sV under both room air and 80% O2 conditions (baseline vs.
      bronchoconstriction, mean +/- SD, 1.02 +/- 0.20 vs. 0.35 +/- 0.19 and 1.03 +/-
      0.20 vs. 0.32 +/- 0.16, respectively; P < 0.05). In the sVlow region, relative
      perfusion decreased after bronchoconstriction under room air conditions and also,
      to a lesser degree, under 80% O2 conditions (1.02 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.72 +/- 0.08 [P <
      0.001] and 1.08 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.91 +/- 0.12 [P < 0.05], respectively). The Fgas
      increased after bronchoconstriction under room air conditions only (0.99 +/- 0.04
      vs. 1.00 +/- 0.02; P < 0.05). The sVlow subregion analysis indicated that some of
      the reduction in relative perfusion after bronchoconstriction under 80% O2
      conditions occurred as a result of the presence of regional hypoxia. However,
      relative perfusion was also significantly reduced in sVlow subregions that were
      hyperoxic under 80% O2 conditions. CONCLUSIONS: HPV is not the only mechanism
      that contributes to perfusion redistribution in bronchoconstricted patients with
      asthma, suggesting that another nonhypoxia mechanism also contributes. We propose
      that this nonhypoxia mechanism may be either direct mechanical interactions
      and/or unidentified intercellular signaling between constricted airways, the
      parenchyma, and the surrounding vasculature.

PMID- 28644042
TI  - A Review on Recent Applications of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in
      Metal Determination and Speciation Analysis.
AB  - High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has several advantages over the
      conventional methods due to their operational simplicity. It is a vital tool to
      determine metal ions having same mass but different electronic configuration, to
      separate complex mixtures and to resolve ions that may be indistinguishable by
      mass spectrometry alone. Metal ions play vital role in many biological processes
      and involved in setting up of many diseases. Therefore, the development of simple
      methods for the detection and quantification of metals in real samples might
      serve as diagnostic tools for various diseases. This review article focuses on
      the recent main feature of this technique, i.e. speciation of metal ions and
      their applications to series of problem of metal ion chemistry in different
      environmental matrixes. Speciation of metals is of increasing interest and has a
      great importance because of bioavailability, environmental mobility, toxicity and
      potential risk of metals. With the capability of partitioning the complex species
      of different metal ions, HPLC is an efficient technique for this task. This
      review summarizes recent advances in the development of HPLC to the fundamental
      understanding of metal ion chemistry in the environment and discusses all the
      issues that still need a lot of consideration. It has been classified into
      different sections depending on the role of HPLC in separation used and metal
      speciation; furthermore, the underlying sample preconcentration techniques and
      detection systems involved for the determination of metal ions and their
      applications were discussed.

PMID- 28644043
TI  - Using a multivariate model to assess the interactive effects of demographics and
      lifestyle on the hematological profile.
AB  - AIM: To assess the extent to which a multivariate approach to modeling
      interrelated hematological indices provides more informative results than the
      traditional approach of modeling each index separately. MATERIALS & METHODS: The
      effects of demographics and lifestyle on ten hematological indices collected from
      a Dutch population-based sample (n = 3278) were studied, jointly using
      multivariate distance matrix regression and separately using linear regression.
      RESULTS: The multivariate approach highlighted the main effects of all predictors
      and several interactions; the traditional approach highlighted only main effects.
      CONCLUSION: The multivariate approach provides more power than traditional
      methods to detect effects on interrelated biomarkers, suggesting that its use in
      future research may help identify subgroups that benefit from different treatment
      or prevention measures.

PMID- 28644044
TI  - How to Design a Spectrometer.
AB  - Designing a spectrometer requires knowledge of the problem to be solved, the
      molecules whose properties will contribute to a solution of that problem and
      skill in many subfields of science and engineering. A seemingly simple problem,
      design of an ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectrometer, is used to
      show the reasoning behind the trade-offs in instrument design. Rather than
      reporting a fully optimized instrument, the Yin and Yang of design choices,
      leading to decisions about financial cost, materials choice, resolution,
      throughput, aperture, and layout are described. To limit scope, aspects such as
      grating blaze, electronics design, and light sources are not presented. The
      review illustrates the mixture of mathematical rigor, rule of thumb, esthetics,
      and availability of components that contribute to the art of spectrometer design.

PMID- 28644039
TI  - Parkinson's disease biomarkers: perspective from the NINDS Parkinson's Disease
      Biomarkers Program.
AB  - Biomarkers for Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis, prognostication and clinical
      trial cohort selection are an urgent need. While many promising markers have been
      discovered through the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
      Parkinson's Disease Biomarker Program (PDBP) and other mechanisms, no single PD
      marker or set of markers are ready for clinical use. Here we discuss the current
      state of biomarker discovery for platforms relevant to PDBP. We discuss the role
      of the PDBP in PD biomarker identification and present guidelines to facilitate
      their development. These guidelines include: harmonizing procedures for biofluid
      acquisition and clinical assessments, replication of the most promising
      biomarkers, support and encouragement of publications that report negative
      findings, longitudinal follow-up of current cohorts including the PDBP, testing
      of wearable technologies to capture readouts between study visits and development
      of recently diagnosed (de novo) cohorts to foster identification of the earliest
      markers of disease onset.

PMID- 28644045
TI  - Method development of glycoprotein biomarkers for cancers.

PMID- 28644046
TI  - Paper-based point-of-care testing in disease diagnostics.

PMID- 28644047
TI  - Mutational analysis of GALT gene in Greek patients with galactosaemia:
      identification of two novel mutations and clinical evaluation.
AB  - Classical galactosaemia is an inborn error of metabolism due to the deficiency of
      the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT). The aim of the study
      was to identify the underlying mutations in Greek patients with GALT deficiency
      and evaluate their psychomotor and speech development. Patients with GALT
      deficiency (n = 17) were picked up through neonatal screening. Mutational
      analysis was conducted via Sanger sequencing, while in silico analysis was used
      in the cases of novel missense mutations. Psychomotor speech development tests
      were utilized for the clinical evaluation of the patients. Eleven different
      mutations in the GALT gene were detected in the patient cohort, including two
      novel ones. The most frequent mutation was p.Q188R (c.563 A > G). As for the
      novel mutations, p.M298I (c.894 G > A) was identified in four out of 32
      independent alleles, while p.P115S (c.343 C > T) was identified once. Psychomotor
      evaluation revealed that most of the patients were found in the borderline area
      (Peabody test), while only two had speech delay problems. The WISK test revealed
      three patients at borderline limits and two were at lower than normal limits. The
      mutational spectrum of the GALT gene in Greek patients is presented for the first
      time. The mutation p.Q188R is the most frequent among Greek patients. Two novel
      mutations were identified and their potential pathogenicity was estimated.
      Regarding the phenotypic characteristics, psychomotor disturbances and speech
      delay were mainly observed among GALT-deficient patients.

PMID- 28644049
TI  - The standard treatment protocol for paracetamol poisoning may be inadequate
      following overdose with modified release formulation: a pharmacokinetic and
      clinical analysis of 53 cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The use of the standard procedure for managing overdoses with
      immediate release (IR) paracetamol is questionable when applied to overdoses with
      modified release (MR) formulations. This study describes the pharmacokinetics of
      paracetamol and the clinical outcomes following overdoses with a MR formulation.
      METHODS: Medical records including laboratory analyses concerning overdoses of MR
      paracetamol from 2009 to 2015 were collected retrospectively. Inclusion criteria
      were ingestion of a toxic dose, known time of intake and documented measurements
      of serum paracetamol and liver function tests. Graphical analysis, descriptive
      statistics and population pharmacokinetic modelling were used to describe data.
      RESULTS: Fifty-three cases were identified. Median age was 26 years (range 13
      68), median dose was 20 g (range 10-166) and 74% were females. The
      pharmacokinetic analysis showed a complex, dose dependent serum versus time
      profile with prolonged absorption and delayed serum peak concentrations with
      increasing dose. Ten patients had persistently high serum levels for 24 h or
      more, six of them had a second peak 8-19 h after ingestion. Seven of 34 patients
      receiving N-acetylcysteine (NAC) within 8 h had alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
      above reference range. Three of them developed hepatotoxicity (ALT >1000 IU/l).
      DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacokinetic and clinical analysis showed that
      the standard treatment protocol, including risk assessment and NAC regimen, used
      for IR paracetamol poisoning not appear suitable for MR formulation. Individual
      and tailored treatment may be valuable but further studies are warranted to
      determine optimal regimen of overdoses with MR formulation.

PMID- 28644048
TI  - Risk of major bleeding in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation treated
      with oral anticoagulants: a systematic review of real-world observational
      studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of real-world (RWD) studies comparing
      the risk of major bleeding (MB) among patients with non-valvular atrial
      fibrillation (NVAF) on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) or warfarin. METHODS:
      MEDLINE, Embase, NHS-EED, and EconLit were searched for RWD studies published
      between January 2003 and November 2016 comparing MB risk among DOACs and
      warfarin. Proceedings of clinical conferences from 2012 to 2016 were reviewed.
      RESULTS: A total of 4218 citations were identified, 26 of which met eligibility
      criteria. Most studies were retrospective analyses of administrative claims
      databases and patient registries (n = 23 of 26); about half were based in the
      United States (n = 15). Apixaban showed a significantly lower risk of MB versus
      warfarin in all eight included studies. MB risk was either significantly lower (n
      = 9 of 16) or not significantly different (n = 7 of 16) between dabigatran and
      warfarin; there was no significant difference between rivaroxaban and warfarin in
      all seven included studies. The risk was significantly lower with apixaban versus
      rivaroxaban (n = 7 of 7) but not significantly different from dabigatran (n = 6
      of 7). MB risk was significantly lower (n = 3 of 4) or not significantly
      different (n = 1 of 4) with dabigatran versus rivaroxaban. No evidence was
      identified for edoxaban. CONCLUSION: DOACs were associated with similar or lower
      risks of MB versus warfarin. A lower MB risk was consistently observed for
      apixaban, but less consistently for dabigatran; MB risk was similar between
      rivaroxaban and warfarin. Among DOACs, the risk of MB with apixaban was
      consistently lower than with rivaroxaban, but similar to dabigatran.

PMID- 28644050
TI  - HbA1c analysis by capillary electrophoresis - comparison with chromatography and
      an immunological method.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has become an even more important analyte for
      clinical laboratories during recent years with the introduction of its diagnostic
      use for diabetes mellitus. Several different analytical principles can be used,
      each with their advantages and disadvantages. AIM: We wanted to compare Sebia
      Capillarys 2 Flex Piercing (Capillarys) with our routine HbA1c methods, which
      were an HPLC method (Tosoh G7) and an immunoassay (Tina-Quant on Roche Modular P)
      by analysing a large clinical material. Furthermore, we investigated sample
      stability. METHODS: HbA1c analysis was performed in parallel by all three methods
      for more than 600 patient samples including common and some rare haemoglobin
      variants, as well as for several controls, some with set target values. Sample
      stability at room temperature and refrigerated was assessed for up to seven days.
      RESULTS: Capillarys produced generally somewhat lower HbA1c values than both
      comparison methods, apparently due to positive bias for the comparison methods.
      Leaving out samples with haemoglobin variants, we found a mean bias (95% CI) for
      Capillarys compared to Tosoh G7 (without factorization) and Modular of -0.39 (
      0.40 to -0.38) and -0.16 (-0.17 to -0.14) % HbA1c, respectively. HbA1c results
      were similar between instruments for samples from dialysis patients and for
      samples with heterozygous common haemoglobin variants, except that Tosoh G7
      reported too low results in the presence of Hb E. For heterozygous Hb Raleigh,
      Capillarys and the immunoassay gave similar results. CONCLUSION: Capillarys is a
      convenient instrument for routine HbA1c analysis.

PMID- 28644051
TI  - Brief overview of nanoparticulate therapy in cancer.
AB  - Nanoparticles govern an all-important role, in this day and age, in determining
      the tissue distribution of either hydrophobic or hydrophilic anti-cancer drugs by
      encapsulating them or by covalent attachment. The whole purpose is to
      systematically improve upon the existing anti-tumour efficacy of these drugs.
      Selective delivery of these chemotherapeutic agents to the compromised or
      diseased tissue is the key to avoid any potential toxicity problems. Certain
      types of nanoparticles, through various mechanisms such as active targeting or
      reversing multi-drug resistance, display immense potential in adding to the
      existing anti-tumour efficacy profile. Determining the optimal composition of the
      polymers or size of the nanoparticles or appropriately tailoring the surface of
      these nanoparticles with molecular ligands are the key components in governing
      the successful biological fate of these nanoparticles.

PMID- 28644052
TI  - A little "dab" will do ya' in: a case report of neuro-and cardiotoxicity
      following use of cannabis concentrates.
AB  - CONTEXT: The use of marijuana and cannabis concentrates is increasing, especially
      following decriminalization in several states. Psychosis and cardiotoxicity have
      been reported following cannabis use; however, myocardial injury from "dabbing"
      has not yet been reported. We report a case of hyperthermia, tachycardia,
      hypertension, severe agitation, neuro-, and cardiotoxicity following the use of
      "dabs" where there is concomitant confirmatory biological and sample testing.
      CASE DETAILS: A 17-year-old athletic man developed agitation requiring sedation
      and intubation for safety, with peak systolic blood pressures in the 190s and
      hyperthermia (to 102  degrees F). He developed elevated serum troponins with
      persistent tachycardia despite sedation and no clear non-intoxicant etiology. It
      was discovered that the patient had recently been "dabbing"; an exhaustive search
      of his home found a sample of the "dabs" which was analyzed along with a
      comprehensive urine drug screen by tandem liquid mass spectroscopy (t-LCMS) for
      confirmation. DISCUSSION: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been increasingly
      associated with agitation and cardiotoxicity, while cannabidiol (CBD) has been
      associated with neuroprotective, inhibitory states. We propose that increasing
      concentrations of THC as well as THC:CBD ratios seen in cannabis concentrates
      such as "dabs" may cause agitation and end-organ damage through sympathomimetic
      and serotonergic pathways.

PMID- 28644053
TI  - Left main or multivessel coronary revascularization: applying both anatomy and
      physiology to individualize care.

PMID- 28644054
TI  - The thermoexpandable nitinol stent: a long-term alternative in patients without
      nephropathy or malignancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcome of a
      thermoexpandable nickel-titanium nitinol ureteral stent (Memokath 051TM) and to
      identify individual risk factors for failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This
      retrospective single-centre study included 125 patients who underwent
      implantation of the self-expandable Memokath 051 stent. Complications, indwelling
      time and reason for explantation were recorded. Analyses were stratified by
      gender, age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score,
      estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), side, localization and cause of the
      stricture. RESULTS: In total, 91 out of 125 patients (73%) were available for
      analysis. Median indwelling time was 355 days (range 7-2125 days). Most stents
      were removed because of dislocation (42%) or occlusion (40%). Stent removal was
      rarely performed because of infection (3%). Patients with sufficient renal
      function (eGFR >=60 ml/min/1.73 m2) showed increased indwelling times compared
      with those with nephropathy (386 vs 317 days; p < 0.01). Patients with active
      malignant disease showed reduced patency time compared with strictures of benign
      origin (455 vs 190 days; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This thermoexpandable nitinol
      stent offers safe mid-term treatment of ureteric strictures, especially in
      patients without active malignancy and with good renal function.

PMID- 28644055
TI  - Regulation of transient receptor potential melastatin 4 channel by sarcoplasmic
      reticulum inositol trisphosphate receptors: Role in human detrusor smooth muscle
      function.
AB  - We recently reported key physiologic roles for Ca2+-activated transient receptor
      potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channels in detrusor smooth muscle (DSM). However,
      the Ca2+-signaling mechanisms governing TRPM4 channel activity in human DSM cells
      are unexplored. As the TRPM4 channels are activated by Ca2+, inositol 1,4,5
      trisphosphate receptor (IP3R)-mediated Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic
      reticulum represents a potential Ca2+ source for TRPM4 channel activation. We
      used clinically-characterized human DSM tissues to investigate the molecular and
      functional interactions of the IP3Rs and TRPM4 channels. With in situ proximity
      ligation assay (PLA) and perforated patch-clamp electrophysiology, we tested the
      hypothesis that TRPM4 channels are tightly associated with the IP3Rs and are
      activated by IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release in human DSM. With in situ PLA, we
      demonstrated co-localization of the TRPM4 channels and IP3Rs in human DSM cells.
      As the TRPM4 channels and IP3Rs must be located within close apposition to
      functionally interact, these findings support the concept of a potential Ca2+
      mediated TRPM4-IP3R regulatory mechanism. To investigate IP3R regulation of TRPM4
      channel activity, we sought to determine the consequences of IP3R pharmacological
      inhibition on TRPM4 channel-mediated transient inward cation currents (TICCs). In
      freshly-isolated human DSM cells, blocking the IP3Rs with the selective IP3R
      inhibitor xestospongin-C significantly decreased TICCs. The data suggest that
      IP3Rs have a key role in mediating the Ca2+-dependent activation of TRPM4
      channels in human DSM. The study provides novel insight into the molecular and
      cellular mechanisms regulating TRPM4 channels by revealing that TRPM4 channels
      and IP3Rs are spatially and functionally coupled in human DSM.

PMID- 28644056
TI  - Plasmonic photothermal therapy of atherosclerosis with nanoparticles: long-term
      outcomes and safety in NANOM-FIM trial.
AB  - AIM: The safety options in nanomedicine raise an issue of the optimal niche at
      the real-world clinical practice. METHODS: This is an observational prospective
      cohort analysis of the 5-year clinical outcomes at the intention-to-treat
      population (nano vs ferro vs stenting; n = 180) of NANOM first-in-man trial
      (NCT01270139). RESULTS: Mortality (6 vs 9 vs 10 cases of cardiac death in groups,
      p < 0.05), major adverse cardiovascular events (14.3 vs 20.9 vs 22.9%, p = 0.04),
      late thrombosis (2 vs 4 vs 6, p < 0.05) and target lesion revascularization (3.8
      vs 4.8 vs 5.7%, p = 0.04) were significantly higher in ferro group and stent
      control at 60 months. CONCLUSION: NANOM first-in-man trial demonstrates high
      safety with better rate of mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events and
      target lesion revascularization at the long-term follow-up if compare with stent
      XIENCE V.

PMID- 28644057
TI  - The implementation of medical monitoring programs following potentially hazardous
      exposures: a medico-legal perspective.
AB  - CONTEXT: Clinical toxicologists may be called upon to determine the
      appropriateness of medical monitoring following documented or purported exposures
      to toxicants in the occupational, environmental, and medical settings. METHODS:
      We searched the MEDLINE database using the Ovid(r) search engine for the
      following terms cross-referenced to the MeSH database: ("occupational exposures"
      OR "environmental exposures") AND ("physiologic monitoring" OR "population
      surveillance"). The titles and abstracts of the resulted articles were reviewed
      for relevance. We expanded our search to include non-peer-reviewed publications
      and gray literature and resources using the same terms as utilized in the MEDLINE
      search. There were a total of 48 relevant peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed
      publications. Publications excluded contained no information relevant to medical
      monitoring following potentially harmful toxicologic exposures, discussed only
      worker screening/surveillance and/or population biomonitoring, contained
      redundant information, or were superseded by more recent information. Approaches
      to medical monitoring: A consensus exists in the peer-reviewed medical
      literature, legal literature, and government publications that for medical
      monitoring to be a beneficial public health activity, careful consideration must
      be given to potential benefits and harms of the program. Characteristics of the
      exposure, the adverse human health effect, the screening test, and the natural
      history of the disease are important in determining whether an exposed population
      will reap a net benefit or harm from a proposed monitoring program. Broader
      interpretations of medical monitoring: Some have argued that medical monitoring
      programs should not be limited to exposure-related outcomes but should duplicate
      general preventive medicine efforts to improve public health outcomes although an
      overall reduction of morbidity, mortality and disability by modifying correctable
      risk factors and disease conditions. This broader approach is inconsistent with
      the targeted approach advocated by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
      Registry and the United States Preventive Services Task Force and the bulk of the
      peer-reviewed medical literature. Medical monitoring in legal contexts: Numerous
      medical monitoring actions have been litigated. Legal rationales for allowing
      medical monitoring claims often incorporate some of the scientific criteria for
      the appropriateness of monitoring programs. In the majority of cases in which
      plaintiffs were awarded medical monitoring relief, plaintiffs were required to
      demonstrate both that the condition for which medical monitoring was sought could
      be detected early, and that early detection and treatment will improve morbidity
      and mortality. However, the treatment of medical monitoring claims varies
      significantly depending upon jurisdiction. Examples of large-scale, comprehensive
      medical monitoring programs: Large-scale, comprehensive medical monitoring
      programs have been implemented, such as the Fernald Medical Monitoring Program
      and the World Trade Center Health Program, both of which exceeded the scope of
      medical monitoring typically recommended in the peer-reviewed medical literature
      and the courts. The Fernald program sought to prevent death and disability due to
      non-exposure-related conditions in a manner similar to general preventive
      medicine. The World Trade Center Health Program provides comprehensive medical
      care for World Trade Center responders and may be viewed as a large-scale,
      federally--funded research effort, which distinguishes it from medical monitoring
      in a medico-legal context. Synthesis of public health approaches to medical
      monitoring: Medical monitoring may be indicated following a hazardous exposure in
      limited circumstances. General causation for a specific adverse health effect
      must be either established by scientific consensus through a formal causal
      analysis using a framework such as the Bradford-Hill criteria. The exposure must
      be characterized and must be of sufficient severity that the exposed population
      has a significantly elevated risk of an adverse health effect. Monitoring must
      result in earlier detection of the condition than would otherwise occur and must
      confer a benefit in the form of primary, secondary or tertiary prevention.
      Outcome tables may be of use in describing the potential benefits and harms of a
      proposed monitoring program. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of litigation,
      plaintiffs may seek medical monitoring programs after documented or putative
      exposures. The role of the clinical toxicologist, in this setting, is to evaluate
      the scientific justifications and medical risks and assist the courts in
      determining whether monitoring would be expected to result in a net public health
      benefit.

PMID- 28644058
TI  - Air embolism: diagnosis and management.
AB  - Air embolism is an uncommon, but potentially life-threatening event for which
      prompt diagnosis and management can result in significantly improved patient
      outcomes. Most air emboli are iatrogenic. Arterial air emboli may occur as a
      complication from lung biopsy, arterial catheterization or cardiopulmonary
      bypass. Immediate management includes placing the patient on high-flow oxygen and
      in the right lateral decubitus position. Venous air emboli may occur during
      pressurized venous infusions, or catheter manipulation. Immediate management
      includes placement of the patient on high-flow oxygen and in the left lateral
      decubitus and/or Trendelenburg position. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the
      definitive treatment which may decrease the size of air emboli by facilitating
      gas reabsorption, while also improving tissue oxygenation and reducing ischemic
      reperfusion injury.

PMID- 28644059
TI  - Carbonic anhydrase I, II, IV and IX inhibition with a series of 7-amino-3,4
      dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one derivatives.
AB  - A series of new derivatives was prepared by derivatisation of the 7-amino moiety
      present in 7-amino-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one, a compound investigated earlier
      as CAI. The derivatisation was achieved by: i) reaction with arylsulfonyl
      isocyanates/aryl isocyanates; (ii) reaction with fluorescein isothiocyanate;
      (iii) condensation with substituted benzoic acids in the presence of
      carbodiimides; (iv) reaction with 2,4,6-trimethyl-pyrylium tetrafluoroborate; (v)
      reaction with methylsulfonyl chloride and (vi) reaction with maleic anhydride.
      The new compounds were assayed as inhibitors of four carbonic anhydrases (CA, EC
      4.2.1.1) human (h) isoforms of pharmacologic relevance, the cytosolic hCA I and
      II, the membrane-anchored hCA IV and the transmembrane, tumour-associated hCA IX.
      hCA IX was the most inhibited isoform (KIs ranging between 243.6 and 2785.6 nm)
      whereas hCA IV was not inhibited by these compounds. Most derivatives were weak
      hCA I and II inhibitors, with few of them showing KIs < 10 um. Considering that
      the inhibition mechanism with these lactams is not yet elucidated, exploring a
      range of such derivatives with various substitution patterns may be useful to
      identify leads showing isoform selectivity or the desired pharmacologic action.

PMID- 28644061
TI  - Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of choroid plexus
      aging.
AB  - Recent studies have pointed out dysfunction and histopathological changes of the
      choroid plexuses (CPs) with aging. This paper reviews apparent diffusion
      coefficient (ADC) values of the CPs for age-related changes. All the brain MR
      images of the patients between January 2013 and June 2014 in our Radiology
      Department were retrospectively investigated. Patients with major cranial
      abnormalities (brain tumors, hyperacute or acute ischemia, developmental
      anomalies, hemorrhage, hydrocephaly) were excluded. Diffusion-weighted images
      were obtained at the parameter values of b = 1000 s/mm2 in the axial plane. The
      transverse diameters of the lateral ventricles (LVs) and ADC values of both CPs
      were measured. Brain MRIs of 202 individuals, 97 men (48%), 105 women (52%), were
      studied. There were statistically significant positive correlations between the
      ADC values of CP and patient ages. (Right CP: r = 0.623; p < 0.05. Left CP: r =
      0.654; p < 0.05). There were positive correlations between LV diameters and age (
      r = 0.624, p < 0.05 for the right LV; r = 0.621, p < 0.05 for the left LV). The
      ADC values of age groups significantly differed ( p < 0.05); the >=61-year-old
      group was significantly higher compared to younger individuals. There is a
      progressive increase of water diffusivity in the CPs during aging. ADC values
      should be considered as a neuroimaging quantitative biomarker in normal aging
      dementia syndromes.

PMID- 28644063
TI  - Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Metacercaria of Tylodelphys
      (Digenea: Diplostomidae) from the Piscine Host, Mystus tengara from India.
AB  - The diversity and taxonomy of diplostomids infecting freshwater fishes of the
      Indian region are predominantly poorly known. Yet compared to other trematodes,
      identification and discrimination of diplostomid metacercaria are difficult using
      morphology and site of infection. The present study provides the first molecular
      study of a Tylodelphys sp. from India. Specimens of Tylodelphys were collected
      from the vitreous humor of the eyes and from the brains of siluriform fish,
      Mystus tengara (Siluriformes: Bagridae) from Hastinapur, Meerut (U.P.), India.
      Taxonomic studies were performed on the basis of morphological, morphometrical,
      and molecular analysis. The dissimilarities in morphological and sites of
      infection between 2 forms of Tylodelphys, designated as Tylodelphys sp. 1 and
      Tylodelphys sp. 2, suggested that the forms were different species but, after
      performing molecular analysis, we conclude that despite morphological differences
      both morphotypes are conspecific.

PMID- 28644062
TI  - 4-Nerolidylcatechol: apoptosis by mitochondrial mechanisms with reduction in
      cyclin D1 at G0/G1 stage of the chronic myelogenous K562 cell line.
AB  - CONTEXT: 4-Nerolidylcatechol (4-NRC) has showed antitumor potential through
      apoptosis. However, its apoptotic mechanisms are still unclear, especially in
      leukemic cells. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the cytotoxic potential of 4-NRC and its
      cell death pathways in p53-null K562 leukemic cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Cytotoxicity of 4-NRC (4.17-534.5 MUM) over 24 h of exposure was evaluated by MTT
      assay. 4-NRC-induced apoptosis in K562 cells was investigated by
      phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, cell cycle, sub-G1, mitochondrial
      evaluation, cytochrome c, cyclin D1 and intracellular reactive oxygen species
      (ROS) levels, and caspase activity analysis. RESULTS: IC50 values obtained were
      11.40, 27.31, 15.93 and 15.70 MUM for lymphocytes, K562, HL-60 and Jurkat cells,
      respectively. In K562 cells, 4-NRC (27 MUM) promoted apoptosis as verified by
      cellular morphological changes, a significant increase in PS externalization and
      sub-G1 cells. Moreover, it significantly arrested the cells at the G0/G1 phase
      due to a reduction in cyclin D1 expression. These effects of 4-NRC also
      significantly promoted a reduction in mitochondrial activity and membrane
      depolarization, accumulation of cytosolic cytochrome c and ROS overproduction.
      Additionally, it triggered an increase in caspases -3/7, -8 and -9 activities.
      When the cells were pretreated with N-acetyl-l-cysteine ROS scavenger, 4-NRC
      induced apoptosis was partially blocked, which suggests that it exerts
      cytotoxicity though not exclusively through ROS-mediated mechanisms. DISCUSSION
      AND CONCLUSION: 4-NRC has antileukemic properties, inducing apoptosis mediated by
      mitochondrial-dependent mechanisms with cyclin D1 inhibition. Given that emerging
      treatment concepts include novel combinations of well-known agents, 4-NRC could
      offer a promising alternative for chemotherapeutic combinations to maximize
      tumour suppression.

PMID- 28644064
TI  - Frequent vomiting attacks in a patient with Lhermitte-Duclos disease: a rare
      pathophysiology of cerebellar lesions?
AB  - Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD) is a neurological disease caused by a
      hamartomatous lesion in the cerebellum. Clinically, LDD is commonly associated
      with progressive space-occupying lesion effects in the posterior fossa,
      increasing intracranial pressure, occlusive hydrocephalus, and focal neurological
      deficits of adjacent structures. The authors report the case of a 10-year-old boy
      with LDD who had been suffering from vomiting attacks (VAs). These VAs had been
      brief in duration but extremely frequent, and they had been resistant to
      antiemetic drugs since the early postnatal period. Magnetic resonance imaging at
      8 months of age revealed a right cerebellar lesion with very little space
      occupying lesion effect, but the causal relationship with VAs was not evident at
      that point, because no clinical symptoms or signs other than vomiting were
      suggestive of increased intracranial pressure. The VAs were initially diagnosed
      as autonomic ataxia and had been treated with antiemetic drugs for approximately
      10 years, but the patient's symptoms were not improved at all in frequency or
      duration. He developed convulsive seizures at 9 years of age and was referred to
      the authors' epilepsy center. The VAs were initially speculated to represent an
      aspect of seizures, but antiepileptic agents proved ineffective against this
      symptom despite remission of convulsive seizures. Video-electroencephalography
      monitoring did not show any evolving ictal patterns associated with the vomiting.
      Careful reevaluation of MRI studies revealed that the cerebellar lesion was fused
      with the cerebellum, middle and inferior cerebellar peduncles, and dorsolateral
      medulla oblongata with some distortion. FDG-PET identified hypermetabolism in the
      cerebellar lesion. After establishing the diagnosis of LDD, the authors performed
      subtotal resection of the lesion based on the likelihood of a causal relationship
      between the cerebellar lesion and the vomiting center of the medulla oblongata.
      Postoperatively and for 2 years, VAs have remained completely suppressed. The
      authors hypothesize that the pathophysiology of VAs in LDD includes a tumor-like
      space-occupying effect on the vomiting center of the medulla oblongata, and even
      partial resection of the lesion may prove effective.

PMID- 28644065
TI  - Ventricular pseudodiverticula from intraparenchymal cerebrospinal fluid
      dissection secondary to high-grade obstructive hydrocephalus in children:
      magnetic resonance imaging findings.
AB  - We report on a series of three children who presented with a focal cerebrospinal
      fluid collection within the periventricular white matter of the temporal and
      occipital lobes in the setting of high-grade obstructive hydrocephalus. Magnetic
      resonance imaging showed a focal defect within the ventricular wall associated
      with leakage of cerebrospinal fluid into the adjacent white matter. The white
      matter tracts appeared primarily displaced. This entity should be referred to as
      ventricular pseudodiverticulum, not lined by ependymal cells, in contrast to a
      true ventricular diverticulum in which the cerebrospinal fluid is contained by a
      focal outpouching of the intact ventricular wall lined by a dilated and prolapsed
      layer of ependymal cells. Correct interpretation and classification of the
      findings may be helpful in predicting prognosis and outcome.

PMID- 28644066
TI  - Combination targeted pulmonary hypertension therapy in the resolution of
      Dasatinib-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.
AB  - Dasatinib is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of
      hematological malignancies. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but
      known complication. The mainstay of treatment is cessation of Dasatinib, and
      while clinical improvement is rapid, complete hemodynamic resolution of pulmonary
      hypertension (PH) still remains exceedingly uncommon. We present a case of
      Dasatinib-induced PAH in a woman with chronic myeloid leukemia, who demonstrated
      rapid and complete clinical and hemodynamic resolution following treatment with
      combination pulmonary vasodilator therapy using an endothelin receptor antagonist
      and a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor. This case suggests there may be an
      association between the use of targeted PH medication in combination and the
      complete resolution of dasatinib-associated PAH, but further investigation is
      required.

PMID- 28644060
TI  - Lytic transglycosylases: concinnity in concision of the bacterial cell wall.
AB  - The lytic transglycosylases (LTs) are bacterial enzymes that catalyze the non
      hydrolytic cleavage of the peptidoglycan structures of the bacterial cell wall.
      They are not catalysts of glycan synthesis as might be surmised from their name.
      Notwithstanding the seemingly mundane reaction catalyzed by the LTs, their lytic
      reactions serve bacteria for a series of astonishingly diverse purposes. These
      purposes include cell-wall synthesis, remodeling, and degradation; for the
      detection of cell-wall-acting antibiotics; for the expression of the mechanism of
      cell-wall-acting antibiotics; for the insertion of secretion systems and
      flagellar assemblies into the cell wall; as a virulence mechanism during
      infection by certain Gram-negative bacteria; and in the sporulation and
      germination of Gram-positive spores. Significant advances in the mechanistic
      understanding of each of these processes have coincided with the successive
      discovery of new LTs structures. In this review, we provide a systematic
      perspective on what is known on the structure-function correlations for the LTs,
      while simultaneously identifying numerous opportunities for the future study of
      these enigmatic enzymes.

PMID- 28644067
TI  - Border cell release: Cell separation without cell wall degradation?
AB  - Plant border cells are specialized cells derived from the root cap with roles in
      the biomechanics of root growth and in forming a barrier against pathogens. The
      mechanism of highly localized cell separation which is essential for their
      release to the environment is little understood. Here I present in situ analysis
      of Brachypodium distachyon, a model organism for grasses which possess type II
      primary cell walls poor in pectin content. Results suggest similarity in spatial
      dynamics of pectic homogalacturonan during dicot and monocot border cell release.
      Integration of observations from different species leads to the hypothesis that
      this process most likely does not involve degradation of cell wall material but
      rather uses unique cell wall structural and compositional means enabling both the
      rigidity of the root cap as well as detachability of given cells on its surface.

PMID- 28644068
TI  - Evaluation of the 2010 National Vaccine Plan Mid-course Review: Recommendations
      From the National Vaccine Advisory Committee: Approved by the National Vaccine
      Advisory Committee on February 7, 2017.

PMID- 28644069
TI  - Concomitant idiopathic hypertrophic spinal pachymeningitis and Guillain-Barre
      syndrome in a patient: coincidence or a triggering mechanism?
AB  - Idiopathic hypertrophic spinal pachymeningitis (IHSP), a rare diffuse
      inflammatory thickening of the dura mater, and Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) are
      known entities but they have never been reported as concomitant diagnoses. To
      their knowledge, the authors present the first reported case in the international
      literature with supportive evidence for both IHSP (based on MRI, intraoperative,
      and histological findings) and GBS (based on history, clinical examination, and
      electrophysiological findings). They review the literature on IHSP and the
      diagnostic criteria for GBS, with the view of identifying a possible causative
      connection.

PMID- 28644070
TI  - Particulate matter disrupts human lung endothelial cell barrier integrity via Rho
      dependent pathways.
AB  - Increased exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) is associated with elevated
      morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases and cancer. We
      and others have shown that PM induces lung microvascular barrier dysfunction
      which potentially enhances the systemic toxicity of PM. However, the mechanisms
      by which PM disrupts vascular endothelial integrity remain incompletely explored.
      We hypothesize that PM induces endothelial cell (EC) cytoskeleton rearrangement
      via Rho GTPase-dependent pathways to facilitate vascular hyperpermeability. Fine
      PM induced time-dependent activation of cytoskeletal machinery with increases in
      myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation and EC barrier disruption measured by
      transendothelial electrical resistance (TER), events attenuated by the Rho
      dependent kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 or the reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      scavenger, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Both Y-27632 and NAC prevented PM-induced
      stress fiber formation and phospho-MLC accumulation in human lung ECs. PM
      promotes rapid accumulation of Rho-GTP. This event is attenuated by NAC or
      knockdown of RhoA (siRNA). Consistent with ROCK activation, PM induced
      phosphorylation of myosin light chain phosphatase (MYPT) at Thr850, a post
      translational modification known to inhibit phosphatase activity. Furthermore, PM
      activates the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for Rho, p115, with p115
      translocation to the cell periphery, in a ROS-dependent manner. Together these
      results demonstrate that fine PM induces EC cytoskeleton rearrangement via Rho
      dependent pathways that are dependent upon the generation of oxidative stress. As
      the disruption of vascular integrity further contributes to cardiopulmonary
      physiologic derangements, these findings provide pharmacologic targets for
      prevention of PM-induced cardiopulmonary toxicity.

PMID- 28644071
TI  - Age invariance in rapid facial affective reactions to emotionally valenced
      stimuli.
AB  - It has been suggested that an age-related positivity effect may only occur in the
      context of explicit information processing, but it is unclear whether this bias
      extends to the processing of rapid facial reactions. In addition, most studies
      that have looked for evidence of age-related implicit positivity have used
      attentional (as opposed to sensory) unawareness paradigms, or used broad-based
      indicators of attentional awareness that do not speak to the nature of the
      affective response. In the present study, younger and older adults were therefore
      asked to view non-facial images presented supraliminally (i.e., consciously) as
      well as outside of sensory awareness (i.e., subliminally) while their facial
      reactions were indexed using electromyography. The results indicated that both
      younger and older adults exhibited rapid facial reactions congruent with the
      emotional valence of non-facial images in both supraliminal and subliminal
      conditions. Relative to young, older adults did not respond with greater
      zygomaticus (cheek) activity to positive stimuli or reduced corrugator (brow)
      activity to negative stimuli in either condition. These data show that rapid
      facial reactions to emotional stimuli are intact in late adulthood, even in
      response to stimuli that activate more automatic and implicit forms of emotion
      processing. However, there is no evidence for any age-related positivity bias in
      these behavioral responses.

PMID- 28644072
TI  - Clinicopathological and imaging features of lipoastrocytoma: Case report.
AB  - Lipidized tumors of the central nervous system are very uncommon, with only a few
      cases described. We report a case of a 25-year-old woman with a tumor involving
      the left premotor area. She underwent gross total excision. Histologically, the
      tumor was composed of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive glial cells with
      areas of lipidization. A diagnosis of lipoastrocytoma was rendered. At three-year
      follow-up she was doing well, supporting the presumed favorable prognosis of
      these uncommon tumors. Absence of xanthochromic appearance, mitotic activity,
      necrosis and poor reticulin activity are the differentiating features from the
      pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. We highlighted that these tumors involve the adult
      and pediatric population and distribute in both supratentorial and infratentorial
      compartments as well as in the spinal cord.

PMID- 28644073
TI  - NT-proBNP in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis: relation to
      coronary microvascular function.

PMID- 28644074
TI  - Reinforcing marginality? Maternal health interventions in rural Nicaragua.
AB  - To achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 on maternal health, many countries have
      focused on marginalized women who lack access to care. Promoting facility-based
      deliveries to ensure skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care has
      become a main measure for preventing maternal deaths, so women who opt for home
      births are often considered 'marginal' and in need of targeted intervention.
      Drawing upon ethnographic data from Nicaragua, this paper critically examines the
      concept of marginality in the context of official efforts to increase
      institutional delivery amongst the rural poor, and discusses lack of access to
      health services among women living in peripheral areas as a process of
      marginalization. The promotion of facility birth as the new norm, in turn,
      generates a process of 're-marginalization', whereby public health officials
      morally disapprove of women who give birth at home, viewing them as non-compliers
      and a problem to the system. In rural Nicaragua, there is a discrepancy between
      the public health norm and women's own preferences and desires for home birth.
      These women live at the margins also in spatial and societal terms, and must
      relate to a health system they find incapable of providing good, appropriate
      care. Strong public pressure for institutional delivery makes them feel
      distressed and pressured. Paradoxically then, the aim of including marginal
      groups in maternal health programmes engenders resistance to facility birth.

PMID- 28644075
TI  - Spine stereotactic radiosurgery for metastatic sarcoma: patterns of failure and
      radiation treatment volume considerations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Given the relatively lower radiosensitivity of sarcomas and the locally
      infiltrative patterns of spread, the authors sought to investigate spine
      stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS) outcomes for metastatic sarcomas and to analyze
      patterns of failure. METHODS The records of 48 patients with 66 sarcoma spinal
      metastases consecutively treated with SSRS between 2002 and 2013 were reviewed.
      The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate rates of overall survival (OS) and
      local control (LC). Local recurrences were categorized as occurring infield
      (within the 95% isodose line [IDL]), marginally (between the 20% and 95% IDLs),
      or out of field. RESULTS Median follow-up time was 19 months (range 1-121
      months), and median age was 53 years (range 17-85 years). The most commonly
      treated histology was leiomyosarcoma (42%). Approximately two-thirds of the
      patients were treated with definitive SSRS (44 [67%]) versus postoperatively (22
      [33%]). The actuarial 1-year OS and LC rates were 67% and 81%, respectively.
      Eighteen patients had a local relapse, which was more significantly associated
      with postoperative SSRS (p = 0.04). On multivariate modeling, receipt of
      postoperative SSRS neared significance for poorer LC (p = 0.06, subhazard ratio
      [SHR] 2.33), while only 2 covariates emerged as significantly correlated with LC:
      1) biological equivalent dose (BED) > 48 Gy (vs BED <= 48 Gy, p = 0.006, SHR
      0.21) and 2) single vertebral body involvement (vs multiple bodies, p = 0.03, SHR
      0.27). Of the 18 local recurrences, 14 (78%) occurred at the margin, and while
      the majority of these cases relapsed within the epidural space, 4 relapsed within
      the paraspinal soft tissue. In addition, 1 relapse occurred out of field.
      Finally, the most common acute toxicity was fatigue (15 cases), with few late
      toxicities (4 insufficiency fractures, 3 neuropathies). CONCLUSIONS For
      metastatic sarcomas, SSRS provides durable tumor control with minimal toxicity.
      High-dose single-fraction regimens offer optimal LC, and given the infiltrative
      nature of sarcomas, when paraspinal soft tissues are involved, larger treatment
      volumes may be warranted.

PMID- 28644076
TI  - A Novel Surgical Approach to Avian Femorotibiotarsal Luxation Repair.
AB  - A 3-month-old male umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba) was presented because of
      acute non-weight-bearing lameness of the right leg. Marked soft tissue swelling
      was present around the femorotibiotarsal (stifle) joint, and the radiographic
      diagnosis was right medial femorotibiotarsal subluxation. Surgical management was
      elected, and the stifle joint was approached via a lateral parapatellar incision.
      Joint exploration revealed damage to the lateral meniscus, tendon of origin of
      the cranial tibial muscle, and cranial cruciate ligament. After debriding the
      disrupted meniscus, the stifle joint was anatomically reduced. The
      femorotibiotarsal joint was stabilized by using a lateral extracapsular suture in
      a modified technique using a self-tapping cortical screw in the lateral femoral
      condyle and a hole through the proximal tibiotarsus. The bird regained function
      of the femorotibiotarsal joint for 3 months after surgery, allowing sufficient
      time for the bird to establish a physiologic perching angle so that ankylosis
      occurred to maintain functionality of the leg as a unit. This combination of
      orthopedic techniques adapted from techniques commonly used in small companion
      animal species may be considered to provide young birds with femorotibiotarsal
      luxations and subluxation a good quality of life despite ankylosis of the joint.

PMID- 28644077
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma of the Wing in a Vieilott's Fireback Pheasant (Lophura rufa).
AB  - A 15-year-old, female Vieilott's fireback pheasant (Lophura rufa) presented with
      a 2-day history of a drooping right wing. Examination revealed severe soft tissue
      swelling in the area extending from the right shoulder to the humeral-radio-ulnar
      joint with associated bruising and feather loss. Results of a complete blood cell
      count revealed marked heterophilia and lymphocytosis, and results of serum
      biochemical analysis showed severe increases in creatine kinase and aspartate
      aminotransferase activities, hypoproteinemia, and hypoalbuminemia. Radiographs
      revealed osteolytic lesions of the right humerus with pathologic fractures and
      circumferential soft tissue swelling. Although surgical wing amputation was
      successful, the bird died the next day while being treated. The mass was
      diagnosed histologically and immunohistochemically as a leiomyosarcoma. This is
      the first neoplasia of any kind reported in this species, to our knowledge, and
      one of the very few reports of smooth muscle neoplasms affecting the limb of a
      bird.

PMID- 28644079
TI  - A Disseminated Cryptococcus gattii VGIIa Infection in a Citron-Crested Cockatoo
      (Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata) in Quebec, Canada.
AB  - Cryptococcus gattii infection in mammals and birds has been confined historically
      to tropical and subtropical regions in Australia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and
      South America. Since the early 2000s, numerous reports describe the emergence of
      C. gattii on the Pacific Coast of North America. We report on a C. gattii
      infection in an 8-year-old male citron-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea
      citrinocristata) hatched on the Canadian Pacific Coast and raised in the province
      of Quebec, Canada. The bird developed a slow growing ulcerated, fleshy, crusty,
      and hemorrhagic mass infiltrating the left lower rhamphotheca. Cryptococcus
      gattii infection was confirmed by cytologic examination of a fine needle aspirate
      of the mass, and results of fungal culture and sequencing. The genotype of the
      strain was determined to be VGIIa sequence type 20, the strongly overrepresented
      subgroup found on the Canadian Pacific coast. Minimum inhibitory concentrations
      for multiple antifungal drugs were determined. The bird received fluconazole but
      died acutely 55 days after initial presentation. Postmortem examination revealed
      a disseminated infection, with involvement of the beak, lungs, spleen, and brain.

PMID- 28644078
TI  - Plasma Concentrations of Itraconazole, Voriconazole, and Terbinafine When
      Delivered by an Impregnated, Subcutaneous Implant in Japanese Quail ( Coturnix
      japonica ).
AB  - Aspergillosis is a common fungal infection in both wild and pet birds. Although
      effective antifungal medications are available, treatment of aspergillosis can
      require months of medication administration, which entails stressful handling one
      or more times per day. This study examined the delivery of the antifungal drugs
      itraconazole, voriconazole, and terbinafine to Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica
      ) via an impregnated implant. Implants contained 0.5, 3, 8, or 24 mg of
      itraconazole, voriconazole, or terbinafine. The implants were administered
      subcutaneously over the dorsum and between the scapulae. Blood was collected from
      birds before and 2, 7, 21, 42, and 56 days after implant placement. Plasma was
      analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for concentrations of
      itraconazole, voriconazole, or terbinafine, as appropriate. During the course of
      the study, targeted terbinafine concentrations were achieved in some birds at
      various time points, but concentrations were inconsistent. Itraconazole and
      voriconazole concentrations were also inconsistent and did not reach targeted
      concentrations. Currently, the implant examined in this study cannot be
      recommended for treatment of aspergillosis in avian species.

PMID- 28644080
TI  - Determination of Gastrointestinal Transit Times in Barred Owls ( Strix varia ) by
      Contrast Fluoroscopy.
AB  - Contrast imaging studies are routinely performed in avian patients when an
      underlying abnormality of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is suspected.
      Fluoroscopy offers several advantages over traditional radiography and can be
      performed in conscious animals with minimal stress and restraint. Although birds
      of prey are commonly encountered as patients, little is known about GI transit
      times and contrast imaging studies in these species, especially owls. Owls are
      commonly encountered in zoological, educational, and wildlife settings. In this
      study, 12 adult barred owls ( Strix varia ) were gavage fed a 30% weight-by
      volume barium suspension (25 mL/kg body weight). Fluoroscopic exposures were
      recorded at 5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 minutes after administration.
      Overall GI transit time and transit times of various GI organs were recorded.
      Median (interquartile range [IQR]) overall GI transit time was 60 minutes (IQR:
      19-60 minutes) and ranged from 5-120 minutes. Ventricular and small intestinal
      contrast filling was rapid. Ventricular emptying was complete by a median of 60
      minutes (IQR: 30-120 minutes; range: 30-240 minutes), whereas small intestinal
      emptying was not complete in 9/12 birds by 300 minutes. Median small intestinal
      contraction rate was 15 per minute (IQR: 13-16 minutes; range: 10-19 minutes).
      Median overall GI transit time in barred owls is more rapid than mean transit
      times reported for psittacine birds and red-tailed hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis ).
      Fluoroscopy is a safe, suitable method for investigating GI motility and transit
      in this species.

PMID- 28644081
TI  - Effects of Added Lipids on Digestibility and Nitrogen Balance in Oiled Common
      Murres ( Uria aalge ) and Western Grebes ( Aechmophorus occidentalis ) Fed Four
      Formulations of a Critical Care Diet.
AB  - Nutritional support is a primary therapy administered to oiled animals during
      responses to oil spills, but data informing nutritional decision-making during
      events are limited. In this study, 44 common murres ( Uria aalge ) and 6 Western
      grebes ( Aechmophorus occidentalis ), naturally oiled by oceanic seeps off the
      coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, CA, USA, were assigned to 1 of 4
      groups fed diets with varying levels (6.8% [no added oil], 11%, and 20%) and
      types (salmon, corn) of oil added to a partially purified basal diet. Birds used
      in the study ranged from extremely emaciated to thin body condition (62%-80% wild
      bird mean body mass). Acid-insoluble ash was used as an indigestible dietary
      marker to quantify nitrogen retention, apparent nitrogen digestibility, nitrogen
      corrected apparent metabolizable energy, energy digestibility, fat retention, fat
      digestibility, and estimated fat excretion. Fat excretion is important in these
      species because once birds have been cleaned they are at risk of plumage
      recontamination from excreted fat during care. Lower fat diets resulted in lower
      fat excretion but higher nitrogen retention, higher apparent nitrogen
      digestibility, and higher apparent metabolizable energy. Decreases in nitrogen
      retention were significantly related to increases in fat excretion. Regardless of
      diet, energy digestibility significantly declined with declines in body mass,
      suggesting severity of emaciation reduced a birds' ability to extract energy from
      food. Energy digestibility was highest in the 11% (low) salmon oil diet; hence,
      this diet had the highest effective energy content despite a lower gross kcal/kg
      diet. Diets fed during oil spills historically have had high fat concentrations
      to provide maximum caloric support. Results of this study suggest that lower fat
      diets may be more efficacious for nutritionally depleted seabirds. This study
      provides valuable data to guide clinical decision making regarding nutritional
      support during oil spills and other mass stranding events.

PMID- 28644083
TI  - What Is Your Diagnosis?

PMID- 28644084
TI  - Comparison of Two Methods for Determining Prevalence of Macrorhabdus
      ornithogaster in a Flock of Captive Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus).
AB  - Macrorhabdus ornithogaster is a yeast organism that infects multiple species of
      captive and wild birds. Diagnosis of infection in vivo has proven difficult
      historically, as shedding can be intermittent, and not all positive animals are
      clinically ill. We compared polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of cloacal swab
      samples and fecal Gram's stain (FGS) for diagnosis of active shedding of M
      ornithogaster in a captive flock of budgerigars ( Melopsittacus undulatus ). Of
      the 100 birds sampled, 57 (57%) were positive for M ornithogaster by PCR and 24
      (24%) were positive for M ornithogaster by FGS. All FGS-tested birds also were
      positive on PCR. There was a significant association between the two methods, but
      the overall percent agreement for the two methods was only 67%. Based on these
      findings, cloacal swab PCR is more likely to diagnose the presence of M
      ornithogaster than FGS in budgerigars.

PMID- 28644085
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of a Sustained Release Formulation of Buprenorphine After
      Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Administration to American Kestrels ( Falco
      sparverius ).
AB  - Previous studies have validated the clinical use of opioids with MU-receptor
      affinities for pain management in raptors. Buprenorphine appears to have a longer
      duration of action and minimal adverse effects when compared to other opioids in
      American kestrels ( Falco sparverius ). To determine the pharmacokinetics of a
      sustained release formulation of buprenorphine in kestrels, we administered a
      commercially available product (Buprenorphine SR-LAB; Wildlife Pharmaceuticals,
      Windsor, CO, USA) intramuscularly and subcutaneously to adult kestrels in a
      partial-crossover experimental design study. A total of 12 birds (6 males and 6
      females) were assigned randomly to 3 groups of 4 birds each. A single dose of
      Buprenorphine SR-LAB (1.8 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly (IM), and blood
      samples were collected at 0.25, 3, and 24 hours (n = 4); 1, 6, and 48 hours (n =
      4); and 2, 12, and 72 hours (n = 4) after drug administration. Plasma
      buprenorphine concentrations were measured by tandem liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by use of least squares
      linear regression and noncompartmental analysis of naive pooled data. After 1
      year, the same dose of buprenorphine was administered subcutaneously (SC) to 12
      birds divided into 3 groups as previously, and blood samples were collected at
      the same times after drug administration. Maximum plasma buprenorphine
      concentration was measured at 15 minutes after IM and SC administration. Mean
      plasma buprenorphine concentrations were >1 ng/mL for 48 hours after IM and SC
      administration. The elimination half-life was 13.5 and 11.1 hours for IM and SC
      administration, respectively. Depending on the severity and type of pain,
      adjunctive therapy, and the individual response, Buprenorphine SR-LAB
      administered at 1.8 mg/kg IM or SC to American kestrels would require
      administration every 12 to 72 hours to manage pain. Further pharmacodynamic and
      clinical evaluations are warranted in kestrels and other raptors to establish
      accurate dosing recommendations.

PMID- 28644087
TI  - Coming Meetings.

PMID- 28644086
TI  - Single-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Piperacillin/Tazobactam in Hispaniolan Amazon
      Parrots ( Amazona ventralis ).
AB  - To determine the pharmacokinetics of piperacillin/tazobactam in Hispaniolan
      Amazon parrots ( Amazona ventralis ), 8 healthy adult parrots of both sexes were
      used in a 2-part study. In a pilot study, piperacillin (87 mg/kg) in combination
      with tazobactam (11 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly (IM) to 2 birds, and
      blood samples were obtained at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10 hours after
      administration. Based on the results obtained, a main study was done in which
      piperacillin/tazobactam was administered at 2 different doses. In 3 birds, the
      initial dose of piperacillin (87 mg/kg)/tazobactam (11 mg/kg) IM was
      administered, and in 3 birds, the dose was doubled to piperacillin (174
      mg/kg)/tazobactam (22 mg/kg) IM. In all 6 birds, blood samples were obtained at
      0, 5, 15, and 30 minutes and at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, and 4 hours after
      administration. Quantification of plasma piperacillin and tazobactam
      concentrations was determined by validated liquid chromatography-mass
      spectrometry assay. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by
      noncompartmental analysis. After intramuscular administration, the mean +/-
      standard error values of T1/2 (h) was 0.52 +/- 0.05 and 0.32 +/- 0.07, Tmax (h)
      was 0.28 +/- 0.09 and 0.25 +/- 0.10, Cmax (MUg/mL) was 86.34 +/- 20.62 and 9.03
      +/- 2.88, and Cmax/dose was 0.99 +/- 0.24 and 0.83 +/- 0.26 for piperacillin (87
      mg/kg) and tazobactam (11 mg/kg), respectively. When the doses were doubled, the
      T1/2 (h) was 0.65 +/- 0.08 and 0.34 +/- 0.02, Tmax (h) was 0.28 +/- 0.12 and 0.14
      +/- 0.06, Cmax (MUg/mL) was 233.0 +/- 6.08 and 22.13 +/- 2.35, and Cmax/dose was
      1.34 +/- 0.03 and 1.02 +/- 0.11 for piperacillin and tazobactam, respectively.
      Results indicate that piperacillin is rapidly absorbed and reaches high initial
      concentrations; however, it is also rapidly eliminated in the Hispaniolan Amazon
      parrot, and tazobactam has similar pharmacokinetics as piperacillin.
      Administration of piperacillin at 87 mg/kg IM q3-4h is recommended for this
      species to control infections attributed to susceptible bacteria with a minimum
      inhibitory concentration of <=4 MUg/mL.

PMID- 28644088
TI  - Telemedicine: The Future of Veterinary Practice.

PMID- 28644089
TI  - Evaluation of High Dosages of Oral Meloxicam in American Kestrels ( Falco
      sparverius ).
AB  - To evaluate the toxicity of short-term high doses of meloxicam in American
      kestrels ( Falco sparverius ), 32 male captive-born, 1- to 4-year-old American
      kestrels were randomly assigned to 4 groups: 3 groups treated with meloxicam (n =
      9 per group) and a control group (n = 5). Meloxicam was administered orally via
      feeding tube in the proventriculus at 2, 10, and 20 mg/kg every 12 hours for 7
      days for the treatment groups, while the control group received saline solution.
      The birds were evaluated for the presence of clinical signs, abnormalities in the
      complete blood cell count and in the plasma biochemical panel for the 20-mg/kg
      group, and gross and histopathologic lesions. No clinical signs or mortality were
      observed in any group. No significant differences of clinical relevance were
      found in results of the packed cell volume, total solids, and biochemical panel,
      and no evidence of renal toxicity was found in the treatment or control groups. A
      significant correlation was found between hepatic lipidosis and meloxicam dose (P
      = .02). Two of 9 birds in the 20-mg/kg group developed gastric ulcers, although
      this result was not significant. None of the birds in the 2- and 10-mg/kg groups
      had similar lesions. Finally, meloxicam dosages up to 20 mg/kg did not result in
      nephrotoxicity in American kestrels. Further toxicologic studies to evaluate
      hepatotoxicity and gastrotoxicity of meloxicam in avian species are needed.

PMID- 28644090
TI  - Transdermal administration of melatonin coupled to cryopass laser treatment as
      noninvasive therapy for prostate cancer.
AB  - Melatonin, a pineal gland hormone, exerts oncostatic activity in several types of
      human cancer, including prostate, the most common neoplasia and the third most
      frequent cause of male cancer death in the developed world. The growth of
      androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer cells in mice is inhibited by 3
      mg/kg/week melatonin (0.09 mg/mouse/week) delivered by i.p. injections, which is
      equivalent to a dose of 210 mg/week in humans. The aim of this study is to test
      an alternative noninvasive delivery route based on transdermal administration of
      melatonin onto the tumor area followed by cryopass-laser treatment. Two groups of
      immunodepressed mice were studied, one (n = 10) subjected to 18 cryopass-laser
      therapy sessions and one (n = 10) subjected to the same treatment without
      melatonin. These groups were compared with mice treated with i.p.-administered
      melatonin or vehicle with the same time schedule. We found that cryopass-laser
      treatment is as efficient as i.p. injections in reducing the growth of LNCaP
      tumor cells, affecting plasma melatonin and redox balance. Furthermore, both
      delivery routes share the same effects on the involved biochemical pathway driven
      by hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha. However, cryopass-laser, as used in the
      present experimental setup, is less efficient than i.p delivery route in
      increasing the melatonin content and Nrf2 expression in the tumor mass. We
      conclude that cryopass-laser treatment may have impact for melatonin-based
      therapy of prostate cancer, by delivering drugs transdermally without causing
      pain and targeting directly on the site of interest, thereby potentially making
      long-term treatments more sustainable.

PMID- 28644093
TI  - The dangerous liaison: Coronary and kidney disease.

PMID- 28644092
TI  - Single and multiple cardiovascular biomarkers in subjects without a previous
      cardiovascular event.
AB  - Aims To assess the incremental value of biomarkers, including N-terminal
      prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity troponin T
      (hs-TnT), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6),
      growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), and procollagen type 1 N-terminal
      propeptide (P1NP), in predicting incident cardiovascular events and mortality
      among asymptomatic individuals from the general population, beyond traditional
      risk factors, including fasting glucose and renal function (cystatin C),
      medication use, and echocardiographic measures. Methods and results Prospective
      population-based cohort study of 1324 subjects without a previous cardiovascular
      event, who underwent baseline echocardiography and biomarker assessment between
      2002 and 2006. The clinical endpoint was the composite of myocardial infarction,
      invasively treated stable/unstable ischemic heart disease, heart failure, stroke,
      or all-cause mortality. Predictive capabilities were evaluated using Cox
      proportional-hazards regression, Harrell's concordance index (C-index), and net
      reclassification improvement. Median age was 66 (interquartile range: 60-70)
      years, and 413 (31%) were female. During median 8.6 (interquartile range: 8.1
      9.2) follow-up years, 368 (28%) composite events occurred. NT-proBNP, hs-TnT, GDF
      15, and IL-6 were significantly associated with outcome, independently of
      traditional risk factors, medications, and echocardiography ( p < 0.05 for all).
      Separate addition of NT-proBNP and GDF-15 to traditional risk factors,
      medications, and echocardiographic measurements provided significant improvements
      in discriminative ability (NT-proBNP: C-index 0.714 vs. 0.703, p = 0.03; GDF-15:
      C-index 0.721 vs. 0.703, p = 0.02). Both biomarkers remained significant
      predictors of outcome upon inclusion in the same model ( p < 0.05 for both).
      Conclusions NT-proBNP and GDF-15 each enhance prognostication beyond traditional
      risk factors, glucose levels, renal function, and echocardiography in individuals
      without known cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 28644094
TI  - Cardiovascular prevention in HIV-positive individuals on antiretroviral therapy..
      The paradigm shift has already happened: Is it time to wake up and realise it?

PMID- 28644091
TI  - Prevention of cardiovascular disease in patients with familial
      hypercholesterolaemia: The role of PCSK9 inhibitors.
AB  - Familial hypercholesterolaemia is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder
      characterised by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and
      consequently an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
      Familial hypercholesterolaemia is relatively common, but is often underdiagnosed
      and undertreated. Cardiologists are likely to encounter many individuals with
      familial hypercholesterolaemia; however, patients presenting with premature ASCVD
      are rarely screened for familial hypercholesterolaemia and fasting lipid levels
      are infrequently documented. Given that individuals with familial
      hypercholesterolaemia and ASCVD are at a particularly high risk of subsequent
      cardiac events, this is a missed opportunity for preventive therapy. Furthermore,
      because there is a 50% chance that first-degree relatives of individuals with
      familial hypercholesterolaemia will also be affected by the disorder, the
      underdiagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia among patients with ASCVD is a
      barrier to cascade screening and the prevention of ASCVD in affected relatives.
      Targeted screening of patients with ASCVD is an effective strategy to identify
      new familial hypercholesterolaemia index cases. Statins are the standard
      treatment for individuals with familial hypercholesterolaemia; however, low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol targets are not achieved in a large proportion of
      patients despite treatment. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9)
      inhibitors have been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels
      considerably in individuals with familial hypercholesterolaemia who are
      concurrently receiving the maximal tolerated statin dose. The clinical benefit of
      PCSK9 inhibitors must, however, also be considered in terms of their cost
      effectiveness. Increased awareness of familial hypercholesterolaemia is required
      among healthcare professionals, particularly cardiologists and primary care
      physicians, in order to start early preventive measures and to reduce the
      mortality and morbidity associated with familial hypercholesterolaemia and ASCVD.

PMID- 28644095
TI  - Impact of adherence to antidepressants on healthcare outcomes and costs among
      patients with type 2 diabetes and comorbid major depressive disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between adherence to antidepressants and
      an effect on clinical outcomes and healthcare costs in patients with major
      depressive disorder (MDD) and comorbid type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: This
      retrospective study used MarketScan claims data from January 2012 to March 2014.
      Study entry was the first claim for an antidepressant and a diagnosis code for
      MDD and T2D in the prior 6 months. Adherence and persistence with antidepressant
      therapy in the first 180 days were defined as medication possession ratio (MPR)
      >= 80% and length of therapy (LOT), with no treatment gap of >15 days,
      respectively. T2D control (HbA1c <7%), oral diabetes medication adherence, and
      healthcare costs were measured in the 12 month post-index period. The impact of
      antidepressant adherence and persistence on outcomes was assessed using
      multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Among the 1361 patients included, the mean age
      was 59 years and 55% were women. About one-third of the patients were adherent
      (35.9%, mean MPR = 40%), persistent (32.0%, average LOT = 100 days), and
      adherent/persistent (31.2%) on antidepressants. Being adherent, persistent, or
      adherent/persistent to antidepressants was associated with a two-fold improvement
      in adherence to oral diabetes medications. Of those with HbA1c data (n = 121),
      adherence or adherence/persistence to antidepressants was associated with
      patients being five times more likely to have T2D control (odds ratio [OR]: 4.95;
      95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39, 17.59, p = .0134). Comparison between
      antidepressant-persistent and non-persistent patients was not significant. Mean
      difference in adjusted all-cause annual costs showed lower costs among
      antidepressant-adherent and adherent/persistent patients (adherent: -$350, 95%
      CI: -$462, -$247; adherent/persistent: -$1165; 95% CI: -$1280, -$1060).
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with better antidepressant adherence and
      adherence/persistence demonstrated better HbA1c control, with lower all-cause
      total and medical costs. Adherence, persistence, or adherence/persistence to
      antidepressants was associated with improved adherence to oral diabetes
      medications.

PMID- 28644096
TI  - Comparisons between commercial salivary testosterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay kits.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Measuring testosterone concentrations is of interest both in
      clinical situations and for research, the latter expanding rapidly during recent
      years. An increased demand for convenient methods has prompted a number of
      companies to develop enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits to measure
      testosterone concentrations in saliva. However, the inter-comparability of kits
      from different manufacturers have yet to be determined. AIM OF STUDY: The aim of
      this study was to compare commercially available ELISA kits from four different
      manufacturers (Salimetrics, IBL, DRG and Demeditec). METHODS: Saliva was
      collected from 50 participants (25 men and 25 women). Each sample was analysed by
      the four ELISA kits. RESULTS: The correlations between the ELISA kits from
      Demeditec, DRG and Salimetrics were moderate to high with r-values > .77;
      however, proportional errors between the methods calls for caution. The ELISA kit
      from IBL malfunctioned and no results from this kit was obtained. CONCLUSIONS:
      Results from studies using the ELISA kits from Demeditec, DRG and Salimetrics are
      generally comparable; however, translation using the formulae presented in the
      current study could increase the accuracy of these comparisons.

PMID- 28644098
TI  - Intracranial solitary fibrous tumors/hemangiopericytomas: first report of
      malignant progression.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Meningeal solitary fibrous tumors/hemangiopericytomas (MSFTs/HPCs) are
      rare intracranial tumors resembling meningiomas. Their classification was
      redefined in 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO) as benign Grade I
      fibrohyaline type, intermediate Grade II hypercellular type, and malignant highly
      mitotic Grade III. This grouping is based on common histological features and
      identification of a common NAB2-STAT6 fusion. METHODS The authors retrospectively
      identified 49 cases of MSFT/HPC. Clinical data were obtained from the medical
      records, and all cases were analyzed according to this new 2016 WHO grading
      classification in order to identify malignant transformations. RESULTS Recurrent
      surgery was performed in 18 (37%) of 49 patients. Malignant progression was
      identified in 5 (28%) of these 18 cases, with 3 Grade I and 2 Grade II tumors
      progressing to Grade III, 3-13 years after the initial surgery. Of 31 Grade III
      tumors treated in this case series, 16% (5/31) were proved to be malignant
      progressions from lower-grade tumors. CONCLUSIONS Low-grade MSFTs/HPCs can
      transform into higher grades as shown in this first report of such progression.
      This is a decisive argument in favor of a common identity for MSFT and meningeal
      HPC. High-grade MSFTs/HPCs tend to recur more often and be associated with
      reduced overall survival. Malignant progression could be one mechanism explaining
      some recurrences or metastases, and justifying long-term follow-up, even for
      patients with Grade I tumors.

PMID- 28644097
TI  - Thirty-day postoperative morbidity and mortality after temporal lobectomy for
      medically refractory epilepsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Temporal lobectomy is a well-established treatment modality for the
      management of medically refractory epilepsy in appropriately selected patients.
      The aim of this study was to assess 30-day morbidity and mortality after temporal
      lobectomy in cases registered in a national database. METHODS A retrospective
      cohort analysis was conducted using a multiinstitutional surgical registry
      compiled between 2006 and 2014. The authors identified patients who underwent
      anterior temporal lobectomy and/or amygdalohippocampectomy for a primary
      diagnosis of intractable epilepsy. Univariate and multivariable analyses with
      regard to patient demographics, comorbidities, operative characteristics, and 30
      day outcomes were applied. RESULTS A total of 216 patients were included in the
      study. The median age was 38 years and 46% of patients were male. The median
      length of stay was 3 days and the 30-day mortality rate was 1.4%. Fourteen
      patients (6.5%) developed at least one major complication. Return to the
      operating room was observed in 7 patients (3.2%). Readmission within 30 days and
      discharge to a location other than home were available for 2011-2014 (n = 155)
      and occurred in 11% and 10.3% of patients, respectively. Multivariable regression
      analysis revealed that increasing age was an independent predictor of discharge
      disposition other than home and that male sex was a significant risk factor for
      the development of a major complication. Interestingly, the presence of the
      attending neurosurgeon and a resident during the procedure was significantly
      associated with decreased odds of prolonged length of stay (i.e., > 75th
      percentile [5 days]) and discharge to a location other than home. CONCLUSIONS
      Using a multiinstitutional surgical registry, 30-day outcome data after temporal
      lobectomy for medically intractable epilepsy demonstrates a mortality rate of
      1.4%, a major complication rate of 6.5%, and a readmission rate of 11%. Temporal
      lobectomy is an extremely effective therapy for seizures originating there
      however, surgical intervention must be weighed against its morbidity and
      mortality outcomes.

PMID- 28644099
TI  - Assessment of drainage techniques for evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma: a
      consecutive population-based comparative cohort study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Surgery for chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is one of the most common
      neurosurgical procedures. The benefit of postoperative passive subdural drainage
      compared with no drains has been established, but other drainage techniques are
      common, and their effectiveness compared with passive subdural drains remains
      unknown. METHODS In Scandinavian population-based cohorts the authors conducted a
      consecutive, parallel cohort study to compare different drainage techniques. The
      techniques used were continuous irrigation and drainage (CID cohort, n = 166),
      passive subdural drainage (PD cohort, n = 330), and active subgaleal drainage (AD
      cohort, n = 764). The primary end point was recurrence in need of reoperation
      within 6 months of index surgery. Secondary end points were complications,
      perioperative mortality, and overall survival. The analyses were based on direct
      regional comparison (i.e., surgical strategy). RESULTS Recurrence in need of
      surgery was observed in 18 patients (10.8%) in the CID cohort, in 66 patients
      (20.0%) in the PD cohort, and in 85 patients (11.1%) in the AD cohort (p <
      0.001). Complications were more common in the CID cohort (14.5%) compared with
      the PD (7.3%) and AD (8.1%) cohorts (p = 0.019). Perioperative mortality rates
      were similar between cohorts (p = 0.621). There were some differences in baseline
      and treatment characteristics possibly interfering with the above-mentioned
      results. However, after adjusting for differences in baseline and treatment
      characteristics in a regression model, the drainage techniques were still
      significantly associated with clinical outcome (p < 0.001 for recurrence, p =
      0.017 for complications). CONCLUSIONS Compared with the AD cohort, more
      recurrences were observed in the PD cohort and more complications in the CID
      cohort, also after adjustment for differences at baseline. Although the authors
      cannot exclude unmeasured confounding factors when comparing centers, AD appears
      superior to the more common PD. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT01930617
      (clinicaltrials.gov).

PMID- 28644100
TI  - Influence of smoking on aneurysm recurrence after endovascular treatment of
      cerebrovascular aneurysms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Smoking is a known risk factor for aneurysm development and aneurysmal
      subarachnoid hemorrhage, as well as subsequent vasospasm in both untreated
      individuals and patients who have undergone surgical clipping of cerebrovascular
      aneurysms. However, there is a lack of data in the current scientific literature
      about the long-term effects that smoking has on the integrity of endovascular
      repairs of cerebral aneurysms. This study was designed to determine if any
      smoking history increased the risk of poorer outcomes and/or aneurysm recurrence
      in patients who have had endovascular repair of cerebral aneurysms. METHODS The
      authors retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients admitted to the
      University of Michigan Health System from January 1999 to December 2011 with
      coiled aneurysms and angiography, CT angiography, or MR angiography follow-up.
      Patients were identified and organized based on many criteria including age, sex,
      smoking history, aneurysm recurrence, aneurysm location, and Hunt and Hess grade.
      Analysis was targeted to the patient population with a history of smoking.
      Bivariate chi-square tests were used to analyze the association between a
      positive smoking history and documented aneurysm recurrence and were adjusted for
      potential confounders by fitting multivariate logistic regression models of
      recurrence. RESULTS A total of 247 patients who had undergone endovascular
      treatment of 296 documented cerebral aneurysms were included in this study. The
      recurrence rate among all patients treated with endovascular repair was 24.3%,
      and the average time to the most recent follow-up imaging studies was 1.62 years.
      Smokers accounted for 232 aneurysms and were followed up for an average of 1.57
      years, with a recurrence rate of 26.3%. Never smokers accounted for the remaining
      64 aneurysms and were followed up for an average of 1.82 years, with a recurrence
      rate of 17.2%. Multivariate analysis revealed that, after controlling for
      potential confounders, a history of smoking-whether current or former-was
      associated with a significantly increased risk of aneurysm recurrence. The odds
      ratios for aneurysm recurrence for current and former smokers were 2.739 (95% CI
      1.127-7.095, p = 0.0308) and 2.698 (95% CI 1.078-7.212, p = 0.0395),
      respectively, compared with never smokers. CONCLUSIONS A positive smoking history
      is associated with a significantly increased risk of aneurysm recurrence in
      patients who have undergone endovascular repair of a cerebral aneurysm, compared
      with the risk in patients who have never smoked.

PMID- 28644101
TI  - Safety and cost efficiency of a restrictive transfusion protocol in patients with
      traumatic brain injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE Blood loss and moderate anemia are common in patients with traumatic
      brain injury (TBI). However, despite evidence of the ill effects and expense of
      the transfusion of packed red blood cells, restrictive transfusion practices have
      not been universally adopted for patients with TBI. At a Level I trauma center,
      the authors compared patients with TBI who were managed with a restrictive
      (target hemoglobin level > 7 g/dl) versus a liberal (target hemoglobin level > 10
      g/dl) transfusion protocol. This study evaluated the safety and cost-efficiency
      of a hospital-wide change to a restrictive transfusion protocol. METHODS A
      retrospective analysis of patients with TBI who were admitted to the intensive
      care unit (ICU) between January 2011 and September 2015 was performed. Patients <
      16 years of age and those who died within 24 hours of admission were excluded.
      Demographic data and injury characteristics were compared between groups.
      Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess hospital outcome measures
      and mortality rates. Estimates from an activity-based cost analysis model were
      used to detect changes in cost with transfusion protocol. RESULTS A total of 1565
      patients with TBI admitted to the ICU were included in the study. Multivariable
      analysis showed that a restrictive transfusion strategy was associated with fewer
      days of fever (p = 0.01) and that patients who received a transfusion had a
      larger fever burden. ICU length of stay, ventilator days, incidence of lung
      injury, thromboembolic events, and mortality rates were not significantly
      different between transfusion protocol groups. A restrictive transfusion protocol
      saved approximately $115,000 annually in hospital direct and indirect costs.
      CONCLUSIONS To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest study to date to
      compare transfusion protocols in patients with TBI. The results demonstrate that
      a hospital-wide change to a restrictive transfusion protocol is safe and cost
      effective in patients with TBI.

PMID- 28644102
TI  - Letter to the Editor. da Vinci robot-assisted transoral surgery for sellar
      tumors.

PMID- 28644103
TI  - Prognostic significance of intraoperative change in the fractional anisotropy and
      the volume of the optic chiasma during resection of suprasellar tumors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to test the prognostic significance of
      intraoperative changes in the fractional anisotropy (FA) and the volume of the
      optic chiasma and their correlation with visual outcome. METHODS Twenty-eight
      sequential patients with suprasellar tumors presenting with chiasma compression
      syndrome were surgically treated under intraoperative MRI control between March
      2014 and July 2016. The FA and the volume of the optic chiasma were measured
      immediately before and immediately after tumor resection. The visual impairment
      score (VIS) was used to quantify the severity of the ophthalmological
      disturbances before surgery, 10-14 days after surgery, and again 3 months
      thereafter. The change in the FA and the volume of the optic chiasma was
      correlated to the improvement of vision. The correlation between other predictors
      such as the age of the patients and the duration of symptoms and the visual
      outcome was tested. RESULTS The VIS improved significantly after surgery. The FA
      values of the optic chiasma decreased significantly after decompression, whereas
      the volume of the optic chiasma increased significantly after decompression. The
      early and delayed improvement of vision was strongly correlated to the decrease
      in the average FA and the increase of the volume of the optic chiasma. The
      duration of symptoms showed a significant negative correlation to the visual
      outcome. However, the decrease in the FA showed the strongest correlation to the
      improvement of the VIS, followed by the expansion of the optic chiasma, and then
      the duration of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The decrease in the FA and the expansion of
      the optic chiasma after its decompression are strong early predictors of the
      visual outcome. These parameters are also able to predict delayed improvement of
      vision.

PMID- 28644104
TI  - The association between blood eosinophil count and benralizumab efficacy for
      patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma: subanalyses of the Phase III SIROCCO
      and CALIMA studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Benralizumab, an anti-eosinophilic monoclonal antibody, in combination
      with high-dosage inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta2-agonists
      (ICS/LABA), significantly reduced asthma exacerbations, improved lung function,
      and reduced symptoms for patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma with blood
      eosinophil counts >=300 cells/MUL in the Phase III SIROCCO and CALIMA studies. To
      understand the efficacy and safety of benralizumab for patients with eosinophil
      driven disease with blood eosinophil counts lower than 300 cells/MUL, we
      evaluated the effect of applying an eosinophil cutoff of >=150 cells/MUL.
      METHODS: Adult patients with uncontrolled asthma despite high-dosage ICS/LABA +/-
      additional asthma controller(s) received subcutaneous benralizumab 30 mg every 8
      weeks (Q8W; first three doses every 4 weeks) or placebo for 48 (SIROCCO) or 56
      (CALIMA) weeks. Efficacy measures including annual exacerbation rate,
      prebronchodilator FEV1, and total asthma symptom score were analyzed by baseline
      blood eosinophil counts >=150 vs. <150 cells/MUL. RESULTS: Benralizumab reduced
      asthma exacerbation rates by 42% in SIROCCO (rate ratio = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.46
      0.74; p < 0.001; n = 325) and 36% in CALIMA (rate ratio = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.50
      0.81; p < 0.001; n = 300) vs. placebo (n = 306 for SIROCCO, n = 315 for CALIMA)
      for patients with blood eosinophil counts >=150 cells/MUL. Benralizumab increased
      prebronchodilator FEV1 (both studies, p <= 0.002) and improved total asthma
      symptom score in SIROCCO (p = 0.009) at end of treatment vs. placebo for patients
      with blood eosinophil counts >=150 cells/MUL. The overall adverse events
      frequency was similar between treatment groups and eosinophil count cohorts.
      CONCLUSION: These results support the efficacy and safety of benralizumab for
      patients with severe asthma and blood eosinophil counts >=150 cells/MUL.

PMID- 28644105
TI  - Time course analyses of orthographic and phonological priming effects in
      developing readers.
AB  - It has been assumed that fluent reading requires efficient integration of
      orthographic and phonological codes. However, it is thus far unclear how this
      integration process develops when children learn to become fluent readers.
      Therefore, we used masked priming to investigate time courses of orthographic and
      phonological code activation in children at incremental levels of reading
      development (second, fourth and sixth grade). The first study used targets with
      small phonological differences between phonological and orthographic primes,
      which are typical in transparent orthographies. The second study manipulated the
      strength of the phonological difference between prime and target to clarify
      whether phonological difference influences phonological priming effects. Results
      in both studies showed that orthographic priming effects became facilitative at
      increasingly short durations during reading development, but phonological priming
      was absent. These results are taken to suggest that development of reading
      fluency is accompanied by increased automatization of orthographic
      representations. The absence of phonological priming suggests that developing
      readers cannot yet activate phonological codes automatically.

PMID- 28644106
TI  - Viability and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Periodontal Ligament Progenitor
      Cells Are Maintained After Incubation With Porphyromonas gingivalis Protein
      Extract.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is a major periodontal pathogen that
      contains immunostimulatory components. Periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem
      cells (PDLMSCs) are responsible for regeneration of the periodontium that is lost
      due to periodontitis. Pathologic factors within the microenvironment that impair
      resident PDLMSCs are not well understood. The present study investigates in vitro
      the effects of Pg protein extract (PgPE) on biologic properties of CD105-enriched
      PDL progenitor cell populations (PDL-CD105+). METHODS: Five populations of PDL
      CD105+ cells were exposed to PgPE and assessed for cell viability, apoptosis, and
      proinflammatory gene expression (interleukin-1beta [IL-1beta], tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], and IL-6) by quantitative reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction, IL-6 immunostaining, activation of IL-6/signal
      transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 signaling pathway, and
      osteogenic differentiation potential. RESULTS: PgPE treatment (2 MUg/mL) did not
      affect cell viability or survival but induced a significant increase in IL-1beta,
      TNF-alpha, and IL-6 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and positive staining for IL
      6. A total of 29 genes from the IL-6/STAT3 pathway were upregulated on PgPE
      stimulation. These genes are related to biologic processes involved in the
      control of cell survival (B-cell lymphoma 2 [BCL2]), cell proliferation
      (hepatocytehepatocyte growth factor), cytokine-mediated signaling pathway
      (suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, C-X-C ligand 8 [CXCL8]), and response to
      stress (CXCL8, mitogen-activated protein kinase 3, BCL2-associated X protein, and
      BCL2). Additionally, PgPE treatment caused an increase in alkaline phosphatase
      mRNA expression in PDL-CD105+ cells after 7 days of osteogenic induction,
      although mineral nodule formation was comparable to the control group.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the inflammatory profile induced by PgPE
      treatment in PDL-CD105+ cells did not affect cell viability, apoptosis, or
      osteogenic differentiation, perhaps due to increased expression of genes involved
      in the control of cell proliferation and protection against cell death.

PMID- 28644108
TI  - Comparison of Periodontal Parameters and Self-Perceived Oral Symptoms Among
      Cigarette Smokers, Individuals Vaping Electronic Cigarettes, and Never-Smokers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To the authors' knowledge, there are no studies that have compared
      periodontal parameters and self-perceived oral symptoms (OSs) among cigarette
      smokers (CSs) (group 1), individuals exclusively vaping electronic cigarettes
      (group 2), and never-smokers (NSs) (group 3). The aim of this study is to assess
      periodontal parameters and self-perceived OSs among vaping individuals, CSs, and
      NSs. METHODS: Ninety-four male participants (groups 1, 2, and 3: 33, 31, and 30
      individuals, respectively) were included. Demographic data, self-perceived OSs,
      and duration and daily frequency of vaping and smoking were gathered using a
      questionnaire. Full-mouth plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing
      depth (PD) >=4 mm, and clinical attachment loss (AL) were measured; marginal bone
      loss (MBL) around all teeth was measured on digital radiographs. Numbers of
      missing teeth (MT) were also recorded. Odds ratios were calculated for OSs, and
      periodontal parameters were assessed using analysis of variance and Bonferroni
      post hoc tests. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: PI (P
      <0.01) and PD >=4 mm (P <0.01) were significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than
      in group 3. BOP was significantly higher in group 3 than in groups 1 (P <0.01)
      and 2 (P <0.01). There was no difference in number of MT, clinical AL, and MBL
      among all groups. Gingival pain was more often reported by individuals in group 1
      than by individuals in groups 2 (P <0.01) and 3 (P <0.01). CONCLUSION:
      Periodontal inflammation and self-perceived OSs were poorer among CSs than among
      vaping individuals and NSs.

PMID- 28644107
TI  - Gingival Perfusion and Tissue Biomarkers During Early Healing of Postextraction
      Regenerative Procedures: A Prospective Case Series.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Postextraction alveolar bone loss, mostly affecting the buccal plate,
      occurs despite regenerative procedures. To better understand possible
      determinants, this prospective case series assesses gingival blood perfusion and
      tissue molecular responses in relation to postextraction regenerative outcomes.
      METHODS: Adults scheduled to receive bone grafting in maxillary, non-molar,
      single-tooth extraction sites were recruited. Clinical documentation included the
      following: 1) probing depth (PD); 2) keratinized tissue width (KT); 3) tissue
      biotype (TB); and 4) plaque level. Wound closure was clinically evaluated.
      Gingival blood perfusion was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Wound
      fluid (WF) and gingival biopsies were analyzed for protein levels and gene
      expression, respectively, of relevant molecular markers. Bone healing outcomes
      were determined radiographically (cone-beam computed tomography). Healing was
      followed for 4 months. RESULTS: Data from 15 patients are reported.
      Postoperatively, neither complications nor changes in PD, KT, or TB were
      observed. LDF revealed decreased perfusion followed by hyperemia that persisted
      for 1 month (P <=0.05). WF levels of angiopoietin-2, interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and vascular endothelial growth factor peaked
      on day 6 (P <=0.05) and decreased thereafter. Only IL-8 and TNF-alpha exhibited
      increased gene expression. Linear bone changes were negligible. Volumetric bone
      changes were minimal but statistically significant, with more bone loss when
      membrane was used (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Gingival blood perfusion after
      postextraction bone regenerative procedures follows an ischemia-reperfusion
      model. Transient increases in angiogenic factor levels and prolonged hyperemia
      characterize the soft tissue response. These soft tissue responses do not
      determine radiographic bone changes.

PMID- 28644109
TI  - The timing of GIGANTEA expression during day/night cycles varies with the
      geographical origin of Arabidopsis accessions.
AB  - Latitudinal clines in circadian rhythms have consistently been described in
      various plant species, with the most recent examples appearing in soybean
      cultivars and in monkey flower natural populations. These latitudinal clines
      provide evidence that natural variation in circadian rhythms is adaptive, but it
      is still unclear what adaptive benefits this variation confers, particularly
      because circadian rhythms are not usually measured in day/night conditions that
      reflect those experienced by organisms in nature. Here, we report that daily
      rhythms of GIGANTEA expression respond to day length in a way that depends on the
      latitude of origin of Arabidopsis accessions. We additionally extend previous
      findings by confirming that natural variation in GI expression affects growth
      related traits, and alters the expression of different target genes. The results
      support the idea that natural variation in daily rhythms of expression have broad
      effects on plant development and are of potential adaptive value.

PMID- 28644110
TI  - Detailed magnetic resonance imaging features of a case series of primary
      gliosarcoma.
AB  - Objective We aimed to characterise the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features
      of a case series of primary gliosarcoma, with the inclusion of diffusion-weighted
      imaging and perfusion imaging with dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI. Materials
      and methods We conducted a retrospective study of cases of primary gliosarcoma
      from the Pathology Department database from January 2006 to December 2014.
      Clinical and demographic data were obtained. Two neuroradiologists, blinded to
      diagnosis, assessed tumour location, signal intensity in T1 and T2-weighted
      images, pattern of enhancement, diffusion-weighted imaging and dynamic
      susceptibility contrast MRI studies on preoperative MRI. Results Seventeen
      patients with primary gliosarcomas had preoperative MRI study: seven men and 10
      women, with a mean age of 59 years (range 27-74). All lesions were well
      demarcated, supratentorial and solitary (frontal n = 5, temporal n = 4, parietal
      n = 3); 13 tumours abutted the dural surface (8/13 with dural enhancement); T1
      and T2-weighted imaging patterns were heterogeneous and the majority of lesions
      (12/17) showed a rim-like enhancement pattern with focal nodularities/irregular
      thickness. Restricted diffusion (mean apparent diffusion coefficient values 0.64
      * 10-3 mm2/s) in the more solid/thick components was present in eight out of 11
      patients with diffusion-weighted imaging study. Dynamic susceptibility contrast
      MRI study ( n = 8) consistently showed hyperperfusion in non-necrotic/cystic
      components on relative cerebral volume maps. Conclusions The main distinguishing
      features of primary gliosarcoma are supratentorial and peripheral location, well
      defined boundaries and a rim-like pattern of enhancement with an irregular thick
      wall. Diffusion-weighted imaging and relative cerebral volume map analysis
      paralleled primary gliosarcoma with high-grade gliomas, thus proving helpful in
      differential diagnosis.

PMID- 28644111
TI  - Visual dot interaction with short-term memory.
AB  - AIM: Many neurodegenerative diseases have a memory component. Brain structures
      related to memory are affected by environmental stimuli, and it is difficult to
      dissociate effects of all behavior of neurons. MATERIALS & METHODS: Here, visual
      cortex of mice was stimulated with gratings and dot, and an observation of
      neuronal activity before and after was made. Bandwidth, firing rate and
      orientation selectivity index were evaluated. RESULTS: A primary communication
      between primary visual cortex and short-term memory appeared to show an
      interesting path to train cognitive circuitry and investigate the basics
      mechanisms of the neuronal learning. The findings also suggested the interplay
      between primary visual cortex and short-term plasticity. CONCLUSION: The
      properties inside a visual target shape the perception and affect the basic
      encoding. Using visual cortex, it may be possible to train the memory and improve
      the recovery of people with cognitive disabilities or memory deficit.

PMID- 28644113
TI  - The importance and development of ball control and (self-reported) self
      regulatory skills in basketball players for different positions.
AB  - This study first investigated the importance of ball control and (self-reported)
      self-regulatory skills in achieving the elite level in basketball. The second aim
      was to gain insight into the development of, and association between ball control
      and (self-reported) self-regulatory skills that contribute to achieving the elite
      level, with taking into account positional differences. Talented male players (N
      = 73; age 16.56 +/- 1.96) completed the STARtest to measure ball control and a
      questionnaire to measure (self-reported) self-regulation from 2008-2012. Results
      showed that (self-reported) reflective skills were most important to achieve the
      elite level (OR = 11.76; P < 0.05). There was no significant improvement in (self
      reported) reflection over time for guards, forwards, and centers. Improvement in
      ball control was evident for guards (r = -0.65; P < 0.05). Furthermore, guards
      and forwards had better ball control compared to centers (P < 0.01). For those
      two positions, negative correlations were found between (self-reported)
      reflection and ball control, i.e., higher reflection was related to better ball
      control (guards r = -0.19; forwards r = -0.18) in contrast to centers (r = 0.34).
      It is concluded that (self-reported) reflective skills are important to achieve
      the elite level, while ball control seems especially important for guards.

PMID- 28644112
TI  - Susac syndrome misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis with exacerbation by interferon
      beta therapy.
AB  - Susac syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder characterised by the clinical triad
      of encephalopathy, retinopathy (branch retinal artery occlusions) and hearing
      loss. The diagnosis of Susac syndrome may be difficult initially, and it is not
      uncommon for patients with Susac syndrome to be misdiagnosed with multiple
      sclerosis. In this case report, we describe a patient who was diagnosed as having
      multiple sclerosis for three years, with further deterioration after starting
      treatment with interferon beta-1a. The patient had the triad of encephalopathy,
      branch retinal artery occlusions and sensorineural hearing loss. She had the
      classic magnetic resonance imaging appearance, with normal magnetic resonance
      imaging of the spinal cord and absence of oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal
      fluid. Our patient responded well to treatment with a combination therapy and
      discontinuation of interferon beta-1a. Our observations raise awareness about the
      importance of the early and correct diagnosis of Susac syndrome, which usually
      affects young patients, with an excellent prognosis if treated aggressively at an
      early stage of the disease. Susac syndrome is underdiagnosed and is not
      uncommonly misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis. Susac syndrome is a great mimicker
      of multiple sclerosis, and establishing diagnostic criteria for this syndrome is
      very useful. In any patient presenting with a progressive disabling neurological
      disorder associated with callosal lesions and/or hearing loss, and/or visual loss
      especially in women, Susac syndrome should be suspected.

PMID- 28644115
TI  - Evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of lightweight fibreglass
      heel casts in the management of ulcers of the heel in diabetes: a randomised
      controlled trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ulcers of the foot in people with diabetes mellitus are slow to heal
      and result in considerable cost and patient suffering. The prognosis is worst for
      ulcers of the heel. OBJECTIVE: To assess both the clinical effectiveness and the
      cost-effectiveness of lightweight fibreglass casts in the management of heel
      ulcers. DESIGN: A pragmatic, multicentre, parallel, observer-blinded randomised
      controlled trial. A central randomisation centre used a computer-generated random
      number sequence to allocate participants to groups. SETTING: Thirty-five
      specialist diabetic foot secondary care centres in the UK. Those recruited were
      aged >= 18 years and had diabetes mellitus complicated by ulcers of the heel of
      grades 2-4 on the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and European Pressure
      Ulcer Advisory Panel scale. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 509 participants [68% male,
      15% with type 1 diabetes mellitus, mean age 67.5 years (standard deviation 12.4
      years)] were randomised 1 : 1 to the intervention (n = 256) or the control (n =
      253) arm. The primary outcome data were available for 425 participants (212 from
      the intervention arm and 213 from the control arm) and exceeded the total
      required; attrition was 16.5%. The median ulcer area at baseline was 275 mm2
      [interquartile range (IQR) 104-683 mm2] in the intervention group and 206 mm2
      (IQR 77-649 mm2) in the control group. There were no differences between the two
      groups at baseline in any parameter, neither in relation to the participant nor
      in relation to their ulcer. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention group received usual
      care supplemented by the addition of an individually moulded, lightweight,
      fibreglass heel cast. The control group received usual care alone. The
      intervention phase continued either until the participant's ulcer had healed
      (maintained for 28 days) or for 24 weeks, whichever occurred first. During this
      intervention phase, the participants were reviewed every 2 weeks, and the
      fibreglass casts were replaced when they were no longer usable. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was ulcer healing (confirmed by a blinded
      observer and maintained for 4 weeks) within 24 weeks. Other outcome measures
      included the time taken for the ulcer to heal, the percentage reduction in the
      cross-sectional area, the reduction in local pain, amputation, survival and
      health economic analysis. The study was powered to define a difference in healing
      of 15% (55% intervention vs. 40% control). RESULTS: Forty-four per cent (n = 94)
      of the intervention group healed within 24 weeks, compared with 37% (n = 80) of
      the control participants (odds ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 2.14;
      p = 0.088), using an intention-to-treat analysis. No differences were observed
      between the two groups for any secondary outcome. LIMITATIONS: Although the
      component items of care were standardised, because this was a pragmatic trial,
      usual care was not uniform. There was some evidence of a small excess of adverse
      events in the intervention group; however, non-blinded observers documented these
      events. There was no excess of adverse device effects. CONCLUSIONS: There may be
      a small increase in healing with the use of a heel cast, but the estimate was not
      sufficiently precise to provide strong evidence of an effect. There was no
      evidence of any subgroup in which the intervention appeared to be particularly
      effective. A health economic analysis suggested that it is unlikely that the
      intervention represents good value for money. The provision of a lightweight heel
      cast may be of benefit to some individuals, but we have found no evidence to
      justify the routine adoption of this in clinical practice. FUTURE WORK: It is
      unlikely that further study of this intervention will have an impact on usual
      clinical care, and so future efforts should be directed towards other
      interventions designed to improve the healing of ulcers in this population. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN62524796. FUNDING: This project was
      funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology
      Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology
      Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 34. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further
      project information.

PMID- 28644116
TI  - Axillary Intraneural Ganglion Cysts.
AB  - Aside from affecting the stability of the glenohumeral joint, tears in the joint
      capsule can give rise to extraneural (paralabral) and, very rarely, intraneural
      ganglion cysts. This report presents the first two cases of axillary intraneural
      ganglion cysts in the literature with magnetic resonance imaging. Both cases were
      incidentally noted to have coexisting lesions (lymphadenopathy from an
      undifferentiated malignancy and suprascapular nerve entrapment, respectively).
      This report reinforces the applicability of the articular theory for intraneural
      ganglion cysts at a novel site.

PMID- 28644117
TI  - Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty for Complex Three- and Four-Part Proximal
      Humerus Fractures in Elderly Patients: A Review.
AB  - Complex proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients represent a difficult
      problem for orthopaedic surgeons. Classically, treatment methods have included
      nonoperative management, open reduction and internal fixation, and
      hemiarthroplasty. Outcomes of nonoperative management for these complex fractures
      have been poor, and results of traditional operative techniques are variable at
      best. Over the past several years, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has
      been increasingly employed in these injuries with encouraging results. RTSA may
      represent a valuable treatment option for select patients. This article reviews
      the existing data on RTSA in the treatment of complex proximal humerus fractures
      in the elderly population as well as the authors' experience with this technique.

PMID- 28644118
TI  - Insurance-Mandated Stay Prolongs Hospitalization Following Total Shoulder
      Arthroplasty.
AB  - Medicare currently requires a 3-night hospitalization for a patient to be
      considered for skilled nursing facility (SNF) placement. The purpose of this
      study was to analyze the relationship between length of stay and (a) insurance
      status and (b) readmission rates in Medicare-age patients undergoing primary
      total shoulder arthroplasty. A retrospective review of 251 primary consecutive
      total shoulder arthroplasty cases was performed. In patients discharged to SNF,
      Medicare insurance was associated with a significantly longer hospital stay (p <
      .001) compared with patients with private insurance. Readmission rates for
      Medicare and private insurance patients were similar at 30 and 90 days after
      surgery (p = 1.000). Ninety-five percent of Medicare patients discharged to SNF
      had a prolonged hospital stay primarily to fulfill the 3-night requirement. These
      findings call into question the necessity of the current 3-night inpatient
      hospitalization requirement for facility placement following total shoulder
      arthroplasty.

PMID- 28644114
TI  - Midostaurin plus Chemotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia with a FLT3 Mutation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a FLT3 mutation have
      poor outcomes. We conducted a phase 3 trial to determine whether the addition of
      midostaurin - an oral multitargeted kinase inhibitor that is active in patients
      with a FLT3 mutation - to standard chemotherapy would prolong overall survival in
      this population. METHODS: We screened 3277 patients, 18 to 59 years of age, who
      had newly diagnosed AML for FLT3 mutations. Patients were randomly assigned to
      receive standard chemotherapy (induction therapy with daunorubicin and cytarabine
      and consolidation therapy with high-dose cytarabine) plus either midostaurin or
      placebo; those who were in remission after consolidation therapy entered a
      maintenance phase in which they received either midostaurin or placebo.
      Randomization was stratified according to subtype of FLT3 mutation: point
      mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) or internal tandem duplication (ITD)
      mutation with either a high ratio (>0.7) or a low ratio (0.05 to 0.7) of mutant
      to wild-type alleles (ITD [high] and ITD [low], respectively). Allogeneic
      transplantation was allowed. The primary end point was overall survival. RESULTS:
      A total of 717 patients underwent randomization; 360 were assigned to the
      midostaurin group, and 357 to the placebo group. The FLT3 subtype was ITD (high)
      in 214 patients, ITD (low) in 341 patients, and TKD in 162 patients. The
      treatment groups were well balanced with respect to age, race, FLT3 subtype,
      cytogenetic risk, and blood counts but not with respect to sex (51.7% in the
      midostaurin group vs. 59.4% in the placebo group were women, P=0.04). Overall
      survival was significantly longer in the midostaurin group than in the placebo
      group (hazard ratio for death, 0.78; one-sided P=0.009), as was event-free
      survival (hazard ratio for event or death, 0.78; one-sided P=0.002). In both the
      primary analysis and an analysis in which data for patients who underwent
      transplantation were censored, the benefit of midostaurin was consistent across
      all FLT3 subtypes. The rate of severe adverse events was similar in the two
      groups. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of the multitargeted kinase inhibitor
      midostaurin to standard chemotherapy significantly prolonged overall and event
      free survival among patients with AML and a FLT3 mutation. (Funded by the
      National Cancer Institute and Novartis; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00651261
      .).

PMID- 28644119
TI  - Damage Control Plating in Open Tibial Shaft Fractures: A Cheaper and Equally
      Effective Alternative to Spanning External Fixation.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate damage control plating (DCP) as an
      alternative to external fixation (EF) in the provisional stabilization of open
      tibial shaft fractures. Through retrospective analysis, the study found 445
      patients who underwent operative fixation for tibial shaft fractures from 2008 to
      2012. Twenty patients received DCP or EF before intramedullary nailing with a
      minimum follow-up of 3 months. Charts and radiographs were reviewed for
      postoperative complications. Hospital charges were reviewed for implant costs.
      Nine patients (45%) with DCP and 11 patients (55%) with EF were analyzed. There
      was no significant difference in the complication rates. The mean implant cost of
      DCP was $1028, whereas mean EF construct cost was $4204. Therefore, DCP resulted
      in significant cost savings with no difference in complication rates, making it a
      valuable alternative to EF for the provisional stabilization of open tibial shaft
      fractures.

PMID- 28644120
TI  - A Process Improvement Evaluation of Sequential Compression Device Compliance and
      Effects of Provider Intervention.
AB  - This process improvement study sought to evaluate the compliance in orthopaedic
      patients with sequential compression devices and to monitor any improvement in
      compliance following an educational intervention. All non-intensive care unit
      orthopaedic primary patients were evaluated at random times and their compliance
      with sequential compression devices was monitored and recorded. Following a 2
      week period of data collection, an educational flyer was displayed in every
      patient's room and nursing staff held an in-service training event focusing on
      the importance of sequential compression device use in the surgical patient.
      Patients were then monitored, again at random, and compliance was recorded. With
      the addition of a simple flyer and a single in-service on the importance of
      mechanical compression in the surgical patient, a significant improvement in
      compliance was documented at the authors' institution from 28% to 59% (p <
      .0001).

PMID- 28644121
TI  - Intercondylar Fractures of the Distal Humerus in Patients Younger Than 20 Years:
      Capsulectomy Results.
AB  - Few reports in the literature have been dedicated to young patients with distal
      fractures of the humerus, and few have addressed subsequent indications to
      improve range of motion (ROM). This article is a retrospective review of the
      elbow flexion-extension ROM in 31 patients (age, 12-19 years) who had been
      treated with open reduction and internal fixation of intercondylar fractures of
      the distal humerus at a level I trauma center from 1991 through 2013. The ROM of
      patients who underwent capsulectomy was compared with that of those who did not.
      Main outcome measures were ROM in degrees and need for capsulectomy. Nine (29%)
      of the 31 patients had elected to undergo capsulectomy. Eleven did not require
      capsulectomy. The final flexion-extension arc was improved by 31 degrees 
      compared with the precapsulectomy ROM but did not attain the ROM of those who did
      not undergo capsulectomy.

PMID- 28644122
TI  - Fluoroscopic Exposure With Use of Mini-C-Arm During Routine Hand Surgery: A
      Prospective Comparison of Hand Versus Eye Radiation Dosage.
AB  - Radiation exposure with use of intraoperative fluoroscopy is a potential
      orthopedic occupational risk factor. The purpose of this study was to perform a
      prospective comparison of hand versus eye radiation exposure associated with mini
      C-arm utilization and to test the hypothesis that routine mini-C-arm does not
      yield hand or eye dosages exceeding current recommended levels. Over a 12-month
      period, hand and eye radiation exposure was prospectively measured in a single
      board-certified hand surgeon using mini-C-arm fluoroscopy. Twenty-five cases were
      performed utilizing mini-C-arm fluoroscopy. Average monthly hand radiation dosage
      (45.81+/-14.49 mrem) was significantly higher (p = .01) than eye radiation dosage
      (<30 mrem). Both recorded values were below their respective critical exposure
      limits, as reported by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.
      The findings suggest that hand and eye exposure associated with mini-C-arm
      utilization during routine surgery does not approach reported levels of critical
      radiation loads.

PMID- 28644123
TI  - Pin Malposition in External Fixator Stabilization of Combat-Related Pelvic
      Fractures.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of pin placement in
      patients with unstable pelvic fractures undergoing either iliac crest or supra
      acetabular external fixation. A retrospective review was performed of computed
      tomography (CT) scans and injury characteristics for all patients presenting to a
      North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medical Treatment Facility with data entered
      into the Department of Defense Trauma Registry from January 2008 to October 2013
      who underwent pelvic external fixation for unstable pelvic ring injuries. Thirty
      two patients were analyzed. Sixteen patients underwent damage control iliac crest
      based and 16 patients underwent supra-acetabular-based external fixation. There
      was no significant difference in patient characteristics at presentation between
      the two groups. Pin malposition rate on CT scan was 50/64 (78.1%) for the iliac
      crest group and 3/32 (9.4%) for the supra-acetabular group. Pin malposition was
      correlated with increasing Injury Severity Score, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)
      head score, and AIS face score. The review concluded that iliac crest-based
      external fixation has a significantly higher rate of pin malposition than supra
      acetabular-based external fixation.

PMID- 28644124
TI  - Scapulothoracic Joint Dysfunction.
AB  - Scapulothoracic derangements are often overlooked and hidden within the clinical
      fog created by complex back, shoulder, and rib symptoms. This study reviewed 200
      magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography studies dedicated for scapular
      imaging between January 2010 and May 2016. This article discusses scapulothoracic
      pathologies and imaging findings.

PMID- 28644125
TI  - Exploiting CRISPR-Cas to manipulate Enterococcus faecalis populations.
AB  - CRISPR-Cas provides a barrier to horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes. It was
      previously observed that functional CRISPR-Cas systems are absent from multidrug
      resistant (MDR) Enterococcus faecalis, which only possess an orphan CRISPR locus,
      termed CRISPR2, lacking cas genes. Here, we investigate how the interplay between
      CRISPR-Cas genome defense and antibiotic selection for mobile genetic elements
      shapes in vitro E. faecalis populations. We demonstrate that CRISPR2 can be
      reactivated for genome defense in MDR strains. Interestingly, we observe that E.
      faecalis transiently maintains CRISPR targets despite active CRISPR-Cas systems.
      Subsequently, if selection for the CRISPR target is present, toxic CRISPR spacers
      are lost over time, while in the absence of selection, CRISPR targets are lost
      over time. We find that forced maintenance of CRISPR targets induces a fitness
      cost that can be exploited to alter heterogeneous E. faecalis populations.

PMID- 28644126
TI  - Extensive horizontal gene transfer in cheese-associated bacteria.
AB  - Acquisition of genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows microbes to
      rapidly gain new capabilities and adapt to new or changing environments.
      Identifying widespread HGT regions within multispecies microbiomes can pinpoint
      the molecular mechanisms that play key roles in microbiome assembly. We sought to
      identify horizontally transferred genes within a model microbiome, the cheese
      rind. Comparing 31 newly sequenced and 134 previously sequenced bacterial
      isolates from cheese rinds, we identified over 200 putative horizontally
      transferred genomic regions containing 4733 protein coding genes. The largest of
      these regions are enriched for genes involved in siderophore acquisition, and are
      widely distributed in cheese rinds in both Europe and the US. These results
      suggest that HGT is prevalent in cheese rind microbiomes, and that identification
      of genes that are frequently transferred in a particular environment may provide
      insight into the selective forces shaping microbial communities.

PMID- 28644149
TI  - Thermal transport in monolayer InSe.
AB  - Two-dimensional InSe, a recently synthesized semiconductor having a moderate band
      gap, has gained attention due to its ultra high mobility and high photo
      responsivity. In this work, we calculate the lattice thermal conductivity (kappa)
      of monolayer InSe by solving the phonon Boltzmann transport equation (BTE) with
      first-principles calculated inter atomic force constants. kappa of monolayer InSe
      is isotropic and found to be around 27.6 W m [Formula: see text] at room
      temperature along the in-plane direction. The size dependence of kappa shows the
      size effect can persist up to 20 MUm. Further, kappa can be reduced to half by
      tuning the sample size to 300 nm. This low value suggests that kappa might be a
      limiting factor for emerging nanoelectronic applications of monolayer InSe.

PMID- 28644150
TI  - Rapid fluorescence lifetime estimation with modified phasor approach and Laguerre
      deconvolution: a comparative study.
AB  - Fluorescence lifetime imaging has been shown to serve as a valuable tool for
      interrogating and diagnosis of biological tissue at a mesoscopic level. The
      ability to analyze fluorescence decay curves to extract lifetime values in real
      time is crucial for clinical translation and applications such as tumor margin
      delineation or intracoronary imaging of atherosclerotic plaques. In this work, we
      compare the performance of two popular non-parametric (fit-free) methods for
      determining lifetime values from fluorescence decays in real-time-the Phasor
      approach and Laguerre deconvolution. We demonstrate results from simulated and
      experimental data to compare the accuracy and speed of both methods and their
      dependence on noise and model parameters.

PMID- 28644127
TI  - MPI depletion enhances O-GlcNAcylation of p53 and suppresses the Warburg effect.
AB  - Rapid cellular proliferation in early development and cancer depends on glucose
      metabolism to fuel macromolecule biosynthesis. Metabolic enzymes are presumed
      regulators of this glycolysis-driven metabolic program, known as the Warburg
      effect; however, few have been identified. We uncover a previously unappreciated
      role for Mannose phosphate isomerase (MPI) as a metabolic enzyme required to
      maintain Warburg metabolism in zebrafish embryos and in both primary and
      malignant mammalian cells. The functional consequences of MPI loss are striking:
      glycolysis is blocked and cells die. These phenotypes are caused by induction of
      p53 and accumulation of the glycolytic intermediate fructose 6-phosphate, leading
      to engagement of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), increased O
      GlcNAcylation, and p53 stabilization. Inhibiting the HBP through genetic and
      chemical methods reverses p53 stabilization and rescues the Mpi-deficient
      phenotype. This work provides mechanistic evidence by which MPI loss induces p53,
      and identifies MPI as a novel regulator of p53 and Warburg metabolism.

PMID- 28644152
TI  - Incorporating HYPR de-noising within iterative PET reconstruction (HYPR-OSEM).
AB  - HighlY constrained back-PRojection (HYPR) is a post-processing de-noising
      technique originally developed for time-resolved magnetic resonance imaging. It
      has been recently applied to dynamic imaging for positron emission tomography and
      shown promising results. In this work, we have developed an iterative
      reconstruction algorithm (HYPR-OSEM) which improves the signal-to-noise ratio
      (SNR) in static imaging (i.e. single frame reconstruction) by incorporating HYPR
      de-noising directly within the ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM)
      algorithm. The proposed HYPR operator in this work operates on the target
      image(s) from each subset of OSEM and uses the sum of the preceding subset images
      as the composite which is updated every iteration. Three strategies were used to
      apply the HYPR operator in OSEM: (i) within the image space modeling component of
      the system matrix in forward-projection only, (ii) within the image space
      modeling component in both forward-projection and back-projection, and (iii) on
      the image estimate after the OSEM update for each subset thus generating three
      forms: (i) HYPR-F-OSEM, (ii) HYPR-FB-OSEM, and (iii) HYPR-AU-OSEM. Resolution and
      contrast phantom simulations with various sizes of hot and cold regions as well
      as experimental phantom and patient data were used to evaluate the performance of
      the three forms of HYPR-OSEM, and the results were compared to OSEM with and
      without a post reconstruction filter. It was observed that the convergence in
      contrast recovery coefficients (CRC) obtained from all forms of HYPR-OSEM was
      slower than that obtained from OSEM. Nevertheless, HYPR-OSEM improved SNR without
      degrading accuracy in terms of resolution and contrast. It achieved better
      accuracy in CRC at equivalent noise level and better precision than OSEM and
      better accuracy than filtered OSEM in general. In addition, HYPR-AU-OSEM has been
      determined to be the more effective form of HYPR-OSEM in terms of accuracy and
      precision based on the studies conducted in this work.

PMID- 28644151
TI  - ECG-based 4D-dose reconstruction of cardiac arrhythmia ablation with carbon ion
      beams: application in a porcine model.
AB  - Noninvasive ablation of cardiac arrhythmia by scanned particle radiotherapy is
      highly promising, but especially challenging due to cardiac and respiratory
      motion. Irradiations for catheter-free ablation in intact pigs were carried out
      at the GSI Helmholtz Center in Darmstadt using scanned carbon ions. Here, we
      present real-time electrocardiogram (ECG) data to estimate time-resolved (4D)
      delivered dose. For 11 animals, surface ECGs and temporal structure of beam
      delivery were acquired during irradiation. R waves were automatically detected
      from surface ECGs. Pre-treatment ECG-triggered 4D-CT phases were synchronized to
      the R-R interval. 4D-dose calculation was performed using GSI's in-house 4D
      treatment planning system. Resulting dose distributions were assessed with
      respect to coverage (D95 and V95), heterogeneity (HI  =  D5-D95) and normal
      tissue exposure. Final results shown here were performed offline, but first
      calculations were started shortly after irradiation The D95 for TV and PTV was
      above 95% for 10 and 8 out of 11 animals, respectively. HI was reduced for PTV
      versus TV volumes, especially for some of the animals targeted at the
      atrioventricular junction, indicating residual interplay effects due to cardiac
      motion. Risk structure exposure was comparable to static and 4D treatment
      planning simulations. ECG-based 4D-dose reconstruction is technically feasible in
      a patient treatment-like setting. Further development of the presented approach,
      such as real-time dose calculation, may contribute to safe, successful treatments
      using scanned ion beams for cardiac arrhythmia ablation.

PMID- 28644153
TI  - Louisiana Physicians Are Increasing HPV Vaccination Rates.
AB  - Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a common virus that can cause genital warts and
      certain cancers. The HPV vaccine is effective in preventing many HPV-associated
      diseases, however, vaccination rates suggest many remain unprotected. This study
      examined successful strategies used by physicians to improve HPV vaccination
      rates. Providers with above average vaccination rates were identified. A
      representative from each provider participated in an interview to identify
      strategies used to boost HPV vaccination. Key strategies in ensuring vaccine
      completion were reminders, education, standing orders, and scheduling future
      vaccine appointments at time of first dose. Other successful strategies included
      coupling the HPV vaccine with adolescent vaccines, administering during well
      visits, and recommending the vaccine as protection against cancer and genital
      warts. Findings suggest successful and widely used methods among high performing
      providers in Louisiana, the majority of which should be easily reproducible with
      minimal resources to improve HPV vaccination rates.

PMID- 28644154
TI  - Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Concomitant
      Presentation of Two Molecularly Distinct Entities.
AB  - Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) developing in patients with chronic lymphocytic
      leukemia (CLL) is very uncommon and usually associated with prior treatment.
      Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) accounts for a very small proportion of
      treatment-associated AML. So far, there has been only one reported case of APL
      occurring post radiation for prostate cancer in a patient with CLL. We report
      herein the first case of APL and CLL presenting concomitantly in an untreated
      patient. Evaluation of peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate with
      immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and FISH to confirm two morphologically,
      molecularly and genetically distinct leukemic populations characteristic of APL
      and CLL is required. APL is a hematologic emergency, and aggressive management is
      vital to a successful therapeutic outcome. Standard treatment is with All-trans
      retinoic acid (ATRA) and anthracycline-based regimen, whether the process is de
      novo or therapy-related. Due to increased incidence of secondary malignancies in
      CLL patients, active surveillance is necessary.

PMID- 28644155
TI  - Transvenous Before Surgical Hybrid Procedure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Historically, persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF) and long standing
      persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPeAF) have demonstrated limited clinical
      success despite hybrid approaches. OBJECTIVE: We describe our experience with the
      endocardial-before-epicardial approach defined by a comprehensive endovascular
      approach preceding and guiding the epicardial approach which includes an
      extensive posterior wall ablation. METHODS: 40 patients were followed over a 12
      month period. The procedure was performed in a single center. Patients had a mean
      duration of atrial fibrillation of 6.0 +/- 4.5 years with 22.5% having undergone
      prior ablations. Mean age was 61.7 +/- 7.9 years with a mean left atrial volume
      of 131.5 +/- 46.9 mL. The endovascular procedure remained uniform with antral
      pulmonary vein isolation, posterior left atrial roof and right atrial cavo
      tricuspid isthmus (CTI) linear lesions with mapping and ablation of left atrial
      complex electrograms (CFAEs) and prior existing atrial arrhythmias. The
      epicardial procedure included a thorascopic approach with ganglionated plexus
      (GP) mapping and ablation, left atrial posterior wall ablation, directed CFAE
      ablation and left atrial appendage ligation. All patients received implantable
      cardiac monitoring. RESULTS: All 40 patients remained in sinus rhythm at their 12
      month follow-up. During the monitoring period, episodes of paroxysmal atrial
      arrhythmias including fibrillation were documented, without persistence, after
      discontinuation of oral antiarrhythmic medications. CONCLUSION: The endo-before
      epi approach resulted in improved management of persistent and long standing
      persistent atrial fibrillation over reported results for conventional approaches
      with no procedural complications, making this a promising option for the
      management of these arrhythmias.

PMID- 28644156
TI  - Clinical Case of the Month: A 57-Year-Old Man with an Axillary Mass.
AB  - A 57-year-old man presented to the surgical oncology clinic with a mildly tender
      mass under his right arm. Four years prior, the patient had a melanoma removed
      from his right shoulder along with an ipsilateral right axillary sentinel lymph
      sampling. Computed tomography (CT) scan was negative for metastatic disease at
      that time. The patient did not undergo completion axillary node dissection and
      was lost to follow-up. The patient was originally from Australia, did not tan but
      reported multiple sunburns before age 18. He was of Irish ancestry. He denied
      weight gain, fever, fatigue, anorexia, or night sweats. The patient had a medical
      history of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, gout, melanoma, and benign
      prostatic hypertrophy. His surgical history included an appendectomy and a facial
      laceration repair. His brother died at 16 years old from leukemia and his mother
      died from colon cancer. He consumed 3 alcoholic beverages per day and denied
      tobacco or illicit drug use. On physical exam, the patient's temperature was 98.8
      degrees  Fahrenheit, heart rate of 73 beats / minute, blood pressure of 121 / 59
      mm Hg, respiratory rate of 18 / min. He appeared to be healthy and in no apparent
      distress. Cardiovascular, respiratory, breast, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal,
      and neurological exam were unremarkable. His right axillary lymph node exam
      revealed a firm mass roughly 2.5 cm tall by 1.5 cm wide. This mass was biopsied
      and findings were consistent with metastatic melanoma. CT scan revealed small
      volume mediastinal adenopathy and a 4.5 cm right axillary mass. There was a 4.7
      cm lesion within the anterior left lower lobe of the liver and periportal node
      conglomerate measuring 3.9 cm consistent with metastatic disease (Figure 1). He
      was negative for the BRAF V600E mutation. The patient was consented for treatment
      with combination immune checkpoint inhibition with ipilimumab and nivolumab.
      After two cycles the patient showed good response, but temporarily stopped
      treatment after complications related to a ST segment elevation myocardial
      infarction. He developed mild pneumonitis felt to be related to nivolumab, and
      recovered after a short course of glucocorticosteroids. Restaging CT scans were
      ordered after two cycles of therapy (Figure 2), which showed decrease in the size
      of the axillary and hepatic metastases. At six months, CT scans showed continued
      durable response (Figure 3).

PMID- 28644157
TI  - ECG Case of the Month: Chest Pain and ECG Abnormalities.
AB  - A 27-year-old man was admitted to the coronary care unit because of chest pain
      and an electrocardiogram (ECG) read by the computer as an inferior infarct and
      left ventricular hypertrophy (Figure).

PMID- 28644158
TI  - Radiology Case of the Month: Idiopathic CD4 Lymphocytopenia.
AB  - A 39 year-old male with a history of diabetes, retinitis pigmentosa, and genital
      warts presented with intractable occipital headaches accompanied with nausea and
      vomiting. The patient had markedly depressed CD4 counts. Furthermore the patient
      tested negative for HIV and HTLV 1/2 and had normal immunoglobulin levels. During
      hospital course the patient underwent a lumbar puncture and multiple imaging
      exams, including both CT and MR. Except for occasional nausea and vomiting
      controlled by therapeutic lumbar punctures, phenergan, and dilaudid the patient's
      hospital course was uncomplicated.

PMID- 28644159
TI  - Investigation of the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey in
      Collegiate Athletes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the Rosenbaum
      Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (RoCKAS) is an appropriate outcome
      measure to assess knowledge and attitudes toward concussion in collegiate student
      athletes as determined through validity and reliability testing. STUDY DESIGN:
      Convenience study. SETTING: The researcher recruited all athletic teams at a
      Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association institution. PARTICIPANTS:
      Four hundred thirty-three collegiate student-athletes, 18 years of age or older,
      from a variety of sports took part in this study. As the validity of RoCKAS has
      never been established for the target population, this study randomly split
      respondents into 2 studies. INTERVENTIONS: Participants in this study completed
      the RoCKAS during preseason meetings before concussion education. The primary
      researcher was not present during the completion of the survey to allow
      participants to answer honestly without concern of coercion. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: A paper-based Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey.
      RESULTS: The Concussion Knowledge Index (CKI) was distributed in 2 cluster
      constructs and identified variables of low and high difficulty. Multivariate
      statistical analysis of the Concussion Attitude Index (CAI) explains 68.79% of
      the total variance. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis did not confirm the
      hypothesis that similar constructs can be found between data sets ((Equation is
      included in full-text article.)= 207.902; consistent akaike information criterion
      = 391.550; root mean square error of approximation = 0.125, and goodness of fit
      index = 0.868). CONCLUSIONS: The CKI is a valid and reliable measure in
      collegiate student-athletes. However, the results of the Confirmatory Factor
      Analysis indicated a poor model fit and improper correlations between attitude
      items. Therefore, the CAI may not be a sound outcome measure of collegiate
      student-athlete's attitudes toward concussions.

PMID- 28644160
TI  - Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide-Targeted Therapies for Migraine and Cluster
      Headache: A Review.
AB  - Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a signaling neuropeptide released from
      activated trigeminal sensory afferents in headache and facial pain disorders.
      There are a handful of CGRP-targeted therapies currently in phase 3 studies for
      migraine acute treatment or prevention. Currently, 4 monoclonal antibodies
      targeting either the CGRP ligand or receptor are being studied for migraine
      prevention: ALD403 (eptinezumab), AMG 334 (erenumab), LY2951742 (galcanezumab),
      and TEV-48125 (fremanezumab). Meanwhile, 1 small-molecule CGRP receptor
      antagonist (ubrogepant, MK-1602) is currently in phase 3 studies for the acute
      treatment of migraine. Two of these anti-CGRP monoclonal antibodies are in
      clinical trials for cluster headache prevention as well. Several other small
      molecular CGRP receptor antagonists are in earlier stages of development for
      acute migraine treatment or prevention. In this review, we will discuss the
      growing body of clinical trials studying CGRP-targeted therapies for migraine and
      cluster headache.

PMID- 28644161
TI  - Agreement Between Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Pathologic Findings in the Tumor
      Size Evaluation Before and After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Treatment: A
      Prospective Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare the agreement between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      results and postsurgical pathologic findings for tumor size evaluation in
      cervical cancer patients before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT)
      treatment. METHODS: The study analyzed the agreement between pretreatment MRI
      results and postsurgical pathologic findings about the tumor size in 100 cervical
      cancer patients without NACT and 397 cervical cancer patients with NACT,
      respectively. RESULTS: In general, the agreement between pretreatment MRI results
      and postsurgical pathologic findings of tumor size was 0.855 (95% confidence
      interval [CI], 0.763-0.909) in cervical cancer patients without NACT, whereas the
      agreement between posttreatment MRI results and postsurgical pathologic findings
      was 0.503 (95% CI, 0.421-0.576). Only 62.72% (249/397) of patients who underwent
      NACT treatment have the same chemotherapy response evaluation results; the kappa
      coefficient was 0.384(95% CI, 0.310-0.457) between posttreatment MRI and
      postsurgical pathologic findings. We still found International Federation of
      Gynecology and Obstetrics stage is associated with the chemotherapy response
      evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that pretreatment MRI can be a
      surrogate indicator for postsurgical pathologic findings. However, posttreatment
      MRI could not be a surrogate indicator for postsurgical pathologic findings. The
      chemotherapy response evaluation based on only MRI is not so reliable. More
      indicators should be developed for chemotherapy response evaluation.

PMID- 28644162
TI  - Would Lipophilic Statin Therapy as a Prognostic Factor Improve Survival in
      Patients With Uterine Cervical Cancer?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In vitro studies showed that lipophilic statins inhibit cell growth,
      adhesion, and invasion and induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines. In uterine
      cervical cancer, several important factors including age, stage, anemia,
      lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastases, and parametrial spread were known
      to significantly predict survival. We investigated whether statin therapy as a
      prognostic factor would significantly predict survival in cervical cancer.
      METHODS: Patients with stages IB to IV cervical cancer who received radical
      hysterectomy and/or para-aortic lymph node dissection were included. The statin
      use group was identified as patients who were continuously prescribed with
      lipophilic statins from prediagnostic period of the cancer. RESULTS: The baseline
      characteristics of both statin-use group and control group were comparable.
      During a median follow-up of 36.6 months, progression-free survival and overall
      survival of the statin-use group were significantly higher than the control group
      (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the statin-use
      group had an independent prognostic significance compared with other prognostic
      factors (progression-free survival: hazards ratio = 0.062, 95% confidence
      interval = 0.008-0.517, P = 0.010; overall survival: hazards ratio = 0.098, 95%
      confidence interval = 0.041-0.459, P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study,
      continuous lipophilic statin therapy from the prediagnostic period of uterine
      cervical cancer could reflect favorable outcome, independently.

PMID- 28644166
TI  - Make an impact with development plans.

PMID- 28644167
TI  - Care bundles: Easing the transition to long-term care.

PMID- 28644168
TI  - Teamwork for prevention: Reducing HAPUs in cardiac surgery patients.

PMID- 28644169
TI  - The value of discharge planning tools.

PMID- 28644170
TI  - Interprofessional team performance, optimized.
AB  - Enhance development with behavioral profiles.

PMID- 28644171
TI  - A study of styles: How do nurse managers make decisions?

PMID- 28644172
TI  - Disaster management: Communication up, across, and down.

PMID- 28644174
TI  - Resident Education in Molecular and Genetic Testing in Dermatology: An
      Opportunity Not to Be Missed.

PMID- 28644173
TI  - Tips for the novice manager.

PMID- 28644175
TI  - Guillain-Barre Syndrome After Elective Spinal Surgery.
AB  - Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition characterized by ascending
      motor weakness of the extremities that can ascend to the diaphragm, causing
      substantial morbidity and mortality. This case report describes a 57-year-old man
      who exhibited characteristics of Guillain-Barre syndrome 9 days after undergoing
      lumbar fusion at L3-S1. The diagnosis was based on the patient's ascending motor
      weakness and areflexia and was confirmed with electromyography. The patient
      progressed to respiratory failure, requiring mechanical ventilation. He regained
      motor function and ambulation within 6 months. Although the syndrome typically
      manifests initially as ascending paralysis, this patient's initial symptom was
      new-onset atrial fibrillation, a sign of autonomic dysfunction. Because it can
      cause paralysis and respiratory failure, Guillain-Barre syndrome should be
      included in the differential diagnosis whenever motor weakness is observed after
      lumbar surgery. The timing of symptoms, imaging results, and the development of
      atypical symptoms can help distinguish this rare possibility from other
      postoperative spinal complications.

PMID- 28644176
TI  - CONN SYNDROME PRESENTING AS CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe a case of central retinal vein occlusion in a young patient
      presenting with symptomatic malignant hypertension because of Conn syndrome.
      METHODS: Single interventional case report. RESULTS: A 44-year-old man presented
      with a 1-day history of headache and vision loss in his right eye on a background
      of malignant hypertension. He was diagnosed with right central retinal vein
      occlusion. Further investigation of his malignant hypertension revealed Conn
      syndrome because of an aldosterone-secreting adenoma in the left adrenal gland.
      CONCLUSION: This is the first reported case of Conn syndrome presenting as
      central retinal vein occlusion. Conn syndrome should be suspected in young
      patients with central retinal vein occlusion because it is a common cause of
      hypertension and carries significant cardiovascular risk if left untreated.

PMID- 28644177
TI  - A CASE OF INTRAVESICAL BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN-RELATED ENDOPHTHALMITIS AND
      RETINITIS CONFIRMED WITH RETINAL BIOPSY.
AB  - PURPOSE: To present a rare case of bilateral endogenous chorioretinitis and
      unilateral endophthalmitis due to Mycobacterium bovis in a patient who received
      intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment. METHODS: We present a case
      of a single male patient with bilateral endogenous chorioretinitis due to
      Mycobacterium bovis in a patient who received intravesical BCG, an attenuated
      strain of M. bovis widely used to treat superficial bladder cancer. The patient
      underwent intravitreal tap, vitrectomy, and chorioretinal biopsy with histologic
      examination. RESULTS: The patient presented with a visual acuity of light
      perception in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye. Examination of the right
      eye revealed dense vitreous haze, whereas the left eye demonstrated multifocal,
      yellow, round subretinal pigment epithelial lesions in the macula. The patient
      underwent a vitreous tap with injection of antibiotics and was admitted to the
      hospital for empiric systemic antibacterial and antifungal treatment along with
      an endogenous endophthalmitis workup. His systemic evaluation and vitreous tap
      did not identify a causal organism, and the eyes failed to improve on empiric
      therapies. He underwent pars plana vitrectomy and retinal biopsy of the right eye
      that revealed vitreal and infiltrative retinal acid-fast bacilli. Cultures
      confirmed M. bovis to be susceptible to ethambutol, rifampin, and isoniazid.
      After starting antimycobacterials, his vision improved to finger counting in the
      right eye, and his vision and appearance of the lesions remained stable in the
      left eye at postoperative month one. CONCLUSION: Intravesical BCG stimulates a
      local cell-mediated response that destroys malignant cells. It is generally well
      tolerated, although it rarely can result in secondary systemic infection.
      Intravesical BCG-related endophthalmitis is rare and should be considered in the
      setting of ocular inflammation in patients with a history of bladder cancer who
      may not disclose previous treatment with BCG.

PMID- 28644178
TI  - TEMPORAL THINNING IN SICKLE CELL RETINOPATHY IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIMINISHED
      PERFUSION ON OCTA AND DENSE SCOTOMA ON MICROPERIMETERY.
AB  - PURPOSE: To establish correlation between the structural compromise (capillary
      loss and hypoperfusion on optical coherence tomography [optical coherence
      tomography angiography]) with perimacular functional impairment noted on
      microperimetry. METHODS: Retrospective case series. Clinical records and
      multimodal imaging findings of patients presenting with sickle cell disease were
      reviewed. RESULTS: Three eyes of three patients (two men) were included in the
      study with a visual acuity of 20/20 and no sickle cell retinopathy. Images using
      optical coherence tomography angiography (AngioVue OCT angiography system;
      Optovue, Inc, Fremont, CA) were obtained along with spectral domain optical
      coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and microperimetry (MP-1).
      Spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed selective loss of inner
      retinal layers with thinning of the retina. Optical coherence tomography
      angiography revealed compromise of both superficial and deep capillaries in the
      area of temporal thinning expressed on spectral domain optical coherence
      tomography. MP-1 demonstrated focal increase in threshold (decreased sensitivity)
      correlating with the perfusion defects on optical coherence tomography
      angiography. Fluorescein angiography did not show any substantial perfusion
      compromise. CONCLUSION: Optical coherence tomography angiography may reflect the
      extent of functional compromise even before it being evident on fluorescein
      angiography. The area vascular compromise was larger in the deep plexus compared
      with the superficial plexus. The area of complete loss of retinal sensitivity
      corresponds to loss of vasculature in both the superficial and deep plexuses,
      whereas the area of decreased sensitivities corresponds to compromise only in the
      deep plexus.

PMID- 28644179
TI  - Improving heart failure patient outcomes utilizing guideline-directed therapy.
AB  - Heart failure (HF) prevalence continues to rise and remains a significant burden
      to patients, caregivers, providers, and the healthcare system. Guideline-directed
      medical therapy with standard neurohormonal blockade has been the cornerstone of
      medical management for many years. Despite aggressive utilization of angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and
      aldosterone antagonists, HF hospitalizations and readmissions are common and
      residual mortality remains high. With the development of two novel medical
      therapies (sacubitril/valsartan and ivabradine), the American College of
      Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Heart Failure Society of America
      released a pharmacologic update to provide guidelines for incorporation of these
      agents into clinical practice. Although effective via different mechanisms of
      action, both agents now have a prominent role in risk reduction. HF medical
      regimens often become quite complex, especially when associated with comorbid
      conditions, and require frequent follow-up. Providers must be proficient in
      patient monitoring, medication dose titration, and therapy optimization.
      Individualized patient care strategies such as guideline-directed therapy can
      promote long-term adherence and quality of life.

PMID- 28644180
TI  - Mucosal Healing in Clinical Practice: A Single-Center Pediatric IBD Experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mucosal healing (MH) is associated with improved clinical outcomes in
      patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). MH as a target
      for treatment has been suggested, although there is little pediatric data. The
      goal of this study was to evaluate MH in clinical practice in pediatric patients
      with inflammatory bowel disease in clinical remission. METHODS: A retrospective
      review of electronic health record data was performed on all patients with CD or
      UC who underwent at least 2 colonoscopies from 2010 through 2016. Only patients
      in clinical remission undergoing a scope for MH were included in our study. The
      incidence of MH and histologic healing (HH) was analyzed, along with cumulative
      rates of MH in each group. MH was defined by both physician assessment of MH and
      an endoscopic score of zero for CD and UC. RESULTS: A total of 76 patients with
      CD and 28 patients with UC underwent at least one MH scope while in clinical
      remission. Of the 76 patients with CD, 51 patients (67%) demonstrated MH by
      physician assessment, 34 patients (45%) demonstrated MH by a simple endoscopic
      score for CD of zero, and 35 patients (46%) demonstrated HH. Of the 28 patients
      with UC, 20 patients (71%) demonstrated MH by physician assessment, 10 patients
      (36%) demonstrated MH by a Mayo score of zero, and 10 patients (36%) demonstrated
      HH. Nineteen patients underwent a second MH scope and 11 (58%) demonstrated MH by
      physician assessment, 7 patients (37%) demonstrated MH by simple endoscopic score
      for CD or Mayo scores of zero, and 5 patients (26%) demonstrated HH. Of those
      patients with active disease, 21 of 25 patients with CD underwent escalation of
      therapy, whereas 8 of 8 patients with UC underwent escalation of therapy.
      Cumulative rates of MH when defined by physician assessment were 79% (60 of 76
      patients) in CD and 79% (22 of 28 patients) in UC. CONCLUSIONS: MH is feasible in
      pediatric CD and UC, and rates of cumulative MH in pediatric patients are similar
      to previously published adult data. In children with inflammatory bowel disease
      in clinical remission, approximately one-third demonstrate active disease at
      endoscopy.

PMID- 28644181
TI  - Serum Interleukin 9 Levels Predict Disease Severity and the Clinical Efficacy of
      Infliximab in Patients with Crohn's Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interleukin (IL)-9 drives gut inflammation, but its role in Crohn's
      disease (CD) is unclear. We aimed to analyze correlations between serum IL-9
      levels and disease severity and to evaluate their predictive value in relation to
      the clinical efficacy of infliximab (IFX) in patients with CD. METHODS: Between
      January 2013 and December 2015, 100 consecutive patients with active CD and 50
      age- and sex-matched control individuals were recruited from a tertiary center.
      Their serum IL-9 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
      Correlations between the serum IL-9 levels and disease severity were examined.
      The serum IL-9 level was explored as a predictor of clinical remission and
      mucosal healing at week 30 in 50 patients for whom IFX therapy was administered.
      RESULTS: The serum IL-9 levels were significantly higher in the patients with
      active CD (22.0 pg/mL) than in the control individuals (6.3 pg/mL) (P < 0.001);
      they differed according to disease severity (moderate-to-severe CD: 29.1 pg/mL
      versus mild CD: 12.9 pg/mL) (P < 0.001), and they correlated well with the
      clinical activity of CD. IFX lowered the serum IL-9 level in patients who
      achieved efficacy at week 30. The areas under the curves for the IL-9 levels at
      weeks 14 and 30 that could predict clinical remission and mucosal healing at week
      30 were 0.803 and 0.752 and 0.746 and 0.781, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Serum IL
      9 levels correlate with disease severity and the clinical efficacy of IFX in
      patients with CD, and IL-9 may be a promising novel biomarker for CD monitoring.

PMID- 28644182
TI  - Incidence and Management of Recurrence in Patients with Crohn's Disease Who Have
      Undergone Intestinal Resection: The Practicrohn Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: More than 50% of patients with Crohn's disease require intestinal
      resection at least once. Postoperative recurrence (POR) is almost uniform if
      prophylactic treatment is not started early. Endoscopic monitoring is generally
      advised. We studied the incidence and management of recurrence in patients who
      had undergone intestinal resection. METHODS: Practicrohn was an observational
      retrospective study performed in 26 Spanish hospitals including patients aged
      >=18 years who underwent Crohn's disease-related ileocolonic resection between
      January 2007 and December 2010. We recorded preventive treatments, the incidence
      of clinical recurrence in daily practice, and associated risk factors. RESULTS:
      The study population comprised 314 patients. Median (interquartile range) time
      from diagnosis to surgery was 6 (1-12) years. Prophylaxis for POR was
      administered to 208 patients (68%). Endoscopy was performed in 143 (46%) patients
      the first year after surgery. Clinical POR was detected in 97 patients (31%)
      after a median 315 (65-748) days. The cumulative probability of clinical POR was
      16%, 27%, and 31% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively, being higher among patients
      not receiving immunomodulators as compared to those who received prophylaxis (P =
      0.014). Forty-five patients (14%) required reoperation at 5 years after a median
      time from the first intervention of 228 (133-527) days. CONCLUSIONS: In this real
      life study, up to one-third of patients with Crohn's disease did not start
      preventive therapy after intestinal resection, and almost half of them were not
      endoscopically monitored as recommended. In this setting, 30% of patients
      developed clinical POR within the first 5 years after surgery, thus indicating
      that there is room for improvement.

PMID- 28644183
TI  - More Dose-dependent Side Effects with Mercaptopurine over Azathioprine in IBD
      Treatment Due to Relatively Higher Dosing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are substantial global differences in the preference for
      mercaptopurine (MP) or its prodrug azathioprine (AZA) as first-choice thiopurine
      to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. Studies comparing both agents are scarce.
      Our aim was to compare AZA and MP in thiopurine-naive patients with inflammatory
      bowel disease for the frequency of side effects and efficacy. METHODS: Post hoc
      analysis of the "Thiopurine response Optimization by Pharmacogenetic testing in
      Inflammatory bowel disease Clinics" (TOPIC) trial, in which thiopurine-naive
      patients with inflammatory bowel disease with an indication for a thiopurine were
      randomized for a genotype-based dose versus standard of care. For this study, Cox
      proportional hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated to compare AZA and MP for
      discontinuation rates within 5 months, incidence of hepatotoxicity, leukopenia,
      and gastrointestinal side effects. Treatment efficacy was compared by logistic
      regression. RESULTS: Patient characteristics were similar for patients treated
      with AZA (n = 494, 64.4%) and MP (n = 273, 35.6%), yet patients with MP were
      relatively higher dosed compared with those on AZA. Discontinuation rates within
      5 months were not different, 39.3% (AZA) and 38.1% (MP), HR 0.92 (95% confidence
      interval, 0.72-1.17; P = 0.50); however, patients on MP were more often subjected
      to dose reductions (30% versus 14%, P < 0.01). Higher rates of hepatotoxicity, HR
      1.93 (95% confidence interval, 1.35-2.76; P < 0.01) and leukopenia, HR 2.55 (95%
      confidence interval, 1.51-4.30; P < 0.01) were observed with MP, which annulled
      in a secondary analysis with adjustment for the higher dose and metabolite
      levels. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with MP were relatively higher dosed, which
      resulted in more dose-dependent side effects and a higher rate of dose
      reductions.

PMID- 28644184
TI  - Noninvasive Fecal Immunochemical Testing and Fecal Calprotectin Predict Mucosal
      Healing in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The noninvasive biomarkers fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) and
      fecal calprotectin (FCP) are sensitive for prediction of mucosal inflammation in
      inflammatory bowel disease. However, neither test has yet been shown to
      independently and accurately predict mucosal healing (MH). We aimed to assess the
      specificity of noninvasive FIT and FCP for MH prediction. METHODS: In this
      prospective cohort study of adult inflammatory bowel disease outpatients
      presenting for colonoscopy, stool samples for FIT and FCP were collected 48 hours
      before endoscopy. Using MH defined by Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's disease
      (SES-CD = 0), Rutgeert's score (i0), and the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index
      of Severity (UCEIS = 3), receiver operator characteristic curves were plotted,
      and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and areas
      under the curve were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was
      used to develop a clinical model for noninvasively predicting MH. RESULTS: Eighty
      patients (40 Crohn's disease and 40 ulcerative colitis) were enrolled. The
      specificities of FIT <100 ng/mL and FCP <250 MUg/g for MH were 0.57 (95%
      confidence interval, 0.38-0.74) and 0.77 (0.57-0.89), respectively. Positive
      predictive values for MH for FIT <100 ng/mL and FCP <250 MUg/g were 0.78 (0.64
      0.87) and 0.77 (0.58-0.90), respectively. In multivariate modeling, combining
      FIT, FCP, and clinical symptomatic remission improved specificity for MH to 0.90
      (0.72-0.97) with positive predictive values of 0.84 (0.60-0.96). Areas under the
      curve for FIT was higher for patients with ulcerative colitis (0.88) than for
      patients with Crohn's disease (0.69, P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: FIT and FCP have
      similar performance characteristics for identifying MH. Combined, low FIT, low
      FCP, and clinical remission are specific for MH.

PMID- 28644185
TI  - A Simple Ultrasound Score for the Accurate Detection of Inflammatory Activity in
      Crohn's Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ultrasound is accurate in the detection of Crohn's disease. Our aim
      was to identify ultrasound parameters contributing to inflammatory disease
      activity, develop a simple score, and validate this score prospectively. METHODS:
      This study comprised 2 single-center investigations. The first was a
      retrospective study on a population that had received colonoscopies (as a gold
      standard diagnostic) within 60 days of ultrasound. The second was a prospective
      study on 2 populations: patients requiring induction with adalimumab and patients
      on adalimumab maintenance therapy. Ultrasound and endoscopy were preformed within
      14 days in both prospective groups. The endoscopy results were graded with the
      Simple Endoscopic Score and the Rutgeerts score and compared with 5 ultrasound
      parameters. We used a proportional odds model to determine which ultrasound
      parameters correlated significantly with the endoscopy results. We then developed
      a predictive ultrasound score for disease activity, plotted the receiver
      operating characteristic curves, and undertook prospective validation of the
      score. RESULTS: We evaluated 160 patients retrospectively to compare ultrasound
      and colonoscopy. Two of 5 parameters were found to correlate significantly with
      disease activity: bowel wall thickness (P = <0.0001) and color Doppler signal (P
      = 0.0292). We developed a score that uses weighted variables. The area under the
      corresponding receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.8658. CONCLUSIONS: A
      simple ultrasonographic score that accurately identifies Crohn's disease activity
      has been developed and validated. Ultrasound may be a surrogate for endoscopy to
      guide disease management, but future studies should be conducted to establish
      interrater variability.

PMID- 28644186
TI  - Letter to Editor Regarding Narula et al, IBD 2017, Budenoside Use Is a Key
      Quality Marker in the Management of IBD.

PMID- 28644187
TI  - Perioperative Blood Management in Pediatric Spine Surgery.
AB  - Blood management strategies are integral to successful outcomes in many types of
      orthopaedic surgery. These strategies minimize blood loss and transfusion
      requirements, ultimately decreasing complications, improving outcomes, and
      potentially eliminating risks associated with allogeneic transfusion. Practices
      to achieve these goals include preoperative evaluation and optimization of
      hemoglobin, the use of pharmacologic agents or anesthetic methods, intraoperative
      techniques to improve hemostasis and cell salvage, and the use of predonated
      autologous blood. Guidelines can also help manage allogeneic transfusions in the
      perioperative period. Although the literature on blood management has focused
      primarily on arthroplasty and adult spine surgery, pediatric spinal fusion for
      scoliosis involves a large group of patients with a specific set of risk factors
      for transfusion and distinct perioperative considerations. A thorough
      understanding of blood management techniques will improve surgical planning,
      limit transfusion-associated risks, maintain hemostasis, and optimize outcomes in
      this pediatric population.

PMID- 28644188
TI  - Surgical Techniques for Total Knee Arthroplasty: Measured Resection, Gap
      Balancing, and Hybrid.
AB  - Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is effective in managing end-stage degenerative
      joint disease. Achieving favorable clinical outcomes is predicated on proper
      implant alignment, sizing, and rotation as well as adequate soft-tissue
      balancing. Modern TKA implants are designed to address the fundamental needs of
      attaining stability in both flexion and extension and of optimizing patellar
      tracking. Measured resection and gap balancing are the two different techniques
      used to implant the TKA components used today. Both techniques have been
      validated as durable and successful, and each has unique advantages and
      disadvantages. A hybrid technique has been developed that combines the benefits
      of measured resection and gap balancing and minimizes the limitations associated
      with both techniques. This hybrid approach has the potential for achieving
      improved TKA kinematics and refined surgical technique.

PMID- 28644189
TI  - The Effect of Two Factors on Interobserver Reliability for Proximal Humeral
      Fractures.

PMID- 28644190
TI  - Core Outcome Sets for Clinical Trials and Observational Studies in Vulvovaginal
      Disease.

PMID- 28644191
TI  - Yield of Cytology Surveillance After High-Grade Vulvar Intraepithelial Neoplasia
      or Cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to estimate the risk of high-grade cervical
      and vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN/VAIN 2+) and cancer among women
      treated surgically for high-grade vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (HGVIN) and
      vulvar cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study
      of women who underwent surgery for HGVIN/vulvar cancer between 2006 and 2010.
      Univariate and multivariate analyses using stepwise selection were used to
      identify correlates of abnormal cytology after treatment for VIN and vulvar
      cancer. RESULTS: Among 191 women under surveillance for a median of 3.7 years who
      underwent treatment for HGVIN/vulvar cancer, primary vulvar lesions included VIN
      2 (10, 5%), VIN 3 (102, 53%), and carcinoma (79, 41%). During follow-up, 71 (37%)
      had abnormal cytology, including 47 (25%) low grade, 23 (12%) high grade, and 1
      (0.5%) carcinoma. Subsequent risk for VAIN 2+ was 11% (6/57) after previous
      hysterectomy and 8% for CIN 2+ (10/124) with intact cervix. Overall risk for CIN
      3+ was 5%. Correlates of high-grade cytology after treatment for HGVIN/vulvar
      cancer included nonwhite race (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.50-7.36),
      immunodeficiency (OR = 4.2, 95% CI = 1.76-9.94), and previous abnormal cytology
      (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.29-5.78). Stepwise multivariate analysis revealed
      immunosuppression as the only significant correlate of high-grade cytology after
      vulvar treatment (adjusted OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.26-10.83). CONCLUSIONS: Women
      with HGVIN/cancer should have cervical/vaginal cytology before vulvar surgery.
      Those with a negative cervical or vaginal cytology result should undergo cytology
      testing at 1- to 3-year intervals, based on the threshold for CIN 3+ set forth by
      the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology.

PMID- 28644193
TI  - Heel-Raised Foot Posture Do Not Affect Trunk And Lower Extremity Biomechanics
      During A Barbell Back Squat In Recreational Weightlifters.
AB  - It is claimed that weightlifting shoes with a raised heel may lead to a more
      upright trunk posture, and thus reduce the risk of back injuries during a barbell
      back squat. These proclaimed biomechanical effects have not been thoroughly
      investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare trunk and lower extremity
      biomechanics during barbell back squats in 3 foot postures.14 recreational
      weightlifters (7 male and 7 female) between the ages of 18-50 performed barbell
      back squats in 3 conditions (barefoot on a flat surface, barefoot on a heel
      raised platform, and wearing heel-raised weightlifting shoes) at 80% of their 1
      RM. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to assess the activation of the knee
      extensors and paraspinal muscles at L3 and T12 spinal levels. A 3D motion capture
      system and an electrogoniometer recorded the kinematics of the thoracic spine,
      lumbar spine, and knee during the back squat to a depth where the hip was at
      least at the same level to the knee.Resultsindicated that none of the heel-raised
      foot postures significantly affected trunk and lower extremity muscle activation
      [thoracolumbar paraspinal (p=0.52), lumbar paraspinal (p=0.179), knee extensor
      (p=0.507)] or the trunk angles [thoracolumbar spine (p=0.348), lumbar spine
      (p=0.283)] during the squat.Our results demonstrated that during barbell back
      squats, heel-raised foot postures do not significantly affect spinal and knee
      extensor muscle activations, and trunk and knee kinematics. Heel-raised
      weightlifting shoes are unlikely to provide significant protection against back
      injuries for recreational weightlifters during the barbell back squat.

PMID- 28644192
TI  - Vulvodynia-Younger Age and Combined Therapies Associate With Significant
      Reduction in Self-Reported Pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Eight percent of women have vulvodynia (VD), a chronic pain disorder
      with unknown etiology. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of given
      VD treatments measured by numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain and patients'
      quality of life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study material consisted of a
      retrospective VD patient cohort (N = 70). Data were collected by postal
      questionnaires and review of the medical records. RESULTS: We report here a
      statistically significant reduction in NRS only with combination of therapies
      (median NRS before treatments 8 vs median NRS 4 after treatments, p < .001) but
      not with any individual therapy alone, i.e., physiotherapy, topical medications,
      oral pharmaceutical therapy, sexual counseling by a trained nurse, sacral
      neuromodulation, and laser treatment or surgery. Older age (>30) and frequent
      (>=6) outpatient clinic visits associated with a significantly minor reduction in
      NRS (p = .03 and p = .04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this
      retrospective study suggest that an effective, multimodality-based treatment is
      most beneficial for VD patients and VD at older age may represent a subtype more
      resistant to therapy.

PMID- 28644194
TI  - Phase Characteristics of the Countermovement Jump Force-Time Curve: A Comparison
      of Athletes by Jumping Ability.
AB  - Sole, CJ, Mizuguchi, S, Sato, K, Moir, GL, and Stone, MH. Phase characteristics
      of the countermovement jump force-time curve: a comparison of athletes by jumping
      ability. J Strength Cond Res 32(4): 1155-1165, 2018-The purpose of this study was
      to compare the phase characteristics of the countermovement jump (CMJ) force-time
      (F-t) curve between athletes based on jumping ability. An initial sample of one
      hundred fifty Division-I collegiate athletes were ranked based on CMJ height.
      Three performance groups were then formed by taking the top, middle, and lower 30
      athletes (15 men and 15 women) from the sample. Phases of the CMJ F-t curve were
      determined and then characterized by their duration, magnitude, area (impulse),
      and shape (shape factor). A series of 3-way mixed analysis of variance were used
      to determine statistical differences in phase characteristics between performance
      groups as well as between male and female athletes. Statistically significant
      phase-by-performance group interactions were observed for relative phase
      magnitude (p < 0.001), relative phase impulse (p < 0.001), and shape factor (p =
      0.002). Phase-by-sex interactions were statistically significant for both
      relative phase magnitude (p < 0.001) and relative phase impulse (p < 0.001). Post
      hoc comparisons indicated that higher jumpers exhibited larger relative magnitude
      and impulse in the phases contained within the positive area of the F-t curve.
      Similarly, relative phase magnitude and impulse were the only phase
      characteristics to be statically different between men and women. Finally, the
      relative shape of the phase representing the initial rise in force was found to
      relate to jump height. These results provide some information regarding the
      diagnostic value of qualitative analysis of the CMJ F-t curve.

PMID- 28644195
TI  - Considerations for Selecting Field-Based Strength and Power Fitness Tests to
      Measure Asymmetries.
AB  - Bishop, C, Turner, A, Jarvis, P, Chavda, S, and Read, P. Considerations for
      selecting field-based strength and power fitness tests to measure asymmetries. J
      Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2635-2644, 2017-The prevalence of lower limb asymmetries
      has been reported in numerous studies; however, methodological differences exist
      in the way they can be detected. Strength and jumping-based tasks have been most
      commonly used to examine these differences across both athlete and nonathlete
      populations. The aim of this review was to critically analyze the utility of
      strength and jumping tests that are frequently used to measure asymmetry.
      Reliability, validity, and considerations for assessment are examined to enhance
      test accuracy and effectiveness in the quantification of asymmetries during
      strength and jumping-based tasks. MEDLINE and SPORTDiscus databases were used
      with specific search terms to identify relevant articles in both athlete and
      nonathlete populations. The findings of the current review indicate that
      assessing interlimb differences during strength and jumping-based tasks may
      result in different levels of asymmetry; thus, interlimb differences seem to be
      task-dependent. Consequently, quantification during both types of assessment is
      warranted, and a selection of tests has been suggested to measure asymmetries in
      both strength and jumping-based tasks.

PMID- 28644196
TI  - Cebranopadol, a novel first-in-class analgesic drug candidate: first experience
      in patients with chronic low back pain in a randomized clinical trial.
AB  - Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a common condition, usually with the involvement
      of nociceptive and neuropathic pain components, high economic burden and impact
      on quality of life. Cebranopadol is a potent, first-in-class drug candidate with
      a novel mechanistic approach, combining nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide and opioid
      peptide receptor agonism. We conducted the first phase II, randomized, double
      blind, placebo- and active-controlled trial, evaluating the analgesic efficacy,
      safety, and tolerability of cebranopadol in patients with moderate-to-severe
      chronic LBP with and without neuropathic pain component. Patients were treated
      for 14 weeks with cebranopadol 200, 400, or 600 MUg once daily, tapentadol 200 mg
      twice daily, or placebo. The primary efficacy endpoints were the change from
      baseline pain to the weekly average 24-hour pain during the entire 12 weeks and
      during week 12 of the maintenance phase. Cebranopadol demonstrated analgesic
      efficacy, with statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements
      over placebo for all doses as did tapentadol. The responder analysis (>=30% or
      >=50% pain reduction) confirmed these results. Cebranopadol and tapentadol
      displayed beneficial effects on sleep and functionality. Cebranopadol treatment
      was safe, with higher doses leading to higher treatment discontinuations because
      of treatment-emergent adverse events occurring mostly during titration. Those
      patients reaching the target doses had an acceptable tolerability profile. The
      incidence rate of most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events
      during maintenance phase was <=10%. Although further optimizing the titration
      scheme to the optimal dose for individual patients is essential, cebranopadol is
      a new drug candidate with a novel mechanistic approach for potential chronic LBP
      treatment.

PMID- 28644197
TI  - Preoperative regional maximal removal rate of technetium-99m-galactosyl human
      serum albumin is correlated with liver functional parameters, but did not predict
      postoperative morbidity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently, posthepatectomy complications have been predicted by
      advances of new liver functional parameters, and the technetium-99m-galactosyl
      human serum albumin (GSA) liver scintigraphy has been applied widely for this
      purpose. We evaluated the clinical significance of the regional maximal removal
      rate (GSA-Rmax) in patients with various liver diseases as predictors of
      posthepatectomy complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 2012 and March 2016,
      we examined 200 patients who underwent hepatectomy for liver and biliary
      diseases. The patients' background liver conditions included chronic viral liver
      diseases in 147 patients, normal liver in 44 patients, and others in nine
      patients. Hepatectomy-related postoperative complications (i.e. long-term
      ascites, intra-abdominal infection, and hepatic failure) occurred in 69 (35%)
      patients. A multivariate logistic analysis was carried out to detect the
      predictive parameters for complications. RESULTS: The median and mean
      preoperative GSA-Rmax was 0.420 and 0.448+/-0.148 mg/min, respectively. The GSA
      Rmax was significantly correlated with liver functional parameters of ICGR15,
      LHL15, HH15, platelet count, prothrombin activity, and serum hyaluronic acid
      level (P<0.01), and was significantly correlated with postoperative total
      bilirubin level and C-reactive protein level (P<0.05). With respect to patient
      outcomes, GSA-Rmax was significantly lower in patients with long-term ascites
      (P<0.05). The predictive cutoff value for posthepatectomy long-term ascites for
      GSA-Rmax was 0.421 mg/min. However, the multivariate logistic regression analysis
      identified that a higher serum hyaluronic acid level and a lower platelet count
      were significant, independent factors, but not lower GSA-Rmax. CONCLUSION: GSA
      Rmax is one of the liver functional parameters and is a complementary parameter
      to predict postoperative hyperbilirubinemia, inflammatory responses, and ascites
      when Tc-GSA scintigraphy is performed.

PMID- 28644198
TI  - Insular Cortex Epilepsy: Exploring the Treasure Island of Reil.

PMID- 28644200
TI  - Electrical Stimulations of the Human Insula: Their Contribution to the Ictal
      Semiology of Insular Seizures.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Stereotactic stimulations of the insular cortex through
      intracranial electrodes aim at characterizing the semiology of insular seizures.
      These stimulations, carried out in the context of Stereo-Electro-Encephalography
      (SEEG) during presurgical monitoring of epilepsy, reproduce the ictal symptoms
      observed during the development of insular seizures. METHODS: The authors
      reviewed the results of insular stimulations performed in 222 patients admitted
      between 1997 and 2015 for presurgical SEEG exploration of atypical temporal or
      perisylvian epilepsy. Stimulations (50 Hz, trains of 5 seconds, pulses of 0.5 ms,
      intensity 0.2-3.5 mA) were carried out using transopercular electrodes implanted
      orthogonal to midsagittal plane. RESULTS: Out of a total of 669 stimulations, 550
      were clinically eloquent in the absence of any postdischarge (237 and 313,
      respectively, in the right and left insulae). Somatosensory responses (61% of
      evoked sensations) including pain and visceral sensations (14.9%) were the most
      frequent, followed by auditory sensations (8%), vestibular illusions (7.5%),
      speech impairment (5%), gustatory, (2.7%), and olfactory (1%) sensations.
      Although these responses showed some functional segregation (in particular a
      privileged pain representation in the postero-superior quadrant), there was a
      clear spatial overlap between representations of the different modalities.
      CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms evoked by insular stimulations are multiple. None of them
      can be considered as absolutely specific to the insular cortex, but the
      occurrence in given seizure of a somatosensory symptom such as pain or of a
      laryngeal spasm associated with vestibular, auditory, aphasic, or olfacto
      gustatory symptoms points to a discharge development in the insular cortex, which
      is the only cortical region where stimulations demonstrate such a multimodal
      representation.

PMID- 28644199
TI  - Structure and Function of the Human Insula.
AB  - The insular cortex, or "Island of Reil," is hidden deep within the lateral sulcus
      of the brain. Subdivisions within the insula have been identified on the basis of
      cytoarchitectonics, sulcal landmarks, and connectivity. Depending on the
      parcellation technique used, the insula can be divided into anywhere between 2
      and 13 distinct subdivisions. The insula subserves a wide variety of functions in
      humans ranging from sensory and affective processing to high-level cognition.
      Here, we provide a concise summary of known structural and functional features of
      the human insular cortex with a focus on lesion case studies and recent
      neuroimaging evidence for considerable functional heterogeneity of this brain
      region.

PMID- 28644202
TI  - The Insula in Temporal Plus Epilepsy.
AB  - Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) surgery is the most common type of surgical
      treatment offered to patients with drug-resistant focal seizures. However, the
      proportion of patients experiencing long-term freedom from seizures after TLE
      surgery remains suboptimal. Temporal plus epilepsy, which is characterized by a
      primary temporal epileptogenic zone extending to neighboring regions, has been
      demonstrated to be a major predictor of TLE surgery failures. In the context of
      the temporoperisylvian epilepsies, i.e., the most common type of temporal plus
      epilepsy, a possible role of the insula has often been hypothesized. As this area
      is buried deep within the lateral sulcus, the use of invasive recordings is often
      required. Identifying patients with temporal plus seizures is a relevant issue,
      as they appear to have a worse postsurgical seizure outcome compared with
      patients with "pure" temporal lobe seizures. Owing to these prognostic
      implications, it becomes important to identify, among patients suffering from
      "atypical" nonlesional TLEs, those who should undergo invasive investigations, in
      particular to explore the insula. In fact, only a primary involvement of the
      insula in the epileptogenic network may require to include this area in the
      resection to achieve seizure freedom. Using modern neurosurgical techniques,
      insular epilepsy surgery has proved to be safe and beneficial, making the "true"
      role of the insula in TLE surgery failures more relevant to understand. Further
      studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of multilobar resections in patients
      with temporal plus epilepsy, in particular, when eloquent or difficult to access
      areas such as insula are suspected to be involved.

PMID- 28644201
TI  - Insular Epilepsy: Semiology and Noninvasive Investigations.
AB  - In this review, authors discuss the semiology and noninvasive investigations of
      insular epilepsy, an underrecognized type of epilepsy, which may mimic other
      focal epilepsies. In line with the various functions of the insula and its
      widespread network of connections, insular epilepsy may feature a variety of
      early ictal manifestations from somatosensory, visceral, olfactory, gustatory, or
      vestibular manifestations. Depending on propagation pathways, insular seizures
      may also include altered consciousness, dystonic posturing, complex motor
      behaviors, and even autonomic features. Considering the variability in seizure
      semiology, recognition of insular epilepsy may be challenging and confirmation by
      noninvasive tests is warranted although few studies have assessed their value.
      Detection of an insular lesion on MRI greatly facilitates the diagnosis. Scalp
      EEG findings in frontocentral and/or temporal derivations will generally allow
      lateralization of the seizure focus. Ictal single-photon computed tomography has
      moderate sensitivity, whereas positron emission tomography has lower sensitivity.
      Among newer techniques, magnetoencephalography is highly beneficial, whereas
      proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy currently has limited value.

PMID- 28644203
TI  - Invasive Investigation of Insular Cortex Epilepsy.
AB  - Invasive long-term EEG investigations of the insula have been performed since the
      mid-nineties in an expanding range of focal epilepsies suspected to involve the
      insular cortex. The various clinical forms of insular epilepsies were delineated
      during the last 2 decades, and include the following presentations: perisylvian
      epilepsy, temporal plus epilepsy, sleep hypermotor epilepsy, MRI-negative frontal
      and parietal lobe epilepsies, and insular lesions. In fact, a majority of complex
      stereoelectroencephalography procedures will include at least one electrode
      targeting the insula. Stereoelectroencephalography is currently the preferred
      method to investigate the insula, using orthogonal, oblique, or a combination of
      both trajectories, with no evidence of higher risk of intracranial bleeding than
      in other brain regions. Orthogonal trajectories allow to sample the overlaying
      opercula, while oblique trajectories offer a better sampling of the insular
      cortex. Intrainsular ictal EEG pattern are often characterized by a prolonged
      focal discharge restricted to one of the five insular gyri, militating for a
      dense enough sampling of the insular cortex in suspected insular epilepsies.
      Stereoelectroencephalography offers the potential to perform thermolesion of
      insular epileptogenic zones which, together with MRI-guided laser ablation,
      represent a possibly safer alternative treatment to open-skull surgical resection
      of the insula.

PMID- 28644204
TI  - Hearing Safety From Single- and Double-Pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in
      Children and Young Adults.
AB  - PURPOSE: Concerns regarding hearing safety have limited the number of studies
      using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in children and young adults. The
      objective of this study was to examine the safety of TMS with regards to hearing
      in a group of 16 children and young adults (17.3 +/- 4.9 years) with and without
      brain injury. METHODS: Pure-tone hearing thresholds and distortion-product
      otoacoustic emissions were measured before and after exposure to single- and
      paired-pulse TMS (1-2 sessions of 149-446 TMS pulses at a median of 49%-100%
      maximum stimulator output over a 2.2 hours period). RESULTS: No mean change in
      hearing outcomes was noted. In addition, no clinically significant change in
      hearing threshold was observed in any participant, and participants did not
      experience a subjective change in hearing after TMS exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Single
      and double-pulse TMS administered within the parameters used in this study,
      which included hearing protection, can be used in children and young adults
      without impacting hearing. This study provides further evidence for hearing
      safety after TMS exposure in children and young adults.

PMID- 28644205
TI  - The Unrecognized Epidemic of Electronic Cigarette Burns.
AB  - Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are novel battery-operated devices that
      deliver nicotine as an inhaled aerosol. They originated from China in 2007 and
      their use has rapidly increased worldwide in the past decade, yet they remain
      largely unregulated. Reports of injuries associated with their use have appeared
      as unusual events in the news media and as case reports in the medical
      literature. This study was undertaken to explore e-cigarettes as a mechanism of
      burn injury. Referral records to three burn centers from January 2007 to July
      2016 were searched to identify patients with injuries caused by e-cigarettes.
      Data were gathered from the electronic medical records (EMRs) of patients
      referred within the most recent 18 months. Thirty patients with burns resulting
      from e-cigarettes were identified. Twenty-nine were referred within the most
      recent 18 months. Only one was referred in the preceding 8 years. An explosion
      was identified by the patient as the inciting event in 26 of the 30 injuries
      (87%). Explosion of an isolated battery while it was carried on personal attire
      was reported in 10 cases. Explosion of a fully assembled e-cigarette was
      described in 16 cases. In seven of these 16 cases, the explosion occurred while
      the device was idle and carried on personal attire. In the other nine cases, the
      explosion occurred while the device was being operated. No injury occurred while
      batteries were charging. The mean age of injured patients was 30 years. The mean
      size of burn was 4% TBSA. The thighs, hands, and genitalia were the most common
      sites of injury. Twenty-six patients required hospital admission and nine
      required surgery. Serious burn injuries from e-cigarettes have recently occurred
      with greatly increased frequency. The increase in injuries appears out of
      proportion to the increased popularity of e-cigarettes. The most common pattern
      of injury is explosion when either the idle device or its batteries are carried
      on personal attire.

PMID- 28644206
TI  - Burn Patient Acuity Demographics, Scar Contractures, and Rehabilitation Treatment
      Time Related to Patient Outcomes: The ACT Study.
AB  - In 2008, the U.S. Department of Defense funded a rehabilitation study through the
      American Burn Association titled "Burn patient acuity demographics, scar
      contractures, and rehabilitation treatment time related to patient outcomes,"
      commonly known at the ACT study. The ACT was a multi-institutional, prospective,
      observational, and quasirandomized investigation of the acute hospital course of
      307 patients. The ACT specifically emphasized the capture of factors that may
      impact the physical outcome of patients with burn injury including burn severity,
      daily rehabilitation interventions such as mobility and splinting, and detailed
      skin grafting episodes. In particular, the effect that the amount of daily
      rehabilitation time patients received as it related to range of motion measured
      at the time of acute hospital discharge of areas affected by the burn injury was
      analyzed. The information contained herein is intended to give the interested
      reader an overview of the extent and breadth of the ACT dataset in terms of
      parameters available for further investigation. This information is also intended
      to be used as a basic reference for conduct of the ACT study in future reports.

PMID- 28644207
TI  - Enzymatic Versus Traditional Surgical Debridement of Severely Burned Hands: A
      Comparison of Selectivity, Efficacy, Healing Time, and Three-Month Scar Quality.
AB  - Severe burns of the hands are extremely challenging, given their anatomic
      complexity and vulnerability. Although excisional debridement with autografting
      remains the standard of care (SOC), previous studies have shown that use of
      enzymatic debridement with bromelain (NexoBrid, EDNX) enables rapid, selective
      enzymatic debridement, preserving viable tissue. To date, only two studies
      accruing data on EDNX in this setting have been published. The current study was
      conducted to compare EDNX with traditional surgical debridement (TSD) of deep
      dermal and full-thickness hand burns. This single-center, controlled clinical
      trial included 40 patients, aged 18 to 76 years, with deep dermal burns of the
      hand. The first 20 patients were debrided surgically, and the other 20 patients
      were using EDNX for debridement. Therapeutic selectivity, time to complete
      debridement and healing, complications, and 3-month functional/esthetic outcomes
      were compared by group. EDNX (vs TSD) significantly reduced time to complete
      debridement after admission (0.95 day vs 7.750 days; P < .001) and treatments
      needed for complete debridement (1.05 vs 1.45; P < .001), improving burn depth
      evaluation (initially overestimated in 55% of EDNX-treated patients). The number
      of wounds requiring autografting was certainly reduced (15% vs 95%; P = .034), as
      was time to complete healing after first debridement (23.30 vs 32.00 days; P <
      .001), and early scar quality after 3 months was nearly equivalent, with only
      heightened local redness in the EDNX group (P < .001). Compared with TSD, EDNX
      was superior in burn depth evaluation, tissue preservation, completeness of
      debridement, and wound closure. Scar quality after 3 months did not differ
      substantially.

PMID- 28644208
TI  - Shake It Off: A Randomized Pilot Study of the Effect of Whole Body Vibration on
      Pain in Healing Burn Wounds.
AB  - Whole body vibration (WBV) has been shown to improve strength in extremities with
      healed burn wounds. We hypothesize that WBV reduces pain during rehabilitation
      compared to standard therapy alone. Patients with >=1% TBSA burn to one or more
      extremities from October 2014 to December 2015 were randomized to vibration
      (VIBE) or control. Each burned extremity was tested separately within the
      assigned group. Patients underwent one to three therapy sessions (S1, S2, S3)
      consisting of five upper and/or lower extremity exercises with or without WBV.
      Pain was assessed pre-, mid-, and postsession on a scale of 1 to 10. Mean pain
      scores at S1 to S3 were compared between groups with paired samples t-tests. An
      independent t-test was used to compare differences in pain scores between groups.
      Continuous variables were compared using a t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, and
      categorical variables were compared using a chi or Fisher's exact test, as
      appropriate. Forty-eight randomized test extremities (VIBE = 26, control = 22)
      were analyzed from a total of 31 subjects. There were no significant differences
      between groups in age, gender, overall TBSA, TBSA in the test extremity, pain
      medication use before therapy session, or skin grafting before therapy session.
      At S1, S2, and S3, there was a statistically significant decrease in mid- and
      postsession pain compared to presession pain in VIBE vs controls. Exposure to WBV
      decreased pain during and after physical therapy. This modality may be applicable
      to a variety of soft tissue injuries and warrants additional investigation.

PMID- 28644209
TI  - An Atypical Case of Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy.
AB  - PURPOSE: This is a case presentation of paracentral acute middle maculopathy in a
      33-year-old white man with borderline hyperlipidemia. Paracentral acute middle
      maculopathy was originally thought to be a variant of acute macular
      neuroretinopathy; however, it is now generally accepted that these two conditions
      are separate disease entities. The etiology, evolution, and pathophysiology of
      acute macular neuroretinopathy and paracentral acute middle maculopathy are
      discussed, as well as current diagnostic techniques. CASE REPORT: A 33-year-old
      white man with borderline hyperlipidemia presented with an acute, small
      paracentral scotoma involving the left eye. Clinical examination revealed a small
      wedge-shaped retinal lesion that corresponded to scotoma. Spectral domain-optical
      coherence tomography of the lesion demonstrated irregularity in the middle
      retina, whereas fluorescein angiography showed subtle hypofluorescence of the
      lesion. Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography was facilitated in
      monitoring retinal changes as the patient continued to have a persistent scotoma
      despite resolution of the retinal lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically, acute macular
      neuroretinopathy and paracentral acute middle maculopathy present in very similar
      fashions with localized scotomas, blurry vision, and subtle retinal lesions that
      can be difficult to discern funduscopically. At this time, there is no ocular
      treatment for either condition, but observation and patient education regarding
      possibly persistent scotomas are necessary. This atypical case highlights
      paracentral acute middle maculopathy in a relatively young man with a systemic
      history significant only for borderline hyperlipidemia. Eye care providers should
      be familiar with acute macular neuroretinopathy and paracentral acute middle
      maculopathy to enable them to perform appropriate diagnostic testing and to
      identify patients who require a systemic disease evaluation.

PMID- 28644210
TI  - Frequency-domain optical coherence tomography plaque morphology in stable
      coronary artery disease: sex differences.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The cause for discrepancy in the clinical presentation and outcome of
      coronary artery disease (CAD) between men and women is not established. Different
      prevalences of risk factors or specific sex-related atherosclerotic aspects have
      been advocated as possible explanations. We investigated coronary plaque
      morphology looking at possible differences in plaque vulnerability between men
      and women with stable CAD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively collected and
      analyzed clinical data and coronary plaque morphology by frequency-domain optical
      coherence tomography in men and women with stable CAD. RESULTS: A total of 181
      (139 were in men and 42 in women) plaques from 138 patients were analyzed. The
      mean age was similar between men and women. Besides an overall absence of
      significant differences in the vast majority of risk factors and comorbidities,
      men had a higher prevalence of active smoking (19 vs. 2%, P=0.006), previous
      myocardial infarction (17 vs. 2%, P=0.01), and previous percutaneous coronary
      interventions (42 vs. 17%, P=0.003). Frequency-domain optical coherence
      tomography in women showed significantly more plaque-vulnerability features as
      testified by higher percent of lipid-rich plaques (55 vs. 36%, P=0.03),
      macrophages (21 vs. 5%, P=0.003), and microvessels (24 vs. 8%, P=0.01).
      Multivariate analysis showed that female sex was associated independently with
      lipid-rich plaques (P=0.034) and macrophages (P=0.001). In the analysis
      restricted to the more severe lesions that were revascularized, women continued
      to be characterized by more adverse morphological features, such as macrophages
      (30 vs. 7%, P=0.004) and lipid-rich plaques (63 vs. 39%, P=0.045). CONCLUSION:
      Women with stable CAD may be characterized by plaques that have increased
      prevalence of vulnerability compared with men. These findings support the
      hypothesis of sex-specific differences in the development of atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28644211
TI  - The relationship between fasting blood glucose variability and coronary artery
      collateral formation in type 2 diabetes patients with coronary artery disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary collaterals are an alternative source of blood supply to
      ischemic myocardium. Well-developed coronary collateral arteries in patients with
      coronary artery disease (CAD) limit the size of acute myocardial infarction and
      improves survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship
      between glycemic variability and coronary collateral formation in patients with
      type 2 diabetes mellitus and CAD. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing
      percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting procedures
      were studied. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the
      association between coronary artery collateral formation graded by Rentrope
      classification and glycemic variability, measured by coefficient variation of
      fasting blood glucose. RESULTS: In our study, we retrospectively enrolled 300
      patients, of whom 239 were diabetic (age: 70.1+/-11.9, 56% men) and 61 were
      nondiabetic (age: 71.5+/-11.5, 72% men). Diabetic patients were further
      stratified as follows: those with poor coronary collateral artery development
      (n=171, age: 69.7+/-12.4, 55% men) and those with good coronary collateral artery
      development (n=68, age 71.1+/-10.8, 59% men) according to the Rentrope
      classification. Our findings did not show association between glycemic
      variability and coronary collateral vessels development after controlling for
      potential confounders (odds ratio: 2.51; 95% confidence interval: 0.57-11.03;
      P=0.22). The culprit lesion (>=75% stenosis) in the left anterior descending
      artery and the right coronary artery was more frequent in the good collateral
      group compared with the poor collateral group (66 vs. 50%, P=0.02; 63 vs. 45%,
      P=0.01 respectively). CONCLUSION: Glycemic variability is not associated with
      coronary collateral artery formation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
      and CAD.

PMID- 28644212
TI  - Worsening atrioventricular conduction after hospital discharge in patients with
      ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous
      coronary intervention: the HORIZONS-AMI trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The chronic effects of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI) on the atrioventricular conduction (AVC) system have not been elucidated.
      This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of worsened
      AVC post-STEMI in patients treated with a primary percutaneous coronary
      intervention (PCI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The current analysis included patients
      from the HORIZONS-AMI trial who underwent primary PCI and had available ECGs.
      Patients with high-grade atrioventricular block or pacemaker implant at baseline
      were excluded. RESULTS: Analysis of ECGs excluding the acute hospitalization
      period indicated worsened AVC in 131 patients (worsened AVC group) and stable AVC
      in 2833 patients (stable AVC group). Patients with worsened AVC were older, had a
      higher frequency of hypertension, diabetes, renal insufficiency, previous
      coronary artery bypass grafting, and predominant left anterior descending culprit
      lesions. Predictors of worsened AVC included age, hypertension, and previous
      history of coronary artery disease. Worsened AVC was associated with an increased
      rate of all-cause death and major adverse cardiac events (death, myocardial
      infarction, ischemic target vessel revascularization, and stroke) as well as
      death or reinfarction at 3 years. On multivariable analysis, worsened AVC
      remained an independent predictor of all-cause death (hazard ratio: 2.005,
      confidence interval: 1.051-3.827, P=0.0348) and major adverse cardiac events
      (hazard ratio 1.542, confidence interval: 1.059-2.244, P=0.0238). CONCLUSION:
      Progression of AVC system disease in patients with STEMI treated with primary PCI
      is uncommon, occurs primarily in the setting of anterior myocardial infarction,
      and portends a high risk for death and major adverse cardiac events.

PMID- 28644213
TI  - Platelet pathophysiology, pharmacology, and function in coronary artery disease.
AB  - Platelets play a key role in the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease and
      acute coronary syndromes. Our understanding of platelet function in thrombus
      formation has increased considerably, resulting in the development of clinically
      effective treatment strategies and identification of new targets. An
      underappreciated platelet function is their contribution toward acute and chronic
      inflammatory processes including atherogenesis. In this review, we discuss the
      role of platelets in atherosclerosis and thrombosis, platelet function testing,
      and the pharmacology of currently available antiplatelet drugs.

PMID- 28644214
TI  - The future of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds: niche or workhorse devices?

PMID- 28644215
TI  - Treatment of coronary stent restenosis with drug-eluting bioabsorbable magnesium
      scaffolds.

PMID- 28644216
TI  - What do PAs need to know about prescription drug monitoring programs?
AB  - As controlled-substance abuse continues to increase in the United States,
      clinicians find themselves on the front lines of this epidemic. State-operated
      prescription drug monitoring programs are a valuable resource that prescribers
      can use to see patients' controlled substance history. Despite some limitations,
      these programs have been shown to be an effective method in reducing overdose
      deaths and the supply of controlled substances in the community.

PMID- 28644218
TI  - Bilateral anterior shoulder dislocation.
AB  - Shoulders are the most common major joint to become disarticulated, and shoulder
      dislocation is a frequent patient presentation to the ED. Bilateral shoulder
      dislocations, however, are rare and typically caused by seizure activity or
      electrocution. Posterior disarticulation is most common following seizure
      activity. This article describes an adolescent girl who dislocated both shoulders
      anteriorly following seizure activity.

PMID- 28644219
TI  - An uncommon complication of laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy.
AB  - Chylous ascites is an uncommon complication of laparoscopic live donor
      nephrectomy, occurring when milky chyle from the lymphatic system leaks into the
      peritoneal cavity. This can occur after trauma or be caused by obstruction of the
      lymphatic system. Treatment may include a fat-free diet, total parenteral
      nutrition, subcutaneous somatostatin, lymphangiography, and/or surgical closure
      of the leaking lymph vessel.

PMID- 28644220
TI  - Completion lymph node dissection in patients with melanoma and positive sentinel
      lymph node biopsy.
AB  - Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer that represents a significant disease
      burden, making diagnosis and appropriate control of disease vital for improving
      morbidity and mortality. The most recent guidelines for melanoma treatment advise
      performing a sentinel lymph node biopsy for intermediate thickness melanomas,
      with subsequent completion lymph node dissection (CLND) if sentinel nodes are
      positive. This guideline is controversial due to the limited availability of data
      on this topic. CLND is an extensive surgery with known risks and complications
      and a small survival benefit. However, in patients without significant
      comorbidities and at low risk for surgery, the survival benefit outweighs the
      procedural risk. This article reviews CLND and the current recommendations.

PMID- 28644221
TI  - Physician assistant dual employment.
AB  - National health workforce supply and demand models help predict requirements
      built on individual annual productivity assumptions. Dual employment rarely is
      addressed, yet in 2015, about 13.5% of certified physician assistants (PAs)
      reported two or more clinical positions. Of PAs working two positions, 44%
      reported the main reason was to supplement earnings, followed by role variety.
      The mean number of hours worked by all certified PAs was 40.7 per week and the
      average number of patients was 75. Dual-employed PAs averaged more than 51 hours
      and 97 patients per week. This new finding reveals an added dimension to provider
      productivity statistics requiring refinements to annual output calculations.

PMID- 28644222
TI  - PAs: Public awareness and the popular media.
AB  - From the very beginning, popular media has played an essential role in driving
      public awareness and recognition of physician assistants (PAs) as major
      contributors to healthcare. But for PAs, popular media can be a double-edged
      sword. Over time, the roles of PAs have evolved from bit players to leading
      characters on television medical dramas. Even so, on some occasions, the roles of
      PAs have been marginalized and misrepresented. In the future, the PA profession
      will need to remain vigilant about how PAs are portrayed in the popular media and
      must learn how to use the full benefit of the media to promote the profession's
      diversity, flexibility, collegiality, and civic-mindedness.

PMID- 28644224
TI  - Sick sinus syndrome.

PMID- 28644223
TI  - How PAs became licensed to practice in the United States.
AB  - The history of how PAs in the United States were first granted practice authority
      under the medical practice acts of the various states and territories begins in
      the 1960s with an imaginative way to circumvent the moratorium on licensure of
      new healthcare occupations in place at the time, while allowing the requisite
      flexibility for the new profession to take hold and thrive. In the subsequent
      decades, separate licensure for PAs was required and adopted. Despite the
      enormous success of the PA profession over its first 50 years, challenges remain.

PMID- 28644225
TI  - Adjuvant steroid therapy in community-acquired pneumonia.
AB  - Despite medical advances, pneumonia is a leading cause of death worldwide.
      Because inflammation is a key defense mechanism, adjuvant corticosteroid therapy
      has long been considered but never widely recommended to treat pneumonia. New
      research is exploring potential benefits of this therapy, including reduced time
      to clinical stability, reduced hospital stay, reduced rates of treatment failure,
      and prevention of complications.

PMID- 28644226
TI  - Possible allergic reaction after outpatient surgery.

PMID- 28644227
TI  - Permission.

PMID- 28644228
TI  - Renewal.

PMID- 28644230
TI  - Optimal team practice: Much at stake.

PMID- 28644231
TI  - Considerations for PA education and training.

PMID- 28644232
TI  - Case of Presumed Transient Light-Sensitivity Syndrome After Small-Incision
      Lenticule Extraction.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report the first presumed case of transient light-sensitivity
      syndrome (TLSS) after small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). METHODS: A 27
      year-old male patient was treated for severe photophobic symptoms occurring 7
      weeks after undergoing a bilateral SMILE procedure. His comprehensive ocular
      examination was unremarkable and his visual acuity was unaffected. Treatment was
      a month-long tapering dose of topical steroids. RESULTS: Photophobic symptoms
      fully resolved after steroid treatment. TLSS related to SMILE mirrors TLSS after
      laser in situ keratomileusis in both onset and steroid responsiveness.
      CONCLUSIONS: TLSS is a rare and minor complication of SMILE. Photophobic symptoms
      associated with post-SMILE TLSS are fully responsive to topical corticosteroids.

PMID- 28644233
TI  - Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Vatalanib, Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of
      Human Pterygial Fibroblasts.
AB  - PURPOSE: Vatalanib is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor. We investigated
      the effects of vatalanib on the proliferation and migration of cultured human
      pterygial fibroblasts (HPFs). METHODS: Pterygium tissues were obtained after
      pterygium excision surgery and subjected to primary culture. HPFs were treated
      with vatalanib at various concentrations. Mitomycin C (MMC) was used as a
      positive control. Cell proliferation and migration assays were used to
      investigate the effects of vatalanib. Cell death was measured using flow
      cytometry analysis. Western blot analysis was performed to identify signaling
      molecules associated with the response to vatalanib. RESULTS: Vatalanib inhibited
      both proliferation and migration of HPFs in a dose-dependent manner. Cell
      proliferation was significantly suppressed by vatalanib (10 and 100 MUM) and MMC
      (0.004% and 0.04%) treatments. Migration assays revealed significant HPF delay
      when treated with vatalanib (1, 10, and 100 MUM) and MMC (0.004% and 0.04%)
      compared with that in a negative control. Cell death analysis showed that high
      concentrations of vatalanib (100 MUM) and MMC (0.004% and 0.04%) decreased cell
      numbers. Western blot analysis of vatalanib-treated cells showed vascular
      endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta significantly
      reduced, but there was no alteration in p53 protein levels in HPFs. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results indicate that vatalanib significantly suppressed the proliferation
      and migration of HPFs by decreasing vascular endothelial growth factor and
      transforming growth factor-beta. Vatalanib showed less toxicity than that of MMC.
      Based on these results, vatalanib may potentially serve as a new adjuvant
      treatment after pterygium excision surgery.

PMID- 28644234
TI  - Efficacy of Sodium Hyaluronate in Murine Diabetic Ocular Surface Diseases.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of sodium hyaluronate (HA) eye drops for the
      treatment of diabetic ocular surface diseases in mice. METHODS: Male 6- to 8-week
      old C57BL/6 mice underwent induction of type 1 diabetes with intraperitoneal
      injections of streptozotocin, with normal mice as the control. Topical 0.3% HA,
      0.1% HA, 0.4% polyethylene glycol eye drops, and normal saline were administered
      to diabetic mice with an intact or debrided corneal epithelium. Normal saline was
      applied in the controls. Corneal epithelial wound healing rate, corneal
      sensation, nerve fiber density, conjunctival goblet cell number, and MUC-5AC
      content were measured and compared. RESULTS: Compared with the controls, topical
      0.3% HA use in diabetic mice showed significant improvements in the corneal
      epithelial wound healing rate (48 hours: 91.5% +/- 4.8% vs. 79.8% +/- 6.1%; P <
      0.05), corneal sensitivity (4.1 +/- 0.3 cm vs. 3.5 +/- 0.3 cm; P < 0.05), nerve
      fiber density (12.9% +/- 2.3% vs. 6.6% +/- 2.4%; P < 0.05), conjunctival goblet
      cell number (31.0 +/- 8.4/100 MUm vs. 19.6 +/- 7.1/100 MUm; P < 0.05), and MUC
      5AC content (12.5 +/- 1.4 ng/mg vs. 7.8 +/- 1.5 ng/mg protein; P < 0.05). The
      beneficial effects of 0.3% HA were better than those of 0.1% HA and 0.4%
      polyethylene glycol. CONCLUSIONS: Topical 0.3% HA treatment promoted corneal
      epithelial regeneration, improved corneal sensation, and increased density of
      corneal nerve fibers and conjunctival goblet cells in mice with diabetic ocular
      surface diseases.

PMID- 28644235
TI  - Chandelier Illumination for Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe a simple technique that uses posterior chandelier
      illumination during Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty in cases of severe
      bullous keratopathy (BK). METHODS: Five eyes of 4 patients with advanced BK
      undergoing Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty were retrospectively
      analyzed. The pupil of the host eye was not treated with mydriatic or miotic
      agents. The chandelier illuminator was inserted transconjunctivally into the
      vitreous cavity from the pars plana. RESULTS: In all eyes, BK was secondary to
      laser iridotomy, which was performed for prevention or treatment of angle closure
      glaucoma. The implanted graft was clearly confirmed in the anterior chamber using
      activated chandelier illumination. The graft was immediately attached to the host
      cornea, with eventual healing of BK in all eyes. No complication involving
      insertion or removal of the 25-gauge trocar and the chandelier illuminator was
      observed. No vision-threatening complication was observed in any of the 5 eyes.
      CONCLUSIONS: The chandelier illuminator provided good visibility of the anterior
      chamber and enhanced the safety of surgery by preventing formation of an inverted
      graft.

PMID- 28644237
TI  - Outcomes of Keratoplasty After Ocular Surface Stem Cell Transplantation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term outcomes of penetrating keratoplasty (PK)
      and deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) after ocular surface stem cell
      transplantation (OSST). METHODS: An observational retrospective review was
      performed on all patients who underwent OSST followed by either PK or DALK with a
      minimum of 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred two eyes fulfilled the
      inclusion criteria. The mean time to keratoplasty after OSST was 19 months, and
      the mean follow-up was 57 months after keratoplasty. A Kaplan-Meier analysis
      demonstrated 92% graft survival at year 1, 77% at year 2, 62% at year 3, 55% at
      year 4, and 54% at year 5. During the study period, a total of 44 grafts failed.
      The mean time to graft failure was 32 months. Preoperative median best-corrected
      visual acuity for all eyes was 20/550, which improved to 20/100 (P < 0.001) at 1
      year postoperatively, 20/60 (P < 0.001) at 2 years, and 20/100 (P < 0.001) at
      last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Without addressing the underlying stem cell
      deficiency, keratoplasty in patients with total limbal stem cell deficiency will
      ultimately fail in all cases. OSST with either subsequent PK or DALK provides
      successful visual outcomes with an acceptable complication profile.

PMID- 28644236
TI  - CYP1B1 Cytopathy: Uncommon Phenotype of a Homozygous CYP1B1 Deletion as Internal
      Corneal Ulcer of Von Hippel.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report a mutation of CYP1B1 in a newborn with a rare phenotype
      without the classic features of anterior segment dysgenesis or congenital
      glaucoma. METHODS: The newborn presented with diffuse corneal edema and
      bilaterally elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Ophthalmological examination,
      ultrasound, and ultrasound biomicroscopy were performed; congenital infections
      were ruled out. Genetic analysis was performed. The patient underwent penetrating
      keratoplasty and goniotomy in a single surgical time. The button was subjected to
      histopathological examination. RESULTS: The patient is the first child of young,
      healthy, consanguineous parents. Ophthalmological examination revealed visual
      acuity of light perception and increased IOP in both eyes. CYP1B1 gene analysis
      demonstrated homozygosity for a 1-bp deletion in exon 2 (c.830delT). IOP was
      normalized, and the corneal button was clear after surgical treatment.
      Histopathological analysis revealed loss of the Bowman membrane in the central
      cornea, fibrosis of the stroma, absence of endothelial cells, and loss of
      Descemet membrane centrally. CONCLUSIONS: We present an uncommon mutation and
      clinical description of CYP1B1. This report and further studies could provide us
      better understanding of the mutational spectrum of CYP1B1.

PMID- 28644238
TI  - Prevention and Management of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty
      Complications.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK)
      complications and strategies for their prevention and management. METHODS: Five
      hundred consecutive eyes with DMEK of 393 patients were reviewed in this
      retrospective study for intraoperative and postoperative complications up to 2
      years and for corresponding management. RESULTS: Intraoperative challenges
      (difficult graft unfolding/positioning, high vitreous pressure, iris root
      hemorrhage, and Descemet membrane remnants) were encountered in 81 eyes (16.2%).
      Visually significant graft detachment was the main postoperative complication (34
      eyes, 6.8%). Graft failure occurred in 8 eyes (1.6%). Other postoperative
      complications were an increase of intraocular pressure/decompensated glaucoma in
      48 eyes (9.6%), significant cataract in 11 of 124 phakic eyes (8.9%), allograft
      rejection in 7 eyes (1.4%), cystoid macular edema in 5 eyes (1.0%), microbial
      keratitis in 2 eyes (0.4%), and retinal detachment in 1 eye (0.2%). Different
      strategies for prevention and management of these complications have been
      identified. CONCLUSIONS: DMEK shows acceptable rates of complications up to 2
      years after surgery, which can be managed successfully. Anticipation of potential
      challenges and difficulties may aid in modifying intraoperative strategies for
      predisposed eyes. This knowledge may further minimize complications, in
      particular, when performing DMEK for an extended spectrum of corneal endothelial
      disorders.

PMID- 28644239
TI  - Effect of the Learning Curve on Visual and Refractive Outcomes of Small-Incision
      Lenticule Extraction.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of the learning curve for small-incision
      lenticule extraction during the first 2 years of experience. METHODS: Small
      incision lenticule extraction was performed using the 500-kHz VisuMax femtosecond
      laser (Carl Zeiss Meditec) by the same surgeon. The initial 100 patients since
      the surgeon started operating independently were considered as group 1; the
      recent 100 patients were considered as group 2. The same laser settings and
      technique were used. The visual and refractive outcomes were compared between
      groups at postoperative 1 week and 6 months. Vector analysis was performed for
      eyes with astigmatic correction. RESULTS: Two hundred right eyes of 200 patients
      were included. Age, preoperative corrected visual acuity, manifest refraction,
      and central corneal thickness were similar between groups (P <= 0.154).
      Postoperatively, the efficacy index at 1 week was better in group 2 (group 1:
      0.85 +/- 0.16 vs. group 2: 0.91 +/- 0.10, P = 0.019) but was similar between
      groups at 6 months (group 1: 0.91 +/- 0.14 vs. group 2: 0.94 +/- 0.08, P =
      0.181). The safety index was higher in group 2 at 1 week (group 1: 0.93 +/- 0.10
      vs. group 2: 0.95 +/- 0.08, P = 0.045) and 6 months postoperatively (group 1:
      0.97 +/- 0.07 vs. group 2: 0.99 +/- 0.03, P = 0.011). Vector analysis showed that
      postoperative residual astigmatism and misalignment of astigmatic correction were
      lower in group 2 than in group 1 (P <= 0.039) at 1 week and 6 months. The
      duration of docking and that of lenticule extraction was shorter in group 2 (P <=
      0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that faster visual recovery, better safety
      profile, and more accurate astigmatic correction could be attained with
      increasing surgical experience.

PMID- 28644240
TI  - Corneal Stiffening by a Bacteriochlorophyll Derivative With Dextran and Near
      Infrared Light: Effect of Shortening Irradiation Time up to 1 Minute.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of variation of the
      exposure time of near-infrared irradiation on corneal stiffening after a
      bacteriochlorophyll derivative (WST11) with dextran (WST-D) application. METHODS:
      One hundred four paired eyes of 3-month-old New Zealand White rabbits were
      included in this study. Fifty-two eyes (ex vivo n = 34, in vivo n = 18) were
      mechanically deepithelialized, treated topically with WST-D, and irradiated at 10
      mW/cm using a diode laser at 755 nm for 1, 5, or 30 minutes. Untreated fellow
      eyes served as controls. Corneoscleral rings were removed immediately after
      treatment (ex vivo), or 1 month after treatment (in vivo). Corneal strips were
      cut and underwent biomechanical stress-strain measurements. RESULTS: Ex vivo, the
      mean tangent elastic modulus was significantly higher in the treatment groups
      than in the control groups for 1, 5, and 30 minutes of irradiation, respectively,
      6.06 MPa, 95% confidence interval (CI, 4.5-7.6) versus 14.02 MPa, 95% CI (10.2
      17.8), n = 11, 4.8 MPa, 95% CI (3.9-5.7) versus 15.03 MPa, 95% CI (12-18.1), n =
      11, and 7.8 MPa, 95% CI (5.6-10.02) versus 16.2 MPa, 95% CI (13.6-18.9), n = 11;
      P < 0.001 for all comparisons. In vivo, the mean elastic moduli in the treatment
      groups were significantly higher for 5 and 30 minutes of irradiation but not for
      1 minute of irradiation, respectively, 11.4 MPa, 95% CI (8.5-14.2), versus 17.1
      MPa, 95% CI (14.5-19.7), n = 5; P < 0.001, and 9.4 MPa, 95% CI (5.1-13.8) versus
      16 MPa, 95% CI (13.1-19), n = 5; P < 0.01, and 11.3 MPa, 95% CI (6-16.6) versus
      12.2 MPa, 95% CI (7.5-16.8), n = 5; P = 0.7. CONCLUSIONS: WST-D/near-infrared
      treatment using shortened irradiation time (1 minute ex vivo and 5 minutes in
      vivo) results in significant corneal stiffening, and this might provide an
      alternative to the currently applied riboflavin/ultraviolet A cross-linking.

PMID- 28644241
TI  - Long-Term Ocular Surface Stability in Conjunctival Limbal Autograft Donor Eyes.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) in
      donor eyes after conjunctival limbal autograft (CLAU). METHODS: An observational
      retrospective review was performed on all patients who underwent CLAU alone,
      combined keratolimbal allograft with CLAU ("Modified Cincinnati Procedure"), or
      combined living-related conjunctival limbal allograft (lr-CLAL) with CLAU having
      >=6 months of follow-up after surgery. The outcome measures were best-corrected
      visual acuity (BCVA) and ocular surface status. RESULTS: The inclusion criteria
      were fulfilled by 45 patients. Of these, 26 patients underwent CLAU, 18 underwent
      combined keratolimbal allograft/CLAU, and 1 underwent combined lr-CLAL/CLAU. Mean
      age at the time of surgery was 39.6 years. Mean logMAR preoperative BCVA was 
      0.08. There were no operative complications. The mean follow-up duration after
      surgery was 48.3 months (range 8.3-181.5 mo). At last follow-up, all eyes
      maintained a stable ocular surface, and mean logMAR BCVA was -0.05. CONCLUSIONS:
      With the advent of newer ocular surface transplantation methods, there has been
      concern that CLAU carries the theoretical risk of inducing LSCD. Our long-term
      clinical results following donor eyes after CLAU demonstrate no signs of LSCD.

PMID- 28644242
TI  - Effects of Participation in Sports Programs on Walking Ability and Endurance Over
      Time in Children With Cerebral Palsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Children with cerebral palsy may benefit from maintaining a high level
      of physical fitness similar to typically developing children especially in terms
      of long-term physical performance, although in practice this is often difficult.
      The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participation in sports
      programs on walking ability and endurance over time. DESIGN: A retrospective
      cohort study included participants with cerebral palsy, aged 6 to 20 yrs, who
      attended a summer sports program from 2004 to 2012. There were 256 participant
      sessions with pre/post data recorded. The participants consisted of a total of 97
      children (mean age [SD] = 11.4 [3.1] yrs), many of whom attended multiple
      programs throughout the years. Programs were held 6 hrs/d, 5 d/wk for up to 4
      wks. Outcome measures included the Timed Up and Go, modified 6-min walk, and 25
      ft walk/run. RESULTS: The results showed significant improvements in the Timed Up
      and Go, modified 6-min walk distance and 25-ft walk/run over time. Children in
      Gross Motor Classification System level III made the largest gains. CONCLUSIONS:
      Walking ability and endurance seem to improve after participation in an intensive
      summer sports programs. Higher frequency of program attendance resulted in
      significant improvements in the Timed Up and Go. TO CLAIM CME CREDITS: Complete
      the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at
      http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME CME OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this
      article, the reader should be able to: (1) Discuss the importance of physical
      activity at the participation level (sports programs) for children with cerebral
      palsy; (2) Contrast the changes in walking ability and endurance for children in
      Gross Motor Function Classification System level I, II, and III after sports
      programs; and (3) Identify the impact of higher frequency of sports program
      attendance over time on walking ability. LEVEL: Advanced ACCREDITATION: The
      Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council
      for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for
      physicians.The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this Journal-based
      CME activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians
      should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in
      the activity.

PMID- 28644243
TI  - Role of Breathing Conditions During Exercise Testing on Training Prescription in
      Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
AB  - This study investigated whether different breathing conditions during exercise
      testing will influence measures of exercise capacity commonly used for training
      prescription in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Twenty-seven patients with
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec = 45.6
      [9.4]%) performed three maximal exercise tests within 8 days, but at least 48 hrs
      apart. Subjects were thereby breathing either room air through a tightly fitting
      face mask like during any cardiopulmonary exercise test (MASK), room air without
      mask (No-MASK), or 10 l/min of oxygen via nasal cannula (No-MASK + O2). Cycling
      protocols were identical for all tests (start = 20 watts, increment = 10 males/5
      females watts/min). Maximal work rate (90.4 [33.8], 100.3 [34.8], 107.4 [35.9]
      watts, P < 0.001) and blood lactate at exhaustion (4.3 [1.5], 5.2 [1.6], 5.0
      [1.4] mmol/l, P < 0.001) were lowest for MASK when compared with No-MASK and No
      MASK + O2, respectively, whereas maximal heart rate did not differ significantly.
      Submaximal exertion (Borg rating of perceived exertion = 12-14) was perceived at
      lower intensity (P = 0.008), but higher heart rate (P = 0.005) when MASK was
      compared with No-MASK and No-MASK + O2. Different breathing conditions during
      exercise testing resulted in an 18.8% difference in maximal work rate, likely
      causing underdosing or overdosing of exercise in chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease. Face masks reduced whereas supplemental oxygen increased patients'
      exercise capacity. For accurate prescription of exercise in chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease, breathing conditions during testing should closely match
      training conditions.

PMID- 28644244
TI  - Effects of the Integration of Dynamic Weight Shifting Training Into Treadmill
      Training on Walking Function of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized
      Controlled Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine whether applying an assistance
      force to the pelvis and legs during treadmill training can improve walking
      function in children with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: Twenty-three children with
      cerebral palsy were randomly assigned to the robotic or treadmill only group. For
      participants who were assigned to the robotic group, a controlled force was
      applied to the pelvis and legs during treadmill walking. For participants who
      were assigned to the treadmill only group, manual assistance was provided as
      needed. Each participant trained 3 times/wk for 6 wks. Outcome measures included
      walking speed, 6-min walking distance, and clinical assessment of motor function,
      which were evaluated before, after training, and 8 wks after the end of training,
      and were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Significant increases in walking
      speed and 6-min walking distance were observed after robotic training (P = 0.03),
      but no significant change was observed after treadmill training only. A greater
      increase in 6-min walking distance was observed after robotic training than that
      after treadmill only training (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Applying a controlled
      force to the pelvis and legs, for facilitating weight-shift and leg swing,
      respectively, during treadmill training may improve walking speed and endurance
      in children with cerebral palsy. TO CLAIM CME CREDITS: Complete the self
      assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME
      CME OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this article, the reader should be able to:
      (1) discuss the importance of physical activity at the participation level
      (sports programs) for children with cerebral palsy; (2) contrast the changes in
      walking ability and endurance for children in GMFCS level I, II and III following
      sports programs; and (3) identify the impact of higher frequency of sports
      program attendance over time on walking ability. LEVEL: Advanced ACCREDITATION:
      The Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation
      Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education
      for physicians.The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this Journal
      based CME activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM.
      Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their
      participation in the activity.

PMID- 28644245
TI  - Reply to the Letter to the Editor on "Effects of Light-Emitting Diode Therapy on
      Muscle Hypertrophy, Gene Expression, Performance, Damage, and Delayed-Onset
      Muscle Soreness: Case-Control Study With a Pair of Identical Twins".

PMID- 28644246
TI  - Effects of Exercise on the Immune Function of Pediatric Patients With Solid
      Tumors: Insights From the PAPEC Randomized Trial.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of an in-hospital exercise
      intervention during neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the inflammatory profile and
      immune cell subpopulation in 20 children with solid tumors (control [n = 11] and
      exercise group [n = 9]). Although no significant interaction (group * time)
      effect was found with an analysis of variance test, we found a trend toward an
      interaction effect for natural killer cells expressing the immunoglobulin-like
      receptor KIR2DS4, with their numbers remaining stable in the exercise group but
      increasing in controls. Our data support that exercise interventions are safe in
      pediatric cancer patients with solid tumors during chemotherapy treatment despite
      its aggressive, immunosuppressive nature.

PMID- 28644247
TI  - Surface Electromyographic Activity of the Upper Trapezius Before and After a
      Single Dry Needling Session in Female Office Workers With Trapezius Myalgia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Myofascial pain can be accompanied by a disturbed surface
      electromyographic (sEMG) activity. Nevertheless, the effect of myofascial
      treatment techniques, such as dry needling (DN), on the sEMG activity is poorly
      investigated. Several DN studies also emphasize the importance of eliciting local
      twitch responses (LTRs) during treatment. However, studies investigating the
      added value of LTRs are scarce. Therefore, the aims of this study were first to
      evaluate the effect of DN on the sEMG activity of myalgic muscle tissue, compared
      with no intervention (rest), and secondly to identify whether this effect is
      dependent of eliciting LTRs during DN. METHODS: Twenty-four female office workers
      with work-related trapezius myalgia were included. After completion of a typing
      task, changes in sEMG activity were evaluated after a DN treatment of the upper
      trapezius, compared with rest. RESULTS: The sEMG activity increased after rest
      and after DN, but this increase was significantly smaller 10 minutes after DN,
      compared with rest. These differences were independent whether LTRs were elicited
      or not. CONCLUSIONS: Dry needling leads to a significantly lower increase in sEMG
      activity of the upper trapezius, compared with no intervention, after a typing
      task. This difference was independent of eliciting LTRs.

PMID- 28644248
TI  - Are Ultrasonographic Measures of Cervical Flexor Muscles Correlated With Flexion
      Endurance in Chronic Neck Pain and Asymptomatic Participants?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study compared the relationship between some clinical factors and
      the size of neck flexors in participants with or without chronic neck pain.
      DESIGN: In this case-control study, the correlation between flexor endurance
      capacity as well as thickness, cross-section area, and shape ratio of longus
      colli/capitis and sternocleidomastoid muscles were examined in 30 patients with
      chronic neck pain and 30 asymptomatic participants. RESULTS: The patients showed
      lower flexor endurance (P = 0.02), smaller thickness (P = 0.03), and cross
      section area (P < 0.01) of longus colli as compared with controls. Longus capitis
      and sternocleidomastoid size were not different between the two groups. The
      flexor endurance showed a negative correlation with longus colli shape ratio (r =
      -0.38, P = 0.03) and a positive correlation with longus capitis cross-section
      area (r = 0.38, P = 0.03) in the patients with chronic neck pain. In the control
      group, flexor endurance was negatively correlated with longus colli shape ratio
      (r = -0.45, P = 0.01) but positively correlated with longus capitis thickness (r
      = 0.45, P = 0.01) and cross-section area (r = 0.38, P = 0.03). Neck disability
      and pain intensity indices were not significantly correlated with either flexor
      muscles endurance or size. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasonographic measures of the deep
      neck flexor muscles and the flexor endurance test, being associated with each
      other, could successfully differentiate patients with chronic neck pain from
      asymptomatic participants. However, the endurance test scores were not correlated
      with self-reported disability or pain intensity indices.

PMID- 28644249
TI  - Incidental Hippocampal Hyperintensity on Diffusion-weighted MRI: Individual
      Susceptibility to Transient Global Amnesia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Dot-like hippocampal hyperintensities (HHs) on diffusion-weighted MRI
      (DWI) have been reported as an interesting imaging finding of transient global
      amnesia (TGA) that is characterized by typical anterograde amnesia. However, we
      found that these dot-like HHs are occasionally seen in some patients without
      clinical symptoms of TGA. METHODS: We identified 8 patients who did not show
      clinical symptoms of TGA, despite the presence of hippocampal lesions on DWI (No
      TGA group, n=8). For the comparison group, 16 age-matched and sex-matched
      patients were selected from among patients who had been diagnosed with TGA (TGA
      group, n=16). RESULTS: No significant difference was found in vascular risk
      factors, years of education, or underlying cognitive function between the 2
      groups. More than half of the patients in each group performed preceding Valsalva
      associated activities. Multiple hippocampal lesions or concomitant lesions in the
      cingulate gyrus were found only in the TGA group. CONCLUSIONS: Dot-like HHs on
      DWI can be observed without the typical symptoms of TGA. Valsalva maneuver
      associated activities could produce asymptomatic hippocampal lesions. The
      symptoms of TGA may be presented on a spectrum, from no symptoms to mild
      vegetative symptoms or to the typical symptoms of TGA, depending on individual
      susceptibility.

PMID- 28644250
TI  - Cholesterol Levels and Hemorrhagic Stroke Risk in East Asian Versus Non-East
      Asian Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to evaluate the relationships between
      cholesterol levels and risk of hemorrhagic stroke [including intracerebral
      hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)] in East Asian versus non-East
      Asian populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant prospective studies were
      identified from systematic searches of PubMed and EMBASE. A random-effects model
      was used to calculate summary relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals
      (CIs) that were used to compare the relationships between cholesterol levels and
      risk of hemorrhagic stroke in East Asian versus non-East Asian populations.
      RESULTS: In terms of overall hemorrhagic stroke risk, both East Asians and non
      East Asians displayed no significant difference between high versus low total
      cholesterol (TC) (RR=1.26, 95% CI, 0.92-1.72; I=74.4%, P<0.001; RR=1.69, 95% CI,
      1.15-2.49; I=92.4%, P<0.001, respectively). In terms of ICH risk, East Asians
      displayed no significant difference between high versus low TC (RR=1.30, 95% CI,
      0.89-1.90; I=78.6%, P<0.001), whereas non-East Asians displayed a significant
      difference between high versus low TC with low TC showing a higher ICH risk
      (RR=1.70, 95% CI, 1.08-2.67; I=91.2%, P<0.001). With respect to SAH risk, East
      Asians displayed a significant difference between high versus low TC with low TC
      showing a higher SAH risk (RR=1.48, 95% CI, 1.057-2.08; I=0%, P=0.682), whereas
      non-East Asians displayed no significant difference between high versus low TC
      (RR=1.14, 95% CI, 0.56-2.31; I=89.9%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Under low
      cholesterol conditions, East Asian ethnic status favors SAH development, whereas
      non-East Asian ethnic status favors ICH development.

PMID- 28644251
TI  - Risk Factors, Etiological Classification, Topographical Location, and Outcome in
      Medullary Infarctions.
AB  - An understanding of the etiological mechanisms is important for therapeutic
      decisions and prognostic evaluation of patients with ischemic stroke. The object
      of this study was to evaluate the risk factors, etiological subtypes, and
      topography of lesion in patients with medullary infarctions (MIs). Besides, we
      also investigated early neurological deterioration, new vascular events, and
      functional outcome of all patients at 3-month follow-up. We analyzed our database
      consisting of patients who were diagnosed with acute MI and who were admitted
      within 24 hours of onset. Etiological classification of stroke was made on the
      basis of the Trial of Org 1972 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria. All of the
      infarctions were grouped into anteromedial, anterolateral, lateral, and posterior
      arterial territories and also categorized into those involving the upper, middle,
      or lower medulla oblongata. Early neurological deterioration, major vascular
      events within the first 3 months of follow-up and modified Rankin Score at 3
      months were reviewed. A total of 65 patients with medullary infarctions were
      reviewed. Involved arterial territories differed according to the etiological
      classification. Large artery atherosclerosis was the most common etiological
      subtype; however, small vessel disease was the most common subtype in medial MIs.
      The lesions involving the anteromedial territory were common in the upper
      medullary region, whereas the lesions involving the posterior and lateral
      territories were common in the lower medulla oblangata. Recurrent stroke was seen
      in the posterior and lateral territories; however, early progression and poor
      functional outcome were mostly seen in lesions involving the anteromedial
      territories.

PMID- 28644252
TI  - Antineuroinflammation of Minocycline in Stroke.
AB  - Accumulating research substantiates the statement that inflammation plays an
      important role in the development of stroke. Both proinflammatory and anti
      inflammatory mediators are involved in the pathogenesis of stroke, an imbalance
      of which leads to inflammation. Anti-inflammation is a kind of hopeful strategy
      for the prevention and treatment of stroke. Substantial studies have demonstrated
      that minocycline, a second-generation semisynthetic antibiotic belonging to the
      tetracycline family, can inhibit neuroinflammation, inflammatory mediators and
      microglia activation, and improve neurological outcome. Experimental and clinical
      data have found the preclinical and clinical potential of minocycline in the
      treatment of stroke due to its anti-inflammation properties and anti-inflammation
      induced pathogeneses, including antioxidative stress, antiapoptosis, inhibiting
      leukocyte migration and microglial activation, and decreasing matrix
      metalloproteinases activity. Hence, it suggests a great future for minocycline in
      the therapeutics of stroke that diminish the inflammatory progress of stroke.

PMID- 28644254
TI  - Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease With Unilateral Symptoms in the Setting of
      Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Although it is not rare for magnetic resonance imaging findings in
      Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease to be asymmetric, unilateral clinical syndromes are
      uncommonly reported and may confound diagnosis. In addition, neurological
      paraneoplastic syndromes are not common in renal cell carcinoma, though there are
      cases reported, often without an offending antibody isolated. CASE REPORT: A 66
      year-old man was admitted with 1 month of left-sided numbness and "loss of
      control" of the left arm. Examination revealed action-induced irregular jerking
      movements of the left arm. Mental status testing was normal. Magnetic resonance
      imaging brain revealed patchy areas of restricted diffusion along the cerebral
      cortices. Screening computed tomographic scans revealed innumerable lung nodules
      compatible with metastases, as well as a renal mass consistent with renal cell
      carcinoma. Lumbar puncture was performed and cerebrospinal fluid was sent for
      paraneoplastic autoantibody evaluation and protein 14-3-3. Over the next week the
      patient developed dystonic posturing of the left arm, left leg jerking movements,
      a right arm action tremor, and cognitive impairment. Paraneoplastic
      autoantibodies were negative. Protein 14-3-3 was elevated and brain biopsy
      revealed spongiform encephalopathy with positive immunoblotting. The patient died
      about 2 months from symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can
      present with entirely unilateral myoclonus and numbness, without specific
      complaints of cognitive impairment. Not every difficult or unclear neurological
      syndrome in a patient with metastatic cancer is a paraneoplastic syndrome.

PMID- 28644253
TI  - Spectrum of Autonomic Nervous System Impairment in Sjogren Syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the spectrum of autonomic dysfunction in a uniformly
      evaluated cohort of patients with Sjogren syndrome. METHODS: A series of 13
      patients underwent a comprehensive evaluation for suspected autonomic impairment,
      including a neurological examination, autonomic testing, and laboratory studies.
      A diagnosis of Sjogren syndrome was established as the cause of autonomic
      dysfunction in all. Clinical features, findings on autonomic testing, and
      laboratory results are described. RESULTS: All patients in this series reported
      postural lightheadedness and syncope or near-syncope. Autonomic testing confirmed
      the presence of orthostatic hypotension on tilt-table testing in 5 patients and
      an excessive postural tachycardia and/or hypertensive response in 8 patients.
      Only 2 of the patients with orthostatic hypotension had a significant sensory
      neuropathy. Symptoms suggestive of gastrointestinal and genitourinary impairment
      were seen in nearly all patients, with abnormal motility testing (most frequently
      esophageal dysmotility) in 5 of 6 patients who underwent formal testing. Patients
      in this series treated with immune-modulating therapy experienced significant
      improvement. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of Sjogren syndrome should be aggressively
      pursued in patients with signs and symptoms suggestive of autonomic nervous
      system impairment. Although the spectrum of adrenergic failure is variable,
      ranging from orthostatic hypotension to an excessive postural tachycardia, most
      patients do have symptoms of more generalized autonomic failure. Patients who
      were treated with immune-modulating therapy did improve.

PMID- 28644255
TI  - Periodic Paralysis and Encephalopathy as Initial Manifestations of Graves'
      Disease: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis (TPP) is an uncommon complication of
      Graves' disease, characterized by the triad of acute hypokalemia without total
      body potassium deficit, episodic muscle paralysis, and thyrotoxicosis. Graves'
      encephalopathy is an extremely rare form of encephalopathy associated with
      autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD), characterized by neuropsychiatric symptoms,
      increased antithyroid antibodies and cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration,
      nonspecific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and cortico-responsiveness.
      Coexistence of both these complications in the same patient has not been reported
      before. CASE REPORT: We herein present a 48-year-old white male patient with TPP
      and encephalopathy as initial presentations of Graves' disease. Flaccid
      tetraparesis was reversed a few hours after potassium level correction and the
      patient did not suffer any relapse with the successful pharmaceutical management
      of the thyroid function. One month later, the patient presented with dizziness
      and behavioral symptoms, such as inappropriate laughter and anger. Brain magnetic
      resonance imaging revealed meningeal enhancement and cerebrospinal fluid analysis
      showed a mild protein increase, with a blood-brain barrier disruption. With the
      suspicion of EAATD, the patient was treated with high doses of corticosteroids
      and improved dramatically. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge this is the first
      reported coexistence of potentially treatable TPP and EAATD as initial
      neurological manifestations of Graves' disease, thereby underscoring the
      necessity of suspicion of possible underlying Graves' disease in patients with
      acute paralysis and encephalopathy of unclear origin.

PMID- 28644256
TI  - Cluster-like Headache Secondary to Focal Cervical Myelitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cluster headache (CH) is characterized by attacks of severe
      periorbital pain associated with autonomic symptoms. As with other forms of
      primary headache, structural lesions should be excluded, particularly if the
      headache presents with an atypical pattern. CASE: We report a 41-year-old woman
      who had no previous history of primary headache and showed a poor response to
      medication for CH. The patient was finally diagnosed as secondary headache with
      CH feature due to focal myelitis at the cervical level of the spinal cord. A
      strong positive Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay test for Toxocara canis
      antibodies helped us to make a diagnosis of cervical Toxocara myelitis. After
      starting treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone and albendazole, her
      headache gradually improved with abortive and preventive treatment for CH.
      CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that neuroimaging of the upper cervical cord as well as
      the brain is important when CH is showing an atypical clinical course. Cervical
      Toxocara myelitis might be a possible cause of secondary headache with CH
      feature.

PMID- 28644257
TI  - Holmes' Tremor Secondary to Cerebellopontine Angle Epidermoid Cyst.
AB  - Holmes' tremor is characterized by a combination of rest, postural, and intention
      tremor. Tremor is predominantly proximal and more severe during posture; however,
      the tremor frequency is usually <4 Hz on surface electromyography. We report
      Holmes' tremor in a patient secondary to cerebellopontine angle epidermoid cyst.

PMID- 28644258
TI  - Multifocal Motor Neuropathy Associated With Infliximab: A Case Report and a
      Literature Review.
AB  - Multifocal motor neuropathy with conduction block (MMN-CB) is purely a motor
      neuropathy with progressive weakness that is characteristically caused by
      conduction blocks. Association with antiganglioside antibodies and a good
      response to immunomodulating therapies suggest an autoimmune etiology. In rare
      cases, MMN-CB has been reported as an adverse effect of infliximab, a tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha blocker. We present a case of MMN-CB due to infliximab in a
      45-year-old man with psoriatic arthritis who was exposed to the drug for 2 years
      because of a delayed diagnosis. We emphasize the possibility of this adverse
      effect and the importance of detailed electrophysiological examinations, which is
      supported by a review of the literature.

PMID- 28644259
TI  - Antiphospholipid Syndrome With a Distinctive Constellation of Neurological
      Manifestations: Blue Toes, Red Valves, White Retinal Spots.
AB  - Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) encompasses a hypercoagulable state with a
      markedly increased risk for cerebrovascular complications. In addition to the
      classic stroke features of APS, however, there are numerous recently described
      "non-criteria" neurological conditions such as headaches, seizures, and cognitive
      impairment. We present a case of APS with uncommon neurological manifestations.

PMID- 28644260
TI  - Intravenous Alteplase for Acute Stroke and Pulmonary Embolism in a Patient With
      Recent Abdominoplasty.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Major surgery in the past 14 days is a relative contraindication to
      treatment of acute stroke with intravenous (IV) alteplase. The 2016 American
      Heart Association/American Stroke Association scientific statement discussing
      inclusion and exclusion criteria for alteplase in acute stroke allows for
      provider judgment citing a lack of evidence to support surgery as an absolute
      contraindication. CASE REPORT: A 59-year-old woman presented with acute left
      hemiparesis, dysarthria, and acute respiratory failure. National Institutes of
      Health Stroke Scale was 17. Two days prior she underwent abdominoplasty and
      liposuction. Computed tomography angiogram of the head demonstrated acute
      occlusion of right M2, and computed tomography angiogram of the chest was
      positive for bilateral pulmonary emboli. After urgent consultation with the
      plastic surgery and neurosurgery teams, the patient was treated with IV alteplase
      followed by cerebral mechanical thrombectomy. This was complicated by surgical
      site hemorrhage in the abdomen requiring operative intervention. Abdominal
      hemorrhage was controlled and the patient showed remarkable neurological
      recovery, later being discharged with no residual neurological deficits.
      CONCLUSIONS: Interdisciplinary collaboration can successfully inform the decision
      to treat acute ischemic stroke with IV alteplase in the setting of recent major
      surgery.

PMID- 28644261
TI  - Is Intravenous Thrombolysis Safe and Effective in Central Retinal Artery
      Occlusion? A Critically Appraised Topic.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a neurological and
      ophthalmologic emergency associated with poor visual recovery. There is a dilemma
      regarding the appropriate treatment, as formal guidelines are lacking. Despite
      being considered an ocular equivalent of cerebral infarction, the time window of
      intravenous (IV) thrombolysis administration for maximum efficacy and safety in
      CRAO remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To critically assess the current evidence
      regarding the safety and effectiveness of IV thrombolysis in the treatment of
      patients with CRAO. METHODS: The objective was addressed through the development
      of a critically appraised topic that included a clinical scenario, structured
      question, literature search strategy, critical appraisal, assessment of results,
      evidence summary, commentary, and bottom-line conclusions. Participants included
      consultant and resident neurologists, a medical librarian, and content experts in
      the fields of vascular neurology and ophthalmology. RESULTS: A recent patient
      level meta-analysis was selected for critical appraisal. The study compared the
      visual recovery rates after IV thrombolysis in CRAO against the natural history
      of this illness and conservative therapies (ocular massage, anterior chamber
      paracentesis, and/or hemodilution). Time to thrombolytic therapy administration
      had a significant impact on visual recovery in CRAO (P<0.001). IV thrombolysis
      within the first 4.5 hours after symptom onset resulted in recovery of vision in
      50.0% of the patients [95% confidence interval (CI), 32.4%-67.6%]. The rate of
      visual recovery was nearly 3 times higher than in the natural history cohort
      [odds ratio, 4.7 (95% CI, 2.3-9.6); P<0.001], with a 32.3% absolute risk
      reduction and a number needed to treat of 4.0 (95% CI, 2.6-6.6). There was no
      significant difference in the recovery rate after thrombolysis compared with the
      natural history cohort for those patients treated after 4.5 hours. No major
      hemorrhages occurred after alteplase administration in this meta-analysis.
      CONCLUSIONS: IV thrombolysis in CRAO seems to be safe and effective within the
      first 4.5 hours of symptom onset. A clinical decision based on this meta-analysis
      alone cannot be made due to several limitations. A randomized controlled clinical
      trial of early IV alteplase administration in CRAO is necessary to provide
      evidence-based therapeutic guidance.

PMID- 28644262
TI  - Host-related Risk Factors for Adherent Perinephric Fat in Healthy Individuals
      Undergoing Laparoscopic Living-donor Nephrectomy.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the risk factors and
      characteristics of adherent perinephric fat (APF) in healthy individuals.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Men who underwent laparoscopic donor nephrectomy were
      included. Video review was used to divide patients on the basis of APF severity.
      Relationship between APF scores and clinical and radiographic features was
      evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 92 patients, 43 (46.7%) and 8 (8.7%) were categorized
      as APF and severe APF, respectively. The median total operative time was
      significantly associated with APF severity. Sex, body mass index, and perinephric
      fat area, stranding, and thickness were significantly associated with severe APF.
      In the multivariate analysis, perinephric fat areas and stranding were
      independent risk factors for severe APF (HR, 1.189 and 14.450, respectively). In
      the 44 analyzed cytokines, levels of sIL-6R in the perinephric adipose tissue
      conditioned medium were significantly higher for APF group than that for non-APF
      group (P=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Host-related risk factors for APF could predict
      surgical difficulty in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy.

PMID- 28644263
TI  - Mind the Facts.
AB  - Nurses must become active in protecting science and evidence-based decision
      making.

PMID- 28644264
TI  - Forever Hold Your Peace: When Preprocedure Safety Concerns Are Missed.
AB  - A near-miss experience highlights a limitation of time-out protocols.

PMID- 28644265
TI  - Monitoring Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression.

PMID- 28644266
TI  - Monitoring Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression.

PMID- 28644267
TI  - Cultural Competence.

PMID- 28644268
TI  - Risk Tools vs. Nurse Perception.

PMID- 28644269
TI  - Risk Tools vs. Nurse Perception.

PMID- 28644270
TI  - New Immunization Initiatives Show Promise.
AB  - Nurses can play an important role in improving public understanding of the
      benefits of vaccination.

PMID- 28644271
TI  - Norepinephrine Shortage Led to Increased Deaths from Septic Shock.
AB  - Though drug shortages are common, their impact is rarely studied.

PMID- 28644273
TI  - Nursing Protocol for Stroke Increases Survival, Reduces Disability.
AB  - Fever, hyperglycemia, and swallowing problems were treated in the first 72 hours
      following stroke.

PMID- 28644276
TI  - An Innovative Syringe Exchange Program.
AB  - Nevada's pilot vending machine program encourages users to enter treatment
      programs.

PMID- 28644279
TI  - The Growing Trend of Medical Tourism.
AB  - What nurses need to know about the risks and benefits for patients.

PMID- 28644282
TI  - Does Chewing Gum Promote Bowel Function After Cesarean Section?
AB  - Editor's note: This is a summary of a nursing care-related systematic review from
      the Cochrane Library. For more information, see http://nursingcare.cochrane.org.

PMID- 28644283
TI  - New Drug For Multiple Sclerosis.

PMID- 28644284
TI  - New Drug Approved For Parkinson's Disease.

PMID- 28644285
TI  - Injectable Drug Approved for Moderate-to-Severe Eczema.

PMID- 28644289
TI  - The Growing Need for Diverse Blood Donors.
AB  - : Research shows that phenotype matching can improve the outcomes of people who
      receive repeated transfusions. In addition, the demographics of the United States
      are shifting, and more ethnically and racially diverse donors are needed. These
      factors have health implications and require ongoing efforts to ensure a safe and
      adequate U.S. blood supply. Nurses can help to develop and implement strategies
      to increase the number and diversity of blood donors, ensuring donations better
      match the needs of transfusion recipients daily and in the event of a public
      health emergency.

PMID- 28644290
TI  - Could Emotional Intelligence Make Patients Safer?
AB  - : The vast majority of medical errors occurring each year involve faulty
      communication. For this reason, it's essential that we identify skills that
      support accurate communication and information transfer as well as optimum
      patient-centered care, team function, and patient safety. Research in nursing and
      other disciplines has demonstrated that emotional intelligence abilities improve
      communication, support constructive conflict resolution, and improve individual
      and team performance. Although further studies are needed, these findings suggest
      emotional intelligence ability can positively affect patient safety.

PMID- 28644291
TI  - The Significant and the Superficial.
AB  - Updated several times a week with posts by a wide variety of authors, AJN's blog
      Off the Charts allows us to provide more timely-and often more personal
      perspectives on professional, policy, and clinical issues. Best of the Blog will
      be a regular column to draw the attention of AJN readers to posts we think
      deserve a wider audience. To read more, please visit: www.ajnoffthecharts.com.

PMID- 28644292
TI  - Ethical Nursing Care When the Terminally Ill Patient Seeks Death.

PMID- 28644293
TI  - There from the Start: A Hospice Nurse Looks Back.
AB  - Dianne Puzycki has worked for the first U.S. hospice since its inception.

PMID- 28644294
TI  - Exercise and Psychological Interventions are Best for Cancer-Related Fatigue.

PMID- 28644295
TI  - Internet-Delivered Intervention Is Beneficial for Chronic Knee Pain.

PMID- 28644296
TI  - Lack of Paid Sick Leave Reduces Use of Preventive Health Care Services.

PMID- 28644297
TI  - Health Effects Following the Suicide of a Spouse.

PMID- 28644298
TI  - Omission of High-Alert Medications: A Hidden Danger.
AB  - The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System is a confidential, statewide
      Internet reporting system to which all Pennsylvania hospitals, outpatient-surgery
      facilities, birthing centers, and abortion facilities must file information on
      incidents and serious events.Safety Monitor is a column from Pennsylvania's
      Patient Safety Authority, the authority that informs nurses on issues that can
      affect patient safety and presents strategies they can easily integrate into
      practice. For more information on the authority, visit
      www.patientsafetyauthority.org. For the original article discussed in this column
      or for other articles on patient safety, click on "Patient Safety Advisories" and
      then "Advisory Library" in the left-hand navigation menu.

PMID- 28644299
TI  - An Inconsolable Loss.
AB  - A nurse's injury costs her far more than mobility.

PMID- 28644300
TI  - Breathlessness in the primary care setting.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Breathlessness is a high-volume problem with 10% of adults
      experiencing the symptom daily placing a heavy burden on the health and wider
      economy. As it worsens, they enter the specialist and hospital-based symptom
      services where costs quickly escalate and people may find themselves in a place
      not of their choosing. For many, their care will be delivered by a disease or
      organ specialist and can find themselves passing between physicians without
      coordination for symptom support. General practitioners (GPs) will be familiar
      with this scenario and can often feel out of their depth. Recent advances in our
      thinking about breathlessness symptom management can offer opportunities and a
      sense of hope when the GP is faced with this situation. RECENT FINDINGS: Original
      research, reviews and other findings over the last 12-18 months that pertain to
      the value that general practice and the wider primary care system can add,
      include opportunities to help people recognize they have a problem that can be
      treated. We present systems that support decisions made by primary healthcare
      professionals and an increasingly strong case that a solution is required in
      primary care for an ageing and frail population where breathlessness will be
      common. SUMMARY: Primary care practitioners and leaders must start to realize the
      importance of recognizing and acting early in the life course of the person with
      breathlessness because its impact is enormous. They will need to work closely
      with public health colleagues and learn from specialists who have been doing this
      work usually with people near to the end of life translating the skills and
      knowledge further upstream to allow people to live well and remain near home and
      in their communities.

PMID- 28644301
TI  - Palliative oxygen for chronic breathlessness: what new evidence?
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Supplemental oxygen improves survival in patients with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and severe hypoxaemia, but the effect of
      oxygen therapy in mild or moderate hypoxaemia to reduce symptomatic chronic
      breathlessness remains unclear. This review provides an overview of recent
      evidence about the role of oxygen therapy for the relief of chronic
      breathlessness in advanced illness. RECENT FINDINGS: In COPD, a recent Cochrane
      review strengthens earlier findings regarding the positive effect of supplemental
      oxygen compared with air during exercise test in the training setting. The novel
      analysis of effect of oxygen therapy on quality of life (QoL) showed no clear
      effect. Short-burst oxygen therapy given before exercise had no effect and should
      not be used. SUMMARY: Supplemental oxygen during exercise has been shown to
      reduce breathlessness in patients with COPD who have no or mild hypoxaemia, but
      it is not clear whether the reduction in breathlessness shown in the laboratory
      setting translates into a clinically important benefit. Further studies are
      needed to establish this.

PMID- 28644302
TI  - The role of bone-targeted therapies for prostate cancer in 2017.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Bone-targeted agents (BTAs), such as zoledronic acid and
      denosumab, delay the occurrence of skeletal-related events (SREs) in metastatic
      prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Recently, several agents, such as abiraterone
      acetate, enzalutamide and radium-223, were approved for the treatment of
      metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC). These agents resulted in improved
      overall survival (OS), pain control and had positive effects on bone health.
      Combining BTAs to the newly approved agents demonstrates additional benefits that
      warrant a review of available evidence looking at appropriate combination
      therapies and timing of BTAs for optimizing the management of advanced and
      metastatic PCa. RECENT FINDINGS: Post-hoc analyses of randomized trials
      demonstrated some benefits from combination therapy, such as increased OS when
      denosumab was used concurrently with radium-223 and when BTAs were used with
      abiraterone acetate. BTAs were not beneficial for the prevention of bone
      metastases. SUMMARY: There is a suggestion of synergy or additive effects between
      BTAs and new agents approved for the treatment of metastatic PCa, resulting in
      potential clinical benefits. Therefore, prospective randomized studies evaluating
      the safety and benefits of combination therapies to address gaps in the
      literature are needed to optimize treatment of mCRPC.

PMID- 28644303
TI  - Prostate cancer immunotherapy: the path forward.
AB  - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of current strategies being
      investigated in the development of immunotherapy in prostate cancer. RECENT
      FINDINGS: Development of immunotherapy in prostate cancer actually began in 2010
      with FDA approval of sipuleucel-T. Given that immune checkpoint inhibitor trials
      have either been negative at the phase III level or underwhelming in smaller
      studies, it is likely that combination strategies will be required to further
      maximize the impact immune-based therapies on the clinical course of the disease.
      Emerging data suggests the presence of multiple checkpoint inhibitors in the
      prostate cancer tumor microenvironment highlighting the need for combination
      immunotherapy platforms that would potentially include androgen deprivation,
      chemotherapy, or radiation. SUMMARY: Preclinical and clinical data support immune
      based combinations in prostate cancer and several trials are underway to better
      define the future of immunotherapy in prostate cancer.

PMID- 28644305
TI  - Management of In-the-Bag Intraocular Lens Dislocation Into Vitreous Cavity With
      Temporary 10-0 Polypropylene Suture Support and Ab-Externo Scleral Fixation.

PMID- 28644306
TI  - The Associations of Height-for-Age, Weight-for-Age, and Weight-for-Height With
      Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
AB  - Height at diagnosis has been analyzed in connection with acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia (ALL). Most prior studies have compared cases to national reference data
      derived from previous birth cohorts. Our objective was to determine the
      association of height-for-age Z score (HAZ) at time of diagnosis with the odds
      ratio (OR) of ALL in a case-control study (N=498) with a contemporaneous
      population of age-matched, sex-matched, and ethnicity-matched controls. We
      hypothesized that cases would have greater mean HAZ at time of
      diagnosis/interview, after adjustment for weight-for-age (WAZ) and weight-for
      height (WHZ). HAZ was not associated with ALL. For each 1 SD increase in WAZ the
      OR of ALL was 0.83 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.99). The OR of ALL was
      increased among children who had either a WAZ <=-2 (OR, 5.10; 95% CI, 1.85-16.75)
      or WHZ of <=-2 (OR, 5.27; 95% CI, 1.65-23.61). Previous findings of taller height
      among ALL cases may arise from the choice of control populations. Children with
      low WAZ or WHZ were at increased odds of ALL.

PMID- 28644304
TI  - ABNORMAL RETINAL REFLECTIVITY TO SHORT-WAVELENGTH LIGHT IN TYPE 2 IDIOPATHIC
      MACULAR TELANGIECTASIA.
AB  - PURPOSE: Macular telangiectasia Type 2 (MacTel) is a bilateral, progressive,
      potentially blinding retinal disease characterized by vascular and
      neurodegenerative signs, including an increased parafoveal reflectivity to blue
      light. Our aim was to investigate the relationship of this sign with other signs
      of macular telangiectasia Type 2 in multiple imaging modalities. METHODS:
      Participants were selected from the MacTel Type 2 study, based on a confirmed
      diagnosis and the availability of images. The extent of signs in blue-light
      reflectance, fluorescein angiographic, optical coherence tomographic, and single-
      and dual-wavelength autofluorescence images were analyzed. RESULTS: A well
      defined abnormality of the perifovea is demonstrated by dual-wavelength
      autofluorescence and blue-light reflectance in early disease. The agreement in
      area size of the abnormalities in dual-wavelength autofluorescence and in blue
      light reflectance images was excellent: for right eyes: rho = 0.917 (P < 0.0001,
      95% confidence interval 0.855-0.954, n = 46) and for left eyes: rho = 0.952 (P <
      0.0001, 95% confidence interval 0.916-0.973, n = 49). Other changes are less
      extensive initially and expand later to occupy that area and do not extend beyond
      it. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that abnormal metabolic handling of luteal
      pigment and physical changes giving rise to increased reflectance are widespread
      in the macula throughout the natural history of the disease, precede other
      changes, and are relevant to early diagnosis.

PMID- 28644307
TI  - X-linked Sideroblastic Anemia in a Malay Boy With ALAS2 S568G Mutation.
AB  - Dimorphism in peripheral blood film was noted in a 16 year old Malay boy with
      anemia who was eventually diagnosed with X-linked sideroblastic anemia. A
      mutation in ALAS2 S568G was identified which has not been described previously in
      a Malay ethnic group.

PMID- 28644308
TI  - The Use of 5-Aminosalicylic Acid in Children and Adolescents With Inflammatory
      Bowel Disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In ulcerative colitis (UC) 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) is
      recommended as primary therapy for mild to moderate disease. Topical 5-ASA has
      been proven especially effective. In Crohn's disease (CD) the evidence for a
      beneficial role of 5-ASA is weak. We investigated the use of topical and systemic
      5-ASA therapy in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of patients younger than 18 years, registered between
      April 2008 and December 2015 in the Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort, were
      analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred twenty pediatric inflammatory bowel disease
      patients were included; 189 with CD and 131 with UC. Over one third of UC
      patients [51 (39%)] received topical 5-ASA therapy and 43 (33%) received
      combination therapy during their disease course. UC patients with left-sided
      colitis or proctitis were more likely to receive topical or combination therapy
      as compared with patients with pancolitis (P<0.001 and <0.001, respectively). An
      increase in the use of topical 5-ASA therapy in UC patients was noted over time
      from 5% to 38%. Forty-seven percent of CD patients were treated with oral 5-ASA
      during their disease course. The usage was stable over time at approximately 15%
      to 20%. CONCLUSIONS: In recent years a very positive trend showing an increase in
      topical 5-ASA therapy in children and adolescents with UC has been observed.
      However topical therapy is still used with relative low frequency, especially in
      patients with a more extensive disease. Conversely, despite weak evidence
      supporting 5-ASA use in CD patients it has been frequently prescribed. Physicians
      should continue to encourage their UC patients to use topical therapy.

PMID- 28644309
TI  - The Use of a Stylet in Endoscopic Ultrasound With Fine-Needle Aspiration: A
      Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is the
      most efficacious way to collect specimens from a solid lesion adjacent to the
      gastrointestinal tract and is performed with an internal stylet during puncture.
      However, its reinsertion into the needle is time-consuming. Controversy surrounds
      whether quality of cytology specimen improves with stylet use. We performed a
      meta-analysis comparing the use of stylet versus no stylet with EUS-FNA of
      gastrointestinal-related masses. METHODS: Multiple databases were searched from
      inception until April 28, 2016. Discordant findings from independent extractions
      were reviewed by at least 2 investigators. Methods were executed as per the
      standards of the Cochrane Collaboration. Primary outcomes assessed were
      diagnostic adequacy of individual specimen samples, accuracy, and yield.
      Secondary outcomes included overall diagnostic accuracy of per-malignant lesion,
      cellularity, contamination, and bloodiness of the sample, and adverse events.
      RESULTS: Five randomized control trials were identified comparing stylet versus
      no stylet use, which enrolled 504 patients, evaluated 537 lesions, and 1914
      distinct specimens. There was no difference in diagnostic adequacy [risk ratio
      (RR)=1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.95-1.07], accuracy (RR=0.98; 95% CI,
      0.90-1.06), or yield (RR=0.96; 95% CI, 0.89-1.03). No stylet use was favored in
      per-lesion malignant diagnosis (RR=0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.96). There was no
      difference in representative cellularity, contamination, or bloodiness of
      specimens obtained with or without stylet use. CONCLUSIONS: Stylet use confers no
      significant advantage in diagnostic adequacy, accuracy, yield, contamination,
      bloodiness, or cellularity over no stylet. We reinforce that no stylet use may be
      used preferentially in EUS-FNA as a more convenient technique and is favored with
      a higher per-lesion malignant diagnosis.

PMID- 28644310
TI  - Predictors of Mortality in Cirrhosis Inpatients With Clostridium difficile
      Infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile is a bacterial pathogen associated with
      significant morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. GOALS: Our
      primary aim is to identify variables that are predictive of poor outcomes in
      cirrhosis patients with C. difficile infection (CDI). We also aim to further
      characterize the risk factors for developing CDI and risk of mortality in this
      patient population. STUDY: A total of 200 subjects with a diagnosis of cirrhosis
      and CDI were matched to 200 cirrhosis inpatients without CDI. The groups were
      compared to evaluate variables associated with decreased survival for cirrhosis
      inpatients with CDI as well as risk factors for developing CDI. RESULTS:
      Cirrhosis patients with CDI were more frequently prescribed antibiotics during
      their hospitalization (P=0.002) and cared for in an intensive care unit (ICU)
      (P<0.001). Preadmission proton pump inhibitor and spontaneous bacterial
      peritonitis (SBP) prophylactic antibiotic use were not significantly different
      between the 2 cohorts. CDI subjects had an increased 30-day mortality (44% vs.
      28.5%, P=0.034), however overall mortality was not significantly different
      (P=0.2). The multivariable logistic regression model demonstrated an increased 30
      day and overall mortality in the CDI population was independently associated with
      albumin <3 g/dL and ICU admission. CONCLUSIONS: C. difficile infections are
      associated with a significant increase in 30-day mortality, but not overall
      mortality. Risk factors of ICU admission and antibiotic exposure were associated
      with the diagnosis of CDI in cirrhosis patients. Hypoalbuminemia and ICU
      admission were found to be strong predictors of increased mortality in cirrhosis
      patients with CDI.

PMID- 28644312
TI  - Early Infections and the Risk of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Case-Control Study.
AB  - GOALS: The goal of this study is to evaluate the association between early life
      infections and subsequent adult onset irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). BACKGROUND:
      Infections during adulthood are a known risk factor for adult-onset IBS. This
      investigation examined the role of childhood infections and infection risk
      factors in the development of IBS symptoms. STUDY: In total, 1010 subjects (509
      outpatients with IBS, 501 matched controls) were mailed questionnaires regarding
      early-life infections during infancy (0 to 12 mo), toddler years (1 to 3 y), and
      child years (4 to 18 y). Comparisons between cases and controls were performed
      using logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, and somatization score.
      RESULTS: Around 648 (64.2%) subjects responded. The median age was 51.3 years
      (range, 18.0 to 70.7 y) and 535 (83%) were female. Childhood (below 18 y)
      infections were common in cases and controls (98% vs. 98%; P=0.465), with no
      differences between cases and controls during infant, toddler, and child-age
      periods. For gastrointestinal infections experienced below 18 years, no
      differences were observed by infection type (bacterial, viral, or parasitic) or
      age group. Cases were more likely to report bronchitis by age 18 [43% vs. 25%;
      P=0.003; odds ratio, 1.73 (1.20-2.51)], but not other common infections. Regular
      antibiotic exposure was greater amongst cases (43%) than controls (30%) [P=0.09;
      odds ratio, 1.37 (0.96-1.96)]. The association between bronchitis and IBS case
      status remained significant after adjusting for antibiotic use (P=0.01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Greater early childhood gastrointestinal infections rates were not
      observed in adult individuals with IBS compared with adult controls. The study
      does not support a statistically significant link between early life infections
      and IBS aside from bronchitis.

PMID- 28644311
TI  - Hemobilia: An Uncommon But Notable Cause of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.
AB  - GOAL AND BACKGROUND: A literature review to improve practitioners' knowledge and
      performance concerning the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of hemobilia.
      STUDY: A search of Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Medline was conducted using the
      keyword hemobilia and relevant articles were reviewed and analyzed. The findings
      pertaining to hemobilia etiology, investigation, and management techniques were
      considered and organized by clinicians practiced in hemobilia. RESULTS: The
      majority of current hemobilia cases have an iatrogenic cause from either bile
      duct or liver manipulation. Blunt trauma is also a significant cause of
      hemobilia. The classic triad presentation of right upper quadrant pain, jaundice,
      and upper gastrointestinal bleeding is rarely seen. Computed tomography and
      magnetic resonance imaging are the preferred diagnostic modalities, and the
      preferred therapeutic management includes interventional radiology and endoscopic
      retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Surgery is rarely a therapeutic option.
      CONCLUSIONS: With advances in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging
      technology, diagnosis with these less invasive investigations are the favored
      option. However, traditional catheter angiography is still the gold standard. The
      management of significant hemobilia is still centered on arterial embolization,
      but arterial and biliary stents have become accepted alternative therapies.

PMID- 28644313
TI  - Unique Clinical Features of Los Angeles Grade D Esophagitis Suggest That Factors
      Other Than Gastroesophageal Reflux Contribute to its Pathogenesis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Los Angeles (LA) grade of reflux esophagitis (A to D) is assumed
      to reflect severity of the underlying gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
      Thus, LA-D esophagitis patients might be expected to have the most conditions
      predisposing to GERD (eg, obesity, hiatal hernia), and the highest frequency of
      GERD symptoms. GOALS: The main goal of this study is to compare clinical features
      of patients with the most severe (LA-D) and mildest (LA-A) grades of esophagitis.
      STUDY: For this comparative study, we searched our endoscopy database for
      patients diagnosed with LA-D or LA-A esophagitis, reviewed their endoscopic
      images, and reviewed medical records of the first 100 we confirmed to have LA-D
      or LA-A esophagitis. RESULTS: Compared with LA-A patients, LA-D patients were
      older (mean age, 65+/-13.4 vs. 56+/-13.4 y; P<0.001), had lower body mass index
      (25.9+/-5.6 vs. 29.4+/-5.3; P<0.001), were more frequently hospitalized (70% vs.
      3%; P<0.001), and in the intensive care unit (15% vs. 0%; P<0.001), and had
      significantly more serious cardiopulmonary disorders and gastrointestinal
      bleeding. Conversely, a GERD history was more common in LA-A than LA-D patients
      (67% vs. 45%; P=0.002). Hiatal hernia was more frequent in LA-A patients than LA
      D patients, but not significantly (48% vs. 36%; P=0.09). CONCLUSIONS: LA-D
      esophagitis primarily affects hospitalized, older, nonobese patients who often
      have serious comorbidities, and no history of GERD or hiatal hernia. In contrast,
      LA-A patients are generally younger, obese outpatients who often have a history
      of GERD and hiatal hernia without serious comorbidities. These profound
      differences between LA-A and LA-D patients suggest that factors other than
      typical GERD contribute to LA-D esophagitis pathogenesis.

PMID- 28644314
TI  - Prone or Left for Colonoscopy? A Randomized Controlled Trial of Prone Versus Left
      sided Starting Position for Colonoscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Data have emerged supporting the right-lateral starting
      position in reducing time to cecum and improving patient comfort for minimally
      sedated colonoscopy. We aimed to test whether prone starting position results in
      similar advantages in procedure time and patient tolerability in comparison to
      traditional left-sided starting position. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a
      randomized controlled trial in which patients were randomized to begin in either
      the prone or left-lateral (LL) position. A total of 181 adult patients undergoing
      scheduled colonoscopy were stratified by age, gender, body mass index, and
      experience of the endoscopist. Patients were then randomized 1:1 in permuted
      blocks. The primary outcome measure was time to cecal intubation and secondary
      outcome measures included patient comfort that was measured by visual analog
      scale. RESULTS: There was no benefit from prone starting positioning over
      conventional left-sided starting positioning. Further, prone starting position
      led to an increase in time to reach cecum (701 vs. 511 s; P=0.01). This could be
      in part explained by an increased time to reach transverse colon in patients
      positioned prone (332 vs. 258 s; P=0.06). Comfort levels were similar between
      patients positioned prone and LL (4 vs. 4 visual analog scale; P=0.6) although
      endoscopists found colonoscopies in which patients started prone more technically
      challenging than if started LL (5 vs. 4; P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Prone starting
      position did not improve time to reach cecum or patient comfort for minimally
      sedated patients undergoing colonoscopy. The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is
      NCT02305706.

PMID- 28644315
TI  - Management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis Based on Pathophysiological Evidence.
AB  - Over the past decades eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has been increasingly
      diagnosed, and significant progress has been made in our understanding of its
      pathophysiology. As EoE cannot be cured yet, treatment goals are suppression of
      disease activity and symptoms as well as the prevention of progression to a more
      severe disease phenotype. Disease-modifying treatment options can be divided into
      dietary therapy and immunosuppressive medications, of which topical steroids have
      been most investigated, yet are still prescribed off-label. In this review, we
      will summarize recent advances in our understanding of EoE and discuss the
      mechanisms of action of current treatment options, with emphasis on the role of
      the esophageal epithelial barrier and the effects of proton-pump inhibitors in
      the management of patients with EoE.

PMID- 28644316
TI  - A Multicenter Evaluation of Adherence to 4 Major Elements of the Baveno
      Guidelines and Outcomes for Patients With Acute Variceal Hemorrhage.
AB  - GOALS: To determine the rate of and outcomes associated with guideline adherence
      in the care of acute variceal hemorrhage (AVH). BACKGROUND: Four major elements
      of high-quality care for AVH defined by the Baveno consensus (VI) include timely
      endoscopy (<=12 h), antibiotics, and somatostatin analogs before endoscopy and
      band ligation as primary therapy for esophageal varices. STUDY: We
      retrospectively evaluated 239 consecutive admissions of 211 patients with AVH
      admitted to 2 centers in Massachusetts from 2010 to 2015. The primary outcome was
      6-week mortality; secondary outcomes included treatment failure (shock,
      hemoglobin drop by 3 g/dL, hematemesis, death <=5 d), length of stay, and 30-day
      readmission. RESULTS: Guideline adherence was variable: endoscopy <=12 hours
      (79.9%), antibiotics (84.9%), band ligation (78.7%), and somatostatin analogs
      (90.8%). However, only 150 (62.8%) received care that was adherent to all
      indicated criteria. The 6-week mortality rate was 22.6%. Treatment failure
      occurred in 50 (21.0%) admissions. Among the 198 patients who survived to
      discharge, 41 (20.7%) were readmitted within 30 days. Octreotide before endoscopy
      was associated with a reduction in 30-day readmission (18.4% vs. 42.1%; P=0.03),
      whereas banding of esophageal varices was associated with a reduced risk of
      treatment failure (15.0% vs. 50.0%; P<=0.001). However, adherence to quality
      metrics did not significantly reduce the risk of death within 6 weeks.
      CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to quality metrics may not reduce the risk of mortality
      but could improve secondary outcomes of AVH. Variation in practice should be
      addressed through quality improvement interventions.

PMID- 28644317
TI  - Group B Streptococci Screening Before Repeat Cesarean Delivery: A Cost
      Effectiveness Analysis.

PMID- 28644318
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28644319
TI  - Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Pregnant Women.

PMID- 28644320
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28644321
TI  - Sildenafil Citrate Therapy for Oligohydramnios: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PMID- 28644322
TI  - In Reply.

PMID- 28644326
TI  - Table of Contents for Online Material in the June 2017 Issue.
AB  - Abstracts or summaries of online content are printed in every issue of Obstetrics
      & Gynecology in this section. The complete documents can be found on our website,
      www.greenjournal.org. The specific URL for the content in this section is printed
      at the end of the abstract or summary.

PMID- 28644328
TI  - Practice Bulletin No. 179 Summary: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Screening in
      Average-Risk Women.
AB  - Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States
      and the second leading cause of cancer death in American women (1). Regular
      screening mammography starting at age 40 years reduces breast cancer mortality in
      average-risk women (2). Screening, however, also exposes women to harm through
      false-positive test results and overdiagnosis of biologically indolent lesions.
      Differences in balancing benefits and harms have led to differences among major
      guidelines about what age to start, what age to stop, and how frequently to
      recommend mammography screening in average-risk women (2-4).Breast cancer risk
      assessment is very important for identifying women who may benefit from more
      intensive breast cancer surveillance; however, there is no standardized approach
      to office-based breast cancer risk assessment in the United States. This can lead
      to missed opportunities to identify women at high risk of breast cancer and may
      result in applying average-risk screening recommendations to high-risk women.
      Risk assessment and identification of women at high risk allow for referral to
      health care providers with expertise in cancer genetics counseling and testing
      for breast cancer-related germline mutations (eg, BRCA), patient counseling about
      risk-reduction options, and cascade testing to identify family members who also
      may be at increased risk.The purpose of this Practice Bulletin is to discuss
      breast cancer risk assessment, review breast cancer screening guidelines in
      average-risk women, and outline some of the controversies surrounding breast
      cancer screening. It will present recommendations for using a framework of shared
      decision making to assist women in balancing their personal values regarding
      benefits and harms of screening at various ages and intervals to make personal
      screening choices from within a range of reasonable options. Recommendations for
      women at elevated risk and discussion of new technologies, such as tomosynthesis,
      are beyond the scope of this document and are addressed in other publications of
      the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (5-7).

PMID- 28644329
TI  - Practice Bulletin No. 180 Summary: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the
      most common medical complications of pregnancy. However, debate continues to
      surround the diagnosis and treatment of GDM despite several recent large-scale
      studies addressing these issues. The purposes of this document are the following:
      1) provide a brief overview of the understanding of GDM, 2) review management
      guidelines that have been validated by appropriately conducted clinical research,
      and 3) identify gaps in current knowledge toward which future research can be
      directed.

PMID- 28644330
TI  - Committee Opinion No 705 Summary: Mental Health Disorders In Adolescents.
AB  - Mental health disorders in adolescence are a significant problem, relatively
      common, and amenable to treatment or intervention. Obstetrician-gynecologists who
      see adolescent patients are highly likely to see adolescents and young women who
      have one or more mental health disorders. Some of these disorders may interfere
      with a patient's ability to understand or articulate her health concerns and
      appropriately adhere to recommended treatment. Some disorders or their treatments
      will affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, causing anovulatory cycles
      and various menstrual disturbances. Adolescents with psychiatric disorders may be
      taking psychopharmacologic agents that can cause menstrual dysfunction and
      galactorrhea. Adolescents with mental illness often engage in acting-out behavior
      or substance use, which increases their risk of unsafe sexual behavior that may
      result in pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Pregnant adolescents who
      take psychopharmacologic agents present a special challenge in balancing the
      potential risks of fetal harm with the risks of inadequate treatment. Whether
      providing preventive women's health care or specific obstetric or gynecologic
      treatment, the obstetrician-gynecologist has the opportunity to reduce morbidity
      and mortality from mental health disorders in adolescents by early
      identification, appropriate and timely referral, and care coordination. Although
      mental health disorders should be managed by mental health care professionals or
      appropriately trained primary care providers, the obstetrician-gynecologist can
      assist by managing the gynecologic adverse effects of psychiatric medications and
      providing effective contraception and regular screening for sexually transmitted
      infections. This Committee Opinion will provide basic information about common
      adolescent mental health disorders, focusing on specific implications for
      gynecologic and obstetric practice.

PMID- 28644331
TI  - Committee Opinion No 706 Summary: Sexual Health.
AB  - Sexuality involves a broad range of expressions of intimacy and is fundamental to
      self-dentification, with strong cultural, biologic, and psychologic components.
      Obstetrician-gynecologists often are consulted by patients about sexual health
      and are in a unique position to open a dialogue on sexual health issues. Several
      obstacles to frank conversations with patients about sexual health exist,
      including a lack of adequate training and confidence in the topic, a perception
      that there are few treatment options, a lack of adequate clinical time to obtain
      a sexual history, patients' reluctance to initiate the conversation, and the
      underestimation of the prevalence of sexual dysfunction. However, data on
      reproductive and sexual health morbidity suggest sexual health is an important
      health care issue. Each year, an estimated 45,000 new cases of human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and approximately 20 million sexually transmitted
      infections occur, 3 million women experience unintended pregnancies, and 1
      million women are sexually assaulted. Openly discussing sexual health has the
      potential to prevent these unnecessary sexual health-related outcomes. Clinical
      conversations should acknowledge the contributions of sexuality, relationships,
      and sexual behavior to overall health. Obstetrician-gynecologists can address
      sexual health issues across a lifespan with their patients and encourage a
      strategic foundation for women's sexual health issues, resulting in improved
      public health overall. Obstetrician-gynecologists also can support policies that
      broaden the coalition for effective prevention of sexually transmitted infections
      and promote healthy sexuality, with the ultimate goal of improving health
      outcomes and public health.

PMID- 28644333
TI  - Committee Opinion No. 708 Summary: Improving Awareness of and Screening for
      Health Risks Among Sex Workers.
AB  - The population of women who sell or exchange sex or intimate sexual services for
      material goods or services, also called "sex work," often is unrecognized in the
      typical obstetric and gynecologic practice. The prevalence of this behavior among
      adult women is difficult to quantify because of its frequent omission from the
      routine sexual history by women and clinicians. Data on the prevalence of sex
      work in the United States are largely lacking. The American College of
      Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports increasing awareness about the health
      risks, preventive care needs, and limited health care services for female sex
      workers.

PMID- 28644332
TI  - Committee Opinion No. 707 Summary: Access to Emergency Contraception.
AB  - Emergency contraception refers to contraceptive methods used to prevent pregnancy
      in the first few days after unprotected intercourse, sexual assault, or
      contraceptive failure. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved
      the first dedicated product for emergency contraception in 1998, numerous
      barriers to emergency contraception remain. The purpose of this Committee Opinion
      is to examine barriers to the use of emergency contraception, emphasize the
      importance of increasing access, and review new methods of emergency
      contraception and limitations in efficacy in special populations.

PMID- 28644334
TI  - Clinical Updates in Women's Health Care Summary: Gynecologic and Obstetric Care
      for Breast Cancer Survivors: Primary and Preventive Care Review.
AB  - Breast cancer treatment has an impact on the physical, psychologic, sexual, and
      reproductive aspects of women's lives. Therefore, it is important for
      obstetrician-gynecologists to be well versed in the screening, diagnosis, and
      management of breast cancer. This monograph is an overview of critical issues
      related to the provision of ongoing care to breast cancer survivors.

PMID- 28644335
TI  - Practice Bulletin Number 179: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Screening in
      Average-Risk Women.
AB  - Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the United States
      and the second leading cause of cancer death in American women (1). Regular
      screening mammography starting at age 40 years reduces breast cancer mortality in
      average-risk women (2). Screening, however, also exposes women to harm through
      false-positive test results and overdiagnosis of biologically indolent lesions.
      Differences in balancing benefits and harms have led to differences among major
      guidelines about what age to start, what age to stop, and how frequently to
      recommend mammography screening in average-risk women (2-4).Breast cancer risk
      assessment is very important for identifying women who may benefit from more
      intensive breast cancer surveillance; however, there is no standardized approach
      to office-based breast cancer risk assessment in the United States. This can lead
      to missed opportunities to identify women at high risk of breast cancer and may
      result in applying average-risk screening recommendations to high-risk women.
      Risk assessment and identification of women at high risk allow for referral to
      health care providers with expertise in cancer genetics counseling and testing
      for breast cancer-related germline mutations (eg, BRCA), patient counseling about
      risk-reduction options, and cascade testing to identify family members who also
      may be at increased risk.The purpose of this Practice Bulletin is to discuss
      breast cancer risk assessment, review breast cancer screening guidelines in
      average-risk women, and outline some of the controversies surrounding breast
      cancer screening. It will present recommendations for using a framework of shared
      decision making to assist women in balancing their personal values regarding
      benefits and harms of screening at various ages and intervals to make personal
      screening choices from within a range of reasonable options. Recommendations for
      women at elevated risk and discussion of new technologies, such as tomosynthesis,
      are beyond the scope of this document and are addressed in other publications of
      the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (5-7).

PMID- 28644336
TI  - Practice Bulletin No. 180: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.
AB  - Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common medical
      complications of pregnancy. However, debate continues to surround the diagnosis
      and treatment of GDM despite several recent large-scale studies addressing these
      issues. The purposes of this document are the following: 1) provide a brief
      overview of the understanding of GDM, 2) review management guidelines that have
      been validated by appropriately conducted clinical research, and 3) identify gaps
      in current knowledge toward which future research can be directed.

PMID- 28644337
TI  - Committee Opinion No. 705: Mental Health Disorders in Adolescents.
AB  - Mental health disorders in adolescence are a significant problem, relatively
      common, and amenable to treatment or intervention. Obstetrician-gynecologists who
      see adolescent patients are highly likely to see adolescents and young women who
      have one or more mental health disorders. Some of these disorders may interfere
      with a patient's ability to understand or articulate her health concerns and
      appropriately adhere to recommended treatment. Some disorders or their treatments
      will affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, causing anovulatory cycles
      and various menstrual disturbances. Adolescents with psychiatric disorders may be
      taking psychopharmacologic agents that can cause menstrual dysfunction and
      galactorrhea. Adolescents with mental illness often engage in acting-out behavior
      or substance use, which increases their risk of unsafe sexual behavior that may
      result in pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Pregnant adolescents who
      take psychopharmacologic agents present a special challenge in balancing the
      potential risks of fetal harm with the risks of inadequate treatment. Whether
      providing preventive women's health care or specific obstetric or gynecologic
      treatment, the obstetrician-gynecologist has the opportunity to reduce morbidity
      and mortality from mental health disorders in adolescents by early
      identification, appropriate and timely referral, and care coordination. Although
      mental health disorders should be managed by mental health care professionals or
      appropriately trained primary care providers, the obstetrician-gynecologist can
      assist by managing the gynecologic adverse effects of psychiatric medications and
      providing effective contraception and regular screening for sexually transmitted
      infections. This Committee Opinion will provide basic information about common
      adolescent mental health disorders, focusing on specific implications for
      gynecologic and obstetric practice.

PMID- 28644338
TI  - Committee Opinion No 706: Sexual Health.
AB  - Sexuality involves a broad range of expressions of intimacy and is fundamental to
      self-dentification, with strong cultural, biologic, and psychologic components.
      Obstetrician-gynecologists often are consulted by patients about sexual health
      and are in a unique position to open a dialogue on sexual health issues. Several
      obstacles to frank conversations with patients about sexual health exist,
      including a lack of adequate training and confidence in the topic, a perception
      that there are few treatment options, a lack of adequate clinical time to obtain
      a sexual history, patients' reluctance to initiate the conversation, and the
      underestimation of the prevalence of sexual dysfunction. However, data on
      reproductive and sexual health morbidity suggest sexual health is an important
      health care issue. Each year, an estimated 45,000 new cases of human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and approximately 20 million sexually transmitted
      infections occur, 3 million women experience unintended pregnancies, and 1
      million women are sexually assaulted. Openly discussing sexual health has the
      potential to prevent these unnecessary sexual health-related outcomes. Clinical
      conversations should acknowledge the contributions of sexuality, relationships,
      and sexual behavior to overall health. Obstetrician-gynecologists can address
      sexual health issues across a lifespan with their patients and encourage a
      strategic foundation for women's sexual health issues, resulting in improved
      public health overall. Obstetrician-gynecologists also can support policies that
      broaden the coalition for effective prevention of sexually transmitted infections
      and promote healthy sexuality, with the ultimate goal of improving health
      outcomes and public health.

PMID- 28644339
TI  - Committee Opinion No 707: Access to Emergency Contraception.
AB  - Emergency contraception refers to contraceptive methods used to prevent pregnancy
      in the first few days after unprotected intercourse, sexual assault, or
      contraceptive failure. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved
      the first dedicated product for emergency contraception in 1998, numerous
      barriers to emergency contraception remain. The purpose of this Committee Opinion
      is to examine barriers to the use of emergency contraception, emphasize the
      importance of increasing access, and review new methods of emergency
      contraception and limitations in efficacy in special populations.

PMID- 28644341
TI  - Pediatric Autoimmune Hepatitis: What Do You Do When First-line Therapy Fails?

PMID- 28644340
TI  - Committee Opinion No 708: Improving Awareness of and Screening for Health Risks
      Among Sex Workers.
AB  - The population of women who sell or exchange sex or intimate sexual services for
      material goods or services, also called "sex work," often is unrecognized in the
      typical obstetric and gynecologic practice. The prevalence of this behavior among
      adult women is difficult to quantify because of its frequent omission from the
      routine sexual history by women and clinicians. Data on the prevalence of sex
      work in the United States are largely lacking. The American College of
      Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports increasing awareness about the health
      risks, preventive care needs, and limited health care services for female sex
      workers.

PMID- 28644342
TI  - Biomarkers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

PMID- 28644343
TI  - Second-line Agents in Pediatric Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis: A Systematic
      Review and Meta-analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ten percent to 20% of children with autoimmune hepatitis
      (AIH) require second-line therapy to achieve remission. Although current
      guidelines exist on first-line management, evidence for second-line therapy in
      treatment-refractory patients is lacking. Our aim was to perform a systematic
      review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of second-line treatments
      used in this population. METHODS: Electronic and manual searches were used to
      identify potential studies for inclusion. Studies were selected based on reported
      response rates to second-line therapies in children who failed response to
      prednisone and azathioprine. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were
      performed independently by 2 reviewers. Meta-analysis using weighted estimate of
      response rates at 6 months was performed for each treatment option. Heterogeneity
      was assessed. RESULTS: Fifteen studies of 76 pediatric patients with AIH were
      included in the review. Overall response rates at 6 months were estimated as 36%
      for mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (N = 34, 95% confidence interval [CI] (16-57)),
      and 50% for tacrolimus (N = 4, 95% CI (0-100%)) and 83% for cyclosporine (N = 15,
      95% CI (66%-100%)). Adverse effects were most frequent with cyclosporine (64%
      experiencing at least 1 adverse effect) followed by tacrolimus (54%) and MMF
      (48%). Pooled estimates of adverse events were 78% for cyclosporine (95% CI (54%
      100%)), 42% for tacrolimus (95% CI (0%-85%)) and 45% for MMF (95% CI (25%-68%)).
      Sensitivity analyses were not performed due to small sample size. CONCLUSIONS:
      Cyclosporine had the highest response rate at 6 months in children with standard
      treatment-refractory AIH; however, it also had the highest rate of adverse
      events. MMF was the second most efficacious option with a low adverse effect
      rate.

PMID- 28644344
TI  - Treatment of Functional Abdominal Pain With Antidepressants: Benefits, Adverse
      Effects, and the Gastroenterologist's Role.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Pediatric functional abdominal pain is often treated with tricyclic
      antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The
      aim is investigating antidepressant use for treatment efficacy, correlation of
      response to psychiatric factors, and impact of adverse effects in regard to
      physicians' prescribing patterns. METHODS: Retrospective review (2005-2013)
      children (5-21 years old) with functional abdominal pain treated with SSRI or
      TCA. Of the 531 cases with functional abdominal pain, 192 initiated SSRIs or TCAs
      while followed by gastroenterology. Charts reviewed for symptoms, adverse
      effects, and response: decreased pain or increased daily functioning. RESULTS:
      Sixty-three of 84 (75%) SSRI patients improved, 56 of 92 (61%) TCA patients
      improved (P = 0.03). Logistic regression controlling for psychiatric factors:
      SSRI remained significant over TCA (P = 0.04). Thirty-two of 67 (48%) patients
      with constipation received TCAs and 26 of 45 (58%) patients with diarrhea
      received SSRIs (P = 0.64). Three SSRI patients reported gastrointestinal effects,
      all diarrheal-type symptoms, and 2 TCA patients reported gastrointestinal
      effects, both constipation, in all it led to discontinuation. Thirteen (29%) of
      diarrheal-type patients reported adverse effects causing discontinuation as
      compared to 7 (8%) in the constipation group (P = .01). Twenty-one (25%) SSRI
      patients reported adverse effects with 5 (6%) mood disturbances. Twenty (22%) TCA
      patients reported adverse effects, 13 (14%) with mood disturbances (P = .07).
      Overall, 12 (14%) SSRI patients discontinued medication due to adverse effects,
      whereas 16 (17%) TCA patients (P = 0.24) did. CONCLUSIONS: Patients had
      significantly greater response to SSRIs than TCAs, remaining significant after
      controlling for psychiatric factors. Little significance is given to patient's
      associated gastrointestinal symptoms, frequently resulting in adverse effects and
      termination of medication.

PMID- 28644345
TI  - Yield of Endoscopy in Pediatric Gastroparesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to quantify the diagnostic yield of upper
      endoscopy in children with gastroparesis and to develop a clinical model for
      gastroparesis using common symptoms and screening blood tests. METHODS: We
      retrospectively reviewed charts of 196 patients of age 4 to 18 years evaluated
      for gastroparesis between 2009 and 2013. All patients completed a standard solid
      phase gastric emptying scan and upper endoscopy within a 12-month period. We
      analyzed gross and histologic endoscopy findings. Symptom-based data were
      collected on dyspeptic symptoms and classic "red-flag" symptoms. RESULTS: Seventy
      patients with gastroparesis and 126 controls were included. Clinically
      significant endoscopic findings were noted in 35% of controls (44/126) and 43% of
      gastroparetics (30/70), P = 0.345. Concordance between gross and histologic
      findings was low at 50%. Histologic findings included gastritis 60% (17/28),
      esophagitis 39% (11/28), and duodenitis 7% (2/28). In univariate and multivariate
      analyses, there was no meaningful correlation between symptoms and/or screening
      laboratory values and diagnosis of gastroparesis. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically
      significant endoscopy findings were common in both controls and gastroparetics.
      As more than one-third of patients had findings on endoscopy, we conclude that
      upper endoscopy remains an important part of the evaluation process of patients
      with dyspeptic symptoms and suspected gastroparesis. As gross abnormalities were
      frequently not present with histologic changes, routine biopsy is required. There
      was no association between studied symptoms and the presence of gastroparesis. A
      comprehensive evaluation of children with dyspeptic symptoms requires endoscopy
      with biopsy and solid-phase gastric emptying scan to determine the underlying
      diagnosis.

PMID- 28644346
TI  - Twelve Novel Mutations in the SLC26A3 Gene in 17 Sporadic Cases of Congenital
      Chloride Diarrhea.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We aimed to improve the knowledge of pathogenic mutations in sporadic
      cases of congenital chloride diarrhea (CCD) and emphasize the importance of
      functional studies to define the effect of novel mutations. METHODS: All member 3
      of solute carrier family 26 (SLC26A3) coding regions were sequenced in 17
      sporadic patients with CCD. Moreover, the minigene system was used to analyze the
      effect of 2 novel splicing mutations. RESULTS: We defined the SLC26A3 genotype of
      all 17 patients with CCD and identified 12 novel mutations. Using the minigene
      system, we confirmed the in silico prediction of a complete disruption of
      splicing pattern caused by 2 of these novel mutations: the c.971+3_971+4delAA and
      c.735+4_c.735+7delAGTA. Moreover, several prediction tools and a structure
      function prediction defined the pathogenic role of 6 novel missense mutations.
      CONCLUSIONS: We confirm the molecular heterogeneity of sporadic CCD adding 12
      novel mutations to the list of known pathogenic mutations. Moreover, we underline
      the importance, for laboratories that offer molecular diagnosis and genetic
      counseling, to perform fast functional analysis of novel mutations.

PMID- 28644347
TI  - Age and Sex Normalization of Intestinal Permeability Measures for the Improved
      Assessment of Enteropathy in Infancy and Early Childhood: Results From the MAL-ED
      Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to describe changes in intestinal
      permeability in early childhood in diverse epidemiologic settings. METHODS: In a
      birth cohort study, the lactulose:mannitol (L:M) test was administered to 1980
      children at 4 time points in the first 24 months of life in 8 countries. Data
      from the Brazil site with an incidence of diarrhea similar to that seen in the
      United States and no growth faltering was used as an internal study reference to
      derive age- and sex-specific z scores for mannitol and lactulose recoveries and
      the L:M ratio. RESULTS: A total of 6602 tests demonstrated mannitol recovery,
      lactulose recovery, and the L:M ratio were associated with country, sex, and age.
      There was heterogeneity in the recovery of both probes between sites with mean
      mannitol recovery ranging for 1.34% to 5.88%, lactulose recovery of 0.19% to
      0.58%, and L:M ratios 0.10 to 0.17 in boys of 3 months of age across different
      sites. We observed strong sex-specific differences in both mannitol and lactulose
      recovery, with boys having higher recovery of both probes. Alterations in
      intestinal barrier function increased in most sites from 3 to 9 months of age and
      plateaued or diminished from 9 to 15 months of age. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in
      recovery of the probes differ markedly in different epidemiologic contexts in
      children living in the developing world. The rate of change in the L:M-z ratio
      was most rapid and consistently disparate from the reference standard in the
      period between 6 and 9 months of age, suggesting that this is a critical period
      of physiologic impact of enteropathy in these populations.

PMID- 28644349
TI  - Filaggrin and Periostin Expression Is Altered in Eosinophilic Esophagitis and
      Normalized With Treatment.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Previous data have suggested that filaggrin (FLG) and periostin
      (POSTN) genes may be dysregulated in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We aimed to
      further evaluate the expression patterns of FLG and POSTN proteins in esophageal
      tissue samples of patients with EoE, as compared to those of patients with
      gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and normal controls. METHODS: A total of
      61 prospectively collected cases, including 40 children with EoE and 21 children
      with GERD, and a control group of 14 sex- and age-matched healthy children were
      enrolled. Patients with EoE were treated with skin testing-driven elimination
      diet and/or corticosteroids. The immunohistochemical expression of FLG and POSTN
      was evaluated in esophageal biopsies obtained from patients and controls, and the
      results were correlated with EoE-related clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS:
      Positive FLG and negative POSTN staining were observed in all esophageal biopsies
      from normal controls. In contrast, FLG and POSTN stained negative and positive,
      respectively, in all pretreatment biopsies obtained from patients with EoE,
      whereas FLG and POSTN stained positive in 57.1% and 95.2% of GERD cases,
      respectively (P < 0.001). A statistically significant decrease of the proportion
      of cases with negative FLG and positive POSTN staining was observed from the
      first (pretreatment) to the second (post-treatment) biopsy in the subgroup of
      patients with EoE (P < 0.001 in both correlations). CONCLUSIONS: FLG and POSTN
      expression may be downregulated and upregulated, respectively, in the esophageal
      mucosa of patients with active EoE, and these changes may be restored with
      treatment in a significant percentage of cases.

PMID- 28644348
TI  - Biomarkers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction Among Children in Rural
      Bangladesh.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) may inhibit growth and
      development in low- and middle-income countries, but available assessment
      methodologies limit its study. In rural Bangladesh, we measured EED using the
      widely used lactulose mannitol ratio (L:M) test and a panel of intestinal and
      systemic health biomarkers to evaluate convergence among biomarkers and describe
      risk factors for EED. METHODS: In 539 18-month-old children finishing
      participation in a randomized food supplementation trial, serum, stool, and urine
      collected after lactulose and mannitol dosing were analyzed for biomarkers of
      intestinal absorption, inflammation, permeability and repair, and systemic
      inflammation. EED scores for each participant were developed using principal
      component analysis and partial least squares regression. Associations between
      scores and L:M and with child sociodemographic and health characteristics were
      evaluated using regression analysis. RESULTS: EED prevalence (L:M > 0.07) was
      39.0%; 60% had elevated acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein >5 mg/L or alpha
      1 acid glycoprotein >100 mg/dL). Correlations between intestinal biomarkers were
      low, with the highest between myeloperoxidase and alpha-1 antitrypsin (r = 0.33,
      P < 0.01), and biomarker values did not differ by supplementation history. A 1
      factor partial least squares model with L:M as the dependent variable explained
      only 8.6% of L:M variability. In adjusted models, L:M was associated with child
      sex and socioeconomic status index, whereas systemic inflammation was predicted
      mainly by recent illness, not EED. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired intestinal health is
      widespread in this setting of prevalent stunting, but a panel of serum and stool
      biomarkers demonstrated poor agreement with L:M. Etiologies of intestinal and
      systemic inflammation are likely numerous and complex in resource-poor settings,
      underscoring the need for a better case definition with corresponding diagnostic
      methods to further the study of EED.

PMID- 28644350
TI  - Lack of Knowledge and Low Readiness for Health Care Transition in Eosinophilic
      Esophagitis and Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: A growing population of adolescents/young adults with eosinophilic
      esophagitis (EoE) and eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) will need to transition
      from pediatric to adult health providers. Measuring health care transition (HCT)
      readiness is critical, but no studies have evaluated this process in EoE/EGE. We
      determined the scope and predictors of HCT knowledge in patients and parents with
      EoE/EGE and measured HCT readiness in adolescents/young adults. METHODS: We
      conducted an online survey of patients 13 years or older and parents of patients
      with EoE/EGE who were diagnosed when 25 years or younger. Parents answered
      questions regarding their children and their own knowledge of HCT. HCT readiness
      was assessed in adolescents/young adults aged 13 to 25 years with the Self
      Management and Transition to Adulthood with Rx Questionnaire (a 6-domain self
      report tool) with a score range of 0 to 90. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty
      participants completed the survey: 205 patients and 245 parents. Included in the
      analysis (those diagnosed with EoE/EGE at age 25 years or younger) were 75 of 205
      patients and children of 245 parent respondents. Overall, 78% (n = 52) of the
      patients and 76% (n = 187) of parents had no HCT knowledge. Mean HCT readiness
      score in adolescents/young adults (n = 50) was 30.4 +/- 11.3 with higher scores
      in domains of provider communication and engagement during appointments. Mean
      parent-reported (n = 123) score was 35.6 +/- 9.7 with higher scores in medication
      management and disease knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant deficit in
      HCT knowledge, and HCT readiness scores were lower than other chronic health
      conditions. HCT preparation and readiness assessments should become a priority
      for adolescents/young adults with EoE/EGE and their parents.

PMID- 28644351
TI  - Adherence to Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis Biopsy Guidelines Is
      Poor in Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Celiac disease (CD) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are
      underdiagnosed gastrointestinal conditions, which adversely affect children's
      health. Previous studies have shown that diagnostic guidelines for CD are not
      consistently followed in adults. The aims of the present study are to assess the
      frequency with which endoscopists comply with diagnostic guidelines for CD and
      EoE in children, and to determine whether an association exists between adherence
      to biopsy guidelines and disease detection in pediatric patients. METHODS: We
      reviewed pathology reports from 9171 children (ages 0-18) with at least 1
      duodenal biopsy, and 8280 children with at least 1 esophageal biopsy, with
      specimens submitted to a national pathology laboratory. Frequency of adherence to
      diagnostic guidelines and recommendations for CD and EoE were determined, and the
      effect of this upon detection of CD and EoE. RESULTS: Overall, 35% of cases were
      biopsied according to the 2006 American Gastroenterological Association
      guidelines for CD diagnosis; 8% were biopsied according to the 2007 American
      Gastroenterological Association EoE consensus recommendations. Detection of CD
      and EoE increased with the number of biopsies collected (P for trend in each
      <0.001). Adherence to diagnostic guidelines was particularly poor among those
      found to have histologically normal mucosa in both cohorts. The likelihood of CD
      and EoE diagnosis was significantly associated with adherence to diagnostic
      guidelines (odds ratio for CD 6.3, 95% confidence interval 4.4-8.9; odds ratio
      for EoE 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.9-2.9). CONCLUSION: Adherence to
      established guidelines is poor, and improved guideline adherence is associated
      with greater disease detection rates for CD and EoE.

PMID- 28644352
TI  - Elevated Serum Tissue Transglutaminase Antibodies in Children With Eosinophilic
      Esophagitis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study compared the clinical and histopathological
      characteristics of children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and elevated anti
      transglutaminase (TTG Ab) with those with EoE and normal TTG Ab titres. METHODS:
      Single-center chart and blinded histopathological review of patients diagnosed
      with EoE for a 4-year period, who had esophageal and duodenal biopsies taken at
      time of endoscopy, and TTG Ab measured within 6 months of biopsy. Patients with
      histology-proven CD were excluded. RESULTS: Elevated TTG Ab was present in 19/34
      (54%) of the study cohort, representing 23% of all patients diagnosed with EoE
      during the study period. Eight had titers >6* upper limit of normal (ULN) and 4
      had >10* ULN. TTG Ab-positive patients were classified as having either potential
      CD with (n = 3, 16%) and without lymphocytic duodenosis (LD; n = 12, 63%), and no
      CD (n = 4, 21%) on human leukocyte antigen typing. There was an increase in
      duodenal eosinophils in patients with elevated TTG Ab (P = 0.01), which remained
      when patients with LD were excluded (P = 0.018). Of 19 patients with EoE and
      elevated TTG Ab, 5 responded to elimination diet involving exclusion of wheat,
      including 2 with a sole wheat trigger and TTG Ab >10* ULN that were CD-associated
      human leukocyte antigen-negative. CONCLUSIONS: Serum TTG Ab was elevated in
      almost one-quarter of our total EoE cohort, and at least 20% of these patients
      did not have potential CD, suggesting EoE is a heterogeneous disease with
      differing immune mechanisms activated in some patients. These findings also
      support routine esophageal biopsy during upper endoscopy in children with
      elevated TTG Ab.

PMID- 28644353
TI  - Extraintestinal Manifestations of Celiac Disease: Effectiveness of the Gluten
      Free Diet.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the gluten
      free diet (GFD) on extraintestinal symptoms in pediatric and adult celiac
      populations at the University of Chicago. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective
      chart review of the University of Chicago Celiac Center clinic charts from
      January 2002 to October 2014. Demographics, serologic testing, intestinal
      biopsies, and extraintestinal symptoms at presentation, 12, 24, and >24 months
      were recorded. Extraintestinal symptoms included abnormal liver enzymes,
      arthralgia/arthritis, dermatitis herpetiformis, alopecia, fatigue, headache,
      anemia, stomatitis, myalgias, psychiatric disorders, rashes, seizures,
      neuropathy, short stature, delayed puberty, osteoporosis, and infertility.
      RESULTS: A total of 737 patients with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease or skin
      biopsy-confirmed dermatitis herpetiformis were included. Patients lost to follow
      up, or with insufficient data were excluded leaving 328 patients (157 pediatrics
      younger than 18 years). For pediatrics, the female to male ratio was 2:1 and the
      mean age at diagnosis was 8.9 years. For adults, 4:1 and 40.6 years old.
      Extraintestinal symptom rates were similar in children (60%) and adults (62%).
      Short stature (33%), fatigue (28%), and headache (20%) were most common in
      children. Iron deficiency anemia (48%), fatigue (37%), and headache/psychiatric
      disorders (24%) were common in adults. Children had faster/higher rates of
      symptom resolution compared with adults. Twenty-eight percent of children with
      unresolved short stature on a GFD were found to have other comorbidities.
      CONCLUSIONS: Children and adults with celiac disease have similar rates of
      extraintestinal manifestations. In children short stature, fatigue, and headache
      were most common, whereas anemia, fatigue, and headache/psychiatric disorders
      were most common in adults. Children on a strict GFD showed faster and higher
      rates of symptom resolution as compared to adults. Unresponsive children with
      short stature must be assessed for comorbidities.

PMID- 28644354
TI  - Development and Function of Immune Cells in an Adolescent Patient With a
      Deficiency in the Interleukin-10 Receptor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Monogenic defects in the interleukin-10 (IL-10) pathway are extremely
      rare and cause infantile-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-like pathology.
      Understanding how immune responses are dysregulated in monogenic IBD-like
      diseases can provide valuable insight in "classical" IBD pathogenesis. Here, we
      studied long-term immune cell development and function in an adolescent IL-10
      receptor (IL10RA)-deficient patient who presented in infancy with severe colitis
      and fistulizing perianal disease and is currently treated with immune
      suppressants. METHODS: Biomaterial was collected from the IL10RA-deficient
      patient, pediatric patients with IBD, and healthy controls. The frequency and
      phenotype of immune cells were determined in peripheral blood and intestinal
      biopsies by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Functional changes in
      monocyte-derived dendritic cells and T cells were assessed by in vitro activation
      assays. RESULTS: The IL10RA-deficient immune system developed normally with
      respect to numbers and phenotype of circulating immune cells. Despite normal co
      stimulatory molecule expression, bacterial lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocyte
      derived dendritic cells from the IL10RA-deficient patient released increased
      amounts of tumor necrosis factor alpha compared to healthy controls. Upon T-cell
      receptor ligation, IL10RA-deficient peripheral blood mononuclear cells released
      increased amounts of T-cell cytokines interferon gamma and IL-17 agreeing with
      high numbers of T-bet and IL-17 cells in intestinal biopsies taken at disease
      onset. In vitro, the immunosuppressive drug thalidomide used to treat the
      patient's decreased peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived tumor necrosis
      factor production. CONCLUSIONS: With time and during immunosuppressive treatment
      the IL10RA-deficient immune system develops relatively normally. Upon activation,
      IL-10 is crucial for controlling excessive inflammatory cytokine release by
      dendritic cells and preventing interferon gamma and IL-17-mediated T-cell
      responses.

PMID- 28644355
TI  - Outpatient Liver Biopsy in Children: Safety, Feasibility, and Economic Impact.
AB  - Liver biopsy is a valuable tool. Even though outpatient liver biopsies are
      routinely performed in adults, there are no clear recommendations on its safety
      and feasibility in children. We reviewed the records of children who underwent a
      percutaneous liver biopsy at our institution between January 2005 and June 2015.
      A total of 626 biopsies were performed on 497 patients (250 boys, median age 6
      [0.2-19.3] years). Abnormal liver function tests for investigation 288 (46%) was
      the most common indication. Thirty (4.8%) biopsies had complications, most common
      being subcapsular hematoma 14 of 30 (46.7%). Complications were identified within
      8 hours of the biopsy in all patients. Approach, needle size, or number of passes
      did not affect the complication rate. Bleeding-related complications were not
      related to the international normalized ratio. Performing liver biopsies on an
      outpatient basis would have saved 60 beds/AU$ 80,000/year. The present study
      suggests that if an observation period of 8 hours is instituted, outpatient liver
      biopsies can be performed safely in children.

PMID- 28644356
TI  - Low Hepatic Tissue Copper in Pediatric Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Animal models and studies in adults have demonstrated that copper
      restriction increases severity of liver injury in nonalcoholic fatty liver
      disease (NAFLD). This has not been studied in children. We aimed to determine if
      lower tissue copper is associated with increased NAFLD severity in children.
      METHODS: This was a retrospective study of pediatric patients who had a liver
      biopsy including a hepatic copper quantitation. The primary outcome compared
      hepatic copper concentration in NAFLD versus non-NAFLD. Secondary outcomes
      compared hepatic copper levels against steatosis, fibrosis, lobular inflammation,
      balloon degeneration, and NAFLD activity score (NAS). RESULTS: The study analysis
      included 150 pediatric subjects (102 with NAFLD and 48 non-NAFLD). After
      adjusting for age, body mass index z score, gamma glutamyl transferase, alanine
      aminotransferase, and total bilirubin, NAFLD subjects had lower levels of hepatic
      copper than non-NAFLD (P = 0.005). In addition, tissue copper concentration
      decreased as steatosis severity increased (P < 0.001). Copper levels were not
      associated with degree of fibrosis, lobular inflammation, portal inflammation, or
      balloon degeneration. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of pediatric subjects with
      NAFLD, we observed decreased tissue copper levels in subjects with NAFLD when
      compared with non-NAFLD subjects. In addition, tissue copper levels were lower in
      subjects with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a more severe form of the disease,
      when compared with steatosis alone. Further studies are needed to explore the
      relationship between copper levels and NAFLD progression.

PMID- 28644357
TI  - Effect of Synbiotic on the Gut Microbiota of Cesarean Delivered Infants: A
      Randomized, Double-blind, Multicenter Study.
AB  - We determined the effect of short-chain galacto-oligosaccharides (scGOS), long
      chain fructo-oligosaccharides (lcFOS) and Bifidobacterium breve M-16V on the gut
      microbiota of cesarean-born infants. Infants were randomized to receive a
      standard formula (control), the same with scGOS/lcFOS and B. breve M-16V
      (synbiotic), or with scGOS/lcFOS (prebiotic) from birth until week 16, 30
      subjects born vaginally were included as a reference group. Synbiotic
      supplementation resulted in a higher bifidobacteria proportion from day 3/5 (P <
      0.0001) until week 8 (P = 0.041), a reduction of Enterobacteriaceae from day 3/5
      (P = 0.002) till week 12 (P = 0.016) compared to controls. This was accompanied
      with a lower fecal pH and higher acetate. In the synbiotic group, B. breve M-16V
      was detected 6 weeks postintervention in 38.7% of the infants. This synbiotic
      concept supported the early modulation of Bifidobacterium in C-section born
      infants that was associated with the emulation of the gut physiological
      environment observed in vaginally delivered infants.

PMID- 28644358
TI  - Early Empiric Antibiotic Use Is Associated With Delayed Feeding Tolerance in
      Preterm Infants: A Retrospective Analysis.
AB  - The causative factors of neonatal feeding intolerance are poorly understood, but
      potentially related to clinical practices such as empiric antibiotic usage. The
      objective of this study was to evaluate whether early empiric antibiotic exposure
      negatively affects preterm infants' enteral feeding tolerance. Data from infants
      without risk factors for sepsis, 500 to 1499 g birth weight and 24 to 34 weeks
      gestational age were analyzed. The primary outcomes were the empiric antibiotic
      exposure effects on the infants' total parenteral nutrition usage duration and
      prevalence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Among the 901 infants included, 67
      were exposed to early empiric antibiotic. A 50% increase in parenteral nutrition
      usage duration and a 4-fold greater prevalence of NEC was seen in the early
      empiric antibiotic-exposed neonates, when compared with control infants (P <
      0.01). Early empiric antibiotic exposure appears to negatively influence preterm
      infant feeding tolerance and possibly contributes to NEC.

PMID- 28644359
TI  - Commercial Probiotic Products: A Call for Improved Quality Control. A Position
      Paper by the ESPGHAN Working Group for Probiotics and Prebiotics.
AB  - Probiotics have been proposed for a number of indications ranging from the
      hypothetical long-term immunomodulatory effects to proven benefits in the
      management of different clinical conditions.An increasing number of commercial
      products containing probiotics are available. In those products, irrespective if
      it is food, food supplement, medical food, or drug, the probiotic microorganisms
      have to be present in a sufficient number by the end of the shelf-life, to pass
      through the gastrointestinal tract resisting acid and bile, to colonize the gut,
      and to retain functional properties required to obtain the suggested beneficial
      effect. Finally, it should be contamination-free.Studies organized worldwide and
      summarized in this article have shown that inconsistencies and deviations from
      the information provided on the product label are surprisingly common. Frequently
      strains are misidentified and misclassified, products are occasionally
      contaminated, sometimes with even facultative or obligatory pathogens, strains
      are not viable, the labeled number of colonies cannot be verified, or the
      functional properties are diminished to the extent that preclude the proposed
      health benefit. As the probiotic preparations are commonly used for a wide range
      of conditions, the aim of the Working Group was to summarize results of the
      studies looking into the quality of the probiotic products and to raise the
      awareness of the important issue of their quality control.Based on the results
      obtained, we strongly suggest a more stringent quality control process. This
      process should ensure that the probiotic content as mentioned on the label meets
      the actual content throughout the shelf life of the product, while no
      contamination is present.

PMID- 28644360
TI  - Quality Improvement in Pediatric Endoscopy: A Clinical Report From the NASPGHAN
      Endoscopy Committee.
AB  - The current era of healthcare reform emphasizes the provision of effective, safe,
      equitable, high-quality, and cost-effective care. Within the realm of
      gastrointestinal endoscopy in adults, renewed efforts are in place to accurately
      define and measure quality indicators across the spectrum of endoscopic care. In
      pediatrics, however, this movement has been less-defined and lacks much of the
      evidence-base that supports these initiatives in adult care. A need, therefore,
      exists to help define quality metrics tailored to pediatric practice and provide
      a toolbox for the development of robust quality improvement (QI) programs within
      pediatric endoscopy units. Use of uniform standards of quality reporting across
      centers will ensure that data can be compared and compiled on an international
      level to help guide QI initiatives and inform patients and their caregivers of
      the true risks and benefits of endoscopy. This report is intended to provide
      pediatric gastroenterologists with a framework for the development and
      implementation of endoscopy QI programs within their own centers, based on
      available evidence and expert opinion from the members of the NASPGHAN Endoscopy
      Committee. This clinical report will require expansion as further research
      pertaining to endoscopic quality in pediatrics is published.

PMID- 28644361
TI  - Giant Pelvic Cyst in 16-Year-Old Boy With Bloody Diarrhea: Atypical Presentation
      of Colonic Adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28644362
TI  - Endoscopic Drainage of Walled Off Necrosis in a Child With Metal Stent.

PMID- 28644363
TI  - Allergic Interstitial Nephritis Masquerading as Pyelonephritis in a Pediatric
      Patient With Crohn Disease.

PMID- 28644364
TI  - An Unusual Manifestation of Celiac Disease in an Adolescent With Down Syndrome
      and Graves Disease.

PMID- 28644365
TI  - Apropos: "Gut Microbiota Differences in Children From Distinct Socioeconomic
      Levels Living in the Same Urban Area in Brazil".

PMID- 28644366
TI  - Microbiota, Environment, and Diet.

PMID- 28644367
TI  - Oral Cholic Acid Is Efficacious and Well Tolerated in Patients With Bile Acid
      Synthesis and Zellweger Spectrum Disorders.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Patients with bile acid synthesis disorders (BASDs) due to single
      enzyme defects (SEDs) or Zellweger spectrum disorders (ZSDs) accumulate
      hepatotoxic atypical bile acids resulting in potentially fatal progressive liver
      disease. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral cholic acid in patients
      with BASD. METHODS: In this phase 3, open-label, single-arm, nonrandomized,
      noncomparative study conducted over 18 years, patients were administered cholic
      acid orally 10 to 15 mg . kg . day. The primary efficacy variables were changes
      from pre- to post-treatment in atypical urinary bile acids, liver chemistries
      (serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase), and height and
      weight. Additional efficacy variables included changes in serum bilirubin and
      liver histology. RESULTS: Of the 85 enrolled patients (63 with SED and 22 with
      ZSD), 79 received at least 1 dose of study medication; 70 patients (50 with SED
      and 20 with ZSD) were included in the modified intent-to-treat dataset. Cholic
      acid significantly improved urine bile acid metabolite scores (P < 0.0001) and
      serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.0001) in
      patients with SED and ZSD. Cholic acid also improved height and weight
      percentiles in both groups, but only the change in weight was significant (P <
      0.05). Serum direct bilirubin decreased significantly post-treatment (P < 0.001)
      in the intent-to-treat population, and liver biopsies showed either stable
      findings or histologic improvement in all parameters except bridging fibrosis.
      The overall safety profile of cholic acid was favorable, with no study drug
      related serious adverse events or drug-related deaths reported. CONCLUSIONS: Oral
      cholic acid is a safe, efficacious, and well-tolerated treatment for BASD due to
      SED and ZSD.

PMID- 28644368
TI  - Vitamin D Deficiency Is Not Associated With Growth or the Incidence of Common
      Morbidities Among Tanzanian Infants.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine risk factors for vitamin D
      deficiency and determine the association of vitamin D status with child growth
      and incidence of common morbidities among Tanzanian infants. METHODS: A
      prospective cohort of 581 Tanzanian infants born to human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV)-uninfected mothers had serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D assessed at 6 weeks and 6
      months of age. Infants were seen at monthly clinic visits for growth monitoring
      until 18 months of age. Physicians examined infants every 3 months or when an
      illness was noted to document morbidities. RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin D
      deficiency (<20 ng/mL) declined from 76.4% at 6 weeks of age to 21.2% at 6
      months. Infants who were exclusively breastfed at 6 weeks of age had 2.05 (95%
      confidence interval 1.11-3.79; P = 0.02) times the risk of vitamin D deficiency
      as compared formula-fed infants. After multivariate adjustment, there was no
      association of vitamin D status at 6 weeks or 6 months with the incidence of
      stunting, wasting, or underweight. There was also no association of low vitamin D
      with the incidence of diarrhea, upper respiratory infection, acute lower
      respiratory tract infection, or malaria. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency is
      common during early infancy, particularly among exclusively breastfed infants;
      however, these observational data suggest it may not be an important contributor
      to morbidity and growth among the general population of Tanzanian infants. Future
      studies of vitamin D among high-risk infants, including those with low
      birthweight and exposed to HIV, may be warranted.

PMID- 28644369
TI  - European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition's
      Educational Offer and the Training Syllabus.
AB  - The basic knowledge necessary for a European pediatric
      gastroenterologist/hepatologist/nutritionist is set-out in the training syllabus
      (TS) of the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and
      Nutrition (ESPGHAN). We retrospectively compared the topics covered in ESPGHAN's
      training events between 2013 and 2016 with the basic knowledge TS items. Thirty
      six initiatives including e-learning were identified. Twelve (33%) courses
      focused on gastroenterology, 9 (25%) on hepatology, and 10 (28%) on nutrition.
      Five (14%) courses covered >1 field and were classified "General." The
      initiatives covered 12 of 57 (21%) TS items; 31 of 57 items (54%) were partially
      covered; and 14 of 57 (25%) not covered. Five of 9 e-learning courses covered
      gastroenterology topics, whereas none covered hepatology topics. ESPGHAN's 3-year
      educational offer partially met the training needs listed in the TS. A
      coordinated educational program covering all TS items would harmonize training
      within Europe and would provide trainees with a professional portfolio for
      employment purposes.

PMID- 28644370
TI  - Adaptation of New Colombian Food-based Complementary Feeding Recommendations
      Using Linear Programming.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to use linear programming (LP) analyses to
      adapt New Complementary Feeding Guidelines (NCFg) designed for infants aged 6 to
      12 months living in poor socioeconomic circumstances in Bogota to ensure dietary
      adequacy for young children aged 12 to 23 months. DESIGN: A secondary data
      analysis was performed using dietary and anthropometric data collected from 12
      month-old infants (n = 72) participating in a randomized controlled trial. LP
      analyses were performed to identify nutrients whose requirements were difficult
      to achieve using local foods as consumed; and to test and compare the NCFg and
      alternative food-based recommendations (FBRs) on the basis of dietary adequacy,
      for 11 micronutrients, at the population level. RESULTS: Thiamine recommended
      nutrient intakes for these young children could not be achieved given local foods
      as consumed. NCFg focusing only on meat, fruits, vegetables, and breast milk
      ensured dietary adequacy at the population level for only 4 micronutrients,
      increasing to 8 of 11 modelled micronutrients when the FBRs promoted legumes,
      dairy, vitamin A-rich vegetables, and chicken giblets. None of the FBRs tested
      ensured population-level dietary adequacy for thiamine, niacin, and iron unless a
      fortified infant food was recommended. CONCLUSIONS: The present study
      demonstrated the value of using LP to adapt NCFg for a different age group than
      the one for which they were designed. Our analyses suggest that to ensure dietary
      adequacy for 12- to 23-month olds these adaptations should include legumes, dairy
      products, vitamin A-rich vegetables, organ meat, and a fortified food.

PMID- 28644372
TI  - To the Editor.

PMID- 28644373
TI  - To the Editor.

PMID- 28644374
TI  - [Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies
      (ACTs): Fears of widespread drug resistance].
AB  - Malaria treatment with ACTs (Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies), combining
      a chemical derivative of artemisinin, and a partner drug has, for more than 15
      years, produced a notable decrease in the mortality in tropical and subtropical
      areas. However, since 2008, a serious threat has emerged in western Cambodia,
      where the clinical efficacy of artemisinins has significantly declined, with a
      delayed parasite clearance rate and high recrudescence rates in the following
      weeks. Resistance of Plasmodium to artemisinins is now reported in several
      countries in South-East Asia. ACTs remain effective as long as the partner drug
      retains its activity but more and more clinical failures related to parasite
      resistance to both resistant parasites in sub-Saharan Africa, the continent most
      affected by malaria, as was the case in the past with other antimalarial
      treatments. It is therefore essential to better understand, from phenotypic and
      genotypic points of view, the mechanisms of resistance developed by the parasite
      Plasmodium falciparum face artemisinin and its derivatives in order to offer new
      therapeutic tools.

PMID- 28644375
TI  - GADEN: A 3D Gas Dispersion Simulator for Mobile Robot Olfaction in Realistic
      Environments.
AB  - This work presents a simulation framework developed under the widely used Robot
      Operating System (ROS) to enable the validation of robotics systems and gas
      sensing algorithms under realistic environments. The framework is rooted in the
      principles of computational fluid dynamics and filament dispersion theory,
      modeling wind flow and gas dispersion in 3D real-world scenarios (i.e.,
      accounting for walls, furniture, etc.). Moreover, it integrates the simulation of
      different environmental sensors, such as metal oxide gas sensors, photo
      ionization detectors, or anemometers. We illustrate the potential and
      applicability of the proposed tool by presenting a simulation case in a complex
      and realistic office-like environment where gas leaks of different chemicals
      occur simultaneously. Furthermore, we accomplish quantitative and qualitative
      validation by comparing our simulated results against real-world data recorded
      inside a wind tunnel where methane was released under different wind flow
      profiles. Based on these results, we conclude that our simulation framework can
      provide a good approximation to real world measurements when advective airflows
      are present in the environment.

PMID- 28644376
TI  - Monitoring Effect of Fire on Ant Assemblages in Brazilian Rupestrian Grasslands:
      Contrasting Effects on Ground and Arboreal Fauna.
AB  - Fire is one of the most relevant ecological disturbances in nature. Little is
      known about the effects of fire on biodiversity in ecosystems like rupestrian
      grasslands, which share characteristics with savanna and forest biomes. Brazilian
      rupestrian grasslands are part of an endangered ecosystem that has been modified
      by anthropogenic fire events that have become more intense in recent decades. In
      this study, we evaluated the effects of fire on ground and arboreal ant
      assemblages through a two-year monitoring program (24 monthly samplings). We
      found that fire does not change cumulative species richness after 24 months, and
      that fire does not affect mean ant richness, abundance, and species composition
      in arboreal ants. On the other hand, fire increased mean ground ant species
      richness and abundance, and caused a significant change in species composition.
      Our results indicate a weak and beneficial effect of fire only for ground ant
      communities, which generally agrees with results from other studies in Brazilian
      savannas. Taken together, results from these studies may be useful for
      improvement of fire suppression policy in fire-prone habitats in Brazil.

PMID- 28644377
TI  - An Operational In Situ Soil Moisture & Soil Temperature Monitoring Network for
      West Wales, UK: The WSMN Network.
AB  - This paper describes a soil moisture dataset that has been collecting ground
      measurements of soil moisture, soil temperature and related parameters for west
      Wales, United Kingdom. Already acquired in situ data have been archived to the
      autonomous Wales Soil Moisture Network (WSMN) since its foundation in July 2011.
      The sites from which measurements are being collected represent a range of
      conditions typical of the Welsh environment, with climate ranging from oceanic to
      temperate and a range of the most typical land use/cover types found in Wales. At
      present, WSMN consists of a total of nine monitoring sites across the area with a
      concentration of sites in three sub-areas around the region of Aberystwyth
      located in Mid-Wales. The dataset of composed of 0-5 (or 0-10) cm soil moisture,
      soil temperature, precipitation, and other ancillary data. WSMN data are provided
      openly to the public via the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) platform.
      At present, WSMN is also rapidly expanding thanks to funding obtained recently
      which allows more monitoring sites to be added to the network to the wider
      community interested in using its data.

PMID- 28644378
TI  - An Energy-Efficient Multi-Tier Architecture for Fall Detection Using Smartphones.
AB  - Automatic detection of fall events is vital to providing fast medical assistance
      to the causality, particularly when the injury causes loss of consciousness.
      Optimization of the energy consumption of mobile applications, especially those
      which run 24/7 in the background, is essential for longer use of smartphones. In
      order to improve energy-efficiency without compromising on the fall detection
      performance, we propose a novel 3-tier architecture that combines simple
      thresholding methods with machine learning algorithms. The proposed method is
      implemented on a mobile application, called uSurvive, for Android smartphones. It
      runs as a background service and monitors the activities of a person in daily
      life and automatically sends a notification to the appropriate authorities and/or
      user defined contacts when it detects a fall. The performance of the proposed
      method was evaluated in terms of fall detection performance and energy
      consumption. Real life performance tests conducted on two different models of
      smartphone demonstrate that our 3-tier architecture with feature reduction could
      save up to 62% of energy compared to machine learning only solutions. In addition
      to this energy saving, the hybrid method has a 93% of accuracy, which is superior
      to thresholding methods and better than machine learning only solutions.

PMID- 28644379
TI  - Physical Forces May Cause the HoxD Gene Cluster Elongation.
AB  - Hox gene collinearity was discovered be Edward B. Lewis in 1978. It consists of
      the Hox1, Hox2, Hox3 ordering of the Hox genes in the chromosome from the
      telomeric to the centromeric side of the chromosome. Surprisingly, the spatial
      activation of the Hox genes in the ontogenetic units of the embryo follows the
      same ordering along the anterior-posterior embryonic axis. The chromosome
      microscale differs from the embryo macroscale by 3 to 4 orders of magnitude. The
      traditional biomolecular mechanisms are not adequate to comprise phenomena at so
      divergent spatial domains. A Biophysical Model of physical forces was proposed
      which can bridge the intermediate space and explain the results of genetic
      engineering experiments. Recent progress in constructing instruments and
      achieving high resolution imaging (e.g., 3D DNA FISH, STORM etc.) enable the
      assessment of the geometric structure of the chromatin during the different
      phases of Hox gene activation. It is found that the mouse HoxD gene cluster is
      elongated up to 5-6 times during Hox gene transcription. These unexpected
      findings agree with the BM predictions. It is now possible to measure several
      physical quantities inside the nucleus during Hox gene activation. New
      experiments are proposed to test further this model.

PMID- 28644381
TI  - An Efficient User Authentication and User Anonymity Scheme with Provably Security
      for IoT-Based Medical Care System.
AB  - In recent years, with the increase in degenerative diseases and the aging
      population in advanced countries, demands for medical care of older or solitary
      people have increased continually in hospitals and healthcare institutions.
      Applying wireless sensor networks for the IoT-based telemedicine system enables
      doctors, caregivers or families to monitor patients' physiological conditions at
      anytime and anyplace according to the acquired information. However, transmitting
      physiological data through the Internet concerns the personal privacy of
      patients. Therefore, before users can access medical care services in IoT-based
      medical care system, they must be authenticated. Typically, user authentication
      and data encryption are most critical for securing network communications over a
      public channel between two or more participants. In 2016, Liu and Chung proposed
      a bilinear pairing-based password authentication scheme for wireless healthcare
      sensor networks. They claimed their authentication scheme cannot only secure
      sensor data transmission, but also resist various well-known security attacks. In
      this paper, we demonstrate that Liu-Chung's scheme has some security weaknesses,
      and we further present an improved secure authentication and data encryption
      scheme for the IoT-based medical care system, which can provide user anonymity
      and prevent the security threats of replay and password/sensed data disclosure
      attacks. Moreover, we modify the authentication process to reduce redundancy in
      protocol design, and the proposed scheme is more efficient in performance
      compared with previous related schemes. Finally, the proposed scheme is provably
      secure in the random oracle model under ECDHP.

PMID- 28644380
TI  - Adenosine Triphosphate-Encapsulated Liposomes with Plasmonic Nanoparticles for
      Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering-Based Immunoassays.
AB  - In this study, we prepared adenosine triphosphate (ATP) encapsulated liposomes,
      and assessed their applicability for the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)
      based assays with gold-silver alloy (Au@Ag)-assembled silica nanoparticles (NPs;
      SiO2@Au@Ag). The liposomes were prepared by the thin film hydration method from a
      mixture of l-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and PE-PEG2000 in
      chloroform; evaporating the solvent, followed by hydration of the resulting thin
      film with ATP in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Upon lysis of the liposome, the
      SERS intensity of the SiO2@Au@Ag NPs increased with the logarithm of number of
      ATP-encapsulated liposomes after lysis in the range of 8 * 106 to 8 * 1010. The
      detection limit of liposome was calculated to be 1.3 * 10-17 mol. The successful
      application of ATP-encapsulated liposomes to SiO2@Au@Ag NPs based SERS analysis
      has opened a new avenue for Raman label chemical (RCL)-encapsulated liposome
      enhanced SERS-based immunoassays.

PMID- 28644382
TI  - Metal Ion-Loaded Nanofibre Matrices for Calcification Inhibition in Polyurethane
      Implants.
AB  - Pathologic calcification leads to structural deterioration of implant materials
      via stiffening, stress cracking, and other structural disintegration mechanisms,
      and the effect can be critical for implants intended for long-term or permanent
      implantation. This study demonstrates the potential of using specific metal ions
      (MI)s for inhibiting pathological calcification in polyurethane (PU) implants.
      The hypothesis of using MIs as anti-calcification agents was based on the natural
      calcium-antagonist role of Mg2+ ions in human body, and the anti-calcification
      effect of Fe3+ ions in bio-prosthetic heart valves has previously been confirmed.
      In vitro calcification results indicated that a protective covering mesh of MI
      doped PU can prevent calcification by preventing hydroxyapatite crystal growth.
      However, microstructure and mechanical characterisation revealed oxidative
      degradation effects from Fe3+ ions on the mechanical properties of the PU matrix.
      Therefore, from both a mechanical and anti-calcification effects point of view,
      Mg2+ ions are more promising candidates than Fe3+ ions. The in vitro MI release
      experiments demonstrated that PU microphase separation and the structural design
      of PU-MI matrices were important determinants of release kinetics. Increased
      phase separation in doped PU assisted in consistent long-term release of
      dissolved MIs from both hard and soft segments of the PU. The use of a composite
      sandwich mesh design prevented an initial burst release which improved the late
      (>20 days) release rate of MIs from the matrix.

PMID- 28644383
TI  - Use of Ultrasonication Technology for the Increased Production of Plant Secondary
      Metabolites.
AB  - Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) provide taste, color, odor, and resistance to
      plants, and they are also used to treat cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
      Synthesis of PSMs in plants is stimulated in response to different forms of
      external stress. Use of ultrasonication (US) to clean or decontaminate fruits and
      vegetables leads to physical stress that finally results in the accumulation of
      PSMs. US can stimulate accumulation of taxol, ginsenoside saponins, shikonin, and
      resveratrol, e.g., up to 319-fold increase of resveratrol synthesis has been
      observed in grape due to US. US also increases carotenoids, total phenolics, and
      isoflavonoids accumulation. Furthermore, US shows synergistic effects in PSMs
      synthesis-when combined with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, jasmonic acid (JA) or
      salicylic acid (SA). It has been observed that US stimulates the production of
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) which then upregulates expression of phenylalanine
      ammonia lyase (PAL), resulting in the synthesis of PSMs. In this review, we
      summarize the effects of US, as a physical stress, to maximize the accumulation
      of PSMs in crop produce and in cell cultures.

PMID- 28644384
TI  - Characterisation of the Chemical Composition and Structural Features of Novel
      Antimicrobial Nanoparticles.
AB  - Three antimicrobial nanoparticle types (AMNP0, AMNP1, and AMNP2) produced using
      the TesimaTM thermal plasma technology were investigated and their compositions
      were determined using a combination of analytical methods. Scanning electron
      micrographs provided the morphology of these particles with observed sizes
      ranging from 10 to 50 nm, whilst FTIR spectra confirmed the absence of polar
      bonds and organic impurities, and strong Raman active vibrational bands at ca.
      1604 and 1311 cm-1 ascribed to C-C vibrational motions were observed. Carbon
      signals that resonated at deltaC 126 ppm in the solid state NMR spectra confirmed
      that sp2 hybridised carbons were present in high concentration in two of the
      nanoparticle types (AMNP1 and AMNP2). X-ray powder diffraction suggested that
      AMNP0 contains single phase Tungsten carbide (WC) in a high state of purity and
      multiple phases of WC/WC1-x were identified in both AMNP1 and AMNP2. Finally, X
      ray photoelectron spectral (XPS) analyses revealed and quantified the elemental
      ratios in these composite formulations.

PMID- 28644385
TI  - CH/pi Interactions in Carbohydrate Recognition.
AB  - Many carbohydrate-binding proteins contain aromatic amino acid residues in their
      binding sites. These residues interact with carbohydrates in a stacking geometry
      via CH/pi interactions. These interactions can be found in carbohydrate-binding
      proteins, including lectins, enzymes and carbohydrate transporters. Besides this,
      many non-protein aromatic molecules (natural as well as artificial) can bind
      saccharides using these interactions. Recent computational and experimental
      studies have shown that carbohydrate-aromatic CH/pi interactions are dispersion
      interactions, tuned by electrostatics and partially stabilized by a hydrophobic
      effect in solvated systems.

PMID- 28644386
TI  - Capsaicin Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells
      by Downregulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.
AB  - Capsaicin is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for different human cancers. In
      Southeast China, nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has the highest incidence of all
      cancers, but final treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory. However, there is a
      lack of information regarding the anticancer activity of capsaicin in NPC cells,
      and its effects on the signaling transduction pathways related to apoptosis and
      autophagy remain unclear. In the present study, the precise mechanisms by which
      capsaicin exerts anti-proliferative effects, cell cycle arrest, autophagy and
      apoptosis were investigated in NPC-TW01 cells. Exposure to capsaicin inhibited
      cancer cell growth and increased G1 phase cell cycle arrest. Western blotting and
      quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR)
      were used to measure capsaicin-induced autophagy via involvement of the class III
      PI3K/Beclin-1/Bcl-2 signaling pathway. Capsaicin induced autophagy by increasing
      levels of the autophagy markers LC3-II and Atg5, enhancing p62 and Fap-1
      degradation and increasing caspase-3 activity to induce apoptosis, suggesting a
      correlation of blocking the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway with the above-mentioned
      anticancer activities. Taken together, these data confirm that capsaicin
      inhibited the growth of human NPC cells and induced autophagy, supporting its
      potential as a therapeutic agent for cancer.

PMID- 28644388
TI  - Cellular Uptake and Delivery-Dependent Effects of Tb3+-Doped Hydroxyapatite
      Nanorods.
AB  - With the increasing interest in hydroxyapatite (HA) nanostructures for use in
      biomedicine, the systematic evaluation of their potential effects on biological
      systems is becoming critically important. In this work, we report the in vitro
      cellular uptake, in vivo tissue distributions and toxicity of Tb3+-doped HA (HA
      Tb) after short-, intermediate-, and long-term exposure. Transmission electron
      microscopy analysis indicated that HA-Tb was taken up by cells via vesicle
      endocytosis. Cell proliferation and cytotoxicity assay, combined with confocal
      laser scanning microscopy, indicated excellent cell viability with no changes in
      cell morphology at the examined doses. Three HA-Tb delivery methods
      (intraperitoneal, intragastric, and intravenous) resulted in similar time
      dependent tissue distributions, while intraperitoneal injection produced the
      highest bioavailability. HA-Tb initially accumulated in livers and intestines of
      rats (4 h to one day after administration), then became increasingly distributed
      in the kidney and bladder (seven days), and finally decreased in all tissues
      after 30 to 90 days. No histopathological abnormalities or lesions related to
      treatment with HA-Tb were observed. These results suggest that HA-Tb has minimal
      in vitro and in vivo toxicity, regardless of the delivery mode, time, and dose.
      The findings provide a foundation for the design and development of HA for
      biological applications.

PMID- 28644387
TI  - RNA Binding Proteins and Genome Integrity.
AB  - Genome integrity can be threatened by various endogenous or exogenous events. To
      counteract these stressors, the DNA damage response network contributes to the
      prevention and/or repair of genomic DNA damage and serves an essential function
      in cellular survival. DNA binding proteins are involved in this network.
      Recently, several RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that are recruited to DNA damage
      sites have been shown to be direct players in the prevention or repair of DNA
      damage. In addition, non-coding RNAs, themselves, are involved in the RNA
      mediated DNA repair system. Furthermore, RNA modification such as m6A methylation
      might also contribute to the ultraviolet-responsive DNA damage response.
      Accumulating evidence suggests that RNA metabolism is more deeply involved in
      diverse cellular functions than previously expected, and is also intricately
      associated with the maintenance of genome integrity. In this review, we highlight
      the roles of RBPs in the maintenance of genome integrity.

PMID- 28644389
TI  - Chronic Respiratory Infection in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
      Disease: What Is the Role of Antibiotics?
AB  - Chronic infections are associated with exacerbation in patients with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The major objective of the management of
      these patients is the prevention and effective treatment of exacerbations.
      Patients that have increased sputum production, associated with purulence and
      worsening shortness of breath, are the ones that will benefit from antibiotic
      therapy. It is important to give the appropriate antibiotic therapy to prevent
      treatment failure, relapse, and the emergence of resistant pathogens. In some
      patients, systemic corticosteroids are also indicated to improve symptoms. In
      order to identify which patients are more likely to benefit from these therapies,
      clinical guidelines recommend stratifying patients based on their risk factor
      associated with poor outcome or recurrence. It has been identified that patients
      with more severe disease, recurrent infection and presence of purulent sputum are
      the ones that will be more likely to benefit from this therapy. Another approach
      related to disease prevention could be the use of prophylactic antibiotics during
      steady state condition. Some studies have evaluated the continuous or the
      intermittent use of antibiotics in order to prevent exacerbations. Due to
      increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the presence of side effects,
      several antibiotics have been developed to be nebulized for both treatment and
      prevention of acute exacerbations. There is a need to design long-term studies to
      evaluate these interventions in the natural history of the disease. The purpose
      of this publication is to review our understanding of the role of bacterial
      infection in patients with COPD exacerbation, the role of antibiotics, and future
      interventions.

PMID- 28644390
TI  - The Electrosome: A Surface-Displayed Enzymatic Cascade in a Biofuel Cell's Anode
      and a High-Density Surface-Displayed Biocathodic Enzyme.
AB  - The limitation of surface-display systems in biofuel cells to a single redox
      enzyme is a major drawback of hybrid biofuel cells, resulting in a low copy
      number of enzymes per yeast cell and a limitation in displaying enzymatic
      cascades. Here we present the electrosome, a novel surface-display system based
      on the specific interaction between the cellulosomal scaffoldin protein and a
      cascade of redox enzymes that allows multiple electron-release by fuel oxidation.
      The electrosome is composed of two compartments: (i) a hybrid anode, which
      consists of dockerin-containing enzymes attached specifically to cohesin sites in
      the scaffoldin to assemble an ethanol oxidation cascade, and (ii) a hybrid
      cathode, which consists of a dockerin-containing oxygen-reducing enzyme attached
      in multiple copies to the cohesin-bearing scaffoldin. Each of the two
      compartments was designed, displayed, and tested separately. The new hybrid cell
      compartments displayed enhanced performance over traditional biofuel cells; in
      the anode, the cascade of ethanol oxidation demonstrated higher performance than
      a cell with just a single enzyme. In the cathode, a higher copy number per yeast
      cell of the oxygen-reducing enzyme copper oxidase has reduced the effect of
      competitive inhibition resulting from yeast oxygen consumption. This work paves
      the way for the assembly of more complex cascades using different enzymes and
      larger scaffoldins to further improve the performance of hybrid cells.

PMID- 28644391
TI  - Molecular Structure-Affinity Relationship of Flavonoids in Lotus Leaf (Nelumbo
      nucifera Gaertn.) on Binding to Human Serum Albumin and Bovine Serum Albumin by
      Spectroscopic Method.
AB  - Lotus leaf has gained growing popularity as an ingredient in herbal formulations
      due to its various activities. As main functional components of lotus leaf, the
      difference in structure of flavonoids affected their binding properties and
      activities. In this paper, the existence of 11 flavonoids in lotus leaf extract
      was confirmed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis and 11
      flavonoids showed various contents in lotus leaf. The interactions between lotus
      leaf extract and two kinds of serum albumins (human serum albumin (HSA) and
      bovine serum albumin (BSA)) were investigated by spectroscopic methods. Based on
      the fluorescence quenching, the interactions between these flavonoids and serum
      albumins were further checked in detail. The relationship between the molecular
      properties of flavonoids and their affinities for serum albumins were analyzed
      and compared. The hydroxylation on 3 and 3' position increased the affinities for
      serum albumins. Moreover, both of the methylation on 3' position of quercetin and
      the C2=C3 double bond of apigenin and quercetin decreased the affinities for HSA
      and BSA. The glycosylation lowered the affinities for HSA and BSA depending on
      the type of sugar moiety. It revealed that the hydrogen bond force played an
      important role in binding flavonoids to HSA and BSA.

PMID- 28644393
TI  - Mutations in the Genes for Interphotoreceptor Matrix Proteoglycans, IMPG1 and
      IMPG2, in Patients with Vitelliform Macular Lesions.
AB  - A significant portion of patients diagnosed with vitelliform macular dystrophy
      (VMD) do not carry causative mutations in the classic VMD genes BEST1 or PRPH2.
      We therefore performed a mutational screen in a cohort of 106 BEST1/PRPH2
      negative VMD patients in two genes encoding secreted interphotoreceptor matrix
      proteoglycans-1 and -2 (IMPG1 and IMPG2). We identified two novel mutations in
      IMPG1 in two simplex VMD cases with disease onset in their early childhood, a
      heterozygous p.(Leu238Pro) missense mutation and a homozygous c.807 + 5G > A
      splice site mutation. The latter induced partial skipping of exon 7 of IMPG1 in
      an in vitro splicing assay. Furthermore, we found heterozygous mutations
      including three stop [p.(Glu226*), p.(Ser522*), p.(Gln856*)] and five missense
      mutations [p.(Ala243Pro), p.(Gly1008Asp), p.(Phe1016Ser), p.(Tyr1042Cys),
      p.(Cys1077Phe)] in the IMPG2 gene, one of them, p.(Cys1077Phe), previously
      associated with VMD. Asymptomatic carriers of the p.(Ala243Pro) and
      p.(Cys1077Phe) mutations show subtle foveal irregularities that could
      characterize a subclinical stage of disease. Taken together, our results provide
      further evidence for an involvement of dominant and recessive mutations in IMPG1
      and IMPG2 in VMD pathology. There is a remarkable similarity in the clinical
      appearance of mutation carriers, presenting with bilateral, central, dome-shaped
      foveal accumulation of yellowish material with preserved integrity of the retinal
      pigment epithelium (RPE). Clinical symptoms tend to be more severe for IMPG1
      mutations.

PMID- 28644392
TI  - Development of Bone Targeting Drugs.
AB  - The skeletal system, comprising bones, ligaments, cartilage and their connective
      tissues, is critical for the structure and support of the body. Diseases that
      affect the skeletal system can be difficult to treat, mainly because of the
      avascular cartilage region. Targeting drugs to the site of action can not only
      increase efficacy but also reduce toxicity. Bone-targeting drugs are designed
      with either of two general targeting moieties, aimed at the entire skeletal
      system or a specific cell type. Most bone-targeting drugs utilize an affinity to
      hydroxyapatite, a major component of the bone matrix that includes a high
      concentration of positively-charged Ca2+. The strategies for designing such
      targeting moieties can involve synthetic and/or biological components including
      negatively-charged amino acid peptides or bisphosphonates. Efficient delivery of
      bone-specific drugs provides significant impact in the treatment of skeletal
      related disorders including infectious diseases (osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis,
      etc.), osteoporosis, and metabolic skeletal dysplasia. Despite recent advances,
      however, both delivering the drug to its target without losing activity and
      avoiding adverse local effects remain a challenge. In this review, we investigate
      the current development of bone-targeting moieties, their efficacy and
      limitations, and discuss future directions for the development of these specific
      targeted treatments.

PMID- 28644394
TI  - Synergistic Effect of MoS2 and SiO2 Nanoparticles as Lubricant Additives for
      Magnesium Alloy-Steel Contacts.
AB  - The tribological performances of the SiO2/MoS2 hybrids as lubricant additives
      were explored by a reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer for AZ31 magnesium
      alloy/AISI 52100 bearing steel pairs. The results demonstrated that the
      introduction of SiO2/MoS2 hybrids into the base oil exhibited a significant
      reduction in the friction coefficient and wear volume as well as an increase in
      load bearing capacity, which was better than the testing results of the SiO2 or
      MoS2 nanolubricants. Specifically, the addition of 0.1 wt % nano-SiO2 mixed with
      1.0 wt % nano-MoS2 into the base oil reduced the friction coefficient by 21.8%
      and the wear volume by 8.6% compared to the 1.0 wt % MoS2 nanolubricants. The
      excellent lubrication behaviors of the SiO2/MoS2 hybrid nanolubricants can be
      explained by the micro-cooperation of different nanoparticles with disparate
      morphology and lubrication mechanisms.

PMID- 28644395
TI  - Optical Tracking and Digital Quantification of Beating Behavior in Bioengineered
      Human Cardiac Organoids.
AB  - Organoid and organ-on-a-chip technologies are rapidly advancing towards
      deployment for drug and toxicology screening applications. Liver and cardiac
      toxicities account for the majority of drug candidate failures in human trials.
      Liver toxicity generally produces liver cell death, while cardiac toxicity causes
      adverse changes in heart beat kinetics. In traditional 2D cultures, beating
      kinetics can be measured by electrode arrays, but in some 3D constructs,
      quantifying beating kinetics can be more challenging. For example, real time
      measurements of calcium flux or contractile forces are possible, yet rather
      complex. In this communication article, we demonstrate a simple sensing system
      based on software code that optically analyzes video capture files of beating
      cardiac organoids, translates these files in representations of moving pixels,
      and quantifies pixel movement activity over time to generate beat kinetic plots.
      We demonstrate this system using bioengineered cardiac organoids under baseline
      and drug conditions. This technology offers a non-invasive, low-cost, and
      incredibly simple method for tracking and quantifying beating behavior in cardiac
      organoids and organ-on-a-chip systems for drug and toxicology screening.

PMID- 28644397
TI  - Relationship between Remote Sensing Data, Plant Biomass and Soil Nitrogen
      Dynamics in Intensively Managed Grasslands under Controlled Conditions.
AB  - The sustainable use of grasslands in intensive farming systems aims to optimize
      nitrogen (N) inputs to increase crop yields and decrease harmful losses to the
      environment at the same time. To achieve this, simple optical sensors may provide
      a non-destructive, time- and cost-effective tool for estimating plant biomass in
      the field, considering spatial and temporal variability. However, the plant
      growth and related N uptake is affected by the available N in the soil, and
      therefore, N mineralization and N losses. These soil N dynamics and N losses are
      affected by the N input and environmental conditions, and cannot easily be
      determined non-destructively. Therefore, the question arises: whether a
      relationship can be depicted between N fertilizer levels, plant biomass and N
      dynamics as indicated by nitrous oxide (N2O) losses and inorganic N levels. We
      conducted a standardized greenhouse experiment to explore the potential of
      spectral measurements for analyzing yield response, N mineralization and N2O
      emissions in a permanent grassland. Ryegrass was subjected to four mineral
      fertilizer input levels over 100 days (four harvests) under controlled
      environmental conditions. The soil temperature and moisture content were
      automatically monitored, and the emission rates of N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2)
      were detected frequently. Spectral measurements of the swards were performed
      directly before harvesting. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and
      simple ratio (SR) were moderately correlated with an increasing biomass as
      affected by fertilization level. Furthermore, we found a non-linear response of
      increasing N2O emissions to elevated fertilizer levels. Moreover, inorganic N and
      extractable organic N levels at the end of the experiment tended to increase with
      the increasing N fertilizer addition. However, microbial biomass C and CO2 efflux
      showed no significant differences among fertilizer treatments, reflecting no
      substantial changes in the soil biological pool size and the extent of the C
      mineralization. Neither the NDVI nor SR, nor the plant biomass, were related to
      cumulative N2O emissions or inorganic N at harvesting. Our results verify the
      usefulness of optical sensors for biomass detection, and show the difficulty in
      linking spectral measurements of plant traits to N processes in the soil, despite
      that the latter affects the former.

PMID- 28644396
TI  - RUNX1 Plays an Important Role in Mediating BMP9-Induced Osteogenic
      Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Line C3H10T1/2, Murine Multi-Lineage
      Cells Lines C2C12 and MEFs.
AB  - As one of the least studied bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), BMP9 is highly
      capable of promoting osteogenic differentiation. However, the underlying
      mechanism involved remains largely unknown. Recent studies have demonstrated that
      RUNX1 (runt-related transcription factor 1) is essential in
      osteoblast/chondrocyte maturation. In this study, we investigated the function of
      RUNX1 in BMP9-induced osteogenic of murine mesenchymal stem cell line (C3H10T1/2)
      and murine multi-lineage cell lines (C2C12 and MEFs). Our data showed that BMP9
      promoted the endogenous expression of RUNX1 in C3H10T1/2, C2C12 and MEFs.
      Moreover, RUNX1 was probably a direct target of BMP9/Smad signaling. BMP9-induced
      osteogenic differentiation was enhanced by overexpression of RUNX1, whereas
      inhibited by knockdown RUNX1 in C3H10T1/2, C2C12 and MEFs. Further mechanism
      studies demonstrated that RUNX1 might affect BMP9-induced phosphorylation of
      Smad1/5/8, but not the phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2.Our results suggest that
      RUNX1 may be an essential modulator in BMP9- induced osteogenic differentiation
      of MSCs (Mesenchymal stem cells).

PMID- 28644398
TI  - A Novel Wearable Forehead EOG Measurement System for Human Computer Interfaces.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients whose voluntary muscles are
      paralyzed commonly communicate with the outside world using eye movement. There
      have been many efforts to support this method of communication by tracking or
      detecting eye movement. An electrooculogram (EOG), an electro-physiological
      signal, is generated by eye movements and can be measured with electrodes placed
      around the eye. In this study, we proposed a new practical electrode position on
      the forehead to measure EOG signals, and we developed a wearable forehead EOG
      measurement system for use in Human Computer/Machine interfaces (HCIs/HMIs). Four
      electrodes, including the ground electrode, were placed on the forehead. The two
      channels were arranged vertically and horizontally, sharing a positive electrode.
      Additionally, a real-time eye movement classification algorithm was developed
      based on the characteristics of the forehead EOG. Three applications were
      employed to evaluate the proposed system: a virtual keyboard using a modified
      Bremen BCI speller and an automatic sequential row-column scanner, and a drivable
      power wheelchair. The mean typing speeds of the modified Bremen brain-computer
      interface (BCI) speller and automatic row-column scanner were 10.81 and 7.74
      letters per minute, and the mean classification accuracies were 91.25% and
      95.12%, respectively. In the power wheelchair demonstration, the user drove the
      wheelchair through an 8-shape course without collision with obstacles.

PMID- 28644399
TI  - Effects of Biochar-Derived Sewage Sludge on Heavy Metal Adsorption and
      Immobilization in Soils.
AB  - The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge biochar on
      adsorption and mobility of Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn. Biochar (BC400) was produced via
      pyrolysis of municipal sewage sludge at 400  degrees C. Maximum adsorption
      capacities (qm) for Zn, Cr, Mn, and Cu were 5.905, 5.724, 5.681, and 5.342 mg.g
      1, respectively, in the mono-metal solution and 2.475, 8.204, 1.01, and 5.415
      mg.g-1, respectively, in the multi-metal solution. The adsorption capacities for
      Mn, Cu, and Zn decreased in the multi-metal solution due to competitive
      adsorption, whereas the capacity for Cr increased. Surface precipitation is an
      important mechanism in the sorption of these metals on BC400. The 360-day
      incubation experiment showed that BC400 application reduced metal mobility in
      contaminated soils, which was attributed to the substantial decreases in the acid
      soluble fractions of Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn (72.20%, 70.38%, 50.43%, and 29.78%,
      respectively). Furthermore, the leaching experiment using simulated acid rain
      indicated that the addition of BC400 enhanced the acid buffer capacity of
      contaminated soil, and the concentration of Cr, Mn, Cu, and Zn in the leachate
      was lower than in untreated soil. Overall, this study indicates that sewage
      sludge biochar application reduces the mobility of heavy metal in co-contaminated
      soil, and this adsorption experiment is suitable for the evaluation of biochar
      properties for remediation.

PMID- 28644400
TI  - Evaluation of Sources and Patterns of Elemental Composition of PM2.5 at Three Low
      Income Neighborhood Schools and Residences in Quito, Ecuador.
AB  - Elemental characterization of fine particulate matter was undertaken at schools
      and residences in three low income neighborhoods in Quito, Ecuador. The three
      zones were located in the northern (Cotocollao), south central (El Camal), and
      south east (Los Chillos) neighborhoods and were classified as zones 1-3,
      respectively. Forty elements were quantified via ICP-MS analysis. Amongst the
      geogenic elements, the concentration of Si was the most abundant followed by S,
      Al, and Ca. Elements with predominantly anthropogenic sources such as Zn, V, and
      Ni were higher in zone 3 school followed by zone 2 and zone 1 schools. Enrichment
      factors were calculated to study the role of crustal sources in the elemental
      concentrations. Geogenic elements, except K, all had values <10 and anthropogenic
      elements such as Ni, V, Zn, Pb, As, Cr had >10. Principal Component Analysis
      suggested that Ni and V concentrations were strongly attributable to pet coke and
      heavy oil combustion. Strong associations between As and Pb could be attributed
      to traffic and other industrial emissions. Resuspended dust, soil erosion,
      vehicular emissions (tailpipe, brake and tire wear, and engine abrasion), pet
      coke, heavy oil combustion, and heavy industrial operations were major
      contributors to air pollution.

PMID- 28644401
TI  - The Investigation of Electrochemistry Behaviors of Tyrosinase Based on Directly
      Electrodeposited Grapheneon Choline-Gold Nanoparticles.
AB  - A novel catechol (CA) biosensor was developed by embedding tyrosinase (Tyr) onto
      in situ electrochemical reduction graphene (EGR) on choline-functionalized gold
      nanoparticle (AuNPs-Ch) film. The results of UV-Vis spectra indicated that Tyr
      retained its original structure in the film, and an electrochemical investigation
      of the biosensor showed a pair of well-defined, quasi-reversible redox peaks with
      Epa = -0.0744 V and Epc = -0.114 V (vs. SCE) in 0.1 M, pH 7.0 sodium phosphate
      buffered saline at a scan rate of 100 mV/s. The transfer rate constant ks is 0.66
      s-1. The Tyr-EGR/AuNPs-Ch showed a good electrochemical catalytic response for
      the reduction of CA, with the linear range from 0.2 to 270 MUM and a detection
      limit of 0.1 MUM (S/N = 3). The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant was estimated
      to be 109 MUM.

PMID- 28644402
TI  - Choosing Surgery for Neurogenic TOS: The Roles of Physical Exam, Physical
      Therapy, and Imaging.
AB  - Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (nTOS) is characterized by arm and hand pain,
      paresthesias, and sometimes weakness resulting from compression of the brachial
      plexus within the thoracic outlet. While it is the most common subtype of TOS,
      nTOS can be difficult to diagnose. Furthermore, patient selection for surgical
      treatment can be challenging as symptoms may be vague and ambiguous, and
      diagnostic studies may be equivocal. Herein, we describe some approaches to aid
      in identifying patients who would be expected to benefit from surgical
      intervention for nTOS. We describe the role of physical examination, physical
      therapy, and imaging in the evaluation and diagnosis of nTOS.

PMID- 28644403
TI  - Assessment of Vulnerability to Coccidioidomycosis in Arizona and California.
AB  - Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection endemic to the southwestern United
      States, particularly Arizona and California. Its incidence has increased,
      potentially due in part to the effects of changing climatic variables on fungal
      growth and spore dissemination. This study aims to quantify the county-level
      vulnerability to coccidioidomycosis in Arizona and California and to assess the
      relationships between population vulnerability and climate variability. The
      variables representing exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity were combined
      to calculate county level vulnerability indices. Three methods were used: (1)
      principal components analysis; (2) quartile weighting; and (3) percentile
      weighting. Two sets of indices, "unsupervised" and "supervised", were created.
      Each index was correlated with coccidioidomycosis incidence data from 2000-2014.
      The supervised percentile index had the highest correlation; it was then
      correlated with variability measures for temperature, precipitation, and drought.
      The supervised percentile index was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with
      coccidioidomycosis incidence in both states. Moderate, positive significant
      associations (p < 0.05) were found between index scores and climate variability
      when both states were concurrently analyzed and when California was analyzed
      separately. This research adds to the body of knowledge that could be used to
      target interventions to vulnerable counties and provides support for the
      hypothesis that population vulnerability to coccidioidomycosis is associated with
      climate variability.

PMID- 28644404
TI  - Garlic Organosulfur Compounds Reduce Inflammation and Oxidative Stress during
      Dengue Virus Infection.
AB  - Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes significant global
      human disease and mortality. One approach to develop treatments for DENV
      infection and the prevention of severe disease is through investigation of
      natural medicines. Inflammation plays both beneficial and harmful roles during
      DENV infection. Studies have proposed that the oxidative stress response may be
      one mechanism responsible for triggering inflammation during DENV infection.
      Thus, blocking the oxidative stress response could reduce inflammation and the
      development of severe disease. Garlic has been shown to both reduce inflammation
      and affect the oxidative stress response. Here, we show that the garlic active
      compounds diallyl disulfide (DADS), diallyl sulfide (DAS) and alliin reduced
      inflammation during DENV infection and show that this reduction is due to the
      effects on the oxidative stress response. These results suggest that garlic could
      be used as an alternative treatment for DENV infection and for the prevention of
      severe disease development.

PMID- 28644405
TI  - Socioeconomic Status and Health: A New Approach to the Measurement of Bivariate
      Inequality.
AB  - We suggest an alternative way to construct a family of indices of socioeconomic
      inequality of health. Our indices belong to the broad category of linear indices.
      In contrast to rank-dependent indices, which are defined in terms of the ranks of
      the socioeconomic variable and the levels of the health variable, our indices are
      based on the levels of both the socioeconomic and the health variable. We also
      indicate how the indices can be modified in order to introduce sensitivity to
      inequality in the socioeconomic distribution and to inequality in the health
      distribution. As an empirical illustration, we make a comparative study of the
      relation between income and well-being in 16 European countries using data from
      the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Wave 4.

PMID- 28644407
TI  - Cotton Ascorbate Oxidase Promotes Cell Growth in Cultured Tobacco Bright Yellow-2
      Cells through Generation of Apoplast Oxidation.
AB  - Ascorbate oxidase (AO) plays an important role in cell growth through the
      modulation of reduction/oxidation (redox) control of the apoplast. Here, a cotton
      (Gossypium hirsutum) apoplastic ascorbate oxidase gene (GhAO1) was obtained from
      fast elongating fiber tissues. GhAO1 belongs to the multicopper oxidase (MCO)
      family and includes a signal peptide and several transmembrane regions. Analyses
      of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and enzyme activity
      showed that GhAO1 was expressed abundantly in 15-day post-anthesis (dpa) wild
      type (WT) fibers in comparison with fuzzless-lintless (fl) mutant ovules.
      Subcellular distribution analysis in onion cells demonstrated that GhAO1 is
      localized in the cell wall. In transgenic tobacco bright yellow-2 (BY-2) cells
      with ectopic overexpression of GhAO1, the enhancement of cell growth with 1.52
      fold increase in length versus controls was indicated, as well as the enrichment
      of both total ascorbate in whole-cells and dehydroascorbate acid (DHA) in
      apoplasts. In addition, promoted activities of AO and monodehydroascorbate
      reductase (MDAR) in apoplasts and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) in whole
      cells were displayed in transgenic tobacco BY-2 cells. Accumulation of H2O2, and
      influenced expressions of Ca2+ channel genes with the activation of NtMPK9 and
      NtCPK5 and the suppression of NtTPC1B were also demonstrated in transgenic
      tobacco BY-2 cells. Finally, significant induced expression of the tobacco NtAO
      gene in WT BY-2 cells under indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) treatment appeared;
      however, the sensitivity of the NtAO gene expression to IAA disappeared in
      transgenic BY-2 cells, revealing that the regulated expression of the AO gene is
      under the control of IAA. Taken together, these results provide evidence that
      GhAO1 plays an important role in fiber cell elongation and may promote cell
      growth by generating the oxidation of apoplasts, via the auxin-mediated signaling
      pathway.

PMID- 28644408
TI  - Isolation and Selection of Microalgal Strains from Natural Water Sources in Viet
      Nam with Potential for Edible Oil Production.
AB  - Industrial vegetable oil production in Viet Nam depends on oil seeds and crude
      plant oils that are currently more than 90% imported. As the first step in
      investigating the feasibility of using microalgae to provide Viet Nam with a
      domestic source of oil for food and edible oil industries, fifty lipid-producing
      microalgae were isolated and characterized. The microalgae were isolated from
      water sources ranging from freshwater to brackish and marine waters from a wide
      geographic distribution in Viet Nam. Initial analyses showed that 20 of the 50
      strains had good growth rates, produced high biomass and had high lipid content,
      ranging up to 50% of dry weight biomass. 18S rRNA gene sequence analyses of the
      50 strains showed a great diversity in this assemblage of microalgae, comprising
      at least 38 species and representatives of 25 genera: Chlamydomonas,
      Poterioochromonas, Scenedesmus, Desmodesmus, Chlorella, Bracteacoccus,
      Monoraphidium, Selenastrum, Acutodesmus, Mychonastes, Ankistrodesmus,
      Kirchneriella, Raphidocelis, Dictyosphaerium, Coelastrella, Schizochlamydella,
      Oocystidium, Nannochloris, Auxenochlorella, Chlorosarcinopsis, Stichococcus,
      Picochlorum, Prasinoderma, Chlorococcum, and Marvania. Some of the species are
      closely related to well-known lipid producers such as Chlorella sorokiniana, but
      some other strains are not closely related to the strains found in public
      sequence databases and likely represent new species. Analysis of oil quality
      showed that fatty acid profiles of the microalgal strains were very diverse and
      strain-dependent. Fatty acids in the microalgal oils comprised saturated fatty
      acids (SFAs), poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and mono-unsaturated fatty
      acids (MUFAs). The main SFA was palmitic acid. MUFAs and PUFAs were dominated by
      oleic acid, and linoleic and linolenic acids, respectively. Some strains were
      especially rich in the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which
      comprised more than 20% of the fatty acids in these strains. Other strains had
      fatty acid compositions similar to that of palm oil. Several strains have been
      selected on the basis of their suitable fatty acid profiles and high lipid
      content for further chemical and physical characterization, toxicity and
      organoleptic tests of their oils, and for scale-up.

PMID- 28644409
TI  - Quercetin Protects Obesity-Induced Hypothalamic Inflammation by Reducing
      Microglia-Mediated Inflammatory Responses via HO-1 Induction.
AB  - Obesity-induced hypothalamic inflammation is characterized by activation of
      microglia, which are resident macrophages of the central nervous system, and is
      implicated in the derangement of energy homeostasis, metabolic complications, and
      neurodegenerative diseases. Quercetin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, is known
      to protect against oxidative stress and inflammation-related metabolic
      complications. Here, we demonstrate that quercetin reduces obesity-induced
      hypothalamic inflammation by inhibiting microglia-mediated inflammatory
      responses, and the beneficial action of quercetin is associated with heme
      oxygenase (HO-1) induction. Quercetin markedly reduced the production of
      inflammatory mediators (monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL
      6), IL-1beta, nitric oxide) by microglia stimulated with saturated fatty acid
      palmitate and/or lipid-laden microglia-conditioned medium. Quercetin also
      upregulated the expression of HO-1 in palmitate-treated lipid-laden microglia,
      and the actions of quercetin against microglia activation accompanied by
      IkappaBalpha degradation were abolished by a HO-1 inhibitor. Moreover, quercetin
      supplementation reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines and microglia
      activation markers in the hypothalamus of high fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice,
      which was accompanied by upregulation of HO-1. These findings indicate that
      quercetin suppresses microglia-mediated inflammatory responses via the induction
      of HO-1, and hence protects against obesity-induced hypothalamic inflammation.

PMID- 28644406
TI  - An Updated Review on Marine Anticancer Compounds: The Use of Virtual Screening
      for the Discovery of Small-Molecule Cancer Drugs.
AB  - Marine secondary metabolites are a promising source of unexploited drugs that
      have a wide structural diversity and have shown a variety of biological
      activities. These compounds are produced in response to the harsh and competitive
      conditions that occur in the marine environment. Invertebrates are considered to
      be among the groups with the richest biodiversity. To date, a significant number
      of marine natural products (MNPs) have been established as antineoplastic drugs.
      This review gives an overview of MNPs, both in research or clinical stages, from
      diverse organisms that were reported as being active or potentially active in
      cancer treatment in the past seventeen years (from January 2000 until April 2017)
      and describes their putative mechanisms of action. The structural diversity of
      MNPs is also highlighted and compared with the small-molecule anticancer drugs in
      clinical use. In addition, this review examines the use of virtual screening for
      MNP-based drug discovery and reveals that classical approaches for the selection
      of drug candidates based on ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism,
      excretion, and toxicity) filtering may miss potential anticancer lead compounds.
      Finally, we introduce a novel and publically accessible chemical library of MNPs
      for virtual screening purposes.

PMID- 28644410
TI  - Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Ent-Labdane Derivatives of Salvic Acid (7alpha
      Hydroxy-8(17)-ent-Labden-15-Oic Acid): Effect of Lipophilicity and the Hydrogen
      Bonding Role in Bacterial Membrane Interaction.
AB  - In the present study, the antibacterial activity of several ent-labdane
      derivatives of salvic acid (7alpha-hydroxy-8(17)-ent-labden-15-oic acid) was
      evaluated in vitro against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and the
      Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. For all of the
      compounds, the antibacterial activity was expressed as the minimum inhibitory
      concentration (MIC) in liquid media and minimum inhibitory amount (MIA) in solid
      media. Structure activity relationships (SAR) were employed to correlate the
      effect of the calculated lipophilicity parameters (logPow) on the inhibitory
      activity. Employing a phospholipidic bilayer (POPG) as a bacterial membrane
      model, ent-labdane-membrane interactions were simulated utilizing docking
      studies. The results indicate that (i) the presence of a carboxylic acid in the C
      15 position, which acted as a hydrogen-bond donor (HBD), was essential for the
      antibacterial activity of the ent-labdanes; (ii) an increase in the length of the
      acylated chain at the C-7 position improved the antibacterial activity until an
      optimum length of five carbon atoms was reached; (iii) an increase in the length
      of the acylated chain by more than five carbon atoms resulted in a dramatic
      decrease in activity, which completely disappeared in acyl chains of more than
      nine carbon atoms; and (iv) the structural factors described above, including one
      HBD at C-15 and a hexanoyloxi moiety at C-7, had a good fit to a specific
      lipophilic range and antibacterial activity. The lipophilicity parameter has a
      predictive characteristic feature on the antibacterial activity of this class of
      compounds, to be considered in the design of new biologically active molecules.

PMID- 28644411
TI  - On the Reaction of Carbonyl Diphosphonic Acid with Hydroxylamine and O
      alkylhydroxylamines: Unexpected Degradation of P-C-P Bridge.
AB  - Derivatives of methylenediphosphonic acid possess wide spectra of biological
      activities and are used in enzymology as research tools as well as in practical
      medicine. Carbonyl diphosphonic acid is a promising starting building block for
      synthesis of functionally substituted methylenediphosphonates. Investigation of
      the interaction of carbonyl diphosphonic acid with hydroxylamine clearly
      demonstrates that it is impossible to isolate oxime within the pH range 2-12,
      while only cyanophosphonic and phosphoric acids are the products of the fast
      proceeding Beckmann-like fragmentation. In the case of O-alkylhydroxylamines,
      corresponding alcohols are found in the reaction mixtures in addition to
      cyanophosphonic and phosphoric acids. Therefore, two residues of phosphonic acid
      being attached to a carbonyl group provide new properties to this carbonyl group,
      making its oximes very unstable. This principally differs carbonyl diphosphonic
      acid from structurally related phosphonoglyoxalic acid and other alpha
      ketophosphonates.

PMID- 28644412
TI  - A Systematic Review of Fatalities Related to Acute Ingestion of Salt. A Need for
      Warning Labels?
AB  - There are sporadic cases of fatalities from acutely eating salt. Yet, on social
      media, there are "challenges to" and examples of children and some adults acutely
      eating salt, and recently a charity advocated eating small amounts of salt to
      empathize with Syrian refugees. We performed a systematic review of fatalities
      from ingesting salt to assess if relatively moderate doses of salt could be
      fatal. In 27 reports, there were 35 fatalities documented (19 in adults and 16 in
      children). The lethal dose was estimated to be less than 10 g of sodium (<5
      teaspoons of salt) in two children, and less than 25 g sodium in four adults (<4
      tablespoons of salt). The frequency of fatal ingestion of salt is not able to be
      discerned from our review. If investigation of the causes of hypernatremia in
      hospital records indicates salt overdose is relatively common, consideration
      could be given to placing warning labels on salt containers and shakers. Such
      warning labels can have the added advantage of reducing dietary salt consumption.

PMID- 28644413
TI  - Clonal Diversity of ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from Environmental,
      Human and Food Samples.
AB  - This study presents a comprehensive approach of a clonal diversity analysis of
      448 Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli isolated from
      environmental, human and food samples in Spain. The phenotypic confirmation of
      ESBL production was performed by disc diffusion and microdilution methods, while
      Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing were used for the molecular
      characterization of beta-lactamase genes (blaCTX-M, blaSHV, blaTEM, blaOXA).
      Clonal relationship of isolates was determined by multi-locus sequence typing
      (MLST). Multidrug resistant strains were present in all the studied niches, with
      percentages above 50.0%. The most prevalent beta-lactamase genes were blaCTXM-14
      (26%) and blaCTXM-1 (21.4%), followed by blaSHV-12, blaCTX-M-15 and blaTEM-42.
      MLST isolates were grouped into 26 clonal complexes (CC) and 177 different
      sequence types (ST) were detected. Despite the high clonal diversity observed,
      CC10 was the prevalent and the only CC detected in all niches, while other
      complexes as CC131 were mainly associated to human isolates. The observed
      prevalence and diversity of these resistant bacteria across the different
      environments encourages a One Health approach to prevent and control ESBL
      dissemination between environment and consumers.

PMID- 28644414
TI  - Benefits, Facilitators, Barriers, and Strategies to Improve Pesticide Protective
      Behaviors: Insights from Farmworkers in North Carolina Tobacco Fields.
AB  - Pesticide exposure is associated with deleterious health effects. Prior studies
      suggest Latino farmworkers perceive little control over their occupational
      health. Using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical guide, we explored the
      perceptions of Latino farmworkers working in tobacco in North Carolina (n = 72)
      about benefits and facilitators of pesticide protective behaviors as well as
      barriers, and strategies to overcome barriers to their use. Interviews were
      conducted with participants at farmworker housing during non-work time.
      Qualitative data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Farmworkers recognized pesticide
      protective behaviors as helping them to not get sick and stay healthy.
      Farmworkers perceived work experience as facilitating protective behaviors.
      Wetness in the field was the most commonly cited barrier to protective behavior
      use. To overcome this barrier, farmworkers suggested use of water-resistant
      outerwear, as well as packing a change of clothes for mid-day, with space and
      time to change provided by employers. Examination of the efficacy and feasibility
      of farmworkers' suggestions for addressing barriers is warranted. Training and
      behavior modeling by experienced peers may improve behavior adoption and
      perceived control.

PMID- 28644415
TI  - Genome-Wide Association Study of Dietary Pattern Scores.
AB  - Dietary patterns, representing global food supplies rather than specific
      nutrients or food intakes, have been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD)
      incidence and mortality. The contribution of genetic factors in the determination
      of food intakes, preferences and dietary patterns has been previously
      established. The current study aimed to identify novel genetic factors associated
      with reported dietary pattern scores. Reported dietary patterns scores were
      derived from reported dietary intakes for the preceding month and were obtained
      through a food frequency questionnaire and genome-wide association study (GWAS)
      conducted in a study sample of 141 individuals. Reported Prudent and Western
      dietary patterns demonstrated nominal associations (p < 1 * 10-5) with 78 and 27
      single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), respectively. Among these, SNPs annotated
      to genes previously associated with neurological disorders, CVD risk factors and
      obesity were identified. Further assessment of SNPs demonstrated an impact on
      gene expression levels in blood for SNPs located within/near BCKDHB (p = 0.02)
      and the hypothalamic glucosensor PFKFB3 (p = 0.0004) genes, potentially mediated
      through an impact on the binding of transcription factors (TFs).
      Overrepresentations of glucose/energy homeostasis and hormone response TFs were
      also observed from SNP-surrounding sequences. Results from the current GWAS study
      suggest an interplay of genes involved in the metabolic response to dietary
      patterns on obesity, glucose metabolism and food-induced response in the brain in
      the adoption of dietary patterns.

PMID- 28644416
TI  - Evaluation of Trace Element and Metal Accumulation and Edibility Risk Associated
      with Consumption of Labeo umbratus from the Vaal Dam, South Africa.
AB  - With the occurrence of recreational and small scale subsistence fishing
      activities at the Vaal Dam, South Africa, consumption of fish from this dam may
      result in health risks associated with trace elements and metals. The Vaal Dam is
      one of the largest dams in South Africa, located between the Gauteng Province and
      Orange Free State, and supplies water to approximately 11.6 million people. A
      total of 38 specimens of the benthic cyprinid fish Labeo umbratus were collected
      from the Vaal Dam during two surveys, in 2011 and 2016. Samples of muscle, liver,
      kidney, gill and spinal cord were analysed, along with sediment samples collected
      during the same surveys. Thirteen trace elements were analysed in the samples by
      Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry, Inductively Coupled
      Plasma-Mass Spectrometry, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Total Reflection X
      ray Fluorescence spectroscopy. This is the first survey on trace element and Hg
      accumulation in this fish species from the Vaal Dam and target hazard quotients
      (THQ) indicated that there is a risk for consumers of fish for As and Hg (THQ =
      1.43 and 1.14 respectively). Although levels of trace elements in this
      impoundment have shown little change for a number of years and are lower than
      global background levels, studies detailing the accumulation of metals by fish
      inhabiting the Vaal Dam have indicated that trace elements in muscle tissue are
      above food safety guidelines. Trace element levels in L. umbratus are lower
      compared to other species inhabiting the Vaal Dam and further indicate that risks
      for consumers can be decreased if humans relying on fish from the Vaal Dam
      preferentially consume this species over others.

PMID- 28644417
TI  - Herpes Simplex Virus Establishment, Maintenance, and Reactivation: In Vitro
      Modeling of Latency.
AB  - All herpes viruses establish lifelong infections (latency) in their host, and
      herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) are highly prevalent worldwide. Recurrence of HSV
      infections contributes to significant disease burden in people and on rare
      occasion can be fatal. Cell culture models that recapitulate latent infection
      provide valuable insight on the host processes regulating viral establishment and
      maintenance of latency. More robust and rapid than infections in live animal
      studies, advancements in neuronal culture techniques have made the systematic
      analysis of viral reactivation mechanisms feasible. Only recently have human
      neuronal cell lines been available, but models in the natural host cell are a
      critical addition to the currently available models.

PMID- 28644418
TI  - New MT2 Melatonin Receptor-Selective Ligands: Agonists and Partial Agonists.
AB  - The search for melatonin receptor agonists and antagonists specific towards one
      of the receptor subtypes will extend our understanding of the role of this system
      in relaying circadian information to the body. A series of compounds derived from
      a hit compound discovered in a screening process led to powerful agonists
      specific for one of the isoform of the melatonin receptor namely, MT2. The
      compounds are based on a poorly explored skeleton in the molecular pharmacology
      of melatonin. By changing the steric hindrance of one substituent (i.e., from a
      hydrogen atom to a tributylstannyl group), we identified a possible partial
      agonist that could lead to antagonist analogues. The functionalities of these
      compounds were measured with a series of assays, including the binding of
      GTPgammaS, the inhibition of the cyclic AMP production, the beta-arrestin
      recruitment, and the cell shape changes as determined by cellular dielectric
      spectroscopy (CellKey(r)). The variations between the compounds are discussed.

PMID- 28644419
TI  - Context Relevant Prediction Model for COPD Domain Using Bayesian Belief Network.
AB  - In the last three decades, researchers have examined extensively how context
      aware systems can assist people, specifically those suffering from incurable
      diseases, to help them cope with their medical illness. Over the years, a huge
      number of studies on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been
      published. However, how to derive relevant attributes and early detection of COPD
      exacerbations remains a challenge. In this research work, we will use an
      efficient algorithm to select relevant attributes where there is no proper
      approach in this domain. Such algorithm predicts exacerbations with high accuracy
      by adding discretization process, and organizes the pertinent attributes in
      priority order based on their impact to facilitate the emergency medical
      treatment. In this paper, we propose an extension of our existing Helper Context
      Aware Engine System (HCES) for COPD. This project uses Bayesian network algorithm
      to depict the dependency between the COPD symptoms (attributes) in order to
      overcome the insufficiency and the independency hypothesis of naive Bayesian. In
      addition, the dependency in Bayesian network is realized using TAN algorithm
      rather than consulting pneumologists. All these combined algorithms
      (discretization, selection, dependency, and the ordering of the relevant
      attributes) constitute an effective prediction model, comparing to effective
      ones. Moreover, an investigation and comparison of different scenarios of these
      algorithms are also done to verify which sequence of steps of prediction model
      gives more accurate results. Finally, we designed and validated a computer-aided
      support application to integrate different steps of this model. The findings of
      our system HCES has shown promising results using Area Under Receiver Operating
      Characteristic (AUC = 81.5%).

PMID- 28644420
TI  - Within What Distance Does "Greenness" Best Predict Physical Health? A Systematic
      Review of Articles with GIS Buffer Analyses across the Lifespan.
AB  - Is the amount of "greenness" within a 250-m, 500-m, 1000-m or a 2000-m buffer
      surrounding a person's home a good predictor of their physical health? The
      evidence is inconclusive. We reviewed Web of Science articles that used
      geographic information system buffer analyses to identify trends between physical
      health, greenness, and distance within which greenness is measured. Our inclusion
      criteria were: (1) use of buffers to estimate residential greenness; (2)
      statistical analyses that calculated significance of the greenness-physical
      health relationship; and (3) peer-reviewed articles published in English between
      2007 and 2017. To capture multiple findings from a single article, we selected
      our unit of inquiry as the analysis, not the article. Our final sample included
      260 analyses in 47 articles. All aspects of the review were in accordance with
      PRISMA guidelines. Analyses were independently judged as more, less, or least
      likely to be biased based on the inclusion of objective health measures and
      income/education controls. We found evidence that larger buffer sizes, up to 2000
      m, better predicted physical health than smaller ones. We recommend that future
      analyses use nested rather than overlapping buffers to evaluate to what extent
      greenness not immediately around a person's home (i.e., within 1000-2000 m)
      predicts physical health.

PMID- 28644421
TI  - Antibacterial Effect of a 4x Cu-TiO2 Coating Simulating Acute Periprosthetic
      Infection-An Animal Model.
AB  - The purpose of our study was to investigate the antibacterial effect of a spacer
      (Ti6Al4V) coated with 4x Cu-TiO2 in an animal model simulating an acute
      periprosthetic infection by Staphylococcus aureus. Ti6Al4 bolts contaminated with
      Staphylococcus aureus were implanted into the femoral condyle of rabbits (n = 36)
      divided into 3 groups. After one week in group 1 (control) the bolts were removed
      without any replacement. In group2 Ti6Al4V bolts with a 4x Cu-TiO2 coating and in
      group 3 beads of a gentamicin-PMMA chain were imbedded into the borehole.
      Microbiological investigation was performed at the primary surgery, at the
      revision surgery and after scarification of the rabbits 3 weeks after the first
      surgery. Blood tests were conducted weekly. The initial overall infection rate
      was 88.9%. In group 2 and 3 a significant decrease of the infection rate was
      shown in contrast to the control group. The C-reactive protein (CRP) levels
      declined one week after the first surgery except in the control group where the
      CRP level even increased. This is the first in vivo study that demonstrated the
      antibacterial effects of a fourfold Cu-TiO2 coating. For the future, the coating
      investigated could be a promising option in the treatment of implant-associated
      infections.

PMID- 28644422
TI  - Immersive Virtual Reality for Pediatric Pain.
AB  - Children must often endure painful procedures as part of their treatment for
      various medical conditions. Those with chronic pain endure frequent or constant
      discomfort in their daily lives, sometimes severely limiting their physical
      capacities. With the advent of affordable consumer-grade equipment, clinicians
      have access to a promising and engaging intervention for pediatric pain, both
      acute and chronic. In addition to providing relief from acute and procedural
      pain, virtual reality (VR) may also help to provide a corrective psychological
      and physiological environment to facilitate rehabilitation for pediatric patients
      suffering from chronic pain. The special qualities of VR such as presence,
      interactivity, customization, social interaction, and embodiment allow it to be
      accepted by children and adolescents and incorporated successfully into their
      existing medical therapies. However, the powerful and transformative nature of
      many VR experiences may also pose some risks and should be utilized with caution.
      In this paper, we review recent literature in pediatric virtual reality for
      procedural pain and anxiety, acute and chronic pain, and some rehabilitation
      applications. We also discuss the practical considerations of using VR in
      pediatric care, and offer specific suggestions and information for clinicians
      wishing to adopt these engaging therapies into their daily clinical practice.

PMID- 28644425
TI  - Significance of parathyroid scintigraphy and correlation of findings with
      parathyroid hormone values in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
AB  - Aim To compare finding of thyroid gland scintigraphy with serum concentration of
      parathyroid hormone in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods This
      retrospective-prospective study included 50 patients undergoing hemodialysis with
      established hyperparathyroidism who were treated at Cantonal Hospital Zenica in
      the period 2009 - 2014. Besides anthropological data, concentration of
      parathyroid hormone in serum of patients was monitored too. Scintigraphy was
      performed at the Department of Nuclear Medicine using two-headed gamma camera
      Prism 2000xp. Results Of the total number of 50 patients, 24 (48%) were males and
      26 (52%) were females. The average age was 49.34+/-11.82 years. A total of 17
      (34%) patients had normal findings of scintigraphy, 11 (22%) had mildly
      pronounced uptake of radiopharmaceuticals (score of 1), 14 (28%) had moderately
      pronounced uptake (score of 2), and eight (16%) had intensive uptake of
      radiopharmaceuticals (score of 3). A statistically significant difference was
      established in the length of hemodialysis treatment and scintigraphy finding
      (p=0.041). Conclusion Scintigraphy of parathyroid glands in patients undergoing
      hemodialysis allows us to select them for parathyroidectomy. Scintigraphy of
      parathyroid glands and a value of parathormone in serum should be incorporated
      into the test algorithm for patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism caused by
      chronic kidney disease.

PMID- 28644423
TI  - Probing the Interaction of Dielectric Nanoparticles with Supported Lipid Membrane
      Coatings on Nanoplasmonic Arrays.
AB  - The integration of supported lipid membranes with surface-based nanoplasmonic
      arrays provides a powerful sensing approach to investigate biointerfacial
      phenomena at membrane interfaces. While a growing number of lipid vesicles,
      protein, and nucleic acid systems have been explored with nanoplasmonic sensors,
      there has been only very limited investigation of the interactions between
      solution-phase nanomaterials and supported lipid membranes. Herein, we
      established a surface-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensing
      platform for probing the interaction of dielectric nanoparticles with supported
      lipid bilayer (SLB)-coated, plasmonic nanodisk arrays. A key emphasis was placed
      on controlling membrane functionality by tuning the membrane surface charge vis-a
      vis lipid composition. The optical sensing properties of the bare and SLB-coated
      sensor surfaces were quantitatively compared, and provided an experimental
      approach to evaluate nanoparticle-membrane interactions across different SLB
      platforms. While the interaction of negatively-charged silica nanoparticles
      (SiNPs) with a zwitterionic SLB resulted in monotonic adsorption, a stronger
      interaction with a positively-charged SLB resulted in adsorption and lipid
      transfer from the SLB to the SiNP surface, in turn influencing the LSPR
      measurement responses based on the changing spatial proximity of transferred
      lipids relative to the sensor surface. Precoating SiNPs with bovine serum albumin
      (BSA) suppressed lipid transfer, resulting in monotonic adsorption onto both
      zwitterionic and positively-charged SLBs. Collectively, our findings contribute a
      quantitative understanding of how supported lipid membrane coatings influence the
      sensing performance of nanoplasmonic arrays, and demonstrate how the high surface
      sensitivity of nanoplasmonic sensors is well-suited for detecting the complex
      interactions between nanoparticles and lipid membranes.

PMID- 28644424
TI  - The Indirect Efficacy Comparison of DNA Methylation in Sputum for Early Screening
      and Auxiliary Detection of Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: DNA methylation in sputum has been an attractive candidate biomarker
      for the non-invasive screening and detection of lung cancer. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Databases including PubMed, Ovid, Cochrane library, Web of Science
      databases, Chinese Biological Medicine (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge
      Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, Vip Databases and Google Scholar were searched to
      collect the diagnostic trials on aberrant DNA methylation in the screening and
      detection of lung cancer published until 1 December 2016. Indirect comparison
      meta-analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the included candidate
      genes. RESULTS: The systematic literature search yielded a total of 33 studies
      including a total of 4801 subjects (2238 patients with lung cancer and 2563
      controls) and covering 32 genes. We identified that methylated genes in sputum
      samples for the early screening and auxiliary detection of lung cancer yielded an
      overall sensitivity of 0.46 (0.41-0.50) and specificity of 0.83 (0.80-0.86).
      Combined indirect comparisons identified the superior gene of SOX17 (sensitivity:
      0.84, specificity: 0.88), CDO1 (sensitivity: 0.78, specificity: 0.67), ZFP42
      (sensitivity: 0.87, specificity: 0.63) and TAC1 (sensitivity: 0.86, specificity:
      0.75). CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis demonstrates that methylated SOX17,
      CDO1, ZFP42, TAC1, FAM19A4, FHIT, MGMT, p16, and RASSF1A are potential superior
      biomarkers for the screening and auxiliary detection of lung cancer.

PMID- 28644426
TI  - The association between the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and
      colorectal cancer.
AB  - Aim To determine the serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9)
      concentration and their association with the stage and histopathologic sizes of
      colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods One hundred and two patients with clinically
      diagnosed and histologically confirmed colorectal cancer ready for surgical
      treatment were included in the study. In each patient, preoperative peripheral
      venous blood samples were taken for determination of the concentration of MMP-9
      using ELISA immunoassay test. Resected tumour specimens were studied
      pathologically according to the criteria of the TNM classification. All patients
      were divided into groups according to the TNM classification. The control group
      presented 30 subjects of the appropriate age and gender with no family history of
      cancer, clinical signs of malignancy or inflammatory bowel disease. Results The
      serum levels of MMP-9 were progressively increased in patients with CRC reaching
      the highest value in the fourth stage of CRC. It was also confirmed that the
      serum concentrations of MMP-9 were significantly higher in patients with
      pericolonic lymph nodes involvement compared to the patients with no involvement
      of lymph nodes, 456.4 (445.9-464.7) ng/mL vs. 438.4 (418.4-447.8) ng/mL
      (p<0.001). Significantly higher serum levels of MMP-9 were found in the patients
      with metastatic CRC, 458.5 (452.0-468.1) ng/mL compared with the CRC patients
      without metastasis, 445.8 (436.9-456.5) ng/mL (p<0.001). Conclusion It was
      confirmed that serum concentration of MMP-9 presented the significant independent
      risk factors for the progression of CRC.

PMID- 28644427
TI  - Mental diseases and criminal offences committed by persons placed at the Forensic
      Department of the Penitentiary in Zenica, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
AB  - Aim To investigate an impact of various biological, psychological and social
      factors on perpetration of criminal offences by persons with mental disorders and
      to examine legal requirements for placement of persons with mental disorders, who
      committed criminal offences. Methods This retrospective, descriptive study based
      on the analysis of data collected from records of the Zenica Penitentiary,
      Forensic Department (age, qualifications, employment status, marital status,
      mental disorders, information related to earlier treatments, type of committed
      criminal offense, duration of the security measure of mandatory psychiatric
      treatment and custody) included 154 examinees. Results The study included 154
      male examinees. An average age of the examinees was 34 years. An average duration
      spent at the Forensic Department was 3 years, murder was committed by 68 (44.15%)
      examinees, and 34 (22.07%) examinees committed attempted murder. Eighty-five (55.
      19 %) examinees suffered from schizophrenia, 30 (19.48%) had delusional disorder,
      and 19 (12.33%) had mental retardation. Conclusion The highest number of
      committed crimes was in correlation with schizophrenia, (the highest number of
      examinees suffered from schizophrenia). It is necessary to work on the
      establishment of a forensic hospital in the territory of the Federation of Bosnia
      and Herzegovina in order to create good conditions for rehabilitation of patients
      with mental disorders who committed criminal offences.

PMID- 28644428
TI  - Early results of the conservative treatment of distal radius fractures
      immobilization of the wrist in dorsal versus palmar flexion.
AB  - Aim To evaluate immobilization with dorsal forearm plaster splint with the wrist
      in dorsal flexion vs palmar flexion in patients with distal radius fracture.
      Methods In the prospective study (2012-2014) 122 patients (of which 22 patients
      lost) with fractures of the distal radius type A2, A3 and C according to the AO
      classification were investigated. At the end there were 50 patients in each of
      the two groups: the dorsiflexion (DF) group had a total of 37 women and 13 men,
      mean age was 63.48 +/- 14.70, and in the palmar flexion (PF) group there were
      respectively 38/12, and the mean age was 64.20 +/- 12.99. In both groups
      measurements of radiological, clinical and functional parameters were conducted.
      Patient related wrist evaluation survey (PRWE) and SF12 questionnaire were used
      for evaluation of pain and function of the wrist and physical and mental
      condition, respectively. Results The study showed excellent results in both
      groups but there was significant improvement in the range of motion (ROM) on
      every measurement in the DF group: dorsal flexion 47.70+/-15.29; ulnar deviation
      24.10+/-7.80; radial deviation 11.50+/-5.65 vs PF 22.80+/-19.04; 16.00+/- 9.31;
      4.80+/- 494 (p<0.001). Also, radiological parameters showed significant
      improvement until the end of the follow-up. Functional parameters showed
      significant improvement of physical component of SF-12 in the DF group (p<0.014).
      Conclusion Immobilization with forearm plaster splint on the dorsal side and with
      the wrist in dorsiflexion gives better early clinical, radiological and
      functional results in patients with fractures of type A2, A3, C1-3 in patients of
      all age groups, compared to immobilization with the wrist in palmar flexion.

PMID- 28644429
TI  - Cytotoxic and genotoxic studies of essential oil from Rosa damascene Mill.,
      Kashan, Iran.
AB  - Aim Rosa damascene Mill. belongs to the family of Roseaceae and its essential oil
      is produced in large amounts in Iran. The wide application of rose oil has raised
      questions about potential adverse health effects. We have investigated cytotoxic
      activity and genotoxic effects of Rosa oil from Kashan, Iran. Methods The
      cytotoxic effect and IC50 of the essential oil on the cell lines was studied
      followed by MTT assay. In this assay mitochondrial oxidoreductase enzymes with
      reducing the tetrazolium dye MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5
      diphenyltetrazolium bromide) reflect the number of viable cells. Genotoxic effect
      of the oil was evaluated by micronucleus assay by evaluating produced micronuclei
      due to cytogenetic damage in binucleated lymphocytes. Results The results showed
      that essential oil significantly had cytotoxic and genotoxic effects at doses
      over 10ug/mL (p<0.05). Also, essential oil of Rose showed lower IC50 in cancer
      cell line (A549) in comparison with the normal cell line (NIH3T3). Conclusion
      Cytotoxic and genotoxic properties of essential oil of Rose in Kashan, Iran, are
      safe at a dose of 10ug/mL. Also, a good cytotoxic effect was shown and could be
      introduced as an anticancer compound. Further studies are needed with regard to
      anti-cancer effects of Rose essential oil.

PMID- 28644430
TI  - The clinical landscape for SMA in a new therapeutic era.
AB  - Despite significant advances in basic research, the treatment of degenerative
      diseases of the nervous system remains one of the greatest challenges for
      translational medicine. The childhood onset motor neuron disorder spinal muscular
      atrophy (SMA) has been viewed as one of the more tractable targets for molecular
      therapy due to a detailed understanding of the molecular genetic basis of the
      disease. In SMA, inactivating mutations in the SMN1 gene can be partially
      compensated for by limited expression of SMN protein from a variable number of
      copies of the SMN2 gene, which provides both a molecular explanation for
      phenotypic severity and a target for therapy. The advent of the first tailored
      molecular therapy for SMA, based on modulating the splicing behaviour of the SMN2
      gene provides, for the first time, a treatment which alters the natural history
      of motor neuron degeneration. Here we consider how this will change the landscape
      for diagnosis, clinical management and future therapeutic trials in SMA, as well
      as the implications for the molecular therapy of other neurological diseases.

PMID- 28644431
TI  - An in vitro study on the efficacy of removing calcium hydroxide from curved root
      canal systems in root canal therapy.
AB  - To compare the efficacy of various irrigants (citric acid,
      ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and NaOCl) and techniques in removing
      Ca(OH)2 in two types of curved root canal systems, simulated root canals with
      specific curvatures were used to investigate the effects of different irrigants
      and instruments on Ca(OH)2 removal. The optimal methods were verified on
      extracted human teeth. Simulated root canals were assigned to one of two groups
      based on the irrigation solution: 10% citric acid or 2.5% NaOCl. Each group was
      divided into four subgroups according to the technique used to remove Ca(OH)2.
      The percentage of Ca(OH)2 removal in different sections of root canals was
      calculated. On the basis of the results obtained for the simulated canals, 10%
      citric acid and 17% EDTA were applied to remove Ca(OH)2 from the extracted human
      teeth with curved root canal systems. The teeth were scanned by micro computed
      tomography to calculate the percentage of Ca(OH)2 removal in the canals. In
      simulated root canals, we found that 10% citric acid removed more Ca(OH)2 than
      2.5% NaOCl in the 0-1 mm group from the apex level (P<0.05). Ultrasonic and
      EndoActivator activation significantly removed more Ca(OH)2 than a size 30 K file
      in the apical third (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in
      any sections of the canals for 10% citric acid or 17% EDTA in removing Ca(OH)2 in
      extracted human teeth. We concluded that it was effective to remove residual
      Ca(OH)2 using the decalcifying solution with EndoActivator or Passive Ultrasonic
      Irrigation in a curved root canal system. A protocol for Ca(OH)2 removal was
      provided based on the conclusions of this study and the methods recommended in
      previous studies.

PMID- 28644433
TI  - CTLA-4-mediated posttranslational modifications direct cytotoxic T-lymphocyte
      differentiation.
AB  - The blockade of inhibitory receptors such as CTLA-4 (CD152) is being used as
      immune-checkpoint therapy, offering a powerful strategy to restore effective
      immune responses against tumors. To determine signal components that are induced
      under the control of CTLA-4 we analyzed activated murine CD8+ T cells by
      quantitative proteomics. Accurate mass spectrometry revealed that CTLA-4
      engagement led to central changes in the phosphorylation of proteins involved in
      T-cell differentiation. Beside other targets, we discovered a CTLA-4-mediated
      induction of the translational inhibitor programmed cell death-4 (PDCD4) as a
      result of FoxO1 nuclear re-localization. PDCD4 further bound a distinct set of
      mRNAs including Glutaminase, which points out a critical role for CTLA-4 in CD8+
      T-cell metabolism. Consequently, PDCD4-deficient cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs)
      expressed increased amounts of otherwise repressed effector molecules and
      ultimately led to superior control of tumor growth in vivo. These findings reveal
      a novel CTLA-4-mediated pathway to attenuate CTLs and indicate the importance of
      post-transcriptional mechanisms in the regulation of anti-tumor immune responses.

PMID- 28644432
TI  - Dental implant treatment for renal failure patients on dialysis: a clinical
      guideline.
AB  - Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem that is growing
      in prevalence and is associated with severe complications. During the progression
      of the disease, a majority of CKD patients suffer oral complications. Dental
      implants are currently the most reliable and successful treatment for missing
      teeth. However, due to complications of CKD such as infections, bone lesions,
      bleeding risks, and altered drug metabolism, dental implant treatment for renal
      failure patients on dialysis is more challenging. In this review, we have
      summarized the characteristics of CKD and previous publications regarding dental
      treatments for renal failure patients. In addition, we discuss our recent
      research results and clinical experience in order to provide dental implant
      practitioners with a clinical guideline for dental implant treatment for renal
      failure patients undergoing hemodialysis.

PMID- 28644434
TI  - Ageing and hypoxia cause protein aggregation in mitochondria.
AB  - Aggregation of cytosolic proteins is a pathological finding in disease states,
      including ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. We have previously reported that
      hypoxia induces protein misfolding in Caenorhabditis elegans mitochondria, and
      electron micrographs suggested protein aggregates. Here, we seek to determine
      whether mitochondrial proteins actually aggregate after hypoxia and other
      cellular stresses. To enrich for mitochondrial proteins that might aggregate, we
      performed a proteomics analysis on purified C. elegans mitochondria to identify
      relatively insoluble proteins under normal conditions (110 proteins identified)
      or after sublethal hypoxia (65 proteins). A GFP-tagged mitochondrial protein (UCR
      11 - a complex III electron transport chain protein) in the normally insoluble
      set was found to form widespread aggregates in mitochondria after hypoxia. Five
      other GFP-tagged mitochondrial proteins in the normally insoluble set similarly
      form hypoxia-induced aggregates. Two GFP-tagged mitochondrial proteins from the
      soluble set as well as a mitochondrial-targeted GFP did not form aggregates.
      Ageing also resulted in aggregates. The number of hypoxia-induced aggregates was
      regulated by the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) master
      transcriptional regulator ATFS-1, which has been shown to be hypoxia protective.
      An atfs-1(loss-of-function) mutant and RNAi construct reduced the number of
      aggregates while an atfs-1(gain-of-function) mutant increased aggregates. Our
      work demonstrates that mitochondrial protein aggregation occurs with hypoxic
      injury and ageing in C. elegans. The UPRmt regulates aggregation and may protect
      from hypoxia by promoting aggregation of misfolded proteins.

PMID- 28644435
TI  - p53 amyloid formation leading to its loss of function: implications in cancer
      pathogenesis.
AB  - The transcriptional regulator p53 has an essential role in tumor suppression.
      Almost 50% of human cancers are associated with the loss of p53 functions, where
      p53 often accumulates in the nucleus as well as in cytoplasm. Although it has
      been previously suggested that amyloid formation could be a cause of p53 loss-of
      function in subset of tumors, the characterization of these amyloids and its
      structure-function relationship is not yet established. In the current study, we
      provide several evidences for the presence of p53 amyloid formation (in human and
      animal cancer tissues); along with its isolation from human cancer tissues and
      the biophysical characterization of these tissue-derived fibrils. Using amyloid
      seed of p53 fragment (P8, p53(250-257)), we show that p53 amyloid formation in
      cells not only leads to its functional inactivation but also transforms it into
      an oncoprotein. The in vitro studies further show that cancer-associated mutation
      destabilizes the fold of p53 core domain and also accelerates the aggregation and
      amyloid formation by this protein. Furthermore, we also show evidence of prion
      like cell-to-cell transmission of different p53 amyloid species including full
      length p53, which is induced by internalized P8 fibrils. The present study
      suggests that p53 amyloid formation could be one of the possible cause of p53
      loss of function and therefore, inhibiting p53 amyloidogenesis could restore p53
      tumor suppressor functions.

PMID- 28644438
TI  - Gut check: dead cell samples leads to tolerant examples.

PMID- 28644437
TI  - More alive than dead: non-apoptotic roles for caspases in neuronal development,
      plasticity and disease.
AB  - Nervous systems are arguably the most fascinating and complex structures in the
      known universe. How they are built, changed by experience and then degenerate are
      some of the biggest questions in biology. Regressive phenomena, such as neuron
      pruning and programmed cell death, have a key role in the building and
      maintenance of the nervous systems. Both of these cellular mechanisms deploy the
      caspase family of protease enzymes. In this review, we highlight the non
      apoptotic function of caspases during nervous system development, plasticity and
      disease, particularly focussing on their role in structural remodelling. We have
      classified pruning as either macropruning, where complete branches are removed,
      or micropruning, where individual synapses or dendritic spines are eliminated.
      Finally we discuss open questions and possible future directions within the
      field.

PMID- 28644436
TI  - The LATS1 and LATS2 tumor suppressors: beyond the Hippo pathway.
AB  - Proper cellular functionality and homeostasis are maintained by the convergent
      integration of various signaling cascades, which enable cells to respond to
      internal and external changes. The Dbf2-related kinases LATS1 and LATS2 (LATS)
      have emerged as central regulators of cell fate, by modulating the functions of
      numerous oncogenic or tumor suppressive effectors, including the canonical Hippo
      effectors YAP/TAZ, the Aurora mitotic kinase family, estrogen signaling and the
      tumor suppressive transcription factor p53. While the basic functions of the LATS
      kinase module are strongly conserved over evolution, the genomic duplication
      event leading to the emergence of two closely related kinases in higher organisms
      has increased the complexity of this signaling network. Here, we review the LATS1
      and LATS2 intrinsic features as well as their reported cellular activities,
      emphasizing unique characteristics of each kinase. While differential activities
      between the two paralogous kinases have been reported, many converge to similar
      pathways and outcomes. Interestingly, the regulatory networks controlling the
      mRNA expression pattern of LATS1 and LATS2 differ strongly, and may contribute to
      the differences in protein binding partners of each kinase and in the subcellular
      locations in which each kinase exerts its functions.

PMID- 28644439
TI  - Activation of cell surface GRP78 decreases endoplasmic reticulum stress and
      neuronal death.
AB  - The unfolded protein response (UPR) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) -related
      stress conserved pathway that aims to protect cells from being overwhelmed.
      However, when prolonged, UPR activation converts to a death signal, which relies
      on its PERK-eIF2alpha branch. Overactivation of the UPR has been implicated in
      many neurological diseases, including cerebral ischaemia. Here, by using an in
      vivo thromboembolic model of stroke on transgenic ER stress-reporter mice and
      neuronal in vitro models of ischaemia, we demonstrate that ischaemic stress leads
      to the deleterious activation of the PERK branch of the UPR. Moreover, we show
      that the serine protease tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) can bind to cell
      surface Grp78 (78 kD glucose-regulated protein), leading to a decrease of the
      PERK pathway activation, thus a decrease of the deleterious factor CHOP, and
      finally promotes neuroprotection. Altogether, this work highlights a new role and
      a therapeutic potential of the chaperone protein Grp78 as a membrane receptor of
      tPA capable to prevent from ER stress overactivation.

PMID- 28644440
TI  - LncRNA-SARCC suppresses renal cell carcinoma (RCC) progression via altering the
      androgen receptor(AR)/miRNA-143-3p signals.
AB  - While the androgen receptor (AR) might promote renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
      initiation and progression, the molecular mechanisms involved remain largely
      unclear. Here, we discovered the novel LncRNA-SARCC, which was suppressed and
      associated with better prognosis in RCC. Preclinical studies using multiple RCC
      cells and in vivo mouse model indicated that LncRNA-SARCC could attenuate RCC
      cell invasion, migration and proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically,
      LncRNA-SARCC bound and destabilized AR protein with an inhibition of AR function,
      which led to transcriptionally de-repress miR-143-3p expression, thus inhibition
      of its downstream signals including AKT, MMP-13, K-RAS and P-ERK. In addition,
      bisulfite sequencing analysis substantiated that LncRNA-SARCC promoter was highly
      methylated in renal cancer tissues compared with paired non-cancerous renal
      tissues. Notably, treating with Sunitinib, the multi-targeted receptor tyrosine
      kinase inhibitor, increased the expression of LncRNA-SARCC, which decreased RCC
      cells resistance to Sunitinib. Thus, our study presented a road map for targeting
      this newly identified LncRNA-SARCC and its pathway, which expands potential
      therapeutic strategies for RCC treatment.

PMID- 28644441
TI  - MicroRNAs-143 and -145 induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition and modulate
      the expression of junction proteins.
AB  - Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is one of the major inducers of epithelial
      to mesenchymal transition (EMT), a crucial program that has a critical role in
      promoting carcinoma's metastasis formation. MicroRNAs-143 and -145, which are
      both TGF-beta direct transcriptional targets, are essential for the
      differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) during embryogenesis, a
      TGF-beta-dependent process reminiscent of EMT. Their role in adult tissues is
      however less well defined and even ambiguous, as their expression was correlated
      both positively and negatively with tumor progression. Here we show that high
      expression of both miRs-143 and -145 in mouse mammary tumor cells expressing
      constitutively active STAT3 (S3C) is involved in mediating their disrupted cell
      cell junctions. Additionally, miR-143 appears to have a unique role in
      tumorigenesis by enhancing cell migration in vitro and extravasation in vivo
      while impairing anchorage-independent growth, which may explain the contradictory
      reports about its role in tumors. Accordingly, we demonstrate that overexpression
      of either miRNA in the non-transformed mammary epithelial NMuMG cells leads to
      upregulation of EMT markers and of several endogenous TGF-beta targets,
      downmodulation of a number of junction proteins and increased motility,
      correlating with enhanced basal and TGF-beta-induced SMAD-mediated transcription.
      Moreover, pervasive transcriptome perturbation consistent with the described
      phenotype was observed. In particular, the expression of several transcription
      factors involved in the mitogenic responses, of MAPK family members and,
      importantly, of several tight junction proteins and the SMAD co-repressor TGIF
      was significantly reduced. Our results provide important mechanistic insight into
      the non-redundant role of miRs-143 and -145 in EMT-related processes in both
      transformed and non-transformed cells, and suggest that their expression must be
      finely coordinated to warrant optimal migration/invasion while not interfering
      with cell growth.

PMID- 28644442
TI  - Linking the development and functioning of a carnivorous pitcher plant's
      microbial digestive community.
AB  - Ecosystem development theory predicts that successional turnover in community
      composition can influence ecosystem functioning. However, tests of this theory in
      natural systems are made difficult by a lack of replicable and tractable model
      systems. Using the microbial digestive associates of a carnivorous pitcher plant,
      I tested hypotheses linking host age-driven microbial community development to
      host functioning. Monitoring the yearlong development of independent microbial
      digestive communities in two pitcher plant populations revealed a number of
      trends in community succession matching theoretical predictions. These included
      mid-successional peaks in bacterial diversity and metabolic substrate use,
      predictable and parallel successional trajectories among microbial communities,
      and convergence giving way to divergence in community composition and carbon
      substrate use. Bacterial composition, biomass, and diversity positively
      influenced the rate of prey decomposition, which was in turn positively
      associated with a host leaf's nitrogen uptake efficiency. Overall digestive
      performance was greatest during late summer. These results highlight links
      between community succession and ecosystem functioning and extend succession
      theory to host-associated microbial communities.

PMID- 28644443
TI  - Unexpected genomic features in widespread intracellular bacteria: evidence for
      motility of marine chlamydiae.
AB  - Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria comprising important human
      pathogens and symbionts of protists. Molecular evidence indicates a tremendous
      diversity of chlamydiae particularly in marine environments, yet our current
      knowledge is based mainly on terrestrial representatives. Here we provide first
      insights into the biology of marine chlamydiae representing three divergent
      clades. Our analysis of single-cell amplified genomes revealed hallmarks of the
      chlamydial lifestyle, supporting the ancient origin of their characteristic
      developmental cycle and major virulence mechanisms. Surprisingly, these
      chlamydial genomes encode a complete flagellar apparatus, a previously unreported
      feature. We show that flagella are an ancient trait that was subject to
      differential gene loss among extant chlamydiae. Together with a chemotaxis
      system, these marine chlamydiae are likely motile, with flagella potentially
      playing a role during host cell infection. This study broadens our view on
      chlamydial biology and indicates a largely underestimated potential to adapt to
      different hosts and environments.

PMID- 28644444
TI  - Energy and carbon metabolisms in a deep terrestrial subsurface fluid microbial
      community.
AB  - The terrestrial deep subsurface is a huge repository of microbial biomass, but in
      relation to its size and physical heterogeneity, few sites have been investigated
      in detail. Here, we applied a culture-independent metagenomic approach to
      characterize the microbial community composition in deep (1500 meters below
      surface) terrestrial fluids. Samples were collected from a former gold mine in
      Lead, South Dakota, USA, now Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). We
      reconstructed 74 genomes from metagenomes (MAGs), enabling the identification of
      common metabolic pathways. Sulfate and nitrate/nitrite reduction were the most
      common putative energy metabolisms. Complete pathways for autotrophic carbon
      fixation were found in more than half of the MAGs, with the reductive acetyl-CoA
      pathway by far the most common. Nearly 40% (29 of 74) of the recovered MAGs
      belong to bacterial phyla without any cultivated members-microbial dark matter.
      Three of our MAGs constitute two novel phyla previously only identified in 16 S
      rRNA gene surveys. The uniqueness of this data set-its physical depth in the
      terrestrial subsurface, the relative abundance and completeness of microbial dark
      matter genomes and the overall diversity of this physically deep, dark, community
      make it an invaluable addition to our knowledge of deep subsurface microbial
      ecology.

PMID- 28644445
TI  - Effects of daily restraint with and without injections on skeletal properties in
      C57BL/6NHsd mice.

PMID- 28644446
TI  - Immunology's dirty little secret.

PMID- 28644447
TI  - New NCI drug formulary cuts red tape.

PMID- 28644448
TI  - Response to Protocol Review Scenario: Conflicts of interest.

PMID- 28644450
TI  - Tough decisions about protocol review.

PMID- 28644451
TI  - Building new blood cells.

PMID- 28644452
TI  - Giving medical implants a new lease on life.

PMID- 28644453
TI  - Evaluation of the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio as an indicator of chronic distress
      in the laboratory mouse.
AB  - When evaluating the effect of husbandry and biomethodologies on the well-being of
      laboratory mice, it is critical to utilize measurements that allow the
      distinguishing of acute stress from chronic stress. One of the most common
      measurements of stress in laboratory animals is the corticosterone assessment.
      However, while this measurement provides a highly accurate reflection of the
      animal's response to acute stressors, its interpretation is more prone to error
      when evaluating the effect of chronic stress. This study evaluated the use of the
      neutrophil:lymphocyte (NE:LY) ratio as an assessment of chronic stress in male
      and female C57Bl/6N mice as compared to serum corticosterone. One group of mice
      was exposed to mild daily stressors for 7 days, while the control group was
      handled with normal husbandry. The NE:LY ratio and serum corticosterone levels
      were significantly elevated in the chronically stressed mice, though a
      significant increase in corticosterone was only significant in males when
      compared by sex. The chronically stressed mice also demonstrated significantly
      fewer entries into the open arms and less time spent in the open arms of the
      elevated plus maze, suggesting that the mild daily stressors had induced a state
      of distress. The findings of this study confirm that the NE:LY ratio is a valid
      measurement for chronic stress in the laboratory mouse. However, these assays do
      not distinguish between distress or eustress, so behavioral and physiological
      assessments should always be included to determine a complete assessment of the
      well-being of the mouse.

PMID- 28644456
TI  - USDA inspection data: what a difference a decade makes.

PMID- 28644457
TI  - Response to Protocol Review Scenario: PAM specialist: report without fear.

PMID- 28644458
TI  - Response to Protocol Review Scenario: Sharing is caring, but more clarity is
      needed.

PMID- 28644459
TI  - What does "reporting to the IACUC" mean for PAM?

PMID- 28644460
TI  - A Word from OLAW.

PMID- 28644462
TI  - Shrinking and scaling electrophysiology.

PMID- 28644461
TI  - A new school of drug discovery.

PMID- 28644463
TI  - Hypersensitive dual-function luminescence switching of a silver-chalcogenolate
      cluster-based metal-organic framework.
AB  - Silver(i) chalcogenide/chalcogenolate clusters are promising photofunctional
      materials for sensing, optoelectronics and solar energy harvesting applications.
      However, their instability and poor room-temperature luminescent quantum yields
      have hampered more extensive study. Here, we graft such clusters to adaptable
      bridging ligands, enabling their interconnection and the formation of rigid metal
      organic frameworks. By controlling the spatial separation and orientation of the
      clusters, they then exhibit enhanced stability (over one year) and quantum yield
      (12.1%). Ultrafast dual-function fluorescence switching (<1 s) is also achieved,
      with turn-off triggered by O2 and multicoloured turn-on by volatile organic
      compounds. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of the inclusion materials, obtained
      by single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation, enables precise determination
      of the position of the small molecules within the framework, elucidating the
      switching mechanism. The work enriches the cluster-based metal-organic framework
      portfolio, bridges the gap between silver chalcogenide/chalcogenolate clusters
      and metal-organic frameworks, and provides a foundation for further development
      of functional silver-cluster-based materials.

PMID- 28644464
TI  - A synthetic ion transporter that disrupts autophagy and induces apoptosis by
      perturbing cellular chloride concentrations.
AB  - Perturbations in cellular chloride concentrations can affect cellular pH and
      autophagy and lead to the onset of apoptosis. With this in mind, synthetic ion
      transporters have been used to disturb cellular ion homeostasis and thereby
      induce cell death; however, it is not clear whether synthetic ion transporters
      can also be used to disrupt autophagy. Here, we show that squaramide-based ion
      transporters enhance the transport of chloride anions in liposomal models and
      promote sodium chloride influx into the cytosol. Liposomal and cellular transport
      activity of the squaramides is shown to correlate with cell death activity, which
      is attributed to caspase-dependent apoptosis. One ion transporter was also shown
      to cause additional changes in lysosomal pH, which leads to impairment of
      lysosomal enzyme activity and disruption of autophagic processes. This disruption
      is independent of the initiation of apoptosis by the ion transporter. This study
      provides the first experimental evidence that synthetic ion transporters can
      disrupt both autophagy and induce apoptosis.

PMID- 28644465
TI  - Frantically forging fermium.

PMID- 28644467
TI  - Identity crisis.

PMID- 28644466
TI  - Characterization of a selenocysteine-ligated P450 compound I reveals direct link
      between electron donation and reactivity.
AB  - Strong electron-donation from the axial thiolate ligand of cytochrome P450 has
      been proposed to increase the reactivity of compound I with respect to C-H bond
      activation. However, it has proven difficult to test this hypothesis, and a
      direct link between reactivity and electron donation has yet to be established.
      To make this connection, we have prepared a selenolate-ligated cytochrome P450
      compound I intermediate. This isoelectronic perturbation allows for direct
      comparisons with the wild-type enzyme. Selenium incorporation was achieved using
      a cysteine auxotrophic Escherichia coli strain. The intermediate was prepared
      with meta-chloroperbenzoic acid and characterized by UV-visible, Mossbauer and
      electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies. Measurements revealed increased
      asymmetry around the ferryl moiety, consistent with increased electron donation
      from the axial selenolate ligand. In line with this observation, we find that the
      selenolate-ligated compound I cleaves C-H bonds more rapidly than the wild-type
      intermediate.

PMID- 28644468
TI  - Observation of electron-transfer-mediated decay in aqueous solution.
AB  - Photoionization is at the heart of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which
      gives access to important information on a sample's local chemical environment.
      Local and non-local electronic decay after photoionization-in which the refilling
      of core holes results in electron emission from either the initially ionized
      species or a neighbour, respectively-have been well studied. However, electron
      transfer-mediated decay (ETMD), which involves the refilling of a core hole by an
      electron from a neighbouring species, has not yet been observed in condensed
      phase. Here we report the experimental observation of ETMD in an aqueous LiCl
      solution by detecting characteristic secondary low-energy electrons using liquid
      microjet soft XPS. Experimental results are interpreted using molecular dynamics
      and high-level ab initio calculations. We show that both solvent molecules and
      counterions participate in the ETMD processes, and different ion associations
      have distinctive spectral fingerprints. Furthermore, ETMD spectra are sensitive
      to coordination numbers, ion-solvent distances and solvent arrangement.

PMID- 28644469
TI  - Cooperative polymerization of alpha-helices induced by macromolecular
      architecture.
AB  - Catalysis observed in enzymatic processes and protein polymerizations often
      relies on the use of supramolecular interactions and the organization of
      functional elements in order to gain control over the spatial and temporal
      elements of fundamental cellular processes. Harnessing these cooperative
      interactions to catalyse reactions in synthetic systems, however, remains
      challenging due to the difficulty in creating structurally controlled
      macromolecules. Here, we report a polypeptide-based macromolecule with spatially
      organized alpha-helices that can catalyse its own formation. The system consists
      of a linear polymeric scaffold containing a high density of initiating groups
      from which polypeptides are grown, forming a brush polymer. The folding of
      polypeptide side chains into alpha-helices dramatically enhances the
      polymerization rate due to cooperative interactions of macrodipoles between
      neighbouring alpha-helices. The parameters that affect the rate are elucidated by
      a two-stage kinetic model using principles from nucleation-controlled protein
      polymerizations; the key difference being the irreversible nature of this
      polymerization.

PMID- 28644471
TI  - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Synthesis successes.

PMID- 28644470
TI  - Rapid heteroatom transfer to arylmetals utilizing multifunctional reagent
      scaffolds.
AB  - Arylmetals are highly valuable carbon nucleophiles that are readily and
      inexpensively prepared from aryl halides or arenes and widely used on both
      laboratory and industrial scales to react directly with a wide range of
      electrophiles. Although C-C bond formation has been a staple of organic
      synthesis, the direct transfer of primary amino (-NH2) and hydroxyl (-OH) groups
      to arylmetals in a scalable and environmentally friendly fashion remains a
      formidable synthetic challenge because of the absence of suitable heteroatom
      transfer reagents. Here, we demonstrate the use of bench-stable N-H and N-alkyl
      oxaziridines derived from readily available terpenoid scaffolds as efficient
      multifunctional reagents for the direct primary amination and hydroxylation of
      structurally diverse aryl- and heteroarylmetals. This practical and scalable
      method provides one-step synthetic access to primary anilines and phenols at low
      temperature and avoids the use of transition-metal catalysts, ligands and
      additives, nitrogen-protecting groups, excess reagents and harsh workup
      conditions.

PMID- 28644473
TI  - Addendum: Aldehydes as alkyl carbanion equivalents for additions to carbonyl
      compounds.

PMID- 28644472
TI  - Placing and shaping liposomes with reconfigurable DNA nanocages.
AB  - The diverse structure and regulated deformation of lipid bilayer membranes are
      among a cell's most fascinating features. Artificial membrane-bound vesicles,
      known as liposomes, are versatile tools for modelling biological membranes and
      delivering foreign objects to cells. To fully mimic the complexity of cell
      membranes and optimize the efficiency of delivery vesicles, controlling liposome
      shape (both statically and dynamically) is of utmost importance. Here we report
      the assembly, arrangement and remodelling of liposomes with designer geometry:
      all of which are exquisitely controlled by a set of modular, reconfigurable DNA
      nanocages. Tubular and toroid shapes, among others, are transcribed from DNA
      cages to liposomes with high fidelity, giving rise to membrane curvatures present
      in cells yet previously difficult to construct in vitro. Moreover, the
      conformational changes of DNA cages drive membrane fusion and bending with
      predictable outcomes, opening up opportunities for the systematic study of
      membrane mechanics.

PMID- 28644474
TI  - pi-electron S = 1/2 quantum spin-liquid state in an ionic polyaromatic
      hydrocarbon.
AB  - Molecular solids with cooperative electronic properties based purely on pi
      electrons from carbon atoms offer a fertile ground in the search for exotic
      states of matter, including unconventional superconductivity and quantum
      magnetism. The field was ignited by reports of high-temperature superconductivity
      in materials obtained by the reaction of alkali metals with polyaromatic
      hydrocarbons, such as phenanthrene and picene, but the composition and structure
      of any compound in this family remained unknown. Here we isolate the binary
      caesium salts of phenanthrene, Cs(C14H10) and Cs2(C14H10), to show that they are
      multiorbital strongly correlated Mott insulators. Whereas Cs2(C14H10) is
      diamagnetic because of orbital polarization, Cs(C14H10) is a Heisenberg
      antiferromagnet with a gapped spin-liquid state that emerges from the coupled
      highly frustrated Delta-chain magnetic topology of the alternating-exchange
      spiral tubes of S = 1/2 (C14H10)*- radical anions. The absence of long-range
      magnetic order down to 1.8 K (T/J ~ 0.02; J is the dominant exchange constant)
      renders the compound an excellent candidate for a spin-1/2 quantum-spin liquid
      (QSL) that arises purely from carbon pi electrons.

PMID- 28644475
TI  - Post-translational modification of ribosomally synthesized peptides by a radical
      SAM epimerase in Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - Ribosomally synthesized peptides are built out of L-amino acids, whereas D-amino
      acids are generally the hallmark of non-ribosomal synthetic processes. Here we
      show that the model bacterium Bacillus subtilis is able to produce a novel type
      of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide that
      contains D-amino acids, and which we propose to call epipeptides. We demonstrate
      that a two [4Fe-4S]-cluster radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) enzyme converts
      L-amino acids into their D-counterparts by catalysing Calpha-hydrogen-atom
      abstraction and using a critical cysteine residue as the hydrogen-atom donor.
      Unexpectedly, these D-amino acid residues proved to be essential for the activity
      of a peptide that induces the expression of LiaRS, a major component of the
      bacterial cell envelope stress-response system. Present in B. subtilis and in
      several members of the human microbiome, these epipeptides and radical SAM
      epimerases broaden the landscape of peptidyl structures accessible to living
      organisms.

PMID- 28644476
TI  - Enantioselective, intermolecular benzylic C-H amination catalysed by an
      engineered iron-haem enzyme.
AB  - C-H bonds are ubiquitous structural units of organic molecules. Although these
      bonds are generally considered to be chemically inert, the recent emergence of
      methods for C-H functionalization promises to transform the way synthetic
      chemistry is performed. The intermolecular amination of C-H bonds represents a
      particularly desirable and challenging transformation for which no efficient,
      highly selective, and renewable catalysts exist. Here we report the directed
      evolution of an iron-containing enzymatic catalyst-based on a cytochrome P450
      monooxygenase-for the highly enantioselective intermolecular amination of
      benzylic C-H bonds. The biocatalyst is capable of up to 1,300 turnovers, exhibits
      excellent enantioselectivities, and provides access to valuable benzylic amines.
      Iron complexes are generally poor catalysts for C-H amination: in this catalyst,
      the enzyme's protein framework confers activity on an otherwise unreactive iron
      haem cofactor.

PMID- 28644478
TI  - A chemical century.

PMID- 28644477
TI  - DNA nanotechnology: Bringing lipid bilayers into shape.

PMID- 28644479
TI  - Enzymatic catalysis: New functional twists for P450s.

PMID- 28644480
TI  - A polymer nanoparticle with engineered affinity for a vascular endothelial growth
      factor (VEGF165).
AB  - Protein affinity reagents are widely used in basic research, diagnostics and
      separations and for clinical applications, the most common of which are
      antibodies. However, they often suffer from high cost, and difficulties in their
      development, production and storage. Here we show that a synthetic polymer
      nanoparticle (NP) can be engineered to have many of the functions of a protein
      affinity reagent. Polymer NPs with nM affinity to a key vascular endothelial
      growth factor (VEGF165) inhibit binding of the signalling protein to its receptor
      VEGFR-2, preventing receptor phosphorylation and downstream VEGF165-dependent
      endothelial cell migration and invasion into the extracellular matrix. In
      addition, the NPs inhibit VEGF-mediated new blood vessel formation in Matrigel
      plugs in vivo. Importantly, the non-toxic NPs were not found to exhibit off
      target activity. These results support the assertion that synthetic polymers
      offer a new paradigm in the search for abiotic protein affinity reagents by
      providing many of the functions of their protein counterparts.

PMID- 28644482
TI  - One-thousand-fold enhancement of high field liquid nuclear magnetic resonance
      signals at room temperature.
AB  - Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a fundamental spectroscopic technique for the
      study of biological systems and materials, molecular imaging and the analysis of
      small molecules. It detects interactions at very low energies and is thus non
      invasive and applicable to a variety of targets, including animals and humans.
      However, one of its most severe limitations is its low sensitivity, which stems
      from the small interaction energies involved. Here, we report that dynamic
      nuclear polarization in liquid solution and at room temperature can enhance the
      NMR signal of 13C nuclei by up to three orders of magnitude at magnetic fields of
      ~3 T. The experiment can be repeated within seconds for signal averaging, without
      interfering with the sample magnetic homogeneity. The method is therefore
      compatible with the conditions required for high-resolution NMR. Enhancement of
      13C signals on various organic compounds opens up new perspectives for dynamic
      nuclear polarization as a general tool to increase the sensitivity of liquid NMR.

PMID- 28644481
TI  - Redox-controlled potassium intercalation into two polyaromatic hydrocarbon
      solids.
AB  - Alkali metal intercalation into polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been studied
      intensely after reports of superconductivity in a number of potassium- and
      rubidium-intercalated materials. There are, however, no reported crystal
      structures to inform our understanding of the chemistry and physics because of
      the complex reactivity of PAHs with strong reducing agents at high temperature.
      Here we present the synthesis of crystalline K2Pentacene and K2Picene by a solid
      solid insertion protocol that uses potassium hydride as a redox-controlled
      reducing agent to access the PAH dianions, and so enables the determination of
      their crystal structures. In both cases, the inserted cations expand the parent
      herringbone packings by reorienting the molecular anions to create multiple
      potassium sites within initially dense molecular layers, and thus interact with
      the PAH anion pi systems. The synthetic and crystal chemistry of alkali metal
      intercalation into PAHs differs from that into fullerenes and graphite, in which
      the cation sites are pre-defined by the host structure.

PMID- 28644483
TI  - Pasteur and the art of chirality.

PMID- 28644484
TI  - Erratum: Tuning underwater adhesion with cation-pi interactions.

PMID- 28644485
TI  - Probing the early stages of photoreception in photoactive yellow protein with
      ultrafast time-domain Raman spectroscopy.
AB  - Unveiling the nuclear motions of photoreceptor proteins in action is a crucial
      goal in protein science in order to understand their elaborate mechanisms and how
      they achieve optimal selectivity and efficiency. Previous studies have provided
      detailed information on the structures of intermediates that appear during the
      later stages (>ns) of such photoreception cycles, yet the initial events
      immediately after photoabsorption remain unclear because of experimental
      challenges in monitoring nuclear rearrangements on ultrafast timescales,
      including protein-specific low-frequency motions. Using time-domain Raman probing
      with sub-7-fs pulses, we obtain snapshot vibrational spectra of photoactive
      yellow protein and a mutant with high sensitivity, providing insights into the
      key responses that drive photoreception. Our data show a drastic intensity drop
      of the excited-state marker band at 135 cm-1 within a few hundred femtoseconds,
      suggesting a rapid weakening of the hydrogen bond that anchors the chromophore.
      We also track formation of the first ground-state intermediate over the first few
      picoseconds and fully characterize its vibrational structure, revealing a
      substantially-twisted cis conformation.

PMID- 28644486
TI  - Use of work-life balance benefits guaranteed by law in Poland - Do size of the
      enterprise and gender matter?
AB  - BACKGROUND: The paper is aimed at indicating the similarities and differences in
      use of benefits supporting work-life balance (WLB) between women and men working
      in Polish small/medium and large enterprises. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sample
      included 556 workers (311 women, 245 men), aged 20-68 years old employed on the
      basis of employment contracts for at least a year in Polish enterprises. The
      respondents completed a questionnaire on the use of benefits guaranteed by the
      Polish Labour Code, referring to their current workplaces. RESULTS: Women took
      maternity leaves and returned to the same work position after using childcare
      leaves more often than men. Men took leaves on demand more often than women. Our
      results also showed that in comparison to women working in smaller enterprises,
      those working in large enterprises were more likely to use almost all the
      analyzed WLB benefits - paid days off to take care of others, educational leaves,
      leaves on demand, maternity leaves and return to the same work position after
      childcare leave, reduction of business trips when pregnant or having young
      children and breastfeeding breaks. The size of enterprise, however, did not
      differentiate the take-up of benefits among the studied men. CONCLUSIONS: Our
      analysis brought unexpected results on the lack of common availability of the WLB
      benefits guaranteed by the law in the case of employees who worked on the basis
      of employment contracts. We also found that women used most of child rearing
      benefits guaranteed by the law more often than men, which might reflect still a
      traditional division of child care responsibilities in Poland. Med Pr
      2017;68(5):575-581.

PMID- 28644488
TI  - Linear nonequilibrium thermodynamics of reversible periodic processes and
      chemical oscillations.
AB  - Onsager's phenomenological equations successfully describe irreversible
      thermodynamic processes. They assume a symmetric coupling matrix between
      thermodynamic fluxes and forces. It is easily shown that the antisymmetric part
      of a coupling matrix does not contribute to dissipation. Therefore, entropy
      production is exclusively governed by the symmetric matrix even in the presence
      of antisymmetric terms. In this paper we focus on the antisymmetric contributions
      which describe isentropic oscillations with well-defined equations of motion. The
      formalism contains variables that are equivalent to momenta and coefficients that
      are analogous to inertial mass. We apply this formalism to simple problems with
      known answers such as an oscillating piston containing an ideal gas, and
      oscillations in an LC-circuit. One can extend this formalism to other pairs of
      variables, including chemical systems with oscillations. In isentropic
      thermodynamic systems all extensive and intensive variables including temperature
      can display oscillations reminiscent of adiabatic waves.

PMID- 28644487
TI  - [Can diabetes be treated as an indirectly work-related disease?]
AB  - In this article the authors attempted to analyze the arguments for considering
      diabetes as a work-related disease. An overview of literature has been done out
      of articles published in the years 1980-2016, with the use of combination of key
      words referring to employment, workplace, and diabetes. The PubMed database was
      the source of data. The authors indicate that the following arguments are in
      favor of diabetes being recognized as a work-related disease: diabetes is not an
      occupational disease, it is not directly related to the work environment or the
      way the work is performed, but there are observed adverse effects of occupational
      work-related nuisances, such as night shift work, long work hours, job strain or
      workplace standing time, which influence its development and course. The number
      of publications on diabetes, including the problem of occupational work is
      comparable to the number of analogous publications concerning work-related
      diseases such as hypertension or ischemic heart disease. Moreover, some aspects
      of professional activity and diabetes were also included in clinical
      recommendations for the workplace, which is uncommon in the case of other
      diseases, even those generally recognized as work-related. Data from medical
      references, indicating the effectiveness of workplace interventions aimed at
      preventing diabetes development and/or worsening of its course should be
      considered as an argument for the inclusion of diabetes into the group of work
      related diseases. This should also support the need for further research and
      practical actions aimed at preventing diabetes at the workplace. Med Pr
      2017;68(5):667-675.

PMID- 28644489
TI  - Dehydrogenation of cyclic amines by a coordinatively unsaturated Cp*Ir(iii)
      phosphoramidate complex.
AB  - The reaction of a Cp*Ir(iii) phosphoramidate complex with secondary amines gives
      amine, imine-bound Cp*Ir(iii) hydride complexes resulting from amine
      dehydrogenation. These well-characterized species could serve as models of
      relevant intermediates that have been proposed in catalytic amine dehydrogenation
      using related N,O-chelated Cp*Ir(iii) pyridonate complexes.

PMID- 28644491
TI  - Mastering high resolution tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy: towards a shift of
      perception.
AB  - Recent years have seen tremendous improvement of our understanding of high
      resolution reachable in TERS experiments, forcing us to re-evaluate our
      understanding of the intrinsic limits of this field, but also exposing several
      inconsistencies. On the one hand, more and more recent experimental results have
      provided us with clear indications of spatial resolutions down to a few
      nanometres or even on the subnanometre scale. Moreover, lessons learned from
      recent theoretical investigations clearly support such high resolutions, and vice
      versa the obvious theoretical impossibility to evade high resolution from a
      purely plasmonic point of view. On the other hand, most of the published TERS
      results still, to date, claim a resolution on the order of tens of nanometres
      that would be somehow limited by the tip apex, a statement well accepted for the
      past 2 decades. Overall, this now leads the field to a fundamental question: how
      can this divergence be justified? The answer to this question brings up an
      equally critical one: how can this gap be bridged? This review aims at raising a
      fundamental discussion related to the resolution limits of tip-enhanced Raman
      spectroscopy, at revisiting our comprehension of the factors limiting it both
      from a theoretical and an experimental point of view and at providing indications
      on how to move the field ahead. It is our belief that a much deeper understanding
      of the real accessible lateral resolution in TERS and the practical factors that
      limit them will simultaneously help us to fully explore the potential of this
      technique for studying nanoscale features in organic, inorganic and biological
      systems, and also to improve both the reproducibility and the accuracy of routine
      TERS studies. A significant improvement of our comprehension of the accessible
      resolution in TERS is thus critical for a broad audience, even in certain
      contexts where high resolution TERS is not the desired outcome.

PMID- 28644490
TI  - Potentiating role of copper on spatial memory deficit induced by beta amyloid and
      evaluation of mitochondrial function markers in the hippocampus of rats.
AB  - Mounting evidence suggests that copper, a crucial element in normal brain
      function, plays an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease, which
      is known as a neurodegenerative mitochondrial disorder. However, the precise
      mechanisms of its effects on cognitive and mitochondrial functions through the
      CNS have not been thoroughly recognized yet. In this study, we aimed to
      investigate the long-term (3-week) effects of copper sulfate (50, 100 and 200 mg
      kg-1 day-1) exposure on learning and memory as well as on mitochondrial function
      in the hippocampus of rats in the presence and absence of beta amyloid (1 MUg MUl
      1 per side) intrahippocampally (IH). After three weeks of copper exposure through
      drinking water, acquisition and retention of spatial memory were measured by the
      Morris water maze (MWM) test. Various parameters of mitochondrial function were
      also evaluated. Our data show that copper damaged the spatial learning and memory
      and also exacerbated the memory deficit induced by Abeta injection in rats in a
      dose-dependent manner. Mitochondria isolated from the hippocampus of rats treated
      with copper showed significant increases in ROS formation, mitochondrial
      swelling, lipid peroxidation, glutathione oxidation, outer membrane damage, and
      collapse of MMP, decreased cytochrome c oxidase activity, and finally increased
      ADP/ATP ratios. Our results indicate that copper overloading in the hippocampus
      of rats causes mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent oxidative stress leading
      to cognitive impairment. This study also reveals that copper can potentiate Abeta
      deleterious effects on spatial memory and brain mitochondrial function.

PMID- 28644492
TI  - Electronic properties of blue phosphorene/graphene and blue phosphorene/graphene
      like gallium nitride heterostructures.
AB  - Blue phosphorene (BlueP) is a graphene-like phosphorus nanosheet which was
      synthesized very recently for the first time [Nano Lett., 2016, 16, 4903-4908].
      The combination of electronic properties of two different two-dimensional
      materials in an ultrathin van der Waals (vdW) vertical heterostructure has been
      proved to be an effective approach to the design of novel electronic and
      optoelectronic devices. Therefore, we used density functional theory to
      investigate the structural and electronic properties of two BlueP-based
      heterostructures - BlueP/graphene (BlueP/G) and BlueP/graphene-like gallium
      nitride (BlueP/g-GaN). Our results showed that the semiconducting nature of BlueP
      and the Dirac cone of G are well preserved in the BlueP/G vdW heterostructure.
      Moreover, by applying a perpendicular electric field, it is possible to tune the
      position of the Dirac cone of G with respect to the band edge of BlueP, resulting
      in the ability to control the Schottky barrier height. For the BlueP/g-GaN vdW
      heterostructure, BlueP forms an interface with g-GaN with a type-II band
      alignment, which is a promising feature for unipolar electronic device
      applications. Furthermore, we discovered that both G and g-GaN can be used as an
      active layer for BlueP to facilitate charge injection and enhance the device
      performance.

PMID- 28644493
TI  - Photoelectrochemical devices for solar water splitting - materials and
      challenges.
AB  - It is widely accepted within the community that to achieve a sustainable society
      with an energy mix primarily based on solar energy we need an efficient strategy
      to convert and store sunlight into chemical fuels. A photoelectrochemical (PEC)
      device would therefore play a key role in offering the possibility of carbon
      neutral solar fuel production through artificial photosynthesis. The past five
      years have seen a surge in the development of promising semiconductor materials.
      In addition, low-cost earth-abundant co-catalysts are ubiquitous in their
      employment in water splitting cells due to the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen
      evolution reaction (OER). This review commences with a fundamental understanding
      of semiconductor properties and charge transfer processes in a PEC device. We
      then describe various configurations of PEC devices, including single light
      absorber cells and multi light-absorber devices (PEC, PV-PEC and PV/electrolyser
      tandem cell). Recent progress on both photoelectrode materials (light absorbers)
      and electrocatalysts is summarized, and important factors which dominate
      photoelectrode performance, including light absorption, charge separation and
      transport, surface chemical reaction rate and the stability of the photoanode,
      are discussed. Controlling semiconductor properties is the primary concern in
      developing materials for solar water splitting. Accordingly, strategies to
      address the challenges for materials development in this area, such as the
      adoption of smart architectures, innovative device configuration design, co
      catalyst loading, and surface protection layer deposition, are outlined
      throughout the text, to deliver a highly efficient and stable PEC device for
      water splitting.

PMID- 28644494
TI  - FeCo nanoparticles-embedded carbon nanofibers as robust peroxidase mimics for
      sensitive colorimetric detection of l-cysteine.
AB  - A simple and low cost detection of l-cysteine is essential in the fields of
      biosensors and medical diagnosis. In this study, we have developed a simple
      electrospinning, followed by calcination process to prepare FeCo nanoparticles
      embedded in carbon nanofibers (FeCo-CNFs) as an efficient peroxidase-like mimic
      for the detection of l-cysteine. FeCo nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed
      within CNFs, and their diameters are highly influenced by the calcination
      temperature. The calcination temperature also influences the peroxidase-like
      catalytic activity, and the maximum activity is achieved at a calcination
      temperature of 550  degrees C. Owing to the high catalytic activity of the as
      prepared FeCo-CNFs, a colorimetric technique for the rapid and accurate
      determination of l-cysteine has been developed. The detection limit is about 0.15
      MUM with a wide linear range from 1 to 20 MUM. In addition, a high selectivity
      for the detection of l-cysteine over other amino acids, glucose and common ions
      is achieved. This study provides a simple, rapid and sensitive sensing platform
      for the detection of l-cysteine, which is a promising candidate for potential
      applications in biosensing, medicine, environmental monitoring.

PMID- 28644495
TI  - Non-wetting drops at liquid interfaces: from liquid marbles to Leidenfrost drops.
AB  - We consider the flotation of deformable, non-wetting drops on a liquid interface.
      We consider the deflection of both the liquid interface and the droplet itself in
      response to the buoyancy forces, density difference and the various surface
      tensions within the system. Our results suggest new insight into a range of
      phenomena in which such drops occur, including Leidenfrost droplets and floating
      liquid marbles. In particular, we show that the floating state of liquid marbles
      is very sensitive to the tension of the particle-covered interface and suggest
      that this sensitivity may make such experiments a useful assay of the properties
      of these complex interfaces.

PMID- 28644496
TI  - The role of soybean extracts and isoflavones in hormone-dependent breast cancer:
      aromatase activity and biological effects.
AB  - Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer
      death in women worldwide. Nowadays, the relationship between soya diet and breast
      cancer is controversial due to the unknown role of its isoflavones, genistein (G)
      and daidzein (D). In this work, we investigated not only the anti-tumor
      properties of a soybean extract (NBSE) but also whether the biotransformation of
      extract (BSE) by the fungus Aspergillus awamori increased its effectiveness. The
      BSE showed a stronger anti-aromatase activity and anti-proliferative efficacy in
      ER+ aromatase-overexpressing breast cancer cells. D and G were weak aromatase
      inhibitors, but inhibited cancer cell growth, being G the isoflavone that
      contributed to the BSE-induced effects. This work demonstrated that the
      biotransformation increased the anti-aromatase activity and the anti-tumoral
      efficacy of soybean extract in breast cancer cells. Moreover, it elucidated the
      potential use of soya in the prevention and/or treatment of ER+ breast cancer.

PMID- 28644498
TI  - The mechanism of anomalous hardening in transition-metal monoborides.
AB  - The quest for novel nanomaterials with unusual functionalities continues to be a
      central challenge to modern nanoscience. Here we report a surprisingly anomalous
      hardening behavior exhibited by a class of transition-metal monoborides (TMB).
      Most remarkable is the occurrence of the intrinsic hardness maximum at the
      valence-electron concentration (VEC) of about 8 electrons per formula unit (e per
      f.u.); both lower and higher VECs lead to the decrease of hardness, contrasting
      with the expected positive correlation between hardness and VEC. Such an
      unexpected phenomenon originates from the presence of two sorts of bands near the
      Fermi level that respond oppositely to the movement of dislocations within the
      metal bilayer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the hardness is closely related
      to the formation energy for TMB, which justifies the importance of the
      thermodynamic stability in designing superhard materials. Our findings not only
      elucidate the unique mechanism responsible for unusual atom-scale hardening but
      also open a new avenue towards designing novel multifunctional nanomaterials with
      the coexistence of high hardness and excellent electrical conductivity.

PMID- 28644497
TI  - Novel tunable green-red-emitting oxynitride phosphors co-activated with Ce3+,
      Tb3+, and Eu3+: photoluminescence and energy transfer.
AB  - A series of novel Ce3+, Tb3+ and Eu3+ ion doped Y4SiAlO8N-based oxynitride
      phosphors were synthesized by the solid-state method and characterized by X-ray
      powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence, lifetimes
      and thermo-luminescence. The excitation of the Ce3+/Tb3+ co-doped and
      Ce3+/Tb3+/Eu3+ tri-doped phosphor with near-UV radiation results in strong linear
      Tb3+ green and Eu3+ red emission. The occurrence of Ce3+-Tb3+ and Ce3+-Tb3+-Eu3+
      energy transfer processes is responsible for the bright green or red
      luminescence. The Tb3+ ion acting as an energy transfer bridge can alleviate MMCT
      quenching between the Ce3+-Eu3+ ion pairs. The lifetime measurements demonstrated
      that the energy-transfer mechanisms of Ce3+-> Tb3+ and Tb3+-> Eu3+ are dipole
      quadrupole and quadrupole-quadrupole interactions, respectively. The temperature
      dependent luminescence measurements showed that as-prepared green/red phosphors
      have good thermal stability against temperature quenching. The obtained results
      indicate that these phosphors might serve as promising candidates for n-UV LEDs.

PMID- 28644499
TI  - Methods for the detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria: past,
      present, and future.
AB  - In order to retard the rate of development of antibacterial resistance, the
      causative agent must be identified as rapidly as possible, so that directed
      patient treatment and/or contact precautions can be initiated. This review
      highlights the challenges associated with the detection and identification of
      pathogenic bacteria, by providing an introduction to the techniques currently
      used, as well as newer techniques that are in development. Focusing on the
      chemical basis for these techniques, the review also provides a comparison of
      their advantages and disadvantages.

PMID- 28644500
TI  - In situ nanomechanical characterization of multi-layer MoS2 membranes: from
      intraplanar to interplanar fracture.
AB  - Layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) exhibits rich electronic and optical
      properties and possesses vastly differing characteristic dimensions. A multi
      layer MoS2 membrane represents the critical hierarchical structure which bridges
      the length-scale of monolayer and bulk material architectures. In this study, the
      in-plane mechanical properties of MoS2 membranes were investigated by in situ SEM
      tensile testing. Under the uniaxial tensile loading, brittle fracture caused
      failure in a highly localized region of the MoS2 membranes and their mechanical
      properties showed a thickness effect: the strengths of the relatively thicker
      MoS2 membranes (thickness around hundreds of nanometers) distribute from ~100 to
      ~250 MPa, while the corresponding values of the MoS2 nanosheets (thickness around
      tens of nanometers) increase significantly to more than 1 GPa. Upon molecular
      dynamics (MD) simulations on the fractures of MoS2 with various
      thicknesses/layers, the thicker MoS2 membranes show interplanar fracture, and the
      typical MoS2 nanosheets demonstrate the transition from interplanar to
      intraplanar fractures, while monolayer and few-layer MoS2 are dominated by
      intraplanar fracture. Our study provides some critical insights into the
      mechanical properties and fracture behavior of layered MoS2 2D materials, which
      could be of value for their flexible electronic, optoelectronic and nano-electro
      mechanical system (NEMS) applications.

PMID- 28644501
TI  - Stabilizing amyloid-beta peptide by the N-terminus capture is capable of
      preventing and eliminating amyloid-beta oligomers.
AB  - Elimination of amyloid-beta (Abeta) oligomers remains challenging. We describe
      here a novel strategy to prevent and eliminate the Abeta oligomers from either
      the early aggregation or the fibril dissolution pathway by targeting the flexible
      N-terminus, but not the widely investigated hydrophobic segment, with a
      rationally designed cyclopeptide.

PMID- 28644502
TI  - Au3(MU3-S)(0e) elementary block: new insights into ligated gold clusters with MU3
      sulfido motifs.
AB  - An understanding of the structural stability and formation mechanism of ligated
      gold nanoclusters with triply coordinated MU3-sulfido (MU3-S) motifs is important
      not only for gold chemistry but also for the design of more effective catalysts
      or drug carriers for various applications. In this article, a new elementary
      block Au3(MU3-S) with zero valence electrons [referred to as Au3(MU3-S)(0e)] has
      been identified, which describes all crystallized ligated gold clusters with MU3
      S motifs, in conjunction with the previously reported Au3(2e) and Au4(2e)
      elementary blocks, in a grand unified model (GUM). This Au3(MU3-S)(0e) elementary
      block has a tripod structure with the S atom bonding to three Au atoms in a MU3
      bridging mode, and can be considered as a MU3-S atom balancing out the 2e valence
      electrons of the Au3(2e) block. Using Au3(MU3-S) as a building block, a special
      group of quasi-fullerene hollow-cage [Au3n(MU3-S)2n]n- gold(i) MU3-S clusters are
      designed, which exhibit high stabilities. In addition, a series of theoretical
      structures are predicted to be increasingly stable after introducing MU3-S atoms,
      based on the crystallized clusters. Overall, the introduction of a Au3(MU3-S)(0e)
      elementary block can help with the understanding of diverse structures of ligated
      gold clusters with MU3-S motifs, thereby assisting the rational design of new
      forms of gold nanoclusters.

PMID- 28644503
TI  - The first ReI organometallic complex with an organoimido-polyoxometalate ligand.
AB  - The spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical properties of the first ReI
      organometallic organoimido-polyoxometalate complex [n-Bu4N][Mo6O18NC6H4-CH2
      N3C2H2-Re-phen(CO)3] compared with all fragments are reported. The UV-Vis spectra
      are analysed using experimental and theoretical tools. In contrast to the
      reported studies in the literature, our results show that a new more intense band
      is present in the spectra of the hybrid ligand obscuring the intra-polyanion
      charge transfer. The electrochemical results show that the strong acceptor
      character of the polyoxometalate fragment is quenched by the condensation of the
      phenyl-triazole molecule.

PMID- 28644504
TI  - A structural mechanism of flavonoids in inhibiting serine proteases.
AB  - Quercetin is a member of the flavonoids and was previously demonstrated to
      inhibit trypsin-like serine proteases at micromolar potencies. Different
      molecular models were proposed to explain such inhibition. However, controversies
      remain on the molecular details of inhibition. Here, we report the X-ray crystal
      structure of quercetin in a complex with the urokinase-type plasminogen activator
      (uPA), an archetypical serine protease. The structure showed that quercetin binds
      to the specific substrate binding pocket (S1 pocket) of uPA mainly through its
      two neighboring phenolic hydroxyl groups. Our study thus provides unambiguous
      evidence to support quercetin binding to serine proteases and defines the
      molecular basis of the interaction. Our results further establish that natural
      products with two adjacent phenolic hydroxyl groups (or catechol) are likely to
      inhibit other trypsin-like serine proteases, a new mechanism formerly under
      recognized.

PMID- 28644505
TI  - Exceptional bi-step switching of quadratic nonlinear optical properties in a one
      dimensional channel compound.
AB  - We report a new solid-state nonlinear optical switch based on a one-dimensional
      channel compound NH4[(CH3)4N]SO4.H2O. It shows an exceptional bi-step switching
      of second harmonic generation (SHG) effects, corresponding to its SHG-Off, SHG
      Low and SHG-High states, which originate from two-step structural transitions
      with unique centrosymmetric-polar-chiral symmetry transformations.

PMID- 28644506
TI  - Reduced graphene oxide coated porous carbon-sulfur nanofiber as a flexible paper
      electrode for lithium-sulfur batteries.
AB  - Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have attracted great attention owing to their
      excellent electrochemical properties, such as the high discharge voltage of 2.3
      V, specific capacity of 1675 mA h g-1 and energy density of 2600 Wh kg-1. The
      widely used slurry made electrodes of Li-S batteries are plagued by the serious
      shuttle effect and insulating nature of sulfur. Herein, a reduced graphene oxide
      coated porous carbon nanofiber flexible paper (rGO@S-PCNP) was fabricated and
      directly used as an additive-free cathode for Li-S batteries. The results show
      that the rGO@S-PCNP is certified to be effective at relieving the shuttle effect
      and improving the conductivity, thus achieving high electrochemical performance.
      The rGO@S-PCNP composite with a sulfur content of 58.4 wt% delivers a high
      discharge capacity of 623.7 mA h g-1 after 200 cycles at 0.1 C (1 C = 1675 mA g
      1) with the average Coulombic efficiency of 97.1%. The excellent cyclability and
      high Coulombic efficiency indicate that the as-prepared rGO@S-PCNP composite
      paper can be a promising cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries, and is envisioned
      to have great potential in high energy density flexible power devices. This
      facile strategy brings great significance for large-scale industrial fabrication
      of flexible lithium-sulfur batteries.

PMID- 28644507
TI  - Intrachromosomal karyotype asymmetry in Orchidaceae.
AB  - The asymmetry indexes have helped cytotaxonomists to interpret and classify plant
      karyotypes for species delimitation efforts. However, there is no consensus about
      the best method to calculate the intrachromosomal asymmetry. The present study
      aimed to compare different intrachromosomal asymmetry indexes in order to
      indicate which are more efficient for the estimation of asymmetry in different
      groups of orchids. Besides, we aimed to compare our results with the Orchidaceae
      phylogenetic proposal to test the hypothesis of Stebbins (1971). Through a
      literature review, karyotypes were selected and analyzed comparatively with ideal
      karyotypes in a cluster analysis. All karyotypes showed some level of
      interchromosomal asymmetry, ranging from slightly asymmetric to moderately
      asymmetric. The five tested intrachromosomal asymmetry indexes indicated
      Sarcoglottis grandiflora as the species with the most symmetrical karyotype and
      Christensonella pachyphylla with the most asymmetrical karyotype. In the cluster
      analysis, the largest number of species were grouped with the intermediary ideal
      karyotypes B or C. Considering our results, we recommend the combined use of at
      least two indexes, especially Ask% or A1 with Syi, for cytotaxonomic analysis in
      groups of orchids. In an evolutionary perspective, our results support Stebbins'
      hypothesis that asymmetric karyotypes derive from a symmetric karyotypes.

PMID- 28644508
TI  - Expression of serum microRNA-378 and its clinical significance in renal cell
      carcinoma.
AB  - Studies have demonstrated that miRNA-378 is expressed in various malignant
      tumors. In the present study, we aimed to explore the expression of serum miRNA
      378 and its clinical significance in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. A total
      of 75 RCC patients, 63 renal cysts (RC) patients and 75 healthy controls were
      selected. The miRNA-378 level in RCC and RC groups was significantly higher than
      in healthy control group, with RCC group having the highest level. The miRNA-378
      levels were significantly decreased within the same group after surgery. When
      compared with healthy controls, RC group had higher levels but not significantly
      (p > 0.05) while levels in RCC group were significantly higher (p < 0.05). miRNA
      378 expression was correlated with clinical stage and differentiation degree, but
      not correlated with patient's age, gender, surgical strategy and tumor diameter.
      The AUC of miRNA-378 was 0.896, 95% confidence interval was 0.847 to 0.945, and
      AUC hypothesis testing was statistically significant (p < 0.001, RCC vs healthy
      control). miRNA-378 shows potential in the diagnosis and prediction of
      postoperative curative effect of renal cell carcinoma, but further studies with
      lager samples are needed.

PMID- 28644510
TI  - Comment On: Geriatricians: The Super Specialist.

PMID- 28644509
TI  - Comparative transcriptomic analysis of two important life stages of
      Angiostrongylus cantonensis: fifth-stage larvae and female adults.
AB  - The mechanisms involved in the fast growth of Angiostrongylus cantonensis from
      fifth-stage larvae (L5) to female adults and how L5 breaks through the blood
      brain barrier in a permissive host remain unclear. In this work, we compared the
      transcriptomes of these two life stages to identify the main factors involved in
      the rapid growth and transition to adulthood. RNA samples from the two stages
      were sequenced and assembled de novo. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of
      Genes and Genomes pathway analyses of 1,346 differentially expressed genes
      between L5 and female adults was then undertaken. Based on a combination of
      analytical results and developmental characteristics, we suggest that A.
      cantonensis synthesizes a large amount of cuticle in L5 to allow body dilatation
      in the rapid growth period. Products that are degraded via the lysosomal pathway
      may provide sufficient raw materials for cuticle production. In addition,
      metallopeptidases may play a key role in parasite penetration of the blood-brain
      barrier during migration from the brain. Overall, these results indicate that the
      profiles of each transcriptome are tailored to the need for survival in each
      developmental stage.

PMID- 28644511
TI  - Bacteriophage Tail-Tube Assembly Studied by Proton-Detected 4D Solid-State NMR.
AB  - Obtaining unambiguous resonance assignments remains a major bottleneck in solid
      state NMR studies of protein structure and dynamics. Particularly for
      supramolecular assemblies with large subunits (>150 residues), the analysis of
      crowded spectral data presents a challenge, even if three-dimensional (3D)
      spectra are used. Here, we present a proton-detected 4D solid-state NMR
      assignment procedure that is tailored for large assemblies. The key to recording
      4D spectra with three indirect carbon or nitrogen dimensions with their
      inherently large chemical shift dispersion lies in the use of sparse non-uniform
      sampling (as low as 2 %). As a proof of principle, we acquired 4D (H)COCANH,
      (H)CACONH, and (H)CBCANH spectra of the 20 kDa bacteriophage tail-tube protein
      gp17.1 in a total time of two and a half weeks. These spectra were sufficient to
      obtain complete resonance assignments in a straightforward manner without use of
      previous solution NMR data.

PMID- 28644512
TI  - Association of flossing/inter-dental cleaning and periodontitis in adults.
AB  - AIM: Assess the association of flossing with periodontitis. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition
      Examination Survey (NHANES) years 2011-2014. We used three categories of
      flossing: 0-1, 2-4 and >=5 days in the past week and the CDC definition of
      periodontitis. We calculated odds ratios controlling for age, gender, smoking,
      drinking, income and dentist visits. RESULTS: A total of 6939 adult subjects were
      included, 35% flossed <=1 time a week, and 40% had periodontitis. After
      adjustment, the odds of periodontitis were 17% lower for subjects who flossed >1
      time a week than for subjects who flossed less often (odds ratio=0.83, 95% CI
      0.72-0.97). A dose response was not observed. Men were twice as likely as women
      to have periodontitis. Younger subjects, non-smokers and subjects with the
      highest incomes had lower odds of having periodontitis. CONCLUSIONS: Flossing was
      associated with a modestly lower prevalence of periodontitis. Older age, being
      male, smoking, low income and less frequent dental visits were associated with a
      higher prevalence of periodontitis. Flossing 2-4 days a week could be as
      beneficial as flossing more frequently. This is a cross-sectional study so a
      causal relation between flossing and periodontitis cannot be established.

PMID- 28644513
TI  - Benign vascular lesions of the breast diagnosed by core needle biopsy do not
      require excision.
AB  - AIMS: Surgical excision of all benign vascular lesions of the breast identified
      by core needle biopsy has been recommended in the past to rule out a more serious
      lesion. In this study we investigated the clinical, radiological and pathological
      findings in patients diagnosed with a benign vascular lesion at our institution
      to assess whether excision may be spared for lesions without atypia. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We searched the electronic medical record for patients with a vascular
      lesion of the breast diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. The study population
      consisted of 84 patients, 83 females and one male. The index diagnoses included
      76 benign vascular lesions, five vascular lesions with cytological atypia and
      three angiosarcomas. A radiologist reviewed all pre- and post-biopsy imaging
      studies; all cases had concordant radiological and pathological findings. Based
      on radiological and histological correlation, the vascular lesion accounted for
      the radiological target in 40 (48%) cases and was deemed an incidental finding in
      44 (52%). Seven of 32 (22%) targeted and 10 of 44 (23%) incidental benign
      vascular lesions underwent surgical excision; there were no upgrades at excision.
      No recurrences or clinical events were observed in patients with a targeted or
      incidental benign vascular lesion with a median follow-up of 39 months and 40.6
      months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that benign vascular lesions
      diagnosed on core biopsy with concordant radiological and pathological findings
      do not warrant surgical excision.

PMID- 28644514
TI  - Polylutidines: Multifunctional Surfaces through Vapor-Based Polymerization of
      Substituted Pyridinophanes.
AB  - We report a new class of functionalized polylutidine polymers that are prepared
      by chemical vapor deposition polymerization of substituted
      [2](1,4)benzeno[2](2,5)pyridinophanes. To prepare sufficient amounts of monomer
      for CVD polymerization, a new synthesis route for ethynylpyridinophane has been
      developed in three steps with an overall yield of 59 %. Subsequent CVD
      polymerization yielded well-defined films of poly(2,5-lutidinylene-co-p-xylylene)
      and poly(4-ethynyl-2,5-lutidinylene-co-p-xylylene). All polymers were
      characterized by infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, ellipsometry,
      contact angle studies, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Moreover, zeta
      potential measurements revealed that polylutidine films have higher isoelectric
      points than the corresponding poly-xylylene surfaces owing to the nitrogen atoms
      in the polymer backbone. The availability of reactive alkyne groups on the
      surface of poly(4-ethynyl-2,5-lutidinylene-co-p-xylylene) coatings was confirmed
      by spatially controlled surface modification by means of Huisgen 1,3-dipolar
      cycloaddition. Compared to the more hydrophobic poly-p-xylylyenes, the presence
      of the heteroatom in the polymer backbone of polylutidine polymers resulted in
      surfaces that supported an increased adhesion of primary human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVECs). Vapor-based polylutidine coatings are a new class of
      polymers that feature increased hydrophilicity and increased cell adhesion
      without limiting the flexibility in selecting appropriate functional side groups.

PMID- 28644515
TI  - Comment on: Mucosal and lacrimal flaps for endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy: A
      systematic review.

PMID- 28644518
TI  - Capillary Density of Skeletal Muscle and Maximal Oxygen Uptake.

PMID- 28644516
TI  - Hemostatic efficiency of modern topical sealants: Comparative evaluation after
      liver resection and splenic laceration in a swine model.
AB  - Parenchymal transection during hepatobiliary surgery can disrupt small
      vasculature or bile ducts, which could be managed difficultly. Sealants are
      helpful tools to achieve better hemostasis. The aim of this study is to analyze
      the hemostatic efficiency of four modern sealants in a porcine model. In this
      study, 40 landrace pigs were assigned equally to the control (without sealant)
      and four sealant groups. Standardized liver resection and splenic lesions were
      performed and left without using sealant (control) or treated with one of the
      following sealants: TachoSil(r) , Tissucol Duo(r) , Coseal(r) , and FloSeal(r) .
      We measured relative and absolute bleeding times (seconds) as well as total blood
      loss (g) in a maximum observation time of 300 s. Sealants could show a
      significantly improved hemostasis comparing to the control group. However,
      hemostasis was heterogeneous among the sealant groups (liver resection: 60%-100%,
      spleen injury: 70%-100%). The mean blood loss decreased significantly using
      sealants comparing to control group (liver resection: 6-120 fold, spleen injury:
      2.5-36 fold). The hemostatic time in groups that achieved complete hemostasis was
      different in each sealant group (liver resection: 30-166 s, spleen injury: 60-180
      s). We conclude that the hemostatic efficacy of modern sealants is impressive but
      heterogeneous in liver resection or splenic lesion. To maximize the effectiveness
      of these tools, the indication of each sealant should be carefully considered in
      individual settings by the surgeons. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed
      Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 1307-1316, 2018.

PMID- 28644519
TI  - General Discussion.

PMID- 28644517
TI  - Quantitative Insights into the Fast Pyrolysis of Extracted Cellulose,
      Hemicelluloses, and Lignin.
AB  - The transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into bio-based commodity chemicals
      is technically possible. Among thermochemical processes, fast pyrolysis, a
      relatively mature technology that has now reached a commercial level, produces a
      high yield of an organic-rich liquid stream. Despite recent efforts to elucidate
      the degradation paths of biomass during pyrolysis, the selectivity and recovery
      rates of bio-compounds remain low. In an attempt to clarify the general
      degradation scheme of biomass fast pyrolysis and provide a quantitative insight,
      the use of fast pyrolysis microreactors is combined with spectroscopic techniques
      (i.e., mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy) and mixtures of unlabeled and 13 C
      enriched materials. The first stage of the work aimed to select the type of
      reactor to use to ensure control of the pyrolysis regime. A comparison of the
      chemical fragmentation patterns of "primary" fast pyrolysis volatiles detected by
      using GC-MS between two small-scale microreactors showed the inevitable
      occurrence of secondary reactions. In the second stage, liquid fractions that are
      also made of primary fast pyrolysis condensates were analyzed by using
      quantitative liquid-state 13 C NMR spectroscopy to provide a quantitative
      distribution of functional groups. The compilation of these results into a map
      that displays the distribution of functional groups according to the individual
      and main constituents of biomass (i.e., hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin)
      confirmed the origin of individual chemicals within the fast pyrolysis liquids.

PMID- 28644520
TI  - Material and General Methods.

PMID- 28644521
TI  - Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Norwegian Subjects.

PMID- 28644523
TI  - General Introduction.

PMID- 28644524
TI  - Summary.

PMID- 28644525
TI  - Relative and Total Hemoglobin Content of the Blood and Maximal Oxygen Uptake.

PMID- 28644526
TI  - Respiratory and Circulatory Responses to Different Types of Exercise.

PMID- 28644527
TI  - An audit on technical quality of root fillings performed by undergraduate
      students.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate radiographically the technical quality of root fillings
      performed by undergraduate dental students and to assess whether students were
      exposed to an appropriate endodontic case mix during their clinical training.
      METHODOLOGY: A retrospective audit was undertaken evaluating the clinical records
      of patients who underwent endodontic procedures during the period from September
      2015 to June 2016 in the Dental School at Queen's University Belfast, UK. Two
      final-year dental students were trained and calibrated to evaluate postoperative
      intra-oral periapical radiographs of completed root canal treatments using
      specific assessment criteria. Data were presented as frequencies, percentage and
      mean +/- standard deviation (SD). Comparisons of treatment outcomes between
      groups (posterior and anterior teeth) were calculated using Fisher's exact test,
      and the level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Intra- and interexaminer
      reproducibility was assessed by Kappa statistics. RESULTS: A total of 222 teeth
      and 381 canals were assessed, and of those, 253 (66%) of the root fillings were
      found to be acceptable in all the assessment parameters, namely taper, length and
      lateral adaptation of the root filling. Subanalysis of individual root filling
      parameters revealed that 372 canals (97%) exhibited good taper, and 275 canals
      (72%) were considered to be of an appropriate length, with 89 canals (23%) found
      to be underfilled and 17 canals (5%) overfilled. Overall 346 (91%) of canals had
      good lateral condensation. Students treated both single and multirooted teeth,
      and there was no significant association between tooth type and the quality of
      root filling provided (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of the teeth
      treated by undergraduate students at Queen's University Belfast, the technical
      quality of the root filling was acceptable and students were exposed to an
      appropriate case mix for endodontic training.

PMID- 28644528
TI  - A systematic 1 H- and 13 C-NMR spectral analysis of bicyclo[n.3.1]alkanone
      systems: Determination of the relative configuration of the stereogenic centres
      and conformation of the six-membered ring.

PMID- 28644529
TI  - Reciprocal cooperation of phytochemicals and micronutrients against typical and
      atypical forms of Borrelia sp.
AB  - AIMS: Borrelia sp., a causative pathogenic factor of Lyme disease (LD), has
      become a major public health threat. Current treatments based on antibiotics
      often lead to relapse after their withdrawal. Naturally derived substances that
      could work synergistically to display higher efficacy compared with the
      individual components may serve as a resource for the development of novel
      approaches to combat both active and latent forms of Borrelia sp. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Using checkerboard assay, we investigated the anti-borreliae reciprocal
      cooperation of phytochemicals and micronutrients against two species of Borrelia
      selected as prevalent causes of LD in the United States and Europe. We tested 28
      combinations of phytochemicals such as polyphenols (baicalein, luteolin,
      rosmarinic acids), fatty acids (monolaurin, cis-2-decenoic acid) and
      micronutrients (ascorbic acid, cholecalciferol and iodine). The results showed
      that the combinations of baicalein with luteolin as well as monolaurin with cis-2
      decenoic acid expressed synergistic anti-spirochetal effects. Moreover, baicalein
      and luteolin, when combined with rosmarinic acid or iodine, produced additive
      bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against typical corkscrew motile
      spirochaetes and persistent knob/round-shaped forms, respectively. An additive
      anti-biofilm effect was noticed between baicalein with luteolin and monolaurin
      with cis-2-decenoic acid. Finally, application of the combination of baicalein
      with luteolin increased cytoplasmic permeability of Borrelia sp. but did not
      cause DNA damage. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a specific combination of
      flavones might play a supporting role in combating Borrelia sp. through either
      synergistic or additive anti-borreliae effects. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE
      STUDY: Presented here in vitro results might help advancing our knowledge and
      improving the approach to target Borrelia sp.

PMID- 28644530
TI  - Long-term outcome of anorexia nervosa: Results from a large clinical longitudinal
      study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the long-term outcome of anorexia nervosa (AN) in a very
      large sample of inpatients (N = 1,693) and identification of predictors for poor
      outcome. METHOD: Over 25 years (mean 10 years), consecutively admitted inpatients
      of a specialized hospital were followed. A subsample of 112 patients with 20-year
      follow-up was defined. Bivariate comparisons and logistic regression analysis
      identified risk factors of poor outcome. RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI) increased
      during the follow-up period. Eating behavior as well as general psychopathology
      improved but did not reach the level of healthy controls. Remission was found in
      30% (total sample) and in 40% (20-year follow-up subsample). Crossover from AN to
      binge-eating disorder or obesity was rare. The predictors of a negative course of
      illness included lower BMI at admission; a higher score on the Eating Disorder
      Inventory Maturity Fears subscale at admission; fewer follow-up years; and higher
      age at admission. The main diagnostic crossover occurred from AN to eating
      disorder not otherwise specified. Motherhood was related to better outcome.
      DISCUSSION: Many patients with very severe AN recover from their illness but AN
      also shows considerable long-term negative consequences. Over long time periods,
      survivors show improvement but better treatments for severe cases are still
      needed. Predictors of outcome included symptom severity, chronicity, and length
      of follow-up but not psychiatric comorbidity.

PMID- 28644533
TI  - New Phytologist on 'Physiology & Development'.

PMID- 28644537
TI  - Psychosocial, Demographic, and Illness-Related Factors Associated With Acute
      Traumatic Stress Responses in Parents of Children With a Serious Illness or
      Injury.
AB  - This study investigated factors associated with acute stress symptoms in parents
      of seriously ill children across a range of illnesses and treatment settings
      within a pediatric hospital setting. It was hypothesized that psychosocial
      variables would be more strongly associated with acute stress responses than
      demographic and child illness variables. Participants were 115 mothers and 56
      fathers of children treated within the oncology, cardiology, and intensive care
      departments of a pediatric hospital. Acute stress, psychosocial, demographic, and
      medical data were collected within the first 4 weeks of the child's hospital
      admission. A robust hierarchical regression model revealed that psychosocial
      factors significantly explained 36.8% of the variance in parent acute stress
      responses (p < .001); demographic variables significantly added a further 4.5% (p
      = .022), but illness-related factors did not contribute to the model. Findings
      support the implementation of a general psychosocial screening approach for
      parents across the wider hospital system, and that psychosocial risk factors may
      be targeted in interventions across different illnesses and treatment settings to
      improve parent outcomes.

PMID- 28644538
TI  - Protective Factors, Coping Appraisals, and Social Barriers Predict Mental Health
      Following Community Violence: A Prospective Test of Social Cognitive Theory.
AB  - This study tested social cognitive theory of posttraumatic adaptation in the
      context of mass violence, hypothesizing that pre-event protective factors
      (general self-efficacy and perceived social support) would reduce posttraumatic
      stress symptoms (PTSS) and depression severity through boosting post-event coping
      self-efficacy appraisals (mediator). We qualified hypotheses by predicting that
      post-event social support barriers would disrupt (moderate) the health-promoting
      indirect effects of pre-event protective factors. With a prospective longitudinal
      sample, we employed path models with bootstrapping resampling to test hypotheses.
      Participants included 70 university students (71.4% female; 40.0% White; 34.3%
      Asian; 14.3% Hispanic) enrolled during a mass violence event who completed
      surveys one year pre-event and 5-6 months post-event. Results revealed
      significant large effects in predicting coping self-efficacy (mastery model, R2 =
      .34; enabling model, R2 = .36), PTSS (mastery model, R2 = .35; enabling model, R2
      = .41), and depression severity (mastery model, R2 = .43; enabling model, R2 =
      .46). Overall findings supported study hypotheses, showing that at low levels of
      post-event social support barriers, pre-event protective factors reduced distress
      severity through boosting coping self-efficacy. However, as post-event social
      support barriers increased, the indirect, distress-reducing effects of pre-event
      protective factors were reduced to nonsignificance. Study implications focus on
      preventative and responsive intervention.

PMID- 28644539
TI  - Effortful swallow with resistive electrical stimulation training improves
      pharyngeal constriction in patients post-stroke with dysphagia.
AB  - This study aimed to evaluate the effect of effortful swallow combined with
      surface electrical stimulation as a form of resistance training on pharyngeal
      constriction function in post-stroke patients with dysphagia. Nineteen patients
      post-stroke with dysphagia received 20 min effortful swallow training with
      resistive electrical stimulation for 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Electrical
      stimulation was applied on the infrahyoid area as resistance against hyoid
      elevation. Stimulation intensity was adjusted daily up to the maximum tolerable
      level of the participant. Blinded biomechanical measurements of the extent of
      hyoid elevation were taken and the pharyngeal constriction ratio (PCR) determined
      after training. The change of the PCR and the relationship between hyoid
      elevation and the PCR were evaluated. The post-training PCR was significantly
      decreased compared to pre-training PCR (P < 0.05). There was a high inverse
      correlation between the hyoid elevation and the PCR (r = -1.992, P < 0.05).
      Effortful swallow with resistive electrical stimulation training increases
      pharyngeal constriction. It can be used as a treatment to improve pharyngeal
      constriction in patients with dysphagia.

PMID- 28644540
TI  - Cytokeratin 19 expression in early oral squamous cell carcinoma and their
      metastasis: Inadequate biomarker for one-step nucleic acid amplification
      implementation in sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraoperative analysis of lymph nodes during a sentinel lymph node
      biopsy (SLNB) procedure could result in one-step surgery for early oral squamous
      cell carcinoma (OSCC) with an occult nodal metastasis. One-step nucleic acid
      amplification rapidly detects cytokeratin 19 (CK19) RNA with high accuracy.
      Sensitivity and specificity of CK19 expression in OSCC was evaluated. METHODS:
      Immunohistochemical CK19 expression was done in 207 patients with OSCC with 65
      cases of paired nodal metastases. RESULTS: CK19 was expressed in 65% of all OSCC
      and even less in early OSCC (56%), with poor correlation between primary tumor
      and (occult) nodal metastasis. Furthermore, ectopic glandular tissue in close
      proximity of lymph nodes showed strong CK19 expression. CONCLUSION: CK19 lacks
      both sensitivity and specificity as a biomarker for nodal metastasis in OSCC,
      which questions the suitability for CK19-based one-step nucleic acid
      amplification in SLNB procedures. Therefore, future studies should focus on other
      biomarkers, because the concept of fast intraoperative diagnostics during SLNB
      remains attractive.

PMID- 28644541
TI  - Assessment of executive functioning in binge-eating disorder independent of
      weight status.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Executive functioning (EF) problems may serve as vulnerability or
      maintenance factors for Binge-Eating Disorder (BED). However, it is unclear if EF
      problems observed in BED are related to overweight status or BED status. The
      current study extends this literature by examining EF in overweight and normal
      weight BED compared to weight-matched controls. METHOD: Participants were normal
      weight women with BED (n = 23), overweight BED (n = 32), overweight healthy
      controls (n = 48), and normal-weight healthy controls (n = 29). The EF battery
      utilized tests from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox and Delis
      Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). RESULTS: After controlling for years
      of education and minority status, overweight individuals performed more poorly
      than normal-weight individuals on a task of cognitive flexibility requiring
      generativity (p < .01), and speed on psychomotor performance tasks (p = .01).
      Normal-weight and overweight BED performed worse on working memory tasks compared
      to controls (p = .04). Unexpectedly, normal-weight BED individuals out-performed
      all other groups on an inhibitory control task (p < .01). No significant
      differences were found between the four groups on tasks of planning. DISCUSSION:
      Regardless of weight status, BED is associated with working memory problems.
      Replication of the finding that normal-weight BED is associated with enhanced
      inhibitory control is needed.

PMID- 28644542
TI  - The conservation significance of natural hybridisation in Mediterranean plants:
      from a case study on Cyclamen (Primulaceae) to a general perspective.
AB  - Hybridisation plays a prominent role in plant evolution due to its influence on
      genetic diversity, fitness and adaptive potential. We identify a case of on-going
      hybrid evolution of floral phenotypes in disjunct populations of Cyclamen
      balearicum and C. repandum subsp. repandum on Corsica and Sardinia. Hybrid
      populations on the two islands contain similar patterns of variation in flower
      colour and size but are probably at different stages in the evolutionary process
      of hybridisation, and differences in the frequency of floral types and flower
      size suggest hybrid vigour that may contribute to the dynamics and maintenance of
      hybrid forms. In a review of cases of hybridisation in Mediterranean plants we
      found an equivalent number of cases for the contemporary occurrence of mixed
      hybrid populations, as there are cases of homoploid hybrid species
      differentiation. We argue for the development of a conservation strategy for
      Mediterranean plants that integrates the need to protect not just pure endemic
      species (some of hybrid origin) but also mixed populations where adaptive
      variation and new species are evolving due to contemporary hybridisation.

PMID- 28644543
TI  - Osteogenic potential of three different autogenous bone particles harvested
      during implant surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim was to compare the osteoblast activity and osteogenic
      potential of autogenous bone particles harvested using three different techniques
      and determine the most advantageous method of collecting autogenous bone
      particles. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Bone particles were harvested from 20 patients
      during dental implant surgery using bone scraping, low-speed drilling and bone
      trap filtering. After the osteoblasts were cultured, cell proliferation,
      migration, mineralization, transcription of osteogenesis-related genes, secretion
      of osteogenesis-related proteins and osteoinductive protein content in the bone
      particle matrix were evaluated. RESULTS: Osteoblast activity and osteogenic
      potential were higher in bone samples harvested by scraper or low-speed drilling
      than in samples harvested by bone trap filter. Although these parameters were
      slightly lower in the low-speed drilling group than in the scraper group,
      significant differences were found only in bone Gla protein levels. However, the
      levels of osteoinductive proteins in the bone particle matrix were significantly
      higher in the low-speed drilling group than in the scraper group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Low-speed drilling is a recommendable and effective technique for collecting
      autogenous bone particles. In implant operations, low-speed drilling can be
      considered the first-line option, and if the quantity of harvested bone is
      insufficient, bone shavings obtained by the scraper may be considered.

PMID- 28644544
TI  - The "frontal peak" sign: A potential new indication of open approach in frontal
      sinus mucoceles with posterior table erosion. A retrospective chart review of
      thirty-seven patients.

PMID- 28644545
TI  - Robotic vs laparoscopic rectal surgery in high-risk patients.
AB  - AIM: Laparoscopic rectal surgery is associated with a steep learning curve and
      high conversion rate despite progress in equipment design and consistent
      practice. The robotic system has shown an advantage over the laparoscopic
      approach due to stable three-dimensional views, improved dexterity and better
      ergonomics. These factors make the robotic approach more favourable for rectal
      surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative outcomes of
      laparoscopic and robotic rectal cancer surgery in high-risk patients. METHOD: A
      prospectively collected dataset for high-risk patients who underwent rectal
      cancer surgery between May 2013 and November 2015 was analysed. Patients with any
      of the following characteristics were defined as high risk: a body mass index
      >=30, male gender, preoperative chemoradiotherapy, tumour <8 cm from the anal
      verge and previous abdominal surgery. RESULTS: In total, 184 high-risk patients
      were identified: 99 in the robotic group and 85 in the laparoscopic group.
      Robotic surgery was associated with a significantly higher sphincter preservation
      rate (86% vs 74%, P = 0.045), shorter operative time (240 vs 270 min, P = 0.013)
      and hospital stay (7 vs 9 days, P = 0.001), less blood loss (10 vs 100 ml, P <
      0.001) and a smaller conversion rate to open surgery (0% vs 5%, P = 0.043)
      compared with the laparoscopic technique. Reoperation, anastomotic leak rate, 30
      day mortality and oncological outcomes were comparable between the two
      techniques. CONCLUSION: Robotic surgery in high-risk patients is associated with
      higher sphincter preservation, reduced blood loss, smaller conversion rates, and
      shorter operating time and hospital stay. However, further studies are required
      to evaluate this notion.

PMID- 28644547
TI  - A genetic epidemiology study of congenital adrenal hyperplasia in Italy.
AB  - Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD-CAH) is an
      autosomal recessive disorder affecting steroidogenesis, due to mutations in
      CYP21A2 (6p21.3). 21OHD-CAH neonatal screening is based on 17-hydroxyprogesterone
      (17OHP) serum levels, showing high type I error rate and low sensitivity to mild
      CAH forms. Here, we used an epidemiological approach, which estimates the allelic
      frequency (q) of an autosomal recessive disorder using the proportion of
      homozygous patients, the mutational spectrum and the inbreeding coefficient in a
      sample of affected individuals. We applied this approach to 2 independent Italian
      cohorts of patients with both clinical and molecular diagnosis of 21OHD-CAH from
      mainland Italy (N = 240) and Sardinia (N = 53). We inferred q estimates of 2.87%
      and 1.83%, corresponding to a prevalence of 1/1214 and 1/2986, respectively.
      CYP21A2 mutational spectra were quite discrepant between the 2 cohorts, with
      V281L representing 74% of all the mutations detected in Sardinia vs 37% in
      mainland Italy. These findings provide an updated fine-grained picture of 21OHD
      CAH genetic epidemiology in Italy and suggest the need for a screening approach
      suitable to the detection of the largest number of clinically significant forms
      of CAH.

PMID- 28644546
TI  - 18 F-fluoromisonidazole uptake in advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer: A
      voxel-by-voxel PET kinetics study.
AB  - PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the relative abilities of
      compartment models to describe time-courses of 18 F-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO)
      uptake in tumor voxels of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) imaged
      using dynamic positron emission tomography. Also to use fits of the best
      performing model to investigate changes in fitted rate-constants with distance
      from the tumor edge. METHODS: Reversible and irreversible two- and three-tissue
      compartment models were fitted to 24 662 individual voxel time activity curves
      (TACs) obtained from tumors in nine patients, each imaged twice. Descriptions of
      the TACs provided by the models were compared using the Akaike and Bayesian
      information criteria (AIC and BIC). Two different models (two- and three-tissue)
      were fitted to 30 measured voxel TACs to provide ground-truth TACs for a
      statistical simulation study. Appropriately scaled noise was added to each of the
      resulting ground-truth TACs, generating 1000 simulated noisy TACs for each ground
      truth TAC. The simulation study was carried out to provide estimates of the
      accuracy and precision with which parameter values are determined, the estimates
      being obtained for both assumptions about the ground-truth kinetics. A BIC
      clustering technique was used to group the fitted rate-constants, taking into
      consideration the underlying uncertainties on the fitted rate-constants. Voxels
      were also categorized according to their distance from the tumor edge. RESULTS:
      For uptake time-courses of individual voxels an irreversible two-tissue
      compartment model was found to be most precise. The simulation study indicated
      that this model had a one standard deviation precision of 39% for tumor
      fractional blood volumes and 37% for the FMISO binding rate-constant. Weighted
      means of fitted FMISO binding rate-constants of voxels in all tumors rose
      significantly with increasing distance from the tumor edge, whereas fitted
      fractional blood volumes fell significantly. When grouped using the BIC
      clustering, many centrally located voxels had high-fitted FMISO binding rate
      constants and low rate-constants for tracer flow between the vasculature and
      tumor, both indicative of hypoxia. Nevertheless, many of these voxels had tumor
      to-blood (TBR) values lower than the 1.4 level commonly expected for hypoxic
      tissues, possibly due to the low rate-constants for tracer flow between the
      vasculature and tumor cells in these voxels. CONCLUSIONS: Time-courses of FMISO
      uptake in NSCLC tumor voxels are best analyzed using an irreversible two-tissue
      compartment model, fits of which provide more precise parameter values than those
      of a three-tissue model. Changes in fitted model parameter values indicate that
      levels of hypoxia rise with increasing distance from tumor edges. The average
      FMISO binding rate-constant is higher for voxels in tumor centers than in the
      next tumor layer out, but the average value of the more simplistic TBR metric is
      lower in tumor centers. For both metrics, higher values might be considered
      indicative of hypoxia, and the mismatch in this case is likely to be due to poor
      perfusion at the tumor center. Kinetics analysis of dynamic PET images may
      therefore provide more accurate measures of the hypoxic status of such regions
      than the simpler TBR metric, a hypothesis we are presently exploring in a study
      of tumor imaging versus histopathology.

PMID- 28644548
TI  - Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation for activities of daily living and
      functional ability in people after stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) is a form of
      therapy that creates painless stimulation of deep muscle structures to improve
      motor function in people with physical impairment from brain or nerve disorders.
      Use of rPMS for people after stroke has been identified as a feasible approach to
      improve activities of daily living and functional ability. However, no systematic
      reviews have assessed the findings of available trials. The effect and safety of
      this intervention for people after stroke currently remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES:
      To assess the effect of rPMS for improving activities of daily living and
      functional ability in people after stroke. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the
      Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (August 2016), the Cochrane Central
      Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2016, Issue 8) in the Cochrane Library
      (August 2016), MEDLINE Ovid (November 2016), Embase Ovid (August 2016), the
      Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) in Ebsco
      (August 2016), PsycINFO Ovid (August 2016), the Allied and Complementary Medicine
      Database (AMED) Ovid (August 2016), Occupational Therapy Systematic Evaluation of
      Evidence (OTseeker) (August 2016), the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro)
      (October 2016), and ICHUSHI Web (October 2016). We also searched five ongoing
      trial registries, screened reference lists, and contacted experts in the field.
      We placed no restrictions on the language or date of publication when searching
      the electronic databases. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled
      trials (RCTs) conducted to assess the therapeutic effect of rPMS for people after
      stroke. Comparisons eligible for inclusion were (1) active rPMS only compared
      with 'sham' rPMS (a very weak form of stimulation or a sound only); (2) active
      rPMS only compared with no intervention; (3) active rPMS plus rehabilitation
      compared with sham rPMS plus rehabilitation; and (4) active rPMS plus
      rehabilitation compared with rehabilitation only. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:
      Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion. The same review
      authors assessed methods and risk of bias and extracted data. We contacted trial
      authors to ask for unpublished information if necessary. We resolved all
      disagreements through discussion. MAIN RESULTS: We included three trials (two
      RCTs and one cross-over trial) involving 121 participants. Blinding of
      participants and physicians was well reported in all trials, and overall risk of
      bias was low. We found no clear effect of rPMS on activities of daily living at
      the end of treatment (mean difference (MD) -3.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 
      16.35 to 10.35; low-quality evidence) and at the end of follow-up (MD -2.00, 95%
      CI -14.86 to 10.86; low-quality evidence). Investigators in one study with 63
      participants observed no statistical difference in improvement of upper limb
      function at the end of treatment (MD 2.00, 95% CI -4.91 to 8.91) and at the end
      of follow-up (MD 4.00, 95% CI -2.92 to 10.92). One trial with 18 participants
      showed that rPMS treatment was not associated with improved muscle strength at
      the end of treatment (MD 3.00, 95% CI -2.44 to 8.44). Another study reported a
      significant decrease in spasticity of the elbow at the end of follow-up (MD 
      0.48, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.03). No studies provided information on lower limb
      function and death. Based on the GRADE approach, we judged the certainty of
      evidence related to the primary outcome as low owing to the small sample size of
      one study. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Available trials provided inadequate evidence to
      permit any conclusions about routine use of rPMS for people after stroke.
      Additional trials with large sample sizes are needed to determine an appropriate
      rPMS protocol as well as long-term effects. We identified three ongoing trials
      and will include these trials in the next review update.

PMID- 28644549
TI  - A retrospective analysis of the symptoms and course of dengue infection during
      pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes among pregnant women diagnosed with dengue
      infection. METHODS: In a retrospective study, the medical records of all pregnant
      women with dengue infection admitted to Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India,
      from July to December 2015 were reviewed. Maternal and fetal outcomes were
      compared by pregnancy length and stage of disease at diagnosis. RESULTS: Overall,
      62 pregnant women with dengue infection were identified. Of these, 56 (90%)
      tested negative for nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) antigen, indicating a later
      stage of disease. Maternal near miss and mortality were significantly more common
      among women with DHF or DSS than among those with dengue fever (P<0.001).
      Spontaneous abortion occurred for four of six women diagnosed in the first
      trimester, and one of two women diagnosed in the second trimester. Among 22 women
      diagnosed at 26-36+6  weeks, 9 (41%) delivered preterm. There was one case of
      stillbirth at 37 weeks and no cases of neonatal death. CONCLUSION: Women
      diagnosed with dengue fever had far better outcomes than did those with DHF or
      DSS.

PMID- 28644550
TI  - Biphasic Liquid Crystal and the Simultaneous Measurement of Isotropic and
      Anisotropic Parameters by Spatially Resolved NMR Spectroscopy.
AB  - Residual dipolar couplings and other anisotropic NMR parameters are powerful
      tools for molecular structure elucidation when conventional techniques do not
      suffice. With current liquid crystalline preparations it is necessary to prepare
      two samples to extract isotropic and anisotropic data from spectra and to derive
      the residual dipolar couplings. Here, we present the preparation, measurement,
      and interpretation of a novel biphasic liquid crystalline phase where a single
      sample can be used to generate both isotropic and anisotropic data. First, we
      introduce the synthesis of the chiral polymer leading to the biphasic liquid
      crystal. Second, we present two approaches to measure spatially selective CLIP
      HSQC spectra. From these spectra, we extracted the couplings, performed an
      assignment of diastereotopic protons, and achieved the enantiomeric
      discrimination of isopinocampheol as a well-studied test molecule.

PMID- 28644551
TI  - Erythema multiforme-like lesions in primary cutaneous aggressive cytotoxic
      epidermotropic CD8+ T-cell lymphoma: A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
AB  - Primary cutaneous aggressive cytotoxic epidermotropic CD8+ T-cell lymphoma is an
      extremely rare, rapidly progressing, cutaneous lymphoma, with frequent systemic
      involvement and poor prognosis, that still represents a diagnostic and
      therapeutic challenge, especially in the early stage. Herein, we report a case of
      an elderly woman with a fulminant course, who at onset presented with clinical
      and pathological features mimicking erythema multiforme (EM) and treated with
      cyclosporine that led to rapid deterioration with fatal outcome 6 months after
      disease onset. Histopathology showed a lichenoid, epidermotropic and nodular,
      angiocentric, dermal and subcutaneous infiltrate of sF1, CD8+, CD45RA+ small to
      medium-sized atypical lymphoid cells, which strongly expressed cytotoxic markers.
      Monoclonal T-cell-gamma receptor was clonally rearranged and array-CGH showed
      numerous chromosomal imbalances. This case evidences the clinical, pathological
      and therapeutic challenges involved in this tumor. The first biopsy showed an
      interface dermatitis-like pattern, revealing the deceptive features that early
      cutaneous infiltrates of this aggressive lymphoma may have. A high suspicion for
      aggressive CTCL and a low threshold for repeat biopsies should be maintained when
      faced with rapidly progressing and/or ulcerative EM-like lesions, especially if
      immunomodulatory therapy is being considered.

PMID- 28644552
TI  - Assessment of videofluoroscopic swallow study findings before and after
      cricopharyngeal myotomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cricopharyngeal myotomy is a treatment for obstructive
      cricopharyngeal bar and Zenker's diverticulitis. Little is reported regarding
      contrast study findings and their correlation with patient symptoms. METHODS: All
      patients treated by cricopharyngeal myotomy underwent a preoperative and
      postoperative videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) and completed the self
      reported Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10). Studies were analyzed quantitatively.
      RESULTS: Forty cricopharyngeal myotomies were performed (mean age 76 years; SD
      8.72) all for dysphagia. Symptomatic improvement (change in EAT-10 scores)
      occurred in 95% (38/40). Presurgical versus postsurgical VFSS demonstrated
      significantly improved pharyngoesophageal segment opening, pharyngeal
      constriction ratio, and pouch residue (P < .01). Symptomatic improvement was
      unrelated to the presence of retained barium. CONCLUSION: Both symptomatic and
      objective improvement in swallowing measures occurs after cricopharyngeal
      myotomy. Pouch remnants and retained barium are seen postoperatively but do not
      correlate with reported symptoms. Routine follow-up barium studies may be needed
      to establish a new baseline and allow for comparison if future symptom recurrence
      occurs.

PMID- 28644553
TI  - Structural insights into the inclusion complexes between clomiphene citrate and
      beta-cyclodextrin: The mechanism of preferential isomeric selection.
AB  - A major challenge in pharmaceuticals for clinical applications is to alter the
      solubility, stability, and toxicity of drug molecules in living systems.
      Cyclodextrins (CDs) have the ability to form host-guest inclusion complexes with
      pharmaceuticals for further development of new drug formulations. The inclusion
      complex of clomiphene citrate (CL), a poorly water-soluble drug, with native beta
      cyclodextrin (beta-CD) was characterized by a one and two-dimensional nuclear
      magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic approach and also by molecular docking
      techniques. Here we report NMR and a computational approach in preferential
      isomeric selection of CL, which exists in two stereochemical isomers,
      enclomiphene citrate (ENC; E isomer) and zuclomiphene citrate (ZNC; Z isomer)
      with beta-CD. beta-CD cavity protons, namely, H-3' and H-5', experienced
      shielding in the presence of CL. The aromatic ring protons of the CL molecule
      were observed to be deshielded in the presence of beta-CD. The stoichiometric
      ratio of the beta-CD:CL inclusion complex was observed by NMR and found to be
      1:1. The overall binding constant of beta-CD:CL inclusion complexes was based on
      NMR chemical shifts and was calculated to be 50.21 M-1 . The change in Gibb's
      free energy (?G) was calculated to be -9.80 KJ mol-1 . The orientation and
      structure of the beta-CD:CL inclusion complexes are proposed on the basis of NMR
      and molecular docking studies. 2D 1 H-1 H ROESY confirmed the involvement of all
      three aromatic rings of CL in the inclusion complexation with beta-CD in the
      solution, confirming the multiple equilibria between beta-CD and CL. Molecular
      docking and 2D 1 H-1 H ROESY provide insight into the inclusion complexation of
      two isomers of CL into the beta-CD cavity. A molecular docking technique further
      provided the different binding affinities of the E and Z isomers of CL with beta
      CD and confirmed the preference of the Z isomer binding for beta-CD:CL inclusion
      complexes. The study indicates that the formation of a hydrogen bond between -O-
      of CL and the hydrogen atom of the hydroxyl group of beta-CD was the main factor
      for noncovalent beta-CD:CL inclusion complex formation and stabilization in the
      aqueous phase.

PMID- 28644554
TI  - N5 ,N10 -methylenetetrahydromethanopterin reductase from Methanocaldococcus
      jannaschii also serves as a methylglyoxal reductase.
AB  - In Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, methylglyoxal (MG) is required for aromatic
      amino acid biosynthesis. Previously, the reduction of MG to lactaldehyde in
      Methanocaldococcus jannaschii cell extracts using either NADPH or F420 H2 was
      demonstrated; however, the enzyme responsible was not identified. Using NADPH as
      the reductant, the unknown enzyme was purified from cell extracts of
      Methanocaldococcus jannaschii and determined to be the F420 -dependent N5 ,N10 
      methylenetetrahydromethanopterin reductase (Mer). Here, we report that the
      recombinantly overexpressed Mer is able to use NADPH and MG (KM of 1.6 and 1.0
      mm, respectively) to produce lactaldehyde. Additionally, Mer does not catalyze
      the reduction of MG to lactaldehyde in the presence of reduced Fo, the precursor
      of F420 .

PMID- 28644555
TI  - A Self-Assembled Trigonal Prismatic Molecular Vessel for Catalytic Dehydration
      Reactions in Water.
AB  - A water-soluble Pd6 trigonal prism (A) was synthesized by two-component
      coordination-driven self-assembly of a PdII 90 degrees  acceptor with a
      tetraimidazole donor. The walls of the prism are constructed by three conjugated
      aromatic building blocks, which means that the confined pocket of the prism is
      hydrophobic. In addition to the hydrophobic cavity, large product egress windows
      make A an ideal molecular vessel to catalyze otherwise challenging pseudo
      multicomponent dehydration reactions in its confined nanospace in aqueous medium.
      This study is an attempt at selective generation of the intermediate tetraketones
      and xanthenes by fine-tuning the reaction conditions employing a supramolecular
      molecular vessel. Moreover, either poor or no yield of the dehydrated products in
      the absence of A under similar reaction conditions supports the ability of the
      confined space of the barrel to promote such reactions in water. Furthermore, we
      focused on the rigidification of the tetraphenylethylene-based tetraimidazole
      unit anchored within the PdII coordination architecture; enabling counter-anion
      dependent aggregation induced emission in the presence of water.

PMID- 28644556
TI  - Sinus augmentation using a mini-pig model: Effect of ceramic and allogeneic bone
      biomaterials.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Present clinical practice broadly relies on off-the-shelf allogeneic,
      xenogeneic or synthetic bone biomaterials in support of sinus augmentation. Also,
      recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 in an absorbable collagen sponge
      carrier (rhBMP-2/ACS) has been shown to support clinically relevant bone
      formation when used to augment the maxillary sinus. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate local
      bone formation/dental implant osseointegration following implantation of two
      particulate bone biomaterials using the mini-pig sinus augmentation model.
      METHODS: Nine adult Gottingen mini-pigs were used for evaluation of a biphasic
      ceramic (15%/85% HA/beta-TCP) and an allogeneic mineralized bone biomaterial.
      Treatments randomized to contralateral sinus sites included sham-surgery
      (control) and biomaterials. Two threaded dental implants (o4.0 * 11.5 mm) were
      placed at each sinus site. The animals were euthanized at 8 weeks for histologic
      analysis. RESULTS: Execution of the surgical protocol and healing was
      unremarkable. Limited infraorbital swelling was observed until suture removal.
      The biphasic ceramic and allogeneic bone biomaterials produced significantly
      increased bone formation (5.2 +/- 1.9 mm and 4.9 +/- 1.6 mm vs. 2.6 +/- 0.5 mm, p
      < 0.05) and osseointegration (18.0 +/- 6.0% and 25.1 +/- 18.2% vs. 10.1 +/- 8.0%,
      p < 0.05) over the sham-surgery control. No significant differences were observed
      between biomaterials. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of biphasic ceramic or allogeneic
      bone biomaterials enhances bone formation in the mini-pig maxillary sinus,
      however, dental implant bone support is incomplete resulting in overall limited
      osseointegration.

PMID- 28644557
TI  - Selective Arterial Embolization for the Treatment of Sacral and Pelvic Giant Cell
      Tumor: A Systematic Review.
AB  - Giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB) is a locally aggressive tumor with a certain
      distant metastatic rate. For sacral GCT (SGCT) and pelvic GCT (PGCT), surgery has
      its limitations, especially for unresectable or recurrent tumors. Selective
      arterial embolization (SAE) is reported to be an option for treatment in several
      cases, but there are few systematic reviews on the effects of SAE on SGCT and/or
      PGCT. Medline and Embase databases were searched for eligible English articles.
      Inclusion and exclusion criteria were conducted before searching. All the
      clinical factors were measured by SPSS software, with P-values <=0.05 considered
      statistically significant. A total of 9 articles were retrieved, including 44
      patients receiving SAE ranging from 1 to 10 times. During the mean follow-up
      period of 85.8 months, the radiographic response rate was 81.8%, with a local
      control and overall survival rate of 75% and 81.8%, respectively. No bowel,
      bladder, or sexual dysfunction was observed. Three patients developed distant
      metastases and finally died. Patients with primary tumors tended to have better
      prognosis than those with recurrence (P = 0.039). The favorable outcomes of SAE
      suggest that it may be an alternative treatment for SGCT and PGCT patients for
      whom surgery is not appropriate.

PMID- 28644558
TI  - Current understanding of cancer stem cells: Review of their radiobiology and role
      in head and neck cancers.
AB  - Evidence of cancer cells that bear attributes analogous to those of normal stem
      cells has developed a hierarchical model of cancer's architecture and
      progression. This subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs) drives the progression and
      therapy resistance of cancers. Research to identify the phenotypes of these CSCs
      presents evidence of a subpopulation that is more resistant to therapy and may
      proliferate in response. Literature shows that CSCs typically represent around 1%
      10% of cell populations in head and neck cancer but this proportion may increase
      in response to a therapeutic radiation dose. This is shown to be not just as a
      result of preferential killing, but also their capacity to alter divisional
      dynamics and enlist the support of a complicit microenvironment in therapy
      resistance and proliferation. The CSCs represent the apex of a hierarchy in the
      heterogeneity of cancer cells and may be seen as the agents of treatment failure,
      metastasis, and tumor recurrence, the principal cause of mortality in head and
      neck cancers. Greater than 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell
      carcinomas (HNSCCs), and among these an increasing incidence of the involvement
      of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is reported. Chemoradiotherapy along with
      surgical resection are the interventions of choice for control and cure of HNSCC,
      but given CSCs therapy resistance and proliferative responses to radiation, the
      identification and understanding of the radiobiology of this subpopulation is
      critical to their targeted elimination. This article reviews the current evidence
      on CSC generally and in HNSCC specifically to identify their phenotype, evaluate
      their responses to radiotherapy, and evaluate the defensive mechanisms used to
      resist therapeutic control.

PMID- 28644559
TI  - Evaluating Dihydroazulene/Vinylheptafulvene Photoswitches for Solar Energy
      Storage Applications.
AB  - Efficient solar energy storage is a key challenge in striving toward a
      sustainable future. For this reason, molecules capable of solar energy storage
      and release through valence isomerization, for so-called molecular solar thermal
      energy storage (MOST), have been investigated. Energy storage by photoconversion
      of the dihydroazulene/vinylheptafulvene (DHA/VHF) photothermal couple has been
      evaluated. The robust nature of this system is determined through multiple energy
      storage and release cycles at elevated temperatures in three different solvents.
      In a nonpolar solvent such as toluene, the DHA/VHF system can be cycled more than
      70 times with less than 0.01 % degradation per cycle. Moreover, the [Cu(CH3 CN)4
      ]PF6 -catalyzed conversion of VHF into DHA was demonstrated in a flow reactor.
      The performance of the DHA/VHF couple was also evaluated in prototype
      photoconversion devices, both in the laboratory by using a flow chip under
      simulated sunlight and under outdoor conditions by using a parabolic mirror.
      Device experiments demonstrated a solar energy storage efficiency of up to 0.13 %
      in the chip device and up to 0.02 % in the parabolic collector. Avenues for
      future improvements and optimization of the system are also discussed.

PMID- 28644560
TI  - Identification and characterization of ARS-like sequences as putative origin(s)
      of replication in human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
AB  - DNA replication is a fundamental process in genome maintenance, and initiates
      from several genomic sites (origins) in eukaryotes. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae,
      conserved sequences known as autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs) provide a
      landing pad for the origin recognition complex (ORC), leading to replication
      initiation. Although origins from higher eukaryotes share some common sequence
      features, the definitive genomic organization of these sites remains elusive. The
      human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum undergoes multiple rounds of DNA
      replication; therefore, control of initiation events is crucial to ensure proper
      replication. However, the sites of DNA replication initiation and the mechanism
      by which replication is initiated are poorly understood. Here, we have identified
      and characterized putative origins in P. falciparum by bioinformatics analyses
      and experimental approaches. An autocorrelation measure method was initially used
      to search for regions with marked fluctuation (dips) in the chromosome, which we
      hypothesized might contain potential origins. Indeed, S. cerevisiae ARS consensus
      sequences were found in dip regions. Several of these P. falciparum sequences
      were validated with chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR, nascent
      strand abundance and a plasmid stability assay. Subsequently, the same sequences
      were used in yeast to confirm their potential as origins in vivo. Our results
      identify the presence of functional ARSs in P. falciparum and provide meaningful
      insights into replication origins in these deadly parasites. These data could be
      useful in designing transgenic vectors with improved stability for transfection
      in P. falciparum.

PMID- 28644561
TI  - The redox-sensitive module of cyclophilin 20-3, 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin and
      cysteine synthase integrates sulfur metabolism and oxylipin signaling in the high
      light acclimation response.
AB  - The integration of redox- and reactive oxygen species-dependent signaling and
      metabolic activities is fundamental to plant acclimation to biotic and abiotic
      stresses. Previous data suggest the existence of a dynamically interacting module
      in the chloroplast stroma consisting of cyclophilin 20-3 (Cyp20-3), O
      acetylserine(thiol)lyase B (OASTL-B), 2-cysteine peroxiredoxins A/B (2-CysPrx)
      and serine acetyltransferase 2;1 (SERAT2;1). The functionality of this COPS
      module is influenced by redox stimuli and oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA), which is
      the precursor for jasmonic acid. The concept of an integrating function of these
      proteins in stress signaling was challenged by combining transcriptome and
      biochemical analyses in Arabidopsis mutants devoid of oastlB, serat2;1, cyp20-3
      and 2-cysprxA/B, and wild-type (WT). Leaf transcriptomes were analyzed 6 h after
      transfer to light intensity 10-fold in excess of growth light or under growth
      light. The survey of KEGG-based gene ontology groups showed common upregulation
      of translation- and protein homeostasis-associated transcripts under control
      conditions in all mutants compared with WT. The results revealed that the
      interference of the module was accompanied with disturbance of carbohydrate,
      sulfur and nitrogen metabolism, and also citric acid cycle intermediates. Apart
      from common regulation, specific responses at the transcriptome and metabolite
      level linked Cyp20-3 to cell wall-bound carbohydrates and oxylipin signaling, and
      2-CysPrx to photosynthesis, sugar and amino acid metabolism. Deletion of either
      OASTL-B or SERAT2;1 frequently induced antagonistic changes in biochemical or
      molecular features. Enhanced sensitivity of mutant seedlings to OPDA and leaf
      discs to NaHS-administration confirmed the presumed functional interference of
      the COPS module in redox and oxylipin signaling.

PMID- 28644562
TI  - Efficacy of ipragliflozin as monotherapy or as add-on therapy with other oral
      antidiabetic medications for treating type 2 diabetes in Japanese patients with
      inadequate glycemic control: A subgroup analysis based on patient
      characteristics.
AB  - AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and
      safety of ipragliflozin in treating Japanese type 2 diabetes patients with
      inadequate glycemic control by investigating diurnal variations of blood glucose
      and body composition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an investigator-initiated,
      multicenter, prospective study with a 6-month treatment period. The primary
      outcome investigated was change in hemoglobin A1c levels from baseline. Secondary
      outcomes included changes in fasting plasma glucose, insulin resistance,
      variations in 24-h glucose levels detected by continuous glucose monitoring,
      bodyweight, body composition, waist circumference and serum lipids. Adverse
      events were evaluated throughout the study. RESULTS: A total of 98 patients
      completed the study. Over the 6-month period, ipragliflozin-treated patients
      showed reduction in hemoglobin A1c levels by 0.3%, fasting plasma glucose levels
      by 13.0 mg/dL, bodyweight by 2.1 kg, body fat mass by 1.5 kg and extracellular
      water by 0.3 kg, as well as a decrease in systolic/diastolic blood pressures.
      Significant reductions from baseline in mean amplitude of glucose excursions and
      standard deviation, and the reduced frequency of hyperglycemia were confirmed.
      High-density lipoprotein cholesterol was also significantly improved. Notably,
      the subgroup analysis of hemoglobin A1c levels, bodyweight, waist circumference,
      and body composition based on age, sex and body mass index showed similar
      reductions within each subgroup. The incidences of adverse events and adverse
      drug reactions were 20.0% and 1.0%, respectively, over the 6-month period.
      CONCLUSIONS: Ipragliflozin is a useful oral antidiabetic medication for patients
      with a wide range of background characteristics.

PMID- 28644563
TI  - Gas-phase dissociation study of erythrinian alkaloids by electrospray ionization
      mass spectrometry and computational methods.
AB  - Alkaloids from plants of the genus Erythrina display important biological
      activities, including anxiolytic action. Characterization of these alkaloids by
      mass spectrometry (MS) has contributed to the construction of a spectral library,
      has improved understanding of their structures and has supported the proposal of
      fragmentation mechanisms in light of density functional calculations. In this
      study, we have used low-resolution and high-resolution MSn analyses to
      investigate the fragmentation patterns of erythrinian alkaloids; we have employed
      the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) model to obtain their reactive sites. To suggest the
      fragmentation mechanism of these alkaloids, we have studied their protonation
      sites by density functional calculation, and we have obtained their molecular
      electrostatic potential map and their gas-phase basicity values. These analyses
      have indicated the most basic sites on the basis of the proton affinities of the
      nitrogen and oxygen atoms. The protonated molecules were generated by two major
      fragmentations, namely, neutral loss of CH3 OH followed by elimination of H2 O.
      High-resolution analysis confirmed elimination of NH3 by comparison with the
      losses of H2 and *CH3 . NH3 was eliminated from compounds that did not bear a
      substituent on ring C. The benzylic carbocation initiated the dissociation
      mechanism, and the first reaction involved charge transfer from a lone pair of
      electrons in the oxygen atoms. The second reaction consisted of ring contraction
      with loss of a CO molecule. The presence of hydroxy and epoxy groups could change
      the intensity or the occurrence of the fragmentation pathways. Given that
      erythrinian alkaloids are applied in therapeutics and are promising leads for the
      development of new drugs, the present results could aid identification of several
      analogues of these alkaloids in biological samples and advance pharmacokinetic
      studies of new plant derivatives based on MSn and MS/MS analyses. Copyright (c)
      2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PMID- 28644564
TI  - Methacrylate-based root canal sealer containing chlorexidine and alpha-tricalcium
      phosphate.
AB  - The aim of this study was to develop and to characterize a methacrylate-based
      root canal sealer containing chlorhexidine (CHX) and alpha-tricalcium phosphate
      (alpha-TCP). Experimental dual cure methacrylate-based sealer was produced
      containing 0, 2.5, or 5 wt% of CHX and 0, 25, or 50 wt% of alpha-TCP.
      Experimental sealers were evaluated based on flow, film thickness, radiopacity,
      degree of conversion (DC), degradation in water, pH and antibacterial activity.
      Flow ranged from 15.09 +/- 0.11 to 17.47 +/- 0.42 mm. All groups presented mean
      film thickness lower than 50 um and had radiopacity equivalent to 3 mmAl. DC was
      higher than 60% for all compositions. The weight loss (WL) ranged 0.12-3.47%. The
      groups containing 5% of CHX presented the highest WL and the lower pH values
      after 28 days of water immersion. All chlorexidine-compositions exhibited
      antibacterial efficacy against Enterococcus faecalis on direct contact and agar
      diffusion tests. CHX and alpha-TCP addition at an experimental methacrylate-based
      root canal sealer influenced the physicochemical properties and provided
      antibacterial properties. The incorporation of CHX and alpha-TCP could be an
      alternative to antibacterial sealers with potential to improve periapical healing
      in endodontic treatments. (c) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomater Res Part B:
      106B: 1439-1443, 2018.

PMID- 28644565
TI  - Long-term risk of infection in patients with Crohn's disease on anti-TNF
      treatment: A prospective single-center cohort study in China.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the long-term risk of infection
      in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) on infliximab (IFX) therapy. METHODS: All
      CD patients treated with IFX were recruited from January 2008 to December 2015.
      Their characteristics and infectious events during IFX therapy were prospectively
      collected, and the risk of infection was evaluated using Cox regression. RESULTS:
      Seventy CD patients receiving IFX were consecutively recruited. During a median
      of 15 months, 15 patients experienced 17 infectious events which occurred within
      a median of 21 weeks after the initiation of IFX therapy. Of 17 infectious
      events, eight were viral infections, six were bacterial infections, and the
      others were fungal infections. IFX was discontinued in 6 (40.0%) out of 15 cases
      due to infections. Compared with those without infections, patients with
      infectious events were more likely of Montreal B1 (inflammatory) behavior, with
      concomitant use of systemic corticosteroids when infliximab was started but less
      mucosal healing when infections occurred (P < 0.05). By Cox hazard ratio (HR)
      analysis, patients with B1 behavior had a higher risk of developing infections
      than those with B3 (fistulizing) behavior (HR 4.897, P = 0.010). Successful
      corticosteroid withdrawal (HR 0.275, P = 0.035) or mucosal healing (HR 0.155, P =
      0.002) were associated with a lower risk of infections. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term
      use of IFX in CD patients has a high risk of infections. Failure in mucosal
      healing and increased concomitant use of systemic corticosteroids are independent
      risk factors of infections during IFX therapy.

PMID- 28644566
TI  - Clinical characteristics and outcome of liver transplantation for Alagille
      syndrome in children.

PMID- 28644567
TI  - Reliability of surface electromyography measurements from the suprahyoid muscle
      complex.
AB  - Assessment of swallowing musculature using motor evoked potentials (MEPs) can be
      used to evaluate neural pathways. However, recording of the swallowing
      musculature is often invasive, uncomfortable and unrealistic in normal clinical
      practice. To investigate the possibility of using the suprahyoid muscle complex
      (SMC) using surface electromyography (sEMG) to assess changes to neural pathways
      by determining the reliability of measurements in healthy participants over days.
      Seventeen healthy participants were recruited. Measurements were performed twice
      with one week between sessions. Single-pulse (at 120% and 140% of the resting
      motor threshold (rMT)) and paired-pulse (2 ms and 15 ms paired pulse)
      transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were used to elicit MEPs in the SMC which
      were recorded using sEMG. ~50% of participants (range: 42-58%; depending on
      stimulus type/intensity) had significantly different MEP values between day 1 and
      day 2 for single-pulse and paired-pulse TMS. A large stimulus artefact resulted
      in MEP responses that could not be assessed in four participants. The assessment
      of the SMC using sEMG following TMS was poorly reliable for ~50% of participants.
      Although using sEMG to assess swallowing musculature function is easier to
      perform clinically and more comfortable to patients than invasive measures, as
      the measurement of muscle activity using TMS is unreliable, the use of sEMG for
      this muscle group is not recommended and requires further research and
      development.

PMID- 28644568
TI  - Treatment of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder in a cohort of young
      patients in a partial hospitalization program for eating disorders.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a recently named
      condition to classify patients who present with restricted nutritional intake
      without body image distortion or fear of weight gain. We sought to compare
      treatment outcomes of patients with ARFID in a family-centered partial hospital
      program (PHP) to those with other eating disorders (ED). METHOD: A retrospective
      chart review of 130 patients 7-17 years of age admitted to the program from 2008
      to 2012 was performed. Intake and discharge data included: length of stay;
      percentage median body mass index (%MBMI); and scores on the Children's Eating
      Attitudes Test (ChEAT) and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS).
      Between and within group effects were measured for intake and discharge data.
      RESULTS: Patients with ARFID spent significantly fewer weeks in program than
      those with anorexia nervosa (AN) and experienced a similar increase in %MBMI as
      patients with AN and other specified/unspecified feeding and eating disorders.
      All patients exhibited significant improvements in psychopathology over the
      course of treatment as measured by scores on the ChEAT and RCMAS. DISCUSSION: Our
      findings suggest that patients with ARFID can be successfully treated in the same
      PHP as patients with other ED, with comparable improvements in weight and
      psychopathology over a shorter time period. Results are limited to patients with
      ARFID who exhibit an acute onset of severe food restriction. Future research
      should incorporate measures relevant to the diagnosis of ARFID and explore how
      patients with different ARFID subtypes may respond to various treatments.

PMID- 28644569
TI  - Gastrointestinal stromal tumours of the oesophagus: a clinicopathological and
      molecular analysis of 27 cases.
AB  - AIMS: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) may arise anywhere in the
      gastrointestinal tract, but are rare in the oesophagus. We describe the clinical,
      pathological and molecular characteristics of 27 primary oesophageal GISTs, the
      largest series to date. METHODS AND RESULTS: DNA was extracted and exons 9, 11,
      13 and 17 of KIT, exons 12, 14 and 18 of PDGFRA and exon 15 of BRAF were
      amplified and sequenced. Oesophageal GISTs occurred in 14 men and 13 women aged
      between 22 and 80 years (mean: 56 years). All 27 cases were immunohistochemically
      positive for KIT, and 92 and 47% co-expressed CD34 or smooth muscle actin,
      respectively. Fifteen (71% of analysed cases) harboured KIT exon 11 mutations and
      one case each had a mutation in KIT exon 13 (K642E) or BRAF exon 15 (V600E). Long
      term follow-up data (median, 96.5 months) were obtained for 20 cases; two
      patients had metastases at presentation and seven had developed local recurrence
      and/or metastasis after surgery. A large tumour size (>= 10 cm), high mitotic
      rate (> 5/5 mm2 ), presence of a deletion mutation in KIT exon 11 involving
      codons 557-558 and a positive microscopic margin were associated with recurrence
      and metastasis. The KIT mutations identified in oesophageal GISTs are similar to
      those observed in gastric GISTs. CONCLUSIONS: Complete surgical resection with
      clear margins is recommended, if technically feasible, and genotyping can help to
      improve diagnosis and further patient management in oesophageal GIST.

PMID- 28644570
TI  - Clinical and genetic analysis of patients with cherubism.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and genetic features of patients with
      cherubism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive analysis of 14 cases from nine
      different families was carried out. Clinicopathological, imaging, and follow-up
      data were retrieved from patients' medical files and correlated with the genetic
      profile of each patient. Genomic DNA isolated from buccal mucosa cells was
      subjected to direct sequencing analysis of the SH3BP2 gene. RESULTS: Females were
      more affected than males (8:6), and the mean age at diagnosis was 8.6 years
      (range 3-30 years). Eleven patients exhibited simultaneous bilateral involvement
      of the maxilla and mandible. Two patients did not have a familial history of
      cherubism. Progressive growth pattern was found in six patients and stable
      lesions were observed in other seven patients, whereas in one patient, complete
      spontaneous remission was documented during the follow-up (31 years). Mutations
      were found in 13 cases and included the typical heterozygous missense mutations
      R415Q, P418T, and P418H at exon 9 of SH3BP2. No correlation between the mutations
      and the clinical manifestations was observed. CONCLUSION: Three different point
      mutations in the SH3BP2 gene were detected with variable clinical involvement.
      Genotype-phenotype association studies in larger population with cherubism are
      necessary to provide important knowledge about molecular mechanisms related to
      the disease.

PMID- 28644571
TI  - Difference between respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartomas and small
      malignant tumours of the olfactory cleft on CT scans in forty-six patients.

PMID- 28644572
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28644573
TI  - Characteristics of Integrons and Associated Gene Cassettes in Antibiotic
      Resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from Free-Ranging Food Animals in China.
AB  - We investigated the occurrence of integrons in antibiotic-resistant Escherichia
      coli strains isolated from free-ranging food animals, including yaks, piglets,
      and chickens, in China, and characterized the gene cassettes harbored within the
      integrons. We examined 432 E. coli strains that exhibited resistance to at least
      one class of antibiotics. Integrase genes and associated gene cassettes were
      characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, restriction fragment
      length polymorphism, DNA sequencing, conjugation experiments, and plasmid
      analysis. Twenty-nine (6.7%) integrons were amplified from the 432 antimicrobial
      resistant (AMR) isolates evaluated. Specifically, class 1 and 2 integrons were
      detected in 26 (6%) and 3 (0.7%) strains, respectively. Meanwhile, 6 different
      gene cassettes, dfrA1, dfr12, aadA1, aadA2, sat1, and orfF, were detected within
      6 variable regions (VRs), of which the dfrA1 + aadA1 array was the most common,
      identified in 12 of 26 class 1 integrons (46.1%). Meanwhile, only one class 2
      integron contained a cassette, and the remaining two contained undetermined VRs.
      Finally, a conjugation assay confirmed the transfer of 4 different types of class
      1 integrons into recipient strains, with plasmid sizes ranging from 20 to 30 kb.
      This is the first report examining the baseline AMR characteristics of E. coli
      within an extensive farming system of livestock animals in China. Given that
      integrons were detected in >6% of resistant E. coli strains, precautionary
      measures are required to prevent the spread of mobile genetic resistance
      determinants in food animals and monitor their emergence.

PMID- 28644574
TI  - Effect of an impaired oral stage on swallowing in patients with Parkinson's
      disease.
AB  - We investigated the swallowing function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD)
      using deteriorated tongue control because patients with PD frequently exhibit an
      impaired oral stage of swallowing and the tongue movement affects oral and
      pharyngeal stage. In total, 201 patients with PD (106 men, 95 women; mean age
      70.6 +/- 8.0 years; median Hoehn-Yahr Stage III) were studied. The patients
      swallowed 10 mL of liquid barium under videofluorography, and their oral transit
      time (OTT) was measured. Based on 20 healthy controls (mean age 70.3 +/- 7.8
      years) with an OTT + 2 standard deviation (0.89 + 2 * 0.46) of 1.81 s, the
      patients with PD were divided into 167 patients with an OTT < 1.81 s and 34
      patients with an OTT >= 1.81 s. Swallowing function was compared between the
      groups and assessed using logistic regression analysis. The following factors
      were significantly associated with oral stage impairment in both groups: tongue
      to-palate contact, tongue root-to-posterior pharyngeal wall contact, premature
      spillage into the pharynx, aspiration and onset of swallowing reflex. Logistic
      regression analysis showed that tongue root-to-posterior pharyngeal wall contact,
      onset of swallowing reflex and aspiration were independent factors. PD patients
      with prolonged OTT displayed poor lingual control and decreased range of motion
      of the tongue due to bradykinesia and rigidity. Such problems in the oral stage
      affected the subsequent pharyngeal stage of swallowing with aspiration. Lingual
      movement in the oral stage thus appears to play an important role in the
      sequential movement of swallowing in PD.

PMID- 28644575
TI  - Comparison of 10-day levofloxacin bismuth-based quadruple therapy and
      levofloxacin-based triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This was a prospective study aiming to investigate whether
      levofloxacin plus bismuth-based quadruple therapy was more effective than
      levofloxacin-based triple therapy after failed first-line eradication therapies
      for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients
      infected with H. pylori were randomly assigned to two groups; the levofloxacin
      plus bismuth-based quadruple therapy group (RBAL [n = 33]; rabeprazole 20 mg
      twice daily, bismuth subcitrate 120 mg four times daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice
      daily and levofloxacin 500 mg once daily, for 10 days) and the levofloxacin-based
      triple therapy group (RAL [n = 34]; rabeprazole 20 mg twice daily, amoxicillin 1
      g twice daily and levofloxacin 500 mg once daily, for 10 days). Endoscopy was
      performed 4-8 weeks after H. pylori eradication to assess treatment response. We
      followed up patient response and compliance and checked their resistance to
      antibiotics. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed that both groups had
      similar eradication rates (RBAL vs RAL: 84.8% [95% confidence interval {CI} 72.6
      97.1%] vs 67.6% [95% CI 51.9-83.4%], P = 0.0987). No significant differences in
      compliance or adverse events were found (P = 0.9829 and 0.0720). Epsilometer test
      showed that most eradication failure cases were levofloxacin-resistant.
      CONCLUSIONS: Adding bismuth subcitrate to levofloxacin-based triple therapy was
      not more effective than not doing so, but no further side effects were noted.
      Both eradication therapies were equally safe and patients had the same tolerance
      to both regimens. Resistance rate to levofloxacin may be important when choosing
      second-line therapy.

PMID- 28644576
TI  - Size-dependence of tree growth response to drought for Norway spruce and European
      beech individuals in monospecific and mixed-species stands.
AB  - Climate anomalies have resulted in changing forest productivity, increasing tree
      mortality in Central and Southern Europe. This has resulted in more severe and
      frequent ecological disturbances to forest stands. This study analysed the size
      dependence of growth response to drought years based on 384 tree individuals of
      Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and European beech [Fagus sylvatica
      ([L.)] in Bavaria, Germany. Samples were collected in both monospecific and mixed
      species stands. To quantify the growth response to drought stress, indices for
      basal area increment, resistance, recovery and resilience were calculated from
      tree ring measurements of increment cores. Linear mixed models were developed to
      estimate the influence of drought periods. The results show that ageing-related
      growth decline is significant in drought years. Drought resilience and resistance
      decrease significantly with growth size among Norway spruce individuals. Evidence
      is also provided for robustness in the resilience capacity of European beech
      during drought stress. Spruce benefits from species mixing with deciduous beech,
      with over-yielding spruce in pure stands. The importance of the influence of size
      dependence within tree growth studies during disturbances is highlighted and
      should be considered in future studies of disturbances, including drought.

PMID- 28644577
TI  - Evidence of fuels management and fire weather influencing fire severity in an
      extreme fire event.
AB  - Following changes in vegetation structure and pattern, along with a changing
      climate, large wildfire incidence has increased in forests throughout the western
      United States. Given this increase, there is great interest in whether fuels
      treatments and previous wildfire can alter fire severity patterns in large
      wildfires. We assessed the relative influence of previous fuels treatments
      (including wildfire), fire weather, vegetation, and water balance on fire
      severity in the Rim Fire of 2013. We did this at three different spatial scales
      to investigate whether the influences on fire severity changed across scales.
      Both fuels treatments and previous low to moderate-severity wildfire reduced the
      prevalence of high-severity fire. In general, areas without recent fuels
      treatments and areas that previously burned at high severity tended to have a
      greater proportion of high-severity fire in the Rim Fire. Areas treated with
      prescribed fire, especially when combined with thinning, had the lowest
      proportions of high severity. The proportion of the landscape burned at high
      severity was most strongly influenced by fire weather and proportional area
      previously treated for fuels or burned by low to moderate severity wildfire. The
      proportion treated needed to effectively reduce the amount of high severity fire
      varied by spatial scale of analysis, with smaller spatial scales requiring a
      greater proportion treated to see an effect on fire severity. When moderate and
      high-severity fire encountered a previously treated area, fire severity was
      significantly reduced in the treated area relative to the adjacent untreated
      area. Our results show that fuels treatments and low to moderate-severity
      wildfire can reduce fire severity in a subsequent wildfire, even when burning
      under fire growth conditions. These results serve as further evidence that both
      fuels treatments and lower severity wildfire can increase forest resilience.

PMID- 28644578
TI  - The chorda tympani retractor in stapedectomy.

PMID- 28644579
TI  - Pairing field methods to improve inference in wildlife surveys while
      accommodating detection covariance.
AB  - It is common to use multiple field sampling methods when implementing wildlife
      surveys to compare method efficacy or cost efficiency, integrate distinct pieces
      of information provided by separate methods, or evaluate method-specific biases
      and misclassification error. Existing models that combine information from
      multiple field methods or sampling devices permit rigorous comparison of method
      specific detection parameters, enable estimation of additional parameters such as
      false-positive detection probability, and improve occurrence or abundance
      estimates, but with the assumption that the separate sampling methods produce
      detections independently of one another. This assumption is tenuous if methods
      are paired or deployed in close proximity simultaneously, a common practice that
      reduces the additional effort required to implement multiple methods and reduces
      the risk that differences between method-specific detection parameters are
      confounded by other environmental factors. We develop occupancy and spatial
      capture-recapture models that permit covariance between the detections produced
      by different methods, use simulation to compare estimator performance of the new
      models to models assuming independence, and provide an empirical application
      based on American marten (Martes americana) surveys using paired remote cameras,
      hair catches, and snow tracking. Simulation results indicate existing models that
      assume that methods independently detect organisms produce biased parameter
      estimates and substantially understate estimate uncertainty when this assumption
      is violated, while our reformulated models are robust to either methodological
      independence or covariance. Empirical results suggested that remote cameras and
      snow tracking had comparable probability of detecting present martens, but that
      snow tracking also produced false-positive marten detections that could
      potentially substantially bias distribution estimates if not corrected for.
      Remote cameras detected marten individuals more readily than passive hair
      catches. Inability to photographically distinguish individual sex did not appear
      to induce negative bias in camera density estimates; instead, hair catches
      appeared to produce detection competition between individuals that may have been
      a source of negative bias. Our model reformulations broaden the range of
      circumstances in which analyses incorporating multiple sources of information can
      be robustly used, and our empirical results demonstrate that using multiple field
      methods can enhance inferences regarding ecological parameters of interest and
      improve understanding of how reliably survey methods sample these parameters.

PMID- 28644581
TI  - Doolin Lecture 2016: 'Capacity: A quart into a pint glass' Professor Patrick
      Plunkett. Clinical Professor, Emergency Medicine.

PMID- 28644580
TI  - A free ride? An analysis of the association of casino bus tours and problem
      gambling among older adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Little research has examined the relationship between
      incentives used by gambling venues to attract customers and the experience of
      gambling-related harm. Organized and subsidized bus tours are a common example of
      such incentives. The aim of this study was to examine whether bus-tour patronage
      was associated with increased odds of problem gambling among older adults. This
      study also compared rates of bus-tour use by socio-demographic characteristics
      and gambling behaviours. DESIGN: Pearson's chi2 tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests
      were applied for bivariate analyses. Multivariate generalized mixed-effects
      regression modelling was used to examine the relationship between bus-tour
      patronage and problem gambling while controlling for possible confounding
      factors. SETTING: Seven gambling venues located in Central and Southwestern
      Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1978 gambling venue patrons over the
      age of 55 years. MEASUREMENTS: Problem gambling as indicated by the Problem
      Gambling Severity Index, bus-tour patronage in the 12 months prior to the survey,
      spending per gambling visit and past-month slot machine participation. FINDINGS:
      Regression analyses showed that bus-tour patronage was associated with higher
      odds of problem gambling [odds ratio (OR) = 1.71, confidence interval (CI) =
      1.06, 2.76] after controlling for several demographic characteristics, type of
      gambling and gambling expenditures. Bivariate analyses showed past-year bus-tour
      patronage was associated with more frequent slot machine play (chi2 = 48.16, P <
      0.001), more past-year gambling venue visits (P < 0.001) and lower spending on
      gambling per casino visit (P < 0.001). Compared with non-patrons, bus tour
      patrons were more likely to be female (chi2 = 21.92, P < 0.001), born outside
      Canada (chi2 = 113.18, P < 0.001), above the age of 75 (chi2 = 24.02, P < 0.001)
      and retired (chi2 = 16.60, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: When adjusting for potential
      confounders among older adults, using bus tours to access Canadian gambling
      venues is associated with increased risk of problem gambling. Bus-tour patrons
      are more likely to be female, born outside Canada and above the age of 75 years.

PMID- 28644582
TI  - Sensor Augmented Pump Therapy Use in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

PMID- 28644583
TI  - A Slice of Hospital Toast a Day Keeps the Doctors at Bay.
AB  - Anecdotal evidence over the years has suggested that toast made in hospital, so
      called 'hospital toast' tastes better than toast made at home, or anywhere else
      for that matter. We carried out a prospective, multi-professional study to
      determine the views and the toast eating habits of NHS staff. Fifty members of
      NHS staff were surveyed across two hospital trusts. This included nursing staff,
      doctors from various specialties and allied health professionals. Results were
      overwhelming, a staggering 96% admitted to enjoying a slice of hospital toast
      while at work. In keeping with anecdotal evidence, 92% were adamant that hospital
      toast tasted better with multiple ingenious theories suggested for the reason
      behind this. So the rumours seem to be true, well, according to the 'bread and
      butter' of the NHS anyway; hospital toast tastes better than toast anywhere else.
      It provides fuel to busy healthcare professionals and overall boosts staff morale
      during trying times in the NHS. The mystery behind this magical hospital toast
      remains unsolved.

PMID- 28644584
TI  - Autumn Weather and Winter Increase in Cerebrovascular Disease Mortality.
AB  - Mortality from cerebrovascular disease increases in winter but the cause is
      unclear. Ireland's oceanic climate means that it infrequently experiences
      extremes of weather. We examined how weather patterns relate to stroke mortality
      in Ireland. Seasonal data for Sunshine (% of average), Rainfall (% of average)
      and Temperature (degrees Celsius above average) were collected for autumn
      (September-November) and winter (December-February) using official Irish
      Meteorological Office data. National cerebrovascular mortality data was obtained
      from Quarterly Vital Statistics. Excess winter deaths were calculated by
      subtracting (nadir) 3rd quarter mortality data from subsequent 1st quarter data.
      Data for 12 years were analysed, 2002-2014. Mean winter mortality excess was
      24.7%. Winter mortality correlated with temperature (r=.60, p=0.04). Rise in
      winter mortality correlated strongly with the weather in the preceding autumn
      (Rainfall: r=-0.19 p=0.53, Temperature: r=-0.60, p=0.03, Sunshine, r=0.58,
      p=0.04). Winter cerebrovascular disease mortality appears higher following cool,
      sunny autumns.

PMID- 28644585
TI  - A Cost Minimisation Analysis of NOACs Compared to Warfarin to Attain Therapeutic
      Anticoagulation amongst AF Patients, Pre- and Post- Cardioversion.
AB  - Atrial fibrillation can be managed with anticoagulation and restoration of normal
      sinus rhythm using direct current cardioversion (DCCV). To reduce the risk of
      thromboembolism, anticoagulation pre-and-post DCCV is recommended. This study
      investigates the cost effectiveness of using NOACs compared to warfarin to attain
      therapeutic anticoagulation amongst AF patients pre-and-post DCCV. Propensity
      score matching revealed no statistically significant difference in outcomes from
      using NOACs and Warfarin. A cost minimisation study was performed; demonstrating
      a cost differential of ?209 between those administered NOACs and warfarin pre-
      and post-DCCV. This study demonstrates how using NOACs compared to warfarin to
      attain therapeutic anticoagulation amongst AF patients pre-and-post DCCV is cost
      effective.

PMID- 28644586
TI  - Medical record weight (MRW): a new reliable predictor of hospital stay, morbidity
      and mortality in the hip fracture population?
AB  - We sought to compare the weight of patient's medical records (MRW) to that of
      standardised surgical risk scoring systems in predicting postoperative hospital
      stay, morbidity, and mortality in patients with hip fracture. Patients admitted
      for surgical treatment of a newly diagnosed hip fracture over a 3-month period
      were enrolled. Patients with documented morbidity or mortality had significantly
      heavier medical records. The MRW was equivalent to the age-adjusted Charlson co
      morbidity index and better than the American Society of Anaesthesiologists
      physical status score (ASA), the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for
      the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM,) and Portsmouth-POSSUM score
      (P-POSSUM) in correlation with length of hospital admission, p = .003, 95% CI
      [.15 to .65]. Using logistic regression analysis MRW was as good as, if not
      better, than the other scoring systems at predicting postoperative morbidity and
      90-day mortality. Medical record weight is as good as, or better than, validated
      surgical risk scoring methods. Larger, multicentre studies are required to
      validate its use as a surgical risk prediction tool, and it may in future be
      supplanted by a digital measure of electronic record size. Given its ease of use
      and low cost, it could easily be used in trauma units globally.

PMID- 28644587
TI  - Recent Trends in Vaginal Birth After Caesarean Section.
AB  - In developed countries, caesarean section (CS) rates continue to escalate and in
      Ireland nearly one in three women are now delivered by CS. The purpose of this
      study was to compare the management of women after one previous CS in two large
      Dublin maternity hospitals with the management in two other well-resourced
      countries. Data were analysed for Dublin, Massachusetts in the United States, and
      Hesse in Germany. It was found that since 1990, the CS rate in Dublin has
      increased by much more than in the other areas. This increase may be explained by
      the precipitous fall in the vaginal birth after CS rate because the rates in
      Massachusetts and Hesse in 1990 were initially much lower. Changes in the
      clinical management of women with one previous CS are a major contributor to the
      rising CS rates and are likely to be an ongoing driver of CS rates unless
      clinical practices evolve.

PMID- 28644588
TI  - Clinical Consensus Guidelines on the Application of Cerebrospinal Fluid
      Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis: Recommendations of the Irish
      Network for Biomarkers in Neurodegeneration.
AB  - It is accepted that a lumbar puncture (LP) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
      biomarker analysis support the routine diagnostic work-up for the differential
      diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) within certain patient
      cohorts1. These tests, which measure CSF protein concentrations of amyloid-beta42
      (Abeta42), total tau (t-tau) and phospho tau (p-tau), were recently validated,
      accredited and made available clinically for the first time in Ireland. A working
      group, comprising Irish clinical and scientific researchers, met to review a) the
      validation results; b) international consensus opinions, and c) research and
      clinical evidence as to the clinical utility of CSF biomarker analysis for AD
      dementia diagnosis. The outcome of this meeting was the formulation of a
      consensus statement paper for the benefit of health care professionals involved
      in the diagnosis and management of dementia to ensure appropriate use of these
      biomarker tests in clinical settings in Ireland.

PMID- 28644589
TI  - When do we think it is Safe to Drive after Hand Surgery? - Current Practice and
      Legal Perspective.
AB  - Patients recovering from hand surgery frequently ask when it is safe to drive and
      it is unclear where the responsibility lies; the surgeon, the patient or the
      insurance company. An eight-question survey looking at various aspects of
      clinical practice was circulated to consultant and trainee plastic and
      orthopaedic surgeons in Ireland and the UK. Of the 89 surgeons who replied, (53%)
      felt the decision when to drive was the patient's compared with the insurance
      company (40%) and the surgeon (7%). 80% advised patients to contact their
      insurance company. 87% were unaware of current regulations or guidelines.
      National guidelines were vague and left the decision with the treating doctor.
      Similarly, major insurers advise patients to contact their doctor for advice.
      From a legal standpoint, the patient has a duty of care to other road users to be
      in full control of his vehicle prior to driving, regardless of any advice
      received.

PMID- 28644591
TI  - A Heart for Travel: Travel Health Considerations for Patients with Heart Disease
      and Cardiac Devices.
AB  - Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in adult international
      travellers. Patients living with heart disease should receive specific,
      individualised pre-travel health advice. The purpose of this article is to
      provide evidence-based advice to physicians who are consulted by travellers with
      cardiovascular disease. Fitness-to-travel evaluation will often be conducted by
      the general practitioner but other medical specialists may also be consulted for
      advice. Patients with chronic medical conditions should purchase travel health
      insurance. The general pre-travel health consultation addresses food and water
      safety, insect and animal bite avoidance, malaria chemoprophylaxis, and travel
      vaccinations. Patients with devices such as cardiac pacemakers should be familiar
      with how these may be affected by travel. Cardiac medications may cause adverse
      effects in cold or hot environments, and specific precautions must be followed by
      anticoagulated travellers. The physician should be aware of how to access medical
      care abroad, and of the potential for imported tropical diseases in returned
      travellers.

PMID- 28644590
TI  - MUTYH-Associated Polyposis: The Irish Experience>.
AB  - MUTYH is involved in DNA damage repair. Bi-allelic MUTYH mutations predispose to
      polyposis and gastrointestinal malignancies, distinct genetically from autosomal
      dominant familial adenomatous polyposis coli. Two common European MUTYH mutations
      account for 90% of MUTYH-associated polyposis (MAP). We aimed to examine the
      incidence of MAP in Ireland. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken.
      Patients undergoing MUTYH testing from 2003-2016 were identified by searching
      electronic databases using terms "MUTYH" and "MYH". Phenotypic and genotypic
      details were obtained by chart review. Bi-allelic mutations were confirmed in 26
      individuals (17 families), of whom 16 (62%) developed colorectal malignancies,
      and 22(85%) polyposis. Eleven families had bi-allelic status for one/both common
      European mutations. Regional variation was noted, with over-representation of bi
      allelic mutation carriers in the South-west of Ireland. MAP is under-diagnosed in
      Ireland. Increased awareness is required to facilitate appropriate identification
      and surveillance of bi-allelic mutation carriers for colorectal pathology.

PMID- 28644592
TI  - Diagnosing Lynch Syndrome.

PMID- 28644593
TI  - Challenges to an Uninterrupted Intern Learning Environment.

PMID- 28644594
TI  - A Hard Case to Swallow: Achalasia in Pregnancy.

PMID- 28644595
TI  - Physical Examination in Psychiatric Patients: "Myth or Reality" - Where are the
      guidelines?

PMID- 28644596
TI  - Influenza vaccine uptake amongst in-patients in acute medical unit of a tertiary
      care Irish hospital.

PMID- 28644597
TI  - [CONCLUSIONS].

PMID- 28644598
TI  - ?

PMID- 28644599
TI  - ?

PMID- 28644600
TI  - [Angioplasty, coronarography and coronary artery bypass in France: a geographical
      approach].
AB  - There are major geographic disparities in the practice of coronary angioplasty
      and coronarography in France. Their study shows that the frequency of these
      procedures is linked to the density of private medical practice (cardiologist's
      offices or clinics). This is not observed as far as coronary artery bypass
      surgery is concerned. This indicates an induction effect from simply on demand.
      However, this cannot give indication on the pertinence of those acts since this
      induction effect may as well be beneficial to patients. Nevertheless, this study
      gives an insight to the regulatory authorities (Regional Health Agencies and the
      National "Direction Generale de l'Offre de Soins") which have to manage health
      care system performance on the basis of the principles set out and international
      guidelines so as to provide equal access for all to a quality healthcare system.

PMID- 28644601
TI  - [DNA Ancestry and phenotype markers analyses and French law].
AB  - Since some of the genetic markers involved in the analyses are single nucleotide
      polymorphisms located in protein-coding regions or exons, their analyses are
      today forbidden for forensic application in French law. A recent application of
      the French Criminal Chamber of "Cour de Cassation" indicates that it would be
      possible to perform phenotypic studies and Ancestry Informative Markers (AIM)
      analysis on stain samples but not on samples taken from a body. The authors
      present the results of the HIrisplex test performed on seven bone samples
      belonging to a Mongolian Altai population dated from the late Bronze Age. On
      account of the obtained results, the authors raise the question of the use of
      HIrisplex test on corpses and on skeletonized human remains for their
      identification.

PMID- 28644602
TI  - ?
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the postoperative and medium-term outcomes of
      laparoscopic aortic surgery with those of conventional aortic surgery performed
      by a surgical team trained in laparoscopic aortic surgery. METHODS: A prospective
      study was conducted between January 2006 and December 2011 with 228 consecutive
      patients having undergone aortic bypass surgery for either an abdominal aortic
      aneurysm (n = 139) or an occlusive aortoiliac disease (n = 89). Conventional open
      aortic surgery was carried out in 145 patients, and total laparoscopic repair in
      83 patients. The composite primary endpoint measure grouped together the
      following adverse events (AE): (1) any details < 30 days or later deaths related
      to the operation, (2) postoperative hemorrhage necessitating reoperation, (3)
      myocardial infarction I 30 days. (4) stroke I 30 days, (5) postoperative
      respiratory failure necessitating reintubation or assisted ventilation J 4 days,
      (6) aortic prosthesis infection, (7) aortic prosthesis occlusion, (8) any
      reoperation related to aortic surgery. In order to diminish biases attributable
      to the absence of randomization, the two surgical groups were matched by a
      propensity score enabling analysis of 50 pairs of patients having presented with
      identical preoperative characteristics. Univariate analysis of the AE occurring
      during the first 30 postoperative days was followed by multivariate analysis
      through logistic regression. The incidence rate of AE during follow-up was
      calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the roles of the different
      covariables were analyzed using the Cox model. RESULTS: Univariate analysis of
      the groups adjusted for propensity score showed that laparoscopic repair was
      associated with significantly higher risk of AE over the first 30 postoperative
      days (p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that laparoscopic aortic
      technique (Odds Ratio (OR) ; 4.50) and coronary artery disease (OR ; 4.67) were
      independently related to occurrence of an AE during the postoperative period.
      Occurrence of AE during follow-up was analyzed using the Cox model. Only two
      variables, laparoscopic aortic surgery [Hazard Ratio (HR) ; 4,40 ; CI 95 % 1.70
      11.38 ; p. = 0.002] and coronary artery occurrence of an AE during follow-up. The
      small number of patients prevented a separate analysis with regard to aneurysmal
      and occlusive aortic disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that even with a
      well-trained surgical team, the laparoscopic approach increases risk for AE
      observed in the course of aortic surgery. ClinicalTrials. gov Identifier:
      NCT02325700.

PMID- 28644603
TI  - [Innovative immunotherapies of respiratory allergic diseases].
AB  - Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is an effective method in the treatment of
      respiratory allergic diseases (asthma, rhinitis and conjunctivitis). In addition
      to reducing symptoms, AIT can alter the course of allergic disease and remains
      efficient long after it has been discontinued by inducing specific tolerance to
      the allergen. In current clinical practice, immunotherapy is administered by
      subcutaneous or sublingual routes. The duration of efficacy is 7 to 12 years. It
      can prevent the development of both asthma and sensitization to new allergens.
      Despite recent progresses, other approaches are needed, especially for allergies
      (atopic dermatitis, food allergies). The new AIT improvement approaches involve
      the use of adjuvants or recombinant allergies, peptides and new routes of
      administration.

PMID- 28644604
TI  - [Innate Lymphoid Cells: new actors of immunity].
AB  - The world of lymphocytes has recently expanded. A new group of cells, innate
      lymphoid cells (ILCs) has been defined. It includes lymphoid cells that have been
      known for decades, such as natural killer (NK) cells, and lymphoid tissue-
      inducer (LTi) cells. NK cells recognize a vast array of tumor cells, which they
      help to eliminate through cytotoxicity and the production of cytokines, such as
      interferon-gamma). (IFN-gamma). Advances in our understanding of NK cell biology
      have led to a growing interest in the clinical manipulation of these cells in
      cancer. The other ILCs are found mostly in the mucosae and mucosal-associated
      lymphoid tissues, where they rapidly initiate immune responses to pathogens in
      the absence of specific sensitization. Here, we outline the basic features of
      ILCs and review the role of ILCs other than NK cells in cancer. Much of the role
      of ILCs in cancer remains unknown, but several findings should lead to further
      efforts to dissect the contribution of different ILC subsets to the promotion,
      maintenance, or elimination of tumors at various anatomic sites. This will
      require the development of standardized reagents and protocols for monitoring the
      presence and function of ILCs in human blood and tissue samples.

PMID- 28644605
TI  - [SPA therapy for pain of patients with chronic low back pain, knee osteo
      arthritis and fibromyalgia].
AB  - The data of 33 randomized controlled trials suggest that chronic pain of patients
      with chronic low back pain, knee osteo-arthritis, fibromyalgia is significantly
      improved by balneotherapy and significantly better improved than by control
      treatments. For chronic low back pain (10 RCT, 1192 patients) pain was better
      improved in balneotherapy group and the weighted mean of the differential
      improvement was 19.66 (95 % CI: 16.6 ; 22.8) and the effect size was 1.1 (95 %CI:
      0.82 ; 1.38) favouring balneotherapy. For knee osteo-arthritis pain (17 RCT, 1428
      patients) pain was better improved in balneotherapy  group and the weighted mean
      of the differential improvement was 13.24 (95 % CI: 5.52 ; 20.96) and the effect
      size was 0.72 (95 %CI: 0.51 ; 0.93) favouring balneotherapy. For fibromyalgia (6
      RCT, 398 patients) pain was better improved in balneotherapy group and the
      weighted mean of the differential improvement was 19.32 (95 % CI: 10.62 ; 29.2)
      and the effect size was 0.79 (95 %CI: 0.27 ; 1.31) favouring balneotherapy.
      Mineral waters and healing muds appear to have a more powerful analgesic action:
      13 RCT (701) patients) compared mineral water bathing to tap water bathing or
      peloid application to hot-apcks or neutral muds application : the effect size was
      0.75 (95 % CI :0.71 ; 0.79) favouring balneotherapy. Balneotherapy is a safe
      treatment as only 1 % of the patients receiving balneotherapy had to interrupt
      the treatment. However several methodological biases were observed in many
      trials, mainly a lack of statistical power due to a limited enrolment of
      patients, an insufficient duration of follow-up, an inhomogeneity of treatments.
      The clinical benefit has to be confirmed by stronger data of evidence but these
      data are sufficient to perform a more complete scientific analysis (meta
      analysis) ; but further clinical investigations with a better methodological
      quality remain necessary.

PMID- 28644606
TI  - ?
AB  - In France, people with intellectual disability (ID) account approximately for 2.5
      % of the total population. Life expectancy of ID increased over the last years,
      and this raised the risk of cancers developing in this group of patients.
      Overall, the prevalence of cancers for those patients is much like that of the
      general population, but they have specificities regarding their epidemiology,
      diagnostic and treatment. The type of cancers occurring differs depending on the
      age and the etiology of the ID of the patient. ID may raise special difficulties
      for the management and the treatment of the cancer that may be, ultimately, non
      optimal.

PMID- 28644607
TI  - Electrochemical Exfoliation of Graphite in Aqueous Sodium Halide Electrolytes
      toward Low Oxygen Content Graphene for Energy and Environmental Applications.
AB  - Graphene and graphene-based materials have shown great promise in many
      technological applications, but their large-scale production and processing by
      simple and cost-effective means still constitute significant issues in the path
      of their widespread implementation. Here, we investigate a straightforward method
      for the preparation of a ready-to-use and low oxygen content graphene material
      that is based on electrochemical (anodic) delamination of graphite in aqueous
      medium with sodium halides as the electrolyte. Contrary to previous conflicting
      reports on the ability of halide anions to act as efficient exfoliating
      electrolytes in electrochemical graphene exfoliation, we show that proper choice
      of both graphite electrode (e.g., graphite foil) and sodium halide concentration
      readily leads to the generation of large quantities of single-/few-layer graphene
      nanosheets possessing a degree of oxidation (O/C ratio down to ~0.06) lower than
      that typical of anodically exfoliated graphenes obtained with commonly used
      electrolytes. The halide anions are thought to play a role in mitigating the
      oxidation of the graphene lattice during exfoliation, which is also discussed and
      rationalized. The as-exfoliated graphene materials exhibited a three-dimensional
      morphology that was suitable for their practical use without the need to resort
      to any kind of postproduction processing. When tested as dye adsorbents, they
      outperformed many previously reported graphene-based materials (e.g., they
      adsorbed ~920 mg g-1 for methyl orange) and were useful sorbents for oils and
      nonpolar organic solvents. Supercapacitor cells assembled directly from the as
      exfoliated products delivered energy and power density values (up to 15.3 Wh kg-1
      and 3220 W kg-1, respectively) competitive with those of many other graphene
      based devices but with the additional advantage of extreme simplicity of
      preparation.

PMID- 28644608
TI  - Targeting CpG Adjuvant to Lymph Node via Dextran Conjugate Enhances Antitumor
      Immunotherapy.
AB  - Nucleic acid based adjuvants recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLR) are potent
      immune system stimulants that can augment the antitumor immune responses in an
      antigen-specific manner. However, their clinical uses as vaccine adjuvants are
      limited primarily due to lack of accumulation in the lymph nodes, the anatomic
      sites where the immune responses are initiated. Here, we showed that chemical
      conjugation of type B CpG DNA, a TLR9 agonist to dextran polymer dramatically
      enhanced CpG's lymph node accumulation in mice. Dextran conjugation did not alter
      CpG ODN's uptake, internalization, and bioactivity in vitro. Delivery of Dextran
      CpG conjugate markedly increased the uptake by antigen presenting cells in the
      lymph nodes and enhanced CD8+ T cell responses primed by protein vaccines,
      leading to improved therapeutic antitumor immunity. Furthermore, immunization
      with Dextran-CpG mixed with necrotic whole tumor cells induced a protective
      antitumor response in a murine model, suggesting that this approach was not
      limited to molecularly defined antigens. This simple method might also be
      applicable for the delivery of many other nucleic acid based adjuvants in cancer
      vaccines.

PMID- 28644609
TI  - GalNAc-Tyrosine Is a Ligand of Plant Lectins, Antibodies, and Human and Murine
      Macrophage Galactose-Type Lectins.
AB  - In 2011, a new type of protein O-glycosylation was discovered in which N
      acetylgalactosamine is attached to the side chain of tyrosine (GalNAc-Tyr). While
      present on dozens of proteins, the biological roles of GalNAc-Tyr are unknown. To
      gain insight into this new type of modification, we synthesized a group of GalNAc
      Tyr glycopeptides, constructed microarrays, and evaluated potential recognition
      of GalNAc-Tyr by a series of glycan-binding proteins. Through a series of >150
      microarray experiments, we assessed binding properties of a variety of plant
      lectins, monoclonal antibodies, and endogenous lectins. VVL, HPA, and SBA were
      all found to bind tightly to GalNAc-Tyr, and several Tn binding antibodies and
      blood group A antibodies were found to cross-react with GalNAc-Tyr. Thus,
      detection of GalNAc-Tyr modified proteins is an important consideration when
      analyzing results from these reagents. Additionally, we evaluated potential
      recognition by two mammalian lectins, human (hMGL) and murine (mMGL-2) macrophage
      galactose type C-type lectins. Both hMGL and mMGL-2 bound tightly to GalNAc-Tyr
      determinants. The apparent Kd values (~1-40 nM) were on par with some of the best
      known ligands for MGL, such as the Tn antigen. hMGL also bound the natural beta
      amyloid peptide containing a GalNAc-Tyr epitope. STD NMR experiments provided
      structural insights into the molecular basis of recognition. Finally, GalNAc-Tyr
      was selectively captured by mMGL-2 positive dendritic cells. These results
      provide the first evidence that GalNAc-Tyr modified proteins and/or peptides may
      be ligands for hMGL and mMGL-2 and offer unique structures for the design of MGL
      targeting agents.

PMID- 28644610
TI  - MZmine 2 Data-Preprocessing To Enhance Molecular Networking Reliability.
AB  - Molecular networking is becoming more and more popular into the metabolomic
      community to organize tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) data. Even though this
      approach allows the treatment and comparison of large data sets, several
      drawbacks related to the MS-Cluster tool routinely used on the Global Natural
      Product Social Molecular Networking platform (GNPS) limit its potential. MS
      Cluster cannot distinguish between chromatography well-resolved isomers as
      retention times are not taken into account. Annotation with predicted chemical
      formulas is also not implemented and semiquantification is only based on the
      number of MS2 scans. We propose to introduce a data-preprocessing workflow
      including the preliminary data treatment by MZmine 2 followed by a homemade
      Python script freely available to the community that clears the major previously
      mentioned GNPS drawbacks. The efficiency of this workflow is exemplified with the
      analysis of six fractions of increasing polarities obtained from a sequential
      supercritical CO2 extraction of Stillingia lineata leaves.

PMID- 28644611
TI  - Transient Fiber Mats of Electrospun Poly(Propylene Carbonate) Composites with
      Remarkable Mechanical Strength.
AB  - Polymers with a triggered decomposition are attractive for an array of
      applications ranging from patterning to transient packaging materials, as well as
      for environmental protection. This work showed for the first time UV and
      thermally triggered transience in fiber mats using poly(propylene carbonate)
      (PPC) composites. The electrospun PPC-composite fiber mats combine excellent
      decomposition performance (because of the high surface to volume ratio) with high
      stiffness and thus represent a new class of materials enabling innovative
      applications, such as transient filter materials and short-time plant protection
      materials, as well as temporary lightweight materials for aerospace engineering.
      Thermally and UV-triggerable additives (protected acids or base) have been used
      in different concentrations to tune the transience performance of the fiber mats
      over a wide range (75-212  degrees C). The addition of organo-modified clay
      (OMMT) enhanced mechanical stability and prevented shrinkage at room temperature.
      Different annealing methods have been used to improve the mechanical properties
      even further (tensile strength = 2-12 MPa, Young's modulus = 55-747 MPa) making
      these fiber mats attractive for a broad field of applications. An Ashby plot of
      Young's modulus versus degradation temperature for electrospun fiber mats is
      shown, revealing much lower degradation temperatures with higher moduli for PPC
      composites compared to other electrospun polymers.

PMID- 28644612
TI  - Suppressing Isomerization of Phosphine-Protected Au9 Cluster by Bond Stiffening
      Induced by a Single Pd Atom Substitution.
AB  - The fluxional nature of small gold clusters has been exemplified by reversible
      isomerization between [Au9(PPh3)8]3+ with a crown motif (Au9(C)) and that with a
      butterfly motif (Au9(B)) induced by association and dissociation with compact
      counteranions (NO3-, Cl-). However, structural isomerization was suppressed by
      substitution of the central Au atom of the Au9 core in [Au9(PPh3)8]3+ with a Pd
      atom: [PdAu8(PPh3)8]2+ with a crown motif (PdAu8(C)) did not isomerize to that
      with a butterfly motif (PdAu8(B)) upon association with the counteranions.
      Density functional theory calculation showed that the energy difference between
      PdAu8(C) and PdAu8(B) is comparable to that between Au9(C) and Au9(B), indicating
      that the relative stabilities of the isomers are not a direct cause for the
      suppression of isomerization. Temperature dependence of Debye-Waller factors
      obtained by X-ray absorption fine-structure analysis revealed that the
      intracluster bonds of PdAu8(C) were stiffer than the corresponding bonds in
      Au9(C). Natural bond orbital analysis suggested that the radial Pd-Au and lateral
      Au-Au bonds in PdAu8(C) are stiffened due to the increase in the ionic nature and
      decrease in electrostatic repulsion between the surface Au atoms, respectively.
      We conclude that the formation of stiffer metal-metal bonds by Pd atom doping
      inhibits the isomerization from PdAu8(C) to PdAu8(B).

PMID- 28644613
TI  - Impact of Thermal Decomposition on Thermal Desorption Instruments: Advantage of
      Thermogram Analysis for Quantifying Volatility Distributions of Organic Species.
AB  - We present results from a high-resolution chemical ionization time-of-flight mass
      spectrometer (HRToF-CIMS), operated with two different thermal desorption inlets,
      designed to characterize the gas and aerosol composition. Data from two field
      campaigns at forested sites are shown. Particle volatility distributions are
      estimated using three different methods: thermograms, elemental formulas, and
      measured partitioning. Thermogram-based results are consistent with those from an
      aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) with a thermal denuder, implying that thermal
      desorption is reproducible across very different experimental setups. Estimated
      volatilities from the detected elemental formulas are much higher than from
      thermograms since many of the detected species are thermal decomposition products
      rather than actual SOA molecules. We show that up to 65% of citric acid
      decomposes substantially in the FIGAERO-CIMS, with ~20% of its mass detected as
      gas-phase CO2, CO, and H2O. Once thermal decomposition effects on the detected
      formulas are taken into account, formula-derived volatilities can be reconciled
      with the thermogram method. The volatility distribution estimated from
      partitioning measurements is very narrow, likely due to signal-to-noise limits in
      the measurements. Our findings indicate that many commonly used thermal
      desorption methods might lead to inaccurate results when estimating volatilities
      from observed ion formulas found in SOA. The volatility distributions from the
      thermogram method are likely the closest to the real distributions.

PMID- 28644614
TI  - Role of the Protein Corona Derived from Human Plasma in Cellular Interactions
      between Nanoporous Human Serum Albumin Particles and Endothelial Cells.
AB  - The presence of a protein corona on various synthetic nanomaterials has been
      shown to strongly influence how they interact with cells. However, it is unclear
      if the protein corona also exists on protein particles, and if so, its role in
      particle-cell interactions. In this study, pure human serum albumin (HSA)
      particles were fabricated via mesoporous silica particle templating. Our data
      reveal that various serum proteins adsorbed on the particles, when exposed to
      human blood plasma, forming a corona. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells
      (HUVECs), the corona was shown to decrease particle binding to the cell membrane,
      increase the residence time of particles in early endosomes, and reduce the
      amount of internalized particles within the first hours of exposure to particles.
      These findings reveal important information regarding the mechanisms used by
      vascular endothelial cells to internalize protein-based particulate materials
      exposed to blood plasma. The ability to control the cellular recognition of these
      organic particles is expected to aid the advancement of HSA-based materials for
      intravenous drug delivery.

PMID- 28644615
TI  - Fluoromodules Consisting of a Promiscuous RNA Aptamer and Red or Blue Fluorogenic
      Cyanine Dyes: Selection, Characterization, and Bioimaging.
AB  - An RNA aptamer selected for binding to the fluorogenic cyanine dye,
      dimethylindole red (DIR), also binds and activates another cyanine, oxazole
      thiazole blue (OTB), giving two well-resolved emission colors. The aptamer binds
      to each dye with submicromolar KD values, and the resulting fluoromodules exhibit
      fluorescence quantum yields ranging from 0.17 to 0.51 and excellent
      photostability. The aptamer was fused to a second aptamer previously selected for
      binding to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) to create a bifunctional
      aptamer that labels cell-surface EGFR on mammalian cells. The fluorescent color
      of the aptamer-labeled EGFR can be switched between blue and red in situ simply
      by exchanging the dye in the medium. The promiscuity of the aptamer can also be
      used to distinguish between cell-surface and internalized EGFR on the basis of
      the addition of red or blue fluorogen at different times.

PMID- 28644616
TI  - Importance of a Fully Anharmonic Treatment of Equilibrium Isotope Fractionation
      Properties of Dissolved Ionic Species As Evidenced by Li+(aq).
AB  - Equilibrium fractionation of stable isotopes is critically important in fields
      ranging from chemistry, including medicinal chemistry, electrochemistry,
      geochemistry, and nuclear chemistry, to environmental science. The dearth of
      reliable estimates of equilibrium fractionation factors, from experiment or from
      natural observations, has created a need for accurate computational approaches.
      Because isotope fractionation is a purely quantum mechanical phenomenon, exact
      calculation of fractionation factors is nontrivial. Consequently, a severe
      approximation is often made, in which it is assumed that the system can be
      decomposed into a set of independent harmonic oscillators. Reliance on this often
      crude approximation is one of the primary reasons that theoretical prediction of
      isotope fractionation has lagged behind experiment. A class of problems for which
      one might expect the harmonic approximation to perform most poorly is the
      isotopic fractionation between solid and solution phases. In order to illustrate
      the errors associated with the harmonic approximation, we have considered the
      fractionation of Li isotopes between aqueous solution and phyllosilicate
      minerals, where we find that the harmonic approximation overestimates isotope
      fractionation factors by as much as 30% at 25  degrees C. Lithium is a
      particularly interesting species to examine, as natural lithium isotope
      signatures provide information about hydrothermal processes, carbon cycle, and
      regulation of the Earth's climate by continental alteration. Further, separation
      of lithium isotopes is of growing interest in the nuclear industry due to a need
      for pure 6Li and 7Li isotopes. Moving beyond the harmonic approximation entails
      performing exact quantum calculations, which can be achieved using the Feynman
      path integral formulation of quantum statistical mechanics. In the path integral
      approach, a system of quantum particles is represented as a set of classical-like
      ring-polymer chains, whose interparticle interactions are determined by the rules
      of quantum mechanics. Because a classical isomorphism exists between the true
      quantum system and the system of ring-polymers, classical-like methods can be
      applied. Recent developments of efficient path integral approaches for the exact
      calculation of isotope fractionation now allow the case of the aforementioned
      dissolved Li fractionation properties to be studied in detail. Applying this
      technique, we find that the calculations yield results that are in good agreement
      with both experimental data and natural observations. Importantly, path integral
      methods, being fully atomistic, allow us to identify the origins of anharmonic
      effects and to make reliable predictions at temperatures that are experimentally
      inaccessible yet are, nevertheless, relevant for natural phenomena.

PMID- 28644617
TI  - Dynamic Covalent Chemistry of Carbon Dioxide: Opportunities to Address
      Environmental Issues.
AB  - Extraction and purification of basic chemicals from complex mixtures has been a
      persistent issue throughout the development of the chemical sciences. The
      chemical industry and academic research have grown over the centuries by
      following a deconstruction-reconstruction approach, reminiscent of the metabolism
      process. Chemists have designed and optimized extraction, purification, and
      transformation processes of molecules from natural deposits (fossil fuels,
      biomass, ores), in order to reassemble them into complex adducts. These highly
      selective and cost-effective techniques arose from developments in physical
      chemistry but also in supramolecular chemistry, long before the term was even
      coined. Thanks to the extremely diverse toolbox currently available to the
      scientific community, artificial molecular systems of increasing complexity can
      be built and integrated into high-technology products. If humanity has proven
      through the ages how gifted it can be at this deconstruction-reconstruction game,
      which has transformed the natural world to a human-shaped one, it has been
      confronted for more than a century by a new challenge: the deconstruction and
      reconstruction from a new type of deposit, the waste resulting from the mass
      production of disposable manufactured goods. In this Account, we will explore the
      potential contribution of controlled molecular and supramolecular self-assembly
      phenomena to the challenge of selective and efficient capture of valuable target
      molecules from mixtures found in postconsumer waste. While it may appear
      paradoxical to add more molecular ingredients to an already compositionally
      complex system in order to address a purification issue, we will compare the
      selectivity, yield, and cost of such an atypical procedure with traditional
      physical techniques. In the context of carbon dioxide capture or release, we will
      specifically focus on the coupling between this reversible covalent fixation of
      the gas by amines and an additional chemical equilibrium. This equilibrium may
      involve covalent or noncovalent bond formation between a supplementary species
      and either the unloaded reactant or the CO2-loaded product. Thereby, this new
      reactive species may act as a CO2 capture agonist or antagonist by either
      thermodynamically favoring the carbamation or decarbamation direction. Indeed,
      superagonism, the increase of CO2 loading per amine site upon carbamation beyond
      the theoretical limit of 0.5, can be achieved using tightly bound cationic metal
      counterions. In all cases, upon binding and adduct formation, a mutual selection
      process occurs between one member of the CO2-based dynamic combinatorial library
      and one agonist or antagonist, which can itself be contained in a complex mixture
      of analogues. If this adduct is the only species that, upon formation, can self
      aggregate into a separate solid phase, selection and binding are accompanied by
      translocation, rendering the purification procedure operationally
      straightforward. This general strategy, based on a simple design of coupled
      molecular systems, may easily be implemented within new, disruptive technologies
      for selective extraction of target molecules, thereby providing a substantial
      environmental and economic benefit.

PMID- 28644618
TI  - Exploring New Assembly Modes of Uranyl Terephthalate: Templated Syntheses and
      Structural Regulation of a Series of Rare 2D -> 3D Polycatenated Frameworks.
AB  - The reaction of uranyl nitrate with terephthalic acid (H2TP) under hydrothermal
      conditions in the presence of an organic base, 1,3-(4,4'-bispyridyl)propane (BPP)
      or 4,4'-bipyridine (BPY), provided four uranyl terephthalate compounds with
      different entangled structures by a pH-tuning method. [UO2(TP)1.5](H2BPP)0.5.2H2O
      (1) obtained in a relatively acidic solution (final aqueous pH, 4.28)
      crystallizes in the form of a noninterpenetrated honeycomb-like two-dimensional
      network structure. An elevation of the solution pH (final pH, 5.21) promotes the
      formation of a dimeric uranyl-mediated polycatenated framework, [(UO2)2(MU
      OH)2(TP)2]2(H2BPP)2.4.5H2O (2). Another new polycatenated framework with a
      monomeric uranyl unit, [(UO2)2(TP)3](H2BPP) (3), begins to emerge as a minor
      accompanying product of 2 when the pH is increased up to 6.61, and turns out to
      be a significant product at pH 7.00. When more rigid but small-size BPY molecules
      replace BPP molecules, [UO2(TP)1.5](H2BPP)0.5 (4) with a polycatenated framework
      similar to 3 was obtained in a relatively acidic solution (final pH, 4.81). The
      successful preparation of 2-4 represents the first report of uranyl-organic
      polycatenated frameworks derived from a simple H2TP linker. A direct comparison
      between these polycatenated frameworks and previously reported uranyl
      terephthalate compounds suggests that the template and cavity-filling effects of
      organic bases (such as BPP or BPY), in combination with specific hydrothermal
      conditions, promote the formation of uranyl terephthalate polycatenated
      frameworks.

PMID- 28644619
TI  - Long-Bonding in HNgCN/NC (Ng = Noble Gas) Molecules: An NBO/NRT Investigation.
AB  - Recently, Weinhold et al. put forward one new concept of sigma-type long-bonding
      and applied it to the comprehension of halogen noble-gas hydrides HNgY (Ng =
      noble gas; Y = halogen) bonding. The present study extends this new concept into
      HNgX (X = CN, NC) pseudohalogen molecules. At the B3LYP and CCSD(T) levels of
      theory, we perform natural bond orbital (NBO) and natural resonance theory (NRT)
      studies on the HNgX molecules and compare them with the previous results for HNgY
      molecules. The NBO/NRT results clearly reveal that each of the HNgX, but not the
      HHeCN, HNeCN, and HNeNC molecules, is composed of three leading resonance
      structures: two omega-bonding structures H-Ng+:X-, H:-Ng+-X and one long-bonded
      structure H?X. This result indicates that the conventional long-bonding exists in
      these pseudohalogen molecules, like the long-bonding in HNgY molecules.
      Unexpectedly, we identify a new type of longer long-bonded structure H?C in HNeNC
      molecule at the B3LYP level, which disappears at the CCSD level. This misleading
      prediction at the B3LYP level can be traced back to the singlet diradical
      character, which induces a low-quality geometry. Therefore, the geometry
      reoptimization of the noble-gas hydrides is indispensable using CASSCF-based
      methods, if the noble-gas hydrides fail the "Stable" test because of diradical
      type instability.

PMID- 28644620
TI  - Nanofibrous Smart Fabrics from Twisted Yarns of Electrospun Piezopolymer.
AB  - Smart textiles are envisioned to make a paradigm shift in wearable technologies
      to directly impart functionality into the fibers rather than integrating sensors
      and electronics onto conformal substrates or skin in wearable devices. Among
      smart materials, piezoelectric fabrics have not been widely reported, yet.
      Piezoelectric smart fabrics can be used for mechanical energy harvesting, for
      thermal energy harvesting through the pyroelectric effect, for ferroelectric
      applications, as pressure and force sensors, for motion detection, and for
      ultrasonic sensing. We report on mechanical and material properties of the plied
      nanofibrous piezoelectric yarns as a function of postprocessing conditions
      including thermal annealing and drawing (stretching). In addition, we used a
      continuous electrospinning setup to directly produce P(VDF-TrFE) nanofibers and
      convert them into twisted plied yarns, and demonstrated application of these
      plied yarns in woven piezoelectric fabrics. The results of this work can be an
      early step toward realization of piezoelectric smart fabrics.

PMID- 28644621
TI  - Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Hydantoins: The State of the Art of a
      Valuable Scaffold.
AB  - The review highlights the hydantoin syntheses presented from the point of view of
      the preparation methods. Novel synthetic routes to various hydantoin structures,
      the advances brought to the classical methods in the aim of producing more
      sustainable and environmentally friendly procedures for the preparation of these
      biomolecules, and a critical comparison of the different synthetic approaches
      developed in the last twelve years are also described. The review is composed of
      95 schemes, 8 figures and 528 references for the last 12 years and includes the
      description of the hydantoin-based marketed drugs and clinical candidates.

PMID- 28644622
TI  - Single Analyzer Neutral Loss Scans in a Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Using
      Orthogonal Double Resonance Excitation.
AB  - In this follow-up paper to our previous work on single analyzer precursor ion
      scans in a linear quadrupole ion trap (Snyder, D. T.; Cooks, R. G. Single
      analyzer precursor ion scans in a linear quadrupole ion trap using orthogonal
      double resonance excitation. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 2017, DOI: 10.1007/s13361
      017-1707-y), we now report the development of single analyzer neutral loss scans
      in a linear quadrupole ion trap using orthogonal double resonance excitation.
      Methodologically, there are three key differences between single analyzer
      precursor ion scans and neutral loss scans under constant radiofrequency (rf)
      conditions: (1) in the latter experiment, both excitation and ejection
      frequencies must be scanned, whereas in the former the ejection frequency is
      fixed, (2) the need to maintain a constant neutral loss while incrementing both
      precursor and product ion masses, complicated by the complex relationship between
      secular frequency and mass, requires use of two simultaneous frequency scans,
      both linear in mass, and (3) because the ejection frequency is scanned, a third
      ac signal occurring between the ac excitation and ac ejection frequency scans
      must also be applied and scanned in order to reject artifact peaks caused by
      ejection of unfragmented precursor ions. Using this methodology, we demonstrate
      neutral loss scans on a commercial linear ion trap using mixtures of illicit
      drugs and acylcarnitines. We also demonstrate neutral loss scanning on a Populus
      deltoides leaf and on a lignin sample, both significantly more complex mixtures.

PMID- 28644623
TI  - Charge Transport in Molecular Materials: An Assessment of Computational Methods.
AB  - The booming field of molecular electronics has fostered a surge of computational
      research on electronic properties of organic molecular solids. In particular,
      with respect to a microscopic understanding of transport and loss mechanisms,
      theoretical studies assume an ever-increasing role. Owing to the tremendous
      diversity of organic molecular materials, a great number of computational methods
      have been put forward to suit every possible charge transport regime, material,
      and need for accuracy. With this review article we aim at providing a compendium
      of the available methods, their theoretical foundations, and their ranges of
      validity. We illustrate these through applications found in the literature. The
      focus is on methods available for organic molecular crystals, but mention is made
      wherever techniques are suitable for use in other related materials such as
      disordered or polymeric systems.

PMID- 28644624
TI  - Extensive Assessment of Various Computational Methods for Aspartate's pKa Shift.
AB  - A series of computational methods for pKa shift prediction are extensively tested
      on a set of benchmark protein systems, aiming at identifying pitfalls and
      evaluating their performance on high variants. Including 19 ASP residues in 10
      protein systems, the benchmark set consists of both residues with highly shifted
      pKa values as well as those varying little from the reference value, with an
      experimental RMS free energy differences of 2.49 kcal/mol with respect to blocked
      amino acid, namely the RMS pKa shift being 1.82 pKa units. The constant pH
      molecular dynamics (MD), alchemical methods, PROPKA3.1, and multiconformation
      continuum electrostatics give RMSDs of 1.52, 2.58, 1.37, and 3.52 pKa units,
      respectively, on the benchmark set. The empirical scoring method is the most
      accurate one with extremely low computational cost, and the pH-dependent model is
      also able to provide accurate results, while the accuracy of MD sampling
      incorporating alchemical free energy simulation is prohibited by convergence
      achievement and the performance of conformational search incorporating
      multiconformation continuum electrostatics is bad. Former research works did not
      define statistical uncertainty with care and yielded the questionable conclusion
      that alchemical methods perform well in most benchmarks. In this work the
      traditional alchemical methods are thoroughly tested for high variants. We also
      performed the first application of nonequilibrium alchemical methods to the pKa
      cases.

PMID- 28644625
TI  - Chemically Modified Surface Having a Dual-Structured Hierarchical Topography for
      Controlled Cell Growth.
AB  - This report describes a technique for fabricating dual-structured hierarchical
      surface topography on the surface of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films through
      simply replicating prefabricated patterns and wrinkling PDMS films. To enhance
      the biocompatibility of PDMS films, we synthesize a biocompatible dopamine
      glycopolymer, which is utilized to modify the chemical feature of the PDMS
      surface. Dopamine component in this copolymer is introduced for the formation of
      a carbohydrate layer on the surface of PDMS films because of its excellent
      adhesion. The carbohydrate component in this copolymer enhances the interactions
      between cells and PDMS films. We investigate the influence of the chemical and
      topographical surface properties of the extracellular matrix on fibroblast cell
      growth. The coupling of the dopamine-glycopolymer coating and hierarchical
      topography produces the best induction effect on the alignment of cells.

PMID- 28644626
TI  - 2D H-Bond Network as the Topmost Skin to the Air-Water Interface.
AB  - We provide a detailed description of the structure of water at the interface with
      the air (liquid-vapor LV interface) from state-of-the-art DFT-based molecular
      dynamics simulations. For the first time, a two-dimensional (2D) H-bond extended
      network has been identified and fully characterized, demonstrating that
      interfacial water is organized into a 2D sheet with H-bonds oriented parallel to
      the instantaneous surface and following its spatial and temporal oscillations. By
      analyzing the nonlinear vSFG (vibrational sum frequency generation) spectrum of
      the LV interface in terms of layer-by-layer signal, we demonstrate that the 2D
      water sheet is solely responsible for the spectral signatures, hence providing
      the interfacial 3.5 A thickness effectively probed in nonlinear interfacial
      spectroscopy. The 2D H-bond network unraveled here is the essential key to
      rationalize macroscopic properties of water-air interfaces, as demonstrated here
      for spectroscopy and the surface potential.

PMID- 28644627
TI  - Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed Acylation of C(sp3)-H Bonds with Cyclopropenones.
AB  - Rh(III)-catalyzed activation and acylation of sp3 C-H bonds has been realized
      with diarylcyclopropenone as an acylating reagent. Both benzylic C-H in 8
      methylquinolines and unactivated C-H in 2-alkylpyridines are applicable in this C
      H acylation reaction, providing enones in good yields under redox-neutral
      conditions.

PMID- 28644628
TI  - Stereoelectronics of the Hydrogen-Bond-Induced Fluorescence Quenching of 3
      Aminofluorenones with Alcohols.
AB  - Two derivatives of 3-amino-9-fluorenone (1) bearing one (2) and two methyl (3)
      groups flanking the carbonyl group are prepared. Comparison of their
      photophysical properties show that all suffer efficient radiationless
      deactivation in the presence of alcohols. Preferential solvation studies with
      mono alcohols reveal that a single H-bonding interaction quenches the excited
      states of 1 and 2, but not that of 3. In contrast, a single molecule of ethylene
      glycol quenches all three. These results are interpreted in a quenching mechanism
      similar to one proposed by Inoue and co-workers, but where an out-of-plane H-bond
      with the carbonyl group gives rise to an emissive species, while an in-plane H
      bond results in quenching.

PMID- 28644629
TI  - Environmental Polymer Degradation: Using the Distonic Radical Ion Approach to
      Study the Gas-Phase Reactions of Model Polyester Radicals.
AB  - A novel precursor to the distonic O- and C-centered radical cations Oxo+O* and
      Oxo+C* was designed and synthesized, which represents model systems for radicals
      produced during polyester degradation. The precursor is equipped with a nitrate
      functional group, which serves as a masked site for these alkoxyl and carbon
      radicals that are unleashed through collision-induced dissociation (CID). Oxo+O*
      and Oxo+C* feature a cyclic carboxonium ion as permanent charge tag to enable
      monitoring their ion-molecule reactions on the millisecond to second time scale
      in the ion trap of the mass spectrometer. The reactions of Oxo+O* and Oxo+C* with
      cyclohexene, cyclohexadiene, ethyl acetate, 1,1-dimethoxyethane, and 1,2
      dimethoxyethane, which exhibit structural features present in both intact and
      defective polyesters, were explored through product and kinetic studies to
      identify "hot spots" for radical-induced damage in polyesters. All reactions with
      Oxo+O* were extremely fast and proceeded predominantly through HAT. Oxo+C* was
      about two orders of magnitude less reactive and did not noticeably damage
      aliphatic ester moieties through hydrogen abstraction on the time scale of our
      experiments. Radical addition to alkene pi systems was identified as an important
      pathway for C-radicals, which needs to be included in polymer degradation
      mechanisms.

PMID- 28644631
TI  - Demonstration of Monogamy Relations for Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Steering in
      Gaussian Cluster States.
AB  - Understanding how quantum resources can be quantified and distributed over many
      parties has profound applications in quantum communication. As one of the most
      intriguing features of quantum mechanics, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering
      is a useful resource for secure quantum networks. By reconstructing the
      covariance matrix of a continuous variable four-mode square Gaussian cluster
      state subject to asymmetric loss, we quantify the amount of bipartite steering
      with a variable number of modes per party, and verify recently introduced
      monogamy relations for Gaussian steerability, which establish quantitative
      constraints on the security of information shared among different parties. We
      observe a very rich structure for the steering distribution, and demonstrate one
      way EPR steering of the cluster state under Gaussian measurements, as well as one
      to-multimode steering. Our experiment paves the way for exploiting EPR steering
      in Gaussian cluster states as a valuable resource for multiparty quantum
      information tasks.

PMID- 28644630
TI  - Expanding the Therapeutic Potential of the Iron Chelator Deferasirox in the
      Development of Aqueous Stable Ti(IV) Anticancer Complexes.
AB  - The recent X-ray structure of titanium(IV)-bound human serum transferrin (STf)
      exhibiting citrate as a synergistic anion reveals a difference in Ti(IV)
      coordination versus iron(III), the metal endogenously delivered by the protein to
      cells. This finding enriches our bioinspired drug design strategy for Ti(IV)
      based anticancer therapeutics, which applies a family of Fe(III) chelators termed
      chemical transferrin mimetic (cTfm) ligands to inhibit Fe bioavailability in
      cancer cells. Deferasirox, a drug used for iron overload disease, is a cTfm
      ligand that models STf coordination to Fe(III), favoring Fe(III) binding versus
      Ti(IV). This metal affinity preference drives deferasirox to facilitate the
      release of cytotoxic Ti(IV) intracellularly in exchange for Fe(III). An aqueous
      speciation study performed by potentiometric titration from pH 4 to 8 with
      micromolar levels of Ti(IV) deferasirox at a 1:2 ratio reveals exclusively
      Ti(deferasirox)2 in solution. The predominant complex at pH 7.4,
      [Ti(deferasirox)2]2-, exhibits the one of the highest aqueous stabilities
      observed for a potent cytotoxic Ti(IV) species, demonstrating little dissociation
      even after 1 month in cell culture media. UV-vis and 1H NMR studies show that the
      stability is unaffected by the presence of biomolecular Ti(IV) binders such as
      citrate, STf, and albumin, which have been shown to induce dissociation or
      regulate cellular uptake and can alter the activity of other antiproliferative
      Ti(IV) complexes. Kinetic studies on [Ti(deferasirox)2]2- transmetalation with
      Fe(III) show that a labile Fe(III) source is required to induce this process. The
      initial step of this process occurs on the time scale of minutes, and equilibrium
      for the complete transmetalation is reached on a time scale of hours to a day.
      This work reveals a mechanism to deliver Ti(IV) compounds into cells and trigger
      Ti(IV) release by a labile Fe(III) species. Cellular studies including other cTfm
      ligands confirm the Fe(III) depletion mechanism of these compounds and show their
      ability to induce early and late apoptosis.

PMID- 28644633
TI  - Role of Preload in Adhesion of Rough Surfaces.
AB  - Adhesion between glass and bromobutyl and polydimethylsiloxane elastomers is
      investigated. We show that viscoelastic energy dissipation close to the opening
      (or closing) crack tip, and surface roughness, strongly affect the work of
      adhesion. We observe strong adhesion hysteresis and we show, in contrast to the
      Johnson-Kendall-Roberts theory prediction for elastic solids, that this results
      in a pull-off force, and effective work of adhesion to be dependent on the
      maximum loading force.

PMID- 28644632
TI  - Mott Transition in the A15 Phase of Cs_{3}C_{60}: Absence of a Pseudogap and
      Charge Order.
AB  - We present a detailed NMR study of the insulator-to-metal transition induced by
      an applied pressure p in the A15 phase of Cs_{3}C_{60}. We evidence that the
      insulating antiferromagnetic (AFM) and superconducting (SC) phases coexist only
      in a narrow p range. At fixed p, in the metallic state above the SC transition
      T_{c}, the ^{133}Cs and ^{13}C NMR spin-lattice relaxation data are seemingly
      governed by a pseudogaplike feature. We prove that this feature, also seen in the
      ^{133}Cs NMR shift data, is rather a signature of the Mott transition which
      broadens and smears out progressively for increasing (p,T). The analysis of the
      variation of the quadrupole splitting nu_{Q} of the ^{133}Cs NMR spectrum
      precludes any cell symmetry change at the Mott transition and only monitors a
      weak variation of the lattice parameter. These results open an opportunity to
      consider theoretically the Mott transition in a multiorbital three-dimensional
      system well beyond its critical point.

PMID- 28644634
TI  - Semisuper Efimov Effect of Two-Dimensional Bosons at a Three-Body Resonance.
AB  - Wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics allows for a halo bound state whose
      spatial extension far exceeds a range of the interaction potential. What is even
      more striking is that such quantum halos can be arbitrarily large on special
      occasions. The two examples known so far are the Efimov effect and the super
      Efimov effect, which predict that spatial extensions of higher excited states
      grow exponentially and double exponentially, respectively. Here, we establish yet
      another new class of arbitrarily large quantum halos formed by spinless bosons
      with short-range interactions in two dimensions. When the two-body interaction is
      absent but the three-body interaction is resonant, four bosons exhibit an
      infinite tower of bound states whose spatial extensions scale as
      R_{n}~e^{(pin)^{2}/27} for a large n. The emergent scaling law is universal and
      is termed a semisuper Efimov effect, which together with the Efimov and super
      Efimov effects constitutes a trio of few-body universality classes allowing for
      arbitrarily large quantum halos.

PMID- 28644635
TI  - Fundamental Transitions and Ionization Energies of the Hydrogen Molecular Ions
      with Few ppt Uncertainty.
AB  - We calculate ionization energies and fundamental vibrational transitions for
      H_{2}^{+}, D_{2}^{+}, and HD^{+} molecular ions. The nonrelativistic quantum
      electrodynamics expansion for the energy in terms of the fine structure constant
      alpha is used. Previous calculations of orders malpha^{6} and malpha^{7} are
      improved by including second-order contributions due to the vibrational motion of
      nuclei. Furthermore, we evaluate the largest corrections at the order malpha^{8}.
      That allows us to reduce the fractional uncertainty to the level of 7.6*10^{-12}
      for fundamental transitions and to 4.5*10^{-12} for the ionization energies.

PMID- 28644636
TI  - Path-Controlled Time Reordering of Paired Photons in a Dressed Three-Level
      Cascade.
AB  - The two-photon dressing of a "three-level ladder" system, here the ground state,
      the exciton, and the biexciton of a semiconductor quantum dot, leads to new
      eigenstates and allows one to manipulate the time ordering of the paired photons
      without unitary postprocessing. We show that, after spectral postselection of the
      single dressed states, the time ordering of the cascaded photons can be removed
      or conserved. Our joint experimental and theoretical study demonstrates the high
      potential of a "ladder" system to be a versatile source of orthogonally
      polarized, bunched or antibunched pairs of photons.

PMID- 28644637
TI  - Comment on "Quasi-One-Dimensional Metal-Insulator Transitions in Compound
      Semiconductor Surfaces".

PMID- 28644638
TI  - Ferroelectric-Domain-Patterning-Controlled Schottky Junction State in Monolayer
      MoS_{2}.
AB  - We exploit scanning-probe-controlled domain patterning in a ferroelectric top
      layer to induce nonvolatile modulation of the conduction characteristic of
      monolayer MoS_{2} between a transistor and a junction state. In the presence of a
      domain wall, MoS_{2} exhibits rectified I-V characteristics that are well
      described by the thermionic emission model. The induced Schottky barrier height
      Phi_{B}^{eff} varies from 0.38 to 0.57 eV and is tunable by a SiO_{2} global back
      gate, while the tuning range of Phi_{B}^{eff} depends sensitively on the
      conduction-band-tail trapping states. Our work points to a new route to achieving
      programmable functionalities in van der Waals materials and sheds light on the
      critical performance limiting factors in these hybrid systems.

PMID- 28644639
TI  - Optical Random Riemann Waves in Integrable Turbulence.
AB  - We examine integrable turbulence (IT) in the framework of the defocusing cubic
      one-dimensional nonlinear Schrodinger equation. This is done theoretically and
      experimentally, by realizing an optical fiber experiment in which the defocusing
      Kerr nonlinearity strongly dominates linear dispersive effects. Using a
      dispersive-hydrodynamic approach, we show that the development of IT can be
      divided into two distinct stages, the initial, prebreaking stage being described
      by a system of interacting random Riemann waves. We explain the low-tailed
      statistics of the wave intensity in IT and show that the Riemann invariants of
      the asymptotic nonlinear geometric optics system represent the observable
      quantities that provide new insight into statistical features of the initial
      stage of the IT development by exhibiting stationary probability density
      functions.

PMID- 28644640
TI  - Publisher's Note: Facile Anhydrous Proton Transport on Hydroxyl Functionalized
      Graphane [Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 186101 (2017)].
AB  - This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.186101.

PMID- 28644641
TI  - Emergent Weyl Fermion Excitations in TaP Explored by ^{181}Ta Quadrupole
      Resonance.
AB  - The ^{181}Ta quadrupole resonance [nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR)] technique
      is utilized to investigate the microscopic magnetic properties of the Weyl
      semimetal TaP. We find three zero-field NQR signals associated with the
      transition between the quadrupole split levels for Ta with I=7/2 nuclear spin. A
      quadrupole coupling constant, nu_{Q}=19.250  MHz, and an asymmetric parameter of
      the electric field gradient, eta=0.423, are extracted, in good agreement with
      band structure calculations. In order to examine the magnetic excitations, the
      temperature dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T_{1}T) is measured
      for the f_{2} line (+/-5/2<->+/-3/2 transition). We find that there exist two
      regimes with quite different relaxation processes. Above T^{*}~30  K, a
      pronounced (1/T_{1}T)?T^{2} behavior is found, which is attributed to the
      magnetic excitations at the Weyl nodes with temperature-dependent orbital
      hyperfine coupling. Below T^{*}, the relaxation is mainly governed by a Korringa
      process with 1/T_{1}T=const, accompanied by an additional T^{-1/2}-type
      dependence to fit our experimental data. We show that Ta NQR is a novel probe for
      the bulk Weyl fermions and their excitations.

PMID- 28644642
TI  - Probing Electron-Phonon Interaction through Two-Photon Interference in Resonantly
      Driven Semiconductor Quantum Dots.
AB  - We investigate the temperature dependence of photon coherence properties through
      two-photon interference (TPI) measurements from a single quantum dot (QD) under
      resonant excitation. We show that the loss of indistinguishability is related
      only to the electron-phonon coupling and is not affected by spectral diffusion.
      Through these measurements and a complementary microscopic theory, we identify
      two independent separate decoherence processes, both of which are associated with
      phonons. Below 10 K, we find that the relaxation of the vibrational lattice is
      the dominant contribution to the loss of TPI visibility. This process is non
      Markovian in nature and corresponds to real phonon transitions resulting in a
      broad phonon sideband in the QD emission spectra. Above 10 K, virtual phonon
      transitions to higher lying excited states in the QD become the dominant
      dephasing mechanism, this leads to a broadening of the zero phonon line, and a
      corresponding rapid decay in the visibility. The microscopic theory we develop
      provides analytic expressions for the dephasing rates for both virtual phonon
      scattering and non-Markovian lattice relaxation.

PMID- 28644643
TI  - First Demonstration of a Scintillating Xenon Bubble Chamber for Detecting Dark
      Matter and Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering.
AB  - A 30-g xenon bubble chamber, operated at Northwestern University in June and
      November 2016, has for the first time observed simultaneous bubble nucleation and
      scintillation by nuclear recoils in a superheated liquid. This chamber is
      instrumented with a CCD camera for near-IR bubble imaging, a solar-blind
      photomultiplier tube to detect 175-nm xenon scintillation light, and a
      piezoelectric acoustic transducer to detect the ultrasonic emission from a
      growing bubble. The time of nucleation determined from the acoustic signal is
      used to correlate specific scintillation pulses with bubble-nucleating events. We
      report on data from this chamber for thermodynamic "Seitz" thresholds from 4.2 to
      15.0 keV. The observed single- and multiple-bubble rates when exposed to a
      ^{252}Cf neutron source indicate that, for an 8.3-keV thermodynamic threshold,
      the minimum nuclear recoil energy required to nucleate a bubble is 19+/-6  keV
      (1sigma uncertainty). This is consistent with the observed scintillation spectrum
      for bubble-nucleating events. We see no evidence for bubble nucleation by gamma
      rays at any of the thresholds studied, setting a 90% C.L. upper limit of 6.3*10^{
      7} bubbles per gamma interaction at a 4.2-keV thermodynamic threshold. This
      indicates stronger gamma discrimination than in CF_{3}I bubble chambers,
      supporting the hypothesis that scintillation production suppresses bubble
      nucleation by electron recoils, while nuclear recoils nucleate bubbles as usual.
      These measurements establish the noble-liquid bubble chamber as a promising new
      technology for the detection of weakly interacting massive particle dark matter
      and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering.

PMID- 28644644
TI  - Highly Nuclear-Spin-Polarized Deuterium Atoms from the UV Photodissociation of
      Deuterium Iodide.
AB  - We report a novel highly spin-polarized deuterium (SPD) source, via the
      photodissociation of deuterium iodide at 270 nm. I(^{2}P_{3/2}) photofragments
      are ionized with m-state selectivity, and their velocity distribution measured
      via velocity-map slice imaging, from which the D polarization is determined. The
      process produces ~100% electronically polarized D at the time of dissociation,
      which is then converted to ~60% nuclear D polarization after ~1.6  ns. These
      production times for SPD allow collision-limited densities of ~10^{18}  cm^{-3}
      and at production rates of ~10^{21}  s^{-1} which are 10^{6} and 10^{4} times
      higher than conventional (Stern-Gerlach separation) methods, respectively. We
      discuss the production of SPD beams, and combining high-density SPD with laser
      fusion, to investigate polarized D-T, D-^{3}He, and D-D fusion.

PMID- 28644645
TI  - Superfluidlike Mass Flow Through 8  MUm Thick Solid ^{4}He Samples.
AB  - We report the observation of superfluidlike mass flow through coin-shaped 8  MUm
      thick solid ^{4}He samples sandwiched between superfluid leads. Mass flow is
      found from the melting pressure to at least 30 bar with a concomitant decrease in
      the onset temperature from 1 to 0.25 K. The mass-flow rate is found to be sample
      dependent and can be enhanced by thermal annealing. The flow rate decreases with
      temperature and decays nearly exponentially with the pressure of the samples. The
      dissipation associated with the mass flow decreases with temperature and becomes
      superfluidlike near 0.1 K. In contrast to earlier studies on centimeter-thick
      samples, we do not see a sharp cutoff in the mass-flow rate at low temperature.

PMID- 28644646
TI  - Bottleneck Accumulation of Hybrid Magnetoelastic Bosons.
AB  - An ensemble of magnons, quanta of spin waves, can be prepared as a Bose gas of
      weakly interacting quasiparticles. Furthermore, the thermalization of the
      overpopulated magnon gas through magnon-magnon scattering processes, which
      conserve the number of particles, can lead to the formation of a Bose-Einstein
      condensate at the bottom of a spin-wave spectrum. However, magnon-phonon
      scattering can significantly modify this scenario and new quasiparticles are
      formed-magnetoelastic bosons. Our observations of a parametrically populated
      magnon gas in a single-crystal film of yttrium iron garnet by means of wave
      vector-resolved Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy evidence a novel
      condensation phenomenon: A spontaneous accumulation of hybrid magnetoelastic
      bosonic quasiparticles at the intersection of the lowest magnon mode and a
      transversal acoustic wave.

PMID- 28644647
TI  - Quasi-Low-Dimensional Electron Gas with One Populated Band as a Testing Ground
      for Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory of Mesoscopic Systems.
AB  - We find an exact analytical solution to the exchange-only time-dependent density
      functional theory (TDDFT) problem for a significant class of quasi-low
      dimensional (QLD) materials: QLD electron gas with only one band filled in the
      direction perpendicular to the layer or wire. The theory yields the TD exchange
      potential as an explicit nonlocal operator of the TD spin density. The dressed
      interband (image states) excitation spectra of quasi-two-dimensional electron gas
      are obtained, while the comparison with the Kohn-Sham transitions provides
      insights into the qualitative and quantitative role of the many-body
      interactions. Important cancellations between the Hartree f_{H} and the exchange
      f_{x} kernels of TDDFT are found in the low-density regime, elucidating the
      interrelations between the Kohn-Sham and the many-body dynamics in mesoscopic
      systems.

PMID- 28644648
TI  - Crossing Over from Attractive to Repulsive Interactions in a Tunneling Bosonic
      Josephson Junction.
AB  - We explore the interplay between tunneling and interatomic interactions in the
      dynamics of a bosonic Josephson junction. We tune the scattering length of an
      atomic ^{39}K Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a double-well trap to
      investigate regimes inaccessible to other superconducting or superfluid systems.
      In the limit of small-amplitude oscillations, we study the transition from Rabi
      to plasma oscillations by crossing over from attractive to repulsive interatomic
      interactions. We observe a critical slowing down in the oscillation frequency by
      increasing the strength of an attractive interaction up to the point of a quantum
      phase transition. With sufficiently large initial oscillation amplitude and
      repulsive interactions, the system enters the macroscopic quantum self-trapping
      regime, where we observe coherent undamped oscillations with a self-sustained
      average imbalance of the relative well population. The exquisite agreement
      between theory and experiments enables the observation of a broad range of many
      body coherent dynamical regimes driven by tunable tunneling energy, interactions
      and external forces, with applications spanning from atomtronics to quantum
      metrology.

PMID- 28644649
TI  - Role of a Neighbor Ion in the Fragmentation Dynamics of Covalent Molecules.
AB  - Fragmentation of molecular nitrogen dimers (N_{2})_{2} induced by collision with
      low energy 90 keV Ar^{9+} ions is studied to evidence the influence of a
      molecular environment on the fragmentation dynamics of N_{2} cations. Following
      the capture of three or four electrons from the dimer, the three-body
      N_{2}^{+}+N^{m+}+N^{n+} [with (m,n)=(1,1) or (1, 2)] fragmentation channels
      provide clean experimental cases where molecular fragmentation may occur in the
      presence of a neighbor molecular cation. The effect of the environment on the
      fragmentation dynamics within the dimer is investigated through the comparison of
      the kinetic energy release (KER) spectra for these three-body channels and for
      isolated N_{2}^{(m+n)+} monomer cations. The corresponding KER spectra exhibit
      energy shifts of the order of 10 eV, attributed to the deformation of the
      N^{m+}+N^{n+} potential energy curves in the presence of the neighboring
      N_{2}^{+} cation. The KER structures remain unchanged, indicating that the
      primary collision process is not significantly affected by the presence of a
      neighbor molecule.

PMID- 28644650
TI  - Nature of the Spin Liquid Ground State in a Breathing Kagome Compound Studied by
      NMR and Series Expansion.
AB  - In the vanadium oxyfluoride compound (NH_{4})_{2}[C_{7}H_{14}N][V_{7}O_{6}F_{18}]
      (DQVOF), the V^{4+} (3d^{1}, S=1/2) ions realize a unique, highly frustrated
      breathing kagome lattice composed of alternately sized, corner-sharing
      equilateral triangles. Here we present an ^{17}O NMR study of DQVOF, which
      isolates the local susceptibility of the breathing kagome network. By a fit to
      series expansion, we extract the ratio of the interactions within the breathing
      kagome plane, J_{?}/J_{Delta}=0.55(4), and the mean antiferromagnetic interaction
      J[over -]=60(7)  K. Spin lattice (T_{1}) measurements reveal an essentially
      gapless excitation spectrum with a maximum gap Delta/J[over -]=0.007(7). Our
      study provides new impetus for further theoretical investigations in order to
      establish whether the gapless spin liquid behavior displayed by DQVOF is
      intrinsic to its breathing kagome lattice or whether it is due to perturbations
      to this model, such as a residual coupling of the V^{4+} ions in the breathing
      kagome planes to the interlayer V^{3+} (S=1) spins.

PMID- 28644651
TI  - Rescattering Effects in the Hadronic-Light-by-Light Contribution to the Anomalous
      Magnetic Moment of the Muon.
AB  - We present a first model-independent calculation of pipi intermediate states in
      the hadronic-light-by-light (HLBL) contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment
      of the muon (g-2)_{MU} that goes beyond the scalar QED pion loop. To this end, we
      combine a recently developed dispersive description of the HLBL tensor with a
      partial-wave expansion and demonstrate that the known scalar-QED result is
      recovered after partial-wave resummation. Using dispersive fits to high
      statistics data for the pion vector form factor, we provide an evaluation of the
      full pion box a_{MU}^{pi box}=-15.9(2)*10^{-11}. We then construct a suitable
      input for the gamma^{*}gamma^{*}->pipi helicity partial waves, based on a pion
      pole left-hand cut and show that for the dominant charged-pion contribution, this
      representation is consistent with the two-loop chiral prediction and the COMPASS
      measurement for the pion polarizability. This allows us to reliably estimate S
      wave rescattering effects to the full pion box and leads to our final estimate
      for the sum of these two contributions a_{MU}^{pi box}+a_{MU,J=0}^{pipi,pi-pole 
      LHC}=-24(1)*10^{-11}.

PMID- 28644652
TI  - Topological Insulators in Amorphous Systems.
AB  - Much of the current understanding of topological insulators, which informs the
      experimental search for topological materials and systems, is based on
      crystalline band theory, where local electronic degrees of freedom at different
      crystal sites hybridize with each other in ways that produce nontrivial topology.
      Here we provide a novel theoretical demonstration of realizing topological phases
      in amorphous systems, as exemplified by a set of sites randomly located in space.
      We show this by constructing hopping models on such random lattices whose gapped
      ground states are shown to possess nontrivial topological nature (characterized
      by Bott indices) that manifests as quantized conductances in systems with a
      boundary. Our study adds a new dimension, beyond crystalline solids, to the
      search for topological systems by pointing to the promising possibilities in
      amorphous solids and other engineered random systems.

PMID- 28644653
TI  - Dielectric Anisotropy of the GaP/Si(001) Interface from First-Principles Theory.
AB  - First-principles calculations of the dielectric anisotropy of the GaP/Si(001)
      interface are compared to the anisotropy extracted from reflectance measurements
      on GaP thin films on Si(001) [O. Supplie et al., Phys. Rev. B 86, 035308
      (2012)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.86.035308]. Optical excitations from two
      states localized in several Si layers adjacent to the interface result in the
      observed anisotropy of the interface. The calculations show excellent agreement
      with experiment only for a gapped interface with a P layer in contact with Si and
      show that a combination of theory and experiment can reveal localized electronic
      states and the atomic structure at buried interfaces.

PMID- 28644654
TI  - Interchange Instability and Transport in Matter-Antimatter Plasmas.
AB  - Symmetric electron-positron plasmas in inhomogeneous magnetic fields are
      intrinsically subject to interchange instability and transport. Scaling relations
      for the propagation velocity of density perturbations relevant to transport in
      isothermal magnetically confined electron-positron plasmas are deduced, including
      damping effects when Debye lengths are large compared to Larmor radii. The
      relations are verified by nonlinear full-F gyrofluid computations. Results are
      analyzed with respect to planned magnetically confined electron-positron plasma
      experiments. The model is generalized to other matter-antimatter plasmas.
      Magnetized electron-positron-proton-antiproton plasmas are susceptible to
      interchange-driven local matter-antimatter separation, which can impede sustained
      laboratory magnetic confinement.

PMID- 28644655
TI  - Formation of Vacancies in Si- and Ge-based Clathrates: Role of Electron
      Localization and Symmetry Breaking.
AB  - The formation of framework vacancies in Si- and Ge-based type-I clathrates is
      studied using density-functional theory as a function of filling the cages with K
      and Ba atoms. Our analysis reveals the relevance of structural disorder,
      geometric relaxation, and electronic saturation as well as vibrational and
      configurational entropy. In the Si clathrates, we find that vacancies are
      unstable, but very differently, in Ge clathrates, up to three vacancies per unit
      cell can be stabilized. This contrasting behavior is largely driven by the
      different energy gain on populating the electronic vacancy states, which
      originates from the different degree of localization of the valence orbitals of
      Si and Ge. This also actuates a qualitatively different atomic relaxation of the
      framework.

PMID- 28644656
TI  - Entanglement-Enhanced Phase Estimation without Prior Phase Information.
AB  - We study the generation of planar quantum squeezed (PQS) states by quantum
      nondemolition (QND) measurement of an ensemble of ^{87}Rb atoms with a Poisson
      distributed atom number. Precise calibration of the QND measurement allows us to
      infer the conditional covariance matrix describing the F_{y} and F_{z} components
      of the PQS states, revealing the dual squeezing characteristic of PQS states. PQS
      states have been proposed for single-shot phase estimation without prior
      knowledge of the likely values of the phase. We show that for an arbitrary phase,
      the generated PQS states can give a metrological advantage of at least 3.1 dB
      relative to classical states. The PQS state also beats, for most phase angles,
      single-component-squeezed states generated by QND measurement with the same
      resources and atom number statistics. Using spin squeezing inequalities, we show
      that spin-spin entanglement is responsible for the metrological advantage.

PMID- 28644657
TI  - Zhao et al. Reply.

PMID- 28644658
TI  - Coevolution of Synchronization and Cooperation in Costly Networked Interactions.
AB  - Despite the large number of studies on synchronization, the hypothesis that
      interactions bear a cost for involved individuals has seldom been considered. The
      introduction of costly interactions leads, instead, to the formulation of a
      dichotomous scenario in which an individual may decide to cooperate and pay the
      cost in order to get synchronized with the rest of the population. Alternatively,
      the same individual can decide to free ride, without incurring any cost, waiting
      for others to get synchronized to his or her state. Thus, the emergence of
      synchronization may be seen as the byproduct of an evolutionary game in which
      individuals decide their behavior according to the benefit-to-cost ratio they
      accrued in the past. We study the onset of cooperation and synchronization in
      networked populations of Kuramoto oscillators and report how topology is
      essential in order for cooperation to thrive. We also display how different
      classes of topology foster synchronization differently both at microscopic and
      macroscopic levels.

PMID- 28644659
TI  - Remanent Magnetization: Signature of Many-Body Localization in Quantum
      Antiferromagnets.
AB  - We study the remanent magnetization in antiferromagnetic, many-body localized
      quantum spin chains, initialized in a fully magnetized state. Its long time limit
      is an order parameter for the localization transition, which is readily
      accessible by standard experimental probes in magnets. We analytically calculate
      its value in the strong-disorder regime exploiting the explicit construction of
      quasilocal conserved quantities of the localized phase. We discuss analogies in
      cold atomic systems.

PMID- 28644660
TI  - Recoil-Sensitive Lithium Interferometer without a Subrecoil Sample.
AB  - We report simultaneous conjugate Ramsey-Borde interferometers with a sample of
      low-mass (lithium-7) atoms at 50 times the recoil temperature. We optically pump
      the atoms to a magnetically insensitive state using the 2S_{1/2}-2P_{1/2} line.
      Fast stimulated Raman beam splitters address a broad velocity class and
      unavoidably drive two conjugate interferometers that overlap spatially. We show
      that detecting the summed interference signals of both interferometers, using
      state labeling, allows recoil measurements and suppression of phase noise from
      vibrations. The use of "warm" atoms allows for simple, efficient, and high-flux
      atom sources and broadens the applicability of recoil-sensitive interferometry to
      particles that remain difficult to trap and cool.

PMID- 28644661
TI  - Soft Photon and Graviton Theorems in Effective Field Theory.
AB  - Extensions of the photon and graviton soft theorems are derived in 4D local
      effective field theories with massless particles of arbitrary spin. We prove that
      effective operators can result in new terms in the soft theorems at subleading
      order for photons and subsubleading order for gravitons. The new soft terms are
      unique, and we provide a complete classification of all local operators
      responsible for such modifications. We show that no local operators can modify
      the subleading soft graviton theorem. The soft limits are taken in a manifestly
      on-locus manner using a complex double deformation of the external momenta. In
      addition to the new soft theorems, the resulting master formula yields
      consistency conditions, such as the conservation of electric charge, the Einstein
      equivalence principle, supergravity Ward identities, and that particles with spin
      greater than two cannot couple to those with spin less than or equal to two.

PMID- 28644662
TI  - Novel Metal-Insulator Transition at the SmTiO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} Interface.
AB  - We report on a metal-insulator transition (MIT) that is observed in an electron
      system at the SmTiO_{3}/SrTiO_{3} interface. This MIT is characterized by an
      abrupt transition at a critical temperature, below which the resistance changes
      by more than an order of magnitude. The temperature of the transition
      systematically depends on the carrier density, which is tuned from ~1*10^{14} to
      3*10^{14}  cm^{-2} by changing the SmTiO_{3} thickness. An analysis of the
      transport properties shows non-Fermi-liquid behavior and mass enhancement as the
      carrier density is lowered. We compare the MIT characteristics with those of
      known MITs in other material systems and show that they are distinctly different
      in several aspects. We tentatively conclude that both long-range Coulomb
      interactions and the fixed charge at the polar interface are likely to play a
      role in this MIT. The strong dependence on the carrier density makes this MIT of
      interest for field-tunable devices.

PMID- 28644663
TI  - Origin of Structural Modulations in Ultrathin Fe Films on Cu(001).
AB  - Employing ab initio calculations we demonstrate that the complex structural
      modulations experimentally observed in ultrathin Fe films on Cu(001) originate
      from Fe bulk phases that arise under extreme deformations. Specifically, we show
      that the structural modulations correspond to the motifs observed when
      transforming fcc Fe to bcc Fe in the Pitsch orientation relationship
      [(001)_{fcc}||(11[over -]0)_{bcc}]. The observed structural equivalence between
      surface and unstable bulk structures naturally explains the experimentally
      reported magnetic and structural transitions when going from low (two to four
      MLs) to intermediate (four to ten MLs) film coverages.

PMID- 28644664
TI  - Radiation Pressure Cooling as a Quantum Dynamical Process.
AB  - One of the most fundamental problems in optomechanical cooling is how small the
      thermal phonon number of a mechanical oscillator can be achieved under the
      radiation pressure of a proper cavity field. Different from previous theoretical
      predictions, which were based on an optomechanical system's time-independent
      steady states, we treat such cooling as a dynamical process of driving the
      mechanical oscillator from its initial thermal state, due to its thermal
      equilibrium with the environment, to a stabilized quantum state of higher purity.
      We find that the stabilized thermal phonon number left in the end actually
      depends on how fast the cooling process could be. The cooling speed is decided by
      an effective optomechanical coupling intensity, which constitutes an essential
      parameter for cooling, in addition to the sideband resolution parameter that has
      been considered in other theoretical studies. The limiting thermal phonon number
      that any cooling process cannot surpass exhibits a discontinuous jump across a
      certain value of the parameter.

PMID- 28644665
TI  - Giant Paramagnetism-Induced Valley Polarization of Electrons in Charge-Tunable
      Monolayer MoSe_{2}.
AB  - For applications exploiting the valley pseudospin degree of freedom in transition
      metal dichalcogenide monolayers, efficient preparation of electrons or holes in a
      single valley is essential. Here, we show that a magnetic field of 7 T leads to a
      near-complete valley polarization of electrons in a MoSe_{2} monolayer with a
      density 1.6*10^{12}  cm^{-2}; in the absence of exchange interactions favoring
      single-valley occupancy, a similar degree of valley polarization would have
      required a pseudospin g factor of 38. To investigate the magnetic response, we
      use polarization resolved photoluminescence as well as resonant reflection
      measurements. In the latter, we observe gate voltage dependent transfer of
      oscillator strength from the exciton to the attractive Fermi polaron: stark
      differences in the spectrum of the two light helicities provide a confirmation of
      valley polarization. Our findings suggest an interaction induced giant
      paramagnetic response of MoSe_{2}, which paves the way for valleytronics
      applications.

PMID- 28644666
TI  - Frictional Resistance within the Wake of Frictional Rupture Fronts.
AB  - Frictional resistance to slip, tau, is determined by the real area of contact, A,
      and the shear strength of the contacts forming the frictional interface. We
      perform simultaneous high-speed local measurements of tau and A at the tail of
      propagating rupture fronts. Rate dependence is investigated over 2 orders of
      magnitude of local slip velocities which reach up to ~1  m/s. A critical slip
      velocity is observed that signifies a transition in the frictional behavior:
      enhanced velocity weakening of A and tau. These measurements enable us to infer
      the contact shear strength, an otherwise elusive quantity, and show that the
      contact shear strength persistently increases with slip rate. This, surprisingly,
      contrasts with expected contact softening at the high temperatures induced by
      rapid sliding.

PMID- 28644667
TI  - Nuclear Resonant Surface Diffraction of Synchrotron Radiation.
AB  - Nuclear resonant x-ray diffraction in grazing incidence geometry is used to
      determine the lateral magnetic configuration in a one-dimensional lattice of
      ferromagnetic nanostripes. During magnetic reversal, strong nuclear
      superstructure diffraction peaks appear in addition to the electronic ones due to
      an antiferromagnetic order in the nanostripe lattice. We show that the analysis
      of the angular distribution together with the time dependence of the resonantly
      diffracted x rays reveals surface spin structures with very high sensitivity.
      This scattering technique provides unique access to laterally correlated spin
      configurations in magnetically ordered nanostructures and, in perspective, also
      to their dynamics.

PMID- 28644668
TI  - Strong Light-Matter Interactions in Single Open Plasmonic Nanocavities at the
      Quantum Optics Limit.
AB  - Reaching the quantum optics limit of strong light-matter interactions between a
      single exciton and a plasmon mode is highly desirable, because it opens up
      possibilities to explore room-temperature quantum devices operating at the single
      photon level. However, two challenges severely hinder the realization of this
      limit: the integration of single-exciton emitters with plasmonic nanostructures
      and making the coupling strength at the single-exciton level overcome the large
      damping of the plasmon mode. Here, we demonstrate that these two hindrances can
      be overcome by attaching individual J aggregates to single cuboid Au@Ag nanorods.
      In such hybrid nanosystems, both the ultrasmall mode volume of ~71  nm^{3} and
      the ultrashort interaction distance of less than 0.9 nm make the coupling
      coefficient between a single J-aggregate exciton and the cuboid nanorod as high
      as ~41.6  meV, enabling strong light-matter interactions to be achieved at the
      quantum optics limit in single open plasmonic nanocavities.

PMID- 28644669
TI  - Entanglement and Nonlocality in Infinite 1D Systems.
AB  - We consider the problem of detecting entanglement and nonlocality in one
      dimensional (1D) infinite, translation-invariant (TI) systems when just near
      neighbor information is available. This issue is deeper than one might think a
      priori, since, as we show, there exist instances of local separable states
      (classical boxes) which admit only entangled (nonclassical) TI extensions. We
      provide a simple characterization of the set of local states of multiseparable TI
      spin chains and construct a family of linear witnesses which can detect
      entanglement in infinite TI states from the nearest-neighbor reduced density
      matrix. Similarly, we prove that the set of classical TI boxes forms a polytope
      and devise a general procedure to generate all Bell inequalities which
      characterize it. Using an algorithm based on matrix product states, we show how
      some of them can be violated by distant parties conducting identical measurements
      on an infinite TI quantum state. All our results can be easily adapted to detect
      entanglement and nonlocality in large (finite, not TI) 1D condensed matter
      systems.

PMID- 28644670
TI  - Effective Forces Between Quantum Bound States.
AB  - Recent ab initio lattice studies have found that the interactions between alpha
      particles (^{4}He nuclei) are sensitive to seemingly minor details of the nucleon
      nucleon force, such as interaction locality. In order to uncover the essential
      physics of this puzzling phenomenon without unnecessary complications, we study a
      simple model involving two-component fermions in one spatial dimension. We probe
      the interaction between two bound dimers for several different particle-particle
      interactions and measure an effective potential between the dimers using external
      point potentials which act as numerical tweezers. We find that the strength and
      range of the local part of the particle-particle interactions play a dominant
      role in shaping the interactions between the dimers and can even determine the
      overall sign of the effective potential.

PMID- 28644671
TI  - Spin Pumping and Torque Statistics in the Quantum Noise Limit.
AB  - We analyze the statistics of charge and energy currents and spin torque in a
      metallic nanomagnet coupled to a large magnetic metal via a tunnel contact. We
      derive a Keldysh action for the tunnel barrier, describing the stochastic
      currents in the presence of a magnetization precessing with the rate Omega. In
      contrast to some earlier approaches, our result is valid for an arbitrary ratio
      of hOmega/k_{B}T. We illustrate the use of the action by deriving spintronic
      fluctuation relations, the quantum limit of pumped current noise, and consider
      the fluctuations in two specific cases: the situation with a stable precession of
      magnetization driven by spin transfer torque, and the torque-induced switching
      between the minima of a magnetic anisotropy. The quantum corrections are relevant
      when the precession rate exceeds the temperature T, i.e., for hOmega?k_{B}T.

PMID- 28644672
TI  - Topological Fractional Pumping with Alkaline-Earth-Like Atoms in Synthetic
      Lattices.
AB  - Alkaline-earth(-like) atoms, trapped in optical lattices and in the presence of
      an external gauge field, can form insulating states at given fractional fillings.
      We will show that, by exploiting these properties, it is possible to realize a
      topological fractional pump. Our analysis is based on a many-body adiabatic
      expansion, on simulations with time-dependent matrix product states, and, for a
      specific form of atom-atom interaction, on an exactly solvable model of
      fractional pump. The numerical simulations allow us to consider a realistic setup
      amenable of an experimental realization. As a further consequence, the measure of
      the center-of-mass shift of the atomic cloud would constitute the first
      measurement of a many-body Chern number in a cold-atom experiment.

PMID- 28644673
TI  - Limitations of Particle-Based Spasers.
AB  - We present a semiclassical analytic model for spherical core-shell surface
      plasmon lasers. Within this model, we drop the widely used one-mode
      approximations in favor of fully electromagnetic Mie theory. This allows for
      incorporation of realistic gain relaxation rates that so far are massively
      underestimated. Especially, higher order modes can undermine and even reverse the
      beneficial effects of the strong Purcell effect in such systems. Our model gives
      a clear view on gain and resonator requirements, as well as on the output
      characteristics that will help experimenters to design more efficient particle
      based spasers.

PMID- 28644675
TI  - Origin of Noncubic Scaling Law in Disordered Granular Packing.
AB  - Recent diffraction experiments on metallic glasses have unveiled an unexpected
      noncubic scaling law between density and average interatomic distance, which led
      to the speculation of the presence of fractal glass order. Using x-ray tomography
      we identify here a similar noncubic scaling law in disordered granular packing of
      spherical particles. We find that the scaling law is directly related to the
      contact neighbors within the first nearest neighbor shell, and, therefore, is
      closely connected to the phenomenon of jamming. The seemingly universal scaling
      exponent around 2.5 arises due to the isostatic condition with a contact number
      around 6, and we argue that the exponent should not be universal.

PMID- 28644676
TI  - Is a Trineutron Resonance Lower in Energy than a Tetraneutron Resonance?
AB  - We present quantum Monte Carlo calculations of few-neutron systems confined in
      external potentials based on local chiral interactions at next-to-next-to-leading
      order in chiral effective field theory. The energy and radial densities for these
      systems are calculated in different external Woods-Saxon potentials. We assume
      that their extrapolation to zero external-potential depth provides a quantitative
      estimate of three- and four-neutron resonances. The validity of this assumption
      is demonstrated by benchmarking with an exact diagonalization in the two-body
      case. We find that the extrapolated trineutron resonance, as well as the energy
      for shallow well depths, is lower than the tetraneutron resonance energy. This
      suggests that a three-neutron resonance exists below a four-neutron resonance in
      nature and is potentially measurable. To confirm that the relative ordering of
      three- and four-neutron resonances is not an artifact of the external
      confinement, we test that the odd-even staggering in the helium isotopic chain is
      reproduced within this approach. Finally, we discuss similarities between our
      results and ultracold Fermi gases.

PMID- 28644677
TI  - Young Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Single-Leg
      Landing Asymmetries at the Time of Return to Sport Demonstrate Decreased Knee
      Function 2 Years Later.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous work shows that young athletes after anterior cruciate
      ligament reconstruction (ACLR) demonstrate single-leg (SL) landing movement
      asymmetries at the time of return to sport (RTS); however, the effect of movement
      asymmetries on longitudinal knee-related function after ACLR has not been
      examined. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect
      of SL drop-landing movement symmetry at the time of RTS on knee-related function
      2 years later in young athletes after ACLR. The first hypothesis was that young
      athletes who demonstrated SL drop-landing asymmetries at RTS would demonstrate
      decreased knee function 2 years later compared with those who demonstrated
      symmetric SL drop-landing mechanics. The second hypothesis was that SL drop
      landing movement symmetry at RTS would be associated with knee functional
      recovery 2 years later. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.
      METHODS: This study included 48 young athletes who had undergone ACLR and were
      assessed at the time of RTS (77% female; mean [+/-SD] age at RTS, 17.6 +/- 2.6
      years) and followed for 2 years after RTS. Three sagittal-plane landing variables
      of interest were calculated using 3-dimensional motion analysis during an SL drop
      landing task at the time of RTS: knee flexion excursion, peak internal knee
      extension moment, and peak trunk flexion. The limb symmetry index (LSI) was
      calculated for each landing variable using the following: LSI =
      (involved/uninvolved) * 100%. The LSI was used to divide the cohort into
      symmetric (SYM) and asymmetric (ASYM) groups for each landing variable: knee
      flexion excursion (SYM: LSI >= 90% [n = 23]; ASYM: LSI < 85% [n = 18]), peak
      internal knee extension moment (SYM: LSI >= 90% [n = 19]; ASYM: LSI < 85% [n =
      22]), and peak trunk flexion (SYM: LSI <= 105% [n = 25]; ASYM: LSI > 115% [n =
      19]). At 2 years after RTS, knee-related function was evaluated using the Knee
      Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation
      Committee (IKDC) subjective knee form, and performance on SL hop tests.
      Functional recovery was defined based on literature cutoffs for knee-related
      functional measures. Differences in 2-year function were compared between the
      symmetry groups using Mann-Whitney U tests because of nonnormality. Logistic
      regression was used to determine if landing symmetry at the time of RTS would be
      associated with 2-year knee functional recovery after RTS. RESULTS: The ASYM knee
      flexion excursion group demonstrated decreased function at 2 years after RTS
      compared with the SYM group on the KOOS-Pain (ASYM: 93.0 +/- 8.2; SYM: 98.4 +/-
      3.0; P = .008) and the KOOS-Quality of Life (ASYM: 81.6 +/- 16.1; SYM: 94.1 +/-
      9.7; P = .008). Knee flexion excursion was associated with knee functional
      recovery on the KOOS-Pain and the KOOS-Quality of Life ( P = .033 and P = .012,
      respectively) at 2 years after RTS, after controlling for the quadriceps strength
      LSI and graft type. CONCLUSION: Young athletes after ACLR with asymmetries in
      knee kinematics at the time of RTS reported decreased self-reported function 2
      years later; however, the clinical importance of these differences needs to be
      further understood.

PMID- 28644678
TI  - Professional Athletes' Return to Play and Performance After Operative Repair of
      an Achilles Tendon Rupture.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most Achilles tendon ruptures are sports related. However, few
      studies have examined and compared the effect of surgical repair for complete
      ruptures on return to play (RTP), play time, and performance across multiple
      sports. PURPOSE: To examine RTP and performance among professional athletes after
      Achilles tendon repair and compare pre- versus postoperative functional outcomes
      of professional athletes from different major leagues in the United States. STUDY
      DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: National Basketball
      Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB),
      and National Hockey League (NHL) athletes who sustained a primary complete
      Achilles tendon rupture treated surgically between 1989 and 2013 were identified
      via public injury reports and press releases. Demographic information and
      performance-related statistics were recorded for 2 seasons before and after
      surgery and compared with matched controls. Statistical analyses were used to
      assess differences in recorded metrics. RESULTS: Of 86 athletes screened, 62 met
      inclusion criteria including 25 NBA, 32 NFL, and 5 MLB players. Nineteen (30.6%)
      professional athletes with an isolated Achilles tendon rupture treated surgically
      were unable to return to play. Among athletes who successfully returned to play,
      game participation averaged 75.4% ( P < .001) and 81.9% ( P = .002) of the total
      games played the season before injury at 1 and 2 years postoperatively,
      respectively. Play time was significantly decreased and athletes performed
      significantly worse compared with preoperative levels at 1 and 2 years after
      injury ( P < .001). When players were compared with matched controls, an Achilles
      tendon rupture resulted in fewer games played ( P < .001), decreased play time (
      P = .025), and worse performance statistics ( P < .001) at 1 year but not 2 years
      postoperatively ( P > .05). When individual sports were compared, NBA players
      were most significantly affected, experiencing significant decreases in games
      played, play time, and performance. CONCLUSION: An Achilles tendon rupture is a
      devastating injury that prevents RTP for 30.6% of professional players. Athletes
      who do return play in fewer games, have less play time, and perform at a lower
      level than their preinjury status. However, these functional deficits are seen
      only at 1 year after surgery compared with matched controls, such that players
      who return to play can expect to perform at a level commensurate with uninjured
      controls 2 years postoperatively.

PMID- 28644679
TI  - Success of University Student Volunteers in Obtaining Consent for Reviewing
      Private Health Information for Emergency Research.
AB  - This study aimed to determine the success of university student volunteers in
      obtaining consent from parents to allow review of their child's personal health
      information (PHI) for emergency research screening. This study also aimed to
      examine the variables associated with successful consent. This was a prospective
      cross-sectional study conducted at a pediatric emergency department (ED).
      University students, who functioned as delegates of the health information
      custodian, approached parents for consent. Of 2,506 parents, 1,852 (73.9%)
      provided consent to allow review of their child's PHI for research screening.
      Variables associated with successful consent were high (>=12 months) versus low
      (<12 months) volunteer experience (OR = 2.0), research related (vs. unrelated) to
      the child's chief complaint (OR = 2.0), child treated regularly by specialists at
      the study institution (OR = 1.7), and ED presentation mid-week vs. weekend (OR =
      1.7) and morning vs. evening presentation (OR = 1.4). When approached by a
      university student volunteer, about 25% of parents declined to have their child's
      PHI reviewed for research screening. This model of obtaining consent may put some
      emergency research at risk for selection bias. Variables that increase the odds
      of successful consent can be considered in program design to improve the
      effectiveness of this model.

PMID- 28644680
TI  - Exploring the Factor Structure of the Social Cognition and Object Relations
      Global Rating Method: Support for Two- and Three-Factor Models.
AB  - The Social Cognition and Object Relations Scales-Global Rating Method (SCORS-G)
      contains 8 scales for coding narrative content. This study explores the factor
      structure of this measure using college (n = 171), outpatient (n = 239), and
      inpatient (n = 78) samples. Participants told stories to the Thematic
      Apperception Test (TAT; Murray, 1943) cards. Stories were transcribed and coded
      by blind raters using the SCORS-G. Cases were randomly assigned to an exploratory
      or validation group. Exploratory factor analysis with the exploratory group
      suggested 2- and 3-factor models. The Emotional Investment in Relationships (EIR)
      scale did not obtain a primary loading on any factor and was not included in
      subsequentmodels. After modifications, confirmatory factor analysis indicated
      good-to-adequate fit for 2- and 3-factor models. Both models showed good fit in
      the validation group and met criteria for invariance across models. Findings
      indicated that some SCORS-G scales tap cognitive-structural elements, whereas
      others assess affective-relational components of narratives. We found mild
      support separating the affective-relational scales in terms of internal
      representations for the self and others and relationships. The results reported
      here indicate that clinicians and researchers can calculate a separate cognitive
      structural composite score and an affective-relational composite score when using
      the SCORS-G to rate TAT stories.

PMID- 28644674
TI  - Constraints on Oscillation Parameters from nu_{e} Appearance and nu_{MU}
      Disappearance in NOvA.
AB  - Results are reported from an improved measurement of nu_{MU}->nu_{e} transitions
      by the NOvA experiment. Using an exposure equivalent to 6.05*10^{20} protons on
      target, 33 nu_{e} candidates are observed with a background of 8.2+/-0.8 (syst.).
      Combined with the latest NOvA nu_{MU} disappearance data and external constraints
      from reactor experiments on sin^{2}2theta_{13}, the hypothesis of inverted mass
      hierarchy with theta_{23} in the lower octant is disfavored at greater than 93%
      C.L. for all values of delta_{CP}.

PMID- 28644681
TI  - Treatment Results of Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking Combined with Riboflavin and
      440 Nm Blue Light for Bacterial Corneal Ulcer in Rabbits.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the treatment effect of corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL)
      combined with 440 nm blue light and riboflavin on bacterial corneal ulcer using
      animal experiments. METHODS: A total of 21 New Zealand white rabbits that
      developed Staphylococcus aureus corneal ulcer were randomly divided into three
      groups. Seven rabbits were used as blank control groups; seven rabbits were
      treated with CXL combined with riboflavin and 440 nm blue light; and seven
      rabbits were treated with CXL combined with riboflavin and 370 nm ultraviolet A
      light. Necrotic tissues or secretions from the ulcer surface, eye secretions,
      conjunctival hyperemia, hypopyon, corneal infiltration, and pathological changes
      of the cornea were all observed. RESULTS: The 1st, 3th, and 7th day after CXL
      treatment, a statistically significant difference was found among the
      inflammation scores of the three groups. The scores of 440 and 370 groups
      decreased gradually, significantly lower than that of the control group.
      Bacterial cultures of 440 and 370 groups turned to be negative while that of the
      control group remained positive. After 1 day of CXL treatment, pathology pictures
      of the three groups all showed loss of corneal epithelia with many inflammatory
      cells in deep stroma. After 7 days of CXL treatment, abscess formed in almost all
      corneal area in the control group, while in 440 and 370 groups, multilayer
      healing of corneal epithelia, neovascularization, and many inflammatory cells
      within ulcers and proliferation of a small amount of fibroblast were seen.
      CONCLUSIONS: CXL combined with riboflavin and 440 nm blue light is effective in
      treating S. aureus corneal ulcer.

PMID- 28644682
TI  - Management of severe bupropion poisoning with intravenous lipid emulsion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bupropion toxicity is characterized by central nervous system and
      cardiovascular toxicity. Intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) has been suggested as a
      treatment by some for the treatment of refractory bupropion toxicity. This
      recommendation is based largely on published case reports and cases presented at
      scientific meetings. The objective of this study is to characterize the outcomes
      of patients with suspected bupropion toxicity in which ILE was administered and
      the indications for its use. METHODS: Electronic records from one regional poison
      center were searched for intentional bupropion ingestions from 1 January 2009
      through 31 December 2015. Cases in which ILE was administered or death was listed
      as the outcome were further analyzed. RESULTS: There were 1274 cases of suspected
      bupropion ingestion reported during the study period with 14 reported deaths.
      Nine cases of ILE administration were identified. Of these, four patients expired
      and five survived. One of the survivors had neurologic sequelae necessitating
      placement in a long-term care facility. Patient complications after ILE
      administration were common and included continued hypotension in 7 cases,
      recurrent seizures in 3 patients, ARDS in two patients, and renal failure in one
      patient. CONCLUSIONS: The high mortality and complication rate after ILE in this
      study sample does not reflect the positive outcome benefit seen in previous
      published case reports. Further characterization of the efficacy and
      complications of ILE in bupropion toxicity is needed.

PMID- 28644683
TI  - Use of percutaneous left ventricular assist device (Impella) in vasodilatory
      poison-induced shock.

PMID- 28644684
TI  - C Cell and Follicular Epithelial Cell Precursor Lesions of the Thyroid.
AB  - CONTEXT: - The identification of precursor or dysplastic lesions in the thyroid
      is difficult. Pathology of the C cell has been extensively studied, and the
      preneoplastic nature of C-cell hyperplasia in the setting of familial medullary
      thyroid carcinomas is well established. However, the distinction between
      neoplastic and physiologic/reactive C-cell hyperplasia remains a challenge.
      Unlike C cells, the existence of a precursor lesion of follicular cell-derived
      tumors is less well established, and a dysplastic or preneoplastic follicular
      lesion has not been well defined. OBJECTIVE: - To discuss putative precursor
      lesions in the thyroid arising from C cells and follicular epithelial cells. DATA
      SOURCES: - Data were obtained from a review of the pertinent peer-reviewed
      literature. CONCLUSIONS: - Although the preneoplastic nature of C-cell
      hyperplasia in the setting of familial medullary thyroid carcinoma is well
      recognized, the preneoplastic nature/malignant potential of reactive/physiologic
      C-cell hyperplasia and its role in the development of sporadic, medullary thyroid
      carcinoma is still unclear. Current data suggest that benign follicular lesions
      may have malignant potential, and there may be a multifocal progression from
      benign to malignant. Atypical follicular lesions in the background of chronic
      lymphocytic thyroiditis may represent dysplastic or premalignant lesions.

PMID- 28644685
TI  - Application of Immunohistochemistry in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary and Pleural
      Neoplasms.
AB  - CONTEXT: - A vast majority of neoplasms arising from lung or pleura are initially
      diagnosed based on the histologic evaluation of small transbronchial,
      endobronchial, or needle core biopsies. Although most diagnoses can be determined
      by morphology alone, immunohistochemistry can be a valuable diagnostic tool in
      the workup of problematic cases. OBJECTIVE: - To provide a practical approach in
      the interpretation and immunohistochemical selection of lung/pleura-based
      neoplasms obtained from small biopsy samples. DATA SOURCES: - A literature review
      of previously published articles and the personal experience of the authors were
      used in this review article. CONCLUSION: - Immunohistochemistry is a useful
      diagnostic tool in the workup of small biopsies from the lung and pleura sampled
      by small biopsy techniques.

PMID- 28644686
TI  - Cervical Adenocarcinoma: Diagnosis of Human Papillomavirus-Positive and Human
      Papillomavirus-Negative Tumors.
AB  - CONTEXT: - Cervical adenocarcinomas span a diverse group of tumors with several
      distinct histologic tumor types, which include endocervical, endometrioid,
      intestinal, villoglandular, gastric, signet ring, serous, clear cell, and
      mesonephric. Diagnosis of cervical adenocarcinoma, especially early diagnosis,
      poses a significant challenge. OBJECTIVE: - To review the pathogenesis,
      diagnostic criteria, immunohistochemical markers, and differential diagnosis of
      various subtypes of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative cervical
      adenocarcinomas. The paper presents a concise summary of the issues that may be
      particularly difficult in histopathologic diagnosis, such as differentiating
      neoplastic lesions from benign mimics, determining the tumor type,
      differentiating early invasive lesions from adenocarcinoma in situ, measuring the
      depth of invasion, and, finally, differentiating primary cervical adenocarcinoma
      from uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma and tumors metastatic from other primary
      sites. DATA SOURCES: - The study employed a PubMed search of recently published
      reports. CONCLUSIONS: - Early detection of HPV-positive tumor types may be aided
      with the expansion of HPV testing; however, early diagnosis of HPV-negative
      cervical adenocarcinomas will continue to pose a challenge and may require the
      development of additional molecular testing techniques.

PMID- 28644688
TI  - Intraosseous administration of antidotes - a systematic review.
AB  - CONTEXT: Intraosseous (IO) access is an established route of administration in
      resuscitation situations. Patients with serious poisoning presenting to the
      emergency department may require urgent antidote therapy. However, intravenous
      (IV) access is not always readily available. OBJECTIVE: This study reviews the
      current evidence for IO administration of antidotes that could be used in
      poisoning. The primary outcome was mortality as a surrogate of efficacy.
      Secondary outcomes included hemodynamic variables, electrocardiographic
      variables, neurological status, pharmacokinetics outcomes, and adverse effects as
      defined by each article. METHODS: A medical librarian created a systematic search
      strategy for Medline, subsequently translated to Embase, BIOSIS, PubMed, Web of
      Science, Cochrane, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), and the
      CENTRAL clinical trial register, all of which we searched from inception to 30
      June 2016. Interventions included IO administration of selected antidotes.
      Articles included volunteer studies, poisoning, or other resuscitation contexts
      such as cardiac arrest, burns, dehydration, seizure, hemorrhagic shock, or
      undifferentiated shock. We considered all human studies and animal experiments to
      the exception of in vitro studies. Two reviewers independently selected studies,
      and a third adjudicated in case of disagreement. Three reviewers extracted all
      relevant data. Three reviewers evaluated the risk of bias and quality of the
      articles using specific scales according to each type of study design. RESULTS: A
      total of 47 publications (46 articles and one abstract) met our inclusion
      criteria and described IO administration of 13 different antidotes. These
      included one case series and 21 case reports describing 26 patients, and 25
      animal experiments. Of those, seven human case reports and four animal
      experiments specifically reported the use of antidotes in poisoning. Human case
      reports suggested favorable outcomes with IO use of atropine, diazepam,
      hydroxocobalamin, insulin, lipid emulsion, methylene blue, phentolamine,
      prothrombin complex concentrate, and sodium bicarbonate. Clinical outcomes varied
      according to the antidote used. The only reported adverse event was ventricular
      tachycardia following IO naloxone. Regarding the animal experiments, IO
      administration of lipid emulsion and of hydroxocobalamin showed improved survival
      in bupivacaine-poisoned rats and in cyanide-intoxicated swine, respectively.
      Animal data also suggested an equivalent bio-availability between IO and IV
      administration for atropine, calcium chloride, dextrose 50%, diazepam, methylene
      blue, pralidoxime, and sodium bicarbonate. Adverse effect reporting of fat emboli
      after IO administration of sodium bicarbonate, for example, was conflicting due
      to the significant heterogeneity in the timing of lung examination across
      studies. CONCLUSION: The evidence supporting the use of IO route for the
      administration of antidotes in a context of poisoning is scarce. The majority of
      the evidence consists of case reports and animal experiments. Common antidotes
      such as acetylcysteine, fomepizole, and digoxin-specific antibody fragments have
      not been studied or reported with the use of the IO route. Despite the low
      quality evidence available, IO access is a potential option for antidotal
      treatments in toxicological resuscitation when IV access is unavailable.

PMID- 28644689
TI  - Two new prenylflavonoids from Morus alba.
AB  - Two new prenylflavonoids, morusalbols A and B (1 and 2), were isolated from the
      branches and leaves of Morus alba, together with three known compounds, kuwanon C
      (3), morusin (4), morusinol (5). The structures of these two prenylflavonoids
      were elucidated by extensive analyzes of the spectroscopic data.

PMID- 28644687
TI  - Massive paracetamol overdose: an observational study of the effect of activated
      charcoal and increased acetylcysteine dose (ATOM-2).
AB  - CONTEXT: Paracetamol is commonly taken in overdose, with increasing concerns that
      those taking "massive" overdoses have higher rates of hepatotoxicity and may
      require higher doses of acetylcysteine. The objective was to describe the
      clinical characteristics and outcomes of "massive" (>= 40 g) paracetamol
      overdoses. METHODS: Patients were identified through the Australian Paracetamol
      Project, a prospective observational study through Poisons Information Centres in
      NSW and Queensland, over 3 and 1.5 years, respectively, and retrospectively from
      three clinical toxicology unit databases (over 2.5 to 20 years). Included were
      immediate-release paracetamol overdoses >= 40 g ingested over <= 8 h. Outcomes
      measured included paracetamol ratio[defined as the ratio of the first paracetamol
      concentration taken 4-16 h post-ingestion to the standard (150 mg/L at 4 h)
      nomogram line at that time] and hepatotoxicity (ALT >1000 U/L). RESULTS: Two
      hundred paracetamol overdoses were analysed, reported median dose ingested was 50
      g (interquartile range (IQR): 45-60 g) and median paracetamol ratio 1.9 (IQR: 1.4
      2.9, n = 173). One hundred and ninety-three received acetylcysteine at median
      time of 6.3 h (IQR: 4-9.3 h) post-ingestion. Twenty-eight (14%) developed
      hepatotoxicity, including six treated within 8 h of ingestion. Activated charcoal
      was administered to 49(25%), at median of 2 h post-ingestion (IQR:1.5-5 h). Those
      receiving activated charcoal (within 4 h of ingestion), had significantly lower
      paracetamol ratio versus those who did not: 1.4 (n = 33, IQR: 1.1-1.6) versus 2.2
      (n = 140, IQR: 1.5-3.0) (p < .0001) (paracetamol concentration measured >= 1 h
      after charcoal). Furthermore, they had lower rates of hepatotoxicity [unadjusted
      OR: 0.12 (95% CI: <0.001-0.91); adjusted for time to acetylcysteine OR: 0.20
      (95%CI: 0.002-1.74)]. Seventy-nine had a paracetamol ratio >=2, 43 received an
      increased dose of acetylcysteine in the first 21 h; most commonly a double dose
      in the last bag (100 to 200 mg/kg/16 h). Those receiving increased acetylcysteine
      had a significant decrease risk of hepatotoxicity [OR:0.27 (95% CI: 0.08-0.94)].
      The OR remained similar after adjustment for time to acetylcysteine and
      paracetamol ratio. CONCLUSION: Massive paracetamol overdose can result in
      hepatotoxicity despite early treatment. Paracetamol concentrations were markedly
      reduced in those receiving activated charcoal within 4 h. In those with high
      paracetamol concentrations, treatment with increased acetylcysteine dose within
      21 h was associated with a significant reduction in hepatotoxicity.

PMID- 28644690
TI  - Advances in the development of human protein microarrays.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: High-content protein microarrays in principle enable the functional
      interrogation of the human proteome in a broad range of applications, including
      biomarker discovery, profiling of immune responses, identification of enzyme
      substrates, and quantifying protein-small molecule, protein-protein and protein
      DNA/RNA interactions. As with other microarrays, the underlying proteomic
      platforms are under active technological development and a range of different
      protein microarrays are now commercially available. However, deciphering the
      differences between these platforms to identify the most suitable protein
      microarray for the specific research question is not always straightforward.
      Areas covered: This review provides an overview of the technological basis,
      applications and limitations of some of the most commonly used full-length,
      recombinant protein and protein fragment microarray platforms, including
      ProtoArray Human Protein Microarrays, HuProt Human Proteome Microarrays, Human
      Protein Atlas Protein Fragment Arrays, Nucleic Acid Programmable Arrays and
      Immunome Protein Arrays. Expert commentary: The choice of appropriate protein
      microarray platform depends on the specific biological application in hand, with
      both more focused, lower density and higher density arrays having distinct
      advantages. Full-length protein arrays offer advantages in biomarker discovery
      profiling applications, although care is required in ensuring that the protein
      production and array fabrication methodology is compatible with the required
      downstream functionality.

PMID- 28644691
TI  - The Evolution of Psychological Testing at the Austen Riggs Center: A Theoretical
      Analysis.
AB  - Theoretical perspectives on personality and the development of psychopathology
      have shifted markedly over the last 7 decades. However, it remains unclear how
      those changes affect mental health practice. Comprehensive and conscientiously
      recorded reports of psychological testing provide a clear window on this process
      because they comprise distinctive records of how patients are assessed and
      understood. For this study, we conducted an exploratory, qualitative analysis of
      the narratives of the testing reports over the past 65 years at the Austen Riggs
      Center, a private psychiatric hospital and residential treatment center, to
      assess changes over time and to evaluate the influence that various factors had
      on the reports. The data revealed significant changes in psychologists' ways of
      assessing and conceptualizing personality and identity, adaptive functioning, and
      psychological development. Additionally, we evaluated how the evolving
      theoretical influences, such as institutional, professional, and sociohistorical
      factors affected the psychologist's model of psychopathology and development.
      This study raises important questions about how theoretical innovations affect
      clinical practice over time.

PMID- 28644692
TI  - Hyperbaric oxygen may only be optional in head and neck necrotizing fasciitis: a
      retrospective analysis of 43 cases and review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Necrotizing fasciitis in the head and neck (NF-HN) is a rare and
      potentially life-threatening condition. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy
      (HBOT) in the acute regimen is disputed and there is a lack of evidence of
      therapeutic effect. This study aims to describe a retrospective cohort of
      patients with NF-HN and investigate the use of HBOT and consequences thereof.
      METHODS: All patients treated for NF-HN at Aarhus University Hospital (AUH)
      between 2002 and 2014 were included in this retrospective cohort. Data regarding
      demographics, treatment and a one-year follow-up was registered. A review of the
      literature on NF-HN and HBOT was performed. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were
      consecutively treated for NF-HN during the period. All patients were treated in
      accordance with current guidelines with HBOT as a variable. Thirty patients
      received HBOT, and 13 patients were omitted from HBOT for different reasons. In
      the HBOT group were no mortalities vs. three mortalities in the non-HBOT group
      two late deaths due to precursory underlying cancer of the head and neck, and one
      early death shortly after admittance. We found higher rates of complications (63%
      vs. 25%) and sequelae (77% vs. 40%) among the HBOT group compared to the non-HBOT
      group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that HBOT for NF-HN may only be optional
      and that the decision relies on an individual assessment of each patient. Further
      research is needed concerning the evidence of HBOT and towards selecting the
      patients benefitting from HBOT.

PMID- 28644693
TI  - Supplemental Oxygen in Interstitial Lung Disease: An Art in Need of Science.
AB  - Interstitial lung disease (ILD) comprises a large and heterogeneous group of
      disorders that often lead to progressive fibrosis and premature death. Oxygen
      supplementation is typically used in patients with advanced lung disease with
      resting hypoxemia; however, there is a paucity of evidence guiding the use of
      supplemental oxygen in ILD, and significant heterogeneity in clinical practice.
      It remains unclear whether supplemental oxygen improves clinically meaningful
      outcomes, and the role of ambulatory oxygen supplementation in isolated
      exertional hypoxemia is particularly controversial. In some regions, the lack of
      robust data creates barriers to funding support and access to supplemental oxygen
      for patients with ILD. Further research into the role of oxygen supplementation
      is needed to optimize the comprehensive care of this patient population.

PMID- 28644694
TI  - A Bibliometric Analysis of Highly Cited and High Impact Occupational Therapy
      Publications by American Authors.
AB  - A bibliometric analysis was completed of peer-reviewed literature from 1991-2015,
      written by American occupational therapists, to examine US high impact
      scholarship with "occupational therapy" and "occupational therapist(s)" used as
      keywords to search journal articles' publication title, abstract, author details,
      and keywords. Results included 1,889 journal articles from 1991-2015 published by
      American occupational therapists as first or corresponding author. Sixty-nine
      articles attained a TotalCitation2015 >= 50 and 151 attained a Citation2015 >= 5
      indicating that they were the most highly cited literature produced in this
      period. Although the majority (58%) of this literature was published in
      occupational therapy-specific journals, 41% was published in interdisciplinary
      journals. Results illustrate that the volume of highly cited American
      occupational therapy peer-reviewed literature has grown over the last two
      decades. There is need for the profession to strategize methods to enhance the
      publication metrics of occupational therapy-specific journals to reduce the loss
      of high quality publications to external periodicals.

PMID- 28644695
TI  - Peer-supported Open Dialogue: a thematic analysis of trainee perspectives on the
      approach and training.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Open Dialogue (OD) is a Finnish social network based model of care,
      with practice and organisational aspects. Peer-supported Open Dialogue (POD) is a
      UK version involving peer workers, whose contributions include building on
      fragmented social networks. Fifty-four NHS staff undertook the first training in
      POD between 2014 and 2015. The training course was organised as four separate
      residential weeks, together with reflective sharing on an online platform. AIMS:
      This study aimed to explore the perspectives of the POD trainees on the training
      and the POD approach. METHODS: At the end of the training year, four focus groups
      were conducted using a semi-structured interview measure examining trainees'
      perspectives on the training and POD approach. A thematic analysis was performed
      on the transcripts to analyse data. RESULTS: Four superordinate themes emerged:
      personal experience, practice development, principles of POD, and pedagogical
      issues, each with a variety of subordinate themes. CONCLUSIONS: The course was
      widely reported as a positive experience, with substantial changes in attitudes
      and approaches to clinical work arising thus. Across the four superordinate
      themes, participant responses described a highly experiential course, experienced
      as an emotional journey which enabled them to embody the principles of POD, as
      well as use them at work.

PMID- 28644697
TI  - Contemporary treatment of renal tumors: a questionnaire survey in the Nordic
      countries (the NORENCA-I study).
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The five Nordic countries comprise 25 million people, and have similar
      treatment traditions and healthcare systems. To take advantage of these
      similarities, a collaborative group (Nordic Renal Cancer Group, NORENCA) was
      founded in 2015. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire of 17 questions on renal
      tumor management and surgical education was designed and sent to 91 institutions
      performing renal tumor surgery in 2015. The response rate was 68% (62 hospitals),
      including 28 academic, 25 central and nine district hospitals. Hospital volume
      was defined as low (LVH: < 20 operations), intermediate (IVH: 20-49 operations),
      high (HVH: 50-99) and very high (VHVH: >= 100). Descriptive statistics were
      performed. RESULTS: Fifteen centers were LVH, 16 IVH, 21 HVH and 10 VHVH. Of all
      3828 kidney tumor treatments, 55% were radical nephrectomies (RNs), 37% partial
      nephrectomies (PNs) and 8% thermoablations. For RN and PN, the percentages of
      open, laparoscopic and robotic approaches were 47%, 40%, 13% and 47%, 20%, 33%,
      respectively. The mean complication rate (Clavien-Dindo 3-5) was 4.9%, and 30 day
      mortality (TDM) was 0.5%. The median length of hospital stay was 4 days. Training
      with a simulator, black box or animal laboratory was possible in 48%, 74% and 21%
      of institutions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Despite some differences between
      countries, the data suggest an overall general common Nordic treatment attitude
      for renal tumors. Furthermore, the data demonstrate high adherence to
      international standards, with a high proportion of PN and acceptable rates for
      major complications and TDM.

PMID- 28644700
TI  - Intermittent Ischemic Preconditioning Protects Against Hepatic Ischemia
      Reperfusion Injury and Extensive Hepatectomy in Steatotic Rat Liver.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hepatic steatosis causes severe liver damage and has deleterious
      effects when associated with ischemia-reperfusion mechanisms. Ischemic
      preconditioning (IPC) protects lean liver against prolonged ischemia by improving
      micro-circulation and reducing lipid peroxidation. We investigated the effect of
      intermittent IPC on liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and extensive
      hepatectomy in severe hepatic steatosis. METHODS: Severe hepatic steatosis was
      performed by 12-14 weeks of choline-free diet in 108 Wistar rats. We induced 30
      minute ischemia-reperfusion manipulations and extensive hepatectomy with or
      without prior IPC in steatotic livers and after 6 and 24 hours of reperfusion
      blood transaminases, and IL6, TNFalpha, NO and Lactate in blood and liver tissue
      were measured. RESULTS: Steatotic rats subjected to hepatic ischemia-reperfusion
      alone after extensive hepatectomy, showed severe liver damage with significantly
      increased values of AST, ALT, TNFalpha and Lactate and significantly reduced IL6
      and NO, while no one rat survived for more than 29 hours. On the contrary,
      steatotic rats subjected to intermittent IPC, 24 hours before ischemia
      reperfusion, presented increased 30-day survival (67%), lower values of AST, ALT,
      TNFalpha and Lactate, and increased IL6 and NO levels. Simple and intermittent
      IPC manipulations, 1 hour before the IRI and extended hepatectomy, did not
      prolong survival more than 57 and 98 hours, respectively. Simple IPC, 24 hours
      before IRI and extended hepatectomy had the lowest possible survival (16.7%).
      CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic steatosis and IRI after major liver surgery largely affect
      morbidity and mortality. Intermittent IPC, 24 hours before IRI and extensive
      hepatectomy, presents higher 30-day survival and improved liver function
      parameters.

PMID- 28644698
TI  - Sleep Disturbance after Hospitalization and Critical Illness: A Systematic
      Review.
AB  - RATIONALE: Sleep disturbance during intensive care unit (ICU) admission is common
      and severe. Sleep disturbance has been observed in survivors of critical illness
      even after transfer out of the ICU. Not only is sleep important to overall health
      and well being, but patients after critical illness are also in a physiologically
      vulnerable state. Understanding how sleep disturbance impacts recovery from
      critical illness after hospital discharge is therefore clinically meaningful.
      OBJECTIVES: This Systematic Review aimed to summarize studies that identify the
      prevalence of and risk factors for sleep disturbance after hospital discharge for
      critical illness survivors. DATA SOURCES: PubMed (January 4, 2017), MEDLINE
      (January 4, 2017), and EMBASE (February 1, 2017). DATA EXTRACTION: Databases were
      searched for studies of critically ill adult patients after hospital discharge,
      with sleep disturbance measured as a primary outcome by standardized
      questionnaire or objective measurement tools. From each relevant study, we
      extracted prevalence and severity of sleep disturbance at each time point,
      objective sleep parameters (such as total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and
      arousal index), and risk factors for sleep disturbance. SYNTHESIS: A total of 22
      studies were identified, with assessment tools including subjective
      questionnaires, polysomnography, and actigraphy. Subjective questionnaire studies
      reveal a 50-66.7% (within 1 mo), 34-64.3% (>1-3 mo), 22-57% (>3-6 mo), and 10-61%
      (>6 mo) prevalence of abnormal sleep after hospital discharge after critical
      illness. Of the studies assessing multiple time points, four of five
      questionnaire studies and five of five polysomnography studies show improved
      aspects of sleep over time. Risk factors for poor sleep varied, but prehospital
      factors (chronic comorbidity, pre-existing sleep abnormality) and in-hospital
      factors (severity of acute illness, in-hospital sleep disturbance, pain
      medication use, and ICU acute stress symptoms) may play a role. Sleep disturbance
      was frequently associated with postdischarge psychological comorbidities and
      impaired quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep disturbance is common in critically
      ill patients up to 12 months after hospital discharge. Both subjective and
      objective studies, however, suggest that sleep disturbance improves over time.
      More research is needed to understand and optimize sleep in recovery from
      critical illness.

PMID- 28644701
TI  - Comparison between Briganti, Partin and MSKCC tools in predicting positive lymph
      nodes in prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the discriminative capabilities
      of Briganti, Partin and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) nomograms
      in predicting lymph-node invasion (LNI) and to perform a meta-analysis to yield
      pooled area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUCs) for model
      comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search of the MEDLINE and Embase
      databases up to October 2016 was undertaken. The AUC value, total number of
      patients and rate of LNI were extracted from the included references. After
      excluding redundant literature, 19 studies were identified including 86,338
      patients. The Briganti, Partin and MSKCC nomograms were validated in 6629, 69,681
      and 10,028 patients, respectively. RESULTS: The pooled AUCs for Briganti, Partin,
      and MSKCC nomograms were 0.793, 0.778 and 0.780, respectively. The Mantel
      Haenszel-derived comparison of AUC values revealed no statistical differences of
      predictive capabilities for Briganti vs Partin (p = 0.23), Briganti vs MSKCC (p =
      0.83) and Partin vs MSKCC (p = 0.26). The accuracy of Briganti, Partin and MSKCC
      models is statistically similar in predicting the presence of LNI. International
      guidelines could consider these findings by reporting similarities in the
      accuracy of these models. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of Briganti, Partin and MSKCC
      was similar in predicting the presence of LNI. Based on these results, patients
      and clinicians may use any of these nomograms without significant advantages.

PMID- 28644696
TI  - Varicella vaccination - the global experience.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Varicella, although a frequently benign childhood disease,
      nevertheless represents a considerable health burden. WHO recommends including
      varicella vaccines in universal routine vaccination programs, and maintaining
      coverage >80%. Many countries have successfully introduced varicella vaccination
      and have benefited from lower disease burden, but many others have not adopted
      the vaccine. Reasons include cost commitment for a 'mild childhood disease' or
      concerns that vaccination will shift varicella to older age groups or increase
      herpes zoster incidence. Areas covered: This literature review summarizes the
      effectiveness and epidemiological impact of varicella immunization programs.
      Expert commentary: Varicella vaccines are immunogenic with acceptable safety
      profiles. One and two dose schedules are highly effective against varicella and
      large reductions in disease incidence, particularly moderate-severe disease, have
      been widely reported. There is currently no evidence to suggest that the
      introduction of varicella vaccination results in a shift of varicella disease
      burden to older age groups. Although epidemiological studies have shown an
      increased incidence of herpes zoster since the vaccines were launched, there are
      many other contributing factors, and indeed, this secular trend was evident
      before their introduction. In conclusion, varicella vaccination easily fits into
      existing immunization programs and significantly reduces the often underestimated
      burden of varicella.

PMID- 28644702
TI  - High YKL-40 is associated with poor survival in patients with renal cell
      carcinoma: a novel independent prognostic marker.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: YKL-40 is an inflammation-associated glycoprotein supposed to have a
      role in cell survival and angiogenesis. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is
      characterized by varying prognosis and risk of relapse after a disease-free
      period of years. Prognostic markers are critically needed. This study
      investigated whether YKL-40 could be a useful biomarker in RCC patients.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood samples from 82 patients with RCC were collected at
      the time of diagnosis and 3, 5 and 9 months and 2 and 3 years after nephrectomy.
      YKL-40 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Survival of
      patients and relapse of RCC were followed up to 15 years. RESULTS: Circulating
      YKL-40 levels were increased in patients with metastatic RCC at the time of
      diagnosis (median 115.7 ng/ml, interquartile range 61.0-221.6 ng/ml). Among
      patients primarily diagnosed with non-metastatic RCC, baseline YKL-40 levels were
      significantly higher in patients who experienced a relapse during follow-up
      (103.7, 59.3-242.0 ng/ml) than in patients without relapse (50.6, 33.8-97.1
      ng/ml). High baseline YKL-40 was highly associated with poor prognosis in RCC: in
      age-adjusted univariate analysis, YKL-40 over 120 ng/ml (highest tertile)
      predicted over five-fold mortality in 5 years, and in multivariate analysis high
      YKL-40 remained a statistically significant independent risk factor for 5 and 15
      year survival. CONCLUSIONS: Increased circulating YKL-40 levels were
      significantly associated with poor survival in patients with RCC. The results
      suggest YKL-40 as a useful novel biomarker in evaluating prognosis and relapse
      risk in RCC, being especially beneficial in patients primarily diagnosed with non
      metastatic RCC.

PMID- 28644703
TI  - The relation of protective factors to deliberate self-harm among African-American
      adults: moderating roles of gender and sexual orientation identity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined correlates of deliberate self-harm (DSH)
      among African-Americans. Moreover, most research on the correlates of DSH in
      general has focused on risk factors rather than protective factors. AIMS: This
      study examined differences in perceived social support, religiosity (both
      spirituality and church attendance) and overall life satisfaction between African
      Americans with and without a history of DSH, as well as the moderating roles of
      gender and sexual orientation in these relations. METHOD: Participants were 244
      African-American university students who completed questionnaires. RESULTS:
      Participants with (vs. without) DSH reported significantly lower levels of social
      support. Additionally, rates of DSH were significantly higher among participants
      who attended church irregularly versus regularly or rarely/never. However, the
      association between DSH and church attendance was significant only for women (vs.
      men) and LGBQ (vs. heterosexual) women. Further, gender moderated the relation
      between DSH and social support from both significant others and friends, with
      self-harming women (but not men) reporting less support than their non-DSH
      counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Findings add to the literature on DSH among African
      Americans, highlighting both social support and church attendance (depending on
      regularity) as potential protective factors within this population.

PMID- 28644704
TI  - Numerical analysis of time dependent inhibition kinetics: comparison between rat
      liver microsomes and rat hepatocyte data for mechanistic model fitting.
AB  - Time dependent inhibition (TDI) may confound drug interaction predictions.
      Recently, models were generated for an array of TDI kinetic schemes using
      numerical analysis of microsomal assays. Additionally, a distinct terminal
      inactivation step was identified for certain mechanism based inhibitors (MBI)
      following reversible metabolite intermediate complex (MIC) formation. Longer
      hepatocyte incubations potentially allow analysis of slow TDI and terminal
      inactivation. In the experiments presented here, we compared the quality of TDI
      parameterization by numerical analysis between hepatocyte and microsomal data.
      Rat liver microsomes (RLM), suspended rat hepatocytes (SRH), and sandwich
      cultured rat hepatocytes (SCRH) were incubated with the prototypical CYP3A MBI
      troleandomycin and the substrate midazolam. Data from RLM provided a better model
      fit as compared to SRH. Increased CYP3A expression after dexamethasone (DEX)
      induction improved the fit for RLM and SRH. A novel sequential kinetic scheme,
      defining inhibitor metabolite production prior to MIC formation, improved the fit
      compared to direct MIC formation. Furthermore, terminal inactivation rate
      constants were parameterized for RLM and SRH samples with DEX induced CYP3A. The
      low expression of CYP3A and experimental error in SCRH resulted in poor data for
      model fitting. Overall, RLM generated data better suited for elucidation of TDI
      mechanisms by numerical analysis.

PMID- 28644705
TI  - Narrative development and supported employment of persons with severe mental
      illness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: While the relationship between objective recovery and work among
      persons with severe mental illness (SMI) is well-established, few studies have
      examined the link between subjective recovery and employment. AIMS: The study
      investigated the prospective relationship between narrative development at the
      start of supported employment (SE) and positive work outcomes. METHODS: The
      authors employed a time-limited, mixed-method longitudinal design to examine the
      relationship between the baseline narrative development of 38 SE participants
      with SMI and employment outcomes eight months later, as well as whether
      narratives evolved over the course of the study. RESULTS: While narrative
      development was unrelated to work for the 59% of participants who were employed
      at the end of the study, unemployed individuals showed more developed baseline
      narratives overall, as well as enriched baseline emotional connectedness and
      social worth. Higher emotional connectedness at the start of SE programs was
      predictive of fewer hours worked eight months later, controlling for executive
      functioning, negative symptoms and self-esteem. Although workers showed no
      narrative changes over time, those without work demonstrated increased agency
      over the eight months of the study. CONCLUSION: Further research is warranted to
      clarify the relationship between richer personal narratives and unemployment.

PMID- 28644706
TI  - Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care Integration for Patients Undergoing
      Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation.
AB  - PURPOSE: Advance care planning (ACP) in hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation
      (HSCT) is challenging, given the potential for cure despite increased morbidity
      and mortality risk.The aim of this study was to evaluate ACP and palliative care
      (PC) integration for patients who underwent HSCT. METHODS: A retrospective
      analysis was conducted and data were extracted from electronic medical records of
      patients who underwent HSCT between January 2011 and December 2015. Patients who
      received more than one transplant and who were younger than 18 years of age were
      excluded. The primary objective was to determine the setting and specialty of the
      clinician who documented the initial and final code status. Secondary objectives
      included evaluation of advance directive and/or completion of the Physician
      Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment form, PC consultation, hospice enrollment,
      and location of death. RESULTS: The study sample comprised 39% (n = 235)
      allogeneic and 61% (n = 367) autologous HSCTs. All patients except one (n = 601)
      had code status documentation, and 99.2% (n = 596) were initially documented as
      full code. Initial and final code status documentation in the outpatient setting
      was 3% (n = 17) and 24% (n = 143), respectively. PC consultation occurred for 19%
      (n = 114) of HSCT patients, with 83% (n = 95) occurring in the hospital.
      Allogeneic transplant type and age were significantly associated with greater
      rates of advance directive and/or Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment
      completion. Most patients (85%, n = 99) died in the hospital, and few were
      enrolled in hospice (15%, n = 17). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the
      largest single-center study of ACP and PC integration for patients who underwent
      HSCT. Code status documentation in the outpatient setting was low, as well as
      utilization of PC and hospice services.

PMID- 28644707
TI  - Relationship between neurocognitive function and clinical symptoms with self
      stigma in patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Self-stigma is associated with poor outcomes of patients with
      schizophrenia and development of self-stigma is a complex process. Results of
      studies on relationship of both positive and negative symptoms of psychosis with
      self-stigma have been inconsistent. Cognitive deficits are common to patients.
      However, number of studies exploring the relationship specifically between self
      stigma and neurocognition are limited. AIMS: The current study aimed to examine
      the relationship between neurocognitive functions and clinical symptoms with self
      stigma. METHODS: Sixty-four patients with psychosis were recruited and completed
      the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale and neurocognitive tests. Their
      clinical symptoms and role functioning were also assessed. RESULTS:
      Neurocognitive function was found to have negative correlations with Stereotype
      Endorsement and Discrimination Experience. Negative symptoms also correlated
      negatively with Stereotype Endorsement, Discrimination Experience, and Social
      Withdrawal. Neurocognitive function and negative symptoms explained 21.2%
      variance of stereotype endorsement. Neurocognitive function explained 7.9%
      variance of Discrimination Experience. CONCLUSIONS: Poor neurocognitive function
      is related to self-stigma. This study also further confirmed the relationship
      between negative symptoms and self-stigma. Future longitudinal studies should be
      conducted to confirm the nature of such a relationship.

PMID- 28644709
TI  - PCOS and diabetes mellitus: from insulin resistance to altered beta pancreatic
      function, a link in evolution.

PMID- 28644708
TI  - The Arabidopsis minD mutation causes aberrant FtsZ1 ring placement and moderate
      heterogeneity of chloroplasts in the leaf epidermis.
AB  - Symmetric division of leaf mesophyll chloroplasts requires MinD and MinE, which
      work together to suppress division other than at the mid-chloroplast. arc11 is a
      MinD loss-of-function mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana. In arc11 plants, asymmetric
      chloroplast division, as well as its delay or arrest, results in extreme size
      polymorphism of chloroplasts in mature mesophyll cells. The current study
      examined chloroplast phenotypes in the epidermis of arc11 leaves. Fluorescence
      microscopy analysis revealed that epidermal chloroplasts in mature leaves
      exhibited moderate heterogeneity in size. This probably resulted from completion
      of many of the previous non-equatorial or multiple division events in expanding
      leaves. Additionally, analyses of plastids found that epidermal chloroplasts in
      arc11 mutants showed several phenotypes that have not previously been described.

PMID- 28644710
TI  - Study of artemisinin and sugar accumulation in Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia
      dracunculus "hairy" root cultures.
AB  - We studied the effect of genetic transformation on biologically active compound
      (artemisinin and its co-products (ART) as well as sugars) accumulation in
      Artemisia vulgaris and Artemisia dracunculus "hairy" root cultures. Glucose,
      fructose, sucrose, and mannitol were accumulated in A. vulgaris and A.
      dracunculus "hairy" root lines. Genetic transformation has led in some cases to
      the sugar content increasing or appearing of nonrelevant for the control plant
      carbohydrates. Sucrose content was 1.6 times higher in A. vulgaris "hairy" root
      lines. Fructose content was found to be 3.4 times higher in A. dracunculus
      "hairy" root cultures than in the control roots. The accumulation of mannitol was
      a special feature of the leaves of A. vulgaris and A. dracunculus control roots.
      A. vulgaris "hairy" root lines differed also in ART accumulation level. The
      increase of ART content up to 1.02 mg/g DW in comparison with the nontransformed
      roots (up to 0.687 mg/g DW) was observed. Thus, Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated
      genetic transformation can be used for obtaining of A. vulgaris and A.
      dracunculus "hairy" root culture produced ART and sugars in a higher amount than
      mother plants.

PMID- 28644711
TI  - Screening for Squamous Cell Anal Cancer in HIV Positive Patients: A Five-Year
      Experience.
AB  - AIM: Potential screening modalities for early diagnosis of squamous cell anal
      cancer (SCC) in HIV patients include digital anorectal examination (DARE), anal
      Papanicolaou testing (Pap test), human papilloma virus (HPV) co-testing, and high
      resolution anoscopy. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the results of a
      five-year screening program for SCC in HIV patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We
      conducted a retrospective study on 204 HIV patients who underwent a screening
      program for SCC from October 2010 to January 2015. All patients were screened by
      DARE, anal Pap test, including HPV test and cytology, and high-resolution video
      proctoscopy (HR-VPS) with and without acetic acid 3%. Depending on macroscopic
      appearance and biopsies, patients underwent observation or treatment. Median
      follow-up was 36 months. RESULTS: Cytologic abnormalities (Cyt+) for high-risk
      HPV genotypes were recorded in 34% of patients. HR-VPS was positive in 59
      patients (29%), of whom 13 patients (22%) were positive for warts; the rest have
      typical features of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN). Sixteen (8%) patients
      had AIN (AIN I-III) and underwent wide local excision, ablation, or imiquimod.
      Absence of progression was recorded. Fourteen patients (7%) had SCC: eight (57%)
      with no evidence of recurrence, two (14%) had recurrence, and four (29%) died
      from metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated a successful
      screening program in preventing SCC in HIV patients. We demonstrate the
      advantages of progression towards SCC. Moreover, we used a new screening tool,
      the HR-VPS, a low-cost and manageable instrument to collect patients' long-term
      data.

PMID- 28644712
TI  - Comparative analysis of behavioral and transcriptional variation underlying CO2
      sensory neuron function and development in Drosophila.
AB  - Carbon dioxide is an important environmental cue for many insects, regulating
      many behaviors including some that have direct human impacts. To further improve
      our understanding of how this system varies among closely related insect species,
      we examined both the behavioral response to CO2 as well as the transcriptional
      profile of key developmental regulators of CO2 sensory neurons in the olfactory
      system across the Drosophila genus. We found that CO2 generally evokes repulsive
      behavior across most of the Drosophilids we examined, but this behavior has been
      lost or reduced in several lineages. Comparisons of transcriptional profiles from
      the developing and adult antennae for subset these species suggest that
      behavioral differences in some species may be due to differences in the
      expression of the CO2 co-receptor Gr63a. Furthermore, these differences in Gr63a
      expression are correlated with changes in the expression of a few genes known to
      be involved in the development of the CO2 circuit, namely dac, an important
      regulator of sensilla fate for sensilla that house CO2 ORNs, and mip120, a member
      of the MMB/dREAM epigenetic regulatory complex that regulates CO2 receptor
      expression. In contrast, most of the other known structural, molecular, and
      developmental components of the peripheral Drosophila CO2 olfactory system seem
      to be well-conserved across all examined lineages. These findings suggest that
      certain components of CO2 sensory ORN development may be more evolutionarily
      labile, and may contribute to differences in CO2-evoked behavioral responses
      across species.

PMID- 28644713
TI  - An unstructured loop that is critical for interactions of the stalk domain of
      Drp1 with saturated phosphatidic acid.
AB  - Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a dynamin superfamily GTPase, which drives
      membrane constriction during mitochondrial division. To mediate mitochondrial
      division, Drp1 is recruited to the mitochondrial outer membrane and is assembled
      into the division machinery. We previously showed that Drp1 interacts with
      phosphatidic acid (PA) and saturated phospholipids in the mitochondrial membrane,
      and this interaction restrains Drp1 in initiating the constriction of
      mitochondria. Here, we show that the role of saturated acyl chains of
      phospholipids is independent of their contribution to the membrane curvature or
      lipid packing suggesting their direct interaction with Drp1. We further show that
      an unstructured loop in the stalk domain of Drp1 is critical for interaction with
      unsaturated PA. Our data significantly advance our understanding of this unique
      protein-lipid interaction involved in mitochondrial division.

PMID- 28644714
TI  - Genome mining, in silico validation and phase selection of a novel aldo-keto
      reductase from Candida glabrata for biotransformation.
AB  - Previously, we published cloning, overexpression, characterization and subsequent
      exploitation of a carbonyl reductase (cr) gene, belonging to general family aldo
      keto reductase from Candida glabrata CBS138 to convert keto ester (COBE) to a
      chiral alcohol (ethyl-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate or CHBE). Exploiting global
      transcription factor CRP, rDNA and transporter engineering, we have improved
      batch production of CHBE by trinomial bioengineering. Herein, we present the
      exploration of cr gene in Candida glabrata CBS138 through genome mining approach,
      in silico validation of its activity and selection of its biocatalytic phase. For
      exploration of the gene under investigation, 3 template genes were chosen namely
      Saccharomyces cerevisae YDR541c, YGL157w and YOL151w. The CR showed significant
      homology match, overlapping of substrate binding site and NADPH binding site with
      the template proteins. The binding affinity of COBE toward CR (-4.6 Kcal/ mol)
      was found higher than that of the template proteins (-3.5 to -4.5 Kcal/ mol).
      Biphasic biocatalysis with cofactor regeneration improved product titer 4~5 times
      better than monophasic biotransformation. Currently we are working on DNA
      Shuffling as a next level of strain engineering and we demonstrate this approach
      herein as a future strategy of biochemical engineering.

PMID- 28644715
TI  - Biological Responses of the American Coot (Fulica americana), in wetlands with
      contrasting environmental conditions (Basin of Mexico).
AB  - Wetland ecosystems are subject to severe impacts (physical and chemical) and to
      the input of various xenobiotics that provoke toxicological consequences.
      Waterbirds are potential sentinel species of these environments. To analyze how
      habitat conditions affect the health of Fulica americana, early-warning
      biomarkers, histopathology, somatic indices, and water quality were examined in
      two wetlands of the Basin of Mexico: Xochimilco, an urban wetland highly
      eutrophic with a mixture of pollutants, and Tecocomulco (the reference site), a
      rural wetland with hunting migratory birds in winter, and with some agricultural
      contaminants. Coots were collected over 1 year, and the birds were aged,
      eviscerated, and weighed. Liver samples were analyzed biochemically and
      histologically. Biomarkers revealed that coots displayed higher lipid
      peroxidation and elevated activities of gamma-glutamyl transferase and alanine
      aminotransferase, suggesting hepatic damage during autumn and winter. In
      Tecocomulco, coots during winter has the highest thiobarbituric acid reactive
      substances (as a measure of oxidative stress), which may be associated with the
      presence of predators. In Tecocomulco, the higher gonadosomatic index was
      detected in spring and summer, while in Xochimilco it was elevated in summer,
      indicating a delayed egg laying and reproduction in coots from the latter study
      site. In both wetlands, leukocyte infiltration, alone or combined with
      vasocongestion, reflected alterations in the inflammatory processes in liver
      throughout the annual cycle and thus potentially altered hepatic function and
      organism survival. In both wetlands, coots were permanent residents and
      chronically exposed to different stressors, suggesting damage may be irreversible
      with potentially adversely reproductive consequences.

PMID- 28644716
TI  - The effects of acute carbohydrate and caffeine feeding strategies on cycling
      efficiency.
AB  - To assess the effect of carbohydrate and caffeine on gross efficiency (GE), 14
      cyclists (VO2max 57.6 +/- 6.3 ml.kg-1.min-1) completed 4 * 2-hour tests at a
      submaximal exercise intensity (60% Maximal Minute Power). Using a randomized,
      counter-balanced crossover design, participants consumed a standardised diet in
      the 3-days preceding each test and subsequently ingested either caffeine (CAF),
      carbohydrate (CHO), caffeine+carbohydrate (CAF+CHO) or water (W) during exercise
      whilst GE and plasma glucose were assessed at regular intervals (~30 mins). GE
      progressively decreased in the W condition but, whilst caffeine had no effect,
      this was significantly attenuated in both trials that involved carbohydrate
      feedings (W = -1.78 +/- 0.31%; CHO = -0.70 +/- 0.25%, p = 0.008; CAF+CHO = -0.63
      +/- 0.27%, p = 0.023; CAF = -1.12 +/- 0.24%, p = 0.077). Blood glucose levels
      were significantly higher in carbohydrate ingestion conditions (CHO = 4.79 +/-
      0.67 mmol.L-1, p < 0.001; CAF+CHO = 5.05 +/- 0.81 mmol.L-1, p < 0.001; CAF = 4.46
      +/- 0.75 mmol.L-1; W = 4.20 +/- 0.53 mmol.L-1). Carbohydrate ingestion has a
      small but significant effect on exercise-induced reductions in GE, indicating
      that cyclists' feeding strategy should be carefully monitored prior to and during
      assessment.

PMID- 28644718
TI  - Third Symposium on Interdisciplinary Activities in Environmental Toxicology in
      North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

PMID- 28644717
TI  - Responses of a vulnerable Hispanic population in New Jersey to Hurricane Sandy:
      Access to care, medical needs, concerns, and ecological ratings.
AB  - Recent increases in hurricanes led to a need to evaluate access to medical care,
      medical needs, and personal and community impact on vulnerable populations,
      particularly elderly, low income, and minority communities. This investigation
      examined (1) access to care, (2) interruptions in medical services, (3) personal
      impact from Hurricane Sandy, and (4) agreement with ecological statements related
      to storms, flooding, and damages in Hispanic/Latino patients receiving health
      care at Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey. Only 10% of 335
      Hispanic interviewees were US born. Self-identified personal impact was a better
      indicator of effects from Sandy, health center use, and medical issues, than
      community impact rating. Respondents who provided a high personal impact rating
      were more likely to have evacuated, had longer power outage, were more likely to
      need medical care, displayed more trouble getting to centers, and exhibited more
      medical interruptions during Sandy. A higher % respondents who evacuated, needed
      the center, had trouble getting there, and had more "medical need" than those who
      did not evacuate. The greatest impacts were on respondents who were told to
      evacuate before the storm, but did not (46% had "medical need"). The respondents
      had high agreement ratings for "storms are due to climate change," followed by
      "frequent and stronger storms will come more often," "flooding is due to sea
      level rise," and "changing climate is due mainly to human activity and not
      natural causes". These ratings may aid public policymakers and planners in
      developing resiliency strategies for vulnerable coastal communities.

PMID- 28644719
TI  - Shaping of Reach-to-Grasp Kinematics by Intentions: A Meta-Analysis.
AB  - When we reach to grasp something, we need to take into account both the
      properties of the object we are grasping and the intention we have in mind.
      Previous research has found these constraints to be visible in the reach-to-grasp
      kinematics, but there is no consensus on which kinematic parameters are the most
      sensitive. To examine this, a systematic literature search and meta-analyses were
      performed. The search identified studies assessing how changes in either an
      object property or a prior intention affect reach-to-grasp kinematics in healthy
      participants. Hereafter, meta-analyses were conducted using a restricted maximum
      likelihood random effect model. The meta-analyses showed that changes in both
      object properties and prior intentions affected reach-to-grasp kinematics. Based
      on these results, the authors argue for a tripartition of the reach-to-grasp
      movement in which the accelerating part of the reach is primarily associated with
      transporting the hand to the object (i.e., extrinsic object properties), the
      decelerating part of the reach is used as a preparation for object manipulation
      (i.e., prepare the grasp or the subsequent action), and the grasp is associated
      with manipulating the object's intrinsic properties, especially object size.

PMID- 28644720
TI  - The effect of internal migration, individual and contextual characteristics on
      contraceptive use among Nigerian women.
AB  - We investigated the relation of internal migration to contraceptive use and
      adjusted for individual and contextual (community) characteristics. Multilevel
      logistic regression models were fitted to nationally representative data of
      28,876 women from 884 communities in Nigeria. Only about one out of every 10
      women (10.4%) currently used a contraceptive method. Contraceptive prevalence
      according to the migration status were rural-urban (12.5%), urban-rural (13.8%),
      rural nonmigrants (6.2%) and urban nonmigrants (17.1%). The relationship between
      internal migration and contraceptive use was fully explained by individual and
      community characteristics. Programs aimed at increasing contraceptive prevalence
      should address contextual challenges alongside socioeconomic factors.

PMID- 28644721
TI  - Small GTPases in plant biotic interactions.
AB  - The superfamily of small monomeric GTPases originated in a common ancestor of
      eukaryotic multicellular organisms and, since then, it has evolved independently
      in each lineage to cope with the environmental challenges imposed by their
      different life styles. Members of the small GTPase family function in the control
      of vesicle trafficking, cytoskeleton rearrangements and signaling during crucial
      biological processes, such as cell growth and responses to environmental cues. In
      this review, we discuss the emerging roles of these small GTPases in the
      pathogenic and symbiotic interactions established by plants with microorganisms
      present in their nearest environment, in which membrane trafficking is crucial
      along the different steps of the interaction, from recognition and signal
      transduction to nutrient exchange.

PMID- 28644722
TI  - The Effects of Polyvictimization and Quality of Caregiver Attachment on
      Disclosure of Illegal Sexual Behavior.
AB  - The current study examined the relationship among self-disclosure of illegal
      sexual behaviors and two conceptually relevant constructs in psychotherapy:
      childhood polyvictimization (i.e., cumulative types of victimization experienced
      during childhood) and caregiver attachment. Participants consisted of 63
      adolescent males participating in mandated treatment for illegal sexual behavior.
      Childhood polyvictimization and caregiver attachment were expected to predict
      self-disclosure of illegal sexual behaviors. Quality of caregiver attachment was
      also expected to mediate the relationship between polyvictimization and
      disclosure. Consistent with our main hypothesis, results indicate that quality of
      caregiver attachment mediated the relationship between childhood
      polyvictimization and self-disclosure of illegal sexual behaviors in
      psychotherapy. The current findings highlight the impact of polyvictimization on
      important therapeutic processes as well as the importance of assessing for
      multiple types of victimization in adolescents who engage in illegal sexual
      behavior. Further clinical implications regarding the use of trauma-informed
      approaches during sex offender treatment are discussed.

PMID- 28644723
TI  - Performance evaluation of mobile downflow booths for reducing airborne particles
      in the workplace.
AB  - Compared to other common control measures, the downflow booth is a costly
      engineering control used to contain airborne dust or particles. The downflow
      booth provides unidirectional filtered airflow from the ceiling, entraining
      released particles away from the workers' breathing zone, and delivers contained
      airflow to a lower level exhaust for removing particulates by filtering media. In
      this study, we designed and built a mobile downflow booth that is capable of
      quick assembly and easy size change to provide greater flexibility and particle
      control for various manufacturing processes or tasks. An experimental study was
      conducted to thoroughly evaluate the control performance of downflow booths used
      for removing airborne particles generated by the transfer of powdered lactose
      between two containers. Statistical analysis compared particle reduction ratios
      obtained from various test conditions including booth size (short, regular, or
      extended), supply air velocity (0.41 and 0.51 m/s or 80 and 100 feet per minute,
      fpm), powder transfer location (near or far from the booth exhaust), and
      inclusion or exclusion of curtains at the booth entrance. Our study results show
      that only short-depth downflow booths failed to protect the worker performing
      powder transfer far from the booth exhausts. Statistical analysis shows that
      better control performance can be obtained with supply air velocity of 0.51 m/s
      (100 fpm) than with 0.41 m/s (80 fpm) and that use of curtains for downflow
      booths did not improve their control performance.

PMID- 28644724
TI  - Modeling long-term effects attributed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur
      dioxide (SO2) exposure on asthma morbidity in a nationwide cohort in Israel.
AB  - Studies have provided extensive documentation that acutely elevated environmental
      exposures contribute to chronic health problems. However, only attention has been
      paid to the effects of modificate of exposure assessment methods in environmental
      health investigations, leading to uncertainty and gaps in our understanding of
      exposure- and dose-response relationships. The goal of the present study was to
      evaluate whether average or peak concentration exerts a greater influence on
      asthma outcome, and which of the exposure models may better explain various
      physiological responses generated by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or sulfur dioxide
      (SO2) air pollutants. The effects of annual NO2 and SO2 exposures on asthma
      prevalence were determined in 137,040 17-year-old males in Israel, who underwent
      standard health examinations before induction to military service during 1999
      2008. Three alternative models of cumulative exposure were used: arithmetic mean
      level (AM), average peak concentration (APC), and total number of air pollution
      exposure episodes (NEP). Air pollution data for NO2 and SO2 levels were linked to
      the residence of each subject and asthma prevalence was predicted using bivariate
      logistic regression. There was significant increased risk for asthma occurrence
      attributed to NO2 exposure in all models with the highest correlations
      demonstrated using the APC model. Data suggested that exposure-response is better
      correlated with NO2 peak concentration than with average exposure concentration
      in subjects with asthma. For SO2, there was a weaker but still significant
      exposure response association in all models. These differences may be related to
      differences in physiological responses including effects on different regions of
      the airways following exposure to these pollutants. NO2, which is poorly soluble
      in water, penetrates deep into the bronchial tree, producing asthmatic
      manifestations such as inflammation and increased mucus production as a result of
      high gaseous concentrations in the lung parenchyma. In contrast, SO2, which is
      highly water soluble, exerts its effects rapidly in the upper airways, leading to
      similar limited correlations at all levels of exposure with fewer asthmatic
      manifestations observed. These data indicate that differing exposure assessment
      methods may be needed to capture specific disease consequences associated with
      these air pollutants.

PMID- 28644725
TI  - Quantifying structural modifications of gills of two fish species Astyanax
      altiparanae (Lambari) and Prochilodus lineatus (Curimbata) after exposure to
      biodegradable detergents in urban lake water.
AB  - Anthropic actions in rivers and urban lakes are a cause for concern to our
      ecosystem. The effects on fauna and flora of substances discharged into waterways
      have become a focus for investigations globally. Biodegradable detergents are
      widely used in residences and small industries, but little is known regarding the
      consequences on fish fauna. The objective of the present study was to identify
      modifications in gill structure in two fish species, Astyanax altiparanae and
      Prochilodus lineatus, after treatment with water obtained from an urban lake and
      an exposure to 1 ppm diluted biodegradable detergents (linear alkylbenzene
      sulfonate). Data demonstrated exposure to urban lake produced various alterations
      in gill functions such as lamellar fusions, aneurysms, mucous, and chlorine cell
      proliferation, which may be attributed to the presence of detergents in the water
      but may also be a consequence of synergetic actions of detergents with other
      pollutants. Results showed that the levels of NO-2, Na, F-, Cl-, and Fe were
      significantly higher in urban lake water but in the presence of detergents Ni was
      also detected. Evidence indicates that biodegradable detergents produce damage to
      gill functions, which subsequently alters the fish physiology and reduces the
      ability to cope with stress and survival.

PMID- 28644726
TI  - Cytotoxic and genotoxic actions of Casiopeina III-Ea (Cas III-Ea) in somatic and
      germ cells of Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Casiopeinas(r) are a group of newly synthesized drugs designed to treat cancer.
      These copper (Cu) complexes exhibit cytostatic, cytotoxic, genotoxic, and
      antineoplastic activities through different mechanisms of action. To evaluate the
      influence of these compounds, some in vivo studies were performed using
      predominantly somatic cells. The aim of the present study was to examine the
      cytotoxic and genotoxic actions of Casiopeina III-Ea (Cas III-Ea) in somatic as
      well as germ cells of Drosophila melanogaster. For cytotoxicity, the productivity
      and some morphometric parameters were measured and genotoxicity was assessed by
      means of the somatic mutation and recombination test assay in the wing. For this
      purpose, second-instar larvae of the Canton-S strain were treated with different
      concentrations of Cas III-Ea. The emerged adults were weighed, the area of the
      wings determined, and the number of trichomes of the region C' counted. The
      productivity of treated males was measured by a brood method to monitor the
      influence of Cas III-Ea on spermatozoa, meiotic stage cells, and spermatogonia.
      For genotoxicity, mwh + /+ flr3 larvae 48 hr age were chronically treated within
      the same concentration range. Results indicated that Cas III-Ea at all
      concentrations tested significantly increased the productivity per couple in
      Brood III (spermatids) while at 1 mM a marked elevation was noted in the three
      broods tested. In contrast, the weight and size of individuals as well as the
      size and number of cells in the wing were decreased significantly. Data suggest
      that Cas III-Ea is a weak genotoxic but selective mutagen. Failure to obtain a
      dose-related genotoxic response suggests that one of the preferred mechanisms of
      action of Cas III-Ea is to induce apoptosis.

PMID- 28644727
TI  - Impact of time and assisted donning on respirator fit.
AB  - The goal of this study was to examine the impact of assistance with donning and
      time on quantitative fit factors (FF) and pass rates for subjects wearing an N95
      filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) and a non-certified adhesive mask. Fit
      factors were measured using two side-by-side TSI Portacount instruments sampling
      second-by-second simultaneous inside- and outside-facepiece concentrations. Naive
      subjects made two visits at least one week apart. At each visit subjects first
      donned either the respirator or adhesive mask without assistance and performed a
      five-exercise fast fit test. They then donned a new respirator or mask with
      assistance in proper donning (e.g., proper forming of the nosepiece, strap
      placement, etc.) and performed a second five-exercise fast fit test. The same
      sequence of unassisted and assisted donning was then repeated with the other
      facepiece. Fifteen subjects participated in the study; time between visits ranged
      from 7-29 days (average 12 days). On visit 1 the respirator FFs were
      significantly higher (GM = 88) than for the adhesive mask (GM = 14); with
      assistance these FFs showed significant improvements to 116 and 124,
      respectively. At visit 1 almost half of subjects donning the respirator without
      assistance achieved a passing FF of 100 or greater, while only one-fifth of
      subjects were able to pass the fit test wearing an adhesive mask without
      assistance. Pass rates improved for both groups with assistance, but more so for
      the adhesive mask wearers. On visit 2 the pass rates for both groups had
      decreased, with the adhesive mask group showing a greater decrease. With
      assistance, pass rates improved for both groups, but again more so for those
      wearing the adhesive mask. Results suggest that wearers would benefit from
      assistance and re-training every time they don a respirator, even if the time
      between donnings is as short as one or two weeks.

PMID- 28644728
TI  - Liposomes equipped with cell penetrating peptide BR2 enhances chemotherapeutic
      effects of cantharidin against hepatocellular carcinoma.
AB  - A main hurdle for the success of tumor-specific liposomes is their inability to
      penetrate tumors efficiently. In this study, we incorporated a cell-penetrating
      peptide BR2 onto the surface of a liposome loaded with the anticancer drug
      cantharidin (CTD) to create a system targeting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
      cells more efficiently and effectively. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay comparing
      the loaded liposomes' effects on hepatocellular cancer HepG2 and the control Miha
      cells showed that CTD-loaded liposomes had a stronger anticancer effect after BR2
      modification. The cellular uptake results of HepG2 and Miha cells further
      confirmed the superior ability of BR2-modified liposomes to penetrate cancer
      cells. The colocalization study revealed that BR2-modified liposomes could enter
      tumor cells and subsequently release drugs. A higher efficiency of delivery by
      BR2 liposomes as compared to unmodified liposomes was evident by evaluation of
      the HepG2 tumor spheroids penetration and inhibition. The biodistribution studies
      and anticancer efficacy results in vivo showed the significant accumulation of
      BR2-modified liposomes into tumor sites and an enhanced tumor inhibition. In
      conclusion, BR2-modified liposomes improve the anticancer potency of drugs for
      HCC.

PMID- 28644729
TI  - Promoting Prenatal Exercise From a Sociocultural and Life-Course Perspective: An
      "Embodied" Conceptual Framework.
AB  - PURPOSE: Prenatal exercise is a health behavior that is receiving growing
      attention amid concern that women in Western societies are gaining excess weight
      during pregnancy and contributing to future obesity in both the mother and child.
      In this article, we draw on insights from the fields of social epidemiology and
      social theory of the body to examine existing prenatal exercise interventions and
      to propose a multidimensional framework intended to guide future theorizing and
      intervention design. METHOD: A scoping review of existing prenatal exercise
      programs and interventions focused on controlling gestational weight gain was
      conducted. Articles published prior to January 2017 were obtained from PubMed and
      CINAHL, and relevant articles were identified (n = 62) using specified inclusion
      and exclusion criteria. Identified articles were further analyzed to classify the
      level(s) of the socioecological model targeted in the intervention or program.
      RESULTS: The majority of existing interventions target intrapersonal factors
      during pregnancy and do not attend to the role that cumulative exposure of social
      and structural disadvantage over the lifetime-not just during the prenatal period
      plays in shaping health outcomes. In response, a multidimensional framework is
      proposed that includes key concepts that facilitate a life-course perspective, as
      well as attention to the integration of biological and social factors as they
      relate to health and health-related behaviors. CONCLUSION: Efforts to promote
      prenatal exercise and to improve maternal and infant health should attend to how
      systemic inequality impacts women's health.

PMID- 28644731
TI  - The Action Level.

PMID- 28644730
TI  - Pulseless ventricular tachycardia associated with chronic ketamine use.

PMID- 28644732
TI  - Lipophilicity and biomimetic properties to support drug discovery.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Lipophilicity, expressed as the octanol-water partition
      coefficient, constitutes the most important property in drug action, influencing
      both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics processes as well as drug toxicity. On
      the other hand, biomimetic properties defined as the retention outcome on HPLC
      columns containing a biological relevant agent, provide a considerable advance
      for rapid experimental - based estimation of ADME properties in early drug
      discovery stages. Areas covered: This review highlights the paramount importance
      of lipophilicity in almost all aspects of drug action and safety. It outlines
      problems brought about by high lipophilicity and provides an overview of the drug
      like metrics which incorporate lower limits or ranges of logP. The fundamental
      factors governing lipophilicity are compared to those involved in
      phospholipophilicity, assessed by Immobilized Artificial Membrane Chromatography
      (IAM). Finally, the contribution of biomimetic properties to assess plasma
      protein binding is evaluated. Expert opinion: Lipophilicity and biomimetic
      properties have important distinct and overlapping roles in supporting the drug
      discovery process. Lipophilicity is unique in early drug design for library
      screening and for the identification of the most promising compounds to start
      with, while biomimetic properties are useful for the experimentally-based
      evaluation of ADME properties for the synthesized novel compounds, supporting the
      prioritization of drug candidates and guiding further synthesis.

PMID- 28644733
TI  - Trends of ATV use and associated injury on Saskatchewan farms.
AB  - PURPOSE: All-terrain vehicles (ATV's) are a hazardous source of injury in many
      contexts and geographical regions, but to date have not been investigated in
      Saskatchewan. METHODS: Baseline surveys from the Saskatchewan Farm Injury Project
      were examined at two time points in terms of: (1) rates and correlated
      characteristics of reported ATV use; and (2) qualitative content analysis of
      injury events involving ATVs. The sample of eligible farmers was 2,972 in 2007
      and 1,702 in 2013. FINDINGS: Self-reported ATV use increased on Saskatchewan
      farms over the five-year period, both in terms of the number of individuals using
      ATV's on the farm and the days per year of operation. ATV use is significantly
      more common on farms with livestock, among male farmers, and among younger
      farmers. Farmers with low back pain were also more likely to report ATV use.
      Qualitative content analysis of farmers' reported "most serious injury" on the
      farm revealed themes related to: (1) tasks undertaken with ATV's at the time of
      the incident (e.g., stock work and personal transport); (2) contributing factors
      (vehicle, environmental and driver); and (3) safety reflections. CONCLUSION: The
      apparent trends of increasing ATV use on Saskatchewan farms and serious nature of
      the injury incidents reported indicate that this is an issue worthy of further
      investigation.

PMID- 28644734
TI  - High-Throughput Phenotypic Screening of Kinase Inhibitors to Identify Drug
      Targets for Polycystic Kidney Disease.
AB  - Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a prevalent disorder characterized by renal
      cysts that lead to kidney failure. Various signaling pathways have been targeted
      to stop disease progression, but most interventions still focus on alleviating
      PKD-associated symptoms. The mechanistic complexity of the disease, as well as
      the lack of functional in vitro assays for compound testing, has made drug
      discovery for PKD challenging. To identify modulators of PKD, Pkd1-/- kidney
      tubule epithelial cells were applied to a scalable and automated 3D cyst culture
      model for compound screening, followed by phenotypic profiling to determine
      compound efficacy. We used this screening platform to screen a library of 273
      kinase inhibitors to probe various signaling pathways involved in cyst growth. We
      show that inhibition of several targets, including aurora kinase, CDK, Chk, IGF
      1R, Syk, and mTOR, but, surprisingly, not PI3K, prevented forskolin-induced cyst
      swelling. Additionally, we show that multiparametric phenotypic classification
      discriminated potentially undesirable (i.e., cytotoxic) compounds from molecules
      inducing the desired phenotypic change, greatly facilitating hit selection and
      validation. Our findings show that a pathophysiologically relevant 3D cyst
      culture model of PKD coupled to phenotypic profiling can be used to identify
      potentially therapeutic compounds and predict and validate molecular targets for
      PKD.

PMID- 28644735
TI  - Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: evidence based antenatal and
      postnatal management strategies.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a
      relatively rare but potentially lethal disease, leading to severe bleeding
      complications in 1 in 11.000 newborns. It is the leading cause of
      thrombocytopenia in healthy term-born neonates. Areas covered: This review
      summarizes the antenatal as well as postnatal treatment, thus creating a complete
      overview of all possible management strategies for FNAIT. Expert commentary: The
      optimal antenatal therapy in order to prevent bleeding complications in
      pregnancies complicated by FNAIT is non-invasive treatment with weekly
      intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Based on risk stratification, weekly doses of
      IVIG of 0.5 or 1.0g/kg should be administered started early in the second in high
      risk cases or at the end of the second trimester in low risk cases. The optimal
      postnatal treatment depends on the platelet count and the clinical condition of
      the newborn. Prompt administration of compatible platelet transfusion is the
      first treatment of choice in case of severe thrombocytopenia or active bleeding.
      In case matched platelets are not directly available, random platelets can also
      be administered initially to gain time until matched platelets are available. In
      case of persistent thrombocytopenia despite transfusions, IVIG 1.0-2.0g/kg can be
      administered.

PMID- 28644736
TI  - Asymptomatic microscopic hematuria as a predictor of neoplasia in the urinary
      tract.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The Danish hematuria guidelines were revised in January 2016. Before
      revision, it was recommended that asymptomatic microscopic hematuria in patients
      more than 40 years old should be routinely urologically investigated. In the
      revised guidelines, patients with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria are not
      recommended to be investigated, irrespective of age. The purpose of this study
      was to investigate whether asymptomatic microscopic hematuria was predictive of
      neoplasia of the urinary tract in a referred cohort of patients. METHODS: All
      patients older than 40 years referred from primary care to private clinics and
      public hospitals in the Central Denmark Region for evaluation of asymptomatic
      microscopic hematuria in a 2 year period from January 2014 to December 2015 were
      included retrospectively. All patients had been routinely investigated with
      computed tomography urography and outpatient flexible cystoscopy. Patients' age
      and gender were recorded and the final diagnosis after full investigation was
      retrieved. RESULTS: In total, 1305 patients (492 males and 813 females) were
      included. Eleven patients (0.8%) were diagnosed with neoplasia in the urinary
      tract, including non-invasive Ta bladder tumor (n = 6), benign tumors in the
      kidney (n = 2), invasive bladder cancer (n = 2) and carcinoma in situ in the
      urinary bladder (n = 1). None of the patients had renal cancer or upper urinary
      tract tumors as the final diagnosis. CONCLUSION: A minority of patients with
      malignancies or non-invasive tumors would have been missed based on the revised
      Danish hematuria referral pathways.

PMID- 28644737
TI  - Circulatory CNP Rescues Craniofacial Hypoplasia in Achondroplasia.
AB  - Achondroplasia is the most common genetic form of human dwarfism, characterized
      by midfacial hypoplasia resulting in occlusal abnormality and foramen magnum
      stenosis, leading to serious neurologic complications and hydrocephalus.
      Currently, surgery is the only way to manage jaw deformity, neurologic
      complications, and hydrocephalus in patients with achondroplasia. We previously
      showed that C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a potent stimulator of
      endochondral bone growth of long bones and vertebrae and is also a potent
      stimulator in the craniofacial region, which is crucial for midfacial
      skeletogenesis. In this study, we analyzed craniofacial morphology in a mouse
      model of achondroplasia, in which fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is
      specifically activated in cartilage ( Fgfr3ach mice), and investigated the
      mechanisms of jaw deformities caused by this mutation. Furthermore, we analyzed
      the effect of CNP on the maxillofacial area in these animals. Fgfr3ach mice
      exhibited midfacial hypoplasia, especially in the sagittal direction, caused by
      impaired endochondral ossification in craniofacial cartilage and by premature
      closure of the spheno-occipital synchondrosis, an important growth center in
      craniomaxillofacial skeletogenesis. We crossed Fgfr3ach mice with transgenic mice
      in which CNP is expressed in the liver under the control of the human serum
      amyloid-P component promoter, resulting in elevated levels of circulatory CNP (
      Fgfr3ach/SAP-Nppc-Tg mice). In the progeny, midfacial hypoplasia in the sagittal
      direction observed in Fgfr3ach mice was improved significantly by restoring the
      thickness of synchondrosis and promoting proliferation of chondrocytes in the
      craniofacial cartilage. In addition, the foramen magnum stenosis observed in
      Fgfr3ach mice was significantly ameliorated in Fgfr3ach/SAP-Nppc-Tg mice due to
      enhanced endochondral bone growth of the anterior intraoccipital synchondrosis.
      These results clearly demonstrate the therapeutic potential of CNP for treatment
      of midfacial hypoplasia and foramen magnum stenosis in achondroplasia.

PMID- 28644738
TI  - National survey and analysis of barriers to the utilisation of the 2005 mental
      capacity act by people with bipolar disorder in England and Wales.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) provides a legal framework for
      advance planning for both health and welfare in England and Wales for people if
      they lose mental capacity, for example, through mania or severe depression. AIMS:
      To determine the proportion of people with bipolar disorder (BD) who utilise
      advance planning, their experience of using it and barriers to its
      implementation. METHODS: National survey of people with clinical diagnosis of BD
      of their knowledge, use and experience of the MCA. Thematically analysed
      qualitative interviews with maximum variance sample of people with BD. RESULTS: A
      total of 544 respondents with BD participated in the survey; 18 in the
      qualitative study. 403 (74.1%) believed making plans about their personal welfare
      if they lost capacity to be very important. A total of 199 (36.6%) participants
      knew about the MCA. A total 54 (10%), 62 (11%) and 21 (4%) participants made
      advanced decisions to refuse treatment, advance statements and lasting power of
      attorney, respectively. Barriers included not understanding its different forms,
      unrealistic expectations and advance plans ignored by services. CONCLUSION: In
      BD, the demand for advance plans about welfare with loss of capacity was high,
      but utilisation of the MCA was low with barriers at service user, clinician and
      organisation levels.

PMID- 28644739
TI  - Treatment of hepatitis C with new fixed dose combinations.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The advent of oral direct-acting antivirals (DAA) has
      revolutionized the hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapeutic landscape providing cure
      rates over 90%. However, a subset of patients remains at higher risk for
      treatment failure, including those infected with: i) genotype 3 and cirrhosis;
      ii) resistance-associated substitutions (RAS) occurring either as natural
      polymorphisms or selected after prior DAA failure; and iii) poor drug adherence
      associated with social disabilities (homeless, psychiatric illnesses, injection
      drug use, alcoholism, etc.). Whereas discovery of new DAA with increased
      antiviral activity across all genotypes and over RAS may enhance efficacy,
      development of fixed dose combinations (FDC) may be the best way to improve drug
      adherence in difficult-to-treat HCV populations. Areas covered: Three FDC
      regimens are in the last steps of clinical development for treating hepatitis C.
      Two distinct nucleotide analogues that inhibit the HCV polymerase, sofosbuvir and
      uprifosbuvir, are part of the FDC from Gilead and Merck, respectively. The AbbVie
      dual FDC does not include a polymerase inhibitor. All three new FDC include
      second-generation NS3 protease inhibitors and NS5A inhibitors active across all
      HCV genotypes and over common RAS. Expert opinion: Hepatitis C cure rates over
      95% are expected with all three next-coming DAA, even in the most difficult-to
      treat and/or cure patient populations. These regimens would be particularly
      needed for the growing number of prior DAA failures. Co-formulations and 8-week
      shorter treatment lengths will help to overcome drug adherence challenges in
      certain populations.

PMID- 28644740
TI  - Efficacy of guided self-help behavioural activation and physical activity for
      depression: a randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Behavioural activation and physical activity have received empirical support that
      highlight their efficacy in reducing depression. Even though both behavioural
      activation and physical activity share the common goal of reactivating the
      individual, limited research has directly compared these interventions, and more
      research is required to evaluate their efficacy when offered in low-intensity
      formats. The present study involves a randomized controlled clinical trial
      comparing the efficacy of two guided self-help interventions for the treatment of
      depression: behavioural activation and physical activity. Fifty-nine participants
      presenting mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression were randomized either to a
      behavioural activation intervention (n = 20), a physical activity intervention (n
      = 19) or a wait-list control group (n = 20). All participants completed symptom
      measure pre-, mid- and post-intervention, as well as at a two-month follow-up.
      Mixed-model analyses of variance revealed that both interventions were
      significantly more efficacious in reducing depressive symptoms in comparison with
      the control group. Physical activity involved significantly less time-investment
      compared to the behavioural activation condition (less than half the amount of
      time). These results indicate that physical activity and behavioural activation
      both effectively reduce depressive symptoms and are favourably applicable in low
      intensity formats. Implications of these results and avenues for future research
      are discussed.

PMID- 28644742
TI  - New legal requirements for submission of product information to poisons centres
      in EU member states.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In the past eight years, the European Association of Poisons
      Centres and Clinical Toxicologists (EAPCCT) has been intensively involved in a
      European Commission led process to develop EU legislation on the information of
      hazardous products that companies have to notify to EU Poisons Centres (or
      equivalent "appointed bodies"). As a result of this process, the Commission
      adopted Regulation (EU) No 2017/542, amending the CLP Regulation by adding an
      Annex on harmonised product submission requirements. Harmonised mixture
      information requirements: Detailed and consistent information on the composition
      of the hazardous product will become available to EU Poisons Centres (PC). The
      information will be submitted by companies to PCs (or equivalent "appointed
      bodies") using a web-based software application or in-house software. Two new
      important features are introduced. Firstly, to be able to rapidly identify the
      product formula, a Unique Formula Identifier (UFI) on the product label links to
      the submitted information. Secondly, for better comparability of reports on
      poisonings between EU member states, a harmonised Product Categorisation System
      will specify the intended use of a product. Rapid product identification and
      availability of detailed composition information will lead to timely and adequate
      medical intervention. This may lead to considerable reduction in healthcare
      costs. Additionally, for companies trading across the EU, costs of submission of
      this information will be reduced significantly. Next steps: From 2017, an
      implementation period has started, consisting of a three-year period for
      stakeholders to implement the new requirements, followed by a gradual
      applicability for consumer products (2020), professional products (2021) and
      industrial use-only products (2024). Technical tools to generate the electronic
      format and the UFI together with guidance documents are expected to be made
      available by the end of 2017 by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Guidance on
      interpretation of legal text and ECHA helpdesk support are planned to be ready at
      the end of 2018.

PMID- 28644741
TI  - Ras Signaling Regulates Stem Cells and Amelogenesis in the Mouse Incisor.
AB  - The role of Ras signaling during tooth development is poorly understood. Ras
      proteins-which are activated by many upstream pathways, including receptor
      tyrosine kinase cascades-signal through multiple effectors, such as the mitogen
      activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K pathways. Here, we utilized the mouse
      incisor as a model to study how the MAPK and PI3K pathways regulate dental
      epithelial stem cells and amelogenesis. The rodent incisor-which grows
      continuously throughout the life of the animal due to the presence of epithelial
      and mesenchymal stem cells-provides a model for the study of ectodermal organ
      renewal and regeneration. Utilizing models of Ras dysregulation as well as
      inhibitors of the MAPK and PI3K pathways, we found that MAPK and PI3K regulate
      dental epithelial stem cell activity, transit-amplifying cell proliferation, and
      enamel formation in the mouse incisor.

PMID- 28644743
TI  - Sarcocystis jamaicensis n. sp., from Red-Tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis)
      Definitive Host and IFN-gamma Gene Knockout Mice as Experimental Intermediate
      Host.
AB  - Here, we report a new species of Sarcocystis with red-tailed hawk (RTH, Buteo
      jamaicensis) as the natural definitive host and IFN-gamma gene knockout (KO) mice
      as an experimental intermediate host in which sarcocysts form in muscle. Two RTHs
      submitted to the Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, North Carolina, were
      euthanized because they could not be rehabilitated and released. Fully sporulated
      12.5 * 9.9-MUm sized sporocysts were found in intestinal scrapings of both hawks.
      Sporocysts were orally fed to laboratory-reared outbred Swiss Webster mice (SW,
      Mus musculus) and also to KO mice. The sporocysts were infective for KO mice but
      not for SW mice. All SW mice remained asymptomatic, and neither schizonts nor
      sarcocysts were found in any SW mice euthanized on days 54, 77, 103 (n = 2) or
      137 post-inoculation (PI). The KO mice developed neurological signs and were
      necropsied between 52 to 68 days PI. Schizonts/merozoites were found in all KO
      mice euthanized on days 52, 55 (n = 3), 59, 61 (n = 2), 66, and 68 PI and they
      were confined to the brain. The predominant lesion was meningoencephalitis
      characterized by perivascular cuffs, granulomas, and necrosis of the neural
      tissue. The schizonts/merozoites were located in neural tissue and were
      apparently extravascular. Brain homogenates from infected KO mice were infective
      to KO mice by subcutaneous inoculation and when seeded on to CV-1 cells.
      Microscopic sarcocysts were found in skeletal muscles of 5 of 8 KO mice
      euthanized between 55-61 days PI. Only a few sarcocysts were detected. Sarcocysts
      were microscopic, up to 3.5 mm long. When viewed with light microscopy, the
      sarcocyst wall appeared thin (<1 MUm thick) and smooth. By transmission electron
      microscopy, the sarcocyst wall classified as "type 1j" (new designation).
      Molecular characterization using 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-1, and cox1 genes
      revealed a close relationship with Sarcocystis microti and Sarcocystis glareoli;
      both species infect birds as definitive hosts. The parasite in the present study
      was biologically and molecularly different from species so far described in RTHs
      and we therefore propose a new species name, Sarcocystis jamaicensis n. sp.

PMID- 28644744
TI  - Add-on iguratimod as a therapeutic strategy to achieve remission in patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis inadequately responding to biological DMARDs: A
      retrospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: In this study, iguratimod (IGU) was added to rheumatoid arthritis
      (RA) patients inadequately responding to 24-week or longer treatment with
      biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARDs), its effectiveness was
      assessed, and factors contributing to remission were evaluated. METHODS: RA
      patients who fulfilled the following criteria were included: (i) >= 24-week of
      bDMARDs; (ii) 2.6 < disease activity score (DAS) 28-erythrocyte sedimentation
      rate (ESR) < 5.1 or the presence of synovitis with a power Doppler (PD) score >=2
      in at least 1 of the 28 joints on joint ultrasonography. Disease activity and
      joint ultrasound findings were evaluated at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks.
      RESULTS: DAS assessing 28 joints with ESR (DAS28-ESR) decreased significantly
      from 3.45 +/- 0.92 at baseline to 2.85 +/- 1.13 at 24 weeks (p < .001). Overall,
      38.3% achieved clinical remission (c-remission). The total PD score decreased
      significantly from 8.7 +/- 6.1 at baseline to 5.5 +/- 5.0 at 24 weeks (p < .001).
      A lower baseline DAS28-ESR was related to c-remission after 24 weeks (p =.002).
      Shorter duration of disease (p =.020) was related to ultrasound remission, in
      addition to a lower baseline DAS28-ESR (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: IGU add-on
      therapy can be a therapeutic strategy to achieve remission in RA patients
      inadequately responding to >=24-week treatment with bDMARDs.

PMID- 28644745
TI  - Current views on Zika virus vaccine development.

PMID- 28644746
TI  - Conversations on Dying: A Palliative Care Pioneer Faces His Own Death.
AB  - Editor's Note The journal is delighted to continue a collaboration with the
      International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) in publication
      of book reviews relevant to symptom control in advanced disease. These reviews
      are adapted from the work of Roger Woodruff, MD, FRACP, FAChPM, an
      internationally recognized oncologist and palliative care specialist physician
      from Australia. Dr. Woodruff's reviews appear concurrently or did so previously
      in the IAHPC Newsletter, which is accessible through the IAHPC Web site:
      http://hospicecare.com .

PMID- 28644747
TI  - Pain Management and Prescription Opioid-Related Harms: Exploring the State of the
      Evidence: Proceedings of a Workshop-In Brief.

PMID- 28644748
TI  - Paediatric Palliative Medicine, 2nd ed.
AB  - Editor's Note The journal is delighted to continue a collaboration with the
      International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) in publication
      of book reviews relevant to symptom control in advanced disease. These reviews
      are adapted from the work of Roger Woodruff, MD, FRACP, FAChPM, an
      internationally recognized oncologist and palliative care specialist physician
      from Australia. Dr. Woodruff's reviews appear concurrently or did so previously
      in the IAHPC Newsletter, which is accessible through the IAHPC Web site:
      http://hospicecare.com .

PMID- 28644749
TI  - Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

PMID- 28644751
TI  - Medical Cannabis for Pain: Anecdote or Evidence.

PMID- 28644753
TI  - A comparison of the neutrophil-lymphocyte, platelet-lymphocyte and monocyte
      lymphocyte ratios in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients - a
      retrospective file review.
AB  - Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte
      lymphocyte ratio (MLR) have recently been used as indicators of inflammation.
      Higher MLR and PLR values have been determined in the euthymic and manic periods
      in patients with bipolar disorder compared to a control group. High NLR values
      were determined in the only study investigating this ratio in schizophrenia
      patients. The purpose of this study was to compare NLR, PLR and MLR values and
      complete blood count elements in patients receiving treatment and hospitalized
      due to schizophrenic psychotic episode and bipolar disorder manic episode. All
      patients meeting the inclusion criteria among subjects receiving treatment and
      hospitalized due to schizophrenia-psychotic episode and bipolar affective
      disorder-manic episode at the Ondokuz Mayis University Medical Faculty Psychiatry
      Department, Turkey, in 2012-2016 were included in our study. A total of 157
      healthy donors were included as a control group. White blood cell (WBC),
      neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet and monocyte numbers were noted retrospectively
      from complete blood counts at time of admission, and NLR, PLR and MLR were
      calculated from these. NLR, PLR and MLR values and platelet numbers in this study
      were higher and lymphocyte numbers were lower in bipolar disorder patients
      compared to the controls. Elevation in NLR, MLR and PLR values and neutrophil
      numbers and lower lymphocyte numbers were determined in schizophrenia patients
      compared to the controls. Higher NLR and MLR values were found in schizophrenia
      patients compared to bipolar disorder. Findings of our study supported the
      inflammation hypothesis for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PMID- 28644752
TI  - Expression and purification of swine RAG2 in E. coli for production of porcine
      RAG2 polyclonal antibodies.
AB  - Recombination activating gene 2 (RAG2) is necessary for immature B cell
      differentiation. Antibodies to human and rabbit RAG2 are currently commercially
      available, but antibodies to swine RAG remain unavailable to date. In this study,
      the swine RAG2 genes sequence was synthesized and then cloned into a pET-28a
      vector. The recombinant fusion protein was successfully expressed in E. coli,
      purified through nickel column chromatography, and further digested with Tobacco
      Etch Virus protease. The cleaved protein was purified by molecular-exclusion
      chromatography and named pRAG2. We used pRAG2 to immunize rabbits, collected the
      serum and purified rabbit anti-pRAG2 polyclonal antibodies. The rabbit anti-pRAG2
      polyclonal antibodies were tested via immunofluorescence on eukaryotic cells
      overexpressing pRAG2 and also able to recognize pig natural RAG2 and human RAG2
      protein in western blotting. These results indicated that the prepared rabbit
      anti-pRAG2 polyclonal antibodies may serve as a tool to detect immature B cell
      differentiation of swine.

PMID- 28644754
TI  - Expression of enzymes related to glucose metabolism in non-small cell lung cancer
      and prognosis.
AB  - : Purpose/Aim: Cancer cells are addicted to glycolytic anaerobic pathways, in
      presence or in absence of a functional Krebs' cycle (phenomenon Warburg). This
      metabolic predilection relies on both extracellular (impaired vascularization and
      oxygenation) and intracellular (oncogenic activation of genes) causes. MATERIALS
      AND METHODS: We investigated the expression and prognostic relevance of enzymes
      involved in the glucose absorption and metabolism, monocarboxylate transporter
      (MCT) expression, MCT1 and MCT2, pentose pathway (Glucose-6-phospahte
      dehydrogenase G6PD), glycogene synthesis (glycogene synthase GYS1), glycolysis
      (Hexokinase HXKII, phosphofructokinase PFK1, fructose biphosphate aldolase), fate
      of pyruvate (pyruvate dehydrogenase PDH, phosphorylated pPDH, PDH kinase PDK1,
      lactate dehydrogenase LDH5 and LDH1) and key Kreb's cycle enzymes (citrate
      synthase CSynth and isocitrate dehydrogenase IDH). RESULTS: A strong
      overexpression of the above enzymes/proteins was noted in a varying percentage of
      cases examined. An interesting significant correlation between the enzymes
      involved in glycolysis and with the LDH5 was noted. Adenocarcinomas expressed
      higher levels of GLUT1 and MCT2 compared to other subtypes. Stage (p = 0.0001),
      aldolase (p = 0.004), LDH5 (p = 0.008), GLUT2 (p = 0.008), MCT2 (p = 0.009),
      GSYS1 (p = 0.04), and GLUT1 (p = 0.05) were significantly related with poor
      disease specific overall survival. In multivariate analysis stage (p = 0.001),
      LDH5 (p = 0.04), pPDH (p = 0.04), and aldolase (p = 0.04) were independent
      prognostic variables. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that an orchestrated activation
      of glucose absorption and metabolism towards anaerobic pathways characterize the
      majority of NSCLC, and this phenotype is strongly linked with an aggressive
      clinical behavior. This glycolytic addiction of lung cancer cell is revealed as a
      key therapeutic target.

PMID- 28644755
TI  - A Contemporary Examination of First and Second Permanent Molar Emergence.
AB  - The emergence of first permanent molars (FPMs) and second permanent molars (SPMs)
      is an important developmental milestone influencing caries risk and the timing of
      sealant placement. Emergence times have been shown to vary by sex and
      race/ethnicity, while recent reports suggest a positive association with
      adiposity. Amid the changing demographics of the US population and the rising
      rates of pediatric overweight/obesity, we sought to examine the association of
      body mass index (BMI) with FPM/SPM emergence in a representative sample of US
      children and adolescents. We used cross-sectional data from 3 consecutive cycles
      of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009 to 2014). The FPM
      analysis included ages 4 to 8 y ( n = 3,102 representing ~20 million children),
      and the SPM analysis included ages 9 to 13 y ( n = 2,774 representing ~19 million
      children/adolescents). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's growth
      chart data were used to calculate age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles, as
      measures of adiposity. Initial data analyses relied on descriptive statistics and
      stratified analyses. We used multivariate methods, including survey linear and
      ordinal logistic regression and marginal effects estimation to quantify the
      association between pediatric overweight/obesity and FPM/SPM emergence, adjusting
      for age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Forty-eight percent of 6-y-olds and 98% of 8-y
      olds had all FPMs emerged, whereas SPM emergence varied more. Blacks (vs. whites)
      and females (vs. males) experienced earlier emergence of FPMs and SPMs.
      Overweight/obesity was associated with earlier FPM emergence, particularly among
      black females. Obesity but not overweight was associated with earlier SPM
      emergence. Overall, overweight/obesity accounted for 6 to 12 mo of dental
      acceleration. This study's results emanate from the most recent US-representative
      data and affirm that FPM/SPM emergence varies by race/ethnicity and sex and is
      positively influenced by BMI. Future research should further elucidate these
      associations with detailed eruption data and examine the implications of this
      variation for clinical care.

PMID- 28644757
TI  - Relationships Between Adipokine Profiles, Physique Index, and Severity of
      Bronchiolitis in Infancy.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Relationships between adipokines, adiposity and severity of acute
      viral bronchiolitis in infancy have not been elucidated. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      We investigated the relationships between three serum adipokines (leptin,
      adiponectin and TNF-alpha), physique index (Kaup index) and clinical severity in
      13 bronchiolitis infants. Seven healthy infants were enrolled as the control
      group. We used Modified Pulmonary Index Score (MPIS) to evaluate bronchiolitis
      severity. RESULTS: No significant differences in adipokine levels were found
      between groups. In bronchiolitis infants, Kaup index negatively correlated with
      MPIS (r = -0.614, p = 0.03). A positive correlation was observed between the
      serum leptin/adiponectin ratio and MPIS (r = 0.618, p = 0.03), although
      correlations were not observed between respective serum adipokines levels and
      MPIS. Serum leptin and adiponectin had significantly negative correlations with
      age (r = 0.815, p = 0.001 and r = 0.566, p = 0.04, respectively), but not Kaup
      index. CONCLUSION: The severity of viral bronchiolitis in infancy may be related
      to the adipokine profile, but not adiposity.

PMID- 28644758
TI  - An independent shopping experience for wheelchair users through augmented reality
      and RFID.
AB  - People with physical and mobility impairments continue to struggle to attain
      independence in the performance of routine activities and tasks. For example,
      browsing in a store and interacting with products located beyond an arm's length
      may be impossible without the enabling intervention of a human assistant. This
      research article describes a study undertaken to design, develop, and evaluate
      potential interaction methods for motor-impaired individuals, specifically those
      who use wheelchairs. Our study includes a user-centered approach, and a
      categorization of wheelchair users based upon the severity of their disability
      and their individual needs. We designed and developed access solutions that
      utilize radio frequency identification (RFID), augmented reality (AR), and
      touchscreen technologies in order to help people who use wheelchairs to carry out
      certain tasks autonomously. In this way, they have been empowered to go shopping
      independently, free from reliance upon the assistance of others. A total of 18
      wheelchair users participated in the completed study.

PMID- 28644756
TI  - Immunological effects of hypomethylating agents.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Epigenetic changes resulting from aberrant methylation patterns are
      a recurrent observation in hematologic malignancies. Hypomethylating agents have
      a well-established role in the management of patients with high-risk
      myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia. In addition to the direct
      effects of hypomethylating agents on cancer cells, there are several lines of
      evidence indicating a role for immune-mediated anti-tumor benefits from
      hypomethylating therapy. Areas covered: We reviewed the clinical and basic
      science literature for the effects of hypomethylating agents, including the most
      commonly utilized therapeutics azacitidine and decitabine, on immune cell
      subsets. We summarized the effects of hypomethylating agents on the frequency and
      function of natural killer cells, T cells, and dendritic cells. In particular, we
      highlight the effects of hypomethylating agents on expression of immune
      checkpoint inhibitors, leukemia-associated antigens, and endogenous retroviral
      elements. Expert commentary: In vitro and ex vivo studies indicate mixed effects
      on the function of natural killer, dendritic cells and T cells following
      treatment with hypomethylating agents. Clinical correlates of immune function
      have suggested that hypomethylating agents have immunomodulatory functions with
      the potential to synergize with immune checkpoint therapy for the treatment of
      hematologic malignancy, and has become an active area of clinical research.

PMID- 28644759
TI  - Virulence profile: Mark Thomas.

PMID- 28644760
TI  - Expression and characterization of soybean seed coat peroxidase in Escherichia
      coli BL21(DE3).
AB  - Soybean seed coat peroxidase (SBP) is a valuable enzyme having a broad variety of
      applications in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and food processing. In the
      present study, the sscp gene (Gene ID: 548068) was optimized based on the
      preferred codon usage of Escherichia coli, synthesized, and expressed in E. coli
      BL21(DE3). SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis of this expressed protein revealed
      that its molecular weight is approximately 39 kDa. The effects of induction
      temperature, concentration of isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactoside and hemin,
      induction time, expression time were optimized to enhance SBP production with a
      maximum activity of 11.23 U/mL (8.64 U/mg total protein). Furthermore, the
      kinetics of enzyme-catalyzed reactions of recombinant protein was determined.
      When 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) was used as
      substrate, optimum reaction temperature and pH of the enzyme were 85 degrees C
      and 5.0, respectively. The effects of metal ions on the enzymatic reaction were
      also further investigated. The SBP was successfully expressed in E. coli
      BL21(DE3) which would provide a more efficient production strategy for industrial
      applications of SBP.

PMID- 28644762
TI  - Continued Focus on Communities.

PMID- 28644761
TI  - Effectiveness of Satir-Informed Family-Therapy on the Codependency of Drug
      Dependents' Family Members in Iran: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
AB  - PURPOSE: Social workers in substance abuse treatment settings are responsible for
      involving families in treatment program to improve family functioning. The
      effectiveness of available interventions in treating codependency of family
      members of drug users in Iran is not well explored. We evaluated the
      effectiveness of the Satir communication family therapy (CFT) in healing
      codependency of drug dependents' family members in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: The
      intervention group participants (n = 27) received a seven-session social work
      intervention with CFT approach and the control group (n = 26) received treatment
      as usual. We used the Holyoake Codependency Index to measure participants'
      codependency at baselines, end of intervention, and 90 days post intervention.
      RESULTS: Codependents enrolled in the intervention had a significantly lower
      codependency score than controls at the end of intervention and 90 days post
      intervention. DISCUSSION: CFT is an effective strategy to reduce codependency in
      Iranian population and can be explored as a population-based strategy.

PMID- 28644763
TI  - Methyltransferase G9A Regulates Osteogenesis via Twist Gene Repression.
AB  - Here we investigate the role of epigenetic factors in controlling the timing of
      cranial neural crest cell differentiation. The gene coding for histone H3 lysine
      9 methyltransferase G9A was conditionally deleted in neural crest cells with Wnt1
      Cre. The majority of homozygous-null animals survived to birth but thereafter
      failed to thrive. Phenotypic analysis of postnatal animals revealed that the
      mutants displayed incomplete ossification and 20% shorter jaws as compared to
      their wild-type littermates. At E13.5, patterns of expression of the osteogenic
      transcription factor RUNX2 and the mesenchymal transcription factor TWIST are
      similar in controls and mutants; both overlap in areas of future intramembranous
      bone formation. At E14.5, the nonosteogenic mesenchyme expressed TWIST, whereas
      the ossification center had strong RUNX2 and osteopontin expression. In the
      mutants, TWIST protein was present in the osteogenic mesenchyme, while
      osteopontin was not expressed until E15.5. In addition, in mutants, small regions
      of TWIST-positive osteogenic mesenchyme were visible until E15.5. The delay in
      ossification and reduction in size of the ossification centers were correlated
      with an earlier decrease in proliferation. We used micromass cultures of the face
      to investigate the direct effects of G9A inhibition on skeletal differentiation.
      Addition of a small molecule inhibitor for G9A, BIX-01294, to wild-type cells
      upregulated Twist genes similar to what was observed in vivo. The inhibitor also
      caused decreases in several osteogenic markers. Chromatin immunoprecipitation
      analysis of primary osteogenic mesenchyme from calvaria revealed that Twist1 and
      Twist2 regulatory regions contain the repressive H3K9me2 marks catalyzed by G9A,
      which are removed when BIX-01294 is added. Our results establish a role for G9A
      and H3K9me2 in the regulation of Twist genes and provide novel insights into the
      significance of epigenetic mechanisms in controlling temporal and tissue-specific
      gene expression during development.

PMID- 28644764
TI  - Interventions to Improve Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy and Resultant Breastfeeding
      Rates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy (BSE) is reflective of a
      mother's confidence in breastfeeding and is a modifiable factor that may improve
      breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding self-efficacy theory purports that women with
      higher BSE will have better breastfeeding outcomes. Research aim: The aim of this
      systematic review was to explore the theoretical link between BSE and
      breastfeeding outcomes by investigating (a) if interventions to improve BSE were
      successful and (b) if improvements in BSE resulted in improved breastfeeding
      rates. METHODS: The authors performed a systematic search of 10 databases for
      studies that investigated the effect of interventions for mothers of full-term
      infants on BSE and breastfeeding rates. They used an inverse-variance, random
      effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: Of 1,366 titles and abstracts identified, 58 full
      text articles were screened and 11 met the study criteria. Compared with mothers
      in control groups, mothers in intervention groups had significantly higher BSE,
      scoring 4.86 points higher, 95% confidence interval [3.11, 6.61], at 2 months
      postpartum. Mothers in the intervention groups were 1.56 and 1.66 times more
      likely to be breastfeeding at 1 month and 2 months postpartum, respectively.
      Interventions that were implemented in the postpartum period, used combined
      delivery settings, or were informed by BSE theory had the greatest influence on
      breastfeeding outcomes. Meta-regression indicated that for each 1-point increase
      in the mean BSE score between the intervention and control groups, the odds of
      exclusive breastfeeding increased by 10% in the intervention group. CONCLUSION:
      Breastfeeding self-efficacy is a modifiable factor that practitioners can target
      to improve breastfeeding rates in mothers of full-term infants.

PMID- 28644765
TI  - Radioactivity measurements and dosimetric evaluation in meat of wild birds.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the background activity concentration of
      natural radionuclides and 137Cesium (Cs) in meat of 14 migratory birds
      originating from central and northern Europe. This meat is largely consumed by
      the Italian population. 40K, 210Pb, and 137Cs were determined by gamma
      spectrometry and 210Po by alpha spectrometry. The mean 40K activity concentration
      detected was 490 +/- 117 Bq/kgdw. In all the samples, 210Pb was below the limit
      of detection (LOD), and therefore it was not possible to calculate the ratio
      210Po/210Pb. The 210Po activity concentration ranged between 0.11 +/- 0.02
      Bq/kgdw and 6.2 +/- 0.93 Bq/kgdw with a mean value of 1.03 +/- 1.75 Bq/kgdw. The
      137Cs activity concentration was not detectable or near LOD except in two samples
      with 45 +/- 0.7 Bq/kgdw (wood pigeon, from Italy) and 139.1 +/- 1.9 Bq/kgdw
      (woodcock, from Sweden). The effective dose of 210Po ingested by consumption of
      wild birds meat accounts for only 0.01-0.6% of natural radiation exposure in
      Italy. These data indicate that the meat analyzed was safe.

PMID- 28644766
TI  - Independent Development of Imagination and Perception of Fitts' Law in Late
      Childhood and Adolescence.
AB  - Recent neurophysiological and behavioral research suggests perception-action
      systems are tightly coupled. Accordingly, Fitts' law has been observed when
      individuals execute, perceive, and imagine actions. Developmental research has
      found that (a) children demonstrate Fitts' law in imagined actions and (b)
      imagined movement time (MT) becomes closer to actual MT as age increases.
      However, action execution, imagination, and perception have yet to be assessed
      together in children. The authors investigated how imagined and perceived MTs
      related to actual MTs in children and adolescents. It was found that imagined MTs
      were longer than execution MTs were. Perception MTs were lower than execution MTs
      for children and more consistent with execution MTs for adolescents. These
      results suggest potential mechanistic differences in action imagination and
      perception.

PMID- 28644767
TI  - Blood lead levels and risk factors for lead exposure among pregnant women in
      western French Guiana: the role of manioc consumption.
AB  - Concerns regarding lead (Pb) poisoning in French Guiana first arose in 2011
      following the discovery of excessively high levels of the metal amongst children
      in a small neighborhood without any apparent source of Pb. Since 2012, blood lead
      level (BLL) measurement has been proposed for all pregnant women in western
      French Guiana. The aim of this study was to determine BLL in pregnant women in
      this region and identify factors associated with elevated BLL. An observational
      study of a consecutive sample of women who delivered in the maternity ward of the
      hospital was conducted. Risk factors were investigated using a questionnaire
      administered postdelivery by midwives (N = 531). Approximately 25 and 5% of women
      displayed BLL of >=50 MUg/L and >=100 ug/L, respectively. The geometric mean was
      32.6 MUg/L. Factors that were significantly associated with an elevated BLL after
      modeling (multivariate linear regression) included place of residence along the
      Maroni river, low level of education, daily consumption of manioc derivatives,
      weekly and daily consumption or personal preparation of manioc flour during
      pregnancy, and weekly consumption of wild game. This study provides insight into
      the regional and social disparities in BLL in French Guiana and potential sources
      of exposure. Evidence indicates that foods that are primarily produced and
      consumed in the Guiana Shield significantly affect BLL levels. Taken together
      with existing data, our results demonstrate that specific actions in terms of
      prevention, screening, and care are required to be adapted and put into place in
      order to reduce exposure.

PMID- 28644768
TI  - Error Feedback Frequency Affects Automaticity But Not Accuracy and Consistency
      After Extensive Motor Skill Practice.
AB  - Earlier studies addressed the effects of feedback frequency on movement accuracy
      and consistency. The authors additionally addressed the effects on motor
      automatization. High error feedback frequencies may induce attentional control
      processes and impede motor automatization. In a pre-post design, 42 participants
      were assigned to 2 groups with different feedback frequencies and practiced an
      arm movement sequence with 760 trials in 5 sessions. The 100% group practiced
      with feedback on 3 movement reversals of the sequence after each trial. The 14%
      group practiced with 14% frequency according to a fading schedule. Only the 14%
      group showed a decrease in dual-task costs indicating an increase in
      automaticity. Group differences in movement accuracy and consistency were not
      evident.

PMID- 28644769
TI  - Localization of the CAPRICE-ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC1 chimera protein in
      Arabidopsis root epidermis.
AB  - The CAPRICE (CPC) encodes an R3-type MYB transcription factor, which promotes
      root-hair differentiation. Previously, we showed that the CPC protein moves from
      the non-hair cell to the neighboring cell and induces root-hair differentiation
      in Arabidopsis. In addition, we proposed two cell-to-cell movement signal
      sequences, S1 and S2, in CPC. However, an S1:2xGFP:S2 chimera protein did not
      move between root epidermal cells. Here, we show that the S1 and S2 sequences do
      not confer cell-to-cell movement or nuclear localization ability to a GFP
      protein. The ENHANCER OF TRY AND CPC1 (ETC1) gene encodes the CPC homolog R3 MYB;
      this protein does not possess cell-to-cell movement ability or the S1 sequence.
      To elucidate whether the S1 sequence can induce cell-to-cell movement ability in
      ETC1, CPCp:S1:ETC1:2xGFP was constructed and introduced into Arabidopsis. Our
      results indicate that the addition of the S1 sequence was not sufficient for ETC1
      to acquire cell-to-cell movement ability.

PMID- 28644770
TI  - The impact of photovoltaic (PV) installations on downwind particulate matter
      concentrations: Results from field observations at a 550-MWAC utility-scale PV
      plant.
AB  - : With utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects increasingly developed in dry and
      dust-prone geographies with high solar insolation, there is a critical need to
      analyze the impacts of PV installations on the resulting particulate matter (PM)
      concentrations, which have environmental and health impacts. This study is the
      first to quantify the impact of a utility-scale PV plant on PM concentrations
      downwind of the project site. Background, construction, and post-construction
      PM2.5 and PM10 (PM with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 and <10 MUm, respectively)
      concentration data were collected from four beta attenuation monitor (BAM)
      stations over 3 yr. Based on these data, the authors evaluate the hypothesis that
      PM emissions from land occupied by a utility-scale PV installation are reduced
      after project construction through a wind-shielding effect. The results show that
      the (1) confidence intervals of the mean PM concentrations during construction
      overlap with or are lower than background concentrations for three of the four
      BAM stations; and (2) post-construction PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations downwind of
      the PV installation are significantly lower than the background concentrations at
      three of the four BAM stations. At the fourth BAM station, downwind post
      construction PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations increased marginally by 5.7% and 2.6%
      of the 24-hr ambient air quality standards defined by the U.S. Environmental
      Protection Agency, respectively, when compared with background concentrations,
      with the PM2.5 increase being statistically insignificant. This increase may be
      due to vehicular emissions from an access road near the southwest corner of the
      site or a drainage berm near the south station. The findings demonstrate the
      overall environmental benefit of downwind PM emission abatement from a utility
      scale PV installation in desert conditions due to wind shielding. With PM
      emission reductions observed within 10 months of completion of construction, post
      construction monitoring of downwind PM levels may be reduced to a 1-yr period for
      other projects with similar soil and weather conditions. IMPLICATIONS: This study
      is the first to analyze impact of a utility photovoltaic (PV) project on downwind
      particulate matter (PM) concentration in desert conditions. The PM data were
      collected at four beta attenuation monitor stations over a 3-yr period. The post
      construction PM concentrations are lower than background concentrations at three
      of four stations, therefore supporting the hypothesis of post-construction wind
      shielding from PV installations. With PM emission reductions observed within 10
      months of completion of construction, postconstruction monitoring of downwind PM
      levels may be reduced to a 1-yr period for other PV projects with similar soil
      and weather conditions.

PMID- 28644771
TI  - Biomarker-Based Phase II Trial of Savolitinib in Patients With Advanced Papillary
      Renal Cell Cancer.
AB  - Purpose Patients with advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) have limited
      therapeutic options. PRCC may involve activation of the MET pathway, for example,
      through gene amplification or mutations. Savolitinib (AZD6094, HMPL-504,
      volitinib) is a highly selective MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor. We report results
      of a single-arm, multicenter, phase II study evaluating the safety and efficacy
      of savolitinib in patients with PRCC according to MET status. Patients and
      Methods Patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic
      PRCC were enrolled and received savolitinib 600 mg orally once daily. MET-driven
      PRCC was defined as any of the following: chromosome 7 copy gain, focal MET or
      HGF gene amplification, or MET kinase domain mutations. Efficacy was assessed
      according to MET status. Safety, toxicity, and patient-reported health-related
      quality-of-life outcomes were assessed in all patients. Results Of 109 patients
      treated, PRCC was MET driven in 44 (40%) and MET independent in 46 (42%); MET
      status was unknown in 19 (17%). MET-driven PRCC was strongly associated with
      response; there were eight confirmed partial responders with MET-driven disease
      (18%), but none with MET-independent disease ( P = .002). Median progression-free
      survival for patients with MET-driven and MET-independent PRCC was 6.2 months
      (95% CI, 4.1 to 7.0 months) and 1.4 months (95% CI, 1.4 to 2.7 months),
      respectively (hazard ratio, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.52; log-rank P < .001). The
      most frequent adverse events associated with savolitinib were nausea, fatigue,
      vomiting, and peripheral edema. Conclusion These data show activity and
      tolerability of savolitinib in the subgroup of patients with MET-driven PRCC.
      Furthermore, molecular characterization of MET status was more predictive of
      response to savolitinib than a classification based on pathology. These findings
      justify investigating savolitinib in MET-driven PRCC.

PMID- 28644772
TI  - Risk Stratification for Second Primary Lung Cancer.
AB  - Purpose This study estimated the 10-year risk of developing second primary lung
      cancer (SPLC) among survivors of initial primary lung cancer (IPLC) and evaluated
      the clinical utility of the risk prediction model for selecting eligibility
      criteria for screening. Methods SEER data were used to identify a population
      based cohort of 20,032 participants diagnosed with IPLC between 1988 and 2003 and
      who survived >= 5 years after the initial diagnosis. We used a proportional
      subdistribution hazards model to estimate the 10-year risk of developing SPLC
      among survivors of lung cancer LC in the presence of competing risks. Considered
      predictors included age, sex, race, treatment, histology, stage, and extent of
      disease. We examined the risk-stratification ability of the prediction model and
      performed decision curve analysis to evaluate the clinical utility of the model
      by calculating its net benefit in varied risk thresholds for screening. Results
      Although the median 10-year risk of SPLC among survivors of LC was 8.36%, the
      estimated risk varied substantially (range, 0.56% to 14.3%) when stratified by
      age, histology, and extent of IPLC in the final prediction model. The
      stratification by deciles of estimated risk showed that the observed incidence of
      SPLC was significantly higher in the tenth-decile group (12.5%) versus the first
      decile group (2.9%; P < 10-10). The decision curve analysis yielded a range of
      risk thresholds (1% to 11.5%) at which the clinical net benefit of the risk model
      was larger than those in hypothetical all-screening or no-screening scenarios.
      Conclusion The risk stratification approach in SPLC can be potentially useful for
      identifying survivors of LC to be screened by computed tomography. More
      comprehensive environmental and genetic data may help enhance the predictability
      and stratification ability of the risk model for SPLC.

PMID- 28644775
TI  - How a Child With Cancer Moved From Vulnerability to Resilience.

PMID- 28644773
TI  - Mobilized Peripheral Blood Stem Cells Versus Unstimulated Bone Marrow As a Graft
      Source for T-Cell-Replete Haploidentical Donor Transplantation Using Post
      Transplant Cyclophosphamide.
AB  - Purpose T-cell-replete HLA-haploidentical donor hematopoietic transplantation
      using post-transplant cyclophosphamide was originally described using bone marrow
      (BM). With increasing use of mobilized peripheral blood (PB), we compared
      transplant outcomes after PB and BM transplants. Patients and Methods A total of
      681 patients with hematologic malignancy who underwent transplantation in the
      United States between 2009 and 2014 received BM (n = 481) or PB (n = 190) grafts.
      Cox regression models were built to examine differences in transplant outcomes by
      graft type, adjusting for patient, disease, and transplant characteristics.
      Results Hematopoietic recovery was similar after transplantation of BM and PB (28
      day neutrophil recovery, 88% v 93%, P = .07; 100-day platelet recovery, 88% v
      85%, P = .33). Risks of grade 2 to 4 acute (hazard ratio [HR], 0.45; P < .001)
      and chronic (HR, 0.35; P < .001) graft-versus-host disease were lower with
      transplantation of BM compared with PB. There were no significant differences in
      overall survival by graft type (HR, 0.99; P = .98), with rates of 54% and 57% at
      2 years after transplantation of BM and PB, respectively. There were no
      differences in nonrelapse mortality risks (HR, 0.92; P = .74) but relapse risks
      were higher after transplantation of BM (HR, 1.49; P = .009). Additional
      exploration confirmed that the higher relapse risks after transplantation of BM
      were limited to patients with leukemia (HR, 1.73; P = .002) and not lymphoma (HR,
      0.87; P = .64). Conclusion PB and BM grafts are suitable for haploidentical
      transplantation with the post-transplant cyclophosphamide approach but with
      differing patterns of treatment failure. Although, to our knowledge, this is the
      most comprehensive comparison, these findings must be validated in a randomized
      prospective comparison with adequate follow-up.

PMID- 28644774
TI  - CD33 Splicing Polymorphism Determines Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin Response in De Novo
      Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Report From Randomized Phase III Children's Oncology
      Group Trial AAML0531.
AB  - Purpose Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO), a CD33-targeted immunoconjugate, is a re
      emerging therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). CD33 single nucleotide
      polymorphism rs12459419 C>T in the splice enhancer region regulates the
      expression of an alternatively spliced CD33 isoform lacking exon2 (D2-CD33), thus
      eliminating the CD33 IgV domain, which is the antibody-binding site for GO, as
      well as diagnostic immunophenotypic panels. We aimed to determine the impact of
      the genotype of this splicing polymorphism in patients with AML treated with GO
      containing chemotherapy. Patients and Methods CD33 splicing single nucleotide
      polymorphism was evaluated in newly diagnosed patients with AML randomly assigned
      to receive standard five-course chemotherapy alone (No-GO arm, n = 408) or
      chemotherapy with the addition of two doses of GO once during induction and once
      during intensification (GO arm, n = 408) as per the Children's Oncology Group
      AAML0531 trial. Results The rs12459419 genotype was CC in 415 patients (51%), CT
      in 316 patients (39%), and TT in 85 patients (10%), with a minor allele frequency
      of 30%. The T allele was significantly associated with higher levels of D2-CD33
      transcript ( P < 1.0E-6) and with lower diagnostic leukemic cell surface CD33
      intensity ( P < 1.0E-6). Patients with the CC genotype had significantly lower
      relapse risk in the GO arm than in the No-GO arm (26% v 49%; P < .001). However,
      in patients with the CT or TT genotype, exposure to GO did not influence relapse
      risk (39% v 40%; P = .85). Disease-free survival was higher in patients with the
      CC genotype in the GO arm than in the No-GO arm (65% v 46%, respectively; P =
      .004), but this benefit of GO addition was not seen in patients with the CT or TT
      genotype. Conclusion Our results suggest that patients with the CC genotype for
      rs12459419 have a substantial response to GO, making this a potential biomarker
      for the selection of patients with a likelihood of significant response to GO.

PMID- 28644777
TI  - Transitional Instability Predicts Polymorphous Distress in Emerging Adults.
AB  - The primary aim of this investigation is to determine the extent to which
      transitional instability can predict diverse markers of distress in emerging
      adults. Participants were 210 emerging adults, aged 18-25 who completed measures
      of distress that included loneliness, stress, problem drinking, and prescription
      medication use. One year later, they returned to complete these same measures of
      distress along with a measure of significant life transitions that they
      encountered during the past year in such domains as education, employment,
      residence, and relationships. Results of a structural equation modeling analysis
      showed that even after controlling for the potential reciprocal association
      between transitional instability and distress, the more transitional instability
      emerging adults experienced over the year, the higher their distress was at time
      2. The results are consistent with models of transitional instability as a
      precipitant of distress in emerging adulthood.

PMID- 28644776
TI  - Eye Injuries in High School and Collegiate Athletes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although eye injuries constitute a small percentage of high school
      and college sports injuries, they have the potential to be permanently
      debilitating. HYPOTHESIS: Eye injury rates will vary by sport, sex, and between
      the high school and college age groups. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology
      study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3. METHODS: Data from eye injury reports in high
      school and college athletes were obtained from the National High School Sports
      Related Injury Surveillance System, High School Reporting Information Online (HS
      RIO) database over a 10-year span (2005-2006 through 2014-2015 school years) and
      the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Injury Surveillance Program
      (ISP) over an 11-year span (2004-2005 through 2014-2015 school years). Injury
      rates per 100,000 athlete-exposures (AEs), injury rate ratios (RRs), and 95% CIs
      were calculated. Distributions of eye injuries by diagnosis, mechanism, time
      loss, and surgery needs were also examined. RESULTS: A total of 237 and 273 eye
      injuries were reported in the HS RIO and the NCAA ISP databases, respectively.
      The sports with the highest eye injury rates (per 100,000 AEs) for combined high
      school and college athletes were women's basketball (2.36), women's field hockey
      (2.35), men's basketball (2.31), and men's wrestling (2.07). Overall eye injury
      rates at the high school and college levels were 0.68 and 1.84 per 100,000 AEs,
      respectively. Eye injury rates were higher in competition than practice in high
      school (RR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.69-4.48) and college (RR, 3.13; 95% CI, 2.45-3.99).
      Most injuries were contusions (high school, 35.9%; college, 33.3%) and due to
      contact (high school, 89.9%; college, 86.4%). Only a small percentage of injuries
      resulted in time loss over 21 days (high school, 4.2%; college, 3.0%).
      CONCLUSION: Eye injury rates and patterns vary by sport, sex, and between the
      high school and college age groups. Although severe injuries do occur, most eye
      injuries sustained by high school and college athletes are minor, with limited
      time loss and full recovery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Additional focus needs to be
      placed on preventing eye injuries at the collegiate level in women's and men's
      basketball, women's field hockey, and men's wrestling.

PMID- 28644778
TI  - Impact of Economic Hardship and Financial Threat on Suicide Ideation and
      Confusion.
AB  - The present study tested the extent to which perceived economic hardship is
      associated with psychological distress (suicide ideation and confusion) after
      controlling for personal characteristics. It also explored whether perceived
      financial threat (i.e., fearful anxious-uncertainty about the stability and
      security of one's personal financial situation) mediates the relationship between
      economic hardship and psychological distress outcomes. The theoretical model was
      tested in a sample of Canadian students (n = 211) and was validated in a
      community sample of employed Portuguese adults (n = 161). In both samples, the
      fit of the model was good. Parameter estimates indicated that greater experience
      of economic hardship increased with financial threat, which in turn increased
      with levels of suicide ideation and confusion. We discuss the practical
      implications of these results, such as for programs aimed at alleviating the
      burden of financial hardship, in our concluding remarks.

PMID- 28644779
TI  - Cellular Light Scattering for the Identification of Bacteria and Its Application
      to the Identification of Staphylococcus.
AB  - Rapid identification of bacteria is critical in clinical and food safety
      applications. This paper describes a novel instrument and data analysis method
      for identifying bacteria based on the measurement of laser light scattering as
      the beam interacts with bacterial cells suspended in water. A description of the
      technology is followed by an identification performance study for a set of
      strains from the genus Staphylococcus (the inclusive target organisms) and a set
      of non-Staphylococcus strains (the exclusive organisms). Staphylococcus and non
      Staphylococcus cells were grown on sheep blood agar (SBA), tryptic soy agar,
      brain heart infusion (BHI) agar, or Luria-Bertani (LB) agar and identified based
      on how cells scattered light. Bacteria from the genus Staphylococcus grown on
      solid media were correctly identified more than 92% of the time. To determine
      whether the system could also identify bacteria grown in liquid culture, six
      different Staphylococcus strains and six different non-Staphylococcus strains
      were grown in tryptic soy broth, BHI broth, or LB broth. This system accurately
      identified all targeted Staphylococcus samples tested, and no misidentifications
      occurred. A single-blind identification experiment was also performed on human
      clinical isolates obtained from the Upper Peninsula Health System. Ninety blind
      coded clinical bacterial isolates on SBA were tested to determine whether they
      were from the genus Staphylococcus. All Staphylococcus were accurately
      identified, and no misidentifications occurred. This study demonstrated the proof
      of concept of a novel system that can rapidly and accurately identify bacteria
      from pure culture based on cellular light-scattering properties.

PMID- 28644780
TI  - Avoiding Racial Essentialism in Medical Science Curricula.
AB  - A wave of medical student activism is shining a spotlight on medical educators'
      sometimes maladroit handling of racial categories in teaching about health
      disparities. Coinciding with recent critiques, primarily by social scientists,
      regarding the imprecise and inappropriate use of race as a biological or
      epidemiological risk factor in genetics research, medical student activism has
      triggered new collaborations among students, faculty, and administrators to
      rethink how race is addressed in the medical curriculum. Intensifying critiques
      of racial essentialism are a crucial concern for educators since bioscientific
      knowledge grounds the authority of health professionals. Central ethical issues
      racial bias and social justice-cannot be properly addressed without confronting
      the epistemological problem of racial essentialism in bioscience teaching. Thus,
      educators now face an ethical imperative to improve academic capacities for
      robust interdisciplinary teaching about the conceptual apparatus of race and the
      recalibration of its use in teaching both genetics and the more pervasive and
      urgent social causes of health inequalities.

PMID- 28644781
TI  - Teaching Clinical Ethics at the Bedside: William Osler and the Essential Role of
      the Hospitalist.
AB  - As the field of hospital medicine celebrates its twenty-first anniversary, we
      believe it is time to expand its mission to play an even greater role in medical
      education. Given hospitalists' proximity to students and clinical material,
      members of this growing cohort of physicians are uniquely positioned to teach
      normative reasoning, professionalism, communication, and medical ethics in real
      time to trainees on the wards. But, to do so, we must reimagine the role of the
      hospitalist in graduate and postgraduate medical education.

PMID- 28644782
TI  - How Should Resident Physicians Respond to Patients' Discomfort and Students'
      Moral Distress When Learning Procedures in Academic Medical Settings?
AB  - In this scenario, a medical student, Lauren, experiences moral distress because
      she feels that learning to perform a procedure on a patient who requested not to
      be used for "practice" puts her own interests above the patient's. Lauren might
      also worry that the resident physician is misrepresenting her abilities. The
      resident physician could help alleviate Lauren's distress and align her interests
      with the patient's by more clearly explaining the training situation to the
      patient and seeking the patient's approval. Lauren might also manage the
      situation by assuring the patient of the resident's supervisory role. This
      article argues that trainees should have the opportunities to practice procedures
      and difficult conversations in simulated settings and that institutions should
      support a culture of "speaking up" to ensure patients' and learners' safety.

PMID- 28644783
TI  - How Should Integrity Preservation and Professional Growth Be Balanced during
      Trainees' Professionalization?
AB  - People can experience moral distress when they regard themselves as expected to
      pursue a course of action they believe to be morally wrong. However, beliefs that
      give rise to moral distress are sometimes underdeveloped. Experiences of moral
      distress are not uncommon for medical trainees, who are still in the process of
      forming their professional identities and whose identity-constituting beliefs
      might therefore be subject to ongoing revision. Thus, it is important for health
      professions training programs to incorporate case-based ethics education sessions
      into their structure to help identify and alleviate trainees' moral distress,
      provide ethics education, and create a "safe space" for trainees to talk openly
      about moral concerns related to clinical practice. Such opportunities are crucial
      to the professional growth of trainees.

PMID- 28644784
TI  - How Should Physicians Respond When the Best Treatment for an Individual Patient
      Conflicts with Practice Guidelines about the Use of a Limited Resource?
AB  - The case presents a physician's ethical conflict, due to limited resources,
      between his obligations to meet the needs of a community and those of his
      patient. Elements of the decision-making process (and who should make the
      decision) are discussed, including the limitations of what ethical reasoning can
      offer and risks of arbitrary outcomes. Additionally, potential benefits to
      physicians and their patients of discussing these conflicts, including reducing
      the physician's moral distress, are noted. I argue that physicians' abilities to
      make "right" decisions in such situations are limited, and I suggest ways in
      which physicians can try to preserve their relationships with patients.

PMID- 28644785
TI  - What Should Physicians Do When They Disagree, Clinically and Ethically, with a
      Surrogate's Wishes?
AB  - When patients' surrogates and physicians disagree about the appropriateness of
      aggressive treatment in intensive care units (ICUs), physicians can experience
      surrogates' demands as sources of moral distress. This article addresses the
      virtues and communication strategies needed to respond appropriately in such
      situations. Specifically, we offer a framework and language that rely on moral
      community to facilitate common ground and alleviate moral distress.

PMID- 28644786
TI  - Antecedents and Consequences of Medical Students' Moral Decision Making during
      Professionalism Dilemmas.
AB  - Medical students often experience professionalism dilemmas (which differ from
      ethical dilemmas) wherein students sometimes witness and/or participate in
      patient safety, dignity, and consent lapses. When faced with such dilemmas,
      students make moral decisions. If students' action (or inaction) runs counter to
      their perceived moral values-often due to organizational constraints or power
      hierarchies-they can suffer moral distress, burnout, or a desire to leave the
      profession. If moral transgressions are rationalized as being for the greater
      good, moral distress can decrease as dilemmas are experienced more frequently
      (habituation); if no learner benefit is seen, distress can increase with greater
      exposure to dilemmas (disturbance). We suggest how medical educators can support
      students' understandings of ethical dilemmas and facilitate their habits of
      enacting professionalism: by modeling appropriate resistance behaviors.

PMID- 28644787
TI  - Who Is Experiencing What Kind of Moral Distress? Distinctions for Moving from a
      Narrow to a Broad Definition of Moral Distress.
AB  - Moral distress, according to Andrew Jameton's highly influential definition,
      occurs when a nurse knows the morally correct action to take but is constrained
      in some way from taking this action. The definition of moral distress has been
      broadened, first, to include morally challenging situations that give rise to
      distress but which are not necessarily linked to nurses feeling constrained, such
      as those associated with moral uncertainty. Second, moral distress has been
      broadened so that it is not confined to the experiences of nurses. However, such
      a broadening of the concept does not mean that the kind of moral distress being
      experienced, or the role of the person experiencing it, is morally irrelevant. I
      argue that differentiating between categories of distress-e.g., constraint and
      uncertainty-and between groups of health professionals who might experience moral
      distress is potentially morally relevant and should influence the analysis,
      measurement, and amelioration of moral distress in the clinic.

PMID- 28644788
TI  - Initiatives for Responding to Medical Trainees' Moral Distress about End-of-Life
      Cases.
AB  - Moral distress frequently arises for medical trainees exposed to end-of-life
      cases. We review the small literature on best practices for reducing moral
      distress in such cases and propose two areas to target for moral distress
      reduction: medical education and organizational ethics programs. Students require
      training in end-of-life dialogues and truthful prognostication, which are not
      generally available without skilled mentors. But physician-mentors and teachers
      can suffer from lingering moral residue themselves, which can affect the teaching
      culture and student expectations. Finally, reducing unit moral distress that
      affects learners requires formal educational opportunities to debrief about
      difficult end-of-life cases and formal institutional mechanisms for effective
      clinical ethics consultation.

PMID- 28644789
TI  - What Is the Role of Ethics Consultation in the Moral Habitability of Health Care
      Environments?
AB  - Ethics consultation has traditionally focused on the provision of expert guidance
      to health care professionals when challenging quandaries arise in clinical cases.
      Its role, however, is expanding as demands on health care organizations are
      negatively impacting their moral habitability. A sign of this impact can be seen
      in the moral distress experienced by staff and administrators, such that some
      leave their positions and their organizations. Ethics consultation, more broadly
      conceived, can be a major asset in ensuring that ethical practice is meaningfully
      supported, that moral distress is mitigated, and that the organizational
      environment is morally habitable.

PMID- 28644790
TI  - Strategies for Promoting High-Quality Care and Personal Resilience in Palliative
      Care.
AB  - Palliative care (PC) clinicians are faced with ever-expanding pressures, which
      can make it difficult to fulfill their duties to self and others and lead to
      moral distress. Understanding the pressures that PC clinicians face and the
      resources that could be employed to ease their moral distress is crucial to
      maintaining a healthy PC workforce and to providing necessary PC services to
      patients. In this paper, we discuss recommendations related to two promising
      pathways for supporting PC clinicians in providing high-quality PC: (1) improving
      systemic PC delivery and (2) strategies to promote ethical practice environments
      and individual resilience. Enacting these recommendations holds promise for
      sustaining higher-quality and accessible PC and a more engaged PC workforce.

PMID- 28644791
TI  - Culture and Moral Distress: What's the Connection and Why Does It Matter?
AB  - Culture is learned behavior shared among members of a group and from generation
      to generation within that group. In health care work, references to "culture" may
      also function as code for ethical uncertainty or moral distress concerning
      patients, families, or populations. This paper analyzes how culture can be a
      factor in patient-care situations that produce moral distress. It discusses three
      common, problematic situations in which assumptions about culture may mask more
      complex problems concerning family dynamics, structural barriers to health care
      access, or implicit bias. We offer sets of practical recommendations to encourage
      learning, critical thinking, and professional reflection among students,
      clinicians, and clinical educators.

PMID- 28644792
TI  - What Moral Distress in Nursing History Could Suggest about the Future of Health
      Care.
AB  - The concept of moral distress was defined in 1984 as (a) the psychological
      distress of (b) being in a situation in which one is constrained from acting (c)
      on what one knows to be right. A substantial literature on the subject has
      developed, primarily in nursing ethics. The aforementioned elements of distress
      are applied here to areas of clinical and organizational significance: (a)
      distress from causing intimate pain during care of the dying, (b) constraints
      stemming from proximate and background challenges of health care organizations,
      and (c) changing perspectives on therapeutic technologies derived from global
      environmental perspectives. Although moral distress may be increasing in clinical
      settings, nursing advocates are developing positive ways to cope with it that can
      help clinicians in general.

PMID- 28644793
TI  - Dirty Laundry: Drug Formulary Exclusions.

PMID- 28644794
TI  - Electrocardiogram Signal Quality Assessment Based on Structural Image Similarity
      Metric.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We developed an image-based electrocardiographic (ECG) quality
      assessment technique that mimics how clinicians annotate ECG signal quality.
      METHODS: We adopted the structural similarity measure (SSIM) to compare images of
      two ECG records that are obtained from displaying ECGs in a standard scale. Then,
      a subset of representative ECG images from the training set was selected as
      templates through a clustering method. SSIM between each image and all the
      templates were used as the feature vector for the linear discriminant analysis
      classifier. We also employed three commonly used ECG signal quality index (SQI)
      measures: baseSQI, kSQI, and sSQI to compare with the proposed image quality
      index (IQI) approach. We used 1926 annotated ECGs, recorded from patient
      monitors, and associated with six different ECG arrhythmia alarm types which were
      obtained previously from an ECG alarm study at the University of California, San
      Francisco (UCSF). In addition, we applied the templates from the UCSF database to
      test the SSIM approach on the publicly available PhysioNet Challenge 2011 data.
      RESULTS: For the UCSF database, the proposed IQI algorithm achieved an accuracy
      of 93.1% and outperformed all the SQI metrics, baseSQI, kSQI, and sSQI, with
      accuracies of 85.7%, 63.7%, and 73.8% respectively. Moreover, evaluation of our
      algorithm on the PhysioNet data showed an accuracy of 82.5%. CONCLUSION: The
      proposed algorithm showed better performance for assessing ECG signal quality
      than traditional signal processing methods. SIGNIFICANCE: A more accurate
      assessment of ECG signal quality can lead to a more robust ECG-based diagnosis of
      cardiovascular conditions.

PMID- 28644795
TI  - A Novel Short-Term Event Extraction Algorithm for Biomedical Signals.
AB  - In this paper, we propose a fast novel nonlinear filtering method named Relative
      Energy (Rel-En), for robust short-term event extraction from biomedical signals.
      We developed an algorithm that extracts short- and long-term energies in a signal
      and provides a coefficient vector with which the signal is multiplied,
      heightening events of interest. This algorithm is thoroughly assessed on
      benchmark datasets in three different biomedical applications, namely ECG QRS
      complex detection, EEG K-complex detection, and imaging photoplethysmography
      (iPPG) peak detection. Rel-En successfully identified the events in these
      settings. Compared to the state-of-the-art, better or comparable results were
      obtained on QRS-complex and K-complex detection. For iPPG peak detection, the
      proposed method was used as a preprocessing step to a fixed threshold algorithm
      that lead to a significant improvement in overall results. While easily defined
      and computed, Rel-En robustly extracted short-term events of interest. The
      proposed algorithm can be implemented by two filters and its parameters can be
      selected easily and intuitively. Furthermore, Rel-En algorithm can be used in
      other biomedical signal processing applications where a need of short-term event
      extraction is present.

PMID- 28644797
TI  - Spatiotemporal GMM for Background Subtraction with Superpixel Hierarchy.
AB  - We propose a background subtraction algorithm using hierarchical superpixel
      segmentation, spanning trees and optical flow. First, we generate superpixel
      segmentation trees using a number of Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs) by treating
      each GMM as one vertex to construct spanning trees. Next, we use the -smoother to
      enhance the spatial consistency on the spanning trees and estimate optical flow
      to extend the -smoother to the temporal domain. Experimental results on synthetic
      and real-world benchmark datasets show that the proposed algorithm performs
      favorably for background subtraction in videos against the state-of-the-art
      methods in spite of frequent and sudden changes of pixel values.

PMID- 28644796
TI  - Design of an Autonomous Social Orienting Training System (ASOTS) for Young
      Children With Autism.
AB  - Social communication is among the core areas of impairment for children with
      Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The training of social orientation is important
      for improving social communication of children with ASD. In recent years,
      technology-assisted ASD intervention had gained momentum due to its potential
      advantages in terms of precision, sustainability, flexibility and cost. In this
      paper, we propose a closed-loop autonomous computer system, named ASOTS, for
      training social orientation skills to young children with ASD. This system is
      designed to detect and track a child's attention in response to social
      orientation bids and help the child towards appropriate social orientation when
      needed. Response to name, an important social orientation skill, was used to
      demonstrate the functionality of the proposed system. Ten toddlers with ASD
      participated in a pilot user study to show whether the system could be used on
      young children who have been diagnosed with ASD. Another pilot user study with 10
      TD infants tested whether this system has a potential to be applied for early
      detection for infants who were younger than the age when ASD diagnoses can be
      done. This was done intentionally to separately demonstrate utility and
      functionality for the clinical population of interest and to demonstrate
      functionality beyond current clinical identification capacity (i.e., infants).
      The results showed that the proposed system and the protocol were well tolerated
      by both groups, successfully captured young children's attention, and elicited
      the desired behavior.

PMID- 28644798
TI  - Joint Alignment of Multiple Point Sets with Batch and Incremental Expectation
      Maximization.
AB  - This paper addresses the problem of registering multiple point sets. Solutions to
      this problem are often approximated by repeatedly solving for pairwise
      registration, which results in an uneven treatment of the sets forming a pair: a
      model set and a data set. The main drawback of this strategy is that the model
      set may contain noise and outliers, which negatively affects the estimation of
      the registration parameters. In contrast, the proposed formulation treats all the
      point sets on an equal footing. Indeed, all the points are drawn from a central
      Gaussian mixture, hence the registration is cast into a clustering problem. We
      formally derive batch and incremental EM algorithms that robustly estimate both
      the GMM parameters and the rotations and translations that optimally align the
      sets. Moreover, the mixture's means play the role of the registered set of points
      while the variances provide rich information about the contribution of each
      component to the alignment. We thoroughly test the proposed algorithms on
      simulated data and on challenging real data collected with range sensors. We
      compare them with several state-of-the-art algorithms, and we show their
      potential for surface reconstruction from depth data.

PMID- 28644799
TI  - Hybrid CS-DMRI: Periodic Time-Variant Subsampling and Omnidirectional Total
      Variation Based Reconstruction.
AB  - Compressive sensing (CS) has been used to accelerate dynamic magnetic resonance
      imaging (DMRI). Currently, the online CS-DMRI is faster, whereas the offline CS
      DMRI provides higher accuracy for image reconstruction. To achieve good image
      reconstruction performance in terms of both speed and accuracy, we propose a
      hybrid CS-DMRI method using periodic time-variant subsampling for different
      frames. In each period, there is one reference frame that is sampled at a higher
      subsampling ratio. The two nearby reference frames with good reconstruction
      quality can be used to provide rough predictions of the other frames between
      them. To finely recover the current frame, one structural regularization in the
      optimization model for reconstruction is a 2-D omnidirectional total variation
      (OTV) for exploiting the sparsity of the difference between the predicted and
      estimated frames, and the other is a 3-D OTV as a regularization term for
      exploiting the bilateral spatio-temporal coherence between the forward reference
      frame, current frame, and backward reference frame. Compared with classical total
      variation, the proposed OTV fully utilizes the correlations of all the possible
      directions of the data. The formulated optimization model can be solved using
      iterative reweighted least squares with the pre-conditioned conjugate gradient
      method. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed method has better
      reconstruction accuracy than all the existing methods and low computational
      complexity that is comparable to the existing online methods.

PMID- 28644800
TI  - Online Combination of EPID & Cherenkov Imaging for 3-D Dosimetry in a Liquid
      Phantom.
AB  - Online acquisition of Cherenkov and portal imaging data was combined with a
      reconstruction scheme called EC3-D, providing a full 3-D dosimetry of megavoltage
      X-ray beams in a water tank. The methodology was demonstrated and quantified in a
      single static beam. Furthermore, the dynamics and visualization of the 3-D dose
      reconstruction were demonstrated with a volumetric modulated arc therapy plan for
      TG-119 C-Shape geometry. The developed algorithm combines depth dose information,
      provided by Cherenkov images, with the lateral dose distribution, provided by the
      electronic portal imaging device. The strength of our approach lies in the
      acquisition of both imaging data streams with sub-millimeter theoretical
      resolution at 5-Hz frame-rate, which can be concurrently processed by the fast
      Fourier transform-based analysis, thus providing means for an efficient real-time
      3-D dosimetry.

PMID- 28644801
TI  - Magnetic Particle Imaging for Quantification of Vascular Stenoses: A Phantom
      Study.
AB  - Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a promising new tomographic imaging method to
      detect the spatial distribution of superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles
      (SPIOs). The aim of this paper was to investigate the potential of MPI to
      quantify artificial stenoses in vessel phantoms. Custom-made stenosis phantoms
      (length 40 mm; inner diameter 8 mm) with different degrees of stenosis (0%, 25%,
      50%, 75%, and 100%) were scanned in a custom-built MPI scanner (in-plane
      resolution: ~1-1.5 mm and field of view: 65 29 29 mm3). Phantoms were filled with
      diluted Feru-carbotran [SPIO agent, 5 mmol (Fe)/l]. Each measurement (overall
      acquisition time: 20 ms per image, 400 averages) was repeated ten times to assess
      reproducibility. The MPI signal was used for semi-automatic stenosis
      quantification. Two stenosis evaluation approaches were compared based on the
      signal intensity profile alongside the stenosis phantoms. Using a novel multi
      step image evaluation approach, MPI allowed for accurate quantification of
      different stenosis grades. While low grade stenoses were slightly over-estimated,
      high grade stenoses were slightly underestimated. In particular, the 0%, 25%, and
      50% stenosis phantoms revealed a 6.2% +/- 0.8, 25.7% +/- 1.0, and 48.0% +/- 1.5
      stenosis, respectively. The higher grade 75% stenosis phantom revealed a 73.3% +/
      2.8 and the 100% stenosis phantom a 95.8%+/- 1.9 stenosis. MPI accurately
      visualized and quantified different stenosis grades in vessel phantoms with high
      reproducibility demonstrating its great potential for fast and radiation-free
      preclinical cardiovascular imaging.

PMID- 28644802
TI  - Fully Nonlinear ${SP}_{3}$ Approximation Based Fluorescence Optical Tomography.
AB  - In fluorescence optical tomography, many works in the literature focus on the
      linear reconstruction problem to obtain the fluorescent yield or the linearized
      reconstruction problem to obtain the absorption coefficient. The nonlinear
      reconstruction problem, to reconstruct the fluorophore absorption coefficient, is
      of interest in imaging studies as it presents the possibility of better
      reconstructions owing to a more appropriate model. Accurate and computationally
      efficient forward models are also critical in the reconstruction process. The
      approximation to the radiative transfer equation (RTE) is gaining importance for
      tomographic reconstructions owing to its computational advantages over the full
      RTE while being more accurate and applicable than the commonly used diffusion
      approximation. This paper presents Gauss-Newton-based fully nonlinear
      reconstruction for the approximated fluorescence optical tomography problem with
      respect to shape as well as the conventional finite-element method-based
      representations. The contribution of this paper is the Frechet derivative
      calculations for this problem and demonstration of reconstructions in both
      representations. For the shape reconstructions, radial-basis-function represented
      level-set-based shape representations are used. We present reconstructions for
      tumor-mimicking test objects in scattering and absorption dominant settings,
      respectively, for moderately noisy data sets in order to demonstrate the
      viability of the formulation. Comparisons are presented between the nonlinear and
      linearized reconstruction schemes in an element wise setting to illustrate the
      benefits of using the former especially for absorption dominant media.

PMID- 28644804
TI  - Global Time-Delay Estimation in Ultrasound Elastography.
AB  - A critical step in quasi-static ultrasound elastography is the estimation of time
      delay between two frames of radio-frequency (RF) data that are obtained while the
      tissue is undergoing deformation. This paper presents a novel technique for time
      delay estimation (TDE) of all samples of RF data simultaneously, thereby
      exploiting all the information in RF data for TDE. A nonlinear cost function that
      incorporates similarity of RF data intensity and prior information of
      displacement continuity is formulated. Optimization of this function involves
      searching for TDE of all samples of the RF data, rendering the optimization
      intractable with conventional techniques given that the number of variables can
      be approximately one million. Therefore, the optimization problem is converted to
      a sparse linear system of equations, and is solved in real time using a
      computationally efficient optimization technique. We call our method GLobal
      Ultrasound Elastography (GLUE), and compare it to dynamic programming analytic
      minimization (DPAM) and normalized cross correlation (NCC) techniques. Our
      simulation results show that the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) values of the
      axial strain maps are 4.94 for NCC, 14.62 for DPAM, and 26.31 for GLUE. Our
      results on experimental data from tissue mimicking phantoms show that the CNR
      values of the axial strain maps are 1.07 for NCC, 16.01 for DPAM, and 18.21 for
      GLUE. Finally, our results on in vivo data show that the CNR values of the axial
      strain maps are 3.56 for DPAM and 13.20 for GLUE.

PMID- 28644803
TI  - Cardiac Strain Imaging With Coherent Compounding of Diverging Waves.
AB  - Current methods of cardiac strain imaging at high frame rate suffer from motion
      matching artifacts or poor lateral resolution. Coherent compounding has been
      shown to improve echocardiographic image quality while maintaining a high frame
      rate, but has never been used to image cardiac strain. However, myocardial
      velocity can have an impact on coherent compounding due to displacements between
      frames. The objective of this paper was to investigate the feasibility and
      performance of coherent compounding for cardiac strain imaging at a low and a
      high myocardial velocity. Left-ventricular contraction in short-axis view was
      modeled as an annulus with radial thickening and circumferential rotation.
      Simulated radio-frequency channel data with a cardiac phased array were obtained
      using three different beamforming methods: single diverging wave, coherent
      compounding of diverging waves, and conventional focusing. Axial and lateral
      displacements and strains as well as radial strains were estimated and compared
      to their true value. In vivo feasibility of cardiac strain imaging with coherent
      compounding was performed and compared to single diverging wave imaging. At low
      myocardial velocities, the axial, lateral, and radial strain relative error for
      nine compounded waves (16.3%, 40.4%, and 18.9%) were significantly lower than
      those obtained with single diverging wave imaging (19.9%, 80.3%, and 30.6%) and
      closer to that obtained with conventional focusing (16.7%, 43.7%, and 16%). In
      vivo left-ventricular radial strains exhibited higher quality with nine
      compounded waves than with single diverging wave imaging. These results indicate
      that cardiac strain can be imaged using coherent compounding of diverging waves
      with a better performance than with single diverging wave imaging while
      maintaining a high frame rate, and therefore, has the potential to improve
      diagnosis of myocardial strain-based cardiac diseases.

PMID- 28644805
TI  - Development of Real-Time 3-D Photoacoustic Imaging System Employing Spherically
      Curved Array Transducer.
AB  - Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a promising imaging modality to visualize specific
      living tissues based on the light absorption coefficients without dyeing. In this
      paper, a real-time PA imaging system with a tunable laser was newly developed
      with an originally designed spherically curved array transducer. Five different
      series of experiments were conducted to validate the PA measurement system. The
      peak frequency of the transducer response was 17.7 MHz, and a volume-imaging rate
      of 3-D volume imaging was 10-20 volumes per second. The spatial resolution of
      imaging was 90- [Formula: see text] along both the axial and lateral directions.
      The developed imaging system could measure a difference on an absorption
      coefficient of gold nanorods. Additionally, the PA imaging could visualize the in
      vivo microvasculatures of a human hand. This PA imaging system with higher
      spatial-temporal resolution and the tunable laser further should enhance our
      understanding of not only basic properties of the photo acoustics but also
      clinical applications.

PMID- 28644806
TI  - Discriminative Deep Metric Learning for Face and Kinship Verification.
AB  - This paper presents a new discriminative deep metric learning (DDML) method for
      face and kinship verification in wild conditions. While metric learning has
      achieved reasonably good performance in face and kinship verification, most
      existing metric learning methods aim to learn a single Mahalanobis distance
      metric to maximize the inter-class variations and minimize the intra-class
      variations, which cannot capture the nonlinear manifold where face images usually
      lie on. To address this, we propose a DDML method to train a deep neural network
      to learn a set of hierarchical nonlinear transformations to project face pairs
      into the same latent feature space, under which the distance of each positive
      pair is reduced and that of each negative pair is enlarged. To better use the
      commonality of multiple feature descriptors to make all the features more robust
      for face and kinship verification, we develop a discriminative deep multi-metric
      learning method to jointly learn multiple neural networks, under which the
      correlation of different features of each sample is maximized, and the distance
      of each positive pair is reduced and that of each negative pair is enlarged.
      Extensive experimental results show that our proposed methods achieve the
      acceptable results in both face and kinship verification.

PMID- 28644807
TI  - Depth Image Inpainting: Improving Low Rank Matrix Completion With Low Gradient
      Regularization.
AB  - We address the task of single depth image inpainting. Without the corresponding
      color images, previous or next frames, depth image inpainting is quite
      challenging. One natural solution is to regard the image as a matrix and adopt
      the low rank regularization just as color image inpainting. However, the low rank
      assumption does not make full use of the properties of depth images. A shallow
      observation inspires us to penalize the nonzero gradients by sparse gradient
      regularization. However, statistics show that though most pixels have zero
      gradients, there is still a non-ignorable part of pixels, whose gradients are
      small but nonzero. Based on this property of depth images, we propose a low
      gradient regularization method in which we reduce the penalty for small gradients
      while penalizing the nonzero gradients to allow for gradual depth changes. The
      proposed low gradient regularization is integrated with the low rank
      regularization into the low rank low gradient approach for depth image
      inpainting. We compare our proposed low gradient regularization with the sparse
      gradient regularization. The experimental results show the effectiveness of our
      proposed approach.

PMID- 28644808
TI  - ESIM: Edge Similarity for Screen Content Image Quality Assessment.
AB  - In this paper, an accurate full-reference image quality assessment (IQA) model
      developed for assessing screen content images (SCIs), called the edge similarity
      (ESIM), is proposed. It is inspired by the fact that the human visual system
      (HVS) is highly sensitive to edges that are often encountered in SCIs; therefore,
      essential edge features are extracted and exploited for conducting IQA for the
      SCIs. The key novelty of the proposed ESIM lies in the extraction and use of
      three salient edge features-i.e., edge contrast, edge width, and edge direction.
      The first two attributes are simultaneously generated from the input SCI based on
      a parametric edge model, while the last one is derived directly from the input
      SCI. The extraction of these three features will be performed for the reference
      SCI and the distorted SCI, individually. The degree of similarity measured for
      each above-mentioned edge attribute is then computed independently, followed by
      combining them together using our proposed edge-width pooling strategy to
      generate the final ESIM score. To conduct the performance evaluation of our
      proposed ESIM model, a new and the largest SCI database (denoted as SCID) is
      established in our work and made to the public for download. Our database
      contains 1800 distorted SCIs that are generated from 40 reference SCIs. For each
      SCI, nine distortion types are investigated, and five degradation levels are
      produced for each distortion type. Extensive simulation results have clearly
      shown that the proposed ESIM model is more consistent with the perception of the
      HVS on the evaluation of distorted SCIs than the multiple state-of-the-art IQA
      methods.

PMID- 28644809
TI  - Structured Kernel Dictionary Learning With Correlation Constraint for Object
      Recognition.
AB  - In this paper, we propose a new discriminative non-linear dictionary learning
      approach, called correlation constrained structured kernel KSVD, for object
      recognition. The objective function for dictionary learning contains a
      reconstructive term and a discriminative term. In the reconstructive term,
      signals are implicitly non-linearly mapped into a space, where a structured
      kernel dictionary, each sub-dictionary of which lies in the span of the mapped
      signals from the corresponding class, is established. In the discriminative term,
      by analyzing the classification mechanism, the correlation constraint is proposed
      in kernel form, constraining the correlations between different discriminative
      codes, and restricting the coefficient vectors to be transformed into a feature
      space, where the features are highly correlated inner-class and nearly
      independent between-classes. The objective function is optimized by the proposed
      structured kernel KSVD. During the classification stage, the specific form of the
      discriminative feature is needless to be known, while the inner product of the
      discriminative feature with kernel matrix embedded is available, and is suitable
      for a linear SVM classifier. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed
      approach outperforms many state-of-the-art dictionary learning approaches for
      face, scene, and synthetic aperture radar vehicle target recognition.

PMID- 28644810
TI  - Action Recognition Using 3D Histograms of Texture and A Multi-Class Boosting
      Classifier.
AB  - Human action recognition is an important yet challenging task. This paper
      presents a low-cost descriptor called 3D histograms of texture (3DHoTs) to
      extract discriminant features from a sequence of depth maps. 3DHoTs are derived
      from projecting depth frames onto three orthogonal Cartesian planes, i.e., the
      frontal, side, and top planes, and thus compactly characterize the salient
      information of a specific action, on which texture features are calculated to
      represent the action. Besides this fast feature descriptor, a new multi-class
      boosting classifier (MBC) is also proposed to efficiently exploit different kinds
      of features in a unified framework for action classification. Compared with the
      existing boosting frameworks, we add a new multi-class constraint into the
      objective function, which helps to maintain a better margin distribution by
      maximizing the mean of margin, whereas still minimizing the variance of margin.
      Experiments on the MSRAction3D, MSRGesture3D, MSRActivity3D, and UTD-MHAD data
      sets demonstrate that the proposed system combining 3DHoTs and MBC is superior to
      the state of the art.

PMID- 28644812
TI  - A Self-Adaptive Capacitive Compensation Technique for Body Channel Communication.
AB  - In wireless body area network, capacitive-coupling body channel communication (CC
      BCC) has the potential to attain better energy efficiency over conventional
      wireless communication schemes. The CC-BCC scheme utilizes the human body as the
      forward signal transmission medium, reducing the path loss in wireless body
      centric communications. However, the backward path is formed by the coupling
      capacitance between the ground electrodes (GEs) of transmitter (Tx) and receiver
      (Rx), which increases the path loss and results in a body posture dependent
      backward impedance. Conventional methods use a fixed inductor to resonate with
      the backward capacitor to compensate the path loss, while it's not effective in
      compensating the variable backward impedance induced by the body movements. In
      this paper, we propose a self-adaptive capacitive compensation (SACC) technique
      to address such a problem. A backward distance detector is introduced to estimate
      the distance between two GEs of Tx and Rx, and a backward capacitance model is
      built to calculate the backward capacitance. The calculated backward capacitance
      at varying body posture is compensated by a digitally controlled tunable inductor
      (DCTI). The proposed SACC technique is validated by a prototype CC-BCC system,
      and measurements are taken on human subjects. The measurement results show that
      9dB-16 dB channel enhancement can be achieved at a backward path distance of 1 cm
      10 cm.

PMID- 28644813
TI  - Sufficient Condition for the Existence of the Compact Set in the RBF Neural
      Network Control.
AB  - In this brief, sufficient conditions are proposed for the existence of the
      compact sets in the neural network controls. First, we point out that the
      existence of the compact set in a classical neural network control scheme is
      unsolved and its result is incomplete. Next, as a simple case, we derive the
      sufficient condition of the existence of the compact set for the neural network
      control of first-order systems. Finally, we propose the sufficient condition of
      the existence of the compact set for the neural-network-based backstepping
      control of high-order nonlinear systems. The theoretic result is illustrated
      through a simulation example.

PMID- 28644811
TI  - Applying Pattern Recognition to High-Resolution Images to Determine Cellular
      Signaling Status.
AB  - Two frequently used tools to acquire high- resolution images of cells are
      scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The former
      provides a nanometer resolution view of cellular features rapidly and with high
      throughput, while the latter enables visualizing hydrated and living cells. In
      current practice, these images are viewed by eye to determine cellular status,
      e.g., activated versus resting. Automatic and quantitative data analysis is
      lacking. This paper develops an algorithm of pattern recognition that works very
      effectively for AFM and SEM images. Using rat basophilic leukemia cells, our
      approach creates a support vector machine to automatically classify resting and
      activated cells. Ten-fold cross-validation with cells that are known to be
      activated or resting gives a good estimate of the generalized classification
      results. The pattern recognition of AFM images achieves 100% accuracy, while SEM
      reaches 95.4% for our images as well as images published in prior literature.
      This outcome suggests that our methodology could become an important and
      frequently used tool for researchers utilizing AFM and SEM for structural
      characterization as well as determining cellular signaling status and function.

PMID- 28644814
TI  - Learning Multimodal Parameters: A Bare-Bones Niching Differential Evolution
      Approach.
AB  - Most learning methods contain optimization as a substep, where the
      nondifferentiability and multimodality of objectives push forward the interplay
      of evolutionary optimization algorithms and machine learning models. The recently
      emerged evolutionary multimodal optimization (MMOP) technique enables the
      learning of diverse sets of effective parameters for the models simultaneously,
      providing new opportunities to the applications requiring both accuracy and
      diversity, such as ensemble, interactive, and interpretive learning. Targeting at
      locating multiple optima simultaneously in the multimodal landscape, this paper
      develops an efficient neighborhood-based niching algorithm. Bare-bones
      differential evolution is used as the baseline. Further, using Gaussian mutation
      with local mean and standard deviations, the neighborhoods capture niches that
      match well with the contours of peaks in the landscape. To increase diversity and
      enhance global exploration, the proposed algorithm embeds a diversity preserving
      operator to reinitialize converged or overlapped neighborhoods. The experimental
      results verify that the proposed algorithm has superior and consistent
      performance for a wide range of MMOP problems. Further, the algorithm has been
      successfully applied to train neural network ensembles, which validates its
      effectiveness and benefits of learning multimodal parameters.

PMID- 28644815
TI  - Landmark Image Retrieval by Jointing Feature Refinement and Multimodal Classifier
      Learning.
AB  - Landmark retrieval is to return a set of images with their landmarks similar to
      those of the query images. Existing studies on landmark retrieval focus on
      exploiting the geometries of landmarks for visual similarity matches. However,
      the visual content of social images is of large diversity in many landmarks, and
      also some images share common patterns over different landmarks. On the other
      side, it has been observed that social images usually contain multimodal
      contents, i.e., visual content and text tags, and each landmark has the unique
      characteristic of both visual content and text content. Therefore, the approaches
      based on similarity matching may not be effective in this environment. In this
      paper, we investigate whether the geographical correlation among the visual
      content and the text content could be exploited for landmark retrieval. In
      particular, we propose an effective multimodal landmark classification paradigm
      to leverage the multimodal contents of social image for landmark retrieval, which
      integrates feature refinement and landmark classifier with multimodal contents by
      a joint model. The geo-tagged images are automatically labeled for classifier
      learning. Visual features are refined based on low rank matrix recovery, and
      multimodal classification combined with group sparse is learned from the
      automatically labeled images. Finally, candidate images are ranked by combining
      classification result and semantic consistence measuring between the visual
      content and text content. Experiments on real-world datasets demonstrate the
      superiority of the proposed approach as compared to existing methods.

PMID- 28644816
TI  - Fast and Accurate Poisson Denoising With Trainable Nonlinear Diffusion.
AB  - The degradation of the acquired signal by Poisson noise is a common problem for
      various imaging applications, such as medical imaging, night vision, and
      microscopy. Up to now, many state-of-the-art Poisson denoising techniques mainly
      concentrate on achieving utmost performance, with little consideration for the
      computation efficiency. Therefore, in this paper we aim to propose an efficient
      Poisson denoising model with both high computational efficiency and recovery
      quality. To this end, we exploit the newly developed trainable nonlinear reaction
      diffusion (TNRD) model which has proven an extremely fast image restoration
      approach with performance surpassing recent state-of-the-arts. However, the
      straightforward direct gradient descent employed in the original TNRD-based
      denoising task is not applicable in this paper. To solve this problem, we resort
      to the proximal gradient descent method. We retrain the model parameters,
      including the linear filters and influence functions by taking into account the
      Poisson noise statistics, and end up with a well-trained nonlinear diffusion
      model specialized for Poisson denoising. The trained model provides strongly
      competitive results against state-of-the-art approaches, meanwhile bearing the
      properties of simple structure and high efficiency. Furthermore, our proposed
      model comes along with an additional advantage, that the diffusion process is
      well-suited for parallel computation on graphics processing units (GPUs). For
      images of size , our GPU implementation takes less than 0.1 s to produce state-of
      the-art Poisson denoising performance.

PMID- 28644817
TI  - Graphene-based humidity sensors: the origin of alternating resistance change.
AB  - The response of a graphene-based humidity sensor is considered as a function of
      film structures. Analysis of the resistance changes due to water molecule
      adsorption on the graphene or multi-layer graphene (MLG) surface is performed for
      films with different structures and resistivities from hundreds of ohms/sq to
      hundreds of kilo-ohms/sq. The results revealed possible increase, decrease and
      non-monotonous behavior of resistance with changes in film structure. Adsorption
      of water molecules at grain boundary defects is assumed to lead to an increase in
      film resistivity due to the donor property of water and the p-type conductivity
      of graphene. Another type of conductive center with a higher capture cross
      section is realized in the case of water molecule adsorption at edge defects in
      MLG films (the formation of conductive chains with ionic conductivity). If these
      chains form a continuous network the film resistivity decreases. The result of
      the competition between the opposite effects of the conductivity compensation and
      formation of the water-based conductive chains depends on the film structure and
      determines the response of humidity sensors. Sensor sensitivity is found to
      increase when only one type of defect determines water adsorption (edge defects
      or grain boundary defects).

PMID- 28644818
TI  - Fabrication and optical properties of nanostructured plasmonic Al2O3/Au
      Al2O3/Al2O3 metamaterials.
AB  - Discontinuous multilayer (DML) thin films, which consist of nano-granular metals
      (NGMs) embedded in a dielectric matrix, have attracted significant interest as
      engineered plasmonic metamaterials. In this study, a systematic layer-by-layer
      deposition of three-dimensional sub-wavelength periodic plasmonic DML structures
      via the radio frequency sputtering of a composite target has been reported. The
      overall optical response of the DML films composed of Au-Al2O3 NGM homogenous
      layers, which are periodically sandwiched between two amorphous Al2O3 layers, are
      studied using reflection spectroscopic ellipsometry and transmission spectroscopy
      techniques. By applying the analytical optical approaches based on multiple
      Gaussian oscillators, ambient DML sub-wavelength structures have been
      successfully modeled. As a result, the effects of the size and shape of the Au
      nanoparticles as well as of the surrounding and interfacial media on their
      localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are elucidated, and the related films
      thickness and effective optical constants are determined. Interestingly, during
      the examination of resonance frequencies and dielectric functions, the obtained
      DML structures exhibit unusual characteristics that are different from those of
      their NGM constituents due to the electromagnetic interactions of the NGM layers
      with the LSPR, which represent metamaterial features.

PMID- 28644819
TI  - Quantifying the accuracy and precision of a novel real-time 6 degree-of-freedom
      kilovoltage intrafraction monitoring (KIM) target tracking system.
AB  - Target rotation can considerably impact the delivered radiotherapy dose depending
      on the tumour shape. More accurate tumour pose during radiotherapy treatment can
      be acquired through tracking in 6 degrees-of-freedom (6 DoF) rather than in
      translation only. A novel real-time 6 DoF kilovoltage intrafraction monitoring
      (KIM) target tracking system has recently been developed. In this study, we
      experimentally evaluated the accuracy and precision of the 6 DoF KIM
      implementation. Real-time 6 DoF KIM motion measurements were compared against the
      ground truth motion retrospectively derived from kV/MV triangulation for a range
      of lung and prostate tumour motion trajectories as well as for various static
      poses using a phantom. The accuracy and precision of 6 DoF KIM were calculated as
      the mean and standard deviation of the differences between KIM and kV/MV
      triangulation for each DoF, respectively. We found that KIM is able to provide 6
      DoF motion with sub-degree and sub-millimetre accuracy and precision for a range
      of realistic tumour motion.

PMID- 28644820
TI  - Investigation of real tissue water equivalent path lengths using an efficient
      dose extinction method.
AB  - For proton therapy, an accurate conversion of CT HU to relative stopping power
      (RSP) is essential. Validation of the conversion based on real tissue samples is
      more direct than the current practice solely based on tissue substitutes and can
      potentially address variations over the population. Based on a novel dose
      extinction method, we measured water equivalent path lengths (WEPL) on animal
      tissue samples to evaluate the accuracy of CT HU to RSP conversion and potential
      variations over a population. A broad proton beam delivered a spread out Bragg
      peak to the samples sandwiched between a water tank and a 2D ion-chamber
      detector. WEPLs of the samples were determined from the transmission dose
      profiles measured as a function of the water level in the tank. Tissue substitute
      inserts and Lucite blocks with known WEPLs were used to validate the accuracy. A
      large number of real tissue samples were measured. Variations of WEPL over
      different batches of tissue samples were also investigated. The measured WEPLs
      were compared with those computed from CT scans with the Stoichiometric
      calibration method. WEPLs were determined within  +/-0.5% percentage deviation (%
      std/mean) and  +/-0.5% error for most of the tissue surrogate inserts and the
      calibration blocks. For biological tissue samples, percentage deviations were
      within  +/-0.3%. No considerable difference (<1%) in WEPL was observed for the
      same type of tissue from different sources. The differences between measured
      WEPLs and those calculated from CT were within 1%, except for some bony tissues.
      Depending on the sample size, each dose extinction measurement took around 5 min
      to produce ~1000 WEPL values to be compared with calculations. This dose
      extinction system measures WEPL efficiently and accurately, which allows the
      validation of CT HU to RSP conversions based on the WEPL measured for a large
      number of samples and real tissues.

PMID- 28644821
TI  - Zirconium oxocluster/polymer hybrid nanoparticles prepared by photoactivated
      miniemulsion copolymerization.
AB  - The photoactivated free radical miniemulsion copolymerization of methyl
      methacrylate (MMA) and the zirconium oxocluster Zr4O2(methacrylate)12 is used as
      an effective and fast preparation method for polymer/inorganic hybrid
      nanoparticles. The oxoclusters, covalently anchored to the polymer network, act
      as metal-organic cross-linkers, thus improving the thermomechanical properties of
      the resulting hybrid nanoparticles. Benzoin carbonyl organic compounds were used
      as photoinitiators. The obtained materials are compared in terms of cross
      linking, effectiveness of cluster incorporation, and size distribution with the
      analogous nanoparticles produced by using conventional thermally induced free
      radical miniemulsion copolymerization. The kinetics of the polymerization process
      in the absence and in the presence of the oxocluster is also investigated.

PMID- 28644822
TI  - The effect of a lay-led, group-based self-management program for patients with
      chronic pain: a randomized controlled trial of the Danish version of the Chronic
      Pain Self-Management Programme.
AB  - The Stanford Chronic Pain Self-Management Programme (CPSMP) consists of 6 21/2
      hour weekly workshops focusing on how to manage pain in daily life. The workshops
      are facilitated by 2 workshop leaders of whom at least 1 must suffer from a long
      term pain condition. The program is highly structured and manualized. Only few
      controlled trials testing the effect of CPSMP exist. Enrolled in the study were
      424 adults from 19 Danish municipalities, (72% women; age: 25-93 years) with pain
      of any etiology and great variation in pain history (0-50 yrs). Of these, 216
      were randomized to a lay-led version of the CPSMP. The primary outcome was pain
      related disability. Secondary outcomes were pain, pain catastrophizing, self
      efficacy, emotional distress, physical symptoms, and illness worry. Outcomes were
      measured before randomization, immediately after the CPSMP (response rate: 94%),
      and at 3-month follow-up (response rate: 92%). National register data on health
      expenditure were obtained to examine effects on health care use.
      ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01306747. The CPSMP had no effect on the
      primary outcome pain-related disability or on health expenditure during
      intervention and follow-up period. Small positive effects on emotional distress
      and illness worry 3 months after CPSMP were observed. Lay-led CPSMP is not
      recommended as treatment for chronic pain-related disability. This heterogeneous
      group of patients with pain did not benefit from the CPSMP except for a small,
      but clinically insignificant improvement in psychological well-being.

PMID- 28644823
TI  - EEG Characteristics in Cooled and Rewarmed Periods in Post-cardiac Arrest
      Therapeutic Hypothermia Patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: Continuous video EEG is a tool to assess brain function in injuries,
      including cardiac arrest (CA). In post-CA therapeutic hypothermia (TH) studies,
      some EEG features are linked to poor prognosis, but the evolvement of EEG
      characteristics during two temperature phases and its significance is unclear. We
      systematically analyzed EEG characteristics in cooled and rewarmed phases of post
      CA therapeutic hypothermia patients and investigated their correlation to patient
      outcome. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of EEG analyses, from a single
      academic center, of 20 patients who underwent CA and therapeutic hypothermia. For
      each patient, three 30-minute EEG segments in cooled and rewarmed phases were
      analyzed for continuity, frequency, interictal epileptiform discharges, and
      seizures. Mortality at the time of discharge was used as outcome. RESULTS:
      Rewarming was associated with the emergence of interictal epileptiform
      discharges, 2.6 times as likely compared with the cooled period (P = 0.03), and
      was not affected by systemic factors. Continuity, frequency, and discrete
      seizures were unaffected by temperature and did not show variance within each
      temperature phase. There was a trend toward the emergence of interictal
      epileptiform discharges upon rewarming and mortality, but it was not
      statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Increased interictal epileptiform
      discharges with rewarming in post-CA therapeutic hypothermia patients may suggest
      poor prognosis, but a larger scale prospective study is needed.

PMID- 28644824
TI  - Mechanism Underlying Acupuncture-Ameliorated Depressive Behaviors by Enhancing
      Glial Glutamate Transporter in Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent mental illness
      worldwide. The glutamatergic neurotransmission system is now a target for
      antidepressant therapy because it takes part in synaptic plasticity and cognition
      in physical condition and has a potential excitatory neurotoxicity in
      pathological conditions. Glial glutamate transporter EAAT2 performs 90% of Glu
      neurotransmission. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of
      acupuncture on depressive behaviors and EAAT2 in CUMS. MATERIAL AND METHODS We
      randomly divided 56 male SD rats into a normal group, a model group, an
      acupuncture group, and a riluzole group. Rats in the model group, acupuncture
      group, and riluzole group underwent chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)
      exposure for 21 days. The acupuncture group received electro-acupuncture
      stimulation on LI4 and LR3 for 5 continuous days per week for 4 weeks, and rats
      in the riluzole group received 4 mg/kg of riluzole orally (Sanofi, J20140092) for
      4 weeks after undergoing CUMS stimulation. RESULTS Rats showed significantly
      increased sucrose consumption in the sucrose preference test paradigm, and showed
      elevated food intake and shortened latency in the novelty-suppressed feeding test
      paradigm after undergoing acupuncture therapy and riluzole treatment. The
      amelioration of depressive behavioral actions was consistent with increasing
      number of positive cells, protein, and mRNA expression of glial glutamate
      transporter EAAT2 in the hippocampus and PFC. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest
      that acupuncture and riluzole are both effective in improving sucrose
      consumption, latency, and food intake in CUMS rats. However, acupuncture appears
      to achieve an antidepressant effect later than riluzole does because it might
      need accumulated stimulation by enhancing EAAT2 expression. Enhance glial
      glutamate transporter EAAT2 in the hippocampus and PFC is a mechanism underlying
      the antidepressant effect of acupuncture.

PMID- 28644826
TI  - Is there a relation between public investment and the prevention of metaxenic
      diseases in the North of Peru?

PMID- 28644825
TI  - Neuro-Behcet's disease in Peru: a case report and literature review.
AB  - Behcet's disease is a vasculitis that can cause inflammatory lesions in multiple
      organs or systems including the nervous system. Most cases worldwide have been
      reported along what is called the "Silk Route" from the Mediterranean region to
      Japan, so it is considered a rare disease in Latin American countries. The
      frequency of neurological involvement ranges from 5 to 13%. We present the case
      of a young adult woman with diagnostic criteria for Behcet's disease and
      manifestations of neurological disease, as well as a review of the literature.

PMID- 28644827
TI  - What drives cooperative breeding?
AB  - Cooperative breeding, in which more than a pair of conspecifics cooperate to
      raise young at a single nest or brood, is widespread among vertebrates but highly
      variable in its geographic distribution. Particularly vexing has been identifying
      the ecological correlates of this phenomenon, which has been suggested to be
      favored in populations inhabiting both relatively stable, productive environments
      and in populations living under highly variable and unpredictable conditions.
      Griesser et al. provide a novel approach to this problem, performing a
      phylogenetic analysis indicating that family living is an intermediate step
      between nonsocial and cooperative breeding birds. They then examine the
      ecological and climatic conditions associated with these different social
      systems, concluding that cooperative breeding emerges when family living is
      favored in highly productive environments, followed secondarily by selection for
      cooperative breeding when environmental conditions deteriorate and within-year
      variability increases. Combined with recent work addressing the fitness
      consequences of cooperative breeding, Griesser et al.'s contribution stands to
      move the field forward by demonstrating that the evolution of complex adaptations
      such as cooperative breeding may only be understood when each of the steps
      leading to it are identified and carefully integrated.

PMID- 28644828
TI  - A mutant of Chlamydomonas without LHCSR maintains high rates of photosynthesis,
      but has reduced cell division rates in sinusoidal light conditions.
AB  - The LHCSR protein belongs to the light harvesting complex family of pigment
      binding proteins found in oxygenic photoautotrophs. Previous studies have shown
      that this complex is required for the rapid induction and relaxation of excess
      light energy dissipation in a wide range of eukaryotic algae and moss. The
      ability of cells to rapidly regulate light harvesting between this dissipation
      state and one favoring photochemistry is believed to be important for reducing
      oxidative stress and maintaining high photosynthetic efficiency in a rapidly
      changing light environment. We found that a mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
      lacking LHCSR, npq4lhcsr1, displays minimal photoinhibition of photosystem II and
      minimal inhibition of short term oxygen evolution when grown in constant excess
      light compared to a wild type strain. We also investigated the impact of no LHCSR
      during growth in a sinusoidal light regime, which mimics daily changes in
      photosynthetically active radiation. The absence of LHCSR correlated with a
      slight reduction in the quantum efficiency of photosystem II and a stimulation of
      the maximal rates of photosynthesis compared to wild type. However, there was no
      reduction in carbon accumulation during the day. Another novel finding was that
      npq4lhcsr1 cultures underwent fewer divisions at night, reducing the overall
      growth rate compared to the wild type. Our results show that the rapid regulation
      of light harvesting mediated by LHCSR is required for high growth rates, but it
      is not required for efficient carbon accumulation during the day in a sinusoidal
      light environment. This finding has direct implications for engineering
      strategies directed at increasing photosynthetic productivity in mass cultures.

PMID- 28644829
TI  - Swapping the N- and C-terminal domains of human apolipoprotein E3 and AI reveals
      insights into their structure/activity relationship.
AB  - Apolipoprotein (apo) E3 and apoAI are exchangeable apolipoproteins that play a
      dominant role in regulating plasma lipoprotein metabolism. ApoE3 (299 residues)
      is composed of an N-terminal (NT) domain bearing a 4-helix bundle and a C
      terminal (CT) domain bearing a series of amphipathic alpha-helices. ApoAI (243
      residues) also comprises a highly helical NT domain and a less structured CT
      tail. The objective of this study was to understand their structural and
      functional role by generating domain swapped chimeras: apoE3-NT/apoAI-CT and
      apoAI-NT/apoE-CT. The bacterially overexpressed chimeras were purified by
      affinity chromatography and their identity confirmed by immunoblotting and mass
      spectrometry. Their alpha-helical content was comparable to that of the parent
      proteins. ApoE3-NT/apoAI-CT retained the denaturation profile of apoE3 NT domain,
      with apoAI CT tail eliciting a relatively unstructured state; its lipid binding
      ability improved dramatically compared to apoE3 indicative of a significant role
      of apoAI CT tail in lipid binding interaction. The LDL receptor interaction and
      ability to promote ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux of apoE3-NT/apoAI-CT was
      comparable to that of apoE3. In contrast, apoAI-NT/apoE-CT elicited an unfolding
      pattern and lipid binding ability that were similar to that of apoAI. As
      expected, DMPC/apoAI-NT/apoE-CT discoidal particles did not elicit LDLr binding
      ability, and promoted SR-B1 mediated cellular uptake of lipids to a limited
      extent. However, apoAI-NT/apoE-CT displayed an enhanced ability to promote
      cholesterol efflux compared to apoAI, indicative of a significant role for apoE
      CT domain in mediating this function. Together, these results indicate that the
      functional attributes of apoAI and apoE3 can be conferred on each other and that
      NT-CT domain interactions significantly modulate their structure and function.

PMID- 28644830
TI  - Optimal chemotactic responses in stochastic environments.
AB  - Although the "adaptive" strategy used by Escherichia coli has dominated our
      understanding of bacterial chemotaxis, the environmental conditions under which
      this strategy emerged is still poorly understood. In this work, we study the
      performance of various chemotactic strategies under a range of stochastic time-
      and space-varying attractant distributions in silico. We describe a novel
      "speculator" response in which the bacterium compare the current attractant
      concentration to the long-term average; if it is higher then they tumble
      persistently, while if it is lower than the average, bacteria swim away in search
      of more favorable conditions. We demonstrate how this response explains the
      experimental behavior of aerobically-grown Rhodobacter sphaeroides and that under
      spatially complex but slowly-changing nutrient conditions the speculator response
      is as effective as the adaptive strategy of E. coli.

PMID- 28644831
TI  - Inflammatory and vascular placental lesions are associated with neonatal
      amplitude integrated EEG recording in early premature neonates.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Placental histologic examination can assist in revealing the
      mechanism leading to preterm birth. Accumulating evidence suggests an association
      between intrauterine pathological processes, morbidity and mortality of premature
      infants, and their long term outcome. Neonatal brain activity is increasingly
      monitored in neonatal intensive care units by amplitude integrated EEG (aEEG) and
      indices of background activity and sleep cycling patterns were correlated with
      long term outcome. We hypothesized an association between types of placental
      lesions and abnormal neonatal aEEG patterns. OBJECTIVE: To determine the
      association between the placental lesions observed in extreme preterm deliveries,
      and their neonatal aEEG patterns and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This
      prospective cohort study included extreme premature infants, who were born <= 28
      weeks of gestation, their placentas were available for histologic examination,
      and had a continues aEEG, soon after birth)n = 34). Infants and maternal clinical
      data were collected. aEEG data was assessed for percentage of depressed daily
      activity in the first 3 days of life and for sleep cycling. Associations of
      placental histology with clinical findings and aEEG activity were explored using
      parametric and non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: Twenty two out of the 34
      newborns survived to discharge. Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) or
      chorioamnionitis were associated with placental lesions consistent with fetal
      amniotic fluid infection (AFI) or maternal under perfusion (MUP) (P < 0.05).
      Lesions consistent with fetal response to AFI were associated with absence of SWC
      pattern during the 1st day of life. Fetal-vascular-thrombo-occlusive lesions of
      inflammatory type were negatively associated with depressed cerebral activity
      during the 1st day of life, and with aEEG cycling during the 2nd day of life
      (P<0.05). Placental lesions associated with MUP were associated with depressed
      neonatal cerebral activity during the first 3 days of life (P = 0.007).
      CONCLUSIONS: Depressed neonatal aEEG patterns are associated with placental
      lesions consistent with maternal under perfusion, and amniotic fluid infection of
      fetal type, but not with fetal thrombo-oclusive vascular disease of inflammatory
      type. Our findings highlight the association between the intrauterine mechanisms
      leading to preterm parturition and subsequent depressed neonatal cerebral
      function early after birth, which eventually may put premature infants at risk
      for abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome.

PMID- 28644832
TI  - Parent-child discrepancies in the report of adolescent emotional and behavioral
      problems in Taiwan.
AB  - The majority of studies on parent-child discrepancies in the assessment of
      adolescent emotional and behavioral problems have been conducted in Western
      countries. It is believed that parent-adolescent agreement would be higher in
      societies with a strong culture of familism. We examined whether parent
      adolescent discrepancies in the rating of adolescent emotional and behavioral
      problems are related to parental and family factors in Taiwan. Participants
      included 1,421 child-parent pairs of 7th-grade students from 12 middle schools in
      Northern Taiwan and their parents. We calculated Pearson's correlation
      coefficients to assess the relationship between parental (Child Behavior
      Checklist, CBCL) and adolescent (Youth Self Report, YSR) report of
      emotional/behavioral problem syndromes. Regression models were used to assess
      parent-adolescent differences in relation to parental psychopathology and family
      factors. We found that parent-adolescent agreement was moderate (r = 0.37).
      Adolescents reported higher symptom scores than their parents (Mean Total Problem
      Score: CBCL: 20.79, YSR: 33.14). Parental psychopathology was related to higher
      parental ratings and better informant agreement. Parents with higher
      socioeconomic status (SES) tended to report lower scores for adolescent problem
      syndromes, resulting in higher levels of disagreement. Greater maternal care was
      related to higher parent-adolescent agreement. Based on our study findings, we
      conclude that familism values do not seem to improve parent-child agreement in
      the assessment of adolescent problem syndromes. The finding that higher SES was
      related to increased discrepancies speaks to the need to explore the culture
      specific mechanisms giving rise to informant discrepancies.

PMID- 28644833
TI  - Quantifying the web browser ecosystem.
AB  - Contrary to the assumption that web browsers are designed to support the user, an
      examination of a 900,000 distinct PCs shows that web browsers comprise a complex
      ecosystem with millions of addons collaborating and competing with each other. It
      is possible for addons to "sneak in" through third party installations or to get
      "kicked out" by their competitors without user involvement. This study examines
      that ecosystem quantitatively by constructing a large-scale graph with nodes
      corresponding to users, addons, and words (terms) that describe addon
      functionality. Analyzing addon interactions at user level using the Personalized
      PageRank (PPR) random walk measure shows that the graph demonstrates ecological
      resilience. Adapting the PPR model to analyzing the browser ecosystem at the
      level of addon manufacturer, the study shows that some addon companies are in
      symbiosis and others clash with each other as shown by analyzing the behavior of
      18 prominent addon manufacturers. Results may herald insight on how other
      evolving internet ecosystems may behave, and suggest a methodology for measuring
      this behavior. Specifically, applying such a methodology could transform the
      addon market.

PMID- 28644834
TI  - Automatic non-symbolic numerosity processing in preschoolers.
AB  - There has recently been an increasing focus on the development of automatic
      processing of numerical magnitude. However, little effort has been made to
      explore automatic access to non-symbolic numerical magnitude in preschool
      children. In experiment 1, we used a non-symbolic physical size comparison task
      in 3- to 6-year-olds to examine developmental changes and the effect of ratio and
      counting principle knowledge. Results showed that the existence of automatic non
      symbolic numerical processing began at age 3-4 years and size congruity effects
      tended to reduce with increasing age from 4 years old. The study also found that
      non-counting-principle knowers had a larger congruity effect, and in low ratio
      conditions the size congruity effect was more easily found. In addition, symbolic
      number comparison ability was negatively related to size congruity effect. In
      experiment 2, we explored the relationship between inhibition skill and size
      congruity effects, as well as interference and facilitatory components in
      children aged 4 years old. Results showed no correlation between inhibition
      skills and the size congruity effect and only interference effects were found. We
      also found a larger interference effect in low ratio conditions than in high
      ratio conditions.

PMID- 28644835
TI  - Physician assessments of drug seeking behavior: A mixed methods study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pain complaints are common, but clinicians are increasingly concerned
      about overuse of opioid pain medications. This may lead patients with actual pain
      to be stigmatized as "drug-seeking," or attempting to obtain medications they do
      not require medically. We assessed whether patient requests for specific opioid
      pain medication would lead physicians to classify them as drug-seeking and change
      management decisions. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Mixed-methods analysis of interviews
      with 192 office-based primary care physicians after viewing video vignettes
      depicting patients presenting with back pain. For each presentation physicians
      were randomly assigned to see either an active request for a specific medication
      or a more general request for help with pain. The main outcome was assignment by
      the physician of "drug-seeking" as a potential diagnosis among patients
      presenting with back pain. Additional outcomes included other actions the
      physician would take and whether the physician would prescribe the medication
      requested. A potential diagnosis of drug-seeking behavior was included by 21% of
      physicians seeing a specific request for oxycodone vs. 3% for a general request
      for help with back pain(p<0.001). In multivariable models an active request was
      most strongly associated with a physician-assigned diagnosis of drug-seeking
      behavior(OR 8.10; 95% CI 2.11-31.15;p = 0.002); other major patient and physician
      characteristics, including gender and race, did not have strong associations with
      drug-seeking diagnosis. Physicians described short courses of opioid medications
      as a strategy for managing patients with pain while avoiding opioid overuse.
      CONCLUSIONS: When patients make a specific request for opioid pain medication,
      physicians are far more likely to suspect that they are drug-seeking. Physician
      suspicion of drug-seeking behavior did not vary by patient characteristics,
      including gender and race. The strategies used to assess patients further varied
      widely. These findings indicate a need for the development of better clinical
      tools to support the evaluation and management of patients presenting with pain.

PMID- 28644836
TI  - Biliary drainage improves the predictive value of modified Glasgow Prognostic
      Scores in inoperable pancreatic cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of biliary drainage to cholangitis on modified
      Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: mGPS
      was calculated before and after biliary drainage in 47 consecutive patients with
      inoperable pancreatic cancer who were receiving chemotherapy. Biliary drainage
      was indicated for malignant obstructive jaundice that prevented the
      administration of chemotherapy. To elucidate mGPS values, serum levels of CRP and
      albumin were measured at the time of diagnosis (before biliary drainage). Overall
      survival was evaluated and risk factors, which contribute to overall survival,
      were examined. RESULTS: Biliary drainage was performed in 15 patients. Using
      values obtained before biliary drainage, there were no significant differences in
      median survival time between patients with a mGPS of 0 and those with a mGPS of 1
      or 2 (10.7 vs. 9.4 months; p = 0.757). However, using values obtained after
      biliary drainage, median survival time was significantly higher in patients with
      a mGPS of 0 than in those with a mGPS of 1 or 2 (11.4 vs. 4.7 months; p = 0.002).
      Multivariate analysis revealed that a mGPS of 1 or 2 (HR: 3.38; 95% CI: 1.35
      8.46, p = 0.009), a carbohydrate antigen 19-9 >1000 U/mL (2.52; 1.22-5.23, p =
      0.013), a performance status of 2 (7.68; 2.72-21.28, p = 0.001), carcinoembryonic
      antigen level >10 ng/mL (2.29; 1.13-4.61, p = 0.021) were independently
      associated with overall survival. CONCLUSION: mGPS values obtained after biliary
      drainage appear to be a more reliable indicator of overall survival in patients
      with inoperable pancreatic cancer.

PMID- 28644837
TI  - Real-world first-line treatment and overall survival in non-small cell lung
      cancer without known EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangements in US community
      oncology setting.
AB  - PURPOSE: To establish a baseline for care and overall survival (OS) based upon
      contemporary first-line treatments prescribed in the era before the introduction
      of immune checkpoint inhibitors, for people with metastatic non-small cell lung
      cancer (NSCLC) without common actionable mutations. METHODS: Using a nationally
      representative electronic health record data from the Flatiron dataset which
      included 162 practices from different regions in US, we identified patients (>=18
      years old) newly diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC initiating first-line anticancer
      therapy (November 2012- January 2015, with follow-up through July 2015). Patients
      with documented epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma
      kinase (ALK) translocation were excluded. Anti-cancer drug therapy and overall
      survival were described overall, and by histology. RESULTS: A total of 2,014
      patients with stage IV NSCLC without known EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations
      initiated systemic anticancer therapy, 22% with squamous and 78% with nonsquamous
      histology. Their mean (SD) age was 67 (10) years, 55% were male, and 87% had a
      smoking history. In nonsquamous NSCLC, carboplatin plus pemetrexed either without
      (25.7%) or with bevacizumab (16%) were the most common regimens; 26.6% of
      nonsquamous patients receiving induction therapy also received continuation
      maintenance therapy. In squamous NSCLC, carboplatin plus paclitaxel (37.6%) or
      nab-paclitaxel (21.1%) were the most commonly used regimens. Overall median OS
      was 9.7 months (95% CI: 9.1, 10.3), 8.5 months (95% CI: 7.4, 10.0) for squamous,
      and 10.0 months (95% CI: 9.4, 10.8) for nonsquamous NSCLC. CONCLUSION: The
      results provide context for evaluating the effect of shifting treatment patterns
      of NSCLC treatments on patient outcomes, and for community oncology benchmarking
      initiatives.

PMID- 28644838
TI  - Characterization and utilization of an international neurofibromatosis web-based,
      patient-entered registry: An observational study.
AB  - The neurofibromatoses (neurofibromatosis type 1, neurofibromatosis type 2 and
      schwannomatosis) are rare disorders having clinical manifestations that vary
      greatly from patient to patient. The rarity and variability of these disorders
      has made it challenging for investigators to identify sufficient numbers of
      patients with particular clinical characteristics or specific germline mutations
      for participation in interventional studies. Similarly, because the natural
      history of all types of neurofibromatosis (NF) is variable and unique for each
      individual, it is difficult to identify meaningful clinical outcome measures for
      potential therapeutic interventions. In 2012, the Children's Tumor Foundation
      created a web-based patient-entered database, the NF Registry, to inform patients
      of research opportunities for which they fit general eligibility criteria and
      enable patients to contact investigators who are seeking to enroll patients in
      approved trials. Registrants were recruited through CTF-affiliated NF clinics and
      conferences, through its website, and by word-of-mouth and social media.
      Following online consent, demographic information and details regarding
      manifestations of NF were solicited on the Registry website. Statistical analyses
      were performed on data from a cohort of 4680 registrants (the number of
      registrants as of October 9, 2015) who met diagnostic criteria for one of the 3
      NF conditions. The analyses support our hypothesis that patient-reported symptom
      incidences in the NF Registry are congruent with published clinician-sourced
      data. Between April 26, 2013 and July 8, 2016, the registry has been useful to
      investigators in recruitment, particularly for observational trials, especially
      those for development of patient-reported outcomes.

PMID- 28644839
TI  - Genomic introgression mapping of field-derived multiple-anthelmintic resistance
      in Teladorsagia circumcincta.
AB  - Preventive chemotherapy has long been practiced against nematode parasites of
      livestock, leading to widespread drug resistance, and is increasingly being
      adopted for eradication of human parasitic nematodes even though it is similarly
      likely to lead to drug resistance. Given that the genetic architecture of
      resistance is poorly understood for any nematode, we have analyzed multidrug
      resistant Teladorsagia circumcincta, a major parasite of sheep, as a model for
      analysis of resistance selection. We introgressed a field-derived multiresistant
      genotype into a partially inbred susceptible genetic background (through repeated
      backcrossing and drug selection) and performed genome-wide scans in the backcross
      progeny and drug-selected F2 populations to identify the major genes responsible
      for the multidrug resistance. We identified variation linking candidate
      resistance genes to each drug class. Putative mechanisms included target site
      polymorphism, changes in likely regulatory regions and copy number variation in
      efflux transporters. This work elucidates the genetic architecture of multiple
      anthelmintic resistance in a parasitic nematode for the first time and
      establishes a framework for future studies of anthelmintic resistance in nematode
      parasites of humans.

PMID- 28644840
TI  - Linking structure and activity in nonlinear spiking networks.
AB  - Recent experimental advances are producing an avalanche of data on both neural
      connectivity and neural activity. To take full advantage of these two emerging
      datasets we need a framework that links them, revealing how collective neural
      activity arises from the structure of neural connectivity and intrinsic neural
      dynamics. This problem of structure-driven activity has drawn major interest in
      computational neuroscience. Existing methods for relating activity and
      architecture in spiking networks rely on linearizing activity around a central
      operating point and thus fail to capture the nonlinear responses of individual
      neurons that are the hallmark of neural information processing. Here, we overcome
      this limitation and present a new relationship between connectivity and activity
      in networks of nonlinear spiking neurons by developing a diagrammatic fluctuation
      expansion based on statistical field theory. We explicitly show how recurrent
      network structure produces pairwise and higher-order correlated activity, and how
      nonlinearities impact the networks' spiking activity. Our findings open new
      avenues to investigating how single-neuron nonlinearities-including those of
      different cell types-combine with connectivity to shape population activity and
      function.

PMID- 28644841
TI  - Low-dimensional spike rate models derived from networks of adaptive integrate-and
      fire neurons: Comparison and implementation.
AB  - The spiking activity of single neurons can be well described by a nonlinear
      integrate-and-fire model that includes somatic adaptation. When exposed to
      fluctuating inputs sparsely coupled populations of these model neurons exhibit
      stochastic collective dynamics that can be effectively characterized using the
      Fokker-Planck equation. This approach, however, leads to a model with an infinite
      dimensional state space and non-standard boundary conditions. Here we derive from
      that description four simple models for the spike rate dynamics in terms of low
      dimensional ordinary differential equations using two different reduction
      techniques: one uses the spectral decomposition of the Fokker-Planck operator,
      the other is based on a cascade of two linear filters and a nonlinearity, which
      are determined from the Fokker-Planck equation and semi-analytically
      approximated. We evaluate the reduced models for a wide range of biologically
      plausible input statistics and find that both approximation approaches lead to
      spike rate models that accurately reproduce the spiking behavior of the
      underlying adaptive integrate-and-fire population. Particularly the cascade-based
      models are overall most accurate and robust, especially in the sensitive region
      of rapidly changing input. For the mean-driven regime, when input fluctuations
      are not too strong and fast, however, the best performing model is based on the
      spectral decomposition. The low-dimensional models also well reproduce stable
      oscillatory spike rate dynamics that are generated either by recurrent synaptic
      excitation and neuronal adaptation or through delayed inhibitory synaptic
      feedback. The computational demands of the reduced models are very low but the
      implementation complexity differs between the different model variants. Therefore
      we have made available implementations that allow to numerically integrate the
      low-dimensional spike rate models as well as the Fokker-Planck partial
      differential equation in efficient ways for arbitrary model parametrizations as
      open source software. The derived spike rate descriptions retain a direct link to
      the properties of single neurons, allow for convenient mathematical analyses of
      network states, and are well suited for application in neural mass/mean-field
      based brain network models.

PMID- 28644842
TI  - Investigation of discriminant metabolites in tamoxifen-resistant and choline
      kinase-alpha-downregulated breast cancer cells using 1H-nuclear magnetic
      resonance spectroscopy.
AB  - Metabolites linked to changes in choline kinase-alpha (CK-alpha) expression and
      drug resistance, which contribute to survival and autophagy mechanisms, are
      attractive targets for breast cancer therapies. We previously reported that
      autophagy played a causative role in driving tamoxifen (TAM) resistance of breast
      cancer cells (BCCs) and was also promoted by CK-alpha knockdown, resulting in the
      survival of TAM-resistant BCCs. There is no comparative study yet about the
      metabolites resulting from BCCs with TAM-resistance and CK-alpha knockdown.
      Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the discriminant metabolic
      biomarkers responsible for TAM resistance as well as CK-alpha expression, which
      might be linked with autophagy through a protective role. A total of 33
      intracellular metabolites, including a range of amino acids, energy metabolism
      related molecules and others from cell extracts of the parental cells (MCF-7),
      TAM-resistant cells (MCF-7/TAM) and CK-alpha knockdown cells (MCF-7/shCK-alpha,
      MCF-7/TAM/shCK-alpha) were analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy (1H-NMRS). Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least
      square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed the existence of differences in
      the intracellular metabolites to separate the 4 groups: MCF-7 cells, MCF-7/TAM
      cells, MCF-7-shCK-alpha cells, and MCF-7/TAM/shCK-alpha cells. The metabolites
      with VIP>1 contributed most to the differentiation of the cell groups, and they
      included fumarate, UA (unknown A), lactate, myo-inositol, glycine,
      phosphocholine, UE (unknown E), glutamine, formate, and AXP (AMP/ADP/ATP). Our
      results suggest that these altered metabolites would be promising metabolic
      biomarkers for a targeted therapeutic strategy in BCCs that exhibit TAM
      resistance and aberrant CK-alpha expression, which triggers a survival and drug
      resistance mechanism.

PMID- 28644843
TI  - A high-density genetic map and QTL analysis of agronomic traits in foxtail millet
      [Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.] using RAD-seq.
AB  - Foxtail millet (Setaria italica), a very important grain crop in China, has
      become a new model plant for cereal crops and biofuel grasses. Although its
      reference genome sequence was released recently, quantitative trait loci (QTLs)
      controlling complex agronomic traits remains limited. The development of
      massively parallel genotyping methods and next-generation sequencing technologies
      provides an excellent opportunity for developing single-nucleotide polymorphisms
      (SNPs) for linkage map construction and QTL analysis of complex quantitative
      traits. In this study, a high-throughput and cost-effective RAD-seq approach was
      employed to generate a high-density genetic map for foxtail millet. A total of
      2,668,587 SNP loci were detected according to the reference genome sequence;
      meanwhile, 9,968 SNP markers were used to genotype 124 F2 progenies derived from
      the cross between Hongmiaozhangu and Changnong35; a high-density genetic map
      spanning 1648.8 cM, with an average distance of 0.17 cM between adjacent markers
      was constructed; 11 major QTLs for eight agronomic traits were identified; five
      co-dominant DNA markers were developed. These findings will be of value for the
      identification of candidate genes and marker-assisted selection in foxtail
      millet.

PMID- 28644844
TI  - Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor attenuates ischemia-reperfusion induced acute lung
      injury.
AB  - Ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is implicated in
      several clinical conditions including lung transplantation, cardiopulmonary
      bypass surgery, re-expansion of collapsed lung from pneumothorax or pleural
      effusion and etc. IR-induced ALI remains a challenge in the current treatment.
      Carbonic anhydrase has important physiological function and influences on
      transport of CO2. Some investigators suggest that CO2 influences lung injury.
      Therefore, carbonic anhydrase should have the role in ALI. This study was
      undertaken to define the effect of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, acetazolamide
      (AZA), in IR-induced ALI, that was conducted in a rat model of isolated-perfused
      lung with 30 minutes of ischemia and 90 minutes of reperfusion. The animals were
      divided into six groups (n = 6 per group): sham, sham + AZA 200 mg/kg body weight
      (BW), IR, IR + AZA 100 mg/kg BW, IR + AZA 200 mg/kg BW and IR+ AZA 400 mg/kg BW.
      IR caused significant pulmonary micro-vascular hyper-permeability, pulmonary
      edema, pulmonary hypertension, neutrophilic sequestration, and an increase in the
      expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Increases in carbonic anhydrase
      expression and perfusate pCO2 levels were noted, while decreased Na-K-ATPase
      expression was noted after IR. Administration of 200mg/kg BW and 400mg/kg BW AZA
      significantly suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha,
      IL-1, IL-6 and IL-17) and attenuated IR-induced lung injury, represented by
      decreases in pulmonary hyper-permeability, pulmonary edema, pulmonary
      hypertension and neutrophilic sequestration. AZA attenuated IR-induced lung
      injury, associated with decreases in carbonic anhydrase expression and pCO2
      levels, as well as restoration of Na-K-ATPase expression.

PMID- 28644845
TI  - Lipo-PGE1 suppresses collagen production in human dermal fibroblasts via the
      ERK/Ets-1 signaling pathway.
AB  - Dysregulation of collagen production contributes to various pathological
      processes, including tissue fibrosis as well as impaired wound healing. Lipo
      prostaglandin E1 (Lipo-PGE1), a lipid microsphere-incorporated prostaglandin E1,
      is used as a vasodilator for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases. Lipo
      PGE1 was recently shown to enhance human dermal fibroblast (HDF) migration and in
      vivo wound healing. No published study has characterized the role of Lipo-PGE1 in
      collagen regulation in HDFs. Here, we investigated the cellular signaling
      mechanism by which Lipo-PGE1 regulates collagen in HDFs. Collagen production was
      evaluated by the Sircol collagen assay, Western blot analysis of type I collagen
      and real time PCR. Unexpectedly, Lipo-PGE1 decreased mRNA expression of collagen
      1A1, 1A2, and 3A1. Lipo-PGE1 markedly inhibited type I collagen and total soluble
      collagen production. In addition, Lipo-PGE1 inhibited transforming growth factor
      beta-induced collagen expression via Smad2 phosphorylation. To further
      investigate whether extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/Ets-1 signaling,
      a crucial pathway in collagen regulation, is involved in Lipo-PGE1-inhibited
      collagen production, cells were pretreated with an ERK-specific inhibitor,
      PD98059, prior to the addition of Lipo-PGE1. Lipo-PGE1-inhibited collagen mRNA
      expression and total soluble collagen production were recovered by pretreatment
      with PD98059. Moreover, Lipo-PGE1 directly induced the phosphorylation of ERK.
      Furthermore, silencing of Ets-1 recovered Lipo-PGE1-inhibited collagen production
      and PD98059 blocked Lipo-PGE1-enhanced Ets-1 expression. The present study
      reveals an important role for Lipo-PGE1 as a negative regulator of collagen gene
      expression and production via ERK/Ets-1 signaling. These results suggest that
      Lipo-PGE1 could potentially be a therapeutic target in diseases with deregulated
      collagen turnover.

PMID- 28644846
TI  - The tree balance signature of mass extinction is erased by continued evolution in
      clades of constrained size with trait-dependent speciation.
AB  - The kind and duration of phylogenetic topological "signatures" left in the wake
      of macroevolutionary events remain poorly understood. To this end, we examined a
      broad range of simulated phylogenies generated using trait-biased, heritable
      speciation probabilities and mass extinction that could be either random or
      selective on trait value, but also using background extinction and diversity
      dependence to constrain clade sizes. In keeping with prior results, random mass
      extinction increased imbalance of clades that recovered to pre-extinction size,
      but was a relatively weak effect. Mass extinction that was selective on trait
      values tended to produce clades of similar or greater balance compared to random
      extinction or controls. Allowing evolution to continue past the point of clade
      size recovery resulted in erosion and eventual erasure of this signal, with all
      treatments converging on similar values of imbalance, except for very intense
      extinction regimes targeted at taxa with high speciation rates. Return to a more
      balanced state with extended post-extinction evolution was also associated with
      loss of the previous phylogenetic root in most treatments. These results further
      demonstrate that while a mass extinction event can produce a recognizable
      phylogenetic signal, its effects become increasingly obscured the further an
      evolving clade gets from that event, with any sharp imbalance due to unrelated
      evolutionary factors.

PMID- 28644847
TI  - Role of classic signs as diagnostic predictors for enteric fever among returned
      travellers: Relative bradycardia and eosinopenia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The lack of characteristic clinical findings and accurate diagnostic
      tools has made the diagnosis of enteric fever difficult. We evaluated the classic
      signs of relative bradycardia and eosinopenia as diagnostic predictors for
      enteric fever among travellers who had returned from the tropics or subtropics.
      METHODS: This matched case-control study used data from 2006 to 2015 for culture
      proven enteric fever patients as cases. Febrile patients (>38.3 degrees C) with
      non-enteric fever, who had returned from the tropics or subtropics, were matched
      to the cases in a 1:3 ratio by age (+/-3 years), sex, and year of diagnosis as
      controls. Cunha's criteria were used for relative bradycardia. Absolute
      eosinopenia was defined as an eosinophilic count of 0/MUL. RESULTS: Data from 160
      patients (40 cases and 120 controls) were analysed. Cases predominantly returned
      from South Asia (70% versus 18%, p <0.001). Relative bradycardia (88% versus 51%,
      p <0.001) and absolute eosinopenia (63% versus 38%, p = 0.008) were more frequent
      in cases than controls. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, return from
      South Asia (aOR: 21.6; 95% CI: 7.17-64.9) and relative bradycardia (aOR: 11.7;
      95% CI: 3.21-42.5) were independent predictors for a diagnosis of enteric fever.
      The positive likelihood ratio was 4.00 (95% CI: 2.58-6.20) for return from South
      Asia, 1.72 (95% CI: 1.39-2.13) for relative bradycardia, and 1.63 (95%CI: 1.17
      2.27) for absolute eosinopenia. The negative predictive values of the three
      variables were notably high (83-92%);. however, positive predictive values were
      35-57%. CONCLUSIONS: The classic signs of relative bradycardia and eosinopenia
      were not specific for enteric fever; however both met the criteria for being
      diagnostic predictors for enteric fever. Among febrile returned travellers,
      relative bradycardia and eosinopenia should be re-evaluated for predicting a
      diagnosis of enteric fever in non-endemic areas prior to obtaining blood
      cultures.

PMID- 28644848
TI  - Exploring the differences between pet and non-pet owners: Implications for human
      animal interaction research and policy.
AB  - There is conflicting evidence about whether living with pets results in better
      mental and physical health outcomes, with the majority of the empirical research
      evidence being inconclusive due to methodological limitations. We briefly review
      the research evidence, including the hypothesized mechanisms through which pet
      ownership may influence health outcomes. This study examines how pet and non-pet
      owners differ across a variety of socio-demographic and health measures, which
      has implications for the proper interpretation of a large number of correlational
      studies that attempt to draw causal attributions. We use a large, population
      based survey from California administered in 2003 (n = 42,044) and find that pet
      owners and non-pet owners differ across many traits, including gender, age,
      race/ethnicity, living arrangements, and income. We include a discussion about
      how the factors associated with the selection into the pet ownership group are
      related to a range of mental and physical health outcomes. Finally, we provide
      guidance on how to properly model the effects of pet ownership on health to
      accurately estimate this relationship in the general population.

PMID- 28644849
TI  - Rapid development of cyanobacterial crust in the field for combating
      desertification.
AB  - Desertification is currently a major concern, and vast regions have already been
      devastated in the arid zones of many countries. Combined application of
      cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals is a novel method of restoring
      desertified areas. Three cyanobacteria, Nostoc sp. Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault,
      Phormidium sp. Kutzing ex Gomont and Scytonema arcangeli Bornet ex Flahault were
      isolated and tested in this study. Tacki-SprayTM (TKS7), which consists of bio
      polysaccharides and tackifiers, was used as a soil fixing agent. In addition,
      superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was applied to the soil as a water-holding material
      and nutrient supplement. Application of cyanobacteria with superabsorbent polymer
      and TKS7 (CST) remarkably improved macro-aggregate stability against water and
      erodibility against wind after 12 months of inoculation when compared to the
      control soil. The mean weight diameter and threshold friction velocity of the CST
      treated soil were found to be 75% and 88% of those of the approximately 20-year
      old natural cyanobacterial crust (N-BSC), respectively, while these values were
      68% and 73% of those of the N-BSC soil after a single treatment of cyanobacteria
      alone (CY). Interestingly, biological activities of CST were similar to those of
      CY. Total carbohydrate contents, cyanobacterial biomass, microbial biomass, soil
      respiration, carbon fixation and effective quantum yield of CST treated soil were
      enhanced by 50-100% of the N-BSC, while those of control soil were negligible.
      Our results suggest that combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing
      chemicals can rapidly develop cyanobacterial crust formation in the field within
      12 months. The physical properties and biological activities of the inoculated
      cyanobacterial crust were stable during the study period. The novel method
      presented herein serves as another approach for combating desertification in arid
      regions.

PMID- 28644850
TI  - Visceral adiposity index predicts the conversion of metabolically healthy obesity
      to an unhealthy phenotype.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Some individuals with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) convert to
      metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) phenotype, and visceral adiposity is one of
      proposed mechanisms underlying such conversion. Visceral adipose index (VAI) is a
      novel mathematical model which estimates visceral adiposity based on
      anthropometric and lipid profiles. We aimed to determine the association of VAI
      estimated visceral adiposity with the MHO-to-MUO conversion and the predictive
      value of VAI in estimating such unfavorable outcomes. METHODS: A total of 2,204
      Korean subjects with the MHO phenotype were enrolled and stratified by body mass
      index and metabolic health state according to Wildman criteria at baseline and
      last follow-up examinations. VAI was calculated at baseline. RESULTS: Over a
      median follow-up period of 41.1 months, 46.0% of subjects converted to MUO
      phenotype. Higher VAI quartiles were associated with a greater proportion of
      subjects who underwent MHO-to-MUO conversion, and also with increased odds ratios
      for such conversion even after multivariate analyses. The optimal VAI cut off
      value was around 1.00, and VAI had a greater power in the prediction of MHO-to
      MUO conversion than waist circumference in both genders. CONCLUSION: MHO
      phenotypes with high VAI values are associated with poor future metabolic
      outcomes. VAI-estimated visceral adiposity is well correlated with the prognosis
      of MHO subjects, and VAI has a good predictive value in determining the MHO-to
      MUO conversion.

PMID- 28644852
TI  - Comparisons of retinal vessel diameter and glaucomatous parameters between both
      eyes of subjects with clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX), the most common identifiable cause of
      open-angle glaucoma, might affect the retinal hemodynamics. To test this, we
      compared retinal vessel diameter and glaucoma-related parameters between eyes
      with pseudoexfoliation material (PE+) and fellow unaffected (PE-) eyes of
      patients with clinically unilateral PEX. METHODS: The medical records of 30
      consecutive Japanese subjects were reviewed retrospectively. The retinal vessel
      diameters were measured and expressed as the central retinal arteriolar
      equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) using
      standardized software. During the chart review, we recorded glaucoma-related
      parameters including intraocular pressure (IOP), visual field mean deviation (MD)
      value, planimetrically measured vertical cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio, circumpapillary
      retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFLT) and macular inner retinal thickness
      (mIRT) measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, anterior chamber
      flare (ACF), corneal endothelial cell density (CECD), and number of antiglaucoma
      medications. RESULTS: Compared with PE- eyes, the CRAE, CRVE, MD, cpRNFLT and
      mIRT, and CECD were significantly lower in PE+ eyes; the IOP, vertical C/D ratio,
      number of antiglaucoma medications, and ACF were significantly higher in PE+ eyes
      (P<0.0001 for all comparisons). The CRAE, cpRNFLT, and MD were correlated
      positively with each other (rho = 0.456-0.499, P<0.0001-0.0002) and negatively
      with the IOP (rho = -0.562- -0.432, P<0.0001-0.0006). The vertical C/D ratio was
      correlated positively with the IOP (rho = 0.483, P<0.0001) and negatively with
      the CRAE, cpRNFLT, and MD (rho = -0.745--0.479, P<0.0001-0.0001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Deposition of PE can cause retinal vessel narrowing in arterioles and venules.
      The roles and mechanisms of retinal vessel narrowing in glaucoma pathogenesis
      need clarification.

PMID- 28644851
TI  - Comorbidities in the diseasome are more apparent than real: What Bayesian
      filtering reveals about the comorbidities of depression.
AB  - Comorbidity patterns have become a major source of information to explore shared
      mechanisms of pathogenesis between disorders. In hypothesis-free exploration of
      comorbid conditions, disease-disease networks are usually identified by pairwise
      methods. However, interpretation of the results is hindered by several
      confounders. In particular a very large number of pairwise associations can arise
      indirectly through other comorbidity associations and they increase exponentially
      with the increasing breadth of the investigated diseases. To investigate and
      filter this effect, we computed and compared pairwise approaches with a systems
      based method, which constructs a sparse Bayesian direct multimorbidity map (BDMM)
      by systematically eliminating disease-mediated comorbidity relations.
      Additionally, focusing on depression-related parts of the BDMM, we evaluated
      correspondence with results from logistic regression, text-mining and molecular
      level measures for comorbidities such as genetic overlap and the interactome
      based association score. We used a subset of the UK Biobank Resource, a cross
      sectional dataset including 247 diseases and 117,392 participants who filled out
      a detailed questionnaire about mental health. The sparse comorbidity map
      confirmed that depressed patients frequently suffer from both psychiatric and
      somatic comorbid disorders. Notably, anxiety and obesity show strong and direct
      relationships with depression. The BDMM identified further directly co-morbid
      somatic disorders, e.g. irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, or migraine.
      Using the subnetwork of depression and metabolic disorders for functional
      analysis, the interactome-based system-level score showed the best agreement with
      the sparse disease network. This indicates that these epidemiologically strong
      disease-disease relations have improved correspondence with expected molecular
      level mechanisms. The substantially fewer number of comorbidity relations in the
      BDMM compared to pairwise methods implies that biologically meaningful comorbid
      relations may be less frequent than earlier pairwise methods suggested. The
      computed interactive comprehensive multimorbidity views over the diseasome are
      available on the web at Co=MorNet: bioinformatics.mit.bme.hu/UKBNetworks.

PMID- 28644853
TI  - The novel phospholipid mimetic KPC34 is highly active against preclinical models
      of Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - Philadelphia chromosome positive B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) is
      an aggressive cancer of the bone marrow. The addition of tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors (TKIs) has improved outcomes but many patients still suffer relapse
      and novel therapeutic agents are needed. KPC34 is an orally available, novel
      phospholipid conjugate of gemcitabine, rationally designed to overcome multiple
      mechanisms of resistance, inhibit the classical and novel isoforms of protein
      kinase C, is able to cross the blood brain barrier and is orally bioavailable.
      KPC34 had an IC50 in the nanomolar range against multiple ALL cell lines tested
      but was lowest for Ph+ lines. In mice bearing either naive or resistant Ph+ ALL,
      KPC34 treatment resulted in significantly improved survival compared to
      cytarabine and gemcitabine. Treatment with KPC34 and doxorubicin was more
      effective than doxorubicin and cytarabine. Mice with recurrence of their ALL
      after initial treatment with cytarabine and doxorubicin saw dramatic improvements
      in hind limb paralysis after treatment with KPC34 demonstrating activity against
      established CNS disease. Consistent with this KPC34 was better than gemcitabine
      at reducing CNS leukemic burden. These promising pre-clinical results justify the
      continued development of KPC34 for the treatment of Ph+ALL.

PMID- 28644854
TI  - An independently reconfigurable dual-mode dual-band substrate integrated
      waveguide filter.
AB  - In this paper, a novel perturbation approach for implementing the independently
      reconfigurable dual-mode dual-band substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) filter is
      proposed. Dual-frequency manipulation is achieved by adding perturbation via
      holes (the first variable) and changing the lengths of the interference slot (the
      second variable) in each cavity. The independent control of the upper passband
      only depends on the second variable while the lower passband is independently
      tuned by combining the two variables. Using such a design method, a two-cavity
      dual-band SIW filter is designed and experimentally assessed with four via-holes
      and an interference slot in each cavity. The dual-band filter not only has a
      frequency ratio (fR) ranging from 1.14 to 1.58 but also can be considered as a
      single passband one with a tunable range of 40.5% from 1.26 GHz to 2.12 GHz. The
      scattering parameters |S11| and |S21| are in the range of -10.72 dB to -37.17 dB
      and -3.67 dB to -7.22 dB in the operating dual bands, respectively. All the
      simulated and measured results show an acceptable agreement with the predicted
      data.

PMID- 28644855
TI  - Comparison of the miRNA expression profiles in fresh frozen and formalin-fixed
      paraffin-embedded tonsillar tumors.
AB  - MicroRNAs are considered as promising prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers of
      human cancer since their profiles differ between tumor types. Most of the tumor
      profiling studies were performed on rarely available fresh frozen (FF) samples.
      Alternatively, archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples
      are also well applicable to larger-scale retrospective miRNA profiling studies.
      The aim of this study was to perform systematic comparison of the miRNA
      expression profiles between FF and macrodissected FFPE tonsillar tumors using the
      TaqMan Low Density Array system, with the data processed by different software
      programs and two types of normalization methods. We observed a marked correlation
      between the miRNA expression profiles of paired FF and FFPE samples; however,
      only 27-38% of the differentially deregulated miRNAs overlapped between the two
      source systems. The comparison of the results with regard to the distinct modes
      of data normalization revealed an overlap in 58-67% of differentially expressed
      miRNAs, with no influence of the choice of software platform. Our study
      highlights the fact that for an accurate comparison of the miRNA expression
      profiles from published studies, it is important to use the same type of clinical
      material and to test and select the best-performing normalization method for data
      analysis.

PMID- 28644856
TI  - Estimating psychopathological networks: Be careful what you wish for.
AB  - Network models, in which psychopathological disorders are conceptualized as a
      complex interplay of psychological and biological components, have become
      increasingly popular in the recent psychopathological literature (Borsboom, et.
      al., 2011). These network models often contain significant numbers of unknown
      parameters, yet the sample sizes available in psychological research are limited.
      As such, general assumptions about the true network are introduced to reduce the
      number of free parameters. Incorporating these assumptions, however, means that
      the resulting network will lead to reflect the particular structure assumed by
      the estimation method-a crucial and often ignored aspect of psychopathological
      networks. For example, observing a sparse structure and simultaneously assuming a
      sparse structure does not imply that the true model is, in fact, sparse. To
      illustrate this point, we discuss recent literature and show the effect of the
      assumption of sparsity in three simulation studies.

PMID- 28644857
TI  - Beneficial effects of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. flower aqueous extract in
      pregnant rats with diabetes.
AB  - PURPOSE: The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower is widely used in Brazilian
      traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes and has shown antifertility
      activity in female Wistar rats. However, there is no scientific confirmation of
      its effect on diabetes and pregnancy. The aim of this study was evaluate the
      effect of aqueous extract of H. rosa-sinensis flowers on maternal-fetal outcome
      in pregnant rats with diabetes. METHODS: Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin
      (STZ, 40 mg/kg) in virgin, adult, female Wistar rats. After diabetes induction,
      the rats were mated. The pregnant rats were distributed into four groups (n
      minimum = 11 animals/group): non-diabetic, non-diabetic treated, diabetic, and
      diabetic treated. Oral aqueous extract of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was administered
      to rats in the treatment groups during pregnancy. At term pregnancy, maternal
      reproductive outcomes, fetal parameters, and biochemical parameters were
      analyzed. RESULTS: The non-diabetic treated group showed decreased high density
      lipoprotein cholesterol, increased atherogenic index (AI) and coronary artery
      risk index (CRI), and increased preimplantation loss rate compared to the non
      diabetic group. Although treatment with H. rosa-sinensis led to no toxicity, it
      showed deleterious effects on cardiac and reproductive functions. However, the
      diabetic treated group showed increased maternal and fetal weights, reduced AI
      and CRI, and reduced preimplantation loss rate compared to the untreated diabetic
      group. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate beneficial effects of this flower only
      in pregnant rats with diabetes and their offspring. Although these findings
      cannot be extrapolated to human clinical use, they show that the indiscriminate
      intake of H. rosa-sinensis may be harmful to healthy individuals and its use
      should be completely avoided in pregnancy.

PMID- 28644858
TI  - The flame retardant DE-71 (a mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers) inhibits
      human differentiated thyroid cell function in vitro.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Normal thyroid function is essential for general growth and
      metabolism, but can be affected by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
      Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used worldwide to reduce
      flammability in different materials and are suspected to be EDCs. The production
      of the commercial Penta- and OctaBDE mixtures is banned, but DecaBDEs and
      existing products may leak PBDEs into the environment. Our aim was to investigate
      the effect of the PentaBDE mixture DE-71 on human thyroid cells in vitro.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary human thyroid cells were obtained as
      paraadenomatous tissue and cultured in monolayers. The influence of DE-71 on
      cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and thyroglobulin (Tg) production was
      examined in the culture medium by competitive radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of thyroid
      specific genes was performed on the exposed cell cultures. PBDE concentrations
      were determined in cellular and supernatant fractions of the cultures. RESULTS:
      DE-71 inhibited Tg-release from TSH-stimulated thyrocytes. At 50 mg/L DE-71, mean
      Tg production was reduced by 71.9% (range: 8.5-98.7%), and cAMP by 95.1% (range:
      91.5-98.8%) compared to controls). Expression of mRNA encoding Tg, TPO and TSHr
      were significantly inhibited (p<0.0001, p = 0.0079, and p = 0.0002,
      respectively). The majority of DE-71 added was found in the cell fraction. No
      cytotoxicity was found. CONCLUSIONS: DE-71 inhibited differentiated thyroid cell
      functions in a two phase response manner and a concentration-dependent inhibition
      of Tg and cAMP production, respectively, as well as expression of mRNA encoding
      Tg, TPO and TSHr. Our findings suggest an inhibiting effect of PBDEs on thyroid
      cells.

PMID- 28644859
TI  - Grief interventions for people bereaved by suicide: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adaption to the loss of a loved one due to suicide can be complicated
      by feelings of guilt, shame, responsibility, rejection, and stigmatization.
      Therefore people bereaved by suicide have an increased risk for developing
      complicated grief which is related to negative physical and mental disorders and
      an increased risk for suicidal behavior. Grief interventions are needed for this
      vulnerable population. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an
      overview of the current state of evidence concerning the effectiveness of
      interventions that focus on grief for people bereaved by suicide. METHODS: We
      conducted a systematic literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and
      PsycINFO for articles published up until November 2016. Relevant papers were
      identified and methodological quality was assessed by independent raters. A
      narrative synthesis was conducted. RESULTS: Seven intervention studies met the
      inclusion criteria. Two interventions were based on cognitive-behavioral
      approaches, four consisted of bereavement groups, and one utilized writing
      therapy. As five of the seven interventions were effective in reducing grief
      intensity on at least one outcome measure, there is some evidence that they are
      beneficial. Bereavement groups tend to be effective in lowering the intensity of
      uncomplicated grief, as are writing interventions in lowering suicide-specific
      aspects of grief. Cognitive-behavioral programs were helpful for a subpopulation
      of people who had high levels of suicidal ideation. LIMITATION: On average,
      methodological quality was low so the evidence for benefits is not robust. The
      stability of treatment effects could not be determined as follow-up assessments
      are rare. Generalizability is limited due to homogeneous enrollments of mainly
      female, white, middle-aged individuals. CONCLUSIONS: People bereaved by suicide
      are especially vulnerable to developing complicated grief. Therefore, grief
      therapies should be adapted to and evaluated in this population. Prevention of
      complicated grief may be successful in populations of high risk individuals.

PMID- 28644860
TI  - Time dependent genetic analysis links field and controlled environment phenotypes
      in the model C4 grass Setaria.
AB  - Vertical growth of plants is a dynamic process that is influenced by genetic and
      environmental factors and has a pronounced effect on overall plant architecture
      and biomass composition. We have performed six controlled growth trials of an
      interspecific Setaria italica x Setaria viridis recombinant inbred line
      population to assess how the genetic architecture of plant height is influenced
      by developmental queues, water availability and planting density. The non
      destructive nature of plant height measurements has enabled us to monitor height
      throughout the plant life cycle in both field and controlled environments. We
      find that plant height is reduced under water limitation and high density
      planting and affected by growth environment (field vs. growth chamber). The
      results support a model where plant height is a heritable, polygenic trait and
      that the major genetic loci that influence plant height function independent of
      growth environment. The identity and contribution of loci that influence height
      changes dynamically throughout development and the reduction of growth observed
      in water limited environments is a consequence of delayed progression through the
      genetic program which establishes plant height in Setaria. In this population,
      alleles inherited from the weedy S. viridis parent act to increase plant height
      early, whereas a larger number of small effect alleles inherited from the
      domesticated S. italica parent collectively act to increase plant height later in
      development.

PMID- 28644861
TI  - Impact of Ki67 re-assessment at time of disease progression in patients with
      pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although re-assessment of proliferative activity by K67 evaluation
      during the course of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) is recommended in selected
      patients, its impact on patients' management is not clear due to the lack of data
      supporting this practice. AIM: To investigate Ki67 change at time of progressive
      disease (PD) in entero-pancreatic NENs (EP-NENs). PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      Retrospective analysis of sporadic EP-NENs which received histological re
      assessment after PD once radiologically documented. RESULTS: Forty-three patients
      were evaluated, including 24 pancreatic NENs (PNENs), and 19 small intestine NENs
      (SI-NENs). At time of initial histological evaluation, 19 patients had grade 1
      (G1) NETs (44.2%), and 24 grade 2 (G2) NETs (55.8%), overall median Ki67 being 3%
      (range 1%-20%). At time of PD, 13 patients had G1 NETs (30.2%), 26 G2 NETs
      (60.5%), and 4 had grade 3 (G3) NECs (9.3%), thus resulting in a significant
      median Ki67 increase (8%, range 1%-70%; p = 0.0006), and a G upgrading in 12
      patients (27.9%). A statistically significant Ki67 increase and G grading change
      at time of PD was observed in PNENs (p = 0.0005 and p = 0.028, respectively).
      Conversely, no statistically significant change occurred in non-PNENs.
      CONCLUSIONS: In PNENs with documented PD, Ki67 increase occurs in a significant
      proportion of patients, providing useful information necessary to choose
      appropriate therapeutic options.

PMID- 28644863
TI  - A rule-based named-entity recognition method for knowledge extraction of evidence
      based dietary recommendations.
AB  - Evidence-based dietary information represented as unstructured text is a crucial
      information that needs to be accessed in order to help dietitians follow the new
      knowledge arrives daily with newly published scientific reports. Different named
      entity recognition (NER) methods have been introduced previously to extract
      useful information from the biomedical literature. They are focused on, for
      example extracting gene mentions, proteins mentions, relationships between genes
      and proteins, chemical concepts and relationships between drugs and diseases. In
      this paper, we present a novel NER method, called drNER, for knowledge extraction
      of evidence-based dietary information. To the best of our knowledge this is the
      first attempt at extracting dietary concepts. DrNER is a rule-based NER that
      consists of two phases. The first one involves the detection and determination of
      the entities mention, and the second one involves the selection and extraction of
      the entities. We evaluate the method by using text corpora from heterogeneous
      sources, including text from several scientifically validated web sites and text
      from scientific publications. Evaluation of the method showed that drNER gives
      good results and can be used for knowledge extraction of evidence-based dietary
      recommendations.

PMID- 28644862
TI  - High-intensity corneal collagen crosslinking with riboflavin and UVA in rat
      cornea.
AB  - Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) halts human corneal ectasias progression by
      increasing stromal mechanical stiffness. Although some reports describe that this
      procedure is effective in dealing with some infectious and immunologic corneal
      thinning diseases, there is a need for more animal models whose corneal thickness
      more closely resemble those occurring in these patients. To meet this need, we
      describe here high-intensity protocols that are safe and effective for obtaining
      CXL in rat corneas. Initially, a range of potentially effective UVA doses were
      evaluated based on their effectiveness in increasing tissue enzymatic resistance
      to dissolution. At UVA doses higher than a threshold level of 0.54 J/cm2,
      resistance to enzymatic digestion increased relative to that in non-irradiated
      corneas. Based on the theoretical threshold CXL dose, a CXL regimen was
      established in which the UVA tissue irradiance was 9 mW/cm2, which was delivered
      at doses of either 2.16, 2.7 or 3.24 J/cm2. Their dose dependent effects were
      evaluated on ocular surface morphological integrity, keratocyte apoptotic
      frequency, tissue thickness and endothelial cell layer density. Doses of 2.16 and
      2.7 J/cm2 transiently decreased normal corneal transparency and increased
      thickness. These effects were fully reversed after 14 days. In contrast, 3.24
      J/cm2 had more irreversible side effects. Three days after treatment, apoptotic
      frequency in the CXL-2.16 group was lower than that at higher doses. Endothelial
      cell losses remained evident only in the CXL-3.24 group at 42 days posttreatment.
      Stromal fiber thickening was evident in all the CXL-treated groups. We determined
      both the threshold UVA dose using the high-intensity CXL procedure and identified
      an effective dose range that provides optimal CXL with minimal transient side
      effects in the rat cornea. These results may help to provide insight into how to
      improve the CXL outcome in patients afflicted with a severe corneal thinning
      disease.

PMID- 28644865
TI  - Test designs and modeling under the general nominal diagnosis model framework.
AB  - Most psychological questionnaires face issues of response bias in respondent
      reported scales, inadequacy for criterion-reference testing, or difficulty in
      estimating a large number of latent traits. Situational tests together with the
      general nominal diagnosis model framework provide a viable alternative to
      alleviate these concerns. Under this framework, there are different ways to
      design situationally nominal items, which can offer more flexibility for test
      development. Any response bias remaining with respondent-reported questionnaires
      may be addressed with appropriate test designs. The saturated model subsumes
      different reduced forms that can help inform whether the test is designed as
      expected. Two simulation studies are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness
      of the models and designs.

PMID- 28644864
TI  - Overexpression and characterization of two types of nitrile hydratases from
      Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1.
AB  - Nitrile hydratase (NHase) from Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1 is widely used for
      industrial production of acrylamide and nicotinamide. However, the two types of
      NHases (L-NHase and H-NHase) from R. rhodochrous J1 were only slightly expressed
      in E. coli by routine methods, which limits the comprehensive and systematic
      characterization of the enzyme properties. We successfully expressed the two
      types of recombinant NHases in E. coli by codon-optimization, engineering of
      Ribosome Binding Site (RBS) and spacer sequences. The specific activity of the
      purified L-NHase and H-NHase were 400 U/mg and 234 U/mg, respectively. The
      molecular mass of L-NHase and H-NHase was identified to be 94 kDa and 504 kDa,
      respectively, indicating that the quaternary structure of the two types of NHases
      was the same as those in R. rhodochrous J1. H-NHase exhibited higher substrate
      and product tolerance than L-NHase. Moreover, higher activity and shorter culture
      time were achieved in recombinant E. coli, and the whole cell catalyst of
      recombinant E. coli harboring H-NHase has equivalent efficiency in tolerance to
      the high-concentration product relative to that in R. rhodochrous J1. These
      results indicate that biotransformation of nitrile by R. rhodochrous J1
      represents a potential alternative to NHase-producing E. coli.

PMID- 28644866
TI  - The high tolerance to aluminium in crucian carp (Carassius carassius) is
      associated with its ability to avoid hypoxia.
AB  - It is well known that aluminium is the principle toxicant killing fish in
      acidified freshwater systems, and it has been shown that crucian carp (Carassius
      carassius) can survive exposures to aqueous aluminium levels toxic to most other
      freshwater fish species. The crucian carp has a remarkable ability to survive
      anoxic conditions, and the aim of the present study was to reveal if the
      tolerance to aluminium can be associated with the ability to survive prolonged
      anoxia. Crucian carps were exposed to either acidic Al-rich water (pH 5.8; 960
      MUg Al/l), acidic Al-poor water (pH 5.8; 50 MUg Al/l) or untreated control water
      (pH 6.5; 50 MUg Al/l). Blood, muscle and gill samples were collected from exposed
      fish, and closed respirometry was performed to measure critical O2-tension an
      normoxic O2-consumption. The results show an increased gill surface area in Al
      exposed fish, while the critical O2-tension did not change. The normoxic O2
      consumption was lower in Al-exposed fish and might be due to a reduced metabolic
      rate. The results suggest that crucian carp exposed to aluminium do not become
      hypoxic, since haematocrit, plasma lactate and blood ethanol did not differ from
      that of control fish after 14 days of exposure. We also observed an initial loss
      of plasma chloride and sodium, followed by a stabilisation of these ions at a
      lower level than in control fish. The decrease in plasma ions caused a transient
      increase in haematocrit and water content in muscle tissue, returning to control
      levels when the ion concentrations stabilised, suggesting that the water balance
      was restored. We conclude that the high tolerance to aluminium in crucian carp is
      associated with its ability to avoid hypoxia as well as an ability to counteract
      a continuous loss of plasma ions.

PMID- 28644867
TI  - Host-derived apolipoproteins play comparable roles with viral secretory proteins
      Erns and NS1 in the infectious particle formation of Flaviviridae.
AB  - Amphipathic alpha-helices of exchangeable apolipoproteins have shown to play
      crucial roles in the formation of infectious hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles
      through the interaction with viral particles. Among the Flaviviridae members,
      pestivirus and flavivirus possess a viral structural protein Erns or a non
      structural protein 1 (NS1) as secretory glycoproteins, respectively, while
      Hepacivirus including HCV has no secretory glycoprotein. In case of pestivirus
      replication, the C-terminal long amphipathic alpha-helices of Erns are important
      for anchoring to viral membrane. Here we show that host-derived apolipoproteins
      play functional roles similar to those of virally encoded Erns and NS1 in the
      formation of infectious particles. We examined whether Erns and NS1 could
      compensate for the role of apolipoproteins in particle formation of HCV in
      apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and ApoE double-knockout Huh7 (BE-KO), and non-hepatic
      293T cells. We found that exogenous expression of either Erns or NS1 rescued
      infectious particle formation of HCV in the BE-KO and 293T cells. In addition,
      expression of apolipoproteins or NS1 partially rescued the production of
      infectious pestivirus particles in cells upon electroporation with an Erns
      deleted non-infectious RNA. As with exchangeable apolipoproteins, the C-terminal
      amphipathic alpha-helices of Erns play the functional roles in the formation of
      infectious HCV or pestivirus particles. These results strongly suggest that the
      host- and virus-derived secretory glycoproteins have overlapping roles in the
      viral life cycle of Flaviviridae, especially in the maturation of infectious
      particles, while Erns and NS1 also participate in replication complex formation
      and viral entry, respectively. Considering the abundant hepatic expression and
      liver-specific propagation of these apolipoproteins, HCV might have evolved to
      utilize them in the formation of infectious particles through deletion of a
      secretory viral glycoprotein gene.

PMID- 28644869
TI  - Status of chemistry lab safety in Nepal.
AB  - Chemistry labs can become a dangerous environment for students as the lab
      exercises involve hazardous chemicals, glassware, and equipment. Approximately
      one hundred thousand students take chemistry laboratory classes annually in
      Nepal. We conducted a survey on chemical lab safety issues across Nepal. In this
      paper, we assess the safety policy and equipment, protocols and procedures
      followed, and waste disposal in chemistry teaching labs. Significant population
      of the respondents believed that there is no monitoring of the lab safety in
      their lab (p<0.001). Even though many labs do not allow food and beverages inside
      lab and have first aid kits, they lack some basic safety equipment. There is no
      institutional mechanism to dispose lab waste and chemical waste is disposed
      haphazardly. Majority of the respondents believed that the safety training should
      be a part of educational training (p = 0.001) and they would benefit from short
      course and/or workshop on lab safety (p<0.001).

PMID- 28644868
TI  - Electrophysiological alterations in a murine model of chronic coxsackievirus B3
      myocarditis.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is known to induce acute and chronic
      myocarditis. Most infections are clinically unapparent but some patients suffer
      from ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Studies showed
      that acute CVB3 infection may cause impaired function of cardiac ion channels,
      creating a proarrhythmic substrate. However, it is unknown whether low level
      CVB3+ expression in myocytes may cause altered cardiac electrophysiology leading
      to VA. METHODS: Cellular electrophysiology was used to analyze cellular action
      potentials (APs) and occurrence of afterdepolarizations from isolated
      cardiomyocytes of wildtype (WT) and transgenic CVB3DeltaVP0 (CVB3+) mice.
      Further, we studied surface ECGs, monophasic APs, ventricular effective
      refractory period (VERP) and inducibility of VAs in Langendorff-perfused whole
      hearts. All used cardiomyocytes and whole hearts originated from male mice.
      RESULTS: Cellular action potential duration (APD) in WT and CVB3+ myocytes was
      unchanged. No difference in mean occurrence or amplitude of afterdepolarizations
      in WT and CVB3+ myocytes was found. Interestingly, resting membrane potential in
      CVB3+ myocytes was significantly hyperpolarized (WT: -90.0+/-2.2 mV, n = 7;
      CVB3+: -114.1+/-3.0 mV, n = 14; p<0.005). Consistently, in Langendorff-perfused
      hearts, APDs were also not different between WT and CVB3+ whole hearts. Within
      both groups, we found a heart rate dependent shortening of ADP90 with increasing
      heart rate in Langendorff-perfused hearts. VERP was significantly prolonged in
      CVB3+ hearts compared to WT (WT: 36.0+/-2.7 ms, n = 5; CVB3+: 47.0+/-2.0 ms, n =
      7; p = 0.018). Resting heart rate (HR) in Langendorff-perfused hearts was not
      significantly different between both genotypes. Electrical pacing protocols
      induced no VA in WT and CVB3+ hearts. CONCLUSION: In CVB3+ mice, prolonged
      ventricular refractoriness and hyperpolarized resting membrane potentials in
      presence of unchanged APD were observed, suggesting that low level CVB3
      expression does not promote VA by altered cardiac electrophysiology in this type
      of chronic myocarditis. These findings may suggest that other mechanisms such as
      chronic myocardial inflammation or fibrosis may account for arrhythmias observed
      in patients with chronic enteroviral myocarditis.

PMID- 28644870
TI  - Effects of nicotine on corneal wound healing following acute alkali burn.
AB  - Epidemiological studies have indicated that smoking is a pivotal risk factor for
      the progression of several chronic diseases. Nicotine, the addictive component of
      cigarettes, has powerful pathophysiological properties in the body. Although the
      effects of cigarette smoking on corneal re-epithelialization have been studied,
      the effects of nicotine on corneal wound healing-related neovascularization and
      fibrosis have not been fully demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate
      the effects of chronic administration of nicotine on corneal wound healing
      following acute insult induced by an alkali burn. BALB/C female mice randomly
      received either vehicle (2% saccharin) or nicotine (100 or 200 MUg/ml in 2%
      saccharin) in drinking water ad libitum. After 1 week, animals were re-randomized
      and the experimental group was subjected to a corneal alkali burn, and then
      nicotine was administered until day 14 after the alkali burn. A corneal alkali
      burn model was generated by placing a piece of 2 mm-diameter filter paper soaked
      in 1N NaOH on the right eye. Histopathological analysis and the expression level
      of the pro-angiogenic genes vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix
      metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) revealed that chronic nicotine administration enhanced
      alkali burn-induced corneal neovascularization. Furthermore, the mRNA expression
      of the pro-fibrogenic factors alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA), transforming
      growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and collagen alpha1 (Col1) was enhanced in the
      high-concentration nicotine-treated group compared with the vehicle group after
      corneal injury. Immunohistochemical analysis also showed that the alphaSMA
      positive area was increased in chronic nicotine-treated mice after corneal alkali
      burn. An in vitro assay found that expression of the alpha3, alpha7, and beta1
      nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunits was significantly increased by
      chemical injury in human corneal fibroblast cells. Moreover, alkali-induced
      fibrogenic gene expression and proliferation of fibroblast cells were further
      increased by treatment with nicotine and cotinine. The proliferation of such
      cells induced by treatment of nicotine and cotinine was reduced by inhibition of
      the PI3K and PKC pathways using specific inhibitors. In conclusion, chronic
      administration of nicotine accelerated the angiogenic and fibrogenic healing
      processes in alkali-burned corneal tissue.

PMID- 28644871
TI  - Predicting the bounds of large chaotic systems using low-dimensional manifolds.
AB  - Predicting extrema of chaotic systems in high-dimensional phase space remains a
      challenge. Methods, which give extrema that are valid in the long term, have thus
      far been restricted to models of only a few variables. Here, a method is
      presented which treats extrema of chaotic systems as belonging to discretised
      manifolds of low dimension (low-D) embedded in high-dimensional (high-D) phase
      space. As a central feature, the method exploits that strange attractor dimension
      is generally much smaller than parent system phase space dimension. This is
      important, since the computational cost associated with discretised manifolds
      depends exponentially on their dimension. Thus, systems that would otherwise be
      associated with tremendous computational challenges, can be tackled on a laptop.
      As a test, bounding manifolds are calculated for high-D modifications of the
      canonical Duffing system. Parameters can be set such that the bounding manifold
      displays harmonic behaviour even if the underlying system is chaotic. Thus,
      solving for one post-transient forcing cycle of the bounding manifold predicts
      the extrema of the underlying chaotic problem indefinitely.

PMID- 28644874
TI  - Position and orientation inference via on-board triangulation.
AB  - This work proposes a new approach to determine the spatial location and
      orientation of an object using measurements performed on the object itself. The
      on-board triangulation algorithm we outline could be implemented in lieu of, or
      in addition to, well-known alternatives such as Global Positioning System (GPS)
      or standard triangulation, since both of these correspond to significantly
      different geometric pictures and necessitate different hardware and algorithms.
      We motivate the theory by describing situations in which on-board triangulation
      would be useful and even preferable to standard methods. The on-board
      triangulation algorithm we outline involves utilizing dumb beacons which
      broadcast omnidirectional single frequency radio waves, and smart antenna arrays
      on the object itself to infer the direction of the beacon signals, which may be
      used for onboard calculation of the position and orientation of the object.
      Numerical examples demonstrate the utility of the method and its noise tolerance.

PMID- 28644872
TI  - Helicobacter pylori gene silencing in vivo demonstrates urease is essential for
      chronic infection.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori infection causes chronic active gastritis that after many
      years of infection can develop into peptic ulceration or gastric adenocarcinoma.
      The bacterium is highly adapted to surviving in the gastric environment and a key
      adaptation is the virulence factor urease. Although widely postulated, the
      requirement of urease expression for persistent infection has not been elucidated
      experimentally as conventional urease knockout mutants are incapable of
      colonization. To overcome this constraint, conditional H. pylori urease mutants
      were constructed by adapting the tetracycline inducible expression system that
      enabled changing the urease phenotype of the bacteria during established
      infection. Through tight regulation we demonstrate that urease expression is not
      only required for establishing initial colonization but also for maintaining
      chronic infection. Furthermore, successful isolation of tet-escape mutants from a
      late infection time point revealed the strong selective pressure on this gastric
      pathogen to continuously express urease in order to maintain chronic infection.
      In addition to mutations in the conditional gene expression system, escape
      mutants were found to harbor changes in other genes including the alternative RNA
      polymerase sigma factor, fliA, highlighting the genetic plasticity of H. pylori
      to adapt to a changing niche. The tet-system described here opens up
      opportunities to studying genes involved in the chronic stage of H. pylori
      infection to gain insight into bacterial mechanisms promoting immune escape and
      life-long infection. Furthermore, this genetic tool also allows for a new avenue
      of inquiry into understanding the importance of various virulence determinants in
      a changing biological environment when the bacterium is put under duress.

PMID- 28644873
TI  - Circular RNA expression profiling of human granulosa cells during maternal aging
      reveals novel transcripts associated with assisted reproductive technology
      outcomes.
AB  - Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a unique class of endogenous RNAs which could be
      used as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of many diseases. Our
      study aimed to investigate circRNA profiles in human granulosa cells (GCs) during
      maternal aging and to uncover age-related circRNA variations that potentially
      reflect decreased oocyte competence. CircRNAs in GCs from in vitro fertilization
      (IVF) patients with young age (YA, <= 30 years) and advanced age (AA, >= 38
      years) were profiled by microarray, and validated in 20 paired samples. The
      correlation between circRNAs expression and clinical characteristics was analyzed
      in additional 80 samples. Chip-based analysis revealed 46 up-regulated and 11
      down-regulated circRNAs in AA samples (fold change > 2.0). Specifically,
      circRNA_103829, circRNA_103827 and circRNA_104816 were validated to be up
      regulated, while circRNA_101889 was down-regulated in AA samples. After
      adjustment for gonadotropin treatment, only circRNA_103827 and circRNA_104816
      levels were positively associated with maternal age (partial r = 0.332, P =
      0.045; partial r = 0.473, P = 0.003; respectively). Moreover, circRNA_103827 and
      circRNA_104816 expressions in GCs were negatively correlated with the number of
      top quality embryos (r = -0.235, P = 0.036; r = -0.221, P = 0.049; respectively).
      Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that the
      performance of circRNA_103827 for live birth prediction reached 0.698 [0.570
      0.825], with 77.2% sensitivity and 60.9% specificity (P = 0.006), and that of
      circRNA_104816 was 0.645 [0.507-0.783] (P = 0.043). Bioinformatics analysis
      revealed that both circRNAs were potentially involved in glucose metabolism,
      mitotic cell cycle, and ovarian steroidogenesis. Therefore, age-related up
      regulation of circRNA_103827 and circRNA_104816 might be potential indicators of
      compromised follicular micro-environment which could be used to predict IVF
      prognosis, and improve female infertility management.

PMID- 28644875
TI  - Estimation of the optimal dosing regimen of escitalopram in dogs: A dose
      occupancy study with [11C]DASB.
AB  - Although the favourable characteristics of escitalopram as being the most
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and having an increased therapeutic
      efficacy via binding on an additional allosteric binding site of the serotonin
      transporter, its dosing regimen has not yet been optimized for its use in dogs.
      This study aimed to estimate the optimal dosing frequency and the required dose
      for achieving 80% occupancy of the serotonin transporters in the basal ganglia.
      The dosing frequency was investigated by determining the elimination half-life
      after a four day oral pre-treatment period with 0.83 mg/kg escitalopram (3
      administrations/day) and a subsequent i.v. injection 0.83 mg/kg. Blood samples
      were taken up to 12 hours after i.v. injection and the concentration of
      escitalopram in plasma was analysed via LC-MSMS. The dose-occupancy relationship
      was then determined by performing two PET scans in five adult beagles: a baseline
      PET scan and a second scan after steady state conditions were achieved following
      oral treatment with a specific dose of escitalopram ranging from 0.5 to 2.5
      mg/kg/day. As the elimination half-life was determined to be 6.7 hours a dosing
      frequency of three administrations a day was proposed for the second part of the
      study. Further it was opted for a treatment period of four days, which well
      exceeded the minimum period to achieve steady state conditions. The optimal
      dosing regimen to achieve 80% occupancy in the basal ganglia and elicit a
      therapeutic effect, was calculated to be 1.85 mg/kg/day, divided over three
      administrations. Under several circumstances, such as insufficient response to
      other SSRIs, concurrent drug intake or in research studies focused on SERT, the
      use of escitalopram can be preferred over the use of the already for veterinary
      use registered fluoxetine, however, in case of long-term treatment with
      escitalopram, regularly cardiac screening is recommended.

PMID- 28644876
TI  - Effects of ploidy level and haplotype on variation of photosynthetic traits:
      Novel evidence from two Fragaria species.
AB  - To reveal the effects of ploidy level and haplotype on photosynthetic traits, we
      chose 175 genotypes of wild strawberries belonging to two haplotypes at two types
      of ploidy levels (diploidy and tetraploidy) and measured photosynthetic traits.
      Our results revealed that ploidy significantly affected the characteristics of
      light-response curves, CO2-response curves, and leaf gas exchange parameters,
      except intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci). Tetraploid species had a lower light
      saturation point (LSP) and CO2 saturation point (CSP), higher light compensation
      point (LCP), dark respiration (Rd), and CO2 compensation point (CCP) than diploid
      species. Furthermore, tetraploid species have lower photosynthetic capacity than
      diploid species, including net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductivity
      (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr). In addition, haplotype had a significant
      effect on LSP, CSP, Tr, and Ci as well as a significant interactive effect
      between ploidy and haplotype on the maximal photosynethic rate of the light
      response curve and Rd. Most of the variance existed within haplotypes among
      individuals. These results suggest that polyploidization was the main driver for
      the evolution of photosynthesis with increasing ploidy level (i.e. from diploidy
      to tetraploidy in Fragaria species), while the origin of a chromosome could also
      affect the photosynthetic traits and the polyploidization effect on
      photosynthetic traits.

PMID- 28644877
TI  - Patient-experienced burden of treatment in patients with multimorbidity - A
      systematic review of qualitative data.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To synthesize existing qualitative literature on patient-experienced
      burden of treatment in multimorbid patients. METHODS: A literature search
      identified available qualitative studies on the topic of burden of treatment in
      multimorbidity and meta-ethnography was applied as method. The authors' original
      findings were preserved, but also synthesized to new interpretations to
      investigate the concept of the burden of treatment using the Cumulative
      Complexity Model. RESULTS: Nine qualitative studies were identified. The majority
      of the 1367 participants from 34 different countries were multimorbid. The
      treatment burden components, experienced by patients, were identified for each
      study. The components financial burden, lack of knowledge, diet and exercise,
      medication burden and frequent healthcare reminding patients of their health
      problem were found to attract additional attention from the multimorbid patients.
      In studies conducted in the US and Australia the financial burden and the time
      and travel burden were found most straining to patients with deprived
      socioeconomic status. The burden of treatment was found to be a complex concept
      consisting of many different components and factors interacting with each other.
      The size of the burden was associated to the workload of demands (number of
      conditions, number of medications and health status), the capacity (cognitive,
      physical and financial resources, educational level, cultural background, age,
      gender and employment conditions) and the context (structure of healthcare and
      social support). Patients seem to use strategies such as prioritizing between
      treatments to diminish the workload and mobilizing and coordinating resources to
      improve their ability to manage the burden of treatment. They try to routinize
      and integrate the treatment into their daily lives, which might be a way to
      maintain the balance between workload and capacity. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare
      providers need to increase the focus on minimizing multimorbid patients' burden
      of treatment. Findings in this review suggest that the weight of the burden needs
      to be established in the individual patient and components of the burden must be
      identified.

PMID- 28644878
TI  - Tumor location as a novel high risk parameter for stage II colorectal cancers.
AB  - Current studies do not accurately evaluate the influence of tumor location on
      survival of colorectal cancer patients. This study aimed to explore whether tumor
      location could be identified as another high-risk factor in stage II colorectal
      cancer by using data identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Results database. All colorectal cancer patients between 2004 and 2008 were
      grouped into three according to tumor location. Of 33,789 patients diagnosed with
      stage II colorectal cancer, 46.8% were right colon cancer, 37.5% were left colon
      cancer and 15.7% were rectal cancer. The 5-year cancer specific survivals were
      examined. Right colon cancer was associated with the female sex, older age (>
      50), and having over 12 lymph nodes resected. Conversely, rectal cancer was
      associated with the male sex, patients younger than 50 years of age and
      insufficient lymph node resection. The characteristics of left colon cancer were
      between them and associated with Asian or Pacific Islander populations, T4 stage,
      and Grade II patients. The prognostic differences between three groups were
      significant and retained after stratification by T stage, histological grade,
      number of regional nodes dissected, age at diagnose, race and sex. Furthermore,
      the significant difference of location was retained as an independent high-risk
      parameter. Thus, stage II colorectal cancers of different locations have
      different clinic-pathological features and cancer-specific survivals, and tumor
      location should be recognized as another high-risk parameter in stage II
      colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28644879
TI  - Identification of a novel fungus, Trichoderma asperellum GDFS1009, and
      comprehensive evaluation of its biocontrol efficacy.
AB  - Due to its efficient broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, Trichoderma has been
      established as an internationally recognized biocontrol fungus. In this study, we
      found and identified a novel strain of Trichoderma asperellum, named GDFS1009.
      The mycelium of T. asperellum GDFS1009 exhibits a high growth rate, high
      sporulation capacity, and strong inhibitory effects against pathogens that cause
      cucumber fusarium wilt and corn stalk rot. T. asperellum GDFS1009 secretes
      chitinase, glucanase, and protease, which can degrade the cell walls of fungi and
      contribute to mycoparasitism. The secreted xylanases are good candidates for
      inducing plant resistance and enhancing plant immunity against pathogens. RNA
      sequencing (RNA-seq) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that
      T. asperellum GDFS1009 produces primary metabolites that are precursors of
      antimicrobial compounds; it also produces a variety of antimicrobial secondary
      metabolites, including polyketides and alkanes. In addition, this study
      speculated the presence of six antimicrobial peptides via ultra-performance
      liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF
      MS/MS). Future studies should focus on these antimicrobial metabolites for
      facilitating widespread application in the field of agricultural bio-control.

PMID- 28644880
TI  - O-GlcNAcylation mediates the control of cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate
      carboxykinase activity via Pgc1alpha.
AB  - PGC1alpha is a coactivator of many transcription factors and cytosolic
      phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK1) is a key enzyme for gluconeogenesis.
      PGC1alpha interacts with the transcription factor PPARgamma to stimulate PCK1
      expression and thus de novo glucose synthesis. These proteins are not only
      important for central energy metabolism but also for supplying intermediates for
      other metabolic pathways, including lipidogenesis and protein synthesis and might
      therefore be important factors in the ethiopathogenesis of metabolic disorders
      like diabetes but also in other pathologies like cancer. Since polymorphisms in
      these proteins have been related to some phenotypic traits in animals like pigs
      and PGC1alpha G482S polymorphism increases fat deposition in humans, we have
      investigated the molecular basis of such effects focusing on a commonly studied
      polymorphism in pig Pgc1alpha, which changes a cysteine at position 430 (WT) of
      the protein to a serine (C430S). Biochemical analyses show that Pgc1alpha WT
      stimulates higher expression of human PCK1 in HEK293T and HepG2 cells.
      Paradoxically, Pgc1alpha WT is less stable than Pgc1alpha p.C430S in HEK293T
      cells. However, the study of different post-translational modifications shows a
      higher O-GlcNAcylation level of Pgc1alpha p.C430S. This higher O-GlcNAcylation
      level significantly decreases the interaction between Pgc1alpha and PPARgamma
      demonstrating the importance of post-translational glycosylation of PGC1alpha in
      the regulation of PCK1 activity. This, furthermore, could explain at least in
      part the observed epistatic effects between PGC1alpha and PCK1 in pigs.

PMID- 28644881
TI  - Gestational diabetes mellitus and risk of type 2 diabetes 10 years after the
      index pregnancy in Sri Lankan women-A community based retrospective cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have an
      increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) later in life compared to women
      with no GDM. This study was aimed to determine the risk of developing T2DM 10
      years after GDM in Sri Lankan women. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was
      conducted in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka. 7205 women who delivered a child in
      2005 were identified through Public Health Midwives in the field. Women with
      antenatal records were interviewed and relevant data were extracted from medical
      records to identify potential participants. One hundred and nineteen women who
      had GDM and 240 women who did not have GDM were recruited. Current diagnosis of
      diabetes was based on history, relevant medical records and blood reports within
      the past 1 year. RESULTS: The mean duration of follow up was 10.9 (SD = 0.35)
      years in the GDM group and 10.8 (SD = 0.31) years in the non-GDM group. The
      incidence density of diabetes in the GDM group was 56.3 per 1000 person years
      compared to 5.4 per 1000 person years in non GDM group giving a rate ratio of
      10.42 (95% CI: 6.01-19.12). A woman having GDM in the index pregnancy was 10.6
      times more likely to develop diabetes within 10 years compared to women with no
      GDM after controlling for other confounding variables. Delivering a child after
      30 years, being treated with insulin during the pregnancy and delivering a baby
      weighing more than 3.5 Kg were significant predictors of development of T2DM
      after controlling for family history of diabetes mellitus (DM), GDM in previous
      pregnancies, parity and gestational age at delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Women with GDM
      had a 10-fold higher risk of developing T2DM during a 10-year follow up period as
      compared to women with no GDM after controlling for other confounding variables.

PMID- 28644882
TI  - A spatially explicit risk assessment approach: Cetaceans and marine traffic in
      the Pelagos Sanctuary (Mediterranean Sea).
AB  - Spatially explicit risk assessment is an essential component of Marine Spatial
      Planning (MSP), which provides a comprehensive framework for managing multiple
      uses of the marine environment, minimizing environmental impacts and conflicts
      among users. In this study, we assessed the risk of the exposure to high
      intensity vessel traffic areas for the three most abundant cetacean species
      (Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus and Balaenoptera physalus) in the
      southern area of the Pelagos Sanctuary, which is the only pelagic Marine
      Protected Area (MPA) for marine mammals in the Mediterranean Sea. In particular,
      we modeled the occurrence of the three cetacean species as a function of habitat
      variables in June by using hierarchical Bayesian spatial-temporal models.
      Similarly, we modelled the marine traffic intensity in order to find high risk
      areas and estimated the potential conflict due to the overlap with the cetacean
      home ranges. Results identified two main hot-spots of high intensity marine
      traffic in the area, which partially overlap with the area of presence of the
      studied species. Our findings emphasize the need for nationally relevant and
      transboundary planning and management measures for these marine species.

PMID- 28644883
TI  - Effects of dietary inclusion of high concentrations of crude glycerin on meat
      quality and fatty acid profile of feedlot fed Nellore bulls.
AB  - Crude glycerin, the main by-product of biodiesel production, can replace dietary
      energy sources, such as corn. The objective of this study was to evaluate the
      inclusion of up to 30% of crude glycerin in dry matter (DM) of the total diets,
      and its effects on meat quality parameters of feedlot Nellore bulls. Thirty
      animals (227.7 +/- 23.8 kg body weight; 18 months old) were housed in individual
      pens and fed 5 experimental diets, containing 0, 7.5, 15, 22.5 or 30% crude
      glycerin (DM basis). After 103 d (21 d adaptation) animals were slaughtered and
      the Longissimus muscle was collected. The characteristics assessed were chemical
      composition, fatty acid profile, cholesterol, shear force, pH, color, water
      holding capacity, cooking loss and sensory properties. The increasing inclusion
      of crude glycerin in the diets did not affect the chemical composition of the
      Longissimus muscle (P > 0.10). A quadratic effect was observed when levels of
      crude glycerin were increased, on the concentration of pentadecanoic, palmitoleic
      and eicosenoic fatty acids in meat (P < 0.05), and on the activity of the delta-9
      desaturase 16 and delta-9 desaturase 18 enzymes (P < 0.05). The addition of crude
      glycerin increased the gamma linolenic fatty acid concentration (P < 0.01), and
      altered the monounsaturated fatty acids in Longissimus muscle of animals (Pquad.
      < 0.05). Crude glycerin decreased cholesterol content in meat (P < 0.05), and
      promoted higher flavor score and greasy intensity perception of the meat (P <
      0.01). The inclusion of up to 30% crude glycerin in Nellore cattle bulls'diets
      (DM basis) improves meat cholesterol and sensory attributes, such as flavor,
      without affecting significantly the physical traits, the main fatty acid
      concentrations and the chemical composition.

PMID- 28644885
TI  - Organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B3 can form homo- and hetero-oligomers.
AB  - OATP1B3 is a 12 transmembrane domain protein expressed at the basolateral
      membrane of human hepatocytes where it mediates the uptake of numerous drugs and
      endogenous compounds. Previous western blot results suggest the formation of
      OATP1B3 multimers. In order to better understand the function of OATP1B3 under
      normal physiological conditions, we investigated its oligomerization status. We
      transiently transfected OATP1B3 with a C-terminal His-, FLAG- or HA-tag in HEK293
      cells and used co-immunoprecipitation and a Proximity Ligation Assay to detect
      interactions between the different constructs. All three constructs retained
      similar transport rates as wild-type OATP1B3. Immunofluorescence experiments
      indicated that in contrast to wild-type, His- and FLAG-tagged OATP1B3, where the
      C-terminal end is on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, the C-terminal end of
      HA-tagged OATP1B3 is extracellular. After cross-linking, anti-FLAG antibodies
      were able to pull down FLAG-tagged OATP1B3 (positive control) and co-transfected
      His- or HA-tagged OATP1B3, demonstrating the formation of homo-oligomers and
      suggesting that the C-terminal part is not involved in oligomer formation. We
      confirmed co-localization of His- and FLAG-tagged OATP1B3 in transfected HEK293
      cells with the Proximity Ligation Assay. Transport studies with a non-functional
      OATP1B3 mutant suggest that the individual subunits and not the whole oligomer
      are the functional units in the homo-oligomers. In addition, we also detected
      OATP1B3-FLAG co-localization with OATP1B1-His or NTCP-His, suggesting that
      OATP1B3 also hetero-oligomerizes with other transport proteins. Using the
      Proximity Ligation Assay with transporter specific antibodies, we demonstrate
      close association of OATP1B3 with NTCP in frozen human liver tissue. These
      findings demonstrate that OATP1B3 can form homo- and hetero-oligomers and suggest
      a potential co-regulation of the involved transporters.

PMID- 28644884
TI  - Ligand-induced rapid skeletal muscle atrophy in HSA-Fv2E-PERK transgenic mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Formation of 43S and 48S preinitiation complexes plays an important
      role in muscle protein synthesis. There is no muscle-wasting mouse model caused
      by a repressed 43S preinitiation complex assembly. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the
      present study was to develop a convenient mouse model of skeletal muscle wasting
      with repressed 43S preinitiation complex assembly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A ligand
      activatable PERK derivative Fv2E-PERK causes the phosphorylation of eukaryotic
      initiation factor 2alpha (eIF2alpha), which inhibits 43S preinitiation complex
      assembly. Thus, muscle atrophic phenotypes, intracellular signaling pathways, and
      intracellular free amino acid profiles were investigated in human skeletal muscle
      alpha-actin (HSA) promoter-driven Fv2E-PERK transgenic (Tg) mice. RESULTS: HSA
      Fv2E-PERK Tg mice treated with the artificial dimerizer AP20187 phosphorylates
      eIF2alpha in skeletal muscles and leads to severe muscle atrophy within a few
      days of ligand injection. Muscle atrophy was accompanied by a counter regulatory
      activation of mTORC1 signaling. Moreover, intracellular free amino acid levels
      were distinctively altered in the skeletal muscles of HSA-Fv2E-PERK Tg mice.
      CONCLUSIONS: As a novel model of muscle wasting, HSA-Fv2E-PERK Tg mice provide a
      convenient tool for studying the pathogenesis of muscle loss and for assessing
      putative therapeutics.

PMID- 28644886
TI  - Complex I inhibition augments dichloroacetate cytotoxicity through enhancing
      oxidative stress in VM-M3 glioblastoma cells.
AB  - The robust glycolytic metabolism of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has proven them
      susceptible to increases in oxidative metabolism induced by the pyruvate mimetic
      dichloroacetate (DCA). Recent reports demonstrate that the anti-diabetic drug
      metformin enhances the damaging oxidative stress associated with DCA treatment in
      cancer cells. We sought to elucidate the role of metformin's reported activity as
      a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor in the enhancement of DCA cytotoxicity in VM
      M3 GBM cells. Metformin potentiated DCA-induced superoxide production, which was
      required for enhanced cytotoxicity towards VM-M3 cells observed with the
      combination. Similarly, rotenone enhanced oxidative stress resultant from DCA
      treatment and this too was required for the noted augmentation of cytotoxicity.
      Adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) activation was not observed with the
      concentration of metformin required to enhance DCA activity. Moreover, addition
      of an activator of AMPK did not enhance DCA cytotoxicity, whereas an inhibitor of
      AMPK heightened the cytotoxicity of the combination. Our data indicate that
      metformin enhancement of DCA cytotoxicity is dependent on complex I inhibition.
      Particularly, that complex I inhibition cooperates with DCA-induction of glucose
      oxidation to enhance cytotoxic oxidative stress in VM-M3 GBM cells.

PMID- 28644887
TI  - Sarcopenia is a predictive factor for intestinal resection in admitted patients
      with Crohn's disease.
AB  - The relationship between skeletal muscle volume and the prognosis of patients
      with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains undetermined. We conducted a
      retrospective study of 72 IBD patients who were admitted to the hospital due to
      disease exacerbation. We enrolled IBD patients who had undergone abdominal
      computed tomography and assessed the nutritional indices, such as the Onodera's
      prognostic nutritional index (O-PNI) and the controlling nutritional status
      (CONUT) index. The L3 skeletal muscle index (SMI), which is the ratio of the
      cross-sectional area of skeletal muscles at the level of the third lumbar (L3)
      vertebra to the height squared, was used to identify sarcopenia. Sarcopenia,
      defined as a low SMI, was observed in 42% of all IBD patients (37% with Crohn's
      disease (CD) and 48% with ulcerative colitis (UC)). In UC patients, the O-PNI and
      CONUT values, height, and albumin levels were significantly lower than in CD
      patients. The SMI strongly correlated with sex, body weight, albumin level, and O
      PNI in IBD patients. Multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model
      demonstrated that the presence of sarcopenia (P = 0.015) and disease type (CD or
      UC) (P = 0.007) were significant factors predicting intestinal resection. The
      cumulative operation-free survival rate was significantly lower for sarcopenic
      patients than in all IBD patients (P = 0.003) and a stratified analysis of CD
      patients (P = 0.001) using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The L3
      skeletal muscle area is a prognostic factor for intestinal resection in patients
      with CD.

PMID- 28644888
TI  - Fragmentation of the mitochondrial network in skin in vivo.
AB  - Mitochondria form dynamic networks which adapt to the environmental requirements
      of the cell. We investigated the aging process of these networks in human skin
      cells in vivo by multiphoton microscopy. A study on the age-dependency of the
      mitochondrial network in young and old volunteers revealed that keratinocytes in
      old skin establish a significantly more fragmented network with smaller and more
      compact mitochondrial clusters than keratinocytes in young skin. Furthermore, we
      investigated the mitochondrial network during differentiation processes of
      keratinocytes within the epidermis of volunteers. We observe a fragmentation
      similar to the age-dependent study in almost all parameters. These parallels
      raise questions about the dynamics of biophysical network structures during aging
      processes.

PMID- 28644889
TI  - Evaluation of different serological assays for early diagnosis of leptospirosis
      in Martinique (French West Indies).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a potentially life-threatening but curable zoonosis
      whose prognosis depends on accurate and timely diagnosis. Because of its non
      specific clinical presentation, laboratory testing is essential to confirm the
      diagnosis. Here, we aimed to assess the performance of two enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) (ELISA Serion and ELISA-Hb Pasteur) and one
      immunodot (GenBio) using quantitative PCR (qPCR) as gold standard, instead of the
      traditional microscopic agglutination test, for the diagnosis of acute
      leptospirosis in an endemic area. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Between January
      2011 and December 2012, a total of 122 patients were diagnosed with
      leptospirosis, as confirmed by qPCR at the University Hospital of Martinique.
      Among them, 103 had at least one serum sample available for analysis. Performance
      of each serological assay was evaluated according to days' post onset of symptoms
      (DPO) and local species diversity (which included L. santarosai, L. interrogans,
      L. kirschneri, L. borgpetersenii, L. noguchii, and L. kmetyi). Several thresholds
      were tested to optimize accuracy. When considering the manufacturer's threshold,
      the sensitivity of ELISA Serion, ELISA-Hb Pasteur and GenBio immunodot was 75%,
      67% and 64%, while specificity was 92%, 98% and 100%, respectively. Moreover, the
      threshold optimization allowed a significant improvement in specificity for the
      ELISA Serion from 92% to 99% (p<0.05). During the first 5 DPO, sensitivities were
      35%, 30% and 42% for ELISA Serion, ELISA-Hb Pasteur and GenBio immunodot,
      respectively. However, between 6?10 DPO, these sensitivities dramatically
      increased to reach 86%, 76% and 67%, respectively. Performances of the three
      assays were not affected by the species studied. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: All
      these serological assays showed the potential for diagnosing leptospirosis after
      (but not before) 6 days' post onset of symptoms. In a high prevalence setting,
      where highest specificities are needed, threshold optimizing should be performed
      for this purpose.

PMID- 28644890
TI  - Drivers of coral reef marine protected area performance.
AB  - Coral reefs are severely threatened and a principal strategy for their
      conservation is marine protected areas (MPAs). However the drivers of MPA
      performance are complex and there are likely to be trade-offs between different
      types of performance (e.g. conservation or welfare related outcomes). We compiled
      a global dataset from expert knowledge for 76 coral reef MPAs in 33 countries and
      identified a set of performance measures reflecting ecological and socio-economic
      outcomes, achievement of aims and reduction of threats, using spatial or temporal
      comparisons wherever possible. We wanted to test the extent to which distinct
      types of performance occurred simultaneously, understood as win-win outcomes.
      Although certain performance measures were correlated, most were not, suggesting
      trade-offs that limit the usefulness of composite performance scores. Hypotheses
      were generated as to the impact of MPA features, aims, location, management and
      contextual variables on MPA performance from the literature. A multivariate
      analysis was used to test hypotheses as to the relative importance of these
      "drivers" on eight uncorrelated performance measures. The analysis supported some
      hypotheses (e.g. benefit provision for the local community improved performance),
      but not others (e.g. higher overall budget and more research activity did not).
      Factors endogenous to the MPA (such as size of the no-take area) were generally
      more significant drivers of performance than exogenous ones (such as national
      GDP). Different types of performance were associated with different drivers,
      exposing the trade-offs inherent in management decisions. The study suggests that
      managers are able to influence MPA performance in spite of external threats and
      could inform adaptive management by providing an approach to test for the effects
      of MPA features and management actions in different contexts and so to inform
      decisions for allocation of effort or funds to achieve specific goals.

PMID- 28644891
TI  - The impact of changes in dietary knowledge on adult overweight and obesity in
      China.
AB  - Overweight and obesity are rapidly growing threats in China. Improvement in
      dietary knowledge can potentially prevent overweight and obesity, conditions
      which are receiving substantial attention from international organizations and
      governments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of changes
      in dietary knowledge on adult overweight and obesity, using a balanced panel data
      consisting of 10,401 samples from the 2006, 2009, and 2011 iterations of the
      China Health and Nutrition Survey. Results indicate that overweight and obesity
      are becoming increasingly problematic in China, and the level of dietary
      knowledge among Chinese adults needs improvement. Moreover, the empirical results
      indicate that changes in dietary knowledge among adults has no significant
      influence on adult overweight and obesity, a likely result of lacking systematic
      dietary knowledge and having inadequate guidance on overweight/obesity-related
      behaviors.

PMID- 28644893
TI  - High speed rail and coastal tourism: Identifying passenger profiles and travel
      behaviour.
AB  - In this paper, we characterise tourists most likely to visit a coastal
      destination by high-speed rail (HSR). Our data came from a survey conducted among
      HSR passengers during 2014's high season (July and August) at Spain's Camp de
      Tarragona and Alicante Stations, each of which is near a mass tourism destination
      on the Mediterranean coast: the Costa Daurada and the Costa Blanca, respectively.
      We used responses to the survey, which presented binary discrete-choice
      situations, to construct a database necessary for a logistic regression model
      that allowed us to examine how passenger profile, trip characteristics, and stay
      conditions influenced the use of HSR services on visits to each coastal
      destination. Results highlighted significant differences in the profiles of
      tourists who arrived at each destination by HSR and, in turn, that no specific
      tourist profile is associated with HSR, even for two stations that serve sunny
      beach destinations. Among its implications, to analyse travellers that HSR can
      attract, it is vital to consider the specific characteristics of each destination
      and its current market.

PMID- 28644892
TI  - R-Modafinil exerts weak effects on spatial memory acquisition and dentate gyrus
      synaptic plasticity.
AB  - Modafinil is a wake promoting drug approved for clinical use and also has
      cognitive enhancing properties. Its enantiomer R-Modafinil (R-MO) is not well
      studied in regard to cognitive enhancing properties. Hence we studied its effect
      in a spatial memory paradigm and its possible effects on dentate gyrus long-term
      potentiation (DG-LTP). Clinically relevant doses of R-MO, vehicle dimethyl
      sulfoxide (DMSO) or saline were administered for three days during the hole-board
      test and in in vivo DG-LTP. Synaptic levels of dopamine receptors D1R, D2R,
      dopamine transporter (DAT), and its phosphorylated form (ph-DAT) in DG tissue 4 h
      after LTP induction were quantified by western blot analysis. Monoamine reuptake
      and release assays were performed by using transfected HEK-293 cells. Possible
      neurotoxic side effects on general behaviour were also studied. R-MO at both
      doses significantly enhanced spatial reference memory during the last training
      session and during memory retrieval compared to DMSO vehicle but not when
      compared to saline treated rats. Similarly, R-MO rescues DG-LTP from impairing
      effects of DMSO. DMSO reduced memory performance and LTP magnitude when compared
      to saline treated groups. The synaptic DR1 levels in R-MO groups were
      significantly decreased compared to DMSO group but were comparable with saline
      treated animals. We found no effect of R-MO in neurotoxicity tests. Thus, our
      results support the notion that LTP-like synaptic plasticity processes could be
      one of the factors contributing to the cognitive enhancing effects of spatial
      memory traces. D1R may play an important regulatory role in these processes.

PMID- 28644894
TI  - Northward dispersal of sea kraits (Laticauda semifasciata) beyond their typical
      range.
AB  - Marine reptiles are declining globally, and recent climate change may be a
      contributing factor. The study of sea snakes collected beyond their typical
      distribution range provides valuable insight on how climate change affects marine
      reptile populations. Recently, we collected 12 Laticauda semifasciata (11
      females, 1 male) from the waters around southern South Korea-an area located
      outside its typical distribution range (Japan, China including Taiwan,
      Philippines and Indonesia). We investigated the genetic origin of Korean
      specimens by analyzing mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (Cytb) sequences. Six
      individuals shared haplotypes with a group found in Taiwan-southern Ryukyu
      Islands, while the remaining six individuals shared haplotypes with a group
      encompassing the entire Ryukyu Archipelago. These results suggest L. semifasciata
      moved into Korean waters from the Taiwan-Ryukyu region via the Taiwan Warm
      Current and/or the Kuroshio Current, with extended survival facilitated by ocean
      warming. We highlight several contributing factors that increase the chances that
      L. semifasciata establishes new northern populations beyond the original
      distribution range.

PMID- 28644895
TI  - Floristic characteristics and affinities in Lao PDR, with a reference to the
      biogeography of the Indochina peninsula.
AB  - The flora of Laos is composed of 5,005 species in 1,373 genera and 188 families
      of seed plants. Floristic and geographical attributes of the flora were analyzed.
      Tropical floristic elements at the family and generic levels contributed a
      majority (62.23% of the families and 82.30% of the genera) of the flora, of which
      the dominant geographical elements were pantropical distribution (42.02% of
      families) and tropical Asian distribution (30.08% of genera). This revealed that
      the flora of Lao PDR is tropical in nature and has a conspicuously tropical Asian
      affinity. Compared with the neighbouring countries of the Indochina peninsula,
      the flora of Laos has similar floristic composition and geographical elements.
      The floras of these Indochinese countries have similarities of more than 77.84%
      at the generic level, which suggests that they compose an affiliated
      biogeographical region. However, the flora of Laos showed the highest similarity
      to the flora of Vietnam (92.13%), followed by Myanmar (86.01%) at the generic
      level, but has less East Asian and North Temperate elements than Vietnam, and
      less North Temperate elements than Myanmar. These differences among the compared
      countries could be explained by the extrusion of the Indochinese block with the
      uplift of the Himalayas.

PMID- 28644896
TI  - How fast is a collective bacterial state established?
AB  - Bacteria in a biofilm colony have the capacity to monitor the size and growth
      conditions for the colony and modify their phenotypical behaviour to optimise
      attacks, defence, migration, etc. The quorum sensing systems controlling this
      involve production and sensing of diffusive signal molecules. Frequently, quorum
      sensing systems carry a positive feedback loop which produces a switch at a
      threshold size of the colony. This all-or-none switch can be beneficial to create
      a sudden attack, leaving a host little time to establish a defence. The reaction
      diffusion system describing a basal quorum sensing loop involves production of
      signal molecules, diffusion of signal molecules, and detection of signal
      molecules. We study the ignition process in a numerical solution for a basal
      quorum sensor and demonstrate that even in a large colony the ignition travels
      through the whole colony in a less than a minute. The ignition of the positive
      feedback loop was examined in different approximations. As expected, in the exact
      calculation the ignition was found to be delayed compared to a calculation where
      the binding of signal molecules was quasistatic. The buffering of signal
      molecules is found to have little effect on the ignition process. Contrary to
      expectation, we find that the ignition does not start when the threshold is
      reached at the center-instead it allows for the threshold to be approached in the
      whole colony followed by an almost simultaneous ignition of the whole biofilm
      aggregate.

PMID- 28644897
TI  - TRPA1 and TRPV1 contribute to propofol-mediated antagonism of U46619-induced
      constriction in murine coronary arteries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels have emerged as key
      components contributing to vasoreactivity. Propofol, an anesthetic is associated
      with adverse side effects including hypotension and acute pain upon infusion. Our
      objective was to determine the extent to which TRPA1 and/or TRPV1 ion channels
      are involved in mediating propofol-induced vasorelaxation of mouse coronary
      arterioles in vitro and elucidate the potential cellular signal transduction
      pathway by which this occurs. METHODS: Hearts were excised from anesthetized mice
      and coronary arterioles were dissected from control C57Bl/6J, TRPA1-/-, TRPV1-/-
      and double-knockout mice (TRPAV-/-). Isolated microvessels were cannulated and
      secured in a temperature-controlled chamber and allowed to equilibrate for 1 hr.
      Vasoreactivity studies were performed in microvessels pre-constricted with U46619
      to assess the dose-dependent relaxation effects of propofol on coronary
      microvascular tone. RESULTS: Propofol-induced relaxation was unaffected in
      vessels obtained from TRPV1-/- mice, markedly attenuated in pre-constricted
      vessels obtained from TRPA1-/- mice and abolished in vessels obtained from TRPAV
      /- mice. Furthermore, NOS inhibition with L-NAME or endothelium denuding
      abolished the proporfol-induced depressor response in pre-constricted vessels
      obtained from all mice. In the absence of L-NAME, BKCa inhibition with penitrem A
      markedly attenuated propofol-mediated relaxation in vessels obtained from wild
      type mice and to a lesser extent in vessels obtained from TRPV1-/-, mice with no
      effect in vessels obtained from TRPA1-/- or TRPAV-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS: TRPA1 and
      TRPV1 appear to contribute to the propofol-mediated antagonism of U46619-induced
      constriction in murine coronary microvessels that involves activation of NOS and
      BKCa.

PMID- 28644898
TI  - Spatio-temporal orientation of microtubules controls conical cell shape in
      Arabidopsis thaliana petals.
AB  - The physiological functions of epidermal cells are largely determined by their
      diverse morphologies. Most flowering plants have special conical-shaped petal
      epidermal cells that are thought to influence light capture and reflectance, and
      provide pollinator grips, but the molecular mechanisms controlling conical cell
      shape remain largely unknown. Here, we developed a live-confocal imaging approach
      to quantify geometric parameters of conical cells in Arabidopsis thaliana (A.
      thaliana). Through genetic screens, we identified katanin (KTN1) mutants showing
      a phenotype of decreased tip sharpening of conical cells. Furthermore, we
      demonstrated that SPIKE1 and Rho of Plants (ROP) GTPases were required for the
      final shape formation of conical cells, as KTN1 does. Live-cell imaging showed
      that wild-type cells exhibited random orientation of cortical microtubule arrays
      at early developmental stages but displayed a well-ordered circumferential
      orientation of microtubule arrays at later stages. By contrast, loss of KTN1
      prevented random microtubule networks from shifting into well-ordered arrays. We
      further showed that the filamentous actin cap, which is a typical feature of
      several plant epidermal cell types including root hairs and leaf trichomes, was
      not observed in the growth apexes of conical cells during cell development.
      Moreover, our genetic and pharmacological data suggested that microtubules but
      not actin are required for conical cell shaping. Together, our results provide a
      novel imaging approach for studying petal conical cell morphogenesis and suggest
      that the spatio-temporal organization of microtubule arrays plays crucial roles
      in controlling conical cell shape.

PMID- 28644899
TI  - New insights in dehydration stress behavior of two maize hybrids using advanced
      distributed reactivity model (DRM). Responses to the impact of 24
      epibrassinolide.
AB  - Proposed distributed reactivity model of dehydration for seedling parts of two
      various maize hybrids (ZP434, ZP704) was established. Dehydration stresses were
      induced thermally, which is also accompanied by response of hybrids to heat
      stress. It was found that an increased value of activation energy counterparts
      within radicle dehydration of ZP434, with a high concentration of 24
      epibrassinolide (24-EBL) at elevated operating temperatures, probably causes
      activation of diffusion mechanisms in cutin network and may increases likelihood
      of formation of free volumes, large enough to accommodate diffusing molecule.
      Many small random effects were detected and can be correlated with micro
      disturbing in a space filled with water caused by thermal gradients, increasing
      capillary phenomena, and which can induce thermo-capillary migration. The
      influence of seedling content of various sugars and minerals on dehydration was
      also examined. Estimated distributed reactivity models indicate a dependence of
      reactivity on structural arrangements, due to present interactions between water
      molecules and chemical species within the plant.

PMID- 28644900
TI  - Suppression of chikungunya virus replication and differential innate responses of
      human peripheral blood mononuclear cells during co-infection with dengue virus.
AB  - Dengue and chikungunya are viral diseases transmitted to humans by infected Aedes
      spp. mosquitoes. With an estimated 390 million infected people per year dengue
      virus (DENV) currently causes the most prevalent arboviral disease. During the
      last decade chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has caused large outbreaks and has expanded
      its territory causing millions of cases in Asia, Africa and America. The viruses
      share a common mosquito vector and during the acute phase cause similar flu-like
      symptoms that can proceed to more severe or debilitating symptoms. The growing
      overlap in the geographical distribution of these mosquito-borne infections has
      led to an upsurge in reported cases of DENV/CHIKV co-infections. Unfortunately,
      at present we have little understanding of consequences of the co-infections to
      the human host. The overall aim of this study was to define viral replication
      dynamics and the innate immune signature involved in concurrent DENV and CHIKV
      infections in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We demonstrate
      that concomitant infection resulted in a significant reduction of CHIKV progeny
      and moderate enhancement of DENV production. Remarkably, the inhibitory effect of
      DENV on CHIKV infection occurred independently of DENV replication. Furthermore,
      changes in type I IFN, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, MCP-1 and IP-10 production were
      observed during concomitant infections. Notably, co-infections led to a
      significant increase in the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6, cytokines that are
      widely considered to play a crucial role in the early pathogenesis of both viral
      diseases. In conclusion, our study reveals the interplay of DENV/CHIKV during
      concomitant infection and provides a framework to investigate viral interaction
      during co-infections.

PMID- 28644901
TI  - Vascular geometry as a risk factor for non-penetrating traumatic injuries of the
      aortic arch.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess biomechanical factors in aortic arch geometry contributing to
      the development of non-penetrating aortic arch injury (NAAI) in multiply injured
      patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >= 16. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 230
      consecutive multiply injured trauma patients with an ISS >= 16 admitted to our
      Level-I trauma center during a consecutive 24-month period were prospectively
      included of whom 13 presented with NAAI (5.7%). Standardized whole-body CT in a
      2x128-detector-row scanner included a head-and-neck CTA. Aortic arch diameters,
      width, height, angles and thoracic width and height were measured in individuals
      with NAAI and ISS-, sex-, age-, and trauma mechanism-matched controls. RESULTS:
      There was no difference between groups regarding sex, age, ISS, and aortic
      diameters. The aortic arch angle in individuals with NAAI (71.3 degrees  +/- 14.9
      degrees ) was larger than in healthy control (60.7 degrees  +/- 8.6 degrees ;
      p*<0.05). In patients with NAAI, the distance between ascendent and descendent
      aorta was larger (5.2 cm +/- 1.9 cm) than in control (2.8 +/- 0.5 cm;
      ***p<0.001). The aortic arch is higher above tracheal bifurcation in NAAI (3.6 cm
      +/- 0.6 cm) than in matched control (2.4 cm +/- 0.3 cm; ***p<0.001). Accordingly,
      the area under the aortic arch, calculated as half of an eliptic shape, is
      significantly larger in patients with NAAI (15.0 cm2 +/- 6.5 cm2) when compared
      to age- and sex-matched controls without NAAI (5.5 cm2 +/- 1.3 cm2; ***p<0.001).
      CONCLUSION: Besides the magnitude of deceleration and direction of impact, width
      and height of the aortic arch are the 3rd and 4th factor directly contributing to
      the risk of developing traumatic NAAI in severely injured patients.

PMID- 28644904
TI  - Sustained Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, Dermatology Life Quality Index and
      EuroQol-5D response of biological treatment in psoriasis: 10 years of real-world
      data in the Swedish National Psoriasis Register.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few studies have analysed the long-term effects of biological
      treatment in psoriasis. PsoReg, the Swedish national register for systemic
      psoriasis treatment, started in 2006 and now includes 10 years of real-world data
      on the effectiveness of biological treatment. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the long
      term real-world outcome data of patients who are biologically naive with moderate
      to-severe psoriasis after switching to biological treatment. METHODS: An
      observational study of patients who are biologically naive with at least one
      registration of outcome before switching to biological treatment while included
      in PsoReg and at least one follow-up visit. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index
      (PASI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) values were
      analysed at 3-5 months, 6-11 months and at least once after >= 1 year, up to 9
      years after the switch to biological treatment. RESULTS: In total, 583 patients
      fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, 399, 395 and 373 patients had
      observed outcome data beyond 1 year on the PASI, DLQI and EQ-5D, respectively,
      and 164, 168 and 152, respectively, were observed in at least three time periods
      after the switch. Significant (P < 0.01) improvement in PASI, DLQI and EQ-5D
      scores was observed 3-5 months after the switch and sustained under the whole
      observation period. The mean PASI, DLQI and EQ-5D changed from 13.5 +/- 9.1, 9.0
      +/- 8.1 and 0.74 +/- 0.22, respectively, before the switch, to 4.0 +/- 3.5, 3.7
      +/- 4.7 and 0.79 +/- 0.21, respectively, 1-5 years after the switch. CONCLUSIONS:
      Biological treatment, as used in clinical practice, shows a stable long-term
      effectiveness in all the measured dimensions, PASI, DLQI and EQ-5D.

PMID- 28644902
TI  - Sirt6 alters adult hippocampal neurogenesis.
AB  - Sirtuins are pleiotropic NAD+ dependent histone deacetylases involved in
      metabolism, DNA damage repair, inflammation and stress resistance. SIRT6, a
      member of the sirtuin family, regulates the process of normal aging and increases
      the lifespan of male mice over-expressing Sirt6 by 15%. Neurogenesis, the
      formation of new neurons within the hippocampus of adult mammals, involves
      several complex stages including stem cell proliferation, differentiation,
      migration and network integration. During aging, the number of newly generated
      neurons continuously declines, and this is correlated with a decline in neuronal
      plasticity and cognitive behavior. In this study we investigated the involvement
      of SIRT6 in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Mice over-expressing Sirt6 exhibit
      increased numbers of young neurons and decreased numbers of mature neurons,
      without affecting glial differentiation. This implies of an involvement of SIRT6
      in neuronal differentiation and maturation within the hippocampus. This work adds
      to the expanding body of knowledge on the regulatory mechanisms underlying adult
      hippocampal neurogenesis, and describes novel roles for SIRT6 as a regulator of
      cell fate during adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

PMID- 28644903
TI  - Changes in remote myocardial tissue after acute myocardial infarction and its
      relation to cardiac remodeling: A CMR T1 mapping study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To characterize the temporal alterations in native T1 and
      extracellular volume (ECV) of remote myocardium after acute myocardial infarction
      (AMI), and to explore their relation to left ventricular (LV) remodeling.
      METHODS: Forty-two patients with AMI successfully treated with primary PCI
      underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance after 4-6 days and 3 months. Cine
      imaging, late gadolinium enhancement, and T1-mapping (MOLLI) was performed at
      1.5T. T1 values were measured in the myocardial tissue opposite of the infarct
      area. Myocardial ECV was calculated from native- and post-contrast T1 values in
      35 patients, using a correction for synthetic hematocrit. RESULTS: Native T1 of
      remote myocardium significantly decreased between baseline and follow-up (1002 +/
      39 to 985 +/- 30ms, p<0.01). High remote native T1 at baseline was independently
      associated with a high C-reactive protein level (standardized Beta 0.32, p =
      0.04) and the presence of microvascular injury (standardized Beta 0.34, p =
      0.03). ECV of remote myocardium significantly decreased over time in patients
      with no LV dilatation (29 +/- 3.8 to 27 +/- 2.3%, p<0.01). In patients with LV
      dilatation, remote ECV remained similar over time, and was significantly higher
      at follow-up compared to patients without LV dilatation (30 +/- 2.0 versus 27 +/-
      2.3%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In reperfused first-time AMI patients, native T1 of
      remote myocardium decreased from baseline to follow-up. ECV of remote myocardium
      decreased over time in patients with no LV dilatation, but remained elevated at
      follow-up in those who developed LV dilatation. Findings from this study may add
      to an increased understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiac
      remodeling after AMI.

PMID- 28644905
TI  - A realistic phantom for validating MRI-based synthetic CT images of the human
      skull.
AB  - PURPOSE: To introduce a new realistic human skull phantom for the validation of
      synthetic CT images of cortical bone from ultra-short echo-time (UTE) sequences.
      METHODS: A human skull of an adult female was utilized as a realistic
      representation of skull cortical bone. The skull was stabilized in a special
      acrylic container and was filled with contrast agents that have T1 and T2
      relaxation times similar to human brain. The phantom was MR scanned at 3T with
      UTE and T2 -weighted sequences, followed by CT. A clustering approach was
      developed to extract the cortical bone signal from MR images. T2* maps of the
      skull were calculated. Synthetic CT images of the bone were compared to cortical
      bone signal extracted from CT images and confounding factors, such as
      registration errors, were analyzed. RESULTS: Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of
      UTE-detected cortical bone was 0.84 and gradually decreased with decreasing
      number of spokes. DSC did not significantly depend on echo-time. Registration
      errors were found to be significant confounding factors, with 25% decrease in DSC
      for consistent 2 mm error at each axis. CONCLUSION: This work introduced a new
      realistic human skull phantom, specifically for the evaluation and analysis of
      synthetic CT images of cortical bone.

PMID- 28644906
TI  - Cholinesterases in normal and Alzheimer's disease primary olfactory gyrus.
AB  - AIMS: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cholinergic dysfunction and
      deposition of beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs)
      in the brain. Olfactory abnormalities often precede cognitive symptoms in AD,
      indicating early involvement of pathology in olfactory structures. The
      cholinergic system is important not only in cognition but also in modulation of
      the olfactory system. The primary olfactory gyrus (POG) is comprised of the
      olfactory tract, anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) and olfactory area (OA).
      Because of the importance of the olfactory and cholinergic systems, we examined
      the anatomical and cholinergic organization of the POG in normal human brain and
      neuropathology in AD. METHODS: Cytoarchitecture of the POG was studied using
      Nissl staining in normal (n = 8) and AD (n = 6) brains. Distributions of
      acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were determined
      using histochemical methods. Abeta plaques and tau NFTs were detected using
      immunohistochemistry. Abundance of AD pathology was assessed using a semi
      quantitative approach. RESULT: Nissl staining showed pyramidal cells in the AON
      and paleocortical organization of the OA. AChE stained neurons and neuropil in
      the AON and OA, while BChE activity was noted in the olfactory tract and in AON
      and OA neurons. Pathology was frequent in the AD POG and the abundance of BChE
      associated AD pathology was greater than that associated with AChE. CONCLUSIONS:
      AChE and BChE activities in normal POG recapitulated their distributions in other
      cortical regions. Greater abundance of BChE-associated, in comparison to AChE
      associated, AD pathology in the POG suggests preferential involvement of BChE in
      olfactory dysfunction in AD.

PMID- 28644907
TI  - Optimal duration of fasting period after endoscopic submucosal dissection for
      gastric epithelial neoplasia: A prospective evaluation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There are currently no standardized guidelines for adequately
      determining the fasting period following gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection
      (ESD). The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate fasting period.
      METHODS: The enrolled patients were randomized into a short and a long-fasting
      group. In the short-fasting group, patients had fasted until the day after the
      ESD. In the long-fasting group, patients had fasted until 2 days after the ESD. A
      second-look endoscopy was performed immediately prior to starting to eat meals.
      The primary end-point was the measurement of discomfort-related ESD after
      starting meals such as epigastric pain, heartburn, regurgitation, nausea and
      vomiting. Secondary end-points included the bleeding rate after starting meals,
      hospital stay, patient satisfaction and hemostasis upon second-look endoscopy.
      RESULTS: We analyzed data from 101 of 110 randomized patients. Both groups
      demonstrated similar baseline characteristics. There were no significant
      differences in reports of epigastric pain, heartburn, regurgitation, nausea and
      vomiting after starting meals. Both groups demonstrated similar hemostasis rates
      upon second-look endoscopy (26% vs 31.4%, P = 0.551) and bleeding rate (4% vs 0%,
      P = 0.149). The duration of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the short
      fasting group (4.3 days vs 5.1 days, P < 0.001), and patient satisfaction was
      greater (P = 0.003) than in the long-fasting group. CONCLUSIONS: A short fasting
      protocol does not cause discomfort related to ESD or influence post-ESD bleeding.
      Moreover, the short fasting protocol results in shorter hospital stays and
      greater patient satisfaction.

PMID- 28644908
TI  - Photoactive Surface-Grafted Polymer Brushes with Phthalocyanine Bridging Groups
      as an Advanced Architecture for Light-Harvesting.
AB  - Surface-grafted polymer brushes of novel ladder-like architecture were proposed
      for inducing ordering of chromophores embedded therein. The brushes with
      acetylene side groups were obtained by surface-initiated photoiniferter-mediated
      polymerization. The acetylene moieties reacted then through a "click" process
      with an axially azide-bifunctionalized silicon phthalocyanine bridging the
      neighboring chains that inherently adopt extended conformations in dense brushes.
      FTIR, quartz crystal microbalance, and atomic force microscopy were used to study
      formation and structure of the photoactive brushes varying in grafting densities.
      Importantly, photophysical properties of the chromophores were virtually
      unaffected upon embedding them into the brushes, as evidenced by UV/Vis
      absorption and emission spectroscopy. Owing to the unique ordering of the
      chromophores, the proposed method may open new opportunities for the fabrication
      of light-harvesting systems suitable for photovoltaic or sensing applications.

PMID- 28644909
TI  - A Highly Efficient Synthesis of Z-Macrocycles Using Stereoretentive, Ruthenium
      Based Metathesis Catalysts.
AB  - A highly efficient, Z-selective ring-closing metathesis system for the formation
      of macrocycles using a stereoretentive, ruthenium-based catalyst supported by a
      dithiolate ligand is reported. The catalyst is remarkably active as observed in
      initiation experiments showing complete catalyst initiation at -20  degrees C
      within 10 minutes. Macrocyclization reactions generated Z-products from easily
      accessible diene starting materials bearing a Z-olefin moiety. This approach
      provides a more efficient and selective route to Z-macrocycles relative to
      previously reported systems. Reactions were completed within shorter reaction
      times, and turnover numbers of up to 100 could be achieved. Macrocyclic lactones
      ranging in size from twelve- to seventeen-membered rings were synthesized in
      moderate to high yields (67-79 %) with excellent Z-selectivity (95-99 %).

PMID- 28644910
TI  - Across state lines: Fulminant Babesia microti infection in a liver transplant
      recipient.
AB  - The potential for transmission of Babesia microti by blood transfusion is well
      recognized. Physicians may be unaware that products used for transfusion may be
      collected from geographically diverse regions. We describe a liver transplant
      recipient in South Carolina who likely acquired B. microti infection from a unit
      of blood collected in Minnesota.

PMID- 28644911
TI  - Interictal oscillations and focal epileptic disorders.
AB  - Neuronal network oscillations represent a main feature of the brain activity
      recorded in the EEG under normal and pathological conditions such as epilepsy.
      Specific oscillations occur between seizures in patients and in animal models of
      focal epilepsy, and thus, they are termed interictal. According to their shape
      and intrinsic signal frequency, interictal oscillations are classified as spikes
      and high-frequency oscillations (HFOs). Interictal spikes are recorded in the
      'wideband' EEG signal and consist of large-amplitude events that usually last
      less than 1 s; HFOs, in contrast, are extracted by amplifying the appropriately
      filtered EEG signal and are usually categorized as ripples (80-200 Hz) and fast
      ripples (250-500 Hz). Interictal spikes and HFOs are used in clinical practice to
      localize the seizure onset zone in focal epileptic disorders, which is
      fundamental for performing successful surgical interventions in epileptic
      patients not responding to anti-epileptic drug therapy. Both types of interictal
      oscillations have been widely studied in animal models of focal epilepsy to
      identify the mechanisms underlying their generation as well as to establish their
      role in ictogenesis and epileptogenesis. In this review, we will address the
      cellular mechanisms underlying the generation of interictal spikes and HFOs in
      animal models of epileptiform synchronization and of focal epilepsy. Moreover, we
      will highlight in vitro and in vivo evidence indicating that these interictal
      oscillations mirror specific, dynamic changes in neuronal network excitability
      causing seizure generation (i.e. ictogenesis) and leading to a chronic epileptic
      condition (i.e. epileptogenesis).

PMID- 28644912
TI  - Biofilm formation and disinfectant resistance of Salmonella sp. in mono- and dual
      species with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the biofilm formation and disinfectant
      resistance of Salmonella cells in mono- and dual-species biofilms with
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and to investigate the role of extracellular polymeric
      substances (EPS) in the protection of biofilms against disinfection treatment.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: The populations of Salmonella in mono- or dual-species
      biofilms with P. aeruginosa on stainless steel (SS) coupons were determined
      before and after exposure to commercial disinfectant, 50 MUg ml-1 chlorine or 200
      MUg ml-1 Ecolab(r) WhisperTM V (a blend of four effective quaternary ammonium
      compounds (QAC)). In addition, EPS amount from biofilms was quantified and
      biofilm structures were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
      Antagonistic interactions between Salmonella and P. aeruginosa resulted in lower
      planktonic population level of Salmonella, and lower density in dual-species
      biofilms compared to mono-species biofilms. The presence of P. aeruginosa
      significantly enhanced disinfectant resistance of S. Typhimurium and S.
      Enteritidis biofilm cells for 2 days, and led to an average of 50% increase in
      polysaccharides amount in dual-species biofilms than mono-species biofilms of
      Salmonella. Microscopy observation showed the presence of large microcolonies
      covered by EPS in dual-species biofilms but not in mono-species ones. CONCLUSION:
      The presence of P. aeruginosa in dual-species culture inhibited the growth of
      Salmonella cells in planktonic phase and in biofilms, but protected Salmonella
      cells in biofilms from disinfection treatment, by providing more production of
      EPS in dual-species biofilms than mono-species ones. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF
      THE STUDY: This study provides insights into inter-species interaction, with
      regard to biofilm population dynamics and disinfectant resistance. Thus, a
      sanitation protocol should be designed considering the protective role of
      secondary species to pathogens in biofilms on SS surface which has been widely
      used at food surfaces and manufacturers.

PMID- 28644913
TI  - Supplement 2 for the 2004 update of the AAPM Task Group No. 43 Report: Joint
      recommendations by the AAPM and GEC-ESTRO.
AB  - Since the publication of the 2004 update to the American Association of
      Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group No. 43 Report (TG-43U1) and its 2007
      supplement (TG-43U1S1), several new low-energy photon-emitting brachytherapy
      sources have become available. Many of these sources have satisfied the AAPM
      prerequisites for routine clinical purposes and are posted on the Brachytherapy
      Source Registry managed jointly by the AAPM and the Imaging and Radiation
      Oncology Core Houston Quality Assurance Center (IROC Houston). Given increasingly
      closer interactions among physicists in North America and Europe, the AAPM and
      the Groupe Europeen de Curietherapie-European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology
      (GEC-ESTRO) have prepared another supplement containing recommended brachytherapy
      dosimetry parameters for eleven low-energy photon-emitting brachytherapy sources.
      The current report presents consensus datasets approved by the AAPM and GEC
      ESTRO. The following sources are included: 125 I sources (BEBIG model I25.S17,
      BEBIG model I25.S17plus, BEBIG model I25.S18, Elekta model 130.002, Oncura model
      9011, and Theragenics model AgX100); 103 Pd sources (CivaTech Oncology model
      CS10, IBt model 1031L, IBt model 1032P, and IsoAid model IAPd-103A); and 131 Cs
      (IsoRay Medical model CS-1 Rev2). Observations are included on the behavior of
      these dosimetry parameters as a function of radionuclide. Recommendations are
      presented on the selection of dosimetry parameters, such as from societal reports
      issuing consensus datasets (e.g., TG-43U1, AAPM Report #229), the joint AAPM/IROC
      Houston Registry, the GEC-ESTRO website, the Carleton University website, and
      those included in software releases from vendors of treatment planning systems.
      Aspects such as timeliness, maintenance, and rigor of these resources are
      discussed. Links to reference data are provided for radionuclides (radiation
      spectra and half-lives) and dose scoring materials (compositions and mass
      densities). The recent literature is examined on photon energy response
      corrections for thermoluminescent dosimetry of low-energy photon-emitting
      brachytherapy sources. Depending upon the dosimetry parameters currently used by
      individual physicists, use of these recommended consensus datasets may result in
      changes to patient dose calculations. These changes must be carefully evaluated
      and reviewed with the radiation oncologist prior to their implementation.

PMID- 28644914
TI  - The role of expectation in multisensory body representation - neural evidence.
AB  - Sensory events contribute to body ownership, the feeling that the body belongs to
      me. However, the encoding of sensory events is not only reactive, but also
      proactive in that our brain generates prediction about forthcoming stimuli. In
      previous studies, we have shown that prediction of sensory events is a sufficient
      condition to induce the sense of body ownership. In this study, we investigated
      the underlying neural mechanisms. Participants were seated with their right arm
      resting upon a table just below another smaller table. Hence, the real hand was
      hidden from the participant's view and a life-sized rubber model of a right hand
      was placed on the small table in front of them. Participants observed a wooden
      plank while approaching - without touching - the rubber hand. We measured the
      phenomenology of the illusion by means of questionnaire. Neural activity was
      recorded by means of near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results showed higher
      activation of multisensory parietal cortices in the rubber hand illusion induced
      by touch expectation. Furthermore, such activity was correlated with the
      subjective feeling of owning the rubber hand. Our results enrich current models
      of body ownership suggesting that our multisensory brain regions generate
      prediction on what could be my body and what could not. This finding might have
      interesting implications in all those cases in which body representation is
      altered, anorexia, bulimia nervosa and obesity, among others.

PMID- 28644915
TI  - Mechanistic Insights on the Reduction of CO2 to Silylformates Catalyzed by Ir
      NSiN Species.
AB  - The hydrosilylation of CO2 with different silanes such as HSiEt3 , HSiMe2 Ph,
      HSiMePh2 , HSiMe(OSiMe3 )2 , and HSi(OSiMe3 )3 in the presence of catalytic
      ammounts of the iridium(III) complex [Ir(H)(CF3 CO2 )(NSiN*)(coe)] (1; NSiN*=fac
      bis-(4-methylpyridine-2-yloxy); coe=cis-cyclooctene) has been comparatively
      studied. The activity of the hydrosilylation catalytic system based on 1 depends
      on the nature of the reducing agent, where HSiMe(OSiMe3 )2 has proven to be the
      most active. The aforementioned reactions were found to be highly selective
      toward the formation of the corresponding silylformate. It has been found that
      using 1 as catalyst precursor above 328 K decreases the activity through a
      thermally competitive mechanistic pathway. Indeed, the reduction of the ancillary
      trifluoroacetate ligand to give the corresponding silylether CF3 CH2 OSiR3 has
      been observed. Moreover, mechanistic studies for the 1-catalyzed CO2 
      hydrosilylation reaction based on experimental and theoretical studies suggest
      that 1 prefers an inner-sphere mechanism for the CO2 reduction, whereas the
      closely related [Ir(H)(CF3 SO3 )(NSiN)(coe)] catalyst, bearing a triflate instead
      of trifluoroacetate ligand, follows an outer-sphere mechanism.

PMID- 28644917
TI  - An oxygen isotope chronometer for cellulose deposition: the successive leaves
      formed by tillers of a C4 perennial grass.
AB  - Multiannual time series of (palaeo)hydrological information can be reconstructed
      from the oxygen isotope composition of cellulose (delta18 OCel ) in biological
      archives, for example, tree rings, but our ability to temporally resolve
      information at subannual scale is limited. We capitalized on the short and
      predictable leaf appearance interval (2.4 d) of a perennial C4 grass
      (Cleistogenes squarrosa), to assess its potential for providing highly time
      resolved delta18 OCel records of vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Plants grown at
      low (0.63 kPa) or high (1.58 kPa) VPD were swapped between VPD environments and
      exposed to the new environment for 7 d with simultaneous 13 CO2 labelling. Then,
      leaves were sampled by age/position along individual tillers. Five leaves at
      different developmental stages were growing simultaneously. The period of most
      active leaf elongation, from 10 to 90% of final length, lasted 6.6 d, and ~80% of
      all carbon and oxygen incorporation in whole-leaf cellulose occurred within 7 d.
      Cellulose deposition stopped at (or shortly after) full leaf expansion. The
      direction of change, low-to-high or high-to-low VPD, had no differential effect
      on new oxygen and carbon incorporation in cellulose. Successive leaves produced
      by tillers of C. squarrosa provide a delta18 OCel record useful for
      reconstructions of short-term hydrological dynamics.

PMID- 28644919
TI  - Signaling and epigenetic mechanisms of intestinal stem cells and progenitors:
      insight into crypt homeostasis, plasticity, and niches.
AB  - The rapid turnover of intestinal epithelial cells is maintained by a small number
      of stem cells located in pocket-like gland structures called crypts. While our
      understanding of the identity and function of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) has
      rapidly progressed, epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in crypt stem cell
      and progenitor pools remains an active field of investigation. Surrounded by
      various types of cells in the stroma, crypt progenitors display high levels of
      plasticity, harboring the ability to interconvert in the face of epithelial
      damage. Recent studies analyzing epigenetic patterns of intestinal epithelial
      cells have provided evidence that plasticity is maintained by a broadly
      permissive epigenomic state, wherein cell-lineage specification is directed
      through activation of signaling pathways and transcription factor (TF)
      expression. New studies also have shown that the ISC niche, which is comprised of
      surrounding epithelial and mesenchymal tissues, plays a crucial role in
      supporting the maintenance and differentiation of stem cells by providing
      contextual information in the form of signaling cascades, such as Wnt, Notch, and
      Hippo. These cascades ultimately govern TF expression to promote early cell
      lineage decisions in both crypt stem cells and progenitors. Highlighting recent
      studies investigating signaling, transcriptional, and epigenetic mechanisms of
      intestinal epithelial cells, we will discuss the mechanisms underlying crypt
      homeostasis, plasticity, and niches. WIREs Dev Biol 2017, 6:e281. doi:
      10.1002/wdev.281 For further resources related to this article, please visit the
      WIREs website.

PMID- 28644920
TI  - Genome-scale metabolic models applied to human health and disease.
AB  - Advances in genome sequencing, high throughput measurement of gene and protein
      expression levels, data accessibility, and computational power have allowed
      genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) to become a useful tool for understanding
      metabolic alterations associated with many different diseases. Despite the proven
      utility of GEMs, researchers confront multiple challenges in the use of GEMs,
      their application to human health and disease, and their construction and
      simulation in an organ-specific and disease-specific manner. Several approaches
      that researchers are taking to address these challenges include using proteomic
      and transcriptomic-informed methods to build GEMs for individual organs,
      diseases, and patients and using constraints on model behavior during simulation
      to match observed metabolic fluxes. We review the challenges facing researchers
      in the use of GEMs, review the approaches used to address these challenges, and
      describe advances that are on the horizon and could lead to a better
      understanding of human metabolism. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2017, 9:e1393. doi:
      10.1002/wsbm.1393 For further resources related to this article, please visit the
      WIREs website.

PMID- 28644921
TI  - Targeted Memory Reactivation During Sleep, But Not Wake, Enhances Sensorimotor
      Skill Performance: A Pilot Study.
AB  - The benefits of sleep on memory consolidation have been enhanced for declarative
      and motor sequence learning through replaying classically conditioned auditory
      stimuli during sleep, known as targeted memory reactivation (TMR). However, it is
      unknown if TMR can influence performance of a sensorimotor skill, in the absence
      of the cognitive requirements of sequence learning. Here, young adults performed
      a nondominant arm throwing task separated by a full night of sleep or a full day
      of wake, with half of all participants receiving TMR between sessions.
      Participants who received TMR during sleep demonstrated enhanced sensorimotor
      performance relative to all other groups. In conclusion, this pilot study
      indicates that it is feasible to influence sensorimotor skill performance through
      TMR during sleep and may serve as a future adjunct to physical rehabilitation.
      Future studies will aim to confirm the present results with a larger sample size
      as well as investigate the effects of TMR during sleep on older adults both with
      and without a history of stroke.

PMID- 28644918
TI  - Heterogeneous Microtesla SABRE Enhancement of 15 N NMR Signals.
AB  - The hyperpolarization of heteronuclei via signal amplification by reversible
      exchange (SABRE) was investigated under conditions of heterogeneous catalysis and
      microtesla magnetic fields. Immobilization of [IrCl(COD)(IMes)], [IMes=1,3
      bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl), imidazole-2-ylidene; COD=cyclooctadiene] catalyst
      onto silica particles modified with amine linkers engenders an effective
      heterogeneous SABRE (HET-SABRE) catalyst that was used to demonstrate a circa 100
      fold enhancement of 15 N NMR signals in 15 N-pyridine at 9.4 T following
      parahydrogen bubbling within a magnetic shield. No 15 N NMR enhancement was
      observed from the supernatant liquid following catalyst separation, which along
      with XPS characterization supports the fact that the effects result from SABRE
      under heterogeneous catalytic conditions. The technique can be developed further
      for producing catalyst-free agents via SABRE with hyperpolarized heteronuclear
      spins, and thus is promising for biomedical NMR and MRI applications.

PMID- 28644922
TI  - Hands Support and Postural Oscillation During Sit-to-Stand Movement in Children
      With Cerebral Palsy and Typical Children.
AB  - The authors aimed to compare the weight bearing on hands during sit-to-stand
      (STS) movement in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typical children (TC),
      verify its effect on postural oscillation, and analyze the relationship between
      weight bearing on hands and postural oscillation. Twenty children with CP (Gross
      Motor Function Classification System levels I and II) and 35 TC performed STS
      with and without anterior hands support. Mann-Whitney test compared weight
      bearing between groups. Wilcoxon test investigated differences in postural
      oscillation between the conditions with and without anterior hand support for
      both groups. The Spearman correlation tested the relationship between weight
      bearing and postural oscillation during the hand support condition. Children with
      CP bore more weight on hands than TC to perform STS. The hand support reduced
      postural oscillation during the second phase of STS in both groups. In the CP
      group, greater weight bearing was related with lower postural oscillation in the
      beginning of STS. Although children with CP were able to perform STS without
      support, they bore more weight on their hands to perform the task than TC.
      Moreover, children with CP and TC use mechanical and somatosensory information to
      modulate their postural control during STS in different ways.

PMID- 28644923
TI  - Examining Transfer Effects of Dual-Task Training Protocols for a Complex
      Locomotor Task.
AB  - Training protocols designed to improve dual-task performance of an obstacle
      crossing and auditory Stroop task (OBS+Stroop) were tested. In Experiment  1 ,
      following baseline collection of OBS+Stroop trials, proximally related walking
      training was performed, and participants were then retested on the OBS+Stroop
      test. After training, participants adopted a more cautious obstacle crossing
      strategy, indicating a potentially safer navigation strategy. Transfer effects
      from distally related training were then examined (Experiment  2 ); a computer
      game training paradigm was examined using the same testing protocol as Experiment
      1 . Computer training demonstrated improved dual-task performance on some
      measures, but did not induce a more cautious stepping strategy. Results indicate
      that dual-task training needs to be similar to targeted tasks to yield reliable,
      positive training outcomes.

PMID- 28644924
TI  - Intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke: a bridge between two
      centuries.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Intravenous tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) remains the only
      approved systemic reperfusion therapy suitable for most patients presenting
      timely with acute ischemic stroke. Accumulating real-word experience for over 20
      years regarding tPA safety and effectiveness led to re-appraisal of original
      contraindications for intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Areas covered: This
      narrative review focuses on fast yet appropriate selection of patients for safe
      administration of tPA per recently expanded indications. Novel strategies for
      rapid patient assessment will be discussed. The potential for mobile stroke units
      (MSU) that shorten onset-to-needle time and increase tPA treatment rates is
      addressed. The use of IVT in the era of non-vitamin K antagonist oral
      anticoagulants (NOACs) is highlighted. The continuing role of IVT in large vessel
      occlusion (LVO) patients eligible for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is discussed
      with regards to 'drip and ship' vs. 'mothership' treatment paradigms. Promising
      studies of penumbral imaging to extend IVT beyond the 4.5-hour window and in wake
      up strokes are summarized. Expert commentary: This review provides an update on
      the role of IVT in specific conditions originally considered tPA
      contraindications. Novel practice challenges including NOAC's, MSU proliferation
      and bridging therapy (IVT&MT) for LVO patients, and the potential extension of
      IVT time-window using penumbral imaging are emerging as safe and potentially
      effective IVT applications.

PMID- 28644925
TI  - Does Low Body Mass Index Predict the Hospital Mortality of Adult Western or Asian
      Patients?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some strategies for screening and assessment of malnutrition include
      a low but variable body mass index (BMI) cutoff, while others do not. The purpose
      of this systematic review was to investigate published data for Western and Asian
      hospital samples to determine how the prevalence of low BMI is associated with
      increased hospital mortality. METHOD: A PubMed search of the past 10 years (2006
      2016) was conducted with the terms "BMI," "malnutrition," "adult," "outcome," and
      "hospital" or "ICU" for articles published in English. Studies that examined BMI
      levels among Western or Asian populations were included. Forest plots were
      constructed to determine the odds of hospital mortality in low versus normal BMI
      groups. RESULTS: Twenty studies met inclusion criteria. The prevalence of BMI
      <18.5 kg/m2 was greater in Asian (15%-20%) than Western (2%-7%) patient groups.
      In Western populations, BMI <18.5 kg/m2 was so rare that most studies lacked
      power to evaluate outcomes. Hospital mortality among ICU patients was greater for
      patients with BMI <18.5 than those with BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 (Western: odds
      ratio, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.33-1.50]; Asian: odds ratio = 1.78 [95% CI, 1.7-1.86]).
      RECOMMENDATIONS: BMI <18.5 kg/m2 is a possible screening variable for
      malnutrition. Since low BMI was associated with increased mortality in Western
      and Asian patient groups, we suggest that all populations at risk based on low
      BMI undergo a full nutrition assessment with a validated method.

PMID- 28644926
TI  - Gangnam-Style Plastic Surgery: The Science of Westernized Beauty in South Korea.
AB  - New beauty ideals and particular types of plastic surgery beauty have emerged in
      South Korea from the early twenty-first century. By defining Gangnam-style
      plastic surgery as a hybrid of old Westernized beauty ideals and a new science of
      beauty with variations and contradictions, I intend to twist the simplistic
      understanding of non-Western plastic surgery as an effort to resemble the white
      westerner's body. I also draw political implications from a case of monstrous
      Gangnam-style beauty made by excessive plastic surgery.

PMID- 28644927
TI  - Testing an Integrative Model of Affect Regulation and Avoidance in Non-Suicidal
      Self-Injury and Disordered Eating.
AB  - This research tested a model that integrates risk factors among non-suicidal self
      injury (NSSI) and eating disorder (ED) behaviors with the aim of elucidating
      possible shared and unique mechanisms underlying both behaviors. Emotional
      distress, limited access to emotion regulation (ER) strategies, experiential
      avoidance, and NSSI/ED frequency were examined in a sample of 230 female
      undergraduates. Structural equation modeling indicated that limited access to ER
      strategies and avoidance mediated relationship between emotional distress and
      avoidance, which in turn was associated with NSSI and ED behaviors. Results
      suggest NSSI and ED behaviors may serve similar emotion regulation functions, and
      specifically highlight the role of experiential avoidance in these behaviors.

PMID- 28644930
TI  - Trends in Open and Endoscopic Cubital Tunnel Release in the Medicare Patient
      Population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cubital tunnel syndrome (CUT) is the second most common peripheral
      neuropathy with an annual incidence of 24.7 per 100 000, affecting nearly twice
      as many men as women. With increasing focus on cost-effectiveness and cost
      containment in medicine, a critical understanding of utilization of health care
      resources for open and endoscopic approaches for cubital tunnel release is of
      value. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the costs and utilization trends
      of open and endoscopic cubital tunnel release. METHODS: We performed a
      retrospective review of a Medicare database within the PearlDiver Supercomputer
      (Warsaw, Indiana) for procedures performed from 2005 to 2012. Annual utilization,
      charges, reimbursement, demographic data, and compound annual growth rate were
      evaluated. RESULTS: Our query returned 262 104 patients with CUT, of which 69 378
      (26.5%) and 4636 (1.8%) were surgically managed with open and endoscopic release
      respectively. Average charges were higher in endoscopic release ($3798) than open
      release ($3197) while reimbursements were higher in open releases ($1041) than
      endoscopic release, ($866). Both were performed most commonly in the <65 years
      age range. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the unexpectedly lower reimbursement rate with
      endoscopic release, endoscopy utilization is growing faster than open releases in
      the Medicare population. Lower reimbursement is likely related to lack of a
      dedicated current procedural terminology code for endoscopic cubital tunnel
      release.

PMID- 28644931
TI  - Quadrigia and Productivity.
AB  - Financial productivity in academic surgery is important and deserves great
      emphasis, yet it is but one of many vital elements of a healthy practice.
      Productivity must be carefully balanced with many other vital goals such as
      maximizing patient safety, maintaining excellent outcomes, optimizing resident
      and medical student education, and earning outstanding patient feedback. The
      following editorial explores this elusive balance and the importance of not
      swaying too far in the direction of revenue.

PMID- 28644932
TI  - Comment on the article "A Clinical Scoring System for Distinguishing Patients
      With Coincident Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Among Patients With Carpal Tunnel
      Syndrome".

PMID- 28644929
TI  - Short interpregnancy intervals, maternal folate levels, and infants born small
      for gestational age: a preliminary study in a Canadian supplement-using
      population.
AB  - Short interpregnancy intervals (SIPI) have been associated with increased risks
      for adverse neonatal outcomes including preterm delivery and infants small for
      gestational age (SGA). It has been suggested that mechanistically, adverse
      neonatal outcomes after SIPI arise due to insufficient recovery of depleted
      maternal folate levels prior to the second pregnancy. However, empirical data are
      lacking regarding physiological folate levels in pregnant women with SIPI and
      relationships between quantified physiological folate levels and outcomes like
      SGA. Therefore, we sought to test 2 hypotheses, specifically that compared with
      controls women with SIPI would: (i) have lower red blood cell folate (RBCF)
      levels and (ii) be more likely to have SGA infants (defined as <10th percentile).
      Using data collected in British Columbia, Canada, for a larger study on perinatal
      psychopathology, we documented supplementation use and compared prenatal RBCF
      levels and proportion of SGA infants between women with SIPI (second child
      conceived <=24 months after previous birth, n = 26) and matched controls (no
      previous pregnancies, or >24 months between pregnancies, n = 52). There were no
      significant differences in either mean RBCF levels (Welch's t test, p = 0.7) or
      proportion of SGA infants (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.7) between women with SIPI
      and matched controls. We report the first data about RBCF levels in the context
      of SIPI. If confirmed, our finding of no relationship between these variables in
      this population suggests that continued folic acid supplementation following an
      initial pregnancy mitigates folate depletion. We found no relationship between
      SIPI and SGA.

PMID- 28644933
TI  - Survey of Hand and Upper Extremity Injuries Among Rock Climbers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rock climbing first evolved as a sport in the late 18th century. With
      its growing popularity, the number of rock climbing-related injuries has
      potential to increase, spurring a rise in the number of articles associated with
      it. Despite the available literature, there remains a paucity of information
      about upper extremity injuries sustained by rock climbers, and no studies to date
      have focused on gender-specific injuries. METHODS: A 24-question online survey
      was distributed to rock climbers about upper extremity injuries sustained during
      rock climbing. Statistical analysis was used to study association between
      participants' demographics and injuries. RESULTS: A total of 397 participants
      responded to the survey. Mean age was 32.5 years with males comprising 85%. No
      significant differences in demographics or climbing behaviors were found between
      males and females. Ninety percent of participants reported sustaining an upper
      extremity injury. Fingers were the most common injury followed by shoulder/arm
      and elbow/forearm. Our study found females to be more likely to report a rock
      climbing-related injury, and more likely to undergo surgery for it. CONCLUSION:
      Female rock climbers were significantly more likely to report a shoulder/upper
      arm injury and were also more likely to report undergoing surgery compared with
      males, where these differences were not due to age or climbing behaviors. Further
      investigation is warranted into the association between shoulder injuries and
      female athletes to determine how the gender differences relate to extent of
      injury as well as health service utilization behaviors.

PMID- 28644934
TI  - Fingertip Injuries in Children: Epidemiology, Financial Burden, and Implications
      for Prevention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although fingertip injuries are common, there is limited literature
      on the epidemiology and hospital charges for fingertip injuries in children. This
      descriptive study reports the clinical features of and hospital charges for
      fingertip injuries in a large pediatric population treated at a tertiary medical
      center. METHODS: Our hospital database was queried using International
      Classification of Diseases, Revision 9 (ICD-9) codes, and medical records were
      reviewed. Frequency statistics were generated for 1807 patients with fingertip
      injuries who presented to the emergency department (ED) at Boston Children's
      Hospital (BCH) between 2005 and 2011. Billing records were analyzed for financial
      data. RESULTS: A total of 1807 patients were identified for this study; 59% were
      male, and the mean age at time of injury was 8 years. Most commonly, injuries
      occurred when a finger was crushed (n = 831, 46%) in a door or window. Average
      length of stay in the ED was 3 hours 45 minutes, 25% of cases needed surgery,
      and, on average, patients had more than 1 follow-up appointment. About one-third
      of patients were referred from outside institutions. The average ED charge for
      fingertip injuries was $1195 in 2014, which would amount to about $320 430 each
      year (in 2014 dollars) for fingertip injuries presenting to BCH. CONCLUSION:
      Fingertip injuries in children are common and result in significant burden, yet
      are mostly preventable. Most injuries occur at home in a door or window. Although
      these patients generally heal well, fingertip injuries pose a health, time, and
      financial burden. Increased awareness and education may help to avoid these
      injuries.

PMID- 28644935
TI  - Triquetrohamate Impaction Syndrome: An Unrecognized Cause of Ulnar-Sided Wrist
      Pain; Its Presentation Further Defined.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this review was to further define the clinical condition
      triquetrohamate (TH) impaction syndrome (THIS), an entity underreported and
      missed often. Its presentation, physical findings, and treatment are presented.
      METHODS: Between 2009 and 2014, 18 patients were diagnosed with THIS. The age,
      sex, hand involved, activity responsible for symptoms, and defining
      characteristics were recorded. The physical findings, along with ancillary
      studies, were reviewed. Delay in diagnosis and misdiagnoses were assessed.
      Treatment, either conservative or surgical, is presented. Follow-up outcomes are
      presented. RESULTS: There were 15 male and 3 females, average age of 42 years.
      Two-handed sports such as golf and baseball accounted for more than 60% of the
      cases, and these cases were the only ones that involved the lead nondominant
      hand, pain predominantly at impact. Delay in diagnosis averaged greater than 7
      months, with triangular fibrocartilage (TFCC) and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU)
      accounting for more than 50% of misdiagnoses. Physical findings of note included
      pain over the TH joint, worse with passive dorsiflexion and ulnar deviation.
      Radiographic findings are described. Instillation of lidocaine with the wrist in
      radial deviation under fluoroscopic imaging with relief of pain helped to confirm
      the diagnosis. Conservative treatment was successful in 9 of 18 patients (50%),
      whereas in the remaining, surgical intervention allowed approximately 80% return
      to full activities without limitation. CONCLUSION: Triquetrohamate impaction
      syndrome remains an underreported and often unrecognized cause of ulnar-sided
      wrist pain. In this report, the largest series to date, its presentation,
      defining characteristics, and treatment options are further elucidated.

PMID- 28644936
TI  - The Deltoid Lift: A Comparison Study of Exposure Area in Proximal Humeral
      Approaches.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adequate exposure of the proximal humerus is necessary to address
      atypical or complex proximal humerus fractures and orthopedic tumors. Surgical
      management may be difficult through existing approaches due to their limited
      nature and the delicate neurovascular anatomy of the shoulder. The deltoid lift,
      a previously described extensile approach, can be incorporated into the surgeon's
      armamentarium as an alternative exposure to the proximal humerus. The objective
      of this study was to quantify and compare the humeral exposure achieved through
      the deltoid lift with the standard direct lateral deltoid-splitting,
      anterolateral acromial, and deltopectoral approaches in terms of surface area and
      exposure of key anatomic landmarks. METHODS: Each approach was performed a
      minimum of 8 times on 18 cadaveric specimens. After identifying landmarks,
      exposure area of exposed humerus was quantified using digital images and ImageJ
      software. RESULTS: The deltoid lift yielded an average exposure area of 46 cm2.
      Comparison of the exposure area for the deltoid lift against each of the other
      approaches yielded statistical significance ( P < .01). The exposure provided was
      2-folds greater than that of the next most extensive approach. All anatomic
      landmarks were directly visible through the deltoid lift as compared with the
      remaining approaches, through which only 1 landmark was directly visualized and
      only 2 of the 3 remaining were palpable through the approach. CONCLUSIONS: The
      deltoid lift extensile surgical exposure to the proximal humerus provides the
      largest humeral exposure with the greatest visibility of landmarks relative to
      the 3 most widely utilized standard approaches.

PMID- 28644937
TI  - Predictors of Recurrence After Corticosteroid Injection for Trigger Digits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We aimed to identify risk factors for recurrence of trigger digit
      following corticosteroid injection. METHODS: A retrospective review identified
      patients 18 years and older who presented to a single fellowship-trained hand
      surgeon with a symptomatic trigger digit during a 1-year period. Baseline
      demographic data were recorded. Patients with persistent trigger digit after a
      single injection were offered a second injection. Patients refusing a second
      injection were excluded from our analysis. Patients with persistent symptoms
      after 2 injections were offered surgery. For patients with diabetes mellitus,
      additional information regarding method of disease control and hemoglobin A1c
      level was recorded. RESULTS: The overall success of corticosteroid injection was
      84% with 16% of patients requiring surgical release. Of the 240 patients
      successfully treated with injection, 99 (41%) required a second injection.
      Injections resulted in persistent triggering in 15% of patients with diabetes and
      17% of patients without diabetes. A multivariate regression analysis revealed
      that the 2 strongest risk factors for requiring surgical release were patient age
      and patients whose fourth digit of the right hand was injected. Diabetes was not
      a risk factor for persistent triggering after corticosteroid injection.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our findings can be used to counsel patients prior to their initial
      injection and suggest that patients with diabetes can be managed with
      corticosteroid injection with equal efficacy compared with patients without
      diabetes.

PMID- 28644938
TI  - Preoperative Epoxy Embolization Facilitates the Safe and Effective Resection of
      Venous Malformations in the Hand and Forearm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The standard of care for treatment of low-flow venous malformations
      (VMs) is percutaneous sclerotherapy. These lesions are seldom surgically
      resected, especially if the malformation is in an anatomically difficult
      location. Percutaneous sclerotherapy is safe and effective. However, the
      drawbacks to sclerotherapy are the need for repeated treatments and risks of skin
      ulceration, deep venous thrombosis, scarring/contractures, and nerve damage.
      Surgical resection can be difficult because of intraoperative bleeding,
      intraoperative lesional decompression, and difficulty in localization. METHODS:
      We describe our initial experience with 11 patients who underwent surgical
      resection of VMs located in the hand and forearm after preembolization of 27
      total sites using n-butyl-cyanoacrylate or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer.
      RESULTS: Of the 11 patients treated, 5 had focal VMs, 3 had multifocal VMs, and 3
      had diffuse VMs throughout the affected extremity. Four of the 5 patients with
      focal VMs were followed for at least 1 year, and no further treatment was
      required. All 3 of the patients with diffuse VMs have required ongoing treatment.
      No major functional impairments were reported, and there were no major procedure
      related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, embolization of the malformation
      before surgical resection facilitated localization, demarcation, and removal of
      the lesion.

PMID- 28644939
TI  - An Economic Analysis of MAC Versus WALANT: A Trigger Finger Release Surgery Case
      Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There has been recent interest in wide awake hand surgery, also
      referred to as "wide awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet" (WALANT) surgery.
      Using a model of single trigger finger release (TFR) surgery, a hypothesis was
      made that WALANT would result in decreased hospital time and cost than patients
      receiving sedation with monitored anesthetic care (MAC). METHODS: Consecutive
      cases of single TFR surgery with MAC were compared with WALANT. All surgeries
      were performed in the same manner, at the same facility, and by the same surgeon.
      Total operating room (OR) time, surgical time, recovery time, and anesthesia
      costs were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 78 patients: 31 MAC and 47 WALANT. The
      MAC group averaged 27.2 minutes of OR time; the WALANT group averaged 25.2
      minutes. The MAC group surgical time was 10.2 minutes versus WALANT of 10.4
      minutes. Post-operatively, the MAC group averaged 72.3 minutes in the recovery
      room compared with WALANT group of 30.2 minutes. Each case performed under MAC
      had a minimum of excess charges from anesthesia of approximately $105.
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing single TFR surgery under WALANT trended toward
      less time in the OR, had similar surgical times, and spent significantly less
      time in the recovery room, compared with MAC, thereby resulting in less indirect
      costs. Each MAC case also had minimum direct excess anesthesia charges of $105,
      which knowingly underestimates overall charges as it excludes material and fixed
      costs associated with the delivery of anesthesia. Avoiding sedation for high
      volume procedures such as TFR may result in significant systemic savings to
      payers, and in the future with bundling and episode-based payments can become
      increasingly important to patients, facilities, and surgeons.

PMID- 28644941
TI  - The Use of the "Cup of Diogenes" and "OK Approach" for Carpal Tunnel Surgery.

PMID- 28644940
TI  - Percutaneous Treatment of Unstable Scaphoid Waist Fractures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Percutaneous techniques have been described for the treatment of
      nondisplaced scaphoid fractures, although less information has been reported
      about outcomes for unstable, displaced fractures. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the union and complication rates following manual closed reduction and
      percutaneous screw placement for a consecutive series of unstable, displaced
      scaphoid fractures. METHODS: A total of 28 patients (average age, 27 years; 22
      male/6 female) were treated for isolated unstable displaced scaphoid waist
      fractures. Closed reduction and percutaneous headless, compression screw fixation
      was successfully performed in 14 patients (average age, 32 years; 10 male/4
      female), and the remaining 14 patients required open reduction. Patients who
      underwent percutaneous treatment were followed for radiographic fracture union
      and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Thirteen of 14 fractures (93%) had clinical and
      radiographic evidence of bone union at an average of 2.8 months postoperatively.
      Average visual analog pain score at the time of union was 0.9. The average Quick
      Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score at 2.5 years follow-up (range,
      1.5-8.3 years) was 9.6 (range, 0.0-27.3). Complications included 1 case of
      nonunion and 1 case of intraoperative Kirschner wire breakage. CONCLUSIONS:
      Manual closed reduction followed by percutaneous headless, compression screw
      fixation was possible in 50% of patients who presented with acute unstable,
      displaced scaphoid fractures. This technique appears to be a safe and effective
      method when a manual reduction is possible, and it may offer a less invasive
      option when compared with a standard open technique.

PMID- 28644942
TI  - Total Wrist Arthroplasty Versus Wrist Fusion: Utilization and Complication Rates
      as Reported by ABOS Part II Candidates.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess national trends in the
      utilization and complication rates of total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) and total
      wrist fusion (WF) as identified via review of the American Board of Orthopedic
      Surgery (ABOS) Part II candidate database. METHODS: The ABOS Part II candidate
      database is a collection of cases reported by candidates of the ABOS Part II
      board certification oral exam. The ABOS database was queried for all TWA and WF
      cases performed from 2005 to 2014. Linear regression analyses were used to assess
      trends in procedure utilization. Treatment diagnoses, patient characteristics,
      and reported complications were also compared between the 2 treatment cohorts.
      RESULTS: No significant increases in the proportion of candidates performing TWA
      or WF, number of TWA or WF cases, nor the number of TWA or WF cases performed per
      candidate performing those procedures were noted during the study period.
      Significantly less TWA cases were performed when compared with WF cases (68 vs
      327; P = .006). Patients undergoing TWA were significantly older ( P = .005),
      more likely female ( P < .001), and more likely to have a diagnosis of
      osteoarthritis ( P = .003) than patients undergoing WF. There were no significant
      differences in complication rates, including postoperative infection, nerve
      palsy, or rate of secondary surgery, between the TWA and WF cohorts. CONCLUSIONS:
      Utilization of both TWA and WF has remained unchanged among emerging career
      orthopedic surgeons. Although WF is performed nearly 5 times more frequently than
      TWA, our short-term findings suggest that TWA compares favorably with WF.

PMID- 28644943
TI  - Failure of Wrist Hemiarthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wrist hemiarthroplasty has emerged as a motion-sparing option for
      severe wrist arthritis. It is technically easy with advantages of limited bone
      resection and no risk of nonunion. Given the relative infancy of the procedure in
      clinical practice, there are limited data on patient outcomes. METHODS: Eleven
      patients were treated with wrist reconstructive hemiarthroplasty. Indications
      included 1 patient with scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse, 9 patients with
      scapholunate advanced collapse, and 1 patient with capitolunate arthritis.
      Average age was 63 years; average follow-up was 4 years. Objective parameters
      included Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH), grip strength, and
      range of motion. Implant failure defined by necessity of revision procedure.
      RESULTS: DASH scores initially improved postoperatively but were not
      statistically significant. Grip strength was 60% of contralateral side.
      Postoperative range of motion at 6 months was flexion 40.3 degrees , extension
      39.3 degrees , supination 87.0 degrees , pronation 77.8 degrees , radial
      deviation 14.5 degrees , and ulnar deviation 13.8 degrees . A 45% failure rate
      was observed. Complications included failure with conversion to Total Wrist
      Arthroplasty (TWA; n = 2) or wrist fusion (n = 3) secondary to development of
      ulnar-sided wrist pain. One additional patient experienced severe wrist pain but
      declined additional surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Wrist hemiarthroplasty in our series
      had a significant failure rate. In each case of failure, the patient developed
      ulnar-sided wrist pain. In the presence of more reliable procedures, wrist
      hemiarthroplasty is not indicated in its current incarnation.

PMID- 28644944
TI  - Change in the Distance From the Axillary Nerve to the Glenohumeral Joint With
      Shoulder External Rotation or Abduction Position.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study investigated whether axillary nerve (AN) distance to the
      inferior border of the humeral head and inferior glenoid would change while
      placing the glenohumeral joint in different degrees of external rotation and
      abduction. METHODS: A standard deltopectoral approach was performed on 10 fresh
      frozen cadaveric specimens. The distance between AN and the inferior border of
      the humeral head and inferior glenoid while placing the shoulder in 0 degrees ,
      45 degrees , and 90 degrees  of external rotation or abduction was measured.
      Continuous variables for changes in AN position were compared with paired 2
      tailed Student t test. RESULTS: The mean distance between the AN and the humeral
      head with the shoulder in 0 degrees , 45 degrees , and 90 degrees  of external
      rotation and 0 degrees  of abduction was 13.77 mm (SD 4.31), 13.99 mm (SD 4.12),
      and 16.28 mm (SD 5.40), respectively. The mean distance between the AN and
      glenoid with the shoulder in 0 degrees , 45 degrees , and 90 degrees  of external
      rotation was 16.33 mm (SD 3.60), 15.60 mm (SD 4.19), and 16.43 (SD 5.35),
      respectively. The mean distance between the AN and the humeral head with the
      shoulder in 0 degrees , 45 degrees , and 90 degrees  of abduction and 0 degrees 
      of external rotation was 13.76 mm (SD 4.31), 10.68 mm (SD 4.19), and 3.81 mm (SD
      3.08), respectively. The mean distance between the AN and glenoid with the
      shoulder in 0 degrees , 45 degrees , and 90 degrees  of abduction was 16.33 mm
      (SD 3.60), 17.66 mm (SD 5.80), and 12.44 mm (SD 5.57), respectively. CONCLUSIONS:
      The AN position relative to the inferior aspect of the glenohumeral joint does
      not significantly change despite position of external rotation. Increasing
      shoulder abduction over 45 degrees  decreases the distance from the glenohumeral
      joint to the AN and should be avoided.

PMID- 28644945
TI  - Complications and Cost of Syndactyly Reconstruction in the United States:
      Analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Syndactyly is one of the most common congenital differences of the
      upper extremity and offers an exceptional opportunity to evaluate value-based
      care in pediatric orthopedic surgery. We designed a study to characterize
      complications and cost associated to syndactyly surgery among US pediatric
      hospitals. METHODS: A total of 2047 patients were identified for syndactyly
      surgery at 38 pediatric hospitals from 2009 to 2012 using the Pediatric Health
      Information System (PHIS) database. We examined costs as well as complication
      rates across hospitals stratified by patient and hospital variables. RESULTS: The
      postoperative complication rate was 1.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3%
      2.5%). Postoperative infection rate was 1.6% and surgical complication rate was
      0.3%. Median adjusted standardized cost was $4112.5 (interquartile range: $2979
      $6049). Patients with more than 1 diagnosis had 19 times higher risk of
      complications and were associated with 13% more hospital cost than those with
      syndactyly as single diagnosis ( P < .001). Finally, there was a wide variation
      in cost across hospitals; 8 (21%) yielded confidence limits above the benchmarked
      value. CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, it is important to recognize variations
      in practice of syndactyly surgery in hopes of developing quality improvement
      strategies in pediatric orthopedic surgery.

PMID- 28644946
TI  - Effectiveness of Corticosteroid Injections for Treatment of de Quervain's
      Tenosynovitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although surgery can provide definitive treatment for de Quervain's
      tenosynovitis, nonoperative treatment could be preferable if symptoms are
      predictably relieved. We sought to determine the effectiveness of corticosteroid
      injections as treatment for de Quervain's tenosynovitis and to evaluate patient
      characteristics as predictors of treatment outcome. METHODS: A retrospective
      study was conducted using our institutional database International Classification
      of Disease, version 9 (ICD-9) code list for de Quervain's tenosynovitis.
      Treatment success was defined as relief of symptoms after 1 or 2 injections.
      Relief was defined as resolution or improvement to the extent that the patient
      did not seek further intervention. Failure was defined as a subsequent surgical
      release or a third injection. Logistic regression analyses were performed to look
      for univariate associations between patient demographics/comorbidities and risk
      of treatment failure. RESULTS: The treatment outcome of 222 limbs from 199
      patients was studied. Of the 222 limbs, 73.4% (95% confidence interval [CI],
      66.9%-79.1%) experienced treatment success within 2 injections, and 51.8% (95%
      CI, 45.0%-58.6%) experienced success after 1 injection. Body mass index (BMI) >30
      and female sex were found to be significantly associated with treatment failure,
      with a 2.4-fold increase (95% CI, 1.02%-5.72%) in odds and 3.23 times greater
      (95% CI, 1.08%-9.67%) odds of failure, respectively. Although not reaching
      statistical significance, African American race, hypothyroidism, and carpal
      tunnel syndrome suggested increased odds of failure. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      indicates that corticosteroid injections are a useful treatment for de Quervain's
      tenosynovitis, leading to treatment success 73.4% of the time within 2
      injections. This study also suggests that female sex and BMI >30 are associated
      with increased treatment failure.

PMID- 28644947
TI  - Acoustic Rhinometry for Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Function in Preschool
      Children Post Palatoplasty.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility of acoustic rhinometry for the evaluation of
      velopharyngeal function in preschool children by detecting changes in nasal
      cavity volume (NV) and minimal cross-sectional area (MCSA) after palatoplasty.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one preschool children with incomplete cleft palate
      who underwent Sommerlad palatoplasty were examined by acoustic rhinometry. MCSA,
      distance of the MCSA from the nostril (DMCA), NV, and nasopharyngeal volume (NPV)
      were measured. Patients were grouped according to velopharyngeal state and
      lateral cephalographic findings. RESULTS: MCSA, NV, and NPV showed a meaningful
      difference between the experimental and control groups. DMCA in the experimental
      group (7.09 +/- 1.33 mm) was not markedly different between the 2 sides. NV, NPV,
      and MCSA in the velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) subgroup were obviously larger
      than those in the velopharyngeal competence (VPC) and marginal VPI subgroups. NV
      in the VPC group showed no relevant difference from that in the control group. No
      relevant difference in MCSA, DMCA, and NPV was observed among the 3 subgroups at
      radiographic evaluation. NV in the noncontact group was markedly larger than in
      the control group. The curve showed marked constriction in the anterior part but
      an elevation in the posterior part, especially at a distance of 7.09 cm.
      CONCLUSION: Acoustic rhinometry is a rapid, noninvasive, and reproducible method
      that can be used in lieu of lateral cephalography for quantitative evaluation of
      the NV and MCSA. It can be used to assess postoperative velopharyngeal function
      in children and has good adaptability.

PMID- 28644948
TI  - Traumatic Buccal Fat Pad Herniation in Young Children: A Systematic Review and
      Case Report.
AB  - PURPOSE: Traumatic herniation of a buccal fat pad, predominantly seen in young
      children, is a rare condition. Because of its rarity and clinical features that
      resemble tumors, clinicians are faced with challenges at the initial diagnosis.
      This report describes a case of buccal fat pad herniation with excellent long
      term prognosis after surgical relocation and conservative treatment and presents
      a systematic review of the literature on its management. MATERIALS AND METHODS:
      Through a PubMed search, 811 articles were initially identified. Case series,
      case reports, technical notes, case and review reports, and retrospective case
      series were included. After screening and manual review, the sample was narrowed
      to 35 reports (41 patients) based on eligibility criteria. Articles were included
      if the standard criteria for traumatic intraoral herniation of buccal fat pad
      were met. RESULTS: Patients' ages ranged from 4 months to 12 years, with no
      specific gender predilection. Management consisted of excision (82.9%),
      relocation (14.6%), and observation (2.4%). Follow-up ranged from 1 week to 4
      months. No reports presented a follow-up longer than 4 months; hence, data on
      long-term prognosis were not reported. For the present case report, a 19-month
      old boy diagnosed with traumatic buccal fat pad herniation was successfully
      treated with surgical relocation and antibiotic support. Twelve-month follow-up
      showed no esthetic or functional disturbance or recurrence. CONCLUSION: Traumatic
      herniation of the buccal fat pad requires special attention at the initial
      diagnosis. Considering its clinical importance in young children and few studies
      have reported long-term postresection follow-up, surgical relocation can be
      regarded as an excellent and more conservative treatment option.

PMID- 28644949
TI  - Hematopoietic cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adult
      patients.
AB  - Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) consists of precursor B ALL or T ALL
      phenotypes. In the pediatric population, ALL patients enjoy an 80% long-term
      survival with the current pediatric chemotherapy protocols as compared with 50%
      long-term survival in the adult population. In adults, complete remission rates
      are similar to those of pediatric patients; however, long-term survival is much
      lower with the majority of deaths attributable to relapsed disease. Postremission
      consolidation strategies in adults include chemotherapy, autologous, or
      allogeneic transplant. Pediatric-inspired chemotherapy protocols are being
      explored as a consolidation modality in adults. Assigning patients to either
      modality depends on patient and disease characteristics. Here, we review the
      literature on the use of hematopoietic cell transplantation as a consolidation
      modality in the treatment of adult ALL.

PMID- 28644950
TI  - Hematopoietic cell transplantation in Fanconi anemia and dyskeratosis congenita:
      A minireview.
AB  - Bone marrow failure syndrome is an epithet of bone marrow failure (all or single
      cell lineage) that is attributable to an underlying genetic aberration usually
      with a constellation of somatic abnormalities. Multiple inheritance patterns have
      been described in these disorders; many are transmitted in an autosomal recessive
      pattern, which may consequently lead to a higher prevalence of such illnesses in
      homogeneous societies such as Saudi Arabia, where consanguineous marriages are
      not uncommon. At King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, the most
      common entity referred for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is
      Fanconi anemia, followed by pure red aplasia, and, less commonly, dyskeratosis
      congenita, congenital neutropenia, and others. Of all the congenital bone marrow
      failure syndromes, two of them-Fanconi anemia and dyskeratosis congenita
      represent a real challenge in terms of conditioning for HCT and require special
      attention. This minireview is a snapshot of the recent international and local
      experience of HCT in these two entities.

PMID- 28644951
TI  - Principles of Chemical Biology: From Sexy Fatty Acids and EBV probes to Anti-Acid
      Antibiotic via Post-Biotics and Host-Microbe Metabolic Complementarity.
AB  - This month: The role of fatty acids in sex determination; a probe to monitor and
      inhibit EBNA1 at the same time; a biological role for post-biotics; what happens
      when you mix microbes, hosts, and drugs; and an antibiotic that cross-protects
      with acid.

PMID- 28644952
TI  - ACSF3 and Mal(onate)-Adapted Mitochondria.
AB  - In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Bowman and colleagues show that the
      mitochondrial enzyme ACSF3 generates malonyl-CoA from malonate, in turn
      regulating metabolic flux and mitochondrial protein malonylation (Bowman et al.,
      2017). The study reveals a mechanism to generate mitochondrial malonyl-CoA and
      how this molecule impacts mitochondrial biology.

PMID- 28644953
TI  - Helping Induced hPSCs Clean Up Their Act.
AB  - Inhibition of the tumorigenic potential of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs)
      remains critically important for safe hPSC-based therapy. In this issue of Cell
      Chemical Biology, Kuang et al. (2017) reveal that the phospho-D-peptide D-3
      efficiently induces death of residual hPSCs, but not of differentiated progenies,
      through high alkaline phosphatase activity in hPSCs.

PMID- 28644954
TI  - Bacteria and the Fate of Estrogen in the Environment.
AB  - In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Chen et al. (2017) report that 4
      hydroxyestrone and pyridinestrone acid are intermediates in the 4,5-seco pathway
      of aerobic estrogen degradation by the bacterium Sphingomonas. The authors
      identify a gene for 4-hydroxyestrone 4,5-dioxygenase and find it to be widely
      distributed in diverse proteobacteria, suggesting that this pathway is
      environmentally significant.

PMID- 28644955
TI  - Turning-ON Proteasomes.
AB  - While proteasome inhibitors are now well-established research tools and
      chemotherapeutics, proteasome activators are much less explored. In this issue of
      Cell Chemical Biology, in a study from the groups of Berkers and Ovaa
      (Leestemaker et al., 2017), a chemical screen was used to identify a p38 MAPK
      inhibitor as a proteasome activator. This compound furthermore enhanced clearance
      of protein aggregates, thereby implicating alternative chemotherapeutic options
      for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

PMID- 28644956
TI  - SIRT4 Is a Regulator of Insulin Secretion.
AB  - In a recent issue of Cell Metabolism, Anderson et al. (2017) report that SIRT4
      regulates insulin sensitivity in the pancreas via activation of methylcrotonyl
      CoA carboxylase 1 (MCCC1) by removal of dicarboxyacyl-lysine modifications. Thus,
      SIRT4 activates leucine catabolism and causes decreased secretion of insulin from
      the pancreas.

PMID- 28644957
TI  - Chemical Probes for Visualizing Intact Animal and Human Brain Tissue.
AB  - Newly developed tissue clearing techniques can be used to render intact tissues
      transparent. When combined with fluorescent labeling technologies and optical
      sectioning microscopy, this allows visualization of fine structure in three
      dimensions. Gene-transfection techniques have proved very useful in visualizing
      cellular structures in animal models, but they are not applicable to human brain
      tissue. Here, we discuss the characteristics of an ideal chemical fluorescent
      probe for use in brain and other cleared tissues, and offer a comprehensive
      overview of currently available chemical probes. We describe their working
      principles and compare their performance with the goal of simplifying probe
      selection for neuropathologists and stimulating probe development by chemists. We
      propose several approaches for the development of innovative chemical labeling
      methods which, when combined with tissue clearing, have the potential to
      revolutionize how we study the structure and function of the human brain.

PMID- 28644958
TI  - Translating cancer epigenomics into the clinic: focus on lung cancer.
AB  - Epigenetic deregulation is increasingly being recognized as a hallmark of cancer.
      Recent studies have identified many new epigenetic biomarkers, some of which are
      being introduced into clinical practice for diagnosis, molecular classification,
      prognosis or prediction of response to therapies. O-6-methylguanine-DNA
      methyltransferase gene is the most clinically advanced epigenetic biomarker as it
      predicts the response to temozolomide and carmustine in gliomas. Therefore,
      epigenomics may represent a novel and promising tool for precision medicine, and
      in particular, the detection of epigenomic biomarkers in liquid biopsies will be
      of great interest for monitoring diseases in patients. Of particular relevance is
      the identification of epigenetic biomarkers in lung cancer, one of the most
      prevalent and deadly types of cancer. DNA methylation of SHOX2 and RASSF1A could
      be used as diagnostic markers to differentiate between normal and tumor samples.
      MicroRNA and long noncoding RNA signatures associated with lung cancer
      development or tobacco smoke have also been identified. In addition to the field
      of biomarkers, therapeutic approaches using DNA methylation and histone
      deacetylation inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials for several cancer
      types. Moreover, new DNA editing techniques based on zinc finger and CRISPR/Cas9
      technologies allow specific modification of aberrant methylation found in
      oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. We envision that epigenomics will translate
      into the clinical field and will have an impact on lung cancer
      diagnosis/prognosis and treatment.

PMID- 28644960
TI  - Improved simulation based HR-EBSD procedure using image gradient based DIC
      techniques.
AB  - Conventional HR-EBSD is attracting much interest due to its ability of measuring
      relative crystal misorientations and microstresses with great accuracy. However,
      this technique needs the use of simulated patterns in order to get absolute
      values of crystal orientation and stresses and thus expand its use to
      intergranular analyses. Simulation-based approaches have shown many limitations
      due to the poor correlation with the real patterns specially when Bragg
      simulations are considered. This paper presents an improved algorithm based on
      gradient-based correlation techniques that makes simulation-based HR-EBSD
      possible. Based on this new algorithm, a new pattern center calibration procedure
      is proposed and validated. Also, a new hybrid procedure that combines simulation
      based HR-EBSD with conventional HR-EBSD is presented that enables an absolute
      determination of both orientations and stresses with improved accuracy. The
      hybrid HR-EBSD is used to analyze the martensitic transformation induced by
      plastic deformation in an as-quenched Ti-12wt.%Mo alloy.

PMID- 28644959
TI  - Generation and characterization of aptamers targeting factor XIa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The plasma protease factor XIa (FXIa) has become a target of interest
      for therapeutics designed to prevent or treat thrombotic disorders. METHODS: We
      used a solution-based, directed evolution approach called systematic evolution of
      ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) to isolate RNA aptamers that target the
      FXIa catalytic domain. RESULTS: Two aptamers, designated 11.16 and 12.7, were
      identified that bound to previously identified anion binding and serpin bindings
      sites on the FXIa catalytic domain. The aptamers were non-competitive inhibitors
      of FXIa cleavage of a tripeptide chromogenic substrate and of FXIa activation of
      factor IX. In normal human plasma, aptamer 12.7 significantly prolonged the aPTT
      clotting time. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that novel inhibitors of FXIa can be
      prepared using SELEX techniques. RNA aptamers can bind to distinct sites on the
      FXIa catalytic domain and noncompetitively inhibit FXIa activity toward its
      primary macromolecular substrate factor IX with different levels of potency. Such
      compounds can be developed for use as therapeutic inhibitors.

PMID- 28644961
TI  - Bisphenol A and other environmental risk factors for prostate cancer in Hong
      Kong.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Environmental exposures are contributing factors to prostate cancer
      etiology, but these remain unclear. We aimed to document the associations between
      environmental risk factors and prostate cancer in Chinese, with special reference
      to bisphenol A (BPA). METHODS: We recruited 431 newly diagnosed prostate cancer
      cases and 402 age-matched controls from Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. We
      obtained each participant's clinical data and epidemiological information on
      chronic BPA exposure and other environmental risk factors (e.g., dietary habits,
      occupation and shift work) using a standard questionnaire. A new assessment tool
      of environmental BPA exposure was developed and replicated. Multiple logistic
      regression analysis was performed to examine odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence
      interval (95% CI) for the association of prostate cancer with a novel cumulative
      BPA exposure index (CBPAI) and other environmental risk factors. RESULTS: Weekly
      consumption of deep fried food (OR=1.85, 95% CI: 1.15-2.95) and pickled vegetable
      (OR=1.87, 95% CI: 1.07-3.28) was significantly associated with excessive prostate
      cancer risk. Prostate cancer was positively associated with nightshift work
      (OR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.07-2.89) and it was negatively associated with green tea
      drinking (OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.91). There was a positive exposure-response
      relationship between CBPAI and prostate cancer, with the greatest and significant
      risk in the high versus reference category (OR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.01-2.44).
      CONCLUSIONS: Frequent consumption of deep fried food and pickled vegetable, non
      habitual green tea drinking and nightshift work are the contributing risk factors
      to prostate cancer in Hong Kong Chinese. More importantly, this study provides
      the first epidemiological evidence on carcinogenicity of BPA on the human
      prostate.

PMID- 28644962
TI  - Validity and reproducibility of the modified STarT Back Tool (Dutch version) for
      patients with neck pain in primary care.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the
      STarT Back screening Tool (SBT), for patients with neck pain. METHODS: We
      modified the SBT to fit patients with neck pain. General practitioners and
      physiotherapists included patients who completed both a baseline and a follow-up
      questionnaire at 3 days and 3 months, respectively. The construct validity was
      assessed using Pearson's correlation between the SBT and the reference
      questionnaires. The reproducibility was assessed in the first week using the
      quadratic weighted kappa and the specific agreement. Predictive validity was
      assessed using a relative-risk ratio (RR) for, amongst others, persisting
      disability at 3 months. Content validity was analysed using both floor and
      ceiling effects. RESULTS: In total, 100 patients were included; 58% were
      categorised as being at "low risk" for persisting disability, 37% at "medium
      risk" and 5% at "high risk". As expected for the construct validity, we found a
      moderate to high correlation for all questions except for activity question 3.
      The reproducibility had a quadratic-weighted kappa of 0.58, and a specific
      agreement of 90.9% for "low-risk" and 66.7% for "medium-risk" patients. The RRs
      for persisting disability for "medium-risk" against "low-risk" patients were 1.5
      (95% C.I. 0.9-2.4) and 1.5 (95% C.I. 0.5-4.1) for pain. The sample size for high
      risk patients was low. CONCLUSION: The original SBT is modified to fit patients
      with neck pain in Dutch primary care. The psychometric analysis indicates
      sufficiently reliable outcomes, although the predictive validity showed
      statistically insignificant results.

PMID- 28644963
TI  - Self-report and subjective history in the diagnosis of painful neck conditions: A
      systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies.
AB  - : Rising healthcare costs and inherent risks with over-utilizing diagnostic
      imaging require a quality subjective examination to improve effectiveness and
      time management of physical examinations. This systematic review investigates the
      diagnostic accuracy of subjective history and self-report items to determine if
      there is significant alteration in the probability of identifying specific
      painful neck conditions. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and
      Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1) Written in the
      English language 2) Cervical pain with/without referred upper extremity or head
      pain 3) Subjective history or self-report items 4) Study designs that reported
      diagnostic statistics or allowed calculation of sensitivities, specificities,
      diagnostic odds ratios, and likelihood ratios 5) used a reference standard that
      has a sensitivity or specificity >=75% or a diagnostic tool that is strongly
      supported in the literature where this data is not available. Quality Assessment
      of Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy II was performed to evaluate risk of bias. Five
      studies with 830 total patients met the inclusion criteria. Conditions commonly
      reported in the literature included: cervical radiculopathy, cervical myelopathy,
      degenerative joint disease, and cervicogenic headache. Individual history
      questions show minimal diagnostic value in identifying cervical conditions
      without the physical examination. The value of the subjective history report is
      important and requires further investigation for specific neck conditions.
      Clustering symptoms may provide more insight than individual history items in
      future studies. The diagnostic value of history for neck conditions may be
      underrepresented due to the lack of studies that isolate subjective examination
      from the physical examination. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3a.

PMID- 28644964
TI  - Determination of absolute material nonlinearity with air-coupled ultrasonic
      receivers.
AB  - Quantitative evaluation of the microstructural state of a specimen can be deduced
      from knowledge of the sample's absolute acoustic nonlinearity parameter, beta,
      making the measurement of beta a powerful tool in the NDE toolbox. However, the
      various methods used in the past to measure beta each suffer from significant
      limitations. Piezoelectric contact transducers are sensitive to nonlinear
      signals, cheap, and simple to use, but they are hindered by the variability of
      the interfacial contact between transducer and specimen surface. Laser
      interferometry provides non-contact detection, but requires carefully prepared
      specimens or complicated optics to maximize sensitivity to the higher harmonic
      components of a received waveform. Additionally, laser interferometry is
      expensive and relatively difficult to use in the field. Air-coupled piezoelectric
      transducers offer the strengths of both of these technologies and the weaknesses
      of neither, but are notoriously difficult to calibrate for use in nonlinear
      measurements. This work proposes a hybrid modeling and experimental approach to
      air-coupled transducer calibration and the use of this calibration in a model
      based optimization to determine the absolute beta parameter of the material under
      investigation. This approach is applied to aluminum and fused silica, which are
      both well-documented materials and provide a strong reference for comparison of
      experimental and modeling results.

PMID- 28644965
TI  - 3, 4-dihydroxybenzalacetone attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in
      acute lung injury via down-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities through
      suppressing ROS-mediated MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways.
AB  - 3, 4-Dihydroxybenzalacetone (DBL) is a constituent of Phellinus linteus. This
      study demonstrated the protective effect of DBL on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
      induced acute lung injuries in mice. Pretreatment with DBL significantly improved
      LPS-induced histological alterations in lung tissues. In addition, DBL markedly
      reduced the total cell number, the leukocytes, the protein concentrations, and
      decreased the release of nitrite, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin
      (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and the activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 in
      the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. DBL also inhibited the W/D ratio and
      myeloperoxidase activity in the lung tissues. Western blot analysis indicated DBL
      efficiently blocked the protein expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase,
      cyclooxygenase-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated
      protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), AKT, Toll-like receptor
      4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB. Moreover, DBL enhanced the expression of
      anti-oxidant proteins, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and
      glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Based on our results, DBL might be a potential
      target for attenuating tissue oxidative injuries and nonspecific pulmonary
      inflammation.

PMID- 28644966
TI  - An immunosuppressive function of interleukin-35 in chronic hepatitis C virus
      infection.
AB  - Interleukin (IL)-35, a newly identified member of the IL-12 cytokine family, has
      been reported to suppress inflammation and induce immunotolerance. However,
      little is known regarding the role of IL-35 during chronic hepatitis C virus
      (HCV) infection. Herein, we measured the serum IL-35 concentration of 73 patients
      with hepatitis C and 22 healthy individuals, as well as further investigated the
      modulatory function of IL-35 on CD4+CD25+CD127dim/- regulatory T cells (Tregs)
      and on hepatocytes infected with HCV in cell culture (HCVcc). IL-35 expression
      was significantly increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C and was
      positively correlated with the levels of HCV RNA. Inhibition of viral replication
      led to decreases in the serum levels of IL-35. IL-35 stimulation not only
      elevated the percentage of Tregs but also robustly inhibited cellular
      proliferation and up-regulated the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines
      (e.g., IL-10 and IL-35) in a HCV-specific and non-specific manner, which
      indicates enhancement of the suppressive function of Tregs. Although IL-35 did
      not exert anti-HCV activity in HCVcc-infected Huh7.5 cells, it reduced
      inflammatory cytokine secretion from Huh7.5 cells. This was probably via
      inhibition of the STAT1 and STAT3 signaling pathways, which could suppress
      subsequent liver damage due to chronic hepatitis C. The current data suggested
      that IL-35 contributes to persistent HCV infection by inhibiting antiviral immune
      activity. Moreover, IL-35 might also protect against HCV-induced liver injury by
      down-regulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Thus, the
      immunosuppressive properties of IL-35 might play contradictory roles in
      maintaining viral persistence and reducing the inflammatory responses in chronic
      HCV infection.

PMID- 28644967
TI  - Tramadol may increase the efficacy of therapeutic plasma exchange in anti-NMDAR
      encephalitis.

PMID- 28644968
TI  - Serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 predicts the formation of carotid
      artery plaque and its vulnerability in anterior circulation cerebral infarction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Circulation inflammation markers such as high-sensitive C-reactive
      protein (hsCRP) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) are
      considered as predictors of cerebral and cardiac vascular diseases. However, the
      role of hsCRP and Lp-PLA2 in the anterior circulation cerebral infarction (ACI)
      is to be elaborated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included 100 patients with acute
      anterior circulation cerebral infarction (AaCI group) and 50 non-infarction
      subjects (control group). Carotid artery was detected by color Doppler
      ultrasound. Subjects were grouped based on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT)
      and degree of stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque. The levels of hsCRP
      and Lp-PLA2 were measured in corresponding groups and the association was
      analyzed. RESULTS: hsCRP and Lp-PLA2 levels were the risk factors for AaCI. With
      the increment of carotid IMT and degree of plaque instability, the level of hsCRP
      and Lp-PLA2 showed an elevating tendency. hsCRP and Lp-PLA2 levels were
      significantly higher in plaque formation group than in IMT normal group (P=0.002
      and P=0.001, respectively). hsCRP and Lp-PLA2 levels were significantly higher in
      vulnerable plaque group than in mixed plaque group and stable plaque group
      (P=0.003, P<0.001 for hsCRP and P<0.001, P<0.001 for Lp-PLA2). Lp-PLA2 was
      finally included in the atherosclerotic plaque model (OR=1.019, 95% confidence
      interval (CI): 1.003-1.035, P=0.020) and vulnerable plaque model (OR=1.041,
      95%CI: 1.017-1.065, P=0.001) by performing multivariate logistic regression
      analysis. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of Lp-PLA2 levels for
      atherosclerotic plaque was 0.746 (95% CI: 0.628-0.865, P<0.001). The optimal cut
      off value for Lp-PLA2 level was 267.5ng/ml, and its sensitivity and specificity
      for diagnosis of atherosclerotic plaque were 70.8% and 67.1%, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrates that hsCRP and Lp-PLA2 are among the
      risk factors for AaCI. Elevated hsCRP and Lp-PLA2 are associated with carotid
      plaque formation. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis
      suggests that elevated Lp-PLA2 is the independent risk factor for carotid plaque
      and its vulnerability.

PMID- 28644969
TI  - Premotor symptoms and the risk of Parkinson's disease: A case-control study in
      Mexican population.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of pre-motor symptoms and estimate the risk
      for developing Parkinson's disease in Mexican population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A
      case-control study was carried out with consecutive subjects with Parkinson's
      disease from two different referral centers in Mexico. Gender- and age-matched
      controls were randomly selected from the participating hospitals. All subjects
      were assessed using a structured questionnaire for the assessment of pre-motor
      symptoms (hyposmia, depression, anxiety, constipation, and sleep disorders). Odds
      ratios (OR) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total
      of 430 subjects with PD and 430 healthy subjects were included. Premotor symptoms
      prevalence was 77.7% (n=334) for the PD group, compared to 41.3% (n=178) in the
      control group (p<0.001). After logistic multivariate analysis, previous history
      of hyposmia (OR 2.02 [95% CI 1.33-3.06]), depression (OR 2.52 [95% CI 1.67
      3.84]), anxiety (OR 4.37 [95% CI 2.73-6.98]) and sleep disorders (OR 2.03 [95% CI
      1.41-2.93]) were independently associated with Parkinson's disease. Overall
      prediction success of the model was 81.2% for controls and 61.2% for subjects
      with PD. CONCLUSION: All five premotor symptoms assessed were more commonly
      reported in PD subjects than healthy controls. The presence of non-motor symptoms
      yield a prediction success of 71.2% to discriminate between PD subjects and
      healthy controls.

PMID- 28644970
TI  - Overexpression of Populus*canescens isoprene synthase gene in Camelina sativa
      leads to alterations in its growth and metabolism.
AB  - Isoprene (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) is a hemiterpene molecule. It has been
      estimated that the plant kingdom emits 500-750 million tons of isoprene in the
      environment, half of which results from tropical broadleaf trees and the
      remainder from shrubs. Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) is an emerging
      bioenergy plant for biodiesel. In this study, we characterized isoprene formation
      following a diurnal/nocturnal cycle in wild-type Camelina plants. To understand
      the potential effects of isoprene emission on this herbaceous plant, a gray
      poplar Populus*canescens isoprene synthase gene (PcISPS) was overexpressed in
      Camelina. Transgenic plants showed increased isoprene production, and the
      emissions were characterized by a diurnal/nocturnal cycle. Measurements of the
      expression of six genes of the plastidial 2-C-methyl-d-erythriol-4-phosphate
      (MEP) pathway revealed that the expression patterns of three key genes were
      associated with isoprene formation dynamics in the three genotypic plants.
      Conversely, dissimilar gene expression levels existed in different genotypes,
      indicating that dynamics and variations occurred among plants. Moreover,
      transgenic plants grew shorter and developed smaller leaves than the wild-type
      and empty vector control transgenic plants. Photosynthetic analysis showed that
      the CO2 assimilation rate, intracellular CO2 concentration, mesophyll conductance
      and contents of chlorophylls a and b were similar among PcISPS transgenic, empty
      vector control transgenic, and wild-type plants, indicating that the transgene
      did not negatively affect photosynthesis. Based on these results, we suggest that
      the reduced biomass was likely a trade-off consequence of the increased isoprene
      emission.

PMID- 28644971
TI  - Simultaneous silencing of GhFAD2-1 and GhFATB enhances the quality of cottonseed
      oil with high oleic acid.
AB  - Cottonseed oil has become an important source of edible oil due to its
      significant cost advantage. However, there is a growing concern over its fatty
      acid composition and nutritional value. In Gossypium hirsutum, GhFAD2-1 and
      GhFATB encoding the microsomal oleate desaturase and palmitoyl-acyl carrier
      protein thioesterase, respectively, play critical roles in regulating the
      proportions of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in cottonseed lipids. In
      this study, RNAi technology was used to simultaneously inhibit the expression
      levels of GhFAD2-1 and GhFATB to improve the quality of cottonseed oil by
      increasing oleic acid content. Transgenic cotton plants with reduced levels of
      both target genes were successfully generated. In mature seed kernels of
      transgenic plants, the content of oleic acid was 38.25%, accordingly increasing
      by 156.96%, while the content of palmitic acid and linoleic acid was 19.15% and
      36.68%, decreasing by 21.28% and 33.92%, respectively, compared with that of the
      control. The total oil content in transgenic and control kernels was 22.48% and
      29.83%, respectively. The reduced oil level in transgenic seeds was accompanied
      by a reduction in seed index, thereby causing disadvantageous effects on seed
      germination potentiality and seed vigor, particularly under cool stress
      conditions. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of simultaneous manipulation
      of multiple genes using RNAi technology and showed the important role of oil
      content in seed development and vigor. Our findings provide insight into the
      physiological significance of the fatty acid composition in cottonseeds.

PMID- 28644972
TI  - Advantages of targeting B cell receptor complex to treat B-cell derived
      autoimmune diseases and lymphomas.
AB  - Antibodies produced by B-cells provide protection from infectious agents.
      However, impaired cell death signaling pathways in B-cells can lead to cancer,
      immunodeficiency or autoimmune diseases. B-cell signaling molecules such as CD20,
      CD19, Btk, and BAFF-R are targeted by therapeutic drugs and used to treat B-cell
      derived lymphomas or autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, B-cells could develop
      resistance to these therapeutic drugs or the therapeutic drugs may have off
      target effects. For instance, repeated rituximab (anti-CD20 antibody) treatment
      may lead to the loss of its target cell surface molecule, CD20. In addition, in B
      cell malignancies, loss of CD19 expression has been observed. Another target
      molecule, Btk is expressed not only in B-cells but also in mast cells,
      macrophages, and dendritic cells. Thus, targeting Btk could negatively regulate
      the functions of innate immunity. The expression of BAFF-R is thought to be
      restricted to B-cells but it is also expressed on T-cells. Targeting BAFF-R,
      therefore, may lead to depletion of T-cells in addition to B-cells. B cell
      receptor (BCR) expression and signaling, however, are critically important for
      development, differentiation and survival of B-cells. Moreover, BCR is
      exclusively expressed on B-cells, which makes it an excellent target to avoid off
      target effects.

PMID- 28644973
TI  - IL-18/IL-15/IL-12 synergy induces elevated and prolonged IFN-gamma production by
      ex vivo expanded NK cells which is not due to enhanced STAT4 activation.
AB  - The synergistic effect of IL-18/IL-15/IL-12 stimulation potently activates NK
      cells, inducing high levels of IFN-gamma production. As a result of this potent
      stimulatory effect, NK cell pre-activation with IL-18/IL-15/IL-12 is being
      developed as a cancer immunotherapy. Ex vivo expansion of NK cells enables the
      efficient generation of large numbers of NK cells for wide-scale and repeated
      therapeutic use, and is thus an important source of NK cells for clinical
      application. However, the effects of IL-18/IL-15/IL-12 stimulation on ex vivo
      expanded NK cells have not yet been assessed. Thus, the present study assessed
      the effects of IL-18/IL-15/IL-12 stimulation on NK cells expanded ex vivo using
      K562-based artificial antigen presenting cells expressing membrane-bound IL-21.
      We report that ex vivo expanded NK cells stimulated with IL-18/IL-15/IL-12
      produce high levels of IFN-gamma and TNFalpha, have potent cytotoxicity, and
      maintain prolonged IFN-gamma production following removal of stimulation. IL
      18/IL-15/IL-12 stimulation induces a phenotypically unique IFN-gamma-producing
      population with reduced CD16 expression and greater CD25 expression as compared
      to stimulated IFN-gamma- NK cells and unstimulated NK cells. We elucidate that
      the mechanism of synergy for induction and maintenance of IFN-gamma production is
      not due to a further enhancement of STAT4 activation compared to stimulation with
      IL-12 alone. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the synergistic increase in IFN
      gamma is not solely under translational regulation, as elevated levels of IFN
      gamma mRNA contribute to the synergistic increase in IFN-gamma. Overall, this
      study characterizes the response of ex vivo expanded NK cells to IL-18/IL-15/IL
      12 stimulation and supports the use of ex vivo expanded NK cells as a feasible
      and efficient source of IL-18/IL-15/IL-12 pre-activated NK cells for adoptive
      transfer in cancer immunotherapies.

PMID- 28644974
TI  - Immature human DCs efficiently translocate endocytosed antigens into the cytosol
      for proteasomal processing.
AB  - Cross-presentation of endocytosed antigen is essential for induction of CD8
      effector T cell responses and a hallmark of dendritic cells (DCs). The mode of
      antigen processing in this context is controversial and some models imply
      translocation of the antigen from the endosomes into the cytosol. To test this
      hypothesis we made use of the pro-apoptotic properties of cytochrome c when in
      the cytosol, and confirmed that it indeed triggered apoptosis of human immature
      DCs but only at high concentrations. Proteasome inhibitors reduced the required
      concentration of cytochrome c thousand-fold, indicating that protein translocated
      into the cytosol is rapidly degraded by proteasomes. Mature DCs were also
      susceptible to cytochrome c-triggered apoptosis at high concentrations but
      proteasome inhibitors did not increase their sensitivity. Other cross-presenting
      cells such as B cells and monocytes were not sensitive to cytochrome c at all,
      indicating that they do not shuttle internalized antigen into the cytosol. Thus,
      processing of internalized antigens seems to follow different pathways depending
      on cell type and, in case of DCs, maturation state. Immature DCs appear to have a
      unique capacity to shuttle external antigen into the cytosol for proteasomal
      processing, which could explain their efficiency in antigen cross-presentation.

PMID- 28644975
TI  - A neural blood pressure marker for bioelectronic medicines for treatment of
      hypertension.
AB  - A novel therapeutic approach for treating resistant hypertension could be the use
      of bioelectronic medicines to achieve blood pressure (BP) control in implanted
      patients by closed-loop stimulation of the left vagus nerve (LVN). However, such
      a technology would require an implantable BP marker, which is not available yet.
      As it is known that the LVN conducts afferent BP-related signals, this study
      aimed to investigate if such signals could be recorded with implantable means and
      used to derive BP markers. The present experiments were performed in anesthetized
      pigs subjected to a transient or stable BP increase induced by adrenaline
      administration. The LVN signals recorded with cuff electrodes and the BP waves
      recorded with carotid catheters were ensemble averaged relative to the R-peaks of
      the electrocardiogram. Through this procedure, afferent BP-related neural
      profiles (BPnPs) were derived from the LVN signals. As the BPnPs represented
      accurate copies of the BP waves, the timing parameters of both waveforms were
      almost the same and the BPnP amplitude increased linearly with the diastolic,
      systolic and mean BP. These results indicate that the BPnPs comprise accurate BP
      information and that the BPnP amplitude could serve as a BP marker in implantable
      systems.

PMID- 28644976
TI  - Biomaterials that promote cell-cell interactions enhance the paracrine function
      of MSCs.
AB  - Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) secrete paracrine factors that play crucial
      roles during tissue regeneration. Whether this paracrine function is influenced
      by the properties of biomaterials in general, and those used for cell delivery in
      particular, largely remains unexplored. Here, we investigated if three
      dimensional culture in distinct microenvironments - nanoporous hydrogels (mean
      pore size ~5 nm) and macroporous scaffolds (mean pore size ~120 MUm) - affects
      the secretion pattern of MSCs, and consequently leads to differential paracrine
      effects on target progenitor cells such as myoblasts. We report that compared to
      MSCs encapsulated in hydrogels, scaffold seeded MSCs show an enhanced secretion
      profile and exert beneficial paracrine effects on various myoblast functions
      including migration and proliferation. Additionally, we show that the heightened
      paracrine effects of scaffold seeded cells can in part be attributed to N
      cadherin mediated cell-cell interactions during culture. In hydrogels, this
      physical interaction between cells is prevented by the encapsulating matrix.
      Functionally blocking N-cadherin negatively affected the secretion profile and
      paracrine effects of MSCs on myoblasts, with stronger effects observed for
      scaffold seeded compared to hydrogel encapsulated cells. Together, these findings
      demonstrate that the therapeutic potency of MSCs can be enhanced by biomaterials
      that promote cell-cell interactions.

PMID- 28644977
TI  - Influenza Hemagglutinin and M2 ion channel priming by trypsin: Killing two birds
      with one stone.
AB  - Influenza A virus membrane fusion and disassembly, prerequisite processes for
      viral infectivity, depend on acidic pH. In a recent study, Zhirnov et al.
      reported an important finding-that influenza virions are not permeable to protons
      unless the hemagglutinin (HA) fusion protein is primed by trypsin cleavage. This
      raises the question of whether in the viral context the M2 ion channel requires
      priming prior to its activation by low pH. Here, it is hypothesized that both HA
      and M2 ion channel direct priming by trypsin is required for their sensitization
      by low pH.

PMID- 28644978
TI  - Immune activation in prolonged cART-suppressed HIV patients is comparable to that
      of healthy controls.
AB  - Sustained immune activation during chronic HIV infection is considered to augment
      co-morbidity and mortality. Effective combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)
      has shown to dampen immune activation especially during the first year cART, but
      the effects of long-term cART in patients without major comorbidities remains
      under-investigated. We performed a comprehensive analysis including cellular,
      intracellular and plasma biomarkers to study the effect of cART on immune
      parameters in 5 groups of 10 HIV patients. All patients were without major co
      morbidities and grouped based on cART duration (0, 1, 3, 5, and 10 years). We
      included 10 matched healthy controls for comparison. Our data show that after the
      first year of cART, no additional effect on the level of inflammatory markers is
      observed in HIV infected patients without major co morbidities. Residual immune
      activation status in well-treated HIV-infection is similar to levels observed in
      healthy controls.

PMID- 28644980
TI  - Making power visible: Doing theatre-based status work with nursing students.
AB  - As part of a senior leadership class in an undergraduate baccalaureate nursing
      program in the northeastern United States, we conducted an experiential, theater
      based workshop designed to increase student awareness of the micro-dynamics of
      power and the enactment of status in their day-to-day lives. These exercises
      allowed student participants to embody status and power and understand it in ways
      that they did not after simply completing assigned readings. At the conclusion of
      the workshop the participants were asked to reflect on their status habits and
      the consequences of these habits in a single hand-written page. The participants'
      reflections showed two interesting trends. The first is that a relatively short
      workshop dramatically increased participants' awareness of power and status as
      ever present, including a substantial normative move from seeing using power as
      being a generally bad thing that can be justified in the interests of the
      organization's mission to a more neutral stance that power and status are at work
      in all of our interactions. The second trend that emerged was the tendency for
      participants to focus on agency-based explanations of power dynamics.

PMID- 28644979
TI  - Intraoperative fast ripples independently predict postsurgical epilepsy outcome:
      Comparison with other electrocorticographic phenomena.
AB  - In the surgical management of epilepsy, the resection of cortex exhibiting
      interictal fast ripples (250-500Hz) on electrocorticography has been linked to
      postoperative seizure-freedom. Although fast ripples appear to accurately
      identify the epileptogenic zone-the minimum tissue that must be removed at
      surgery to achieve seizure-freedom-it has not been established that fast ripples
      are a superior biomarker in comparison with multimodal presurgical neuroimaging
      and other electrocorticography abnormalities. Hence, in the prediction of
      postoperative seizure-freedom, we compared the value of fast ripples with other
      intraoperative electocorticography abnormalities including focal slowing,
      paroxysmal fast activity, intermittent spike discharges, continuous epileptiform
      discharges, focal attenuation, and intraoperative seizures, as well as complete
      resection of the lesion defined by MRI and other neuroimaging. In a cohort of 60
      children with lesional epilepsy and median postsurgical follow-up exceeding 4
      years, who underwent resective epilepsy surgery with intraoperative
      electrocorticography, we evaluated the extent to which removal of each
      intraoperative electrocorticography abnormality impacts time to first
      postoperative seizure using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards
      regression. Secondly, we contrasted the predictive value of resection of each
      competing electrocorticography abnormality using standard test metrics
      (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive
      value). In contrast with all other intraoperative electrocorticography
      abnormalities, fast ripples demonstrated the most favorable combination of
      positive predictive value (100%) and negative predictive value (76%) in the
      prediction of postoperative seizures. Among all candidate electrocorticography
      features, time to first postoperative seizure was most strongly associated with
      incomplete resection of fast ripples (hazard ratio=19.8, p<0.001). In
      multivariate survival analyses, postoperative seizures were independently
      predicted by incomplete resection of cortex generating fast ripples (hazard
      ratio=25.4, 95%CI 6.71-96.0, p<0.001) and focal slowing (hazard ratio=5.79, 95%CI
      1.76-19.0, p=0.004), even after adjustment for the impact of an otherwise
      complete resection. All children with incomplete resection of interictal FR
      generating cortex exhibited postoperative seizures within six months. Notably,
      this cohort included many patients with large resections and thus limited
      opportunity to exhibit unresected fast ripples. Future study in a cohort with
      small resection volume, or a clinical trial in which resection margins are guided
      by fast ripple distribution, would likely yield a more precise estimate of the
      risk posed by unresected fast ripples. With a high detection rate during brief
      intraoperative electrocorticography and favorable positive and negative
      predictive value, interictal fast ripple characterization during surgery is a
      feasible and useful adjunct to standard methods for epilepsy surgery planning,
      and represents a valuable spatially-localizing biomarker of the epileptogenic
      zone, without the need for prolonged extraoperative electrocorticography.

PMID- 28644981
TI  - Chemical profiling and antioxidant evaluation of Yangxinshi Tablet by HPLC-ESI-Q
      TOF-MS/MS combined with DPPH assay.
AB  - Yangxinshi Tablet (YXST) is a Chinese patent medicine commonly used to treat
      cardiovascular diseases. However, its detailed chemical basis and mechanisms of
      action have not been clarified. In this study, high performance liquid
      chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight
      mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) was applied for comprehensive analysis of
      the chemical constituents in YXST. A total of 127 compounds, including 19
      phenolic acids, 12 alkaloids, 51 flavanoids, 32 triterpenoids, 2 lignans, 2
      phenylethanoid glycosides, 2 anthraquinones, 1 coumarin, and 6 other compounds,
      were identified or tentatively deduced by comparing their retention times and MS
      spectra with those of authentic standards or literature data. To further prove
      the antioxidant activity of YXST, its free radical scavenging capacity was
      assessed by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) spectrophotometric assay and the
      antioxidants in YXST were rapidly screened by DPPH-HPLC experiment. Especially,
      salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B showed excellent DPPH scavenging
      activities with the IC50 of 151.9 and 275.6MUg/mL, respectively, which were
      stronger than that of l-ascorbic acid (positive control) with the IC50 of
      297.1MUg/mL. Additionally, these two most potent antioxidants were detectable in
      rat plasma after oral administration. In conclusion, this study reported
      important clues for the further pharmacological and clinical studies of YXST.
      Meanwhile, it provided a practical strategy for rapid screening and identifying
      of in vivo antioxidant in traditional Chinese medicine preparations.

PMID- 28644982
TI  - Assessment of sublethal endpoints after chronic exposure of the nematode
      Caenorhabditis elegans to palladium, platinum and rhodium.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate chronic effects of the platinum-group
      elements (PGE) palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt) and rhodium (Rh) on the nematode
      Caenorhabditis elegans. Aquatic toxicity testing was carried out according to ISO
      10872 by determining 96 h EC50 values for sublethal endpoints, including growth,
      fertility and reproduction. Single PGE standard solutions were used as metal
      source. Based on the EC50 values for Pt, reproduction (96 h EC50 = 497 MUg/L) was
      the most sensitive endpoint followed by fertility (96 h EC50 = 726 MUg/L) and
      growth (96 h EC50 = 808 MUg/L). For Pd, no precise EC50 values could be
      calculated due to bell-shaped concentration response curves, but the 96 h EC50
      for reproduction ranged between 10 and 100 MUg/L. Pd and Pt had effects on all
      endpoints. With raising element concentrations reproduction was inhibited first.
      At a certain concentration, fertility was also affected, which in turn had an
      additional effect on reproduction. Growth inhibition can also lead to a loss of
      fertility if the worms do not reach an appropriate body size to become fertile.
      Rhodium showed no inhibition of any endpoint between concentrations of 100 to
      10,000 MUg Rh/L. The results of this study allow the following order of PGE with
      respect to decreasing toxicity to C. elegans: Pd > Pt " Rh.

PMID- 28644983
TI  - Future heat waves due to climate change threaten the survival of Posidonia
      oceanica seedlings.
AB  - Extreme weather events are major drivers of ecological change, and their
      occurrence is likely to increase due to climate change. The transient increases
      in atmospheric temperatures are leading to a greater occurrence of heat waves,
      extreme events that can produce a substantial warming of water, especially in
      enclosed basins such as the Mediterranean Sea. Here, we tested the effects of
      current and predicted heat waves on the early stages of development of the
      seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Temperatures above 27  degrees C limited the growth
      of the plant by inhibiting its photosynthetic system. It suffered a reduction in
      leaf growth and faster leaf senescence, and in some cases mortality. This study
      demonstrates that the greater frequency of heat waves, along with anticipated
      temperature rises in coming decades, are expected to negatively affect the
      germination of P. oceanica seedlings.

PMID- 28644984
TI  - Current practice and recommendations in UK epilepsy monitoring units. Report of a
      national survey and workshop.
AB  - PURPOSE: Inpatient video-EEG monitoring (VEM) is an important investigation in
      patients with seizures or blackouts, and in the pre-surgical workup of patients
      with epilepsy. There has been an expansion in the number of Epilepsy Monitoring
      Units (EMU) in the UK offering VEM with a necessary increase in attention on
      quality and safety. Previous surveys have shown variation across centres on
      issues including consent and patient monitoring. METHOD: In an effort to bring
      together healthcare professionals in the UK managing patients on EMU, we
      conducted an online survey of current VEM practice and held a one-day workshop
      convened under the auspices of the British Chapter of the ILAE. The survey and
      workshop aimed to cover all aspects of VEM, including pre-admission, consent
      procedures, patient safety, drug reduction and reinstatement, seizure management,
      staffing levels, ictal testing and good data recording practice. RESULTS: This
      paper reports on the findings of the survey, the workshop presentations and
      workshop discussions. 32 centres took part in the survey and there were
      representatives from 22 centres at the workshop. There was variation in
      protocols, procedures and consent processes between units, and levels of
      observation of monitored patients. Nevertheless, the workshop discussion found
      broad areas of agreement on points. CONCLUSION: A survey and workshop of UK
      epilepsy monitoring units found that some variability in practice is inevitable
      due to different local arrangements and patient groups under investigation.
      However, there were areas of clear consensus particularly in relation to consent
      and patient safety that can be applied to most units and form a basis for setting
      minimum standards.

PMID- 28644985
TI  - Depressive-like behavior is elevated among offspring of parents exposed to dim
      light at night prior to mating.
AB  - Rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) have steadily increased over the past 50
      years. Many factors have been implicated in the etiology of depressive disorders
      and environmental influences are being increasingly recognized. The increase in
      depression rates has coincided with increased artificial nighttime lighting.
      Exposure to light at night (LAN) has been associated with increased depressive
      like behavior in rodents and decreased mood in humans. However, relatively little
      is known on the multigenerational effects of dLAN on affect. In this study, we
      exposed adult male and female Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) to either
      DARK (0lx) or dim LAN (5lx) for 9 weeks, then paired animals in a full factorial
      design; all animals were thereafter housed in dark nights. Offspring were
      gestated and reared in dark nights, then tested in adulthood for depressive-like
      behaviors and hippocampal expression of glucocorticoid (GR) and melatonin (MT1)
      receptor expression. Maternal exposure to dLAN decreased sucrose preference, time
      to first float bout in the Porsolt swim test, and GR expression in the
      hippocampus. Paternal exposure to dLAN increased time spent floating, and
      increased hippocampal GR expression. Overall, our results suggest that chronic
      exposure of parents to light at night has multigenerational effects on offspring
      depressive-like behavior. If these results pertain to humans, then our data
      suggest that LAN may contribute to the rapidly rising rates of major depressive
      disorder in industrialized and developing countries.

PMID- 28644987
TI  - Thiophene/thiazole-benzene replacement on guanidine derivatives targeting alpha2
      Adrenoceptors.
AB  - Searching for improved antagonists of alpha2-adrenoceptors, a thorough
      theoretical study comparing the aromaticity of phenyl-, pyridinyl-, thiophenyl-
      and thiazolylguanidinium derivatives has been carried out [at M06-2X/6
      311++G(p,d) computational level] confirming that thiophene and thiazole will be
      good 'ring equivalents' to benzene in these guanidinium systems. Based on these
      results, a small but chemically diverse library of guanidine derivatives (15
      thiophenes and 2 thiazoles) were synthesised to explore the effect that the
      bioisosteric change has on affinity and activity at alpha2-adrenoceptors in
      comparison with our previously studied phenyl derivatives. All compounds were
      tested for their alpha2-adrenoceptor affinity and unsubstituted
      guanidinothiophenes displayed the strongest affinities in the same range as the
      phenyl analogues. In the case of cycloakyl systems, thiophenes with 6-membered
      rings showed the largest affinities, while for the thiazoles the 5-membered
      analogue presented the strongest affinity. From all the compounds tested for
      noradrenergic activity, only one compound exhibited agonistic activity, while two
      compounds showed very promising antagonism of alpha2-adrenoceptors.

PMID- 28644986
TI  - Designing novel inhibitors against histone acetyltransferase (HAT: GCN5) of
      Plasmodium falciparum.
AB  - During active proliferation phase of intra-erythrocytic cycle, the genome of P.
      falciparum is regulated epigenetically and evolutionary conserved parasite
      specific histone proteins are extensively acetylated. The reversible process of
      lysine acetylation, causing transcriptional activation and its deacetylation,
      causing transcriptional repression is regulated by balanced activities of HATs
      and HDACs. They are also known to regulate antigenic variations and gametocytic
      conversion in P. falciparum. These histone modifying enzymes have been identified
      as potential targets for development of anitmalarials in literature. PfGCN5, a
      HAT family member of P. falciparum is predominantly involved in H3K9 acetylation.
      In this study, through comparative structure and sequence analysis, we elucidate
      differences in the catalytic pocket of PfGCN5 which can be exploited to design
      selective inhibitors. Through virtual screening of known antimalarials from
      ChEMBL bioassay database, we mapped 10 compounds with better affinity towards
      PfGCN5. Further, we identified 10 more novel compounds which showed remarkably
      better affinity towards the Plasmodium target from analogues of mapped inhibitors
      from ZINC database of commercially available compounds. Comparative molecular
      dynamics simulation study of one of the compounds (C14) complex with PfGCN5 and
      HsGCN5 suggested the possible reason for its selectivity. In vitro parasite
      growth assay in the presence of C14 showed IC50 value at lower nanomolar range (~
      225 nM). However, no effect in mammalian fibroblast cells was observed for C14
      (up to 20 MUM). Further, reduced level of HAT activity of recombinant GCN5 and
      H3K9Ac was observed in the parasites treated with C14. Overall, this study
      reports 20 potential inhibitors of PfGCN5 and experimental validation of one
      molecule (C14) with antimalarial activity at low nanomolar range.

PMID- 28644988
TI  - Effect of marbling on volatile generation, oral breakdown and in mouth flavor
      release of grilled beef.
AB  - While the positive effect of intramuscular fat (IMF) on beef tenderness is well
      established, its role in flavor generation and flavor release is less defined. To
      increase understanding, real-time volatile generation was monitored during
      grilling of beefsteaks (grass and grain-fed Angus and grass-fed Wagyu) with
      different amounts of IMF by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Volatile
      concentration increased significantly (p<0.001) when the IMF was >~10%, but did
      not differ (p>0.05) at lower IMF levels (5.2-10.2%). In vivo release of volatiles
      during consumption of grilled steaks was also measured using human subjects. Pre-
      and postswallow volatile release profiles varied according to marbling level and
      volatile fat solubility. In-mouth release of key hydrophilic volatiles was
      significantly greater (p<0.05) in high IMF grilled beef, consistent with more
      intense sensory flavor. Faster oral breakdown and higher peak saliva
      concentrations of non-volatile flavor compounds in high IMF grilled beef were
      consistent with higher tenderness and more intense flavor perception.

PMID- 28644989
TI  - Transcriptome analysis shows activation of the arginine deiminase pathway in
      Lactococcus lactis as a response to ethanol stress.
AB  - This paper describes the molecular response of Lactococcus lactis NZ9700 to
      ethanol. This strain is a well-known nisin producer and a lactic acid bacteria
      (LAB) model strain. Global transcriptome profiling using DNA microarrays
      demonstrated a bacterial adaptive response to the presence of 2% ethanol in the
      culture broth and differential expression of 67 genes. The highest up-regulation
      was detected for those genes involved in arginine degradation through the
      arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway (20-40 fold up-regulation). The metabolic
      responses to ethanol of wild type L. lactis strains were studied and compared to
      those of regulator-deletion mutants MG?argR and MG?ahrC. The results showed that
      in the presence of 2% ethanol those strains with an active ADI pathway reached
      higher growth rates when arginine was available in the culture broth than in
      absence of arginine. In a chemically defined medium strains with an active ADI
      pathway consumed arginine and produced ornithine in the presence of 2% ethanol,
      hence corroborating that arginine catabolism is involved in the bacterial
      response to ethanol. This is the first study of the L. lactis response to ethanol
      stress to demonstrate the relevance of arginine catabolism for bacterial
      adaptation and survival in an ethanol containing medium.

PMID- 28644990
TI  - Global transcriptional response of Escherichia coli MG1655 cells exposed to the
      oxygenated monoterpenes citral and carvacrol.
AB  - DNA microarrays were used to study the mechanism of bacterial inactivation by
      carvacrol and citral. After 10-min treatments of Escherichia coli MG1655 cells
      with 100 and 50ppm of carvacrol and citral, 76 and 156 genes demonstrated
      significant transcriptional differences (p<=0.05), respectively. Among the up
      regulated genes after carvacrol treatment, we found gene coding for multidrug
      efflux pumps (acrA, mdtM), genes related to phage shock response (pspA, pspB,
      pspC, pspD, pspF and pspG), biosynthesis of arginine (argC, argG, artJ), and
      purine nucleotides (purC, purM). In citral-treated cells, transcription of purH
      and pyrB and pyrI was 2 times higher. Deletion of several differentially
      expressed genes confirmed the role of ygaV, yjbO, pspC, sdhA, yejG and ygaV in
      the mechanisms of E. coli inactivation by carvacrol and citral. These results
      would indicate that citral and carvacrol treatments cause membrane damage and
      activate metabolism through the production of nucleotides required for DNA and
      RNA synthesis and metabolic processes. Comparative transcriptomics of the
      response of E. coli to a heat treatment, which caused a significant change of the
      transcription of 1422 genes, revealed a much weaker response to both individual
      constituents of essential oils (ICs)..Thus, inactivation by citral or carvacrol
      was not multitarget in nature.

PMID- 28644991
TI  - Glimpses into the blind spot: Social interaction and autism.
AB  - A primary feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is marked difficulty in
      social interactions. Despite the centrality of social interaction differences to
      the clinical presentation of ASD, only a small portion of research in this field
      characterizes interaction in everyday social contexts. This theoretical paper
      reviews the growing corpus of interactional research on ASD, including discourse
      analysis (DA) and conversation analysis (CA) approaches. DA and CA are micro
      analytic methods aimed at understanding the organizational structure of, and
      actions pursued within, social encounters. These methods are aligned with
      enactive theories of social interaction. The bulk of current ASD research
      construes social interaction as involving isolated individuals who represent
      and/or theorize about the minds of an interlocutor. Enactive approaches posit
      that achieving intersubjectivity does not require theories of other minds, but
      instead a propensity for coordinating social actions with others. Through the
      complementary lenses of enactivism and interactional research, I offer an account
      of autistic social interaction as involving differences in interactional
      coordination, interactional priorities, and the enactment of meaning across
      conversational turns. This characterization challenges the explanatory role of
      cognitive processes such as Theory of Mind, and points to new avenues for
      conceptualizing, measuring, and supporting social interaction.

PMID- 28644992
TI  - Surface coating-modulated toxic responses to silver nanoparticles in Wolffia
      globosa.
AB  - With the omnipresence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in our daily consumer
      products, their release has raised serious concerns. However, the biochemical
      mechanisms by which plants counteract the toxicity of nanoparticles are largely
      unknown. This study investigated the exposure of aquatic Wolffia globosa to ATP
      nAg (AgNPs coated with adenosine triphosphate), cit-nAg (AgNPs coated with
      citrate), and Ag+. Hill reaction activity was basically lost in W. globosa
      treated with 10mg/L ATP-nAg and Ag+, while the activity was still maintained at
      38.7%-38.9% of the respective controls at 10mg/L cit-nAg. The reduction of
      amounts of chlorophyll and soluble protein were shown in response to the Ag
      stresses. This was accompanied by the accumulation of sugar in W. globosa treated
      with cit-nAg. By contrast, the depletion of sugar was recorded after 10mg/L ATP
      nAg and Ag+ treatments. The superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities were
      significantly increased after exposure to 10mg/L ATP-nAg and Ag+, which did not
      occurred in W. globosa treated with cit-nAg. The ratio between NADPH/NADP+ was
      higher after cit-nAg and Ag+ stresses than the respective controls. The
      accumulation of Ag was found to increase in a concentration-dependent manner. Ag+
      and ATP-nAg inhibited the uptake of P and K, and promoted the uptake of Fe and
      Cu. In contrast, cit-nAg only promoted the uptake of Cu. Our results implied that
      surface coating induced different physiological responses of W. globosa to AgNPs.
      Based on above results, we speculated that after exposure to cit-nAg, citrate
      possibly could serve as the substrate for the tricarboxylic acid cycle and
      accumulated sugar may promote pentose phosphate pathways. For ATP-nAg treatments,
      ATP would act as an exogenous energy source of plant metabolisms. Our findings
      demonstrate that surface coating regulates the physiological responses of plants
      to AgNPs through distinct mechanisms.

PMID- 28644993
TI  - Long-term toxicity of surface-charged polystyrene nanoplastics to marine
      planktonic species Dunaliella tertiolecta and Artemia franciscana.
AB  - Plastic pollution has been globally recognized as a critical issue for marine
      ecosystems and nanoplastics constitute one of the last unexplored areas to
      understand the magnitude of this threat. However, current difficulties in
      sampling and identifying nano-sized debris make hard to assess their occurrence
      in marine environment. Polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) are largely used as
      nanoplastics in ecotoxicological studies and although acute exposures have been
      already investigated, long-term toxicity on marine organisms is unknown. Our
      study aims at evaluating the effects of 40nm PS anionic carboxylated (PS-COOH)
      and 50nm cationic amino-modified (PS-NH2) NPs in two planktonic species, the
      green microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta and the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana,
      respectively prey and predator. PS NP behaviour in exposure media was determined
      through DLS, while their toxicity to microalgae and brine shrimps evaluated
      through 72h growth inhibition test and 14 d long-term toxicity test respectively.
      Moreover, the expression of target genes (i.e. clap and cstb), having a role in
      brine shrimp larval growth and molting, was measured in 48h brine shrimp larvae.
      A different behaviour of the two PS NPs in exposure media as well as diverse
      toxicity to the two planktonic species was observed. PS-COOH formed micro-scale
      aggregates (Z-Average>1MUm) and did not affect the growth of microalgae up to
      50MUg/ml or that of brine shrimps up to 10MUg/ml. However, these negatively
      charged NPs were adsorbed on microalgae and accumulated (and excreted) in brine
      shrimps, suggesting a potential trophic transfer from prey to predator. On the
      opposite, PS-NH2-formed nano-scale aggregates (Z-Average<200nm), caused
      inhibition of algal growth (EC50=12.97MUg/ml) and mortality in brine shrimps at
      14 d (LC50=0.83MUg/ml). Moreover, 1MUg/ml PS-NH2 significantly induced clap and
      cstb genes, explaining the physiological alterations (e.g. increase in molting)
      previously observed in 48h larvae, but also suggesting an apoptotic pathway
      triggered by cathepsin L-like protease in brine shrimps upon PS-NH2 exposure.
      These findings provide a first insight into long-term toxicity of nanoplastics to
      marine plankton, underlining the role of the surface chemistry in determining the
      behaviour and effects of PS NPs, in terms of adsorption, growth inhibition,
      accumulation, gene modulation and mortality. The use of long-term end-point has
      been identified as valuable tool for assessing the impact of nanoplastics on
      marine planktonic species, being more predictable of real exposure scenarios for
      risk assessment purposes.

PMID- 28644994
TI  - Is the systematic circumferential tumor cavity shaving a representative sample
      for the remaining mammary gland? About 75 cases.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The conservative surgery is more and more indicated for breast
      cancer. However, we still fear local recurrence which is mostly due to residual
      tumors?. Several techniques have been used to minimize theses residual tumors;
      one of them is the systematic circumferential tumor cavity shaving (SCTCS).
      METHODS: We sampled 75 female patients who had conservative surgery with positive
      shaved margins in the anatomopathology examination and to whom a complementary
      treatment with mastectomy have been decided. RESULTS: The median age was 48 years
      old. The median tumor size was 23 mm. In the histological examination of the
      tumors, 93% were invasive ductal carcinoma associated in 50% of the cases to the
      presence of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) where all the lumpectomies had clear
      margin. For the SCTCS, 62,2% were DCIS and in 17,6% of the cases were invasive
      ductal carcinoma. A complementary treatment with mastectomy was indicated to all
      the patients. A residual tumor was detected in the remaining mammary gland in
      47,7% of the cases out of which 50% were DCIS. Local recurrence happened in three
      patients (4,6%) after a median of follow up of 36 months. The overall survival
      and the disease free survival at five years were respectively 83,6% and 75,5%.
      CONCLUSION: Standardized lumpectomy cavity shaving provides a backup to
      lumpectomy margins in conservative breast surgery but it can also be used as a
      sample for the remaining breast, helping to detect the residual tumor, and
      decreasing the rates of local recurrence after BCT.

PMID- 28644995
TI  - Less is more. Breast conservation might be even better than mastectomy in early
      breast cancer patients.
AB  - During the recent years an increase of mastectomy rates in early breast cancer
      patients has been observed. Nevertheless, several large population-based studies
      reported a possible improved outcome after breast conserving therapy compared to
      radical surgery, after all the adjustments. We hereby summarize our opinion on
      this topic suggesting that these robust and consistent data might challenge the
      statement that breast conserving therapy is merely not inferior to radical
      surgery.

PMID- 28644996
TI  - Neural correlates of psychotic-like experiences during spiritual-trance state.
AB  - Recent studies indicate high levels of psychotic experiences in the general
      population. Here, we report a functional imaging study with 8 mentally healthy
      spiritual mediums and 8 matched controls. The mediums entered a mediumistic
      trance state using a standardized manner by closing their eyes and actively
      seeking to ignore external and internal stimuli to achieve a 'state of
      emptiness'; in a control condition, they were instructed to re-enact the same
      mediumistic experience that they had during the mediumistic-trance condition but
      in a non-trance state (imaginative-trance). Both mediums and controls took part
      in a resting state session. The results indicate stronger activation in the
      lateral occipital cortex, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), temporal pole, middle
      temporal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex during the mediumistic-trance state. We
      also observe increased functional connectivity within auditory and sensorimotor
      Resting State Networks (RSN) during mediumistic-trance compared to resting and
      imaginative-trance conditions. Comparing spiritual mediums and controls, no
      differences in RSN were found. These data show preserved engagement of prefrontal
      cortex and connectivity of the default-mode network that indicate maintained
      introspective control over non-pathological psychotic-like experiences.

PMID- 28644997
TI  - First episode psychosis moderates the effect of gray matter volume on cognition.
AB  - Patients with first episode psychosis (FEP) present with cognitive deficits and
      volume differences in certain brain areas. Brain volumetric information further
      correlates with cognitive testing, and multiple brain areas shows different
      strengths of correlation with the cognitive functions being tested.
      Traditionally, these cognitive functions are independently related to volumetric
      differences, but these functions share variance. Failing to account for this
      aspect of cognition hinders the proper representation of cognition in
      neuroimaging studies. We used modeling methods which account for this shared
      variance to investigate the differences of correlations between cognitive
      abilities and brain areas. A multiple-groups structured equation model (SEM)
      approach was used to design and test a model representing the relation between
      gray matter volumetric data and neuropsychological test scores in a sample of 100
      Brazilian FEP patients and 94 controls. Models with a latent variable formed by
      neurological measures and reflecting cognitive measures performed better on fit
      tests. FEP moderated the relation between gray matter volumes and cognition by
      altering the profile of correlations between groups. This moderation had a large
      effect size. SEM provides a fine grained picture of the interdependence of
      structural brain changes and cognition.

PMID- 28644999
TI  - Diffusion tensor imaging of cingulum bundle and corpus callosum in schizophrenia
      vs. bipolar disorder.
AB  - Both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder show abnormalities of white matter, as
      seen in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analyses of major brain fibre bundles.
      While studies in each of the two conditions have indicated possible overlap in
      anatomical location, there are few direct comparisons between the disorders.
      Also, it is unclear whether phenotypically similar subgroups (e.g. patients with
      bipolar disorder and psychotic features) might share white matter pathologies or
      be rather similar. Using region-of-interest (ROI) analysis of white matter with
      diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 3 T, we analysed fractional anisotropy (FA),
      radial diffusivity (RD), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the corpus
      callosum and cingulum bundle in 33 schizophrenia patients, 17 euthymic
      (previously psychotic) bipolar disorder patients, and 36 healthy controls. ANOVA
      analysis showed significant main effects of group for RD and ADC (both elevated
      in schizophrenia). Across the corpus callosum ROIs, there was not group effect on
      FA, but for RD (elevated in schizophrenia, lower in bipolar disorder) and ADC
      (higher in schizophrenia, intermediate in bipolar disorder). Our findings show
      similarities and difference (some gradual) across regions of the two major fibre
      tracts implicated in these disorders, which would be consistent with a
      neurobiological overlap of similar clinical phenotypes.

PMID- 28644998
TI  - Olfactory identification deficit predicts white matter tract impairment in
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Olfactory identification deficit (OID) has been associated with both aging and
      Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the context of an amnestic disorders, OID predicts
      conversion to AD. Neuroanatomical correlates could increase specificity and
      sensitivity and elucidate the mechanistic differences between OID in AD and
      aging. Cross-sectional analysis of white matter microstructural changes was
      performed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tract-based-spatial-statistics
      in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), AD and normal controls (NC) in 66
      subjects (26 AD, 15 aMCI, 25 NC). DTI 3-Tesla MRI scans were analyzed and subject
      level means for fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial and
      axial diffusivity (lambda1D and lambda2,3D) were calculated. Linear regression
      models were applied using DTI markers as predictor and OID as outcome. OID was
      associated with increased lambda1D in aMCI and increased MD, lambda1D and
      lambda2,3D in AD. Voxel-wise analyses revealed widespread differences in all
      markers in AD. There were significant differences in lambda1D in aMCI,
      particularly in the olfactory tract. OID is correlated with microstructural white
      matter changes as early as in aMCI. This study may help elucidate the biological
      basis for olfactory impairment in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroanatomical correlates
      could help distinguish OID associated with AD and that associated with aging.

PMID- 28645000
TI  - Manipulating cues in mind wandering: Verbal cues affect the frequency and the
      temporal focus of mind wandering.
AB  - Our understanding of mind wandering (MW) has dramatically increased over the past
      decade. A key challenge still facing research is the identification of the
      processes and events that directly cause and control its occurrence. In the
      present study we sought to shed light on this question, by investigating the
      effects of verbal cues on the frequency and temporal focus of MW. To this aim, we
      experimentally manipulated the presence of irrelevant verbal cues during a
      vigilance task, in two independent groups (Verbal-cues group vs. No-cues group).
      We found that compared to the No-cues group, the Verbal-cues group reported a
      higher amount of MW, mostly triggered by the irrelevant cue-words, and a higher
      proportion of past-oriented MW compared to the other temporal orientations. These
      results demonstrate that task-irrelevant verbal stimulation increases the
      frequency of MW and steers its temporal orientation toward the past. Implications
      for the research on MW are discussed.

PMID- 28645001
TI  - A role for visceral feedback and interoception in feelings-of-knowing.
AB  - Guided by the framework that autonomic feedback shapes emotional experience and
      other feeling states, we asked whether feeling-of-knowing (FOK) judgments may be
      influenced by visceral information through interoception. Participants performed
      a FOK task for previously studied face-name pairs while changes in cardiovascular
      and facial muscle activity were recorded. Previously studied face cues for which
      the corresponding name could not be recalled elicited an increased cardiac rate
      relative to novel face cues. Critically, the relationship between this pattern of
      cardiovascular activity and FOK ratings was moderated by interoception, such that
      for individuals with high interoceptive sensitivity, relative increases in
      cardiac rate for old items were associated with larger corresponding differences
      in FOK. Consistent with a link between familiarity and positive affect, we also
      found that old items elicited less frowning, as reflected in muscle activity
      recorded from the corrugator muscle. These results provide psychophysiological
      evidence that visceral signals contribute to experiential metamemory processes.

PMID- 28645002
TI  - Synthesis of S-linked trisaccharide glycal of derhodinosylurdamycin A: Discovery
      of alkyl thiocyanate as an efficient electrophile for stereoselective
      sulfenylation of 2-deoxy glycosyl lithium.
AB  - Stereoselective synthesis of S-linked trisaccharide glycal of angucycline
      antitumor antibiotic derhodinosylurdamycin A is described. The synthesis has been
      accomplished employing our previously reported umpolung S-glycosylation strategy 
      stereoselective sulfenylation of 2-deoxy glycosyl lithium. It was found that
      sugar-derived thiocyanate was a better electrophile than corresponding asymmetric
      disulfide in this type of stereoselective sulfenylation.

PMID- 28645003
TI  - Structure and gene cluster of the O-antigen of Enterobacter cloacae C4115.
AB  - An O-polysaccharide was isolated by mild acid degradation of the
      lipopolysaccharide of Enterobacter cloacae C4115 and studied by sugar analysis
      along with 1D and 2D 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the
      linear pentasaccharide repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide was established: 
      >2)-alpha-l-Rhap-(1 -> 2)-alpha-l-Rhap-(1 -> 2)-alpha-l-Rhap-(1 -> 2)-alpha-d
      Galp-(1 -> 3)-alpha-d-FucpNAc-(1-> The O-antigen gene cluster of E. cloacae C4115
      was sequenced. The gene functions were tentatively assigned by comparison with
      sequences in the available databases and found to be in consistence with the O
      polysaccharide structure. The O-antigen structure and gene cluster of E. cloacae
      C4115 are similar to those of E. cloacae G3421 studied by us earlier (Perepelov
      A.V. et al. Carbohydr. Res. 427 (2016) 55-59).

PMID- 28645004
TI  - Amplified detection of hepatitis B virus using an electrochemical DNA biosensor
      on a nanoporous gold platform.
AB  - In the present study, a nanoporous gold platform was applied for the amplified
      detection of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) by an electrochemical DNA biosensor.
      Ferrocene as a redox reporter was covalently attached to the DNA probe and its
      electrochemical signal was recorded as the biosensor response. For real samples,
      DNA was firstly extracted from blood of patients and then amplified by polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) for 5cycles. Sensitivity of this biosensor was enhanced by
      using nanoporous gold electrode, therefore this sensor can discriminate the
      genome of HBV in real sample with low PCR cycles. By this strategy and signal
      amplification using nanoporous platform and covalently attached electroactive
      label, the biosensor can distinguish between healthy and HBV patients with
      limited PCR cycles. Moreover, the errors of PCR with large cycles can be
      disregarded. A linear dynamic range of 0.4 to 10nmol of mutant DNA was achieved,
      with reliable reproducibility (RSD) 8.9%.

PMID- 28645006
TI  - Study of intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of Phoenix loureiroi Kunth
      (Arecaceae) fruit.
AB  - Phoenix loureiroi Kunth belongs to the family Arecaceae, the fruits are widely
      consumed by Kurumba and Irula tribes of Tamil Nadu (India) and also used to cure
      intestinal related diseases in folklore medicine. Therefore, in vivo animal
      studies were evaluated to confirm the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease
      (IBD) with the treatment of this plant fruits. The IBD was studied in Wistar
      albino rats by indomethacin (s.c.), acetic acid (i.c.) and dextran sulfate sodium
      (DSS) induced models. The diseases parameters such as macroscopic, microscopic
      features, serum biomarkers levels, haematological profile, biochemical and
      antioxidant levels were determined. The fruit extract (50, 100 and 200mg/kg)
      treated enterocolitis rats significantly retain their body weight, organ weight,
      stool consistency, macroscopic score, histology, haematological parameters,
      antioxidative enzyme levels and also reduce the serum marker levels and
      myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity compared to prednisolone (2mg/kg) and
      sulfasalazine (50mg/kg) drugs. In conclusion, regular consumption of P. loureiroi
      fruit may prevent IBD and strongly support the folklore use of fruit in the
      treatment of intestinal ailments.

PMID- 28645005
TI  - Application of stem cell derived neuronal cells to evaluate neurotoxic
      chemotherapy.
AB  - The generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and differentiation to
      cells composing major organs has opened up the possibility for a new model system
      to study adverse toxicities associated with chemotherapy. Therefore, we used
      human iPSC-derived neurons to study peripheral neuropathy, one of the most common
      adverse effects of chemotherapy and cause for dose reduction. To determine the
      utility of these neurons in investigating the effects of neurotoxic chemotherapy,
      we measured morphological differences in neurite outgrowth, cell viability as
      determined by ATP levels and apoptosis through measures of caspase 3/7 activation
      following treatment with clinically relevant concentrations of platinating agents
      (cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin), taxanes (paclitaxel, docetaxel and nab
      paclitaxel), a targeted proteasome inhibitor (bortezomib), an antiangiogenic
      compound (thalidomide), and 5-fluorouracil, a chemotherapeutic that does not
      cause neuropathy. We demonstrate differential sensitivity of neurons to
      mechanistically distinct classes of chemotherapeutics. We also show a dose
      dependent reduction of electrical activity as measured by mean firing rate of the
      neurons following treatment with paclitaxel. We compared neurite outgrowth and
      cell viability of iPSC-derived cortical (iCell(r) Neurons) and peripheral
      (Peri.4U) neurons to cisplatin, paclitaxel and vincristine. Goshajinkigan, a
      Japanese herbal neuroprotectant medicine, was protective against paclitaxel
      induced neurotoxicity but not oxaliplatin as measured by morphological
      phenotypes. Thus, we have demonstrated the utility of human iPSC-derived neurons
      as a useful model to distinguish drug class differences and for studies of a
      potential neuroprotectant for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral
      neuropathy.

PMID- 28645007
TI  - Activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway promotes neuroprotection of the delta-opioid
      receptor agonist against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat models.
AB  - The central objective was to identify the role of the PI3K-Akt activation pathway
      on the neuroprotection of delta-opioid receptor agonist (DADLE) against cerebral
      ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in a rat model. Fifty-five male Sprague-Dawley
      (SD) rats were included to establish a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)
      model which were then divided into the sham, MCAO, LY294002 (MCAO+DADLE+LY294002
      [inhibitor of PI3K-Akt pathway]), DADLE (MCAO+DADLE) and DMSO (MCAO+DADLE+DMSO
      [dimethyl sulphoxide]) groups. The cerebral infarction (CI) volume and nerve cell
      apoptosis was determined using TTC and TUNEL staining. Quantitative real-time
      polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry
      staining were applied for the expressions of Bad, Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase
      3. The MCAO group showed higher CI volume, nerve cell apoptosis and cleaved
      caspase-3 expressions than the DADLE and DMSO groups, which were also higher in
      the LY294002 group than the DADLE group. Compared with the MCAO group, the mRNA
      and protein expressions of PI3K and Bcl-2, and the protein expressions of p-Akt
      and p-Bad were elevated, while the mRNA and protein expressions of Bax were
      decreased in the DADLE and DMSO groups. Decreased mRNA and protein expressions of
      PI3K and Bcl-2, reduced protein expressions of p-Akt and p-Bad and elevated mRNA
      and protein expressions of Bax exhibited in the LY294002 group than the DADLE
      group. These results indicate that activation of PI3K-Akt pathway promotes the
      neuroprotection of DADLE against cerebral I/R injury in a rat model by decreasing
      nerve cells apoptosis.

PMID- 28645008
TI  - Effect of microRNA-129-5p targeting HMGB1-RAGE signaling pathway on
      revascularization in a collagenase-induced intracerebral hemorrhage rat model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aimed at exploring the effect of microRNA-129-5p (miR-129
      5p) targeting high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1)-receptor for advanced glycation
      end-products (RAGE) signaling pathway on the revascularization in a collagenase
      induced intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) rat model. METHODS: OX26-pGFAP-IL, an
      immunoliposome expressing miR-129-5p was constructed. The collagenase-induced ICH
      rat models were successfully established by 96 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, which
      were categorized into the sham group, ICH group, miR-129-5p group, negative
      control (NC) group, ethyl pyruvate (EP, an inhibitor of HMGB1) group and N-benzyl
      4-chloro-N-cyclohe-xylbenzamide (FPS-ZM1, a RAGE receptor antagonist) group. The
      miR-129-5p expression in the brain tissue homogenate was detected using the
      quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and the protein
      expressions of HMGB1 and RAGE by Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was
      used for the detection of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
      Microvessel density (MVD) was also detected. RESULTS: Compared to the sham group,
      the ICH, NC, EP and FPS-ZM1 groups had a decrease in miR-129-5p expressions, and
      an increase in the protein expressions of HMGB1, RAGE and VEGF and MVD. In
      comparison to the ICH, NC, EP and FPS-ZM1 groups the miR-129-5p group had an
      elevation in the miRNA-129-5p expressions. The miR-129-5p and EP groups had
      decreased HMGB1 protein expression and the miR-129-5p, EP and FPS-ZM1 groups had
      a reduced RAGE protein expression as compared to the ICH group. In comparison to
      the ICH group, the miR-129-5p, EP, FPS-ZM1 groups had a decline in the VEGF
      protein expression and MVD. CONCLUSION: Our study proved that up-regulation of
      miR-129-5p might suppress the HMGB1-RAGE signaling pathway to restrain the
      revascularization of rats with ICH.

PMID- 28645009
TI  - Case report of robotic dor fundoplication for scleroderma esophagus with
      aperistalsis on manometry.
AB  - Scleroderma is a systemic disease of collagen deposition resulting in fibrosis of
      small arteries and arterioles. It commonly affects the skin, lungs, and
      gastrointestinal tract. The most common site of GI tract involvement is the
      esophagus. We present the case report of a 44year old female with scleroderma
      esophagus and severe reflux which was successfully treated with robotic dor
      fundoplication. Because of the wide variety of symptoms with which this problem
      can present, a tailored approach taking into consideration the patient's
      symptomatology and findings during diagnostic work-up was implemented with good
      results. The patient exhibited complete resolution of symptoms at short term
      follow up. Robotic dor fundoplication is an effective option for patients with
      scleroderma esophagus and no evidence of hiatal hernia or esophageal shortening.

PMID- 28645010
TI  - A rare case of male pseudohermaphroditism-persistent mullerian duct syndrome with
      transverse testicular ectopia - Case report and review of literature.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a rare type of male
      pseudohermaphroditism. Transverse testicular ectopia (TTE) is characterized by
      one testis moving to the opposite side and both testes traversing the same
      inguinal canal. CASE PRESENTATION: An 11-month-old boy presented with bilateral
      cryptorchidism. The left testis was not palpable; the right testis was
      canalicular with a right inguinal hernia. Ultrasound showed both testes located
      in the right inguinal canal. Right inguinal exploration revealed two testes with
      intact spermatic cords. A primitive uterus with fallopian tubes was also
      identified on opening the processus vaginalis. After herniotomy, bilateral
      orchidopexy was carried out (left orchidopexy through a trans-septal approach).
      Karyotyping confirmed a male gender (46XY). One year after the operation,
      ultrasound showed both testes to be in good condition. DISCUSSION: PMDS is caused
      by defects in the gene that encodes Antimullerian hormone(AMH). Treatment aims to
      correct cryptorchidism and ensure appropriate scrotal placement of the testes.
      Malignant transformation is as likely as the presence of abdominal testes in an
      otherwise normal man. Failing early surgical correction, gonadectomy must be
      offered to prevent malignancy. Division of the persistent mullerian duct
      structures is indicated only in patients where persistence interferes with
      orchidopexy. CONCLUSION: TTE should be suspected in patients presenting with
      inguinal hernia on one side and cryptorchidism on the other side. Herniotomy and
      bilateral orchidopexy is optimal. Removal of mullerian structures may injure the
      artery to vas deferens and is hence not recommended. Follow-up for fertility
      assessment in the latter years should be counselled.

PMID- 28645011
TI  - Transient portal venous gas associated with reversible non-occlusive mesenteric
      ischemia: A case report.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To report the utility of abdominal ultrasonography (US) to identify
      the presence of portal venous gas (PVG) during non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia
      (NOMI), and to follow the disappearance of portal venous gas after resolution of
      the NOMI. DATA SOURCES: This was a clinical observation of a patient, with images
      of abdominal computed tomography (CT), and a video of portal venous gas
      identified by ultrasonography. DATA SYNTHESIS: We describe the case of an adult
      patient admitted to our ICU for NOMI developing 48h after cardiac surgery.
      Medical intensive care associated with jejunal resection and vacuum-assisted
      closure led to rapid recovery. Three weeks later, the patient presented acute
      pulmonary edema, and developed a new episode of NOMI that was suspected by
      identification of PVG on US, and then confirmed on abdominal CT. The patient
      rapidly improved after orotracheal intubation and treatment of pulmonary edema. A
      second US performed 9h later showed disappearance of PVG. The laparotomy
      performed 10h after the first US did not find evidence of small bowel or colon
      ischemia. The postoperative period was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: US is a useful
      tool for the detection of PVG in critically ill patients, prompting suspicion of
      AMI. PVG can be observed at the early phase of AMI, even before irreversible
      transmural gut ischemia; transient PVG that disappears rapidly (within several
      hours) may suggest resolution of the NOMI.

PMID- 28645012
TI  - Associations between toxic and essential trace elements in maternal blood and
      fetal congenital heart defects.
AB  - Prenatal exposure to toxic trace elements, including heavy metals, is an
      important public health concern. Few studies have assessed if individual and
      multiple trace elements simultaneously affect cardiac development. The current
      study evaluated the association between maternal blood lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd),
      chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), and selenium (Se) levels and congenital
      heart defects (CHDs) in offspring. This hospital-based case-control study
      included 112 case and 107 control infants. Maternal peripheral blood draw was
      made during gestational weeks 17-40 and used to determine trace element levels by
      inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression
      was used to assess associations and interactions between individual and multiple
      trace elements and fetal CHDs, adjusted for maternal age, parity, education,
      newborn gender, migrant, folic acid or multivitamin intake, cigarette smoking,
      maternal prepregnancy body mass index, and time of sample collection. Control
      participants had medians of 2.61MUg/dL Pb, 1.76MUg/L Cd, 3.57MUg/L Cr,
      896.56MUg/L Cu, 4.17MUg/L Hg, and 186.47MUg/L Se in blood. In a model including
      all measured trace elements and adjusted for confounders, high levels of maternal
      Pb (OR=12.09, 95% CI: 2.81, 51.97) and Se (OR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.77) were
      harmful and protective predictors of CHDs, respectively, with positive and
      negative interactions suggested for Cd with Pb and Se with Pb, respectively.
      Similar associations were detected for subgroups of CHDs, including conotruncal
      defects, septal defects, and right ventricle outflow tract obstruction. Our
      results suggest that even under the current standard for protecting human health
      (10MUg/dL), Pb exposure poses an important health threat. These data can be used
      for developing interventions and identifying high-risk pregnancies.

PMID- 28645014
TI  - The association between serum ferritin levels and the risk of new-onset type 2
      diabetes mellitus: A 10-year follow-up of the Chinese Multi-Provincial Cohort
      Study.
AB  - AIMS: To investigate the association of serum ferritin levels and ferritin level
      changes with the 10-year risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
      METHODS: Among 2359 subjects without T2DM at baseline in 2002, 1956 subjects were
      re-examined in 2007, and 1660 subjects were invited to be re-examined in 2012.
      Serum ferritin (ng/ml) levels were measured by latex-enhanced turbidimetric
      immunoassay. Five-year serum ferritin changes were categorized into four groups
      using the median as the cut-off point. Multivariate logistic regression was
      performed to examine the independent association of serum ferritin levels and 5
      year ferritin level changes with 10-year new-onset T2DM. RESULTS: At the 10-year
      follow-up, 205 (12.3%) subjects had developed new-onset T2DM. After adjusting for
      traditional risk factors and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, 10-year new
      onset T2DM risk was significantly increased in subjects in the highest tertile of
      baseline serum ferritin levels [odds ratio (OR)=1.80, 95% confidence interval
      (CI): 1.17-2.79] and in subjects with high serum ferritin levels in both 2002 and
      2007 (OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.01-2.34). After adjusting for baseline fasting blood
      glucose, the effect was attenuated and became borderline or non-significant.
      CONCLUSIONS: Serum ferritin levels and ferritin level changes were associated
      with 10-year new-onset T2DM risk in the Chinese population, whereas the
      independent effect awaits validation from studies with larger sample sizes.

PMID- 28645015
TI  - Mid-infrared and near-infrared spectroscopy for rapid detection of Gardeniae
      Fructus by a liquid-liquid extraction process.
AB  - Gardeniae Fructus is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, and many studies
      have confirmed its medical and economic value. In this study, samples collected
      from different liquid-liquid extraction batches of Gardeniae Fructus were
      detected by mid-infrared (MIR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Seven
      analytes, neochlorogenic acid (5-CQA), cryptochlorogenic acid (4-CQA),
      chlorogenic acid (3-CQA), geniposidic acid (GEA), deacetyl-asperulosidic acid
      methyl ester (DAAME), genipin-gentiobioside (GGB), and gardenoside (GA), were
      chosen as quality property indexes of Gardeniae Fructus. The two kinds of spectra
      were each used to build models by single partial least squares (PLS).
      Additionally, both spectral data were combined and modeled by multiblock PLS. For
      single spectroscopy modeling results, NIR had a better prediction for high
      concentration analytes (3-CQA, DAAME, GGB, and GA) whereas MIR performed better
      for low-concentration analytes (5-CQA, 4-CQA, and GEA). The multiblock
      methodology was found to be better compared to single spectroscopy models for all
      seven analytes. Specifically, the coefficients of determination (R2) of the NIR,
      MIR, and multiblock PLS calibration models of all seven components were higher
      than 0.95. Relative standard errors of prediction (RSEP) were all less than 7%,
      except for models of GGB, which were 10.36%, 13.24%, and 8.15% for the NIR-PLS,
      MIR-PLS, and multiblock models, respectively. These results indicate that MIR and
      NIR spectrographic techniques could provide a new choice for quality control in
      industrial production of Gardeniae Fructus.

PMID- 28645013
TI  - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in human serum and urine samples from a
      residentially exposed community.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are considered chemicals
      of emerging concern, in part due to their environmental and biological
      persistence and the potential for widespread human exposure. In 2007, a PFAS
      manufacturer near Decatur, Alabama notified the United States Environmental
      Protection Agency (EPA) it had discharged PFAS into a wastewater treatment plant,
      resulting in environmental contamination and potential exposures to the local
      community. OBJECTIVES: To characterize PFAS exposure over time, the Agency for
      Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) collected blood and urine samples
      from local residents. METHODS: Eight PFAS were measured in serum in 2010 (n=153).
      Eleven PFAS were measured in serum, and five PFAS were measured in urine (n=45)
      from some of the same residents in 2016. Serum concentrations were compared to
      nationally representative data and change in serum concentration over time was
      evaluated. Biological half-lives were estimated for perfluorooctanoic acid
      (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid
      (PFHxS) using a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model. RESULTS: In 2010 and 2016,
      geometric mean PFOA and PFOS serum concentrations were elevated in participants
      compared to the general U.S. POPULATION: In 2016, the geometric mean PFHxS serum
      concentration was elevated compared to the general U.S. POPULATION: Geometric
      mean serum concentrations of PFOA, PFOS, and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were
      significantly (p<=0.0001) lower (49%, 53%, and 58%, respectively) in 2016
      compared to 2010. Half-lives for PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS were estimated to be 3.9,
      3.3, and 15.5years, respectively. Concentrations of PFOA in serum and urine were
      highly correlated (r=0.75) in males. CONCLUSIONS: Serum concentrations of some
      PFAS are decreasing in this residentially exposed community, but remain elevated
      compared to the U.S. general population.

PMID- 28645016
TI  - Quantitative analysis of a biopharmaceutical protein in cell culture samples
      using automated capillary electrophoresis (CE) western blot.
AB  - An effective control strategy is critical to ensure the safety, purity and
      potency of biopharmaceuticals. Appropriate analytical tools are needed to realize
      such goals by providing information on product quality at an early stage to help
      understanding and control of the manufacturing process. In this work, a fully
      automated, multi-capillary instrument is utilized for size-based separation and
      western blot analysis to provide an early readout on product quality in order to
      enable a more consistent manufacturing process. This approach aims at measuring
      two important qualities of a biopharmaceutical protein, titer and isoform
      distribution, in cell culture harvest samples. The acquired data for isoform
      distribution can then be used to predict the corresponding values of the final
      drug substance, and potentially provide information for remedy through timely
      adjustment of the downstream purification process, should the expected values
      fall out of the accepted range.

PMID- 28645017
TI  - Examining anxiety sensitivity as a mediator of the association between PTSD
      symptoms and suicide risk among women firefighters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with
      increased suicide risk. Anxiety sensitivity (AS)-the fear of anxiety-related
      sensations-is both a vulnerability factor for and consequence of PTSD symptoms.
      AS also predicts suicide risk. To our knowledge, no study has examined whether AS
      concerns account for the association between PTSD symptoms and suicide risk.
      METHOD: A total of 254 women firefighters completed a web-based mental health
      survey. The Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5) was administered as a prelude
      to the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) to assess for exposure to a Criterion A
      event. The PCL-5, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), and Suicidal Behaviors
      Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) were utilized to assess PTSD symptoms, AS concerns,
      and suicide risk, respectively. Bootstrap mediation analyses were conducted,
      controlling for depression symptoms as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic
      Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R). RESULTS: Global and cognitive AS
      concerns, but neither physical nor social AS concerns, were statistically
      significant mediators of the relationship between PTSD symptoms (total score, re
      experiencing and numbing clusters) and suicide risk. Alternate mediation models
      testing PTSD symptoms as a mediator of the relationship between AS concerns and
      suicide risk were not statistically significant, supporting the specificity of
      our proposed model. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety sensitivity concerns-specifically,
      cognitive AS concerns-account for the link between PTSD symptoms and suicide risk
      among women firefighters. Among firefighters with elevated PTSD symptoms,
      interventions that address cognitive AS concerns may thwart the trajectory to
      suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

PMID- 28645018
TI  - Take-over performance in evasive manoeuvres.
AB  - We investigated after effects of automation in take-over scenarios in a high-end
      moving-base driving simulator. Drivers performed evasive manoeuvres encountering
      a blocked lane in highway driving. We compared the performance of drivers 1)
      during manual driving, 2) after automated driving with eyes on the road while
      performing the cognitively demanding n-back task, and 3) after automated driving
      with eyes off the road performing the visually demanding SuRT task. Both minimum
      time to collision (TTC) and minimum clearance towards the obstacle disclosed a
      substantial number of near miss events and are regarded as valuable surrogate
      safety metrics in evasive manoeuvres. TTC proved highly sensitive to the applied
      definition of colliding paths, and we prefer robust solutions using lane position
      while disregarding heading. The extended time to collision (ETTC) which takes
      into account acceleration was close to the more robust conventional TTC. In line
      with other publications, the initial steering or braking intervention was delayed
      after using automation compared to manual driving. This resulted in lower TTC
      values and stronger steering and braking actions. Using automation, effects of
      cognitive distraction were similar to visual distraction for the intervention
      time with effects on the surrogate safety metric TTC being larger with visual
      distraction. However the precision of the evasive manoeuvres was hardly affected
      with a similar clearance towards the obstacle, similar overshoots and similar
      excursions to the hard shoulder. Further research is needed to validate and
      complement the current simulator based results with human behaviour in real world
      driving conditions. Experiments with real vehicles can disclose possible
      systematic differences in behaviour, and naturalistic data can serve to validate
      surrogate safety measures like TTC and obstacle clearance in evasive manoeuvres.

PMID- 28645019
TI  - Using network screening methods to determine locations with specific safety
      issues: A design consistency case study.
AB  - The Highway Safety Manual provides multiple methods that can be used to identify
      sites with promise (SWiPs) for safety improvement. However, most of these methods
      cannot be used to identify sites with specific problems. Furthermore, given that
      infrastructure funding is often specified for use related to specific
      problems/programs, a method for identifying SWiPs related to those programs would
      be very useful. This research establishes a method for Identifying SWiPs with
      specific issues. This is accomplished using two safety performance functions
      (SPFs). This method is applied to identifying SWiPs with geometric design
      consistency issues. Mixed effects negative binomial regression was used to
      develop two SPFs using 5 years of crash data and over 8754km of two-lane rural
      roadway. The first SPF contained typical roadway elements while the second
      contained additional geometric design consistency parameters. After empirical
      Bayes adjustments, sites with promise (SWiPs) were identified. The disparity
      between SWiPs identified by the two SPFs was evident; 40 unique sites were
      identified by each model out of the top 220 segments. By comparing sites across
      the two models, candidate road segments can be identified where a lack design
      consistency may be contributing to an increase in expected crashes. Practitioners
      can use this method to more effectively identify roadway segments suffering from
      reduced safety performance due to geometric design inconsistency, with detailed
      engineering studies of identified sites required to confirm the initial
      assessment.

PMID- 28645020
TI  - Do we see how they perceive risk? An integrated analysis of risk perception and
      its effect on workplace safety behavior.
AB  - While risk perception is a key factor influencing safety behavior, the academia
      lacks specific attention to the ways that workers perceive risk, and thus little
      is known about the mechanisms through which different risk perceptions influence
      safety behavior. Most previous research in the workplace safety domain argues
      that people tend to perceive risk based on rational formulations of risk
      criticality. However, individuals' emotions can be also useful in understanding
      their perceptions. Therefore, this research employs an integrated analysis
      concerning the rational and emotional perspectives. Specifically, it was expected
      that the identified three rational ways of perceiving risk, i.e., perceived
      probability, severity, and negative utility, would influence the direct emotional
      risk perception. Furthermore, these four risk perceptions were all expected to
      positively but differently influence safety behavior. The hypotheses were tested
      using a sample of 120 construction workers. It was found that all the three
      rational risk perceptions significantly influenced workers' direct perception of
      risk that is mainly based on emotions. Furthermore, safety behavior among workers
      relied mainly on emotional perception but not rational calculations of risk. This
      research contributes to workplace safety research by highlighting the importance
      of integrating the emotional assessment of risk, especially when workers' risk
      perception and behavior are concerned. Suggested avenues for improving safety
      behavior through improvement in risk perception include being aware of the
      possibility of different ways of perceiving risk, promoting experience sharing
      and accident simulation, and uncovering risk information.

PMID- 28645021
TI  - Development a validated highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous
      quantification of Ledipasvir, sofosbuvir and its major metabolite GS-331007 in
      human plasma: Application to a human pharmacokinetic study.
AB  - A highly sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS method was developed, fully optimized and
      validated for the simultaneous determination of Ledipasvir (LED) and Sofosbuvir
      (SOF) in the presence of its major metabolite GS-331007 in human plasma using
      Daclatasvir as internal standard (IS). The extraction of analytes and IS from
      plasma was performed using liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. The
      chromatographic separation of these prepared samples was achieved on Xterra MS C8
      column (4.6*50mm,5MUm) using gradient elution with a mobile phase of ammonium
      formate buffer (pH 3.5; 10mM), acetonitrile and methanol pumped at a flow rate
      0.7mLmin-1.The detection was performed on API4000 triple quadrupole tandem mass
      spectrometer using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) positive electrospray
      ionization interface. The method was validated according to FDA guidelines for
      bio-analytical methods with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision,
      selectivity, carry-over, stability and dilution integrity. Linearity was obtained
      over a concentration range of 0.1-1000, 0.3-3000 and 3.0-3000ngmL-1 for LED, SOF
      and GS-331007; respectively by applying weighted least-squares linear regression
      method (1/x2). The wider range of quantification in a shorter period of
      separation time less than 5.0min allowed monitoring the serum concentration of
      analytes up to 144h. The proposed method can be successfully applied for
      pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence studies in healthy human volunteers.

PMID- 28645022
TI  - Benzene and childhood acute leukemia in Oklahoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although childhood cancer is a leading cause of childhood mortality
      in the US, evidence regarding the etiology is lacking. The goal of this study was
      to evaluate the association between benzene, a known carcinogen, and childhood
      acute leukemia. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study including cases
      diagnosed with acute leukemia between 1997 and 2012 (n = 307) from the Oklahoma
      Central Cancer Registry and controls matched on week of birth from birth
      certificates (n = 1013). We used conditional logistic regression to evaluate the
      association between benzene, measured with the 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics
      Assessment (NATA) at census tract of the birth residence, and childhood acute
      leukemia. RESULTS: We observed no differences in benzene exposure overall between
      cases and controls. However, when stratified by year of birth, cases born from
      2005 to 2010 had a three-fold increased unadjusted odds of elevated exposure
      compared to controls born in this same time period (4th Quartile OR: 3.53, 95%
      CI: 1.35, 9.27). Furthermore, the estimates for children with acute myeloid
      leukemia (AML) were stronger than those with acute lymphoid leukemia, though not
      statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: While we did not observe an association
      between benzene and childhood leukemia overall, our results suggest that acute
      leukemia is associated with increased benzene exposure among more recent births,
      and children with AML may have increased benzene exposure at birth. Using the
      NATA estimates allowed us to assess a specific pollutant at the census tract
      level, providing an advantage over monitor or point source data. Our study,
      however, cannot rule out the possibility that benzene may be a marker of other
      traffic-related exposures and temporal misclassification may explain the lack of
      an association among earlier births.

PMID- 28645023
TI  - Maternal serum PFOA concentration and DNA methylation in cord blood: A pilot
      study.
AB  - Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a perfluoroalkyl substance, is commonly detected
      in the serum of pregnant women and may impact fetal development via epigenetic re
      programming. In a pilot study, we explored associations between serum PFOA
      concentrations during pregnancy and offspring peripheral leukocyte DNA
      methylation at delivery in women with high (n = 22, range: 12-26ng/mL) and low (n
      = 22, range: 1.1-3.1ng/mL) PFOA concentrations. After adjusting for cell type,
      child sex, and income, we did not find differences in CpG methylation in the two
      exposure groups that reached epigenome-wide significance. Among the 20 CpGs with
      the lowest p-values we found that seven CpG sites in three genes differed by
      exposure status. In a confirmatory cluster analysis, these 20 CpGs clustered into
      two groups that perfectly identified exposure status. Future studies with larger
      sample sizes should confirm these findings and determine if PFOA-associated
      changes in DNA methylation underlie potential health effects of PFOA.

PMID- 28645024
TI  - Prevalence of depression: Comparisons of different depression definitions in
      population-based samples of older adults.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Depression prevalence in older adults varies largely across studies,
      which probably reflects methodological rather than true differences. This study
      aims to explore whether and to what extent the prevalence of depression varies
      when using different diagnostic criteria and rating scales, and various samples
      of older adults. METHODS: A population-based sample of 3353 individuals aged 60
      104 years from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC
      K) were examined in 2001-2004. Point prevalence of depression was estimated by:
      1) diagnostic criteria, ICD-10 and DSM-IV-TR/DSM-5; 2) rating scales, MADRS and
      GDS-15; and 3) self-report. Depression prevalence in sub-samples by dementia
      status, living place, and socio-demographics were compared. RESULTS: The
      prevalence of any depression (including all severity grades) was 4.2%
      (moderate/severe: 1.6%) for ICD-10 and 9.3% (major: 2.1%) for DSM-IV-TR; 10.6%
      for MADRS and 9.2% for GDS-15; and 9.1% for self-report. Depression prevalence
      was lower in the dementia-free sample as compared to the total population.
      Furthermore, having poor physical function, or not having a partner were
      independently associated with higher depression prevalence, across most of the
      depression definitions. LIMITATIONS: The response rate was 73.3% and this may
      have resulted in an underestimation of depression. CONCLUSION: Depression
      prevalence was similar across all depression definitions except for ICD-10,
      showing much lower figures. However, independent of the definition used,
      depression prevalence varies greatly by dementia status, physical functioning,
      and marital status. These findings may be useful for clinicians when assessing
      depression in older adults and for researchers when exploring and comparing
      depression prevalence across studies.

PMID- 28645025
TI  - Decreased functional connectivity and disrupted neural network in the prefrontal
      cortex of affective disorders: A resting-state fNIRS study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Affective disorders (AD) have been conceptualized as neural network
      level diseases. In this study, we utilized functional near infrared spectroscopy
      (fNIRS) to investigate the spontaneous hemodynamic activities in the prefrontal
      cortex (PFC) of the AD patients with or without medications. METHODS: 42 optical
      channels were applied to cover the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), middle frontal
      gyrus (MFG), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), which constitute one of the most
      important affective networks of the brain. We performed resting-state
      measurements on 28 patients who were diagnosed as having AD and 30 healthy
      controls (HC). Raw fNIRS data were preprocessed with independent component
      analysis (ICA) and a band-pass filter to remove artifacts and physiological
      noise. RESULTS: By systematically analyzing the intra-regional, intrahemispheric,
      and interhemispheric connectivities based on the spontaneous oscillations of
      Delta[HbO], our results indicated that patients with AD exhibited significantly
      reduced intra-regional and symmetrically interhemispheric connectivities in the
      PFC when compared to HC. More specifically, relative to HC, AD patients showed
      significantly lower locally functional connectivity in the right IFG, and poor
      long-distance connectivity between bilateral IFG. In addition, AD patients
      without medication presented more disrupted cortical organizations in the PFC,
      and the severity of self-reported symptoms of depression was negatively
      correlated with the strength of intra-regional and symmetrically interhemispheric
      connectivity in the PFC. LIMITATIONS: Regarding the measuring technique, fNIRS
      has restricted measurement depth and spatial resolution. During the study, the
      subgroups of AD, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar, comorbidity, or non
      comorbidity, dosage of psychotropic drugs, as well as different types of
      pharmacological responses were not distinguished and systematically compared.
      Furthermore, due to the limitation of the research design, it was still not very
      clear how pharmacological treatment affected the resting state cortical
      organization of the prefrontal lobe, and the degree of the effect in patients
      with AD. CONCLUSION: These results strongly supported that RSFC measured by fNIRS
      could be a useful and powerful way of delineating the neuropathology of AD.

PMID- 28645026
TI  - Measuring physical activity with accelerometers for individuals with intellectual
      disability: A systematic review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have reported differing physical activity levels for
      individuals with intellectual disabilities when using accelerometers. One of the
      potential reasons for these differences may be due to how researchers measure
      physical activity. Currently there is a lack of understanding on measurement
      protocol of accelerometers. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to synthesize the
      current practice of using accelerometers to measure physical activity levels
      among individuals with intellectual disabilities. METHODS: A systematic search
      was conducted using multiple databases including Medline (1998-2015), Sport
      Discus (1992-2015), Web of Science (1965-2015), and Academic Research Premier
      (2004-2015). Seventeen articles were found that met the inclusion criteria.
      RESULTS: There is a lack of consistent research protocols for measuring physical
      activity levels with accelerometers. Issues with the amount of time participants
      wore the accelerometer was a challenge for multiple studies. Studies that
      employed external strategies to maximize wear time had higher compliance rates.
      CONCLUSION: There is a need to establish and standardize specific accelerometer
      protocols for measuring physical activity levels of individuals with intellectual
      disabilities for higher quality and more comparable data.

PMID- 28645027
TI  - Validity of the growth model of the 'computerized visual perception assessment
      tool for Chinese characters structures'.
AB  - Morphological awareness is the foundation for the important developmental skills
      involved with vocabulary, as well as understanding the meaning of words,
      orthographic knowledge, reading, and writing. Visual perception of space and
      radicals in two-dimensional positions of Chinese characters' morphology is very
      important in identifying Chinese characters. The important predictive variables
      of special and visual perception in Chinese characters identification were
      investigated in the growth model in this research. The assessment tool is the
      "Computerized Visual Perception Assessment Tool for Chinese Characters
      Structures" developed by this study. There are two constructs, basic stroke and
      character structure. In the basic stroke, there are three subtests of one, two,
      and more than three strokes. In the character structure, there are three subtests
      of single-component character, horizontal-compound character, and vertical
      compound character. This study used purposive sampling. In the first year, 551
      children 4-6 years old participated in the study and were monitored for one year.
      In the second year, 388 children remained in the study and the successful follow
      up rate was 70.4%. This study used a two-wave cross-lagged panel design to
      validate the growth model of the basic stroke and the character structure. There
      was significant correlation of the basic stroke and the character structure at
      different time points. The abilities in the basic stroke and in the character
      structure steadily developed over time for preschool children. Children's
      knowledge of the basic stroke effectively predicted their knowledge of the basic
      stroke and the character structure.

PMID- 28645029
TI  - Phytoavailability of Cr in Silene vulgaris: The role of soil, plant genotype and
      bacterial rhizobiome.
AB  - Understanding the metal behavior at the soil-root interface is of utmost
      significance for a successful implementation of phytoremediation. In this study,
      we investigated the differences in chromium (Cr) uptake, chemical changes in soil
      solution and the shifts in rhizosphere bacterial communities of two genotypes of
      Silene vulgaris (SV21, SV38) with different tolerance to Cr. A greenhouse
      experiment was performed in two soils that differed on pH and organic matter (OM)
      content. An industrial sludge with high content in Cr was used as pollution
      source. The soil solution in the rhizosphere was sample by Rhizon Soil Moisture
      Samplers. The total concentration of Cr reached the highest values in soil
      solution samplers from calcareous soils with poor contents in OM. Plants grown in
      this soil also increased the Cr uptake in roots of both genotypes, but the
      concentration was higher in genotype SV-38 than in SV21. The clustering analysis
      of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA fragments revealed
      major differences in bacterial community structure related to Cr pollution,
      followed by soil type and finally, plant genotype. Diversity indices based on
      DGGE profiles were the highest in alkaline soil, and between genotypes, values
      were significantly greater in SV38. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA)
      showed that changes in bacterial community structure of rhizosphere were highly
      correlated with total Cr concentration and soil solution pH. The isolation and
      identification of S. vulgaris bacterial rhizosphere revealed a different
      composition according to soil type and plant genotype. Results suggested the
      potential role of Pseudomonas fluorescens on Cr mobilization and therefore, on
      enhanced metal bioavailability and may provide a starting point for further
      studies aimed at the combined use of tolerant plants and selected metal
      mobilizing rhizobacteria, in the microbial-assisted phytoremediation of Cr
      polluted soils.

PMID- 28645030
TI  - Uptake and tissue distributions of cadmium, selenium and zinc in striped marsh
      frog tadpoles exposed during early post-embryonic development.
AB  - Metals and metalloids released through anthropogenic activities can accumulate in
      aquatic organisms, resulting in adverse effects in sensitive species. We
      investigated the influence of feeding regime and exposure complexity (i.e.,
      mixture) on bioaccumulation kinetics and body distribution of common metal(loid)
      pollutants in Limnodynastes peronii during early post-embryonic development.
      Tadpoles were exposed to radiolabelled 109Cd, 75Se and 65Zn alone and in a
      mixture for 4 days, followed by 3 days depuration in clean water. One group was
      fed directly in exposure aquaria, whereas a second group was transferred to clean
      water for feeding, to investigate the potential influence of sorption to food on
      uptake. Bioconcentration factor and retention was observed to be greatest for Se.
      Results demonstrate that tadpoles accumulated and retained half the amount of Cd
      when exposed in mixture, suggesting that Se and/or Zn may have antagonistic
      effects against Cd uptake. Additionally, tadpoles fed directly in exposure water
      accumulated 2-3-times more Cd and Zn compared to tadpoles fed in clean water,
      indicating that the presence of food particles is an important factor that may
      influence uptake. Interestingly, this had a negligible impact on Se uptake. The
      study reveals how exposure conditions can influence the bioaccumulation of
      metal(loid)s, highlighting experimental factors as important considerations for
      both controlled toxicity experiments and for understanding exposure risks for
      amphibian populations.

PMID- 28645031
TI  - Understanding the variation of microbial community in heavy metals contaminated
      soil using high throughput sequencing.
AB  - To improve the understanding of bacterial community in heavy metals contaminated
      soils, we studied the effects of environmental factors on the bacterial community
      structure in contaminated fields located in Shaanxi Province of China. Our
      results showed that microbial community structure varied among sites, and it was
      significantly affected by soil environmental factors such as pH, soil organic
      matter (SOM), Cd, Pb and Zn. In addition, Spearman's rank-order correlation
      indicated heavy metal sensitive (Ralstonia, Gemmatimona, Rhodanobacter and
      Mizugakiibacter) and tolerant (unidentified-Nitrospiraceae, Blastocatella and
      unidentified-Acidobacteria) microbial groups. Our findings are crucial to
      understanding microbial diversity in heavy metal polluted soils of China and can
      be used to evaluate microbial communities for scientific applications such as
      bioremediation projects.

PMID- 28645028
TI  - Lipid homeostasis and regulated cell death.
AB  - Modern lipidomics analysis paints a dynamic picture of membrane organizations, as
      changing and adapting lipid assemblies that play an active role in cellular
      function. This article highlights how the lipid composition of membranes
      determines specific organelle functions, how homeostatic mechanisms maintain
      these functions by regulating physical properties of membranes, and how cells
      disrupt lipid homeostasis to bring about regulated cell death (RCD). These are
      broad phenomena, and representative examples are reviewed here. In particular,
      the mechanisms of ferroptosis - a form of RCD brought about by lipid peroxidation
      - are highlighted, demonstrating how lipid metabolism drives cells' lipid
      composition toward states of increased sensitivity to lipid oxidation. An
      understanding of these interactions has begun to give rise to lipid-based
      therapies. This article reviews current successes of such therapies, and suggests
      directions for future developments.

PMID- 28645032
TI  - Physiological traits and antioxidant metabolism of leaves of tropical woody
      species challenged with cement dust.
AB  - Tropical woody species occurring in limestone outcrops are frequently exposed to
      particulate material from cement factories. The effects of 60-day cement dust
      exposure on physiological traits and enzymatic antioxidant system of young plant
      leaves of Guazuma ulmifolia Lam., Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemao and Trichilia
      hirta L. were investigated. Cement dust (2.5 or 5mgcm-2) was applied to the leaf
      surface or soil or both (leaf plus soil) and plants were maintained at
      greenhouse. Cement dust barely affected the mineral nutrient levels, except for
      iron whose content was decreased in leaves/leaflets of all species studied. The
      incident light was partly blocked in cement dust-treated leaves, regardless of
      the plant species, causing a decrease in the photosynthetic pigments in M.
      urundeuva. The chlorophyll b content, however, increased in G. ulmifolia and T.
      hirta leaves upon cement dust treatment. The potential quantum yield of
      photosystem II in challenged leaves of G. ulmifolia was 3.8% lower than that of
      control plants, while such trait remained unaffected in the leaves of the other
      species. No changes in leaf stomatal conductance and antioxidant enzymes
      activities were observed, except for M. urundeuva, which experienced a 31%
      increment in the superoxide dismutase activity upon 5mgcm-2 cement dust (leaf
      plus soil treatment), when compared with control plants. Overall, the mild
      changes caused by cement dust in the in physiological and biochemical traits of
      the species studied indicate that such species might be eligible for further
      studies of revegetation in fields impacted by cement factories.

PMID- 28645033
TI  - Acetic acid-assisted fabrication of hierarchical flower-like Bi2O3 for
      photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole and rhodamine B under solar
      irradiation.
AB  - With the assistance of acetic acid (CH3COOH), a novel 3D flower-like Bi2O3 was
      synthesized via hydrothermal process followed by calcination. For the first time,
      the role of CH3COOH as a capping agent in the formation of flower-like structure
      was investigated. The as-prepared flower-like Bi2O3 had a high activity on the
      degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) under simulated solar light irradiation due
      to the narrow band gap of 2.69eV, high percentage of beta-Bi2O3 as well as high
      intensity of polar facets (120) and (200). Meanwhile, the photocatalytic
      degradation followed apparent pseudo-first-order kinetics. The rate constant (k)
      increased from 0.7*10-2 to 3.0*10-2min-1 with the catalyst loading varying from
      0.5 to 2.0gL-1. Increasing pH values from 3 to 11 led to the decrease of k from
      2.2*10-2 to 0.2*10-2min-1, which could be attributed to the electrostatic
      adsorption between SMX molecules and Bi2O3. The radical quenching experiments
      showed both direct (h+) and indirect oxidation (OH and O2-) happened in this
      process.

PMID- 28645034
TI  - Formation of hematite nanoparticle monolayers of controlled coverage and
      structure at polymeric microparticles.
AB  - The deposition of hematite nanoparticles (22nm and 29nm in diameter) on
      negatively charged polystyrene microspheres (820nm in diameter) was studied by
      micro-electrophoretic measurements and AFM. The influence of ionic strength,
      varied between 10-4 and 10-2M, was determined. Initially, the electrophoretic
      mobility change of microspheres upon the addition of controlled amount of
      hematite nanoparticles were measured. These dependencies were quantitatively
      interpreted in terms of the general electrokinetic model. This allowed to
      determine the coverage of nanoparticles on microspheres under in situ conditions,
      which increased with ionic strength attaining 0.35 for the ionic strength of 10
      2M and 29 in diameter hematite particles. This effect, attributed to the
      decreasing range of lateral electrostatic repulsion among deposited particles,
      was accounted for by the random sequential adsorption model. However, the
      coverages attained for lower ionic strength exceeded the theoretical predictions.
      This effect was interpreted in terms of an additional electrostatic screening due
      to polymeric chains present at the microparticle surface. The acid base
      properties of the hematite monolayers were also acquired by applying thorough
      micro-electrophoretic measurements. The obtained results confirmed a feasibility
      of preparing hematite nanoparticle monolayers on polymeric carrier microspheres
      having well-defined coverage and structure.

PMID- 28645035
TI  - CTAB induced hierarchical bismuth microspheres for visible-light photocatalytic
      study.
AB  - Nanosheet constructed bismuth microspheres were prepared through an aqueous
      reduction approach in the presence of CTAB molecules, with initial formed BiOCl
      as the precursor and hydrazine hydrate as the reductant. The flower-like
      morphology and platelet units of BiOCl precursor determined the evolution of
      hierarchical Bi microspheres through a morphology-heredity process. Trisodium
      citrate was introduced to keep the Bi microspheres from oxidation, the high
      purity in composition are beneficial to eliminate the influence of bismuth
      oxides. Photocatalytic properties of the hierarchical Bi microspheres were
      investigated under visible-light irradiation by taking the degradation of
      rhodamine B (RhB) dye and colorless bisphenol A (BPA) as probe reactions. 99.7%
      of RhB and 47.4% of BPA degradation in 3h indicate good photocatalytic property
      of the hierarchical Bi microspheres. Results of storing detection and recycled
      experiments revealed good structure stability and photocatalytic stability of the
      Bi microspheres, these properties are vital for practical applications of the
      materials. The formation mechanism of Bi microspheres and relative degradation
      mechanism are also proposed on the basis of experimental data.

PMID- 28645036
TI  - Influence of surface states on blinking characteristics of single colloidal CdSe
      CdS/ZnS core-multishell quantum dot.
AB  - We carefully characterized the fluorescence blinking of single colloidal CdSe
      CdS/ZnS core-multishell quantum dots (QDs) with different surface modifications,
      including octadecylamine (ODA) coated QDs dispersed in chloroform, aqueous 3
      mercaptopropionic acids (3MPA) coated QDs in HEPES solution treated by Ca2+ ions
      and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA, Ca2+ chelator), and aqueous 3MPA-QDs
      treated by glycerol. It was found that the on- and off-state probability density
      distributions displayed different rules. The off-state probability density
      distributions of all QDs complied well with the inverse power law, while the on
      state probability density distributions bended upwards in log-log scale, and the
      degree of the upwards-bending correlated strongly with QD surface modification
      and fluorescence brightness of the single QD. Further autocorrelation analysis
      revealed that the fluorescence time series of a single QD was more random when
      the single QD showed a stronger fluorescence. Realistic numerical simulations
      with input parameters from quantum mechanical calculations showed that the QD
      exciton was first generated by an excitation photon; It radiatively recombined to
      give QD's fluorescence response, i.e., the on-state, which displayed the upwards
      bended on-state probability density distribution profile; The electron and/or the
      hole of the photoexcited exciton in the QD core, after tunneling to the QD
      surface, randomly walked through the two-dimensional network of the QD surface
      states, resulting in the off-state probability density distribution profile of
      the inverse power law. Surface modification modified the QD surface-state
      network, in turn modifying the on/off probability density distribution profiles.
      Our findings provide us with a novel highway of applying colloidal QDs to study
      microscopic physical, and chemical, processes in many fields including in vivo
      and in vitro imaging, sensing and labelling.

PMID- 28645037
TI  - Slip-additive migration, surface morphology, and performance on injection moulded
      high-density polyethylene closures.
AB  - HYPOTHESIS: The amount and distribution of slip agents, erucamide, and
      behenamide, on the surface of high-density polyethene, is determined by integral
      characteristics of slip agent structure and polymer morphology. A suite of
      surface analysis techniques was applied to correlate physicochemical properties
      with slip-additive migration behaviour and their surface morphology. The
      migration, surface morphology and physicochemical properties of the slip
      additives, crystallinity and orientation of polyethene spherulites and
      interaction between slip additives and high-density polyethene influence the
      surface characteristics. EXPERIMENTAL: The high-density polyethene closures were
      produced with erucamide and behenamide separately and stored until they produced
      required torque. Surface composition was determined employing spectroscopy and
      gas chromatography. The distribution of additives was observed under optical,
      scanning electron and atomic force microscopes. The surface energy, crystallinity
      and application torque were measured using contact angle, differential scanning
      calorimeter and a torque force tester respectively. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Each
      slip additive produced a characteristic amide peak at 1645cm-1 in infrared
      spectroscopy and peaks of oxygen and nitrogen in X-ray photoelectron
      spectroscopy, suggesting their presence on the surface. The erucamide produced
      placoid scale-like structures and behenamide formed denticulate structures. The
      surface erucamide and behenamide responsible for reducing the torque was found to
      be 15.7ug/cm2 and 1.7ug/cm2.

PMID- 28645038
TI  - When attention wanders: Pupillometric signatures of fluctuations in external
      attention.
AB  - Attention is not always directed to events in the external environment. On
      occasion our thoughts wander to people and places distant from the here and now.
      Sometimes, this lack of external attention can compromise ongoing task
      performance. In the current study we set out to understand the extent to which
      states of internal and external attention can be determined using pupillometry as
      an index of ongoing cognition. In two experiments we found that periods of slow
      responding were associated with elevations in the baseline pupil signal over
      three and a half seconds prior to a behavioural response. In the second
      experiment we found that unlike behavioural lapses, states of off-task thought,
      particularly those associated with a focus on the past and with an intrusive
      quality, were associated with reductions in the size of the pupil over the same
      window prior to the probe. These data show that both states of large and small
      baseline pupil size are linked to states when attention is not effectively
      focused on the external environment, although these states have different
      qualities. More generally, these findings illustrate that subjective and
      objective markers of task performance may not be equivalent and underscore the
      importance of developing objective indicators that can allow these different
      states to be understood.

PMID- 28645039
TI  - Fundamental causes of accelerated declines in colorectal cancer mortality:
      Modeling multiple ways that disadvantage influences mortality risk.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Improvements in colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality reflect the
      distribution of effective preventions. Social inequalities often generate unequal
      diffusion of medical interventions, resulting in disparate outcomes while
      preventions are being disseminated throughout the population. This study used a
      novel method to examine whether Race (Black versus White) and SES influenced when
      rates of CRC mortality started to decline, and how rapidly they did so. METHOD:
      Mortality counts from 1968-2010 were derived from death certificates of U.S.
      residents aged 25 + years. Individuals' race, age, county of residence, and sex
      were collected from death certificates. County-level SES was measured using the
      decennial U.S. census. Layered joinpoint regression was used to model CRC
      mortality trends over time. Acceleration in rates of historical decline were used
      to indicate preventability within counties. RESULTS: Black race was associated
      with a 4.1-year delay in colonoscopy-attributable declines in CRC mortality and
      each standard deviation unit change in SES with a 5.7-year delay in such
      mortality. Following the onset of a decline, colonoscopy-attributable mortality
      change was slower by 0.5% among Blacks, and 2.0%/standard deviation in SES.
      Modifying the rapidity of colonoscopy uptake could have averted 12-14,000 and 83
      86,000 deaths among Blacks and residents of lower SES counties, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Successful interventions do not uniformly benefit the U.S.
      POPULATION: This study highlighted the notable impact that substantial delays in
      the provision of interventions, and in the relative rapidity of dissemination,
      and estimated the extent to which there was a preventable loss of life
      concentrated amongst the most disadvantaged. A more egalitarian delivery of life
      saving interventions could drastically reduce mortality by improving
      effectiveness of interventions while also addressing inequalities in health.

PMID- 28645040
TI  - Longitudinal effects of religious involvement on religious coping and health
      behaviors in a national sample of African Americans.
AB  - Many studies have examined associations between religious involvement and health,
      linking various dimensions of religion with a range of physical health outcomes
      and often hypothesizing influences on health behaviors. However, far fewer
      studies have examined explanatory mechanisms of the religion-health connection,
      and most have overwhelmingly relied on cross-sectional analyses. Given the
      relatively high levels of religious involvement among African Americans and the
      important role that religious coping styles may play in health, the present study
      tested a longitudinal model of religious coping as a potential mediator of a
      multidimensional religious involvement construct (beliefs; behaviors) on multiple
      health behaviors (e.g., diet, physical activity, alcohol use, cancer screening).
      A national probability sample of African Americans was enrolled in the RHIAA
      (Religion and Health In African Americans) study and three waves of telephone
      interviews were conducted over a 5-year period (N = 565). Measurement models were
      fit followed by longitudinal structural models. Positive religious coping
      decreased modestly over time in the sample, but these reductions were attenuated
      for participants with stronger religious beliefs and behaviors. Decreases in
      negative religious coping were negligible and were not associated with either
      religious beliefs or religious behaviors. Religious coping was not associated
      with change in any of the health behaviors over time, precluding the possibility
      of a longitudinal mediational effect. Thus, mediation observed in previous cross
      sectional analyses was not confirmed in this more rigorous longitudinal model
      over a 5-year period. However, findings do point to the role that religious
      beliefs have in protecting against declines in positive religious coping over
      time, which may have implications for pastoral counseling and other faith-based
      interventions.

PMID- 28645042
TI  - The changing health priorities of earthquake response and implications for
      preparedness: a scoping review.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Earthquakes have substantial impacts on mortality in low- and middle
      income countries (LMIC). The academic evidence base to support Disaster Risk
      Reduction activities in LMIC settings is, however, limited. We sought to address
      this gap by identifying the health and healthcare impacts of earthquakes in LMICs
      and to identify the implications of these findings for future earthquake
      preparedness. STUDY DESIGN: Scoping review. METHODS: A scoping review was
      undertaken with systematic searches of indexed databases to identify relevant
      literature. Key study details, findings, recommendations or lessons learnt were
      extracted and analysed across individual earthquake events. Findings were
      categorised by time frame relative to earthquakes and linked to the disaster
      preparedness cycle, enabling a profile of health and healthcare impacts and
      implications for future preparedness to be established. RESULTS: Health services
      need to prepare for changing health priorities with a shift from initial
      treatment of earthquake-related injuries to more general health needs occurring
      within the first few weeks. Preparedness is required to address mental health and
      rehabilitation needs in the medium to longer term. Inequalities of the impact of
      earthquakes on health were noted in particular for women, children, the elderly,
      disabled and rural communities. The need to maintain access to essential services
      such as reproductive health and preventative health services were identified. Key
      preparedness actions include identification of appropriate leaders, planning and
      training of staff. Testing of plans was advocated within the literature with
      evidence that this is possible in LMIC settings. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst there are a
      range of health and healthcare impacts of earthquakes, common themes emerged in
      different settings and from different earthquake events. Preparedness of
      healthcare systems is essential and possible, in order to mitigate the adverse
      health impacts of earthquakes in LMIC settings. Preparedness is needed at the
      community, organisational and system levels.

PMID- 28645041
TI  - Behavioral and neural concordance in parent-child dyadic sleep patterns.
AB  - Sleep habits developed in adolescence shape long-term trajectories of
      psychological, educational, and physiological well-being. Adolescents' sleep
      behaviors are shaped by their parents' sleep at both the behavioral and
      biological levels. In the current study, we sought to examine how neural
      concordance in resting-state functional connectivity between parent-child dyads
      is associated with dyadic concordance in sleep duration and adolescents' sleep
      quality. To this end, we scanned both parents and their child (N=28 parent-child
      dyads; parent Mage=42.8years; adolescent Mage=14.9years; 14.3% father; 46.4%
      female adolescent) as they each underwent a resting-state scan. Using daily
      diaries, we also assessed dyadic concordance in sleep duration across two weeks.
      Our results show that greater daily concordance in sleep behavior is associated
      with greater neural concordance in default-mode network connectivity between
      parents and children. Moreover, greater neural and behavioral concordances in
      sleep is associated with more optimal sleep quality in adolescents. The current
      findings expand our understanding of dyadic concordance by providing a
      neurobiological mechanism by which parents and children share daily sleep
      behaviors.

PMID- 28645043
TI  - In vitro and in vivo behavior of DNA tetrahedrons as tumor-targeting nanocarriers
      for doxorubicin delivery.
AB  - Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a versatile material with high applicability and
      inherent biocompatibility. L-DNA, the perfect mirror form of the naturally
      occurring D-DNA, has been used in DNA nanotechnology. It has thermodynamically
      identical properties to D-DNA, is capable of self-assembly and bio-orthogonal
      base-pairing, and is resistant to nuclease activity. We previously constructed an
      L-DNA tetrahedron (L-Td) and found that this nanostructure has remarkably higher
      capacity for cell penetration than its natural counterpart (D-Td). L-Td molecules
      of two different sizes-one with 17-mer per side (L-Td17) and the other with 30
      mer per side (L-Td30)-were prepared by assembling four L-DNA strands. In this
      study, cellular uptake of L-Td with different sizes was observed over time using
      a laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) equipped with a live cell chamber
      system. In addition, we conducted a pharmacokinetic study to examine the
      potential of L-Td as a carrier for in vivo tumor-targeted delivery of a low dose
      of doxorubicin (DOX). L-Td entered into the cells through endocytosis, and a
      specific DNA sequence of the L-Td ensures targeted entry into cancer cells.
      Compared with free DOX, DOX-loaded L-Td (DOX@L-Td) showed decreased clearance and
      increased initial concentration (C0), half-life, and area under the curve (AUC),
      indicating that DOX@L-Td circulated in the blood stream for longer than free DOX.
      L-Td17, in particular, had beneficial effects owing to its ability to enhance
      tumor accumulation of DOX and reduce the cardiotoxicity caused by it through
      administration of a low dose of the drug.

PMID- 28645044
TI  - Mussel-inspired nano-multilayered coating on magnesium alloys for enhanced
      corrosion resistance and antibacterial property.
AB  - Magnesium alloys are promising candidates for load-bearing orthopedic implants
      due to their biodegradability and mechanical resemblance to natural bone tissue.
      However, the high degradation rate and the risk of implant-associated infections
      pose grand challenges for their clinical applications. Herein, we developed a
      nano-multilayered coating strategy through polydopamine and chitosan assisted
      layer-by-layer assembly of osteoinductive carbonated apatite and antibacterial
      sliver nanoparticles on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloys. The fabricated nano
      multilayered coating can not only obviously enhance the corrosion resistance but
      also significantly increase the antibacterial activity and demonstrate better
      biocompatility of magnesium alloys.

PMID- 28645045
TI  - Hydra amphiphiles: Using three heads and one tail to influence aggregate
      formation and to kill pathogenic bacteria.
AB  - Hydra amphiphiles mimic the morphology of the mythical multi-headed creatures for
      which they are named. Likewise, when faced with a pathogenic bacterium, some
      hydra derivatives are as destructive as their fabled counterparts were to their
      adversaries. This report focuses on eight new tricephalic (triple-headed), single
      tailed amphiphiles. Each amphiphile has a mesitylene (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene)
      core, two benzylic trimethylammonium groups and one dimethylalkylammonium group
      with a linear hydrophobe ranging from short (C8H17) to ultralong (C22H45). The
      logarithm of the critical aggregation concentration, log(CAC), decreases linearly
      with increasing tail length, but with a smaller dependence than that of ionic
      amphiphiles with fewer head groups. Tail length also affects antibacterial
      activity; amphiphiles with a linear 18 or 20 carbon atom hydrophobic chain are
      more effective at killing bacteria than those with shorter or longer chains.
      Comparison to a recently reported amphiphilic series with three heads and two
      tails allows for the development of an understanding of the relationship between
      number of tails and both colloidal and antibacterial properties.

PMID- 28645046
TI  - A paradigm shift for socioeconomic justice and health: from focusing on
      inequalities to aiming at sustainable equity.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To measure the 'best possible health for all', incorporating
      sustainability, and to establish the magnitude of global health inequity. STUDY
      DESIGN: Observational, retrospective. METHODS: We identified countries with three
      criteria: (1) a healthy population-life expectancy above world average; (2)
      living conditions feasible to replicate worldwide-per-capita gross domestic
      product (GDP-pc) below the world average; and (3) sustainability-per-capita
      carbon dioxide emissions lower than the planetary pollution boundary. Using these
      healthy, feasible, and sustainable (HFS) countries as the gold standard, we
      estimated the burden of global health inequity (BGHiE) in terms of excess deaths,
      analyzing time-trends (1950-2012) by age, sex, and geographic location. Finally,
      we defined a global income 'equity zone' and quantified the economic gap needed
      to achieve global sustainable health equity. RESULTS: A total of 14 countries
      worldwide met the HFS criteria. Since 1970, there has been a BGHiE of ~17 million
      avoidable deaths per year (~40% of all deaths), with 36 life-years-lost per
      excess death. Young children and women bore a higher BGHiE, and, in recent years,
      the highest proportion of avoidable deaths occurred in Africa, India, and the
      Russian Federation. By 2012, the most efficient HFS countries had a GDP-pc/year
      of USD$2,165, which we proposed as the lower equity zone threshold. The estimated
      USD$2.58 trillion economic gap represents 3.6% of the world's GDP-twenty times
      larger than current total global foreign aid. CONCLUSIONS: Sustainable health
      equity metrics provide a benchmark tool to guide efforts toward transforming
      overall living conditions, as a means to achieve the 'best possible health for
      all.'

PMID- 28645047
TI  - Neurological condition assessed with the Hempel examination and cognition and
      behaviour at 4years.
AB  - AIM: To investigate associations between neurological condition, assessed with
      the Hempel examination, in terms of minor neurological dysfunction (MND) and
      neurological optimality, and cognition and behaviour at 4years. STUDY DESIGN:
      Cross-sectional analyses within a prospective, assessor-blinded follow-up study.
      SUBJECTS: Four-year-old singletons born to subfertile parents (n=235; 120 boys).
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome parameters were complex minor neurological dysfunction
      (complex MND) and the neurological optimality score (NOS). Cognitive outcome was
      evaluated with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, resulting in a total
      intelligence quotient (IQ). Behavioural outcome was evaluated with the Child
      Behavior Checklist, resulting in a total problem T-score. RESULTS: Fifty-seven
      (24.3%) children had complex MND. None of the children showed fine motor
      dysfunction, suggesting a ceiling effect of the Hempel assessment. Complex MND
      was not correlated with IQ or total problem T-score. Nevertheless, a higher NOS
      was correlated with a higher IQ and a lower total problem T-score (adjusted mean
      estimate [95% confidence interval]: cognition: 0.445 [0.026; 0.865], p=0.038;
      behaviour: -0.458 [-0.830; -0.087], p=0.016). INTERPRETATION: At age 4, complex
      MND assessed with the Hempel assessment was not associated with cognition and
      behaviour, presumably due to a ceiling effect in the Hempel domain of fine motor
      function. A more optimal neurological condition was associated with higher IQ and
      better behaviour.

PMID- 28645048
TI  - Phytolith carbon sequestration in global terrestrial biomes.
AB  - Terrestrial biogeochemical carbon (C) sequestration is coupled with the
      biogeochemical silicon (Si) cycle through mechanisms such as phytolith C
      sequestration, but the size and distribution of the phytolith C sink remain
      unclear. Here, we estimate phytolith C sequestration in global terrestrial
      biomes. We used biome data including productivity, phytolith and silica contents,
      and the phytolith stability factor to preliminarily determine the size and
      distribution of the phytolith C sink in global terrestrial biomes. Total
      phytolith C sequestration in global terrestrial biomes is 156.7+/-91.6TgCO2yr-1.
      Grassland (40%), cropland (35%), and forest (20%) biomes are the dominant
      producers of phytolith-based carbon; geographically, the main contributors are
      Asia (31%), Africa (24%), and South America (17%). Practices such as bamboo
      afforestation/reforestation and grassland recovery for economic and ecological
      purposes could theoretically double the above phytolith C sink. The potential
      terrestrial phytolith C sequestration during 2000-2099 under such practices would
      be 15.7-40.5PgCO2, equivalent in magnitude to the C sequestration of oceanic
      diatoms in sediments and through silicate weathering. Phytolith C sequestration
      contributes vitally to the global C cycle, hence, it is essential to incorporate
      plant-soil silica cycling in biogeochemical C cycle models.

PMID- 28645049
TI  - Gaseous elemental mercury in the marine boundary layer and air-sea flux in the
      Southern Ocean in austral summer.
AB  - Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in the marine boundary layer (MBL), and dissolved
      gaseous mercury (DGM) in surface seawater of the Southern Ocean were measured in
      the austral summer from December 13, 2014 to February 1, 2015. GEM concentrations
      in the MBL ranged from 0.4 to 1.9ngm-3 (mean+/-standard deviation: 0.9+/-0.2ngm
      3), whereas DGM concentrations in surface seawater ranged from 7.0 to 75.9pgL-1
      (mean+/-standard deviation: 23.7+/-13.2pgL-1). The occasionally observed low GEM
      in the MBL suggested either the occurrence of atmospheric mercury depletion in
      summer, or the transport of GEM-depleted air from the Antarctic Plateau. Elevated
      GEM concentrations in the MBL and DGM concentrations in surface seawater were
      consistently observed in the ice-covered region of the Ross Sea implying the
      influence of the sea ice environment. Diminishing sea ice could cause more
      mercury evasion from the ocean to the air. Using the thin film gas exchange
      model, the air-sea fluxes of gaseous mercury in non-ice-covered area during the
      study period were estimated to range from 0.0 to 6.5ngm-2h-1 with a mean value of
      1.5+/-1.8ngm-2h-1, revealing GEM (re-)emission from the East Southern Ocean in
      summer.

PMID- 28645050
TI  - Land use affects total dissolved nitrogen and nitrate concentrations in tropical
      montane streams in Kenya.
AB  - African tropical montane forests are facing fast and dynamic changes in land use.
      However, the impacts of these changes on stream water quality are understudied.
      This paper aims at assessing the effect of land use and physical catchment
      characteristics on stream water concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC),
      total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), nitrate (NO3-N) and dissolved organic nitrogen
      (DON) in the Mau Forest, the largest tropical montane forest in Kenya. We
      conducted five synoptic stream water sampling campaigns at the outlets of 13-16
      catchments dominated by either natural forest, smallholder agriculture or
      commercial tea and tree plantations. Our data show a strong effect of land use on
      TDN and NO3-N, with highest concentrations in stream water of catchments
      dominated by tea plantations (1.80+/-0.50 and 1.62+/-0.60mgNl-1, respectively),
      and lowest values in forested catchments (0.55+/-0.15 and 0.30+/-0.08mgNl-1,
      respectively). NO3-N concentration increased with stream temperature and specific
      discharge, but decreased with increasing catchment area. DOC concentrations
      increased with catchment area and precipitation and decreased with specific
      discharge, drainage density and topographic wetness index. Precipitation and
      specific discharge were also strong predictors for DON concentrations, with an
      additional small positive effect of tree cover. In summary, land use affects TDN
      and NO3-N concentrations in stream water in the Mau Forest region in Kenya, while
      DOC and DON were more related to hydrologic regimes and catchment properties. The
      importance of land use for NO3-N and TDN concentrations emphasizes the risk of
      increased nitrogen export along hydrological pathways caused by intensified land
      use and conversion of land to agricultural uses, which might result in
      deterioration of drinking water quality and eutrophication in surface water in
      tropical Africa.

PMID- 28645051
TI  - Enantioselective disturbance of chiral herbicide dichlorprop to nitrogen
      metabolism of Arabidopsis thaliana: Regular analysis and stable isotope attempt.
AB  - As the most essential element, nitrogen play a pivotal role in plant
      physiological process, which is susceptible to contaminants. However, the
      enantioselective effects of chiral herbicides on nitrogen metabolism have not
      been comprehensively understood. In this study, effects of chiral herbicide
      dichlorprop (DCPP) on the nitrogen behaviors in Arabidopsis thaliana were
      investigated. The results revealed that the uptakes of inorganic nitrogen (NO3-
      and NH4+) were preferentially impacted by herbicidal active (R)-DCPP, where the
      transportation of beneficial NO3- was inhibited but the toxic NH4+ was
      accumulated. As for nitrogen assimilation, enantioselectivity was disappeared and
      reoccurred when NO3- was assimilated into NH4+. Furthermore, the pathways of NH4+
      assimilation differed in Arabidopsis exposed to DCPP enantiomers, where (S)-DCPP
      remained almost the same to the control relying on GS-GOGAT cycle, but the
      dominant pathway in (R)-DCPP group was shifted to glutamate dehydrogenase route.
      Consequently, a profound enantioselectivity was also observed in the effects on
      amino acids synthesis. As for nitrogen stable isotope fractionation, (R)-DCPP led
      to more negative delta15N values than (S)-DCPP at 0.3MUM, indicating the
      selective uptake of toxic NH4+ and different discrimination of delta15N was also
      observed between DCPP enantiomers. Moreover, stable isotopic evidence also
      revealed the disturbance caused by DCPP to the balance of nitrogen demand and
      consumption in A. thaliana. All these results may contribute to the final
      enantioselective toxicity, providing a new sight into the better understanding
      the action mechanism of chiral herbicides.

PMID- 28645053
TI  - Assessment of imaging-in-flow system (FlowCAM) for systematic ballast water
      management.
AB  - Assessing the disinfection of ballast water and its compliance with international
      standards requires determining the size, viability, and concentration of
      planktonic organisms. The FlowCAM (Flow Cytometer and Microscope) is an Imaging
      Flow Cytometry designed to obtain the particle concentration, images, and
      quantitative morphologic information. The objective in this paper is to establish
      the basis for transforming the FlowCAM from being a laboratory analyzer into a
      tool for systematic monitoring of ballast water. The capacity of the FlowCAM was
      evaluated by analyzing artificial microbeads, phytoplankton monocultures, and
      real seawater samples. Microbead analyses reported high accuracy and precision in
      size and concentration measurements. Monoculture analyses showed the effect of
      disinfection treatments in cell appearance and growth. Low concentration and
      heterogeneity of particles in real seawater analyses require the comprehensive
      observation of images by experts. Additionally, some physical characteristics of
      the device must be improved. The optimization of device configuration enables the
      quick transferring of files and information between parties involved in ballast
      water management. FlowCAM may become a feasible technology for this after the
      device and protocols are adapted.

PMID- 28645052
TI  - Cardiorespiratory responses of air filtration: A randomized crossover
      intervention trial in seniors living in Beijing: Beijing Indoor Air Purifier
      StudY, BIAPSY.
AB  - In this Beijing Indoor Air Purifier StudY (BIAPSY), we conducted a randomized
      crossover intervention trial in a panel of 35 non-smoking senior participants
      with free-living, with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
      Portable air filtration units were randomly allocated to active-(filter in) for
      2weeks and sham-mode (filter out) for 2weeks in the households. We examined the
      differences in indoor air pollutant concentrations in 20 study homes and a suite
      of cardio-respiratory biomarker levels in study participants between filtration
      modes, with and without adjustment for potential confounders. Following active
      filtration, we observed significant reductions from 60+/-45 to 24+/-15MUg/m3 in
      ten-day averages of indoor PM2.5 and reductions from 3.87+/-1.65 to 1.81+/-1.19m
      1.10-5 in ten-day averages of indoor BC, compared to sham-mode filtration. The
      major components of indoor PM2.5, including water soluble organics, NO3-, SO42-,
      Zn2+, Pb2+ and K+, were also reduced significantly by 42% to 63%. However,
      following active filtration, we only observed significant reductions on systemic
      inflammation measured as of IL-8 at 58.59% (95% CI: -76.31, -27.64) in the total
      group of participants and 70.04% (95% CI: -83.05, -47.05) in the subset of COPD
      patients, with adjustments. We were not able to detect improvements on lung
      function, blood pressure, and heart rate variability, following short-term
      intervention of two-week active air filtration. In conclusion, our results showed
      that indoor air filtration produced clear improvement on indoor air quality, but
      no demonstrable changes in the cardio-respiratory outcomes of study interest
      observed in the seniors living with real-world air pollution exposures.

PMID- 28645054
TI  - Computational analysis of the ToxCast estrogen receptor agonist assays to predict
      vitellogenin induction by chemicals in male fish.
AB  - Endocrine disruptors, especially estrogen receptor (ER) agonists, have received
      considerable research attention. While there are several mechanistic endpoints
      for ER agonism in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program, there have been
      growing efforts to develop high-throughput screening assays and computational
      models to reduce testing cost, time, and animal use. For example, there are 16 ER
      agonist assays and an integrated computational model in ToxCast. In the present
      study, we examined the relationship between ToxCast ER agonist assays and model
      activity to male vitellogenin induction in the Fish-Short Term Reproduction
      Assay. It was found 15/16 of the assays significantly predicted potency ranks for
      10 common ER agonists, and 7/16 of the assays had a significant linear
      correlation. The integrated model also provided comparable performance to most
      assays. Thus, the ToxCast ER agonist assays and model may be useful to identify
      endocrine disruptors and predict reproductive outcomes in fish.

PMID- 28645055
TI  - C-reactive protein and white blood cell levels in schizophrenia, bipolar
      disorders and depression - associations with mortality and psychiatric outcomes:
      a population-based study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mental disorders have been associated with increased levels of
      inflammatory markers, which can affect disease trajectories. We aimed to assess
      levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cells (WBC) across individuals
      with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression, and to investigate
      associations with subsequent psychiatric admission and mortality. METHODS: We
      identified all adults in the Central Denmark Region during 2000-2012 with a first
      diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or depression and a baseline
      measurement of CRP and/or WBC count. We followed these individuals until outcome
      of interest (psychiatric admission or death), emigration or December 31, 2012,
      using Cox regression analysis to estimate hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS: Baseline
      median CRP differed significantly between mental disorders (P=0.01) being highest
      in individuals with bipolar disorder (3.5mg/L) (particularly during manic states,
      3.9mg/L), followed by schizophrenia (3.1mg/L), and depression (2.8mg/L), while
      baseline WBC count did not differ (median 7.1*109/L). Elevated CRP levels were
      associated with increased all-cause mortality by adjusted HRs of 1.56 (95% CI:
      1.02-2.38) for levels 3-10mg/L and 2.07 (95% CI: 1.30-3.29) for levels above
      10mg/L compared to individuals with levels below 3mg/L. WBC counts were not
      associated with all-cause mortality. No association was observed between levels
      of the inflammatory markers and subsequent psychiatric admissions. CONCLUSIONS:
      People with severe mental disorders had increased inflammatory markers at first
      diagnosis, and elevated CRP levels were associated with increased mortality.
      Thorough screening for physical diseases is of utmost importance among
      individuals who are diagnosed with severe mental disorder.

PMID- 28645056
TI  - Serious delinquency and later schizophrenia: A nationwide register-based follow
      up study of Finnish pretrial 15- to 19-year-old offenders sent for a forensic
      psychiatric examination.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aggressive and disruptive behaviors often precede the onset of
      schizophrenia. In this register-based follow-up study with a case-control design,
      we wanted to investigate if serious delinquency was associated with future
      diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (here, broadly defined
      schizophrenia) among a nationwide consecutive sample of 15- to 19-year-old
      Finnish delinquents sent for a forensic psychiatric examination in 1989-2010.
      METHODS: The sample comprised 313 delinquents with no past or current psychotic
      disorder. For each delinquent, four age-, gender- and place of birth -matched
      controls were randomly selected from the Central Population Register. Five
      controls (0.4%) had been treated for schizophrenia before their respective index
      dates and were thus excluded from further analysis, leaving us with a control
      population of 1247 individuals. The subjects were followed till death, emigration
      or the end of 2015, whichever occurred first. Diagnoses were obtained from the
      Care Register for Health Care. RESULTS: Forty (12.8%) of the delinquents and 11
      (0.9%) of the controls were diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life (HR 16.6,
      95% CI 8.53-32.39, P<0.001). Almost half of the pretrial adolescents with later
      schizophrenia were diagnosed within 5years of the forensic psychiatric
      examination, but latency was longer among the other half of the sample, reaching
      up to 20.5years. CONCLUSIONS: The study supports the previous research indicating
      a potential link between serious delinquency and later schizophrenia. Accurate
      psychiatric assessments should be made in correctional services but also later in
      life so that any possible psychotic symptoms can be detected in individuals with
      a history of serious delinquency even if there were no signs of psychosis before
      or at the time of the crime. Future research should explore which factors
      influence the delinquent's risk of developing later schizophrenia.

PMID- 28645057
TI  - Effects of salinity and short-term elevated atmospheric CO2 on the chemical
      equilibrium between CO2 fixation and photosynthetic electron transport of Stevia
      rebaudiana Bertoni.
AB  - The effect of water salinity on plant growth and photosynthetic traits of Stevia
      rebaudiana was investigated to determine its level and mechanisms of salinity
      tolerance. It was also attempted to assess how short-term elevated CO2
      concentration would influence the boundaries and mechanisms of its photosynthetic
      capacity. The plants were grown in gravel/hydroponic system under controlled
      greenhouse conditions and irrigated with four different salinity levels (0, 25,
      50 and 100 mol m-3NaCl). Low salinity did not significantly alter the plant fresh
      weight, which was substantially decreased by 67% at high salinity treatment.
      Salinity tolerance threshold was reached at 50 mol m-3 NaCl while C50 was between
      50 and 100 mol m-3 NaCl, indicating that S. rebaudiana is a moderate salt
      tolerant species. Salt-induced growth reduction was apparently linked to a
      significant decline of about 47% in the photosynthetic rates (Anet) at high
      salinity treatment, leading consequently to a disequilibrium between CO2
      assimilation and electron transport rates (indicated by enhanced ETRmax/Agross
      ratio). Elevated atmospheric CO2 enhanced CO2 assimilation rates by 65% and 80%
      for control and high-salt-stressed plants respectively, likely due to significant
      increases in intercellular CO2 concentration (indicated by enhanced Ci/Ca). The
      priority for Stevia under elevated atmospheric CO2 was not to save water but to
      maximize photosynthesis so that the PWUE was progressively improved and the
      threat of oxidative stress was diminished (decline in ETRmax/Agross). The results
      imply that elevated CO2 level could ameliorate some of the detrimental effects of
      salinity, conferring higher tolerance and survival of S. rebaudiana, a
      highlydesired feature with the forthcoming era of global changes.

PMID- 28645058
TI  - Promoting physical activity in high-poverty neighborhood parks: A cluster
      randomized controlled trial.
AB  - Although physical activity can help mitigate or prevent multiple chronic
      diseases, most people in the U.S., especially high-poverty minority groups,
      engage in insufficient levels of physical activity. To test ways to promote more
      physical activity in high-poverty area public parks we conducted a randomized
      controlled intervention trial. After completing baseline measures of park-based
      physical activity using systematic direct observation three times/day each month
      for six months and assessing preferences for park programming among 1445
      residents living within 1 mile of study parks, we randomized 48 parks in high
      poverty neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles, California during 2013-2014 to
      four study arms: 1) free physical activity classes over a 6-month period, 2) a
      frequent user program where participants could win prizes based upon the number
      of visits they made to the park, 3) both the programs, and 4) neither one
      (control condition). We re-measured park use in 2014-2015 using the same methods
      during the six months the intervention programs were in operation. A total of
      2047 free park classes were offered attracting 16,718 participants. The frequent
      user programs enrolled 1452 individuals and prizes were awarded to 830. Residents
      in the two study arms with free classes were more likely to report being aware of
      and participating in park-based physical activity programs; however, overall
      observed park-based physical activity increased similarly across all study arms.
      The process evaluation uncovered several barriers to program implementation,
      including inconsistent scheduling of classes, partly due to safety concerns among
      instructors. Multiple social factors interfere with leisure time physical
      activity among low-income populations, suggesting modest interventions may be
      insufficient to overcome these issues. Although new park programs can attract
      users, new programs alone may be insufficient to increase overall park use in low
      income neighborhoods at times when the programs are not taking place.

PMID- 28645059
TI  - Association of elevated ambient temperature with death from cocaine overdose.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ecologic data suggest that elevated outdoor temperature is correlated
      with mortality rates from cocaine overdose. Using non-aggregated death records,
      we studied the association of hot temperatures with risk of death from cocaine
      overdose. METHODS: We carried out a case-crossover study of all deaths from
      cocaine or other drug overdose between the months of May and September, from 2000
      through 2013 in Quebec, Canada. We used conditional logistic regression to
      estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association
      between maximum outdoor temperature and death from cocaine or other drug
      overdose. The main outcome measure was death from cocaine overdose as a function
      of maximum temperature the day of death and the days immediately preceding death.
      RESULTS: There were 316 deaths from cocaine overdose and 446 from other drug
      overdoses during the study. Elevated temperature the preceding week was
      associated with the likelihood of death from cocaine but not other drug overdose.
      Compared with 20 degrees C, a maximum weekly temperature of 30 degrees C was
      associated with an OR of 2.07 for death from cocaine overdose (95% CI 1.15-3.73),
      but an OR of 1.03 for other drug overdoses (95% CI 0.60-1.75). Associations for
      cocaine overdose were present with maximum daily temperature the day of and each
      of the three days preceding death. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated ambient temperature is
      associated with the risk of death from cocaine overdose. Public health
      practitioners and drug users should be aware of the added risk of mortality when
      cocaine is used during hot days.

PMID- 28645060
TI  - Young people who use drugs engaged in harm reduction programs in New York City:
      Overdose and other risks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known about the engagement of young people who use drugs
      (PWUD) in harm reduction programs (HRPs), and few studies have included non
      opioid users and non-injectors. While HRPs have effectively engaged PWUD, young
      people are under-represented in their services. METHODS: The Injection Drug Users
      Health Alliance Citywide Study (IDUCS) is the largest community-based study of
      PWUD in HRPs in the US. From 2014-2015, 2421 HRP participants across New York
      City (NYC) completed a cross-sectional survey. We investigated differences in
      socio-demographics, service utilization, and risk behaviors between young (aged
      18-30) and older participants and examined factors associated with overdose among
      young participants. RESULTS: The study included 257 young participants. They were
      significantly more likely than older participants to be white, educated,
      uninsured, unstably housed or homeless, and have a history of incarceration and
      residential drug treatment. They were more likely to report recent overdose but
      less likely to report knowledge of naloxone. Young participants also had higher
      rates of alcohol, marijuana, benzodiazepine, and injection drug use, and related
      risk behaviors such as public injection. Factors associated with past year
      overdose among young participants included experiencing symptoms of psychological
      distress (AOR=9.71), being unstably housed or homeless (AOR=4.39), and utilizing
      detox (AOR=4.20). CONCLUSIONS: Young PWUD who access services at HRPs in NYC
      differ significantly from their older counterparts. New York City and other urban
      centers that attract young PWUD should consider implementing harm reduction
      oriented services tailored to the unique needs of young people.

PMID- 28645062
TI  - Acute and chronic alcohol use correlated with methods of suicide in a Swiss
      national sample.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Chronic and acute alcohol use are highly associated risk factors for
      suicides worldwide. Therefore, we examined suicide cases with and without alcohol
      use disorder (AUD) using data from the SNSF project "Suicide in Switzerland: A
      detailed national survey". Our investigations focus on correlations between acute
      and chronic alcohol use with reference to suicide and potential interactions with
      the methods of suicide. METHODS: We used data from the SNSF project in which all
      cases of registered completed suicide in Switzerland reported to any of the seven
      Swiss institutes of legal and forensic medicine between 2000 and 2010 were
      collected. We extracted cases that were tested for blood alcohol to use in our
      analysis. We compared clinical characteristics, blood alcohol concentrations, and
      methods of suicide in cases with and without AUD. RESULTS: Out of 6497 cases,
      2946 subjects were tested for acute alcohol use and included in our analysis. Of
      the latter, 366 (12.4%) persons had a medical history of AUD. Subjects with AUD
      significantly had higher blood alcohol concentrations and were more often in
      medical treatment before suicide. Drug intoxication as method of suicide was more
      frequent in cases with AUD compared to NAUD. CONCLUSION: Overall, we found a high
      incidence of acute alcohol use at the time of death in chronic alcohol misusers
      (AUD). The five methods of suicide most commonly used in Switzerland differed
      considerably between individuals with and without AUD. Blood alcohol
      concentrations varied across different methods of suicide independently from the
      medical history in both groups.

PMID- 28645061
TI  - The neurochemical consequences of methamphetamine self-administration in male and
      female rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine (METH) is an addictive substance that is used in both
      males and females. Few preclinical studies have focused on understanding sex
      differences in the neurochemical consequences of contingent METH. The purpose of
      the current study was to investigate potential sex-differences in the
      neurochemical consequences of METH self-administration. METHODS: Male and female
      adult rats were given extended access to METH or saline self-administration for
      7d. Following self-administration, hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor
      (BDNF) and striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) were assessed via western
      blotting. RESULTS: Male and female rats had similar METH intake. METH self
      administration reduced striatal DAT in both sexes, but only males that self
      administered METH had elevated hippocampal BDNF levels. CONCLUSIONS: Sex
      differences exist in the neurochemical consequences of METH self-administration.
      These differences may lead to sex-specific vulnerability to the toxic effects of
      METH.

PMID- 28645063
TI  - Assessing phosphatidylethanol (PEth) levels reflecting different drinking habits
      in comparison to the alcohol use disorders identification test - C (AUDIT-C).
AB  - In addition to monitoring problematic or harmful alcohol consumption, drinking
      experiments indicated the potential of phosphatidylethanols (PEth) in abstinence
      monitoring. To date, no profound evaluation of thresholds for the differentiation
      of abstinence from moderate drinking and for detection of excessive consumption
      based on PEth homologues exists. Investigations with a large group of healthy
      volunteers (n=300) were performed to establish PEth reference values reflecting
      different drinking habits. Blood samples were analyzed for PEth 16:0/18:1 and
      16:0/18:2 by online-SPE-LC-MS/MS method. Results were compared to AUDIT-C
      questionnaires, to the amounts of alcohol consumed during the two-weeks prior to
      blood sampling, and were statistically evaluated. PEth concentrations were
      significantly correlated with self-reported alcohol consumption (r>0.69) and with
      AUDIT-C scores (r>0.65). 4.0% of 300 volunteers reported abstinence (AUDIT-C
      score: 0), no PEth was detectable in their blood. PEth 16:0/18:1 concentrations
      below the limit of detection of 10.0ng/mL match with abstinence and light
      drinking habits (<=10g pure alcohol/day). However, some volunteers classified as
      "excessive alcohol consumers" had negative PEth results. In the group of
      volunteers classified as "moderate drinkers" (AUDIT-C score: 1-3 (women) and 1-4
      (men)), 95% of the test persons had PEth 16:0/18:1 ranging from not detected to
      112ng/mL, and PEth 16:0/18:2 ranging from not detected to 67.0ng/mL. Combination
      of self-reported alcohol consumption and AUDIT-C score showed that negative PEth
      results match with abstinence or light drinking. Moderate alcohol consumption
      resulted in PEth 16:0/18:1 from 0 to 112ng/mL and for PEth 16:0/18:2 ranged from
      0 to 67.0ng/mL. Higher PEth concentrations indicated excessive alcohol
      consumption.

PMID- 28645064
TI  - Heroin and saccharin demand and preference in rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several recent studies have investigated the choice between heroin
      and a non-drug alternative reinforcer in rats. A common finding in these studies
      is that there are large individual differences in preference, with some rats
      preferring heroin and some preferring the non-drug alternative. The primary goal
      of the present study was to determine whether individual differences in how
      heroin or saccharin is valued, based on demand analysis, predicts choice.
      METHODS: Rats lever-pressed for heroin infusions and saccharin reinforcers on
      fixed-ratio schedules. The essential value of each reinforcer was obtained from
      resulting demand curves. Rats were then trained on a mutually exclusive choice
      procedure where pressing one lever resulted in heroin and pressing another
      resulted in saccharin. After seven sessions of increased access to heroin or
      saccharin, rats were reexposed to the demand and choice procedures. RESULTS:
      Demand for heroin was more elastic than demand for saccharin (i.e., heroin had
      lower essential value than saccharin). When allowed to choose, most rats
      preferred saccharin. The essential value of heroin, but not saccharin, predicted
      preference. The essential value of both heroin and saccharin increased following
      a week of increased access to heroin, but similar saccharin exposure had no
      effect on essential value. Preference was unchanged after increased access to
      either reinforcer. CONCLUSION: Heroin-preferring rats differed from saccharin
      preferring rats in how they valued heroin, but not saccharin. To the extent that
      choice models addiction-related behavior, these results suggest that
      overvaluation of opioids specifically, rather than undervaluation of non-drug
      alternatives, could identify susceptible individuals.

PMID- 28645065
TI  - Cross-validation of short forms of the Screener and Opioid Assessment for
      Patients with Pain-Revised (SOAPP-R).
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain-Revised
      (SOAPP-R) is a 24-item assessment designed to assist in the prediction of
      aberrant drug-related behavior (ADB) among patients with chronic pain. Recent
      work has created shorter versions of the SOAPP-R, including a static 12-item
      short form and two computer-based methods (curtailment and stochastic
      curtailment) that monitor assessments in progress. The purpose of this study was
      to cross-validate these shorter versions in two new populations. METHODS: This
      retrospective study used data from patients recruited from a hospital-based pain
      center (n=84) and pain patients followed and treated at primary care centers
      (n=110). Subjects had been administered the SOAPP-R and assessed for ADB. In real
      data simulation, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of
      each form were calculated, as was the mean test length using curtailment and
      stochastic curtailment. RESULTS: Curtailment reduced the number of items
      administered by 30% to 34% while maintaining sensitivity and specificity
      identical to those of the full-length SOAPP-R. Stochastic curtailment reduced the
      number of items administered by 45% to 63% while maintaining sensitivity and
      specificity within 0.03 of those of the full-length SOAPP-R. The AUC of the 12
      item form was equal to that of the 24-item form in both populations. CONCLUSIONS:
      Curtailment, stochastic curtailment, and the 12-item short form have potential to
      enhance the efficiency of the SOAPP-R.

PMID- 28645066
TI  - Hydrothermal co-carbonization of sewage sludge and pinewood sawdust for nutrient
      rich hydrochar production: Synergistic effects and products characterization.
AB  - The aim of this study is to explore the synergistic effects of hydrothermal co
      carbonization of sewage sludge and pinewood sawdust on hydrochar production.
      Firstly, the effects of mixing ratios on hydrothermal carbonization were
      investigated, and then, the hydrochar was characterized by diverse analytical
      techniques. The mass balance results indicated that a significant synergistic
      enhancement occurred in terms of the increased hydrochar yield, organic and
      carbon retentions. By combining sewage sludge and pinewood sawdust at the mass
      ratio of 1:1, 58.11 +/- 0.91% of hydrochar yield was obtained with high
      synergistic coefficients (8.41% for hydrochar yield, 13.09% for carbon retention,
      and 14.92% for organics retention). The hydrochar properties of nutrients, such
      as nitrogen and phosphorus, and surface functional groups were improved by
      hydrothermal co-carbonization approach. The FT-IR spectra, CP-MAS 13C NMR and SEM
      results further indicated that hydrothermal co-carbonization promoted the
      development of aromaticity and surface structure. Our findings suggested that
      hydrothermal co-carbonization is a promising strategy to tailor high-performance
      hydrochar for different applications.

PMID- 28645067
TI  - Using a detailed inventory of a large wastewater treatment plant to estimate the
      relative importance of construction to the overall environmental impacts.
AB  - The aim of this work is to quantify the relative contribution to the overall
      environmental impact of the construction phase compared to the operational phase
      for a large conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). To
      estimate these environmental impacts, a systematic procedure was designed to
      obtain the detailed Life Cycle Inventories (LCI) for civil works and equipment,
      taking as starting point the construction project budget and the list of
      equipment installed at the Girona WWTP, which are the most reliable information
      sources of materials and resources used during the construction phase. A detailed
      inventory is conducted by including 45 materials for civil works and 1,240
      devices for the equipment. For most of the impact categories and different life
      spans of the WWTP, the contribution of the construction phase to the overall
      burden is higher than 5% and, especially for metal depletion, the impact of
      construction reaches 63%. When comparing to the WWTP inventories available in
      Ecoinvent the share of construction obtained in this work is about 3 times
      smaller for climate change and twice higher for metal depletion. Concrete and
      reinforcing steel are the materials with the highest contribution to the civil
      works phase and motors, pumps and mobile and transport equipment are also key
      equipment to consider during life cycle inventories of WWTPs. Additional robust
      inventories for similar WWTP can leverage this work by applying the factors (kg
      of materials and energy per m3 of treated water) and guidance provided.

PMID- 28645068
TI  - Fracture, roughness and phase transformation in CAD/CAM milling and subsequent
      surface treatments of lithium metasilicate/disilicate glass-ceramics.
AB  - This paper studied surface fracture, roughness and morphology, phase
      transformations, and material removal mechanisms of lithium
      metasilicate/disilicate glass ceramics (LMGC/LDGC) in CAD/CAM-milling and
      subsequent surface treatments. LMGC (IPS e.max CAD) blocks were milled using a
      chairside dental CAD/CAM milling unit and then treated in sintering, polishing
      and glazing processes. X-ray diffraction was performed on all processed surfaces.
      Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to analyse surface fracture and
      morphology. Surface roughness was quantitatively characterized by the arithmetic
      average surface roughness Ra and the maximum roughness Rz using desktop SEM
      assisted morphology analytical software. The CAD/CAM milling induced extensive
      brittle cracks and crystal pulverization on LMGC surfaces, which indicate that
      the dominant removal mechanism was the fracture mode. Polishing and sintering of
      the milled LMGC lowered the surface roughness (ANOVA, p < 0.05), respectively,
      while sintering also fully transformed the weak LMGC to the strong LDGC. However,
      polishing and glazing of LDGC did not significantly improve the roughness (ANOVA,
      p > 0.05). In comparison of all applied fabrication process routes, it is found
      that CAD/CAM milling followed by polishing and sintering produced the smoothest
      surface with Ra = 0.12 +/- 0.08um and Rz = 0.89 +/- 0.26um. Thus, it is proposed
      as the optimized process route for LMGC/LDGC in dental restorations. This route
      enables to manufacture LMGC/LDGC restorations with cost effectiveness, time
      efficiency, and improved surface quality for better occlusal functions and
      reduced bacterial plaque accumulation.

PMID- 28645069
TI  - Controlled single bubble cavitation collapse results in jet-induced injury in
      brain tissue.
AB  - Multiscale damage due to cavitation is considered as a potential mechanism of
      traumatic brain injury (TBI) associated with explosion. In this study, we
      employed a TBI relevant hippocampal ex vivo slice model to induce bubble
      cavitation. Placement of single reproducible seed bubbles allowed control of
      size, number, and tissue location to visualize and measure deformation
      parameters. Maximum strain value was measured at 45 us after bubble collapse,
      presented with a distinct contour and coincided temporally and spatially with the
      liquid jet. Composite injury maps combined this maximum strain value with maximum
      measured bubble size and location along with histological injury patterns. This
      facilitated the correlation of bubble location and subsequent jet direction to
      the corresponding regions of high strain which overlapped with regions of
      observed injury. A dynamic threshold strain range for tearing of cerebral cortex
      was estimated to be between 0.5 and 0.6. For a seed bubble placed underneath the
      hippocampus, cavitation induced damage was observed in hippocampus (local),
      proximal cerebral cortex (marginal) and the midbrain/forebrain (remote) upon
      histological evaluation. Within this test model, zone of cavitation injury was
      greater than the maximum radius of the bubble. Separation of apposed structures,
      tissue tearing, and disruption of cellular layers defined early injury patterns
      that were not detected in the blast-exposed half of the brain slice.
      Ultrastructural pathology of the neurons exposed to cavitation was characterized
      by disintegration of plasma membrane along with loss of cellular content. The
      developed test system provided a controlled experimental platform to study
      cavitation induced high strain deformations on brain tissue slice. The goal of
      the future studies will be to lower underpressure magnitude and cavitation bubble
      size for more sensitive evaluation of injury.

PMID- 28645070
TI  - Passive smoking and mortality from aortic dissection or aneurysm.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Evidence on the association between passive smoking and risk
      of aortic dissection or aneurysm is limited. This study aimed to investigate
      whether passive smoking increases risk of mortality from aortic dissection or
      aneurysm. METHODS: The Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study is a prospective
      community-based cohort study begun in 1988-90 and followed up to the end of 2009.
      We examined 48,677 individuals (mean age, 56 years; women, 46%) without history
      of stroke, coronary heart disease, or cancer, who provided valid responses to a
      lifestyle questionnaire including questions on active and passive smoking. We
      used 3 categories (passive smoking out of home, passive smoking at home, and
      passive smoking out of or at home combined) to divide never-smokers into 3
      exposure groups: low, intermediate, and high exposures, respectively. The
      endpoint was underlying cause of death from aortic dissection or aneurysm.
      RESULTS: During the median 19-year follow-up of 48,677 study participants, 66
      died of aortic dissection, and 75 of aortic aneurysm. Multivariable hazard ratios
      (95% confidence intervals) for the high passive-smoking group as compared with
      the low passive-smoking group were 2.45 (1.02-5.88) out of home, 1.82 (0.84-3.96)
      at home, and 2.35 (1.09-5.09) out of or at home combined. The corresponding
      hazard ratios for current smokers as compared with the low passive-smoking group
      were 3.97 (2.14-7.39), 3.41 (1.84-6.32) and 4.09 (1.99-8.39), respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Out-of-home passive smoking and out-of- or at-home combined passive
      smoking were associated with increased mortality from aortic dissection or
      aneurysm.

PMID- 28645071
TI  - Television viewing and risk of mortality: Exploring the biological plausibility.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Television (TV) viewing is a major component of leisure
      sedentary time, and has been consistently associated with cardiovascular disease.
      We examined the extent to which metabolic biomarkers explain the association
      between TV viewing and mortality. METHODS: Participants (N = 8,451, aged 64.8 +/-
      9.9 yrs) were drawn from The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a
      national prospective cohort study of community-dwelling men and women living in
      England. The individual participant data were linked with death records from the
      National Health Service registries from 2008 to 2012. Cox proportional hazards
      models were used to estimate the risk of death according to time spent watching
      TV, with biomarkers added in a stepwise fashion to estimate potential mediation.
      RESULTS: Over an average follow up of 4 years (33,832 person years), there were
      370 deaths. In models adjusted for comorbidities, psychosocial factors, and
      health behaviours including physical activity, there was an association between
      TV viewing and mortality (>=6 h per day vs. < 2 h per day [Ref]; hazard ratio =
      1.98, 95% CI, 1.25, 3.15). Adjustment for inflammatory markers (C-reactive
      protein and fibrinogen) accounted for ~15.7% of the association between TV
      viewing and mortality, but metabolic risk factors (HDL-cholesterol,
      triglycerides, glycated haemoglobin) did not contribute. CONCLUSIONS: The
      association between TV viewing and mortality was partly mediated by inflammatory
      markers, although the relationship remains largely unexplained.

PMID- 28645073
TI  - Analysis of LDLR variants from homozygous FH patients carrying multiple mutations
      in the LDLR gene.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant
      disease with widespread global prevalence that partially accounts for the high
      prevalence of premature coronary heart disease. Although the majority of research
      on FH has focused on single heterozygous LDLR mutations, there have been limited
      reports of double LDLR mutations on the same chromosome. The aim of this study
      was to gain insight into the clinical consequences of the presence of multiple
      mutations in the LDLR gene. METHODS: DNA from two clinical homozygous FH patients
      and their relatives was analysed using targeted exome sequencing and DNA
      resequencing. Functional characterization of novel variants was performed by
      Western blot, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Proband 1 carried
      p.Q12X, NTDA (p.N276T and c.892delA) mutations in LDLR, and Proband 2 carried
      c.971delG, GSDN (p.G77S + D601N). Results showed that p.Q12X, c.892delA, and
      c.971delG are non-functional LDLR variants. Conversely, N276T and G77S are non
      pathogenic variants. Interestingly, while D601N alone only slightly diminishes
      LDLR activity, its co-presence with the non pathogenic p.G77S mutation results in
      a more strongly pathogenic variant with LDLR activity reduced by 40%. One of the
      double mutants, NTDA, is as non functional as c.892delA alone. The other double
      mutant, GSDN, is more severe than either of the component single mutants.
      CONCLUSIONS: An early gene screening and laboratory functional verification of
      LDLR activity is of vital importance to enable a definite FH diagnosis.
      Functional verification is also necessary for prenatal and postnatal care in
      patients with FH.

PMID- 28645072
TI  - Association of the serum myeloperoxidase/high-density lipoprotein particle ratio
      and incident cardiovascular events in a multi-ethnic population: Observations
      from the Dallas Heart Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a product of systemic inflammation,
      promotes oxidation of lipoproteins; whereas, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
      exerts anti-oxidative effects in part via paraoxonase-1 (PON1). MPO induces
      dysfunctional HDL particles; however, the interaction of circulating levels of
      these measures in cardiovascular disease (CVD) has not been studied in humans. We
      tested whether serum levels of MPO indexed to HDL particle concentration
      (MPO/HDLp) are associated with increased CVD risk in a large multiethnic
      population sample, free of CVD at baseline. METHODS: Levels of MPO, HDL-C, and
      HDL particle concentration (HDLp) by NMR were measured at baseline in 2924 adults
      free of CVD. The associations of MPO/HDLp with incident ASCVD (first non-fatal
      myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, coronary revascularization, or CVD
      death) and total CVD were assessed in Cox proportional-hazards models adjusted
      for traditional risk factors. The median follow-up period was 9.4 years. RESULTS:
      Adjusted for sex and race/ethnicity, MPO/HDLp was associated directly with body
      mass index, smoking status, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin
      18, and inversely with age, HDL-C levels, HDL size, and PON1 arylesterase
      activity, but not with cholesterol efflux. In fully adjusted models, the highest
      versus lowest quartile of MPO/HDLp was associated with a 74% increase in incident
      ASCVD (aHR, 1.74, 95% CI 1.12-2.70) and a 91% increase in total incident CVD
      (aHR, 1.91, 95% CI 1.27-2.85). CONCLUSIONS: Increased MPO indexed to HDL particle
      concentration (MPO/HDLp) at baseline is associated with increased risk of
      incident CVD events in a population initially free of CVD over the 9.4 year
      period.

PMID- 28645074
TI  - Relationship between inter-arm blood pressure difference and severity of coronary
      atherosclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A greater inter-arm blood pressure difference (IABPD) is
      associated with atherosclerosis, but its association with coronary artery disease
      is unknown. We investigated the relationship between IABPD and coronary
      atherosclerosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed blood pressure (BP) data
      that was measured simultaneously in both arms of patients who underwent initial
      coronary angiography. Coronary atherosclerosis was assessed using the Gensini
      score, based on quantitative coronary angiography findings. To adjust for the
      effect of baseline BP, the percentages of systolic IABPD to higher mean BP
      (cIABPDsys), diastolic IABPD to higher mean BP (cIABPDdia), and mean IABPD to
      higher mean BP (cIABPDmean) were calculated as BP-adjusted IABPDs. RESULTS: We
      examined the records of 816 patients (516 males, mean age: 65.5 +/- 11.8 years).
      The mean Gensini score was 33.4 +/- 30.4, and the median was 25. All cIAPBDs had
      positive correlations with the Gensini score (cIABPDsys: r = 0.208, p < 0.001;
      cIABPDdia: r = 0.123, p < 0.001; cIABPDmean: r = 0.120, p = 0.001). Multiple
      regression analysis indicated that cIABPDsys was associated with the Gensini
      score, independently of age, gender, smoking, diabetes, hypertension and
      dyslipidemia (B = 0.031, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The BP-adjusted IABPD
      parameters are related to the severity of coronary artery disease. Further
      studies should investigate the use of the IABPD to improve management of coronary
      atherosclerosis.

PMID- 28645076
TI  - Does reflective functioning mediate the relationship between attachment and
      personality?
AB  - Mentalization, operationalized as reflective functioning (RF), can play a crucial
      role in the psychological mechanisms underlying personality functioning. This
      study aimed to: (a) study the association between RF, personality disorders
      (cluster level) and functioning; (b) investigate whether RF and personality
      functioning are influenced by (secure vs. insecure) attachment; and (c) explore
      the potential mediating effect of RF on the relationship between attachment and
      personality functioning. The Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP-200) was
      used to assess personality disorders and levels of psychological functioning in a
      clinical sample (N = 88). Attachment and RF were evaluated with the Adult
      Attachment Interview (AAI) and Reflective Functioning Scale (RFS). Findings
      showed that RF had significant negative associations with cluster A and B
      personality disorders, and a significant positive association with psychological
      functioning. Moreover, levels of RF and personality functioning were influenced
      by attachment patterns. Finally, RF completely mediated the relationship between
      (secure/insecure) attachment and adaptive psychological features, and thus
      accounted for differences in overall personality functioning. Lack of
      mentalization seemed strongly associated with vulnerabilities in personality
      functioning, especially in patients with cluster A and B personality disorders.
      These findings provide support for the development of therapeutic interventions
      to improve patients' RF.

PMID- 28645077
TI  - Increased blood BDNF in healthy individuals with a family history of depression.
AB  - The brain-derive neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play an important role in the
      course of depression. We aimed to study the associations between peripheral whole
      blood BDNF levels in healthy individuals with and without a family history of
      depression. BDNF levels were significantly increased in healthy individuals with
      (n = 76), compared with healthy individuals without (n = 39) a family history of
      depression and persisted after adjustment for age and gender differences. Higher
      BDNF levels were associated with increasing age and seasonality. A family history
      of depression may contribute to an elevation of peripheral BDNF levels in healthy
      individuals.

PMID- 28645075
TI  - A prospective follow-up study of younger and older subjects with pathological
      gambling.
AB  - Pathological gambling (PG) is a common and costly public health problem
      associated with impaired quality of life and high suicide rates. Despite its
      frequency in the general population, PG course is poorly understood in older
      adults who are especially vulnerable to its devastating consequences. We enrolled
      175 subjects in a longitudinal study of gambling behavior: our case group of 53
      older adults with PG (>= 60 years), and two comparison groups including 72
      younger adults with PG (< 40 years) and 50 older adults without PG (>= 60 years).
      Subjects with PG met lifetime criteria for DSM-IV PG and had a South Oaks
      Gambling Screen (SOGS) and National Opinion Research Center DSM Screen for
      Gambling Problems (NODS) scores >= 5. Subjects were evaluated at intake and
      reassessed every 6 months and drop outs were replaced. Follow-up lasted a mean
      (SD) of 2.6 (1.4) years. At intake older PGs were more likely to be female,
      Caucasian, divorced, and to have a lower level of education. Older and younger
      PGs were similar in gambling severity, but older PGs were more likely to have
      sought PG treatment. Older PGs had lower rates of lifetime drug use disorders,
      attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. They
      preferred slots, were more likely to receive PG treatment, and were less likely
      to discontinue participation in the study. Week by week gambling activity levels
      showed a significant general downward movement for older and younger PGs,
      although there were no differences between the groups. Elders without PG had no
      change in their level of gambling activity. We conclude that younger and older
      PGs moved toward a reduced level of gambling activity during follow-up. Our data
      challenge the notion that PG is chronic and progressive.

PMID- 28645078
TI  - Facial affect recognition and social functioning among individuals with varying
      degrees of schizotypy.
AB  - Facial affect recognition (FAR) accuracy is impaired in schizophrenia and, to a
      lesser extent, in individuals at-risk for psychosis. Reduced reaction time and
      negative bias on FAR tasks are also evident in schizophrenia, though few studies
      have examined these measures in at-risk samples. Social dysfunction is associated
      with FAR deficits in schizophrenia and at-risk individuals. We aimed to elucidate
      the nature of FAR and social functioning among individuals from a non-clinical
      population reporting a range of schizotypal traits (i.e., risk for psychosis),
      and to examine whether FAR mediates the relationship between schizotypal traits
      and social functioning. Participants completed self-report measures assessing
      schizotypal traits and social functioning, and a computerized FAR task remotely
      via the Internet. High schizotypy individuals performed significantly worse than
      low schizotypy individuals on FAR total and neutral accuracy, demonstrated a
      negative bias, and reported significantly worse social functioning. Schizotypal
      traits were also negatively correlated with FAR performance and social
      functioning in the total sample. FAR accuracy did not mediate the direct
      relationship between schizotypal traits and social functioning. FAR may be an
      important social-cognitive endophenotype of psychosis risk with implications for
      understanding etiology of psychotic spectrum disorders, improving ways of
      identifying at-risk individuals, and developing preventive strategies.

PMID- 28645079
TI  - Desire thinking as a confounder in the relationship between mindfulness and
      craving: Evidence from a cross-cultural validation of the Desire Thinking
      Questionnaire.
AB  - Desire thinking and mindfulness have been associated with craving. The aim of the
      present study was to validate the French version of the Desire Thinking
      Questionnaire (DTQ) and to investigate the relationship between mindfulness,
      desire thinking and craving among a sample of university students. Four hundred
      and ninety six university students completed the DTQ and measures of mindfulness,
      craving and alcohol use. Results from confirmatory factor analyses showed that
      the two-factor structure proposed in the original DTQ exhibited suitable goodness
      of-fit statistics. The DTQ also demonstrated good internal reliability, temporal
      stability and predictive validity. A set of linear regressions revealed that
      desire thinking had a confounding effect in the relationship between mindfulness
      and craving. The confounding role of desire thinking in the relationship between
      mindfulness and craving suggests that interrupting desire thinking may be a
      viable clinical option aimed at reducing craving.

PMID- 28645080
TI  - Relationships between patients' attachment characteristics and views and use of
      psychiatric treatment.
AB  - This study explored the influence of attachment on psychiatric treatment by
      considering attitudes towards and the use of psychotropic medication and
      psychotherapy in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders. Adults referred
      to a psychiatrist completed self-report measures and participated in a diagnostic
      interview based on DSM-IV criteria. Those with depressive, anxiety or adjustment
      disorders were included (n = 124). Patients reported the types and dosage of
      current psychotropic medication as well as number of different psychiatrists and
      psychologists/counselors they had seen in the past 10 years. Multiple regression
      analyses were used to examine relationships between attachment anxiety and
      avoidance and the variables capturing treatment use and attitudes towards
      treatments. Attachment anxiety was positively associated with the number of
      current psychiatric medications and with both the number of psychiatrists and the
      number of psychologists/counselors seen. Attachment avoidance was negatively
      associated with the number of current psychotropic medications and beliefs about
      the efficacy of psychotherapy. The findings suggest that patients' attachment
      characteristics play a role in their views and choices regarding treatments.
      Developing treatments sensitive to the needs of insecurely attached individuals
      may lead to improved treatment outcomes.

PMID- 28645082
TI  - Local populations and inaccuracies: Determining the relevant mitochondrial
      haplotype distributions for North West European cats.
AB  - Typing of different portions of the feline mitochondrial control region has
      illustrated pronounced differences in haplotype distributions between cats from
      the Netherlands and other parts of the world. To gain a better understanding of
      the haplotype distribution of North West Continental Europe, 605bp of
      mitochondrial DNA was typed from randomly selected cats from the Netherlands
      (N=146), Belgium (N=64) and South West Germany (N=128). The genetic differences
      between these randomly sampled European populations correlate to the geographical
      distances, with the Dutch and the South West German populations furthest apart
      and the Belgian population as an intermediate (Fst values 0.01-0.03). Comparison
      of North West European mainland distributions to published feline mitochondrial
      haplotype distributions illustrated moderate to large genetic differentiation
      (Fst values 0.01-0.32). In this comparison, the correlation between geographical
      and genetic distance was absent, leading to founder effects and human impact on
      cat population structure and dispersion being considered as important parameters.
      When an accurate estimation of feline haplotype distribution is required in
      forensics, care should be taken when deciding whether extrapolating the frequency
      data from a certain source to a larger area (country/continent) is justified or
      whether additional typing of local populations is necessary. This may differ from
      case to case as local frequencies can be relevant, but can also be deceitful. To
      improve the applicability of forensic feline mitochondrial DNA studies,
      documentation and publishing of sampling strategies is advised, as is the
      implementation of measures to help eliminate potentially erroneous haplotypes.

PMID- 28645081
TI  - Loudness- and time-dependence of auditory evoked potentials is blunted by the
      NMDA channel blocker MK-801.
AB  - Amplitudes of auditory evoked potentials (AEP) increase with the
      intensity/loudness of sounds (loudness-dependence of AEP, LDAEP), and the time
      between adjacent sounds (time-dependence of AEP, TDAEP). Both, blunted LDAEP and
      blunted TDAEP are markers of altered auditory function in schizophrenia (SZ).
      However, while blunted LDAEP has been attributed to altered serotonergic
      function, blunted TDAEP has been linked to altered NMDA receptor function.
      Despite phenomenological similarities of the two effects, no common
      pharmacological underpinnings have been identified. To test whether LDAEP and
      TDAEP are both affected by NMDA receptor blockade, two rhesus macaques passively
      listened to auditory clicks of 5 different intensities presented with stimulus
      onset asynchronies ranging between 0.2 and 6.4s. 8 AEP components were analyzed,
      including the N85, the presumed human N1 homolog. LDAEP and TDAEP were estimated
      as the slopes of AEP amplitude with intensity and the logarithm of stimulus-onset
      asynchrony, respectively. On different days, AEPs were collected after systemic
      injection of MK-801 or vehicle. Both TDAEP and LDAEP of the N85 were blunted by
      the NMDA blocker MK-801 and recapitulate the SZ phenotype. In summary, LDAEP and
      TDAEP share important pharmacological commonalities that may help identify a
      common pharmacological intervention to normalize both electrophysiological
      phenotypes in SZ.

PMID- 28645084
TI  - Application of the combination index (CI)-isobologram equation to research the
      toxicological interactions of clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran in
      honeybee, Apis mellifera.
AB  - Due to complex pest control scenarios and the needs of agricultural production,
      different neonicotinoids may be used in certain agricultural applications.
      Consequently, honeybees may be exposed to these substances through distribution
      throughout plant tissues via the vascular system through several pathways, such
      as surface water, the exudates excreted from plants, and air pollution via drift
      of dust as well as contaminated pollen and nectar. In the current study, the
      single and combined toxicity of clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam to
      honeybees was examined after 48 h exposure by the acute oral method and
      combination index (CI)-isobologram equation. At the 48 h interval, our results
      showed that 1) the order of toxicities for the single insecticides was ranked as
      clothianidin > thiamethoxam > dinotefuran and that 2) all binary and ternary
      combinations showed synergism or additive effect at the effect (fa) 0.5.
      Therefore, our results not only provided meaningful guidelines in evaluating the
      safety risk of the mixtures of the three neonicotinoids towards honeybees but
      also suggested that there is a significant interest in the study of mixture
      toxicities of neonicotinoids against honeybees because risk assessment of
      neonicotinoids against honeybees conducted only in individual insecticides may
      underestimate the realistic toxicity.

PMID- 28645083
TI  - Graphene oxide nanosheets induce DNA damage and activate the base excision repair
      (BER) signaling pathway both in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Graphene oxide (GO) has widespread concerns in the fields of biological sciences
      and medical applications. Currently, studies have reported that excessive GO
      exposure can cause cellular DNA damage through reactive oxygen species (ROS)
      generation. However, DNA damage mediated response of the base excision repair
      (BER) pathway due to GO exposure is not elucidated yet. Therefore, we exposed
      HEK293T cells and zebrafish embryos to different concentrations of GO for 24 h,
      and transcriptional profiles of BER pathway genes, DNA damage, and cell viability
      were analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the deformation of HEK293T
      cells before and after GO exposure was also investigated using atomic force
      microscopy (AFM) to identify the physical changes occurred in the cells'
      structure. CCK-8 and Comet assay revealed the significant decrease in cell
      viability and increase in DNA damage in HEK293T cells at higher GO doses (25 and
      50 MUg/mL). Among the investigated genetic markers in HEK293T cells, BER pathway
      genes (APEX1, OGG1, CREB1, UNG) were significantly up-regulated upon exposure to
      higher GO dose (50 MUg/mL), however, low exposure concentration (5, 25 MUg/mL)
      failed to induce significant genetic induction except for CREB1 at 25 MUg/mL.
      Additionally, the viscosity of HEK293T cells decreased upon GO exposure. In
      zebrafish, the results of up-regulated gene expressions (apex1, ogg1, polb,
      creb1) were consistent with those in the HEK293T cells. Taken all together, the
      exposure to elevated GO concentration could cause DNA damage to HEK293T cells and
      zebrafish embryos; BER pathway could be proposed as the possible inner response
      mechanism.

PMID- 28645085
TI  - Extending the functionality of the slurry ferrihydrite-DGT method: Performance
      evaluation for the measurement of vanadate, arsenate, antimonate and molybdate in
      water.
AB  - The monitoring of oxyanions in waters, presents significant challenges due to
      their relatively low concentrations, and a characteristically
      changeable/unstable/reactive geochemistry with high spatial and temporal
      turnover. This results in a very heterogeneous pattern of mobility and
      bioavailability, which is difficult to capture reliably and in a cost effective
      manner. The diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique is a popular
      analytical tool for testing water quality, primarily because it provides a time
      integrated measurement. However, to date, the most widely used DGT configuration
      for oxyanion sampling, the slurry ferrihydrite binding layer (SF-DGT) has only
      been fully characterized for phosphate. Confirmatory testing of the functional
      range of ionic strengths, pH, deployment times and ionic competition effects,
      that the SF-DGT's operates within has not been carried out, but is addressed in
      this study for VV, AsV, SbV, and MoVI. In this study SF-DGT SbV measurements
      functioned over the largest range of conditions (ionic strength, 0.1-500 mM; pH
      3.86-9.90), while ionic strengths above 100 and 500 mM were found to be
      problematic for AsV and MoVI, respectively. Low pH (below 4) caused inferences
      with VV, conversely AsV and MoVI determination faltered/deviated from predicted
      responses in pH conditions of ~9. SF-DGT measurements adequately predicted up to
      weeklong averaged in situ metal oxyanion concentrations in a freshwater river.
      This study concludes that the SF-DGT configuration is highly suitable for
      pollution monitoring applications in freshwater systems for key oxyanion species.

PMID- 28645086
TI  - Toddler exposure to flame retardant chemicals: Magnitude, health concern and
      potential risk- or protective factors of exposure: Observational studies
      summarized in a systematic review.
AB  - Endocrine disrupting flame retardant (FR) chemicals form a human health concern,
      that is investigated mostly from the perspective of adult- and early life
      exposure. No overview of studies on toddler exposure and health effects exist.
      However, toddlerhood is a critical developmental period and toddlers are at
      increased risk for exposure because of their age-specific behavior. This
      systematic review encompasses toddler FR exposure studies in three countries,
      associated health effects and potential environmental, demographic, or behavioral
      risk- or protective factors for toddler exposure. A systematic literature search
      in four databases (PubMed, Embase.com, The Cochrane Library (via Wiley) and Web
      of Science Core collection) resulted in the identification of ten publications
      representing seven unique studies that measured brominated and/or phosphorylated
      FRs in toddlers' (8-24 month-old) serum, urine, hand wipes and feces. This review
      showed that toddlers are exposed to a range of FRs, that thyroid hormone
      disruption is associated with FR exposure and that factors in the indoor
      environment, including products such as plastic toys, might increase FR exposure.
      Considering the limited amount of studies, and the variety of biological
      matrices, FRs, and risk- and protective factors, this review did not reveal a
      uniform pattern of toddler exposure across the different cohorts studied. More
      evidence is necessary and considering the feasibility of invasive sampling in
      young children, we suggest to emphasize research on non-invasive matrices.

PMID- 28645087
TI  - EP2 receptor agonist ONO-AE1-259-01 attenuates pentylenetetrazole- and
      pilocarpine-induced seizures but causes hippocampal neurotoxicity.
AB  - Epilepsy is a common and devastating neurological disease affecting more than 50
      million people worldwide. Accumulating experimental and clinical evidence
      suggests that inflammatory pathways contribute to the development of seizures in
      various forms of epilepsy. In this context, while the activation of the PGE2 EP2
      receptor causes early neuroprotective and late neurotoxic effects, the role of
      EP2 receptor in seizures remains unclear. We investigated whether the systemic
      administration of the highly selective EP2 agonist ONO-AE1-259-01 prevented acute
      pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)- and pilocarpine-induced seizures. The effect of ONO-AE1
      259-01 on cell death in the hippocampal formation of adult male mice seven days
      after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) was also evaluated. ONO-AE1-259
      01 (10MUg/kg, s.c.) attenuated PTZ- and pilocarpine-induced seizures, evidenced
      by the increased latency to seizures, decreased number and duration of seizures
      episodes and decreased mean amplitude of electrographic seizures. ONO-AE1-259-01
      and pilocarpine alone significantly increased the number of pyknotic cells per se
      in all hippocampal subfields. The EP2 agonist also additively increased
      pilocarpine-induced pyknosis in the pyramidal cell layer of CA1 but reduced
      pilocarpine-induced pyknosis in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (DG).
      Although the systemic administration of ONO-AE1-259-01 caused a significant
      anticonvulsant effect in our assays, this EP2 agonist caused extensive cell
      death. These findings limit the likelihood of EP2 receptor agonists being
      considered as novel potential anticonvulsant drugs.

PMID- 28645088
TI  - Risk-based screening combined with a PCR-based test for group B streptococci
      diminishes the use of antibiotics in laboring women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of a polymerase chain reaction - group B
      streptococci test (PCR-GBS test) - in deciding antibiotic prophylaxis in term
      laboring women. STUDY DESIGN: In this observational study, we enrolled 902
      unselected Danish term pregnant women. During labor, midwives obtained vaginal
      swabs that were used for both GBS cultures (reference standard) and for the PCR
      GBS test. Furthermore, we recorded the presence of risk factors for EOGBS (Early
      Onset Group B Streptococcal disease): (1) Bacteriuria during current pregnancy,
      (2) Prior infant with EOGBS (3) Temperature above 38.0 degrees C during labor,
      and (4) Rupture of membranes >=18h. RESULTS: The prevalence of GBS carriers was
      12% (104 of 902), the sensitivity of the PCR-GBS test 83% (86 of 104), and the
      specificity 97% (774 of 798). Among the 108 with one or more EOGBS-risk factors,
      GBS was present in 23% (25 of 108), the sensitivity 92% (23 of 25), and the
      specificity 89% (74 of 83). CONCLUSION: In programs that aim to treat all
      laboring women with vaginal GBS-colonization (12% in the present study) with
      penicillin, the PCR-GBS will perform well (sensitivity 83% and specificity 97%).
      In programs aiming to treat only GBS-carriers among those with risk factors of
      EOGBS, a reduction of penicillin usage by two-thirds from 12% to 4% may be
      possible.

PMID- 28645089
TI  - Drug Resistance Mechanism of L10F, L10F/N88S and L90M mutations in CRF01_AE HIV-1
      protease: Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations.
AB  - HIV-1 protease plays a crucial role in viral replication and maturation, which
      makes it one of the most attractive targets for anti-retroviral therapy. The
      majority of HIV infections in developing countries are due to non-B subtype.
      Subtype AE is spreading rapidly and infecting huge population worldwide. The
      mutations in the active site of subtype AE directly impair the interactions with
      the inhibitor. The non-active site mutations influence the binding of the
      inhibitor indirectly and their resistance mechanism is not well understood. It is
      important to design new effective inhibitors that combat drug resistance in
      subtype AE protease. In this work, we examined the effect of non active site
      mutations L10F, L10F/N88S and L90M with nelfinavir using molecular dynamics
      simulation and binding free energy calculations. The simulations suggested that
      the L10F and L10F/N88S mutants decrease the binding affinity of nelfinavir,
      whereas the L90M mutant increases the binding affinity. The formation of hydrogen
      bonds between nelfinavir and Asp30 is crucial for effective binding. The
      benzamide moiety of nelfinavir shows large positional deviation in L10F and
      L10F/N88S complexes and the L10F/N88S mutation changes the hydrogen bond between
      the side chain atoms of 30th residue and the 88th residue. Consequently the
      hydrogen bond interaction between Asp30 and nelfinavir are destroyed leading to
      drug resistance. Our present study shed light on the resistance mechanism of the
      strongly linked mutation L10F/N88S observed experimentally in AE subtype.

PMID- 28645090
TI  - The impact of tidal and mesoscale eddy advection on the long term dispersion of
      99Tc from Sellafield.
AB  - In the present work, numerical models are used to study the fate of the 99Tc
      discharges from Sellafield with a specific focus on the role of mesoscale eddy
      and tidal advection on the transport and dispersion of this radionuclide.
      Transport estimates are made with an ocean model that resolves a large part of
      the ocean mesoscale eddy field and also includes tides. Equivalent estimates are
      also computed with another model in which these processes are either absent or
      parametrized. Comparison with field observations shows that the coarse-resolution
      model can reproduce the general features of the observed time-space 99Tc
      distribution if the diffusivity in its eddy parametrization scheme is suitably
      chosen. However, the eddy-permitting simulations capture regional details better
      and show an overall higher prediction skill, with the model predictions agreeing
      with the observations within a factor of two to four. The importance of tidal
      advection is investigated by comparing transport in the eddy-permitting model
      when this is run either with tides included or with tides filtered out. The
      results point to systematic Lagrangian tidal drift in the Irish Sea and the North
      Sea that eventually impacts the 99Tc activity concentration levels also far
      downstream.

PMID- 28645091
TI  - A survey of natural terrestrial and airborne radionuclides in moss samples from
      the peninsular Thailand.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the activity concentrations of natural
      terrestrial radionuclides (238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K) and airborne radionuclides
      (210Pb, 210Pbex and 7Be) in natural terrestrial mosses. The collected moss
      samples (46) representing 17 species were collected from 17 sampling localities
      in the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Thailand, situated in the
      mountainous areas between the northern and the southern ends of peninsular
      Thailand (~7-12  degrees N, 99-102  degrees E). Activity concentrations of
      radionuclides in the samples were measured using a low background gamma
      spectrometer. The results revealed non-uniform spatial distributions of all the
      radionuclides in the study area. Principal component analysis and cluster
      analysis revealed two distinct origins for the studied radionuclides, and
      furthermore, the Pearson correlations were strong within 226Ra, 232Th, 238U and
      40K as well as within 210Pb and 210Pbex, but there was no significant correlation
      between these two groups. Also 7Be was uncorrelated to the others, as expected
      due to different origins of the airborne and terrestrial radionuclides. The
      radionuclide activities of moss samples varied by moss species, topography,
      geology, and meteorology of each sampling area. The observed abnormally high
      concentrations of some radionuclides probably indicate that the concentrations of
      airborne and terrestrial radionuclides in moss samples were directly related to
      local geological features of the sampling site, or that high levels of 7Be were
      most probably linked with topography and regional NE monsoonal winds from
      mainland China.

PMID- 28645092
TI  - Examining effectiveness of tailorable computer-assisted therapy programmes for
      substance misuse: Programme usage and clinical outcomes data from Breaking Free
      Online.
AB  - RATIONALE: When evaluating complex, tailorable digital behavioural interventions,
      additional approaches may be required alongside established methodologies such as
      randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Research evaluating a computer-assisted
      therapy (CAT) programme for substance misuse, Breaking Free Online (BFO), is
      informed by Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance recommending examination of
      'mechanisms of action' of individual intervention strategies, which is relevant
      when evaluating digital interventions with content that may evolve over time.
      AIMS: To report findings from examination of mechanisms of action of tailoring
      advice within the BFO programme and outcomes from specific intervention
      strategies. METHODOLOGY: Analysis of covariance and linear regressions were used
      to assess intervention completion data, and psychometric and clinical outcomes,
      for 2311 service users accessing drug and alcohol treatment services across the
      UK. RESULTS: Tailoring advice provided to users appeared to prompt them to
      prioritise completion of intervention strategies associated with their areas of
      highest biopsychosocial impairment. Completion of specific intervention
      strategies within BFO were associated with specific clinical outcomes, with a
      dose response also being found. Mechanisms of action analyses revealed the
      primacy of cognitions, with cognitive restructuring strategies being associated
      with improvements in mental health, severity of substance dependence, quality of
      life and global biopsychosocial functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The MRC framework
      provides an evolved research paradigm within the field of digital behavioural
      change. By assessing baseline profiles of need, BFO can target the most
      appropriate clinical content for individual users. Mechanisms of action research
      can be used to inform modifications to BFO to continually update clinical content
      and the technology platform.

PMID- 28645093
TI  - Identification of key outcome measures when using the instrumented timed up and
      go and/or posturography for fall screening.
AB  - The Timed Up and Go (TUG) has been commonly used for fall risk assessment. The
      instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG) adds wearable sensors to capture sub
      movements and may be more sensitive. Posturography assessments have also been
      used for determining fall risk. This study used stepwise logistic regression
      models to identify key outcome measures for the iTUG and posturography protocols.
      The effectiveness of the models containing these measures in differentiating
      fallers from non-fallers were then compared for each: iTUG total time duration
      only, iTUG, posturography, and combined iTUG and posturography assessments. One
      hundred and fifty older adults participated in this study. The iTUG measures were
      calculated utilizing APDM Inc.'s Mobility Lab software. Traditional and non
      linear posturography measures were calculated from center of pressure during
      quiet-standing. The key outcome measures incorporated in the iTUG assessment
      model (sit-to-stand lean angle and height) resulted in a model sensitivity of
      48.1% and max re-scaled R2 value of 0.19. This was a higher sensitivity,
      indicating better differentiation, compared to the model only including total
      time duration (outcome of the traditional TUG), which had a sensitivity of 18.2%.
      When the key outcome measures of the iTUG and the posturography assessments were
      combined into a single model, the sensitivity was approximately the same as the
      iTUG model alone. Overall the findings of this study support that the iTUG
      demonstrates greater sensitivity than the total time duration, but that carrying
      out both iTUG and posturography does not greatly improve sensitivity when used as
      a fall risk screening tool.

PMID- 28645094
TI  - Quality assessment of shoulder plyometric exercises: Examining the relationship
      to scapular muscle activity.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to evaluate performance quality of
      shoulder plyometric exercises, and examine the relationship to scapular muscle
      activation during an intense exercise bout. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING:
      University laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: 32 healthy university students (male/female:
      14/18) volunteers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects performed 10 plyometric
      exercises. Surface EMG of upper (UT), middle (MT) and lower (LT) trapezius and
      serratus anterior (SA) was registered. A quality assessment questionnaire was
      administered at the beginning and end of the exercise bout. Muscle activation at
      the beginning and end was evaluated by t-test. Mixed repeated measures ANOVA was
      conducted to test the effects of criterion-quality, time, muscles, exercises, and
      their interactions. RESULTS: Increased EMG activation was noted in 34/40 cases,
      (21/40 significant (p < 0.05) changes). Quality assessment revealed a decline in
      the ability to maintain initial position (43% of subjects), failure to keep a
      consistent and symmetrical arc of motion (62% of subjects), and performance with
      trick movements (48% of subjects). Inability to keep a consistent arc of motion
      was significant in 4 exercises. CONCLUSIONS: The novel questionnaire may aid
      quality assessment during plyometric exercises. Ability to keep a consistent arc
      of motion was the most sensitive marker of decline of performance quality.

PMID- 28645095
TI  - Tooth coronal index and pulp/tooth ratio in dental age estimation on digital
      panoramic radiographs-A comparative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Assessment of an age of an individual whether living or dead through
      teeth is one of the most reliable and simple method to calculate age than
      skeletal remains especially when they are in poor conditions. OBJECTIVES: The
      study was carried out with aim of (i) to evaluate reliability of dental age
      assessment through two different methods for adults i.e. tooth coronal index and
      pulp/tooth ratio using digital panoramic radiographs and (ii) to compare these
      methods for their accuracy in age determination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The
      digital panoramic radiographs of 180 subjects of Chhattisgarh aged 15-70 years
      were selected for the study. The measurements were performed on the JPEG images
      of selected panoramic radiographs by using Adobe Acrobat 7.0 professional
      software. For tooth coronal index (TCI), height of the crown i.e. coronal height
      (CH) and the height of the coronal pulp cavity i.e. coronal pulp cavity height
      (CPCH) of mandibular second premolars and first molars was measured in millimeter
      (mm) and then TCI was calculated for each tooth and calculated age was compared
      with chronological age. For pulp/tooth ratio, the measurements of pulp chamber
      height (PCH) and crown root trunk height (CRTH) were performed on the mandibular
      first and second molar teeth, the pulp chamber crown root trunk height ratios
      (PCTHR) of selected tooth were calculated. The acquired data were subjected to
      Pearson correlation test, unpaired t test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
      analysis. RESULTS: Results suggested that TCI (mandibular first molar r=-0.178),
      second premolar (r=-0.187) and PCTHR(mandibular first molar r=-0.921, second
      molar r=-0.901) correlated negatively with chronological age suggesting decrease
      in size of pulp cavity. Mandibular first molar was found to be most reliable
      tooth to estimate dental age. CONCLUSION: The study showed that both PCTHR and
      TCI have negative association with chronological age. PCTHR showed slightly
      higher negative correlation and proved as a better tool for age estimation than
      TCI. Statistically significant differences were observed between chronological
      and calculated age by both methods thus emphasizing the need for future clinical
      trials.

PMID- 28645096
TI  - Incidental focal uptake in the breast and axilla on FDG PET: Clinical
      considerations and differential diagnosis.
AB  - Incidental focal FDG uptake in the breast or axilla on PET/CT performed for
      evaluation of extra-mammary primary disease presents a diagnostic challenge.
      Radiologists must consider a broad differential diagnosis, assess clinical
      history, and judiciously employ other imaging modalities such as mammography,
      ultrasound and MRI in the pursuit of findings which help narrow the differential
      diagnosis. Tissue sampling may be reserved for nondiagnostic imaging scenarios.

PMID- 28645097
TI  - Raman spectroscopy differentiates between sensitive and resistant multiple
      myeloma cell lines.
AB  - Current methods for identifying neoplastic cells and discerning them from their
      normal counterparts are often nonspecific and biologically perturbing. Here, we
      show that single-cell micro-Raman spectroscopy can be used to discriminate
      between resistant and sensitive multiple myeloma cell lines based on their highly
      reproducible biomolecular spectral signatures. In order to demonstrate robustness
      of the proposed approach, we used two different cell lines of multiple myeloma,
      namely MM.1S and U266B1, and their counterparts MM.1R and U266/BTZ-R subtypes,
      resistant to dexamethasone and bortezomib, respectively. Then, micro-Raman
      spectroscopy provides an easily accurate and noninvasive method for cancer
      detection for both research and clinical environments. Characteristic peaks,
      mostly due to different DNA/RNA ratio, nucleic acids, lipids and protein
      concentrations, allow for discerning the sensitive and resistant subtypes. We
      also explored principal component analysis (PCA) for resistant cell
      identification and classification. Sensitive and resistant cells form distinct
      clusters that can be defined using just two principal components. The
      identification of drug-resistant cells by confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy is
      thus proposed as a clinical tool to assess the development of resistance to
      glucocorticoids and proteasome inhibitors in myeloma cells.

PMID- 28645099
TI  - Harnessing the natural diversity and in vitro evolution of Cas9 to expand the
      genome editing toolbox.
AB  - In the past few years, the Cas9 endonuclease from the type II CRISPR-Cas
      bacterial antiviral defense system has revolutionized the genome editing field.
      Guided by an RNA molecule, Cas9 can be reprogrammed to target almost any DNA
      sequence: the only limitation being the short nucleotide sequence in the vicinity
      of the target, termed the PAM, which is characteristic for each Cas9 protein.
      Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 which recognizes the NGG PAM is currently most widely
      used for genome manipulation. However, Cas9 orthologues and engineered Cas9
      variants offer expanded genome targeting capabilities, improved specificity and
      biochemical properties.

PMID- 28645098
TI  - The behavioral economics of social anxiety disorder reveal a robust effect for
      interpersonal traits.
AB  - Recent evidence suggests that reduced generosity among individuals with social
      anxiety disorder (SAD) in behavioral economic tasks may result from constraint in
      changing behavior according to interpersonal contingencies. That is, people with
      SAD may be slower to be more generous when the situation warrants. Conversely,
      more global effects on generosity may be related to interpersonal vindictiveness,
      a dimension only somewhat related to SAD. A total of 133 participants, 73 with
      the generalized form of SAD, completed self-report instruments and a behavioral
      economic task with simulated interpersonal (friend, romantic partner, stranger)
      interactions. In a separate visit, friends (n = 88) also came to the lab and
      rated participants on vindictiveness. Interpersonal vindictiveness was associated
      with reduced initial and overall giving to simulated friends. SAD predicted a
      lack of increased giving to a simulated friend, and attenuated an increase in
      giving to simulated known versus unknown players compared to participants without
      SAD. Friend-reported vindictiveness predicted in the same direction as diagnosis.
      However, the findings for SAD were less robust than those for vindictiveness. SAD
      is perhaps weakly related to behavioral constraint in economic tasks that
      simulate interpersonal interactions, whereas vindictiveness is strongly related
      to lower overall generosity as well as (via friend report) behavioral constraint.
      Further study is needed to better characterize the construct of vindictiveness.
      Our findings dovetail with the suggestion that SAD is related to impairment in
      the proposed affiliation and attachment system, but further suggest that direct
      study of that system may be more fruitful than focusing on disorders.

PMID- 28645100
TI  - Interferential effect of the over-erupted third molar on chewing movement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether over-eruption of the mandibular third molar can
      disturb chewing movement. METHODS: Eighteen patients with a unilateral mandibular
      over-erupted third molar confirmed by both study cast observation and T-scan
      occlusal detection were selected from a sample of patients with complaints of
      temporomandibular disorder (TMD) symptoms. A unilateral gum-chewing trace was
      recorded separately for left and right side chewing by an electrognathography
      system. The average chewing pattern (ACP) was created based on segments from the
      recorded chewing trace to represent the chewing movement characteristics of each
      individual. Two factors, the TMD symptomatic side and the over-eruption side,
      were analysed for their effects on values of difference in the parameters
      (Deltavalue) regarding the ACP between chewing with right and left side. Three
      dimensional amplitudes of ACP and the cross point value of ACP with the vertical
      axis (termed the cross zero point value) which described the turning point of the
      chewing cycle from the balancing side to the working side, were compared between
      sides. RESULTS: The over-eruption side had an effect on the Deltavalue of the
      medial amplitude, the lateral amplitude, and the cross zero point (P<0.05), but
      the symptomatic side didn't (P>0.05). When chewing on the over-eruption side, the
      medial amplitude was shorter, the lateral amplitude was larger, and the cross
      zero point value was smaller than those when chewing on the other side (P<0.05).
      CONCLUSION: The present data indicate an effect of the over-erupted mandibular
      third molar on the chewing pattern while that from the symptom(s) is limited.

PMID- 28645101
TI  - Co-localization of endogenous Arf6 and its activator EFA6D in the granular
      convoluted tubule cells of mouse submandibular glands under normal conditions and
      when stimulated by isoproterenol, noradrenaline and carbachol.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study proposed to investigate the localization at light and
      electron microscopic levels of Arf6 and its activator EFA6D in the mouse
      submandibular gland (SMG) under normal conditions and when stimulated by
      adrenergic or cholinergic agonists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SMGs of male adult
      mice were utilized for immunoblotting and immuno-light and -electron microscopic
      analyses. Isoproterenol and noradrenalin were used as adrenergics, while
      carbachol was used for the cholinergic stimulant. SMGs were examined at 15, 30,
      60 and 120min after intraperitoneal injection of these agents. RESULTS:
      Immunoreactivities for both Arf6 and its activator EFA6D were similarly intense
      in the basolateral domain of GCTs, but no significant immunoreactivities were
      seen in the apical domain of GCT cells or any domain of acinar cells under normal
      conditions. In immuno-electron microscopy, the immunoreactive materials were
      mainly deposited on the basolateral plasma membranes and subjacent cytoplasm.
      Shortly after injection of isoproterenol and noradrenaline, but not carbachol,
      the immunoreactivities for both molecules were additionally seen on the apical
      plasmalemma of most, if not all, GCT cells, but not acinar cells. CONCLUSION: The
      present findings suggest that the direct involvement of Arf6/EFA6D in regulatory
      exocytosis at the apical plasma membrane of acinar and GCT cells is apparently to
      be smaller, if present, than that of endocytosis at the basolateral membranes of
      GCT cells under normal conditions. This also suggests that the two molecules
      function additionally at the apical membrane of GCT cells for modulation of
      saliva secretion under beta-adrenoceptor stimulation.

PMID- 28645102
TI  - Expression of p63 and CD44 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and correlation with
      clinicopathological parameters.
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the sixth most frequent malignant tumor of the
      head and neck region. Despite advances in therapeutic options over the last
      decades, the rate of mortality and morbidity has not been improved markedly. A
      small subset of cells, cancer stem cells (CSCs), with self-renewal properties
      have become a major focus of current cancer research. CD44 and p63 are identified
      as candidate stem cell markers in normal squamous epithelium and SCC. The role of
      these markers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still debatable. The aim
      of this study was to evaluate immunohistochemical expression of these markers in
      OSCC samples and also correlates the expression of these markers with some
      clinicopathological parameters of prognostic significance including histological
      grading, TNM staging, overall survival (OS) rate as well as patients' age,
      gender, and tumor location. CD44 and p63 were expressed in all studied lesions
      with different degrees. Statistically significant difference was observed between
      CD44 and p63 expression with tumor grade and stage with higher expression in high
      grade and advanced OSCCs. No significant relationship was detected between
      markers immunoreactivity and patients age, gender, tumor location as well as OS.
      These markers can possibly advance our understanding of the initiating mechanisms
      and pathogenesis of OSCC and also result in novel therapeutic target in cancer
      treatment.

PMID- 28645120
TI  - Acute Abdomen Secondary to Ruptured Epithelial Ovarian Cancer during Pregnancy:
      The Relevance of Teamwork.
AB  - Acute abdomen secondary to epithelial ovarian cancer rupture during pregnancy is
      a rare event. Our aim is to present how the work of a coordinated
      multidisciplinary team in a case of ruptured epithelial ovarian cancer during
      pregnancy is feasible to obtain the best results possible. A 34-year-old woman
      during the 37th week of her first gestation presented with an acute abdomen.
      During laparotomy, a ruptured 16.5-cm left ovarian tumor was detected; the tumor
      was extirpated and sent to pathologic evaluation. In the meantime, a Kerr
      cesarean section was performed, and a healthy female neonate was born. The tumor
      was diagnosed as a cystadenocarcinoma; therefore, the family and the combined
      surgical team (obstetricians and a surgical oncologist) decided to complete a
      definitive radical ovarian cancer surgery: hysterectomy, right salpingo
      oophorectomy, lymphadenectomy, omentectomy and appendectomy. The patient's
      postoperative evolution was uneventful, and she was sent to adjuvant
      chemotherapy.

PMID- 28645121
TI  - Effect of Obesity on Gestational and Perinatal Outcomes.
AB  - Purpose To assess the impact of pre-pregnancy obesity (body mass index [BMI] >=
      30 kg/m2) on the gestational and perinatal outcomes. Methods Retrospective cohort
      study of 731 pregnant women with a BMI >= 30 kg/m2 at the first prenatal care
      visit, comparing them with 3,161 women with a BMI between 18.5 kg/m2 and 24.9
      kg/m2. Maternal and neonatal variables were assessed. Statistical analyses
      reporting the demographic features of the pregnant women (obese and normal) were
      performed with descriptive statistics followed by two-sided independent Student's
      t tests for the continuous variables, and the chi-squared (chi2) test, or
      Fisher's exact test, for the categorical variables. We performed a multiple
      linear regression analysis of newborn body weight based on the mother's BMI,
      adjusted by maternal age, hyperglycemic disorders, hypertensive disorders, and
      cesarean deliveries to analyze the relationships among these variables. All
      analyses were performed with the R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing,
      Vienna, Austria) for Windows software, version 3.1.0. A value of p < 0.05 was
      considered statistically significant. Results Obesity was associated with older
      age [OR 9.8 (7.8-12.2); p < 0.01], hyperglycemic disorders [OR 6.5 (4.8-8.9); p <
      0.01], hypertensive disorders [OR 7.6 (6.1-9.5); p < 0.01], caesarean deliveries
      [OR 2.5 (2.1-3.0); p < 0.01], fetal macrosomia [OR 2.9 (2.3-3.6); p < 0.01] and
      umbilical cord pH [OR 2.1 (1.4-2.9); p < 0.01). Conversely, no association was
      observed with the duration of labor, bleeding during labor, Apgar scores at 1 and
      5 minutes after birth, gestational age, stillbirth and early neonatal mortality,
      congenital malformations, and maternal and fetal injury. Conclusion We observed
      that pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with maternal age, hyperglycemic
      disorders, hypertension syndrome, cesarean deliveries, fetal macrosomia, and
      fetal acidosis.

PMID- 28645122
TI  - Survey on Aesthetic Vulvovaginal Procedures: What do Portuguese Doctors and
      Medical Students Think?
AB  - Objective To assess the medical doctors and medical students' opinion regarding
      the evidence and ethical background of the performance of vulvovaginal aesthetic
      procedures (VVAPs). Methods Cross-sectional online survey among 664 Portuguese
      medical doctors and students. Results Most participants considered that there is
      never or there rarely is a medical reason to perform: vulvar whitening (85.9%
      [502/584]); hymenoplasty (72.0% [437/607]); mons pubis liposuction (71.6%
      [426/595]); "G-spot" augmentation (71.0% [409/576]); labia majora augmentation
      (66.3% [390/588]); labia minora augmentation (58.3% [326/559]); or laser vaginal
      tightening (52.3% [313/599]). Gynecologists and specialists were more likely to
      consider that there are no medical reasons to perform VVAPs; the opposite was
      true for plastic surgeons and students/residents.Hymenoplasty raised ethical
      doubts in 51.1% (283/554) of the participants. Plastic surgeons and
      students/residents were less likely to raise ethical objections, while the
      opposite was true for gynecologists and specialists.Most considered that VVAPs
      could contribute to an improvement in self-esteem (92.3% [613/664]); sexual
      function (78.5% [521/664]); vaginal atrophy (69.9% [464/664]); quality of life
      (66.3% [440/664]); and sexual pain (61.4% [408/664]). Conclusions While medical
      doctors and students acknowledge the lack of evidence and scientific support for
      the performance of VVAPs, most do not raise ethical objections about them,
      especially if they are students or plastic surgeons, or if they have had or have
      considered having plastic surgery.

PMID- 28645123
TI  - [Drug safety in psychiatry].

PMID- 28645124
TI  - [Paralytic ileus with fatal consequence under psychotropic medication].
AB  - In the area of Bielefeld there occurred a striking accumulation of four cases of
      death as a consequence of a paralytic ileus within a period of two years. All
      four patients suffered from a psychotic disorder and had taken psychotropic
      medication for many years. After exclusion of other causes, the anticholinergic
      effect of the psychotropic medication must be taken as the cause of death. A
      review of literature and pharmacological receptor profiles are presented.
      Therapeutic consequences are described in order to prevent more cases of death.

PMID- 28645125
TI  - [Epidemiology of Parkinson's Disease and Current Concepts of Outpatient Care in
      Germany].
AB  - The ambulatory care of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Germany has been
      established for a long time. As the prevalence of Parkinson's disease continues
      to increase, the outpatient neurological sector is becoming more and more
      important and needs to adapt itself to current needs. This includes an
      optimization of the care structures for Parkinson's patients as well as adequate
      concepts for the execution of differentiated diagnostics and therapy. For many
      patients care is provided by non-specialized neurological practices or general
      practitioners, without exchange of views with neurologists or a specialized
      university outpatient clinic for movement disorders. A connective link between
      these care structures could be provided by a "practice with focus on Parkinson's
      disease", whose idea and conception is presented in this article. In addition to
      the necessity and usefulness of such an institution, structural prerequisites and
      basic principles for the treatment of Parkinsonian patients in a disease state
      centered manner will be presented but also current limitations of the concept are
      pointed out. This article presents the results of an expert workshop on
      Parkinson's disease, which took place in Frankfurt am Main on 21 November 2015.

PMID- 28645126
TI  - [ADHD in Adults and Comorbid Substance Use Disorder: Prevalence, Clinical
      Diagnostics and Integrated Therapy].
AB  - Substance use disorders (SUD) are one of the most frequent mental disorders among
      adults. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common
      mental health issues in childhood and adolescence, often persisting in adulthood.
      ADHD in childhood and adolescence is a robust predictor of tobacco, alcohol and
      illicit substance use in adulthood. Prevalence of comorbid ADHD in SUD patients
      is high. Nearly one quarter of these patients fulfill the DSM IV criteria for
      ADHD. Integrated concepts for treatment of SUD and ADHD are needed, but rare up
      to now. The aim of this review is to present and discuss recent scientific
      literature on the topic SUD and ADHD among adults and show its implications for
      clinical diagnostics and treatment.

PMID- 28645127
TI  - [High Prevalence of Antipsychotic Medication Use in Dementia Patients in German
      Neuropsychiatric Practices].
AB  - Background The aim of the present study was to examine inpatients as well as
      patients living at home with respect to the frequency of antipsychotic medication
      use and to determine the factors leading to initial use of antipsychotics
      following dementia diagnosis. Methods This study included patients aged 60 years
      and over with an initial diagnosis of all-cause dementia (index date) by German
      psychiatrists in Disease Analyzer database (IMS Health). The main outcome measure
      was the proportion of patients who initially received an antipsychotic
      prescription after the index date. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed for
      studying time to initiation of antipsychotic therapy as a function of age and
      residence in nursing homes. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used
      to estimate the relation between the likelihood of therapy initiation and the
      predefined demographical/clinical variables. Results 14 915 patients with
      dementia (mean age 80.3 years, 34.7 % male, 53.3 % residents of nursing homes)
      were included in this study. Within two years after the index date, 47.7 %
      patients with dementia were treated with antipsychotics. Residing in nursing
      homes, private insurance status, higher age, private health insurance, exhibiting
      mental disorders due to known physiological condition, personality and behavioral
      disorders due to known physiological condition, vascular dementia, and symptoms
      and signs involving emotional state were positively associated with therapy
      initiation. Conclusion The prevalence of antipsychotic drug therapy in dementia
      patients, particularly in nursing homes, is very high. Further studies including
      qualitative research are required in order to understand and explain the reasons
      for this prescribing behavior.

PMID- 28645128
TI  - [Headache News].
AB  - A review of the latest and most relevant information on different disorders of
      head and facial pain is presented. News from epidemiologic studies regarding the
      relationship between migraine and patent foramen ovale, the cardiovascular risk
      in migraine, and migraine behavior during menopause, and the development of white
      matter lesions or migraine genetics are presented. Regarding pathophysiology
      there are very recent insights regarding the role of the hypothalamus during
      prodromal phase and the interplay of brain-stem and hypothalamus during the
      attack. In the last year studies and metaanalysis generated new knowledge for the
      use of triptans in general as in menstrual related migraine and hemiplegic
      variants. Furthermore, new hope rises for the CGRP (calcitonin-gene related
      peptide)-antagonists, as the data for ubrogepant do not suggest hepatotoxicity
      but efficacy. In prophylactic migraine treatment the news are manly on how the
      new therapeutic approach with monoclonal antibodies against CGRP or its receptor
      is moving on. Additional newly generated data for already known prophylactic
      agents as for new approaches are compactly discussed. Although main developments
      in headache focus on migraine new data on trigemino-autonomic headache trigeminal
      neuralgia and new daily persistant headache became available.

PMID- 28645129
TI  - Clinical Scoring Systems in Thrombosis and Hemostasis.

PMID- 28645131
TI  - Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation Compared to Microfracture for Treating
      Osteochondral Defect: An Updated Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
AB  - Various techniques have proven to be effective for treating articular cartilage
      defect of the knee joint, but knowledge regarding which method is best still
      remains uncertain. Osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) provides
      hyaline or hyaline-like repair for articular defects, whereas microfracture (MF)
      provides fibrocartilage repair tissue. To compare the OAT with MF procedure for
      the treatment of articular cartilage defect, we present an update of previous
      meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.We searched for the published
      results of relevant trials. Then, we pooled the outcome measures of the included
      trials for analysis. The outcome measures assessed in this study included the
      number of patients who reached excellent or good results, the patients returning
      to the activity, the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores, the
      failure rate, and the osteoarthritis rate. Six studies and 294 patients were
      identified as eligible for data extraction and meta-analysis. The pooled result
      showed that there was no significant difference in the excellent or good results
      (relative risks [RRs], 1.27; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 0.95 to 1.70; p =
      0.11) and the rate of osteoarthritis (RRs, 0.64; 95% CIs, 0.37 to 1.13; p =
      0.12). There were significant differences between the two groups in the scores of
      ICRS (mean differences [MDs], 12.51; 95% CIs, 10.55 to 14.47; p = 0.00001), the
      patients returning to activity (RRs, 2.04; 95% CIs, 1.36 to 3.07; p = 0.0006),
      and in the failure rate (RRs, 0.23; 95% CIs, 0.11 to 0.49; p = 0.0001). OAT has
      more advantages compared with MF procedure in referring to the index of return to
      activity, the scores of ICRS, and the rate of failure. However, the limitations
      restrict the generalizability of this study, and larger, sufficiently powered
      studies are necessary to evaluate the efficiency of OAT compared with MF
      procedure in the future.

PMID- 28645130
TI  - Sustained Release of Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 from Platelet-Rich
      Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Gels.
AB  - Activated platelet-rich plasma (PRP), also referred to as platelet-rich fibrin
      (PRF), has been used to augment numerous techniques of cartilage repair in the
      knee but does not always result in superior quality of repair tissue. One
      possible reason that PRF does not consistently result in excellent cartilage
      regeneration is the transiency of growth factor provision with PRF. The objective
      of this study was to compare the release of transforming growth factor (TGF)
      beta1 from PRF and from PRP combined with a novel chondroitin sulfate
      glycosaminoglycan (CS-GAG) gel. PRP was prepared from nine healthy dogs and split
      into two aliquots: one activated with bovine thrombin and calcium chloride
      (CaCl2) to form PRF and the other aliquot was used to rehydrate a lyophilized CS
      GAG gel. Both PRF and the CS-GAG gels were incubated in media for 13 days and
      media were collected, stored, and replaced every 48 hours and the concentration
      of TGF-beta1 quantified in the media using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
      Concentrations of TGF-beta1 in the media were up to three times greater with the
      CS-GAG gels and were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than with PRF on days 3, 5,
      7, 9, and 13. Furthermore, TGF-beta1 elution was still substantial at day 13 with
      the use of the CS-GAG gels. Additional in vitro work is warranted to characterize
      TGF-beta1 elution from this CS-GAG gel with human PRP and to determine whether
      the use of these CS-GAG gels can augment cartilage repair in vivo.

PMID- 28645132
TI  - Platelet-Rich Plasma for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Review.

PMID- 28645133
TI  - [New Aspects in Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer].

PMID- 28645135
TI  - Osteotomies around the Knee-Part I.

PMID- 28645134
TI  - [Arterial Hyper- and Hypotension associated with psychiatric medications: a risk
      assessment based on the summaries of product characteristics (SmPCs)].
AB  - Introduction Psychiatric medications are well-known triggers of clinically
      relevant blood pressure changes. Therefore, we aimed at creating ranking lists
      for their risk of causing arterial hyper- or hypotension. Methods We analyzed 784
      Summaries of Product characteristics (SmPCs, available online from "Rote Liste"
      or "Gelbe Liste" websites) from 105 psychiatric medications registered in adult
      psychiatry in Germany and extracted the standardized reported risks of increasing
      or decreasing arterial blood pressure. Results According to the SmPCs,
      atomoxetine had the highest risk of arterial hypertension ("very frequent", > 10
      %), and another 15 substances followed in the category "frequent" (> 1 %):
      duloxetine, milnacipran, venlafaxine, bupropion, citalopram, tranylcypromine
      (particularly with certain diets), reboxetine, methylphenidate, clozapine,
      paliperidone, risperidone, buprenorphine+naloxone, memantine, galantamine, and
      rivastigmine. Conversely, 7 substances, namely amitriptyline, tranylcypromine,
      chlorprothixen, flupentixol, levomepromazine, olanzapine and trimipramine had the
      highest reported risk of low blood pressure ("very frequent"), and another 25
      substances had the risk "frequent". No risk of hypertension or hypotension was
      documented for many other substances. Incidentally, we observed that the reported
      effects on blood pressure for single substances (e. g. citalopram) markedly
      differed between the SmPCs from different manufacturers, rendering a clear risk
      assessment impossible for many medications. Discussion According to the German
      SmPc, many psychiatric medications are associated with the risk of arterial
      hypertension and, even more so, hypotension. We hardly observed substance group
      effects, such as high blood pressure with noradrenergic antidepressants. Commonly
      used tables summarising secondary causes of arterial hypertension should be
      revised in terms of psychiatric medications. Our rank orders of risk may aid
      choosing the best psychiatric medications in patients with known hypertension or
      at risk for syncope, as well as when blood pressure changes occur under
      psychiatric pharmacotherapy. A definitive risk assessment however requires
      controlled studies.

PMID- 28645136
TI  - Childhood traumatic experiences and the association with marijuana and cocaine
      use in adolescence through adulthood.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Examination of longitudinal relationships between childhood
      traumatic experiences and drug use across the life-course at the national level,
      with control of confounding by other forms of trauma, is needed. We aimed to
      estimate the prevalence of nine typologies of childhood traumas and the
      cumulative number experienced, correlation between traumas and associations
      between individual and cumulative number of traumas with drug use during
      adolescence, emerging adulthood and adulthood. DESIGN: Secondary data analysis
      using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. SETTING:
      United States. PARTICIPANTS: A nationally representative sample of individuals in
      grades 7-12 (aged 11-21 years) during 1994-95, who were re-interviewed during
      emerging adulthood (2001-02; aged 18-28) and adulthood (2007-08; aged 24-34). The
      analytical sample comprised 12 288 participants with data at all three waves.
      MEASUREMENTS: Nine typologies of childhood traumas: neglect; emotional, physical
      and sexual abuse; parental incarceration and binge drinking; and witnessing,
      being threatened with and experiencing violence. Indicators of each were summed
      to measure cumulative dose. Outcomes were marijuana and cocaine use during
      adolescence, emerging adulthood and adulthood. FINDINGS: Approximately half
      experienced at least one childhood trauma; traumas were not highly correlated. We
      observed a dose-response relationship between the number of traumas and drug use
      in adolescence [marijuana, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) one trauma versus none =
      1.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.42, 1.92; two traumas = 2.58, 95% CI =
      2.17, 3.06; >= four traumas = 6.92, 95% CI = 5.17, 9.26; cocaine, aOR one trauma
      = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.23, 2.84; two traumas = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.74, 4.51; >= four
      traumas = 9.54, 95% CI = 5.93, 15.38]. Similar dose-response relationships with
      drug use were observed in emerging adulthood and adulthood. Each individual
      trauma was associated independently with either marijuana or cocaine use in
      adolescence, emerging adulthood and/or adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood trauma
      is prevalent in the United States, and individual types as well as the total
      number experienced are associated significantly with marijuana and cocaine use
      throughout the life-course.

PMID- 28645137
TI  - To take or not to take: the association between perceived addiction risk,
      expected analgesic response and likelihood of trying novel pain relievers in self
      identified chronic pain patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Probability discounting refers to the effect of outcome
      uncertainty on decision making. Using probability discounting, we examined the
      degree to which self-identified chronic pain patients (CPP) were likely to try a
      novel analgesic medication given increasing addiction risk. We postulated that
      propensity for opioid misuse, trait impulsivity and previous opioid experience
      would be associated positively with likelihood of risky medication use. DESIGN:
      This cross-sectional on-line study determined state/trait associations with
      addiction-related medication decisions in CPP. SETTING: US-based CPP participated
      via Amazon Mechanical Turk; data were collected and analyzed in Baltimore,
      Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 263 CPP (70.6% female) participated in the
      study from 12-13 December 2014. MEASUREMENTS: CPP responded to the Benefit versus
      Addiction Risk Questionnaire (BARQ) assessing likelihood of taking a hypothetical
      once-daily oral analgesic medication as a function of two factors: risk of
      addiction (0-50%) and duration of expected complete pain relief (3, 30 or 365
      days). The primary outcome was the BARQ, quantified as area under the curve
      (AUC). Grouping of CPP at high or low risk for opioid misuse was based on the
      Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain-Revised (SOAPP-R).
      Predictors included previous experience with opioids, as well as various measures
      of chronic pain and mental health. FINDINGS: Across hypothetical addiction risk
      assessed in the BARQ, the likelihood of taking a novel analgesic medication was
      elevated significantly in patients with high (>=18; n = 137) versus low (<18; n =
      126) SOAPP-R scores [P < 0.001; 3-day: Cohen's d = 0.66, 95% confidence interval
      (CI) = 0.63, 0.69; 30-day: d = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.71, 0.78; 365-day: d = 0.75, 95%
      CI = 0.72, 0.79]. CONCLUSIONS: In the United States, self-identified chronic pain
      patients (CPP) at higher risk for opioid misuse were more likely to report
      willingness to try a novel analgesic despite increasing addiction risk than CPP
      with low risk of opioid misuse.

PMID- 28645138
TI  - Correction: Tumor growth suppressive effect of IL-4 through p21-mediated
      activation of STAT6 in IL-4Ralpha overexpressed melanoma models.

PMID- 28645139
TI  - Correction: CCR4 promotes metastasis via ERK/NF-kappaB/MMP13 pathway and acts
      downstream of TNF-alpha in colorectal cancer.

PMID- 28645140
TI  - Ruptured oesophageal haematoma caused by transoesophageal echocardiography.

PMID- 28645141
TI  - Does the seed bank contribute to the build-up of a genetic extinction debt in the
      grassland perennial Campanula rotundifolia?
AB  - Background and Aims: Habitat fragmentation threatens global biodiversity. Many
      plant species persist in habitat fragments via persistent life cycle stages such
      as seed banks, generating a species extinction debt. Here, seed banks are
      hypothesized to cause a temporal delay in the expected loss of genetic variation,
      which can be referred to as a genetic extinction debt, as a possible mechanism
      behind species extinction debts. Methods: Fragmented grassland populations of
      Campanula rotundifolia were examined for evidence of a genetic extinction debt,
      investigating if the seed bank contributed to the extinction debt build-up. The
      genetic make-up of 15 above- and below-ground populations was analysed in
      relation to historical and current levels of habitat fragmentation, both
      separately and combined. Key Results: Genetic diversity was highest in above
      ground populations, though below-ground populations contained 8 % of unique
      alleles that were absent above-ground. Above-ground genetic diversity and
      composition were related to historical patch size and connectivity, but not
      current patch characteristics, suggesting the presence of a genetic extinction
      debt in the above-ground populations. No such relationships were found for the
      below-ground populations. Genetic diversity measures still showed a response to
      historical but not present landscape characteristics when combining genetic
      diversity of the above- and below-ground populations. Conclusions: The fragmented
      C. rotundifolia populations exhibited a genetic extinction debt. However, the
      role of the seed banks in the build-up of this extinction debt is probably small,
      since the limited, unique genetic diversity of the seed bank alone seems unable
      to counter the detrimental effects of habitat fragmentation on the population
      genetic structure of C. rotundifolia.

PMID- 28645143
TI  - Fermentable Carbohydrates in IBD - Trouble Brewing?

PMID- 28645142
TI  - Polyphyly of Arundinoideae (Poaceae) and evolution of the twisted geniculate
      lemma awn.
AB  - Background and Aims: Subfamily Arundinoideae represents one of the last unsolved
      taxonomic mysteries in the grass family (Poaceae) due to the narrow and remote
      distributions of many of its 19 morphologically and ecologically heterogeneous
      genera. Resolving the phylogenetic relationships of these genera could have
      substantial implications for understanding character evolution in the grasses,
      for example the twisted geniculate awn - a hygroscopic awn that has been shown to
      be important in seed germination for some grass species. In this study, the
      phylogenetic positions of most arundinoid genera were determined using DNA from
      herbarium specimens, and their placement affects interpretation of this
      ecologically important trait. Methods: A phylogenetic analysis was conducted on a
      matrix of full-plastome sequences from 123 species in 107 genera representing all
      grass subfamilies, with 15 of the 19 genera in subfamily Arundinoideae. Parsimony
      and maximum likelihood mapping approaches were used to estimate ancestral states
      for presence of a geniculate lemma awn with a twisted column across Poaceae.
      Lastly, anatomical characters were examined for former arundinoid taxa using
      light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Key Results: Four genera
      traditionally included in Arundinoideae fell outside the subfamily in the
      plastome phylogeny, with the remaining 11 genera forming Arundinoideae sensu
      stricto . The twisted geniculate awn has originated independently at least five
      times in the PACMAD grasses, in the subfamilies Panicoideae,
      Danthonioideae/Chloridoideae and Arundinoideae. Morphological and anatomical
      characters support the new positions of the misplaced arundinoid genera in the
      phylogeny, but also highlight convergent and parallel evolution in the grasses.
      Conclusions: In placing the majority of arundinoid genera in a phylogenetic
      framework, our study answers one of the last remaining big questions in grass
      taxonomy while highlighting examples of convergent evolution in an ecologically
      important trait, the hygroscopic, twisted geniculate awn.

PMID- 28645145
TI  - Systematic procedures to promote U.S. HIV medication adherence via Photovoice.
AB  - Medication adherence is essential to promote the health of people living with HIV
      (PL-HIV) and prevent HIV transmission in the U.S. Novel medication health
      promotion interventions are needed that address patient-centeredness,
      understandability, and communication with providers. The aims of this article are
      to define the systematic stages we used to develop an effective health promotion
      intervention via the products (e.g. images and stories) of Photovoice. We
      designed an intervention to improve HIV adherence knowledge, attitudes, and
      communication with providers through Photovoice. 16 PL-HIV used Photovoice
      strategies to describe their experiences with medication via images and captions
      and create an intervention (10 adherence promotion posters) that integrated photo
      stories of their adherence motivators, journeys from sickness to health, and how
      they manage and counter HIV stigma. We outline the systematic process we used to
      adapt Photovoice to create the effective intervention for replication. The
      process included six stages: (i) identify scope of the project; (ii) create
      collaborative project team; (iii) design project materials; (iv) review and
      revise materials with team members; (v) disseminate materials; and (vi) evaluate
      materials. Photovoice is used traditionally as a social action research method.
      In this project, it was adapted to create patient-driven images and stories for
      health promotion posters. Poster viewers experienced improved self-efficacy for
      HIV medication adherence. Describing the adaptation of the Photovoice process in
      a deliberate and transparent way can support fidelity to the essence of the
      participant-driven method, while also allowing researchers and practitioners to
      replicate Photovoice as a successful health promotion intervention.

PMID- 28645144
TI  - Increased alignment sensitivity improves the usage of genome alignments for
      comparative gene annotation.
AB  - Genome alignments provide a powerful basis to transfer gene annotations from a
      well-annotated reference genome to many other aligned genomes. The completeness
      of these annotations crucially depends on the sensitivity of the underlying
      genome alignment. Here, we investigated the impact of the genome alignment
      parameters and found that parameters with a higher sensitivity allow the
      detection of thousands of novel alignments between orthologous exons that have
      been missed before. In particular, comparisons between species separated by an
      evolutionary distance of >0.75 substitutions per neutral site, like human and
      other non-placental vertebrates, benefit from increased sensitivity. To
      systematically test if increased sensitivity improves comparative gene
      annotations, we built a multiple alignment of 144 vertebrate genomes and used
      this alignment to map human genes to the other 143 vertebrates with CESAR. We
      found that higher alignment sensitivity substantially improves the completeness
      of comparative gene annotations by adding on average 2382 and 7440 novel exons
      and 117 and 317 novel genes for mammalian and non-mammalian species,
      respectively. Our results suggest a more sensitive alignment strategy that should
      generally be used for genome alignments between distantly-related species. Our
      144-vertebrate genome alignment and the comparative gene annotations
      (https://bds.mpi-cbg.de/hillerlab/144VertebrateAlignment_CESAR/) are a valuable
      resource for comparative genomics.

PMID- 28645147
TI  - Corrigendum.

PMID- 28645146
TI  - Analysis of in vitro evolution reveals the underlying distribution of catalytic
      activity among random sequences.
AB  - The emergence of catalytic RNA is believed to have been a key event during the
      origin of life. Understanding how catalytic activity is distributed across random
      sequences is fundamental to estimating the probability that catalytic sequences
      would emerge. Here, we analyze the in vitro evolution of triphosphorylating
      ribozymes and translate their fitnesses into absolute estimates of catalytic
      activity for hundreds of ribozyme families. The analysis efficiently identified
      highly active ribozymes and estimated catalytic activity with good accuracy. The
      evolutionary dynamics follow Fisher's Fundamental Theorem of Natural Selection
      and a corollary, permitting retrospective inference of the distribution of
      fitness and activity in the random sequence pool for the first time. The
      frequency distribution of rate constants appears to be log-normal, with a
      surprisingly steep dropoff at higher activity, consistent with a mechanism for
      the emergence of activity as the product of many independent contributions.

PMID- 28645148
TI  - A soft environmental control effect of apatite doped with mineral traces in the
      fowl droppings.
AB  - Fowl-dropping apatite (Ca10-z[PO4]6-z[OH]2-z) synthesized from carbonized,
      incinerated fowl droppings contains PO4 and OH groups that are partially
      substituted by CO32- ions. It shows stronger ion conductivity than commercially
      available hydroxyapatite in a wide range of temperatures from 23 degrees C to 800
      degrees C. Fowl-dropping apatite readily adsorbs NO2 and SO2 gases and, without
      re-releasing these gases, slowly decomposes them at room temperature under
      sunlight via ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) irradiation. A limited amount of
      minerals and organics contained in fowl droppings causes light-induced activities
      in fowl-dropping apatite with a crystal structure that has a developed c face;
      this initiates excitation-induced atomic transfer on the solid surface derived
      from PO4 exposed on the c face, which then advances the decomposition reaction.

PMID- 28645149
TI  - Structural determinants of APOBEC3B non-catalytic domain for molecular assembly
      and catalytic regulation.

PMID- 28645150
TI  - GfaPy: a flexible and extensible software library for handling sequence graphs in
      Python.
AB  - Summary: GFA 1 and GFA 2 are recently defined formats for representing sequence
      graphs, such as assembly, variation or splicing graphs. The formats are adopted
      by several software tools. Here, we present GfaPy, a software package for
      creating, parsing and editing GFA graphs using the programming language Python.
      GfaPy supports GFA 1 and GFA 2, using the same interface and allows for
      interconversion between both formats. The software package provides a simple
      interface for custom record types, which is an important new feature of GFA 2
      (compared to GFA 1). This enables new applications of the format. Availability
      and implementation: GfaPy is available open source at
      https://github.com/ggonnella/gfapy and installable via pip. Contact:
      gonnella@zbh.uni-hamburg.de. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are
      available at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28645151
TI  - The genetic architecture of heterochrony as a quantitative trait: lessons from a
      computational model.

PMID- 28645152
TI  - Erratum.

PMID- 28645153
TI  - Defective mitochondrial RNA processing due to PNPT1 variants causes Leigh
      syndrome.
AB  - Leigh syndrome is a severe infantile encephalopathy with an exceptionally
      variable genetic background. We studied the exome of a child manifesting with
      Leigh syndrome at one month of age and progressing to death by the age of 2.4
      years, and identified novel compound heterozygous variants in PNPT1, encoding the
      polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase). Expression of the wild type PNPT1 in the
      subject's myoblasts functionally complemented the defects, and the pathogenicity
      was further supported by structural predictions and protein and RNA analyses.
      PNPase is a key enzyme in mitochondrial RNA metabolism, with suggested roles in
      mitochondrial RNA import and degradation. The variants were predicted to locate
      in the PNPase active site and disturb the RNA processing activity of the enzyme.
      The PNPase trimer formation was not affected, but specific RNA processing
      intermediates derived from mitochondrial transcripts of the ND6 subunit of
      Complex I, as well as small mRNA fragments, accumulated in the subject's
      myoblasts. Mitochondrial RNA processing mediated by the degradosome consisting of
      hSUV3 and PNPase is poorly characterized, and controversy on the role and
      location of PNPase within human mitochondria exists. Our evidence indicates that
      PNPase activity is essential for the correct maturation of the ND6 transcripts,
      and likely for the efficient removal of degradation intermediates. Loss of its
      activity will result in combined respiratory chain deficiency, and a classic
      respiratory chain-deficiency-associated disease, Leigh syndrome, indicating an
      essential role for the enzyme for normal function of the mitochondrial
      respiratory chain.

PMID- 28645154
TI  - ALG-5 is a miRNA-associated Argonaute required for proper developmental timing in
      the Caenorhabditis elegans germline.
AB  - Caenorhabditis elegans contains 25 Argonautes, of which, ALG-1 and ALG-2 are
      known to primarily interact with miRNAs. ALG-5 belongs to the AGO subfamily of
      Argonautes that includes ALG-1 and ALG-2, but its role in small RNA pathways is
      unknown. We analyzed by high-throughput sequencing the small RNAs associated with
      ALG-5, ALG-1 and ALG-2, as well as changes in mRNA expression in alg-5, alg-1 and
      alg-2 mutants. We show that ALG-5 defines a distinct branch of the miRNA pathway
      affecting the expression of genes involved in immunity, defense, and development.
      In contrast to ALG-1 and ALG-2, which associate with most miRNAs and have general
      roles throughout development, ALG-5 interacts with only a small subset of miRNAs
      and is specifically expressed in the germline where it localizes alongside the
      piRNA and siRNA machinery at P granules. alg-5 is required for optimal fertility
      and mutations in alg-5 lead to a precocious transition from spermatogenesis to
      oogenesis. Our results provide a near-comprehensive analysis of miRNA-Argonaute
      interactions in C. elegans and reveal a new role for miRNAs in the germline.

PMID- 28645155
TI  - Features of genomic organization in a nucleotide-resolution molecular model of
      the Escherichia coli chromosome.
AB  - We describe structural models of the Escherichia coli chromosome in which the
      positions of all 4.6 million nucleotides of each DNA strand are resolved. Models
      consistent with two basic chromosomal orientations, differing in their
      positioning of the origin of replication, have been constructed. In both types of
      model, the chromosome is partitioned into plectoneme-abundant and plectoneme-free
      regions, with plectoneme lengths and branching patterns matching experimental
      distributions, and with spatial distributions of highly-transcribed chromosomal
      regions matching recent experimental measurements of the distribution of RNA
      polymerases. Physical analysis of the models indicates that the effective
      persistence length of the DNA and relative contributions of twist and writhe to
      the chromosome's negative supercoiling are in good correspondence with
      experimental estimates. The models exhibit characteristics similar to those of
      'fractal globules,' and even the most genomically-distant parts of the chromosome
      can be physically connected, through paths combining linear diffusion and inter
      segmental transfer, by an average of only ~10 000 bp. Finally, macrodomain
      structures and the spatial distributions of co-expressed genes are analyzed: the
      latter are shown to depend strongly on the overall orientation of the chromosome.
      We anticipate that the models will prove useful in exploring other static and
      dynamic features of the bacterial chromosome.

PMID- 28645157
TI  - Secretory IgA response against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the upper airways and
      the link with chronic lung infection in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - We assessed the diagnostic ability of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test
      for measurement of specific secretory IgA (sIgA) in saliva to identify cystic
      fibrosis (CF) patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic lung infection and
      intermittent lung colonization. A total of 102 Brazilian CF patients and 53
      healthy controls were included. Specific serum IgG response was used as a
      surrogate to distinguish CF patients according to their P. aeruginosa
      colonization/infection status. The rate of sIgA positivity was 87.1% in CF
      chronically infected patients (median value = 181.5 U/mL), 48.7% in
      intermittently colonized patients (median value = 45.8 U/mL) and 21.8% in free of
      infection patients (median value = 22.1 U/mL). sIgA levels in saliva were
      significantly associated with serum P. aeruginosa IgG and microbiological culture
      results. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for differentiation between
      presence and absence of chronic lung infection were 87%, 63%, 51% and 92%,
      respectively. Measurement of sIgA in saliva may be used for screening patients in
      risk of developing P. aeruginosa chronic lung infection in CF and possibly also
      for paranasal sinusitis, and, most importantly, to efficiently rule out chronic
      P. aeruginosa lung infection.

PMID- 28645158
TI  - The potential for co-evolution of CO2-concentrating mechanisms and Rubisco in
      diatoms.
AB  - Diatoms are a diverse group of unicellular algae that contribute significantly to
      global photosynthetic carbon fixation and export in the modern ocean, and are an
      important source of microfossils for paleoclimate reconstructions. Because of
      their importance in the environment, diatoms have been a focus of study on the
      physiology and ecophysiology of carbon fixation, in particular their CO2
      concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) and Rubisco characteristics. While carbon
      fixation in diatoms is not as well understood as in certain model aquatic
      photoautotrophs, a greater number of species have been examined in diatoms.
      Recent work has highlighted a large diversity in the function, physiology, and
      kinetics of both the CCM and Rubisco between different diatom species. This
      diversity was unexpected since it has generally been assumed that CCMs and
      Rubiscos were similar within major algal lineages as the result of selective
      events deep in evolutionary history, and suggests a more recent co-evolution
      between the CCM and Rubisco within diatoms. This review explores our current
      understanding of the diatom CCM and highlights the diversity of both the CCM and
      Rubisco kinetics. We will suggest possible environmental, physiological, and
      evolutionary drivers for the co-evolution of the CCM and Rubisco in diatoms.

PMID- 28645156
TI  - REM Sleep Behavior Disorder and Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease.
AB  - Study Objectives: REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia affecting 33%
      to 46% of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The existence of a unique and
      specific impaired cognitive profile in PD patients with RBD is still
      controversial. We extensively assessed cognitive functions to identify whether
      RBD is associated with more severe cognitive deficits in nondemented patients
      with PD. Methods: One hundred sixty-two participants, including 53 PD patients
      with RBD, 40 PD patients without RBD, and 69 healthy subjects, underwent
      polysomnography, a neurological assessment and an extensive neuropsychological
      exam to assess attention, executive functions, episodic learning and memory,
      visuospatial abilities, and language. Results: PD patients with RBD had poorer
      and clinically impaired performance in several cognitive tests compared to PD
      patients without RBD and healthy subjects. These two latter groups were similar
      on all cognitive measures. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) diagnosis frequency
      was almost threefold higher in PD patients with RBD compared to PD patients
      without RBD (66% vs. 23%, p < .001). Moreover, subjective cognitive decline was
      reported in 89% of PD patients with RBD compared to 58% of PD patients without
      RBD (p = .024). Conclusions: RBD in PD is associated with a more impaired
      cognitive profile and higher MCI diagnosis frequency, suggesting more severe and
      widespread neurodegeneration. This patient subgroup and their caregivers should
      receive targeted medical attention to better detect and monitor impairment and to
      enable the development of management interventions for cognitive decline and its
      consequences.

PMID- 28645159
TI  - Genomic characterization of two novel SAR11 isolates from the Red Sea, including
      the first strain of the SAR11 Ib clade.
AB  - The SAR11 clade (Pelagibacterales) is a diverse group that forms a monophyletic
      clade within the Alphaproteobacteria, and constitutes up to one third of all
      prokaryotic cells in the photic zone of most oceans. Pelagibacterales are very
      abundant in the warm and highly saline surface waters of the Red Sea, raising the
      question of adaptive traits of SAR11 populations in this water body and warmer
      oceans through the world. In this study, two pure cultures were successfully
      obtained from surface waters on the Red Sea: one isolate of subgroup Ia and one
      of the previously uncultured SAR11 Ib lineage. The novel genomes were very
      similar to each other and to genomes of isolates of SAR11 subgroup Ia (Ia pan
      genome), both in terms of gene content and synteny. Among the genes that were not
      present in the Ia pan-genome, 108 (RS39, Ia) and 151 genes (RS40, Ib) were strain
      specific. Detailed analyses showed that only 51 (RS39, Ia) and 55 (RS40, Ib) of
      these strain-specific genes had not reported before on genome fragments of
      Pelagibacterales. Further analyses revealed the potential production of
      phosphonates by some SAR11 members and possible adaptations for oligotrophic
      life, including pentose sugar utilization and adhesion to marine particulate
      matter.

PMID- 28645160
TI  - Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infection impairs murine S100A8/A9 and
      neutrophil effector cytokines-implications for delayed wound closure?
AB  - The impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infections in chronic wounds and
      clinical implication for healing is receiving increased attention. However, the
      pathophysiology of host/pathogen interplay is not fully understood. By further
      revealing the mechanisms, necessary new treatment strategies may be identified.
      Since the background for chronic wounds is diverse, representative animal models
      are important. We assessed host response and spontaneous wound closure in the
      relatively resistant C3H/HeN and the susceptible BALB/c mouse strain. Full
      thickness burn wounds were inflicted in 108 mice. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm
      (106 colony forming units) was injected subcutaneously in 72 mice, euthanised day
      4, 7 or 10 days post-infection. Wounds were analysed for neutrophil host response
      markers: S100A8/A9, keratinocyte-derived chemokine and granulocyte-colony
      stimulating factor. Total peripheral blood leucocyte and polymorphonuclear count
      were assessed in parallel. Histopathology evaluated wound inflammatory burden.
      Photoplanimetry described macroscopical wound closure. Stable chronic wound
      infection was established in all challenged mice. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm
      suppressed neutrophil host response in wounds. C3H/HeN mice achieved earlier
      systemic inflammatory control and healed faster than BALB/c mice. Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa biofilms perturb host defence thereby inducing a steady state of
      chronic infection which may impair wound healing. These results indicate
      therapeutic options for immune modulation of biofilm-infected wounds.

PMID- 28645161
TI  - LncRNA TUG1 influences papillary thyroid cancer cell proliferation, migration and
      EMT formation through targeting miR-145.
AB  - LncRNA TUG1, a tumor oncogene associated with various human cancers, has been
      reported to be involved in regulating various cellular processes, such as
      proliferation, apoptosis and invasion through targeting multiple genes. However,
      its biological function in thyroid cancer cells has not been elucidated. The aim
      of this study is to measure TUG1 expression level and evaluate its function in
      thyroid cancer cells. LncRNA TUG1 expression levels in thyroid cancer tissues and
      three thyroid cancer cell lines (the ATC cell lines SW1736 and KAT18 and the FTC
      cell line FTC133) were assessed by qRT-PCR and compared with that of the human
      normal breast epithelial cell HGC-27. MTT assay, colony formation assay,
      transwell assay and western blot analysis were performed to assess the effects of
      TUG1 on proliferation, metastasis and EMT formation in thyroid cancer cells in
      vitro. Rescue assay was performed to further confirm that TUG1 contributes to the
      progression of thyroid cancer cells through regulating miR-145/ZEB1 signal
      pathway. LncRNA TUG1 was found to be up-regulated in thyroid cancer tissues and
      thyroid cancer cells compared with that in the human normal breast epithelial
      cell HGC-27. Increased lncRNA TUG1 expression was found to significantly promote
      tumor cell proliferation, and facilitate cell invasion, while down-regulated TUG1
      could obviously inhibit cell proliferation, migration/invasion and reverse EMT to
      MET. These results indicated that TUG1 may contribute to the progression of
      thyroid cancer cells by function as a ceRNA competitive sponging miR-145, and
      that lncRNA TUG1 is associated with tumor progression in thyroid cancer cells.

PMID- 28645162
TI  - Reply to Nejsum et al.

PMID- 28645164
TI  - Differences in Cardiac Structure and Function Between Black and White Patients:
      Another Step in the Evaluation of Cardiovascular Risk in Chronic Kidney Disease.

PMID- 28645163
TI  - Variations in chloroplast movement and chlorophyll fluorescence among chloroplast
      division mutants under light stress.
AB  - Chloroplasts divide to maintain consistent size, shape, and number in leaf
      mesophyll cells. Altered expression of chloroplast division proteins in
      Arabidopsis results in abnormal chloroplast morphology. To better understand the
      influence of chloroplast morphology on chloroplast movement and photosynthesis,
      we compared the chloroplast photorelocation and photosynthetic responses of a
      series of Arabidopsis chloroplast division mutants with a wide variety of
      chloroplast phenotypes. Chloroplast movement was monitored by red light
      reflectance imaging of whole plants under increasing intensities of white light.
      The accumulation and avoidance responses were differentially affected in
      different mutants and depended on both chloroplast number and morphological
      heterogeneity. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements during 5 d light experiments
      demonstrated that mutants with large-chloroplast phenotypes generally exhibited
      greater PSII photodamage than those with intermediate phenotypes. No
      abnormalities in photorelocation efficiency or photosynthetic capacity were
      observed in plants with small-chloroplast phenotypes. Simultaneous measurement of
      chloroplast movement and chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that the energy
      dependent (qE) and long-lived components of non-photochemical quenching that
      reflect photoinhibition are affected differentially in different division mutants
      exposed to high or fluctuating light intensities. We conclude that chloroplast
      division mutants with abnormal chloroplast morphologies differ markedly from the
      wild type in their light adaptation capabilities, which may decrease their
      relative fitness in nature.

PMID- 28645165
TI  - MALT lymphoma of the conjunctiva.

PMID- 28645166
TI  - Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Children and Adolescents with
      Leprosy Admitted Over 16 Years at a Rural Hospital in Ethiopia: A Retrospective
      Analysis.
AB  - Aim: To analyse differences in children and adolescents aged <=18 years admitted
      to the leprosy ward in a rural Ethiopian hospital >16 years. Methods: We
      retrospectively collected data from leprosy admission registry books on patients
      with leprosy who were admitted to a referral hospital from September 2000 to
      September 2016. Results: There were 2129 admissions for leprosy during the study
      period: 180 (8.4%) patients were s <= 18 years old. Of these, 98 (54.4%) were
      male and 82 (45.6%) were female. The proportion of new diagnoses in children and
      adolescents was 31.7%, significantly higher than in adults (11.7%; p < 0.001).
      There were also significant differences in the prevalence of lepromatous ulcers
      (46.9 vs. 61.7%), leprosy reaction (29.4 vs. 13.0%) and neuritis (16.9 vs.5.3%)
      between these age groups. Conclusions: There were more new diagnoses, leprosy
      reactions and neuritis, and fewer lepromatous ulcers, in children and adolescents
      compared with adults, with younger patients being referred more frequently to
      reference centres.

PMID- 28645167
TI  - "It's important, but...": Perceived Barriers and Situational Dependencies to
      Social Contact Preferences of Nursing Home Residents.
AB  - Background and Objectives: U.S. Nursing homes (NH) are shifting toward a person
      centered philosophy of care, where staff understand each residents preferences,
      goals and values, and seek to honor them throughout the care delivery process.
      Social interactions are a major component of life and while low rates of social
      interactions are typically found among NH residents, little research has examined
      resident preferences for specific types of social interactions. The purpose of
      this study is to explore, from the perspective of the NH resident, barriers to
      social contact preferences and situations when social preferences change.
      Research Design and Methods: Two interviews were conducted with 255 NH residents
      3 months apart, recruited from 32 NHs using 13 social-contact items from the
      Preferences for Everyday Living Inventory-NH. Results: Content analysis of 1,461
      spontaneous comments identified perceived barriers to preference fulfillment
      along with reasons why residents would change their mind about the importance of
      a preference (situational dependencies). Nearly 50% of social preferences for
      choosing a roommate, having regular contact with friends, giving gifts, and
      volunteering were associated with barriers. Social preferences were likely to
      change based upon the quality of the social interaction and the resident's level
      of interest. Discussion and Implications: Knowledge of barriers regarding social
      preferences can inform care efforts vital to advancing the delivery of person
      centered care. In addition, understanding the reasons why NH resident preferences
      change based upon context can help providers with staff training leading to
      individualized care and develop meaningful social programs that are in line with
      resident preferences.

PMID- 28645170
TI  - Non-compaction cardiomyopathy and incessant supraventricular tachycardia: an
      unusual first presentation.

PMID- 28645168
TI  - Genomic Reconstruction of the History of Native Sheep Reveals the Peopling
      Patterns of Nomads and the Expansion of Early Pastoralism in East Asia.
AB  - China has a rich resource of native sheep (Ovis aries) breeds associated with
      historical movements of several nomadic societies. However, the history of sheep
      and the associated nomadic societies in ancient China remains poorly understood.
      Here, we studied the genomic diversity of Chinese sheep using genome-wide SNPs,
      mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal variations in > 1,000 modern samples. Population
      genomic analyses combined with archeological records and historical ethnic
      demographics data revealed genetic signatures of the origins, secondary
      expansions and admixtures, of Chinese sheep thereby revealing the peopling
      patterns of nomads and the expansion of early pastoralism in East Asia.
      Originating from the Mongolian Plateau ~5,000-5,700 years ago, Chinese sheep were
      inferred to spread in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River ~3,000
      5,000 years ago following the expansions of the Di-Qiang people. Afterwards,
      sheep were then inferred to reach the Qinghai-Tibetan and Yunnan-Kweichow
      plateaus ~2,000-2,600 years ago by following the north-to-southwest routes of the
      Di-Qiang migration. We also unveiled two subsequent waves of migrations of fat
      tailed sheep into northern China, which were largely commensurate with the
      migrations of ancestors of Hui Muslims eastward and Mongols southward during the
      12th-13th centuries. Furthermore, we revealed signs of argali introgression into
      domestic sheep, extensive historical mixtures among domestic populations and
      strong artificial selection for tail type and other traits, reflecting various
      breeding strategies by nomadic societies in ancient China.

PMID- 28645169
TI  - Heterodimerization of Arabidopsis calcium/proton exchangers contributes to
      regulation of guard cell dynamics and plant defense responses.
AB  - Arabidopsis thaliana cation exchangers (CAX1 and CAX3) are closely related
      tonoplast-localized calcium/proton (Ca2+/H+) antiporters that contribute to
      cellular Ca2+ homeostasis. CAX1 and CAX3 were previously shown to interact in
      yeast; however, the function of this complex in plants has remained elusive.
      Here, we demonstrate that expression of CAX1 and CAX3 occurs in guard cells.
      Additionally, CAX1 and CAX3 are co-expressed in mesophyll tissue in response to
      wounding or flg22 treatment, due to the induction of CAX3 expression. Having
      shown that the transporters can be co-expressed in the same cells, we demonstrate
      that CAX1 and CAX3 can form homomeric and heteromeric complexes in plants.
      Consistent with the formation of a functional CAX1-CAX3 complex, CAX1 and CAX3
      integrated into the yeast genome suppressed a Ca2+-hypersensitive phenotype of
      mutants defective in vacuolar Ca2+ transport, and demonstrated enzyme kinetics
      different from those of either CAX protein expressed by itself. We demonstrate
      that the interactions between CAX proteins contribute to the functioning of
      stomata, because stomata were more closed in cax1-1, cax3-1, and cax1-1/cax3-1
      loss-of-function mutants due to an inability to buffer Ca2+ effectively. We
      hypothesize that the formation of CAX1-CAX3 complexes may occur in the mesophyll
      to affect intracellular Ca2+ signaling during defense responses.

PMID- 28645171
TI  - UpSetR: an R package for the visualization of intersecting sets and their
      properties.
AB  - Motivation: Venn and Euler diagrams are a popular yet inadequate solution for
      quantitative visualization of set intersections. A scalable alternative to Venn
      and Euler diagrams for visualizing intersecting sets and their properties is
      needed. Results: We developed UpSetR, an open source R package that employs a
      scalable matrix-based visualization to show intersections of sets, their size,
      and other properties. Availability and implementation: UpSetR is available at
      https://github.com/hms-dbmi/UpSetR/ and released under the MIT License. A Shiny
      app is available at https://gehlenborglab.shinyapps.io/upsetr/ . Contact:
      nils@hms.harvard.edu. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available
      at Bioinformatics online.

PMID- 28645174
TI  - Adrenomedullin promotes the odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells
      through CREB/BMP2 signaling pathway.

PMID- 28645173
TI  - Spatially resolved metabolic analysis reveals a central role for transcriptional
      control in carbon allocation to wood.
AB  - The contribution of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation to
      modifying carbon allocation to developing wood of trees is not well defined. To
      clarify the role of transcriptional regulation, the enzyme activity patterns of
      eight central primary metabolism enzymes across phloem, cambium, and developing
      wood of aspen (Populus tremula L.) were compared with transcript levels obtained
      by RNA sequencing of sequential stem sections from the same trees. Enzymes were
      selected on the basis of their importance in sugar metabolism and in linking
      primary metabolism to lignin biosynthesis. Existing enzyme assays were adapted to
      allow measurements from ~1 mm3 sections of dissected stem tissue. These
      experiments provided high spatial resolution of enzyme activity changes across
      different stages of wood development, and identified the gene transcripts
      probably responsible for these changes. In most cases, there was a clear positive
      relationship between transcripts and enzyme activity. During secondary cell wall
      formation, the increases in transcript levels and enzyme activities also matched
      with increased levels of glucose, fructose, hexose phosphates, and UDP-glucose,
      emphasizing an important role for transcriptional regulation in carbon allocation
      to developing aspen wood. These observations corroborate the efforts to increase
      carbon allocation to wood by engineering gene regulatory networks.

PMID- 28645172
TI  - The biogenesis pathway of tRNA-derived piRNAs in Bombyx germ cells.
AB  - Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) function in translational machinery and further serves as a
      source of short non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). tRNA-derived ncRNAs show differential
      expression profiles and play roles in many biological processes beyond
      translation. Molecular mechanisms that shape and regulate their expression
      profiles are largely unknown. Here, we report the mechanism of biogenesis for
      tRNA-derived Piwi-interacting RNAs (td-piRNAs) expressed in Bombyx BmN4 cells. In
      the cells, two cytoplasmic tRNA species, tRNAAspGUC and tRNAHisGUG, served as
      major sources for td-piRNAs, which were derived from the 5'-part of the
      respective tRNAs. cP-RNA-seq identified the two tRNAs as major substrates for the
      5'-tRNA halves as well, suggesting a previously uncharacterized link between 5'
      tRNA halves and td-piRNAs. An increase in levels of the 5'-tRNA halves, induced
      by BmNSun2 knockdown, enhanced the td-piRNA expression levels without
      quantitative change in mature tRNAs, indicating that 5'-tRNA halves, not mature
      tRNAs, are the direct precursors for td-piRNAs. For the generation of tRNAHisGUG
      derived piRNAs, BmThg1l-mediated nucleotide addition to -1 position of tRNAHisGUG
      was required, revealing an important function of BmThg1l in piRNA biogenesis. Our
      study advances the understanding of biogenesis mechanisms and the genesis of
      specific expression profiles for tRNA-derived ncRNAs.

PMID- 28645175
TI  - Perturbation to Cholesterol at the Neuromuscular Junction Confers Botulinum
      Neurotoxin A Sensitivity to Neonatal Mice.
AB  - Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) cleaves SNAP25 at the motor nerve terminals and
      inhibits stimulus evoked acetylcholine release. This causes skeletal muscle
      paralysis. However, younger neonatal mice (<P7; <7-days old) are resistant to the
      neuroparalytic effects of BoNT/A. That is, invivo injection of BoNT/A at the
      innervations of Extensor digitorum longus muscle in the hindlimbs inhibited the
      toe spread reflex within 24 hours following BoNT/A injection in adult mouse and
      in older (>P7) mice. However, neonatal mice younger than 7 days-age remained
      unaffected by BoNT/A injection. Also, BoNT/A inhibited stimulus evoked
      acetylcholine release and stimulus-evoked twitch tension of diaphragm nerve
      muscle preparations (NMPs) of adult mouse and >P7 neonates but not that of <P7.
      Moreover, NMPs of <P7 showed decreased uptake of fluorescent BoNT/A compared to
      >P7. However, cholesterol depletion using methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbetaCD)
      sensitized <P7 neonates to BoNT/A and facilitated BoNT/A uptake into NMPs
      obtained from <P7 neonates. Further, MbetaCD (10 mM; 30 min pretreatment)
      increased the interaction between synaptic vesicle protein 2 and BoNT/A. Also,
      cholesterol depletion increased the miniature endplate current in adult NMPs.
      Interestingly, cholesterol replenishment, invitro, delayed the onset of
      inhibitory effect of BoNT/A. Collectively, our data suggest that cholesterol rich
      lipid microdomains are involved in BoNT/A uptake mechanisms during development.
      Our data demonstrate that cholesterol depletion sensitized neonatal mice (<P7) to
      BoNT/A while replenishing cholesterol delayed the onset of inhibitory actin of
      BoNT/A. This suggests that membrane cholesterol modulates neurotoxin sensitivity
      at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ).

PMID- 28645176
TI  - Efficacy of Histatin5 in a murine model of vulvovaginal candidiasis caused by
      Candida albicans.
AB  - Histatin5 (Hst-5) is a member of the histatin family of antimicrobial peptides
      secreted by human parotid and submandibular glands. With the natural
      antibacterial activity, it plays an important role in the first-line barrier of
      oral cave against pathogens, especially for the fungal intrusion. In this study,
      we explored the utility of Hst-5 in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis, a
      common condition of women of the childbearing age. We used a synthesized Hst-5
      over five consecutive days as the topical treatment in a murine model of
      vulvovaginal candidiasis. According to the fungal colony counts, fungal burden in
      the vagina lavage dropped remarkably after treatment with Hst-5. Furthermore,
      cytological analysis of the lavage fluid indicated that the number of cast-off
      cells including cornified epithelial cells and inflammatory cells also decreased;
      histological evaluation of the vagina tissue revealed less fungi adhering to the
      vaginal wall in treated animals than in controls. Combined, these results
      suggested for the first time the potential utility of Hst-5 as a topical
      treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis, uncovering the possibility of exploiting
      the natural antibiotic peptides in other aspects.

PMID- 28645177
TI  - Mobile genetic elements in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: movement for change.
AB  - Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of the sexually transmitted disease
      gonorrhoeae, possesses several mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The MGEs such as
      transposable elements mediate intrachromosomal rearrangements, while plasmids and
      the gonococcal genetic island are involved in interchromosomal gene transfer.
      Additionally, gonococcal MGEs serve as hotspots for recombination and integration
      of other genetic elements such as bacteriophages, contribute to gene regulation
      or spread genes through gonococcal populations by horizontal gene transfer. In
      this review, we summarise the literature on the structure and biology of MGEs and
      discuss how these genetic elements may play a role in the pathogenesis and spread
      of antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae. Although an abundance of
      information about gonococcal MGEs exists (mainly from whole genome sequencing and
      bioinformatic analysis), there are still many open questions on how MGEs
      influence the biology of N. gonorrhoeae.

PMID- 28645178
TI  - Ecological imperatives for aquatic CO2-concentrating mechanisms.
AB  - In aquatic environments, the concentration of inorganic carbon is spatially and
      temporally variable and CO2 can be substantially oversaturated or depleted.
      Depletion of CO2 plus low rates of diffusion cause inorganic carbon to be more
      limiting in aquatic than terrestrial environments, and the frequency of species
      with a CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM), and their contribution to productivity,
      is correspondingly greater. Aquatic photoautotrophs may have biochemical or
      biophysical CCMs and exploit CO2 from the sediment or the atmosphere. Though
      partly constrained by phylogeny, CCM activity is related to environmental
      conditions. CCMs are absent or down-regulated when their increased energy costs,
      lower CO2 affinity, or altered mineral requirements outweigh their benefits.
      Aquatic CCMs are most widespread in environments with low CO2, high HCO3-, high
      pH, and high light. Freshwater species are generally less effective at inorganic
      carbon removal than marine species, but have a greater range of ability to remove
      carbon, matching the environmental variability in carbon availability. The
      diversity of CCMs in seagrasses and marine phytoplankton, and detailed
      mechanistic studies on larger aquatic photoautotrophs are understudied.
      Strengthening the links between ecology and CCMs will increase our understanding
      of the mechanisms underlying ecological success and will place mechanistic
      studies in a clearer ecological context.

PMID- 28645179
TI  - System-wide analysis of short-term response to high temperature in Pinus radiata.
AB  - Pinus radiata seedlings, the most widely planted pine species in the world, were
      exposed to temperatures within a range mimicking future scenarios based on
      current models of heat increase. The short-term heat response in P. radiata was
      studied in detail by exploring the metabolome, proteome and targeted
      transcriptome. The use of complementary mass spectrometry techniques, GC-MS and
      LC-Orbitrap-MS, together with novel bioinformatics tools allowed the reliable
      quantification of 2,075 metabolites and 901 protein groups. Integrative analyses
      of different functional levels and plant physiological status revealed a complex
      molecular interaction network of positive and negative correlations between
      proteins and metabolites involved in short-term heat response, including three
      main physiological functions as: 1) A hormone subnetwork, where fatty acids,
      flavonoids and hormones presented a key role; 2) An oxidoreductase subnetwork,
      including several dehydrogenase and peroxidase proteins; and 3) A heat shock
      protein subnetwork, with numerous proteins that contain a HSP20 domain, all of
      which were overexpressed at the transcriptional level. Integrated analysis
      pinpointed the basic mechanisms underlying the short-term physiological reaction
      of P. radiata during heat response. This approach was feasible in forest species
      and unmasked two novel candidate biomarkers of heat resistance, PHO1 and
      TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR APFI, and a MITOCHONDRIAL SMALL HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN, for use
      in future breeding programs.

PMID- 28645181
TI  - The clinical benefits of perioperative antioxidant vitamin therapy in patients
      undergoing cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.
AB  - The clinical benefits of perioperative antioxidant vitamin therapy in cardiac
      patients remain controversial. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine
      the strength of the evidence supporting the perioperative use of antioxidant
      vitamins in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We searched 4 databases (PubMed,
      EMBASE, Science Citation Index and Cochrane Library) for randomized controlled
      trials that reported the effects of antioxidant vitamin therapy on patients
      undergoing cardiac surgery until 6 June 2016. Risk ratio (RR) or mean difference
      (MD) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) served as the summarized results.
      Heterogeneity among included studies was evaluated using the I2 statistic, which
      help determine which effect model to apply. We constructed a funnel plot to
      assess the existence of publication bias. Sensitivity analyses were also
      conducted to evaluate the robustness of the outcomes. Twelve trials with 1584
      cardiac patients were included. Compared with placebo or no antioxidant vitamin
      therapy, administration of antioxidant vitamin therapy resulted in a reduction in
      postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.42, 0.73, P <
      0.0001), duration of hospital stay (MD -0.68, 95% CI -0.98, -0.39, P < 0.00001),
      intensive care unit length of stay (MD -0.21, 95% CI -0.30, -0.12, P < 0.00001)
      and intubation time (MD -2.41, 95% CI -3.83, -0.98, P = 0.001). Our results also
      showed a trend towards a decrease in postoperative complications (RR 0.72, 95% CI
      0.48, 1.08, P = 0.11) and duration of POAF (MD -1.950, 95% CI -3.28, 0.29, P =
      0.10). This meta-analysis demonstrated that perioperative antioxidant vitamin
      therapy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery can reduce the incidence of POAF,
      duration of hospital stay, intensive care unit length of stay and intubation
      time.

PMID- 28645180
TI  - Alcohol metabolism and oesophageal cancer: a systematic review of the evidence.
AB  - Alcohol is a major risk factor for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC),
      the most prevalent histological subtype of oesophageal cancer (OC) worldwide. The
      metabolism of alcohol is regulated by specific enzymes whose activity and
      expression is influenced by genetic polymorphisms. We conducted a systematic
      review of current epidemiological evidence of the relationship between alcohol
      intake and OC risk, including the role of tobacco smoking and functional
      polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) and aldehyde dehydrogenases
      (ALDHs). Potential biological mechanisms underlying oesophageal carcinogenesis
      are also discussed. Frequency and intensity of alcohol intake have been
      consistently associated with an increased risk of OSCC in regions with low and
      high incidence of the disease. The highest risk was reported among tobacco
      smokers, whereas the association between alcohol and OSCC risk was weak in the
      absence of tobacco use. The ADH1B, ADH1C and ALDH2 gene polymorphisms influence
      the risk of OSCC through modulation of acetaldehyde metabolism and propensity to
      alcohol intake. These functional variants may be suitable proxies of alcohol
      exposure for use in Mendelian randomization studies if complemented by reported
      alcohol intake data. Recent epidemiological and experimental studies
      investigating the role of alcohol consumption in OC development have implicated
      the microbiome as a new promising avenue for research, which entail novel
      potential mechanisms of alcohol-related oesophageal carcinogenesis. Microbial
      communities associated with alcohol consumption might be used as biomarkers to
      raise the potential of intervening among susceptible individuals.

PMID- 28645182
TI  - Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brainstem Arteriovenous Malformations: A
      Multicenter Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The management of brainstem arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) is a
      formidable challenge. bAVMs harbor higher morbidity and mortality compared to
      other locations. OBJECTIVE: To review the outcomes following stereotactic
      radiosurgery (SRS) of bAVMs in a multicenter study. METHODS: Six medical centers
      contributed data from 205 patients through the International Gamma Knife Research
      Foundation. Median age was 32 yr (6-81). Median nidus volume was 1.4 mL (0.1-69
      mL). Favorable outcome (FO) was defined as AVM obliteration and no post-treatment
      hemorrhage or permanent symptomatic radiation-induced complications. RESULTS:
      Overall obliteration was reported in 65.4% (n = 134) at a mean follow-up of 69
      mo. Obliteration was angiographically proven in 53.2% (n = 109) and on MRA in
      12.2% (n = 25). Actuarial rate of obliteration at 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10 yr after SRS
      was 24.5%, 43.3%, 62.3%, 73%, and 81.8% respectively. Patients treated with a
      margin dose >20 Gy were more likely to achieve obliteration (P = .001).
      Obliteration occurred earlier in patients who received a higher prescribed margin
      dose (P = .05) and maximum dose (P = .041). Post-SRS hemorrhage occurred in 8.8%
      (n = 18). Annual postgamma knife latency period hemorrhage was 1.5%. Radiation
      induced complications were radiologically evident in 35.6% (n = 73), symptomatic
      in 14.6% (n = 30), and permanent in 14.6% (n = 30, which included long-tract
      signs and new cranial nerve deficits). FO was achieved in 64.4% (n = 132).
      Predictors of an FO were a higher Virginia radiosurgery AVM scale score (P =
      .003), prior hemorrhage (P = .045), and a lower prescribed maximum dose (P =
      .006). CONCLUSION: SRS for bAVMs results in obliteration and avoids permanent
      complications in the majority of patients.

PMID- 28645184
TI  - Early Menarche and Menstrual Problems Are Associated with Sleep Disturbance in a
      Large Sample of Chinese Adolescent Girls.
AB  - Study Objectives: Little is known about the association between menstruation and
      sleep disturbance in adolescent girls. This study examined sleep duration,
      insomnia symptoms, and sleep quality in relation to age at menarche and menstrual
      problems in a large sample of Chinese adolescent girls. Methods: This report
      represents the baseline data of an ongoing longitudinal study of the Shandong
      Adolescent Behavior & Health Cohort in Shandong, China. A total of 5800 girls
      aged 12-18 years (mean age = 15.0, standard deviation = 1.4) participated in the
      baseline survey. A structured questionnaire was used to assess participants' age
      at menarche, menstrual cycle interval, menstrual flow length, period
      irregularity, period pain, body weight and height, and demographics.
      Internalizing and externalizing problems were measured by the Youth-Self Report
      of Child Behavioral Checklist. Sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and sleep
      quality were assessed by the items adapted from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality
      Index. Results: After adjusting for age, school, body mass index, internalizing
      and externalizing problems, and family covariates, irregular periods (odds ratio
      [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-2.02), period pain (OR = 1.99,
      95% CI = 1.44-2.76), and menstrual flow length >=7 days (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.00
      1.48) were significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. Irregular periods (OR
      = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.30-2.27) and period pain (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.34-2.37) were
      significantly associated with poor sleep quality. Age at menarche <=11 years (OR
      = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05-2.50) was significantly associated with insomnia symptoms
      in 12- to 14-year-old girls. Conclusions: Our results suggest that irregular
      periods and period pain appear to be associated with sleep disturbance and that
      early menarche may have short-term impact on sleep in adolescent girls.

PMID- 28645183
TI  - In defense of Bacillus thuringiensis, the safest and most successful microbial
      insecticide available to humanity - a response to EFSA.
AB  - The Bacillus cereus group contains vertebrate pathogens such as Bacillus
      anthracis and Bacillus cereus and the invertebrate pathogen Bacillus
      thuringiensis. Microbial biopesticides based on B. thuringiensis (Bt) are widely
      recognized as being among the safest and least environmentally damaging
      insecticidal products available. Nevertheless, a recent food poisoning incident
      prompted a European Food Safety Authority review which argued that B.
      thuringiensis poses a health risk equivalent to B. cereus, a causative agent of
      diarrhoea. However, a critical examination of available data, and this latest
      incident, provide no solid evidence that B. thuringiensis causes diarrhoea.
      Although relatively high levels of B. cereus-like spores can occur in foods,
      genotyping demonstrates that these are predominantly naturally-occurring strains
      rather than biopesticides. Moreover, MLST genotyping of > 2000 isolates show that
      biopesticide genotypes have never been isolated from any clinical infection. MLST
      data demonstrate that Bacillus cereus group is heterogeneous and formed of
      distinct clades with substantial differences in biology, ecology and host
      association. The group posing the greatest risk (the anthracis clade) is
      distantly related to the clade containing all biopesticides. These recent data
      support the long-held view that B. thuringiensis, and especially the strains used
      in Bt biopesticides, are very safe for humans.

PMID- 28645186
TI  - IGF-I Gene Therapy in Aging Rats Modulates Hippocampal Genes Relevant to Memory
      Function.
AB  - In rats, learning and memory performance decline during normal aging, which makes
      this rodent species a suitable model to evaluate therapeutic strategies. In aging
      rats, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), is known to significantly improve
      spatial memory accuracy as compared to control counterparts. A constellation of
      gene expression changes underlie the hippocampal phenotype of aging but no
      studies on the effects of IGF-I on the hippocampal transcriptome of old rodents
      have been documented. Here, we assessed the effects of IGF-I gene therapy on
      spatial memory performance in old female rats and compared them with changes in
      the hippocampal transcriptome. In the Barnes maze test, experimental rats showed
      a significantly higher exploratory frequency of the goal hole than controls.
      Hippocampal RNA-sequencing showed that 219 genes are differentially expressed in
      28-month-old rats intracerebroventricularly injected with an adenovector
      expressing rat IGF-I as compared with placebo adenovector-injected counterparts.
      From the differentially expressed genes, 81 were down and 138 upregulated. From
      those genes, a list of functionally relevant genes, concerning hippocampal IGF-I
      expression, synaptic plasticity as well as neuronal function was identified. Our
      results provide an initial glimpse at the molecular mechanisms underlying the
      neuroprotective actions of IGF-I in the aging brain.

PMID- 28645185
TI  - Soil prokaryotic communities in Chernobyl waste disposal trench T22 are modulated
      by organic matter and radionuclide contamination.
AB  - After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986, contaminated soils,
      vegetation from the Red Forest and other radioactive debris were buried within
      trenches. In this area, trench T22 has long been a pilot site for the study of
      radionuclide migration in soil. Here, we used 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA
      genes to obtain a comprehensive view of the bacterial and archaeal diversity in
      soils collected inside and in the vicinity of the trench T22 and to investigate
      the impact of radioactive waste disposal on prokaryotic communities. A remarkably
      high abundance of Chloroflexi and AD3 was detected in all soil samples from this
      area. Our statistical analysis revealed profound changes in community composition
      at the phylum and OTUs levels and higher diversity in the trench soils as
      compared to the outside. Our results demonstrate that the total absorbed dose
      rate by cell and, to a lesser extent the organic matter content of the trench,
      are the principal variables influencing prokaryotic assemblages. We identified
      specific phylotypes affiliated to the phyla Crenarchaeota, Acidobacteria, AD3,
      Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and WPS-2, which were unique for the
      trench soils.

PMID- 28645187
TI  - Salmonella virulence plasmid: pathogenesis and ecology.
AB  - A current view on the role of the Salmonella virulence plasmid in the
      pathogenesis of animal and human hosts is discussed; including the possible
      relevance in secondary ecological niches. Various strategies towards further
      studies in this respect are proposed within the One Health Concept.

PMID- 28645188
TI  - Temporal variation of the microbiome is dependent on body region in a wild mammal
      (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).
AB  - Microbial communities are increasingly being recognized as important to host
      health in wild mammals, but how these communities are characterized can have
      important consequences on the results of these studies. Previous research has
      explored temporal variation in microbial communities in humans and lab mammals,
      but few have investigated how microbiomes fluctuate in wild populations and none
      have examined the temporal dynamics of these fluctuations in different body
      regions on a wild mammal. Using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the V3-V4 16S rRNA
      gene regions, we characterized the buccal and gut microbiomes of wild North
      American red squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, to measure changes in these two
      microbiomes over short (<2 weeks), medium (2-4 weeks) and long (>1 month) term
      sampling periods. While we observed short and medium temporal stability in the
      buccal microbiome, the gut microbiome varied between medium and long-term
      sampling periods. There was no evidence of intra-individual correlations between
      buccal and gut microbiome change, suggesting that temporal stability is dependent
      on the body region and factors affecting microbial stability may be specific to
      body sites. From these findings, we urge researchers to be cautious in
      interpreting results from single temporal sampling periods when quantifying
      characteristic microbiomes in wild mammals.

PMID- 28645189
TI  - The potential role of retinoic acid receptor alpha on glomerulosclerosis in rats
      and podocytes injury is associated with the induction of MMP2 and MMP9.
AB  - Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARalpha) plays a crucial role in kidney disease.
      However, the underlying mechanisms in glomerulosclerosis (GS) is still not clear.
      The roles of RARalpha in an adriamycin (ADR)-induced GS rat model and in ADR
      induced podocyte injury in vitro were investigated. RARalpha was over-expressed
      in GS rats, and serum, urine and kidney samples were collected to detect the
      induction of the expression of the receptor. RARalpha expression was inhibited
      and/or over-expressed in cultured podocytes following injury, as demonstrated by
      morphometric assays, cell toxicity, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymatic
      activity. RARalpha displayed a renoprotective role in GS rats, resulting in a
      lower GS index, podocyte foot process fusion, and proteinuria, reduced serum
      creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. Further experiments indicated that RARalpha
      inhibited the accumulation of TGF-beta1, alpha-smooth muscle actin, collagen IV,
      and fibronectin, while it induced MMP2 and MMP9 excessive expression in podocytes
      in vitro. RARalpha improved the renal function and attenuated the progression of
      GS that was associated with the over-expression of MMP2 and MMP9.

PMID- 28645190
TI  - Analysis of Ribosomal DNA Cannot Unequivocally Assign Ascaris to Species Level or
      Identify Hybrids.

PMID- 28645192
TI  - Frequent Sexual Activity Predicts Specific Cognitive Abilities in Older Adults.
AB  - Objectives: This study replicates and extends the findings of previous research
      (Wright, H., & Jenks, R. A. (2016). Sex on the brain! Associations between sexual
      activity and cognitive function in older age. Age and Ageing, 45, 313-317.
      doi:10.1093/ageing/afv197) which found a significant association between sexual
      activity (SA) and cognitive function in older adults. Specifically, this study
      aimed to generalize these findings to a range of cognitive domains, and to assess
      whether increasing SA frequency is associated with increasing scores on a variety
      of cognitive tasks. Methods: Seventy-three participants aged 50-83 years took
      part in the study (38.4% male, 61.6% female). Participants completed the
      Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III) cognitive assessment and a
      questionnaire on SA frequency (never, monthly, or weekly), and general health and
      lifestyle. Results: Weekly SA was a significant predictor of total ACE-III,
      fluency, and visuospatial scores in regression models, including age, gender,
      education, and cardiovascular health. Discussion: Greater frequency of SA was
      associated with better overall ACE-III scores and scores on subtests of verbal
      fluency and visuospatial ability. Both of these tasks involve working memory and
      executive function, and links between sexual behavior, memory, and dopamine are
      discussed. The findings have implications for the maintenance of intimate
      relationships in later life.

PMID- 28645191
TI  - How Effective Is Algorithm-Guided Treatment for Depressed Inpatients? Results
      from the Randomized Controlled Multicenter German Algorithm Project 3 Trial.
AB  - Background: Treatment algorithms are considered as key to improve outcomes by
      enhancing the quality of care. This is the first randomized controlled study to
      evaluate the clinical effect of algorithm-guided treatment in inpatients with
      major depressive disorder. Methods: Inpatients, aged 18 to 70 years with major
      depressive disorder from 10 German psychiatric departments were randomized to 5
      different treatment arms (from 2000 to 2005), 3 of which were standardized
      stepwise drug treatment algorithms (ALGO). The fourth arm proposed medications
      and provided less specific recommendations based on a computerized documentation
      and expert system (CDES), the fifth arm received treatment as usual (TAU). ALGO
      included 3 different second-step strategies: lithium augmentation (ALGO LA),
      antidepressant dose-escalation (ALGO DE), and switch to a different
      antidepressant (ALGO SW). Time to remission (21-item Hamilton Depression Rating
      Scale <=9) was the primary outcome. Results: Time to remission was significantly
      shorter for ALGO DE (n=91) compared with both TAU (n=84) (HR=1.67; P=.014) and
      CDES (n=79) (HR=1.59; P=.031) and ALGO SW (n=89) compared with both TAU (HR=1.64;
      P=.018) and CDES (HR=1.56; P=.038). For both ALGO LA (n=86) and ALGO DE, fewer
      antidepressant medications were needed to achieve remission than for CDES or TAU
      (P<.001). Remission rates at discharge differed across groups; ALGO DE had the
      highest (89.2%) and TAU the lowest rates (66.2%). Conclusions: A highly
      structured algorithm-guided treatment is associated with shorter times and fewer
      medication changes to achieve remission with depressed inpatients than treatment
      as usual or computerized medication choice guidance.

PMID- 28645193
TI  - IRF6 Regulates Alternative Activation by Suppressing PPARgamma in Male Murine
      Macrophages.
AB  - Aberrant proinflammatory and suppressed anti-inflammatory (alternative; M2)
      macrophage activation underlies the chronic inflammation associated with obesity
      and other metabolic disorders. This study demonstrates a critical role for
      interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) in regulating macrophage M2 activation by
      suppressing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma)
      expression, a critical regulator of alternative macrophage polarization. The data
      demonstrate suppression of IRF6 in both M2 macrophages and obese adipose tissue
      macrophages. Using gain- and loss-of-function strategies, we confirmed that IRF6
      knockdown enhanced M2 activation, whereas IRF6 overexpression dramatically
      attenuated M2 activation. Computational target prediction analysis coupled with
      chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that IRF6 suppresses PPARgamma through
      binding IRF recognition sites located upstream of the PPARgamma coding region.
      Taken together, our results suggest that an IRF6/PPARgamma regulatory axis
      suppresses anti-inflammatory responses in bone marrow-derived macrophages and
      provides references for future study addressing dysregulated metabolic and
      immunologic homeostasis of obese adipose tissue.

PMID- 28645194
TI  - Predictors of Treatment Response and Survival Outcomes in Meningioma Recurrence
      with Atypical or Anaplastic Histology.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recurrence rates for atypical and anaplastic meningiomas range
      between 9% and 50% after gross total resection and between 36% and 83% after
      subtotal resection. Optimal treatment of recurrent meningiomas exhibiting
      atypical/anaplastic histology is complicated because they are often refractory to
      both surgery and radiation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical determinants of
      recurrence and treatment-specific outcomes in patients with recurrent meningiomas
      exhibiting atypical/anaplastic histology at our institution. METHODS: A cohort
      study was conducted using clinical data of all patients treated for meningiomas
      with atypical/anaplastic histology at first recurrence between January 1985 and
      July 2014 at a tertiary cancer center. Predictors of second recurrence were
      analyzed using competing risks regression models. RESULTS: Nine hundred eighteen
      patients with meningioma were screened, of whom 60 (55% female) had recurrent
      disease with atypical/anaplastic histology at a median age of 58.1 yr at
      diagnosis. The median follow-up from the time of first recurrence was 36.7 mo,
      with 32 (53%) patients alive at last follow-up. There was no effect of extent of
      resection at first recurrence on time to a subsequent recurrence. Inclusion of
      radiation as primary or adjuvant therapy at first recurrence reduced the risk of
      progression or subsequent recurrence compared to surgery alone (P = .07).
      CONCLUSION: Treatment of recurrent meningiomas with atypical/anaplastic histology
      remains challenging. Our data, from one of the largest cohorts, suggest better
      tumor control with the addition of radiation and challenges the importance of
      extent of resection at first recurrence. A multicenter effort is needed to
      confirm these findings and propose treatment guidelines.

PMID- 28645195
TI  - Mutational Biases Influence Parallel Adaptation.
AB  - While mutational biases strongly influence neutral molecular evolution, the role
      of mutational biases in shaping the course of adaptation is less clear. Here we
      consider the frequency of transitions relative to transversions among adaptive
      substitutions. Because mutation rates for transitions are higher than those for
      transversions, if mutational biases influence the dynamics of adaptation, then
      transitions should be overrepresented among documented adaptive substitutions. To
      test this hypothesis, we assembled two sets of data on putatively adaptive amino
      acid replacements that have occurred in parallel during evolution, either in
      nature or in the laboratory. We find that the frequency of transitions in these
      data sets is much higher than would be predicted under a null model where
      mutation has no effect. Our results are qualitatively similar even if we restrict
      ourself to changes that have occurred, not merely twice, but three or more times.
      These results suggest that the course of adaptation is biased by mutation.

PMID- 28645196
TI  - Antagonistic regulation of cyclin expression by the bZIP transcription factors
      Pcr1 and Atf1 during G2/M transition.
AB  - The transcription factor Atf1 is known to promote cell survival during various
      stress conditions in Schizosaccharomyces pombe by activating the expression of
      appropriate genes. It can also activate transcription of other important genes
      responsible for cell cycle progression. An Atf1-dependent increase in the
      expression of cell division promoting genes will oppose activation of checkpoints
      necessary to ensure repairs and cell survival during stress. Hence, selective
      inhibition of the cell cycle-related functions of Atf1 would be indispensable for
      cellular survival during stress. Here we present evidence in favour of selective
      inhibition of Atf1's ability to activate cdc13+ transcription. We show that the
      transcription factor Pcr1 can specifically inhibit the recruitment of Atf1 on
      cdc13 promoter and thereby prevent Atf1-mediated mitotic acceleration. We also
      show that this opposition of Atf1 functions by Pcr1 extends to the G1-S
      transition event as well. Altogether these results suggest a previously unknown
      antagonistic function of Atf1 and Pcr1 in regulating Cdc13 expression during cell
      cycle progression.

PMID- 28645197
TI  - pHTbeta-promoted mobilization of non-conjugative resistance plasmids from
      Enterococcus faecium to Enterococcus faecalis.
AB  - Objectives: To analyse the recombination events associated with conjugal
      mobilization of two multiresistance plasmids, pRUM17i48 and pLAG (formerly named
      pDO1-like), from Enterococcus faecium 17i48 to Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2.
      Methods: The plasmids from two E. faecalis transconjugants (JH-4T, tetracycline
      resistant, and JH-8E, erythromycin resistant) and from the E. faecium donor (also
      carrying a pHTbeta-like conjugative plasmid, named pHTbeta17i48) were
      investigated by several methods, including PCR mapping and sequencing, S1-PFGE
      followed by Southern blotting and hybridization, and WGS. Results: Two locations
      of repApHTbeta were detected in both transconjugants, one on a ~50 kb plasmid (as
      in the donor) and the other on plasmids of larger sizes. In JH-4T, WGS disclosed
      an 88.6 kb plasmid resulting from the recombination of pHTbeta17i48 (~50 kb) and
      a new plasmid, named pLAG (35.3 kb), carrying the tet(M), tet(L), lsa(E), lnu(B),
      spw and aadE resistance genes. In JH-8E, a 75 kb plasmid resulting from the
      recombination of pHTbeta17i48 and pRUM17i48 was observed. In both cases, the
      cointegrates were apparently derived from replicative transposition of an IS1216
      present in each of the multiresistance plasmids into pHTbeta17i48. The
      cointegrates could resolve to yield the multiresistance plasmids and a
      pHTbeta17i48 derivative carrying an IS1216 (unlike the pHTbeta17i48 of the
      donor). Conclusions: Our results completed the characterization of the
      multiresistance plasmids carried by the E. faecium 17i48, confirming the role of
      pHT plasmids in the mobilization of non-conjugative antibiotic resistance
      elements among enterococci. Results also revealed that mobilization to E.
      faecalis was associated with the generation of cointegrate plasmids promoted by
      IS1216-mediated transposition.

PMID- 28645199
TI  - Do Neurobiological Understandings of Smoking Influence Quitting Self-Efficacy or
      Treatment Intentions?
AB  - Introduction: Addiction is increasingly defined as a "brain disease" caused by
      changes to neurochemistry. While nicotine addiction has historically been
      excluded in the brain disease model of addiction (BDMA), it is beginning to be
      labeled a chronic brain disease. We investigated whether Australian smokers
      endorse brain-based explanations of smoking, and whether these beliefs are
      associated with quitting self-efficacy or treatment intentions. Method: Cross
      sectional study of Australian smokers (N = 1538) who completed a survey measuring
      their agreement with statements on the brain's role in smoking. Logistic
      regressions tested associations between these items and socio-demographic
      variables, quitting self-efficacy and intention to use cessation medications.
      Results: The majority (57.9%) agreed that smoking changed brain chemistry and
      34.4% agreed that smoking was a brain disease. Younger participants and those
      with more education were more likely to endorse brain-based understandings of
      smoking. Participants who agreed smoking changed brain chemistry were more likely
      to report an intention to use cessation medicines (OR 1.5, 95% CI = 1.0-2.2) as
      were those who agreed that smoking was a brain disease (OR 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1
      2.1). Self-efficacy did not differ between those who agreed and disagreed that
      smoking changed brain chemistry. However, those who agreed that smoking was a
      brain disease had higher self-efficacy than those who disagreed (OR 1.7, 95% CI =
      1.3-2.3). Conclusion: A neurobiological view of smoking does not dominate public
      understandings of smoking in Australia. Endorsement of neurobiological
      explanations of smoking were associated with increased intention to use cessation
      aids, but were not associated with reduced self-efficacy. Implications:
      Explaining tobacco dependence in neurobiological terms is unlikely to induce
      feelings of fatalism in relation to smoking cessation. Those who endorse
      biomedical explanations of smoking may be more open to using cessation
      pharmacotherapies. Describing smoking in terms of alterations in brain chemistry
      may be more acceptable to smokers than labeling smoking a "brain disease" or
      "brain disorder."

PMID- 28645198
TI  - Diabetes-Specific and General Life Stress and Glycemic Outcomes in Emerging
      Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Is Race/Ethnicity a Moderator?
AB  - Objective: This study examines whether race/ethnicity moderates relationships of
      (a) diabetes stress and general life stressors with (b) diabetes outcomes of
      glycemic control and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) among emerging adults (aged 18
      25 years) with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Method: Using a T1D Exchange Registry
      sample of non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic emerging adults (N =
      3,440), multiple group analyses were used to determine whether race/ethnicity
      moderates the relationships between stress and diabetes outcomes. Results: The
      relationships between the two stress types and glycemic control did not differ
      between African American and non-Hispanic Whites. However, as compared with non
      Hispanic Whites, the association between higher diabetes-specific stress and
      poorer glycemic control was significantly stronger for Hispanics, and Hispanics
      had poorer glycemic control when they experienced a relatively fewer number of
      general life stressors than non-Hispanic Whites. The relationships between the
      type of stress (diabetes-specific and general stress) and DKA did not differ
      across racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions: Future research should evaluate
      possible mechanisms that contribute to the different relationships of stress with
      glycemic control among Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic Whites.

PMID- 28645200
TI  - Prognostic awareness, prognostic communication, and cognitive function in
      patients with malignant glioma.
AB  - Background: Malignant glioma (MG) is a devastating neuro-oncologic disease with
      almost invariably poor prognosis. Prognostic awareness (PA) is the awareness of
      incurable disease and shortened life expectancy (LE). Accurate PA is associated
      with favorable psychological outcomes at the end of life (EoL) for patients with
      cancer; however, little is known about PA or prognostic communication in MG.
      Moreover, research has yet to evaluate the impact of cognitive impairment on PA
      and preferred forms of communication. Methods: Fifty MG patients and 32 paired
      caregivers were evaluated in this exploratory study with a semi-structured PA
      assessment aimed to measure their awareness of MG incurability and LE. Full PA
      was defined as awareness of MG incurability and accurate estimate of LE. The
      assessment included a survey about preferences for prognostic communication
      (items from the Prognosis and Treatment Perceptions Questionnaire),
      neurocognitive assessment (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised, Trail Making
      Test Parts A and B, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test), and
      measurements of mood (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and quality of life
      (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain [FACT-Br]). Results: Twenty (40%)
      patients and 22 (69%) caregivers had full PA. Thirty (60%) patients and 23 (72%)
      caregivers reported that prognostic information was extremely or very important,
      and 21 (42%) patients and 16 (50%) caregivers desired more prognostic
      information. Patients with memory impairment more frequently believed that
      prognostic information was important (P = 0.04, P = 0.03) and desired more
      information (P = 0.05, P = 0.003) as compared with those without impairment.
      Conclusions: Most MG patients were unaware of their LE. Memory impairment may
      influence preferences for prognostic information.

PMID- 28645201
TI  - Benznidazole treatment safety: the Medecins Sans Frontieres experience in a large
      cohort of Bolivian patients with Chagas' disease.
AB  - Background: Up to half of patients with Chagas' disease under benznidazole
      treatment present adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and up to one-third do not
      complete standard treatment. Objectives: To verify the incidence and possible
      factors associated with the suspension of benznidazole treatment in a large
      cohort of patients. Methods: We included 2075 patients treated with benznidazole
      during the projects managed by the medical humanitarian organization Doctors
      Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) in Bolivia from 2009 to 2013.
      Benznidazole treatment was provided two or three times per day for ~60 days at 5
      7.5 mg/kg/day. A multiple logistic regression model was developed to evaluate the
      factors associated with permanent suspension of benznidazole treatment. Results:
      Permanent benznidazole treatment suspension occurred in 211 patients (10.2%) and
      the average time until permanent treatment suspension was 23 days. Multifactorial
      analysis revealed that female sex (adjusted OR = 1.70), moderate ADRs (adjusted
      OR = 10.57), mild ADRs (adjusted OR = 1.69) and skin disorders (adjusted OR =
      4.18) were significantly associated with the permanent suspension of benznidazole
      treatment. Women with mild or moderate skin ADRs presented a probability of
      treatment interruption of 18.6% and 59.0%, respectively. Conclusions:
      Benznidazole treatment was safe and a large proportion of patients were able to
      complete a full course of benznidazole treatment under close treatment
      surveillance. Female sex, skin disorders and mild and moderate ADRs were
      independently associated with the permanent suspension of benznidazole treatment.
      In particular, women with moderate skin ADRs had the highest risk of benznidazole
      treatment interruption.

PMID- 28645203
TI  - Neurosurgical Randomized Controlled Trials-Distance Travelled.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The evidence base for many neurosurgical procedures has been limited.
      We performed a comprehensive and systematic analysis of study design, quality of
      reporting, and trial results of neurosurgical randomized controlled trials
      (RCTs). OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the design and quality
      characteristics of neurosurgical RCTs. METHODS: From January 1961 to June 2016,
      RCTs with >5 patients assessing any 1 neurosurgical procedure against another
      procedure, nonsurgical treatment, or no treatment were retrieved from MEDLINE,
      Scopus, and Cochrane Library. RESULTS: The median sample size in the 401 eligible
      RCTs was 73 patients with a mean patient age of 49.6. Only 111 trials (27.1%)
      described allocation concealment, 140 (34.6%) provided power calculations, and
      117 (28.9%) were adequately powered. Significant efficacy or trend for efficacy
      was claimed in 226 reports (56.4%), no difference between the procedures was
      found in 166 trials (41.4%), and significant harm was reported in 9 trials
      (2.2%). Trials with a larger sample size were more likely to report randomization
      mode, specify allocation concealment, and power calculations (all P < .001).
      Government funding was associated with better specification of power calculations
      (P = .008) and of allocation concealment (P = .026), while industry funding was
      associated with reporting significant efficacy (P = .02). Reporting of funding,
      specification of randomization mode and primary outcomes, and mention of power
      calculations improved significantly (all, P < .05) over time. CONCLUSION: Several
      aspects of the design and reporting of RCTs on neurosurgical procedures have
      improved over time. Better powered and accurately reported trials are needed in
      neurosurgery to deliver evidence-based care and achieve optimal outcomes.

PMID- 28645202
TI  - Effects of Mobility and Multimorbidity on Inpatient and Postacute Health Care
      Utilization.
AB  - Background: This study examines effects of mobility and multimorbidity on
      hospitalization and inpatient and postacute care (PAC) facility days among older
      men. Methods: Prospective study of 1,701 men (mean age 79.3 years) participating
      in Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study Year 7 (Y7) examination (2007-2008)
      linked with their Medicare claims. At Y7, mobility ascertained by usual gait
      speed and categorized as poor, intermediate, or good. Multimorbidity quantified
      by applying Elixhauser algorithm to inpatient and outpatient claims and
      categorized as none, mild-moderate, or high. Hospitalizations and PAC facility
      stays ascertained during 12 months following Y7. Results: Reduced mobility and
      greater multimorbidity burden were independently associated with a higher risk of
      inpatient and PAC facility utilization, after accounting for each other and
      traditional indicators. Adjusted mean total facility days per year were 1.13 (95%
      confidence interval [CI] = 0.74-1.40) among men with good mobility increasing to
      2.43 (95% CI = 1.17-3.84) among men with poor mobility, and 0.67 (95% CI = 0.38
      0.91) among men without multimorbidity increasing to 2.70 (95% CI = 1.58-3.77)
      among men with high multimorbidity. Men with poor mobility and high
      multimorbidity had a ninefold increase in mean total facility days per year
      (5.50, 95% CI = 2.78-10.87) compared with men with good mobility without
      multimorbidity (0.59, 95% CI = 0.37-0.95). Conclusions: Among older men, mobility
      limitations and multimorbidity were independent predictors of higher inpatient
      and PAC utilization after considering each other and conventional predictors.
      Marked combined effects of reduced mobility and multimorbidity burden may be
      important to consider in clinical decision-making and planning health care
      delivery strategies for the growing aged population.

PMID- 28645204
TI  - When Homoplasy Is Not Homoplasy: Dissecting Trait Evolution by Contrasting
      Composite and Reductive Coding.
AB  - The conceptualization and coding of characters is a difficult issue in
      phylogenetic systematics, no matter which inference method is used when
      reconstructing phylogenetic trees or if the characters are just mapped onto a
      specific tree. Complex characters are groups of features that can be divided into
      simpler hierarchical characters (reductive coding), although the implied
      hierarchical relational information may change depending on the type of coding
      (composite vs. reductive). Up to now, there is no common agreement to either code
      characters as complex or simple. Phylogeneticists have discussed which coding
      method is best but have not incorporated the heuristic process of reciprocal
      illumination to evaluate the coding. Composite coding allows to test whether 1)
      several characters were linked resulting in a structure described as a complex
      character or trait or 2) independently evolving characters resulted in the
      configuration incorrectly interpreted as a complex character. We propose that
      complex characters or character states should be decomposed iteratively into
      simpler characters when the original homology hypothesis is not corroborated by a
      phylogenetic analysis, and the character or character state is retrieved as
      homoplastic. We tested this approach using the case of fruit types within
      subfamily Cinchonoideae (Rubiaceae). The iterative reductive coding of characters
      associated with drupes allowed us to unthread fruit evolution within
      Cinchonoideae. Our results show that drupes and berries are not homologous. As a
      consequence, a more precise ontology for the Cinchonoideae drupes is required.

PMID- 28645205
TI  - Aquaporin Positron Emission Tomography Differentiates Between Grade III and IV
      Human Astrocytoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aquaporin (AQP) water channels play a significant role in mesenchymal
      microvascular proliferation and infiltrative growth. AQPs are highly expressed in
      malignant astrocytomas, and a positive correlation is observed between their
      expression levels and histological tumor grade. OBJECTIVE: To examine the utility
      of aquaporin positron emission tomography (PET) for differentiating between
      astrocytoma grade III and grade IV using the AQP radioligand [11C]TGN-020.
      METHODS: Fifteen astrocytoma patients, grade III (n = 7) and grade IV (n = 8),
      and 10 healthy volunteers underwent [11C]TGN-020 aquaporin PET imaging. Surgical
      tissues of astrocytoma patients were examined for histopathological grading using
      the WHO classification standard and expression of AQP1 and AQP4
      immunohistochemically. RESULTS: Mean standardized uptake values of astrocytoma
      grade III and IV (0.51 +/- 0.11 vs 1.50 +/- 0.44, respectively) were higher than
      normal white matter (0.17 +/- 0.02, P < .001) for both tumor grades. Importantly,
      mean standardized uptake values of astrocytoma grade IV were significantly higher
      than grade III (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that [11C]TGN-020
      aquaporin PET imaging differentiated between astrocytoma grades III and IV. We
      suggest its clinical application as a noninvasive diagnostic tool would lead to
      advancements in the management of these malignant brain tumors.

PMID- 28645206
TI  - Catheter-based renal denervation as therapy for chronic severe kidney-related
      pain.
AB  - Background: Loin pain haematuria syndrome (LPHS) and autosomal dominant
      polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are the most important non-urological
      conditions to cause chronic severe kidney-related pain. Multidisciplinary
      programmes and surgical methods have shown inconsistent results with respect to
      pain reduction. Percutaneous catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) could be a
      less invasive treatment option for these patients. Methods: Our aim was to
      explore the change in perceived pain and use of analgesic medication from
      baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months after RDN. Patients with LPHS or ADPKD, who
      experienced kidney-related pain >=3 months with a visual analogue scale (VAS)
      score >= 50/100 could be included. Percutaneous RDN was performed with a single
      electrode radiofrequency ablation catheter. Results: RDN was performed in 11
      patients (6 with LPHS and 5 with ADPKD). Perceived pain declined in the whole
      group by 23 mm (P = 0.012 for the total group). In patients with LPHS and ADPKD,
      the median daily defined dosage of analgesic medication decreased from 1.6
      [interquartile range (IQR) 0.7-2.3] and 1.4 (IQR 0.0-7.4) at baseline to 0.3 (IQR
      0.0-1.9; P = 0.138) and 0.0 (IQR 0.0-0.8; P = 0.285) at 12 months, respectively.
      Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate decreased in the whole group by 5.4
      mL/min/1.73 m 2 at 6 months compared with baseline (P = 0.163). Conclusions:
      These results suggest that percutaneous catheter-based RDN reduces pain
      complaints and the use of analgesic medication in patients with LPHS or ADPKD.
      The present results can serve as the rationale for a larger, preferably
      randomized (sham) controlled study.

PMID- 28645207
TI  - Development and validation of an electronic medical record (EMR)-based computed
      phenotype of HIV-1 infection.
AB  - Background: Electronic medical record (EMR) computed algorithms allow
      investigators to screen thousands of patient records to identify specific disease
      cases. No computed algorithms have been developed to detect all cases of human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection using administrative, laboratory, and
      clinical documentation data outside of the Veterans Health Administration. We
      developed novel EMR-based algorithms for HIV detection and validated them in a
      cohort of subjects in the Duke University Health System (DUHS). Methods: We
      created 2 novel algorithms to identify HIV-infected subjects. Algorithm 1 used
      laboratory studies and medications to identify HIV-infected subjects, whereas
      Algorithm 2 used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)
      codes, medications, and laboratory testing. We applied the algorithms to a well
      characterized cohort of patients and validated both against the gold standard of
      physician chart review. We determined sensitivity, specificity, and prevalence of
      HIV between 2007 and 2011 in patients seen at DUHS. Results: A total of 172 271
      patients were detected with complete data; 1063 patients met algorithm criteria
      for HIV infection. In all, 970 individuals were identified by both algorithms, 78
      by Algorithm 1 alone, and 15 by Algorithm 2 alone. The sensitivity and
      specificity of each algorithm were 78% and 99%, respectively, for Algorithm 1 and
      77% and 100% for Algorithm 2. The estimated prevalence of HIV infection at DUHS
      between 2007 and 2011 was 0.6%. Conclusions: EMR-based phenotypes of HIV
      infection are capable of detecting cases of HIV-infected adults with good
      sensitivity and specificity. These algorithms have the potential to be adapted to
      other EMR systems, allowing for the creation of cohorts of patients across EMR
      systems.

PMID- 28645210
TI  - Minimally Invasive Autopsy: Welcoming a New Tool for Cause of Death Investigation
      in Children in Resource-constrained Countries.

PMID- 28645209
TI  - Genome-Wide Mapping of In Vivo ERalpha-Binding Sites in Male Mouse Efferent
      Ductules.
AB  - As an important nuclear hormone receptor, estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha),
      which is encoded by the Esr1 gene, regulates the expression of hundreds of genes
      in a stimulus-specific, temporal, and tissue-specific fashion, mainly by binding
      to specific DNA sequences called estrogen response elements (EREs). As an
      important estrogen target tissue in males, the function of the efferent ductules
      relies on the presence of the ERalpha protein, but the underlying regulatory
      mechanisms are poorly illustrated. In this study, genome-wide ERalpha-binding
      sites in mouse efferent ductules were mapped by chromatin immunoprecipitation
      sequencing. In total, 12,105 peaks were identified, and a majority of them were
      located far from the annotated gene transcription start site. Motif analysis
      revealed that ~80% of the ERalpha-binding peaks harbored at least one ERE,
      whereas androgen response element-like sequences were the most overrepresented
      motif in the peaks without any EREs. A number of candidate transcription factor
      motifs adjacent to the EREs were significantly enriched, including AP2 and GRE,
      implying the involvement of these putative adjacent factors in the global
      regulation of ERalpha target genes. Unexpectedly, more than 50% of the ERalpha
      binding peaks in mouse efferent ductules overlapped with those binding peaks
      previously identified in mouse uterus, suggesting the conserved mechanism of
      ERalpha action in these two tissues. Cobinding of ERalpha target genes by
      androgen receptor was further confirmed for Slc9a3 gene, which was responsible
      for fluid resorption in the efferent ductules. Taken together, our study provides
      a useful reference set for future work aimed at exploring the mechanism of
      ERalpha action in physiological conditions.

PMID- 28645212
TI  - Google Searches for "Cheap Cigarettes" Spike at Tax Increases: Evidence from an
      Algorithm to Detect Spikes in Time Series Data.
AB  - Introduction: Online cigarette dealers have lower prices than brick-and-mortar
      retailers and advertise tax-free status.1-8 Previous studies show smokers search
      out these online alternatives at the time of a cigarette tax increase.9,10
      However, these studies rely upon researchers' decision to consider a specific
      date and preclude the possibility that researchers focus on the wrong date. The
      purpose of this study is to introduce an unbiased methodology to the field of
      observing search patterns and to use this methodology to determine whether
      smokers search Google for "cheap cigarettes" at cigarette tax increases and, if
      so, whether the increased level of searches persists. Methods: Publicly available
      data from Google Trends is used to observe standardized search volumes for the
      term, "cheap cigarettes". Seasonal Hybrid Extreme Studentized Deviate and E
      Divisive with Means tests were performed to observe spikes and mean level shifts
      in search volume. Results: Of the twelve cigarette tax increases studied, ten
      showed spikes in searches for "cheap cigarettes" within two weeks of the tax
      increase. However, the mean level shifts did not occur for any cigarette tax
      increase. Conclusion: Searches for "cheap cigarettes" spike around the time of a
      cigarette tax increase, but the mean level of searches does not shift in response
      to a tax increase. The SHESD and EDM tests are unbiased methodologies that can be
      used to identify spikes and mean level shifts in time series data without an a
      priori date to be studied. SHESD and EDM affirm spikes in interest are related to
      tax increases. Implications: * Applies improved statistical techniques (SHESD and
      EDM) to Google search data related to cigarettes, reducing bias and increasing
      power * Contributes to the body of evidence that state and federal tax increases
      are associated with spikes in searches for cheap cigarettes and may be good dates
      for increased online health messaging related to tobacco.

PMID- 28645211
TI  - AKR1C3-Mediated Adipose Androgen Generation Drives Lipotoxicity in Women With
      Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
AB  - Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent metabolic disorder
      occurring in up to 10% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is associated with
      insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk. Androgen excess is a defining feature
      of PCOS and has been suggested as causally associated with insulin resistance;
      however, mechanistic evidence linking both is lacking. We hypothesized that
      adipose tissue is an important site linking androgen activation and metabolic
      dysfunction in PCOS. Methods: We performed a human deep metabolic in vivo
      phenotyping study examining the systemic and intra-adipose effects of acute and
      chronic androgen exposure in 10 PCOS women, in comparison with 10 body mass index
      matched healthy controls, complemented by in vitro experiments. Results: PCOS
      women had increased intra-adipose concentrations of testosterone (P = 0.0006) and
      dihydrotestosterone (P = 0.01), with increased expression of the androgen
      activating enzyme aldo-ketoreductase type 1 C3 (AKR1C3) (P = 0.04) in
      subcutaneous adipose tissue. Adipose glycerol levels in subcutaneous adipose
      tissue microdialysate supported in vivo suppression of lipolysis after acute
      androgen exposure in PCOS (P = 0.04). Mirroring this, nontargeted serum
      metabolomics revealed prolipogenic effects of androgens in PCOS women only. In
      vitro studies showed that insulin increased adipose AKR1C3 expression and
      activity, whereas androgen exposure increased adipocyte de novo lipid synthesis.
      Pharmacologic AKR1C3 inhibition in vitro decreased de novo lipogenesis.
      Conclusions: These findings define an intra-adipose mechanism of androgen
      activation that contributes to adipose remodeling and a systemic lipotoxic
      metabolome, with intra-adipose androgens driving lipid accumulation and insulin
      resistance in PCOS. AKR1C3 represents a promising therapeutic target in PCOS.

PMID- 28645213
TI  - Cohort Profile: The 'Bristol Cats Study' (BCS)-a birth cohort of kittens owned by
      UK households.

PMID- 28645214
TI  - Sodium Fluorescein Facilitates Guided Sampling of Diagnostic Tumor Tissue in
      Nonenhancing Gliomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accurate tissue sampling in nonenhancing (NE) gliomas is a unique
      surgical challenge due to their intratumoral histological heterogeneity and
      absence of contrast enhancement as a guide for intraoperative stereotactic
      guidance. Instead, T2/fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensity
      on MRI is commonly used as an imaging surrogate for pathological tissue, but
      sampling from this region can yield nondiagnostic or underdiagnostic brain
      tissue. Sodium fluorescein is an intraoperative fluorescent dye that has a high
      predictive value for tumor identification in areas of contrast enhancement and NE
      in glioblastomas. However, the underlying histopathological alterations in
      fluorescent regions of NE gliomas remain undefined. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate
      whether fluorescein can identify diagnostic tissue and differentiate regions with
      higher malignant potential during surgery for NE gliomas, thus improving sampling
      accuracy. METHODS: Thirteen patients who presented with NE, T2/FLAIR hyperintense
      lesions suspicious for glioma received fluorescein (10%, 3 mg/kg intravenously)
      during surgical resection. RESULTS: Patchy fluorescence was identified within the
      T2/FLAIR hyperintense area in 10 of 13 (77%) patients. Samples taken from
      fluorescent regions were more likely to demonstrate diagnostic glioma tissue and
      cytologic atypia (P < .05). Fluorescein demonstrated a 95% positive predictive
      value for the presence of diagnostic tissue. Samples from areas of fluorescence
      also demonstrated greater total cell density and higher Ki-67 labeling than
      nonfluorescent biopsies (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Fluorescence in NE gliomas is
      highly predictive of diagnostic tumor tissue and regions of higher cell density
      and proliferative activity.

PMID- 28645215
TI  - Upper Extremity Trauma Resulting From Agricultural Accidents: Mechanism and
      Severity for Patients With and Without Upper Extremity Injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Farming remains the most dangerous occupation in the United States
      and upper extremity (UE) injuries occur frequently in agricultural accidents. The
      purpose of this study is to describe the injury mechanisms, severity, and health
      care costs of UE injuries resulting from agricultural accidents and to compare
      patients with and without injuries to the UE. METHODS: We performed a 6-year
      retrospective review of our level I trauma center registry from January 2006 to
      May 2013, identifying all patients injured in an agricultural accident. Data
      collection included baseline demographics, injury type and mechanism, costs and
      treatment. Patients with UE injuries were compared with those without UE
      injuries. RESULTS: Ninety-six of 273 patients (35%) sustained an UE injury with
      fractures of the phalanx and radius/ulna occurring most frequently. Patients with
      UE injuries were more likely to be injured from table saws ( P = .0003) and farm
      machinery ( P < .0001). Twenty-one percent with UE injuries sustained a mangled
      extremity. Patients with UE injuries were more likely to require surgery (68% vs
      36%, P < .0001) and were more likely to be readmitted (17% vs 5%, P = .0007) with
      risk factors for readmission including age >18 years, falls from height, and
      surgery. Mean hospital charges were $95 147. CONCLUSIONS: Patients sustaining
      agricultural UE injuries have longer lengths of stay and more frequently require
      surgery despite similar hospital charges compared with non-UE injured patients.
      Hospital readmissions occur frequently for patients with UE injuries.
      Understanding injury mechanisms and the epidemiology of these potentially
      devastating and costly injuries may help guide agricultural injury prevention
      programs.

PMID- 28645216
TI  - iGlarLixi: A Fixed-Ratio Combination of Insulin Glargine 100 U/mL and
      Lixisenatide for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the safety and efficacy of iGlarLixi, a titratable fixed
      ratio combination of insulin glargine 100 U/mL (iGlar) and lixisenatide, a
      glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist. DATA SOURCES: A literature search of
      MEDLINE for all English-language primary articles through June 2016, using the
      terms LixiLan, iGlarLixi and insulin glargine and lixisenatide, and a search of
      abstracts presented at the 2016 Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes
      Association were performed. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: All studies
      assessing the efficacy and/or safety of iGlarLixi were evaluated. DATA SYNTHESIS:
      iGlarLixi has been approved in the United States for glycemic control in people
      with type 2 diabetes (T2D) inadequately controlled with basal insulin (<60 U/d)
      or lixisenatide. In clinical trials, iGlarLixi was associated with significantly
      greater reductions from baseline in glycated hemoglobin A1C (A1C) than iGlar or
      lixisenatide alone. Reductions in postprandial glucose were also greater with
      iGlarLixi than with iGlar or lixisenatide. iGlarLixi was weight neutral compared
      with the weight gain with iGlar and loss with lixisenatide alone, and there was
      no increase in hypoglycemia with iGlarLixi compared with iGlar despite the
      greater A1C reduction. Gastrointestinal events, frequently associated with
      lixisenatide, were less common with iGlarLixi. Potential drawbacks of iGlarLixi
      include reduced flexibility in dosing and the absence of long-term efficacy and
      safety data. CONCLUSIONS: iGlarLixi is a titratable fixed-ratio combination that
      shows improved efficacy and comparable or improved safety outcomes relative to
      its separate constituents, offering an alternative approach to intensification of
      therapy in T2D.

PMID- 28645217
TI  - Microtubule-Organizing Centers.
AB  - The organization of microtubule networks is crucial for controlling chromosome
      segregation during cell division, for positioning and transport of different
      organelles, and for cell polarity and morphogenesis. The geometry of microtubule
      arrays strongly depends on the localization and activity of the sites where
      microtubules are nucleated and where their minus ends are anchored. Such sites
      are often clustered into structures known as microtubule-organizing centers,
      which include the centrosomes in animals and spindle pole bodies in fungi. In
      addition, other microtubules, as well as membrane compartments such as the cell
      nucleus, the Golgi apparatus, and the cell cortex, can nucleate, stabilize, and
      tether microtubule minus ends. These activities depend on microtubule-nucleating
      factors, such as gamma-tubulin-containing complexes and their activators and
      receptors, and microtubule minus end-stabilizing proteins with their binding
      partners. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on how such
      factors work together to control microtubule organization in different systems.

PMID- 28645218
TI  - Wide-Awake Anesthesia in the In-Office Procedure Room: Lessons Learned.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Wide-awake local anesthesia and no tourniquet (WALANT) has become
      more popular in hand surgery. Without a tourniquet, there is no need for
      preoperative testing or sedation. The use of lidocaine with epinephrine has
      allowed a larger variety of cases to be done safely in an outpatient setting
      instead of the hospital. "Minor field sterility," which uses fewer drapes and
      tools to accomplish the same procedures, is a concept that is also gaining
      recognition. METHODS: Investigation of hand surgeons performing a majority of
      cases using WALANT and minor field sterility was the beginning of seeing its
      potential at our institution. Administration was concerned about patient safety,
      cost-effectiveness, and patient satisfaction of the proposed changes. Analysis of
      our institution to determine location of these procedures was also imperative to
      using WALANT. RESULTS: An in-office procedure room was built to allow for WALANT
      and minor field sterility. The requirements and logistics of developing an in
      office procedure room for wide-awake surgery are reviewed in this article.
      CONCLUSIONS: The concurrent use of WALANT and minor field sterility has created a
      hand surgery practice that is cost-effective for the patient and the facility and
      resulted in excellent patient outcomes and satisfaction.

PMID- 28645219
TI  - Pullulan microbeads/Si-HPMC hydrogel injectable system for the sustained delivery
      of GDF-5 and TGF-beta1: new insight into intervertebral disc regenerative
      medicine.
AB  - Discogenic low back pain is considered a major health concern and no etiological
      treatments are today available to tackle this disease. To clinically address this
      issue at early stages, there is a rising interest in the stimulation of local
      cells by in situ injection of growth factors targeting intervertebral disc (IVD)
      degenerative process. Despite encouraging safety and tolerability results in
      clinic, growth factors efficacy may be further improved. To this end, the use of
      a delivery system allowing a sustained release, while protecting growth factors
      from degradation appears of particular interest. We propose herein the design of
      a new injectable biphasic system, based on the association of pullulan microbeads
      (PMBs) into a cellulose-based hydrogel (Si-HPMC), for the TGF-beta1 and GDF-5
      growth factors sustained delivery. We present for the first time the design and
      mechanical characterization of both the PMBs and the called biphasic system
      (PMBs/Si-HPMC). Their loading and release capacities were also studied and we
      were able to demonstrate a sustained release of both growth factors, for up to 28
      days. Noteworthy, the growth factors biological activity on human cells was
      maintained. Altogether, these data suggest that this PMBs/Si-HPMC biphasic system
      may be a promising candidate for the development of an innovative bioactive
      delivery system for IVD regenerative medicine.

PMID- 28645221
TI  - Obituary: Dr Dimitri Tassiopoulos.

PMID- 28645220
TI  - Comparison of Emla cream and topical lidocaine tape for pain relief of V-beam
      laser treatment.
AB  - The authors compared the analgesic effects of two topical applications; Emla(r)
      cream (Sato Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and 60% lidocaine tape
      (Penles(r) tape; Maruho, Osaka, Japan). The authors examined 20 outpatients with
      capillary malformations. Emla(r) cream or Penles(r) tape was applied 1 h before
      laser irradiation using V-Beam. After V-Beam irradiation, pain intensity was
      measured using Pain Vision(r) (NIPRO, Osaka, Japan), while subjective pain was
      converted into numerical values using the VAS system. In the assessment using
      Pain Vision(r), pain was significantly lower in patients who received Emla(r)
      cream (Welch test), whereas no difference was observed in VAS ratings between the
      two applications (student's t test). The objective system showed that Emla(r)
      cream had a significantly greater analgesic effect. We plan to evaluate the
      analgesic effects of these topical anesthetics by applying them to other
      anatomical areas.

PMID- 28645222
TI  - Dietary Fat and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Recent Controversies and
      Advances.
AB  - Health effects of dietary fats have been extensively studied for decades.
      However, controversies exist on the effects of various types of fatty acids,
      especially saturated fatty acid (SFA), on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Current
      evidence supports that different types of dietary fatty acids have divergent
      effects on CVD risk, and the effects also depend strongly on the comparison or
      replacement macronutrient. A significant reduction in CVD risk can be achieved if
      SFAs are replaced by unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids.
      Intake of industrially produced trans fat is consistently associated with higher
      CVD risk. Both n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are associated with lower
      CVD risk, although the effects of fish oil supplementation remains inconsistent.
      The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans place greater emphasis on types of
      dietary fat than total amount of dietary fat and recommend replacing SFAs with
      unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids for CVD prevention.

PMID- 28645223
TI  - Decline in Literacy and Incident AD Dementia Among Community-Dwelling Older
      Persons.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To quantify longitudinal change in financial and health literacy and
      examine the associations of declining literacy with incident Alzheimer's disease
      (AD) dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHOD: Data came from 799
      participants of an ongoing cohort study. Literacy was measured using a battery of
      32 questions. Clinical diagnoses were made annually following uniform structured
      procedures. The associations of declining literacy with incident AD dementia and
      MCI were tested using a joint model for longitudinal and time-to-event data.
      RESULTS: We observed an overall decline in total literacy score over up to 6
      years of follow-up ( p < .001). Faster decline in literacy was associated with
      higher risks for incident AD dementia (hazard ratio = 4.526, 95% confidence
      interval = [2.993, 6.843], p < .001) and incident MCI (hazard ratio = 2.971, 95%
      confidence interval = [1.509, 5.849], p = .002). DISCUSSION: Declining literacy
      among community-dwelling older persons predicts adverse cognitive outcomes and
      serves as an early indicator of impending dementia.

PMID- 28645225
TI  - Medication Regimen Complexity and Low Adherence in Older Community-Dwelling
      Adults With Substantiated Self-Neglect.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Determine whether medication regimen complexity predicts medication
      adherence levels in a sample of community-dwelling adults 65 years and older with
      Adult Protective Services-substantiated self-neglect. METHODS: A cross-sectional
      analysis of baseline data ( N = 31 participants) from a pilot intervention to
      increase medication adherence among the target group was performed. The
      Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) and the 8-item Morisky Medication
      Adherence Scale (MMAS-8)TM were the primary independent and dependent measures,
      respectively. A multivariable linear regression analysis, adjusting for potential
      confounders, was conducted to estimate the association between complexity and
      adherence. RESULTS: Regimen complexity was high (mean MRCI = 19.6) and adherence
      was low (mean MMAS = 5.1). Even after controlling for confounders, increased
      complexity was significantly associated with lower adherence. DISCUSSION: Older
      community-dwelling adults who self-neglect have complex medication regimens that
      contribute to low medication adherence. Medication regimen complexity may be a
      modifiable contributor to low adherence that can be targeted by future
      interventions to reduce self-neglect and its consequences.

PMID- 28645226
TI  - The Fragile Spell of Desire: A Functional Perspective on Changes in Sexual Desire
      Across Relationship Development.
AB  - The sexual behavioral system evolved to motivate reproductive acts by arousing
      sexual desire. Building on the idea that this system has also been "exploited" by
      evolutionary processes to promote enduring bonds between romantic partners, the
      present article introduces an integrative model that delineates the functional
      significance of sexual desire in relationship formation and maintenance. This
      model explains why individuals' sexual reaction to their partner is context
      dependent, clarifying how changes in the nature of interdependence over the
      course of relationships alter the ways in which specific predictors of sexual
      desire tend to promote (or inhibit) desire and thereby affect relationship depth
      and stability. The model postulates that although desire influences the
      development of attachment bonds, the contribution that it makes varies over the
      course of relationships. The model also provides new insight regarding
      fundamental but unresolved issues in human sexuality, such as the vulnerability
      of sexual desire and the desire-intimacy paradox.

PMID- 28645224
TI  - A Symphony of Cyclases: Specificity in Diguanylate Cyclase Signaling.
AB  - Cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is a near universal signaling molecule produced by
      diguanylate cyclases that can direct a variety of bacterial behaviors. A major
      area of research over the last several years has been aimed at understanding how
      a cell with dozens of diguanylate cyclases can deploy a given subset of them to
      produce a desired phenotypic outcome without undesired cross talk between c-di
      GMP-dependent systems. Several models have been put forward to address this
      question, including specificity of cyclase activation, tuned binding constants of
      effector proteins, and physical interaction between cyclases and effectors.
      Additionally, recent evidence has suggested that there may be a link between the
      catalytic state of a cyclase and its physical contact with an effector. This
      review highlights several key studies, examines the proposed global and local
      models of c-di-GMP signaling specificity in bacteria, and attempts to identify
      the most fruitful steps that can be taken to better understand how dynamic
      networks of sibling cyclases and effector proteins result in sensible outputs
      that govern cellular behavior.

PMID- 28645228
TI  - So this is it....

PMID- 28645227
TI  - Diabetic and Obese Patient Clinical Outcomes Improve During a Care Management
      Implementation in Primary Care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To address the increasing burden of chronic disease, many primary
      care practices are turning to care management and the hiring of care managers to
      help patients coordinate their care and self-manage their conditions. Care
      management is often, but not always, proving effective at improving patient
      outcomes, but more evidence is needed. METHODS: In this pair-matched cluster
      randomized trial, 5 practices implemented care management and were compared with
      5 comparison practices within the same practice organization. Targeted patients
      included diabetic patients with a hemoglobin A1c >9% and nondiabetic obese
      patients. Clinical values tracked were A1c, blood pressure, low-density
      lipoprotein, microalbumin, and weight. RESULTS: Clinically important improvements
      were demonstrated in the intervention versus comparison practices, with diabetic
      patients improving A1c control and obese patients experiencing weight loss. There
      was a 12% relative increase in the proportion of patients meeting the clinical
      target of A1c <7% (95% CI, 3%-20%), and 26% of obese nondiabetic patients in
      chronic care management practices lost 5% or more of their body weight as
      compared with 10% of comparison patients (adjusted relative improvement, 15%; CI,
      2%-28%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings add to the growing evidence-base for the
      effectiveness of care management as an effective clinical practice with regard to
      improving diabetes- and obesity-related outcomes.

PMID- 28645229
TI  - Cognitive function in early psychosis patients from a lower middle-income
      country.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To establish evidence of cognitive changes in early psychosis (EP)
      patients compared to healthy controls (HC) in Pakistan. METHODS: Fifty-one
      participants with EP were recruited from psychiatric units in Karachi and
      Rawalpindi, Pakistan and matched with 51 HC. Neurocognitive domains were assessed
      using standardised neuropsychological tests [the Stroop test, block design,
      Matrix Reasoning, picture completion, object assembly, oral fluency, memory for
      design, Coughlan learning task (verbal and visual)]. RESULTS: EP patients had
      higher scores than controls for both Stroop tests (T1: EP = 122 HC = 65, p <.001;
      T2: EP = 190 HC = 153, p = .007) and memory for design test (EP = 10 HC = 3, p =
      .005). EP group had lower values for block design (EP = 4, HC = 11, p = .01),
      category fluency (EP = 18.9, HC = 26.1, p < .001), Coughlan verbal tasks (EP =
      36.4 NC = 51.5, p < .001), matrix reasoning (EP = 4 NC = 10, p < .001), picture
      completion (EP = 4 NC = 6, p = .003) and object assembly (EP = 10.7, HC = 15.5, p
      = .002). There were limited significant associations between cognitive
      performance and PANSS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced cognitive performance was
      found across multiple domains in Pakistani EP patients, which suggests that
      impaired cognitive performance is homogenous in patients with schizophrenia,
      regardless of ethnicity.

PMID- 28645230
TI  - Implementation in action: how Australian Exercise Physiologists approach exercise
      prescription for people with mental illness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) are trained to deliver
      exercise and physical activity interventions for people with chronic and complex
      health conditions including those with mental illness. However, their views on
      exercise for mental illness, their exercise prescription practices, and need for
      further training are unknown. AIMS: To examine the way in which Australian AEPs
      prescribe exercise for people with mental illness. METHODS: Eighty-one AEPs (33.3
      +/- 10.4 years) completed an online version of the Exercise in Mental Illness
      Questionnaire. Findings are reported using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: AEPs
      report a high level of knowledge and confidence in prescribing exercise for
      people with mental illness. AEPs rate exercise to be at least of equal value to
      many established treatments for mental illness, and frequently prescribe exercise
      based on current best-practice principles. A need for additional training was
      identified. The response rate was low (2.4%) making generalisations from the
      findings difficult. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise prescription practices utilised by AEPs
      are consistent with current best-practice guidelines and there is frequent
      consultation with consumers to individualise exercise based on their preferences
      and available resources. Further training is deemed important.

PMID- 28645231
TI  - Evolution of Hormone Signaling Networks in Plant Defense.
AB  - Studies with model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana have revealed that
      phytohormones are central regulators of plant defense. The intricate network of
      phytohormone signaling pathways enables plants to activate appropriate and
      effective defense responses against pathogens as well as to balance defense and
      growth. The timing of the evolution of most phytohormone signaling pathways seems
      to coincide with the colonization of land, a likely requirement for plant
      adaptations to the more variable terrestrial environments, which included the
      presence of pathogens. In this review, we explore the evolution of defense
      hormone signaling networks by combining the model plant-based knowledge about
      molecular components mediating phytohormone signaling and cross talk with
      available genome information of other plant species. We highlight conserved hubs
      in hormone cross talk and discuss evolutionary advantages of defense hormone
      cross talk. Finally, we examine possibilities of engineering hormone cross talk
      for improvement of plant fitness and crop production.

PMID- 28645232
TI  - Interplay Between Innate Immunity and the Plant Microbiota.
AB  - The innate immune system of plants recognizes microbial pathogens and terminates
      their growth. However, recent findings suggest that at least one layer of this
      system is also engaged in cooperative plant-microbe interactions and influences
      host colonization by beneficial microbial communities. This immune layer involves
      sensing of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) by pattern recognition
      receptors (PRRs) that initiate quantitative immune responses to control host
      microbial load, whereas diversification of MAMPs and PRRs emerges as a mechanism
      that locally sculpts microbial assemblages in plant populations. This suggests a
      more complex microbial management role of the innate immune system for controlled
      accommodation of beneficial microbes and in pathogen elimination. The finding
      that similar molecular strategies are deployed by symbionts and pathogens to
      dampen immune responses is consistent with this hypothesis but implies different
      selective pressures on the immune system due to contrasting outcomes on plant
      fitness. The reciprocal interplay between microbiota and the immune system likely
      plays a critical role in shaping beneficial plant-microbiota combinations and
      maintaining microbial homeostasis.

PMID- 28645233
TI  - Adaptation to the Host Environment by Plant-Pathogenic Fungi.
AB  - Many fungi can live both saprophytically and as endophyte or pathogen inside a
      living plant. In both environments, complex organic polymers are used as sources
      of nutrients. Propagation inside a living host also requires the ability to
      respond to immune responses of the host. We review current knowledge of how plant
      pathogenic fungi do this. First, we look at how fungi change their global gene
      expression upon recognition of the host environment, leading to secretion of
      effectors, enzymes, and secondary metabolites; changes in metabolism; and defense
      against toxic compounds. Second, we look at what is known about the various cues
      that enable fungi to sense the presence of living plant cells. Finally, we review
      literature on transcription factors that participate in gene expression in planta
      or are suspected to be involved in that process because they are required for the
      ability to cause disease.

PMID- 28645234
TI  - The Long Arm of Childhood in China: Early-Life Conditions and Cognitive Function
      Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between childhood conditions and
      cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults in China. METHOD: We
      analyzed data from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study ( N =
      11,868). Cognitive function was measured by word recall, a test of episodic
      memory. We examined the association between childhood conditions and cognitive
      function among the middle-aged (45-59 years) and the older (60 years and older)
      adults separately, using multilevel linear regressions. RESULTS: Indicators of
      childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and nutrition were significantly associated
      with memory performance among the middle-aged and the older adults in China.
      Adulthood SES, education in particular, accounted for some but not all the
      associations. The protective effect of childhood urban residence was stronger for
      middle-aged women than for middle-aged men. DISCUSSION: Childhood conditions are
      significantly associated with mid- to late-life cognitive function in China. The
      strengths of the associations may vary by gender and cohort.

PMID- 28645235
TI  - External Validity of the New York University Caregiver Intervention: Key
      Caregiver Outcomes Across Multiple Demonstration Projects.
AB  - PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The Administration on Aging funded six New York University
      Caregiver Intervention (NYUCI) demonstration projects, a counseling/support
      intervention targeting dementia caregivers and families. Three sites (Georgia,
      Utah, Wisconsin) pooled data to inform external validity in nonresearch settings.
      This study (a) assesses collective changes over time, and (b) compares outcomes
      across sites on caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, satisfaction with social
      support, family conflict, and quality of life. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data included
      baseline/preintervention ( N = 294) and follow-up visits (approximately 4, 8, 12
      months). RESULTS: Linear mixed models showed that social support satisfaction
      increased ( p < .05) and family conflict decreased ( p < .05; Cohen's d = 0.49
      and 0.35, respectively). Marginally significant findings emerged for quality of
      life increases ( p = .05) and burden decreases ( p < .10). Depressive symptoms
      remained stable. Slopes did not differ much by site. IMPLICATIONS: NYUCI
      demonstrated external validity in nonresearch settings across diverse caregiver
      samples.

PMID- 28645236
TI  - A Quantitative Study of Empathy in Pakistani Medical Students: A Multicentered
      Approach.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the empathy level of undergraduate medical students in
      Pakistan. Three hypotheses are developed based on the literature review. (1)
      Female medical students have a higher level of empathy than do male students. (2)
      Empathy scores vary during the medical school years in Pakistani students. (3)
      Medical students interested in people-oriented specialties would score higher
      than the students interested in technology-oriented specialties. METHODS: This is
      a quantitative inquiry approach using a cross-sectional design of 1453 students
      from 8 Pakistani medical schools, both private and state. The sample consists of
      41.1% (n = 597) male students and 58.9% (n = 856) female students. Empirical data
      are collected using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE), a well
      validated self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean empathy score among
      students is 4.77 with a standard deviation of 0.72. The results show that there
      is no statistically significant association between the empathy scores and
      gender, t(1342.36) = -0.053, P = .95). There is a statistically significant
      difference between the empathy scores and the years of medical school, F(14,
      1448) = 4.95, P = .01. Concerning the specialty interests, there is no
      statistically significant difference between the empathy score and specialty
      interests. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study showed that in Western
      countries, medical students performed better than Pakistani medical students on
      the empathy scale. This finding has important implications for Pakistani medical
      educators to improve the interpersonal skills of medical students in the context
      of patient care. Inconsistent with our expectations and experiences, our findings
      do not support that female medical students scored better than their male
      counterparts on the empathy scale. Because of the nature of a cross-sectional
      study, it is impossible to argue the decline of empathy during medical school
      training.

PMID- 28645237
TI  - Homologous microscopic agglutinating antibodies after natural infection with
      leptospires - results from a long term follow up of a cohort living in an endemic
      area.

PMID- 28645238
TI  - New World Arenavirus Biology.
AB  - Hemorrhagic fevers caused by viruses were identified in the late 1950s in South
      America. These viruses have existed in their hosts, the New World rodents, for
      millions of years. Their emergence as infectious agents in humans coincided with
      changes in the environment and farming practices that caused explosions in their
      host rodent populations. Zoonosis into humans likely occurs because the
      pathogenic New World arenaviruses use human transferrin receptor 1 to enter
      cells. The mortality rate after infection with these viruses is high, but the
      mechanism by which disease is induced is still not clear. Possibilities include
      direct effects of cellular infection or the induction of high levels of cytokines
      by infected sentinel cells of the immune system, leading to endothelia and
      thrombocyte dysfunction and neurological disease. Here we provide a review of the
      ecology and molecular and cellular biology of New World arenaviruses, as well as
      a discussion of the current animal models of infection. The development of animal
      models, coupled with an improved understanding of the infection pathway and host
      response, should lead to the discovery of new drugs for treating infections.

PMID- 28645239
TI  - Cassava Mosaic and Brown Streak Diseases: Current Perspectives and Beyond.
AB  - Cassava is the fourth largest source of calories in the world but is subject to
      economically important yield losses due to viral diseases, including cassava
      brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease. Cassava mosaic disease occurs in
      sub-Saharan Africa and the Asian subcontinent and is associated with nine
      begomovirus species, whereas cassava brown streak disease has to date been
      reported only in sub-Saharan Africa and is caused by two distinct ipomovirus
      species. We present an overview of key milestones and their significance in the
      understanding and characterization of these two major diseases as well as their
      associated viruses and whitefly vector. New biotechnologies offer a wide range of
      opportunities to reduce virus-associated yield losses in cassava for farmers and
      can additionally enable the exploitation of this valuable crop for industrial
      purposes. This review explores established and new technologies for genetic
      manipulation to achieve desired traits such as virus resistance.

PMID- 28645240
TI  - Engineered Expression of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Against Human
      Immunodeficiency Virus.
AB  - This review discusses recent progress made in developing a vaccine and novel
      treatments for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It highlights the shortcomings
      of the RV144 vaccination trial [ALVAC-HIV (vCP1521) and AIDSVAX B/E] and the
      current standard of care and proposes that engineered expression of broadly
      neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) against HIV-1 could overcome these shortcomings.
      Current developments in three major lines of research on HIV prevention and
      treatment using bNAbs are reviewed: firstly, the use of sequential immunogens to
      activate B cells to express bNAbs; secondly, the delivery of novel and extremely
      potent bNAbs through passive administration; and finally, the use of gene
      transfer using adeno-associated viral vectors to deliver bNAbs.

PMID- 28645241
TI  - Long-term outcome after right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit surgery and
      reintervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract with a conduit
      is an established surgical procedure in congenital heart disease and
      reinterventions are common. OBJECTIVE: An increasing number of patients have a
      conduit, but there are few population-based studies of long-term outcomes after
      conduit surgery, reoperations, and transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement.
      METHODS: In April 2015, all adult patients with a conduit were identified in the
      Swedish National Registry for Congenital Heart Disease (SWEDCON). Data on
      patients who died before age of 16 years are not included in the registry and
      thus not included in the study. RESULTS: We found 574 patients with a mean age
      36.1 years. The largest proportion had tetralogy of Fallot (45%). In total there
      were 762 operations and 50 transcatheter pulmonary valve replacements. Mean age
      at first conduit operation was 20.2 years. Long-term survival up to 48 years
      including perioperative mortality (<1%) was 93% at 20 years. The most common
      cause of death was cardiac-related. Higher age at first conduit operation was
      associated with increased mortality risk. Reintervention-free survival was 77%
      and 54% at 10 and 20 years, respectively. Conduit reinterventions were common.
      Ten-year reintervention-free survival after first conduit reintervention (n =
      176) was significantly lower than after first conduit operation (70% vs 77% p =
      .04). Higher age at first conduit operation was associated with a reduced risk of
      reintervention, whereas male sex and complex malformations were associated with
      increased risk of reintervention. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality of repeated conduit
      reinterventions is low. The need for reintervention of conduits is considerable,
      and reintervention-free survival after the first conduit reintervention is poorer
      than after first conduit implantation. The findings in this study only applies
      for patients reaching 16 years of age.

PMID- 28645242
TI  - Factors Associated With Visual Impairment and Eye Care Utilization: The
      International Mobility in Aging Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with visual impairment (VI) and eye care
      in the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS). METHOD: IMIAS data were
      analyzed ( N = 1,995 with ages 65-74). Outcomes were VI defined as presenting
      visual acuity worse than 6/18 in the better eye and eye care utilization assessed
      by annual visits to eye care professionals. The Hurt-Insult-Threaten-Scream
      (HITS) questionnaire requested information on domestic violence. RESULTS: Among
      men, VI varied from 24% in Manizales (Colombia) to 0.5% in Kingston (Canada);
      among women, VI ranged from 20% in Manizales to 1% in Kingston; lifetime exposure
      to domestic violence was associated with VI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.87; 95%
      confidence interval [CI] = [1.17, 3.00]). Eye care utilization varied from 72% in
      Kingston's men to 25% in Tirana's men; it was associated with domestic violence
      (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.3; 95% CI = [1.1, 1.6]). DISCUSSION: VI is more
      frequent where eye care utilization is low. Domestic violence may be a risk
      factor for VI.

PMID- 28645243
TI  - Extended Periarterial Sympathectomy: Evaluation of Long-term Outcomes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Periarterial sympathectomy is a proposed surgical treatment for
      patients with refractory Raynaud syndrome; however, there is debate regarding the
      indications and extent of dissection. Due to the segmental arterial sympathetic
      innervation, we favor an extended sympathectomy in concert with vein graft
      reconstruction of occluded vessels when necessary. The purpose of this study is
      to examine outcomes of extended periarterial sympathectomy in our patients.
      METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on 46 patients who underwent
      58 periarterial sympathectomies (12 bilateral) since 1981. The data collected
      include demographics, comorbidities, previous therapy, operative details, and
      surgical outcomes. In addition, we contacted available patients for a phone
      survey. RESULTS: Of 58 cases, 68.9% were female, 29.3% were current smokers, and
      58.6% had known connective tissue disease. Thirty-three vein graft
      reconstructions were performed with a long-term patency of 77.4%. Sustained
      improvement of ischemic pain was reported in 94.8% of cases, and 78% of patients
      with ulcers completely healed. For the most symptomatic fingertip, mean Semmes
      Weinstein monofilament measurements improved from 4.15 preoperatively to 3.29
      postoperatively ( P <= .05). Mean follow-up was 3.97 years. Of 10 patients
      contacted by telephone, all reported a decrease in frequency and severity of
      Raynaud attacks, while 9 reported a long-term decrease in pain an average of 11.6
      years after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Extended periarterial sympathectomy is an
      effective and safe procedure for patients with refractory Raynaud syndrome. Our
      data demonstrate long-term improvement in ischemic pain and sensibility, along
      with a high rate of ulcer healing and patient satisfaction.

PMID- 28645244
TI  - Evolution of the vertebrate insulin receptor substrate (Irs) gene family.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Insulin receptor substrate (Irs) proteins are essential for insulin
      signaling as they allow downstream effectors to dock with, and be activated by,
      the insulin receptor. A family of four Irs proteins have been identified in mice,
      however the gene for one of these, IRS3, has been pseudogenized in humans. While
      it is known that the Irs gene family originated in vertebrates, it is not known
      when it originated and which members are most closely related to each other. A
      better understanding of the evolution of Irs genes and proteins should provide
      insight into the regulation of metabolism by insulin. RESULTS: Multiple genes for
      Irs proteins were identified in a wide variety of vertebrate species.
      Phylogenetic and genomic neighborhood analyses indicate that this gene family
      originated very early in vertebrae evolution. Most Irs genes were duplicated and
      retained in fish after the fish-specific genome duplication. Irs genes have been
      lost of various lineages, including Irs3 in primates and birds and Irs1 in most
      fish. Irs3 and Irs4 experienced an episode of more rapid protein sequence
      evolution on the ancestral mammalian lineage. Comparisons of the conservation of
      the proteins sequences among Irs paralogs show that domains involved in binding
      to the plasma membrane and insulin receptors are most strongly conserved, while
      divergence has occurred in sequences involved in interacting with downstream
      effector proteins. CONCLUSIONS: The Irs gene family originated very early in
      vertebrate evolution, likely through genome duplications, and in parallel with
      duplications of other components of the insulin signaling pathway, including
      insulin and the insulin receptor. While the N-terminal sequences of these
      proteins are conserved among the paralogs, changes in the C-terminal sequences
      likely allowed changes in biological function.

PMID- 28645245
TI  - Transcriptomic dynamics in soybean near-isogenic lines differing in alleles for
      an aphid resistance gene, following infestation by soybean aphid biotype 2.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Genetic resistance of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] against Aphis
      glycines provides effective management of this invasive pest, though the
      underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. This study aimed to
      investigate genome-wide changes in gene expressions of soybean near-isogenic
      lines (NILs) either with the Rag5 allele for resistance or the rag5 allele for
      susceptibility to the aphid following infestation with soybean aphid biotype 2.
      RESULTS: The resistant (R)-NIL responded more rapidly to aphid infestation than
      the susceptible (S)-NIL, with differential expressions of 2496 genes during first
      12 h of infestation (hai), compared to the aphid-free control. Although the
      majority of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the R-NIL also responded
      to aphid infestation in S-NIL, overall the response time was longer and/or the
      magnitude of change was smaller in the S-NIL. In addition, 915 DEGs in R-NIL
      continued to be regulated at all time points (0, 6, 12, and 48 hai), while only
      20 DEGs did so in S-NIL. Enriched gene ontology of the 2496 DEGs involved in
      plant defense responses including primary metabolite catalysis, oxidative stress
      reduction, and phytohormone-related signaling. By comparing R- vs. S-NIL, a total
      of 556 DEGs were identified. Of the 13 genes annotated in a 120-kb window of the
      Rag5 locus, two genes (Glyma.13 g190200 and Glyma.13 g190600) were differentially
      expressed (upregulated in S- or R-NIL), and another gene (Glyma.13 g190500) was
      induced up to 4-fold in the R-NIL at 6 and 12 h following aphid infestation.
      CONCLUSIONS: This study strengthens our understanding of the defense dynamics in
      compatible and incompatible interactions of soybean and soybean aphid biotype 2.
      Several DEGs (e.g., Glyma.13 g190200, Glyma.13 g190500, and Glyma.13 g190600)
      near the Rag5 locus are strong candidate genes for further investigations.

PMID- 28645246
TI  - IgMk paraprotein from gammopathy patient can bind to cardiolipin and interfere
      with coagulation assay: a case report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The monoclonal gammopathies are a group of plasma-cell proliferative
      disorders characterized by the secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulin (M protein
      or paraprotein). Some rare cases have revealed the specific affinity of
      paraprotein as autoantibody. Here we report a patient with monoclonal gammopathy
      of undetermined significance (MGUS) accompanied by a remarkable increase of
      anticardiolipin antibody (aCL) and an extensively decreased coagulation factor
      activity, however, without any clinical signs of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
      and bleeding. RESULTS: Our further investigation indicated that IgMkappa
      paraprotein of this patient possessed an antibody activity against phospholipids
      so as to bind to cardiolipin and interfere with coagulation assay in vitro.
      CONCLUSIONS: This case might be indicative that an abnormality of coagulation
      tests, disturbed by IgMkappa paraprotein, does not predict a risk of bleeding in
      this patient.

PMID- 28645247
TI  - The correlation between poor prognosis and increased yes-associated protein 1
      expression in keratin 19 expressing hepatocellular carcinomas and
      cholangiocarcinomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Hippo pathway plays a vital role in liver regeneration and
      development by determining cellular lineage and regulating cell proliferation and
      apoptosis. In this study, we aimed to assess the role of the Hippo pathway in
      hepatic carcinogenesis and morphogenesis by examining Yes-associated protein 1
      (YAP1) expression in the spectrum of hepatic carcinomas based on cellular
      lineage. METHODS: We examined 913 primary hepatic carcinomas, including
      hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinomas
      (cHC-CCAs), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (IHCCAs) and perihilar extrahepatic
      bile duct carcinomas (EHBCAs). Our study group was categorized into 8 disease
      groups, based on histological diagnosis and cytokeratin 19 (CK19) expression, and
      immunohistochemistry was used to detect and compare YAP1 expression levels
      between the groups. The eight disease groups we identified were: 1) CK19(-) HCC,
      2) CK19(-) scirrhous HCC, 3) CK19(+) HCC, 4) stem cell feature of cHC-CCA, 5)
      classical cHC-CCA, 6) cholangiolocellular IHCCA, 7) non-cholangiolocellular
      IHCCA, and 8) EHBCA. RESULTS: Positive rates of YAP1 were the highest in the
      EHBCA group (21%). CK19(+) HCC and non-cholangiolocellular IHCCA groups also
      showed high expression levels (10% -11%), while the CK19 (-) HCC, CK19 (-)
      scirrhous HCC, cHC-CCA, and cholangiolocellular IHCCA groups showed low
      expression levels, ranging between 0% and 5%. Survival analysis, restricted to
      pT1 stage HCCs and IHCCAs, showed poor overall survival for YAP1(+) IHCCA
      patients (39 +/- 17 vs. 109 +/- 10 months, mean +/- SD, log rank p-value 0.005).
      For HCCs, a trend of poor progression-free survival for YAP1(+) HCCs was observed
      (39 +/- 18 vs. 81 +/- 5 months, mean +/- SD, log rank p-value 0.205) CONCLUSIONS:
      YAP1 activation was more commonly found in CCAs than in pure HCCs. However, a
      differing pattern of YAP1 expression between cHC-CCAs and CK19(+) HCCs and the
      poor prognosis of YAP1 positive hepatic carcinomas suggests that YAP1 may have a
      preferential role in aggressive tumor behavior, rather than in the determination
      of cellular lineage in hepatic carcinomas.

PMID- 28645249
TI  - Comparative transcriptomic analysis of the evolution and development of flower
      size in Saltugilia (Polemoniaceae).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Flower size varies dramatically across angiosperms, representing
      innovations over the course of >130 million years of evolution and contributing
      substantially to relationships with pollinators. However, the genetic
      underpinning of flower size is not well understood. Saltugilia (Polemoniaceae)
      provides an excellent non-model system for extending the genetic study of flower
      size to interspecific differences that coincide with variation in pollinators.
      RESULTS: Using targeted gene capture methods, we infer phylogenetic relationships
      among all members of Saltugilia to provide a framework for investigating the
      genetic control of flower size differences via RNA-Seq de novo assembly. Nuclear
      concatenation and species tree inference methods provide congruent topologies.
      The inferred evolutionary trajectory of flower size is from small flowers to
      larger flowers. We identified 4 to 10,368 transcripts that are differentially
      expressed during flower development, with many unigenes associated with cell wall
      modification and components of the auxin and gibberellin pathways. CONCLUSIONS:
      Saltugilia is an excellent model for investigating covarying floral and
      pollinator evolution. Four candidate genes from model systems (BIG BROTHER, BIG
      PETAL, GASA, and LONGIFOLIA) show differential expression during development of
      flowers in Saltugilia, and four other genes (FLOWERING-PROMOTING FACTOR 1,
      PECTINESTERASE, POLYGALACTURONASE, and SUCROSE SYNTHASE) fit into hypothesized
      organ size pathways. Together, these gene sets provide a strong foundation for
      future functional studies to determine their roles in specifying interspecific
      differences in flower size.

PMID- 28645250
TI  - Labour-market marginalisation after mental disorders among young natives and
      immigrants living in Sweden.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate the associations between mental disorders
      and three different measures of labour-market marginalisation, and differences
      between native Swedes and immigrants. METHODS: The study comprised 1,753,544
      individuals, aged 20-35 years, and resident in Sweden 2004. They were followed
      2005-2011 with regard to disability pension, sickness absence (>=90 days) and
      unemployment (>=180 days). Immigrants were born in Western countries (Nordic
      countries, EU, Europe outside EU or North-America/Oceania), or in non-Western
      countries (Africa, Asia or South-America). Mental disorders were grouped into
      seven subgroups based on a record of in- or specialised outpatient health care
      2001-2004. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed
      by Cox regression models with both fixed and time-dependent covariates and
      competing risks. We also performed stratified analyses with regard to labour
      market attachment. RESULTS: Individuals with mental disorders had a seven times
      higher risk of disability pension, a two times higher risk of sickness absence,
      and a 20% higher risk of unemployment than individuals without mental disorders.
      Individuals with personality disorders and schizophrenia/non-affective psychoses
      had highest risk estimates for having disability pension and long-term sickness
      absence, while the risk estimates of long-term unemployment were similar among
      all subgroups of mental disorders. Among persons with mental disorders, native
      Swedes had higher risk estimates for disability pension (HR:6.6; 95%CI:6.4-6.8)
      than Western immigrants (4.8; 4.4-5.2) and non-Western immigrants (4.8; 4.4-5.1),
      slightly higher risk estimates for sickness absence (2.1;2.1-2.2) than Western
      (1.9;1.8-2.1), and non-Western (1.9;1.7-2.0) immigrants but lower risk estimates
      for unemployment (1.4;1.3-1.4) than Western (1.8;1.7-1.9) and non-Western
      immigrants (2.0;1.9-2.1). There were similar risk estimates among sub-regions
      within both Western and non-Western countries. Stratification by labour-market
      attachment showed that the risk estimates for immigrants were lower the more
      distant individuals were from gainful employment. CONCLUSIONS: Mental disorders
      were associated with all three measures of labour-market marginalisation,
      strongest with subsequent disability pension. Native Swedes had higher risk
      estimates for both disability pension and sickness absence, but lower risk
      estimates for unemployment than immigrants. Previous labour-market attachment
      explained a great part of the association between immigrant status and subsequent
      labour-market marginalisation.

PMID- 28645248
TI  - Characterizing the reproductive transcriptomic correlates of acute dehydration in
      males in the desert-adapted rodent, Peromyscus eremicus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The understanding of genomic and physiological mechanisms related to
      how organisms living in extreme environments survive and reproduce is an
      outstanding question facing evolutionary and organismal biologists. One
      interesting example of adaptation is related to the survival of mammals in
      deserts, where extreme water limitation is common. Research on desert rodent
      adaptations has focused predominantly on adaptations related to surviving
      dehydration, while potential reproductive physiology adaptations for acute and
      chronic dehydration have been relatively neglected. This study aims to explore
      the reproductive consequences of acute dehydration by utilizing RNAseq data in
      the desert-specialized cactus mouse (Peromyscus eremicus). RESULTS: We exposed 22
      male cactus mice to either acute dehydration or control (fully hydrated)
      treatment conditions, quasimapped testes-derived reads to a cactus mouse testes
      transcriptome, and then evaluated patterns of differential transcript and gene
      expression. Following statistical evaluation with multiple analytical pipelines,
      nine genes were consistently differentially expressed between the hydrated and
      dehydrated mice. We hypothesized that male cactus mice would exhibit minimal
      reproductive responses to dehydration; therefore, this low number of
      differentially expressed genes between treatments aligns with current perceptions
      of this species' extreme desert specialization. However, these differentially
      expressed genes include Insulin-like 3 (Insl3), a regulator of male fertility and
      testes descent, as well as the solute carriers Slc45a3 and Slc38a5, which are
      membrane transport proteins that may facilitate osmoregulation. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results suggest that in male cactus mice, acute dehydration may be linked
      to reproductive modulation via Insl3, but not through gene expression differences
      in the subset of other a priori tested reproductive hormones. Although water
      availability is a reproductive cue in desert-rodents exposed to chronic drought,
      potential reproductive modification via Insl3 in response to acute water
      limitation is a result which is unexpected in an animal capable of surviving and
      successfully reproducing year-round without available external water sources.
      Indeed, this work highlights the critical need for integrative research that
      examines every facet of organismal adaptation, particularly in light of global
      climate change, which is predicted, amongst other things, to increase climate
      variability, thereby exposing desert animals more frequently to the acute drought
      conditions explored here.

PMID- 28645251
TI  - Improving early detection initiatives: a qualitative study exploring perspectives
      of older people and professionals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A wide range of initiatives on early detection and intervention have
      been developed to proactively identify problems related to health and wellbeing
      in (frail) older people, with the aim of supporting them to live independently
      for as long as possible. Nevertheless, it remains unclear what the best way is to
      design such initiatives and how older people's needs and preferences can be best
      addressed. This study aimed to address this gap in the literature by exploring:
      1) older people's perspectives on health and living environment in relation to
      living independently at home; 2) older people's needs and preferences in relation
      to initiating and receiving care and support; and 3) professionals' views on what
      would be necessary to enable the alignment of early detection initiatives with
      older people's own needs and preferences. METHODS: In this qualitative study, we
      conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 older people and 19 professionals in
      proactive elderly care. Data were analysed using the framework analysis method.
      RESULTS: From the interviews with older people important themes in relation to
      health and living environment emerged, such as maintaining independence,
      appropriate housing, social relationships, a supporting network and a sense of
      purpose and autonomy. Older people preferred to remain self-sufficient, and they
      would rather not ask for help for psychological or social problems. However, the
      interviews also highlighted that they were not always able or willing to
      anticipate future needs, which can hinder early detection or early intervention.
      At the same time, professionals indicated that older people tend to over-estimate
      their self-reliance and therefore advocated for early detection and intervention,
      including social and psychological issues. CONCLUSION: Older people have a broad
      range of needs in different domains of life. Discrepancies exist between older
      people and professionals with regard to their views on timing and scope of early
      detection initiatives. This study aimed to reveal starting-points for better
      alignment between initiatives and older people's needs and preferences. Such
      starting points may support policy makers and care professionals involved in
      early detection initiatives to make more informed decisions.

PMID- 28645252
TI  - Statin use reduces cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality amongst Chinese
      patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a 5-year cohort study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The benefit of statin on the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
      (T2DM) among Chinese patients in primary care is not clear nor fully implemented
      in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate and quantify the benefit of
      statin on the overall cardiovascular risk and all-cause mortality in patients
      with T2DM. METHODS: Uncomplicated diabetic patients with baseline low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) > 2.6 mmol/L and without statin use before
      baseline in 2010 were followed-up for 5 years for cardiovascular disease (CVD)
      events and all-cause mortality. Propensity score matching analysis was conducted
      to identify patients who were newly prescribed statin at baseline and then
      compared to non-statin users with similar baseline characteristics. Subgroup
      analysis was done within the statin group to detect any difference in outcomes
      between patients achieving target LDL-C of <2.6 mmol/L and not. Multivariable Cox
      proportional hazards regression with adjustment of all baseline covariates was
      used to evaluate the effect of statin on outcome events. Hazard ratio (HR) and
      its 95% confidence intervals were reported. RESULTS: 10,104 pairs of diabetic
      patients were propensity score matched. Statin users had an extra drop of 1.21
      mmol/L in LDL-C than non-users. Statin group had a CVD incidence rate of 16.533
      per 1000 person-years whereas comparison group had 32.387 per 1000 person-years
      (HR: 0.458) during a median follow-up period of 50.5 months. Statin group had a
      mortality rate of 8.138 deaths per 1000 person-years whereas comparison group had
      19.603 deaths per 1000 person-years (HR: 0.378). For patients prescribed with
      statin, the HR was 0.491 for CVD and 0.487 for all-cause mortality if target of
      LDL-C < 2.6 mmol/L achieved compare to those not achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Use of
      statin was associated with a significant decrease in CVD risk and all-cause
      mortality among diabetic patients in primary care, and the risk reduction was
      most significant if the target of LDL-C less than 2.6 mmol/L was achieved.

PMID- 28645253
TI  - A case report of thoracolumbar paraspinal myopathy as the cause of camptocormia
      in a patient with atypical parkinsonism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Camptocormia is severe flexion of the thoracolumbar spine,
      exaggerated during standing and walking but minimized in supine position. Even
      though camptocormia is a relatively common condition during the course of
      Parkinson's disease, there is ongoing controversy concerning its mechanisms. The
      most widely accepted and yet still disputed one is dystonia. However, based on
      myopathic changes observed in the paraspinal muscle biopsies of some PD patients
      with camptocormia, the attempt to attribute camptocormia to myopathy has
      continued. This case presents evidence for paraspinal myopathy as the cause of
      camptocormia in a patient with atypical parkinsonism. CASE PRESENTATION: A
      patient presented with a relatively acute onset of camptocormia and new-onset
      back pain. Upon examination, she had asymmetric parkinsonism. Magnetic resonance
      imaging of the lumbar spine revealed alterations in muscle signal intensity in
      the right paraspinal muscles at the L1-2 level. In the presence of persistent
      back pain, repeat imaging done two months later showed diffuse enlargement and
      patchy enhancement of the paraspinal muscles on T1-weighted imaging from T4
      through sacrum bilaterally. About fifteen months after the onset of camptocormia,
      she underwent ultrasound-guided gun biopsy of the paraspinal muscles for
      evaluation of focal atrophy of the back muscles on the right. The biopsy revealed
      unmistakable myopathic changes, marked endomysial and perimysial fibrosis of the
      muscles, and merely mild infiltration of inflammatory cells but no clues
      regarding the cause of myopathy. On account of persistent back pain and MRI
      results indicative of ongoing inflammation, she was prescribed glucocorticoid,
      which she refused to take. Now merely two and a half years after the onset of
      camptocormia, she is in Hoehn and Yahr stage 4. CONCLUSIONS: The coincidence of
      back pain with the appearance of camptocormia and the imaging and pathology
      findings supportive of myopathy give strong evidence for paraspinal myopathy as
      the cause of the deformity in this patient. When a patient presents with a
      relatively acute onset of camptocormia accompanied by back pain, the clinician
      should not overlook the possibility of myopathy of paraspinal muscles, which may
      be one of the few treatable causes of camptocormia.

PMID- 28645254
TI  - Comparing self- and provider-collected swabbing for HPV DNA testing in female-to
      male transgender adult patients: a mixed-methods biobehavioral study protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer, nearly all cases of which are caused by one of
      several high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (hr-HPV), leads to
      significant morbidity and mortality in individuals with a cervix. Trans masculine
      (TM) individuals were born with female reproductive organs and identify as male,
      man, transgender man, or another diverse gender identity different from their
      female assigned sex at birth. Routine preventive sexual health screening of TM
      patients is recommended, including screening for cervical cancer and other
      sexually transmitted infections (STIs); however, as many as one in three TM
      patients are not up-to-date per recommended U.S. GUIDELINES: Among cisgender (non
      transgender) women, self-swab hr.-HPV DNA testing as a primary cervical cancer
      screening method and self-swab specimen collection for other STIs have high
      levels of acceptability. No study has yet been conducted to compare the
      performance and acceptability of self- and provider-collected swabs for hr.-HPV
      DNA testing and other STIs in TM patients. METHODS: This article describes the
      study protocol for a mixed-methods biobehavioral investigation enrolling 150
      sexually active TM to (1) assess the clinical performance and acceptability of a
      vaginal self-swab for hr.-HPV DNA testing compared to provider cervical swab and
      cervical cytology, and (2) gather acceptability data on self-collected specimens
      for other STIs. Study participation entails a one-time clinical visit at Fenway
      Health in Boston, MA comprised of informed consent, quantitative assessment,
      venipuncture for syphilis testing and HIV (Rapid OraQuick) testing,
      randomization, collection of biological specimens/biomarkers, participant and
      provider satisfaction survey, and qualitative exit interview. Participants are
      compensated $100. The primary study outcomes are concordance (kappa statistic)
      and performance (sensitivity and specificity) of self-collected vaginal HPV DNA
      specimens vs provider-collected cervical HPV swabs as a gold standard.
      DISCUSSION: This study addresses critical gaps in current clinical knowledge of
      sexual health in TM patients, including comparing alternative strategies for
      screening and diagnosis of cervical cancer, hr.-HPV, and other STIs. Findings
      have implications for improving the delivery of sexual health screening to this
      often overlooked and underserved patient population. Less-invasive patient
      centered strategies may also generalize to other at-risk cisgender female
      populations that face barriers to timely and needed STI and cervical cancer
      screening. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02401867.

PMID- 28645255
TI  - Haemoglobin changes and risk of anaemia following treatment for uncomplicated
      falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anaemia is common in malaria. It is important to quantitate the risk
      of anaemia and to distinguish factors related to the natural history of disease
      from potential drug toxicity. METHODS: Individual-patient data analysis based on
      nine randomized controlled trials of treatments of uncomplicated falciparum
      malaria from 13 sub-Saharan African countries. Risk factors for reduced
      haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations and anaemia on presentation and after treatment
      were analysed using mixed effect models. RESULTS: Eight thousand eight hundred
      ninety-seven patients (77.0% <5 years-old) followed-up through 28 days treated
      with artemisinin combination therapy (ACT, 90%, n = 7968) or non-ACT. At
      baseline, under 5's had the highest risk of anaemia (77.6% vs. 32.8%) and higher
      parasitaemia (43,938 MUl) than older subjects (2784 MUl). Baseline anaemia
      increased the risk of parasitological recurrence. Hb began to fall after
      treatment start. In under 5's the estimated nadir was ~35 h (range 29-48), with a
      drop of -12.8% from baseline (from 9.8 g/dl to 8.7 g/dl, p = 0.001); in under
      15's, the mean Hb decline between day 0-3 was -4.7% (from 9.4 to 9.0 g/dl, p =
      0.001). The degree of Hb loss was greater in patients with high pre-treatment Hb
      and parasitaemia and with slower parasite reduction rates, and was unrelated to
      age. Subsequently, Hb increased linearly (+0.6%/day) until day 28, to reach
      +13.8% compared to baseline. Severe anaemia (<5 g/dl, 2 per 1000 patients) was
      transient and all patients recovered after day 14, except one case of very severe
      anaemia associated with parasite recurrence at day 28. There was no systematic
      difference in Hb concentrations between treatments and no case of delayed
      anaemia. CONCLUSION: On presentation with acute malaria young children with high
      parasitaemia have the highest risk of anaemia. The majority of patients
      experience a drop in Hb while on treatment as early as day 1-2, followed by a
      linear increase through follow-up. The degree of the early Hb dip is determined
      by pre-treatment parasitaemia and parasite clearance rates. Hb trends and rick of
      anaemia are independent of treatment.

PMID- 28645256
TI  - Socioeconomic status is associated with symptom severity and sickness absence in
      people with infectious intestinal disease in the UK.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The burden of infectious intestinal disease (IID) in the UK is
      substantial. Negative consequences including sickness absence are common, but
      little is known about the social patterning of these outcomes, or the extent to
      which they relate to disease severity. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional
      analysis using IID cases identified from a large population-based survey, to
      explore the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and symptom severity
      and sickness absence; and to assess the role of symptom severity on the
      relationship between SES and absence. Regression modelling was used to
      investigate these associations, whilst controlling for potential confounders such
      as age, sex and ethnicity. RESULTS: Among 1164 cases, those of lower SES versus
      high had twice the odds of experiencing severe symptoms (OR 2.2, 95%CI;1.66
      2.87). Lower SES was associated with higher odds of sickness absence (OR 1.8,
      95%CI;1.26-2.69), however this association was attenuated after adjusting for
      symptom severity (OR 1.4, 95%CI;0.92-2.07). CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of IID
      cases, those of low SES versus high were more likely to report severe symptoms,
      and sickness absence; with greater severity largely explaining the higher
      absence. Public health interventions are needed to address the unequal
      consequences of IID identified.

PMID- 28645258
TI  - Erratum to: Solitary plasmacytoma: population-based analysis of survival trends
      and effect of various treatment modalities in the USA.

PMID- 28645257
TI  - Relationship between nasopharyngeal and bronchoalveolar microbial communities in
      clinically healthy feedlot cattle.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The importance of upper airway structure in the susceptibility of the
      lower respiratory tract to colonization with potential pathogens is well
      established. With the advent of rapid, high throughput, next generation
      sequencing, there is a growing appreciation of the importance of commensal
      microbial populations in maintaining mucosal health, and a realization that
      bacteria colonize anatomical locations that were previously considered to be
      sterile. While upper respiratory tract microbial populations have been described,
      there are currently no published studies describing the normal microbial
      populations of the bovine lower respiratory tract. Consequently, we have little
      understanding of the relationship between upper and lower respiratory tract
      microbiota in healthy cattle. The primary objective of our study was to
      characterize the composition, structure and relationship of the lower and upper
      respiratory microbial communities in clinically healthy feedlot cattle.
      Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, were
      collected from clinically healthy feedlot calves (n = 8). Genomic DNA from each
      sample was extracted, and the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S
      rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using Illumina Miseq platform. RESULTS:
      Across all samples, the most predominant phyla were Proteobacteria,
      Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. The most common genera were Rathayibacter,
      Mycoplasma, Bibersteinia and Corynebacterium. The microbial community structure
      was distinct between these two biogeographical sites. Most of the bacterial
      genera identified in the BAL samples were also present in the NPS, but
      biogeographical-specific genera were enriched in both the NPS (Rathayibacter) and
      BAL (Bibersteinia) samples. There were strong associations between the presence
      of certain taxa at each specific location, and strong correlations between the
      presence of specific taxa in both the NPS and BAL samples. CONCLUSIONS: The
      correlation between the presence of specific taxa in both the NPS and BAL
      samples, supports the notion of a mutualistic interrelationship between these
      microbial communities. Future studies, in large cohorts of animals, are needed to
      determine the role and clinical importance of the relationships of respiratory
      tract microbial communities with health, productivity, and susceptibility to the
      development of respiratory disease, in growing cattle.

PMID- 28645259
TI  - Adapted yoga to improve physical function and health-related quality of life in
      physically-inactive older adults: a randomised controlled pilot trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Yoga is a holistic therapy of expanding popularity, which has the
      potential to produce a range of physical, mental and social benefits. This trial
      evaluated the feasibility and effects of an adapted yoga programme on physical
      function and health-related quality of life in physically-inactive older adults.
      METHODS: In this randomised controlled pilot trial, 52 older adults (90% female;
      mean age 74.8 years, SD 7.2) were randomised 1:1 to a yoga programme or wait-list
      control. The yoga group (n = 25) received a physical activity education booklet
      and were invited to attend ten yoga sessions during a 12-week period. The control
      group (n = 27) received the education booklet only. Measures of physical function
      (e.g., Short Physical Performance Battery; SPPB), health status (EQ-5D) and
      mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale; WEMWBS) were
      assessed at baseline and 3 months. Feasibility was assessed using course
      attendance and adverse event data, and participant interviews. RESULTS: Forty
      seven participants completed follow-up assessments. Median class attendance was 8
      (range 3 to 10). At the 3-month follow-up, the yoga group had a higher SPPB total
      score compared with the control group (mean difference 0.9, 95% confidence
      interval [CI] -0.3 to 2.0), a faster time to rise from a chair five times (mean
      difference - 1.73 s, 95% CI -4.08 to 0.62), and better performance on the chair
      sit-and-reach lower-limb flexibility test (mean difference 5 cm, 95% CI 0 to 10).
      The yoga group also had superior health status and mental well-being (vs.
      control) at 3 months, with mean differences in EQ-5D and WEMWBS scores of 0.12
      (95% CI, 0.03 to 0.21) and 6 (95% CI, 1 to 11), respectively. The interviews
      indicated that participants valued attending the yoga programme, and that they
      experienced a range of benefits. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted yoga programme appeared
      to be feasible and potentially beneficial in terms of improving mental and social
      well-being and aspects of physical function in physically-inactive older adults.
      An appropriately-powered trial is required to confirm the findings of the present
      study and to determine longer-term effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION:
      ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02663726 .

PMID- 28645260
TI  - Within-class differences in cancer risk for sulfonylurea treatments in patients
      with type 2 diabetes (ZODIAC-55) - a study protocol.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at increased risk for
      developing cancer. As approximately 8% of the world's population is living with
      T2D, even a slight increase in cancer risk could result in an enormous impact on
      the number of persons developing cancer. In addition, several glucose lowering
      drug classes for treating patients with T2D have been associated with a
      difference in risk of cancer overall, and especially for obesity related cancers.
      In what way and to what degree cancer risk is modified by the use of different
      sulfonylureas (SU) is unclear. The primary aim of this study will be to evaluate
      within-class SU differences in obesity related cancer risk. Secondary aims will
      be to investigate within-class SU differences in risk for all cancers combined
      and site-specific cancers separately (i.e. breast, colorectal, prostate, bladder
      and lung cancer) and to account for duration-response relationships between
      individual SU use and cancer risk. METHODS: Patients will be selected from a
      Dutch primary care cohort of patients with T2D linked with the Dutch Cancer
      Registration (ZODIAC-NCR). Within this cohort study annually collected clinical
      data (e.g. blood pressure, weight, HbA1c) and nationwide data on cancer incidence
      are available. Time-dependent cox proportional hazard analyses will be performed
      to evaluate SU cancer risk, adjusted for potential confounders. DISCUSSION: This
      study will be the first prospective cohort study investigating within-class SU
      differences in cancer risk and could contribute to improved decision making
      regarding the individual drugs within the class of SUs, and possibly improve
      quality of life and result in an increased cost-effectiveness of healthcare in
      patients with T2D. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Nederlands Trialregister ( NTR6166 ), 6
      Jan 2017.

PMID- 28645261
TI  - Genome-wide analysis of UDP-glycosyltransferase super family in Brassica rapa and
      Brassica oleracea reveals its evolutionary history and functional
      characterization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Glycosyltransferases comprise a highly divergent and polyphyletic
      multigene family that is involved in widespread modification of plant secondary
      metabolites in a process called glycosylation. According to conserved domains
      identified in their amino acid sequences, these glycosyltransferases can be
      classified into a single UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) 1 superfamily. RESULTS: We
      performed genome-wide comparative analysis of UGT genes to trace evolutionary
      history in algae, bryophytes, pteridophytes, and angiosperms; then, we further
      investigated the expansion mechanisms and function characterization of UGT gene
      families in Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea. Using Hidden Markov Model
      search, we identified 3, 21, 140, 200, 115, 147, and 147 UGTs in Chlamydomonas
      reinhardtii, Physcomitrella patens, Selaginella moellendorffii, Oryza sativa,
      Arabidopsis thaliana, B. rapa, and B. oleracea, respectively. Phylogenetic
      analysis revealed that UGT80 gene family is an ancient gene family, which is
      shared by all plants and UGT74 gene family is shared by ferns and angiosperms,
      but the remaining UGT gene families were shared by angiosperms. In dicot lineage,
      UGTs among three species were classified into three subgroups containing 3, 6,
      and 12 UGT gene families. Analysis of chromosomal distribution indicates that
      98.6 and 71.4% of UGTs were located on B. rapa and B. oleracea pseudo-molecules,
      respectively. Expansion mechanism analyses uncovered that whole genome
      duplication event exerted larger influence than tandem duplication on expansion
      of UGT gene families in B. rapa, and B. oleracea. Analysis of selection forces of
      UGT orthologous gene pairs in B. rapa, and B. oleracea compared to A. thaliana
      suggested that orthologous genes in B. rapa, and B. oleracea have undergone
      negative selection, but there were no significant differences between A. thaliana
      -B. rapa and A. thaliana -B. oleracea lineages. Our comparisons of expression
      profiling illustrated that UGTs in B. rapa performed more discrete expression
      patterns than these in B. oleracea indicating stronger function divergence.
      Combing with phylogeny and expression analysis, the UGTs in B. rapa and B.
      oleracea experienced parallel evolution after they diverged from a common
      ancestor. CONCLUSION: We first traced the evolutionary history of UGT gene
      families in plants and revealed its evolutionary and functional characterization
      of UGTs in B. rapa, and B. oleracea. This study provides novel insights into the
      evolutionary history and functional divergence of important traits or phenotype
      related gene families in plants.

PMID- 28645262
TI  - Acute myeloid leukemia and pregnancy: clinical experience from a single center
      and a review of the literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for more than two thirds of
      leukemia during pregnancy and has an incidence of 1 in 75,000 to 100,000. Its
      clinical management remains a challenging therapeutic task both for patient and
      medical team, given to the therapy-attributable risks for mother and fetus and
      the connected counseling regarding pregnancy continuation. METHODS: We provided a
      review of updated literature and a comprehensive description of five
      maternal/fetal outcomes of AML cases diagnosed concomitantly to pregnancy and
      treated at our Institution from 2006 to 2012. RESULTS: Median age at AML
      diagnosis was 32 years (31-39). One diagnosis was performed in first trimester
      and the patient asked for therapeutic abortion before starting chemotherapy.
      Three cases were diagnosed in second/third trimester; in one case leukemia was
      diagnosed concomitantly with intrauterine fetal death, while the remaining two
      patients continued pregnancy and delivered a healthy baby by cesarean section. In
      only one of these two cases chemotherapy was performed during pregnancy (at 24 +
      5 weeks) and consisted of a combination of daunorubicine and cytarabine. Therapy
      was well tolerated and daily fetus monitoring was performed. After completion of
      30 weeks of gestation a cesarean section was carried out; the newborn had an
      Apgar score of 5/1'-7/5'-9/10', oxygen therapy was temporarily given and
      peripheral counts displayed transient mild leukopenia. One patient had diagnosis
      of myelodysplastic syndrome rapidly progressed to AML after delivery. Four out of
      the 5 described women are currently alive and disease-free. Three children were
      born and long-term follow-up has shown normal growth and development.
      CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of AML occurring during pregnancy is challenging and
      therapeutic decisions should be taken individually for each patient.
      Consideration must be given both to the immediate health of mother and fetus and
      to long-term infant health. Our series confirmed the literature data: fetal
      toxicity of cytostatic therapy clusters during the first trimester; while
      chemotherapy can be administered safely during second/third trimester and
      combination of daunorubicin and cytarabine is recommended for induction.

PMID- 28645263
TI  - Microbiota-dependent metabolite and cardiovascular disease marker trimethylamine
      N-oxide (TMAO) is associated with monocyte activation but not platelet function
      in untreated HIV infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HIV infection is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular
      disease beyond that explained by traditional risk factors. Altered gut
      microbiota, microbial translocation, and immune activation have been proposed as
      potential triggers. The microbiota-dependent metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide
      (TMAO) predicts myocardial infarction (MI) in the general population and has
      recently been shown to induce platelet hyperreactivity. In the present study, we
      investigated if TMAO was associated with platelet function, microbial
      translocation, and immune activation in both untreated and combination anti
      retroviral therapy (cART) HIV infection. METHODS: TMAO and the pre-cursors
      betaine, choline, and carnitine were quantified by mass-spectrometry in plasma
      samples from a previously established cross-sectional cohort of 50 untreated and
      50 cART treated HIV-infected individuals. Whole-blood impedance aggregometry, C
      reactive protein, sCD14, and lipopolysaccharide were assessed as measures of
      platelet function, inflammation, monocyte activation, and microbial
      translocation, respectively. RESULTS: TMAO was not associated with platelet
      aggregation response after stimulation with four different agonists, or with
      overall hypo- or hyperreactivity in untreated or treated HIV-infected
      individuals. In contrast, sCD14 a marker of both monocyte activation and
      microbial translocation was independently associated with TMAO in untreated HIV
      infection (R = 0.381, P = 0.008). Lower levels of carnitine [32.2 (28.4-36.8) vs.
      38.2 (33.6-42.0), P = 0.001] and betaine [33.1 (27.3-43.4) vs.37.4 (31.5-48.7, P
      = 0.02], but similar TMAO levels [3.8 (2.3-6.1), vs. 2.9 MUM (1.9-4.8) P = 0.15]
      were found in cART treated compared to untreated HIV-infected individuals,
      resulting in higher ratios of TMAO/carnitine [0.12 (0.07-0.20) vs. 0.08 (0.05
      0.11), P = 0.02] and TMAO/betaine [0.11 (0.07-0.17) vs. 0.08 (0.05-0.13), P
      0.02]. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to recent studies in HIV-uninfected populations,
      the present study found no evidence of TMAO-induced platelet hyperreactivity in
      HIV infected individuals. Microbial translocation and monocyte activation may
      affect TMAO levels in untreated individuals. Furthermore, the elevated ratios of
      TMAO/betaine and TMAO/carnitine in cART-treated individuals could possibly
      suggest a role of cART in TMAO metabolism.

PMID- 28645264
TI  - Molecular cloning, structure, phylogeny and expression analysis of the invertase
      gene family in sugarcane.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Invertases (INVs) are key enzymes regulating sucrose metabolism and
      are here revealed to be involved in responses to environmental stress in plants.
      To date, individual members of the invertase gene family and their expression
      patterns are unknown in sugarcane due to its complex genome despite their
      significance in sucrose metabolism. RESULTS: In this study, based on comparative
      genomics, eleven cDNA and twelve DNA sequences belonging to 14 non-redundant
      members of the invertase gene family were successfully cloned from sugarcane. A
      comprehensive analysis of the invertase gene family was carried out, including
      gene structures, phylogenetic relationships, functional domains, conserved motifs
      of proteins. The results revealed that the 14 invertase members from sugarcane
      could be clustered into three subfamilies, including 6 neutral/alkaline
      invertases (ShN/AINVs), and 8 acid invertases (ShAINVs). Faster divergence
      occurred in acid INVs than in neutral/alkaline INVs after the split of sugarcane
      and sorghum. At least a one-time gene duplication event was observed to have
      occurred in the four groups of acid INVs, whereas ShN/AINV1 and ShN/AINV2 in the
      beta8 lineage were revealed to be the most recently duplicated genes among their
      paralogous genes in the beta group of N/AINVs. Furthermore, comprehensive
      expression analysis of these genes was performed in sugarcane seedlings subjected
      to five abiotic stresses (drought, low temperature, glucose, fructose, and
      sucrose) using Quantitative Real-time PCR. The results suggested a functional
      divergence of INVs and their potential role in response to the five different
      treatments. Enzymatic activity in sugarcane seedlings was detected under five
      abiotic stresses treatments, and showed that the activities of all INVs were
      significantly inhibited in response to five different abiotic stresses, and that
      the neutral/alkaline INVs played a more prominent role in abiotic stresses than
      the acid INVs. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we determined the INV gene family
      members of sugarcane by PCR cloning using sorghum as a reference, providing the
      first study of the INV gene family in sugarcane. Combining existing INV gene data
      from 7 plants with a comparative approach including a series of comprehensive
      analyses to isolate and identify INV gene family members proved to be highly
      successful. Moreover, the expression levels of INV genes and the variation of
      enzymatic activities associated with drought, low temperature, glucose, fructose,
      and sucrose are reported in sugarcane for the first time. The results offered
      useful foundation and framework for future research for understanding the
      physiological roles of INVs for sucrose accumulation in sugarcane.

PMID- 28645265
TI  - A pilot study: LASEK with the Triple-A profile of a MEL 90 for mild and moderate
      myopia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the visual and refractive outcomes in patients with
      mild to moderate myopia after laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK)
      using the 500 Hz pulse rate of the Triple-A profile. METHODS: Thirty-six eyes of
      20 patients (mean age, 27.5 +/- 4.6 years) were included in this prospective,
      consecutive study. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance
      visual acuity (CDVA), corneal topography, and corneal aberrations were measured
      preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months post-operation. RESULTS: At 1
      week after surgery, UDVA was better than or equal to 20/25 in all eyes. At
      postoperative 6 months, the efficacy and safety index was 1.05 +/- 0.13 and 1.12
      +/- 0.15, respectively; all eyes had a UDVA of 20/20 or better, and no eyes
      showed a loss in CDVA; 100% of the eyes were within +/-1.00 D of the attempted
      spherical equivalent (SE) correction. CONCLUSION: The postoperative results
      indicate that using the Triple-A ablation profile of the MEL 90 excimer laser
      with a 500 Hz pulse rate is a safe, efficient, and predictable method to correct
      mild to moderate myopia.

PMID- 28645266
TI  - Poorer outcomes among cancer patients diagnosed with Clostridium difficile
      infections in United States community hospitals.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cancer predisposes patients to Clostridium difficile infection (CDI)
      due to health care exposures and medications that disrupt the gut microbiota or
      reduce immune response. Despite this association, the national rate of CDI among
      cancer patients is unknown. Furthermore, it is unclear how CDI affects clinical
      outcomes in cancer. The objective of this study was to describe CDI incidence and
      health outcomes nationally among cancer patients in the United States (U.S.).
      METHODS: Data for this study were obtained from the U.S. National Hospital
      Discharge Surveys from 2001 to 2010. Eligible patients included those at least 18
      years old with a discharge diagnosis of cancer (ICD-9-CM codes 140-165.X, 170
      176.X, 179-189.X, 190-209.XX). CDI was identified using ICD-9-CM code 008.45.
      Data weights were applied to sampled patients to provide national estimates. CDI
      incidence was calculated as CDI discharges per 1000 total cancer discharges. The
      in-hospital mortality rate and hospital length of stay (LOS) were compared
      between cancer patients with and without CDI using bivariable analyses. RESULTS:
      A total of 30,244,426 cancer discharges were included for analysis. The overall
      incidence of CDI was 8.6 per 1000 cancer discharges. CDI incidence increased over
      the study period, peaking in 2008 (17.2 per 1000 cancer discharges). Compared to
      patients without CDI, patients with CDI had significantly higher mortality (9.4%
      vs. 7.5%, p < 0.0001) and longer median LOS (9 days vs. 4 days, p < 0.0001).
      CONCLUSIONS: CDI incidence is increasing nationally among cancer patients
      admitted to U.S. community hospitals. CDI was associated with significantly
      increased mortality and hospital LOS.

PMID- 28645267
TI  - A rapid and quantitative method to detect human circulating tumor cells in a
      preclinical animal model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As cancer metastasis is the deadliest aspect of cancer, causing 90%
      of human deaths, evaluating the molecular mechanisms underlying this process is
      the major interest to those in the drug development field. Both therapeutic
      target identification and proof-of-concept experimentation in anti-cancer drug
      development require appropriate animal models, such as xenograft tumor
      transplantation in transgenic and knockout mice. In the progression of cancer
      metastasis, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are the most critical factor in
      determining the prognosis of cancer patients. Several studies have demonstrated
      that measuring CTC-specific markers in a clinical setting (e.g., flow cytometry)
      can provide a current status of cancer development in patients. However, this
      useful technique has rarely been applied in the real-time monitoring of CTCs in
      preclinical animal models. METHODS: In this study, we designed a rapid and
      reliable detection method by combining a bioluminescent in vivo imaging system
      (IVIS) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR)-based analysis to
      measure CTCs in animal blood. Using the IVIS Spectrum CT System with 3D-imaging
      on orthotropic-developed breast-tumor-bearing mice. RESULTS: In this manuscript,
      we established a quick and reliable method for measuring CTCs in a preclinical
      animal mode. The key to this technique is the use of specific human and mouse GUS
      primers on DNA/RNA of mouse peripheral blood under an absolute qPCR system.
      First, the high sensitivity of cancer cell detection on IVIS was presented by
      measuring the luciferase carried MDA-MB-231 cells from 5 to 5x1011 cell numbers
      with great correlation (R2 = 0.999). Next, the MDA-MB-231 cell numbers injected
      by tail vein and their IVIS radiance signals were strongly corrected with qPCR
      calculated copy numbers (R2 > 0.99). Furthermore, by applying an orthotropic
      implantation animal model, we successfully distinguished xenograft tumor-bearing
      mice and control mice with a significant difference (p < 0.001), whereas IVIS
      Spectrum-CT 3D-visualization showed that blood of mice with lung metastasis
      contained more than twice the CTC numbers than ordinary tumor-bearing mice. We
      demonstrated a positive correlation between lung metastasis status and CTC
      numbers in peripheral mouse blood. CONCLUSION: Collectively, the techniques
      developed for this study resulted in the integration of CTC assessments into
      preclinical models both in vivo and ex vivo, which will facilitate translational
      targeted therapy in clinical practice.

PMID- 28645268
TI  - How can technology enhance cognitive behavioral therapy: the case of pediatric
      obsessive compulsive disorder.
AB  - Many children with mental health disorders do not receive adequate treatment due
      to the uneven dissemination of resources, and other barriers to treatment. In the
      case of pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder treatment progress is also
      hindered by partial or non-response to treatment in addition to poor compliance.
      This debate paper focuses on new technologies as a potential vehicle to address
      the challenges faced by traditional treatment, with special reference to
      cognitive behavioral therapy for pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder. We
      discuss the achievements and challenges that previous studies have faced, debate
      ways to overcome them, and we offer specific suggestions for further research in
      the area.

PMID- 28645269
TI  - Restricted posture in dentistry - a kinematic analysis of orthodontists.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study aims at identifying orthodontic activities with the
      highest frequency of unfavorable/awkward and static postures held over a period
      of more than 4 s based on kinematic analysis. Moreover, a separate analysis of
      static postures for orthodontic and non-orthodontic activities serves to evaluate
      the duration for which these particular postures are assumed. METHODS: In total,
      21 (13f/8 m) orthodontists (age: 31.5 +/- 3.8 years) participated in this study.
      CUELA, a personal measurement system, was used to collect kinematic data for all
      orthodontic activities in a working day. Angle values of the head and torso were
      evaluated in accordance with ergonomic standards. Only those postures that were
      held statically for 4 s and longer were selected for further analysis. Alongside
      the kinematic analysis, the activities performed on-site were also subject to a
      detailed computerized analysis. The synchronization of data collected from both
      measurements arranges the patterns of posture found chronologically and in
      conjunction with the orthodontic activities performed ((I) "treatment" (II)
      "office" and (III) "other activities"). RESULTS: For (I) we observed an anterior
      inclination of the head and torso area as well as a twist of the head and neck
      area to the right. We found anterior back inclination and lateral back torsion to
      the right for (II) and (III). If, furthermore, we differentiate the duration of
      static postures, there are primarily short to medium-term (4-30s) static postures
      identified for (I). Also, categories (II) and (III) predominantly demonstrate
      static back postures with a duration of up to 30 s. With regard to (II) we
      observed that the back is ventrally inclined for 10.1% of the total activity
      duration. CONCLUSIONS: During treatment static strains are observed in the entire
      head and torso area. On the contrary, static postures prevalent in the torso area
      are essential for activities of the other categories, particularly office work.
      These findings allow for a careful selection of unfavorable and static postures
      for each of the activities performed and help to develop specific preventive
      measures.

PMID- 28645270
TI  - Qualitative modification and development of patient- and caregiver-reported
      outcome measures for iron chelation therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Compliance, palatability, gastrointestinal (GI) symptom, and
      treatment satisfaction patient- and observer-reported outcome (PRO, ObsRO)
      measures were developed/modified for patients with transfusion-dependent anemias
      or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) requiring iron chelation therapy (ICT).
      METHODS: This qualitative cross-sectional observational study used grounded
      theory data collection and analysis methods and followed PRO/ObsRO development
      industry guidance. Patients and caregivers of patients with transfusion-dependent
      anemias or MDS were individually interviewed face-to-face to cognitively debrief
      the Compliance, Palatability, GI Symptom Diary, and Modified Satisfaction with
      Iron Chelation Therapy (SICT) instruments presented electronically. Interviews
      were conducted in sets. Interviews began open-endedly to spontaneously elicit ICT
      experiences. Item modifications were debriefed during the later interviews.
      Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded. Data was analyzed using
      ATLAS.ti qualitative research software. RESULTS: Twenty-one interviews were
      completed (Set 1: 5 patients, 6 caregivers; Set 2: 6 patients, 4 caregivers) in 6
      US cities. Mean age was 43 years for patients and 9 years for children of
      caregivers. Conditions requiring ICT use across groups included transfusion
      dependent anemias (85.7%) and MDS (14.3%). Concepts spontaneously reported were
      consistent with instruments debriefed. Interview analysis resulted in PRO and
      ObsRO versions of each instrument: Compliance (2 items), Palatability (4 items),
      GI Symptom Diary (6 items), and Modified SICT (PRO = 13, ObsRO = 17 items).
      CONCLUSION: Qualitative research data from cognitive interviews supports the
      content validity and relevance of the instruments developed/modified.
      Quantitative validation of these PRO and ObsRO measures is needed testing for
      validity, reliability, and responsiveness for future research use with new
      formulations of oral ICT.

PMID- 28645271
TI  - Association of stress, depression, and suicidal ideation with subjective oral
      health status and oral functions in Korean adults aged 35 years or more.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral health greatly affects well-being throughout the different
      stages of life from childhood to late adulthood. Loss of teeth due to poor oral
      health hinders mastication, leading to poor nutrition absorption, and affects
      pronunciation and aesthetics, leading to interpersonal difficulties. As social
      activities become limited, a sense of isolation and loneliness, stress, and
      depression grows while happiness decreases. This study aimed to examine the
      association of stress, depression, and suicidal ideation with oral health status
      and oral functions in a large nationwide sample of Korean adults aged 35 years or
      more. METHODS: The sample comprised 15,716 adults, selected using a rolling
      survey sampling method and data were extracted from the Fifth Korea National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) (2010-2012). Participants were
      interviewed about their self-evaluation of health including oral health status
      and mental health, such as stress, depression, and suicidal ideation. Data from
      11,347 adults were finally selected after excluding participants with missing
      answers. The dependent variables were stress, depression, and suicidal ideation.
      The independent variables were gender, age, household income, education, smoking,
      drinking, oral health perception, chewing, and speaking. Complex samples logistic
      regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence
      intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Participants met the criteria for stress (25.4%),
      depression (13.0%), and suicidal ideation (13.9%). Subjective oral health status
      was not significantly associated with stress, depression, and suicidal ideation.
      However, the presence of very uncomfortable chewing problems was significantly
      associated with stress (OR = 2.294, 95% CI = 1.41, 3.72), depression (OR = 3.232,
      95% CI = 1.97, 5.31), and suicidal ideation (OR = 2.727, 95% CI = 1.58, 4.72).
      The presence of very uncomfortable speaking problems was significantly associated
      with stress (OR = 1.592, 95% CI = 1.13, 2.24) but not significantly associated
      with depression and suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Oral functional problems
      including chewing and speaking difficulties can be associated with mental health.
      It is necessary to develop oral health promotion programs for adults and help
      them maintain a good quality of life and mental health.

PMID- 28645272
TI  - Prosthetic joint infection caused by Granulicatella adiacens: a case series and
      review of literature.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bone and joint infection involving Granulicatella adiacens is rare,
      and mainly involved in cases of bacteremia and infectious endocarditis. Here we
      report three cases of prosthetic joint infection involving G. adiacens that were
      successfully treated with surgery and prolonged antimicrobial treatment. We also
      review the two cases of prosthetic joint infection involving G. adiacens that are
      reported in the literature. CASE PRESENTATION: Not all five cases of prosthetic
      joint infection caused by G. adiacens were associated with bacteremia or
      infectious endocarditis. Dental care before the onset of infection was observed
      in two cases. The median time delay between arthroplasty implantation and the
      onset of infection was of 4 years (ranging between 2 and 10 years). One of our
      cases was identified with 16srRNA gene sequencing, one case with MALDI-TOF mass
      spectrometry, and one case with both techniques. Two literature cases were
      diagnosed by 16srRNA gene sequencing. All five cases were cured after surgery
      including a two-stage prosthesis exchange in three cases, a one-stage prosthesis
      exchange in one case, and debridement, antibiotics, irrigation, and retention of
      the prosthesis in one case, and prolonged antimicrobial treatment. CONCLUSION:
      Prosthetic joint infection involving G. adiacens is probably often dismissed due
      to difficult culture or misdiagnosis, in particular in the cases of polymicrobial
      infection. Debridement, antibiotics, irrigation, and retention of the prosthesis
      associated with prolonged antimicrobial treatment (>= 8 weeks) should be
      considered as a treatment strategy for prosthetic joint infection involving G.
      adiacens.

PMID- 28645273
TI  - Factors associated with diabetes-related distress over time among patients with
      T2DM in a tertiary hospital in Singapore.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Persistent diabetes-related distress (DRD) is experienced by patients
      with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Knowing factors associated with persistent DRD
      will aid clinicians in prioritising interventions efforts. METHODS: A total of
      216 patients were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Singapore, an Asian city
      state, and followed for 1.5 years (2011-2014). Data was collected by self
      completed questionnaires assessing DRD (measured by the Problem Areas in Diabetes
      score) and other psychosocial aspects such as social support, presenteeism,
      depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and excessive daytime
      sleepiness (EDS) at three time points. Clinical data (body-mass-index and
      glycated haemoglobin) was obtained from medical records. Change score was
      calculated for each clinical and psychosocial variable to capture changes in
      these variables from baseline. Generalized Linear Model with Generalized
      Estimating Equation method was used to assess whether baseline and change scores
      in clinical and psychosocial are associated with DRD over time. RESULTS: Complete
      data was available for 73 patients, with mean age 44 (SD 12.5) years and 67%
      males. Persistent DRD was experienced by 21% of the patients. In the final model,
      baseline HRQoL (OR = 0.56, p < 0.05) and change score of EDS (OR = 1.22, p <
      0.05) was significantly associated with DRD over time. CONCLUSIONS: EDS might be
      a surrogate marker for persistent DRD and should be explored in larger samples of
      population to confirm the findings from this study.

PMID- 28645274
TI  - Buccal mucosa micronuclei counts in relation to exposure to low dose-rate
      radiation from the Chornobyl nuclear accident and other medical and occupational
      radiation exposures.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ionizing radiation is a well-known carcinogen. Chromosome
      aberrations, and in particular micronuclei represent an early biological
      predictor of cancer risk. There are well-documented associations of micronuclei
      with ionizing radiation dose in some radiation-exposed groups, although not all.
      That associations are not seen in all radiation-exposed groups may be because
      cells with micronuclei will not generally pass through mitosis, so that radiation
      induced micronuclei decay, generally within a few years after exposure. METHODS:
      Buccal samples from a group of 111 male workers in Ukraine exposed to ionizing
      radiation during the cleanup activities at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant were
      studied. Samples were taken between 12 and 18 years after their last radiation
      exposure from the Chornobyl cleanup. The frequency of binucleated micronuclei was
      analyzed in relation to estimated bone marrow dose from the cleanup activities
      along with a number of environmental/occupational risk factors using Poisson
      regression adjusted for overdispersion. RESULTS: Among the 105 persons without a
      previous cancer diagnosis, the mean Chornobyl-related dose was 59.5 mSv (range 0
      748.4 mSv). There was a borderline significant increase in micronuclei frequency
      among those reporting work as an industrial radiographer compared with all
      others, with a relative risk of 6.19 (95% CI 0.90, 31.08, 2-sided p = 0.0729),
      although this was based on a single person. There was a borderline significant
      positive radiation dose response for micronuclei frequency with increase in
      micronuclei per 1000 scored cells per Gy of 3.03 (95% CI -0.78, 7.65, 2-sided p =
      0.1170), and a borderline significant reduction of excess relative MN prevalence
      with increasing time since last exposure (p = 0.0949). There was a significant (p
      = 0.0388) reduction in MN prevalence associated with bone X-ray exposure, but no
      significant trend (p = 0.3845) of MN prevalence with numbers of bone X-ray
      procedures. CONCLUSIONS: There are indications of increasing trends of
      micronuclei prevalence with Chornobyl-cleanup-associated dose, and indications of
      reduction in radiation-associated excess prevalence of micronuclei with time
      after exposure. There are also indications of substantially increased micronuclei
      associated with work as an industrial radiographer. This analysis adds to the
      understanding of the long-term effects of low-dose radiation exposures on
      relevant cellular structures and methods appropriate for long-term radiation
      biodosimetry.

PMID- 28645276
TI  - Assessing the impact of health research on health policies: a study of the Dodowa
      Health Research Centre, Ghana.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The importance of assessing research impact is increasingly
      recognised. Ghana has a long tradition of research dating from the 1970s. In the
      Ghana Health Service there are three health research centres under the Research
      and Development Division. Dodowa Health Research Centre (DHRC) is the youngest in
      the country dating from the 1990s. The objective of this study is to analyse the
      influence of the research conducted in DHRC on national and local health
      policies. METHODS: The study used the Research Impact Framework. Six projects
      were selected based on a set of criteria. Thirteen interviews were conducted with
      researchers and policy makers using a semi-structured interview guide. RESULTS:
      DHRC had numerous policy impacts in terms of researchers participating in policy
      networks, increasing political capital and influencing policy documents. Factors
      identified to be associated with policy impact included collaboration with policy
      makers at the design stage, addressing health priorities, and communicating
      results mainly through the participation in annual review meetings. CONCLUSIONS:
      DHRC was successful in influencing health policies. Recommendations were made
      that could be included in the DHRC strategic planning to improve the research
      process and its policy impact.

PMID- 28645275
TI  - Rapid monocyte infiltration following retinal detachment is dependent on non
      canonical IL6 signaling through gp130.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Retinal detachment (RD) can lead to proliferative vitreoretinopathy
      (PVR), a leading cause of intractable vision loss. PVR is associated with a
      cytokine storm involving common proinflammatory molecules like IL6, but little is
      known about the source and downstream signaling of IL6 and the consequences for
      the retina. Here, we investigated the early immune response and resultant
      cytokine signaling following RD in mice. METHODS: RD was induced in C57BL/6 J and
      IL6 knockout mice, and the resulting inflammatory response was examined using
      immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Cytokines and signaling proteins of
      vitreous and retinas were quantified by multiple cytokine arrays and Western
      blotting. To attempt to block IL6 signaling, a neutralizing antibody of IL6
      receptor alpha (IL6Ralpha) or IL6 receptor beta (gp-130) was injected
      intravitreally immediately after RD. RESULTS: Within one day of RD, bone marrow
      derived Cd11b + monocytes had extravasated from the vasculature and lined the
      vitreal surface of the retina, while the microglia, the resident macrophages of
      the retina, were relatively unperturbed. Cytokine arrays and Western blot
      analysis revealed that this sterile inflammation did not cause activation of IL6
      signaling in the neurosensory retina, but rather only in the vitreous and aqueous
      humor. Monocyte infiltration was inhibited by blocking gp130, but not by IL6
      knockout or IL6Ralpha blockade. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our results demonstrate
      that monocytes are the primary immune cell mediating the cytokine storm following
      RD, and that any resulting retinal damage is unlikely to be a direct result of
      retinal IL6 signaling, but rather gp130-mediated signaling in the monocytes
      themselves. These results suggest that RD should be treated immediately, and that
      gp130-directed therapies may prevent PVR and promote retinal healing.

PMID- 28645277
TI  - Dignity in people with frontotemporal dementia and similar disorders - a
      qualitative study of the perspective of family caregivers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) constitutes on average 10-15% of
      dementia in younger persons (<=65 years old), but can also affect older people.
      These patients demonstrate a decline in social conduct, and/or language aphasias,
      apathy, and loss of insight that is gradual and progressive. Preservation of
      dignity seems to be highly relevant both before and after admission to different
      types of institutionalized care, but the research is scant. From the perspective
      of close relatives, this study aims to develop knowledge related to dignified or
      undignified care of patients with FTD and similar conditions. METHODS: A
      qualitative, descriptive, and explorative design were employed to address the
      aims of this study. We interviewed nine relatives of people with FTD and similar
      conditions living in nursing homes, and two relatives of people living at home
      but attending day center 5 days a week. RESULTS: Relatives described the
      transition from being a close relative to someone who had little influence or
      knowledge of what constituted the care and the daily life of their loved ones.
      According to relatives' descriptions, patients are deprived of dignity in various
      ways: through limited interaction with peers and close relatives, limited
      confirmation of identity through staff who know them well, lack of possibilities
      for making autonomous decisions or entertaining meaningful roles or activities.
      Examples provided from the day care centres show how dignity is maintained
      through identity-strengthening activities conducted in different places, under
      various kinds of supervision and care, and together with people representing
      different roles and functions. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining a link with the world
      outside the institution, through closer cooperation between the institution and
      family members, and/or by the use of day care centres, seems to facilitate
      prevention of many of the factors that may threaten dignified care.

PMID- 28645278
TI  - The impact of mobile phone based messages on maternal and child healthcare
      behaviour: a retrospective cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mobile phones are gradually becoming an integral part of healthcare
      services worldwide. We assessed the association between Aponjon mobile phone
      based messaging services and practices regarding childbirth and care of mother
      and neonates in selected areas in Bangladesh. METHODS: In early 2014, 476
      subscriber mothers whose last born child's age was between 3 and 18 months, were
      recruited to the study by Dnet from selected areas of Bangladesh. One group of
      mothers received the early warning messages from Aponjon during pregnancy
      (exposed; n = 210) while the other group of new mothers did not receive the
      messages during pregnancy as they had enrolled in the service after childbirth
      (non-exposed; n = 266). We undertook regression analyses to investigate the
      relationship between timing of exposure to Aponjon messages and socio-economic
      factors and outcomes of safe delivery, immediate breastfeeding post birth,
      delayed bathing of the neonate, and number of postnatal care (PNC) visits.
      RESULTS: Women reported delivering babies at home without a skilled birth
      attendant (SBA) (n = 58, 12%), at home with SBA (n = 111, 23%) and at health
      facilities (n = 307, 65%). Most (n = 443, 93%) women breastfed babies immediately
      post birth. Babies were bathed after 72 h (n = 294, 62%), between 48 and 72 (n =
      100, 21%) and between 0 and 47 (n = 80, 17%) hours after birth. PNC frequencies
      were reported as none (n = 273, 57%), 1 (n = 79, 17%), 2 (n = 54, 11%), 3 (n =
      34, 7%) and 4 (n = 36, 8%). There was no significant association between exposure
      to Aponjon messages during pregnancy and presence of a SBA at birth,
      breastfeeding practices, and postnatal care visits, although delayed bathing up
      to 48 h was significant at the 10% but not 5% level (RRR 1.7; 95% CI 0.93-3.0; p
      = 0.083). Women with higher education, from higher income, older in age, with
      birth order 1 or 2 were more likely to birth at health facilities. Facility based
      delivery was an independent factor for delayed bathing and having postnatal care
      visits. CONCLUSIONS: Low cost mobile phone messages may have the potential to
      positively influence maternal and child healthcare behaviours, such as delayed
      timing of first bath, in resource-poor settings. Further studies are needed, with
      adequate sample size to detect significant change.

PMID- 28645280
TI  - Erratum to: Multiscalar cellular automaton simulates in-vivo tumour-stroma
      patterns calibrated from in-vitro assay data.

PMID- 28645279
TI  - Diabetes care in a complex humanitarian emergency setting: a qualitative
      evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence is urgently needed from complex emergency settings to
      support efforts to respond to the increasing burden of diabetes mellitus (DM). We
      conducted a qualitative study of a new model of DM health care (Integrated
      Diabetic Clinic within an Outpatient Department [IDC-OPD]) implemented by
      Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Mweso Hospital in eastern Democratic Republic
      of Congo (DRC). We aimed to explore patient and provider perspectives on the
      model in order to identify factors that may support or impede it. METHODS: We
      used focus group discussions (FGDs; two discussions, each with eight
      participants) and individual semi-structured qualitative interviews (seven
      patients and 10 staff) to explore experience of and perspectives on the IDC-OPD.
      Participants were recruited purposively to represent a range of DM disease
      severity and staff functions respectively, and to ensure the age and gender
      distribution was representative of the population of DM patients registered in
      the clinic. Data were coded in NVivo10(c) and analysed using an inductive
      thematic approach. RESULTS: There appears to be little awareness surrounding DM
      in patient communities, resulting in delays presenting to hospital. Patients
      describe their first reactions to symptoms as fear and confusion, often assuming
      symptoms are of another disease (e.g. HIV/AIDS). They often express disbelief
      that they could have DM (e.g. stating DM is a 'rich man's disease') and lack
      acceptance that there is no cure. Patients experienced difficulty travelling to
      appointments, exacerbated by flare-ups in the conflict. Providing psycho-social
      and sensitisation activities in a group setting appears to offer an opportunity
      for patients to support each other in their effort to adhere to drug treatment
      and follow-up appointments. All patients reported great difficulty in adhering to
      the recommended diet, which was viewed as unaffordable and unavailable, and fear
      that this would be the biggest obstacle to maintaining their drug treatment (as
      treatment must be taken with food). CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize the
      importance of community awareness of DM and the value of treatment support,
      including psychosocial and educational support to DM patients and their families,
      and culturally sensitive, low-cost dietary advice, to ensuring the adoption and
      maintenance of DM treatment.

PMID- 28645281
TI  - Sex difference in the risk for exercise-induced albuminuria correlates with
      hemoglobin A1C and abnormal exercise ECG test findings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Albuminuria is an established marker for endothelial dysfunction and
      cardiovascular risk in diabetes and prediabetes. Exercise induced albuminuria
      (EiA) appears earlier and may be a more sensitive biomarker for renal endothelial
      damage. We sought to examine the association between EiA, parameters of the
      metabolic syndrome, A1C levels, exercise ECG test results and sex related
      differences in a large cohort of healthy, pre-diabetic and diabetic subjects.
      METHODS: A total of 3029 participants from the Tel-Aviv Medical Center
      Inflammation Survey cohort (mean age 46 years, 73% men) were analyzed. Multiple
      physiologic and metabolic parameters including A1C were collected and albuminuria
      was measured in all subjects before and immediately after completing an exercise
      ECG test. RESULTS: Exercise increased urinary albumin to creatinine ratio
      (DeltaEiA) by 2.8 (0-13.6) mg/g for median (IQR) compared to rest albuminuria (p
      < 0.001). An increase in DeltaEiA was observed with accumulating parameters of
      the metabolic syndrome. DeltaEiA showed significant interaction with sex and A1C
      levels; i.e. women with A1C > 6.5% had an increased risk of higher DeltaEiA (p <
      0.001). Using a cutoff of DeltaEiA > 13 mg/g (top quartile) we found that women
      with DeltaEiA > 13 mg/g were at greater risk for abnormal exercise ECG findings,
      (OR = 2.7, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Exercise promotes excessive urinary albumin
      excretion in dysmetabolic patients. In women, a significant correlation exists
      between DeltaEiA and A1C levels. A cutoff of DeltaEiA > 13 mg/g in women may be
      used to identify populations at risk for abnormal exercise ECG test findings and
      perhaps increased cardiovascular risk. Future studies will be needed to further
      validate the usefulness of DeltaEiA as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk in
      women with and without diabetes.

PMID- 28645282
TI  - Swiss National Research Programme "Opportunities and Risks of Nanomaterials" (NRP
      64): key findings.

PMID- 28645283
TI  - Oocyte polarized light microscopy, assay of specific follicular fluid
      metabolites, and gene expression in cumulus cells as different approaches to
      predict fertilization efficiency after ICSI.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The complex relationship between oocyte morphology, specific
      follicular fluid metabolites, gene expression in cumulus granulosa cells, and
      oocyte competence toward fertilization and embryo development still needs further
      clarification. METHODS: Forty-six oocytes retrieved from the largest pre
      ovulatory follicle of patients undergoing intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection
      (ICSI) were considered assessing: (a) oocyte morphological characteristics at
      polarized light microscopy (PLM), (b) specific follicular fluid (FF) metabolites
      previously suggested to influence oocyte competence (AMH, markers of redox status
      and of cytotoxicity), (c) transcription of AMH and AMH type II receptor genes in
      cumulus cells. Data were analyzed using mono-parametric tests and multivariable
      logistic analysis in order to correlate morphological and biochemical data with
      fertilization. RESULTS: Comparing normally fertilized oocytes (n = 29, F group)
      with unfertilized (n = 17, nF group) we observed that: (a) the meiotic spindle
      area and major axis were significantly higher in nF group and in fertilized
      oocytes undergoing an early embryo development arrest; (b) AMH level in FF was
      comparable in F and nF groups; (c) the FF of nF group contained significantly
      higher levels of cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase) and oxidative stress (Cu,Zn
      superoxide dismutase, catalase, 4-hydroxynonenal-protein conjugates) markers; (d)
      cumulus cells of nF group showed significantly higher AMH receptor type II gene
      expression. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these observations suggest that an
      excessive cytotoxicity level can alter AMH signal transduction within cumulus
      cells, in turn leading to partial inhibition of aromatase activity, altered
      cytoplasmic maturation and increased oxidative stress, factors able to impair
      oocyte fertilization competence and embryo growth.

PMID- 28645284
TI  - Healthcare expenditure on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians at high risk
      of cardiovascular disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In spite of bearing a heavier burden of death, disease and
      disability, there is mixed evidence as to whether Indigenous Australians utilise
      more or less healthcare services than other Australians given their elevated risk
      level. This study analyses the Medicare expenditure and its predictors in a
      cohort of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians at high risk of
      cardiovascular disease. METHODS: The healthcare expenditure of participants of
      the Kanyini Guidelines Adherence with the Polypill (GAP) pragmatic randomised
      controlled trial was modelled using linear regression methods. 535 adult (48%
      Indigenous) participants at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were
      recruited through 33 primary healthcare services (including 12 Aboriginal Medical
      Services) across Australia. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the
      expenditure of Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants in non-remote areas
      following adjustment for individual characteristics. Indigenous individuals
      living in remote areas had lower MBS expenditure ($932 per year P < 0.001) than
      other individuals. MBS expenditure was found to increase with being aged over 65
      years ($128, p = 0.013), being female ($472, p = 0.003), lower baseline reported
      quality of life ($102 per 0.1 decrement of utility p = 0.004) and a history of
      diabetes ($324, p = 0.001), gout ($631, p = 0.022), chronic obstructive pulmonary
      disease ($469, p = 0.019) and established CVD whether receiving guideline
      recommended treatment prior to the trial ($452, p = 0.005) or not ($483, p =
      0.04). When controlling for all other characteristics, morbidly obese patients
      had lower MBS expenditure than other individuals (-$887, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION:
      The findings suggest that for the majority of participants, once individuals are
      engaged with a primary care provider, factors other than whether they are
      Indigenous determine the level of Medicare expenditure for each person. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN
      126080005833347.

PMID- 28645285
TI  - Completeness and timeliness of notifiable disease reporting: a comparison of
      laboratory and provider reports submitted to a large county health department.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most public health agencies expect reporting of diseases to be
      initiated by hospital, laboratory or clinic staff even though so-called passive
      approaches are known to be burdensome for reporters and produce incomplete as
      well as delayed reports, which can hinder assessment of disease and delay
      recognition of outbreaks. In this study, we analyze patterns of reporting as well
      as data completeness and timeliness for traditional, passive reporting of
      notifiable disease by two distinct sources of information: hospital and clinic
      staff versus clinical laboratory staff. Reports were submitted via fax machine as
      well as electronic health information exchange interfaces. METHODS: Data were
      extracted from all submitted notifiable disease reports for seven representative
      diseases. Reporting rates are the proportion of known cases having a
      corresponding case report from a provider, a faxed laboratory report or an
      electronic laboratory report. Reporting rates were stratified by disease and
      compared using McNemar's test. For key data fields on the reports, completeness
      was calculated as the proportion of non-blank fields. Timeliness was measured as
      the difference between date of laboratory confirmed diagnosis and the date the
      report was received by the health department. Differences in completeness and
      timeliness by data source were evaluated using a generalized linear model with
      Pearson's goodness of fit statistic. RESULTS: We assessed 13,269 reports
      representing 9034 unique cases. Reporting rates varied by disease with overall
      rates of 19.1% for providers and 84.4% for laboratories (p < 0.001). All but
      three of 15 data fields in provider reports were more often complete than those
      fields within laboratory reports (p <0.001). Laboratory reports, whether faxed or
      electronically sent, were received, on average, 2.2 days after diagnosis versus a
      week for provider reports (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite growth in the use of
      electronic methods to enhance notifiable disease reporting, there still exists
      much room for improvement.

PMID- 28645286
TI  - The myths surrounding mild stimulation in vitro fertilization (IVF).
AB  - So-called mild controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (mCOH) has in recent years
      increased in popularity, claiming to be safer and more patient-friendly, while
      also improving in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes. We here challenge the
      International Society for Mild Approaches in Assisted Reproduction (ISMAAR)
      definition of mild stimulation, and especially address four fundamental issues,
      where our review found conventional COH (cCOH) advantageous over mCOH. They are:
      prevalence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), oocyte/embryo
      quality, pregnancy/live birth rates, and cost. We conclude that an objective
      review of the literature does not support the routine utilization of mCOH in
      assisted reproduction.

PMID- 28645287
TI  - Health-related quality of life effects of enzalutamide in patients with
      metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: an in-depth post hoc analysis of
      EQ-5D data from the PREVAIL trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The effect of enzalutamide on health-related quality of life (HRQoL)
      in the PREVAIL trial in chemotherapy-naive men with metastatic castration
      resistant prostate cancer was analyzed using the generic EQ-5D instrument.
      METHODS: Patients received oral enzalutamide 160 mg/day (n = 872) or placebo (n =
      845). EQ-5D index and EQ-5D visual analogue scale (EQ-5D VAS) scores were
      evaluated at baseline, week 13, and every 12 weeks until week 61 due to sample
      size reduction thereafter. Changes on individual dimensions were assessed, and
      Paretian Classification of Health Change (PCHC) and time-to-event analyses were
      conducted. RESULTS: With enzalutamide, EQ-5D index and EQ-5D VAS scores declined
      more slowly versus placebo and time to diverge from full health was prolonged.
      Average decline in EQ-5D index (-0.042 vs. -0.070; P < .0001) and EQ-5D VAS (-1.3
      vs. -4.4; P < .0001) was significantly smaller with enzalutamide. There were
      significant (P < .05) between-group differences favoring enzalutamide in
      Pain/Discomfort to week 37, Anxiety/Depression at week 13, and Usual Activities
      at week 25, but no significant differences for Mobility and Self-care. The PCHC
      analysis showed more enzalutamide patients reporting improvement than placebo
      patients at weeks 13, 25, and 49 (all P < .05) and week 37 (P = .0512).
      Enzalutamide was superior (P <= .0003) to placebo for time to diverge from full
      health and time to first deterioration on Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression
      dimensions. CONCLUSIONS: This in-depth post hoc analysis showed that enzalutamide
      delayed HRQoL deterioration and had beneficial effects on several HRQoL domains,
      including Pain/Discomfort and the proportion of patients in full health, compared
      with placebo, and may help to support future analyses of this type. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: NCT01212991.

PMID- 28645288
TI  - A cohort study of a general surgery electronic consultation system: safety
      implications and impact on surgical yield.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Electronic consultation (eConsult) systems have enhanced access to
      specialty expertise and enhanced care coordination among primary care and
      specialty care providers, while maintaining high primary care provider (PCP),
      specialist and patient satisfaction. Little is known about their impact on the
      efficiency of specialty care delivery, in particular surgical yield (percent of
      ambulatory visits resulting in a scheduled surgical case). METHODS: Retrospective
      cohort of a random selection of 150 electronic consults from PCPs to a safety-net
      general surgery clinic for the three most common general surgery procedures
      (herniorrhaphy, cholecystectomy, anorectal procedures) in 2014. Electronic
      consultation requests were reviewed for the presence/absence of consult domains:
      symptom acuity/severity, diagnostic evaluation, concurrent medical conditions,
      and attempted diagnosis. Logic regression was used to examine the association
      between completeness of consult requests and scheduling an ambulatory clinic
      visit. Surgical yield was also calculated, as was the percentage of patients
      requiring unanticipated healthcare visits. RESULTS: In 2014, 1743 electronic
      consultations were submitted to general surgery. Among the 150 abstracted, the
      presence of consult domains ranged from 49% to 99%. Consult completeness was not
      associated with greater likelihood of scheduling an ambulatory visit. Seventy-six
      percent of consult requests (114/150) were scheduled for a clinic appointment and
      surgical yield was 46%; without an eConsult system, surgical yield would have
      been 35% (p=0.07). Among patients not scheduled for a clinic visit (n=36), 4 had
      related unanticipated emergency department visits. CONCLUSION: Econsult systems
      can be used to safely optimize the surgical yield of a safety-net general surgery
      service.

PMID- 28645289
TI  - Degenerative changes of the canine cervical spine after discectomy procedures, an
      in vivo study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Discectomies are a common surgical treatment for disc herniations in
      the canine spine. However, the effect of these procedures on intervertebral disc
      tissue is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to assess
      degenerative changes of cervical spinal segments undergoing discectomy
      procedures, in vivo. RESULTS: Discectomies led to a 60% drop in disc height and
      24% drop in foraminal height. Segments did not fuse but showed osteophyte
      formation as well as endplate sclerosis. MR imaging revealed terminal
      degenerative changes with collapse of the disc space and loss of T2 signal
      intensity. The endplates showed degenerative type II Modic changes. Quantitative
      MR imaging revealed that over 95% of Nucleus Pulposus tissue was extracted and
      that the nuclear as well as overall disc hydration significantly decreased.
      Histology confirmed terminal degenerative changes with loss of NP tissue, loss of
      Annulus Fibrosus organization and loss of cartilage endplate tissue. The bony
      endplate displayed sclerotic changes. CONCLUSION: Discectomies lead to terminal
      degenerative changes. Therefore, these procedures should be indicated with
      caution specifically when performed for prophylactic purposes.

PMID- 28645290
TI  - Establishment of an orthotopic patient-derived xenograft mouse model using uveal
      melanoma hepatic metastasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Metastatic uveal melanoma is a highly fatal disease; most patients
      die from their hepatic metastasis within 1 year. A major drawback in the
      development of new treatments for metastatic uveal melanoma is the difficulty in
      obtaining appropriate cell lines and the lack of appropriate animal models.
      Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor models, bearing ectopically implanted
      tumors at a subcutaneous site, have been developed. However, these ectopically
      implanted PDX models have obstacles to translational research, including a low
      engraftment rate, slow tumor growth, and biological changes after multiple
      passages due to the different microenvironment. To overcome these limitations, we
      developed a new method to directly transplant biopsy specimens to the liver of
      immunocompromised mice. RESULTS: By using two metastatic uveal melanoma cell
      lines, we demonstrated that the liver provides a more suitable microenvironment
      for tumor growth compared to subcutaneous sites and that surgical orthotopic
      implantation (SOI) of tumor pieces allows the creation of a liver tumor in
      immunocompromised mice. Subsequently, 10 of 12 hepatic metastasis specimens from
      patients were successfully xenografted into the immunocompromised mice (83.3%
      success rate) using SOI, including 8 of 10 needle biopsy specimens (80%).
      Additionally, four cryopreserved PDX tumors were re-implanted to new mice and re
      establishment of PDX tumors was confirmed in all four mice. The serially passaged
      xenograft tumors as well as the re-implanted tumors after cryopreservation were
      similar to the original patient tumors in histologic, genomic, and proteomic
      expression profiles. CT imaging was effective for detecting and monitoring PDX
      tumors in the liver of living mice. The expression of Ki67 in original patient
      tumors was a predictive factor for implanted tumor growth and the success of
      serial passages in PDX mice. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical orthotopic implantation of
      hepatic metastasis from uveal melanoma is highly successful in the establishment
      of orthotopic PDX models, enhancing their practical utility for research
      applications. By using CT scan, tumor growth can be monitored, which is
      beneficial to evaluate treatment effects in interventional studies.

PMID- 28645291
TI  - The effect of zoledronic acid on type and volume of Modic changes among patients
      with low back pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Modic changes (MC) are associated with low back pain (LBP). In this
      study, we compared changes in size and type of MC, after a single intravenous
      infusion of 5 mg zoledronic acid (ZA) or placebo, among chronic LBP patients with
      MC on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and evaluated whether the MRI changes
      correlate with symptoms. METHODS: All patients (N = 19 in ZA, 20 in placebo) had
      MRI at baseline (0.23-1.5 T) and at one year (1.5-3 T). We evaluated the level,
      type and volume of all the MC. The MC were classified into M1 (M1 (100%)),
      predominating M1 (M1/2 (65:35%)) or predominating M2 (M1/2 (35:65%)), and M2 (M2
      (100%)). The first two were considered M1-dominant, and the latter two M2
      dominant. Volumes of M1 and M2 were calculated separately for the primary MC,
      which was assumed to cause the symptoms, and the other MC. We analysed the one
      year treatment differences in M1 and M2 volumes using analysis of covariance with
      adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking. The correlations between
      the MRI changes and the changes in LBP symptoms were analysed using Pearson
      correlations. RESULTS: In the ZA group, 84.2% of patients had M1-dominant primary
      MC at baseline, compared to 50% in the placebo group (p = 0.041). The primary MC
      in the ZA group converted more likely to M2-dominant (42.1% ZA, 15% placebo; p =
      0.0119). The other MC (15 ZA, 8 placebo) were on average 42% smaller and remained
      largely M2-dominant. The M1 volume of the primary MC decreased in the ZA group,
      but increased in the placebo group (-0.83 cm3 vs 0.91 cm3; p = 0.21). The
      adjusted treatment difference for M1 volume was -1.9 cm3 (95% CI -5.0 to 1.2; p =
      0.22) and for M2 volume 0.23 cm3 (p = 0.86). In the MC that remained M1-dominant,
      volume change correlated positively with increased symptoms in the placebo group,
      whereas the correlations were negative and weak in the ZA group. CONCLUSIONS:
      Zoledronic acid tended to speed up the conversion of M1-dominant into M2-dominant
      MC and decrease the volume of M1-dominant MC, although statistical significance
      was not demonstrated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The registration number in
      ClinicalTrials.gov is NCT01330238 and the date of registration February 11, 2011.

PMID- 28645292
TI  - Implementation of tobacco cessation brief intervention in complementary and
      alternative medicine practice: qualitative evaluation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This article presents findings from qualitative interviews conducted
      as part of a research study that trained Acupuncture, Massage, and Chiropractic
      practitioners' in Arizona, US, to implement evidence-based tobacco cessation
      brief interventions (BI) in their routine practice. The qualitative phase of the
      overall study aimed to assess: the impact of tailored training in evidence-based
      tobacco cessation BI on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
      practitioners' knowledge and willingness to implement BIs in their routine
      practice; and their patients' responses to cessation intervention in CAM context.
      METHODS: To evaluate the implementation of skills learned from a tailored
      training program, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 54 CAM
      practitioners in Southern Arizona and 38 of their patients. Interview questions
      focused on reactions to the implementation of tobacco cessation BIs in CAM
      practice. RESULTS: After participating in a tailored BI training, CAM
      practitioners reported increased confidence, knowledge, and motivation to address
      tobacco in their routine practice. Patients were open to being approached by CAM
      practitioners about tobacco use and viewed BIs as an expected part of wellness
      care. CONCLUSIONS: Tailored training motivated CAM practitioners in this study to
      implement evidence-based tobacco cessation BIs in their routine practice. Results
      suggest that CAM practitioners can be a valuable point of contact and should be
      included in tobacco cessation efforts.

PMID- 28645293
TI  - Prenatal screening of fetal ventriculoarterial connections: benefits of 4D
      technique in fetal heart imaging.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identification of prenatal ventriculoarterial connections in fetuses
      with conotruncal anomalies (CTA) remains one of the greatest challenges for
      sonographers performing screening examinations. Herein, we propose a novel
      protocol of 4D volume analysis that identifies ventriculoarterial connections and
      evaluate its clinical utility in routine screenings. METHODS: Twenty-nine cases
      of transposition of the great arteries (TGA), 22 cases of double-outlet right
      ventricle (DORV), 36 cases of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), 14 cases of truncus
      arteriosus (TCA), and randomly selected 70 normal fetuses were reviewed in this
      study. All cases were evaluated using 2D data alone (2D method), post-processing
      volumes with no exact algorithm (4D-1 method), or with the proposed algorithm (4D
      2 method), or using the 2D and 4D data together (combined method). Comparisons
      were made to evaluate the detection rate of ventriculoarterial connections for
      these different methods. RESULTS: During 18-28 gestational weeks, the detection
      rate of 4D-2 modality was satisfactory. The detection rate of the combined method
      was significantly higher than 2D method in the identification of TGA, TOF, and
      TCA. The detection rate of 4D-1 method was significantly lower than 4D -2
      modality for CTA fetuses. During late pregnancy, the detection rate for both 4D
      modalities was very low due to the poor quality of the 4D volumes. CONCLUSIONS:
      We proposed a detailed protocol, which allowed the examiner to identify fetal
      ventriculoarterial connections by 4D volumes. Inclusion of blood information into
      the volumes improved diagnosis. Our findings suggest that the incorporation of 4D
      STIC into routine screenings could improve the detection for TGA, TOF, and TCA.

PMID- 28645294
TI  - 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-6,7,3'-trimethoxyflavone protects against beta amyloid-induced
      neurotoxicity through antioxidative activity and interference with cell
      signaling.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized by
      progressive decline in memory and cognitive functions, that results from loss of
      neurons in the brain. Amyloid beta (Abeta) protein and oxidative stress are major
      contributors to Alzheimer's disease, therefore, protecting neuronal cells against
      Abeta-induced toxicity and oxidative stress might form an effective approach for
      treatment of this disease. 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-6,7,3'-trimethoxyflavone (TTF) is a
      flavonoid we have purified from the plant Achillea fragrantissima; and the
      present study examined, for the first time, the effects of this compound on Abeta
      toxicity to neuronal cells. METHODS: Various chromatographic techniques were used
      to isolate TTF from the plant Achillea fragrantissima, and an N2a neuroblastoma
      cell line was used to study its activities. The cellular levels of total and
      phosphorylated stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK)
      and of total and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK 1/2)
      were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Intracellular
      reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured by using 2',7'
      dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA). Cytotoxicity and cell viability were
      assessed by using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in cell-conditioned media,
      or by crystal violet cell staining, respectively. RESULTS: TTF prevented the
      Abeta-induced death of neurons and attenuated the intracellular accumulation of
      ROS following treatment of these cells with Abeta. TTF also inhibited the Abeta
      induced phosphorylation of the signaling proteins SAPK/JNK and ERK 1/2, which
      belong to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. CONCLUSION: TTF
      should be studied further as a potential therapeutic means for the treatment of
      Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 28645295
TI  - Identification of the flotillin-1/2 heterocomplex as a target of autoantibodies
      in bona fide multiple sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Autoantibodies, in particular those against aquaporin-4 and myelin
      oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), aid as biomarkers in the differential
      diagnosis of demyelination. Here, we report on discovery of autoantibodies
      against flotillin in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS: The target
      antigen was identified by histo-immunoprecipitation using the patients' sera and
      cryosections of rat or pig cerebellum combined with mass spectrometrical
      analysis. Correct identification was ascertained by indirect immunofluorescence
      and neutralization tests using the target antigens recombinantly expressed in
      HEK293 cells. RESULTS: Serum and CSF of the index patient produced a fine
      granular IgG indirect immunofluorescence staining of the hippocampal and
      cerebellar molecular layers. Flotillin-1 and flotillin-2 were identified as
      target autoantigens. They also reacted with recombinant human flotillin-1/2 co
      expressed in HEK293 cells, but not with the individual flotillins in fixed- and
      live-cell assays. Moreover, neutralization using flotillin-1/2, but not the
      single flotillins, abolished the tissue reactivity of patient serum. Screening of
      521 patients, for whom anti-aquaporin-4 testing was requested and negative,
      revealed 8 additional patients with anti-flotillin-1/2 autoantibodies. All eight
      were negative for anti-MOG. Six patients ex post fulfilled the revised McDonald
      criteria for MS. Vice versa, screening of 538 MS sera revealed anti-flotillin-1/2
      autoantibodies in eight patients. The autoantibodies were not found in a cohort
      of 67 patients with other neural autoantibody-associated syndromes and in 444
      healthy blood donors. CONCLUSIONS: Autoantibodies against the flotillin-1/2
      heterocomplex, a peripheral membrane protein that is involved in axon outgrowth
      and regeneration of the optic nerve, are present in 1-2% of patients with bona
      fide MS.

PMID- 28645296
TI  - MyD88-dependent pro-interleukin-1beta induction in dendritic cells exposed to
      food-grade synthetic amorphous silica.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized first-line sensors of foreign
      materials invading the organism. These sentinel cells rely on pattern recognition
      receptors such as Nod-like or Toll-like receptors (TLRs) to launch immune
      reactions against pathogens, but also to mediate tolerance to self-antigens and,
      in the intestinal milieu, to nutrients and commensals. Since inappropriate DC
      activation contributes to inflammatory diseases and immunopathologies, a key
      question in the evaluation of orally ingested nanomaterials is whether their
      contact with DCs in the intestinal mucosa disrupts this delicate homeostatic
      balance between pathogen defense and tolerance. Here, we generated steady-state
      DCs by incubating hematopoietic progenitors with feline McDonough sarcoma-like
      tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) and used the resulting immature DCs to test
      potential biological responses against food-grade synthetic amorphous silica
      (SAS) representing a common nanomaterial generally thought to be safe. RESULTS:
      Interaction of immature and unprimed DCs with food-grade SAS particles and their
      internalization by endocytic uptake fails to elicit cytotoxicity and the release
      of interleukin (IL)-1alpha or tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which were identified
      as master regulators of acute inflammation in lung-related studies. However, the
      display of maturation markers on the cell surface shows that SAS particles
      activate completely immature DCs. Also, the endocytic uptake of SAS particles
      into these steady-state DCs leads to induction of the pro-IL-1beta precursor,
      subsequently cleaved by the inflammasome to secrete mature IL-1beta. In contrast,
      neither pro-IL-1beta induction nor mature IL-1beta secretion occurs upon
      internalization of TiO2 or FePO4 nanoparticles. The pro-IL-1beta induction is
      suppressed by pharmacologic inhibitors of endosomal TLR activation or by genetic
      ablation of MyD88, a downstream adapter of TLR pathways, indicating that
      endosomal pattern recognition is responsible for the observed cytokine response
      to food-grade SAS particles. CONCLUSIONS: Our results unexpectedly show that food
      grade SAS particles are able to directly initiate the endosomal MyD88-dependent
      pathogen pattern recognition and signaling pathway in steady-state DCs. The
      ensuing activation of immature DCs with de novo induction of pro-IL-1beta implies
      that the currently massive use of SAS particles as food additive should be
      reconsidered.

PMID- 28645297
TI  - Interleukin-1 receptor type 1 is overexpressed in neurons but not in glial cells
      within the rat superficial spinal dorsal horn in complete Freund adjuvant-induced
      inflammatory pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: All known biological functions of the pro-inflammatory cytokine
      interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) are mediated by type 1 interleukin receptor (IL
      1R1). IL-1beta-IL-1R1 signaling modulates various neuronal functions including
      spinal pain processing. Although the role of IL-1beta in pain processing is
      generally accepted, there is a discussion in the literature whether IL-1beta
      exerts its effect on spinal pain processing by activating neuronal or glial IL
      1R1. To contribute to this debate, here we investigated the expression and
      cellular distribution of IL-1R1 in the superficial spinal dorsal horn in control
      animals and also in inflammatory pain. METHODS: Experiments were performed on
      rats and wild type as well as IL-1R1-deficient mice. Inflammatory pain was evoked
      by unilateral intraplantar injection of complete Freund adjuvant (CFA). The
      nociceptive responsiveness of control and CFA-treated animals were tested daily
      for withdrawal responses to mechanical and thermal stimuli before and after CFA
      injection. Changes in the expression of 48 selected genes/mRNAs and in the
      quantity of IL-1R1 protein during the first 3 days after CFA injection were
      measured with the TaqMan low-density array method and Western blot analysis,
      respectively. The cellular localization of IL-1R1 protein was investigated with
      single and double staining immunocytochemical methods. RESULTS: We found a six
      times and two times increase in IL-1R1 mRNA and protein levels, respectively, in
      the dorsal horn of CFA-injected animals 3 days after CFA injection, at the time
      of the summit of mechanical and thermal allodynia. Studying the cellular
      distribution of IL-1R1, we found an abundant expression of IL-1R1 on the
      somatodendritic compartment of neurons and an enrichment of the receptor in the
      postsynaptic membranes of some excitatory synapses. In contrast to the robust
      neuronal localization, we observed only a moderate expression of IL-1R1 on
      astrocytes and a negligible one on microglial cells. CFA injection into the hind
      paw caused a remarkable increase in the expression of IL-1R1 in neurons, but did
      not alter the glial expression of the receptor. CONCLUSION: The results suggest
      that IL-1beta exerts its effect on spinal pain processing primarily through
      neuronal IL-1R1, but it can also interact in some extent with IL-1R1 expressed by
      astrocytes.

PMID- 28645298
TI  - Neurodevelopmental profile of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In an effort to improve the screening and diagnosis of individuals
      with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), research has focused on the
      identification of a unique neurodevelopmental profile characteristic of this
      population. The objective of this review was to identify any existing
      neurodevelopmental profiles of FASD and review their classification function in
      order to identify gaps and limitations of the current literature. METHODS: A
      systematic search for studies published up to the end of December 2016 reporting
      an identified neurodevelopmental profile of FASD was conducted using multiple
      electronic bibliographic databases. The search was not limited geographically or
      by language of publication. Original research published in a peer-reviewed
      journal that involved the evaluation of the classification function of an
      identified neurodevelopmental profile of FASD was included. RESULTS: Two
      approaches have been taken to determine the pathognomonic neurodevelopmental
      features of FASD, namely the utilization of i) behavioral observations/ratings by
      parents/caregivers and ii) subtest scores from standardized test batteries
      assessing a variety of neurodevelopmental domains. Both approaches show some
      promise, with the former approach (which is dominated by research on the
      Neurobehavioral Screening Tool) having good sensitivity (63% to 98%), but varying
      specificity (42% to 100%), and the latter approach having good specificity (72%
      to 96%), but varying sensitivity (60% to 88%). CONCLUSIONS: The current review
      revealed that research in this area remains limited and a definitive
      neurodevelopmental profile of FASD has not been established. However, the
      identification of a neurodevelopmental profile will aid in the accurate
      identification of individuals with FASD, by adding to the armamentarium of
      clinicians. The full review protocol is available in PROSPERO (
      http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ); registration number CRD42016039326;
      registered 20 May 2016.

PMID- 28645299
TI  - Programming of mouse obesity by maternal exposure to concentrated ambient fine
      particles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many diseases including obesity may originate through alterations in
      the early-life environment that interrupts fetal development. Increasing evidence
      has shown that exposure to ambient fine particles (PM2.5) is associated with
      abnormal fetal development. However, its long-term metabolic effects on offspring
      have not been systematically investigated. RESULTS: To determine if maternal
      exposure to PM2.5 programs offspring obesity, female C57Bl/6j mice were exposed
      to filtered air (FA) or concentrated ambient PM2.5 (CAP) during pre-conception,
      pregnancy, and lactation, and the developmental and metabolic responses of
      offspring were assessed. The growth trajectory of offspring revealed that
      maternal exposure to CAP significantly decreased offspring birth weight but
      increased body weight of adult male but not female offspring, and the latter was
      expressed as increased adiposity. These adult male offspring had increased food
      intake, but were sensitive to exogenous leptin. Their hypothalamic expression of
      Socs3 and Pomc, two target genes of leptin, was not changed, and the hypothalamic
      expression of NPY, an orexigenic peptide that is inhibited by leptin, was
      significantly increased. These decreases in central anorexigenic signaling were
      accompanied by reduced plasma leptin and its expression in adipose tissues, the
      primary source of circulating leptin. In contrast, maternal exposure did not
      significantly change any of these indexes in adult female offspring.
      Pyrosequencing demonstrated that the leptin promoter methylation of adipocytes
      was significantly increased in CAP-exposed male but not female offspring.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that maternal exposure to ambient PM2.5 programs
      obesity in male offspring probably through alterations in the methylation of the
      promoter region of the leptin gene.

PMID- 28645300
TI  - Bacterial ghosts as adjuvants: mechanisms and potential.
AB  - Bacterial ghosts (BG) are empty cell envelopes derived from Gram-negative
      bacteria. They contain many innate immunostimulatory agonists, and are potent
      activators of a broad range of cell types involved in innate and adaptive
      immunity. Several considerable studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of BG
      as adjuvants as well as their ability to induce proinflammatory cytokine
      production by a range of immune and non-immune cell types. These proinflammatory
      cytokines trigger a generalized recruitment of T and B lymphocytes to lymph nodes
      that maximize the chances of encounter with their cognate antigen, and subsequent
      elicitation of potent immune responses. The plasticity of BG has allowed for the
      generation of envelope-bound foreign antigens in immunologically active forms
      that have proven to be effective vaccines in animal models. Besides their
      adjuvant property, BG also effectively deliver DNA-encoded antigens to dendritic
      cells, thereby leading to high transfection efficiencies, which subsequently
      result in higher gene expressions and improved immunogenicity of DNA-based
      vaccines. In this review, we summarize our understanding of BG interactions with
      the host immune system, their exploitation as an adjuvant and a delivery system,
      and address important areas of future research interest.

PMID- 28645301
TI  - The Sternal Management Accelerated Recovery Trial (S.M.A.R.T) - standard
      restrictive versus an intervention of modified sternal precautions following
      cardiac surgery via median sternotomy: study protocol for a randomised controlled
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The routine implementation of sternal precautions to prevent sternal
      complications that restrict the use of the upper limbs is currently worldwide
      practice following a median sternotomy. However, evidence is limited and drawn
      primarily from cadaver studies and orthopaedic research. Sternal precautions may
      delay recovery, prolong hospital discharge and be overly restrictive. Recent
      research has shown that upper limb exercise reduces post-operative sternal pain
      and results in minimal micromotion between the sternal edges as measured by
      ultrasound. The aims of this study are to evaluate the effects of modified
      sternal precautions on physical function, pain, recovery and health-related
      quality of life after cardiac surgery. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a phase II,
      double-blind, randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinding of
      patients and assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis. Patients (n = 72) will
      be recruited following cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy. Sample size
      calculations were based on the minimal important difference (two points) for the
      primary outcome: Short Physical Performance Battery. Thirty-six participants are
      required per group to counter dropout (20%). All participants will be randomised
      to receive either standard or modified sternal precautions. The intervention
      group will receive guidelines encouraging the safe use of the upper limbs.
      Secondary outcomes are upper limb function, pain, kinesiophobia and health
      related quality of life. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise data.
      The primary hypothesis will be examined by repeated-measures analysis of variance
      to evaluate the changes from baseline to 4 weeks post-operatively in the
      intervention arm compared with the usual-care arm. In all tests to be conducted,
      a p value <0.05 (two-tailed) will be considered statistically significant, and
      confidence intervals will be reported. DISCUSSION: The Sternal Management
      Accelerated Recovery Trial (S.M.A.R.T.) is a two-centre randomised controlled
      trial powered and designed to investigate whether the effects of modifying
      sternal precautions to include the safe use of the upper limbs and trunk impact
      patients' physical function and recovery following cardiac surgery via median
      sternotomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials
      Registry identifier: ACTRN12615000968572 . Registered on 16 September 2015
      (prospectively registered).

PMID- 28645303
TI  - Effect of physicochemical parameters on Anopheles and Culex mosquito larvae
      abundance in different breeding sites in a rural setting of Muheza, Tanzania.

PMID- 28645302
TI  - Untangling glycaemia and mortality in critical care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hyperglycaemia is associated with adverse outcomes in the intensive
      care unit, and initial studies suggested outcome benefits of glycaemic control
      (GC). However, subsequent studies often failed to replicate these results, and
      they were often unable to achieve consistent, safe control, raising questions
      about the benefit or harm of GC as well as the nature of the association of
      glycaemia with mortality and clinical outcomes. In this study, we evaluated if
      non-survivors are harder to control than survivors and determined if glycaemic
      outcome is a function of patient condition and eventual outcome or of the
      glycaemic control provided. METHODS: Clinically validated, model-based, hour-to
      hour insulin sensitivity (SI) and its hour-to-hour variability (%DeltaSI) were
      identified over the first 72 h of therapy in 145 patients (119 survivors, 26 non
      survivors). In hypothesis testing, we compared distributions of SI and %DeltaSI
      in 6-hourly blocks for survivors and non-survivors. In equivalence testing, we
      assessed if differences in these distributions, based on blood glucose
      measurement error, were clinically significant. RESULTS: SI level was never
      equivalent between survivors and non-survivors (95% CI of percentage difference
      in medians outside +/-12%). Non-survivors had higher SI, ranging from 9% to 47%
      higher overall in 6-h blocks, and this difference became statistically
      significant as glycaemic control progressed. %DeltaSI was equivalent between
      survivors and non-survivors for all 6-hourly blocks (95% CI of difference in
      medians within +/-12%) and decreased in general over time as glycaemic control
      progressed. CONCLUSIONS: Whereas non-survivors had higher SI levels, variability
      was equivalent to that of survivors over the first 72 h. These results indicate
      survivors and non-survivors are equally controllable, given an effective
      glycaemic control protocol, suggesting that glycaemia level and variability, and
      thus the association between glycaemia and outcome, are essentially determined by
      the control provided rather than by underlying patient or metabolic condition.

PMID- 28645304
TI  - Validation of an automated technique for ovarian cortex dissociation: isolation
      of viable ovarian cells and their qualification by multicolor flow cytometry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation is a technique for fertility
      preservation addressed to prepubertal girls or to patients for whom no ovarian
      stimulation is possible before initiation of gonadotoxic treatments.
      Autotransplantation of frozen-thawed ovarian tissue is the only available option
      for reuse but presents some limitations: ischemic tissue damages post-transplant
      and reintroduction of malignant cells in cases of cancer. It is therefore
      essential to qualify ovarian tissue before autograft on a functional and
      oncological point of view. Here, we aimed to isolate viable cells from human
      ovarian cortex in order to obtain an ovarian cell suspension analyzable by
      multicolor flow cytometry. METHODS: Ovarian tissue (fresh or frozen-thawed), from
      patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (reference tissue) and from patients
      who underwent ovarian tissue cryopreservation, was used for dissociation with an
      automated device. Ovarian tissue-dissociated cells were analyzed by multicolor
      flow cytometry; the cell dissociation yield and viability were assessed. Two
      automated dissociation protocols (named laboratory and commercial protocols) were
      compared. RESULTS: The effectiveness of the dissociation was not significantly
      different between reference ovarian tissue (1.58 * 106 +/- 0.94 * 106 viable
      ovarian cells per 100 mg of ovarian cortex, n = 60) and tissue from ovarian
      tissue cryopreservation (1.70 * 106 +/- 1.35 * 106 viable ovarian cells, n = 18).
      However, the viability was slightly different for fresh ovarian cortex compared
      to frozen-thawed ovarian cortex whether we used reference tissue (p = 0.022) or
      tissue from ovarian cryopreservation (p = 0.018). Comparing laboratory and
      commercial protocols, it appeared that cell yield was similar but cell viability
      was significantly improved when using the commercial protocol (81.3% +/- 12.3% vs
      23.9% +/- 12.5%). CONCLUSION: Both dissociation protocols allow us to isolate
      more than one million viable cells per 100 mg of ovarian cortex, but the
      viability is higher when using the commercial dissociation kit. Ovarian cortex
      dissociation is a promising tool for human ovarian cell qualification and for
      ovarian residual disease detection by multicolor flow cytometry.

PMID- 28645305
TI  - High expression of Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 (CTHRC1) facilitates
      progression of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma through MAPK/MEK/ERK/FRA-1
      activation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oesophageal cancer is one of the most common malignancies
      worldwide,and oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the predominant
      histological type both globally and in China. Collagen triple helix repeat
      containing 1 (CTHRC1) has been found to be upregulated in ESCC. However, its role
      in tumourigenesis and progression of ESCC remains unclear. METHODS: Using our
      previous ESCC mRNA profiling data, we screened upregulated genes to identify
      those required for proliferation. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine
      the level of CTHRC1 protein expression in 204 ESCC patients. Correlations between
      CTHRC1 expression and clinicopathological characteristics were assessed. In
      addition, pyrosequencing and 5-aza-dC treatment were performed to evaluate
      methylation status of CTHRC1 promoter. In vitro and in vivo analyses were also
      conducted to determine the role of CTHRC1 in ESCC cell proliferation, migration
      and invasion, and RNA sequencing and molecular experiments were performed to
      study the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Based on mRNA profiling data, CTHRC1
      was identified as one of the most significantly upregulated genes in ESCC tissues
      (n = 119, fold change = 20.5, P = 2.12E-66). RNA interference screening also
      showed that CTHRC1 was required for cell proliferation. Immunohistochemistry
      confirmed markedly high CTHRC1 protein expression in tumour tissues, and high
      CTHRC1 expression was positively correlated with advanced T stage (P = 0.043),
      lymph node metastasis (P = 0.023), TNM stage (P = 0.024) and poor overall
      survival (P = 0.020). Promoter hypomethylation at cg07757887 may contribute to
      increased CTHRC1 expression in ESCC cells and tumours. Forced overexpression of
      CTHRC1 significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration and invasion, whereas
      depletion of CTHRC1 suppressed these cellular functions in three ESCC cell lines
      and xenografts. CTHRC1 was found to activate FRA-1 (Fos-related antigen 1, also
      known as FOSL1) through the MAPK/MEK/ERK cascade, which led to upregulation of
      cyclin D1 and thus promoted cell proliferation. FRA-1 also induced snail1
      mediated MMP14 (matrix metallopeptidase 14, also known as MT1-MMP) expression to
      facilitate ESCC cell invasion, migration, and metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data
      suggest that CTHRC1 may act as an oncogenic driver in progression and metastasis
      of ESCC, and may serve as a potential biomarker for prognosis and personalized
      therapy.

PMID- 28645306
TI  - Excretory/secretory products of anisakid nematodes: biological and pathological
      roles.
AB  - Parasites from the family Anisakidae are widely distributed in marine fish
      populations worldwide and mainly nematodes of the three genera Anisakis,
      Pseudoterranova and Contracaecum have attracted attention due to their
      pathogenicity in humans. Their life cycles include invertebrates and fish as
      intermediate or transport hosts and mammals or birds as final hosts. Human
      consumption of raw or underprocessed seafood containing third stage larvae of
      anisakid parasites may elicit a gastrointestinal disease (anisakidosis) and
      allergic responses. Excretory and secretory (ES) compounds produced by the
      parasites are assumed to be key players in clinical manifestation of the disease
      in humans, but the molecules are likely to play a general biological role in
      invertebrates and lower vertebrates as well. ES products have several functions
      during infection, e.g. penetration of host tissues and evasion of host immune
      responses, but are at the same time known to elicit immune responses (including
      antibody production) both in fish and mammals. ES proteins from anisakid
      nematodes, in particular Anisakis simplex, are currently applied for diagnostic
      purposes but recent evidence suggests that they also may have a therapeutic
      potential in immune-related diseases.

PMID- 28645307
TI  - Aberrant intestinal microbiota due to IL-1 receptor antagonist deficiency
      promotes IL-17- and TLR4-dependent arthritis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Perturbation of commensal intestinal microbiota has been associated
      with several autoimmune diseases. Mice deficient in interleukin-1 receptor
      antagonist (Il1rn -/- mice) spontaneously develop autoimmune arthritis and are
      susceptible to other autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, diabetes, and
      encephalomyelitis; however, the mechanisms of increased susceptibility to these
      autoimmune phenotypes are poorly understood. We investigated the role of
      interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) in regulation of commensal intestinal
      microbiota, and assessed the involvement of microbiota subsets and innate and
      adaptive mucosal immune responses that underlie the development of spontaneous
      arthritis in Il1rn -/- mice. RESULTS: Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene
      sequencing, we show that IL-1Ra critically maintains the diversity and regulates
      the composition of intestinal microbiota in mice. IL-1Ra deficiency reduced the
      intestinal microbial diversity and richness, and caused specific taxonomic
      alterations characterized by overrepresented Helicobacter and underrepresented
      Ruminococcus and Prevotella. Notably, the aberrant intestinal microbiota in IL1rn
      -/- mice specifically potentiated IL-17 production by intestinal lamina propria
      (LP) lymphocytes and skewed the LP T cell balance in favor of T helper 17 (Th17)
      cells, an effect transferable to WT mice by fecal microbiota. Importantly, LP
      Th17 cell expansion and the development of spontaneous autoimmune arthritis in
      IL1rn -/- mice were attenuated under germ-free condition. Selective antibiotic
      treatment revealed that tobramycin-induced alterations of commensal intestinal
      microbiota, i.e., reduced Helicobacter, Flexispira, Clostridium, and
      Dehalobacterium, suppressed arthritis in IL1rn -/- mice. The arthritis phenotype
      in IL1rn -/- mice was previously shown to depend on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4).
      Using the ablation of both IL-1Ra and TLR4, we here show that the aberrations in
      the IL1rn -/- microbiota are partly TLR4-dependent. We further identify a role
      for TLR4 activation in the intestinal lamina propria production of IL-17 and
      cytokines involved in Th17 differentiation preceding the onset of arthritis.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings identify a critical role for IL1Ra in maintaining the
      natural diversity and composition of intestinal microbiota, and suggest a role
      for TLR4 in mucosal Th17 cell induction associated with the development of
      autoimmune disease in mice.

PMID- 28645308
TI  - Neonatal AAV delivery of alpha-synuclein induces pathology in the adult mouse
      brain.
AB  - Abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein (alphasyn) is a pathological hallmark of
      Lewy body related disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Dementia with Lewy
      body disease. During the past two decades, a myriad of animal models have been
      developed to mimic pathological features of synucleinopathies by over-expressing
      human alphasyn. Although different strategies have been used, most models have
      little or no reliable and predictive phenotype. Novel animal models are a
      valuable tool for understanding neuronal pathology and to facilitate development
      of new therapeutics for these diseases. Here, we report the development and
      characterization of a novel model in which mice rapidly express wild-type
      alphasyn via somatic brain transgenesis mediated by adeno-associated virus (AAV).
      At 1, 3, and 6 months of age following intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection,
      mice were subjected to a battery of behavioral tests followed by pathological
      analyses of the brains. Remarkably, significant levels of alphasyn expression are
      detected throughout the brain as early as 1 month old, including olfactory bulb,
      hippocampus, thalamic regions and midbrain. Immunostaining with a phospho
      alphasyn (pS129) specific antibody reveals abundant pS129 expression in specific
      regions. Also, pathologic alphasyn is detected using the disease specific
      antibody 5G4. However, this model did not recapitulate behavioral phenotypes
      characteristic of rodent models of synucleinopathies. In fact no deficits in
      motor function or cognition were observed at 3 or 6 months of age. Taken
      together, these findings show that transduction of neonatal mouse with AAV
      alphasyn can successfully lead to rapid, whole brain transduction of wild-type
      human alphasyn, but increased levels of wildtype alphasyn do not induce behavior
      changes at an early time point (6 months), despite pathological changes in
      several neurons populations as early as 1 month.

PMID- 28645309
TI  - Herpes simplex virus-1 infects the olfactory bulb shortly following ocular
      infection and exhibits a long-term inflammatory profile in the form of effector
      and HSV-1-specific T cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection can result in a life
      threatening condition known as herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Trafficking
      patterns by which the virus reaches the central nervous system (CNS) following
      ocular infection are unresolved. We evaluated early viral dissemination pathways
      following ocular infection that involve trafficking to the olfactory bulb (OB).
      Additionally, we have characterized the capacity of HSV-1 to establish latency
      within OB tissue and profiled the local T lymphocyte response over the course of
      the acute infection into latency. METHODS: Scarified corneas of C57BL/6 or
      reporter-inducible Rosa mice (RosaTd/Tm) were inoculated with HSV-1 and assessed
      for viral dissemination into the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and CNS by RT
      PCR and confocal microscopy. T cells and the resident microglia activation
      signatures were analyzed by flow cytometry. T cell effector function in the form
      of IFN-gamma secretion was measured by T cells isolated from OB in comparison to
      T cells from other nervous system sites known to harbor HSV-1-specific memory T
      cells. RESULTS: Following ocular infection, HSV-1 viral titers from nasal
      secretions were detected as early as 48 h through 8 days post infection (8 DPI).
      HSV-1 gene expression was expressed as early as 2 days following ocular infection
      in the OB and was consistent with an enhanced expression in the ophthalmic,
      maxillary, and mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve ganglia (TG). Rosa
      fluorescence protein expression (RFP+) representing HSV-1-infected cells from
      RosaTd/Tm mice was detected in the OB before other areas of the CNS (2 DPI).
      Additionally, during acute infection, most infected cells appeared to be
      anatomically distributed within the OB rather than other regions of the CNS.
      During latency (i.e., 30 DPI and beyond) despite no detectable infectious virus
      or lytic gene expression and low levels of latency associated transcripts, total
      effector (CD44+ CD62-) CD4+ T, CD8+ T, HSV-1-specific CD8+ T cells, and MHC class
      II positive resident microglia numbers continued to increase. CD4+ and CD8+ T
      cell populations isolated from the OB during latency were capable of responding
      to PMA/ionomycin in the production of IFN-gamma similar to T cells from other
      tissue that possess latent virus including the TG and brain stem. CONCLUSIONS: It
      is currently understood that HSV-1 traffics to the TG following ocular infection.
      We have identified a second conduit by which HSV-1 can directly access the CNS
      bypassing the brain stem. We have also recognized that the OB is unique in that
      during HSV-1 latency, latency-associated transcripts levels were marginally above
      uninfected controls. Despite these findings, the local immune response mimicked
      the phenotype of an active infection during latency.

PMID- 28645310
TI  - PTH monitoring after total parathyroidectomy with forearm auto-transplantation:
      potential for spuriously high levels from grafted forearm.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We have identified a cause of falsely elevated parathyroid hormone
      (PTH) levels after total parathyroidectomy with forearm auto-transplantation (TPT
      ATx). Our cases highlight the need to draw PTH samples remotely, away from
      forearm graft sites, to ensure accurate levels. CASE PRESENTATIONS: We report on
      four patients who were referred to our surgical team at an academic tertiary care
      center for what was perceived to be recurrent hyperparathyroidism 2-5 years
      following total parathyroidectomy with auto-transplantation. Further evaluation
      revealed highly discrepant results in these patients depending on where the blood
      was drawn, with spuriously high levels in blood drawn from the grafted arm (Range
      337-3885 ng/l), and much lower levels when blood was drawn remotely away from the
      graft site (Range 9-242 ng/l). The difference in PTH level between the grafted
      forearm and remote site for these patients ranged between 328 and 3643 ng/l. Over
      the period these cases were accrued (2008-2012), 89 patients underwent TPT-ATx in
      our institution. Therefore, our case report series suggests that this phenomenon
      will be evident to a clinically important extent in at least 4% of patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: One can acquire spuriously high PTH levels from grafted forearms,
      leading to the false diagnosis of recurrent hyperparathyroidism. We recommend PTH
      levels be drawn remotely from graft sites to ensure accurate systemic levels are
      reflected.

PMID- 28645312
TI  - PHF21B overexpression promotes cancer stem cell-like traits in prostate cancer
      cells by activating the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: PHF21B is newly identified to be involved in the tumor progression;
      however, its biological role and molecular mechanism in prostate cancer have not
      been defined. This study is aimed to study the role of PHF21B in the progression
      of prostate cancer. METHODS: Real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and western
      blotting analysis were used to determine PHF21B expression in prostate cancer
      cell lines and clinical specimens. The role of PHF21B in maintaining prostate
      cancer stem cell-like phenotype was examined by tumor-sphere formation assay and
      expression levels of stem cell markers. Luciferase reporter assay, western blot
      analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and ChIP assay were used to determine
      whether PHF21B activates the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling by transcriptionally
      downregulating SFRP1 and SFRP2. RESULTS: Our results revealed that PHF21B was
      markedly upregulated in prostate cancer cell lines and tissues. High PHF21B
      levels predicted poorer recurrence-free survival in prostate cancer patients.
      Gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies showed that overexpression of
      PHF21B enhanced, while downregulation suppressed, the cancer stem cell-like
      phenotype in prostate cancer cells. Xenograft tumor model showed that silencing
      PHF21B decreased the ability of tumorigenicity in vivo. Notably, Wnt/beta-catenin
      signaling was hyperactivated in prostate cancer cells overexpressing PHF21B, and
      mediated PHF21B-induced cancer stem cell-like phenotype. Furthermore, PHF21B
      suppressed repressors of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling cascade, including SFRP1
      and SFRP2. These results demonstrated that PHF21B constitutively activated
      wnt/beta-catenin signaling by transcriptionally downregulating SFRP1 and SFRP2,
      which promotes prostate cancer stem cell-like phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Our results
      revealed that PHF21B functions as an oncogene in prostate cancer, and may
      represent a promising prognostic biomarker and an attractive candidate for target
      therapy of prostate cancer.

PMID- 28645311
TI  - Zika virus tropism and interactions in myelinating neural cell cultures: CNS
      cells and myelin are preferentially affected.
AB  - The recent global outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been linked to
      severe neurological disorders affecting the peripheral and central nervous
      systems (PNS and CNS, respectively). The pathobiology underlying these diverse
      clinical phenotypes are the subject of intense research; however, even the
      principal neural cell types vulnerable to productive Zika infection remain poorly
      characterised. Here we used CNS and PNS myelinating cultures from wild type and
      Ifnar1 knockout mice to examine neuronal and glial tropism and short-term
      consequences of direct infection with a Brazilian variant of ZIKV. Cell cultures
      were infected pre- or post-myelination for various intervals, then stained with
      cell-type and ZIKV-specific antibodies. In bypassing systemic immunity using ex
      vivo culture, and the type I interferon response in Ifnar1 deficient cells, we
      were able to evaluate the intrinsic infectivity of neural cells. Through
      systematic quantification of ZIKV infected cells in myelinating cultures, we
      found that ZIKV infection is enhanced in the absence of the type I interferon
      responses and that CNS cells are considerably more susceptible to infection than
      PNS cells. In particular, we demonstrate that CNS axons and myelinating
      oligodendrocytes are especially vulnerable to injury. These results have
      implications for understanding the pathobiology of neurological symptoms
      associated with ZIKV infection. Furthermore, we provide a quantifiable ex vivo
      infection model that can be used for fundamental and therapeutic studies on viral
      neuroinvasion and its consequences.

PMID- 28645313
TI  - Molecular investigation and phylogeny of Anaplasmataceae species infecting
      domestic animals and ticks in Corsica, France.
AB  - BACKGROUNDS: Corsica is a French island situated in the Mediterranean Sea. The
      island provides suitable natural conditions to study disease ecology, especially
      tick-borne diseases and emerging diseases in animals and ticks. The family
      Anaplasmataceae is a member of the order Rickettsiales; it includes the genera
      Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Neorickettsia and Wolbachia. Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis
      traditionally refer to diseases caused by obligate intracellular bacteria of the
      genera Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. The aim of this study was to identify and
      estimate the prevalence of Anaplasmataceae species infecting domestic animals and
      ticks in Corsica. METHODS: In this study, 458 blood samples from sheep, cattle,
      horses, goats, dogs, and 123 ticks removed from cattle, were collected in
      Corsica. Quantitative real-time PCR screening and genetic characterisation of
      Anaplasmataceae bacteria were based on the 23S rRNA, rpoB and groEl genes.
      RESULTS: Two tick species were collected in the present study: Rhipicephalus
      bursa (118) and Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (5). Molecular investigation
      showed that 32.1% (147/458) of blood samples were positive for Anaplasmataceae
      infection. Anaplasma ovis was identified in 42.3% (93/220) of sheep. Anaplasma
      marginale was amplified from 100% (12/12) of cattle and two R. bursa (2/123).
      Several potentially new species were also identified: Anaplasma cf. ovis,
      "Candidatus Anaplasma corsicanum", "Candidatus Anaplasma mediterraneum" were
      amplified from 17.3% (38/220) of sheep, and Anaplasma sp. marginale-like was
      amplified from 80% (4/5) of goats. Finally, one R. bursa tick was found to
      harbour the DNA of E. canis. All samples from horses and dogs were negative for
      Anaplasmataceae infection. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study is the first
      epidemiological survey on Anaplasmataceae species infecting animals and ticks in
      Corsica and contributes toward the identification of current Anaplasmataceae
      species circulating in Corsica.

PMID- 28645316
TI  - Erratum to: A novel anatomic severity grading score for acute Type B aortic
      dissections and correlation to aortic reinterventions after thoracic endovascular
      aortic repair.

PMID- 28645314
TI  - Neuromuscular function during knee extension exercise after cold water immersion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human adaptability to cold environment has been focused on in the
      physiological anthropology and related research area. Concerning the human
      acclimatization process in the natural climate, it is necessary to conduct a
      research assessing comprehensive effect of cold environment and physical
      activities in cold. This study investigated the effect of cold water immersion on
      the exercise performance and neuromuscular function during maximal and submaximal
      isometric knee extension. METHODS: Nine healthy males participated in this study.
      They performed maximal and submaximal (20, 40, and 60% maximal load) isometric
      knee extension pre- and post-immersion in 23, 26, and 34  degrees C water. The
      muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) was measured
      using surface electromyography (EMG). The percentages of the maximum voluntary
      contraction (%MVC) and mean power frequency (MPF) of EMG data were analyzed.
      RESULTS: The post-immersion maximal force was significantly lower in 23  degrees
      C than in 26 and 34  degrees C conditions (P < 0.05). The post-immersion %MVC of
      RF was significantly higher than pre-immersion during 60% maximal exercise in 23
      and 26  degrees C conditions (P < 0.05). In the VL, the post-immersion %MVC was
      significantly higher than pre-immersion in 23 and 26  degrees C conditions during
      20% maximal exercise and in 26  degrees C at 40 and 60% maximal intensities (P <
      0.05). The post-immersion %MVC of VL was significantly higher in 26  degrees C
      than in 34  degrees C at 20 and 60% maximal load (P < 0.05). The post-immersion
      MPF of RF during 20% maximal intensity was significantly lower in 23  degrees C
      than in 26 and 34  degrees C conditions (P < 0.05), and significantly different
      between three water temperature conditions at 40 and 60% maximal intensities (P <
      0.05). The post-immersion MPF of VL during three submaximal trials were
      significantly lower in 23 and 26  degrees C than in 34  degrees C conditions (P <
      0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The lower shift of EMG frequency would be connected with the
      decrease in the nerve and muscle fibers conduction velocity. To compensate for
      the impairment of each muscle fibers function, more muscle fibers might be
      recruited to maintain the working load. This might result in the greater
      amplitude of EMG after the cold immersion.

PMID- 28645315
TI  - Role of inhibitors of serine peptidases in protecting Leishmania donovani against
      the hydrolytic peptidases of sand fly midgut.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In vector-borne diseases such as leishmaniasis, the sand fly midgut
      is considered to be an important site for vector-parasite interaction. Digestive
      enzymes including serine peptidases such as trypsin and chymotrypsin, which are
      secreted in the midgut are one of the obstacles for Leishmania in establishing a
      successful infection. The presence of some natural inhibitors of serine
      peptidases (ISPs) has recently been reported in Leishmania. In the present study,
      we deciphered the role of these ISPs in the survival of Leishmania donovani in
      the hostile sand fly midgut environment. METHODS: In silico and co
      immunoprecipitation studies were performed to observe the interaction of L.
      donovani ISPs with trypsin and chymotrypsin. Zymography and in vitro enzyme
      assays were carried out to observe the inhibitory effect of purified recombinant
      ISPs of L. donovani (rLdISPs) on trypsin, chymotrypsin and the sand fly midgut
      peptidases. The expression of ISPs in the amastigote to promastigote transition
      stages were studied by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot. The role of
      LdISP on the survival of ISP overexpressed (OE) and ISP knocked down (KD)
      Leishmania parasites inside the sand fly gut was investigated by in vitro and in
      vivo cell viability assays. RESULTS: We identified two ecotin-like genes in L.
      donovani, LdISP1 and LdISP2. In silico and co-immunoprecipitation results clearly
      suggest a strong interaction of LdISP molecules with trypsin and chymotrypsin.
      Zymography and in vitro enzyme assay confirmed the inhibitory effect of rLdISP on
      trypsin, chymotrypsin and the sand fly midgut peptidases. The expression of
      LdISP2 was found to be strongly associated with the amastigote to promastigote
      phase transition. The activities of the digestive enzymes were found to be
      significantly reduced in the infected sand flies when compared to uninfected. To
      our knowledge, our study is the first report showing the possible reduction of
      chymotrypsin activity in L. donovani infected sand flies compared to uninfected.
      Interestingly, during the early transition stage, substantial killing was
      observed in ISP2 knocked down (ISP2KD) parasites compared to wild type (WT),
      whereas ISP1 knocked down (ISP1KD) parasites remained viable. Therefore, our
      study clearly indicates that LdISP2 is a more effective inhibitor of serine
      peptidases than LdISP1. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the lack of ISP2 is
      detrimental to the parasites during the early transition from amastigotes to
      promastigotes. Moreover, the results of the present study demonstrated for the
      first time that LdISP2 has an important role in the inhibition of peptidases and
      promoting L. donovani survival inside the Phlebotomus argentipes midgut.

PMID- 28645317
TI  - Facial soft tissue response to maxillo-mandibular advancement in obstructive
      sleep apnea syndrome patients.

PMID- 28645318
TI  - Detecting consistent patterns of directional adaptation using differential
      selection codon models.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Phylogenetic codon models are often used to characterize the
      selective regimes acting on protein-coding sequences. Recent methodological
      developments have led to models explicitly accounting for the interplay between
      mutation and selection, by modeling the amino acid fitness landscape along the
      sequence. However, thus far, most of these models have assumed that the fitness
      landscape is constant over time. Fluctuations of the fitness landscape may often
      be random or depend on complex and unknown factors. However, some organisms may
      be subject to systematic changes in selective pressure, resulting in reproducible
      molecular adaptations across independent lineages subject to similar conditions.
      RESULTS: Here, we introduce a codon-based differential selection model, which
      aims to detect and quantify the fine-grained consistent patterns of adaptation at
      the protein-coding level, as a function of external conditions experienced by the
      organism under investigation. The model parameterizes the global mutational
      pressure, as well as the site- and condition-specific amino acid selective
      preferences. This phylogenetic model is implemented in a Bayesian MCMC framework.
      After validation with simulations, we applied our method to a dataset of HIV
      sequences from patients with known HLA genetic background. Our differential
      selection model detects and characterizes differentially selected coding
      positions specifically associated with two different HLA alleles. CONCLUSION: Our
      differential selection model is able to identify consistent molecular adaptations
      as a function of repeated changes in the environment of the organism. These
      models can be applied to many other problems, ranging from viral adaptation to
      evolution of life-history strategies in plants or animals.

PMID- 28645319
TI  - Architectural frameworks: defining the structures for implementing learning
      health systems.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The vision of transforming health systems into learning health
      systems (LHSs) that rapidly and continuously transform knowledge into improved
      health outcomes at lower cost is generating increased interest in government
      agencies, health organizations, and health research communities. While existing
      initiatives demonstrate that different approaches can succeed in making the LHS
      vision a reality, they are too varied in their goals, focus, and scale to be
      reproduced without undue effort. Indeed, the structures necessary to effectively
      design and implement LHSs on a larger scale are lacking. In this paper, we
      propose the use of architectural frameworks to develop LHSs that adhere to a
      recognized vision while being adapted to their specific organizational context.
      Architectural frameworks are high-level descriptions of an organization as a
      system; they capture the structure of its main components at varied levels, the
      interrelationships among these components, and the principles that guide their
      evolution. Because these frameworks support the analysis of LHSs and allow their
      outcomes to be simulated, they act as pre-implementation decision-support tools
      that identify potential barriers and enablers of system development. They thus
      increase the chances of successful LHS deployment. DISCUSSION: We present an
      architectural framework for LHSs that incorporates five dimensions-goals,
      scientific, social, technical, and ethical-commonly found in the LHS literature.
      The proposed architectural framework is comprised of six decision layers that
      model these dimensions. The performance layer models goals, the scientific layer
      models the scientific dimension, the organizational layer models the social
      dimension, the data layer and information technology layer model the technical
      dimension, and the ethics and security layer models the ethical dimension. We
      describe the types of decisions that must be made within each layer and identify
      methods to support decision-making. CONCLUSION: In this paper, we outline a high
      level architectural framework grounded in conceptual and empirical LHS
      literature. Applying this architectural framework can guide the development and
      implementation of new LHSs and the evolution of existing ones, as it allows for
      clear and critical understanding of the types of decisions that underlie LHS
      operations. Further research is required to assess and refine its
      generalizability and methods.

PMID- 28645320
TI  - Acromegaly discovered during a routine out-patient surgical procedure: a case
      report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acromegaly is a rare syndrome in which there is unregulated
      hypersecretion of growth hormone. The anesthetic management of patients with this
      disorder is particularly challenging due to pre-existing cardiovascular and
      respiratory dysfunction, as well as recognized difficulties with airway
      management. Because of the insidious progression of the disease and the presence
      of nonspecific signs and symptoms, diagnosis is often made late when
      characteristic acromegalic features become apparent. CASE PRESENTATION: We report
      the management of a 35-year-old African American man with previously undiagnosed
      acromegaly, who underwent a general anesthetic for same day surgery. Subtle
      physical features and difficult endotracheal intubation raised our suspicion for
      the diagnosis of acromegaly. Following an uncomplicated postoperative course he
      underwent workup for the disease, which was confirmed. In addition, brain
      magnetic resonance imaging showed a pituitary adenoma. A subsequent
      transsphenoidal hypophysectomy was performed successfully. CONCLUSIONS: This case
      underscores the notable absence of recognizing the clinical presentation of
      acromegaly in this patient by his primary care physician, and the value of
      thorough history taking, vigilance, and observation in making a new diagnosis
      that has the potential to alter a patient's health care and mitigate impending
      morbidity and/or mortality.

PMID- 28645322
TI  - Erratum to: Trends in antimicrobial resistance and empiric antibiotic therapy of
      bloodstream infections at a general hospital in mid-Norway: a prospective
      observational study.

PMID- 28645321
TI  - Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in hypothalamus and ovary of Capra
      hircus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: DNA methylation is a frequently studied epigenetic modification due
      to its role in regulating gene expression and hence in biological processes and
      in determining phenotypic plasticity in organisms. Rudimentary DNA methylation
      patterns for some livestock species are publically available: among these, goat
      methylome deserves to be further explored. RESULTS: Genome-wide DNA methylation
      maps of the hypothalamus and ovary from Saanen goats were generated using Methyl
      CpG binding domain protein sequencing (MBD-seq). Analysis of DNA methylation
      patterns indicate that the majority of methylation peaks found within genes are
      located gene body regions, for both organs. Analysis of the distribution of
      methylated sites per chromosome showed that chromosome X had the lowest number of
      methylation peaks. The X chromosome has one of the highest percentages of
      methylated CpG islands in both organs, and approximately 50% of the CpG islands
      in the goat epigenome are methylated in hypothalamus and ovary. Organ-specific
      Differentially Methylated Genes (DMGs) were correlated with the expression
      levels. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison between transcriptome and methylome in
      hypothalamus and ovary showed that a higher level of methylation is not
      accompanied by a higher gene suppression. The genome-wide DNA methylation map for
      two goat organs produced here is a valuable starting point for studying the
      involvement of epigenetic modifications in regulating goat reproduction
      performance.

PMID- 28645323
TI  - Early response index: a statistic to discover potential early stage disease
      biomarkers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Identifying disease correlated features early before large number of
      molecules are impacted by disease progression with significant abundance change
      is very advantageous to biologists for developing early disease diagnosis
      biomarkers. Disease correlated features have relatively low level of abundance
      change at early stages. Finding them using existing bioinformatic tools in high
      throughput data is a challenging task since the technology suffers from limited
      dynamic range and significant noise. Most existing biomarker discovery algorithms
      can only detect molecules with high abundance changes, frequently missing early
      disease diagnostic markers. RESULTS: We present a new statistic called early
      response index (ERI) to prioritize disease correlated molecules as potential
      early biomarkers. Instead of classification accuracy, ERI measures the average
      classification accuracy improvement attainable by a feature when it is united
      with other counterparts for classification. ERI is more sensitive to abundance
      changes than other ranking statistics. We have shown that ERI significantly
      outperforms SAM and Localfdr in detecting early responding molecules in a
      proteomics study of a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Importantly, ERI was
      able to detect many disease relevant proteins before those algorithms detect them
      at a later time point. CONCLUSIONS: ERI method is more sensitive for significant
      feature detection during early stage of disease development. It potentially has a
      higher specificity for biomarker discovery, and can be used to identify critical
      time frame for disease intervention.

PMID- 28645324
TI  - BMI and recommended levels of physical activity in school children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and its health benefits are a continuous point
      of discussion. Recommendations for children's daily PA vary between guidelines.
      To better define the amount of PA necessary to prevent overweight and obesity in
      children, further research is needed. The present study investigates children's
      compliance to physical activity guidelines (PAGs) and the association between
      objectively measured PA and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Participating
      children were 11 years old (n = 419) and part of the European CHOP trial, which
      was conducted in Germany, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Italy. At least 2 days of PA
      measurements were collected from each child using a SenseWearTM armband. BMI was
      calculated from children's height and weight. Thresholds of min.day-1 in PA
      needed to differentiate between normal and excess weight (overweight/obesity)
      were determined with Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC) analysis.
      Additionally, adjusted linear and logistic regressions models were calculated for
      group differences and effects of a 5, 15 and 60 min.day-1 increases in PA on BMI.
      RESULTS: Median time spent in total PA was 462 min.day-1 (25th percentile; 75th
      percentile: 389; 534) and 75 min.day-1 (41; 115) in moderate to vigorous PA
      (MVPA). Girls spent 36 min.day-1 less in MVPA than boys and overweight/obese
      children 24 min.day-1 less than normal weight children (linear regression, p <
      0.001). 63.2% of the children met PAGs of 60 min.day-1 in MVPA. The optimal
      threshold for min.day-1 in MVPA determined with ROC analysis was 46 min.day-1.
      Comparing 5, 15 and 60 min.day-1 increases in PA revealed that an additional 15
      min.day-1 of vigorous PA had the same effect as 60 min.day-1 of MVPA. Sedentary
      time and light PA showed contrary associations to one another, with light PA
      being negatively and sedentary time being positively associated with excessive
      weight. CONCLUSIONS: Current PAGs are met by 2/3 of children and seem appropriate
      to prevent excess weight in children. An official recommendation of daily 15-20
      min of vigorous PA and further reduction of sedentary time could help to fight
      youth overweight and thus be of potential public health importance. TRIAL
      REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00338689 . Registered: June 19,
      2006 (retrospectively registered).

PMID- 28645325
TI  - Performance characteristics of prostate-specific antigen density and biopsy core
      details to predict oncological outcome in patients with intermediate to high-risk
      prostate cancer underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many urologic surgeons refer to biopsy core details for decision
      making in cases of localized prostate cancer (PCa) to determine whether an
      extended resection and/or lymph node dissection should be performed. Furthermore,
      recent reports emphasize the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen
      density (PSAD) for further risk stratification, not only for low-risk PCa, but
      also for intermediate- and high-risk PCa. This study focused on these parameters
      and compared respective predictive impact on oncologic outcomes in Japanese PCa
      patients. METHODS: Two-hundred and fifty patients with intermediate- and high
      risk PCa according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
      classification, that underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy at a single
      institution, and with observation periods of longer than 6 months were enrolled.
      None of the patients received hormonal treatments including antiandrogens,
      luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues, or 5-alpha reductase inhibitors
      preoperatively. PSAD and biopsy core details, including the percentage of
      positive cores and the maximum percentage of cancer extent in each positive core,
      were analyzed in association with unfavorable pathologic results of prostatectomy
      specimens, and further with biochemical recurrence. The cut-off values of
      potential predictive factors were set through receiver-operating characteristic
      curve analyses. RESULTS: In the entire cohort, a higher PSAD, the percentage of
      positive cores, and maximum percentage of cancer extent in each positive core
      were independently associated with advanced tumor stage >= pT3 and an increased
      index tumor volume > 0.718 ml. NCCN classification showed an association with a
      tumor stage >= pT3 and a Gleason score >=8, and the attribution of biochemical
      recurrence was also sustained. In each NCCN risk group, these preoperative
      factors showed various associations with unfavorable pathological results. In the
      intermediate-risk group, the percentage of positive cores showed an independent
      predictive value for biochemical recurrence. In the high-risk group, PSAD showed
      an independent predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: PSAD and biopsy core details have
      different performance characteristics for the prediction of oncologic outcomes in
      each NCCN risk group. Despite the need for further confirmation of the results
      with a larger cohort and longer observation, these factors are important as
      preoperative predictors in addition to the NCCN classification for a urologic
      surgeon to choose a surgical strategy.

PMID- 28645326
TI  - Improving visualization of 4D flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance with four
      dimensional angiographic data: generation of a 4D phase-contrast magnetic
      resonance CardioAngiography (4D PC-MRCA).
AB  - Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) and Phase-Contrast MRA (PC-MRA) approaches
      used for assessment of cardiovascular morphology typically result in data
      containing information from the entire cardiac cycle combined into one 2D or 3D
      image. Information specific to each timeframe of the cardiac cycle is, however,
      lost in this process. This study proposes a novel technique, called Phase
      Contrast Magnetic Resonance CardioAngiography (4D PC-MRCA), that utilizes the
      full potential of 4D Flow CMR when generating temporally resolved PC-MRA data to
      improve visualization of the heart and major vessels throughout the cardiac
      cycle. Using non-rigid registration between the timeframes of the 4D Flow CMR
      acquisition, the technique concentrates information from the entire cardiac cycle
      into an angiographic dataset at one specific timeframe, taking movement over the
      cardiac cycle into account. Registration between the timeframes is used once more
      to generate a time-resolved angiography. The method was evaluated in ten healthy
      volunteers. Visual comparison of the 4D PC-MRCAs versus PC-MRAs generated from 4D
      Flow CMR using the traditional approach was performed by two observers using
      Maximum Intensity Projections (MIPs). The 4D PC-MRCAs resulted in better
      visibility of the main anatomical regions of the cardiovascular system,
      especially where cardiac or vessel motion was present. The proposed method
      represents an improvement over previous PC-MRA generation techniques that rely on
      4D Flow CMR, as it effectively utilizes all the information available in the
      acquisition. The 4D PC-MRCA can be used to visualize the motion of the heart and
      major vessels throughout the entire cardiac cycle.

PMID- 28645327
TI  - Impact of growth matrix on pharmacodynamics of antimicrobial drugs for pig
      pneumonia pathogens.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The most widely used measure of potency of antimicrobial drugs is
      Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). MIC is usually determined under
      standardised conditions in broths formulated to optimise bacterial growth on a
      species-by-species basis. This ensures comparability of data between
      laboratories. However, differences in values of MIC may arise between broths of
      differing chemical composition and for some drug classes major differences occur
      between broths and biological fluids such as serum and inflammatory exudate. Such
      differences must be taken into account, when breakpoint PK/PD indices are derived
      and used to predict dosages for clinical use. There is therefore interest in
      comparing MIC values in several broths and, in particular, in comparing broth
      values with those generated in serum. For the pig pneumonia pathogens,
      Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida, MICs were determined
      for three drugs, florfenicol, oxytetracycline and marbofloxacin, in five broths
      [Mueller Hinton Broth (MHB), cation-adjusted Mueller Hinton Broth (CAMHB),
      Columbia Broth supplemented with NAD (CB), Brain Heart Infusion Broth (BHI) and
      Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB)] and in pig serum. RESULTS: For each drug, similar MIC
      values were obtained in all broths, with one exception, marbofloxacin having
      similar MICs for three broths and 4-5-fold higher MICs for two broths. In
      contrast, for both organisms, quantitative differences between broth and pig
      serum MICs were obtained after correction of MICs for drug binding to serum
      protein (fu serum MIC). Potency was greater (fu serum MIC lower) in serum than in
      broths for marbofloxacin and florfenicol for both organisms. For oxytetracycline
      fu serum:broth MIC ratios were 6.30:1 (P. multocida) and 0.35:1 (A.
      pleuropneumoniae), so that potency of this drug was reduced for the former
      species and increased for the latter species. The chemical composition of pig
      serum and broths was compared; major matrix differences in 14 constituents did
      not account for MIC differences. Bacterial growth rates were compared in broths
      and pig serum in the absence of drugs; it was concluded that broth/serum MIC
      differences might be due to differing growth rates in some but not all instances.
      CONCLUSIONS: For all organisms and all drugs investigated in this study, it is
      suggested that broth MICs should be adjusted by an appropriate scaling factor
      when used to determine pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic breakpoints for dosage
      prediction.

PMID- 28645328
TI  - Ocular manifestations as first signs of systemic T cell lymphoma in two cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intraocular involvement of systemic T-cell lymphomas are uncommon and
      have been broadly regarded as markers of poor prognosis. We reported two cases of
      uveitis patients finally diagnosed as systemic T cell lymphoma. CASE
      PRESENTATION: Case one is a 19-year-old female presented with fever and liver
      dysfunction, and was diagnosed as EBV-associated chronic active hepatitis.
      Fourteen months later, she suffered from recurrent granulomatous anterior uveitis
      in both eyes, which failed to respond to steroid and immunosuppressant therapy. A
      mass on the left side of pharynx was found and the final diagnosis was pharynx T
      cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. After 13 cycles of chemotherapy, her systematic
      symptoms and uveitis relieved a lot, and eye condition is stable after cataract
      surgery. Case two is a 37-year-old male complaining bilateral blurred vision and
      recurrent abdominal pain. Panuveitis was diagnosed and anterior inflammation did
      not release after topical steroid. During the following days, the patient
      complained intermittent abdominal pain and fever, with rapidly progressive
      bilateral visual decrease. Final diagnosis was gallbladder type II enteropathy
      associated T-cell lymphoma. The patient died of multiple organ failure 4 days
      after operation that was only 26 days after presenting to our hospital.
      CONCLUSIONS: Ocular manifestations as first signs of systemic T cell lymphoma
      were rare. Diagnosis of lymphoma has to be suspected when patients have systemic
      manifestations including fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, EBV-associated liver
      disease, et al., and uveitis fails to respond to steroid therapy.

PMID- 28645329
TI  - Ticks and associated pathogens in dogs from Greece.

PMID- 28645330
TI  - Screen-based sedentary behavior during adolescence and pulmonary function in a
      birth cohort.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Adolescents spend many hours in sitting activities as television
      viewing, video game playing and computer use. The relationship between sedentary
      behavior and respiratory health remains poorly elucidated. To date there have
      been no studies evaluating the relationship between sedentary behavior and
      pulmonary function in young populations. The purpose of this study is to examine
      the association between the trajectory of screen-based sedentary behavior from 11
      to 18 years and pulmonary function at 18 years in a Brazilian birth cohort.
      METHODS: Data from a longitudinal prospective study conducted among the
      participants of the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort. Time spent on television,
      video games, and computers during a weekday was self-reported at ages 11, 15 and
      18 years. For each age, sedentary behavior was defined as the sum of time spent
      on these screen-based activities. To evaluate the sedentary behavior trajectory
      during adolescence group-based trajectory modeling was used. Outcome variables
      were three pulmonary function parameters: forced expiratory volume in one second
      (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and peak expiratory flow (PEF), evaluated by
      spirometry, at 18 years expressed as z-scores. Crude and adjusted linear
      regressions, stratified by sex, were performed. RESULTS: The three-group
      trajectory of sedentary behavior was the best fitting model. The trajectory
      groups were: always high (representing 38.8% of the individuals), always moderate
      (54.1%), and always low (7.1%). In the adjusted analyses, boys in the always-low
      group for sedentary behavior had higher FVC at 18 years (beta = 0.177; 95%
      CI:0.027;0.327; p = 0.021) than boys in the always-high group. There were no
      differences for other pulmonary function parameters in boys. No significant
      association was found for girls. CONCLUSION: The trajectory of screen-based
      sedentary behavior throughout adolescence was not consistent associated with
      pulmonary function at 18 years.

PMID- 28645331
TI  - Circadian CLOCK gene polymorphisms in relation to sleep patterns and obesity in
      African Americans: findings from the Jackson heart study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Circadian rhythms regulate key biological processes and the
      dysregulation of the intrinsic clock mechanism affects sleep patterns and obesity
      onset. The CLOCK (circadian locomotor output cycles protein kaput) gene encodes a
      core transcription factor of the molecular circadian clock influencing diverse
      metabolic pathways, including glucose and lipid homeostasis. The primary
      objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between CLOCK single
      nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and body mass index (BMI). We also evaluated the
      association of SNPs with BMI related factors such as sleep duration and quality,
      adiponectin and leptin, in 2962 participants (1116 men and 1810 women) from the
      Jackson Heart Study. Genotype data for the selected 23 CLOCK gene SNPS was
      obtained by imputation with IMPUTE2 software and reference phase data from the
      1000 genome project. Genetic analyses were conducted with PLINK RESULTS: We found
      a significant association between the CLOCK SNP rs2070062 and sleep duration,
      participants carriers of the T allele showed significantly shorter sleep duration
      compared to non-carriers after the adjustment for individual proportions of
      European ancestry (PEA), socio economic status (SES), body mass index (BMI),
      alcohol consumption and smoking status that reach the significance threshold
      after multiple testing correction. In addition, we found nominal associations of
      the CLOCK SNP rs6853192 with longer sleep duration and the rs6820823, rs3792603
      and rs11726609 with BMI. However, these associations did not reach the
      significance threshold after correction for multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS: In
      this work, CLOCK gene variants were associated with sleep duration and BMI
      suggesting that the effects of these polymorphisms on circadian rhythmicity may
      affect sleep duration and body weight regulation in Africans Americans.

PMID- 28645332
TI  - Effects of air pollution and seasons on health-related quality of life of
      Mongolian adults living in Ulaanbaatar: cross-sectional studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is known as severely air-polluted city in the
      world due to increased coal consumption in the cold season. The health effects of
      air pollution in Mongolia such as mortality, morbidity and symptoms have been
      previously reported. However, the concept of health-related quality of life (HR
      QoL), which refers to the individual's perception of well-being, should also be
      included as an adverse health outcome of air pollution. METHODS: Surveys on the
      Mongolian people living in Ulaanbaatar were performed in the warm and cold
      seasons. Self-completed questionnaires on the subjects' HR-QoL, data from health
      checkups and pulmonary function tests by respiratory specialists were collected
      for Mongolian adults aged 40-79 years (n = 666). Ambient PM2.5 and PM10 were
      concurrently sampled and the components were analyzed to estimate the source of
      air pollution. RESULTS: In logistic regression analyses, respiratory symptoms and
      smoke-rich fuels were associated with reduced HR-QoL (> 50th percentile vs. <=
      50th percentile). PM 2.5 levels were much higher in the cold season (median 86.4
      MUg/m3 (IQR: 58.7-121.0)) than in the warm season (12.2 MUg/m3 (8.9-21.2). The
      receptor model revealed that the high PM2.5 concentration in the cold season
      could be attributed to solid fuel combustion. The difference in HR-QoL between
      subjects with and without ventilatory impairment was assessed after the
      stratification of the subjects by season and household fuel type. There were no
      significant differences in HR-QoL between subjects with and without ventilatory
      impairment regardless of household fuel type in the warm season. In contrast,
      subjects with ventilatory impairment who used smoke-rich fuel in the cold season
      had a significantly lower HR-QoL. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that air
      pollution in Ulaanbaatar worsened in the cold season and was estimated to be
      contributed by solid fuel combustion. Various aspects of HR-QoL in subjects with
      ventilatory impairment using smoke-rich fuels deteriorated only in the cold
      season while those with normal lung function did not. These results suggest that
      countermeasures or interventions by the policymakers to reduce coal usage would
      improve HR-QoL of the residents of Ulaanbaatar, especially for those with
      ventilatory impairment in the winter months.

PMID- 28645334
TI  - The Authors Respond.

PMID- 28645335
TI  - Early Mobilization After Mechanical Ventilation: A Question of Details and Time.

PMID- 28645336
TI  - Contextualizing the Role of Alcohol in Sexual Violence.

PMID- 28645337
TI  - The Visible Man: Gendering Health Care Services to Improve Young Men's Sexual
      Health.

PMID- 28645333
TI  - Sac-1004, a vascular leakage blocker, reduces cerebral ischemia-reperfusion
      injury by suppressing blood-brain barrier disruption and inflammation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and inflammation are critical
      events in ischemic stroke, contributing to aggravated brain damage. The BBB
      mainly consists of microvascular endothelial cells sealed by tight junctions to
      protect the brain from blood-borne substances. Thus, the maintenance of BBB
      integrity may be a potential target for neuroprotection. Sac-1004, a pseudo-sugar
      derivative of cholesterol, enhances the endothelial barrier by the stabilization
      of the cortical actin ring. RESULTS: Here, we report on the protective effects of
      Sac-1004 on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Treatment with Sac-1004
      significantly blocked the interleukin-1beta-induced monolayer hyperpermeability
      of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs), loss of tight junctions,
      and formation of actin stress fiber. Sac-1004 suppressed the expression of
      adhesion molecules, adhesion of U937 cells, and activation of nuclear factor
      kappaB in HBMECs. Using a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia, it was
      shown that Sac-1004 effectively ameliorated neurological deficits and ischemic
      damage. In addition, Sac-1004 decreased BBB leakage and rescued tight junction
      related proteins. Moreover, the staining of CD11b and glial fibrillary acidic
      protein showed that Sac-1004 inhibited glial activation. CONCLUSIONS: Taken
      together, these results demonstrate that Sac-1004 has neuroprotective activities
      through maintaining BBB integrity, suggesting that it is a great therapeutic
      candidate for stroke.

PMID- 28645338
TI  - Optic Nerve Gray Crescent.

PMID- 28645339
TI  - Purtscher's Retinopathy.

PMID- 28645340
TI  - Soemmering's Ring.

PMID- 28645341
TI  - Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

PMID- 28645342
TI  - Pleomorphic Adenoma of an Accessory Lacrimal Gland Masquerading as a Chalazion.

PMID- 28645343
TI  - Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 28645344
TI  - Re: Merani et al.: Aqueous chlorhexidine for intravitreal injection antisepsis
      (Ophthalmology. 2016;123:2588-2594).

PMID- 28645345
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28645346
TI  - Re: Khan et al.: Clinical and genetic features of choroideremia in childhood
      (Ophthalmology. 2016;123:2158-2165).

PMID- 28645347
TI  - Re: Niederer et al.: Predictors of long-term visual outcome in intermediate
      uveitis (Ophthalmology. 2017;124:393-398).

PMID- 28645348
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28645349
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28645350
TI  - Re: Haripriya et al.: Long-term posterior capsule opacification reduction with
      square-edge polymethylmethacrylate intraocular lens: randomized controlled study
      (Ophthalmology. 2017;124:295-302).

PMID- 28645351
TI  - Reply.

PMID- 28645352
TI  - ?
AB  - Steroid resistance syndrome (mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, estrogens,
      androgens) is a rare clinical disorder, androgen insensitivity syndrome being the
      most commonly described. Resistance syndromes are characterized by elevated
      steroid hormone levels, secondary to an impaired signal transduction and a lack
      of negative feedback, without any specific clinical signs of steroid excess. In
      most cases, steroid hormone resistance is generally caused by steroid receptor
      mutations. Several nonsense and missense mutations or deletions have already been
      described for all steroid receptors, except for the progesterone receptor. The
      number of reported mutations is extremely variable, depending on the steroid
      receptor, ranging from 3 for the estrogen receptor to more than 500 for the
      androgen receptor. Loss of function of others factors implicated on the steroid
      hormone signaling pathway, such as molecular chaperones or coactivators, might
      also be involved in the pathogenesis of steroid resistance. Therapy is
      essentially symptomatic, there is currently no pharmacological strategy enabling
      restoration of the impaired hormone signaling pathway. Identification of steroid
      resistance syndrome and their characterization should allow a better
      understanding of underlying molecular defects, opening new avenues for the
      development of novel alternative options for the disease management.

PMID- 28645353
TI  - ?
AB  - Diabetes insipidus is a syndrome that associates both hypotonic polyuria and
      polydipsia, due to insufficient or ineffective arginine vasopressin (AVP)
      synthesis, or to AVP resistance. The diagnosis between central/renal origin, or
      an abnormal thirst regulation (primary polydipsia) is required to organize an
      adapted management. Because water deprivation tests are not reliable, it's often
      based on medical history, response to treatment and MRI. Copeptin is an AVP
      precursor which could be very helpful for the diagnosis. Its basal dosage may
      identify nephrogenic DI whereas osmotic stimulated dosage would discriminate
      central DI and primary polydipsia. Central DI is quite frequent after pituitary
      surgeries or traumatic brain injuries, and often transient. In case of early
      diagnosis and familial history of DI, a mutation of AVP gene is suspected, most
      of the time autosomal dominant. MRI is required to identify the other causes,
      i.e. tumors and inflammatory diseases (sarcoidosis, histiocytosis, hypophysitis).
      An advanced evaluation is required before idiopathic DI be retained, especially
      if a thickening of pituitary stalk is observed. The treatment of central DI is
      mainly based on lyophilisate of desmopressin administration.

PMID- 28645354
TI  - [Acromegaly and Cushing's disease: Persistence of comorbidities after the control
      of hypersecretion].
AB  - Acromegaly and Cushing's disease lead to common and distinct comorbidities.
      Currently available treatments lead to the control of hyper secretion in the
      majority of cases. However, the prevalence of the comorbidities does not always
      go back to the one of the normal population after remission. For instance, about
      1/3 of acromegalic patients with diabetes and half of patients with Cushing's
      disease and diabetes will have normal blood glucose values after remission. In
      contrast, high blood pressure frequently recovers after remission in both
      diseases. In contrast, while patients with acromegaly improve their lipid
      profile, patients with Cushing's disease frequently remain hypertriglyceridemic.
      Many other comorbidities (cardiovascular disease, bone alterations, altered
      quality of life) may persist after the control of hyper secretion. The aim of
      this review is to focus on the outcome of patients with acromegaly and Cuhing's
      disease, and to suggest the optimal follow-up of such patients in a
      multidisciplinary approach. These points have been discussed during the 2016
      European Congress of Endocrinology, notably by J.Romijn and E.Valassi.

PMID- 28645355
TI  - [Obesities: What's new in 2016?]
AB  - Since 1997, the World Health Organisation considered obesity, defined as an
      excess of fat mass, as a disease. Many plans have been set up to fight against
      obesity in industrialised countries. However, the prevalence of obesity is still
      increasing. The goal of this paper is to report some of the major scientific
      publications in terms of epidemiology, physiopathology or therapeutic in the
      field of obersity mainly published during year 2015-2016 or presented at ENDO
      meeting 2016.

PMID- 28645356
TI  - [Endocrine control of serum phosphate: from the discoveries of phosphatonins to
      novel therapies].
AB  - Phosphate is absorbed through the gut, stored in the bone and reabsorbed through
      the proximal renal tubule. More importantly, PTH and FGF23 have been identified
      as the main phosphaturic factors that control the expression of the phosphate co
      transporters NaPi-IIa et IIc. By allowing the adjustment of the urinary phosphate
      reabsorption, these two phosphatonins play a major role in bone and tooth
      mineralization and growth. Recently, novel therapies have successfully targeted
      the FGF23 signaling pathway to treat the hypophosphatemia in patients affected
      with molecular defects of this pathway (mutations in the PHEX gene).

PMID- 28645357
TI  - Appreciating the Population-wide Impact of Copy Number Variants on Cognition.

PMID- 28645358
TI  - A Placenta-Specific Genetic Manipulation Reprograms Offspring Brain Development
      and Function.

PMID- 28645359
TI  - A Fragile Balance: Dendritic Spines, Learning, and Memory.

PMID- 28645361
TI  - Benefits of embedding researchers in a health service setting.

PMID- 28645360
TI  - Cognitive Deficits in Prematurely Born Adults Are Associated With Reduced Basal
      Forebrain Integrity.

PMID- 28645362
TI  - Measuring most informative titles (declarative titles) as a knowledge translation
      dissemination tool is possible using altmetrics.

PMID- 28645363
TI  - Response to letter Dr Gail.

PMID- 28645364
TI  - The prediction impact curve is proportional to the proportion of cases followed
      (letter commenting: J Clin Epidemiol 2016;69:361-363).

PMID- 28645366
TI  - Optimization of Native and Formaldehyde iPOND Techniques for Use in Suspension
      Cells.
AB  - The isolation of proteins on nascent DNA (iPOND) technique developed by the
      Cortez laboratory allows a previously unparalleled ability to examine proteins
      associated with replicating and newly synthesized DNA in mammalian cells. Both
      the original, formaldehyde-based iPOND technique and a more recent derivative,
      accelerated native iPOND (aniPOND), have mostly been performed in adherent cell
      lines. Here, we describe modifications to both protocols for use with suspension
      cell lines. These include cell culture, pulse, and chase conditions that optimize
      sample recovery in both protocols using suspension cells and several key
      improvements to the published aniPOND technique that reduce sample loss, increase
      signal to noise, and maximize sample recovery. Additionally, we directly and
      quantitatively compare the iPOND and aniPOND protocols to test the strengths and
      limitations of both. Finally, we present a detailed protocol to perform the
      optimized aniPOND protocol in suspension cell lines.

PMID- 28645365
TI  - Complexity of immune responses to AAV transgene products - Example of factor IX.
AB  - After two decades of research, in vivo gene transfer with adeno-associated viral
      (AAV) vectors has now resulted in successful treatments and even cures for
      several human diseases. However, the potential for immune responses against the
      therapeutic gene products remains one of the concerns as this approach is
      broadened to more patients, diverse diseases, and target organs. Immune responses
      following gene transfer of coagulation factor IX (FIX) for the treatment of the
      bleeding disorder hemophilia B has been extensively investigated in multiple
      animal models. Findings from these studies have not only influenced clinical
      trial design but have broader implications for other diseases. The impact of
      vector design and dose, as well as target organ/route of administration on
      humoral and cellular immune responses are reviewed. Furthermore, the potential
      for tolerance induction by hepatic gene transfer or combination with immune
      modulation is discussed.

PMID- 28645367
TI  - Base Excision Repair Variants in Cancer.
AB  - Base excision repair (BER) is a key genome maintenance pathway that removes
      endogenously damaged DNA bases that arise in cells at very high levels on a daily
      basis. Failure to remove these damaged DNA bases leads to increased levels of
      mutagenesis and chromosomal instability, which have the potential to drive
      carcinogenesis. Next-generation sequencing of the germline and tumor genomes of
      thousands of individuals has uncovered many rare mutations in BER genes. Given
      that BER is critical for genome maintenance, it is important to determine whether
      BER genomic variants have functional phenotypes. In this chapter, we present our
      in silico methods for the identification and prioritization of BER variants for
      further study. We also provide detailed instructions and commentary on the
      initial cellular assays we employ to dissect potentially important phenotypes of
      human BER variants and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of our approaches.
      BER variants possessing interesting functional phenotypes can then be studied in
      more detail to provide important mechanistic insights regarding the role of
      aberrant BER in carcinogenesis.

PMID- 28645368
TI  - Fluorescence-Based Reporters for Detection of Mutagenesis in E. coli.
AB  - Mutagenesis in model organisms following exposure to chemicals is used as an
      indicator of genotoxicity. Mutagenesis assays are also used to study mechanisms
      of DNA homeostasis. This chapter focuses on detection of mutagenesis in
      prokaryotes, which boils down to two approaches: reporter inactivation (forward
      mutation assay) and reversion of an inactivating mutation (reversion mutation
      assay). Both methods are labor intensive, involving visual screening,
      quantification of colonies on solid media, or determining a Poisson distribution
      in liquid culture. Here, we present two reversion reporters for in vivo
      mutagenesis that produce a quantitative output, and thus have the potential to
      greatly reduce the amount of test chemical and labor involved in these assays.
      This output is obtained by coupling a TEM beta lactamase-based reversion assay
      with GFP fluorescence, either by placing the two genes on the same plasmid or by
      fusing them translationally and interrupting the N-terminus of the chimeric ORF
      with a stop codon. We also describe a reporter aimed at facilitating the
      monitoring of continuous mutagenesis in mutator strains. This reporter couples
      two reversion markers, allowing the temporal separation of mutation events in
      time, thus providing information about the dynamics of mutagenesis in mutator
      strains. Here, we describe these reporter systems, provide protocols for use, and
      demonstrate their key functional features using error-prone Pol I mutagenesis as
      a source of mutations.

PMID- 28645369
TI  - Sequencing DNA for the Oxidatively Modified Base 8-Oxo-7,8-Dihydroguanine.
AB  - The DNA base guanine (G) can be oxidatively modified to 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine
      (OG). Extraction of genomic DNA followed by nuclease digestion and mass
      spectrometry analysis has found OG is present at background levels of ~1 out of
      106 Gs; however, this approach cannot determine the locations for the OGs in the
      genome. Thus, in this methods report, we outline three different methods (A, B,
      and C) for sequencing OG in DNA. Method A sequences OG by utilizing the base
      excision repair pathway to delete the OG nucleotide from the DNA that is then
      detected by Sanger sequencing as a deletion signature. Method B sequences OG by
      harnessing the base excision repair pathway to convert OG to an unnatural DNA
      base pair followed by Sanger sequencing to locate the unnatural base pair
      indicating where OG was located. Method C (i.e., OG-Seq) takes genomic DNA
      sheared to ~150bps followed by selectively biotinylating the OG-containing
      fragments for affinity purification and enrichment of the OG-modified strands.
      The OG-modified fragments are sequenced on a next-generation sequencing platform
      to locate OG on the genomic scale with a resolution of ~150bps. The methods
      outlined are then compared and contrasted allowing researchers to select the one
      that best suits their experimental goals.

PMID- 28645370
TI  - Xenopus laevis as Model System to Study DNA Damage Response and Replication Fork
      Stability.
AB  - Although many players of the DNA damage response and DNA repair have been
      identified in several systems their biochemical role is still poorly understood.
      The use of the Xenopus laevis egg extract cell-free system allowed biochemical
      dissection of DNA replication and cell cycle events in a complex biological
      context. The possibility of manipulating the protein content by using protein
      depletion procedures makes egg extract a powerful system to study proteins whose
      inactivation results in cellular lethality. The egg extract has been increasingly
      used to study DNA damage response and the coordination of DNA replication with
      DNA repair. The recent development of advanced imaging techniques based on
      electron microscopy has allowed the characterization of replication intermediates
      formed in the absence of essential DNA repair proteins. These studies have been
      important to understand how cells maintain genome stability under unchallenged
      and stressful conditions. Here, we present a collection of protocols that have
      been developed to recapitulate DNA damage response activated by chromosome
      breakage in egg extract and to isolate replication intermediates for electron
      microscopy analysis using sperm nuclei or more defined genomic substrates.

PMID- 28645371
TI  - Ensemble and Single-Molecule Analysis of Non-Homologous End Joining in Frog Egg
      Extracts.
AB  - Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repairs the majority of DNA double-strand
      breaks in human cells, yet the detailed order of events in this process has
      remained obscure. Here, we describe how to employ Xenopus laevis egg extract for
      the study of NHEJ. The egg extract is easy to prepare in large quantities, and it
      performs efficient end joining that requires the core end joining proteins Ku,
      DNA-PKcs, XLF, XRCC4, and DNA ligase IV. These factors, along with the rest of
      the soluble proteome, are present at endogenous concentrations, allowing
      mechanistic analysis in a system that begins to approximate the complexity of
      cellular end joining. We describe an ensemble assay that monitors covalent
      joining of DNA ends and fluorescence assays that detect joining of single pairs
      of DNA ends. The latter assay discerns at least two discrete intermediates in the
      bridging of DNA ends.

PMID- 28645372
TI  - Analysis of Structure-Selective Endonuclease Activities From Yeast and Human
      Extracts.
AB  - The efficient separation of two equal DNA masses to the daughter cells is an
      essential step in mitosis. This process is dependent upon the removal of any
      remaining recombination or replication intermediates that link sister chromatids,
      and a failure to resolve these intermediates leads to genome instability.
      Similarly, a failure to resolve meiotic recombination intermediates that link
      homologous chromosomes can cause chromosome nondisjunction and aneuploidy.
      Cleavage of these potentially toxic replication/recombination intermediates
      requires the Mus81 endonuclease, which is active upon flaps, forks, and more
      complex secondary structures in DNA such as Holliday junctions. Recent studies of
      Mus81 revealed that it is regulated throughout the cell cycle: Mus81 activity is
      controlled in S-phase to limit the cleavage of replication fork structures,
      whereas it is activated at G2/M to ensure the cleavage of recombination and late
      replication intermediates. In this chapter, we describe a simple method that can
      monitor the activity of Mus81, which involves the immunoprecipitation of epitope
      tagged Mus81 and use of an on-bead assay for nuclease activity.

PMID- 28645373
TI  - Strategies and Methods of Transcription-Coupled Repair Studies In Vitro and In
      Vivo.
AB  - Transcription-coupled repair (TCR) serves an important role in preserving genome
      integrity and maintaining fidelity of replication. Coupling transcription to DNA
      repair requires a coordinated action of several factors, including transcribing
      RNA polymerase and various transcription modulators and repair proteins. To study
      TCR in molecular detail, it is important to employ defined protein complexes in
      vitro and defined genetic backgrounds in vivo. In this chapter, we present
      methods to interrogate various aspects of TCR at different stages of repair. We
      describe promoter-initiated and nucleic acid scaffold-initiated transcription as
      valid approaches to recapitulate various stages of TCR, and discuss their
      strengths and weaknesses. We also outline an approach to study TCR in its
      cellular context using Escherichia coli as a model system.

PMID- 28645375
TI  - Current and Emerging Assays for Studying the Primer Synthesis Activities of DNA
      Primases.
AB  - Primases play a crucial role in the initiation of DNA synthesis during
      replication by de novo synthesis of short RNA or DNA "primers." In recent years,
      evidence has accumulated which expands the essential roles of primases to
      include, not only the initiation of replication but also other critical roles in
      DNA metabolism, including damage tolerance and repair. Despite the broadening
      roles for these enzymes, the methods used to identify and characterize primase
      activities are limited. Historically, biochemical analysis of primases has been
      based on the synthesis of radioactively labeled primers and their detection on
      denaturing polyacrylamide gels. In the last two decades, a number of alternative
      primase assays have been developed in an effort to supersede radioactive methods.
      However, the radioactive gel-based assay, which has not significantly changed
      since its conception in the late 1970s, remains the most widely used and favored
      method. In this chapter, we discuss the background to, and the advantages and
      disadvantages of, the current techniques used to characterize primase activity in
      vitro. Finally, we describe an alternative, gel-based, fluorescent primase assay,
      which we have successfully used in the characterization of a recently identified
      primase-polymerase, PrimPol.

PMID- 28645374
TI  - Reconstituted System for the Examination of Repair DNA Synthesis in Homologous
      Recombination.
AB  - In homologous recombination (HR), DNA polymerase delta-mediated DNA synthesis
      occurs within the displacement loop (D-loop) that is made by the recombinase
      Rad51 in conjunction with accessory factors. We describe in this chapter the
      reconstitution of the D-loop and repair DNA synthesis reactions using purified
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae HR (Rad51, RPA, and Rad54) and DNA replication (PCNA,
      RFC, and DNA polymerase delta) proteins and document the role of the Pif1
      helicase in DNA synthesis via a migrating DNA bubble intermediate. These
      reconstituted systems are particularly valuable for understanding the conserved
      mechanism of repair DNA synthesis dependent on DNA polymerase delta and its
      cognate helicase in eukaryotic organisms.

PMID- 28645376
TI  - Proteomic Analyses of the Eukaryotic Replication Machinery.
AB  - DNA replication in a human cell involves hundreds of proteins that copy the DNA
      accurately and completely each cell division cycle. In addition to the core DNA
      copying machine (the replisome), accessory proteins work to respond to
      replication stress, correct errors, and repackage the DNA into appropriate
      chromatin structures. New proteomic tools have been invented in the past few
      years to facilitate the purification, identification, and quantification of the
      replication, chromatin maturation, and replication stress response machineries.
      These tools, including iPOND (isolation of proteins on nascent DNA) and NCC
      (nascent chromatin capture), have yielded discoveries of new proteins involved in
      these processes and insights into the dynamic regulatory processes ensuring
      genome and chromatin integrity. In this review, I will introduce these
      experimental approaches and examine how they have been utilized to define the
      replication fork proteome.

PMID- 28645377
TI  - Electrical Probes of DNA-Binding Proteins.
AB  - A DNA electrochemistry platform has been developed to probe proteins bound to DNA
      electrically. Here gold electrodes are modified with thiol-modified DNA, and DNA
      charge transport chemistry is used to probe DNA binding and enzymatic reaction
      both with redox-silent and redox-active proteins. For redox-active proteins, the
      electrochemistry permits the determination of redox potentials in the DNA-bound
      form, where comparisons to DNA-free potentials can be made using graphite
      electrodes without DNA modification. Importantly, electrochemistry on the DNA
      modified electrodes facilitates reaction under aqueous, physiological conditions
      with a sensitive electrical measurement of binding and activity.

PMID- 28645378
TI  - Preparation of Stable Nitrogen Mustard DNA Interstrand Cross-Link Analogs for
      Biochemical and Cell Biological Studies.
AB  - Nitrogen mustards (NMs) react with two bases on opposite strands of a DNA duplex
      to form a covalent linkage, yielding adducts called DNA interstrand cross-links
      (ICLs). This prevents helix unwinding, blocking essential processes such as
      replication and transcription. Accumulation of ICLs causes cell death in rapidly
      dividing cells, especially cancer cells, making ICL-forming agents like NMs
      valuable in chemotherapy. However, the repair of ICLs can contribute to
      chemoresistance through a number of pathways that remain poorly understood. One
      of the impediments in studying NM ICL repair mechanisms has been the difficulty
      of generating site-specific and stable NM ICLs. Here, we describe two methods to
      synthesize stable NM ICL analogs that make it possible to study DNA ICL repair.
      As a proof of principle of the suitability of these NM ICLs for biochemical and
      cell biological studies, we use them in primer extension assays with Klenow
      polymerase. We show that the NM ICL analogs block the polymerase activity and
      remain intact under our experimental conditions.

PMID- 28645380
TI  - Comet-FISH for Ultrasensitive Strand-Specific Detection of DNA Damage in Single
      Cells.
AB  - The genome integrity of living organisms is constantly threatened by endogenous
      cellular metabolic processes and environmental agents. To quantify these low,
      physiologically relevant levels of DNA damage, a single-cell gel electrophoresis
      (comet) combined with strand-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
      based approach has been developed. This approach enables the quantification of
      low levels of specific DNA lesions in each strand of the selected sequence at the
      single-molecule sensitivity, as well as in the genome overall in single cells. In
      this method, the percentage of DNA in the comet tail is used to quantify lesions
      in the genome overall. Lesions in the respective strands of the designated
      sequence are analyzed using strand-specific FISH probes. These probes targeting
      the 3' and 5' termini of the selected sequence are conjugated with two distinct
      fluorophores. Following the comet-FISH assay, the two termini of the designated
      sequence are visualized as two spots with different colors, under a fluorescence
      microscope. Separated spots indicate a damage strand, while adjacent or
      colocalized spots imply an intact strand. Any DNA lesions or DNA modifications,
      which can be converted into strand breaks enzymatically or chemically, can be
      quantified by this method. The comet-FISH approach described here can be applied
      to the study of the molecular mechanisms of various repair pathways, as well as
      in drug screening to develop inhibitors for specific repair pathways.

PMID- 28645379
TI  - DNA Fiber Analysis: Mind the Gap!
AB  - Understanding the mechanisms of replication stress response following genotoxic
      stress induction is rapidly emerging as a central theme in cell survival and
      human disease. The DNA fiber assay is one of the most powerful tools to study
      alterations in replication fork dynamics genome-wide at single-molecule
      resolution. This approach relies on the ability of many organisms to incorporate
      thymidine analogs into replicating DNA and is widely used to study how genotoxic
      agents perturb DNA replication. Here, we review different approaches available to
      prepare DNA fibers and discuss important limitations of each approach. We also
      review how DNA fiber analysis can be used to shed light upon several replication
      parameters including fork progression, restart, termination, and new origin
      firing. Next, we discuss a modified DNA fiber protocol to monitor the presence of
      single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) gaps on ongoing replication forks. ssDNA gaps are
      very common intermediates of several replication stress response mechanisms, but
      they cannot be detected by standard DNA fiber approaches due to the resolution
      limits of this technique. We discuss a novel strategy that relies on the use of
      an ssDNA-specific endonuclease to nick the ssDNA gaps and generate shorter DNA
      fibers that can be used as readout for the presence of ssDNA gaps. Finally, we
      describe a follow-up DNA fiber approach that can be used to study how ssDNA gaps
      are repaired postreplicatively.

PMID- 28645382
TI  - Preface.

PMID- 28645381
TI  - Examining DNA Double-Strand Break Repair in a Cell Cycle-Dependent Manner.
AB  - DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are deleterious DNA lesions that must be properly
      repaired to maintain genome stability. Agents, generated both exogenously
      (environmental radiation, dental X-rays, etc.) and endogenously (reactive oxygen
      species, DNA replication, V(D)J recombination, etc.), induce numerous DSBs every
      day. To counter these DSBs, there are two major repair pathways in mammalian
      cells, nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). NHEJ
      directly mediates the religation of the broken DNA molecule and is active in all
      phases of the cell cycle. HR directs repair via the use of a homologous DNA
      sequence as a template and is primarily active in only S/G2 phases owing to the
      availability of a DNA template via a sister chromatid. As NHEJ and HR are active
      in multiple cell cycle phases, there is significant interest in how a cell
      chooses between the two DSB repair pathways. Therefore, it is essential to
      utilize assays to study DSB repair that can distinguish between the two DSB
      repair pathways and the different phases of the cell cycle. In this chapter, we
      describe methods to measure the contribution of DNA repair pathways in different
      phases of the cell cycle. These methods are simple, can be applied to most
      mammalian cell lines, and can be used as a broad utility to monitor cell cycle
      dependent DSB repair.

PMID- 28645383
TI  - Importance of the immune system in mediating plasticity of the brain and
      behavior.

PMID- 28645384
TI  - Nonoperative Management of Appendicitis: A Paradigm Shift?: July 2017 Annals of
      Emergency Medicine Journal Club.

PMID- 28645385
TI  - Male Infant With Rapidly Progressive Skin Lesions.

PMID- 28645386
TI  - Pathophysiology of Primary Blast Injury.

PMID- 28645387
TI  - In reply.

PMID- 28645388
TI  - The Role that Health Care Coalitions Play in Support of Mass Casualty Response.

PMID- 28645389
TI  - Defining Quality and Outcome in Geriatric Emergency Care.

PMID- 28645390
TI  - In reply.

PMID- 28645391
TI  - Role of the State EMS Medical Director.

PMID- 28645392
TI  - Naloxone Access and Use for Suspected Opioid Overdoses.

PMID- 28645393
TI  - Drug "Take-Back" Programs.

PMID- 28645394
TI  - Physician Medical Direction of Emergency Medical Services Education Program.

PMID- 28645395
TI  - Tobacco and Nicotine Products: Public Policy Measures.

PMID- 28645396
TI  - Advanced Automatic Crash Notification and Intelligent Transportation Systems.

PMID- 28645397
TI  - Emergency Department Nurse Staffing.

PMID- 28645398
TI  - Screening Questions at Triage.

PMID- 28645399
TI  - Urgent Care Centers.

PMID- 28645400
TI  - Electronic Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.

PMID- 28645401
TI  - Alternative Methods to Vascular Access in the Emergency Department.

PMID- 28645402
TI  - Health Information Technology Standards.

PMID- 28645403
TI  - Nonbeneficial ("Futile") Emergency Medical Interventions.

PMID- 28645404
TI  - Confidentiality of Patient Information.

PMID- 28645405
TI  - Conflict of Interest.

PMID- 28645406
TI  - Antibiotics Only for Appendicitis?

PMID- 28645409
TI  - Guidelines for Emergency Physicians on the Interpretation of Physician Orders for
      Life-Sustaining Therapy (POLST).

PMID- 28645408
TI  - Disclosure of Medical Errors.

PMID- 28645407
TI  - Recording Devices in the Emergency Department.

PMID- 28645410
TI  - Elderly Woman With Fever and Abdominal Discomfort.

PMID- 28645411
TI  - Commentary.

PMID- 28645413
TI  - 76-Year-Old Man With Palpitations.

PMID- 28645412
TI  - Man With Hypertension and Heart Failure.

PMID- 28645414
TI  - Humanizing the Patient: A Lesson I Learned From Pumbaa.

PMID- 28645415
TI  - Pain and Empathy.

PMID- 28645416
TI  - The First Time.

PMID- 28645417
TI  - Female With Vaginal Spotting.

PMID- 28645418
TI  - Code of Ethics for Emergency Physicians.

PMID- 28645419
TI  - Elderly Man With Painless Vision Loss.

PMID- 28645420
TI  - Young Woman With Abdominal Pain and Distention.

PMID- 28645421
TI  - Code of Ethics for Emergency Physicians.

PMID- 28645422
TI  - Form of presentation, natural history and course of postoperative venous
      thromboembolism in patients operated on for pelvic and abdominal cancer. Analysis
      of the RIETE registry.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents a serious complication
      after oncologic surgery. Recent studies have shown that the risk of VTE persists
      several weeks after surgery. This study assesses the form of presentation and
      time course of VTE after abdominal and pelvic cancer surgery. METHODS:
      Prospective, multicenter, observational study that analyzes data from an
      international registry (RIETE) that includes consecutive patients with
      symptomatic VTE. Our study assesses the form and time of presentation of
      postoperative VTE, as well as main outcomes, in patients operated for
      abdominopelvic cancer 8 weeks prior to VTE diagnosis. Variables related to the
      presentation of VTE after hospital discharge are identified. RESULTS: Out of the
      766 analyzed patients with VTE, 395 (52%) presented pulmonary embolism (PE). Most
      VTE cases (84%) were detected after the first postoperative week, and 38% after
      one month. Among patients with VTE in the first postoperative week, 70% presented
      PE. VTE presented after hospital discharge in 54% of cases. Colorectal, urologic,
      and gynecologic tumors, the use of radiotherapy, and blood hemoglobin levels were
      independently associated with VTE diagnosis after hospital discharge.
      Complications (thrombosis recurrence, bleeding, and death) occurred in 34% of
      patients with VTE detected before hospital discharge, compared to 24% in VTE
      after hospital discharge (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: VTE occurs after hospital
      discharge in most patients, particularly in those operated for colorectal,
      urologic, and gynecologic cancer. Pulmonary embolism is more frequent in patients
      who develop early VTE, who also have worse prognosis.

PMID- 28645423
TI  - A technique for extraction of the distal segment of a broken femoral nail using a
      flexible reamer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Extraction of broken femoral nails in peri-implant fractures is
      becoming an increasingly common problem faced by orthopaedic surgeons. Different
      closed and open techniques for removal of broken nails have been previously
      described but due to variations in equipment and fracture configurations these
      methods are not always easily reproducible. We describe an open surgical
      technique using simple equipment that can be utilised when other methods of
      extraction have failed. CASE PRESENTATION AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: We present a
      case of a peri-implant fracture secondary to non-union involving a short
      cephalomedullary nail where the broken distal segment of nail was significantly
      more distal to the femoral fracture site. After multiple failed attempts at
      extraction with previously described closed techniques a rectangular cortical
      window was created 2cm distal to the tip of the broken nail using a saw. An
      antegrade guide wire was passed through the nail and pulled out of the bony
      window. A flexible intramedullary reamer was subsequently passed in retrograde
      fashion over the guide wire and a simple pushout technique was used to push both
      segments of the broken nail through the original insertion site. An exchange
      nailing was performed and the cortical window was reattached using a cable.
      DISCUSSION: This is a simple technique that does not require any specialist
      equipment and does not require the fracture site to be disturbed. The use of a
      flexible reamer as a pushout device is ideal as there are multiple size options
      allowing the surgeon to match the size of the medullary canal with the reamer.
      Furthermore, the flexibility of the reamer allows easy access through a lateral
      bone window. CONCLUSION: Broken femoral nail extraction can be technically
      challenging and when other closed methods have failed we believe our technique
      offers a simple alternative that can be added to the armamentarium of solutions.

PMID- 28645425
TI  - We Are Teachers by Design; The Time Machine Approach-Time to Revisit.

PMID- 28645424
TI  - Occurrence of selected trace metals and their oral bioaccessibility in urban
      soils of kindergartens and parks in Bratislava (Slovak Republic) as evaluated by
      simple in vitro digestion procedure.
AB  - A total of eighty surface soil samples were collected from public kindergartens
      and urban parks in the city of Bratislava, and the <150um soil fraction was
      evaluated for total concentrations of five metals, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn, their
      oral bioaccessibilities, non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to
      children, and lead isotopic composition. The mean metal concentrations in urban
      soils (0.29, 36.1, 0.13, 30.9 and 113mg/kg for Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn,
      respectively) were about two times higher compared with background soil
      concentrations. The order of bioaccessible metal fractions determined by Simple
      Bioaccessibility Extraction Test was: Pb (59.9%) > Cu (43.8%) > Cd (40.8%) > Zn
      (33.6%) > Hg (12.8%). Variations in the bioaccessible metal fractions were mainly
      related to the total metal concentrations in urban soils. A relatively wide range
      of lead isotopic ratios in urban soils (1.1598-1.2088 for 206Pb/207Pb isotopic
      ratio) indicated a combination of anthropogenic and geogenic sources of metals in
      the soils. Lower values of 206Pb/207Pb isotopic ratio in the city centre and
      similar spatial distribution of total metal concentrations, together with their
      increasing total concentrations in soils towards the city centre, showed that
      traffic and coal combustion in former times were likely the major sources of soil
      contamination. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to children due
      to exposure to metals in kindergarten and urban park soils were low, with hazard
      index and cancer risk values below the threshold values at all studied sites.

PMID- 28645426
TI  - Enhanced recovery in gynecologic oncology - A sea change in perioperative
      management.

PMID- 28645427
TI  - Antidiabetic medication, statins and the risk of endometrioid endometrial cancer
      in patients with type 2 diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To gain further evidence of an association between the incidence of
      endometrial cancer (EC) and the use of metformin, other antidiabetic medication
      (ADM) and statins in women with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: A retrospective
      cohort of 92,366 women with newly diagnosed T2D was obtained from a diabetes
      register (FinDM). 590 endometrioid ECs were observed during the follow-up time.
      Poisson regression was utilized to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95%
      confidence intervals (95% CIs) of the endometrioid EC in relation to the use of
      metformin, other oral ADM, insulin and statins. Nested case-control analyses were
      performed, where up to 20 controls were matched for age and duration of DM for
      each EC case. The HRs were estimated by conditional logistic regression for
      never/ever and cumulative use of different forms of ADM and statins. RESULTS: In
      the case-control analyses the use of metformin (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.02-1.51) and
      other oral ADM (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04-1.50) was associated with an increased
      incidence of endometrioid EC compared to no ADM use. No difference was observed
      between metformin users and those using other oral ADMs. The use of statins was
      inversely related to the incidence of endometrioid EC (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65
      0.94). Results from the full cohort analysis supported this finding. CONCLUSIONS:
      In our study the use of metformin or other oral forms of ADM was not associated
      with a lowered risk of endometrioid EC in women with T2D. Instead statins were
      observed to be inversely associated with endometrioid EC in this population.

PMID- 28645429
TI  - Coronary syndrome as the first manifestation of invasive thymoma.

PMID- 28645428
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of laparoscopy as diagnostic tool before primary cytoreductive
      surgery in ovarian cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a diagnostic laparoscopy prior
      to primary cytoreductive surgery to prevent futile primary cytoreductive surgery
      (i.e. leaving >1cm residual disease) in patients suspected of advanced stage
      ovarian cancer. METHODS: An economic analysis was conducted alongside a
      randomized controlled trial in which patients suspected of advanced stage ovarian
      cancer who qualified for primary cytoreductive surgery were randomized to either
      laparoscopy or primary cytoreductive surgery. Direct medical costs from a health
      care perspective over a 6-month time horizon were analyzed. Health outcomes were
      expressed in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and utility was based on
      patient's response to the EQ-5D questionnaires. We primarily focused on direct
      medical costs based on Dutch standard prices. RESULTS: We studied 201 patients,
      of whom 102 were randomized to laparoscopy and 99 to primary cytoreductive
      surgery. No significant difference in QALYs (utility=0.01; 95% CI 0.006 to 0.02)
      was observed. Laparoscopy reduced the number of futile laparotomies from 39% to
      10%, while its costs were ? 1400 per intervention, making the overall costs of
      both strategies comparable (difference ? -80 per patient (95% CI -470 to 300)).
      Findings were consistent across various sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In
      patients with suspected advanced stage ovarian cancer, a diagnostic laparoscopy
      reduced the number of futile laparotomies, without increasing total direct
      medical health care costs, or adversely affecting complications or quality of
      life.

PMID- 28645430
TI  - Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin: A Promising Target in the Treatment of Asthma?

PMID- 28645431
TI  - Bronchocentric Granulomatosis in an Immunocompetent Patient.

PMID- 28645432
TI  - Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor Diagnosed by Transbronchial Needle Aspiration.

PMID- 28645433
TI  - Medical Training after the Core Curriculum Model.

PMID- 28645434
TI  - Is There room for Theophylline in COPD?

PMID- 28645435
TI  - Reply to "Decisions after irreversible cardiopulmonary arrest: ends and
      opportunities".

PMID- 28645436
TI  - Sacubitril/valsartan in PARADIGM-HF.

PMID- 28645437
TI  - Sacubitril/valsartan in PARADIGM-HF.

PMID- 28645438
TI  - Sacubitril/valsartan in PARADIGM-HF.

PMID- 28645439
TI  - Sacubitril/valsartan in PARADIGM-HF - Authors' reply.

PMID- 28645440
TI  - The Pediatric Medical Student Research Forum: Fostering Interest in Pediatric
      Research.

PMID- 28645441
TI  - Evaluation and Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in Children with
      Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

PMID- 28645442
TI  - Spinal Canal Involvement in Neuroblastoma.

PMID- 28645443
TI  - Once- or twice-daily non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in Asian
      patients with atrial fibrillation: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled
      trials.
AB  - BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have a
      half-life of around 12 h. We aimed to clarify if there was any effect
      modification by dosing (once- or twice-daily) regimens in Asian patients.
      METHODS: Phase III randomized controlled trials of NOACs compared with warfarin
      in Asian patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were identified and extracted
      from PubMed, CENTRAL, and CINAHL databases through November 2016. Outcomes were
      pooled by dosing regimens with the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects model. The risk
      ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Effect differences
      between once- and twice-daily NOACs were assessed with Bucher indirect
      comparisons using common estimates, once heterogeneity was low, and with the
      Bayesian method. RESULTS: From 6 trials, there was no effect modification by
      dosing regimens in the risk of stroke or systemic embolism across ethnicities
      (all interaction P > 0.05). Both dosing regimens were associated with a greater
      reduction in the risk of major bleeding in Asian patients (RR, 0.63 (95% CI, 0.47
      0.85) and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.43-0.75), for once- and twice-daily NOACs,
      respectively). In Asian patients, risks of hemorrhagic stroke and intracranial
      hemorrhage were lower with once- (RR, 0.41 (95% CI, 0.21-0.80) and 0.29 (95% CI,
      0.16-0.53)) and twice-daily NOACs (RR, 0.25 (95% CI, 0.12-0.51) and 0.38 (95% CI,
      0.23-0.65)), compared with warfarin. There was no effect difference favoring any
      of NOAC regimens evaluated by Bucher and Bayesian methods. CONCLUSION: In Asian
      patients with AF, NOACs, regardless of dosing regimens, have a similar feature of
      preserved efficacy with improved safety compared with warfarin.

PMID- 28645444
TI  - NPM1 for MRD? Droplet Like It's Hot!
AB  - This commentary highlights the article by Mencia-Trinchant et al that describes a
      novel digital PCR assay for sensitive detection of minimal residual disease in
      NPM1 mutated acute myeloid leukemia.

PMID- 28645445
TI  - Fundamental Frequency and Formants Before and After Prolonged Voice Use in
      Teachers.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe and correlate the fundamental frequency
      behavior and the first four formants before and after exposure to usual and
      routinely prolonged voice use from teachers with over 4 years of experience in
      teaching. STUDY DESIGN: The study design is observational and transversal with
      quantitative and descriptive evaluations. METHODS: A total of 28 female teachers
      were subjected to the Screening Index for Voice Disorder (SIVD) and to recordings
      of the sustained vowel /a/ before and after exposure to prolonged voice use. Data
      were obtained about the fundamental frequency and the first four formants before
      and after voice use. Descriptive analysis and statistical processing were
      performed with P <= 0.05 for the general sample and in groups according to the
      outcome of the SIVD (normal and altered) and the evaluation period (morning or
      afternoon). RESULTS: The average exposure time to prolonged voice use was 176
      minutes. There was no statistical difference in any of the variables studied.
      Correlations were positive and similar across all assessments before the class,
      something not observed in evaluations conducted after exposure to prolonged voice
      use. In the general sample, altered SIVD and afternoon period groups, the second
      formant from before-class measurements seems to interfere negatively in the
      fourth formant from after-class measurements. CONCLUSIONS: There were no changes
      in vocal behavior before and after exposure to prolonged voice use in the
      occupational environment. However, formants F1 and F2 measured before class
      correlated inversely with F4 after exposure to prolonged voice use.

PMID- 28645446
TI  - Cost-effectiveness analysis of two treatment strategies for chronic hepatitis C
      before and after access to direct-acting antivirals in Spain.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a strategy based on direct
      acting antivirals (DAAs) following the marketing of simeprevir and sofosbuvir
      (post-DAA) versus a pre-direct-acting antiviral strategy (pre-DAA) in patients
      with chronic hepatitis C, from the perspective of the Spanish National Health
      System. METHODS: A decision tree combined with a Markov model was used to
      estimate the direct health costs (?, 2016) and health outcomes (quality-adjusted
      life years, QALYs) throughout the patient's life, with an annual discount rate of
      3%. The sustained virological response, percentage of patients treated or not
      treated in each strategy, clinical characteristics of the patients, annual
      likelihood of transition, costs of treating and managing the disease, and
      utilities were obtained from the literature. The cost-effectiveness analysis was
      expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (incremental cost per QALY
      gained). A deterministic sensitivity analysis and a probabilistic sensitivity
      analysis were performed. RESULTS: The post-DAA strategy showed higher health
      costs per patient (?30,944 vs. ?23,707) than the pre-DAA strategy. However, it
      was associated with an increase of QALYs gained (15.79 vs. 12.83), showing an
      incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of ?2,439 per QALY. The deterministic
      sensitivity analysis and the probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed the
      robustness of the results, with the post-DAA strategy being cost-effective in 99%
      of cases compared to the pre-DAA strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the pre-DAA
      strategy, the post-DAA strategy is efficient for the treatment of chronic
      hepatitis C in Spain, resulting in a much lower cost per QALY than the efficiency
      threshold used in Spain (?30,000 per QALY).

PMID- 28645447
TI  - Colitis as a form of presentation of eosinophilic granulomatosis with
      polyangiitis.

PMID- 28645448
TI  - Takotsubo syndrome presenting as syncope in a patient with permanent pacemaker.
AB  - Takotsubo syndrome is an acute reversible heart failure syndrome triggered by
      physical or emotional stress, especially in postmenopausal women. Herein, we
      describe a case of a 31-year-old pacemaker dependent lady who presented with
      syncope after she was bereaved of her father. Electrocardiogram at admission
      revealed ventricular paced rhythm at 60/min, prolonged QT interval and frequent
      runs of torsades de pointes. Transthoracic echocardiogram and left ventriculogram
      revealed findings typical of Takotsubo syndrome. QT prolongation and torsade de
      pointes in the context of fixed-rate ventricular pacing imply direct
      catecholamine toxicity on the ventricular myocardium independent of heart rate.

PMID- 28645449
TI  - High incidence of ST-T changes in women during tilt-table testing.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: We have observed electrocardiographic (ECG) changes primarily in
      women during tilt table testing. METHODS: We reviewed 12 lead ECGs during tilt
      studies between 2012 and 2016 for changes in ST segments and T waves during tilt
      table testing. Patients with distinctly abnormal baseline ECGs were excluded.
      RESULTS: Of the 180 tilt studies, 117 (65%) were in women. There were 32 patients
      with ECG changes during tilting. Of these, 28 (87.5%) were in women with an
      average age of 45years. None had a history of CAD or exertional chest pain.
      Echocardiograms were available in 21 of the 28 women with tilt induced ECG
      changes and all were normal. ECG changes during tilt table testing were found in
      4/64 (6.25%) of men. The occurrence of ST-T wave changes during tilt testing was
      significantly higher among women compared to men, with a p value of 0.008. Of the
      28 women with ECG changes during tilt, 11 had T wave inversions alone. ST segment
      depression alone was noted in 7 women. There were 10 women who had both ST
      segment depression and T wave inversions. Changes occurred immediately upon
      tilting in 6. In the remaining, they occurred at an average of 4.8+/-4min after
      tilting. The slight increase in heart rate in patients with ECG changes was
      similar to that in the patients without new ECG changes. The ECG changes were not
      related to the presence of syncope. CONCLUSIONS: ECG changes during the testing
      was observed at a relatively high incidence primarily in women. The clinical
      significance of these repolarization changes during tilt testing is unknown.
      These ECG changes during tilt testing may correlate with the high incidence of
      false positive ECGs in women during exercise testing but do not necessarily
      indicate the presence of ischemic coronary disease. Additional research is needed
      to explain this phenomenon.

PMID- 28645450
TI  - Identification of a novel food allergen in lotus root.

PMID- 28645451
TI  - Differences in Outcomes of Patients Treated by Male vs Female Chiropractors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare treatment outcomes of low
      back pain patients depending on the sex of the treating doctor of chiropractic
      (DC). METHODS: For this study, 1095 adult patients with no manual therapy in the
      prior 3 months were recruited. Pretreatment pain levels (Numeric Rating Scale for
      pain [NRS]), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and patient demographic details
      were recorded. The NRS and Patient Global Impression of Change were assessed
      after 1 week and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. The ODI was completed up to 3 months.
      The chi2 test compared sex of the DC with the proportion of patients "improved"
      at all time points and with baseline categorical variables. The unpaired t test
      compared changes in NRS and ODI scores between patients of male and female DCs.
      RESULTS: Female DCs saw proportionally more acute patients (P = .012). Patients
      of male DCs presented more often with radiculopathy (P = .007). There were no
      differences in NRS and ODI baseline scores between male and female DCs' patients.
      At 1 week and 3 and 12 months, significantly more patients of female DCs reported
      improvement and they had greater decreases in NRS and ODI scores at 1 week.
      Removing acute patients from the data, there were no longer differences in
      outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in treatment outcome in favor of
      female DCs was no longer present on removal of the acute subgroup from the data.
      This suggests that patient outcome is influenced by other factors, such as
      chronicity, rather than sex of the treating DC.

PMID- 28645453
TI  - Choice of knee cartilage thickness change metric for different treatment goals in
      efficacy studies.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In knee osteoarthritis, local increase and decrease in cartilage
      thickness has been observed over short time intervals. Hence, averaging cartilage
      change across large regions may not capture the complexity of structural
      alterations in disease progression. This study aims to examine the relative
      performance of different metrics of cartilage thickness change for different
      clinical studies scenarios. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Metrics for assessing
      cartilage thickness change were characterized by conventional measures of change
      versus absolute values (the magnitude) of change, and by different methods of
      summarizing change over (sub-) regions. Sample sizes for these metrics were
      derived for 6-24-month observation periods, and for different treatment
      efficacies. Treatment effects were derived from an observational trial with 6-,
      12-, and 24-month follow-up, ranging from slowing cartilage loss to stimulating
      cartilage growth. RESULTS: Projected sample sizes ranged from 10 to >10,000
      patients/arm (median = 164), depending on metric choice, treatment efficacy, and
      observation period. The smallest sample sizes for metrics using magnitude of
      change typically were half the size of those using conventional measures of
      change. Extreme values, e.g., minimum change or average of last four-ordered
      values of absolute change, required smaller sample sizes than metrics averaging
      over one or more regions. CONCLUSIONS: Metrics using extreme magnitudes of change
      were most efficient in detecting differences between treatment and placebo, i.e.,
      involved the smallest sample sizes across different DMOAD study lengths and
      treatment efficacies. Ancillary metrics can be used to clarify whether
      differences between treatment and placebo indicate structural benefit when
      needed.

PMID- 28645452
TI  - Thrust Magnitudes, Rates, and 3-Dimensional Directions Delivered in Simulated
      Lumbar Spine High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude Manipulation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure faculty performance of
      simulated spinal manipulation on a mannequin to help identify teaching standards.
      METHODS: We measured 3-dimensional transmitted loads using a force plate mounted
      in the table. Thrusts were delivered through a compliant, jointed mannequin by
      faculty members along predefined "listings" as taught in lumbopelvic technique
      courses. RESULTS: Eleven chiropractic faculty members participated, delivering 9
      thrusts at 3 loads (light, moderate, and heavy) along 9 different prone and side
      posture listings, totaling 81 thrusts per participant. Single-hand Gonstead-style
      thrusts had variability in magnitude across participants and loads: light thrusts
      averaged 365 N (95% confidence interval [CI] 327-402), moderate thrusts 454 N
      (421-487), and heavy thrusts 682 N (623-740). All faculty members could easily
      distinguish the loads within their performances, but there was some crossover of
      load levels between participants. Thrust rates averaged 3.55 N/ms (95% CI 3.29
      3.82). The dominant vector of prone thrusts was in the z direction (vertically
      downward), but side-to-side and inferior-to-superior vector components occurred.
      CONCLUSION: Faculty member performance of simulated spinal manipulation indicated
      that they are able to control the thrust magnitude and rate as well as direction.
      In this sample, there was significant variability in peak loads between
      participants, which needs to be considered in student learning standards. These
      findings may be useful in translating the understanding of force characteristics
      to the technique teaching lab.

PMID- 28645454
TI  - Uterine Diverticulum With Fetal Leg Entrapment: A Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Uterine anomalies causing fetal complications are very rarely
      encountered in obstetric practice and thus pose a diagnostic dilemma. CASE: A
      multigravid patient attended the clinic for an ultrasound examination in the
      third trimester following a recent hospital admission for abdominal pain.
      Ultrasound imaging revealed a large uterine diverticulum in the right cornu of
      the uterus with evidence of fetal leg entrapment. Because of concerns of
      increased soft tissue edema in the entrapped leg, the patient was delivered at 35
      weeks' gestation by elective CS. The CS was complicated by uterine rupture at the
      diverticular portion. The neonatal course was complicated by compartment syndrome
      of the leg, and the infant underwent surgery on post-delivery day one with good
      outcome. CONCLUSION: Uterine diverticula are rare anomalies, and once they are
      diagnosed, the possibility of entrapment of fetal parts or placenta in pregnancy
      should be considered.

PMID- 28645455
TI  - Kinematic chain reactions on trunk and dynamic postural steadiness in subjects
      with recurrent low back pain.
AB  - Although subjects with recurrent low back pain (LBP) demonstrate altered trunk
      control, the kinematic and kinetic responses of the trunk have not been carefully
      investigated. This study was conducted to compare the standing time, spine range
      of motion (ROM), and dynamic postural steadiness index (DPSI) based on visual
      condition between subjects with and without recurrent LBP during upright one leg
      standing. Sixty-three individuals participated in the study, including 34 control
      subjects and 29 subjects with recurrent LBP. The DPSI was a composite of the
      medio-lateral (MLSI), anterior-posterior (APSI), and vertical steadiness indices
      (VSI) on a force platform. The control group demonstrated longer standing time
      (s) during the eyes-open condition than the LBP group (26.82+/-6.03 vs. 19.87+/
      9.36; t=2.96, p=0.01). Regarding spine ROM, visual condition was significantly
      different between groups (F=7.09, p=0.01) and demonstrated interactions with
      spine region and group (F=5.53, p=0.02). For the kinetic measures, there was a
      significant interaction between visual conditions and indices (F=25.30, p=0.001).
      In the LBP group, the DPSI was significantly correlated with the MLSI (r=0.59,
      p=0.002), APSI (r=0.44, p=0.03), and VSI (r=0.98, p=0.01) in the eyes-closed
      condition. Overall, the results of this study indicated that the LBP group
      decreased thorax and lumbar spine rotations during the eyes-closed condition. The
      LBP group also demonstrated positive correlations with the kinetic indices,
      enhancing dynamic postural steadiness in the eyes-closed condition in order to
      possibly avoid pain or further injury. This dynamic postural steadiness strategy
      is necessary to improve kinetic and kinematic chain reactions in the LBP group.
      This compensatory pattern supports the development of optimal postural correction
      strategies to prevent LBP recurrence and might represent a chain reaction to
      protect trunk control without visual input.

PMID- 28645456
TI  - Andragogic Approaches to Continuing Medical Education.

PMID- 28645457
TI  - Diagnostic Medical Imaging in Pediatric Patients and Subsequent Cancer Risk.
AB  - The use of diagnostic medical imaging is becoming increasingly more commonplace
      in the pediatric setting. However, many medical imaging modalities expose
      pediatric patients to ionizing radiation, which has been shown to increase the
      risk of cancer development in later life. This review article provides a
      comprehensive overview of the available data regarding the risk of cancer
      development following exposure to ionizing radiation from diagnostic medical
      imaging. Attention is paid to modalities such as computed tomography scans and
      fluoroscopic procedures that can expose children to radiation doses orders of
      magnitude higher than standard diagnostic x-rays. Ongoing studies that seek to
      more precisely determine the relationship of diagnostic medical radiation in
      children and subsequent cancer development are discussed, as well as modern
      strategies to better quantify this risk. Finally, as cardiovascular imaging and
      intervention contribute substantially to medical radiation exposure, we discuss
      strategies to enhance radiation safety in these areas.

PMID- 28645458
TI  - Pulmonary 3He Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers of Regional Airspace
      Enlargement in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Thoracic x-ray computed tomography (CT) and
      hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide quantitative
      measurements of airspace enlargement in patients with emphysema. For patients
      with panlobular emphysema due to alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), sensitive
      biomarkers of disease progression and response to therapy have been difficult to
      develop and exploit, especially those biomarkers that correlate with outcomes
      like quality of life. Here, our objective was to generate and compare CT and
      diffusion-weighted inhaled-gas MRI measurements of emphysema including apparent
      diffusion coefficient (ADC) and MRI-derived mean linear intercept (Lm) in
      patients with AATD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ex-smokers, and
      elderly never-smokers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled patients with AATD (n =
      8; 57 +/- 7 years), ex-smokers with COPD (n = 8; 77 +/- 6 years), and a control
      group of never-smokers (n = 5; 64 +/- 2 years) who underwent thoracic CT, MRI,
      spirometry, plethysmography, the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, and the
      6-minute walk test during a single 2-hour visit. MRI-derived ADC, Lm, surface-to
      volume ratio, and ventilation defect percent were generated for the apical,
      basal, and whole lung as was CT lung area <=-950 Hounsfield units (RA950), low
      attenuating clusters, and airway count. RESULTS: In patients with AATD, there was
      a significantly different MRI-derived ADC (P = .03), Lm (P < .0001), and surface
      to-volume ratio (P < .0001), but not diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide,
      residual volume or total lung capacity, or CT RA950 (P > .05) compared to COPD ex
      smokers with a significantly different St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire.
      CONCLUSIONS: In this proof-of-concept demonstration, we evaluated CT and MRI lung
      emphysema measurements and observed significantly worse MRI biomarkers of
      emphysema in patients with AATD compared to patients with COPD, although CT RA950
      and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide were not significantly different,
      underscoring the sensitivity of MRI measurements of AATD emphysema.

PMID- 28645459
TI  - [Hotline for Zika virus: experience of a tropical and travel medicine unit].
AB  - The current outbreak of Zika virus has caused great social alarm, generated in
      part by the lack of information in the general population. In order to provide
      accurate and verified information, the Tropical and Travel Medicine Unit of
      Hospital Carlos III-La Paz (Madrid, Spain) established a hotline for Zika virus
      infection. We present the data concerning the first 6 months of operation of the
      telephone hotline. The predominant call profile consisted of women seeking
      information about the risk of acquiring the disease before travelling. Brazil,
      Mexico and Colombia were the destinations for which the most information was
      requested. Most of the consultations were resolved by providing information only.
      The implementation of call devices that provide confirmed and reliable
      information on diseases associated with great alarm are of significant public
      health interest, as they reduce the number of unnecessary medical consultations
      and save on medical costs.

PMID- 28645461
TI  - Yeast-based assays for detecting protein-protein/drug interactions and their
      inhibitors.
AB  - Understanding cellular processes at molecular levels in health and disease
      requires the knowledge of protein-protein interactions (PPIs). In line with this,
      identification of PPIs at genome-wide scale is highly valuable to understand how
      different cellular pathways are interconnected, and it eventually facilitates
      designing effective drugs against certain PPIs. Furthermore, investigating PPIs
      at a small laboratory scale for deciphering certain biochemical pathways has been
      demanded for years. In this regard, yeast two hybrid system (Y2HS) has proven an
      extremely useful tool to discover novel PPIs, while Y2HS derivatives and novel
      yeast-based assays are contributing significantly to identification of protein
      drug/inhibitor interaction at both large- and small-scale set-ups. These methods
      have been evolving over time to provide more accurate, reproducible and
      quantitative results. Here we briefly describe different yeast-based assays for
      identification of various protein-protein/drug/inhibitor interactions and their
      specific applications, advantages, shortcomings, and improvements. The broad
      range of yeast-based assays facilitates application of the most suitable
      method(s) for each specific need.

PMID- 28645460
TI  - Associations between timing of corticosteroid treatment initiation and clinical
      outcomes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
AB  - The long-term efficacy of corticosteroid treatment and timing of treatment
      initiation among Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients is not well
      understood. We used data from a longitudinal, population-based DMD surveillance
      program to examine associations between timing of treatment initiation (early
      childhood [before or at age 5 years], late childhood [after age 5 years], and
      naive [not treated]) and five clinical outcomes (age at loss of ambulation; ages
      at onset of cardiomyopathy, scoliosis, and first fracture; and pulmonary
      function). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated
      using survival analysis. DMD patients who initiated corticosteroid treatment in
      early childhood had a higher risk of earlier onset cardiomyopathy compared to
      cases who initiated treatment in late childhood (HR = 2.0, 95% CI = [1.2, 3.4])
      or treatment naive patients (HR = 1.9, 95% CI = [1.1, 3.2]), and higher risk of
      suffering a fracture (HR = 2.3, 95% CI = [1.4, 3.7] and HR = 2.6, 95% CI = [1.6,
      4.2], respectively). Patients with early childhood treatment had slightly
      decreased respiratory function compared with those with late childhood treatment.
      Ages at loss of ambulation or scoliosis diagnosis did not differ statistically
      among treatment groups. We caution that the results from our study are subject to
      several limitations, as they were based on data abstracted from medical records.
      Further investigations using improved reporting of disease onset and outcomes are
      warranted to obtain a more definitive assessment of the association between the
      timing of corticosteroid treatment and disease severity.

PMID- 28645462
TI  - Analgosedation Practices and the Impact of Sedation Depth on Clinical Outcomes
      Among Patients Requiring Mechanical Ventilation in the ED: A Cohort Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Analgesia and sedation are cornerstone therapies for mechanically
      ventilated patients. Despite data showing that early deep sedation in the ICU
      influences outcome, this has not been investigated in the ED. Therefore, ED-based
      sedation practices, and their influence on outcome, remain incompletely defined.
      This study's objectives were to describe ED sedation practices in mechanically
      ventilated patients and to test the hypothesis that ED sedation depth is
      associated with worse outcomes. METHODS: This was a cohort study of a
      prospectively compiled ED registry of adult mechanically ventilated patients at a
      single academic medical center. Hospital mortality was the primary outcome and
      hospital-, ICU-, and ventilator-free days were secondary outcomes. A backward
      stepwise multivariable logistic regression model evaluated the primary outcome as
      a function of ED sedation depth. Sedation depth was assessed with the Richmond
      Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). RESULTS: Four hundred fourteen patients were
      studied. In the ED, 354 patients (85.5%) received fentanyl, 254 (61.3%) received
      midazolam, and 194 (46.9%) received propofol. Deep sedation was observed in 244
      patients (64.0%). After adjusting for confounders, a deeper ED RASS was
      associated with mortality (adjusted OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.94). CONCLUSIONS:
      Early deep sedation is common in mechanically ventilated ED patients and is
      associated with worse mortality. These data suggest that ED-based sedation is a
      modifiable variable that could be targeted to improve outcome.

PMID- 28645464
TI  - [Drug eruption with clomifene citrate in a bodybuilder].

PMID- 28645465
TI  - Muscle Medicine-a Small Success Worth Celebrating.

PMID- 28645463
TI  - Etiologies of Chronic Cough in Pediatric Cohorts: CHEST Guideline and Expert
      Panel Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is no published systematic review on the etiologies of chronic
      cough or the relationship between OSA and chronic cough in children aged <= 14
      years. We thus undertook a systematic review based on key questions (KQs) using
      the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome format. The KQs follow: Among
      children with chronic (> 4 weeks) cough (KQ 1) are the common etiologies
      different from those in adults? (KQ 2) Are the common etiologies age or setting
      dependent, or both? (KQ 3) Is OSA a cause of chronic cough in children? METHODS:
      We used the CHEST Expert Cough Panel's protocol and the American College of Chest
      Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and Grading of Recommendations
      Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. Data from the systematic
      reviews in conjunction with patients' values and preferences and the clinical
      context were used to form recommendations. Delphi methodology was used to obtain
      consensus. RESULTS: Combining KQs 1 and 2, we found moderate-level evidence from
      10 prospective studies that the etiologies of cough in children are different
      from those in adults and are setting dependent. Data from three studies found
      that common etiologies of cough in young children were different from those in
      older children. However, data relating sleep abnormalities to chronic cough in
      children were found only in case studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is moderate-quality
      evidence that common etiologies of chronic cough in children are different from
      those in adults and are dependent on age and setting. As there are few data
      relating OSA and chronic cough in children, the panel suggested that these
      children should be managed in accordance with pediatric sleep guidelines.

PMID- 28645466
TI  - The Scottish enhanced Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia surveillance programme:
      the first 18 months of data in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: National enhanced surveillance of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia
      (SAB) commenced on 1st October 2014 to gain a more in-depth understanding of the
      epidemiology of SAB in Scotland. Children under 16 years of age were analysed
      separately from adults because previous studies had demonstrated epidemiological
      differences. AIM: To identify risk factors and patient populations at greatest
      risk to enable the development of focused improvement plans. METHODS: All
      National Health Service (NHS) boards within NHS Scotland take part in the
      mandatory enhanced surveillance, with data collected by trained data collectors
      using nationally agreed definitions. FINDINGS: Analysis of the first 18 months of
      data showed that hospital-acquired SAB was mostly associated with neonates with
      device risk factors, whereas community-associated SAB was found in older children
      who had few, if any, risk factors and most presented with a bone or joint
      infection. CONCLUSION: The enhanced SAB data highlighted the difference in risk
      factors and entry points for the acquisition of SAB within the paediatric
      population.

PMID- 28645467
TI  - Citreoviridin induces triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes through inhibiting
      PPAR-alpha in vivo and in vitro.
AB  - Citreoviridin (CIT) is a mycotoxin produced by Penicillum citreonigrum,
      Aspergillus terreus and Eupenicillium ochrosalmoneum. CIT occurs naturally in
      moldy rice and corn. CIT is associated with the development of atherosclerosis in
      the general population. Alteration in hepatic lipid metabolism is a pathogenic
      factor in atherosclerosis. However the effect and the underlying mechanism of CIT
      on hepatic lipid metabolism are largely unknown. In this study, we reported that
      CIT induced triglyceride accumulation in mice liver and human liver HepG2 cells
      as shown in oil red O staining. CIT (0.1 mg/kg-0.3 mg/kg) for 6 weeks elevated
      liver triglyceride contents in mice. CIT inhibited the transactivation activity
      of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) in hepatocyte in
      vivo and in vitro, as shown by the reduced mRNA levels of PPAR-alpha target genes
      which play key roles in lipid metabolism in various aspects. PPAR-alpha agonist
      fenofibrate attenuated CIT-induced triglyceride accumulation in HepG2 cells.
      Furthermore, CIT increased serum total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol ratio, a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In summary,
      we reported that CIT induced PPAR-alpha-dependent hepatic triglyceride
      accumulation and dyslipidemia. Our data will provide new mechanistic insights
      into CIT-induced lipid alterations.

PMID- 28645468
TI  - ALDHs in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells: Potential new avenues for
      treatment of AML and other blood cancers.
AB  - Multiple studies have demonstrated that ALDH1A1 is elevated in hematopoietic stem
      cells (HSCs). As a means to better characterize such cells, we previously
      developed the fluorescent ALDH1A1 substrate Aldefluor to facilitate HSC
      identification and isolation. This has proven useful for counting and isolating
      HSCs from human bone marrow, peripheral blood and cord blood as well as stem
      cells in other tissues and organisms. Given the high level expression of ALDH1A1,
      we explored its biology and that of other ALDHs in HSCs and found that ALDH1A1
      and ALDH3A1 were important in metabolizing reactive aldehydes (RAlds) and
      reactive oxygen species (ROS). In murine models, loss of these two isoforms
      resulted in a variety of effects on HSC biology, increased DNA damage and
      predisposition to leukemia formation when combined with a genetic driver of HSC
      proliferation and self-renewal. Loss of ALDH activity may also predispose to
      marrow failure and AML in Fanconi's anemia (FA). ALDHs also have importance in
      mediating drug resistance in AML, may be useful in the identification of leukemia
      stem cells (LSCs) and ALDH activity levels may have prognostic significance.
      Together these findings suggest that further studying ALDH biology in AML and
      other blood cancers may provide important insights into malignant transformation
      and may point the way to the development of novel diagnostics and therapies.

PMID- 28645469
TI  - Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair With MitraClip for Symptomatic Functional
      Mitral Valve Regurgitation.
AB  - Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVr) with MitraClip has proved
      to be safe and effective for high-risk surgical patients with severe symptomatic
      degenerative mitral regurgitation. There is paucity of data regarding its use in
      functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). The objective of this study was to
      evaluate the use of MitraClip in patients with symptomatic moderate or severe FMR
      and a high surgical risk. Medical libraries were systematically searched for
      studies assessing the use of MitraClip for patients with symptomatic moderate or
      severe FMR and a high surgical risk. Studies reporting safety and efficacy
      outcomes at 12 months were included in the analysis. A total of 12 studies
      including 1,695 patients (age 73 [interquartile range [IQR] 70.5 to 74], 69.8%
      men, left ventricular ejection fraction 32.5% [IQR 29.5 to 36], New York Heart
      Association class II to IV) who underwent TMVr with MitraClip were included in
      the analysis. Acute procedural success was 89% (IQR 85.5 to 92). Ischemic
      cardiomyopathy was the most common cause of left ventricular dysfunction. Over
      2/3 of patients had known coronary artery disease, 35% a previous myocardial
      infarction, and 38.5% had a previous cardiac surgery. Survival to hospital
      discharge was 98% (IQR 97 to 100) and 30-day survival 97% (IQR 96 to 98). Overall
      survival at 12 months was 82% (IQR 77 to 87). Mitral valve re-intervention at 12
      months was infrequent (3%; IQR 2 to 6.5). In conclusion, our pooled analysis
      suggests that TMVr with MitraClip is feasible, safe, and carries a low rate of
      mitral valve re-intervention at 12 months in patients with symptomatic moderate
      or severe FMR and a high surgical risk.

PMID- 28645470
TI  - Significance of Atrial Fibrillation Complicating ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial
      Infarction.
AB  - The aim of the present study is to assess the clinical impact of atrial
      fibrillation (AF) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
      (STEMI) complicated by new-onset AF depending on STEMI location and timing of
      arrhythmia. We analyzed 4,363 consecutive STEMI patients treated invasively.
      Finally, 4,099 subjects were included into further analysis, as 264 patients were
      excluded because of previous AF history. In total, 1,800 (43.9%) subjects with
      anterior infarction were included into Group 1, whereas Group 2 encompassed 2,299
      (56.1%) patients with nonanterior infarction. Subsequently, both groups were
      divided into patients with new-onset AF (AF Group 1 and 2, respectively) and
      without AF (Control Group 1 and 2). New-onset AF was recognized in 225 patients
      (5.5%): 96 (5.3%) with an anterior wall infarction (AF Group 1) and 129 (5.6%)
      with a nonanterior wall infarction (AF Group 2). The incidence of early-onset
      arrhythmia (within 24 hours after admission) was significantly higher in AF Group
      2 than in AF Group 1: 71.3% versus 35.4% (p <0.001). In Group 1, both early- and
      late-onset AFs were associated with significantly increased in-hospital mortality
      compared with AF-free population (17.7% and 27.4%, respectively vs 6.3%; p
      <0.05), whereas in Group 2, in-hospital mortality was increased only in subjects
      with late-onset AF compared with AF-free population (13.5% vs 4.2%, p <0.05). New
      onset AF was the independent predictor of death only in Group 1 (hazard ratio
      2.16) and this effect was stronger for late-onset AF (hazard ratio 2.86). In
      conclusion, 1 in 20 patients with STEMI treated invasively was affected by new
      onset AF. The predictive value of new-onset AF was strongly related with STEMI
      location and timing of arrhythmia.

PMID- 28645471
TI  - Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea With Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease
      Predicted by Coronary Artery Calcium Score in Asymptomatic Subjects.
AB  - The aim of this study is to determine the association among various sleep
      parameters for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and subclinical cardiovascular
      disease measured by coronary artery calcium (CAC) score. A cross-sectional study
      was conducted among 461 patients who underwent both polysomnography (PSG) and
      coronary artery computed tomography to evaluate CAC score. For each participant,
      coronary artery computed tomography was conducted within 12 months of PSG. We
      evaluated the possible association among various PSG parameters by evaluating
      overnight-attended PSG and CAC. A univariate analysis with lowest SaO2 and stage
      3 sleep % during sleep was significantly associated with CAC score (beta = 
      5.528, 95% confidence interval [CI] -9.179 to -1.777, p = 0.004 and beta = 
      8.658, 95% CI -16.461 to -0.855, p = 0.030, respectively). However, after
      adjustment for possible confounders, only the lowest SaO2 was independently
      associated with CAC score (beta = -5.234, 95% CI -9.215 to -1.253, p = 0.010).
      This association was stronger in participants aged >=60 years (beta = -26.966,
      95% CI -41.874 to -12.058, p = 0.001). In a univariate analysis, apnea-hypopnea
      index, stage 3 sleep %, and moderate and severe OSA were significantly associated
      with CAC presence (odds ratio [OR] 1.010, p = 0.035; OR 0.949, p = 0.039; OR
      2.186, p = 0.013; and OR 2.019, p = 0.020, respectively). However, after
      adjusting for possible confounders, there was no significant association. In
      conclusion, the patients with intermittent hypoxemia during sleep should be
      considered for evaluation of coronary artery calcification to detect
      cardiovascular disease in subclinical status.

PMID- 28645472
TI  - Bradycardia, Syncope, and Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy.
AB  - A 55-year-old man with syncopal episodes was found to have sinus bradycardia at a
      rate of 37 beats/min, an episode of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, and
      left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy. After placement of a dual-chamber
      cardioverter defibrillator 4 years ago, he has had no further syncopal episodes,
      and there have been no defibrillator shocks.

PMID- 28645473
TI  - Efficacy and Safety of Rivaroxaban Versus Warfarin in Patients Taking
      Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers for Atrial Fibrillation (from the
      ROCKET AF Trial).
AB  - Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (non-DHP CCBs) possess combined P
      glycoprotein and moderate CYP3A4 inhibition, which may lead to increased exposure
      of medications that are substrates for these metabolic pathways, such as
      rivaroxaban. We evaluated the use and outcomes of non-DHP CCBs in patients with
      atrial fibrillation (AF) in Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa
      Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and
      Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF). We assessed clinical outcomes
      in patients who received non-DHP CCBs and the impact on the efficacy and safety
      of rivaroxaban compared with warfarin. Stroke or noncentral nervous system (CNS)
      systemic embolism (SE), major or nonmajor clinically relevant (NMCR) bleeding,
      all-cause death, and major bleeding were compared according to non-DHP CCB use.
      At randomization, 1,308 patients (9.2%) were taking a non-DHP CCB. They were more
      likely to be women, have diabetes and COPD, and less likely to have heart failure
      and had a lower mean CHADS2 score (3.3 vs 3.5). Non-DHP CCB use was not
      associated with an increased risk of stroke/non-CNS SE (p = 0.11) or the
      composite outcome of NMCR or major bleeding (p = 0.087). Non-DHP CCB use was
      associated with an increased risk of major bleeding (adjusted hazard ratio 1.50,
      95% CI 1.11 to 2.04) and intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted hazard ratio 2.84, 95%
      CI 1.53 to 5.29). No significant difference was observed in the primary efficacy
      (stroke or non-CNS SE; adjusted interaction p value = 0.38) or safety outcome
      (NMCR or major bleeding; adjusted interaction p value = 0.14) between rivaroxaban
      and warfarin with non-DHP CCB use. In conclusion, although the overall use of non
      DHP CCBs was associated with an increased risk of major bleeding and intracranial
      hemorrhage, the use was not associated with a significant change in the safety or
      efficacy of rivaroxaban compared with warfarin observed in ROCKET AF.

PMID- 28645474
TI  - Severe Mental Illness and Clinical Outcome After Primary Percutaneous Coronary
      Intervention.
AB  - The mechanisms behind the increased mortality in patients with acute myocardial
      infarction and co-existing severe mental illness (SMI) compared with non-SMI
      patients remain unclear. We studied 12,102 patients with ST-elevation myocardial
      infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention, of whom 457
      had SMI. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (death, myocardial
      infarction, target vessel revascularization) at 30 days, 1 year, 2 years, and
      maximum follow-up. Patients with SMI were younger, more often women, had higher
      prevalence of active smoking and diabetes, and had a longer duration of symptoms
      than patients without SMI. There were no substantial differences in the in
      hospital treatment of patients with and without SMI. Fewer SMI patients were
      treated with the recommended medications during follow up; however, the absolute
      differences were modest. Compared with non-SMI patients, the cumulative risks of
      major adverse cardiac events after 1 year, 2 years, and maximum follow-up were
      higher among SMI patients [hazard ratio 1.27 (1.02 to 1.57), hazard ratio 1.32
      (1.09 to 1.60), and hazard ratio 1.43 (1.25 to 1.65), respectively]. Even after
      adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics, the differences in
      outcome persisted. In conclusion, compared with patients without SMI, primary
      percutaneous coronary intervention treated patients with SMI had a worse baseline
      risk profile. No differences in in-hospital treatments were found. Although the
      absolute differences were small, SMI patients were less likely to receive
      recommended medical treatment during follow up and they face a worse prognosis,
      even after adjustment for differences in risk profile. This indicates that SMI
      per se is likely to have an adverse effect on the prognosis following ST
      elevation myocardial infarction.

PMID- 28645476
TI  - Relation of Coronary Artery Calcium Score and Risk of Cancer (from a Danish
      Population-Based Follow-up Study in Patients Who Underwent Cardiac Computed
      Tomography).
AB  - Evidence of a causal link between atherosclerosis and cancer is sparse and
      conflicting. Therefore, we examined the association between extent of coronary
      atherosclerosis determined by coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and risk of
      cancer. We conducted a historical population-based cohort study of 28,549 cancer
      free patients identified in the Western Denmark Heart Registry. All patients
      underwent cardiac computed tomography for measurement of CACS for suspected
      coronary artery disease. The outcome was an incident cancer diagnosis: total,
      tobacco-related, lung, prostate, breast, and colorectal. We used Cox proportional
      hazards regression analyses stratified by gender to estimate hazard ratios (HRs)
      for relations between CACS and cancer with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).
      During follow-up, 455 men and 527 women had a cancer diagnosis. In a
      multivariable model (reference group: CACS 0), adjusted hazard ratios (95%
      confidence interval) for total cancer were as follows: CACS 1 to 99: 1.07 (0.83
      to 1.39), CACS 100 to 399: 1.24 (0.94 to 1.63), CACS 400 to 999: 0.88 (0.62 to
      1.25), CACS >=1,000: 0.96 (0.66 to 1.41) in men; and CACS 1 to 99: 0.96 (0.77 to
      1.19), CACS 100 to 399: 0.99 (0.75 to 1.31), CACS 400 to 999: 1.11 (0.76 to
      1.62), and CACS >=1,000: 1.16 (0.73 to 1.83) in women. We found no significant
      association between CACS and the specified outcomes for men or women, except for
      an increased risk of lung cancer among women with a high CACS. In conclusion,
      extent of coronary atherosclerosis determined by CACS was not associated with
      development of total, tobacco-related, lung, prostate, breast, or colorectal
      cancer. However, we did observe an association between CACS and risk of lung
      cancer in women.

PMID- 28645477
TI  - The overexpression of CPR and P450 3A4 in pancreatic cancer cells changes the
      metabolic profile and increases the cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic activity of
      acridine antitumor agent, C-1748.
AB  - Drug resistance is one of the major causes of pancreatic cancer treatment
      failure. Thus, it is still imperative to develop new active compounds and novel
      approach to improve drug efficacy. Here we present 9-amino-1-nitroacridine
      antitumor agent, C-1748, developed in our laboratory, as a candidate for
      pancreatic cancer treatment. We examined (i) the cellular response of pancreatic
      cancer cell lines: Panc-1, MiaPaCa-2, BxPC-3 and AsPC-1, differing in expression
      levels of commonly mutated genes for this cancer type, to C-1748 treatment and
      (ii) the role of P450 3A4 isoenzyme and cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) in the
      modulation of this response. C-1748 exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity
      against MiaPaCa-2, while AsPC-1 cells were the most resistant (IC50: 0.015,
      0.075uM, respectively). A considerable amount of apoptosis was detected in Panc-1
      and MiaPaCa-2 cells but only limited apoptosis was observed in AsPC-1 and BxPC-3
      cells as indicated by morphological changes and biochemical markers. Furthermore,
      only AsPC-1 cells underwent senescence. Since AsPC-1 cells were the most
      resistant to C-1748 as evidenced by the lowest P450 3A4 and CPR protein levels,
      this cell line was subjected to transient transfection either with P450 3A4 or
      CPR gene. The overexpression of P450 3A4 or CPR changed the pro-apoptotic
      activity of C-1748 and sensitized AsPC-1 cells to this drug compared to wild-type
      cells. However, metabolism was changed significantly only for CPR overexpressing
      cells. In conclusion, the antitumor effectiveness of C-1748 would be improved by
      multi-drug therapy with chemotherapeutics, that are able to induce P450 3A4
      and/or CPR gene expression.

PMID- 28645475
TI  - Usefulness of Early Treatment With Melatonin to Reduce Infarct Size in Patients
      With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Receiving Percutaneous Coronary
      Intervention (From the Melatonin Adjunct in the Acute Myocardial Infarction
      Treated With Angioplasty Trial).
AB  - Melatonin, an endogenously produced hormone, might potentially limit the ischemia
      reperfusion injury and improve the efficacy of mechanical reperfusion with
      primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in ST-segment elevation
      myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study was aimed to evaluate whether the
      treatment effect of melatonin therapy in patients with STEMI is influenced by the
      time to administration. We performed a post hoc analysis of the Melatonin Adjunct
      in the Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated With Angioplasty trial (NCT00640094),
      which randomized STEMI patients to melatonin (intravenous and intracoronary
      bolus) or placebo during pPCI. Randomized patients were divided into tertiles
      according to symptoms onset to balloon time: first tertile (136 +/- 23 minutes),
      second tertile (196 +/- 19 minutes), and third tertile (249 +/- 41 minutes).
      Magnetic resonance imaging was performed within 1 week after pPCI. A total of 146
      patients presenting with STEMI within 360 minutes of chest pain onset were
      randomly allocated to intravenous and intracoronary melatonin or placebo during
      pPCI. In the first tertile, the infarct size was significantly smaller in the
      melatonin-treated subjects compared with placebo (14.6 +/- 14.2 vs 24.9 +/- 9.0%;
      p = 0.003). Contrariwise, treatment with melatonin was associated with a larger
      infarct size in the group of patients included in the third tertile (20.5 +/-
      8.7% vs 11.2 +/- 5.2%; p = 0.001), resulting in a significant interaction (p =
      0.001). In conclusion, the administration of melatonin in patients with STEMI who
      presented early after symptom onset was associated with a significant reduction
      in the infarct size after pPCI.

PMID- 28645478
TI  - A TSPO ligand prevents mitochondrial sterol accumulation and dysfunction during
      myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in hypercholesterolemic rats.
AB  - A major cause of cell death during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion is
      mitochondrial dysfunction. We previously showed that the reperfusion of an
      ischemic myocardium was associated with an accumulation of cholesterol into
      mitochondria and a concomitant strong generation of auto-oxidized oxysterols. The
      inhibition of mitochondrial accumulation of cholesterol abolished the formation
      of oxysterols and prevented mitochondrial injury at reperfusion. The aim of this
      study was to investigate the impact of hypercholesterolemia on sterol and
      oxysterol accumulation in rat cardiac cytosols and mitochondria and to analyse
      the effect of the translocator protein ligand 4'-chlorodiazepam on this
      accumulation and mitochondrial function. Hypercholesterolemic ZDF fa/fa rats or
      normocholesterolemic lean rats were submitted to 30min of coronary artery
      occlusion followed by 15min reperfusion where cardiac cytosols and mitochondria
      were isolated. Hypercholesterolemia increased the cellular cardiac concentrations
      of cholesterol, cholesterol precursors and oxysterols both in cytosol and
      mitochondria in non-ischemic conditions. It also amplified the accumulation of
      all these compounds in cardiac cells and the alteration of mitochondrial function
      with ischemia-reperfusion. Administration of 4'-chlorodiazepam to ZDF fa/fa rats
      had no effect on the enhancement of sterols and oxysterols observed in the
      cytosols but inhibited cholesterol transfer to the mitochondria. It also
      alleviated the mitochondrial accumulation of all the investigated sterols and
      oxysterols. This was associated with a restoration of oxidative phosphorylation
      and a prevention of mitochondrial transition pore opening. The inhibition of
      cholesterol accumulation with TSPO ligands represents an interesting strategy to
      protect the mitochondria during ischemia-reperfusion in hypercholesterolemic
      conditions.

PMID- 28645479
TI  - Impact of the NAP-1 strain on disease severity, mortality, and recurrence of
      healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Studies are conflicting regarding the association of the North
      American pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type 1 (NAP1) strain in Clostridium
      difficile infection (CDI) and outcomes. We evaluated the association of NAP1 with
      healthcare-associated CDI disease severity, mortality, and recurrence at our
      academic medical center. METHODS: Healthcare-associated CDI cases were identified
      from November 1, 2011 through January 31, 2013. Multivariable regression models
      were used to evaluate the associations of NAP1 with severe disease (based on the
      Hines VA severity score index), mortality, and recurrence. RESULTS: Among 5424
      stool specimens submitted to the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, 292 (5.4%)
      were positive for C. difficile by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on or after
      hospital day 4; 70 (24%) of these specimens also tested positive for NAP1. During
      the study period, 247 (85%) patients had non-severe disease and 45 (15%) patients
      had severe disease. Among patients with non-severe disease, 65 (26%) had NAP1 and
      among patients with severe disease, 5 (11%) had NAP1. After controlling for
      potential confounders, NAP1 was not associated with an increased likelihood of
      severe disease (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI],
      0.13-0.93), in-hospital mortality (aOR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.53-1.96), or recurrence
      (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI, 0.36-3.77). CONCLUSIONS: The NAP1 strain did not increase
      disease severity, mortality, or recurrence in this study, although the incidence
      of NAP1-positive healthcare associated-CDI was low. The role of strain typing in
      outcomes and treatment selection in patients with healthcare-associated CDI
      remains uncertain.

PMID- 28645480
TI  - Comparative performance of Aspergillus galactomannan ELISA and PCR in sputum from
      patients with ABPA and CPA.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Galactomannan (GM) and Aspergillus DNA detection are useful tools for
      the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), primarily in blood and
      bronchoscopy samples. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of both markers
      for detection of Aspergillus in sputum from patients with allergic
      bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA).
      METHODS: ABPA or CPA demographic patient data were retrieved. This retrospective
      observational audit included 159 patients with at least one sputum pair. 223
      sputum sample pairs were analysed, as well as six control samples for GM only.
      Real time PCR was performed following sputum DNA extraction using the MycAssayTM
      Aspergillus kit and cycle thresholds were subtracted from 38 to give positive
      values (transformed Ct, TCt). RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was
      61.81years (SD: +/-11.06; range 29-100). One hundred and twenty-six (79.2%) had
      CPA. Cultures were positive for fungi in 13.1% of the samples, and A. fumigatus
      was the commonest (11.9%) fungus isolated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC
      curve) analysis of sputum GM comparing TCt of >0.0, and >2.0 to derive GMI cut
      off values showed a cut-off of 6.5. About 50% of sputa with strongly positive PCR
      values had GM values>6.5. Two of six (33%) control samples had GM indices>6.5.
      CONCLUSION: It is not clear that GM determinations in sputum are useful for
      diagnosis of either CPA or ABPA, or following therapy.

PMID- 28645481
TI  - Subcellular localization of glycolytic enzymes and characterization of
      intermediary metabolism of Trypanosoma rangeli.
AB  - Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protist that infects wild and domestic
      mammals as well as humans in Central and South America. Although this parasite is
      not pathogenic for human, it is being studied because it shares with Trypanosoma
      cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, biological characteristics,
      geographic distribution, vectors and vertebrate hosts. Several metabolic studies
      have been performed with T. cruzi epimastigotes, however little is known about
      the metabolism of T. rangeli. In this work we present the subcellular
      distribution of the T. rangeli enzymes responsible for the conversion of glucose
      to pyruvate, as determined by epifluorescense immunomicroscopy and subcellular
      fractionation involving either selective membrane permeabilization with digitonin
      or differential and isopycnic centrifugation. We found that in T. rangeli
      epimastigotes the first six enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, involved in the
      conversion of glucose to 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate are located within glycosomes,
      while the last four steps occur in the cytosol. In contrast with T. cruzi, where
      three isoenzymes (one cytosolic and two glycosomal) of phosphoglycerate kinase
      are expressed simultaneously, only one enzyme with this activity is detected in
      T. rangeli epimastigotes, in the cytosol. Consistent with this latter result, we
      found enzymes involved in auxiliary pathways to glycolysis needed to maintain
      adenine nucleotide and redox balances within glycosomes such as
      phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, malate dehydrogenase, fumarate reductase,
      pyruvate phosphate dikinase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Glucokinase,
      galactokinase and the first enzyme of the pentose-phosphate pathway, glucose-6
      phosphate dehydrogenase, were also located inside glycosomes. Furthermore, we
      demonstrate that T. rangeli epimastigotes growing in LIT medium only consume
      glucose and do not excrete ammonium; moreover, they are unable to survive in
      partially-depleted glucose medium. The velocity of glucose consumption is about
      40% higher than that of procyclic Trypanosoma brucei, and four times faster than
      by T. cruzi epimastigotes under the same culture conditions.

PMID- 28645482
TI  - Proton Pump Inhibitors and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Renal
      Cell Carcinoma.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are potent inhibitors of gastric acid
      secretion and can affect the optimal absorption of concomitant oral medications,
      such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase inhibitors
      (TKIs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of PPI use on
      survival in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients treated in the
      targeted therapy era. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of
      mRCC patients treated in phase II and III clinical trials. Statistical analyses
      were performed using Cox regression adjusted for several risk factors and the
      Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: We identified 2188 patients treated with sunitinib
      (n = 952), axitinib (n = 626) or sorafenib (n = 610), of whom 120 were PPI users.
      Overall, PPI users showed similar overall survival compared with non-PPI users
      (hazard ratio [HR], 1.051; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.769-1.438; P = .754;
      median, 24.1 vs. 21.3 months). Similarly, progression-free survival (HR, 1.016;
      95% CI, 0.793-1.301; P = .902; median, 5.5 vs. 8.0 months) and objective response
      rates (23.3% vs. 27.4%; P = .344) were not different between PPI users and
      nonusers. These findings were consistent across International mRCC Database
      Consortium risk groups and according to line of therapy. Adverse events were
      similar between PPI users and nonusers. CONCLUSION: We showed that PPI use does
      not appear to negatively affect the efficacy and safety of select VEGF-TKIs in
      patients with mRCC. Documentation of concomitant medications and patient
      education on potential drug interactions are critical for optimizing the use of
      oral cancer-targeting therapy.

PMID- 28645483
TI  - Chemosensitivity of Immature Teratoma in a Man.

PMID- 28645484
TI  - Immune Check Point Inhibition in Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma: A New
      Treatment Paradigm.

PMID- 28645485
TI  - Eli Ruckenstein - A Rare Researcher, Teacher, and Mentor par Excellence.

PMID- 28645486
TI  - Adaptive Genetic Exchange: A Tangled History of Admixture and Evolutionary
      Innovation.
AB  - Genetic exchange between divergent evolutionary lineages, from introgressive
      hybridization between locally adapted populations to insertion of retroviral
      sequences into eukaryotic genomes, has now been documented. The detection of
      frequent divergence-with-gene-flow contrasts the neo-Darwinian paradigm of
      largely allopatric diversification. Nevertheless, of even greater significance is
      the growing wealth of data suggesting that the recipients of the transferred
      genomic material gain adaptive phenotypes from the donor lineages. This adaptive
      enrichment is reflected by changes in pathogenicity in viruses and bacteria, the
      transformation of ecological amplitude in eukaryotes, and adaptive radiations in
      extremely diverse lineages. Although genetic exchange may produce maladaptive
      consequences, most of the recently reported examples suggest increases in
      fitness, and many such adaptive trait transfers have been identified in our own
      species.

PMID- 28645487
TI  - Equipping the 22nd-Century Historical Ecologist.
AB  - Historical ecology provides information needed to understand contemporary
      conditions and make science-based resource management decisions. Gaps in
      historical records, however, can limit inquiries and inference. Unfortunately,
      the patchiness of data that poses challenges for today's historical ecologist may
      be similarly problematic for those in the future seeking to understand what are
      currently present-day conditions and trends, in part because of societal
      underinvestment in systematic collection and curation. We therefore highlight the
      generational imperative that contemporary scientists and managers individually
      have - especially in this era of tremendous global change - to ensure sufficient
      documentation of the past and current conditions of the places and resources to
      which they have access.

PMID- 28645488
TI  - Characterization and expression patterns of key ecdysteroid biosynthesis and
      signaling genes in a spider mite (Panonychus citri).
AB  - Ecdysteroids play a crucial role in regulating molting in the phylum of
      Arthropoda and much is known with members of the subphylum of Hexapoda including
      the Insecta. However, this is still unclear in key pests as spider mites
      belonging to the subphylum of Chelicerata that originated earlier in the Cambrian
      period. In this study, we investigated 14 key genes of ecdysteroid biosynthesis
      and signaling and their expression over the different developmental stages in the
      citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Stigmaeidae). P. citri is an
      economically important and widespread pest of citrus crops and it has five
      developmental stages of egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult. Typically,
      the expression of the ecdysteroid-synthesizing Halloween gene Spook (PcSpo)
      followed a positive zigzag-like pattern with a peak in the first half of each
      developmental stage and a drop in the second half prior to the molting to the
      next stage. Similar to PcSpo, PcDib, PcSad, PcRXR2, PcE75 and PcHR38 showed a
      positive zigzag-like expression pattern, while that of PcE78, PcHR3 and PcFTZ-F1
      was opposite that we called a negative zigzag-like pattern. Silencing of the
      PcSpo gene by RNAi showed that molting was inhibited. Interestingly, we could
      rescue these RNAi effects by supplementing ponasterone A (PonA) and not by 20E,
      which is indicative that mites use PonA rather than 20E as ecdysteroid hormone.
      Modeling of the ecdysteroid receptor (PcEcR) hormone binding cavity also
      predicted binding of PonA, but showed a steric hindrance for 20E. We believe our
      data provide insight into the evolution and expression patterns of key
      ecdysteroid biosynthesis and signaling genes in a distant, non-insect species,
      and can become a foundation to develop new targets for controlling important
      agricultural pests such as spider mites.

PMID- 28645490
TI  - Re: Radiation with or Without Antiandrogen Therapy in Recurrent Prostate Cancer.

PMID- 28645489
TI  - Effects of hypnotic bromovalerylurea on microglial BV2 cells.
AB  - An old sedative and hypnotic bromovalerylurea (BU) has anti-inflammatory effects.
      BU suppressed nitric oxide (NO) release and proinflammatory cytokine expression
      by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated BV2 cells, a murine microglial cell line.
      However, BU did not inhibit LPS-induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor
      kappaB and subsequent transcription. BU suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of
      signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and expression of
      interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1). The Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) inhibitor
      filgotinib suppressed the NO release much more weakly than that of BU, although
      filgotinib almost completely prevented LPS-induced STAT1 phosphorylation.
      Knockdown of JAK1, STAT1, or IRF1 did not affect the suppressive effects of BU on
      LPS-induced NO release by BV2 cells. A combination of BU and filgotinib
      synergistically suppressed the NO release. The mitochondrial complex I inhibitor
      rotenone, which did not prevent STAT1 phosphorylation or IRF1 expression,
      suppressed proinflammatory mediator expression less significantly than BU. BU and
      rotenone reduced intracellular ATP (iATP) levels to a similar extent. A
      combination of rotenone and filgotinib suppressed NO release by LPS-treated BV2
      cells as strongly as BU. These results suggest that anti-inflammatory actions of
      BU may be attributable to the synergism of inhibition of JAK1/STAT1-dependent
      pathways and reduction in iATP level.

PMID- 28645491
TI  - Systematic Review of Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in Urological Cancers.
AB  - CONTEXT: In patients with advanced and metastatic urological cancers, clinical
      outcome may be improved by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). OBJECTIVE: To
      systematically review relevant literature on efficacy and safety of ICIs in
      patients with advanced and metastatic urothelial cell cancer (UCC), renal cell
      cancer (RCC), and prostate cancer. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Relevant databases,
      including Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, were searched up to March
      16, 2017. A narrative review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) was performed.
      EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Six RCTs were included for the systematic review. In platinum
      pretreated UCC, efficacy of pembrolizumab was superior to chemotherapy, with
      longer median overall survival (OS; 10.3 vs 7.4 mo), a higher objective response
      rate (ORR; 21.1% vs 11.4%, p=0.001), and a lower adverse event rate (60.9% vs
      90.2%). Three RCTs assessed the safety and efficacy of nivolumab in advanced RCC.
      The median OS (25.0 vs 19.6 mo) and the ORR (25% vs 5%) were higher in patients
      treated with nivolumab compared with second-line everolimus. In all three
      studies, the safety profile of nivolumab was favorable. In patients with
      metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, two RCTs were identified, which
      did not show significant benefits for ipilimumab over placebo. In UCC and RCC,
      there was no conclusive association between programmed cell death receptor ligand
      1 (PD-L1) expression in tumor tissue and clinical outcome during pembrolizumab
      and nivolumab treatment, respectively. CONCLUSION: In metastatic UCC and RCC,
      pembrolizumab and nivolumab have superior efficacy and safety to second-line
      chemotherapy and everolimus, respectively. No beneficial effect of ipilimumab was
      observed in prostate cancer patients. PD-L1 expression status is currently not
      suitable as a predictive marker for treatment outcome. PATIENT SUMMARY: Immune
      checkpoint inhibitors are able to reactivate the immune system against tumor
      cells. In second-line setting, pembrolizumab and nivolumab are safe and confer
      survival benefit in advanced urothelial cell and renal cell cancer, respectively.

PMID- 28645492
TI  - Advances in stable isotope assisted labeling strategies with information science.
AB  - Stable-isotope (SI) labeling of proteins is an essential technique to investigate
      their structures, interactions or dynamics by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
      spectroscopy. The assignment of the main-chain signals, which is the fundamental
      first step in these analyses, is usually achieved by a sequential assignment
      method based on triple resonance experiments. Independently of the triple
      resonance experiment-based sequential assignment, amino acid-selective SI
      labeling is beneficial for discriminating the amino acid type of each signal;
      therefore, it is especially useful for the signal assignment of difficult
      targets. Various combinatorial selective labeling schemes have been developed as
      more sophisticated labeling strategies. In these strategies, amino acids are
      represented by combinations of SI labeled samples, rather than simply assigning
      one amino acid to one SI labeled sample as in the case of conventional amino acid
      selective labeling. These strategies have proven to be useful for NMR analyses of
      difficult proteins, such as those in large complex systems, in living cells,
      attached or integrated into membranes, or with poor solubility. In this review,
      recent advances in stable isotope assisted labeling strategies will be discussed.

PMID- 28645493
TI  - Sprayable Carbopol hydrogel with soluble beta-1,3/1,6-glucan as an active
      ingredient for wound healing - Development and in-vivo evaluation.
AB  - Chronic wounds represent a significant health problem worldwide. There is a need
      for advanced- and cost-efficient wound healing products able to increase patient
      comfort and reduce the healing time. The aim of this study was to develop a
      sprayable hydrogel dressing with beta-glucan (betaG) as the active ingredient,
      targeting future application in the treatment of both chronic and burn wounds.
      The betaG was chosen as an active ingredient because of its promising wound
      healing capabilities, whereas Carbopol 971P NF (Carbopol) was chosen as the
      thickening agent in the formulation due to several attractive characteristics
      such as its low viscosity, low toxicity, high transparency and good ion
      tolerance. Four different hydrogel formulations were prepared with varying
      Carbopol concentrations. The higher Carbopol concentration, 0.5% (w/w), was used
      to prepare three formulations comprising the HighCP:NobetaG, HighCP:LowbetaG and
      the HighCP:MediumbetaG formulation, respectively. Lower Carbopol concentration,
      0.25% (w/w), was used to prepare the LowCP:HighbetaG formulation. The content of
      betaG varied from 0.25% in the HighCP:LowbetaG, 0.5% in the HighCP:MediumbetaG
      and 1.0% (w/w) in the LowCP:HighbetaG formulation, respectively. The first part
      of the study focused on the rheological characterization of the hydrogels and the
      fluid affinity testing. All formulations were confirmed to be stable gels; the
      betaG was shown to augment the gel strength by increasing the yield strength of
      the gel in a dose dependent manner. The stability of the formulations containing
      either Carbopol alone or in a combination with betaG did not deteriorate over
      26weeks, and the fluid donation and absorption study indicated a fluid donation
      profile, which favors healing of dry wounds. The in vivo efficacy of the
      formulations, evaluated in the modified diabetic male mice (db/db mice), showed
      that Carbopol alone was unable to induce improved healing and caused adverse
      reactions in some wounds. The inclusion of betaG increased the epithelialization
      and wound contraction in the db/db mice when given at high betaG:Carbopol ratio.
      The positive effect of betaG was, however, not sufficient to counteract the
      adverse effect of Carbopol, thus a more suitable thickening agent should be
      investigated for further development of a sprayable wound care product.

PMID- 28645494
TI  - Venous or arterial blood components trigger more brain swelling, tissue death
      after acute subdural hematoma compared to elderly atrophic brain with subdural
      effusion (SDE) model rats.
AB  - Acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) is a frequent complication of severe head injury,
      whose secondary ischemic lesions are often responsible for the severity of the
      disease. We focused on the differences of secondary ischemic lesions caused by
      the components, 0.4ml venous- or arterial-blood, or saline, infused in the
      subdural space, evaluating the differences in vivo model, using rats. The saline
      infused rats are made for elderly atrophic brain with subdural effusion (SDE)
      model. Our data showed that subdural blood, both venous- and arterial-blood,
      aggravate brain edema and lesion development more than SDE. This study is the
      first study, in which different fluids in rats' subdural space, ASDH or SDE are
      compared with the extension of early and delayed brain damage by measuring brain
      edema and histological lesion volume. Blood constituents started to affect the
      degree of ischemia underneath the subdural hemorrhage, leading to more pronounced
      breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and brain damage. This indicates that
      further strategies to treat blood-dependent effects more efficiently are in view
      for patients with ASDH.

PMID- 28645495
TI  - Validity and reliability of the myTemp ingestible temperature capsule.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: An accurate and non-invasive measurement of core body temperature
      (Tc) is of great importance to quantify exercise-induced increases in Tc in
      athletes or to assess changes in Tc in patient populations. The use of ingestible
      gastrointestinal telemetric temperature capsules is widely accepted as a
      surrogate marker for Tc, but widespread implementation is lacking due to the high
      costs of these disposable capsules. A new and cheaper temperature capsule system
      (i.e. myTemp) was recently introduced. The aim of present study is to determine
      the validity and test-retest reliability of the myTemp system. DESIGN: Ex-vivo
      experimental study. METHODS: Fifteen ingestible temperature capsules (myTemp,
      Nijmegen, Netherlands) were tested in a highly temperature controlled water bath,
      in which the water temperature gradually increased from 34 degrees C to 44
      degrees C. The study protocol was performed twice for each temperature capsule.
      RESULTS: Mean difference between myTemp temperature and water bath temperature
      was -0.001+/-0.005 degrees C (Limit of Agreement (LOA): +/-0.011 degrees C)
      during Trial 1 (p=0.11) and -0.001+/-0.006 degrees C (LOA: +/-0.012 degrees C)
      during Trial 2 (p=0.039). Furthermore, an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient
      (ICC) of 1.00 was found for both trials. A systematic difference between Trials 1
      and 2 of 0.004+/-0.008 degrees C (LOA: +/-0.015 degrees C) was found (p<0.001),
      whereas the ICC between both trials was 1.00 and the standard error of
      measurement was 0.005 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: Although we found a systematic bias
      for the sensitivity (-0.001 degrees C) and reliability (0.004 degrees C), these
      values can be considered insignificant from a physiological and clinical
      perspective. Thus, the myTemp ingestible temperature capsule is a valid technique
      to measure (water) temperature under controlled circumstances.

PMID- 28645496
TI  - Determining the best percent-predicted equation for estimated VO2 peak by a 1-km
      moderate perceptually-regulated treadmill walk to predict mortality in
      outpatients with cardiovascular disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the prognostic ability of established percent-predicted
      equations of peak oxygen consumption (%PRED) estimated by a moderate submaximal
      walking test in a large cohort of outpatients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
      DESIGN: Population-based prospective study. METHODS: A total of 1442 male
      patients aged 25-85 years at baseline, underwent a moderate perceptually
      regulated (11-13 on the 6-20 Borg scale) treadmill walk (1k-TWT) for peak oxygen
      consumption estimation (VO2 peak). %PRED was derived from ACSM, Ades et al,
      Morris et al, and the Wasserman/Hansen equations, and their prognostic
      performance was assessed. Overall mortality was the end point. Participants were
      divided into quartiles of %PRED, and mortality risk was estimated using a Cox
      regression model. RESULTS: During a median 8.2year follow-up, 167 all-cause
      deaths occurred. The Wasserman/Hansen equation provided the highest prognostic
      value. Mortality rate was lower across increasing quartiles of %PRED. Compared to
      the first quartile, after adjustment for confounders, the mortality risk
      decreased for the second, third, and fourth quartiles, with HRs of 0.75 (95% CI
      0.44-1.29, p=0.29), 0.67 (95% CI 0.38-1.18, p=0.17), and 0.37 (95% CI 0.10-0.78,
      p=0.009), respectively (p for trend <0.0001). Each 1% increase in %PRED conferred
      a 4% improvement in survival. CONCLUSIONS: The percent-predicted VO2 peak
      determined by Wasserman/Hansen equations applied to the 1k-TWT is inversely and
      significantly related to survival in cardiac outpatients. The 1k-TWT is a simple
      and useful tool for stratifying mortality risk in patients participating in
      secondary prevention programs.

PMID- 28645497
TI  - An association between polymorphisms within the APOE gene and concussion
      aetiology in rugby union players.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Concussion refers to changes in neurological function due to
      biomechanical forces transmitted to the head. The APOE epsilon4 allele is
      associated with brain injury severity. The objective was to determine if APOE
      gene variants are associated with concussion history and severity in rugby
      players. DESIGN: In total, 128 non-concussed controls and 160 previously
      concussed participants (all cases N=160; diagnosed N=139) were recruited from
      high school (junior, N=121), club (N=116) and professional rugby teams (N=51).
      METHODS: Participants were genotyped for rs405509 (G>T), rs429358 (T>C) and
      rs7412 (C>T) APOE variants. Statistical analyses were performed using the R
      environment. RESULTS: The rs405509 TT genotype was over-represented in controls
      compared to all cases (P=0.043; control: 29%, all cases: 18%; odds ratio: 0.55,
      95% confidence interval 0.31-0.98). The APOE-epsilon isoform frequencies were not
      significantly different between groups (P>0.05). Additionally, the inferred APOE
      (rs405509-epsilon2/epsilon3/epsilon4) T-epsilon3 haplotype was over-represented
      in controls (41%) compared to diagnosed (32%, P=0.042). The G-epsilon3 haplotype
      was under-represented in controls (36%) compared to all cases (44%, P=0.019) and
      diagnosed (44%, P=0.021). The TT genotype was significantly associated with rapid
      recovery (P=0.048, <1 week: 51%, N=70, >=1 week: 36%, N=29; odds ratio: 0.55, 95%
      confidence interval 0.30-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the further
      elucidation of the APOE gene or closely-related genes in concussion aetiology.
      Although similar preliminary results were found when juniors were separately
      analysed, the under-powered sample size for junior subgroup requires future
      investigation in larger cohorts of junior-level athletes.

PMID- 28645498
TI  - Pulmonary Artery Embolization after Blunt Trauma.

PMID- 28645499
TI  - An Ideal Opportunity for Interventional Radiologists to Advance Shared Decision
      Making.

PMID- 28645500
TI  - Percutaneous Anterior Ureterostomy for Double J Ureteral Stent Placement in an 18
      Month-Old Patient.

PMID- 28645501
TI  - Bigger Is Better: Refinement of an Animal Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and
      Transfemoral Arterial Embolization.

PMID- 28645502
TI  - HydroCoil Embolization of an Infected Ascending Aortic Pseudoaneurysm.

PMID- 28645503
TI  - On-Site Fenestration of a Peripheral Covered Stent for the Treatment of a Complex
      Subclavian Artery Injury.

PMID- 28645504
TI  - Single-Session Endolymphatic Thoracic Duct Stent-Graft Placement for Recurrent
      Idiopathic Chylothorax.

PMID- 28645505
TI  - Treatment of Chylous Ascites in a Child after Wilms Tumor Resection with
      Intranodal Injection of N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate Glue.

PMID- 28645506
TI  - Preoperative Percutaneous Microwave Ablation of Long Bone Metastases Using a
      Parallel Medullary Approach for Reduction of Operative Blood Loss.

PMID- 28645507
TI  - The Role of Interventional Radiologists in the Use of Extracorporeal Membranous
      Oxygenation in the Catheter-Directed Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism.
AB  - Patients with pulmonary embolism who are in hemodynamically unstable condition
      present a special challenge to the interventionalist. When treating such
      patients, extracorporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO) can help to stabilize
      these patients' condition; however, specific criteria for its use do not exist.
      Two patients are presented here to familiarize the reader with the use of ECMO
      and to demonstrate its utility for the interventional radiologist.

PMID- 28645508
TI  - Merkel cell carcinoma, melanoma, metastatic mimics of breast cancer.
AB  - Merkel cell carcinoma and melanoma can each occur primarily in breast skin, or
      metastasize to the breast. The breast is a rare site of metastasis of essentially
      any and every type of tumor, including carcinomas, sarcomas, and hematolymphoid
      neoplasms, and 10-30% of breast metastases may represent the initial presentation
      of disease. Although metastases generally recapitulate histologic features of the
      primary tumor, they are diagnostically challenging given their rarity and
      morphologic overlap with breast carcinoma, including special types of breast
      cancer. Histologic clues may include lack of carcinoma in situ, lack of central
      elastosis, pattern of infiltration around normal breast structures, yet none of
      these are specific. Careful correlation with clinical history and judicious use
      of immunostain panels is essential in approaching these cases.

PMID- 28645510
TI  - The nonlinear flexural response of a whole teleost fish: Contribution of scales
      and skin.
AB  - The scaled skin of fish is an intricate system that provides mechanical
      protection against hard and sharp puncture, while maintaining the high flexural
      compliance required for unhindered locomotion. This unusual combination of local
      hardness and global compliance makes fish skin an interesting model for
      bioinspired protective systems. In this work we investigate the flexural response
      of whole teleost fish, and how scales may affect global flexural stiffness. A
      bending moment is imposed on the entire body of a striped bass (Morone
      saxatilis). Imaging is used to measure local curvature, to generate moment
      curvature curves as function of position along the entire axis of the fish. We
      find that the flexural stiffness is the highest in the thick middle portion of
      the fish, and lowest in the caudal and rostral ends. The flexural response is
      nonlinear, with an initial soft response followed by significant stiffening at
      larger flexural deformations. Low flexural stiffness at low curvatures promotes
      efficient swimming, while higher stiffness at high curvatures enables a possible
      tendon effect, where the mechanical energy at the end of a stroke is stored in
      the form of strain energy in the fish skin. To assess the contribution of the
      scales to stiffening we performed flexural tests with and without scales,
      following a careful protocol to take in account tissue degradation and the
      effects of temperature. Our findings suggest that scales do not substantially
      increase the whole body flexural stiffness of teleost fish over ranges of
      deformations which are typical of swimming and maneuvering. Teleost scales are
      thin and relatively flexible, so they can accommodate large flexural
      deformations. This finding is in contrast to the bulkier ganoid scales which were
      shown in previous reports to have a profound impact of global flexural
      deformations and swimming in fish like gar or Polypterus.

PMID- 28645509
TI  - A fast and reliable method for daily quality assurance in spot scanning proton
      therapy with a compact and inexpensive phantom.
AB  - In a radiotherapy center, daily quality assurance (QA) measurements are performed
      to ensure that the equipment can be safely used for patient treatment on that
      day. In a pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton therapy center, spot positioning,
      spot size, range, and dose output are usually verified every day before
      treatments. We designed, built, and tested a new, reliable, sensitive, and
      inexpensive phantom, coupled with an array of ionization chambers, for daily QA
      that reduces the execution times while preserving the reliability of the test.
      The phantom is provided with 2 pairs of wedges to sample the Bragg peak at
      different depths to have a transposition on the transverse plane of the depth
      dose. Three "boxes" are used to check spot positioning and delivered dose. The
      box thickness helps spread the single spot and to fit a Gaussian profile on a low
      resolution detector. We tested whether our new QA solution could detect errors
      larger than our action levels: 1 mm in spot positioning, 2 mm in range, and 10%
      in spot size. Execution time was also investigated. Our method is able to
      correctly detect 98% of spots that are actually in tolerance for spot positioning
      and 99% of spots out of 1 mm tolerance. All range variations greater than the
      threshold (2 mm) were correctly detected. The analysis performed over 1 month
      showed a very good repeatability of spot characteristics. The time taken to
      perform the daily quality assurance is 20 minutes, a half of the execution time
      of the former multidevice procedure. This "in-house build" phantom substitutes 2
      very expensive detectors (a multilayer ionization chamber [MLIC] and a strip
      chamber, reducing by 5 times the cost of the equipment. We designed, built, and
      validated a phantom that allows for accurate, sensitive, fast, and inexpensive
      daily QA procedures in proton therapy with PBS.

PMID- 28645511
TI  - Lamellae spatial distribution modulates fracture behavior and toughness of
      african pangolin scales.
AB  - Pangolin scales form a durable armor whose hierarchical structure offers an
      avenue towards high performance bio-inspired materials design. In this study, the
      fracture resistance of African pangolin scales is examined using single edge
      crack three-point bend fracture testing in order to understand toughening
      mechanisms arising from the structures of natural mammalian armors. In these
      mechanical tests, the influence of material orientation and hydration level are
      examined. The fracture experiments reveal an exceptional fracture resistance due
      to crack deflection induced by the internal spatial orientation of lamellae. An
      order of magnitude increase in the measured fracture resistance due to scale
      hydration, reaching up to ~ 25kJ/m2 was measured. Post-mortem analysis of the
      fracture samples was performed using a combination of optical and electron
      microscopy, and X-ray computerized tomography. Interestingly, the crack profile
      morphologies are observed to follow paths outlined by the keratinous lamellae
      structure of the pangolin scale. Most notably, the inherent structure of pangolin
      scales offers a pathway for crack deflection and fracture toughening. The results
      of this study are expected to be useful as design principles for high performance
      biomimetic applications.

PMID- 28645512
TI  - The RNA-seq analysis suggests a potential multi-component complement system in
      oyster Crassostrea gigas.
AB  - The complement system is one of the major effector mechanisms of immune system,
      playing essential roles in both the innate and adaptive immune responses. In the
      present study, the counterparts of vertebrate complement components were
      identified by screening the sequenced genome of Crassostrea gigas, resulting in
      the identification of 792 gene models containing complement-related domains. The
      transcriptome of haemocytes at 6, 12 and 24 h post lipopolysaccharides (LPS)
      stimulation showed differential expression of 77 C1q domain containing proteins,
      53 C-type lectins and 42 fibrinogen-related proteins. mRNAs encoding 18 serine
      protease domain-containing (SPC) proteins, 4 MACPF-domain containing proteins and
      11 C3 receptor-like proteins were up-regulated upon LPS stimulation, and CgC3
      mRNA was significantly increased at 12 h. The presence of CgC3 was confirmed in
      cell free plasma and was present in three subunit chains as expected for the
      processed mature protein. The complement related PRRs with coiled coil regions
      and SPC proteins with CUB domains may function in the activation of CgC3,
      whereas, the C3-like receptors with integrin-alpha/beta domain mediated the
      phagocytosis of C3-labled pathogens. These PRRs appear to serve as opsonins to
      promote phagocytosis of opsonized pathogens. The overall results suggested the
      existence of a potential multi-component complement system in C. gigas.

PMID- 28645513
TI  - Atrial Fibrillation: Current Therapies.
AB  - A rate control, or a rhythm control, strategy can be applied to the management of
      atrial fibrillation. Rate control of atrial fibrillation consists of decreasing
      the ventricular response rate by limiting the number of supraventricular impulses
      that can travel through the atrioventricular node. The goal of decreasing heart
      rate in dogs with atrial fibrillation is usually achieved with a combination of
      the calcium channel blocker diltiazem and digoxin. Rhythm control of atrial
      fibrillation encompasses pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods to terminate
      the arrhythmia and restore sinus rhythm. Transthoracic synchronized electrical
      cardioversion is commonly used to stop atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 28645514
TI  - Bcl-xL deamidation and cancer: Charting the fame trajectories of legitimate child
      and hidden siblings.
AB  - Bcl-2 family proteins control programmed cell death through a complex network of
      interactions within and outside of this family, that are modulated by post
      translational modifications (PTM). Bcl-xL, an anti-apoptotic member of this
      family, is overexpressed in a number of cancers, plays an important role in
      tumorigenesis and is correlated with drug resistance. Bcl-xL is susceptible to a
      number of different PTMs. Here, we focus on deamidation. We will first provide an
      overview of protein deamidation. We will then review how the apoptotic and
      autophagic functions of Bcl-xL are modified by this PTM, and how this impacts on
      its oncogenic properties. Possible therapeutic outcomes will also be discussed.
      Finally, we will highlight how the specific case of Bcl-xL deamidation provides
      groundings to revisit some concepts related to protein deamidation in general.

PMID- 28645516
TI  - The Search Continues for Optimal Intensive Care Unit Glucose Management and
      Measurement.

PMID- 28645517
TI  - Glucose Control, Diabetes Status, and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: The
      Continuum From Intensive Care Unit Admission to Hospital Discharge.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationships among glycemic control, diabetes
      mellitus (DM) status, and mortality in critically ill patients from intensive
      care unit (ICU) admission to hospital discharge. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a
      retrospective investigation of 6387 ICU patients with 5 or more blood glucose
      (BG) tests and 4462 ICU survivors admitted to 2 academic medical centers from
      July 1, 2010, through December 31, 2014. We studied the relationships among mean
      BG level, hypoglycemia (BG level <70 mg/dL [to convert to mmol/L, multiply by
      0.0555]), high glucose variability (coefficient of variation >=20%), DM status,
      and mortality. RESULTS: The ICU mortality for patients without DM with ICU mean
      BG levels of 80 to less than 110, 110 to less than 140, 140 to less than 180, and
      at least 180 mg/dL was 4.50%, 7.30%, 12.16%, and 32.82%, respectively. Floor
      mortality for patients without DM with these BG ranges was 2.74%, 2.64%, 7.88%,
      and 5.66%, respectively. The ICU and floor mean BG levels of 80 to less than 110
      and 110 to less than 140 mg/dL were independently associated with reduced ICU and
      floor mortality compared with mean BG levels of 140 to less than 180 mg/dL in
      patients without DM (odds ratio [OR] [95% CI]: 0.43 (0.28-0.66), 0.62 (0.45
      0.85), 0.41 (0.23-0.75), and 0.40 (0.25-0.63), respectively) but not in patients
      with DM. Both ICU and floor hypoglycemia and increased glucose variability were
      strongly associated with ICU and floor mortality in patients without DM, and less
      so in those with DM. The independent association of dysglycemia occurring in
      either setting with mortality was cumulative in patients without DM. CONCLUSION:
      These findings support the importance of glucose control across the entire
      trajectory of hospitalization in critically ill patients and suggest that the BG
      target of 140 to less than 180 mg/dL is not appropriate for patients without DM.
      The optimal BG target for patients with DM remains uncertain.

PMID- 28645515
TI  - Adaptations in rod outer segment disc membranes in response to environmental
      lighting conditions.
AB  - The light-sensing rod photoreceptor cell exhibits several adaptations in response
      to the lighting environment. While adaptations to short-term changes in lighting
      conditions have been examined in depth, adaptations to long-term changes in
      lighting conditions are less understood. Atomic force microscopy was used to
      characterize the structure of rod outer segment disc membranes, the site of
      photon absorption by the pigment rhodopsin, to better understand how
      photoreceptor cells respond to long-term lighting changes. Structural properties
      of the disc membrane changed in response to housing mice in constant dark or
      light conditions and these adaptive changes required output from the
      phototransduction cascade initiated by rhodopsin. Among these were changes in the
      packing density of rhodopsin in the membrane, which was independent of rhodopsin
      synthesis and specifically affected scotopic visual function as assessed by
      electroretinography. Studies here support the concept of photostasis, which
      maintains optimal photoreceptor cell function with implications in retinal
      degenerations.

PMID- 28645518
TI  - Blood Gas Analyzer Accuracy of Glucose Measurements.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the comparability of glucose levels measured with blood
      gas analyzers (BGAs) and by central laboratories (CLs). MATERIAL AND METHODS:
      Glucose measurements obtained between June 1, 2007, and March 1, 2016, at the
      Vanderbilt University Medical Center were reviewed. The agreement between CL and
      BGA results were assessed using Bland-Altman, consensus error grid (CEG), and
      surveillance error grid (SEG) analyses. We further analyzed the BGAs' performance
      against the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2014 draft guidance and 2016
      final guidance for blood glucose monitoring and the International Organization
      for Standardization (ISO) 15197:2013 standard. RESULTS: We analyzed 2671 paired
      glucose measurements, including 50 pairs of hypoglycemic values (1.9%). Bland
      Altman analysis yielded a mean bias of -3.1 mg/dL, with 98.1% of paired values
      meeting the 95% limits of agreement. In the hypoglycemic range, the mean bias was
      -0.8 mg/dL, with 100% of paired values meeting the 95% limits of agreement. When
      using CEG analysis, 99.9% of the paired values fell within the no risk zone.
      Similar results were found using SEG analysis. For the FDA 2014 draft guidance,
      our data did not meet the target compliance rate. For the FDA 2016 final
      guidance, our data partially met the target compliance rate. For the ISO
      standard, our data met the target compliance rate. CONCLUSION: In this study, the
      agreement for glucose measurement between common BGAs and CL instruments met the
      ISO 2013 standard. However, BGA accuracy did not meet the stricter requirements
      of the FDA 2014 draft guidance or 2016 final guidance. Fortunately, plotting
      these results on either the CEG or the SEG revealed no results in either the
      great or extreme clinical risk zones.

PMID- 28645519
TI  - The repellent efficacy of eleven essential oils against adult Dermacentor
      reticulatus ticks.
AB  - Dermacentor reticulatus ticks are among the most important arthropod vectors of
      zoonotic disease agents in Europe. Eleven essential oils, namely basil (Ocimum
      basilicum), bergamot (Citrus bergamia), clove bud (Syzygium aromaticum),
      citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus), creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), lavender
      (Lavandula angustifolia), lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora), marjoram
      (Origanum majorana), peppermint (Mentha piperita), spearmint (M. spicata), and
      red thyme (Thymus vulgaris) were tested for repellency against adult D.
      reticulatus ticks at concentrations of 1 and 3%. Clove bud, creeping thyme and
      red thyme essential oils were the most efficient - repelling 83, 82 and 68% of
      ticks when diluted to 3%, respectively. The mixture of creeping thyme and
      citronella containing 1.5% of each showed higher repellency (91%) than individual
      essential oils at the concentration of 3%.

PMID- 28645520
TI  - Impact of birth weight on adult-onset diabetes mellitus in relation to current
      body mass index: The Japan Nurses' Health Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although birth weight is considered as a fetal determinant of the
      development of adult-onset diabetes mellitus (DM), its public health importance
      relative to adult body mass index (BMI) remains unclear. We aimed to examine the
      association between adult-onset DM and birth weight in relation to adult BMI.
      METHODS: We conducted a self-administered questionnaire as a baseline survey of
      the Japanese Nurses' Health Study cohort between 2001 and 2007. Exclusion
      criteria were applied to the volunteer sample of 49,927 female nurses (age <30
      years or unknown, current pregnancy, development of DM before the age of 30
      years, unknown core variables), and data from 26,949 female nurses aged 30 years
      or older were used. The association between history of DM diagnosis and birth
      weight was analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: A linear inverse
      association was observed between birth weight and DM, after adjustment for age,
      BMI, and parental history of DM. The odds ratio for developing DM per 100 g
      increase in birth weight was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-0.96). The
      association was unchanged when birth weight was converted to percentile for
      gestational age. In the BMI-stratified analysis, the odds ratio for DM in the
      <2500 g birth weight group reached 4.75 (95% CI, 1.22-18.44, compared to the
      reference 3000-3499 g group) among women with normal low BMI (18.5-20.9).
      CONCLUSIONS: Birth weight and its percentile for gestational age were associated
      with adult-onset DM. Attention should be paid to the risk of DM among women born
      with low weight, even when their current BMI is normal.

PMID- 28645521
TI  - Platelet count and indoor cold exposure among elderly people: A cross-sectional
      analysis of the HEIJO-KYO study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Excess mortality from cardiovascular disease during cold seasons is a
      worldwide issue. Although some physiologic studies suggests that platelet
      activation via cold exposure may cause an increased incidence of cardiovascular
      disease in winter, the influence of indoor cold exposure in real-life situations
      on platelet (PLT) count remains unclear. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was
      conducted among 1095 elderly individuals. After obtaining a venous sample in the
      morning, indoor temperature of participants' home was measured every 10 min for
      48 h. The mean indoor temperature while the participants stayed at home was
      calculated. All measurement was conducted during cold seasons (October to April)
      from 2010 to 2014. RESULTS: The mean age of the 1095 participants was 71.9 years.
      They spent 87.3% of the day at home (20 h 27 min). A 1  degrees C lower daytime
      indoor temperature was associated with a significant increase in PLT count of
      1.47 * 109/L (95% confidence interval, 0.39-2.56 * 109/L). Compared with the
      warmest tertile group (20.1 [standard deviation {SD}, 0.09]  degrees C), the
      coldest group (11.7 [SD, 0.12]  degrees C) showed a 5.2% higher PLT count (238.84
      [SD, 3.30] vs. 226.48 [SD, 3.32] * 109/L; P = 0.01), even after adjusting for
      basic characteristics (age, gender, body weight, and smoking), antihypertensive
      medication, comorbidities (diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate),
      socioeconomic status (household income and education), day length, and outdoor
      temperature. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant and independent association
      between lower indoor temperature and higher PLT count among elderly in winter.

PMID- 28645522
TI  - Acute effects of ambient temperature and particulate air pollution on fractional
      exhaled nitric oxide: A panel study among diabetic patients in Shanghai, China.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have shown the associations of ambient
      temperature and particulate matter (PM) air pollution with respiratory morbidity
      and mortality. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been well
      characterized. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations of
      temperature and fine and coarse PM with fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a
      well-established biomarker of respiratory inflammation. METHODS: We conducted a
      longitudinal panel study involving six repeated FeNO tests among 33 type 2
      diabetes mellitus patients from April to June 2013 in Shanghai, China. Hourly
      temperature and PM concentrations were obtained from a nearby fixed-site
      monitoring station. We then explored the associations between temperature, PM,
      and FeNO using linear mixed-effect models incorporated with distributed lag
      nonlinear models for the lagged and nonlinear associations. The interactions
      between temperature and PM were evaluated using stratification analyses. RESULTS:
      We found that both low and high temperature, as well as increased fine and coarse
      PM, were significantly associated with FeNO. The cumulative relative risk of FeNO
      was 1.75% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.94) comparing 15  degrees C to
      the referent temperature (24  degrees C) over lags 0-9 days. A 10 MUg/m3 increase
      in fine and coarse PM concentrations were associated with 1.18% (95% CI, 0.18
      2.20) and 1.85% (95% CI, 0.62-3.09) FeNO in lag 0-1 days, respectively. PM had
      stronger effects on cool days than on warm days. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      suggested low ambient temperature, fine PM, and coarse PM might elevate the
      levels of respiratory inflammation. Our findings may help understand the
      epidemiological evidence linking temperature, particulate air pollution, and
      respiratory health.

PMID- 28645523
TI  - Elevated Serum High-Mobility Group Box-1 Protein Level Is Associated with Poor
      Functional Outcome in Ischemic Stroke.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In experimental models, inhibition of high-mobility group box-1
      (HMGB1) signaling has been reported to protect against the sequelae of ischemic
      stroke. Here, we determined the clinical significance of serum HMGB1 levels in
      patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We enrolled 183 patients (114 men,
      69 women; mean age: 72.7 years) over 6 consecutive months. On admission and day
      7, we recorded the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores and measured
      serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and HMGB1 levels. Stroke
      volumes were estimated using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging
      performed on admission. One year later, clinical outcome was assessed using the
      modified Rankin Scale (mRS). RESULTS: Serum hs-CRP and HMGB1 levels in patients
      with ischemic stroke were increased relative to healthy controls (both P < .01).
      On day 7, hs-CRP, but not HMBG1, levels had increased significantly relative to
      levels at admission (P < .01 and .54, respectively). Higher HMGB1, but not hs
      CRP, levels at day 7 correlated with larger stroke volumes (P < .01 and .28,
      respectively). HMGB1 levels did not significantly differ between stroke subtypes.
      Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that a serum HMGB1 level higher
      than 7.5 ng/mL was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis, defined as a 1
      year mRS score of 3-6 (odds ratio, 2.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-5.38).
      CONCLUSIONS: Acute ischemic stroke is associated with elevated serum HMGB1
      levels, and HMGB1 levels at admission independently predict poor outcome at 1
      year. These results suggest that HMGB1 quantification provides more accurate
      prognostic information after ischemic stroke.

PMID- 28645524
TI  - Orientin Attenuates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat Model through the
      AQP-4 and TLR4/NF-kappaB/TNF-alpha Signaling Pathway.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Orientin has been reported to have extensive pharmaceutical effects
      of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antithrombosis, antiapoptosis, and so on. In
      the present study, we tried to investigate the protective effects of orientin on
      cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and explored the possible mechanisms.
      METHODS: Middle cerebral artery occlusion rat model was established and then
      treated with low, middle, and high concentrations of orientin, respectively, with
      edaravone as a positive control. The treatment effect of orientin was evaluated
      by measuring the neurological deficit score, cerebral infarction, brain edema,
      oxidative stress, excitatory amino acids release, the expression levels of
      aquaporin-4 (AQP-4), and related inflammatory molecules using different methods
      including immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time PCR,
      and western blot. Moreover, morphological and structural changes were also
      observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission electron microscope.
      RESULTS: Orientin provided a significant reduction on neurological deficits,
      cerebral infarction, cerebral edema, oxidative damage, and neurotoxicity of
      excitatory amino acids compared to model group (P < .05) in a dose-dependent
      manner. In addition, orientin substantially downregulated AQP-4 and inflammatory
      factors expression (P < .05) and improved cell morphology and structure in rats
      following I/R injury. CONCLUSION: Orientin was able to mediate noticeable
      protection against cerebral I/R injury through the attenuation of oxidative
      stress and neurotoxicity of amino acids and inhibiting the upregulation of AQP-4
      and inflammatory cytokines.

PMID- 28645525
TI  - Placenta as alternative specimen to detect in utero cannabis exposure: A
      systematic review of the literature.
AB  - The use of cannabis during pregnancy and lactation is widely recognized as a
      health concern. The placenta is one of the several biological matrices that can
      be used to detect in utero drug exposure with the distinct advantage of easy and
      noninvasive collection. We conducted a PubMed search of selected literature
      published to June 30, 2016 to investigate the pharmacokinetics of cannabinoids,
      the active constituent of cannabis, in the placenta. The majority of the selected
      twelve papers was before 1990 and concerned animals at term gestation with great
      variability of experimental conditions. Only three were about human population
      and two of them reported equivocal findings on pre- term placenta. Our systematic
      review confirms that placental cannabis pharmacokinetics has been scarcely
      investigated and that further research is needed to determine advantages and
      disadvantages for monitoring maternal THC use or the degree of in utero exposure.

PMID- 28645526
TI  - Injury-induced gp130 cytokine signaling in peripheral ganglia is reduced in
      diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Neuropathy is a major diabetic complication. While the mechanism of this
      neuropathy is not well understood, it is believed to result in part from
      deficient nerve regeneration. Work from our laboratory established that gp130
      family of cytokines are induced in animals after axonal injury and are involved
      in the induction of regeneration-associated genes (RAGs) and in the conditioning
      lesion response. Here, we examine whether a reduction of cytokine signaling
      occurs in diabetes. Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to destroy pancreatic beta
      cells, leading to chronic hyperglycemia. Mice were injected with either low doses
      of STZ (5*60mg/kg) or a single high dose (1*200mg/kg) and examined after three or
      one month, respectively. Both low and high dose STZ treatment resulted in
      sustained hyperglycemia and functional deficits associated with the presence of
      both sensory and autonomic neuropathy. Diabetic mice displayed significantly
      reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber density and sudomotor function. Furthermore,
      low and high dose diabetic mice showed significantly reduced tactile touch
      sensation measured with Von Frey monofilaments. To look at the regenerative and
      injury-induced responses in diabetic mice, neurons in both superior cervical
      ganglia (SCG) and the 4th and 5th lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were
      unilaterally axotomized. Both high and low dose diabetic mice displayed
      significantly less axonal regeneration in the sciatic nerve, when measured in
      vivo, 48h after crush injury. Significantly reduced induction of two gp130
      cytokines, leukemia inhibitory factor and interleukin-6, occurred in diabetic
      animals in SCG 6h after injury compared to controls. Injury-induced expression of
      interleukin-6 was also found to be significantly reduced in the DRG at 6h after
      injury in low and high dose diabetic mice. These effects were accompanied by
      reduced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3
      (STAT3), a downstream effector of the gp130 signaling pathway. We also found
      decreased induction of several gp130-dependent RAGs, including galanin and
      vasoactive intestinal peptide. Together, these data suggest a novel mechanism for
      the decreased response of diabetic sympathetic and sensory neurons to injury.

PMID- 28645527
TI  - Inhibition of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 7 modulates breast cancer
      protein profile and enhances apoptosis by down-regulating GRP78.
AB  - 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 7 (17beta-HSD7) promotes breast cancer
      cell growth via dual-catalytic activity by modulating estradiol and DHT. Here, we
      clarified the expression pattern of 17beta-HSD7 in postmenopausal luminal A type
      breast cancer with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort. The impact of 17beta
      HSD7 inhibition on the proteome of MCF-7 cells was investigated and on cell
      apoptosis was revealed. MCF-7 cells were treated with an efficient inhibitor of
      17beta-HSD7 (INH7) or with vehicle, and a differential proteomics study was
      performed using two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis followed by mass
      spectrometry and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Cell apoptosis was analyzed by
      flow cytometry, followed by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT
      qPCR) and Western blot to investigate the expression of apoptosis-related genes.
      Our data showed 17beta-HSD7 is amplified in primary and progressive breast
      cancer, inhibition of 17beta-HSD7 in MCF-7 cells modulated 104 proteins primarily
      involved in cell death/survival, cell growth and DNA processing. The expression
      of 78kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) and anti-apoptosis factor Bcl-2 were
      significantly suppressed via 17beta-HSD7 inhibition with INH7, consequently
      induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis. However, INH7 treatment of T47D, another widely
      used epithelial ER+ breast cancer cell line, led to an up-regulation of GRP78
      expression, resulting in a limited increase in apoptosis. These results suggest
      cell-specific effects of INH7 in the breast cancer, which is interesting for
      further study. An combinatory effect on apoptosis by INH7 and Letrozole
      (aromatase inhibitor) was further demonstrated in MCF-7. Down-regulation of GRP78
      via 17beta-HSD7 inhibition enhances cell apoptosis in response to Letrozole. This
      study highlights GRP78 as a key regulator related to 17beta-HSD7 inhibition and
      effect. Taken together, results from the present study suggest a hypothesis that
      inhibition of 17beta-HSD7 would be a complementary strategy to Letrozole by
      suppression of GRP78 in ER+ breast cancer. However, from a research perspective,
      further studies have to be carried out with more breast cancer cell lines as well
      as in vivo model to assess the efficacy of inhibitor combination.

PMID- 28645528
TI  - Long-term sustainable dendritic cell-specific depletion murine model for
      periodontitis research.
AB  - Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen-presenting cells that play a
      pivotal role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. The use of animal models to
      study the role of DCs in periodontitis has been limited by lack of a method for
      sustained depletion of DCs. Hence, the objectives of this study were to validate
      the zDC-DTR knockin mouse model of conventional DCs (cDCs) depletion, as well as
      to investigate whether this depletion could be sustained long enough to induce
      alveolar bone loss in this model. zDC-DTR mice were treated with different dose
      regimens of diphtheria toxin (DT) to determine survival rate. A loading DT dose
      of 20ng/bw, followed and maintained with doses of 10ng/bm every 3days for up to
      4weeks demonstrated 80% survival. Animals were weighed weekly and peripheral
      blood was obtained to confirm normal neutrophil counts. Five animals per group
      were euthanized at baseline, 24h, 1 and 4weeks. Bone marrow (BM), spleen (SP) and
      gingival tissue (GT) were harvested, and cells were isolated, separated and
      stained for Pre-DCs precursors (CD45R-MHCII+CD11c+Flt3+CD172a+) in BM, cDCs
      (CD11c+MHCII+CD209+) in spleen, and DCs in GT (CD45R+MHCII+CD11c+ DC
      SIGN/CD209+). Pre-DCs in BM were significantly depleted at 24h and depletion
      maintained for up to 4weeks, as compared to blank (PBS) controls. Circulating
      cDCs in spleen demonstrated a non-significant trend to deplete in 1week with high
      variability among mice. GT also showed a similar non-significant trend to deplete
      in 24h. The zDC-DTR model seems to be viable for evaluating the role of DCs
      immune homeostasis disruption and alveolar bone loss pathogenesis in response to
      long-term oral infection.

PMID- 28645529
TI  - Nanoparticle-Based Dressing: The Future of Wound Treatment?
AB  - Reconstructing functional skin after a wound remains a challenge due to the
      complexity of healing. In this regard, biocompatible nanoparticles (NPs) carrying
      and releasing bioactive drugs in a controlled and sustained manner may
      significantly improve the efficacy of wound therapies compared with current
      treatments. Topical administration of drug-loaded NPs allows optimal delivery to
      the dermis and improves product efficacy. Furthermore, associating NPs with
      scaffolds represents a new concept of 'dressing'. Experimental in vivo, ex vivo,
      and in vitro models have been developed in preclinical assays to evaluate the
      beneficial effects of nanoparticulate dressings. Drug-loaded NPs are promising
      tools for innovative wound healing treatment, especially with regard to their
      multifunctional properties.

PMID- 28645530
TI  - Recent Advances in Microbial Production of Aromatic Chemicals and Derivatives.
AB  - Along with the development of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology tools,
      various microbes are being used to produce aromatic chemicals. In microbes,
      aromatics are mainly produced via a common important precursor, chorismate, in
      the shikimate pathway. Natural or non-natural aromatics have been produced by
      engineering metabolic pathways involving chorismate. In the past decade, novel
      approaches have appeared to produce various aromatics or to increase their
      productivity, whereas previously, the targets were mainly aromatic amino acids
      and the strategy was deregulating feedback inhibition. In this review, we
      summarize recent studies of microbial production of aromatics based on metabolic
      engineering approaches. In addition, future perspectives and challenges in this
      research area are discussed.

PMID- 28645532
TI  - The Short Physical Performance Battery.

PMID- 28645533
TI  - Measuring two-point discrimination threshold with a caliper.

PMID- 28645531
TI  - New protein structures provide an updated understanding of phenylketonuria.
AB  - Phenylketonuria (PKU) and less severe hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) constitute the
      most common inborn error of amino acid metabolism, and is most often caused by
      defects in phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) function resulting in accumulation of
      Phe to neurotoxic levels. Despite the success of dietary intervention in
      preventing permanent neurological damage, individuals living with PKU clamor for
      additional non-dietary therapies. The bulk of disease-associated mutations are
      PAH missense variants, which occur throughout the entire 452 amino acid human PAH
      protein. While some disease-associated mutations affect protein structure (e.g.
      truncations) and others encode catalytically dead variants, most have been viewed
      as defective in protein folding/stability. Here we refine this view to address
      how PKU-associated missense variants can perturb the equilibrium among alternate
      native PAH structures (resting-state PAH and activated PAH), thus shifting the
      tipping point of this equilibrium to a neurotoxic Phe concentration. This refined
      view of PKU introduces opportunities for the design or discovery of therapeutic
      pharmacological chaperones that can help restore the tipping point to healthy Phe
      levels and how such a therapeutic might work with or without the inhibitory
      pharmacological chaperone BH4. Dysregulation of an equilibrium of architecturally
      distinct native PAH structures departs from the concept of "misfolding", provides
      an updated understanding of PKU, and presents an enhanced foundation for
      understanding genotype/phenotype relationships.

PMID- 28645534
TI  - Too Fit To Fracture.

PMID- 28645535
TI  - Data Security and Privacy in Apps for Dementia: An Analysis of Existing Privacy
      Policies.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Despite tremendous growth in the number of health applications
      (apps), little is known about how well these apps protect their users' health
      related data. This gap in knowledge is of particular concern for apps targeting
      people with dementia, whose cognitive impairment puts them at increased risk of
      privacy breaches. In this article, we determine how many dementia apps have
      privacy policies and how well they protect user data. METHODS: Our analysis
      included all iPhone apps that matched the search terms "medical + dementia" or
      "health & fitness + dementia" and collected user-generated content. We evaluated
      all available privacy policies for these apps based on criteria that
      systematically measure how individual user data is handled. RESULTS: Seventy-two
      apps met the above search teams and collected user data. Of these, only 33 (46%)
      had an available privacy policy. Nineteen of the 33 with policies (58%) were
      specific to the app in question, and 25 (76%) specified how individual-user as
      opposed to aggregate data would be handled. Among these, there was a
      preponderance of missing information, the majority acknowledged collecting
      individual data for internal purposes, and most admitted to instances in which
      they would share user data with outside parties. CONCLUSIONS: At present, the
      majority of health apps focused on dementia lack a privacy policy, and those that
      do exist lack clarity. Bolstering safeguards and improving communication about
      privacy protections will help facilitate consumer trust in apps, thereby enabling
      more widespread and meaningful use by people with dementia and those involved in
      their care.

PMID- 28645536
TI  - Imaging genetics of schizophrenia in the post-GWAS era.
AB  - Imaging genetics is a research methodology studying the effect of genetic
      variation on brain structure, function, behavior, and risk for psychopathology.
      Since the early 2000s, imaging genetics has been increasingly used in the
      research of schizophrenia (SZ). SZ is a severe mental disorder with no precise
      knowledge of its underlying neurobiology, however, new genetic and
      neurobiological data generate a climate for new avenues. The accumulating data of
      genome wide association studies (GWAS) continuously decode SZ risk genes. Global
      neuroimaging consortia produce collections of brain phenotypes from tens of
      thousands of people. In this context, imaging genetics will be strategically
      important both for the validation and discovery of SZ related findings. Thus, the
      study of GWAS supported risk variants as candidate genes to validate by
      neuroimaging is one trend. The study of epigenetic differences in relation to
      variations of brain phenotypes and the study of large scale multivariate analysis
      of genome wide and brain wide associations are other trends. While these studies
      hold a big potential for understanding the neurobiology of SZ, the problem of
      reproducibility appears as a major challenge, which requires standardizations in
      study designs and compensations of methodological limitations such as sensitivity
      and specificity. On the other hand, advancements of neuroimaging, optical and
      electron microscopy along with the use of genetically encoded fluorescent probes
      and robust statistical approaches will not only catalyze integrative
      methodologies but also will help better design the imaging genetics studies. In
      this invited paper, I will discuss the current perspective of imaging genetics
      and emerging opportunities of SZ research.

PMID- 28645537
TI  - CRISPR-Cas systems for genome engineering and investigation.

PMID- 28645538
TI  - Editorial.

PMID- 28645539
TI  - Gli1-labeled adult mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells and hedgehog signaling
      contribute to endochondral heterotopic ossification.
AB  - Heterotopic ossification (HO), acquired or hereditary, endochondral or
      intramembranous, is the formation of true bone outside the normal skeleton. Since
      perivascular Gli1+ progenitors contribute to injury induced organ fibrosis, and
      CD133 is expressed by a variety of populations of adult stem cells, this study
      utilized Cre-lox based genetic lineage tracing to test the contribution to
      endochondral HO of adult stem/progenitor cells that expressed either Gli1 or
      CD133. We found that both lineages contributed broadly to different normal
      tissues with distinct patterns, but that only Gli1-creERT labeled stem/progenitor
      cells contributed to all stages of endochondral HO in a BMP dependent, injury
      induced, transgenic mouse model. Hedgehog (Hh) signaling was abnormal at
      endochondral HO lesion sites with increased signaling surrounding the lesion but
      diminished signaling within it. Thus, local dysregulation of Hh signaling
      participates in the pathophysiology of endochondral HO. However, unlike a
      previous report of intramembranous HO, systemic inhibition of Hh signaling was
      insufficient to prevent the initiation of the endochondral HO process or to treat
      the existing endochondral HO, suggesting that Hh participates in, but is not
      essential for endochondral HO in this model. This could potentially reflect the
      underlying difference between intramembranous and endochondral HO. Nevertheless,
      identification of this novel stem/precursor cell population as a HO-contributing
      cell population provides a potential drugable target.

PMID- 28645540
TI  - Reply to "Chest ultrasound versus chest X-rays for detecting pneumonia in
      children: Why compare them each other if together can improve the diagnosis?"

PMID- 28645541
TI  - Comparison of the effect by which gastric plication and sleeve gastrectomy
      procedures alter metabolic and physical parameters in an obese type 2 diabetes
      rodent model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Gastric plication (GP) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) are 2 restrictive
      bariatric surgeries that are associated with weight loss and health improvement
      in patients with obesity. However, differences in how these procedures exert
      their effects have not been systematically evaluated and compared between
      techniques. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness of GP and SG surgeries
      for obese patients with type 2 diabetes based on evaluation of energy metabolism,
      hormone metabolism, and gastrointestinal dynamics. SETTING: University medical
      center. METHODS: Zucker diabetic fatty rats (n = 30) were equally and randomly
      divided into 3 groups: sham, GP, and SG. Weight, food intake, fasting plasma
      glucose (FPG), and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) were measured
      in vivo before operation and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postoperation. Whole-body
      metabolic parameters including activity, energy expenditure, and respiratory
      exchange rate (RER) were measured using metabolic cages 3 weeks postoperation.
      Blood samples were taken 2 weeks before operation and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks
      postoperation for the purpose of measuring the expression of serum ghrelin and
      glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The residual
      gastric and intestinal propulsive movement were measured at 6 weeks postoperation
      after all animals were sacrificed. RESULTS: Compared with sham, the GP and SG
      procedures achieved near equivalent levels of efficacy as far as weight loss,
      reduced food intake, and decreased FBG and IPGTT in our rodent model. The GP and
      SG procedures also provided the same effectiveness as far as altering serum
      ghrelin and GLP-1 hormones. In addition, results showed that the GP and SG
      procedures can increase metabolic rate by consuming more energy and reducing
      activity. RERs in GP and SG animals were lower than in sham animals, which
      indicates that the energy mainly comes from adipose tissue. Moreover, the GP
      procedure showed lower gastric residual compared to sham, while the SG procedure
      did not appear to have this affect; the SG procedure resulted in deficiencies in
      intestinal propulsion function. CONCLUSIONS: The GP and SG procedures have the
      same effectiveness and can help improve diabetes control by regulating weight,
      glucose tolerance, and metabolic hormones and augmenting gastrointestinal
      dynamics. Therefore, these procedures have great potential as therapies for
      obesity and type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28645542
TI  - Young children's inclusion decisions in moral and social-conventional group norm
      contexts.
AB  - Being a member of a peer group involves making decisions about whom to include in
      or exclude from the group. Sometimes these decisions are related to whether
      members of the group support or challenge the norms of the group. To examine how
      young children weigh concerns for group norms and group membership in both moral
      and social-conventional norm contexts, children (3- to 6-year-olds; N=73) were
      asked to decide between including an ingroup member who challenged the group's
      norm or an outgroup member who supported the norm. Groups held either moral
      (equal or unequal resource allocation) or social-conventional (traditional or
      nontraditional) norms. In the moral contexts, children were more likely to
      include the peer who advocated for the moral concern for equality regardless of
      the peer's group membership or their group's specific norm. In the social
      conventional contexts, however, children were more likely to include the peer who
      advocated for the conventional concern for maintaining traditions but only at the
      group-specific level. Furthermore, with age children increasingly based their
      inclusion decisions on normative concerns, rather than on group membership
      concerns, and differed in their inclusion decisions for ingroups and outgroups.
      Finally, children reasoned about their decisions by referencing concerns for
      fairness, group norms, and group membership, suggesting that preschool children
      weigh multiple concerns when deciding whom to include in their groups. Overall,
      the current study revealed differences in how preschool children weigh moral and
      social-conventional concerns in intergroup contexts.

PMID- 28645543
TI  - Mechanosensing in the Drosophila nervous system.
AB  - Neurons allocated to sense organs respond rapidly to mechanical signals dictating
      behavioral responses at the organism level. The receptors that transduce these
      signals, and underlie these senses, are mechanically gated channels. Research on
      mechanosensation over the past decade, employing in many cases Drosophila as a
      model, has focused in typifying these receptors and in exploring the different
      ways, depending on context, in which these mechanosensors are modulated. In this
      review, we discuss first what we have learned from Drosophila on these mechanisms
      and we describe the different mechanosensory organs present in the Drosophila
      larvae and adult. Secondly, we focus on the progress obtained by studying the fly
      on the characterization of the mechanosensory crosstalk underlying complex
      behaviors like motor coordination. Finally, turning to a cellular level, we
      summarize what is known on the mechanical properties and sensing capabilities of
      neural cells and how they may affect neural physiology and pathology.

PMID- 28645544
TI  - Diagnostic accuracy of EUS compared with MRCP in detecting choledocholithiasis: a
      meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy in head-to-head studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is a wide range of reported sensitivity and
      specificity for EUS and MRCP in the diagnosis of choledocholithiasis, with lack
      of a proper meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy by using head-to-head
      comparison. Here, we aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of EUS and MRCP in
      detecting choledocholithiasis by using appropriate methodology recommended by the
      Cochrane Collaboration. METHODS: A comprehensive electronic literature search up
      to January 2017 was done by 2 reviewers for prospective cohort studies comparing
      EUS and MRCP to a reference standard for detecting choledocholithiasis. The
      acceptable reference standards were considered ERCP, intraoperative
      cholangiography, or clinical follow-up >3 months for negative cases. Quality of
      the included studies was measured by using the QUADAS-2 tool. A bivariate
      hierarchical model was used to perform the meta-analysis of diagnostic test
      accuracy. Summary receiver operating characteristics were developed and the area
      under the curve was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 5 of 32 studies were
      included. No study presented a high risk of bias. The pooled sensitivity and
      specificity were 0.97 (range, 0.91-0.99) and 0.90 (range, 0.83-0.94) for EUS and
      0.87 (range, 0.80-0.93) and 0.92 (range, 0.87-0.96) for MRCP. The overall
      diagnostic odds ratio of EUS was significantly higher than the one with MRCP
      (162.5 vs 79.0, respectively; P = .008). Further analysis showed that this was
      mainly due to the significantly higher sensitivity of EUS as compared with that
      of MRCP (P = .006). The specificity was not significantly different between 2
      modalities (P = .42). CONCLUSION: Both EUS and MRCP provide good diagnostic
      accuracy, with EUS providing statically better diagnostic accuracy and
      sensitivity, with comparable specificity. EUS should be incorporated in the
      diagnostic algorithm in patients suspected of choledocholithiasis whenever
      appropriate.

PMID- 28645545
TI  - "Updating the evolution of nursing research journals on journal citation report:
      2009 to 2015": Author's reply.

PMID- 28645546
TI  - Post-sepsis cognitive impairment and associated risk factors: A systematic
      review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Post-sepsis cognitive impairment is one of the major sequelae
      observed in survivors of sepsis. This cognitive impairment can be global or may
      affect specific domains. A better understanding of these deficits and associated
      risk factors could influence the care of patients with sepsis. OBJECTIVE: To
      perform a systematic review to investigate the presence of cognitive impairment
      and its associated risk factors among patients who survived sepsis. METHODS: The
      search was conducted in MEDLINE (1966 to March 2017) and EMBASE (1988 to March
      2017). We included studies with individuals who were 18 years or older with post
      sepsis cognitive impairment. RESULTS: We analysed 577 articles. Sixteen studies
      met the inclusion criteria. More than 74,000,000 patients were evaluated in the
      selected studies. Significant variation was observed in the definition of sepsis
      and cognitive impairment. Twelve studies used ACCP/SCCM criteria for sepsis,
      while cognitive impairment was defined per test used. Post-sepsis cognitive
      impairment was observed in 12.5 to 21% of survivors of sepsis. Attention,
      cognitive flexibility, processing speed, associative learning, visual perception,
      work memory, verbal memory, and semantic memory were the specific domains
      affected. Depressive symptoms, central nervous system infection, length of
      hospitalisation due to infection, and temporal proximity to the last period of
      infection were associated with cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: The studies are
      heterogeneous, and there is urgent need for a common language, including
      definitions and neuropsychological tests, for the investigation of post-sepsis
      cognitive impairment. Despite this, there is mounting evidence for the clinical
      relevance of post-sepsis cognitive impairment. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION:
      PROSPERO CRD42017054583 (www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO).

PMID- 28645547
TI  - An Alternative Strategy for Treatment of Distal Tibiofibular Syndesmotic
      Disruption: A Technical Note.
AB  - Metal screws are the most widely used in treating syndesmotic injuries; however,
      failure and the rigidity of the screws can threaten the success of the treatment
      and increase the cost of care. We performed open reduction and internal fixation
      of a fibula fracture followed by fixation of the tibiofibular joint with an olive
      wire and one half of an external fixator. We present a review of 1 patient
      treated with this material. We believe this method to be a physiologic fixation
      system with the advantage of being safe, inexpensive, adjustable, and effective;
      however, further clinical investigation and comparison to other methods is needed
      in order to better understand it clinical utility.

PMID- 28645548
TI  - Perioperative Complications and Initial Alignment of Lateral Approach Total Ankle
      Arthroplasty.
AB  - Total ankle replacement continues to become a more common treatment of end-stage
      ankle arthritis. A lateral approach total ankle implant system is an innovative
      approach for this treatment. We performed a retrospective review of 16 patients
      treated with lateral approach total ankle replacement. The implant was successful
      and retained in all cases during a follow-up period of 769 +/- 221.3 days (25.3
      +/- 7.3 months). Initial satisfactory alignment was achieved in all cases. For
      patients in whom a frontal plane incongruent deformity was present
      preoperatively, a statistically significant correction was obtained (p = .0122).
      Three cases of delayed or nonunion of the fibula (18.8%) occurred, and one case
      of infection that led to removal of the fibular plate developed, for a total of 4
      complications (25.0%) related to the fibular osteotomy. Our findings indicate
      that lateral approach total ankle replacement is effective with unique advantages
      and disadvantages for treating end-stage ankle arthritis.

PMID- 28645549
TI  - Staged Treatment of Infected Tibiotalar Fusion Using a Combination Antibiotic
      Spacer and Antibiotic-Coated Intramedullary Nail.
AB  - Pilon fractures are notoriously difficult injuries to treat. The current
      published data on salvage procedures after failed pilon fractures includes both
      total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) and tibiotalar fusion, each with its own specific
      indications. However, no acceptable treatment algorithm addressing the
      complications of these limb salvage procedures is available. We present the case
      of a 23-year-old patient, who sustained a complex pilon fracture after a motor
      vehicle accident. The patient was referred to our institution after an initial
      fixation attempt, followed by subsequent failed TAA, which was complicated by an
      infected fusion attempt. We describe a staged treatment approach to clearing the
      infection and obtaining the final fusion goals.

PMID- 28645550
TI  - Intermediate- to Long-Term Longevity and Incidence of Revision of the Modified
      Brostrom-Gould Procedure for Lateral Ankle Ligament Repair: A Systematic Review.
AB  - The Brostrom-Gould procedure is an effective procedure for chronic lateral ankle
      instability. However, long-term studies are limited, and the durability of this
      procedure remains unclear. A systematic review of the published data was
      undertaken to determine the outcomes and incidence of revision after long-term
      follow-up. Eleven studies involving 669 Brostrom-Gould procedures met the
      inclusion criteria. The revision rate was 1.2% at a weighted mean follow-up
      period of 8.4 years. Our systematic review of the available data revealed that
      the Brostrom-Gould procedure results in low revision rates for chronic lateral
      ankle instability. However, additional prospective comparative analyses are
      needed regarding this topic.

PMID- 28645551
TI  - Association between blood vitamin D and myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis
      including observational studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The association between blood vitamin D levels and the risk of
      myocardial infarction (MI) is controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to describe
      the relationship between MI risk and blood vitamin D levels. METHODS: Online
      databases were searched in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of science till February 2017
      for observational studies in relation to reporting the vitamin D levels in MI
      cases and non-MI controls. The weighted mean difference (WMD) or odds ratio (OR),
      with 95% confidence interval (CI), were calculated to evaluate the relationship
      between MI risk and blood vitamin D levels. RESULTS: Eight observational studies
      with 9913 individuals, consisted of 3411 MI patients and 6502 non-MI controls,
      were included in our study. The pooled results revealed that blood vitamin D
      levels were significantly lower in MI patients when compared with non-MI controls
      (WMD=-3.40; 95% CI: -5.87 to -0.92, P=0.007). Subgroup analyses indicated MI
      patients were also associated with lower levels of blood vitamin D in America and
      Asia. Furthermore, when compared to non-MI controls, sufficient blood vitamin D
      appeared to protect against the occurrence of MI (OR=0.44; 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.76,
      P=0.004) in MI patients. Subgroup analyses also showed that sufficient blood
      25(OH)D levels was a protective factor for MI in America and Asia. CONCLUSIONS:
      Present study suggested that the levels of blood 25(OH)D were significant lower
      in MI patients, especially in America and Asia, and sufficient blood vitamin D
      levels might protect against the occurrence of MI.

PMID- 28645552
TI  - Mortality following augmentation cystoplasty: A transitional urologist's
      viewpoint.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Three complications have been hypothesized to increase patient
      mortality following enterocystoplasty: spontaneous bladder perforation, bladder
      neoplasia, and chronic renal failure (CRF). The present study examined risk of
      their occurrence and discussed ways to improve the quality of care. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The present transitional clinic followed 385 patients with a history of
      bladder augmentation using either ileal, sigmoid, or ascending colon. The median
      age was 37 years (range 16-71). Median follow-up interval after augmentation was
      26 years (range 2-59). DISCUSSION: Spontaneous rupture of the bladder occurred in
      3% (13/385), with one associated death (0.25%, 1/385). Spontaneous bladder
      rupture significantly correlated with substance abuse, non-compliance with
      catheterization, and mental/physical disabilities that required the use of
      surrogates to perform and monitor intermittent catheterization (P < 0.01). Of the
      203 patients that were followed for >=10 years, 4% (8/203) developed a bladder
      tumor. In comparison, 2.5% (5/203) of an age-matched control population, managed
      by anticholinergics and intermittent catheterization, developed a bladder tumor.
      Therefore, enterocystoplasty cannot be associated with an increased risk of
      cancer development (P = 0.397). Chronic renal failure >= Stage 3 arose in 15%
      (58/385), and 1% (4/385) of the patients died as a result of this complication.
      Obese patients (BMI >=30) catheterizing per urethra were more likely to be non
      compliant with catheterization and develop CRF compared with obese patients with
      a continent catheterizable stoma (P > 0.001). These findings suggest that
      compliance with intermittent catheterization and renal preservation are enhanced
      by the presence of a catheterizable abdominal stoma. CONCLUSION: The individual's
      intellectual and physical capability to obey medical directives, refrain from
      high-risk habits, maintain a healthy weight, and comply with long-term follow-up
      visits were all critical to the enduring success of bladder augmentation.

PMID- 28645553
TI  - A mixed-methods evaluation of an Integrated Medication Management program and
      implications for implementation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Improving medication adherence is a common and challenging issue.
      Taking medications as prescribed becomes particularly difficult for individuals
      with multiple chronic conditions. Poor adherence can lead to exacerbated health
      issues and prolonged disease severity. Medication Therapy Management is
      increasingly being used to help clinics improve medication adherence and reduce
      adverse events, but factors that enable implementation of such programs are not
      well identified. OBJECTIVE: To describe the factors associated with
      implementation of an innovative pharmacy program and to measure the impact of the
      intervention. METHODS: This mixed-methods cohort study in a federal qualified
      health center with its own pharmacy examined the implementation and the impact of
      a broad program including MTM. The intervention included appointments with
      pharmacists, communication between pharmacists and physicians, and, for some,
      monthly pre-packaged medications. Semi-structured interviews with patients and
      staff were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes relating to
      implementation, satisfaction, and challenges. Quantitative methods using data
      collected by the pharmacists at each visit were used to compare the first visit
      to those at later visits and provided measures of impact on diabetes control,
      statin use, and medication-related problems (MRPs). RESULTS: Qualitative
      interviews identified enabling factors that contributed to successful
      implementation of this program, including: program factors such as data access,
      communication with patients, and dedicated staff; organizational factors such as
      culture of integration, leadership support, and staffing; and lastly,
      environmental factors such as the availability of 340B funding. Quantitative
      analyses were limited by poor retention and lack of a similarly-documented
      comparison group. Health outcomes were not found to be significantly better,
      though there was a significant decrease in some kinds of MRPs. This program was
      well received by patients and staff and demonstrated some clinical impact.
      CONCLUSION: The program's implementation was enabled by design as well as
      organizational and external factors. Financial and leadership support allowed for
      flexibility and creativity, which contributed to successful implementation.
      Alternative delivery models beyond fee-for-service payments may make this kind of
      program more feasible.

PMID- 28645554
TI  - Monocrotophos, an organophosphorus insecticide, disrupts the expression of
      HpNetrin and its receptor neogenin during early development in the sea urchin
      (Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus).
AB  - Netrins, chemotropic guidance cues, can guide the extension of serotonergic axons
      by binding to netrin receptors during neural development. However, little is
      known about whether disruption of netrin signaling is involved in the mechanisms
      by which organophosphorus pesticides affect serotonergic nervous system (SNS)
      development. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the pesticide
      monocrotophos (MCP) on the expression patterns of HpNetrin and its receptor
      neogenin as well as on the intracellular calcium ion (Ca2+) levels in
      Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus (sea urchin) by exposing fertilized embryos to 0,
      0.01, 0.10, and 1.00mg/L MCP. The results showed that MCP disrupted HpNetrin and
      neogenin expression at different developmental stages in H. pulcherrimus and that
      Ca2+ appeared to be involved in the MCP-induced developmental neurotoxicity.
      Specifically, the lower concentrations of MCP elevated HpNetrin and neogenin
      transcription, resulting in higher intracellular Ca2+ levels during the early
      developmental stages in the sea urchin; this may affect netrin-directed cell
      migration/axon extension and subsequently disrupt serotonergic axon branching and
      synapse formation. In contrast, 1.00mg/L MCP exhibited an inhibitory effect on
      HpNetrin and neogenin transcription. This finding implies that the regulatory
      roles of these factors may be diminished during early development, thereby
      causing developmental defects in the sea urchin. Collectively, our results
      provide a basis for exploring the involvement of netrin and neogenin in the
      organophosphate-induced disruption of the SNS during development.

PMID- 28645555
TI  - Impact of intraoperative vascular occlusion during liver surgery on long-term
      outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of intraoperative vascular occlusion during
      liver surgery on postoperative long-term outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC) patients using a meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic literature search of
      PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central was conducted to discover relevant
      randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies. Studies that
      reported postoperative long-term outcomes; 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival
      (OS); and/or 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) for both an
      observation group (vascular occlusion) and a control group (vascular non
      occlusion) were included. Forest plots were performed to calculate the difference
      between the 2 groups. The Q statistic and the I2 index statistic were used to
      assess heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's test. RESULTS:
      Four observational studies containing 2917 patients were included in this meta
      analysis. The pooled estimation results indicated that intraoperative vascular
      occlusion would not shorten the postoperative OS (RR = 1.01; 95%CI: 0.98-1.03; P
      = 0.763) and would not increase the risk of HCC recurrence (RR = 0.99; 95%CI:
      0.97-1.02; P = 0.320) with low heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0% and 12.7%, respectively).
      Furthermore, Egger's test did not reveal any publication bias (P = 0.405 and P =
      0.269, respectively) in this research. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative vascular
      occlusion during liver surgery is safe for HCC patients. It does not affect the
      postoperative overall survival or increase the risk of HCC recurrence.

PMID- 28645556
TI  - Breast cancer liver metastases in a UK tertiary centre: Outcomes following
      referral to tumour board meeting.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: To assess the outcomes from multidisciplinary board meetings (MDM)
      for patients with breast cancer liver metastases (BCLM) and identify prognostic
      factors for survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of MDM
      records for patients referred with BCLM to a tertiary centre between 2005 and
      2016. Patient demographics, clinicopathological factors and intervention type
      were analysed to find predictive factors for overall survival. RESULTS: 61
      patients with BCLM were referred to the MDM. Treatment pathways included surgical
      resection (n = 23), radiofrequency ablation (RFA, n = 11), or chemotherapy (n =
      27). Surgical resection patients had an improved median overall survival compared
      to chemotherapy (49 v 20mo; p < 0.001). RFA showed comparable survival benefit
      (37 v 20mo; p = 0.011). Resection and RFA showed no significant difference in
      survival over one another (49 v 37mo; p = 0.854). Survival analysis identified
      that resection (p = 0.002) and RFA (p = 0.001) were associated with improved
      overall survival compared to chemotherapy. Multivariate analysis identified
      extrahepatic disease (HR = 14.21; p = 0.044) and R0 resection (HR = 0.068; p =
      0.023) as prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection of BCLM may improve
      the overall survival in selected patient groups. This study identifies a cohort
      of patients, without extrahepatic disease and responsive to chemotherapy, who may
      particularly benefit from surgery.

PMID- 28645557
TI  - Response to the letter: Students' participation in collaborative research should
      be recognised.

PMID- 28645558
TI  - Novel applications of agent-based modeling in emergency medicine research - A
      systematic literature review.

PMID- 28645559
TI  - Multicenter prevalence of opioid medication use as abortive therapy in the ED
      treatment of migraine headaches.
AB  - Despite a range of therapeutic options for treating acute migraine headaches, the
      use of opioids is still reported to be common practice. This study describes
      treatment practices in regards to migraines in the ED. It characterizes the
      prevalence of opioid orders during visits in three different settings, an
      academic medical center, a non-academic urban ED, and a community ED. Fourteen
      months of consecutive migraine visits were identified. All medications ordered
      were separated into first-line and rescue medications. Number of visits, length
      of stay, door to provider time, and total provider time were compared. A total of
      1222 visits were identified. Opioids were ordered in 35.8% of these visits. By
      facility, opioids were ordered in 12.3% of academic medical center visits, 40.9%
      of urban ED visits, and 68.6% of community ED visits. This ranged from 6.9% of
      first-line therapies in the academic center to 69.9% of rescue therapies in the
      community ED. Of those who received opioids, 36.0% versus 25.1% required rescue
      medications. Patients who received opioids had more repeat visits, 1.79 versus
      1.30. The academic center and urban ED both found greater than 30% decrease in
      length of stay in visits where opioids were not given. In the face of evidence
      against opioids for migraines, over one third of patients received them. There
      was a higher prevalence in the community setting. There were no significant
      benefits in overall throughput time, however, opioid visits required more rescue
      medications, increased length of stay, and resulted in more repeat visits.

PMID- 28645560
TI  - Sustained remission in patients with treatment-resistant depression receiving
      vagal nerve stimulation: A case series.

PMID- 28645561
TI  - BORIS up-regulates OCT4 via histone methylation to promote cancer stem cell-like
      properties in human liver cancer cells.
AB  - Accumulating evidence has revealed the importance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in
      chemoresistance and recurrence. BORIS, a testes-specific CTCF paralog, has been
      shown to be associated with stemness traits of embryonic cancer cells and
      epithelial CSCs. We previously reported that BORIS is correlated with the
      expression of the CSC marker CD90 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These
      results encourage us to wonder whether BORIS exerts functions on CSC-like traits
      of human liver cancer cells. Here, we report that BORIS was enriched in HCC
      tissues. Exogenous overexpression of BORIS promoted CSC-like properties,
      including self-renewal, chemoresistance, migration and invasion in Huh7 and
      HCCLM3 cells. Conversely, BORIS knockdown suppressed CSC-like properties in SMMC
      7721 and HepG2 cells and inhibited tumorigenicity in SMMC-7721 cells. Moreover,
      BORIS alteration did not affect the DNA methylation status of the minimal
      promoter and exon 1 region of OCT4. However, BORIS overexpression enhanced the
      amount of BORIS bound on the OCT4 promoter and increased H3K4me2, while reducing
      H3K27me3; BORIS depletion decreased BORIS and H3K4me2 on the OCT4 promoter, while
      increasing H3K27me3. These results revealed that BORIS is associated with the CSC
      like traits of human liver cancer cells through the epigenetic regulation of
      OCT4.

PMID- 28645562
TI  - Anti-myeloma effects of ruxolitinib combined with bortezomib and lenalidomide: A
      rationale for JAK/STAT pathway inhibition in myeloma patients.
AB  - JAK proteins have been linked with survival and proliferation of multiple myeloma
      (MM) cells; therefore, JAK inhibition could be a therapeutic strategy for MM. We
      evaluated JAK1 and JAK2 expression in MM patients and the effects of JAK/STAT
      pathway inhibition on apoptosis, cell cycle, gene and protein expression in RPMI
      8226 and U266 MM cell lines. 57% of patients presented overexpression of JAK2 and
      27%, of JAK1. After treatment with ruxolitinib and bortezomib, RPMI-8226 and U266
      presented 50% of cells in late apoptosis, reduction of anti-apoptotic genes
      expression and higher number of cells in SubG0 phase. Co-culture with stromal
      cells protected RPMI-8226 cells from apoptosis, which was reversed by
      lenalidomide addition. Combination of ruxolitinib, bortezomib and lenalidomide
      induced 72% of cell death, equivalent to bortezomib, lenalidomide and
      dexamethasone, combination used in clinical practice. Many JAK/STAT pathway
      genes, after treatment, had their expression reduced, mainly in RPMI-8226, with
      insignificant changes in U266. In this scenario, JAK/STAT pathway could pose as a
      new therapeutic target to be exploited, since it is constitutively active and
      contributes to survival of MM tumor cells.

PMID- 28645563
TI  - Bruceine D inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma growth by targeting beta
      catenin/jagged1 pathways.
AB  - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is known for high mortality and limited available
      treatments. Aberrant activation of the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways is
      critical to liver carcinogenesis and progression. Here, we identified a small
      molecule, bruceine D (BD), as a Notch inhibitor, using an RBP-Jkappa-dependent
      luciferase-reporter system. BD significantly inhibited liver tumor growth and
      enhanced the therapeutic effects of sorafenib in various murine HCC models.
      Mechanistically, BD promotes proteasomal degradation of beta-catenin and the
      depletion of its nuclear accumulation, which in turn disrupts the Wnt/beta
      catenin-dependent transcription of the Notch ligand Jagged1 in HCC. Our findings
      provide important information about a novel Wnt/Notch crosstalk inhibitor that is
      synergistic with sorafenib for treatment of HCC, and therefore have high clinical
      impact.

PMID- 28645564
TI  - Immunotherapy holds the key to cancer treatment and prevention in constitutional
      mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) syndrome.
AB  - Monoallelic germline mutations in one of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes
      cause Lynch syndrome, with a high lifetime risks of colorectal and endometrial
      cancer at adult age. Less well known, is the constitutional mismatch repair
      deficiency (CMMRD) syndrome caused by biallelic germline mutations in MMR genes.
      This syndrome is characterized by the development of childhood cancer. Patients
      with CMMRD are at extremely high risk of developing multiple cancers including
      hematological, brain and intestinal tumors. Mutations in MMR genes impair DNA
      repair and therefore most tumors of patients with CMMRD are hypermutated. These
      mutations lead to changes in the translational reading frame, which consequently
      result in neoantigen formation. Neoantigens are recognized as foreign by the
      immune system and can induce specific immune responses. The growing evidence on
      the clinical efficacy of immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors,
      offers the prospect for treatment of patients with CMMRD. Combining neoantigen
      based vaccination strategies and immune checkpoint inhibitors could be an
      effective way to conquer CMMRD-related tumors. Neoantigen-based vaccines might
      also be a preventive treatment option in healthy biallelic MMR mutation carriers.
      Future studies need to reveal the safety and efficacy of immunotherapies for
      patients with CMMRD.

PMID- 28645565
TI  - From the outside, from within: Biological and therapeutic relevance of signal
      transduction in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematological cancer
      that arises from clonal expansion of transformed T-cell precursors. In this
      review we summarize the current knowledge on the external stimuli and cell
      intrinsic lesions that drive aberrant activation of pivotal, pro-tumoral
      intracellular signaling pathways in T-cell precursors, driving transformation,
      leukemia expansion, spread or resistance to therapy. In addition to their
      pathophysiological relevance, receptors and kinases involved in signal
      transduction are often attractive candidates for targeted drug development. As
      such, we discuss also the potential of T-ALL signaling players as targets for
      therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 28645566
TI  - Using straw hydrolysate to cultivate Chlorella pyrenoidosa for high-value biomass
      production and the nitrogen regulation for biomass composition.
AB  - Heterotrophic cultivation of Chlorella pyrenoidosa based on straw substrate was
      proposed as a promising approach in this research. The straw pre-treated by
      ammonium sulfite method was enzymatically hydrolyzed for medium preparation. The
      highest intrinsic growth rate of C. pyrenoidosa reached to 0.097h-1 in
      hydrolysate medium, which was quicker than that in glucose medium. Rising
      nitrogen concentration could significantly increase protein content and decrease
      lipid content in biomass, meanwhile fatty acids composition kept stable. The
      highest protein and lipid content in microalgal biomass reached to 62% and 32%
      under nitrogen excessive and deficient conditions, respectively. Over 40% of
      amino acids and fatty acids in biomass belonged to essential amino acids (EAA)
      and essential fatty acids (EFA), which were qualified for high-value uses. This
      research revealed the rapid biomass accumulation property of C. pyrenoidosa in
      straw hydrolysate medium and the effectiveness of nitrogen regulation to biomass
      composition at heterotrophic condition.

PMID- 28645567
TI  - Entrenched obesity in childhood: findings from a national cohort study.
AB  - PURPOSE: Given the high levels of obesity among U.S. children, we examine whether
      obesity in childhood is a passing phenomenon or remains entrenched into
      adolescence. METHODS: Data are from the prospective nationally representative
      Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (analytic
      sample = 6600). Anthropometrics were measured six times during 1998-2007.
      Overweight and obesity were defined using CDC cut-points. Entrenched obesity was
      defined as obesity between ages 5-9 coupled with persistent obesity at ages 11
      and 14. RESULTS: Almost 30% of children experienced obesity at some point between
      ages 5.6 and 14.1 years; 63% of children who ever had obesity between ages 5.6
      and 9.1 and 72% of those who had obesity at kindergarten entry experienced
      entrenched obesity. Children with severe obesity in kindergarten or who had
      obesity at more than 1 year during early elementary were very likely to
      experience obesity through age 14, regardless of their sex, race, or
      socioeconomic backgrounds. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention should focus on early
      childhood, as obesity at school entry is not often a passing phenomenon. Even one
      timepoint of obesity measured during the early elementary school years may be an
      indicator of risk for long-term obesity.

PMID- 28645568
TI  - Predictors of successful telephone follow-up in a multicenter study of infants
      with severe bronchiolitis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To identify the characteristics that predict successful telephone follow
      up with parents of infants with severe bronchiolitis. METHODS: We analyzed data
      from a 17-center, prospective cohort study of infants (age <1 year) hospitalized
      with bronchiolitis during three consecutive fall/winter seasons. Participant
      contact information and clinical data were collected during the index
      hospitalization. Parents were called at 6-month intervals (based on the child's
      age) after discharge to assess respiratory problems. The primary outcome was age
      12-month telephone interview status. Participants were classified as unreachable
      after 28 days of unsuccessful attempts. RESULTS: 798 of 916 children (87%)
      completed the age 12-month telephone interview. In unadjusted analyses, factors
      associated with successful follow-up included: private health insurance, annual
      household income $60,000 or more, and residing in the Northeast, Midwest, or
      West. Follow-up was less common among non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and
      households with 3 or more children. In multivariable analyses, follow-up was more
      likely among parents of females, and, compared with the South, in the Northeast
      and Midwest (all P < .05). Compared with non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks
      and Hispanics remained less likely to complete the interview as did households
      with 3 or more children (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic and
      geographic factors predict successful telephone follow-up, even among parents of
      infants with severe illness.

PMID- 28645570
TI  - Quantitative proteomics analysis by iTRAQ revealed underlying changes in
      thermotolerance of Arthrospira platensis.
AB  - : Growth temperature is a critical factor that affects cultivation of Arthrospira
      platensis which is a type of cyanobacterium widely known as Spirulina that has
      significant commercial value. To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying
      the thermotolerance of Spirulina, differential protein expression profiling was
      carried out using iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis. This study only
      analyzed changes in thylakoids. Among the 2085 proteins quantified, 43
      differentially expressed proteins were selected based on the fold change cutoff
      scores of >=2 or <=0.5 for up-regulation or down-regulation, respectively. An
      analysis of these 43 proteins found that 23% of them are photosynthetic system
      proteins which include photosynthetic enzymes and pigment proteins. The dynamic
      change of these proteins indicates that photosynthetic system functions were
      profoundly affected under heat stress and the light-dependent reactions were
      probably the most sensitive to temperature changes. Meanwhile, to cope with the
      low energy production due to impaired photosynthesis there was a considerable
      down-shift in protein synthesis which is a very energy demanding process. The
      impaired photosynthesis led to low energy generation that was compensated by a
      down-shift in translation (the most energy-demanding process) and an up-shift of
      glycolysis. The reduction of many ribosome proteins may lead to a loss in
      translation efficiency; therefore, Spirulina may adopted a different mechanism to
      increase translational elongation under heat stress to compensate for this loss,
      such as elevate L7/L12 proteins. Changes were also found in the classical heat
      shock proteins, the ROS scavenging system, DNA-binding proteins, and some
      membrane proteins. In conclusion, this research demonstrate that heat stress
      induces profound changes in cellular physiology and shed light on the mechanism
      of the heat stress response and thermotolerance of Arthrospira platensis.
      BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Arthrospira platensis, widely known as Spirulina, is a
      type of cyanobacteria which is cultivated at large scale for it great commercial
      value. It has become a consensus that continually increasing temperature due to
      global warming is bringing serious threat to agriculture, including the Spirulina
      cultivation. High temperature not only limits biomass accumulation by Spirulina,
      but also changes the composition of nutrition. Therefore there is a greater need
      than ever before to understand how Spirulina tolerates and cope with high
      temperature. In this study, we for the first time applied the iTRAQ-based
      quantitative proteomic technology to investigate the thermotolerance of
      Spirulina. Our results showed that many biological processes were altered by heat
      stress. Most significantly, we found that heat stress harmed the photosynthesis
      ability and caused low energy production, and to deal with this situation, energy
      demanding processes like protein synthesis were down-shifted and the alternative
      energy metabolism process glycolysis was up-shifted. Our results also show other
      important proteins, like the classical heat shock proteins and some antioxidant
      proteins, are also increased. Thus our study sheds light to our understanding of
      the mechanism underlying the thermotolerance of Spirulina.

PMID- 28645569
TI  - Impact of end stage kidney disease on costs and outcomes of Clostridium difficile
      infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) on the
      outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), including complications of
      infection, length of hospital stay, overall mortality, and healthcare burden.
      METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database created by the Agency of
      Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was used, covering the years 2009 through
      2013. Manufacturer-provided sampling weights were used to produce national
      estimates. RESULTS: All-cause unadjusted in-hospital mortality was significantly
      higher for patients with CDI and ESKD than for patients without ESKD (11.6% vs.
      7.7%, p<0.001). The in-hospital mortality remained higher even after adjusting
      for age, sex, race, and Charlson index group using multivariate logistic
      regression (odds ratio 1.47, confidence interval 1.41-1.53). The median length of
      stay was found to be longer by 2days in the ESKD group (9 vs. 7 days, p<0.001).
      The average cost of hospitalization for patients with CDI and ESKD was also
      significantly higher compared to the non-ESKD group (USD $35 588 vs. $23 505, in
      terms of the 2013 value of the USD, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of end
      stage kidney disease in hospitalized patients with Clostridium difficile
      infection is associated with higher mortality, a longer length of stay, and a
      higher cost of hospitalization.

PMID- 28645571
TI  - A pooled analysis of combined liver and inferior vena cava resection for hepatic
      malignancy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Limited data are currently available to address the safety and
      efficacy of combined resection of the liver and inferior vena cava (IVC) for
      hepatic malignancies. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to identify
      relevant studies. Pooled individual data were examined for the clinical outcome
      of combined resection of the liver and IVC for hepatic malignancies. RESULTS: A
      total of 258 patients were described in 38 articles eligible for inclusion.
      Resections were performed for colorectal liver metastasis (CLM) [n = 128 (50%)],
      intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) [n = 51 (20%)], hepatocellular carcinoma
      (HCC) [n = 48 (19%)], and other pathologies [n = 31 (11%)]. There were 14 (5%)
      perioperative deaths. The median survival duration was 34 months, and the 1-, 3-
      and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 79%, 46% and 33%, respectively. The 5
      year OS rate was 26% for CLM, 37% for ICC, and 30% for HCC. CONCLUSION: Combined
      resection of the liver and IVC for hepatic malignancies is safe and applicable,
      and offers acceptable survival outcomes.

PMID- 28645572
TI  - Longitudinal associations between mental health conditions and overactive bladder
      in women veterans.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One in 5 recently deployed US women veterans report overactive
      bladder symptoms. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety
      commonly co-occur in women with overactive bladder, but temporal relationships
      between these outcomes have not been well studied, and the mechanism behind this
      association is unknown. The Women Veterans Urinary Health Study, a nationwide
      longitudinal study in recently deployed women veterans, was designed to better
      understand relationships between overactive bladder and mental health conditions.
      OBJECTIVE: We sought to estimate the 1-year incidence and remission of overactive
      bladder and to identify the impact of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress
      disorder, and prior sexual assault on 1-year overactive bladder incidence and
      remission rates. STUDY DESIGN: Participants of this 1-year prospective cohort
      study were female veterans separated from military service who had returned from
      Iraq or Afghanistan deployment within the previous 2 years. Eligible women were
      identified through the Defense Manpower Data Center and recruited by mail and
      telephone. Telephone screening confirmed participants were ambulatory, community
      dwelling veterans and excluded those with urinary tract fistula, congenital
      abnormality, or cancer; pelvic radiation; spinal cord injury; multiple sclerosis;
      Parkinson disease; stroke; or current/recent pregnancy. Data collection included
      computer-assisted telephone interviews performed at enrollment and 1 year later.
      The interview assessed demographic and military service characteristics; urinary
      symptoms and treatment; depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder
      symptoms and treatment; and a lifetime history of sexual assault. Overactive
      bladder was identified if at least moderately bothersome urgency urinary
      incontinence and/or urinary frequency symptoms were reported on Urogenital
      Distress Inventory items. Exposures included depression, anxiety, posttraumatic
      stress disorder, and lifetime sexual assault, assessed at baseline using
      validated questionnaires (including the Patient Health Questionnaire and
      Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist). Associations between exposures and
      overactive bladder incidence and remission were estimated using propensity score
      adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS: In all, 1107 (88.0%) of 1258
      eligible participants completed 1-year interviews. Median age was 29 (range 20
      67) years and 53% were nulliparous. Overactive bladder was identified at baseline
      in 242 (22%), and 102 (9.2%), 218 (19.7%), 188 (17.0%), and 287 (25.9%) met
      criteria for baseline depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and
      lifetime sexual assault, respectively. At 1 year, overactive bladder incidence
      was 10.5% (95% confidence interval, 8.6-12.8%), and remission of overactive
      bladder was 36.9% (95% confidence interval, 30.8-43.4%). New overactive bladder
      occurred more often in women with baseline anxiety (21% vs 9%), posttraumatic
      stress disorder (19% vs 9%) and lifetime sexual assault (16% vs 9%) (all: P <
      .01). After adjustment, anxiety (odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.4
      4.1) and lifetime sexual assault (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.0
      2.8) predicted 1-year incident overactive bladder. Overactive bladder remission
      occurred less often in those with baseline depression (19% vs 41%, P < .01) and
      anxiety (29% vs 42%, P = .03). After adjustment, depression decreased 1-year
      overactive bladder remission risk (odds ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval,
      0.16-0.83). Overactive bladder treatment was uncommon and not associated with
      remission. CONCLUSION: Anxiety, depression, and prior sexual assault-common
      postdeployment problems for women veterans-influence the natural history of
      overactive bladder. Providers should screen for mental health conditions and
      sexual assault in women with newly diagnosed or persistent overactive bladder.

PMID- 28645573
TI  - Evidence that fetal death is associated with placental aging.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The risk of unexplained fetal death or stillbirth increases late in
      pregnancy, suggesting that placental aging is an etiological factor. Aging is
      associated with oxidative damage to DNA, RNA, and lipids. We hypothesized that
      placentas at >41 completed weeks of gestation (late-term) would show changes
      consistent with aging that would also be present in placentas associated with
      stillbirths. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether placentas from late-term
      pregnancies and unexplained stillbirth show oxidative damage and other
      biochemical signs of aging. We also aimed to develop an in vitro term placental
      explant culture model to test the aging pathways. STUDY DESIGN: We collected
      placentas from women at 37-39 weeks' gestation (early-term and term), late-term,
      and with unexplained stillbirth. We used immunohistochemistry to compare the 3
      groups for: DNA/RNA oxidation (8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine), lysosomal distribution
      (lysosome-associated membrane protein 2), lipid oxidation (4-hydroxynonenal), and
      autophagosome size (microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B, LC3B).
      The expression of aldehyde oxidase 1 was measured by real-time polymerase chain
      reaction. Using a placental explant culture model, we tested the hypothesis that
      aldehyde oxidase 1 mediates oxidative damage to lipids in the placenta. RESULTS:
      Placentas from late-term pregnancies show increased aldehyde oxidase 1
      expression, oxidation of DNA/RNA and lipid, perinuclear location of lysosomes,
      and larger autophagosomes compared to placentas from women delivered at 37-39
      weeks. Stillbirth-associated placentas showed similar changes in oxidation of
      DNA/RNA and lipid, lysosomal location, and autophagosome size to placentas from
      late-term. Placental explants from term deliveries cultured in serum-free medium
      also showed evidence of oxidation of lipid, perinuclear lysosomes, and larger
      autophagosomes, changes that were blocked by the G-protein-coupled estrogen
      receptor 1 agonist G1, while the oxidation of lipid was blocked by the aldehyde
      oxidase 1 inhibitor raloxifene. CONCLUSION: Our data are consistent with a role
      for aldehyde oxidase 1 and G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 in mediating
      aging of the placenta that may contribute to stillbirth. The placenta is a
      tractable model of aging in human tissue.

PMID- 28645574
TI  - Department of Error.

PMID- 28645575
TI  - Prediction of drug-induced immune-mediated hepatotoxicity using hepatocyte-like
      cells derived from human embryonic stem cells.
AB  - Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a leading cause of liver disease and a key
      safety factor during drug development. In addition to the initiation events of
      drug-specific hepatotoxicity, dysregulated immune responses have been proposed as
      major pathological events of DILI. Thus, there is a need for a reliable cell
      culture model with which to assess drug-induced immune reactions to predict
      hepatotoxicity for drug development. To this end, stem cell-derived hepatocytes
      have shown great potentials. Here we report that hepatocyte-like cells derived
      from human embryonic stem cells (hES-HLCs) can be used to evaluate drug-induced
      hepatotoxic immunological events. Treatment with acetaminophen significantly
      elevated the levels of inflammatory cytokines by hES-HLCs. Moreover, three human
      immune cell lines, Jurkat, THP-1, and NK92MI, were activated when cultured in
      conditioned medium obtained from acetaminophen-treated hES-HLCs. To further
      validate, we tested thiazolidinedione (TZD) class, antidiabetic drugs, including
      troglitazone withdrawn from the market because of severe idiosyncratic drug
      hepatotoxicity. We found that TZD drug treatment to hES-HLCs resulted in the
      production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and eventually associated immune cell
      activation. In summary, our study demonstrates for the first time the potential
      of hES-HLCs as an in vitro model system for assessment of drug-induced as well as
      immune-mediated hepatotoxicity.

PMID- 28645576
TI  - Mechanisms of hepatocellular toxicity associated with new psychoactive synthetic
      cathinones.
AB  - Synthetic cathinones are a new class of psychostimulant substances. Rarely, they
      can cause liver injury but associated mechanisms are not completely elucidated.
      In order to increase our knowledge about mechanisms of hepatotoxicity, we
      investigated the effect of five frequently used cathinones on two human cell
      lines. Bupropion was included as structurally related drug used therapeutically.
      In HepG2 cells, bupropion, MDPV, mephedrone and naphyrone depleted the cellular
      ATP content at lower concentrations (0.2-1mM) than cytotoxicity occurred (0.5
      2mM), suggesting mitochondrial toxicity. In comparison, methedrone and methylone
      depleted the cellular ATP pool and induced cytotoxicity at similar concentrations
      (>=2mM). In HepaRG cells, cytotoxicity and ATP depletion could also be
      demonstrated, but cytochrome P450 induction did not increase the toxicity of the
      compounds investigated. The mitochondrial membrane potential was decreased in
      HepG2 cells by bupropion, MDPV and naphyrone, confirming mitochondrial toxicity.
      Bupropion, but not the other compounds, uncoupled oxidative phosphorylation.
      Bupropion, MDPV, mephedrone and naphyrone inhibited complex I and II of the
      electron transport chain, naphyrone also complex III. All four mitochondrial
      toxicants were associated with increased mitochondrial ROS and increased lactate
      production, which was accompanied by a decrease in the cellular total GSH pool
      for naphyrone and MDPV. In conclusion, bupropion, MDPV, mephedrone and naphyrone
      are mitochondrial toxicants impairing the function of the electron transport
      chain and depleting cellular ATP stores. Since liver injury is rare in users of
      these drugs, affected persons must have susceptibility factors rendering them
      more sensitive for these drugs.

PMID- 28645577
TI  - Quantitative structure-skin permeability relationships.
AB  - This paper reviews in silico models currently available for the prediction of
      skin permeability. A comprehensive discussion on the developed methods is
      presented, focusing on quantitative structure-permeability relationships. In
      addition, the mechanistic models and comparative studies that analyse different
      models are discussed. Limitations and strengths of the different approaches are
      highlighted together with the emergent issues and perspectives.

PMID- 28645578
TI  - The electrophilic character of quinones is essential for the suppression of
      Bach1.
AB  - The activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is the most
      important cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative attack. BTB and CNC
      homology-1 (Bach1), like Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), is one of a
      negative regulator of Nrf2 that control antioxidant response elements (ARE)
      dependent gene expressions. In the current study, we found that quinones show
      greater capacity than hydroquinones in nuclear Bach1 export, as well as ubiquitin
      dependent Bach1 degradation in our experimental time frame. Consistently,
      quinones are easier than hydroquinones in Nrf2 activation and ARE-driven
      antioxidant protein expressions. Considering the redox cycling potential of
      quinone-hydroquinone couple, we investigated the effect of transit metal
      oxidation on the regulation of Nrf2 activity. As shown, Fe3+ enhanced
      hydroquinone-induced Nrf2 activation and ARE-driven gene expressions, suggesting
      quinones rather than hydroquinone activate Nrf2 through Bach1 arylation. Taking
      together, our investigation illustrated that the electrophilic character of
      quinones ensure their conjugation with Bach1, which is important for the
      downregulation of Bach1 and the upregulation of Nrf2 signaling.

PMID- 28645579
TI  - Anti-androgenic mechanisms of Bisphenol A involve androgen receptor signaling
      pathway.
AB  - We have shown Bisphenol A (BPA) acts as an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist in
      the previous study. However, the mechanisms underlying anti-androgenic effects of
      BPA remain unclear. The objective of this study was to explore whether the AR
      signaling was involved in AR antagonism of BPA. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8)
      assay and Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) iCELLigence system were applied to
      analyze the mouse Sertoli cell TM4 proliferation. The mammalian two-hybrid assays
      were performed to investigate the effects of BPA on the AR amino- and carboxyl
      terminal regions (N/C) interaction and the interactions of the AR with steroid
      receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1), co-repressors including silencing mediator for
      thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT) and nuclear receptor co-repressor (NCoR). BPA
      exposure resulted in decreased TM4 cell proliferation. BPA inhibited the AR N/C
      interaction significantly. Furthermore, BPA enhanced the interactions of AR-SMRT
      and AR-NCoR significantly. In conclusion, these data suggest BPA inhibits Sertoli
      cell proliferation due to its anti-androgenic actions. The mechanisms responsible
      for AR antagonism of BPA involve inhibiting the AR N/C interaction and enhancing
      the interactions of AR-SMRT and AR-NCoR. The data uncover novel anti-androgenic
      mechanisms by which BPA antagonizes AR signaling, contributing to Sertoli cell
      proliferation suppression and male reproductive toxicology.

PMID- 28645580
TI  - Chemostat studies of bacteriophage M13 infected Escherichia coli JM109 for
      continuous ssDNA production.
AB  - Steady state studies in a chemostat enable the control of microbial growth rate
      at defined reaction conditions. The effects of bacteriophage M13 infection on
      maximum growth rate of Escherichia coli JM109 were studied in parallel operated
      chemostats on a milliliter-scale to analyze the steady state kinetics of phage
      production. The bacteriophage infection led to a decrease in maximum specific
      growth rate of 15% from 0.74h-1 to 0.63h-1. Under steady state conditions, a
      constant cell specific ssDNA formation rate of 0.15+/-0.004 mgssDNA gCDW-1h-1 was
      observed, which was independent of the growth rate. Using the estimated kinetic
      parameters for E. coli infected with bacteriophage M13, the ssDNA concentration
      in the steady state could be predicted as function of the dilution rate and the
      glucose concentration in the substrate. Scalability of milliliter-scale data was
      approved by steady state studies on a liter-scale at a selected dilution rate. An
      ssDNA space-time yield of 5.7mgL-1h-1 was achieved with increased glucose
      concentration in the feed at a dilution rate of 0.3h-1, which is comparable to
      established fed-batch fermentation with bacteriophage M13 for ssDNA production.

PMID- 28645581
TI  - Improvement of isopropanol tolerance of Escherichia coli using adaptive
      laboratory evolution and omics technologies.
AB  - Isopropanol (IPA) is the secondary alcohol that can be dehydrated to yield
      propylene. To produce IPA using microorganisms, a significant issue is that the
      toxicity of IPA causes retardation or inhibition of cell growth, decreasing the
      yield. One possible strategy to overcome this problem is to improve IPA tolerance
      of production organisms. For the understanding of tolerance to IPA, we performed
      parallel adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) of Escherichia coli under IPA
      stress. To identify the genotypic change during ALE, we performed genome re
      sequencing analyses of obtained tolerant strains. To verify which mutations were
      contributed to IPA tolerance, we constructed the mutant strains and quantify the
      IPA tolerance of the constructed mutants. From these analyses, we found that five
      mutations (relA, marC, proQ, yfgO, and rraA) provided the increase of IPA
      tolerance. To understand the phenotypic change during ALE, we performed
      transcriptome analysis of tolerant strains. From transcriptome analysis, we found
      that expression levels of genes related to biosynthetic pathways of amino acids,
      iron ion homeostasis, and energy metabolisms were changed in the tolerant
      strains. Results from these experiments provide fundamental bases for designing
      IPA tolerant strains for industrial purposes.

PMID- 28645582
TI  - Improved pFastBacTM donor plasmid vectors for higher protein production using the
      Bac-to-Bac(r) baculovirus expression vector system.
AB  - The Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV)-based Bac-to
      Bac(r) expression system consists of a bacmid and five pFastBacTM donor transfer
      vectors. It has been widely used for eukaryotic gene expression in insect cells
      to elucidate gene function in biotechnology laboratories. The pFastBacTM vectors
      contain a 50bp AcMNPV polyhedrin (polh) promoter and a 127bp SV40 polyadenylation
      (pA) signal for cloning a gene of interest into the bacmid, resulting in unsolved
      lower gene expression levels than the wild type (wt) AcMNPV in insect cells.
      Therefore, the purpose of this research is to understand why the Bac-to-Bac
      system produces lower gene expression levels. Here, we determined that bacmids
      transposed with pFastBacTM vectors produced 3-4 fold lower levels of certain
      proteins than the wt AcMNPV. We found that an 80bp cis element 147bp upstream of
      the 50bp polh promoter and a 134bp polh pA signal are required in pFastBacTM to
      achieve bacmid protein expression levels equivalent to wt AcMNPV in High Five
      insect cells. Therefore, researchers currently using pFastBacTM vectors for
      protein expression can transfer their genes of interest into the improved vectors
      in this report to elevate protein expression yields in insect cells to reduce
      protein production costs.

PMID- 28645583
TI  - Societal constraints related to environmental remediation and decommissioning
      programmes.
AB  - The decisions related to decommissioning or environmental remediation projects
      (D/ER) cannot be isolated from the socio-political and cultural environment.
      Experiences of the IAEA Member States point out the importance of giving due
      attention to the societal aspects in project planning and implementation. The
      purpose of this paper is threefold: i) to systematically review societal
      constraints that some organisations in different IAEA Member States encounter
      when implementing D/ER programmes, ii) to identify different approaches to
      overcome these constraints and iii) to collect examples of existing practices
      related to the integration of societal aspects in D/ER programmes worldwide. The
      research was conducted in the context of the IAEA project Constraints to
      Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation (CIDER). The research results show
      that societal constraints arise mostly as a result of the different perceptions,
      attitudes, opinions and concerns of stakeholders towards the risks and benefits
      of D/ER programmes and due to the lack of stakeholder involvement in planning.
      There are different approaches to address these constraints, however all
      approaches have common points: early involvement, respect for different views,
      mutual understanding and learning. These results are relevant for all on-going
      and planned D/ER programmes.

PMID- 28645584
TI  - Effects of intranasal treatment with slow (GYY4137) and rapid (NaHS) donors of
      hydrogen sulfide in lipopolysaccharide-induced airway inflammation in mice.
AB  - We have investigated the effects of slow (GYY4137) and rapid (NaHS) hydrogen
      sulfide (H2S) releasing donors in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced airway
      inflammation in mice. LPS (0.1 mg/ml) in 60 MUl PBS was administered by the
      intranasal (i.n.) route and control group received vehicle, whereas the subgroups
      of mice were treated with i.n. GYY4137 or NaHS. The tracheal reactivity,
      inflammatory cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung
      histopathology were evaluated in all groups 48 h after LPS/PBS applications. 5
      Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced contraction response in isolated tracheas was
      enhanced after LPS treatment but carbachol response was not altered. Incubation
      with atropine (10-6 M), 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin (10-9-10-7 M) and 5
      HT3 receptor antagonist alosetron (10-8 and 10-7 M) prevented 5-HT-induced
      hyperreactivity whereas 5-HT4 receptor antagonist GR113808 (10-7 M, 10-6 M) did
      not have any effect in LPS-treated group. Electrical field stimulation (EFS) of
      isolated tracheas elicited frequency-dependent contractile response, which was
      not altered by LPS treatment alone but was enhanced in the presence of 5-HT (10-9
      10-4 M). This data indicated that 5-HT2A and 5-HT3 receptors, and acetylcholine
      released from cholinergic nerves were contributing to 5-HT-induced
      hyperreactivity in the present experiments. The increase in neutrophil count
      along with cytokine (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha) levels in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
      fluid and histopathological changes like paranchymal inflammation and
      interalveolar thickening were determined in LPS-treated mice. H2S production in
      lung homogenates were determined by the methylene blue assay, and found to be
      similar in both LPS and control groups. The experiments conducted after i.n.
      treatment with H2S donors has shown that only GYY4137 (1 mg/kg) inhibited 5-HT
      induced hyperreactivity, and both GYY4137 and NaHS (1 mg/kg) prevented the
      neutrophil increase in BAL fluid in LPS-induced airway inflammation. IL-1beta
      increase in BAL fluid was abolished by both GYY4137 and NaHS treatments whereas
      TNF-alpha levels remained unchanged. Furthermore, GYY4137 treatment did not have
      any effect in LPS-induced changes of lung pathology whereas NaHS prevented the
      paranchymal inflammation. The different H2S releasing pattern of these donors may
      explain the difference of their effects in this model. Compounds that provide
      stable H2S levels via local application may be a new therapeutic approach in
      airway inflammation.

PMID- 28645585
TI  - Thrombocytopenia and Neurosurgery: A Literature Review.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The absence of evidence-based guidelines for platelet transfusion
      surrounding invasive neurosurgical procedures leads to uncertainty in management.
      Multiple studies have illuminated this lack of high quality data, and subsequent
      reliance on expert opinion. The generally accepted threshold for platelet
      transfusion has hovered around 100,000/MUL. METHODS: We have conducted a review
      of available clinical literature to identify any evidence that may support or
      refute these general guidelines, in an attempt to clarify the need for platelet
      transfusion in the patient requiring neurosurgical intervention. RESULTS: The
      available evidence is sparse and of low quality, but suggests that a platelet
      count <100,000/MUL is associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic
      complications. In addition, the acuity of thrombocytopenia, magnitude of decrease
      in platelet count, and responsiveness to platelet transfusions impact the risk of
      neurosurgical intervention, and should be taken into account when evaluating a
      patient's surgical candidacy. Higher quality, prospective studies on the subject
      are unlikely, given a general lack of clinical equipoise on the subject, and the
      ethical concerns such a study would present.

PMID- 28645586
TI  - Venous Sinus Stenting in the Management of Patients with Intracranial
      Hypertension Manifesting with Skull Base Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A subset of patients with skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks
      are found to have elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). In these patients,
      elevated ICP is thought to contribute to both the pathophysiology of the leak and
      postoperative leak recurrences. Current strategies for postoperative ICP control
      include medical therapy and shunting procedures. The aim of this study is to
      report the use of venous sinus stenting (VSS) in the management of patients with
      skull base CSF leaks caused by elevated ICP. METHODS: We performed a
      retrospective investigation of 2 patients who underwent surgical repair of skull
      base CSF leaks and were found to have elevated ICP associated with venous sinus
      stenosis and subsequently treated with VSS. RESULTS: Two patients underwent
      successful surgical repair of skull base CSF leaks with perioperative ICP
      monitoring via temporary lumbar catheters. Postoperative CSF pressure measurement
      demonstrated elevated ICP. Both patients were found to have venous sinus stenosis
      on further workup and subsequently underwent VSS for treatment of intracranial
      hypertension. Both patients had improvement in their symptoms with no evidence of
      recurrent CSF leak at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with skull base CSF leaks
      of unknown etiology should undergo CSF pressure monitoring postoperatively and,
      if found to be elevated, be treated for intracranial hypertension. In patients
      unresponsive to, or intolerant of, medical therapy, VSS can provide an
      alternative option to medical and surgical shunting procedures for treatment of
      intracranial hypertension in patients with skull base CSF leaks and venous sinus
      stenosis.

PMID- 28645587
TI  - Dawn of an Even Newer Era: Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke
      Beyond 6 to 8 Hours.

PMID- 28645588
TI  - Long-Term Outcomes of Mechanical Thrombectomy for Treatment of Acute Ischemic
      Stroke.

PMID- 28645589
TI  - A Bug in the Brain and the Future of Neurosciences.

PMID- 28645590
TI  - Endoscopic Supracerebellar Transtentorial Approach to Atrium of Lateral
      Ventricle: Preliminary Surgical and Optical Considerations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We sought to report the operative techniques of the endoscopic
      supracerebellar transtentorial approach (ESTA) to the atrium of the lateral
      ventricle, especially focusing on the role of the endoscope and analyzing
      optically related issues. METHODS: A retrospective data review was performed on 5
      patients with lesions in the atrium of the lateral ventricle undergoing the ESTA.
      The patients were positioned in the three quarters prone position, and a
      paramidline linear incision was used. After performing a suboccipital craniotomy
      extending immediately above the transverse sinus and tentorium incision with
      precisely neuronavigation, corticotomy in the posterior mediobasal temporal
      region created a corridor to the tumor. All of the procedures were performed with
      an endoscope in a pneumatic arm holder. The preoperative and postoperative
      perimetry test and diffusion tensor imaging fiber tracking of the optic
      radiations were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: Three patients had meningiomas,
      and 2 patients had high-grade gliomas in the atrium. The meningiomas were totally
      removed, and the gliomas were subtotally resected. One patient with glioblastoma
      died 2 months later after surgery because of the tumor progression; the remaining
      4 patients had a visual field deficit without any other neurologic complications.
      The endoscope improved the surgical viewing angle, which was restricted by the
      microscope and slope of the tentorium. CONCLUSIONS: ESTA is an alternative route
      to the atrium of the lateral ventricle. However, the collateral sulcus, which is
      highly relied on in neuronavigation, is illegible in the limited area. And the
      visual field deficit remains the primary challenge with this approach.

PMID- 28645591
TI  - Surgical Repair of Iatrogenic Transverse-Sigmoid Sinus Laceration with a Dural
      Flap During Skull Base Tumor Surgery: A Technical Case Report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Injury to cerebral venous sinuses during craniotomy procedures can
      cause significant blood loss or venous air embolism, potentially leading to
      serious morbidity or mortality. When iatrogenic sinus injuries occur, it is
      essential to promptly obtain hemostasis and repair the sinus defect. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: We report on a 43-year-old woman that sustained a transverse-sigmoid
      sinus injury during a retrosigmoid craniotomy for resection of a cerebellopontine
      angle meningioma. Sinus repair was performed using a reflected dural flap with
      excellent outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a reflected dural flap for closure of
      a widely torn sinus proved to be an effective and straightforward sinus repair
      strategy, with postoperative imaging demonstrating persistent patency of the
      sinus. The described technique may be a useful addition to any neurosurgeon's
      armamentarium and should be considered during cases of complex sinus injuries.

PMID- 28645592
TI  - Enlarged Encephalo-Duro-Myo-Synangiosis Treatment for Moyamoya Disease in Young
      Children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the midterm therapeutic effect of enlarged
      encephalo-duro-myo-synangiosis (EDMS) for moyamoya disease (MMD) in young
      children. METHODS: Seventy-seven children diagnosed with MMD by digital
      subtraction angiography (DSA) or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) were
      treated between January 2011 and December 2014 in our center. Their clinical
      features, imaging, and operative reports were analyzed. RESULTS: Four patients
      presented with intracerebral hemorrhage, whereas 73 presented with ischemic
      symptoms. Revascularization procedures were performed unilaterally on 11 left
      hemispheres and 9 right hemispheres, and 57 had bilateral surgeries. The average
      length of surgery was 143 +/- 24 minutes, with 28 +/- 9 mL of blood loss. The
      mean period of follow-up was 28.43 +/- 15.31 months. Cerebral blood flow
      increased 3 months after the operations in the previously affected regions.
      Collateralization from the deep temporal artery, superficial temporal artery, and
      the middle meningeal artery was found by DSA or MRA. In cases where single-photon
      emission computed tomography was obtained, it demonstrated better perfusion
      postoperatively. The ischemic symptoms were relieved in 118 (88.06%) hemispheres,
      and remained stable in 5 (3.73%) hemispheres. There were 12 radiographic cerebral
      infarctions (8.96%) within 1 month postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Enlarged EDMS is
      safe and effective for MMD in young children. Extensive and multilayered
      revascularization could significantly preserve neurologic function. The long-term
      effect on posterior circulation disease development needs further investigation.

PMID- 28645593
TI  - The Healthcare Landscape: Are Doctors Agents of Change or Impediments to Change?

PMID- 28645594
TI  - Publication Metrics in Neurosurgery.

PMID- 28645595
TI  - Transforaminal Endoscopic Decompression for Displaced End Plate Fracture After
      Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Technical Note.
AB  - Lateral lumbar interbody fusion is a minimally invasive approach to anterior
      spinal column fusion, deformity correction, and indirect decompression of the
      lumbar spine. A rarely reported possible complication of the procedure is end
      plate fracture, which has the potential for nerve root compression. Here we
      present a case of end plate fracture and nerve compression after stand-alone
      lateral lumbar interbody fusion, its diagnosis, and its subsequent successful
      treatment with transforaminal endoscopic spine surgery. The case highlights the
      possible role for minimally invasive endoscopic surgery as a rescue procedure
      after fusion complication.

PMID- 28645596
TI  - Endoscopic Removal of a Bullet That Migrated to the Third Ventricle Causing
      Hydrocephalus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hydrocephalus caused by an intraventricular bullet is a rare event.
      We report a case of endoscopic removal of an intraventricular bullet. CASE
      DESCRIPTION: A 66-year-old man was admitted with a gunshot wound to the head
      after a suicide attempt. The bullet migrated from the frontal parenchyma to the
      third ventricle day 4 of admission. On day 21 of admission, the patient developed
      hydrocephalus with obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct. The bullet was accessed
      through an endoscopic third ventriculostomy and removed using an endoscope.
      CONCLUSIONS: Hydrocephalus may develop in patients with intraventricular foreign
      objects. When such objects must be removed, the endoscopic approach is a safe,
      efficient, and minimally invasive procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first
      case in the literature of foreign object removal from the ventricle via a
      transcortical endoscopic approach.

PMID- 28645597
TI  - Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation Associated with Parkes Weber Syndrome: Report
      of Two Cases and Literature Review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To present 2 cases of Parkes Weber syndrome (PWS) with spinal
      arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and discuss the radiologic features and clinical
      treatment with literature review. METHODS: Clinical data on 2 patients with PWS
      with spinal AVM was acquired in a prospective follow-up investigation. Clinical
      manifestations, radiographic features, procedural results, and follow-up outcome
      were collected and reviewed together with a literature review. RESULTS: The first
      patient presented with limb weakness and urinary dysfunction and the second with
      repetitive subarachnoid hemorrhage followed by paraplegia. Limb hypertrophy, skin
      ulceration, and extensive microfistulas in the affected limb were observed in
      both patients. Spinal AVM was confirmed by digital subtraction angiography and
      endovascular embolization was performed. The first patient experienced limb
      amputation at 6-year follow-up as a result of chronic ulceration and the second
      did not have neurologic improvement. After literature review, 15 cases
      (male/female ratio, 5:10; mean age, 22+/-10.4 years) were included. The
      presentations comprised subarachnoid hemorrhage in 6, radicular pain in 5,
      myelopathy in 4, and asymptomatic in 1. Embolization was performed in 9 cases,
      solitary surgery in 2, and combined therapy in 4. Among 10 cases with known
      follow-up results, 6 achieved neurologic recovery after surgery and 1 died after
      solitary surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of the association between spinal AVM
      and PWS is essential for radiographic screening of spinal lesions with myelopathy
      or intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage. Clinical therapeutic strategy should be
      multidisciplinary and individualized on the basis of vasculature and lesion
      behavior.

PMID- 28645598
TI  - Efficacy of Early Surgery for Neurological Improvement in Spinal Cord Injury
      without Radiographic Evidence of Trauma in the Elderly.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The optimal timing for surgery for patients with spinal cord injury
      without radiographic evidence of trauma (SCIWORET) remains unclear. This is
      especially true in the elderly, given that most studies are done with younger
      patients to avoid age-related comorbidities. We aimed to compare the efficacy of
      early (<24 hours postinjury) and late (>24 hours postinjury) surgery in patients
      with SCIWORET aged >=65 years. METHODS: We identified patients aged >=65 years
      who underwent surgery for SCIWORET between January 1995 and February 2016. The
      primary outcome was a change in the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score
      at discharge, with a recovery of >50% defined as a favorable neurologic outcome.
      Logistic regression analysis was performed, and model fit was assessed using the
      Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: Eighty patients aged >=65 years with SCIWORET
      underwent surgery were enrolled. Favorable neurologic outcomes were seen in 43.3%
      of those who underwent early surgery, but only in 18.0% of those who underwent
      late surgery. Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities
      (Charlson Comorbidity Index), and JOA score, revealed that early surgery
      independently predicted favorable outcomes (odds ratio, 4.06; 95% confidence
      interval, 1.25-13.20), with excellent calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow, P = 0.857).
      CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicated that early surgery within 24 hours of
      injury for elderly patients with SCIWORET could lead to more favorable neurologic
      improvements. We believe that chronological age alone should not be considered
      sufficient justification to deny patients early surgical decompression for
      SCIWORET.

PMID- 28645599
TI  - Biplanar Fluoroscopy-Guided Percutaneous Lead Implantation for Spinal Cord
      Stimulation: Technical Note.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: The correct positioning of spinal cord stimulator leads is assessed
      radiographically during their percutaneous implantation for trial stimulation.
      Usually the C-arm is repositioned several times to allow imaging in different
      planes, which may extend the total duration of surgery. The study aimed to
      evaluate whether the concurrent intraoperative use of 2 C-arms could safely
      reduce the duration of surgery. MATERIALS: This retrospective study included
      cases of percutaneous implantation of a spinal cord stimulation (SCS) lead for
      trial neurostimulation between 2006 and 2011. The duration of the surgical
      intervention was recorded, along with the duration of the preparation stage in
      the operating room. In addition, total radiation exposure time per case was
      recorded. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients underwent percutaneous implantation of an
      SCS lead (72 thoracolumbar, 22 cervical). In 73 cases 2 C-arms were used, with 21
      cases performed with a single C-arm. In both the cervical and thoracolumbar
      groups, a biplanar configuration was associated with significant reduction in the
      mean length of the surgical phase, by 29 minutes (P = 0.017) and 14 minutes,
      respectively (P = 0.016), albeit while increasing the duration of the
      preoperative preparation stage. There was no significant difference in the total
      duration in the operating room or in the total radiation exposure time between
      groups. CONCLUSIONS: Here we present a technical note on the use of a biplanar
      fluoroscopy configuration for percutaneous implantation of SCS leads. This
      arrangement correlated with a reduction in surgery duration without increasing
      total radiation exposure, representing a practical and safe adjustment to current
      practice.

PMID- 28645600
TI  - Newly Detected Cervical Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula on Magnetic Resonance
      Angiography Causing Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although an asymptomatic spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF)
      can sometimes be incidentally detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there
      are no previous reports showing the development of an SDAVF on MRI or magnetic
      resonance angiography (MRA). CASE DESCRIPTION: A 64-year old man with unruptured
      vertebral artery dissection (VAD) developed a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)
      during regular follow-up. Emergent endovascular coil internal trapping for the
      VAD was performed; however, angiography after the endovascular treatment showed a
      lower cervical SDAVF. The SDAVF was considered the bleeding source based on
      subsequent spinal MRI, and endovascular embolization was performed. In this case,
      previous serial MRA examinations indicated that the SDAVF appeared for the first
      time during follow-up, and SAH occurred. CONCLUSIONS: This may be the first
      report in which serial MRA studies demonstrated the course of this condition,
      from the appearance of an SDAVF to the development of SAH. An abnormal vascular
      structure detected on MRA indicated abnormal enlargement of the perimedullary
      vein and the presence of a cervical SDAVF. A lower cervical SDAVF should be
      suspected if such an abnormal vascular structure is detected on MRA.

PMID- 28645601
TI  - A Cranial Trauma was the Cause of Death of Charles VIII of France (1470-1498).
AB  - This article summarizes the reign, life and death, of Charles VIII of France.
      Also we intend to investigate current views on his cause of death, contradictions
      and opinions of his biographers. Poisoning, disease, and injury are the possible
      causes of his death but, according to the literature, cranial trauma was the most
      probable cause of death of the King Charles VIII of France.

PMID- 28645602
TI  - Clinical Application of Insertion Force Sensor System for Coil Embolization of
      Intracranial Aneurysms.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: In endovascular embolization for intracranial aneurysms, it is
      important to properly control the coil insertion force. However, the force can
      only be subjectively detected by the subtle feedback experienced by
      neurointerventionists at their fingertips. The authors envisioned a system that
      would objectively sense and quantify that force. In this article, coil insertion
      force was measured in cases of intracranial aneurysm using this sensor, and its
      actual clinical application was investigated. METHODS: The sensor consists of a
      hemostatic valve (Y-connector). A little flexure was intentionally added in the
      device, and it creates a bend in the delivery wire. The sensor measures the
      change in the position of the bent wire depending on the insertion force and
      translates it into a force value. Using this, embolization was performed for 10
      unruptured intracranial aneurysms. RESULTS: The sensor adequately recorded the
      force, and it reflected the operators' usual clinical experience. The presence of
      the sensor did not affect the procedures. The sensor enabled the operators to
      objectively note and evaluate the insertion force and better cooperative handling
      was possible. Additionally, other members of the intervention team shared the
      information. Force records demonstrated the characteristic patterns according to
      every stage of coiling (framing, filling, and finishing). CONCLUSIONS: The force
      sensor system adequately measured coil insertion force in intracranial aneurysm
      coil embolization procedures. The safety of this sensor was demonstrated in
      clinical application for the limited number of patients. This system is useful
      adjunct for assisting during coil embolization for an intracranial aneurysm.

PMID- 28645603
TI  - Robotic Transnasal Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery: Systematic Review of the
      Literature and Report of a Novel Prototype for a Hybrid System (Brescia Endoscope
      Assistant Robotic Holder).
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although robotics has already been applied to several surgical
      fields, available systems are not designed for endoscopic skull base surgery
      (ESBS). New conception prototypes have been recently described for ESBS. The aim
      of this study was to provide a systematic literature review of robotics for ESBS
      and describe a novel prototype developed at the University of Brescia. METHODS:
      PubMed and Scopus databases were searched using a combination of terms, including
      Robotics OR Robot and Surgery OR Otolaryngology OR Skull Base OR Holder. The
      retrieved papers were analyzed, recording the following features: interface,
      tools under robotic control, force feedback, safety systems, setup time, and
      operative time. A novel hybrid robotic system has been developed and tested in a
      preclinical setting at the University of Brescia, using an industrial manipulator
      and readily available off-the-shelf components. RESULTS: A total of 11 robotic
      prototypes for ESBS were identified. Almost all prototypes present a difficult
      emergency management as one of the main limits. The Brescia Endoscope Assistant
      Robotic holder has proven the feasibility of an intuitive robotic movement, using
      the surgeon's head position: a 6 degree of freedom sensor was used and 2 light
      sources were added to glasses that were therefore recognized by a commercially
      available sensor. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic system prototypes designed for ESBS and
      reported in the literature still present significant technical limitations.
      Hybrid robot assistance has a huge potential and might soon be feasible in ESBS.

PMID- 28645604
TI  - Posterior Paramedian Approach to Ventrally Located Spinal Meningioma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To approach a ventral spinal pathology, a lateral viewing angle is
      often required. However, lateral approaches to the spine are usually more
      technically demanding and require a certain amount of surgical expertise. In this
      report, we describe a simple and easy technique to obtain the lateral viewing
      angle to the ventral spinal pathology. CASE DESCRIPTION: The technique is
      demonstrated in a ventrally located meningioma at the C2 level. Axial magnetic
      resonance imaging showed a square posterior shift of the spinal cord with little
      lateral space, which necessitated a more lateral viewing angle than the
      conventional posterior approach. With the patient in a prone position, we made a
      horizontal skin incision at the level of C2 and unilaterally exposed the right
      side of the C1 and C2 laminae. We then made a small perpendicular incision on the
      medial portion of the paravertebral muscles, which we retracted longitudinally.
      This approach provided an unobstructed lateral view toward the spinal cord.
      Following a gross total removal of the tumor with minimal cord retraction, the
      patient made an uneventful recovery. Her preoperative neurologic symptoms
      completely resolved in 2 months. No significant muscle atrophy was observed on
      postoperative magnetic resonance imaging at 3 months. There was no long-term
      complication related to the muscle incision at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: The
      posterior paramedian approach is a simple and versatile technique to obtain
      lateral viewing angle to the spine and useful for approaching lesions residing
      ventral to the spinal cord.

PMID- 28645605
TI  - Emergency Reoperations in Cranial Neurosurgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Complications after neurosurgical procedures that lead to reoperation
      are associated with poor outcome and economic costs. Therefore the aim of our
      study was to establish predictors of reoperation due to complications after
      cranial neurosurgery. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 875 patients who
      underwent a cranial neurosurgical procedure. We used univariate and multivariate
      logistic regression analysis to determine the possible predictors of reoperation.
      RESULTS: A total of 78 (8.91%) patients underwent emergency reoperation. Those
      patients more often were operated due to brain tumor (50.65% vs. 38.43%; P =
      0.036) and least often due to head trauma (22.08% vs. 32.99%; P = 0.049).
      Reoperated patients more often underwent frontal craniotomy (26.47% vs. 13.46%; P
      < 0.01) and least often had burr hole surgery (7.35% vs. 19.21%; P = 0.016).
      Patients who did not require reoperation were more often operated during a
      weekend (5.29% vs. 16.99%; P < 0.01). After adjustment for confounders, weekend
      surgeries (OR: 0.309; 95% CI: 0.111-0.861; P = 0.025) remained independently
      associated with reduced risk of reoperation and frontal craniotomy (OR: 1.355;
      95% CI: 1.005-1.354; P = 0.046) and lower mean cell hemaglobin concentration (OR:
      2.227; 95% CI: 1.230-4.033; P < 0.01) remained independently associated with
      higher risk of reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Brain tumor surgery and frontal
      craniotomy are associated with a higher risk of emergency reoperation. Patients
      with head trauma, operated on during a weekend, and those who underwent burr hole
      surgery are less likely to be reoperated. Frontal craniotomy and lower mean cell
      hemoglobin concentration are independently associated with a higher risk of
      reoperation and operation during a weekend with lower risk of reoperation.

PMID- 28645607
TI  - The TCA cycle as a bridge between oncometabolism and DNA transactions in cancer.
AB  - Cancer cells exploit metabolic rearrangements for sustaining their high
      proliferation rate and energy demand. The TCA cycle is a central metabolic hub
      necessary for ATP production and for providing precursors used in many
      biosynthetic pathways. Thus, dysregulation of the TCA cycle flux is frequently
      observed in cancer. The identification of mutations in several enzymes of the TCA
      cycle in human tumours demonstrated a direct connection between this metabolic
      pathway and cancer occurrence. Moreover, changes in the expression/activity of
      these enzymes were also shown to promote metabolic adaptation of cancer cells. In
      this review, the main genetic and non-genetic alterations of TCA cycle in cancer
      will be described. Particular attention will be given to extrametabolic roles of
      TCA cycle enzymes and metabolites underlying the regulation of nuclear and
      mitochondrial DNA transactions.

PMID- 28645606
TI  - Presence of a Malignant Tumor as a Novel Predictive Factor for Repeated
      Recurrences of Chronic Subdural Hematoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Various risk factors for recurrence of chronic subdural hematomas
      (CSDHs) have been reported, including alcohol addiction and diabetes mellitus.
      However, the significance of malignant tumors with respect to CSDH recurrence
      remains unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 281 patients with a first
      time CSDH from 2006 to 2016. The difference in the recurrence rate within 100
      days postoperatively was compared between patients with a past or present
      extracranial malignant tumor and those with neither a past nor present
      extracranial malignant tumor at presentation. Patients in the former group were
      further divided into 2 subgroups: those with present tumors and those with past
      tumors. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS: A
      significantly greater repeated recurrence rate (>2 recurrences) was observed in
      patients with than without a past or present malignant tumor (8.5% vs. 1.7%,
      respectively; P = 0.01); no significant difference in the first recurrence rate
      was observed (19.1% vs. 16.2%, respectively; P = 0.63). Furthermore, patients
      with a present malignant tumor showed a marginally increased repeated recurrence
      rate than did patients with a past malignant tumor (20.0% vs. 3.1%, respectively;
      P = 0.053). In the multivariate analysis, a monolayer hematoma was the only risk
      factor for first recurrence (odds ratio, 3.16; P = 0.003), while a present
      malignant tumor was the only significant risk factor for repeated recurrences
      (odds ratio, 16.49; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a malignant tumor
      can be a novel predictive factor for repeated CSDH recurrences. Patients with
      malignant tumors should be carefully followed, and treatment options such as
      subcutaneous reservoir placement may be considered to prevent further
      recurrences.

PMID- 28645608
TI  - The role of losartan in preventing vascular remodeling in spontaneously
      hypertensive rats by inhibition of the H2O2/VPO1/HOCl/MMPs pathway.
AB  - Vascular peroxidase 1 (VPO1) has been proved to be associated with vascular
      endothelial cell apoptosis by producing reactive oxygen species. However, the
      contribution of VPO1 to the development of vascular remodeling (VR) remains to be
      fully characterized. We explored the role of VPO1 in VR in spontaneously
      hypertensive rats (SHRs) and the underlying mechanism of losartan in inhibiting
      VR. Compared to Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats, the SHR showed remodeling of their
      vascular walls. The level of VPO1 and the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration
      were increased in the SHRs. However, the SHRs pretreated with losartan showed
      significant inhibition of blood pressure and VR and decreased levels of VPO1 and
      H2O2 compared to the non-treated SHRs. Angiotensin II significantly increased the
      expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and the concentrations of H2O2 and hypochlorous acid
      (HOCl) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, only the H2O2 level
      increased in VSMCs when transfected with VPO1 shRNA. These results support a
      critical but previously unrecognized role of VPO1 in VR and suggest that
      therapies to reduce VPO1 may be novel approaches for VR.

PMID- 28645609
TI  - Identification and characterization of a novel antimicrobial protein from the
      housefly Musca domestica.
AB  - Antimicrobial peptides/proteins are immune-related molecules that are widely
      distributed in bacteria, fungi, plants, invertebrates and higher animals. They
      have exhibited great potential to be developed into antimicrobial drugs. The
      housefly, Musca domestica, lives in a highly contaminated environment and has
      adapted a robust immune system against various pathogens. As an effort to search
      for new antimicrobial molecules in the housefly, we investigated the function of
      an uncharacterized gene firstly by confirming that its expression was induced by
      infection in M. domestica. The corresponding protein was then shown to have
      potent antimicrobial activity. Scanning Electron Microscopy data showed that
      treatment of C. albicans cells with the protein caused cell size decreasing and
      cell elongation. The results here suggest the protein a novel class of
      antimicrobial protein and provide new insights into the immunological mechanisms
      by which M. domestica combats invading C. albicans.

PMID- 28645610
TI  - Inhibition of mitochondrial translation effectively sensitizes renal cell
      carcinoma to chemotherapy.
AB  - The functional importance of mitochondrial protein translation has been recently
      documented in the context of various cancers but not renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
      In lines with these efforts, our work demonstrates that mitochondrial translation
      inhibition by tigecycline or depletion of EF-Tu mitochondrial translation factor
      effectively targets RCC and significantly sensitizes RCC response to
      chemotherapy. We show that antibiotic tigecycline inhibits multiple biological
      functions of RCC, including growth, colony formation and survival. It also
      significantly enhances in vitro and in vivo efficacy of paclitaxel in RCC.
      Tigecycline preferentially inhibits translation of mitochondrial DNA-encoded
      proteins, activities of mitochondrial respiratory complexes that contain
      mitochondrially encoded subunits. As a consequence of mitochondrial respiratory
      chain inhibition, decreased mitochondrial respiration is observed in RCC cells
      exposed to tigecycline. In contrast, tigecycline is ineffective in RCC rho0 cells
      that lack mitochondrial DNA and subsequent mitochondrial respiration, further
      confirm mitochondrial translation inhibition as the mechanism of tigecycline's
      action in RCC. Importantly, genetic inhibition of mitochondrial translation by EF
      Tu knockdown reproduced the inhibitory effects of tigecycline. Finally, we show
      the association between mitochondrial translation inhibition and suppression of
      PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Our work used pharmacological and genetic
      strategies to demonstrate the important roles of mitochondrial translation in RCC
      and emphasize the therapeutic value of sensitizing RCC to chemotherapy.

PMID- 28645611
TI  - Activation of central nesfatin-1/NucB2 after intraperitoneally administered
      cisplatin in rats.
AB  - Cisplatin, known as an anticancer drug, has been widely used; however, diverse
      disadvantageous side effects, including appetite loss, afflict patients. Nesfatin
      1/NucB2, discovered as an anorexic neuropeptide, is broadly expressed in the
      central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral organ. In the present study, we
      examined the effects of intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered cisplatin on
      central nesfatin-1/NucB2. Saline, as control, or cisplatin (6 mg/kg dissolved in
      saline) was i.p. administered in adult male Wistar rats (180-220 g). Cumulative
      food intake was remarkably suppressed for at least 24 h and body weight was
      significantly smaller at 24 h after i.p. administration of cisplatin compared to
      control group. At 90 min after i.p. administration, they were perfused, followed
      by carrying out double-immunohistochemistry for Fos and nesfatin-1/NucB2. The
      percentage of nesfatin-1/NucB2 immunoreactive neurons expressing Fos was marked
      increased in the hypothalamus and brainstem after i.p. administration of
      cisplatin. Intracerebroventricularlly administered nesfatin-1/NucB2-antisense
      resulted in a significant attenuation of decreased food intake for 2 h after i.p.
      administration of cisplatin compared to nesfatin-1/NucB2-missense treated group.
      These results suggest that i.p. administration of cisplatin activated, at least
      in part, nesfatin-1/NucB2 neuron in the CNS and may exert anorexigenic effects in
      rats.

PMID- 28645612
TI  - IL-1beta induced methylation of the estrogen receptor ERalpha gene correlates
      with EMT and chemoresistance in breast cancer cells.
AB  - Inflammation has been recently acknowledged as a key participant in the
      physiopathology of oncogenesis and tumor progression. The inflammatory cytokine
      IL-1beta has been reported to induce the expression of markers associated with
      malignancy in breast cancerous cells through Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
      (EMT). Aggressive breast cancer tumors classified as Triple Negative do not
      respond to hormonal treatment because they lack three crucial receptors, one of
      which is the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha). Expression of ERalpha is then
      considered a good prognostic marker for tamoxifen treatment of this type of
      cancer, as the binding of this drug to the receptor blocks the transcriptional
      activity of the latter. Although it has been suggested that inflammatory
      cytokines in the tumor microenvironment could regulate ERalpha expression, the
      mechanism(s) involved in this process have not yet been established. We show here
      that, in a cell model of breast cancer cells (6D cells), in which the
      inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta induces EMT by activation of the IL-1beta/IL
      1RI/beta-catenin pathway, the up regulation of TWIST1 leads to methylation of the
      ESR1 gene promoter. This epigenetic modification produced significant decrease of
      the ERalpha receptor levels and increased resistance to tamoxifen. The direct
      participation of IL-1beta in these processes was validated by blockage of the
      cytokine-induced signaling pathway by wortmannin inactivation of the effectors
      PI3K/AKT. These results support our previous reports that have suggested direct
      participation of the inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta in the transition to
      malignancy of breast cancer cells.

PMID- 28645613
TI  - Regulation of testicular steroidogenesis by Foxa3 via transcriptional modulation
      of ERalpha signaling in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
AB  - Although both insulin and estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) are known to exert
      inhibitory effects on testicular steroidogenesis, it remains unknown whether
      these pathways regulate testosterone (T) production under certain pathological
      conditions [e.g., type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)] in a coordinated manner. Here,
      we found that the expression of forkhead box protein A3 (Foxa3), an essential
      transcriptional regulator engaged in adipogenesis and energy metabolism, was
      significantly down-regulated in the Leydig cells (LCs) from T-deficient T2DM
      mice. Functionally, upon hCG stimulation, Foxa3 recruits to the Esr1 promoter and
      suppresses the transactivation of Esr1 gene. Disruption of this recruitment by
      T2DM-elicited hyperinsulinemia led to abnormal activation of ERalpha pathway,
      inhibited steroidogenic enzyme genes expression, and thus caused inadequate T
      production. Therapeutically, insulin-impaired and Foxa3 ablation-compromised
      steroidogenesis were effectively rescued by a pharmacological inhibitor of the
      ERalpha pathway. These findings reveal an obligatory coregulatory role of Foxa3
      in the regulation of ERalpha expression and of the Foxa3/ERalpha cascade, at
      least in part, in the pathogenesis of androgen deficiency caused by T2DM.

PMID- 28645614
TI  - Site-1 protease, a novel metabolic target for glioblastoma.
AB  - Sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) are transcriptional
      regulators of lipids which promote glioblastoma growth. Here, we investigate the
      effect of inhibiting expression of SREBP target genes in human glioblastoma
      cells. This was achieved by using PF-429242 to inhibit site-1 protease (S1P), an
      enzyme required for SREBP activation. Treatment with PF-429242 decreased
      glioblastoma cell viability, induced apoptosis and downregulated steroid,
      isoprenoid and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathways. Several pro
      inflammatory genes were upregulated. Collectively, these results demonstrate the
      potential of S1P as a target for glioblastoma therapy.

PMID- 28645615
TI  - An energy-efficient data transmission scheme for remote state estimation and
      applications to a water-tank system.
AB  - An energy-efficient data transmission scheme for remote state estimation is
      proposed and experimentally evaluated in this paper. This new transmission
      strategy is presented by proving an upper bound of the system performance.
      Stability of the remote estimator is proved under the condition that some of the
      observation measurements are lost in a random probability. An experimental
      platform of two coupled water tanks with a wireless sensor node is established to
      evaluate and verify the proposed transmission scheme.

PMID- 28645616
TI  - Epidemiological and sociodemographic factors associated with complicated alcohol
      withdrawal syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To analyse the influence of epidemiological and sociodemographic
      factors in complicated alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A
      multicentre, observational prospective study was conducted on consecutively added
      patients with AWS hospitalised in internal medicine departments. We recorded
      sociodemographic, epidemiological, clinical and progression data. Complicated AWS
      was defined as that which progressed with seizures or delirium tremens. RESULTS:
      We studied 228 episodes of AWS in 219 patients. The mean age was 54.5 years (SD,
      11.5), and 90.8% were men. AWS was the cause for hospitalisation in 39.9% of the
      patients. Some 27.1% of the cases presented seizures, and 32.4% presented
      delirium tremens. The daily quantity of alcohol ingested was 17.8 standard drink
      units (SD, 21.4), with 16.6 years of dependence (SD, 11.3). The pattern of
      alcohol abuse was regular in 82.8% of the patients. Some 38.4% of the patients
      were married or had a partner, and 45.6% had children. Some 72.7% of the patients
      were unemployed or retired. Some 68.5% had only completed primary studies. Some
      4.8% consumed cannabis, 5.2% consumed cocaine and 3% consumed opioids. The
      independent variables related to complicated AWS were consumption of a drug other
      than alcohol (OR, 5.3; 95% CI 1.5-18.7), low education level (OR, 3.4; 95% CI 1.6
      7.3) and hospitalisation for AWS (OR, 2.9; 95% CI 1.5-5.6). The model's receiver
      operating characteristic area was 0.718 (95% CI 0.643-0.793). CONCLUSIONS:
      Concomitant drug abuse and a low educational level could help identify patients
      at risk of complicated AWS.

PMID- 28645617
TI  - Featuring: Asymptomatic adolescent varicoceles.

PMID- 28645618
TI  - Featuring: Distal ureteral diameter in the resolution of vesicoureteral reflux.

PMID- 28645619
TI  - Supporting and caring for transgender and gender nonconforming youth in the
      urology practice.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Gender identity is a person's internal sense of gender, which may
      be different than the sex they were assigned at birth. Pediatric urologists are
      starting to see more transgender and gender non-conforming (TGN) youth and need
      to be able to provide culturally competent and appropriate care for these
      patients and their caregivers. This review will discuss common transgender
      terminology, specific health concerns and treatment options. METHODS AND
      MATERIALS: A systematic literature review was performed on Medline(r), PubMed(r),
      and Google ScholarTM for key words transgender, gender dysphoria and gender
      identity disorder. Original research articles and relevant reviews were examined
      as well as transgender treatment guidelines from several organizations. These
      studies and expert opinion are summarized in this review. RESULTS: In this
      rapidly growing area of medicine, there is very little literature and few
      evidence-based studies. Treatment guidelines are based on small studies and
      expert opinion. CONCLUSION: Transgender and gender nonconforming youth are at
      high risk for mental health concerns and other health disparities based on their
      gender identity. Pediatric urologists can create a safe and welcoming environment
      for these patients and their caregivers to discuss these matters. Providers who
      are able to provide competent care for TGN youth can improve outcomes for this
      group.

PMID- 28645620
TI  - Jean-Paul Amoureux: Having fun with quadrupolar nuclei.

PMID- 28645622
TI  - In-vivo effects of knocking-down metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in the
      SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder due to
      loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). The mechanisms of neuronal death are
      largely unknown, thus prejudicing the successful pharmacological treatment. One
      major cause for MN degeneration in ALS is represented by glutamate(Glu)-mediated
      excitotoxicity. We have previously reported that activation of Group I
      metabotropic Glu receptors (mGluR1 and mGluR5) at glutamatergic spinal cord nerve
      terminals produces abnormal Glu release in the widely studied SOD1G93A mouse
      model of ALS. We also demonstrated that halving mGluR1 expression in the SOD1G93A
      mouse had a positive impact on survival, disease onset, disease progression, and
      on a number of cellular and biochemical readouts of ALS. We generated here
      SOD1G93A mice with reduced expression of mGluR5 (SOD1G93AGrm5-/+) by crossing the
      SOD1G93A mutant mouse with the mGluR5 heterozigous Grm5-/+ mouse. SOD1G93AGrm5-/+
      mice showed prolonged survival probability and delayed pathology onset. These
      effects were associated to enhanced number of preserved MNs, decreased astrocyte
      and microglia activation, reduced cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration, and
      regularization of abnormal Glu release in the spinal cord of SOD1G93AGrm5-/+
      mice. Unexpectedly, only male SOD1G93AGrm5-/+ mice showed improved motor skills
      during disease progression vs. SOD1G93A mice, while SOD1G93AGrm5-/+ females did
      not. These results demonstrate that a lower constitutive level of mGluR5 has a
      significant positive impact in mice with ALS and support the idea that blocking
      Group I mGluRs may represent a potentially effective pharmacological approach to
      the disease.

PMID- 28645621
TI  - Two delta opioid receptor subtypes are functional in single ventral tegmental
      area neurons, and can interact with the mu opioid receptor.
AB  - The mu and delta opioid receptors (MOR and DOR) are highly homologous members of
      the opioid family of GPCRs. There is evidence that MOR and DOR interact, however
      the extent to which these interactions occur in vivo and affect synaptic function
      is unknown. There are two stable DOR subtypes: DPDPE sensitive (DOR1) and
      deltorphin II sensitive (DOR2); both agonists are blocked by DOR selective
      antagonists. Robust motivational effects are produced by local actions of both
      MOR and DOR ligands in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Here we demonstrate that
      a majority of both dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic VTA neurons express
      combinations of functional DOR1, DOR2, and/or MOR, and that within a single VTA
      neuron, DOR1, DOR2, and MOR agonists can differentially couple to downstream
      signaling pathways. As reported for the MOR agonist DAMGO, DPDPE and deltorphin
      II produced either a predominant K+ dependent hyperpolarization or a Cav2.1
      mediated depolarization in different neurons. In some neurons DPDPE and
      deltorphin II produced opposite responses. Excitation, inhibition, or no effect
      by DAMGO did not predict the response to DPDPE or deltorphin II, arguing against
      a MOR-DOR interaction generating DOR subtypes. However, in a subset of VTA
      neurons the DOR antagonist TIPP-Psi augmented DAMGO responses; we also observed
      DPDPE or deltorphin II responses augmented by the MOR selective antagonist CTAP.
      These findings directly support the existence of two independent, stable forms of
      the DOR, and show that MOR and DOR can interact in some neurons to alter
      downstream signaling.

PMID- 28645624
TI  - Response to Letter to the Editor.

PMID- 28645623
TI  - Identification of a coumarin-based antihistamine-like small molecule as an anti
      filoviral entry inhibitor.
AB  - Filoviruses, consisting of Ebola virus, Marburg virus and Cuevavirus, cause
      severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans with high mortality rates up to 90%.
      Currently, there is no approved vaccine or therapy available for the prevention
      and treatment of filovirus infection in humans. The recent 2013-2015 West African
      Ebola epidemic underscores the urgency to develop antiviral therapeutics against
      these infectious diseases. Our previous study showed that GPCR antagonists,
      particularly histamine receptor antagonists (antihistamines) inhibit Ebola and
      Marburg virus entry. In this study, we screened a library of 1220 small molecules
      with predicted antihistamine activity, identified multiple compounds with potent
      inhibitory activity against entry of both Ebola and Marburg viruses in human
      cancer cell lines, and confirmed their anti-Ebola activity in human primary
      cells. These small molecules target a late-stage of Ebola virus entry. Further
      structure-activity relationship studies around one compound (cp19) reveal the
      importance of the coumarin fused ring structure, especially the hydrophobic
      substituents at positions 3 and/or 4, for its antiviral activity, and this
      identified scaffold represents a favorable starting point for the rapid
      development of anti-filovirus therapeutic agents.

PMID- 28645625
TI  - Foreword for the special issue on the Tenth International Workshop on Low Energy
      Electron Microscopy and Photoemission Electron Microscopy.

PMID- 28645626
TI  - What makes an active public realm? Opportunities and challenges for research.

PMID- 28645627
TI  - Does higher education protect against obesity? Evidence using Mendelian
      randomization.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this explorative study was to examine the effect of
      education on obesity using Mendelian randomization. METHODS: Participants
      (N=2011) were from the on-going nationally representative Young Finns Study (YFS)
      that began in 1980 when six cohorts (aged 30, 33, 36, 39, 42 and 45 in 2007) were
      recruited. The average value of BMI (kg/m2) measurements in 2007 and 2011 and
      genetic information were linked to comprehensive register-based information on
      the years of education in 2007. We first used a linear regression (Ordinary Least
      Squares, OLS) to estimate the relationship between education and BMI. To identify
      a causal relationship, we exploited Mendelian randomization and used a genetic
      score as an instrument for education. The genetic score was based on 74 genetic
      variants that genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have found to be associated
      with the years of education. Because the genotypes are randomly assigned at
      conception, the instrument causes exogenous variation in the years of education
      and thus enables identification of causal effects. RESULTS: The years of
      education in 2007 were associated with lower BMI in 2007/2011 (regression
      coefficient (b)=-0.22; 95% Confidence Intervals [CI]=-0.29, -0.14) according to
      the linear regression results. The results based on Mendelian randomization
      suggests that there may be a negative causal effect of education on BMI (b=-0.84;
      95% CI=-1.77, 0.09). CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that education could be a
      protective factor against obesity in advanced countries.

PMID- 28645628
TI  - The association between socioeconomic status and subclinical atherosclerosis in a
      rural Bangladesh population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Bangladesh, CVD accounts for the majority of non-communicable
      mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of socioeconomic
      status (SES) on subclinical atherosclerosis measured as carotid intima-media
      thickness (IMT) in a rural Bangladesh population. METHODS: Carotid IMT was
      measured between 2010 and 2011 in 1022 participants (average age 46, 40% male)
      randomly selected from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS),
      a population-based prospective cohort study based in rural Bangladesh. SES was
      measured as occupation type, land ownership, educational attainment, and
      television ownership. RESULTS: Half of the participants received formal education
      (53%) and under half owned land (48%) and a television (44%). Women were
      primarily homemakers (95%) and men worked as factory workers (24%), laborers
      (18%), or in business (55%). In univariate analysis, those owning greater than
      one acre of land (p=0.03), owning a television (p=0.02), or laborers and business
      owners compared to factory workers had higher levels of carotid IMT (p<0.01). In
      multivariate analysis after adjustment for confounders, only men employed in the
      business sector had elevated carotid IMT compared to factory workers. The
      association was strongest in older men (58.7MUm, 95% CI 17.2-100.0, >=50years
      old) compared to younger men (13.7MUm, 95% CI -7.8-35.2, <50years old).
      CONCLUSION: Business sector employment was positively associated with subclinical
      atherosclerosis after adjustment for confounders. This finding is consistent with
      evidence from other developing nations suggesting that certain SES factors are
      independent predictors of CVD.

PMID- 28645629
TI  - Production and characterization of aluminium oxide nanoshells on spray dried
      lactose.
AB  - Atomic layer deposition (ALD) enables deposition of dense nanometer thick metal
      oxide nanoshells on powder particles with precise thickness control. This leads
      to products with low weight fraction coating, also when depositing on nano- or
      micron sized powder particles. This study aimed at investigating the aluminium
      oxide nanoshell thickness required to prevent moisture sorption. The nanoshells
      were produced with ALD on spray-dried lactose, which is amorphous and extremely
      hygroscopic. The particles were studied with dynamic vapor sorption between 0 and
      50% RH, light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction,
      differential scanning calorimetry, and polarized light microscopy. The ALD did
      not induce any recrystallization of the amorphous lactose. The dynamic vapor
      sorption indicated that the moisture sorption was almost completely inhibited by
      the nanoshell. Neat amorphous lactose rapidly recrystallized upon moisture
      exposure. However, only ca. 15% of the amorphous lactose particles recrystallized
      of a sample with 9% (by weight) aluminium oxide nanoshell at storage for six
      months upon 75% RH/40 degrees C, which indicate that the moisture sorption was
      completely inhibited in the majority of the particles. In conclusion, the
      aluminium oxide nanoshells prevented moisture sorption and dramatically improved
      the long term physical stability of amorphous lactose. This shows the potential
      of the ALD-technique to protect drug microparticles.

PMID- 28645630
TI  - Evolution of Cyclodextrin Nanosponges.
AB  - Cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (CD-NSs) are insoluble, highly cross-linked 3D
      network polymers used in several scientific and technological fields, the main
      area of investigation concerns the pharmaceutical applications, in which CD-NSs
      have been mostly employed as drug delivery systems. CD-NSs can be generally
      grouped into four consecutive generations, taking into account their chemical
      composition and properties. The 1st generation of NSs are plain nanosponges,
      subdivided into four main types: urethane, carbonate, ester and ether NSs,
      depending on the chemical nature of the functional group connecting the CD to the
      cross-linker. The 2nd generation of NSs are modified nanosponges characterized by
      specific properties, such as fluorescence and electric charge. The 3rd generation
      of NSs is represented by stimuli-responsive CD polymers, which are able to
      modulate their behavior according to external variations in the environment, such
      as pH and temperature gradients, oxidative/reducing conditions, and finally the
      4th generation of NSs, a new family of molecularly imprinted CD polymers (MIPs),
      exhibiting a high selectivity towards specific molecules. The following review
      focuses on the evolution of cyclodextrin nanosponges, listing some examples of
      each generation.

PMID- 28645631
TI  - Outcomes of First-Generation EGFR-TKIs Against Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
      Harboring Uncommon EGFR Mutations: A Post Hoc Analysis of the BE-POSITIVE Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Beyond progression after tyrosine kinase inhibitor in EGFR-positive
      non-small-cell lung cancer patients (BE-POSITIVE) was the first Italian
      multicenter observational study that reported the outcomes of first-generation
      epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in a
      "real-life" Caucasian EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) population.
      The sharing of multi-institutional experiences represents a crucial strategy to
      enrich knowledge about uncommon EGFR mutations. Therefore, we performed a post
      hoc analysis of the BE-POSITIVE study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data of advanced
      NSCLC patients with uncommon EGFR mutations who received first-line first
      generation EGFR-TKIs in 24 Italian Hospitals were collected. In this analysis we
      aimed to evaluate overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and
      overall response rate (ORR) of EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC patients harboring uncommon
      EGFR mutations. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients harboring uncommon EGFR mutations
      (any mutation other than deletion 19 or substitution of leucine by arginine at
      codon 858) were included of the original 312 EGFR-mutated cases. Most of them
      were female (n = 20, 57.1%), former smokers (n = 23, 65.7%), with adenocarcinoma
      (n = 31, 88.6%). The most frequent EGFR mutations were G719X (n = 6, 17.2%) and
      L861Q (n = 5, 14.2%). The population presented an ORR of 25.7%, a median PFS of
      5.19 months, and a median OS of 14.49 months. When stratified according to type
      of EGFR mutation, median OS ranged from 3.65 months for unspecified mutations to
      21.29 for double EGFR mutations. Median PFS ranged from 1.77 months for
      unspecified mutations to 20.83 months for concomitant EGFR-anaplastic lymphoma
      kinase alteration. ORR varied from 0% in exon 18, 20 and double gene alteration
      to 66.6% in exon 19. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the existence of a strong
      outcome heterogeneity within patients harboring uncommon EGFR mutations, which
      needs to be clarified to achieve a real personalized treatment strategy.

PMID- 28645632
TI  - Adjuvant Chemotherapy Guided by Molecular Profiling and Improved Outcomes in
      Early Stage, Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Many early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who
      are not considered candidates for adjuvant treatment according to current
      guidelines do harbor occult metastasis, and have disease recurrence despite
      complete resection. Although National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
      guidelines suggest clinicopathologic characteristics to identify high-risk
      patients for adjuvant intervention, molecular profiling more accurately predicts
      5-year survival. Early evidence of clinical benefit from application of this
      molecular-based management strategy, however, has not been reported. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: An internationally validated, prognostic, 14-gene quantitative
      polymerase chain reaction expression assay was used to stratify risk
      prospectively in 100 consecutive patients with stage IA, IB, and IIA nonsquamous
      NSCLC. Kaplan-Meyer estimates, log rank analysis, and Cox regression were used to
      compare disease-free survival (DFS) between high-risk patients who did or did not
      elect adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients (48%) were deemed high
      risk according to molecular testing and 36 (36%) met NCCN high-risk criteria;
      risk designations were discordant in 34 (34%) of all patients. Estimated 5-year
      DFS was 48.9% among molecular high-risk patients who did not undertake adjuvant
      chemotherapy, 93.8% among untreated molecular low-risk patients, and 91.7% in
      molecular high-risk patients who did undergo chemotherapy (P = .004). In
      contrast, DFS was only 75.2% in untreated NCCN low-risk patients, and 61.9% in
      untreated NCCN high-risk patients (P = .183). CONCLUSION: This prospective,
      nonrandomized study provides initial evidence that high-risk designation
      according to the 14-gene prognostic assay also predicts benefit from adjuvant
      chemotherapy for very early stage NSCLC, and further supports the superiority of
      molecular stratification over current NCCN criteria at identifying high-risk
      patients.

PMID- 28645633
TI  - Portal blood pressure and hypoxemia: The 2 main mechanisms of liver regeneration?

PMID- 28645634
TI  - Hormonal behavior correlates with follicular recruitment at mid-gestation in the
      South American plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus (Rodentia, Caviomorpha).
AB  - In mammals, hormonal regulation during gestation is crucial for embryo
      implantation and pregnancy success. This regulation is controlled through the
      level of progesterone (P4) that blocks the activity of the hypothalamic
      hypophyseal-gonadal (HHG) axis. Previous studies in the pregnant South American
      plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus, have shown that the HHG axis activates
      around mid-gestation, promoting pre-ovulatory follicle formation. However, the
      characterization of the hormonal dynamics throughout gestation and its ovarian
      correlation has not been studied in depth. We studied the ovarian dynamics of L.
      maximus and its correlation with the hormonal profile during gestation, analyzing
      serum levels of P4, 17beta-estradiol (E2), 4Delta-androstenedione (A4),
      luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) as well as the
      ovarian distribution and expression of their receptors. Additionally, we have
      analyzed the folliculogenesis and accessory corpora lutea (ACL) formation. P4
      showed two concentration peaks reaching its highest level at mid-gestation
      decreasing at 91-100days post-coitum. P4 decrease is followed by an increase of
      circulating levels of A4, E2, FSH and LH and with an elevated number of
      antral/pre-ovulatory follicles which express PGR, ESR1, ESR2, AR, LHR and FSHR.
      In addition, ACL with oocyte retention and cytoplasmic lipid droplets in luteal
      cells were detected at this time point. These results show that in L. maximus the
      decrease of P4 level from mid-gestation enables follicular recruitment until pre
      ovulatory stage and the development of functional ACL.

PMID- 28645635
TI  - Cytotoxicity of the coagulant Moringa oleifera lectin (cMoL) to B16-F10 melanoma
      cells.
AB  - Moringa oleifera seeds are used in alternative medicine to treat inflammation,
      tumors and bacterial and protozoan infections, for example. The seeds contain
      lectins, which are carbohydrate-binding proteins with several biological
      properties including cytotoxicity to cancer cells. In this work, we examined the
      cytotoxicity of the coagulant M. oleifera lectin (cMoL) on B16-F10 murine
      melanoma cells. cMoL cytotoxic effects were evaluated through trypan blue assay
      and flow cytometry analysis. Mitochondrial superoxide levels and activation of
      caspases 3, 8 and 9 were measured. cMoL (1.5-16MUM) reduced viability and caused
      cell death of B16-F10 cells with an IC50 of 9.72MUM. Flow cytometry analysis
      indicated induction of necrosis and suggested the presence of cells in late
      apoptosis. Specificity for tumor cells was observed since death of normal human
      fibroblasts (GN) was not higher than 20% in treatments with cMoL from 1.5 to
      16MUM. Microscopy images revealed rounded shape and reduction of volume in B16
      F10 cells treated with cMoL. cMoL increased mitochondrial ROS production and
      promoted caspases 3, 8 and 9 activation in B16-F10 cells, indicating the
      activation of apoptosis-related pathway. In conclusion, this study demonstrates
      that cMoL is cytotoxic to B16-F10 cells, which stimulates more investigation on
      the anticancer potential of this lectin.

PMID- 28645636
TI  - Theobromine does not affect postprandial lipid metabolism and duodenal gene
      expression, but has unfavorable effects on postprandial glucose and insulin
      responses in humans.
AB  - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Chocolate consumption is associated with a decreased risk for
      CVD. Theobromine, a compound in cocoa, may explain these effects as it favorably
      affected fasting serum lipids. However, long-term effects of theobromine on
      postprandial metabolism as well as underlying mechanisms have never been studied.
      The objective was to evaluate the effects of 4-week theobromine consumption (500
      mg/day) on fasting and postprandial lipid, lipoprotein and glucose metabolism,
      and duodenal gene expression. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind crossover
      study, 44 healthy men and women, with low baseline HDL-C concentrations consumed
      500 mg theobromine or placebo daily. After 4-weeks, fasting blood was sampled and
      subjects participated in a 4-h postprandial test. Blood was sampled frequently
      for analysis of lipid and glucose metabolism. In a subgroup of 10 men, 5 h after
      meal consumption duodenal biopsies were taken for microarray analysis. RESULTS: 4
      weeks theobromine consumption lowered fasting LDL-C (-0.21 mmol/L; P = 0.006),
      and apoB100 (-0.04 g/L; P = 0.022), tended to increase HDL-C (0.03 mmol/L; P =
      0.088) and increased hsCRP (1.2 mg/L; P = 0.017) concentrations. Fasting apoA-I,
      TAG, FFA, glucose and insulin concentrations were unchanged. In the postprandial
      phase, theobromine consumption increased glucose (P = 0.026), insulin (P = 0.011)
      and FFA (P = 0.003) concentrations, while lipids and (apo)lipoproteins were
      unchanged. In duodenal biopsies, microarray analysis showed no consistent changes
      in expression of genes, pathways or gene sets related to lipid, cholesterol or
      glucose metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: It is not likely that the potential beneficial
      effects of cocoa on CVD can be ascribed to theobromine. Although theobromine
      lowers serum LDL-C concentrations, it did not change fasting HDL-C, apoA-I, or
      postprandial lipid concentrations and duodenal gene expression, and unfavorably
      affected postprandial glucose and insulin responses. This trial was registered on
      clinicaltrials.gov under study number NCT02209025.

PMID- 28645637
TI  - Antimicrobial and biological activity of leachate from light curable pulp capping
      materials.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Characterization of a number of pulp capping materials and assessment
      of the leachate for elemental composition, antimicrobial activity and cell
      proliferation and expression. METHODOLOGY: Three experimental light curable pulp
      capping materials, Theracal and Biodentine were characterized by scanning
      electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The
      elemental composition of the leachate formed after 24h was assessed by
      inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The antimicrobial activity of the leachate was
      determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against multispecies
      suspensions of Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Streptococcus gordonii ATCC 33478
      and Streptococcus sobrinus ATCC 33399. Cell proliferation and cell metabolic
      function over the material leachate was assessed by an indirect contact test
      using 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazolyl-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.
      RESULTS: The hydration behavior of the test materials varied with Biodentine
      being the most reactive and releasing the highest amount of calcium ions in
      solution. All materials tested except the unfilled resin exhibited depletion of
      phosphate ions from the solution indicating interaction of the materials with the
      media. Regardless the different material characteristics, there was a similar
      antimicrobial activity and cellular activity. All the materials exhibited no
      antimicrobial activity and were initially cytotoxic with cell metabolic function
      improving after 3days. CONCLUSIONS: The development of light curable tricalcium
      silicate-based pulp capping materials is important to improve the bonding to the
      final resin restoration. Testing of both antimicrobial activity and biological
      behavior is critical for material development. The experimental light curable
      materials exhibited promising biological properties but require further
      development to enhance the antimicrobial characteristics.

PMID- 28645638
TI  - Genome-wide Targeted Mutagenesis in Rice Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System.

PMID- 28645639
TI  - Construction of a Genome-Wide Mutant Library in Rice Using CRISPR/Cas9.

PMID- 28645640
TI  - Communicating to promote informed decisions in the context of early pregnancy
      loss.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate residents' ability to engage standardized patients in
      informed decision making during a pregnancy loss scenario. METHODS: Forty patient
      encounters between interns and standardized patients were coded to assess
      informed decision-making practices, exploration of unexpressed concerns, and
      support provision. RESULTS: Interns engaged in minimum informed decision making
      but did not address all of the communicative elements necessary for informed
      decisions, and most elements were only partially addressed. Patients in this
      study did not receive information about all management options, their concerns
      were not addressed, and there was limited support communicated for their
      decision. CONCLUSION: This study offers an initial assessment of a communicative
      approach to evaluate and improve decision making during early pregnancy loss. A
      comprehensive approach to making informed decisions must include discussion of
      all management options, exploration of patient preferences and concerns, and
      support for the patient's decision. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Physicians could
      benefit from communication skills training to communicate more effectively with
      patients to help them make more informed decisions.

PMID- 28645641
TI  - Homogenizing bacterial cell factories: Analysis and engineering of phenotypic
      heterogeneity.
AB  - In natural habitats, microbes form multispecies communities that commonly face
      rapidly changing and highly competitive environments. Thus, phenotypic
      heterogeneity has evolved as an innate and important survival strategy to gain an
      overall fitness advantage over cohabiting competitors. However, in defined
      artificial environments such as monocultures in small- to large-scale
      bioreactors, cell-to-cell variations are presumed to cause reduced production
      yields as well as process instability. Hence, engineering microbial production
      toward phenotypic homogeneity is a highly promising approach for synthetic
      biology and bioprocess optimization. In this review, we discuss recent studies
      that have unraveled the cell-to-cell heterogeneity observed during bacterial gene
      expression and metabolite production as well as the molecular mechanisms
      involved. In addition, current single-cell technologies are briefly reviewed with
      respect to their applicability in exploring cell-to-cell variations. We highlight
      emerging strategies and tools to reduce phenotypic heterogeneity in
      biotechnological expression setups. Here, strain or inducer modifications are
      combined with cell physiology manipulations to achieve the ultimate goal of
      equalizing bacterial populations. In this way, the majority of cells can be
      forced into high productivity, thus reducing less productive subpopulations that
      tend to consume valuable resources during production. Modifications in uptake
      systems, inducer molecules or nutrients represent valuable tools for diminishing
      heterogeneity. Finally, we address the challenge of transferring homogeneously
      responding cells into large-scale bioprocesses. Environmental heterogeneity
      originating from extrinsic factors such as stirring speed and pH, oxygen,
      temperature or nutrient distribution can significantly influence cellular
      physiology. We conclude that engineering microbial populations toward phenotypic
      homogeneity is an increasingly important task to take biotechnological
      productions to the next level of control.

PMID- 28645642
TI  - NGS and blood group systems: State of the art and perspectives.
AB  - Molecular analysis, or genotyping, of genes involved in the expression of blood
      group antigens has been a standard strategy used in immunohaematology
      laboratories routinely. For the past ten years, next-generation sequencing (NGS),
      or second-generation sequencing, has become the reference method in genetics.
      Extensive study of distinct targets, large genomic regions, and even whole genome
      is henceforth possible by this approach at minimal cost. Blood group genotyping
      has thus taken advantage of this technological advent. A few preliminary studies
      have open the way to NGS in this field by studying one or several genes, in a
      wide range of samples (donors and patients) by using several different platforms.
      These works have helped in the identification of both the benefits and
      limitations of the technology. Other recently published studies have benefited
      from these preliminary data to improve the methodology, specificity and accuracy
      of output data. In parallel novel strategies, i.e. third-generation sequencing,
      which can sequence long DNA regions at the single-molecule level, have emerged
      and shown promise for the potential resolution of complex rearrangements
      involving genes of the Rh and MNS blood group systems respectively. As
      technological and methodological hurdles have been overcome, these approaches may
      be used in a clinical situation in a near future.

PMID- 28645643
TI  - Management of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
AB  - Daily therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) transformed the historically fatal
      prognosis of acquired, anti-ADAMTS13 antibody-mediated thrombotic
      thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), leading to the current overall survival rates of
      >80%. However, relapses occur in up to 40% of patients and refractory disease
      with fatal outcomes still occurs, typically within the first days of management.
      In this context, the introduction of rituximab has been the second major
      breakthrough in TTP management. Rituximab is now routinely recommended during the
      acute phase, typically in patients with a suboptimal response to treatment, and
      increasingly as frontline therapy, with high response rates in the following
      weeks. In more severe patients, salvage strategies typically include twice daily
      TPE, pulses of cyclophosphamide, as well as splenectomy in the more desperate
      cases. In this life-threatening and debilitating disease, relapses can be
      efficiently prevented in patients with a severe acquired ADAMTS13 deficiency and
      otherwise in remission with the use of rituximab. In the coming years, the TTP
      therapeutic landscape should be enriched by original strategies stemming from
      clinical experience and new agents that are currently being evaluated in large,
      international, clinical trials. Promising agents under evaluation include
      caplacizumab (an inhibitor of the glycoprotein-Ib/IX-Von-Willebrand factor axis),
      N-acetylcysteine, recombinant ADAMTS13, and anti-plasmocyte compounds.

PMID- 28645644
TI  - [Antiplatelet agents and transfusion].
AB  - Antiplatelet agents are at risk for bleeding complications, the management of
      which differs depending on the clinical situation and on the antiplatelet agent
      itself. Neutralization of antiplatelets is sometimes necessary, most often
      leading to platelet transfusion, although the benefit of this strategy is poorly
      documented. In addition, if platelet transfusion corrects the platelet inhibition
      induced by aspirin and probably by clopidogrel and prasugrel, it does not
      neutralize ticagrelor, as a consequence of its pharmacological properties. The
      clinical benefit of platelet transfusion is limited, and the most recent studies
      are challenging it. However, it is indicated on a perioperative basis for
      surgeries with high hemorrhagic risk and is discussed in severe hemorrhages. The
      neutralization of ticagrelor is a concern and the antidote currently under
      development may be a solution. In all cases, other therapeutic solutions may be
      considered, such as administration of desmopressin, tranexamic acid or activated
      factor VII.

PMID- 28645645
TI  - Determinants of plasma donation: A review of the literature.
AB  - The major contribution of Human Sciences in the understanding of the whole blood
      donation behavior has been through the study of individuals' motivations and
      deterrents to donate. However, if whole blood donation has been very widely
      studied in the last sixty years, we still know very little about plasma donation
      in voluntary non-remunerated environments. Yet, the need for plasma-derived
      products has been strongly increasing for some years, and blood collection
      agencies have to adapt if they want to meet this demand. This article aims to
      review the main motivations and deterrents to whole blood donation, and to
      compare them with those that we already know concerning plasma donation. Current
      evidence shows similarities between both behaviors, but also differences that
      indicate a need for further research regarding plasma donation.

PMID- 28645646
TI  - Association of bullous pemphigoid with malignancy: A systematic review and meta
      analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating whether malignancy rate is increased in patients
      with bullous pemphigoid (BP) have reached conflicting results. OBJECTIVE: We
      sought to determine whether BP is associated with malignancy. METHOD: Medline,
      EMBASE, the Cochrane library, and reference lists of included studies were
      searched for comparative studies that evaluated the relationship between BP and
      malignancy. Data were analyzed on the basis of study design: cross-sectional,
      case control, and cohort. A meta-analysis was performed by using a random effects
      model to estimate pooled odds ratio. RESULTS: The review included 8 studies. No
      association between BP and overall cancer was found for any of the study designs.
      Although a single cohort study reported an association with lymphoid leukemia and
      kidney and larynx cancer, a pooled analysis of case-control studies did not. A
      pooled analysis of cross-sectional studies found a significant association
      between BP and hematologic malignancies. LIMITATIONS: The paucity of well
      designed studies hindered the possibility of proving or disproving the BP-cancer
      association. CONCLUSION: We did not find an association of BP with overall
      malignancy, but a possible association with hematologic malignancy was observed.

PMID- 28645647
TI  - Racial disparity in mycosis fungoides: An analysis of 4495 cases from the US
      National Cancer Database.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies have shown contradictory results regarding the survival
      outcomes among white, African American, and Asian patients with mycosis fungoides
      (MF). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the survival outcomes among white, African American,
      and Asian patients with MF and to determine other prognostic factors of the
      disease. METHODS: The US National Cancer Database was used to identify patients
      with histologically confirmed MF from 2004 to 2014. Clinicopathologic,
      socioeconomic, and treatment data were compared among the races by using the chi
      square test. Overall survival was evaluated by using the log-rank test,
      multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, and propensity score-matched
      analysis. RESULTS: Of 4459 patients with MF, 77.7% were white, 19.2% were African
      American, and 3.2% were Asian. Older age, treatment received in a community
      facility, government insurance, higher Charlson-Deyo score, male sex, higher
      clinical stage, receipt of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and African American
      race were predictors of poor overall survival on multivariate analysis (P <
      .001), whereas Asian race trended toward improved outcomes (P = .07).
      LIMITATIONS: Retrospective analysis. CONCLUSION: African American patients with
      MF demonstrated poorer survival than white patients after accounting for disease
      characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and types of treatment, warranting
      further investigation into the underlying biology of MF and prescribed treatment
      modalities.

PMID- 28645648
TI  - Promotion of iron nutrition and growth on peanut by Paenibacillus illinoisensis
      and Bacillus sp. strains in calcareous soil.
AB  - This study aimed to explore the effects of two siderophore-producing bacterial
      strains on iron absorption and plant growth of peanut in calcareous soil. Two
      siderophore-producing bacterial strains, namely, YZ29 and DZ13, isolated from the
      rhizosphere soil of peanut, were identified as Paenibacillus illinoisensis and
      Bacillus sp., respectively. In potted experiments, YZ29 and DZ13 enhanced root
      activity, chlorophyll and active iron content in leaves, total nitrogen,
      phosphorus and potassium accumulation of plants and increased the quality of
      peanut kernels and plant biomass over control. In the field trial, the inoculated
      treatments performed better than the controls, and the pod yields of the three
      treatments inoculated with YZ29, DZ13, and YZ29+DZ13 (1:1) increased by 37.05%,
      13.80% and 13.57%, respectively, compared with the control. Based on terminal
      restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, YZ29 and DZ13 improved the
      bacterial community richness and species diversity of soil surrounding the peanut
      roots. Therefore, YZ29 and DZ13 can be used as candidate bacterial strains to
      relieve chlorosis of peanut and promote peanut growth. The present study is the
      first to explore the effect of siderophores produced by P. illinoisensis on iron
      absorption.

PMID- 28645649
TI  - Evaluation of a selective chromogenic medium for detecting vancomycin-resistant
      enterococci.
AB  - Rapid identification of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) can assist in
      choosing the appropriate treatment and preventing VRE spread. The performance of
      chromIDTM VRE agar was evaluated using 184 clinical isolates of Enterococcus spp.
      and reference strains. The test had a sensitivity of 95.52% but a low specificity
      of 30%.

PMID- 28645650
TI  - Isolation, identification, and biocontrol of antagonistic bacterium against
      Botrytis cinerea after tomato harvest.
AB  - Tomato is one of the most important vegetables in the world. Decay after harvest
      is a major issue in the development of tomato industry. Currently, the most
      effective method for controlling decay after harvest is storage of tomato at low
      temperature combined with usage of chemical bactericide; however, long-term usage
      of chemical bactericide not only causes pathogen resistance but also is harmful
      for human health and environment. Biocontrol method for the management of disease
      after tomato harvest has great practical significance. In this study,
      antagonistic bacterium B-6-1 strain was isolated from the surface of tomato and
      identified as Enterobacter cowanii based on morphological characteristics and
      physiological and biochemical features combined with sequence analysis of 16SrDNA
      and ropB gene and construction of dendrogram. Effects of different concentrations
      of antagonistic bacterium E. cowanii suspension on antifungal activity after
      tomato harvest were analyzed by mycelium growth rate method. Results revealed
      that antifungal activity was also enhanced with increasing concentrations of
      antagonistic bacterium; inhibitory rates of 1*105 colony-forming units (cfu)/mL
      antagonistic bacterial solution on Fusarium verticillioides, Alternaria
      tenuissima, and Botrytis cinerea were 46.31%, 67.48%, and 75.67%, respectively.
      By using in vivo inoculation method, it was further confirmed that antagonistic
      bacterium could effectively inhibit the occurrence of B. cinerae after tomato
      harvest, biocontrol effect of 1*109cfu/mL zymotic fluid reached up to 95.24%, and
      antagonistic bacterium E. cowanii has biocontrol potential against B. cinerea
      after harvest of fruits and vegetables.

PMID- 28645651
TI  - Post-transplant cholangiopathy: Classification, pathogenesis, and preventive
      strategies.
AB  - Biliary complications are the most frequent cause of morbidity, re
      transplantation, and even mortality after liver transplantation. In general,
      biliary leakage and anastomotic and non-anastomotic biliary strictures (NAS) can
      be recognized. There is no consensus on the exact definition of NAS and different
      names and criteria have been used in literature. We propose to use the term post
      transplant cholangiopathy for the spectrum of abnormalities of large donor bile
      ducts, that includes NAS, but also intraductal casts and intrahepatic biloma
      formation, in the presence of a patent hepatic artery. Combinations of these
      manifestations of cholangiopathy are not infrequently found in the same liver and
      ischemia-reperfusion injury is generally considered the common underlying
      mechanism. Other factors that contribute to post-transplant cholangiopathy are
      biliary injury due to bile salt toxicity and immune-mediated injury. This review
      provides an overview of the various types of post-transplant cholangiopathy, the
      presumed pathogenesis, clinical implications, and preventive strategies.

PMID- 28645654
TI  - Epigenome dysregulation in cholangiocarcinoma.
AB  - Epigenomics is a fast-evolving field of research that has lately attracted
      considerable interest, mainly due to the reversibility of epigenetic marks.
      Clinically, among solid tumors, the field is still limited. In cholangiocarcinoma
      (CCA) it is well known that the epigenetic landscape is deregulated both during
      carcinogenesis and disease progression as a consequence of aberrant mechanisms
      leading to genome instability. In this article, we will briefly review the
      molecular alterations that have been described in the transformation of normal
      cholangiocytes into malignant derivatives, focusing on the role of non-coding RNA
      (ncRNA) interactions, DNA methylation, post-translational modifications (PTMs) of
      histones and chromatin remodeling complexes.

PMID- 28645652
TI  - Androgen inhibits key atherosclerotic processes by directly activating ADTRP
      transcription.
AB  - Low androgen levels are associated with an increased risk of coronary artery
      disease (CAD), thrombosis and myocardial infarction (MI), suggesting that
      androgen has a protective role. However, little is known about the underlying
      molecular mechanism. Our genome-wide association study identified the ADTRP gene
      encoding the androgen-dependent TFPI regulating protein as a susceptibility gene
      for CAD and MI. The expression level of ADTRP was regulated by androgen, but the
      molecular mechanism is unknown. In this study, we identified the molecular
      mechanism by which androgen regulates ADTRP expression and tested the hypothesis
      that androgen plays a protective role in cardiovascular disease by activating
      ADTRP expression. Luciferase assays with an ADTRP promoter luciferase reporter
      revealed that androgen regulated ADTRP transcription in a dose- and time
      dependent manner, and the effect was abolished by three different androgen
      inhibitors, including pyrvinium pamoate, bicalutamide, and cyproterone acetate.
      Chromatin-immunoprecipitation showed that the androgen receptor bound to a half
      androgen response element (ARE, TGTTCT) located at +324bp from the ADTRP
      transcription start site. The ARE is required for concentration-dependent
      transcriptional activation of ADTRP. HL-60 monocyte adhesion to EAhy926
      endothelial cells (ECs) and transmigration across the EC layer, the two processes
      critical to development of CAD and MI, were inhibited by androgen, but the effect
      was rescued by ADTRP siRNA and exacerbated by overexpression of ADTRP and its
      downstream genes PIK3R3 and MIA3. These data suggest that one molecular mechanism
      by which androgen confers protection against CAD is stimulation of ADTRP
      expression.

PMID- 28645653
TI  - Catalase overexpression modulates metabolic parameters in a new 'stress-less'
      leptin-deficient mouse model.
AB  - Oxidative stress plays a key role in obesity by modifying the function of
      important biological molecules, thus altering obesogenic pathways such as glucose
      and lipid signaling. Catalase, is an important endogenous antioxidant enzyme that
      catabolizes hydrogen peroxide produced by the dismutation of superoxide. Recent
      studies have shown knockdown of catalase exacerbates insulin resistance and leads
      to obesity. We hypothesized that overexpressing catalase in an obese mouse will
      modulate obesogenic pathways and protect against obesity. Therefore, we bred
      catalase transgenic ([Tg(CAT)+/-] mice with Ob/Ob mice to generate the hybrid
      "Bob-Cat" mice. This newly generated "stress-less" mouse model had decreased
      oxidative stress (oxidized carbonylated proteins). ECHO-MRI showed lower fat mass
      but higher lean mass in "Bob-Cat" mice. Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring
      System (CLAMS) showed light and dark cycle increase in energy expenditure in Bob
      Cat mice compared to wild type controls. Circulating levels of leptin and
      resistin showed no change. Catalase mRNA expression was increased in key
      metabolic tissues (adipose, liver, intestinal mucosa, and brain) of the Bob-Cat
      mice. Catalase activity, mRNA and protein expression was increased in adipose
      tissue. Expression of the major adipokines leptin and adiponectin was increased
      while pro-inflammatory genes, MCP-1/JE and IL-1beta were lowered. Interestingly,
      sexual dimorphism was seen in body composition, energy expenditure, and metabolic
      parameters in the Bob-Cat mice. Overall, the characteristics of the newly
      generated "Bob-Cat" mice make it an ideal model for studying the effect of redox
      modulators (diet/exercise) in obesity.

PMID- 28645655
TI  - 5-Lipoxygenase in monocytes emerges as a therapeutic target for intimal
      hyperplasia in a murine wire-injured femoral artery.
AB  - Given the importance of leukotrienes in vascular inflammation induced by local
      tissue injury, this study investigated the role for 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) in
      monocytes in the development of intimal hyperplasia. As a mechanistic study, the
      importance of monocyte 5-LO in monocyte-macrophage differentiation with
      subsequent infiltration in neointima was evaluated. In a mouse model of wire
      injured femoral artery, intimal hyperplasia started as early as 2wks after
      injury, and luminal area and blood flow were reduced due to increased neointima
      formation. Time-dependent increases in macrophage infiltration were observed in
      neointima and showed a positive relationship with neointima volume. In 5-LO
      deficient (KO) mice or wild-type (WT) mice treated with an inhibitor of 5-LO
      activating protein (MK886, 1 and 10mg/kg), intimal hyperplasia and macrophage
      infiltration into neointima were reduced, but monocyte adhesion to injured
      luminal surface was not inhibited, which suggested 5-LO participates in monocyte
      macrophage differentiation. In an in vitro study, monocyte-macrophage
      differentiation was found to be increased by high mobility group box 1 protein
      (HMGB1), but this effect was attenuated in cells isolated from 5-LO-KO mice.
      Furthermore, macrophage infiltration and intimal hyperplasia were more prominent
      in 5-LO-KO mice transplanted with monocytes from WT mice than in 5-LO-KO mice
      transplanted with monocytes from 5-LO-KO mice. Taken together, it was suggested
      that 5-LO in monocytes played a pivotal role in monocyte-macrophage
      differentiation and subsequent infiltration of macrophage in neointima, leading
      to vascular remodeling after vascular injury.

PMID- 28645656
TI  - Allochthonous carbon is a major driver of the microbial food web - A mesocosm
      study simulating elevated terrestrial matter runoff.
AB  - Climate change predictions indicate that coastal and estuarine environments will
      receive increased terrestrial runoff via increased river discharge. This
      discharge transports allochthonous material, containing bioavailable nutrients
      and light attenuating matter. Since light and nutrients are important drivers of
      basal production, their relative and absolute availability have important
      consequences for the base of the aquatic food web, with potential ramifications
      for higher trophic levels. Here, we investigated the effects of shifts in
      terrestrial organic matter and light availability on basal producers and their
      grazers. In twelve Baltic Sea mesocosms, we simulated the effects of increased
      river runoff alone and in combination. We manipulated light (clear/shade) and
      carbon (added/not added) in a fully factorial design, with three replicates. We
      assessed microzooplankton grazing preferences in each treatment to assess whether
      increased terrestrial organic matter input would: (1) decrease the phytoplankton
      to bacterial biomass ratio, (2) shift microzooplankton diet from phytoplankton to
      bacteria, and (3) affect microzooplankton biomass. We found that carbon addition,
      but not reduced light levels per se resulted in lower phytoplankton to bacteria
      biomass ratios. Microzooplankton generally showed a strong feeding preference for
      phytoplankton over bacteria, but, in carbon-amended mesocosms which favored
      bacteria, microzooplankton shifted their diet towards bacteria. Furthermore, low
      total prey availability corresponded with low microzooplankton biomass and the
      highest bacteria/phytoplankton ratio. Overall our results suggest that in shallow
      coastal waters, modified with allochthonous matter from river discharge, light
      attenuation may be inconsequential for the basal producer balance, whereas
      increased allochthonous carbon, especially if readily bioavailable, favors
      bacteria over phytoplankton. We conclude that climate change induced shifts at
      the base of the food web may alter energy mobilization to and the biomass of
      microzooplankton grazers.

PMID- 28645657
TI  - Gross pathology, physiological and toxicological responses in relation to metals
      and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) burden in tilapia species from Ogun
      River, Nigeria.
AB  - We have investigated gross pathology, physiological (steroid precursors) and
      toxicological responses (oxidative stress and phase II biotransformation) in
      relation to tissue contaminant burden in Tilapia species along the entire length
      (320 km) of Ogun River, Nigeria. The Ogun River is the longest and largest river
      in Southwestern Nigeria located along heavily industrialized cities and receives
      complex mixtures of effluents. A total of 1074 tilapias were collected from three
      sampling points (Abeokuta, Isheri and Ikorodu) and from an upstream control point
      (Igboho) and evaluated for gross pathological changes, hepatic transcript levels
      for oxidative stress and phase II biotransformation responses. Trace metal
      concentrations and POPs in muscle samples were analyzed using ICP-MS and GC-MS
      respectively. Evaluation of gross pathological changes showed a 50-, 33-, 17 and
      0% prevalence of hepatic tumors at the Ikorodu, Abeokuta, Isheri and Igboho
      sites, respectively. Plasma concentrations of cholesterol and pregnenolone showed
      apparent significant decreases at downstream sites of the control point in both
      male and female fish (except for pregnenolone levels of male fish at Ikorodu).
      Inversely, gst, ugt-1, ZuCu-sod and sod significantly increased in fish collected
      from downstream sites, compared with the control site and these increases
      paralleled the significant increase in trace metal and POPs concentrations at
      these sites. PCA revealed a site related association between measured
      toxicological responses and contaminant burden, indicating a potential cause-and
      effect relationship. Thus, the possible adaptation of Ogun River Tilapia species
      to contaminants may have significant consequences on cellular, physiological and
      biochemical processes regulating metabolism, growth, development and
      reproduction, and also have serious human health consequences, since the Ogun
      River is used for fisheries and domestic water supply for surrounding
      neighborhoods.

PMID- 28645658
TI  - Spacer structure and hydrophobicity influences transfection activity of novel
      polycationic gemini amphiphiles.
AB  - Three novel polycationic gemini amphiphiles with different spacers were developed
      and evaluated in terms of their physiochemical properties and transfection
      efficiencies. Cationic liposomes formed by these amphiphiles and the helper lipid
      DOPE were able to successfully condense DNA, as shown by gel mobility shift and
      ethidium bromide intercalation assays. Transfection activity of the liposomes was
      superior to Lipofectamine(r) 2000 and was dependent on spacer structure,
      hydrophobicity, and nucleic acid type (pDNA or siRNA). We demonstrated that the
      cationic liposomes 2X6/DOPE and 2X7/DOPE are potential non-toxic vehicles for
      gene delivery.

PMID- 28645659
TI  - Synthesis, in vitro and in vivo giardicidal activity of nitrothiazole-NSAID
      chimeras displaying broad antiprotozoal spectrum.
AB  - We designed and synthesized five new 5-nitrothiazole-NSAID chimeras as analogues
      of nitazoxanide, using a DCC-activated amidation. Compounds 1-5 were tested in
      vitro against a panel of five protozoa: 2 amitochondriates (Giardia intestinalis,
      Trichomonas vaginalis) and 3 kinetoplastids (Leishmania mexicana, Leishmania
      amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi). All chimeras showed broad spectrum and potent
      antiprotozoal activities, with IC50 values ranging from the low micromolar to
      nanomolar order. Compounds 1-5 were even more active than metronidazole and
      nitazoxanide, two marketed first-line drugs against giardiasis. In particular,
      compound 4 (an indomethacin hybrid) was one of the most potent of the series,
      inhibiting G. intestinalis growth in vitro with an IC50 of 0.145MUM. Compound 4
      was 38-times more potent than metronidazole and 8-times more active than
      nitazoxanide. The in vivo giardicidal effect of 4 was evaluated in a CD-1 mouse
      model obtaining a median effective dose of 1.709MUg/kg (3.53nmol/kg), a 321-fold
      and 1015-fold increase in effectiveness after intragastric administration over
      metronidazole and nitazoxanide, respectively. Compounds 1 and 3 (hybrids of
      ibuprofen and clofibric acid), showed potent giardicidal activities in the in
      vitro as well as in the in vivo assays after oral administration. Therefore,
      compounds 1-5 constitute promising drug candidates for further testing in
      experimental chemotherapy against giardiasis, trichomoniasis, leishmaniasis and
      even trypanosomiasis infections.

PMID- 28645660
TI  - Corrigendum to "Prevalence of mutations within major hydrophilic region of
      hepatitis B virus and their correlation with genotypes among chronically infected
      patients in Egypt" [Arab J Gastroenterol 17 (2016) 34-40].

PMID- 28645661
TI  - Postoperative delirium in total joint arthroplasty patients.

PMID- 28645662
TI  - Development of a 3D printable maxillofacial silicone: Part II. Optimization of
      moderator and thixotropic agent.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Conventionally, maxillofacial prostheses are fabricated by
      hand carving the missing anatomic defect in wax and creating a mold into which
      pigmented silicone elastomer is placed. Digital technologies such as computer
      numerical control milling and 3-dimensional (3D) printing have been used to
      prepare molds, directly or indirectly, into which a biocompatible pigmented
      silicone elastomer can be placed. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was
      to develop a silicone elastomer that could be 3D printed directly without a mold
      to create facial or body prostheses by varying its composition. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: The room temperature vulcanizing silicone composition was divided into 2
      components which were mixed 1:1 to initiate polymerization in the printer before
      printing began. Different types of moderators and thixotropic agents were used,
      and the base composition was varied to obtain 11 formulations. The specimens were
      printed and polymerized from these formulations and tested for tear and tensile
      strength and hardness. Ten readings of the specimens were recorded for tear and
      tensile strength and 6 for hardness. Results were analyzed using ANOVA
      (alpha=.05). Visual assessment of uncured printed specimens was undertaken for 5
      formulations to assess any differences in their ability to hold their shape after
      printing. RESULTS: The tear and tensile strength of the 11 formulations with
      varying moderators, thixotropic agents, and base compositions were statistically
      similar to each other (P>.05). Five of 11 formulations were chosen for the visual
      assessment as they had sufficient thixotropic agent to avoid slumping while
      printing. The specimens showed varied slumping behavior until they polymerized.
      The filler content was increased in the selected formulation, and the tear and
      tensile strength of the formulation was increased to 6.138 kNm-1 and 3.836 MPa;
      these increases were comparable to those of commercial silicones currently used
      for the fabrication of facial prostheses. CONCLUSIONS: The optimum combination of
      mechanical properties implies the use of one of the formulations as a suitable
      material for the 3D printing of facial prostheses.

PMID- 28645663
TI  - Failure torque of ceramic neck titanium implant.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Dental implants are typically made of titanium. However,
      with the current systems on the market, the implant neck often shows through the
      gingival tissues as a black or dark gray line and/or as a grayish discoloration
      of the peri-implant soft tissue. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was
      to test a new implant design. The key component of this design is the ceramic
      shell that covers the polished collar of the tissue-level titanium implant and
      masks its dark color to mimic natural dentition. The main purpose was to
      determine the maximum torque for fracturing the ceramic shell and compare it with
      clinical implant insertion torque value. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Type 4
      commercially pure titanium endosseous implants of 3 different diameters (3.3,
      4.1, and 4.8 mm) were used. Porcelain was applied in 0.5-mm thickness to the
      polished collar of each implant. An axial-torsional universal testing machine was
      used to twist the implants until failure. The data (n=10) were statistically
      analyzed by ANOVA and the Tukey honest significant difference test (alpha=.05).
      The maximum torque for each diameter group was also compared with the optimum
      clinical implant insertion torque value of 35 Ncm (control) using a 1-sample t
      test. RESULTS: None of the tested groups had a fractured ceramic shell. Instead,
      the implant carriers fractured at the maximum torque levels. Therefore, the
      fracture of the implant carriers was selected as the maximum (failure) torque
      value. A statistical difference was found for the failure torque between the 3.3
      mm diameter and the other 2 diameters (P<.001) although no statistical
      differences were found between the 4.1-mm and 4.8-mm diameters (P=.106). A
      statistically significant difference was found between the failure torque of any
      one of the tested groups and the clinical insertion torque (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS:
      The ceramic shells did not fracture. Instead, the implant carriers fractured at
      certain torque levels. These levels were sufficiently higher than the clinical
      torque values.

PMID- 28645664
TI  - Muscle activity and masticatory efficiency with bilateral extension base
      removable partial dentures with different cusp angles.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Whether masticatory efficiency and electromyographic
      activity are influenced by type of artificial teeth and food is unclear. PURPOSE:
      The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the influence of extension
      base removable partial dentures (RPDs) with different cusp angles: anatomic (33
      degrees), semianatomic (20 degrees), and nonanatomic (0 degrees) teeth on
      masticatory efficiency and muscle activity during the mastication of test foods
      with different textures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve participants with RPDs were
      selected to perform masticatory efficiency and electromyographic tests. Surface
      electromyograms (EMGs) were used to record the activities of the masseter and
      temporalis muscles during the mastication of different types of test foods. The
      maximal voltage and duration were measured on the integrated EMG signal in each
      muscle during food mastication, and the mean reading of both sides was then
      recorded. Analysis of variance and the Tukey post hoc test were used to perform
      statistical analyses (alpha=.05). RESULTS: The masticatory efficiency of RPDs
      with nonanatomic teeth was significantly inferior to that of RPDs with anatomic
      and semianatomic teeth (P<.05). However, masticatory efficiency did not differ
      between anatomic and semianatomic teeth (P>.05). Also, muscle activity (according
      to EMG) with RPDs with NA teeth was significantly higher than that with anatomic
      and semianatomic teeth (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: RPDs with NA teeth were associated
      with higher EMG muscle activity and reduced masticatory efficiency than anatomic
      or semianatomic teeth.

PMID- 28645665
TI  - Experimental evaluation of stress distribution with narrow diameter implants: A
      finite element analysis.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Narrow diameter implants were developed to allow placement
      in narrow alveolar ridges. Clinicians may have concerns about the durability and
      function of such implants. PURPOSE: The purpose of this finite element study was
      to compare the stress values occurring on the implant and at the implant bone
      interface after the application of the static and dynamic forces on narrow
      diameter, titanium and titanium-zirconia implants in the maxillary and mandibular
      second premolar region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Titanium (Ti) and titanium
      zirconium (Ti-Zr) narrow diameter implants (3.3 mm in diameter, 10 mm in length)
      were simulated in the maxillary and mandibular second premolar region, and metal
      ceramic crown restorations were designed. Forces of 100 N were applied to crowns
      in a vertical and oblique (45-degree angle to the long axis) direction. Maximum
      and minimum principal stresses in the cortical and trabecular bone and the von
      Mises stresses and fatigue strength of the implants were evaluated with 3
      dimensional finite element analysis. RESULTS: In vertical and oblique static
      loading, Ti and Ti-Zr implants showed similar stress distribution within the same
      jaw models. However, the von Mises stresses in Ti-Zr implants were slightly
      higher than for Ti implants in all models. In oblique static and dynamic loading,
      all stresses were found higher than vertical loading, and fatigue failure results
      were found to be more critical than vertical forces. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a
      numerical simulation, Ti and Ti-Zr alloys can be used successfully as narrow
      diameter implants in the second premolar area.

PMID- 28645666
TI  - Color masking measurement for ceramic coating of titanium used for dental
      implants.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Poor implant placement or thin gingival tissue and
      progressive bone resorption may lead to the dark metal color showing through the
      peri-implant soft tissue. Whether the dark color can be adequately masked is
      unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to test the color
      masking effect of porcelain applied on titanium used in fabricating the polished
      collar of tissue level implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Type 4 commercially pure
      titanium disks and 5 porcelain dentin shades (A2, A3, B2, C2, and D3) were used.
      Ten titanium disk specimens per porcelain shade were airborne-particle abraded
      and ultrasonically cleaned. Porcelain was condensed directly on the specimens,
      fired, and finished (1200 grit SiC paper). The color (L*a*b* values) of the
      polished specimens was measured with a reflective spectrophotometer. The
      specimens were then ground and polished in 0.1 mm increments. Color was measured
      and DeltaE values were calculated at each increment until the thickness at which
      the DeltaE was greater than 3.3 was identified. The data (n=10) were
      statistically analyzed by ANOVA and the Tukey multiple-comparison test
      (alpha=.05). RESULTS: For ceramic thicknesses greater or equal to 0.5 mm for the
      A2, A3, B2, and C2 shades, the DeltaE was less than 3.3. This value was 0.4 mm
      for the D3 shade. CONCLUSIONS: The minimum ceramic thickness required to mask the
      underlying titanium color is 0.5 mm for all shades except D3, which only needs
      0.4 mm. L* decreased with thickness increase. Redness and yellowness increased
      with thickness increase.

PMID- 28645667
TI  - Effect of different restorative crown and customized abutment materials on stress
      distribution in single implants and peripheral bone: A three-dimensional finite
      element analysis study.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: In recent years, the use of resin-matrix ceramics and
      polyetheretherketone (PEEK) abutments has been suggested to absorb excessive
      stresses on dental implants. However, only a few studies have evaluated the
      effect of these materials on stress distribution in implants and peripheral bone
      structure. PURPOSE: The purpose of this finite element analysis was to evaluate
      the biomechanical behaviors of resin-matrix ceramics and PEEK customized
      abutments in terms of stress distribution in implants and peripheral bone.
      MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three-dimensional (3D) models of a bone-level implant
      system and a titanium base abutment were created by using the standard
      tessellation language (STL) data of original implant components. An anatomic
      customized abutment and a maxillary right second premolar crown were then modeled
      over the titanium base abutment. A bone block representing the maxillary right
      premolar area was created, and the implant was placed in the bone block with 100%
      osseointegration. Six different models were created according to combinations of
      restoration materials (translucent zirconia [TZI], lithium disilicate glass
      ceramic [IPS], polymer-infiltrated hybrid ceramic [VTE]), and customized abutment
      materials (PEEK and zirconia). In each model, the implants were loaded vertically
      (200 N) and obliquely (100 N). The stress distribution in the crown, implant, and
      abutments was evaluated through the von Mises stress analysis, and the stress
      distribution in the peripheral bone was examined through the maximum and minimum
      principal stress analyses. RESULTS: The oblique load resulted in high stress
      values in the implant components, restorative crown, and cortical bone. Low
      stress values were observed in the VTE crowns. Zirconia customized abutments
      exhibited higher stress values than PEEK customized abutments. The stress
      distributions in the implant and peripheral bone were similar in all models.
      CONCLUSIONS: Changes in restoration and customized abutment material did not
      affect stress distribution in the implant and peripheral bone.

PMID- 28645668
TI  - Titration technique using endoscopy for an oral appliance treatment of
      obstructive sleep apnea.
AB  - The degree of mandibular protrusion for an oral appliance (OA) should be
      customized for each patient with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This article
      describes the mandibular titration technique for OAs to effectively treat OSA by
      using endoscopy to evaluate the change in the airway at the velopharynx. This
      technique may minimize the degree of mandible protrusion and contribute to both
      the efficacy of and compliance with OA therapy.

PMID- 28645669
TI  - Multidisciplinary approach to oral rehabilitation with dental implants after
      gunshot injury: A clinical report.
AB  - This clinical report describes a multidisciplinary approach to treat a patient
      with edentulism and a severe anatomic defect in the mandible caused by a gunshot
      injury by using an implant-fixed complete dental prosthesis. An immediate loading
      interim implant-fixed complete dental prosthesis in the mandible associated with
      a maxillary removable complete denture prosthesis was initially provided to
      restore the intermaxillary relation. Nasal floor elevation and maxillary sinus
      augmentation were subsequently performed to increase the maxillary bone volume.
      Definitive implant-fixed complete dental prostheses were placed in both arches in
      order to rehabilitate this initially compromised anatomic condition, which
      ensured patient satisfaction and improvement in masticatory function and
      esthetics.

PMID- 28645670
TI  - Fracture resistance of CAD-CAM monolithic ceramic and veneered zirconia molar
      crowns after aging in a mastication simulator.
AB  - STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The demand for ceramic restorations has increased over the
      past years, and now various machinable materials can be used for chairside
      computer-aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) systems. Limited
      studies of these new materials make it difficult to evaluate their mechanical
      performance, advantages, and limitations. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro
      study was to investigate the fracture resistance of CAD-CAM monolithic ceramic
      and veneered zirconia molar crowns after thermomechanical aging. MATERIAL AND
      METHODS: A mandibular first molar tooth was prepared, and 12 different
      experimental groups were generated (n=10). An aging procedure was performed by
      subjecting the specimens to 12*105 mechanical cycles and 5000 thermocycles.
      Survival analysis was performed according to the thermomechanical aging. The
      fracture resistance (load at fracture) of all specimens was evaluated with 1-way
      analysis of variance after the means had been compared using the Tukey honest
      significant difference test and Weibull distributions of the experimental groups
      (alpha=.05). RESULTS: According to the results, the differences between the
      fracture resistance of the groups were found to be significant. Restorations in
      the dual network ceramic crown group fractured catastrophically during
      thermomechanical aging. In all groups, the highest value was found for monolithic
      zirconia, followed by monolithic lithium disilicate crowns (P<.05). Both of the
      monolithic crowns made of lithium disilicate derivates and zirconia crowns
      veneered with lithium disilicate ceramic showed no differences from each other
      (P>.05). The Weibull modulus (m) ranged from 4.22 to 8.58, and conventionally
      veneered and overpressed zirconia showed the lowest Weibull modulus values among
      the tested groups, indicating greater variation of the data. CONCLUSIONS: The
      highest fracture resistance was observed for yttria-stabilized zirconia crowns,
      followed by lithium disilicate derivates. Veneered zirconia restorations
      generally showed lower resistance than these ceramics. The dual network ceramic
      crowns fractured during thermomechanical aging.

PMID- 28645671
TI  - A proposal to improve health-care value in spine care delivery: the primary spine
      practitioner.

PMID- 28645672
TI  - Percutaneous pedicle screw placement under single dimensional fluoroscopy with a
      designed pedicle finder-a technical note and case series.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Minimally invasive spine surgery has become increasingly
      popular in clinical practice, and it offers patients the potential benefits of
      reduced blood loss, wound pain, and infection risk, and it also diminishes the
      loss of working time and length of hospital stay. However, surgeons require more
      intraoperative fluoroscopy and ionizing radiation exposure during minimally
      invasive spine surgery for localization, especially for guidance in
      instrumentation placement. In addition, computer navigation is not accessible in
      some facility-limited institutions. PURPOSE: This study aimed to demonstrate a
      method for percutaneous screws placement using only the anterior-posterior (AP)
      trajectory of intraoperative fluoroscopy. STUDY DESIGN: A technical report (a
      retrospective and prospective case series) was carried out. PATIENT SAMPLE:
      Patients who received posterior fixation with percutaneous pedicle screws for
      thoracolumbar degenerative disease or trauma comprised the patient sample.
      METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of consecutive 670 patients who
      received 4,072 pedicle screws between December 2010 and August 2015. Another case
      series study was conducted prospectively in three additional hospitals, and 88
      consecutive patients with 413 pedicle screws were enrolled from February 2014 to
      July 2016. The fluoroscopy shot number and radiation dose were recorded. In the
      prospective study, 78 patients with 371 screws received computed tomography at 3
      months postoperatively to evaluate the fusion condition and screw positions.
      RESULTS: In the retrospective series, the placement of a percutaneous screw
      required 5.1 shots (2-14, standard deviation [SD]=2.366) of AP fluoroscopy. One
      screw was revised because of a medialwall breach of the pedicle. In the
      prospective series, 5.8 shots (2-16, SD=2.669) were required forone percutaneous
      pedicle screw placement. There were two screws with a Grade 1 breach (8.6%), both
      at the lateral wall of the pedicle, out of 23 screws placed at the thoracic spine
      at T9-T12. Forthe lumbar and sacral areas, there were 15 Grade 1 breaches (4.3%),
      1 Grade 2 breach (0.3%), and 1 Grade 3 breach (0.3%). No revision surgery was
      necessary. CONCLUSION: This method avoids lateral shots of fluoroscopy during
      screw placement and thus decreases the operation time and exposes surgeons to
      less radiation. At the same time, compared with the computer-navigated procedure,
      it is less facility-demanding, and provides satisfactory reliability and
      accuracy.

PMID- 28645673
TI  - Supra-acetabular line is better than supra-iliac line for coronal balance
      referencing-a study of perioperative whole spine X-rays in degenerative lumbar
      scoliosis and ankylosing spondylitis patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The aim of spinal deformity correction is to restore the
      spine's functional alignment by balancing it in both the sagittal and coronal
      planes. Regardless of posture, the ideal coronal profile is straight, and
      therefore readily assessable. PURPOSE: This study compares two radiological
      methods to determine which better predicts postoperative standing coronal
      balance. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: We conducted a single-center, radiographic
      comparative study between 2011 and 2015. PATIENT SAMPLE: A total of 199 patients
      with a mean age of 55.1 years were studied. Ninety patients with degenerative
      lumbar scoliosis (DLS) and 109 ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were treated with
      posterior surgery during this period. OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline clinical and
      radiographic parameters (sagittal and coronal) were recorded. Comparison was
      performed between the new supra-acetabular line (central sacral vertical line
      [CSVL1]) and conventional supra-iliac line (CSVL2) perpendicular methods of
      coronal balance assessment. These methods were also compared with the gold
      standard standing C7 plumb line. METHODS: Each patient underwent standardized
      operative procedures and had perioperative spine X-rays obtained for assessment
      of spinal balance. Adjusted multivariate analysis was used to determine
      predictors of coronal balance. RESULTS: Significant differences in baseline
      characteristics (age, gender, and radiographic parameters) were found between
      patients with DLS and AS. CSVL1, CSVL2, and C7 plumb line differed in all the
      perioperative measurements. These three radiological methods showed a mean right
      coronal imbalance for both diagnoses in all pre-, intra-, and postoperative
      radiographs. The magnitude of imbalance was the greatest for CSVL2 followed by
      CSVL1 and subsequently the C7 plumb line. A larger discrepancy between CSVL and
      C7 plumb line measurements intraoperatively than those postoperatively suggests a
      postural effect on these parameters, which is greater for CSVL2. Multivariate
      analysis identified that in DLS, the preoperative C7 plumb line was predictive of
      its postoperative value. CSVL1, but not CSVL2, was predictive of the
      postoperative C7 plumb line in patients with AS. CONCLUSIONS: The supra
      acetabular line (CSVL1) is better, although not ideal, as compared with the supra
      iliac line (CSVL2) in determining coronal balance. Because CSVL1 still cannot be
      relied on with a high predictive value, it is imperative that future studies
      continue to identify better intraoperative markers for achieving coronal balance.

PMID- 28645674
TI  - Does spinal deformity correction of non-dystrophic scoliosis in neurofibromatosis
      type I with one-stage posterior pedicle screw technique produce outcomes similar
      to adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The efficacy of one-stage posterior pedicle screw instrument
      used in the treatment of non-dystrophic scoliosis in neurofibromatosis type I (NF
      1) is unknown. Also, there is no study that has directly compared the results of
      spinal deformity correction between non-dystrophic scoliosis in NF-1 and
      adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were
      to study the efficacy of a one-stage posterior pedicle screw instrument used in
      the treatment of non-dystrophic scoliosis in NF-1 and to compare non-dystrophic
      scoliosis in NF-1 with matched AIS to illustrate the differences. STUDY DESIGN:
      This is a retrospective case control study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Fifteen patients with
      non-dystrophic scoliosis in NF-1 and 15 patients with AIS underwent a one-stage
      posterior surgery with the pedicle screw system. OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative
      and postoperative whole-spine radiographs were used to determine coronal and
      sagittal Cobb angles. Also, the distance between the C7 plumb line and the center
      sacral vertical line and the sagittal vertebral axis was measured to assess
      spinal balance. The Scoliosis Research Society (SRS)-22 questionnaire was used to
      evaluate functional outcomes. METHODS: We matched 15 patients with non-dystrophic
      scoliosis in NF-1 with patients with AIS (ratio, 1:1) for age, sex, and degree of
      major deformity. The overall mean age was 13.4+/-2.0 and 14.0+/-2.1 years,
      respectively. The NF-1 group consisted of 10 boys and 5 girls, and the AIS group
      consisted of 9 boys and 6 girls. The mean follow-up was 37.6+/-3.9 and 33.5+/-5.0
      months, respectively. The AIS group underwent end vertebra (EV) or EV+1 fusion.
      The NF-1 group underwent EV+1, 2, or 3 fusion. Both coronal and sagittal Cobb
      angles, trunk balance, operative time, blood loss, fusion levels, length of stay,
      and scores on the SRS-22 questionnaire were compared between the two groups. The
      study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
      No. 81401760). There were no study-specific conflict of interest-associated
      biases. RESULTS: The preoperative main curve magnitude was similar between the
      two groups; however, the flexibility of the NF-1 group tended to be less than
      that of the AIS group. The rate of correction of the main curve obtained
      surgically (79.8% compared with 81.1%) was similar in the NF-1 and AIS groups.
      There were no significant differences in the loss of correction between the two
      groups (p>.05). Also, there were no significant differences between the groups in
      operative time, blood loss, fusion levels, screw number, length of stay, trunk
      balance, and scores on the SRS-22. There were no serious complications related to
      surgery in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the differences in preoperative
      flexibilities and fusion strategies, non-dystrophic scoliosis in NF-1 can be
      treated with a satisfied correction rate and progression rate similar to
      comparable AIS by using the one-stage posterior pedicle screw technique. Dural
      ectasia or thin pedicles in non-dystrophic scoliosis could make pedicle screw
      placement challenging.

PMID- 28645675
TI  - Anatomical considerations of the iliac crest on percutaneous endoscopic
      discectomy using a transforaminal approach.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy is a minimally invasive
      procedure for the surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). It can be
      performed under local anesthesia and requires a skin incision of only 8 mm, with
      minimal disruption of the spinal structures including ligaments and muscles.
      However, performing percutaneous endoscopic discectomy with a transforaminal
      approach (TF-PED) for the lower lumbar spine is associated with some anatomical
      problems, such as interference from the iliac crest. This study sought to assess
      the operability of TF-PED for the lower lumbar spine. PURPOSE: The purpose of
      this study was to assess a three-dimensional relationship between the trajectory
      of TF-PED and the iliac crest, and the operability of TF-PED at the lower lumbar
      disc levels (L4-L5 and L5-S1) using CT images. STUDY DESIGN: This is a
      retrospective study using 323 multiplanar abdominal computed tomography (CT)
      scans. PATIENT SAMPLE: We retrospectively reviewed contrast-enhanced multiplanar
      abdominal CT scans of 323 consecutive patients (203 male and 120 female) in our
      hospital from April 2009 to March 2013. The mean age was 66.5 (range 15-89) years
      old. OUTCOME MEASURES: The operability of the TF-PED was the outcome measure.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: We defined the tangent line in the iliac crest and the
      superior articular process of the caudal spine as the trajectory line of TF-PED,
      and evaluated the maximum inclination angle of the trajectory of the TF-PED
      (alpha angle) at the L4-L5 and the L5-S1 disc levels. Assuming the use of an
      oblique viewing endoscope at 25 degrees , we defined alpha angle>=65 degrees  as
      the operability of TF-PED. RESULTS: (1) Relationship between iliac crest and disc
      level: The trajectory of the TF-PED interfered with the iliac crest at L4-L5 in
      40.2% (right) and 54.5% (left) of the subjects, and at L5-S1 in 99.7% and 100% of
      the subjects. (2) The maximum inclination angle of the trajectory of TF-PED: the
      alpha angles were 84.3 degrees  and 82.3 degrees  at the L4-L5, and 56.8 degrees 
      and 55.2 degrees  at L5-S1. (3) Laterality of the alpha angle: At both disc
      levels, the mean age of the subjects with a laterality of >=10 degrees  was
      significantly higher than that of subjects with a laterality of <10 degrees . (4)
      Operability of TF-PED: At L4-L5, TF-PED could be performed in 94.4% and 90.4% of
      the subjects. In contrast, at L5-S1 the procedure could be performed in 24.1% and
      19.2% of the subjects (male: 15.8% and 10.8%, female: 38.3% and 33.3%).
      CONCLUSIONS: From the results of this study, the trajectory of TF-PED can be
      limited by the surrounding anatomical structures. The maximum inclination angle
      indicated that treatment for the central type of LDH at the L5-S1 disc level was
      considered more difficult than that at the L4-L5 disc level because of the iliac
      crest. In the clinical setting, such anatomical particularities can be overcome
      by using a more perpendicular approach (hand-down technique) with the possible
      addition of a foraminoplasty. Moreover, we found that we must consider the
      laterality of the trajectory of TF-PED in terms of the patients' age or sex.

PMID- 28645676
TI  - A journey through growth plates: tracking differences in morphology and
      regulation between the spine and the long bones in a pig model.
AB  - BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The process of linear growth is driven by axial elongation of
      both long bones and vertebral bodies and is accomplished by enchondral
      ossification. Differences in regulation between the two skeletal sites are
      mirrored clinically by the age course in body proportions. Whereas long bone
      growth plates (GPs) can easily be discriminated, vertebral GPs are part of the
      cartilaginous end plate, which typically shows important species differences.
      PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to describe and compare histologic,
      histomorphometric, and regulatory characteristics in the GPs of the spine and the
      long bones in a porcine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two- and six-week-old
      piglet GPs of three vertebral segments (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) and eight
      long bones (proximal and distal radius, humerus, tibia, and femur) were analyzed
      morphometrically. Further, estrogen receptors, proliferation markers, and growth
      factor expressions were examined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Individual
      vertebral GPs were smaller in width and contained fewer chondrocytes than long
      bone GPs, although their proliferation activity was similar. Whereas the
      expression pattern of growth hormone-associated factors such as insulin-like
      growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) was similar, estrogen receptor
      (ER)-beta and IGF-2 were distinctly expressed in the vertebral samples.
      CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral GPs display differential growth, with measurements similar
      to the slowest-growing GPs of long bones. Further investigation is needed to
      decipher the molecular basis of the differential growth of the spine and the long
      bones. Knowledge on the distinct mechanism will ultimately improve the assessment
      of clinically essential characteristics of spinal growth, such as vertebral
      elongation potential and GP fusion.

PMID- 28645677
TI  - Dry eye and Meibomian gland dysfunction with meibography in patients with
      lamellar ichthyosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the dry eye findings and Meibomian gland dysfunction as
      demonstrated with meibography in patients with lamellar ichthyosis. METHODS:
      Twenty-four eyes of 12 patients with lamellar ichthyosis (Group 1) and twenty
      four eyes of 12 healthy individuals (Group 2) were enrolled. Comprehensive eye
      examination along with corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining with Oxford
      scoring, tear film break-up time, Schirmer 1 test, ocular surface disease index
      (OSDI) score assessment, and evaluation of upper and lower eyelid Meibomian
      glands using infrared filter of slit-lamp biomicroscope (SL-D701, TOPCON, Tokyo,
      Japan) were performed. The Meibomian glands were graded from grade 0 (no loss of
      Meibomian glands) to grade 3 (gland dropout >2/3 of the total Meibomian glands).
      RESULTS: The mean ages of Group 1 and Group 2 were 25.3+/-15.6years (range, 9-61
      years) and 25.3+/-13.3years (range, 9-52 years), respectively (p=0.997). No
      significant difference in terms of best-corrected visual acuity, Schirmer 1 test
      and Oxford scores were detected in between groups. Mean tear film break-up time
      was lower (p=0.013), and OSDI score, lower, upper and total (upper+lower)
      meiboscores were significantly higher in Group 1 as compared with Group 2
      (p<0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Lamellar
      ichthyosis is associated with evaporative type dry eye disease with decreased
      tear film break-up time, normal Schirmer 1 values and Meibomian gland dysfunction
      that can objectively be demonstrated with meibography. For this reason, in order
      to prevent undesired complications, these patients should be examined and treated
      for dry eye disease especially targeting Meibomian gland dysfunction.

PMID- 28645678
TI  - Endolymphatic hydrops imaging: Differential diagnosis in patients with Meniere
      disease symptoms.
AB  - PURPOSE: The goal of this retrospective study was to investigate the differential
      diagnosis of endolymphatic hydrops in patients with Meniere's disease (MD)
      symptoms by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with intravenous injection of
      gadolinium chelate and delayed acquisition. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Two hundred
      patients (133 women, 67 men; mean age=67.2+/-11 ([SD] years) with unilateral MD
      underwent MRI at 3-T, between 4.5 and 5.5hours after intravenous administration
      of gadoterate meglumine at a dose of 0.1mmol/kg. MR images were analyzed for the
      presence of saccular hydrops, perilymphatic fistulae, inner ear malformations,
      semicircular canal (SCC) abnormal enhancement and brain lesions. We also tested
      the potential relationship between past history of gentamicin intratympanic
      administration and perilymphatic fistula presence and SCC aspect. RESULTS:
      Saccular hydrops were found in 96/200 patients with MD (48%). Three patients
      (1.5%) had perilymphatic fistulas associated with saccular hydrops, as confirmed
      by surgery. There was a correlation between the presence of perilymphatic fistula
      and past history of intratympanic gentamicin administration (P=0.02). We detected
      inner ear malformations in 5 patients (2.5%), SCC local enhancement in 15
      patients (7.5%) always on the same side than the clinical symptoms of MD. There
      was a correlation between the presence of SCC abnormal enhancement and past
      intratympanic gentamicin administration (P=0.001). Five patients (2.5%) had brain
      lesions along central cochleovestibular pathways. CONCLUSION: MRI may reveal
      brain lesions, SCC abnormalities and perilymphatic fistulae in patients with
      clinical MD.

PMID- 28645679
TI  - Percutaneous management of benign biliary disorders in children.
AB  - PURPOSE: The goal of this study was to analyze the outcomes of percutaneous
      transhepatic management of benign biliary disorders in pediatric patients.
      MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 11 pediatric patients who underwent
      percutaneous transhepatic biliary interventional procedures between September
      2007 and December 2016. There were 3 males and 8 females with a mean age of 9.6+/
      5.4 (SD)years (range: 2-17years). Technical details, complications and outcome of
      the procedures were evaluated. RESULTS: The underlying pathologies were bile duct
      stones (n=2), bile leakage (n=4), choledochal cyst (n=3) and benign biliary
      stricture (n=2). The therapeutic interventional procedures were as follows;
      percutaneous stone removal in patients with bile duct stones, external biliary
      drainage in patients with choledochal cyst, bile diversion by internal-external
      percutaneous biliary drainage (IE-PBD) in patients with bile leakage, plastic
      stent placement, IE-PBD with balloon dilatation in patients with benign biliary
      stricture. The procedures were successful in all patients technically and
      clinically. One patient experienced intermittent fever. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous
      transhepatic biliary interventional procedure is an effective and safe approach
      for the treatment of pediatric patients with bile duct stones, bile leakage,
      symptomatic choledochal cyst and benign biliary stricture when endoscopic
      procedure is unavailable or fails.

PMID- 28645680
TI  - Collection, processing and freezing of equine bone marrow cells.
AB  - There is no consensus on aspects of equine bone marrow collection and processing.
      The study aimed to describe the collection of large volumes of bone marrow from
      horses of advanced age, with emphasis on bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs)
      recovery and viability after cryopreservation. Fourteen horses, aged 3-24 years,
      were divided into three experiments. E1 studied the feasibility of collecting 200
      mL from the sternums of horses of advanced age; E2 examined the number of cells
      obtained from the first and last syringe of each puncture; and E3 investigated
      the influence of heparin concentration on the prevention of cell aggregation, and
      cell viability after freezing in liquid nitrogen. Bone marrow aspirations were
      done with syringes pre-filled with Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium and
      different concentrations of sodium heparin. BMMCs were counted, cell viability
      was determined, and samples were frozen. Bone marrow collection from the sternum
      is safe, even at large volumes and from horses of advanced age, and the number of
      cells recovered decreases with successive aspirations (p < 0.0001). Heparin
      concentration influenced cell aggregation, and recovered cells continued to be
      commercially viable after 150 days in frozen storage.

PMID- 28645681
TI  - Thermal thresholds of cardiovascular HL-1 cell destruction by cryothermal
      exposure.
AB  - The use of thermal based therapies for treatment of atrial fibrillation is
      increasing. While numerous reports are available in the literature regarding the
      efficacy of cryotherapy on pulmonary vein survival, there are no reports
      specifically at the cellular level that establish thermal thresholds and
      mechanisms of cellular destruction. The current article reports on the response
      of HL-1 cardiomyocytes to cooling rates and end temperatures during cryothermal
      exposure. The focus is on establishment of in vitro thresholds while also
      establishing mechanisms of action due to biophysical events (i.e. intracellular
      ice formation and water transport).

PMID- 28645682
TI  - Re: Subclinical thyroid dysfunction and mortality in type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 28645683
TI  - A single brain metastasis seen on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in recurrent breast cancer.

PMID- 28645684
TI  - Detection and quantification of 223Ra uptake in bone metastases of patients with
      castration resistant prostate carcinoma, with the aim of determining the absorbed
      dose in the metastases.
AB  - PURPOSES: To obtain the necessary acquisition and calibration parameters in order
      to evaluate the possibility of detecting and quantifying 223Ra uptake in bone
      metastases of patients treated for castration resistant prostate carcinoma.
      Furthermore, in the cases in which the activity can be quantified, to determine
      the absorbed dose. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Acquisitions from a Petri dish filled
      with 223Ra were performed in the gamma camera. Monte Carlo simulations were also
      performed to study the partial volume effect. Formulae to obtain the detection
      and quantification limits of 223Ra uptake were applied to planar images of two
      patients 7 days post-administration of 55kBq/kg of 223Ra. In order to locate the
      lesions in advance, whole-body scans and SPECT/CT images were acquired after
      injecting 99mTc-HDP. RESULTS: The optimal energy window was found to be at 82keV
      with a medium-energy collimator MEGP. Of the lesions found in the patients, only
      those that had been detected in both the AP and PA projections could be
      quantified. These lesions were those which had shown a higher 99mTc-HDP uptake.
      The estimated values of absorbed doses ranged between 0.7Gy and 7.8Gy.
      CONCLUSIONS: Of the lesions that can be detected, it is not possible to quantify
      the activity uptake in some of them, which means that the absorbed dose cannot be
      determined either. This does not mean that the absorbed dose in these lesions can
      be regarded as negligible.

PMID- 28645686
TI  - Relationship between cardiovascular disease and dental pathology. Systematic
      review.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The relationship between atherothrombotic
      cardiovascular disease (ATCD) and localised infections in teeth, including caries
      and chronic apical periodontitis (CAP) has not been studied much and is not well
      defined. METHOD: A systematic search was performed using the scientific databases
      PubMed and Medline from 1989 to 2016. RESULTS: A significant relationship was
      observed with ATCD in 10 out of 10 studies addressing the degree of oral hygiene,
      in 14 of 17 that included loss of teeth, in 6 of 12 that analysed caries and in
      11 of 15 that included CAP. However, there was a huge methodological
      heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that there is an association
      between CAP and ATCD. Patients with ATCD present a worse oral hygiene status and
      fewer teeth.

PMID- 28645685
TI  - Concordance between brain 18F-FDG PET and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in
      diagnosing Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Cortical posterior hypometabolism on PET imaging with 18F-FDG (FDG
      PET), and altered levels of Abeta1-42 peptide, total Tau (tTau) and
      phosphorylated Tau (pTau) proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are established
      diagnostic biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease (AD). An evaluation has been made of
      the concordance and relationship between the results of FDG-PET and CSF
      biomarkers in symptomatic patients with suspected AD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A
      retrospective review was carried out on 120 patients with cognitive impairment
      referred to our Cognitive Neurology Unit, and who were evaluated by brain FDG-PET
      and a lumbar puncture for CSF biomarkers. In order to calculate their Kappa
      coefficient of concordance, the result of the FDG-PET and the set of the three
      CSF biomarkers in each patient was classified as normal, inconclusive, or AD
      compatible. The relationship between the results of both methods was further
      assessed using logistic regression analysis, including the Abeta1-42, tTau and
      pTau levels as quantitative predictors, and the FDG-PET result as the dependent
      variable. RESULTS: The weighted Kappa coefficient between FDG-PET and CSF
      biomarkers was 0.46 (95% CI: 0.35-0.57). Logistic regression analysis showed that
      the Abeta1-42 and tTau values together were capable of discriminating an FDG-PET
      result metabolically suggestive of AD from one non-suggestive of AD, with a 91%
      sensitivity and 93% specificity at the cut-off line Abeta1-42=44+1.3*tTau.
      CONCLUSIONS: The level of concordance between FDG-PET and CSF biomarkers was
      moderate, indicating their complementary value in diagnosing AD. The Abeta1-42
      and tTau levels in CSF help to predict the patient FDG-PET cortical metabolic
      status.

PMID- 28645687
TI  - Generalized rash and lymphocytosis as clinical onset adult T-cell
      leukemia/lymphoma.

PMID- 28645688
TI  - Pubertal Timing, Smoking, and Sexual Activity.

PMID- 28645689
TI  - Duration and timing of daily light exposure influence the rapid shifting of
      BALB/cJ mouse circadian locomotor rhythms.
AB  - Photic entrainment of the murine circadian system can typically be explained with
      a discrete model in which light exposures near dusk and dawn can either advance
      or delay free-running rhythms to match the external light cycle period. In most
      mouse strains, the magnitude of those phase shifts is limited to several hours
      per day; however, the BALB/cJ mouse can re-entrain to large (6-8hour) phase
      advances of the light/dark cycle. In this study, we demonstrate that the
      circadian responses of BALB/cJ mice are dependent on duration as well as timing
      of light exposure, with significantly larger phase shifts resulting from >6-hour
      light exposures, yet loss of entrainment to photoperiods of <2-3hours per day or
      to skeleton photoperiods. Intermittent light exposures of the same total duration
      but distributed differentially over the same period of time as that of a 6-hour
      phase advance of the light cycle yielded phase shifts of different magnitudes
      depending on the pattern of exposure. Both negative and positive masking
      responses to light and darkness, respectively, were exaggerated in BALB/cJ mice
      under a T7 light cycle, but were not responsible for their rapid re-entrainment
      to chronic phase shifting of the light dark cycle. These results collectively
      suggest that the innately jetlag-resistant BALB/cJ mouse circadian system
      provides an alternative murine model in which to elucidate the limitations of
      photic entrainment observed in other commonly used strains of mice.

PMID- 28645690
TI  - Beyond the social stereotypes of hormones.

PMID- 28645691
TI  - Maternal exposure to a mixture of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) affects
      testis histology, epididymal sperm count and induces sperm DNA fragmentation in
      mice.
AB  - Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread throughout the environment
      and some are suspected to induce reproductive toxicity. As animals and humans are
      exposed to complex mixtures of POPs, it is reasonable to assess how such mixtures
      could interact with the reproductive system. Our aim is to investigate how
      maternal exposure to a mixture of 29 different persistent organic pollutants,
      formulated to mimic the relative POP levels in the food basket of the
      Scandinavian population, could alter reproductive endpoints. Female mice were
      exposed via feed from weaning, during pregnancy and lactation in 3 exposure
      groups (control (C), low (L) and high (H)). Testicular morphometric endpoints,
      epididymal sperm concentration and sperm DNA integrity were assessed in adult
      male offspring. We found that the number of tubules, proportion of tubule
      compartments and epididymal sperm concentration significantly decreased in both
      POP exposed groups. Epididymal sperm from both POP exposed groups showed
      increased DNA fragmentation. It is concluded that maternal exposure to a defined
      POP mixture relevant to human exposure can affect testicular development, sperm
      production and sperm chromatin integrity.

PMID- 28645692
TI  - Clinical implementation of combined modulated electron and photon beams with
      conventional MLC for accelerated partial breast irradiation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To report the clinical implementation of a novel external beam
      radiotherapy technique for accelerated partial breast irradiation treatments
      based on combined electron and photon modulated beams radiotherapy (MERT+IMRT)
      with conventional MLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of patients was selected to
      test the viability of the technique. The prescribed dose was 38.5Gy, following a
      hypofractionated schema, and the structures were defined following the NSABP
      B39/RTOG-0413 protocol. The plans were calculated with an in-house Monte Carlo
      based planning system to consider explicitly the particle interactions with the
      MLC. An ad-hoc breast phantom was designed for a specific QA protocol. A reduced
      SSD was used for electron beams. Toxicity and cosmetic effects were assessed at
      every follow-up visit. RESULTS: All the plans achieved the dosimetric objectives
      and fulfilled the specific quality assurance protocol. Treatment delivery did not
      entail additional drawbacks for the clinical routine. Moderate or severe grade of
      toxicity was not reported, and the cosmetic results were comparable to those
      obtained with other APBI techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that MERT+IMRT
      with the MLC is a feasible and secure technique, and easy to be extended to other
      centers with the implementation of the adequate software for planning.

PMID- 28645693
TI  - Male mice ultrasonic vocalizations enhance female sexual approach and
      hypothalamic kisspeptin neuron activity.
AB  - Vocal communication in animals is important for ensuring reproductive success.
      Male mice emit song-like "ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs)" when they encounter
      female mice, and females show approach to the USVs. However, it is unclear
      whether USVs of male mice trigger female behavioral and endocrine responses in
      reproduction. In this study, we first investigated the relationship between the
      number of deliveries in breeding pairs for 4months and USVs syllables emitted
      from those paired males during 3min of sexual encounter with unfamiliar female
      mice. There was a positive correlation between these two indices, which suggests
      that breeding pairs in which males could emit USVs more frequently had more
      offspring. Further, we examined the effect of USVs of male mice on female sexual
      behavior. Female mice showed more approach behavior towards vocalizing males than
      devocalized males. Finally, to determine whether USVs of male mice could activate
      the neural system governing reproductive function in female mice, the activation
      of kisspeptin neurons, key neurons to drive gonadotropin-releasing hormone
      neurons in the hypothalamus, was examined using dual-label immunocytochemistry
      with cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation (pCREB). In the
      arcuate nucleus (Arc), the number of kisspeptin neurons expressing pCREB
      significantly increased after exposure to USVs of male as compared with noise
      exposure group. In conclusion, our results suggest that USVs of male mice promote
      fertility in female mice by activating both their approaching behavior and
      central kisspeptin neurons.

PMID- 28645695
TI  - [Pneumomediastinum: When asthma exacerbation does not improve].

PMID- 28645694
TI  - [Comparative analysis: Effectiveness of nicotine addiction treatment in people
      with psychiatric comorbidity].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether or not nicotine addiction treatment was less
      effective in psychiatric than in the healthy population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A
      retrospective, descriptive and comparative cohort study was conducted in Albacete
      University Hospital during years 2008-2012 on all patients that attended the
      Tobacco Cessation Unit. The statistical tests used were Chi-squared, likelihood
      ratio, and the Student t test. Statistical significance P<=.05. RESULTS: The
      study included a total of 1,484 patients, of which 48.6% were female. The mean
      age was 46.8 years, and the mean age of starting smoking was 17.6 years. The mean
      number of previous attempts to quit was 1.48, and mean number of cigarettes
      smoked was 25.39. They had a mean Fagerstrom score of 6.04, a Richmond score of
      8.13, and a mean carbon monoxide level of 16.65ppm. Most patients were referred
      from Primary Care (38.7%) and Chest Diseases department (33%), and the type of
      tobacco smoked was "light" in 75.8%. There was 15% with chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease, 8% with asthma, and 9.4% with obstructive sleep apnoea
      syndrome. Furthermore, there was respiratory disease in 28.7%, cardiovascular
      disease in 4.6%, and both in 3.5%. Hiatus hernia was present in 7.2%, thyroid
      disease in 3.8%, hypertension in 19%, diabetes in 10.7%, and dyslipidaemia in
      29.4%, Drugs were used by 7.1%, and 12.6% consumed alcohol. There was 39.3%
      psychiatric comorbidity (PC), and were comparable except in gender, age of onset,
      Fagerstrom, Richmond, source of referral, asthma, hiatus hernia, thyroid disease,
      hypertension, as well as drugs and treatment. Drug treatment was completed by
      22.3% in the PC group, with no significant difference. There were differences in
      success (P=.008), but not in failure and relapse rates. CONCLUSION: Anti-smoking
      treatment in psychiatric patients is effective. An increase in the probability of
      treatment success is observed in patients without psychiatric comorbidity.

PMID- 28645696
TI  - Exercise training improves functional status in hypertensive older adults under
      angiotensin converting enzymes inhibitors medication.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study aims to analyze the effect of three types of treatment on
      functional status, and cardiovascular risk outcomes in hypertensive older adults
      with comorbidities. METHODS: Participants (n=418) underwent one of the following
      3 conditions: i) multicomponent exercise training 3 times/week (MEX; n=116); ii)
      angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors used mono-dose daily (ACEi; n=70); iii)
      combined exercise and ACEi drugs (ACEiMEX; n=232). The trial was completed by 82%
      of the participants (n=342): MEX (n=90); ACEi (n=66); ACEiMEX (n=186). Baseline
      and 2-year follow-up evaluations included the Senior Fitness Test battery, Short
      Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36), the health history questionnaires, anthropometric
      and hemodynamic profile. RESULTS: MEX and ACEiMEX groups improved all physical
      functional status outcomes, decreased systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure
      (p<0.001) and augmented the physical functioning, role physical and physical
      component score (PCS) (p<0.05), but also bodily pain (p<0.05). The ACEi group
      reduced the upper body strength, upper and lower body flexibility and aerobic
      endurance (p<0.05); worsened the anthropometric profile, and SBP (p<0.001); and
      decreased general health and PCS (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The improvement of the
      physical functioning and HRQoL in older hypertensive adults using ACEi
      medications only occur if they adopt an exercise training regimen, increasing
      also the management of the blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors.

PMID- 28645697
TI  - Clinical high-resolution mapping of the proteoglycan-bound water fraction in
      articular cartilage of the human knee joint.
AB  - PURPOSE: We applied our recently introduced Bayesian analytic method to achieve
      clinically-feasible in-vivo mapping of the proteoglycan water fraction (PgWF) of
      human knee cartilage with improved spatial resolution and stability as compared
      to existing methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multicomponent driven equilibrium
      single-pulse observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) datasets were acquired from the
      knees of two healthy young subjects and one older subject with previous knee
      injury. Each dataset was processed using Bayesian Monte Carlo (BMC) analysis
      incorporating a two-component tissue model. We assessed the performance and
      reproducibility of BMC and of the conventional analysis of stochastic region
      contraction (SRC) in the estimation of PgWF. Stability of the BMC analysis of
      PgWF was tested by comparing independent high-resolution (HR) datasets from each
      of the two young subjects. RESULTS: Unlike SRC, the BMC-derived maps from the two
      HR datasets were essentially identical. Furthermore, SRC maps showed substantial
      random variation in estimated PgWF, and mean values that differed from those
      obtained using BMC. In addition, PgWF maps derived from conventional low
      resolution (LR) datasets exhibited partial volume and magnetic susceptibility
      effects. These artifacts were absent in HR PgWF images. Finally, our analysis
      showed regional variation in PgWF estimates, and substantially higher values in
      the younger subjects as compared to the older subject. CONCLUSIONS: BMC-mcDESPOT
      permits HR in-vivo mapping of PgWF in human knee cartilage in a clinically
      feasible acquisition time. HR mapping reduces the impact of partial volume and
      magnetic susceptibility artifacts compared to LR mapping. Finally, BMC-mcDESPOT
      demonstrated excellent reproducibility in the determination of PgWF.

PMID- 28645698
TI  - Radiological studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in humans and animal
      models: An updated comprehensive review.
AB  - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders encompass a wide range of birth defects in
      children born to mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy. Typical mental
      impairments in FASD include difficulties in life adaptation and learning and
      memory, deficits in attention, visuospatial skills, language and speech
      disabilities, mood disorders and motor disabilities. Multimodal imaging methods
      have enabled in vivo studies of the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the central
      nervous system, giving more insight into the FASD phenotype. This paper offers an
      up-to-date comprehensive review of radiological findings in the central nervous
      system in studies of prenatal alcohol exposure in both humans and translational
      animal models, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography,
      Positron Emission Tomography, Single Photon Emission Tomography and
      Ultrasonography.

PMID- 28645699
TI  - The forgotten artist: Why to consider intentions and interaction in a model of
      aesthetic experience: Comment on "Move me, astonish me... delight my eyes and
      brain: The Vienna Integrated Model of top-down and bottom-up processes in Art
      Perception (VIMAP) and corresponding affective, evaluative, and
      neurophysiological correlates" by Matthew Pelowski et al.

PMID- 28645700
TI  - Antagonistic regulation of spermatogonial differentiation in zebrafish (Danio
      rerio) by Igf3 and Amh.
AB  - Fsh-mediated regulation of zebrafish spermatogenesis includes modulating the
      expression of testicular growth factors. Here, we study if and how two Sertoli
      cell-derived Fsh-responsive growth factors, anti-Mullerian hormone (Amh;
      inhibiting steroidogenesis and germ cell differentiation) and insulin-like growth
      factor 3 (Igf3; stimulating germ cell differentiation), cooperate in regulating
      spermatogonial development. In dose response and time course experiments with
      primary testis tissue cultures, Fsh up-regulated igf3 transcript levels and down
      regulated amh transcript levels; igf3 transcript levels were more rapidly up
      regulated and responded to lower Fsh concentrations than were required to
      decrease amh mRNA levels. Quantification of immunoreactive Amh and Igf3 on testis
      sections showed that Fsh increased slightly Igf3 staining but decreased clearly
      Amh staining. Studying the direct interaction of the two growth factors showed
      that Amh compromised Igf3-stimulated proliferation of type A (both
      undifferentiated [Aund] and differentiating [Adiff]) spermatogonia. Also the
      proliferation of those Sertoli cells associated with Aund spermatogonia was
      reduced by Amh. To gain more insight into how Amh inhibits germ cell development,
      we examined Amh-induced changes in testicular gene expression by RNA sequencing.
      The majority (69%) of the differentially expressed genes was down-regulated by
      Amh, including several stimulators of spermatogenesis, such as igf3 and
      steroidogenesis-related genes. At the same time, Amh increased the expression of
      inhibitory signals, such as inha and id3, or facilitated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)
      signaling. Evaluating one of the potentially inhibitory signals, we indeed found
      in tissue culture experiments that PGE2 promoted the accumulation of Aund at the
      expense of Adiff and B spermatogonia. Our data suggest that an important aspect
      of Fsh bioactivity in stimulating spermatogenesis is implemented by restricting
      the different inhibitory effects of Amh and by counterbalancing them with
      stimulatory signals, such as Igf3.

PMID- 28645701
TI  - Effect of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria on phosphorus dynamics and the
      bacterial community during composting of sugarcane industry waste.
AB  - Sugarcane processing generates a large quantity of residues, such as filter cake
      and ashes, which are sometimes composted prior to their amendment in soil.
      However, important issues still have to be addressed on this subject, such as the
      description of bacterial succession that occurs throughout the composting process
      and the possibilities of using phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) during the
      process to improve phosphorus (P) availability in the compost end product.
      Consequently, this study evaluated the bacterial diversity and P dynamics during
      the composting process when inoculated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa PSBR12 and
      Bacillus sp. BACBR01. To characterize the bacterial community structure during
      composting, and to compare PSB-inoculated compost with non-inoculated compost,
      partial sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and sequential P fractionation
      were used. The data indicated that members of the order Lactobacillales prevailed
      in the early stages of composting for up to 30 days, mostly due to initial
      changes in pH and the C/N ratio. This dominant bacterial group was then slowly
      replaced by Bacillales during a composting process of up to 60 days. In addition,
      inoculation of PSB reduced the levels of Ca-bound P by 21% and increased the
      labile organic P fraction. In PSB-inoculated compost, Ca-P compound
      solubilization occurred concomitantly with an increase of the genus Bacillus. The
      bacterial succession and the final community is described in compost from
      sugarcane residues and the possible use of these inoculants to improve P
      availability in the final compost is validated.

PMID- 28645702
TI  - Use of adipose tissue and stromal vascular fraction in hand surgery.
AB  - Adipose tissue is an abundant source of various cell types including not only
      adipocytes, but also progenitor and endothelial cells from thestroma. Interest in
      adipose tissue has surged since the identification in 2001 of adipose-derived
      stem cells (ADSCs) and of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) obtained from
      adipose tissue by enzymatic digestion and centrifugation. SVF has been proven
      effective in ensuring tissue regeneration, thus improving tissue trophicityand
      vascularisation. These effects have generated strong interest among both
      physicians and surgeons, particularly in the field of hand surgery. Several
      applications have been developed and used, for instance to treat Dupuytren's
      contracture, systemic sclerosis-related hand lesions, and skin ageing at the
      hand. Other uses are being evaluated in clinical or animal studies. The objective
      of this article is to review the capabilities of adipose tissue and their current
      and potential applications in hand surgery.

PMID- 28645703
TI  - Mapping of the anterior tibial profile to identify accurate reference points for
      sagittal alignment of tibial component in total knee arthroplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although standard instrumentation is the procedure most frequently
      used to implant a Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA), high rates of malalignment of
      tibial component are reported using this technique. Anatomical landmarks for
      sagittal alignment have been little investigated and the best reference axis,
      which parallels the mechanical axis, is yet to be established. HYPOTHESIS:
      Mapping the Anterior Tibial Profile (ATP) may allow the identification of
      segmental zones of the ATP parallel to the mechanical axis which can be used to
      align the extramedullary rod. METHODS: An intramedullary rod was positioned in
      line with the mechanical axis in 47 dried cadaveric tibiae. The rod was connected
      to a cutting jig and to an extramedullary rod. Digitalized images of lateral view
      radiographs were taken and the distance between the ATP and the extramedullary
      rod was measured at 10-mm intervals and at interpolated distances corresponding
      to every 2% of the tibial length. RESULTS: Segmental portions of the ATP exhibit
      an alignment parallel to the mechanical axis between points located at 58% and
      90% and at 62% and 88% of the tibial length. Points placed at 50% of tibial
      length and 5mm proximal to the ankle joint generate the longer axis parallel to
      the mechanical axis. CONCLUSION: The orientation of sagittal tibial cut may be
      improved by aligning the extramedullary rod parallel to the ATP at definite
      points. Points placed at 50% of the tibial length and 5mm proximal to the ankle
      joint may be preferred since they generate the longer axis parallel to the
      mechanical axis and are more easily identified at surgery.

PMID- 28645704
TI  - Reconstruction of large diaphyseal bone defect by simplified bone transport over
      nail technique: A 7-case series.
AB  - : Reconstruction of large diaphyseal bone defect is complex and the complications
      rate is high. This study aimed to assess a simplified technique of segmental bone
      transport by monorail external fixator over an intramedullary nail.A prospective
      study included 7 patients: 2 femoral and 5 tibial defects. Mean age was 31years
      (range: 16-61years). Mean follow-up was 62 months (range: 46-84months). Defects
      were post-traumatic, with a mean length of 7.2cm (range: 4 to 9.5cm). For 3
      patients, reconstruction followed primary failure. In 4 cases, a covering flap
      was necessary. Transport used an external fixator guided by an intramedullary
      nail, at a rate of 1mm per day. One pin was implanted on either side of the
      distraction zone. The external fixator was removed 1 month after bone contact at
      the docking site. Mean bone transport time was 11 weeks (range: 7-15 weeks). Mean
      external fixation time was 5.1months (range: 3.5 to 8months). Full weight-bearing
      was allowed 5.7months (range: 3.5-13months) after initiation of transport. In one
      patient, a pin had to be repositioned. In 3 patients, the transported segment re
      ascended after external fixatorablation, requiring repeat external fixation and
      resumption of transport. There was just 1 case of superficial pin infection.
      Reconstruction quality was considered "excellent" on the Paley-Marr criteria in 6
      cases. The present technique provided excellent reconstruction quality in 6 of
      the 7 cases. External fixation time was shorter and resumption of weight-bearing
      earlier than with other reconstruction techniques, notably including bone
      autograft, vascularized bone graft or the induced membrane technique. Nailing
      facilitated control of limb axis and length. The complications rate was 50%,
      comparable to other techniques. This study raises the question of systematic
      internal fixation of the docking site, to avoid any mobilization of the
      transported segment. The bone quality, axial control and rapidity shown by the
      present technique make it well-adapted to reconstruction of diaphyseal bone
      defect. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Four-case series.

PMID- 28645706
TI  - Pilot Pharmacokinetic Study of High-Dose Daptomycin in Hemodialysis Patients With
      Infected Medical Devices.

PMID- 28645707
TI  - Syndemic Factors Mediate the Relationship between Sexual Stigma and Depression
      among Sexual Minority Women and Gender Minorities.
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Stigma and discrimination contribute to elevated depression risks
      among sexual minority women (SMW) and gender minority (GM) people who identify as
      lesbian, bisexual, or queer. Syndemics theory posits that adverse psychosocial
      outcomes cluster to negatively impact health and mental health outcomes among
      sexual minorities. We tested whether a syndemic condition composed of low social
      support, low self-rated health, low self-esteem, and economic insecurity mediated
      the relationship between sexual stigma and depressive symptoms among SMW/GM.
      METHODS: We implemented a cross-sectional, Internet-based survey with SMW and GM
      in Toronto, Canada. We conducted structural equation modeling using maximum
      likelihood estimation to test a conceptual model of pathways between sexual
      stigma, syndemic factors, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 391 SMW/GM
      with a mean age of 30.9 (SD = 7.62) were included in the analysis. The model fit
      for a latent syndemics construct consisting of psychosocial variables (low social
      support, low self-rated health, low self-esteem, economic insecurity) was very
      good (chi2 = 6.022, df = 2, p = .049; comparative fit index = 0.973, Tucker-Lewis
      index = 0.918, root-mean square error of approximation = 0.072). In the
      simultaneous model, sexual stigma had a significant direct effect on depression.
      When the syndemic variable was added as a mediator, the direct path from sexual
      stigma to depression was no longer significant, suggesting mediation. The model
      fit the data well: chi2 = 33.50, df = 12, p = .001; comparative fit index =
      0.951, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.915, root-mean square error of approximation =
      0.068. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the salience of considering both sexual
      stigma and syndemic factors to explain mental health disparities experienced by
      SMW and GM. Addressing sexual stigma in the context of co-occurring psychosocial
      factors and economic insecurity will be key to achieving optimal health for SMW
      and GM.

PMID- 28645705
TI  - Acid Load and Phosphorus Homeostasis in CKD.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The kidneys maintain acid-base homeostasis through excretion of acid
      as either ammonium or as titratable acids that primarily use phosphate as a
      buffer. In chronic kidney disease (CKD), ammoniagenesis is impaired, promoting
      metabolic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis stimulates phosphaturic hormones,
      parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) in vitro,
      possibly to increase urine titratable acid buffers, but this has not been
      confirmed in humans. We hypothesized that higher acid load and acidosis would
      associate with altered phosphorus homeostasis, including higher urinary
      phosphorus excretion and serum PTH and FGF-23. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional.
      SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 980 participants with CKD enrolled in the Chronic Renal
      Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study. PREDICTORS: Net acid excretion as measured in
      24-hour urine, potential renal acid load (PRAL) estimated from food frequency
      questionnaire responses, and serum bicarbonate concentration < 22 mEq/L. OUTCOME
      & MEASUREMENTS: 24-hour urine phosphorus and calcium excretion and serum
      phosphorus, FGF-23, and PTH concentrations. RESULTS: Using linear and log-linear
      regression adjusted for demographics, kidney function, comorbid conditions, body
      mass index, diuretic use, and 24-hour urine creatinine excretion, we found that
      24-hour urine phosphorus excretion was higher at higher net acid excretion,
      higher PRAL, and lower serum bicarbonate concentration (each P<0.05). Serum
      phosphorus concentration was also higher with higher net acid excretion and lower
      serum bicarbonate concentration (each P=0.001). Only higher net acid excretion
      associated with higher 24-hour urine calcium excretion (P<0.001). Neither net
      acid excretion nor PRAL was associated with FGF-23 or PTH concentrations. PTH,
      but not FGF-23, concentration (P=0.2) was 26% (95% CI, 13%-40%) higher in
      participants with a serum bicarbonate concentration <22 versus >=22 mEq/L
      (P<0.001). Primary results were similar if stratified by estimated glomerular
      filtration rate categories or adjusted for iothalamate glomerular filtration rate
      (n=359), total energy intake, dietary phosphorus, or urine urea nitrogen
      excretion, when available. LIMITATIONS: Possible residual confounding by kidney
      function or nutrition; urine phosphorus excretion was included in calculation of
      the titratable acid component of net acid excretion. CONCLUSIONS: In CKD, higher
      acid load and acidosis associate independently with increased circulating
      phosphorus concentration and augmented phosphaturia, but not consistently with
      FGF-23 or PTH concentrations. This may be an adaptation that increases titratable
      acid excretion and thus helps maintain acid-base homeostasis in CKD.
      Understanding whether administration of base can lower phosphorus concentrations
      requires testing in interventional trials.

PMID- 28645709
TI  - Aquatic biodiversity in sedimentation ponds receiving road runoff - What are the
      key drivers?
AB  - Recently, increased attention has been paid to biodiversity conservation provided
      by blue-green solutions such as engineered ponds that are primarily established
      for water treatment and flood control. However, little research has been done to
      analyse the factors that affect biodiversity in such ponds. The purpose of this
      study was to evaluate the influence of environmental factors on aquatic
      biodiversity, mainly macroinvertebrate communities, in road sedimentation ponds
      in order to provide a foundation for recommendations on aquatic biodiversity
      conservation. Multivariate statistical methods, including unconstrained and
      constrained analysis, were applied to examine the relationships between organisms
      and the water quality as well as physical factors (including plant cover).
      Stepwise multiple regressions indicated that the most important variables
      governing the variation in the biological community composition were pond size,
      average annual daily traffic, metals, chloride, distance to the closest pond from
      study pond, dissolved oxygen, hydrocarbons, and phosphorus. The presence of most
      taxa was positively correlated with pond size and negatively correlated with
      metals. Small ponds with high pollutant loadings were associated with a low
      diversity and dominated by a few pollution tolerant taxa such as oligochaetes. A
      comprehensive understanding of impacts of various environmental factors on
      aquatic biodiversity is important to effectively promote and conserve aquatic
      biodiversity in such sedimentation ponds. Our results indicate that road
      sedimentation ponds should be designed large enough, because large ponds are
      likely to provide a more heterogeneous habitat and thus contain a species rich
      fauna. In addition, larger ponds seem to be less contaminated due to dilution
      compared to smaller ponds, thereby maintaining a higher biodiversity. Finally,
      creating some additional ponds in the vicinity of the sedimentation ponds in
      areas with few water bodies would increase the connectivity that facilitates the
      movement of invertebrates between ponds.

PMID- 28645708
TI  - Identification of major routes of HIV transmission throughout Mesoamerica.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Migration and travel are major drivers of the spread of infectious
      diseases. Geographic proximity and a common language facilitate travel and
      migration in Mesoamerica, which in turn could affect the spread of HIV in the
      region. METHODS: 6092 HIV-1 subtype B partial pol sequences sampled from unique
      antiretroviral treatment-naive individuals from Mexico (40.7%), Guatemala
      (24.4%), Honduras (19%), Panama (8.2%), Nicaragua (5.5%), Belize (1.4%), and El
      Salvador (0.7%) between 2011 and 2016 were included. Phylogenetic and genetic
      network analyses were performed to infer putative relationships between HIV
      sequences. The demographic and geographic associations with clustering were
      analyzed and viral migration patterns were inferred using the Slatkin-Maddison
      approach on 100 iterations of random subsets of equal number of sequences per
      location. RESULTS: A total of 1685/6088 (27.7%) of sequences linked with at least
      one other sequence, forming 603 putative transmission clusters (range: 2-89
      individuals). Clustering individuals were significantly more likely to be younger
      (median age 29 vs 33years, p<0.01) and men-who-have-sex-with-men (40.4% vs 30.3%,
      p<0.01). Of the 603 clusters, 30 (5%) included sequences from multiple countries
      with commonly observed linkages between Mexican and Honduran sequences. Eight of
      the 603 clusters included >10 individuals, including two comprised exclusively of
      Guatemalans (52 and 89 individuals). Phylogenetic and migration analyses
      suggested that the Central and Southern regions of Mexico along with Belize were
      major sources of HIV throughout the region (p<0.01) with genetic flow southward
      from Mexico to the other nations of Mesoamerica. We also found evidence of
      significant viral migration within Mexico. CONCLUSION: International clusters
      were infrequent, suggesting moderate migration between HIV epidemics of the
      different Mesoamerican countries. Nevertheless, we observed important sources of
      transnational HIV spread in the region, including Southern and Central Mexico and
      Belize.

PMID- 28645710
TI  - Impact of upstream river inputs and reservoir operation on phosphorus fractions
      in water-particulate phases in the Three Gorges Reservoir.
AB  - The impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) has changed water-sand
      transport regime, with inevitable effects on phosphorus transport behavior in the
      TGR. In this study, we measured phosphorus fractions in water and suspended
      particles transported from upstream rivers of the TGR (the Yangtze River, the
      Jialing River and the Wu River) to reservoir inner region over the full operation
      schedule of the TGR. The aim was to determine how phosphorus fractions in water
      and particulate phases varied in response to natural hydrological processes and
      reservoir operations. The results showed that total phosphorus concentration (TP)
      in water in the TGR inner region was 0.17+/-0.05mg/L, which was lower than that
      in the Yangtze River (0.21+/-0.04mg/L) and the Wu River (0.23+/-0.03mg/L), but
      higher than that in the Jialing River (0.12+/-0.07mg/L). In the TGR inner region,
      there was no clear trend of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), but total
      particulate phosphorus (TPP) showed a decreasing trend from tail area to head
      area because of particle deposition along the TGR mainstream. In addition, the
      concentrations of TPP in water and particulate phosphorus in a unit mass of
      suspended particles (PP) in the TGR inner region were higher in October 2014 and
      January 2015 (the impounding period and high water level period) than that in
      July 2015 (the low water level period). The temporal variations of PP and TPP
      concentrations in the TGR may be linked to the change of particle size
      distribution of suspended particles in the TGR. The particle size tended to be
      finer due to large-size particle deposition under stable hydrodynamic conditions
      in the process of TGR impoundment, resulting in high adsorption capacities of
      phosphorus in suspended particles. The results implied that phosphorus temporal
      variations in the TGR could exert different impacts on water quality in the TGR
      tributaries.

PMID- 28645712
TI  - Blood transfusions in severe burn patients: Epidemiology and predictive factors:
      Methodological issues.

PMID- 28645711
TI  - Proteome dynamics during post-desiccation recovery reveal convergence of
      desiccation and gamma radiation stress response pathways in Deinococcus
      radiodurans.
AB  - Deinococcus radiodurans is inherently resistant to both ionizing radiation and
      desiccation. Fifteen months of desiccation was found to be the LD50 dose for D.
      radiodurans. Desiccated cells of D. radiodurans entered 6h of growth arrest
      during post-desiccation recovery (PDR). Proteome dynamics during PDR were mapped
      by resolving cellular proteins by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with
      mass spectrometry. At least 41 proteins, represented by 51 spots on proteome
      profiles, were differentially expressed throughout PDR. High upregulation in
      expression was observed for DNA repair proteins involved in single strand
      annealing (DdrA and DdrB), nucleotide excision repair (UvrA and UvrB), homologous
      recombination (RecA) and other vital proteins that contribute to DNA replication,
      recombination and repair (Ssb, GyrA and GyrB). Expression of CRP/FNR family
      transcriptional regulator (Crp) remained high throughout PDR. Other pathways such
      as cellular detoxification, protein homeostasis and metabolism displayed both,
      moderately induced and repressed proteins. Functional relevance of proteomic
      modulations to surviving desiccation stress is discussed in detail. Comparison of
      our data with the published literature revealed convergence of radiation and
      desiccation stress responses of D. radiodurans. This is the first report that
      substantiates the hypothesis that the radiation stress resistance of D.
      radiodurans is incidental to its desiccation stress resistance.

PMID- 28645713
TI  - Propranolol kinetics in plasma from severely burned adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate propranolol
      dosing strategy for reducing heart rate in severely burned adults. METHODS: A
      total of 26 patients (>=18 years) with burns covering >=30% of the total body
      surface area were included in this IRB-approved study. Plasma propranolol
      concentrations were determined in a placebo group (n=10) or following one of
      three dosing strategies: Q6 (n=4), Q8 (n=6), and Q24 (n=6). Blood was collected
      just before dosing and at regular intervals over two dosing periods with
      corresponding heart rate and blood pressure recordings. Statistical significance
      was determined by one-way ANOVA followed by the appropriate post-hoc test.
      RESULTS: Heart rate was 86+/-2 bpm for Q6, 93+/-3 bpm for Q8, and 90+/-4 bpm for
      Q24. The Q8 group had a significantly higher heart rate than the Q6 group
      (p=0.0001). Plasma propranolol concentrations were significantly higher in the Q6
      dosing strategy than in the Q8 dosing strategy (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Heart rate
      can be decreased to a similar degree with Q6 and Q24 dosing strategies, with the
      Q8 dosing strategy being less effective. Q6 dosing is recommended to maintain
      reduced heart rate throughout dosing periods.

PMID- 28645714
TI  - Retrospective analysis on thermal injuries in children-Demographic, etiological
      and clinical data of German and Austrian pediatric hospitals 2006-2015
      Approaching the new German burn registry.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this observational, multi-center study was to reveal
      epidemiologic, etiological and clinical aspects of hospitalized children with
      thermal injuries in Germany and Austria and the workup of a renewed web-based
      pediatric burn registry. METHODS: From 2006 to 2015, comprehensive patient data
      of thermally injured children in Germany and Austria were collected
      prospectively. Retrospective analysis of age, gender, mechanism of injury, total
      body surface area burned, way of admission and length of stay was performed,
      followed by the comparative analysis between designated burn centers and other
      pediatric hospitals. RESULTS: 32 hospitals participated in the study including
      data of 13,460 thermally injured hospitalized children. The majority was 12-<36
      months of age with a share of 48%. 56.5% were boys. The most frequent cause of
      injury was scalding representing 74.4%. Designated pediatric burn centers treated
      82.2% of all patients. In relation to non-centers, no significant differences
      were seen concerning the affected total body surface area and the amount of
      patients <1 year of age in contrast to a significant difference regarding the
      amount of fire injuries, all being parameters indicating the severity of thermal
      injuries. Overall mortality was 0.1%. CONCLUSION: This study extends our
      knowledge about population characterization of thermally injured children,
      highlights risk factors and serves as a basis for the renewed pediatric burn
      registry from 2016 on.

PMID- 28645715
TI  - Agents, mechanisms and clinical features of non-scald burns in children: A
      prospective UK study.
AB  - AIMS: To inform childhood burn prevention by identifying demographics, clinical
      features and circumstances of unintentional non-scald burns. METHODS: A
      prospective cross-sectional study was conducted across Cardiff, Bristol and
      Manchester, including six emergency departments, three minor injury units and one
      burns unit between 13/01/2013-01/10/2015. Data collected for children aged <16
      years with any burn (scald, contact, flame, radiation, chemical, electrical,
      friction) included: demographics, circumstances of injury and clinical features.
      Scalds and burns due to maltreatment were excluded from current analysis.
      RESULTS: Of 564 non-scald cases, 60.8% were boys, 51.1% were <3 years old, 90.1%
      (472/524) of burns affected one anatomical site. Contact burns accounted for
      86.7% (489/564), 34.8% (137/394) of which were from objects placed at >0.6m and
      76.5% (349/456) affected the hands. Hairstyling devices were the most common
      agent of contact burns (20.5%, 100/487); 34.1% (30/88) of hairstyling devices
      were on the floor. Of children aged 10-15 years, 63.7% (65/102), sustained
      contact burns of which 23.2% (13/56) were preparing food, and when burnt from
      hairstyling devices, 73.3% (11/15) were using them at the time of injury.
      CONCLUSIONS: Parents of toddlers must learn safe storage of hazardous items.
      Older children should be taught skills in safe cooking and hairstyling device
      use.

PMID- 28645717
TI  - Surveillance of pneumococcal colonization and invasive pneumococcal disease
      reveals shift in prevalent carriage serotypes in Massachusetts' children to
      relatively low invasiveness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV),
      overall nasopharyngeal colonization rates have not changed significantly, however
      a dramatic and sustained decline in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in
      children was observed in every setting where the PCVs were implemented. We aimed
      to describe the differences in invasive disease potential of serotypes that are
      common colonizers in pre- and post-vaccine eras in order to provide further
      insight in our understanding of dynamic epidemiology of pneumococcal diseases.
      METHODS: Using data from surveillance of nasopharyngeal carriage and enhanced
      surveillance for IPD, a serotype specific "invasive capacity (IC)" was computed
      by dividing the incidence of IPD due to serotype x by the carriage prevalence of
      that same serotype in children <7years of age in Massachusetts. We have evaluated
      the serotype specific invasive capacity in two periods; pre-PCV13 (2001/02,
      2003/04, 2006/07, 2008/09) and post-PCV13 (2010/11 and 2013/14), and by age
      groups; <24monthsvs. >=24months. RESULTS: An approximate 50-fold variation in the
      point estimate was observed between the serotypes having the highest (7F, 38,
      19A, 3, 33F) and the lowest (6C, 35B, 21, 11A, 23B and 23A) computed serotype
      specific invasive disease potential. In the post-PCV13 era (6C, 35B, 11A, 23B and
      23A), 5 of the 7 most common serotypes colonizing the nasopharynx were serotypes
      with the lowest invasive capacity. Serotype specific invasive capacity trended
      down in older children for majority of the serotypes, and serotypes 3, 10A and
      19A had significantly lower invasive capacity in children older than 24months of
      age compared to younger children. CONCLUSION: Invasive capacity differs among
      serotypes and likely by age. Point estimates of IC for most of the common
      serotypes colonizing children in Massachusetts in post-PCV13 era were low and
      likely explain the continued reduction in IPD from the pre-PCV era in the absence
      of specific protection against these serotypes.

PMID- 28645716
TI  - Guide to active vaccine safety surveillance: Report of CIOMS working group on
      vaccine safety - executive summary.
AB  - In 2013, the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS)
      created a Working Group on Vaccine Safety (WG) to address unmet needs in the area
      of vaccine pharmacovigilance. Generating reliable data about specific vaccine
      safety concerns is becoming a priority due to recent progress in the development
      and deployment of new vaccines of global importance, as well as novel vaccines
      targeting diseases specifically endemic to many resource-limited countries
      (RLCs), e.g. malaria, dengue. The WG created a Guide to Active Vaccine Safety
      Surveillance (AVSS) to assist national regulatory authorities and national
      immunization program officers in RLCs in determining the best course of action
      with regards to non-routine pharmacovigilance activities, when confronted with a
      launch of a new vaccine or a vaccine that is new to their country. Here we
      summarize the results of the WG, further detailed in the Guide, which for the
      first time provides a structured approach to identifying and analyzing specific
      vaccines safety knowledge gaps, while considering all available sources of
      information, in order to determine whether AVSS is an appropriate solution. If
      AVSS is confirmed as being the appropriate tool, the Guide provides additional
      essential information on AVSS, a detailed overview of common types of AVSS and
      practical implementation considerations. It also provides a framework for a well
      constructed and informative AVSS when needed, thus aiming to ensure the best
      possible safety of immunization in this new landscape.

PMID- 28645718
TI  - Optimizing adjuvants for intradermal delivery of MenC glycoconjugate vaccine.
AB  - Intradermal vaccine delivery is a promising alternative to the conventional
      intramuscular route. The skin layer is immunologically supported by a densely
      network of antigen presenting cells, while the skeletal muscle is loaded with a
      relatively sparse population of APCs. Nevertheless, the vaccine to be suitable
      for intradermal delivery needs a new formulation to facilitate either smaller
      injection volumes or the introduction into new delivery devises as micro-needles.
      This study presents a proof of concept for intradermal delivery of the MenC
      CRM197 glycoconjugate vaccine using a mouse model. Tangential flow filtration
      allowed obtaining a 20-fold concentrated vaccine formulation suitable for
      intradermal injection. Importantly the intradermal delivery of non-adjuvanted
      MenC glycoconjugate vaccine showed a quicker on-set and superiority in terms of
      immunogenicity compared to intramuscular administration of the respective vaccine
      and comparable immunogenicity to the aluminum adjuvanted vaccine formulation
      given intramuscular. Subsequently, the use of adjuvants allowed to further
      increase the immunogenicity and to modulate the quality of the immune response
      towards a more beneficial Th1 response. As adjuvants two Toll like receptor
      agonists (TLR4a and TLR7a), a mutant of the heat-labile enterotoxin from
      Escherichia coli (LT), a alpha-GalactosylCeramide analogue and an oil in water
      emulsion were investigated in order to target skin-resident antigen-presenting
      cells. This approach has the potential to be extended to other meningococcal
      serogroups, representing a promising strategy for the development of dermally
      administered multivalent glycoconjugate vaccines.

PMID- 28645719
TI  - Leadless Pacing System: Initial experience with a novel technology in Greece.